“Are you still upset with me?” she asked.
Asch cocked a brow. “I thought you were upset with me.”
“I am,” she told him and ran her hand along the side of his neck. “But I don’t want to be.”
“Then don’t be.” Mila tried to come with him as he sat up, but he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. “Stay, get some rest. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Why do you have to go now?” she protested. “Can’t you wait a few days?”
“The sooner we intervene, the better,” he said and climbed out from under the covers. He tucked the blankets in tightly around her and then rested his hand on her stomach. “Besides, no one’s getting me or Caim away from the den once your scent starts to change.”
Mila shifted uncomfortably and looked away from him. “What if it doesn’t?” She chewed on her bottom lip, blinking rapidly. “What if there’s something wrong with me and I can’t get pregnant?”
Asch took in her watery eyes and frowned. “And here I thought you were crying because you’d miss me.”
“I wasn’t crying,” she said. He smirked at her and tapped his nose. “Okay, fine, but it wasn’t just that. It’s everything. I was almost eaten by a cat, Caim’s mad at me, you’re leaving, and if I’m not pregnant everyone’s going to think there’s something wrong with me.”
Asch reached out and brushed the corner of her eyes. “Forget about the cat, Caim will come around, and don’t stress about being pregnant. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, we try again.”
He said the last part mostly to soothe her, firmly believing that when he returned, Mila would possess the sweet, subtle scent of motherhood.
Part Five
Numerous packs called the Cordilleras their home, and I often had nightmares of enemy wolves raiding the den. In my dreams, they would kill Rein, slaughter the pack, and then they would come for me. Far from the structure and security of humanity, those with power did as they pleased, and those without it did what they must.
Rein was not the largest of the alphas I had seen, nor did he have the most fearsome reputation, yet I grew to trust in him, as his pack did. He was shrewd and knew that his true strength lay not only in his ability to take action, but also knowing which actions to take.
Marie du Luponte, 1931
An excerpt from Wolves of the Cordilleras
1
In the absence of a suitable rope, Sable was forced to improvise in hanging the body. She lifted the disfigured carcass and impaled it on a low-hanging branch. One of the arms, which had hung by bits of stringy tissue, fell off and landed in the red and white snow.
Caim imagined it had been a very unpleasant death for the cat. Though it had been less than an hour since he’d ripped out its innards, he had very little recollection of the fight. According to Lotus, it had tried to beg for its life while it still had a throat.
She stood beside him now, frowning and tapping her foot impatiently. When she caught him staring at her, Lotus’s frown deepened.
“I am starting to think that you and your human are perfect for one another.”
“And why is that?” he asked, knowing she was gearing up for a tirade.
“You both behave impulsively and without thought as to how your actions will affect others. I shudder to think of what would happen if Asch did not return and the future of our pack rested in the care of two ignorant fools.”
While he was used to Lotus criticizing him, he found his agitation stir at her disparaging his mate. He knew it was justified, but it irritated him nonetheless.
“My tolerance is thin,” he told her and narrowed his eyes. “Make your point or be silent.”
She matched his glare. “Killing him was stupid. This,” she hissed, pointing at carcass, “is insane. I recognize his scent. Do you really think it is wise to string up their leader’s brother?”
“He trespassed in my territory,” Caim said, raising his chin. “Now, he will serve as a warning to others who would think to do the same.”
“This has nothing to do with trespassing. They have been hunting on the outskirts of the valley for months and we have made no move to retaliate.”
He cocked his head. “And now we have.”
“No,” she said and threw her hands up. “What you have done is dismember one of their males, and for what? Sniffing your mate? Is it so hard to imagine that he was simply curious about the unattended human female wandering around the forest at night, and did not plan to assault her?”
“She carried my scent,” he said and his expression hardened. “He knew what he was doing.”
Caim, however, did not. It was unlikely that the were-cat had sought to kill his human, as it would have served no purpose except to incite the wolf pack. Perhaps, he had thought to ransom her, or more likely, he had been beguiled by the lingering aroma of the mating thrall. Either way, it had not mattered. From the moment the cat had approached Caim’s mate, he had been dead.
“Maybe he did,” Lotus said. “But that does not warrant causing a feud between our pack and their tribe. Not while Asch and four of our most capable fighters are gone. You forget that she is Asch’s mate as well. You had no right to jeopardize her, or the pack, without his consent.”
“Asch was just as prepared as I was to hunt him down and kill him.”
“Before he realized that he was reacting emotionally rather than logically,” she shot back.
Caim ground his teeth, not confident that he could continue the argument without getting physical.
It had been years since they had fought. Lotus was six years older than he was, and when they were children, she had always been bigger. Like all pups, they had often wrestled with one another. Usually, their brawls had begun on the heel of an argument and ended in laughter, with Lotus pinning Caim into submission.
But when they became juveniles, things had changed between them. As an alpha, Caim had grown large, fast. Inevitably, the day had come when Lotus could not best him, and he had pinned her. It had been the day he had discovered not only the thrill of being dominant, but also the pleasures of the female body. After that, Caim had relished in their arguments, if only because it gave him an excuse to fight her and to pin her.
Caim became aware that she was no longer speaking, and he recognized the expectant look she gave him. It was a wary, lustful look. In his younger years, it would have gone straight to his cock. Now, it merely confused him.
A week ago, when Lotus had returned to the den, he had propositioned her. The human had angered him, and he might have very well rutted with Lotus, had she not rejected him. He could have easily swayed her, but she had alluded to the fact that his mate cared for him. This alone would not have stopped him from rutting where he pleased, but it had intrigued him enough to give him pause.
Much had happened since then.
During the mating thrall, Caim had experienced unparalleled desire. It had come to him over and over again, always ending in a searing climax that tore through his body as he poured himself into his mate. Perhaps it was the memories of the thrall, still so fresh in his mind, which rendered him unaffected by Lotus’s wanton gaze. His jaw tightened, and he stared at her, unblinking. She averted her eyes, her tanned cheeks reddening.
“It will pass,” she said quietly. “You will grow tired of her, and when you do, I will be here waiting, as I always have been.”
She turned and walked away, the snow crunching softly beneath her light steps. Before he had time to contemplate her strange behavior, Sable approached.
“It is done,” she informed him and nodded toward the tree. Caim surveyed her work. The cat’s carcass had been grotesquely arrayed. Birds were already circling the sky above the body. By the time his tribe found him, his human form would likely be unrecognizable. “Do you like what I did with his guts?” she asked.
“I approve,” he said, the corners of his lips tugging with his amusement.
She brought her bloodstaine
d fingers to her lips, absently licking at them as they stared at the macabre array in a companionable silence. He could not help but think about how much easier things were with Sable. Like Lotus, Sable had been his pack mate since he was a pup. The same age, they had grown up together and had always been friends. When they were juveniles, Lotus had never had a problem with him rutting with Sable and had often joined them.
“Do you think I will become bored with my mate?”
It was a question he could not have asked Asch. It would have angered the other alpha, who was obstinate about remaining faithful to their mate. Since she had come to the pack, Asch had scarcely laid a hand on one of his favorites, and he had clearly instructed them to keep their distance from him as well. Caim had not gone so far as to order Lotus and Sable away from him, primarily because he had presumed, from the start, that their bond would be unaffected by the presence of the human. Even after he had agreed to share her, he had seen her more as Asch’s mate than his own.
It had made perfect sense. Asch could be the one to care for her and provide her with the affection she seemed to crave. When his mate was fertile, he could sire pups on her, but otherwise, he would remain uninvolved in her day-to-day life, retaining all of the freedoms he had been accustomed to before she had stumbled into his life.
But at some point, that too, had changed.
“Who knows?” Sable said, shrugging. “I certainly do not. I do think she is important to you. I am sure that your ‘friend’ could attest to that, had he a throat.” They both laughed, and Caim felt his irritation dissipate. Sobering, she asked, “Do you want to remain loyal to her?”
He considered the question, his eyebrows furrowing. “I do not want to be disloyal to her.” It was the most he could commit to, and he was not sure how long he would feel that way. Now that the thrall was over and she was likely carrying his pup, he had little obligation toward her, outside of ensuring she had adequate care. Decisively, he said, “I am alpha. I am within my rights to change my mind if I please.”
“This is true,” Sable said, nodding. “Well, I would not worry much about Lotus for now. Whatever you decide, she will make peace with it, as I have.”
Curious, he asked, “Are you not disappointed that I took a mate?”
She looked thoughtful. “I will miss our couplings.” Smirking at him, she added, “You are the only male who can pin me into submission. Though, I may enjoy doing the pinning for a change.”
Caim grinned and gave the carcass one final glance before turning back toward the den. Before he could shift, Sable put a hand on his shoulder, halting him.
“Lotus was always your favorite,” she told him. “Even when you were small, after your mother died, you would follow her around everywhere.”
“I remember.”
“And when you were ready to take a partner, she was your first choice. She has never been anything but your favorite.”
“You are repeating yourself,” he said, growing annoyed again. He wanted to shift and was strangely anxious to return to the den. He had been away for hours, and it bothered him to be so far from his mate—no doubt another lingering effect of the mating thrall.
“I do not know how to explain.” She shook her head. “All she has ever been is your favorite. She does not know how to be anything else. She will have to learn how to be your friend, as I have.”
He smacked her hand away and gazed at her through slanted eyes. “I was not aware that we were friends.”
Sable moved to slap him, but he caught her wrist and twisted it behind her back. Her eyes wide with excitement, she bit down hard on his muscled forearm. He let out a snort of laughter and pushed her head back with the flat of his palm.
They shifted, chasing and biting at one another all the way back to the den.
2
Mila peeked over the rock, chewing her bottom lip as she eyed the females on the dais. Lotus and Sable were engaged in a conversation, the latter of whom was gesticulating wildly. Whatever she’d said must have amused Lotus, because she threw her head back in laughter. Once her hysterics had subsided, she tilted her head back to say something to Caim, who lay beside them in his wolf form. As she spoke, Lotus placed a hand on Caim’s side, idly stroking his fur.
If Mila could have anything in the world right now, it would be the power to strangle people with her mind.
“What did she say to him?” she asked Gem.
The bleary-eyed teenager frowned. “I’m not sure. Sable made a joke about a turtle and Lotus said something to Caim about running.”
Mila groaned and ran a hand through her messy hair. “You’re not making any sense. I need to know, word for word, what they’re saying.”
“They’ve known each other for a long time. Most times, they talk about things that don’t make sense to the rest of us,” Gem said. “Besides, if they catch us spying, Sable will box my ears.”
Mila held up a finger. “One, I don’t even know what that means.” She held up another finger. “And two, no one is going to mess with you, least of all Sable. Let’s not forget who has ranking here. I’m the mate of the alphas.”
Gem hesitated before saying, “Mila, that don’t mean anything.”
Mila huffed in response. “Of course it does. Maybe before, when I was just some random human, it didn’t, but now that I’m probably, well, you know”—she gestured toward her stomach—“things are different now.”
Gem gave her an exasperated look. “Even if you have a baby, or ten babies, it doesn’t change the fact that Lotus and Sable are dominant to you.”
“Are not.”
“I’m not gonna argue with you, it’s just a fact.” She put her hands on Mila’s shoulders. “You’re important to the pack, real important, but you aren’t dominant. It’s a big difference.”
“I don’t get it.” Mila frowned. “How can they possibly be dominant to me? It’s not like either of them can hurt me.”
“Let’s be serious. They could snap your neck before you could blink twice. They just don’t because they know their necks would be next,” Gem explained. She pointed toward the dais. “If you want to know why they’re dominant to you, take a look and see where they are, and then where we are.”
Mila’s shoulders slumped. Gem was right. She was delusional if she thought Lotus and Sable would answer to her. Lotus had to be the prickliest person she’d ever met, and so far, Sable had treated Mila as if she didn’t exist. Things were not supposed to be this complicated.
It had been less than a day since she and the alphas had returned to the Cairn, the large den where the Lazarus pack was currently residing. Between nearly being eaten by a cat and Asch’s abrupt departure, she had been an emotional wreck. A brief nap had served to take the edge off her anxiety, but it hadn’t changed her situation. With the very real possibility she was pregnant, she had become irrevocably tied to Asch and Caim, and she still didn’t know how she felt about that.
Sure, it had seemed like a fantastic idea when she had been inexplicably hormonal during the thrall. But of all the things she’d been worried about before the mating thrall, there was one thing she had seriously overlooked: what would happen next?
Mila had known she’d have to address the issue of Caim’s favorites and lay down some ground rules regarding her role as their mate, but that had all been under the assumption they would actually care about her opinion. It hadn’t really occurred to her that once the mating thrall was over, the males would lose interest in her.
Maybe she was overreacting, at least where Asch was concerned. Earlier that morning, he had seemed genuinely sad at having to leave her. He couldn’t have left at a worse time, because she had no idea where she stood with Caim.
He had hardly acknowledged her since they’d returned to the den. She’d woken up to find him gone, off doing god-knows-what in the woods with Lotus and Sable. When they had returned, all three had seemed irritable, and Mila had kept her distance, hoping Caim would approach her. He hadn’t.
Now, it was past noon and whatever funk had been hanging over the three of them had lifted. Aside from being tired, they were all in a good mood, which pissed her off. Caim wasn’t supposed to be happy when she was miserable.
Gem let out a loud yawn, pulling Mila from her gloomy thoughts. Looking around, she saw that many of the wolves were sprawled out on their pallets, fast asleep. Only a stone’s throw from them, Rosie was curled up in her wolf form, oblivious to the carrying on of the few wolves who remained awake.
Despite her nap, Mila was tired too and more than just mentally. From what she remembered of the thrall, her sleep had been very broken. Between the relentless appetites of the two males, she had hardly ever gotten more than a few hours of rest.
“I’m going to get some sleep,” Mila said and stood. Gem rose with her.
“Are you gonna try to talk to Caim?”
Mila sighed and shook her head. “I drive myself crazy over that man every day. I think I just need to give it a rest and see how things play out.”
“Want me to walk you to your room?”
“That’s okay. I know the way.” She waved before heading toward the corridor that led to her bedroom. Through sheer force of will, she didn’t turn back to look at Caim.
* * *
A disquieting feeling settled over Caim as he watched his mate move to leave the cavern. Generally, he erred toward leniency with her comings and goings within the den, but with everything that had happened in the past few hours, he did not want her out of his sight.
He stood and shook the dust from his pelt.
Lotus touched his side, concern marring her expression. “What’s wrong?” Her eyes flicked over to the retreating human. “It is late. She is probably going to rest. We should do the same.”
Caim looked between her and the human and shifted. No matter how easy it had become to shift from form to form, he doubted he would ever become accustomed to his human form. His skin felt too tight, his large bones and muscles too compressed. He found it hard to believe he had been born as anything but a wolf.
Claimed by the Alphas: Complete Edition Page 19
