Page 9 of Alpha Bully

I try to keep my emotions in check while Harper enjoys her snack and chatters with Callum. I must admit, he’s better with her than I would have imagined.

“Cute kid,” he says, tearing me from my thoughts. “Her dad a shifter?”

Although his voice is level, there’s a strange undercurrent to his tone, and I find myself turning red under the scrutiny in his expression. I nod, grabbing the empty plates and taking them to the sink. “Mmm, I don’t really like talking about it.”

With my back to him at the sink, I hold my breath, praying that he’ll drop the subject. For a moment, I think he’s going to push me on it, but thankfully, Harper’s babbling seems to break the spell, and although I hear him let out a frustrated sigh, he doesn’t say anything more. At least, not for now.

I wash the dishes, just grateful for something to do, and then Callum offers to show us to the spare room. We climb a wide wooden staircase that leads to a hallway with several doors on either side. My jaw drops as he opens one of them to reveal a large suite complete with what looks like a walk-in closet, an ensuite bathroom, and king-size bed that looks out over the treetops outside.

"It's yours for now," Callum says softly as he sets Harper down on the plush carpeting in front of the window seat. "Do you mind sharing?”

I have to force my mouth not to hang open, shaking my head. “N-no, we always share,” I reply, smiling as Harper skips to the bed and throws herself on it. Tears prick my eyes as I see how happy she is to be somewhere so comfortable. “Thank you, this is too much. We’ll be out of your way in no time.”

Something unreadable flashes across his face before he replies, “Let’s just see if it’s safe first. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need.” He pauses at the door. “Dinner’s at seven, get some rest. I’m sure it’s been a long time since you got any sleep.”

My instinct is to tell him we’re fine, maybe offer to do some cleaning or something. Anything to make myself useful. But I glance back at Harper on the bed, already yawning, and the pull to be close to her is overwhelming. I’m about to answer when the doorbell rings; suddenly, I feel nervous, hyper-aware that I’m right back where I don’t want to be.

Better than being at the mercy of the Collinses, though.

Callum seems to sense my tension as he nods reassuringly. “That will be my betas. We were obviously spotted coming into town. I messaged them anyway. Those wolves looked like rogues, and were too close to town for my liking.” Pausing, he adds, “We can talk about that later. What do you want me to say to Charlie?”

“Nothing,” I reply quickly. “I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”

Callum stares at me for a moment before relenting. “Fine. I don’t think that will hold long, though.”

“I won’t be here long,” I retort as he closes the door.

Once alone with Harper, I almost wish I hadn’t been short with him, but the thought of seeing Charlie makes my heart break.

There was a time when I loved my big brother more than anything in the world, and I thought he loved me. And then he turned his back on me, shunning me. I can understand why he wanted to get away from our parents, but I can’t forgive him for abandoning me.

I walk over to Harper, who is already snuggled down on the bed, fully clothed. Looking through to the bathroom, I consider how amazing it will be to give her a proper bath, but it can wait. I lie down next to her and pull her close to me. As she falls asleep, I tell her our familiar bedtime story about our perfect house, a life full of friends and happiness. Lying on the soft blanket in a warm, safe bedroom, for a moment, I could almost fool myself into thinking that it was true.

Chapter 6 - Callum

I stand on the raised deck, watching Ava and Harper below in the garden. Although it’s unfenced and borders the vast forest behind, they never stray beyond the lawned area, always remaining within easy reach of the house.

They’ve been here nearly a week now, and Ava is still tiptoeing around the house. Being in the garden feels like a massive step. She’s scared, alright. I just can’t tell if it’s fear of the wolves she was fleeing or worry about seeing pack members that’s got her spooked.

I’ve tried talking to her, and I see glimpses of the girl I once knew, but it’s buried under layers of fear and secrets. Having coffee in the kitchen yesterday when Harper was having a nap, it was almost like that summer. Our perfect summer. She was laughing at my attempts to fix the malfunctioning coffee pot that keeps leaking; somehow, I only made it worse. For a brief moment, my wolf felt the kind of peace I’d almost forgotten existed like I was finally able to just be myself again.

But then I tried asking some questions about Harper and where they’ve been living. Ava clammed up so fast that it was almost as if I could see the walls being physically raised before my eyes, and the moment was lost.

Watching Ava now, it’s so easy to remember that summer and how at ease I felt with her. How easy it is to want that feeling again. But what really has my attention right now, is Harper. She’s a cute kid, for sure. But it’s more than that. I haven’t thought too much about wanting pups; I figure there’s plenty of time for that. I don’t even have a mate, after all. I haven’t even spent much time with very young pups, usually struggling to find anything to say to the ones in the pack who look up at me with wonder when I tower over them. But something about Harper feels different. From the moment I saw her in the forest, my wolf feels compelled to care for her—perhaps it’s just an extension of how I feel toward Ava.

I find myself irrationally hating that Harper has a father somewhere out there, someone whohadAva—had what was mine.

I concentrate on what Harper is showing Ava, a bunch of flowers and leaves. But that’s not what interests me. It’s the way sparks surround the tiny bouquet. At first, I wonder if it’s a trick of the light, but as I watch, it happens again. Ava crouches down, whispering something to her, and I see her holding Harper’s hands.

Coming from one of the few families that possess magic along with our wolves, I recognize fellow magic when I see it. Harper’s father must have had the gift, as I know Ava doesn’t. I watch Ava desperately trying to calm Harper’s magic. She doesn’t know I’m watching, but I can see her glancing nervously around. Perhaps that’s why they don’t stray too far from the house. It makes me wonder again who Harper’s father is.

Ava is vague about her age, and the child is very thin, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she looks so young that she must have been conceived after she left the pack. After I rejected her, she must have run straight into someone else’s arms. The thought pisses me off more than it should. I’ve been with other women since she left, more than I’d like to admit, but the hypocrisy doesn’t make me feel any differently.

I debate going down there and trying to talk to Ava about it again; she usually shuts down anything to do with Harper’s lineage. She must realize that won’t work forever. To be fair, though, I think her plan is still to leave as soon as possible. She might even have gone already if it weren’t for all the increased rogue activity on our borders. Word is, they’re looking for someone. A child. Ava went white as a sheet when I told her, and although she swears blind, there’s no reason anyone would want Harper, now that I’ve seen those sparks, I’m not so sure.

Although she still mentions leaving, I can see the trepidation in her eyes. I must be more of a bastard than I ever imagined, because my wolf wants her here, and if the only way to keep her is fear, then I’ll take it. But she can’t hide out here forever, locked away in the cabin. It won’t stop the whispers building around town.

An alert on my home system indicates Byron’s here to give me his update and pulls me from my thoughts. I buzz my beta through, tearing myself away from Ava and Harper. Byron stomps silently into the kitchen and heads straight for the pot of fresh coffee waiting on the island. I smirk, heading over to refill my own. He’s a hell of a friend and beta, but he’s useless in the mornings after patrol until he’s had his coffee.

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