Claiming Her Mates: Book Three: A reverse harem paranormal romance series

by Dia Cole

“They will never touch you again,” Tasha spat. “Since you are soul bonded to them, I won’t kill those worthless males. But they will atone for their crimes against me.” She let out a chilling laugh.

  Oh, God. I needed to figure a way out of here so I could warn them.

  Tasha smiled. “Imagine how devastated they will be when they see you with my son.”

  I shook my head furiously. “I’d never do that.”

  “You will if you want the children downstairs to live.”

  Her warning hung heavy in the air between us.

  I had to think of a way to protect the kids and myself.

  “I do so like the look of that human boy. He’s a feisty one. He reminds me of my consort at that age. Nathan always fought me. It made punishing him so much fun.” She winked.

  Bile rose in the back of my throat. I’d never be able to forget the memories Nathan carried of Tasha’s abuse. “Please don’t touch Isaac.”

  “I’ll touch whoever I want.” She clamped her hand around my ankle, her claw-like nails digging into my flesh. “And you, my dear, will fuck whoever I tell you to fuck.”

  The knock at the door saved me from having to respond.

  Tasha moved so fast across the room she was a blur.

  Holy crap. I thought Gabriel was fast.

  Tasha yanked open the door and scowled down at an older woman holding a tray of food.

  “You’re late, Agnes.”

  “I’m sorry, my Alpha.” The woman looked down at the floor, the tray trembling in her gnarled hands.

  “Get back to the kitchen,” Tasha yelled, snatching the tray. After slamming the door in Agnes’s face, Tasha carried the tray to the bed and set it down in front of me. “Eat this. All of it.”

  I balked at the sight of a steak, hard-boiled egg, and a glass of a thick red liquid I hoped was vegetable juice. “And if I can’t?”

  “Then that human girl downstairs will lose her right hand.” Tasha tapped the knife strapped to her thigh.

  I looked back at the food, my stomach churning.

  Tasha closed her eyes and cocked her head as if telepathically speaking to someone. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked at me. “My Enforcers are readying Tyberius. You two will make a beautiful Alpha male babe for me.”

  I shook my head. “Never.”

  “Oh, but you will, my dear. Fate has brought us together for a reason.” She turned, walked to the door, but paused before opening it. “If you leave this bedroom or try to take off your silver bands, I’ll break the human girl’s spine one vertebra at a time. Little girls do scream so deliciously loud.”

  Her terrifying laugh stayed with me as she stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her.

  13

  Liam

  I sat in the hallway outside the ski lodge clinic wondering how this day got so fucked so fast. One minute I’d been soaring high on the adrenaline of having ascended into an Alpha male, and then I’d been forced to watch helplessly as my female was captured by Zayn.

  The former Head Enforcer, known for his methodicalness and his absolute loyalty to Tasha, hadn’t even spared Gabe and I a second glance before peeling out of the parking lot. No doubt he’d raced Havana straight to Tasha.

  Why did they come for her? How do they even know about Havana?

  I tried to focus on those questions instead of on the horrible fact that the Beast had Havana. Even worse, because of the compulsion Havana flung at us before she stormed out of the clinic, we couldn’t attempt to rescue her.

  After years of serving the Alpha of Winterhaven, I knew Tasha wouldn’t kill Havana right away. No. The Beast would play with her first. She’d offer her some hope, and then snatch it away. Then she’d torture her—drinking in Havana’s pain as she broke her body then her mind. Only then would Tasha finally give Havana a drawn-out painful death. A death we would share because of our bond with her.

  Fuck no. I would do anything to spare Havana that pain and agony, but there was nothing I could do. I’d failed my mate. I hadn’t been there to fight for her or protect her, and now she’d pay the price. I wanted to howl my grief and frustration, but I kept it in. It would do no one any good. Besides Gabe and Nathan were already making enough noise inside the clinic.

  The two of them had been arguing non-stop for the last hour, as every attempt they made to rouse Doc had failed.

  They should just let the Omega sleep. At least then he could die peacefully instead of burdened with the knowledge his mate was suffering.

  I rubbed my face in my hands, feeling the added length in my jaw. My face, like the rest of my body, had undergone a transformation. Besides gaining a pair of bright yellow eyes, I’d grown six inches in height and muscle. If I’d been a freak of nature before injecting myself with Havana’s blood, now I was a monstrosity.

  Why did I let Gabe talk me into doing the injection? Havana had been rightly pissed that we’d taken her blood. For all we knew the injection could have killed us all.

  Ah, fuck. What does it matter now? We’re all going to die anyway. I slammed the back of my head against the wall. It smashed through the wood paneling with a less than satisfying crunch.

  A few yards away, Mira mumbled something and turned over in her sleep. Her father had bundled her in a blanket and only the tips of her tiny toes peeked out. At least the young Alpha female would survive. Discovering she’d been infected on my watch had disturbed me greatly.

  Also disturbing, was the dead-eyed stare of the curly-haired human sitting on the bench across from me. Tina hadn’t moved from that position since Nathan had compelled her to come inside.

  She must be in shock.

  When Nathan tried to find the source of the blood on her sweater, she shrieked loud enough to shake the lodge windows. None of us bothered with her after that. But maybe we should talk to her if only to confirm our suspicions.

  I cleared my throat. “Tina, can you tell me what happened back at Sanctuary?”

  She continued her staring war with the wall next to my face.

  “Tina, were you attacked by a tall, blonde female, with yellow eyes?”

  I probably imagined it, but the human’s eyelids may have flickered.

  “Did those males in the vehicle hurt you and the babes… the children?”

  She blinked. “The children. The children.” Tears welled in her eyes and she rocked back and forth.

  Uncomfortable with her grief, I tried to steer the conversation toward the timeline of events. “When did Tasha and the Enforcers arrive?”

  Tina gulped in a breath. “They came about an hour after Havana and the doctor left. Tasha attacked me…” Tina held a hand to her throat. “Those men with her found the kids and brought them to her. She said she’d hurt them if I didn’t help her.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “She’s a monster.”

  That’s the truth. “Why did she send you and her Enforcers here?”

  “To bring Havana back to Sanctuary.”

  So it was a targeted mission. Even though I’d suspected it, I still didn’t understand. “How did she know about Havana?”

  “I told her.” Tina looked down at the floor, tears clinging to her thick eyelashes. “Tasha made me tell her everything that I’d seen at Sanctuary. I tried to hold some things back, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop myself from telling...”

  “Don’t beat yourself up.” There was no way the human could’ve resisted Tasha’s compulsion. It was a rarity than any Lykos could. “So Tasha wanted to take Havana to punish us all,” I said more to myself than her.

  Tina shook her head. “She wanted Havana because her men found the doctor’s medical notes. The notes said Havana was pregnant. Tasha told me I had to help get Havana, otherwise she’d killed Isaac and Lily.” Tina’s lower lip quivered. “She really wouldn’t do that, would she?”

  A bellow from inside the clinic saved me from having to lie.

  I jumped to my feet and nearly smacked my head on one of the wood beams. Ducking, I
ran to the doorway.

  Gabe and Nathan stood over Doc’s contorting body.

  I looked between the two males wondering why they didn’t seem more concerned. “What’s wrong with him?”

  Gabe held up an empty syringe. “Since nothing else was working, I injected him with Havana’s blood.”

  Doc seized on the floor, his muscles contracting violently. I didn’t envy the pain I knew the male was experiencing. Those first few minutes after the injection were some of the most excruciating of my life.

  “Get his clothes off.” I shouted. Both Gabe and I had gotten tangled in our pants during our ascension. Not a fun experience.

  Nathan and Gabe yanked off Doc’s clothing and not a second too soon.

  Golden fur erupted all over Mason’s body as his jaw elongated and his limbs lengthened.

  I expected Doc to change into his wolf as Gabe and I had done, but he grew larger and larger ultimately taking a half humanoid, half lupine form that took up almost the entire clinic.

  Gabe and Nathan backed against the wall to make way for the hulking beast.

  Gabe cursed. “Figures the Omega can take hybrid form.”

  Doc lifted his head and opened a pair of bright yellow eyes.

  The three of us went motionless.

  It can’t be.

  Nathan swallowed hard. “Is it just me, or does Mason look a hell of a lot like—”

  Doc let out a hair-raising snarl that showcased his jagged fangs.

  Fuck. I didn’t want to experience the business end of those.

  Gabe and Nathan inched closer to the wall, while Doc rolled onto paws as large as my SUV rims.

  Although the golden-haired beast crouched onto the floor, his massive lupine head brushed against the sides of the hole my skull had punched in the ceiling. So much for me thinking I was the largest of our group. This version of Doc could break me like a matchstick.

  “No one move a muscle,” Nathan warned needlessly.

  Doc’s tufted ears went back, and he let out a low growl that shook the room. He didn’t seem to recognize us. Shit.

  I looked over at Gabe. “What’s the plan?”

  He turned to Nathan.

  “Don’t look at me, Enforcer. I told you this was a bad idea.”

  “Well, it woke Doc up,” Gabe groused. “And now all of Havana's mates are Alphas so we won’t shorten her lifespan.”

  “Like that really matters now,” I couldn’t help but saying. Alphas or not when Tasha killed Havana we’d all die with her.

  “Look, Mason is changing back!”

  Nathan was right. Doc slowly shrunk back into his human form, although like Gabe and me, he’d now climbed half a foot in height and muscle.

  Doc looked down at his much bulkier body. “Bloody hell, what did you blighters do to me?”

  “Not me, him.” Nathan pointed at Gabe.

  Gabe didn’t back down from Mason’s glare. “We couldn’t wake you up.”

  “Yes, well, I fell on a syringe filled with a lethal dosage of sedative intended for Mira.” His eyes widened and he looked around the room. “How is the child?”

  I glanced behind me. “She’s fine. Still sleeping.”

  “And she shows no trace of the virus?”

  “No. Vana’s blood completely cured her,” Nathan said, looking both relieved and sad at the same time.

  “And it gave both you and her the ability to take hybrid form,” Gabe interjected, an envious look on his face. “It only gave Liam and me Alpha powers and it did jack shit for Nathan.”

  I blinked at the Ambassador surprised he’d injected himself.

  Nathan gave me a quick look as if hearing my thoughts. “I had to see if it would increase my power enough to break the compulsion. Unfortunately, it did not.”

  Doc looked down at his arm. “You injected me with Havana’s blood?”

  “Yeah. There’s one dose left.” Gabe nodded toward the windowsill.

  Doc’s eyes lit up. “Incredible.” He strode to the window and picked up the last syringe of blood. “We have a cure for the Z-virus.” He grinned. “Does Havana know?”

  When none of us said anything, Doc set the syringe down on the exam table. “Where is she?”

  Nathan flinched. “Tasha has her.”

  Doc frowned. “That’s not funny, mate.”

  “He’s not joking.” I hated how my voice rumbled through the room. It’d always been deep, but now it held a guttural pitch.

  Doc closed his eyes. Then opened them. “I can’t communicate with her. Our connection is dark.”

  Gabe cleared his throat. “Zayn shot her with a tranquilizer. She’s likely still unconscious.”

  Doc’s newly golden eyes blazed with anger. “How the hell did he get to her? Did you all just let him waltz in here and take her?”

  Gabe and I shared an uncomfortable look.

  Nathan rubbed the back of his head. “Vana was angry. She compelled us to remain here. She also unclaimed me.”

  Mason gaped at him while Gabriel and I looked away. Given the way Nathan had been behaving, he had no one but himself to blame. Still the male was in obvious pain and I felt bad for him.

  “We’re all trapped in the clinic,” Gabe said, kicking at the medical supplies littering the floor. “We can’t go after her.”

  Nathan gritted his teeth. “The Beast will torture her, and then kill her.”

  “That may not be the case.” I filled them in on the conversation I’d had with Tina in the hallway.

  Gabe scowled at Doc. “What the fuck? You were taking notes on Havana?”

  Doc glared back at him. “Her transformation was a medical breakthrough for our species.”

  Gabe strode up to the now taller doctor. “You put our Alpha in danger, Omega.”

  “I’m not an Omega anymore.” Doc shoved Gabe into the overturned exam table.

  Righting himself, Gabe growled at Doc.

  “Enough!” Nathan shouted. “This isn’t helping Vana.”

  Even though Gabe, Doc, and I now towered over the Ambassador, the authority in his tone brought us all to attention.

  Nathan cleared his throat. “Mason’s notes may have saved Vana’s life. Tasha craves an Alpha male son and as long as she thinks Vana might provide one, she’ll want to keep her alive.”

  Gabe nodded slowly. “It gives us time to plan a rescue.”

  “Exactly.” Nathan turned to Doc. “Did you mention anything about my relationship with Vana in your notes?”

  Doc shook his head. “I mainly speculated on the properties of Tasha’s blood.”

  “Good. Tasha has always been irrationally possessive of me.” Nathan rubbed his hands together. “Our first order of business is to figure a way to break the compulsion keeping us here.”

  That would involve Havana canceling her order in person or us finding someone more powerful to override it. I wasn’t optimistic on the chances of either of those two scenarios happening.

  Doc looked thoughtful. “Since I wasn’t conscious when Havana compelled you all. I don’t think the compulsion would have worked on me.”

  “Try to leave,” Nathan ordered. “But put some pants on first. My daughter is out in the hallway.”

  After struggling to squeeze into his now too small shirt and slacks, Doc waded through the mess on the floor toward me. When he caught sight of my face, his mouth dropped open. “Bloody hell, you’re a regular behemoth now, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.” Feeling like even more of a freak, I backed up into the hallway, allowing him to pass. “We haven’t been able to get any farther than the bench.” I pointed toward Tina.

  The human slumped against the wall, her eyes closed.

  “Is she okay?” Mason asked, a worried look on his face.

  I shrugged.

  Nathan appeared in the doorway. “First things first. See if you can leave this area.”

  I held my breath as Mason stepped past the bench and walked down to the end of the hallway.


  “Praise the fates,” Nathan breathed. “Go straight to Sanctuary—”

  Gabe muscled him out of the doorway. “The sentries will capture him if he goes anywhere near the property.”

  Nathan sneered at him. “Then what do you suggest?”

  In the corner, Mira sat up. “Daddy!”

  Nathan walked over to her and picked her up. “Hi sunshine, how are you feeling?”

  “Hungry,” she answered rubbing her stomach. “Where’s Vana?”

  Nathan forced a smile. “At Sanctuary. Remember that big cabin in the woods I told you about.”

  Gabe and I exchanged a look. Sanctuary was more like a fortress. A likely heavily guarded fortress.

  Mira pouted. “I want Vana.”

  “And you shall have her, Miss Mira,” Doc said, walking back toward us. “I’m going to bring her back now.” He shifted his gaze to Nathan. “I’ll take the tram up to the summit. I remember it overlooked Sanctuary. I can get a bead on the situation from there.”

  “Can you talk to Gabe and Liam from that distance?” Nathan asked, waving his hands between us.

  “No,” Gabe and I answered for Doc. It took time and a deep bond to build that kind of mental connection.

  Nathan rubbed the thick stubble on his chin. “We’ll need radios then. There have to be radios around here.”

  “There are some in the ski patrol offices,” Tina called out.

  We all turned to look at the human I’d half forgotten was there.

  Her cheeks flushed with color under our scrutiny. “I-I can show you.”

  “Thank you,” Doc said. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?”

  Tina nodded. “I want to help Isaac and Lily. You’ll bring them back too, right?”

  “You have my word,” Doc said in that smooth British way of his.

  The two of them walked down the hallway, leaving the rest of us to worry and wait.

  14

  Tyberius

  “This is such bullshit, James. We’ve been pouring broth down Ty’s throat for hours and he looks worse than he did before.”

  “We have to keep trying.” James put another spoonful to my lips.