by Piper Stone
After another few minutes, I was fearful that the Clivia hadn’t made it. Rounding a corner, I was relieved, several of the massive plants positioned in front of me. I’d lost far too much time, at least a full hour going by. The risk of getting caught was skyrocketing.
As I quickly snipped several of the leaves and flowers, shoving them into my bag, I realized I remained nervous. There was no idea how much I would need, but dear God, I hoped the amount was enough.
And that Mr. Anonymous wasn’t a crazy old fool.
Somehow, I had a feeling he was telling me the truth.
As soon as I walked closer to the cages, I could tell the other Breeds were agitated.
“What’s happening, Jabari?”
When he didn’t answer, I rushed through the trees, terrified of what I would find, the adrenaline rush keeping me going.
When I got within close proximity, I listened for any sounds of humans before stepping out. Very cautiously, I moved closer to the cages, darting my head over my shoulder several times. Even the lights appeared dimmer in the facility, as if an indication the zoo was closed, my instinct telling me I was very much alone. It was obvious that the guards were under no obligation to hunt down stragglers who were stupid enough to remain locked into a world where beasts could potentially break free of their chains.
Or this night had been part of the plan.
None of this felt right. Even with everything the caller had said, the threats and promises he’d made, I refused to risk Jabari’s life, or any Breed for that matter. I had to find out what the hell was really going on here.
I would take him to a safe location to perform the various tests, but the foreboding feeling continued to remain suffocating.
The Breeds remained agitated as I rushed by, several lunging at the steel bars. Dread swept through my system.
There was something terribly wrong.
As I bolted toward Jabari’s cage, there was no sight of him. I couldn’t feel him, or hear his words tickling my brain. Every incredible sensation that had rocketed through me before was gone. What the fuck? “Jabari? Where are you?” I moved from one side to the other, holding the light stick in an effort to find him.
A shadow. Was that him? Jesus Christ. Dropping the bag, I gripped the bars, searching the darkness. “Jabari.”
Howls and growls filled the night air, creating a wave of panic deep within, the other beasts enraged.
Only the full moon allowed me to see anything but horrific shadows. There was some sort of a cave as well as several trees within the cage. The darkness was oppressive, the hair standing up on the back of my neck.
The pressure on my heart became crippling, as if I was feeling the panther’s agony. I was certain of it. Even my hands were clammy, my heart skipping several beats. I had to get inside the fucking cage.
Think.
“Raven...”
His call shot through my mind, awakening another round of rage deep inside.
Hissing, I glared up at the height of the cage, my entire body trembling. I could tell that Jabari was in pain. My God, I could feel the intensity of his anguish, the agony almost crippling. When I heard the sound of a mournful growl, I slammed my fists against the bars.
“What happened to you? What the fuck did they do?”
I could finally hear Jabari’s ragged breathing.
I had to do something. I had to save him.
My mate.
The thought was far too disturbing, creating a fog in my mind. Think. Fucking think.
Then I remembered the code.
My fingers stiff, I jerked the bag into my hands, struggling to find the information the caller had provided. I shuddered at the thought of being found. If the code didn’t work, I could only imagine the kinds of bells and whistles that would go off. Still, I had to risk it. It was now or never to determine if the asshole had double-crossed me.
My scientific instincts told me that Jabari was gravely ill, likely poisoned by an overdose or an attempt to end his life, following through with the effort the alpha had mentioned. As I stared at the console on the cage, the old-fashioned security system complete with a blank keypad, I took a chance, punching in the numbers in the exact sequence as provided.
Then I held my breath.
Within seconds, there was a soft click, the door unlatching. Yanking it open, I rushed inside, finding Jabari just inside the small cave. I fell to the ground only two feet away, studying his breathing. I’d spent enough time around various Breeds to know when one was in dire distress. “Jabari. What happened?”
“The end...” His two unspoken words were too difficult to process.
Whatever he’d been injected with was killing him. Jesus fucking Christ.
Jabari opened his eyes, another growl sliding up from his throat. He pawed the ground as he studied me, his chest heaving.
I continued to hesitate, fearful of what I should do, but as his breathing became even more labored, my gut told me that he was close to death. My instinct also told me that I wasn’t in any danger. As I stroked his shoulder, he flinched, his body spasming, his eyes more luminescent than before.
“My... mate...”
After taking a deep breath, I pressed my fingers against his heart. The pulse was far too rapid. “Why aren’t you healing?”
“No... idea...”
Fuck. His body was shutting down. Another round of adrenaline jetted into every muscle and tendon as the rage nearly consumed me. Did the caller have any idea Jabari’s life was in imminent danger? Why the fuck didn’t he and whoever he was working with attempt to get him out of here? The whole situation wasn’t adding up and I’d been a fool to walk in blindly.
Jerking the bag in front of me, I yanked out everything I needed, including a vial of the serum. “I know you can hear me, Jabari. I’m going to draw several centimeters of your blood as well as inject you with a serum. You’re going to have to trust me. I’m only here to help, although I have no idea what we’re facing. I also have no idea what was done to you but there isn’t any time to waste. If I’m right, you should heal to some degree in order for us to get out of here. If I’m wrong, there won’t be a second chance, but I refuse to allow you to die. I will find a way to fucking do this.”
“Do it. I must survive.”
His command was riddled with rage, the words reverberating in my system. I controlled my breathing as I first drew enough blood to be able to test. Then, without a second guess, I injected him with the serum. I had no idea if there would be any kind of immediate reaction and when he lifted his head and growled, I scrambled away, fighting the urge to run. Without live trials, I had no understanding whether the beast would return to his primal state of mind.
Seeing me as his prey.
As his throaty growl became even more savage, his heated gaze shifting up and down the length of my body, the lines between my fantasies and this reality were suddenly blurred. The utter insanity of the way my body was feeling, the longing wrapping around me like sharp claws, created a pool of wetness between my legs. I knew without a doubt the Breeds were still dangerous, beasts who wanted nothing more than to make the humans pay for the decades spent being treated like slaves.
He was still a predator, a creature capable of killing with one swipe of his paw. Yet as he reached out, I noticed his claws had rescinded, the rough pads sliding down my face only adding to the raging desire burning within me. While there was no immediate reaction, within minutes, his heartrate slowed, his eyelids getting heavy.
I was drawn to him in ways I couldn’t understand, my inability to think clearly obviously a product of some misguided lust, yet everything was so real.
I wanted him to live.
And I wanted the opportunity to kill the bastards behind this.
There was no explanation for the closeness I felt or the desire that refused to go away. I was aching all over, my panties soaked. I shuddered, folding my arms as I stared at him.
The beast.
The monst
er.
And all I could think about was surrendering to his every need, accepting my place as his mate. Nothing made any sense, including why I felt so strongly for him. I shouldn’t feel this way. Why now? Why him?
Because he is your mate.
I resisted a laugh threatening to bubble to the surface.
As the scent of him filled my nostrils, I eased beside him, glaring up at the twinkling stars. For some reason, the last words my grandfather had said to me weighed heavily on my mind.
“There is danger all around us. You must be prepared to face the inevitable. You are strong. You are wise. You are a warrior. But one day, you will be required to surrender body and soul. On that day, let joy fill your heart.”
While I remained uncertain of the entire meaning, I knew one thing for certain. We were in extreme danger.
As I closed my eyes, a series of electrifying sensations swept into every cell, the white-hot heat unlike anything I’d experienced before, four damning words remained in my mind.
You. Are. My. Mate.
Chapter Ten
Jabari
There is no place you can run, nowhere on this earth that you can hide.
Pain tore through me, every cell and muscle exploding. There was also a wave of desire that rippled into my loins, the hunger driving my beast into a frenzy. I eased onto all four paws, gathering the scent.
Her scent.
The exotic fragrance of her sweet pussy wafted into my nostrils, yanking at every ounce of control. I’d known the moment she was close, the aroma carried for hundreds of yards.
She was mine.
Mine.
Mine!
A single growl erupted from the depths of my being, the husky tone reverberating in the small cave. She remained asleep, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulders. The injection she’d given me pulsed in my system, keeping my heartrate higher than normal.
As I padded closer, I took a deeper whiff, relishing in the scent as electricity soared through me. I’d felt her, had still sensed her the moment I’d been brought into this wretched location, tossed into a cage like an animal. And I’d been forced to remain as a panther. I pawed the earth, realizing that I’d regained some of my strength; however, my appetite was out of control. Every aspect of my being was on hyper-drive, needs requiring fulfillment.
Now I had the urgency to shift, to return to human form for a single reason.
Taking her.
Tasting her.
Fucking her.
Overwhelmed by the desire, I dragged my tongue across her shimmering skin before sitting back on my haunches. I sensed her arousal, even in her slumber, her erect nipples pressing hard against her thin shirt. I wanted nothing more than to bury my tongue into her pussy, lapping her sweet cream. I was overwhelmed by my hunger, barely able to think about anything else.
She had no idea how much danger she was in, her appearance both damning as well as exactly what I’d been craving. I needed to protect her, but there would be no way from behind the caged confines. My mind remained foggy, preventing me from formulating a well thought out plan.
While I’d called to her, I’d had no way of knowing whether our connection had been strong enough. I needed to mark her again in order for the mating process to provide a tighter union. I should have sensed that the attack on the village had been nothing more than a premeditated warning. While alarming, I’d concentrated my efforts on protecting my kind instead of eliminating the bastards when I’d had the chance. My capture had been intended, the dissidents taking an alpha for the very reason my father had described. The assholes would face my wrath, as well as that of the other Breeds.
But first...
I would take her.
Nothing would stop me, my primal needs all I could think about, the thought all consuming.
Raven...
Awaken.
The command was obeyed almost immediately, her eyes opening, blinking several times in an attempt to focus. As soon as she realized just how close I remained, she gasped, scuttling to get away from me, out of my clutches. I hung my head, swishing my tail as I lumbered in her direction, issuing a low-slung growl.
“Jabari. You’re... awake. Thank God.” She reached out, almost instantly jerking her hand away and curling her fingers as if terrified I would ravage her.
And I would.
I could also sense her desire, the same kind of carnal need continuing to fester in my every inch of my body.
Her lilting voice rushed through me, further fueling my beast. My hunger knew no bounds, the kind of longing that left pangs of anguish gripping every taut muscle. I studied her as she finally dared to approach, holding out her hand.
“Listen to me. I was forced to inject you with a serum I’ve developed. You should heal from whatever fucking drug they gave you, but your strength won’t last. I haven’t been able to determine the final formula. We need to get out of here.”
“Who sent you here?”
“I don’t know for certain, but it would appear he’s a scientist who’d attempted to perfect the same kind of serum that I’ve been working on, one that will help the Breeds reproduce. However, I think I may have discovered something else, but I won’t know until I can get you back to my lab.” Her breathing ragged, she scanned the opening to the cave. “I don’t think we have much time.”
She was riddled with anxiety, her lower lip quivering. My keen eyesight allowed me to focus on the pulse throbbing in her neck. I ran my tongue across my canines, another deep growl rumbling from my chest. While I understood what she was saying, my primal needs remained in the forefront of my mind.
Raven took a deep breath after scrambling to her feet, backing away slowly. “Jabari. Come with me.”
“You hunger for me.” We remained connected, our bond growing stronger even without marking her. I could sense her confusion as well as her building excitement.
“No, I... I just...” She swallowed hard and pressed her fingers against her voluptuous lips. “I can’t want you. I’m not your mate.”
“Yet you do. You’ve longed for me since even before the night in the forest, your body craving what only I can provide you.”
While she shook her head, I could read her thoughts with ease.
I want him. I don’t understand why but I crave everything about him. How is this happening? How? How could I even think about his rugged body or his strong hold? I must be losing my mind.
“This is our destiny. You will not deny me. I have waited far too long.”
At that moment, another wave of anguish jetted into me, every synapse beginning a breakdown, the electricity soaring through eliminating the desire. In its place was a realization. Whatever she’d injected me with had counteracted the other drug, pushing me into transformation, a return to my human state.
I backed away, another roar rushing up from my throat as I began to shift. While my vision became cloudy, I could see her clearly, her horrified gaze remaining. She stifled a scream after hearing the cracking sounds of my bones, several already breaking through my fur. The agony was even worse than before, my heart thudding against my chest walls, my ribs splitting in two. Whatever drugs I’d been forced to endure made the transformation brutal, nearly tearing me apart.
Rearing up, I tumbled even further into the dark confines of the cave as human bones began to replace those of my panther. While my beast fought the change, there was no way I could prevent what was occurring. I released another bellowing roar, finally able to know what the other Breeds were thinking, the anguish they were experiencing even more pronounced than my own.
“They will come for you.”
“They will kill all of us.”
“You must free us, alpha beast.”
Yes, I would break them free of their chains. Then every Breed would retaliate in kind, ripping the humans responsible apart.
She shifted closer, trying to find me. “Jabari. You’re not strong enough.”
Using every ounce of energy, my
vocal cords slowly altering, I bellowed, the words spouted in human speak, “Stay... away.”
“Oh, my God,” she half whispered, her voice shaking. She fell back, gasping for air. “It’s working.”
I could smell her fear, could almost taste it. My entire body shook as fingers protruded past my claws, fur slipping away. A buzzing sound pulsated in my ears as organs changed, legs struggling to form the correct shape. As the final stages began to take place, a bright light suddenly surrounded my body. While I threw out my arms and roared, trying to warn her, to keep her safe, she refused to leave.
“Jabari. I...” Her voice faded away when I finally lowered my head, allowing her to see that the beast remained just under the surface, my eyes always the last to accept the powerful transformation.
As my lungs filled with air, my pulse beginning to slow, her terror only increased. “Ra-ven.”
Raven dropped the light, a single whimper erupting from her mouth, stumbling as she backed away. The shift was difficult to watch, the transformation one few humans ever witnessed. When she took off running, my natural instinct kicked in.
The desire to capture her.
Hunt.
Feast.
Fuck.
My desire was entirely savage in nature and one I couldn’t avoid. While I remained shaky, I took off running, the muscular structure of my human form far too powerful for her to avoid. Before she had a chance to make it to the gate, I snagged her arm, dragging her against the heat of my body. “No, you don’t, my pet. You. Are. Mine.” My cock was fully engorged, my balls filling with seed.
Struggling to take several shallow breaths, she smacked her hand against my chest as her eyes darted back and forth. As she dug her nails into my skin, the hint of pain made me feel even more alive. “Jabari.” The flicker in her eyes highlighted her increasing desire, her body betraying what her mind told her to do. Her whisper was sultry, provocative. She arched her back in my arms, her lips pursing. “My God. What is happening?”
