RJ Macillister lives to make her alpha father proud. She’s a strong fighter and stellar student, ready to lead the family’s tech company and become alpha. Weakness is never an option. But weak is how she feels when she lays eyes on a blind date. Will his good looks and blue eyes be her undoing?
Age Rating: 18+
The Big Bad Wolf by Island Kari is now available to read on the Galatea app! Read the first two chapters below, or download Galatea for the full experience.
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1
RJ Macillister lives to make her alpha father proud. She’s a strong fighter and stellar student, ready to lead the family’s tech company and become alpha. Weakness is never an option. But weak is how she feels when she lays eyes on a blind date. Will his good looks and blue eyes be her undoing?
Age Rating: 18+
Original Author: Island Kari
“AGAIN!!”
It was 6 a.m., and R.J. had been up for two hours now in the biting cold according to her father’s strict regimen, which he’d had her on since she was eighteen.
At four, he started her on a ten-mile run around the perimeter of the pack grounds, five miles in wolf-human form, then shifting into her wolf form for the other half.
After the run were laps in the private man-made lake.
As former alpha of Black Heart Pack, Raymond Macallister believed that strength in both mind and body along with great leadership made an outstanding alpha.
As he stood before his twenty-four-year-old daughter, he watched as she fought his four best warriors till either she or all four men were down for the count.
Raymond had never believed in mock fights, because in battles or attacks, their enemies wouldn’t allow their victims to go free after a little scratch.
“Focus, R.J. What the fuck are you doing?” he shouted at her as she allowed herself to be attacked from behind. The wolf pinned her down, clawing at her arm as a sign of his dominance over her.
R.J. gave a quick look at her father and saw the disapproval in his eyes that had been there since she was sixteen. Pushing the wolf off, she resumed her training, wincing as she moved her arm.
“Sorry, Alpha,” the wolf apologized with regret in his voice.
“Gotta learn, right?”she replied, sending him a reassuring smile.
“What was that? Are you smiling at your attacker? You think a smile is gonna disarm him?” her father shouted once more.
The condescending tone in his voice made her confidence drop. She visibly flinched as he took a step toward her. “D—Dad, it was… I was…,” she started.
“Wasn’t thinking. Get back to work. You have thirty minutes left, and I want all four wolves down.”
“Yes, Dad,” she replied weakly and got back into position.
R.J. didn’t succeed in doing what her father had ordered, which resulted in his criticizing her harshly before her own men.
She kept her head held high, eyes emotionless and body stiff as he threw everything she’d done wrong right into her face.
Over the years, she’d learned to block him out and not let his words get to her. If she shed a tear, more harsh words would come.
To him, his only daughter would never be as great an alpha as he had been. Raymond saw himself as the best, when most saw him as a tyrant.
Winding down his speech, he came and stood before her. His emerald-green eyes met her blue-gray eyes that were much like her dear mother’s.
“Tonight at eight. You will have dinner with Alpha Sean’s son. Don’t embarrass me.” That was all he said before stalking off.
R.J. stood, staring off into the distance. The only sounds that could be heard were her heartbeat and the shifting of bones as wolves returned to men.
“Get the kit, Jesse,” one man ordered as he approached his dear alpha. Gently, he moved the strap of her sports bra to assess the damage done to her arm by his brother, Mark.
“It’s healing quickly, but I’ll still clean it and cover it up,” he said softly. Jesse came up with the first aid kit and looked her over to see if any more damage had been done to her body.
All four men surrounded her and protected her while they tended to her wounds. She said nothing, and they said nothing.
They’d grown up with R.J.; they’d gone to the same school and the same birthday parties, and they’d had dinner at each other’s house.
As purebred wolves, their training was rigorous, and they always had to strive for the best, but it was different for her. She had to be the best. The alpha’s children had to be above them all.
“Charlie has chosen your work clothes already. I’ll be out front waiting for you. Jesse and Mark will accompany you to dinner,” Ryan explained as he finished taping the gauze in place.
Silence.
Frankie, the quietest of them all, called out to her. Stiffly, she turned to him, and her eyes softened as he gave her a small smile.
“It’s all right. You’re doing great. We all love you as our alpha. He may not see it, but Black Heart loves you just the way you are,” he said, pulling her into his arms.
Kissing her on her temple, he rubbed her back, wanting her to relax before she got ready for work. Each man kissed her cheek before leading her back to her house.
As they stepped out of the trees into her large backyard, she softly thanked them before going into the one place she felt safe and where she could be herself.
Her best friend, Charlotte, was in the kitchen, waiting for her with a warm smile on her face. A hot cup of coffee and breakfast were on the countertop.
Watching her friend, who was more like a sister, as she ate her breakfast quickly, she said, “Date, huh? Haven’t been on one of those since you were what, sixteen?”
R.J. gave a quick glance at her blonde friend and kept her head down. “Guess you don’t count the last eight alphas’ sons in the past year,” she teased with a small smile on her lips.
Charlotte seemed pleased by the little effort she made to show her once playful nature. “Psh. Those were practice; maybe this son will be the one you waited for,” Charlie said with a bright smile.
R.J. shrugged. She wasn’t getting her hopes up; neither was her wolf, Kara. If one of these arranged dates turned out to be her mate, she would no longer be the dominant leader of Black Heart.
Her father and his friends were all alike. A luna wasn’t their equal; she would be below them and would have no say in whatever problems the pack faced.
“Yeah, maybe he is,” she returned with a smile. “C’mon, time for work. Ry will be outside waiting.”
Dressed in a black pencil skirt ending above her knee, a gold chiffon halter top, a cropped jacket, and black-and-gold pumps, R.J. stood before her floor-to-ceiling mirror, practicing her smiles.
“A smile can change anyone’s day, even your own.” The words her mother had recited to her before any pack gathering had stayed with her after all these years.
“When will one change my day?” she asked herself before heading downstairs. Charlotte waited for her by the door; as she noticed R.J., she proceeded out the door to the waiting car.
They sat in the back with the radio on, listening to whatever tunes it belted out. R.J. took in the view as they drove through the neighborhood on the main road that led to the highway.
Since Ryan knew the shortcuts to the city, they weren’t surprised when they reached the parking spot of Robinson Industries.
Besides her own home, work was temporarily another safe haven.
The company had once been her maternal grandfather’s. It had started off making and distributing computer parts for major brands, then made a transition to video-game console parts.
Her Uncle Sebastian had branched off into game production. He was the one who’d taught her everything there was to know.
Both father and son had planned ahead by assembling a team for advertising, designing, marketing, and testing.
Robinson Industries had made a name for itself over the years and was now known as the go-to company to get your name known.
Whether it was a new game for mobile devices or consoles, they could make it happen.
Her father had never believed that R.J. should be handed the company. He’d said, “She will burn it to the ground.”
Three years later, she’d proved him wrong when her grandfather gave up the reins willingly.
Sebastian helped out from time to time whenever he was stateside, but he preferred to stay in Japan, where the magic really happened.
She’d wanted to follow him upon his request, but circumstances had occurred, and she was left to handle it all.
“Good morning, R.J. We have a great day ahead today. Two of your clients’ games are completed and ready to be tested. I’ve already notified them.
“Two focus groups have been assembled, and they’ll all be here at nine.
“At eleven thirty, you have four new client meetings, one console and three apps,” Tiffany, her assistant, said, going into her morning rundown as she stepped into the colorful lobby.
On monitors were new game advertisements and images from the designers’ portfolios. The walls were orange, blue, red, and purple; framed pictures of hit games decorated the walls.
In the seating area were white modern couches with character throw pillows, and people milled about in their own style of dress.
There wasn’t a strict dress code. Comfort was the main goal since every department frequently worked long hours, and heels and suits could be a hassle.
Charlotte waved goodbye to her friend as her own assistant led her up to her own department, design.
If it weren’t for R.J.’s great eye and leadership, the developers would have been lost. In her office on the top floor, she sat and stared out the window, thinking about her date later on in the day.
“Do you think this one will be our mate?” she asked her wolf.
Kara huffed at the question and found calm in the view her human was showing her. “I really can’t say,” Kara replied.
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2
I was a girl in the village doing alright
Then I became a princess overnight
Now I gotta figure out how to do it right
So much to learn and see
Up in the castle with my new family
In a school that’s just for royalty
A whole enchanted world is waiting for me
I’m so excited to be
(Sofia the First)
I’m finding out what being royal’s all about
(Sofia the First)
Making my way it’s an adventure every day
(Sofia)
It’s gonna be my time
(Sofia)
To show them all that I’m
Sofia the First!
Jasmine twirled around in her princess dress as she and her father sang the theme song of her favorite Disney show in the living area.
Wearing a king’s robe with the crown she’d made him a few weeks ago, he bowed before her gallantly, then took her hand, leading her to her throne-like chair to watch the new episode of Sofia the First.
She was halfway through the show when he decided to go get her breakfast and get her ready for school.
Knowing his daughter, he thought she’d want to leave in her dress, but luckily, he’d bought substitutes when he’d gone shopping for her the day before.
“Thanks, Daddy,” she mumbled as he placed bacon, crown-shaped pancakes, and orange juice before her on the purple kiddie table.
“You are welcome, Princess,” he said, imitating the character Baileywick. “The carriage will be ready soon. I shall go get your things.”
Jasmine giggled at her father’s silliness and dug into her breakfast.
Jacob quickly ran upstairs and changed into his work clothes, double-checking for any glitter from the crown, then going to the large Disney Princess–themed room to get her stuff.
The show was rolling its last credits when he came back down, and she was clearing her table. She ran back in and stood before him.
She had been excited since the night before, when he’d told her he had a surprise for her.
“Are you ready?” he asked with a smile that resembled his daughter’s. She nodded her head in excitement. Her light-blue eyes shone, and her long, black curly hair bounced up and down.
“Eyes closed,” he ordered, gently tapping her nose. She did as asked and kept bouncing on her toes. He placed the items on his lap and asked her to open her eyes.
Jasmine squealed in delight as she took in the Sofia the First T-shirt with the words Princess at Heart and the matching pink-and-purple tutu.
He’d added thin white tights and a new pair of—you guessed it—purple Sofia light-up shoes. She hurriedly changed into them with minor help from her dad.
For a six-year-old, she was very independent and brave, which Jacob was proud of.
He encouraged her to have her own sense of style and to speak her mind but be mindful of people’s feelings, and he didn’t limit her education.
Smoothing out her tutu, she thanked her father so many times with the smile that always melted his heart.
He took her small hands and kissed them. “Anything for my little girl,” he said, looking at the little girl who’d captured his heart six years ago when he first held her.
Her mother had been the first to have his heart from the time they were teens, but he knew for sure Jasmine was the official owner.
Her light-brown skin was due to the mix of her White father and Spanish American mother. She was truly beautiful inside and out to him, and he knew others thought so as well.
Though her delicate nose, mouth, and hair were all from her mother, her blue eyes were from him. Every day, he was in awe of what love had produced.
“Can you braid my hair, Daddy?” she asked, pulling the chair to sit before him. He didn’t answer, but taking the brush and comb, he quickly braided her hair in one of the five styles he knew.
As a single father to a little girl, he’d had to learn how to do things on his own, and fast.
Jacob depended on no one but himself when it came to Jasmine; he’d learned that the hard way six years ago and had promised that whatever his daughter’s needs were, he would meet them.
“All done,” he called out, standing her up, then handing her the personalized Sofia hoodie her godfather had bought for her.
She touched the six cornrows at the front of her head and the braided ponytail at the back. “Do I look pretty?” she asked as he got up to put on his suit jacket.
“Nope,” he said nonchalantly, going for the car keys and messenger bag. She paused in picking up her backpack and lunch bag and looked at him with a frown.
He smiled. “Beautiful. You should have asked, ‘Do I look beautiful?’” he said, kissing her head. Just like that, her megawatt smile returned.
Walking her to her class was nerve-racking. It was her first day of first grade; she was growing up too fast in his eyes. The tight grip on his hand let him know that she, too, was nervous.
“It’s all right,” he said to both her and to himself as they stood in the hallway looking in at the class. Mrs. Johnson’s Class, he read above the doorway.
Moms walked past them, giving him the once-over, then smiling at Jasmine before giving him approval with their eyes.
Jacob kept his face stoic; though they were attractive in their own way, he wasn’t interested.
Dressed in a steel-gray business suit and a dark trench coat, he looked the part of the successful and sexy father, not to mention his blond hair, striking blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard.
He kept himself in shape and neat for himself, not to trap any new ladies. He couldn’t do that to his daughter yet.
The pair walked into the chaotic place called first grade. Kids ran about the room as mothers stood in a corner, talking among themselves.
The teacher, he assumed, was checking on the children who were already seated at tables, doing whatever artistic things that came to their minds.
The middle-aged lady stood up once more and caught his gaze; with a warm smile and bright eyes, she walked toward them.
Jasmine stood her ground but kept close to her father. Head held high, she said good morning to the lady.
“Good morning to you, sweetie; and what is your name?” she asked.
“Jasmine Anahi Kaiser,” his daughter answered with pride.
“My what a beautiful name. What does Anahi mean?” the teacher asked, crouching to her height.
“My daddy says it means beautiful, just like me and my mommy.”
Mrs. Johnson glanced up at Jacob, who only had eyes for his brave little girl. “Well, I guess your daddy is right.”
“Daddy is always right,” Jasmine responded. Jacob chuckled and playfully tugged on her braids.
“Well, I am sure he is. Welcome to first grade. Are you ready to make new friends?” the teacher responded while standing up.
The little blue-eyed girl looked around the room and took a deep breath before letting go of her father’s hand. His heart lurched as she took the first step away from him, then another.
She paused, focusing on a little boy who was by himself, playing with Jake and the Never Land Pirates toys. She was about to go to him but spun around and went back to her father.
Jacob bent to her level. “Bye, Daddy,” she whispered, her voice cracking.
Rubbing her cheek with his thumb, he gave her a watery smile. “Bye, Princess Jasmine,” he said softly before kissing her cheek, which she returned.
Standing back up, he joined her teacher as she went ahead to meet a new friend.
“Jasmine is allergic to peanuts and has mild asthma. There is a MediPack in her bag with an EpiPen and inhaler for those types of emergencies.
“These are my contact numbers and also her godfather’s and godmother’s. Her doctor’s information is here also,” he said, nervously handing her four laminated index cards.
“Mr. Kaiser. Breathe in. Breathe out. She will be fine,” the teacher reassured him. He did what she asked, looking over at his princess.
The boy was shyly showing her his toy, and she showed him her Sofia and Clover toys.
Feeling stares at the back of his neck, he turned to the ladies in the corner. Their eyes showed him how much he affected them. With a subtle nod, he returned his attention to Mrs. Johnson.
“Don’t mind them. They’re soccer moms appreciating a good view.”
The older woman’s words created a faint blush over his cheeks, and a nervous laugh escaped his lips.
“Um. Her godmother or I will pick her up. I work in the city. If she needs anything for school, please notify me beforehand,” he said, shaking her hand.
“Will do, Mr. Kaiser,” she returned. The teacher left to go tend to the students as he took one last look at Jasmine.
Looking up, she caught her father’s gaze.
“I love you, Daddy,” she signed.
“I love you too, Princess,” he returned.
Not everyone knew of his disability, nor had he allowed it to hinder him from being normal. His being deaf was something minor to him. Jasmine’s mother had had no problem with it, nor did his best friend.
With a wave, he left for work as his little girl started her first day of being a big kid.
Adjusting his hearing aid as he stepped into the building, he greeted the security guard and the lobby receptionist before going up to his floor. The wonderful world of accounting.
The company he worked for specialized in handling people’s money, helping them to save and to invest in great opportunities.
He was a junior partner, and he was pleased to have a large corner office on the thirty-ninth floor. As with those close to him, his being deaf wasn’t a big deal to his coworkers and boss.
A few of his coworkers had taken the time to learn American Sign Language, while others spoke so that he could read their lips.
“Morning, Therese,” he greeted his secretary. The matronly woman looked up from her computer and gave him a bright smile.
“So…how was it?” she asked.
“I miss her already,” he said, pouting.
Therese laughed, shaking her head at the man whose whole world was his daughter. “Miss Jasmine will be fine. She’s as brave as her father,” she said, handing him a few files.
Taking them, he gave the woman who was like a mother to him a kiss on the cheek and retired to his office.
Turning off his hearing aid, he worked in silence on his high-priority clients’ accounts. A few hours later, he felt the vibration of his iPad.
It was a message from Therese, informing him of a few meetings that were scheduled for the day.
As he read through the list, something was waved before his face. Startled, he dropped the iPad, miraculously on a folder. Looking up, he found the smiling face of his best friend.
“Hard at work?” he asked, signing his question. William had been his friend since they were four, his first friend. He hadn’t cared that Jacob was deaf; when the other kids had made fun of him, he was his friend’s bodyguard.
Turning his hearing device back on, he spoke to his friend. “Money keeps growing. How have you been?” he asked.
William sat and looked around Jacob’s office, then picked up a picture of his goddaughter and himself.
“I came for two things. How was Jaz’s first day? Did she cry? Did you cry?” he asked with a stupid grin on his face.
“No, we didn’t. She’s my kid; we don’t cry. I think she made a new friend,” Jacob answered proudly.
“Nice. I brought her a new gift for being the brave girl I know her to be. It’s in your car already.”
“A new princess toy?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Psh… What? Nooooo. It’s not technically a toy…,” William answered, stumbling over his words.
His best friend contributed to his daughter’s princess obsession; Jacob bought her clothes, and William was the one for toys and other little things with Disney Princess themes.
“Right. Now the second thing?”
“You, my friend, have a date tonight.”
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