Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(4)

And unless she magically dropped from the sky, it wouldn’t be happening. Unlike the stories of legend, shifters didn’t live forever. They only had a short time on this planet, like humans, to find the one for them and make it work. He was already in his forties and unable to meet new wolves.

He had no chance for true happiness.

His wolf pushed at him, and he let out a frustrated growl. Fuck. Between the lack of options when it came to humans and now mating, he needed to punch something. For months now, he had been running on the edge of control, and he wasn’t sure what he could do about it. He needed something to center him, and running with his wolf wasn’t cutting it anymore.

He was about to shift back to his wolf—something that would hurt to do this close to his previous shift—when the wind changed. The scent of copper hit his nose and he went on alert.

Blood.

Human blood.

Knowing full well he could be running into a trap, he padded on human feet toward the origin of the scent. If he didn’t, he could be risking his Pack even more. Human guards patrolled the gates, but they didn’t come out this far often. There weren’t any homes out here, and his people only used the forested area for runs and hunts.

It could be something as simple as a human guard having cut themselves accidentally, but he had a gut feeling it was something far worse. His wolf at the surface, he crept toward the source of the metallic scent. He couldn’t scent any humans other than the injured one. In fact, the stench of near-death became so potent, he was afraid he was too late.

This was a body dump.

A shadowed lump lay in a macabre pile on the shifter’s side of the fence. He let out a low growl and prowled closer.

Shit.

Someone had sure done a number on her. They’d cut her up so old and new scars covered her body. When they’d dropped her over the high fence, they’d broken her bones—and perhaps had done that before she’d come to them. She lay naked with her long, tangled hair covering her face. Her chest rose softly in pained gasps, and he knew she lived—but not for long.

Whoever had done this had sliced her up in ways that made his stomach want to revolt. He’d seen unimaginable horrors in his years and had even been on the receiving and giving ends of such memories, but this…this was too much.

He crept closer and sucked in a breath.

They’d f*cking vivisected her. How the hell was she even alive?

Death edged closer; it was only a matter of time before she’d let out her last breath. There was nothing he could do. The humans who had done this—he scented their stench around her—had placed her on the shifter’s land for a reason. If he had to venture a guess it was to place blame. It wasn’t the first time the SAU—Shifter Accommodation Unit—had played this game. And it wouldn’t be the last.

He let out a breath, knowing this woman suffered. He could either let her die in agony, or make it a swift death for her. His wolf whimpered, and he frowned. That was an odd response. His wolf didn’t whimper. Ever.

Mate.

It wasn’t a whisper. Not a word. Not even a true voice. But a feeling along the bond to his wolf where he’d only felt aggression and pain for so long.

It had to be a mistake. There was no way this dying human was his mate. It couldn’t be. With a shaking hand, he brushed her hair from her face and fell to his knees.

Mate.

Her eyelashes fluttered but she didn’t wake. A single tear mixed with the dirt and blood on her face slid down her cheek and he brushed it away. Fuck. This couldn’t be happening. He’d found his mate only to watch her die.

He knew what he could do—knew what he could have done in an age past. But it was truly forbidden now. He licked his lips, and his wolf pounded at him to do the one thing he couldn’t as Alpha. Not anymore.

Only he wasn’t sure he could hold himself back.

Knowing he was about to break the one rule as Alpha that held his people together, he pulled away from the woman and shifted back to wolf. It hurt like f*cking hell, but nothing compared to what she must have felt just then.

Once he did this, he’d risk everything he and his people had fought for. As Alpha, he shouldn’t do this, but as a man, he couldn’t not.

He said a prayer asking forgiveness and bit into her shoulder. She let out a gasp, but didn’t thrash—she was far too close to death for that. The sweet, tangy taste of her blood settled on his tongue and he pulled away before biting her belly and thighs. The more fleshy places he bit, the stronger the chance the change would take.

If she lived, she would shift as he did.

If she lived, he would have to hide her from the prying eyes of the humans who collared them. For the humans had no idea how to make shifters. As far as the humans knew, shifters were born, not made. With this one bite, he risked the secret they’d kept since revealing their existence twenty-five years ago.

Yet his wolf pushed him and he knew he’d made the right decision.

At least that’s what he prayed. Because if he hadn’t, he’d sentenced himself and his people to certain death.

Once again.





Chapter 2


The overwhelming agony that had become a pulsing, steady presence in her life slowly receded to a dull roar. That couldn’t be good, and probably meant only one thing.

Ariel Sands was dead.

Though after so many weeks, months—was it years?—straddling the line between death and the unyielding fire of life, she wasn’t sure she could be too upset about her life coming to an end. Maybe this was for the best. She wouldn’t hurt anymore. Her throat wouldn’t burn from the screaming. Her nose wouldn’t itch from the scent of her own blood as the butchers played with their new toy.