Alpha: A Rough Shifter Romance Read online

  Oh, fuck this! I wasn’t going to be buried alive in a secret government coffin. I needed to get above ground right now.

  I pulled on a pair of socks and a pair of hiking boots and quickly packed a backpack of essentials, like a few water bottles, snack bars, and some spare clothes that I found in the room. In no time at all, I was running out that door and back into the freight elevator that had taken me down here in the first place. Once I got to the highest floor that the elevator went, I burst out of it and straight into what I could only describe as hell on Earth.

  The sound of gunfire popping indoors was deafening and I instinctually ducked for cover, unsure exactly where it was coming from. Men in black-ops combat gear ran forward in units of two and three and even larger groups, sprinting out from more elevators and what I could only imagine were stairwells, but that wasn’t even remotely the worst of it.

  At least thirty massive wolves were sprinting across the enormous room. These wolves were larger than Rebecca had been, some standing at more than five feet tall. If one of them stood eye to eye with me, I’d be able to stare right back at them without having to look up or down. They were that big.

  The combat officers aimed their weapons at the wolves and pulled the triggers, but the bullets just bounced off their flesh. Not a single one passed through the beasts’ thick fur, allowing them to carry on in their attack without even a scratch. It was terrifying and mesmerizing all the same. The more I watched them move and fight, the more I realized that humans were certainly no longer at the top of the food chain.

  These wolf shifters were. Together, as a pack, they were formidable, maybe even invincible. I was witnessing the beginnings of a battle and I very much thought the humans were not going to win this day.

  At first, the gunfire scared me. Then I saw a giant black wolf tear the head right off of a man with his teeth. The crunching sound of his spine breaking and ripping apart was sickeningly loud and wet. Blood sprayed across the floor, staining the pristine white tile with red.

  That’s when I recognized that the floor was already slick with it. A number of bodies lay motionless on the floor, in pools of blood that were growing larger and larger by the second. For several moments, I just stared at the blood until I forced myself to look away from both the bodies and the carnage.

  The wolves had come here, and I was the only human who knew why. The alpha had risen and had come for his betas, but that’s not the only thing he was coming for. I had to move. Rebecca had said that the alpha would come looking for me and I didn’t want to be found. So far, no one had noticed my presence because they were too caught up in battle to be paying attention to a lone woman slinking along the wall and I was extraordinarily grateful for that.

  The stench of blood was metallic and strong, compounded with the smell of death. I doubted the wolves could sense me because of it. The operatives didn’t care because I was human too and I didn’t pose a threat to them.

  Cautiously, I moved around the corner of a hallway and stepped carefully so that my boots were silent against the white tiles. I stuck close to the wall and kept out of sight. Once I was sure I was safe from prying eyes, I dashed down the hallway to find an open security office door and looked inside. There was no one there but I saw something that could prove useful in my journey back to the upper levels.

  There was a Taser on the table. I had nothing to protect myself, so I took it.

  There were a couple of computers that were powered on and I gazed over to them, seeing the active security footage of the compound. Every screen was lit up with humans and wolves engaging in battle. One of them was the holding room where Rebecca and the other betas were held. I narrowed my eyes and watched them pace back and forth in their cells, almost like they were waiting for a sign, and then all at once, they changed into their wolf forms. I watched as each one of them shifted in their cells and burst forward, all striking their cages at the exact same spot at the lower right of the entryway door. At first, it didn’t appear as though anything had happened at all, but after a few long seconds, the very first crack splintered across the glass. And then another.

  Every single wolf dove at their door once again and the glass holding them captive shattered into pieces. It was a coordinated attack that destroyed the entrance to each cage, allowing the wolves to walk out unhindered. There wasn’t even a single guard in the room because they were all here on this floor fighting off the wolf attack from above.

  The alpha had come, and he’d brought a war with him.

  Amy was going to have a field day covering up this one, but I wasn’t going to stick around long enough to find out exactly how it ended. I stuffed the Taser in my back pocket and went back out into the hallway, following it down to the very end where I found an empty stairwell. It was locked, but when I swept my badge in front of the electric panel on the right side of it, I heard the locks disengage beneath its metal surface. When I grasped the doorknob this time, it opened with ease. I burst up the stairs two at a time, not keeping track of how many floors I climbed. Soon enough, I reached the top and emerged out of an even thicker metal door straight into the forest. There was no one out here, which told me that I must have found a back door of some kind. Up here, it was silent. There were no indications of the war happening down below. Just the songs of birds, the buzzing of bugs, and the rustling of the leaves in the breeze. It was peaceful.

  I didn’t have a plan now that I was up here, so I’d have to come up with one. I looked around and noticed that there was a well-worn dirt trail that led away from the door, so I stepped down the few stairs and followed it into the trees. The best thing for me to do now was to hide out until the wolves left and then I could return to the black site and see who was left.

  I hope Livingston hadn’t been hurt. I also hoped that Rebecca had gotten out.

  That wasn’t all I hoped for though.

  I hoped that the alpha would come and go without me.

  I walked down the path, making as little noise as possible by avoiding any twigs, branches, or dried leaves on the ground. The scene I had just left had been quite horrifying, but up here, it felt like just a fading nightmare. The sky was just beginning to brighten from the rising sun, soft oranges and brilliant reds chasing away the dark of night. As the day lightened, the birds began to sing louder and the bugs quieted. I’d always loved walking through the woods and this time it felt even more serene because of the carnage I’d just run away from.

  I’d find a place to hide and I’d come out when the wolves were gone. The alpha wasn’t going to find me out here.

  Chapter Three

  Kiba

  When I had awakened for the first time, I could sense her. She’d been put on this earth for me and me alone and nothing was going to stop me from getting to her. Her scent and the connection to my pack were the only things I’d ever known. For me, it was instinct and there was nothing more powerful than that.

  I was the alpha.

  I wasn’t like other humans. I hadn’t been born to a woman nor was I the product of a she-wolf’s birth. No. I was different.

  I was formed from the very essence of the earth itself, a magical combination of virility and power personified into a predator that was unmatched in this world. I was the first full-blooded alpha in centuries, and I was ready to take control of my mate and my pack. It was my responsibility to ensure the continuation of our species and I had every intention of doing exactly that, no matter what got put in my way.

  I could feel the magic of nature running through my veins. The lifeblood that pumped through my heart was powered by the energy created by the rushing water that cut through rock, the liquid magma that carved the surface of the planet, and the wind that rustled through the leaves of the trees.

  I was wolf. I was life itself. I was alpha.

  When I had walked out of the cave that had given me life, my betas had already been on their way. They’d detected my existence and come to me when I had called for them. Now there were fifty in
my pack and more were arriving every day.

  But there were more that couldn’t come because they were behind bars. More of my people were trapped in captivity and I had to get them out. I wouldn’t stand for the unfair imprisonment of my kind, not when I could do something about it.

  The connection between me and my betas was strong and unbreakable. I gave them direct orders and they obeyed or else the alpha bond reminded them who was in charge. They answered to me and me alone. Nature demanded it.

  My omega was another story. She was my mate and she was human, but she would learn that she would answer to me too.

  I’d risen deep in the mountains not long ago and stayed sedentary as my pack had come to me. The past several days I’d sensed a segment of my pack not far off and I had been making plans to rescue them. Yesterday though, I’d scented her on the wind.

  My mate.

  And I had come for her.

  She wasn’t far. I could feel her steps on the earth, could scent her breath on the air. I knew she was close, and I was going to find her. And then I was going to teach her of her rightful place.

  My pack and I had acted early in the morning, catching the humans unawares for the most part. It had been surprisingly easy to break into the compound. One of my wolves had knocked out a security guard and stolen his badge. Once we had snuck into the facility, we had stolen several more keycards and gained access to the entire building, which we found went deep underground.

  Through my connection to my trapped betas, I’d sent them a message that we were coming for them. They’d begun their own escape from several floors below on my command. The building’s alarm had been triggered in the process and that’s when the humans had started their attack. We shifted into our wolf forms immediately. We’d been able to detect them coming and we’d been ready. Their strategies were simplistic and uncoordinated, and it had been easy for us to break through their ranks.

  They’d used guns, which had proven useless against us when in wolf form. Our hides were thick and impenetrable, except to one very particular material.

  Silver. A blade or a bullet made from the precious metal would pierce right into our flesh. This place hadn’t stocked up on such resources, that much was becoming increasingly obvious. We were more vulnerable when in our human forms, our skin being much more exposed and defenseless against weapons. Once any danger presented itself, we would shift and were much safer because of it.

  I’d instructed my people not to kill needlessly, but the numbers of humans proved to be large and even though we were protected from normal bullets, we were not immune to fire. They used a fair number of grenades and flamethrowers and several of my people were hurt. The betas defended themselves and once the captives from down below joined our ranks, we’d pulled out. I didn’t want to be there any longer than necessary.

  I’d given the command to escape this place and make camp several miles away where they’d be safe. I’d instructed them to leave without me because I had my own mission to complete. I’d come back on my own. I’d come to find my mate.

  I sniffed the air and her scent carried on the breeze. It was sweet, an aroma of apples and peaches and fragrant wildflowers and as refreshing as rain. I took a deep breath and savored the moment, knowing she was close.

  It was my destiny to find her. Fate demanded it. Now it was only a matter of time.

  A twig cracked in the distance. The birds went silent. The fur on my back raised in excitement. I began to run. She was out there, and she wasn’t far. I could feel it.

  I sprinted through the forest, my paws falling silently onto the dirt beneath me. I wove through the trees in stealth, ensuring that every step was as noiseless as possible. I was the predator and she was my prey. She wasn’t going to know that I had found her until I wanted it to be known. Until then, I was going to enjoy the chase.

  As I came across her traveled path, it quickly became clear that she hadn’t been trained in the ways of the forest. She did nothing to conceal her footsteps or the branches and leaves that had been broken or pushed aside as she made her way through the brush. It was easy to track her this way, and I loped along her trail until I knew she was very near.

  I slowed down, padding softly down the defined dirt path until I saw the blue of her jeans and the green of her shirt peeking through the brush. Carefully, I circled around so that I could see her face for the very first time.

  I sat on my haunches and licked my lips. I waited as she came around the bend, striding slowly through the forest as though she didn’t have a care in the world, like she didn’t know I was coming for her. Maybe she did or maybe she didn’t. Maybe she just thought she was safe.

  She wasn’t. Not from me. She’d never be safe from me again.

  She lifted her eyes finally and came to an abrupt stop, pulling in a panicked gasp as she took in the sight of me. Her fingers clutched at her chest and she whined so softly that it was almost imperceptible, but I heard it anyway.

  I’d found her and now she was mine.

  My mate.

  Perfection.

  Deep green irises regarded me with surprise, flecked with gold and hazel around her dark human pupils. A small nose and a pointed chin gave her an air of delicacy. Her cheekbones were flushed from the effort of her hike and it only served to deepen her beauty. Soft, elegant mahogany waves hung to her waist and I yearned to trace my fingers through every strand. I longed to pull it hard, force her lips to mine, and kiss her like she was meant to be kissed. I wanted to do a great many more things, but none of them involved her fully clothed. I licked my lips, imagining her beautiful little body naked. She wasn’t very tall, but her body was well formed. Her breasts would fit in the palm of my hand and I wondered if her nipples would be a pretty pink or a lovely tan color. It wouldn’t be long until I found out. Her slender waist gave way to curvy hips and I salivated at the thought of the taste of her on my tongue.

  There was something deep in her eyes that I hadn’t expected though.

  Defiance.

  She didn’t know her rightful place. She would soon though. She was my omega and I was her alpha and nothing was ever going to change that.

  It was time I taught her exactly that.

  Chapter Four

  Dawn

  The wolf standing ahead of me on the path was the most majestic creature I had ever seen. For a moment, I just stood there dumbfounded, taking in the sight of him. A streak of terror raced through me and I immediately pushed it away, unwilling to showcase my fear in front of such a dangerous and unpredictable beast. He was the supreme predator and he’d be able to sense my terror from a mile away. I had no doubt he would take advantage of that if he noticed even the slightest hesitation.

  I couldn’t stop myself from admiring such an elegantly powerful animal though.

  The first thing I noticed was his irises, which were unlike the yellow-eyed betas I’d encountered earlier. They were a brilliant ice blue that reminded me of some of the bluest waters of the ocean, multifaceted and glittering like freshly cut gemstones. His coat was deep shadow and flecked with gray and white, which made him seem all the more magnificent while also extremely dangerous. He was much larger than the others, so when he was sitting at full height, he was much taller and certainly much stronger than me. If I stood right next to him, the top of my head would only reach the bottom of his chin. He carried with him an air of expectancy as he watched me, and his demeanor gave the distinct impression that he was used to being obeyed. Even more so, he expected me to obey him.

  I knew who he was. This was the alpha and he’d found me.

  I’d been naïve thinking that I could escape and that he wouldn’t be able to track me down. I’d seen the battle below. I’d witnessed how the wolves had taken the advantage and I’d known the humans were fighting hard, but they were going to lose. I should have known that I would too.

  He growled softly, the sound somewhat tender and also terrifyingly haunting in the same breath. It rumbled deep down into the p
it of my soul and I felt myself begin to answer. My heart started to pound, and my blood raced. Shamefully, my nipples peaked inside my bra and the seat of my panties dampened with arousal.

  This couldn’t be happening. I wouldn’t let it.

  He transformed right before my eyes, changing into his human form in a fraction of a second. If I had been looking away, I would have missed the whole thing.

  His eyes remained just as hauntingly blue. I tried to ignore the fact that he was completely naked, but it was so very difficult.

  “Omega,” he breathed, his voice low and chilling and deeply arousing.

  He wasn’t any less majestic in human form than he was in wolf form. A perfect specimen of a man, he stood over six feet tall with exceptionally well-defined muscles. His biceps were thick, and I absentmindedly wondered if I could fit my hands around them. Corded muscles flexed as he assessed me, likely deciding whether to pounce with aggression or to approach me with caution. A thick beard covered his chin, but it only highlighted the strong, firm cheekbones just above it. Thick brows made his eyes seem dark and ominous as they stared back at me, which only made my body react even more strongly to his cool appraisal.

  Muscled thighs rippled with tension as he debated his next move. But everything paled in comparison to his cock.

  It was enormous and very, very hard. My pussy clenched as I imagined taking a man of his girth inside me and even though I feared how much it might hurt, I was terrified of just how much I would enjoy it. Of how much I might actually want it.

  I wasn’t that girl. I couldn’t be.

  I’d always worked hard. All my life, I’d been exclusively career minded and focused on nothing else. I’d been the good girl. When there was homework assigned, I’d always been the one to turn it in early. When there was a group project, I took the lead and helped everyone organize. I’d never gone out on the weekends and partied, nor had I ever let myself stray off the path to success. I had always met my deadlines, no matter if it had meant an all-nighter or the entire weekend spent in the library.