Page 1 of The Alpha Grizzly's Mate

Chapter One

Levi

“I just put on a fresh pot, alpha.” One of the omegas waved his hand at the coffeepot. He had a deep blush on his face and, while I could take it as a compliment, the truth was, Bryan was a blusher—all the time. He was a good pack member and made sure everyone was taken care of in the food department.

“Thank you.” I glanced up at the clock and growled. “How is it noon already?” I filled up my cup as Bryan slid the heavy cream across the counter. How others took their coffee with all that fancy, sugar-filled creamer was beyond me.

“Hard day today?” He kept his hands busy kneading bread, and I respected him for it. Good workers were sometimes tough to come by.

“Not hard.” The last thing I wanted to do was show weakness to the pack. There were already rumors of a challenge for the alpha position. I didn’t even want it, but my brother Sutton left us leaderless in pursuit of…something. He hadn’t given me details, and I didn’t ask. He would let me know when he was ready. “Tedious. Not that I’m complaining.”

Bryan chuckled. “You would never. Oh.” The omega looked over my shoulder. “Patty, I have the tea kettle boiling.”

I whirled around to see my aunt Patty with her hands on her hips and her forehead lines deeper than ever before, which was surprising since she was an emotional gangster sometimes. “What is it?”

“It’s Raphael,” she replied.

“What is it?” I poured my coffee out in the sink and quickly rinsed the cup. I might be a growly alpha bear, but I was no animal. My chest tightened as I waited for her response. Aunt Patty was married to my uncle Raphael, and he was slimier thana warm oyster. Always meddling in schemes considered barely legal and morally gray. Goddess forbid he actually went out and got a job on the pack lands like everyone else.

“He’s gotten himself into something bad, Levi. Something bigger than pack alliances and rivals.”

“How do you know? Let’s go talk in my office.” I wrapped my arm around her waist and pushed some of my alpha calm toward her. My position in the pack would let her bear know I was in control and everything would be okay. A perk of being the leader.

Once in my office, I sat next to Patty on the rarely used love seat under the large window. Pack members didn’t come here to relax or take their time sitting around—they came to my office to have their problems solved. Being the alpha and the problem solver for a bunch of growly bears was a lonely station in life.

Sometimes I was so lonely and hollowed out, wanting and waiting for an omega who never presented, that my body felt like a shell, a carved-out sculpture never to feel warmth again.

And Goddess, my bear was dramatic about it. Huffing and snarling at me to drop everything and travel the world, chasing after our fated mate.

My human side? Yeah, he’d all but given up on finding the omega meant for my alpha.

“Tell me what’s going on,” I prompted once she stopped shaking.

She looked up at me with glassy eyes. “He’s done it this time, Levi. He’s gotten himself into a mess, and now they won’t let him come home. They’re keeping him.”

“Who is they? Why are they keeping him? Does he owe them money?” The pack had funds. We did well for ourselves, but I had zero budget for negotiations with any of the thugs my uncle associated with. It was bad enough he’d left Aunt Patty to dohis dirty work, but now she was here, worried sick about his nonsense.

“No. I don’t think he owes them money. This isn’t like the rest, Levi. I’ve heard some things, but I can’t know for sure. It’s…I think he’s running with traffickers.”

“Traffickers?” I asked. “Selling and buying people?”

“I think so. I heard others speaking while he talked on the phone. They said something about a truck of omegas arriving soon. Sure, they could’ve been talking about something else…”

“What else would warrant a truck full of omegas being delivered somewhere. Fuck!” I growled, wanting to put my fist through the nearest wall, and I might’ve if my aunt wasn’t in the room. “Why can’t Raph just keep his damned hands clean.”

She let out a laugh and swiped at her tears.

I handed her some tissues and paced back and forth a bit.

“It used to be romantic, you know? His adventurous spirit. There was never a dull day. He was full of surprises and bubbling with new ideas.”

Snorting, I crouched in front of her. “And now? What is it now?”

Aunt Patty smiled. The movement of her facial muscles caused another tear to fall. “I would love a long life of dull days and routines, and I might dig my own grave if I’m surprised again.” A long pause hung between us. I was thinking and she waited for a response, rubbing her face of the tears. I watched as she composed herself, straightening her shoulders and wiping the last of her tears from her tanned face. “What’s your decision, alpha?”

One of the strongest females on the face of the planet—that’s what she was.

“He doesn’t deserve any of this after what he’s put all of us and especially you through.” I hated myself for what I was about to do. Honestly, I didn’t know if the right thing was to drag hisass out of there by whatever means we had to or to leave him there to finally face the ramifications of his bad choices. Aunt Patty’s heart would be shattered. “But he’s family, right?”

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