Shifted Temptations

by Black, C. E.

  Alexander glanced behind him and placed a hand on the man’s shoulders.

  “Look who we’ve got here, Lee. Our son’s have finally come home.” He smiled back at us, but I continued to stare at the man who called himself my father.

  I hated him for what he had done to my mother and me. So much anger coursed through me at that moment, I thought I’d combust. I knew in that instant I would kill him if I got the chance.

  Lee Jeffery Hunt, aka my father, snarled, showing off yellowing teeth. “I think a celebration is in order. How about a little fun in the trench?”

  Alexander’s grin widened as his eyes glinted with secret merriment. “Perfect.”

  I had a bad feeling we weren’t going to like the trench.

  ~ 30 ~

  Sam

  “Bear, you have got to do something! They have been gone for almost three weeks now! I can’t stand this any longer!”

  Bear was sitting in the armchair across from where I had curled up on the couch, wringing my hands in worry. Jordan and Alex had been gone for so long and no one would tell me anything.

  Liz walked in to see what was going on. I had moved back into our house as soon as she got home. Bear came with me, saying wherever I went, so did he. I had not really minded. He was my only link to Jordan and Alex, even though he refused to tell me much.

  “We have to wait, Sam.” Bear’s deep voice was sympathetic, but I was tired of waiting. I wanted action.

  I stood up, a little slower than I wanted to due to my huge stomach and the lower back pain I had been experiencing all day. At least the casts were gone.

  I began to pace back and forth, unable to stay still any longer. The waiting was excruciating. The only peace I had was that at least I knew they were not dead, but how much time did they have left? Were they hurting, being tortured? I just could not stop my imagination from producing images I would rather not see.

  Liz came to stand in front of me. I tried to move around her, but she placed a gentle hand on my arm.

  “Sam, I know this is hard, but listen to Bear. Stay calm sweetie, at least for the baby, okay?”

  “I understand what you’re trying to say and I don’t want to harm the baby, but I just can’t stop thinking about them. They have been missing for so long and I’m worried sick.”

  My eyes prickled with tears. I sniffed and willed them away. I was so tired of crying. My head felt swollen and my muscles were sore from all the sobs. The ache in my back was only getting worse.

  “Sam, I hate to say this, but you are going to have to start dealing with this situation better.”

  How dare he tell me to deal with it better? My men were out there with God knows what happening to them. I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought of that statement, but his raised a hand to stop me.

  “I know you are worried. Hell, so am I, but Jordan and Alex have a job to do. Being part of the Alpha Division is dangerous and this kind of thing is going to happen occasionally. If you can’t handle it, then I’m not sure your relationship will survive.”

  He was right, I knew that, but how could I not worry? Was this really something I was going to have to get use to on a regular basis? Could I handle them having such a risky job?

  The answer was obvious. I loved them and wanted them around not only for myself, but also for our child as well. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my restless nerves.

  “What exactly is the Alpha Division?” Liz asked.

  Bear and I turned to her with wide eyes. I had forgotten she was in the room and from the look on Bear’s face, so had he. That fact had me realizing how much he was actually concerned for Alex and Jordan. He was so worried that he had not paid attention before spilling a piece of their secret.

  When Liz had come home, I told her most of what happened. I had told her how Jordan, Alex and I were trying again and we even discussed me moving out. She had been happy for me and told me not to worry about the house. We decided to talk more when the guys came home.

  As far as their job, I only said they worked for the government and that Bear was helping me while they were gone. She was confused about why he was still around since she was home, but I convinced her that he was a good friend and that Jordan and Alex would want him with me until they got back. She reluctantly let it go.

  She now stood with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed on our guilty faces. I looked to Bear for an answer.

  He shrugged. “It’s only the name of the military division they are in.”

  Liz crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze on us. “No, there is something else going on. Both of you have been whispering and stopping discussions when I walk in a room since I came back from Europe. Furthermore, why exactly do you need to be here anyway? I am capable of taking care of Sam.”

  “I...” Shit, I did not know what to say, but I did not want to lie to her. She was my very best friend. There was no way I would be able to keep the secret from her for long.

  I looked up at Bear, pleadingly. He shook his head no and stared at me hard in warning.

  “Bear, I trust Liz one hundred percent. I have known her for a very long time and she has been there for me at my lowest times. I don’t think I can keep this from her.”

  “Sam, you can’t.” Bear growled a warning.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to tell her.”

  “Tell me what?” Liz’s eyes were bouncing back and forth between Bear and I.

  Bear sighed and his shoulders slumped. “I can’t stop you, but if this goes badly, I won’t be able to protect you.”

  “Goes badly as in if Liz can’t keep her mouth shut then I will be killed?”

  Bear looked me in eyes and nodded once. I could see the regret in his expression, but it did not stop the shudder from moving down my spine at the thought of ‘things going badly’.

  Liz raised her hands up in alarm. “Wait! What are you talking about? You can’t kill her! I won’t let you!” She ran to her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “I’m calling the cops.”

  “No! Liz, put down the phone.”

  Liz looked at me, her eyebrows lowered in confusion. “That guy just threatened you.”

  I swallowed hard. “Sort of, yes, but I know you won’t tell anyone, so I don’t have anything to worry about right?”

  “What is going on, Sam?”

  “Put down the phone and I will tell you.”

  Liz shook her head. “No, tell me first.” She held the phone against her chest protectively.

  I sighed. “Just promise me you will keep this to yourself. This can never leave this room; understand? No one and I mean no one can know what I am about to tell you.”

  Liz eyed me warily, but nodded as she moved to the couch and sat down. “Yes, I promise.”

  I could see Bear was unhappy, but he sat silently in the armchair and did not interrupt. I sat beside Liz and told her what I knew; Jordan and Alex were more than just men. They were shifters that could change into jaguars.

  She was as disbelieving as I was at first, but when I told her I watched Alex shift firsthand, she finally accepted what I was telling her as the truth. Liz knew I was honest and that I would never lie to her.

  I described what I knew about the Alpha Division, which was not much. She became instantly concerned and hugged me tightly.

  “Wow,” Liz whispered.

  I chuckled at her dazed expression. I knew exactly how she felt. I wondered what she would do if she ever got see one of them shift.

  “I have so many questions.”

  “I’m sure you do. I still have about a billion. Go ahead and ask and I will answer if I can.”

  “Will the baby be one of them?” Liz’s voice was brave, but her gaze was wary.

  I shrugged. “They told me it was possible. We have to wait until she goes through puberty before we will know.”

  Liz’s face crumpled into concern as she placed her hands gently on my tummy. “Awe, poor Ava.”

  Bear huffed, bringing my attenti
on back to him. “There is nothing wrong with being a shifter. She would be lucky to have such a blessing.”

  Liz rolled her eyes and looked over at him, annoyance clear across her face. “I did not say there was anything wrong with being a shifter. I just think puberty is a rough time to have to go through a change like that.”

  Bear’s cheeks took on a rosy glow and I smiled before turning back to Liz.

  “That’s what I said. However, Jordan and Alex will be here to help her through it. She won’t be alone.”

  My smiled dimmed as soon as the words were out of my mouth. What will happen if Jordan and Alex never came home? How would I raise a shifter on my own?

  Liz pulled me close and rubbed my back in a soothing motion. “They will be alright, Sam.”

  “But what if they aren’t?” I asked as I pulled away. “I know that this is part of their job and I am going to have to deal with how dangerous it can be, but they have to come back. I need to know more about their lifestyle. How will I raise a shifter when I don’t know anything about them?”

  I was beginning to feel a little panicked, but I pushed it down. I told myself it was not the time for a meltdown. I had to be strong for Ava.

  “You will always have us,” Bear said as he leaned forward on the chair. He had his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together. “That baby will have a team of shifters to help her. Neither of you will ever be alone.”

  I smiled my thanks at him then gasped as a sharp pain shot through my lower back.

  “What’s wrong? Sam?” Liz grabbed my hand.

  I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, but the pain was persistent. “I don’t know,” I groaned. “My back has been hurting all day, but this feels...different.”

  As soon as I finished the sentence, the pain dulled and I breathed a sigh of relief. “There, it’s gone now.”

  Liz’s eyebrows furrowed. “Are you having contractions?”

  “I don’t think so, I mean, I still have another four weeks until my due date.”

  Liz rolled her eyes at me. “That’s far enough along. You could be going into premature labor. Let’s call the doctor and see what he says.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Bear said.

  Another sharp pain speared through my lower back and I gasped, clutching Liz’s hand in my own.

  “Just breath,” Liz murmured as she reached around me to rub my back with her free hand.

  I focused on breathing in and out until the pain receded.

  “I forgot to count. Do you know how long that was from the last one?” I heard Liz asked.

  “Three minutes,” Bear answered swiftly.

  “Let’s just call the doctor from the car. We should get to the hospital.”

  Liz began to help me up as Bear grabbed his keys. As soon as I got to my feet, I felt a small tug from between my legs then suddenly I was drench. Liquid gushed down my legs and on to the hardwood floors. I looked up at Liz with wide eyes.

  “Oh shit!” I heard Bear whisper from across the room.

  Liz smiled at me. “It looks like we’re going to meet baby Ava today.”

  ~ 31 ~

  Alex

  A crowd of over a hundred people stood cheering and waving their hands as if they were having the time of their lives. Bleachers surrounded the large arena, but most people were standing while they jumped up and down excitedly.

  Jordan and I were in the center of the arena. It was the size of a baseball field with a dirt floor and enclosed by a twenty feet tall fence. It sunk into the ground lower than where the spectators sat, which was why they called it the trench. How the community was able to build such a thing underground was beyond me.

  The air reeked of sweat and blood. The heat was almost extreme and I wondered if that was affecting the boisterous crowd. I had heard of high temperatures making people do strange things.

  Turning my thoughts away from the crowd, I watched the four snarling, drugged up jaguars that were circling us, waiting for their next chance to pounce. I was bloodied and tired, but I was not ready to quit yet.

  I glanced to my right. Outside the fence, Alexander and Lee were chatting up the spectators, smiling, laughing and collecting money. My father looked at me and smiled. I growled, but he only laughed and continued his business.

  Jordan and I had been fighting in the ring for over three weeks and so far, we had not lost one yet. It had started out just one on one then move up to two on four. I was little worried what would come next.

  However, we found out that those fucked up cats were not as hard to beat down as we first thought. They were by no means easy though. Those jaguars were sneaky, I had given them that, but without the surprise, Jordan and I had been able to come out fairly unscathed.

  “Alex, I have to shift into my human form. I need the leverage.”

  It was sometimes easier in human or half-shifted form, because we stood upright and could use our hands for an improved grip. We would also still have claws.

  “Okay, I’ll stay like this a little longer. Have you gotten through to the team yet?”

  “No, but keep trying. I don’t understand why no one is answering.”

  We had been sending out our mental connection since we were captured, yet so far no one had replied. I was sure they were looking for us, but why had they not contacted us? We could have told them what was going on and where we were.

  We had discussed that maybe Paul had something to do with it. Maybe he told Alexander about the mental connection the team had and they did something to block it. I had never heard of such a thing before. However, many things that seemed impossible were, including drugged out shifters with immense strength, fighting in an arena full of betting onlookers.

  As Jordan shifted into human form, I watched his back while he was in the vulnerable position. Once he was through, he crouched naked on the dirt floor. We kept our backs to each other as we waited for one of the cats to lunge.

  I wanted the fight to be over. I wanted to go back to my cage and dream of Sam. I missed her so much and could only hope she was safe and healthy. I was sure Bear had been taking care of her and Liz should be home.

  I wondered how the pregnancy was going. It would not be long before Sam’s due date. Would Jordan and I be there for the birth of our child? God, I hoped so.

  “Alex, watch out!”

  Turning swiftly, I leaped over the pouncing jaguar. I landed heavily on my feet and watched the other cat skid to a halt. Before he could turn back, I lunged at him. It was the easiest way to take the bastards down. You had to be quick and attack while they were distracted.

  I fell on top of the jaguar before he even fully turned towards me and sunk my fangs into the side of his neck. My front claws dug into his shoulders, holding him still as I jerked my head back, ripping his throat in the process.

  I backed off and watched as the cat fell to the ground. Blood poured from the wound and soaked the dirt below him. He twitched and gurgled for a few seconds before lying still. He was not dead, but he would be out for quite awhile as he healed.

  Jordan snagged my attention as he gripped one cat in his half-shifted hand. Jordan swung him around and threw him with a roar. The jaguar smashed into the steel fence before falling roughly to the dirt floor. He did not get up.

  Jordan turned with a growl to look at the remaining two jaguars. His muscular body looked mostly human, yet his fingers had elongated and sharp claws had grown from the tips. Fangs filled his mouth, stretching his lips into a snarl. Golden eyes glowed above a fattened nose. He definitely looked scary.

  We faced the cats and waited, our breaths huffing loudly. The jaguars lunged at the same time. My focus was on my target and I blocked out what was happening with Jordan. He could take care of himself.

  I ran towards the cat, then rolled and slid on my back under his leaping form. Just as he was right above me, I kicked out my back legs and dug my claws into his stomach. The cat jerked and began to fall. I twisted sharply and pushe
d with all my strength.

  He flew through the air and landed across the arena. His fur was soaked red and things best not described were hanging from his torn stomach.

  I heard Jordan roar and looked just in time to see him throw off the last of our ‘opponents’. I walked towards him and we stood side by side in the center of the arena. We were breathing heavy, our bodies smeared with blood, dirt and sweat, as we waited.

  Alexander stood on a podium outside the fenced-in ring and held a microphone to his lips. He was smiling, happy his lap cats had won yet again and made him a ton of money. I could not help the low growl that escaped my lips at the sight of him.

  “Let’s hear it for Jordan and Alex!” The crowd roared with excitement, screaming and jumping as they clapped. “These two are undefeated...should we test them with something a little more...unique?”

  The crowd shouted louder and my paws shuffled as unease crept through me. I looked up at Jordan in question. His eye reflected his own apprehension. What in the hell was going to happen now?

  “I think we should too!” Alexander laughed as he shouted out to the crowd. “Though first, let us give these two a break.” The crowd booed and he laughed harder. “I know, I know. Nevertheless, believe me; they will need their strength for what we have in store for them. It will be a fight to the death!”

  The crowd cheered wildly as my father’s eyes met mine with a triumphant gleam. I had a feeling Jordan and I would not be walking away so easily from our next fight.

  ~ 32 ~

  Sam

  I rocked gently as I gazed down at the sweet, one week old bundle in my arms. I could not help but run my finger across her soft skin. She was so cute with her rounded cheeks and plump pink lips. She pouted sweetly in her sleep and I held her a little closer. I so wished Jordan and Alex could see her. They would have been so proud of how beautiful she was.