Knot My Stepbrother

Jaden

“This is so fucking stupid.” I curse my mother under my breath, packing my heat suppressants in my suitcase.

I hate my stepbrother Kade with a passion, but my mother doesn’t care. She thinks this family vacation is going to fix everything, but it’s not.

News flash for her—I’ll never get along with Kade. He’s arrogant, and to make matters worse, he’s an alpha.

Even though I packed heat suppressants, I still haven’t presented yet. It’s just Mother’s inkling suspicion that I’m an omega.

I doubt she’s wrong. My stubborn boldness alone tells me she’s right but severely wrong about the vacation. This is supposed to be my birthday celebration, and everything about it so far sucks ass.

It isn’t going to fix anything. We’ll be cooped up in a cabin. At most, it will throw a band-aid on a wound that needs to be stitched.

I pack my suitcase the rest of the way. Then I tug on my white hoodie and black leggings and head downstairs.

Of course, I’m ready before Kade is. He takes so fucking long to get anything done. My mom is meeting us at the cabin, and Kade’s father, Ken, had to cancel.

Lucky for him, he has a business trip he can’t get out of. I thought for sure the trip would be canceled but no. Mariam said you and Kade need to get along as long as you’ll both be there, it’s happening.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Kade finally walks down the steps and enters the kitchen. His duffel bag is thrown over his shoulder.

He’s wearing a leather jacket and a black shirt underneath it. His ink is hidden save for his neck and hands.

His dark hair is messy, and his light blue eyes are behind a pair of black sunglasses. He looks like a vampire.

“Hey, baby sis. You ready.” He smirks, chewing on a piece of gum. My eyes dart to his light-tattered jeans and black and white high-top Nikes before snapping back to his sunglasses.

All that is staring back at me is my angry reflection. “You’re one year older than me,” I growl and immediately regret it when his dark chuckle fills the kitchen.

He loves riling me up. It’s best not to let him. Kade stalks over to me. His tall frame devours my slight one.

He leans forward and whispers in my ear, “I can smell you.” I blush.

He’s fibbing. There’s no way he can smell me when I haven’t presented. I swallow despite myself.

What I hate most about Kade is how attractive he is. How goddamn cocky he is. It drives me mad.

I grab my suitcase and bump into him on the way out the door. I can’t shoulder-check him, considering he’s six-five and I’m five-two.

As Kade smoothly places his duffel bag in the back seat, he observes me with a hint of amusement as I grapple with my suitcase, trying to fit it into the trunk. Undeterred by his lack of help, I make it fit and stride confidently to the backseat on the opposite side of his bag.

“Really?” He asks, exasperated—his dark, neatly groomed brow arches past his sunglasses. I’m staring at him through the rearview mirror.

“What now?” I shoot back at him, confused. The corners of his mouth twitch like he’s going to laugh but doesn’t.

“You’re going to sit in the back and make me a fucking chauffeur for the next four hours.” He purses his lips, and I hate how soft and kissable they look.

I scoff, but I unbuckle my seatbelt and move to the front. He waits for me to buckle up before he pulls out of the driveway, and we take off down the road.