Chapter 5

Delaney POV

My head throbbed as I made out a faint hum of what sounded like an engine. I could feel my head lying on something warm, hard, definitely not my bed. I could also feel a hand on my hip. Then I opened my eyes, blinking rapidly as the back of an SUV leather seat came into focus, then the side of an unknown driver. Reflexively, I shot up immediately, realising that I had been lying on one of the alpha kings' laps. I just didn't know which one, with my mind all jumbled up.

"Easy there," came Ronan's voice, and only when he talked did I realise he had been the one I had been lying on. He stretched lazily, amusement dancing in his eyes, as if I hadn't used him as a mattress for what goddess knew how long.

"We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. You nearly cracked your skull during the stunt you pulled earlier," he reminded, making me scoot further near the door. No wonder my ankle hurt, though not as much as I expected it to.

"We couldn't exactly wait until you woke up. Time is of the essence to us, so we carried you," Kai joined from the passenger seat, not even looking once at me.

"Where is my father?" I asked, my voice thick and heavy, still processing.

"Oh my god, Nyra, Carter," I whispered, eyes directed at Ronan for answers.

"Where are we?" I added, looking through the rear window. My heart skipped a bit when the scenery caught my eyes. Thick woods, gnarled and overgrown, stretched endlessly on either side of the road. Nothing looked familiar about the place, not even the sky.

"Where else, little mouse? In the outskirts of the kingdom's capital, heading to our estate, of course," Ronan answered casually.

"What the hell! Are you out of your fucking minds?" My voice arose as the driver gasped, probably because I had spoken that way to the alpha kings.

"I told you to tame that mouth," Kai warned, looking over his seat at me.

"You are not my father," I hissed at Kai.

"Stop the car," I spat, fumbling with the door handle.

"We had already made it clear that you were coming with us, so quit whining and act like an alpha's daughter." My jaw dropped at Kai's words and the nonchalance in his tone.

"You drugged me...stole me, and," I hyperventilated, turning to glare at Ronan, then continued, "used me as a pillow by putting your hand on me!"

"Ronan grinned. "You are the one who drooled on me, sweetheart."

"I did not."

"A little," Kai murmured, his lips twitching as if he was fighting off a smile.

"And we didn't drug you; you passed out when you fell. Have you forgotten so soon?" Ronan added, raising a brow at me.

"How could you carry me while I was out of it? Have you no heart?" I questioned, looking alternately at the both of them.

"You are a werewolf, Delaney; we knew you'd be healed in no time." I bit my lip at Ronan's words, swallowing hard.

"Like I said, we are too busy to waste time waiting on you," Kai clarified yet again, sending a slight stabbing pain across my chest.

I let out a sound between a scream and a growl, running my hand through my hair. Where the hell was I going to start, with my friends left behind? And my father, how could he have me shipped away without even a goodbye?

"Take me back, right now." I crossed my arms, tapping my unhurt foot on the floor of the SUV.

"Not happening," Ronan replied, his tone turning suddenly serious.

"You are our problem now," Kai added.

"I am not your anything," I defiantly said, but that did not stop the SUV from rolling deeper into the woods.

The rest of the drive was filled with tension, and every tree that zoomed by reminded me that my life back at home had been ripped away. I stared through the window, wishing that the forest would just disappear and take the two smug alpha kings with it. Soon the trees began to thin, and iron gates came into view, behind them stone walls looming high.

"Finally." Ronan stretched as the gates opened, revealing two lines of guards on either side, bowing. The road was obsidian, winding up between well-kept gardens, well-trimmed hedges and silver lamps. I couldn't blink as a fountain in front of a castle came into view, two wolves carved from white stone at the centre, water coming from their mouths.

"Welcome to the Alpha Kings' Estate and your new home," Kai said, then stepped out first after a guard opened the door, not bothering to look back.

"Try not to escape; you won't make it far," Ronan warned, stepping outside. I took a deep breath, then raised my head high and stepped out, ignoring his outstretched hand.

I barely had time to walk around the SUV when a beautiful young woman practically threw herself at Ronan. I watched as he caught her by her ass, with her hands wrapped around his neck.

"I missed you so much, babe," she whispered against his neck, her sickly sweet voice making me roll my eyes.

"Chloe," Ronan said, lowering her on the ground, but not before she kissed him. I pressed my teeth together, my jaw clenching at the sight. I couldn't explain why their intimacy suddenly made my blood boil.

"I couldn't wait to see you," she purred, tracing her finger along his chest. "You didn't tell me you'd be coming back with a guest." Her eyes flicked over to me, sizing me up and down as if I was nothing before her. Oh, how I wanted to gouge her eyes out and cut her fingers for touching Ronan.

"Mark, escort Chloe away; we have more important things to handle," Kai ordered, one guard stepping forward. She walked away without a word, obviously fearful of Kai.

"I want a room far away from you two," I stated, walking between the two men as they headed to the stairs that led to the castle front door.

"Why, afraid we will bite?" Ronan leaned in, Chloe's perfume wafting into my nose, making me almost gag.

"If I knew any better, I would say you wanted to kick Chloe's ass," he added, wrapping his arm around my waist to pull me close to him.

"Get away from me," I hissed, lifting my hand to push him away from me when Kai held my hand, stopping me.

He then pulled me closer to him, holding my gaze. His blank, without any readable emotion as he spoke, his voice filled with almost palpable power, "this is not your usual pack, Delaney. Disrespect here is not allowed; you'd best remember that."

I yanked my hand free from his hold and, with my chin high, stormed up the steps, ignoring the pain that was shooting up my ankle. I couldn't limp, not when it would raise questions about why I had not healed yet. I didn't make it out to the door before Kai spoke again.

"There is a mandatory run in our wolf form tomorrow; make sure you are ready 20 minutes before. I'll personally come for you in your room."