A Twisted Rejection Read online

  We fell asleep in each other’s arms; her scent surrounds me, and I feel like I could live in this moment forever. Such perfection. I push her hair out of her eyes and kiss her temple. Her eyes flutter as she looks up at me.

  “Sorry sweetheart. I didn’t mean to wake you” I whisper as I press my lips to her forehead. Her smile takes my breath away and I question what I did to deserve such happiness.

  “Good morning sexy.” She says claiming my mouth sending fire through my body. “Last night was perfect, I can’t believe I fell asleep right after.” She looks around the cave to see the rest of the men. Her men. “I hope the others weren’t mad.”

  Her caring for my brothers warms my heart. “I’m sure they will be fine,” I say with a chuckle.

  She sits up stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her stretching does wonderful things to her breasts and lithe body causing a growl to erupt from my lips. Her eyes fly open and she looks at me, a smile widening across her lips. “Let’s go out. We can hunt and bring breakfast to the guys.” She whispers conspiratorially.

  “That sounds amazing. Let’s go.” I say, stretching myself then standing to follow her out of the cave, careful to step over my brothers. She stands there with her eyes closed as she concentrates on the shift. I see her form quivering as her bobcat takes control and suddenly, she is the small cat pawing at the ground stretching with her hind end in the air. I walk over to scratch that cat’s ear and purrs immediately, using her head to bump into my open hand.

  “You really are just an oversized kitty cat.” I say with a laugh, knowing that Liam would get a kick out of this. Her paw comes up to smack my hand in an almost reprimanding way causing me to laugh more. She struts forward and turns to look at me, questioning me with her eyes. I stand up and concentrate on the shift myself. I breathe in deeply and focus on my bear and before I know it, I am standing on all fours as my big furry beast. She walks over and rubs against my legs and I nuzzle my snout into her. She then starts sprinting forward and I follow close on her heels, running through the tall grasses. If a bear could laugh, I would be laughing. I feel so light, which is extraordinary for a six-hundred-pound bear. She is so quick and lithe she switches from side to side and sometimes completely disappearing to appear again beside me.

  As we step into a clearing, we stop listening closely for animals in the area. Near us is a river that is far enough from our cave that the animals seem to think they are safe. We both crouch low to the ground, a feat for a large bear, and watch as several deer drink from the water. The sun rises casting a beautiful orange glow over the ground. The picture is so serene that I take it in for a moment before chaos ensues. Suddenly, Alana’s bobcat leaps from the grass sprinting toward a medium sized female deer. The doe’s head whips up at the sound looking in our direction and running ten or so feet to the left. A pure hunter the bobcat slows and gets into another patch of brush, giving the doe time to relax and lower her guard. Long moments pass and Alana’s patience is spectacular, she continues to lie in wait with her eyes on the doe. The doe slowly bends her head down to chew at the grass beneath her. Alana’s bobcat leaps from her spot rushing toward the doe, leaping with claws extended and latching her sharp teeth onto the doe’s throat. Squeals erupt from the deer as it thrashes on the ground, trying to remove Alana’s death bite from her throat. Seeing Alana’s bobcat being whipped back and forth makes me want to jump into the fray and help but I know that she wouldn’t be pleased by this. She is just learning to hunt on her own and I don’t want to make her think that I don’t believe she could do it on her own. In the wild, natural bobcats aren’t hunting deer very often. Especially ones of this size. I know that Alana is trying to prove herself, trying to provide for us all and it warms my heart. She doesn’t need to do any of this, we have already accepted her, but it’s endearing watching her.

  The deer’s movements slow and the bobcat has won the battle. She removes her mouth from the deer’s neck and sits up looking at me, licking the blood from her mouth. I lumber toward her and take in her kill. A good-sized deer that will feed us all. I lick her face and she gives me a disgruntled look as my tongue takes up most of her small head. Again, internal bear laughter.

  I pick the deer up in my mouth and pull it back to the cave as she trots behind me. When we arrive Liam, Dax, and Aiden are awake and standing outside the cave. Alana speeds up when she catches sight of them, pouncing up to each one of them as they all pet her fur. Her form starts to shiver, and she shifts back. I set the deer down in front of them and shift back to myself, feeling the burn rush across my skin as my form changes. Liam has already pulled Alana into his arms and is kissing her deeply. It warms my heart to see their relationship growing. It felt as if I had doomed him to a life a solitude after I had been outcasted. I never wanted him to follow me, even though his presence has been crucial for my sanity. I wanted so much more for him. I don’t believe that love is fucked or that the fates failed me. I was crushed when I found out Raven had cheated on me. Crushed. Even worse when I found out that she had fallen pregnant and the child wasn’t mine. I had planned to stay, to raise the child as my own, though she had other ideas. She accepted him, went against the fates and rejected our mating. It felt as if my whole world had come crashing down. I still feel terror when I look at Alana and feel the hold she has on me, as I see the hold she is having on all of us. She has the power to destroy us all and I doubt she even realizes her power over us. I can’t imagine why she is out here, why she left her home. I thank the gods that she did, but I worry that she’ll be called back. That she will meet her fated and leave us to be with him. I mean she is a bobcat, I can’t imagine the gods planned for her to be with 3 rejected bears and my brother.

  Alana’s cheeks are flushed when she breaks away from Liam’s kiss and my breath is taken away by her beauty. She pushes her hair behind her ears then walks over to great Dax. Dax, the cold angry bear that I have called brother for years. It seems that our little bobcat found a way to thaw his heart that I had honestly believed would remain closed off. He only held love for us, his brothers, and spoke of females with such content.

  “Look at what’s for lunch boys! I took her down all on my own!” Alana yells, jumping with glee. It’s clear that she never really hunted before we took her out yesterday and it amazing to see how proud she is of herself. My grin spreads from ear to ear and I nod my head toward the guys as they eye me suspiciously.

  “It’s true! It was terrifying watching her little body get whipped around, but I stayed back. She took that doe down by herself.” I confirm and the guys all cheer for her, causing her chest to push out in pride. Also doing magnificent things to her breasts. Dax pulls her back into his arms and presses a kiss to her lips then to her forehead, holding her close to him. I see her cuddle into his arms and inhale his scent. I feel no jealousy, only happiness.

  “Let’s cook this meat and figure out what our next move is,” Aiden says, bending over to grab the animal and throw it over his shoulder. We all follow him to the area we’ve been using for a campfire.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Alana

  As I stare at the doe on Aiden’s shoulder, I can’t help but feel an immense amount of pride. I did that. I’m still overwhelmed that I was able to take down a doe after never truly spending any time hunting. Jason and my parents made it so I was never self-sufficient. I was made to be passed on from them to him, nothing but chattel. These men have given me the ability to live independently. The thing is, for the first time in my life I don’t want to. I have found family with these men and I can’t imagine giving it up.

  A gasp catches in my throat as my legs are pulled out from under me as Liam cradles me into his arms. “Whoa! What do you think you are doing?” I ask barely containing my laughter. I put my arm around his neck and look into his eyes that crinkle with laughter.

  “Carrying you across the threshold of course.” He says with a wink causing my eyes to widen in mock surprise.

  “Well, th
at seems a bit premature, I feel like there is supposed to be some kind of ceremony before that takes place. Maybe I’m mistaken.” Laughter fills my voice as I tease him and he squeezes me closer to his chest.

  “Just pick the time and place Lana.” Pure seriousness laces his tone causing my smile to falter a bit. I look back at Rowan and Dax walking side by side behind us, only to see them smiling back at me. I haven’t even had sex with Liam, or Aiden for that matter. He can’t be serious.

  “Sure sure Liam.” I say forcing a laugh. He stops in his tracks and stares straight into my eyes, staring at me in silence. His face relaxes then he smiles just before he presses a kiss to my lips causing me to smile back at him.

  “It’s okay, I’ll change your mind.” Liam teases.

  “Okay Romeo, calm down and help me get the fire ready,” Aiden says as he sets down the deer. Movement near the cave seems to catch all our eyes at the same time. Two men walk from the cave shirtless with their chests puffed out. They stagger toward us emitting authority and arrogance.

  Fuck.

  I recognize the men immediately as the beta and gamma of my old clowder. Confusion crosses my features as I stare at them. “Leo? Quinn? What are you doing here?” I question, stepping toward them. My movement causes Dax and Rowan to step forward as well, coming up to my side as growls escape their throats.

  “Awful far from your land, aren’t you?” Dax questions, anger coloring his face. His voice comes out in an irritated snarl and I can see that his bear is eager to make an appearance.

  Leo steps forward and crosses his arms across his chest. “We have no qualms with you bear,” he says the word with disgust, “we are here for her. She attacked two members of our clowder. The first we tolerated. Her life had been turned upside down and she was being exiled. The second attack we cannot stand for. She returned after we banished her and then she attacked another of our own, my son. I am sure you can agree that this is unacceptable.”

  “That motherfucker attacked her. He’s lucky he still breathes.” Rowan growls, spitting on the ground.

  A hiss leaves Quinn’s lips as he too steps forward, his muscles rippling. “He was protecting our land from an outsider. From filth.” Disgust laces his tone as he glares at me.

  “Enough of this! Leave, now. Alana will not be returning again, she is with us now.” Alpha vibes emanate from Aiden as he yells his commands.

  “You sleep with this slut? With this filth? She was rejected because she is not worthy.” Quinn snarls. “We have come to end this. To end her.”

  “Give her to us and we will leave you all alone. This has nothing to do with you, just give us the girl.” Leo says authoritatively, staring at Aiden.

  Taking advantage of the distraction Dax steps forward slamming his fist into Leo’s mouth. “Fuck you, bobcat. Leave or I will kill you where you stand.” Dax spits out, standing over the downed beta. Quinn growls in anger, his form quivering as he begins to shift.

  “Stop!” Leo yells, spitting blood from his mouth as he pulls himself from the ground. Unable to refuse his beta’s order Quinn stills, continuing to stare daggers at Dax. “Let’s go Quinn. This is over.”

  “Over? We can’t leave this slut here, Chance is not going to be happy about this.” Quinn yells.

  “They’ve made their choice, now they will deal with the consequences. Let’s go.” Leo grabs onto Quinn’s shoulder, turning him in the direction of my old home. “Chance will decide, not us.” He says quietly.

  “This isn’t over, bears.” Quinn spits onto the ground in front of us before turning to follow his beta. After getting 100 yards away they shift, running into the distance to return to their leader.

  “Well, fuck,” Aiden says, his body beginning to visibly relax. “That was unexpected.”

  “Shit you guys. I am sorry, I didn’t want to drag you guys into any drama.” I say as I eye the men, guilt turning in my stomach.

  “This isn’t your fault Alana. Those douchebags were out of line, we are just lucky they left without a fight.” Rowan’s words calm me slightly as he brushes some of my hair from my eyes. The remains of Jason’s last attack on me.

  “This time they did. I don’t think that it will be so easy next time.” Dax growls as he wipes Leo’s blood from his knuckles.

  “Next time?” I question, locking eyes with him.

  Dax’s eyes drift over my form just before he looks at the other men that I have slowly grown to care for. “This definitely isn’t over. I’ve seen packs go to war over less, they’ll come back for you Alana.”

  War? Well, fuck.

  TO BE CONTINUED….

  A note form Jewels Arthur

  Ugh. You guys hate me, don’t you?! This was really supposed to be a short story with a happy ending. I swear. But these characters got ahold of me and took off. I can’t control them, I tried!!

  This isn’t the end for Alana and the men though. You can expect at least two more books with these guys because they seriously won’t shut up. Dax haunts my dreams. Like literally. I wake up and have to write random notes because he just has so many things he wants to say. He is just that asshole you love to hate.

  I hope you all can forgive me and will stick with me while I deliver the rest of this story to you because it needs to be told. There have been so many amazing books that I have read that when they ended I literally exclaimed ‘oh fuck’. After I ended this I said it and it made me want to smile and scream. A few that stand out are the TriAlpha Chronicles by Serena Akeroyd, The Hell Hounds series by Briana Michaels, and The Crystal Clear series by Lana Kole. There are so many more but those are some of the ones that really stand out to me. Those moments just make me love an author more because they have captured me so much that I just don’t see their twist coming.

  Try not to hate me <3

  About the Author

  Jewels Arthur is a penname for a small-town Central Illinois author. She married her high school boyfriend in 2011 and together they had a beautiful daughter three years later. She loves cats, books, binge watching tv,

  all things romantic, and video games. Lots and lots of video games.

  Jewels has been obsessed with reading since she learned how.

  The obsession really started with the Harry Potter series and has continued

  into her adulthood. She and her husband are huge book nerds and hope

  to pass it on to their daughter.

  Jewels has always enjoyed writing and remembers specifically

  writing a long piece of fanfiction of the movie Signs when she was a pre-teen.

  As an adult she decided to start creating the stories she is always dying for.

  Steamy and filled with love.

  With the help of some amazing authors, Jewels started her

  writing journey and is loving every minute of it.

  Thank you so much for taking the time

  to jump into my fictional world.

  I hope to always keep you swooning

  and to always bring the steam.

  Stay Connected

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  HALLOW-VERSARY

  By

  Amanda Cashure

  WARNING : Contains Australian slang.

  Glossary at the back

  This is a prequel to Amanda Cashure’s Mating My Mob. Amanda is Australian, and the full series is in Australian English – however for this anthology, this story has been edited into US English.

  As a prequel, it contains the Mating My Mob harem of guys,
but well before they have met their girl. At this point in time, they’ve met Sharon, and things go very wrong – for everyone.

  TRIGGER WARNING : this short contains abuse and violence, manipulation and drunken pranks. Since the violence is towards a woman this may trigger some.

  Chapter One

  Sharon

  “It’s okay, Shaz, you’ve got this,” I coax myself for the third time.

  I mean, bathrooms in a police station aren’t exactly luxurious, and at some point, I have to leave this room and go out there to do my job. Which includes finding a vicious pack of wolf shifters — which shouldn’t even exist in Australia – and finally working the guts up to make a move on one of the shifters that have been helping me solve this case.