The Chosen Series Box Set: Books 1 - 3

by Charlene Hartnady

By the look on Brant’s face, Zane could tell that the question had also caught him off guard. “That wouldn’t be for about another four weeks,” Brant answered.

  “That long?” Katar adjusted the tie on his robe.

  Brant raised his eyebrows at Zane making a questioning look. Zane shrugged.

  The old man sighed loudly. “If nothing else, it will give me the time I need to convince my people…” he said, clearly talking to himself. Snapping out of it, he lifted his eyes up to face Brant and Zane. “Please put a temporary hold on the mating between Esral and the prince. I do not want her dating until I have made a final decision on her future though.”

  Brant nodded and smiled at Katar. “Your daughter must be very persuasive for you to have changed your mind like that.”

  “Let’s be clear, I may have changed my mind but it will need to be taken up with my council and the elven folk in general. Although I could force my people to bend to my will, I prefer not to operate in that fashion. Understand also that your brother and my daughter may still end up mating. There is much to be discussed and major decisions to be made that will affect the entire elven species. Though I do not approve or understand the need, I still hope that she will have her opportunity to date.” The old male made a face like the thought was distasteful to him.

  “I will convey your wishes to Xavier. I take it that Esral knows of your decision?”

  Katar nodded. “She looked happier than I have seen her in a long while. I just hope I can convince my people to alter certain age old traditions or that radiant smile will be wiped from her face.”

  “I have to say, Katar, you surprise me. I have always seen you as being highly traditional. This is pleasing, but still unexpected,” Brant said.

  “I’m glad that I’m not too old to still surprise others. I was very lucky to have been given Esme. There are many of my people who have only found misery in their arranged matings. It is something I hope to change. I have to say that your female reminds me in many ways of my Esme.”

  What the fuck?

  “She is a good judge of character. Has a way of putting things that encourages pause for thought. I am glad that I spoke with her. She helped me to see things differently. You are lucky to have her.” Katar nodded his head, his eyes moving from Brant back to Zane.

  “Extremely lucky.” Brant smiled at Katar for a beat before turning narrowed eyes on Zane. Giving a quick shake of the head, Zane narrowed his eyes back.

  “Since our female came into our life, everything has changed.” Zane said shaking his head again at the truth in his words. A smile formed at the thought of his feisty human.

  “Make sure that you work together with her in a solid partnership. Your relationship would work better and will be much more rewarding in the long run.” He looked at them each in turn. “Without Esme, I am convinced that my kingdom would’ve failed a long time ago. In such a short time without her, I have almost ruined everything. I have taken to asking myself what my late mate would have advised. Things are going better as a result.” He smiled. “Take the advice of an old man, do not make the mistake of pushing Tanya to the side, she could be a great asset.”

  They shook hands with Katar as was customary. Zane could see that Brant was lost in thought, not really paying attention as the old king got into the waiting vehicle. They watched in silence as the string of luxury cars pulled away and disappeared down the drive in a cloud of dust.

  “What the fuck just happened?” Brant’s eyebrows were knit in confusion.

  “I think our female just defied us and spoke to Katar behind our back.”

  Brant grinned. “The little minx.”

  Zane grinned back. “I think we need to have a little talk with her.”

  Brant snorted and shook his head. “We need to have a long talk with her. Since she is fully healthy, I will put her over my knee and spank her.”

  “Now that is something I would like to see. The good news is that the doctor will be here this afternoon as a precaution even though we already know that the news should be good.”

  Brant growled low. “Thank God our female is better. I hated seeing her bed ridden like that.”

  “You and I need to come to an understanding of sorts.” Zane locked eyes with the other male.

  Brant raised his eyebrows. “I’m not conceding.”

  “I don’t expect you to.”

  Brant’s eyes narrowed. “Are you conceding?”

  “No, I’m not fucking conceding.” He took a deep breath. “I have a better idea.”

  Brant eyed him wearily. “Let’s go somewhere more private to discuss this further.”

  Zane nodded once, suddenly feeling nervous in the pit of his stomach.

  Chapter 34

  Doctor Pollard removed the tight band from around her arm. “Your blood pressure is normal. That’s the last of the tests I needed to perform. All is looking good at this stage Miss Milan.”

  Tanya breathed out in a huff. She hadn’t even realized that she’d been holding it in.

  “Now for the monitor to check the baby’s heartbeat. He placed a device on the skin on her stomach. Almost immediately, a strong thumping noise reverberated around the room. Her mouth was pulled into an immediate smile.

  “Excellent. I have to say, Miss Milan, you are a very lucky lady indeed. This baby is nothing short of a miracle.” He fiddled with the stethoscope at his chest. “I’m happy to report that you’re going to be just fine. I still want you to make an appointment with an obstetrician for the coming week though.”

  Physically fine, maybe.

  It really bugged her that Zane and Brant weren’t here. She hadn’t seen either of them the whole day. Then again, maybe it was for the best. She’d received a clean bill of health. Both her and the baby were doing great. It was time to leave. Zane and Brant would only complicate things. It still stung though. They might not be together, but the males were still fathers to the baby. She let out a sigh, trying to smile back at the doctor while he packed up his things and said his goodbyes.

  Tanya had already asked Xavier to drive her to Becky’s place as soon as she could get herself ready. She’d never actually unpacked, so it wouldn’t take long. After a nice hot shower, she pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She brushed her still wet hair and then put the brush into her bag. With a last look around the room, she opened the door and walked straight into Zane’s broad chest.

  “Great, Cenwein, we’re so glad you packed.” Brant stepped in next to Zane. The two males side by side took up the whole hall.

  “Yeah, um Xavier agreed…” she stammered.

  “No need for Xavier,” Zane’s voice rumbled. “We’re perfectly capable of helping you move out.” Brant and Zane exchanged a knowing look.

  “Yes, we are.” Brant took the bag from her hand. They ushered her between them and she took up step with them.

  As much as their acceptance of the situation was the right thing, it still hurt like a bitch. She’d kind of hoped that they would try and talk her into staying. Somewhere deep inside she’d actually prayed that they’d be able to convince her. Both males could be persuasive. Only that wasn’t happening. They were actually going to see her back to Sweetwater.

  It didn’t take long for the anger to hit.

  Bastards.

  Tanya dug in her heels and the males moved ahead of her before turning to face her. “Where were the two of you?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Do you care so little about my wellbeing that you completely ignored my appointment with the doctor?” She made a sound of disgust. “Forget about me. Do you care so little about your unborn child? You should have taken the time. I know you’re all busy running the covens and doing whatever the hell it is that kings do, but you should have”—she shook her head, putting her hands on her hips—“made the freaking time.”

  “Are you done?” Zane raised his brows.

  “What do you mean? I have every right to be upset.” She stomped her foot.

  “No,
you don’t.” Brant took a small step towards her. “We could scent that all was well with the baby and could hear his strong heartbeat. We knew you were well. I’m sorry, Cenwein. The doctor was merely a formality.” His eyes moved across her face and a look of tenderness crossed his. “We sometimes forget that you are human. That you don’t have our enhanced senses. We would have reassured you if we had known that you were worried.”

  Zane stepped in closer. “Besides, we met with the doctor. Had a long chat with the male just to be sure.”

  She felt her eyes narrow at them. “Oh, did you now?”

  Zane nodded and a predatory gleam flared in his dark eyes. “He gave you a clean bill of health.”

  “Yup. It’s why I’m out of that blasted bed and—”

  “No, sweetness…you misunderstand. He gave you a clean bill of health to stay in bed, only you won’t be alone this time.”

  She felt her brow knit. “How many times do I need to say the same thing?” Her heart gave a little happy leap. The traitorous organ proceeded to beat a little faster. Dammit, she loved hearing him say those words. It didn’t change anything though. “This won’t work for reasons you already spelled out in meticulous detail right before you nearly killed each other.”

  “This isn’t the place to discuss such matters,” Zane said.

  “There is nothing to discuss,” she reached for her bag.

  “Would you like to do the honors?” Brant glanced Zane’s way.

  “I would love to,” Zane growled. He reached for her almost quicker than her eyes could track. One minute she was standing and the next she was up against Zane’s solid chest, his brawny arms surrounding her. She squirmed in his embrace. “Put me down.” But Zane was already moving at a pace that scared her. She circled her arms around him and dug her fingers into his flesh. They were going up the winding stairs of the North Tower. Why the North Tower? She knew that neither of them stayed in this part of the castle.

  Before she knew it, they entered a room and Zane deposited her onto a bed. A wide, extra big, extra-large expanse of a bed. It was a double king size bed to be exact.

  Her heart raced.

  Her cheeks heated.

  Glancing up, she caught the scorching gazes of both Zane and Brant. The large males stood side by side. Zane folded his arms across his massive chest. Brant raised his brows.

  “What’s going on?” It came out a little stuttered, which pretty much summed up how she felt inside. If they thought that they could buy a new bed —even if it was ultra-accommodating and so very soft—and think that she would fall right into it with them…they had another thing coming.

  “The doctor gave you the all clear. We are ready to mate you now,” Zane rumbled.

  “In a few minutes the new moon will be upon us.” Brant threw her a half smile that could melt the heart and panties off even the most seasoned spinster.

  “Hang on just a minute…” She slid off the bed and onto shaky legs. “Has one of you conceded? What happened to the whole we’re both too dominant thing?”

  The males exchanged knowing glances that made her want to stomp on their feet. It was the knowledge that they wouldn’t feel it even if she did that stopped her.

  “Yeah, Cenwein, we concede.” Brant winked which irritated her. There was no way in hell that either of these two had actually conceded. No. Freaking. Way.

  “Which one of you?” It was her turn to fold her arms across her chest. She was sure to tilt her chin in such a way that she knew they would see that she meant business.

  “Both of us.” Zane smiled looking every bit the predator he was.

  Tanya shook her head, sure that she hadn’t heard him properly. “What…? You can’t both concede it defeats the whole purpose.”

  “We can and we have,” Brant chimed in.

  Sucking in a deep breath, she prepared to argue how stupid that was.

  “We both concede. We concede to you, Ysnaar.” Zane’s voice had lowered to a deep rumble.

  “Me?” She blinked a couple of times trying to make sense of what they were saying.

  “Yeah, you. Now about that spanking.” Brant grinned at her.

  “What spanking?” she asked, her voice a little shaky. Unfortunately, the idea excited her.

  “You went behind our backs and spoke with Katar. That deserves a spanking.” Brant’s eyes turned feral.

  Before she could respond, Zane piped in. “About the terms of winning our little bet.” He lifted his eyebrows, focussing all of his attention on her.

  “Wait a minute.” Tanya pointed at Zane when he took a step towards her. He took another step. “Stop!”

  He grit his teeth but didn’t advance any further. “The doctor gave the all clear and we will be careful. We have been told to take it slow, easy. Brant and I will take turns fucking you so slowly…with exquisite care. You are going to beg for release.” He licked his lips as his eyes slid over every inch of her body. She had to work hard to keep from trembling. A raging need unfurled inside her with a speed that scared her.

  Her pussy flooded with moisture. Her clit throbbed wanting some of that slow exquisite attention. Lord help her, but she had to bite down on her lip for a few seconds to stop herself from screaming, Yes!

  After clearing her throat, she finally felt like she had gained sufficient control to be able to talk. “No,” a breathless whisper. “That wouldn’t be a good idea. Conceding to me won’t help. One of these days you’ll push me to the side and kill each other anyway. How the hell will I stop you? I’m just a puny freaking human.”

  “You’re our puny human. We love you, Cenwein.” Brant’s eyes were filled with such tenderness as he spoke. He closed the distance between them, taking her hand in his. She was too dumbstruck to stop him. “It means that you have us firmly wrapped around your little pinkie finger.”

  Zane took her other hand. “You may be a bit puny, but you’re also the strongest female we know. We love you, that’s why we are able to concede everything to you.”

  “If Zane and I are ever at a deadlock, you will have the final vote. No need for any death battles. Look at how you handled Katar.”

  Could it work? “I don’t know. Katar was different.”

  They both squeezed her hands. “You are right, Katar was different. You don’t have a hold over the male like you do over us, yet you managed just fine. Please.” Brant’s eyes flitted across her face staying on her mouth for the longest time before moving back to her eyes. “You love us.” He bobbed his eyes up and down.

  “You went behind my back. How do you think it made me feel when the two of you were ready to kill each other? Knowing that I might lose one of you.” She bit her lip trying to stop it from quivering.

  “We were wrong. It won’t happen again.” Brant’s gaze was unwavering.

  “When you were in the hospital”—Zane cleared his throat and swallowed hard—“fighting for your life, we realized how you must have felt at the thought of losing one of us. It made us see things differently. It made us realize that we would do anything to make you happy...do anything for you, sweetness. We agreed then and there that we would find a way to make this work. To stop acting like colossal idiots.”

  “Although, he was the bigger idiot.” Brant gestured towards Zane while grinning broadly.

  “Bigger everything.” Zane glanced down at the noticeable bulge in his pants. He bobbed his eyebrows at Tanya and grinned, a feral gleam in his dark eyes.

  Tanya laughed. “I don’t know…I need to be able to trust you.”

  Brant’s expression changed. “I do still need to come clean about one last thing.”

  The air seized in her lungs.

  He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Zane for a few beats before locking his eyes with hers. “You were Zane’s first choice at the choosing ceremony. He decided to choose another because he could sense that I was going to choose you as well.”

  “You chose me? Really?”

  “Don’t sound so surprised.”
Zane’s eyes darkened up a whole lot more.

  Tanya fiddled with the fabric on her t-shirt. “It’s just…there were some really gorgeous girls there and well…”

  “No comparison, Tanya.” The way he said her name sent shivers rushing up and down her spine. “None of them came even close to you. Let’s get something straight, I chose you but I didn’t want to cause a war between the covens.”

  “Zane did the honorable thing. I would’ve fought for you even if it meant war and untold bloodshed. The same thing happened to our fathers. It was the reason for the original Great War between the species. Our fathers chose the same female,” Brant paused. “My mother. They fought for her and my father won. If the same thing had happened again, we would’ve been easy pickings for the other species. Thankfully one of us had the best interest of our people in mind. I never did thank you, and it’s long overdue. You did the right thing more than once while I acted like a jerk.” Brant looked at Zane, he hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets.

  Zane cleared his throat, running his hand through his hair. “Yeah…no problem. A female like Tanya will do strange things to a male’s mind.”

  Her heart melted big time.

  “Things have changed since that fateful day. We had to work together to try and win you back. We’re…almost friends.” Zane’s eyes twinkled and his lips twitched.

  “Almost…what the…I spent hours at that damned computer. Hours of strategizing to find the best solution for us to get our female back. I let you drink from my vein, damn you.” Brant’s face was comical.

  Zane snorted. “Back to my earlier remark…I refuse to start stroking your dick.”

  “Fuck you.” Brant turned to Zane, chest first, his fists clenched at his sides. “I don’t need you, my female will stroke my”—then he broke out in a grin—“you’re such a God damned bastard.”

  Zane smiled back. “Takes one to know one.”

  “You said it.”

  They were bantering with one another like…best buddies. She felt her mouth drop open.

  “Now about that bet,” Brant said.

  “And about that spanking.” They turned to face her.