Wild Ride: An M/M Shifter Mpreg Romance Bundle

by Preston Walker

  “But you and I? We are different from all those who came before. Our generation thinks differently and now we must adapt to that or else the next generation after us will be born into hell.”

  He pulled in a deep breath, steeling himself for this next part.

  “We are all different, predator and prey. But we are alike as well. All we want is the best life and Dexus is not the way.”

  His words sank in, stirring the crowd. They hadn’t quite caught on to his meaning yet. No Dexus?

  “A hundred years ago, the separate kingdoms of Exis, home to prey shapeshifters, and Dantin, home to predators, were combined to form the kingdom we all know as our home. And I say that this decision was wrong. The purpose of this speech today is to introduce the idea of once again splitting our kingdoms apart.”

  Cries of outrage drowned out what he would have said next. Outrage from the predators, the animals with the loudest voices and the most to lose. Outrage came from the other half of the crowd a moment later, protesting the predators’ desires to stay on the top of everything.

  Jace waited for it to calm down, but he could tell from the way the Guard stood closer to him that the tension was escalating instead of abating. “Stop!” he cried. “Stop fighting! This is only an idea, a theory! I have come to discuss the benefits and consequences of this idea, and a vote will be held within a few months! The people will get to decide. Let me repeat that for you: you are in charge of your own future. Take hold of it now and listen to me while there’s still a chance.”

  By this point, he had gone off script so far that there might as well not have been a script at all. Though at least the crowd seemed to be listening now, so he started speaking again. He laid out the laws they would put in place, for a passport system to allow members of the two kingdoms to travel freely between, and for a new workplace law that would make it illegal to discriminate upon any grounds. Everything they spent three solid days discussing, he put it all out on the table as best as he could.

  And he made sure to list the downsides as well, because there would always be those who accused the castle of not understanding the plight of the most vulnerable people. The new borders could cause a problem with people’s livelihoods and their jobs, and any number of other problems that were as of yet unforeseen. And when he was done speaking, with no more words left inside him, he ended it all with a closing remark that was word-for-word what they practiced. In fact, it was the only thing he’d said this whole time that followed the carefully written script and rehearsals.

  “As I said before, there will be a vote. We will have polling places set up across all of Dexus, beginning immediately. When this process is done, within a few months, we will vote on a predetermined date to be announced soon. The future is as simple as checking a little box. Will you be there?”

  With that, he stepped away from the podium. The crowd roared, too many voices mingling for him to understand anything. Whether they were furious or overjoyed, he just didn’t know.

  The Guard crowded around him, funneling him back toward their armored car and pushing him inside next to Keiran. He slumped back against the seat, exhausted, while gentle hands massaged the back of his neck.

  “You did great,” Keiran said, softly. “I never would have been able to do so good.”

  Jace closed his eyes, saying nothing. He privately agreed that the crowd would have eaten Keiran alive – would have eaten Jace himself alive if they sensed the slightest bit of weakness or any of the doubt with which he was full to brimming.

  “Can I make a request though?”

  Grudgingly, Jace opened his eyes and looked over at Keiran. The omega scowled at him, trying to seem playful. “Next time you have to make a big speech like this, let me know beforehand if you aren’t going to stick to what was practiced. I could have spent all those hours lounging in bed, sending servants to bring me ice cream.”

  I love you in this moment more than I ever have.

  How could such a shy little man take it upon himself to cheer up his royal boyfriend like this? It took so much strength.

  “I promise. What flavor do you think our child will be born as?”

  Keiran chuckled and wrapped his arms around Jace’s stomach, snuggling their heads together. “I do like peanut butter swirl these days. If it’s a girl, we could name her Penny.”

  Jace laughed now as well, clutching at Keiran. His heart swelled slightly, chasing away some of the negativity from his mind. “If it’s a boy, we could name him Van. For vanilla.”

  “Rocky.”

  “Moose,” Jace suggested. Keiran stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “As in, moose tracks. The one with peanut butter and chocolate pieces?”

  Keiran laughed now. “You aren’t very good at this game! But I guess that might be a good idea. Like a peace offering. Maybe that should become a family tradition, to name all of our kids after prey animals.”

  They laughed together, holding onto each other tightly. In the midst of so much confusion, at least they had each other.

  Chapter 21

  “Hey there, cutie,” Jace purred.

  Keiran looked up from the book he’d been reading, annoyance flickering across his face. “Do you mind?”

  Jace pouted at him. “I was talking to the baby, not you.”

  Keiran felt his annoyance fade as soon as it had come. These hormones were still getting the best of him, but he felt like they had at least settled down somewhat. His outbursts of emotion simply weren’t as overpowering or as long-lived as they used to be. “It can’t really hear you yet.”

  The alpha stretched out on the bed beside him, wrapping his arms around Keiran’s waist and leaning his ear against his round stomach. “No,” he breathed, “but I can hear her.”

  “You’re listening to my stomach growl.” Keiran giggled.

  “Oh.” Jace actually looked disappointed. “I was thinking we might have a real feisty one on our hands, with all that growling. Do you think if she can’t hear, she can sense the vibrations of my voice?”

  Keiran shrugged. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

  “I want her to like me better than you.”

  Clearly, Keiran wasn’t going to get any further reading done, so he set the book aside and looked down at the prince wrapped around him. “Why do you keep calling it a her?”

  Jace blushed, which wasn’t something he did often. “I don’t know. I kind of want a girl. A little daddy’s girl, so I can dress her in ugly pink outfits.”

  Keiran smiled down at him. “I’d be fine either way. But you’re acting a little weird. Like you do when you want something. How can I be of service, my prince? Shall I get up on my gross, huge, veiny pregnant feet and fetch you something that you could easily get for yourself?”

  He felt Jace’s lips curve where they were pressed to his stomach. “No, thanks. That wouldn’t be very good foreplay.”

  “Ah.” He slid his fingers through Jace’s hair, tracing the line of his fine cheekbones. “I knew you wanted something.”

  “What can I say? You know me too well.”

  “Do you think it’s immoral to have sex while pregnant? I mean, there’s technically a kid watching us the whole time.” Jace looked up at him, so confused and aghast that Keiran burst out laughing, holding up his hands. “I was just teasing you! I didn’t know you’d take me so seriously!”

  Jace’s face slowly softened. “You really had me going. I think I need to get some payback for this.”

  “Yeah?” Keiran pushed his book away and fell backward onto the bed. The position still didn’t feel the best, with all the extra weight of his stomach pressing down on him, but he did it anyway and spread his legs as well. Both of them were already naked, a habit he’d picked up shortly after they started having sex. What was the point in clothes when they weren’t really needed? It made him feel sexier, more like... well, an animal. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “Oh, I think I have some ideas.”

  With his
head still resting on Keiran, Jace placed his hand on the omega’s thigh and traced lazy circles there with his finger. Just being touched by the one he belonged to was enough to get him going, his manhood stiffening into an erection as the lazy circling continued. The circles grew wider and wider until Jace’s palm ran into Keiran’s cock, and then he stopped and curved his hand around the omega’s length.

  “Oh, yes,” he breathed, relaxing his head back against the pillows while lifting up his hips. “Give me more of that, please.”

  “I don’t think I heard you right,” Jace growled. His hot breath made Keiran tremble all over and clutch at the sheets. “Did you ask for more?” He tightened his grip on Keiran’s cock and slid his hand up slightly.

  Keiran gasped and arched his back, beginning to buck from the beginning surges of orgasmic pleasure. It seemed so easy to cum these days, what with all the different hormones raging through his body and making certain parts of him all that more sensitive. His nipples were hard as hell right now and he lifted one hand up from the mattress to rub them with his fingers.

  Jace growled more, hot breath hitting Keiran’s tip. He didn’t move his hand again, teasing. “My baby is so hot and horny. Would he like it if I sucked him?”

  Keiran gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

  “Oh, I am the prince. I can do anything I like.” Jace touched his lips to Keiran’s swollen red head. “Even this...”

  Shutting his eyes tight, Keiran waited to feel Jace’s mouth caressing his erection; waited to feel the hot, wet pressure of his tongue.

  It never came because, in that instant, their bedroom door flew open without so much as a single knock to signal someone wanted inside.

  Jace threw himself off the bed, striding across the carpet in his wolf form. Keiran watched, horrified, as the alpha prepared to attack Don, the advisor. “Jace, no!” he cried out.

  Jace jerked around to the side, fangs closing an inch from Don’s shin. His tail rose up high over his back as he kept his fangs bared in a snarl, dominant and aggressive. Grabbing at the blankets to cover his nakedness, Keiran watched. Why had Don barged inside like this? The advisor knew better than that! Everyone in the whole castle knew better than that.

  Don seemed unfazed for once by the scene before him. His usual expression of distaste at his prince and the prince’s servant boyfriend was nowhere to be found. Instead, he was clearly stricken with terror; he bent over in front of Jace, putting his hands on his knees and gasping for breath.

  “Jace, turn back!” Keiran demanded. He climbed out of bed, a little off-balance as he clutched the sheet in front of himself. “Can’t you see that something’s wrong?”

  Jace swung his massive brown head in Keiran’s direction, growling irritably. He did as was asked of him, however. Standing naked before Don, he demanded, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Don sucked in a huge breath and then gasped out, “Get dressed! Both of you! You have to get out of here and come with me!”

  Jace snapped, “Why?”

  Keiran didn’t wait for an answer, dropping the sheet so that he could start gathering up their clothes which had been tossed all over the room as per usual. Clearly, there was something bad going on and every second mattered. Jace could stand there and be stubborn but Keiran was going to be ready.

  “There’s a resistance!” Don sputtered.

  Jace just crossed his arms. He didn’t forgive easily and certainly not in a situation such as this. “What do you mean by a resistance?” Keiran came up behind him and tries to push his clothes into his hands, but the alpha didn’t even seem to realize he was there.

  Don straightened up, still breathless, but trying to regain his composure. “It is a resistance, Jace. It is a huge amount of predator shapeshifters who are angry at what we are doing. They clearly don’t want to give up their place on top of things.”

  “And where is this resistance?”

  “Just outside the gates. I was out having a walk when it happened. I don’t know if they have broken through yet or not.”

  “Yet?” Jace turned and took hold of the clothes Keiran had been pushing at him, dressing rapidly. “What do you mean, yet?”

  “I mean that there are a very large number of them and we may not be able to push them back immediately. They may even breach the castle. That is why I have come, to take the two of you to the safe room.”

  There’s a safe room?

  “What about my father?”

  “Sanjay has barred himself, the nurses, and all of the patients in the hospital safe room already. I stopped there first.”

  “Where’s the safe room?” Keiran asked.

  “Beneath the castle.” Don grabbed the door and pulled it open. “Come, we must go! Quickly!”

  Keiran looked back at the bedroom behind them, at all the clothes and belongings they were about to leave behind. All of his pregnancy booklets and vitamins. Everything he needed to gather up but could not. He turned back and grabbed onto Jace’s hand. “Let’s go,” he said.

  Jace clutched his fingers so tightly that they ached, but he didn’t protest. It reminded him that they were connected, that this was the only way they could make it through this: together.

  They followed Don out into the hallway, only to immediately hear a shout that chilled Keiran’s blood.

  “Get back!” someone screamed. “Get back, they’re coming! Everyone to their rooms! Lock the doors!”

  Don swore and turned to Jace. “They have breached!”

  Jace looked like a man made of stone. “How the hell did this happen? Weren’t we prepared?”

  “I don’t know! They must have struck during a guard switch or something. I don’t know, Jace! Does it matter?” Don thrust out his arms, gesturing wildly down the stairs. “They are here! The bedrooms won’t be safe enough for you. Or for your child. We need to descend. Do you know where the safe room is? Do you remember?”

  “I do.”

  “I will stay in front of you and fight but, if I am lost, run for your lives.”

  Keiran reached out. “Wait! Don’t do that!” he yelled, but it was too late to stop him. He hadn’t ever seen Don’s wolf form before. It was as black as night, as black as anything, from head to tail.

  Don looked back at them over his shoulder and started down the five flights of stairs and there was nothing they could do but obey him and follow behind. For the first two floors, Keiran saw nothing and wondered if the person screaming had made a mistake. Then, a commotion rose up from one of the long hallways all the way down at the grand entrance hall. A wolf charged through the hall, spinning on its paws just in time to face a muscular cougar. They clashed, blood spraying up the wall, and now more poured in from the hallway to join in the fray.

  Don charged down the steps ahead of them, clearly meaning to carve out a path for them. Keiran followed as quickly as he could, although by this point he was lagging badly. Before he knew it, Jace had picked him up and was carrying him.

  “I can walk!” he protested.

  “And so can a turtle,” Jace gasped. “But right now, we need to be running!”

  They reached the second floor. One more left to go. Don staggered through the fight, holding his own but receiving just as many scratches as he dealt. As Keiran reached the bottom landing, a small orange fox tore away from the fray and charged towards them. Don swung around to face the fox. Here was an opponent he had an advantage against, one that he could handle, and he meant to.

  A fox?

  “Don, don’t!” Keiran cried out. He kicked his legs hard and dropped out of Jace’s arms onto his feet, waddling over to the fox. “Ty! Ty, it’s you! What are you doing here?”

  The fox transformed. It was indeed Ty, the impish ginger omega Keiran had grown close to on their journey. He flashed one of his grins, but there was no joy in it, no affection. “Keiran!”

  For a moment, Keiran forgot all about the battle raging as worry consumed him. “Man, what are you doing here? You picked a bad ti
me for a visit!”

  “I’m not visiting, Keiran.” Ty’s expression hardened further. “I’m here to fight.”

  “For the castle?”

  “No, Keiran,” Jace said, from behind him. “I don’t think that’s what he’s saying.”

  Ty spat. Where his saliva hit the floor, it was pinkish, making Keiran realize for the first time that the fox’s mouth was stained with red and his pointed teeth dripped. “Your stupid prince is right. And that’s been about the only damn thing he’s right about. I’m with everyone else. This separation shit is stupid. You’re going to reverse everything! We might as well just revert back to only living in tribes and fighting each other over bones!”

  “Ty...” Keiran said, weakly. He could hardly believe this. What had happened to their friendship?

  The coming war destroyed it.

  “We’re predators. We’re on top. We eat these pathetic weaklings for breakfast! The powerful need to be on top of everything, just like we are right now.”

  “You’re an idiot,” Jace snapped. “Wily little fox who thinks he knows more than he truly does. You have no idea that you’re being tricked. Do you really think a fox could ever be on top? Your kind eat mice and rabbits, but you can’t compete with apex predators. You’ll be at the bottom of the pecking order, with the cats and the little hawks! Is that what you want? Is that what you’re fighting for?”

  Ty’s expression didn’t change, and Keiran knew there was no more point in trying to talk to him. They were friends no longer, if they had ever been friends at all. “Get him out of the way,” he said.

  “Who are you talking to?” Ty asked. He got his answer a moment later, knocked down by Don. And as he was only a little fox, there was nothing he could do but shriek and yip his frustration after the fleeing pair as he was held immobile.