Ever After

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Freya suddenly appeared right next to her and startled her into almost toppling off the mountain.

  The goddess grabbed her by the edge of her tunic and hauled her back onto her feet.

  “Freya…”

  “Eira. How fitting. Little Snow sits on top of a little snow.” Freya laughed, and a warm wind washed over them both.

  “Where are we?”

  “Midgard. In the Cascade Mountains, as a matter of fact. Lovely, isn’t it?”

  Eira nodded. After a moment, she asked what she’d been afraid to know. “Avarr and Hall? They are well?”

  “Fit to be tied, those two.” Freya narrowed her eyes. “Just what do you think you’re doing cavorting with my personal guard? Don’t think I didn’t know you’ve been mooning over those two for years.”

  “Not mooning, exactly.” Her face felt hot.

  “Oh? So you don’t care about them?’

  “Not at all.” Realizing how that sounded, Eira quickly amended, “I mean, that’s not right. I care about them deeply.”

  “Enough to take their punishment? Yes, I know who did all the killing. And I know you were doing your best not to kill until Hall and Avarr stumbled into battle rage.”

  Eira didn’t want to lie to her goddess, but she couldn’t let anything happen to her lovers. “No. It was all my idea.”

  “Oh? You wanted the centaurs and fauns to fuck you?”

  “Crude, but no. I hate fauns.”

  Freya screwed up her nose. “Me, too. And horses that talk? Centaurs are too full of themselves. But I do like scarabs. Pity my pets had to mess with that one. I bet that was something to see. Aren’t they beautiful in action?” Freya sighed.

  “Yes. They are.”

  “You love them, don’t you?”

  “I do. Wait. What?”

  “No takebacks.” Freya laughed. “If you could see your face. For years I’ve watched the lot of you dance around one another. First Avarr and Hall, then you. Yet you, my proud warrior, would rather sacrifice your happiness than take away my finest guardians. Is that right?”

  Eira thought about it. Freya needed Avarr and Hall by her side. They loved Asgard. They deserved to be there, with the best. Freya had other valkyries. None so strong as Eira, but she would make do. “That’s right. Send me away, but don’t punish Avarr or Hall for serving you, goddess. Please.” She lowered her head, though it bothered her to do so.

  “Would you really beg me to save them?”

  Valkyrie didn’t beg. They didn’t surrender. But for her battle-cats, Eira made an exception. “Yes. Please, Freya. Save them.” Eira got down on her knees.

  “That is just beautiful.” Freya clapped, and mounds of snow fell from the mountains, starting an avalanche below them. “You know the pair mated you.”

  Eira snapped her head up. “What?”

  “Didn’t you wonder why your scars have yet to heal? When a battle-cat takes a mate, the scars signal a claiming. Didn’t you feel the power exchange?”

  “I thought that was just great sex.” Mated? Her heart raced in gladness and exasperation.

  “It was, I imagine.” Freya grinned. “My pets have been in heat for you for way too long. It was high time you fell in lust and in love, my dear.”

  Eira couldn’t believe it, but she felt tears in her eyes. “Tell them I’ll miss them.”

  “Yes. You have been banished, haven’t you?” Freya nodded. “Mars, that ass. He arranged for the whole fiasco by the lake. You didn’t think the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians would willingly fight for a valkyrie, did you? No offense, dear, but half of the centaurs are gay.”

  “Oh.” What did that mean?

  “What it means is that I’m not nearly as obtuse as Mars thinks. We can’t interfere in the games. Our mortal pawns control the win, with little help from us. But there are many ways around those rules. You had mortal parents, thus you’re part mortal. A pawn I’m more than willing to use. Granted, those beasts of yours sitting in Muspell are far from mortal, but a mate bond is a mate bond. Nothing I can do to prevent them from following you to your banishment.”

  “I don’t understand. You want me to play the game for you?”

  “You don’t really think I’d banish my finest warrior for a few meaningless deaths, do you? Honey, you were born to kill. No. I need you here, in Midgard, keeping an eye out for me. While the games play, you’ll run my headquarters, be part of my network. You’ll have to fit in with the humans, but that shouldn’t be too difficult for you. You were born here a few hundred years ago, after all.

  “You’ll need to get up to speed on the times as well as the new technology available. We’ll find you a house near the location of the game board. And when my pieces need help, you’ll give aid.”

  “Yes, Freya.” She wasn’t banished. Wasn’t going to lose Hall or Avarr. Her mates. Excited yet irritated they’d managed to mate her without her approval, she wondered how best to get even with them. But the notion they’d outflanked her only made her admire them more. As she’d told them, valkyries were hardwired to respect challenge and strength, both of which her mates had in abundance.

  “Go, my dear. Be on the lookout for the beginning of the games. I can’t wait to see how this plays out. Oh, and when you have babies, they’ll be part battle-cat. Imagine. The first battle-cat valkyrie. As unique as our elfin warrior.”

  “Good old Lowe.” Eira couldn’t stop smiling.

  She had her mates, a new adventure, and the beginning of a life she couldn’t wait to lead. Now she and her battle-cats needed to dig in to defend her goddess’s side in the coming challenge. With any luck, she’d get to sever centaur limbs and knock around a few humans who might stupidly side with someone against them. Gods, she couldn’t wait.

  She gave her goddess a huge hug. Freya let out an oomph, but she’d always been a tactile goddess, and she hugged Eira right back.

  Eira withdrew from the embrace, her heart racing in her chest. “Now where are those sneaky cats who mated me? I have a few bones to pick with them.”

  ****

  A week later, as her mates tended to her in their brand new mansion on the outskirts of the human city of Portland, she wore a wide grin.

  They did their best to show her how much they treasured her for her bravery and sacrifice. The love flowed freely, but it was the chance to do more battle that stirred their blood. That and the big-ass bed Freya had gifted them with as a mating present.

  She smiled at her naked mates, loving when they kissed and touched in front of her. Then Hall dropped between her legs and showed her the value of having a battle-cat for a mate. Gods, that tongue.

  Avarr moved behind her and angled so that he entered her slowly while Hall continued to lick her.

  She moaned, “Let the games begin.”

  Alpha Rising

  A Fallen Alpha Novella

  By Rebecca Royce

  Chapter One

  “You’re going to shake things up, that’s for sure.”

  Lilliana Rouse’s new boss, Matilda May, shook her head and uttered the same words she’d been muttering for hours. Lilliana smiled at the older woman. Matilda was nice and easy to work for. If she occasionally got lost in her own thoughts, Lilliana had no intention of pointing it out to anyone. All she needed was for someone to declare Matilda unfit because of how much she talked to herself, and then Lilliana would be out of yet another job.

  That couldn’t happen. Lilliana had been laid off five times in one year. That had to be her absolute maximum. Six might push her off some kind of proverbial ledge she’d yet to discover.

  The door to the diner shook and rang the little bell attached to the back. Someone must have come in. Lilliana didn’t turn around to look. She had ice cream to scoop, and Matilda liked to seat the clientele herself. The shop might be just a diner, but Matilda was determined that it would be a classy diner.

  They weren’t at their busiest time of the day, and, with three waitresses working, the more customers that came
in the better. The kitchen could handle it and Lilliana knew not one waitress would complain about having some extra tips at the end of the day. Maybe a busload of people could show up.

  “Why hello there, Travis,” Matilda purred. As Lilliana dug deeper into the impossible-to-scoop French vanilla, she couldn’t help but grin. “It’s always a great day when you come to visit us.”

  This Travis must be quite a looker. Lilliana imagined a sophisticated old man with silver hair that curled a little bit at the end. She could practically picture the two of them together. To see if she was right, she glanced up to check out the man Matilda had escorted further into the restaurant.

  He had his back to her, but his rear view did not confirm Lilliana’s speculation. Very tall and broad-shouldered, with visible tattoos that looked eclectic—some tribal, some black and white, and some that resembled an animal— up and down his arms, he was obviously not a gray-haired senior citizen.

  A brown-haired man in the prime of his life, by the looks of it.

  Apparently, Matilda preferred the hot, inked-up variety of guy. Lilliana shook her head. She hadn’t even seen his face, and she could predict his level of attractiveness. Perhaps her mother was right — when it came to men, she would always be a hopeless romantic; that was why she’d sworn off guys. Lilliana Rouse wouldn’t fall in love this year.

  This was the year Lilliana would discover herself.

  With that thought adding a bounce to her step, she walked to the customer who had been patiently waiting for her to bring him his ice cream. He was a nice man in his fifties, who usually came in with his wife. When his other half was with him, he ordered salad. Alone, he always went for the ice cream.

  “Here you go, Pat.” She placed down the bowl. “And I know. Not a word to Carol.”

  He winked at her, and she smiled. This was a good place to work. Much better than the back office of the accounting firm where she had crawled out a window to get away from her creepy boss. He’d tried to touch her and she’d scratched him up, torn his shirt into two with her fingernails. Most people screamed, kicked, or punched, but Lilliana had discovered she had a propensity to claw when she felt threatened.

  Odd, even for her.

  Everyone who came through the door at Matilda’s diner treated Lilliana with respect. No one had been lewd or inappropriate, yet.

  “Has he been in this week?”

  Lilliana turned at the sound of Matilda’s friend’s voice. Low, deep, and scratchy, it sent shivers down her spine. She sucked in her breath. Hell. The man’s voice exuded sexuality. Matilda had sat him in Lilliana’s section, so at least she knew she’d soon get a glance at his face.

  “No, darling.” Matilda sighed loudly. “You know better than to expect Cyrus Fennell to let anyone know his plans. He’ll come here and pick up your message when he’s damn ready and not a minute before.”

  Lilliana walked over, holding her notepad. “Hello, there.” She smiled brightly at Matilda and then turned her attention to the man who had gotten her worked up before she’d ever even seen his face.

  Her mouth went dry.

  Yep, her initial impressions had been correct.

  Sex on a stick.

  Yum.

  She immediately forced her thoughts away. This man wouldn’t be getting in her pants, even if he were interested in doing so.

  One year. No men. That left her six more months to go.

  So what if he had high cheekbones, a long, strong nose that looked like it had been broken more than once, if the scars in the center were any indication? A five o’clock shadow covered his jaw, and his blue eyes were warm while he regarded Matilda, a big plus as far as character went. Anyone who liked her boss got a check-plus in Lilliana’s book.

  “Lilliana, this is Travis Michaels. He is a very special customer here. Take good care of him.” Matilda patted Lilliana on her shoulder before she turned back around. With one finger, she pointed at Travis. “And you. Behave.”

  Matilda walked, her gait slow but steady, back to where she sat by the door waiting for customers at the hostess station.

  Travis raised his thick, dark eyebrows and looked at her. Her cheeks heated up at his open consideration. She immediately glanced down.

  “Lilliana.” His voice had lowered in tone from when he spoke to Matilda. “Look up, please.”

  “Oh.” She forced her eyes upward. Why had she gotten so interested in her feet? “I’m sorry. That was rude.”

  He shook his head. “No it wasn’t.”

  “Okay then.” She’d really blown it already. All it would take was Matilda’s special customer to tell Lilliana’s boss how weird her new waitress was and she’d be out on her ass. Again. Why couldn’t she ever seem to be normal? “What can I get you to eat?”

  He pointed at the booth across from him. “Sit down.”

  She moved before she could stop herself and took a seat where he had pointed. What the hell did I just do? “No. I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t sit here. I’m working.”

  “You can sit for a minute. Matilda won’t mind, and someone else will temporarily cover your tables.”

  “I don’t want anyone else to cover them.” She stood up. “I’m sorry. I need my own tips. I can’t share.”

  Travis leaned back in his seat and goose bumps broke out on her skin. The man made her feel like she couldn’t sit still. “Why did you get up when I told you to sit?”

  “Because I have a job to do.” Why did he sound so surprised? Did no one ever say no to him? Probably not. Gorgeous men tended to get what they wanted. “What can I get you to eat?”

  “Who do you belong to, lady?”

  Okay. This had gone from weird to downright rude. “I don’t belong to anyone, thanks. Do you want some more time to look at the menu?”

  “Bring me a coffee to start.”

  She nodded before she scampered away. This was going to be a long shift.

  ****

  Travis Michaels watched the little she-wolf take off like a bat out of hell to get his coffee. At first he hadn’t been sure of her origins. She didn’t smell exactly like a werewolf.

  He wouldn’t be surprised if she turned out to be some kind of hybrid. Part werewolf, part human would be his guess since he did not smell vamp on her anywhere. Their metallic base always made his teeth hurt.

  Why hadn’t she told him who she belonged to, and why had she been able to get up and leave when he’d told her to sit? His blood stirred, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat. It was two weeks until the full moon. He shouldn’t already be this antsy.

  Lilliana stopped to speak with another customer, bending over slightly to look at something on the bill. She smiled, touching the woman’s arm. Travis stared at her ass. Round, supple, and firm—he wanted to bite it.

  Shit.

  When was the last time he’d reacted this strongly to a woman? His cock hardened, and the closer she got to his table, the more her individual scents hit him in the gut. The aroma of peaches and cream coated her skin. Beneath that, she smelled of lavender. A growl sounded in his throat, and she jumped back a step.

  At the hostess desk, Matilda cleared her throat. Travis gripped the table. He hadn’t spontaneously growled in twenty years. On his twelfth birthday, his uncle had taken him outside and whipped him for the slip-up. Twelve was too old to lose control and thirty-two was way too damn old.

  Lilliana’s hand shook when she set down his coffee. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” He paused. “Are you?”

  Mate. The thought should have surprised him; only it didn’t. The growl had pretty much cemented that for him. To make matters worse, the smirk the old wolf Matilda wore told him she’d known this would happen. A little warning might have been nice.

  Matilda, one of the few remaining New Jersey wolves, had always kept her own counsel. She didn’t belong to him, she wasn’t part of his pack. She owed him no allegiance.

  “I’m fine. I mean you just made that noise, and I…”
/>
  “You what?” Wanted to run? Got scared? Wanted to bite me? Got wet in your panties?

  “I don’t know. I reacted very weirdly. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business what noises you make. I have strange reactions to things. Don’t mind me one minute. Now, did you decide what you wanted to eat?”

  The truth dawned on him suddenly, like a flashbulb going off on a camera, and when it moved through him, he saw the same stars he would have had she taken his picture. Lilliana did not know she was a werewolf. This meant she’d also be unaware that he was a wolf or even that he was an Alpha of a pack. If she’d been aware of her gift, she’d have scented his status, and this would all be going much smoother.

  “I’m going to have the meatloaf.” He handed her his menu. “And a shot of tequila if this place has any."

  She scampered off again, and he got out of his seat to find out from Matilda exactly what was going on. He leaned over the hostess desk, making his eye contact.

  A wolf didn’t get to be as old as Matilda without knowing how to read cues. He wasn’t even going to make this hard for her.

  “Talk.”

  She raised a gray eyebrow. “About what?”

  “The she-wolf you hired. I need details about her.” Because I’m going to go insane if you don’t tell me everything you know immediately. It was a good thing Matilda couldn’t read minds. He didn’t need her going down that particular train of thought with him.

  “Well, first off, I would think it was obvious to an Alpha like you that she has no idea she’s a wolf. I’m guessing she’s half.”

  “That’s what I thought. How can she not know? You can’t shift into a were every full moon and have no clue about it.” Unless you are really, really dumb.

  “There’s another option. Think about it, Alpha-wolf. I’ve known you since you were a little boy. Your father would bring you here to my diner on your way home to Philadelphia after he would go visit with the Alpha-Prime in New Hampshire. You’ve seen the world. What is the other option?”