by Eva Chase
I clutched his shirt, losing myself in the crush of his mouth and the demanding slide of his tongue. There was nothing I could imagine wanting more than this.
My hips arched against West’s of their own accord. With a hungry growl, he lifted me off my feet and laid me on the stone bench without breaking the kiss. He braced himself over me, his body grazing mine tantalizingly. I whimpered and tugged him closer. The bulge in his jeans brushed my sex, and I rocked against him. He let out another groan and dropped his head to devour my neck with the hot slide of his tongue.
I gasped, groping him with an abandon that would have embarrassed me if he hadn’t seemed just as frantic for release. My fingers found the hem of his shirt and trailed up under it over his bare back.
West grasped my hips, shifting them so his erection could hit my clit at an even better angle through our clothes. A moan slipped from my lips.
I didn’t care that some other revelers might wander into the garden and see us, hear us. He was mine and I was his, and we were meant for this. From the moment I’d been born; from the moment he’d been named alpha. Before all the violence and the bitterness had wrenched us apart.
“Westley,” I murmured, ducking my head to try to reclaim his mouth.
At the sound of his full name, West stiffened. He pushed off me so suddenly that for a few seconds all I could do was lie there blinking up at him, my body throbbing at the loss of contact.
He stared back at me. A tremble ran through him. His hands clenched at his sides. His mouth was still red from kissing me and his cock still hard against the fly of his jeans, but his eyes had gone abruptly cold.
“No,” he said. “I’m not Westley to you, and don’t pretend that I am.”
I sat up, my breath coming in a rasp. What was he talking about? “I didn’t mean anything— One of the shifters in your village called you that, and I remembered, and it just seemed...”
It had seemed natural, in the moment. But obviously not to him. I didn’t know how to explain it. I’d just been following my instincts.
“You’ve been gone for sixteen years,” he said flatly. “You don’t know me, and I don’t owe you anything. I don’t need anything from you. I’ve held my position as alpha all that time, and I’ll damn well keep being alpha whether I accept your terms or not.”
“West,” I started, but his expression shuttered even more. My voice faltered.
He stalked off, striding down the garden paths toward the courtyard. I gazed after him, feeling achingly horny and alone—and more bewildered than I liked to admit.
Chapter 14
Ren
After the festivities had carried on far into the night, I’d been escorted to rooms reserved for the dragon shifter. It was a relief to roll out of the elegant oak sleigh bed the next morning and amble into a private dining area where I didn’t have to face even one more stranger. The wide, white-walled room was tucked away between the estate’s dragon shifter quarters and those assigned to the alphas, and no one else got to use it.
When I slipped inside, Nate was already digging into a breakfast of poached eggs, bacon, toast, and fresh-cut fruit at the polished teak table. The mingling sweet and savory smells set my mouth watering. Aaron was standing by the broad window that overlooked the ocean, a cup of coffee nestled in his hands. He turned from the view of the crashing waves and smiled in greeting.
“Did you sleep all right, Serenity?”
“Looks like I’ve missed half the morning already, so I’d say yeah.” I ambled over to the buffet where the spread of platters was laid out. Man, where to start? My stomach gurgled eagerly. “It’s a nice place you’ve got here.”
Aaron laughed. “I can’t really take much credit for that. The estate has been passed from alpha to alpha for as long as anyone can remember. It’s a nice perk to go with the responsibilities, though.”
Nate patted the table beside him as I headed over with a heaping plate. “This side gives the best view of the ocean.”
“Or are you just saying that to keep me close?” I teased.
To my relief, the bear shifter grinned. Things had felt a little awkward between us since I’d told him off for being over-protective, but I didn’t want him to think I was holding some kind of grudge. And I sure hoped he wasn’t either. The vibe I got from him as I sat down in the next chair was a little hesitant but warm.
“I can’t say that isn’t an extra benefit,” he said. I let my leg rest next to his under the table, and his grin grew.
I wanted him to remember what I’d told him about how to treat me, but I still wanted him, too. He ran his hand over my thigh to squeeze my knee in a gesture that would have seemed playful if it hadn’t also sent a bolt of desire to my core. Oh, I wanted him all right, and I had no doubt he felt the same way.
But Aaron’s comment about the alpha line of succession stirred up thoughts of last night. Of the deeper awkwardness I’d felt with my other alphas. First there’d been that weird conversation I’d overheard between Marco and his kin. And then the interlude with West that had somehow gone completely wrong. I still didn’t know exactly what he’d been so upset about. But that comment he’d made had stuck with me, especially after the stuff with Marco.
I’ll damn well keep being alpha whether I accept your terms or not.
Aaron had talked before about having to fight to keep his position as alpha. More than once, other avian shifters who’d wanted a shot at the leadership had challenged him. I’d been too occupied with my mother’s mystery to think much about how my reappearance would change the dynamics of ruling for all the guys.
I dipped the corner of my toast into the perfectly runny egg yolk and took a bite, but now my mind was churning. I couldn’t turn it off. Why should I? I was supposed to be ruling the shifters too. I should understand the ins and outs of every aspect as well as I could.
Aaron came over to sit down across from me. I glanced at him. “Is it going to be easier for you to be... respected as the alpha now that I’m here? And we’re officially mated? I mean, like, fewer people challenging you or whatever?”
He nodded, considering me with his bright blue eyes. “A lot of the turmoil in the shifter community has come down to not having a dragon shifter around to provide the usual balance. With people seeing that you’re here and taking on that role, they’ll be less restless.” His tone turned wry. “And there are many who’ll feel your accepting me is an additional mark in my favor.”
“And that’ll go for all of the kin-groups, I guess.”
Nate raised his head, his expression concerned. “You don’t need to worry about that, Ren. You’re here. You’re with us as much as you’re comfortable being. No one should be rushing you. We can handle any challenges that can come our way.”
Except Marco kind of had been rushing me, hadn’t he? Even though he’d tried to tell me he wasn’t. I speared a piece of bacon but didn’t lift it from my plate.
“I know,” I said. I didn’t want to outright accuse the jaguar shifter of something to the other guys. How could I put it? “I heard Marco talking with some feline kin yesterday. It sounded like there are a lot of them who are restless. I was just wondering if he’s had more trouble than the rest of you?”
Nate made a humming sound. “Cat temperaments don’t do well with being ruled over in general. They’re always squabbling.”
“On top of that, I’d imagine Marco being the youngest of us didn’t help,” Aaron said. “He was only ten years old when the previous feline alpha died. And you’ve probably noticed his personality can be a little... provocative.”
“He likes to run off his mouth,” Nate muttered. “Everything’s a big joke.”
Aaron chuckled. “I think he cares more than he likes to show. But yes, that’s what I meant.”
Marco cared a lot about staying alpha, anyway. I chewed and swallowed, but the bacon had lost its taste. My stomach had gone tight.
“But Marco’s handled himself all this time,” Nate said, giving my
knee another quick squeeze. “You don’t need to worry about him either.”
Before I could decide whether I wanted to say anything else about that, there was a knock on the door. “News from the fae, sir,” a voice called in.
Aaron straightened up. “Come in,” he said. “Whatever it is, everyone here can hear it.”
A tall, gawky young man who brought to mind a heron came into the room. He gave his alpha a quick bob of a bow. “The monarch has granted your request of a parlay,” he said. “She is willing to meet with you and your party tomorrow at noon on the neutral ground.”
“Did she say anything else?” Aaron asked.
The heron shifter shook his head. “She didn’t look surprised to be asked, though.”
Because she’d already been expecting us, like West had suggested? My stomach knotted even more. My fingers curled around the fork with the sudden impulse to pocket the silverware, as if that would make the situation more under my control. I hadn’t quite shaken my thieving past yet.
As the messenger ducked out, I turned back to Aaron. “Is that what you expected?”
“Delaying by a day isn’t a surprise,” he said. “She wouldn’t want to seem overly accommodating. Other than that, it’s pretty hard to read the fae on the best of days. I don’t see any warning signs.” His gaze turned more thoughtful. “Our wolf alpha has been making you nervous.”
“He really doesn’t trust the fae. I’d call it paranoia if I didn’t get the feeling he’s got a good reason to. Where is West, anyway?” I figured Marco was sleeping in like usual, but getting a late start wasn’t like West.
Nate motioned to the window. “He was stalking out of here when I came in. He’s probably patrolling the grounds right now.”
Aaron shrugged. “If that’s what makes him feel more at ease. The fae are difficult to deal with. But you’ll have all of us with you to support you, Serenity.”
With every time he said it, I got more used to hearing my full name used. It reminded me how much more I was than the teen living on the streets who’d had to resort to stealing to get by. I’d found a real place for myself here. And just like the alphas had with their positions, I was going to hold onto mine with everything I had in me.
I really wasn’t feeling all that hungry anymore though. I forced down a few more bites of toast and stood up. “Is there anything I should know about that’s planned for today? Or can I just explore?”
“Stay within the estate, unless one of us is with you,” Aaron said. “There’s a formal dinner arranged for tonight where you’ll get to meet representatives from many of the powerful avian families. Until then, enjoy yourself however you’d like. I have a few admin-type concerns to take care of now that I’m back, but I’ll look for you later.”
The warmth in his gaze made me think of all the ways I’d enjoyed myself with him. I’d been too exhausted last night to think of using my bed for anything other than zonking out on. But there were so many other possibilities... The huge mattress was big enough that it could have held five of us easily.
“I look forward to that,” I said with a twitch of my eyebrows. The warmth in his eyes went from gentle to smoldering in an instant. Oh yes, I was looking forward to it a lot.
I was also looking forward to taking in the rest of the estate. Last night I hadn’t seen anything other than the courtyard and the garden, by darkness.
I slipped through my rooms and out into one of the mansion’s main halls. The ocean breeze filled the whole place with that refreshingly salty smell and took the edge off the summer heat. The white washed walls, teak floors, and big windows all through the open concept space made me feel like I’d stepped into a massive—and exclusive—beach cottage. The perks of being alpha indeed.
I hadn’t made it very far when Marco emerged into the hall up ahead of me. He gave me his usual sly smirk as he sauntered over.
“Good morning, princess.”
I wanted to smile and say it back, to pretend nothing was wrong. But with his indigo eyes on me and all the questions that had been whirling in my head, I froze up. The jaguar shifter cocked his head at my hesitation. “Is everything all right, Ren?”
This wasn’t the best place for a confrontation. But at the moment there was no one else in sight. And I didn’t really want to go somewhere private with him, not until I had a few answers. I braced myself and raised my chin.
“I don’t know,” I said. “It seemed like maybe things aren’t totally all right with your kin? You didn’t look very happy talking with them yesterday.”
“Oh, that.” Marco waved off my concern with a flick of his lithe hand. “A little vampire trouble, soon to be taken care of. The bloodsuckers just like making a fuss. I sent the delegation off to deal with it before they could get the avians’ feathers too ruffled.”
“Ah,” I said. Well, of course he wasn’t going to come right out and admit to the other things they’d talked about. I paused and then forced myself to keep going. “I’ve been thinking about some of the things you said the other night. About how much I mean to you. How much you want to start our lives together.”
An eager light lit in Marco’s eyes. He stepped closer, his voice dropping lower. “And where did those thoughts lead you next?”
Part of my body still responded to him the way it always had. My fingers itched to tangle in his dark hair, my lips to feel his against them. But another part of me, tight around my heart, balked at his eagerness. Because what was he really eager for?
I drew in a breath, keeping my gaze fixed on him. “I was wondering whether you actually meant any of it, or if the only reason being with me matters to you is so you can make a better claim as alpha.”
Marco’s jaw twitched. The light in his eyes went out. He managed a chuckle, but I didn’t need any supernatural sensitivity to tell it sounded stiff. He summoned his familiar jaunty tone. “Princess, if someone’s been telling you stories—”
And here he was, still fucking lying to me. My temper flared, fueled by a burn of betrayal spreading through my chest. “I heard it straight from your mouth last night,” I snapped. “Talking about me like I’m a job you need to finish, a prize you’re going to grab before the others. So don’t pretend you have no idea what I’m talking about.”
For once, Marco seemed to have nothing at all to say. His lips parted and just stayed that way as he stared at me. I could read the panic and guilt in him as clearly as if it’d been written in capital letters on his face.
I clenched my teeth against the pain swelling inside me. So it was all true. He couldn’t even start to explain himself.
“I’m not a cat toy,” I said, “so forget about treating me like one.”
Then I turned and hurried off in the opposite direction before my tears caught up with me.
Chapter 15
Aaron
The last room I took Serenity into was the library. She sucked in her breath as she took in the bookshelves built into every wall from floor to ceiling, the clusters of sofas and armchairs on the deep-pile rug, and the view of the ocean from the two tall windows.
I smiled with a rush of pride. I might not be able to take full credit for this house, but I’d taken care to make it as welcoming as possible.
“And let me guess,” my dragon shifter said, gesturing to the packed shelves. “You’ve read every one of those.”
I laughed. “Hardly. But I did spend a lot of time in here when I was growing into my role, in between meetings with my advisors. I didn’t have a senior alpha to guide me directly, so I found as much direction as I could in the books the previous alphas have accumulated over the decades.”
“I used to read a lot, when my mom was still around,” she said. “The library was an easy place to get out of the apartment for a while, where no one would bother you if you found a quiet little nook for yourself. But once she left, and I ended up on the street...”
A shadow crossed her face. I wished I could brush it away with a caress of my hand. She didn’t
like to talk much about those years after her mother had disappeared, but every time she mentioned them, she couldn’t hide how deeply the experience had wounded her.
But she was healing on her own. With every strength she discovered in herself, with every bit she let us in, she was coming back to the woman she was meant to be.
“You can find a quiet little nook in here whenever you want,” I said. “The house is yours as much as it’s mine.”
She ducked her head for a second, as if embarrassed. Then she smiled at me with the glow of confidence that was coming to her more and more often now. The rush of pride that filled my chest now was for her. Followed by the desire to show her exactly how much I adored her, in every possible way up against one of those shelves.
The clock on the fireplace mantle chimed. No time for that sort of diversion now. I took her hand, enjoying the way her slender fingers automatically closed around mine.
“We should go back to your rooms. You’ll want to pick out a dress for the dinner. People will expect to see all of us a little decked out.”
The corner of her mouth curled higher. “So a tee and jeans isn’t going to cut it, is what you’re saying? All right, all right. I’ve got nothing against dresses. Let’s make me into a real princess.”
But as we strolled back to the dragon shifter’s quarters hand in hand, another hint of shadow crossed her expression. Her fingers tightened slightly around mine. When she didn’t speak, I glanced over at her. “Is something bothering you? You can tell me anything, you know.”
“I know.” She smiled again, but crookedly this time. “You don’t have to worry—it’s got nothing to do with you, or your amazing house. But it’s not something I really want to talk about right now. If I feel like I do later, you’d be the first person I’ll go to.”
I couldn’t ask for more than that. “Fair enough.” I ushered her through her sitting room and into the vast bedroom that had belonged to generations of dragon shifters when they visited the avian estate. A private bath off to the side, a bed big enough for dragon shifter and four alphas, and several huge teak wardrobes. I walked up to one and tugged it open.