Page 11 of Forbidden Mischief

ASHER

I blink at him, confusion taking hold. Did he just say: okay? I just told him we were mates. That his gay stepbrother was his mate. To him, a straight man.

“Okay?” I ask him slowly, searching his stunning blue eyes.

He swallows hard, holding my stare, and nods slowly.

Well. This was… unexpected. I thought he was going to lose his mind, shout at me, call me names, tell me my wolf is wrong and that he’s straight.

For a moment, he looked like he was going to react that way. I could see the panic in his eyes as the words registered in his mind.

I was waiting for his rejection, the pain that would come with it.

It’s not something I’d ever allowed myself to think about. Any of it. Finding a mate, settling down, falling in love, being happy.

Happiness was just a fairytale to me until I saw what it really looked like when Mom met Dexter.

Never did I think I’d find it for myself, so the idea of actually meeting my mate and having them reject me was never a thought.

Until today .

Once the dust had settled, and my mind wasn’t a jumbled mess, I spent the car ride here letting all the possibilities take hold of my mind.

What if he rejected me? How badly would it hurt?

I’ve heard stories of people being rejected, that it was like getting their heart ripped out, a phantom pain of something lost.

Would that be how it would be for me?

He lets out a heavy sigh. Raising a shaky hand up, he runs his fingers through his dark brown locks, looking away towards the tree line.

He’s nervous, and I can smell the fear coming off him in waves. I want to pull him into my arms, tell him everything’s going to be okay. That I’d make sure it was.

I don’t, fisting my hands at my side as I wait for him to say something, giving him this time to process.

Before, when I was fighting my attraction to him, I told myself that it was wrong. That I was fucked up for thinking that way about my stepbrother.

After finding out he's my mate and talking to my mom, I no longer think that way.

I want him. So bad it’s taking everything in me not to claim him as mine, like my wolf is demanding me to do.

“I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been having some sort of… attraction to you.” His confession is soft, a low whisper that if it wasn’t for my impeccable sense of hearing, I’d have missed it.

My heart stops, excitement swelling inside me. Maybe I heard him wrong.

But when he turns his big blues over my way, my heart kicks back into full force, nearly beating out of my chest at the intensity in them. My eyes drop to his throat, watching as his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard.

“You have?” My question comes out as a harsh rasp. I’m trying to hold it together right now, but all of this is new to me. It sure as hell is new to him, too. I don’t want to say the wrong thing, to scare him away.

He nods. “I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve never had thoughts about another man before. Ever. No offense.” He winces.

“None taken.” My lips twitch, a grin almost breaking free.

“But ever since you came to live here, that’s been slowly changing.

And I don’t mean suddenly I’m finding men attractive, because I don’t.

That hasn’t changed. It’s that I ah…” A blush breaks out across his cheeks, making the dusting of freckles below pop.

Fuck, he’s so damn edible. “I find… you attractive.”

The smile breaks free, unable to hold back. “You do?”

He rolls his eyes. “Don’t go get a big head about it.”

A chuckle breaks free. “I’ll try not to.” I raise a brow.

His eyes widen at the double entendre.

“That’s not what I– I didn’t mean—” he splutters.

I save him from himself. “I know,” I say. “Keep going.”

He blows out a breath, scrubbing his hand over his face. “This is weird. Really fucking weird.” He peeks at me through his fingers. “No offense.”

“You keep saying that.” Facing him sideways, I lean against the porch swing, my arm laying across the top, fingers nearly grazing his arms. “But I can tell you, you're not offending me. This is all new for you. You have the right to feel the way you do. To process it how you see fit.”

He nods. “I just don’t want to say anything to upset you.” He cares and damn it, that means something.

“So far, how you’re taking it. It’s not upsetting me.”

He turns his attention back out to the forest. We sit in silence again and I take the time to admire him.

His sharp jaw, the few day stubble. How is it possible to have both young and rugged features? Crazy what a bit of facial hair can do to change one’s appearance.

My fingers itch to scrape my nails across it.

After a long while, he turns back to me. “I like you, Asher. You’re kind, caring, and a good person. A little broody,” he chuckles and I grin. “But I like that about you, too. You don’t talk much, yet I don’t feel like we always need words to enjoy one another’s company, if that makes sense?”

It does. I nod.

He already gets me. That gives me hope.

My tongue pokes out, swiping across my dry lips. His eyes drop, watching the movement and my cock twitches when his eyes darken slightly.

The breath he lets out is shaky. “I’ve had dreams about you,” he whispers, slowly meeting my eyes.

My breaths come quicker.

“What kind of dreams?” The words are a little more raspy than I was trying for.

He swallows hard. “Dreams I shouldn’t be having about my stepbrother.”

Fuck. Fuck! I want to know what they are. To do every dirty thought he’s had.

“Does it bother you? That we’re stepbrothers?”

“Not really,” he admits. “I think I’m more stuck on the man part, you know?”

Slight disappointment hits me. “If this isn’t something you want, if it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to accept it.” The words feel like razor blades crawling up my throat as they leave my mouth.

“What?” His brows furrow.

“I’m not going to force you to embrace the mate bond.

You have the right to reject it.” I don’t mention how much it would hurt me.

He’s a warlock. They don’t feel it the same way a shifter does.

At most, he would feel a bit of longing, but it would fade over time for him.

The gaping hole in my chest and the loss of my will to live would be my fate.

A wolf losing their mate can be deadly.

“No.” He shakes his head, eyes widening. “No. I don’t want to reject you, Asher. That's the last thing I want to do.”

I can’t hide the visible relief as my shoulders relax. “You don’t?”

“No,” he says sternly. “I like you, Asher. I want to see where this could go. I feel something between us. All I ask for is time, you know? Time to wrap my head around all this new information, these new feelings swirling around inside me. I’m not sure if I’m bi, or if the only man I’m attracted to is you. Either way, I like you, Asher.”

A deep rumbling growl of satisfaction threatens to slip free, but I swallow it down, not wanting to scare him off by the overwhelming need to possess him. Soon, but not yet.

When my sweet little mate is ready, I’ll show him just how much he means to me.

“So, what does this mean for us?” I ask, needing to know where his mind is at right now.

“We hang out, get to know one another. Test the waters. I’m not saying we go slow.

” That blush finds its way onto his cheeks again as he licks his lips.

I can smell his desire and fuck, it’s nearly blinding.

I should get a damn award for the restraint I have right now. “Just a little time to absorb this.”

“Okay,” I agree.

“Okay?” he asks.

I give him a half smile and nod. “Whatever you need. I’ll do it for you, Zayne.” His eyes flick between mine. I can see the fear in his eyes. The vulnerability looking back. Allowing my hand to inch forward, placing it lightly on his shoulder, I tell him, “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“Thank you,” he sighs, closing his eyes.

No. Thanks for giving me hope you might be mine. He won’t regret this, I promise.

We head back inside, and the sound of Alice’s and Dad’s laughter drifts through the hallway. They’re still at the table, wine glasses in hand, the conversation light and carefree.

"Boys, come in here!" Alice calls.

I freeze, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach.

My heart beats faster than it should. What if Dexter is pissed that I’m mated to his son?

What if he doesn’t want a gay son? A gay stepson is one thing, but his own flesh and blood?

And mated to his brother? I can’t let him throw Mom out—she’s so happy, so in love. I won’t let anything destroy that.

Taking a deep breath, I push forward, steeling myself for whatever comes next.

I force myself to sit down next to Zayne. Dexter looks at me, his face calm, a slight smile tugging at his lips. My mom raises an eyebrow, but says nothing, letting the silence stretch between us.

“I told Dexter that you’re mates with Zayne,” she says softly, her voice filled with a mixture of support and care.

I swallow, hard.

I look at Dexter. He doesn’t say anything right away. He just reaches out his hand.

“Asher, I’m so happy you found your fated mate,” he says, his voice steady, warm even. “I know how serious that is in wolves. To my knowledge, my son hasn’t been with a male, so… take it easy on him.”

I stare at his outstretched hand for a beat before I shake it, my grip firm, though my nerves are on edge.

He nods at me, then looks over at Zayne, his gaze softening.

“This is serious, son. I know you probably have a lot of questions, and I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll do my best. And Alice is here, too.

Just go at your own pace. Don’t just shut it down.

Having a fated mate is a powerful thing, even if we don’t have them as warlocks. ”

Zayne gives a small nod, his voice steady despite the anxiety I know he’s hiding. “I will.”

Dexter looks between us one more time, his expression full of understanding. “Good. We’ll leave you two to it. You have some things to figure out, I’m guessing.” He stands, glancing at Alice. “Come on, Alice baby. We can go watch Hope Floats in our room, and I’ll rub your feet.”

Alice stands with a smile, walking toward Dexter. “You two take care of yourselves. Don’t stress too much, okay?”

With that, they leave the room, the door closing softly behind them, leaving me and Zayne alone in the sudden quiet.