Claiming Her Mates: Book Three: A reverse harem paranormal romance series

by Dia Cole

  Still it was a constant struggle to ignore the powerful pheromones wafting through the bars of the cell. The scent left me hard and aching for my beloved.

  Where is Havana? Is she safe?

  I’d overheard the guards discussing the virus decimating the human population. They said humans were turning into the walking dead.

  Havana needed me more than ever, assuming she was still alive.

  That thought stopped my heart for a full second. If Havana died, I’d never forgive myself and I’d never forgive Mother for keeping me from saving her. It might be the one thing—the only thing—that would make me finally hate her. A line from one of Byron’s poems flashed in my mind. ‘The ruling principle of Hate, which for its pleasure doth create. The things it may annihilate.’

  Heavy footsteps thunked down the hall.

  I tensed as they grew closer and stopped outside my cell.

  The heavy metal door scraped open and a raspy voice called out, “Your mother wants to see you.”

  I wanted to croak a smart-ass reply to the male I’d dubbed, Guard Three, but my desiccated mouth couldn’t form the words.

  “Get up,” snarled Guard Three. When I didn’t move, he cursed, strode over and kicked my helmet.

  The pain and ringing in my ears was almost worth his yelp of pain.

  He clearly didn’t appreciate my muffled laugh because his next kick landed near my stab wounds.

  I must’ve blacked out from the pain, because the next thing I knew, I was being sprayed with freezing water. I shook my head, trying to clear it. “W-what’s happening?”

  Guard Three ignored me. He must’ve switched the pressure of the water, because it blasted me straight back against the wall.

  Fuck. Somewhat glad for the helmet covering my head, I hunched into a ball. I’d forgotten all about the water cannon Mother kept in the dungeon. She loved to use it to reawaken her victims after they passed out. I guess I should’ve been glad they didn’t use the boiling water setting. Having the flesh melted off my bones was always a fun time.

  After a few minutes of spraying me down, the guard turned off the hose. “Dry off.”

  A towel landed in my lap. I tried to pick it up, but my hands shook too much.

  Muttering several foul curses, Guard Three grabbed it and rubbed it across my body. Being half out of my mind with pain, the indignity of it all didn’t shame me like it would have otherwise.

  “What’s taking so long, Keller?” another guard called out.

  Keller, huh? I conscripted his name to memory so I could find him later. Keller would pay for how he’d been treating those Alpha females and me.

  “Don’t use my fucking name, Ronnie,” Keller shouted back. “Our Alpha wants him cleaned and dressed.” He tossed a bundle at me. “Do I have to dress you too, you pitiful excuse of a male?”

  I lifted my head and growled at him. It was a promise to exact an equal measure of pain.

  “I wouldn’t piss him off, Kell. He’s her trueborn son,” Ronnie warned.

  Keller snorted. “If she cared for him, she wouldn’t have left him here.”

  He had a point there. Blood loss, hunger, and pain had me dropping my cheek against the wet stone. It was suddenly too difficult to keep my eyes open.

  Flitting in an out of consciousness, I was briefly aware of the guards forcing a robe on me and dragging me out of the dungeon. When I regained consciousness again, I sensed motion and heard an engine. Where are they taking me?

  Oblivion dragged me under again and when I next came to, I was lying facedown on the pelt of some animal. The sound of a crackling fire and the smell of a burning hearth told me I was in one of Mother’s receiving rooms. Which one?

  I pricked my ears picking up a male’s heavy breathing behind me. A guard? One of Mother’s Enforcers? A quick sniff of the male’s pungent body odor clarified Ronnie’s identity, but his wasn’t the only scent in the room.

  The sweet scent of roses brought all my senses on alert.

  Mother is here.

  Blast. What did she want with me now?

  “Stand, Tyberius,” Mother called out. “I’m releasing you from your punishment.

  Her soft tone put a shiver down my spine. What’s she planning?

  Long trained to hide any weakness from her, I tried to push myself to my feet. My arms trembled, and then gave out.

  “Stand for your Alpha,” Ronnie shouted. When I didn’t react, he grabbed me and tried to force me to my feet.

  A ferocious growl rumbled from across the room. “You dare lay hands on my son?”

  “Apologies, my Alpha.” Ronnie immediately dropped me.

  I missed the pelt and hit the marble floor with a thud. Blast. Why did Mother love marble so much? If the helmet’s spikes hadn’t gouged out my eyes, I would’ve seen stars.

  The soft whisper of silk announced Mother’s approach.

  I tensed, readying for whatever beating was coming next. Whips this time? Electrodes? Hot pokers?

  She crouched down.

  Although I couldn’t see her face, I had no trouble imagining her visage. She looked no older than me with her long golden hair, shimmering yellow eyes, and tawny smooth-skin, but she was much, much older.

  My robe must’ve gaped open, because I felt Mother’s fingertips brush against my most recent injuries.

  She let out a hissing noise. “Guard, did you stab my son?”

  Is she joking or has her insanity finally taken hold of her memories?

  “N-no,” stuttered Ronnie.

  “Who then?” Mother shouted.

  Ronnie wisely didn’t reply.

  “Maybe this will loosen your tongue.”

  The soft squelch of a blade sinking into flesh was followed by Ronnie’s shriek.

  “Let’s try again. Who abused my son?”

  “K-Keller, one of the other guards,” Ronnie cried. “Please, spare me.”

  Rookie mistake. Mother hated those who begged for mercy. The sound of several more blade strikes confirmed it.

  After letting out a blood-curdling scream, Ronnie hit the floor. The area around me grew wet with his blood.

  Parting is such sweet sorrow, Ronnie.

  Mother reached out and patted my shoulder. “I will set this right my son.” She raised her voice to someone else in the room. “James, find this guard Keller. Have him drawn and quartered. Then feed his raw flesh to the other guards. Let that serve as a warning.”

  “At once, my Alpha,” James replied. “Also Zayn just radioed. They are at the Sanctuary gates.”

  Sanctuary? The mountain lodge. Why did she bring me here?

  “Good.” Mother snapped. “Did they locate the Alpha female Mason mentioned in his notes?”

  “Affirmative. They found her at the ski resort. They are bringing her to you now.”

  “Excellent,” Mother purred. “Tell them to be careful with her.”

  I cringed. That explained Mother’s jubilant mood. She was hell bent on collecting Alpha females and forcing them into heat so she could breed them.

  “My Alpha, Zayn confirmed sightings of Enforcers Perez and Murphy. They were most distressed to see the female taken.”

  “I’ll just bet they were,” Mother snarled.

  “They also saw Ambassador Steele.”

  “Is that so,” she said, her voice tightening. “Does he really think he can hide from me there?”

  I tried to process their exchange. Nathan is at the ski resort? Blast! He’s too close. I have to warn him.

  “What about Mason?”

  “They did not see him,” James replied. “But there was a group of human survivors there too. Maybe he was providing them with medical—” The sound of a door opening interrupted him. He cleared his throat. “Here is Zayn with the female, my Alpha.”

  “Bring her closer,” Mother ordered.

  Heavy footsteps approached.

  “She’s unconscious,” Mother said in an accusatory tone. “I told you not to harm her.”

&n
bsp; “We had to shoot her with a tranquilizer,” Zayn’s gravely voice responded. “She should be fine when she wakes up.”

  “She better be,” Mother snarled. “If she dies, I’ll hold you responsible.”

  Zayn swallowed audibly. “Can you tell if she is—?”

  “She is. Not only that, she’s about to go into heat again. Can’t you scent it all over her?” Mother’s laugh was a frightening thing. “Secure her in Nathan’s suite and make sure she doesn’t take these off.” The sound of metal clinking made me wince in sympathy. No doubt Mother had shackled the poor female in silver bands.

  “Yes, my Alpha,” Zayn said quickly. “Do you want to send a team to bring back the others?”

  “No. I have a feeling they’ll all come to me,” Mother said in a voice filled with dark promise.

  Another male called out, “On our way back, we sighted a large horde of reanimated heading to the ski resort.”

  Mother laughed. “That should keep them busy for a while. Ambrose is it?”

  “Yes, my Alpha.” There was a nervous hitch to the male’s voice. No one wanted to capture the interest of my mother.

  “You and James bring my son upstairs to his room. See to his wounds and feed him, but don’t remove his helmet.”

  My shoulders sagged as the hope I could finally message Nathan faded.

  “Yes, my Alpha,” the two Enforcers said in unison.

  Mother clapped her hands together. “You have your orders, get to it.”

  Ambrose and James each grabbed one of my arms and hauled me to my feet.

  “Oh, Zayn,” Mother called out. “Havana is to be guarded twenty-four seven. No one goes in or out of her room.”

  Havana? She’s the captured Alpha female?

  A roaring in my ears blocked out anything else that was said. I sniffed the air. There. Through the heavy odor of blood and roses was the night blooming jasmine scent of my beloved.

  The wolf inside me howled and raged desperate to get to Havana, but I couldn't summon the strength to move my broken body. As the Enforcers carried me upstairs, I vowed to save her even if it was the last thing I did.

  12

  Havana

  I woke naked and disoriented, a bitter taste in my mouth. The soft sheets of my oversized king bed carried the scent of my mates, but I missed the crush of male chests against me. Moving my arm around, I blindly searched for a warm muscular body. When I didn’t find a hairy chest or an arm, I cracked open one eye.

  Crap. Too bright. I rubbed my throbbing head and grimaced against the early afternoon light streaming in from the large picture window by the bathroom. Where are my mates?

  Since we’d gotten together, I’d never woken up without at least one of them cuddled next to me. It felt strange and wrong to be alone.

  My aching head was slow in rebooting and I felt oddly drained for having just slept. It was only when I reached up to rub the kink out of my neck that I saw the silver bands on my forearms. “What the hell?”

  The thick metal cuffs were a good two inches in width and looked similar to the ones Nathan had worn. Nathan… I need to remember something about Nathan.

  I sat upright and paid for it with a wave of vertigo. Black dots danced in my line of vision as the room spun around me. I grabbed my head, only to find a silver headband circling my entire skull. What the hell is going on?

  “Good afternoon, my dear.”

  I started at the sight of a statuesque blonde sitting in the wingback chair next to the bed. Blinking hard to stop the dizziness, I tried to place the stunning blonde woman with glittering yellow eyes. When I did, my heart dropped.

  “T-Tasha.” Oh fuck, Tasha!

  “Gabriel! Nathan! Liam!” I telepathically screamed for my mates, but my connection to them had vanished. Why can’t I reach them?

  Tasha leaned forward. The skintight satin dress she wore gaped open, making it clear she wore nothing underneath. “I’m the Alpha of Winterhaven. You may refer to me as mistress or my Alpha.”

  It’d be a cold day in hell before I did that. I sucked in a deep breath and tried desperately to piece together my memories.

  “Since you’ve obviously been using this room—” she looked around the masculine bedroom her lips pinching together “—I thought you’d be comfortable here.”

  When I didn’t reply, she approached the bed. “Normally, if I’d discovered another female using my home and my Enforcers, I’d carve them to pieces as slowly as possible and then, just before death, allow them to heal so I could burn them alive.” The madness in her eyes made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. All this time I hadn’t understood my mates’ fear of this female. But I got it now.

  Tasha’s aura swirled with menace so dark and deep it seemed to suck all the energy and light out of the room. There was also an inhuman quality to her—the strange golden sheen to her skin, the way she stared without blinking, her predatory stillness. She was the scariest thing I’d ever encountered in my life and I’d gone toe-to-toe with serial killers and super zombies.

  My internal warning lights were flashing. I’d been delusional to think I could take her on. Even if pregnancy hadn’t prevented me from taking my monster werewolf form, I wouldn’t wager a cent on me surviving a fight with this female. How the hell did I end up here with her?

  As if I’d spoken out loud, Tasha said, “My Enforcers brought you to me.”

  Her words jogged my fragmented memories. “Your guys attacked me. They shot me with something.” I rubbed the slight twinge in my shoulder.

  “Tina!” I gasped remembering the frantic human woman. “What did your guys do to Tina?”

  Tasha shrugged. “I didn’t bother to ask. Maybe they killed her. Maybe they left her for the zombies to eat. Does it really matter? I’m much more concerned with you.” She cocked her head to the side and studied me.

  Some primitive survival instinct had me shrinking back from her. “What about the children? Where are the children Tina was caring for?”

  “I haven’t killed them yet if that’s what you’re asking. But I have fun plans for them.”

  “Please don’t hurt them.”

  She pursed her lips. “You care for them?”

  “Yes.” I got the sinking sense that I’d been caught in a trap.

  Tasha smiled too widely. “I’ll allow them to live if you do everything I ask. Go against me and I’ll use them as target practice.” She pulled a long, thin knife from her thigh sheath and admired her reflection in the metal.

  “W-what do you want me to do?”

  “Just take care of that babe in your belly.” Her eyes gleamed with an unholy light.

  I scooted away. How does she know I’m pregnant?

  Tasha chuckled. “I know all about the origins of the babe you carry. Mason was most detailed in the notes he left in the infirmary. It seems a transfusion of my blood turned you from a latent into an Alpha.” She grabbed my chin and turned my face from side to side. “Fascinating. You have the look of your father.”

  “M-my father?” All my life I’d wondered about the identity of the soldier my mother had a one-night stand with. How does she know who he is?

  Tasha made a tsking sound. “Zacharias always had a way with females. I’ll have you know he was my first.” Her lips softened, and she suddenly looked much younger.

  I shuddered. The idea of my mystery dad screwing Nathan’s psychotic ex was wrong on so many levels.

  She tapped the knife against her lips. “Strange that one of his progeny should find their way to my door.”

  I didn’t think it smart to remind her that her Enforcers had forcibly brought me here. From seeing my mates’ memories, I knew she was capable of committing the most depraved and horrific acts imaginable. And now I was completely at her mercy. Shivering, I rubbed the silver band around my head.

  Her gaze followed my movements. “The silver is a necessary evil, my dear. I can’t have you trying to compel my Enforcers or warning your mates of their coming fat
e.”

  My pulse jumped. What's she planning?

  She grimaced. “When I am through with those males, they will beg me for death.”

  Anger and fear had me blurting out, “Don’t touch them!”

  Her eyes flashed with rage. “Impertinent bitch.” She slapped me so hard my vision went white.

  As I lay dazed, she dragged her dress up to her hips and climbed on top of me. “You’re a pretty thing. I can almost see why my Enforcers betrayed me.”

  I shuddered as she ran her blade up my cheek.

  Even if she hadn’t pinned my arms down with her knees, I didn’t dare fight her.

  “Perhaps I should take one of your eyes for my collection.” She brought the point of the blade under my left eye and pushed down.

  The sharp bite of pain made me cry out.

  The madwoman shook her head back and forth as if she were having some internal debate and then climbed off me. She took a deep breath and let it out. “You almost made me forget myself, whore. Don’t anger me again.” Her voice shook with enough power to make the glass window rattle.

  I didn’t feel a sliver of compulsion. I’m more powerful than her. Deciding it wasn’t wise to let the psychopath see my cards, I lowered my head. “Yes, my Alpha.”

  She patted my leg and sheathed her knife. “Good. Behave and I’ll treat you well. You’ll have food, accommodations, and all the males you want to fuck. I remember how much I needed to mate during pregnancy.”

  She looked out the window and then back at me. “Mason wrote that he and my Enforcers weren’t fucking you. Stupid males. I’ll bet they didn’t recognize that you’re going into heat again.”

  I tensed. “I’m what?” Is that why I’ve been so insatiable lately?

  “It happens sometimes. Usually a week after the first heat, another will hit. Twins are the usual result.” She grinned. “This time you’ll mate with an Alpha.”

  I have mated an Alpha. My heart wrenched as I remembered Nathan wasn’t mine anymore and would never be again.

  “You’ll mate my son.”

  Tyberius? Funny that we were circling back to him again. I shook my head. “No. I’ve claimed my mates.”