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

by Casey Morgan

  If we weren’t right in front of Headmaster Thorn’s office, I would’ve pried. The questions of whether or not Drew could shift and why he wouldn’t talk about what he was like when he was alive faded away as I raised my hand to knock on the door of the office of the man I hated most.

  Chapter Three

  The knock was lighter than I had anticipated. My apprehension for meeting with Headmaster Thorn was manifesting itself into my behavior, and I hated it. I loathed that the man still intimidated me so much.

  On Halloween night I had proven myself to Thorn during the trials. I had done every spell that he had asked for, and I had done them well, but still, the headmaster seemed to despise me, and I knew he wanted me out of Ironwood for good. Bullies were not my thing, so his hate made me hate him right back. It was a feeling I did not enjoy.

  The large mahogany door to Thorn’s office loomed over me, and I found myself hugging Angie cat tighter. Maybe if I was just quick and efficient, the headmaster wouldn’t want to keep me around for too long. I felt that if I was in his presence for just a second too long, then something unfortunate would happen.

  I knocked again, louder this time. The was a yell from inside instructing me to enter, so I grabbed the doorknob and turned. The door opened slowly, and the creak of wood against wood made my spine straighten.

  As soon as there was a space large enough for my body to squeeze into the room, I slipped inside, suddenly feeling trapped in the large, but jam-packed office. The huge amount of dusty, old books, trinkets, and decorations made me feel cramped.

  Barely able to breathe, I slowly forced my legs to move myself closer to Headmaster Thorn’s desk. His rake-like physic loomed over his papers, and he glared at me with indignation. His squinty eyes sharpened when they matched my line on sight.

  “Ms.Thrushmoor,” he sneered. The flabby lips on his face made him look a little like a frog. “What a surprise.”

  I forced a small smile. “Headmaster-”

  He cut me off, “Is that feline in your arms by chance Ms. Birch?”

  In response to his chilly tone, my temper flared, and I felt heat in my chest. Stubbornly, I walked up to his desk and placed Angie cat in front of him. As soon as Angie was free from my grasp, Headmaster Thorn jumped up and hissed.

  “Angie turned into a cat during potions class, and she hasn’t turned back, so Professor Goldwin told me to take her to you so that maybe you could turn her back into her human form and-” The words tumbled from my lips.

  Before I could explain any further, Headmaster Thorn interrupted with a shrill scream. “Ruby Thrushmoor, close the door immediately!”

  There was a mere heartbeat of silence before I could completely comprehend what he had just yelled at me to do. I looked between him and Angie and noticed her legs bend slightly before she began to jump from the desk. Instinct suddenly took over and pushed my limbs to move faster than her. I scrambled towards the heavy mahogany door and flung my body against it to get it closed before Angie could reach the exit.

  When the slamming of the doors echoed in the office, I slid down to the floor in relief. Looking back up at the bone-thin Headmaster, I saw him locking the window that had been opened previously. He looked back over at me and glared.

  “Ms.Thrushmoor,” Thorn spat out, “do I really need to remind your simple brain that Ms. Birch is currently a cat and must be treated as such?”

  I watched from my spot on the floor as Angie circled the room looking for a way to escape. I saw her tail tuck in between her legs when she realized that all exits to the office had been covered. She then, as if to just prove the headmaster’s point, approached one of his bookshelves and scurried up shelf by shelf until she was safely tucked away from anyone’s grasp or prying eyes. As she climbed up, Angie knocked multiple books and misplaced knick-knacks onto the ground.

  Every single time that I heard the sound of one of Thorn’s items hitting the carpet, I cringed. I knew for a fact that if I wasn't going to be lectured before, then I certainly was going to be now. Swallowing any lingering fear, I began to pick myself up off of the ground.

  Of course, this had to happen. Of course, Angie had to turn into a cat. Of course, I had to bring her to Headmaster Thorn. Of course, I had to screw that up. Somehow, I always managed to mess up anything of importance.

  There was a sudden heavy and sick feeling settling in my chest. It made me bow my head as I walked back towards Headmaster Thorn’s desk in order to sit down and explain the situation in a more efficient way. As soon as I took a seat, he also sat. Although, I noticed that Thorn was barely looking at me and instead kept throwing distasteful glances at Angie cat as she messed about with things on his bookshelf.

  His long and bony fingers reached out to a bell that he kept on his desk. I watched as the headmaster’s joints popped into place when grasping the handle. The crisp and clear sound of the bell ringing drew my attention. For a moment, I forgot how awkward the situation I was in really was. However, the second Thorn put the bell back down, the air of disappointment and my self-deprecation returned.

  I knew that Headmaster Thorn didn’t like me. I knew that he wanted nothing more than to get me to leave Ironwood. The last thing I wanted was to give him another opportunity to kick me out.

  “I’m sorry,” I muttered, hating to have to say those words to such a revolting man. “Can you please help me turn Angie back?”

  Thorn sighed. “One second.”

  I waited as patiently as I could. Regardless of the fact that only seconds had passed, my legs began to bounce in anticipation. As those seconds trailed on into minutes, the silence was suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door.

  Headmaster Thorn spoke out boldly, “Come in.”

  To my surprise, Ice-Eyes poked his blonde head into the room. At first, Jasper’s face seemed alert, and he only looked towards Headmaster Thorn.

  It dawned upon me, then, that the bear-shifter had been summoned by the bell. The thought of the tall, muscular man coming running at the sound of a bell, regardless of the fact that he was the headmaster’s assistant, made me laugh a little.

  The moment that Jasper realized that I was in the office, he shot me a wide smile and gave a small wave. I was concerned only for a bit that he was going to say something to get me into even more trouble, but Headmaster Thorn cut him off. For once, I was thankful for him being there.

  “Mr. Kane go get Cade McWilliams,” he ordered. “Immediately.”

  Without another word or even a wave goodbye, Jasper closed the large red door behind him.

  “Make sure that door is shut tight!” Thorn called after my sort-of boyfriend.

  As I listened to Jasper’s quick steps disappear down the hallway, my mind wandered for a second as I pondered over why Headmaster Thorn needed Big Boy in the office. Although the alpha werewolf oozed confidence, I couldn't really see the benefit of him joining us except for me getting to look at Cade’s hot figure.

  Before I could get too lost in my own thoughts, another crashing noise from the bookshelf snapped me back to reality. I looked up at Angie cat as her black paws swiped yet another knick-knack off of the top shelf. Besides the noise that she was making, silence hung over me, and anxiety rose in my chest.

  Why was Thorn taking so long to speak?

  “Professor Goldwin read your blood,” the headmaster uttered, never taking his eyes off me. It wasn’t a question. He knew.

  Although I was thankful for the break in the awkward silence, another wave of concern washed through me. I didn’t realize that the small professor would tell Thorn such a thing. None of the staff were supposed to help me, and by reading my blood, Goldwin had proven that I was a witch—a real one. This information held my future at Ironwood in its hands.

  I unconsciously had moved to the edge of my seat, waiting for the shoe to drop.

  Headmaster Thorn continued to speak, “So, we now know that you are a true witch.”

  “I am,” I stated, worried for what was coming next. I
knew it wasn’t acceptance.

  The thin man held up one long, spindly finger. “But Professor Goldwin also found some shifter blood mixed in with the witch blood. Which means, Ms.Thrushmoor, that you are part shifter.”

  I remembered that fact, although the memory was hazy. At the time, I had been so excited to be a real witch that the rest of the information was mostly forgotten. There was something about my grandfather being a lower-level shifter. That thought made me pause. If my grandfather could shift, could I? What could I shift into? What did that mean for me in regards to staying at Ironwood? I opened my mouth to ask Headmaster Thorn every single one of these questions, but I couldn’t get a word in before a devilish grin spread across his ghastly face.

  “I have a new trial for you,” he cheered.

  My stomach dropped again. “A new trial? Really?” I couldn’t help but whine in protest. “Haven’t I proven myself enough?”

  Thorn’s grisly smile grew. “No. You have not, Ms. Thrushmoor. There is a full moon in two weeks, you have till then to learn how to shift or else...”

  “Or else what?” I asked, even though I knew what was coming.

  “You will be expelled.” The headmaster waved his hands in the air like he was doing a magic trick—a trick that would make me disappear forever.

  Fury overcame me. My hands clenched into fists that grasped at the fabric of my skirt. All rationality left me as I stood up from my seat and glared at the headmaster.

  Why another trial? I had already proved myself more than I even thought I could. What else could I possibly do?

  “Why do you have such a problem with me?” I yelled.

  Headmaster Thorn also stood up, towering over me. “You don’t belong here! And you never will.”

  I jammed my fist into his desk. “I already proved myself as a true witch! Why do I have to do this, too?”

  “If a little girl with shifter blood can’t shift under the full moon, then she doesn’t belong at Ironwood,” Thorn roared. “I am the headmaster here. If I choose to put you on trial, then I will. I will give you as many trials as I see fit. You will never ever prove yourself to me!”

  I wanted to throw-up at the sight of his shit-eating grin. Thorn thought that he had won. But there was no way in hell that I was going to leave Ironwood after everything I had already gone through. And I was definitely not going to let this gremlin-like, power-hungry, bastard run me out of somewhere that I had made friends. He couldn’t limit what I could do.

  Suddenly, the fact that I had shifter blood flooded me with confidence. If Headmaster Thorn gave me two weeks to shift, I would do it in one... just to spite him.

  “Fine!” I yelled. “I’ll prove you wrong and learn to shift!”

  The headmaster’s smile only grew. Clearly, he didn’t believe me. However, I matched it with a smirk of my own and continued to challenge him.

  “I’ll be here after the two weeks, and I’ll be here the two weeks after that, and the two weeks after that,” I bragged. “You can’t get rid of me.”

  Thorn opened his mouth to argue further. The tension in the air manifested itself in our expressions. We might as well had begun to fight if not for the knock on the door.

  Both of us froze and turned to see the mahogany door open.

  Chapter Four

  I jerked my head to the side. If that door hadn't opened when it did, I might have gotten myself expelled for ripping the headmaster’s head off. I had been so enveloped in the argument with Headmaster Thorn that I had forgotten that he had sent for Cade McWilliams.

  Big Boy closed the heavy door behind him with no trouble at all. I took the moment to watch him walk in and allowed myself to appreciate his looks. Even though Cade was wearing the same old boring uniform that every other student was also required to wear, it just fit him so well. The pants wrapped tightly around his muscular thighs and fell around his calves. His shirt and jacket stuck to his fit chest in all the right places.

  I was forced to remind myself of how hot he was. It wasn’t just that Cade was conventionally attractive, with his dark-brown hair and masculine features, there was something magnetic about him. Maybe it was his amber eyes, I felt as if I could melt in them.

  I was snapped out of my thoughts when those amber eyes met mine. They seemed to stare past my body and into my head. As if Cade could tell that I was thinking about him, he flashed me a confident smile. I could just barely see a hint of confusion in his features, no doubt because he had no idea why he was there.

  Our small staring contest was broken by Headmaster Thorn clearing his throat with disdain. “Mr. McWilliams....” he started.

  Big Boy broke eye-contact and sauntered toward both me and the headmaster’s desk. He put all of his weight on his right leg as he stood beside my chair. I looked up at him, but Cade was focused on Headmaster Thorn, so I couldn’t read his expression.

  “Headmaster Thorn,” he said with a quick nod. “What do you need?”

  “It seems that Ms.Thrushmoor is need of assistance in regards to her friend,” the headmaster explained, sneering at me.

  “Her friend?” Cade began to look around the room in confusion, his smile gone. Of course, he had no idea that my friend was the cat on top of the bookshelf in the corner.

  Suddenly, I felt even more embarrassed than I had felt previously. Headmaster Thorn glared at me before grabbing Cade’s attention by gesturing at Angie. The alpha’s eyes went wide in realization.

  “Oh-”

  Before Cade could get another word out, Headmaster Thorn scowled and began to lecture. “I need you to use your alpha status,” he demanded. “Change Ms. Birch back.”

  Cade suddenly looked unsure. “But that can be painful.”

  With his long frail fingers, the thin man waved slightly. “I don’t care. Ms. Birch needs to return to her human form, so you need to do your duty as the Ironwood Alpha and force her to turn back.”

  It took a few moments for me to register the information that was being shared. Particularly the words ‘painful’ and ‘force’. Concern for Angie took over my instincts, pushing me out of my chair. I stepped forward in between the two men. Cade seemed shocked, and Headmaster Thorn appeared agitated.

  “Wait,” I interjected. “It’s painful? I don’t want Angie to get hurt.”

  “Yes, it is painful,” the headmaster explained after folding his thin arms over his chest, “but you don’t want Ms. Birch to remain a cat for the rest of her life, now do you?”

  I shook my head. At that, Headmaster Thorn nodded at Cade.

  Big Boy turned and winked at me. “Not a problem,” he whispered.

  I watched in anticipation as Cade positioned himself within clear sight of the bookshelf. Although there was no physical sign that he had begun to use his influence, the atmosphere in the room suddenly felt heavy. The magnetic feeling that always hung around Cade was amplified, and I felt myself shiver. No noises were being made, and Big Boy kept his gaze directly on Angie. Just observing the entire interaction, I felt dizzy. I couldn’t imagine what the feeling would be like if the alpha were to look at me in that way.

  After only a matter of seconds, Angie cat slowly began to crawl towards the edge of the bookshelf. My breath caught in my throat as she gracefully lept from the top shelf and landed without a problem onto the carpet. In the eerie silence, pulsated like a steady heartbeat, Angie walked along to the beat. Soon, she sat in front of Cade, staring up with her brown eyes.

  “Do it,” Headmaster Thorn commanded.

  As if a switch had been turned on, I felt my chest long for air. I was breathless and bodiless. My feet felt as if they no longer existed, and my entire being was being drawn in towards Cade. The overwhelming feeling of dominance made my knees weak and lowered my defenses. I was almost intoxicated.

  The only thing that kept me from becoming completely entranced was the sight of Angie. Her black cat form slowly began to contort and bend. The image of her limbs enlarging, stretching, and bending looked incredibly p
ainful. I knew that she was transforming against her will, and that piece of knowledge made it all the more uncomfortable to watch. I would’ve turned away from the whole ordeal, but the dominance that Big Boy was emanating was enough to lock my gaze in his general direction and keeping me from averting my eyes.

  After Angie eventually finished her transformation, the magnetic and dominant feeling dissolved completely. My trance was gone, and all of my attention was immediately directed at Angie. She sat crouched, naked, crying on the ground. Dropping down to the floor, I scrambled to her side.

  I took my best friend’s face in my hands, pushing back her short, orange hair. “Angie, are you okay?”

  Her brown eyes met mine, but she quickly jerked backward out of my grasp. Angie’s face was flushed with embarrassment and a desire to hide. Collecting her clothes in a hurry, she jumped to her feet. I barely had time to reach after her before she had run away and out of the door.

  I gave Cade a glance as I also got to my feet, he looked confused at the whole situation. I was intrigued by the impression he was giving me. It was as if he didn’t understand what I had felt, or even considered the emotional toll that his dominance gave off.

  As I grabbed our things and rushed out the door after Angie, I could feel Headmaster Thorn staring holes into the back of my head. I didn't even spare him a glance as I sped down the hallway. Even though I had many things to say to both Big Boy and Headmaster-Thorn-In-My-Side, catching up to Angie was more important.

  I took off down the hallway after her, but once again, she proved fast on her feet and was out of my sight rather quickly. I burst out of the building itself and into the back courtyard. Amongst the vast quantity of students sitting in the grass or walking along the sidewalks, I could not locate Angie. It would’ve been a waste of energy to run around looking for her. When Angie didn’t want to be found, she wouldn’t be found.