Mated To My Alpha Stepbrother (A Sunwoo ff) ✓

Chapter Thirty-Nine

˚₊໒🌙꒱Jihyo₊˚

Jihyo woke to Sunwoo standing in the forest, staring off into the distance. She didn't sense anyone near, but then she realized he was probably mind-linking with someone.

What had they found out at the meeting?

"Sunwoo?" she asked softly, her voice rough from sleep. "What is it?"

Sunwoo turned to look down at her. "The wolves are on their way back. They think that there is a mole in the pack."

Jihyo's mind ran wild with possibilities. She stood up and dusted the dirt and leaves from her body. The moon was high in the sky and oddly enough she felt calm despite the revelation that there was a mole in the pack.

"Did they find anything else?" she asked.

Sunwoo sank his fingers into his hair. "Not really. Just that they are behind the rogues, and someone here is feeding them information."

Jihyo folded her arms over her chest. "Who could it be? I mean, the pack is decently sized and I have my speculations, but I can't base it off of a jealous shewolf."

"It could be Soojin," Sunwoo said. "I've pissed her off, but the rogues started arriving before I pissed her off."

Jihyo smoothed her palms down her arms. Sunwoo reached out and put his arm around her, bringing her into his heat. "Let's get back and dressed before they make it here."

"Didn't Soojin go with them to the meeting?"

"Yeah, but she could have done that on purpose. Who knows."

They walked toward the pack house, through the field, and Jihyo felt eyes on her. "I feel like someone is watching us," she whispered.

Sunwoo glanced down and around the area. "I'll have some wolves surveillance the area. I think you're paranoid."

Sunwoo called for some wolves to scan the area when they made it back to the pack house. Jihyo had a feeling in her stomach that she couldn't put her finger on.

Sunwoo turned to face her when he shut the door behind them. "What's the matter? I can feel you."

Sh shrugged. "I was thinking about something. You said the rogues showed up before Soojin was pissed at you, and she was actively trying to get in your bed. How long had my mother been here when the rogues started showing up?"

Sunwoo grabbed clothes from his chest of drawers and slipped into them. "I don't know, Jihyo. You think your mother has something to do with this?"

Jihyo turned away from him and began to dig through her suitcase for something to wear. Her anxiety began to grow the more she thought about it. Sunwoo walked over and helped her to a standing position. "Hey," he said, swiping a tear off her cheek. "What's the matter? We don't know your mother has anything to do with this, Jihyo."

"What are the odds?" she asked. "She is hiding this about Dad. The rogues showed up shortly after she did. I'm just saying that it looks really bad, Sunwoo."

Sunwoo nodded. Yeah, you're right, it does, but we can't jump to conclusions, Jihyo. I know your mom is infuriating, but we can't blame her without knowing for sure."

Jihyo glanced down at her feet, feeling like the worst daughter in the entire world. "Hey, don't fret. After everything that happened with your mother, no one blames you, especially since it does look bad."

Jihyo wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry. Maybe it's a dead end."

"Or not," he said. "Why don't you spend some time with her this week? Help with wedding planning, and try to get some clues out of her."

Jihyo smiled. "I've been contemplating getting her drunk."

Sunwoo lifted both brows. "Okay, getting her drunk and what?"

"That's when she tells everything. She can't keep a secret when  she's drunk."

"That could work," Sunwoo said. "Maybe she'll let something slip, or does she have anything of your fathers?"

Jihyo shrugged. "I'm not sure. I can ask, but I'm sure she'll tell me to drop it. Did she mention her old house on the pack land? Did they give it to another couple?"

Sunwoo nodded. "Yeah, they did. Kevin seemed happy enough to see her go considering she'd been lonely, and they moved everything out and into a storage building, I think."

"Perhaps I can ask Kevin where the storage is."

Sunwoo's wolf growled in a warning that made Jihyo laugh. "I told you I never dated him, Sunwoo. Come off it."

"I will text him and ask."

"Okay, Big Bad Alpha," she whispered.

Sunwoo snaked an arm around her waist and brought her to his chest. "Are you trying to tease me?" he asked. "Why haven't you gotten dressed yet?"

"Because you stopped me. I probably need to be clothed when they make it back."

Sunwoo surprised her and lifted her to his hips. She yelped when he tossed her back onto the bed and covered her body with his. His jeans brushed against her naked skin and formed goosebumps up and down her body.

"Did you ever think kissing your mate would taste so good?" she whispered.

Sunwoo's eyes danced a dark color and he pressed his thumb against her bottom lip. "No, I never knew having my mate would complete me this much. And as good as your mouth tastes =, there is so much more of your body that I want to taste."

Jihyo felt her wolf pawing and begging for attention. Attention that she wanted herself. How hard would it be to say, mark me? She wanted it. He wanted it. It would make things so much easier.

She could feel him miles away. Could pick up if something was wrong. He could come to her rescue. She loved the idea.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, sliding his nose against her neck.

"How bad I want you to mark me," she whispered into the silence of the room.

Sunwoo tangled his fingers into her hair and angled her chin towards his. "We've talked about it. You say the word, and it'll happen."

Jihyo chuckled and closer her eyes. "The wolves will be here any minute, Sunwoo. And we both know having them interrupt us would piss both our wolves off."

"Is this you saying you want my mark?" he asked, excitement rolling off him in waves.

"Yes," she breathed.

Sunwoo nodded and nuzzled her neck in an animalistic way. The way his wolf had when she was distressed in the woods earlier, only this time it was excitement. "You're sure?" he asked.

"I'm completely sure," she whispered.

It'd only taken a few days for her to realize her resistance toward Sunwoo had been childish. She'd been reluctant because of a war that wasn't caused by Sunwoo. Because she wasn't sure he'd let her have a life outside of the pack.

The man wanting her was perfect for her. It was fated. They were fated.

Sunwoo nodded. "Then we'll make it happen." He crawled off her and offered her a hand up. "Get dressed, they're back. I can feel them. And we'll make sure to get some sleep tonight, because in a couple of days, you'll be wearing my mark and you'll be sore all over."