Wild Ride: An M/M Shifter Mpreg Romance Bundle

by Preston Walker

  Chapter 6

  The rest of the journey was as uneventful as Jace could have hoped. Even with frequent breaks, they arrived at the Capital in less than two weeks. The omegas already looked so much better, but Jace hated what the poor souls had been through. He hated it so much. His hunters did the best they could, but their offerings were meager and they could only provide meat. Meat was all well and good, but the omegas needed vegetables, fruit, grains... a balanced diet. And yet they were filling out on what little he could provide, getting meat on their bones and developing muscle mass again from the constant traveling. It was a testament to their terrible treatment and he knew he would have lost many of them if not for that omega. That Keiran. The one he just so happened to notice, with the blond hair and sweet blue eyes.

  With Keiran’s help, injuries healed and each omega received an equal amount of care and attention. Jace had a feeling there was more to the story than he’d been told, but they didn’t often have a chance alone together to talk. He didn’t really know why he should want to speak with Keiran again, except that the omega was fascinating in a way very few people were.

  The scenery changed as they traveled, from plains and forests to an area of mountains. The travel grew more difficult, even as the roads became poured concrete, winding higher and higher up the mountain ridge.

  Jace stopped and looked back as they reached that final stretch. The omegas were struggling, staggering and exhausted. With a flick of his tail, he gave a signal. His Guard rearranged themselves, nudging the omegas into a long line so they could better spread out and assist them on the climb.

  Just a bit more.

  Jace wasn’t tired in the least, but his paws started to drag as he padded toward the crest of this particular bit of road. He could smell the city on the wind. Smoke and gasoline and food and many, many people. Part of him was glad to be home, but he would also rather be anywhere but here. He needed to be back out there, fixing the problems of the world, not sitting in some big fancy chair in the castle watching people argue about fixing problems.

  Well, this current problem wasn’t solved yet. He still had a few hours left to go before it ended.

  The ground evened out under his feet and he stood looking down at the Capital city, nestled in the cradling arms of the mountains. It was the most defendable location on the planet so far as Jace knew, and sadly, a position it turned out they needed. Times were changing, and not for the better.

  There were three easily-guarded roads heading in and out of the city, this being one of them. The other two were large and much more well-traveled. Jace could see them even from here, clogged as always with the unique and varied traffic that made Dexus so special. There were gas-powered cars and electric cars competing with rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages, all on the same road. And the city itself was no more specialized than the roads, home to a host of skyscrapers and old-fashioned wooden saloons. When a new technology came along, the old was not replaced so much as it made room for the new in a spot beside it. Dexus was a melting pot, a bread basket of cultures.

  A hundred years ago, the separate kingdoms of shapeshifters were brought into one. Prey and predator suddenly found themselves living side-by-side, governed by a Head Predator who ruled over all. It was meant to be a movement toward peace and, if one never left the Capital, one could safely believe that peace had come. Prey and predator truly did live in harmony in this city. But outside the city...

  Jace glanced over his shoulder as the omegas finally caught up to him on the rise, drinking in their first glimpse of what must have looked like paradise to them.

  Things aren’t always as perfect as they seem.

  “Welcome to Auroris,” he said.

  That little, annoying fox gave a whistle. “Damn.”

  That seemed to sum up everyone else’s thoughts, as no one else made a comment.

  “We’ll be heading down to the castle on foot. I wish I’d been able to arrange transportation for us from here, but it wasn’t feasible.” It also didn’t seem as if the omegas really needed it any longer, but it would have been nice to spoil them. Jace continued, “Stay in the line formation as we go through the streets. People will be curious, but we don’t want to be sidetracked. And don’t worry. The Guards will keep you safe if anyone gets out of line.” Physically and metaphorically, he added to himself.

  Shifting again into his wolf form, Jace started down the road toward the city gates. The whole city was surrounded by a low wall which wasn’t exactly tall enough to discourage a particularly dedicated shapeshifter, but the wall itself was covered in sharp spikes. And beyond that wall was another wall, and that one was a fair bit taller. The closer they came to ground level, the less of the city was visible but for the towering metal skyscrapers and the far distant castle spires.

  Jace stopped the group as he reached the gates, shapeshifting into his human form. “Humans, everyone,” he called over his shoulder. The omegas—he had to struggle not to think of them as “his” omegas, especially that Keiran—and his Guard all followed suit, though they didn’t break formation.

  Jace waved his arm and they continued on toward the gate, following the footpath that had been installed specifically for travelers on foot so they didn’t have to fight with traffic.

  “Welcome back, sir,” the guard at the gate said. She bowed low. Her skin was unusually rough and gray for a human, her rhinoceros form too powerful to be hidden even now. Some made fun of the larger shifters for this peculiarity, but Jace was not one to turn anyone away due to outward appearances. After all, he wasn’t the largest or strongest alpha wolf in existence, but he was a prince all the same.

  “Thank you, May,” Jace said. He flashed a smile, maintaining it only long enough for her to give one in return. “I hope you aren’t going to ask my reason for wanting to come inside the walls?”

  The rhino’s leathery cheeks turned a dusky shade of red, but she laughed and gestured him on past her. “Of course not! Although would I be presumptuous in asking how you fared on your most recent venture?” She looked past him, nodding at his ragtag group of omegas. “Well enough?”

  “Well enough,” Jace answered, gravely. He nodded to May and moved off past her. He could feel the omegas’ nervousness and their awe as they took in the strange world around them, but the sensations gradually grew faint the further they moved into the city. As a prince, the entirety of Auroris was considered to be his pack. He felt the combined emotions of the city and knew when there was peace or unrest. Soon enough, his awareness of the omegas would be lost in the constant background cacophony, and that made him sad. He’d grown used to their presence, to protecting them and hearing them breathe in safe, contented sleep at night. Ah, well. It was for the best.

  Well, maybe not. That annoying fox had grown on him. He would miss that constant stream of boring chatter. And there was one more omega he would miss, and that one most of all. Keiran.

  But maybe, just maybe, I won’t have to miss him. I have an idea...

  And he mulled over that idea in the back of his mind while leading his procession down the streets of the city and in the direction of his home. The omegas behind him took their time and he let them have their fill of looking around at the city, so unusual to all of them since the slave traders tended to stick to distant towns where there were no resources to locate the missing. A few of them had clearly never seen a car before at all, while most had never been close enough to feel the way heat reflected from the metal. They passed by giant corporation buildings, construction sites, and tiny niche markets. They crossed at the crosswalks and stared in the windows of restaurants, drooling not just over the food but the idea of being served a meal they didn’t have to make themselves. It must have all seemed so wonderful to them, like a fairytale.

  It hurt Jace’s heart to imagine the moments when they would realize that wasn’t the case. He wished he could prolong it for them as long as he could. And that was the exact reason he knew he would be a terrible Head Predator.<
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  As much as the omegas stared, so too were they the ones being stared at by those they passed by. Jace’s presence was something of a surprise, since normal citizens didn’t tend to see royalty when buying a loaf of bread. However, even when they did, that member of royalty usually wasn’t in the presence of nearly 40 other shapeshifters, most of whom looked like they were inches from death.

  Jace ignored the looks, although he did tighten one hand into a fist where it hung down by his hip. His Guard understood; he heard them shifting subtly behind him, pressing closer to the omegas to reassure them.

  They passed through the business sector of the city and entered into the upper-end suburbs, where the wealthy lived in a halo around the central castle grounds. Jace waved at the guards at the gate, who greeted him politely and let him pass. From there, they walked down the long road through the open grounds and finally arrived at the castle itself.

  No crowd awaited his return. While all subjects knew of his departure, he gave them no prediction of when he might return as he hadn’t had that information himself. Jace turned to glance over his shoulder again, meaning to speak to his Guard, but stopped by the sight of Keiran weaving through the others, checking on them.

  I have never known such an omega as him.

  And suddenly, Jace had his answer as to what he would do about Keiran.

  “Stay here,” he said. “Rest. I’ll be back in a moment.”

  Listening to the weary groans of the former slaves as they collapsed to the ground, Jace pushed his way through the tall castle doors. Home at last. Directly before him stretched a grand entrance hall, ending in a staircase that climbed up and up and up through five immense floors. On each floor, including the bottom floor where he stood, a maze of doorways and halls branched out. It was very easy to get lost, even when someone lived in the castle for their entire life.

  A servant boy scampered out of one hall and dashed toward the next, holding a letter in one hand. A page boy no doubt, whose sole purpose was to deliver messages throughout the castle. There were as many as twenty pages, Jace knew, all of them happily working just for the freedom of being able to run in the halls when an adult would normally yell at them for doing so. Well, the freedom of running and an occasional coin given by the recipient or sender of a letter.

  “Boy!” Jace called out.

  The servant swerved around and came scampering over to him, drawing to a quick stop and snapping off a salute. He moved with the speed of an omega but was large for his age and already on his way to becoming toned. A little beta wolf then. “How can I be of service?” he piped. The tone of his voice was exactly that of a little yipping pup and Jace couldn’t help but to smile.

  He dug around in his pocket and pulled three coins out, handing them to the kid. “I need you to find Mr. Don Allen for me, please. Tell him I need him out in the front courtyard of the castle, please. It’s important.”

  “Absolutely, sir,” the page boy yipped. He accepted the coins without a second thought, running them between his fingers before pocketing them. “Shall I locate him before delivering this message?”

  Jace nodded and the boy took off, not just scampering but sprinting.

  Returning to the front of the castle, Jace spoke loudly so the omegas could hear him. “I’m waiting for someone who will help me take care of you.”

  Then, he pulled Marvin aside. “I think you and your men have earned a bonus. I’ll speak with Don about getting that arranged.”

  Marvin grinned at him, raking his hand backward through his hair to make the spikey clumps stand up worse than ever. “Thanks, Your Highness.”

  Jace rolled his eyes. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  Marvin laughed and clapped his hand on Jace’s shoulder. “Really, though. You don’t have to do that. None of us mind spending our time running around and behaving as true wolves. We’ll do it any time you ask.”

  Jace nodded, trying to keep his emotions hidden behind an impassive mask. “Thank you. Now, I think I don’t have any further need of you just now. You and your men can retire for the rest of the day.”

  Marvin hesitated. “Are you certain?”

  “Absolutely. You’ve done more than enough.”

  Just as the Guard was leaving, Don Allen arrived. He was a tall beta wolf with charcoal skin and a bald head, always peering disapprovingly at the world over the rims of wide glasses. “Prince Jace,” Don said, scanning the group of omegas with his customary expression. He opened his mouth again, no doubt to say something unpleasant.

  Jace cut him off with a quick whisper, pulling the man several feet away so they were less likely to be overheard. “Be nice, Don.”

  “As your advisor, I feel obligated to tell you that you cannot continue to try and rescue every stray in the world.” Despite his words, Don reluctantly dropped his voice to mimic Jace. He was a royal advisor and nothing more, a glorified messenger and servant with no true power to give commands unless they were in the form of a message from Jace.

  “You know as well as I do that many of them will not stay long enough to become a drain on resources... of which we have plenty to spare. And those who do stay become valuable members of our castle staff.” Don seemed unconvinced, so Jace sighed and said, “Need I remind you of another stray I brought under my protection?”

  Don scowled but then shrugged, looking suitably chastened. He himself had been a charity case. He was an ordinary servant who often sat in on meetings, took notes, and made a record of events. He became well-known for his fastidious records and that was enough to catch Jace’s interest. “Fine. You might be right, but maybe if you applied yourself to your duties here at the castle, you wouldn’t need to do this so much.”

  Jace ignored the comment because it was something he already knew well enough himself. First things first. He looked up at the sky, at the clouds nipping at its edges. It was so peaceful. The threat of war seemed so far away, standing here.

  “I need you to find jobs for all of these omegas. Speak with them. Find out what skills they might have, what they’re capable of. Arrange...”

  Don held up his hand, asking for permission to interrupt. Jace stared at him moodily, letting him know he wasn’t pleased, before giving his assent. “I know the drill, Jace. I’ll get them situated and begin at once.”

  “Good,” Jace rumbled. “Thank you. Ah, but there’s one in particular. I already have a job for him.”

  Don raised his eyebrows. He was a man of habit and intellect, very much set in his ways once a pattern formed. As this was something that had never happened before, he instinctively didn’t like it. “Oh?”

  “That one.” Jace pointed at Keiran. “The tall blond one next to the annoying fox.”

  Don let out a soft huff of laughter. “Alright then. What job for that one?”

  “I want him.”

  The huffing laughter turned into a strangled choke. Don’s dark cheeks flushed even darker. Jace quickly amended, “I mean that I want him to be my personal servant. That’s all.”

  Don nodded, although the blush didn’t fade. “Very well. That will be his job then. His name?”

  “Keiran.”

  Don nodded again and moved off. Jace watched him go, fought off the urge to linger, and went inside the castle to go visit his father. As he navigated the halls to reach the castle hospital, he wondered if there might be some grain of truth to Don’s suspicion. He did find himself paying an inordinate amount of attention to that omega in particular. And the tingling in his hand when he first touched Keiran on the shoulder... That was a very real feeling. There was something there, although there couldn’t be. Keiran was interesting. Jace would find out all there was to know of the omega and then get bored of him, as he had gotten bored of so many others before him.

  Surely.

  Chapter 7

  Though Keiran knew better than to judge others based on appearance alone, he instinctively disliked Don. There was something in the way that the dark advisor looked at the whole ragg
ed group of them, like they were either garbage or so common that he would merely throw them all away if he had the chance. He had the look of a wealthy man who had seen the same thing too many times, and always saw it while looking down condescendingly through those ugly glasses of his.

  Whoa there, Keiran scolded himself. He could dislike the man, but it wasn’t fair to beat up on him for his station in life.

  “Well then,” Don said, clapping his hands together like they were dogs. “I best see to it that you’re all presentable and fit for starting work tomorrow. How many of you are there?” He scanned them with a scrutinizing gaze. Keiran expected him to start counting out loud, but was surprised when the stuffy advisor merely nodded and said, “Twenty-one? Well, at least it’s less than last time.”

  “Last time?” the fox Ty blurted out, voicing the thoughts of the collective group. “Your prince does this a lot?”

  “Quite a bit,” Don replied, shortly. He clapped his hands again, a habit Keiran knew he was going to find consistently annoying. “If you’ll follow me then, I’ll show you to the servant’s bathhouse.” He turned and trotted off, robes billowing out behind his long strides. Unlike Jace, he didn’t set a pace that the tired omegas could keep up with.

  Maybe he just doesn’t want to feel anything, Keiran thought, a little bitter. That probably makes it easy for him.

  “You guys who are stronger, help those who need it, okay?” Keiran tossed the request over his shoulder while reaching out to do the same himself. He found that the woman he held onto was the first omega he’d helped get a drink of water, all those days ago.

  She gave him a shy, weary smile of admiration. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t have made it here without you.”