Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare Read Free Book Online Page A

and admirable. Not to mention, the most handsome man in all of Edinburgh.
    She’d been just as surprised as Alec when Cait had married Eynsford. Of course, all of Edinburgh had been surprised by their sudden wedding. Sorcha, along with the rest of the city, had been convinced Cait would eventually accept Alec’s proposal, and they’d be the prettiest couple in all of Scotland. Wealthy and powerful too.
    Even so, if she’d been listening carefully to Cait, Sorcha wouldn’t have been surprised. Cait was clairvoyant, and she had declared most fervently on more than one occasion that Mr. MacQuarrie wasn’t in her future. But Sorcha had always suspected that Cait would eventually give in to the handsome Scot. After all, who would say no to Alec? And who could keep saying it?
    “Is it so hard ta believe I might ken what’s best for me?”
    No one else thought she did, but she thought it wise not to admit that.
    “Those… men ,” he bit out, “aren’t for you, Sorch.”
    She sighed.
    “Is it so hard to believe I might want what’s best for you? That I might know what that is. And that it might not be what you want?” He flicked the ribbons harder, pushing the team of bays along the road at a faster clip. “Though why you would want one of those beasts I have no idea.”
    Because they were loyal, spirited, and lived life to the fullest, at least if they were anything like the other Lycans of her acquaintance. And Alec’s acquaintance. “Are ye still angry Lord Benjamin dinna tell ye the truth of his circumstances?”
    ~*~
    The truth of his circumstances? That his oldest and dearest friend was a drooling beast of a man who sought the moon like it was part of him? That he was not the man he’d portrayed himself to be and had kept that fact a secret from Alec since they were twelve years old? He had every reason to be angry about that.
    He hadn’t realized the truth until after that terrible night when he’d been transformed into the monster he was now.
    Once his sense of smell had been enhanced beyond measure, Alec had known upon his first scent of his old friend that Ben was a Lycan. The betrayal was still difficult to accept after all they’d been through together. “This has nothing to do with Ben.”
    And it didn’t. Not at all. Ben wasn’t at Castle Hythe or Eynsford Park, trying to lure Sorcha down a dark path not meant for a lady of her sweet innocence. She was as delicate as the flowers she controlled with her thoughts and emotions, not a chit to be toyed with the way Radbourne and his brothers were wont to do.
    “Little Rose was born, ye ken?” she said, completely knocking his thoughts off-balance.
    What had she said? Little Rose Westfield had been born? Yes, he knew that. It would have been impossible to miss. Ben had sent more than one letter announcing the blessed event. More than one unanswered letter.
    “She has the prettiest mop of red hair, just like Elspeth,” Sorcha continued merrily.
    He could hear the smile in her voice, and strangely enough, it made him smile too. It had been so long since he’d done so that the smile didn’t quite feel right on his face. “Does the tiny little witch have her mother’s green eyes too?”
    “No, silly,” she laughed. “Bairns have blue eyes. Though Benjamin swears they’ll change ta look just like his.”
    “They haven’t yet?”
    “They’re blue as cornflowers. And gettin’ bluer every day.”
    Alec could just imagine the infant witch in his mind’s eye.
    His oldest friend’s daughter who must look amazingly similar to her mother. He smiled despite himself.
    “Benjamin wanted ye ta be Rose’s godfather. He said he sent ye letters askin’ ye ta do so.”
    The smile vanished from Alec’s face and he was glad to see Castle Hythe on the horizon.
    “He has brothers who can fill that role.”
    “But they’re his brothers. Ye’re his friend. Ye’re the one he wants ta look after Rose’s future.”
    “I can’t step foot in church,