Claimed by the Alphas: Part Five Read Free

looked between her and the human before shifting. No matter how easy it had become to shift from form to form, he doubted he woul d ever become accustomed to being in his human form. His skin felt too tight, his large bones and muscles too compressed. He found it hard to believe that he had been born as anything but a wolf.
    He stretched, his bones popping to relieve some of the pressure. Lotus moved in front of him, placing a hand on his chest.
    “Stay with us,” she said.
    “Just days ago, you were encouraging me to spend more time with my mate,” he reminded her. He watched her face carefully, noting as the corners of her mouth tightened. “Speak plainly, Lotus. I am growing tired of this.”
    Bluntly, she said, “That was necessary. Now, things will be easier for everyone involved if you maintain your distance.”
    He contemplated her words, knowing that behind the obvious jealousy lied an unsettling truth. As he was not sure that he would always want to be loyal to his mate, they could avoid future complications if he simply stopped sharing her bed now. Unfortunately, Caim was far too selfish for that.
    “I will take that into consideration,” he told her, removing her hand from his chest. He brushed past her and headed down from the dais. Wisely, Sable made no move to stop him.
    He knew that he had hurt Lotus, and would undoubtedly continue to hurt her. He was not so pitiless that it did not bother him. Much like Asch and Sable, Lotus would always be an important part of his past.
    But Mila, and the pups they would have together, were his future.

CHAPTER THREE
     
    Mila had forgotten just how creepy the cavernous passageways were. Even in the daylight, they were just a step above pitch black, and there was always the sound of something dripping in the distance, even though she’d never seen any water. Eeriest of all was the draft that swept through the tunnel. Sometimes it sounded like an echoed voice, other times it was a far-off wailing. Right now, it sounded like footsteps.
    She wrapped her arms around her chest, shuffling down the passageway as quickly as she could without tripping over her feet. The hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention as the sound grew closer. Her anxiety spiking, she turned on her heel, staring back into the void.
    “Who’s there?” she called out, her voice cracking.
    “A predator is not going to announce itself to you.” Caim . The tension melted from her body, her posture sagging in relief.
    “I know that,” she told him as he began to take shape in the darkness. “There aren’t any predators in the den. I was just asking a question, that’s all.”
    She sucked in a sharp breath as he immediately pulled her into his arms. Her stomach flipped at the feel of his warm flesh encasing her chilled body.  When she caught his familiar, earthy scent, Mila felt a rush of emotion that threatened to engulf her. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d needed him. It wasn’t just a sexual need, it was beyond that, and the realization scared the hell out of her.
    “I can smell your fear,” he said dryly.
    Mila didn’t feel like arguing the point. She snaked her arms around his waist, pressing herself closer against his firm body. There was so much she wanted to be upset with him about, but she was weak, and it would have to wait.
    He didn’t try to pry her off, and she was grateful for that. “What are you doing wandering around on your own?” he asked.
    “Last I checked, I didn’t need an escort to my room.” Her snarkiness lost its bite as she rubbed the side of her face against his chest.
    “We will go to my room,” he announced, before scooping her up into his arms. He was such a caveman, and yet she’d never met a man who could make her feel so feminine.
    She took the opportunity to rest her head in the crook of his neck as he carried her. After a few moments of silence, she found herself asking, “Are you still mad at me?”
    “Yes.”
    “Really