Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother novel Chapter 33

Jasmine

Lisa's behavior that I had noticed some nights ago still troubled me. I always knew she was not someone to trust, no doubt. But everyday it got worse. Now, the new one that she had suddenly learnt was to keep herself in isolation, and act like the person treated wrongly at every opportunity.

Initially, I felt that she was just fighting for Hardin, considering that it was the excuse she had used to stay in the house for long, but everyday was taking her farther away from what she claimed to be.

Even Hardin had become wary of Lisa as he shunned her at every occasion that she tried playing the emotional blackmail part.

Earlier today, I rushed to look for mom not long after I woke up, as I remembered that I had to talk to her about not doing anything big for me on my birthday. She always tried to go out of her way to make me feel good on my birthday which was now having the opposite effect on me. And it was not yet my birthday already, but the maids were already talking about it, confirming my belief that mom had made it loud and had other plans for it which I knew little of.

And just when I met mom at the garden, I saw Lisa shouting at her, saying things that I knew clearly hurt her. It was visible on her face.

Lisa said mom was the reason for everything she was going through right at her sister's husband house as mom agreed to married Russo in the first place. And that, the first time Russo and Hardin raised their voice to her was because of us.

She added that mom is making Hardin to disregard her, which kind of cracked me up, because Hardin never respected anyone, and he was clearly matured enough to know what he was doing. So claiming that mom was trying to control Hardin's recent actions to her was something that held no grounds.

The insult became so much as I walked closer to where they stood, and just as I was about to speak up, I heard another voice. It was Hardin.

The way he growled at Lisa literally made everyone of us to shiver. He had the authority of an Alpha wolf and certainly, Lisa's wolf cowered and had to submit to Hardin.

But the growling was not all. Hardin went further and asked Lisa to apologise to mom for falsely accusing her of what she did not do, and at that point, I felt like I was just imagining things.

But it was not any of it.

Lisa, right in front of me apologized to mom, and as much as the victory felt beautiful, it still pained me that if we had not intervened, mom would have silently taken in everything Lisa said.

The part of Hardin stopping Lisa from doing some things was not really new, but yelling at her with his wolf dominance, was what I did not see coming, not in the nearest future.

Maybe Hardin was finally changing for the better. But the hateful gaze he passed to me before leaving called me back to my senses, and right there I realized that my imaginations were probably a step faster than what reality actually was.

The pain I felt that he sent me away after taking me to the brim of my emotions the other night gave me more reasons why I deserved to be punished for even thinking that Hardin could become a better person.

"My lady, you might give yourself a cut if you keep on thinking," A maid called out, drawing me to the realization that I was with a blade as I tried carving the edges of the wood craft I was making.

Since my wolf was not out, which denied me of one thing that every wolf did for pleasure, which is running through the woods, I decided to do something else. Making crafts from woods.

Mom had tried using several skills to distract my mind while growing up like playing the violin and many others, but none seemed to stick. I always ended up being the Jack of all of the trades and master of none.

Wood craft was one that I suddenly began to develop interest in, and I hoped that it was going to stick.

"Thank you," I smiled at her, then took my attention back to the craft.

I was already running out of some materials and I considered going to the woods to get them. Another reason was because I wanted to have a feel of Hardin around. Lately, because of the pressure Dad had been mounting on him, he had to go to the woods almost everyday.

I quickly packed up everything with the help of the maid that was with me and went inside to change to something more appropriate. I knew how fragile and weak my body is, so dressing in the right outfit to go into the woods with, was the best option.

While I packed my hair into a bun so it doesn't hinder any of my activities, my phone rang and before checking the caller ID, I could guess that it was Lorenzo.

Before Lorenzo came into the picture, I barely had calls from people, asides mom and Nadia. And if Nadia's call ever came, it was probably because of a gossip that was spreading like wildfire.

But Lorenzo suddenly developed the habit of calling me first thing in the morning and even at night.

His calls were beginning to make me feel like I was getting this certain care that I never knew that I lacked. I just did not want it with him, as Hardin detested him for reasons which I had no idea of.

And yes! I clearly knew that I was being stupid for putting Hardin's thoughts about my affairs into consideration.

"Hey sweetheart," He voiced out as soon as I hit the answer button, causing me to gulp.

"Hello..." I said, using all the energy in me to sound cheery which was not exactly how I was at that moment.

As usual, he mentioned that he did call to check on me, see as my day went and also asked if I was going to be available to see a movie with him which I said no to. The third time I was rejecting Lorenzo's offer for an outing just this week.

I always had no reasonable excuse to any, but I preferred that it was better to not intentionally hurt Hardin. Besides, Lorenzo and my friendship was growing faster than it should.

After hanging up leaving him disappointed, I dressed up completely and left for the woods. I did not tell mom because I did not think it necessary to stress her. But Lisa definitely saw me, as I could feel her piercing gaze on my skin while I walked along the corridor.

I wondered why exactly she paid attention to my whereabouts. Confirming it the night that I had seen her wearing a cloak as she had come to my room, asking where I had been, since from what she observed, I was not there earlier which was true.

I just did not want to think of her, so I increased my pace and before I knew it, I was out of the mansion and halfway into the woods.

"I should use this," I muttered, then bent down to pick a particular fine wood. It would have been easier for me if I decided to check the lumber mill. But the probability of getting exactly what I wanted was low. Besides going into the woods experience was once in a while thing for me.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me and only turned to see Hardin.

"You! What are you doing here?"

"Pardon, I think I should be asking you. And why are you dressed like a hunter that is desperately looking for a prey?"

"It's none of your business," I retorted immediately and just as I was about to walk away, I felt a sudden swoosh of air by my side. Next place I saw myself was on the floor. Hardin had pushed me to the floor along with him.

"Go after him now!" Hardin yelled to the warrior that was with him. I was still confused till I saw the arrow that fell a feet after where Hardin lay and it was then that I realized that Hardin had just saved my life.

I was in danger for reasons I did not know, as the arrow was aimed at me.

"You should never have come out. What if something had happened to you?" Hardin bawled out, dragging my arms as he took me away from the woods. My vision still fixed on the arrow that was pinned on the ground.