Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (7 page)

Putting his head on his paws, he drank her in. She had shed her clothes and was basking in the sun. With her pale skin, she looked like a goddess of the light. She had endless curves, and he longed to run his hands along every one. He wanted to draw her close, explore her every beautiful inch, find out how to make her moan for him. He wanted to trace the curves of her breasts, run his fingers around the tips of them until her nipples pebbled with desire. He wanted to feel the heat of her skin against his, know the scent of her need for him.

Tearing his eyes away, he rolled over. He was getting hard. If he continued this train of thought, he’d have to dunk himself in the mountain stream. This wasn’t the time. He’d have to be patient.

Voices rose from below. The women were putting their clothes back on. Ronan scrambled into the woods. If he looped around the falls, he could meet them in the meadow. His paws pounded against the earth. Reaching behind a rock, he snatched up a set of clothes. He did want to be presentable.

Shifting at the edge of the meadow, he changed as fast as he could. He almost fell trying to walk while pulling them on. Who had invented these cursed things, anyway? Running a hand through his hair, he stepped from the woods.

There she was again, this time laughing with the three shifters. Ronan felt a sudden pang of worry. What if she didn’t want to leave her new friends?

“Ronan?”

The sound of his name on her tongue made his heart soar. “Lia.” He couldn’t help but smile like a fool. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did. Then Lark, Cricket, and Dove showed me the bathing pools. They thought it quite important that I experience them as well.”

Lark winked at him. “We got her cleaned up, no problem. And kept her safe from any danger, as ordered. I’m proud to report that there were no stubbed toes, no splinters, no snake bites, and no sunburns.”

Ronan inclined his head. “Thank you, all three of you. I’m glad I can trust Lia to your protection.”

“I wasn’t finished with my report,” Lark complained. “There were no broken bones, no drownings, no pack wars, no lightning strikes, no rock slides, and no food fights.”

He gave her a warning look. Dove poked her in the ribs.

“All right, all right,” Lark said. “I know a dismissal when I see one.” She exchanged a glance with Dove and Cricket. “Lia, we’ll have to leave you now, but let us know if you need anything.”

Lia laughed. “All right. See you guys later.”

They turned back to the den at a run.

“Why’d you make them leave?” It sounded like she was teasing him. Lia ran a hand through her damp hair. She glowed even now, and seemed to illuminate the entire meadow.

“What?” Ronan shook his head. “Oh. I wanted to take you on a tour of our territory.”

“And no one else is allowed to come?” she asked.

He gazed at her hungrily. “Definitely not.”

“All right, then. Lead the way.”

He found leading difficult. He’d rather follow her, so he could watch the sway of her hips, the way her shirt clung to her back. He could watch her forever. Just being in her presence was enough, though he still had errant thoughts of pulling off her clothes so he could see her bare again. He couldn’t wait until she came around to a life without clothes. Then he’d be able to feast his eyes on her whenever he wanted.

“Where exactly are we going?” Lia asked.

Ronan pointed to a high peak. “To the Vantage.”

“Oh.” Her voice fell. “That climb looks… difficult.”

“You could ride me if you want.”

She blushed. “Aren’t I heavy, though?”

Swiftly, he turned, scooping her off her feet and holding her against his chest.

“Ronan!” She broke into surprised laughter.

The thought flashed into his mind of taking her back to the storage room and laying her out on the mattress. Peeling back her shirt and planting kisses all up and down her sides. The clean scent of her didn’t help—for some reason, it only made him want to dirty her up and make her sweat. Her lips were close to his, far too close. He didn’t want to scare her away. This was too soon, wasn’t it?

He set her down. “You’re no heavier than an armful of rushes. But if we’re going to the Vantage, I’ll want all four paws to climb. You might need to ride my wolf. Does that scare you?”

She looked up at him. “Not with you.”

Ronan cast off his clothes and shifted while gazing into her eyes. It was surprisingly intimate. While it would normally be a breach of etiquette to stare at someone who was shifting, he was glad to let her look.

Her lips parted slightly in awe. “Can I—” She raised a hand, then lowered it. “Can I touch you?”

Ronan lowered his head. She put her hand on his cheek, running her fingers through his fur.

“It’s so soft,” Lia murmured.

Her hand moved toward his throat, and the downy fur that covered it. Ronan wondered if she realized how vulnerable he was there, just a bit of fur and skin separating the air from the hot blood that pulsed in his veins. He couldn’t imagine letting anyone else touch him there, but her fingers were light and wonderful. She wouldn’t hurt him.

He crouched low so she could mount. This time, she swung her leg over his back without hesitation. That was his girl. He was so proud of her.

Ronan thought back to their ride through the night, how she had held tight to him, pressing her thighs into him. He wanted to feel that again.

Leaping up, he bounded away with her. He heard her breath catch—was she scared? No, her breathing was quickening, her hands clutching tighter. She was excited, and… Ronan sniffed. Aroused? He was going to have to try to ignore that. But it did spur him to run faster, vault higher. Boulders and fallen logs seemed like nothing to him with Lia on his back. The mountain seemed more like a hillock to him today. She was his reason to strive.

He made it to the peak in record time. Before Lia could climb down, he shifted. Catching her, he held her on his back.

She laughed. “You aren’t even sweating. How is that possible?”

“I told you you weren’t heavy.” He let her down, though he was sorry to lose the warmth of her skin against his. “You see that curtain of vines?” he asked.

Lia nodded.

“Follow me through, and I’ll show you the world’s prettiest—okay, the second-prettiest view. I’m sorry, Lia, but you’ll need a mirror to see the first.” He shouldn’t have enjoyed the way her face reddened so much, but he couldn’t help it. Had the witches been blind? How could she not know that she was gorgeous?

“You think I’m pretty?” she asked quietly. It wasn’t the way Blossom would ask, who reveled in her beauty and wanted to make sure everyone noticed. Lia sounded like she thought he was terribly mistaken.

Ronan took a moment to take in her glowing skin, the way her dark hair tumbled over her shoulders. How her hips seemed to call out for him to put his hands on them.

“I’m not sure ‘pretty’ is strong enough. You’re radiant, really.”

He hadn’t thought it possible, but her blush actually deepened.

“Come on.” Ronan took her hand. It was so small in his, so warm and soft. “Let me show you the valley.”

Pulling back the curtain of vines, he led her to the overlook.

She gasped. His chest swelled with pride as she took everything in. The den in the meadow, far below. Rolling forests of trees, some of which were developing their first buds of the season. Sunlight glinting off the rivers. The whole valley, spectacular and serene. He was its steward, and he made sure everything remained in balance. Everything within its bounds prospered because of his blood, his sweat, his long patrols and nights of little rest. Sometimes he had questioned if all that work was worth it, but her astonishment was his answer. Without knowing it, he had done everything for her.

“See the rivers?” he asked. “They used to be one, farther upstream. Our territory ranges from where the rivers split to where they meet again. That’s why we’re the Twin River pack.” Ronan took Lia’s shoulders, reorienting her. “If you look to the south, you can see the lower boundary. Don’t go past that point. You’ll run into the Shadow pack, and their Alpha, Shade. We have a treaty with them, but Shade has never really been our ally. He’d love to take a bite out of our territory, and who knows what else. For now though, the treaty keeps him at bay.

“To the north is the Ember pack. Our cousin Ash is the Alpha, though his brother Blaze might challenge him someday. We’re on good terms, but I still wouldn’t recommend going into their territory without an escort. Even the friendliest packs get antsy when proper protocol isn’t followed.”

Lia sat. Her eyes roved over the landscape, taking everything in. “I can’t believe this is all yours.”

“And Kane’s,” Ronan said. “And yours, once you’re mated to us.”

She let out a sigh. “Are you sure I have to be Kane’s mate too?”

“Kane’s the reason we have as much territory as we do. I know he has a temper, but he’s not all bad. Of course, I could be biased, seeing as he’s my twin and all.”

Lia stared at him. “You can’t be twins.”

“What do you mean?” Ronan bristled. Was she going to say that Kane was larger, more handsome?

“You’re too nice to be his twin.”

Laughing, he sat beside her. “That’s not the first time I’ve heard that.”

“What went wrong with him? Did someone shove a stick up his butt and forget to take it out?”

He stiffened. “It’s not Kane’s fault. Our past… it wasn’t the prettiest.”

“I’m sorry.” Lia ducked her head. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s just… that story’s better left for another day.”

“I understand,” Lia said. “You don’t have to tell me. My past wasn’t so pretty either.”

“We’ll concentrate on the future. I think it looks promising.”

She gave him a shy smile. It was so different from the ones he had been flashed by females who only wanted to bed an Alpha. It felt like Lia saw
him
, not his strength or his status. Kane had those too, maybe more so than him, but Lia liked Ronan.

She was sitting so close. The breeze shifted, hitting him with the scent of mountain laurel and river water. Her lips looked so full, so inviting. Ronan couldn’t help himself. Leaning in, he kissed her. Her eyes went wide, but soon she relaxed, melting into him. The taste of her overwhelmed him. He felt locked to her, like the tides to the moon, and he never wanted to be freed. She was his bliss, his heavenly body. She was going to be his mate.

Ronan broke off the kiss before his instincts could take over. He was breathing heavily, and so was she. He took her hand in his.

“Will you spend your future with me, Lia?”

Her hand shook. “What if I’m scared?”

“That’s why you have me. I’m here to protect you, from anything. I promise. Even from Kane.”

Lia let out a shaky laugh. “I think you’ll need to protect him from me.”

The silence stretched out between them. For a moment, Ronan was afraid she would ask him to take her back to the witches and leave her be.

“I don’t feel so lost when I’m with you,” she said at last. “I’ve never felt that way before. I don’t think I can promise you forever yet, but I can promise you tomorrow.”

“I’ll take tomorrow.” Ronan squeezed her hand. “Tomorrow and every other day I can get.”

She leaned against him. Ronan draped an arm around her. Together they watched the sky until it tinged with dusk.

“We should be getting back,” Ronan said. “Aren’t you getting cold? And hungry?”

“I guess. I just didn’t notice.”

“I should have. I’m supposed to be taking care of you.” Ronan cursed. He shouldn’t have left his clothes behind. He could have offered them to her.

“Are you sure we have to go back?” Lia tugged at her shirt’s hem, which was now much more frayed than it had been yesterday. “Can’t we just stay here?”

“The pack will have meat—cooked meat,” he said, noting the look on her face, “and a bonfire.”

“We don’t need those. I can find some roots, you can shift and your fur can keep us warm. Just for tonight? Please?”

His gaze flicked between her and the den. A night alone with her tempted him more than she knew. “The pack needs its Alphas, Lia. I need to watch over them.” Especially Kane.

“All right. Take me back, then.”

“Listen.” He put a hand on her back. “You’ve had a long day. Whenever you need to, you can go to my room. It’s private, so no one will bother you.”

“Not even Kane? I’d rather not see him tonight.”

Ronan’s heart twisted. While it was flattering that Lia liked him, it hurt that she didn’t like his brother. Of course, Kane wasn’t helping himself at all. And this grand plan of theirs would come to nothing if Kane didn’t win Lia over. Ronan would have to have a word with him, though knowing Kane, it would take several words, a few growls, and a threat.

“Not even Kane,” he said. “Just me and you.”

“Okay.”

Ronan wished she sounded even a little bit enthusiastic. “We’ll just have dinner,” he said, “and rest. There won’t be any more excitement today. Kane will behave himself, I promise. If he doesn’t, he’ll answer to me.”

He shifted, bending low so she could climb onto his back. Once she was ready, he trotted back down the mountain.

There was a flurry of activity around the den. Orion and Duke added a huge log to the bonfire, nodding as their Alpha passed. Clove and Ivy knelt over a patch of smoldering earth, removing a layer of leaves to see if the venison was thoroughly cooked. Ronan breathed in deep. It certainly smelled ready. His stomach growled. They had been gone longer than he realized.

Lia slid off his back. He shifted, wishing he didn’t have to lose the comforting weight of her.

Ronan put his clothes back on. Some of the shifters had lost theirs throughout the day, but he didn’t feel the desire to scold them. Hopefully their nakedness didn’t make Lia too uncomfortable.

“Meat, Alpha?” Clove held out a plate of fresh-cut venison. It steamed, juice pooling around the rare slab. The scent was heavenly.

“Just a moment.” Ronan pulled up his pants.

Clove wrinkled her nose. “Della insisted the venison be cooked.”

“Della is exceedingly wise.” He noticed the scornful look that the shifter cast over Lia, saw Lia flinch back. “Serve Lia first. After all, she’ll be your Alpha female soon enough.”