Dante’s Circle Reborn: A Dante’s Circle Collection

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  As he looked at Alec, the thought of almost losing him filled Liam’s mind, and he knew we had to say something. Because it hurt. Everything hurt.

  He loved him. He had loved Alec for as long as he could remember and hadn’t done a fucking thing about it because he’d been so scared of where he had come from and who he was supposed to be.

  Because of that, he hadn’t said anything. Alec hadn’t either. If Liam didn’t just open his mouth and say it, tell Alec what he was feeling, this would be it. There’d be no going back. He would lose his best friend and his soul mate.

  Because Alec was his soul mate. His other half. The one person in the world who completed him in every way possible. And he was going to lose him if he wasn’t careful.

  He took a deep breath and leapt over the edge into the abyss.

  “How about we talk about the fact that we’re soul mates, though we haven’t actually said anything about it?”

  Alec stiffened, and surprise wafted off him. The scent was spicy and filled Liam’s nostrils. He inhaled deeply, wanting more of it. He just wanted more of Alec. He was crazy, he knew. He didn’t care. They needed to figure this out. They needed to fix it. And if taking this leap was how to do it, then so be it.

  “I can’t believe you just came out and said that,” Alec said, blinking.

  “I can’t believe I did either.”

  “Okay. Okay. Goddess.”

  Liam’s brows rose at Alec’s exclamation.

  “I have no idea what you mean by that.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “Okay, come on. I’ll start. I think it all has to do with the fact that I haven’t gone into the circle to fight yet.”

  Alec frowned. “What do you mean? How the hell are they connected?”

  “I don’t know who I’m supposed to be. Hunter wants me to be one thing, thinks I need to be the Beta to help lead the Pack, to take the position he once held. I don’t think I can. You know what my dad used to do to me.”

  Alec nodded. “He forced you to fight when you were younger, forced you to use your claws and fangs well before you were supposed to. He put you into those dominance fights even though you weren’t ready. You still came out on top. Still won.”

  “If I didn’t, he would have killed me. Or it would have hurt Mom or someone else along the way. It didn’t matter that she was his mate, he had twisted their relationship into something that was all about power and domination. That’s why he’s not part of the Pack anymore. That’s why he’s gone. Just like so many others on the council. They took what they thought was pure about being a wolf and a shifter and twisted it into their own amalgamation of power and dominance. And my dad was part of that. Every time I think about taking my first step into that circle, I think about what he did. And what he wanted me to be. I don’t know if I want to be that person.”

  “And how do I fit into that?” Alec asked softly.

  “You fit, because if I don’t take that step, how am I supposed to have the courage to take the next step with you? What if I’m not good enough to be in that circle. What if it was my dad pushing me this whole time? And if I’m not good enough to be the Beta, how on this holy Earth am I supposed to be good enough to be yours?”

  Alec just froze, his skin pale, the healing scars on his face standing out in stark contrast. “How can you think that? How on Earth could you ever think that you wouldn’t be good enough for me?”

  “You haven’t made a move. I assumed that you were either waiting for me to do it, or thought I wasn’t worth it. What was I supposed to think? We’ve spent over a decade circling each other. I’ve known for a long time, ever since your scent changed, and I knew who you could be for me. Neither of us did anything about it. What was I supposed to think?”

  Alec let out a laugh. It was hollow and devoid of emotion. “We are a pair, aren’t we?”

  “What?” Liam started to pace, needing to do something. His wolf clawed at him, wanting vengeance, wanting his mate. He didn’t know what to do about it.

  “I thought you didn’t want me, so I stayed away. How fucking stupid is that?”

  Liam whirled, his eyes wide. “And that’s why you didn’t make a move?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know if I am good enough for you.”

  “That’s bullshit. You’re the better of the two of us.”

  “And the fact that you think that makes me worry that I haven’t done enough to show you who you are to me. Even if we just end up as best friends, you have always been a man of worth. A shifter who has done everything for his Pack.”

  “Right back at you.”

  “You know what I had to do when the Pack started to crumble after Hunter went missing. You know who was part of the crew that sent him to hell.” Liam nodded. “It was your uncle.”

  “And I have no remorse for killing him. I would do it again in a heartbeat. And, in the end, I’m not going to feel anything when I kill Charlie either. Because I know my duty. Because of that, every time I think about it, I wonder how I could possibly be good enough for you. How can you want me when I have to be the one who kills? When I have to be the one who takes life and doesn’t feel anything about it.”

  Liam stood, stunned, blinking slowly. “I don’t understand.”

  “That I feel nothing?”

  “That you can think that you feel nothing. Of course, you have something inside you. I can see it in the way you carry yourself. In the way you pull back from others. It might not be remorse for what you’ve done, but it’s something. It weighs on you. And you protected our Pack. You stood by my side when we did it. We protect what is ours. We help our Alpha and his family. You have always been there. Of course, I’ll always love you for that.” Liam snapped his mouth shut as Alec’s eyes widened.

  “You love me?”

  “I meant to tell you that a bit later.” He slid his hands through his hair and started pacing nervously again. “I didn’t really want to blurt it out like that. But, yes, I fucking love you. I’ve loved you for longer than I care to admit.”

  “And yet, we haven’t done anything about it.”

  “Because we have our heads so far up our asses and are so worried about what the other might feel and what others have done to us that we’ve ignored it. Goddess. We’re out here trying to protect our Pack and doing what others might find cruel and difficult. We’re going to get it done.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Alec said softly. Liam froze, dread filling his belly. What if Alec didn’t feel the same way? What if he didn’t feel the connection between them like Liam did?

  “You don’t have to say anything.” A frozen pause. “I’ll head back into the main house if you need some space.” He turned, and the rustling of sheets behind him made him stop. And then Alec was behind him, his hand on his hip. Liam wanted to lean back, to feel the heat of him. However, he wasn’t sure he could.

  “Don’t go.”

  Liam turned so they were facing each other, hip to hip, their breaths mingling. “Why?”

  “Because you’re not the only one who hid everything. I know you’re my soul mate, Liam. I had to be a man worthy of you first. I think I made a mistake.”

  “You’re not the only one.”

  “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. Ever since you smirked at me and threw me down on the ground as we fought just to see who was more dominant.”

  “I won that one,” Liam said with a laugh.

  “And I won the next. Because we’ve always been even. We’ve always been exactly who we needed to be for each other. And I should have told you long before this. I love you, Liam. And I shouldn’t have hidden from you. I know you’re my soul mate, and I will always regret wasting so much time worrying. Not saying anything.”

  “If you can regret that, then I can do the same. I want to put this behind us.”

  Alec nodded. “It’s just you and me. Right now. ‘Cause I don’t want to wait any longer. I don’t think I can.”

  “You’re
usually a man of few words.”

  “And you’re usually the one taking action.” And then Alec’s lips were on his, and they both groaned. It was decades’ worth of angst and temptation. There was no soft kissing, no tentative exploration. That would come later. They both knew that.

  They ripped at each other’s clothes, the rending of fabric splitting the air as Liam’s shirt hit the floor. He didn’t care, didn’t want to think about what they were going to do in the morning. They would find Charlie, they would deal with the rogue, they would deal with Kit. They would deal with their Pack. All of that would come.

  For right now, it was just the two of them.

  Alec tasted like coffee and man. Like his best friend. And Liam wanted him inside him.

  Alec groaned, and they both growled, their claws out as their wolves pushed at them. Their other halves wanted this, wanted the mating bond that had been so long denied.

  “I’ve wanted this for so long,” Liam whispered against Alec’s mouth, and then he tilted his head as Alec bit down on his shoulder. It was a hard, fast bite, a claiming.

  “No time for finesse,” Alec growled out. And then Liam kissed Alec hard on the mouth and bit down on Alec’s lip, just a gentle nibble. He loved seeing the surprise in the other man’s face, and then he moved to Alec’s shoulder and bit down hard, another claiming bite. They were each other’s soul mates, and they were so close to being fully mated. He needed release, needed something. And then Alec’s hands were on Liam’s jeans. The snap was undone, the sound of a zipper, and then the denim was shoved down to his ankles. Liam tore off his shoes and socks and then shucked his jeans the rest of the way.

  Alec was still wearing his pants, and Liam was standing there naked. Then Alec’s hand was on Liam’s cock, and they both groaned.

  “You know, I’ve seen you naked before countless times.”

  “Because we shift in the nude,” Liam said, rocking his hips into Alec’s fist.

  “Yes, then, too. And I’ve done my best not to stare.”

  Intrigued, Liam let out a slow breath. “I haven’t been very good about not staring.”

  Alec raised a brow and squeezed, forcing Liam’s eyes to cross. “I’ve noticed.”

  Alec reached down between them and undid his pants. He shifted to remove them completely. And then they were both naked, and Alec was groaning into Liam’s mouth. Liam reached down and gripped Alec’s thicker cock, and they rubbed against each other. He loved it. Hell, he’d been waiting his entire life for this.

  “You think the dragon has lube in here?” Liam asked, and Alec laughed.

  “I think he’s married to a very large bear, and they have a beautiful wife that they have constant sex with. She’s a succubus, after all. I’m pretty sure they have secret lube stashes in every inch of that house. And the guest house.”

  “I sure as hell hope so.”

  They tumbled onto the bed, and Liam crawled over Alec to search the nightstand. “Jackpot.” He waved a bottle of lube, and Alec grinned, his hand on his cock as he slowly slid his fist up and down.

  “Who’s going first?”

  Liam swallowed hard and looked down at Alec’s girth as he nodded. “Well, we both know neither of us is more dominant, so I say we just take turns.”

  And then Liam found himself on his back, Alec’s mouth over Liam’s cock as he swallowed him whole.

  Liam didn’t even have time to think before his hand was tangled in Alec’s hair and he pumped up into his mate’s mouth.

  “You win, this time.”

  “You can take me next time.”

  And then there was no more talking. Alec’s mouth was warm, soft, and he sucked like a dream.

  Liam was almost to the point of orgasm before Alec pulled away, and then the sound of a bottle opening filled Liam’s ears.

  He couldn’t think. He kept his gaze on Alec as both of them touched and loved and caressed each other. Alec worked him slowly, and then when they were both ready, Alec hovered over them and slowly, inch by inch, filled him.

  They both gasped, the burn intense, the feelings more intense. They were chest to chest, touching everywhere, and it was everything.

  Alec slowly worked in and out of him, and both of them groaned, holding each other. When they came, at the exact same time, the mating between them worked its magic, and they each sucked in a breath.

  Liam could feel the bond snap into place, a slow ache that had waited centuries upon centuries to reach them. They were mated, perfect halves of a whole, and he finally had his soul mate. His lover, his best friend, his everything.

  They kissed again, slowly, methodically. Everything.

  And when they fell asleep, only for a few short hours because they had to hunt in the morning, Liam held his mate close and knew he would never let him go again. Because he had waited far too long for this.

  Tomorrow, there would be blood, there would be death. Tonight…tonight was perfection.

  Chapter 5

  Every time Alec took a step, he could feel Liam within his soul, steady, controlled, and on the hunt. His. Leaves crunched under their feet, even as they were as quiet as they could possibly be. The smell of decay was prevalent, rot along with the freshly mown grass from the park across the street. Birds chirped in the distance. Yet not a single one perched near. It was as if they knew there was a predator in their midst, and he and Liam were not that threat.

  His wolf pushed at him, wanting to shift. They couldn’t, not yet. They were far too out in the open to change into their wolf forms.

  And that meant they had to fight as men, not wolves, and hope to hell that the human authorities didn’t show up.

  They couldn’t use warding or spells to keep them safe, and that meant they needed to make sure things worked for them this way.

  However, with each step, with each intake of breath, he could feel his mate.

  They had wasted so much time. So much fucking time trying to make sure the other was good enough, that they were good enough for each other. They wouldn’t be wasting any more time. Alec had his mate by his side, his wolf, his future Beta or Tracker.

  First, they had to kill his brother.

  Just the idea of having to end a life wasn’t something he wanted to do. The fact that it was Charlie, his brother, the person who was supposed to be his best friend and someone he could always rely on, put a foul taste in his mouth. He couldn’t go back and change anything, so he wasn’t going to.

  “We’re almost there,” Liam whispered, and Alec nodded.

  Almost—not close enough.

  “Close.”

  Then there was no more talking, they didn’t need to, not when they had hand signals and could now feel each other within their souls. Hunter would probably like that because it meant they could battle better as a unit, as a team. And maybe, just maybe they wouldn’t fight as much and annoy the rest of the Pack. They had to survive this first. They had to kill Alec’s brother. He hated that he had to do it. Alec had long since given up on Charlie, though. Even though he had tried not to. Charlie had done the unthinkable. Long before this. That’s why he had been banned from the Pack to begin with.

  There was another crunch of leaves, and Alec froze beside Liam. That hadn’t come from them. The scent of decay, the putridness of it, filled his nostrils, and they turned on their heels.

  Charlie was there, blood splatter on his face, part of a liver in his hands. Alec inhaled, grateful and yet still sad that it had belonged to a deer, and not a human or another paranormal.

  Charlie had officially lost his mind, even though that had likely happened long ago.

  “Make this easy for yourself, Charlie. We’ll make it less painful.” Liam let out a slow breath, his voice low.

  Alec didn’t know if that was for him or for Charlie. After all, Liam had known Charlie just as long as Alec had.

  “Never,” Charlie growled out, and Alec’s eyes widened. If the rogue could speak, if his big brother could still talk, he retained some func
tioning part of his brain. That meant he was the scariest type of rogue. The ones that could take over a Pack, decimate them, and make plans that could end them all.

  Goddess. They needed to end this. And fast.

  They leapt at each other then, no need for further communication. There was no going back from this. No words or peace talks would fix what had happened.

  The rogue came at Alec first, just like they knew he would. Charlie swiped out, bloody claws prepared to rend. Alec ducked out of the way, then used his own claws to slash at Charlie’s face. They had to be quiet, had to be discreet, even if there was nothing unobtrusive about what was happening.

  The humans couldn’t know, though. That was the whole point of this. The humans couldn’t know.

  And that meant that Alec and Liam had to make this quick, with the least amount of bloodshed and as little pain as possible. He just didn’t know if that could happen. Not with the growls emanating from Charlie’s throat.

  Charlie ducked, going at Liam then, and Alec leapt at his back, trying to land a killing blow. However, with his rogue strength and whatever chemical imbalance made rogues increase in all attributes of brainpower, Charlie was faster, stronger, deadlier than Liam and Alec combined.

  Liam punched Charlie in the head, only Charlie kept going, spittle flying from his mouth as he clawed and slashed.

  There were no kits here, no innocents. Just Charlie. And they would have to end this. Soon.

  It was like fighting five alpha wolves at this point, and they just weren’t strong enough.

  They kicked, swiped, growled. Blood flew. Alec went at Charlie’s gut, trying to pull him away from Liam, but it was no use. While before, Charlie had gone solely after Alec; now, he only went after Liam. Some small part of whatever sane fragment remained inside Charlie’s head knew that he needed to go after Alec’s mate and not Alec himself.

  He growled.

  A swipe left, a gash to the chest. An uppercut, a black eye. A kick, a slash. Another growl.

  All of it, and none of it was enough.

  Charlie picked up a large branch and slammed it against Alec’s chest. He landed on his back, his breath whooshing out of him.