Things That Go Hump In The Night (66 page)

Ronan crouched. Lia slid forward with a yelp. She hadn’t really been paying attention.

He shifted. “Sorry.” Ronan held out a hand, picking her up off the dirt. “I guess I should have warned you.”

Lia brushed the dust from her pants, turning nervously. Maybe he should have warned her that she was about to be surrounded by shifters. From the looks in some of their eyes, wolves might have been preferable.

“You can’t be serious.” A woman’s icy voice cut through the silence. Lia looked up at her. Red hair framed her thin face. She would have been beautiful if her features weren’t twisted with disdain.

Kane snarled. “You don’t get a say.”

Another woman laughed. “Sequoia’s just jealous she wasn’t chosen.”

“I’m not the one who’s lust blinded,” Sequoia snapped. “An Alpha female needs more than a pretty face.”

Lia frowned. “Alpha female?” She turned to Ronan. “What’s that about?”

“We’ll tell you later.”

“Tell me now!”

In the darkened entrance of the den, a woman with gray streaks in her hair raised her chin. She was watching Lia. No, more than that. Appraising her.

Ronan pushed her forward. “We’ll tell you in private.”

Lia dug her heels into the ground, mutinous.

“You don’t get much privacy around here,” said the man who had winked at her. “Take it while you can.”

“Thanks, Flint,” Ronan said from between gritted teeth. “You’re really helping.”

“Anything for you, boss.”

Kane strode forward. “That’s enough. Lia—into the den.”

She brushed off her clothes again, letting him know she’d obey in her own time. And when she walked into the den, it was because she wanted to, not because he had made her.

The older woman grinned as Lia passed. “Looks like you boys might have your hands full with this one.”

“This is your fault, Della,” Kane muttered.

A shiver passed through Lia. So this was Della, the one who had dreamed about her and changed her fate.

“I don’t suppose you’ve been considerate enough to feed her,” Della said.

“We were going to—” Ronan said.

Della frowned. “You’ve probably kept her up half the night.”

“She has to learn—” Kane said.

“She has to eat, and you two have to put on some clothes. At least until she gets more used to us barbarians.”

“Again with the clothes,” Kane said. “You do know they’re ridiculous.”

“I know that you’ve probably lost yours. Again.” Della thrust a bundle into Kane’s arms. “Don’t make me get you another set.” She thrust another bundle at Ronan. “That goes for you, too.”

Without another word of protest, the brothers pulled on their clothes. Lia smiled at Della. Could she have a friend here?

“Don’t smile at me, chickpea. And don’t get too comfortable. You have to be ready for anything around here if you want to survive.” With that, Della left Lia alone with the two shifters.

The den wasn’t actually dark inside, as she’d expected. Small holes in the rock let morning light stream in from the high ceiling, giving it a light and airy feel. The first thing she noticed was the stone dais at the den’s center. Its imposing size seemed to command attention. Carvings ringed its base, though she couldn’t make them out. A long wooden table stood against one wall, benches running down both sides. Ronan gestured for Lia to sit. She did, as she had no alternatives. Kane and Ronan sat as well, one on either side of her. They were so large it was hard to believe the bench didn’t collapse under their weight. Lia tried not to let on how trapped she felt between them.

“So,” Ronan said, “you’ve met the pack.”

“Yes, they’re charming.”

Kane closed his eyes as if in pain. “Well, we’re the Alphas. Most packs don’t succeed without a strong Alpha to hold them together. We’re at an advantage, as there are two of us to fight and protect the pack. Usually a pack’s Alphas are male and female, but we’ve gotten along fine, so far.”

“You both lead it?” Lia asked. “Don’t you ever argue? Or fight?”

“Never,” Kane said.

“Sometimes,” Ronan amended.

“Never,” Kane repeated. “Even if we did, we would never let an outsider see that we were ever divided.”

“Lia’s not an outsider,” Ronan said. “I thought we were going to tell her everything.”

“Not yet. She’s an outsider until we’ve taken her.”

“Taken me where?” Lia asked.

Ronan sighed. “Are we at least going to tell her about the prophecy?”

“We already did.”

“Not all of it.”

“Fine.” Kane looked down at her. “Della had a crazy dream that we needed to get you for some reason.”

Ronan groaned. “I know you don’t like prophecies, but Lia needs to know.”

“She can ask Della. Later. I’m not interested in all the hocus pocus.”

“Anyway,” Ronan continued as if he hadn’t heard his brother, “Della had a dream about the future. In it, a voice said, ‘The pack will prosper, and a failed witch will lead them.’ I didn’t think we’d do it on our first try, but we found you. Our failed witch.”

Lia clasped her hands in her lap. This was a lot to take in. “Even if it is me, why should I lead you? Why should I care about the pack?”

Kane growled low in his throat. Lia fought the urge to hide under the table.

“It’s a fair question, Kane.” Ronan laid a hand on her arm. She burned at the heat of his touch, the weight of him. Suddenly, she had a terrible desire to see him naked again.

“There’s no reason for you to care yet,” Ronan continued. “We hope you will, in time. We do need you, Lia. Without an Alpha female, a pack can be…”

“Volatile,” Kane finished. “One or more of the pack’s females may want to be Alpha themselves. It can lead to chaos. It’s already started in our pack. We can’t have all the females vying to be Alpha. They need someone to keep them in line.”

Lia shook her head. “Why not let one of them be Alpha female, if they want to be?”

“Because of the prophecy,” Ronan said. “It has to be you.”

They were trusting their pack to a dream? “But what if Della’s wrong?”

“Della’s never wrong. She wants what’s best for the pack. She wouldn’t mislead us. You’re the failed witch. You will lead the pack with us as your mates.”

Lia’s head was spinning. “My mates? Both of you?”

“If you can handle it,” Kane said.

Ronan slapped the table. “Don’t joke about this. You know the risks. I’ve never heard of three Alphas, this might not work.”

“What is it, little brother? Are you scared?” Kane gave a mocking grin. “It’ll be fine. We get along, Lia’s strong enough. It works for the rest of the pack—”

“They aren’t Alphas,” Ronan growled. “They don’t experience the Delirium like we do. They don’t drown in it. They can come up for air.”

“Delirium?” Lia asked. It sounded painful.

“Mating Delirium.” Kane ripped off one of his shirt sleeves. “It’s most potent during the full moon. An Alpha… he tends to lose control. Especially the first time he takes his mate. He’s drawn to her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get her.”

“Including killing his rivals,” Ronan said. “Which is what we would see each other as, Kane. Lia should choose one of us, so the other can bow out gracefully.”

Kane ripped off his other sleeve. “I don’t think that’s going to work.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“I don’t plan to bow out gracefully, dear brother. Do you?”

Ronan rose from the table. “I’ll have Clove bring Lia some food. We can discuss this later.”

“We can discuss all you like,” Kane said. “In two weeks, it’ll be settled either way.”

Ronan left without another word.

“Sorry about him,” Kane said. “He can be awfully touchy.” He pushed the bench from the table so forcefully that Lia nearly fell off. “I have business to attend to. I’ll see you later.”

She wanted to ask him not to go, but had the feeling that wouldn’t have stopped him. Kane loped into the sunlight, looking more like a wolf in a man suit than a human.

Sighing, Lia laid her head on the table. It had been a long night. At this point, she’d really like to get some sleep. Her mind was jumbled with fearful questions. They both wanted her? Could she handle that? And there was a chance they could kill each other? If they did, would that be her fault? She had only just met them, but she would prefer that they not murder each other.

“Here you go.” A woman—it must be Clove—dropped a plate of food in front of Lia. It clattered on the wooden table.

“Thanks,” Lia said. She couldn’t quite tell what it was, but it was meat, and it was steaming.

Clove looked her up and down. “Looks like you need it. Enjoy.” Turning on her heel, she disappeared into a darkened room.

Lia’s face heated. Did Clove mean that she looked tired? The alternative hurt to think about, but the way she had looked Lia up and down… and all the other shifters were shaped like athletes…

A few shifters, still in human form and clothes, filtered into the room. Some sat at the far end of the table. A knot of three women kept glancing her way, whispering and giggling.

Lia stared at her plate. She had been given a slab of meat, but no utensils. How was she supposed to eat? None of the shifters had any food, so she couldn’t copy them. Would it be worse to pick the meat up with her hands, or ask for a knife and fork? She honestly wasn’t sure.

More shifters returned to the den. Some stood in tight circles, some sat at the table together, but no one was left out. Except Lia. They seemed to make it a point not to talk to her or sit near enough that she could start a conversation. She was so tired that she didn’t really care. She just wanted to eat.

Lia raised her hand to her plate just as one of the women giggled at the other end of the table. She put her hand back in her lap. Maybe Kane and Ronan should have just eaten her. There was still time.

The knot of three women whispered louder, but still not loud enough for Lia to make out more than a few words. If she weren’t so tired, she could have turned one of her ears into a bat’s. Maybe she would later. At least she’d know what she was up against.

Staring at her plate, Lia sighed. She didn’t know she could feel so lonely in a crowded room. She wasn’t feeling very hungry anymore. Kane and Ronan had wanted her to come with them, but only because of a prophecy. That wasn’t much better than not being wanted at all.

Kane and Ronan returned, sitting at the empty end of the table. It was bad enough that they were avoiding her like she was some kind of leper, but they were also conferring in whispers. Poking at the meat slab, Lia considered walking out of the den and not stopping until she’d reached an ocean.

“Hey.”

She looked up. Someone was finally talking to her?

“Yeah, you.” It was the woman with the red hair—Sequoia. “Get out. We don’t want a witch in our pack.”

What would Sequoia’s reaction be if Lia just happily left?

Kane gave a warning growl.

“Now, now, Sequoia.” Ronan leaned back on his seat. “We can’t help where we come from.”

She looked like she had bitten into a lemon and found piss inside. “You’re one to talk, Ronan.”

Kane climbed onto the table, crouching low. He was coiled, ready to pounce.

Ronan laughed. “I’d take that back, Sequoia. Kane doesn’t take too kindly to jokes. You were joking, right?”

“Of course, Alpha. Alphas.” Sequoia bowed, showing the nape of her neck. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Ronan said. “I won’t always be around to protect you from Kane. Or from Lia, for that matter.”

“Her?” Sequoia raised an eyebrow. “You can try to make her an Alpha if you like. Her funeral. She won’t survive the Bite.” Snatching the meat off Lia’s plate, she took a bite and sauntered out of the den.

“Sequoia!” Kane roared.

“Flint, Duke.” Ronan called forth two shifters. “Go watch Sequoia. Keep her away from Lia… and Kane.”

They nodded, and ran to obey. Lia didn’t envy them their task. Sequoia didn’t seem like a barrel of laughs.

“Get off the table,” Ronan muttered.

“Why?” Kane asked.

“It’s weird. Humans don’t do that.”

“I’m not human.”

“Well, Lia is, kind of. Just be normal around her.”

Kane scowled, but jumped down. “I am normal.”

“If you say so.”

The brothers sat across from Lia, Kane vaulting over the table to take his seat. Ronan gave him a disapproving glare.

“What was that about a bite?” Lia asked. She tried to keep her voice low, but all the shifters probably had excellent hearing. Damn their ears.

Ronan sighed. “You aren’t supposed to know about that yet.”

“And when did you think would be a good time to tell me? As you were biting me?” Lia crossed her arms.

He scratched his head. “If it’s any consolation, I hear that it doesn’t hurt in the moment. At least, not much…”