Feral Alpha (The Alpha's Obsession) Read online

  I nod. “Cameron is the oldest, then me, then Julian. Logan is Cameron’s age. He’s adopted, but just as much of a brother as any of us.”

  “When was the last time you talked to them?”

  “Besides for two seconds last night, I don’t know. Years.”

  “Years?” she says with a gasp. She stops walking and turns to me with heartbreak in her eyes. “It’s been years and they live on the same property as you?”

  I shrug, trying to make it seem like it’s no big deal. “My bear interacts with them from time to time.”

  “Interacts with them? What does that mean?”

  “It means he attacks them if they step into the forest.”

  She exhales long and hard as she shakes her head in disbelief. “So, this should be interesting?”

  I nod. “Yeah. This should be interesting.”

  “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  I nod even though I’m not too sure. If I was alone, I’d probably be running back to the forest right now, but I want her to be well fed and taken care of. That’s my ultimate priority.

  “I am,” I say as I grab her hand and keep walking. “Let’s just go inside.”

  We head to the cabin and I open the door for her without knocking.

  “You go first,” she says, pushing me in.

  I take a deep breath and walk in. They all stop what they’re doing and turn to us with the same look of shock on their faces as last night, only when they see a pretty girl by my side, their mouths hang a little lower.

  “Hello,” Courtney says, waving awkwardly. “It smells good in here.”

  No one answers. Julian and a woman who could only be his mate are in the kitchen cooking—at least they were until we walked in. Now they’re just standing next to the smoking bacon and burning eggs. Cameron is on the floor with another woman playing with an adorable baby, and Logan is at the table holding a newspaper that he’s no longer reading. He’s staring at us in shock under his black cowboy hat.

  The toasts pop and they all jump. I try not to laugh.

  “I thought I had too much to drink last night,” Cameron says as he rubs his eyes. “I thought I was seeing things.”

  “Nope,” I say with a gulp. “It’s me.”

  “Hi!” the woman on the floor says as she quickly gets to her feet. “I’m Willow. Cameron’s mate.” She shakes our hands and smiles at us. She has kind brown eyes with her sandy brown hair tied up into a ponytail. I’ve seen her around from time to time through my bear’s eyes, but I thought she worked on the farm. I had no idea that Cameron had found his mate.

  “I’m Courtney,” my mate says as she flashes her warm stunning smile. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

  The woman in the kitchen comes over too. “I’m Madison,” she says as she introduces herself. “Make yourselves at home. Come and sit. Want some coffee?”

  “I’d love some,” Courtney says as she follows her into the kitchen. “I love your place. That painting is gorgeous.”

  “Thank you,” she says. “My grandmother painted it.”

  They continue chatting as I stand there awkwardly. Willow comes up to me and holds my hands. I stiffen as I look down at her, not sure what the hell to do.

  “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Adrian,” she says with a warm comforting smile. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She hugs my stiff body and I don’t move as I look down at the top of her head.

  “Come and meet your niece,” she says when she finally lets me go. She grabs my wrist and pulls me toward the baby playing on the ground. “This is Lauren.”

  Cameron quickly snatches her up and pulls her away. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Willow.”

  Willow shoots him a look. “Oh, it’s fine.” She takes the baby from his worried hands and thrusts her into mine.

  At first, I hold it awkwardly, but then she starts giggling as she plays with my chin and my whole body melts for her. I want this with Courtney. I want a child with my mate.

  “That’s enough,” Cameron says as he jumps to his feet and steals the baby back. “You understand, right Adrian?”

  I nod. I do. If I were him, I’d keep anything fragile as far from me as possible. I’m always like a grenade about to go off.

  Julian and Logan finally get over their initial shock and come over for a quick stiff hug.

  “So, what have you been up to?” Julian asks awkwardly.

  I shrug. None of us know what to say.

  “Breakfast is ready,” Madison says. “Come sit down everyone.”

  Julian grabs some folding chairs from the closet and we all squeeze around the table, digging into the hot food just like we used to do as kids.

  I have to admit, it feels nice. It feels like home. And having Courtney by my side makes it feel even better.

  It’s a bit awkward at first, but the girls help grease the conversation and pretty soon, we’re all laughing as we tell stories of a past that used to feel like millions of years ago, but talking to them, feels like it was yesterday.

  “Dad was furious,” Julian says as we all laugh. He’s telling the story of when I brought a cow into his room while he was sleeping.

  “Adrian tried to open the window to jump out,” Cameron continues, but he’s laughing so hard that he can’t go on. “But he—”

  The girls are laughing too as they watch him doubled over with tears in his eyes.

  “He got caught in the curtains and fell through it,” Julian continues. This time he’s laughing so hard that he can’t finish.

  Logan takes over as I watch with my heart so full that it feels like it’s going to burst through my chest. “The curtain got wrapped around his ankle and he fell through the window.”

  “The cow kicked me through it,” I correct. “He kicked me right in the chest.”

  Courtney is giggling as she takes my hand under the table and squeezes it.

  “So, he falls out,” Cameron says, recovering. “And his ankle is caught in the curtain, so he’s hanging upside down on the second floor of the old house, screaming at the top of his lungs.”

  Julian wipes the tears from his eyes. “Dad wouldn’t let any of us help him. Said that we’d never taste a dessert for the rest of our lives if we helped him down.”

  “How long were you hanging there?” Courtney asks as she laughs.

  “Six hours,” I say and they all start up again. “Mom finally snuck in and helped me.”

  After the food is long gone, we’re still sitting there telling stories and laughing. It feels like I’m part of the family once again and it’s all thanks to Courtney. I’ll never forget it.

  “So,” Willow asks as she bounces the baby on her knee. “Are you two mates?”

  Everyone goes quiet as they look at us. Even my brothers don’t know for sure since my mark is not on her neck.

  Courtney looks up at me, her eyes full of love. “We are,” she says proudly. “I saw him yesterday and I just knew it.”

  “Oh, you’re the one who was here with the class,” Logan says. “The teacher, right? I thought I recognized you.”

  Seeing his eyes on my mate starts to rile up my jealous bear. He wakes up and lets his presence be known as he starts pacing around angrily. He doesn’t like it and lets out a low warning snarl.

  My brothers pick up on it and their worried eyes snap up to mine. The girls are oblivious as they ask Courtney about her kindergarten class.

  Mark her!

  Mark her!

  His demands are getting more forceful. More aggressive.

  Courtney seems to realize something is up with me because she starts rubbing my flexed back.

  “I could use some air,” she says as she smiles tightly at me. “Can you come with me?”

  I nod and get up without a word. She’s doing this for me. She’s the perfect mate.

  As soon as we step onto the porch, my bear starts to calm down.

  “I’m yours, Adrian,” she says as she steps on her toes and runs her hand
down my face. “You know that, right?”

  “I do,” I say in a heavy voice.

  She steps on her toes as her hand slides behind my neck. “Kiss me,” she whispers. “I can’t reach.”

  I smile as I lean down and kiss her, tasting the orange juice on her tongue.

  Cameron comes out a few minutes later and my bear growls, perking up once again.

  He raises his hands. “Tell your bear I’m already mated. I’m not looking.”

  “I’m sorry, bro. You know how he is.”

  “It’s okay,” Cameron says with a nod. He slides his hands into the back pocket of his jeans as the three of us stand there awkwardly.

  “I have a coffee to finish,” Courtney says as she reaches for the door. “So, I’ll head inside and let you boys talk.”

  We both sigh as we lean on the porch railing and look out at the ranch. “It’s good to see you,” he says. “I’m sorry about the baby. I just…”

  “You don’t have to explain,” I say, even though it hurts. “It was the right thing to do.”

  We stand in silence for a moment and then he turns to me. “How are you able to even be here? What’s your bear like?”

  I run my hand through my hair as I watch a cow eating some grass. “Still psychotic, but… I don’t know. Since Courtney walked into my life, he’s been different.”

  “Calmer?”

  “Yeah. He let me sleep in my human form, which hasn’t happened since… I don’t know.”

  “That’s great!” he says with an enthusiastic nod. “Maybe that’s what he’s needed all along? His mate.”

  “Maybe.” Another long stretch of silence passes. “I’m sorry. For everything, Cameron.”

  “No…”

  “How come you didn’t put me down?”

  “You’re my brother,” he says, turning to me with anguish on his face. “I love you.”

  My eyes start to tear up again. “You love me? I nearly killed you a few months ago.”

  “Yeah, well, I was trying to kill Julian. And please… I nearly killed you. I think I had the upper hand.”

  We look at each other and burst out laughing. “Whatever you say.”

  He hugs me, warmly this time, and then slaps my shoulder. “I’m glad to have you back. I missed you, Adrian.”

  “I missed you too.”

  He takes a deep breath as he lets me go. “Courtney seems great. She fits right in.”

  “She’s amazing.”

  “I hope she can help you keep things under control.”

  “Me too.”

  “Come on,” he says as he wraps his arm around me and guides me back inside. “Let’s go catch up some more.”

  I’m smiling as I head in, but my bear is still pacing. He’s still letting his dangerous presence be known.

  Mark her.

  Mark her.

  Mark her.

  Chapter Seven

  Adrian

  Courtney is willing to stay with me for another night, but I can’t do that to her again. She looks freezing as we sit here in the tent, talking. The temperature has dropped a lot throughout the day.

  “I’m fine,” she says as she rubs her hands together and rocks back and forth. “I’m having a great time.”

  I shake my head as I watch her. She’s way too nice. I always want to be by her side, protecting her, loving her. She’s too pure and innocent to be without a furry bodyguard by her side. I just wish mine wouldn’t cause her more danger than he prevented.

  “You’re freezing.”

  She smiles as she starts crawling over to me. “Then, maybe you should warm me up.”

  I wrap my arms around her and gasp when I feel how cold her skin is. The poor girl has been outside for almost the entire day. It’s late in the afternoon and I can feel that it’s going to get even colder as the sun goes down.

  “We’re not staying out here.”

  “Where do you want to go? Your cabin?”

  “There’s no electricity running to it and I think there’s a few leaks,” I say, remembering the hole I saw in the roof. “It’s probably worse than out here.”

  Her lips pull into a straight line as she thinks about it.

  “We could try… your place,” I say, getting nervous at the thought. My bear has been remaining cool for now, but I can feel him simmering below the surface. I’m still not sure I’d be able to hold him back if he wanted to come out.

  “Are you ready for that?”

  I take a deep breath and nod. “I have to leave this forest sometime, right?”

  After making sure that I’m ready, she takes my hand and we head for her car. It’s a small sedan and as I squeeze into it, I have a horrible image of my grizzly bear ripping out of me and destroying the entire interior.

  Please be cool.

  He growls back, still not happy that I haven’t marked her.

  “Ready?” she asks before starting the car.

  I nod. “Let’s go.”

  The first few miles go well. I’m like a kid riding in the car as I frantically look around at all of the sights. The trees, the mountains, the beauty of it nearly brings a tear to my eye.

  “How is he?” she asks, shooting me a worried glance.

  “Fine for now.”

  “Because we’re coming up on the town.”

  She pulls onto a busier street with cute little shops and people walking on the sidewalks. All the intense smells makes my grizzly start to pace around. He’s huffing and taking deep angry breaths at every new scent.

  Please…

  I don’t want him to ruin this. He can ruin my life, but I draw the line at ruining Courtney’s. She doesn’t deserve to face the consequences of his wrath.

  He bounds forward, testing my resilience. I flex my body and hold my breath as I fight him back down. He’s so strong…

  With a snarl, he charges forward again, harder this time. I’m not sure if he’s trying to get out or if he just wants to make sure I know who’s in charge, who’s running the show.

  I grit my teeth and grunt as I hold him off. Beads of sweat start to slip down my chest. I grab onto her dashboard and squeeze as I force him back down.

  That was close. Too close…

  He tries again and again, each time more forceful, but each time I manage to hold him off. My eyes are squeezed shut and I’m breathing quick ragged breaths as I flex every muscle in my body, trying to fight him back.

  After a while, he gives up and sulks off, grunting and rumbling like a grump. I know that he wasn’t trying his hardest. If he was, he would be sitting here in the passenger seat instead of me. Maybe he knows that would have been a bad thing for our mate and that’s why he didn’t give it his full strength. Either way, he’s an asshole trying to make my life miserable once again.

  “Are you okay?” she asks when the thundering in my ears settles down.

  My eyes are still closed as I keep my guard up in case he comes back.

  “I’m okay,” I say, trying to catch my breath.

  “Are you sure because your fingers are in my dashboard?”

  I open my eyes and gulp when I see my fingers piercing her dashboard. Each one has disappeared up to the knuckle.

  I quickly pull them out and the airbag goes off, exploding into my face. Courtney giggles as I rip it open and it deflates like a balloon.

  “Sorry.”

  Her giggles turn into harder laughs. “I’m sorry,” she says as her shoulders shake. “It’s not funny, but—” She laughs even harder.

  “But you can’t stop laughing?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll pay for it,” I say as I beat the broken airbag down to my feet. As soon as I can get some money.

  “Don’t worry about it,” she says with a wave of her hand. “It’s an old crappy car anyway.”

  “You’re too good to me.”

  She leans over and kisses my cheek. “You’re my mate. That’s my job.”

  I suddenly realize that we’re parked and there�
��s a big brick wall in front of us. “Where are we?”

  “I parked behind a building when you started turning all furry.”

  “I was sprouting fur?” Shit. He got further up than I had thought. “I’m trying hard to keep things under control.”

  “I know,” she says. “Just sit back. This will help you relax.”

  She leans over me, grabs the recliner, yanks it up, and my seat falls back.

  “What are you—”

  “Shhh,” she whispers as she licks her lips and leans down.

  My heart starts pounding as she runs her flat palm over my cock. It hardens instantly and she moans as she undoes the zipper on the jeans I borrowed from Julian and pulls it out.

  “Fuck,” I whisper as I see her tiny hands wrapped around my thick shaft.

  She kisses my swollen head with her sweet puckered lips and then takes me into her mouth as she moves her hand up and down.

  I don’t know how I lived without this girl. But now that I have her, I don’t want to let her go.

  I’m a greedy bastard who wants to keep this beauty all to myself. I’d love to keep her trapped in the woods with me where I can feel these soft lips, where I can taste her wet pussy, anytime I want.

  “Mmmm,” she moans as she runs her tongue up and down my cock. Her hand slides into my jeans and she cups my balls as she wraps her lips back around me, sucking me like she’s been eagerly waiting for it for years.

  I look down at her bobbing blonde head and I know that I’m already completely obsessed with her. I’ve never felt so possessive of anything in my life like I do of her.

  Sometimes I feel as feral as my psychotic bear when it comes to her. I just can’t get enough of this girl.

  She coats every inch of my cock, simultaneously jerking and sucking me off. My balls tighten and I know I’m close. I sink my hands into her hair, guiding her head up and down as she wraps those sweet wet lips around me.

  When it comes, it comes hard. I roar out as I come deep in her mouth. My back arches off the seat and my head flies back as I fill her sweet mouth with my hot come. She moans as she sucks up every last drop from my balls, taking all of me and drinking it down.

  I’m pure mush when she gets up, smiling and wiping the wetness from the corner of her mouth. “Is that better?”