MY STEPBROTHER IS MY MATE

Chapter 5: Hidden Desire

Mia’s POV

The memory of Jared's touch lingered on my skin like a brand. His scent, a potent mix of musk and pine, clung to me still. What had just happened in the kitchen?

One minute I'm washing dishes, the next I’m practically melting in his arms. This dangerous dance with Jared, this forbidden tango, had to stop.

“See? I told you he wanted me!” Rage crowed, smug as ever.

“This changes nothing, Rage,” I insisted, though my voice lacked its usual conviction.

We were playing with fire. Jared might be drawn to me, to us, but he was also my stepbrother now. Forbidden didn't even begin to cover it.

I avoided him for the rest of the weekend. Every time I heard his voice, every time his scent wafted down the hallway, my heart would race. I found myself replaying that moment in the kitchen, the feel of his hard body pressed against mine, the warmth of his breath on my neck.

Monday morning arrived with the unwelcome chime of reality. School. Jared had already left by the time I got downstairs. A small part of me was relieved, a larger part disappointed.

"He's avoiding you too, you know," Rage pointed out as I climbed into the back of the chauffeur-driven car.

"Good," I muttered, though the truth was, I wasn't sure if it was good or not.

School was its usual mix of boredom and anxiety, made even more unbearable by Eve's constant glares. Sophie, bless her soul, tried to distract me with gossip and whispered jokes, but I couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was watching me, whispering about me, judging me.

That afternoon, as I made my way to my locker, I felt someone watching me. I spun around, half expecting to see Eve's smug face, but it was Jared, leaning against the locker next to mine, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

My heart hammered against my ribs. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Avoiding me?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Shouldn't I be?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. But you’re not very good at it, are you?”

He stepped closer, the scent of him filling my senses. I backed up until my back hit the lockers, his body a hair's breadth away. I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

“What are we doing, Mia?” he asked, his voice a low rumble.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he murmured, his fingers gently tracing the line of my jaw.

I shivered, every nerve ending on high alert. He leaned closer, his lips brushing against my ear. “Tell me you don’t feel it too,” he whispered, his voice husky with need.

“Jared, we can’t,” I breathed, my voice barely audible.

“Why not?” he challenged, his hand sliding around to cup the back of my neck.

The answer was obvious, glaringly so. But the words wouldn’t come out. Not with him looking at me like that, his eyes dark and intense, making me forget everything but the way my body thrummed with need every time he was near.

“This… this is crazy,” I managed finally, pushing against his chest, though he barely moved. “We’re stepsiblings now. It’s wrong.”

A flicker of something crossed his face, something that might have been disappointment, or maybe even anger. He straightened up, putting a sliver of space between us.

“Fine,” he said, his voice tight. “But this isn’t over.”

He turned and walked away, leaving me breathless and confused and wanting more.

This is madness, I thought, clutching my books to my chest. But a part of me, a dangerous, reckless part, craved that madness.

The next few days were a blur of stolen glances and near misses. We’d find ourselves drawn to each other, like magnets, only to be interrupted at the last moment. Once, it was Alpha Chancelot calling Jared away just as we were about to kiss in the library. Another time, it was Eve barging in on us in the garden, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

The tension between us was a living thing, crackling in the air, making every touch electric, every stolen glance a whispered promise. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

One evening, I found myself drawn to the library, seeking refuge from the chaos of the house. It was a grand room, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a roaring fireplace that cast dancing shadows across the walls. I was curled up on a plush armchair, lost in a Jane Austen novel, when I heard the door creak open.

I looked up, expecting to see one of the maids, but it was Jared. He was wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans, his hair tousled as if he’d run his fingers through it a million times. He had that brooding look on his face, the one that made my heart skip a beat and my wolf whimper with need.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice a breathless whisper.

“Couldn't stay away," he said simply, crossing the room towards me.

He sat down on the arm of the chair, his leg brushing against mine. I inhaled sharply, the familiar scent of him filling my senses.

"Jared..." I began, but he silenced me with a finger pressed against my lips.

“Don’t,” he whispered. “Don’t say anything. Not yet.”

He leaned closer, his gaze locking with mine. I could feel the heat of his body, the intensity of his stare. This was it. The moment we’d both been waiting for, dreading, craving.

He tilted his head, his lips hovering just above mine. I held my breath, every cell in my body buzzing with anticipation.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from somewhere downstairs, shattering the moment.

We both jumped apart, startled. The spell was broken.

“What was that?” I asked, my heart pounding.

Jared sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I don’t know. Probably one of the maids.”

He stood up, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I should go see what happened.”

He hesitated, his gaze lingering on mine for a moment. “This isn’t over, Mia,” he said, his voice low and husky. “It’ll never be over.”

And with that, he turned and left the library, leaving me breathless and wanting, trapped in the agonizing grip of our forbidden affair.

As I sat in the library, trying to process what had just happened, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. I looked up, expecting to see Jared returning, but instead, it was one of the maids just passing by.

I sat down in the chair across the room, feeling nervous. Everything that had just happened was hitting me hard, and my heart was racing. I could feel my wolf inside me, anxious, her voice whispering in my mind.

"What's wrong? You look really scared," she said, sounding worried.

I wasn’t sure how much I should share, but my wolf’s concern made it hard to stay quiet. I took a deep breath and whispered in my head, "It’s Jared. We... we almost kissed just now."

My wolf went quiet for a second, surprised. "Whoa, that’s big. What happened?" she asked, focusing on what I was saying.

I started telling her everything—from Jared coming into the library to the moment we almost kissed before someone interrupted us. As I went on, I could feel my wolf becoming more serious, her presence growing stronger.

When I finished, she spoke calmly but seriously. "Mia, this is complicated. You know that, right?" Her words sent a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard, feeling a lump in my throat. "I know. But I can’t help how I feel. I’ve tried to ignore it and act like it doesn’t matter... but I just can’t."

Her voice softened but stayed firm. "I understand, Mia. But you have to be careful. Jared isn’t just any guy—he’s your stepbrother now. If your parents find out... it’s not going to be good."

I knew she was right, but I couldn’t stop the feelings inside me. Jared wasn’t someone I could easily forget.

Just then, the library door creaked open again, pulling me out of my thoughts. My wolf tensed inside me, both of us on alert. Expecting to see Jared, I looked up, but it wasn’t him. Instead, it was Eve, her eyes narrowing as she looked at me.

"What’s going on here?" Eve asked, her voice full of suspicion.

Anger started bubbling up inside me, my wolf reacting instinctively. I could feel her getting ready to protect me, but I forced myself to stay calm. "We’re just talking, Eve. It’s nothing to worry about."

Eve’s eyes stayed on me, and there was something mean in the way she looked at me. "Oh, I think I should worry," she said coldly. "I’ve been watching you, Mia. And I know your little secret."

Panic shot through me, and I felt my wolf's protective instincts kick in, making her presence stronger. "What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Eve smiled, but it was the kind of smile that made me feel sick. "I’m talking about you and Jared, of course. I know about your little romance."

Everything around me seemed to fall apart. How could Eve know? And what was she going to do with this information?

My wolf stirred angrily inside me. "Eve, stop it. You don’t know what you’re talking about," I snapped in my mind, fueled by my wolf's anger.

But Eve just laughed—a cold, heartless sound. "Oh, I think I do," she said, still looking right at me. "And I’m going to make sure everyone else knows, too."

She turned and walked out of the library, leaving me standing there, feeling like my entire world was falling apart.

"What am I going to do?" I asked desperately, fear taking over as I spoke to my wolf.

Her voice was steady and calm, even though the situation was serious. "We’ll figure something out, Mia. But for now, we need to get out of here before Eve causes even more trouble."

I nodded, trying to calm my racing heart, though the fear still weighed on me. As we left the library, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Eve had just started something terrible. And I had no idea how to stop it.

To be continued...