CLAIMED BY MY CRUEL ALPHA STEPBROTHER

SERAPHINA

Prayers are very dangerous things, I learned that the night my  mother got mated to the alpha king. I had spent years begging the moon goddess for a brother. When Silas Thorne walked into my life, I started begging to take back my wish.

My fingers trembled around the bouquet of wildflowers I held on my mother's behalf as we all smiled into the camera. My inner wolf paced beneath my skin, fear and panic thrumming through our bond. I glanced sideways…he wasn't there. Gone as soon as the picture was taken. I dragged out a loud huff of air, relieved that I could finally calm my racing heart.

"The ceremony's over, this is the last picture. I need to shift and run, Ma," I whispered against my mother's ear. There were still a few pack guests lingering around, but that wasn't my main problem. I needed to get safe in my room before that grinning devil came back around.

Mom gave me a slow nudge, whispered a few words of thanks. Her mate, Alpha Thorne, seemed way too busy with the visiting wolves. I turned on my heels, bolted up the stairs into my bedroom before exhaling so hard my shoulders dropped. I hadn't even switched on  the light but I had locked the door…not that a lock would stop any wolf worth their fangs.

This was my mother's fourth mating ceremony. Should tell you a lot about me by now. She mates for alliances, pack mergers—nothing out of line. So you can imagine my shock when she actually fell in love with Alpha Thorne Blackwood. The infamous Alpha King with an even more infamous son. Both with the dubious reputation of having she-wolves hang off their every growl. I bet this union wouldn't last. Thorne might seem satisfied now, but the man always wanted more territory, more power.

"You know, I intended to wait for you to fall asleep."

Silas's voice echoed behind me.

I gasped, my claws instinctively extending as I stepped backward, panting heavily before flicking on the light switch in haste.

Silas lounged against my bedframe, legs spread wide. I'd been standing between them and hadn't even noticed him shift. My wolf snarled at the violation of our room.

Fuck.

"I almost smothered you with a pillow," he murmured, his eyes flashing gold. "I could've snapped your neck. I brought silver cuffs and a blade too, just in case." His voice trailed off as a sinister smile crawled wider across his lips before he kicked off his shoes onto my bed.

"But then I changed my mind. You—pathetic, vile little wolf—you shouldn't get to die so easily after what you did to me. After everything. Oh… who knew this day would come?" Silas asked, letting the question hang in the air, his fangs glinting.

"Get out of my den!" I spat viciously, a low growl rumbling from my chest. I ignored the part where I knew too well—he'd kill me if he so much as got the itch. He was right. I had ruined him once before. Back in the past. We hadn't known each other and—fuck—I slipped.

"Wrong answer, little rogue." He leaned closer, the tip of a silver blade resting between my thighs, poking straight through the ceremonial dress I wore. I hissed as the metal burned through the fabric. "I knew this day would come. And why?"

He smiled, all predatory. "My father meeting your mother was set up by me. This union? Pushed because of me. Dad thinks he needs a new Luna 'cause I won't stop rambling about one. You think this mating won't last long? Makes you a fucking fool. Because they're perfect for each other. Their wolves already howled together at the moon. And let me spell it out for you, my nasty little wolf..." His eyes glittered darkly, amber bleeding into gold.

"You and I are stuck in this pack house. And I will haunt you. Bleed you. Break you. And when I get bored, I'll fix you back up to fit my perfection. And then begin the process all over."

He shoved me backward, sending me tumbling. I fell hard to the floor, my ankles and sides scraping against the edge of the bed, bruising as my wolf whined in distress. My heart sank as he stood over me, mischief and malice swirling in his predatory gaze. Now I knew it. He was set to ruin me. He hated me. My own stepbrother loathed me—and by the moon, I hated him too.

"Fuck off, Silas! Get the hell out of my den! And I'll warn you, I bite harder. I'll let this go just because it's my mother's mating night, but you pull shit like this again, I'll rip your throat out with my fangs," I snapped, standing to my feet with an angry snarl, letting my wolf rise to the surface.

The bastard laughed—fucking laughed—in my face. Flashing his stupidly striking fangs with an even more irritating, alluring wink.

"Sharpen those claws, little rogue. I love when you bite. Makes the hunt more fun."

With that, he opened the door and slammed it shut in my face. I waited no more than a second before storming to the door and bolting it locked. I flipped off the light and crawled under the duvet, my wolf whimpering hard in my chest.

"No… no…" I stuttered. It had been two years. Two years and five months since the full moon gathering. He should have forgotten. Let it go.

I didn't mean to—or I did. It didn't matter.

---

—FLASHBACK—

There had been a territory challenge—Mooncrest Pack, my pack, against Shadowfang Pack, another territory. And when I knew who was competing, I fucking lost it. Everyone knew who Silas Thorne was. Apart from the fact that his father counted heavy stacks of territory and alliances, ranked as the most eligible unmated Alpha every lunar cycle, topping the ranks of the strongest wolves in the country—his son Silas was also on a whole other high.

Silas Blackwood—the perfect fucking Alpha heir. Oh moon, he was hot. You wouldn't understand. It wasn't performative of me saying this shit, but Silas was fucking gorgeous. Like most Alpha-blooded wolves, Silas was six-four in height, black wavy hair always pulled into a warrior's knot, and when he let it all down… let's leave that to your imagination. Pierced the top of his ears—not the tip. His godlike, perfectly built body had not a single scar or tattoo on it, well except behind his ear where there was a ghostlike rune—a mark of his bloodline.

I tracked his every move during the gathering. Who wouldn't? You would too. Silas was everything I couldn't have. Why? Because unlike Silas I was an omega wolf, obeyed all the fucking pack rules, round glasses—a perfectionist. Elder's pet. Moon-touched. Anything. And also… Silas Thorne? He didn't do wolves like me. I recalled dyeing the tips of my fur red just to fit in for once. Everyone questioned it but it had been the only rebellion I'd shown so they let it slide.

I recall being happy watching him compete and fucking win, defeating my pack's champion in a brutal spar. Oh it made my day, seeing him warm up and shift into his massive black wolf. Except when I'd wandered away, checking through the supplies in our storage den that night, preparing for our one-week-away pack hunt… I saw him.

Silas Blackwood—the fucking Alpha heir—on his knees in front of the one she-wolf I hated the most… Alessia His on-and-off fated situationship everyone knew about.

"Please Sia… you can't do this to me… not him, please… don't… fuck, Sia  choose me, please." Silas pleaded, tears pouring down his eyes. My breath hitched as I pressed myself back against the shelves into the shadows. An Alpha never begged for anything—and why here?

"I can't, Silas. I told you I wanted this arrangement gone before. I don't love you, Silas. I never have. My wolf doesn't answer yours. So why the fuck would you do some shit like ask me to stay? I'm done. It's over." Alessia retorted, her fangs spitting out those cold, heartless words that made my heart drop. Silas loved her. The situationship was a one-sided bond?

"But please Alessia, I love you, I'll challenge anyone for you, I… fucking choose me. Please, I'll go rogue if you leave me, I need you Sia, I need you to need me, why not me? Why? I'll do anything…"

"I'm pregnant," she said coldly, shoving his hands off her grasp. I froze. You wouldn't believe my shock. My… fucking surprise. She was carrying pups—for someone else?

"I'll father them. My father, the Alpha King would get mad but… I'll… fuck, you don't have to tell Embry, let's lie and say the pups are mine, you can reject them if you want you…"

A loud gasp from me cut his words short as both their eyes darted to my direction. I stumbled backward, the stuff on the shelf clattering to the floor. I held my breath, turned away, thankful for the darkness as I ran. He rushed after me. I could hear him calling out, demanding to know who it was, but it was my pack's territory. I knew the grounds and I'd watched him, hidden in the moon pool as he ran past, fear wide in his amber eyes. His darkest secret had been brought to light.

"Seraphina? What's wrong?" Lyra, the pack's lead huntress, asked, wiping off what seemed like blood from her mouth—she'd just shifted back. Of course you could trust Lyra to tangle with any wolf she wanted. She was fierce.

"I saw Silas. You know… I shouldn't say this but… he was on his knees, begging Alessia not to leave, begging that she choose him. I guess Silas wants her so bad, and turns out it was a one-sided bond. She's pregnant for Embry. His rival."

I spat it all out. You could see the grin strapped to Lyra's lips, the fucking way she grinned, the glint in her eyes. Everyone wanted a piece of Silas. They hated and worshiped Alessia  for having him. And now… there was a way to finally split them apart.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, I just… fuck, promise me you won't say anything?"  I asked her, who nodded but of course it was a lie. She placed her hand to her lips, faked a zip and tossed it behind her, but I knew she was thrumming, buzzing with anticipation to let it loose.

"It's safe with me. Your secret." Lyra reassured, turning on her feet and heading back toward the gathering grounds knowing her pack sisters were still there.

And then I stood smiling, relieved. Alessia didn't deserve Silas. And swearing by the  moon above… Silas Blackwood was a fucking yearner.

I wanted him. So bad. Soooo bad but I couldn't have him. I guess Alessia  wouldn't too.

---

END OF FLASHBACK

Hot tears streaked down my face as I slammed my teeth together. My wolf howled mournfully inside me.

Fuck. He saw me. He recognized my scent. Somehow that night when I fooled myself into believing he didn't see, Silas had caught my trail. He knew it was me.

The rumor had spread through every pack in the region. Silas had tried denying but Alessia kept the pups, and then the rumors were confirmed when she was seen nursing Embry’s litter. It ruined him. He was mocked. His name as Alpha heir dragged through the fucking mud. His wolf went silent for a year. He had to leave, exiled by his own shame. The secret ate me raw and after he left I felt better thinking it was all in the past. Until I met him a week ago. The night my mother got claimed by the Alpha King.

And now I'm stuck living under the same pack roof with a wolf who would taunt me and walk me to hell, holding a noose of silver over my neck like I was some fucking chew toy to break.

My life would be hell as long as my new stepbrother was in it. I needed to get rid of him, fast. Before his wolf claimed something far worse than revenge.

Before mine  started to want it.