Fated for the Alphas: The Complete Collection (Nine Book Paranormal Romance Box Set) (54 page)

Magnus snorted. “You could, but it wouldn’t hurt me. Anyway, about this army…” He reached for Lark’s bow. “Can I borrow this?”

She looked at her Alphas, shrugged, then handed it over.

Magnus fitted an arrow to the string, muttering to himself. “A longbow would be better, but all you need is a little help. The distance isn’t so far.” A band of iron wrapped around his hand, a spike in the middle of his palm. He touched a finger to the spike, then dabbed a droplet of blood onto each of the arrow’s feathers.

Lia shuddered. She hoped he didn’t accidentally clench his fists in anger.

“That will do,” he said, nocking the arrow and drawing the string.

The horde of wolves was halfway across the meadow. They had broken into a run. Lia squinted, but she couldn’t recognize any of them. Where had Shade found them all?

“Close enough.” Magnus loosed his arrow.

It arced across the meadow, the mage’s blood urging it farther than it should be able to fly. Lia watched it, her palms sweaty. So what if Magnus took down an enemy wolf before they were in range? There would still be enough to eat them alive.

The arrow found its target, slicing through one of the leading wolves. Lia blinked, then shook her head. The wolf didn’t fall, didn’t falter. Magnus hadn’t missed. The arrow had literally gone
through
the wolf, like he was no more than mist. It stuck out of the meadow grass, its shaft bloodless.

“See how those wolves are all the same color?” Magnus asked. “See how they all have the same exact gait? They’re not regimented. They’re an illusion.”

“An illusion?” Now that he had pointed it out, the wolves did look eerily similar. Like copies of each other.

“A poor one.” Magnus scoffed. “Whatever mage conjured that sorry scene up needs a lot more training.”

“Finn,” Lia said. He wasn’t on their side, but she still felt sorry for him. It wasn’t likely he’d ever escape his master.

Shade had appeared in the meadow, leading his pack. He reached the arrow and pulled it from the dirt, scowling.

“Could you make an illusion for us?” Ronan asked. “Give Shade a taste of his own medicine?”

Magnus looked toward the east, where dark shapes were drawing closer in the sky. “Now’s not the time,” he said. “I don’t want to show all my cards just yet.”

He almost looked excited as he watched the witches approach.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said. “I don’t think I’m needed up here anymore.” His crimson cloak disappeared around the corner as he took his leave.

“We should go,” Kane said. “Shade will be upset without a welcoming committee.”

Ronan nodded. “Right. We’ll get Briar back up here. No need to bar the entrance if it’s just Shade.” He turned to her. “Come on, Lia.”

“Give me a second,” she said.

“Take as long as you need. Just don’t leave the den.” He looked at the sky, where the witches cut through the clouds. “You probably don’t want to stay on the heights much longer.”

“I won’t.”

“Good. We’ll see you soon.” He clasped her hand for a brief moment, then he and Kane retreated downstairs.

Only one other person remained on the heights.

“Sequoia?” Lia approached her cautiously. “Are you okay?”

She didn’t seem to hear. Carefully, Lia put a hand on her shoulder.

Sequoia jumped. “Hells,” she whispered. “You scared me.”

It couldn’t have just been Lia’s touch. Sequoia trembled all over.

“You don’t have to stay up here,” Lia said. “We can assign someone else to the heights. Briar would know who to ask, I’m sure.”

“He’s here,” Sequoia said, seemingly to herself. “He said he would be, and now he is.”

“Come inside with me,” Lia said. “We’ll get you some water.”

“I can’t leave. It has to be me. I have to do my job.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Lia patted her arm awkwardly. “If this is too much, I’m sure someone would be happy to relieve you.”

“I can’t,” she whispered. “He’ll punish me.”

“Briar won’t punish you. I promise.” Lia wished they weren’t alone up here. The witches were closing in, and Sequoia was starting to scare her.

“Lia!” Briar leapt onto the heights, followed by Rain, Cage, and Grey. They all carried bows and arrows. “Get out of here.”

“I’m worried about Sequoia—”

“Let me worry about that. If the Alphas knew you were still up here, they’d flay me alive. Now go.”

Her wolf bristled at being given an order, which was ridiculous. Briar was right, after all. She spared Sequoia a backward glance. The shifter fumbled to strap a quiver to her back. Lia hoped she’d be okay. Briar snarled a challenge to the witches, aiming at one of their boughs. It was time to go.

She ducked under the stone, shaking her head at their folly. Shooting arrows at the witches might make the sentries feel better, but it wouldn’t harm the witches. Magda could swat arrows out of the air like flies. They’d do best to leave the witches to Magnus.

Lia reached the den entrance just as Kane and Ronan left to go meet Shade. They strode toward him, almost nonchalant in the face of his “army.”

Shade shifted, clearly confused. “You dare to walk out to meet me? Are you not afraid?”

“Of what?” Kane bent to pick up a rock, which he tossed at the nearest illusion. The wolf didn’t blink, or move out of the way, and the rock fell right through him. “Your mage needs more practice, Shade.”

Shade looked behind him, where Finn stood. The boy had turned white.

“Leave,” Ronan said. “Now. If you promise never to set foot on our territory again, we’ll consider letting you live. If not, we’ll hunt you down until none of your pack draws breath.”

Shade smiled. “I won’t be leaving.”

“Why not?” Ronan asked. “Your army was nothing but an illusion.”

“Yes, but I also have real magic on my side.” He glanced skyward, teeth bared in triumph.

A bolt of lightning hit the ground beside Ronan. He leapt to one side, crashing into Kane. They both toppled over. Magda descended behind Shade, a ball of lightning in her hands. Cackling, she raised it over her head.

“Run!” Lia cried.

Her Alphas dashed toward the den, zigzagging as tiny bolts of lightning pelted the ground all around them.

“Grab the table!” Lark called. “Barricade the entrance as soon as they’re inside!”

Huck and Orion tilted the table, and everyone raced to help.

“Tell us when, Lia,” Huck said.

She threw herself out of the way as an errant bolt streaked into the den. From the way Magda laughed, that might not have been an accident.

Lia rolled to her feet just as the Alphas tumbled inside. “Now!” she cried.

The pack heaved, sliding the slab of wood over the entrance. Just as they set it down, there was a loud
crack
, and the smell of singed wood. The table held, though it probably wouldn’t withstand another blow, or even another meal.

“Stop!” Shade bellowed. “Are you trying to kill my mate?”

Lia peered out through a gap between the table and the stone floor.

Magda shrugged. “It would be no great loss.”

“We have a blood bargain to share her
alive
,” Shade said. “Not even you could escape the consequences of breaking it. Do you want your hand to blacken and rot?”

“It would be a small price to pay for the safety of my coven. If No Name won’t join us, she must die.”

Shade snarled. “Well, we’re going to try things my way first. You know, the way that doesn’t end in death for the one thing we came here for.”

Magda sighed dramatically, loud enough for them to hear in the den. “Don’t tell me. You’re going to use your
mage
.” She drew the word out sarcastically. “Let us handle the magic, wolf. Not that I care, but you’re going to get that boy killed.”

“I know what I’m doing. Watch and learn, witch.” Leaning over, he whispered something to Finn. The boy, still pale, nodded. Lia wished she had convinced him to run with her. How much energy had it taken to create the wolf illusion? How much power did he have left? He was going to burn out.

“Lia?” The voice on the wind made her stop dead. She couldn’t even breathe. She never thought she’d hear that voice again.

It was an illusion, though, right? It wasn’t real.

“Lia, honey, can you come out here? I just want to see you.”

It wasn’t real, it couldn’t be real, but she had to see. Her hands shook as she hooked them over the top edge of the table.

“What are you doing?” Ronan hissed. “Stay under cover, no matter what!” He tried to tug her down, but she kicked him away.

“Can’t you hear her? I just want to see.”

“See what?”

His voice seemed to fade. The wind brought her the faint scent of pine straw and cinnamon. She could smell her. It had to be real.

Hoisting herself up, she peered into the meadow.

Della smiled at her. “There you are. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“How are you…”

She spread her arms. “Magic.”

Tears ran down Lia’s cheeks. It was Della. Her hair, her eyes, her voice. Her mother had come back to her.

Della beckoned to her. They could be together again. Sobbing openly, Lia swung her foot up over the table. She had to get to the meadow.

“No!” Kane shouted. He sounded so far away.

All she could see was Della.

Her mother held out a hand. “Come here, baby.”

Lia froze. Della would have called her “chickpea.”

“Come here,” Della said, “please.” Her voice cracked and wavered.

“Enough of this.” Magnus pulled her back into the den, then pointed his staff at Della. She reached toward Lia, but was torn apart as if by a high wind.

Lia wept. She had wanted so badly for it to be real.

Ronan wrapped his arms around her. “What is it? Please tell me.”

“It was Della,” she managed to say between gulps of air. “They made it look like she was alive again.”

“Those bastards,” Kane spat out. “I’ll gut them all, starting with that boy.”

“Don’t hurt him,” Lia pleaded. “Shade’s making him do it.”

Kane glared over the table at Finn, who had his eyes closed in concentration. “Don’t kill him,” he said to Magnus, “but make him pay.”

All Lia could think of was the mage boy on the other side of the bars, just as trapped as she was.

“I won’t hurt him,” Magnus said, “but this lesson won’t be painless.” He swung his staff.

Finn opened his eyes. “Daddy?” he whispered. Then he screamed, falling to his knees. “Daddy! Not again, no!” He covered his face with his hands.

Lia grabbed Magnus’s arm. “What are you doing to him?”

“I’m making him relive the worst moment of his life. He’ll think twice before he meddles again.”

Shade pointed to Cougar, then to Finn. Cougar nodded, striding up to the boy and grabbing him by the collar.

“Ooh,” Magnus said, “I wouldn’t recommend that.”

Cougar stopped dead. “Rose?” He leaned forward, like he couldn’t believe his eyes. “Rose! Don’t step on the ice!”

“I’d better remove that spell,” Magnus said. “Otherwise, we could be here all day.” He waved his staff.

Cougar stumbled back, blinking like he was coming out of a deep dream. He looked at Finn, Shade, and the Twin River den. Shaking himself, he pulled Finn back toward their line.

“That went well,” Magda said to Shade in that mocking tone she had perfected. “I know that wasn’t you, No Name,” she called. “You’re just not good enough. Who’s your new friend?”

Magnus stepped outside. “Hello, Mother.”

Chapter Four

Lia staggered, catching herself on the wall. Magda was his mother. Her
grandmother.
She had lived with her grandmother her whole life, and never known.

“You?” Magda said with gritted teeth. “You dare to show your face to me?”

Magnus leaned against his staff. “Happy to see me, Mother?”

She screeched. It seemed there were no words for her fury. A storm cloud formed in her hands, and she hurled the ball of lightning at Magnus.

He slashed his staff through it, and it collapsed into a puddle. “You were always so proud of my strength, Mother. Are you proud of me now?”

The earth fell away beneath her. Magda had to jump onto her bough to avoid falling into the small chasm that had formed under her feet.

“I’ll make you regret tangling with me,” she said. “You’re one man. I have an entire coven at my back.”

“And I’m happy to kill them all, right after I finish with you.”

Magda shrieked, throwing out a bolt of lightning. The mage dodged it easily.

“Look here,” Hecuba said.

Magnus did, and she blasted him with a beam of light. The mage covered his eyes, blinded. Turning their boughs, the witches descended.

“We have to help him,” Ronan said. “Shove this table aside.”

Wood scraped against stone.

“Now, we fight!”

The pack surged from the den, wielding blades and fangs. Shade’s pack raced to meet them. They met in a flurry of snarls and howls.

Dove sprang at Canker’s throat with an aggression that belied her name. He tore at her, but couldn’t shake her off. Flint and Huck rammed into Wasp, knocking the wind out of him. Stoat tackled Cricket, raking her with his back claws.

“Cricket!” Lia ran for her, ducking past a jet of boiling water thrown by Nadine. Spinning, she froze the girl’s hands. Unable to control her bough, Nadine screamed as it slammed into the ground.

Cricket was gone, but so was Stoat. Lia’s heart pounded. Friends were blurring with foes. Everything was happening so fast that she wasn’t sure who was who. She wanted to help, but she didn’t dare throw a spell into the melee.

Overhead, she heard someone laugh. Margot.

“Hello, No Name,” the witch said. “Did you miss me?”

Lia crouched, trying to prepare for the attack.

“Leave her alone!” Blossom yelled. Shifting, she jumped for Margot’s robes, trying to pull the witch out of the air.

“Naughty,” Margot said. “I don’t like your new friends, No Name. I’m going to have to teach this one a lesson.”

Blossom barked a challenge, daring her to try.

“Blossom, no!” Lia shouted. “Run!”

Margot opened her mouth, letting out a guttural sound. What emerged looked like a waterfall, showering Blossom and coating her fur. But it wasn’t water that came out of her mouth. Blossom was covered with maggots.