Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (8 page)

“As you wish.” Clove gave Lia the plate, along with an obsequious bow that Ronan knew grated. Still, he couldn’t allow her to intimidate Lia.

“Thank you, Clove. I will take my meat after Lia has eaten.”

“Of course, Alpha.” Clove ran a hand absentmindedly from her breastbone down to her flat stomach, resting her fingers on her taut skin. “And do let me know if your future mate requires a larger portion. I only live to serve.”

Ronan thought about kicking her into the roasting pit with the venison, but instead he steered Lia away. “You can eat near the bonfire. The nights can grow cold here.”

He found them seats on a log upwind from the flames.

Lia stared at her plate.

“Did you want me to get you your knife and fork?” he asked.

“It’s not that.”

“What is it, then?” A log broke on the fire, and the flames crackled.

“I’m not very hungry.”

“Lia, I can hear your stomach rumbling from here.”

She took a half-hearted bite of venison and chewed. Ronan heard her pause, then swallow.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” he asked.

Lia tore off a chunk, eating it with a contented sigh.

“Clove isn’t the nicest pack member, but she’s the best cook. And the deer in these mountains are the finest in the world.”

“How do you know that?” Lia asked through a mouthful of venison.

“No one but the best could catch them.”

She stared at him. “Did you catch this one?”

“I don’t want to brag, but yes, I did. He was a young buck, and he didn’t go down without a fight.”

“Could I see you hunt one day?”

He hesitated. Would she upend her stomach contents if she saw him cut a deer’s throat, cry out as its spasms died away?

“You don’t have to worry,” she said. “Magda made me catch frogs and bring their spleens to her. They aren’t the same as a deer, but I’ve done my share of hunting and gutting.”

“All right, then.” He smiled. “I’ll make sure you’re part of the next hunting party.”

Lia wiped away some juice that was dribbling down her chin, but he could tell she was pleased. He was glad he could make her happy.

Ronan heard the padding of heavy footsteps. Kane sat down across from them, ignoring the billowing smoke. In fact, it seemed that he was ignoring everything but his prime cut of meat. He didn’t acknowledge Ronan or Lia.

Ronan glared, but Kane didn’t look up. Lia ripped off a piece of meat and chewed furiously. Ronan’s lip curled, but he wouldn’t give Kane the satisfaction of a confrontation. He could ignore his brother right back.

“How’s your cut doing?” he asked Lia. Ronan reached for her forehead at the same time she did. Their hands brushed, and they both laughed.

“Sorry about that,” Ronan said. “I shouldn’t touch it. I might infect you.”

“Then you’d have to amputate my forehead,” Lia said. “And I know you wouldn’t want that.”

He was about to agree when he heard a low growl from the other side of the flames. Kane was looking now, his teeth bared.

Ronan couldn’t allow this. He stalked around the flames. “I need to talk to you, Kane. Now.”

“So talk.”

His brother was begging to have his plate thrown into the fire. “Not here.”

“Where, then?” Kane’s tone was nonchalant, like they were discussing the fine spring evening.

Clamping a hand on Kane’s shoulder, Ronan dragged him toward the forest. Kane jerked in surprise. Ronan tried not to smirk. His brother hadn’t thought Ronan could still drag him. He’d pull him by the ear if he had to.

When they’d gone a sufficient distance away, Ronan released his grip. “What was that?”

“You tell me first,” Kane growled.

“What do you mean?”

“Touching her hand like that. You’ve already planted your seed in her, haven’t you? And you told me we needed to wait until the full moon.”

“You’re being crazy.” Ronan couldn’t believe the way this was going. “We touched accidentally. It didn’t mean anything.”

Kane struck a tree, digging his nails into the bark. “I thought you said we wouldn’t let the female come between us.”

“Nothing’s coming between us but your pigheadedness. And you can keep being mean to Lia, but you can’t also expect her to like you.”

For a moment, Ronan thought Kane was going to punch him. Instead, he turned and stormed into the woods. Ronan walked back to Lia. If his brother thought Ronan was going to chase him down for the hundredth time, he was sorely mistaken.

Lia was waiting by the fire. “Was that my fault?” she asked in a small voice.

“No. Don’t go blaming yourself for Kane’s actions. Kane certainly doesn’t.” Ronan took Kane’s plate and finished his venison. He hoped his brother’s stomach twisted with hunger.

She was shivering. Ronan gave her his shirt and pushed their log closer to the fire. Lia settled in next to him, and seemed to uncoil. There was steel in her, but it must have been softened by the flames. Her breathing slowed, and her head became gradually heavier on his chest. Ronan watched the flames dance. She made him warmer than they ever could. He could spend the whole night out here with her, until the fire died to embers.

A twig snapped in the forest. He could feel Kane’s eyes on him. Ronan stiffened.

“Oh.” Lia sat up. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She rubbed her eyes. “I think I should go lie down.”

“Would you like me to show you to my room?” he asked.

“I think I’ll go back to the storage room, if that’s okay. I liked it there.”

“Can you find your way?”

“I’ll manage.” She stumbled to her feet. He steadied her, but could tell she didn’t want further help.

Lia backed away. “Good night, Ronan.”

“Good night.” He watched her go, rage growing with every step until she was out of sight.

When she entered the den, he shifted. He didn’t give Kane a chance to fight. Ronan sprinted toward his brother, pouncing on him.

Ronan didn’t remember shifting back, but somehow he had his hands around his brother’s neck.

Kane gazed at him, maddeningly unflappable as always. “I’m the stronger of us, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“You’re stronger? Really? How certain are you of that? Could it be that in all our contests I let you win, because you’re an insufferable loser? Could it be that I think keeping our pack together is more important than winning every contest of strength? You may want to think on that, brother, before you challenge me.”

Ronan squeezed Kane’s throat, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough that Kane would remember.

Kane shifted, and Ronan lost his grip. Snarling, Kane retreated to the woods. Ronan doubted he’d see his brother before sunrise. Knowing Kane, he had some serious pouting to do.

Sinking down, Ronan sighed. He wished he and Kane could go back to the fun, easy times they’d had as pups, when all they worried about was whether the other was wrestling fairly, and who could jump across the widest streams. But that life was long past. Choices had been made that could never be undone, and he had to live with things as they were.

Still, he wished even more that Kane would stop acting like an ass every once in a while.

Chapter Five

“Kane.”

Someone was shaking him. Was it a rival wolf? They had made a mistake, creeping up on him in the darkness.

He lunged, his teeth about to connect with flesh when he saw Ronan.

Kane glared. “What do you want?”

“It would be nice not to get bitten just for waking you up.”

“I didn’t actually bite you, which I’m starting to regret.” Kane rubbed his eyes. “Don’t come into my room before dawn if you want me to play nice. Why are you here, anyway?”

Ronan sat on Kane’s pile of furs without asking for permission. His brother was obviously thinking quite highly of himself after last night, when he’d gotten the better of Kane. He resisted the urge to massage his throat, which was still slightly sore. He wouldn’t show weakness in front of Ronan. He’d have to wait for the right opportunity. Then he’d show Ronan which of them was stronger.

“We need to end this,” Ronan said.

Kane tensed, preparing to attack. Did Ronan mean to ambush him?

“Lia can’t despise you if this is going to work, and you can’t keep provoking her. You two need to get along.”

Kane relaxed. It wasn’t time to fight. Yet. “And how do you propose we do that?”

“All three of us are going to check the river crossings. The winter snows might have dislodged one of the bridges.”

“Send Duke and Orion to check the crossings. That’s not work for an Alpha, let alone both of us.”

“The work isn’t the point.” Rising, Ronan stripped Kane’s furs away, letting in the pre-dawn chill. “The point is to get to know Lia.”

Kane didn’t move. He wouldn’t give Ronan the satisfaction of grabbing for the covers. “I already know her. She’s dangerous, but because she’s small and pretty, no one seems to remember that. You’d remember if she threw sparks at you.”

Ronan crossed his arms. “Maybe you shouldn’t give her reasons to throw sparks at you.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t take a witch as our mate.”

A look he had never seen before passed over Ronan’s face, and for a moment Kane felt fear. Then Ronan seemed to compose himself. “Just give her a chance.”

“Fine. One chance. I’ll check the crossings with her. If she tries any magic on me, I’ll escort her out of our territory.”

“You’ll do nothing without my agreement.”

“If you say so.” Kane got out of bed, brushing past his brother as he made his way out of the den. Ronan was tiring him lately. He seemed to have fallen for the female, which was always ill advised, fated or not. If Ronan couldn’t keep a clear head, Kane would have to take charge. He wouldn’t let anything weaken the pack, not a defiant witch-girl and not even his brother.

Crouching outside the den, he waited for Ronan. He would check the crossings with them. Someone had to make sure the witch didn’t tamper with them, after all. Then he would come back and sleep.

He heard footsteps. Ronan would be coming to apologize. As he should.

But it was the female who emerged from the den. She shook her tousled hair, wafting that maddening smell over him. He tried not to breathe in. She must know what a temptress she was being. The witches must have taught her how to seduce weaker men. He must show her that he would not give in.

She yawned, almost running into him. “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to—”

What had she put on her skin to make the scent so damn enticing? There was no way she could smell like heaven on earth through mortal means. He must stay strong. He couldn’t succumb to her enchantments like Ronan had.

“Oh.” She turned from him. “I’ll wait inside.”

Her bodily rejection infuriated him. If she were a shifter, he’d have pounced on her and made her submit to him. But she was a witch. He’d have to tread carefully.

“Why are you scared of me?” Kane asked.

“I’m not.”

“Then there’s no need to run, is there?”

“I wasn’t going to run.” Crossing her arms, she leaned against the den entrance. “I was going to wait for Ronan, like he told me to.”

There was something in the way she said Ronan’s name, softly, like it was precious, that made Kane want to gut him.

“And did Ronan forbid you from waiting with me?”

“No,” she admitted.

“Then stay here. Unless you want to see what happens when you disobey an Alpha right outside his den.”

She said nothing, but her face was set in a mutinous glare. Why was she so stubborn? Was Ronan turning her against him? If she were any other female, he could easily bend her to his will. But he couldn’t overpower this female, not when Ronan was so smitten. Still, there was more than one way to command obedience.

His brother bounded out of the den. “Everyone ready?”

Kane gave a curt nod.

“I thought we could walk,” Ronan said. “Two legs. Do you want to put on clothes, Kane?”

He wasn’t going to dignify that with a response.

“All right,” Ronan said. “We have four bridges to check, Lia. We’ll show you the closest one first.”

Ronan’s tone was never that cheerful unless he was masking supreme annoyance. Kane tried not to grin. He was pleased whenever he could add a little disorder to Ronan’s perfect life. If Ronan wanted to dress up like a jester for the female, that was fine. Kane didn’t have to dance along to his tune.

They moved into the meadow, Lia sticking close to Ronan. Kane clenched his teeth. Was Ronan trying to betray him? Kane would never have believed it possible, but he hadn’t been sure of anything since the female arrived. What if Ronan had decided he wanted to be the sole Alpha, but didn’t want to challenge Kane outright?

If he won over their fated mate and the female refused to accept Kane, Ronan could take over the pack without shedding a drop of blood. Ronan was the strategist, not Kane. Usually by the time Kane understood his brother’s battle plans, Ronan was already three steps ahead and about to win the war.

This was one war Kane wasn’t willing to lose.

He looked at Ronan. His brother’s eyes were on the female, his steps languid and carefree. He wouldn’t expect an attack, not now. But maybe that was Kane’s only choice. He never thought he would want to drive Ronan out, but he also never thought that Ronan would choose a female over him. A lot had changed in the past few hours. But sometimes change was necessary, for the good of the pack.

Kane prepared to shift.

“Ronan!” The shout came from the direction of the den.

Kane froze. Did someone suspect something?

Flint came running up to them. “I need to talk to you,” he told Ronan. “We just got back from our patrol in the southeast. We found strange tracks in our territory. Definitely wolves, but they used mint to cover their scent. What do you want us to do?”

“Are Duke and Orion back at the den?” Ronan asked.

Flint nodded. “And waiting for your orders.”

“I want you to fill me in, but I only have a moment.” Ronan cast a nervous look at Lia. “It wasn’t more than one set of tracks, was it?”

“Just one,” Flint said, “but deeper into our territory than anyone’s ever been without permission.”