Believe: The Complete Channie Series (167 page)

Eli

E
LI
PACED
BACK
AND
FORTH
across the porch. He kept his voice low, but that didn’t disguise his fury.

“I don’t care if River is the first mutual merge in two centuries. She’s still a pain in the ass.”

"She's merging with a white wolf."

“So what? White wolves are rare, but this isn’t the first time someone’s merged with one. I’m not taking River as my alpha until Reuben fulfills his part of the bargain.” Eli wouldn’t take River at all if there was any other way to free Aspen. He was still furious with her for blackmailing him out of killing Jonathan. "No one but superstitious old fools believe white wolves bestow any more power than greys or blacks."

Mother dug her fingers into Eli’s bicep and forced him to face her. “One of those
old fools
just happens to be Zebulon. If you're not careful, someone that knows the value of superstitions will mate with River and usurp your birthright.”

“I don’t care.” Eli jerked his arm free.

“Reuben is an honorable man. He’ll keep his word.” Mother placed both hands on the porch rail and leaned on it, as if Eli’s refusal was too heavy a burden to bear without support. “But you must realize that even Reuben’s influence is limited. It takes a unanimous vote to pardon a sentence as serious as Aspen’s.”

“Then talk to Zebulon. If you could persuade him to pressure the council—”

“Solomon’s reputation, as well as his pride, suffered a serious blow when his betrothed mated with another man. He’ll never change his vote.”

“Then maybe Solomon needs to be replaced.”

Mother grabbed Eli’s arms. “That’s treason.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time a council seat became available under suspicious circumstances.”

“Eli, please…this is madness. If anyone were to hear you…” Mother cupped his cheeks with her hands. “Have you shared this plot with anyone else?”

“Of course not.” Eli batted Mother’s hands away from his face. “I may be irresponsible, but I’m not stupid.”

“You love Aspen enough to commit murder?”

Eli shoved his fingers into his hair. “It’s my fault she’s been stripped of her rank and turned into a whore.”

“If Reuben could see to it that no one will ever use Aspen to gratify their mating urges except you, would that be good enough?”

“Would it be good enough for you?”

Mother’s eyes flashed. “You were born to rule New Eden.”

Eli laughed. “Did you forget that I was sired by an outsider? I might as well be a bastard.”

She raised her hand to slap him.

Eli wasn’t an alpha yet, but he was no child. He was not afraid of his mother or her wolf. He bared his teeth and growled.

Mother lowered her gaze and dropped her hand. “After Zebulon exiled Ephraim, he kept track of his descendants.”

“So?”

“Why do you think I mated with an outsider?”

“You merged outside our borders and had no choice.”

“No one can prove that your father was not of Ephraim’s line.”

Eli’s heart raced. “Can you prove that he was?”

“Doing so would forfeit his life. But, I won’t have to prove anything if you mate with River.”

“He’s alive?” Eli hated the way his heart raced with hope.

Mother reached out and stroked Eli’s cheek, the same one she would have hit, if he’d let her. “I’m bound to an outsider and will never want another man. I gave up everything for you.”    

“Don’t try to pass your own ambition off as some noble sacrifice. I grew up without a father.” Eli regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. He lowered his voice and gently gripped Mother’s shoulders. “I just want to share my life with the woman I love and the children I sire. I have no wish to rule New Eden.”

“The only way for you to have that life—is if you do rule New Eden. And the only way to insure your success, is with River by your side.”

“River might not go along with your little plan to overthrow the government.”

“She won’t have a choice once she’s bound to you.”

Eli took a deep breath of icy air and let it out slowly. The resulting cloud of steam obscured Mother’s face. He waited for it to dissipate before speaking. “Reuben has a plan to protect River from bonding.”

Mother’s shoulders tensed beneath Eli’s hands. “River cannot be allowed to keep her free will. You must be the only one to mate with her.”

The fact that Mother already knew what the plan was, meant it wasn’t as big of a secret as Reuben thought. What would happen if everyone knew? How many women would willingly bind themselves to any man if they had a way to prevent it? That information alone was enough to start a revolution. The women of New Eden wouldn’t need Ephraim’s son to unite them.

Eli gripped the porch rail to hide his trembling hands. “River and I barely tolerate each other. I doubt I’ll be able to persuade her to mate with me.”

“If Reuben has already approved the match—”

“I refuse to take River, or any woman, by force. I’ll just have to win her over.”

“You can start by easing her pain with physical intimacy while she has pre-merge fever.”

“You obviously don’t know River very well.”

“Don’t do anything sexual. Keep your breeches on and just hold her next to your bare chest. The skin to skin contact will ease her cramps and burn the fever out faster. It will also soften her heart in preparation for bonding. Use it to your advantage.”

Eli didn’t like the idea of manipulating River’s feelings while she was delirious—even if she was a bitch. But he’d do anything to save Aspen.

“I’ll do my best to persuade River to become my alpha; however,” Eli met Mother’s gaze and held it without blinking, “I refuse to do anything that might alienate Reuben.”

He still hoped to free Aspen without starting a revolution.

“I’ll quarantine the ranch. That will get rid of most of the eligible males. Reuben thinks of River as a daughter, so you don’t need to worry about him. And Gabriel won’t merge for at least another year.” Mother’s eyes hardened. “But you need to keep an eye on Jonathan.”

“Not if he’s dead.”

Mother grabbed Eli’s biceps. “Do not lay so much as one finger on that boy!”

Eli knocked her hands away. “Why not? What’s he to you?”

She dropped her gaze to her hands. “He means nothing to me, but sponsors tend to get irate with people that harm their recruits. River will never mate with you if you kill Jonathan.”

Eli knew Mother was hiding something, he just didn’t know what. Or why. But he intended to find out.

Jonathan

R
IVER
HAD
JUST
DRIFTED
OFF
when Eli burst into the cabin, and slammed the door.

She flung her arms out and gasped.

“Hey!” Jonathan lowered his voice, but not the intensity behind it. “Do you mind?”

Eli stomped across the floor and glared at Jonathan. “Get out of her bed.”

“I’m not in her bed, I’m on it. There’s a huge difference. And where’s Shula?”

“Gone.”

“What do you mean gone? River needs a doctor!”

Eli leaned over and pressed his hand against River’s forehead. “Mother must not have realized how high her fever had climbed before she left.”

“When did she leave? Maybe you can catch up with her and bring her back.”

“I’m going back to bed.”

“What is wrong with you? I thought you were in love with River.”

“Hardly.” Eli started peeling off clothes. “But if you want to go chase after Mother, be my guest.”

“What about the enforcers? I don’t want to get River into trouble if someone thinks I’m trying to run away.”

Eli pulled a gold disk out of his pocket and tossed it to Jonathan. It had ‘Eli, son of Zebulon’s daughter’ inscribed on one side and a wolf’s head on the other. “Just show that to anyone that asks and tell them you’re doing my bidding.”

Jonathan shoved the coin in his pocket. “Can I borrow your horse?”

“Only if you muck out his stall when you get back.”

Jonathan didn’t want to leave River alone with Eli, but he didn’t have a choice. “I’m not trying to pick a fight, but if you do anything to River while I’m gone, I will kill you.”

“I would never stoop so low.” Eli looked genuinely offended.

Jonathan wished he could believe him. The sooner he left, the sooner he’d catch up with Shula and the sooner they’d get back to help River.

Eli sat on his bed and pulled his boots off. “Before you go, prop the door open a couple of inches. Some imbecile put too big of a log in the stove.”

Jonathan gritted his teeth to keep from telling Eli what he could do with that log. But it was too hot in the cabin. He held the door open two inches and shoved a wedge-shaped piece of wood under it with his boot. “Keep an eye on River. If she gets chilled, close the door.”

Shula’s tracks were easy to follow…at first. They led away from the cabin in a northwesterly direction, but disappeared once they entered the forest. Jonathan searched for over an hour, but never picked up her trail. He couldn’t help but wonder if Eli had known all along that Jonathan wouldn’t find her. Was this just a ploy to get him out of the cabin so he could molest River? Jonathan turned Red around and rode him hard back to the cabin. He tied him to the porch instead of taking him to the barn.

Jonathan paused at the door when he heard River’s voice. She sounded much better.

“It was amazing. I’ve never felt anything quite like it. I just wish I’d been able to finish.”

Finish what?

“Was this your first time?”

“Yes.”

Jonathan peeked in through the two inch gap. Eli was in River’s bed with her naked back pressed against his bare chest. What the hell?

Jonathan jerked the door open then closed the distance to River’s bed in three strides. “What’s going on!”

River leaned forward and smiled at him. “I’m much better now.”

“I can see that.” He could also see that Eli had his pants on even though River was completely naked.

Eli jerked the quilt up to her chin and glared at Jonathan.

Jonathan wanted to knock him into next week, but River didn’t look the least bit upset. If this were a mutual thing he had no right to interfere. “Are you okay?”

Her smile widened into a grin. “I’m a little sore, but Eli said I’ll be good as new by tomorrow.”

“Sorry to interrupt.” Jonathan clenched his teeth so hard, his jaw ached. “Next time you two want to get busy, lock the door.”

Jonathan took Red to the barn, rubbed him down and gave him some oats. He didn’t want to go back to the cabin so he went to the cleansing pool. The hot water soothed his aching body, but not his heart. Why should he care if Eli and River hooked up? He barely knew the girl. Sure, he fantasized about her a little—okay, a lot—but after seeing her naked, who wouldn’t? That didn’t mean he was in love with her. 

Jonathan closed his eyes and slid lower into the water, resting the back of his head on the pillow-shaped rock behind him.

He’d just drifted off when Eli’s shout startled him awake. “I forbid it!”

“I don’t need your permission to use the cleansing pool!”

Jonathan sat up and stretched his neck to see what was going on.

River’s hair flowed behind her as she ran down the path—completely nude—as usual. But this time, her nakedness had no effect on him.

Eli stood on the porch and yelled obscenities at River then stripped out of his pants and followed her.

Jonathan glanced at his clothes folded neatly on a rock beside the pool. He didn’t want to sit there and listen to a lover’s spat, but he wouldn’t be able to get his pants on before River arrived. Besides, he was there first.

River muttered under her breath as she descended the stone steps into the pool.

“Is everything okay?” Jonathan wanted to stab a knife through his traitorous heart for caring.

Eli plunged into the hot spring and sat down next to Jonathan; as far from River as he could get. Oh yeah, cleansing pool rules…no touching.

River leaned forward and pointed at Eli. It was easy to tell she was royally pissed. “Tell him.”

Eli glared back at her, but didn’t say anything.

“Tell me what?”

River huffed then shifted her gaze to Jonathan’s face. “I did not mate with Eli. He was only helping me recover from my fever.”

“Whatever.” Eli’s pants were on when Jonathan caught them in bed together; but there was that comment about it being her first time. “It’s none of my business.”

“I’m not a whore.” River’s eyes glistened.

“Hooking up with Eli makes you an idiot, not a whore.”

Eli laughed; a single-syllable bark. “I suppose you think you’d make a better mate.”

“Anyone would make a better mate.”

Jonathan was up to his neck in hot water but still had time to dodge Eli’s right cross.

The son of a bitch grazed his fist on the rock Jonathan had been using as a pillow. He stared at his bleeding knuckles then pointed at River, as if it were her fault. “Discipline your recruit.”

River shook her head. “For what? Not letting you hit him?”

Talk of discipline sent a chill down Jonathan’s spine. Just because Eli couldn’t take him in a fair fight, didn’t mean he wouldn’t stick a knife in his back as soon as he fell asleep. He needed to stop antagonizing the guy. He also needed to get away from River before her tear-filled, big, brown eyes tore through his resolve to protect his heart. “It’s a little too crowded in here. See you guys back at the cabin.” Jonathan turned around and vaulted out of the pool.

“Jonathan, wait! Let me explain.”

He swooped his clothes up off the rock and jogged back to the cabin, ignoring the urge to glance over his shoulder to see if River was checking him out.

Jonathan
swiped the remaining water off his body as best he could, but his skin was still damp, making it extra hard to pull his pants up over his thighs. When he leaned over to pull on his socks, he spotted Eli’s knife under the bed. He’d sleep a lot better with a weapon under his pillow, but the penalty for theft was probably as brutal as it was in Afghanistan. If he got caught stealing anything, River would be punished for his crimes. He couldn’t take that chance. He swore and kicked Eli’s knife even further under the bed then crawled into his own to grab whatever sleep he could get before Eli and River returned. It was going to be a very long night.

Jonathan woke to whispered voices. River sounded pissed. “You knew he was out there and you knew what he’d think when you asked me if it was my first time.”

“Why do you care what he thinks? He’s just a recruit.”

“He’s not like most recruits. I like him.”

Jonathan’s heart leapt in his chest. He wanted to punch it.

Eli made a growling noise that raised the hair on the back of Jonathan’s neck. “You don’t want to be bound to a man that won’t live a quarter as long as you do.”

“I don’t want to be bound to a man that’ll be absent nine months out of the year.”

“Reuben claims there’s a way for you to avoid being bound to anyone.”

“Do you know how that works?”

“I don’t care how many men you mate with. All I’m asking is that you be discreet about it.”

What the hell?

“I’m not a whore.”

“I’m not trying to insult you. I’m just trying to explain that you can live your life anyway you want. You can stay with Reuben during the winters. I know you enjoy working with the horses.” There was a long pause before Eli continued. “You don’t have to decide tonight, just think about it, alright?”

Was Eli trying to talk River into an open marriage? What a scumbag. Jonathan’s breath came faster as his anger increased. He stretched and yawned, letting them know he was awake.

River and Eli were both sitting at the table by the stove. She smiled at Jonathan. “Enjoy your nap?”

“How long was I out?” He yawned again, only this time, he didn’t have to fake it.

“About two hours.”

Jonathan shifted his gaze to Eli. “I doubt I’ll get much sleep tonight.”

He wanted Eli to know that he couldn’t take him by surprise, but didn’t want to challenge him. Time to change the subject. “Will your illness extend our time in quarantine?”

River frowned, puckering her brow. “It shouldn’t have. I’m not contagious.”

A slow smile spread across Eli’s face. “As a precaution, Mother is putting anyone River came into contact with under quarantine. She’s evacuating everyone except Reuben’s immediate family from his ranch. His son, Gabriel, is bringing us extra horses tomorrow so we can join them there.”

Jonathan’s heart sank. He didn’t want to go deeper into the wilderness. His chances of escaping successfully were diminishing by the hour. He had to leave tonight. Could he take out Eli and subdue River without seriously injuring either of them? Probably not. He needed to come up with an excuse to get her alone—preferably in the barn—where he could bind and gag her and get away before Eli realized they were gone. “Hey, River, you seem to know a lot about horses. I think Red might have a loose shoe, he seemed to be favoring his left rear leg while I was rubbing him down.”

“Why didn’t you mention it earlier?” River put on her coat and grabbed her gloves.

Eli didn’t budge. He just sat on his lazy ass, sipping his tea. “If you find anything, let me know.”

River nodded.

Jonathan took a slow, deep breath to quiet his nerves. “I’ll go with you.”

Eli shot him a dirty look, but made no move to join them.

Jonathan’s pulse jumped with every step. He felt like he was on a runaway train headed for a cliff. Should he try to explain things to River? Clamp his hand over her mouth and give her the option of going quietly? Or just knock her out? The thought of hitting her sickened him.

They were only halfway to the barn when a tall, broad-shouldered kid ran out.

“Gabriel!” River laughed and ran towards him. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.”

Jonathan’s heart fell. Even if he managed to override his conscience and knock the kid out, he wouldn’t be able to do it without River sounding the alarm. Eli would, no doubt, enjoy filling him full of arrows from the safety of the front porch.

Gabriel picked River up and swung her around once then set her down. “Aunt Shula sent everyone away that hadn’t come into contact with me or Pa and put the rest of us under quarantine. She said what you had wasn’t serious, but she didn’t want to take any chances. Pa’s furious.” He frowned and cocked his head to the side. “You don’t look sick.”