Page 5 of Owned By Four Alphas

And she was pregnant. Vulnerable. So small, so soft. So defenseless against those that would seek to attack her. Her magic had changed when she had rejected becoming a goddess, and while she was working incredibly hard to learn to control it, she had not yet mastered anything that would allow her to defend herself. And until she did, she needed her mates to protect her. No matter how much she argued.

Elian joked and laughed with passing nobles as they made their way up the steps into the palace, Selena still tucked tightly into his side. The same nobles eyed Kaelen with fear and apprehension, side-stepping as he stalked after his packmates. He growled at the few that were stupid enough to wander too close to him, his jaws snapping. Beside him, Malek sighed.

As if sensing how close Kaelen was to losing control and shifting right then and there in his ancestral home, Elian dippedinto one of the many airy lounges, the far side bare to the cool breeze except for a few intricately carved pillars. Magic kept the worst of the cold away, a blessing since the darkening clouds outside spoke of another seasonally late storm.

Selena wasted absolutely no time rounding on him, hands on her hips.

“This doesn’t need to be a long conversation, Kaelen,” she said, tone full of warning, “as I believe I only need to say this once. I can go wherever I damn well please with whomever I damn well please. Including Malek. Especially Malek. Are we completely clear?”

He couldn’t stop the dark laugh that erupted from his chest. He advanced on her, slowly, letting every ounce of his scent roll off of him. Her eyes flickered to his neck, his arms, and her throat bobbed.

Good.

“Little Omega,” he purred, grasping her chin with his thumb and forefinger and lifting her angry face up to meet his gaze, “I don’t think we’reclearat all. You disobeyed me. Do you think I put these rules in place to punish you? To limit you? Twice you were nearly taken from me, twice you were hurt because you were by yourself. If you cannot obey me, then I promise you, you will quickly learn all the ways that I willmakeyou obey me.”

Malek had moved to stand behind Selena, arms crossed over his chest, eerie black eyes fixed on Kaelen. The threat was clear.

“Something on your mind, Malek?”

The monster king did not respond, but his jaw tightened. Kaelen bared his teeth, yanking Selena closer into his chest. Malek’s answering growl echoed off the walls.

His dragon pulsed through him, magic rippling down his skin. Danger. There was danger. Malek was not backing down. So rarely did the monster feel brave enough to square up to him, so rarely did he ever assert his strength. He was too scared of being turned away, spurned from the pack, to ever step out of line. It seemed he was growing bolder with Selena’s favor. It was time for a reminder. If he wanted a fight, then he would get one.

“Hey—hey! No! Absolutely not!” Selena yanked herself out of his grip, glaring between them, “if you can’t discuss this rationally, then we won’t be discussing it at all.”

“Well said!” Elian crowed from where he lounged on a sofa. “Little dove, be a darling and come and sit on my lap. Leave those two brutes to their posturing.”

“Stop it,” Selena snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. Kaelen’s gaze was still locked with Malek’s, the air between them charged and dangerous.

“You cannot defend yourself, Omega,” Kaelen snarled, not dropping his gaze from Malek’s, “and so it is my duty to protect you. I only wish to keep you and our child safe. How can you not see that?”

“How can you not see that you’re being unreasonable! You knew I wanted to go to the celebrations today, you could have accompanied me yourself, but instead you—oh, for the love of—will youlook at mewhen I’m talking to you!”

She snarled at him, baring her teeth, and so help him, Kaelen couldn’t stop the growl of anger and warning that erupted as he finally looked down at her.

Elian was on his feet in an instant, dark shadows swirling around his hands.

“Careful, dragon,” Elian said, his voice pure ice. “I happen to agree with you, but let’s remember our manners, shall we?”

Selena ignored Elian entirely, her own snarl growing louder, limbs trembling with fury, “I have the magic of the Forest God, Kaelen,” she hissed. “Tell me how exactly that makes me unable to defend myself.”

“Is that so?” he answered, every ounce of him desperate to dominate, to pin her beneath him, bite her neck, and remind her that she washisomega. “And what if I were to attack you now, hmm? We both know you haven’t yet learned to wield your magic. How effectively do you think you’d be able to fight me off?”

Her eyes flashed with something as she took in his warrior’s stance, his huge muscles, the curved blades at his sides. Her fierce expression faltered slightly.

“Well? Shall I demonstrateexactlyhow vulnerable you are? Shall I show you every single way I could have you beneath me in a matter of seconds? Because I can promise you, Omega, you won’t like the outcome.”

She growled again, but with noticeably less fire. Her body was fighting her, Kaelen could smell it. Shouting at her to yield to him. She was resisting remarkably well.

He took a menacing step forward and her eyes shot to his face, little fists clenching.

“What will it be, Selena?”

Behind her, Malek and Elian eyed him in warning, neither of them stupid enough to try and get in his way, but bothprimed to intervene should Selena try something idiotic. She certainly looked ready to launch herself at him.

But instead, her gaze dropped to the floor, her hands relaxing, her stance shrinking in on itself in submission. He was just about to drive his victory home, when she spoke.

“I wouldn’t be able to do anything,” she said, her voice quiet, yet unmistakably firm, “because you’re right. I can’t yet control my magic. But consider this, Kaelen.” Her eyes flicked upwards to meet his. “You may be able to strong-arm me into obeying you, force me to submit to your will, but is it worth losing my respect?”

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