“Tell me you’re talking about winning her over, because I’m up for a five-way fuck with her.”
Nikos groans. “I’ll cut your heart out before I fuck anyone at the same time as you.”
The corners of Crius’s mouth tug upward with sinister intentions, his hand reaching down and groping his cock over his pants. “You’re doing that weird shit with your eye, Nikos, where it twitches. Are you going to have a fit from thinking of sliding into her sweet pussy?”
“Fuck you,” Nikos barks, squaring his shoulders, looking ready to dive over the table. Wouldn’t be the first time these two started a fight that led to a whole tavern breaking into battle. Warfare and anger have a way of spreading like wildfire.
Ragnar watches them, smirking with amusement, and while I would normally enjoy the show, tonight I feel unease curling over my spine. My muscles stiffen at what’s coming, and it has nothing to do with the Cursed girl, but where we’re going.
The Poisonous Woods are synonymous with death. No one goes in and walks back out unscathed… and that’s if they survive. One tale talks of a dozen Alphas wandering inside and only one of them making it out, barely clinging to life. He spoke of the others left behind as nothing more than piles of ash left by an unseen assailant.
I shake away the dread that rises through me quicker than the frozen wind back home. Fear is a path to the dark side, and I won’t let it in. After all, fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. I’ve seen this too many times growing up in the Ulv pack, where the leaders painted a scarier picture of their warriors to terrify the enemy. Half the time it worked. The other half we fought like the devils they believed us to be.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Ragnar asks me.
“Of course, cousin. You know I’ll travel into Niflheimr by your side if needed.”
He laughs boisterously and claps a hand to my shoulder. “That’s why you’re on my team, Stone. We’ve been together through so much. Faced endless battles.”
“And bedded countless Omegas.” I laugh. Some days I’d be happy if it were just him and me in the pack like it used to be when we grew up back in Denmark.
Ragnar’s father and mine are brothers, and to me, Ragnar is like the brother I never had.
A shadow falls over us, and I twist my head around to find the owner of the tavern carrying a large platter of food to our table. The aromas of roasts and vegetables have me salivating. Our table fills with plates of food quickly.
“There is more where this comes from,” he tells us. His red, round cheeks and big belly speak of a man who finds his pleasure in food.
“You are too generous,” Ragnar answers.
Crius dives in, and we all eat straight from the platters. The bartender soon returns with more beer.
Ragnar collects a plate with a full roast chicken surrounded by helpings of bread and potatoes, and when he gets up, I know exactly where he’s going. Our Alpha may be a ruthless bastard, but when it comes to those under his protection, his loyalty has no boundaries. Cross him, and he’ll become the demon coming to collect your soul.
I get to my feet and reach for the platter in his grasp. “I’ll take it to the girls. You eat. Just don’t let those two eat the whole suckling pig.” We both look over to Nikos and Crius gorging on the tender meat, not even noticing we’ve gotten up from the table.
“Might be too late,” Ragnar jokes and hands me the platter. I grab a couple of the forks, and I’m out of there.
The two guards outside the inn are sitting on the front steps, enjoying their own plate of food. Ragnar always makes sure everyone under his command is fed. It’s one trait he picked up from his father back in Denmark. A place Ragnar wants to leave behind. The country is split in two, in fact, ruled by two very different Alphas. The north is controlled by Ludvig, the Norse Sector Alpha from the X-Clan pack, while the south falls under Frode’s jurisdiction, the Viking Alpha of the Ulv wolves and Ragnar’s father.
Upstairs, I knock on the door, and Narah opens it immediately. She’s wearing a loose-fitting blue shirt with tight pants, her hair wet and slicked off her face. She’s still wearing black gloves. Her eyes fall to