chapter 4

That evening, Mia pushed open the door to what she thought was the library. Steam billowed out, carrying the scent of cedar and spice. Her breath caught in her throat.

Matthew stood by the window, water droplets trailing down his muscled back. A white towel hung low on his hips, barely clinging to his narrow waist. His dark hair curled wet against his neck.

Heat flooded Mia's cheeks. She should leave. Should turn around. But her feet remained frozen to the spot as her eyes traced the defined planes of his shoulders, the ridges of his abs.

He turned, catching her gaze in the mirror. A slow, predatory smile spread across his face. "Like what you see?"

"I- I was looking for the library." Mia's voice came out breathier than intended.

Matthew stalked toward her, each step deliberate. "This is my private bathroom." His eyes raked over her, sending shivers down her spine. "Though I don't mind giving you a... private tour."

"I should go." But she didn't move.

"Should you?" He closed the distance between them, close enough that she felt the heat radiating from his skin. "I could teach you things, little mouse." His finger traced her collarbone. "Show you exactly how the male body works."

Mia's heart hammered against her ribs. The scent of his body wash filled her lungs, making her dizzy. A droplet of water fell from his hair onto her cheek.

"What do you say?" His thumb brushed the water away. "Ready for your first lesson?"

Mia stumbled backward, her heel catching on the threshold. The warmth of his touch lingered on her skin, setting her nerve endings on fire. She spun around and bolted down the hallway, her footsteps echoing against the marble floors.

"Running away already?" Matthew's laugh followed her, rich and dark like honey. "And here I thought we were just getting started."

Her chest heaved as she rounded the corner, nearly colliding with an antique vase. The cool air hit her flushed skin, but did nothing to calm her racing pulse. Images of water droplets trailing down tanned skin flashed through her mind.

"Stop it," she whispered to herself, pressing her palms against her burning cheeks. This was Matthew - her tormentor, her bully. The same Matthew who had watched while others cut her hair, who had smirked as they humiliated her.

She ducked into an alcove, trying to catch her breath. Her wolf paced restlessly beneath her skin, confused by the conflicting signals of attraction and fear. The scent of cedar and spice still clung to her clothes, making her head spin.

"Problems, little sister?"

Mia jumped at Zander's voice from the adjacent hallway. She couldn't let him see her like this - disheveled, flustered, practically panting. Without answering, she darted in the opposite direction, taking random turns until she found herself in an unfamiliar wing of the mansion.

Her fingers trembled as she smoothed down her hair. What was wrong with her? How could her body betray her like this, responding to someone who had helped make her life hell? She slumped against the wall, sliding down until she hit the floor.

"Get it together," she muttered, pressing her forehead to her knees. But all she could think about was the way Matthew's eyes had darkened when he looked at her, the dangerous promise in his smile.

That night, Mia tossed in her silk sheets, sweat beading on her forehead. In her dreams, faces morphed and twisted - Tarlose's cruel laugh, scissors snipping her hair, Matthew's predatory smile, lipstick smearing across her cheeks.

Her legs tangled in the sheets as she thrashed. The nightmare gripped her, dragging her deeper. Hands grabbed at her, pulling, tearing. Her wolf howled inside her mind.

A scream ripped from her throat, echoing through the mansion's halls. Her body jerked upright, chest heaving as she clawed at the darkness.

The door burst open. Matthew reached her first, bare-chested in sleep pants. Aiden appeared seconds later, hair mussed from sleep.

"Shh, you're safe." Aiden's warm hand cupped her face, thumbing away tears she hadn't realized were falling.

Matthew slid onto the bed beside her, his arm wrapping around her waist. "Just a nightmare, little mouse."

Her body trembled, caught between fear and comfort. Aiden settled on her other side, creating a protective cocoon of warmth.

"I- I'm sorry," Mia whispered, her voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't apologize." Aiden's fingers stroked through her hair, gentle and soothing. The gesture so different from the cruel hands in her dream.

Matthew pulled her closer, his chest pressed against her back. His breath tickled her neck. "We've got you."

The combination of their scents - Matthew's cedar and spice, Aiden's rain and earth - wrapped around her like a security blanket. Her wolf settled, recognizing safety in their presence.

"Sleep," Aiden murmured. "We'll keep the nightmares away."

Mia tensed between them, her rational mind screaming at the impropriety of the situation. These were her stepbrothers. The same ones who had shown nothing but contempt hours earlier. She shifted, preparing to tell them to leave.

"Your heart's racing," Matthew murmured against her hair. His palm spread flat against her stomach, steadying her trembling body.

"We shouldn't-" The protest died on her lips as Aiden's fingers continued their gentle strokes through her hair, each touch melting away another layer of resistance.

"Just rest," Aiden's deep voice rumbled. "Nothing more."

The warmth of their bodies seeped into her bones, chasing away the last wisps of her nightmare. Her wolf, usually so defensive, curled up contentedly under their combined presence.

Matthew's chest rose and fell against her back in a steady rhythm. The cedar and spice scent that had earlier set her on edge now wrapped around her like a familiar blanket. Aiden's rain-fresh scent mingled with it, creating a cocoon of safety.

Her eyelids grew heavy. The tension in her muscles unwound, replaced by a bone-deep weariness. She should push them away. Should maintain boundaries. But their protective embrace felt right in a way she couldn't explain.

The last thing she registered before drifting off was Matthew's thumb drawing lazy circles on her hip, and Aiden's quiet humming - an old lullaby her mother used to sing.

Little did she know how everything was going to turn out.