Alphas Unwrapped: 21 New Steamy Paranormal Tales of Shifters, Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More

by Michele Bardsley

  Her face lit up, a huge grin illuminating her tear-streaked cheeks. “It’s about time you admitted it.”

  He laughed, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I was trying to protect you from what I am.”

  Her smile faded. “I know what you are. I’ve seen the worst of it, haven’t I?”

  He shrugged, grimacing at the memory of his teeth around her neck. The memory was terrifying...except for the fact he hadn’t done it. He’d been in a killing rage, and he hadn’t hurt her, not even one bit. “Pretty much. It doesn’t get much worse than tonight.”

  She nodded. “Will you teach me how to shoot a gun? I realized tonight I need to develop better self-defense skills if I’m going to be hanging out with you.”

  He groaned at the idea of having to face that again, of having her in danger. “I’m going to retire. You and I are heading to the Caribbean islands and forgetting about the wolf thing—”

  Before he could finish, Drake walked out of the cabin, in human form. He was naked, his skin slashed in a dozen places. He made it only a few yards before he sank down onto the grass, his muscular body shaking violently. “Damien’s dead,” he said, bracing himself on his hands, digging his fingers into the dirt. “Jace is in rough shape. I’m not sure he’s going to make it.” He dragged his hand over his forehead, wiping away a trickle of blood as he raised his head to look at Cash. “Grigori got away, didn’t he? He’s still out there. He’ll be back.”

  Cash swore, but before he could say anything, Bryn slipped her hand in his. He looked down at her, and his heart softened when he saw her smile. “Your family is mine, too,” she said. “You’re all I have left. We’re not going to abandon them. Besides, you need me. I’m the only one who can bring you back from the edge. We’re not going to the Caribbean. We’re staying right here.”

  He touched her cheek. “You’re sure?”

  She grinned. “Of course I’m sure. You know you want to stay. Just admit it, and let’s get Drake some clothes.”

  Rightness surged through Cash, and he cupped her face, kissing her again, long and hard. “I love you,” he whispered.

  She beamed back at him. “I know.”

  “Hey.” Drake was lying down in the grass now. “I’m kind of offended that you’d rather make out than keep me from bleeding out. Just wanted to point that out.”

  Cash laughed and stood up, staggering slightly to keep his balance. “If we’re going to help Jace with the pack, we need to get in better shape.” He limped over to Drake and held out his hand. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get inside.” He hauled Drake to his feet, and the other man staggered, nearly collapsing into him.

  Cash caught him just as Bryn walked up, catching Drake’s other arm. Together, the three of them limped back to his cabin. The night was a mess, the aftermath would be rough, but Cash felt a sense of deep peace and satisfaction that he hadn’t felt since the day he’d turned into a wolf and walked away from the only one he’d ever loved.

  He looked over at Bryn as she helped Drake up the steps. “I’m not letting you go again,” he said.

  She smiled at him. “I’m not letting you go, either, so don’t even try.”

  Rightness pulsed through him. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart, unless you’re with me.”

  And he wasn’t. He had everything he wanted, everything he needed, and everyone who mattered. It wasn’t going to be an easy road ahead, but he wasn’t walking away this time. He’d found where he belonged.

  As they crossed the threshold into his cabin, he saw Bryn’s stuffed reindeer on the floor in the corner. It was Christmas morning now, a Christmas of blood, death, violence, and—

  “Merry Christmas, Cash,” Bryn smiled at him, a smile so full of warmth and love, that his chest tightened.

  —and love.

  That was the other part of Christmas. The best part. The part that would sustain them no matter what came next.

  Chapter Thirteen

  CASH LOOKED SO handsome in his suit...handsome, but lethal. No matter how much he cleaned up, Bryn knew she’d always see the wolf in him, the feral dangerous side that had saved her life, the wildly passionate and seductive man who shared her bed every night.

  He looked over at her, and smiled, but tension was thick in his green eyes. His jaw was clean-shaven for the first time, and she missed his whiskers. He held her hand tightly in his lap, his fingers entwined with hers.

  Beside him sat Drake, also wearing a suit. His arm was in a cast, and he had stitches down the side of his temple and at the base of his neck, from a bite that had nearly killed him. It had been only three days since the fight, but their wounds were already beginning to heal.

  They were the only people in the back row of the courtroom. No one was sitting near them. No one would even make eye contact, not since Drake and Cash had testified at Jace’s trial about how Damien and Grigori had forced them to shift.

  They’d both revealed themselves as werewolves to save Jace, a sacrifice that would forever strip them of the anonymity they both burned for. She’d backed them up, her own wounds evidence of the battle they’d fought.

  The jury had debated for less than twelve hours, and the verdict was about to be delivered.

  Jace was sitting with his head down at the front of the courtroom. He was in even worse shape than Drake from the fight with Damien, his left foot almost completely severed. But even worse was the dead look in his eyes. He was a man without hope, without spirit, without a will to live.

  The judge called for attention, and Cash squeezed her hand as the courtroom fell silent, waiting for the verdict. Bryn couldn’t take her gaze off Jace, barely listening as the judge began to talk. Jace’s head was down. He wasn’t even watching the judge. He was just staring at the floor, his shoulders hunched.

  She knew he was thinking of the woman he’d killed. Cash had told her that he remembered everything he’d done while he’d been in the killing rage, which meant that Jace recalled every moment of killing that woman. Being acquitted would not bring her back, and it would not erase the stains from his soul. She knew that, because she’d lived with the same guilt her whole life. It had taken Cash’s love and support to help her past it. There were still times when he woke her up from nightmares and held her until they subsided, and she knew that would continue for a while…but she also knew he would stand by her without question.

  Jace didn’t have someone to hold him at night. He didn’t have someone who would love him with every ounce of her soul. He didn’t have someone who would see past the wolf and love him no matter what.

  Cash looked over at her, and smiled, a private, tender smile that made her heart tighten. “Thank you for believing in me,” he whispered. “Without you, I’m the one who would be sitting up there, with blood on my hands. You were the only thing strong enough to break me free of Grigori.”

  She traced her finger along his jaw. “I’ll always believe in you, Cash.”

  “I know. I need that.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckle. “I can’t live without you, Bryn. Life is too dark without you in it.”

  Warmth flooded her, the kind of warmth that came from deep inside, that couldn’t be destroyed by any external force. “Back at ya, big guy.”

  He chuckled, and kissed her knuckles again. “You’re such a sassy little thing.”

  She grinned. “I know. That’s why you love me.”

  “That, among other reasons,” he agreed. “Like your great ass.”

  She bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud. “Seriously? We’re in a courtroom.”

  “Sshh.” Drake elbowed Cash. “The judge is about to deliver the verdict.”

  They both settled immediately, turning their attention to the front of the courtroom. The judge was solemn and serious in her black robe as she read from the paper the jury had given her. “And for the charge of first degree murder—”

  There was a pause, and Bryn held her breath, leaning forward, gripping Cash’s hand.

  “—we find the defen
dant, not guilty.”

  Relief rushed through her, and she felt like jumping to her feet and fist pumping. The crowd gasped, and someone burst into tears in the courtroom. Cash let out a breath, and bowed his head, pressing their joined hands to his lips. Beside him, Drake leaned back in the seat, covering his face with his hands. But Jace flinched, as if someone had hit him.

  The judge continued. “For the charge of involuntary manslaughter, we find the defendant not guilty.”

  The courtroom erupted into a frenzy of discussion, cheers, and shouts of outrage. Cash let out a low whoop, and punched his hands together, sandwiching hers between them. Drake sighed loudly and seemed to sag in his seat, weeks of tension draining from his body. Everyone stood up, talking excitedly, but Jace still didn’t move. He just sat there, hunched over, staring at the floor.

  Bryn’s heart sank at his response. “He doesn’t want to be exonerated,” she said.

  “It’s not his fault,” Drake snarled. “Grigori is responsible for that woman’s murder, not Jace.”

  “It doesn’t matter if it’s his fault or not,” Cash said, squeezing her hand. “He’s taking responsibility for it.” He glanced down at Bryn, his face understanding.

  Tears clogged her throat, and she knew she would be forever grateful for Cash’s acceptance of her past, and his ability to help her let go of her guilt. He was a lethal protector, but he was also a man of deep emotions and compassion, despite the rawness of his childhood.

  Jace’s lawyer stood up and began shaking hands, but still Jace didn’t move. “He’s not going to be okay,” she said, her throat tight. “Look at him.”

  Cash squeezed her hand. “He is going to be okay, because he has us.”

  Drake stood up. “Damn right he does. Let’s go get our boy.” He walked out into the aisle, ignoring the whispered looks and the way people moved out of his way. Bryn hurried after him, and Cash stayed right beside her, always keeping his body close enough to her to shield her, a habit she knew he’d never stop, at least not until Grigori was no longer a threat.

  The three of them reached Jace, who looked up as they approached, clearly sensing their presence. His eyes were empty, his face sunken and weathered. “It doesn’t change anything,” he said.

  “No, it doesn’t.” Cash held out his hand. “You were innocent all along, and you still are. Let’s go, Jace. It’s time to get out of here.”

  For a long moment, Jace just stared at Cash’s hand, then he finally locked wrists with Cash, and let Cash pull him to his feet. Drake handed him his crutches, and emotion flashed across his face. Deep, raw emotion that showed Drake’s intense loyalty toward Jace. Like Cash, Drake had a heart that he kept carefully hidden, but she knew it was there.

  Three men, so powerful, so deadly, so loyal that they would sacrifice anything for those they loved.

  They waited for Jace to extricate himself from behind the table, but just as he reached them, a loud crash sounded from the other side of the room. Instantly, the three men formed a tight circle around her, shielding her on all sides with their bodies.

  “Sorry!” One of the security guards called out, and she saw that a table had collapsed. The crowd dispersed, and her three escorts relaxed, moving away from her again, not far, but enough to give her space. Except for Cash, who put his arm around her, keeping her tight against his side as they moved through the crowds of people wanting to interview the three werewolves.

  Werewolves who had just shown everyone, including herself, that they were her family, her protectors, her home. Cash pressed a kiss to her hair, and she smiled up at him. He grinned back, a wicked gleam that promised that when they were alone, he was going to show her exactly how important she was to him.

  And she knew she was going to love every second of it.

  STEPHANIE ROWE BIO

  Hailed by J.R. Ward as a “paranormal star,” New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is the author of more than forty-five novels, and she’s a four-time nominee for the RITA® award, the highest award in romance fiction. For a complete booklist, visit www.stephanierowe.com. Keep up with the latest Stephanie Rowe news on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StephanieRoweBooks, on Twitter at StephanieRowe2, or by signing up for her private newsletter at http://stephanierowe.com/connect.php.

  SELECT LIST OF BOOKS BY STEPHANIE ROWE

  Paranormal Romance

  Heart of the Shifter series

  Dark Wolf Rising

  Dark Wolf Unbound (early 2016)

  Shadow Guardians series

  Leopard’s Kiss (early 2016)

  Order of the Blade series

  Darkness Awakened

  Darkness Seduced

  Darkness Surrendered

  Forever in Darkness

  Darkness Reborn

  Darkness Arisen

  Darkness Unleashed

  Inferno of Darkness

  Darkness Possessed

  Shadows of Darkness

  Hunt the Darkness (2016)

  NightHunter series

  Not Quite Dead

  Contemporary Romance

  Mystic Island Series

  Wrapped Up In You

  Your Heart to Mine (Early 2016)

  Ever After Series

  No Knight Needed

  Fairytale Not Required

  Prince Charming Can Wait

  Wyoming Rebels

  A Real Cowboy Never Says No

  A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss

  A Real Cowboy Rides a Motorcycle

  Covert Cougar Christmas

  Heart of the Cougar

  A Cougar Shifter Novella

  Terry Spear

  PUBLISHED BY:

  Terry Spear

  Covert Cougar Christmas

  Copyright © 2015 by Terry Spear

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  Discover more about Terry Spear at:

  http://www.terryspear.com/

  Dedication

  To fans of the Yuma Town Cougar site that comment so diligently: Jonette En Vida, Linda Amirkhizi, Sarah Fisher, Carrie Summers, Tonya McClinton Kaelin, Susan Sleath Burgdorf, and Linda Boulanger!

  Thanks so much, ladies!!!

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to Donna Fournier for all her help in brainstorming and editing. I couldn’t have done it without her. And thanks to the individuals who are role playing with the Yuma Town cougars and having a blast! I have fun reading the mischief they get into without my help. And I can’t wait to write their next stories: Dan and Dottie’s, Stryker and…hmm, whoever the mystery woman of his dreams, or…nightmares, shall be.

  Synopsis

  Bridget Sinclair, new Special Agent with the Cougar Special Forces Division that takes down rogue cougars, has a mission—permanently stop two shifters from distributing a new drug in Cheyenne, Wyoming. While investigating, she rescues a man they’ve tranquilized and learns Travis MacKay is a cougar shifter with the same law enforcement agency. Winter advisories are in effect for the Christmas holidays, but that doesn’t cool off the sizzling heat spiraling out of control between the two agents as they covertly team up to take down the drug-runners.

  Chapter 1

  Snowflakes and ice drizzled down his windshield as Travis MacKay hoped the winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories for later this week weren’t wrong and the storm was coming in earlier than expected. His Dodge Durango slipped on another patch of ice, and he tightened his hands on the leather-covered steering wheel. He was in a real time crunch already if he was going to pack and move his household goods from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Yuma Town, Colorado before the weather worsened and before New Year’s Day at the latest, when the new owners moved in.

  It was nearly two in the morning
when he reached the outskirts of town and realized he needed groceries and packing boxes. He was certain some grocery store would be open this late and drove into town, but found that none of them were. Then he spied several bundles of great, clean boxes folded and tied up next to a Dumpster behind a Christmas pop-up store, set up for business only during the holidays. Packing boxes had been another of his pressing priorities to get first thing in the morning and he was delighted to check one thing off his list. He pulled into the alley behind the building and parked.

  He got out of the car, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something move. He spun around to see if it truly was what he thought he saw. A golden cougar! Beautiful. The cougar raced past the entrance to the alley. A female, or younger male, not as big as an adult male.

  A shifter like him? He couldn’t imagine it was a full cougar. Not in town like this. Yet he had never run across a shifter in Cheyenne before. Because of his cat’s curious nature, it made him want to chase after the cougar and learn the truth.

  But he was now working out of Yuma Town as a field agent of the Cougar Special Forces Division, CSFD that took down rogue cougars.

  Still, Travis took another long look in the direction the cougar had run, and hoped the cat would return so he could get another look at it when he knew it wouldn’t come back. The cat would think Travis was human and a real danger because he might call the sighting into animal control and someone would come out and shoot the cougar.

  Then he saw the Christmas shop’s back door propped open. He was going to holler out that he wanted to use the boxes for moving if that was all right with the shop owner, but heard a heated argument inside, and paused. He listened in case he needed to stop a fight. Being a Ranger with the army and well trained in tactical maneuvers in his current job, Travis was well qualified to intervene and break up a fight, when he heard one of the men arguing say, “What do you mean that bastard wants more money?”