Fated for Her Wolves - Tara West Page 0,6

speak. “I’m a murderer, Father.”

“Don’t say that.” Arvid’s eyes misted. “You are our kind, beautiful child.”

Tor’s response was worse. He let out a series of curse words until her mother, Mihaela, was able to calm him with soothing whispers and back rubs. She knew her parents were trying to help, but they made everything infinitely harder. She was grateful her other two fathers had stayed in Alaska to run the tribe. She didn’t think she could handle all four of them nagging her on this trip. Though she wasn’t officially going to Romania to bond with the four Lupescu brothers, that’s what everyone was hoping, and she certainly didn’t need any more pressure.

How could she let them love her? How could she bear their children, knowing she was the reason their mother, Katarina, had died? If she could take back the words that had driven Katarina from the reservation into the crosshairs of that crazed human, she would, even though she couldn’t deny their truth. You see everything through the lens of a spoiled bitch. Let me clue you in. Nobody likes you—not my fathers, not my brothers, not even your mates.

“You said you weren’t going to do this anymore.” Her mother’s lips were twisted into a tight scowl.

“I’m sorry.”

Now was Mihaela’s turn to get angry. She let out a string of Romanian curse words until Tor calmed her down.

“What did I do?” Tatiana’s voice cracked as she looked at Arvid.

“She’s not ready,” Arvid said to Tor. “We should go back.”

“Nu!” her mother snapped, her Romanian accent thicker than usual. “Five years they’ve waited.”

“What’s one more?” Arvid pleaded, taking her hand in his.

Her mother wagged a finger, her pale cheeks turning crimson. “She’ll never be ready if we keep coddling her!”

Tatiana hated that her parents were arguing over her. “Please don’t fight,” she pleaded. “I’m fine. We’re going,” she said with an edge of cutting finality that surprised even her. It was obvious this wasn’t just a visit, as Arvid had told her before they’d packed for the trip. They expected her to complete the bond with the four virile and tempting wolf shifters who’d been waiting far too patiently for her to return.

Great Ancients! She didn’t know if she could go through with it.

DEJAN HUMMED TO A SONG on the radio, breathing in the strong scent of the bouquet he clutched, scenery passing in a blur. He didn’t pay much attention to the road. He didn’t have to. Though he knew how to drive, as the gamma brother, he usually sat in the backseat, his two alpha brothers up front. To a human outside the family, the Amaroki social structure would seem unfair, as the roles of each pack brother were predetermined by the order of their birth. He didn’t mind the hierarchy. He was born knowing his place, which would hopefully be next to Tatiana soon, helping her raise the pack’s children. In his opinion Gammas had the best roles, and not just because he enjoyed cooking and cleaning. Gammas spent the most time with the women, and they also usually got the most sex. After spending one passionate night marking Tatiana, he was definitely ready for more. He couldn’t wait for her visit. Maybe this time she’d be ready to bond. Maybe this time they could finally go all the way.

He stopped singing when he caught Dimitri scowling at him in the rearview mirror, his pale face flushed all the way to his blond roots. “What is it?”

“You’re out of tune,” Dimitri said.

“I don’t care.” Dejan shrugged, refusing to let his brother sour his mood. He inhaled the smell of the flowers again, eager to see the smile on Tatiana’s face when he handed them to her. “I’m happy.”

He turned to his beta brother, Andrei, who sat with hands fisted in his lap. Then he looked at Constantine, who was behind the wheel. The alpha brother kept his eyes focused on the road, avoiding their conversation. Were they all dreading her visit?

Dimitri’s frown drew heavy creases in his face, making him look far older than his mid-twenties. “You shouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“Hope is all I have left.”

Though remaining optimistic was hard with Dimitri’s gloom clouding up the car, and his other brothers either faking it or ignoring him, Dejan did his best to infuse enthusiasm into his voice. He felt Dimitri’s bitterness deep in his soul, knowing the second alpha brother couldn’t help resenting Tatiana for making them wait like dogs begging for a bone. Dejan