Claimed by the Beasts: A Shifter Reverse Harem Romance Read online

  Trevor rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. You were just swooning over a hot babe. I know you.”

  “He can’t fool anyone,” Bristol added as he took a chug of his beer. “Glad to see you, man. You look good.”

  “And you look like shit,” Larken shot back, giving his buddy a bear hug.

  “Same old Larken.” Trevor grinned.

  Laughing, he eased onto the stool, studying the crowd. Bristol was considered another leader of the Pride, especially in his absence, even though the majority of his kind simply lived their lives. Work. Home. Family. Bristol did follow the trends as well as the actions of the locals, making certain the Pride was protected from a different perspective. His particular attributes? Strength and speed, as well as more knowledge about computers and social media than Larken would ever have. And together?

  They were considered lethal.

  “The big dog is back in town. Look out, ladies,” Bristol chortled.

  Larken had never taken to being considered the alpha, the natural born leader, king of his Pride. However, everything regarding their lives was about to change.

  “I wish. Haven’t found a hot babe since I came back.” Larken stole another glance around the bar. How many of the customers had any idea who and what they were? It was a crapshoot.

  “That was what, three hours ago? Don’t give me the bullshit,” Trevor teased and pushed a beer in his direction. “I ordered one for you. Figured you’d get your ass here eventually.”

  “I think the man is losing his touch,” Bristol snarked.

  “You both warm my heart. I came back for this shit.” Larken kept his tone a dull rumble. He took a whiff, inhaling the heady fragrances filling the darkened space. There were at least two undercover cops among the customers. He wasn’t certain what they were looking for, but their presence meant hackles were raised. “A lot of heat tonight.”

  “They’re not bothering anything, just paying attention,” Trevor half whispered, lifting his eyebrow.

  The murder. Of course. Everyone would be on high alert. Lafayette was many things, but in this area, everybody knew everybody’s business.

  “We’re here to relax. Right? And there are some fine-looking women if you ask me,” Bristol stated, issuing a slight growl.

  Larken raised an eyebrow. He’d had a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach all day. The moment he’d stepped off the plane, his lion instinct had been on hyper-drive. Unable to grasp why, he pushed off the series of sensations as he took a long pull on his beer. “You’re right.” Maybe he was going to have a difficult time relaxing.

  “Have you talked with the Elders since you came back, even your father?” Trevor finally asked, keeping his voice low.

  “No, went straight to the cabin to get settled in. Should I ask?” Larken asked, homing in on the various conversations around him. At least they weren’t the topic tonight. Everyone was having a good time, enjoying booze and music, nothing more. Their kind had lived in relative peace for centuries, only a few humans able to detect the beasts hiding in plain sight. It had been almost a hundred years since they’d been actively hunted, but that was no doubt going to change with the approaching Red Moon.

  “The curse. What else?” Trevor took a long gulp of his beer, his tone defiant. “Some of the boys have been creating a stink.”

  “Zane and Jax are just bullies, bucking for the alpha position. You know they are,” Bristol snarked.

  “Zane and Jax have a hell of the lot of the others like Rocco and Gunner on their side,” Trevor snapped. “They also have ties to the Demons.”

  “That’s not confirmed,” Bristol quipped. “We don’t need additional rumors floating around. We have enough shit to deal with as it is.”

  “What the hell is their issue?” Larken nursed his beer. He knew the answer. The Demons, the outcasts of several Prides in the Deep South had banded together almost twenty years before, increasing in numbers as other Prides admonished bad behaviors, including active hunting of humans. They’d never been taken seriously, easily fought until they slunk away in the night, resurfacing only during times of strife.

  Or a possible battle surrounding the Red Moon.

  Jackson Riker, Jax the Brute, as he was often called, was the village bully and always had been, constant anger creating a dangerous lion, capable of doing horrible deeds. He’d spent a couple of years in the state penitentiary for beating a man a death. However, the lion had endured his share of tragedies, including losing his wife and one of the last remaining children born into the Pride. If Jax had any control over other Pride members, he would need to be watched. If there was any chance he had connections to the Demons, a different strategy would need to be taken.

  The ancient ways and methods of handling traitors were brutal and unforgiving. Larken shunned the concept, at least for now.

  “You, being gone. You, ignoring your rightful place. You, being an asshole. Pick a topic, but some Pride members are listening, especially with the Red Moon approaching.” Trevor kept his voice low. “There’s real fear they will hook up with marauders from the Demons, plot against us.”

  He glanced at Trevor before shaking his head. “You know what I think. Utter crap. The Demons have no leader.”

  “You haven’t been around for a long time, my friend. The Demons have grown very powerful.” Bristol’s words were haunting. “There are wild stories of a savage monster, over six and a half feet tall, able to kill a man with his bare hands leading the motley group.” He only half laughed after spouting off the words.

  “Some truth to the stories. There are reports of vicious murders from North Carolina all the way down the coast. Unfortunately, his identity remains a secret, but we need to proceed with extreme caution.”

  Larken laughed harder as he shook his head. “Such bullshit.”

  “And what I think doesn’t matter.” Trevor bristled. “As usual.”

  Bristol held out his hand. “We’re friends, boys. Or do I need to remind you of that? You came back because you knew it was important, Larken. Because it’s time to lead all of us. Right?”

  Larken shrugged. He might be leading them straight into hell. He thought about the creature in the fire. Maybe the words were meant for him alone, to hunt this mysterious new leader.

  “Right?” Bristol jabbed him in the stomach.

  “Yeah, whatever.” Larken wasn’t ready to admit he’d seen the spirit in the fire, one of the signs of what so many were calling the apocalypse. But he would need to talk to his father. He’d been a fool to think he could live a normal life, refusing to accept whatever destiny had in store for him.

  Trevor snorted. “And you also know what has to be done. We are kindred. We are the leaders and the only ones to protect the Pride, even if it means fighting the Demons.”

  As if the majority wanted to be protected. What did he know any longer? He gulped half the bottle before turning in his friend’s direction. “Do you mean the part where we are required to find our mate, our shared mate and figure out a way to protect her, our queen?”

  “That has been told to the Pride for centuries, Larken. The Elders don’t lie.” Bristol’s words were quiet, said with absolute certainty. “This is important for all of us. Life or death. We have to follow the ancient script.”

  Important? Larken slowly glanced in his friend’s direction. Yeah, the blurred visions of a beautiful woman had stirred his natural instincts, the calling for his mate, but he continued his disbelief, no matter how many stories he’d heard. Even words from his father hadn’t swayed him. “First of all, the curse is a fairytale, concocted by our ancestors in order to keep us in line. Second, there is no princess meant for the three of us. Think about it. How could one woman tolerate a motley crew like us?” He grinned after saying the words until he noticed the strange look shared between the two men. “You really believe that there is this special woman out there.”

  “Been told in the writings,” Trevor said with no passion in his voice. “I gathered a
sense of her only hours ago, strong. She’s close.”

  “A sense of her. Well, then she’ll have to deal with us and our dominating ways,” Larken said before almost polishing off his beer. He was sick to his stomach. Why was he fighting so damn hard to pull away?

  “Dominating is right. She’ll be disciplined and controlled. There will be rules to follow.” Bristol’s eyes twinkled when he issued the statement, the lilt returning in his voice. “She will be owned in all ways.”

  “To do with as we please,” Trevor added. “And we will vow to protect her at all costs.”

  Owned. The concept was as ridiculous as it was tantalizing.

  “We haven’t shared a woman in years. Not certain I want to do that.” Larken made the comments casual. The creature in the fire had indicated the same. He knew his buddies were only half kidding. This is what they’d been told since they were children and what the Elders believed. Fighting the natural order was considered treason. One reason there were many in the Pride who would turn their backs on him, perhaps all three.

  You are the rightful king, yet you refuse to accept your position.

  How many times had he heard the chastising comment from others? His father had taken a huge risk in aiding him leaving town. They expected Larken to assume the role of being the leader. What the hell did he know about being king?

  The tension was palpable.

  “Not since you left for the bright lights of the big city and what’s not to want?” Trevor chortled, breaking the tense mood.

  “I pursued my passion. Can’t say that for you two.” Larken shook his head.

  “We tried, brother.” Trevor smiled.

  They drank their beer, remaining quiet.

  “Truth is, you placed us all in danger,” Bristol stated, his expression turning serious.

  “Look, I get that we need to talk Pride business, but I’m tired, I’m cranky as fuck, and I’m hungry and not necessarily for food.” For some reason his cock remained hard. As a sexy blonde walked past, his dick stirred again, pinching to the point he grimaced in pain.

  Trevor snorted. “She’s beautiful but not the one.”

  “If you want to point to this ‘one,’ please do so. Otherwise, I’m going to enjoy myself.”

  Bristol leaned over the table. “When was the last time you talked with the old lady?”

  “Viola?” Saying her name, Larken smiled. This was a blast from the past. He had a fondness for the older woman living on the outskirts of town. She’d taught him many things during his youth, including aspects about the supposed curse, which she completely believed in. The way she’d woven the stories seemed magical, even to a boy who was supposed to be king.

  The blonde girl stopped, licking her lips in appreciation before moving toward a table full of other women. Every few seconds, she tipped her head, giving him a heated glance.

  “She’s not well, or so I’ve heard.” Trevor said the words in a whisper. “Another reason I called you. Tried to find out any information, but no one is talking. I went by her place once, but she wasn’t there. Not like her at all.”

  “I haven’t talked to her since I left town. Why? Is there more to this, the frantic call?” He had the feeling his buddies weren’t telling him all the details and he sensed they were worried. Viola had been an advocate for decades, caring for the Pride in various ways, even protecting them as necessary. Her stories were legendary. Yeah, he’d try to see her at some point. He nodded in respect to the girl, studying the way her long blonde hair fell to her waist, the short skirt leading to exquisite legs. Yeah, he was hungry as hell.

  Bristol exhaled, his grip on the bottle firm. He glanced around the room and kept his voice low. “I believe Viola has a target on her back. Heard some of the locals talking. They don’t like what she has to say. You know she believes in the curse and if she believes the Red Moon is approaching, she will create an uproar with the other humans. Even certain members of the Pride will try to shut her down to keep her quiet if nothing else.”

  “That’s nothing new. She’s always created an uproar with her stories. Why are you telling me this now?” Larken glanced from one to the other as the blonde walked past again, on her away to the bathroom, her eyes landing on his chest then dropping to his bulging crotch. She blew him a kiss, a blatant invitation and one he didn’t want to turn down.

  “Just heard a few things. That’s all. You might want to check on her.” Trevor tapped the table before easing out of his seat. “I’m going to grab another round.”

  He waited until Trevor had left before leaning closer to Bristol. “What’s really going on?”

  Bristol hesitated before answering. “If the curse is correct, the Red Moon occurs during the next cycle, which is in a few days. That could mean we’re all in danger. If there’s no truth to the ancient teachings, then we’ll celebrate our good fortune.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard all this. You really believe in this bullshit. Don’t you?”

  “I know what I feel in my loins, Larken, stronger in the last few days. My senses are heightened, my desires increased. We’re required to mate. I see changes in the Pride as well. I can feel other creatures moving away, fearing what might happen. The wolves protected us for years, but even they’ve disappeared. If they are leaving, then we need to take note. You have to sense there is a battle looming.”

  “And the talk regarding the Demons?” Larken clenched his fist, forced to admit his own hunger had increased, the pull to shift and feed difficult to resist.

  He took a gulp of his beer, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, waiting for a group of men to walk by. “If we are this famished, imagine what they’re feeling. They will stop at nothing to take what they want. You have to believe.”

  He sat back in his seat, refusing to admit to anything. He certainly wasn’t going to tell him he sensed their mate was already in town. “What I believe doesn’t matter and nothing is going to get solved tonight. I’m going to check on the blonde. After all, I am a red-blooded American boy.”

  “Wait, there’s more.”

  “Dare I ask?”

  Bristol hunkered down, keeping his voice low. “There has been more than one murder.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Slaughters just outside of town.” He lifted his face, staring into Larken’s eyes.

  “Jesus Christ. That’s all we need.”

  “As you can imagine, the townspeople are on edge. Already there are rumors, beasts of the Bayou. We have to be careful.”

  “Let me guess, Jax and his clan or are you suggesting the Demons have already arrived?” Larken grew angry.

  “From what I’ve seen and heard, there’s no sign of the Demons, but Jax has no fear of opening his mouth, making claims regarding the Pride’s future. As if the asshole has any clue, but as you can imagine, no one is pointing fingers in the Pride. So many think it’s our natural right. They are waiting.”

  “We kill for food and never humans. That’s the law.”

  “No one in the village enforcing the law. Even the Elders no longer have full control, although there have been bi-weekly mandated meetings for weeks in an effort to stay the course,” Bristol stated, his face pinched. “I have to tell you, I’m really worried.”

  Allowing a slow breath to escape, he finally realized the seriousness of what they were facing. “Yeah? Well, nothing I can do anything about tonight.”

  Bristol clamped his hand around Larken’s arm. “If our true mate is in town, we don’t have any choice. Securing her and bringing her to the village will help ease tension, set everything in the right direction. You know that.”

  “I am alpha. I will decide.”

  Lifting his arm, he gave Larken a respectful nod. “Just be mindful of your decisions, Larken. They affect all of us.”

  Larken wanted to retort, but he gave a respectful nod. “Keep your ear to the ground. We need to know if Jax has lost allegiance. If he has, he and his buddies will be banished.” Or killed. He dragged h
is tongue across his teeth, the slight eruption of his canines a telling statement. He was losing control.

  “Will do.”

  He huffed as he left the table, sauntering toward the darkened hallway. Yeah, there were certain instincts sticking in his craw, but he refused to fall into the same trap that his ancestors had. And yes, the murders were disconcerting. However, his generation had been able to accomplish what others hadn’t. Living completely as a human. The joy in being normal he wasn’t ready to give up.

  At least without a fight.

  But he prayed to God the Demons weren’t in the vicinity.

  As he walked into the hallway, he took a deep whiff. He’d been able to smell her perfume, the exotic scent filling his nostrils. He was intrigued with her call to him, her desire for a stranger. After waiting for only a few seconds, he pushed his hand against the bathroom door leading to the women’s room. She stood in the corner, as if waiting for him alone.

  “Hi,” she said, her voice filled with a seductive husk.

  “Hello.”

  “I saw you watching me.” She pushed away from the wall, inching closer, her lower lip pouting.

  “I thought you were watching me. What’s your name?”

  “Candy. As in candy cane.” A slight giggle pushed from her mouth. “I’ve been looking for a big strong daddy like you.”

  Daddy. He held back a growl as his balls swelled. The whiff of her pussy was enough to set him over the edge. “And what does Daddy need to do to you?”