The Shifter's Mate (Other World Series Book Three)

by Ramona Gray

  There was no anger in her voice but shame filled him and he looked away from her steady gaze. “I’m sorry, Reese. I should not have lied to you about it.”

  “Why did you?” She asked softly.

  “Because I should not have claimed you without your permission and because I – I was confused by what I had done.”

  “But you aren’t confused anymore?”

  He shook his head and kissed her palm again. “No. I love you. You are my mate, Reese, and I will love you for the rest of my life.”

  Her mouth began to tremble and tears slipped down her cheeks. “I love you too, Kane.”

  “You are not just saying that?” He said anxiously. “Did Raina tell you that no shifter will touch you when they see my mark?”

  “Yes,” Reese replied. “But I’m not saying it because I have no choice. I could find a human who wouldn’t know what the mark means.”

  He began to growl softly. “You belong to me, Reese. You are not to – “

  She laughed and patted his face. “God, I love you, Kane. You’re stubborn and bullheaded and a raging Neanderthal but you’re also kind and gentle and sweet. I am ridiculously in love with you.”

  He kissed her softly on the mouth and she immediately parted her lips and coaxed his tongue into her mouth. She sucked softly on it, moaning lightly when his big hand cupped her naked breast and kneaded it. His thumb circled her hardened nipple and she ran her fingers through his hair restlessly. He kissed down her neck and she reached under the covers and gripped his cock.

  He moaned and she smiled at him as she stroked him firmly. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too,” he panted as his hips moved with the motion of her hand.

  “Touch me, honey,” she pleaded.

  He slipped his hand between her legs and rubbed at her clit. She parted her legs and he froze when she made a cry of pain and her face paled.

  “I’m okay.” She gave him a look of disappointment when he moved his hand away from her.

  “No, my love, you are not,” he said quietly. “We cannot do this – not while you still heal.”

  “We can go slowly.” Disappointment laced her words. “Please, Kane. It’s been so long.”

  He shook his head. “No, it is not worth the risk of hurting your leg, Reese.”

  “It is to me,” she muttered before pouting at him.

  He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “Once you are healed fully I will fuck you, Reese.”

  “So romantic.” She rolled her eyes.

  “I am very good at sweet talking.” He laughed again.

  He cupped her breast and kissed the top of her head. “Go to sleep, my love.”

  She snuggled against him and lay quietly for a while. As her happiness faded and worry set in, he rubbed her back soothingly.

  “What is wrong, my love?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Do not lie to me, Reese. Your body is tensing and your scent has changed,” he replied.

  She sighed. “If Dagon chooses me – “

  “He will not,” Kane interrupted. “He told us that he was claiming Adina as his mate.”

  “Adina?” Reese stared up at him. “She didn’t say anything to me.”

  “He hasn’t announced it yet.”

  “Why not?”

  “He was going to make the announcement the day you were attacked by the mantorians.”

  “That was nearly a week ago,” she pointed out.

  “Aye, he decided to wait.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not sure.” He rubbed her back again. “Go to sleep, Reese.”

  “What if he’s changed his mind?” She spoke the words that he had refused to articulate to himself.

  “He hasn’t.”

  “But what if he has? What if he hasn’t said anything because he’s decided not to choose Adina?” She asked worriedly.

  “If he chooses you, I will challenge him for the alpha position.”

  “No!”

  Her cry of dismay startled him and he jerked in the bed. She groaned when it jostled her leg and he cupped her face. “My love, I’m sorry. Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” She gave him a frightened look. “Kane, I don’t want you challenging Dagon.”

  “I will have no choice, Reese.”

  “Yes, you do! We could leave, Kane. We could just leave in the night.”

  “You would have me leave my pack? Have me run away like a frightened pup?” He said softly.

  “It is better than watching you die!” She said angrily. “Dagon is too big and strong, Kane. He killed his own father and his mates for God’s sake!”

  “I can defeat him.”

  “And if you can’t?” She was starting to cry. “You will be dead and I’ll be Dagon’s mate. I’ll kill myself before I let that happen.”

  “Don’t say that!” His voice was rough with fear.

  “I can’t live without you,” she said quietly. “I can’t, Kane.”

  He held her tightly and stroked her hair as she buried her face in his throat. “Promise me you won’t challenge him, Kane.” Her voice was muffled.

  “Reese – “

  “Promise me!” She said fiercely. “We will leave together and make a new pack. I’m sorry, I know you’ll miss your pack mates but I would rather you miss them then watch as they bury you in a shallow grave.”

  “I am not as weak as you believe me to be, Reese.” There was an edge of anger in his voice. “Is it so hard for you to believe that I can be alpha?”

  “Of course not!” She said immediately. “You’d be an amazing alpha, Kane. But your life isn’t worth the risk to me. I would rather have you alive and in my arms.”

  She kissed him lightly. “I love you, Kane.”

  “I love you too,” he sighed. “Do not worry, my love. Dagon will choose Adina. And I will speak to my pack mates and tell them that we cannot allow Dagon to hurt Adina like he hurt his other mates. All right?”

  “All right,” she said in defeat.

  He held her close and rubbed her back as Reese stared into the darkness. He hadn’t promised not to challenge Dagon and she trembled violently in his arms as an image of Dagon taking Kane’s head flashed through her.

  Chapter 25

  “Do you want to go back to the bed, Reese?” Kane asked.

  It was two days later and for the first time since she had broken her leg, Adina had allowed her to leave the bed. She was sitting in the armchair in front of the fire, her injured leg propped up on a chair in front of her and she was wrapped snugly in the bear pelt from Kane’s bed.

  She shook her head. “God, no.”

  “Are you sure? If your leg is hurting you should go back to bed.”

  “I’m fine, shifter.” She smiled. “It feels so good to be sitting in an actual chair. Let me enjoy it, okay?”

  “Aye, I can do that.” He grinned at her.

  There was a knock on the cabin door and Asher opened it and stuck his head in. “Hello, Kane. Hello, human.”

  “Uncle, how are you?”

  “I cannot complain.”

  Asher crouched in front of Reese and examined her lower leg. It was covered from ankle to knee in a thick layer of rope to keep the branches firmly against it and he touched her knee briefly.

  “How does it feel, human?”

  “Better.”

  “Good.” He stood and gave Kane a grave look. “Dagon sent me to bring you and the human outside. He is making his announcement.”

  Reese’s face paled and she gave Kane a frightened look. He smiled reassuringly at her before picking her up from the chair. She winced a little and he kissed her lightly.

  “I’m sorry, my love.”

  “Kane, promise me,” she muttered as Asher led them to the door.

  “Everything will be fine, Reese.” He carried her outside and she blinked at the bright sunlight. It was cold and although Radek had brought a pile of his mother’s clothing to her yesterday, she
was thankful for the pelt still wrapped around her.

  “There you are!” Dagon said jovially. “Bring the human to me, Kane.”

  His entire body tense, Kane walked past his pack to where Dagon was waiting with Adina and Ghita. Adina’s face was pale and she held Ghita’s hand tightly as the smaller woman cried silently.

  Theran, his face a hard mask and his hands rolled into fists, was standing stiffly to the left of them and he nodded to Ghita when she stole a quick glance at him.

  Dagon patted the chair next to Adina. “Here, I have even been kind enough to have a chair for her.”

  Kane set Reese down gently. She held on to him a few seconds longer before forcing herself to release him. Dagon watched them with bright interest as Kane tucked the pelt closer around her before straightening.

  He stayed where he was and Dagon frowned at him. “Join the pack, Kane. I do not need you hovering like a nursemaid.”

  Kane stared at him for a moment before turning and walking slowly away. He joined Radek and Raina and didn’t seem to notice when Raina took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

  “Brothers and sisters,” Dagon clapped his hands together, “I know many of you questioned my decision to bring humans into our pack but I trust you understand that I do what is best for us. While two of the humans will make a suitable mate, there is no doubt in my mind that the third is useless.”

  He stood behind Ghita and patted her head like a dog before shoving her roughly in the back. “Go on, girl. Get out of my sight.”

  She pitched forward to her knees with a startled yelp and Theran growled loudly before stepping toward her. He lifted her to her feet and guided her to the others. He placed a possessive arm around her shoulders as Dagon laughed.

  “I do not believe it will be long before Theran claims himself a mate.”

  He turned his attention back to the crowd of shifters. “I made my decision to take the blonde human as my mate.”

  Reese reached out and gripped Adina’s hand as the woman’s body stiffened and her face paled even further.

  The shifters began to shout congratulations at them and Dagon held his hand up. “But that was before I witnessed the big human’s bravery. She attacked a mantorian to save the lives of our young. Does that not bear the marking of an alpha’s mate, my brothers?”

  The shifters nodded as Kane, growling lightly, stepped forward. Before he could speak, Dagon smiled. “I choose the big one to be my mate.”

  Reese’s stomach dropped and she released Adina’s hand as numbness washed over her. The shifters cheered loudly and surged forward. They shook Dagon’s hand and crowded around her, kissing her cheeks and touching and patting her arms and shoulders. She tried to search past their bodies for Kane but they blocked him completely from her view and she felt a moment of pure panic when Dagon placed one heavy hand on her shoulder and growled loudly.

  “Do not overwhelm my new mate. Remember, she is injured.” He smiled down at her. “I will go easy on you tonight. Do not fear, human.”

  “What?” She whispered through numb lips.

  “I will claim you as my mate this very evening,” Dagon said cheerfully. “I know you are injured but I will do my best not to hurt you.”

  “No, I – I need one more day,” she said quickly. “Please, Dagon. I just need one more day to – “

  He laughed and patted her on the head. “I’m afraid not, human. Now that I have made my decision, my cock is eager to find a home in your warm body.”

  She recoiled at the thought and a look of dark anger flickered across his face. “Do not even think to deny me, human. You belong to me now and I will take what is mine.”

  He glared irritably at the other shifters. “Stand back, you fools.”

  As they shuffled backward, he gripped Adina’s arm. “You will go to my cabin and help my new mate bathe and ready herself for me. Do you understand?”

  Adina nodded slowly and Dagon released her arm before turning back to Reese. “Come, I will help you to your new home.”

  Before he could pick her up, Kane’s voice rang out. “The woman belongs to me.”

  Dagon froze and Reese watched as a knowing smile crossed his face. He straightened and turned to look at Kane.

  “Get away from her, Dagon,” Kane growled.

  “Watch your tongue when you speak to your alpha,” Dagon said sharply.

  “You are not my alpha. Maven was my alpha,” Kane snarled.

  Dagon’s face flushed and he growled at Kane. “I will give you one more chance to walk away, Kane.”

  “The woman is my mate. Not yours.”

  “Do you think I am stupid, Kane? Do you think I did not know that you have been fucking my potential mate? I’ll admit I was surprised that you would fuck a human after what they have taken from you, but I assumed it was nothing more than a curiosity for you. I ignored your disobedience because of the affection my father had for you. But the woman belongs to me now and you will stay away from my mate or I will tear out your throat.”

  “She bears my mark,” Kane said calmly.

  Dagon jerked in surprise and Kane grinned bitterly at him. “Show him, Reese.”

  “Kane, I – “

  “Show him!” He snarled and she pushed her sleeve down until the cold air washed over Kane’s bite.

  Dagon howled angrily at the sight of it and there were gasps and mutters of surprise from the other shifters.

  “You fool!” Dagon spat at Kane. “You have spoiled her for me and now you will watch as I take your mate’s life.”

  “I challenge you,” Kane said quietly.

  Dagon stiffened and gave him an incredulous look. “What did you say?”

  “I challenge you.”

  “You will not win, Kane. You would die for this human? Is she worth your life?”

  “Aye, she is,” Kane replied.

  Dagon studied him for a moment longer before nodding. “Very well. I accept your challenge.”

  He turned and moved to the center of the clearing as Kane knelt in front of Reese.

  “Kane – “

  “It will be all right, my love.” He took her hands and rested his forehead against hers. “Do not cry.”

  “Please don’t do this. Please,” she begged as she put her arms around his shoulders and clung tightly to him. “I don’t want you to do this, Kane. I can’t – “

  He pressed his mouth to hers. Her lips were cold and he could taste her fear as she clutched the back of his shirt in a tight grip.

  “I will defeat him, my love,” he whispered against her mouth. He tried to untangle himself from her grip and she held on grimly.

  “NO!” She shouted. “Don’t do this, Kane!”

  She kicked at him with her good leg when he pried her hands open and kissed the palms of them.

  “I love you, Reese.”

  “Don’t do this!” She shouted again as she punched and kicked at him. As Kane stepped back she staggered to her feet and tried to limp after him. Radek appeared beside her and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Pain coursing through her leg, she shrieked at him and tried to head butt him. He dodged it easily and when her broken leg smacked against his, she cried out and slumped against him in defeat.

  Kane had moved to the middle of the clearing and was staring calmly at Dagon. She called his name desperately and he turned to stare at her.

  “I love you!” She cried. “I love you!”

  “I love you too.”

  She watched in agonized silence as Dagon stripped off his clothes and shifted to his wolf form. He was huge. His dark brown fur gleamed in the sunlight and his muscles rippled as he stalked toward Kane.

  Kane eyed him silently as the shifters made soft whimpers of nervousness. Borek and Deena joined Radek, and Deena stroked Reese’s hair silently as Borek glanced at Radek. “Why does he not shift?”

  “I don’t know,” Radek said worriedly.

  Kane stripped off his shirt and dropped it the ground as he and Da
gon circled each other. Dagon seemed to be waiting for him to shift and when he didn’t, he barked loudly at the smaller shifter.

  Kane shook his head and gave him a bitter smile. “I have no need to shift. I will defeat you easily, even in my human form.”

  Dagon howled with rage and Reese screamed when the giant wolf bounded across the clearing and leaped at Kane.

  Kane, his face serene, caught the wolf in midair. He sunk his hands into the thick fur around his neck as Dagon snapped at his face. Dagon’s fangs narrowly missed his face and with a harsh roar and his biceps bulging, he flipped the wolf over his head. Dagon landed with a heavy thud on the ground and Kane fell on him. He straddled the wolf as Dagon twisted and snarled and scrabbled to get free. Kane grabbed the struggling wolf’s head in his massive hands and twisted Dagon’s head viciously to the left. The wolf’s neck broke with a sharp crack and it slumped to the ground, its long tongue hanging from its mouth and its eyes staring lifelessly into the sky.

  “What just happened?” Radek said in a weak little voice entirely different from his normal one.

  The shifters stared in stunned silence at the dead body of their alpha as Kane climbed to his feet. Breathing heavily, he raised his head to the sky and howled deafeningly. One by one the wolves fell to their knees before their new alpha and answered his call.

  * * *

  The woman’s soft cries of pleasure filled the large cabin and her mate smiled before licking a slow path across her inner thigh.

  “Shifter!” She lifted her head and glared at him impatiently.

  “Aye, my love?” He gave her an innocent look.

  “If you don’t put your tongue in my pussy right now, I’ll give you nothing but plants to eat for a month!”

  He kissed the dark curls at the top of her core. “If you do that, I’ll be too weak to fuck you or eat your sweet pussy.”

  She wrapped her fingers in his hair and tugged sharply. “Fine. The next time you ask me to suck your cock, I’ll refuse.”

  He laughed. “I doubt that, my love. You enjoy sucking my cock too much to deny me.”

  She pulled his hair so hard that he winced before she whacked him in the ass with her foot. “Last warning, shifter.”