Twisted Fates

by A. R. Ford

  Kade only laughed. He noticed that my attention shifted. An almost imperceptible signal passed between the men. Kade made a horizontal slicing motion with his hand. Gorn lifted his chin, jaw clenched. They said nothing more about the prisoner.

  “You’re talking about Tilda, aren’t you?” Neither man responded to my question. Their attempt to ignore me only raised my ire. I bolted to my feet, fists clenched as I continued. “Don’t ignore me. I know who you are speaking of. It’s Tilda, isn’t it?” Silence followed my outburst. Kade’s growl came when I continued. “Is this any way to treat your queen? Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves. I am no child…”

  “Mia!” Kade barked as he stood. “We will discuss this later.”

  The tone of his voice struck fear where moments earlier a sense of peace, and contentment, dwelled. I lowered my gaze to the floor, fingers twisted together. As if sensing what occurred, Kade reached for my hands, enclosing them in his much larger, warmer hand. Gods! I should know to leave things alone, to defer to Kade in all things. My lower lip trembled as tears threatened. I pulled away, running somewhere, anywhere, but where Kade and Gorn stood.

  My feet led me to the medical bay. Berenger sat at a desk as he flipped through the pages of a chart, unaware that I stood there. “Berenger, is now a bad time?”

  He glanced up, his entire countenance warm, and inviting. With a wave of one hand, he welcomed me. “No, come in. I was just reading over your chart.” He beckoned to the empty seat by his desk.

  I took a seat, remaining silent, heart pounding so hard, I feared he might see it beating in my chest. “You wanted to conduct more lab work. I’m here for that.”

  Liar. You’re here because Kade was furious with you. My conscience was on point today. It would not let me slide by with anything, regardless how harmless the white lies were that I told myself, and others.

  “Let’s get started then, shall we?” Berenger produced equipment necessary to draw blood. He expertly found a vein, then watched impassively as several clear vials filled with crimson liquid. “I’ll begin analysis, immediately.”

  “Thank you,” I murmured, the sense of defeat from the incident with Kade making me feel reclusive in many ways.

  “I can do a pregnancy test, if you’d like,” Berenger offered as he swirled vials. He walked to a piece of equipment on a counter. The top closed with a click once the tubes lay within. A flick of a switch produced a whirring sound. Who knew what type of medical magic was taking place in the sleek machine? “I should do a test. You seem a bit off today, Mia. Is everything alright?”

  “Fine,” I assured him. “Let me know what the results are.”

  I left without another word. The dark comfort of the room beckoned. I curled up beneath the blanket in the center of the nest. The dull thud of combat boots on stone floors grew louder. Kade returning, no doubt to see if I had behaved in his absence. The door opened. A moment of silence ensued for several seconds before the door closed. I ignored him as he approached. I continued to do so, even when he insinuated himself in the nest with me. I turned away, closed my eyes, and focused on anything other than Kade.

  His hand stroked my hair, the purr beginning almost immediately. “Speak to me, beloved pet.”

  “My input is not required, or desired.” My words were muffled by a pillow clutched against my chest.

  “You are upset with me.” His massive body curled against mine, an arm pulling me tight against him. I squirmed away. “You must speak to me when we have misunderstandings.”

  “There is no misunderstanding. I wanted to discuss something. You forbid me to continue. That tells me my opinion is neither wanted, nor required. I will not speak when we are in the presence of others.” A haughty sniff followed my declaration.

  It was the wrong thing to do, I suppose.

  Kade growled aggressively, big hands assuming control of my body. He forced me to face him, fingers grasping my chin while his thumb caressed my lower lip. My irritation increased. I hissed in warning. He failed to listen.

  Since when has Kade ever listened to what you want? I hated my inner voice of reason.

  The question inspired my pathetic attempt at wrath and revenge. I bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood. The coppery tang on my tongue assured me I did damage.

  Seconds later, he sat on the edge of the bed, with me face-down across his lap. I squirmed, and yowled angrily. A smack on my behind warned me to remain still. I refused to listen to any warning. “Bastard! Let me go!”

  A half dozen smacks on my behind brought more squeals of pained protest. “Stop fighting!” Kade roared. His hands closed around my arms, hauling me upright until I faced him.

  The scent of Alpha fury scented the air. My nostrils flared. Eyes narrowed, I refused to back down. “You treated me like a child who did not have permission to speak. I thought we were supposed to discuss our differences, and misunderstandings? Or does that only apply to this room?”

  “You will not sabotage my authority in any way. Do I make myself clear, little one?” His face hovered inches from mine. His nostrils flared, lips curled in a sneer.

  “As mud. Fuck rational discussions. Fuck the pair bond. Do whatever you want with me. This is one reason why I tried to leave. That, and the fact that you have no clue how to love.” I winced internally at the profanities. It was the first time I had ever spoken those words.

  Kade flinched as if struck. “You will not leave me.”

  “So much for happily ever after.” My head throbbed, a dull ache settling behind my eyes. Every bit of energy drained out of me, as efficiently removed as viscera from an animal by the butcher who terminated its life. I closed my eyes, sagged against Kade, and forgot what feeling was. I only wanted to be numb.

  “Mia?” Kade whispered my name. When I failed to respond, he nuzzled my neck, and ear, tugging my earlobe between sharp teeth. His hands caressed my back, and shoulders, settling on my hips before he pulled my pelvis against his. “I need you. I cannot be without you.” He sighed heavily, forehead resting against mine. “You will ignore me until I apologize.”

  Cackling peals of laughter rippled from my throat. The laughter faded into an occasional giggle before I once again fell silent. “Why apologize when you meant it all?”

  “Help me learn to be a good mate, a mate who understands.” His voice was a low rumble.

  “Why tutor the unwilling?”

  “Gods, your questions!” His fingers traced along my jaw. “I forgive you for biting me. Forgive me for spanking you, and for refusing to allow you to speak.” When I failed to respond, Kade’s lips came to rest near an ear. “Hear me, Mia. You pout as a child would when she cannot have dessert after failing to clean her plate.”

  “Pouting? You call this pouting? Of all the outrageous claims I’ve heard, this is the worst!” I raised my head, glaring at him while I spoke. “You stubborn, egotistical…” My words faded when Kade gave me a boyishly charming grin.

  “I am all those things, and more,” he admitted. “Thank you for speaking. I thought you might pout for the remainder of the day.”

  “Kade…” I muttered his name, brows furrowed, fingers curled in his shirt. My fist pounded his chest. He laughed at my gnat-like blow before capturing the fist, and pressing a kiss to each knuckle.

  “I adore you, Mia. You make me feel more alive than I have in years. I have failed you. I have been stubborn, and egotistical. I am rough, when I should be gentle. I admit that, and more. But it does not erase the fact that I adore you. You inspire a strange emotion I have yet to identify. I will never let anyone harm you. Help me learn to be a better mate, and I will allow you to speak on matters of importance on Barkjour Isle. You will help me determine the best way to run the government, to ensure people are heard, and their concerns addressed.” His lips caressed my knuckles, once again, only to be followed by a sharp nip.

  Where did this boyishly charming side of Kade come from? My mind raced, trying to remember the moment it appeared. Find
ing no memory of it from the past, I assumed he had adopted this behavior in hopes of appeasing my frustrations. Regardless of when, and where it came from, I found it pleasing. His desire to allow me to assist with governing the island pleased me. I decide to concede, and see where this lead us.

  “My apologies for biting you. I will not apologize for speaking out. I gladly accept your offer to assist you in governing the island. You owe me an apology for spanking me without good reason,” I muttered in an attempt to appear fiercer than I felt.

  “I shall apologize, and kiss the area I wounded,” Kade grinned, his hand sliding beneath my skirt to caress my bottom. “Both sides. Repeatedly.”

  A failed attempt at mock anger followed his offer. “You’re trying to seduce me.”

  His scruff scratched my jaw when he kissed my neck. It would leave marks. “Am I succeeding?”

  I found it difficult to slow my heart, or catch a deep breath, I could only respond to his question. The words came out in a squeak when Kade’s tongue traced along my collarbone. “Yes!”

  “Good,” he growled, eager hands cupping my bottom. “For you have seduced me with nothing more than your eyes, and a smile.”

  We settled into bed that night after eating dinner in our room. Kade seemed more relaxed than he had been in months. He held me against his body with easy confidence, and strength. Our conversation settled on his desire to become a better mate. It felt good to lie in his embrace.

  “How could I let you know that you’re being a jerk without undermining your authority?” My finger trailed over the muscles of his chest.

  “Tell me you have something important to discuss. I will find an appropriate place to privately discuss the matter,” Kade’s fingers carded my hair. As was his habit, he held a handful to his nose where he inhaled the scent with eyes closed.

  “When will you begin making decisions on how the government will be run, and how concerns will be heard, and addressed?”

  “Tomorrow we will meet with my advisors. You must attend, speak up, and be heard.” Kade lifted me easily until I lay pillowed on his body. A soft purr rumbled within his chest. My head came to rest there, ear pressed against his heart.

  After several minutes of listening to the rhythmic thud of his heart, and the purr, I sighed. A happy, contented sound. It felt right to be here. I knew no harm would come to me while in Kade’s company. I lifted my head, eyes locking with his. My fingers caressed the contours of one cheek, and jawline. Something filled my end of the tendril. An emotion I could not identify--one mirrored in Kade’s heart, my heart.

  “Kade?” I whispered.

  “Yes, little one?”

  “What is happening to us? This ... the tendril.”

  “I think,” he rasped, “we are becoming more attuned to one another. There is more to this than simply syncing.”

  “I’m not certain I understand what it is.” My voice was filled with a child-like wonder, and awe.

  “We are falling in love, Mia.”

  “Ohh!” I sighed before he stole my heart, and breath, with a kiss.

  Chapter 10

  Kade

  Mia walked at my side with her head held high. The emerald shift she wore accentuated her curves. She looked every bit the queen I knew she was. My advisors glanced up when we walked into the council chamber. The cozy room, with a fireplace against the far wall, held a circular table surrounded by ornate chairs. Windows set high in the walls allowed light into the room.

  Five men sat on the council. Mia knew only Gorn. Gorn held his position due to his extensive military knowledge, and experience. Borloff was a well-known diplomatic negotiator. Hull held favor with the Betas who lived on the island. Anteros was an Alpha who spent time with me in One World’s prison. Without his help, our rise to power was questionable. Jald, an Alpha in his thirties, was selected for the council after I learned of his extensive knowledge of finances, and economics.

  “This is highly irregular.” The comment came from Borloff, an older Alpha with a shock of gray hair, and a neatly trimmed goatee, and mustache. Borloff was a man of tradition, even when tradition threatened the well-being of others. I rarely gave his opinion more than a passing thought.

  “Your queen attends the advisory council meeting at her king’s behest. Do you question my authority?” Although calm, my voice held an underlying steely tone.

  Borloff raised an eyebrow. He chose to shake his head while shifting in the chair. He would not look me in the eye. “Not at all. As our king, it is your duty to do as you see fit. Who am I to say otherwise?”

  Gorn chuckled at Borloff’s evident unease. “It is wise to heed our queen’s word. I am glad to see you found common sense along the way to our meeting.”

  The call to order came after everyone took their seat at the table. “My first order of business is to address the dwindling space in the Garrison for those who live here. Expansion into the mountain is not possible. Expansion outside the walls is possible. What do you think?”

  Each man seated around the table gave their opinions. Mia sat at my side. Her folded hands came to rest on the table. She tilted her head as she listened to each person.

  Gorn sat to her left. After he gave his opinion on the matter, he glanced at Mia. “And you, my queen? What are your thoughts?”

  “Thank you, Gorn,” she replied with a faint smile. Gorn grinned, then inclined his chin slightly. My mate had a champion. She continued in the same even tone of voice. “First, are there any of our people who would like the chance to establish the first settlement on the island? If so, I think allowing them to select a location, not far from the Garrison, would encourage their independence, without feeling stifled by our fledgling government. A position close to the Garrison would allow my husband’s forces to defend their settlement, if the need arose.” She paused briefly, glancing at me before speaking, again. “If it pleases the king, I would ask permission to speak about the settlement’s purpose. Each settlement should have a purpose that supports not only its residents, but the Garrison. I would recommend a village focused on farming, and livestock. Our food stores are dwindling. We are not in danger of starvation, but that day could come if we are not proactive.”

  Pride swelled in my chest to hear Mia’s proposition. My mate was intelligent, and savvy, in more ways than I knew. Even the advisory council members agreed with Mia’s plan. Gorn was the first to call for a vote.

  “I think we should consider our queen’s proposition. We vote!” Gorn grinned, a cup filled with wine held high.

  It came as no surprise when Borloff, and Hull, voted against Mia’s suggested plan. The remaining members of the council, including myself, voted for the plan. Borloff, and Hull, whispered beneath their breath as they left the council chamber. I knew to expect resistance from them. Treasonous behavior would earn them instant death at my hands.

  That afternoon, Gorn, and a dozen of my men, accompanied us to an area less than a mile from the Garrison. A few dozen of my people followed. The flat, grassy field extended for miles. It bordered the mountainous terrain where the Garrison resided.

  “You see here the beginnings of a settlement,” I informed them. “Your queen has suggested we launch a farming village. We need to produce more food for our growing numbers. If you are willing to undertake this task, each of you will be given property here. Raise your hands if you are willing to proceed.”

  Two dozen hands rose high in the air. Breaking ground began immediately. Those who possessed skill in construction volunteered for the task of laying out the settlement. Mia insisted on visiting the site, daily. Gorn came with us with the excuse of ensuring our safety. Cottages appeared over the course of several weeks. Each of the voluntary residents received deeds to parcels of land. Each was recorded in the first deed book on Barkjour Isle. My mind turned from thoughts of punishing the Beta held in the dungeon, to the task of managing the new settlement’s construction.

  Weekly council meetings brought a new fact to light. Mia was an inte
lligent, articulate woman, with an attention to detail. She pointed out the need for a historian to record our history. She identified the need for an official to manage records, including the transfer of property, births, deaths, and marriages. Borloff, and Hull, continually challenged any suggestion Mia made. Gorn took great pride in blocking their ineffective ploys. His laughter roared in the chambers. Mia could barely resist a similar response. I felt her mirth through the tendril. She maintained a sense of decorum, only sharing the humor with me when we retired to our room.

  A final inspection of the cottages, and plots for gardens, came the first week of spring. It took nearly three months for the last nail to be set in place in the final house. Settlers took great pride in detailing their plans. The faint smell of wood smoke, and freshly baking bread, filled the air. Fireplaces kept the chill from cooler nights at bay.

  Mia, and I, lingered in a settler’s home where we drank tea, and ate freshly baked bread spread with butter. We walked, hand-in-hand, along the path leading to the transport. We moved ahead of the main group, which included Gorn. He paused at each home, easily drawn into conversation with the settler who lived there.

  Our footsteps on the loading ramp halted when we heard the metallic click of a weapon’s safety being released. Tilda walked toward us with a VLR in one hand. Her blue eyes burned with rage.

  “You thought to keep me prisoner, forever? Your mistake,” Tilda hissed.

  My hand caught Mia’s. I stepped in front of her, my thoughts immediately focused on protecting her. “Put the weapon down, Beta. You will not be harmed. You have my word.” I kept my voice low, and devoid of aggression.

  “It’s a bit late for that. You wouldn’t leave well enough alone, would you? You wouldn’t stay in the prison. You wouldn’t allow Mia to leave. You never do what you’re expected to do.” She laughed while shaking her head.

  Tilda’s voice stirred a memory from my past. Of a Beta who served us slop each day. Of a Beta who sold her soul to One World. Of a Beta who escaped the day I broke out of the cell.