HE’S MINE TO CLAIM: STRANDED WITH MY BESTFRIEND’S UNCLE

MAYA

I got to replay his voice. His tone was protective, I glared at him again, his eyes were warm. I breathed in. He caught me. His lips twisted into a smile, caring, at the other end, serious like a big bro. His dual personality was killing me. My heart drummed as I continued eating, just to distract myself.

“Uhmm–”

They nodded and left.

Now I was alone with him and my pace even got slower. When I realized, he was already done with his meal.

I sprang up, carrying my plates.

“Where are you–”

“I'm not eating again,” I grunted.

“Why?” He looked at my plate and there was still much, then the food was really delicious, worse still, I was so hungry. I barely ate before arriving here and I'd planned to consume everything before he arrived, seizing my senses.

“You still have a lot in there to finish or should I help you finish it?” He leaned, giving an amusing sneer. I pulled back, shocked. Does he really mean this? A blush was forced out. I could not suppress it.

My eyes lingered on him and I sat back.

“Were you nervous?” He asked. I grinned nervously, looking to my side, then back to him.

“Maybe!” I snapped, only to regret it.

“Why?” He tilted his head, frowning at me.

I glared at him for a pretty long time, then said nothing. I chuckled nervously then began to pick on my food again.

His hand slid forth, dropping on my left shoulder. I jerked up, feeling uneasy. Donovan dropped it immediately with a tight smile. He was just getting caring but my body was overreacting to it, my wolf couldn’t contend with it.

“Because I'm a stranger–” he suggested. “Or because I'm attractive?” A light laughter rang through his lips and his face fell.

His light mode just popped up.

I paused eating, staring deeply at him.

“I'm a professor of Psychology at Vermont Research University.” He nodded his head thrice, this time with a serious face. “So I can see it.”

“But you have to see me as a big bro, something like that.” He urged and kept on eating. “You have to eat your food, lest I'll finish it for you.”

I chuckled.

The big bro mode was activated and he began relating with me like a bro and I was his sister but I wanted more than that, only if I would get the chance because my wolf is seriously beating.

Rather than just sitting here after we were done eating and resting for a while, I thought it would be nice knowing much more about him. Most importantly if he already had a mate.

My desire to start a conversation began with a shy smile.

I knew what he was going to say next.

“What's it?”

“I just wanted to know a little about you?”

“A little?” He sneered. “Come on, you can get to know as much as possible. I'm like a family being that you're Cheryl's bestie, already looking like a sister.” He rushed over his words.

I blushed.

“Where do you live, in the city?” My first question came through already sounding lame.

But he nodded.

“Woww.”

I pushed through the next question.

“So how's your family doing over there, I mean your parents and probably siblings? Why didn't you spend your Christmas with them or you love the countryside?”

I didn't let him respond when I added my story so as not to look so awkward. “As for me, I live abroad here alone for college. I live in the city alone,” I repeated. “But I love the countryside and Cheryl happened to invite me.”

“Woww, that's actually great.” He grinned. “My parents and siblings are in another state. I just love the countryside and wanted somewhere to cool off my mind.” He huffed at this point, feeling frustrated.

“But my daughter is with her mom in the city.”

“Urrghhh–” I gasped.

“Wait?”

“Are you surprised?” He chuckled. “Am I too young to have a wife and a child especially?”

I shook my head but my forehead twisted with a disappointed frown. I wasn’t expecting this. Could this be why he asked me to see him as a big bro? He knew I was feeling for him but he’s already taken?

Why didn’t my wolf detect this?

“Well, I'm just twenty-eight. I happen to be one of the few young geniuses in the world to attend the rank of a professor and I’m Alpha by rank.”

“Alpha of which—“ I was already asking.

“By rank!” He snapped with a witty smile, cutting me short. By rank, he was just born into an Alpha family, probably his dad or grandad was an Alpha and all males of the family are Alphas. It’s quite different from the traditional Alpha that rules a pack, the firstborn son.

“We should go on the walk,” Donovan said to me. Upon dropping both his plate and mine on the rack after washing them, I came out and we left together.

The walk paths were covered in snow, everywhere. He had put on a thick hoodie with boots just like me before leaving the house.

For a while, we walked quietly until the silence was almost getting awkward. I side-eyed him and caught him staring coldly on the path he walked on, his hands in his pocket.

I drew in a hard breath.

“Maya, you seem to be glaring at me with cold eyes?”

Donovan’s words got me flinching my face so quickly as he caught me, I was so embarrassed. So he has been staring at me with his side eyes without me noticing? My eyes stirred, I stumbled, tripping but suddenly I felt a strong hand drape over my waist. My lips stopped mid air.

My breath seized for that moment.

“Thank you.” I stammered.

“I know you might really find me attractive and have some fantasy going on in your mind, but please see me as a big bro.” He repeated, rather gently and I wondered what he really meant.

“Because you have a wife already,” I threw it up as bait, eagerly waiting for his response.

He said nothing. My pulse only went higher.

“What’s going on with him?” I asked my wolf as he left me suspended in thoughts.

While trekking through the snow, I realized Cheryl and her parents were engrossed chatting with the villagers. They were ahead of us but I couldn't just walk fast on the snow, they were used to countryside life but I wasn't.

Donovan grabbed my hand, taking me carefully through the snow.

It was really a pretty nice Christmas decoration here. The wolves from the woods walked freely on the snow, eyes glimmering like diamonds, furs immaculate white.

I shrieked in fear when they directed their attention towards us, I, in particular.

“I'm really afraid they could be rogues.” I cried out.

“No, they aren't. You're just a stranger to them. You've never been here in this pack before, right?”

“Yes,” I stammered. I looked beyond me and Cheryl and the eight others had disappeared. I was walking too slow, dragging Donovan along too slowly to be able to catch up with them. Now one of the wolves was coming directly towards my direction. Immediately, Donovan jacked me off my feet, carrying me. The wolf saw this and deviated back to its former track.

“What does it mean?” My curious mind got me to ask while I was secretly fantasizing the way his folded hands supported my ass. My pussy clenched.

“They are pack guards patrolling the area. I visit here occasionally, I'm well-known, so they now know you're with me and a good person, not a spy or criminal.”

“Uhmm–”

“Maybe I will carry you to the pack square. Right?” He suggested but I pretended not to hear. Like? He’s for real? He wants me to see him as a big bro, yet he was suggesting things like this. How would I cope?

I couldn’t deny it. With a quick pull, I was in his arms, shifting slowly with butterflies in my stomach as I fought hard to suppress the crazy feeling that was rocking my vein.

We soon arrived at pack square where the pre-Christmas party was gonna hold. Donovan released his hands over me, dropping me to the ground.

My face twisted into a slight frown. I wanted him to still carry me, I didn’t want that to come to an end.

Cheryl came to welcome us when we arrived. “Sorry I left you baby,” she caressed my face. “I knew my uncle would really take care of you and protect you.” She smiled rather mischievously. As her best friend, I could tell she meant more than that.

We watched the folk dances and songs being performed, then it was time for games. Cheryl was the cheerleader. She stood at the center of the square.

“While the pack elders are off for their own stuff, let's play a game.” She suggested. “For tonight, we're gonna play partner-in-crime.”

Fuck!

I looked lost as I didn't know what she meant while the rest of the youngsters here, girls and guys cheered.

Really hoping she would explain it.

“So this is how it goes for those new here, like my best friend.” Cheryl pointed to me. All eyes turned to me, my muscles stiffened, a bit nervous about getting everyone's attention all at once.

“We are gonna play a series of games. The guys have the upper hand at first. As a guy, you will choose a girl you would like to play the series of games we have for tonight together.”

I scanned around me and the girls were a bit more than the guys. Not everyone would be chosen, that's for sure and I saw myself already among those that would be left behind.

“No one will choose me,” I whispered to myself.

I looked back, Donovan stood from a distance watching, not being our age mate, he didn’t join. I couldn’t even think of him pairing with me for the game, he had already asked me to see him as a big bro.

I raised my hand quickly. “What happens to those girls who are left behind?”

“They will have to stay alone for the rest of the night, alienated from groups as their punishment.”

That would be horrible!

My face fell. “It's already so heartbreaking. I guess I'll be one of those,” I murmured quietly.

“Why did you bother asking when I'm here for you?” A deep, masculine voice echoed over my side. Donovan. I stumbled to the side. Surprised.

“When did you come here?” I muttered. “I thought you were with the elders.” Shock grimaced over my face.

I watch his face fall into a radiant smile. “I came for you, as a big bro, right?” He teased my cheeks. Others cheered.

Oh goddess.

My cheeks turned deep red. It felt like a dream. “Stop calling big bro!” I protested within me, the more he did, the more I even longed for him. Our forbidden relationship would even make more sense but it was a mystery, telling if he meant this.

He seemed to be hiding a lot as a psychologist. Maybe I needed to do more to make him speak up.