DIRTY SECRET: MY ALPHA STEPBROTHER IS MY MATE

SHE… SAVED ME?

ASHER

“Asher!!!”

Luella’s shaky voice echoed through the air and my body stiffened. She had roamed into the enemy's territory during a war. Has she been caught already? I winced as I struggled to stand on my feet. The poison was starting to spread in my blood, and I needed to see a healer soon, but she could really die if I left her there.

Goddamnit.

My wolf whimpered at the thought of something happening to her and I didn’t understand why. I traced her scent into the woods, but the strong smell of rain, mixed with the earthy scent of the woods, made it hard. Her scent was wearing off and I wasn’t sure how long I could hold out for.

“Luella!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, diving into the woods and hoping she hadn’t gone far. “Luella, make a sound if you can hear me!”

I waited for a response, but nothing.

“We have to save her. She can’t get hurt,” my wolf whined, his nervousness seeping into my consciousness. I paused, using my Alpha powers to locate her, when I sensed her presence.

“Luella!!!” I ran towards the direction. My heart raced, and at this point, I couldn’t tell who was more scared between my wolf and me. The urge to protect her was so overwhelming that it made me feel dizzy.

“If you cared about her that much, then you’ll stop straining our energy, because we won’t last at this rate.”

He snarled at the back of my mind, but he didn’t argue. The sound of a whimper caught my attention, and then a droplet of blood. I looked up to see Luella suspended against the tree. The rope tightened around her leg with the thorns digging into her skin.

“What the hell did you do?” My blood ran cold.

“I enjoy pain so much I trapped myself here,” she sneered. She winced before she could make another rude remark, and my breath hitched when I saw the pool of blood that soaked her sleeve.

She was hurt.

“Don’t move!” I barked.

“Can you stop standing there and do something?" she hissed in pain.

I cursed under my breath, scanning the area to see how I could help her get down, when I saw the trap. The thorns tore into her skin, and I didn’t want to imagine what pain she was in.

“Do you trust me?” I muttered, searching her eyes.

She shot me a look and I nodded. Of course, she doesn't. We have been at each other’s throats since she moved here. Why would she trust me now?

“Too bad, you don’t have a choice,” I pulled out a blade from my pocket, hoping it’d cut the rope she was tied to. This was the only option we’ve got. My vision blurred, and I was barely able to stand still. The poison couldn’t have spread so fast unless…

“It has a wolfbane,” My wolf finished.

My vision doubled as I staggered backwards.

My body broke out in cold sweats. My head throbbed so badly I didn’t think I could hold on for much longer, then Luella whimpered.

I didn’t have time to think. I threw the blade just over her head, and a scream tore out of her throat as the rope snapped.

“Ah!!!” she screamed, and for a moment, the world slowed.

Her dark hair whipped around her face, eyes wide, as her mouth hung open in a gasp. I lunged forward in haste, and then, she hit me.

We crashed into the dirt together, her weight driving the air out of my lungs. Her breath ragged against my neck as my body jolted in pain.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, but the last thing I heard was her scream.

“ASHER!”

***

“Are you okay? Richard! He is awake.”

A warm hand held onto mine as I forced my eyes open. I saw a woman sniffing back her tears as she stared at me, and my body jolted awake.

“Mom?”

The door swung open and Father stepped in. She stood up as he sat next to me when I realised who she was. Luella’s mom.

My stomach tightened, and I suddenly felt sick once again.

“Oh, thank goodness you are awake,” my father said, his voice shaking like he’d been holding back for hours. “How are you feeling?” he didn’t wait for my response before turning to the maid. “Bring the doctor,” father said in a single breath.

“Luella said you were attacked,” he said, and I didn’t miss the guilt in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have sent you two out alone. Our men have gone to the location, and they'll find those bastards soon.”

That’s it?

She didn’t tell them how she got hurt in the first place? Wait, is she okay?

My eyes darted to her mother who looked like she had been crying.

“Thank you,” she muttered. “There is no way I’d have forgiven myself if anything had happened to Luella. Thank you…”

The door creaked open and the doctor came in.

He ran a few tests, but I couldn’t help but wonder how we got home. The last thing I remembered was catching Luella after she was freed.

“How did we get home?” My throat was dry, and my voice came out barely as a whisper.

“You were lucky to run into guards supervising the areas,” Father answered.

“Ran into?” I arched my brows.

“Yes, Luella carried you out on her own until she found help. You should thank her.”

She carried me? My chest tightened as I stared at my father. Why would she do that? After everything I said? It didn’t make sense.

“The wolfbane has washed away, and he is out of danger now. He just needs a little rest to get back on his feet,” the doctor announced, snapping me out of my trance.

“Thank you.”

Everyone left once they were sure I was fine, and I couldn’t help but wonder why she would help me.

“Because you saved her first,” my wolf muttered.

If it were another girl, I’d believe she did it out of gratitude, but her? Nothing about her makes sense. I need to know what she was thinking.