Page 1 of The Reluctant Alpha

Chapter one

Bayer

I’d given up being Emery’s personal guard yesterday because he and Phoenix hadn’t come out of their bedroom except to eat—well, Phoenix anyway—so I’d decided to take a turn on the barrier so I could think.

To say I was overwhelmed was putting it mildly. The silver-skins had been defeated— What was it Emery called them? Oh yeah, vampires. It sounded cooler than silver-skins, and Emery, Estrelle—Esther’s long-lost sister—and her son Ben, the witch-silver-skin hybrid, had all been brought home safely. But the biggest shocker was Rhys—Ben’s half-brother—deciding to turn his back on his heritage, especially as he was intended to be the leader of the silver-skins once he hit thirty and “lost his soul.”

Emery had just said he had to learn to be fourteen.

That he had to learn to be a child was all sorts of fucked up, and I was so relieved he was here and safe in Phoenix’s pack, even if it would take some adjustment. In fact, he'd just had his first ever birthday party when he turned fifteen, and the whole pack had celebrated.

Rhys was living with Ben, Isla, and her mate Matthew, and Ben’s human stepsister Callie while they all worked it out. They were living in Phoenix’s pack since my badass sister Isla—even though she was a bear-shifter like me and not a wolf—was beta commander of Phoenix’s pack.

Which brought me around to my own pack. Or what was left of it. Bears weren’t the same as wolves. The alpha heir didn’t automatically assume control at thirty years of age. In bear packs it was the age of the alpha that determined succession, and I knew if my father hadn’t just been killed by the silver-skins, he would have clung on to the pack with his claws as long as no one challenged him.

The trouble was, I didn’t want it. Isla would always make a better alpha than me, but because bear shifter packs were still very misogynistic, as a female, she couldn’t be alpha while my father was alive, and she didn’t want to be now.

Not that there was much left of the pack my father had just about destroyed. Fewer than fifty bears now took shelter with Phoenix and his wolves, and while technically, I had become the alpha upon my father’s death, I had no idea what to do about it. The bears called me their alpha, but I wasn’t, really.

I was struggling, and I knew why. I wasn't a leader. Phoenix oozed authority. I just tried to fade into the background. Maybe Dad wouldn't have been as bad if I'd ever tried to be any sort of an alpha.

No, he would have been the same rotten, selfish asshole I'd always known.

I lifted my head at the sound of a car. As far as every human knew, the forestry commission was felling trees, and the area would be restricted for some time. I didn’t recognize the beat-up Honda that appeared, but I knew the scent of the single occupant. Danny. Emery’s human assistant when he used to be a kindergarten teacher, one of Emery’s best friends, and…my mate.

Not that anyone else knew that, and definitely not that I intended to do anything about it, and not just because Danny was human. He might’ve known about shifters, but I wasn’t in any position to take a mate when the whole pathetic being alpha of a disbanded pack took precedence.

Except, he was gorgeous.

And breathtaking as usual as he opened the car door. “Hi, Teddy,” he hummed, using the nickname only he called me that I was sure was a put-down. I couldn’t bring myself to care, too pleased to see him. “Lift the barrier, please.”

Danny was a little taller than Emery, but not by much. He assured me he was five feet six inches, but I called bullshit on that. But compared to my six-three and my wide girth, he seemed tiny. Because I didn’t jump to obey him, he scowled and folded his arms, ready to do battle. “I’m going to see Emery. He’s not answering his phone.”

I took in his battle-ready stance and flashing blue-gray eyes and his light brown hair that had added blond highlights. Today there was some pink in there too, and I couldn’t help the slow smile. I wanted to carry him off to my den, spoil him, adore him. I was already completely besotted with him, but most of the time when he came to visit, he barely even smiled at me.

“They’re not to be disturbed unless it’s a dire emergency.”

“It is a dire emergency,” Danny said. “It’s a catastrophe.”

I shook my head. “I can take you to Esther or Isla or anyone else, but you can’t disturb the alpha or the alpha-mate.”

I actually thought steam would come out of Danny’s ears. “Look, you great fleabag, I’m one of Em’s besties. You can’t—”

“He’s in heat.” I could feel my face flush as I said it, and the twinge of envy that accompanied the words. It shut Danny up, though. When an omega went into heat, then their mate would likely go into rut, and no one would dare be around Phoenix when that happened. That was the other reason I’d left the packhouse. Draven, Phoenix’s dad, had established a no-go area around the packhouse, and the whole pack stayed well away.

“You mean that marathon sex-fest?”

I frowned because Danny could denigrate and insult me all he liked, but I wouldn’t allow him to disrespect my alphas. “If by that insult you mean a biological imperative that’s survived millennia, then yes.” At least he had the grace to flush, and I tried not to let my body react to the gorgeous way his cheeks took on a rosy hue. Desperately wishing there had been another reason for it and feeling guilty because he was a human and wouldn’t understand how important our traditions are, I added, “Is there something I can help you with?”

“I doubt it,” Danny muttered, and my heart panged a second time.

“I can let you in if you want to visit Esther?” She hadn’t been out for a while, and in my opinion, a visitor would be a good distraction. He would have an escort, but he wouldn’t be aware of it.

I scented the wolf before he appeared, and my heart sank a second time. And sure enough, Kasim, one of our new gammas, loped into view and immediately shifted when he saw Danny.

And obviously, shifted meant naked. I saw the startled look on Danny’s face quickly morph into appreciation. I knew Kasim saw it as well, and while he nodded a greeting, he went to the small hut by the barrier where spare clothes were kept.

Well, for the wolves, anyway. None of the clothes would fit me.