Asylum_A Shifter Society Novel_A Reverse Harem Novel Read online

  “I’ve got an idea…” he said finally. “We’ve got a gathering at the end of the week for the twins, and Jake should be in. I’ll make an announcement then. Let them think I’m keeping you for obvious reasons, and hope that’s enough. We’ll figure out the rest later, but the immediate issue is sex.”

  “Conal you’re killing me. I told you before, I don’t shit where I eat. I will not anytime in the future, be having sex with the males here. It’s too complicated.” She wasn’t ashamed of her active sex drive but didn’t see the point in blasting it to the ends of the compound either. And that’s what sleeping with one of Conal’s men would be. No, thank you, she thought.

  “I mean, you need to shoot down anyone who makes a pass, immediately. Don’t be subtle. You're big enough now and trained enough to put noses to the ground. Your wolf is dominant enough to accomplish it. Couldn’t you tell the difference between my behavior earlier and Dominic's?” Now that he’d pointed it out, yes. Kassi had felt nothing at first but the thrill. Fighting with Conal’s beast was FUN. There was the knowledge that he could take anything she dished out. It carried an edge to it that screamed danger, but not so with Dominic. She’d wanted to play, but remembered the scenting, and how, even after they’d shifted back he’d given her that one long look. A look she’d ignored in her haste to nail Conal’s ass to the wall. And the looks he sent Conal. He couldn’t say anything for fear of retribution but there had been something more in his eyes.

  Dominic hadn’t shown interest in her when she first arrived. The teasing and playful fights hadn’t begun until Conal put her at his side for one on one training. They’d told the pack who she was and what she was doing, but it was entirely possible they thought there was more to their sessions. They were private training sessions, Kassi mused, trying to think of how it looked to someone else. But they were private so the entire pack wouldn’t see her continuously get her ass handed to her, not to mention tensions rode high, especially for someone younger like her. She was either ignoring Conal or in his face, there didn’t seem to be middle ground. She couldn’t count how many times she’d lost her hold on her skin, and ended up shifting unexpectedly.

  “I’m an idiot. He thinks I’m fucking you, and it’s a goddamned competition to him. Sneaky fucker wants to play with the Alpha’s pussy, that’s what this is about. Son of a bitch!”

  “Bingo. And If I correct him in any way, I’ll be welcoming a free for all. Formally deny it, and you're up for grabs. Accept it, and I face challenges for mating rights. Up until now, the threat of touching what was mine kept you safe. You see the problem? If you are mine, then I expect more trouble from Dominic, if I release you, you’ll have problems you don’t want. So, put any male who makes a pass in his place. As the female, you decide when, where, how, and if you choose a bedmate. Make that perfectly clear.”

  This was a mess, Kassi thought sourly. Who cared about bedmates and partners. Sex was all well and good, but it wasn’t worth all this trouble. “I’ll take care of it, so long as you let me interact more. I’m careful, and I want to keep training, in both forms, but I need the interaction. I don’t mind our private sessions, but maybe we can open some of them up to the others.”

  Conal stood, a dark smile curved with a bite, black hair a mess around his face, and she could see why the females fawned over him, even the young cubs sighed in his presence. It was sad really that to Kassi he was a pain in the ass. She could fuck him stupid, wave it in Dom’s face and be done with the entire mess, but no. It wouldn’t be smart to bed the Alpha, no matter how sinful that grin was.

  “I’ll try, now, head to bed. Training at dawn tomorrow, you’ve got the day off,” Conal ordered, and with that, she was dismissed.

  chapter two

  The fast-paced, rhythmic beat blasted through the speakers in the training room, echoing around the sparse, wide open space. The sound of her ratty sneakers matched the pace of the music, thump-thump-thump, and she tried to lose herself in the routine. Keyword there, tried. The only problem with that plan was that Kassi hated the treadmill. It was far too monotonous, she much preferred running outdoors where she could see more than her own reflection huffing in irritation, but Conal was insistent.

  That was the other reason she couldn’t quite achieve work-out bliss. The six foot six wall of dark, scowling shifter running next to her. Even in human skin he looked like a predator: long, lean muscles, broad shoulders, and that angular face. It would make anyone snarky in self-defense. But she’d promised to not complain, so she kept the usual snark to herself.

  Conal ran parallel to her, growling when she slowed. How’d he make it look so simple? He wanted her best, and she wasn’t quite capable of his idea of her best. Yet. Which was why they both were there at dawn, working. Just like they had nearly every day for the last six months. Before she’d come to the Pack for instruction she’d never worked out a day in her life. Or got up before dawn unless her mother threatened her with magic. Nothing like ice water that didn’t stop pouring until you moved to get your blood pumping. Even that didn’t compare to the breakneck pace Con set for the two of them. But slowly they fell into a rhythm that worked.

  The music changed, and with it, relief was in sight. Once she ran through the heavy pounding bass of rock, and into the soothing caress of country, she could get off the damn treadmill. She had the playlist perfect and slowed the speed on her treadmill in accordance. Warm and happy to have the running done, she stepped off the machine, killed the power, and leaned back against the rail. Her black sports bra clung to her, and although she’d pulled her black hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head, tendrils had escaped and clung to her neck.

  “Choose your poison,” Conal ordered and tossed her a cold bottle of water from the small fridge tucked in the corner. “The bar or the weights?”

  She let out a growl of her own, a pathetic human version of her beast's growl. She hated the weights. They were evil, vile things and made for torture she was certain. “Bar,” Kassi said. Tossing her bottle down, she marched over to the bar, scowled at it a second before turning to Conal. The grinning Alpha. That damn dark honey smile. She wanted to scowl at him on principle. He knew she’d choose the bar, she always did. Kassi didn’t know why he bothered asking. “Let’s get this over with.”

  The at-dawn sessions at first annoyed her. He pushed and she bitched, until one day she realized she was bitching just to hear him scold her. Oh, she knew the workouts were necessary, knew in her gut he was right about most things, but she’d be damned before she admitted it out loud. And there was something thrilling about knowing she got to him. The door opened behind her, but Kassi didn't stop to look, she just kept at it. Her nose told her who it was and she had to force herself to focus on the bar, lest she take his head off. Dominic. He pissed her off now on principle. Chin to bar, extend arms, chin back to bar. And Repeat. It took her ages to get his scent off her the morning before, and she’d be damned if she spent the rest of the day scrubbing his scent from her skin. It didn’t occur to Kassi to question why she didn’t want his scent on her, and as with most things she didn’t worry over it.

  “Don’t stop,” Conal murmured and placed his hand on her lower back, urging her up again despite the fact that she twitched to a stop. “I’m going to speak to Dom real quick.” His hand didn’t move. Why was she so aware of the exact placement of his hand? Of exactly how much square footage his hand took up on her skin.

  “Your brother’s here, Con. He’s got a message from the Reapers, and says he was invited?” Dominic said. He didn’t give Conal time to move, but stepped into the room without permission and halted just a few feet away, Kassi could see him leaning against the treadmill she’d just been on, where her scent would linger the most.

  Conal’s hand didn’t leave her back. If anything he pressed harder against her skin. His wide, rough, warm palm anchored firmly right at the spot where back met ass and Kassi was thankful she could focus on the bar in front of her. Conal, the bastard, w
as putting on a show. Wasn’t he? He never touched her in any way that could be thought of as sexual. Oh he’d slap her ass to get her moving faster, and in beast form, his teeth and claws often nipped and pushed her, but this?

  Chin up, extend arms back down, chin up again. Don’t think about that hand, Kassi told herself.

  “Send him in. I’ve told you before, you don’t detain Jake. He’s family, and a long standing member of this pack.” Jake. Kassi tried to place a face with the name but came up blank. Jake was Conal’s baby brother, stationed elsewhere but that was all she knew. Conal’s fingers twitched against Kassi’s bare back and her own hand slipped on the bar. Damn it, get on with it!

  “I disagree, respectively.” Dominic retorted. “He’s not here. Hasn’t been for nearly a year. He’s living with the Reapers. Who knows if his loyalty has changed?” Kassi felt as if all the air was suddenly gone from the room.

  Chin up, extend arms back down, don’t fall on face. It was a good goal, Kassi figured and tried her damnedest not to speak. Or breathe funny. Or do anything that would ignite the tension that filled the room. “I do not explain myself or my actions to you. He’s exactly where he’s been ordered to be, now, go escort your packmate in. Send him to me, directly.” Conal’s voice was soft, but steel echoed in every syllable, and her own beast perked her head up at the tone. She understood the threat in his words and wondered if she might get to watch a show. She might even get to play.

  Dominic’s eyes stayed on Conal’s hand, still perched on Kassi’s back, then met Conal’s eyes. “Yes, Sir.” He turned without another word and the door clicked softly shut. Kassi deflated, chin perched on the bar as her beast rolled its eyes and curled back up inside her head. No show today.

  A second of tense silence and Conal still didn’t move his hand. He really needed to move that hand. She fought not to arch into his touch. “Son of a god damned BITCH!” Conal exploded. Hand was gone now, and Kassi dropped from the bar to her feet. She’d lost count of how many she’d done but, given the situation, she wasn’t overly concerned. Not to mention she was busy internally arguing with herself. She’d never been so torn before. Move the hand lower where she craved it, or remove it completely.

  “He’s getting worse,” Kassi muttered. “Did you see him staring at your hand?”

  Kassi picked up her bottle of water, which was now warm, fiddled idly with the lid just to have something to do, and watched Conal prowl the room. The mirrors along the wall reflected back his movements so Kassi got the full back view and the stark facial expression too. What was it about Dominic that pissed him off so badly? He shook his head like a dog shaking off water and turned to face her. She tripped over her own shoes and landed hard on her ass, the water bottle rolling away from her fingers.

  It seemed more often than not, her beast reacted quicker than her human mind could decide, and that expression on Conal’s face? Definitely had her beast perking right back up. Oh god, she thought, the first thing she was doing on her free weekend was get laid. Promptly. Like, yesterday. Conal stalked up to her, held down his hand to help her up. She eyed it as if it would explode if she touched it, then swallowed thickly and let him help her up. He pulled sharply, her body rose up and nearly slammed into his. Would have but for the hand that landed on his chest.

  Don’t look up. Don’t meet his eyes.

  But come on, when did she listen to anyone? Even herself? She glanced up and froze. The music in the background faded and the silence was deafening. The song switched to a heavy thrumming beat that matched the thundering of her heart. She could swear she heard it over the music. Surely he did too. “What did I tell you to do when someone makes a pass at you?” Conal asked roughly, and his hand tightened around her forearm.

  “He didn’t,” she countered, proud her voice didn’t shake.

  “No,” he growled as his other arm wrapped around her waist, hauled her up his body until her face was level with his. “I did. That hand on your ass? You just let me.”

  Fuck. She did. Because, her beast whispered, you wanted him to. No that wasn’t right, she was just wound up, that was all. “I—”

  “Con! There you are, that damn second of yours needs a muzzle. Or neutered.” A distinctly male voice said as the door opened again. “A pair of scissors and snip snip-” He stopped, took only a second to realize he was interrupting. “Sorry, bro’ I’ll be right out here, doing...something.”

  Kassi tried to get down, once again run from the embarrassment, but Conal held her fast. “Conal,” she whispered. She knew what it looked like, hell what it felt like. The two of them nearly nose to nose, poised a breath apart, touching but not touching, the tension so thick she could barely breathe around it.

  The bastard didn’t let her go, instead, he tightened his arm, and she had to wonder if he was proving a point. Teaching a lesson. If he was, she was getting a big fat ‘F’ because she just wasn’t catching on.

  “What did I tell you, Kassidy?” He growled out, and she got it. Late, but she got it. Kassi hauled back and slammed her head into his. She dropped like a rock.

  “That what you wanted big guy?” She asked, rubbing her now sore forehead.

  “Late as always,” he scolded, and the tension dissipated.

  He turned to his brother, giving Kassi time to get her feet beneath her again. “Kick his ass next time,” Conal said as he clasped Jake’s hand. “Besides, you’re early.”

  Kassi scowled at Conal’s back, ignoring the newcomer. He wasn’t a threat to her, her beast had no direct issues with either male, but Kassi sure as hell was pissed at Conal. Here she was worked up, and he’d done it on purpose to prove a point. Her heart rate refused to slow, and that heavy tension in her stomach and core didn’t fade. If anything, it intensified.

  Sometimes you must have patience, and sometimes Kassidy, you must take the element of surprise.

  Conal’s voice echoed in her memory, one of the first times she’d blundered and hadn’t waited long enough, and had spectacularly failed at taking down a small whitetail deer.

  Well, he wasn’t a whitetail, but he sure made a big enough target. Even she couldn’t miss. He stood with his feet spread, massive arms crossed, facing Jake. It was odd, she’d never met Jake, never seen him, but looking at him, she’d have automatically associated him with Conal. The bone structure in their faces, those strong angular faces, she thought, the quick flash of a smile with full lips and perfect teeth, and the bedroom eyes were too similar for them not to be closely related. Where Conal’s hair was cropped shorter, and fell over his forehead into his eyes, Jake’s hung in long black-blue waves to his shoulders.

  Kassi grinned, which Jake happened to catch, and he smiled back in reflex until he saw her push up from the floor and launch herself into Conal. As a direct result of momentum, the two fell into Jake and out the door.

  As they fell Kassi clung to Con’s back, her arms around his neck, choking him, she hoped, and the three tangled as they hit the floor. Kassi’s face was pressed somewhere under Conal’s elbow and her hips landed solidly against Jakes. “Oh no, Jake. I’m sorry. You were collateral damage,” she muttered, attempting to stand up.

  “I don’t think I mind...I’m at your service,” he smirked, his hands going to her hips to give her a boost up.

  Conal pried her fingers off his neck - she had been choking him, his face was still flushed - and turned around, cocking one black eyebrow at her again. Tongue in cheek, she just gave him a honey sweet smile, dimples flashing. “Go get cleaned up and get breakfast. There’ll be another gathering tonight with Jake here,” he jerked his head towards his brother who lounged back against the wall.

  Kassi was headed down the hallway towards the stairwell that led to her rooms when Conal hailed her again. “Kassidy.” She rounded the last corner and tilted her head in a purely wolfish gesture. “Don’t forget tonight. Shit is going to change.”

  ~

  Instead of heading back upstairs where her bedroom was - and where she'd be a
lone all day - she let her feet take her towards the heart of the mansion. The kitchen. It was situated in the center of the house, accident of design or done with shifters in mind she didn’t know, but a steady stream of shifters threaded in and out throughout the day. It was close to breakfast, Kassi's nose could smell a hint of something fruity and hoped there was a danish left by the time she got there. If she listened close enough, she'd hear the sounds of the pack drifting in from various points of entry, but she was more concerned with the delectable scent of food. She rarely got finished with training until long after the apple danish were gone.

  It was a conspiracy.

  As Alpha, Conal got fresh food at his convenience. The cooks bowed at his command, simpered and batted eyelashes, but not Kassi. By the time she made it out of the training room limping, there was nothing left but scraps, and no one cared. She was at worst a visitor, at best the Alpha’s young plaything. Which still rankled Kassi for reasons she didn’t linger over. The sounds of pack chaos drifted out of the open doorway, and something settled in her. She was supposed to belong here, with her own kind. As much as she loved home, with her parents, that wasn’t the place for her anymore. This chaos was exactly right, if only she could gain entry.