Contents FBI Anti-Piracy Warning Introduction Author’s Note 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 Epilogue Also by Dana Archer Newsletter Please Review About the Author Rafe Dana Archer FBI Anti-Piracy Warning The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Rafe Shifter WorldⓇ: Royals and AlphasⓇ, book 1 by Dana Archer An immortal shifter and a mortal woman form an unlikely bond amid the secrets that kept them safe—and the truths that threaten to separate them forever. Jasmine Wyn has always distrusted people: men in general, and shifter men specifically. When a handsome stranger named Rafe appears out of nowhere to help locate a friend’s child, she’s drawn to him in ways she doesn’t understand. Still, Jasmine has secrets to protect. No man, no matter how tempting, is going to endanger those she loves. But someone else is determined to destroy her quiet life. A stalker with a personal vendetta has his sights on her, and he doesn’t care how many people suffer as long as he gets what he wants. Jasmine must decide if she can place her safety and trust in Rafe, the man who’s already stolen her heart... Rafe Alexander, a Royal feline shifter, sees his police job both as a calling and as a way to keep human knowledge of their kind to a minimum. When he investigates a shifter kid living with a human, the scent trail leads to Jasmine, a child caretaker who’s reluctant to tell Rafe anything. Their undeniable chemistry forces Rafe to realize he’s falling for Jasmine, hard. If she is his true mate, he’ll have to confront her with the unspeakable challenges they’ll face to complete the bond. But first, he has to save her from a relentless enemy who’s always one step ahead. This is the Romantic Suspense (tame) version of Treasured Find by Nancy Corrigan. Author’s Note Book version explanation The book you are about to read is the Paranormal Suspense (clean/tame) version of Treasured Find by Nancy Corrigan, the Mainstream Fiction pen name of Dana Archer. If you prefer open door romance and adult language, then Nancy Corrigan’s versions are for you. Otherwise, continue reading for a sensual love story that will pull you into the thrilling, exciting, and emotionally satisfying saga of the Shifter WorldⓇ. Chapter 1 A bar. He brought the kid to a bar. Rafe Alexander gripped the steering wheel. The tips of his fingers burned from the press of his sharpened nails against his skin. His jaw ached from the pressure of his fangs sliding into place. He wanted to beat the human for exposing a preschooler to a 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. Rafe 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 gazes 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 what 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 coincidental. Word of a shifter cub living among humans surfaced, and the next day her human father died. Yeah, it wasn’t 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 reassurance 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
