Page 32 of Bound to Four Alphas

“Malek, what is it?”

A deep growl rumbled low in his chest, his eyes more beast-like than human, and Selena felt a twinge of fear.

“Malek, please, you’re scaring me!”

He ignored her, releasing her to walk a few steps towards the trees, shadows pooling at his feet. Another twig snapped and he snarled, dropping low to the floor, some of his human features changing, fading, a hint of the beast within revealing itself.

“Maybe we should go back,” she said, taking a few steps away from him, but it was no use. It was like he had forgotten she was there, so intent was he on whatever he had heard in the forest. “Malek, I really think—”

He was off in a burst of speed and shadow, thundering over the grass, transforming completely into the beast she recognized from the meadow where she’d first seen him.

In a matter of seconds, he was gone, leaving her alone in the gardens.

She took a step back. Then another, then another.

Shit.Shit.

She had promised Ronan not to be alone. At the time it was just to placate him, but now … now she felt the fear growing.

Whatever Malek had heard, whatever he had gone after, clearly it was dangerous. And she didn’t want to be anywhere near it. They had managed to walk right to the border of the gardens, and although she could hear the revelers nearby, she couldn’t see them. Didn’t know them.

The memory of Damien’s sneer as he looked her up and down flashed before her, and she stumbled backwards, throat turning dry. If he found her alone and unprotected, there was no saying what he would do.

“This is fine, it’s fine,” she said to herself as she slowly backed towards the hall, doing her best to blend into the shadows and keep attention off herself, cursing the sparkling jewels in her hair, at her ears, hanging from her neck.

Frantically, she searched the crowds of people, looking for one of her mates. The hour was getting later, and everyone seemed to be getting drunker, louder, scarier.

She couldn’t see them outside, so she slipped into the hall but was immediately met with a wall of tall bodies pushing and shoving. She considered calling out, but quickly decided against it. It would just as easily draw the wrong sort of attention as the right.

Edging through the throngs of people, she made it to the edge of the hall where tables laden with delicious food spilled over golden platters. Slowly, she worked her way towards theother end, sticking close to the wall and scanning for any sign of Elian or Ronan. She was less keen to find Kaelen, given his sour mood, but she would take it.

But still, no sign of them. And she had no desire at all to push back into the crowd to try and find them.

Tentatively, she sniffed the air. She was fairly certain that even with her human nose she would be able to identify her mates by scent alone. But it was no use, there were too many bodies, too many different clashing smells—she didn’t stand a chance. She half-wondered why they hadn’t come to find her. She was surely stinking up the entire hall with anxiety. Most likely, they weren’t here; many people had spread outside and through the rest of the old temple.

She considered her options. She could stay at the party, mingling and chatting, find a member of the wolf clan or someone to stay with until she found one of her alphas. She could explore, try and find them outside or further within the temple. Or, she could head up to the safety of her rooms and lock herself in, trusting them to find her by scent.

Part of her wondered why she was being so cautious in the first place, a voice urging her to relax and enjoy herself, but the memory of Malek’s wild eyes had set her teeth on edge. And she’d always trusted her gut instincts.

She decided to go back to her room. No doubt Ronan would be angry with her, but it wasn’t her fault that Malek had run off. She was sure he would understand. So, she picked up her skirts and left the hall, running up the staircase where only a few hours ago, she and Malek had descended together.

It was dark, candles having burnt themselves low, and shadowy figures flitted past her, chasing each other and losing themselves to the drunken reverie. Her heart stuttered everytime someone appeared, but they paid her no mind, choosing instead to pursue their own pleasures. She breathed out. She was being paranoid.

But then, faintly, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned, but there was nobody there, the empty corridor stretching out into darkness.

Turning back around, she resolved to get to her room as quickly as possible. She was just on edge. That was it. There was nothing wrong.

She took three careful steps, and then the footfalls on stone sounded again, much closer this time, and she couldn’t help the squeak that escaped as she abandoned all attempts at nonchalance and fled.

She couldn’t tell if it was the pounding of her heart or the steady beat of footsteps chasing after her resounding in her ears.

Barely managing to reach the door of her room without tripping over the gauzy silver skirt, she wrenched it open and tumbled inside, slamming it shut and turning the bolt.

Her chest was heaving, sweat prickling the back of her neck.

There.

Footsteps. They were definitely footsteps.

---