Royal Shifters Series

“I’m sorry but there’s no other way, Bailey. We gave you a whole extra year to come to terms with this,” my father grumbled.

I quickened my pace toward the meadow, my jaw aching from clenching too hard. “I was hoping you’d come to your senses, but obviously not. I can’t believe you did this to me! I’m not going to agree to this . . . I won’t.”

“You have no choice, Bailey. We did what we thought would keep you safe. You’re of age now, and mating with Kade will keep you safe and pass on our bloodline.”

Actually, I did have a choice. My father was alpha of our pack, but my loyalties remained my own. I didn’t feel the pull that everyone else did when it came to following orders. While they had to follow them; I didn’t. Growing up, I had often wondered if there was something wrong with me. But as I got older, it all began to make sense. I had a gift—I was a rare female alpha—and it needed to stay hidden.

“Keep me safe? You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve kept myself safe my entire life. Maybe I should’ve left when I had the chance.” They both tensed and hung back while I took the lead.

They were angry, yet it was almost as if they were scared of fighting against me, afraid I would leave and never return. I wanted to do what was best for our pack, I really did. But mating with Kade wasn’t the answer. I was basically being given away like a mail-order bride.

There was a time when I lived for the pack, when I would do anything to save my people. The white wolves were slowly reducing in number, and now everyone was desperate, struggling to make ends meet before we were wiped into extinction. I was twenty-four years old, and a daughter of the Northern pack alpha. It was my duty to continue my lineage. The only problem was, there were no other unmated alphas around other than my best friend, Sebastian, and the supreme douche, Kade Whitemore.

There was no way in hell I was going to alliance myself with that rat bastard. He was alpha of the Yukon pack, violent, and an overbearing ass who’d rather see me on my back with my legs spread open than being his equal. I’d rather die than be forced to be his mate for all eternity. Why couldn’t I mate with Sebastian? Thinking of fucking him gave me the willies, but anything was better than Kade.

Anger racked my body and I sat there, seething . . . until I felt him. He was coming for me; I could sense him drawing near. The closer we got to the meadow, the more I could smell Kade and his excitement—his lust. Hopefully, he could smell the rage and disgust coming from me.

Wolves mated for life; it was a sacred union. It wasn’t like a human marriage where you could end it by signing a piece of paper. Our unions weren’t something you did lightly. It was also not a decision I was going to let my parents make for me. The only way to escape would be to kill him, and the last thing I wanted to do was start a war between packs. There had to be another way.

Up ahead, in wolf form, Kade kept his stare dialed in on me. He was large—like all alpha males tended to be—but I wasn’t impressed. He could smell my indifference and in return growled low, challenging me. I glared straight at him, not backing down, nor lowering my head. No one would ever make me submit.

Shifters needed the magic of the moon to change into their wolf form, but the strongest of our kind could transform at any time of the day. Most of the wolves in our pack had that advantage, except on the nights of the new moon. Only alphas had the ability to change on those nights. Tonight, there was no moon, so being the arrogant jackass he was, Kade decided to show up as his wolf. Figures.

Everyone backed away except me and my father. Kade sidled up to us and brushed his body against mine, marking me. Next, he pushed his nose between my legs and sniffed. Anger consumed me and I was close to shifting, but held back. “You do that shit again and I’ll have me a nice, white fur coat for the winter.”

His lips pulled back in a wolfish grin before he transformed into his naked, human self. “I was only getting a taste of what’s mine.”

Most white wolves had similar traits—light colored hair and blue eyes, with the occasional exception of green. My parents both had the bright blonde hair and had passed it down to me, along with their crystal blue eyes and immaculate strength. However, their strength wasn’t with them today which made me wary. My father didn’t even attempt to defend my honor.

Raking my gaze over Kade, he had platinum blond hair, striking blue eyes, and a body that even I hadn’t seen on the men in my pack. He was much larger, in more ways than one, and one of the youngest alphas in the country, most likely in his late twenties by the looks of him. Fortunately, when his gaze found mine, I didn’t see my future mate in those eyes.

Crossing my arms at my chest, I stood stock-still, waiting on my father to get done talking to him. I only wished he’d take heed of my loathing and leave. I wasn’t going to go with him. Everyone else got the choice of who they mated with and I’ll be damned if I didn’t get the same luxury.

Back and forth the men conversed heatedly, the tension filling the cool night air. The moment my father’s blue eyes met mine, I knew something was wrong. Please, don’t let it be so. He clutched my face in his hands and kissed me on the head. “Say goodbye to the pack. By sunrise, you’ll be on your way with Kade to your new home.”

“What?” I shouted, pulling away. “You’re supposed to be our alpha! Are you really so spineless?”

Our pack sucked in a collective breath at my daring words. Kade smirked and I made sure he could feel every ounce of my hatred. I pushed my power so hard at him, he stumbled back.

My dad was working hard on biting his tongue. “To ensure the survival of our packs, and to keep you safe, there’s no other way. We have to honor our promise.”

“Fuck your promise, and fuck you,” I hissed. “It was yours, not mine.”

“It was the packs, Bailey. There’s no way around it.”

There’s a way around everything. My power roiled but I couldn’t unleash it . . . yet. It wasn’t the right time. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and huffed. “I’d like to speak to my intended for a moment, alone. I’ll say my goodbyes to everyone once we’re done.”

My father nodded in agreement and walked away, looking back at me once before turning his back. My pack followed close behind him, along with my mother who had tears streaming down her cheeks. The Yukon pack, however . . .

“Your people need to go,” I demanded.

Glancing over his shoulder, Kade nodded to his second in command and they disappeared through the trees.

When they were out of earshot, I pursed my lips and spat, “Out of every single pack in the world, you came to this one to claim me. Surely you could find someone who’d be glad to take you.”

“True, but I wanted you.”

“What makes you think I’m going to leave with you tomorrow?”

Kade laughed and sauntered over, leaning close so he could smell me; I stood my ground and didn’t waver, even when he brushed up against me. I could rip his heart out in the blink of an eye. He moaned and grew hard between his legs. “You’re mine, Bailey,” he growled, circling around behind me. “You were promised to me, and I’m not leaving without you.”

“You don’t even know me.”

Pushing his cock against my ass, he reached around and placed his large hands on my thighs, holding me to him. Wolves were physical creatures and we loved touch, but I didn’t want him touching me.

“So help me God, if you don’t back up, I’m going to rip out your goddamned throat.”

Instead of letting me go, he held me tighter and chuckled in my ear, rubbing his scent all over my body. His hands gripped my breasts, and then one slid down into my pants so he could cup me with his palm. “I’d like to see you try, sweetheart. I love a good fight. The more you resist, the harder I’m going to fuck you.”

His pheromones were extremely high, choking me, and with that I could smell his need to mate, to claim me. I needed to do something fast without unleashing my power. I struggled in his hold, but the more I moved against him, the wilder his scent grew. He wanted the fight, and I couldn’t give him what he wanted.

Taking a deep breath, I swallowed back the bile and leaned into his touch, putting one of my hands over the one he had down my pants. I had to make him believe I didn’t want to fight. All I needed was a little bit of time.

Rubbing my ass against his cock, I took hold of his fingers and pushed one inside me, and then another. I gasped as his growl deepened and he bit down hard on my neck, drawing blood. Fucking bastard. Biting your mate was an intimate act only to be done when you’re actually mated.

“Now everyone will know you’re mine,” he whispered gruffly in my ear. “I'm going to fuck you until you scream. I’ve waited long enough to get you, and now that I have you, there’s no escape.”