Royal Shifters Series

Book 8: Raelynn

The entire night was spent either pacing my bedroom floor, staring out the window, or sitting outside in the snow. Dany didn’t bother me because she knew I wanted to be alone. It’s not like she could help me anyway. The war is inside of my body, and only I can be the one to figure it out. Every time I would think of Soren, something would push him out. It’s almost as if it was an invisible force. The same thing would happen when I’d picture Micah in my mind. There was a wall that would try to block me from him, but it never succeeded. The pull I feel with Micah always wins out. Is that my answer? I have to believe it is, and if so, I dread what happens next.

Micah’s words about Soren have repeated through my mind the entire night. The concern he has about Soren hurting me is alarming. Does he see something in Soren that I don’t? Out of the four months I’ve been around him, he’s never been aggressive. Then again, people do change; they hurt those they love. Still, I can’t imagine Soren ever physically hurting me.

When I look at the clock, and the bold, red number reads nine o’clock, I slide out of bed. I have no idea where Soren’s taking me today, so I decide to dress in a pair of black leggings and a long, green sweater. Hopefully, it’ll do for what he has planned.

The sound of Stark’s truck rumbles to life, and I look out the window to see him walking over this way. My eyes feel like sandpaper as I walk into the bathroom, and I blink a few times to see if that’ll help. It doesn’t. My reflection in the mirror shows exactly how I feel. My face is pale, my eyes are red, and my blonde hair is a tangled mess. I look like death warmed over. I put on a little bit of powder and mascara and run a brush through my hair before going downstairs to face Dany and Stark.

They’re both standing in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee when I walk in. Dany has her platinum blonde hair in a high ponytail that hangs down in curls and is dressed in a pair of jeans, boots, and her red leather jacket. She reminds me of Emma Swan in Once Upon a Time, one of our favorite TV shows besides Outlander. That outfit is what she likes to wear when she’s out working an investigation. Stark, on the other hand, always has on a pair of jeans and one of his many T-shirts that hugs his muscular arms and chest. The man can be menacing to those who don’t know him, but deep down, he’s a jokester with a heart of gold. Not many people have seen that side of him because he’s had to be the protector for the past seventeen years, always on guard. I’m ready for him to be free to live his own life and not have to worry about Dany and me.

Dany gives me a small smile, but it’s Stark who breaks the silence. “So, how did your night go? Make any decisions?”

My chest constricts around my heart, making it hard to breathe. I’m already terrified about facing Soren in an hour. “My night was confusing,” I admit, in all honesty. “Soren’s coming to pick me up at ten, and I have no clue what I’m going to say to him.”

Dany sets her coffee cup in the sink and faces me. “What do you want to say to him?”

The burn behind my eyes intensifies, and I shrug. “I don’t know. Hurting Soren breaks my heart. He’s been good to us.”

Dany pulls me into her arms. “It’ll be okay, Rae. I’m here for you, and we’ll do whatever you want. But, if you decide to stay, Stark and I won’t leave you. You’ll always have us.”

Blinking away my tears, I hug her tight. “I love you so much.”

She giggles. “I know you do.”

“Does Micah know you’re going off with Soren today?” Stark questions.

Dany lets me go, and I nod at him. “Yeah, he’s not happy about it.”

Stark bobs his head in agreement. “Of course not. No wolf wants their mate around another unmated male.” That’s what makes this whole situation even more volatile. Stark finishes his coffee and rinses out his cup. “Dany and I can reschedule this new client if you want us to stick around.”

“No,” I interject, “I got this. Soren and I will be fine.” Do I believe that? Honestly, I have no clue.

Stark blows out a sigh. “All right. Call me if you need me.”

They walk out the door, and I watch them get in Stark’s truck and drive away. Stomach twisting into tight knots, I sit down by the window, hoping it’ll help ease the tension. Nothing helps. If I eat, I’ll most likely throw it up. That’s how uneasy and terrified I am right now.

Sliding my eyes shut, I send up a silent prayer to the Great Luna, begging her to guide me. Why would she intentionally give me two mates? It doesn’t make sense. I’m sure the males would be all gung-ho about having two females to themselves, but it’s the complete opposite in my situation. Alpha males want what’s theirs, and they don’t share.

Time ticks by quickly, and when ten o’clock rolls around, I’ve already racked up close to ten thousand steps from all the pacing. Soren pulls into the driveway right on time, and I gulp down a steadying breath. He gets out of his truck, and I walk out to meet him. He doesn’t smile, but he stares at me with an accusatory glare as if he knows what I did with Micah.

“Hey,” I utter, my voice low and uncertain. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.

Soren leans down to kiss me, and when our lips touch, the connection is nowhere near as strong as it was the day before. I can feel the force pushing him out of my mind. Is it me subconsciously doing it, or is it something else?

Soren steps back, and his dark blue eyes bore into mine. There’s something different about them, almost as if they’re darker. “You ready?” he asks.

Tilting my head slightly, I try to smile, but there’s a part of me that screams for me not to get in his truck. Soren opens the passenger side door for me, and I can’t bring myself to look at him when he slams it shut. My heart thrums wildly, and my palms begin to sweat. When Soren gets in, he says nothing as we head on our way to wherever it is he’s taking me.

“Did you have fun at the bar last night?” I wonder.

“Nope,” Soren replies, his voice clipped. “You weren’t there.”

We ride in silence a little more, and the tension builds. He has to know. He can sense my feelings, and I’m doing a shit job of trying to conceal them. My pulse is going haywire, and the weight of guilt plagues my soul. I don’t know what will happen, but I can already feel my heart ripping in two.

The drive lasts for another twenty minutes or so, and I have an idea of where we’re going. There’s a trail Soren and I love to hike, and it’s off the beaten path. Not many people know it’s there. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly where I want to be right now. The snow is so deep you can’t see the gravel road I know is underneath. Soren drives through it all with ease in his truck, but I don’t like that there are no other tire tracks. We are completely and utterly alone.

Soren parks, and I don’t have the energy to hide my unease; I know he can feel it. Finally, he opens his door and peers over at me. “Let’s go.”

My heart races even faster, and the piercing tendrils of fear begin to develop inside of me. I open my door and get out, thankful I decided to wear my boots. Soren takes the lead, and I follow him halfway up the mountain, trudging through the snow. If I wanted to call someone, I wouldn’t be able to; there’s no cell service.

The hidden outlook we always hike to isn’t much farther. It has one of the best views of the Black Hills mountains. Sadly, I won’t be able to enjoy it today. Soren makes it to the edge of the cliff first, and I make it a point to stay several feet back. I wait for him to turn around, but instead, he keeps his back to me.

“So, when were you going to tell me?”

My insides shrink in on themselves. “Tell you what?”

Soren jerks around, his glowing blue gaze like sharp thorns. The breath catches in my lungs, and my first instinct is to run, but I can’t move.

“Tell me what’s going on. That’s what,” he snarls. “As soon as that other royal waltzed into town, things changed between us. I felt your need for him. It took all I had not to rip out his goddamned throat last night.”

Chills ice down my spine as he steps closer. I don’t know what to do.

Soren glares at me, and his fangs lengthen. “But where’s the fun in that?” he growls, his voice gravelly and dark. “It’s too easy. That cocksucker can’t come into my territory and take what’s mine.”

I don’t want to provoke him, but this decision is not all about him. I can choose who I want. “I feel the mating signs with him,” I confess, the words barely audible. The second I say the words, my bond with Micah is all I feel. It’s as if something clicked inside of me, showing me the truth. When I look at Soren, all I see is a stranger. I’ve never been one to be afraid, but there’s a darkness in his eyes I’ve never seen before. Maybe I was blind? Perhaps it was dark magic at play? All I know is that it awakened me as soon as Micah showed up.

Soren stalks closer until he backs me into a tree. I don’t like the power play, but it fuels the need to survive inside of me. “It’s up to me to choose,” I challenge.

He laughs, and it’s the evilest sound I’ve ever heard from. “No, my sweet Rae. You’re my mate, and I’m going to prove it.” His mouth opens, and he starts to strike, but I push him off.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Soren stumbles back, and I move away, slowly making my way toward the woods. I don’t want to turn my back on him. He licks his lips and runs his tongue over his fangs. “It’s time I tasted your blood. That way, we’ll be completely connected.”

“No,” I shout, my body trembling with the need to shift. “I won’t drink yours. Not like this.”

He throws his head back and bellows with laughter. “We don’t have to worry about that.” Then, in my mind, I hear his voice. “You already have.”

Eyes stretching wide, I suck back a gasp as the shock runs like ice-cold water through my veins. Turning on my heel, I race off through the woods. I have to get away from him. My muscles burn like hot lava melting inside of my skin. I feel disgusted, but most importantly, betrayed. How could Soren have slipped me his blood without me knowing? It explains our connection and how he could feel my emotions; it was one-sided. Everything I’ve learned about the blood bond isn’t supposed to be like that. In taking his blood, I should’ve been able to hear his thoughts and feel his emotions. Not the other way around. The bond we have is wrong, backwards even. I was blind, and now I’m paying the price.

Pushing my body to the limit, I weave in and out of the trees, determined to get away from Soren. I can’t let him catch me. If I can get out of the woods and around people, I might have a chance.

“Don’t worry, my little ray of sunshine, you won’t get away from me.”

Hearing his voice in my head fuels my anger. “Get out of my head,” I shout, hoping he can feel how much I loathe him for everything he’s done to me.

I charge through the woods faster than I’ve ever moved before. Soren is close on my heels, but I’m swifter and more agile in my movements. I have my fury to give me strength and light the flame that burns within me.

How could the Great Luna give me a mate who would betray me like this? Micah would never do that. I have to get back to him, my true mate. Whatever this is with Soren isn’t real; it’s evil. Unfortunately, Soren gains ground, and I can feel him right behind me. I don’t know how far I am from civilization, but it feels like an uphill battle. As far as I can see, there’s only forest and mountains—no roads or people in sight. The area looks familiar, but I can’t be sure.

I don’t want to give up, but my body starts to fight against me. You can only push your body for so long before it wears out. The second I feel Soren’s claw dig into my shoulders, I scream in agony and tumble down into the snow with him latched around my body. I land on my back with a hard thud, and the air whooshes out of my lungs. Soren presses his body into mine, pinning me to the ground.

“You’re not my mate,” I hiss, sucking in a ragged breath.

Soren exposes his fangs. “I’ve waited too long for this.”

He rears back and sinks his teeth into my neck. The pain is excruciating, and it flows through my body like a thousand knives stabbing me from the inside out. Darkness fills my mind, and it paralyzes me. When wolves share blood, they’re supposed to be sucked into a vision of their future, to show their eternal bond. Instead, all I see are flashes of images and memories, but they aren’t mine … they’re Soren’s. It’s like a movie playing out in my mind. I can see him sneaking his blood into my drink and feeling his rage when he realizes I’d found another mate. There is no love for me, only a burning need and lust for power. He wants to possess me, to claim me in the most primal way possible so we can spread the darkness. Our union will bring about a new beginning that will destroy the shifters.

The second I’m thrust out of the darkness, I can breathe. White, hot energy spreads through my body like the speed of light. Soren is stronger than me, which shouldn’t be possible since I’m a royal. He’s not a normal wolf, and I can see that now. However, the newfound strength flowing through me gives me the power to fight him. I push Soren off, and he rolls across the ground, his mouth covered in my blood. We’re fully connected now; he can hear my thoughts, and I can listen to his. What I see in his terrifies me more than anything.

He wants to rip off my clothes and leave his marks all over my skin. That way, Micah will know I’m his. Soren smiles and shifts into his giant, black wolf form. He bares his fangs and growls. “Are you going to fight against me until the full moon?” he asks in my mind.

Getting to my feet, I stand my ground. “As long as I have to.”

My wolf rips through me, and I shift in the blink of an eye. I fly through the forest, feeling that surge of white energy once more. Soren may be stronger than me, but I’m a whole hell of a lot faster. A blast of raw power hits me from behind, but it’s too soon to feel relief. Micah’s here.

I can hear him close by, his growls promising death. My heart hurts with Soren’s betrayal, but he’s not the man I thought he was. The only way to escape him is to kill him, and I know exactly how to do it. That’s the last thought I let Soren hear in my mind before I shut him out.