Alpha Bear Princes Box Set

by Lily Cahill

  "The planes are loading now, Coley," Ellen said, placing a supportive hand on her uninjured shoulder. It was an old nickname, one Phillip had given her.

  Ellen and Steve would fly out with the other survivors, pretending Hudson was their own child. Few had seen the princes in person, so there was little risk of him being identified. It was a good plan, a safe plan.

  "If we wait much longer, we'll draw attention," Ellen nudged.

  "Yes, of course," the Empress said, though she couldn't force her feet to move forward. She wanted to stay here all day. She wanted to watch her son until he played himself out the way he usually did. His energy burned bright, then went out all at once. She wanted to be there when he eventually crashed and cuddle him close as he fell asleep.

  "Coley?" Steve said. "Maybe we should wait a few days, give you a little more time to be certain about this."

  "No," Colette said. "It has to be now."

  She was certain. There was only one way to know her little princes would be safe, and that was to make sure no one knew they were princes at all. And that meant she had to get them out during the chaos, when their departure had a better chance of going unnoticed. The window was small, and closing by the second.

  She handed Steve the bag the nanny had packed. "There's an envelope inside with new identification for all three of you, as well as access to a bank account. You know how to reach me if you need anything."

  "Of course," Steve said.

  "Thank you both for doing this. I don't have to tell you how much it means to me."

  "We're glad to help," Steve said. Colette thought she could see tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Anything for you and ... and Phil."

  "Just love him, okay?" she asked. "Love him hard. He'll need it."

  "Like he was my own," Ellen said, gripping her into a hug. Steve wrapped his arms around the two of them. They'd all been friends for so long, it was hard to say goodbye to them too. But it had to be done, and it had to be done now.

  Colette took a deep breath, then pasted on a smile and walked over to little Hudson. She tucked him under her good arm and spun him around, memorizing the sound of his giggle, the glee in his eyes. Then she hugged him close and kissed his chubby little cheek.

  "Goodbye, baby," she said, using every ounce of her strength to keep the tears at bay.

  "Bye-bye, Momma," he said, seeming perfectly happy to go somewhere, though he had no knowledge of what was happening to him.

  Colette handed Hudson to Ellen, who cradled him on her hip. Hudson knew Ellen and Steve well, and hugged Ellen right away. "Len-Len," he cooed in his toddler-speak.

  Ellen smiled down at him. "You wanna take a plane ride with Auntie Ellen?"

  "Zoom-zooooom!" Hudson squealed.

  "That's right," Ellen smiled. "Give Mommy a kiss bye-bye. She's gonna miss you so much."

  Colette came close and Hudson smacked a kiss on her cheek.

  "Momma later?" Hudson asked.

  "Yes," Colette said, "Momma will see you later."

  She hoped the half-truth would prove to be true one day.

  Prince Samuel

  30 YEARS AGO

  The young Empress Colette hugged little Samuel close to her chest. He twisted a fist into her long raven hair and smiled, babbling something that would soon be words. Smoke from the now-extinguished flames of the explosion at her husband's funeral still drifted down the halls of the palace, reminding the Empress she had no time for sentimentality. As much as she wanted to keep her son in her arms, she had to act quickly.

  Agatha hustled into the room. Her neat bun was perfectly in place despite the chaos, but her usually placid face was pinched with urgency.

  "The last of the survivors are loading onto the planes now," Agatha reported.

  "What are people saying?" the Empress asked.

  "No one knows anything. Some are claiming to have seen the boys killed, but no one is saying they saw them survive. It was too chaotic."

  "Good," the Empress said. "That's good."

  She nuzzled Samuel's soft head against her cheek one last time. He looked up at her with wide, unknowing eyes. He was only 18 months old. Would he remember any of this? She hoped not. She hoped his life would be full of beauty and wonder, not the terrible tragedies that had plagued them lately.

  "I love you, little man," she said, kissing him on top of the head. Then she moved to hand him to Agatha. But Agatha didn't hold out her arms.

  "Me?" Agatha asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "You want me to take him?"

  "You're his godmother. Phillip trusted you and so do I. I can't say that about many people."

  "But Your Highness, I've never been good with children. I don't know how--"

  "You'll learn," the Empress said. "All I ask is that you love him. Love him and keep him safe and bring him back to me one day. Can you do that for me? Can you do it for our people?"

  Agatha straightened her spine. "Yes, Your Highness. You have my pledge."

  "Thank you," the Empress said.

  She handed Samuel to Agatha, and Samuel immediately started to cry. The sound of it made Colette's heart twist inside her chest.

  "Are you sure about this, Your Highness?" Agatha asked.

  "Yes," the Empress said, bearing herself up. Her own pain didn't matter now. Only the safety of her children mattered. "Mr. James is waiting with the dogsled at the entrance to the secret tunnels. He'll get you as far as Point Hope. There will be a plane waiting for you there."

  The Empress pressed a small satchel into Agatha's hands.

  "These documents outline your new identities and include access information to a bank account. There's plenty to cover anything you may need."

  "Yes, Your Highness," Agatha said.

  The Empress leaned down and kissed her crying son one more time, wishing she could take him back and soothe his tears. But it wasn't possible.

  "Now hurry," the Empress said. "Every minute he stays is another minute he's in danger."

  Agatha nodded and walked out the door, Samuel screaming on her hip. As his cries disappeared down the hall, the Empress wanted to cry too. She had already said goodbye to three of her four sons and she felt on the edge of her strength. But she would have to muster more. She would have to last a little longer. There was still one more son to say goodbye to tonight.

  Prince Elliott

  30 YEARS AGO

  The Empress leaned over the cradle to look at her youngest son, Elliott, for the last time. The little baby was fast asleep despite the chaos churning inside the palace halls. Soldiers were loading weapons and setting up fresh patrols. An airplane was taking off at the lake, carrying away the last of the survivors who had come for her husband's funeral and been witness to the heartless attack on her children and the assembled crowd of mourners.

  The Empress could barely keep herself from waking Elliott so she could see his deep blue eyes one last time. He was barely six months old, but already he had laughed more than any of her children ever had at that age, cried more too. He was a tiny person so far, but a person of wide extremes.

  She picked him up gently and nuzzled his soft shock of black hair against her cheek. She inhaled, trying to memorize his tiny baby smell. She would miss rocking him to sleep and watching his little fists waving in the air when he woke up. And she would miss so much of his life that came after--his first steps, his first words, all his scraped knees and childish laughter. She wondered what kind of person he would become. She wondered if she would ever get to see him again.

  In some ways, he would have it the easiest of all her boys. He would have no memories of her, no memories of this place. But the Empress also worried that he may always feel a hole in his heart--one that was supposed to be filled by a mother's love. It was such a tender age to be taken from her. It was cruel to them both.

  But there was no other choice. Already she'd heard rumors that Dietrich Zoltag was mounting another attack. It wasn't enough that he took her husband from her--he wanted her child
ren too. And that was something the Empress would never allow, even if it meant saying good-bye to them forever.

  Nigel, Elliott's godfather and previous High Council to the late Emperor, entered the room, carrying a hefty backpack designed for hiking. He was smaller than most other shifters, but his high intelligence made up for his stature.

  "Take care of him, Nigel," the Empress said, kissing the top of Elliott's head for the last time. "Try to love him?" Her voice cracked at the end of her question. The Empress had already watched all her other sons smuggled out of the castle with their respective guardians, and she'd worked so hard not to let any of them see her cry. But her strength was fading.

  Nigel nodded solemnly and lifted the baby from her arms. He was a good man, and trustworthy, but the Empress felt a deep hatred for him at that moment. He would get to see her little boy grow up. He would have all the moments and all the love that rightfully belonged to her. The Empress' jealousy nearly overtook her. She almost snatched the baby back from him, refused to let him go. But she knew she couldn't. It wasn't safe for Elliott here anymore.

  Instead, she watched Nigel place Elliott carefully in the top of his hiking backpack, surrounding him with thick blankets. A seamstress on staff had cleverly concealed a mesh panel to provide fresh air, and the family physician had made sure her precious baby boy would stay asleep for the length of the journey.

  "The sleds will take you to the pass. Then a private jet will be waiting at Barter Island," she said.

  Nigel would carry him on his back the entire time. If they were lucky, no one would discover there was an extra passenger. It was nearly as important to keep his survival a secret as it was to keep him alive.

  "Yes, Your Highness," Nigel said. "I swear to protect your son as if he were my own."

  With that, Nigel lifted the pack onto his shoulders, gave the Empress a final nod, and was gone.

  The Empress had intended to go back to her own rooms, but she knew she wouldn't make it. She curled up on the rug with Elliott's baby blanket and cried until she was empty.

  She was there for hours, cold and alone, before she got up, smoothed her hair, and set about putting her nearly destroyed kingdom back together again.

  Want more exclusive content?

  Check out the additional bonus stories on our website!

  Read free bonus stories about all your favorite princes available exclusively to Heroes!

  Visit www.LILYCAHILL.com to get your FREE stories now!

  Part Six: Sneak Peak

  If you liked Alpha Bear Princes, you'll love Lily Cahill's next series, Billionaire Bear Brotherhood.

  Read on for a sneak peek!

  Billionaire Bear Brotherhood:

  SECRETLY CRAVED

  Chapter One

  Skye

  "That guy is staring at you."

  "Hmm?" Skye Sylvester looked up from the menu to her best friend Maddy, who was sitting across the table from her at O'Malley's Pub.

  "That guy at the bar is totally checking you out. No, don't look," Maddy hissed when Skye started to turn. "He'll know we're talking about him."

  "So?"

  Maddy rolled her eyes dramatically. "Have I taught you nothing?"

  "You've been out of the dating market for ten years. I think your tactics might be out of date."

  "Some things never change." Maddy patted her pregnant belly. Her husband was home caring for their young boys so she could have a night out. "Guys will always love beer, football, and a woman who plays hard to get."

  Skye snorted. "Not in my experience."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Every time I play hard to get, the guy never bothers to chase me."

  "Well, this guy looks like he would chase you. Yum yum."

  "How come you get to look and I don't?"

  "Because he's only got eyes for you, sweetie," Maddy said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

  Skye sighed. She and Maddy had been friends since their foster home days, despite Maddy's relentlessly cheerful attitude. She was grateful when the waiter approached. "I'll have the Tuscan salad."

  "I'll have the bacon cheeseburger with fries. And, like, two or three sides of ranch."

  "That cannot be healthy," Skye said.

  "What can I say, the baby loves saturated fat," Maddy replied.

  "It's so unfair," Skye grumbled. "I get fat just looking at a cheeseburger. Look at you, you're six months pregnant, and you still weigh less than I do."

  "That's because I'm built like a preteen boy," Maddy said. "Half the reason I keep getting pregnant is so I have boobs worth mentioning. I'd kill for your curves."

  It was the same argument they'd been having since puberty, when Skye's figure suddenly became lush while Maddy's remained slim. "Let's not get into this again."

  "Fine. But I'm pretty sure the guy at the bar likes what he sees."

  "Shut up," Skye said. She could feel the heat of a blush creeping up the caramel skin of her face. Maddy meant well, but she had no idea what it was like to be single. She had married her high school sweetheart, with whom she had an annoyingly healthy relationship. Skye, on the other hand, had always been single. Mostly, that was the way she liked it.

  "Ooh, he's talking to the bartender. Here's your chance, sneak a peek."

  Curious despite herself, Skye looked over her shoulder around the crowded bar. "Where?"

  "Dark hair, golden skin. Shoulders to die for. He's under the TV."

  "There's, like, fifteen TVs in this place," Skye complained, trying to keep her scan of the bar subtle.

  "You can't miss him. Would you look at his hands? They're so big and tough. He looks like he could just toss you around and have his way with you." Maddy shivered with pleasure.

  "Sounds like you want him for yourself," Skye said, arching an eyebrow.

  "Nah, pregnancy just makes me really horny. That's the other half of why I keep getting knocked up."

  Skye started to grin, but then she saw the man Maddy had been talking about. Oh, yes. He was ridiculously handsome, with strong, slightly exotic features. His thick, dark hair curled around the collar of his black leather jacket.

  Skye had enough fashion sense to know that coat cost more than her monthly rent. So he was rich, too. Didn't that figure? As Skye stared, he flashed a grin at the bartender, revealing straight, white teeth behind sultry lips. A guy like that, she knew, would never be in to her. Maddy must have been exaggerating.

  Then he turned and met Skye's gaze.

  When their gazes locked, Skye felt a pull toward him that was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Like something in her recognized something in him, as if she had been waiting for him her whole life and hadn't even known it. His eyes were a deep, liquid blue, and for a dizzying moment she felt as if she was tumbling into his fathomless depths. She wanted to rise from the table, cross the room, and press her mouth to his without even saying a word.

  Then he looked away.

  Skye sucked in a deep breath. She felt like the world had rocked beneath her.

  "I told you he was hot," Maddy said smugly.

  "Hot" didn't even begin to cover it. "Scorching," maybe, or "volcanic." Skye pressed her legs together, trying to ease the sudden ache between her thighs. She was absurdly turned on.

  "He's not bad."

  "Not bad? Honey, you've gone way too long without sex if you are calling that guy 'not bad.'"

  "It's not like I have a lot of opportunity," Skye said defensively. "My work takes up a lot of my time."

  Maddy scoffed. "You're always working. How long did it take to set up this dinner? You kept saying you were busy."

  "I was busy, I wasn't just saying that," Skye said, exasperated. "My editor has me working around the clock. If I'm going to get the good assignments, I have to be willing to hustle."

  "I know how much it means to you to be a journalist, Skye. But that doesn't mean you can't have anything else in your life."

  "I couldn't have that guy regardless. He's way too ho
t for me."

  Maddy was about to argue back when her eyes went wide. "Oh my God," she hissed. "He's coming over here!"

  "What?" Skye squeaked, nearly spilling the water she was bringing to her mouth.

  "I told you he was looking at you," Maddy said, now staring at him avidly.

  "He can't," Skye said, panic spurting inside her.

  "He is," Maddy said. "Quick, laugh like I said something funny or he'll know we were talking about him."

  "Stop staring at him," Skye said. "Act normal. How's my hair?"

  "You act normal," Maddy said, squirming with excitement. "Your hair is fine."

  "Fine-fine or fine-terrible?" She couldn't stop touching it. Though her back was to him, Skye could feel the stranger approaching, as if the magnetic pull she felt toward him was amplified by proximity.

  "Fine, just stop fussing. Here he comes," Maddy said, her voice lilting into a sing-song cadence.

  Skye's heart was pounding in her chest. It wasn't often that she met a guy who had set her system humming with no more than a look.

  The stranger's hip came level with the table. Skye stared obstinately at her water glass, afraid that if she looked up into that gorgeous face, she might just burst into flames.

  He hesitated for a half-second, his body angling toward their table. Skye had a moment to appreciate the way his gray T-shirt clung to his flat stomach where it tucked into his dark jeans.

  A wild, lustful thought occurred to her. His cock lay just behind that thin wall of denim. If she looked closely, she could trace the weight of it, straining against the fabric. Desire pooled inside her, though her mouth was suddenly dry.

  What was this man doing to her? Was it even possible he was having the same reaction to her?

  Apparently not. Before he finished turning toward her, he paused, straightened, then walked out the door.