King's Mate: An Alpha Shifter Romance

by Piper Stone

  Why wasn’t there more to my mental history?

  Biting back an anguished cry, I flipped a few additional pages, my fingers shaking in my attempt.

  “2262. She is perfect in every way, her response more significant than I could have imagined. Her DNA has accepted the change exactly as I’d hoped; however, a portion of her mind continues to fight the alteration. We will continue the process, although I have begun to realize that she will need a more practical setting in order to continue the experiment. My heart is heavy with the realization that my time may be limited in attempting to perfect a serum. There are too many disconcerting factors confronting the operation. I must be cautious as I move forward.”

  I found it difficult to swallow, my pulse racing. As I closed my eyes, I did everything I could to remember my father’s face, my mother’s laugh. Why was everything suddenly blurry? What the hell?

  “You are much more important than you realize, Clarise.”

  Dr. Porter’s words had been said to me more than once. Important. I wanted nothing more than to rip the notebook into several pieces. I’d been a part of his experiment for my entire life. I knew it. My gut told me that my existence was for a purpose. Oh, God. Were my memories even real?

  As I flipped to the middle of the notebook, I began to see penned scribblings of various scientific compounds, most of which made no sense to me. While I could see a progression, items scratched out that obviously hadn’t worked, I could also tell that he’d been getting closer to a breakthrough. I shifted the pages faster, moving toward the end of the notebook, holding my breath. As my eyes scanned one page then a second, a sick feeling pooled into the pit of my stomach, the information forcing me to slump against the bookshelf.

  I dared to shift to one more passage, uncertain if I wanted to learn any more.

  “2271. She is ready. While I hesitate to continue administering the drug, I know my work is important. The tests are conclusive. The human race is dying. There is no doubt in my mind. Without finalizing the next step, there will be no hope. What I fear the most is the interference. God help us all if the rumors are true. I must continue on. There is no other choice. At least she has a tracking device implanted. That will help keep her safe. I must protect her. She means everything to me. She’s not only the hope for the future. She’s—”

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  The voice was riddled with anger, the female obviously disturbed as to what the hell I was doing there. I shifted cautiously, trying to hide the notebook before turning to face her. “I’m getting something for a friend of mine.” All I had to do was take a deep whiff and I knew she was a member of the Pride. Dressed in all black, a weapon in her hand, she shifted back and forth from foot to foot, her anger evident.

  “You’re not supposed to be here,” she said after a few minutes.

  “Who the fuck are you?”

  She inched closer, her gaze drifting from one side of the room to the other. “I am Becca. I’m here to protect the Pride.”

  “Which means Luca sent you.”

  “I followed you, human. In fact, I was under the tarp in the truck. You aren’t beginning to transform, or you would have known I was there,” she snarked.

  She was right in that I hadn’t detected her. I could see such anger in her eyes as well as hatred. “I’m trying to help the Pride as well as Luca.”

  Sneering, she crowded closer, both hands firmly locked around the weapon pointed at my chest. “Luca means everything to the Pride and you’re fucking with his life.”

  “And he means everything to me.” While the words were said without hesitation, the realization of their meaning was surprising.

  She chuckled darkly as she shifted her weapon toward the notebook. “You have no understanding, human. Luca is our king. Your presence could mean he’s killed. Put that down.”

  “Not a chance in hell. I risked my life in order to find this. You can shoot me, but you’ll never be able to solve the riddle.” I held the notebook close to my chest, my heart rate increasing. I could smell her rage as well as something else. Her desire for Luca.

  “What is it?” she finally asked.

  “A way to save the Pride.”

  Her actions swift, she rushed forward, pointing the weapon at my temple. “If you try and fuck with our kind, I will kill you.”

  “And if you stop me, there might not be a Pride for you to return to.” Dr. Porter hadn’t just been working on helping the Breeds. He’d suspected for years that the human race was likely in peril, trying to find a serum even before I was born. I could barely fathom the concept, my mind reeling from what I’d read. He’d been playing God in order to save the human race. I had to get back to Luca. I had to tell him that the commander had no idea what he was dealing with.

  She studied me with careful precaution, her face pinched before lowering her weapon. “You are not safe here.”

  “And neither are you.”

  “Yet I can defend myself. You’re... human.”

  “That may be so, but I need to get this to Luca. Are you here to help me or kill me?”

  “That remains to be seen.” Becca shifted her weapon into her waistband before scanning the entire room and taking a deep whiff. “We need to leave. Others will come.”

  I could tell that she was close to Luca, her adoration for him highlighted by her fragrance. I was taken aback by the understanding that I could sense her desire. What surprised me even more was the jealous feeling that pooled into my system.

  She was in love with Luca.

  “I need to make certain this is the only scientific piece that matters,” I protested.

  “That’s not going to happen, human.”

  While all I wanted to do was argue with her, an odd sensation pulsed through me, a crackling of energy that I found difficult to understand.

  Someone was here, an intruder.

  Every part of my body shaking, I couldn’t help but reach out in my mind to Luca. They were coming. For him. For the Pride.

  For every Breed.

  Becca obviously sensed the same thing, grabbing my arm and yanking me away from the door. “Stay low and do not leave my side. I can and will get us out of here,” she hissed as she dragged me behind her.

  There were no sounds, nothing but an eerie silence as she slowly opened the door, her breath ragged.

  As I crowded behind her, she took several steps into the hallway, swinging her weapon from side to side. While I might be human, I could feel the presence of danger, could tell that we were in peril.

  Then I knew exactly who was standing in the shadows.

  “Get down!” I pushed Becca hard, bolting forward until a hand jerked me to a sudden stop.

  “Did you really think you could get away from me?”

  Robert yanked me close to his body, his ragged breath and the stench of fire permeating the air around me. I felt the cold hard steel of his weapon placed against my neck and while I was terrified, I could tell his body was failing. “Don’t do this, Robert.” I’d caught a glimpse of his face. The man had been left without a single burn. That meant he’d sacrificed the other officers in order to save his own life.

  Becca jerked to a standing position, growling as she approached, both hands firmly planted on her weapon.

  But I could see and feel her beast close to the surface.

  “Let her go,” Becca snarled, pointing the barrel of her weapon toward his forehead.

  “Not a chance, you fucking beast,” he hissed, dragging me several feet away from her.

  “I won’t hesitate to shoot you,” Becca insisted.

  “And I won’t hesitate to kill her,” he snapped, laughing softly as he pressed the muzzle into my skin.

  “If you do that, you will kill the human race,” I said quietly, every inch of my skin on fire. I couldn’t fully understand what was happening to me, but I knew my entire system had been altered. Whispered words were shifted into my mind, a creature longing to be set free. No.
No... I wasn’t ready. I was human. I refused to accept anything else.

  Fractured images pulsed through my mind, visions that seemed so perfect, several years of my past floating and weaving through my synapses. Suddenly, everything seemed stilted, as if manufactured. As if they’d never existed.

  “Your precious scientist might have given a fuck. I don’t. His beliefs were bullshit. We are superior,” Robert retorted, stumbling as he attempted to move backwards. “Do you feel them, princess, the soldiers who are coming for you and all those disgusting Breeds you think are so important? Do you know what’s going to happen when every one of them is caught? And do you have any idea what they have in store for that worthless beast you’ve fucked?”

  A wave of energy swept through me, a bolt of realization that I had difficulty fathoming. The commander had been planning to overthrow every Breed establishment the second he snatched Luca. Oh, my God. That couldn’t happen. I had to find a way to stop the monster.

  “You’re a bastard,” I hissed, twisting until I was able to plant a hard kick against his leg. I could only pray that Emily would come through. Please, God. Please. This must be stopped.

  The commander had obviously planned this for some time. Was I a fool to think that the plan hadn’t been initiated in every city and he was acting entirely on his own? I had no way of knowing but nothing was going to stop me from finding out.

  Not one damn thing.

  Robert wrapped his arm around my neck, squeezing until I became lightheaded. “If you do that again, princess, I will shoot you, only I’ll make certain the experience is excruciating.”

  “You’re not going to hurt her,” Becca commanded, her voice barely recognizable. I could tell she was close to shifting.

  Robert chuckled, wheezing as he tried to breathe. “I can do anything I want, including with you, sweetheart. Beast. Abomination to the human race.”

  Everything shifted into slow motion as he pointed his weapon in her direction, firing off several shots. I’d seen the type of weapon only once, the kind that was used in military battle.

  Fatal to Breeds.

  “No!” My scream permeated the dense space, echoing in my ears. Nothing seemed real as Becca’s eyes opened wide, her mouth pursing before the weapon slipped from her hands and she dropped to the floor. “You bastard!”

  Robert laughed before nuzzling against my ear, nipping my earlobe. “You’re exactly right. You really believed that any decent human cared about the Breeds? You’ve been a fool, little girl. Now, you’re coming with me. Just wait to see what I have in store for you, bitch. And don’t worry about that precious camp where your beasts live. Soon, it’s going to be taken care of.”

  I’d spent my entire life thinking I was entirely human, my genes protected from the horrors of the previous wars. I’d known nothing but love and encouragement from two people who’d nurtured and loved me, provided me with everything I needed in order to succeed.

  Only every bit of it was a lie, a fabrication in order to save the human race.

  Even as Robert yanked me away from the residence, I let off an intense growl, wanting nothing more than to shift, to turn into what I’d been forced to become.

  But my body betrayed me in a different way, my inability killing not only Becca but likely the rest of the Pride. While I continued struggling, Robert managed to drag me toward his vehicle, laughing the entire time.

  There was no recourse, no hope. I couldn’t do what was necessary. I couldn’t save the Pride or the man I loved.

  A new scent wafted into the air surrounding us as the earth rumbled beneath our feet. And I knew—she was coming. Becca had managed to shift. As I jammed my elbows into Robert’s gut, I shifted my gaze in her direction, a beautiful lioness only seconds before she struck.

  As Robert’s screams permeated the sky, I dropped to my knees, still clutching the notebook, still uncertain of who I was.

  Yet I called to the only man, the only beast who could save and protect me.

  Luca...

  Chapter Fifteen

  Luca

  “Quiet the fuck down!” I commanded as I attempted to get order. “I don’t like this any more than any of you do, but we must work together.”

  “This is insanity, Luca, and you know it.”

  I glared at the wolf pack leader, shaking my head. “What other choice do we have, Galen? None. The humans will be coming. An executive order will be issued by their president to imprison every one of us until they can determine what happened. And we must be ready. Every single breed must be prepared to fight to the death.”

  “And how are we supposed to do that?” Braxton asked defiantly.

  As always, the bear clan leader was prepared to oppose anything I suggested.

  “With whatever it takes,” I answered and gazed at the other leaders in the room. “While we aren’t responsible for what happened to us, it is my strong belief that the humans were equally as shocked. Their ancestors had no way of handling the news, let alone processing what they should do in order to allow us to maintain some sort of life.”

  Rollins laughed, the sound bitter. “Yet the humans enjoyed extorting us, using us for hard labor in rebuilding their cities. They plied us with lies for decades, hoping that we’d become complacent then follow their rules.”

  “And the truth is, Rollins, that many of the Breeds did just that,” Galen huffed. “We allowed that to occur over long, arduous decades. We forgot to practice shifting after years of enjoying the fruits of being human.”

  “The fruits?” Zane asked. “I can tell you that my jaguars were treated like animals even in human form. If what you are saying is true, the softer Breeds don’t deserve to maintain their animal form.”

  As the bickering continued, I walked toward the window, staring out at the green grass. The sequestered meeting spot was an old farmhouse, a neutral location for all of us. I could imagine the way the property had once been, including humans harboring domesticated animals, many of which no longer existed. Cows. Pigs. Horses. Only a few horses remained and they were scattered throughout the world. Even dogs were a rarity, honored citizens to the humans. What were we to them exactly?

  The question wasn’t one I knew how to answer even if I could. What I knew is that if the humans were indeed dying, they would stop at nothing in order to survive. “As I’ve already told you, Rollins, the humans need our help. They are a dying breed themselves.”

  The quiet in the room was deafening.

  “You are kidding?” Braxton hissed, his anger apparent.

  “I am not.”

  “Are you suggesting that we help them?” Zane threw out.

  I thought about my answer, the debate that had been inside of me since leaving for the meeting. While a part of me knew what that helping them was the right thing to do, the beast king within me knew the only answer that could be made. “Not in the least. I only want to protect our own. However, we must be able to survive these accusations. In order to do so, evidence must be brought to the proper authorities. Unfortunately, it is likely some of our Breeds will die in the fight prior to this occurring. If you are not ready, you will lose more.”

  Rollins finally walked in my direction, tipping his head in order to look into my eyes. “Our people will be ready, but we will not save the humans.”

  “Agreed,” Braxton added.

  While it took a few minutes, the other leaders all agreed to at least take up arms if necessary.

  “I anticipate that our camp will also be attacked. We may need your help.” I turned to look at all of them.

  “We will honor and protect our king,” Rollins answered and if the others agreed, they remained quiet.

  An agonizing pain shifted into my system, the anguish powerful enough I dropped to my knees, clutching my head.

  “Luca. What the hell?”

  While I heard Ranger’s desperate question, I could only concentrate on the horrifying cry shifting through my mind.

  My mate, my love. She was
in danger, only this time, I wasn’t certain I could save her.

  I threw my head back and roared, every cell in my body on fire. There was no time to wait, no other choice. I struggled to reach the entrance of the building as I ripped off my clothing, embracing the transformation.

  As my muscles began to extend, my bones breaking, I could still hear Clarise crying out, beckoning for me. The anguish was much more intense than usual, my entire body on fire as I waited until I was able to drop on all fours. I could feel Clarise’s rapid heartbeat, could hear her cries as she called out my name. Yet there was another.

  Becca.

  And she was dying, her wounds mortal.

  “Your mate left the camp,” Ranger snarled as he flanked my side, his long white fur magnified by the afternoon sun.

  “And we must save her.” While I gave him a hard glare, I knew that he would fight by my side. We had little time. While every thought she issued was little more than fleeting images, the vivid detail was all I needed.

  A true monster was prepared to end her life, much as he’d attempted with Becca. There was no time to waste.

  As we raced through the forest, all I could think about was getting to Clarise. She was mine. Mine to protect. Mine to adore. Mine to love. There was no human or beast alive that would stop me from getting to her.

  I sensed groups of humans all around us. They were closing in. How the fuck they figured out about where she was, I wasn’t able to tell. But I would find out. I would hunt them down and I would kill them.

  There was no holding me back as I raced through the trees, only moving to the open road when necessary. Not only could I sense Clarise, I could smell her, a fragrance that was undeniable, reeking of fear. Then I could hear her voice, screams that penetrated the sky.

  “No. You bastard!”

  Every nerve stood on end as I closed the distance, the stench of blood filling my nostrils. My vision was clouded as Ranger and I bolted through the last patch of dense foliage, embarking on the horrific scene.

  As Becca lay crumpled on the ground, blood saturating the lioness’ fur, Clarise stood over a human male, a weapon in her shaking hand.