Alpha’s Prey: A BBW Bear Shifter Romance (Bad Boy Alphas Book 11)
Alpha’s Prey: Chapter 5

Miranda

Two thought wheels turn at once. One—he called me doctor, which shows respect, even admiration. Except two—he just implied I have no choice in the matter of whether I’m leaving or not.

It’s the second thought I get hitched up on. “Excuse me?” The feminist in me rears her head, ready to defend myself against yet another man who thinks he can control me.

Caleb—the surly mountain man with twelve-pack abs arches a brow right back at me. “You heard me.” He takes a bite of bacon. By bite I mean he crunches off half of three slices at once and chews them slowly while giving me the stink eye.

I try to interpret his words. I mean, I suppose it’s obvious I can’t leave. That’s probably what he’s saying. But I don’t like the way he said it. Because he’s either being a controlling asshole or he’s the psychopathic killer who plans to keep me here and bury me in the basement.

Okay, I don’t think the cabin actually has a basement, but in the backyard, then.

“You’re saying I can’t leave?”

“Yep. That’s what I’m saying.”

I narrow my eyes. “Are you going try and stop me?”

“Sure am. You know why? Cause even if you can hike more than ten feet from this cabin in drifts that are already up to your chest—which I seriously doubt you can—the trail’s covered and you don’t know your way back. You’ll likely fall into a drift and this time end up with frostbite. Then I’ll have to go out in the cold and drag you back.” He finishes his epic speech by taking a gulp of coffee.

I fold my arms across my chest. He isn’t wrong. I just don’t want to be stuck in a remote cabin with Mr. Grumpy for days. Even if Mr. Grumpy also happens to be Mr. Tall, Dark, Tattooed and Bearded with a sexy mountain man vibe. Especially because of that.

“Fine. I’m not going anywhere. But for the record, I didn’t choose to be stuck up here with you.”

“Makes two of us.” He glowers at me behind his coffee mug. “What the hell made you come all the way up here in this weather anyway?”

“I didn’t think it was going to be this bad,” I say through a clenched jaw. “And it wasn’t snowing when I left the research cabin yesterday. The storm came up suddenly, and I got disoriented. I’m not stupid.” I get up and take our dishes to the sink.

“Didn’t think you were, Doctor M.” He emphasizes doctor. Is he mocking me?

“I am under a deadline. I need this data., it’s important.” There’s no dishwasher, so I start washing the dishes by hand and put them in the drying rack.

“Not worth your life,” he mutters. I steal a look over my shoulder. Something in his expression reminds me of Dr. Alogore and my smirking colleagues.

“You know what? Forget it. You wouldn’t understand.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” His black eyes flash with a glint of yellow. Great, I’ve antagonized him. Probably not the best idea, but riling him up gives me a shot of satisfaction. I get the feeling he hasn’t talked to, much less verbally sparred with anyone in awhile. Well, he said as much already, didn’t he? “I’m not stupid either, sweetheart.”

“Please do not call me sweetheart.” I point a finger at him.

He shrugs. “You’re in my cabin. You’ll have to put up with my ways. I mean no harm by it.”

I snort. “It’s patronizing.”

“Lady, what’s your problem?”

The lady gets to me, too. “You wanna know?” I throw my hands up. “You want to know what my problem is? My problem is every man I’ve ever met tries to tell me what to do. Treats me like a doormat and tramples all over me. I have news for you, buddy.” My voice rises now. “You think you’re God’s gift to the green earth, and women are just here to massage your egos, suck your cocks and, I don’t know, be eye candy. But we’re not. We’re not here for you.”

Caleb stares at me like I’m a hissing goose. Which I guess I am. It’s weird but it feels good to give a man a piece of my mind for a change. Something I can’t ever do back at the lab, since the entire science world is ruled by men. One wrong word and you’re forever passed over for the good positions.

“I don’t know what a man did to you, but there’s no reason to take it out on me.”

Finished with the dishes, I slump into a chair. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated to be stranded here without my computer. I have so much to do and no way to do it.” Bear comes and licks my hand.

“And I’d rather be asleep on the couch. But we’re stuck together, so we might as well make the best of it.”

The washing machine buzzes and I surge to my feet, grateful for something—anything to do. I throw my clothes in the dryer and start it up.

Everything in the cabin is neat and clean. Well-maintained. It’s simple and rustic, but not completely without creature comforts. For example, I noticed there was a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink. And there are ceiling fans in the living area.

Observe the rustic mountain man in his natural habitat…

I clear my throat. “Do you suppose it will snow all day?”

Caleb looks out the window. “Might. Either way, you won’t be leaving. I’d count on staying at least one more night here. Maybe two if it doesn’t stop snowing.” He lifts his chin in the direction of what must be the bedrooms. “You can take the room on the left. There’s sheets in the top drawer of the dresser.”

“Thank you.” I’m regretting my outburst. It’s strange I felt comfortable enough to get snappish with a stranger. Maybe the manner we spent the night last night has something to do with it. “I do appreciate your hospitality. I didn’t mean to sound—”

He waves me off. “Save it. I don’t require an apology. Not when my manners are shit.”

Well. That shouldn’t make my chest turn all warm and fluttery. I have no idea why I’m so attracted to this man.

I head into the bedroom to put the sheets on the bed. It’s painted in lavender. A single twin bed stands against one wall, the mattress bare. I replace sheets in the drawer, like he said. Flowered sheets.

Caleb definitely doesn’t strike me as the purple-walled flowered sheet kind of man. Not even for a guest bed. So who bought the sheets? Did they come with the place? Maybe he rents and his landlord provided them. Except I feel certain it’s his place. It just reflects him so well.

I make the bed and throw the folded comforter I replace in the closet—also flowered in bright cheery colors—over the top. I should just stay in this room and give him some space. The place is small and he didn’t ask for a guest, after all.

Except it’s chillier in the room. There’s no fire. And nothing to do.

Oh, who am I kidding? There’s no Caleb. And I’m drawn to the man like a bear to honey.

I head back into the main area, suddenly remembering I should have my iPad and tree ring samples in my backpack. That would give me something to work on.

“Caleb?”

He jerks and I smother a laugh. The man fell asleep in the few minutes I was out of the room. I guess he didn’t sleep well last night with me plastered up against his body.

“Did I have a backpack on when you rescued me?”

“Erm, yes.” He rubs his face and surges to his feet. His long legs flex powerfully and he makes the movement look graceful despite his large size and the low couch. He retrieves my backpack from behind the front door. “Here you go.”

“Thank God,” I breathe, more to myself than to him. “I can start cataloguing.”

Caleb

Damn, this female is going to drive me apeshit. And not just because she’s a pain in the ass—which she is. More because being trapped in this small space with her is doing raunchy things to my bear.

Ideally I could just go to my bedroom, shut the door and sleep until it’s time for her to leave. But humans don’t hibernate, and she would think it’s weird. Plus, she keeps waking me up for shit.

She bustles past me, muttering to herself, “The male of the species masters only the most basic life skills. More advanced nesting techniques are left to the female, who will create a nurturing environment for her offspring—”

“What the fuck?” I blurt and she whirls, face red.

“What?” Her lips move, shaping excuses. “Um, did I say that out loud? Sorry, I entertain myself by pretend narrating. It’s just a stupid game.”

Damn, her face is so cute. With her flushed cheeks and parted lips, she looks freshly fucked and pleasured.

No. No. No. Do not think about that…

“Just—” I wave my hand towards the opposite end of the cabin. “Stay over there.”

Great. Way to be hospitable.

She stomps off, muttering something about, “Long periods of isolation can result in loss of basic courtesy and knowledge of social interactions…”

I’m thankful when she falls silent, but nothing helps me forget she’s there. Having her here is a special form of torture. I can’t just hang around doing nothing with her all up in my space. Her strawberries and vanilla ice cream scent tickles my nose. Her uppity feminist sensibilities riles my temper. Her curvy body looks so ripe for a pounding. My bear claws to the surface so fast my vision changes. I blink rapidly, shoving him back down.

Shit! Stop thinking about pounding her.

Stop. Thinking.

Maybe what I should do is go into the bedroom and jack off. Just to take the pressure off. My cock twitches against my jeans in favor of that idea.

But the cabin’s so quiet she’d probably hear me.

Christ, why don’t I have a television? Radio? Anything to create some comfortable distance between me and this human female?