The Alpha's to Share: A BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance

by Alanis Knight

  “I’ll see you soon, Callie!” Wyatt called to her.

  “Let’s hope not,” she muttered under her breath.

  Seth disappeared around the back of the hill with Wyatt in tow. They were arguing about something, and Callie took the time to look around. The area was rather nondescript. The trees were sparse here, but it wasn’t exactly a clearing. The remnants of a large bonfire stood near the hill, surrounded by several fallen logs that were almost certainly brought here for seating.

  Her ankle was starting to throb again, so she took a seat on one of the logs to wait for Seth to return.

  As she waited, she noticed a tiny creature peeking at her from behind the remains of the bonfire. It poked its head up and blinked at her with tiny black eyes. She couldn’t help but smile at the little animal.

  “Hello!” she said softly, not wanting to frighten it.

  Its head sank quickly underneath the pile of leaves that surrounded the bonfire. She noticed a lump moving closer to her, rustling the leaves as it moved along beneath them. Then a tiny nose popped out, and she could see the beady eyes peeking at her again.

  “Hello,” she said again, reaching her hand toward the creature.

  “That’s Ivy,” said a voice from behind her.

  She twisted around and saw a young woman, about her own age, standing nude. Callie quickly turned away and apologized.

  “I’m sorry,” Callie said quickly.

  “For what?” asked the girl, sitting beside her on the log.

  “Uh… never mind,” Callie said. “I’m Callie. What’s your name?”

  “Willow,” the girl answered. “I’m Seth and Wyatt’s younger, and much smarter, sister. So you’re Seth’s new mate, huh?”

  “I haven’t decided yet, to be honest,” Callie answered truthfully.

  “Hmm, I see,” Willow said. “So what don’t you like about Seth?” Then she gasped and added, “Don’t tell me! You like Wyatt better!”

  “No!” Callie shrieked. “No, absolutely not!”

  “Ah, you have met him, then,” Willow giggled. “Wyatt’s not a bad guy, but he’s not easy to get along with sometimes.”

  “I met him briefly, and I can see why you’d say that,” Callie said frankly.

  “Come on out, Ivy,” Willow called.

  The leaves rustled as the little creature, which had been watching them intently, slithered away beneath them.

  “She’s shy,” Willow said. “But she’ll get used to you quickly.”

  “Is she a rat?” Callie asked.

  Willow burst into laughter and was unable to speak for several moments. Tears of mirth rolled down her pink cheeks, and she clutched her midsection and doubled over.

  After a bit, she took a deep breath and leaned toward Callie to whisper, “Please don’t ever let her hear you say that. She’s a mink. And a shifter. And she’s only twelve years old and very sensitive.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t know,” Callie said.

  “Oh, it’s alright,” Willow said. “At least you said it to me and not her. Poor kid’s been through a lot.”

  “Really? Like what?” Callie wondered aloud.

  “Both her parents got killed by fur trappers,” Willow said sadly. “She’s an orphan, and Seth took her in because she’s a good kid and she was completely on her own.”

  “Why didn’t they just shift into human form?” Callie asked.

  “Most shifters won’t around humans, because we don’t want them to know we exist,” Willow explained, tucking a piece of her brown waves behind her ear. “Right now the only humans who know we exist are largely thought to be crazy by anyone they tell. Or liars. But if too many people start telling tales…”

  “Then humans will come for you,” Callie finished her sentence.

  “Exactly,” Willow said. “Humans fear what they don’t understand. They’d kill some of us, capture others for genetic research. We can’t risk it.”

  “I swear, that brother of mine will be the death of me,” Seth grumbled.

  Callie turned to see him heading toward them, his fists balled in fury and his brow furrowed.

  “Wyatt’s harmless,” Willow said. “Go easy on him.”

  “You would take his side,” Seth spat at her. “Don’t you have cleaning duties to attend to?”

  “Yes,” she groaned. “Callie, I have to go. It was so nice meeting you. I know we’re going to be great friends!”

  Willow bounced to her feet and bounded away, practically skipping toward the hill, and Callie watched her as she went.

  “So, I see you’ve met Willow,” Seth commented.

  “What happened with your brother?” Callie asked, ignoring his comment.

  “Wyatt has a habit of butting in where he doesn’t belong and of making things his business that are not,” Seth said.

  “If you’re Alpha, what does that make him?” Callie wondered.

  “Technically he’s pack Beta, but he acts as though he is Alpha half the time,” Seth groaned. “And then I have to put him in his place.”

  Callie suppressed the desire to ask him what he meant by that. She had a feeling she’d rather not know.

  “When will I meet the rest of your pack?” she asked.

  “In time,” he said. “Most of them are in a hunting party at the moment, out near the eastern border of our territory. They will bring food home for later tonight. Are you hungry now?”

  “A bit,” Callie said.

  “We have some nuts and berries stored in the den,” he said. “We also have some dried fish and meat if you prefer.”

  “Berries and nuts would be fine for now,” she said. “I actually love fruit and nuts.”

  “Alright, come with me and I’ll show you the den,” he said. “We’ll get you a bite to eat and then I’ll take you to the river where you’ll bathe and drink.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  As Callie followed him toward the entrance to their den, Seth kept his eyes peeled for Wyatt, whose scent he detected nearby, but whom he could not locate. Wherever he was, Seth assumed he was up to no good, and he wished he could take Callie elsewhere and get her away from Wyatt and any potential influence he might develop over her.

  Wyatt had always liked to cause trouble for Seth. Although they were close as brothers, they clashed from time to time over pack business and occasionally over the pack females. Seth had never been all that interested in the females, but whenever he would pay any attention to one, Wyatt would immediately set his sights on her. Seth had always just turned a blind eye, because he never cared for them as anything more than a quick romp, anyway. But Callie was different. He really cared for her, and he wanted her all to himself.

  In fact, Seth was already so protective over Callie that he felt he would fight to the death for her if need be. She was his, assuming she agreed to be his mate, and he would let no one near her, especially Wyatt.

  As they approached the den entrance, he pushed aside a large overhang of moss and ivy, which obstructed the entrance from view so well that Callie gasped at its cleverness.

  “Wow!” she gushed. “I never would have known this was here! It looks just like the side of the hill!”

  “We must do everything we can to avoid detection,” Seth explained. “We do occasionally get human hunters and campers in these parts, though how they manage to travel this far into the mountains I’m not certain.”

  “Backpackers, maybe,” Callie remarked.

  “Hm?”

  “Backpackers,” she repeated. “Sometimes they travel for miles through the forest or mountains looking for remote places to camp in privacy.”

  “Interesting,” said Seth. “I didn’t know humans could be so adept at survival.”

  “Some can,” she said. “Me? I’d be screwed if I ended up alone in the forest. I have no idea how to find food or shelter or clean water… I’d be dead in days, if not hours.”

  “Please don’t speak of your death again,” Seth said immediately, his stomach aching at the though
t. His face contorted with dismay.

  “Oh, sorry,” she said, a little confused. “I didn’t realize it would affect you so much.”

  “Callie, there is something you need to understand about shifters,” said Seth. “We form bonds much faster than humans. We… we can sense feelings and emotions on a level that humans cannot. It makes it much easier, and faster, to grow close to someone. I feel like I’ve known you for years already.”

  “Wow, I never realized that,” she said quietly.

  “I know that it may take some time for you to…”

  “Wait,” she interrupted him. “I think you’re expecting more from me than I’m prepared to give. I like you, I really do. I’m attracted to you, no doubt. But if I just agree to be your mate so soon, it would be for all the wrong reasons.”

  “You don’t have to agree to anything you’re not prepared to agree to,” Seth assured her. “You may stay here as long as you like, and I will not pressure you into anything.”

  Callie glanced through the doorway into the den and then looked back at him. She swallowed hard. She truly had nowhere else to go. So she steadied herself and entered the den with Seth following behind her.

  “This little hallway leads to the common room,” he explained. “It’s the place where we all gather for meals and meetings.”

  At the end of the short hallway, Callie entered a huge cavern. Along the wall she saw a rocky cliff rising with a stacked stone pathway leading upward. In the center was a huge bonfire, which was currently not burning. Overhead she saw an opening covered by a grate, which she guessed was meant for ventilation.

  “Most of our meals are cooked and served here,” Seth told her. “The pinnacle overhead is where I sit when I wish to be alone but still able to oversee the activities. As my mate, you would be able to sit there with me if you wished.”

  Callie heard a commotion down a corridor, and soon two young wolf pups came barreling through the room. One was clearly chasing the other, and the first dodged between Callie’s legs and nearly sent her toppling backward.

  Seth bellowed with laughter as the second pup darted between her legs and the pair circled around the unlit bonfire and disappeared into the darkness.

  “Are they yours?” Callie asked curiously.

  Seth cleared his throat and said, “I do not have pups. They are orphans, brother and sister, who we took in after our pack killed their parents.”

  “Killed their parents? What happened?”

  “Their parents were part of a rival pack who tried to claim our territory,” Seth explained. “We had no choice but to defend ourselves, and their parents were unfortunate victims. But we couldn’t let the pups starve.”

  “So you took in the children of your enemy,” she muttered in awe. “Very noble of you. Do they know?”

  “They do,” he said. “They were very young when it happened, but they adjusted very well. We made sure to tell them their parents fought very bravely, and that we never wanted to kill them. They understand.”

  “What are their names?”

  “The little white one is the girl,” he answered. “Her name is Snow. The gray one, the boy, is named Hunter.”

  “Hunter and Snow,” Callie said. “I like that.”

  “They’re good kids,” Seth said. “A bit rowdy, but…”

  Seth paused and sniffed the air, and his face hardened. Callie looked around, but saw nothing.

  “Seth?”

  “Wyatt, get out here,” Seth growled.

  Wyatt suddenly emerged from the shadows with a grin on his face. His eyes feasted on Callie, and she shivered, stepping slightly behind Seth as if seeking protection.

  “Aww, look, the human is frightened,” Wyatt chuckled.

  “Wyatt,” Seth warned sharply.

  “I’m just having a little fun,” Wyatt said. “Lighten up.”

  “You see, this is why you’re not Alpha,” Seth spat.

  “Touché,” Wyatt said. “We can’t all me Mr. Serious all the time like you, brother.”

  “Perhaps not,” Seth agreed. “But everyone can be serious from time to time.”

  “Oh, I am,” Wyatt said slyly, his eyes slowly casting themselves back upon Callie. “When the situation calls for it, I can be very serious.”

  “Forget it, Wyatt,” Seth growled, his tone warning.

  “What?” Wyatt shrugged innocently. He shot a wink at Callie, who quickly looked away.

  In a rage, Seth flew at Wyatt, clutching his throat and slamming him against a wall. Wyatt’s eyes bulged, and he made a pitiful grunt as he struggled to breathe.

  “Not… this… time…” Seth snarled. “This one… is mine!”

  “Seth, stop!” Callie shrieked.

  Seth felt Callie’s trembling hands on his biceps, and his grip momentarily tightened on Wyatt’s throat. He clutched it fiercely, as if ready to cut off his air permanently.

  “Seth, please!” Callie wailed. “Stop!”

  He could hear the distress straining her voice, and he could sense it oozing from her pores. Reluctantly, he released his brother, who slumped to the floor coughing and rubbing his throat.

  Seth glared down at Wyatt with disdain as his brother struggled to catch his breath. Then Wyatt jumped to his feet and fled.

  Callie stared slack jawed at Seth for a moment. Then she scoffed and, shaking her head in disbelief, ran off after Wyatt, leaving Seth scratching his head and wondering what he could have done differently.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Callie had no idea where she was going, but she limped through the dark, winding corridors of the den looking for Wyatt. She’d been following the sound of his footsteps, but at one point they went silent, and she continued on in the same direction, hoping to find him.

  Suddenly, hands grabbed her, and she gasped as she was pulled into an offshoot corridor and pinned against the wall. Hands clutched tightly at her clothes.

  “Wyatt?” she called into the darkness.

  “Why did you follow me?” Wyatt demanded.

  “I… I just wanted to see if you were alright,” she answered.

  “Why?” he growled.

  “I don’t like what Seth did back there,” she answered. “It scared me. It made me angry!”

  “Do you want to know the truth, Callie?” Wyatt asked.

  She nodded silently in the darkness.

  “The truth is, I deserved it,” Wyatt said, releasing his grip on her clothing. “He had every right to do what he did. I don’t blame him.”

  “What? How can you say that? You’re his brother!” Callie argued.

  “He’s Alpha,” Wyatt said. “I disrespected him. Not only that, I did it in front of a potential mate.”

  “That’s still no excuse,” Callie argued. “He never should have laid a hand on you like that.”

  “You don’t understand,” Wyatt said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve…”

  “What?”

  “I’ve take other females from him before,” Wyatt admitted after a pause. “But he just let them go. I guess he didn’t care for them, anyway. I kind of assumed he would feel the same about you, but clearly I was mistaken.”

  Callie shuddered, trying to avoid picturing Seth having been with any other female. Her nose wrinkled at the idea.

  “Is this a game to you?” Callie asked incredulously. “He’s your brother! Why would you even go there?”

  “Look, I’ve always enjoyed ruffling his feathers,” Wyatt said. “To be honest, I get a kick out of it because it’s the only control I have over anything. He’s the big, bad Alpha, and I’m just his Beta brother.”

  “So that’s what that was,” Callie muttered.

  “What?”

  “The way you looked at me,” she answered. “The way you were acting. You were just trying to rile him up.”

  “No, not at all,” Wyatt said.

  “Then what was it?” she challenged him.

  There was an awkward silence, and Callie internally cursed the darkne
ss. She couldn’t see his face. She couldn’t try to decipher his expression.

  “I just found you interesting,” he finally said.

  “You found me interesting,” she parroted. “What does that mean?”

  “The girls I took from him in the past were all pack members,” Wyatt said. “Just wolf girls. Playthings, really. They didn’t mean anything to either of us. That’s why Seth never put up a fight. He’d show interest in one of the females, and I’d go after her to spite him. He’d walk away, and then I’d do the same thing. We never really wanted any of them. So yes, that was a game.”