Resisting The Alpha (Werebear Shifter Romance) (The Crane Curse) (2 page)

"Nice house," Abel said quietly as he leaned towards Faith. "Is that where you live?"

Faith's throat went dry and she tried to swallow to clear it. She couldn't remember the last time someone spoke to her and she quickly looked around to make sure he wasn't talking to someone else.

He raised his eyebrows as if saying he was waiting for an answer. "No," she said, her voice barely a whisper. When his eyebrows didn't lower, she cleared her throat then spoke clearer. "No, I wish."

The bell rang and Faith grabbed her things, cradling her books in her arms and stood to leave. She wished she had more time to just look at him, but the bell had other plans. At least the bell meant he couldn't keep talking to her. She knew better than to get to know him, plus something deep down told her he'd break her heart.

"I'm not done talking to you," he said as he touched her arm.

Faith felt a jolt from his warm hand that coursed through her body. As she reminded herself that humans had a natural attraction to shifters especially Alpha ones, she pushed the feeling out of her head and forced herself to not look at him.

"Then take it up with the bell, I have to get to my next class," she said.

"At least give me your name."

"Faith," she said and immediately regretted answering.
 

"Faith...I need to get to know you better. There's something special about you, I can feel it," he said smiling. "And I won't take no for an answer."

She didn't want to say no. Abel was the cutest guy she had ever seen and he was talking to her. But she made it a rule to never get close to anyone, and she intended to keep it.

"I really can't," she said before rushing out the door.

Abel caught up with her and matched her pace. "You don't understand. I said I wouldn't take no for an answer."

She stopped and looked at him, her brows knitted together as she wondered what he wanted. This had to be a joke. No way would someone like him be interested in her. "What is your problem? I don't care if you won't take no, I said no. Now go find someone else to bother."

Spinning on her heel she began walking away, but was stopped by his hand on her arm again. He didn't grab her hard, he barely even touched her, but there was something electric and powerful in the soft touch of his fingers against her skin. She stopped and turned back towards him.

"I didn't want to move here," he said quietly as the hallway grew louder from the passing students. "My parents couldn't give me a reason so I kept convincing myself there had to be one. I had faith in some point or purpose for moving to this swamp you call home."

"I don't have a home," Faith said then mentally kicked herself for saying it.

"I came here to meet you, Faith. I kept faith and I met Faith. You might not understand it because you're human, but I know we're meant to be together. We're going to do great things together. Give me a chance, will you? Just trust me. Have faith in me."

He grinned and she found it hard to not hate him for using her name in such a ridiculous way. Still, she was confused. Who was this guy and why would he think he was meant to be with her? His grey eyes felt like they were swimming in her thoughts, trying to read them.

Slowly, barely realizing it she nodded her answer. There was something so familiar and comforting about him. Maybe he knew something she didn't. Maybe he could see into the future. Or maybe she just wanted to spend more time with the handsome new guy.

Present Day

A beautiful, caramel skinned man with a tight black t-shirt knocked on the bar in front of her and brought Faith back from her memories.

“Miss? Can I help you?” he asked.

He was muscular in a different way than the rest of the shifters there, telling Faith he was a different animal than the others. With a thicker body, his muscles cut through his skin and rippled with his every move. She could sit there all day and stare at him if it wasn’t considered rude.

"Sorry, I was just…never mind," she said not wanting to tell her story to the bartender. She refused to be that cliche. “I’m Faith Galloway, I’m here to–"

"Follow me," he interrupted her then waved to another bartender to take over.

He pointed to the end of the bar and she weaved her way through the crowd to meet him. In a darkened corner near the bar he opened a door Faith hadn't seen before and motioned for her to enter before closing the door behind them.

"Sorry about all the security but I'm sure you understand we can't just have people showing up here," he said. "My name is Rafael. You'll be meeting with my Alpha who is one of the twelve on the Kapok Council."

The more he spoke, the more Faith detected a slight accent she couldn't place. She quietly followed him down a stark hallway, the bright lights making her blink after the darkness of the bar. Over the years she heard a lot about the Council and was surprised it was so easy for her to get a meeting even though she wasn't a shifter. But once she said Abel's name they were just as interested in meeting with her as she was in meeting with them.

 
At the end of the hall, Rafael knocked on a plain wooden door and waited.

"Come in," a gruff voice said from the other side of the door.

Rafael opened the door and waited for Faith to enter before stepping in behind her. Seated at an old metal desk pushed against the wall, was a man even larger than Rafael. His dark hair was brushed back and his striped button shirt with the sleeves rolled up looked painted on him.
 

"Sir, this is Faith Galloway," Rafael said.

The man stood up from his chair, towering over her. He was a little taller than Rafael and more muscular but equally as sexy. After being surrounded by coyotes all the time, Faith forgot the immediate sexual attraction humans felt from meeting a powerful shifter, especially an Alpha.

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Faith," he said his voice dripping like honey. "I'm Erich Krause. Because of the sensitive nature of this meeting we'll be discussing this alone."

He gave Rafael a stern look and Rafael walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Erich put his hand on her back and moved her towards an overstuffed tan couch. Simply feeling his hand on her back reminded her how long it had been since she felt the touch of a man. She needed to get a hold of herself and not let her natural attraction to him take over, but it was hard to fight with biology.

She met his light brown eyes and noticed a smirk. Quickly looking away she sat down, embarrassed by his knowing gaze.

"Tell me what I can do for you," he said. "Its not everyday the Council gets a request from a human, especially not a human mated to a rogue Alpha."

Mated?
Is that what she was to Abel, his mate? Or was that all this big man thought of her? She disliked the term and meaning of it. She liked thinking of Abel as her high school sweetheart and first love, and hoped he thought of her the same way. Or at least did before the coyote took over.

"I'm here to talk about Abel Barlow," she said. "He's out of control and I need your help. I don't know where else to go."

CHAPTER TWO

Erich Krause leaned back in his desk chair looking at the cracks in the corner of his office. He didn't usually spend much time there but the Council requested he meet with a woman who claimed to have information on coyote Alpha Abel Barlow.

Abel had been a menace for several years. He had been slowly growing his pack trying to stay under their radar, and although the Council didn't know exactly what he was up to, they knew to keep an eye on him.
 

Erich had to admit to being curious about the woman coming in. She left her name as Faith Galloway, but after a little research Erich was unable to find any information on her. He wondered if she was Abel's mate, but seeing how he had decomposed over the years Erich strongly doubted it, but didn't discount the possibility. Humans were known for their strange attachments after all. Regardless, she claimed to have information on the coyote so he had to hear her out.

The door opened down the hall, something Erich easily heard with his heightened senses, but then he caught a scent. It wasn't like anything he'd ever experienced before. His bear spirit
 
woke and roared from within. Erich sat up straight causing his chair to squeak painfully and closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply through his nose.

It was the woman, Faith Galloway. Her scent danced around him, enticing him to get her but he kept himself seated knowing she would reach his door soon. With a mixture of savory and sweet, her scent reminded him of a decadent warm whiskey sauce he had on a dessert once, and how the smooth texture spread over his tongue and down his throat.

With his body heating up and the bear within fighting to get out, Erich struggled to keep his cool and stay in his seat. Regardless of what he was experiencing he needed this woman to feel comfortable enough to tell him why she was there. He refused to blow it because of some primal need for someone he hadn't even seen yet.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting to match the scent with a face, Rafael knocked on the door.

"Come in," Erich said impatiently.

Faith entered his office, her long blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail with wisps framing her pretty oval face. She was dressed all in black but Erich was able to see she was hiding the curvy body of a woman, one he wanted to see more of.

Standing to introduce himself to her, he used a touch of his shape shifting ability to make himself appear even larger. He couldn't help himself, he wanted to reduce any thought of the tiny coyote from her mind.

Knowing how Abel looked and acted lately, Erich refused to believe such a beautiful woman could be in love with him. To find out he decided to test her by calling her Abel's mate and gauging her reaction.

"I'm here to talk about Abel Barlow," she said. "He's out of control and I need your help. I don't know where else to go."

Hearing her voice with a slight tremble he pushed aside his desire and longing for her. This was serious and he needed to get back to business and control himself. He was an Alpha, no reason he should be acting like a love sick schoolboy, especially towards a human mated to another Alpha.

"Tell me everything," he said.

"Abel has been kidnapping and holding werewolves in cells at the catacombs. He's experimenting on controlling them for his own purposes."

"How is he doing this?" he asked. She looked down at the floor and Erich knew she didn't want to answer. He leaned forward in his chair and without thinking, took her hand. "I promise, whatever your involvement I'll protect you."

She looked at him skeptically and he didn't blame her. Even he couldn't believe what he told her, but he meant every word of it.

"I'm helping him," she said softly. "I'm a charmer."

***

The large paws of the grizzly bear thudded along the dank cement floor of one of the many stone corridors in the catacombs. His nails softly clicked as he chased after the coyote Alpha Abel in animal form. Erich knew he was being lured away by the coyote, but it was all part of the plan.

The sudden arrival of grey wolf Alpha Caleb Overstreet, meant Abel would be even more ruthless as he tried to escape. After the release of most of Abel's captives, and the capture of his pack, the biggest threat would be dealing with Abel's seething rage. His was an anger that grew more uncontrollable as his coyote spirit gained more power over his human form.

After a sharp turn, the bear slid briefly trying to keep his footing as the coyote began his transformation back to human. His snout shortening, his ears pulling down to his balding head, his shoulders hunching forward, Abel Barlow was the whisper of the man he once was. Knocking him over, the grizzly Alpha bared his teeth and snapped inches from the man's ashen face.

"Get off me, you oaf!" Abel said annoyed, his voice echoing into the darkness ahead of them.

Erich quickly shifted into the hulking, muscular, dark haired man with broad shoulders that struck fear in many men. Standing up to his full height, he swept his hair back, off his face then spat at the ground next to Abel before narrowing his eyes and putting a hand out to help him up.

Pulling Abel to his feet was simply a sign of respect towards his fellow Alpha. He despised Abel and shifters like him who recklessly allowed their animal spirit to control them. Seeing Abel's human form age quickly as his coyote took more control, made Erich wonder where the benefit was.