King's Mate: An Alpha Shifter Romance

by Piper Stone

  “Clarise...”

  The moment she shifted her head in my direction, relief on her face, the human pitched himself toward her, able to knock the weapon out of her hand. I could tell by the vile look on his face what he had in store for my mate.

  There was no hesitation. There would be no second chances. Both Ranger and I lunged in his direction.

  There were few things more satisfying than ripping a man into pieces, enjoying the fruits of our labor. While the hunts were always glorious, this one was personal.

  And the bastard deserved to die.

  * * *

  Clarise was shaking as she flew toward Becca, dropping to the ground. “Oh, my God. She’s hurt. Luca! He managed to shoot her in human form as well as when she shifted.”

  I turned my attention away from the bastard human, lumbering toward them. When I noticed the gaping wounds, I issued a low-slung growl, slowly easing to the pavement.

  “You have to save her,” Clarise added, tears trickling down her cheeks. “She risked her life to come here. To save me.”

  “Yes. She. Did. The bastard will die,” I roared as I nuzzled Becca, trying to get her to open her eyes. “Becca. Come back to me.”

  A single scattered growl coming from her lips, Becca barely opened her eyes. “Is she... safe?”

  “I’m right here,” Clarise said as she brushed fur from Becca’s face.

  Becca took gasping breaths as she looked into Clarise’s eyes. “Take care of him.”

  “She is safe. Just rest. We will get you back to safety and you will live, Becca.” I scanned the perimeter of the forest, taking a deep whiff. While I could detect no one hiding in the shadows, I had a difficult time of believing that the officer had acted alone. While the lieutenant had survived the explosion, his revenge meant destroying the program the DSIC had been working on. Could that mean the entire organization wasn’t in on the occurrences at the scientific ward?

  Becca placed her paw on mine, gasping for air. I feared the wound was mortal. Anger nearly blinded me.

  “They will be coming. More of them. You... know... that,” she managed.

  “Yes, and we will be ready.”

  “Luca, listen to me,” Clarise implored, her hand still on my mane. I’d yet to shift to human form, remaining as my beast to ensure that there were no other humans waiting in the forest.

  “I will always listen to you.”

  She knelt down beside me, rubbing her fingers across my face. “It’s not safe at the camp. They know where you are.” Her whisper was hoarse.

  “How is that possible?”

  As she held out her arm, I was able to see the tiny bruise near her shoulder. “Because they injected a tracker inside of me. You must save your people. They will kill every lion in order to get to you.”

  She continued to hug some kind of notebook against her chest, her expression one of utter terror. I could also tell she was hiding something from me.

  Ranger snarled as he padded closer. “We must warn the Pride. Then we will kill every human involved.”

  Tipping my head back, I roared, rage and frustration furrowing deep within. “You are coming with me, Clarise.” When she shook her head, I was prepared to shift in order to require her to obey. “Do not fight me.”

  “No. There is something I have to do. If we’re together, they will capture us. Take care of Becca. She saved my life.” Clarise rose to her full height, backing away. Her face was riddled with horror as she walked closer to what was left of the lieutenant, snatching the weapon he’d carried. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me. I have to fix this. Please trust me. Besides, I know what I’m doing and I have protection. You forget, I am an officer of the law.”

  “What are you planning?” I demanded, padding in her direction. Every nerve stood on end because I knew she was attempting to handle a task by herself, one that was likely to get her killed.

  “To tell the truth. To share the atrocities that have occurred.” She held out the notebook, giving me a haunted look. “They will have to believe me. Maybe I can change this.”

  While she didn’t sound certain, I knew she was committed to trying.

  “I will not allow you to go.”

  “And you know I have to.” She jogged toward the truck, turning once. “I do love you, Luca. Whether or not it’s real, I feel it in my heart.”

  Even though I attempted to stop her, she managed to jump into the truck, locking the door. I jumped on top of the hood, clawing the windshield with enough pressure cracks trickled down the glass. “Do not defy me.”

  “I have to try and make this right. Please don’t make this any harder. This has to matter. It just has to.” Without looking at me, she started the engine, carefully backing up even though I remained positioned on the hood.

  My gut told me to stop her at any cost, but I’d already gathered a sense that humans were within a few miles of the camp. While my warning should have been heeded, there was no way of knowing how many human soldiers had been sent to annihilate the camp.

  I would fight to the death in order to save my own.

  “Let her go. We must get back to the Pride,” Ranger snarled again as he headed for Becca, tossing her over his back.

  “Go, Luca. Go home to your people. They need you more than I do. Protect your kind. Protect... our people.” Clarise jerked the truck into reverse, daring to look me in the eyes.

  After jumping off, I scratched the glass, my heart aching. “Be safe, Clarise. You do belong to me. No one will ever stop me from claiming what is mine.”

  I could see tears in her eyes as she drove off. Every cell in my body was on fire, the incredible electricity searing every nerve ending.

  As I took off into the trees, dread and sadness swept through me. The time of change had come, an event unlike anything the Breeds were prepared to face.

  As far as survivors, that was for fate to determine.

  And my rage.

  * * *

  I’d spent my life protecting the Pride, making certain none of the ruthless predators had the opportunity to attack. Up until this point, that had included humans. Every year since my birth, there had been skirmishes, tigers or bears attempting to hunt on our turf. While blood had been shed, order had always been restored, allowing for continued peace amongst our kind.

  What the Pride faced today wouldn’t be an extermination, but a destruction of our power. If our numbers were stripped to even half, it was possible the other Breeds would attempt to take over.

  Even if they had limited ability to shift.

  The message from the council meeting had been clear.

  No one was coming to help us.

  An unsettling feeling continued, increasing the closer we got to the camp. I sensed various groups of human officers, all waiting for orders to converge on the lions from all sides. However, what they didn’t know is that my soldiers had prepared a surprise of their own. After instructing Ranger to take Becca to safety, I surveyed the situation, obtaining as much information as possible about the number of humans as well as their types of weapons. The usual laser rays were capable of killing our kind, but only by a head shot, the majority of injuries healing. I thought about the weapon used on Becca, a design I’d never seen before. She could die and there was little I could do about it. Another wave of intense adrenaline boosted through my system, increased by my heightened rage. The lieutenant had intended to kill my mate.

  These humans should be easy to defeat only their numbers were more significant than I first believed. My intuition told me they’d been ordered to capture as many lions as possible, hoping to ensnare me in a cage. There was no time to waste.

  When I let off a booming roar, the rumble beneath my paws was immediate, the vibrations creating a wave of comfort. Every scent was heightened, every sound creating an incredible wave of music. I stood on the highest spot in the forest, able to catch glimpses of humans as they scattered, many overcome by the lions immediately. When various screams permeated the s
ky, I issued another series of short growls.

  Flashes lit up the sky from their lasers, another group of officers rushing into the fray. Several of the lions fell, many still lunging forward, determined to stop the humans from descending on the camp.

  I took off running, my canines slicing into one human after another, tossing the officers aside and continuing on.

  The battle continued, harrowing minutes as the weapons continued to fire, but the humans were being pushed back, kept from reaching the outer edges of the camp.

  As Jonas flanked my side, his thoughts were the same as mine.

  Kill or be killed.

  Yet that would do nothing but have every law enforcement agency attack the Breeds. While the hunger was strong, the need for peace had to outweigh my desires.

  “We must stop this. Run them out of the territory. Send them back to the commander with a message. We will not be taken so easily.”

  Jonas glared at me before licking blood off his paw. “Are you certain that’s wise?”

  “That’s what we’re going to do. Period. Do you understand? There will be no war.”

  He snarled yet nodded. “I will convey your message.”

  Only seconds later, a battle cry was issued by several of the lions, Kane limping as he exited a bank of trees. “King, they fooled us.”

  His chest was matted with blood, his breathing irregular. I took a deep inhale, able to gather an entirely different group of humans flanking us from the forbidden zone. Anger and frustration continued to swirl together as I realized the commander had likely outsmarted us.

  “There are too many of them.” Kane took several deep breaths before continuing. “At least five hundred coming from the swamp.”

  The swamp? The area was poisonous, the once pristine lake trashed from the effects of the war. Only monstrous creatures could survive the effects of the rancid water. We’d selected this camp in particular given the safety the swamp had provided. Sadly, while it had yet to contaminate the river, it was only a matter of time before that would happen. Then we would be forced to move.

  If the humans managed to survive the crossing, they could swarm the camp with ease.

  While dozens of my soldiers had been left to protect the camp, their numbers wouldn’t be enough to prevent an invasion.

  “King. We must act now!” Jonas roared.

  I’d never been one to accept the concept of defeat, but if the camp was taken, there would be no manner in which to stop the commander. His control would paralyze the other Breeds. No. I refused to allow that to happen.

  “We will fight to the death!” Now I would stop at nothing to eliminate as many humans as possible.

  As we charged forward, I issued silent commands to everyone in the Pride. They knew what to expect.

  For generations, lions had remained king of the jungle. While rarely interacting with humans, there’d been a certain amount of respect offered by them. Could there ever be a way to return to days of old?

  Or would the future generations never understand the ways of the land, hunting freely as true beasts of the forest?

  The stench of the swamp was ripe with decay and chemicals, the odor abominable. A light haze had fallen over the trees, creating a series of shadows hovering over the area. As we drew closer, we slowed our gait, scanning the dim lighting. The swamp had the ability to hide the smell of humans. The calculated risk to their lives in order to arrive in secrecy had been one the commander had been willing to face.

  The loss of human lives meant little if it meant they could capture me. I couldn’t wait to slice my canines through the commander’s neck.

  “They’re everywhere,” Jonas hissed, clawing the muddy turf as he neared the banks of the swamp.

  The humans outnumbered us three to one. After taking another deep sniff, every muscle in my body stiffened. These weren’t the same kind of humans. They were highly trained, those used in extreme battles.

  And they’d been sent to begin the extinction process.

  We’d been lured into a trap.

  I could feel another wave of vibrations beneath my feet, only this time it was from the thudding of human boots on the ground, heavy artillery as they prepared to storm the camp.

  A series of lights flashed in front of my eyes, visions of my entire Pride killed. I let off a roar that penetrated the fading skies, the cry one I only hoped would reach the other Breeds.

  For they would be next.

  There’d been moments in my past where I’d failed, memories that would haunt me until my last breath was stripped away.

  But the image remaining in my mind was one that would follow me into the dirt.

  My mate.

  We had only seconds before the end would begin.

  At least I would die with honor.

  I headed directly toward them, the others following, continuing to growl as I approached.

  Another series of vibrations shook the earth, coming from all directions. Jerking to a stop, I commanded the others to do the same. The beast inside was prepared for a delicious feast.

  The other Breeds had joined in the fight.

  Thousands of them appeared from the shadows, prepared to fight to the death. And while this was likely only the beginning, I knew we had a chance at survival.

  But at what cost?

  Luca...

  As her voice whispered in my ear, I snapped my head in the direction of the city. Clarise had been captured and this time, she was preparing to die in order to save us.

  “No!”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Clarise

  “I must see the president!” I hissed at the two armed guards dragging me away from the truck. I’d gotten to within meters of the White House, the highly secure compound exactly as I’d remembered from a visit. While I’d planned on being captured, I knew there was a slim chance I’d have the opportunity of being allowed to see the president.

  Somehow, I had to convince them.

  Netscape was everywhere, dozens of the president’s people watching the rogue female officer attempt to find an audience with the most important man in the world. While my weapon had been confiscated, I’d been able to see the confused looks on the soldiers’ faces. If they ran the serial number, they would know where the altered laser ray came from.

  Would it matter? Only if the president wasn’t a part of this attempted annihilation. I’d underestimated the commander. He’d had more than one hidden agenda. He could become both a hero and a martyr within days.

  Capture the beast king and his mate.

  Develop the serum that would save the entire human race.

  Kill the Breeds who were becoming even more human.

  However, the bastard didn’t know the secret. I chuckled at the thought as I struggled, more determined than ever to get in front of President Wilkes.

  “Let me go, you assholes. I have information for the president about Commander Martin.” I managed to kick one of the soldiers, the action punishable by a hard slam of his weapon against my head. Pain exploded into my eyes, yanking at my breath as I sagged against them. I had to keep going. There were thousands of lives that depended on this.

  Please don’t be wrong.

  I managed to toss my head toward one of the cameras, issuing a growl of my own. “President Wilkes. Your commander is preparing to murder every Breed. Did you know that? Did you condone such an atrocity?”

  “Shut up, bitch. Where you’re going, you’re not going to be talking to anyone for a hell of a long time.” The solider yanked me forward.

  Giving it one last effort, I jerked forward, able to turn and jam my palms against their chins. That bought me only a few seconds, ones that were more precious than perhaps any so far. “President Wilkes. Hear me! I have the cure. I can cure the human race.”

  As the soldiers lumbered forward, slamming me against the wall, I felt a distinct rumble beneath my feet and couldn’t help but smile.

  Luca.

  He’d come for me once agai
n, prepared to die by my side if necessary.

  Just as the metal door was shattered from its hinges, another up ahead in the corridor burst open, a sea of soldiers racing in.

  Along with the president.

  Luca swung his massive head from side to side, issuing a series of warning growls.

  “Jesus Christ,” one of the humans muttered as he stared at Luca.

  Just as the soldiers were prepared to fire, the president held up his hand. “Enough! Bring them to my private chambers.” President Wilkes locked eyes with mine before shifting his gaze in Luca’s direction then turned on his heel, disappearing into the shadows.

  “You came,” I said in my mind.

  “As you knew I would. We are under siege. There will be a war,” Luca snarled.

  “Trust me,” I managed.

  While the soldiers surrounded us, they made no overt threats, merely escorted us down a series of passageways, stopping just outside a room the president had entered.

  “Close the door and I do not want to be disturbed. Is that clear?” President Wilkes barked.

  “Yes, sir,” one of the men said before closing the door behind us.

  I clutched the notebook against my chest. If only I’d been able to make a copy. If only I felt certain I’d done the right thing.

  The president glanced down at the book in my hands before sitting on the edge of his desk. “It would appear that you have some powerful friends, Officer Bastille.”

  “Sir?” I managed.

  “Roger Daniels has been a good friend of mine for years. From what his daughter Emily told him, you have information that’s vital to the continuance of the human race. Is that correct?”

  “You can’t trust him,” Luca growled.

  “There is no other choice.” I gazed at Luca, every sense alive and on fire, my entire body tingling. “Yes, Mr. President. I believe I do.” I inched closer, fingering the covering of the notebook, still struggling with the information I’d read. “But first, I must ask you a question.”

  “All right,” President Wilkes said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  “Are you working closely with Commander Martin of the DSIC?”