Alpha Mate: BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance (15 page)

As he flew towards her, she raised her gun and a single
shot was heard. Kev's form was already turning into ashes in the air
even before dropping to the ground.

Lucas saw Charlotte turn her gun towards Timmy, who had
put his arms over his head and was making small, whimpering sounds.

“
Charlotte.” In two strides, Lucas was in
front of her, covering the barrel of her gun with his palm.

“
You're in my way, Lucas,” she said, her
green eyes flashing.

“
Don't shoot him.”

“
Why.”

“
He's scared.”

“
Well...” Her gun began to shake as she
blinked rapidly. Taking a shuddering breath, she swallowed and said
in a barely audible whisper, “So am I.” Her voice
quivered and broke.

She turned away and Lucas recognized that it hadn't been
easy for her to say that, to admit to him that she was scared.

She looked up suddenly and hissed, “Let me kill
him!”

Lucas blocked her, catching her in his arms. “Enforcers
don't kill in fear.”

“
I'm not...!” She struggled violently in
his arms, twisting and trying to elbow him in the ribs. “I'm
not an Enforcer, thanks to you! You made me fail my Final test! You
bastard! You let me...fail...” She slumped against him, her
breathing shallow and her eyes closed.

“
Take him away,” Lucas grated to Jett over
his shoulder. “Take him to the PAC Headquarters. He'll be
answering quite a few questions. Get Zorath and Glenn to guard him.
He'll be unable to control himself when the moon is full tomorrow
night.”

Jett nodded and in one fluid movement secured Timmy's
wrists in silver cuffs behind his back. “I'll get Keagan to
drop by and give me a lift,” Jett said, punching a message into
his watch. “We'll be traveling first-class by Dragon Air.
What about you, Alpha? Need a ride?”

“
No. I'll take her back to my place. It isn't
far from here.”

“
Yeah.” Jett cocked his head. “I
tend to forget that you have a mansion out here, far away from the
hustle and bustle of the city. You're in the PAC Headquarters most
of the time.”

The sound of beating wings could be heard overhead. “My
ride's here.” Jett's eyes shifted to the unconscious woman in
Lucas's arms. “You sure...”

“
I'll take care of her,” Lucas answered in a
tone that brooked no argument.

“
All right then. Final boarding call for Dragon
Air. Let's go.” Jett bundled Timmy out the door and said
grimly over his shoulder, “You take care, Lucas.”

Lucas carried Charlotte in his arms and ducked out of
the dilapidated barn. He was just in time to see the powerful dragon
rise and soar towards the dark gray clouds. The beat of Keagan's
strong wings could still be heard even as the dragon receded far into
the distance.

Glancing down at his precious mate in his arms, Lucas
felt his heart constrict with pain, worry and fear. For the first
time in so long, he felt a chill of real terror. He was so afraid of
losing her, and the thought of his brave, beautiful mate hunting
deadly rogues and putting herself in danger repeatedly drove him to
the very edge of his sanity.

He began to move swiftly through the woods, his resolve
hardening. No. He wasn't going to let her hunt. If anyone was
going to do the hunting, it would be him. Not her.

But the trouble was, she'd made a Promise. How in the
world was he going to get past that? Everyone, even kids, knew that
a Promise should always be taken seriously and should never be
broken. Like ever.

Charlotte opened her eyes and blinked the shadows into
focus. With a start, she threw back the covers and sat up in a huge
bed with cool, satin sheets. She glanced down at herself, and
immediately yanked the covers back up to her neck. She was
completely naked!

Her eyes darted to the side and she gasped when she saw
Lucas sitting so still by her bedside. He was wearing sweatpants and
a gray t-shirt stretched tight over his body, and his brown hair was
damp from a recent shower. His golden eyes were looking right at
her, his lips drawn in a grim, tight line. She had no doubt that she
was in his bedroom, in his bed. She could smell him, feel him in the
bed, his scent and his presence dominating every corner of the room.
The very air seemed charged with his presence and his power.

But even though she was sitting butt naked in his bed,
there was no lust in his eyes as he stared at her. Those golden wolf
eyes were gazing at her intently, fiercely, quietly and making her
whole body shiver, not with cold or fear, but with a trembling,
feminine heat. She clenched her thighs together as she felt the
moisture gather between them.

His nostrils flared. “You're awake,” he
growled.

Yes. Awake and aroused.

But she was sure he already knew that.

A memory began to nudge at her from the corner of her
mind. Faintly, she remembered Lucas carrying her through the
towering double doors, down hallways and into his room. He had laid
her so gently in his bed, and had removed her clothing with utmost
care, careful not to cause her any pain. His touch had been warm and
tender. She remembered him growling as he dabbed something cool and
soothing over the scratches, bruises and scars over her body. Some
of those bruises were old and almost faded, like her scars. She had
sustained them during her training, but still, Lucas didn't sound
pleased at all at the sight of them. And her scars? They were a
reminder of why she should never, ever trust a werewolf. Much less
be in a werewolf's bed.

But somehow, she trusted Lucas. She knew, she just
knew, that he would never hurt her. He was protective, sensitive,
sweet, smart, and oh so hot. Just his touch was enough to set her
body aflame with mindless lust. If only he wasn't a werewolf. But
nobody's perfect, right?

Charlotte groaned inwardly. Lucas had seen and touched
every inch of her feverish body when she was half conscious and half
delirious. God knows what nonsense she had mumbled. Did she reveal
that she thought he was drop dead gorgeous, and wished aloud that he
wasn't a werewolf?

She wanted to cover her face in her hands. Instead, she
gulped and forced herself to stammer, “Um, t-thank you, you
know, for...for...”

“
...for coming to get me,” she managed at
last. She looked around for her clothes, and more importantly, her
weapons. “But, just so you know, I had the situation under
control.”
I make a great Enforcer!
Charlotte twisted
the covers in her fists. This was her chance to impress the PAC
Alpha and ask for a retest. “Can I...”
Retake my
F
inals? I'll ace it, without interference from you!

Lucas leaned forward and said softly, “Why.”

“
Huh?”

“
Why do you hate werewolves.”

Oh shit. She had been mumbling and talking too much in
her sleep.

He leaned forward in his chair, and waited, without
prompting or pushing. He didn't need to. His words, his mere
presence, his hold was compelling and commanding. Yet he didn't
intimidate her. He didn't hurt her. He took her hand, and she let
him hold it. His huge hand felt warm and snug, like a protective
glove that enveloped her hand and steadied it.

Charlotte swallowed the lump in her throat. “I
saw...a werewolf kill my sister. He nearly killed me too. Truth is,
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for a witch's potion. The potion
gave me a second chance at life, but nothing given, nothing gained.
So I gave a Promise. I promised to hunt and kill rogues. So I
joined the Enforcer training program. I was about to pass the Final
test...” She gave him a look.

Lucas released her hand abruptly and scrubbed a hand
down his unshaven face. He stood and started to pace like a caged
animal. “Yes, that's what you told me. I was just hoping that
you've changed your mind—about werewolves. I wanted very much
to hear you say that you don't hate werewolves, at least not
anymore.” He sighed deeply before muttering, “And...you
gave a Promise.”

“
Yes. So...”

He stopped and stared at her. “So if you can't
become an Enforcer...”

“
I'll become a lawless vigilante and hunt rogues
on my own,” Charlotte said, meeting his fierce gaze
unflinchingly. “It's my Promise, and my life.”

Lucas slammed his fist against the bed frame, making
Charlotte jump a little, and began to pace again, this time more
furiously than before.

Charlotte squinted at him, straining to listen to his
angry, rabid, nonsensical mutterings and catching the words “protect”
and “my mate”. From the looks he threw at her, there was
no doubt that he was referring to her. But as she told him, she
could never mate with a werewolf. He was seriously deluded if he
thought that he was going to claim her as his mate.

And he was even more deluded if he thought he was going
to wrap her up in cotton candy and “protect” her.

“
Ah...I hate to interrupt your monologue,
but...I'd like to have my clothes back now,” she said
carefully.

He stopped, his eyes turning a deeper shade of gold.
“Your. Clothes,” he grated at last.

“
Yes.” Duh. Was he slow or what? “Where
are my clothes? I'll like to leave now,” she said in a louder,
firmer voice.

“
You'll like to leave,” he said slowly, his
eyes glinting dangerously.

“
Yes. I will be leaving now,” she repeated,
this time with a touch of anger.

“
The moon is full tonight,” Lucas informed
her.

“
Yeah. The better to light my way,” she
snapped.

Instead of anger or annoyance, she saw amusement in his
eyes. The corners of his sexy mouth was curving up and he moved
towards the bed. Charlotte shrank back, grabbing the covers up to
her chin. She could feel heat rolling off his massive body in waves,
making her own body heat up and tingle. Her erect nipples brushed
against the cool silk covers, and she had to bite her lip to stop
from moaning.

Her hands began to tremble, as she struggled against the
urge to throw the covers back and lie naked and writhing before him,
presenting her bare body to him like a sushi platter. Her thighs
were threatening to fall open for him, and she had to clench them
hard together. What was it about him that made her act all wanton
and womanly? She was a hunter, but with him, she felt like the prey,
and to be honest, she rather liked it. She would like...to be caught
by him.

Charlotte swallowed. “I said...”

“
I know what you said,” Lucas answered, his
voice low and deep. He was leaning over her now, his arms on both
sides of her, imprisoning her against the pillows with his powerful
arms and body. “You want to run.”

“
I...yeah,” she said, kicking up her chin in
defiance. “Give me back my clothes. And I'll run along.”
Before I do anything stupid.

“
Your clothes are on the chair.” He stepped
back and indicated a chair just beside the bedside table.

“
Oh. I'll dress myself. Thank you,” she
said quickly. When he leaned against the bedpost and didn't budge,
her irritation flared. “Don't tell me you're going to watch?”

He merely shrugged.

She glared at him. “Turn around.”

“
Can't.” There was a hint of arrogance in
his smile.

“
Can't? Won't, you mean,” she snorted.

“
I can't turn my back on my mate.”

Infuriating!

“
I. Am. Not. Your. Mate!”

Silence. But his smile widened.

“
Fine,” she huffed. It was clear he wasn't
going to budge. And she didn't have all night. She would get
dressed, and get out of here.

Throwing back the covers, she stood and marched over to
where her clothes were neatly folded and placed on the velvet seat of
the chair. They were clean, neatly pressed and all the rips and
tears had been skilfully and seamlessly mended.

She could feel his eyes on her naked body, and it made
her throw her head back and shake out her hair. She started, but it
didn't stop her from swaying her hips as she walked. Was she trying
to seduce him? She heard him growl and she couldn't resist glancing
over her shoulder.

Lucas was digging his claws into the ornately carved
footboard of the bed, his eyes glowing and feral. The veins were
bulging from his neck and his breathing was harsh and ragged. She
could almost hear the pounding of his heart and the snap of bones in
his body as he fought the wolf in him. Dragging her eyes slowly down
his powerful frame, she saw his erection tenting the front of his
sweatpants.

There was a loud crack and the footboard splintered
under his hands.

His claws dug into his palms and she saw blood trickle
from between his fingers.

“
Lucas!” she gasped.

“
Run, Charlotte,” he gritted out. “Now!”