Rejected by my Alpha StepBrother, Mated To His Friend

We've always been a great team, Ly.

LYRA'S POV

I remained in my spot in the backyard.

Bereft and mildly shocked at what just happened between us.

Jasper stopped at the door and turned around. “Rowan would be searching for us.” His words were as weighty as his gaze.

I swallowed hard, nodding, unable to wrap my head around what had just happened. Thankfully, Jasper gave me a moment to collect my thoughts.

He knew. Jasper knew I was obsessed with Rowan. I felt second-hand embarrassment at the thought of how long. Was my feelings for Rowan so obvious?

I slapped my palms on my face, unable to wrap my head around the entire thing. I loved Rowan, and I was mated to Jasper. I needed a f*****g drink.

I stepped into the party, headed for the bar when Ace stepped in my way. “Where are you off to? The alpha has been looking for you.” He started and I swallowed.

Just then, his twin brother, Jack joined the party with a smirk that ruffled me. “The snooker table is set.” He announced it to Ace. “Where are you off to, Lyra?”

Rowan spotted us before I could make out a word. My heartbeat increased as soon as he made his way towards us, looking dashing in his dress shirt.

“There you are.” His eyes fixated on me, “I’ve been searching for you the entire time.” He seemed worried. “Are you okay?”

My brows creased in confusion at his obvious worry.

“I heard Lilith made an appearance,” he said, and everything suddenly made sense.

Rowan knew of my poor relationship with my half-sister. I had spent most of my years telling him how much she got on my nerves as well as loving him secretly.

The fact that he looked so worried and sought me out after hearing of our little tiff reminded me of all the reasons I loved and cherished Rowan.

“I’m fine,” I said softly, looking into his blue orbs, lost for a moment until Ace spoke and snapped me out of my reverie.

“Jack finished setting up the game. We should join him outside.”

Rowan nodded and led the way towards the poolside where the snooker table was set. We arrived at the game area and my mood soured when Rowan joined Aurora on a love seat.

She placed a possessive palm on his chest, and I was ready to leave. I averted my eyes and met Jasper’s teasing smirk. I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment, I’d been caught red-handed.

Jasper put in the winning ball and Jack left the table with a frown, muttering about his loss. Ace stepped in to continue the snooker game against Jasper, who was on a winning streak.

Everyone seemed preoccupied. Rowan with Aurora, who whispered things in his ears, and the boys in the game. I felt out of place and when the waiter came around with a tray of drinks, I took two cups and indulged myself.

“Want to play?” Jasper asked from the other side of the table when Ace stepped out for a minute, muttering something about doing border patrol.

I didn’t feel like playing. Not with the obvious teasing in his eyes. Just when I was about to register my decision, Jack spoke up. “Of course not!” He snorted. “Little Lyly was never good at snooker. It’ll be an easy win.”

Jasper tilted his head in question, and I stepped up. Truth be told, growing up, I was terrible at snooker. I always somehow managed to be the one with the most balls after a game. However, things were different.

The seven years I spent in the human world taught me a lot of things. Snooker included. I wasn’t as bad as I used to be. They were in for a rude awakening.

“Ooouuu! She’s playing!” Jack teased to no end, earning himself an eye roll from yours truly.

I felt Jasper’s gaze on me the entire time as I stepped to my side of the board and picked up the snooker stick. “Ladies first.” He said, and I looked up to catch those intense comical looks in his eyes.

I was going to whoop his ass at this game. I held my first ball and it was a hit. I didn’t miss the mild surprise in his eyes. When I got the second ball in, a smirk grew on his lips.

“You’ve become better at this.” He leaned on the snooker table as he teased, “How much more until I beat your ass?”

I picked up the third ball, ready to hit, when I heard a small chuckle from Rowan’s end. What was so funny? I wondered with narrowed brows, hit the ball and missed.

Just great.

I stepped back and looked up at Jasper, who wore an unreadable expression as he took position. “That was a screeching halt, Ly.” He chastised. “What’s got your panties in a twist?” He threw a look in Rowan’s direction and smiled. “I expected to be pleasantly surprised.”

“Hit the darned ball, Jasper.” I gritted, getting frustrated.

Rowan and Aurora sat close to each other, whispering to themselves and sharing a laugh. Their lips were inches away from each other. They weren’t even mated!

Jasper got seven balls in before he missed. By this time, I was ready to call it a day and declare him the winner, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me squirm.

Giving up now was akin to admitting my not-so-hidden feelings for Rowan. I set up my stick and proceeded to have the worst possible hit. It felt like my snooker skills evaporated with every smile, laugh and touch Rowan shared with Aurora.

I hated myself for how badly I was affected by them.

Jasper teased me countlessly, dropping vague statements as he took his time winning me. He’d get one ball into the pot and intentionally wreck over the other, like he was giving me an opportunity to revive myself, to make a comeback.

Newsflash, I didn’t.

Just when I was ready to call it a day, I felt a presence behind me, and the most intoxicating familiar scent wafted into my nose. It was Rowan. I turned around and there he was, standing behind me with a tut.

“I taught you better than this, Ly.” Rowan positioned himself behind me and held my hands with the snooker stick.

I was teleported to the old days when he indeed taught me to play. Rowan taught me most of the things I knew. To fight, read, and play all sorts of things as a child. He always let me tag along and protected me through my formative years. Which made me fall deeply in love with him.

My breath hitched at the feel of his strong arms around me, holding my hands as he prepared to make a shot. It was all too familiar, and I felt my muscles relax. Being around him felt like being at home. We got into sync and played together, blind to the happenings around us and engulfed in our little world.

Rowan proved himself to be the best player as he held my hand and helped put all the balls into their position. Winning every shot while I fell more in love with him. Just like that, I won the snooker game, turning the tides around with Rowan's help.

“You both managed to beat me,” Jasper said, and I snapped out of my reverie just in time to see the storm in his eyes before it disappeared. “Congratulations.” His jaws tightened as he dropped his snooker stick.

Jasper beckoned at a waiter and took a glass of drink.

“We’ve always been a great team, Ly.” Jasper breathed into my ears and I turned around to meet his fond eyes.

My heart skipped a beat, and I was reminded of the reasons I loved and adored this man when he smiled down at me.

It was the most beautiful sight ever.