Page 1 of Forbidden Mischief

ASHER

“Everything’s going to be okay now. We’re safe.

” My mom gives my hand a gentle squeeze, staring into my eyes to prove how much she truly believes this.

I gaze back into eyes so much like mine, except they’ve seen far too much hurt and pain for such an amazing person to look at me with a hope she’s never had before.

“I know.” I force a smile. “Dexter is an amazing guy. He’s perfect for you and as long as he treats you right, and you’re happy, that’s what matters.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t wait to get married.” She chews on her lower lip, and it’s my turn to give her a comforting squeeze.

“It’s okay, Mom. I get it. You needed that feeling of safety, something legal, to keep him from trying anything further.”

Her eyes fill with tears, and my heart aches seeing her upset. “I’m so sorry.”

Letting go of her hand, I cup her face, making sure she can see the care in my eyes.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, Mom. You did the best you could in the situation you were in. We’re out now.

We’re safe. It’s time to leave the pain of the past behind and start fresh.

I’m okay. And more than anything, I want you to be, too.

” She’s so small compared to me. She’s hardly over five feet, while I’m a few inches over six feet.

It’s why I felt like I needed to protect her more, not just because she’s my mother, but she’s so tiny.

“I’m so proud of you,” she sniffs.

“You made me who I am.” I kiss her forehead and we both settle back into our seats, ready for the drive ahead of us.

She gives me a watery smile before looking back out the front window. Putting the car into drive, we cross the town line into Sugar River.

The deeper we get into the town, the better I feel. We’re surrounded by trees and forests, so at least I’ll be able to shift and run. I’d go crazy if I was forced to stay in my human form for too long. I need to be a wolf for at least a few hours a couple times a month or I lose control easily.

“Here we are, home sweet home,” Mom announces as we pull up in front of a log cabin mansion.

“Holy shit,” I whisper. My eyes widen in awe as I take in the beauty of the structure. It’s stunning. I knew Dexter was well off because he’s the coven leader, but normally, when you think of the rich and their houses, you picture modern, fancy houses like in the movies.

I’m glad this place isn’t like that. It looks perfectly shrouded by the forest trees.

The pack house was big. It had to be to fit my father and his harem of women.

My father is the alpha of Pack Canton. He’s a nasty man who put his hands on my mom and me one too many times.

The only reason why he kept her around was because of me.

Out of his four women, my mom was the only one to give him a child.

Add on the fact that I turned out to be an alpha too, my dad wanted us close by, but it was all for show, all for control.

He hated I didn’t want to be like him, to find a group of women to fawn over me, to control and fuck whenever I wanted.

He was hitting Mom longer than me, but that changed once he found out that I wasn’t going to be who he wanted me to be. That I was gay.

That pissed him off. Did you know you can’t beat the gay out of someone? Yeah, someone should have told him that because it didn’t stop him from trying.

Mom got a job in town at a café to get away from him as much as she could.

That’s where she met Dexter. He came in one day and while I don’t know the exact details, I know he kept coming back for her.

I was there a few times when he came by and after a few conversations with him, I knew he was a good man.

Dexter could tell something was going on with my mom, and he was determined to find out what.

One day, when Dexter came to the cafe, she had a black eye. That’s when he refused to leave until she told him who did it. Once she did, he talked her into leaving with him.

Of course, she said no unless she could take me too. I was more than happy to go with them as long as my father didn’t come after my mom over it.

Dexter promised us he wouldn’t let anything happen to her or to me.

When my mom voiced her concerns about my father, Dexter asked her to marry him.

He said that a legal marriage would make it harder for my father to come after my mom if he chose to.

So they went down to the courthouse and tied the knot before Dexter came with us to pick up our things.

My father was not happy. He went crazy, and that was the first time I saw just how powerful Dexter was.

If I didn’t like the man before that, I sure as hell did after seeing the lengths he went to protect me and my mom.

Dexter took everything of ours back to his place while he sent my mom and me on a trip down south to see my grandma to give us some time with her and some space to relax before this big change in our lives. He wanted to make sure my dad didn’t do anything irrational.

Grandma was one of the lucky ones who got out of that pack. She met a human man and never looked back.

Mom said she knows that my grandmother hated to leave her behind, but at the time my grandmother didn’t know just how bad things were at home.

It had been five years since the last time we saw her, and I’m glad we went because my mom really needed the time away.

But we’re back now, and went from the airport to the café to say goodbye to my mother’s coworkers one last time before starting our new life.

“Well, come on,” she urges excitedly. “Let’s go in.”

Getting out of the car, I smile, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. “There they are!” Dexter cheers as he comes down to the car to meet us. He gives my mom a big hug and a kiss that almost passes PG ratings. I look away, giving them some privacy.

Letting my eyes roam over the house, I take in the true beauty of this place. But as I reach the door, I stop. My heart picks up, my cock twitching at the sight of one of the hottest guys I’ve ever laid eyes on, leaning against the doorway, with a sexy little smirk on his face.

Cupping his mouth, he shouts. “Get a room!” followed by a chuckle.

“Sorry,” Mom giggles as she pulls away from Dexter.

“Don’t mind Zayne. He’s always a cheeky little shit.” Dexter chuckles.

“Love you too, Dad!” He turns and disappears inside the house.

Dad. Shit, the guy who’s practically making me drool is my step-brother. Lovely. Well, it’s not the first time I found someone hot that’s off limits, and it won’t be the last.

“Come in, come in,” Dexter says, waving us both inside.

Following after, I’m in total awe, eyes widening at the sight of the place. Everything is made of wood, with a big fountain in the center of the entryway. I’m going to get lost in this place, I just know it.

I keep following them until we get to a seating area, and I find Zayne already sitting on one of the couches.

“I hope your flight was good?” Dexter asks, tucking my mom under his arm and kissing the top of her head.

“It was. But I’m glad to be back on land.” Mom laughs.

“So, Asher, I want you to meet my son, Zayne.”

I look at the man in question and give him a silent nod. He raises a brow, that smirk still on his face. “Well, hello to you too.”

“Zayne is the same age as you. So you two will be in the same grade, maybe even the same classes.” Dexter sounds like he likes that idea.

“Cool.” I nod again, saying nothing else.

“Zayne, do you mind helping Asher get his and Alice’s bags from the car?”

Zayne slaps the arm of the couch before standing. “Nope. But I got to go after.”

“And where might you be going?” Dexter’s eyebrow rises in question.

“I’m heading to the woods with some friends for a bonfire. I told you I was going this morning. Are you getting old?” Zayne jokes, making Dexter laugh.

I stand there, watching. Is this how all dads are with their kids, or is it just how these two are? I don’t think my dad has ever joked around with me once. He’d prefer to degrade me more than anything, really.

“Watch it, kid.” Dexter chuckles. “How about we eat first, then you can go?”

“Fine.” Zayne rolls his eyes.

As he walks past me, Zayne claps me on the shoulder, and it takes everything in me not to flinch in response. “Come on, little brother. Let’s go get those bags. I’m starving.”

Zayne walks ahead of me, and it takes me a moment to follow after. Little brother? From what my mom said, he’s only a few months older than me, although I’m the bigger one of the two of us. He’s a few inches shorter than me.

As we head out to the car, I can’t stop looking at him. His arms have muscles, giving off the vibe that he goes to the gym, or works out for some kind of sport. I’m betting he’s on the hockey or football team. He just gives off that cocky-jock vibe. Although, so far he doesn’t seem like an ass.

Speaking of asses, his is too damn nice for a stepbrother. And his brown hair, fuck. I need to stop.

“You get your bags, I’ll get your mom’s,” Zayne says as he opens the trunk.

“Thanks.” I grunt, opening the back door to get my stuff.

Once everything is out, he shuts the trunk and looks at me. “You’re not a man of many words, are you, Asher?”

I just shrug and head toward the house.

“Tough crowd,” I hear him mutter from behind me.

Well shit, he must think I’m an asshole.

I don’t mean to come off as rude, it’s just I am not much of a talker.

I don’t often have a lot to say, and when I do, I don’t bother.

I grew up being told that what I had to say didn’t matter if it didn’t match with what my father wanted, so I just got used to keeping quiet.

Dexter tells us to leave the bags by the door and come eat supper. As we sit down to eat, I feel out of place.

Zayne and Dexter fall into this easy flow of conversation while Mom and I sit and listen. She asks a few questions here and there, but I only speak when someone asks me something directly.

“Tell Ruth her food was amazing as always,” Zayne says as he finishes his food. “I’m gonna head out now.” He stands, but Dexter grabs his arm, keeping him from leaving.

“Why don’t you take Asher with you? Introduce him to your friends. Help him make some of his own.”

Zayne looks over to me, raising a brow. “Ahh…” He runs his hand through his brown locks, not sure how to answer his dad.

“I don’t know,” I say under my breath, finding my mom looking at me with pleading eyes. I know this means a lot to her, for me to get along with Zayne. This is our new family, after all, and it sure as hell beats the old one.

“I mean, if he wants,” Zayne answers his dad.

“Sure,” I sigh, standing up, having already finished my food a while ago.

“Wonderful. Be back before two.”

“Follow me,” Zayne says, not giving me time to react as he heads out of the dining room.

As I jog to keep up with him, I wonder what the hell I’m getting myself into? I’m not a very social person. Maybe people won’t talk to me and I can easily blend into the background. I can only hope.