The Hot Alpha Switch: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (3 page)

THE PLAN

Kendra listened, incredulous, to Violet’s suggestion.

At the end of it, she said, “But what’s in it for you?”

“I get to have the adventure of a lifetime,” Violet replied, her eyes shining.

Kendra could see how carefully applied the older woman’s makeup was – all hues of purple and violet on her smoky eyes. Violet was sophisticated and beautiful – everything Kendra could only hope of becoming.

“But how?”

“All my life, I’ve been closeted and cosseted by everyone I know,” Violet said bitterly. “First, it was my parents. Then it was the teachers in that awful finishing school I went to. I went to Cambridge to read English literature because my parents wanted me to, not because
I
wanted to. I never got to do anything meaningful with my life.

“Then finally, I start an online shoe company, and my parents don’t want to have anything to do with it. I can’t touch my trust fund until I’m thirty. My first investor is my boyfriend’s mother, and now she wants to run the company and my life!”

All this about finishing schools, online shoe companies, and investors sounded like paradise to Kendra. It was all she had ever dreamt of.

Violet placed a well-manicured hand on Kendra’s forearm. “So I want to do this. That’s the plan. For one month, you’ll be me and I’ll be you. I’m going to try to change things around here for the better for you and all the werewolf females. I’m going to call this a social experiment.”

Kendra gaped. “You’re going to try to change things? But how?”

“I don’t know yet,” Violet admitted. Kendra could see how strong and determined the other woman was despite her soft appearance. “But I’ll get a month to try. If I don’t change things, then it’s status quo. You lose nothing. As for you, you get a taste of the world outside with all the trappings of a privileged existence. Think of it as a vacation.”

Kendra couldn’t help smiling. “I’ve never taken a vacation before.”

“There you go.” Violet gripped Kendra’s forearm. “You know, I’ve been moping around lately, feeling depressed. Now I’m all excited about life again. I think this is kismet! We were meant to meet, and we’re meant to trade places!”

“But only for a month, right?” Kendra couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to give up the life Violet had described for all the excitement in the world.

“Yes. Only for a month. At the end of the month, you’ll find some excuse to come back here, and we’ll make the switch again.”

“But don’t you have a boyfriend? Taran is his name, right?”

“Yes. But we’re on the verge of breaking up anyway. Tell him you need time away from him to think. Ask him to give you a month. We don’t live together anyway. When you get back to London, you can stay in my flat.”

Violet sketched the details out, and Kendra listened, awed. All her life, she had never done anything like this, but her own excitement grew by leaps and bounds as Violet prattled on. Could they do this? Could the two of them really pull it off?

They spent the rest of the night talking and planning and asking questions of each other. Then Violet’s cellphone rang.

“Oh, shit,” she said. “It’s three in the morning. Taran is calling. He’ll probably send the cops out after me now.”

Kendra had never owned a cellphone before. There was no one to call. She stared at Violet’s phone. “Are you going to answer that?”

Violet hesitated. Then she smiled and handed the phone to Kendra. “You answer it.”

“Me?” Kendra’s heart leaped. “But I don’t even know him. What do I say?”

“If we’re going to do this, it starts now.” Violet’s eyes gleamed mischievously.

She was right, Kendra decided. If she couldn’t pull this off, this stopped now.

She took the phone from Violet and pressed the ANSWER button. She didn’t own a cellphone, but she was no country hick, having taught herself everything she thought she should know about the world.

“Hello?” Her voice betrayed a slight nervousness.

Violet looked on, her fists bunched.

“Vi?” said a cultured English voice. “Where are you? I know you’re mad at me,
but I’ve been worried sick. I wanted to call earlier, but I knew you needed some space. This isn’t Mayfair. Please come back to the hotel.”

Kendra locked eyes with Violet.

“I’m all right. I’ve met someone,” she said.

“Oh.” Taran’s voice was crestfallen.

“It’s not like that,” Kendra quickly said. “She’s a very interesting local woman. We got to talking and lost track of time. I’m OK, really. She’ll give me a ride back.”

“Are you sure it’s safe?”

Kendra’s heart pounded. She was pulling this off. “Yes. You go back to sleep. I’ll come back soon.”

“I’ll leave a light on for you. We can work this out. I love you.”

Kendra rang off. She was afraid to say ‘I love you’ back just in case it was not what Violet wanted.

“You did it!” Violet’s face shone. “You really did it!”

“I know.” Kendra was just as elated.

“So what do you say? Want to go back to the hotel as me?”

THE FIRST NIGHT

There were other ways to get to town other than by motorbike, though not as convenient. There was a 24-hour private car service you could call, and Kendra was as connected to the world as any alpha werewolf male could ever be – albeit secretly so.

“Remember, email me if you’re not sure of anything,” Violet said, hugging her newfound friend.

“Email myself. Sure.”

They laughed.

It was almost dawn.

“Got everything?” Violet asked.

“I don’t know. It’s all in your cellphone, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Don’t forget my password now.” They chorused together, “0123.”

Still, Kendra was apprehensive as she arrived in front of the hotel. The Hilton was the best hotel in Shipshank. She felt like an imposter as she swept in through the revolving doors of the entrance. She was in Violet’s dress. Violet’s shoes.

“Good morning, Ms. Turner,” said the doorman respectfully.

Ms. Turner? Violet Turner? Oh, right. One of the little details Violet forgot to mention – her surname!

“Good morning,” Kendra replied.

She made her way steadily to the elevator bank. As steadily as her shoes would allow her. She wasn’t used to walking in heels, so she almost tripped on the plush carpet once or twice. But because she was a wolf, she had natural balance and agility. She caught herself in time.

A wolf in Jimmy Choos! If only Ronnie could see her now. He would have a fit!

Once inside one of the elevators, Kendra pressed the top button. Presidential suite, Violet told her. The key card felt
special, like a golden ticket.

The elevator doors hissed open and discharged her into a plush corridor. Kendra had only been in the Hilton once or twice in her surreptitious explorations, and always in the dead of night. She knew that Ronnie and the elders would not take it lightly if they knew that a she-wolf had been traipsing around town, unaccompanied by a male.

She made her way to the end of the tastefully lit corridor to a set of double doors. Wow. The Presidential suite. Violet mentioned that Taran was a self-made billionaire. How did one do that – make a billion dollars all by themselves?

She almost pressed the doorbell button but stopped herself in time. She stayed here! She swiped the key card and let herself in, feeling like an intruder.

There was a light in the hallway, which opened out onto the most luxurious sitting room Kendra had ever seen. So this was how the rich lived! Well, she could get used to it.

The bedroom door was ajar. A light emanated from it. Kendra tried to tiptoe in, blushing suddenly when she realized she would be sleeping in the same bed as Taran, Violet’s boyfriend. A total stranger to her.

Remember, tell him you need some space for a month. You’ll only have to sleep in the same bed for two nights,
Violet’s words echoed.

“Vi?” The same male voice Kendra had heard over the phone called out to her.

“I’m back.” Kendra’s heart was in her throat. “I thought I told you not to stay up.”

She was glad Violet didn’t have an English accent, or this would be impossible to pull off!

“I couldn’t sleep,” Taran said.

Kendra entered the bedroom, wrenching her heels off. She stopped as soon as she saw Taran sitting up in the king-sized canopied bed. Violet never mentioned that he was so handsome! And young!

Taran’s hair was tousled. In the lamplight, his naked chest gleamed a magnificent bronze color. Kendra could appreciate the clean lines of his well-structured jawbone. What color were his eyes? She couldn’t tell in this light.

Concern was etched on his face.

“Where were you?” he said. “I was worried sick.”

“I told you. I met this girl and we stayed up chatting.”

“Couldn’t you have at least called or texted me to let me know where you were?” His tone was injured.

“Sorry. But you’re not my keeper.”

The only reason Kendra said that was because she thought it was something Violet would have said. But why was Violet breaking up with this young, handsome, self-made billionaire who seemed caring and concerned about her wellbeing? Violet didn’t go into details, except to say that “he’s irritating me, and I need some space”.

Well, if Taran was anything like Ronnie, then Kendra could understand it.

Taran didn’t say anything. He just looked uneasy and sad.

“I’m going to take a shower. Then I’m going to go to bed,” Kendra said, hoping that would buy her time to compose herself. “If that’s all right with you.”

“Sure.”

He watched her go into the bathroom. She closed it firmly behind her. She leaned against the door, her heart thudding in her chest.

She took a shower and wrapped herself in one of the hotel dressing gowns. When she peeked out, the lights were off on Taran’s side. But he had left a night light on for her. How considerate. Dawn peered through the slits in the heavy blackout curtains. Taran was lying in bed, covers up to his chest and his back to her.

She heaved a sigh of relief. Now where did Violet put her nightgown?

Violet’s Louis Vuitton suitcase was open on a stand. Kendra rifled through the clothes in there, but she could not find anything resembling a nightgown or pajamas. Yet another detail Violet didn’t go through with her. (How could she? It was impossible to cram a lifetime into half a night.)

“What are you looking for?” Taran’s blurred voice floated towards her.

Kendra froze.

“My nightgown.”

“But you don’t wear anything to bed.” There was hurt, not suspicion, in his tone.

I don’t? Kendra’s cheeks colored.

“I feel a bit cold, that’s all,” she muttered.

“Come to bed.”

She turned. Taran was holding up the covers for her to slip in beside him. Was he naked under the sheets, too?

Kendra was no prude. She had seen plenty of naked men, thanks to her heritage. Werewolf males thought nothing of stripping in the open. But Taran was a total stranger! She had never gone to bed with a total stranger!

You signed up for this
, she admonished herself.

She bravely undid the sash of her robe and let it fall. Not seductively, but in a ‘I’m going to bed in my usual manner’ way. Taran’s eyes never left her body. She walked to her side of the bed and got in. She could smell Taran’s skin – sweetly scented with the expensive hotel soap – and the mint on his breath.

He gently placed the covers around her. But he kept his marginal distance and did not attempt to cuddle up to her.

“Good night,” he said in a low voice. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

“Good night.”

She turned her back to him and tried to fall asleep.

She succeeded because she was flat out tired. Her dreams that morning were filled with images of handsome naked billionaires offering her olive branches. But when she reached out for them, something pulled her away.

THE OTHER SIDE

Violet woke up to loud knocking on her door. She opened her eyes to stare at a strange ceiling. Where the hell was she?

“Kendra?” said a deep male voice. The insistent knocking came again. “Kendra?”

Right! Everything came rushing back to Violet. She sat up in the bed.

“I’m coming!” she yelled.

She was dressed in a long T-shirt – Kendra’s, naturally. Two strides, and she was at the door. She had never been in such a confined space before.

The door opened to reveal a tall, very handsome young man with dark hair and flashing blue eyes. Violet was taken aback by how startlingly blue his eyes were.

“Sleeping late?” He looked Violet up and down.

Ah, the infamous Ronnie.

What’s it to you?

“Resting. I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“You with someone?” he immediately said, his eyes darting into the trailer.

Violet was amused. She remembered what Kendra said about Ronnie:

He’s the new alpha of the clan. She-wolves are literally throwing themselves at him, but he doesn’t want them. He’s fixated on me. Can you think of anything more irritating than an alpha who won’t take no for an answer?

Maybe that was it, Violet thought.
He wants what he can’t have.

She rolled her eyes. “Ronnie, if there’s someone in here, I’ll make sure you’re the first to know.”

“I’ll kill him, you know,” Ronnie said dangerously. “Everyone here knows I’ve marked you as mine.”

Uh oh. Douchebag alert. But damn, he was attractive. Kendra had sort of prepared her for it, but Violet hadn’t reckoned on how attractive Ronnie was in a way that was completely different from Taran’s cultured demeanor.

“I’m not someone’s property, and you’d better start getting that in your head.”

“You know, living alone too long does that to a woman.”

“So sue me. I’m destined to be an old maid all my life. What are you doing chasing up my skirt, then?” Violet countered.

Ronnie seemed amused.

Oh, he was
that
type, Violet decided. He liked the challenge of an unattainable woman. Well, she could play unattainable all right.

“Well, hurry up,” he said. “We’ve got a hunt coming up.”

Kendra had taught Violet exactly what to expect.

“I can’t,” Violet demurred. “I’ve taken a vow of Deferment this morning.”

Ronnie’s eyes widened. “What? Why?”

“It’s my right. I had
the
dream, so
I took the vow this morning.”

Deferment meant absolutely NO shifting. Hahahahaha.

There was a glint in Ronnie’s eye.

“Well,” he declared. “If you can’t hunt, then I’ve got another job for you.”

“Only if you’re paying.”

Kendra had taught Violet that unmated she-wolves did odd jobs around the clan – such as cooking and cleaning for the elders.
Everyone is part of the community, so they contribute in one way or another.

Fitting, thought Violet. Except that the females couldn’t
choose
how they contributed. They were paid, of course, but only with a paltry sum.

“I always pay,” Ronnie assured her.

“So what do you want me to do? Iron your shirts? Fold your laundry?” Violet rolled her eyes. Oh yeah, she’d teach him all right.

“No,” he replied. “I want you to be my handmaiden.”