Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (42 page)

He should have stayed dead.

Ducking between two trees, he retreated into the forest. Before long, he came to the scarred sycamore. He hoped no one had followed him here. Sinking down, he set his back against the bark. It dug into his skin, but he didn’t mind the pain. It helped distract him from the fact that he’d been
fucking dead
. Maybe he’d even add some gouges to the bark.

How could Kane and Lia do something so monstrous?

Something crashed through the underbrush.

“Hey.”

Kane had found him, of course. Ronan sighed.

“Can I join?” Kane asked. “This is my sulking spot, you know.”

Ronan turned away. Maybe Kane would get the hint.

He didn’t, as usual. Kane sat beside him.

“You can be mad at me. That’s okay. Be mad at me forever. I’m the bad guy here, in so many ways. But if you don’t mind, I’ll just sit here quietly and listen to your breathing.”

Ronan glanced at his brother. True to his word, Kane was quiet. His eyes were closed, his head pressed back against the sycamore’s trunk. He might actually be listening to Ronan breathe.

Ronan snorted.

Kane’s eyes snapped open. “What?”

“It’s just so ridiculous, isn’t it? Aren’t I supposed to be the one who goes after you when you get a bur in your tail?”

“Yep. You’re the best at it.”

Ronan picked up a decaying sycamore leaf, rolling it in his fingers until it crumbled to dust. “I usually give you more than two seconds alone before I barge in, though.”

“That’s why you’re the expert.”

Once again, Kane hadn’t gotten the hint. “You can’t leave me alone?” Ronan asked. “Not even for ten minutes?”

“Nope.” Kane shook his head emphatically. “Not when you were just dead. I’m not going to let you out of my sight.”

Ronan narrowed his eyes. “What will make you go away?”

“I’ll leave you alone if you go back to the den and get a hot meal in you. Take a nap, and after that I’ll leave you alone for as long as you want.”

Ronan stood, ready to bolt into the denser forest. “Why are you being so annoying?”

“I lost you, Ronan. I can’t lose you ever again. You and Lia are all I have left.”

Ronan didn’t know what he’d expected. A growl maybe, or a retort. The usual Kane reply. But he was touched. “So you missed me, huh?”

“You could put it that way.”

Kane’s voice rasped, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Ronan looked away. Kane hated appearing weak, so Ronan would pretend he hadn’t seen anything.

And where would Ronan have been, if he hadn’t jumped in front of Shade to save him? He had died for Kane because in that moment, he couldn’t imagine life without him. If he hadn’t been able to get there in time, maybe he’d go just as far to get Kane back.

Kane was on his feet. He held out his arms. Ronan met him, though he knew Kane would bruise his already sore ribs. He didn’t care. It felt good, to be able to hug his brother.

They broke apart, Kane grinning like a coyote.

“When was the last time we hugged?” Ronan asked.

“I don’t know, but it’s been too long.” Kane turned, waving him to follow. “Come on. Let’s get back to the den. The pack will want to say hello.”

They made a stop by the bathing pools. Ronan wanted to wash all the blood off, as well as the lingering sense of death.

Kane dangled his feet in the water as Ronan scrubbed himself with mud. He made sure to cover every inch of himself, especially his throat. He scoured his skin until it stung.

Once he was satisfied, Ronan joined Kane on the sun-warmed rock. Birds sang. Water rushed onward, hurrying downstream. The air smelled of river moss. For a few seconds, he allowed himself to be happy they’d brought him back. He would have missed this, after all.

Leaning down, he stared at his reflection. Ronan looked about the same as he always did, and for some reason that seemed strange to him. He almost expected to have been marked in some way, with dark circles under his eyes, or white hair, or wrinkles. But the only sign of his journey to death and back again was a silver scar across his throat.

He ran his finger over it. It didn’t hurt at all. It felt like it had been healed for years.

Kane’s reflection was staring at his. “That’s a nice scar. You’ll get all the females now.”

“I only need one. And I already have her.” He frowned, gazing at the scar. What would Lia think when she looked at it? Would she see Ronan’s life? Or would it be a constant reminder of Della’s death?

Ronan sighed. “Why did our mothers find it necessary to scar us before they left?”

Kane touched his own marks on his back. “Maybe they did it so we’ll remember them.”

“I don’t think I could forget them, Kane.”

“Me neither.” Kane slung an arm around him.

He realized that he was happy, sitting here with Kane. It seemed wrong to feel happy, when Della had died for him not even an hour ago. But the water and the mud bath had helped him immensely. He felt cleansed.

“Are you ready to get back to the den?” Kane asked. “Ready to eat something at last?”

“I don’t need a mother with you around, now do I?” Secretly though, Ronan was pleased. It was nice knowing that Kane cared.

They walked back to the den on two legs, as Ronan was too tired to shift. He struggled to keep his eyes open. He felt like he could sleep for days, even though that was the last thing he wanted to do after having just been dead.

He couldn’t think about it now. His thoughts were a muddle. Maybe he’d think more clearly after a nap, though it irked and amused him to think that Kane had already suggested that.

“We need to talk to Lia,” Kane said as the den came into view. “Both of us. It was hard on her, too, and I think we both made a mess of things.”

Ronan made a noncommittal noise. He didn’t really want to have any talks at the moment, when he could barely walk in a straight line.

The pack was sitting outside, around a small fire. Someone must have caught a family of rabbits, for every other shifter had one roasting on a stick.

“Hey,” someone called, “Ronan’s back!”

A cheer went up, and Ronan’s heart swelled. He would have missed them so.

“How was the trip, Ronan?” Huck asked.

“Yeah,” Fox added, “did you kick the dark god in the face?”

The shifters around the fire all laughed, though Ronan couldn’t bring himself to join in.

Sequoia scooted across her log, away from Flint. “Come sit by the fire, Ronan. We can keep you warm.”

Kane put an arm around Ronan, preventing him from leaving even if he wanted to. Ronan wondered if he had noticed that Lia wasn’t sitting in the circle.

“Maybe later,” Kane said. “He’s tired. I don’t want him getting worn out. I’m just getting him some food, and then I’m sending him straight to bed.”

“You can sit with us while you eat,” Sequoia said. “It doesn’t have to be for long.”

Flint whispered something in her ear. Sequoia crossed her arms, looking away from him with a glare.

“We’ll see how he feels at dinner,” Kane said.

Sequoia shrugged one elegant shoulder, as if she didn’t care.

Ivy stood, taking her rabbit from the fire. “Here.” She handed the meat to Kane. “Go inside, where it’s quiet. I’ll check on Ronan in a few hours.” Reaching out, she clasped Ronan’s forearm. “Welcome home, Alpha. I’m glad you’re back. I don’t think I’d ever forgive you if you left us alone with your brother.”

She walked back to the fire, Kane giving her a mock snarl as she passed. Ronan almost smiled. They had a great pack, he and Kane.

As they walked to the den, Kane handed him the rabbit. Ronan wolfed it down, swallowing before he’d even tasted it.

“Let’s find you some more food,” Kane said. “There should be some smoked meat in the stores.”

Ronan’s stomach rumbled as they entered the den. It didn’t seem like there was room in his mind for anything but food.

That is, until he saw Lia on the dais, sitting next to the body of Della.

He stopped short, his fists clenching. Della had been like his mother, yes, but she was also one of his pack, someone he had sworn to protect. And almost as soon as the breath had left his body, Kane and Lia were fine with letting her lay down her life.

Kane looked back at him, his eyes wide. “Let’s get to the stores. You’re still hungry, right? Maybe we can talk to Lia later tonight.”

“I want to talk now.” Ronan strode toward the dais.

“No,” Kane said. “No, no, no. Later. You don’t want to say anything you might regre—”

Chapter Four

“Are you happy now?” Ronan asked.

Lia started, swiveling around. Her eyes were very red, but Ronan didn’t care. How did she think
he
felt?

“You brought me back. Congratulations. But did you ever stop to wonder what I’d think about the price?” He turned on Kane. He might be even more upset with Kane. Kane had known Della longer, after all. “I can’t believe how selfish you are. Della’s life isn’t worth more than mine!”

“I offered to give mine, in her place,” Kane said quietly. “She wouldn’t let me.”

“Maybe she should have,” Ronan snarled. “Then I wouldn’t have to put up with your stupidity. You just don’t
think
, do you, Kane?”

Lia let out a sob. She tried to get off the dais, but slipped and fell. Kane caught her just in time. He cursed as he set her on her feet.

“You need to take a moment to collect yourself.” He pointed a shaking finger at Ronan. “You don’t know what we’ve been through. And you might have just been dead, but by the seven hells, if you cause Lia to come to harm, I will end you.”

Lia tried to run for the hall, but Ronan blocked her way.

“Look at me.” Gripping her shoulders, he held her before him. “I won’t let you leave until you do.”

She obeyed. He barely saw her bloodshot eyes, her tear-streaked face. She had put him in this horrible place, with a debt to Della he wasn’t sure he could ever repay. He needed her to know how wretched that felt.

“How could you do this to me? What if I never wanted this?” He was almost blinded by white-hot rage. “You’ve turned me into some kind of monster.”

“That’s enough.” Kane stepped between them. He put an arm around Lia, as though flesh alone could shield her from Ronan’s wrath.

Lia sobbed, her chest hitching. Despite Kane’s grip, she slowly sank to the floor. From the way her breath caught in her lungs as she gulped in air, Ronan began to wonder if she might hurt herself.

Kane gave him a murderous glare.

“You can’t be mad at me,” Lia finally managed to gasp out. “I can’t bear it. It… it hurts too much to go on. Everything I’ve done has been for you, Kane, and the pack.”

The heat of his rage shrank back. It couldn’t withstand her onslaught.

“There’s more, you know,” Kane said. “Which I was going to tell you, before you went on your little tirade. Della was Lia’s mother.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Maybe I’m not so stupid after all. Maybe you should have listened to me for once.” Kane sat with Lia, pulling her close to him.

Ronan stumbled past them, his mind in a daze. It was all happening too fast. He was alive, but Lia’s mother was dead.

His feet took him up the stairs, and into his room. He was planning to sink into his furs and sleep until it didn’t hurt so much anymore when a piece of paper caught his eye. It was folded neatly and placed where he’d set his head.

Picking it up carefully, like it might ignite at any second, he opened it.

Ronan,

I have to write a letter to my daughter, so this will be short. This is what I wanted. I wanted you to live. Don’t take out your anger on Kane and Lia. Live, for me, and for them.

I love you.

Della

He sat heavily.
Lia’s mother.
He still remembered that clawing emptiness that settled into the pit of his stomach when their momma left. Yesterday, Lia didn’t even know she had a mother. Today, she had her mother’s blood on her hands. She had done it to save Ronan, and Ronan had raged at her for it. She had probably never felt worse in her life.

He heard small sobs, and shuffling on the stairs. Kane guided Lia past his room. Ronan stepped into the hall.

Kane grimaced. “Not now, Ronan.”

“Yes, now.” He reached out to Lia, who shrank away. It felt like a blow to the heart. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I wish I had known.”

“Me too,” Lia murmured.

Kane’s face was a rictus of agony.

“Della didn’t tell you?” Ronan asked.

“Not until the very end. Kane made her.” Lia squeezed his hand. “She didn’t want me to know.”

“She didn’t think you’d be able to kill her if you knew,” Kane said quietly.

“I don’t know if I would have.”

The silence stretched out between them. Ronan looked from one to the other. They were like two pieces of his heart. He couldn’t bear to see them shattered.

“I’m sorry,” Ronan said. “I’ll say it as many times as I have to for you to forgive me. I should have thanked you on bended knee. Bringing me back from the dead? I don’t think many people get a second chance like that.”

Lia wiped away a tear. He knew she was thinking about Della. She would have no second chance.

“I’m just scared,” Ronan admitted. “Scared I won’t live up to what Della did for me. Scared I won’t take advantage of the gift she gave me. I don’t want to let her down. I don’t want to let any of you down.” He had to stop before his voice failed him.

“All she wants is for us to be happy,” Lia said. “I hope we can manage that.”

“We will,” Kane said.

“How?”

He kissed her. To Ronan’s surprise, she leaned into the kiss. The tautness went out of her, the weight she’d been carrying. He watched the two of them, tears coming to his eyes. They looked so good together, so right. They’d have gone on fine without him. But there was nowhere else he wanted to be than here with them.

Lia pulled away, looking at Ronan, a question in her eyes. Kane grinned as Ronan strode forward, taking Lia into his arms. Her lips touched his like a bolt of lightning. He pressed against her, wanting to feel her every curve, her every muscle. She was so warm, so real. She had brought him back to life, but her kiss brought him back from the dead.