Read To Mate an Assassin: The Lost Alphars Series, Book 1 for Free Online

gate just called me talking about—”
    “Some woman walking around the outer gates. Yes, I know.” He grabbed the nearest item, a small metal garbage can, and twisted it into a misshapen mass of prongs and metal, imagining it as the pounding headache beating at his skull. Kerrick released the warped metal, satisfied by the echoing clang as it fell to the ground.
    Aaron was his right-hand man. The man he would trust above all others. He was also the man who was about to push him over the edge and into insanity if he didn’t get his big ass out of the room and give Kerrick that one minute of peace and quiet. Just one fucking minute!
    “Leave, Aaron,” Kerrick said as he settled at his desk, keeping his tone level but tolerating no argument. There was a stack of papers needing to be signed off on that was reaching close to ten inches high. He needed to hire someone else to do all this, paperwork and red tape was not his forte. His strength was interacting with his people, even though he wanted to be far away from everyone at the moment.
    Aaron lifted his meaty hands in surrender, recognizing the mood Kerrick was in, and turned to leave. His long black braid trailed down his back in quiet contrast to the custom designer suit he wore. The man couldn’t decide whether to embrace his charming business savvy or his wild, animalistic nature, so he’d found a balance between the two. Aaron’s phone rang the moment he placed his hand on the door handle.
    “It’s the front gate again,” Aaron said, seeing the caller ID.
    “Just answer it,” Kerrick growled, slamming his fist on the table in an attempt to control his annoyance. The past month had put him on edge. There were Vryks taunting him just beyond the boundary of his land, Mara refused to negotiate any terms Rhiannon brought to Carter, his people were not yet stabilized after three years of detoxing from Riddan’s poisonous influence, and his staff couldn’t handle a damn lone Wolf. Kerrick felt his Beast rising, the teeth and claws of every past and present Were species fighting for control over his body, tempting him to give in to the power and make the people of his territory into slaves. This was the madness Riddan had succumbed to but only after hundreds of years as Alphar. Kerrick would not give in after just over three years. He pushed the power down, knowing if he didn’t excise control over the power it could spiral and injure those he loved most.
    Kerrick took a deep breath, centering his mind and allowing the power to merge and roll like the ever-moving sea within him. He would not suffocate this power he’d been born to inherit, but he would not be mastered by it.
    Aaron put the call on speakerphone, bringing Kerrick’s attention outward once more.
    “Captain, sir!” A soldier’s voice rang out. “She’s— Ah!” The sound of the phone crashing to the ground echoed through Kerrick’s office.
    Kerrick stood from his desk upon hearing the sounds of tranq guns firing and the muffled shouts of his guards in distress. He leaped across the desk and pulled Aaron through the door, the situation much more dire than he’d originally thought, cursing himself for not taking the threat more seriously. Perhaps the woman had been wired with explosives. Perhaps she was one of the rare Mage Weres, capable of wielding magic and controlling the elements. The possibilities for what this woman was and what kind of threat she presented to his people were endless.
    “Matthew,” Aaron called into the phone as they ran through The Mansion towards the front door. “Soldier, answer me.”
    “Matthew cannot come to the phone right now. But if you would like to leave a message, please do so after the beep. Beeeeeeeeeeeeep.” A sing-song voice resonated over the line.
    Kerrick grabbed the phone from Aaron. “Who the fuck is this?” he growled into the speaker.
    “Language, Captain,” she said, mistaking Kerrick for Aaron. “I will be all too glad to introduce