Alpha Games (Mating Season Book 2), page 1
Copyright © 2024 Heather K. Carson
www.heatherkcarson.com
Courtesy of Blue Tuesday Books
Cover Design by Fay Lane at faylane.com
ISBN: 9798328753401
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, copied, or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotations.
Please do not encourage or participate in the piracy of copyrighted materials. Piracy is theft.
Table of Contents
Book Recap
Chapter One – Aspen
Chapter Two – Ranger
Chapter Three – Aspen
Chapter Four – Ranger
Chapter Five – Aspen
Chapter Six – Ranger
Chapter Seven – Aspen
Chapter Eight – Ranger
Chapter Nine – Aspen
Chapter Ten – Ranger
Chapter Eleven – Aspen
Chapter Twelve – Ranger
Chapter Thirteen – Aspen
Chapter Fourteen – Ranger
Chapter Fifteen – Aspen
Chapter Sixteen – Ranger
Chapter Seventeen – Aspen
Chapter Eighteen – Ranger
Chapter Nineteen – Aspen
Chapter Twenty – Ranger
Chapter Twenty-one – Aspen
Chapter Twenty-two – Ranger
Chapter Twenty-three – Aspen
Chapter Twenty-four – Ranger
Chapter Twenty-five – Aspen
Chapter Twenty-six – Ranger
Chapter Twenty-seven – Aspen
Chapter Twenty-eight – Ranger
Chapter Twenty-nine – Aspen
Chapter Thirty – Ranger
Chapter Thirty-one – Aspen
Chapter Thirty-two – Ranger
Chapter Thirty-three – Aspen
Author’s Note
For my beast lovers still invested in this series, things are about to get juicy. If you haven’t picked up on the subtle flavors by now, this is the beginning of a kinkier relationship involving a deliciously growly and dominant morally-gray Alpha wolf shifter. The tease does get stronger in book two.
Just making sure you’re “prepared” for what’s to come…
(Oh, and so no one goes in blind. We had mentions in the previous book about drug abuse, but it plays a stronger theme in this story. If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, please reach out to your local or national substance abuse hotlines for help.)
Episode/Book One Recap:
Last book, our main character Aspen was forced by her Alpha to take part in the 7TH Annual Mating Season reality TV show where Alphas and Lunas from around the country meet to find their chosen mate.
Her pack Alpha, Derek Nuva, refused to release her aging grandfather unless Aspen passed the Luna Trials then helped his son Trenton get through the Alpha Games.
During the Luna Trials, Aspen met other contestants from around the country and formed friendships with a few choice characters. Namely her stylist, the cheetah shifter named Jesse, Opal–the Omega who took the fall on a threat meant for Aspen, and Ranger’s sister Fallon.
Ranger is our dark and brooding lead male character who is the Alpha of the McCaw Pack. He came to the show to compete in the Alpha Games and was not expecting to meet Aspen or any other Luna. His wolf laid claim, declaring Aspen his fated mate, but she doesn’t know that yet.
Aspen also doesn’t know Ranger has been acting as her sponsor, sending whatever she needs through her stylist, and she’s just learned a dark secret about Ranger’s past from her bestie inmate, Clara, at Holton Prison.
Keep reading to find out what the gossip is…
1
Aspen
“My girl’s going to be a Luna.” Hearing the pride in Papa’s voice brought tears to my eyes.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” I swallowed down the shame. “I’m only an official contender and I still have to get Trenton through the Alpha Games before we make it to mating season.”
And mating season was a whole other can of worms I was not ready to process just yet.
I wished I could tell him the truth and he wouldn’t try to take matters into his own hands. Alpha Derek was forcing me to be here. I wasn’t sure if I’d even survive the next few weeks now that someone threatened me.
With freaking cupcakes.
What kind of monster does that?
“That’s not what I’m seeing. Ranger kissed you. The whole world saw it too. Don’t tell me he’s getting cold feet. You give that Alpha my number and I’ll…”
The key card sliding across the lock of the door was a welcome relief.
“I have to go. Trenton is here.”
“Alright,” Papa grumbled. “Call me later.”
“Will do. I love you.” I tossed my old phone on the bed and went to meet Trenton in the sitting area of my hotel room.
He stood glaring at me. “I have to be on stage in an hour. What’s this about?”
“You should sit.” I tugged the sleeves of my oversized sweater.
Trenton remained standing. “Weren’t you the one who said the producers wanted us to show more effort? Being late for the Alpha Games kickoff seems like a dumb idea.”
“I’ll make it quick.” I could do that, right? Considering I still wasn’t sure what to think about the information Clara had given me.
You worry too much. My wolf sighed.
Or you don’t worry enough.
“What do you know about Ranger?”
Trenton bristled as a growl slipped out. “Besides him kissing you on the last episode and it being plastered everywhere?”
“Now is not the time to be jealous,” I snapped. “Focus on the question. What do we know about Ranger’s territory and his past?”
“Not much.” Trenton straightened his shoulders, posturing. “He’s the youngest Alpha in at least twenty years or he was when he took over McCaw Pack at seventeen. He’s got some good investments going. The territory is large enough itself to rival the older money packs, but he’s made enough on his own to surpass them. And he walks around like his piss is stronger than the rest of ours.”
It is. My wolf smiled.
It probably was, but I’d dealt with Trenton long enough to know not to point that out.
I was tempted.
But we had more pressing concerns. “He’s related to Lester Norman.”
There. I finally spit it out.
I glanced over my shoulder, worried the front door hadn’t shut completely. My wolf senses were no help anymore. She was practically wearing heart goggles and immune to anything not concerning Ranger.
“Lester…” Trenton’s eyes widened. “Shit.”
I nodded.
This was a big ole pile of scat. I knew Ranger was a walking red flag, but Clara confirmed my worst suspicions. Lester Norman was a cold-blooded killer with a rap sheet a mile long.
And Ranger was related to him.
Strong bloodline. I like it.
Will you please shut up?
“Does he know where Lester is?” Trenton whispered the question, making me feel a little less crazy in thinking the walls could hear us.
It was still a stupid question. “Everyone knows where Lester is. It was national news when he got busted.”
I was young when it happened, but I remembered the ten shifters it took to get Lester out of the van. They say half his victims in the government bureau he targeted still hadn’t been fully recovered. In middle school, the rumor was he ate them. I still got shivers when I walked past the maximum-security door cells, thinking of the wolf shifter held within.
“How did he keep this out of the press?” Trenton was still blinking as he processed it all. I didn’t blame him for being a little slow. It’d taken me almost two days to come to terms with what Clara said.
“I don’t think he claims that side of the family.” If Clara’s sources were right, Lester was related to Ranger’s mother. And there were rumors of distant cousins with mafia connections. I wouldn’t want to associate with that side of the family tree either.
“Wait. This is good.” Trenton’s gears started turning as if they’d been greased. “We’ve got some dirt on him.”
Goddess, he was stupid. “This isn’t the kind of dirt you hold over someone unless you want it sprinkled on your gravesite.”
“We don’t have to tell anyone, yet.” Trenton scratched his jaw, still thinking.
I grabbed his arm and dragged him into Stefanie’s old room, not sure how much else I should reveal. Clara said the rumors were that Lester was getting retribution for something that happened to Ranger’s mother when he got busted. There was more. Ranger grew up fighting circuits on the underground shifter rings. But speaking about his childhood seemed more personal than explaining he had literal psychopaths in his family.
It felt like a betrayal for some reason to tell everything to Trenton and possibly the rest of the world though.
Maybe the quiet was making me paranoid, but I swore the rooms were bugged. I figured if the producers were listening to the contestants then Stef’s microphones would be turned off by now.
And I really didn’t want anyone to hear what I had to say because we were already powerless enough compared to the larger packs. I closed the door behind us, ignoring Trenton’s confused expression. I probably could have spoken through our pack
Yep. I was officially off my rocker.
“I’m worried about you during the Alpha Games,” I whispered.
Trenton looked around, lowering his voice too, “Why?”
“Because, you big moron, we don’t know what they are going to be like this year.” I rolled my eyes as he puffed out his chest. “And you know how after Stef left, Ranger tried to get me to go home?”
“Okay,” Trenton drawled.
I seriously didn’t remember him being this dumb.
I did. My wolf laughed.
“What if he wanted you to be alone?” I cried. “What if he asks for a challenge or whatever it is the guys are doing during the Alpha Games and it involves something with the prison? He could kill you, Trenton.”
And then where would I be?
Alpha Derek would never sign my release. My papa would waste away on Nuva Pack lands.
“Seriously? I thought you were smart. This isn’t like the old days with Alphas killing each other to take over more territory.” Trenton shook his head. “He’s obsessed with you. That’s all it was.”
“Obsessed with me?” My jaw dropped and my wolf purred her approval.
Trenton was delusional.
He was as good as dead.
We already knew someone wanted to kill me.
How was I going to keep both of us alive here on Mating Season?
2
Ranger
I exited out of the video feed on my laptop and sent a quick text to Ivan, telling him to meet me later. We hadn’t put cameras in the second bedroom and that was an oversight on my part. Thankfully, it was an easy fix.
I dragged my hand over my face, not liking how uneasy everything else was making me. There was always a plan. Even when I was young and misguided, taken in under Fredrick’s wing years after my mother passed away, I had the focus to survive and get my sister out of the situation we were in.
Plans changed. I knew that. It was why I was able to adapt and why I’d challenged Alpha Ripley for the McCaw Pack when I once had no desire to lead. Even that required careful planning. I never went into a fight without training.
Lack of control got wolves killed.
Kissing Aspen had been rash and impulsive which wasn’t like me at all. But when Chad touched her, when she’d spoken of her childhood memories to him of all people, my beast forced my hand.
You wanted it too.
Sighing, I leaned back in my chair.
I could still taste her on my lips. That soft, breathless, sarcastic mouth of hers would be my undoing. I needed to get her off this show.
It was bad enough that Fallon was here, even knowing my sister could protect herself, but now every wannabe Alpha in the region knew exactly how to target me if they wanted to.
I refused to think of Aspen as a weakness. Not with the plans I had for that delicious she-wolf. She was strong, but these shifters played games and I wanted her nowhere near them.
We’ll protect her.
And so will the pack. I tried to reassure us both.
I laced my hands behind my head and stared at the ceiling. Never in my life had I been more sure of anything. Aspen was mine. My mate.
My wolf hummed his agreement.
But I had less than two weeks to convince her of that. Twelve days or so until the rut would take over and mating season would begin in earnest. Which meant I had even less time to handle my business on the show and then get her out of here.
We could leave now.
I chuckled at my wolf’s dark thoughts. As appealing as it would be to throw her over my shoulder and walk away, the interactions we’d already had showed me just how much she would fight.
My cock twitched, thinking of her bratty attitude and how she would one day feel my hand slapping against her luscious ass. But she wasn’t a true submissive. Showing her unrestrained dominance would only cause her to fight harder.
She was worth it though. I felt the rightness of it in my bones. I could give her more time, show her why we were meant to be together. The challenge and the mating hunt were calling to me. My beast howled his excitement.
We could take this slow. And if it didn’t work out in the next few days, I’d convince her another way. She might hate me at first, but I’d make it up to her later.
A few more days, my wolf grumbled as he settled down to wait.
*
“Planning to wake up today, princess?” I knocked on Fallon’s door, listening to her shriek at the morning intrusion from my voice in her head.
“You’re an asshole, you know that?” A pillow hit the door from the other side.
Still grinning, I turned to leave. “Stay close to Aspen until the rest of security gets set up.”
“As if I’d let anything happen to our precious Luna,” she groaned as her feet hit the carpeted floor. “I can’t wait to see her put you in your place.”
My wolf cocked his head to the side, wondering what the hell that meant, but I ignored my sister. She wasn’t the nicest beast in the morning.
I stepped into the hallway just as Chad left his room. There were only two doors in this hall leading to both penthouse suites and we shared the same private elevator instead of walking to the larger communal one at the end.
Despite my position, it still blew my mind how the other half lived. Money could buy so much space. I had more than enough. It irked me to spend it on frivolous shit such as penthouse suites. But it was all a part of the image I needed on the show.
“How’s it going, dude?” Chad yawned as he looked me over.
“Living the dream.” I grinned, feeling the wrongness of the smile. We’d been here over two weeks now and I was ready to stop playing around.
Just a few more days…
“Are you ready for today?” Chad popped the collar of his polo-shirt as the doors to the elevator opened and we stepped in.
“I was born ready.” I folded my arms over my chest, leaning back against the mirror inside and waiting for him to push the button for the lobby.
He noticed what was happening as he reached for it and hesitated.
There was a subtle shift in the air as he tensed, his finger hovering a few inches away from the L. It was a childish power play, but he’d moved so easily into it, I couldn’t help but want to win.
Chad realized how stupid he looked and chuckled a little, letting the challenge roll off his shoulders even though I could see the anger reflected in his eyes through the mirror. “Let the Alpha Games begin.”
Finally, both my wolf and I agreed. I clapped Chad on the back a little harder than necessary as the doors slid shut. “That’s why we’re here.”
3
Aspen
“Is this seat taken?” Fallon didn’t wait for my answer as she sat next to me in the convention center. I stiffened a little, but it wasn’t like anyone else was going to sit there. The past few days after the Luna Trials ended were quiet. Those of us who’d passed stuck to themselves or in their own little cliques they’d formed. I felt like an outsider. And I was paranoid after what had happened.
I still didn’t know who wanted to threaten me. There was no note. No further attempts. It was as if the producers swept it under the rug since nothing was on film to increase ratings, which left me uneasy and tense. I didn’t know who I could trust.
Finding out Fallon was related to Lester didn’t help soothe any of my worries. I was used to being alone anyway so I kept my guard up. Like always.
“Have you heard from Opal?” Fallon took the lid off her paper coffee cup as we both watched the stage being set up.
I looked at her from the corner of my eye, trying to judge her intent. “They got all the silver out of her system and she was released from the hospital last night. She’s going home to rest, but they’re letting her come back next season.”
“That’s a lucky break.” Fallon blew on the steam from her coffee.
“Lucky?” I smirked. “You know those cupcakes were meant for me, right?”
“I figured as much.” She took a slow sip.
I returned my attention to the stage and tried to keep my claws in check. It was probably not the smartest idea to growl at the family of a criminal warlord. This sucked. I wanted to like Fallon. Now I was worried she might stab me in my sleep.
Or that her brother was going to kill Trenton.
