Page 22 of Alpha's Kiss

His brother gave him an exasperated look. “There should be no reason why you can’t bind his powers, Lex. He’s untrained and has never shown that he knows magic. That’s why I chose you. Your magic is every bit as powerful as Lord Rory’s was in his prime.”

“Speaking of Lord Rory, finish telling me what happened and how he escaped with Vesper.”

“Well, the two of them managed to hide for a time, but our father eventually found them in Igella after a few years. Father sent assassins after her, but none ever returned. They were presumed dead. By then she had married King Elam and was living inside the palace, so he had to let it go, but she never took any action against Morovia. It was still a tense time for us all, wondering when and if she would. She died after childbirth, however, before anything else happened.”

“I see. But what if this boy is like his mother and I can’t bind him? What if he’s as corrupt as she was reported to be? What if he’s that powerful and irredeemable as well?”

“Give him a chance first. We don’t know any of that for sure. Then if he can’t be handled, and he refuses to be contained, I’m afraid you’ll have no choice but to give him the same end our father planned for his mother.”

“You mean, kill him.”

Harrison raised one shoulder and looked uncomfortable, as well he should. The idea of killing this boy I didn’t even know was abhorrent to me. I tried to talk myself into it—after all, this young man was Igellan and an enemy of our people. He was almost certainly a warlock to boot, but it was no use. I was still troubled by it and didn’t know if I could do it.

I continued to argue with my brother for an entire week, trying to find some loophole, but in the end, I’d reluctantly agreed to go to Igella with my pack and pose as a lord with a small estate on the border. I agreed to whatever Berinda wanted me to in order to get her to give him to me, though I never planned to do as she wanted. My pack understood that I’d made this decision that would affect all of us without even consulting them, and they knew how troubled I was by it.

I already knew I probably could never go through with harming Prince Rory, no matter how evil he was. I’d have to find some other way.

I’d been close to my three cousins since we were boys, and we’d remained that way since I’d taken over as the head Alpha. I would send my pack to Igella first to flash a lot of gold in Berinda’s face and get her softened up. I’d hoped it would be enough to make her not question us too closely.

I had some estate business to finish, so I’d sent them on ahead to Igella so they could report back to me. They’d sent word that Berinda seemed pleased with our offer, and they had little doubt that she’d take us up on it. So far there had been no other offers.

Then I’d arrived and met Rory in the flesh. And everything changed in one night. I never expected to be so attracted to him.

From the first moment I saw him, the little omega shocked me by being a long, long way from plain. He was actually as gorgeous as his mother had been rumored to be and close to going into his first heat when I arrived. He didn’t act like a warlock, even though I’d taunted him with the charge. I’d had some doubts, but he’d just now proven he had magic—clumsy though it might be—with those stunts with the bird and the fire. I could see that both Brandon and Wyatt were fascinated by him, to some extent. It seemed like only Asher and I had any defenses against him at all—so it would be up to us to control him.

And that was exactly what we had to do. Not only for our own sake, but for his. He was annoying and a bit of a smart ass. But though he could enrage me, making me angrier than anyone ever had, the idea of killing him and putting out that beautiful spark of life was still absolutely abhorrent to me. I couldn’t let it happen. I wouldn’t.

Chapter Eight

Rory

I would have loved to have known what was on Lexington’s mind as he sat there brooding by the fire, staring into the flames. I was aware that he had spoken some spell over me, but since nothing had happened, and I didn’t feel any different, I’d dismissed it. If something happened later, I’d deal with it, but for now, why borrow trouble? I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of asking him what he’d done, and to be honest, I was a little afraid of this big, tough Alpha, though I had to face the fact that I was also wildly attracted to him too. I’d hated the way he’d held me with his magic, but I had to admit, it had excited me a little. Okay, a lot. I didn’t mind his dominance. In fact, something deep inside me seemed to crave it.

I decided I’d better behave and not stir him to any more displays of control, so I ate the food I was given, a dreadfully undercooked piece of beef and a hunk of bread. I even drank down the weak ass coffee that Wyatt made in his little tin pot. I didn’t know what I’d be facing later, and I would no doubt need my strength. Besides, I’d caused enough trouble already.

Wyatt rounded up the runaway horse, and got the other animals calmed down too. He and the other Alphas—except for Lexington, or Lex, as I’d heard the others call him—bustled around getting ready to travel again. I made up my mind I was going to ask for other clothing though. This heavy cape was warm, but also stiff and bulky and terribly uncomfortable. Hard to move around in, which was probably his thought in the first place, the evil bastard. I wondered if I could change it myself, and started to try it, but thought better of it. So far, all my attempts at magic had been disastrous.

I screwed up my courage to speak to the still furious Lex, but just as I opened my mouth, he called to Asher.

“Where’s the stream you found?”

“Behind those trees over there,” Asher replied and glanced at me. “It’s icy cold, though.”

He nodded. “It will have to do.”

Standing up, he nodded toward me. “Princeling, you have to bathe before we get back on the road. Your scent will alert every Alpha within miles of us.”

I got up, not really insulted, because I could even smell myself, though he could have been a little less rude about it. “All right. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Don’t try anything at the stream.”

“Like what?”

“Like trying to escape. We’re a long way from your father’s castle, so don’t even think about it.”

I raised my chin defiantly. I’d never talked back to my stepmother in all the years since she married my father. But since I’d met this irritating Alpha, I’d done nothing but defy him. Hebotheredme, more than any of the others, except for maybe Asher. Both of them were way too domineering.

“What if I do?” I sassed him. “What are you going to do about it?”

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