Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother

Jasmine’s POV

Just when I had thought that something productive had happened last night between Hardin and I even though he remained standoffish and quiet the entire ride back to the house, I knew that we were about to take a million steps back immediately we entered the house and Lisa was the first person that we saw.

Remembering that the only reason his aunt was here was thanks to him, I shuffled from one foot to the other after her question, thinking about what she was up to now.

Looking at Hardin, she raised her eyebrows, her smile dripping with mischief as she waited for an answer.

“Well, is there something I should know, Jasmine? Could it be that you were somehow responsible for the fact that he has been staying away from his own home, while you have been here with your mother, eating and drinking and sleeping like it is your own house? I’m waiting for an answer, sweetheart” She said the sweetheart as if she was referring to a snake that she was about to hit on the head and my eyes widened because this time, her question was spot on.

I was certain that Hardin had been avoiding the house because of me which was one of the reasons why I had gone to look for him but putting it that way, like my mother and I had concocted a plan to chase him away from his own home was a new low, even for Lisa and I fought the urge to say something that would make her antagonize my mother even further because she would blame her if I responded in a way that she did not like.

But with the way her eyes were glaring daggers at me, I knew that I could not walk away without replying.

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, Hardin beat me to it.

“She had nothing to do with it, Aunt. That’s enough.”

That was not even up to a quarter of the reply that I was hoping to give her but it was enough to stun Lisa and I into silence.

Lisa looked at her nephew like she could no longer recognize him and I looked at him in shock because he had stood up for me.

This was the first time he had ever interfered whenever his aunt was acting out like this and it made me wonder why.

Was it because I had begged him yesterday?

Or was this a one off?

“Hardin, I was not talking to you.” She said and he shrugged, refusing to look at me.

“But you were asking about my being away and you should be asking me, not her.” He answered and I was sure my eyes were going to pop out of their sockets and fall from my face in shock.

Lisa looked even more shocked than I was and when she looked at me, it was with curiosity and rage.

But before she could react, my mother walked out of the kitchen and smiled when she saw us, rushing over to envelope Hardin in a hug first that I saw surprised the hell out of him because his eyes widened when she pulled back and gently touched his hair before moving away.

“It’s good to have you back at home, Hardin.”

Looking at me, she blew me a kiss and started to pull Hardin toward the dining table.

“Come, food is ready.” She said excitedly, gesturing towards me to come with her as well.

Hardin looked like he didn’t know how to say no to her and when he looked at me in surprise, I shrugged, equally surprised that he was even looking at me at all.

“Would you like to join the kids at the dinning table, Lisa?” My mother asked and Lisa rolled her eyes before she turned around and headed for the stairs.

“Okay then. I’ll have a maid send her food upstairs.” My mother whispered under her breath and I smirked as I sat across from Hardin, who looked like he was an actual stranger in the house.

When our eyes collided, I sucked in a breath and looked away, wondering what he saw when he looked at me like that.

Like he could see my soul.

As my mum and one of the maids served us, she gently placed a kiss on my forehead.

“What happened to your phone? I tried calling you throughout yesterday and if not for Hardin, I wouldn’t have been able to reach you.”

Reaching for my bag, I brought out my phone, remembering that it was about to die when I was at the lacrosse practice and I had not taken my charger to school.

“It was dead.” I told her but when j brought it out, I saw that it was not only on, but it was fully charged.

How was that possible?

And then I realized that only one thing could have happened.

Hardin.

Looking up at him, I saw that he was staring at me, his face void of expression and I was even more confused by all of the events that had taken place between us last night.

He had said harsh words to hurt me but they had hardly had any heat or rage behind them and even when he had told me to not follow him and I had asked Lorenzo to drop me off somewhere on the path to the cottage, something that he had done grudgingly considering that he had heard everything Hardin had said, I was half expecting him to send me back.

But he hadn’t. And he had not even touched me at all.

It made me wonder if something was changing between us or if I was being delusional thinking that the dynamic between us was evolving.

When dinner was over, Hardin politely thanked my mother and headed to his room and when I looked at the bright smile on her face, I knew that she was wondering if something was really happening to him too.

I spent the entirety of the night tossing and turning, wondering whether or not there was something that I could do about Hardin’s sudden change in behaviour.

Why did it bother me so much that he had suddenly become so reserved?

Why was I worried that he was probably hurting?

What if he was struggling and had no one to confide in?

Their big game was coming and he didn’t look like he was going to even be able to play.

The clock hit the stroke of midnight and I knew that everyone else would probably be asleep, even Hardin but I couldn’t continue to roll around on the bed.

Rising to my feet, I threw on a robe and headed to his bedroom to check in on him.

I was just going to ask if he was still upset about what I said and if he needed help in any way.

I just needed to know if he was alright.

Reaching his door, I swallowed nervously as I knocked once and when I didn’t hear an answer, I tried the knob, surprised that it opened.

When I entered, he was nowhere in the room and then my eyes found him leaning against the balcony, in nothing but a towel riding low on his waist, his hair damp which told me that he had just come out of the shower.

If he heard me come in, he didn’t show it and I walked up to stand beside him, staring out into the dark woods in silence.

“What do you want, Jasmine?” He asked gently.

I opened my mouth, unsure of what I wanted to say when my phone rang.

It was Lorenzo.

When I didn’t pick it up and it kept ringing, Hardin raised his eyebrows and I had no choice but to answer, even though the last thing I wanted was for him to hear what we were going to say. .

Unfortunately, werewolf hearing meant that Hardin would hear whatever Lorenzo said.

“Hey, I texted but figured you were busy. How are you?” Lorenzo said and I nodded before I realized that he could not see me.

“Yeah, I was.”

“How about now? Wanted to ask if we could hang out after the game? Like a date? But if you’re busy, I understand that.”

The silence in the room was suffocating and when I looked at Hardin’s expression, there was nothing there.

Was he angry?

Or did he not just care?

Why did I want it to be the former and not the latter?

“I’m busy right now and I don’t know about after the game too.” I whispered, my eyes locked with Hardin’s.

“Okay” Lorenzo answered, sounding really civil in a way that I didn’t think would ever be possible with someone as intense as Hardin.

“I’ll see you at the game then?” He asked and when I answered in the affirmative, the call ended and I kept staring at Hardin.

“Why are you looking at me? Did you not agree to go with golden boy because I was here? Are you trying to prove something because I don’t really give a shit what you should do.” He said but his eyes had hardened in anger and it made me smile.

“Why the fuck are you smiling?”

“I’m going to just go now. And maybe, just maybe I’ll take your advice. Good night Hardin. I wanted to check that you were okay and now that I see you are, I’m going to bed.”

I turned around and headed for the door.

I didn’t make it halfway across the room.

Because he grabbed me by the arm and slammed his lips against mine.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.