His smile is cruel. “It’s in my blood. Thorn took Alpha from my grandfather, Scar.”
“I see.” There’s cruelness in his eyes. He’d be a ruthless leader. I have a feeling that’s what Thorn was saving his pack from.
Instead, I attempt to change the subject. “What is it like in Alaska?”
“I’m not going to lie to you, it has cold winters. But I’ll keep you warm, baby.”
Gross. “How do you hunt in the snow? Isn’t food scarce?”
“That’s where a strong Alpha comes in. There are years the crop grows scarce, that’s when the hard decisions have to be made.”
“Hard decisions?” What the hell does that mean? But just then the song ends and I pull away quickly, only to be swept into another dance. Then another. All with faces I don’t want to be staring into.
The cool night is a blur of male after male, blustering bravado, quiet promises, hushed whispers, and I’m finally escaping the arms of my last male dance partner when I slipover to the table for something to drink while I catch my breath.
My eyes slide over the faces looking forhim, of all the men I’ve danced with tonight, Thorn wasn’t one of them. As if my body could sense him, a shiver runs down my spine. I turn just as his ice-blue eyes slip out from the shadows. His hand is outstretched and I reach for it, when Olcan’s brother slides between us.
“Care for a dance, virgin?”
I sigh, shooting Thorn a sad smile before Olcan’s brother takes me from him, guiding me to the center of the temple floor alongside other couples.
“My name is Ember. What is yours?”
“Koa, precious.”
What is with the nicknames? I literally just told him my name. “What’s it like having a brother so close in age?”
“It’s like having your own personal best friend all the time.”
“Interesting. Don’t think I’ve had a friend like that.” I look over at Dove, maybe I never did. Dove’s dancing with a male in an elk pelt, antlers reaching out from his shoulder blades like wings. I don’t miss the daggers Leif is shooting from the sidelines.
“Olcan was telling me about the winters in Alaska. What do you think of them?”
“I think my brother and I can keep you especially warm with double the body heat. We don’t mind sharing.”
Sharing? Oh gods.
“I’d love to keep you all to myself, if you’re not ready for that either.”
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for that,” I confess.
“Your loss.” He shrugs.
I glance down at the matching bear pelt across his shoulder. “Do you share everything?”
“Almost.”
“So, you’ve … shared women before?”Gods, now I really sound like a virgin.
“Ah, intrigued, are we?” He leans into my ear. Over his shoulder, I see Thorn clenching his fist across the room. “I promise it’s more for you than it is for us. Imagine being pleasured with four arms instead of two. Yes, we have a lot of experience in that area, and we both are waiting to show you.”
I gulp and look at our clasped hands instead. His touch does nothing to me. When he says these dirty things, it doesn’t appeal to me. I can’t imagine doing them with anyone but…
“Thorn,” Koa announces as he approaches, and the song ends. Then Koa turns from my grip, grabbing Thorn before I can. Steele steps into Koa’s place and glides me away from Thorn yet again.
Every eligible male has danced with me but Thorn. I’m starting to think that this is a planned assault to keep us apart at this point.
“I see you had a nice time with Koa; I hope he hasn’t been too forward. He always was the impulsive one.” He shrugs. Steele is larger than the brothers, with stormy gray eyes and a strong jawline.