My Jealous Alpha Stepbrother
Chapter 72

Josie

It’s almost been a week since Misha came home. Everyone is happy with his return; the celebrations have lasted this entire week. Lydia is acting like a new woman, and even Avery is smiling these days.

If only I had shared the same enthusiasm…

I’m avoiding Misha like he is the plague. But can anyone blame me? My eighteenth birthday is tomorrow, and I can’t focus when I’m around him. I don’t know why, but whenever I see him, my IQ drops, and my panties turn damp with arousal.

Tarryn is convinced it’s because Misha is my fated mate, but that can’t be true. I refuse to believe it’s true! Because if we are mates, my life will spiral into hell.

Misha is my rival when it comes to the alpha position. We will fight each other in the alpha tournament; if we are mates, I’m not sure how to win. I wouldn’t want to hurt my own mate… but at the same time, I really want to become the next alpha.

I growl at my thoughts and turn on the heat in the shower, hoping the heat might wash Misha off my brain. But it doesn’t help. All I can do is g***n in misery as images of his gorgeous, shirtless body pop into my mind for no goddamn reason.

Why him?! I’ve been interested in other men. Heck, I’ve dated Asher, but… even though Asher is beautiful too, I’ve never reacted to any other man like I do to Misha. And deep inside, I know what it means, but I’m choosing to ignore it until it’s actually confirmed.

And if Misha is my mate, then… what do I do? Do I reject him? He used to be my best friend when we were young kids. Now I hardly know a thing about him. Sure, he is pretty, but what else?

I walk out of the bathroom and look up when there is a sudden tap outside my window. My eyes land on Misha’s easygoing grin, and I frown like a grouchy child when I see him.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, knowing he will be able to hear me with his super hearing. “This is not your room!”

Misha ignores me hissing at him and opens the window on his own. There is a thunk as he lands, and then he is standing there in the flesh. I narrow my eyes at him, but he simply chuckles.

“Do you wanna watch a movie with me?”

“At this hour?!” I snap. “It’s past my bedtime! You might not have early classes, but I do!”

“Right, you have school and s**t,” Misha is looking around my room, taking in my furniture with prying eyes. I feel vulnerable when he smiles at my unicorn stuffed animal and picks it up from my bookshelf. “Hey, this guy is pretty cute… you like stuffed animals?”

My b***d is boiling. I’m embarrassed and have no intention of admitting that I love pink, shiny things. I decide to put the focus on the school subject again.

“School and s**t?” I laugh bitterly. “You should go to school too, you know! Education is important!”

“Bah, vampires are already more intelligent than other creatures. We don’t need school.” He is circling the unicorn in his mammoth hands, and I’m fighting every instinct telling me to save it from him.

“Well, you’re clearly not intelligent enough to realize that this hour is inappropriate!” Why won’t he stop playing with my toy? “You shouldn’t be inside my room!”

Instead of listening to me, Misha saunters off to my bed. I don’t stop him because who am I kidding? I couldn’t throw him out even if I wanted to. He is in charge here—too big for me to get rid of.

“You have a comfortable bed,” Misha places my unicorn in it and climbs after it with a pleased smile. “Very soft.”

I sigh. Did Misha really just invite himself into my bed?

At least Misha is wearing a t-shirt right now, combined with a pair of new sweatpants. It suits him, the white colors. It makes his skin look less pale, and instead, I’m focusing on his ethereal glow, something all vampires have. They are annoyingly flawless…

“I can’t believe you just hijacked my bed…” I mutter.

“Come and sit with me,” Misha taps the area beside him. “I don’t bite… unless you want me to?” Misha rubs his shaved chin thoughtfully. “I think your b***d would be tasty.”

Tasty?

My b***d spikes hearing his words, and I’m tempted to roll my eyes because here we go again: I’m horny. It didn’t take much, and the fact that I’m aroused irritates me.

I glare at Misha as if my body’s reaction to him is his fault. “Keep your teeth to yourself, bloodsucker!”

Misha’s lips twitch, but he says nothing. He reaches for the remote, and I reluctantly sit down on the opposite side of the bed. I’m only wrapped up in a towel, but Misha absentmindedly pulls one of my blankets over my legs. It makes me blush. He did it like it was natural…

“Thank you.” I try to focus on the TV because Misha will see that I’m redder than a tomato if I look at him.

“You’re welcome.”

We say nothing else. Both of our attention is on the show Wednesday, but even though we are watching it, I can feel that Misha is also paying attention to me. It’s in the air, his growing curiosity, but I don’t think his interest is based on positive emotions.

When Misha said that sentence at the restaurant, something along the terms that now I know how he felt for all those years, it became painfully clear: Misha hates me. And that means he is playing around with me right now, probably because he knows I replace him attractive.

Gah, it all makes sense now. Misha isn’t romantically interested in me—he just trying to make me uncomfortable! He knows he is stronger now and is just trying to rub it in my face.

If we are mates, then—… unease clenches my stomach. Fated to a man who hates me. Ugh. It would be hell.

“Have you been thinking more about the alpha tournament?” Misha asks me without turning around.

I swallow thickly. “Yes… I’ve been thinking that you will easily win it if you’re allowed to use magic.”

He chuckles. “Agreed. There would be no real fun in that. I want to beat all of you guys fair and square. It means I won’t use any magic at all.”

I arch an eyebrow. “What about your inhuman strength?”

He shrugs and places his arms behind his head. It makes his biceps pop, but I’m trying not to pay his muscles attention. I’m also struggling not to flop against him since his weight has created a pit underneath him.

“I don’t think it’s a problem if I use my inhuman strength,” Misha says. “You guys are allowed to shape-shift, so I see no problem with me using my strength.”

I repeatedly blink as I process his words. “Wait… why are you saying that as if you won’t shape-shift?”

“I’ve been struggling to shape-shift… my dad said he would show me how to do it, but I won’t master it in time for the tournament. I’m not exactly a quick learner…”

A snort leaves my lips, and I turn around, meeting his eyes. “Excuse me, but how will you win this alpha tournament if you can’t shape-shift and not use your magic? Magic is the only reason vampires are stronger than werewolves unless they are purebloods… or feasting on human b***d, which I doubt you are. Or am I wrong?” I’m also not sure if Misha counts as a vampire pureblood when he is a hybrid.

A ghost of a smile fleets over his lips. “Well, this just turned more interesting…”

I lift an eyebrow, confused. “How so?”

Misha smiles. “Since you’re underestimating me right now, it will be even more fun when I win against you in the tournament,” he winks at me. “I saw the schedule. You and I are up first, but don’t worry—I will go easy on my beloved childhood friend,” there is a gleam in his eye. “Because you deserve that, don’t you?”

My stomach rolls with more unease. Not because I worry Misha will win, but because his last sentence feels like a punch. I don’t deserve Misha taking it easy on me. I’ve been horrible to him, and his life will only turn worse when I win against him in the first round.

I look back at the TV and change the subject. “Do you like this show?”

Misha chuckles. “Changing the subject, are we?”

My cheeks burn. “Mhm…” Is he bothered by that?

To my surprise, Misha relaxes against my pillows. “It’s not my favorite show, but I will watch it for your sake.”

I gasp. “W-why?”

He smiles softly. “Because I want to spend time with you.”

“By inviting yourself to a sleepover?”

He chuckles. “Is that what this is? Do you want me to spend the night with you, Josie?”

Josie.

Why does my name on his tongue sound so good?

I shudder in my seat and let out a deep breath I didn’t know I had been holding. “Stay if you want to… it’s not like I could stop you…”

Amused by my words, Misha looks back at the screen again. “Thing is my favorite character.”

Despite my discomfort, I smile. “Me too…”

We continue watching Wednesday, but once midnight approaches, my phone won’t stop chiming. I pick it up from my nightstand. There are countless messages from Tarryn and Xavier, my two best friends, but there is also one from Asher.

Asher: Do you think we are mates?

A heavy sigh leaves my lips. “I f*****g hope not. And in twenty minutes, we shall replace out…”

Misha glances at me, smiles, and then looks back at the TV. I’m still trying to decipher what exactly he is doing here, but I don’t mind the company. Besides, with Misha here, I will replace out if we are mates sooner than I thought.

Honestly, I’m not sure what I want…