Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

T he scent of coffee and pastries drifted to Moya and mingled with the lovely fragrance of books as she sat at her bookstore desk and made notes on what future releases to preorder. Her toe tapped in time with the rhythm of Lionel Richie's All Night Long.

Last night, she had poor sleep—and then no sleep. So, she overruled everyone and chose the music today, hoping the energetic classic rock playlist would keep her awake. Talitha had whined, but seriously, her choice of harp music would've had Moya asleep under the desk.

In the building's center, about half of the tables were full, and the soft sound of conversation filled the air.

A couple of humans browsed the shelves in the bookstore. Corey, one of Talitha's baristas, had finished his shift and come over to find his next read.

Last year, when she asked him what his favorite book was, he said he hadn't read anything since leaving high school—and looked as guilty as if he'd been caught kicking puppies. Since he loved horror movies, she'd loaned him her copy of Stephen King's The Shining. He started it reluctantly, then devoured it and never looked back.

Sometimes, she felt like a drug dealer handing out samples and luring the innocent into a whole new addiction.

Tyrone Farmer, who owned the ski shop, was wandering through the historical novels. His short black beard and long dreadlocks sported some gray even though he was only in his mid-forties. Humans showed their age sooner than Daonain, but being so fit, he'd probably be giving ski lessons into his nineties.

What would Patrin and Fell look like in their nineties?

Smiling at the thought, she tried to imagine Patrin's dark hair turning silver. There'd be more lines at the edges of Fell's eyes, and maybe he'd even acquire some laugh lines.

He should stay with her to make sure that happened. Wouldn't he laugh if she presented such an argument?

But, yes, stay with me, both of you.

When the two males left yesterday for Cold Creek, it had been…odd. She rubbed her chest where she'd actually felt ties thin as they got more and more distant.

Pack bonds weren't supposed to work this way…were they?

She'd spent the evening without them, was unable to sleep without them, and was feeling impossibly lonely. Which didn't seem right. She'd been living just fine on her own for years .

When he and Patrin returned a little before dawn, they'd joined her in bed and made love to her so thoroughly, she was still tender. Just the memory of what they'd done… Warmth flushed through her from toes to hair.

Unable to help herself, she glanced over and smiled at Fell behind the coffee bar. It still seemed surprising to have such a muscular, deadly male brewing coffee.

He caught her gaze, and his lips curved up in his mesmerizing half-smile. So kissable.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

Don't even start with me, wolf.

His smile widened.

Thankfully, Corey walked over and handed her a book: Demon Seed by Dean Koontz.

"Fantastic choice"—she pursed her lips—"although I don't know how you can sleep at night after reading this kind of story."

He grinned. "Hey, I know there's really nothing scary out there."

"Right." So young, so innocent, so human. Smiling, Moya rang up the sale, then Tyrone was there with his choices.

On to the next customer and the next.

Eventually, it was three o'clock, closing time. After pulling the gates closed, she locked them and wandered over to the coffee bar.

"Here, blodyn , I made you this." Fell set a cup on the counter and added another. "Patrin's on his way in. We wanted to talk."

"Oh, okay." By the time she sat down at her favorite table overlooking the square, Patrin had entered, turned the door sign to CLOSED, and joined her.

He ran his hand over her hair and smiled down at her. "You look beautiful today."

"So do you," she said.

He laughed. But he did, really. His big shoulders filled the sheepskin coat, his face was reddened from the cold, and his black eyes snapped with mirth. Bending, he gave her a long, slow kiss that made her toes curl. His soft beard brushed against her cheeks…making her remember the feel against her inner thighs, and by the Mother, just like that, she wanted him again.

And he could tell, dammit. After a long inhale, he rubbed his cheek against her hair and murmured, "Later, cariad . It will be my pleasure to see to all your needs."

"So pink, so pretty." Fell sat down beside her. After kissing her hand, he nipped her fingertips.

The tiny pain sent a zing straight to her nether regions. Surely it wasn't healthy to be aroused so often. "I'm not sure I can survive the both of you."

Fell's eyes darkened. "Don't say that."

Oh, Gods. "Not like that." She bumped his shoulder with her own and found the courage to be perfectly honest. "I mean you two already have me walking funny, and still, every time I look at you, I want to drag you to bed."

Fell's eyes warmed, and his hand tightened around hers. "Bed sounds good."

"Brawd, no." Patrin backhanded his brother. "Talking, then groceries, remember?"

"Don't be so reasonable." Holding her hand, Fell set her palm against his face.

She could feel the stubble along his jaw and see the small bruise where she bit him during lovemaking. She touched it with her thumb. "Oh, ah, sorry?"

His lips curved. "Come and bite me again, little wolf."

Patrin made an annoyed sound, pulled her hand away, and put a coffee in it. "The Cold Creek alpha, beta, and alpha female gave us plenty of help. One thing came out… Fell and I want you to be the pack's alpha female. Our alpha female."

She choked on the sip of coffee. They want me ? To be their alpha female, to help care for the pack, to run beside them on the trails.

"It'd be a lot of work." Fell's expression was worried.

"Aye," Patrin said. "But you've been caring for the pack anyway. We want to make it official, only…Breanne thought you might have to fight for it."

"Fighting…" Fell gripped the nape of his neck, looking frustrated. "It's not right. Females shouldn't fight."

Moya had to stifle a snort. These warriors were so dangerous, so knowledgeable about the world outside of Daonain territories, yet so endearingly innocent sometimes. Just because females didn't brawl in taverns didn't mean they fought fewer battles.

Females used all their weapons, not only fists, but words and appearance and skills.

If those failed, then fangs worked too.

"I'd be honored to be your alpha female." Moya wanted to hug herself to keep in all the emotions. "And I'll fight for it, if necessary."

Now they both looked worried—and she laughed.

Dammit, the little wolf had no idea of the damage that could happen in a challenge. Fell wanted to grab her, run upstairs, and lock her in their apartment. Keep her where she'd be safe.

But her big brown eyes danced with the anticipation of…of fighting, for fuck's sake. He could smell no fear, no worry. Just confidence.

Sure, they'd been sparring with her. She had skills, true enough, but she was…pint-sized. She was Moya .

How could he allow her to get hurt in a fight?

How could he not?

Over the years, he and Patrin had finally learned to step back when a younger shifter-soldier wanted to handle something himself. Toddlers couldn't learn to walk if carried everywhere.

And toddlers became adults.

Fell saw the same resignation in Patrin's gaze. This isn't our fight or our decision.

"We also learned a few things about pack bonds." Patrin took a sip of his coffee. "How capably an alpha can use them varies, partly because of his strength. Ones like Brett and your Stanislaus alpha can push an order through the bonds better than others. In addition, there's a difference in how much the wolf feels through the ties."

Moya frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Fell and I think you're more sensitive to the bonds than other wolves."

Seeing her frown deepen, Fell spoke up. "When Patrin ordered a halt, I could still move. The order stilled my animal enough to feel what the alpha wanted."

She shook her head. "You probably have more resistance since?—"

"Your brothers said the same." Fell met her eyes. "Like me, Ramón took a step forward."

Smiling, Patrin ran his hand over his beard. "You gnome-nuts wanted to prove you could but not totally screw up the hunt."

"Ramón could move?" Moya clenched her hands. "I was so paralyzed I almost couldn't breathe."

"See? You're sensitive." Fell rubbed his chin. If he wanted to test it, she'd probably bite him. "Can an alpha female use the bonds?"

"What a dreadful thought." She shuddered, then rose. "I promised to visit with Talitha and Eileen. I need to get going." Her fast walk lacked her usual grace.

Fuck. He shouldn't have added that last idea. As Fell was cleaning up their cups, he growled. "That went well. Not."

Frowning, Patrin joined him at the door. "She won't even think about using the bonds. What if she needs to?"

"Not all alphas use the bonds." Of course, his brother would want her to have the ability to protect the pack. "Give her time. Where do we start?"

"I was thinking the pack house and neighborhood around it." Patrin's expression stayed tight.

Fell bumped his shoulder. "She'll figure it out."

Because Moya was one of the strongest females he'd even known. Strong, smart, caring.

Soon…soon, they'd ask her to be their lifemate.

Not yet, though. When they'd spoken with Darcy's mate Gawain about making them lifemating bracelets, he'd started right then. Fuck, they were beautiful.

But the blademage pointed out that the moon was waning and suggested they wait. Asking someone to love them, to start a new life together, was traditionally done when the moon was waxing or full. Crescent moons were the time of new beginnings.

They could wait.

But fuck, it wasn't easy.