Alphas of Summer: A collection of shifter romances

by Lia Davis

  Kels squinted, as if peering directly into his soul. This time he couldn’t resist the urge to squirm.

  “I think you’re freaking him out there, Kelsey.” Tucker chuckled. She turned her attention in his direction. “I know my opinion doesn’t mean much. I’ve only been here for a short time, but I can tell you Jess and Caleb have a chemistry most shifters strive for.”

  The bedroom door clicked shut a moment before Jess entered the living room. Everyone turned their attention to her. A knowing smile spread across her beautiful face, easing his nerves. She crossed the living room and sat beside her best friend. Jess reached out and grasped Kels’s hands. “I want you to know how happy I am. Not only have I found someone I can be myself with, but my best friend now knows everything about me.” She glanced over her shoulder to beam at Caleb, then turned her attention back to her friend. “I know it might take a while for you to adjust, but I hope you can come to terms with everything in time.”

  Kels laughed as she hauled Jess in for a huge hug. “Consider me adjusted.” Kels thrust Jess backward, holding her at arm’s length. “So, if she’s a leopard, what are the rest of you?”

  Jess and Kels were busy in the kitchen as they prepared supper, when her phone rang. She stopped everything and glanced to Caleb for direction. “It’s Emma’s phone.”

  Tucker waved her over to him before he plugged her phone into the computer. When he nodded, she answered the phone and put it on speaker. Caleb stood in front of her, arms crossed at his chest.

  “Hello?” Sweat beaded on her forehead. She’d never been so scared to talk to anyone on the phone before.

  “Jess?” Emma whimpered. “Jess, I’m so sorry.”

  “Emma, you have nothing to apologize for.” She took a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves. She needed to sound strong for her sister. “Are you okay? Have they hurt you?” A resounding crack resonated through the phone, followed by the sound of Emma crying.

  “Her sniveling should answer your question,” the deep voice sneered.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you. Do you hear me?” She all but screamed into the phone. Caleb snatched it from her hand just in time before she crushed it. Her breaths were on the verge of hyperventilation, her eyes clamped shut. She took another deep inhale before snapping her eyes open and taking the offered phone back.

  Jess leaned over the table where papers were spread across the surface. She sifted through them until she found the file she needed. “We know who you are, Samuel Lane. I know your son, Jordan, is the one who scents out the shifters. You are nothing but fucking traitors and I’m going to make sure you all pay!” Caleb took the phone from her once again, handed it to Cherry, and pulled her into his arms.

  “I like you, Jess,” Samuel admitted. “You’re going to fetch a pretty penny with all your aggression.” He laughed. “It’s a shame my plan didn’t work out yesterday, but when my associates didn’t make it to the drop, I figured you’d gotten a bit of help. Oh, and is Caleb Marsh listening by chance?”

  “To every word.”

  “Good, because I want him to know we have big plans for him as well. Can you hear that?”

  She could hear roars, cries, and whimpers on the other end of the phone. The screams of shifters washed over her. This needed to end. Tonight.

  “You and your slut mate will beg for death before I’m finished with you.” The line went dead. Everyone stood there, motionless.

  “Ha ha, gotcha motherfucker!” Tucker exclaimed. He jumped up from his chair, moved to the map of Westspring, and circled the warehouse. “We got him!”

  Caleb started to pace as he considered the odds, four shifters against God only knew how many. Before he could voice his concern, Jess spoke up.

  “Give me the phone.” He tossed it to her and she began to dial before bringing the phone to her ear. “Hey, Daddy. I need you to call Mr. Johns and Mr. O’Neil. We know where Emma is, and we need backup.” She nodded at Caleb. “Tell them everything; get them to meet us at the barn in an hour.” She disconnected the call and turned to everyone. “The more the merrier, right?”

  “Sounds like a party to me,” Tucker added.

  “I still have to call the Roberts pack, the Carters, and find a way to get a hold of the foxes,” she said to no one in particular.

  Kels cleared her throat.

  “You’re telling me the Roberts are shifters too? Old man Roberts?” She shook her head. “What kind?”

  “Wolves.”

  “Wow, you said something about foxes?”

  She nodded.

  “Who are they?”

  “Tanner Thompson and Sylvia Cross.”

  “Well, I can help with Tanner.” Kels grabbed her purse from the end table and fished out her cell phone. Jess and the team stared at her. She rolled her eyes, emitting a huff. “What? Tanner and I hung out a while ago. I still have his number in my phone.” She turned her back on everyone, dialed, and headed to the kitchen.

  Jess chuckled to herself and shook her head. “Small world.” She turned her attention back to her own phone. Samuel Lane didn’t know what was headed his way.

  Chapter 14

  Jess fussed with her hair as she glanced around. In less than an hour, Blackford’s shifter community convened around the barn. She’d never seen this many of them in one place at one time, and she couldn’t get over the sheer size of their community. Her parents were front and center; their gazes never left her as they waited for instructions. It had been decided her mother and Harper would stay behind and hold down the fort while everyone else headed to the warehouse, a headquarters of sorts. Jess couldn’t stomach the chance something might happen to any more of her loved ones.

  “First, I want to start by thanking everyone for showing up tonight. I know most of you know why you’re here, but for those who don’t, let me explain.” She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “Caleb Marsh and his team are part of a shifter military sector called Keystone. The purpose of a keystone species in the animal kingdom is to ensure an ecosystem will thrive. For example, a panther has no natural predators. They keep prey numbers down so they don’t overpopulate their environment. After they finish with their prey, scavengers can then feed from the remains. This creates balance.” Raised eyebrows and scratched heads were followed by hemming and hawing in the crowd. “Keystone is in charge of dealing with any undue threats like we are experiencing right now.”

  Caleb stepped forward. “Shifter bodies were being dumped in prominent human communities.” A chorus of growls echoed off the side of the barn and many of the shifters shook their heads angrily. “We followed a lead to Blackford. The information we were given led us to believe shifters were being used to scent out our kind.”

  She recalled the events of the night at her apartment, when he’d gained the confession they needed. Now the time to act was upon them, and she for one could not wait to make the sons of bitches pay.

  “They were able to pick out certain species. Recently, they were interested in big cats.” Turning to Jess, he continued. “Yesterday, Emma Baker was abducted. We have been in contact with her captors and identified them as the Lane family. Does anyone know what kind of shifters they are?”

  Silence hung in the air for a moment until Trudy Roberts’s voice carried across the group. “They’re jackals. I met the female and I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling I had about her. My hackles were up the whole time. She couldn’t take her eyes off my boys.”

  The older woman clenched and unclenched her fists. “Do you think she’d been scouting them?”

  “It’s a good possibility.”

  The whole Roberts pack began to bristle. They appeared more than ready to head over and deal out some justice. The violence in the air called to Jess’s cat. It paced and railed against the bars of its cage; she couldn’t predict how long she could hold off her change.

  “What’s the plan?” The black bear shifter, Tony Johns, bellowed. He was a recluse and didn’t care for crowds. The fact he’d sh
own up let her know he was still an active part of this community, and if someone needed him he’d be ready and willing.

  “We are going to split into groups. Each team will clear its sections.” Caleb scanned the group, his gaze coming to rest on her. “When I say clear, I mean anyone who had anything to do with this organization will be terminated. Do you understand?” The howls, growls, and roars pierced the night sky with a resounding yes.

  “After we eliminate the threats, we ensure all the captives are released,” Cherry spoke up. The woman might not say much, but when she did everyone listened. Especially the other wolves. “We will offer medical assistance to those who need it. And those who decline help will be allowed to leave with no issues.”

  “I have your teams here.” Tucker held up papers. “We will drive to within a mile of the warehouse. From there we shift and take it by foot.” The shifters moved to stand in front of him, eager to receive further instructions.

  Jess let out the breath she didn’t know she held. Caleb wrapped his arms around her and pressed his nose to the nape of her neck. He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. She leaned into his embrace, absorbed as much strength as she could.

  “Jess? Caleb?” Her mother approached and watched their interaction with kind eyes.

  Her mother’s usually bright, cheerful face was burdened with a furrowed brow and a frown. Jess couldn’t blame her for feeling the way she did. One of her daughters had been kidnapped by sadistic shifters and her husband and eldest daughter were about to head to war. Jess couldn’t imagine a worse nightmare.

  “I’m so proud of you, Jess.” She left Caleb’s warm embrace and went to her mother’s outstretched arms. “And Caleb? You take care of my baby, you hear me?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “What did I tell you? Call me Elaine.” She broke from Jess and moved over to hug Caleb. He embraced her as she wiped at the tears pooled in her eyes.

  “Mom, we’ll be back before you know it. Make sure you have breakfast ready.” Jess joked.

  “Tell you what,” her mother began to holler. “When this is over, I expect every single one of you at the diner for breakfast.” Her mother turned back to Jess, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and reached out to cup the side of Caleb’s face. A warm smile replaced the worried frown. Finally, she turned and planted a massive kiss on her husband’s lips. “Don’t be a hero.”

  Her father watched his wife walk away and shook his head. “So bossy.”

  Caleb nudged Jess and whispered under his breath, “Now I know where you get it.”

  She couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her lips.

  Caleb sat on the tailgate of his truck and watched as a row of headlights came down the dead-end road; one by one the vehicles parked and were turned off. One by one the shifters rallied in front of him and waited for their next instructions. A quick head count accounted for all of the ready and willing shifters. A lethal aura hung in the air.

  “All right, everyone.” He spoke loudly enough to get their attention. “We are going to split into our teams and head out. So Team One, you’re going to come in through the back and Team Two, you’re going to come in from the front.” He pointed to their positions on the map. “Team Three. You will be outside waiting for any escapees. I need you to spread out and surround the whole warehouse. Ensure no one escapes.” Everyone nodded and grunted. “Time to shift, people.”

  Clothes flew through the air and landed on the ground in small piles as everyone began to shift. After long moments, growls and roars filled the air, signaling the group’s readiness.

  He caught the crunch of gravel as Jess approached him from behind. Her sweet scent washed over him. She reached around him and hugged him tightly, resting her head between his shoulder blades. “Ready?”

  “Are you?” He turned in her arms, reached out, and placed her face in his hands. “I mean are you really? This is a lot to take in.” He leaned in and kissed her nose.

  She closed her eyes with a sigh. “I don’t want you to worry about me. I’ve never been so ready in my life.”

  His chest tightened with pride. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have found such a fierce female. She hadn’t been trained in combat, but the instinct to protect and fight couldn’t be denied. He couldn’t have asked for anything more in a mate.

  He edged toward her and took possession of her mouth. Kissing her as if it could be their last. A growl rumbled through his chest as his cat demanded more. Her hands slid slowly up his back, scoring a path to his shoulders. He deepened the kiss, while she matched him perfectly. As much as he would have liked to take her right then, he needed to get himself and his libido under control. Caleb broke the contact and pressed his forehead to hers. The strength he saw in her gaze gave him the confidence he needed to step away.

  “Jess, I want you to know something.” All the love he had for her started to bubble up from his chest. He rubbed the back of his neck while he searched for the right way to tell her. Before he could form the words on his lips, she placed her fingers over them.

  “Tell me when we get back.” She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and sauntered away. The sway of her hips was mesmerizing, even more so when she began to undress. She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a quick wink. The air rippled with power as she began to shift. As she arched her back to the sky, he watched her gold, spotted coat cover her from head to toe. With a quick shake, she completed her change. She stretched and chuffed at him. Egging him into action.

  Caleb stripped, tossing his clothes into a pile. With a large step forward, he took a running leap and shifted midair. Judging by the startled yips and chuffs, he’d surprised a lot of the other shifters with his quick change. He landed in front of Jess and received a playful growl in return.

  With everyone changed, Caleb gave a quick roar, signaling for them to head to their locations. Tucker and Cherry took their teams and headed out into the darkness. He watched Jess meld into the night. Uneasiness ate at him over letting her go. His chest tightened. What would he do if something happened to her? He pushed the worry aside, needing to focus. If he wanted to get through the night he’d have to concentrate on the mission.

  Jess convened with her team outside the warehouse and gave a chuff in greeting. From the exterior, the warehouse looked vacant, but wasn’t that the idea? No guards, no vehicles, and no lights. With her keen sense of hearing, she could make out the cries of pain and terror from the captive shifters. Her breath hitched when she heard Emma scream in agony. The long high wail rocked her to the core. It not only put her on edge, but everyone on her team seemed to amp up at the sound. As much as she wanted to rush the building and save her sister, she needed to keep a clear head. Wait till everyone took their positions. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and made her hyperaware of her surroundings.

  Cherry’s yip sounded in the night, letting everyone know it was time. Tanner Thompson shifted back to human, then took up his position at the door. He swung the door wide and allowed everyone through before he shifted back himself and joined the rest of the team.

  A startled call rang through the warehouse, a signal the guards were fully aware of their presence. Her team split into two groups, each taking a side of the building. She sprinted to the right and headed to where the cries could be heard. Her father, Tanner, and old man Roberts followed behind her. Cherry, three Roberts males, and Sylvia Cross went left. They were almost at the large bay door when a yelp rang out from behind her. She turned just as she witnessed a guard holding a bat above Tanner, ready to strike. A red haze eclipsed her vision. Rage consumed her entire body and sent her rushing toward the now-terrified man. Before he could strike her or Tanner, she tackled him to the ground. She seized him by the throat and squeezed. His feeble attempts to pry himself loose of her grip proved useless compared to her strength. Fighting erupted all around her. Even as she held the man in her jaw, she kept her keen eyes on the surrounding area. She let go of her prey when he stopped fighting and stalke
d away. A grateful bark sounded from Tanner along with a proud chuff from her father. They continued on toward the holding room.

  She pushed past the plastic drape of the door and scented the room. Her lips curled in disgust as the smells of filth, fear, and death overpowered her sensitive senses. She pushed past the initial shock and crept further into the cold, dank room. Steel cages lined the walls, each one containing a shifter. Wolves, lions, polar bears, a bobcat, and even a komodo dragon were being held. Collars were strapped around their necks. They resembled the shock collars she’d seen used on dogs. She didn’t need to be a genius to figure out what the collars ensured; each one of the captives were still in their shifter form. The contraptions were being used to prevent them from changing into their human counterparts. What fun would that be for the hunters? Most of the captive shifters stood, poised to attack, snarling at the sound of fighting that came from the warehouse. She took in their appearance and noticed the majority of them were in fair shape. Caked in dirt and filth and small cuts, but still strong. Only a couple hadn’t fared as well. A female lion lay in her cage, covered in her own blood and struggling to breathe. Her mate reached his paw through the bars. With all his might, he tried to touch her. The bitter scent of sorrow filled the room. Her chest ached for him. He was losing the love of his life and nothing he did would change anything. It broke her heart. She couldn’t imagine if she lost Caleb; the idea of never seeing him again made her want to scream in agony.

  This male deserved to be with his mate. The keys hung by the door. She shifted back to human form, grabbed the keys, and sprinted to the male’s cage to unlock it. He limped out as fast as he could. She swung his mate’s cage door open wide to let him in. He approached his mate and nuzzled her before he licked her face. She leaned into the contact and gave one last chuff. Letting out a cry so loud it shook the windows in the holding room, he collapsed beside her now-still body and buried his face in her neck. Her chest constricted as tears streamed down her face for the lion who now mourned the loss of his mate.