Outcast: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (The Pack Prophecy Book 1)

by R. L. Caulder

  When did this happen? Was this before our time or in the future?

  Spinning around, I tried to distinguish any landmarks that would give me a clue. Nothing looked like our pack lands, and large red clouds littered the sky, flashing with lightning.

  Where the hell is this?

  A hulking figure shrouded in shadows suddenly stood in front of me as if truly seeing me. My corporeal body seized in fear of this unknown being exuding such darkness that my throat suddenly felt clogged with the thick, black blood of the Daimona.

  Eyes swirling like magma shone brightly at me through the fog before giving way to Lux, pierced by a flaming orange sword.

  “Hello, little Prophetess.”

  The image of my wolf being stabbed and his words dumped a proverbial ice bucket over me, and I was jolted back to present time in the elders’ hut. Seneca’s hand squeezed my own in an attempt to soothe my racing heart, “Shhh, Kira. It’s okay. You’re safe.”

  My chest heaved as I gulped down air like a lifeline. Fixating on Seneca’s kind face, I chanted to myself. You’re safe. It wasn’t real.

  You had a vision.

  It felt like I knew that, but as soon as that man appeared, it was like he was peering into my mind in this actual plane of reality.

  Did any of it make sense to you?

  Not in the slightest.

  That’s okay. Next time you’ll be more prepared.

  Sitting back in my chair, I took a few more calming breaths as Seneca asked, “What happened, child?”

  “I had my first vision, but honestly not much of it made sense,” I admitted a bit despondently. This was my role, to be Selene’s Prophetess and to guide the shifters in the coming times, and I couldn’t even make sense of what I saw.

  Off to a great start.

  Seneca echoed Lux’s sentiments. “It was your first one. You didn’t know what to expect.”

  Not wanting to hear their logical input, I switched topics. “So back to the Shadow War prophecy. Clearly the answers lay in the blade that was forged for the Quis Fortis out of the blue lava that Nicholas spoke about yesterday, but where is the birthplace of shifters?"

  Blowing out a breath, Seneca also stood before answering, "Unfortunately my dear, that is an answer only the alpha may be able to provide. The birthplace is said to have immense power in the land, and the council keeps its location a secret."

  What’re the odds of the alpha actually assisting us if I ask?

  I wouldn’t hold your breath.

  Something about the mention of the council knocked loose a question that I had been stewing over. With all of their resources and connections to other packs, why had the council never assisted us with the Daimona?

  Whirling to face Seneca, I voiced my query. "Has the alpha alerted the council to the presence of the Daimona? If so, why haven’t they sent reinforcements to help us fight back before we’re overwhelmed?" Throwing my hands up, I huffed in confusion, "Wouldn't it have been an easy victory if we had rallied together and taken them on early?"

  Her voice took on a note of fear, "The alpha has made some questionable decisions, but none of us that would oppose him are strong enough to challenge him. To go against him is to go against his loyal following, and as Alpha of Alphas, he has fought his way to gain the respect of the council."

  Countering, I asked, "But wouldn't that mean that they wouldn't question providing assistance if he asked for help?"

  Unless he never asked.

  Seneca's gaze cast down to the floor as she admitted her own doubts, "Only the alphas and their heirs are permitted at the summit meetings to discuss the tribulations of each pack with the council, so I do not have the answers you seek, but I am inclined to agree with your questioning."

  Walking over to me, she held out her hands for mine as she looked up at me imploringly, "To pose these questions out loud would mean certain death or exile, Kira. Promise me you will seek your answers in the shadows. We cannot afford to lose you."

  I couldn't promise her that. So instead of answering, I squeezed her hands and forced a smile to my lips before walking over to retrieve my bag. "I need to head back before my mates destroy the village looking for me."

  A whimsical laugh sounded, "Oh, to be young and in love."

  This time my smile was genuine as I teased her, "Oh, I saw the way Nicholas looks at you. You two are still madly in love."

  Holding her hand to her heart, she smiled warmly. "Fated mates are rare. It is a blessing of the highest degree. It isn't always easy, but it is always worth it to have your best friend by your side for life."

  "I'll see you around," I called, trying to keep the twinge of grief from my voice at her last comment. Strolling out of the cabin and onto the path back to the village, I opened myself to the idea.

  That was supposed to be Jameson and me.

  Could it ever be?

  Let's go check on him.

  It's your death wish. Maybe he won't be as put off if we're in wolf form. It's my face he dislikes.

  He was aroused earlier. I smelled it. He doesn't hate you.

  My eyebrows hit my hairline at her statement.

  I muttered out loud, "Well, he wishes with all of his being that he did hate me then."

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Jameson

  Grumbling at the chirping of the birds outside and the horrid sunlight illuminating my room, I buried my head under a pillow, hoping that would somehow erase my dilemmas. My sleep had been restless, with dreams of a certain white-haired beauty plaguing me, and I hated it.

  Hated that I loved it.

  Last night had been eye-opening as I laid in her lap, taking what I thought were my last breaths. For all of the anger I held onto, I never thought I'd seek her out. Yet in what we’d thought were our last moments, we had fought to get to her. Our mate.

  But I had sworn to never forgive her for my mother's death many years ago. What kind of man would that make me, to break that oath?

  When I’d fought to get to her, certain those were my last moments, never had I imagined Kira was capable of pulling me back from the brink of death. But once again, she’d surprised me with her tenacity and determination. She was a warrior. It left us in this awkward stasis though now that I had sought her out for comfort in what I’d thought would be the end.

  "I will pull you back from the grave if I have to."

  Her pleas were on a non-stop reel in my head, slowly tearing down the wall I had built between us and repeatedly reinforced all of these years.

  Growling, I ripped the pillow off my head and threw it at the wall in frustration, as if that would help. What I really needed was a fight to blow off steam. Maybe Seth would spar with me this morning.

  Kira managed to worm her way into my mind more than she had been before—a feat I hadn’t thought possible.

  Hating her was easier than...whatever this was between us. Hate was familiar. Love was a foreign concept. One I didn't think I'd ever have the capacity to grasp, let alone reciprocate.

  My mother's death had been the nail in that coffin, and my father was the hammer that constantly slammed that nail deeper with his lack of compassion. His life revolved around getting revenge for my mother, and at a young age, I had admired him for it.

  He wanted vengeance for losing the love of his life, and I had vowed to help him achieve it. It’s the only thing we had ever bonded over.

  A soft banging against my door drew me out of my thoughts. Swiftly jumping to my feet, I looked down to see if any marks lingered from the attack. Soft white lines littered my skin, but luckily they blended in well.

  "One second!" I called while picking up a black shirt from the floor, sniffing it to see if it was clean. Meh, good enough. Shrugging it on, I hurried to answer the door.

  Pulling it open, I stood frozen in shock at the sight of the magnificent white wolf sitting there patiently waiting for me. Kira.

  Mate.

  Unsure of how to communicate with her now, I hesitantly asked,
"Do you want to come in?"

  Without further ado, she rose from her haunches and brushed past my legs and into my home. This was odd to say the least. Why was she in wolf form?

  Out.

  No. I don't trust you to not solidify the bond if I let you out.

  Grumbling sounded in our mind at his clear displeasure, but he didn't deny it.

  The door clicked shut softly, and I turned to locate where the wolf had gone. Amusingly, I found her curled up on my sofa, with her tail wrapped around her and her bright eyes focused on me.

  Maybe Seth's nickname for her was apt. She looked like a cat all curled up.

  How was I supposed to act around her? Last night didn’t suddenly erase the past sixteen years of purposeful distance and issues that I had with her, but it damn sure complicated things.

  Clapping my hands once and rubbing them together, I hedged, "So..."

  She lifted her head and tilted it at my words, letting out a small whine.

  Shaking my head at her, I cut the shit, "You know full well this will get us nowhere. Change back and tell me what you need so I can go about my day."

  After this, I definitely needed to spar.

  She did as I asked, but I honestly hadn't thought my request through, because when her tanned skin and luscious curves stood on display for my eyes to behold, my brain short-circuited.

  Scenting her in my home and seeing her stunning body on full display fucked with my head, causing me to lose the tight grip I held on my intentions of keeping this a platonic interaction to test the waters of where to go from here.

  Her doe eyes, with a color similar to my own, stared back at me, and she clasped her hands, coincidently pushing her full breasts together further. Her long, wavy white locks contrasted beautifully against her skin, falling all the way to her hips. A small dusting of hair covered her mound, and I immediately pictured myself between those legs, ravishing her pussy.

  Claim.

  Her hair couldn't hide the curve of her waist or the flare of her hips that begged to be gripped. Her nipples were hard, likely from the chill of the weather, but I wanted to believe it was because she wanted me and was turned on.

  The animalistic side of me wanted to take her right there on the rug of my living room and say fuck all of the emotions and baggage keeping me from doing just that.

  Disappointment blossomed in me at how easily I was about to discard my long-lived animosity towards her. I blamed this bond for pulling me towards her and her devastatingly beautiful body.

  I was angry at her still, but now for a different reason. I was livid that she was tempting me to break my vow to never forgive her.

  A snarl ripped from me, and her eyes flared back as she continued to stare at me. She refused to submit to me, enraging me further. Prowling over to her, I stood nose to nose with her, unblinking and challenging her further.

  "You will submit to me," I seethed down at her.

  The devious little wench had the audacity to chuckle at me and respond, "What makes you think my wolf or I would ever submit to you after you already submitted to us last night?"

  My blood boiled at the reminder, and I chastised my wolf.

  We are supposed to be Alpha. Why would you do that?

  The fucker huffed out a sound oddly close to a laugh. Prophetess.

  Whatever. He might have been in control last night, but this exchange would not go the same with me in charge now.

  My hand raised, and I gradually tightened one finger at a time around her throat. For a moment, I admired the contrast of my skin against hers and the way her head tilted upwards while her lips parted. Flames of desire danced in her eyes at my dominating move, making my cock painfully hard in my sweats.

  Rasping out under my tight hold, she muttered, "Is that...all you've got?"

  Fuck, why did she have to spur me on and make my mind spiral into insanity with the desire to bend her over my knee?

  Grinding my teeth together and inhaling her arousal that permeated the air, my grip around her narrow throat tightened, the veins in my hand bulging slightly at the pressure.

  Dropping my forehead to hers, I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw before whispering, "You test my control, Kira."

  Her response was short and quick, "Good."

  My resolve snapped with her bratty remark, and I swore to keep my feelings separate from what was about to occur.

  Dragging her by her throat, I lowered us to the ground and guided her over my bent leg, putting her perfectly rounded ass to the sky. Switching my hand to the back of her neck, I shoved her face into the plush rug, and I smirked as she breathed heavily and side-eyed me.

  Satisfied with our position, I trailed my fingers lightly over her ass, eliciting a shiver from her that shook her breasts. "Do you submit to me yet?"

  "Nope." She popped her lips on the p and smirked at me.

  Drawing my hand up, I brought my palm down harshly onto her ass, loving the red outline that started to appear within seconds. Her arousal heightened, and I purred down to her, "Do you like when I dominate you, Kira?"

  This time when she spoke, a harsh edge laced her words, "I'm allowing you to dominate me. I will always be in charge of our exchanges."

  A snarl ripped from me, "Oh, is that so?" Her words spurred me to maneuver behind her, kneeling and swiveling her hips towards me.

  Ripping my shirt off with one hand, I pulled my joggers down and freed my hard length. This wasn't smart, but I didn't give a shit right now. I needed to dominate her fully.

  She stayed still and continued to peer up at me out of her peripheral. I’d given her time to move away when I removed my clothing, yet she’d stayed in place for me. Her body was sexy as sin, and I couldn't help but imagine coming all over her delectable ass.

  Spitting down onto my cock, I languidly stroked it as I used my knee to spread her legs for me. Moving between them, I inquired with ice in my words, "You know I despise you, right?" as I thrust into her glistening folds in one movement.

  She didn't have a moment to respond before she was crying out as I filled her. Euphoria overtook me at the way she fit like a glove around my cock and clamped down, preventing me from moving until her walls relaxed.

  Breathing heavily, she responded, "You don't hate me, Jameson. I've seen into your soul."

  My vision went red at the mention of seeing behind my walls, and I lost all sense of control. Gripping her hips, I pulled out fully before slamming back into her, repeating this process over and over until she cried out, "More."

  "You don't fucking know me, Kira." I punctuated my statement with another slow, hard thrust, enjoying the way her ass jiggled with the motion.

  She moaned loudly and gripped the rug tightly in her fists before responding, "You hate that I do. I know you better than anyone."

  "Shut up," I ground out, deciding I didn't want her to have the ability to speak anymore. Giving up on pulling a submission from her, I let loose on her, pounding into her at a brutal pace. My nails dug into her soft skin beneath my fingers as I chased the orgasm building within me.

  My balls slapped against her, and I reveled in the sound, knowing I was filling her to the brim.

  Crying out my name, she reached beneath herself and began to rub her clit, her fingertips brushing lightly against my cock in the process. Her walls tightened around me almost immediately from the added pleasure, and I knew she was seconds away from coming on my cock.

  "Fuckkk," She screamed, drawing out the word with her release.

  "Grab my balls," I commanded, pleased when she quickly did so and pulled lightly. Riding the high of sensations, it was my turn now that I had made her come.

  My balls tightened seconds before I spilled my seed into her, panting and sweating from fucking her so roughly.

  All energy left my body, and I draped myself over her back lightly, kissing her salty skin.

  Wait, fuck. Why did I do that?

  Mate.

  Instead of the panic attack I expected, I felt a ge
nuine hope building within me that maybe we could work through our struggles.

  Straightening and pulling out of her, I collapsed next to her behind her back as she rolled down onto her side. Her soft voice floated back to me, "What does this mean for us?"

  A bead of sweat dropped down her back, and I became hyper focused on it as I tried to formulate a response.

  I opened my mouth but faltered immediately. She seemed to sense my dilemma as she rolled onto her other side to face me. We simply stared into each other’s eyes and let silence engulf us for a few minutes.

  Mate. Happiness.

  Her patience was the key in my decision, showing me that she would give me the time and space I needed.

  "I don't know..." her face fell as I trailed off, but immediately brightened when I continued, "but I'd like to maybe try to talk through things."

  Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she bit down hard, making me reach out to tug her soft lip out and run my thumb against the mark there.

  "I'd really love that." Her wide eyes shone with happiness, but I could also see the underlying nerves there. Shit, I couldn't blame her. I was scared as hell about the thought of rehashing so many ugly memories.

  I don't know why the fuck she wanted to work through this with me after the way I had treated her for so much of our lives. It honestly blew me away that she could even consider forgiving me.

  Reaching out, I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, asking, “So, what did you stop by for? I’m assuming you didn’t have this in mind.”

  Her cheeks tinged a beautiful pink at the reminder of our fucking, drawing a knowing smirk to my face, and immediately making me want to go another round.

  “Well, I met up with Seneca this morning to try to figure out where to start with this prophecy and...” she stumbled over her words, “The summit was brought up, and it made me think of a few questions to ask you since you’re able to go with the alpha.”

  Her body stiffened, and a scent of fear wafted through the air, alarm bells blaring in my head at the sudden change.

  "This is going to be hard to explain..." she bit her bottom lip once more and paused, glancing everywhere but my face, anxiety riddling her stiff posture, "...and I don't say this lightly."