Beast's Claim: An Alpha Shifter Romance Read online

  “Protect yourself from all things, including your imaginary fears.”

  Well, I had a feeling I wasn’t imagining things.

  I closed the vehicle door, slipping the knife into my pocket before snapping the light source and advancing. If a group of Breeds actually thought they were going to scare me, they had another think coming.

  Raven...

  Hearing my name was startling, but I was well aware I could be imagining things, the various visions that had interrupted my sleep remaining in the forefront of my mind. Then why were there goosebumps popping on every inch of skin? Why was my mouth dry? And why was my body aching all over?

  From raging desire.

  From the thought of his carved body?

  I ventured even closer to the edge of the forest, gazing back and forth. The trees were dense, the facility on former private property, sequestered by the government and the company I was working for. My instincts were on high alert, my heart hammering against my chest. Very slowly, I eased the knife into my hand as I decided to venture further into the ominous shadows. The scents of the forest were intense, moss and mud from the recent rains filtering into my nostrils.

  I’d taken a short walk in the same location during the daylight, even gathering a few pinecones, but the area seemed far more secluded in the nighttime. While the light was usually powerful, it was obvious the cells needed to be replaced. At least I was able to see a solid ten feet in front of me.

  While I’d been an adventurer my entire life, I wasn’t a stupid woman. I’d taken various self-protection courses, including the use of various weapons that the majority of perpetrators would find themselves hurting after an attempted attack.

  That didn’t include Breeds. They were faster, stronger, and far more dangerous than any human. While the moon attempted to break through the canopy of trees, within seconds, the darkness was overpowering even though I continued going for several additional yards. The light stick did little other than highlight the eerie shapes and fallen limbs.

  My wayward venture wasn’t going to do me any good. If there was a creature hiding in the shadows, I doubted he, she, or they would dare make an appearance. Exhaling, I took several steps away until I heard the cracking of a piece of wood.

  Then silence.

  Then the most intense and terrifying growl I’d ever heard, the guttural sound reverberating in the dense air. When I heard a series of cracks, I eased against a tree. The noise wasn’t the same as I’d heard before. No, it was entirely different, as if...

  I couldn’t even stomach the thought.

  A hard thump was followed by a doleful moan.

  A trickle of fear slid into me, leaving it difficult to breathe. I attempted to back away slowly, knowing that if this was a Breed in his animal form, he’d returned to his natural state with tendencies that including hunting for prey. I refused to become his meal.

  If the sound was what I thought it to be, I could be in even more danger.

  When there was no additional noise, I took off sprinting, jerking around to face the parking lot.

  Just as the lights were powered off.

  Fuck.

  If I could get to the car, I’d have a shot at making it out of the location alive. I weaved my way through the trees, daring to glance over my shoulder twice. When I did so the third time, I felt the creature’s presence.

  His presence.

  The man who’d been summoning me.

  Hungering for me.

  Suddenly everything happened in slow motion when I shifted my head, holding the light in front of me, every cell in my body exploding as if on fire. A massive creature stood in front of me, only he was no beast. He was glorious in his nakedness, his sculpted muscles and chiseled jaw a thing of beauty. Standing at least six foot five inches, his muscular structure was well defined, as if carved out of stone. Long dark hair swept over his shoulders, his lips the color of perfect roses. His eyes were his most intense feature; emerald green with fiery swirls of luminescent gold shimmering in the darkness.

  And his cock.

  Dear fucking God, his cock was the thing fantasies were made of. Long and thick, I could sense it was throbbing even from where I was standing.

  Massive.

  Rugged.

  Dominant.

  Alpha.

  The four words reverberated in my mind over and over again, as well as a fifth.

  Predatory.

  He took a single step closer, his gaze sweeping down to my boots then slowly back to my eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off his cock or his balls hanging low, obviously filled with seed. When he growled again, the deep rumble was almost as terrifying as it had been before. His scent was musky, exotic, and ripe with testosterone, the fragrance more intoxicating than any alcohol I’d ever consumed.

  While fear remained trickling throughout my body, there was also some insane level of desire, my nipples aching and my pussy clenching. I was sick to my stomach at the realization that I was turned on by this beast.

  A god.

  A dark angel.

  A predator.

  “Ra-ven,” he said, his voice barely audible.

  But I heard him. I could tell he’d come for me and I wasn’t entirely certain he was going to let me go. “Who are you?”

  He cocked his head, taking another guarded step in my direction, this time gazing directly at the knife. “The man who will own you.”

  “No. That isn’t going to happen.” I wasn’t entirely certain I spoke the words, my body so aroused that there were echoes of my heartbeat floating into my ears. Heat from the electricity of our connection was overpowering, soaking my panties from the extreme arousal that enveloped my body. There was no doubt what was on his mind or what he planned on doing.

  Capturing me.

  Using me.

  Fucking me.

  I was floored at my body’s reactions to a stranger. The monstrous yet glorious specimen of a man stood like a primal god preparing for a feast. In fact, I considered it blasphemous, a betrayal of my common sense. Yet there was no denying my attraction or the way my nipples were aching to the point of extreme pain. Taking a purposeful step away from him, I held the knife in front of me, trying to control my breathing.

  He beckoned to me with a single finger, his nostrils flaring. “Come to me, Raven.”

  Like hell that was going to happen. Whatever the bizarre connection we shared, I refused to fall victim to his... desires. “That’s not going to happen, buddy. I’m not for sale or for the taking.”

  A smile crossed his face, his expression one of amusement, but there was no doubt about his intentions, his cock standing at full attention. “I said. Come. To. Me.”

  “And I said. Not. A. Fucking. Chance. In. Hell.” That’s when I decided to take off running, only I was forced to head deeper into the forest. There was no sound of the man... the monster chasing me, but I knew he was right behind me. Still amused.

  Still aroused.

  “If you run, you will be punished.”

  Punished? He had to fucking be kidding me. Who the hell did he think he was?

  I powered on, my heart racing, the oppressiveness of the dense forest tickling at my sense of survival. I’d never heard of a Breed acting in this manner. While there’d been skirmishes for years, Breeds who’d disobeyed the laws of our country, there’d been few attacks on humans.

  At least that I’d heard of.

  Run. Run. Run.

  I shifted behind a tree, trying to catch my breath.

  He was likely baiting me, waiting for the opportune moment to reach out and grab me. I pressed on, refusing to fall prey to my fear of the unknown. Instead, I was determined to remain riled, allowing the anger to fuel my adrenaline.

  When I heard the most provocative low-slung growl, a shiver trickled down my spine. Not out of fear. Not out of self-preservation.

  Out of raging lust.

  My God, I was turned on by the entire experience. I had to be out of my fucking mind. What I k
new for certain was that I remained wet and hot all over, the scent of my leaking pussy filtering into my nostrils. The thought was revolting.

  Seductive.

  Delicious.

  Fuck me. I was losing it. Why did he excite me, breaking through all the barriers I’d placed around myself? And why did I have fleeting images of being tied down, fucked savagely? I took off running again, another growl permeating the night air. I raced away from my perch, scanning the perimeter, unable to see anything. The damn light stick was basically useless, the glow likely giving away my location.

  Unless he could see in the dark.

  Of course he could. All Breeds had increased powers. Sight. Sound. Taste. Feel. Smell.

  And strength.

  They could crush a man with their bare hands, bend steel at will, and run faster than any human ever had.

  This was merely a game to him, and one he had no intention of losing.

  When I tripped over a fallen limb, forced against a massive oak, I let out a horrific gasp as I struggled to hold onto the knife.

  “Ra-ven.”

  Even the way he called out my name was sexy as hell, driving into the very core of me. I dragged my tongue across my lips. I could almost taste him. His mouth. His cock. His... Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  The single crack from behind me propelled me into action. I swung around just as his hand wrapped around my wrist, wrenching it to the point I was forced to drop the knife. A slight whimper escaped my mouth as he yanked me against the heat of his chest. The feel of his cock pressed against my stomach was incredible, my mouth watering at the thought of having the tip inside. Oh, my God. I could no longer think clearly, had no way of understanding what was going on with me. His eyes were glowing, pulling me into a surreal moment, allowing me to see his true beast inside, one clawing to get to the surface.

  As the light stick slipped out of my fingers, the iridescent shimmer of his eyes remained, burning intently into my mind.

  He eased his other hand over my shoulder, his fingers digging into my neck, lifting me onto my tiptoes. When he lowered his head, I smacked my fist against his chest, a strangled sound erupting from my throat.

  “You will be punished,” he whispered, his chest heaving.

  “You’re crazy. I don’t belong to you. I don’t obey your orders.”

  A slight smile crossed his face, his lip curling as he lowered his head. “You do now.” When he crushed his mouth over mine, another explosion of sensations rocketed through me, searing every nerve ending.

  I was thrown by the taste and feel of him, the way he dominated my tongue with ease, as if he was drinking from my very soul. A fire burned deep within me, blazing hot and threatening to consume every inch of me. I’d never felt anything so addictive, my hunger off the charts. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I had to fight him, to do everything in my power to get away.

  A part of me didn’t want to. A larger part wanted nothing more than to succumb, to allow him full control. As the kiss became more passionate, a wild roar of desperate needs, I became lightheaded, no longer able to focus. I couldn’t seem to get ahold of my emotions or my raging libido, the desire almost crippling. The feel of his hard body only added fuel to the fire, my legs shaking to the point I would have fallen had he not been holding me.

  He dug his fingers into my neck as his actions became more brutal, grinding his hips back and forth.

  Tempting me.

  Igniting me.

  What in the hell was going on? How could this be happening? All the questions became muddled together as he became the wild beast that I knew him to be, growls slipping past our lips, the sound reverberating all around us. I could swear all the night creatures had scuttled away in fear of the monster.

  The alpha.

  The prince of his kind.

  While I had no way of knowing what species of Breed, I could sense his true power, a man who ruled with an iron fist. And he was pulling me into his world, his kingdom, the kind of darkness that threatened to swallow me whole.

  When he finally broke the kiss, his breathing ragged, his grip on me loosened. The single moment broke me free from the trance I was under. I shoved my fists hard against him, able to shift to the side and race into the night. I should have known better than to try to get away. Within two seconds, he’d snagged my arm, once against pulling me against him.

  Only this time, the look on his face was exactly as I would have expected from his beast. Carnal. As if he was going to eat me alive.

  As if he’d feast on every inch of my body.

  “You don’t understand who I am or what I can do, little girl. You will pay for your disobedience.” There was no hesitation as he ripped away at my clothes, tossing my shirt into the darkness, shredding the zipper before yanking the material of my pants over my hips.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I squealed, furious that I seemed to be in suspended animation as he wrapped a single finger around the thin elastic of my panties, snapping his wrist.

  “Giving you the punishment that you deserve, one that you will remember for a long time.” Every sound he made was guttural, the tone so deep and seductive that my pussy clenched and released several times.

  “What the fuck does that mean?” I demanded, finally struggling with him, pummeling my fists against his chest.

  “That means you’re getting one hard spanking.”

  I was shocked at his actions, the vehemence he used as he yanked me to the ground, immediately tossing me over a fallen log. I scrambled to try to get away but when he pressed his hand against the small of my back, I knew I was going nowhere, yet I refused to stop trying.

  “Get off me, you brute. You’re nothing but a monster.” I managed to kick him, his loud roar indicating I’d hit my mark. When he fisted my hair, yanking my head up several inches, I was forced to take gasping breaths.

  The weight of him was oppressive as he leaned over me, yet every cell in my body tingled with anticipation, my nipples swollen and aching. As he dragged his rough tongue up along the side of my neck, the sound he made was all beast.

  “Yes. I. Am.” A single chuckle erupted from his mouth before he grazed his teeth across my skin, blowing an excessive amount of hot air over my cheek.

  My skin tingled, the surging rush of electricity dancing into every cell and muscle. How could I be so turned on by this brute? This asshole? This... Beast? Nothing seemed rational or real as he brought his hand down, the brutal smack across my bottom jarring. Panting, I dug my fingers into the sense bark as the light breeze whipped across us. Every noise seemed amplified, every crackling sound unlike anything I’d ever heard.

  “You will obey my every command,” he boomed as he delivered a hard volley of savage smacks, peppering one side of my bottom then the other.

  Pain roared into me like a freight train, jetting through every inch of my body. Gasping for air, I did everything I could to fight him, trying to get out of his hold, but his fingers remained tangled in my long strands, the leverage so damn powerful.

  I was exhausted from trying as the pain shifted into utter anguish, sliding down both legs and curling my toes. “Stop or else.”

  “Or else?” he asked, laughing. “There is nothing you can do.”

  “I’ll scream. I’ll hunt you down.”

  The growl he issued was completely animalistic, the rumble floating into the innermost portions of my body. “That’s where you are wrong. I will always be the hunter and you the prey. You will never be far from me ever again.”

  I wasn’t certain whether to take his words as a threat or a promise. Another sickening wave of excitement surged through me, my heart racing to the point I was terrified of having a heart attack.

  Yet the spanking continued, brutal and harsh, and very practiced.

  And my desire continued to increase.

  As if I’d always belonged to him.

  As if he’d marked me.

  The rough smacks continued for at least a couple of a
dditional minutes and all I could concentrate on were his guttural sounds. What shocked the hell out of me was the way the pain began to morph, becoming moments of raw bliss. Even the sound of his palm slicing against my naked skin was a powerful aphrodisiac, driving me to the point of madness.

  I was catapulted into another stratosphere, no longer able to believe this was actually happening.

  Taken by a beast.

  Forced to submit to his every desire.

  As if he owned me.

  My God, was that even possible? Of course it was. The king of the lions had taken a human mate, potentially saving every human. Why me? Why now?

  Every part of me didn’t want to believe I’d been chosen, our fates connected.

  Breathless, the heat building up in my bottom was tremendous, the ache and sting something I would remember. When he was finished, he released my hair, shoving his body against mine. He ground his hips across my bruised skin, his cock sliding over my swollen pussy lips. “Oh... Oh...” There was no way I could hold back a series of whimpers as he continued taunting me, increasing the dire hunger building to the point of frenzy.

  “You’re wet for me, little pet. So fucking wet. You like being taken roughly,” he spouted off, his tone husky.

  “No. Fuck you.”

  His laugh sent another wave of sensations dancing down my spine and when he shoved several fingers into my channel, I gasped, issuing a howl of my own.

  “Very wet,” he murmured, flexing his fingers open as he thrust them hard and fast. “I can’t wait to take you. Claim you.”

  “I will kill you for this,” I hissed, my words barely audible.

  “You may try. You will never succeed. Because you will soon learn what it means to be treated like a queen.”

  What the hell?

  He pumped his fingers vigorously, curling them until he was able to slice the tips across my G-spot. His growls became more barbaric, possessive.