Claiming His Lioness (Shifter Wars) Read online

  Claiming His Lioness

  By Kerry Adrienne

  Former enemies align, but is it too late to protect everyone they’ve come to love?

  Lara has always relished being a thorn in Mason’s paw. When she was chosen as pride Enforcer, it was easier than ever to get under the passionate shifter’s skin. But with the scent of humans in the air comes a threat she’s powerless to battle alone.

  It’s time Lara unites with the one man she needs, the one man she’s secretly drawn to...as if by fate.

  If there’s one thing Mason hates more than relinquishing control to a female, it’s the attraction he feels for the fiery lioness. Joining forces with Lara against an insidious enemy only makes their primal bond hotter—and the two of them stronger.

  Now it’s up to them, side by side, to bring together three warring shifter clans, win the final fight and save Deep Creek.

  Don’t miss Waking the Bear, Pursuing the Bear and Taming the Lion, available now!

  This book is approximately 80,000 words

  One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

  Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Deborah Nemeth

  Dedication

  I’d like to dedicate this last book in Shifter Wars to Carolina Tiger Rescue. The sanctuary does great work with big cats—giving them a life of peacefulness and solace. The character Cara in Claiming His Lioness was named after one of the keepers at the sanctuary. The name was auctioned off as a donation to the sanctuary—many thanks to Mary Ann and Ted for their support.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Excerpt from Taming the Lion by Kerry Adrienne

  About the Author

  Also by Kerry Adrienne

  Prologue

  Tawodi stretched her wings and soared on soft breezes over the tops of trees, catching every rising current and spiraling over the valley in mad drops. Summer, her favorite time of year, was retaking Deep Creek after a hard, cold winter of snow-covered ground and iced creeks with slippery waterfalls.

  Her heart fluttered as fast as her wings as she dove and rose. From her altitude, the fir trees looked like the tips of paintbrushes pointing toward the blue sky, ready to dip into clouds and paint a summer landscape. Farther in the distance, the mountains formed a jagged and bumpy line across the tops of the forests, like a green blanket wrinkled and bunched on top of a soft dark bed. Far below in the valley, the blue ribbon of a river twisted through the rugged landscape, and a few small lakes glistened like shiny coins scattered on the ground.

  Deep Creek.

  Home.

  A warm breeze shot up through the branches, and Tawodi’s wings strained to catch the air current and surf it higher. Puffy cumulus clouds, though few, floated above her reach and the bright blue sky domed over the verdant scene. Pristine and precious, the park was home to many yet owned by none. The Sen Pal lions’ compound bordered the northeast portion of the park, near the little town of Henredon, just out of her sight. The wolves’ den sprawled over the far western portion of the park and into the surrounding farmlands, somewhat near her own home.

  Tawodi blinked back tears. How long would the land be protected, saved from the destruction Earth’s two-legged inhabitants wreaked everywhere else? How long would Deep Creek be able to escape the horrors of men?

  With the bears laying claim to the south end of the park, many living in Oakwood near their leader, Elijah, the number of shifters who called Deep Creek home had grown in the past few decades. Many of the bears were park rangers who protected the park and guided its human visitors, but they were well outnumbered, even with the population growth the shifter community had experienced.

  Deep Creek was worth protecting. From any threat, no matter how large or small.

  She nosedived, her hawk heart filled with a mixture of gratitude and trepidation. Down she went, beak pointed toward her cabin near the wide, grassy meadow. She slowed, allowing the air to fluff through her feathers, cooling her. Leveling out, she sailed above the crowns of the trees, passing over the largest waterfall in the park and then huge boulders that looked like a giant’s game of marbles tossed along the shore and around the picnic area.

  A bear family splashed in the pool at the base of the waterfall and she circled and tipped her wing to say hello. The mother bear stood on hind legs, waving as Tawodi sailed by.

  Early summer was a time of renewal in Deep Creek for both the land and its inhabitants. This year, there was much to be thankful for. The great battle at the Cave of Whispers was almost a year behind them now, and the various shifters held tightly to a tenuous peace.

  A peace they would soon need to strengthen. Unification would no longer be an option.

  It would be a necessity.

  A large tear clouded her vision and she shook her head to clear it. She wanted unification more than anyone, but the cost would be high.

  Deep Creek wasn’t as peaceful as it appeared from the sky. A dark thread had woven its way into the fabric of the park and had begun securing itself, digging in, making changes. From that framework, a larger darkness would rise.

  An epic evil, like a massive storm lurking at the corner of a golden garden, coiled and waited. The blight wasn’t affecting the greenery yet, but its size and depth would tear the fresh plants apart, ripping the tenuous stems from the ground and tossing them aside.

  Greed was ready to destroy everything the shifters had built. Overrun the land in a tide of money and power.

  Even Shoshannah was worried—Tawodi had sensed it in her waking dream and now she had to go talk to the ancestral shifter in person. Maybe between the two of them, they could figure out how to defeat this, the greatest of enemies.

  The sun, fiery and bright, sat in the crux of the land where two mountains valleyed. Beams of yellow light spoked, pointing to everything that would be ruined if the shifters didn’t save the land.

  Save themselves.

  Chapter One

  Human.

  Mason sniffed the heated air again. The scent was unique—a pungent blend of power with a whiff of weakness and a full-bodied odor of self-righteousness. His snout twitched and he bared his teeth. No mistaking it—even though it was faint and most lions wouldn’t notice.

  He’d never miss it. As leader of the pride, it was his job to keep everyone safe and he took that to heart.

  He padded closer to the edge of the rough stone overlook, his paws sliding in the loose rubble. Regaining his footing, he stepped nearer to the edge and scanned the valley that spread in front of him. Mysterious forests and magical glens shuddered under the assault of a strong wind that pushed through the trees and up the slant of mountainsides.


  Humans had made their way into the depths of Deep Creek. These weren’t the small bands of hikers that sometimes ventured north into the wilderness of the park. No, these humans smelled of civilization and city. Grime and industrialization. Power and money.

  Oil.

  A low growl rumbled in his throat and he panted as he strained to see into the dark forest below. No obvious signs of encroachment other than their stink. But they’d been out there recently. Maybe they still were, camouflaged by the tree canopy.

  He’d find out. He swished his tail and flattened his whiskers.

  Marco, where are you? His brother should’ve been at the meeting point already. He listened for his brother’s approach but heard nothing.

  He was probably spending time with his bear mate, Alicia. Talk about complicated. Alicia was bear, sworn enemy of the lions.

  Mason shook his head. No matter his own feelings, he had to trust his twin brother. Alicia had saved Marco’s life and the twins would be in her debt forever. Marco more so than Mason, but then again, she was his mate.

  Mates were for life and he was thankful he didn’t have one. The weight of his father’s expectations pressed on his psyche. No time for a mate.

  A light breeze lifted the valley air up to his perch. Mason breathed through his mouth, sampling the pungent odor, sorting out the mixed signals from nature and human encroachment.

  He bared his teeth and his heart rate sped as he tasted them. The last thing the lions needed was human trouble. Or any trouble. Recent months had been almost peaceful in Deep Creek, even though the snows had lasted long and spring had come and gone quickly. The ranger and caretaker bears had watched over the park in the winter, between naps, and they’d said nothing about unusual human behavior. And there had been no arguing or fighting.

  The winter had felt like a reprieve from a never-ending war.

  Now that summer spread its warm wings across Deep Creek, trouble neared again.

  Marco? I need you.

  He circled his position three times, then lay on the warm rock. After tucking his tail, he scanned the forest, finding no sign of anyone or anything near. Not even a squirrel or raccoon or lone hawk.

  He yawned and closed his eyes. A short nap would help rejuvenate him so he could run with Marco.

  With so many lives lost in the past year, including his father’s, he was most thankful that his brother had survived. Not a day went by that he didn’t thank the gods for Marco’s health.

  Marco and Alicia’s union had forged a delicate truce between the bears and lions, though Mason kept the lions at the ready in case of attack. He was sure the bears did the same, but the wolves hadn’t come to tattle on battle preparations, so maybe the bears were enjoying the truce and not preparing for another war.

  He and Marco were going to need the lion army sooner than he had expected.

  They would sniff out what was going on with the humans and make sure they didn’t destroy the park. Get them out of the park. Their kind didn’t belong in Deep Creek.

  Where the hell was his brother?

  The vast forests and mountains were large enough to support all the shifter populations, the natural wildlife, and the small hordes of tourists that came spring through fall. Those humans stayed near the park road or in the southern area of the park near Oakwood or up around Henredon. Not this far out in the wilderness.

  Until now.

  Humans venturing deep into this area of the woods meant trouble. With one road nearby, the area wasn’t easily accessible and then the hike in would take hours if you knew the easy path.

  Getting lost was more common than an uneventful hike.

  He flicked his tail to shoo away a flying insect. No matter what he tried, his mind wouldn’t shut down and relax. Marco had run across human tracks in the area and assumed it was a lost crowd of Boy Scouts or something, but now he knew it wasn’t an innocent incident. These humans came into the forest with intent.

  Images of humans overrunning Deep Creek sent his mind spinning.

  Anxiety seized him and he pushed against it.

  Marco? Answer me. Mason needed him. Marco helped him take a step back and not freak out over unknown details. Figuring out what the humans wanted without engaging with them or risking blowing the shifters’ cover would be tricky.

  The breeze prickled through his fur, sending the dark hairs rippling, and he blinked at the glare of sunlight off the small lake at the bottom of the valley. Shining like a silver dime, the lake lay near the highest waterfall in Deep Creek and would be a prime camping location. Rockglass Lake was a shifter hangout in the summer—mainly because they knew humans wouldn’t be poking around.

  Not this season.

  Mason blinked back the sunshine and stretched.

  The first thing the lions needed to do was investigate where the humans had been and see if they left any clues. People were already pressed up against the boundaries of the park in some places and they’d take over more land if they were allowed. No matter that the land was federally protected.

  Mason didn’t trust the human government. Max had told him stories of how the politicians could often be paid off, and whoever had the most money to bribe with won, often at the expense of everyone else.

  A rustling sound in the underbrush nearby startled him and he jumped, ready to swipe at any creature who approached. His teeth bared, he knew he presented something to be afraid of.

  Lion!

  If it was one of the humans, he’d have a difficult time letting them explain themselves.

  Marco’s sleek black lion slid from the shadows, sinewy and muscled, his eyes green and piercing. Tail low, he crept closer. Mason snuffled at his brother. It was always good to see him—even when he was annoyed with him for something stupid.

  Marco padded up beside Mason and scanned the valley below for a long look. He turned to Mason, his eyes widening in question and his ears pricked.

  Mason couldn’t wait to talk to Marco.

  He dipped his muzzle, motioning Marco to follow. Time to talk and make a plan with his brother—the only person on earth he truly trusted.

  He ran, Marco’s steps in rhythm behind him.

  They dashed through the forest, leaping downed trees and limbs and circling around thorn patches. Mason shivered at the temperature change that greeted him under the thick tree canopy and he leaped over a small stream that trickled across his path. He loved the depths of the forest where the sunlight barely made it to the forest floor, splashing patchy prints and spots on the ground, and casting deep shadows across his path.

  Green plants were beginning to burst with life as summer came, the shoots soft and damp under his paws. Soon the entire underbrush would be dark green and dense. The spring thaw was over and Deep Creek was coming alive again after a long, cold winter and chilly spring.

  Mason lurched, running with every bit of strength he had. His muscles burned and cooled in the air. Feeling his strength with each push of a leg. Letting his strength propel him and his lion with ease through the trees.

  Marco would keep up.

  They ran together often, an unspoken ritual among brothers. Mason glanced back, and Marco was nearly on his heels, his black fur glistening and his athletic form slicing through the air in a blur.

  His lion heart strained with pride. Nothing was grander than the muscular strength of a mountain lion running full out through the forest.

  Meant to be rulers of the mountains and forests of Deep Creek—no matter what the bears said or the wolves tried. One day soon, Deep Creek would be under their complete control. The humans would be no match for the lion brothers, and soon everything would be as it should be.

  He’d make his father proud.

  Mason skirted the edge of a stream, slowing to find a place to splash across the chilly water. The warm rocks that formed a narrow bridge across it were like
hopscotch and he gingerly leaped from one to the next, careful to maintain his balance and not fall. He paused on the other bank, waiting for Marco to catch up.

  He shook, water droplets flying from his fur. He’d dry quickly in the windy summer air. When his brother joined him, panting, Mason took off again, bounding up the hill to the spot where they’d left their clothing when they shifted and split up to search for clues.

  He raced through the stand of tall birch trees, the papery bark fluttering in the wind like a million moth wings, and stopped at the large boulder where his clothes lay. He panted as he savored the heat from his muscles penetrating into his body.

  There was nothing like being a lion, but he and Marco could communicate in greater detail as humans. Time to shift and discuss the potential problem. His lion sighed.

  I’ll let you back out soon, big guy. But right now, I need to talk to Marco.

  Closing his eyes, he let his shifting powers take over as he relaxed his muscles one by one in sequence, waiting on the familiar yet slightly uncomfortable process to begin. Being a lion was no small feat but he was thankful he’d been blessed with the creature. He wouldn’t want to be a bear. So uncoordinated and bulky. Or gods forbid, a scruffy wolf. Mason preferred the leanness of his lion—ready to pounce or run or slash at a moment’s notice.

  His shoulders ached as they stretched and morphed and his lion hind legs grew long. Paws disappeared into human feet as nearly hairless features replaced his deep black fur. Joints popped as they slid into smaller masses, and vertebrae crackled as they changed shape and length.

  Nearly done, Mason stood upright, arms at his side, fists clenching as he waited on the transformation to complete. Every muscle seared, every nerve tingled.

  Marco’s black fur had disappeared from all but his head, and what fur remained lengthened into hair. His brother smiled.

  Mason grabbed his sweatpants and T-shirt, pulled them on and then sat down to put on his shoes. Even though summer had spread through Deep Creek, the air was chilly in the deep forest—especially when he was in human form. Marco had dressed quickly and was a step ahead, tying his sneakers.