He’d heard the stories a million times from his dad and grandpa. They were trotting along in the woods one day and BAM, their mates’ scent hit them like a ton of bricks. They couldn’t resist. The instinct was too great to ignore.
The pack finally came into the clearing, with one lone wolf tucked securely in the middle. It was an effective way to make sure she didn’t escape. One by one, the circle surrounding the female began to open, giving Rafe a better view. He held his breath as he looked over the stranger. When his lungs burned for oxygen, he sucked in a breath through his mouth, knowing her scent would cause his shift.
The knowledge that his mate stood before him nearly knocked him on his ass. His muscles strained as he fought off the instinct to claim her. He was convinced she had been sent by a rival pack. Why else would she show up so close to Yule? Rafe was positive she was part of their ruse.
Rafe took an involuntary step forward, then another. He felt a firm grip on his shoulder and wanted to bite it off.
“Easy, Rafe. You know she was sent in hopes of driving your mating instinct.” Lucas tried to reason with him, but he’d have none of it.
Her auburn fur appeared to be matted and wet in places, almost as if she were covered in blood. Rafe snarled at the idea of someone hurting his mate. Even if she had been sent to destroy him. Just then, Rafe noticed a thick, silver collar encircled her neck, making it impossible for her to shift and speak to him.
“Grab a pair of gloves. We need to get that collar off of her.”
Lucas nodded and sprinted for the garage.
The sooner Rafe got the collar off of her, the sooner he could breathe easier. He nodded for his pack to bring her closer. Rafe took two more steps toward the group. The surreal event unfolded so quickly it would leave Rafe flummoxed for a long time to come.
A strong westerly breeze whipped past him, delivering the female’s scent. It assaulted his senses in ways that he’d never experienced: passion, desire, hunger, pain, strength, and something else, something ancient. She was the one. His shift came faster than a blink, far faster than he could ever remember. Rafe leapt past the three front guards of his pack, landing directly in front of the female. My mate. It was the only thought his mind seemed capable of producing.
His female turned her mesmerizing gaze upon his. Her ice-blue eyes appeared filled with a thousand lifetimes of sadness and despair. He drew in a long deep breath, his muzzle twitching as he confirmed the presence of blood on her fur.
Without another thought, his mouth closed over the back of her neck, his teeth piercing her skin. When her blood hit his tongue, he knew his world had forever changed.
Chapter Three
Mina watched in disbelief as the Alpha bounded toward her in full shift. She wanted to run but was held paralyzed by his penetrating gaze. By the time her brain kicked into high gear, it was too late. His fangs pierced the delicate skin of her neck. Her howls filled the air as his mark branded her as his mate. She immediately threw up a shield in her mind, blocking her most intimate thoughts from him.
How had she allowed this to happen? She had just escaped one crazed male to be branded by another. The fates had clearly demanded she be mated and soon. If she were in human form, she might laugh at the irony of the situation.
The Alpha growled, warning away all that surrounded her. As they retreated, Mina contemplated making a run for it, but decided against it. Running would do her no good. No matter where she went, he would easily find her, thanks to the mark. Her attention snapped forward to the man running towards them.
“Fuck! Rafe, what the hell have you done?” Lucas ran a gloved hand through his messy hair. “The second I walked away you marked her!”
The Alpha growled again, blocking her from the man who stood before him. Rumbles of anger slipped from his snout as he paced back and forth in front of her. His tail twitched in agitation.
Mina watched as his hackles rose, daring the man to make a move. The Alpha was one of the largest she had ever seen. He towered above her much smaller form. His hazel eyes met hers and for an instant, she felt like she might swoon…or it could have been from the loss of blood. Really, either could have made her feel loopy at that point. Had she been in human form, she would have been tempted to run her fingers through his thick, grey fur.
“Easy, Rafe. Let me get the collar off of her, okay?” The man cautiously inched closer.
Mina immediately sat down, eager to get the godforsaken silver off her body. When the Alpha looked over at her, she whined, indicating it was all right for the man to approach. She felt herself swaying back and forth. Her wounds, the stress of the night, it all seemed to be catching up with her.
The Alpha shifted back to human form and nodded his head, allowing the other man to approach. She whimpered when he pulled the collar tighter as his fingers wrapped around the clasp.
“Easy, Lucas.”
“I’m trying, boss, but this is on her really tight. It feels like her skin started to grow around it.”
Mina was surprised by his next statement as it was directed to her.
“I’m sorry, little lady. Bear with me while I get this thing off of you.”
Mina shook her head up and down, acknowledging his kindness. She looked to the Alpha, her Alpha, trying to focus on something other than the pain shooting through her. If she could only speak, she’d tell them to rip the collar off, skin and all. As it was, she couldn’t utter a single peep. Not as long as she remained in her current wolf form.
Lucas tugged on the silver collar. Her breath quickened, and stars danced in front of her eyes as the pain lacerated her body. Mina tried again to focus on the handsome Alpha who stood inches away, scrutinizing the situation. What was his name again? If she could only focus, even for a minute, she might be able to figure out where in the hell she was.
Suddenly, the collar ripped free of her body. She knew the instant it happened. Deadly silver immediately stopped pumping through her system. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t retain her wolf form.
“Thank you.” Mina collapsed to the ground, panting as the full force of the injuries washed over her frail human self. Without enough magic to summon her clothes, she was left fully exposed for all to see. If an ounce of energy would have coursed through her body, she would have been mortified for her modest self. As it was, in her current state of mind, she didn’t give a rat’s ass that she laid there on display for all to see.
Mina tried in vain to muster the energy needed to stand, but her legs buckled the instant she put the slightest weight on them. She held her head in shame at her weak state, knowing the Alpha was within his right to kill her if he saw fit. Had she collapsed before Griffin, her life would be forfeit.
Pack law decreed that only the strong should survive. In her current state, Mina was anything but. She had been malnourished, beaten, and abused at the hand of Griffin and his thugs. Her magic was dangerously low. Hopefully, the Alpha who stood before her would be one of honor, taking into account the severity of her wounds.
Surprise filled her when the Alpha bent down and scooped her up in his strong arms. Her head lulled to the side as she finally succumbed to the darkness that had been threatening to pull her under.
Chapter Four
“Who do you think she is?” Lucas kept pace with Rafe as he quickened his stride, wanting to get the naked woman in his arms out of the cold.
Rafe felt a lump form in his throat. “I have no idea, but we’ll find out as soon as she wakes up. Whoever she is, it looks like she’s had the hell beat out of her.”
Lucas shook his head in disgust. “Who would do this to her?”
“I don’t know, but I plan on getting to the bottom of it.” Rafe knew pack life could be rough at times, but there was never any reason to mistreat a pack member. Even if she had broken a law within her own pack, justice should have been dealt swiftly. By the looks of her, she had been beaten repeatedly over an extended period of time. Cruelty of that nature ran contrary to eve
ry principle the packs lived, and died, by for centuries.
Rafe catalogued each of her visible injuries, getting more pissed off by the second. The fact that his mate had been abused, beaten by someone, was enough to make him go postal. There would be hell to pay when he found out who was responsible for her current state.
Lucas held the door open for him, allowing him to carry her into his home with ease.
“Can you grab a few blankets from the closet for me?” Rafe made his way to the couch, carefully setting the woman down. He grabbed a throw that hung over the back of the couch and gently covered her in it.
Lucas returned a few minutes later with blankets, a T-shirt, socks, warm wet towels, and dry towels. “I figured you could try to wash the dirt out of the cuts, then maybe throw a shirt and socks on her to help keep her warm.”
“Thanks. Can you throw a few logs on the fire, see if we can’t get it to warm up in here fast?”
“Sure thing.”
Lucas went to work stoking the fireplace as Rafe carefully cleaned each of his mate’s injuries. If only she could shift now that she had been freed of the silver, the wounds would heal instantly. Unfortunately, it would be a day or two, at the very minimum, before her magic replenished, giving her wolf the energy she needed to shift.
Once he wiped her down the best he could, he slid the soft cotton T-shirt over her head, trying not to move her too much. Laying her back on the couch, Rafe placed a pillow under her head and covered her with several blankets.
“She has the smallest feet I have ever seen.” Rafe delicately pulled the socks over her frozen feet.
“What was that, boss?” Lucas turned to face Rafe.
“Her feet. They’re incredibly small.” Rafe motioned to the freshly covered feet.
Lucas chuckled, shaking his head at Rafe. “You’ve got it that bad already?”
Rafe’s mouth flopped open like a fish out of water. He wanted to deny the statement, but there was no point. Even in her current state, there was no denying that his mate was a beauty. An unexpected warmth filled Rafe’s chest. My mate. His wolf beamed with pride at having found her.
“Can you call Erin? See if she can pop in tonight? I want her to give her a once over to see if she is going to be okay.” Worry settled in the pit of Rafe’s stomach. Surely, she would be okay, right? The Fates wouldn’t be that cruel, would they?
As horrible as the thought was, there were many times Rafe heard stories of elder pack members finding their mates just as disaster struck. The stories never had happy endings, as each wolf only had one true mate that roamed the planet. Once that mate was lost, it was a life of solitude and sorrow for the survivor.
Rafe listened as Lucas explained the situation to the pack doctor, hoping his worry was for nothing. It was almost funny that just moments before she came into view, he swore he’d have nothing to do with her. Now the stranger claimed every thought that ran through his mind. The connection to his mate was instant, even though she threw up a barrier to keep them from hearing each other’s thoughts.
As the minutes passed, Rafe envisioned a future with his mate. Images of a life he never considered as a mated Alpha quickly formed, coming in rapid succession, one after another. A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
Lucas quickly ushered Erin over to where Rafe waited.
“Erin, thanks for coming on short notice.”
Rafe stood and shook the doctor’s hand.
“No problem. It’s not every day our Alpha meets his mate. Let’s see what we’ve got going on here.” Erin made her way around Rafe and began to look over Mina. With her stethoscope, she listened to Mina’s heartbeat, followed by her lungs, and stomach. Her fingers traced lightly over her ribcage, causing Mina to whimper in her slumber.
“What can you tell me about her?” Erin inquired as she continued her examination, feeling the bones in Mina’s arms, then legs and feet.
“Not much, I’m afraid. The pack found her tonight, pretty beat up. Someone shackled her with a silver collar in her wolf form. As soon as Lucas removed the collar, she collapsed. She tried to get back up, but her legs gave out. I picked her up and she passed out.”
“She’s in pretty bad shape, but it’s nothing a shift to her wolf wouldn’t heal. The problem, which I’m sure you’re aware of, is getting her strength back enough to shift—and soon. She’s got a few broken ribs. One of her wrists is fractured, and her nose is broken. Whoever did this to her wanted her to suffer.” Erin took a deep breath, slowly covering her patient.
“Is there anything you can give her to ease the pain?” Rafe’s voice cracked a little at the mention of his mate being in pain.
“I’m sorry, but there isn’t. Rafe, you know better than anyone, painkillers, or any type of narcotic, have zero effect for anyone in our pack. Our metabolism processes things a thousand times faster than humans.” Erin laid a comforting hand on Rafe’s arm.
“I know, call it wishful thinking. Maybe one day science will lend a hand and find a way to make shifters more comfortable when injuries occur.”
Rafe hated seeing his mate in pain. He swore his heart broke each time she whimpered.
“It’s something we’re working on every day in the labs. We are trying to find suitable alternatives to medicines the humans use. Some of their extended release formulas are showing the most promise. Unfortunately, we’re just not there. I’m very hopeful that we will find a way to crack the code soon.”
“Is there anything I can do in the meantime?”
“Keep her covered and warm. When she wakes up, load her up with plenty of protein. Think steak, veal, beans, eggs, and surprisingly, Parmesan cheese is loaded with protein. We need to boost her energy so she can shift and heal her wounds. I’ll drop by in the morning before I head to the clinic, to see how she’s doing.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Don’t forget that while you’re caring for her, you need to rest and keep your energy up as well.”
Rafe started to open his mouth, but Erin quickly cut him off.
“I know you, Rafe. You’re worried that her pack will come down on all of us. You’re worried about her. And you won’t leave her side until you’re sure she’s better. It’s a lot of stress. Even for the best Alpha. I know you feel like you’re compelled to take care of everyone in Black Paw, just don’t forget about taking care of yourself.”
Rafe nodded. He’d be fine. It was his mate that he worried for.
Chapter Five
Rafe escorted Erin to the door, where Lucas and his pack waited patiently for news. As the door opened, the men scattered, creating a wide pathway for her exit. The cool brush off Erin gave Lucas didn’t escape Rafe’s notice. What’s going on with those two? Rafe silently questioned.
“Thanks again.” Rafe’s tall frame filled the entryway. He stepped out onto the deck, wanting to keep the noise in the house to a minimum. With a nod of his head, Rafe motioned for Lucas.
“What’s up, boss?”
“I’m going to skip the run tonight. I want you to lead the patrol, pick a few men to stay behind and stand guard in case anyone comes looking for the girl. I want the pack on high alert when they’re out on patrols tonight. There’s something off about this whole situation. I don’t like the feel of it.”
“Do you think she was sent here? To start a war?” Lucas’s easy stance shifted to one of formality. Silence fell over the chattering group. Each man stood a little straighter, focusing their hearing a little further.
“I don’t know,” Rafe huffed. “I find myself saying that a lot tonight. It’s not a statement I like making. I want answers, but it seems like I need to wait for Sleeping Beauty to awaken.”
Lucas nodded. “You heard the man. Let’s get moving.”
When the yard cleared save for the few men Rafe requested stay behind, he headed back inside, claiming the chair next to the couch. His eyes roamed over his new mate. Thoughts spun in his mind. If someone would have told him this mo
rning he’d have a mate that night, he never would have believed them.
He’d briefly considered trying to find his mate once, but pushed the idea under the rug the next day. Rafe never wanted his life, his every thought, to be consumed by another. As Alpha of the pack, he had enough on his plate and more than enough mouths to worry about feeding.
The idea of losing his independence didn’t sit well with him. For Rafe, being saddled with a lifelong mate meant giving up his own identity. She would know his every thought, his every desire, sometimes before he knew. The longer he spent in her presence the less he fretted about his unfounded worries. In fact, he wanted her to know everything about him. If only she would wake up.
His mate shifted positions, letting out a stifled moan indicating her pain. When Rafe didn’t see any signs of her waking any time soon, he closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind, curious to see if her mental block remained. The block remained, but it resembled a piece of Swiss cheese with holes strewn through it. It would take minimal effort for Rafe to smash through the remainder of the barrier. It was a dick move and he knew it, but he couldn’t put her safety, and the pack’s safety, above her need for privacy.
Rafe upped his concentration, sending a pulse of energy through his mate’s mind as she slept. Just a little harder. The block crumbled moments later. Images of a violent capture and punishment invaded Rafe’s mind. His muscles twitched as her pain became his pain; his heartbeat sped as her fears became his fears.
Rafe got more than he bargained for by smashing through her barriers and forcing the mating connection. He knew thoughts and memories would be shared, but he had no idea that everything would be shared with his new mate. If I shift to take the pain away, will it help her? Will she draw on my strength? Admitting the mate thing was well over his head, he gave in and called someone much more versed in the area. Someone he trusted with his life.
Alphas Unwrapped: 21 New Steamy Paranormal Tales of Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More Page 58