Treasured Find (Royal Pride Book 1), page 1
Sometimes the greatest finds are unexpected.
After five centuries, Rafe Alexander knows what to expect from life—boredom broken by the occasional call from Shifter Affairs. No matter how mundane the job, he always accepts their plea for help. He knows what it’s like to lose loved ones to the shifter trafficking rings decimating their species.
But the task that takes him to West Virginia changes everything. A human is dead. A shifter child is missing. And the human female connected to both tragedies is hiding a secret.
He needs to discover the mystery surrounding her. But the felines he houses—lion, tiger and jaguar—want him to get close to her for another reason. Jasmine is special, both for how she affects him and for the treasure she’s been guarding.
And as danger mounts, he’s left balancing his desire for revenge and his need to protect. But the line between them isn’t always black and white, especially where his family is concerned.
This book was previously released. It has been revised and re-edited.
Author’s Note: The Royal Pride series is set in the same world as the Kagan Wolves series.
Table of Contents
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
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Epilogue
Look for Nancy’s other works
About the Author
eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Nancy Corrigan, P.O. Box 226, Shepton, PA 18248
Treasured Find Copyright © 2015 by Nancy Corrigan
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Electronic publication: November 2015
www.NancyCorriganAuthor.com
Treasured Find
Nancy Corrigan
Dedication
To my readers, welcome to the world of the Royal Pride. Times are changing for the species hidden among us and living in seclusion is no longer an option. The Alexander family understands that more than most. They’ve been chosen to lead the way into the new world. It’s a blessing they’ve learned to hate and one they won’t survive without the help of their neighbors.
Chapter One
A bar. He brought the kid to a damn bar.
Rafe Alexander gripped the steering wheel. The tips of his fingers burned from the press of his sharpened nails against his skin, and his jaw ached from the pressure of his fangs sliding into place. He wanted to beat the human for exposing a preschooler to world of drunks and illicit behaviors.
But if it saved her? Yeah. If the human kept their cub from falling into the wrong hands, Rafe would be thanking the guy, right after he explained with his fists that a bar in the backwoods of West Virginia wasn’t the right environment for a little girl.
He slammed the SUV’s door and strode across the bar’s parking lot. A few males tucked their dates closer and turned in the opposite direction. Others dropped their gaze to the pavement underfoot. The familiar reaction to his presence annoyed him, but it wasn’t their fault. Humans might not know what he was by looking at him, but they sensed the danger—the predator in their midst—and reacted accordingly.
He tightened his control over his primal side. He didn’t need any attention directed his way, not with the shit that had gone down here a few hours ago: a fire that resulted in a fatality.
Sure, tragedies happened all the time, and in the grand scheme of things, one human’s passing was a blip on the radar. For Rafe, though, Tony Conway’s death was personal. The male had unknowingly adopted a shifter, a rare white lion cub Rafe had been tasked with retrieving.
He cursed. The fire was too damn coincidental. Word of a shifter cub living among humans surfaces, and the next day her human father dies. Yeah, it’s not related at all. Right.
Once the fire chief finished his investigation, he’d realize the fire hadn’t been an accident too. The authorities would begin to search for the arsonist. It wouldn’t do them any good. Even if they collected evidence from the scene, they wouldn’t understand why Tony had been targeted. Rafe couldn’t share the details surrounding Megan’s uniqueness with them either. Shifters were fictional beings in most humans’ eyes. That fact hampered Rafe’s efforts. He was left on the sidelines with limited options.
Rafe’s lion, one of the three feline spirits he housed, snarled, echoing his frustration. He used a mental hand to stroke the big cat’s side. It was the best he could do to calm the animal since it couldn’t speak or share its thoughts with him. His tiger and jaguar, the other two felines he’d been born with, nudged him, seeking his reassure too.
We’ll get our cub back. Promise. The vow wrapped around him, strengthening him. He let the connection to his cats fade and took a deep, calming breath. A familiar scent invaded his lungs. Lion. Faint, yet distinctive. He was on the right path.
Long strides took him around the bar, an older structure that appeared as if it had seen several upgrades and expansions over its lifetime. An upper and lower deck graced one side. The raised level had tables, while the lower featured a live band and dance area. People moved on both, and the sharp twining from instruments as the musicians warmed up carried over the drone of laughter and conversation.
The place was packed, a good thing for those partying and an inconvenience for him. He had business to take care of that didn’t need an audience. He continued past the decks to the employee entrance. Several cars and trucks were parked near the door.
He followed the smell carrying on the breeze to a blue SUV. A child’s car seat was secured in the back. He tugged on the door handle. Locked. No matter. Going by the strength of the scent seeping from the cracked window, Megan had traveled in the vehicle recently.
He pulled out his cell and dialed his friend and fellow pride member, Devin.
“Yeah?” Devin answered.
“You were right. Megan is with her uncle. I found Josh’s car, and there are enough stuffed animals and toys in it to amuse any cub with a short attention span.”
“Have you spotted her?”
“Not yet, but if she’s here, I’ll get her.” Rafe glanced over his shoulder at the building. “And once I hand her over to you, Josh and I are having a little talk about how kids should be raised.”
“Just because the neighbor remembered seeing Megan with Josh doesn’t mean he took her to the bar. The woman said he owns the place. Maybe he’s working, and he dropped Megan off at a sitter or something.”
The idea didn’t comfort him. Actually, it’d almost be better if Josh had taken Megan to work with him. It’d be harder to carry a screaming five-year old through a packed bar than killing her sitter without bystanders nearby and walking away with their rare cub—the innocent child who had a price on her head.
“As soon as I find out, I’ll call.”
Devin’s sigh carried over the line. “Good. I want out of here as soon as possible.”
“You didn’t have to come. I could’ve brought one of my brothers.”
“You know I couldn’t stay behind, not when kids are threatened.”
Yeah, he knew that. It was a damn honorable trait, but Devin wasn’t exactly sane. Dropping him in a tense situation with humans close by was a disaster waiting to happen, but Rafe wasn’t their pride leader. He didn’t get to make the decisions. Kade did, and sometimes Rafe wondered if his twin thought through his dictates before issuing them.
“So, what did you find at Tony’s office?” Rafe asked.
“A whole box of documents from the lawyer who handled Megan’s adoption and…”
Rafe waited for him to finish and finally prompted, “And?”
Devin cleared his throat. “The female you smelled at Tony’s house has spent time here too.”
Rafe cursed. When they’d stopped by the house listed as Megan’s residence, they’d found it engulfed in flames. There had been no sign of their white lion cub, but her fragrance had lingered there—a feline s cent-marked human. Rafe had to find her. He had questions for her, including what her interest was in Megan.
More importantly, he needed to discover which male had marked her. He’d been a Royal, not a single species shifter. That much Rafe had been able to tell from the unique scent. The mix of lion, tiger and jaguar was unmistakable, but he couldn’t put a face to the smell. Considering there were only a couple dozen Royal feline shifters in the States, an unknown male was a threat. The safety of their women and children couldn’t be risked.
“Did you pick up her trail?”
“Nope. She must’ve driven every time.”
“All right. Check out the next of kin addresses. I’ll corner Josh and find out what he knows. Hopefully one of us will get lucky.”
He ended the call, gave the pile of toys in the car another glance, then headed to the front entrance. The door opened before he reached it. The stench of sweat and stale beer swept out along with the heavy thump of music. He inwardly cringed at the sensory overload. With three animal spirits sharing his body, everything was enhanced, from his instincts to his senses. It was enough to drive a male insane. Fortunately, he’d been dealing with his shifter nature for centuries. He knew how to handle it—with patience and control.
Darkness edged the room. Rafe moved toward the farthest wall, needing a moment to acclimate to the environment. Eyes closed, he parted his lips slightly to taste the scents on the air. He had two very specific ones he sought—Megan’s and feline scent-marked human’s.
After a few more deep inhales, he cursed. Neither had been in the bar over the last couple of hours. Still, he loped the room and checked the hallways. Nothing. He ground his teeth and leaned farther into the shadows. He might’ve missed out on finding the females he sought, but his trip hadn’t been a complete failure. Josh Conway, Tony’s brother and Megan’s uncle, stood behind the bar with his arms crossed over his chest.
His commanding personality was clear from his confident stance and the way his wait staff interacted with him, responding immediately to whatever direction he gave. Had the tall, black-haired, blue-eyed male been born a shifter, he would’ve been a dominant or maybe an alpha, leading his own pack or pride.
Rafe rubbed his knuckles under his chin. Just his damn luck the human who’d been left as Megan’s guardian was Josh. Rafe doubted the male would blindly accept the bullshit speech or the legal papers claiming Megan was an Alexander and had been stolen at birth.
It wouldn’t matter if it were the truth. Or partially true. She had been stolen, but Rafe had no idea which pride she belonged to. White lion shifters were nearly extinct. Megan was the only female left. No matter the circumstances. Josh wouldn’t give her up without a fight. Rafe would bet his life on it.
Oh yeah, they needed to talk, and Josh’s answer would set his path. The way Rafe looked at it, Josh had two options: become assimilated into the shifter world, vowing to protect their secret, or be handed over to the human government for reprogramming, a procedure that mixed brainwashing and magic and had about a fifty-fifty success rate.
Neither option was ideal, but there was no choice. The general population couldn’t learn of shifters’ existence. They weren’t ready.
Rafe’s cell vibrated against his leg, pulling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and let Devin’s call go unanswered. It was too loud in the room, and he wasn’t about to leave Josh unsupervised. Rafe had no desire to hunt him down a second time.
Knowing the drill, Devin sent a text. The rhythmic thumping announcing its arrival traveled up his arm. He glanced at the screen and breathed a sigh of relief.
Devin had found Megan at the first address: Josh’s parents. Devin was laying low and watching the house. Everyone inside was asleep. At least one thing had gone right tonight. The most important thing—Megan was safe.
Rafe sent a reply saying he’d meet him after talking with Josh. He slid the phone into his pocket and made his way to the bar.
Josh ambled over to the counter. “What can I get you?”
“Actually, the question you should be asking me is, can you help me?” Rafe grinned at the bemused expression on the male’s face. “You see, your brother’s desperation has dropped you in a world I can guarantee you don’t want to be in.”
Chapter Two
Jazz hurried across the Black Widow’s parking lot. She returned waves to those who called her name, but she didn’t stop to chat. She had to run damage control before it was too late. The call she’d gotten an hour ago was one she’d never expected. Tony, her confidant, had died in a fire.
She didn’t know the details. The fire chief hadn’t finished his investigation. She wanted to know how it had started, exactly as the rest of the town did. What concerned her most, though, was Tony’s brother, Josh. He was now part of a world he never knew existed and one that would change his life. It had certainly redirected hers.
At the front door, she paused to mentally prep herself to break the news to Josh that the child he’d become responsible for wasn’t really a child…at least not by human standards. She didn’t look forward to the conversation, but it was necessary. Luckily, he didn’t have to face it alone. He had her.
She opened the door and slipped inside. On her tiptoes, she scanned the crowd for Josh. He wasn’t at his normal spot behind the counter. Maybe she’d missed him. Shit. She really didn’t want to have this conversation around Megan. That was why she’d come out tonight. Josh needed to know about Megan’s shifter status—the sooner, the better—but he’d ignored every one of her calls. Not surprising, really. His life had been turned upside down, and here she was about to give it another spin.
Too short to see over the people milling around, she climbed on a nearby chair and scanned the room. Josh stood in the far corner talking to another man. She couldn’t see the new guy’s face—his back was facing her—but the details she could pick out were enough to form an initial impression—tall, blond and built like a body-builder. A little shiver ran down her spine. She shook off the weird reaction and waved her arms to get Josh’s attention.
Josh looked in her direction. Anger tightened his features. After a moment, his scowl and narrowed eyes lessened. She pointed to him then herself. He nodded, and the man with him glanced her way. Her breath caught.
Gorgeous.
His face was all hard angles, and his skin appeared golden in the wash of light from a nearby beer sign. Shoulder length blond hair went with the sun-kissed skin. A surfer. That was what he reminded her of. She could easily picture him on the beach with a following of bikini-clad women.
She skimmed her gaze over the length of a body she wouldn’t mind seeing in a pair of swim trunks…or less. His chest rose and fell with quick breaths as if he’d just run a mile. Maybe barefoot and naked across the sand? Oh yeah, she liked that image.
Was he a friend of Josh’s? Maybe he could introduce her and… And what? It didn’t matter who he was. Hot guys had no place in her life.
“Hey, Jazz, what are you doing here?”
She broke the stranger’s stare and faced the person who’d spoken. Cindy, a childhood friend and Tony’s next-door neighbor, stood a couple of feet away with a bottle of beer in her hand.
Jazz hopped off the chair. “I came to see Josh.”
Cindy cringed. “You might want to wait to offer your condolences. I offered mine and got a grunt in response. Actually, I’m surprised he’s even here.”
“He didn’t want to close the bar. His staff needs the work.” That was the explanation Jazz had gotten from Josh’s mom. “But as soon as his head waitress gets here, he’s leaving.”
“It’s a shame what happened to Tony, isn’t it?” Cindy shook her head. “And poor Megan. She’s lost both her adoptive parents in less than two months.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here.”
“You must’ve rushed right over.” Cindy motioned to her feet. “You’re not even wearing matching sandals.”
No, but they were both black. At least she’d tossed on a semi-decent skirt. She could’ve come in her ripped jean shorts. Besides, it wasn’t as if she had anyone to impress. Except maybe that guy with Josh. She shook off the thought.
“I did rush over. I need to talk to Josh about Megan.”
