The Alpha's Concubine (Historical Shifter Romance) by Claudia King Page B
Authors: Claudia King
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nothing to dry herself with. She stood awkwardly at the edge of the pool, wondering whether Caspian's back was still turned. Bathing in the presence of other girls was as natural to her as being naked by herself, but the men and women of her people did not often reveal their bodies to one another out in the open. She brushed the droplets from her shivering body and waited for her skin to dry a little before throwing her gown over her head, wishing that she had something more practical to wear now that she was no longer dressing to entice the alpha.
Caspian was stewing fruit in the cooking pot when she stepped back into the den, sprinkling in more of the nut meal that Fern had served her the evening prior. Netya crept over to the fire and sat down, warming her wet feet by the coals as she shivered. Caspian carved a slice of apple with the flint knife he was using and popped it into his mouth, before handing a second piece to Netya.
"I thought your people would eat more meat," she said after a moment of silence had passed.
"Hunting has been bad. Even the alpha eats poorly when there is little to go around."
"I heard you giving advice to him. Do you help lead your people too?"
Caspian paused his chewing and looked at her for the first time. "Only the alpha leads our people, and I am not him."
"But he seems to listen to you."
Caspian smiled. "He does. Perhaps he finds value in some of the things I say. But the decisions are his to make."
"Is my being here going to cause problems?"
"Yes," he said plainly, "at first. Whether those problems are small enough to be forgotten in a day, or large enough to last for weeks, is up to you."
"You said you were worried my people would come looking for me?"
He lifted the steaming pot out of the fire with a pair of sticks. "Will they?"
"I don't know," Netya admitted.
"Then we should both hope the Sun People keep to their forest."
"Is that what you call us?"
"Of course. Is it so strange to hear?" he said as he scooped the mix of meal and fruit on to a flat stone and handed it to Netya. She accepted it gratefully.
"I suppose not."
"Fear is not the best way to keep the peace," Caspian said. "But sometimes it is the only way we have."
"What do you mean?" Netya said in between mouthfuls as she scooped the food up with her fingers.
Caspian murmured something in his own language and shook his head, tossing more wood on the fire now that he was done cooking. "Nevermind. I catch myself discussing the business of men with the females far too often. Worry about showing the pack that you are one of them, and let Khelt deal with the consequences of bringing you here."
The back of Netya's neck tingled with unease. She did not want to be responsible for putting anyone in danger, but she was forced to accept it. As Caspian had said, leadership was the business of men. Her duties to the Moon People had been fulfilled the previous evening in Khelt's bed. It was clearly not her place to concern herself with anything more.
"How do I show your pack I am one of them?" she asked, turning her thoughts to more immediate matters.
"Obey those of greater status than you. The seers, the hunters, the mothers. You have the alpha's blessing, but you are still an outsider, and you have no rank among our pack. Speak plainly, be obedient, and listen to those who offer you advice. Once they see you are no threat to them, they will quickly forget about you."
Netya nodded as she ate. It was simple and practical advice. There was much she had to learn about the Moon People and their ways, and she was eager to discover it. Unlike Fern, Caspian did not seem one to talk much, and they passed the rest of the meal without speaking further.
The sun had already risen half way by the time Netya stepped out of the cave. She had wondered where she would be staying from now on, but Caspian made it clear that nobody, not even her, was allowed to remain in the alpha's den without his permission. Even those of the
Caspian was stewing fruit in the cooking pot when she stepped back into the den, sprinkling in more of the nut meal that Fern had served her the evening prior. Netya crept over to the fire and sat down, warming her wet feet by the coals as she shivered. Caspian carved a slice of apple with the flint knife he was using and popped it into his mouth, before handing a second piece to Netya.
"I thought your people would eat more meat," she said after a moment of silence had passed.
"Hunting has been bad. Even the alpha eats poorly when there is little to go around."
"I heard you giving advice to him. Do you help lead your people too?"
Caspian paused his chewing and looked at her for the first time. "Only the alpha leads our people, and I am not him."
"But he seems to listen to you."
Caspian smiled. "He does. Perhaps he finds value in some of the things I say. But the decisions are his to make."
"Is my being here going to cause problems?"
"Yes," he said plainly, "at first. Whether those problems are small enough to be forgotten in a day, or large enough to last for weeks, is up to you."
"You said you were worried my people would come looking for me?"
He lifted the steaming pot out of the fire with a pair of sticks. "Will they?"
"I don't know," Netya admitted.
"Then we should both hope the Sun People keep to their forest."
"Is that what you call us?"
"Of course. Is it so strange to hear?" he said as he scooped the mix of meal and fruit on to a flat stone and handed it to Netya. She accepted it gratefully.
"I suppose not."
"Fear is not the best way to keep the peace," Caspian said. "But sometimes it is the only way we have."
"What do you mean?" Netya said in between mouthfuls as she scooped the food up with her fingers.
Caspian murmured something in his own language and shook his head, tossing more wood on the fire now that he was done cooking. "Nevermind. I catch myself discussing the business of men with the females far too often. Worry about showing the pack that you are one of them, and let Khelt deal with the consequences of bringing you here."
The back of Netya's neck tingled with unease. She did not want to be responsible for putting anyone in danger, but she was forced to accept it. As Caspian had said, leadership was the business of men. Her duties to the Moon People had been fulfilled the previous evening in Khelt's bed. It was clearly not her place to concern herself with anything more.
"How do I show your pack I am one of them?" she asked, turning her thoughts to more immediate matters.
"Obey those of greater status than you. The seers, the hunters, the mothers. You have the alpha's blessing, but you are still an outsider, and you have no rank among our pack. Speak plainly, be obedient, and listen to those who offer you advice. Once they see you are no threat to them, they will quickly forget about you."
Netya nodded as she ate. It was simple and practical advice. There was much she had to learn about the Moon People and their ways, and she was eager to discover it. Unlike Fern, Caspian did not seem one to talk much, and they passed the rest of the meal without speaking further.
The sun had already risen half way by the time Netya stepped out of the cave. She had wondered where she would be staying from now on, but Caspian made it clear that nobody, not even her, was allowed to remain in the alpha's den without his permission. Even those of the
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