All Chapters of Mated To My Beta Stepbrother: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

“My father’s execution is the single most shameful thing that has ever happened to my family and it’s something that has haunted me every single day for the past ten years,” Killian said quietly and his eyes were focused on the floor rather than on me, “I didn’t tell you about it because I was afraid that if you knew the truth about where I came from and what my family legacy was, you would decide that I wasn’t worth the risk of joining the pack.”His words made sense on a logical level but they also revealed a fundamental lack of trust in our relationship, and I sat down beside him on the bed while maintaining some distance between us. “I understand why you might have been scared to tell me,” I said carefully, “But keeping something this important from me isn’t the way to build a partnership, and if we’re going to be mated for life then we need to be able to trust each other with the difficult truths and not just the easy parts.”Killian finally looked up at me and I could see that

Killian pulled me inside and locked the door behind us before guiding me to sit on the couch, and I could see that something was bothering him even though he was trying to hide it.“I received some disturbing news from Tyler this afternoon,” Killian began and his voice was tight with barely controlled anger, “Apparently there’s a faction within the pack that’s planning to challenge our mating bond during the ceremony by invoking an old law that allows any pack member to contest a pairing if they believe it’s not in the best interest of the community.”My stomach dropped because this was exactly the kind of complication that I had been worried about after my conversation with Selene, and I could feel panic starting to rise in my chest as I tried to understand what this meant for us.Killian sat down beside me and took my hands in his while trying to project calm through our bond even though I could sense his own anxiety underneath the surface.“The law states that if someone challenges

Killian kept his hand firmly in mine as we entered the room and took seats across from where Daemon sat behind an imposing wooden desk, and I could feel my heart pounding so hard that I was sure everyone could hear it.“This had better be important enough to warrant disturbing me at this hour,” Daemon said and his tone was mild but his eyes were sharp as they moved between Killian and me, “What exactly is this urgent matter that couldn’t wait until morning?”Killian pulled out his phone and showed Daemon the photo that had been sent along with the threatening message, and I watched as the Alpha’s expression shifted from mild annoyance to serious concern as he examined the evidence. Tyler moved closer to look at the screen over Daemon’s shoulder and I saw his jaw tighten with what might have been anger or disappointment.“I can explain everything,” I said before anyone could start making assumptions, “Selene contacted me last night and asked to meet with me. She claimed she had inform

As evening approached Killian suggested that we should both try to get some proper rest because the next day would be spent in final preparations for the ceremony, and he led me back to his bedroom where we changed into comfortable clothes and climbed under the covers.I curled up against his chest and listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat while trying to quiet the anxious thoughts racing through my mind, and eventually his hand started tracing soothing patterns on my back that helped me begin to drift toward sleep.I was just on the edge of unconsciousness when I felt a sudden sharp pain in my chest that made me gasp and sit up abruptly, and Killian was immediately alert beside me asking what was wrong and whether I was hurt.The pain subsided almost as quickly as it had appeared but it left behind a strange sensation like something fundamental had shifted inside me, and when I looked down at the ring on my finger I saw that the stone in the center was glowing much brighter

I reached for his shirt as well and helped him remove it so that I could finally see and touch the muscled planes of his chest and abs that I had only glimpsed before, and the heat of his skin against my palms made me shiver with anticipation.“Are you sure about this?” he asked even though his hands were already moving to the waistband of my pants, “Once we cross this line there’s no going back and Alpha Daemon specifically warned us about the consequences of having sex before the mating ceremony is complete.”I understood what he was saying but I also knew that I needed this connection with him more than I had ever needed anything in my life, and the idea of waiting another full day when we might not even survive the challenges ahead seemed unbearable.I nodded firmly and reached for his belt buckle to show him that I was committed to this choice, and I saw relief and desire war across his features before desire won out completely.He helped me out of the rest of my clothes with mov