Page 19 of Bound to Four Alphas

Kaelen noticed at the same time as Elian. His muscles clenched, animalistic need taking over as the scent hit him.

An omega had gone into heat.

Chapter 9 - Selena

Rania had led her down several flights of stairs to a chamber deep beneath the temple, the space lit with hundreds of candles. There was no bed, just several thick rugs, cushions, and blankets spread out over the floor. Against the far wall, ensconced in an alcove, was an altar to the Forest God.

The great skull of some sort of stag, complete with a curving pair of antlers, was fixed to the wall above countless dripping candles, the light bouncing off a copper basin filled with cool, clear water. Four goblets sat before it, encrusted with blood-red stones, filled with the same liquid.

She was dressed in a white silk robe, the fabric unimaginably soft against her burning skin. Rania had spent hours talking her through the elements of the ritual, the various stages and requirements, and all the while she had fought against the urge to turn tail and run.

Rania didn’t enter the chamber as Selena staggered inside, and Selena didn’t see her go. Rania had done her part in preparing her.

“The key thing is that each of them will get to claim a first,” Rania said as she painted Selena’s face with the traditional red markings, “first claiming bite, first kiss, first orgasm, and first to mate you.”

Selena was fairly certain her face was on fire at this point. “Um, I mean, I have had an orgasm before…”

Rania laughed softly, “But not one given to you?”

“No,” Selena fought the urge to hide her face in her hands. “No, I’ve never even been kissed before. None of the alphas in my village were too keen to claim a rogue.”

“I had a mate once,” said Rania with a gentle smile.

“What was it like?” Selena asked, her head spinning. Four mates. She was going to have four mates.

Rania moved on to paint swirls and whorls from her fingertips up her forearms, the pattern ancient and beautiful. “It was lovely. He was gentle, gentler than most alphas. Another Fae from a long-extinct court. At my bonding ceremony he fed me fresh strawberries in between taking me. I knew he would always care for me.”

Selena glanced up, “What happened to him?”

“He died in battle,” said Rania simply, “centuries ago, now. I knew I would never claim another, so I came here to be a priestess.”

They fell silent as Rania continued the paintings on her calves and then her hips and stomach. Selena chewed her lip as the cold, harsh reality crashed down on her head. When she had agreed to bond with the alphas, to join the pack as their mate, it felt as though the fate of the world rested on her shoulders. How could she deny such responsibility?

“I’m scared,” she admitted to Rania.

The Fae woman’s eyes filled with sympathy as she hugged Selena to her, stroking her hair. “I know you are. It’s a scary thing even when you are already in love with your intended. But it will be alright.”

“I don’t even know them.”

Rania was silent for a while, likely trying to come up with the right words so as not to completely terrify her. “I don’t know them that well either, but I know of them. Everyone does, they’re the most powerful of our kind. They take their responsibilities very seriously, and would do anything toprotect those that they love. I have no doubt that you will be well taken care of.”

Selena nodded slowly, thinking of the way Ronan and Kaelen discussed their people, how devoted they were. And Elian with all his wonderful stories of the Marble Halls. How strangely gentle Malek’s claws had been when he cut her free from the tree.

Placing a cup in Selena’s hands, Rania looked intensely into her eyes. “This is your last chance to say no.”

Selena glanced down at the cup. “What is it?”

“It will induce your heat. I will then lead you to the chambers below, where your alphas will find you. Once you drink, the ritual magic will take hold, and they will be bound to carry out the steps of the ritual as we have laid them out. The ceremony itself will conclude when all four alphas have offered their blood to the Forest God and drank from the sacred spring, but your heat will last at least a week.”

“What if…” Selena bit her lip, “what if they’re … violent?”

“The magic of the temple will protect you, but remember, they will also be bound to protect you. They will not harm you.”

Selena nodded, staring down at the swirling liquid. This was her crossroads. Drink and join the alphas, or refuse and condemn them. It wasn’t even really a choice. She had been purposeless before, existing in her small hut, scorned by all. It was a small life, and one that she had thought she was happy with. But crossing over the border had opened her eyes, and although she wasn’t certain what fate held for her, she knew it wouldn’t be small.

Before she could lose her nerve, she lifted the cup and drank.

She stumbled into the nest of pillows and blankets, the familiar first pangs of her heat already gripping her muscles. Every inch of her skin was alight with sensation, aching and tender, a deep, throbbing heat burning in her core.

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