My Stepbrother, My Crush, My Mate

~Amara~

"Yes, yes! I like it when you bury yourself deep inside me." A moan escaped my lips, and I ran my fingers through his jet-black hair, holding onto it tightly and moving my hips to meet every thrust.

"It feels fucking good. Please don't stop." I pleaded with all the energy left in my veins, and he continued to thrust inside me fast and deep.

"I'm almost there, I'm almost there." I cried out and held onto the sheets tightly…

I woke up from a wet dream. My heart thumped wildly against my ribcage. I heaved a deep sigh and wiped the sweat from my forehead.

I was dreaming about him again. This time it was not a dream of us holding hands or running in the flower garden.

I dreamed of us… I shook my head as the thoughts clouded my mind.

There was no need to think about it because I knew I would never get a chance to run my fingers through his shoulder-length hair, his masculine chest, look into those crystal green eyes, or feel him bury himself deep inside me.

It will forever be a dream…

***

"Princess, I need some help in arranging the house and choosing the best clothes to wear." I frowned when I heard my dad's words because I couldn't remember the last time he was this nervous about looking good.

"Do we have visitors? Are Alphas from other packs coming over? We have the pack's event hall if that is the case." I reasoned out, but my dad was quiet. He heaved a deep sigh and walked over to me, then sat on the wooden chair beside me, taking my hands in his and giving them a gentle squeeze.

"I want you to meet someone, Amara," my dad said, and I couldn't help but frown. I looked into my dad's blue eyes and noticed nervousness in them, no matter how much he was trying to act normal.

"Someone?" I repeated his statement, and he nodded at my words, giving my hand another squeeze.

Who is this "someone" that is making my dad worried and nervous? The strongest Alpha in the South? I couldn't help but ask myself silently.

"I'm sorry that I didn't inform you earlier, princess. Don't take offense, okay." A frown on my face deepened even more when I heard my dad's words because he was making me so nervous.

"I have a girlfriend and I asked her to come over so that I can introduce her to you. We have been dating for over a month now." My dad said, and I couldn't help but raise a brow at him, then my lips curved into a smile.

"Now it makes sense why you have been smiling a lot lately." I teased him, and he chuckled.

"I want you to know that I'm not going to love you less because of the new person who has come into my life." He paused and exhaled deeply.

"I don't want you to feel as though I'm trying to replace your mother. Your mother will always be in my heart, and I will forever honor her memories."

My dad explained to me, and his lips curved into a sad smile. Without saying a word, I wrapped my hands around him tightly because I knew he needed the hug.

"Don't worry about me, Dad. I'm not seven years old anymore like when mom left me. I'm seventeen, two months from eighteen, and I understand." I said and smiled to cheer him up.

"I'm glad that you're moving on from the past. It has been ten years already. All I want is to see you happy. And if your girlfriend is making you happy, that's okay with me." I shrugged nonchalantly, and my dad looked so happy when he heard my words.

I know my dad was nervous to break the news to me. He thought that I would be mad or something. How could I be mad when all I want is to see him happy?

My mom, Isabella, died when I was only seven years old. I still remember it clearly because that was one of the saddest things that ever happened in my life.

Dad was wounded when my mother passed away because they loved each other so much. Even though I was a little girl, I saw the love they had for each other.

Despite the wounds in his heart, Dad tried his best to mask the pain because he needed to be strong for me. He took care of me single-handedly and gave me all the love he could ever offer because he didn't want me to feel the hollow that my mother had left in my fragile heart.

He wore my mom's shoes, and he fitted in perfectly. He's a super dad, that's all I can say.

He has taught me how to be a strong girl because I'm the only child and successor of his Alpha throne.

***

"How do I look?" My dad asked. I stopped whatever I was doing and looked at him, then nodded my head in satisfaction because he looked so handsome and young.

His black hair was brushed away from his face neatly. His blue eyes were bright, and he was wearing black pants and a white perfectly ironed shirt.

"You look… young," I joked, and he smiled.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and I walked over to open it. It was a woman with green eyes and long dark hair. Even if I didn't want to admit it, she was so beautiful.

"Welcome." I was about to say the words, but my dad said it first, and I could hear happiness in his voice.

"Patricia, meet my daughter Amara." My dad pulled me into his side embrace and patted my shoulder gently.

"Amara, meet my girlfriend Patricia." The lady stretched her hand toward me, and I received it.

I decided to leave my dad and his girlfriend to talk about their stuff in privacy and went to spend some time with Luke, the Beta's son, who is also my best friend.

"Are you done with the biology practical that Mr. Smith gave us?" Luke asked, and a deep sigh escaped my lips when I recalled how challenging the work was.

"Yes, what about you?" I asked, and it was his turn to sigh. "I'm done too," he told me, and I nodded at his words.

"What about we go for training since we don't have anything to do?" I suggested, and Luke nodded at my words, and we happily ran to the training field.

Even though we were both seventeen years old, we hadn't left our childish ways. I don't think I will ever grow up when I'm around Luke.

We began to train; I was on the attack side, and Luke was on the defending. He was a master at defending, and I felt jealous because that was my weak area. After training for a couple of minutes, we decided to take a break to catch our breaths.

"Need some water?" Luke raised a bottle of water in the air toward me, and I nodded because my throat was burning. He always knew what I wanted, even without me saying a word. That's how well Luke knows me.

Luke brought me the bottle of cold water, and I gulped it down in one go. He raised his eyebrow at me, and I smiled, throwing the empty bottle in the bin.

We continued training and changed our roles. Luke was on the attack side, and I was on the defense. I lost it countless times, and it made me feel frustrated.

"You need more training when it comes to defending yourself from the attacker, Amara," Luke scolded me, and I pouted.

"I'm trying," I said, and he heaved a deep sigh and ran his fingers through his blonde hair, his grey eyes holding some worry.

"You need to try harder, Amara. What if war breaks out now? You can be killed easily because you don't know how to protect yourself properly from the attack. I know you can do this! Come on, let's give it another shot. I'm going to teach you how it's done." Luke encouraged me, and I felt energized again as we continued.

He taught me how to avoid attacks in different ways, and I learned everything by heart. I wanted to better myself. I was improving with each passing second, and I saw the undying smile on Luke's face as he continued to teach me.

"You're getting better!" he said happily, and I smiled at him. "I'm learning from the best." I teased him, and he snorted at my words.

We continued to train after taking a break and drinking some water to stay hydrated. I was happy that Luke never gave up on me, no matter how many times he had to teach me the same thing over and over again.

"Amara?" A female voice pierced through the air, and we stopped whatever we were doing and turned to the door, and there she was, Patricia.

"Patricia, how can I help you?" I smiled at her, and Luke frowned at me.

"Who is she?" Luke asked me, holding my hand as though he was ready to protect me from her. I knew he could tell that she's not a member of our pack.

"She's my dad's girlfriend," I told Luke, and he nodded in understanding, letting my hand go.

"I have come to bid you goodbye. Can I have a word with you?" she asked in a lovely voice, "Sure." I nodded, then turned my head and smiled at Luke, assuring him that I would be fine.

"See you tomorrow at the campus," I told him, and he nodded doubtfully. I knew that Luke didn't trust Patricia, but… I know I could trust her just a little bit because she's my dad's girlfriend.

My father is one of the strict Alphas. I know he did a thorough background check before getting close to the woman. He made sure that there was nothing suspicious about Patricia.

***

"Your dad has told me so many things about you since the first day. He adores you so much," Patricia said, trying to make conversation, and I was happy to hear that Dad loves me that much.

I have always known that he loves me, but hearing it from someone else...it was an unexplainable feeling.

"I hope most of the things that he told you were good," I said, and she nodded vigorously.

I turned my head slowly to look at the mansion and noticed that my dad was watching us from the balcony.

"It's okay." I mind-linked my dad, and I saw him relax and nod at my words.

"Of course, all of the things that your dad told me about you were nice. For a moment, I thought that you were an angel," Patricia joked, and I couldn't help but laugh when I heard her words.

"It has been a pleasure knowing you, Amara." She smiled at me, "The pleasure is all mine. I was excited to see you when Dad told me that he has a girlfriend." I paused and heaved a deep sigh.

"I hope you will be able to make him happy. All I want is to see Dad happy because it has not been easy for us, especially him." I said, and my lips curved into a small smile.

"I will try my best, Amara." Patricia gave me a gentle smile, and I hoped that she would be able to keep her word.

I also hoped that she would never break my father's heart. There is nothing that matters in this world more than seeing my father happy. He has gone through a lot, and he deserves to be happy.

"I have a son who is one year older than you. He's eighteen." Patricia told me, and my eyes widened because I wasn't expecting her to have a child. She looked quite young.

"Really? But you look quite young." I said it out loud, and she laughed.

"Really? It's training more, eating healthy, and drinking a lot of water that makes me look this way." She gave me tips for staying younger, and I nodded my head, listening keenly.

"Do you mind telling me where your son is?" I asked curiously, "He went to visit his friends. That's why I didn't come along with him." She elaborated, and I nodded in understanding.

"Next time, we will come together so that he can meet you and your father," Patricia told me, and I was excited to see her son.

So if things go well between her and my father, it means that I will have a step-brother. I hope he's someone easy to get along with. I have been wishing to have a brother my entire life because being an only child was kinda boring.

It seems like the moon goddess heard the desires of my heart, and now she has decided to bless me with one.

***

It has already been two weeks since my father introduced his girlfriend to me. They went on dates away from the pack, and today Patricia and her son are coming to stay with us.

"Princess, you can tell me if you're not okay with the idea of Patricia moving in with her son, you know. I can prepare another house for them if you don't feel comfortable having them around." My father asked me, and I saw worry in his eyes.

"I'm okay with it, Dad. You don't need to worry about anything." I assured him and smiled so that he could stop worrying. I wanted to have more people in the house because it has always been the two of us in this big mansion since Mom died.

I think having two more individuals will be fun. I already like Patricia, and I'm confident that I will like her son since he's going to be my stepbrother. I will try my best to get along with them.

"If they do something that you don't like, let me know, okay?" my dad told me, and I nodded my head to his words. He pulled me in his arms and planted a gentle kiss on my hair.

We waited for Patricia and her son. Hours passed by pretty fast, and now it was evening, and they were nowhere to be seen. I was on the verge of giving up, and my dad looked so nervous, but I tried to calm him down. Patricia called a few minutes ago and informed us that the car broke down, so they had to fix it first.

Another twenty minutes passed, and they were yet to arrive.

When I was about to give up and go to my room, a soft knock pierced through the quiet air, and I hurriedly walked to the wooden mahogany door to open it. I was quite sure that Patricia and her son were too tired. I didn't want to keep them waiting.

I twisted the metallic doorknob with a smile on my lips. I was too excited to welcome my new family warmly. However, the smile faded slowly when I laid my eyes on Patricia's son…