Craving the Alpha: Part One: BBW Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance (Lycan Lovers) (4 page)

Within seconds, Markus was at my side, licking my hand and sniffing the air near me. He planted his massive body in front of my feet and sat down on his haunches. Dorian was padding around all of the girls, inhaling their scent and running his meaty tongue along any bare skin he could find, but when he saw Markus had selected me, he loped over, sitting down between the two of us. Startled, I jumped back when Markus let out a loud growl, snarling at Dorian. Hissing, he rose up on his powerful legs as he glared at Dorian, his eyes flaring with rage.

“Markus,” Caleb snapped, “get a grip. Now either pick someone else or sit back down.”

Markus paused for a moment then slowly sat down. I could feel the anger emanating from his wolf. Yet, there was a little bit of giddiness inside me. Here were not one, but two hot men who wanted me. No, not hot men—hot wolves; two hot wolves that wanted me. Hot men, hot wolves … my brain was having trouble disseminating it all. The fact that Markus and Dorian had both picked me over any of the other girls was crazy. That I actually got a thrill in the pit of my stomach because they picked me was even crazier. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Beverly giving me the stink eye. Even here she wanted all the attention.

Seeing that Markus and Dorian had both made their picks the other wolves couldn’t contain themselves any longer and scrambled to claim their potential rut mate. Michael did not hesitate. He padded over to Lisa and began caressing her arm with his nose. I guess he got enough scent from biting her jeans to know what he wanted.

Within the next few minutes, all of the wolves had made their decisions and were hunkered down near their chosen mate. Kaitlyn’s wolf Trent boasted a flame colored pelt that matched her own crimson tresses. Michael was contentedly crouched down in front of Lisa. There were two wolves in front of Beverly, one a wiry, mangy cream-colored creature and the other a powerfully built smoky gray. And both Markus and Dorian, the most strapping wolves and in line to be the next alphas after Caleb, had picked me. I looked over at Shelby. There was an empty spot next to her. And from the startled expression on her face, it looked like she did not know whether to laugh or cry that she had not been chosen.

Caleb gave Markus and Dorian a quizzical look. “You understand by choosing the same woman you risk not having a mate as only one of you will be selected,” he said. “There is no sharing, not even by my sons. You know the rules.” Both Markus and Dorian eyeballed him back determinedly; neither budged. Then, Caleb turned his attention to the two wolves in front of Beverly. “Are you really willing to give up the chance to mate if you are not selected?” He raised an eyebrow, giving the animals a quizzical look. The mangy, cream-colored wolf hesitated for a moment then gave an exasperated gasp. He got off his haunches, trotting over to Shelby’s side.

“Very good,” Caleb said approvingly. “It seems we have all made our decisions now.” He directed his gaze towards me. “Kristen, which of my boys will be your mate? It’s your turn to decide now.

I hesitated. “I-I, uh, d-don’t know,” I said, stumbling over my words and trying to think fast.

“Well,” Caleb said, eyeing me determinedly, “as much as I would like to give you all the time in the world, there is a full moon tomorrow night and you will be turning into
your
wolf. You will need to have time before that to bond with your protector. You need to make a decision
now
,” he lifted his wrist, looking down at his watch. “I will give you one minute to decide.
Who’s it gonna be?”

CHAPTER FOUR

As we trudged back to the infirmary from the meeting hall we quietly discussed the idea of making a run for it. But when Beverly, who had studied wolves in one of her bio classes, explained how fast a wolf pack could travel and how deadly they could be, we had to dismiss the idea. There had to be some way we could escape this nightmare, but for now we decided to play along. Back in the infirmary, we all slept fitfully. I tossed and turned, wondering if I had made the right choice and how we would ever get out of here. I could hear several of the girls sniffling and sobbing in their beds. Caleb said that bonding with our wolf would start tomorrow and it was frightening to think about.

In the morning, Kara, the woman who had been licking my neck the previous day, led us to the large dining hall. We nervously shuffled into the cabin for a communal breakfast. The room was comfortably appointed with a number of four to twelve seat tables and chairs. Against the wall was a luscious looking breakfast display.

“Well, I don’t think they plan to starve us,” Shelby muttered as her eyes swept over the breakfast feast. She tucked a strand of dishwater blond hair behind her ear and picked up one of the simple white plates by the buffet.

“I’m starving!” Todd exclaimed.

Just like easy going Todd to think of food at a time like this, but hey, my stomach was rumbling also. I had to admit the food and drink did look delicious. Large, stainless steel urns held coffee and hot water. There was a selection of teas near the urns with my favorite, English breakfast, along with Earl Grey and herbal varieties. Frosty pitchers of juice and milk were near generously sized white, porcelain mugs; platters of eggs, several types of meat and vegetables, and biscuits tantalized in metal buffet warming trays. Near the serving dishes there was a nice mixture of plump berries, apples, oranges and other fruits. Even though my stomach was in knots, I could still eat. I can always eat—even more when I am stressed, and I piled my plate with scrambled eggs, and fruit.

After we ate, the weremen from the night before came in the dining hall to claim us in their man. Though I instantly recognized my wolf, the other girls had never seen their potential mates in human form and I knew it had to be very awkward for them.

As the men introduced themselves, it was startling to see how much they resembled their wolf. Lisa’s burly black and white wolf, Michael, turned out to be a baby-faced guy with thick dark hair and a boxy physique. Shelby’s wolf Sam had a calm reserve and sported a goatee along with a number of large tats. Kaitlyn’s wolf Trent was the opposite of Sam. He was a bundle of nervous energy, constantly in motion. His lustrous, red human hair matched Kaitlyn’s—the same color as his mane in wolf. Beverly’s salt and pepper wolf Dave, was an attractive lanky man with a hard jaw, deep-set eyes, and a cunning, yet serious expression on his face.

“Good morning, Kristen,” my wolf said, sliding into the seat next to mine. “Would you like to go for a walk? As we got up from our seats I thought about the events of the night before.

“Kristen, decide now,” Caleb said firmly. I could hear pack members behind him noisily chattering; making guesses on which brother I would select.

My mind was swimming as surges of hot and cold flashed through my body. My stomach was in knots and I stifled the urge to heave. Not only did my body feel horrible, but the whole experience seemed surreal. Was I really deciding between two half men, half wolves? This was insane. Feeling a twinge, I touched my sore neck. Oh geez it was so real. I just had to keep from fainting, choose a wolf, and later I could figure out what to do. I knew I had to make a decision. Trying to stay in control, I eyed the two wolves.

There was something about Markus I found very appealing. The way his warm cognac colored eyes had gazed into mine the day I woke in the infirmary, the gentle way he stroked my neck, and the moment I first saw him again at the meeting hall in his wolf, I’d felt a strong, powerful connection between us. But the way he’d lashed out so fiercely at his brother when he had also chosen me was startling. The terrifying way he had glared at Dorian when Caleb said he had fought the Vlodik clan bravely … it seemed like he had issues. And, he was so brawny and forceful it was frightening. Dorian, on the other hand, seemed easy going, and he truly was beautiful. And who was I fooling? Markus was probably like many of the bad boys I had dated in the past. It had never worked out then, why would it work out now? How would I focus and get out of this place with that hot blooded he wolf around me all the time? I didn’t want to fall in the bad boy trap again. Common sense would say that Dorian was the right choice. And yet … I gazed over at the crowd’s expectant faces. They couldn’t wait to see who I would choose. I just didn’t know. First I thought Markus, then Dorian. My mind was clicking back and forth.

“I know it has to be hard Kristen,” Shelby said, quietly nodding in Lisa’s direction, “but please, do it so we can get this over with.” Lisa had beads of sweat on her flushed forehead. Her hands were visibly shaking. It looked like she was ready to collapse into a puddle at any second.

Markus growled, pulling my attention to him. His pelt was bristling and his eyes were once again dark and angry as he gave Dorian a cold, hard look. Dorian on the other hand, seemed calm and relaxed, coated in pure, snowy fur, his eyes shining.

I shuddered, “But I …” my voice trailed off as Caleb interrupted me.

“Now Kristen, give us your decision.”

I gazed out into the crowd. I noticed that Kara, the woman who had licked my neck, was discreetly pointing towards Dorian. Her finger lightly cocked in his direction as she nodded her head. That’s it. I had made up my mind.

“Dorian,” I said softly, “I choose Dorian.” I said it again loudly this time so everyone could hear me. A few people in the crowd cheered while others shook their heads. Dorian started marching around the room, his head and tail held high like a peacock preening. Marcus turned to me, his expression one of great sadness. Then, he gave a low guttural growl, almost a hiss. The hackles on his neck rose as he turned his back towards us and sprinted from the room, his massive body running faster than could be imagined for one his size. Kara went running after him.

“Foolish she-wolf,” Caleb said out loud as he watched Kara run from the room. “Just because Kristen did not choose him does not mean he will want her now.” My face flushed as I realized Kara had pointed me towards Dorian for her own personal benefit.

Dorian interrupted my thoughts. “Kristen, Kristen, what are you daydreaming about?” He didn’t wait for my answer but started walking. “Come on, I will give you a tour.”

The idea of a walk to clear my head and get more of a feel for my surroundings sounded good. As we strolled, I was struck by how vast and well developed the property was. There were a number of cabins, a large pavilion and several abundant vegetable gardens. I decided my best plan would be to learn all about where I was. Then maybe I could figure out how to get out of here. With that in mind, I turned to Dorian. “I was wondering about this place, Dorian. I mean how did all this come to be here?” I said, waving my hands at the cabins.

“It’s an amazing place, isn’t it,” Dorian said proudly. “Most of this was built in the late 1800’s and completed in the early 1900’s. My great, great grandfather, Thom Vickers, was a frequent visitor to the Great Camps in the Adirondacks. He modeled our compound, Vickers Retreat, after them,” Dorian said.

“The Great Camps,” I asked, “I’ve never heard of them.”

“The Great Camps were building complexes in the Adirondack Mountains where the wealthy would go to relax and enjoy the simple life,” Dorian grinned, flashing his buttery eyes. “In actuality, there wasn’t much roughing going on. They would often arrive overloaded with trunks of clothes, fancy china, wine, and even butlers to enjoy the wilderness. When Thom Vickers vacationed at several of them and saw the money pouring in, he saw an opportunity. He had amassed a fortune in the railroad business and decided to build a rustic, yet luxurious retreat that would rival them in the Maryland Mountains. He envisioned a place where the very rich would come to relax and spend their money. He would continue to prosper while providing his family a safe haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city. He began buying up property, eventually purchasing hundreds of acres of land here in Maryland and adjoining land in Pennsylvania.”

“Well, it is gorgeous,” I admitted. And it was. The thick, green foliage dabbled with the sun was the perfect backdrop for a home away from home. A meandering stream in the distance added to the ambience. Thom Vickers had chosen the right place to build his ‘get away from it all’ vacation sanctuary.”

“There are over one hundred buildings here,” Dorian continued, “the main communal buildings include the dining hall, meeting lodge for pack councils, a few offices, and the infirmary, where you were when you arrived. The meeting lodge has a dance floor and a bar so we hold dances there when it rains and in the winter time. In the summer, our dances are usually in the outdoor pavilion over there,” he added, pointing off into the distance.

“So, did people come from far and wide to rough it at Hotel Vickers?” I asked.

“We call it Vickers Retreat or Camp Vickers,” Dorian corrected. “But, no, the place was never used as a resort. Around the time it was supposed to open, all hell broke loose.”

“All hell broke loose?” I asked, quizzically.

“Yes. Thom’s son, my great grandfather, came back from his rehab at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C. He had been in the war…” Dorian’s voice grew solemn as he added, “once he came back, things were never the same. But that’s another story.” Dorian shrugged it off. “Well, continuing our tour,” he said, rounding a corner. “We have over a hundred smaller buildings. These were originally intended to be guest dwellings and this is where our families live now.” He paused in front of a small log cabin. “And,” he added, giving me a wicked grin, “this is our little love nest. The place where you and I get to know one another,” he said, winking as his eyes roamed my body, “if you know what I mean.”

Geez, had I misread Dorian or what. His father had painted him out to be Mr. Courage but he was coming across like a teenage boy in heat. If Dorian was trying to be sexy, I wasn’t having it. I mean, the guy was friggin’ hot, but his grinning leer and comment were pretty presumptuous, making him seem like the big man on campus who thought they could have whatever girl they wanted.

“Just kidding,” Dorian said, catching the frown on my face, “I guess that wasn’t too funny seeing as you just got here.”

“No, it wasn’t,” I said sharply. “It’s bad enough to be here and I, I…” I couldn’t help myself. Suddenly, tears starting flowing and I was sobbing like a baby. Dorian put his arms around my shoulders and led me into the cabin.

“Look, you lay down there,” he said, pointing to a tan sofa, “I’ll, um, get you some tea.”

I laid my head on the sofa pillow and tried to quiet my sobs. I knew I was blubbering like an idiot. I could feel the panic starting to rise. Squeezing my eyes shut, I reached for my stars and moon pendant and rubbed it, willing the feeling of dread away. But, I couldn’t stop crying. And when I heard a door slam shut, I cried even harder.