Owned By The Alphas: Part Two (3 page)

T
he cave’s
passage grew darker as Calt strode toward the two rooms where the betas slept. The first den was empty, so he walked further and found the other one the same. He knew he’d hurt Tawny, but he had no idea what he was going to say to her. His demons hissed in his mind that here yet again was an example of where he had failed in his position.

Pausing for a moment in the pitch-blackness of the second room, he considered where she might have gone to, running out of options unless she had left. He knew she had not; she went this way when she left, so where could she be now? The answer came to him. He shook his head, irritated, and picked up his pace, walking deeper into the cave to the place he had not visited since his father’s ashes floated to the heavens from the funeral pyre.

The ceiling dipped and Calt ducked and walked with bent knees. The shadows lightened in the distance and the ceiling dipped further still. He got down to crawl, swearing under his breath as his back scraped against the rocks above him. Water trickled over the stone wall on his right, but in his current state of mind he could not hear its peaceful sound. The shallow, narrow cave turned his direction to the right where at the far end he could see the blue cast of moonlight shining in from above. He crawled until he looked up at a hole barely large enough to squeeze into, a stone tube gouged by glaciers long ago that reached up over twenty feet high. Tree roots stretched toward each other, gnarled and strong, and he grabbed onto them and pulled himself up, gripping the next one and the next, his naked toes grabbing the tubed-stone for traction.

As he emerged, Tawny sighed, “I hope you brought me dinner,” from where she sat staring at the star-filled sky, her knees drawn up to her chest.

Calt considered her posture and her tone as he pulled himself up and walked the short distance to join her. The shape of a half moon, the small ledge hugged the mountain, its slope on either side a steep seventy-degree angle of light gray granite. It could only fit three at most. There was one Whitebark pine growing impossibly out of both mountain and ledge, and because of this, shaded moss-covered ground retained its moistness and pine needles were whisked away by the constant wind. There was no other access to this secret place save through the cave, but no one came here except for Calt, and his father when he was alive. The others preferred company; solitude seemed unnecessary to them, until now.

Was this a test of his patience once more, for her to be in this place he called his own?

“I brought your meal and someone to massage your ego as well,” he muttered, lowering himself to sit beside her, the soft moss crushing underneath his weight.

She kept her focus grafted to the twinkling sky. “Sarcasm. Exactly what I need.”

He stared down at the shadowed valley, his heightened night-vision able to make out the Tuolumne River rushing in the far reaches below. “Have you come to this place to bait me further?”

She didn’t hesitate, her tone clipped and angry. “Nope. I wanted to be alone. You do not need me anymore, so what good am I?”

He rolled his eyes to the sky and exhaled. “This is a perfect example of why we do not show favoritism. Emotions and jealousies are easily engaged. Our laws are set for a reason, and it is my fault this has gotten out of hand.”

Her hair whipped in the wind as she turned her head to look at him. “By
this,
you mean me?”

He cracked his neck and looked at her from the corner of his eyes, a warning in them. “Stop acting like a pup.”

She laughed the same ugly laugh she’d given Bloo. “Then what is this human to you if not your favorite? How do the laws govern now that
she
is here?”

With his legs over the side of the cliff, he fixed his limited patience on the view below. “I have chosen a mate. That is my right.”

Tawny didn’t say anything at first. They sat in silence until finally, “Why did you have to choose a human? What is wrong with me?”

Surprised, he glanced to her, his eyes landing on liquid, pale-blue eyes as she stared at him with an openness that stretched down to her soul. They had always been more friends than romantic lovers, their mating fun and games, or so he’d thought. He searched her eyes, discovering for the first time that she had been hoping for more. She’d depended on it. The thought crushed him, because now with Ali, it was impossible. And what did that leave her? A beta to mate with? The letdown would be enormous, her place forever set below where it could have been had the human not appeared.

“Tawny…I do not know what to say.” She wiped her eyes and stood up quickly. He grabbed her calf to stop her. “Wait. Sit.” She tugged at her leg, but he tightened his grip and repeated, “SIT.”

Lowering herself, she sat with her legs hanging over the edge as he did, but she tucked her hands underneath her thighs, the fingers hidden and warmed. The gesture looked feminine and vulnerable to him and it softened his edge all the more.

Swallowing her anger, she met his eyes. “You hurt me, Calt.”

He licked his lips and nodded. “I know, but I did not plan to. With all that has been going on, taking a mate was never in my mind. I did not plan this.”

Her jaw ticked as she looked to the sky, the wind blowing her hair in a way that made her look truly spectacular. He stared at her and felt an unexpected stirring.

But then she spoke, her voice a low hiss. “You are never to humiliate me in front of the pack again.”

Fury exploded, and he said on a snarl, “You are not to give me orders,
beta
.”

Her eyes flashed and she glanced to his cock. “If I am so beneath you, then why do you hunger for me? Are you a bottom feeder,
alpha
?”

He gritted his teeth against the fullness that pulled at his cock. “It is a habit, and one I will beat with time.”

Tawny laughed in his face. “I strongly doubt that! You have no idea how you feel about me, do you?”

“You have been my closest companion, even more than Borhan, but you are testing my patience, wolf. Do not think for a second that I will tolerate disrespect. You are angry, so I am staying my hand, but the thought of throwing you off of this cliff has more than once occurred to me.”

Tawny’s lips tightened as she glared at him. She grabbed his cock and stroked it as she leaned in. “Why are males so unaware of what will make them truly happy? This human will never satisfy you.”

“She lightens the weight, something you do not do,” he grunted, his body at war.

“She is like a new toy to a child! You will see! Over time you will lose interest in her in exactly the same way.” She released him and rose up with great speed.

“Sit back down!” Calt hollered at her retreating form. She glanced over her shoulder, her hair whipping to the side as she lowered herself into the hole. “TAWNY. If you leave now, you will leave this pack tonight. Do you understand me?”

She met his eyes with tears in hers. “You do not mean that!”

Furious and torn, he swallowed hard. “Come back…or you are out.”

Her mouth slackened, but her eyes went hard. He could see her decision rush over her face, and he wanted to take back what he’d said, but there was no way he could.

“Goodbye,” she breathed, and disappeared from sight.

The word slipped on the wind and wound around his body as he stared after her, stunned. He throbbed with pain, fury and disbelief. How had this happened? What would his word be worth if he chased her down and told her not to go, that he was just angry, that she always had a place here? They were her family now. How would he explain this to the others? Searching the distance, his body went limp as loss took hold. But then he heard Borhan’s voice echoing from below as he and Tawny argued, their words indiscernible in the bending passage. His second was coming to talk to him, and he straightened his shoulders and masked his feelings–something he was tired of having to do.

The groan of pain as Borhan pulled himself up from the hole onto the ledge alerted Calt of his presence, but he did not turn to meet his friend’s eyes. “I ordered her to go.”

Borhan carefully lowered himself as he said, “She told me. She acted as though she wants this, but I know she does not.”

“It is done. She gave me no choice.”

Borhan sighed, “I know. I saw it coming.”

Calt looked to him with raised eyebrows. “Did you?”

Borhan glanced from his alpha to the stars. “I did.” They both sat in silence for a long while. Finally Borhan said, “I thought she would always be here.”

Calt closed his eyes and shook his head. “I desire your counsel, friend. I want the others to know they are safe with me, but I fear this departure will make them wary.”

Borhan pulled at the fabric around his leg. “We can say that she wanted to kill your mate.”

Calt studied the sky. “That would explain her absence.”

“This claim would maintain your strength in the eyes of the pack. All of them will know what a difficult decision this was, and that you made it will show your power and allegiance to the greater good of us all.”

“All except Tawny,” Calt muttered. “The lie is necessary.”

“But is it really a lie?” Borhan asked with a weight to his tone.

Calt turned his head, a frown creased deeper into his brow. “What do you mean? What did she say to you?”

“Nothing. It was in her eyes, just now and earlier. She is a live wire, that one. It is what made her so much fun, and what will be her undoing. I think it very possible your mate would have been in danger, and you might not have seen it coming before it was too late. Tawny has a strong hold on you.”

Calt growled, “If her hold is so strong, then how could I expel her so easily?”

Borhan bowed his head. “I mean no disrespect. I thought we were talking openly.”

“Leave me.”

Borhan stood with difficulty and limped back to the hole. Staring into the valley, Calt called to him, “I appreciate your counsel, friend. But do not underestimate me. No female has control over me. Do you understand?”

He heard Borhan pause. “I do. My apologies.”

The wind rushed at him and lifted up his hair, lighting up his skin with gooseflesh as he listened to Borhan lower himself back into their den. He waited until he knew he was alone, and then he slumped his shoulders and pulled one leg up, dropping his chin onto his knee.

“Father, when you brought us here, this was not what you had in mind.” He closed his eyes.

Until the light began to change and his skin nearly froze by the cold, Calt stared into the distance. She’d not eaten, and now where would she sleep? Would she be safe? Would she go back to their old home?

He thought of her smile when they’d been told they were moving to a beautiful place called Yosemite, that life would be full of quiet and easy nights. He thought of how she’d whispered to him before they fell asleep the next morning, “I always dreamed there were better places for me than this. And look! It’s really happening!” He’d wrapped his wolf around her and she’d shifted and rubbed her muzzle against his before closing her eyes and drifting off. He had watched her sleep, the excitement of her words infecting him.

Was there a way to bring her back and still save face?

He stood up, knowing there was not.

“Take care of my girl,” he told the wind. Stretching his muscles, he lowered himself into the safety of his home, remembering that Ali was probably waiting for him. This was the first time he’d thought of her in hours.

A
s her mind spun circles
, her body still humming, Ali rushed to the safety of her alpha’s den. Their world was so wild in every sense, and it stirred her. A place deep down in her soul was laughing with relief even as shame gripped her human conscience, a crumbling remnant of a life she hoped never to go back to. “Who am I becoming?” she whispered to the ancient walls. Turning sharply right, she entered the place of solace only to find she was not alone. “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t know anyone would be in here. I just–” She closed her pelt tighter, averting her eyes from Lucin’s naked body. “–wanted somewhere to think.”

The young werewolf bent over the fire and threw the last log in it. “I needed to make sure you were comfortable.”

Staring at the ground, she backed into the hard, stone wall, hoping its solid foundation would steady her, but it didn’t. “Thank you. That’s very nice of you.” She stole a glance at his chiseled ass, admiring the way his thighs were so solid and strong, the way the flickering light lit them beautifully. A shiver of pleasure slipped through her as a question snuck into her mind:
Would he have joined in, had he been there? Would he have helped Lorn pleasure her by taking her from behind like Dak had done to Bloo?

He turned to stand with his feet firmly hip-width apart, his manhood hanging comfortably in its passive state as he absently rubbed his palm with his thumb as men sometimes do when they’re thinking of the right words. “It is my pleasure.” Ali raised her eyes to meet his and he smiled and walked to her, glancing down briefly like he wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure if he should. Whatever it was that was on his mind, it pleased him. She licked her lips nervously and wondered if it would please her, too, and then it occurred to her that she might be losing her mind.

She shot a look to the natural fountain and held there, the spring water glittering gold in the fire’s light. After a few awkward moments, she blurted, “Are you about to make a move on me?”

“No!” Lucin dropped his hands. “You are Calt’s mate! He would kill me.” He chuckled then, as if the idea was ludicrous.

“Oh. Um…okay.”
Well, your girlfriend’s got a different set of rules for herself, buddy.

Lucin stepped forward, bending until she looked him in the eye. “I wanted to say,
thank you.”

She gulped, “For?”

“I have never been asked to go on a mission before you came here.” He grinned, gesturing as he explained, “I am given things to do, yes, and I am grateful for them, but lighting the torches? It’s not the same as being sent to improve relations with our rival pack! It is because of
you
!”

Ali blinked. To be given credit seemed ludicrous, and here she was thinking herself disloyal for the two straying acts she’d already allowed. She was not to be congratulated in any way, of that she was sure. “Me?! It wasn’t because of me. It was because of Tawny arguing with Bloo. Thank
her!
” She shook her head like a dog after a bath, raking both hands through her hair in frustration. “I don’t understand any of this! You guys, your ways! They’re a mystery to me. Please don’t give me credit. I mean, I’m glad you’re happy, but it was not because of me.”

Lucin captured her gaze again with a bend of his torso, waiting until he was sure she was paying attention. His warm smile soothed her, and she stared at him as he gently said, “You will understand us soon enough. It will take time. Give yourself time!” He walked past her to the passageway. Before the shadows consumed him, he turned. “He did it to impress you. It is what a wolf does for the one he has chosen. He must win her esteem. You will see. Calt will make you very happy. It will be his life’s mission.”

Ali’s lips parted, but he disappeared before she had a chance to respond. The words danced on the air before her, not able to be absorbed just yet. That a man’s mission in life was to make her happy, she couldn’t believe. She didn’t believe in fairy tales, but then again, up until yesterday, she hadn’t believed in werewolves either.

“Oh my God! What is happening?” she moaned, burying her face in her hands.

Then she remembered something that hadn’t registered when he said it. Now it came flying back to her.
It’s not the same as being sent to improve relations with our rival pack.
Improve relations? But Calt had said they might have to kill the other pack! Was it a set-up? Was Jared in danger? She ran out into the passageway to catch Lucin. But he was not the werewolf waiting for her there.

“It is because of you!” Tawny hissed, jabbing Ali in the chest with her finger.

Grabbing the bruised space, Ali cried out, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for him to send Lucin! I’m hanging on by a string here!” She saw the hatred in Tawny’s eyes, and gasped, “Is it really that big of a deal? Go with them! Stop looking at me like that!!” Tawny backed her up all the way to the fireplace. If the heat hadn’t warned her to stop, Ali would have fallen into it. She braced herself as Tawny intimidated her with her stance and closeness, her face only inches away.

“You are
nothing
, human! I do not see what he sees in you.”

The word had a deep impact, and rage took over as she shouted, “I am not nothing! You said you found me
interesting
earlier, so don’t change your tune now just because you’re pissed.”

A mean smirk tugged at Tawny’s mouth. “Well now. So you’re done
pretending
to be the innocent little victim?”

Ali’s jaw ticked and she stood up straighter, her face inches from the she-wolf’s as she got closer. “I’m not pretending anything! I just wasn’t raised in this my whole life like you have. If I stuck you in San Francisco and took you to a job interview, or brought you to a cocktail party or told you to go find a date who wouldn’t tremble with terror at your strength, you’d freak right the fuck out, too.”

Tawny got very still. A chord had been struck. “You think you know me? You know nothing,
Nothing
.”

“Don’t fucking call me that! You know what I know, Tawny? I know that you’re hurting in there somewhere, and that you’re taking it out on me! You’re putting on this big act because deep down you’re just a pile of goosh who wants to be loved–just like the rest of us!”

Ali watched the she-wolf’s eyelashes flutter as if she’d been struck. Tawny backed away, her gaze dropping to focus on the stone ground as the distance grew between them. Wordlessly, she turned and her fingers touched the arched doorway and lingered there. Ali wasn’t breathing as she watched and waited. But after a few seconds, Tawny left without another word.

It was a while before Ali moved. She replayed the confrontation again and again, searching herself for where that strength had come from. Tawny had hit the truth a little too closely when she’d accused her of playing the victim. Had she not played the victim all her life? Acted like the world had stolen her choices as she’d drifted through it? Hadn’t she let society tell her the life she should have and want?

She never wanted to hurt Tawny. She didn’t believe it right to hurt anyone. But an eye for an eye made sense to her, and hitting home with the truth was what she felt she had to do–wanted to do–to protect herself and get that bitch off her ass.

“We all just want to be loved,” Ali whispered, exhausted. “But I don’t think we can admit it.”

The soft animal pelt bed called to her and she walked to it, her socks filthy and useless so she kicked them off as she went. The fire had warned the room nicely and she thanked it as she climbed onto the bed. A plate of raw meat lay at the foot of the bed on the sequoia table. She was still hungry and oddly, it looked good, but she knew that Lucin had brought that for Calt to thank him and care for him.

Crawling under a couple layers of furs soothed her in more ways than just heat. The weight of them was comforting and she tucked her head underneath and rolled herself into a ball. Tears came even though she tried to stop them. So much had changed in so little time and a part of her whispered that she had made the biggest overestimation of her life, trying to live among supernatural beings. “Maybe I am nothing,” she whispered in the darkness under the covers. But then she shook her head and that same inner voice that had stood up to Tawny came back loud and clear,
You are everything. You deserve to be happy just as everyone deserves to be. You can do this. You belong here.
You’ll see. Just like Lucin said… give it time.

“Ali?”

Fog evaporated as her name was called again.

“Ali?”

The room was dark as the covers pulled back, the fire’s light gone hours ago. She blinked, trying to see, but knew from the voice who it was. “Hi. What time is it? I didn’t know I fell asleep.”

“You were snoring.” Calt gathered her into his arms and pulled the covers over both of their bodies.

She made a sound halfway between a small laugh and a snort and she nuzzled into his chest, slipping her arm around him. “I snore? I didn’t know that. Mmmm…you feel good,” she murmured, caressing the back of his shoulder with her thumb.

“So do you, Soft One.” He kissed her head and held her tight.

“Lucin brought you food. You didn’t have a chance to eat much.”

“It is already consumed. I ate before waking you. It was amusing to listen to those horrific noises you made.”

Ali laughed and smacked him lightly. “Oh come on! It wasn’t that bad, was it?”

“Grizzly’s are very jealous. We had two ask for advice on how to be as imposing. You have a sign-up form filled already outside the door. Long list. You will be busy.” He cocked an eyebrow, looking down into her eyes.

“Uh-huh. Yeah, right,” she laughed. “You were really listening, weren’t you?” He nodded once and her smile changed to an intimate one. “That’s very sweet.”

“I find you interesting, Soft One.”

Ali gave her bottom lip a nibble; Tawny’s fight coming back to her in a rush. She cast her eyes to the fire and leaned her head into the crook of Calt’s neck. “The fire is gone.”

“Lorn came and lit one for you?”

Ali paused. “No, it was Lucin.”

Calt sighed, his voice tired, “He is a good wolf that one. I wish others took his lead.” He adjusted his body. “I will keep you warm.”

She waited for him to settle before she pulled the pelts up to their collarbones and snuggled up to him. She touched the alpha’s jaw, gently tracing it. She wanted to tell him what had happened with Lorn. She felt she had to, but now that he was here and seemed so tired, she thought it would be selfish. And she didn’t know if what Lorn had done was normal here, even though Lucin’s chuckle at the idea of making a pass at her told her it wasn’t. What if Lorn got in trouble because of it, with Calt and Lucin both? Right now, the two lovers seemed her closest allies aside from Calt, and to jeopardize that potential friendship didn’t seem smart. But then she remembered Shaynah…

“Calt?” she whispered, her voice small. “I have to tell you something.” She waited, but his breaths were short like he’d fallen asleep already. “Calt?”

He made a noise and turned his head to look at her from the corner of tired eyes. “What is it?”

Biting her lip again, she mustered up the courage, taking a deep breath to say, “I just wanted you to know, I’m really happy you’ve stolen me.”

With her fingers on his cheek, she felt a smile form and her heart tripped inside her chest a little. He kissed her forehead and laid his head back down. “I must sleep, Soft One. It is daylight, and the night has been long.”

“It sure has. Okay, I’m sorry…rest.”

As his breaths became quickly shallow again, she felt his body go lax. She lay her cheek against his warm flesh and thought of everything that had happened. She felt safe now that he was here, and she didn’t want to give that up. She’d have to hold a tight reign on her impulses from here on out if she had any hope of staying with him; that repeated again and again in her mind. It wasn’t long before she slipped into a fitful sleep with both alphas fighting, haunting her dreams.