The Alpha's Concubine (Historical Shifter Romance) (30 page)

Netya had never thought of herself as a particularly capable young woman, but over the course of the last few months that had begun to change. A year ago she would not have had a clue how to mend a broken spear, but as soon as Khelt presented her with her father's weapon she had immediately set her mind to repairing it, and in trying, she had succeeded.

Even yesterday, she had come face to face with an animal that should have made easy prey of her even in her most optimistic fantasies. And yet, she had fought it. It did not even matter that she had almost lost her life in the process. Part of her almost wanted to face down the cat again, and this time mind the mistakes of her previous encounter.

If the Moon People had taught her anything, it was that, in trying, a woman could succeed in things that would have been denied to her back among her own kind. Vaya could become a great huntress. Adel could heal wounds and commune with the spirits better than any shaman. A woman could even claim her own choice of man as her lover if she wished.

Despite the dirt covering her body, the ache of her bruises, and the hopelessness of the task ahead of her, she reminded herself that she was no longer just a pretty prize the alpha had plucked to warm his bed. She focused on the thought of seeing Vaya's face when she strode back into camp with her spear, and it spurred her tired muscles to keep working.

Netya walked well into the afternoon, dragging her legs doggedly until her parched throat and rumbling stomach finally forced her to consider what she would do for food and water. She could not survive off morning dew, and the leaves of the plants here, while good for wounds, would turn her stomach if she tried eating them. It was unlikely she would find any ripe berries beneath the shade of the trees, and she did not fancy her chances at catching any live prey, especially without the means to make a fire for cooking.

Relying on what she had learned from foraging with Fern, she made her way a short distance back up the side of the valley to where the trees thinned out and the brambles grew more densely. It felt good to tilt her head back and feel the sun on her skin again, taking away the lingering morning chill from her damp clothes. She climbed up to a small shelf at the edge of the valley and found herself presented with a glorious view of the land surrounding her. In the light of day the lavish green slopes seemed like an endless natural carpet unfurling across the land, inviting her to stay a while longer and explore the tantalising crannies and groves she spied on the horizon. In the distance she could see glittering water spilling down the far side of the valley, trickling from the back of a giant overhanging crag that almost seemed like the body of a great animal leaning down to take a drink. Had her situation been less dire, Netya would have gladly spent all day wandering this place.

Many of the bushes she found were still recovering from the chill of winter, but after a short while she came across one that was in full bloom, studded with juicy red berries that would both slake some of her thirst and quiet her stomach. Netya resisted the urge to eat, forming a pouch with her clothing which she filled to the brim before sitting down to savour her meal. The fruit was still bitter, but moist and refreshing, and she felt a great deal better after taking the time to rest and fill her stomach.

Once she was done she stripped the bush of the rest of its berries, bundling them up in leaves before taking off her fur cloak and using it to wrap the package more securely. With the cloak safely tucked beneath her arm she set off once again for the end of the valley, her steps lightened by how close she was getting to the stretch that would lead her back to the plains.

Though Netya was sad to leave the beautiful valley behind, it was a welcome transition to see the trees thinning out and the undergrowth giving way to rugged patches of grass. The uphill trek across the final stretch almost sapped her of her remaining strength, but piece by piece the horizon and the distant mountains crept back into view, until, with her lungs aching and her limbs crying out for rest, she stepped back out on to the plains.

She sat down to catch her breath, another smile reaching her lips as she made out what she thought was the line of trees marking the pack's camp site from the night before. It was another half day's walk back around the edge of the valley, but from there she could either attempt to follow the hunting party, or retrace their steps back to the outcrop. She had not been paying close attention to the landmarks they passed on their way, but now that her survival depended on it every rock formation and cluster of trees in the distance seemed familiar.

A bank of heavy cloud was sweeping in from the east. She would need to find shelter once the rain arrived, but that also meant a fresh source of water, and perhaps even a night free from the worry of wild animals tracking her down in her sleep. Already she was thinking of every detail of the world in terms of what it might mean for her survival. It helped her focus, taking away fears that might have paralysed her with anxiety and turning them into problems she was forced to overcome.

It would have been easy for her to sit there a while longer, perhaps even curl up in the grass and fall asleep now that the challenge of the valley had been overcome, but Netya had an urgency spurring her that she had never felt before. Nobody would wake her from her nap, nobody would find her a shelter while she slept, and the sooner she pressed on, the sooner she could rest.

It was almost with disappointment that, as the sun was setting a few hours later, Netya caught sight of a wolf running in the distance. At first she did not know what the creature was, and she crouched down in the grass, clutching her spear, heart beginning to race as she held stock still. But soon she recognised the smooth, flowing stride of the beast and the light brown fur of the Moon People.

She jumped to her feet, calling out and waving her spear in the air. The wolf turned, ears pricking up, then tilted its head back in a low howl and bounded toward her. Netya ran to meet it, and was almost knocked off her feet as Caspian's animal half pounced and put his paws up on her shoulders, licking her face as he ruffed and growled excitedly. A laugh burst from her lips as she tried to push him away, stumbling under the weight of the huge beast that loomed over her.

A moment later Caspian reverted to his more familiar form, the playful excitement of his wolf fading as he stepped back. She instantly missed the outburst of emotion that had spurred him to give her his wolf's equivalent of a tender embrace, but the smile still lingered in Caspian's eyes as he put a hand on her arm and looked her up and down.

"We've been looking for you all day since Fern noticed you were gone. Nobody could find your scent anywhere. It was like the spirits had swept you away in the night."

"Perhaps they did. I took a fall down into the valley."

He frowned, examining the scratches on her arms and the broken spear in her hand. "Were you badly hurt?"

She shook her head, realising that she must look a mess. Her skin was still caked in dirt, her hair was tangled and full of bits of twigs and leaves, and her arms were bruised and stained with dried blood from her scratches. "I was very fortunate, but I am glad to see you. I hope I did not worry everyone too much."

"A lot of us have been out searching. Fern would have come too if not for her ankle. She refused to go home till we found you." He let out a sigh of relief, gazing into Netya's eyes as he tilted her chin toward him. "How did you fall?"

She paused, the truth sticking in her throat. She had been thinking about what she would do when she arrived back all day. At first she had been eager to expose Vaya as the bully she was, but the hours of walking had cooled her temper. What had the huntress done, really? Thrown her spear away? It was a mean-spirited thing to do, but hardly a grave crime. It was her own reckless impulse that had sent her tumbling down the valley slope.

"Netya?" Caspian said, and his brow furrowed, that curious gaze of his searching her soul for the source of her hesitation.

For a moment the same compulsion she had felt the last time he looked at her in such a way returned. She tried to edge forward an inch, but his hand slipped back down her neck and stopped her. Why did she feel these moments of intimacy with him? Why did they call out to her in a way that he seemed unwilling to acknowledge? She could see it there in his eyes. The same attraction. The same tug of two spirits meeting for the briefest of moments.

"It was Vaya," she said, unable to hide it from him. "She broke my spear and threw it down the slope. I couldn't just let it go."

He nodded slowly. "That perhaps wasn't a wise thing for either of you to do."

"But I got it back." She held up the head of her spear, a simmer of pride rising in her chest.

"You are very like Adel sometimes," Caspian said, touching a lock of her hair deliberately. "Maybe it is in the way the spirits favour women like you and her. You turn what seems like madness to your advantage somehow. Though I will say, throwing yourself into a valley to save a spear reminds me of Khelt just as much."

"You compare me too favourably to them," Netya replied, a little uncomfortable at being told that she was in any way similar to the den mother. "I did something very foolish, and was fortunate enough that fate chose not to punish me for it."

Caspian's expression turned serious, and he dropped his hand from her shoulder. "Fate will not punish Vaya for her part in it. But I could."

Netya's eyes fell. "If you think it right."

"But what do you think?"

She looked back up at him, and was surprised to see genuine curiosity in his expression. Khelt, or any senior pack member for that matter, had never consulted her on such decisions before. It was not her place to decide such things. She shrugged her shoulders. "I fear it would only make her resent me more. She had others with her. It would be my word against theirs."

"If they knew what happened to you and kept it from us there would be reason for severe punishment."

"I do not think Vaya is the sort of woman who learns from punishments."

Caspian smiled. Rather than being disappointed at her lack of willingness, he seemed proud. "A very wise observation. Then we will keep this between ourselves, if that is what you wish. Vaya will have her comeuppance another day."

"I do have one request, though," she said hesitantly. "Will you let me walk back into the camp by myself when we get there? I would prefer it if Vaya did not think you had to rescue me."

"Since you needed no rescuing, I would be glad to. But ride on my back for now. I am sure Fern would like to know you are safe before she falls asleep this evening."

Netya almost asked that they walk. She wanted to speak with Caspian more. Having hours alone with him, where he could not disappear or evade her presence, was something she had secretly longed for every time they talked like this. However, she could not leave her friend worrying. Putting Fern's fears to rest was more important than trying to indulge a selfish fantasy.

"Of course," she said, unrolling the bundle in her cloak. "Just give me a few moments. I will have trouble carrying these on your back, and it would be a shame to waste them." She smiled at Caspian as she unwrapped the berries. "You must be hungry after searching for me all day."

It was not the hours of company she had hoped for, but sitting down to share the fruit with her handsome companion was a moment of indulgence she could justify. And, after the way his wolf had greeted her, perhaps Caspian was no longer just a companion, but another friend.

—
24—

Another Calling

They joined back up with the hunting party shortly after nightfall. The group was still encamped in the same spot near the edge of the valley, but once the orange sparks of campfires began to glow in the distance Netya noticed there were far fewer of them than there had been before.

Caspian's wolf came to a halt while they were still hidden by the darkness and allowed Netya to dismount. She made the final approach on foot while he ran off to hunt, giving her time to make the entrance she wanted. It was already going to be difficult admitting she had gotten herself lost for a day by taking a foolish tumble, and she was determined to salvage as much of her pride as she could. Who knew, perhaps Vaya might even gain some measure of respect for her after all this. Netya wasn't sure whether she particularly wanted the huntress's respect after last night, but it was preferable to more punches and threats.

She walked back into the camp sore and weary, but with her spear clutched firmly in one hand and her chin held high. A call quickly went up once she stepped into the firelight, and soon everyone was descending on her at once. Hawk hurried over first, the relief on his face half hidden behind a scowl, but Fern quickly overtook him as she called out Netya's name and limped forward, throwing her arms around her friend's neck as she all but collapsed against her.

"I was so worried! And I had to sit here all day, waiting for the others to find you! Whatever happened?" Fern looked at her with concern as she ran her hands over Netya's scratched arms and dirty brow. "You look terrible."

Netya laughed, letting her smile linger deliberately when she noticed Vaya glowering in her direction from one of the fires. "I am fine. I took a fall down into the valley last night, and there was no way back up."

"I told them that was where your scent ended!" Fern said. "But they said it was too dangerous to go down. How did you manage a fall like that?"