My bully stepbrother!

The Hot and Cold of it All

"She won't bite, I promise," Mason whispered, his breath tickling my ear. I tried to ignore the fluttering in my chest as his words reached my ears.

My palms were sweaty, and my muscles were tense as Mason’s eyes locked on me. I held my breath his eyes never left mine, his gaze intense and unwavering. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as I realized how close we were standing, how his warm breath mingled with mine. I swear, if he didn't back away soon, I might just kiss him.

“Let's go,” he said letting go of his grip and backing away from me. A smile still on his face.

What is he doing? I mean, I don't look nearly as good as the other girls, I’m a nerd for one, and I have zero experience with a guy. Why would he do this to me?

Is it a joke to him, a prank?

I stood there dumbfounded, trying to make sense of what just happened. I’m a nerdy girl, the girl who trips over her own shoelaces and spends her weekends binge-watching documentaries about quantum physics.

“Are you coming?" Mason asked, giving me a sly grin as he opened the door.

"Uhm, yes," I replied, trying to keep up with his quick pace. I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder.

We made our way out to his car, the sun beating down on us as we walked. Mason unlocked the doors and I climbed in.

“You don't have to worry about Sarah, she knows we are just family,” Mason said as he pulled away from the school grounds.

Are we just Family Mason? If we are then why do you keep Corning me and making stupid jokes about Condoms? I thought and kept it to myself.

The drive back to the house was in silence. Mason kept his eyes on the road, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as we drove through the streets, the only sound being the low hum of the engine.

I glanced over at Mason, wondering what was going through his head. He seemed focused on the road, his jaw clenched in determination. Was he thinking the same as I? Probably not.

Mason was driving like a normal person, not speeding like a mad wolf as he usually did. It was unnerving, to say the least.

Finally, we pulled into the driveway and Mason turned off the engine. I let out a sigh of relief, grateful to get out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride," I muttered under my breath, quickly turning on my heels and sprinting towards the house. I could practically feel his eyes boring into the back of my head as I made my escape.

I burst through the front door and relief washed over me when I realized my mother wasn't home yet. I let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the temporary reprieve from her constant nagging.

I made my way to my room, tossing my backpack haphazardly on the floor.

I scrambled to tidy up my room, frantically shoving dirty clothes under the bed and hastily making my bed before I collapsed on top of it in a heap of exhaustion. All I wanted to do was crash and forget about the chaos that had happened the entire day. I was just about to doze off when I heard Mason calling from downstairs.

“Jozy?”

What now? I leapt off my bed, almost tripping over my own feet in my rush to see what was going on. As I made my way downstairs, I couldn't help but notice Mason standing there in just swim shorts, a towel around his neck. His biceps were practically bulging out of his skin and his muscles glistened in the sunlight streaming through the windows.

“What's up, Mason?” I asked, trying to sound casual as I tried to ignore the pounding of my heart in my chest.

“I’m going for a swim. You coming?” Mason said with a grin, flashing his pearly whites at me.

"Yeah sure, just give me a minute," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. I rushed upstairs, frantically searching for a swimsuit to put on.

I stripped off my clothes and reached for my swimsuit and realised my legs weren't shaved.

Shit! I hadn't even transformed into a wolf yet, but the hair on my legs was long enough to rival a werewolf's.

I cursed under my breath as I rummaged through my bathroom cabinet, desperately searching for a razor. Where are the damn razors? This was a hairy situation, indeed.

After a quick shave and a hasty transformation into my bikini, I made my way downstairs to join Mason.

Mason was already inside the pool, his glistening muscles catching the sunlight in just the right way. He looked like he had just stepped out of a Calvin Klein ad.

His yellow wolf eyes met mine, looking right through me. A shiver ran down my spine as he continued to gaze at me with an intensity that could rival a hungry bear eyeing a picnic basket.

“Are you going to swim, or just stand there?"

“Yup, I mean yes, I will definitely get into the pool, in a minute.” I dipped my toe in the water, and let out a yelp.

“Holy cold water, Batman!" I exclaimed, trying to mask my embarrassment with a laugh. He chuckles a deep, throaty sound.

What? Are you scared of little cold water?” he chuckles.

“No, pfft!” I tried sounding confident but this water was ice cold. who in their right mind voluntarily jumps into freezing water for fun?

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and leapt. The shock of the cold water hitting my skin was like a slap in the face, and I let out a scream that echoed across the neighbourhood.

I resurfaced, gasping for air and shivering uncontrollably, Mason laughing hysterically at me. I couldn't decide if I wanted to join in the laughter or strangle him for talking me into this.

"Just relax and let the water take on the heat of your body," Mason said, his voice smooth like butter as he moved closer to me.

Not again!

I tried to suppress a moan as he wrapped his arms around my waist, tilting me to float above the water. The sun was shining down on my body, highlighting every imperfection, while Mason's intense gaze was like laser beams, piercing through me yet again.

I felt like a fish caught in a net, with Mason the eager fisherman reeling me in.

“Try to relax, your body will stop shivering,” he said, his voice calm and soothing. His body was always running hot from his wolf form, while I was left with the perpetual chill.

I closed my eyes and tried to heed his advice, attempting to will my body to stop shivering as he held me above the water. His breathing was steady and comforting, a stark contrast to the agitation raging within me.