Bought By Their Alpha

by Bonnie Burrows

  “Not as well as I would have liked, but well enough. And you?” Eva replied, her spoon hovering in mid-air.

  “Far less than well enough,” Quinn moved to the cupboard, grabbing himself a bowl. Evangeline groaned inside – he was going to join her, then.

  “Is that a normal thing for you? Not sleeping, I mean,” she clarified, finally taking the bite of oats that had been staring at her since he walked into the kitchen.

  “Yes and no,” Quinn spooned oats into his bowl, and took a seat opposite her at the table.

  Eva raised her eyebrows, still chewing, and waited for him to explain.

  “I don’t sleep when I’m stressed – which seems to be all the time lately. It seems sleep is a mistress who eludes me, now. What can I do?” Quinn shrugged and took a bite of his oats.

  “Stress less?”

  “Sure. And watch my tribe fall apart in thirty seconds or less,” Quinn replied, his voice level.

  “Why would that happen?” Eva’s curiosity was piqued.

  “I’ve fought hard to put this tribe together, Eva. With blood, sweat and tears, I’ve built this tribe from the ground up. I took a small band of loyal friends and left the safety of my old tribe to start my own one. It hasn’t been easy; I’ve had to fight for every inch of ground I now claim as mine. I have to protect what’s mine every day from those who don’t think it belongs to me. That includes protecting the land, the gold and my people.”

  “It sounds like a lot of pressure,” Evangeline wasn’t sure she wanted to feel any sort of sympathy for Quinn, but she found she couldn’t help herself.

  It was a well-known story in her tribe – Quinn, having disagreed strongly with the leadership of his own tribe, had taken a few followers and left. He was now an alpha in his own right, with a strong tribe to back him up. His tribe was feared by many – they had, as the stories went, fought many battles, and won each of them.

  It gave credit to the leadership skills of the new alpha; he was no fool, they said. He chose his battles carefully, planning each move with an accuracy that some said could only mean he had a prophet in his ranks.

  It was nonsense, of course, Eva knew. The last true prophet had died more than two hundred years before, if the legends were to be believed. They were merely tall stories told to scare and enthral children. Whether a true prophet had ever existed was questionable; that Quinn had one now was purely laughable.

  “I chose it,” Quinn said, shrugging his shoulders.

  “Would you have done things differently, if you’d known about the pressure?” Evangeline studied her oats, trying to avoid his eyes, fearful that she would drown in them again.

  “I can’t change things; there’s no point in wishing or thinking I could. It is what it is. I just wish I could tell my younger self a thing or two, that’s about it.”

  “What sage advice would you give a younger Quinn?” Evangeline forced herself to look up at him, only to find he himself was staring at his oats as though the answer to life could be found in their depths.

  “Get the girl,” he looked up suddenly at her, his green eyes holding her blue ones, halting her breath in her throat.

  Evangeline struggled to swallow and breathe at the same time, and tried to find her tongue so that she could reply. Agony was written clearly on Quinn’s face; his eyes were haunted and guarded. It pained Eva physically to see him hurting – even though she didn’t know what had hurt him, she found she wanted to protect him from ever feeling this way again.

  She swallowed heavily, as Quinn went back to staring at his oats.

  “Why don’t you get her now?” she finally managed.

  “She hates me,” Quinn sighed, as though the answer was obvious.

  “Oh,” Eva was at a loss. Quinn’s pain was clearly written on his entire body – from his slumped shoulders to the listless stirring of his now congealed oats. She ached to hold him, to comfort him. Eva hated that she felt this way about the man who had paid gold for her – why she felt any form of sympathy for him was anyone’s guess.

  “I’ll let you get back to your breakfast,” Quinn stood up.

  “It’s not necessary,” Eva replied, pushing her bowl away.

  “No, it is. I’ll see you later, Eva,” he said, as he walked through the door leading outside.

  Eva shook her head; she could swear that when he left it had been as though she had done something wrong. She didn’t understand why she felt this way, but she did know she didn’t like it. She owed Quinn nothing, not even her sympathy.

  Evangeline stepped out into the sunlight, uncertain of what was expected of her. She hadn’t been given any rules of what she could or couldn’t do; there was no one watching her. She couldn’t help but be confused – she’d thought she was coming here as some sort of paid-for prisoner, but it seemed she could do what she wanted, with no one to stop her.

  Squaring her shoulders, Eva decided she would explore the village and try to make sense of why she was really here. As she walked through the streets, everyone who noticed her stopped what they were doing, finding her much more interesting than the task at hand, it seemed.

  Eva hated the feeling of every eye in the village being on her, and ducked into a doorway on her right. She had walked into an herbalist’s shop, she realized quickly. Dried herbs hung from the rafters, bottles and jars filled with seeds, berries and flowers lined the shelves against the walls. The floor and walls were a dark wood, and the only light in the room was natural, from a small window set behind a table in the back corner of the room. The heady smell of lavender hung strong on the still air inside the dimly lit shop.

  A movement in the back of the shop caught Eva’s attention. There was a doorway next to the desk at the back of the room, a beaded curtain hanging in it. A portly woman with short dark hair and a ready smile walked through the curtain.

  “Good morn-” she stopped mid-sentence as she took in Evangeline standing there.

  “Sorry, I just couldn’t stand everyone outside staring at me anymore,” Evangeline apologized.

  “Oh, think nothing of it,” the woman recovered quickly, wiping her hands on her apron.

  Evangeline shifted on her feet, not sure if she should say something further.

  “I’m Adrianna,” she held out her hand, her smile back on her face.

  Eva sighed in relief, and shook Adrianna’s hand.

  “I’m Evangeline, though I’m sure you already knew that,” she giggled. Her so-called fame preceded her in this village, judging by everyone’s reactions.

  “Yes, I know who you are. Everyone does, I’m afraid,” Adrianna confirmed, her smile slipping slightly.

  “Why is that? Has Quinn never done this before?” Eva fidgeted with her fingers.

  “Sit, Evangeline. Would you like some tea?” Adrianna asked, evading her question for the moment.

  Evangeline took the proffered seat, and nodded.

  Adrianna walked to the room at the back of the shop, and amidst the noise of a kettle boiling, prepared tea for them.

  She walked back into the shop, and placed a teapot and two cups on the table, before taking a seat herself.

  “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, Eva. Do you mind if I call you that?” Adrianna poured tea into both cups, the smell of vanilla and cardamom floating in the air. Eva shook her head; she felt comforted by Adrianna’s presence – she hoped that she had found at least one person in this village who wouldn’t stop and stare at her anymore.

  “I’ll answer what few questions I can for you – if you’d like. I’ve known Quinn since he was a baby; I was his mother’s midwife,” Adrianna smiled at the memory.

  “Why? Why did Quinn pay gold for me?” Eva asked, as she took a sip of her tea. Its calming effect was immediate, and she smiled in thanks.

  “The people of the village have many theories as to that answer. The most popular being that you will be used for reproduction purposes. Quinn has never taken a mate amongst the villagers; a fact that serves to irritate the g
irls greatly. They throw themselves at him and he barely blinks. So, the theory has come about that he prefers his mate to be, shall we say, his personal property,” Adrianna shrugged, as though she herself did not believe such nonsense.

  “You’re saying he bought me, only to force me to have his children?” Eva’s eyes widened. The shock of what Adrianna had said raised goose bumps on her flesh, and she shivered even though there was no cold draught.

  “No. I’m saying that’s the popular consensus. As for Quinn’s actual motivation, only he can answer to that,” Adrianna stirred her tea, seeming distracted.

  “Aren’t there girls, here, that would be all too happy to do that for him? Why pay for me to do it?” Eva’s head was spinning.

  “You’re focusing on the wrong thing, Eva. There are plenty of girls in this village who are more than willing to lie with him, and bear his children if it comes to that. The question isn’t why did he pay gold for you in general – the question is, why did he pay gold for you specifically?”

  The room spun uncomfortably around Eva, and her stomach heaved. She was struggling to make sense of what Adrianna was saying.

  “I don’t know,” she mumbled.

  “Drink some more tea, Eva. It will help.”

  Eva nodded and drank a sip of tea. To Adrianna’s credit, the room spun a little bit slower.

  “Eva, I know this is a lot to take in. One piece of advice – don’t let the local gossip fool you. Quinn has never paid for a person before. The fact that he paid for you, while odd, tells me something deeper is afoot here.

  And watch out for the girls – they will most likely get nasty with you. They’ve all had their eye on him for years; now they believe he thinks they’re not good enough. Jealousy is a very ugly thing.” Adrianna’s calm voice brought sense back to Eva, and the room finally stopped spinning.

  “I’ll try, Adrianna. I just don’t understand.”

  “I know you don’t. The only person who can explain his actions, is Quinn himself.”

  Eva nodded and finished her tea.

  “Do you mind if I come back if I have any questions?” she asked as she stood up.

  “You are welcome to come back, even if you don’t,” Adrianna smiled, and Eva could see she genuinely meant it.

  She thanked Adrianna before stepping out into the street once more. The ground firmly at her feet, Evangeline made her way back to her room. Her excitement for exploring the village had dissipated slightly, and she couldn’t handle the stares anymore.

  She walked quickly, her head bowed. She could hear people whispering around her; she could feel their stares even if she couldn’t see them. Her skin prickled as though she were in danger, as though a thousand eyes were following her. Eva felt her skin flush with embarrassment, as the whispers grew louder.

  She walked as fast as she dared, relief washing over her as she finally made it to the kitchen door. Eva let herself in, and sank down against the wall, burying her head in her hands. She wasn’t sure she was strong enough to do this, but she knew she didn’t have a choice but to be.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “You startled me,” Evangeline murmured from where she was sitting on the floor by the kitchen door. Quinn had only just returned from spending the better part of the day surveying the tribe’s outlying hunting cabins.

  He had found that productivity was better maintained if his presence was felt by the hunters – and as such he had made it his mission to make his known at least once a month.

  To his horror and dismay, Quinn had found himself distracted the entire day. He had struggled to focus on anything the hunters had said – whether complaint or compliment – and could remember nothing of what he’d seen or said himself that day. He could blame only one person for his distraction, Quinn sighed to himself. It was his own fault, he knew that perfectly well, but was it really necessary for Evangeline to occupy his every waking moment?

  All he could see when he looked at her now was the sadness etched in her face; from her full lips, turned down at the corners, to her hands, delicate yet capable, constantly fidgeting. He hated himself for doing this to her; he wished he could take it back.

  It pained him to his core to see the light of her smile fade away in just the single day that she’d been in his village. The only time that light seemed to find its way back into her eyes was when she was giving him grief; a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed by Quinn.

  Her grief was his own fault, Quinn told himself harshly. The shock at finding her sitting on the floor in apparent defeat washed through him; he had done this.

  “Do you mind if I join you? That looks terribly comfortable,” Quinn couldn’t help the sarcasm; she seemed to bring it out in him.

  Evangeline nodded and he was pleased to see her mouth lifting in one corner. There was hope, yet, then.

  “Did you know,” he said as he sat down next to her, “That there is a ten percent decrease in the number of baby deer born this year, and somehow it’s either my fault or my problem?”

  Evangeline shook her head, a look of confusion clear on her face. She furtively wiped away her tears with the back of her hand; Quinn couldn’t stand the thought that she’d been crying.

  “This is the nonsense I’ve had to listen to today. My hunters seem to think I directly control the breeding habits of the wildlife surrounding us. I’m Godlike, you see.”

  Eva almost giggled, causing her smile to develop fully.

  “There she is,” Quinn murmured, relief flooding through him. Eva swatted him on the shoulder, though not entirely playfully, Quinn thought as he rubbed the spot she had hit him on.

  “I bet you’ve got a mean right hook,” he quipped, pointing to his shoulder.

  “I would worry if you think that’s all I’ve got to defend myself with,” Evangeline retorted, smiling slightly.

  “Let me never make that mistake again,” Quinn laughed at the memory of a seven-year-old Evangeline teaching his younger self a lesson in manners.

  Quinn’s original tribe had a very good relationship with Eva’s tribe; Quinn’s own mother came from her tribe. They had known each other as children, and often played together in the woods surrounding Eva’s village. They had played as thieves and robbers, as Indians and doctors.

  That was, until Quinn had been rude to Eva by telling her he didn’t play with girls anymore.

  Ten-year-olds, Quinn shook his head at himself.

  The transition to his teenage years hadn’t been kind, and Evangeline had been a headstrong child who didn’t take well to being told she was too little and girly to play with him.

  Quinn remembered clearly how she had stomped her foot, folded her arms and said he’d regret it. He also remembered that he had, indeed, ended up regretting it, when Evangeline beat him in an arm wrestling match that very day.

  Quinn had had to swallow his near-teenage pride, and admit in front of all the girls that Eva had a stronger arm than he did.

  “Would you like to give it another go? I think I’ve still got your measure,” Evangeline taunted him.

  Quinn laughed and shook his head.

  “I don’t want to stand in front of the girls and admit I lost again,” Quinn replied.

  To his horror, Eva’s face crumpled and she buried her face in her hands.

  “What? What did I say wrong?”

  Eva waved a hand, dismissing the question. If it wasn’t him, then who was it? he wondered.

  Quinn tentatively reach an arm across Eva’s shoulders, and meeting no resistance, pulled her against his chest. He held her until the sobs had subsided.

  Evangeline wiped her eyes dry, and sniffing, looked up at Quinn. She wished she could ask him why he had bought her, but she knew she wasn’t ready to hear the answer. His eyes looked tortured, and Eva wished she could be glad that he was suffering just like she was.

  The reality was that she couldn’t be glad; there was something about the way he looked at her that made it impossible for her to hate him. He didn’t look at he
r like she was his property, instead he looked at her with something more like reverence.

  Eva wasn’t sure she understood why Quinn looked at her with anything more than a passing interest – she was merely the result of a financial transaction. She was nothing special, she told herself. There was nothing special in him choosing her – she was just a lucky short straw.

  Feeling Eva stiffen against him, Quinn loosened his grip on her. Her sobbing had subsided thankfully; Quinn wasn’t sure he was the person to come to for emotional support – being the leader of his own tribe required a certain lack of emotional involvement. He had come to find it easier to manage his tribe when he kept his emotions as far out of it as he could, and now felt that he was permanently emotionally stunted as a result.

  Eva pulled away from him, suddenly angry at the thought that she had let the man who paid for her comfort her.

  “Are you okay?” Quinn asked softly, only enraging Eva further.

  “Perfect. Why would I be anything other than happy, Quinn? What could possibly make you think I’m not okay?” Eva spat at him as she stood up.

  Quinn’s eyes widened in surprise – Eva’s entire demeanor had changed in just a few seconds. He was forced to remind himself once again that she was, when it came down to it, a she-wolf with her back against the wall.

  “Could it be the fact that I’m now your property? Bought and paid for with your hard-won gold,” Eva continued when Quinn failed to reply.

  “Eva,” Quinn said her name softly, looking up at her from where he was still sitting on the floor.

  “No. Don’t you say my name like I’m anything less than a breeding machine,” Eva snarled back. The look of confusion on Quinn’s face almost halted Eva’s tirade, but she refused to let her anger go this time.

  “A what?”

  “You heard me,” she refused to believe that Quinn didn’t know what she was talking about. These were the words of his own tribes-people There was no way he was so disconnected from his own tribe that he didn’t know what they were saying about him. Eva knew that every story born in gossip had some truth to it somewhere; she had to believe that this terrifying gossip about her situation was true.