Mated to Her Alpha Brother

Chapter Eight (edited)

CALLUM

I stood by Dad, offhandedly listening to the conversations he had with some men, my mind far from here, my eyes darting around the hall, searching. For what? I did not know for certain. Only that it made me anxious. Very, very anxious.

Peeking down at my watch, I almost groaned in agony at the time.

5:43

I really wanted to be here for Dove, I really did, but my wolf was driving me crazy. It took a lot of willpower not to succumb to its wild, crazed urges. Urges that had me raging at my inability to control them.

“You good there, son?” Dad asked, leaning into me to whisper.

I cleared my dry throat and gave a quick nod in reply. Though he was skeptical of my answer, he still nodded back—but with a look in his eye that said we’ll talk later.

“Excuse me for a second,” I said to him and the men around us, not even waiting for their reply before leaving.

The moment I stepped outside, into the comfort of the green grass and towering trees, I realized just how suffocated I had been in there. My shirt clung to my body, damp with sweat, and with quick movements, I yanked it off, exposing myself to the chilly air. But it still wasn’t enough to cool the heat building inside me. Heat that refused to go away, no matter how many cold showers I took. Heat that almost convinced me I was in rut. Only I knew I wasn’t. I was too tame to be in it.

5:50

Cracking my neck, I closed my eyes and welcomed the familiar sensation of shifting to my other counterpart. I fell onto all fours, dried leaves crunching beneath my paws as I delved deeper into the wilds.

I knew I should’ve shifted back and returned to that ballroom, should’ve been there when my little Dove made her entrance, should’ve been there to see Marmee because I missed her so… but I couldn’t go back in there, not in the condition I was in.

A soak in the lake was what I needed most right now. That, and a warm body to hold and fulfill all my desires with. But I did not want just anyone. A deep, gut-wrenching loneliness struck me then. And suddenly, I wanted my mate more than anything in the world. It felt like my oxygen supply had run short, like I could breathe no longer. Like I could live no longer if she wasn’t by my side. A longing so deep it physically hurt.

At times like this, I resented the Luna Goddess. I hated this gift of mates she bestowed on us that felt more like a curse than anything. I hated feeling incomplete and never content with anything. I hated this strong yearning that overwhelmed me sometimes. But other times, when I saw Marmee and Dad, and other people around the pack, my heart filled with warmth and longing at the heartfelt affections and love they had for one another. A feeling so pure and beautiful, it rekindled the faith I had in the Goddess. And it ignited my resolve for finding such happiness for myself too someday.

5:55

But at this particular moment, I just wanted to disappear into the bottom of the lake until this heat and longing disappeared. And that’s what I did. I jumped immediately, shifting back from my wolf mid-air before plunging into the cold lake, my legs kicking as I swam deeper and deeper into the water.

A peaceful tranquility overcame my once discomforting anxiety and loneliness. My eyes slipped closed as I let myself go. With my lung capacity, I could go without air for hours, so I worried not about drowning. Resigning myself to all troubles and worries, I sank away.

6:00

My eyes abruptly opened as I found my limbs working almost painfully to get me from the bottom of the lake, where the pressure would’ve killed me if I were human, to the surface. I knew not why I moved this fast, but something was calling me, and so strongly at that, I couldn’t even refuse it.

And with a splash, I was out, the muffled scents now fully blown. Something light and yet intoxicating found its way to me before its trace vanished again. In the short time it lingered, though, it had almost all the muscles in my body strung tight. My head swung left and right as I tried desperately to catch its trail. A trail that eluded me as if I had just imagined it all.

I growled, deep and dangerous, from within my chest as I took off in a random direction, shifting into my wolf along the way, knowing he had the advantage when it came to hunting. And boy, was I hunting right now. I was close. Closer than I’d ever been, and I’d be a fool not to make chase now.

I ran for what seemed like hours, in directions that proved no success, my frustration growing deeper, and sadness finally taking root. And just when my wolf began to let out quiet cries that would have had me dying of shame any other day, a low whimper sounded. Weak but determined.

My head snapped back in the opposite direction, waiting to listen, not knowing if my ears were playing tricks on me. And then, again. The whimper sounded—again and again—growing weaker and weaker with each cry.

My heart squeezed in pure elation when the scent found its way to me again, this time stronger. The scent that almost brought me to my knees with the sheer force of desire it awoke in me. It heated my body in the most pleasurable way, igniting a fire in me that had me running, pushing my wolf past our limits.

I howled back in response to its weakening cries, as if reassuring it that I was coming, that I wasn’t far. It howled back almost immediately, its voice now resonating with a strength that hadn’t been there before.

6:25

And suddenly, I breached past the trees into a clearing. My eyes and nose saw and smelled nothing but her.

A small wolf, the most beautiful shade of brown fur I’d ever seen, with big, beautiful brown doe eyes that reminded me of an innocent deer’s. She was perfection.

My heart clenched with the overwhelming need to give my all to her, to love every inch of her, to protect her with my dying breath. My fangs ached with the urge to sink into her, to mark her as mine, to drown her in my scent.

She was mine.

All of her was mine.

With a slight contraction of muscle, I suddenly leapt, crossing over the yard to stand directly in front of her. At this proximity, the slight citrusy undertone of her scent was so clear, her pheromones the most tantalizing thing I’d ever inhaled. With every breath, she filled me with more love than I knew my heart was capable of.

And I f*****g loved it.

I loved loving her with my all.

I lowered myself, burying my head against her side, brushing my fur against hers, my chest rumbling in pure pleasure. And suddenly, even that wasn’t enough.

I lunged, crashing into her, rolling her onto her back with me above her. I began to trail my snout over her, sniffing, inhaling every inch of her I had access to, wanting to do so much more. And just as I was about to—

A commotion broke through the haze.

Only now did I notice the crowd of hundreds watching. Some in excitement, others in awe. Some shying away to give us privacy, and others looking downright horrified.

But I did not care.

I would not be separated from her.

So I stood, nudging her softly to follow as I trudged ahead. I had barely taken a few steps when I noticed she had not followed. Turning back, I saw her collapsed on the ground, her limbs refusing to move.

I started toward her when, suddenly—

A massive brown wolf leapt in front of her, snarling at me.

Even as recognition hit me, I growled back.

Twice as loud.

And at that moment, I did not see the father I loved.

I did not see the Alpha I respected.

Only a barrier standing between me and my mate.

My muscles tensed, my claws digging into the earth, my entire body thrumming with the instinct to eliminate the threat between us. The urge was so strong, so primal, that I nearly acted on it. I nearly attacked my own Alpha just to get to her.

And I would have.

By the Goddess, I would have attacked—

If not for the sudden cry that pierced through the tense, suffocating air.

“STOP IT! STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!”

Marmee.

Her voice struck me like a lightning bolt to the chest, the raw emotion in her tone snapping me out of the dangerous spiral I was falling into.

My breath hitched as my mind caught up with what was happening.

What I had almost done.

Marmee’s voice trembled with distress, her body sagging as she clutched at her stomach. Her breathing was uneven, tears glistening in her wide, panicked eyes as she stared at us—at me—in pure disbelief.

Guilt hit me hard and fast, like a slap across the face.

I wanted to go to her, to soothe her, to tell her I hadn’t meant to let things get this far.

But I also wanted to run to my mate, to wrap her in my arms and never let her go.

I was torn—a battle raging inside me between the two forces pulling me in opposite directions.

In my hesitation, Dad—Alpha—released a deep, rumbling growl, this time sending his voice directly into my mind through our shared link.

A link we rarely ever used unless the situation was critical.

“SHIFT FOR ME, BOY.”

The Alpha Command coated his words, thick and suffocating.

And although his commands did not work on me, something compelled me to obey.

Something deep, primal, unshakable.

I resisted for only a second before I felt my bones c***k, my form shifting back into my human self. A warrior rushed forward, handing me a pair of shorts, and a quick sniff reassured me they were brand new. Quickly slipping them on, I faced my Alpha once more, my confusion now mixed with irritation at his actions.

Why was he separating me from her?

Why was he keeping me from my mate?

I opened my mouth to demand answers—

But suddenly, Marmee collapsed.

Dad shifted back instantly, his focus snapping to her as he rushed to her side.

And just like that, my mate was visible to me once more.

My heart soared at the sight of her.

But something was wrong.

She was frozen in place, her eyes wide—unnaturally wide.

Frowning, I took a step toward her, but she reacted as if I had struck her, dragging herself backward with weak, trembling limbs before disappearing into the green fabric pooled around her.

My chest tightened painfully.

Why was she hiding from me?

My feet moved on instinct, stepping toward her, but before I could get close, Dad’s voice rang out again—this time harsher, colder than before.

“Don’t go near her.”

I stopped.

His voice held a threat sharper than any blade.

And this time, I bristled.

I turned to face him, almost mad with confusion, my body trembling with unrestrained frustration.

“Why?” I wanted to ask. Why are you keeping me from her?

But before I could speak, a soft, eerie sound reached my ears.

The creaking of bones.

The unmistakable sound of a shift.

My attention snapped back to her instantly, my breath catching in my throat as I watched in awe, anticipation coiling tightly in my gut.

I waited.

I ached to see her.

To touch her.

To finally hold her in my arms.

And then, she emerged.

Her back was to me at first, her beautiful brown curls cascading down in soft waves. The green dress clung to her perfectly, accentuating every graceful movement she made. My fingers twitched with the overwhelming need to touch.

To feel the warmth of her skin beneath my hands.

I took a step toward her, unable to resist the pull, but then—

She turned.

And I balked, frozen mid-step.

Everything fell into place.

Everything made sense.

My father.

Marmee.

The horrified looks.

The sheer shock on every face in the crowd.

Because my beautiful, perfect, precious mate—

Was my little sister, Dove.