Fated To My Lycan Stepbrothers
Chapter 37

I smiled at the realization that Zeke hated the guts of Elder Freya, or let's say the twins detested her. She was simply amazing yet terrifying and didn't know when to stop provoking the Alpha Storms. I crouched quietly in the closet, trying to stay out of sight. My heart raced as I listened to their exchange, feeling like an intruder in their private moment.

Which was not supposed to be.

Marley smiled wickedly. "And I will show her where she belongs." She smoothed her gown before taking her seat beside him. "You know, the only reason why the elders are still feared is because of that stunt she pulled right away." She sighed as if tired. I was tired of hearing her talk already. "As much as I hate to admit it, with Beta Brooke not here, you need them. You need to speak with Kyle." I knew what she was implying. It was the fact that Kyle had disrespected the elders in the topic. It served them right to me. The only abnormal thing was her presence in his room acting like a doting mother. The fact that she was only concerned about the politics of the pack made me see red. Couldn't see Zeke's side oozing as she blabbered about what not? He was in pain and from his silent groaning, I could tell he wanted nothing more than to heal without her presence.

"Elder Freya had been an asset to the table. She will do well if we can put her on a leash." Zeke mused. He was desperately trying to hide his pain as the newly appointed Alpha of the pack. This was the part I always see from afar. I never see him smile, angry but expressionless. His wild green eyes always held something I couldn't read. Sometimes, he would let himself feel whenever I was bullied. Except he...

... bullied me more.

I could tell he wanted to be able to tell her it his pain and anger to the world. However, he has to be the rational one out of the twins. I was glad I saw him groan. I was glad to have seen his smirk whenever he was teasing me. I was glad I had seen him at his worst. Even though it was a tiny glimpse.

As if on cue, Marley eyed his side, tracing his hands over his abs sensually. "That should heal in no time." He should at least clean the wound, but here I am in his closet, hiding away. Marley's attention seemed fixated on the topic of the new Luna. And Zeke? Well, Zeke skillfully distracted her by asking about the pack's well-being and upcoming decisions.

"You will be turning eighteen soon." She cleared her throat. "Any ideas on who your mate may be?"

Her prying questions dampened my spirit. I was sure I wasn't his mate. He was just fooling around with me and when he found his real mate, I would be left alone. What are the chances that an omega would be his mate? Being close to him was a terrifying thought alone. It doesn't mean I was free from his bullying. Being his mate was going to be worse, I was sure. It would guarantee no escape for me. As much as that thought haunted me, I still wished he would be my mate. The mating age has come and it was a period that ensured I was well slicked for my mate. It caused my heat to come anytime and made me horny as hell.

It was why Zeke took advantage of it. That bastard! He knew the strawberry scent was mine. I sighed in relief. The Scentless spray has become something I hold onto with great care. I decided to forever cherish this gift Renee gave me. It hid my shame and would do so now from hungry Alphas.

Zeke sat up, biting his lip as though he wasn't in pain. Who was he fooling? Certainly not me. "My mate is close by."

Naya's ears perked up at the sound of that. She had been quiet all along, watching with seething rage as Marley tried to seduce poor Zeke. Not that he was as helpless as I thought. But now, I can smell something different from Naya.

I dare say... she was jealous of his statement! I really hope our short and untimely encounters in the bathroom with Zeke didn't make her forget that this was the Alpha of the pack. Our relationship was a secret hence the reason why I was in here and why he hadn't called me out. He was scared too. I was perfectly fine with staying in the shadows until this.

"His mate is close by?" I muttered to myself, pausing when I realized there were wolves with incredible hearing in this room. I clamped my mouth shut. Jeez.. Naya, way to go.

Marley was about to say something when she stopped. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, and for a moment, it felt like she might sense my presence. I held my breath, praying that I hadn't made any noise that could give me away. The closet felt cramped, and the adrenaline coursing through my veins made it difficult to stay still.

'please, please, please,' I chanted in my head as Naya paced about. She wasn't worried about Marley but the gravity of Zeke's statement. He didn't tell me he had seen his mate. Was he using me to experiment one last time before he got to his mate? Pure and virgin mate? I mean, he wasn't like Kyle to sleep around. He could have any girl he wanted. Why me? It was disappointing. I was disappointed to hear him say this.

"What is it?" Zeke's eyes momentarily flickered over to me. Then he directed it to Marley who was still searching with her eyes. Zeke's heavy clothes were doing me a lot of favor by hiding my rotten scent and blending it with his much stronger ones.

"I thought I heard something.." Marley rose up from the bed. "What if there is an intruder? You just became Alpha and I don't want you to be in trouble already." She eyed his form. "Especially not in this state."

"I am fine, Marley. It could be a squirrel or something." Zeke deftly avoided the question. "You are right. We need the elders and we need tread on dangerous grounds. I will handle it tomorrow. For now, I need my rest." Although Zeke changed the subject, mentioning some pack business that needed their immediate attention.

Marley seemed to take the bait, her focus shifting away from me and back to the matters at hand. With a sigh of relief, I silently thanked Zeke for his quick thinking. "Okay. I will leave you to heal. If you need me, I am downstairs." With one last sweep at the room, she walked out. I quickly exhaled in relief. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that Marley suspected something was off. She seemed too attentive, her eyes darting around the room occasionally. I hoped my instincts were wrong, but I couldn't take any chances As the door closed behind her, Zeke let out a sigh of relief. It was as if the air in the room became clearer for us to breathe in.

"That was close," I whispered, finally stepping out of the closet.

Zeke nodded, a small frown forming on his face. "Yeah, you are being clumsy and indiscreet." He signaled for me to come closer. That was not good. I whirled back to the close to get the first aid kit. I should not dare go closer to him. He might tear my clothes. Jeez... I should have sprayed something this morning.

"I hope she didn't suspect anything," I said, feeling a bit anxious as I retrieved the box. I turned to replace Zeke in the closet staring at me strangely. Something told me he wasn't pleased with my actions earlier. I was running away.

"Don't worry too much about it," Zeke reassured me. "I need to focus on healing and preparing for the challenges ahead."

I raised the box higher to shield my hot face. "Yes, you need to focus on healing and preparing for the challenges ahead." I could feel his gaze piercing through the box and drilling a hole in my forehead. Was I that obvious? He raised his hands and placed them on the box, bringing it down, still staring at me intently.

He didn't even blink. "Come on, don't get shy on me now."

How could I not be shy when he was looking at me like he wanted to eat me alive. I felt the heat but the thought about his mate made it die down. "Let me clean your wounds and be on my way."

He eventually blinked, giving me a single nod. He drew his clothes to the side and took his seat right there. He knew what I was thinking