Page 31 of Bound to Four Alphas

Selena glanced at Ronan, and at his nod of approval she smiled at Iveir and took his proffered arm as he led her out of the hall and into the gardens, Malek trailing after them. She tried not to be frustrated. She had promised Ronan not to be alone without any of them.

The gardens were beautiful, the scent of jasmine thick in the air, lanterns nestled into the branches of ancient, curling trees. People were dancing around the great fire, drunk and laughing, and music drifted through the rose bushes.

“How long have you known Kaelen?” she asked after a stretch of silence as they meandered through the garden, admiring its beauty and appreciating the fresh night air.

A small smile curved over Iveir’s lips. “His whole life. I served his father, watched him grow up, even helped train him. He is like a son to me.”

“That’s lovely,” she said, her voice halting. “I’m glad he has you.”

“Your words are very kind, my lady. For my part I cannot tell you how much joy it gives me to see him mated at last, and to an omega of astounding beauty, no less.”

She blushed. “Yes, well, it was all rather sudden.”

“As I have gathered,” he said, turning to Malek. “It appears you have a shadow.”

She winced, “There was an … altercation earlier. With Prince Damien. I promised not to go anywhere alone.”

“Yes, I saw,” he replied with a heavy sigh. “Selena, how much do you know about Kaelen’s history with the humans?”

She chewed her lip. “I know that they killed his father,” she said, “and that he wanted to retaliate, but that Ronan’s father refused to help.”

Iveir nodded gravely. “Kaelen was young. He had been out with friends, exploring, drinking, enjoying his youth. He found his father’s body and has never stopped blaming himself. He demanded blood, and he had every right to do so, but he didn’t think clearly, and it almost caused a war with the wolves. It was fortunate that Ronan was able to take control of the western clan and reinstate peace. But tensions were high, and Kaelen has never forgotten what such a rash decision nearly cost him. The weight of responsibility, the burden of it—he carries it heavier than most.”

Selena stopped walking, raising an eyebrow. “Did he send you to try and get me to listen to him? Because I’m not going to. I appreciate that he just wants to look after me, but I won’t let him push me around.”

Iveir laughed. “Quite right, too; that boy needs to be put in his place every once in a while. And no, to answer your question, he didn’t send me. He’s busy brooding with some of his advisors, sorting out political matters when he should be having fun. I simply wanted to meet you, and officially welcome you as the mate of our king.”

“Oh,” was all Selena could say, suddenly bashful at her assumption.

Iveir smiled kindly. “Don’t worry, it’s clear how young you still are, how intimidating all this must seem. But I wanted to reassure you that we are loyal.”

“Thank you,” she said, warmth blooming in her chest. She decided that she liked Iveir, liked how honest he was.

“I must go,” he said, taking her hand and patting it in an almost fatherly way. “Kaelen needs reminding not to be a complete ass, and I would be happy to carry out that particular task.”

With a small bow, he turned, leaving Selena alone with Malek. He walked up beside her as they watched Iveir leave.

“That one is…” Malek said, searching for the right word. “Honorable, I think.’

“I think so too,” she said, “and I think you are as well. Honorable.”

He blinked in shock, his face unnaturally still, and she sighed. He kept his secrets close. There was still a prickle of fear at the base of her spine, but she ignored it as she pushed herself into his arms, straining up on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his lips.

His breathing shuttered slightly, but he closed his eyes and lowered his head, pulling her close as he deepened the kiss. Despite the curl of desire deep in her core, she pulled away, nestling into his chest, wrapping her arms as far around him as she could manage. He paused, before returning the embrace, his movements cautious.

“Why are you so hesitant?” she asked before she could rethink her words, cringing at how rude the question must have seemed. But it had been plaguing her for a while now, and her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

He was silent for a while, unnaturally still as he held her. “I am…” he said after a while, “not like the other three. I have not always been like this. Not always been able to … control myself. And I am scared of hurting you.”

His words were measured, but Selena could hear the pain behind them, the longing. She hugged him tighter. “I don’t think you’ll hurt me, Malek.”

He sucked in a ragged breath, and did not reply to her; instead, his arms grew tight as he buried his face in her hair, his chest rising and falling with unspoken emotion. She let him hold her, let him work through whatever emotion he needed to, and just enjoyed breathing in his warm scent.

Eventually, he pulled away slightly. “Selena, if anything ever happened to you because I lost control, I would—”

A twig snapped and Malek’s head whipped to the side, his entire body tensing under her touch. “What is it, what’s wrong?”

He didn’t respond, his eyes searching the tree line beyond the garden, nostrils flaring as he scented the air.

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