Page 11 of Bound to Four Alphas (Silverthorn Alphas #1)

It might have been easy to lose track of time, what with every hour spent in thrall to the delicious little omega begging and pleading so prettily for him. But Elian was never one to let his wits get away from him, even with such a gorgeous distraction to keep him occupied.

Selena was a true beauty to behold.

Since Kaelen had finally decided not to undo centuries of hard work and complete the ritual by fucking the sweet little dove, they had all been able to enjoy the full extent of a mated omega in heat. Ronan had practically broken down the door as soon as the magic holding them back, forcing them to play their part and take only what was offered in the ritual, had elapsed.

It was truly fascinating. Elian had never come across any enchantment capable of preventing an alpha from doing exactly what he wanted to a willing omega when she was in heat, but he did so love the novelty of something new. Even if it did mean having to tear himself away from Selena after giving her that mating mark.

After all, that was precisely what had led him here. The ability to finally uncover the mysteries of the magic for himself.

As for what he was going to do with that magic, well. He had had centuries to plan.

So he had spent the majority of the week reveling in Selena’s warm heat, claiming her in every and any way she would let him. So had the other three. Apart from a few snapping bites and warning growls, they had all managed to somehow get along rather well given an alpha’s natural disposition to possessiveness. Elian had even braced himself against the expected rage of seeing another alpha take her, but instead, he only felt a calming sense of rightness.

It made sense. They were bonded to each other as much as they were to her. The research prospects were tantalizing.

It wasn’t all endless pleasure, either. Selena certainly had periods where her cloud of lust ebbed as her body demanded rest and nourishment. And they were only too happy to cater to her every whim.

The priestesses left food, water, wine, clean blankets, anything they could need in the small atrium beyond the sacred heart of the temple. They took it in turns to feed her, bathe her, wrap her in furs and hold her close as she dozed into sleep.

And in those moments, Elian had the perfect opportunity to get to know his fellow packmates a bit better. The presence of an omega certainly was invaluable in dissuading any violence between them, and he was enormously enjoying the free range to wind Kaelen and Ronan up.

Malek had yet to take the bait. He had spent most of the time with a look of fierce adoration and mournful self-loathing painted across his face. It had taken him four days to finally give Selena the mating bite. He had even made Ronan swear to gut him if he took too long. Malek was seemingly unaware of the clear desire radiating from Selena as he finally sunk his teeth into the pale flesh of her hip, retreating as soon as his teeth broke the skin as if burnt. Selena had merely smiled down at the final mark to match the ones at her neck from Elian and Kaelen and the one on the side of her breast from Ronan.

In all his experimentation, Elian had never been able to pinpoint exactly what drove the bloodlust of the nightmare creatures—Malek’s bloodlust. His working hypothesis was that it was merely born from a desire to be part of the living world, but he also wasn’t entirely convinced that it wasn’t just because they were predators, plain and simple.

Though he had never managed to kill one through starvation. Perhaps one day he might get Malek to spill his secrets once they were out of the temple.

Nearly a week had passed, and Selena’s heat was beginning to wane. Her constant insistence to be taken had calmed into more of a desire for comfort and closeness, and she was currently half-asleep curled into Ronan’s chest, listening to Elian and Kaelen as they spoke.

“Does your father know where you are?” Kaelen tore into a chunk of bread, his hair mussed and his neck covered in bruises from the little minx watching them through lidded eyes.

“Phaendar likes to pretend he has me under control,” Elian replied, taking a swig of wine, “but we both know that’s not the case.”

That was one unexpected, and somewhat irritating, side effect of the ritual bonding them completely into a pack. The other alphas now knew the full extent of Elian’s powers, and he theirs. Unlike them, however, he had never wanted the full force of his magic to be known. It had always been in his best interest to allow others to see him merely as a capricious Fae princeling. It meant that he could continue with his scheming undisturbed. Now, however…

Kaelen exchanged a wary look with Ronan. “The magic you wield,” he began carefully, “it’s the most powerful I’ve ever come across.”

“Is that a question?”

Kaelen frowned. “Why keep it hidden? The humans might think twice before invading if they knew what you were capable of.”

“You have a considerable amount of magical power yourself, not to mention your ability to turn into an overgrown lizard. That doesn’t stop them, so why would the threat of my powers?”

The dragon growled, but it was fairly half-hearted. It seemed that being able to lock Selena away and care for her every need had calmed him somewhat.

“You could have made it known,” Ronan said, one enormous hand tracing up and down Selena’s back. “Could have done more to stop the human attacks.”

Elian scowled. “Just because I don’t feel the need to spend my days throwing myself over and over into a constant brawl with the humans doesn’t mean I’m not doing anything to try and stop their attacks.”

“Then what are you doing?” Malek sat a little further away, either unaware or uncaring about the cold stone beneath him beyond the comfort of the blankets.

With a cocked brow, Elian slid his finger to his lips. “Trade secrets, I’m afraid. But if you’d like to help me with my plans, I’m sure your insights would be invaluable .”

Selena stirred out of Ronan’s arms with a roll of her eyes. “Don’t goad him, Elian.”

“Little dove,” he filled his voice with mock affront, pouting his lip out even as she crawled over to wriggle into his open arms, “I would never dream of goading anyone.”

She pushed her head under his chin, fiddling with the lapel of his crumpled white shirt. “I think if you’ve got the gift of magic,” she said quietly, her voice small and filled with a strange sort of sadness, “you should use it to look out for other people. People who can’t always look out for themselves.”

His alpha growled at the soft sorrow in her tone, his arms flexing tighter around her. When he looked at the others, he saw a similar distress in their eyes, the same tightness in their jaws.

“Selena,” said Ronan after a pause, his throat bobbing. “The humans who sacrificed you to the forest. Who were they?”

Selena shrugged but pushed her face into Elian’s chest, hiding it from view.

“They were members of the pack that lived in the village where I grew up.”

“But you weren’t part of that pack?” asked Kaelen, though his voice made it clear he already knew the answer.

She paused, and Elian could practically hear the thoughts racing through her head. Silently, he urged her to be brave, to speak about who she was, where she came from. They were, after all, going to be spending the rest of their lives together.

“My mother…” Selena started, her spiking scent causing a growl to rumble from Elian’s chest, quite against his will.

Previously he had thought himself above such animalistic things. But now he felt quite at home voicing any displeasure at his omega facing hardship.

Selena twisted in his arms, leaning back so that she could face the other three, her back pressing against his chest. He wrapped his arms around the softness of her naked body, leaning his chin on the crown of her head.

“Before I was born, my mother was a part of the pack,” Selena continued, her voice steadier. “She looked a lot like me. At least, I think she did, I remember she had long dark hair and pale skin, although her eyes were blue. She was an omega, highly sought after, but refused everyone who propositioned her.

“I don’t know who she eventually chose, who made her pregnant with me. All I know is she refused to tell the pack. And she was a young, unmated omega with no alpha in her family to speak for her. She was cast out.”

Ronan’s eyes flashed and a growl rumbled in Kaelen’s chest at the mention of the barbaric practice. For the shifters, it was seen as an insult to the very Gods to cast out an omega, leaving her unprotected. Elian didn’t much like it either, even if he had never come across it with the Fae. They didn’t typically bond into packs in the same way, so there was nothing to be cast out from. But even they treated their omegas with the respect and reverence owed to them.

“She stayed in the village, in a little cottage on the outskirts, growing a garden and raising me,” Selena continued. “She never spoke of who my father is, no matter how many times I begged her. She died when I was nine winters.”

Died. Leaving Selena all alone. Elian pulled her in tighter, fighting down a snarl.

She would never be alone again.

“I presented a few years after that. The pack hadn’t offered me a place. I was the illegitimate omega daughter of another rogue omega. A weakness to them. But my mother taught me well, and for the most part I was able to feed myself, look after the little cottage. Anything that I couldn’t make or forage, I traded medicinal herbs for. I don’t know when they started calling me a witch, but as soon as that rumor began, they were all even more … disdainful.”

Elian couldn’t help the huff of laughter. “I’ve met a few witches in my time, little dove, and I can assure you, you’re far too delectable to ever be compared.”

“I don’t know.” A hint of amusement crept into her voice. “I think perhaps I might have liked to actually be one.”

Her scent spiked, signaling her encroaching desire, and although Elian had a hundred more questions to ask, he couldn’t resist when her mouth was on his.

Later, much later, Selena was happily curled into Malek’s chest, both of them fast asleep.

“The humans,” Kaelen said, his voice low and angry, “they’re barbaric. How could they cast out an omega?”

“They’re not like us,” said Ronan, although his voice was similarly angry, “and thank the Gods for it.”

“It’s interesting, don’t you think?” asked Elian, watching Selena’s chest rise and fall.

Kaelen glanced over. “What is?”

“She mentioned a few times about wishing she had magic. I don’t think she’s aware that she does.”

“What do you mean?” Ronan’s brows rose, concern sweeping over his face.

“Well, she very clearly has a lot of magic within her, we can all sense it. There’s so much that even I’m not sure of the full extent of it. She isn’t human. I don’t think she knows what she is.”

“What is she?” Kaelen’s eyes glowed amber in the darkened chamber.

“I have absolutely no idea.”