Claimed by the New Alpha

by Candace Ayers

  She looked at him, uncomprehending. She didn’t understand how he could have felt this way all these years and never said or done anything. Only now, after killing her father, did he come to her. Why?

  “Sebastian…I…I need some time. I think.” Her words sounded cold to her own ears.

  She saw the shutters come down across his face, the cold and dispassionate look replace the openness and warmth from only moments before, but she couldn’t find a way to soothe him.

  Sebastian picked up his jeans and threw them on hastily, ignoring the rest of his things and walked out of the bedroom door without looking back.

  She started to scream in her head for him to return, not to leave her, but the words wouldn’t form in her mouth.

  Chapter 13

  She had stayed up late, immobile on her bed, crying and regretting asking Sebastian to leave. She must have slept at some point, as dawn was breaking through the curtains when she awoke.

  When she pulled opened her window the air smelled sweet, the thunderstorm of the night before had drenched the dry land leaving it dewy and fragrant.

  She staggered slowly downstairs in search of coffee, trying to shake off the chasm of disappointment that she felt. In the morning light, last night seemed like a far away dream; in some parts tragically horrible, yet with moments that each reached a pinnacle of bliss that she’d never known would be possible. It was her recollection of those moments that made this morning’s dawn truly feel like the start of something new, as if her world had altered drastically in the night, and would never go back again.

  She needed to find Sebastian. She was devastated by her father’s death, and Sebastian’s role in it, but she acknowledged it was an accident. She had been told the stories of the Tanana tribes as a child, and ironically, back then she imagined that her father was one of the brave shape shifting wolves.

  She had looked for magic everywhere when she was little, believed there were fairies in the garden, flitting about from flower to flower, she thought all of nature’s creatures were mystical. Now as an adult realizing that her childhood fantasies were real, she didn’t want to turn her back on them. She knew that she could get on a plane back to New York, apologise to Jimmy and live the life that lay waiting for her. But Leslie-Anne’s word’s echoed in her head – she would die on the inside.

  On that thought, a sense of urgency grew within her, half afraid that Sebastian had already slipped away, gone while the scent of him still enveloped her body. She gulped her coffee down and rushed upstairs to shower and dress. She didn’t know where to start looking, but Logan seemed like the logical first port of call.

  She flung on jeans and a t-shirt, leaving her hair damp. Rushing back downstairs, her heart started thumping wildly in her chest, excitement and anxiety building. Busting through the front door she blinked in the bright sun, and then came to a standstill. There was a wolf waiting for her in the front garden.

  The hair she had thought last night was jet black, was a rich dark brown in the sunlight. She recognized his eyes, the same luminous white and blue that she had seen last night. He had been sitting, but now moved up onto all fours as she approached.

  “Sebastian?”

  Eva. His voice echoed through her head, as clearly as if he were speaking out loud. It was soft and caressing, with the faintest sound of a throaty purr beneath it.

  As she stood and stared at him, she got the feeling that he had waited here all night for her, and the realisation made her heart felt like it was being torn in two.

  “Sebastian – I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have sent you away.”

  Don’t apologise. I’m who should be sorry. Forgive me Eva.

  “It was an accident. I’m ashamed at how my father behaved – it shouldn’t have happened that way.” She tentatively edged closer; his wolf form alienated and excited her at the same time. She longed to reach and stroke his thick fur.

  It doesn’t matter anymore. Eva, you need to leave here – go and live your life. You can do anything you want to.

  “Why does everyone insist on sending me away? Sebastian, I want to be here. With you. What you said last night…I feel the same way. I want to be with you, I feel like we’ve wasted years – and I want to start living my life.”

  With a wolf? In this place? I can’t offer you anything, Eva. Sebastian was determined not to give in this time.

  If a small slice of heaven was all he would experience in this lifetime, then that would be enough. It was best this way. He knew he had already bonded with her, that she was his crow mate, but that didn’t mean that he had license to ruin her life. He would set her free, let her fly.

  “Yes with a wolf – with you. I like Beaver Creek, Sebastian. But I’m in love with you. So in love with you that there’s only one place that I ever want to be, and that’s wherever you are. Why do you think I keep coming back?” Her tone was passionate, but he could hear the pain that she was trying to cover, and he didn’t know if that pain was caused by feeling like she had to leave her old life behind, or if it came from fear that she couldn’t have this one.

  “Sebastian” she continued, “I’m going to be a Harvard business school graduate, and you’re going to own a lumber business – we can transform this town, you don’t have to worry about my life – this is the one I want.” She hesitated then, as if she had run out of steam. “Unless you don’t…want that? Want me?”

  Sebastian lost any resolve he had been clinging to at her question. His frustration dissipated – if she wanted him, really wanted this, then there was nothing that would stop him taking her and spending the rest of his life making her smile the way she did last night.

  Eva, I want you. More than you could ever imagine.

  At that, she walked toward him slowly and then bent down gracefully in the soft grass to kneel in front of him. She started to stroke his fur, sending tremors throughout his body.

  “I want you too – like this, wolf form or human form. I’ll take you anyway you come Sebastian Waverly.”

  She guided him down with her into the grass, and buried her hands into his fur, curling up to him so that there wasn’t a sliver of space between them. He shifted back into his human form, his body wrapped protectively around hers, keeping out the morning chill.

  Slowly their bodies and heartbeats moved as one, and Eva and Sebastian spent the morning with the sun reflecting off of their sweat-glistened bodies as they basked in their newly expressed love.

  The wolf and his crow.

  THE END

  Thank you for purchasing this book. I hope you enjoyed it.

  I have included several BONUS STORIES that I hope you’ll enjoy! But first, please enjoy an excerpt from Book 1 of my Kodiak Island Shifters series entitled Billionaire’s Bride. If you like the sample, you can download the full book by using the link provided at the end of the sample.

  ENJOY A FREE SNEAK PEEK

  (This book is a standalone with a Happily Ever After ending. It is the first book in a series you’re going to love about the Sterling Brothers, Grizzly Bear Shifters.)

  KODIAK ISLAND SHIFTERS

  COLTON: BILLIONAIRE BEAR’S BRIDE

  By Candace Ayers

  Chapter one

  “Take a seat Doctor Cooper.” Hannah’s lawyer proffered a chair opposite his paper-strewn desk. He adjusted his spectacles before continuing, “It’s all fairly straight forward—all monetary assets are to be transferred from your uncle’s estate at your earliest convenience.”

  Hannah smiled tightly, not really knowing what to say. It had been an overwhelming week. It began with her uncle’s funeral, a man she hadn’t spoken to in years and only vaguely recollected. It was now ending, on a warm Friday afternoon, in her lawyer’s office, discussing the deposit of a large inheritance into her bank account.

  “I have to say,” the lawyer continued, “it’s a rare pleasure allocating such large funds to someone so risk-adverse. You have a very healthy credit record, Doctor Cooper.”

  “We
ll. I don’t come from a wealthy background, Mr. Moore. I think that helps.”

  “Indeed.” He nodded, “There is, however, another matter I wanted to discuss with you today.” He cleared his throat before continuing, “Your marriage to a Mr…” He peered down at the document in his hand, “Bradley…”

  “Brad Crawford,” Hannah interrupted him. “Yes. We’re not actually married. I mean, we’re married, technically, but… well, haven’t been together for many years now. We just never got around to a divorce.”

  “I suggest that you do. You understand, of course, that he could cause,” he hesitated, looking for the right word, “issues as your legal husband if you were to receive the inheritance and then opt for a divorce. My suggestion to you would be to obtain signed divorce papers before the transfer proceeds.”

  Hannah nodded, “I don’t think that will be a problem… once I track him down.”

  “You don’t know Mr. Crawford’s location?”

  “No. I haven’t seen him in ten years.” Hannah shrugged, she really hadn’t thought about him for an entire decade. They broke up a month before she left for medical school, and neither of them had been in contact with one another since.

  “Well, I suggest you locate him. My understanding is that these funds will enable you to start your own medical practice?”

  Hannah nodded, “Yes… and pay off my student loans.”

  “Admirable. I hope it proves a fruitful endeavor. I will have the divorce papers drawn up for you by next week. Once you have the co-signature, we can reconvene and transfer the funds.

  “Okay. Well, great.” Hannah rose from her chair, and shook her lawyers hand. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Moore.”

  “It’s a pleasure, Dr. Cooper.”

  Riding the elevator down from Delaney, Smith and Wexler LLP, Hannah felt dizzy. She had hoped that one day she’d have the financial means to open her own practice specializing in family medicine, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that day would come so soon. Thank you, Uncle Henry. May you rest in peace.

  All she had to do now was get a divorce. She slipped on her RayBans as she stepped out of the office building and into the bright Chicago sunshine, heading towards a Starbucks across the street. Hannah wasn’t on call, so this was only the second cup of the day. If she was going to start trying to locate Brad Crawford, she reasoned, she’d need all the help she could get.

  As the barista smiled at her mechanically from behind the counter, Hannah contemplated her options. She knew that neither of her parents had heard from Brad in years, and she wasn’t really in touch with anyone from High School. That was one of the drawbacks of medical school; you could forget about maintaining old friendships during the four years of intensive study, as lab partners and classmates became the only faces you ever saw. The four years of residency that followed had been no easier, but at least Hannah had shared an apartment with two other young doctors who understood the need to get shit-faced drunk the first day you lost a patient, that black-out conditions were mandatory during the day if you were on night shifts, and that the fridge needed to be stocked with Diet Coke twenty-four seven.

  Hannah figured her best bet for tracking Brad would be to start with his sister. A few months ago, Hannah was sure she’d seen a new baby announcement on Facebook with Brad’s sister tagged in the group. Lila, that was her name. Lila Crawford. As far as Hannah could recall, she still lived back in Montana, so maybe Brand was near that area too. It would be nice to visit. Maybe she could pop by and see her parents.

  With renewed vigor and a tall steaming black Columbian coffee, Hannah set off back home to her apartment.

  “Lila?” Hannah asked when she heard a confused ‘hello’ at the other end of the line.

  “Speaking. Who’s this?” Lila’s voice sounded sleep heavy.

  “It’s Hannah Cooper. We went to High School together.” Hannah prompted.

  “Oh, yeah. Brad’s wife.”

  “Yeah,” Hannah paused. She hadn’t exactly expected a warm reception, but Lila’s tone was particularly cold. “I was actually looking for Brad. Do you know where he lives now?”

  “Not really. I haven’t heard from him in over a year. No surprise there.”

  Hannah made a sympathetic noise, “Any idea where I might find out?”

  “Why are you looking for him anyways? You two haven’t seen each other in years.”

  “I just wanted to catch up with him, see how he’s doing…” Hannah trailed off. “I also need him to sign some divorce papers. We never really got around to it, before, you know?”

  “You getting hitched again?” Lila asked.

  “No, no, just getting my paperwork in order.”

  There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Eventually Lila sighed.

  “Well, last I heard, he was in Alaska.”

  “Alaska?”

  “Yeah. He was doing odd jobs here and there. No idea where he’s at now though.”

  “Okay, thanks Lila. Do you know what area?”

  “Port Ursa.”

  Hannah had never heard of it. So much for her trip to Montana.

  “Great. Thanks, Lila, you’ve been really helpful.”

  “Anytime.”

  The phone went dead before Hannah had a chance to say goodbye. Hannah stared bemusedly at it. Lila had always been a bit of an oddball, and as far back as Hannah could remember, she’d never gotten along with her own brother.

  The Crawford siblings hadn’t exactly had the Leave it to Beaver upbringing, though. Brad may have been the all-star favorite on the school basketball team, but he had also been a wild card–constantly in trouble, forever in detention, and he often missed long periods of the school semester. It was that wildness that had attracted her to Brad in the first place. Hannah smiled to herself, remembering her days as a straight-laced high school student. She had been forever studying, positively obsessed with getting straight ‘A’s. Brad had caught her attention during senior year, and they had started dating casually.

  When High School came to an end, they and a group of their friends decided to celebrate their freedom with a cross-country road trip. Predicated by a night of free drinking at a casino, and Hannah’s first actual falling-down drunk, Brad and Hannah had found themselves in an Elvis Chapel in Vegas, pledging their future to one another.

  Hannah went into her bedroom, and dug out a shoebox from beneath her bed. It was full of old photos and mementos. She searched through the piles, till she came to the cheaply framed picture of her wedding day. Brad had insisted on dressing up in a Rhinestone body suit. It still made Hannah laugh. He looked ridiculous, but she didn’t look any better. Having drunkenly decided to go “full Vegas,” she’d found the tightest, shortest mini dress she could find and the highest stilettos. In the picture they were surrounded by their friends—people Hannah hadn’t seen in years. She looked at the picture fondly. Brad had been troubled, no doubt about that, but he had been fun. The foolish marriage aside, she would never regret that vacation. Her last hurrah, a taste of much needed freedom before she buckled down to carving out her career.

  She was intrigued to see what had become of Brad. She was actually surprised that this much time had passed without him contacting her to get the marriage annulled. Hannah’s dating landscape had been pretty barren, solely due to her working hours and somewhat narrow-minded focus on her job, but she would have thought Brad would have found a nice girl to settle down with by now.

  “Do we have any ice-cream?” her roommate, Laura, stood in the doorway looking utterly miserable.

  “No, honey, we don’t. Are you okay?”

  “No,” she pouted, “Long shift working with Grayson. It was horrible. He yelled for hours, and I was so tired I didn’t even know what he was yelling about.”

  “Yuck. I’m sorry, that sounds rough.” Grayson was the Chief of Staff at the general hospital where Hannah and Laura where finishing off their residency. He was an acidic demon, and getting on the wrong
side of him would lead to shifts ending in tears. For Laura, it always necessitated buckets of ice cream.

  “Come on,” Hannah ushered her into the living room, and wrapped her up in a blanket on the sofa. “I’ll go out and get some.”

  “Really?” Laura’s eyes lit up, “Thank you, thank you. I’ll do your laundry duty next week.”

  Hannah laughed, “No you won’t–you never have time to follow through on that promise, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

  Laura smiled sheepishly.

  “By the way, “Hannah continued, “have you heard of Port Ursa?”

  “In Alaska?”

  “Yes! Do you know it?”

  “Not really. My dad went fishing there once. I think it’s a bit of a nightmare to get to–like, one of the islands you can only get to by boat or bush plane or something.”

  “Of course it is,” Hannah sighed, “Salted caramel?”

  “Can you get that and a cookie dough one?”

  “Don’t push your luck.” Hannah picked up her keys and purse. “Be back in five.”

  Laura gave her a helpless wave from her position on the sofa.

  Hannah marched down the stairs, mildly annoyed that the one rare week she got off would be spent traipsing around in Alaska, no doubt freezing her ass off, trying to locate her legal husband.

  Chapter two

  “I think we should expand,” Colton Sterling leaned back in his chair, idly scratching his lean torso as he waited for his brothers’ response.

  “It’s risky, Colton,” Wyatt spoke in measured tones, “It makes me nervous that we couldn’t cover it with the income from the current fishery.”

  “But we can easily cover it with Sterling Outfitters,” remarked Colton, “We’re running a multi-billion-dollar chain. What else do you want to do with the profits?”

  Colton’s brother sighed.