Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (23 page)

Lia had ventured into the storage room with Lark and Dove. There was nothing of much value in the piles, but they were fun to poke through. Dove was wearing a tattered dress she had found, and Lark was looking through a pile of photographs. They must have been brought there by someone who had been Bitten, but she didn’t recognize anyone in them. Dove said she would take a look. It wasn’t long before their musings about the subjects’ identities devolved into an argument about whether there was any point to photography.

Lia was looking through a chest of drawers, the single item of furniture in the den. It was stuffed with random odds and ends. One drawer held nothing but bits of burned-down candles, like someone had saved them intending to mold new ones out of the nubs. She opened the last drawer, on the very top. This one was empty, save for a single piece of jewelry.

She lifted it out, blowing off the dust. It was a locket on a gold chain, an “A” etched onto its surface. She hadn’t ever been interested in jewelry before, but the piece struck her for some reason. Turning it in her hand, she tried to open it. The latch resisted at first, but finally it popped open. There was a photo inside, of a couple looking very happy. There was also a thin braid of white fur.

Lia studied the photo. She wondered who the people were. Was the man a shifter? Had the woman been Turned by him? And whose fur was that?

She closed the locket again, admiring its gleam in the lamplight. One thing was certain, it shouldn’t be kept hidden away in here. It had a simple beauty, and it deserved to be worn again.

“Lark?”

“Mmm?” She and Dove looked up, their debate interrupted.

“Can I have this?” Lia held up the locket.

Lark shot a worried look at Dove. “I’d really ask one of the Alphas before wearing it.”

That made sense. The Alphas probably owned everything in the storage room by default.

“Okay.”

Somehow, she seemed to have ruined the mood. Dove took off the dress, draping it back over a stack of papers. Lark stuffed the photographs back under the chest of drawers.

“We’re going to try to find something to snack on,” Lark said. “You want anything, Lia?”

“Maybe. Let me know what you find, I’ll be out in a minute.”

They left Lia staring at the locket. It was heavy in her hand, like there was the weight of history behind it.

The lamp flickered out. Lia sighed. She had spent far too much time contemplating a bauble. It was time to go, though it wasn’t like there was much else to do today.

If she left the locket, she’d just forget it. Or someone would knock it behind the chest of drawers, and it would be lost. Opening the delicate clasp, she put the chain around her neck. The Alphas wouldn’t really care that much, would they? They’d let her have a locket that no one was using, and that the pack seemed to have forgotten about. Just to be safe, she’d ask them the first chance she got.

She padded out to the mess hall. Lark and Dove had found Cricket, and were sharing a snack. Flint, the poor soul, was still trapped, Sequoia buzzing in his ear. He looked catatonic. Kane brooded by the entryway, gazing out over the meadow.

Lia walked over to him. “What is it?” She wanted to ask so much more, about what had happened between them the other day and why he wouldn’t just kiss her already, but it was probably best to keep things light.

“I hate thunderstorms.” Thunder boomed in the distance, as if it were insulted.

“Why?”

“They remind me of my father.” Kane’s eyes were focused on the horizon, but it was obvious he didn’t really see it. “He always told us that if we were bad, he’d send storms after us. He said that the thunder was him growling at our disobedience.”

Lia had a sudden, horrid feeling. She ran a hand over the scars on his back. “He didn’t give you these, did he?”

Kane scowled, but didn’t answer. She vowed not to ask again.

“I’m really sorry, Kane. I don’t mean to be nosy. It’s just that I care about you. If you’re hurting, I want to help.”

He seemed to uncoil. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.” Kane turned toward her, his golden eyes burning. “I haven’t kissed you yet, you know.”

Lia’s heart raced. “Would you like to change that?”

He moved closer, putting a hand on her waist. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. What would it feel like to kiss him at last?

Kane stared at her, his gaze dropping to her neck. A puzzled look came over his face, but it quickly contorted to one of rage.

“Take it off!” he roared. “That’s not yours, it’s Angela’s!”

“What?” Her hands flew up to her neck, where the locket hung. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Give it to me!”

Lia fumbled with the clasp, her fingers trembling. Growling, Kane snatched the locket, ripping it off her neck. Taking it in his teeth, he shifted, running into the oncoming storm.

The den was silent. The pack stared at her, frozen. Lia felt sick. She wished she could disappear, or find Ronan and ask him to go after Kane. But it was her fault he was upset. She would have to fix things.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the den and into the meadow. It was cold now. She felt like she needed a jacket, or a nice fur coat.

Of course. How stupid could she be? Running forward, she shifted into her wolf. It was easier this time, and she barely noticed the cracking of her joints and tendons. Her wolf leapt forward, legs moving fluidly. She forgot about the cold.

Before long, she reached the edge of the meadow. Her wolf refused to go any farther. She cowered, tucking her tail between her legs when she thought about how she had upset her mate. Lia shifted, trying not to shiver as the cold seeped back into her. The willow was before her. She just hoped Kane was inside.

She pulled back the curtain of leaves. He was there, curled at the base of the trunk, holding the locket in one hand.

“Hey, Kane,” she said.

He didn’t look up, but he didn’t snarl at her either.

Lia stepped through the willow’s leaves. “I’m really sorry for taking the locket. I should have asked if it was okay with you before I put it on, and I didn’t. If you want, I can put it back where I found it.”

Kane stood. “Can I take you somewhere?”

Lia nodded.

“Hold this for me.” He handed her the locket.

“Are you sure?”

He shifted into his wolf, waiting for her to climb on his back. Lia wrapped the locket’s chain around her hand, hoping she wouldn’t do anything else wrong today.

Once she was ready, Kane set off into the woods. There was an intensity to his steps, a single-minded purpose. It seemed nothing would alter his course, not mountains or fire or flood. He only slowed when they came to a grove of sycamores. At the center stood an ancient tree with an immense trunk and sprawling roots.

Lia slid off Kane, and he shifted back to human form. He held out his hand, and she gave him the locket. He stood still, staring at the tree. Its bark had been savaged, claw marks ringing its base. They filled Lia with sadness. She could feel the anger, the rage, the grief that had gone into making them, and she could guess who had left them there.

Kane turned to her, the locket swinging between his fingers. “I want to tell you about how I got my scars.”

***

Kane had been told to stay in the den, and stay hidden, but he had snuck out. It wasn’t hard. No one was left to watch them.

“Don’t go,” Ronan pleaded. “Dad
said
.”

Their father said a lot of things, including that his sons were too young to fight. Kane had scowled at that. He was small, but he could fight. The pack was headed to what might be the last battle, and Kane wasn’t about to miss it. Their father might be the Alpha, but he wasn’t the only one who could protect the den.

“Are you coming or not?” he asked Ronan.

“Please don’t go.”

Kane left him behind. He ran toward the distant snarls and howls, pushing himself until his paws bled. He neared the middle of their territory, where the rivers met. Leaning against a rotting log, he paused to catch his breath. The riverbank was a mess. Blood stained the grass. Many wolves had fallen, too many that he recognized.

He ducked as a pair of wolves crashed into the other side of his log. One was Gaunt, his dark gray fur spotted with blood. He clawed at a golden wolf Kane didn’t know. The golden wolf tried to guard his throat, but he was too late. Gaunt tore it out, then leapt back into the fray.

Kane watched him go, eyes wide. That’s the kind of warrior he wanted to be.

A streak of white flew past. His heart leapt. His father. Everything would be all right.

Thunder whirled to face his pursuers, two very large brown wolves. The white wolf was larger, though. Kane puffed out his chest. His father could take them. The brown wolves snapped at him, one going for his throat while the other went for his belly. His father was deflecting their attacks, but he was panting hard.

Kane looked around. Where were Bear and Clay? The two of them were never far from Thunder, guarding his back. He scanned the bank again, his heart sinking as he saw two giant forms slumped together. His father was alone.

He had never seen that look in his father’s eyes before, that trapped, cornered look. It was all wrong. His father was always in control. His father never surrendered. His father never made mistakes.

Then why didn’t he hear the black wolf sneaking up on him? No, of course he heard him. That was the enemy Alpha, Dusk. Kane’s father would turn on him at the last minute, would teach him a lesson and tear him to shreds. He would make them pay for trying to take their territory.

The black wolf leapt on Thunder, bit down where his skull met his spine. There was a sharp
crack
.

His father had made one mistake.

The battle was over.

***

“I’ve told them to stay below where the rivers meet, but that’s all I can do. They know I can’t hold my territory and fight them off. That’s all I can do, Angela.” Uncle Flash grabbed her shoulders, shook her. “Angela! Look at me.”

“Why.”

“You have to keep it together, Angela. For my brother. For—” He looked around, saw Kane staring. He lowered his voice. “For your pups. Don’t leave them without a pack.”

“What good is a pack, anyway?” she asked dully. “It didn’t save my husband.”

Flash closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “Your
mate
would have been proud to die for his pack. They still managed to hold half of the territory. Your sons can be Alphas someday thanks to him.”

“Oh, they can be Alphas, can they?” His momma’s voice grew shrill. “I can’t wait for them to die for their packs as well.”

“You’re grieving, Angela.” Flash’s voice was level, but dangerous. “You stay here, and rest. I’ll arrange the pyre.”

“No!” Momma launched herself at him. “You’re not going to burn him. I don’t want a handful of ashes.”

“What, you want to bury him, leave him for the scavengers to dig up? He’s a fallen warrior. He’ll go into the sky like our forefathers.”

“I’m his wife! If I want him to be buried, he’ll be buried!”

“He’s a wolf. Wolves burn.”

“Over my dead body!”

***

Kane watched the smoke rise into the clouds. Momma wasn’t dead, but she wasn’t here, either. She should be here to watch Father go.

Beside him, Ronan made a strange noise, like a whimper he had tried to bite back. Uncle Flash looked over, his gaze disapproving. The message was clear.
The son of an Alpha does not cry.
Ronan straightened, marshaling his features until they were blank. It was an expression Kane knew well, as he wore it all the time.

Reaching out, he grabbed Ronan’s hand. Let Uncle Flash glare at that.

He stood with his brother, watching the flames take their father. Kane should tell Ronan, tell him it was all his fault, that if only Kane had called out, their father wouldn’t have died. He would have fought Dusk, and won, and gone on to win the battle. But thanks to Kane, he was dead.

He would confess to Ronan, but not now. Not with Uncle Flash so close.

Once their former Alpha had burned to ashes, the gathered pack limped away. There was nothing left to do for Thunder. He was gone.

Uncle Flash put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I have to go north,” he said, “back to my pack. You boys understand, don’t you?”

They nodded.

“Send word if you need me, and I’ll see what I can do. Thunder would never forgive me if—” The last word came out strangled, and Kane remembered the times his father had explained to them that Flash wasn’t just his brother. He was his twin, just like Ronan was Kane’s twin. Kane couldn’t imagine losing Ronan.

Uncle Flash turned away. “Come north and find me if things get bad. The Ember pack will be there for you.” He shifted, running toward the woods. They were alone.

“Boys,” Della called. “You want some food?”

Kane grinned. He always wanted food. And he liked Della. She was nice to Momma. Not everybody was.

“Not now, Della.” Momma came out of the den, carrying a rucksack. She didn’t look at the pyre.

“Are you off somewhere?” Della asked.

“I’m just going to take the boys for a walk.”

“All right.” Della looked worried, but she didn’t say anything. “Let me know if you need anything, Angela.”

Momma marched forward, grabbing their hands. “Come on.”

Kane found himself being pulled along. It was hard to keep up. “Where are we going, Momma?”

“Away from this place.” There was a sharpness to her voice that quelled the rest of Kane’s questions. He looked back, wishing he could go with Della instead. He wanted to eat food, and then sleep. It didn’t seem like Momma would be happy to hear that right now.

They entered the forest, Momma keeping up her blistering pace. She didn’t even pause when Kane stumbled over a rock. This wasn’t the kind, warm Momma he knew, the one that laughed easily and played tag with them and baked them blueberry pies. She was starting to scare him.

“Momma, I’m tired,” Ronan said.

Kane was as well. They had been standing for most of the day. He wasn’t sure what their momma had been doing.