Alpha's Runaway Bride (Runaway Shifter Brides Book 4) Read online

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  Alpha’s Runaway Bride

  Runaway Shifter Brides

  Book 3

  By: Sky Winters

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  Table of Contents

  Alpha’s Runaway Bride

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  EPILOGUE I

  EPILOGUE II

  Other Books by Sky Winters

  About The Author

  Alpha’s Runaway Bride

  CHAPTER 1

  LEXI

  He was crass. He was crude. He was...pretty dumb, really.

  But he was the alpha Lexi Blackclaw was set to marry.

  “So,” said Shana Bitterfoot, Lexi’s best friend and fellow member of the Thundertooth Pack. “You excited or what?”

  Lexi said nothing at first, instead watching Chad Bloodmaw, her betrothed alpha, from the far side of the bar. He was at a table with some of his betas, the group of them carrying on and slamming drinks, other females of the pack around the edges of the table, all seemingly entranced by the lunk-headed masculinity on display.

  “There’re plenty of words I’d use to describe how I feel right now,” said Lexi, her fingertips on her glass of beer. “But ‘excited’ sure as shit isn’t one of them.”

  Shana laughed, knowing exactly what was on Lexi’s mind.

  “OK, I get it,” she said. “Chad isn’t...um, well, he’s not really the type of guy that I’d imagined you with.”

  Right as she finished, as if making her point, Chad stood up, let out a roar, and smashed an empty glass on his head. The other betas let out yells of approval, the women all regarding each other with excited expressions.

  Shana was right, considered Lexi. Never in a million years did she imagine herself with someone like him. At six-and-a-half-feet tall, with shoulders like bowling balls and massive biceps, his neck as thick as a tree trunk, Chad was the ideal physical specimen of an alpha male. His black hair was buzzed short, his jaw was wide, and the gray T-shirt he wore looked on the verge of being ripped right off his body with a single flex of his powerful torso.

  “But hey, you’re the not the only one set to get hitched. Maddie Blackclaw’s paired up too, remember?”

  “Shit,” said Lexi. “I forgot all about that. Totally insane that she’s going to be marrying Jason freaking Rainbringer. Gotta say, he’s probably the second biggest asshole in this pack next to Chad.”

  “Spends his teens making fun of us, then goes off to Seattle to work for his uncle. Not a single doubt in my mind that he’s going to be even more arrogant than he was before.”

  Lexi sighed. “I still can’t believe the pack’s doing arranged marriages. Can’t we be trusted to pick out who we want to spend the rest of our lives with?”

  “Nope,” said Shana, rolling her eyes. “Gotta follow tradition. I swear, if it was tradition to walk into traffic on our twenty-first birthdays instead of getting married, they’d make us do that too.”

  One of the betas shoved another beer into Chad’s huge hand, and Chad didn’t waste any time pouring it down his throat and whipping the glass across the bar, where it shattered against the wall, the crisp smashing sound momentarily rising over the rock music playing from the jukebox.

  “That’s...that’s the man I’m supposed to marry,” said Lexi, shaking her head, her bright blonde hair tossing around her shoulders.

  “Marry and have kids with,” said Shana. “Lots and lots and lots of kids. That’s your omega duty, remember?”

  Chad, still standing, still the center of attention, focused his dark eyes on Lexi from across the bar. His eyes narrowed, and a sly smile formed on his lips. He flicked his chin up to Lexi as if wanting to let her know without words exactly what was on his mind.

  “Don’t remind me,” said Lexi.

  Shana smiled. “Come on—it’s not all bad. I mean, he’s handsome, right?”

  “Fine,” said Lexi, turning her eyes away from Chad. “He’s handsome. But that’s all he is. And it’s not like I’m some kind of snob, you know? I don’t need the man who imprints on me to be some kind of genius.”

  “Well, that’s good,” said Shana. “Because I’m pretty sure you’re the smartest girl in this pack. If you want a guy who’s smarter than you, then you’re going to be single for a long, long time.”

  “Smart would be great,” said Lexi, turning her attention back to her beer. “But yeah, I know the difference between high standards and realistic ones. But Chad’s not just a caveman, he’s totally cruel.”

  “How do you mean?” Shana was curious.

  “Did you hear about the battle with the Razorfang clan? Those wolves right across the Oregon border?”

  Shana shook her head. “You know they don’t keep me in the loop. What happened?”

  “Chad led the assault on the pack’s last encampment. By that point, the Razorfangs were done—we’d beaten them at every battle, and no one was left but the last few betas and their alpha. They were ready to surrender.”

  “OK,” said Lexi, paying careful attention.

  “But Chad...he was so damn desperate to make a name for himself. He didn’t care that they wanted to surrender, that they were ready to talk terms. He went in with his betas and killed every last male in the pack, and did it in front of the women and children.”

  “Holy shit,” said Shana. “How did you hear about this?”

  “Because he bragged about it to me, obviously. He told me like he expected me to be impressed that he murdered a bunch of beaten bears when they were ready to surrender.”

  “That’s fucked up,” said Lexi.

  “Totally fucked up. And you know the worst part? The elder alphas were beyond impressed.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I feel like I’m surrounded by a bunch of barbarians.”

  Shana gave her a sympathetic nod. “It sounds wrong, but you know that’s what it takes to stand out in shifter packs. You don’t exactly get people singing songs about alphas who graciously accept surrender terms.”

  “And I’m going to be imprinted by him. You know what that means, right? I’m going to be joined to him for the rest of our lives—just like the good little omega I am.”

  “It’s nature, Lexi,” said Shana. “I know it doesn’t seem fair. But that’s the way of things, right? Alphas lead the pack, conquer other clans, take new territory.”

  “And omegas stay home like obedient little housewives, making sure the cabin looks nice for when her alpha comes home covered in blood. Oh, and crank out kids—lots and lots and lots of kids,” she said, echoing Shana’s words.

  “It won’t be all bad,” said Shana. “I mean, if you’re going to be stuck with an alpha, isn’t it
nice you’re at least stuck with the best? I mean, Chad’s going to be leading this pack one day. And you’re going to be right there at his side. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to, I don’t know, balance out his, uh, less civilized impulses.”

  Lexi shook her head. “Not likely. Guys like him don’t exactly listen to women. In fact, it’s a sign of weakness for alphas. I’d make a suggestion and he’d laugh right in my face, tell me if we ran the pack like I wanted we’d get stomped on as soon as the nearest pack smelled weakness.”

  She took a sip of her beer and shook her head.

  “And maybe he’s right. It doesn’t matter. Whatever I want, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be imprinted on by Chad, and that’s effectively going to make me his property.” But though she said the words to calm herself down and come to terms with her situation, they had the opposite effect. “It’s bullshit! It’s freaking twenty-twenty, but with shifters, it’s more like ten-twenty. Women are supposed to be property?”

  Shana gave her a sympathetic look. “I know it sucks. And speaking of which, did you get another chance to try to make your case to your parents?”

  Lexi scoffed. “About going off to Seattle for college? I talked to them again about it last night, and they were just as stubborn as ever. And it’s crazy, right? It’s not like I’m asking for anything too far-fetched. All I want is a few years to live on my own and study English. Then when I come back, I’ll be the perfect omega that Chad wants.”

  “And what do they say?”

  “The same thing they always say: that four years at college is four years that I won’t be having kids. And worse, in their eyes, it’s four years that I’ll be exposed to the ‘temptations’ of the human world.” She rolled her eyes at the word, saying it with a mock scary tone. “It’s like they’ve never considered the possibility that maybe going out into the world would let me bring back some actual modern ideas.”

  “That’s probably what they’re afraid of. The elders are fearful of change.”

  Before the two of them could go on, Chad locked eyes again with Lexi from across the bar. But this time, he didn’t only stare for a moment before turning his attention back to his drink. Instead, he pointed right at Lexi with his thick index finger and spoke.

  “Everyone!” he said, his deep voice booming. “I want everyone’s fucking attention.”

  Marley’s was a shifter bar, and that meant they all silenced, giving the alpha the attention he demanded. He stepped over to Lexi, his black boots thumping on the wood floor. When he reached Lexi’s side, he stared down at her, animal hunger in his eyes.

  Then he turned his attention back to the crowd. “You all know this is my omega!” The bar roared in approval. “And damned if she isn’t the hottest fucking omega in the pack!” More sounds of agreement. “And in less than a week, it’s going to be official. But I’m not waiting to start celebrating—I want you all to drink with me, right now!”

  This, of course, was met with more sounds of approval. Chad reached down and grabbed Lexi’s hand, effortlessly pulling her to her feet. She wanted to squirm away, maybe even give him a slap for handling her so roughly. But she knew what Chad was like behind closed doors, and that he’d almost certainly exact some kind of punishment for behavior like that.

  The bartenders went to feverish work, pouring drinks for the dozens of shifters in the bar. As they did, Chad turned to Lexi and spoke low into her ear.

  “You look so fucking hot tonight, babe. Makes me want to take you to the bathroom and claim you right here and now.”

  “That’s...romantic,” she said.

  Chad grinned, apparently not picking up on the sarcasm. “I know, right? I want you so fucking bad I don’t even give a shit about the wedding and all that crap. Just claim you tonight, make you mine.”

  He finished his words by reaching around and grabbing Lexi’s ass, giving it a hard squeeze. Everyone around them saw, but he didn’t care. She knew it was his way of sending a message to the rest of the pack, that she was his property.

  Chad looked her up and down again. “Can’t wait to see you underneath me, watching you come over and over again. And then when you’re done, when you can’t take any more, I’m going to put my head between your legs and lick up every last drop of your juices. Sound good?” Another ass squeeze finished his statement.

  “Sounds...good.”

  But he didn’t care that she was hardly enthusiastic. By this point, the drinks had been passed out and everyone there was ready to make the toast.

  “To the wedding!” he said, raising his drink. “And to the war with the Leafcutter pack!”

  The what? Lexi was confused.

  But the roar of the crowd blocked out her thoughts. They all drank, then Chad turned his attention back to her.

  “I want to see you tonight,” he said. “At my cabin.”

  She forced a pretend-coy smile on her face. “But Chad, you know we’re not supposed to see each other alone before the ceremony.”

  He grinned. “I don’t give a fuck. I’m the alpha, and alphas get what they want. And I want to see you. Be there at one. Got it?”

  She wanted to protest but knew there wasn’t any way to say “no” to a man like Chad.

  “O...OK. I’ll see you there.”

  He gave her one last hungry grin before going back to his table.

  Lexi, relieved to be alone, dropped into her seat and let out a sigh.

  “Fucking hell,” she said. “What a prick.”

  “I can’t believe he grabbed you like that in front of everyone,” said Shana.

  “I know, right? I wanted to slap the shit out of him.” Then Chad’s words about the war rang in her head. “You heard that about the Leafcutter pack, right?”

  “The war? What the hell was he talking about?”

  “Why would we be going to war with the Leafcutter pack? They’re totally harmless.”

  Neither of them knew what to say. Before the conversation could go on, Lexi’s phone buzzed in her pocket. A smile spread across her face when she took her phone out and saw who it was—Sam, her other best friend.

  He’d sent a text letting Lexi know he was nearby and planning on stopping by to drop off the book he’d borrowed from her. Sam was a beta, and while he was cute enough, he wasn’t meant for an omega like her. And more than that, the two of them had known each other since they were kids. He was more like a brother to her than anything else, and she knew the feeling was mutual.

  “Sam’s coming,” she said. “Thank God—it’ll be good to talk to a guy who has pastimes other than slamming whiskey and punching people.”

  Shana’s face lit up at the mention of Sam. “He’s coming?” Then she checked herself as if realizing how enthusiastic she sounded. “I mean, cool.”

  Lexi grinned. Shana and Sam had crushes on each other, and it was the most obvious thing in the world to Lexi. But the two of them were in total denial about it.

  Another text from Sam came, letting Lexi know he was outside.

  “Want to come out?” asked Lexi. “I could go for some fresh air.”

  “God, same,” said Shana. “And, um, to see Sam, of course.”

  “You know,” said Lexi with a smile. “Sam’s the one you should be marrying. I mean, it’s not long before you’re going to be twenty-one yourself.”

  Shana’s face turned tomato red. “What? I don’t like him like that, you know.”

  “Sure,” said Lexi, her tone suggesting she didn’t believe it one bit.

  “I mean, it doesn’t matter anyway,” said Shana. “I’m marrying whoever the pack wants, and it’s not like I get any say on the subject.”

  Lexi did her best to hold back a smile. The two of them got up and headed out. Lexi made sure to not look at Chad, but as she left, she could feel his eyes burning into the back of her. Among all of his other charming traits, Chad was possessive, always wanting to know where Lexi was and who she was with. And she hated it.

  The two of them stepped out in
to the cool evening, the bar surrounded by trees, the moon bright and silver above.

  “Hey!”

  Lexi turned in the direction of the voice, recognizing it as Sam’s.

  Sam Whitecrest was tall and lean, but still well-built and handsome. He wore thick-framed dark glasses, his hair auburn and shaggy around his lean face. And tucked under his arm was the book, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, that Lexi had lent him.

  “Hey, Sam!” said Lexi, hurrying over to him. She was so relieved to see a man who wasn’t a brain-dead thug that she couldn’t resist throwing her arms around him.

  “Whoa!” said Sam. “Good to see you too, Lex.”

  He hugged her back, and when she let go, she felt more than a little silly about what she’d done. Sam turned his attention to Shana.

  Shana was short and lean, with a black pixie-cut and a cute, elfish face. She was dressed in her usual tight jeans and rock band T-shirt, a pair of black Chuck Taylors finishing her look.

  And she was totally flustered.

  “Hey, Shana,” said Sam, his face a tinge red.

  “Hey, Sam.”

  And then neither of them said anything else. Lexi couldn’t help but find it totally charming.

  “Next is that one of you asks the other how they are,” she said with a smile.

  Sam’s eyes went wide as if he’d realized he’d made a misstep. “Um, how are you, Shana?”

  “Good,” she said, grinning happily.

  Then more adorably awkward silence.

  Sam cleared his throat, sticking out the book toward Lexi. “Anyway, I was in the area and I wanted to drop this off for you.”

  “You read Unbearable Lightness of Being?” asked Shana before Lexi could say a word.

  “For, like, the tenth time,” said Sam. “I need to buy my own copy already.”

  “You can have one of mine,” said Shana. “I have a couple.”

  “Really?” asked Sam.

  “Really. It’s one of my favorites.”

  Lexi said nothing, instead watching the two of them clumsily but charmingly flirt.