Desired By My Alpha Stepfather

We have maids

Nina's POV

I was rid of the dream by a shaft of sunlight spearing through a gap in the curtains, landing directly on my eyelids. I squeezed them shut tighter, willing myself back to sleep. But the damage was done. The sunlight, coupled with the dull ache behind my eyes, ripped me from the dream I couldn't quite grasp.

I was disoriented. I blinked at the patterns dancing on the ceiling. It took a moment for my surroundings to come into focus – my room. It wasn't the one I'd known all my life. This one now felt alien.

I took a moment to collect my thoughts.

The wedding. Last night. My mother's giggles last night. It all made me feel nauseous.

Then, another memory surfaced.

Kai. Tears. The woods.

I had been surprised to find him in the woods, that late at night, but my surprise was soon replaced by sympathy. A kind of sympathy that he had done so little to deserve. He'd pushed me away, of course, his facade of indifference snapping back into place like a well-rehearsed act. But the look in his eyes, the way his broad shoulders had shaken with silent sobs, played a loop in my mind.

I released a groan, throwing off the covers, the tangled sheets rustling. I glanced at the clock.

Overslept. Again.

My internal clock, one that was usually as precise as a wolf's hunting instincts, had failed me miserably.

It wasn't entirely my fault that I got up late. I had had a long day, yesterday, but I still felt guilty.

Mom would be fuming, and with good reason. The 'welcome the new Alpha' breakfast. I loved to think of it as a political event masquerading as a family gathering. It was probably already in full swing.

The thought of facing the dignitaries and pack officials, all eager to curry favor with the new family, filled me with dread. But the thought of having to endure a strained facade of a sweet conversation with my mother was far worse.

I showered quickly, the cool water doing little to alleviate the feverish heat beneath my skin.

I soon took to brushing my damp hair. How could I have left out facing Alpha Vince? My alleged mate. How much more horrid could my life get?

I drew in a deep breath, forcing myself to focus. Dwelling on the 'what ifs' wouldn't change anything. I needed a plan, a way to work through this mate disaster thing with my supposed “mate.” But first, I needed coffee. Strong, black coffee, enough to jumpstart my sluggish brain and numb the throbbing ache in my heart.

I tip-toed down the creaking stairs, the sounds of chatter from the living room reached my ears. Laughter, raised voices, the clinking of silverware. The 'welcome breakfast' was indeed in full swing. I hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, the scent of bacon and brewing coffee seducing the sensories in my nostrils.

Suddenly, the front door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the house like a gunshot. My head snapped up. Footsteps pounded down the hallway. Alpha Vincent.

He must have just arrived after the pack patrol, a latecomer to the ' festivities.' The thought of coming face-to-face with him, after the disturbing scene I'd eavesdropped on made me nauseous for the hundredth time, that morning. I needed to get out of there, to clear my head before I did something I'd regret.

The back door clicked shut behind me. Coffee. I still craved a strong, bitter cup of coffee to jolt my sluggish brain awake and numb the ache that had taken root in my chest. But the thought of facing the people downstairs, the forced pleasantries and murmured gossip, was enough to curdle my stomach further.

Instead, I took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. My gaze drifted towards the woods behind our house. Just the thought of sinking into the shade of the trees, the rustle of leaves beneath my feet, was strangely appealing.

But as I took another step forward, a sound from the front of the house snagged my attention. Alpha Vince's voice reached my ears.

The image of him, his hands roaming my mother's body just hours ago made me breathless, in the real sense. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the image away, willing the suffocating feeling to recede.

You won't stay here forever, will you?

My wolf said to me. She did have a point.

I wouldn't. I couldn't. But the thought of going out there was certainly not the most appealing.

Air rushed into my lungs, and I gripped the door knob. Another deep breath, and then, I pushed open the swinging door, bracing myself for whatever was out there.

The scene that greeted me was not what I expected. The dignitaries and pack officials, the ones eager to curry favor with the new Alpha, were gone. Only a handful of people remained – my mother, her face flushed and stormy, Alpha Vincent perched beside her with a hand resting on her thigh in a gesture of what I assumed was supposed to be comfort, Sue hovering by the breakfast bar with a helpless expression, and Kai, slumped in a chair by the window, his back to me.

The moment I entered, the noise was vacuumed. All eyes turned towards me. Goddess knew I willed myself to disappear. To melt under their gazes

My mother was the first to speak.

“Nina, there you are. We were beginning to think you'd decided to grace us with your presence… next week."

The barb hit its mark. I was… well… I didn't know what to say. I opened my mouth to retort, a sharp reply hovering on the tip of my tongue, but something in the set of her jaw, the tightness around her eyes, stopped me. This wasn't about me, not entirely. This was about the relationship we had with each other. It wasn't exactly to die for, and let's just say, yesterday's clumsiness hadn't helped matters much.

"Good morning, Mom," I said finally. I had imagined my voice to have had more life, but it sounded so flat, so lifeless.

She gave a humorless scoff, her gaze flicking pointedly to the clock on the wall. "Barely," she muttered.

My eyes fell on Alpha Vincent's hand, fingers. His fingers constricted, giving my mother's tigh a squeeze.

"Sarah, that's enough. Nina, come sit down. There's plenty of food left."

My mother bristled under his touch, her body tensing. But she didn't pull away. She relished it.

I pulled out a chair and sat down.

The clinking of silverware gave the table a soundtrack.

A giggled reached my ears, and my head snapped up. My mother or Sue.

Sue. Sue, it was.

Sue was perched across from me like a perfectly manicured predator. She ran a scarlet-painted nail along the rim of her wine glass, her gaze locked on Kai.

"This Chardonnay is divine," she purred. It was the kind of comment usually reserved for a lover, not a casual dinner guest.

A frown creased my brow. Sue had been here since yesterday ago for what was supposed to be a quick catch-up, yet here she was, fiending over appetizers and flirting outrageously with Kai. Didn't she have somewhere else to be? Perhaps a date with someone who actually wanted to spend time with her?

Kai leaned back in his chair, a playful smile on his lips. "Glad you approve," he drawled. "It wouldn't be the same without someone to appreciate the finer things in life."

His gaze flicked from the wine to Sue's face, lingering a touch too long on the creamy swell of her cleavage before meeting mine.

The compliment was clearly a double entendre aimed at both the wine and Sue herself. It made my body temperature increase. It was a line I'd heard him whisper countless times before. It sounded like a promise meant only for me. Now, it felt like a betrayal. It felt like he was weilding a sword that he knew damn well would tear me down.

Sue's smile widened, the tips of her lips reaching for the corners of her heavily mascaraed eyes. "Well, some of us do appreciate the finer things," she countered, her gaze staying a while too long on Kai's expensively tailored suit. "Unlike others who," she continued, "shall we say, lack a certain… sophistication."

The shot was aimed clearly at me. It was unmistakable. My hand tightened around my fork, the metal digging into my palm.

Suddenly, Kai leaned forward.

"Speaking of sophistication," he began, "I do admire a woman who knows how to handle herself in a… challenging situation."

The compliment, if you could call it that, stunned me. Sue had taken the lead, leaving me feeling sidelined. This comment in particular was delivered with a wink in Sue's direction.

Of course, it was a deliberate jab, designed to stoke the flames of jealousy in my gut.

Before I could formulate a response, a quick peck brushed against Sue's cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

Her hand brushed against Kai's as she reached for the bread basket. Kai leaned in, whispering something I couldn't make out because of her cascading hair.

“Perhaps," she said, another giggle escaping her lips, "we should go chill.” She leaned in towards Kai. "Besides, that new shipment of herbal tea bags just arrived, and I know you like the chamomile with a bit of…"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out by the rush of blood in my ears. Because of course. Chamomile tea. Just what the teenage boy playing at grown-up Alpha needed to soothe his nerves after a morning spent antagonizing his ex-girlfriend.

I rolled my eyes so hard they threatened to pop out of my head. This whole charade was pathetic. If Kai thought this little showmance was going to make me jealous, he was delusional. It just solidified my opinion of him – a childish boy playing at grown-up games, using Sue as his pretty little pawn.

I caught a glimpse of Alpha Vince. He remained silent. Did he not see what was happening? Didn't he understand the jabs behind what looked like an innocent conversation?

I focused on Vince. He was supposed to be the Alpha. Instead, he sat there, watching this childish display unfold like some spectator sport. But he wasn't even looking at our way. His gaze was fixed on my mother's lap, his hand resting possessively on her knee, his fingers slowly inching up her thigh.

A snarl tore from my throat. All eyes snapped towards me.

Except for my mother. Her cheeks burned tomato, the color spreading down her neck like a stain. Her normally bright eyes darted nervously between me and Vince, her chest heaving with what could only be described as…panic?

My fork clinked against my plate. Vince's fingers, hovering an inch from mine, twitched. My breath hitched, caught in my throat. Where were his fingers heading? Were they…?

A choked sound escaped me, half-gasp, half-snarl. The movement must have startled him because his hand withdrew instantly.

My hand was slick with nervous sweat, fumbling with the fork. It slipped from my grasp, clattering down to the polished wood floor with a loud clang.

Heat flooded my cheeks as all eyes turned towards me. My mother's lips thinned into a disapproving line.

"Nina! Must you be so clumsy? We have a guest." She said, glancing at Sue.

I stammered. "I-I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to"

Vince didn't speak. He just retrieved the fork, placing it back on the table with a gentle clink. His brown eyes met mine, but only for a second.

My wolf that was still hurt from last night, whimpered in my chest.

I tried to calm my flaring nerves. For the rest of dinber, I completely ignored everyone, focusing on my food. All I wanted was invisibility.

****

The chairs scraped against the ground; It was the end of breakfast. I shoved my untouched food around my plate.

"Nina, dear," my mother's voice, a touch too sweet, pulled my attention away. "Why don't you get started on the dishes? Vince and I would love to chat a little longer."

Wait, what?

We had maids. We had Agnes. Agnes was a kind woman with laugh lines crinkling around her eyes. She specifically handled the after-meal cleanup. Did Mom forget, or was this some kind of pointed reminder about last night's clumsiness, or worse, a not-so-subtle dig at my general helpfulness around the house?

My lips thinned into a tight line. But refusing felt futile. This wasn't the time or place. With a forced smile that didn't reach my eyes, I muttered, "Of course, Mom. I'll get right on it."

Vince seemed to find his tongue. He had been watching the exchange with an unreadable expression. He cleared his throat.

"Actually, perhaps I could help Nina with the dishes. It would be a nice change of pace after breakfast. We could get to know each other better. You know, a little father-daughter time?”

My head snapped towards him. Vince, an alpha, volunteering for housework? It was unheard of. But before I could voice my skepticism, my mother jumped in, her smile strained.

"Oh, that's very kind of you, Vince, but really there's no need. Agnes will be here any minute to take care of everything." Her forced joviality grated on my nerves.

Ignoring her protest, Vince rose from his seat.

"Nonsense. I insist. Besides, a little teamwork never hurt anyone, right Nina?" His brown eyes held a glint of something I couldn't decipher. Was it challenge? Amusement? Something else entirely?

The heat rose to my cheeks,. "Fine," I mumbled, grabbing a stack of plates and stalking towards the kitchen. This breakfast was far from over.

The clatter of dishes occupied my seses.

Vince's offer to help had thrown me off balance. To get to know me better. That was his excuse, but I could have sworn that I saw something unexpected in his eyes. But before I could decipher it, I was in the sanctuary of the kitchen, rinsing a plate with cold, stinging water.

Suddenly, a voice brushed against my ear, so close I made a leap off my feet. "You know, Nina," Vince murmured, "disappearing in the middle of the night isn't exactly mature behavior."

My breath hitched. The plate trembled in my grasp, the water cascading down my hand unnoticed. Alpha Vince knew. How? My throat constricted, squeezing the air from my lungs.

Before I could stammer a reply, a sickening crack echoed through the kitchen. The plate had slipped from my numb fingers, shattering on the tile floor. I flinched.

Three

Two

One

"Nina! What on earth happened?" My mother's voice assaulted my ears. Her hurried footsteps carried her to the doorway as she rushed into the kitchen, her eyes widening at the scene – the shattered plate, the water pooling at my feet, and me frozen. To include that Alpha Vince was standing so close to me.

It was a scene indeed.