Owned By The Alphas: Part Four (5 page)

“
A
li
?” A feminine whisper drifted toward the bed. “Ali?!” Then one last time, a bit louder, “Ali!”

Calt called back, “What is it, Bloo?” He pushed the covers away and sat up, looking to the side of the bed normally occupied by his mate, to find it empty. He rubbed his eyes and ran a slow hand through his hair, squinting at the she-wolf standing nervously in his doorway. “I feel like I have three or four more hours of sleep left in me.”

Bloo pursed her lips. “Umm, yeah, it’s still daytime.” She scrunched up her mouth. “I uh, I woke up having to pee. And then I saw…well…oh God.” Her eyelashes floated to the ground.

“Spit it out!” He rose up, his eyes cutting to the red embers in the fireplace. From them he gauged it to be early afternoon, if that. His blood quickened, and he glanced back to the bed as if she would materially appear out of nowhere, snoring like always.

When the first snow fell two months ago, it was paradise. Ali quickly found her sneakers to be insufficient, so Dak and Calus went out and stole a pair of men’s boots for her, as well as a thick coat. The boots were too large, but they worked. The pants they’d found didn’t fit, but she’d appreciated the effort, tossing the too-small denim jeans away with a sigh. But she made do, usually riding on Calt’s back when they went outside anyway, and he kept her legs warm.

She never complained. In fact, she continued to lighten his mood with joking comments and light-hearted sarcasm (“You know what we need? More of this cold, white stuff.”), her willingness to try anything (“Okay, give me a bite of that snake. Yes, I mean it. That is disgusting. Stop laughing!”), and the way she looked at him like he was a god (“Can you jump over that? Try it! Holy crap!! Wait, now do it carrying me!”).

Things were fine and happy, he thought. Sometimes he caught her staring off, but she always smiled and said she was just daydreaming. He did not push it…but a pervading sense of unease never left him, and now it was tenfold.

Six nights ago the snow fell so heavily it blocked them in. They tried to melt a hole, then burrow one, but both were impossible. They were left with no choice but to wait. The storms outside were loud and ominous and Ali’s spirits plummeted for the first time. The rest of pack wasn’t far behind. Cave fever hit them all. Now Bloo was staring at Calt like she had bad news…and Ali wasn’t in bed. Again.

“Where is she?” he demanded.

Bloo’s eyebrow knitted more fiercely together. “Maybe she went somewhere with Lorn and Lucin?”

Confusion contorted his face as he towered over the she-wolf. “They are all gone?”

“Who’s gone?” Ali asked, walking up. Bloo and Calt reacted, and Calt pulled her to him. She grinned after he planted a hard kiss on the top of her head. “Well, that’s the first kiss I’ve gotten since the fucking avalanche hit.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Someone’s gone? Does that mean we can get out of here? Oh God, please say yes.”

Bloo blinked at her. “Ali…Do you know where Lorn is? Was she with you?”

“No, why?” Something darkened her eyes. “Uh-oh. Is Lucin gone, too?”

The momentary relief Calt felt, disappeared. “Out with it!”

The story tumbled out of Bloo as though she’d pop if she didn’t share it, her hands gesturing frantically. “Last night when we all went to bed, Lorn and Borhan got into a fight, again, and he shoved her onto Dak saying,
you’ve turned him away for the last time
. She burst into tears and Dak was all apologetic–he didn’t want Borhan doing that to her–but then Borhan said a bunch of our pack rules and blah blah blah. So she went to Dak and tried to couple with him, but of course he turned her away because what fun would that be? We all want willing partners, right? But Lucin was pissed, as always about this subject, and he attacked Borhan and left a pretty bad scratch. It was about to get worse as he came at him again, but then Borhan said,
enough is enough,
and
sleep it off
. Lorn wouldn’t speak to anyone, not even Lucin. And when I tried to snuggle up to her, she said she wanted space. She NEVER wants space. So I didn’t sleep well. I knew things were getting crazy. With us all stuck in here, things were going to BUST! Then I woke up having to pee and saw they weren’t there… and so well, I came to get…”

“Ali,” Calt finished. “Not me. You came to get Ali.”

“Me?” Ali was surprised, eyes filled with images from the story.

“Sorry, Calt! But Lorn, Ali and I are friends now, and I thought maybe she said something to Ali in private. She didn’t tell
me
anything! Don’t look at me like that. I thought I’d
ask
before assuming the worst, and then I would have told you. Of course! But I had to try a less…terrifying route first. But now…”

“But now you think they ran away,” Ali whispered. “Oh no!”

Bloo nodded. “Yeah.”

“Get out of my way,” Calt growled, tearing out into the passageway, his thoughts on his young ones. As he rushed to see if the snow wall had melted by the morning’s sun, Calt remembered all the times he had noticed Lucin and Lorn huddled up together, or snuggling, or coupling when he had not seen either of them touching another wolf in a long time. The fight by the waterfall. Lorn’s tears. Borhan had noticed and had most likely, knowing him, been privy to every moment all along. But why had he not brought it to Calt’s attention as he was supposed to do, when trouble was coming? That was his job, a fact Calt knew well, because it used to be his.

The wall was mostly gone and Calt shielded himself from the brightness of the first natural light his eyes had been exposed to, in way too long. There was a gap where the young wolves had barreled through the remaining wall, and outside paw prints trailed down the mountain. Whipping around and storming into the caves, Calt bellowed, “Borhan!!! BORHAN!” Ali and Bloo followed him.

His second in command appeared, eyes hazy and hair askew. “What is it? It can’t be night. I feel like…”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Lucin and Lorn? That they have fallen in love?!”

Borhan blinked, stammering, “I…I did not know.”

“You did not know? I have a very hard time believing that. You are the keenest observer I have ever known.”

Calus and Dak staggered out of the second beta-den, their collective frames taking up much of the passageway. “What is going on?” “What didn’t he know?”

Through gritted teeth, Calt asked, “Why am I the last to find out? If you knew a storm was brewing, enough to make you fight, why was I not warned or told?” Borhan flushed. “Answer me!”

“I thought I could handle it,” Borhan snarled, eyes flashing with unforeseen anger.

Calt ticked his tongue against his teeth. “Your job is not to
handle it
. Your job is to tell
me
what you see. Is this the only thing you have held from me, or is there more?”

Borhan looked at Ali with disgust. “You have been too busy with
her
to notice
anything
!”

Calt’s fist shot out, knocking his friend down in one punch. Gasping, Borhan grabbed his jaw, staring up at his alpha. “Stay down there.”

Dak and Calus walked up. “It’s Lucin and Lorn, isn’t it? “They eloped?” “We will go.”

Calt roared, “Did everyone know but me?” so loudly the walls seemed to shake. “No,
I
will go!”

“No!” Ali cried out. She jumped in front of them as the three barreled for the exit, her gaze imploring. “Let me go! Let me! I can talk some sense into Lorn. She’ll listen and she won’t be frightened of me, and she won’t run! She’s probably freaking out! Please!”

The protectors looked to Calt, waiting for orders. He ruminated on what Ali proposed, his face betraying the volcano inside him. It was taking all he had not to run down that mountain and find his family himself, but he understood logic and Ali’s was sound. Biting back a growl, he nodded, his voice low and gravelly as he fought against his primal wolf. Act first, think later, that’s what it always wanted. Well, not if it meant endangering those he loved. “Bloo, go with her. Dak, Calus, you’ll stay with me. She is right. Those two gentle beasts
will
run from us, afraid I will punish them. They will find places to hide. But with the females, I hate to admit it…they will react differently.”

“Ridiculous,” spat Borhan from the hard ground. “You should go! I would, were it me!”

“Shut up!” Calt snarled. “I have not decided what to do with you!” Whipping his head back to his mate, he softened his tone as much as he was able. “Find out where they are–if they plan to stay here, find a den of their own, or if they hope to join the other pack. God knows they will not go back to Canada.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Or maybe that
is
what they are planning. Find out!”

She nodded as Bloo announced, “I’ll follow their tracks. Unless they had a plan, they’re going to be flailing all over the place. Neither of them are hunters, not like me. We’ll find them!”

Borhan grumbled, “This was an emotional decision. They will not have had a plan.”

“He’s right,” Dak said on a long exhale. “I know Lucin did not want to leave us. Calt is his God.”

“He did this to protect Lorn,” Calus said, hitting Dak.

“What?! I did not force myself on her! I just find her attractive.”

Bloo’s face melted into vulnerability and she whispered, “More attractive than me?” She was trying hard to hide her hurt, and failing in a big way. Calt’s jaw went slack as he cut a surprised glance from her to Dak.

The red-haired wolf frowned and slowly shook his head as he stepped to her, having to go around Calt to do so. “No, but I thought you must be tired of me. With Calus and I always at you like we are.”

She touched his chest and shook her head on an intimate smile. “I am not tired of either of you, you big hunk of meat. I never will be.”

The alpha threw up an exasperated hand. “Alright! I see we have some things to discuss as a pack. Some rules may need…restructuring.” He caught Ali’s proud smile and relaxed a little, but just a little. “When we retrieve the young ones, we will talk. Go now. If you cannot persuade them to return, make note of where they are, how they are finding food, and beg them to stay put. Assure them I am not angry, that I want them safe and home with us. That there will be no punishment. I will then go and talk some sense into them.” Off Ali’s look, he corrected, “I will ask them to
come home
.”

Bloo and Ali took off, running into Calt’s den to grab her clothes. Reappearing with Bloo holding her coat, Ali’s pelt on but untied, and her hopping as she pulled on her boots, they called back, “We’ll be back as soon as we find them!”

“If you do not find them by sundown, come back here.”

“Okay!”

Calt turned to look down at Borhan, his eyes narrowing. “What has been brewing in that brain of yours?”

“
C
an
I get off the ground now?”

“Come,” Calt bade him, walking back to his den. He heard the wolf scramble off the ground and follow him. The duel set of diminishing footsteps informed him that his protectors were heading back to their beta-den to leave them to it, their moods grim.

Inside, Borhan cracked his knuckles self-consciously, awkward in his steps. Before he had a chance to speak, Calt grabbed him by the neck and shoved him up against the wall, his legs hanging. “I am trying to ignore this feeling that you are up to no good, but I cannot seem to shake it,
friend
. What are you trying to do?” When the only answer was flaring nostrils, Calt demanded, “Because it seems like you are trying to take over as alpha. But that can’t be right.”

Borhan said, through a strangled hiss, “Someone has to run the pack. You have had your head up your ass.”

Calt threw the wolf across the room and into the fountain.

He rose quickly, water streaming onto his head. He shook it off and stepped out with an aggressive stare as he strode back to Calt and smirked, “Is that the best that you can do? You really are going soft.”

Calt lunged at him and the two tore at each other, their nails sharpening, their fury unleashed. Borhan fought back stronger than he ever had, the surge of resentment infusing his veins. Calt took a couple hard punches to the abdomen and he reeled back before attacking with greater skill and strength, knocking Borhan down.

Soon the protectors appeared in the doorway, but Calt bellowed, “NO! Stay back!” and shifted into his wolf. Borhan followed, but there was fear in the lesser wolf’s eyes now. Calt showed his fangs and waited for the inevitable. Impatient and eager to fight, Borhan attacked, aiming for the legs, to weaken the alpha. As he ducked for them, Calt swiveled out of the way and latched onto his attacker’s neck, bringing Borhan yelping to the ground as his legs sprawled out, wriggling helplessly. A low, dangerous growl resounded from deep within the alpha’s lungs, echoing off the walls.

“You’re not planning on killing him, are you?” came the unearthly calm of Shaynah.

Calt snarled, considering it. But the pause her question gave him earned Borhan enough time to be heard. He was whining and hurt, and could no longer fight back. It would be murder, not self-defense. Not like this. The fight was never fair, and he knew this. His wolf had wanted to forget.

Calt threw Borhan against the hard stone wall, releasing him. The water sprinkled an icy baptism on his battered body. He panted beneath it, this time not attempting to get up.

Turning to lock eyes with the healer, Calt saw that both Dak and Calus had moved to stand behind him during the fight, ready to do whatever was needed. He thanked them with a look, and a look, alone. They returned curt nods and stood back, placing their hands behind their backs like soldiers do.

Shaynah sighed and walked in, reaching to run her calming touch over his fur in a back and forth pattern until Calt’s breathing quieted. His rage was a thin veil that she could see through, one that covered hurt and loss. “He must have done something terrible,” she whispered.

Borhan stumbled to right himself. He shook his rust-colored fur beneath the water, sending tiny red-tinged droplets shooting out around him. He dipped his head into the stream for a sip as he panted against the pain. He looked weary and older now–a wolf who would never be what he wanted to be.

Stepping away from the healer’s hand, Calt shifted and reformed, rising to stand with his feet hip-width apart. He was covered in lacerations and bruises, but it was nothing compared to the bite marks his opponent bore. Calt shook out his arms, the blood still racing adrenaline painfully through his bloodstream. “Borhan thinks
he
should rule. It seems he has been playing me for an absentee master. He is wrong. I may have been…relaxed. But we came to this place to have an easier life.” As Borhan shifted to have a say, Calt ground out from the pain in his heart, “I thought you wanted that, too.”

An insolent sneer pulled at Borhan’s lips as they completed their transformation. “I am bored. This is not the life I wanted.” As Calt went to speak, Borhan cut him off. “I want out!”

Calt stared at him. “I’ve been a fool. I did not see how unhappy you were. For that I am sorry. As pack master, I should have found a way for you to leave us before it came to this.”

Borhan’s eyes remained hard, though he knew the words were truth. The others shuffled their feet.

Dak grunted, “Idiot.”

Borhan threw him a sneering glance. “Look who is talking.”

Dak moved to punch him, but Calt thrust out his arm to block the path. “No. This is our
chosen
tribe. If Borhan wants to leave us, he can leave. We will not abuse him on his way out. I have a feeling he is about to feel the sting.”

“You know nothing about who I am or what I feel,” Borhan snarled.

The memory of Tawny’s and Borhan’s muffled voices in the small passage after she had argued with Calt on the ledge, flashed into his mind. What had he said to her? Had he manipulated her then?

“My eyes are beginning to open,” Calt replied. “Go.”

Borhan limped past, holding the gashes in the back of his neck. He stopped as the healer’s side. “Shaynah, you should know I have always respected you.”

“And I, you.” She paused. “Until now.”

His jaw ticked and with one last look around, he walked out.

“Follow him. Make sure he leaves.” Calt instructed.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Dak grated, his eyes on the doorway, his body itching to transform.

“We will follow him all the way out of the park,” Calus growled. “Make sure he doesn’t join the others.”

Calt shook his head. “I have a feeling Tawny would have something to say about that. Do not harm him. Even if he instigates a fight. Do you understand?” They nodded. “Make sure he has enough food for at least three days. Use Ali’s backpack. Shaynah? Is there something for his wounds?”

“Yes.”

Dak was about to object, but Calus clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder to silence him. “You are a good wolf, Calt. I am proud to be here.”

Dak nodded. “As am I.”

“Thank you. And I am proud to have you here. Come back as soon as you feel it is right. Trust yourselves as I trust you.”

They bowed their heads and vanished.

Shaynah walked closer. “Stop.”

He made a noise. “What?”

“You were thinking you lost Tawny and then Borhan.”

“No, I was thinking I should have seen Borhan’s treachery. My father would never have–”

“–tolerated the mutiny Borhan was devising? Just like you did not? I know that is not what you were going to say, but that is what you should have.” She smiled sadly, her pale green eyes filled with compassion. “Soothe your mind, Great One. The only reason Borhan did not rebel against Rait is because
you
were his second in command, in blood and right. But with him gone, there was only one wolf to overpower. You could not have prevented this. I see it now. And I did not see it earlier, just like you. Love blinds us, does it not?”

Calt nodded as he stared into the past. “I never wanted this.” Then, “Did you know about our young ones?”

Little crinkles formed on her face, and she hesitated. “That they are in love? Yes. So now you know?”

“I would ask you why you did not tell me, but I do not want to fight with any of you any more. Ali and Bloo have gone to find them. They have eloped.” He waited for a sign of surprise, and when there was none, he sighed. “It is time our rules changed. This pack needs to find its own way. Together we will construct the life we want. Things are about to be different.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Well, well, well.”

He stared at her and then chuckled, heading for the door. “I need to think. You know where I will be.”

With her hands lightly clasped together, she assured him, “I will tend to Borhan’s wounds and see him off. He will know that Dak and Calus will be his escorts. He is not stupid.” She smiled sadly. “I’ll tell you as soon as anyone returns.”