My Stepbrother, My Alpha Mate

RAINE

Today, I turned eighteen. No party. No celebration. Not even a birthday wish from the pack. Only my mother tried to make the day feel meaningful. She came into my room holding a small cake, made by the omegas. I knew she must have begged them to make it. On top of the cake, a tiny candle flickered weakly, almost going out.

"Happy birthday, My love. Raine Bittley," she whispered softly before kissing my forehead. Her hand rested on my shoulder, offering a little warmth and comfort.

I gave her a faint smile. "Thank you, Mom."

Her eyes looked at me with love, but she couldn't hide the exhaustion behind them. Once, those eyes had blazed eyes of a Luna. Now, the light in them was only a fading echo.

She tucked my hair behind my ear. "I know everything feels heavy. But today is still your day, Raine."

She didn't need to say out loud what we were both thinking.

We knew too well, in other packs, your eighteenth birthday is a huge moment. At this age, your wolf is supposed to awaken, your rank revealed, and your place in the pack recognized.

But in the Shadowfang Pack? I was nobody. No one cared that I had turned eighteen.

The pain slammed into my chest, but I swallowed it whole. I held my mother's hand, trying to stay strong. "At least I still have you."

She gave me a small smile. "And you'll always have me, My little moon."

But as she said it, her eyes shifted toward the door. Quiet. Alert. I didn't have to look to know who was standing there. Markus Knight. Alpha of the Shadowfang Pack. My stepfather.

My mother was once a Luna-a warrior from the Silvercrest Pack, strong and respected.

Everything changed when my father-Alpha Gregor Bittley-was killed.

Markus had invaded our territory, slaughtered my father in front of my mother's eyes, and destroyed our pack from the inside out.

My mother had been forced to choose: die, or submit to the man who murdered her mate.

She chose to live.

She chose submission.

She became Markus's mate.

And I... I was just an eight year old girl back then, dragged into the Shadowfang Pack. We lived in the Alpha's house, but we were never truly part of it.

My mother and I ate the cake together, but only for a short while. Markus didn't like it when she stayed away from him for too long.

Fifteen minutes. That was all the time we could steal today. After that, my mother left my room.

Now, I sat alone. This house was huge, but it made me feel incredibly lonely.

Yeah... I used to have friends. But they all drifted away when Killian started interfering. He was my stepbrother, two years older than me.

Killian hated me. He hated seeing me smile. He hated it when I was happy. He was like a shadow always watching, waiting for me to fall.

But I hated him too, because he was just a spoiled brat protected by his father's power.

Luckily, he'd been away most of the past year, training outside the pack-preparing to become the next Alpha. Without him around, I could breathe a little easier.

I heard that he will soon be crowned as the Alpha of this Pack, replacing his father.

But I don't know when, I don't want to know, and I don't care. Even if he becomes Alpha, my life will stay the same-mocked and treated like I don't exist.

Tonight, I wanted to go out, to the only place here that made me feel alive: the training grounds.

Usually, it was empty around midnight. A perfect place to train where no one could see me.

But tonight was different.

The sound of clashes and growls filled the air before I even arrived. The grounds were full. Wolves were sparring.

I heard fists hitting flesh, feet kicking hard. Their bodies moved fast-sharp, powerful, driven by instinct.

I hesitated to go any further, but I was already here.

Just as I turned to head back to my room, someone blocked my path.

"Well, look who decided to show up," a mocking voice said.

It was Jax. The future Beta, and my longtime enemy.

"Didn't think you were dumb enough to come back here, Bitch!" he sneered. "Or did you finally realize you don't belong?"

HAHAHA!

The other wolves burst into laughter.

I lifted my chin. "I have every right to be here."

Jax laughed, full of scorn. "Hey, did you forget? You don't even have a rank. You should've died with your father, Bitch!"

His words cut deep. But I'd had enough. I was an adult now. It was time to stand up for myself.

"Let's fight," I said, challenging him.

HAHAHA!

Their laughter grew louder.

Jax looked surprised at first, then his face lit up with sadistic excitement.

"Alright. Let's see if you can last more than a second."

He moved faster than I expected. His fist flew toward my face. I dodged, but his leg swept me off my feet, slamming me to the ground.

Their laughter exploded again. But I got up, swallowing the pain. Of course, I refused to give up.

I struck back, ducking low, trying a move I'd practiced in secret.

But Jax was too fast. He caught my arm, twisted it, slammed me back to the ground, and pressed his claws to my throat.

Cheers erupted. They were enjoying my defeat.

Then suddenly...everything went quiet.

The air turned heavy and cold. My breath caught in my throat.

The wolves' faces went tense.

I knew who had arrived even before I saw him.

It was Killian. He just got back from Alpha candidate training. He walked slowly, a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He was tall and broad, his long hair blowing in the wind, eyes dark and piercing. No smile. No words.

Jax instantly backed off and released me.

Killian didn't say a single thing. He stood in the center of the grounds, his gaze sweeping over everyone... until it landed on me.

For the first time, I felt like he didn't see me as a burden.

Not as a ghost from the past. Not as an unwanted little stepsister.

But as something else.

And at that moment...something inside me began to stir.

RAINE

My body trembled. Not from fear. Not from pain. But from something far stranger, something deeper. Ever since Killian appeared, something within me had awakened. Something that rattled my bones, pushing to break free from beneath my skin. It burned, like a wild surge of energy flooding from my stomach to my chest... then up to my throat.

My breathing grew heavier. My nose caught a foreign scent, a mix of forest, rain, and smoldering embers. A scent that sent shivers down my spine.

My wolf... she was rising. Or more precisely, she was responding to something.

My heart pounded faster. I shut my eyes, forcing down the sudden urge to shift. No. Not now. I wasn't ready. I had never felt this before. But I knew exactly what this reaction meant. This wasn't just emotion... this was instinct. The instinct of a wolf who had just recognized the presence of her mate.

No way.

That's impossible...

Then Killian's voice rang out, "Everyone, leave."

His voice was low, but carried an undeniable power.

Silence fell instantly. Even Jax, who was still sprawled on the ground, scrambled to his feet, head bowed, and dragged himself off the field. No one said a word. They just... vanished.

Within seconds, it was just me and Killian left standing in the dark field.

I tried to stand, but my knees buckled. My legs gave way, and I nearly collapsed again, barely catching myself with one hand.

Killian's footsteps approached.

My breath hitched. Every step he took echoed like thunder in my chest. I wanted to run, to get away from that scent... the scent that made my wolf thrash to break free. But I couldn't move.

Killian stopped in front of me and crouched down. His face was just inches from mine. His eyes sharp, yet filled with something else. Tension. An unfamiliar pull. A gaze that wasn't scorn, nor hate, but not kindness either.

Just... complicated.

"Don't make trouble by hurting yourself," he said flatly. His voice was cold, but not mocking. "They're no match for you. You just don't know how to fight yet."

I glared at him. "Oh, so now you care to me?" My voice rose. "Why? Didn't you enjoy watching me get beaten? Didn't you want me to lose? To suffer? To die right there in the field? That would've been fun for you, wouldn't it?"

Killian said nothing. His jaw tightened. His eyes bore into me, like he was holding something back.

And I was sick of his silence.

With what strength I had left, I stood. My knees shook, but I refused to show weakness.

"Since when... does a spoiled heir like you care about a cursed mutt like me?" A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Tch. I don't need your pity. Save it for someone who deserves it!"

Still, Killian said nothing. He just looked at me, so intense, like he was stripping away every wall I had ever built.

Then he took a step forward.

And...my heart thundered in my chest.

I thought he'd yell. Or maybe... kill me. My words should've been enough to trigger his rage. But there was no fury on his face.

I backed away, breath uneven, until I hit the cold wooden fence at the edge of the dark field.

Then his hand rose. His strong fingers grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His touch wasn't gentle-but it wasn't violent either.

"Since I was eighteen," he whispered, voice hoarse and low, "every time I got near you, I smelled this scent, and I knew you were my mate."

My eyes widened in shock!

"I've held it back all this time... this craving, this instinct." His breath brushed my cheek. "I've tried to stop myself from claiming you because you hated me, and because I hated you too."

My body trembled.

Heat spread from within me, seeping into every pore. My breathing was ragged, and inside me-my wolf stirred. She wanted out. She wanted to join him.

As if answering her call, Killian's eyes glowed silver. A primal light possessed only by true Alphas.

And in a heartbeat that shattered my awareness, the world spun.

My bones twisted. My breath caught. In an instant, my body stretched, morphing into soft, silver-white fur that shimmered under the moonlight.

I had shifted into a wolf!

Before me, Killian-now in the form of a towering, pitch black wolf, radiated a powerful aura of dominance. His eyes... recognized me. Accepted me. Wanted me.

We drew closer, slowly. No words were spoken, but he nuzzled me with heat, and... instinct took over, showing how wolves loved.

Our noses touched, our bodies circled one another, and a gentle vibration passed between us. This wasn't just physical. It went far deeper, like our souls were merging.

For the first time in my life, I felt whole.

A soft growl escaped my throat, answered by Killian's deeper, heavier howl. The sound of two souls finding home in each other.

And as the bond peaked, Killian bit my neck-not hard, just enough to leave a mark.

A mark of acknowledgment.

A mark of claim.

A mark that I was his fated mate.

Then, it was over in three minutes, and the night breeze returned as everything settled.

My body trembled softly, exhaustion wrapping every muscle that had just shifted. The fur vanished, my form returning to that of a human.

I crouched on the ground, still panting, my skin hot and damp with sweat. Beside me, Killian shifted too.

We were naked. Shit... This is embarrassing!

No words were spoken. No movements made. Just our heavy, uneven breaths.

I looked down, hugging my knees, unable to meet his gaze.

Then he stood. He stared at me for a second longer... and ran into the house like the wind, and without saying a single word.

I stayed there, frozen, trying to steady my breath, trying to calm the loud pounding in my chest.

What just happened? Was this real?

Could it be true... that my stepbrother and I were fated mates?

RAINE

The next day...

Alpha Markus's meeting room was usually reserved for important decisions about territory, war, or internal Pack policies. But this morning, the wooden walls echoed not with strategy... but with anger.

I sat on the long bench, my hands trembling even though I tried to hold them steady. Beside me, Killian stood calm, cold as usual. At the far end of the room, Alpha Markus stood with his back to us, his body tense, breathing heavily. Several elders sat with stiff faces. And my mother... stood behind me, her eyes swollen from crying.

The scent of tension filled the room.

"How could this happen?" Alpha Markus's voice finally broke the silence, heavy and shaking the floor. He turned around, his red eyes locking onto us. "How could... a future Alpha and his half sister make love in the middle of the Pack's field, under the full moon, like... savage beasts?!"

The elders avoided his gaze. But I could feel their whispers since earlier.

The gossip had spread fast.

"They did it in the field."

"Maybe that girl is a seductress..."

Killian remained silent, sitting upright, his eyes staring straight ahead.

"Can't you find a girl out there, huh?!" Alpha Markus snapped loudly at his son, shocking everyone. "Out of thousands of females you could choose, why your half sister? Are you crazy?! Do you think other Packs won't gossip about this?! This will become psychological warfare for our enemies! They will mock us for having a future Alpha who scandals with his half sister!"

Alpha Markus pointed at me, full of rage. "And you, Raine! Are you really destined to be a whore in this Pack?! Crawling on the ground like a woman without honor!"

The room fell into a deadly silence.

My mother, who had been biting her lip to hold back tears, finally dropped to her knees before Alpha Markus. "Forgive her... Forgive my daughter, Alpha," she whispered hoarsely. "She doesn't know... it's instinct, not intent. They can't control it."

But Alpha Markus didn't even glance at his own wife. His eyes burned, red like embers ready to consume anyone who dared approach.

"I have claimed Raine as my Luna in the future." Suddenly Killian said this.

Everyone turned to look at Killian.

"We are Fated Mates, bound by instinct. What fault is it of mine if my wolf's instinct finds a bond in her? We're not full siblings, only half. Isn't this possible?"

Alpha Markus stared at his son like he had just crossed the limit of his patience.

CRASH!

A metal vase shattered against the wall. Its shards rained down on the floor.

"I don't care if you have a bond from the Moon Goddess! I will not allow this Pack to be led by a Luna who is the daughter of my enemy!!"

I gritted my teeth, clenching my fists. "Then..." I whispered coldly, "I would never want to be the Luna of a son who killed my father."

The room fell silent again. Some elders bowed their heads. Others closed their eyes as if that sentence pierced the very core of tradition and honor.

"What did you say?!" Alpha Markus roared. His Alpha aura exploded, shaking the entire room.

But before he could explode further, an old elder - Elder Marlo, one of the oldest advisors - stood up.

"Alpha Markus..." he said gently. "You know the consequences of rejecting a bond from the Moon Goddess? It could curse the Alpha's heir, and even affect the entire Pack. Be careful..."

Alpha Markus responded sharply, "I don't believe in fate mocking my honor."

"But Markus, if this bond is forcibly broken..."

"I'd rather be cursed than see the blood of a traitor sitting beside my child on this throne!"

"I will proceed with an arranged mate for Killian immediately!"

Everyone fell silent again.

Alpha Markus let out a harsh breath. Then he said, "Killian, reject her. Now!"

Killian was silent for a moment. I hoped he would really reject me.

And... my hope was granted.

"I, Killian Knight, future Alpha of Pack Shadowfang, reject Raine Bittley as my mate."

I didn't cry. I didn't scream. I didn't beg. I just... smiled faintly, because I never expected to be his mate anyway.

Finally, it was all over.

But that freedom only lasted a moment before the pain hit my body.

My left chest felt crushed. My breath caught. My legs wobbled. My knees gave way and I fell to my knees on the cold marble floor, biting my lip hard to keep from screaming.

The burning sensation... was unbearable!

"RAINE!!" my mother screamed in panic, rushing to me. She hugged me, her body trembling as she tried to steady my erratic breathing. "Hold on, Raine... This will pass... I'm here..."

My body kept trembling. The pain didn't stop. But I didn't want to show my weakness in front of them. Not in front of Alpha Markus. Not in front of Killian.

Yet through my blurred vision, I caught a faint smile on Alpha Markus's face. He smiled. He stood arrogantly, looking at me like a winner.

"Just as I suspected," he murmured. "The Moon Goddess only punishes the weaker party in the bond. So, it's only her who feels it. Killian is fine. The Pack is safe."

Alpha Markus turned to the elders with a triumphant look. "No curse. No destruction."

Some elders nodded slowly, though not all seemed convinced.

Killian remained silent. Not moving an inch. His face was as blank as a stone statue.