The Alpha's Mate (8 Sexy, Powerful Shifters and Their Fated Mates)

by Lynn Red

  He held out his hand, stopping her from walking further as they approached an alley way behind the art building. The campus was deathly quiet this far from the main part of campus on a Saturday. Dr. Turner stopped as well, peering down the alley at something only the two of them could see.

  "We need to get out of here," Jackson growled. His voice was low and full of calm assurance of violence. It made the hair on Chloe's neck stand up. She looked over at Jackson, their eyes meeting. He had felt something when they had brushed together, she could see it. She could see everything in those liquid pools of gold.

  Dr. Turner made a soft noise that made her turn, seeing four men step out of the alley, their faces covered in masks. Something about the way they stood made her blood run cold. They were definitely not students. And they were definitely not going to let them pass.

  Chapter 13

  Jackson turned away from her captivating green eyes to see four men in dark clothing emerge from the alley. Their faces were covered with ski masks, but he could smell the violence building on them. He had smelled that same scent, heard that same heartbeat in Afghanistan. It was from a suicide bomber walking into a town square with the detonation trigger in his hand.

  Jackson's eyes flashed golden. There was no way these thugs were going to hurt a hair on Chloe. He would rip them to shreds before they could ever even lay a finger on her perfect skin. He turned back to Chloe, putting his hands on her shoulders.

  "I'm going to need you to do exactly as I say, do you understand?"

  She nodded quickly, fear starting shimmer in her eyes as she glanced over his shoulder at the approaching me.

  "Good," he said, taking her chin in his fingers and drawing her attention back to him. "I need to you stay behind us. See that dumpster over there? I want you to go to it. Protect yourself at all costs, do you understand?"

  She nodded. Her face was pale but her eyes were bright and determined. He smiled. If they managed to get to her, those men were in for a surprise. She wasn't going to go down without a fight. He pushed her gently and she backed away, heading slowly toward the dumpster without taking her eyes off the four men.

  Jackson turned back to face the men. Turner hadn't moved yet, his posture defensive as he waited for Chloe to get to safety. He turned and nodded to Jackson. And it began.

  The four men pulled out weapons, small handguns concealed in the back of their waistbands. Turner howled a blood-curdling cry before leaping forward, knocking one of the guns to the ground before the man even had a chance to raise completely remove it from his pants. Turner spun, his eyes glowing golden in the gray winter light, snarling and snapping at the second attacker with teeth growing longer by the second.

  Jackson charged the other two men, knocking one down with a sickening thud against the pavement. The remaining man backed away slowly, his eyes going wide at the fearsome beast transforming in front of him. Jackson's eyes were golden and his canine teeth were lengthening into fearsome fangs. Fur sprouted along the back of his shoulders. His hands turned into claws that he slashed at the attacker. With a powerful stroke, he caught him in the middle and sent him flying. He landed ten feet away in a crumpled pile that didn't get up.

  Jackson turned to assist Turner, but he had already taken the man down. It had taken less than thirty seconds for the two men to take down four armed men. Turner shook his head as though he had water in his ears as his teeth receded and lost their dagger-like qualities. Jackson could feel the fur receding into his skin and his hands tingled as they returned to their human form.

  The four men weren't dead. Jackson could still hear their hearts beating. They would need medical attention, but all four would live. He wondered if their bosses would believe their story of the two monsters that attacked them and foiled their plans.

  What concerned him was that they were most definitely military.

  Jackson turned around slowly, hoping that most of his transformation had returned him to human before he faced Chloe. She had been able to see the whole thing. There was no way to have prevented it and still keep her safe. There just hadn't been time. Whatever hope he had of impressing her with his charm and wit was gone. She had seen the beast. There was no way she would ever want to be with a monster.

  She stepped out from the shadow of the dumpster, a large heavy stick hanging limply in her hand. She didn't flinch when she looked at him though and the hope that surged through him could have powered a city.

  "Are they dead?" she asked, quietly stepping up to the two Weres. She was pale as a ghost and trembling, but she kept her voice steady.

  "No. They're all still alive." Turner replied, stepping over to one. He knelt down and began rifling through the unconscious man's pockets. Jackson did the same to another man, but found nothing on his identity but a tattoo of a phoenix. He'd look it up later. Dr. Turner finally pulled out a piece of paper from the last man's pocket. The paper shook in his hand, and Jackson knew it wasn't from the wind.

  "What is it?" Chloe asked, dropping her stick and wrapping her arms around herself. The fact that she hadn't bolted spoke volumes about her self-control. Or lack of sanity.

  Dr. Turner rose and showed her the paper. On it was a printed picture of her. Her school ID photo, to be exact. She let out a small whimper, but that was all. She was shaking and all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be okay, but he wasn't sure how she would respond. Dr. Turner was impressed with how well she was taking this already. After all, she did just see her college adviser and another man morph into deadly killing machines to take out four men determined to kill her.

  Chloe took in a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes before slowly releasing it. When she opened her eyes, she frowned at the four men still lying unconscious in the cold. She had obviously hoped they would disappear when her eyes had been closed.

  "Well, I'm not really up for a sandwich anymore," she said simply.

  Dr. Turner laughed, coming over and hugging her. She burrowed into his shoulder, and Jackson felt the tug of jealousy. He wished he could be the one holding her, putting a hand in her hair to soothe her fears. But she wasn't his.

  "I'll buy you a pizza," Turner told her, looking down at her like a caring parent. She gave him a weak smile and he squeezed her into him.

  Jackson shifted his feet slightly, uncomfortable at the emotions rolling around in his stomach. There was too much jealousy and want rolling around inside of him, especially toward someone he had only just met a day before.

  "There's a cheap motel on Third Street. We can pay cash," Turner said, releasing the shaking girl. Her color was returning which was good. Dr. Turner put his hand on her shoulder. "Chloe, you are not going home tonight. I'm afraid they've found you."

  Chapter 14

  The three of them hurried quickly and quietly to Dr. Turner's car. Jackson opened the passenger door to let Chloe ride shotgun and she gave him a small smile. She wasn't sure how she felt about him yet, but the act of chivalry was still charming.

  Once the car started, Chloe cranked the heat, letting it blast to try and make herself feel warm again. She was looking forward to a hot shower at the motel. Even if she didn't have any of her things, she would still enjoy the water and getting the cold ache out of her toes.

  They rode in easy silence for the short trip to Third Street. Dr. Turner hadn't been kidding when he said it was a cheap motel. Chloe had never seen anything so rundown and sad looking. Suddenly, she was a little bit more hesitant about the shower. The place didn't even look like it had consistent running water.

  Dr. Turner parked the car and hurried into the main office, returning after only a moment with a key for a room. Together, the three of them entered a very run down motel room on the second floor.

  Jackson sniffed the air hesitantly as they entered, then shrugged. "Could be worse," he murmured.

  "It's not pretty, but it's safe. I know the owner. He won't tell a soul you're here. His business depends on discretion
." Dr. Turner pulled the threadbare shades over the windows.

  Chloe stepped into the center of the room. At least it was warm. She looked at the two men standing in front of her and wondered if she really had seen what she thought. As much as she wished it had all been in her head, though, she knew it was true. She bit her lip and looked up at her mentor.

  "Dr. Turner." Chloe paused as she took a breath and then let the words out as quickly as she could. "What are you two?"

  "After all this, I think you can call me Quent. That's what my friends call me." He gave her a fatherly smile. "I think you know what we are."

  Chloe shifted her gaze to Jackson. He was still breathtakingly handsome. Despite knowing what he was, she still felt an implicit and complete trust toward him, not to mention an ever increasing attraction as well. She should be terrified of him, but no matter how hard she tried, she only felt trust. To be perfectly honest, she had been more afraid that her attackers were going to hurt him than of him changing.

  "I saw you both change. Become stronger. Your eyes and teeth, and..." she faltered slightly at the intense memory.

  "And what, Chloe?" Quent coaxed. His eyes were soft as he looked at her. He knew this was hard but that she needed to say it herself in order to truly believe it.

  "You're both werewolves."

  Jackson nodded and peered out the window through a slit in the curtains. Quent smiled.

  She let her knees give way and she plopped onto the bed. "But that's not possible. Werewolves aren't real..."

  Quent came and sat down beside her, his smile gentle and voice soothing. "Why not? Human and wolf DNA in a single entity? We're all just mashups of previous DNA bits anyway. Why not these two bits?"

  Chloe frowned. "The Lycan gene. It's connected to werewolves, isn't it?"

  "Very good!" Quent exclaimed, proudly praising his prized student and turning into a teacher. "It is related to werewolves. The Lycan gene is a sequence of so-called 'junk' DNA found in certain individuals. It is typically recessive, and it requires compliment genes to activate it."

  "So the Lycan gene causes you to be like...this?" Chloe asked, baring her teeth and making a growling noise.

  "Not exactly. There are a lot of other genetic factors, as well as environment that come into play." Quent patted her leg. "Having the Lycan gene just means that there was a werewolf somewhere in your genetic history. When the gene becomes important is when breeding between Weres occurs. The gene is complicated and doesn't follow Mendelian inheritance, but basically, if a Were and a human breed, their progeny has about a twenty-five percent chance of having the ability to go through the change and actually be able to become a wolf. If the human carries the Lycan gene, that percentage increases to fifty percent."

  "You said the gene is caused by a werewolf in one's genetic history. Is that the result of a Were and a human pairing?" Chloe asked. Her mind was going a mile a minute, trying to figure out the exact genetic components of the werewolf condition, her scientific curiosity overcoming her initial fear.

  "Yes, very good, Chloe." Quent beamed at his student. "Any mating of a human and Were will pass the Lycan gene down through their progeny, it's just that the odds are it will be a silent mutation."

  "How common is the Lycan gene, then?" Chloe shrugged out of her jacket, letting it fall to the bed. Jackson stood by the window, listening carefully to their conversation.

  "Unfortunately, it is very rare. If your brother has the gene, then it would be a good reason for anyone investigating Weres to want him," Quent answered honestly. "The odds are you have it as well."

  Chloe nodded, her mouth going into a thin line. "I figured as much."

  "You said the gene required activation," Jackson asked, his voice low. "What does that mean?"

  "If the genetic criteria is met, the initial change requires a stressor." Quent's eyes followed Jackson to gauge his reaction. "Most times, this is puberty. But for some, like yourself, it takes an emotional toll for the beast to emerge."

  "It doesn't always activate with puberty? Why the stressor?" Chloe asked.

  "Puberty is usually enough of a stressor, especially with the influx of hormones, but sometimes the environmental component isn't strong enough to induce the change at that time." Quent's eyes went distant for a moment. "The ancient Spartans used to give additional trials to potential Were children at puberty in order to force the change. It was a part of why they were so effective in battle."

  "The Spartans were werewolves?" Chloe asked, her voice full of incredulity.

  "Not all of them. Only a select few and they were kept a battle secret," Quent replied. He looked over at Jackson. "You'd be surprised how effective a Were can be in battle. Or, maybe you wouldn't."

  "Can two humans with the Lycan gene have a Were child?" Jackson asked, pointedly ignoring Quent's comment. Chloe was impressed at the astute question, especially given the complex level of genetics being discussed.

  "A full Were must be involved in order to create another Were. The gene is more like a susceptibility than a guarantee," Quent answered.

  "I see." Jackson fell silent, turning to stare out the window. There was a world of pain in those two simple syllables. Chloe wondered what exactly had happened to him to put so much heartache in his voice.

  "What exactly is a werewolf, then? I know some of the myths, but what does that mean?" Chloe asked, changing the subject slightly to try and make Jackson more comfortable.

  Quent sat up straighter, the teacher in him excited to for the lesson.

  "The Werewolf is a hybrid of human and wolf that has been around since the dawn of mankind. The exact origins are unknown, despite many origin stories. When in wolf form, we maintain our human size and cognitive abilities. When in human form, we maintain a wolf's senses. There is also a transitional stage between the two that we can enter. In our everyday lives, we are stronger, faster, and heal more quickly."

  "Do you change on the full moon? What happens to your clothes when that happens? And if you bit me, would I become a wolf too?" Chloe asked, her questions spilling out like water from a pitcher. "What about silver?"

  Quent laughed. "We can shift anytime we wish, but the pull to shift is strongest with the tidal pull of the moon. We can resist, but it is difficult. The clothes usually end up ripped if we wear them when we change, as they obviously don't change with us. The bite and the silver are both nothing more than superstitious myths."

  "Oh, that's good, I guess." Chloe said simply. She thought about it for a moment, accepting this new information as though she were in class and this was the lecture. A new thought occurred and she frowned. "On an entirely different, yet related topic, why would someone want to kill me over this?"

  "It must have something to do with the file you stole, or something you know. Someone doesn't want you to connect the dots," Quent mused. "Those men were military. Army. Someone on this base didn't want you having that file. You must have enough of the pieces that someone is worried you'll put it together."

  "If the file were so important, why was it in an unlocked records room?" Jackson asked, stepping away from the window and pulling a threadbare wooden chair up to the bed. He turned it and sat in it backwards. "It must be something you know, or can figure out with the information you have."

  "Something with the Lycan gene, then? I mean, that was the piece of information that seemed to start things. Serves me right for stealing." Chloe made a made a grumpy face and Jackson laughed. She liked the sound of his laugh.

  "The Lycan gene has actually been known about for years in genetic research circles," Quent said. "That is, they know about the gene as a unique sequence of junk DNA, not what it represents."

  "I guess somebody knows something now, or I wouldn't be in this mess," Chloe said. "What do we do next?"

  The three of them sat quietly for a moment. Jackson spoke first.

  "So, the next step is to figure it out. We lay everything we have out on the floor and look at the pieces. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
" Jackson smiled encouragingly at the two of them.

  "You know, I always hated those as a kid," Chloe said sadly as she reached for her bag with the file.

  "Unfortunately, me too," Jackson replied, the smile turning into a rueful grin. "I was always missing a piece."

  Chloe dropped to the floor, pulling out the pieces of the puzzle she had so far. There was the medical file stolen from the base, the suspicious letter from her brother, the notebook full of the addresses and dates of her brother's deployments and assignments, as well as a picture of her brother. Together the three of them stared at the pieces of paper on the floor, but nothing made sense. Theory after theory was tossed out, but each one became more incredulous than the last.

  "Well, as much fun as this is, I have a job that I need to return to." Quent rose from the floor, stretching his arms up over his head. He bent down and put his hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Keep at it. I'm sure you'll come up with something."

  She nodded back at him, her mind still going over the pieces and trying to put them back together. Jackson rose smoothly from the floor to walk Quent out. Jackson opened the door as Quent stepped out into the icy wind.

  "You'll keep her safe?" Quent made sure that he made eye contact with Jackson.

  "That's a stupid question," he whispered. "You seem to know how I feel about her better than I do."

  A hint of a smile tugged at Quent's lips. "I'm going to go dig around in some files and pick some colleagues' brains. Maybe I can come up with something."

  "Good luck, sir," Jackson said as he closed the door against the chill. Chloe looked up and out the window to see her mentor get into his car and drive away. After a moment, Jackson returned to the floor to sit with her and stare at the puzzle before them.