Alphy's Challenge Read Online Free PDF Page A

contemplated their future. Because his
bear was being stubborn, it had claimed the territory, but he wasn’t sure if he
and his siblings would be welcome to stay. Betty came out and joined him.
    “Couple of good kids, they are.”
    Alphy only nodded. He loved his brother and
sister but didn’t know what to say to add to her comment.
      “You
know you’re welcome to stay here. I’ve got plenty a’room .”
    Alphy looked slightly sideways at her. “Why
didn’t you ever come to visit us, or Mom bring us up here to visit? Mom didn’t
tell me about you until I moved out.”
    Betty moved to a soft bench and sat down in
it. “It wasn’t like we were terribly close. I wasn’t even that close to your
grandfather, and he was my brother. This is where I, your grandfather, and five
other siblings were raised.”
    Alphy raised his brows. “Seven kids, wow,
that’s a big number. What happened to them?”
    “War,” she bluntly answered. “There were so
many wars. By the end of World War Two, your grandfather and I were the last
two survivors. We used to have a pretty good sized sleuth, which your
great-grandfather was alpha of.”
    Alphy fully turned to face Betty. He was
fascinated by the story that had been kept from him, of his ancestors. He
didn’t understand why he had never been told, and probably now he never would
understand. Funny how until now he hadn’t really given it much thought.
    “Most of the males went to one war or the
other,” she continued, “and they were all starting to get killed off. Our
sleuth was blessed with true matings . Just about
every couple was a true mate match. When their men died, so did they. Those who
didn’t die off moved away. They’re old shacks are still scattered around the
property in places, though they aren’t anything like this.” She lightly waved
her hand around. “It was an age old time ago. They’re just rundown shacks now. Your
grandfather wasn’t an alpha, nor did he want to be. I suppose he couldn’t take
the memories any more, so he packed up his mate and your mother, who was about five
at the time, and left. He kept me apprised of what was happening with him. It’s
tragic what happened to them.”
    Alphy grunted and nodded. His grandparents had
been killed in a house fire when he was about one. He had never actually known them,
and his mother hadn’t ever wanted to talk about it. He hadn’t pushed either. He
could tell it was an emotional difficulty to think about. He closed his eyes
and leaned his head back. Now losing his own parents, he could better
appreciate what she’d felt.
    Betty went on. “As for your mother, she never
really knew me. I don’t know what my brother told her, or how much, but she
continued to keep in touch, sending pictures of you and those other two. I sent
letters and gifts, but I wasn’t sure how welcome I would be, and, to tell you
the truth, I haven’t been out of these forests for so long, I don’t think I
could handle the culture shock. I can barely keep up with what’s going on.”
    Alphy gave an amused snort. “I told Reese and
Havana that you didn’t have a phone, and the look on Reese’s face was
priceless.”
    Betty lightly cackled. “I bet it was. The
price they wanted for me to run a line way out here was outrageous. Don’t get
me wrong. I can easily afford it, but it would have marred the beauty of this
place with all those lines, and for what? I didn’t know anyone other than my
brother, so I would only have been harassed by those telemarketers. Wasn’t worth it. I did allow a cell tower to be put up. Those
companies pay good money for that.”
    Alphy started to nod his head in response but
stopped when he suddenly thought of something. “You know, I don’t think I have
seen either of them take a peek at their cells since we got here.”
    “Good, too much technology rots your thinkin ’.”
    Alphy was quiet for a moment. “It feels right
being here. Are you serious about letting us stay