by Piper Stone
Now we faced something else entirely.
Clarise...
I allowed her name to float off my tongue, the draw I felt to her insanely ridiculous. I’d never hungered this much, had never craved any lioness or human female as much as I did this particular beautiful creature.
The fact she was both my mate as well as the specialist in question wasn’t a coincidence. It was quite possible the humans were attempting to draw out the alpha, only they had no idea which Breed was the true leader. Our secret had been kept by the other Breeds, a weapon to be used only when absolutely necessary.
The humans would learn a valuable lesson in what happened if our kind was fucked with.
I threw my head back and rubbed my hands down my chest, easing one to my fully engorged cock, rubbing up and down. I envisioned her face when I’d taken her, the look in her eyes the moment she knew I’d come to claim her.
And the raging desire she felt buried deep within.
I hungered for the woman more than I should, but the second I’d seen her weeks before, my beast wanted no one else. She was mine. Whether or not it was allowed no longer mattered. I’d already marked her and would do so again.
No one was going to take her away from me.
As I turned off the water, I threw back my head with a primal roar. It had been far too long since I’d tasted a female, the night before delicious. What I’d learned about Clarise was that she’d been friends with the very human monster who’d performed horrific experiments on our breed as well as the others. That meant she was our enemy.
Even if she was my mate.
For her sins I would use her.
Punish her.
Claim her.
Fuck her.
Break her.
Growling, I grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my waist, and the moment I stepped out of the shower I realized I had company. The odor of the others pissed me off. I didn’t need a confrontation, not when the plan was finally moving forward. I wasted no time, moving into the living room, glaring from one to the other. The four creatures fashioned themselves to be the law of our Pride, keeping the other lions in check.
I didn’t bother addressing them, merely walked to the bottle of open liquor, pouring a single glass. They weren’t here for my hospitality.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Luca?” Kane demanded in his usually surly tone. He and I definitely didn’t get along, his primitive attitudes and cutthroat agenda a thorn in my side. He wanted nothing more than to destroy every naturally born human in an effort to rule the world.
I could feel the aggravated tension, all four uncertain of how I’d react. After taking a gulp of the smooth liquor, I turned my head slowly, staring Kane directly in the eyes. “What I must do in order to protect us.”
“But you fucked her, a goddamn human. I can smell her stench all over you,” Kane retorted.
“She’s not your mate,” Becca insisted. “That can’t happen with humans.”
Inhaling, I could feel the lioness’ tension, her appetite almost as voracious as mine. We’d sparred over the years, yet she remained like a little sister, one who spoke her mind.
“There is something about her, an undeniable desire,” I huffed, as if I needed to explain myself to any of them.
“I don’t think it’s in our best interest to piss off our alpha, Kane, Becca,” Ranger hissed. “But I will say that your tactics are interesting, Luca, given you’ve forbidden us to taste human flesh.”
I shot Ranger a hateful look, my nostrils flaring for emphasis. “She is my mate. While there some question as to why, she has invoked the pheromones within me I need to produce cubs. As you well know, we must survive as a species.”
“You’re changing the playing field, Luca, and I for one don’t like that very much,” Kane snarled. “Too damn dangerous.”
“Kane’s right. The last thing we need is for an officer of the law to figure out who you are,” Jonas struggled to say. “She’s not worth it and you are our king, our only hope of survival. You will ultimately have several mates. You must follow the rules of the kingdom. Your mate must please the other Breeds. You know that.”
The kingdom, the very one that had been ripped away from us. Yes, I knew the various requirements, protocol that had survived thousands of years. Yet, times were different, our needs forced to change.
“I will handle the other Breeds as required,” I answered, although in doing so, that could mean bringing additional dissention between us, several of the Breeds refusing to honor the old ways.
“That could mean starting a war,” Jonas stated, as if he knew that to be a fact.
Jonas knew my hunger, the desire to have one primal mate. I bristled at their suggestions, trying to control my rage.
“She could be dangerous, a plant,” Becca insisted. “You know there is a significant faction of humans who would like the Breeds to be exterminated.”
Her thoughts should be taken into consideration. What I’d learned about the female suggested otherwise, but I would be cautious.
“She also has access to what we need, including a possible peaceful way into the science facility,” I said quietly. “And I will remind you that we need to protect what we have and that includes every member of the Pride. We are getting our brethren back.”
“Why aren’t the other Breeds attempting to save their own? Did you ask yourself that question, sire?” Kane retorted.
The question was also a good one. If what I suspected was true, those captured were considered far too dangerous to rescue, the fear that they’d been altered to the point of no return something that held merit, although I refused to believe it. “That I do not know. We release our own. That is our main objective.”
“That means you’re keeping her.” Ranger’s eyes glowed, his beast dangerously close to the surface. “I hope that’s only as a pet and nothing more. Humans are filthy excuses for living creatures and deserve to be in a cage.”
“We can defeat them,” Becca added. “Just give me a chance.”
“You hate all men, human or shifters,” Jonas snapped at her.
“But the lioness is right. We should strike them down,” Ranger snarled. “There is a rumor that the humans are planning a strike against us.”
Exhaling, I studied his angry eyes, the hatred he’d felt since being forced into human form. Then we’d been set free, mere specimens being watched like children on a leash. None of us wanted to live as a walking, talking mannequin, but there was no recourse, no way back to what had been better lives decades before. Sadly, the other Breeds had been forced to remain human for so long that they had difficulty shifting. Only the elders could do so on command.
“We are not killing humans. At least not today,” I commanded. “Only as necessary as required by our laws.”
“Which means never.” Becca gave me a defiant look.
“Fuck the laws,” Jonas snarled.
I growled in his direction, forcing him to back down.
The majority of the Pride still thrived as true beasts of the forest. I feared with the ongoing experiments that our fate would be the same as the others. Or worse. That wasn’t going to happen in my kingdom. However, too many of our own had been taken captive, forced into a prison that had used and abused them all in the name of science. They would be released one way or the other. However, I was fearful of what they’d become. Stories involving their murderous violence had been filtered down to the Pride while kept from the majority of humans.
The chemicals had altered our DNA entirely differently than that of the other Breeds, a likely reason the scientists hungered to study our kind. The reasons why were yet to be identified. Still, I’d found it unfathomable that my best friend had brutally murdered anyone.
Unless he’d been pushed to the brink.
There were far too many questions with few answers.
“The human female will be captured and trained as I see fit. You will leave her to me and anyone who thinks otherwise
will face my wrath. You will treat her with respect, and you will protect her as you would our own. Is that understood?” I snarled after issuing the statement, looking each one of them in the eyes.
“Of course, sire,” Kane barked, his upper lip curling.
“If you place this Pride in harm’s way, there will be those who attempt to assassinate you.” Becca walked closer, her eyes like liquid gold. I admired her more than I could say, her attitude only one of her beguiling aspects.
“Then they will die by my hands,” I stated flatly.
I swirled the liquid in my glass, my thoughts drifting once again to the female. Clarise... she was soft as only true humans could be, yet vulnerable given her size. I’d enjoyed the exhilaration of spanking her, seeing the warm blush creeping along her porcelain skin. Then the moment I’d thrust my cock deep inside her pussy had given me a feeling of euphoria, heightening every one of my senses as electricity powered through me.
The connection I’d felt with her was incredible, more than I could have ever imagined, my hunger exploding. What the others didn’t know was that I hadn’t been able to stop my natural instincts to hunt and feed, the need too great. Yes, she was a dangerous issue, but would soon learn to obey my every command no matter the request.
No matter how harsh her punishments would need to be.
I could tell there was something else on their minds, my senses in overdrive. There was much more danger surrounding us than they cared to reveal. “What aren’t you telling me?”
When the four glanced back and forth, I let off a horrific roar.
“Tell. Me!” I demanded.
“There’s been another murder. Two humans. From what we’ve heard, it’s the mark of at least one lion. If that’s the case, all the outside Pride members must be rounded up. We can’t afford this.” Kane offered the disgusting news, his eyes questioning the validity of what had been learned.
There were smaller Prides of lions living in various outlying areas, free from the tyranny that so many of us faced, only some I’d consider feral. Others merely hid in the shadows, living out the same life they had for centuries as they avoided capture. They were still within my kingdom, required to follow my direction.
“Do you know where this murder occurred?” I asked, snarling under my breath.
“In the heart of the city,” Ranger stated.
I thought about what needed to happen in order to stay alive, including finding out if it was the truth. “Then we will go hunting.”
Becca placed her hand on my arm, an imploring look in her eyes. “You know how much we’ve sacrificed already to keep our Pride safe. Why would you risk anything for a woman?”
The question was one I knew would surface. The truth was I wasn’t entirely certain. I’d felt a need for her for almost two weeks, the kind of unbridled lust that could indeed condemn our entire Pride. What I knew in my gut was that being with Clarise was something I had to do.
I had to mate with her in order for all of us to survive.
“Because it’s necessary,” I answered, gazing down at her hold. I could see so many emotions in her eyes instead of the usual black pit of her soul. She’d suffered so much during the last few years, including the horrific death of her entire family. While I cared for her deeply, I couldn’t allow her to stand in the way.
This was my destiny.
Ranger nodded his appreciation, his beast dangerously close to the surface already. Only Jonas seemed concerned, moving from foot to foot. “There’s a curfew, Luca. If we are discovered, then we will be imprisoned or killed on sight. You cannot risk all of us to save a few.”
“We will not be discovered,” I stated. “And you are not the king.”
The tension in the room was horrendous, the fights between our kind far more frequent. I could feel my anger boiling, my heart thudding even faster than normal. The effect of the drugs was different on every one of us. I could barely contain my rage or my intense needs, my dominating personality even more prominent.
“The king has spoken,” Ranger added.
“We will shift,” I added. “And we will go in formation.”
“You can’t go, King,” Jonas continued. “That is not only forbidden but this entire setup could be a trap. We can’t trust a single human. You know that.”
“Then so be it but we will not allow this atrocity to continue.” I glared from one to the other, already beginning the shift. I could feel the tingling as my muscles started to lengthen, my blood cells exploding.
Dropping the towel, I stormed toward the door, walking into the glorious night air. The chill was invigorating, the light breeze cooling to my overheated skin. It had been too long since I’d shifted, the need more intense than it had been during the last few months.
A light rain fell softly, covering my naked skin as if an electrifying blanket from God. Only I wasn’t a believer. I was a beast, capable of destroying everything in my path, a carnivorous monster who enjoyed the taste of human flesh and blood.
Humans knew nothing of our genetics or our will to live.
I’d spent far too many years succumbing to their basic commands, following their rules in order to earn a living wage. It was time to break free of the chains of imprisonment.
We would not go away quietly.
We refused to remain human.
We were far superior.
And we would rule.
As pain shifted into every muscle, sending a shot of electricity throughout every cell, my mind drifted to the world I’d known the majority of my life. The earth vibrated beneath me, anguish wrapping around my muscles as they elongated, alternated, changed into the beast-like manifestations that had been my birthright. I dropped onto all fours as my spine curved, accepting the beast as he clawed his way to the surface. With every passing second, the shift became more violent, forcing my face into the dirt.
Claws jutted out from my fingertips.
Bones cracked, breaking into shattered pieces.
Fur erupted from my skin.
As the final transformation took place, I threw my head back and roared. For I was king of the jungle. I was the leader.
I was alpha.
And nothing would stop me.
I pawed the ground, cognizant the others had shifted, finally taking a deep whiff of the surrounding area. Even from several miles, I could detect the stench of blood. Someone had indeed been hunting. I took off running, racing through the forest as the five of us headed for what my gut told me was a horrific scene. The scents of the forest were inviting, invoking my need to hunt and kill.
But there was a part of me that was forever changed, human in more ways than I cared to admit. I no longer thought merely as a beast and while my desires remained savage, there was a heightened level of humanity that in truth disgusted me.
I wanted nothing more than to remain a brutal king, purveyor of the lands, taker of anything I craved.
Hunger.
All five of us felt the burning need to feed that furrowed deep within, the intense need that had meant our earlier survival. Now everything had changed, including our purpose. But tonight meant something entirely different, a chance to begin taking back what had been stolen from us.
As we neared the city, the odors given off by entitled humans, those who’d been saved and nurtured after the horrific wars, were everywhere.
It was disgusting, the stench permeating the air, a vile reminder that we were nothing but ostracized creatures, worthless in the eyes of mankind.
I padded closer to the edge of the rolling hill, gazing down at the unsuspecting population, the bastards having no idea they’d been shoved into another nightmare. One created by politicians and scientists, all in the name of survival. There were hundreds of cities just like this one, places where Breeds were kept on chains, whether by drugs or by force. What the humans could never fathom was that one day, animals would once again take over, consuming their enemies in a feeding frenzy.
And a part of me couldn’t w
ait for that to happen.
“Only a thousand yards down the hill,” Ranger indicated, our Pride’s shared telepathy allowing for a silent advance.
“We observe and nothing more,” I commanded, taking another deep whiff. The information hadn’t been incorrect. There were slaughtered humans within close proximity.
“And what if we’re challenged, oh, great King?” Ranger hissed, his tone nasty.
I shifted my head in his direction, snarling under my breath, allowing my eyes to glow in their ferocity and displeasure. The bastard had confronted me on far too many occasions. “Then they will die.”
While I had no issue killing and consuming our enemies, I was no fool. There were factions of humans who were hell bent on destroying our kind, their fear palpable, the thousands of tests performed confirming just how powerful we were.
“Be careful, King. As you commanded, we aren’t ready to start a war,” Kane advised as he flanked my side.
While his warning was duly noted, I also knew we were running out of time. For whatever reason the humans had been murdered inside the scientific ward, my gut told me their deaths were just the beginning.
My fears?
Annihilation of everyone involved with the lion project.
“I can smell her,” Becca snarled as she flanked my side.
“Then that means she’s in danger. Be prepared to do what it takes in order to protect her.” My command was not to be denied.
There was no need for further discussion. The scent was almost intoxicating as I headed in the direction of the kill, my mouth watering from the hunger building in my loins. While we were capable of curtailing our natural desires, the predatory instincts made it difficult to resist the blatant temptation. Yet a part of me remained disgusted by the actions of whatever beast had performed the heinous act.
When the other Breeds lived with humans, some lost their primordial scents. However, the closer we came to the location of the victims, the more infuriated I became at the nature of the horrific crime.
As soon as we padded within one hundred yards of the home, I knew why.
