Kailani's Pride (The Cassidy Pride Book 1) Read online

  He began to shake with fear, my dominance, and anger making him want to run. “I didn’t think it was an issue. Dirk said her boyfriend assured him she was willing to be sold.”

  My heart began beating wildly with my anger reaching its peak. “I’m sorry, did you just say her boyfriend?" I glared at Lucas even though he was still looking at the floor. "You bought her from her mate!”

  Lucas frantically shook his head, finally looking up at me. “No… Dirk told me she was in on the deal, but she wasn’t. We had to sedate her to get her here. I’m-”

  I held up a hand to silence him.

  “Just stop talking and take me to her,” I growled, trying to keep my voice calm. I couldn’t stop myself from shaking with anger. I’d had enough information to throttle Lucas and my beta. Any more and I might shift and take off a body part.

  “She’s-”

  I cut him off, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and slamming him against the wall. “I said stop fucking talking and take me to her!” My lion was there at the surface ready to protect what’s his. Wait…what?

  It was then I realized I could smell her on Lucas’s shirt. “Mine!” My lion roared in my head, threatening to force a shift.

  Lucas tilted his head to expose his neck to me, his lion submitting to mine. As it should. “Let me go and I’ll take you to her, Alpha.”

  I released him and forcefully pushed him ahead of me out of my office.

  “Take me to her, now.” Lucas hurried outside with me following close behind. “Get in,” I ordered, unlocking my land rover and waiting for him to get in before climbing into the driver’s seat. “Where is she?”

  “She's at the farm," He mumbled.

  “You have her out at the pride farm?” It was a rhetorical question that didn’t need an answer.

  I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the farm. If my mate had been harmed in any way, Lucas would be one of two to pay. Not that Dirk wasn’t going to pay anyway.

  Our pride was self-sustaining. We grew our own crops and bred our meat supply. Some of us worked in the human towns surrounding us while the rest helped at the farm or worked at the small stores in our tiny town of Rawrie. Population, one hundred and thirty-three. Only a handful of that number were humans that had mated with a shifter. None of them had produced any cubs that weren’t human.

  I pulled up in front of the big farmhouse where Dirk, Lucas, and some of the other single pride members lived in exchange for working the farm.

  “I’m sorry, Alpha.” Lucas apologized before scurrying out of the rover and disappearing inside. If he’d been his lion, his tail would have been tucked between his legs.

  Dirk came out of the house as I shut my car door, a smug look on his face. “Alpha, it’s great to see you. Lucas said you’ve come to fetch your omega.”

  I wanted to punch the smug smile off his face. He’d be lucky to still have a place in my pride after this. He could kiss his beta title goodbye.

  “I have. Where is she?” I would deal with him after I made sure my mate was safe.

  “She’s out back locked in the shed. Com-”

  His words were gasoline on the already raging fire inside of me. “Shut up! I’ll be dealing with you and Lucas later for this.”

  Dirk glared. “We were only doing what you asked.”

  “Bullshit,” I snapped. “I specifically asked you if she was willingly coming and you assured me that she was. You’re a god damn liar, Dirk!” I wanted to stay and throttle him, but I wanted to rescue my mate more.

  I hurried around the house, going straight to the tiny shed. I didn’t waste any time pulling the door open, ripping the lock off in the process.

  A young woman with white-blonde hair sat in the far corner. She was hugging her knees, her face buried in her arms. She smelled of fear and anger.

  She didn’t bother to lift her head to look at me as she spoke. “You’ll have to kill me if you want to have sex with me. I plan on fighting until my death to keep what little self-respect I have left.”

  Sudden pain and hopelessness slammed into me and I had to steady myself on the doorframe of the shed. My lion pushed me to comfort her, but I didn’t want to push her after what she’d been through.

  “I have no plans to try and force myself on you. I’ve come to get you out of this shed and bring you home.”

  She finally looked up at me with stunning violet-colored eyes.

  “Are you the weird animal cult leader?”

  I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. She thought we were a cult. “We’re shifters like you. What’s your name? I’m Blake.” I didn’t go into the shed for fear of scaring her further. I could tell she was fighting the urge to run.

  “Kailani.” She answered, giving me a confused look. “What’s a shifter?”

  I was taken aback by her question. She smelled like a lioness omega even though her scent was much lighter than any shifter I’d ever scented before. “Have you not shifted yet?" I asked. "How old are you, Kailani?”

  She glared at me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about with this shifting shit." This girl was gonna be a handful, I could already tell. "I’m old enough to be considered an adult if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “I just want to make sure there aren’t parents out there missing their little girl, not that you being an adult would mean they wouldn’t miss you.” I was rambling. I never rambled. I took a deep breath.

  Kailani glared at me harder somehow. “My parents are dead so no need to worry.”

  “Well, you’re welcome to stay here. Not in the shed of course, unless you prefer that.” Goddess, my mouth was out of control. Between the pull I was feeling toward her and her emotions being all over the place, my lion was pacing under my skin. It was making me anxious.

  “You’ll let me go even after you’ve paid for me?” Her violet eyes locked with mine as her lip trembled slightly.

  I wasn’t sure I could handle seeing her cry.

  I nodded. “I promise you, Kailani, I knew nothing of this purchase until this morning. I came straight here to get you when I found out. I don’t want to hurt you, but I do want you to be my mate.” My lion began to purr in agreeance, slowing his pacing under my skin.

  Kailani’s eyes went to my chest where the sound was coming from. “Are you purring?”

  “I’m not. My lion is. He likes you.” I’d lost the ability to speak in full sentences.

  I never expected to ever meet my true mate. I didn’t know how to approach either of these situations before me. Handling my intense feelings toward this beautiful stranger, and sure as hell not dealing with a kidnap victim. My mate happened to be both.

  Kailani stood slowly, being sure to keep her eyes on me as she did.

  She was wearing a fitted t-shirt and what looked like pajama pants that hugged her curves. Her body was… I wanted to say plump, mouthwatering, made to be loved, made to grow cubs, so many things came to mind. Beautiful. She was fucking beautiful.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked, hoping she might want food and buying me more time with her.

  Kailani shook her head. “I’m good. I’d just like to go on my way now if you’re being honest about letting me go.”

  “Of course.” I didn’t like the idea of her leaving any more than my lion did, but I stepped out of her way and let her exit the shed.

  “Thank you.” She said, heading toward the front of the house.

  “Where will you go?” I needed to make sure she was going to be okay. “Do you have anyone you can call?”

  She turned to look at me, the pain in her eyes almost bringing me to my knees. “I have no one.” Then she turned back around and walked away.

  I stood and watched her walk down the driveway.

  I could offer to drive her somewhere, but I didn’t think she’d get in the rover with me. There was a bus station in town that she could buy a ticket home. Wherever home was for her. I just hoped it wasn’t with her shit boyfriend that sold her.

&nb
sp; Dirk came storming out of the back door. “Why are you letting her go? We paid a lot of money for that piece of ass."

  His words pushed me over the edge.

  My lion burst out of me and went for him. He needed to bleed for what he’d done to our mate. Dirk was quick and shifted into his lion just in time to dodge me, making me land on my ass on the other side of him. I turned quickly and we paced back and forth, neither of us willing to take his eyes off the other.

  Dirk suddenly lunged at me, his mouth wide open, aiming for my throat. That was an attempted kill shot. This wasn’t about the purchase of a female. This was about dominance, perhaps it had always been. I moved out of the way before he made contact, swinging around and sinking my teeth in his shoulder causing him to roar in pain. I bit down hard, tasting his blood in my mouth. Managing to turn his head at the right angle, Dirk sank his teeth into my shoulder and raked his back claws down my side, making me release him.

  I shook off the pain as he lunged at me again, attempting to pin me beneath him. I let him since I knew he would get ahead of himself thinking he’d be victorious and leave his throat vulnerable. Just as I suspected, the moment I relaxed my body beneath him, he lifted his head to let out a victorious roar. I lifted my head and sank my teeth into his throat. If I wanted him dead, all I had to do was bite down a little harder. He tried to pull away but I held tight until he finally stopped and stepped to the side so he was no longer over me. When he attempted to lay down in submission, I finally released him and shifted back.

  My shoulder was the worst of my injuries and was bleeding freely down my arm. “What is your fucking problem?” I kicked him. “Shift back and answer me!”

  Dirk shifted back and glared at me, the puncture wounds around his neck seeping blood. “I did you a fucking favor buying that bitch for you.”

  I swung on him, my fist connecting with his jaw. “Watch what you say about my mate!” I snarled, my lion wanted to have another go at him.

  “She was supposed to be mine!" Dirk stopped and spat blood on the ground. "My family found her years ago and were planning on bringing her here to be my mate, the real alpha. Not some stupid boy who has no damn clue what he’s doing.”

  I wanted to punch him again but took the higher road instead. “Pack your shit and call your family and tell them to pack theirs as well. You’re all hereby banished from this pride for illegally purchasing an omega, kidnapping, and betraying your alpha. If I ever see you again, I will kill you all. Understood?”

  Dirk stared at me in shock. “You can’t do that.”

  “I can and I did.” I looked down and realized I had destroyed my clothes. “Lucas!” I called out, knowing he and the others were close by.

  The back door cracked open. “Yes, Alpha?” Lucas was being cautious. Smart man.

  “Grab me some clothes please and help Dirk pack his shit. I need to make sure the omega gets somewhere safe.” I wanted to let her have her space but right now I was too wound up. I needed to make sure my mate was safe, even if she didn’t want me.

  ~6~

  Kailani

  I didn’t know where I was walking, I just picked a direction and stuck to it. Now that I wasn’t in immediate danger of being raped or murdered, I had time to feel the full sting of Kavik’s betrayal.

  For years he led me to believe he was my friend. He made me believe that he loved and accepted me.

  Lies.

  They’d all been lies so he could sell me to some backwoods cult in Montana. I should have known better than to believe him. It was too suspicious that in a town full of people that disliked me, he would be the exception. I wanted so badly to be loved by someone. Anyone. I didn’t see the signs that were right in front of me.

  Was my aunt in on it too? Had she known what Kavik was going to do? Or was she trying to protect me?

  I was so confused. So hurt.

  I found a large bolder and plopped my ass on it. Overwhelmed, I covered my face with my hands and cried harder than I’d ever cried in my life.

  What was so wrong with me that I didn’t deserve to be loved?

  “Kailani.” Blake’s voice startled me.

  I looked up at him. His eyes were full of pity. I didn’t want it, or anything from a man. Ever again. “Go away.” I sobbed. “I don’t nee-” I hiccupped. “need you or your damn pit-" Hiccup. "Pity. Just leave me be.”

  Blake took a few steps closer, his eyes beginning to glow a haunting orange. “I can’t leave you, Kailani, not like this. Let me help you.” His voice was calming me, soothing me somehow, and I hated it.

  “I don’t want your help!” I yelled, picking the first thing I found, a small stone, and threw it at him. He didn’t even flinch when the rock hit his chest. “Go!” My voice was growing hoarse.

  Blake shook his head. “I won’t leave you until I know you’re safe. Let me take you home and get you fed while we figure out where we go from here.”

  I scoffed. “Yea cause I’m gonna believe the leader of the cult that just bought me and took me against my will.”

  “Ha!” Blake let out of a small laugh. “We’re a pride, Kai, not a cult.”

  The sound of my shortened name sent pain shooting through my chest. "Don’t call me that.” I didn’t want him to see me cry again, so I stood and stumbled away. “Just let me go.”

  I did just as I’d done before. I picked a direction and started walking.

  I don’t know how long I walked, but I could sense Blake’s presence not far behind and ignored him. If he wanted to follow me into hell, then he was more than welcome. I needed to get back to Alaska and find out if my aunt had been in on this betrayal or if she might be in danger.

  I started walking faster when I spotted a road up ahead. Maybe I could hitch a ride to the nearest airport. Only I didn’t have any money or an ID to even try and get money from my bank account…

  “Shit,” I whispered to myself.

  Blake cleared his throat behind me. “You’re finally realizing how stuck you are, aren’t you?”

  I stopped walking, not turning to look at him. “Don’t worry about it, Blake. I’m not your problem.”

  “See, that’s where you’re wrong, Kailani. As my mate, your problems will always be mine.”

  I turned, stomping over to him and poking him in the chest. “I’m not your mate! I don’t even know what the hell that means.” He grabbed my wrist and I tried to pull it from his grasp. “Release me!”

  “I’ll release you and explain what a mate is once you calm down and stop being aggressive.”

  “Fine,” I sighed. “I’m too tired to keep fighting you right now.”

  Blake let out a deep chuckle and released my wrist. “Right now implying that you intend to fight again later?”

  “I’ve been fighting my whole life and I have no plans of stopping now.” I took a step back to put more space between us. Blake’s eyes were glowing again as they locked onto mine. It felt like he was staring into my soul. I felt something stir inside me. “Explain to me what all this talk about mates and omegas is about. And why your eyes keep glowing.”

  He nodded. “Okay. Let’s find somewhere to sit while I talk.”

  “No thanks. Just tell me what all the crazy talk is about.”

  “All this stuff you should know already, but here it goes. Omegas are a special type of shifter that carries the ability to create more shifters. My eyes glow because I’m a shifter.”

  “Wait. What’s a shifter?” I asked, really wanting to understand what he was saying. It sounded like a cool sci-fi movie.

  “The simplest explanation for a shifter is a human that can turn into a specific animal.”

  “And you have a lion?”

  Blake smiled. He was handsome for a cult leader. “Yes, I can turn into a lion.”

  “And I’m one of these special lion omegas even though I’ve never in my eighteen years of life turned into a lion.”

  “That’s the confusing part for me. I can scent your lioness but not very str
ong which means something has been done to suppress her. Has anyone done anything weird to you or maybe you have a strange tattoo somewhere?” His eyes moved over my body reminding me how poorly I was dressed. I didn’t even have shoes on.

  “Nope, and nope. The only thing that could be considered weird would be my parents being shot dead when I was six while I was hidden in their closet.” I tried my best not to remember that night.

  “Shit. I’m sorry, Kailani.” Blake reached for me, and I stepped out of his reach.

  “It’s fine. I got through it, just like I got through years of foster care and then years of living with my aunt that never really said much but nonsense about shifting and mates. Oh god." I slapped my forehead. "She told me Kavik wasn’t my mate. Do you think she knows about my lion?” I don’t know why I was buying into this so easily, or why I was talking to him.

  “It’s possible since she’s family. She might even be a shifter, though I couldn’t be sure without being close enough to scent her. Where does she live?”

  “Alaska.”

  Blake’s eyes went wide. “Is that where you’re from?” I nodded. “Fuck. I know Alaska is a lot further than half a day away, meaning my guys picked you up in-”

  “Idaho.”

  He blew out a breath. “So you drove here with your boyfriend and met up with my guys when you got a reasonable distance for them to meet you because they didn’t want me to know about the purchase.” I didn’t think he was talking to me as much as explaining it to himself.

  I was starting to believe he had nothing to do with what happened to me.

  “Kavik and I were supposed to be road tripping in the lower forty-eight as a treat to ourselves and an opportunity to spend time together before we went to college in the fall.” Reminding myself of Kavik’s betrayal was like stabbing myself in the heart.

  A low growl sounded from Blake’s chest. “I’ll kill him.”