Page 1 of Owned by Four Alphas (Silverthorn Alphas #2)

Dappled light danced across the hazy forest floor, shifting over the leaves that shone like jewels in shades of rich green and fiery orange. They caressed Selena’s bare feet as she walked through the warm, curling trees, her hair loose and floating slightly in the jasmine-scented breeze.

A stream. She thought she heard the bell-like tinkling of a stream up ahead, the steady flow of water over rock as soothing as a lullaby.

She walked forward, her footsteps light, her head tilted upwards to the canopy above.

This was peaceful. Beautiful.

She pushed a branch aside to reveal the stream, water tumbling down a smooth plateau of rock, branching and meandering and crystal blue.

There was a man there, sat on a tree stump, staring down into the water. He lifted his head as she stepped out of the shadows of the forest.

Not a man.

A god.

Thick horns rose high into the air, spiraling away from his angular face. He was handsome, but his silver eyes held all the sorrows of a millennia.

“Selena,” he said.

The forest broke, and raging heat engulfed her as the stream gave way to a roaring torrent of lava, the swaying trees melting into jagged black rock, the sky darkening with ash and fury. Everything was fire, the ground, the air, her skin. She opened her mouth to scream—

The forest was back. She blinked, the agony of the flames gone in an instant. Somewhere, from amongst the trees, a bird called out.

“Selena,” replied the god, unfurling to his full height, towering above her, “you’re here.”

“What was that?” she whispered, hands trembling despite the warm air.

He tilted his head, his gaze almost sorrowful. “That isn’t the right question.”

He turned away from her, and she reached out, the edges of her vision growing hazy, the end of his cape swirling into smoke. “Wait!”

The god glanced over his shoulder, his face murky.

“You’re him, aren’t you?” She tried to move forward, but her feet were sinking into the stream. “You’re the Forest God. You’re my father!”

The corner of his lip tilted up, then he turned away again.

“No, please!” she begged. “Don’t go, I have so much to ask you!”

But it was too late. The Forest God disappeared into the woods, his horns twisting amongst the branches, growing taller. She blinked and he was gone, lost amongst the trees. Part of them.

The memory of fire rushed up her limbs, engulfing her in agony. But it wasn’t a memory. The flames were back, clouding her vision, smoke choking her lungs. The last thing she saw before she opened her mouth to scream was a great wave of fire.

Selena bolted upright with a barely contained shout, arms rising to defend her face—

There was nothing. She was safe.

It was only a dream.

“Selena?” Ronan was upright beside her in a heartbeat, eyes narrowed and teeth bared as he glanced wildly around the room. “Selena, what is it?”

“Nothing,” she said, placing a hand on his arm to calm him, her breath still fast. “Just a dream. A nightmare. I’m sorry.”

Ronan groaned and fell back down into the soft bed, pulling her down with him to rest across his huge chest. “It’s okay, sweetness.” His arms wrapped around her, holding her close to him. “Was it Damien? Phaendar? I should have ripped those motherfuckers limb from limb—”

“It wasn’t that.” Selena curled closer to him, tracing the many scars that littered his skin. Battle scars, hard won and proudly worn by her wolf. Proof of his strength. “I do sometimes have nightmares about that, but never bad ones. No, this was…something different.”

He glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow, his yellow eyes flashing through the darkness of their chambers. “Something different?”

The Forest God’s face swam in her mind. His sad smile. The fire. She shook her head. “it doesn’t matter now.”

She could tell he was still curious, but he didn’t push her. Instead, he merely grunted and moved to roll them over to go back to sleep.

“Hold on,” she giggled, swatting at his muscled arms. “It’s past sunrise. I want to go into the city, see the preparations!”

Ronan groaned, trapping her wriggling limbs in his much larger ones. “We can go later. It’s still night.”

She elbowed him. “Maybe for you, lazybones! But the others have been up for hours now!”

“Malek doesn’t need sleep, and Elian’s only up because delegations are arriving for the feast later. He wants to make as much mischief as possible before he’s made to sit still and behave.”

“And Kaelen?” Selena said as she finally managed to free herself from her mate’s embrace, “He’s a shifter just like you, what’s your excuse for him?”

Ronan sat up, his eyes sliding appreciatively over her naked form, lingering at the swell of her stomach. “I wouldn’t go comparing wolves and dragons, sweetness,” he growled, “that’ll get you into all sorts of trouble.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m going to explore the Marble Halls. I’ve never been to a Winter’s End celebration before! It’s exciting.” As she spoke, she slipped into a warm gown made of silver velvet, lined with soft white fur. There was still a definite chill in the air, and despite her new powers she didn’t seem to be as resistant to things like the weather as the rest of her pack. Part of the deal of staying human, perhaps.

“The bloody Fae throw a party every time somebody coughs. It’ll be no different from the hundred other feasts we’ve had in the few months we’ve been here.”

“Grumpy,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him. “Come and join us when you’re in a better mood.”

She narrowly avoided the pillow thrown at her as she ran out of the room, giggling at the sleepy wolf left in her bed.

The Marble Halls were always beautiful at dawn, the clear stone turning shades of pale pink and peach as the sun peeked between the mountains that surrounded them. The heart of the Benellane Court, a mastery of Fae architecture. Amongst the slim nobles there were also shifters; wolves and dragons mostly, but a few visitors from other realms as well. Ever since she had claimed the magic of the Forest God a few months ago, her pack had been keen to establish peace and unity.

Discussions had been mostly positive so far, but Selena knew the brunt of the work was still to come. As much as Kaelen tried to shield her from the more aggressive concerns, she wasn’t stupid. She heard people talking.

She shook her head. It was too beautiful a day to worry. Selena skipped down the stairs of the palace, making her way into the city, the gleaming spires of the Marble Halls reaching out above her. Children ran past, their faces shining, kites floating behind them. When they saw her, their mouths fell open, their eyes widening.

“That’s the queen!”

“She’s not a queen, she’s a goddess!”

“No, my father said she was Queen of the First Realm, ever since she got the Forest God’s magic!”

“Well, my father said she’s not queen yet!”

“Are you little ones alright?” Selena asked, approaching the gawking children with a soft smile. They went rigid, their faces turning red as they realized she’d been listening.

“S-sorry, your Majesty!” The tallest, a girl with shining chestnut hair bowed at the waist, tugging a shorter boy beside her to bow as well. The third, a boy with a sneer reminiscent of Elian’s, remained standing, his eyes guarded.

“You can call me Selena,” she said, her own cheeks flushing slightly at the girl’s bow. “There’s no need for any of that. Now, why don’t you tell me where you three were off in such a hurry?”

The girl bit her lip, shyly glancing up at Selena through her lashes, “The Theldirian Fountain,” she said. “It’s almost time for the Keeper of the Library to tell the story of the Forest God and Theldir.”

Flashes of a face. Horn rising up into the branches A sad smile.

“I haven’t heard that story,” said Selena, her heart twisting slightly. “Can I come with you?”

The girl nodded, her face breaking into a smile as she grasped Selena’s hand and tugged her forward. Selena gasped at the strength in the girl’s grip. It made sense, of course; the girl was Fae and Selena was human. But it never stopped surprising her.

Selena followed the trio through the city, laughing with them as the two boys made their kites soar and pounce at each other. Many seemed to be walking in the same direction as them, towards the great fountain near the city center. Selena had seen it before, walked past it many times. It denoted the Forest God, or at least an interpretation of him as a great stag, standing resplendent with one golden hoof restraining a fearsome dragon. Water poured forth from his antlers into the fountain below, where the Keeper of the Library was waiting with a patient smile on his wrinkled face.

There was a commotion in the crowd, a few murmurs of alarm, as a shadowy figure weaved between the bodies with inhuman speed, heading straight for Selena. The three children gasped and shrank behind her, but Selena only smiled as Malek’s pale face emerged from the swirling shadows.

“Selena.” Her mate looked slightly panicked, his head whipping around, his shoulder hunching slightly in an effort to make his towering form diminish into the crowd. It was no use, however, as even if he didn’t stand half a head taller than the tallest Fae, his antlers sprouted out from his shaggy black hair above him for all to see. “I’m sorry, I was trying to get back to the palace, but I got caught in the crowd, and then I saw you.”

“It’s okay.” She took his hand and leaned into him, breathing in the familiar scent of oak and moss, shivering slightly as his clawed hand caressed her back. “I’m here for the storytelling. Would you like to listen with me?”

He glanced over at the Keeper, his mouth a tight line as the Fae around them whispered and pointed. “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

Selena turned slightly, looking at the three children, who were clearly scared, yet too curious to run. “Children, this is Malek, one of my mates. Wouldn’t you like it if he stayed and listened with us?”

The boy, the one who had glared, stepped forward. “What are you?” he asked, his head tilting.

Malek blinked, his face carefully neutral. “I am the King of the Nightwalkers,” he said, “creatures made of magic.”

“Creatures can’t be made of magic,” the boy argued, his eyes rolling, “they use magic.”

“I don’t know how to respond to that, child. I am what I am.”

The girl giggled at Malek’s gentle distress, elbowing the boy, the tension broken. “Don’t be horrible, Septas. Remember what our tutor said. Malek helped defeat the humans. We should be welcoming.”

“You’re so bossy, Nalaea. I am being welcoming. I was just asking him what he is!”

“No, you were being rude.”

As the pair continued bickering, the smallest boy stepped forward, his brown eyes wide with wonder as he looked up at Malek’s antlers. “ Are you made of magic?”

Malek glanced at Selena, and she gave him a gentle nod of encouragement. “Yes, child,” he said, “the magic of the Forest.”

The boy’s eyes widened with awe, and Selena smiled up at Malek, her heart filling with affection. He glanced at her, his eyes full of adoration as his hand laid protectively over her stomach. Over the child growing within her.

“Nightwalkers?” she asked quietly, an eyebrow raised.

Malek’s throat bobbed. “I thought it was time that my kind had a name. An actual name.”

“I like it,” she said. “Are you having any luck with the others? Have any more learned to talk?”

“A few,” he replied, his expression growing hard, “but they still struggle with the bloodlust. It had been my hope to introduce a few at the feast tonight, but I don’t think they’re ready yet.”

“Give it time,” she said, “I have every faith in you.”

His reply was cut off as a hush fell over the crowd.

“Welcome, welcome.” The booming voice seemed entirely too large to come from the diminutive frame of the Keeper. “Welcome. As we celebrate another end to winter, and look forward to the beauty of spring, let us not forget what else we celebrate this day.”

His arm swept upwards, gesturing to the fountain behind him, “For it was on this day, some five thousand years ago, that the Forest God defeated Theldir and saved us all from a world of fire.”

Selena stiffened as memories of the inferno engulfed her. Malek glanced down with concern, but she was swept away in the Keeper’s words.

“As many of you know, our Forest God was not the only god roaming the Five Realms. Although he set his throne in the First, there were many that sought to challenge him. From the sand-beasts to the south, the great Phoenix God of the Fourth Realm, to the Goddesses of Storm in the north, many turned their eyes to our verdant forests. But our god was strong, and he defended his lands well. Word was spreading, however—word that the human threat was growing, and the magical beings became restless.”

Selena could feel the eyes raking up and down her, from questioning and curious to downright hostile. Malek shifted slightly, the thick muscles of his arms shielding her, all self-consciousness forgotten in the face of a possible threat.

“There came a time of long summer, where the sun rained heat down onto the land for near a decade. The crops withered, the people thirsted, and the Forest God poured forth a mighty river so that his land would not die. And while his attention was diverted, a power grew to the north of the First Realm. The mighty mountains, soaking in the power of the sun, spat forth a god of fire and death. Theldir was his name. And he promised the people freedom and might over the humans.”

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd, and Selena swallowed, her heart racing faster.

“With the support of the great Dragon Kings and fire-bending Fae, Theldir made his attack on the First Realm. The Wolven packs joined forces with the southern Fae to defend the Forest, to defend their god. The war was long, and many perished. It soon became clear that Theldir would not stop at defeating the humans. He would massacre them, massacre the Forest itself, for he desired nothing more than power. And so, the Forest God surged forward in one final stand. His rivers ran red with blood. But Theldir was defeated.”

The Keeper’s eyes, clear blue despite his age, landed on Selena.

“The Forest God bound Theldir in chains and imprisoned him in the heart of the mountain from whence he was born. Some say the ages turned him to stone. Others say he still lingers on, his madness and magic erupting from the mountains. And that, my children, is why the volcanoes spew lava.”

The trio behind her whispered in delight over the tale, but Selena’s skin shivered with icy cold as the Keeper’s eyes narrowed.

“Of course, the lesson to be truly learnt is that the Forest God would always protect us. And now that his magic has been claimed by his daughter, I am sure Queen Selena will defend us with equal ferocity.”

Her throat turned dry as a hundred pairs of eyes turned once more to her. Strength. She had to show strength. That was what Elian had said—more implied. He rarely said anything directly.

She jolted forward out of Malek’s arms, all too aware that as she fought an internal battle, people were still looking, still waiting for her response. “We look forward to celebrating the end of winter, and commemorating my father’s deeds, with you all.”

A non-answer. The crowd shuffled in disappointment, the Fae always desperate for a new source of gossip. She didn’t care. She just wanted to enjoy the day with her mates.

The Keeper moved on to other stories, and Selena breathed a sigh of relief that the attention was off her once more. She leaned into Malek, the back of her head thumping against his chest. “I’ll never get used to that.”

Malek was silent a while. “If it helps,” he said slowly, “I never got used to it.”

She huffed a laugh and turned, wanting to reassure her mate, but her eyes locked with two figures stalking towards them, the crowds parting like water.

“Shit,” she murmured, and Malek glanced back.

Kaelen and Elian, the latter with an expression of pure Fae mischievous delight, the former looking thunderous.

“Shit,” Malek agreed.