Beast's Claim: An Alpha Shifter Romance Read online

  I was thrown into utter euphoria, my body shaking. I knew within seconds he was going to shove me into an orgasm. While I fought my body’s betrayal, trying desperately to keep from coming, there was no way to hold back. “Oh, God. Oh. Oh. Oh!” A climax ripped through me with a vengeance, stripping me of the last of my sanity, the ecstasy more powerful than any I’d ever experienced in my life.

  My moans and savage sounds matched his, my body undulating in an effort to have his fingers driven deeper. He obliged, slamming all four fingers inside until the single orgasm became a second. Then a wave splashing over me with ferocity.

  “Uh. Uh. Uh. Uh.” The sound floated into the night air. So primal. So savage. It was as if I was becoming another creature of the night.

  I had no way of knowing how long the sensations lasted, but when he shoved his thumb into my asshole, I let out a high-pitched scream.

  “Every hole is mine. Every. Single. One. And they will be used and taken as I see fit.”

  There were no words of rebuttal, nothing forming in my mind. I was lost to the pleasure.

  Seconds later, he mounted me, driving the entire length of his cock into my pussy. “Fuck!” My muscles strained, attempting to accept his thick cock. He was so huge, so damn long that it filled me completely. Every muscle ached as he pounded long and hard, the force shoving me into the tree. He was a wild man, a beast taking what he wanted.

  What he believed he owned.

  I was powerless to stop his ruthless fucking, every tendon and cell on fire as he let out a series of roars. I had no doubt he was telling the animal kingdom that he’d found his mate. As twisted as the thought remained, my body shaking from his powerful thrusts, I wanted more.

  Craved more.

  Couldn’t live without more.

  “You are mine. Mine! And next time, I will take you in your tight little asshole,” he promised.

  I could no longer feel my legs as he thrust all the way into my womb, every action animalistic. The euphoria I felt was coupled with the realization that he’d stripped me of anything rational, as well as whatever had been left of my humanity.

  When I sensed he was ready to release, I closed my eyes and squeezed, clamping around his cock like a tight vise. His body shook violently and as he threw his head back and roared, he erupted deep inside.

  Filling me with his seed.

  Chapter Three

  Jabari

  Death.

  I’d come to realize that death was an inevitable part of our world. The world of the Breeds. I snickered as I eased onto my bike, the motorcycle something I’d resurrected from a human’s past life. It was my one vice, something that I took great pride in having restored, the Harley considered my baby. The beast of a machine also allowed me to take long rides into what humans called the forbidden zone, an area of wildlands marred by the remaining destruction of the great wars. Certain areas had also been confiscated by what humans called dissidents, well-organized groups of criminals and Breed haters who remained determined to rid the earth of every one of us.

  They were violent as well as trained, men and women developing a civilization of their own. From what had been rumored, there were various gangs of them all throughout the United States. While they rarely attempted to fuck with the Breeds, when they did, there was usually a small war in the making.

  And they never won.

  However, death still remained a part of our world. Since the great king, a white lion, had mated with a human, very little had changed other than we’d gained our freedom, a treaty signed by the president of the United States. From my experience, that was just a bunch of bullshit, propaganda in order for the good people in the country to be able to sleep at night. We were still being accosted, many captured for unknown reasons, although the various Claws, Prides, and Streaks had their own views.

  As well as their methods of handling the dissidents, our particular Claw no exception. I would have hunted every one of the groups down if it weren’t for the leader of our large population forbidding me to do so.

  The leader. My father. One wise and powerful man.

  Sadly, his ancient belief that we would thrive once again wasn’t one that any member of the Claw believed. They needed their alpha to take over, to lead the way out of the darkness.

  Something I’d fought against doing for many years.

  I snarled at the thought.

  While the entire lion species was growing stronger every day, cubs being born on a regular basis, there were few Claws that could report any new cubs born. Many who had been continued to die just after their births, as it had been for decades. The promises made that the serum discovered had been proven effective in allowing the Breeds to return to their natural form had been bogus or at least not of any importance. Additional research was needed, or so we’d been told time and time again.

  The only problem was that every scientist working in the fields of biology, chemistry, DNA evolution, and various disease controls had been tasked to find the cure for the human disease threatening to push them into extinction. That left the Breeds to wait.

  And continue suffering.

  And I was pissed off as fuck.

  After starting the engine, I took a deep whiff of the scents encasing the small village our Claw pack had accepted as our home, so many still unable to shift back into their panther form. Happiness was fleeting, overwhelming despair taking a toll on everyone. I’d been tasked by my father to work with the government to attempt to bring a fair resolution on how to end our plight.

  As if that was going to happen. The governor couldn’t give a shit.

  I loathed the position, hated everything about humans no matter who the fuck they were or the power they held. In my mind, they were the monsters. Few other Breeds had succumbed to their demands, even angry that I had to audacity to sit down with any members of the government.

  Distrust was prevalent within all species, both human and beast.

  As I roared down the cracked pavement road, my thoughts drifted to the beautiful human I’d taken the night before. Her scent remained all over me, filling every cell and muscle. It had remained intoxicating for the entire night, the remaining hunt exhilarating. I’d watched her for weeks, knowing that she was the one. I’d been shocked the moment I’d sensed her, the scent unmistakable. While I’d fought the inevitable, I hadn’t been able to resist her or the need furrowing deep inside.

  Now she was marked, although her identity could remain hidden at least for now.

  Once the realization leaked, that could place her life in danger.

  The unsettling feeling was powerful, but I would be forced to bide my time. Unlike the lions, who’d accepted humans as mates, panthers wanted nothing to do with them on any level. It would take a significant change for my kind to accept my decision or the woman herself.

  The rush of air against my face made what I was about to do almost tolerable, the freedom allowed incredible. Even though the roads were nearly destroyed, the scenery still a brutal reminder of what had occurred decades before, the quietness of the ride, the beauty of nature was breathtaking.

  Much like the feisty human.

  She was different than others, her aura indicating a connection with the animals in an entirely different way. However, I would also need to be careful with her. She was a scientist after all, someone who was also working for the government. I would find out soon enough if she could be trusted.

  Minutes later, I approached the city limits, slowing the bike as I rolled past the grid protecting the city. While the Breeds looked no different than any other human, I could always sense when one had determined I was a lowly beast. Perhaps the big bad biker on a Harley gave it away. As I headed toward the government complex, anger rushed into my system. The last thing I wanted to do was spend time with the fucking governor, a man who was as pompous and arrogant as any human I’d met. However, it was my job. An honor, my father had called my representation. I was merely the only one capable of controlling my rage
.

  Maybe the governor actually had something to offer for a change.

  I rolled to the single gate allowing entrance, studying the twelve-foot steel wall surrounding the complex. The man lived and worked in a freaking fortress, threats on his life made on a regular basis. The United States was still at war with themselves; they simply had no understanding that for all their posturing, all the months or years spent on obtaining the perfect serum, they were still doomed to extinction.

  At least in my opinion.

  However, that would mean the Breeds would rule once again. My cock ached just thinking about it. At least the chemical change had extended our life as well as increasing our senses and powers. Some of us could even live to three hundred years, although I wasn’t entirely certain I wanted to be around at that point.

  The guard gave me his usual snarl yet allowed me to pass through, the required identification a chip implanted in my arm. The bastards could find me anywhere if they wanted. One day I would carve the motherfucker out of my skin. Even when I shifted into my beast, the shit remained.

  I pulled the bike into the appropriate location, eyeing the attendant as I climbed off. “Anything happens to this and you die.”

  The man snickered but nodded, used to my harshness. He also knew better than to fuck with me. I would rip out his throat in a heartbeat.

  As I walked into the building, holding out my arms, I grimaced as the soldiers immediately frisked me. Like I needed to carry a weapon with me, although there was a hidden stash of them at our village. We were prepared for any enemy who dared to challenge us. Fuck the humans.

  And fuck other Breeds, including the tigers. They had no love for our species.

  When the guards were finished, I stormed toward the stairs, taking them two at a time. The asshole’s office was on the fourth floor, sequestered behind yet another steel door. I almost laughed at the concept. If anyone wanted to get to the governor and end his life, all they had to do was follow him to the house of his mistress, where he went almost every day. A little known secret, but one I was glad to have stored in my memory banks. You never knew when you’d need information.

  Or as the humans stated on a frequent basis, information was power.

  When I was allowed inside, I was forced to wait for several minutes and I wasn’t a patient man.

  “Jabari. The governor will see you now.”

  While the receptionist’s tone was bland, there was no doubt by the look in her eyes that she wouldn’t mind spending time in my bed. That was the way of certain females, their desire to taste one of the Breeds the ultimate fantasy.

  Unlike the lovely Raven who seemed to shy away from her own burning desires. My mate would soon learn the meaning of true ecstasy.

  My cock twitched just thinking about taking her all over again, shoving my shaft into every hole. I was a true primal beast, my hunger threatening to consume my every waking thought. I’d never been reckless with a female, had never allowed my yearning to interfere with anything. I’d also only tasted a human female on a few occasions. Something about this particular human was entirely different, as if I’d been drugged with a portion of her essence. The realization was disturbing.

  While I’d hungered for a mate, I’d refused to believe the tall tales that when I found one, she’d be human and would save the entire panther species. What a crock of shit, but given the constant ache, the hunger building, I would soon be forced to face the fact the stories held merit.

  Fuck.

  When I walked into the governor’s office, I couldn’t help but chuckle. He always greeted me in the same manner; standing at his floor-to-ceiling window overlooking a beautiful garden. Dressed in the usual black suit with a crisp white shirt, he wanted nothing more than to make certain I knew he was the bigger man.

  “Jabari,” the governor finally said after a full minute. When he turned, he gave me a look of disdain. I’d purposely worn blue jeans and a corresponding tee-shirt, refusing to kowtow to the requirements when facing members of the upper level of government.

  “Governor Aldridge. You requested my presence.” Michael Aldridge had ascended to this particular throne after the murder of the previous governor. Some said Michael had slaughtered the man himself in an effort to gain more power, his hunger aimed at the White House.

  “Yes, I did. Thank you for coming. I wanted to make you aware that there are two scientific labs that are in the final stages of producing Breed serum. They will need living specimens. Since you are an active member of the Breed Coalition, I thought you would like to offer some of your... beasts.”

  “For experimentation,” I said under my breath, attempting to curtail my rage. Did the asshole honestly think I’d allow a single panther to partake in such bullshit? While I wasn’t political on any level, my instinct told me this was a test of some kind. I managed to offer a smile even as a growl threatened to give away my anger. “While I appreciate the offer, Michael, that will never happen. My people are not specimens, nor will they fall prey to your government’s drugs. We will wait until a proven serum has been produced.”

  The tension was palpable.

  After thirty seconds, he walked closer, a smile of his own crossing his face. What I wouldn’t give to swipe away his expression. With my claws. “For some reason, you’re under the impression that what your kind thinks or wants actually matters. I don’t give a flying fuck whether or not the president of the United States gave you freedom. You’re nothing but worthless monsters in my book. While I might not have the ability to round you up like the beasts you truly are at this point in time, I will find a way. Make certain you understand that, Jabari. You’re nothing but a mistake.”

  I’d tempered the asshole’s nasty words for months, holding back my wrath. As my beast threatened to rise to the surface, I contemplated allowing it to do just that. Killing the fucker would bring me joy, although it would certainly start another war the Claw couldn’t afford.

  Not yet.

  But soon...

  I closed the distance, allowing him to hear my beast’s dissatisfaction. When I crowded his space, the fact he was desperately uncomfortable, his hand reaching for the panic button I knew was hidden under the lip of his desk provided amusement. I lifted my hand, prepared to wrap my fingers around his throat. The way his pulse ticked drew my attention.

  As well as my hunger.

  His arrogance didn’t surprise me. What did was learning there was an actual Breed serum. Was that the truth or were the scientist performing other types of experiments?

  “Governor, I think there’s something that you don’t understand. Allow me to make this perfectly clear because it seems that you have no. Fucking. Clue.” You worthless pig. As I felt the heat of his body exploding, I was forced to suppress my canines threatening to slide through my aching gums. “Breeds are far superior to humans, but it’s not only because we are capable of ripping out your throats without hesitation. Our superiority lies with our innate desire to remain loyal to our kind at all costs, something you could never understand.”

  Michael sucked in his breath, straining in order to get further away from me. I could smell the fear on his breath, could tell he was terrified of what I might do. Let him. The bastard was out to take down every Breed within close proximity.

  “I will convey your reluctance to give a shit about your... species, Jabari. I’m certain that will go over well.” He laughed. Let him take my reluctance to his friends and colleagues, some of whom felt exactly the same way he did. They were always looking for an excuse to imprison a Breed whenever possible.

  Laughing, I shifted away from him, slowly turning my head and allowing him to see my beast’s eyes. “You do what you need to do, Michael, and so will I.” As I stormed out of his office, I knew damn good and well I’d placed our village in further danger. However, I doubted he’d make an advance when the president of the United States had planned a visit in one week’s time. After that? There were no guarantees.

  We would be r
eady.

  Even if it meant dozens of humans sacrificing their lives.

  I stormed out of his office, loathing that I’d thought meeting with him would do any good.

  As I headed back to the village, I remained cautious of anyone who might be following. I couldn’t put anything past the governor. While our village location could easily be discovered because of the implanted scanner, I certainly wasn’t going to purposely lead a brigade right to the front door.

  When I rolled into the complex, I felt a pull from my father and headed in the direction of his house. We often didn’t get along, his acceptance of the humans just another aspect that had come between us. Still, I cared for him deeply, hoping one day we could resolve our issues. I eased the bike down the street where he lived, another round of anger shifting to the surface. In the human world, we lived like second class citizens, relegated to survive in the shitholes partially destroyed by the war.

  We’d once ruled a kingdom. Now, this crap. I found my father in his usual place, parked in front of a small telescan, embroiled in whatever news broadcast or entertainment venture we were allowed to view. He’d succumbed to despair after the death of my mother. However, he was the eldest and wisest within our community, his position affording absolute respect from everyone, including his own son.

  I moved to the small couch near him, taking a seat after a few seconds. “You wanted to see me, Pops?”

  At first, he didn’t respond, keeping his unblinking eyes planted on the vibrant screen. When he finally shifted, the look he gave me was one of disdain. With a wave of his hand, he shut down the telescan, his abilities surpassing any other panther within the Claw. When he stood, he inched closer, taking a deep whiff.

  I hated the old ways, decisions made on our keen senses and nothing else, but they’d kept our species alive after the war.

  Sighing, he walked toward the front window, staring out at the series of dilapidated homes, a once former pristine asphalt street that was little more than dirt and rocks.

  “You stink,” he said with no inflection.