Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (30 page)

“Oh… thank you,” Lia said. “I really don’t know if I can accept.”

“Oh, but you must.” Shade’s eyes gleamed. “Do you mind if I help you put it on? I’d like to see how it fits.”

He walked around the table before receiving an answer, coming to stand behind Lia. Ronan and Kane stiffened. On Kane’s other side, Della had sunk her nails into the wood of the table. Lia could sense Shade’s imposing presence behind her, feel his breath on the back of her neck. Her heart sped. She didn’t want him putting anything around her throat.

She couldn’t stop him, though. She had to be polite, had to play the game. For her pack.

He slid the leather around her neck, clasping it firmly. It fit snugly, like a collar. Lia’s throat constricted as she tried to swallow. She wanted nothing more than to take the collar off. It didn’t matter that it would be an insult, a rejection of his gift. She knew what he wanted to say with it—that sooner or later, he would own her.

Shade put a hand on her shoulder. “I hope you’ll wear it and think of me.”

Kane growled, warning Shade to back off. Shade raised an eyebrow, daring Kane to make a move. But he couldn’t. To harm an invited guest would be a declaration of war. Lia wasn’t sure what Kane was capable of, with Shade doing his best to provoke him.

“Brother,” Ronan’s voice was tight. “It’s just a gift.”

“Quite the gift,” Kane spat.

Shade stepped back, looking pleased that he had caused tension between them.

“Do you not like it?” Shade asked. “Would you like me to take it back, Lia?” The silk in his voice couldn’t mask the danger of the question.

“It’s so pretty,” Della said, leaning across Kane and knocking a plate of venison into his lap. “Can I see it?”

As Lia murmured permission, Della deftly unclasped the collar and turned it over in her hands. “What craftsmanship!” She looped it twice around Lia’s wrist. “Oh, it’s even better as a bracelet. What a generous gift, Shade!”

Shade frowned. “It’s supposed to go around her neck.”

“But it looks far better on the wrist. You can’t dictate how accessories are to be worn. Then again, I wouldn’t expect males to understand fashion.” She gave a tittering laugh that sounded very unlike Della.

Shade stepped back, like he didn’t know what to make of her. From the displeased look on his face, this wasn’t going according to plan.

“Thank you so much for the gift, Shade.” Lia held up her hand, making a show of admiring it. “It’s lovely.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He walked back to his place at the table. Taking up a piece of meat, he bit into it. From his expression, it might have turned to ash in his mouth.

Lia twisted a finger through the leather bracelet. They might have temporarily defeated Shade, but he was probably more dangerous when he’d been beaten. He looked like he was already thinking up new ways to get under their skin. Maybe she should have just kept the leather around her neck.

“We wouldn’t want such a fine gift to go unreciprocated,” Della said coyly. “Though it’s not at all as lavish, I hope you’ll accept what I’ve made for you.” From under the table, Della pulled out a crown of wildflowers. She set it before Shade. “For our most honored guest.”

Shade stared at the flowers, dumbstruck. The shifters around the table tried to keep straight faces, but not all of them were able. Raid and Cougar exchanged a worried look, like they knew a storm was coming. Lia fought the urge to run for cover.

“That is… quite the gift,” Shade said at last.

“Aren’t you going to wear it?” Kane asked. “It’s supposed to go on your head.”

Shade threw the crown at him. “If I knew I was going to be insulted, I would have stayed home. I heard this pack was great once. It’s a shame to see what’s become of it.” He stood. “Raid. Cougar.”

Shade shifted, and walked stiffly away. Raid and Cougar followed, though Raid stuffed one more haunch of meat in his mouth before he left the table. The boy trotted after them, but he didn’t shift. Lia wondered if he could.

“That went about as well as it could have,” Della said wryly.

Lia agreed. Unfortunately, it was unlikely that Shade would stand by his offer to host after storming out.

Kane’s mood seemed to have greatly improved. “I don’t know why he rejected your crown, Della. It’s beautiful.” He put it on, showing off its various angles. “Shade would have looked rather fetching in this.”

She smiled. “It looks much better on you, dear.”

“Yeah, but that’s because I’m much more handsome than him. Right, Lia?”

Lia giggled. “Definitely. You smell better, too.”

Ronan elbowed him in the ribs. “Of course he does. He only bathes in the finest rosewater, don’t you know?”

The second half of the feast was much more enjoyable than the first. The birch beer flowed freely, and so did the talk. Without Shade, the atmosphere was much more relaxed—it didn’t feel as though a deadly blow could fall at any moment. Cage and Blossom even made their way back, Cage disappointed to hear that he had missed seeing Shade receive his crown.

As Lia sat wedged between her two Alphas, she thought that things had shaped up rather nicely. It would have been the perfect end to the day, if not for the knowledge that a treacherous neighbor still lurked to their south.

Chapter Five

Lia woke early the next morning, with a slight headache and the sweet, star-kissed memory of Kane and Ronan taking her on the table as night fell. The evening had become a blur after that. Most of the pack still slumbered in the meadow, huddled together so tightly that their fur blended. Lia found that she was using Ronan as a pillow, her legs curled around Kane’s hard body.

She rose without waking anyone, sitting at the table and pouring herself a glass of water. Dew clung to her cup. It was the one Kane had carved for her. Humming to herself, she traced the delicate “L.”

“It sounds like you’re in a good mood,” Della whispered as she sat beside her. Taking the pitcher of water, she drank straight from it.

“I guess six casks of birch beer will do that.” Lia nodded to where they were stacked perilously at one end of the table.

“As long as you don’t have too much.” Della moved Huck’s limp arm out of a plate of sweet rolls. He was snoring lustily enough that he didn’t notice.

They were spreading jam when Cougar strolled into sight. Della gave a loud bark of alarm. Briar, Clove, and Fox sprang up, prepared to fight with hackles raised. Kane and Ronan stood as one, Kane in wolf form.

It seemed there were few of them in fighting order. Lark and Sequoia struggled to their feet, but the rest muttered and groaned or didn’t stir at all. The hair rose on the back of Lia’s neck. What if Shade had sent all of his men? They wouldn’t have stood a chance.

“What is it?” Ronan snapped. “Be quick—we never gave you permission to enter our territory.”

“No one answered my howl.” Cougar grinned, as if pleased to have caught them at a weak moment. He was sure to report everything back to Shade.

“Give us your message, then.”

“Shade invites you to a feast of his own. He said he wouldn’t want such a fine feast to go… unreciprocated.”

Hearing Della’s words thrown back at them chilled Lia. Whatever Shade was planning, it wouldn’t be pleasant.

“We accept, of course,” Ronan said. “When would he have us arrive?”

“Midday.”

“Which day?” Ronan asked, clearly annoyed.

Cougar looked confused by the question. “Today, of course. He said that hospitality should be returned as soon as possible.”

Ronan looked at Lia, his face stricken. She knew what he must be thinking. This was too soon. They hadn’t had time to plan, to prepare. They could be walking into a trap for all they knew.

Shade must have sensed their little game. He was smarter than she thought.

Lia gazed at Cougar coolly. “We’ll be there.”

“Good. I’ll report back to my master. Once you reach the border, I will escort you in.” Shifting into a gray wolf, he bounded south.

Once he was out of earshot, Ronan turned to the pile of sleeping wolves. “On your feet,” he roared.

About half of them leapt up, some dizzily trying to find their balance. Others, like Huck, remained slumbering in place.

“Twin River pack, report!” Ronan paced up and down the line of wolves that had formed in front of him. “I need whoever feels they can be ready to leave in one hour. We’ll be running, feasting, possibly fighting. If you are prepared, step forward.”

Blossom peered at him from bleary eyes. “Didn’t we just have a feast?”

“We’ve been summoned to another. With Shade. We’ll need as many wolves as we can manage, and we’ll need to keep our wits about us. I have a nasty feeling about this.”

Duke had to sit, his legs too wobbly, but Fox, Orion, Briar, Clove, and Blossom stepped forward. Flint dragged himself into the line, and managed to stand at the last minute. Taking a breath, Lia stepped forward.

“No.” Ronan rushed to her side. “It’s too risky.”

“I have to go, don’t I? As your mate? Tell me custom says I can stay, and I will.”

He was silent, worry etched on his face.

“I’m the bait, remember?” Lia asked, her voice low. “It won’t work without me.”

“What if I can’t let you?”

“I’m not afraid. You and Kane will be there to protect me.”

As if on cue, Kane came to stand by her side. She twined her fingers into his lush white fur, wishing she had half his strength.

“You’re fine with this, then?” Ronan asked.

Kane stared at him.

“You’re right.” Ronan sighed. “It was my plan. We can’t back down now.”

Kane stalked away, trying to rouse some of the others. He wasn’t being at all gentle about it, either.

“I just wish we had more time.” Ronan put his head in his hands.

“We don’t need a plan,” Lia said. “Not yet. We just need information, like you said. We need to know what we’re up against. Then we can form a plan.”

“All right.” He turned to the group of waiting shifters. “Get ready. We leave as soon as we can.”

Some splashed cool spring water on their faces. Some drank it down, hoping it would take off the edge of their weariness. Lia wished they had all gone to sleep a bit earlier. It would be a rough day with or without Shade.

“Hey.” Lark waved at her to come closer, her voice no more than a croak.

Lia crouched beside her. “Don’t try to come with us. You’re in no condition. Rest up, we may need you later.”

“You
will
need me later.” Lark took a cup of water that Lia offered, drinking it down greedily. “That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What, then?” She hoped Lark would make it quick. She didn’t want to be the last one ready to leave.

“Lia, I tried to give a roll to that boy at the feast, but… he wasn’t there.”

“What do you mean?” Lia tried to remember seeing him move at all. He had seemed rooted to his spot behind Shade.

“It’s strange. It
looked
like he was there, but he didn’t respond to me when I was right next to him, and… I waved my hand right through him.”

“What?” Lia tried to think of what magic that could be. She hadn’t even known Magda or Hecuba to do anything like that.

“He left with Shade soon after, but I don’t trust him. Keep an eye out.”

“I will.” She knew Shade had brought him for a reason. Well, maybe she’d get a chance to talk to the boy. She could ask him what he knew of strange magic.

Ronan watched everyone eat, nervously striding up and down the length of the table. Lia wished he would stop. It was hard enough to keep food down without him making her feel like one more bite of bread would cost them their lives.

“Are you sure you don’t want to eat anything?” she asked him.

“I had enough yesterday.”

His tone made her stomach roil with anxiety. She wished they could just go already. Nothing was worse than waiting to see whether Shade was going to cross them.

“Shade can’t hurt us, right, Ronan?” Lia asked. “Not when we’re guests.”

He shrugged. “It’s Shade. Who knows.”

Lia felt even worse as she turned Lark’s news over in her mind. If the boy hadn’t been at the feast, then where had he been?

Kane’s commanding bark broke through her thoughts.

“I’m awake,” Sequoia said irritably. “What do you want?”

Kane shifted, and hunkered beside her. “Tell us everything you know about the Shadow pack.”

“Why?”

Ronan explained the invitation that Cougar had brought.

Sequoia studied him through narrowed eyes. “You don’t expect me to go with you, do you? Because I’m not putting one paw over the southern border.”

“You don’t have to come,” Ronan said. “Just tell us anything you can so we’re not walking in blind.”

“Okay.” Her eyes roved over the group. “Well, I definitely don’t want to go with you, because first, you’ll be outnumbered.”

“How many does Shade have?” Kane growled.

Sequoia counted on her fingers. “Nine, when I left. But I think he’s gotten at least two more. Not counting Duke and Cage, of course, since they’re with us.”

“Plus the boy,” Lia said.

“What boy?” Sequoia gave her a quizzical look.

“The one at the feast yesterday. Didn’t you see him?”

“Oh.” She shrugged. “I don’t know who that is. Must be new.”

“Poor bastard,” Fox murmured.

“So we’re outnumbered,” Ronan said. “Shouldn’t matter too much, as long as we can outrun or outfight them. Anything else?”

“Their den is like ours,” Sequoia said, “in that it only has one entrance and exit.”

Lia realized that she didn’t know about the bolt-hole. Was that secret only for Alphas and their mates?

“Unlike our den,” Sequoia continued, “theirs is underground. So once you’re in, there really is no escape. They’ll either let you out, or trap you there. You’d be stuck. It’s not like here, where if you were really desperate you could jump off the heights.”

“There’s really no other exit?” Ronan asked. “Not even some tiny tunnel?”

“The lower part of the den is nothing but tunnels. They won’t help you. You’re more likely to be lost in them forever.”

“Lovely,” Ronan said. “Anything else we should know?”