LOGINShare
Chapter 109: King
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
Related chapters
Shifter King Chapter 110: King
She handles it better than I expected. It's been three days, and she refuses to mention a word about it. Like I said, better than expected. Before coming here, Beck asked if she understood what's happened. He laughed when I asked if he was planning to tell her. His exact words were, "Throw me in a pit of hellhounds first." Wise man. It's four incredible days of bliss before she decides to voice her concerns. We're in bed in the early afternoon, after enjoying uninterrupted adult time. "I can't be a leader," she says with her head lying on my chest and her body half on mine. "I've just commanded my first unit. Leaders need experience." "They do." "How the heck do I gain experience? No, wait. I don't want that kind of experience. They're your men, King. Don't do this to me. You can't." Her fingers dig into my hip. Very softly, I tell her the truth, "They're your men now." "It won't work." She slams her fists on the bed beside me. I fight a smile.
Shifter King Chapter 111: King
Marinah's avoidance doesn't bother me. She needs time to think this through. What she doesn't understand is, she's a leader and she's strong enough to lead the Shadow Warriors. I remember my doubts in the beginning. They ate me alive. The difference is Marinah has me at her side. I won't let her flounder. Axel begins testing the whistles after I give him Marinah's orders. I inform my guard that Marinah doesn't have meetings or training planned for today. "You told her?" asks Beck. "She took it as well as expected." "That bad?" "It could have been worse." And the earthquake that took down San Francisco in 1906 could have been worse too. "You want us twiddling our thumbs?" asks Labyrinth. The man's a lummox and I don't count dexterity as one of his pluses so I doubt he could. "Until we have our orders, go for it." He nods, lifts his hands, and twiddles those monstrous thumbs. That's when Marinah walks into the conference room. The m
Shifter King Chapter 112: Marinah
They were laughing at me, and I don't blame them. I simply can't lead hundreds of men, scratch that, Shadow Warriors. I have no idea what I'm doing. I replay the entire meeting in my head. They're like children, and I can't believe I need to point them in a direction and tell them what to do. Stupid. And King's gone through this for years. Labyrinth mentioned Cosway, and it reminded me I need to check on her. I begin my search and eventually give up and ask one of the door guards. He points me to the outside courtyard. I find her there, playing with the kittens. "Pretty butterfly," she says when she notices me. She's a rather pretty butterfly herself now. Soap, water, and good food make her look younger. Someone also took a chisel to her teeth. I'd place her in her mid-twenties. "Hi, Cosway. Do you mind if I join you and play with the kittens?" She pushes the calico in my direction, and I grab him before he scampers off. "He likes the pr
Shifter King Chapter 113: King
Marinah is working with Ruth, who's making incredible progress. There hasn't been a complaint about the child in weeks. She follows Marinah around like she's her personal guard. The sword Marinah gave her always on her hip and her hand on the pommel daring anyone to threaten her instructor. "King," Beck calls. "We have urgent news from the northern outpost." Here we go. It's been too quiet. "I'll grab Marinah. Have the men join us in the conference room in five." I don't ask what the news is because it's Marinah's job. Beck should have gone to her first, but that's something she needs to deal with. Eventually things will fall into place. When I took over after my uncle's death, it was the same way. Shadow Warriors expect a leader and sometimes knocking heads is the best way to lead them. I enter the gym, and Ruth is holding her sword with trembling arms, sweat rolling down her brow, and a stubborn set to her jaw which reminds me of Marinah's determination when she
Shifter King Chapter 114: Marinah: Main U.S. Outpost
King's hand slides across my shoulder causing me to turn. Comfort and strength show in his striking blue eyes. He's dressed in military fatigues in place of his usual "tear you apart" Shadow Warrior gear. The fatigue shirt stretches at the seams trying to cover his broad chest and shoulders. I prefer his leather chest straps for their practicality, and to be perfectly honest, they show his muscles to their best advantage. Today we're dressed in outpost military attire and covered from ankle to shoulder. If we shift to our Warrior forms, the material will shred and our Beasts won't care if we're nude. I spent too many years thinking I was human to want to show my naked bits and pieces to the people at the outpost. We'll deal with that problem if shifting becomes a necessity. The outpost has grown to three times the size it was during our last visit. Not in the least pretty, it's a ragtag mess that somehow manages to appear organized. Humans slapped together houses, huts, and ca
Shifter King Chapter 115: Marinah
The woman's gaze drops to the table at my abrupt question. I've been dealing with too many men. The only thing that works with them is short, uncomplicated words with a grunt or two thrown in. I now prefer it that way. When the women on the island seek me out, they want me to solve every domestic problem on the planet, and they talk entirely too much. I change how I deal with them because shooting out commands puts them in tears or worse, makes them angry. You do not want to eat food made by an angry cook. King and I found this out the hard way. This female is different. Now that I've had a few minutes to assess her energy, I feel the Shadow Warrior essence though it's slightly different than the males, softer somehow, which makes sense, but also more powerful in its overall capacity. Interesting. She's watching me closely like she knows my thoughts. Her slight smile drives me crazy, and I almost growl. "Male Shadow Warriors have one thought and one plan of action:
Shifter King Chapter 116: King
Landan says a few words as we walk away from the cabin. His voice dies out when he realizes I'm paying no attention. He's quickly learned the nuances of dealing with Shadow Warriors, and he makes his escape with a muttered excuse of checking on things, whatever that means. My Beast has fully accepted Marinah as Alpha. Unfortunately, there are two beings inside this body, and I personally wanted to bite her head off for dismissing me so abruptly. I no longer have delusions over who could kill who. Marinah takes her training seriously, and every Shadow Warrior has seen her change into a deadly fighting machine even when she's not in Nova form. She's been working on that too. Her control isn't great and pulling forth her Nova takes a lot out of her. If she's angry about something, it's easier which doesn't make her happy. She wants absolute control over each facet of her Warrior, and I have no doubt she'll achieve it, eventually. Beast finally grumbles, mate. I want t
Shifter King Chapter 117: Marinah
My flight isn't just about the women. I've barely been holding my own in the leadership department. It was hoisted upon me after my Warrior form warped to Nova which is a term for a Beast form on steroids. King was, well, king. Now it's me as leader and nothing comes naturally. My days are frustration and tension rolled into one. I've been training as much as possible, learning to handle every weapon we have. My knowledge on guns was nonexistent, especially the Russian weapons available on the island. Now, I can look at a firearm and give you the make, model, and caliber of bullet it fires. I spend hours each day working with swords, developing my skill, magnifying the damage I can do. King and Beck drill me endlessly on military strategy, and the amount of knowledge I've dumped into my brain should make it explode. And still, I feel inadequate as alpha of the Shadow Warriors. How long before I simply take my role for granted and stop worrying about how many people I'll kill wi
Latest chapter
Shifter King Chapter 141: King: The Island (Cuba)
I head to the training field and beat up on all comers for the next two hours. My men look at me in fear by the time I'm through. I'm going to be a father and I should be ecstatic. All I feel is fear, and it's not something I'm accustomed to. Strangling my mate might help. A baby. We could have lost our child before I knew about him or her. My thoughts return to strangulation. My men practically fall to the ground when I head back to my room to shower. Thankfully, Marinah found another place to be. I need time before I deal with her. I shower, dress in fresh clothes, and I leave the room. Labyrinth's body is in his quarters. His funeral will be tonight along with the Shadow Warriors lost in the Federation's attack. Beck, Nokita, Cabel, and Alden stand outside Labyrinth's door, their faces somber. "Marinah is with him," rebukes Beck. He's angry he didn't go with us and it's not his death. Marinah made the right decision on who she took on our mi
Shifter King Chapter 140: King
Marinah picks up Labyrinth and tosses him over her shoulder like he weighs forty pounds and not three hundred and forty. The black dress is in tatters, only covering parts of her massive form. Mrs. Barnes opens groggy eyes, and I set her on her feet. I give her one minute to find her balance. "Move," I order when her time's up. She cries and sniffs and squeals, and sniffs some more while she tries to run. Her bravado is gone. The pointed heels of her shoes become a problem. With a growl, I pick her up and flip her over my shoulder the same way Marinah holds Labyrinth. Her shriek is music to my ears, but we don't need the noise so I slam my hand down on the backs of her exposed thighs. She shrieks once before she decides silence is best. We run without stopping and make it to the rendezvous point in thirty minutes. Mrs. Barnes crumples to the ground when I try to place her on her feet. She can rest here and wallow in her bad fortune. Alden doesn't take his eyes from the presiden
Shifter King Chapter 139: Marinah
The room turns my stomach. Starvation, death, and helplessness fill the world while these people hold parties, laugh, drink alcohol, and pretend they live in a different time. Several men smile at me inquisitively as I slowly stroll around the room. I give them assessing smiles, meeting their eyes. "You belong," I repeat internally. It's twenty minutes before President Barnes enters-his wife on his arm. I'd forgotten about her. She's a scientist as well as first lady. Her hair is perfectly manicured, her head held regally as if the world belongs to her. Diamonds drip from her throat and her wrists. She lives in a different world. I never liked her and for the most part, she stayed far away from the government's workings. For some reason whenever I saw her, I felt like a lab rat. I can now put my finger on my feelings. I respected them back then. I'm disgusted now and detest everything the Barneses stand for. No, I don't like the woman. A small ache goes through me
Shifter King Chapter 138: King: Federation Territory
Six hours later, minus braids, and practically bald, we're settled on the plane. The look on Alden and Labyrinth's faces match mine. We are unrecognizable as Warrior with our shaved heads. I'd rather dress in pink. "You would think your power was in your hair the way you whiny babies are handling this," were Marinah's exact words. Personally, I was resigned to my fate and remained stoic, hoping one of the men would talk her out of it. Her alpha stare came into effect, and she chopped a section of her braids off with her sword. The men followed suit, giving me sad puppy dog eyes while we sheared our heads. Beck kept his mouth shut from that moment on. If Maylin hadn't saved the day and trimmed up the mess we made, the lot of us would have needed to go completely bald. I run my hand over the prickly stubble. Cutting our hair was necessary for Marinah's plan to work. Her hand lands on my opposite arm. I pull her close so she rests her head on my shoulder. "Sleep," I whispe
Shifter King Chapter 137: King
Seven Warriors lost their lives. We have several humans in uncertain condition but so far none have died. I locate the wives of two of the men. They know their mates are dead, but I want them to understand as the wife of a Shadow Warrior, they will be cared for. The looks on their faces say it all. There is nothing comforting about death. "Will it ever end?" I think to myself after leaving. I don't have answers. When we came to the island, our plan was to take over for a short time. The people put up little resistance. Starved and short on medical supplies, they needed us as much as we needed them. Once the world was settled, we would give the island back to its people. On days like today, I don't see it happening. Beck finds me as soon as I return to the citadel. "We have a problem at the shipyard, and Nokita is asking for you." Of course we have a problem at the shipyard. I change course. The sun blazes down on us as Nokita explains what parts he ne
Shifter King Chapter 136: Marinah
I wake up in the warm cushion of King's arms. He's awake and staring at me. "How is the soldier?" I ask groggily. He knows who I mean. "She survived. Axel performed surgery on one wrist and put both in casts. What do you plan on doing with her?" My heart is heavy. "I'm not sure." I roll so I'm facing King. "I couldn't kill her. Even Ms. Beast couldn't do it." "Hmm." He almost has me smiling, but then I remember the pain of losing our men. "How many of our people died?" "Your people. Seven Warriors, no humans." I ache at the news. "Who?" King recites the names. It hurts. Two of them have families. One just became a new father. I sit up partially. "The men need us. What are we doing in here?" King locks his arms around me again and pulls me back into bed. "You can read your grandmother's journal, but you are not leaving this room until you're healed. It's not up for discussion." I want to argue. His hard, calculating e
Shifter King Chapter 135: King
I pace outside Axel's office while he treats Marinah. He kicked me out and blocked the door an hour ago. Mate, Beast rumbles. I glance at the door in anger, deciding if I should break it down or not. I'm sitting in the infirmary while medical teams work on Warriors and islanders. I should care but my focus is Marinah. Earlier, when the fighting stopped, Marinah held her Nova form and didn't revert to her Beast. I approached her slowly. It took a few minutes before she stopped ripping the soldiers apart. I saw when awareness entered her eyes. She had no idea what she'd done. A moment later, she toppled over. I thought she would change form, but it never happened. There was so much blood from the soldiers she killed, it took a few minutes to figure out she'd been shot. I rushed her to Axel's infirmary. Before throwing me from the room, he found two bullet wounds, one in her shoulder, one in her side, and an additional knife puncture in her other side. I came
Shifter King Chapter 134: Marinah
A shadow falls over me, and I look into King's huge jaws. "You need to shift. I'll loosen your straps." His clawed hands are slightly clumsy when he unfastens the buckles. He runs a sharp claw along the bare skin on my back when finished. "One kiss and we'll take up where we leave off when this is over." He says it like we're going on an excursion through the park. I appreciate the light comment. I'm wound up so tight, I don't think I can breathe. Now he wants a kiss and I can't think of anything more delicious. I morph in his arms, growing in height, expanding in girth, and turning a flavor of ugly only a mate can appreciate. With my fangs in the way, I kiss him because he loves me in whatever form I take, and I love him. My radio spits, "The artillery on the ships is keeping our planes back, but they've got one crippled ship so I'm changing the plan if my alpha approves. I'm tracking the sub and want to take it out." "Go for it," I yell as another explosion rocks
Shifter King Chapter 133: Marinah
Energy spikes through my blood as we travel the winding roads. I feel alive. There's nothing left of the frightened young woman who clung to King on the back of his bike, holding on to a man she didn't trust. That man, beside me now, is the reason I'm an entirely different person. My hands open and close on the motorbike's handlebars in anticipation of the coming fight. Hellhounds are one thing, but humans are the real enemy-thinking, plotting, murdering humans. Bloodlust fills me. I'll kill them all. We hit the city and weave through the winding side streets at breakneck speed. I love the powerful rumble between my thighs, the tilt of the bike when I take corners, and the feel of wind against my face. Who knew I would turn into a biker chick? We glide through the open metal gates, abandoning the bikes, and head to the roof of the citadel at a full run. I shift to human form while Shadow Warriors and humans scramble out of our way. We crash through the roof's door and cha
