I leaned forward, hugging both of them around their necks. "Oh, my boys. We are going to be okay."
"Sure, I guess," Thane said.
"But we still don't know who the third mate is yet."
"Will you calm down? I'm still trying to adjust to you being her second."
"Second? No, motherfucker, I'm the first."
"You wanna bet? Fight me."
My head fell into my palm. "Here we go again."
I was seconds away from screaming shut up when...BOOM!
An explosion rattled us to the core.
Chapter Nine
Thane
For all that is holy! An explosion shook the side of the mountain. Then another. Luther and I jumped up from the couch, darting out to the balcony. A massive plume of smoke rose from below.
Gunshots.
More explosions.
Roars and hollers of agony.
We searched around for any clues, realizing the location was where the indigenous Moonstone wolf pack inhabited.
"Looks like the pack refused to join the Shifter Elite," Luther said.
A heavy sigh left me. "They’ve got too much firepower; they'll never be able to hold them off." I hung my head in between my shoulders. Seeing the wolves below being slaughtered, so close to my zoo, was a harsh reminder of what our world had come to; join the Shifter Elite, or die.
This wouldn't be happening if our president wasn't a coward. Rumor was he was hiding on a private island somewhere while the world was being destroyed.
Rayah poked her head over the side of the balcony, anguish consuming her face as she brought both of her hands to her mouth. "They are going to kill them all." Teardrops painted her cheeks. "We have to do something."
"It's too risky."
"You are a vet. Your job is to help animals, give shifters a place to hide, so help them. My other mate could be down there."
"Exactly. I already jeopardized our safety at the zoo by allowing you to stay here; now, we will only add a target on all our backs if we get involved."
Her jaw dropped; the tears fell faster. "I am truly sorry I dragged you into my mess. The last thing I want is to ruin everything you built here. This zoo has been my sanctuary, too. But I know the Shifter Elite will not stop; they will destroy everything, anyone in their path. They must be stopped. I've already lost too much, Thane. My grandfather is still out there somewhere, too. I need to find him."
"Your grandfather. He was with you all those years ago, right?"
"Yes. Besides you guys. He's all I’ve got left. Please, help them. We are going to need shifters on our side, not against us. Not dead."
"She makes a strong point."
"Fine. We will help, but you stay your ass here."
"Deal."
I fetched my radio out of my coat pocket. "Braxton, do you copy?"
"Braxton here, sir. Did you hear that, too?"
"Yes. We are going to need your muscle power. We are going out."
"You're joking."
I looked at Rayah, her eyes pleading with mine. "Unfortunately, no."
"Why?"
"I'll explain once I see you."
"Alright, I'm with ya, sir."
"Luther and I will meet you by the gate."
"Roger that."
We were heading out when I felt her hand graze against my forearm. "Thane. If you can avoid it, don't kill them. The Shifter Elite were once like you. They are being controlled by the commander."
I groaned. "You are asking a lot of me right now, Rayah." I wasn't going to put my team at risk only to get ourselves killed. We were going full-beast-mode.
"I know."
Without another word, we marched out and ran at full speed. Braxton came into view at the bottom of the hill by the gate.
"Why are we interfering with Shifter Elite business?"
I explained everything about Rayah being a Shifters’ Sirona and how we were planning to overthrow the commander's reign of terror. After blinking at me in shock, he got his war face on. "Let's round us up some shifters."
Shifting into our animal forms, we stealthily moved around the mountainside toward the fray, the war cries and yells. Bullets were flying through the air.
In the distance, I saw Shifter Elite super soldiers in body armor and shifters in humanoid form, eyes red, in the same armor huddled around a group of wolf shifters. I recognized them by the moonstone tattoo on their left peck. They were severely beaten and bloodied. One was on the ground, brain matter sliding out of his skull. Bile rose in my throat from the sight. I could smell the desperation.
Gasoline.
I signaled for Luther and Braxton to separate and circle their huddle. We would each have to take on three of the Shifter Elite soldiers to free the pack they held hostage, beaten into submission.
Disgusting!
"Submit or die, Alpha. Those are your only choices."
"Pussies."
Well, this is going great. The Elite soldier paced back and forth in front of the alpha, who was being restrained by two others. I signaled with my eyes for Luther and Braxton to get ready to pounce.
"Your choice," the Elite soldier snarled. He lit a match and tossed it in the alpha's direction.
I lunged into the air, my massive paws extended out in front of me, knocking the alpha out of the line of fire; the two men holding him caught on fire instead. The Elite human soldiers withered to the ground, their body armor melting into their skin.
Chaos ensued around me. I no longer had time to think. Just do.
Someone cracked a fist into my skull, and the tiger rage inside me shifted me into a humanoid form to serve a round-house kick to my opponent. He went flying into another, falling victim to Luther's death grip.
"I'll give you a chance to switch sides. To fight for your freedom to be a shifter and not live your life like an oppressed one, your every whim controlled by a murdering tyrant."
The pack alpha spat blood onto the ground. "I'd be with him if I were you. You are just the commander's puppets to do with you as he sees fit. He doesn’t give a fuck about ya'll."
I reached down to help him up, offering my hand.
He took it. He swayed a little, but I steadied him with my hands.
The pack alpha coughed up some blood. "See. A good man makes an excellent leader. I should know. I am one. You’ll need to get your minds right."
The soldiers of the Shifter Elite glanced around at each other then back to me. Luther and Braxton closed in next to us, ready to rip their heads off if the occasion called for it.
The super soldier I kicked dropped his weapon. "The commander threatened to kill my family if I didn't join." He hung his head between his shoulders. "I did what he wanted, and he still killed them anyway." His voice turned shaky. "My wife, my kids." The tears fell from his eyes, and my stomach twisted into a knot. "He shot them in front of me, man." He fell to his knees, sobbing.
I maneuvered the pack alpha over to Luther's grasp. He nodded at me in agreement as I walked over to the crying soldier who lost his whole world with a pull of a trigger. I kneeled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling, but what I can tell you is justice will be served for your family if you join us. We won't force you but know we won't back down when the time comes. So, will you fight for your family? Will you fight for justice? Most importantly, will you fight for your future?"
The super soldier looked at me with renewed determination in his eyes. "Yes. Yes. I. Will."
I stood, offering him a hand, pulling him up.
I looked around the forest. The looks on the other soldiers’ faces were contemplative.
One finally stepped up. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled.
I straightened my back, glaring him down. "I'm the Sironas’ alpha."
He stepped closer to me. I could see out of the corner of my eye, Luther and Braxton move closer. I put up my hand, signaling for them to stand down. Rayah's words infected my brain.
Reason ove
r violence.
"Fuck the Sirona. Shifter Elite for life." He unsheathed his sword.
Alright, all bets are off. Nobody talked about my mate like that.
"I guess you'll have to learn the hard way." Before he could swing the sword at me, I punched a hole in his chest, ripping out his heart.
The sword fell to the ground, covered in autumn leaves.
Everyone gasped. The other soldiers immediately kneeled before me, along with the members of the pack that were still alive. "Sironas’ alpha," they chanted.
Our recruits followed us, helping the beaten and bruised up the mountainside. Luther and I carried the pack alpha, who went by the name of West. Once beyond the gates, we lead them to the treatment area, where I went about assessing their wounds. My heart ached for these shifters and humans. My heart ached for West. He had lost the majority of his pack. There were only four of them left, including him. He suffered the most injuries, internal ones shown on x-ray. That told me he was the kind of alpha that led his pack into battle, not the other way around.
I respected that.
"Thane?" A familiar, angelic voice sounded behind me.
I craned my head around. "Rayah, I told you—"
West sat up straighter on the gurney. "Well, who is this beautiful young thing?" He licked his lips.
Her cheeks turned crimson under his gaze. "Hi, I'm Rayah." She strolled in, taking in the scene with a frown. "A lot of lives were lost, weren't there?" She came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist.
I nodded, mirroring her frown. "Unfortunately, we were a little too late."
She released her hold, stepping around me, eyes fixed on West. "My God. What did they do to you?" She gently caressed his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. I could practically see the sparks flying between them.
I groaned, taking off my gloves and tossing them in the trash. "Rayah, this is West. The alpha of the Moonstone pack."
She glanced around, her lips tugging into another frown. "I'm sorry the Shifter Elite did this to you and your pack."
"It's not your fault, beautiful." He tried to smile but only coughed up more blood.
So attentive, she grabbed a rag off a nearby table and dabbed up the blood dripping down his chin. She turned to look at me. "His injuries are bad. What if…?" She gave me those big pleading eyes.
I hung my shoulders low. "If you must." I didn't want her kissing another guy, but I didn't want to be the man standing in between this wolf's recovery. It would be immoral as a vet and shifter in general. "I'll leave you to it."
"Thane…"
Without a backward glance. I walked out of treatment.
Chapter Ten
Rayah
Thane walked away from me after the incredible thing he did, saving some members of the wolf pack and recruiting some of the Elite. I was beyond impressed. It warmed my heart knowing he believed in my mission. Well, so I thought.
"Rayah?" West's fingers interlaced with mine, and he brought my hands to his lips. His chocolate-brown skin a beautiful contrast to my cinnamon skin. "My Sirona. I'm here to serve you. Whatever you need," West said in a husky voice, and desire burned hot in the pit of my belly. He barely knew me but was willing to do anything for me. He had to be my third mate. There was only one way to find out. Plus, I could heal those nasty wounds that he would die from otherwise.
"Oh, West. My loyal wolf. Let me heal your wounds with a kiss. I promise to be gentle."
He smirked, giving me a subtle wink. "No need. I am a big boy."
I giggled. "I can see it." Carefully, I ran my hand over his chest, lingering on his moonstone tattoo, mesmerized by the beauty of it.
He sucked in a sharp breath. "The anticipation of your lips on mine is killing me."
"I'm sorry." I leaned closer and sank into his body instantly; the hard planes of his muscles enveloping me.
An appreciative growl escaped the gap between our lips, and the hunger of his wolf consumed me whole.
"When I am all healed, I will show you how grateful I am for your compassion, Rayah."
I kissed him deeper, loving the feel of his lips pressed against mine. So juicy and tender and devoted. His hands lingered in all the right places as I sought his attention. I was greedy and needed more from this wolf who exuded such dominance...
The other shifters and soldiers in the room took the hint and left us alone.
Looking down, all his external wounds were healing right before our eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"My skin itches all over, but it's easier to breathe."
"I'm so glad I can make you feel better."
"Just looking at your face makes me feel better, but I wouldn't mind another kiss."
Before I could answer, I felt that pull on my gut—another vision.
The forest. Three Shifter Elite soldiers were trailing someone.
A woman.
Black boots.
Blue shorts.
A flannel sweater stuck on the tree. Oh my God!
A black wolf with a silver stripe over his eye pounced on one, ripping into his neck, his blood spraying everywhere, and the wolf craned his head to the sky, a distinct howl filling the air.
West shook me out of my vision. "Everything alright, Rayah? You didn't have to see my pack dying, did you?"
"No." I flung my arms around his neck. " You were that black blur I saw in the woods. You saved me from the Shifter Elite before you even knew who I was." Then an agonizing thought zipped through my brain. Was I the reason they ambushed his pack? Tears flooded my eyes.
"Hey, it was nothing, beautiful. Please don't cry. I would do it all over again if I could."
I let go of him to look into the eyes of my savior. "Really? But they retaliated because you helped me escape."
"I was going to go after them regardless. They were trespassing on my territory. Seeing them chase you gave me even more reason to kill them. They had been harassing us for months to join them. I refused to follow that man and his despicable ways."
I pressed my forehead against him, no other words were said between us, but our growing love spoke volumes.
High trees brooded over the night, keeping back the moon’s shine. Luther had fallen asleep on the couch while West was holed up in the guest room until he had fully recovered from his internal wounds.
Thane had been quiet ever since we arrived back in the cabin. I was finally able to convince him to lay down with me. I knew he was already worried about the safety of the animals and shifters here at the zoo before I had come along. Now, after the devastation we witnessed West and the Moonstone pack endure, the man may never rest again. I just wished he would talk to me.
"What are you thinking about?" I peered up at him, trailing my finger up and down his bare chest.
He glanced at me for a long moment, then raised his eyes to the ceiling. "We are in for a long road ahead of us. No matter how many shifters we manage to get on our side, we will still be at a disadvantage. If the Shifter Elite wasn't enough, the fact I have to share you with two other men fucking annoys the hell out of me."
I'm so sorry it has to be this way, Thane. I didn't ask to be a Sirona. “I know this isn’t the happily ever after you must have envisioned. In a perfect world, my heart, soul, and everything would belong to just you, Thane.” My confession brought his eyes back to mine. “But our world is not perfect. It’s crumbling around us, and we have to fight this together—all of us. West and Luther are just as much your mates as they are mine. I need you; they need you; the world needs you. So, are you in this with us?” I caressed his cheek, and he covered my hand with his, shutting his eyes tightly.
He shook his head, inhaling a deep breath before pinning me with those eyes that steal my heart every time. “I'm with you, Rayah. I promise. I just don’t want to share you with anyone. You Are. Mine. But for you, I will try to put my jealousy aside even when a part of my soul dies whenever I see you kiss your...our other mates.”
A tear escaped my eye. He caught
it. Oh, my brave tiger. “That’s all I ask, Thane.” My lips soared to his in a soul-searing kiss. He pushed back with so much force he rolled on top of me, pressing me further into the mattress. The moment we shared in the shower played in my mind like a movie. I was going to give myself to him then, and I was undoubtedly going to give myself to him now. “If it eases your mind, my virginity belongs to you, Thane.”
“Fuck, Rayah,” he growled against my lips, slamming his pelvis into me, his arousal at attention, ready to please me.
"Take me, Thane. Make love to me, my fierce and courageous tiger."
His whole body vibrated as if he was purring, his lips trailing down my neck to my collarbone. He continued kissing me down in between my breasts, ripping open the t-shirt I borrowed, exposing my nipples to the cold night air.
He cupped my mounds within his grasp, pinching my nipples and rotating them back and forth between his fingers. "Every part of you is perfect. No wonder you are a goddess." He took one of my nipples into his mouth, biting and sucking on the sensitive flesh as he strummed the other with his fingers.
The delicious and delicate tease had my soul set aflame, my pussy aching to have him deep inside me. "Yes, Thane. I need more. Give me more."
A growl erupted low in his throat as he moved down lower, gliding his thick tongue over my navel to the top of the shorts I wore. No underwear underneath. He tugged the fabric away with his teeth, shredding them before my eyes.
It made me giggle.
"Your tiger is hungry."
"I can see that."
Opening my legs with a smirk, he continued teasing around my entrance with his tongue, pressure starting to build in my core. Slowly, his hands traveled up my thighs. My heart raced, the cold air dancing across my bare skin, my body was exposed to him and entirely at his mercy. " Damn. Dripping-wet for me."
I was ready to give my all to my tiger, my alpha. The boy I met over a decade ago, who unknowingly turned out to be my everything in such a short period. "All for you, Thane. I'm only thinking about you."
Falling for Shifters: A Limited Edition Autumn Shifters Collection Page 45