Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (47 page)

She loosed her hold. The bough floated in the air, awaiting her next command.

Lizabeth let out a whoop. “Brilliant!” Lia couldn’t help but return her grin.

“Keep it with you always,” Magda said, “with our good wishes. When you return, Lizabeth will be happy to give you lessons. She’s a natural flyer.” Magda looked at Lizabeth, warmth in her usually steely eyes.

How strange. Magda favored Lizabeth now? If Lia did rejoin the coven, with her newfound powers, would Magda favor her too?

Ronan set a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. “Are you feeling all right?” he murmured.

Magda scowled. “Don’t interfere, wolf. She must decide for herself.”

“Hasn’t she?” Kane strode up to stand by Lia’s other side. “It’s a difficult choice, I must admit. Should she go with the people who cast her out, or stay with the ones who took her in?”

Lia looked from one Alpha to the other. She was where she belonged, between the two of them. When had Magda ever stood by her side or protected her? The crone had called her a disgrace and a disappointment for as long as Lia could remember. She seemed to love it when Lia failed. The night Magda had cast her out seemed to have been the best night of her life—so why did she want Lia back?

Though it hurt with every fiber of her being, Lia held out the bough. “I thank you, truly, but I can’t accept this.”

Magda smiled. “Keep it.” There was no malice in her voice, just sweetness and light. This was Magda at her most dangerous. “I understand that our offer is a lot to take in. We don’t demand an answer now. All we ask is that you think about it. We’ll return at this time tomorrow, and see how you feel then.”

Magda and Hecuba swung onto their boughs.

Lizabeth rushed forward for one last hug. “Please think about it,” she whispered. “For me. I can’t wait to fly with you.” She jumped onto her bough and kicked off the ground. The three witches launched to a dizzying height, their cloaks billowing behind them until they were lost from view.

Kane growled. “They have a lot of nerve coming here. Especially that Lizabeth, trying to tempt you. She’s the worst of the three.”

“You don’t understand.” Lia clutched her bough. “She was my friend.” How could Kane think that Lizabeth was worse than Magda? Was he as blind as old Hecuba?

“Was she really your friend, if it was so easy for her to turn on you?” Kane glared in the direction the witches had gone. “She’s dangerous, Lia.”

“Are you kidding? Magda is dangerous. Lizabeth…” Lia faltered. “Lizabeth would never hurt me.”

“At least you know what Magda is,” Kane said, “and you always have. She’s not one to hide her true nature. But Lizabeth comes with gifts and sweet words, asking you to give up the happiness you’ve found. Asking you to trust her after her betrayal.”

“Lizabeth couldn’t help me then,” Lia said. “It’s different now. You don’t understand.”

“But I do, because I’m not blinded by a dead friendship.” Kane eyed the bough, mouth tight. “Once someone has stabbed you in the back, don’t open your arms so they can more easily stab you in the gut.”

Lia sighed, turning to Ronan. “You don’t believe that, do you?”

He frowned. “Why do the witches want you back now? If they wanted to give you another chance, if they were so sorry, why did they ever make you leave? They want you, only now, for reasons I can’t begin to guess.”

“Maybe they’ve changed,” Lia said.

Kane let out a barking laugh. “Good one.”

“You don’t know them!”

He crossed his arms. “Seems I know them better than you do.”

“Enough,” Ronan said. “Lia, say we agree with you, and Lizabeth wants you back to be your friend again. That wouldn’t be enough for Magda, would it? So why would she want you back?”

A knot formed in her stomach. This was Magda, who had never shown her a single kindness, no matter how hard Lia wished she would. Magda, who had nothing but harsh words and scorn for the foundling who had been left in her care. Magda, who told Lia that not even her mother had wanted her, and so why should she?

Lia hung her head. “She just wants my magic. Or something worse that I’m not smart enough to think of. You’re right.”

“You don’t need them, Lia.” Kane pushed on the bough, trying to force it toward the earth, but it refused to budge. “You’re better than all of them put together.”

“I know what it feels like,” Ronan said quietly, “to want something that’s been lost. But some things are better if they stay lost.”

Lia put her palm on the birch bough. It vibrated, as if eager to have her hop on and ride. Grasping it, she handed it to Ronan. “Could you put this in the storage room for me?”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. A few minutes ago, she had wanted nothing more than to test it out. Now, she didn’t even want to touch it.

Let it gather dust with Angela’s locket. She was done with the witches.

Chapter Three

She woke suddenly. The night was cool, but she had gotten hot between Kane and Ronan. Lia slid out of the furs, careful not to wake them. They had worked hard all day to distract her from her troubled thoughts. They had worked even harder as night fell, until both of them had collapsed on the furs, exhausted. Normally, the slightest movement would wake them, but tonight Kane only snored lightly as Lia tiptoed from the room.

None of the pack was awake, save for Sequoia, who was confined to the heights. The fattening moon compelled them to rest, to save their energy for the coming Delirium. Lia crept through the hall, determined not to wake anyone. She didn’t feel tired at all, but she wasn’t in the mood for talking, either.

She padded into the entryway, freezing when she saw wolves on the dais. Lia let out a long breath. It was just Lark, asleep. Fox and Dash lay on either side, using her as a long pillow. It was safe enough to slip into the night air. There was no one to stop her.

Shifting, she ran across the meadow, heading toward the bathing pools. Her black fur blended into the night. Even if Sequoia happened to look Lia’s way, she still might not see her. Lia knew it was a bad idea—Shade and the witches didn’t seem to care that they were never actually
invited
onto Twin River territory—but she didn’t think it was fair that she should have to wait for a morning bath just because their enemies had no manners.

Pale moonlight pooled on the forest floor. Lia moved through the trees like a ghost. She even escaped the notice of a great horned owl, which preened without turning its head toward her. It pleased her, being so silent, so unseen. She didn’t want to disturb the creatures of the forest. She simply wanted to be one of them tonight.

Lia was almost to the pools. A breeze hit her as she came to a curve in the path. She stopped abruptly. She had felt the same breeze earlier that day, when the witches had landed.

A screeching laugh cut through the trees. It made Lia’s blood run cold. The last time she heard that laugh had been the night she was cast out.

“Quiet, Bellerose,” she heard Magda say. “There could be anyone in these woods. Or anything.”

Lia crouched low to the ground, flattening her ears. What should she do? If she went back for help, the witches might hear her. But she couldn’t just lie here, like a boar waiting to be slaughtered.

A sharp crack rang through the trees. A shockwave passed overhead, ruffling her fur. Lia nearly jumped out of her skin as a bird fell from a branch above. She sniffed it carefully. It didn’t move. Its heart had stopped beating.

She gulped. Had she been standing, she’d have met the same fate.

“Now there’s no one to bother us,” Magda crowed, “not even the field mice. It’s time. Gather ’round, my sisters. This one, it’s the roundest. Quiet now, this is important. Our coven’s fate hangs in the balance.”

It seemed Magda was done sending out deadly shockwaves. Lia inched forward, not daring to stand. She had to know what they were doing.

“I wish it could have been anywhere else, but this is the best option for miles. Don’t mind the smell of dog, I know it reeks of it. We’ll burn our robes once we return home.”

Lia crept through the undergrowth, willing it not to rustle. She stopped as soon as she felt moss beneath her paws. This was close enough. Raising her head, she peered through the brambles.

The witches stood around the largest of the bathing pools. It hit her harder than she expected to see them all again. For a moment, she didn’t even dare to breathe. Magda pushed her witches into place, snapping orders. Hecuba stood off to one side, gazing into the trees. Lia was glad the old woman was looking away from her. The dark wouldn’t help Lia much in escaping her notice.

There were Lucasta, Perpetua, and Bellerose, arms linked. Lizabeth stood between Nadine and Mayella, and she whispered something to them. The three girls giggled. For a moment, Lia heard nothing but the pounding in her ears. Had Lizabeth really missed her at all? She seemed perfectly happy without her.

There were more of them. Isadora, Coralene, Ruth. Eleonora, Margot, Edwige. Lia shrank back. They didn’t intend to hurt her pack, did they? She didn’t know how many witches the Twin River pack could take on. She didn’t want to lose anyone. And, although the witches had never really accepted her, they had been all she’d known for most of her life.

She stared at Magda. What did the crone want?

Content with the placement of the witches, Magda took her place in the circle. She stood next to Lizabeth, where part of the river cascaded into the pool. Hecuba stepped into the circle opposite her. Holding hands, the witches ringed the pool.

“It is harder to scry running water,” Hecuba said. “Much harder. It will take all our effort. But the vision will be clearer here. We must know the full prophecy.”

They all closed their eyes, except for Hecuba, who gazed into the pool. Slowly, the witches lifted their linked hands into the air. The ground began to hum.

“I can See,” Hecuba said. “But it’s still murky.”

Magda gritted her teeth, a vein throbbing in her forehead. Beside her, Lizabeth winced. Lia could see why. It looked like Magda was crushing her hand.

The pool glowed, filling the clearing with light. The witches opened their eyes. Lia winced, certain they’d see her, but they only had eyes for the pool.

A woman rose out of the water. Lia started. It was Della. She stood in the circle, looking sad but determined. She didn’t seem to see the witches. Lia longed to run to her, though she knew she wasn’t flesh and blood.

The image of Della straightened, hiding her sadness. She spoke, as if to people just out of sight. No words came from her mouth, only black smoke. The smoke writhed, then turned white, slowly forming Lia’s face.

“The catalyst,” Hecuba said. “The false prophecy that may yet come to pass. I Saw her before—years ago—but I never thought she’d have anything to do with us—or Lia.”

Della drifted apart, like ash on the wind, but the smoky Lia remained. It solidified, until a second Lia stood at the center of the pool. Lia shivered, wishing she could save her other self from the jagged glares of the circled witches.

“I can feel your resolve weakening,” Magda said. “Do not fail me, sisters. Do not waver now.” Her knuckles were white. Her nails dug into Lizabeth’s flesh.

Lia wished they would all stop. She didn’t want to See any more. Besides, Lizabeth looked ashen. Sweat rolled down her face, and she swayed like she was going to pass out. Nadine glanced over, worry plain on her face.

On Magda’s other side, Mayella didn’t look much better. Lia frowned. Magda wouldn’t draw magic from two new witches, would she? If she took too much, she could kill one or both of them. And that would break the circle of power, potentially killing them all. It would be catastrophic.

Lia didn’t want them to See anything about her, but she also didn’t want anyone to die. She hoped Magda would be satisfied with the scrying, and soon.

The hum deepened, like the stones beneath them were straining. Lizabeth’s eyes rolled back in her head.

“Here,” Hecuba called. “Look.”

Lia was compelled to. The version of herself in the pool shrank. It was surrounded by smaller versions of every witch around the circle. The image of Lia looked around, desperate, but the witches left no opening. They advanced. Lia whirled.

The witches all fell.

A gasp rippled around the circle.

“So there it is,” Hecuba whispered. “No Name will destroy us.”

“Not if we prevent it,” Magda said. Wrenching her hand from Lizabeth’s, she broke the circle. The images splashed into the water, and were washed from view. “Lia must join us, or die.”

All around the circle, the witches murmured. Nadine crouched next to Lizabeth, who had fallen to her knees.

Hecuba turned her sightless eyes to Magda. “I hadn’t completed the scry.” Her voice shook with fury. “There was more to See.”

“There is no more! Lia must make her choice.”

“But you did not See the heart of it. The moment it all comes down to. It was just forming in my mind.”

“Fine,” Magda snapped. “We will create the circle again—”

“I’ll do it myself,” Hecuba growled. “Without interference.”

Lia was relieved. They were going to kill her, but at least Lizabeth wouldn’t be put through that torture again.

Hecuba thrust her hands at the water, her every muscle shaking. As if it feared her fury, the water swirled to form a whirlpool. Spray flew, and she could barely make out an image in the mist. There was a field of boulders. A curtain of vines. Lia gasped. The Vantage. A full moon hung in the sky. Somehow, deep within her, she knew she was Seeing what would happen tomorrow.

She Saw herself again, stepping through the vines. The spray that was Lia smiled, reaching out. Then she was gone, in a shower of mist.

Hecuba stood by the pool, panting. “That’s the moment it all comes down to, the one we must prevent. The moon was almost at its zenith. It will happen at midnight.”

“Midnight,” Magda muttered. “We’ll make her choose much earlier. If she makes the wrong choice, we’ll have enough time to correct it.” She turned to Lizabeth. “On your feet. I don’t have time for your antics.”