Claimed By My Ruthless Alpha Stepbrother

Chapter 2

MIA

Just as I had sensed, my guess was right. The strong arms wrapped around me like a warm blanket in front of these vicious wolves belonged to Harvey Wolfe, my stepbrother who hated my entire existence.

Our gazes locked for a split second. The noise of the lobby faded into a distant hum as faint whispers spread among the students. It felt like we were the only two people left in the world.

Harvey’s hands were still on me, steadying me after I nearly tripped. I could feel his heartbeat thudding hard and fast against my chest.

This was the closest we had ever been, and the moment his body pressed into mine, something shifted.

A sudden, f*******n heat bloomed low in my belly, spreading downward like liquid fire.

My breath hitched.

There was an unmistakable warm ache between my legs, a throbbing pulse that made my thighs press together instinctively.

My skin felt too tight, too sensitive, and I could feel my n*****s tighten against the fabric of my top.

Oh damn.

This wasn’t like feeling I had with Caleb whenever we shared gentle and safe kisses.

This was sharper. Hungrier. My body was reacting to my stepbrother in a way it never had with anyone else.

Mia, you’ve lost it. Your stepbrother’s touch just turned you on.

Unbelievable.

The sticky cold feeling from the spilled juice slowly turned into unexpected warmth.

When he finally let go of me, a sudden wave of disappointment and loneliness washed over me. But his intense gaze never left mine. Without saying a word, he began unbuttoning his jacket, slipped it off, and wrapped it gently around my half n***d body.

He was so gentle. His gaze felt strangely calming.

How the hell was I finding solace in Harvey’s eyes?

He had always looked at me like he wished his stare alone could kill me.

“You always know how to get yourself in trouble,” he murmured, his voice low enough for only me to hear. It carried a sharp edge, like he was pissed and barely suppressing his anger.

He didn’t wait for my response. He raised his gaze and stepped in front of me, turning to face the crowd. The students who had been recording moments ago quickly lowered their phones as if they had suddenly remembered their manners.

“Who did this?” His single sentence rang out like an imminent judgment.

Was he actually trying to get justice for me? I blinked in disbelief.

No way. I brushed the thought away almost immediately. Harvey hated me. He had warned me not to acknowledge our connection at school or anywhere else. There was no chance he would implicate himself. If anything, he should have enjoyed watching my humiliation or even encouraged it.

“Have you all suddenly gone deaf?” he roared. “I asked a f*****g question! Who touched her!”

His deep baritone voice reverberated through the entire lobby. His Alpha aura flared powerfully, thick enough to suffocate everyone in the room.

Some students flinched. A few brave ones slowly raised their hands and pointed straight at Chloe, whose face had gone deathly pale.

“You.” Harvey let out a cold, s******c scoff. “How dare you touch her?”

Chloe quickly rushed forward, trying to compose herself. “Oh, Harvey. There is no need to get worked up. She is just a nobody I was trying to discipline. She had—”

Before she could finish, Harvey snatched a cup of coffee from a nearby boy and splashed the entire contents across Chloe’s face and chest.

The speed of his action left everyone stunned. It was clear he had only needed confirmation that she had touched me before acting.

“What did you do that for?!” Chloe squealed in fright as cold coffee dripped down her face onto her white shirt.

She frantically rubbed at her face in anger. Her minions took several steps back, abandoning her the moment the tables turned.

Chloe now looked like she was standing in front of a ghost. For a second, I felt the urge to laugh, but it was instantly replaced by shock at what Harvey had just done.

“That is just a warning,” Harvey said coldly. “The day you lay your filthy hands on her again…” He turned slightly and pointed at me while I watched in stunned silence. “I swear by the Moon Goddess, I will kill you.”

“Did you hear that? Harvey just threatened to kill Chloe over that wolfless nerd. Is that some kind of bluff?” someone whispered behind me.

“Shhh… Harvey looks furious. You think he can’t do it? I heard he can be merciless when he wants to be. He subdued most of the rogue territories disturbing the packs when he was only sixteen. He doesn’t give empty threats.”

“Harvey! You can’t bully me like that!” Chloe shrieked. “I am the daughter of a high elder in the council and from a powerful bloodline. You will be—”

Before she could finish, Harvey’s hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat. The grip was far more brutal than what her minions had done to me.

A loud gasp erupted from the crowd as Chloe choked and desperately tried to pull his hand away.

“You dare threaten me?” Harvey seethed, his fangs suddenly extending. “You and your entire bloodline will never be good enough to clean the soles of my shoes, let alone pose a threat to me. So I will say this once…” His breath came out harsh and heavy. “The next time you touch even a single strand of her hair, I will tear you limb from limb and send your remains to your family.”

With a hard shove, he threw her to the floor.

Oh. How the mighty had fallen.

Harvey stared at her one last time, his gaze dark and menacing, promising violence. The others quickly looked down, all of them avoiding his eyes like prey hoping the predator would pass them by.

Then he turned to me.

I clutched the jacket he’d handed me earlier tightly against my chest, as if it could shield me from the storm swirling inside me. My heart hammered wildly. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling anymore—gratitude, fear, confusion… maybe something dangerously close to warmth.

He stopped just inches away from me. So close I could feel the heat radiating off his body. His intense eyes slowly roamed over my face, then lower, making my breath catch in my throat.

Damn.

I wished desperately that I could read minds in that moment. Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t understand why my stepbrother—the same person who had made it his mission to hate me—had just stood up for me. Not only defended me… but threatened to kill someone over me.

Do people really do that for someone they despise?

Was this some sick, twisted prank?

Or had he… changed?

No. The thought was almost laughable. Harvey didn’t change overnight. He wasn’t the type. He was cold, calculating, and always ten steps ahead. Every move he made was deliberate, executed with ruthless precision. How else could he lead the most powerful pack in the entire city at just twenty years old?

“Harvey, I…” My voice came out small and shaky. His name sounded so weird and strange on my tongue.

He didn’t let me finish.

Without a word, he walked right past me, his shoulder nearly brushing mine as he left. The faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air like a ghost.

I blinked, stunned, staring at the empty space where he’d just been.

What the hell was that?