Claimed by the Alphas: Part Six (2 page)

Caim channeled his anger into
his clenched fists. He did not care overmuch for the opinions of others, but in this circumstance he knew that there was nothing he could say that would favor his argument without making him sound irrational in front of the beta members of his pack. He knew that Asch was right. The northwest mountain range would take a great deal of time to scale in the snow. At the top, the air would be thin and cold. They would not have time to stop and rest. It was not suitable for any human, let alone a female carrying a pup.

“Very well,” he said tightly.

After breakfast, Mila excused herself to her room to pack. Asch had told her to dress warmly and bring a spare change of clothes, as the wolves would bring the rest of her belongings to the new den. She realized that she’d never actually unpacked anything except her clothes. The rest of her belongings were still stored in her luggage, which had remained stacked neatly in the corner for some time now.

She lit a candle and sat down next to her bags, unzipping them and rummaging through the contents. On the whole, it was all useless crap, with the exception of her copy of
Wolves of the Cordilleras
. She considered skimming some of the pages, particularly those surrounding pregnancy, but remembered Marie had miscarried her first child, and decided she’d rather not think about that right now.

When she’d first opened her luggage, Mila had been appalled
at the lack of foresight and general naivety that the contents conveyed. Magazines, electronics, and high-heel shoes to name just a few dumb things, but the book had struck a chord with her. It had been one of the few practical things she’d brought with her from Tye County—a veritable primer on living among werewolves.

Mila heard a rustle of fabric and set the book down. She tilted her head back to see Caim leaning nonchalantly against the stone wall.
The light cast shadows over the sharp planes of his body, highlighting his ripped chest and hard jawline. His severely drawn face was in repose as he regarded her with a perfectly blank expression.

Only his mouth moving, he asked, “Are you ready to go?”

She stood, stretching her back before tip-toeing over to him. Giving him a quick once-over, she looped her arms around his neck.

“Almost
,” she said. She nodded towards her luggage. “I don’t think I need any of that stuff. You can tell the others to leave it.”

“Fine.”

Mila reached up, placing her hand on the side of his face and forcing him to meet her gaze. His amber eyes burned with a pent-up intensity that made her heart sink. She had known that Caim didn’t want her to leave, but when Asch had given her the opportunity to go back to civilization, it had been too good to pass up.

“We haven’t been apart before,” she said, stroking the nape of his neck. She chose her next words carefully. “Does it…is it strange for you?”

Sometimes Caim could be remarkably candid with her, but tonight was not one of those nights.

“
Why would it be strange?” he asked, his expression unyielding.

Mila knew him too well to fall for his tough-guy act, and considered calling his bluff, but decided against it. It was the last time she’d see him for at least a night or two, and she didn’t want to waste it. She leaned her head against his warm chest and lowered her hands to rest on his hips.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, taking in his scent before saying, “I’m going to miss you so much.” She rubbed her cheek against him. “Hold me?”

He acquiesced, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and drawing her further into his warmth. They fit together so perfectly that it made her chest ache. Caim had never admitted to being in love with her, but she knew there was something between them, something that wasn’t entirely one-sided.

Without speaking, Caim picked Mila up and carried her over to the bed. He set her down gently, his face hovering over hers momentarily, before he snaked down her body. Mila propped herself up on her elbows, watching as he lifted her shirt, bunching the fabric beneath her breasts. On reflex, she sucked her stomach in. Caim gave her a dry look, and she winced in response.

“Sorry, habit,” she said sheepishly.

Facing away from her, he lowered his head and pressed his ear against her stomach. Her lips parted, but she couldn’t immediately find the words to say. She brought a hand up to his hair, tentatively running her fingers over the dark tresses.

“Do you hear anything?”

He tilted his head slightly to look at her. “Not yet. Too early.”

Mila gave him a thoughtful look. “That’s odd. Asch said he could hear it last night.”

Caim’s eyes widened almost comically. “What?”

His face was awash with disappointment, and Mila almost felt bad. She covered her mouth, laughing into her hand.

“I was just kidding, silly. The baby is probably smaller than a pea. Of course you can’t hear it.”

“You lied to me,” he said, scowling at her. Caim moved, his body caging her as he backed her down onto the bedding. She tried to get control of her facial muscles, but it was impossible to hide her smile.

Still feeling mischievous, she jabbed a finger against his chest and said, “You don’t scare me anymore, big guy.”

He grabbed her offending hand by the
wrist, regarding it with what she hoped was mock scorn. Her stomach fluttered as he brought her hand to his face, running it along the hard edge of his jaw. For a moment, his eyes softened.

“You will come back to me,” he said.

It was a command, given in his usual, authoritative manner, and yet she could hear the faint undertone of vulnerability in his voice. She sat up, and he allowed the movement, pulling her into his lap. Their faces were inches apart, and she looked unflinchingly into his amber eyes.

“
Of course I’ll come back. I love you.”

It was easier to say this time, and she was impressed at the level of conviction there was, not just in her voice, but also in her heart.

The corners of his lips twitched and he gave her a predatory look. “If you ever tried to leave me, I would hunt you down.”

Mila opened her mouth to respond, but he kissed her, his firm lips taking control as he eased her back down onto the bed. She responded immediately, her hands drawing his face closer as her legs came up to bracket his hips.
Already fully aroused, his erection jutted against her belly.

It excited her to know that now, weeks after the mating thrall, and after she was already pregnant,
that Caim still wanted her just as badly. There were things to do. She had to finish packing, and Asch was probably already waiting for her. But before she left, she needed Caim.

It was after dawn by the time Mila saw the first signs of civilization. A naked birch tree sat on the edge of a small, muddy river, its roots gnarled and decayed. Nailed to its trunk was an upside down sign that read, in bold letters: NO FISHING.

Asch stopped, letting her climb down from his back. They’d been traveling for the better part of the night and her whole body was stiff. She rubbed her backside as Asch shifted into his human form.

“Are we going by foot now?” she asked, handing him the lumpy burlap bag he’d given her before they left. She’d shamelessly poked through it during the ride, finding a full set of clothes and shoes, along with a wallet, a questionable amount of cash, and several of what she assumed
were fake IDs.

“The road is nearby. Brae will meet us there,” he said, pulling out his clothing.

Mila watched him dress, recognizing the rare privilege. As gorgeous as Asch was naked, there was something alluring about the way that the blue jeans hugged his hips. Completed with a navy cotton shirt and a black leather jacket, the outfit made Asch look almost human.

As he crouched to put on his shoes, Mila combed his coppery hair with her fingers in a vain effort to tame it. When he was finished, Asch stood,
placing his hands on her hips.

“
You feeling alright?”

She nodded. “A-Okay. Let’s go find Brae, I’m freezing.”

Asch had sent Brae ahead of them to procure a vehicle. Mila wasn’t entirely sure what that entailed, and she was skeptical about Brae being on her own around humans. As far as she could tell, Brae hadn’t spent a very long time among humans. Simple things, like the concept of a bathroom or personal space seemed to elude her, and Mila worried that she might run into trouble on her own.

As Asch had said, they didn’t have to walk far. On the other side of a snowy hill, the trees thinned revealing a small road comprised of dirt, gravel, and blackened snow. To the east was a small iron bridge that traversed the river, and to the west the road curved and became obscured by the forest.

He took her hand, leading her towards the bridge. Mila nearly jumped out of her boots when she heard a loud honking. Asch chuckled and pointed towards the treeline on the opposite side of the road. Partially obscured by a drooping fir was a nondescript white sedan. Mila squinted to see Brae waving through the windshield. Smiling broadly, she waved back.

Brae opened the driver side door and
stepped out, wrinkling her nose at Asch. “Took you long enough.”

“You weren’t carrying a person,” he countered, holding up a hand. Brae tossed him the keys and opened the door to the backseat, climbing inside. In a low voice, Asch said, “She’s a terrible driver.”

“I heard that!” Brae called from inside the car.

Skipping to the sedan, Mila opened the passenger door and got inside. The interior was
an understated beige leather, and the seats were blessedly heated. She buckled up as Asch settled into the driver’s seat. He put the key in the ignition and the car purred to life, making Asch grin boyishly.

“How long has it been since you’ve driven a car?”

He shrugged. “Half a year?”

“
A year this spring,” Brae corrected, poking her head between them. She was wearing jeans and a cream-colored sweater that was a little too light for the weather. To Mila, she added, “Asch visits his family every year.”

“Has it been that long?” he mused, pulling out onto the road. He did a U-turn and headed east over the bridge.

“How are you feeling, Mila?”

She inwardly groaned, already getting tired of the question. Asch answered for her. “She’s fine, now sit back and buckle up.” He turned to Mila. “Want to listen to music?”

Her eyes widened. “
Yes
.”

~~~

Brae fell asleep an hour before they reached the highway. She didn’t snore, but had the tendency to bark in her sleep, which Mila seemed to find amusing. The local radio station played mostly country music, which Asch suspected wasn’t Mila’s favorite genre, but she hummed along just the same. The small smile and her lips tugged at his heart, and he tried to focus on the road, rather than on his mate. She was more cheerful than he’d seen her in a while, and it was hard to ignore.

It was too late to wonder if he was doing the right thing. Mila was pregnant, irrevocably bound to their pack and their lifestyle—a lifestyle that was, at the best of times, precarious.

Lifestyle
. As if they had much of a choice in the matter. From the day he was born, Asch had been segregated to the wilderness, he just hadn’t known it yet. He had tried as hard as the next wolf to blend in and keep what he was a secret, but there was only so long the beast inside could be ignored.

Asch caught a glimpse of a familiar logo on a blue road sign. Suppressing a grin, he veered right, taking the next exit. Mila looked over at him.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

He glanced her way just in time to see her face light up. “I
love
surprises!” She clamped a hand over her eyes. “Don’t give me any hints!”

Pride and a youthful eagerness suffused him, and he mentally apologized to Caim. This wouldn’t be a quick detour. For just a day, he was going to forget about what he was and where he’d have to return to. He owed it to himself, and Mila.