Page 10 of Bound to Four Alphas

Malek had used the distraction to creep to the girl’s side, and he was currently removing the last of the rope that had held her with a gentleness Ronan wouldn’t have believed him capable of. The girl stood with shaky legs, rubbing at her shredded wrists, her sweet gratitude thick in the air.

Then, with speed and aim impressive even by his standards, she swung her arm around and punched Malek square in the jaw with a rock. And took off running towards the trees.

They stood in shock for a brief moment, Malek touching a clawed hand to his face with something akin to wonder, before Elian burst out laughing.

“Fucking hell, she’s got fire,” he managed to stutter out. “Is one of you going to get her, or should I?”

Ronan was just about to step forward before Kaelen pushed past him with a set jaw, the irritation clear on his face. “I’ll do it.”

Ronan hung back as the dragon King stalked after the retreating figure of the girl, his quick strides more than fast enough to catch up with her, limping and injured as she was. Ronan squashed down the feeling of discomfort at the thought. He didn’t like that she would be hurting.

“How long before we help him?” Elian asked, still chuckling. “How’s the face, Malek?”

Malek just blinked, his gaze not leaving the girl’s form. “Incredible.”

Ronan rolled his eyes. “Come on, before Kaelen lectures her to death.”

He took off at a steady stride, Elian and Malek following, the former pestering the latter with incessant questions about the Forest God and the monsters and the magic of the land. Malek didn’t answer, and Ronan could smell his apprehension. That didn’t stop Elian, who it seemed was making up for centuries of being denied an audience with the monster king.

It was no surprise, really. Not when it was an open secret what the Benellane Fae did to any monsters they caught.

As they reached the tree line, they were greeted by shouts and scuffling.

“This should be good,” said Elian. Ronan ignored him.

When they finally reached Kaelen, he had the girl gripped by the arms. She was hissing and scratching at him like a wild cat, writhing in her attempt to get free. Kaelen was avoiding the worst of her strikes, his large form easily subduing her. Ronan couldn’t deny his amusement at the look of strained impatience on the dragon’s face.

“Need a hand?” asked Elian, and the girl bucked harder, Kaelen wincing as her elbow clipped his side.

“No, we’re quite alright here, thank you.”

The girl screeched in outrage and redoubled her efforts, battering her little hands against Kaelen’s chest, the metal buckles on his leather doublet catching her injured wrists and reopening her wounds.

“Omega,” roared Kaelen, and the girl instantly stilled in his arms, limbs freezing as if enchanted, “you are injuring yourself. Calm down before Imake youcalm down.”

The girl hissed, but settled in his arms, her eyes narrowing as her gaze swung between Ronan, Elian, and Malek.

The Fae stepped forward, and the hair on Ronan’s arms stood up. Malek, too, seemed to bristle, shifting his weight. Kaelen reared back slightly. And then Ronan saw why.

Shadows were gathering at Elian’s feet, swirling and reaching out in dark tendrils, his golden skin practically glowing through the darkness. The air thrummed with magic.

He’d heard rumors. Everyone had. Elian, heir to the throne of the Marble Halls, son of Phaendar the Blight, commanded a dark magic beyond anything the realm had ever seen. Ronan had only witnessed the shadow magic when Elian used it to make mischief, flitting in and out of trees, teasing and roguish. Not this. Nothing like this.

The girl turned deathly still as the shadows reached her neck, curling around her, almost caressing her chest. Then, as quickly as they appeared, they retreated, and Elian’s mischievous smile was loose on his face.

“So, it seems our little dove here isn’t officially a member of our pack,” said Elian brightly, skipping over to the girl, boyish curls falling into his eyes. “But she is the root of it. It’s official!’He spun around, raising an eyebrow at Ronan. “I’m out of my depth. We need an expert opinion.”

“What the hell do you suggest?” asked Ronan, eyes flitting to the girl still locked safe in Kaelen’s arms.

“The temple,” said Malek suddenly, “to the south. The temple of the Forest God. The priestesses still worship there. They might know what to do.”

“Excellent suggestion,” said Elian. “I suggest the five of us travel south to the temple. Any objections?”

Ronan glanced at Kaelen and the dragon glared back, his mouth pressed in a thin line.

“No? Wonderful! In that case, we should set off right away.” Elian turned back to Kaelen and the girl, a strange glint in his eyes. “But there’s one more thing.”

He sauntered closer to the omega, and Ronan fought to subdue the growl rising in his chest, but Elian merely crouched down so that he was at eye level with the girl.

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