Hate Awakened: Book 3: The Feral Read online

  Hate Awakened

  Book 3: The Feral

  Charlene Hartnady

  Copyright © December 2019 by Charlene Hartnady

  Cover Art by Melody Simmons

  Copy Edited by KR

  Proofread by [email protected]

  Produced in South Africa

  [email protected]

  Hate Awakened is a work of fiction and characters, events and dialogue found within are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, either living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews no part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to digital copying, file sharing, audio recording, email and printing without prior consent in writing from the author.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Prelude

  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

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  About the Author

  Also by Charlene Hartnady

  Excerpt

  Prelude

  Eight and a half months earlier…

  “What are we going to do about it?” Magnar growled. The bastard should not be allowed to stay in power. They had to bring him down once and for all.

  “Nothing.” Ekon sat down and put his feet up, looking the vision of calm. It was out of character. What was up his sleeve?

  Magnar didn’t like it one bit. All these years and all their efforts. “Nothing,” he spat. Magnar paced to the far side of the nest before turning and pacing back. “With all due respect, sire, that’s crazy. Leukos has taken another human. He could be successful this time. If he mates her and gets her with clutch, all will be lost.”

  “My spies tell me that, just as with the last one, she wants nothing to do with him. I don’t blame the poor female.” His king picked up an orange and began peeling it. Acting like it was nothing. Leukos might just end up securing the crown once and for all. Their window of opportunity was closing fast.

  Magnar knew Leukos. The male was a quick learner. He would get a handle on things soon. “These humans are fairly easy once you get to know the basics. They are attracted to our physiques.” Magnar rolled his shoulders. “I will help you win one. You could have her with clutch in a matter of weeks. The throne would be yours again. It’s there and ripe for the taking.” He tried to talk some sense into Ekon. This was no way to win back his crown.

  “No.” Ekon shook his head, placing a segment of the sweet fruit into his mouth.

  Frustration ate at Magnar. “What do you mean, no, my king? Why not? You are putting everything at risk.” He leaned forward, bracing on the table as he spoke.

  “For my hunger to reawaken, it has to be the right female.”

  That was utter nonsense. “Any human would do. They are sweet and soft. Your hunger will awaken in an instant, I am sure of it. Let us go and…” Magnar spoke softly, carefully, trying to get through to Ekon.

  “No! I still love only Esla. She was the only female for me.” His eyes got this dreamy look. It was the same every time.

  “This is not about love,” Magnar snorted. “Love is bullshit.” It tied a male down.

  Ekon laughed. “Love is not bull…shit.” He struggled with the human dialogue. Magnar was picking it up quickly. “It is very real,” Ekon continued, “and I look forward to seeing you land on your ass when you make that discovery for yourself.”

  “Ha! Not hardly,” Magnar spat. “I enjoy mounting but that is where it ends.”

  “We will see.” Ekon pulled in a breath. “My delay has nothing to do with love. I loved once and that love was lost. It has to do with vengeance.”

  “Vengeance, sire?” Magnar shook his head. It was ultimately about vengeance but what did a female have to do with that, save hatching heirs? “If you take a mate and get her with clutch, then you will have your vengeance. I assure you. Leukos will be forced to step aside.”

  “My brother kicked me when I was down.” Rage lit up in Ekon’s eyes. His hand closed on what was left of the orange in his hand. He dropped the dripping mess onto the floor. “It was the worst time of my life. My mate newly buried.” The rage dissipated some, replaced by sadness. The male’s shoulders slumped. “I was reeling. In the worst hell when he used the lores to strip me of my throne. For that, he will need to be punished in the worst possible way.”

  Magnar frowned, asking himself for the millionth time how Leukos could have done such a thing. He still struggled to believe it. Magnar thought he knew the male. Turned out he was wrong. Greed for power could turn people.

  “When a female finally accepts my brother, I will take her for myself.”

  “What?” Magnar shouted, unable to contain himself. “You could be too late,” he added. “The risk is too great. I urge you to reconsider.” It was a terrible plan. Fraught with risk.

  Ekon shook his head. “No other female will do. I want his female. I hope to god they are in love when I take her. I want his heart ripped from his chest. Yes, it is risky, but it will be worth it. I will bring her here and however long it takes, I don’t care, I will make her love me instead of him. Then, and only then, will I take back the crown. Leukos will be forced to watch the female he loves standing at my side as my queen.”

  Magnar shook his head, he dropped into a seat next to Ekon. Why take the risk? Why? He scratched his chin. Magnar had a funny feeling, as Ekon’s general, that he was going to be the one to make it all happen. It didn’t sit right in his stomach.

  Chapter 1

  Claire’s eyes bugged out of her skull. Her mouth fell open. As in all the way open – wide enough to catch flies. The other ladies did pretty much the same thing. Except for the oldest in the group. June put her hands on her hips, even took a step forward. “Hold onto your false teeth, girls,” she cackled, sounding like a madwoman. “It looks like we’re in for a treat.” Most of the women in the group were middle-aged, so her comment about false teeth hit a nerve. June, however, looked to be nearing ninety and was still going strong, so maybe it was appropriate after all. Her cackling, hack of a laugh was infectious.

  Some of the others managed to pull themselves from their shock-induced daze to laugh along with the elderly lady. The rest, Claire included, couldn’t seem to pull themselves together enough to do anything other than gape.

  Her body might have been immobile but her heart beat faster. There was that. It raced faster still as the two hulking shifters drew closer.

  They were certainly not human. That much was clear. Humans didn’t look like this. Rugged. Built. Eyes that were more animal than human. Tall too, at least six and a half feet. They reminded her of all the TV superheroes she liked to watch, and then some.

  The shifters closed the space between them
quickly, taking long graceful strides. They wore jeans. And nothing else. Not even shoes. Their chests were bare. So well-muscled she struggled to breathe. Struggled to think. Struggled to close her gaping mouth and control her racing heart.

  Shifters.

  She was really there. Claire wanted to pinch herself. She wanted to jump up and down with excitement.

  “The one on the right is mine,” June added, laughing some more.

  She saw the shifter’s mouth twitch. If only they were there for more than just a day. For more than just a visit. Wouldn’t it be nice if she’d won a date with one of them instead of just a visit to their village?

  Wait a second…

  What was she thinking? Claire was thrilled she’d won the shifter lottery along with these nine other women. Being on shifter territory was a dream come true. Yet here she was wishing for more, like an ungrateful brat. She needed to soak up today and then get on with her life. Maybe find a nice guy to settle down with. Have a couple of kids.

  Boring!

  Claire wanted more. It wasn’t that she was ungrateful for what she had. It wasn’t like that at all. But she couldn’t help feeling that she wanted more than the little cubicle she sat in day after day. More than the guys who were actually available to her. Human men. Not that there was anything wrong with them per se…but… She sighed internally. Her first crush had been Superman for goodness sake. And shifters, well, they were real-life supermen. Only way better. So maybe it was normal – for her – to want more than ‘every day’.

  Her attention was drawn back to the two in front of her. The one with the darkest hair was smiling broadly. His eyes twinkled. “Welcome.” His voice was deep.

  “I think I’m going to swoon,” June remarked.

  Everyone giggled…at least it seemed that way.

  The other shifter had blue eyes; he was half-smiling, more reserved. He folded his arms.

  The first one chuckled along with the group for a moment. “We have been sent to escort you to our village,” he finally said. “I am Dan and this is Rex.” He pointed his thumb at Rex. “I trust you had a pleasant trip in the helicopters.” He glanced back at where the three machines gleamed in the sun.

  The group erupted in titters, everyone responding to the question all at once.

  “Glad to hear it,” Dan said when the noise died down. “Shall we head to our village now? We have breakfast waiting for you and an amazing day of activities lined up. There are some big surprises in store.” He looked straight at her. As in, their eyes locked for what felt like an age. “Surprises you will never have seen coming. Not in your wildest dreams.” It was like he was talking to her. The air suddenly felt thick. Her hands felt clammy.

  “Sounds good!” someone else yelled, breaking the moment. The shifter, Dan, looked away.

  Other women yelled responses of affirmation too. The excitement was palpable.

  “Perfect,” Dan said. Out popped his toothy grin and a collective sigh went up through the group. “It isn’t far, we cleared a path.” He pointed to the thick forest. They had landed in a large clearing. Claire was thankful; although she was one of the younger people in the group, she had been dreading what she thought would be a taxing hike. “I will lead, and Rex will remain at our flank to ensure all of your safety.”

  “Would Rex mind carrying me?” June asked. From the look on her lined faced, Claire could tell she was joking. “I’m an old lady.”

  Dan’s eyes immediately narrowed in concern. “It really isn’t that far, ma’am. Like I said before, the path is clear and easy to navigate.” He glanced over at Rex, looking slightly flummoxed. “I could…we…we’re new at this. It’s our first shifter lottery. It… You’re the first humans to—”

  “Don’t get your gorgeous pecs in a knot there, dear,” June laughed, pulling her large, knitted sweater tighter around herself. “I was teasing, I am perfectly capable, but you never know…I think I’ll stick close to Rex in case I feel lightheaded.” She winked.

  Claire felt herself smile. June was naughty. She admired the older woman, wishing she could be as daring.

  “Of course,” Dan replied, taking it all seriously. He nodded vigorously. “Rex,” he turned to the other shifter, “you keep a close eye on this female. We wouldn’t want her to—”

  “It’s June, dear.” She smiled sweetly.

  “No.” Dan shook his head, frowning. “It’s still May.”

  Everyone laughed. Except for the poor shifters, who looked slightly bewildered. These guys clearly didn’t spend too much time with humans. It was cute. They were too darned adorable. Not in the least bit intimidating and brooding like she expected them to be.

  “My name, hun…it’s June. You don’t have to call me ma’am or refer to me as female. Just call me by my god-given name.”

  Dan grinned. “Oh…I see. You wait until last and stick with Rex. He’ll take excellent care of you, June.” He shot her a cheeky grin.

  “Good lord but he’s hot,” the young woman next to her remarked, clutching a hand to her chest. Her name was Amy. She had blond, medium-length hair in a ponytail and seemed really nice. She wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with a college emblem printed on the front.

  “I’m also feeling a little light-headed,” the only other younger lady in the group snorted. Claire couldn’t remember her name. She wore stiletto heels and a tight, white dress with a little, black belt cinched at her waist.

  Heels?

  Dress?

  White?

  Was she nuts?

  Claire had to admit, she looked really lovely, but the outfit was out of place out there in the middle of nowhere. They had received a brief and were told to dress appropriately. That outfit, however cute, was not appropriate.

  “You are welcome to stay back with June as well.” Dan nodded once before turning. “Let us head out. We don’t want to be late.” He began to walk.

  They all filed in behind them and headed down the recently cleared path. It was very narrow, only accommodating one person in a single file. Claire could see that the vegetation had been cut back. She could smell the strong scent of plant life. Even the mossy, leafy ground of the forest floor had a musky, earthy smell that filtered into her nostrils.

  They walked for less than five minutes and the path widened out. The forest opened up just a touch. To their right, she spotted a small, wooden cabin built into the canopy of trees. If she hadn’t looked that way, she would have missed the structure, it blended in so well to its surroundings. They walked on and she spotted another cabin and then another.

  Most were quite small, others were larger. They eventually arrived at an open area, which was in front of a longer building, that looked to be a recreational area, along with a restaurant. There were also chairs and tables outside on the lawn, under the two big oak trees. Each table was set with a beautiful vase of wildflowers.

  There were at least half a dozen more shifter men in the clearing. They were all big guys, but one was exceptionally big. A bear of a man. A bear. Claire found herself wondering if he was a bear shifter. He had to be.

  “Hey,” Amy gripped her arm, “look at that guy over there,” she whispered. “Surely he’s a panther shifter?” She sounded excited.

  Claire looked across to where she had gestured. The shifter was strong looking but not as muscular. He had long, black hair and seriously bronzed skin. “I think you might be right,” she agreed. He had a panther vibe about him somehow.

  “And that one—” Amy began but the bear shifter-looking guy stepped forward.

  “Welcome.” His voice was so deep it gave her goosebumps.

  Most of the women continued to chat excitedly.

  “If I can have your attention, please,” the shifter went on.

  There were giggles and sniggers, but the ladies finally quieted down. “My name is Jenson, I’m a bear shifter.” His chest was broad and devoid of any hair, yet, somehow masculine. Very masculine. It must be all the muscle.

  Claire proc
essed what he’d just said, she’d been right on the money about him being a bear shifter. There was more excited chattering, but they all quieted down quickly, mostly eager to hear what Jenson had to say. “I would like to welcome you all to our shifter village. This is one of many in these mountains. Congratulations on winning the very first lottery. We have so much in store for you. Firstly,” he rubbed his hands together, “breakfast. We have randomly selected who will sit where. I hope you don’t mind but my friends and I will be joining you.”

  All of the women went nuts. Claire couldn’t help but chuckle at how June actually jumped up and down. Best she be careful. She was liable to sprain something if she carried on like that. She found herself clapping along with everyone else ‒ the excitement was infectious. The guys were all gorgeous. They weren’t what she had expected though. Claire couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It didn’t matter, this was awesome. A dream come true.

  “They’re so sweet,” Amy whispered.

  “Very.” She smiled at the much shorter woman.

  “After breakfast,” the shifter went on, looking very serious. “we’re going to shift for you ladies. That is, if you’d like to see us in our animal forms.” He held up his huge arms and winked.

  Claire almost had to clutch her hands to her ears the screams were so deafening. How amazing. How utterly exciting! She couldn’t think of anything better.