Broken alphas, p.11
Broken Alphas, page 11
“By the way, your father took Eva back to Dark Claw territory. Her mate’s death is affecting her hard. John looked worried, but I’m sure the healer can help her. The bond wasn’t fully formed.”
That comment brought back Karla’s words. Would Logan let the frail bond connecting them, break? Did he have other lovers besides Karla in his pride? Sheila didn’t realize that her silence drew Logan’s attention. When she looked up, she saw his serious face.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she mumbled.
Logan stopped, looking down at her with an intensity that should have frightened her. Sheila stared back at him. It was annoying how much taller he was than her.
“Sheila, I don’t do well with subtleties. If you have something on your mind, just spit it out.”
She shrugged like it was no big deal. “I was just wondering if you will let the bond between us fade, that’s all.” She said the words like they meant nothing.
“I don’t know yet, and I can’t make any promises, Sheila. I don’t read the future. Everything happened so fast. Give me time to sort things out and to get to know you. If we click, we click. If not, we go our separate ways. Deal?”
Sheila stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled. She rose on her tip-toes, kissing him on the cheek. “Deal.”
Logan’s grin made him look younger. He took her hand again, leading her to toward the dining room. A couple of minutes later, he guided her through a pair of swinging doors.
“Here we are.”
Sheila entered the room, looking around a large space. His pride was having breakfast. The murmur of soft talk, laughs, and cutlery being used stopped the moment she and Logan entered. Every single person turned and looked their way. Men and females stared at her with their mouths hanging open. Why?
Then the beta’s gaze shifted down at their linked hands. Oh. Sheila tried to pull her hand away, but Logan entwined his fingers through hers, pulling her further into the room.
He guided her to the dominance table. She recognized the vibes from her own pride. The men and women sitting there watched her with curiosity but caution. It was normal. She didn’t sense any immediate dislike toward her. That gave her a boost of confidence.
Then something registered. She was actually tapping and using that emotion channeling thing to take in her surroundings. And she was doing it with ease. It was a normal, painless process.
“Hey guys and girls, how are you this morning?”
“What’s up, boss?”
The following hey came from multiple people.
“Some of you might know Sheila Black. Sheila, maybe you remember Patrick, my Beta.”
Logan nodded towards the man. Sheila winced. She had a vague memory of jumping him and Logan.
“Hi, Patrick. Sorry for the claws.” To her surprise, he grinned.
“No problem, darling. You can use your claws on me anytime. And may I add, those jeans fit you like-”
“Trick, don’t.” Logan cut his Beta off.
Sheila blushed, thankful for the interruption. She wasn’t such a delicate flower. She was a dominant herself. But she didn’t know these people. The others at the table chuckled.
“Don’t mind the flirt. Hi, Sheila. I’m Marge. Enforcer and master baker. At your service when you need chocolate cake.”
“Chocolate you say? You might be my new best friend. Nice to meet you, Marge.” Sheila smiled at the dark-haired woman. Her pixie-cut fit her so well.
“Sheila, meet the sisters Lola and Isabel Sorenson.”
“Hi.” She waved, smiling at the identical twin sisters. The only difference was the way they wore their ashen-colored hair. Lola’s braided tail reached the middle of her back. Isabel had her straight hair cut in a shoulder-length bob.
“Hey.”
The simple greeting came from both women at the same time. Sheila was used to it. Sara and Sasha spoke that way often. The sisters didn’t smile or show any sign they were happy to have her there. It seemed Logan’s pride-mates had different opinions regarding her presence in the pride house.
“The two black dudes over there are Adam and Aedan Row.”
“Hi, pretty lady.”
Sheila smiled at the one named Aedan. The men’s ice-blue eyes mesmerized her. The contrast between their dark skin, black hair, and light-colored eyes was stark. Aedan’s twin brother, Adam, just smiled. She smiled back.
“Hi. Nice to meet you all.”
“My other two female enforcers, Ana and Luna, are out on patrol. Jesse James, or JJ for short, is also on patrol. Do you remember him? He was with me and Patrick when we saved you.”
Sheila shook her head. “That day it’s fuzzy.”
“Yeah. You’ll meet him later. Sit, and I’ll bring you some food. Do you want something in particular? I can tell the cook to make it.”
Sheila sat in the chair he pulled out for her. “Something with a high protein intake will be good.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
She watched him walk to the long counter where a woman was serving food. When she turned back to face the people at the table, she found everyone was watching her stare at Logan’s tight butt. Heat creeped up her cheeks.
“Don’t worry, babe. We know he’s hot. You’re not the only one gawking at his ass when he walks.”
Marge winked, popping a piece of bacon in her mouth. Her sister’s hell yeah backed up Isabel’s grunt of acknowledgement. It made Sheila feel better knowing that. Then it didn’t. She realized Logan could have bedded these women already. Jealousy ate at her insides at that thought. She tried to tell herself it was insane to feel jealous because of a man she just met and barely knew. But her heart didn’t listen.
“Oh, jeez.”
Sheila looked at Marge. She directed her scowl over Sheila’s shoulder. She followed the female’s gaze, and a snarl escaped her.
Logan held a plate with food in each hand. But what enraged Sheila was the woman hanging on his neck. Karla. The woman was pressing her body into Logan’s, smiling up at him. Logan said something and was trying to pull away, but the leech hung on.
Enraged by the healer’s earlier words and the current actions, Sheila shot to her feet, grabbed the first thing on the table, and threw it at the hussy. The scream Karla let out when the fork imbedded into her side was a balm to Sheila’s soul.
“Ouch!”
“That hit just right.”
“Ten out of ten, girl.”
The comments she received from the enforcers at the table told her the healer wasn’t a favorite of theirs.
The healer pulled the fork from her body, glaring.
“You stabbed me!”
The screech made everyone in the dining room wince. Shifter hearing was sensitive. Sheila raised her head proudly, glaring back at the female.
“Hands off,” she gritted through clenched teeth.
“He is not yours!”
The healer’s enraged screech made Sheila smile. It felt good to let out her emotions, and she had a knack at pissing people off. What was life if a person couldn’t cause a little trouble? Boring!
“The mark I left on him says otherwise.”
Silence for a beat. Then the uu’s coming from the people around the table didn’t prepare Sheila for what happened next.
The healer roared and shifted to her tiger form. Sheila braced for the fight. Logan screamed something, but the tigress was already flying toward Sheila. She took a defensive position, palming the steak knife that was on the table.
Her best chance of evading those big teeth was to slide under the tiger and disable the back legs. She could stab the beast in the belly, but she didn’t want to kill one of Logan’s pride mates.
Behind her, she faintly heard the scraping of chairs. Sheila ignored it, focusing on the tigress.
“Duck and slide, Sisi. Duck and slide!” It was Ian’s voice in her head, screaming at her during a training session. Just before the angry tigress landed on her, Sheila roared a human roar, ran forward, and lunged beneath the cat. She slid on the rough wooden floor, feeling her borrowed clothes catch and rip.
She knew she will have bruises on her legs and back, but that didn’t matter. Beneath the big cat, she stabbed the dull knife in the animal’s left hind leg. She didn’t do any major damage, but she didn’t have a sharper weapon. The tigress roared in pain and anger.
Free from beneath the belly of the beast, Sheila righted herself, crouching. She turned fast, ready to take the tigress on with her bare hands if she had to. Another tiger, or tigress, planted itself in her path. Then Logan’s tiger was there, battering the healer until the beast presented her belly in a sign of submission.
The feline screams hurt Sheila’s human ears. Adrenaline flowed through her veins, enhancing her senses. She wasn’t home, wasn’t safe. She knew no one there and she could trust no one. Panic rose inside her. She needed to go home. She needed to get out.
The tigress in front of her rumbled. Sheila hissed. She took two steps back, looking around for an escape door. The windows! The dining hall was at ground floor. Sheila lunged to the side, jumping over tables. People screamed and stumbled out of her way. Ignoring everything and everyone, she leaped. The glass shattered around her. She felt the sharp shards cut deep into her skin. She didn’t care. All she wanted was to run, to hide, to feel safe again.
The cat inside her stirred at the feel of danger. She was being chased. Scared and out of control, Sheila allowed the cat to the surface. The half-shift was painful. Blood dripped from her gums and fingers as her fangs and claws emerged. Ignoring the voices telling her to calm down, Sheila’s cat turned and attacked.
With a scream of rage, she landed on the huge tiger’s back. He was strong. An Alpha. But so was she. She was Alpha! The knowledge poured into Sheila’s human mind, stunning her.
The Alpha tiger rolled on the ground, forcing Sheila to release him before he crushed her under his heavier body. She rolled, landing in a crouch. Satisfaction filled the half-shifted cat at the scent of the male’s blood. She had hurt him. She wasn’t weak. The cat screamed a challenge of dominance and lunged at the male again.
Bigger and in full animal form, the tiger wrapped his paws around the half-shifted cat, bringing her down and pinning her with his enormous body. The cat hissed and fought.
Still stunned by the knowledge of her dominance, Sheila’s human mind ignored her cat and the battle. What did it mean for her? For her life? She never knew Alpha females existed.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t realize that her cat had lost control until she felt the tiger’s fangs pierce her throat. Focusing on what was happening, Sheila fought to appease the panther still fighting to get free.
It took an eternity, but the feline inside her finally stilled, feeling mentally drained. Sheila wasn’t only mentally drained. She was in shock and physically hurt.
“Logan.” His name came out broken. Her throat hurt and her voice was so small it was almost gone. The rumble of his tiger vibrated through her chest. He released her throat, licking at the puncture wounds a few times before he rose, allowing her to stand.
“Oh, darling! You’re hurt! Come, let’s get you cleaned and in fresh clothes.”
Sheila jumped, startled by the motherly voice coming from behind her. She pivoted to come face to face with a crowd of shifters she didn’t know. An older woman came forward. Sheila braced. For what? She didn’t know. But the woman was smiling widely.
“Logan didn’t have the chance to introduce me yet. Karla, that drama queen, ruined your day. I’m Karina Stone, Logan’s mother.”
Looking at the woman like it was an apparition, Sheila didn’t have time to dodge the woman’s embrace. It felt... warm. Like she just received a hug from her own mom. Tears pricked her eyes. She fought them back. It wasn’t the time to break down.
Karina pulled back.
“O, here. Can you hold this for me? This is my favorite skirt, but the material is soft and catches easily. I don’t want to ruin it.”
Sheila stared at the knife belt the woman handed her. Before she realized the woman just gave her two weapons, Karina took her arm, guiding her toward the main house. Behind them, Sheila heard the people talk.
“That girl is crazy. I’m staying away.”
A woman.
“She’s got balls to take on the Alpha.”
A man’s voice.
“She will be my best friend. I love how she stabbed Karla. That smug bitch deserves it.”
The young woman’s comment brought a small smile to her lips.
They reached the broken window and Sheila stopped, barely remembering the events.
“I’m sorry for the damages,” she whispered.
Karina patted her right arm in reassurance. Logan’s huge tiger head bumped her leg. He was following on her left side.
“Don’t worry, darling. We’ll fix it. Do you want a minute before you come in?”
Sheila gave the woman a small smile.
“Yes. Please.”
With another pat on the arm and a gentle smile, Karina went inside, leaving her with her unwilling mate. Sheila let out a long sigh. She crouched, wrapping her arms around the tiger’s thick neck.
“I’m sorry for being a pain in the butt for you and your pride. All you did was to save and help me, and I...”
Beneath her arms, fur retracted, bones shifted and in seconds she was embracing Logan; the human man. He was kneeling in front of her, completely naked. Logan held her to him.
“Shush, you’re doing fine under the circumstances,” he whispered in her hair.
Sheila couldn’t hold the tears back. They fell and fell, like a rain washing her face. Logan held her close, whispering reassurances, while she broke apart into his arms.
Her life had officially gone to hell, and Logan had a front-row seat to the drama.
Chapter fourteen
Cain was in his office, a vial of blood in his hand and many plans in his mind. Rusty, his second in command, stood at attention on the other side of his desk, waiting for his decision. He was considering his next step in capturing the female.
“The informant said she was out of control. She actually challenged the Alpha of the pride while she was in half-form.”
Cain rubbed his jaw. “So, the fact she is an Alpha doesn’t remove the genetic deficiency of a lab created shifter.”
“It doesn’t appear so, sir.”
“What else did the informant say?”
“The Alpha of the pride has taken her under his protection. They seem to have bonded.”
Cain grinned. “Really? Does the informant know if they have consummated their lust yet?”
“She didn’t say, sir. I can ask next time when I meet the informant.”
“Please do. I want to know how many times they have intercourse. Just imagine... a babe born of two Alphas. The power that child will have over the prides and packs... And if I raise that child as my own and train him to do my bidding...”
The mercenary kept quiet. Cain looked at the vial in his hand. It contained the female panther’s blood. His men had taken it when she had been unconscious. In his mind’s eye, he saw the future as he wanted it; the animals chained and under his control. He would lead the prides and packs with an iron fist, using their own kind against them. An Alpha born of two Alphas... What power will such an offspring have?
Rusty’s clearing of the throat brought Cain back from his musings.
“What?”
“Sir, John Black keeps trying to contact the Alpha of this pack.”
“And?”
“He will get suspicious if he doesn’t receive an answer soon.”
Cain shrugged. “I don’t care. Ignore him for now. Better yet, kill him. That might get that bitch out into the open.”
“But, sir-”
“I don’t care!” Cain slammed his free hand on the desk. “You will do as I say and not question my decisions. I want Sheila Black in my possession, locked up in the basement, and I want her down there as soon as possible.”
A knock at the office door interrupted him.
“Yes?”
A petite she-wolf entered carrying a tray with his lunch. The woman kept her eyes downcast, staying quiet. It was Cain’s favorite submissive. He eyed the female. Her gray, ankle length dress was clean, and she pulled her dark hair into a ponytail at the back of her neck.
“Oh, yes, you.” He did not know what the beast’s name was. “Come here.”
The female advanced, placing the tray on a side table.
“Do you want to see your pup today, bitch?”
The female whimpered, but nodded.
“Then you know what to do.” Cain watched the woman’s reaction.
She hesitated, but with trembling hands she lifted the skirt of the dress to her waist, revealing the lack of undergarments. She had come prepared. The woman cried silently, moved to Cain’s desk and bent over, waiting.
“Yes. You animals will do anything for your pups and cubs. Even selling your bodies and souls.”
Cain motioned for Rusty to exit the office. The mercenary knew to wait for the female outside. She would see her pup because she was selling her body for a few minutes with him.
Placing the vial of blood on the special stand, he opened his trousers slowly, dragging the time. The female didn’t move. Cain watched her female parts. She was clean of hair, and the opening to her body was so small. Imagining how it would feel to fill her with his shaft, he grew hard. He wouldn’t dirty himself, though. He refused to fuck an animal.
Cain fisted his erection with his right hand and fingered the female’s cunt with his left. He penetrated the female with three fingers, making her whimper.
“Yes, take it, bitch. You do not deserve my cock. You should thank me for giving you my fingers. Fucking beast. Thank me!”
Cain withdrew the fingers that opened the woman’s core. He slapped her ass hard. The imprint of his hand filled with blood immediately. The female screamed, and Cain’s cock jerked. He wanted more. He slapped her ass until his palm hurt and the woman’s ass was purple.
Panting, sweating and on the verge of coming, he directed his shaft to the female’s cunt. Two pumps later, he ejaculated with a loud groan, spilling his semen over the female’s intimate parts. He would not fuck a beast, but he needed to keep up appearances. His scent will be between her legs, which will tell the others in the pack that he had fucked her.
