Page 16 of Broken Alpha

“Ready?” I ask completely naked.

Phoenix nods, still peeking at me through her fingers.

I let my wolf take over, pushing to the surface as my skin recedes and is replaced by thick fur. My teeth elongate as my nose and mouth morph into a snout. Dropping to all fours, I can feel my muscles stretch and lock into place as my nails grow into vicious claws.

The whole transition is over in less than three seconds, and then I’m sitting in front of a slack-jawed Phoenix, staring at my giant gray wolf.

“Holy… freaking… what?!” she whispers, her hand falling from her mouth and reaching out toward me. She hesitates slightly, but I take the lead and nudge her fingertips with my nose, then bump my head up against the palm of her hand, encouraging her to pet me.

My mate isn’t scared, she’s… delighted. Her eyes are sparkling as she brushes her hands over my fur and scratches behind my ears. My wolf is in fucking heaven as he flops over on his back, letting her scratch his belly. I’m so grateful she’s not scared of the literal monster I have locked up inside of me. It makes me wonder what other monsters she’s had to face in her life.

“So soft,” she says to herself as she continues to pet my wolf. I look at her, the same glow in my eyes as before, and I know she understands. I will only ever use my power and strength to protect her.

After a few more belly rubs, I roll over and get back on all fours, taking a few steps back before shifting into human form. I quickly grab my clothes and pull them on, not wanting to make my mate uncomfortable.

“Any questions?” I ask once I’m fully clothed.

“Um, yeah, like a million,” she says with a laugh. “Can you be any animal at any time? Does it hurt? Do you eat differently than humans? Do you live forever? Can I become a shifter?”

Phoenix stops to take a gasping breath, and I take the opportunity to pull her into my arms for a hug while I answer her questions. “I’m a wolf shifter, so the only animal I shift into is a wolf. There are shifters for just about every kind of land animal out there. It doesn’t hurt to shift, it just looks kind of brutal if you’re not used to it. Clearly, I can pack away as much dessert as any human, so there really aren’t any eating differences. Shifters eat a ton to keep our energy up, but it’s all the same stuff. I won’t live forever, but I heal faster than humans and can take on a lot more damage.”

“So if Frank sent his men after you, there’s a possibility you’d survive?” she asks, finally catching on to what I’m saying.

“Not justa chance, little flame. I’d eliminate them before they even knew what hit ‘em. I’m a powerful man and an even more powerful shifter. I not only want to fight your enemies, Phoenix, I have the ability to banish them for good, as long as you trust me.”

“I do,” she whispers, burying her face into the side of my neck. I want to do the same to her, to mark her neck and claim her as my mate once and for all. “What about my last question? Can I become a shifter, too?”

It warms me up that she wants to be a shifter like me, but that’s not how it works.

“You have to be born a shifter,” I tell her, feeling her deflate a little bit in my arms. “But all shifters have a fated mate. One person who was made just for them, to love, protect, and cherish them. Shifters are only attracted to their fated mate. There’s no one else, just two souls meant to be together forever.”

“Oh,” Phoenix says, disappointment coloring her tone. She tries pushing out of my arms, and I loosen my hold on her just a bit. “So, you have another shifter mate thing out there for you. That’s cool. I wouldn’t want her to get jealous or–”

“You,” I tell her, cutting her off. “You’re my fated mate, Phoenix. I couldn’t stop thinking about you that first morning when we ran into each other, but I couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until the evening, after you officially turned eighteen, that I scented you as my mate.”

“Scented me?” she asks, her adorable nose scrunched up.

“It’s how mates find each other. Most shifters are mated to other shifters, but it’s not unheard of for a shifter to be mated to a human. Some of my closest Army buddies all have human mates.”

“So we’re fated mates? You’re sure?”

I nod my head yes, then lean forward to skim my nose up the side of her neck, pausing to lick her pulse point. “You smell fucking delicious,” I murmur onto her skin. “Everything about you turns me on, but more than that, I have the urge to wrap you up in my arms and make sure nothing and no one can harm you ever again. Every sense is on overdrive, and I hope I’m not coming off as too intense, but yes. Suffice it to say, I’mpositivethat you’re my mate.”

“Mate,” she repeats softly.

“Mate,” I echo, pressing a kiss to her neck and then taking a step away from my girl. She gives me a confused look as I hold out her jacket to put back on, as well as her hat. “There’s no way I’m letting my mate stay here when there’s a threat. You’ll be moving in with me. Pack whatever you want for tonight, and then we can come back and clean out the place later.”

“I suppose pointing out how I’ve only known you for like two days won’t change your mind in the least?” she sasses.

“Nope,” I tell her with a grin.

Phoenix scurries off to throw a few clothes and toiletries in a backpack, and I pull out my phone to text Ryker. I’ll need his help sniffing out any newcomers and suspicious activity in town. I just found my mate. No way in hell am I going to let her deranged father and the entitled prick of a man, Frank, take her away from me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

PHOENIX

“Your friend knows I’m not paying him to help out, right?” Mrs. Taylor teases me the next day.

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