Shifter's Revenge (Alpha Lineage) (15 page)

The mess hall was in all intents a mess. Every table was bursting at the seams with hungry and anxious soldiers. The morning wasn’t forgotten. Every murmur was speculation and rehash of the events that the
shifters
embarked upon.

“What’s it like?”
Beside her a youthful, strawberry blond girl, positioned her wide green eyes expectantly on her.

Kera was
also just waiting for the opportunity to talk about her accomplishments today. “Fang is like my best friend, sister even. I was so afraid for so long that I forced her to remain inside the corners of my mind.” Kera relished the rush that flooded her mind at the memory of the chase. “I know this is supposed to be training for you and your soldiers but it was training for me too. I am learning…”

“We all are.” Maddox cut in. “We don’t interact with humans much.”

“Are you alien, then?” the girl’s attention swayed to Maddox quickly. Her eyes frosted over as she looked at him. Kera had noticed her covert glances at Nick and Maddox before she dredged up the courage to speak to Kera.

Kera looked to Maddox for answers. Inside herself were none. She didn’t know how they came to be or had even asked Maddox in all this time. She didn’t know where her mother
learned the spells she passed on to Kera or even why she was able to manipulate the elements. Were they from another planet? Somewhere where these abilities were absolutely necessary?

“Of course not,” Maddox answered the girl. “We belong to this world just like you and everyone else in here. Whatever god you pray to created us when he created the human race. We might be a little different but just like humans can kill other creations have the same inclination. Not all of us are bad. Not all of us are good. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. We love and we hate, we are happy and sad. Our families love us or they don’t. If you look at mythology you can see that we’ve always been here, romanticized sometimes and other times hated. It’s easier for me to believe that even though I may not know everything out there; there isn’t a limit to what could be. You have lived believing that you are the truth and everything else is fantasy.”

“So what do I believe now?” she whispered to Maddox, transfixed on his every word.

He leaned in slowly, every person pretending not to listen to the words he spoke, scooted forward. “Everything,” He murmured softly, “and nothing at all.”

Kera looked at the man she loved and felt jealousy and pride at the same time. Her emotions were amped up and her body was thrumming. She glanced at Nick and saw the strong set of his jaw strain as he devoured his food like he couldn’t wait to get out of the mess hall. His eyes met hers in the next moment. She shifted her brows into a question and he shook his head softly.

Maddox’s hand fell onto her thigh. Kera gasped in surprise. His eyes had questions in them when she turned to him. Her mouth tilted into a smile. “I’m full.” She said. “I want to run.”

Nick stood first. His silent retreat caused commotion in the mess hall. Others stood with him, wanting to follow. Maddox squeezed her leg in reassurance she didn’t need before he stood and addressed the room.

“It was a pleasure working with you this morning.” He spoke softly. “I need to spend time with my family now.”

Family. She felt the word wash over her. That’s what she always wanted. A family that understood her. One that kept her safe and was able to comprehend her abnormalities. “Let’s go.” Kera shot to her feet and grabbed Maddox’s hand. Her grip tightened when questions flooded them. A crowd formed around them, plates forgotten and utensils still in their hands. Her eyes shifted, Fang angry at the disturbance that kept her inside and away from the lush earth she had only just begun to explore. Kera felt a growl rumble up from her chest and escape her lips.

Maddox squeezed her hand and turned to her quickly. “Kera?” he
growled and chastised her with his eyes. The blue gaze that captivated her every time he looked at her now irritated her beast.

Kera narrowed her eyes instinctively, arguing her case. She huffed out a breath of frustration through her nose and felt her lips curl back from her teeth.

His eyes flashed a darker blue. He pulled out of the grip she had on his hand and placed his palms solidly on her shoulders. His back straightened and he towered over her in height and power.

Kera tried to shake him off and when she failed, she stepped back.

Maddox pulled her forward and lowered his mouth to the soft skin on her neck. He locked his teeth on the curve above her collarbone.

The action caused her human half to groan with pleasure. Her beast snapped to attention at the display of dominance. Still ruled by her instincts, Kera leaned
in and nipped at his ear. Her arms came around his back and a purr rumbled in her chest.

“Kera, are you ok?” Gavin asked from behind her.

Maddox ignored him and ran his tongue over the indentions his teeth left on her skin. He breathed softly against her ear, “She’s close to your skin,” he murmured, “But make sure you don’t let her rule you when you’re around humans. Wait until we run and you can let her go.”

Kera felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment.

Maddox leaned back and took stock of her expression. He shook his head slightly and smiled. “I’m so proud of you Kera.” He whispered reverently. “Embrace your abilities. I’ll always be here for you.” He brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly.

Kera closed her eyes with her heart pounding in her chest. She felt the familiar unexplainable reaction of energy and power that pulsed between them when they touched. His
kiss amplified that reaction exponentially. Now that she was reassured and comforted at the same time, her heart raced and her hormones shot into overdrive. It was all she could do not to cling to him when he pulled away.

Gavin tried to make a big deal over Maddox’s actions but they ignored him. Nick
brought up the rear to keep the mob away as they strode out of the mess hall and into the elevators. Kera tucked herself into Maddox’s side as the rode up to the ground floor. It was early afternoon. The sun had started to warm up the cool air. It didn’t snow much in Texas. Though it was close to Thanksgiving, fall was mild. It wouldn’t get cold until after Christmas.

Kera wasn’t sure how Maddox felt about being so far away from the mountains of Colorado. Even though Texas was a huge state and her hometown was just as far away as Maddox’s, she felt more at home with the open planes than the wooded mountains.
Excitement pulsed through her when a breeze caressed her skin as the doors opened.

“Go ahead Nick,” Maddox motioned for Nick to take off into the fields, “I need to speak with Kera alone for a moment.”

Nick inclined his head and jogged out of the bunker.

Tension rose in Kera’s shoulders as Maddox took her to the other exit opposite from where Nick ran. She stiffly followed him outside and watched him scan the outside of the building. He seemed to determine this spot wasn’t where they needed to talk.

He drew her away from the building to a section of the wall secluded from view. His attention hadn’t shifted from his surroundings yet. He ran his eyes across the wall and made a circle before turning back to her.

A lump formed in her throat. She watched him in confused silence. When he reached out to her, she felt herself pull back. Her spine pressed against the cool stone of the wall. Maddox stepped forward, crowding her against the wall. His expression was unreadable.

“When you chanted in the warehouse I felt this power coming from you that had me in awe.” He murmured. His hands rested on her hips as he leaned his chest against hers. Maddox lowered his head to her ear again and began to talk in deep murmured against her skin. “I have always been the most powerful of my pack. It makes me wonder what it’s like to have someone who can stand up to me if I get out of control. Your animal isn’t submissive. She chose to follow me in there. I love the hell out of that. Your trust means so much to me.”

Kera let out the breath she was holding. “I thought you were angry with me.”

Maddox laughed softly. “I pushed you out of instinct and curiosity.” He pressed a kiss to her jaw and lingered. His lips skimmed her neck and returned to the spot he bit. His tongue traced the mark slowly. “I want you, Kera.”

Her breath quickened. “Here?”

Maddox tightened his hands against her hips and brought his mouth to hers in answer. He kissed the breath out of her and ran his hands over her hips at the same time. Her hands went around his neck. She held him close as he devoured her mouth and her soul. Nothing felt better than his attention on her. She fell harder in love with him as he nipped at her lips and pressed his body flush against hers. She had never imagined the closeness she could feel with just a kiss. Even after the hours they spent last night and this morning exploring each other, a simple hungry kiss had her pliant to his wants and needs.

His hands found the button of her jeans. He popped it free and pulled the fabric apart. The zipper groaned and gave way under pressure. Kera sucked in a breath and fumbled for a grip on the back of his shirt. She pulled it over his head as he pushed down her jeans. Cool air hit her skin causing her to shiver. His shirt was tossed to the side with abandon. Her greedy hands caressed every inch of his golden skin. His muscles tensed and released under her fingertips.

His lips left hers. His hands gripped her shoulders and turned her around to face the wall. Maddox sucked in a breath; one hand grabbed hers and set it against the wall above her head. The other worked at his jeans. The sound of the fabric rustling had her in a frenzy of anticipation. His free hand wrapped around her waist. He slammed into her in the next moment causing her breath to hiss out from her lungs. Kera groaned as he pulled back and pushed back in slowly this time.

“God, Kera.” He murmured.

She nodded in agreement as he continued to press in and out of her. Her voice was lost in the whirlwind of sensation assaulting her body. Cool air was replaced by hot skin and warm breath. It was more than just sex. More than just a physical act that satisfied her hormones. Kera connected to Maddox deep within her heart as he moved deeply inside of her body. His skin was a balm to her frayed reality. The act was primal. The fresh air blended with his scent. She breathed deeply and suppressed a loud moan that threatened to escape her mouth. Kera realized that sex wasn’t just an animal need. It was the joining of souls. Even outside against a wall.

Maddox pressed into her again and paused. Kera groaned when the friction stopped. “Please.” She whimpered.

“Sicut et nos unum fiunt, facere vos minaret. Aeternum.”

Kera sucked in a breath and held it inside her lungs. She felt the muscles in her stomach quiver and ach
e for relief. The words he spoke lifted a burden from her. “Maddox,” she whispered reverently, “Sicut et nos unum fiunt, facere vos minaret. Aeternum.”

He bit her neck in the same place as before. His had tightened on hers and his arm pulled her waist closer to him. He went so deep she moaned. He slowly retreated and slammed back inside of her. He mated with her swiftly and she exploded into blissful pieces around him.

Maddox pressed against her a few more times before his came inside of her. His arms tightened around her back and his forehead fell against her shoulder. “Please let it work this time.” He murmured against her skin.

Kera’s breath caught in her throat. She felt her heart pound in her chest as he panted. “It will work, Maddox.” She promised him. “Nothing will keep us apart.”

He bit at her skin playfully as he pulled his body from hers and turned her around. He kissed her softly on the lips before he stepped back and kicked his shoes and pants toward his discarded shirt. “Come run with me.” He murmured just before he shifted into a beautiful white wolf.

Kera pulled her pants up and fastened them before she shifted. Fang came out with a bang. She ran and tackled Maddox’s wolf and began to nip at his ears. Maddox rolled out from under her and climbed on top of her. His weight made it hard for her to crawl away. Once she
got out of his grasp she bounded off into the brush. Maddox chased her until they met up with Nick. Kera pawed at him to say hello.

She was pleased to see he had a beautiful silver coat of fur with dark hair mixed in at his paws and underbelly. It was a relief to know that he wasn’t the brown wolf who had attacked her. She hadn’t even realized that she was wary of him until she knew for sure what he looked like in his wolf form.

Nick threw his ears back and bowed before her with his tail between his legs. He pawed at the ground playfully and yipped.

Kera snorted and swatted at him with her paw. She wasn’t sure of the etiquette between wolves and panthers but she tried her best and Nick seemed to take it in stride. For hours they played together. Maddox stayed by her side, sometimes standing over her as a show of ownership. He growled at Nick if he made too much contact with her but it never went any further than that. Kera and Fang were both pleased with the amount of affection she received from both wolves. Though she seemed to fight certain instincts, she felt Fang would eventually get used to playing with them unabashed.

When the sun began to set her stomach rumbled. Maddox whined and brought her attention to his eyes. They were the same in both human and wolf form. His mood either darkened or lightened the blue irises. Now they were almost white with contentment. Kera rolled on her side and thrust her paws in the air playfully. Maddox sauntered over to her with his ears and tail perked up in confidence. He nipped at her neck and hummed a soft growl.