Mated to the Berserkers: A Menage Shifter Romance by Lee Savino Read Free Book Online Page A

me. Dark-haired, with sinewy muscles under the furs I wore as clothes. A capable warrior. I sensed a bit of censure, as if he understood why I stayed away and tried to protect him, but didn’t like it.
    Come.
    I wish to wait a while. I will not be responsible for your loss of control. I protested.
    You are not responsible for my weakness, any more than Brenna is responsible for my strength .
    She soothes the beast.
    Aye. Samuel sighed. But perhaps it is time she meets it.
    Our conversation continued as I walked down the hall carved from stone. To show Brenna the beast could mean her death. But if we held back, and lost control, it was even more dangerous.
    Ye remember when she met us as wolves. She’d been terrified. I’d never forget the look on her face. She’d rather face death than us in wolf form. How much more will she hate us when she meets the monster?
    She doesn’t hate us. Samuel assured me. She accepts our wolf form. She will accept the beast.
    Ye have more faith in her than I.
    Perhaps.
    “I hate talking to ye when you’re like this.” I grouched as I entered our chambers. “You’re so damn calm. Ever since ye tried to become a monk, whenever we argue you have this infuriating tone. You’re so bloody reasonable.”
    “Living on bread and water in a monastery with nothing between my thoughts and madness taught me the value of reason, if nothing else.
    “I thought ye hated being a monk.”
    “Not enough to take back my old name.” Samuel had been Sigmund before his brief conversion to the White Christ. A good strong Norse name. “I spent most of a century as Sigmund, and most of this one as Samuel.”
    “Which do ye like better?” I was curious. We weren’t talking about the pressing matter of Brenna and our future true mate, but it was a relief to converse about mundane things.
    “It doesn’t matter. I’m Samuel now. The old Viking is gone.”
    He was right. Other than his immense battle prowess, Samuel’s calm and control made him fit to lead. Wulfgar had some of the same qualities-the power of the raging beast, and a steadiness and strength to back it. Too bad Siebold hadn’t learned the same.
    “I wish The Viking—” I referred to Siebold by his nickname, “was gone. If we offered him to Yseult--”
    “No.” Samuel wouldn’t even joke about such a thing.
    I went to the dais, and nudged a few of the pelts aside and realized Brenna wasn’t sleeping.
    “Where is she?”
    “In the bathing chamber, washing her garments.”
    “Alone?”
    “A few minutes won’t hurt. I’ll set Fergus to guard if you wish. It’ll be good practice for him.” Samuel watched me pace nervously. “We can’t keep her cooped up forever. Much as I’d like to.”
    “It’s dangerous.”
    “She must meet the pack, and learn our ways.”
    “Exposing her to the pack will help nothing. She’s not our true mate.” I snarled. “Even if we want her to be. You heard the witch?”
    “I heard.” Samuel sat on the dais, arms resting on his knees. Tall and broad, he looked like a giant compared to most men. The only thing that could defeat him was the rage within.
    I felt a stab of anger. The witch’s words made me feel helpless. The beast hated the feeling.
    “Why would the runes lie?” I kicked at the woodpile we kept to light the braziers, wishing it was an enemy. For a moment the bloodlust roared in my ears. “We need her. We can’t let her go, ye know that.”
    “I know.”
    I tore my hand through my hair, feeling my nails sharpen to claws. They bit into my skull, and I stopped moving, took a deep breath. Extreme emotion brought on the beast. This close to Samuel, I had to keep control.
    “Forgive me, Alpha.” I offered apology to offset his humiliation. Samuel was the strongest of us, being unable to control the beast rankled. “It’s just…we kept her in the cave, coddled and cared for. She lacks nothing…beyond contact with the outside world.” The wolf in me whined, happy in the