Taming the Alphas: Part One: Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance (2 page)

“Todd? Whoa! I can’t believe it! What are you doing here?” I asked. “It’s so good to see you!” Todd had worked with me as a camp counselor at Camp Rocky. He was the only male who had been bitten and turned into a werewolf by the Vlodiks, then saved by the Lycans.

Though we had lived at the Lycans’ complex, Camp Vickers, for a good part of the summer, I had found it rough to adjust to my new environment. Unlike me, Todd had seemed to embrace the experience, relishing the outdoors and what being a werewolf offered him.

“Hey, it’s awesome to see you too,” Todd said, “this is one of the last classes I need to graduate and...”

Todd’s voice was interrupted by the Professor. “Would you two like to carry on your conversation elsewhere or…?”

“Oh, sorry,” I said, grimacing. Damn, another strike against me with this professor. Todd and I stopped chatting as the professor’s voice droned on. Every so often, we’d exchange glances. I kept reminding myself to focus on the professor’s words, but what a yummy distraction Todd was. Finally the class was over, but neither one of us moved.

“You look so, ah, different…” my eyes flicked over his body, resting on the delicious looking tats that played against his skin.

“Yeah, well I cleaned up a bit.”

“You sure did,” I said. The last time I’d seen Todd, he was running around Camp Vickers sporting a scruffy beard and long, straggly hair. Now he was clean-shaven with a tousled, short bed head look, and his tats—geez. I couldn’t help but lick my lips. “What about those?” I pointed to his ink, “That’s some body art!”

“Oh you like?” he smiled. “I got these when I was waiting for final processing from the government. It was so boring waiting around doing nothing, and I’d always wanted some tats.”

I thought about the processing. When Caleb told the government the truth about the Lycan werewolf clan living at Camp Vickers they had stepped in. We’d had the choice to be assimilated back into society; otherwise we could stay at the camp. Those of us who decided to leave camp had to undergo extensive physical and emotional screening to make sure we were not going to run around biting people.

“I wish the government had told the public the truth about us instead of trying to hide everything.”

“Yeah,” Todd said. “I guess they were afraid of riots from people or something. If they had just presented the facts, that as werewolves we are in control and not harmful, I think it would have been better for everyone. Anyway, it is what it is.” As he shrugged, a few strands of sandy blonde hair dangled over his eye. It made him look even sexier, if that was possible.

“Um, I guess,” I said, shaking my head, trying not to stare. “It just makes it harder on all of us.”

“You are looking pretty damn fine Beverly,” Todd winked, changing the subject as he looked me up and down. I could feel a little of the tension release from my shoulders, and a tingle rushed through my loins. Todd had always been a cutie, but somehow the addition of the tats and the whole Camp Vickers experience just made him that much hotter. I could just imagine how being a werewolf added to his natural sexual prowess, and it was all I could do to keep myself from looking down at the front of his pants and visualizing what his cock looked like. But, I could guess… I ran my tongue over my lips at the thought of it.

“Aside from taking classes, what have you been up to? Are you and Dave still together?”

“Yeah, Dave and I are living together.” My mind flashed to the handsome, muscular wereman with the hard jaw and steely gray eyes. “We have a two bedroom apartment near campus. It’s nothing fancy, but it works.”

Todd nodded. “That’s good. My apartment is a dump. The drains keep getting clogged and the sewage backs up.”

“Yuck,” I grimaced, “that sounds awful.”

“Yeah, it sucks,” Todd said. “Is Dave taking classes or working?”

“He’s been looking for a job, but no luck yet. The idea was for him to support us till I graduated, but I may have to start looking for something myself; money is really tight. What about you? Are you working?”

“I got a job as a restaurant manager. We’re overstaffed now, but I may be able to come up with something for you or Dave in the future. I have always liked Dave, he’s a good guy. I got to know him pretty well when Caleb appointed us temporary alphas of the Lycan clan when his sons were gone.”

“Are you still with Kara?” I asked, thinking of the older Lycan werewoman who Todd had been dating at Camp Vickers.

“Nah, we broke it off a while ago. I haven’t dated much since.” Todd glanced at his watch. “I would love to chat, but I don’t have that option. I am opening the restaurant today so I have to get to work, but maybe we could all get together sometime. It would be great to spend some time with you and Dave.”

“That sounds like a plan. Dave told me I need to relax more.” I had been feeling especially tense lately, getting back into the rhythm of school and worrying if I could keep up with the course work. Then, there was the headache of the government trying to keep werewolves a secret. This led to protestors who suspected the truth, thanks to leaks within government offices. The protestors were positive we existed and were demanding the authorities come clean about us. They wanted us locked up.

“It would be fun to get together and catch up over a beer or two; maybe go for a run after. I need the release, but with my crazy schedule, I haven’t been able to let my wolf out in a while.”

“Awesome,” Todd said. “I could use a run too.” Though he was trying to be subtle, I could feel Todd’s eyes taking in my curves again. “It was great seeing you.”

“And it was great to see you too, Todd.”

“I’ll catch you later. Be sure to talk to Dave about getting together.”

“I will, Todd.” As we stood up to go, Todd pulled me towards him for a hug. Pressing against him felt so good. I felt a rush of excitement as he pushed his body into mine. He was so firm and had a fresh, clean smell with just a little bit of animal mixed in—so damn yummy. I could feel the bulge through his jeans press against me as his muscular arms pulled me even closer. I held him just a few seconds longer than I should have. God, I wanted him. I pulled back and looked in his eyes. He returned my gaze, his crystal blue eyes thoughtful and probing. Slowly, he released me.

“I … I best get going Todd, I will see you around.” This was craziness—as boring as the professor had been, I couldn’t wait for the next class. I wanted to see Todd again—and soon.

As I left him standing there, I felt pangs of guilt. How could I have such a strong desire for him when I was deeply in love with Dave?

The Maryland campus is over 1,000 acres, but thankfully my apartment complex was only a short walking distance from many of the main buildings. I was tired and ready to get home, grab something to eat, and chill for a bit. Later this week I knew I was going to have to hit the books, but for now I needed to ease back into school slowly.

It was a pretty day and the leaves were starting to turn, the warm colors swirled in the trees. I loved Maryland in the fall. The air was a little cool, so I pulled my black Maryland hoodie over my head to take the chill off. Rounding the corner, I walked by the main strip near the campus. There were a lot of businesses that catered to the college crowd: restaurants, banks, a copy center, an electronics shop, and more lined the main and side streets.

I had a few dollars left on an old gift card in my purse for the coffee shop. I decided to stop and get a latte, the hot liquid would warm me up. I placed my order and dug into my backpack to pull out my BPA-free ‘to go’ mug for them to fill. I always used it; one less paper cup for the landfill, I was a biology major, after all.

As I stepped to the side to wait for my order, I could hear a group of people gathered at one of the tables nearby. My ears perked up when I heard them mention the word ‘werewolves,’ but I didn’t dare turn around and let them see me. They would likely recognize me from the photos in the media as one of the camp counselors.

“…we all know the government is lying about this, and I believe some may be right here at the University,” a deep male voice said.

“I just don’t know how they can get away with this. I mean, where is their common sense—letting werewolves into society—geez!” a shrill voice chimed in.

“Hey, no one knows for sure that they are werewolves, or that they are even here.”

“I told you before. I have heard it first hand from a friend that works in the part of the government that processed the Camp Vickers people. Those Camp Vickers counselors have been turned into wolves and they are very capable of turning us into wolves too!” the shrill voice said firmly.

“Come on Karen, wouldn’t that information be top secret and classified?”

“Yeah, Mark,” the girl replied, “but she’s a good friend. She knows I can be trusted with the information. And my friend said that at least two of them are students here.

“So, what the hell are we going to do?” another voice piped in. “Trevor, you organized us, what are the next steps?”

“Well, I didn’t have a chance to tell you all earlier, but I have good news. Calvin Peet has agreed to finance our WHO group.”

“Whoa … no kidding Trevor. That’s great news. That guy has money out the wazoo. I think he owns part of this town.”

“Cal not only owns a lot of real estate in this town, he has properties and land in many states nearby. The guy’s a multi-millionaire.”

“Yeah, we’re talking money to buy mace, finance trips to the capitol to stage protests, weapons … whatever we need to fight these monsters. He’s paying!”

I gasped as I listened to the man they called Trevor talk. Oh my God—mace … weapons … this was awful.

“Now, we can’t kill them or we’ll wind up in jail, but maybe we can rough them up a little. Plus, Cal has some thoughts in mind for them.”

“What’s he got planned for these monsters, Trevor?”

“Too early to say, but we’ve been talking and it sounds like he has some promising ideas and…”

“Beverly C.?” I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard my name called. Did someone recognize me? Then, I realized the guy behind the counter was calling my name as he pointed to my mug. I breathed a sigh of relief. I just prayed the group hadn’t heard him. Who knew what they would do if they figured out I was right there in the coffee shop with them? I grabbed the coffee and headed for the door.

I pulled my head a little deeper into the hoodie and peered out from the edge of the fabric as I walked past the students. There was a tall, skinny blonde with a beaky nose, a dark haired guy with a buzz cut, a red haired woman with tats poking out from the top of her tee, a dorky looking guy who would probably look cute if not for his oversized eye glasses, and a few others.

Happily, they were so engrossed in conversation they didn’t notice me. The rest of the way home I freaked out a little bit. The more I thought about it, the more I hoped it was just a bunch of kids who were all worked up about something. Hopefully it would blow over.

When I got back to the apartment complex Mrs. Oakley was standing in the lobby. “You got that rent money?”

She looked especially rough today. Her face powder was packed on her skin and she wore red lipstick, but her efforts to pretty herself up were not working. The powder was flaking off her dry skin and the bright lipstick just made her lips look thin and cracked. I answered her, trying to sound friendly. All I needed was for her to throw Dave and I out and leave us on the street. “I’m waiting on a check. I am sure it will be here soon.”

Narrowing her eyes she shook her head, “It had better be. I got a line-up of students who want that apartment and they have the money. You are out the door if you continue to pay late and I will be keeping the security deposit.”

“It will be here soon,” I repeated as I walked to the elevator. I would say anything to appease her and get her off my back. I hoped the check would get here fast. The government sent each of us werewolves a small payment that covered just enough for rent and a few essentials. It wasn’t supposed to be a bribe, but it was hush money. If we told anyone about our existence, we would no longer get the checks and we would probably find our asses in the slammer somewhere out in the middle of nowhere.

People like Mrs. Oakley pissed me off though. I hated giving her the rent check every month. The apartment we rented from her was in desperate need of repairs, and when we moved in, it had needed a deep cleaning. But she just didn’t care. It was a captive market. If we didn’t rent it, another student would. It was close to campus and all that was available at the time, so we didn’t have much of a choice.

I pressed the button on the elevator. “Damn it!” I pushed it a few more times with the same lack of results. It was broken again. Turning away to the stairwell, I climbed up the six flights of stairs to apartment #631, the place I shared with Dave.

I dropped my backpack on the floor, tossed my pocketbook on the kitchen table, pulled off my hoodie, kicked off my shoes, and joined Dave in the kitchen. He was leaning into the fridge looking for food that wasn’t there.

“Hey baby, how was class?”

“It was good and bad. The Professor was pretty sucky. But guess what? The Toddster was there!”

“You mean Todd from camp?”

“Yep, that Todd. He said he would like to get together sometime.”

“I like Todd a lot. Let’s make something happen. You know my schedule, set something up the next time you see him.”

Unfortunately, I did know Dave’s schedule. It was completely open. There was no job, no class, no nothing.