Shifting Magic: Alpha Games Book Three, page 1
SHIFTING MAGIC
ALPHA GAMES BOOK THREE
SAMANTHA BRITT
Copyright © 2022 by Samantha Britt
Cover Design by Covers by Juan
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
For the readers who have stayed with me, reading my books, and supporting my dreams.
I appreciate you all.
More than you will ever know.
CONTENTS
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
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
About the Author
Also by Samantha Britt
Romance Titles
ONE
The double paned window sat open, allowing the smell of musty leaves and a crisp breeze into my makeshift prison in the Graystone Coven. The expensive furnishings, high-quality linens, and spacious accommodations gave the illusion I was the coven’s honored guest. But the two sorcerers posted outside my room, twenty-four-seven, said otherwise.
Hugh Graystone, the leader of the powerful coven, escorted me to these very rooms soon after we’d arrived through the portal from Wilds territory. I hadn’t been permitted to leave the expansive sitting room, large bathing chamber, or generous bedroom in three days. The closest I came to the outside world was breathing in fresh air through the window, and the only people I saw were the random coven members who delivered my meals three times a day.
Despite my best effort, the adolescent men and women never spoke to me. They barely even looked at me. They walked inside, set a tray on the table near the door, then hurried out like I was a rabid beast who could pounce at any moment.
If I had to guess, they were instructed not to talk to me.
To what end? I didn’t know.
Hugh and I had a deal. He promised to cease the attacks on my fellow shifters, and I promised to give him the Moonstone my mother unintentionally imparted on me at my birth.
He’d seemed so eager to access the powerful relic.
It was why I was surprised when he stated my time with his coven would be prolonged.
Honestly, I thought he was lying. Hugh Graystone knew about the sorcerer’s mark linking me to his coven, but he’d made a blood vow. The moment he retrieved the Moonstone, he had to let me return to my fellow shifters.
But as the days passed without so much as a word from Hugh, I started to believe he’d meant what he said.
For as long as the Moonstone remained in my possession, I was bound to remain with the Graystone Coven. And it troubled me to realize I had no idea why he’d want that.
What was Hugh planning that required my presence in his territory?
I longed to discuss the subject with someone, but my phone had died yesterday, and my requests for a charger were ignored.
I managed to send out one mass text to Asher, Stephanie, Hunter, and my father telling them my phone was about to die before the angry, red battery symbol appeared on the screen. I knew they would worry, but they would worry more if they didn’t know why I’d stopped messaging them after hours of consistently responding to their worried texts, letting them know I was doing okay.
Now, I was truly alone.
I stared out at the forest surrounding the mansion, wincing as I detected the constant buzz of magic floating along the air. Smoke billowed from the treetops in the distance, making me think there were homes nearby despite the fact it felt like I was in the middle of nowhere.
Habit had me considering how I could best escape if the need arose, but I already knew there were no useful weapons in the rooms. The cutlery delivered with my food was weak plastic, and the furniture was bolted to the floors and walls. I was a little flattered by that. I mean, I was strong, but I wouldn’t be able to pick up the dresser and throw it at anyone even if I wanted to.
And the longer I stayed locked up… the more I wanted to.
I could probably break the leg of the nightstand free and sharpen it into a stake, but the guards outside would hear. I thought about trying to erect a silencing barrier. Kayla and I had been working on it before… everything happened.
I hadn’t mastered the barrier yet, but I had nothing better to do with my time than to practice.
Immediately, I dismissed the idea.
I remembered what my power could reveal. Or, more accurately, what the color of my power could reveal.
According to my father, the gold magic simmering underneath my skin marked me as my mother’s heir—the sorceress who is supposed to become the next Mother Goddess.
I didn’t know much about coven politics, but Hugh’s ambitious behavior, along with his desire to obtain the Moonstone, made me believe that if he knew my power belonged to the coveted role, he’d be more likely to keep me in Graystone territory. For a long, long time.
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
I wished I could just leave.
I could sneak out the window and run to the forest, then shift into my wolf and run far away from the magical community and their leader’s foreboding plans.
But then the terms of the blood vow would be broken, and Hugh would be able to resume his attacks on the Wilds and Summit Packs.
And, if I betrayed our deal, I knew he’d make sure his attacks hurt as much as possible.
Fear and anxiety rippled through me.
On cue, I felt a painful tug in my chest.
I opened my eyes and heaved out a sigh.
Asher and I hadn’t fulfilled the fated bond between us, but something had changed since we accepted our fate together.
The first time I felt the sharp stab of worry embed itself in my chest, instinct had me reaching for my phone to ask Asher if he was all right.
Through that conversation, and some experimenting on either end, we realized we both had stronger connections to the other’s emotions. Particularly, the intense ones.
So, it didn’t surprise me that I could feel Asher’s worry. It was in response to the fearful emotions clouding my own mind.
I willed my heartbeat to slow and thought positive thoughts, trying to telepathically reassure Asher all was well.
I had no idea if it worked, but the pain in my chest didn’t return.
I was so caught up in subduing my emotions, I didn’t immediately hear the sound of the front door opening.
When I heard soft footfalls on the plush carpet, however, I made my way into the sitting room. A tall woman placed the food tray on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Her long brown hair concealed her face, but when she straightened and swiftly moved back, I noted she looked older than the teenagers who’d been delivering my food previously.
I waited for the woman to leave, but I was surprised when she moved to stand against the wall.
She met my stare. “Good afternoon, Blair Hemmings.”
It took a moment to find my voice. “Good afternoon.”
“I brought lunch. A turkey sandwich with potato chips.”
“I—” I frowned, not knowing what to say now that someone was actually speaking to me. “Thank you.”
Again, I waited for her to leave. But she remained standing there. Watching me.
“Is there something you need?”
“No.”
I crossed my arms and took a second look at her. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Ordinary blue jeans and a fitted green tank top. I didn’t see any weapons on her person, but I knew a sorceress wouldn’t need a weapon to do damage.
With that thought, I inhaled deeply. My shifter nose allowed me to identify other shifters, but since I began dabbling in my magic, it also gave me the ability to smell the acidic aroma I’d come to associate with magic. The sharper the burn, the stronger the power.
The moment the air hit my olfactory nerves, my eyes began to water.
This woman, whoever she was, was powerful.
Extremely so.
I was already on guard, but my defenses magnified ten fold.
“What is your name?”
“Natalie,” she replied. “Natalie Goodman.”
I dipped my chin. “Nice to meet you, Natalie.”
“Nice to meet you, Blair.”
We stood there watching each other. I was tense, but Natalie was relaxed. Still, she didn’t leave.
“None of the others who deliver my food speak to me,” I finally admitted, no longer able to stand there in silence.
“They’re scared of you.”
Of me? Don’t they know who their coven leader is?
“And you’re not?”
“Should I be?”
“Of course not,” I scoffed.
That earned a raised brow. “Why would you say it like that?” Natalie asked.
I was confused by the question. “Like what?”
“Like you aren’t someone to be feared.”
“Because I’m not.”
“Really? Even though you have the Moonstone? Don’t you know how powerful that makes you?”
“I…” Words escaped me. I gathered my thoughts, then replied, “I didn’t know anyone else knew about the Moonstone.” In fact, I’d hoped they didn’t.
What good was it for anyone to know I held the magic wielders’ precious relic within me?
Why would Hugh tell people?
As if hearing my thoughts out loud, Natalie said, “Hugh Graystone loves a spectacle. And to be admired. He didn’t hesitate to tell the coven he’d found the missing Moonstone and brought it back to us—brought you back to us.”
I appreciated her addressing me as a person, not just the holder of their precious stone.
“I see.”
Natalie watched me. She bit her lip. It was the first unsure expression she’d made.
Without warning, she said, “I volunteered to be the one to bring you lunch today.”
I straightened. “Oh?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to meet you.”
Again, I asked, “Why?”
Natalie looked over my shoulder at the open bedroom door. Beyond it, the open window. She muttered an unfamiliar phrase. Then, I heard the window shut and pressure built in my ears as a barrier sealed the room around us.
My pulse spiked with a mix of fear and intrigue.
“I knew your mother.”
I kept my face blank, though my heart thudded in my chest. “She was a member of your coven. I’m sure many of you knew her,” I said, even though Natalie looked a little young to have met my mom, let alone remember her.
Again, as if she could read my mind, Natalie replied, “I trained with your mother. Before she… left. I’m older than I look.”
If that were true, she must be in her—
“I’m thirty-four. Anti-aging spells are pretty popular among my generation. You’d be hard-pressed to guess anyone’s true age.” She shot me a wink.
My eyes widened. “Can you read minds?”
“No,” she gave a small smile. “But people are predictable.”
Before I could respond, a knock sounded at the door.
The smile fell from Natalie’s lips. She turned and opened the door. “What is it?” she asked like she owned the place.
I held my breath, waiting for the guard to snap at her. He was armed to the teeth and his expression, anytime I saw it, was menacing.
My surprise grew when the male lowered his head and politely said, “Pardon the intrusion, but Lord Graystone requests we escort the girl to the courtyard.”
Lord?
“There’s no need for that. I will take her.” Natalie turned to look at me over her shoulder. “Do you want to eat lunch on the way or after?”
Since I had no idea how long this meeting in the courtyard would take, I grabbed the sandwich off the tray, giving her my answer.
Natalie nodded, then looked back at the guard. “You two can stay here.” She motioned to the other guard in the hall. He was younger than the first, with hair free from any gray. But he still looked stern. “I will take responsibility for Blair.”
“I don’t know if that is a good idea Lady Nat—”
“Are you questioning me, Steve?”
The younger guard’s face blanched. “No, Lady Natalie. I would never.”
“Good.” She motioned for the guards to step back.
To my complete shock, they did.
“Come on, Blair. We don’t want to keep Hugh waiting.”
For a moment, I was frozen in place, uncertain if this was some sort of trick.
But then I remembered I had value to Hugh, and therefore I had value to his coven.
So, I hurried after Natalie, taking a large bite of the sandwich just as my stomach gave an angry growl.
She moved quickly. I tried to take in the details of the portrait-laden hallway and the different windows I might use as a means of escape.
But then I remembered there would be no escape.
I took another bite, begrudging the losing situation I found myself in.
It wasn’t until we turned down the second hall and I saw no more guards that my feet ground to a halt.
Natalie quickly realized I’d stopped.
She faced me. “What’s wrong?”
“Who are you?” I asked, taking advantage of this opportunity—before I stood before Hugh—to try and get some answers. “How can you order around guards like that?”
Natalie smirked, but there was no amusement in her eyes as she candidly answered, “Who I am doesn’t really matter. It’s who I was supposed to be that gives me leverage within the coven.”
Intrigued, I asked, “Who were you supposed to me?”
Again, I was beyond shocked when Natalie shrugged and said, “I was supposed to be you.”
TWO
“What do you mean?” The hair on my arm stood up straight. “How were you supposed to be me?”
“My magic was advanced at a young age. My first memory involves the former Graystone leader speaking with my grandmother, telling her I was his candidate to become the next Mother Goddess.” The words flew from Natalie’s lips, but she sounded bored. She wasn’t proud or boastful. She simply relayed facts.
“I trained with your mother for six years before she… left.”
My heart gave a painful squeeze. This woman would remember more about my mother than I did.
Natalie had intended to become the Mother Goddess once my mother stepped down. But then my mother didn’t have the Moonstone…
Did Natalie resent me for unknowingly stealing that fate from her?
Did she even know the truth about how I obtained the Moonstone?
Seeing no harm in sharing the information, I said, “I didn’t even know my mom was a sorceress until a couple weeks ago.” The truth of that still threatened to overwhelm me at times.
Natalie’s gaze softened. “I know. Hugh told me.”
Caution crept into my next question. “Are you and Hugh…”
“Mother, no.” Natalie spoke with such vehemence; I had no trouble believing her.
“Then how do you know so much about me?”
“My power gives me rank in the coven.” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Graystone likes to pretend our coven isn’t a dictatorship. So, from time to time, he apprises the higher-ranking sorcerers and sorceresses of his plans.” She snorts and shakes her head.
I stared at Natalie, trying to figure her out. She was basically badmouthing her coven’s leader out in the open, for everyone to hear. Was this a trap?
Had Hugh sent her to befriend me?
Was she going to stab me in the back at the first opportunity?
Once again, a knowing gleam crossed Natalie’s expression, and she said, “I’m not your enemy, Blair Hemmings.”
