Alpha Dragon: Alpha Bites, #3

By Mandy Rosko

Jackson Knight is dangerous, deadly, and better still, he knows how to be patient. Whether it's waiting for the perfect kill, or waiting for his woman to come to him, and its just a matter of time before she does. 

Katie is still carrying the dark scars from her past, and it's a black cloud she's carried for years, a heavy burden she was unable to throw off. She distanced herself from everyone, even from her mate, the man she is destined to love. 

When Jax is injured in battle protecting the pack, Katie will throw away her inhibitions for only a moment to help her mate heal, but unfortunately, or fortunately, a night passionate healing leaves both wanting more, and now that the dragon is unleashed, Jax can't bring himself to stay away from his mate. 

Especially when the ghost from Katie's past insists on making trouble for them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mandy Rosko
• Release date: Oct 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536525908

Mandy Rosko

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Mandy Rosko loves writing paranormal romances with werewolves, dragons and people with special powers. She is the author of the Things in the Night Series, Night and Day, and the Dangerous Creatures Series.She does M/F, M/M, a touch of medieval under her other pen name, Rizzo Rosko, and pretty much anything else she's in the mood to write (which makes things confusing for readers since that means she's too much of a flake to stick to any one brand).Favorite authors right now are anyone who writes dangerous and tortured heroes ;)If you want to keep up to date on the sexy guys in my hot new releases, then sign up for my Newsletter and receive a free copy of The Vampire's Curse: http://mandyrosko.com/contact.htmlAnd on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MandyRoskoRomanceThings in the Night Series:The Vampire's CurseThe Legend of the WerewolfThe Shepard's AgonyThe Dragon and the Wolf (A prequel novella)Night and Day Series:Night and DayThe Calm Before The StormAll Hell Breaking LooseBook Four Coming Soon!Dangerous Creatures:Burns Like FireA Shock To Your SystemAs Cold As Ice Coming December 8th 2015

Book preview

1

Jackson Knight was only too happy to get back to the pack. Garret was still tracking his sister, who had been taken by that rogue bastard and murderer Dennis Butler, but even he could see that having himself, Dane, and Jax so far away from the pack with over half the betas wasn’t a good idea.

Just head back, make sure everything looks like it’s on the up and up, Garret said. Give me a call if it’s fine, call me if it’s not.

Should I come back?

If you find everything in order and Miranda and the pack are fine…maybe. Just go check on them.

Dane, alpha bear shifter, agreed.

Jax had that same feeling in his gut, too. If they all felt it, then that couldn’t be good, and Jax was just itching to get back.

When he was jumped by a cat shifter, a big one, he figured that meant things were definitely not on the up and up.

Jax roared. Still in his dragon shape, his scales offered most of the protection he needed against those eagle talon claws and sharp teeth, but this was a powerful mountain lion shifter, and it definitely didn’t come in peace.

Jax bucked and kicked, spreading his worthless wings, desperate to get the fucker off him.

He finally threw it off, but not before he felt that burn on his back, as though the damned cat shifter had taken a big piece of Jax with him.

Maybe it had. A warm trickle tickled his back. He didn’t feel so great.

Jax shook himself off, much the same way he’d seen Garret and Dane do whenever they were in their animal shapes and had gotten wet.

His vision swam, the world tilted as if he was on rocky seas, and Jax could hardly make out the shapes walking towards him as the naked forms of the rogues. Dennis’ men.

Shit. Had Dennis been closer to the pack than they’d all thought this whole time? They were laughing about something. Their words were muffled, as though Jax had cotton stuffed in his ears. He had to focus on their words.

How great would it be if we pulled out all his scales? You think they’re real gold?

Naw, that’s just coloring. They’re not worth nothin’.

Bet they’d make good jewelry. Wouldn’t Laurence just love it if we took out the dragon.

Laurence? That was Dennis’ second-in-command. Why were they so interested in impressing him? Had he taken over? Betrayed Dennis? If he had, what did that mean for Anna, Garret’s little sister that Dennis had kidnapped?

He looks like he’s coming to, said one of the men. Jax didn’t even know which one was the cat shifter that had torn up his back anymore. We need to meet the others. They should already be there.

That made him more alert and awake. Like a splash of cold water on his face, or an ice bathfor a hangover.

There? As in the house where most of the entire pack lived? Where Garret’s and Dane’s mates were?

Where Katie was.

She would try to defend the pack. She would get herself killed. They’d show no mercy. They’d kill anyone and everyone who got in their way of taking over before they enslaved the omegas.

Jax promised. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt her ever again. He’d promised.

Oh shit, he’s moving. Hurry up!

Heat bubbled inside Jax’s throat. It was there. It was hot, and he couldn’t contain it. Thoughts rushed through his head that he hadn’t heard in over fifty years, but were welcome.

Kill them. Make them pay. They want to hurt her, touch her, enslave her. They’ll learn through fire.

Jax listened and agreed. He opened his mouth, listening to the screams of the men who would hurt his woman as he blasted them with the fires of his belly, and he felt nothing for them, no pity when they continued to scream. He didn’t even feel relief for them when they stopped.

He had to get back to the lodge.

They really should have seen it coming that the instant the alphas left to hunt down Dennis and rescue the girl would be the moment when his pack of rogue bastards would strike.

They were rogue bastards who didn’t have any honor. What the hell did the pack think was going to happen? Even Katie thought it was stupid of them to not be more prepared.

Not all of the alphas should have left. If only…

No. She wouldn’t think about that because he was gone and not here to protect her. She was going to protect herself.

All the omegas ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. Or omegas with their heads cut off. Not much of a difference at the moment. It made Katie a little ashamed to be an omega.

Luckily, the betas were working. They knew where to go. To the armory where Garret kept his rifles.

Just because he wasn’t around didn’t mean that he hadn’t prepared his betas to protect the territory in case anything like this ever happened, and Katie was going to be there to put a couple of bullets into the asses of those idiots herself.

Katie!

Katie faltered, looking back. Miranda and Lois ran to her, hand-in-hand. Their eyes were wide enough that Katie could see the whites all around them. The very definition of scared animals.

What are you doing? We have to hide somewhere, don’t we? Lois asked when they made it to her.

Katie took Lois by the arm and pointed down the other hallway. The omegas are going to the bunker down in the basement. It’s reinforced, has food, water, supplies, and an escape hatch in case they get inside.

Gunshots were already sounding. Katie tensed. She needed to be out there. She needed to be with the betas, shooting with them, defending her home.

Miranda, Garret’s mate, who had only been a shifter for a grand total of three months and didn’t know much about pack life, seemed to pick up on what Katie implied. You’re not coming with us?

No, now get down there! Follow the others.

Katie didn’t have the patience for this today. Miranda didn’t know what was going on and Lois was still human, having mated with Dane not too long ago. She was even more vulnerable than the omegas were. Katie didn’t want to be around either of them. It would ruin her concentration.

Which was why she growled when Lois spoke up. Well, we should help you, right?

Gunfire sounded outside. Menacing howls and even a scream. Someone was getting torn up.

Katie shook her head, pushing past the two women and heading for the stairs, climbing them to the second, and then the third floor in the attic.

That was where the best shooting spots were. Some of the betas would be up there. Others were still on the main floors, waiting in case the rogues got in, while even more were fighting outside—getting injured, and maybe even dying while Katie was arguing with the newcomers.

W-wait for us! Miranda called.

If you want to hang around then just stay out of the way, Katie snapped. I don’t have time to babysit either of you.

Lois muttered something that Katie didn’t pick up, but only because she was focusing all her attention on the noises of war that were going on outside.

Katie rushed up the attic stairs, and sure enough, some of the betas—men and even a couple of women—were already there. Katie was going to be the only omega amongst them, but when a few looked at her, saw her coming, they didn’t complain. They nodded. She nodded back.

There were four windows and they were all taken. She wouldn’t be shooting, but there was something she could do. Most everyone up here had paired off. Shooters and loaders. Katie found a beta who didn’t have anyone to reload for him and she went to him. He looked at her when she arrived.

Keep shooting and I’ll keep your guns loaded.

He nodded. Good thing you’re here. The fuckers are quick. You two, find someone who needs you.

Normally, a beta wouldn’t be ordering around the mate of the head honcho alpha, but desperate times and all that.

We don’t know anything about guns, Miranda admitted, looking very much like she was frozen in place.

The beta’s eyes flew wide while Katie reloaded one of the rifles on the floor with bullets from the ammo box.

What are you—

They followed me up, Katie said quickly. Just ignore them. Pay attention.

Omegas didn’t normally order around betas either, but, yeah, desperate times.

Also, everyone in here knew Katie was a decent shot along with being trained in first aid. She’d made it a habit to learn how to handle, hold, care for, and clean many varieties of pistols and rifles. The only thing she couldn’t handle was a shotgun. It had been a priority, so she could defend herself.

Don’t touch anything, Katie shouted to both women. The gunfire was louder up here, and the last thing Katie wanted was to turn around and find these two trying to learn on the fly how to reload a weapon so they could be helpful.

Luckily, they both nodded and sat together in the corner, holding onto each other.

Katie tried not to pay attention to them, but it was difficult. Miranda, as annoying as it was to watch her come into the pack, well, at least she was a shifter now. She needed a pack. Lois was not a shifter. She was human. The fact that she was mated to Dane didn’t mean anything, not to Katie.

Both women had come into this pack on the back of a whirlwind romance with two strong alphas. They had no clue what it was really like to live knowing a pack of murdering rapists was out there, wanting to hurt anyone on Garret’s territory. At least now they were getting their wake up call. It was a little overdue, but better late than never.

It wasn’t a fairytale living here.

Katie handed the loaded rifle to the beta when he ran out of ammo, and he passed back the gun he’d been using so Katie could load it. They did this three times before the beta yelped and fell back.

Katie got sprayed in the face with something warm and wet. Blood. She blinked through it, then looked down at the beta who’d been hit in the collarbone.

Of course they’d brought guns, too.

He was awake at least. Eyes open and wide, hand white-knuckling his bleeding shoulder.

And Katie was beyond pissed off. Motherfucking prick.

She picked up the rifle and waited, making sure the shooter would think no one was coming back. The other betas in the window were taking cover, too, realizing their hiding spot had been found out.

One of the women got back into the window to fire off another shot. She flew backwards when a bullet struck her in the middle of the forehead.

Miranda and Lois screamed. Katie acted—went into the window and searched. Based on the trajectory of the bullet, she had a good idea of where the fucker was hiding.

There he was. Crouching down, too, hoping to stay out of the way of the fighting wolves. Not hiding well enough. Katie could see him while he reloaded.

Katie aimed, and she fired. Blood spattered across the green lawn, which wasn’t much of a problem since most of the lawn was covered in blood now. It would take forever to clean.

Got him! Katie called.

The other betas went back into the window, firing off shots at the rogue wolves who were fighting with the betas.

Katie kept aiming. It was difficult. The wolves were moving around too much, fighting too fiercely. She didn’t want to risk hitting one of her own.

If Jax was here, he’d scatter these idiots to the seven winds. Regular animal shifters—wolves and big cats—would fight against a pack of wolves, but most of the time they pissed their pants whenever a dragon showed up.

Focus. Focus. She wasn’t going to think about Jax right now. He wasn’t here. He’d left.

Katie kept watching. Kept waiting for her moment.

One of the betas picked off a rogue who had been making a run for the doors. Not that he would have made it inside so easily. They were reinforced with steel, but he could have broken through the wood.

Stupid. Katie should have made that shot, but she hadn’t noticed him coming because she’d been too busy focusing on something else.

Some of the rogues down there fighting with the betas. Zelda was kicking ass, flying around the field like lightning, shifting from her wolf shape to a naked woman with massive claws and teeth, but…the enemy looked like a bunch of alphas. They were big enough. Much as Katie didn’t want to admit it, they weren’t just large betas. There were alphas down there.

Where the hell had Dennis gotten alphas from? No wonder the guys were having such a hard time taking them down. Zelda was striking quickly, but her targets kept getting to their feet. Dimitri and Alex weren’t having an easy time of things either. Their backs were pressed together while a circle of rogues surrounded them.

Their hides would be harder to penetrate.

He’s got alphas! one of the betas screamed, confirming Katie’s thoughts. And her fears

Her heart pounded. Holy fuck. What in the…how in the hell had this happened?

They were so screwed unless something happened, but the instant that thought left Katie’s mind, one of the alphas—an ugly wolf creature with hackles raised up high and a maw so bloody it could have been chewing on its own tongue—turned its attention to where the betas were shooting at him. It had been hit a number of times in the side, but still refused to go down.

Could that be Dennis? It looked kind of like…those eyes reminded her of…

Of something so terrifying she needed to forget it.

Then it charged, heading right for the windows where the betas were firing.

Kill it! Shoot it!

They needed to get it in the head. There was no way they were going to take it alive, but it was too late. It knew where they were and it was coming for them. It charged, hooked claws, as if they were purposely sharpened like that, digging into the grass as it launched itself towards them. Bloody spittle flew behind it.

It ducked and weaved expertly as Katie and the others fired on it, leaping onto the second floor roof with ease before jumping at one of the windows.

It was too big to fit inside. That didn’t stop it from sticking its head in, grabbing one of the betas by the arm and yanking him back out with a heavy, tonsil-shaking scream.

No!

Katie jumped out her own window, chasing after the alpha, though it wasn’t like she could catch him. She pointed her weapon at the alpha’s fleeting back of fur, knowing her bullets wouldn’t pierce his hide as he ran with his prisoner towards the wooded area surrounding the house.

She aimed and fired.

The alpha stopped, let out a scream, and must have dropped the beta because Katie wasn’t hearing anymore screaming sounds.

The trees shifted, however, like someone was throwing a tantrum.

Katie supposed she would be pissed, too, had someone shot her in the ass.

The alpha charged back out of the trees, claws digging into the ground and propelling himself forward like a beast, charging straight for her.

Katie positioned herself, aimed between the eyes, and pulled the trigger.

Out of ammo. The other betas were firing on the alpha, too, putting all their attention on him, but the alpha kept moving, kept zigzagging, making it difficult to get a proper shot in, even as some of their bullets struck his fur.

The other betas were screaming at her to get back to the attic, to hide, to run, anything. Katie just watched him coming in slow motion.

A lot of that likely had to do with the golden brown dragon who charged out of the woods, more terrifying and larger than the alpha, his maw open and exposing long, spiked teeth before he clamped them down on the meaty shoulder of the alpha.

Everything sped up just then as Jax shook the alpha around like a dog that had a squirrel in its mouth. The alpha screamed, but it was no use. It wasn’t getting away.

Which was when she realized that it wasn’t an alpha. It was just an angry beta. A young one, too. A beta could take on an alpha with enough effort, but one alpha against another shouldn’t have made for such a one-sided fight.

The betas