The Mating System: A Paranormal Shifter Romance Read online

  THE

  MATING SYSTEM

  A PARANORMAL SHIFTER ROMANCE

  ANGELA FOXXE

  Copyright ©2016 by Angela Foxxe

  All rights reserved.

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  About This Book

  It was cruel. It was unfair. It was harsh.

  But it was necessary.

  It was the MATING SYSTEM.

  With a startling lack of females amongst the werewolf community, two packs have struck up an agreement making women from one pack mate with the men from the other in order to balance the ratio.

  Once they have mated, they are to return to their packs and never see each other again.

  Alexa was the latest young female to be put through the mating system and she was paired with the handsome Antony.

  They both knew exactly how the system worked but after sharing a beautiful passion filled night together, Alexa and Antony were left wondering if they could find a way to BEAT the system too...

  This is a Paranormal Shifter Romance full of adventure and excitement alongside hot mating scenes. Only read if you are 18+.

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER ONE

  Prologue

  The wolf ran for his life, a handsome grey that pushed the wrong button and landed himself in a lot of trouble with the pack. He had been a simple Beta, and was not permitted to mate with the females. He slipped through the cracks, and earned himself a spot on the list to be chased out or killed.

  The prior was being implemented, what with an entire pack of wolves hot on his tail. He refused to allow them to kill him. He wouldn’t be remembered as the one who had been killed despite his best efforts. He would not go down in history as a coward.

  His downfall had been a gorgeous black wolf, with flecks of grey in her fur that shone in the moonlight. Her hair, as a human, fell down past her hips, blanketing her and shielding her from curious eyes. Her pale skin was well complemented by her dark hair, and it made her sapphire eyes stand out more than the average wolf’s. It was uncommon for wolves to have blue eyes, but somehow she had managed to get the dying gene.

  He had fallen in love the moment he saw her, but rules were rules. Betas were prevented from passing on their genes; they were weak and/or deformed in some way. His problem was a small chest, which was not ideal for running for long periods of time. The most he could manage were short bursts of speed that barely took him anywhere.

  The wolves in his pack were merciless, using hunting tactics to try and pin him down. He kept moving, though, wanting to stay alive for as long as he could. If he could only reach the river that separated the packs from the free wolves, he would be saved from the tyranny.

  Luck was not on his side.

  He stumbled and fell, tripping paws over nose. Halfway through his tumble, he shifted into a human and tucked his arms and legs close to protect himself. He barely had enough time to regain his breath and sit up before he saw the first wolf: an Alpha male, lurking at the edges of the trees. He was powerful, and ruthless when he hunted. No doubt he would want the Beta male for himself. He slinked forward on huge paws that allowed him to push from the ground and give himself more speed, his long, sharpened points of claws glinting in the low light.

  The Beta scrambled to his feet, holding his arms in front of his face as the Alpha lunged. The wolf’s jaws caught around the Beta’s forearms, and he screamed in pain. Far off in the distance, he could hear the howling of the other wolves. They heard his scream, and could smell his blood. The Alpha tightened his jaw, ripping and dragging at the flesh on the human’s arm with voracious teeth. He was bred to kill, and he had no other intent than to do just that. The Beta stared up in fear; he had never once been so scared in his life.

  At the edges of the forest, other wolves began to emerge, a variety of them, though all Alphas. They were there to end him. They were there to write him into history as a coward who was unable to run fast enough, a coward who broke the rules, and tried to escape his fate. The packs made sure that never happened. Not a single mouse could get out of the territory without them knowing about it, there was no way that they would let a wolf get through the cracks.

  ***

  Alexa jumped awake from her own dream, screaming, her eyes wide open; her younger siblings, only two of them, stirred and kicked at her. They didn’t wake, but were able to register the ruckus that she caused. Her mother was across the den sound asleep. The four of them lived together to conserve space and warmth, especially while the twins were in such a frail time of their lives.

  Sweat dripped down Alexa’s back, and she wiped a light sheen from her forehead. The nightmare had been the most vivid she had seen in weeks. Whenever it got close to her designated time, the nightmare became more and more realistic. She didn’t know what it meant, but it scared and chilled her to her very core.

  Alexa rubbed at her arms, looking around her surroundings and reminding herself that she was with family. She was loved, and she was safe. Carefully, making sure not to disturb her siblings, Alexa stood up and left the den.

  The moon was low in the sky, and the first tinges of sunlight were starting to appear. She knew that on such a vital day she should have been sleeping. She would need all the rest and energy that she could get if she were going to make it through the day. Instead of heeding her own advice, she stayed awake. A few wolves prowled the pack grounds, keeping watchful eyes out for any of those who might try and run away. Alexa shuddered, thinking of the Beta male in her dreams that had been flayed alive by the teeth of his brethren. She couldn’t imagine a worse way to go.

  One wolf, the Alpha of the pack, growled at Alexa as she walked by him, she paused. He was a mottled grey wolf, older and on his last legs. He shifted into a human, towering over Alexa, his muscles and strength still obvious despite his age.

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  “Nowhere,” Alexa replied. She met his eyes, and then looked away. It was the best way to show submission as a human. “I woke up because of a nightmare, and I couldn’t go back to sleep,” she explained.

  The Alpha nodded, looking Alexa up and down. “Isn’t it your day?” he asked.

  Alexa nodded, another flash of cold fear shooting through her body. She was hoping to think about it as little as possible. Thinking and worrying about it would only make the entire situation worse for herself.

  “Yes,” she said, going quiet. The words were barely audible to her own ears.

  “You should be sleeping,” he said, as though Alexa didn’t already know that. “This is vital to our survival.”

  “I know that,” Alexa said.

  His gaze turned scrutinizing as he looked over Alexa. The entire pack knew about her failures after previous sessions. Some claimed foul play, others whispered about infertility. If it were the second, she would be chased out of the pack. Her mind wandered back to the dying Beta, his screams for help that went unheard. Her stomach churned in an uncomfortable, and painful way.

  “You’ve have trouble before, haven’t you?” he asked.

  Alexa had known the question was coming. “Yes,”
she admitted.

  He curled his nose at Alexa, and gave her a discontented snort. “I can’t believe we’re giving you another chance. How many times has it been now?”

  “Seven,” Alexa whispered. The number haunted her.

  Her mother had caught after the first time, and gave birth to four pups. Alexa was the only one to survive. When she was ready again, she caught after only the second time, and gave birth to the twins. The last few females in their pack averaged around two to three times. Seven was unheard of.

  “Seven,” the Alpha sneered. He turned into a wolf, and trotted off, leaving Alexa to wallow in her misery and guilt.

  She could only expect that the number would increase to eight.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Awake long before anyone else, Alexa tried to find things to occupy herself. She shuffled through the village, occasionally checked in on her siblings, and made small talk with a few of the watcher wolves roaming the borders. A few were snappy with her, but others offered encouragement.

  At least an hour after she had woken up, she began to hear the squealing of her younger siblings. Alexa returned to the den and poked her head in, smiling at the sight of the two wolf puppies tussling with each other. Jean had Dixie pinned to the ground, snapping at the girl’s ears. Dixie pawed at his stomach, yelping and whining for mercy.

  Alexa clicked her tongue at the two of them, and they turned to her with wide, rapt eyes. Dixie was the first to shift back, a pretty young pup with a shock of white hair at the top of her head. It was a gene that was passed from their mother; even Alexa had blonde hair that was nearly as white as snow.

  “You’re going to wake mother,” Alexa chided.

  Jean shifted into a human, and put his hands on his hips. “So? She should be awake now anyway, we’re bored.”

  “Don’t be rude,” Dixie scolded. Alexa smiled, the young girl had always been mature for her age.

  Alexa held her hands out, and her siblings took them, using her as a guide to climb the steep entrance of the den. As soon as they were out, they shifted back into wolves, tearing through the dens and making a huge ruckus. Alexa, despite being annoyed that they were so rambunctious, was also happy. The village had been having a shortage of pups.

  She ran her hands through her hair, a heavy sigh slipping past her parted lips. Their pack hadn’t been doing well, what with too many members dying in territorial disputes or from famine and disease. Her three littermates had died from a horrible chest cold that had gone through the village, with Alexa the only one to make it through. The twins were healthy so far, and had made it to their fifth years. Usually after the fourth, it was a straight shot to adulthood, but there was no way to be certain.

  Alexa looked up at the sky and frowned, thinking of that damned number again. It would be her eighth time, and she had yet to catch with any pups. Before long, she would be declared useless. It was a notion that scared her, chilling her to her very core.

  “Alexa?” the voice of her mother, despite gentle and calming made Alexa jump.

  She looked over at her mother, a wolf who was getting older in years. She was nearly at the point of being unable to bear any more pups. Too many of her litters had died, and as she got older, the chances would only increase.

  “I’m fine,” Alexa said. Her answer was short, she could hear it herself that she sounded panicked. “I’m fine,” she repeated, trying to slow down her words.

  “I know you’re scared,” her mother said. Her name was Sabrina, a northern wolf who had been taken in by the pack for her strength and pure white coat. Her eyes were a piercing green, a trait that Alexa was jealous of. She had inherited her father’s rich hazel eyes, though she had never met the man.

  “I’m not scared,” Alexa said, but her voice shook. “I’m just nervous,” she elaborated. “It’s my eighth time, mother. What if I don’t catch again?” she asked. Her eyebrows were furrowed nervously, and she worried her bottom lip between her sharp fangs.

  “I believe in you,” Sabrina said. “You just need to calm down. There could be a chance that all of the nerves inside of you are preventing you from having pups.”

  Alexa nodded and gave another short sigh. She had heard that reasoning so often that it had become commonplace to her. It was hard for her to believe that she could even think of calming down with a situation like this. She never knew what would happen to her, and that was what made it the worst.

  “It’s time you ate something,” her mother instructed. She took Alexa by the shoulder with her strong hand, and guided her towards where the morning hunters would have brought the kill.

  They had taken down a huge elk that morning, and the Alphas had already stuffed themselves to the point of laziness. A few lounged around the body, waving tails occasionally to rid themselves of the flies that buzzed around the carcass.

  One Alpha rose to his feet, snarling at the two females who had dared to approach before they had been summoned. Sabrina, even faced by snapping jaws, held her ground.

  “It’s my daughter’s time to visit the other pack,” she said with confidence. “You will not disturb her from getting the proper meal that she needs.”

  The Alpha eyed Sabrina, wondering what kind of she-wolf had dared to stand up to a wolf like himself. He backed off, though, and allowed the two to approach. Just the smell of the carcass had Alexa’s head spinning, and she could hardly dare to think of eating even a single bite. Her mother coaxed her closer, even though she had noticed how pale her daughter had gone.

  “Just try to eat,” she encouraged. “It’s only a couple bites, something to give you strength.”

  An Alpha on the other side of the carcass, a female named Noemi, sneered at the two lower-ranked females. She shifted easily, her long legs stretched out behind her, and a prideful look smeared across her face.

  “I don’t think it’ll help her,” Noemi teased.

  A few of the other Alphas let out little barks, snickering at Alexa’s bad luck. It was easy enough to tease the girl. She was young, and of a low status, it was the natural way of things for her to be looked down on. Alexa ducked her head, feeling worse than she had been a few moments ago.

  “What were you just telling mommy dearest?” Noemi asked. “Something about how many times it’s been.” She looked around the group of her friends, examining each of them. “Anyone here know how many times she’s been to see a male?”

  Alexa groaned, and clutched at her stomach. She wouldn’t be able to take much more of this. Before another Alpha could mock her, she turned into a sleek white wolf, her chest and paws mottled with the dark fur of her father. She took off like a bolt of lightning, the sneers of her pack mates and the calling of her mother sounding more like a faint memory than anything else.

  Alexa didn’t stop running until she reached the edge of the village line. The last thing she needed was to turn into the Beta from her nightmare just because she had put a single toe out of line. She found a sheltered place, away from the prying eyes of her peers and family. It was her usual hiding spot, tucked away between a large boulder battered by rain and bushes shrouded in thorns. She knew exactly how to get through the thorns after years of practice.

  She and her littermates found the hiding place before the three of them had died, leaving Alexa on her own. She had little memories of them, scraps of fur and hair from combs and clothes, and tiny treasures that they had found together on their adventures. With her nose tucked against the last clothes that her only brother had worn, so old and decrepit that it smelled more like dirt and rain than the boy, she closed her eyes and willed her body to relax.

  *

  Alexa didn’t move from her chosen spot until she heard pacing outside of her hideaway. She cracked open an eye, and spotted the feet of her siblings, pure white paws that were scuffling and looking for a way through the thorns. Figuring she had better spare them the misery—and she didn’t want them to see her treasure trove—Alexa pushed through the bushes and into the clearing.


  Her siblings shifted back in an instant, looking up at Alexa with wide eyes.

  “Mother was calling you,” Dixie said. She reached up and put her fingers through Alexa’s fur, smoothing the place on her cheek where it had become rumpled.

  Alexa nuzzled into the touch, and then shifted back into a human with a sigh. She ran her fingers through her hair, looking down at the twins. She wasn’t looking forward to the day when Dixie would have to begin the breeding process. Alexa frowned and erased the thought from her head. If Dixie lived to be that old, Alexa would celebrate her success.

  “Thank you for telling me,” Alexa said.

  She stepped between the twins, and they each took one of her hands. Together they walked back towards the clearing in the center of the village where the carcass had been. The Alphas had scattered by then, leaving the rest of the pack to bicker and snarl over the meager snaps. Alexa noticed with dismay a young omega boy, so skinny that she could see each of his ribs.

  Sabrina was there, and walked forward to Alexa at a hurried pace. She snatched the twins from Alexa, and gave her a disappointed look.

  “You can’t run away from this,” Sabrina scolded.

  Alexa furrowed her eyebrows at her mother and sighed quietly. “I know,” she replied.

  A few feet away from her and her family, a few Alphas were waiting. They were to be her escorts, to lead her through the unclaimed territory between the two packs. The escort was only to prevent more wolves from running away. Alexa shuddered. She didn’t know if she would ever have it in her to run away, no matter the circumstance.

  “Are you ready?” Noemi asked. She was out of her teasing mood, all serious business. Her arms were crossed across her chest, displaying the strong muscles of her arms and stomach. Every pore on her body reeked with Alpha, a status she had been given at a very young age.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” Alexa muttered darkly.