My Stepbrother’s My Mate

Chapter 7

AUSTIN

Something was thundering outside my room.

I move in my bed and sigh, looking up at the ceiling.

Lou grumbles out but doesn't move. He rolls over and falls back to sleep.

The thundering happened again, and I soon realized someone was knocking on my door.

I groan and move from my bed.

I walked over to the door, opened it, and found my brother looking at me.

I frowned.

"What the hell, Thomas?" I grunted as I turned around and headed back to bed. I could hear Thomas walking and following behind me.

I sat on my bed and looked up at Thomas.

He stopped and looked down at the ground.

"What's up?" I asked.

Thomas and I have a good relationship. He would come to me about anything. He didn't seem to connect with many people, but I guess, both of us being the Alpha's sons, he had someone going through the same thing.

I couldn't help but study him; he looked concerned.

"Thomas," I called out, which made him look up at me.

"You okay?" I asked, tapping the bed for him to sit on.

Thomas walked over and sat next to me. He sighed.

"The meal was a disaster," he said, "Mum forgot Sage's birthday. It wasn't enjoyable. Sage was hurt and angry, she even left early too."

I stared at him as I remembered the mind link with my father before I came back from patrol. He had mentioned Sage wasn't twenty-one yet, and that Susan had forgotten her birthday.

What mother would forget her own child's birthday? Something was off about this whole thing, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

I could feel Lou move in my head at the mere mention of our mate. He let a low growl out when he placed everything together.

I ignored him and stared at Thomas as he looked out the window.

"I don't want her to leave," he said. "She helped me with my homework and is really nice."

I didn't want her to leave either, but that was a different game for me.

I cleared my throat.

"She won't leave," I said, making Thomas look at me.

"Don't say that to make me feel better," he said with a frown, "You haven't gotten to know her yet. You should have been there when we had food with Mum and Dad. You could have stopped the whole thing."

Part of me felt guilty for not going, especially when my father told me what had happened, but the other part was thankful for not being there. I don't know what I would have done or said if I had been there.

One thing was for sure, I would have put my two cents in with Susan and demanded what she had to say for herself, or if Lou got past my control, my father would have had me sent to the cells for trying to kill his mate.

Lou agreed.

I looked at Thomas.

"I doubt I would have helped that situation," I said, pulling my younger brother toward me. I placed my arm on his shoulders and put my head on his. "I won't let Sage leave," I said as I watched as my brother closed his eyes, "I promise."

I pulled back and stared at Thomas as he opened his eyes. His green eyes bore back at me, the same eyes as Mum's.

"You promise?" he said.

I nodded.

"I will make you a deal," I said. "I will get to know Sage while she is here, and we can make sure she feels welcome."

I felt Lou move in my head and come closer.

I didn't say anything to him as I focused on Thomas. I knew he wanted to talk about Sage and her being our mate.

Thomas smiled.

"You would do that for me," he asked with a small smile.

I nodded, even though I was doing this for Lou and me. We needed to know our mate and what she was like. We are better off finding out now when she doesn't know.

I could feel Lou move, but I ignored him.

"I would," I said. "She is part of the family; we must show her that." My mind raced, knowing I wanted her to be part of the family another way. At least Thomas would have her as a sister either way, while I would have her…I shook my head to get the thoughts out. I shouldn't be feeling like this. Not now, at least.

Thomas grinned.

I smiled.

I looked to the other side of the room where my clock was and noticed the time. It was seven am.

I looked at Thomas, "Do you fancy having breakfast together?" I asked.

Thomas's eyes went wide, and his smile widened more.

"Yeah," he shouted. "I haven't had breakfast in ages with you."

I felt a pang of guilt riddled at the last statement.

Thomas and I would have breakfast together. I ensured I spent time with him, especially in the mornings. It was our time together before we started our days. But lately, I have been so busy with my Alpha duties I have been getting up two hours earlier than everyone to go for a run and to organize my day.

I stared at my little brother.

"I'm sorry about that," I said. "I have been concentrating on the Alpha duties that Dad has assigned me so that I forgot to have a break now and then."

Thomas nodded, moved closer, and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug.

I hugged him back, and I couldn't help but sniff in his scent. He had the same scent as Mum.

Goddess, I missed her.

I pulled back and smiled.

"Go and get ready," I said. "I will change into my sports gear, and we can head down."

Thomas nodded and got up from bed. He walked over to the door and left.

I sighed but couldn't help looking back at Lou, whose eyes were on me.

"Mate," he whispered.

"I know, buddy," I said. "We will get to know her till her birthday. Afterward, we can decide on what to do."

Lou stared at me but c****d his head to the side.

"Papa wants us to look for mate," he said, his eyes bore into mine. "What do we do about that?"

That's something that I forgot. I couldn't rack my brains on what we should do.

I shrugged.

"We can think about that," I said. "Even if we go into hiding every time we have to leave, maybe to the cabin to get away."

Lou stared, but a mischievous look appeared on his face after a little while.

"We could take mate there," he murmured. "Mate, and mark her."

I didn't say anything as I knew we couldn't mark her, not until we told our parents, but taking her to the cabin while we pretended to be searching for our mate might be the best thing.

Lou growled, but I looked back into my room.

I got up and walked to the dresser, quickly grabbing some sports shorts.

I placed the shorts on when Thomas walked back into my room.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded and headed to the door.

I followed Thomas, but he stopped outside the other door, opposite his.

"Should we wake Sage up?" he asked. "She didn't eat anything last night."

I stared at the door and sighed.

"I think we should let her come down when she is ready," I said, looking back at him. Thomas looked disappointed, but I placed my hand on his shoulder. "We could make her breakfast, and you could bring it up for her when you finish. She may not want to come down if her mum is there."

Thomas looked at me, but his face softened at what I said, and he agreed.

We turned and walked away, but I couldn't help but stare at her bedroom door before turning the corner. We headed down the stairs and straight toward the kitchen, but we both stopped as a smell wafted toward us.

Pancakes.

My stomach growls at the mere thought of them in my mouth.

"Mmm…" Thomas said, "They smell tasty. I wonder who is making them."

I wondered the same.

We moved closer, but as I got closer, there was the scent I craved the first time I smelt it.

Sage.

Our mate.

Our mate was already downstairs.

Lou howled in my head as I walked toward the door and stopped with Thomas in front of me.

The sight before me had my c**k hardened as we watched my mate dance in the kitchen. I couldn't help but take in her hips as she swayed them; they had me in a trance.

I had to get my head out of the gutter and look at Thomas, who was grinning as he placed his finger on his lips and moved into the kitchen. He tiptoed in and stood on the other side.

Sage still didn't see us.

I moved closer and stopped, but as I watched, Sage twirled around and slammed into me, and pancake mix landed all over my chest.

I stared down as Sage screamed, as she jumped back and looked like she had just seen a ghost.

I smirk as Lou laughs hard in my head as we watch our mate look between Thomas and me.

"I'm sorry," she said as she removed her headphones. "I like to dance while I cook."

I stared at her, feeling slightly amused.

Sage's eyes lingered on me, and she looked at me, shocked.

"I didn't mean to…" she said, grabbing a towel and throwing it at me. I catch it and wipe off the pancake mix.

"It's okay," I said, wiping the mix off my chest. I looked up to catch Sage staring. She was checking me out.

I felt my heart melt at the sight and my c**k harden more.

"You okay over there," I rasped, which made Sage stare back at me as her cheeks flamed.

I smirk more.

Damn, she looked hot like that.

Thomas giggled, which made Sage and me look at him.

I moved toward her and grabbed the mixing bowl out of her hands. I place my hands on hers, which makes her look up at me, and her eyes widen.

I felt the tingles of the mate bond ripple through me.

I knew she wouldn't feel them for the next three days.

I liked the feeling.

"I will make pancakes," I said. "You sit."

Sage looked at me but looked over at the table.

I glanced in that direction and spotted Shaun, Jayden, and Thomas looking back at us. They all sat around the table.

"What, Austin?" Jayden said, "wanted to eat first or wear it."

He chuckled.

I looked at Sage, whose cheeks were bright red.

I moved toward her and leaned into her ear, "Sit," I said. I could feel her heart rate spike, and her scent was too much to bare. All I wanted to do was slam her into the counter and have her for food.

I pulled back and watched her stare back at me.

Sage moved to the side, but I stood in my place and watched her move around me to Thomas and sit next to him.

I stared for a bit longer but knew I needed to make pancakes.

I stepped closer to the counter and closed my eyes.

Lou was staring back at me with drool slipping past his mouth.

Damn, this is going to be harder for us.

I was hard in my shorts, just by her scent and touching her hand alone. Goddess knows what it would be like when she finds out we are mates and when we kiss her.

I need Lou and me to calm down, or people will discover that I'm attracted to my stepsister.

I opened my eyes once I calmed down and started to look for the pancake mix, even though I was probably wearing most of what Sage had put on me.

I wiped as much as I could off earlier but stopped when Sage was in front of me.

I wanted her to lick it off.

Fuck, wrong move. I shouldn't have thought of that.

Lou chuckled in my head.

I got to make the pancakes, but I listened to what was going on behind me.

I could hear Sage talking to my friends and Thomas, which was heaven.

This is what it would be like to make her my Luna, and it would be family-style every morning.