The Alpha's Mate (8 Sexy, Powerful Shifters and Their Fated Mates)

by Lynn Red

  As the vampire leaned down to feast, the man hidden in the shadows released the bolt from his crossbow. It pierced the vampire’s chest, who let out a keening howl and toppled backward. As he did so, the ‘unconscious’ man leaped forward, pulling a stake from his sleeve, and drove it into the vampire’s heart.

  Smiling with grim satisfaction, the man motioned for his group to stand, then crossed over to the one who had made the kill. “That’s very good work.” He clapped him on the back. “You’ve done your ancestors proud.”

  The man smiled, wiping away the blood at his temple. “Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome. Now let’s get that bonfire built so we can burn this bastard. I don’t want to leave any chance open for him to come back.”

  * * *

  Clara dragged herself out of bed as the sun came up, gritting her teeth as a headache pounded relentlessly at her temples. She was getting tired of being tired, and her resolve not to heed the wolf call was growing perilously thin. Keeping her teeth clenched so as not to give into the yawns trying to work their way up, she pulled on her clothes, then stumbled outside to the lean-to so she could splash some icy water onto her face.

  Apparently it wasn’t enough, because when she came back inside her Aunt took one look at her before her own face blanched in horror and concern.

  “Clara!” she exclaimed, rushing over and placing her small hands on either side of her face. “What on earth is wrong with you, child? Are you ill?” She peered into Clara’s eyes, then felt her forehead. “You look like death warmed over.”

  Clara tried to crack a smile, but her lips didn’t seem to have enough energy for it. “I’m just tired. I haven’t been sleeping very well lately.” She was unable to stifle the yawn this time. “The nightmares... they’ve really taken a toll.”

  “Well why didn’t you say something?” Aunt Eve drew back with a frown. “I would have made you a batch of chamomile tea. It’s always soothed me whenever I’ve had a restless night.”

  “I’m sorry. I guess I never really thought about it.” Not quite true, unfortunately—Clara had debated whether or not to try a herbal remedy, but she knew somewhere inside her that her problem wasn’t physical—it was mental. The wolf call was pulling at her soul, and no amount of chamomile tea was going to release its hold on her.

  “Well, I’ll make sure to make you some tonight before bed,” her aunt said firmly. “Now why don’t you go and lay down for a bit?”

  Clara shook her head. “I actually think a walk might do me more good. Clear my head, get the blood flowing. Do you think you would mind if I went out for a bit?”

  That something flickered in her aunt’s eyes again, the same look Clara had caught before when she’d mentioned the woods, but Eve only nodded. “Don’t be too late, child.”

  Clara promised not to be, then grabbed her shoes and bonnet and stepped outside. Unlike her first days here, when she’d walked through the fields with a bounce in her step and the sunshine in her heart, her feet dragged wearily through the grass and the sun seemed to pound as relentlessly as her headache did. Rather than allow herself to be held down, she picked up the pace determinedly, allowing a seed of anger to root itself in her heart as she headed for the woods. By the time she reached the edge of the trees, the anger had become a bud, and had burst into a blossom of rage as she entered the maze.

  Who do these shifters think they are, controlling my life like this? she thought as she strode through the maze with her fists balled at her sides. As if it wasn’t bad enough that Kellan held me tied to a bed and then claimed that I was mated to him, he then invades my dreams and refuses to let me sleep! Why can’t they all just shut up for one night with their ridiculous wolf call so that I don’t have to fight it?

  Thoughts like this continued to whirl in her agitated mind until she was fairly steaming. By the time she exited the maze, she looked as if the top of her head might blow off. The two shifters on duty seemed to notice, because their eyes widened as they looked at her, their stances automatically shifting to a defensive posture.

  “An intruder!” one of them exclaimed, pulling a knife from his belt.

  “Don’t be daft!” the other one snapped, though he kept his eyes firmly trained on her. “That’s Kellan’s woman... what was her name... Clara.”

  “I. Am. Not. Kellan’s. Woman,” Clara growled through clenched teeth as she stepped forward. “I am my own woman, and I am tired of this nonsense.” The guards stiffened and glared at her, and she had to steel herself to keep from bolting—she knew she wasn’t entirely welcome, that she was a stranger and they wouldn’t take kindly to her tone.

  “Please,” she said more softly, “tell Kellan that I am here.”

  Chapter Five

  Kellan walked briskly toward the gate, his heart jumping in his chest. Adam, one of the shifters that had been assigned guard duty for the day, had come running, telling him that Clara was here and demanding to speak with him.

  He’d heard the legends and stories of what it was like to be fated to mate with a woman who was not of your clan, but the experience was all too different. He’d been certain it would be no big hardship to let her walk away since he didn’t care much for the idea of being mated to a human, but the past week had been utter hell. Every cell in his body protested Clara’s absence, and it only seemed to get worse. On the hunts at night with the pack, during their nightly song, he couldn’t help but infuse his cry with longing for her—a longing he neither welcomed nor enjoyed.

  If he’d knew exactly what sort of torture lay ahead of him, he would have never let Charles allow her to walk out of the woods. He would have tossed her over his shoulder and locked her up in his cabin until she agreed to stay with him. He was restless and moody, constantly on edge, wondering with every breath when she would return. At night, during their hunts, he couldn’t help but call for her. Every fiber of his being ached for her presence, and he couldn’t have resented it more.

  He walked quickly through the village, and his heart lightened as her scent wafted toward him, relaxing the taut muscles in his body even as it tightened... other areas. Unconsciously he picked up the pace, needing visual confirmation that she was here and safe.

  As the gates came into view, so did she, standing in front of the guard, her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive posture. Those eyes of hers sparkled with a mixture of fury and fear, and he could tell by her rigid stance that she was very uncomfortable standing out in the open with everybody staring at her.

  As though she was able to scent him, Clara froze, then whipped her head around and pinned that glare on him. He noticed that even though her eyes still sparked, some of the tension strung through her body dissipated, and couldn’t help but grinning. So, she was happy to see him too.

  “It’s about time you showed up!” She jabbed a trembling finger in his direction, tears shimmering in her eyes now. “Do you have any idea the kind of hell you’ve been raining down upon me for the last week and a half?” She didn’t seem to want an answer, because she kept right on talking. “You’ve been stalking me in my dreams during what sleep I get, which is far too little because you’ve also been keeping me awake with your stupid wolf call!”

  “Did you consider,” Kellan drawled, folding his arms to prevent himself from reaching out and hugging her like he wanted, “that if you’d heeded the call instead of resisting it, you could have saved yourself much of this needless suffering?”

  “If by ‘heeding the call’ you mean coming back here and offering myself up to you, then yes, I admit that I did consider it countless times—or rather my body did. I’ve been fighting the impulse this entire time, and I’ve only come now because I’m asking you to make it stop. This morning my Aunt wanted to call a doctor because I looked like a ghoul from the lack of sleep!” She bit her lower lip and looked around nervously and whispered through her teeth. “I know I’m not welcome here by anyone, least of all you. So why won’t you just let me go?”

  He to
ok her by the shoulders, gripping her tightly. “I’m not sure if you remember a word I said to you the last time we met, but mating is not a voluntary act. I didn’t choose you any more than you chose me. Fate is cruel, but there is nothing I can do. Of course, there is something you could do, if you’re really so keen to end this.”

  “And what would that be?”

  Smiling bitterly at the look of hope in her eyes, he took her hand and pressed a dagger into it. “You could plunge this into my heart. Once I’m dead there will be nothing to compel you back here. Fate only ever chooses one pair of mates, so you would not be bound to another member of my clan. Either that, or you could continue to put us both through misery until we either survive the next thirty days, or one of us dies from exhaustion. I’ve heard of that happening too.”

  Clara’s face blanched, and he could tell by the combination of horror and fascination in her eyes that she was both repulsed by the idea of killing him for her freedom and tempted. Her eyes narrowed once more. “What do you mean, ‘put us both through misery?’ You don’t look like someone who has been tortured in the last few days.”

  “If you’d seen me about ten minutes ago, you’d disagree. Being in close proximity to each other reverses the effects. Didn’t you notice your energy increasing the closer you got to this place?”

  Clara’s eyes widened. “I... I thought that was just because I was so angry.”

  “You were. In fact, you still are. But I doubt you would have been able to fuel that level of anger without that renewed sense of energy. The fact is, Clara, you and I need to be together if we want to survive. Now, why don’t you put the dagger down so we can go talk?”

  Blinking, Clara looked around to see a large gathering of people watching them. A blush suffused her cheeks with vivid color, and she ducked her head. “Fine.”

  Chuckling a little at her sudden change of demeanor, he held out her hand, then took it when she placed it in his own and led her to his cabin. The crowd parted for them, and he made certain to hold the eyes of anyone who sent a hostile look toward Clara. As the Epsilon, only four other pack members were higher in rank than he, and it would not look good at all if he didn’t make it clear that Clara was his, and not to be touched. He could afford no show of weakness, either for himself or for Clara’s safety.

  Shutting the cabin door behind her, he crossed the room and sat down in the wooden chair. He noticed Clara’s hesitation, and couldn’t help but smile.

  “Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe for you to sit on the bed. I’m not going to tie you to it again.”

  Clara glared at him. “Of course you weren’t. I wasn’t thinking about that.”

  Kellan laughed as she sat down on the bed. “Yes you were. I can tell when you’re lying remember.”

  She folded her arms. “That isn’t a point in your favor if you want me to stay with you.”

  He sobered. “It isn’t a part of my nature I can change.”

  Sighing, she stretched her legs out and crossed them at the ankles. “Didn’t you say something about thirty days?”

  “If you can outlast the call for thirty days, it’s true that the bond will be broken and we will be free of each other. But the call strengthens with each passing day, making it harder and harder to resist, and I’ve never heard of a single case where the strain hasn’t killed at least one of the two who were fated.”

  She frowned. “But you did say that when we are in close proximity the symptoms disappear, did you not?”

  It was Kellan’s turn to sigh. “I did. But I’m no expert on mating, and I can’t say whether or not it will continue to be the same or how long the relief lasts. It could be that seeing each other for a short time every day will enable us to get a good night’s sleep, but maybe only for the next week. As I said, the call strengthens, and there’s truly no way to know. The whole point is to force us together, in case you haven’t noticed.”

  “Yes, I do believe I did notice that,” Clara said dryly. “But really, what is the harm in trying? If we can do this successfully, we will be free of each other. You made it obvious to me the last time that you were not interested in being mated to a human, so I don’t know why you would object.”

  Kellan hesitated, not certain whether or not he should tell her. But in the end, he thought she should know what her actions would do to him. “As I said earlier, the fates only mate us once. Should we outlast the bond and go our separate ways, I will forever lose the opportunity to have a family of my own.”

  Clara stilled, and for the first time her face softened in compassion. “You cannot have children with anyone other than your mate?”

  He shook his head. “It is nature’s way of ensuring that our offspring are born with as many advantages as possible for survival. We are mated to the one who is biologically compatible for that purpose.”

  A knock at the door interrupted them before Clara could respond, and she stiffened.

  “Come in,” Kellan called, standing.

  Charles stepped inside, his blue eyes sweeping the room and then landing on Clara. “I’d heard that you’d arrived,” he said with a smile. “I am surprised you resisted the call for so long.”

  Clara straightened her back, but remained seated, and Kellan held back a smile—she was being deliberately defiant. “I am still resisting.”

  Charles arched a brow. “I see.” His lips twitched as he spoke. “I came in because I am trying to understand why it is you came back, if not to complete the mating.”

  “She came to find relief, Charles,” Kellan interjected, drawing the Alpha’s attention to him. “She’s been feeling the effects of the mating, and wanted to know what it was all about and if there was anyway I could do anything to stop it.”

  Charles chuckled. “That would be like trying to stop the sun from rising.”

  “I have every reason to resist,” Clara interrupted. Her eyes swirled with anger, annoyed at just how nonchalant he was about such a life-changing decision. “You are asking me to give up everything that I have left, and trust me, while it isn’t much, to abandon it in order to become part of your clan... I just —“

  Kellan reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder. “We understand what we are asking of you, Clara. We know it can’t be easy.”

  Clara forced a smile, though her belly heaved in waves at the realization that she was holding onto a life that had already been torn away from her. With her parents dead, her aunt was all that she had left, and while Clara did her best to help her, she still couldn’t help but feel as though she were nothing more than a burden. Yet, this clan – they wanted her—needed her to join them, yet she found herself resisting. For what reason, she couldn’t say.

  “I don’t even know you,” she whispered, without thought. Her eyes remained locked on the wooden floor of the cabin. “We should get to know one another.” She forced herself to look up at Kellan, only to find his eyes dripping with sympathy. His lips were pursed tightly, as if he had to force himself not to speak his mind. Clara wished it were her that could read his thoughts—especially now.

  “Yes, we should,” Kellan finally replied with a smile.

  Clara finally stood. “From the look on your Alpha’s face, I gather he would like a word with you, so I’ll leave you now and return tomorrow. We’ll talk...”

  Kellan watched, bemused, as she left their company. Women. He would never understand them, and human females especially were unfathomable as their customs and ways of life were different than what he had grown up with. She was probably right about the idea that they needed to get to know each other—she was likely going to be unfamiliar with his way of life as well.

  “What sort of game are you playing, Kellan?”

  Kellan turned to look at his Alpha, who was scowling at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t understand why you are indulging her whim. You know that during the remainder of your thirty-eight days that until you complete the mating cycle you will be vulnerable.”
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br />   Kellan ran his fingers through his hair; once more bemoaning the fact that fate had picked a human mate for him. If it had been a woman from his clan, they would have already completed the cycle, and likely he would be expecting his first child. The longer a pair waited to mate, the weaker they became from the effort of resisting the call, and the more open to attack they left themselves—hence why if he had been given a woman from his clan there would have been no wait.

  “Clara doesn’t understand the implications, and I don’t want to force her. She needs a few days to get used to the idea, to get to know me, to familiarize herself with the clan and our ways.”

  “All of those things can be done after you’ve completed the mating cycle and the two of you are no longer in danger.”

  “She is holding onto the belief that she might be able to hold out long enough to break the cycle, in which case she will be free of me.”

  “What?” Charles threw his hands up in the air. “This is madness! I’m going to get her right now.”

  Kellan grabbed onto the Alpha’s shoulder, stopping him, a move that under any other circumstances would have brought down a severe set down. But they were in private, and this was his mate they were talking about. “No.”

  Charles whirled around, his pupils contracted and a snarl curling his lip. “You do not give me orders, Epsilon.”

  Kellan lowered his head in deference to the Alpha, not wanting to cause an all-out brawl, but did not take his eyes off him. “Please, Charles. It is my life to gamble with, and she is my mate. If giving her a few of my days to get her used to the idea is enough to win her over without force, then I have the right to do it.”

  Charles sighed. “I just don’t want to lose one of my best men because of this. I know from first-hand experience just how destructive women can be once they have you wrapped around their fingers. And you haven’t won her heart.”