by Tara West
He reached for her. “Tatiana—”
“Don’t touch me!” She jerked away from him. “I need to be alone.” She stormed out of the room.
Go, Tatiana! At least her mates would learn they couldn’t trick her into going along with a stupid idea.
He looked at Amara like a baby who’d lost his binkie. “Doesn’t she realize how important this home is to us, to our future?”
Amara glowered. “Not dying is important to your future, too.”
He let out a sarcastic laugh. “The Stormwatchers are a bunch of drunks.”
“Who almost killed you,” Amara added wryly.
“I’ve learned my lesson.” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “I won’t turn my back on them again.”
As if that solved everything. Amara’s brothers were way too sure of themselves. The Stormwatchers had already proved they fought dirty. Why would they expect the next time to be any different?
“You know what, Dimitri?” Amara groaned, and not just because her brother was infuriating—that pain in her abdomen returned. “I think you might actually be more hard-headed than my mates.” She did her best to ignore the ache in her womb that was like a dull knife slicing through soft butter. “Lie back and let me heal you.”
THE GLOW FROM THE FULL moon, filtered in through the thin curtains, bathed their bodies in a soft, pleasing light. Amara cuddled with Luc and Rone in bed. She was grateful her bunics had replaced the old twin bed in her room with a bigger one. It took up most of the room, but at least there was space for her mates to sleep with her. After lying down, the stabbing in her womb had eased. She still hadn’t told anyone about the pains. She made a mental note to try to relax more. After working on Dimitri, he no longer had misfirings in his brain, so she had no reason to get out of bed anyway. She wondered if Hakon would still want to stay, now that Dimitri had been healed, or if he’d insist on taking her home. She wasn’t ready to return to her dull life in Alaska, especially if Drasko was forced to serve out his banishment.
Hakon said he would speak to Tor about reducing Drasko’s sentence, Amara projected to both of them while tracing her healing fingers across their chapped and wind-burned faces.
He told us, Luc answered.
She turned into him, dragging her fingers through his thick hair, which was no longer a crew cut, but a messy mop. How she loved running her fingers through it. He’s finally come around. Thank you for your help.
Luc colored. You don’t need to thank us. He’s our brother.
I’m ashamed for turning my back on him. Rone’s words were heavy with regret and loathing.
Amara turned into Rone as quickly as her bulbous body would allow. Cupping his chin, she softly kissed him. I think it’s time we left all shame and regret in the past.
Rone clutched her wrist, his eyes misting over. He needs your healing touch, Amara.
I know he does. She pressed into him and placed a hand on his heart, frowning at the dull thud beneath. You all do.
Amara lurched when the baby kicked so hard, she knew Rone had to have felt it, too.
He shot up, eyes widening. “Wow. That was a strong one. Are you okay?”
Another cramp hit her, the paralyzing pain sucking the wind right out of her. She rolled onto her back and gaped at her mates, unable to speak.
Luc stroked her face. “Do I need to get Bunica?”
She slowly let out a deep breath as the pain subsided. “No. Just a little contraction.”
Rone arched a brow. “Little?”
“Yeah.” She pretended it was no big deal. “This has been happening for a few days.”
Luc and Rone both shared concerned looks.
“Are you going into labor?” Rone asked, settling a hand on her abdomen.
“I don’t think so.” The rest of her pain slipped away, like a knot had unraveled inside her womb. She released another slow and steady breath. “He’s just running out of room to stretch.”
Luc’s brows drew together. “You would tell us if you were in pain.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Luc, I’ve been in pain the past two months. It’s not easy carrying a bowling ball on your bladder.”
“You know what I mean.” Luc gently rubbed her stomach. “If you go into labor, you’ll let us know.”
“Of course.” She averted her eyes, choosing to look down at the swell of her belly. “But I don’t think I’m in labor yet.” At least she hoped she wasn’t. She wasn’t ready to go to Bunica yet.
She heard a loud screech outside. She tried to sit up, but her belly wouldn’t let her.
Luc went to the window and pulled back the curtains, filling the room with the glow from the full moon. “Your stepmom is back.”
“Ugh.” Amara dragged a hand down her face. Their family had enough problems.
Luc slipped into his coat. “Stay here with Rone.”
Amara snorted. “As if I want to see that bitch anyway.” Truthfully, she wanted to jump on her stepmom’s back and claw her eyes out, but there was no way she was getting out of bed.
“I’ll keep an eye on her.” Rone cupped Amara’s cheek, the longing in his steady gaze making her heart do backflips.
She took a deep breath, doing her best not to show her pain as she felt another contraction coming, this one stronger than the last.
Ancients save her, she might really be going into labor.
LUC FOUND HAKON AND Drasko standing side-by-side on the front porch, watching the spectacle unfold.
He elbowed Tatiana. “Looks like they made up.”
She grinned. “Amara will be happy.”
Luc hoped this meant their pack was finally healing. Another shrill scream rattled his brain.
Katarina, naked as a babe, waved a broken wine bottle at her mates and paraded around in the snow. She was drunk, crazy, or both. Either way, she was going to freeze to death, or at the very least, get frostbite on her feet.
“Ancients curse you! Ancients curse all of you!” she shouted, slurring the words. “You lied to me. You slept with that whore, and you lied to me! For twenty-two years our marriage was a lie!”
Second alpha Jovan approached her like a zoo trainer trying to corner a wild animal. “You know Marius was bewitched.”
She tossed a braid over her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Which is why we didn’t tell you.” Geri threw up his hands, letting out an exasperated groan. “Nothing we ever did was good enough for you. You would’ve never let us live it down.”
She waved the broken bottle in his face. “And now you bring the spawn of Marius’s sordid affair here to shame me.”
Luc bristled. Tatiana let out a low growl. His alpha brothers balled up their fists and stormed down the stairs, but Skoll stopped them. Together, Skoll and Van kept the angry alphas from advancing. Luc was glad. Amara wouldn’t want her alphas to get involved.
“She did not come here to shame you.” Boris’s tone was surprisingly even as his brothers tried to capture her while avoiding the sharp end of the bottle. “She came to heal your son.”
“She has turned everyone against me!” Katarina let out an enraged cry, throwing the bottle at Jovan when he got too close.
Jovan easily dodged it and then threw Katarina over his shoulder, smacking her hard on the ass when she pounded his back. “You did that to yourself,” he growled.
Bunica stood on the porch steps, wielding a cast-iron frying pan like a weapon. “Don’t waste your breath on that curva. She cares only about herself.”
Katarina went boneless, sobbing, Jovan’s handprint swelling red on her ass.
Boris fell on his knees. Turning his face to the sky, he let out an enraged bellow. “Ancients, why did you choose such a selfish cătea for our mate? What did we do to offend you?”
Katarina sobbed louder, shaking like a frightened mouse.
Jovan marched over to the truck, threw open the door, and shoved her inside. “You’re going back to your părinţi.” He took a blanket
from Marius and threw it on top of her.
She clutched it to her chest. “I’ll just escape again.”
Boris marched over to the truck. “And I’ll return you again. We don’t want you anymore, Katarina. After things are resolved with the Albescus and Stormwatchers, we’re asking our new chieftain to break the bond. You will no longer be our burden.”
She let out a wail so pitiful, it would have broken Luc’s heart if he hadn’t known she was a manipulative bitch.
“You can’t do that!” she cried. “Your sons will become bastards. Do you wish to bring shame on them?”
Luc would have to consult Tor, for he wasn’t sure if Amara’s brothers would become bastards under the law. He didn’t want this to affect their right to marry Tatiana or inherit the chiefdom.
Boris shared a long look with his brothers before turning back to Katarina. “You’ve already brought this family as low as we could possibly go.”
Jovan grimaced as his brothers crowded around the truck. “Maybe we could’ve forgiven you for running off with the Devoras, but not for the way you’ve treated our daughter.”
“Your sons will never forgive you if you abandon me!” Katarina shook her fists at them.
Boris snickered. “You’re wrong.”
Katarina reminded Luc of a toddler on the verge of a tantrum as she howled at the moon. “Constantine! Dimitri! Andrei! Dejan!” She paused, chest heaving, looking around the yard.
Boris spun a slow circle. “Where are our sons?”
Jovan cupped his hands around his mouth. “Constantine! Dimitri!”
Klaus ran into the house, then returned. “They’re gone, and they took the dart guns!”
Bunica slumped against her gamma, Anton. “Idiotules!”
“Curse the Ancients!” Boris wagged a fist in Katarina’s face. “This is all your fault, Katarina. If you hadn’t distracted us, they wouldn’t have snuck away. If they die fighting the Stormwatchers, it will be on your head!”
Katarina wept into her hands.
Klaus grabbed Boris. “You need to go after your sons.” With a whistle, Klaus gathered everyone around the truck. “Our grandsons are walking into a trap, and it will take more than my sons to bring them back safely.”
Are you ready for war? Hakon projected into Luc’s mind.
Luc shared a determined look with his brothers as he flexed his fingers like claws. More than ready.
Two low, deep war cries echoed in Luc’s mind, and he responded to them in kind.
“My brothers and I will go, too,” Hakon said.
Klaus nodded his approval. “Thank you, but we must leave enough protectors to look after our women.”
Skoll puffed up his broad chest, his long black, silver-shot hair blowing in the icy breeze. “Drasko and I will stay,” he said.
“Very well.” Klaus rubbed his beard, the wheels in his mind appearing to be spinning. “Anton and Van, I need you to stay as well and help keep watch.”
“Of course,” Van answered.
Anton stood ramrod straight, chin held high. “Yes, brother.”
Klaus gestured at the naked, sobbing banshee in the front seat of the truck. “We’ll take Katarina back to her părinţi. Then we will meet you at our sons’ home.”
When Katarina made sputtering sounds, Klaus turned to her with eyes blazing. “You will not put up a fight!” His booming voice shook the ground under Luc’s feet. “Every moment we delay puts your sons’ lives in more danger.” He let out a howl, and everyone followed.
Klaus raised his arms. “Ancients, please guide us this night as we prepare for war. Oh, great ones, I beg you to please keep my family safe.”
When Klaus beat his chest, the others followed suit, and that frozen courtyard shook like giants were descending upon them.
Hakon clasped Drasko’s shoulder. “Do not fail to protect our women.”
Drasko pulled back his shoulders, fists clenched by his sides. “I will guard them with my life.”
Hakon took Drasko in a fierce hug, whispering over his shoulder. “I know you will, brother.”
Luc looked at Tatiana, whose eyes shone with tears.
Hakon turned to his brothers with a feral gleam in his eyes. “Time for war!”
Chapter Nineteen
Constantine and his brothers hid behind an old tractor, eying the two wolves passed out in front of the porch with derision. He still couldn’t believe they had challenged Tor’s rule. They couldn’t keep an eye on their own house, much less be guardians of a tribe. Constantine wondered how they kept warm when their small bonfire was nothing more than ash and smoke. Then again, judging by the empty bottles scattered at their feet, they probably had enough Romanian brandy in their veins to fuel a furnace for weeks. He smiled as the shadows from the barn fire’s flames danced across the drunks’ faces. The barn was no loss to Constantine and his brothers. They’d planned to tear the crumbling, old structure down anyway. The animals were outside, bleating and crying.
Daniella Stormwatcher ran out on the porch, clutching a crying baby to her breast. “Wake up, you worthless drunks!” She kicked Ranko’s shins. “Our barn is on fire.”
Second alpha Ranko stumbled to his feet, mumbling incoherently. His arm was supported by a sling.
It gave Constantine great satisfaction to know Ranko hadn’t yet recovered from their confrontation. Ranko stared blankly at the fire, realization slowly dawning. He tipped his brother out of his chair. “Wake up!” he yelled. “This is the work of our enemies!” He spun on Daniella. “Inside the house, woman!”
She sauntered inside with a huff and lots of Romanian swear words.
Aguk Stormwatcher stumbled out next and ran for the hose.
Ready your guns, Constantine projected to his brothers. They intended to play dirty, just like the Stormwatchers had, and they’d cripple both alphas, as Aguk had done to Dimitri. Then Constantine and his brothers would reclaim their home. Constantine and Dimitri had already worked out a plan. Obren Albescu would not want his granddaughter’s mates to die, which meant he’d be forced to sign a treaty of surrender with Bunic Klaus in exchange for Amara’s healing magic. Amara and their bunics didn’t know of this plan yet, but Constantine knew they’d agree to it. He and his brothers would be hailed as heroes for ending the civil war and enabling Bunic Klaus to claim the chiefdom.
They stalked a wide circle around the perimeter, sneaking up on the Stormwatchers while they were busy trying to put out the fire. Constantine inwardly laughed. This was almost too easy. He gave the signal, and they shot the Stormwatchers with darts, laughing as they fell to the ground, crying for help.
The Lupescu brothers congratulated themselves as the Stormwatchers squirmed on the ground, frantically trying to yank the amethyst shards out of their legs.
Chest heaving, and panting like a wounded animal, Aguk shook his fist at Constantine. “You sneaky coward!”
“That, coming from the biggest cowards in all the Amaroki.” Constantine and Dimitri shifted into protector form.
He heard a loud snap, and the ground opened up beneath them. He and his brothers fell into a dark pit, landing flat on their asses in ice cold filth. Constantine swore as shards of wood tore up his legs, and his blood mingled with black, stinky sludge. He blinked up at the full moon, stumbling to his feet. Cursing and wrinkling his nose at the putrid stench, he helped his brothers up.
“Curse the Ancients!” Andrei whimpered, taking Constantine’s hand. “This is a septic!”
Constantine winced and then involuntarily shifted into human form when a sharp pain pierced his neck. His heart pounded when Dimitri shifted back, too. With a howl, Dimitri yanked a dart out of his neck, and Constantine did the same, but neither were able to shift back into protector form. A sudden dizzying sensation came over him as his brothers’ images doubled and tripled.
He glared up at Atan Albescu, who hovered over their pit.
Atan kicked snow on Constantine’s head with a grating laugh before turning to Ranko S
tormwatcher. “Dig those darts out of your legs and sober up!” He turned menacing eyes on Constantine. “We’ll take care of the Lupescus.”
Constantine frantically tried to dig the gem out of the wound in his neck.
“Removing the amethysts will do no good,” Atan said with a sinister chuckle. “They’re tipped with a sedative. By the time you wake, you’ll be some demon’s breakfast beyond the veil.”
Constantine fought to break out of his mortal skin, so he could climb out of the hole and save his brothers, but his arms and legs felt like deadweights, and his brain was so foggy, he could hardly think.
Did Atan say he was taking them to the veil? Constantine must’ve been mistaken. No wolf was that evil. He tried to call out, but his tongue was so heavy, he could hardly move it. He looked at his brothers in horror when they fell one by one, splashing muck on Constantine’s face. He tried to fight the fatigue, but it was no use. As his eyes rolled back, he cursed himself for being such a fool.
Ancients, save us!
TATIANA PACED THE LIVING room floor, pounding her open palm with a fist. “If the Stormwatchers don’t kill them, I will.”
“I’ll help you.” Amara leaned back against the sofa, rubbing her tummy and doing her best to control her breathing. She gritted her teeth as another ache rolled through her lower abdomen. The pains were now ten minutes apart. She knew without a doubt, she was going into labor. Of all the inconvenient times.
Luckily, Bunica and Bunic Anton hadn’t noticed. They were in the kitchen, heads bent together while they prayed to the Ancients.
Tatiana knelt beside the sofa, turning pleading eyes on Amara. “Can you see what’s happening?”
She held a pillow to her chest. “I only have visions when I’m sleeping.”
Tatiana tugged the pillow out of Amara’s grasp and laid it aside. “Can you try?”
“Okay.” She wanted to lie down, anyway, in hopes the contractions would stop.
Tatiana tucked a blanket around Amara and then lowered the lights. Then she sat on the floor beside her and held her hand.
