Shifters in the Snow

by Jacqueline Sweet

  Whether I would—what? Accept his Alpha? Maybe all Alphas were jerks? I nodded at him, fixing him with my sternest expression, the one Dad had always said made me look like a schoolteacher. “I’ll shift now, but then we need to make a decision. I’d understand, y’ know, if you decided I was too much trouble. Too risky—”

  Please come with me…

  My wolf added her plea, whining inside my head.

  “Never! Don’t go saying, even thinking, silly things like that.” He dropped to his knees in front of me, gripping my shoulders tight. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have been waiting for you my whole life, and I’m not going to let you go. Not without a fight—and they’d have to kill me first!” His raw conviction melted away any lingering doubt I had, lighting a spark of hope that cradled my heart, smoothing away the jagged edges caused by loss and despair.

  “You are a wonderful man, Adam,” I whispered, cupping his rough cheeks with my hands. “I would be proud to call you my mate—”

  He silenced my words, pressing his lips to mine, a touch that felt so right I knew deep down within my soul that we were meant to be together—bond or no bond. I wanted him now, this strong, rugged man. I wanted him inside me, filling me, claiming me. Without thought, my hands dropped to his waist, fingers tugging on the buttons with a desperation I had never felt before. If we were one, then I wouldn’t be alone—not anymore.

  He pulled away a fraction, his breath feathering my parted lips. “Claire, wait. There’s something I have to tell you first—”

  Crash!

  The door to our safe haven flew open, bouncing off the wall, the old wood splintering in protest.

  “Well, what do we have here,” Marcus drawled from the doorway, snow swirling around him, dusting the floor. He looked at Adam, bloodthirsty anticipation in his eyes. “I think you’ll find—that’s my bitch.”

  Chapter 4

  Claire

  I stared at Marcus, all newfound hope leaching out of me. He had found me. It was too late to run.

  Adam rose to his feet, moving in front of me. “She is not your mate, coyote. Leave now—while you still can,” he growled, his body coiled in preparation for a fight.

  “She is mine. She was given to me. You will return her,” Marcus replied, his tone nonchalant as he held a hand out, inspecting his nails. He looked the picture of a smooth, civilized man, standing there sporting an impeccably tailored navy suit. But, I knew the creature that lurked beneath his polished appearance—the twisted, power hungry beast, the one who cared for nothing and no one, unless it suited him.

  “I will not. She is not an object, something you can barter and play with. She doesn’t want you—do have you no pride?”

  “So be it…” Marcus continued, ignoring Adam’s snarling challenge. He started to loosen his tie. “Do you know how hard it is to find a good tailor these days? And then, when you do, how hard it is to keep them? This one,” he indicated his suit, “wanted to leave, until I threatened to give his daughter to one of my men. He is…quite accommodating now.” He tittered, a strange sound coming from such a large man. And jeez, he was larger than I remembered. Though his suit was cut to hide his bulk, even the best tailor in the world couldn’t hide the tendons that bulged in his thick neck, the seams that strained when he moved.

  He wouldn’t fight fair. I knew it. Already his men, naked behind him, were twitching with the need to shift. Probably high on their own coke. I couldn’t let Adam do this…

  “Adam, don’t,” I forced the words out. I could save him—I had to. I forced myself to stand, my partially healed wound screaming in protest at the movement. I turned to Marcus, having to peer around the solid barricade Adam made. “What do you want? Really? I’m not that important, so it can’t be me—you have plenty of women in the pack, willing women—” Willing for a score of coke.

  “That’s just it, they’re willing,” he sneered the word, as if it offended him. “I want a woman with a little more…fight. Adds spice, makes it interesting.” He finished removing his shirt, and started undoing his pants. “And, in the end, it’s a matter of honor. No one takes from me.” He jerked the pants off, kicking off his shoes, standing naked in the doorway. Darkly tanned and covered in black wiry hair, the rest of his body was thick and stocky, like his neck.

  “And, if I went with you—”

  “Claire, no!” Adam said, gripping my arm, his eyes never leaving Marcus.

  “—would you let Adam go? He found me, saved me when I would have died from my wounds in the forest. Wounds your men inflicted. He’s no one, just a concerned citizen who happened to be in the area.” I finished, wanting to hug the man in front of me close to take away the sting of my words.

  “He’s no one,” Marcus sneered, stretching his arms out and rolling his head. “That’s why I found you panting in his arms, just waiting for the chance to jump on top of his cock, and ride him like a whore? You? Miss Frigid? No…I think he’s someone.”

  Adam’s hand fell away from my arm, and he casually unbuttoned his fly. “Enough with the talking, you’re starting to bore me.” He shucked out of his jeans, his tone matter-of-fact. “And, most importantly, you’ve hurt and insulted my girl. And for that alone, I’m going to kill you.”

  His girl. I could have squealed with happiness, if we hadn’t been facing a half-crazed Alpha coyote.

  Adam reached behind him, gently pushing me back, his posture tense and ready.

  And, I got my first glimpse of Adam naked. From behind. And man, it was a Kodak moment. His ass was smooth, not a tan line or hair in sight, his buttocks sculpted with firm muscle. I wanted to drop to my knees for a nibble…no; I wanted to turn him around, so I could see—

  “Challenge accepted,” Marcus drawled, bones crunching and muscles quivering as he shifted into the half change. Half man, half coyote—a form only the strongest could manage.

  Fuck, we were screwed. Marcus wasn’t even giving Adam a fair chance. Maybe if we both attacked together?

  Adam grunted his acknowledgment and started to shift, his jaw elongating into a wolf’s snout, his fingers sprouting claws. I waited for his spine to curl, for him to hunch over and take four legs, but his spine started to lengthen, the muscles thickening and spreading. Nearly half a foot taller, Adam stood before me—half man, half wolf, and the finest specimen I had ever seen.

  Holy Mother of All! Who the hell was he? And what was he? Not a normal pack member, that’s for sure.

  A flicker of fear flashed through Marcus’s eyes, gone in seconds as he flexed his claws. “This is a…surprise,” he murmured, before launching himself forward with a snarl.

  * * *

  Adam

  I leapt forward, rushing to meet Marcus in the center of the small room, our claws clashing and scraping as we wrestled for dominance. I was taller than him, but even half shifted, he beat me on weight, his already bulky frame having thickened out to wield impressive strength. Or, what I might have thought impressive if I hadn’t been on the receiving end of it.

  A beefy fist, the size of a dinner plate, smashed into my jaw, snapping my head back. Reaching out, I grabbed the fist, pulling sharply, hoping to off-balance his unwieldy frame. He staggered, and with a growl I thrust my free hand up into his chest, digging my claws into skin and muscle. He swung out wildly, and white-hot pain exploded across my face, my vision blurring with blood.

  A feminine scream echoed behind me. Claire! I glanced over my shoulder, panic gripping me as I saw her being held roughly by two of Marcus’s coyotes. She was fighting like a spitfire, kicking and scratching with her claws extended.

  “They’re just securing my prize,” Marcus snarled, taking advantage of my distraction and biting down into my exposed neck.

  That fucking hurt! Enough of this, I decided, gathering my strength. Time to finish it—one way or another.

  I gritted my teeth, and wrapping my hands around his jaws, ripped his teeth out of my neck and threw him across the room. He smas
hed into an old bookcase, sending paperbacks flying. I stalked over to him, the wound in my neck oozing blood, forming warm sticky rivulets and coating my chest.

  Leaning in close, I grabbed his partially formed snout in my hand. “I am not a pup that you can bully,” I growled, my voice low. “I am not a weakling you can blackmail, or buy with drugs. I am the Alpha of the Colstone Pack, and that gorgeous woman over there is my true mate.”

  Marcus stared at me, fear warring with hatred in his eyes. Hatred won. Forcing my hand away he snarled, “Fully shifted—to the death. You wolves think you’re all that, high and mighty, above all other shifters. Well, let’s see who’s the real Alpha here.” Lurching to his feet, he stood wavering, his chest a ravaged mess from my earlier blow. Good. Equal playing ground.

  My wolf snarled inside me, pawing, ready to finish the shift.

  Nodding curtly, I stepped back, letting go of the mid-shift, allowing my wolf to rise fully to the surface. My spine arched as the change wrapped around me, forcing me to drop to four legs. Fur started to sprout, my skeleton realigning and clicking into place, taking on the form of my powerful wolf—

  “Adam!”

  Claire? Glancing up, I saw a half shifted paw slicing through the air toward my throat.

  That cheating coyote bastard!

  * * *

  Claire

  I scratched and shoved at the arms wrapped around me, holding me tight like a straightjacket, watching in disbelief as Marcus screwed honor yet again, and made no move to complete the shift. He was going to fucking kill him while he was vulnerable! I couldn’t lose him, not when I had only just found him.

  “Let go of me!” I hissed, jabbing my elbow viciously against a hard chest.

  “Now, now, Claire. Play nice, and we might reward you later,” my captor’s voice growled in my ear, grinding himself against the wound in my buttock, his voice high pitched and excited.

  I bit my lip as agony shot through me, waves of nausea threatening to spill over. I swallowed—hard. Think, Claire! I screamed at myself. You can’t fight them, not like this—

  Our mate…My wolf growled her reminder, spurring me on. Think…

  He ground himself against me again, this time his excitement unmistakable as it dug into my ass. I glanced to the side—the other pack member seemed enthralled with the fight, his eyes glazed and lips parted in sick fascination.

  I knew what I had to do. And quick. I sent a fleeting prayer, then gritted my teeth.

  Pressing back against him, I gyrated my hips, rubbing the length of him. The pain, like stabbing needles—I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from passing out. “Okay, I’ll play…” I whispered, trying my damnedest to sound seductive.

  A low chuckle. “Good girl, that’s more like it, some survival instincts—means you might last a little longer than the last one. Couple more minutes and lover boy will be out of the way, and we’ll have all the time we need.”

  “But, I need it now…we got interrupted, when y’all barged in, and I’m so turned on…and horny…” Can’t be sick…can’t be sick…longer than the last one—?

  He grunted behind me, his breath moist and foul on my shoulder. One hand slipped to my breast, twisting the nipple tight, and pinching the bruised flesh.

  Nearly—

  I forced a moan and pushed my chest up into his clammy hand.

  “Fuck it…” he growled, and suddenly there was cool air on my buttocks, the sound of a fly being unzipped.

  Nearly—I forced myself to wait, watching in horror as Adam started to drop to the ground, the change nearly complete.

  Now! I twisted, my claws slashing out low, aiming for the crown jewels.

  Tender flesh tore like a dagger through butter, and he fell to the floor, his mouth open in a high-pitched scream. Bulls eye!

  “Adam!” I screamed my warning, and then threw myself through the air, aiming for Marcus.

  * * *

  Adam

  Caught mid-shift, I tried to roll, my bones still snapping into place. It was like trying to wade through mud, gravity fighting me for every inch—

  Then a vision of honey-colored skin and midnight black hair landed on Marcus’s back, grabbing him by the jaw and wrenching his neck. Claire! She was brutal, an almost feral creature riding on top of the coyote, her teeth bared and eyes flashing savagely, as she fought to hang on. She was glorious. Digging her claws deep into Marcus’s shoulders she clung on as he reared up, smashing her into the wall, his own claw tipped hands swiping and tearing at her exposed arms.

  Red clouded my vision, and blind rage fueled my strength. I launched myself at the snivelling excuse for an Alpha, my shift completing mid-air. I snapped my powerful jaws at his throat, aiming for the kill—but the wily dog dodged out of the way at the last second, my teeth only grazing him.

  I landed by Claire, who lay silent, not moving, a bloody mess on the ground. Was she? I nudged her with my nose, my heart threatening to tear out of my chest.

  Sharp pain erupted in my hind leg, teeth digging in and clamping down. Whirling around, I swiped at the coyote that was trying to use my leg as a chew toy, sending him flying into the corner. One of Marcus’s pack—but, where was the leader?

  I spied Marcus hunched over on the ground, his shift nearly finished. It would be so easy to return the favor, and finish him off while he was vulnerable. I shook my furry head, a human gesture of my wolf’s disgust at the thought. There were rules that should be followed in a challenge; honor demanded it. Not that he had any honor to start with, I snorted with revulsion while pacing the floor, waiting for him to rise.

  One eye on Marcus, the other pinning the other coyote in place, I anxiously checked Claire, tugging on the fragile mating bond, willing her to respond. Still nothing. Déjà vu—and not the good kind. She was going to make it—she had to.

  With a low growl, Marcus lumbered to his feet, his fur matted and oozing blood. She’d got him good, I noted, nudging her one more time, willing her to open her beautiful gray eyes and see the damage she’d inflicted.

  I turned to face my opponent, my heart heavy and my shoulders drooping. I would do this for her. Whether we both lived, or both died—Marcus deserved to suffer for what he had done. A howl tore from my throat, carrying with it a warning, a threat—a death sentence.

  Then, a mere whisper of sound, the slightest exhale of breath. She was alive! She was fucking alive! My heart swelled in my chest, energy poured back into me, filling and lifting me. Fuck, yeah. Time to party!

  * * *

  Claire

  Snarls and growls surrounded me, the thump of bodies crashing together, howls of pain and roars of fury. Adam! I had to open my eyes—I had to know, was he winning? Please, sweet Mother, let him be winning.

  Millimeter by millimeter I peeled my eyelids open, the bright light blinding me momentarily, then the fuzziness started to clear, and a mess of legs, fur, and teeth came into focus. A black wolf, large and muscular, pinned a scraggy brown coyote to the ground, their teeth snapping and scraping, each seeking the opportunity to strike a killing blow.

  The wooden floor of the cabin was slick, smeared with the blood of both men, and as they rolled back and forth, snapping and snarling, their claws scored the surface, searching for a grip.

  Movement caught my eye, a shape slinking under the window. Straining my eyes against the glare, I recognized the second coyote pack member. He was fully shifted and skirting around the fight, his walk slow, and deliberately cautious. Was he coming for me? Or, for Adam?

  He turned to face his Alpha, his teeth bared in a feral approximation of a grin. Adam!

  Please help me, I begged my wolf—she was buried deep inside, curled in a ball and licking her wounds. Our mate needs us!

  With a mournful howl she lumbered to standing, shaking her head and rolling her shoulders. She rocked back on her feet—

  Fuck, this was going to hurt…

  Pain like I’d never felt before hit me, my muscles shrieking in agony, as bones twi
sted and snapped. Shifting had never felt like this, like being mangled by a steamroller, but my human body was depleted, too weak to assist with the shift.

  She roared through me, forcing my body to reform, none of the seamless give and take I was used to. Then I was on my paws, leaping through the air, claws extended at the shithead of a coyote that thought he would harm my mate.

  And not a split second too late—I met him mid-air as he launched at the Alphas on the ground. Knocking him flying, we landed in a tangle of teeth and claws, me on top of his larger bulk. He blinked at me in surprise, the expression quickly wiped away and replaced with furious anger.

  But, I was way beyond pissed. Pissed that my parents had been taken from me. Pissed that I had been chased. Pissed that they had brought drugs into my pack. Pissed that my true mate—the man I was helplessly falling in love with—was fighting for his life. All because of these fucking coyotes and their fucking drugs!

  Using a strength purely fueled by rage, I pinned him, swiping at his eyes, scoring open his skin, like they had opened mine. He howled, his face a bloody mess, and I lunged, my teeth digging into his throat, deeper, harder—then ripping with all I had—

  He slumped beneath me, his lifeblood spilling out of his torn flesh, staining the floor.

  One down…

  I jumped off him, spinning to spot my mate. The wolf reared above Marcus, his large paws pummelling his opponent’s chest, stomach, and head. Marcus was a bloody mess, unrecognizable and barely moving. My mate’s fur was matted with blood, sticky and gnarled, but he was alive. And, he was winning.

  I sunk to the floor, eyes not leaving the duo, and growled my encouragement.

  Finish it…

  Adam glanced at me, searing me with just one look, then he threw back his head and lunged at Marcus’s throat, ripping and tearing.