Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (17 page)

With a swift movement, Ronan had her pinned beneath him.

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” he asked in a hoarse whisper. Pulling her tight, he nuzzled into her neck. “I don’t want to lose control too early. I want to give you everything you desire. Everything you deserve.”

“I want you,” she said.

Holding her head in his hands, he pressed his lips to hers. He smelled of meadow grass and night sky. She never wanted to let him go.

He thrust inside her, lips still locked with hers. She let out a long breath, and he thrust harder. She had never felt like this before, like she belonged with someone. But she and Ronan felt inevitable, like the tides or the seasons. He was her fated mate. She just
knew
it.

He slid his hands under her shoulder blades, gripping her tightly. He plunged into her, hard and fast like he was making up for lost time. His breath was hot on her neck, but Lia barely noticed. His cock slammed into her, making her giddy with pleasure. She pressed into him, pleading for more.

He gave it, gladly.

She clung to him, fingers spasming against the hard muscles of his back. His skin was hot, and beads of sweat had formed along his spine. He kissed her again, roughly. She tasted salt on his lips. He looked into her with those golden eyes of his, and she wondered if he could make her turn to flame. He held her with his gaze until all she could see was liquid gold. The fire was consuming her, but she loved burning for him.

He thrust harder, harder, until she could bear no more. She let out a wordless cry as an explosive force ripped through her. It was like the moon had shattered into a thousand stars, and they all blazed within her. Ronan held her head as she gave in to the shudders that rolled through her.

He was still plunging into her, and some distant part of her realized he was losing control. His thrusts grew wild, and he roared as he poured himself into her. Lia threw back her head. She wanted him. She wanted her wolf.

Ronan put his teeth on her neck. He thrust and bit at the same time, fangs sinking in just as he emptied himself in her. Lia gasped. The white-hot pain was followed by euphoric pleasure. It rippled through her, ice and fire claiming her from her skin down to her soul. Lia looked up at her Alpha, panting at the shivers that still rocked her like tiny earthquakes. She was his. She would follow him anywhere.

With a happy sigh, she burrowed into him. He held her tight, running a hand through her hair. Lia couldn’t help that her lips kept turning up into a wide smile. She had never felt this happy before. Looking up at the holes in the den’s ceiling, she saw the stars shining through.

After a long while, Ronan sat up. Carefully, he extricated his limbs from hers.

“Are you going somewhere?” she asked.

He gave her hand a quick squeeze. “As much as I wish I could, I can’t keep you all to myself.” Ronan kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back.” Rolling aside, he vaulted off the dais.

“Ronan?” Lia scanned the room, but he had disappeared. Everywhere she looked, shifters were locked together. Dove, Cricket, and Huck were a mass of arms and legs, and she couldn’t tell where one person ended and another began. Fox was kneeling before Lark, while Dash was slipping into her from behind. She wasn’t sure what Flint and Duke were doing to Sequoia, but it was making her moan rather loudly.

Flint looked up, and saw her staring. He winked before turning back to his task with renewed vigor. Lia felt her face heat, but somehow she felt like none of the shifters would mind her watching. No one was trying to hide in dark corners. All anyone seemed to care about was pleasing their partners, and being pleased in return. Sex wasn’t secretive, or shameful. It was a pack activity.

The mass of beautiful bodies all around her was almost overwhelming. No one was left out—even Della had Gaunt, who was stroking her hair and kissing her tenderly. Ivy and Clove were both on their knees, taking turns opening their mouths for Orion.

Lia found herself getting wet again. She wished Ronan hadn’t left so soon.

A white wolf leapt onto the dais, shifting as he landed. Kane stood before her, hand around his hard cock.

His golden eyes flared. “My turn.”

He caught her around the middle, flipping her and setting her on all fours. He didn’t give her time to prepare, just grabbed her hips and thrust in deep.

Lia moaned, clutching the furs until her knuckles turned white. He was so large, so hard, and she needed him so much. He pounded into her, more like a beast than a man. Her fingernails clawed the furs as she tried to hold on. Kane pulled her onto him as he pushed forward, taking her to her limits and demanding to go beyond. His passion was a wildfire that raged through her, with flames that could never be extinguished. It would burn for all time, like the very stars. He pressed her to him, his skin scorching her, and his touch felt like fate.

She lowered her head, giving in to his lust, offering him all she had. He growled with pleasure, nails like claws digging into her hips. His every thrust forced air from her lungs, but his cock inside her felt better than breathing. This is what it must be like to fly.

Lia raised her ass, pressing into him, and actually made him moan. The sound made her weak at the knees. Kane rammed into her, like he wanted to punish her for her impertinence. He thrust hard and fast, not letting up. It seemed like he wouldn’t be satisfied until he made her moan in kind. The thought made her cry out, though the furs muffled her.

That only seemed to spur him onward. He plunged into her like demons were driving him. Lia heard someone let out a long, wordless moan, and it took her a moment to realize that it was coming from her.

Kane’s breath was labored. His fingers convulsed at her hips. He thrust faster, letting out involuntary growls. Pulling back her hair, he exposed her neck.

“Kane,” Lia breathed, “take me.”

With a guttural growl, he pounded harder. She felt a rush of warmth as he spilled into her. He laid a searing kiss on her neck, and she was carried away on waves of bliss. The pleasure was acutely painful, and she wanted nothing more than to experience it again. For now, though, she was helpless to the spasms that coursed through her. She only remained upright thanks to Kane’s strong arms.

He thrust into her one last time. “I am your Alpha now.”

As she lay there, shuddering, still impaled by him, she had to agree.

Slowly, reluctantly, he withdrew. Lia collapsed on the furs, still shuddering now and then from the fading sensations of ecstasy. Settling into the furs, Kane laid her head on his lap. She looked up at him as he leaned back, the picture of a supremely confident Alpha. His eyes still glowed gold, but softly now. She had never seen him look so relaxed.

Ronan jumped onto the dais, and Kane tensed. Lia could have sworn she heard a low growl, but she wasn’t sure who it came from. Ronan watched his brother warily, crouching low like he was ready to fight if needed.

Lia beckoned him over. This seemed to confuse both of them, but Ronan obeyed. He sat off to one side, facing Kane. Lia lifted her legs, and Ronan slid his under hers. He laid a warm hand on her thigh. After a moment, both Alphas seemed to relax again. An unspoken agreement seemed to pass between them. They could share their mate, and keep from shedding blood.

Lia’s eyelids grew heavy, lulled by the presence of her Alphas and the faint noises of lovemaking all around them. No one had fought. No one had gotten hurt. Best of all, no one had died. Della hadn’t been wrong after all. Ronan and Kane would both be Alphas of one pack. Lia let herself sink into her mates. The hard part was over. There was nothing now to be scared about.

Her limbs began to feel heavy. She must be really tired. If nothing else, she would sleep well tonight.

But then why did her head feel heavy? And her lungs?

Sitting up, Lia gasped for breath. That was a mistake. The den spun around her. She stood, trying to get her footing.

“Lia?” Ronan sat forward. “Are you okay?”

She pressed a hand against her head. Why wouldn’t it stop pounding? “I’m okay. I just want to get down.”

Bending, she tried to climb off the dais. It was a long way down. Or was it? The ground seemed to rush toward her, then retreat. It looked like she’d just bounce if she fell. It probably wouldn’t hurt.

“Don’t move,” Kane said, scrambling off the other side. Why did he sound so worried? She was fine.

Her hand slipped, and she lost her grip on the stone. She landed in Kane’s arms.

“Good catch.” She giggled. Her palms were slick with sweat for some reason.

“Lay her down,” Ronan said. “Send someone to get her some water.”

“Why are her legs twitching like that?” Kane’s voice had an edge of panic to it that made Lia laugh. He just sounded so funny.

“She’s frothing at the mouth.” Ronan put his hands on his head. He looked like he was trying to hold his brains in. Lia sucked in a breath to laugh, but choked on foam.

Ronan sat her up, smacking her on the back. She wished he wouldn’t. Her head felt like it was going to float away, and it felt like he was going to break all her ribs.

“Just breathe,” he said.

She glared. Like that was easy.

“Ivy!” Ronan shouted.

“Stop acting like fools.” A pale woman with black hair knelt beside Lia. “You know what’s happening.”

“Will she be okay?” Kane asked in a small voice.

Ivy brushed Lia’s hair aside, inspecting her neck. “There’s a Bite here. And here, on the other side.”

It sounded like she was at the opposite end of a long, dark tunnel.

“You both claimed her. She probably didn’t even notice.” Ivy turned to Lia. “Most don’t survive the one Bite, and you’ve got two.” She eyed Lia coolly. “We’ll find out soon enough. It should hit you right about now.”

Lia’s heart pounded. Her pupils dilated. She saw Kane and Ronan reaching for her as darkness took over.

Part Three

Chapter One

“Lia!” Ronan shouted. Pulling her limp form onto his lap, he cradled her in his arms.

Kane watched him numbly. This couldn’t be happening.

“You can help, Ivy,” Ronan said, “can’t you? Aren’t there some herbs that could calm her? Some kind of brew you could make?”

“Only time will help, Alpha,” Ivy said flatly. “She’ll live, or she’ll die. It’s not for us to decide.”

Lia jerked helplessly in Ronan’s arms, her limbs jumping like some awful puppet’s. Kane’s mouth had gone dry. She couldn’t die. He couldn’t lose her.

The pack gathered around them. No one was drunk on Delirium anymore. He couldn’t stand the looks on their faces. They were too somber, as if they were at Lia’s funeral. She wasn’t dead yet. Kane wanted to slash at them all and make them leave.

“You Bit her?”

Slowly, Kane turned to face his brother. “She told me to take her. What was I supposed to do?”

Ronan snarled. “Anything but Bite her. I was supposed to be the one to Turn her. Me, alone. You’ve betrayed me, and you might have killed Lia.”

She shuddered, and the tremors seemed to travel all through her. Foam dribbled from between her lips. Lark put a hand over her mouth. Della let out a strangled sob.

“What should I do?” Kane knew he had spoken, but the words sounded like they were coming from someone else.

“There’s nothing you can do now,” Ronan said. “Just leave us alone.”

Kane glared. “This might have happened anyway,” he said, “even if you were the only one to Bite her.”

Ronan let out a roar, lunging at him. Kane closed his eyes. Ronan could strike him, if he wished. He deserved it.

When the blow didn’t come, Kane opened his eyes. Ronan was beside Lia again. Stooping, he scooped her up and took her deeper into the den. Kane watched him go, wishing Ronan had struck him. A blow would have hurt less.

Now there was nothing to distract him from the acid gnawing at his heart.

***

Lia stood before the scrying pool. Nervously, she looked around. They weren’t supposed to use it without the witches present. But there was no one there, so she crouched and touched a finger to the surface.

The pool filled with light, complete with the gray splotches she had seen before. It looked just as it had on the night she was cast out, only this time she recognized what had formed in the water. She took a step back.

The scrying pool held the full moon.

“What do you See?” Hecuba stood beside her, staring into Lia with her sightless eyes.

“N-nothing,” Lia stammered.

“Look harder.” The crone pushed down on Lia’s shoulders, making her sit by the water.

Lia didn’t want to watch, but Hecuba wouldn’t let her look away. Blood spurted from a white wolf’s throat. A man swept aside his crimson cloak as a witch burst into a pillar of flame. A little girl smiled and waved, her shirt wet with blood.

“Please,” Lia said, “I don’t want to See!”

“That is why you will fail.” Hecuba pushed Lia’s head underwater. “If you can’t See your fate, how can you hope to change it?”

Hecuba’s words seemed to seep out of the water itself. Lia struggled, but the crone’s grip was firm.

“Beware, Lia No Name. If you refuse to die now, we will come for you. We will fix your fate.”

“I don’t want to die. They need me.” But her words came out as bubbles, which burst apart in the crushing dark.

Lia felt herself drowning in a whirl of sights and colors both lovely and horrifying. She Saw so much that she couldn’t breathe. She knew now why acolytes weren’t supposed to use the pool alone. Magda would find her floating in the water and laugh and laugh and laugh. The images swirling around her grew dim.

Something yanked her out. She crumpled by the edge of the pool, coughing up water.

A wolf stood there, watching her. His fur was the color of shadows, and three claw marks scarred his face. Lia shrank back.

He grinned, revealing sharp white teeth. Despite his smile, Lia knew that his only desire was to devour her. He advanced on her, and she had the horrible feeling that nothing could stop him.

“Lia,” he said. “I’m here.”