BOX SET: Shifter 4-Pack Vol 2 (Wolf Shifter, Dragon Shifter, Mafia, Billionaire, BBW, Alpha) (Werewolf Weredragon Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection)

by Candace Ayers

  “You know what you’ve done,” he growled. “You know the penalty.”

  Every Alpha thinks the rules are made in their honor. It was the chief reason I refused to accept a pack and join them. They changed their laws for might and strength, crying foul when others did not play by the same rules. Every pack changed as quickly as the winds, interpreting the moon as they willed.

  On my own, I knew my capabilities and held to my own rules much like the ancients. So I shook my head at him for such nonsense, and finally caught a glimpse of the two predators behind us. They were closer now, watching and waiting.

  A droplet fell on my cheek and I glanced up to see storm clouds beginning to gather. The moon shined above us, cheerful and waiting for us to join it in the change. My heart began to hammer in my chest and I forced my fears away. Another droplet, and I knew tonight would be long.

  I swallowed hard, dropping my arms because they were beginning to shake. It was getting harder to focus now, and I realized I was hoping there would be spilled blood. My skin was crawling and I could barely focus as the wolf inside me sought to take over. But not yet, not yet, I told myself.

  “There is no penalty. We’re just passing,” I repeated with a hard voice.

  His female growled loudly, ignoring me. She was ready, inching forwards for the hopes of the first bite. The Alpha swung his claws at his mate as she broke violation in stepping ahead of him. We watched as the rage was enough of a trigger for him to change form, his angry scream changing into a howl. An Alpha demands complete obedience, after all.

  That’s when hell broke loose and it needed to work in my favor.

  Picking up my things, I put them in Ben’s arms and glanced around as the others joined him in changing as well. “We have to run!” I grabbed him, shoving him ahead of me. “Climb! I’ll follow behind. Go!” The rain began pouring when I let go of him.

  He was a quick thinker and immediately obeyed. First, he staggered but quickly regained his balance and I prayed to the moon that his adrenaline might save his life. He didn’t look back. The beta wolves jumped up from behind and fought to reach him, but I had already changed so I nipped their tails to turn their attention away from the mountain.

  The ploy was a simple one, and the Alpha was quick to figure it out. I had barely pried myself free when I saw him bounding up the mountain. Growling, I dashed after him and caught his leg in my jaw, pulling him back down with me. It was steep and sandy so there was little chance for us to follow Ben for very long. I just had to keep them from trying so he could escape.

  There was no time to look around before the female was on me and her teeth dug in my left leg. I yowled furiously, rearing my head as I twisted, eventually tossing her off me. Blood was in the wind and they would be hungry for it now. I had only a moment to lick my wound and keep moving on with all four of the pack ready to finish me off.

  It hurt to twist and step on the leg, but I forced myself to put the pain at the back of my mind. Huffing, I ran a circle around the frenzied pack, realizing their weakness: they were barely bonded. Most likely they were stragglers who had recently come together under the premise more teeth are better in a fight. Because of this, they constantly ran into each other and argued with each other as much as they were attempting to fight me. The budding storm didn’t help anyone either as thunder clapped and the rain grew thicker.

  Praying to the moon, I used my energy and the fire in my veins to my advantage. I went for their weakest link, the smallest of the four. He was young and naïve so I was able to quickly claw deep gashes in his muzzle before he knew what had happened. Blood dripped down his jaw and I knew I had hit an eye which put him out of the game for a while.

  The rest of the pack started after me, and I struggled to keep them from forming a circle to surround me. I had to watch my back constantly, and it was hard not to grow dizzy. My blood spilled from several injuries, but I barely paid attention. It wasn’t something I could afford, and we all knew it. If I stopped for even a second, they would all be on me.

  The other beta wolf made a mistake in trying to sneak behind me, and slipped on a rock which immediately caught my notice. The sprinkle had turned into a thick rainstorm and all of our pelts were soaked to the skin. I had him in my jaws before he was back on his feet and after he was down, I knocked the Alpha against a boulder. Then it was only myself against the Alpha’s female and we fought as the storm built.

  Breathing heavily, we circled each other. So far, she had stayed out most of the fight in the hopes of having this exact opportunity. She was uninjured, and I was tired. But where I was patient, she was not. Seconds later, she was too restless and made her move. The female howled a challenge, and started at me. She was fast, so fast I barely had time to move. There was nowhere to go, so I leapt over her but leaned in as I landed, my fangs sinking into her throat.

  She fought me, clawed me, and struggled to howl until it turned into a weak yelp. I wasn’t a fan of murder, but I was of survival. If I let her go, she would come back for me and for Benjamin. This is what I told myself repeatedly as I continued digging my teeth into her neck, waiting for her to give up the struggle.

  It took minutes, but soon her strength was gone. Panting, I bit down one last time and broke her neck before releasing her from my jaws. Licking my bloodied snout, I slowly backed away, eyes open for any movement. One was confirmed dead now, but I wasn’t sure about the others. I heard faint heartbeats but little movement.

  It was only when I was positive they were down for good that I turned high tail and started up the mountain. Keeping my ears pealed, I constantly looked back as I struggled to use all four legs in climbing the steep mountain. It was slippery with the rain pelting down, and I could barely keep on my feet. I began to wonder how Benjamin had made it, and prayed that he had reached the cave, wherever it was. His’s scent had long disappeared and I searched for holes in the mountainside.

  My strength was spent, and I limped badly. The blood loss was more than I had anticipated. Finally, after sliding down too many times, I switched forms in the vain hope it might help me stagger around better. I slid less, but it was colder. After finding a sparse semblance of a path, I walked along it until I found an old tree that provided some dry shelter.

  The air was cool and I could see my breath. My body shook madly, but I couldn’t tell if it was because of my poor condition or because the itch was nagging at me once again, insisting I return to my other form. Trying to shake it off, I wondered if I was going to find Ben tonight. I rubbed my naked body for warmth, and realized the wound on my thigh had yet to clot, still streaming dark blood.

  As a friend of the moon, the other injuries would be gone within a day or so. But this one worried me, for I had never had a gash this deep. There were large leaves on the branches above, and I considered grabbing some to press against my wound. But it hurt to move. I attempted to stand for the third time when I felt something being wrapped around my shoulders. It was my cloak, with Benjamin close behind.

  “Steady there,” he murmured when I nearly fell over, grabbing onto his arm. “You were nearly there.” He picked me up, carrying me into the cave just around the corner. I wondered how he could carry me with his shoulder wound, but his face remained stoic.

  No matter how tightly he tried to carry me, I couldn’t stop shaking. My eyes drifted from his shoulder that I knew must be hurting him, to his dark stormy eyes furrowed in concern. They were directed at me and for a minute I was speechless.

  Within moments we were again out of the storm and into the cave he must have located. “It’s a good spot,” I managed in a ragged voice as he helped me down on the ground, wrapping me tighter in the blanket. I listened for other movement, but we were alone. I shivered again, unable to stop it. We were both wet and cold so when he began to move away, I pulled him back against me. “Body heat.”

  It was excuse enough for him to curl his arms around me in the shadows. “Will they come, do you think?” He asked after a minute, his vo
ice echoing towards the dark of the cave. His large hands and thick arms rubbed my own arms, slowly spreading warmth. My mind screamed in protest, but my body needed this. I needed him.

  His question made me think of the dying cry from the woman. “No,” I managed when my lips were loosened. “And the rain has washed away our scent. No one could find us.” I ran my tongue along the roof my mouth, tasting iron. My lips were split and I was sure a tooth was loose.

  Swallowing hard, I tried to ignore it but the taste sparked the fire beneath my skin and I tried to concentrate on other things. I couldn’t change now, not here. With this pain and after a battle like that one, there was no telling if I would have full control over myself or not.

  “We’ll be safe here. You should try to sleep.” I looked at my hands, in tight fists grabbing the blanket. They were still shaking.

  It was a blue moon, I remembered, the hardest to resist. The cold and the pain melded with the moon’s power so I fought to keep my mind clear. This night wasn’t over like Benjamin thought it was. If I gave in, I might lose the control I had fought so long and hard to build. I wasn’t about to have saved this man only to destroy him.

  He noticed my shivers and rubbed his hands harder against my arms. “You’re shaking,” he muttered in a low voice. His tone sent a shiver down my spine and I tried to ignore it. “I saw your leg- your wound.”

  “Talk, then. Distract me. It is only the blue moon, and I- I can’t seem to control myself. Talk, or do something.” Clearing my throat, I turned to him realizing that I was practically in his lap with our faces only inches apart now.

  Everything disappeared when I looked into his eyes, but he was the first to turn away. “No, there is no time. Are there more bandages? I can’t have you dying after you saved my life.” He freed an arm, allowing cold air against my flesh as he searched for anything of use.

  “Fine.” Holding back a groan, I ground my teeth against the chill, hoping it would reinforce my self-control. Ben picked up the remains of my skirts and my shirt and ripped several strips off the edges. He found my needle and thread and turned to me hesitantly, waiting for my permission.

  “Well?”

  “If you insist.” I was sure I could see the bone through the damage, and wasn’t certain how it would heal if this wasn’t done. I had no energy to thank him as I prepared myself.

  Slowly, I wrapped my arms around my body to protect it against the cold, and slid my thigh closer to him. I watched his fingers work a little clumsily but generally confidently. While it was unlikely he’d ever stitched up a human before, he had the right idea. His shoulder was freshly bandaged, I noted with my unfocused gaze, and soon Benjamin tied the last strip around my thigh to prevent further blood loss.

  By then, I was leaning against him for support. The battle to stay conscious and fight exhaustion. The itch beneath my skin was taking a difficult toll on me.

  “We’ll need to find fresh water tomorrow,” I murmured, watching him as he began rubbing my leg for warmth. The muscles were taut and this time I couldn’t contain a loud moan, gnashing my teeth when he hit a sensitive nerve.

  Immediately he stopped and stared, most likely wondering when I was going to push him away. But the days of impropriety and decency were long behind us. No need for him to be a gentleman now.

  I struggled to sit up and placed his hand back on my knee with a shake of my head. “Ben, I have two skins and one is-is still fighting for the surface. I don’t… I don’t know if I should be here, and-” with that hand on my knee, his other one reached my face as he drew closer. I could smell his sweat and hear his heartbeat as our foreheads touched. My hand gripped the one on his knee, and brought it back up higher on my leg.

  Our breathing began to match one another’s, and our heartbeats began to increase in circulation. His eyes wandered for a moment as we both considered our options. The one thing we both had on our minds wasn’t a solution, but I was suddenly eager for it. My skin tingled and his fingers pressed tightly into my flesh. It was decided in the silence.

  “I- I couldn’t kill you… but I may bite; if… if I- it would change you.” I warned, closing my eyes even as I winced. There were no promises tonight, but the signals were clear. So if this is something he wanted, he had to know the threat and possible consequences, or run now. He stared at me and I couldn’t read his gaze until he leaned in and kissed me hard. This sealed the deal and I grabbed his shirt, forcing him to come even closer.

  The only restraint I held back was the physical transformation. Though the itch tingled beneath my skin, I managed to bury it with Benjamin’s body pressed against mine. My fingernails raked his back as he caressed me. Every ounce of passion and desire I had pushed to the back of my mind since coming across him finally surfaced.

  Even though I fought the urge, I eventually found myself sinking my teeth into his side as I trailed my lips down his body. It was the moon, the body heat, my injury, each other that drove me mad- drove us both mad. Rationale was out the window, and we didn’t stop until we collapsed, exhausted.

  The sunlight stirred me from a dreamless sleep the next morning. My body ached from everything that had happened last night. My leg was already looking better and I was satisfied until a pang of regret overtook me. I saw his bare hip where the blanket had slid off, and there, very clearly exposed, was a small but consequential bite.

  My blue moon had still won out; there was only so much I had been able to control last night. After all, I had sharp canine fangs from a pure blood line of my race, and I had never considered it anything but a blessing until now. I swallowed hard and considered the consequence that had come to pass. There was no changing this, and I didn’t know how to react to it. There had been other men, but never on a blue moon and never like this.

  A benefit of my kind was our quick healing. I glanced at the wound on my thigh, the one that had worried me. In a few days, I wouldn’t even be limping due to my remarkable healing powers. It would take another week before it was only a scar, but I didn’t need to worry about the skin breaking again. Hesitantly, I began to rise and glanced at Benjamin, seeing that his shoulder was in the same condition as my thigh. Hopefully he would consider this a blessing.

  My body felt rested and my wolf was at peace, especially with the sun up and the blue moon ended. I watched him rest, knowing his life would no longer be the same. Gritting my teeth, I turned to the opening of the cave to have some time to think. Part of me wanted to leave now but I knew that now I could never leave completely. We would forever be a part of each other.

  Still, my eyes continued to drift back to the bite. I couldn’t look at it without feeling miserable. I had saved his life only to sentence him to a life of danger and trouble. No matter how incredible our night together was, nothing would make up for what I had done to him. Unable to keep looking at him, I stumbled partially dressed to the mouth of the cave to watch the day begin.

  I heard him stir and waited. When he woke, his heartbeat was stronger, and his scent was mustier. I listened as he slowly made his way over, sitting beside me. My skin felt like it was on fire when he looked my way. Neither of us spoke for several minutes. I couldn’t find anything that sounded right, until I realized I just needed to be blunt.

  “You’re changed for good,” I fought to speak in a confident and controlled manner. I crossed my arms over my knees and refused to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry.”

  He was quiet, quieter than I’d known him to be in the short time we had known each other. It made me wonder, but I still couldn’t manage to look his way. I tried, but then I thought of last night and my skin began to burn all over again.

  To stop the blush, I forced myself to recall that in that time of pleasure, I had also ruined whatever had been left of his normal human life. I couldn’t help but be furious with myself. I loved my race and who I was, but this wasn’t me. I had sworn never to do this to another, even if they desired it. But I hadn’t intended on meeting anyone with his eyes, or his smile, or hi
s touch.

  Gritting my teeth, I shook my head and suddenly stood. I couldn’t just sit there with him anymore. I was beginning to muster some thoughts of hope- that perhaps this was something he might have wanted, but that was impossible. There was no way he would want this life. Turning back into the cave, I slipped on my shift and pulled up my skirts.

  He never stopped watching me. “You would just leave?” He watched me with a strange expression as I turned to him finally, staring at his feet. I wasn’t sure how to answer this question.

  So I was honest. “I don’t know… I don’t… know what to do. Not with you.”

  “Then we can keep moving. But together.”

  Hesitantly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. His eyes were so dark they looked black, but they didn’t appear angry like I thought they might. His heart was calm and he was patient. My tongue was thick as I realized he was serious. I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn’t form the words I wanted to say. I just knew that I wanted him.

  Smiles were rare for me, but the way he watched me had one slowly forming on my lips. “Good,” I said finally. He took on a rather wolfish grin, one I immediately took a liking to, and he grasped my waist and pulling me close. His lips descended over mine on a fierce and needy kiss. My smile only grew from there as I wrapped my arms around him. There was the world before us, and we weren’t in a hurry.

  2: Benjamin

  One of my earliest memories was that of sitting on my grandfather’s lap, wearing his spectacles. I was young and caught up in the wonders of the world, too curious to leave anything untouched. I remembered his dark grey hair swaying as he laughed, because I couldn’t see a thing through the glass. Everything was blurry and disorienting, almost making me dizzy.

  It was only when I tore them off that I could clearly see the world around me. The glasses clattered to the floor, useless and only a hindrance. I blinked, and my vision was precise as I looked about. I saw our small home, my grandmother kneading bread, and a setting sun.