Trapped With the Alpha (Balfour Shifters Book 1) (5 page)

He leaned back down to give me one more gentle peck to my lips before sitting up to look at me. “Yes, love. I would welcome death if I knew your mouth would be on mine for eternity.”

In that moment, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this man, this man would become my life. “Eternity with you? Sounds like heaven.”

Blinking away the memory, I wipe at the tears streaming down my face as I continue to lie in Brody’s bed. Who would have guessed that eight-hundred years later, I would be lying here remembering our first kiss, desperate to be able to feel his lips just once more. 

That day, I began to believe we truly belonged together. I really thought the blacksmith’s daughter would marry the laird’s son and live happily ever after. I knew we would be inseparable and unbeatable, but the fates had something else in mind. Instead of living happily by his side, I’m living in hell, with no end in sight.

Brody

I SHIFT
back as soon as my paws hit the hardwood of the lodge floor, going straight to the stairs. Looking over my shoulder to my pack, I shout out an order. “Meeting in ten.”

It could not be clearer how agitated I am in this moment. I dare even one of my pack to step out of line and disobey me. At this point, I don’t think I would care what it was they did; I’m just itching to get into a fight, whether the reason is justified or not.

Rushing up the stairs, I go straight to my room and grab some jeans. As soon as they are on, I head to the bathroom and open the medicine cabinet, stopping briefly to shake my head at my reflection. God, I look like hell. I look like someone who has nothing to live for, someone who is too hollow inside to care. That’s not true, though. I do care. I care about my pack and gaining vengeance for what happened tonight. 

Grabbing the med kit, I head down the stairs, not concerned about my naked chest or my bare feet. My only concern is making sure my brother gets the revenge he deserves. As soon as my eyes land on Caleb, my wolf tries to force a shift. Fighting it back, I rush to my brother’s side. “Put your arm up.”

He leans his head against the back of the couch and lifts his arm over his head. “It’s really not that big of a deal, Brody. It’s just a scratch.”

Judging by the blood dripping on the sofa, I’m thinking that it’s a huge fucking deal. “Just shut your mouth and let me clean it up,” I growl.

A bottle crashes against the wall, and Knox lets out a shout. “Collin’s pack was on our land, and one of those bastard rogues got their claws into you. No, that’s not a big deal at all. It’s only grounds for war,” he rages.

I don’t bother responding. Everyone here knows I agree. If they don’t, they soon will. Ignoring Knox, I continue to clean up Caleb, placing a bandage over the gouges from the other wolf’s claws. His wolf will take care of the rest. Yet another perk of being part-shifter is the speed at which we heal. By this time tomorrow, he won’t even be able to tell where the marks once were.

 Stepping back, I look around the room. My voice vibrates with anger as I shout, “Meeting, now!”

Walking straight to my office, I head to the front of the table and grab a shot of good Scottish brew, tossing the fiery liquid back in one swig. Taking a few deep breaths, I do my best to gain control of my temper. These men are members of my pack. I need not take my anger out on them.

Finally, I take my place at the head of the table, slamming my exhausted body down into the chair. It takes less than a minute for everyone to take their places. Not waiting a second longer, I shout, “It’s time for war!”

Malcolm, my father’s beta and one of the bravest men and wolves I have ever met, says, “We haven’t had a war since your father was Alpha. We need to train if you want to battle the rogues. As we are now, the risk of us losing is too high.”

 “We will beat the rogues. Every one of Collin’s pack will die. Brody is the King of Shifters, and we are the original Balfour shifters. We can trace our bloodlines all the way back to the Picts,” Knox shouts, slamming his fist on the table so hard the bottles of liquor rattle. “No one comes on our land and attacks one of us without feeling our teeth as we rip out their throats.”

Looking at Knox, I shake my head. “Malcolm is right. We need to be prepared, and the only way to do that is to train.”

“I agree with you. We always trained before a battle. There’s no reason to change now,” my cousin and Knox’s brother, Fin, adds. 

“First things first, we have to vote. We do not go to war unless it’s unanimous,” James, another of my father’s warriors says. 

My eyes cut to him, and I snarl out my words. “Shall I remind you that this is not my father’s pack? Unlike how he ran things, this is not a democracy. If I say we go to war, we go. If you or anyone else disagrees with me, then leave, but don’t ever step foot on Balfour land again. The second you walk out, you are no longer a Balfour. You will lose everything that goes with the name. You will be an outcast.”

James shakes his head, doing his best to meet my eyes. “I didn’t say I disagreed. That’s just not how we do things. It never has been.”

Listening to him talk reminds me of the last meeting my father led. It was right before the battle that claimed his life. He bled out on a hill at Culloden, taken down by an Englishman’s sword. Instead of fighting as wolves, our clan made the mistake of fighting as men. We lost more than half our warriors and swore we would never make the same decision again. If we go to war, this time, our wolves are coming out to play, and you can bet your ass there isn’t a chance in hell we will lose. 

Placing my forearms on the table, I lean forward and look from one pack member to another. “My father allowed you all to vote before he fought for the final time. He wanted to go in wolf form, told us all that he thought our full strength would be necessary to win the battle. Some of you disagreed with him, thought it was too dangerous to show our true selves. He allowed you to vote, and we ended up going as men.”

I can hear a few indrawn breaths but continue. “He died on the battlefield, so did two of my brothers and more cousins than I can count. How many of you lost a father, a brother, or even a son? Have any of you ever wondered what would have happened if you’re Alpha had commanded you to shift?”

“Those bastards would have ran back to England with their tails between their legs,” Caleb says loudly. “And our father would still be at our side,” he finishes, his voice just barely above a whisper.

I nod my chin to him, letting him know I feel the same pain he does, then turn my attention back to the table. “Two-hundred years ago, I asked you all to leave our homeland and come to America to start over. Every single one of you followed me, without question. Then, I moved you all again, from New York to Minnesota. Again, no one asked questions. I expect the same loyalty now. If I cannot get that loyalty, then I fear we have bigger issues on our hands than these bastard rogues.”

My youngest brother, Aiden, stands up. “You’ve never led us wrong. You’ve given us all that you promised. I for one would follow you to the end of the earth, Alpha.”

Finn stands up, looking around the room. He pounds a closed fist over his heart. “Balfour.”

The others follow closely behind, each throwing their head back and howling, showing their respect for their Alpha. I watch, feeling the beast take notice and mentally telling him that only with his help will we be able to win this fight. He growls, letting me know he’s more than ready and eager to fight for the Balfour pack.

Allowing my canines to drop, I stand and shout, “We will flood this land with the blood of the rogues. Mark my words, brothers. This is one war we will not lose.” 

The rest of the pack stand up and simultaneously throw their heads back, letting loose a chorus of howls. Now, this is one war I am more than ready for.

Izzy

I STAND
in the corner of the room, watching as all of the pack members start to file out of the door. The only one who stays seated is Brody. I can see the anger on his face and the fury in his body. He is ready for more, and he’s probably excited for it.

Over the years, I have heard talk of war many times. Each time I know my mate is facing death, I feel as if I’m dying. The only thing worse than the prison I live in is the thought of living in it without Brody. As much as his actions hurt me, he is my only lifeline, and I still love him with all my heart. Sometimes, though, I wonder if I hate him as much as I love him. 

The second the last member leaves the room, Brody throws his head against the back of his chair, releasing a sigh. He stays silent for a moment, just staring at the ceiling as if it holds all the answers to his problems. He slowly starts to slide down in the chair, stretching his back out as he goes. Finally, he breaks the silence, asking the empty room a question. “How could this happen? How did the rogues get on my land?”

With a grunt, his hands go to his dark brown hair, pushing it back off his forehead and fisting it in his palms. This is something he has always done. When he’s thinking, he tugs on his hair. I’ve always thought it was endearing. It was one of the few things that made him seem like a normal man. 

He slowly sits back up and places his elbows on the table in front of him, resting his head in his hands. He stays quiet, just contemplating his strategy. I so wish I could comfort him by running my fingers through his hair or brushing a kiss against his cheek. More than anything, I wish that I could give him a moment away from the strain of his life.

It’s moments like this when I see the splinters in the tough facade Brody portrays to the world. If anyone in his pack would stop for even a minute and look at him, and I mean truly look at him, they would be able to see just how much he is struggling. Brody is immortal, or nearly so. Shifters can live for thousands of years. 

When we met, he was only twenty-two. When his father died, he was only 553. In shifter years, that is still a child. He should have had years and years to learn from his father. Instead, he had to take on the responsibilities of his entire clan, both non-shifters like my family and the shifters that belonged to his pack. It was too much for him, and I have to wonder if it is still too much.

I slowly walk across the room and stand behind his chair, where I remain completely still, just observing him. Finally, I move my hand down to rub his hair. Neither of us may be able to feel it, but it’s comforting to be so close to him. His hands move away from his face as he starts to massage his temples, no doubt trying to relieve the pressure building.

Lifting my hands, I place them on his shoulders and start a gentle massage, wanting to help him relieve the knots forming in his massive muscles. Again, I know he cannot feel me, and I for sure cannot feel him. Still, the act is second nature to me, and sometimes, I’m pretty sure these acts of normalcy are the only things keeping me sane.

Finally, he lets his hands drop. His stubble-covered chin drops down to rest on his chest, and he lets out a frustrated growl. Watching him like this, I fear he is about to give in and claim defeat. It’s something I never thought I would see, and something I pray never happens. Just looking at him brings me a level of sadness deeper than any I have ever known.

I wrap my arms around his neck, desperate to feel anything at all. Of course, just as always, I feel nothing, not even a change in temperature as I close in on his skin. How I crave his touch, his scent. How I crave his love again.

With a sigh, I rest my chin on his shoulder and just hold him, wishing he could feel even a touch of the comfort I am trying to give him.

“Don’t give up on me, Brody,” I plead into the side of his neck. “Please, don’t ever give up.”

As the words leave my mouth, I remember a time when he asked the same of me.

Wandering around in the woods looking for berries to pick for Brody’s favorite pie, I couldn’t help but whistle my favorite tune. The Laird brought in a bard the night before. He played music until the moon was high in the sky, and Brody and I danced to every song, laughing as we stumbled over the steps.