Shifters of grey ridge b.., p.1
Shifters of Grey Ridge Box Set, page 1
part #1 of Box Set: Books 1 - 3 Series
SHIFTERS OF GREY RIDGE
BOX SET: BOOKS 1 - 3
REECE BARDEN
Copyright © 2023, Reece Barden
Reece Barden
www.reecebarden.com
All rights are reserved. No part of this book set may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. The unauthorised reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No parts of these books may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s permission.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
These books are a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale, or organisations is entirely coincidental. The author does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.
Due to adult language, violence, and steamy scenes this book set is recommended for 18+
CONTENTS
The Alpha’s Saviour
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Epilogue
The Alpha’s Inferno
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Epilogue
The Alpha’s Revival
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Epilogue
Get The Alpha’s Regret
The Alpha’s Regret
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Thank You for Reading!
About the Author
Keep In Touch!!
Other Books by Reece Barden
To my wonderfully supportive husband, who was completely neglected while I threw myself into writing this book. For never saying a negative word and believing I could do it, I love you.
xxx
CHAPTER 1
HAYLEY
The deafening skidding of tires on asphalt shatters the peaceful quiet of the morning air. What the hell? Startled, I look to see where the noise is coming from. A dark grey van hurtles down the road out of control, careening towards a small boy in a bright blue coat, standing paralyzed in the middle of the road. Wide-eyed, his youthful face frozen in shock. My heart jumps into my mouth and I take a step toward him, already knowing that I’m too far away to help. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a blur of movement as a man launches himself into the road.
In a split second, he somehow pushes the boy clear, saving his life. But just as he climbs to his feet to get out of the way, the van barrels into him with a sickening thud, and his body flies into the air from the force of the impact. My stomach lurches at the sight. I’m frozen in place, horrified at the scene unfolding in front of me.
The sound of screaming fills the air and breaks me from my stupor. The little boy’s mother races to his side and collapses on her knees beside him, sobbing, holding his chubby round cheeks between her two hands gently as she checks his body over for injuries. He’s sitting up already, and even though he is crying and clutching his leg, at least he doesn’t seem to be too seriously hurt. The driver of the van clambers out from behind the deployed airbag with a loud groan before collapsing on his hands and knees, bright red blood pouring down the side of his face from a gash above his brow.
My feet move in the direction the man’s body landed, dreading what I might find when I reach him. I sprint across the grass verge at the side of the road and scramble down the steep slope almost on my backside. Using my hands to keep my balance as my feet slip and slide on the loose rocks.
As I hit the level gravel section at the bottom, I straighten and look around, searching for where he has landed. Where the hell is he? I have to find him. I take a moment longer, then I see him, and my blood runs cold. No! He’s floating face down in the middle of the water, arms spread wide, bobbing in the slow-moving current.
Shit, shit, shit.
He’s not moving and is clearly unconscious, if not already dead.
Don’t think like that.
I kick off my runners, peel off my hoodie and t-shirt, and launch myself into the ice-cold water in just my running shorts and sports bra. It is a beautiful sunny spring day, with clear blue skies, but the water is still bitterly cold. I plunge into the dark river and gasp as my lungs constrict, refusing to work normally. I fight to keep my breathing even as I swim out. As I reach him, I grab hold of his broad shoulders and roll him over as quickly as possible to get his mouth and nose out of the water.
Tipping his head back, I wrap my arm under his chin and swim towards the riverbed. The river is flowing in the opposite direction, and I’m fighting against the current. It’s exhausting. I’m panting hard by the time I reach the edge. He’s wet and his skin is slippery, so I have to grab him under the armpits to get a secure hold. I plant my feet in the mud to drag him onto the bank, using every ounce of strength I have left to haul him onto dry land.
He is tall and well built, compared to my slight frame and shorter height, and I won’t be able to move him any further than this by myself. It’s not a good idea anyway, with potential spinal injuries to worry about. I drop to my knees beside him, stones sticking into my ba
re skin, but I almost don’t notice them. I’ve gone so numb from the cold water. A couple of bystanders watch, horrified, from the top of the bank, but nobody comes down to help me, perhaps thinking he’s already dead.
I can’t give up. I have to at least try.
Pressing a finger to his neck under his clean-shaven jaw, I check for a pulse, but can’t find it. I put my cheek to his mouth to feel if any air flows past his lips or nose. Nothing again. Rocking back on my heels, I focus on his wide chest, but I can’t see any movement to show that he is still breathing.
I grimace at the nasty cuts across his forehead, right cheek, and jaw. His nose seems broken, judging by the crooked angle, and there’s blood dripping down the side of his face into his wet, dark hair. Further examination confirms he’s suffered some serious injuries. His left forearm is bent at an odd angle, and his shoulder on the same side appears to be dislocated, maybe broken at the collarbone as well.
From what I can see on the outside.
It seems too cruel for him to die after committing such an act of bravery, but any other outcome seems unrealistic looking at him now, pale and still.
I shake my head and refocus, thanking the gods for mandatory health and safety training. If he isn’t already dead, he will be soon. My limbs feel tired and heavy from dragging him ashore. Regardless, I start CPR. I pray the approaching sirens get here as soon as possible. I’m aware of someone sinking to their knees in the muck beside me and gripping the man by his shoulders as I continue compressions.
“Cooper! Jesus, this can’t be happening,” the man beside me shouts, leaning over to take his pulse again. Without warning, Cooper jerks and coughs violently, choking and retching as his body expels the water from his lungs. Tears of relief prick my eyes as I tilt his large shoulders over to allow the water to pour past his almost blue lips and into the dirt.
“It’s ok, you’re going to be ok,” I whisper into his ear with as much conviction as I can muster. Smoothing back the hair from his beautiful deep brown eyes, I watch as they blink open and he slowly looks around. I hear the rattle of a stretcher being carried down the bank and paramedics surround us, crouching down beside him to take over.
I attempt to stand up to give them more space, but my legs refuse to support me, and I fall on my ass on the hard ground. Strong hands reach under my armpits from behind and pull me up, tugging me back a couple of steps so I’m out of the way.
“Thanks,” I mutter, looking over my shoulder at my helper, but he isn’t even looking at me. He’s staring at the man on the ground and knows him well, judging by the look on his face. Judging by the look on his face, he seems to know him well. Pushing his jaw-length blond hair back roughly with one hand, he blinks back tears and curses under his breath about it being a close call.
I’m not as optimistic that his friend is out of the woods yet, so I say nothing. Once my jelly legs work again and can hold me upright on their own, I step away, wrap my arms around myself, and watch as they load Cooper onto a backboard to carry him back up the hill.
The initial adrenaline rush has passed and my body shivers as the cold seeping into my bones finally registers with my brain.
My legs give way again, but the man behind me catches me before I hit the ground. He turns me to face him, holding me steady by my shoulders, and I stare dumbly into the brightest pair of blue eyes that I have ever seen. He bends down till we’re eye to eye and looks at me with concern as my teeth chatter, before slowly looking me up and down, taking in my wet hair and lack of clothing.
“Are you ok? Fuck, you’re freezing! You need to get warmed up... What’s your name sweetheart?” He looks at me, maybe expecting me to move or to formulate an answer, but I can’t seem to force any words out through the fog in my mind, so I just continue to stare at him, mutely. I don’t even nod.
He frowns before sweeping me up into his arms. My head rolls back to rest on his shoulder and I flop in his arms like a half-frozen ragdoll, all my energy spent. He adjusts my position and holds me tightly against his solid chest before turning to carry me up the hill behind the stretcher. A deep rumble reaches us, sounding almost like a growl, and he jerks his head up quickly to stare at his friend, before glancing back at me with a curious expression on his face. After depositing me carefully on a waiting stretcher parked behind one of the ambulance’s open doors, he cups my face in both hands and leans in close. His blue eyes are mesmerising, and a lock of his messy, blond hair falls forward across his face.
“Cooper would be dead without you. I have no words.” He shakes his head before meeting my gaze again. “Thank you.” I grip his hand and give it a quick squeeze.
“Is he going to be okay?” I manage to ask as I am strapped down and loaded into the back of the ambulance.
“He’ll be okay,” he reassures me, giving me a little wink before nodding once, sprinting to the back of the other ambulance where Cooper is, and jumping in beside him before the doors slam closed. There’s a crowd gathered now, drawn by the flashing red and blue lights, all huddled around with worried faces and speaking in hushed voices.
So much for lying low and avoiding any drama.
All that work trying to find somewhere to hide and build a new life, and something tells me I’ve just ruined it all. I shut my eyes, and despite the paramedic beside me asking me to stay awake, I feel myself drifting into sleep as the siren turns on and the ambulance pulls away.
CHAPTER 2
HAYLEY
I blink my eyes open and squint. The fluorescent lights above my bed are uncomfortably bright and are definitely not helping my pounding headache. It takes a second to remember what happened and realise where I am. Groaning out loud, I cover my eyes with my arm. I’m supposed to be staying below the radar, not ending up all over hospital and police reports.
“Welcome back. Headache?” my nurse asks brightly, picking up a cup of water from the sideboard in the room and handing me a little plastic container with a couple of painkillers in it. I tip the tablets into my mouth and take a few sips of water. I scoot back up the bed into a sitting position, pulling the thin blue blanket up with me.
