Tasting 133

133–My Stepbrother Gives The Best Cuddles

Nora:

“I mean. I know you’ve been having desires and you’re new to these things. If you need any help–,”

he was looking me in the eye while talking until he suddenly clammed up.

“Forget about it. Forget we had this conversation,” he quickly shook his head and got up from the

couch. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. But Nora! If you ever feel like you’re in any sort of

trouble, you can come to me. I’will put your comfort first before any rules,” those words from his lips

helped me smile.

After Natalya’s accusations, I had been feeling very uneasy, but hearing Nash say that was

comforting.

“Thank you,” I said, giving him a smile.

“No problem. It’s just that the heart wants what it wants,” the little fade of his smile and the sadness

in his eyes confused me, but soon he

started unpacking the food for us.

“You never told me where we were headed?” Now that we were past every uncomfortable

conversation, life–threatening situation, breakup, and even my empty stomach growling, I asked

him.

“We are headed to the forbidden town. There once were some rogues that lived there, but not

anymore. You know, these monsters, they don’ t just come out of nowhere to attack us. Silas

studied the samples and he told us that the monsters don’t have the knowledge or even brains to

come out and then go perfectly into hiding. They are creatures that are being used by someone,” he

started explaining, making the hair on my

133 My Stepbrother Gives The Best Cuddes

skin stand up. It was scary to think about.

Someone from the pack or probably a rogue was controlling these monsters and making them

attack unsuspecting she–wolves.

“Who could it be?” I asked.

“I’ve done some research and figured out there’s this guy hiding in the forbidden town. I’m not sure

why he’s doing this or what he wants from she–wolves, but I guess once we catch him, we’ll figure it

out soon,” Nash said, cleaning his hands with a napkin and steadily picking up the empty boxes and

trashing them.

He was always so neat and clean.

“But how will we know it’s him?” I questioned.

“We will know,” he gave me a direct look and replied, making me wonder if he was telling me the

entire story or not.

“Let’s rest, we have a mission to work on in the morning,” he uttered.

“Hey, you can sleep in the bed. There’s a lot of space here,” I patted the empty space beside me,

hinting that we could place pillows between

1. us.

He looked at the bed and then at me before shaking his head.

“I’m fine here,” he said, resting his head back and closing his eyes. I watched him not even bother

lying down on the couch and sleep in a sitting position.

After I lay down in the bed, I watched the bad weather from the window, and the thunder rumbling

made me gulp.

The power went out, and soon it started to get creepy. The lightning

131 My Stepbrother Gives The Best Cuddies

11

bolts would light up the room once in a while, and I feared seeing some shadows on the wall.

Flashback:

“It is so creepy. Can you please leave one of the lights on and the door open for me?” I asked my

father, giving him a broken smile.

“Don’t be a wuss!” Dad bitterly commented before slamming the door shut. I quickly closed my eyes

and hid under my blanket, gulping as I heard the rumbling of the clouds.

After a few minutes, when no monsters came to drag me out of the bed, I opened my eyes and

sighed in relief.

“Maybe Dad is right, I need to stop being a chicken,” I smiled to myself, staring at the wall until the

lightning struck and the room lit

1. up.

The wall in front of me showed the shadow of the monster in my room. It had big ears and claws

that it was waving in the air, almost as if warning me that it was coming for me.

“NOOOO! GET AWAY FROM ME!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, closing my eyes and

whimpering.

The footsteps approached my room and the door opened with a thud, compelling me to open my

eyes and roll out of the bed to hug my father.

“There was a monster in my room,” I cried out, hugging his legs.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, child?” he yelled back, kicking me off his leg and watching me

land on the floor.

133 My Stepbrother Gives The Best Cuddles

“But I saw it,” I whimpered.

“If I hear you make noise one more time, you will sleep outside where the real monsters can come

eat you alive,” Dad warned, wagging his finger and glaring at me.

I gasped and hugged myself, realizing that my father looked like a monster himself. He slammed

the door again and soon I was all by myself again.

“Boo!”

“A-,” at the voice of someone from behind me, I shuddered but quickly covered my mouth to not

scream and get my father’s attention.

I turned to the mischievous one and frowned.

“It was you?” I was surprised he was hiding

in my room just to scare

1. me.

“Huh! You are such a coward, crying to Daddy and then getting scolded,” he slapped my forehead,

mocking me while making his to the exit.

End of Flashback

way

“AHHHHH!” I shook awake, so distraught by the distant memory that I swear I saw something

move.

“Hey! It’s just me. I woke up for water,” Nash instantly rushed beside me and patted his hand on my

forehead.

“It was just me,” he bent over, looking deep into my eyes.

“I can’t sleep alone. I’m scared,” for a minute, I didn’t remember I

was

133 My Stepbrother Goes The Best Cuddles

not that child anymore.

“Do you want me to?” he frowned, his hand still gently patting my forehead.

“Please, will it be inappropriate?” I asked in a sleepy, scared voice.

“No!” he shook his head, giving me a comforting look before he crawled into the bed behind me. His

strong arms wrapped around my body, and I slept like no harm could come to me now.