Welcome to the Jungle - Chapter 1 - The Alley

Tatum's P.O.V.

I'm the last of the silverback gorilla shifters, and I'm being hunted. It's up to me to find my fated mate to ensure our species doesn't become extinct. I assumed she would be another gorilla, but after searching the depths of every jungle, I have concluded she's somewhere else.

As I walk through the streets of New York, I look around, thinking I'm way over my head. What the hell made me think my mate would be here? I know they call this place the jungle, but it's not the type of jungle I'm used to. At least in my jungle, we have civility. Here, it's every man for themselves.

I know when people look at me they don't think I’m a gorilla. I am 6'7" with long blonde hair and pale blue eyes. I don't believe other shifters know what I am or that I even exist. They are used to werewolves, werecats, and werebears, but weregorillas, even I'm sometimes skeptical.

I'm exhausted from my day of searching and decide to go back to my apartment. I spend every day walking and looking for my mate. I refuse to give up because she's the only thing that can save our species.

As I round a corner, I pick up a scent that doesn't belong in this place. I'm used to the smell of greasy food, car exhaust, and filth, but this is none of those. I stop and take a deep whiff. It smells like the rainforest on a clear summer day. My heart races. I run forward, looking for the owner of that scent.

When I reach an alley, the scent is overwhelming. My gorilla, Apollo, is going crazy, beating on his chest and grunting. A woman is lying in the alley. Her clothes have been ripped, and it's clear she's been raped. I kneel beside her, and as soon as I touch her hand, I feel the sparks spread up my arm. This angel is my mate.

She's human, so I need to do the human thing and call for help. I pull out my cell phone and call 911. When the dispatcher answers, I tell her I found a woman in the alley, and she needs an ambulance. She said someone would be here in a few minutes. I check for a pulse, and my mate is still alive. I try to cover her the best I can.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" She doesn't respond. "Everything is going to be okay. There's an ambulance on the way. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I promise I'll make whoever did this pay."

I see a handbag next to her. I know I shouldn't go through her things, but I need to know who she is. I open her wallet and look at her driver's license. Sasha. I love her name already. I look at her address and say it over and over so I won't forget it. I close her purse just as a police car and ambulance pull up. I wave them down.

"In here," I yell.

"What happened to her?" One of the paramedics asks as they begin assessing Sasha's wounds.

"I don't know. I was walking home and I saw her lying in the alley. I called for help as soon as I saw her." One of the officers looks me up and down, as if he doesn't believe me. I stand up and move out of the paramedic's way, even though it pains me to leave her side. When the officer sees my full height, I see him swallow. I stand almost a foot taller than him, and I’m built like a wrestler; I am a gorilla after all.

"Would you mind giving us a DNA sample?" I guess he got up his nerve to speak again. I turn to him and glare.

"I'll give you whatever you want, but I didn't hurt her." I turn back to Sasha as they load her onto a gurney and strap her down. They take her to the awaiting ambulance and put her inside. I want to ride along, but I know I can't. After they take her away, I turn to the two officers, handing them my business card. I own my own company, working in real estate. They look at my card and then at me.

"You're Tatum Grant?" One of them asks.

"Yes," I reply. I've made a name for myself all over the world, but I don't let my picture get taken. It's easier to travel if no one knows you're a billionaire.

"Sir, what are you doing walking through here?" One asks.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was illegal to walk down the street," I questioned him. I'm done with these two. I want to go to the hospital to check on Sasha.

"It’s not. We just typically don't see people of your status walking." Okay, I'm out of here.

"You have my card. If you need anything, call me." I turn and walk away, daring them to tell me I can't go. I look at my phone to see where the closest hospital is, and it's only a few blocks away. I'm assuming that's where they took her.

I run until I see the ED sign. When I go in, I walk up to the counter and give my most charming smile. The nurse looks me up and down, and I see her face turning red.

"What can I help you with?" She asks in what I'm assuming she thinks is a sexy voice, but she sounds silly.

"I'm here to see Sasha Andrews. They said she was brought to this hospital." I lean on the counter and look into her brown eyes. She fumbles around and starts typing on her keyboard.

"Yes, she was just brought in. She's in room four. I'll take you.” She jumps up and walks around the counter. I follow her behind the doors. She stops and looks up at me through her lashes.

"I get off in a few hours if you want to do something after you're done visiting with your sister." I smile.

"She's not my sister; she's my girlfriend, and no offense, but you're not my type." The nurse turns with a huff and walks off. My mate is the only one who's my type. I take a deep breath and walk into room four.

My breath catches in my throat when I see Sasha. Her face is bruised and swollen. She has a bandage wrapped around her head. I see a splint on her arm and multiple bruises. If only I had gotten there sooner. I sit in the chair beside her bed and take her small hand in mine. I get a good look at her, and it's hard to tell what she typically looks like, but she has beautiful auburn hair. A nurse walks in and is surprised to see me.

"Who are you?" She asks. Okay, this may be tricky, but let's try it.

"I'm Tatum; she's my girlfriend. The police told me she was brought here. What happened to her?" I ask, looking from the nurse to Sasha. She seems uncertain at first.

"I can't go into details without her consent, but she was hurt badly. Are you going to stay here with her? I don't want to leave her alone in case she wakes up." I nod eagerly.

"I'm not going anywhere." The nurse looks relieved. I can only imagine how busy she must be in a New York ER.

"Good. Push the call light if you need me. My name is Karla." She checks Sasha over and then walks out of the room.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm not leaving you. I plan to be with you forever."