Ruling Alphas: Shifter Romance Collection

by Lola Gabriel

“Hey. What’s going on here?” he asked.

  “Mind your own business, pal,” the bear replied. He glanced at Rocco, shaking his head in disgust, and then his jaw dropped as he recognized him. “Shit. Sorry. I didn’t realize it was you. There’s a trial about to start within the next half an hour or so.”

  Rocco had been right after all; this was a trial. The bears must enjoy doling out justice more than he had realized, judging by the way they were reacting.

  “Do you think they’d let me inside to see the trial? Is it something that might affect all shifter packs?” Rocco asked.

  The bear frowned at him.

  “Wait. You mean you’re not here to represent your pack member?” he asked, seeming to forget that the conversation had begun with Rocco asking him what was going on.

  “What? No. The person on trial is from my pack?” Rocco demanded, anger swelling inside of him at the news.

  The bear shrugged, looking uncomfortable suddenly, like he had said too much. Rocco knew he wouldn’t get any further information out of him, but that was okay. He could demand to see whoever was in charge and now that he knew that the person being tried was one of his pack, he knew he wouldn’t be refused the request. He moved away from the bear, pushing through the gathered crowd. He heard some gasps and whispers going up as more of the bears started to recognize him, but he ignored them for now, more intent on getting into the building than anything else right now.

  Rocco finally made it into the building. The higher-ranking pack members were seated in a rough semi-circle facing a single seat where the accused would sit. To the right was a large throne-style seat and in it was Leon, the bear beta who ran this section of the United States’ bear pack. Leon rose when he saw Rocco and Rocco walked toward him.

  “What’s going on, Leon?” Rocco asked.

  He was tempted to yell at the man and demand to know why no official correspondence had been sent to the pack about this, but he controlled his temper and kept his tone civil in case it was a genuine oversight or the bear outside had gotten his wires crossed somehow. Judging by the look of surprise on Leon’s face at his question, Rocco thought that one or the other option was likely the case and he stepped closer as Leon stood up and came to meet him. They shook hands and then Leon led Rocco away from the crowd and through a door until they were in a small room, just the two of them.

  “My apologies, Rocco,” Leon said. “But there really isn’t anything for you to say in the accused’s defense and so we didn’t want to waste your time dragging one of you out here. How, may I ask, did you come to hear of the case?”

  “I didn’t. I was here for something else and I saw the crowd,” Rocco said, waving away the question impatiently. “Why is there nothing any of us could say in defense of our pack member?”

  Leon’s statement meant one of two things. Either the crime was minor enough that nothing much would get done and the presence of one of the wolf pack would indeed be a waste of their time, or the crime was major enough that no matter what was said, the perpetrator would be executed anyway.

  “Well, technically, she’s innocent, but she took the blame for a crime committed by a member of her family. There is no question of whether or not the crime took place,” Leon explained.

  “And what was the crime?” Rocco asked.

  “Some young lad giving lip to one of our pack’s elders. He went too far, Rocco,” Leon said. “And honestly, I can’t see this going anywhere but an execution. If we go down any other road, it sends the message that we are not to be respected.”

  “And if you execute someone for this, it sends the message that you are all animals,” Rocco scoffed.

  Leon frowned and shook his head, but Rocco wasn’t ready to let him off the hook just yet.

  “Who is it?” he asked. “I want to be able to see them and then represent them at this shambles of a trial.”

  “What makes you think it’s a shambles?” Leon snapped angrily.

  “Hmm, let’s see,” Rocco said. “Maybe the fact that you seem to have already decided on the verdict before the trial even began.”

  “Well, like I said, the guilt isn’t even in doubt, and…” Leon started.

  “And like I said, I want a chance to defend the accused. Who is she?” Rocco said.

  “Her name is Marin Bailey. It was…” Leon said.

  He trailed off with a concerned-looking frown as Rocco went white before him. Rocco felt as though the bottom had fallen out of his world. Leon started to ask Rocco if he was okay, but Rocco waved away his concern and interrupted him with his own question, one far more important than whether or not he was okay.

  “Marin Bailey? Are you sure?” Rocco asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “I’m certain,” Leon said. “I’m guessing by your reaction that you know her and I’m sorry, but that doesn’t change anything here, Rocco.”

  “Oh, on the contrary, it changes everything,” Rocco said, his voice louder and stronger now. “See, Marin isn’t just anyone. She’s my one true mate. And if you don’t let her go right this instant, then you are going to live to regret that decision.”

  “I’m sorry. I had no idea she was your mate. But she will still stand trial all the same,” Leon said.

  “No. She won’t,” Rocco said firmly. “Look, I don’t want to be an asshole about this but it seems that you’re leaving me no choice but to pull rank here. You’re only a beta and I’m the heir to being an alpha. I outrank you and what I say goes. So here are your choices. You can go out there and say to your people that we’ve discussed the matter of this so-called crime and you have realized that you made a mistake and that Marin is innocent and free to leave. Or I can take Marin from you whether you like it or not, and then I can go to your ruling couple and tell them what you were planning to do to a future member of a ruling couple. It’s entirely your choice, Leon. What’s it going to be?”

  Leon thought for a moment and then he nodded his head agreeably, although he looked anything but happy about this new turn of events.

  “Of course. When you put it like that, it’s obvious that we made a mistake and Marin is in fact innocent,” he said. “Naturally, that means she is completely free to go whenever she wants to.”

  “Good,” Rocco said, nodding his head. “I’m glad we’re seeing eye to eye on this now.”

  “Allow me to go and collect the girl and release her into your care,” Leon said. “Please wait here. Once she is liberated and brought to you, you two may leave by the back exit and avoid the crowd, and once you are gone, I will then go and explain the new turn of events to the pack.”

  Rocco nodded his head; all he wanted was Marin freed. He didn’t care what Leon told his pack or which door he was to leave by.

  Leon scurried from the room and Rocco paced the floor as he waited for him to come back. As much as he was filled with worry and a faraway sense of dread for what had almost happened, stronger than those feelings was the sheer joy that Rocco felt when he realized the truth. The enchantment had worked in the way he had wanted it to after all, he just hadn’t known it until now. Almost the moment he had swallowed the potion, the enchantment had sent him here, sending him straight to Marin.

  It was scary for Rocco to think he almost hadn’t taken the potion and then when he had, he had almost driven in the opposite direction to home, and if he had, he wouldn’t have seen any of this. He supposed that was where the magic came in, though. He had almost driven the other way, the emphasis being on the word almost. Something had stopped him. He had thought that something was a sense of duty. Now he thought maybe it was more than that; maybe it was the pull of true love.

  9

  Marin cowered away as a large man came into the holding room. He shook his head, looking annoyed at her fear.

  “Come on,” he barked. “I’m not going to hurt you. In fact, you’re free to leave if you just follow me.”

  Marin was sure it was some sort of a sick joke, that she was being led into a false sense of s
ecurity, only to have her hopes dashed in front of everyone. Maybe it was the start of her punishment. She didn’t dare to not follow the man, though, just in case somehow his words were true. She followed him out of the cell and down a short hallway. He pushed a door open and stepped through it. Marin followed him into the room and her jaw dropped open when she saw Rocco standing in the room.

  “Rocco? I don’t… I don’t understand. What are you doing here?” she said.

  “Getting you out of this mess,” Rocco grinned.

  He held his hand out to Marin, and she ran toward him and slipped her hand into his, no longer caring whether or not the man nodded his permission to her. Rocco was here and somehow she was saved and that was all that mattered.

  Rocco led Marin forward, and together, they followed the man back through the door they had come through. He turned the other way, away from the holding room, and they followed him to a door marked Fire Exit. He pushed the door open and stood back, gesturing for them to pass by him and go outside.

  “If you ever have cause to cross paths with anyone from my pack again, then make sure the correct protocol is followed, regardless of your opinion on whether or not a representative needs to be here for the trial,” Rocco said. “Is that clear, Leon?”

  “Crystal clear,” Leon said with a curt nod.

  Rocco led Marin out the door and it closed behind them with a bang.

  “I’ll explain once we’re in the car,” Rocco said before Marin had a chance to ask him once more what was going on.

  They reached Rocco’s car and got in. Rocco fired up the engine and pulled away, glancing at Marin out of the corner of his eye.

  “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” he asked.

  “No,” Marin said. “No, they didn’t hurt me, and yes, I’m okay. How come you were there?

  “Because you’re my one true mate,” Rocco said.

  Marin frowned and started to shake her head.

  “You are,” Rocco insisted. “Seriously, Marin, I have proof. Hear me out, okay?”

  Marin sighed and nodded her head, ready to at least hear what he had to say before she had to break both of their hearts again. Rocco turned off the freeway and drove down a small country lane. He parked the car and turned to face Marin.

  “I took the enchantment today and that means I am now drawn to my one true mate. Within minutes of taking the enchantment, my mom asked me to come out here and deliver something. It was the enchantment bringing me to you,” Rocco said with an excited smile.

  Marin wanted so badly to believe it was that simple, but she wasn’t ready to risk it being so easy. Not yet.

  “But…” Marin started.

  Rocco shook his head.

  “There are no buts, Marin. We’re meant to be together. You know it. I know it. And now the enchantment knows it,” he said. “Marin, I love you and…”

  “I love you too,” Marin interrupted him, no longer even pretending she could walk away from him.

  She threw herself into Rocco’s arms and they kissed deeply. When they finally pulled back from each other, Marin felt all warm inside.

  “What will your parents say?” she asked.

  “I already spoke to my father. He thinks you’ll be an excellent mate for me, and he and my mom usually see eye to eye on stuff like that. Obviously, we’ll have to rein the twins in a bit,” Rocco smiled.

  “I think Kyle at least will calm down when he hears how close I came to being executed because of his actions,” Marin said. “And without anyone to egg him on, I’m sure Lewis will follow suit.”

  “Let’s not worry about that right now,” Rocco said.

  He leaned in and kissed Marin again, and as his lips touched hers, Marin wasn’t worried about a single thing.

  Epilogue

  One Year Later

  Marin and Rocco looked at each other and smiled widely.

  “You did it,” Marin whispered to Rocco, her face alight with joy.

  Rocco shook his head, although he was every bit as happy as Marin was.

  “No, they did it, not me,” he replied. “I just helped them get started.”

  They both turned back to face the front, their whispering on pause as the leader of the royal guard began to call out the names of the hopeful candidates who had made it into the training program to join the elite ranks.

  “Terrence Adams,” the leader called.

  The crowd clapped and cheered as Terrence came up onto the stage and was officially welcomed into the training program for the royal guard.

  “Kyle Bailey,” the leader called next.

  Again, the crowd clapped and cheered, none as loud as Marin and Rocco.

  “Lewis Bailey,” the leader called next and again, Marin and Rocco cheered for all they were worth.

  “It just shows what a difference it makes to youngsters having a good influence in their lives,” Marin said with a smile when the last new recruit had been called onto the stage.

  “Yeah, and like you always said, they aren’t bad kids,” Rocco agreed.

  Marin smiled up at him and rubbed a hand across her baby bump.

  “And this one will have two good influences, so who knows what will be possible for him or her?” Marin said.

  “Well, one day, they’ll become part of the ruling couple of the pack,” Rocco said.

  He leaned down and kissed Marin on the lips and she melted into him, kissing him back hungrily. Neither of them had ever been happier than they were now—married, mated for life, and Marin pregnant with their first child.

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  Thank You

  Thank you for reading my book. Readers like you make an author’s world shine. If you’ve enjoyed this book, or any other books by Lola Gabriel or another author, please don’t hesitate to review them on Amazon or Goodreads.

  Every single review makes an incredible difference. The reason for this is simple: other readers trust reviews more than professional endorsements. For this reason, indie authors rely on our readers to spread the good word.

  Thank you very much! I am giving you a virtual high-five!

  Lola Gabriel

  About the Author

  Lola Gabriel loves reading and writing paranormal romances. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, she has fond memories of retreating to the woods for long hikes. The towering evergreens, natural waterfalls, and soothing rain often set the scenery for her characters’ romantic encounters.

  Find out more about Lola Gabriel at SecretWoodsBooks.com

 

 

 
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