The Royal Shifters Complete Series Boxed Set

by Alice Wilde

  Gorm motions for them to follow him and Astrid and my daughter leave the room. I can’t help but wonder if this will be the last time that I ever see either of them.

  Without looking at Li or Annalise, I turn toward my own bedroom, my heart heavy.

  Twenty-Eight

  Annalise

  I’d forgotten what it was like to sail. Or, more accurately, I had blocked it from my memory.

  I hadn’t missed it.

  Thankfully, the Viking longboats move much faster than the other ships I’ve been on, and these men actually seem to know where they’re going and how to navigate the seas far better than anyone else I’ve ever met.

  Roan, Li, and I are sailing in one of the longboats together, but Ero has chosen to sail in another ship, leading the way back to Scotland.

  We’ve barely spoken since our night together, and Ero may not want me anymore, but I can’t help but feel further drawn to him the more I see glimpses into the nature of what I believe to be his true character. Roan is obviously much happier with a literal ocean between us and Ero, even if his ship is a stone’s throw away, but I feel as though a part of me is gone.

  I drop to my knees, Roan throws himself over me, and I cover my head with my arms as flaming arrows sail over our heads.

  “Stay down,” Li roars, motioning for everyone to get low. “Here comes another volley!”

  The men duck down in the ship with me except for one, an arrow hitting him between the shoulder blades. I watch in horror as the fire spreads over him.

  “Throw him overboard,” Li commands, and one of the men closest to the flaming body shoves him over the side of the boat. I hold my breath, hoping that once he has hit the water, he’ll still be alive, but there’s no sound of a struggle.

  “We have to get to shore,” Li shouts. “Stay down and row, men!”

  Ero had left some of the most skilled Viking sailors and warriors with us, and I’m thankful he did. Most of them have knowledge of common tongues and can communicate with us, or at least understand Li and his orders.

  Even though Li hadn’t been assigned a position over them, there was something about the way he carried himself in battle that made you do as he said. His voice carries well above the noise, and although loud, his words are clear and calm. What he says, you do, or risk losing your life.

  The men row toward shore as quickly as possible, and I can see the other ships are following suit. This isn’t what I had imagined returning to Scotland would be like. I’d thought we would return to Roan’s home first, but almost as soon as we had crossed the sea, scouts were sent ahead to find out which of the Scottish clans had been taken over by cruel warlords.

  Once our maps were marked, we set out for the first of them almost immediately. Several surrendered almost as soon as they saw us approach, but others had been much like this. With each victory, men joined us, some Scottish and some Viking. Roan and Ero often went ashore, with Li as their mediator, to try to make peace beforehand and reason with the clans and Vikings alike, but most of the larger Viking settlements never went down without a fight. We had lost men and ships along the way, but gained far more than we had anticipated as well. We had more than eighty ships with us now, and nearly four-thousand men following us into battle. Yet we’d barely made it halfway back to Roan’s home and there were still Viking strongholds like this one that would try to attack us. Although, I suppose if a huge number of ships suddenly appeared on the horizon, I’d prepare myself for war, too.

  I raise my head slightly to look around just as an arrow whistles by my ear. Roan pushes me back down in the boat as soon as he notices. “Stay down, lass,” he growls.

  I almost kiss the ground as our longboats finally run aground on the shores of Roan’s homeland. There’s a small army nervously gathering on the beach, but they stand down in relief as soon as they recognize Roan. We are ushered up to the castle almost immediately.

  I smile inwardly at the astonished disbelief written all over Fiona’s face as we approach her in the Great Hall.

  “Welcome back, brother,” she says. “I hadn’t expected you back so soon.”

  “I doubt you ever expected me to come back at all.”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Fiona says with a nervous laugh. “I see you’ve brought…others with you.”

  “Vikings, yes,” Roan says. “I have as little fondness for them as you do, but they are here to help.”

  “What are you planning to do with all these men?” Fiona asks, the meaning clear in her tone.

  “Dinna fash, we have no intention of staying longer than we must. The men won’t enter the castle without permission. However, I’d ask that you have a bit of food and fresh water supplied to them while we’re here. Nothing much, only what can be spared.”

  “Of course,” Fiona says, feigning a smile. “I’ll have the servants make up your old rooms. How many will be staying in…and around the castle?”

  “Thank you. Just Annalise and I will remain in the castle. The other seven thousand will remain outdoors,” Roan says quickly as he takes me by the arm and leads me out of the Great Hall and to our room before Fiona can compose herself enough to speak. “Let’s hope that the other clans arrive on time. I doubt Fiona will have much patience for us as long as Vikings are camped out on our land.”

  “Do you doubt they’ll come?” I ask.

  “I believe most of them are men of their word, but there’s always the chance they’ll rethink their decision with Vikings involved.”

  I walk to the window and look out over the grounds. “Will they be comfortable out there?”

  “Vikings are strong warriors. They’ll be fine as long as we don’t stay too long.”

  I nod, glad Roan thought I was thinking about the Vikings and not Li and Ero in particular.

  The following days are tense as we wait for any of the clans to make their appearance, and I’m beginning to think they’re not going to when I wake to a loud commotion coming from outside the castle.

  “Roan,” I say into the dim light of the room, but there’s no answer. I hurry to the window to peer out and see torches coming over a ridge toward us in the distance. I can’t tell who they are in the dim light of early dawn, but the Vikings are already running around camp.

  What seems like only a few torches at first turns into a sea of light pouring over the ridge and down toward the castle. Shouts rise throughout the camp, and I start to panic that these are not allies.

  I spin around and quickly dress in my Viking clothes. I’d missed wearing pants while they were being cleaned. Wearing dresses over the past few days had been cumbersome, and I’d tripped over my skirts more than a few times. It had been a struggle to resist cutting long slits in the material.

  Tucking my dagger into my belt, I pull my hair back and rush from the room down to the Great Hall, hoping I’ll find Roan or someone to let me know what’s happening.

  Before I even reach the hall, I can hear voices shouting, and it sounds like Ero and Roan. My stomach twists with anxiety as I enter the hall and see them yelling in each other’s faces as men stand in a group around them.

  Roan and Ero turn to look at me as I enter the room and then glare at each other angrily for another moment.

  “Fine, then, you tell her,” Roan says, straining to keep his voice calm but still loud enough for me to hear.

  Ero’s jaw tightens, and then he takes a breath before walking over to me. My heart skips a beat as he approaches. It’ll be the first time he’s spoken directly to me in ages.

  “Walk with me?” he asks, gesturing toward the doors I’ve just entered through. He doesn’t offer me his arm, so I turn and walk out as he follows behind. Stepping into pace beside me, Ero leads me out of the castle and onto the grounds.

  “I saw torches on the horizon,” I say, trying to break the silence between us.

  “Yes,” Ero says. “One of the other clans wants to join us, but there are conditions to be met.”

  “But it’s good news,
right?”

  “It’s a good sign,” Ero says.

  We continue walking for a while in silence through the camp when Ero suddenly stops in front of a large tent and pulls it open. I look up at him questioningly.

  “It’s my tent,” Ero says, confirming my suspicion. “I’d like to talk to you privately, if you don’t mind.”

  I hesitate, but then walk under his arm and into the tent as he holds the material up for me. The tent is surprisingly spacious and comfortable, far from what I’d expected, but I suppose he’s probably been given some furnishings from the castle. There are furs spread over part of the ground where I suppose he has been sleeping, as well as a small table, candles, and a tray of food and drink. It’s no room in the castle, but it’s far from sleeping out in the forest.

  I stand nervously in the center of the tent as I wait for Ero to say something. There are no chairs or else I’d take a seat as I wait.

  “Thirsty?” Ero asks.

  I shake my head and watch as Ero strides to the small table and pours himself a mug of dark liquid and finishes it almost as quickly before pouring another.

  “Perhaps I could use a drink,” I say.

  Ero looks over the top of the mug at me as he finishes off the second drink. He fills the mug once again, but this time hands it to me before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

  I sip at the thick, dark liquid and grimace. It’s alcohol, and strong alcohol at that.

  “Annalise,” Ero says, his back to me. “I…” He trails off and sighs deeply before turning around to face me. “Perhaps we can sit down?”

  Before I can answer him, he walks over to the furs lying on the floor and sits down. I take as large a gulp of the horrible tasting liquid as I can bear before setting the mug down on the floor beside Ero’s makeshift bed and joining him.

  We sit in silence for a long minute, and then Ero clears his throat.

  “I can’t go any farther with you.”

  “What?”

  “You, Roan, and Li have to continue on without me.”

  “You can’t be serious,” I say in disbelief.

  “I’m sure you’ve noticed that Roan and I can barely remain in the same room together for more than a few minutes,” Ero says. “It’s only going to get worse as time goes on.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Ero rubs his temples. “The Vikings won’t fight unless I’m leading the attack, and the Highlanders won’t fight unless Roan is.”

  “That’s absurd,” I say. “This is about more than which group of people is in charge.”

  “It’s just the way things are, princess. They’re already sensing the division between Roan and myself, and it’s making them uncertain about entering into battle with one or the other.”

  “So, figure it out,” I say hotly. “I thought we could get past all this by now.”

  “Maybe you can,” Ero mutters to himself.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I say as I grab his shoulder and try to turn him toward me, but he remains completely still, unaffected by my touch.

  “I never meant to come between you and Roan,” Ero says. “I saw the way you looked at me after our night together. The pain and confusion I’d inflicted on you. I swore I’d never do that to someone, and I failed. It won’t happen again. Roan is better suited for you, and with me still in the scene…”

  Ero trails off and I stare, unseeing at the space in front of me as I try to digest his words.

  “Ero,” I say, trying to choose my words carefully, “are you saying you have feelings for me?”

  “Apparently I’ve done a better job of concealing them than I thought, and now I’ve gone and ruined everything again,” Ero says with an exasperated sigh. “I swear I won’t let it affect things between us ever again.”

  “I wish you would,” I say, my voice barely audible even to myself.

  “What did you just say?”

  My heartbeat quickens as I repeat myself louder.

  “Dammit,” Ero growls before pushing me back on the furs and kissing me fiercely.

  “Roan is going to kill me.”

  Ero pulls away from me as the words leave my lips, closing his eyes as he tries to think. “What about Roan?”

  “My feelings haven’t changed for him,” I say slowly. “I still care for him as much as I ever have. Only now, there’s space in my heart for you too.”

  “Space in your heart, or in your bed?” Ero says with a raise of his eyebrows.

  “Can’t it be both?”

  “I’d never expected those words to escape your lips, princess. Does Roan know this?”

  “He doesn’t like it, but he’s accepted that I have feelings for you,” I say.

  “No wonder he still hates my guts,” Ero says with a grin. “Well, I don’t care much what Roan thinks if this is what you really want. I’m not trying to bed him after all.”

  My face flushes at the thought.

  “And you are certain this is what you want, right?”

  I hadn’t thought this far ahead, and certainly hadn’t expected any of this to happen, but I nod my head slowly.

  “Tell me this is what you want,” Ero demands.

  “It is.”

  “Dammit, Annalise. You’re quite literally going to be the death of us all,” Ero says with a laugh. “Just remember, you’ll only have yourself to blame the next time Roan tries to murder me.”

  “He won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”

  “Good luck with that,” Ero says as he lays back against the furs.

  “So, you won’t abandon us, right?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. Feel like trying to convince me?”

  I open my mouth to say something, but Ero gently taps my chin to close it.

  “Not like that,” he says as he undoes the laces of my shirt with a single tug.

  Ero pulls his shirt up over his head and tosses it aside before rolling onto his back and pulling me on top of him.

  “Remove your clothes,” he orders.

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  I push myself into a sitting position on top of him and start to undo the various buckles and laces as quickly as I can.

  “Slowly,” Ero says, staying my hand.

  My heart pounds in my chest as he removes his hand, and I return to what I was doing, only slower. Ero watches me, his eyes eager but his face otherwise emotionless as bit by bit I remove the belts and outer elements of my outfit until all that’s left is my silk shirt and pants.

  Before I can move to pull my shirt off, Ero reaches out and runs a hand over my chest, touching my body through the silk. My nipples harden as his fingers graze against them.

  “Keep your shirt on,” Ero says as he pulls me down, pinning me tightly against his body.

  I whimper as one of his hands finds its way into my pants, feeling me through the thin fabric of the strange undergarments. Ero runs his free hand up my back and into my hair, grabbing it firmly before pulling my head back as he kisses my neck.

  Pleasure and desire build quickly within my body, but just before I can climax, Ero stops what he’s doing.

  “No,” I moan in disappointment.

  Ero grins wickedly at me before tossing me to the side.

  “I want you to touch me,” he says.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, my mouth going dry.

  Without another word, Ero takes my hand firmly in his and presses it against his bare chest, his skin soft and smooth to the touch. He slowly drags my hand lower on his torso until we’ve reached the edge of his pants. I half expect him to remove them or thrust my hand inside, but instead, he runs my hand along the outer fabric of his garments, and I can’t help but glance down as I feel him rise to meet me.

  I’ve caught glimpses of him before, but being this close to him brings new meaning to what I saw…and he hadn’t been aroused the times I’d seen him fully nude.

  Ero removes his hand from mine and watches me, waiting
expectantly for me to continue what he’d started. I can see his shape clearly through the fabric of his pants as I continue to stroke him, and my eyes grow wide at the size of him. I didn’t know it was even possible to be that size, let alone how it could possibly fit inside a woman’s body. The thought makes something inside me clench with anticipation and I shift uncomfortably in place as I find I’m suddenly wet.

  Ero seems to sense what’s happening and pulls at the laces of his pants, loosening them from around his waist.

  I can barely feel my heart anymore. It’s beating fast in my chest as I wait to see what Ero wants me to do next.

  “You don’t have to be afraid,” Ero says as he reaches into his pants, takes out his cock, and begins stroking it himself. I look up into his face, and he gives me a playful smile.

  “Grab it,” he orders.

  I waver for a second before doing as he says. He’s hot to the touch, his skin like silk. I can barely get my fingers wrapped around him, and I stay like that, frozen in place for a long moment. Ero props himself up on his elbows as he thrusts once against my hand, forcing my hand to slide along his length.

  “You’re not going to make me do all the work, are you, princess?” Ero asks through a groan of pleasure.

  Something about his groan of satisfaction at my touch excites me, and I watch his face as I begin to slide my hand up and down.

  “Harder.”

  I tighten my grip on him as I continue to stroke him, and Ero sucks air through his teeth.

  “Am I hurting you?” I ask uneasily.

  Ero shakes his head and leans back as he moans. I can feel my own body aching with desire as I watch the intensity of his pleasure increase.

  Ero exhales sharply and jerks his head forward to look at me. I don’t know what possesses me to do it, but I put his dick in my mouth, wetting it before pulling away and using my saliva to slide my hand more easily up and down along his shaft.

  “Don’t do that, princess,” Ero says, his voice strained.

  “Do what?” I ask, feigning ignorance as I place my mouth around the tip of his cock before he can stop me, looking into his face as I do so. It’s hard to distinguish the expressions that cross his face in rapid succession. Anger, shock, ecstasy, desire, all rolled into one.