Hated by my Alpha Stepbrother

SLOANE

Nothing says ruined graduation night like your mother calling to announce she got married instead of showing up for you.

I was halfway through my second glass of wine when she said it. She sounded casual. Cheerful. Like she wasn’t dropping the most inconvenient news of my life.

Elara knew how much I loved my dad. She knew how badly I hated the thought of him being replaced.

Still, she said it like it was nothing.

“Forgive me, Sloane. The marriage had to happen today but trust me, once you return and meet him, you’ll love him,” she added. “He is already asking about you. The best part is that he has a son, though he’s a few years older than you, a bit cold too but nothing you can’t handle. I believe the two of you will get along well.”

I laughed into my glass. It came out sharp and ugly. “Of course, Mom.”

“I know you don’t like this but just trust me,” she said, her tone turning firm. “Return tomorrow and meet our new family, for my sake please.”

I stayed silent and her voice came again. “Annie, for my sake please. This isn’t optional.”

Optional. Right.

Before I would say something unforgivable, I ended the call and shoved my phone into my purse, focusing on the dance floor as though it had personally ruined my mood.

“Okay,” my best friend, Mara said, sliding into the seat beside me. “You look like you’re two seconds away from committing arson. What happened?”

“Can you imagine that my mother missed my grad ‘cause she remarried?”

“Whoa,” her eyes went wide, her forehead rumpling. “Uhm… thought she swore off mates.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Apparently she found a better one with a big dick and a cold son older than me.”

“Did you just say a cold son… older than you?”

“Yes and I can’t help but think he is going to be a shithead,” I added.

Mara tipped her head back, biting her lip with mischief. “It kinda sounds hot.”

I shot her a disgusting look. Mara was never beating the allegations of having dirty, nasty thoughts.

“Just shut up if you are going to say stupid things.” A sigh left my lips as I turned my head to look around.

“Girl loosen up. Drink, dance. Let some steam off and try to salvage the night.”

“Salvage? How, exactly?” I quizzed while signaling the bartender for something stronger.

She leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. My brow shot up, as I waited to hear her.

“Have a good, hot sex.”

“You are crazy.”

She moved closer, lowering her voice. “Girl, you will be turning nineteen soon. Are you really planning on dying a virgin? At least, have mercy on your wolf. Besides, it’s just going to be a one-night thing, you don’t have to share names or contacts.”

“No way. I’m not going to let some random guy be my first. I will find my mate soon.”

Just then… I felt something like a hand at the base of my spine, slow and deliberate. My wolf stirred, and my attention snapped sharp.

I turned before I saw the man whose eyes were pinned on me.

He stood near the edge of the dance floor, with dark hair, broad shoulders, and a posture relaxed in the way only dangerous men ever managed.

Alpha energy rolled off him — controlled, confident, and irritatingly magnetic. This was definitely my definition of hot.

“Ouuu, seems like you already found an interest. You better go for him. He looks so hot,” Mara whispered to my ear.

I ignored her and started moving over to the guy. “Planning to stare at me till I melt?”

He flashed me a full smile, his set of sparkling white teeth coming into view. His eyes dragged over me slowly, and heat pooled low in my stomach.

“I was waiting for you to notice me,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Looks like it worked.”

“I have a room saved, care to join me for some drinks?”

I stared at his blue eyes for a while before shifting to his lips and choosing to remain there.

“If you keep staring at me like that, I might have to pin you to the wall right here and fuck you really hard.”

For some reason, bile rose in my throat and I swallowed hard. Gosh! He’s so fucking hot but his words made him ten times hotter.

“Are you going to give me a reply or do you actually prefer to look at me like I’m some snack,” he teased. I walked closer to him and stood on my toes, whispering, “No matter what happens this night, we can’t share our names or any form of communication. After tonight, we will act like it never happened.”

I didn’t wait to hear his reply, I quickly turned around and began to walk out. I could hear him following behind.

My eyes found Mara’s. She was squealing at me. I placed a finger on my lips, signaling for her to be quiet. She gave me a thumbs up and winked, mouthing these words “happy fucking”.

This girl was a total crackhead.

As much as I wanted to laugh, I pretended not to notice what she did and kept moving, until my soon-to-be one-night stander moved to my side.

“Deal baby,” he muttered, overtaking me. My eyes focused on his back, his black long sleeve looked like it was tailored specially for him, perfectly printed to his skin, giving anyone a chance to see how perfect his physique was. My perverted eyes moved lower and caught his beautiful ass as they moved in those trousers.

“What a hot mess,” I muttered to myself.

We finally stepped into a hotel building and in no time we were standing in front of his hotel room.

“Ladies first,” he prostrated, before leading me in. I couldn’t help but blush hard.

He closed the door and turned to me, the chemistry snapping tight the moment his hand settled on my waist. Heat flared under my skin like my body had been waiting for permission.

His scent wrapped around me and I could feel my wolf leap up in excitement. I must have starved her so bad.

“You sure about this?” My body shook when his mouth brushed my ear.

I tilted my head back, meeting his gaze. “Are you?”

His answer was a deep, possessive kiss, the kind that promised consequences.

After he broke the kiss, I swore my legs were shaky and I think he noticed because he held onto me and led me to the bed.

After I sat, he knelt between my legs, staring at me in a way I couldn’t really understand.

“What?”

He licked his lips and placed his hands on my lap, “I don’t know if it’s ‘cause of how good your arousal fluid smells that I’m so horny. I badly want to fuck you right now.”

His eyes showed just how bad he really wanted to have me, they flicked from blue to red immediately he said those words and it left me speechless, or rather… breathless.

“I— I….” Before I could say anything, he crashed his mouth on mine, letting whatever I wanted to say trail away.

Clothes discarded, hands everywhere and his control fraying just enough to make it intoxicating.

He was dominant without cruelty, intense without force. I met him strike for strike, refusing to be anything less than equal.

We went round after round, I totally lost count and it felt really strange that I had this much energy even though it was my first time. Well, my starving wolf could be the reason.

The hotel room was a blur of heat and urgency. After the sixth round, I was too tired, so I couldn’t make it back to my place.

We were now lying tangled in sheets, breathing slowly.

“Still no names,” he said. “Even after this good sex.”

I smirked, turning to him. “No. We had a deal.”

“Just joking,” he replied, lowering his head and placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

I wriggled into his big body and slept off like a baby, only to wake up to a phone call and in frustration.

The guy from last night wasn’t here, I sat up and looked around, and there was no trace of him.

My phone rang again and I grumpily stood from the bed.

After a difficult search, I found my phone in my bag. Mara was the one calling.

“Maraaaaa, you woke me up,” I complained the second I picked up the call.

“Well, you'd better get your ass kicking, your flight leaves in the next thirty minutes.”

“What?” I screamed, hurriedly ending it and grabbing my clothes from the floor.

—

—

—

I barely made the flight.

I spent the whole trip exhausted, annoyed, and trying not to think about my mother’s new husband, his son, or the fact that my life had apparently changed overnight without my permission.

By the time I reached Hawthorne Creek, my mood had curdled into pure dread.

I hadn’t been back to New York in years. Now my mother was dragging me back just to play a role I wasn’t happy about.

My mother met me at the door, glowing. Her new mate stood beside her, solid and imposing, his Alpha power radiating quietly.

“Sweetheart,” she said, pulling me into a hug. “You made it.”

I nodded, stepping back.

“So, this is Luciano, my mate and your stepdad,” Mom introduced, and with a forced smile, I acknowledged his presence. “Nice to meet you, Luciano.”

Addressing him by his name and not “stepdad”, was very much intentional.

“Nice to meet you too, Sloane. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you from your mom. I hope we get to spend some time together as a family.”

Speaking of family, my eyes began to search around for my supposed stepbrother, until a familiar scent hit me before I saw him.

The guy from last night stepped into the room.

His gaze locked onto mine. Recognition hit both of us at once.

My stomach dropped so hard it felt like the floor disappeared beneath me.

No.

No fucking way.