Rebellious Mates by Keira Blackwood & Liza Street

Author:Keira Blackwood & Liza Street [Blackwood, Keira & Street, Liza]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liza Street

“Please, join us,” Elman said, giving a tight smile to Gage and Xander. They took a seat by the community fire, not far from Rhet and Malik.

Daylight had begun to fade from the sky, but the roaring fire cast a soft glow over our pack, and over our guests.

I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes off the traders, even while I helped set up for the feast. There was roasted rabbit and glazed root vegetables, a salad of berries and seeds with wide-leafed greens, sweet tea we saved only for special occasions, and for dessert, a gin berry dish that happened to be my specialty.

All day I’d been antsy with nervous energy. The traders had kept to themselves, or perhaps they were in Elman’s presence, talking about which goods would be exchanged—I didn’t know. What I did know was that every time I took a break from helping prepare the food for the feast and ventured close to Elman’s hut, Malik or Rhet seemed to show up out of nowhere, preventing me from getting closer to the two newcomers.

Now, as Elman spoke to them, I tried to tamp down the nervous excitement building within me.

“We welcome you to our village with open arms, traders. You may stay the night and share your wares with everyone,” Elman pronounced, “but we will be watching you.” He said this to the pack at large, who were gathered in a circle around the community fire. Everyone’s attention was on Elman, but his gaze lingered on Gage and Xander.

Pack members who had made dishes for the feast began distributing them. I stood up with the gin berry dish that I had made, carrying it to the alpha first, as was our custom. He took a portion and said, “Daughter, bring it to the outsiders next. Show them honor.”

Did I detect a gleam in his eye? Perhaps he, like Tahira, was hoping I might find a mate in one of them.

To reach Xander and Gage, I had to step past Rhet. He held out his plate, expecting to receive his portion next, as the firstborn, but I shook my head and moved past.

“Nadia,” he said sharply.

When, I wondered, had he stopped calling me sister?

“Sorry,” I said. “Father’s orders.”

With that, I stepped deftly over to Xander and offered him the second portion. I felt Rhet’s gaze burning into my back. I hated disappointing him, but it seemed that he was a dream from my impossible past. Sitting before me, spooning out a serving of my gin berry cake with appreciation gleaming in his deep gray eyes, was the tiniest glimpse of a possible future.

I moved next to Gage, who took a small serving. There was darkness in his eyes, a glimpse of danger—possibly sorrow. I wondered if Tahira had seen those things as well, or if she’d just seen his commanding posture.

“Sit with us,” Gage said.

Talk about commanding. “Uh, sure.”

I passed the dish of gin berry cake to Alinia, the matriarch of one of the other families in the village, so that the dish could make its way around the circle.

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