Alpha's Mate: A Steamy PNR Shifter & Fantasy Romance Collection (Hot Shifters Book 3)

by Casey Morgan

  I take the offensive and lunge at them, going straight for the neck. The wolf I bite starts to thrash, doing everything he can to have me let go, but my teeth are deep in his skin.

  The second wolf comes at me and tries to pull me back, but I surprise him when I rip my teeth away from his packmate and latch on to him next. His pack member faints exhausted from the fight, and soon I’ve defeated them both.

  I breathe deeply, the blood from the fight dripping out of my mouth. There’s so much adrenaline rushing through my body, I almost howl, but I don’t want to freak out the girl if she’s still there.

  I leave the two unconscious wolves in that part of the woods. Wiping myself on the grass, I do my best to clean as much of the blood off of me as I can. When I change, I’ll lose the injuries I sustained but not any muck I got on myself. I do heal a little faster as a wolf, and with the superhuman abilities, if I shift it’s sped it even more.

  I change into my human form before reentering the clearing. Everything is surprisingly okay. The wounds I got while fighting are all gone, though these new abilities don’t help me get clean. Rubbing along the grass helped, but I’m still a little dirty. There’s nothing I can do about that, not really.

  I start to get ready to step back into the clearing. Just in case she’s still there, I want to talk to her. Maybe get a name. I mean, the girl probably high-tailed it out of there the second she realized there was some kind of fight going on. Not that I blame her. Self-preservation is a strong instinct.

  I start walking out there and hope she’s still there. I start to wonder if maybe, just maybe, she might happen to be mine… I shouldn’t think about that. If I do, I’ll just be even more heartbroken when it doesn’t pan out. I’m just going to go back out there with zero expectations. That way, there’s no way for me to be disappointed.

  I finally make my way to the clearing and find her still there. It was what I was hoping for, but I really thought she was going to up and leave.

  She looks over at me, an apprehensive smile on her face.

  “Hi,” I say, giving a quick hand wave.

  I want her to feel comfortable around me. I’m not sure how to really go about that since I’ve never really flirted. There was really no point since the only person I could ever be with is my one true mate.

  But, tonight, I’m in the spotlight.

  “Hi,” she smiles at me. It’s warm and inviting, making the corners of my lips turn up. I’m not much of a smiler, so this is nice.

  “Um, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, thanks to you. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up. Those wolves were just horrible, chasing me.”

  “Well, I’m happy to help. I couldn’t just stand by and let something bad happen to you.”

  She looks down at the ground, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

  “Uh,” I start.

  She looks back up at me, her eyes waiting.

  “My name’s Raul by the way.”

  “Oh, I’m Anya.”

  “Nice to meet you, Anya.”

  I’d been wondering what her name was this whole time but hadn’t really thought about what it could possibly be. I’d never been drawn to the name Anya before, but now, it seems like the best name ever created.

  “So, what are you doing so far up here in the woods?” I ask.

  I need to figure out what she’s actually doing up here. Maybe then I’ll be able to figure out why the Shadewoods were chasing her so ferociously.

  “I was walking around, and I got super lost. Now, I’m just trying to figure out how to get myself home.”

  I’m sure she wants to get home now, but what was she doing here so late last night? It’s clear, she doesn’t know that I saw her last night. Maybe it’s something she doesn’t want to talk about, and I can’t make her tell me something she doesn't want to. We barely know one another, so she really has no reason to trust me.

  “But you’re okay? Not hurt or anything?”

  I’m amazed that after spending the night in the woods and then running away from all those wolves, she managed to remain untouched. It's unbelievable, almost.

  “No, really, I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”

  Oh, boy. I’m already very worried. I spent like half of our fight thinking about whether or not this girl might be my mate. She isn’t signaling that she knows anything about werewolves or packs. It seems like once again, I got ahead of myself. Like I always do.

  “No, let me worry about you. At the very least, let me get you back home.”

  She’s not going to find her way out of these woods any time soon, not without some assistance. She was lost last night, and, a few hours later, she’s still lost.

  “Really? You’ll help me find my way home?”

  “Yeah, of course. I’d have to be a jerk to leave you lost in the woods. I just need to use the facilities really quick, and then we can be on our way.” Anya tilts her head, giggling.

  “The facilities? Do you mean like… a tree? So, you can pee?”

  I feel my face getting hot. I should have just said I had to go to the bathroom instead of using such a stupid sounding word. She probably thinks that I’m super immature or something.

  “Yeah, like a tree… to… yeah...”

  “Oh no, don’t feel bad. Go use the ‘facilities.’ I’ll be waiting right here for you to get back.” She giggles again, and it’s so sweet and cute.

  It feels like I’m instantly falling in love with her. I’ve seen a lot of women pass by me thinking that they might be the one, and they’ve never been, but no one has ever made me feel this way.

  I’m worried if I hang out with this girl for too long, I might let myself feel actual hope again. I can’t go down that hole another time.

  I quickly run into the middle of the woods. I’m not actually going to pee, but to notify my pack about what’s going on. I shift and get into my stance. I let off a high-pitched, siren-like series of howls. These are what we use to let each other know we might need some backup.

  The pack which attacked us, I know they aren’t about to give up. The ones they sent after Anya, it wasn’t the whole pack, just a small division. Now that they know she has me protecting her, they might just come out in full force. I don't know what has got them so incensed, but I plan to find out so I can better keep her out of harm's way.

  I’m not going to make a single mistake when it comes to making sure that Anya is safe. Just because she might not be my mate doesn’t mean I’m going to literally leave her to the wolves. Maybe some of my dedication to her safety is influenced by how much I am attracted to her, but I know we can’t be together, so it’s all irrelevant anyway.

  After I let out the signal, I shift back to human. It’s time to walk my lovely lady back home. I feel like a teenage boy worried about if a girl likes me. I never went to high school or anything, not in the traditional sense. But I’m guessing this is what it’s like when you find that first girl you really like, and all you want to do is impress her. Maybe I’ll even get to meet her parents.

  Oh, that’s going to be a big deal.

  I need to calm down. It’s not like Anya is actually my one true mate. All of this would matter more if the two of us were fated to be together, but we’re not. We can’t be. I’m not that lucky.

  The fact that I want to get into her pants so fucking badly would also matter a whole lot more because it would be something that would actually be happening, but it’s not. The only person, like I said, I’m allowed to be with is my one true mate. Even if I wanted to be with someone else, my body wouldn’t allow it. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it just does. And I wouldn't want to be with anyone else anyway.

  It’s not something that anyone in the pack really wants. We’re all dedicated to following the rules. Even though I really like this girl, I’m not going to go against my nature.

  It’s just another disappointment in my life. Nothing new.

  Chapter Six


  Anya

  Raul went off to ‘use the facilities.’ It was so cute that he said it like that. He’s such a manly looking man, I never thought I’d meet someone so adorable. I don’t know why I made that assumption. I’ve met so few people.

  What I do know is that he just saved my butt from a bunch of wolves that looked ready to murder me. There has to be some way I can thank him. He went to so much trouble. He could have died! I have to show my appreciation.

  Suddenly, a series of howls break through the air. They sound so ominous, almost like a warning. I hope Raul hurries up with his bathroom break.

  Before, when I was lost, I didn’t know the wolves were so close, so I wasn’t as scared, but now, I am absolutely terrified. If they come back while he’s gone, I am totally defenseless. They’ll devour me in seconds, and he’ll come back to the scraps of my carcass. The thought sends shivers up my spine.

  I still can’t believe my good fortune. Just when I thought everything was lost, my knight in shining white armor comes through to save me. And he's gorgeous on top of it all. Like what were the odds that this super-strong man would be in the woods at the same time the wolves were chasing me. Not just that, but he was also strong enough to fight off a whole pack of them and come back with barely a scratch on him.

  But, now that I’m thinking about it, I’m kind of confused. How in the world did Raul fight off all those wolves? An ordinary man couldn’t do something like that. He must not be an ordinary man, then. Clearly… but in what way exactly is what has me thinking.

  Still, a lot of things seem way too crazy. I’ve got to ask him a couple of questions. We have some time, so I’m going to ask everything that’s on my mind. I do want to get to know him, so that's double the reason to have the conversation.

  I see Raul coming back from his bathroom break. I don’t want to immediately assault him with all of my suspicions. He did save me, after all. I should break the ice.

  “How were the ‘facilities?’” I ask him.

  He smiles, a small one, but it’s there. “They were quite nice. A little mossy, but it got the job done.”

  I giggle at his joke because it’s cute. He’s cute. I could see myself falling for a rugged man like him. I just know so little about him, and I already learned that I am barely equipped to take care of myself in the world. I don’t want to be so quick to make another mistake.

  Even if he would make for a glorious mistake to make.

  “So, where are we off to?” he asks.

  “Umm,” I start.

  I was thinking of immediately going home, but my parents probably won’t be there by the time we arrive. It might be better to have this reunion in public anyway. They don’t like to get visibly mad in front of people like that, so it’s more likely we’ll be able to have a civilized heart to heart at the church’s harvest party.

  “We should probably actually go to the local church. That’s where my parents will be, and they are the ones with the keys.”

  “You didn’t bring the keys with you?”

  I shake my head. “I forgot them.”

  In reality, my parents never gave me a set. I’m never out on my own, and they just don’t trust me in general. I hate lying to Raul. He did so much to help me, but I’m kind of embarrassed with everything my parents have put me through. I’d rather he just not know about that part of my life.

  “Okay, I don’t mind taking you to the church. I kind of have an idea where that is. If I’m going the wrong way once we’re in town, you can just grab me and turn me in the right direction.”

  Grab him? That sounds so aggressive. I don’t know if I could ever touch a man like that. I do want to feel up those rippling muscles he has, but he’s probably not into me like that. He has to have all kinds of girls throwing themselves at his feet. I’d imagine they’re all so beautiful.

  One of the reasons why I never understood my parents’ incessant need to remind me not to become a harlot is because I'm not particularly alluring. I wouldn't say I'm a hideous monster. I like the way I look for the most part. It’s just that I’m plain and unexciting. You know, boring. I can't see anyone going mad with passion over me.

  It's still nice to talk to this wildly handsome man, though. Imagine what it might be like to have him kiss me and stuff.

  “Okay, I’ll grab you,” I joke.

  He chuckles, and we start to walk. I grab on to the handles of my backpack, following Raul. We don’t talk for a little bit, so it’s my chance to ask him about the attack. If I don’t do it now, then I’ll chicken out and never know.

  “Uh, Raul?”

  “Yes?” He looks over at me, offering a comforting smile.

  There’s no reason for me to be scared of him. He’s only been helpful and nice. Yeah, I don’t know anything about him, but I’m not getting any stranger danger vibes from him. In fact, I'm only really getting a sense of security. Like he wouldn't ever let anyone hurt me if he could help it.

  “I just wanted to ask you about what happened? I didn’t actually see you until after the whole thing ended? Where did you come from? Are you okay?”

  I never even thought to make sure he hadn’t hurt himself fighting a whole pack of wolves. I mean, he literally popped up out of nowhere. One second, there was a flurry of fur and, the next second, Raul is walking out of the woods triumphant.

  It’s a little confusing and disorienting. I was probably high off of adrenaline, so I could have missed a few things, but I don't know. It would be nice to know what actually happened.

  “I was just around.”

  “Around?”

  “Yeah, around.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Being around,” he shrugs.

  That doesn’t answer my question at all. It's the vaguest answer he could've given me. It's clear he doesn’t want to tell me what he was doing. I can’t make him tell me. I guess I’ll just go to the next question.

  “Okay, did you have a gun, or did you like wrestle them? I mean, you barely got any scratches, which is so crazy.”

  I didn’t hear gunshots, but maybe he has a silencer, or I was so jazzed up that I totally missed them. It’s crazy to think that I would not hear gunshots, but stranger things have happened. Raul just fought off a whole pack of wolves! So, who even knows?

  “Um, no, I don’t have a gun.”

  “Oh,” I nod.

  I'm not sure how I would feel if he did have one. I'm kind of relieved that I don't have to think about such a dangerous weapon, but I'm still crazy confused.

  “How did you fight them off, then? What did you do? How didn’t you get hurt?”

  “I’m just used to dealing with wolves.”

  He’s barely answering any of my questions. It’s not the biggest deal, we just met, and it makes sense if he doesn’t want to go into his whole history, but I just want to know about a few things.

  “You deal with wolves a lot?”

  “I’m used to it,” he mumbles.

  Maybe I need to rephrase the way I’m asking. He could just be a private person. Maybe he lives in the woods and doesn’t want me to know about that. I didn’t see any housing structures while I was wandering, but I haven’t gone through the entire wooded area.

  Maybe he's homeless.

  “I see.” I stop talking to give myself some time to think.

  “What about you? Why were you in the woods so early in the morning?”

  “Oh, I just got lost, ya know?” It’s my turn to shrug.

  “Yeah, you already told me that. What brought you to the woods? Were you meeting some friends or something?”

  “Um, I was just around like you. Kind of wandering, I guess.”

  He tilts his head like he doesn’t believe me, but he can’t question me too much, right? If that’s the excuse he’s going to use, he can’t accuse me of not telling him enough because then he’ll have to reveal more himself. I can understand not wanting to mention all of the embarrassing stuff in your life.

  “What a
bout your backpack? It looks like you had somewhere to be.”

  “I always carry this with me. It’s just a couple of my things.”

  He nods again, but like he doesn’t believe me. If he asks me a direct enough question, I might find myself admitting to my failed attempt to run away. I’d rather not have to tell anyone about that, especially him. Maybe he was there for some embarrassing reason, too. I can empathize if he’s hiding some secret.

  “Yeah, okay. Well, I’m glad you’re okay,” he grumbles.

  It warms me up inside that he seems to care about my wellbeing. I mean, he has to a little bit since he fought off all the wolves for me. I still don’t know how he did it, but maybe one day he will tell me. If he wants to see me again.

  I look over at Raul and marvel at how handsome he is. I don’t get a lot of chances to meet guys. There have been a few that I thought something could have happened with, but my parents chase off anyone who shows the tiniest bit of interest. Even if that interest is purely platonic.

  But Raul feels different from all those guys. I can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to have him take my virginity. I know I would love it. He looks so powerful like he’d have long and hard thrusts. Like he would give me the best orgasm of my life.

  I’m getting all hot and bothered, and I have a feeling that he can tell. I need to calm down myself before I soak through my panties. I would die of embarrassment.

  And I need to keep myself together, my parents are going to see him and probably think the worst. I’ll need to say something before they get all those bad ideas in their heads.

  I mean, they are kind of true because I do want Raul, but it’s not like we’re out here being absolutely sinful. Once they learn he saved me from certain death, they’ll have to cool off a little bit.

  “Are you and parents members of this church we’re going to?”

  “Yeah, I’ve been going ever since I was a child. It’s a really small, tight-knit group.”

  “Yeah, that sounds nice.”