Throne of Oak (Maggie's Grove) by Dana Marie Bell Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dana Marie Bell
snorted and rose from his defensive crouch. “Helluva doorbell.”
“You have no idea.” Few beings had the power to rattle his home like that. The man at the door was one of them.
Eddy came tearing into the room as if the hounds of hell were on his ass. “Company!” He then dove under Dragos’s desk and cowered.
Noah, bless his heart, strode over to Dragos’s desk and parked his behind on the edge, crossing his ankles as he sat, effectively hiding Eddy from view. The spark that made him a good alpha meant he protected those weaker than himself, pack or no.
If anything happened to Dragos, his will stated Noah was to become mayor. He couldn’t think of anyone else who’d protect his people better.
Dragos could have told Noah that his gesture was useless as the scent of his visitor drifted into the room in the wake of Eddy’s mad dash. Trajan would be able to follow the scent of his Renfield for over two miles, no matter where the Renfield went or who attempted to protect him.
Dragos sometimes missed having his senses that sharp all the time.
The man who strode into his office bore little resemblance to the brother that Dragos remembered. He was dark-haired and gray-eyed, but where Trajan had once sparkled and bubbled with curiosity, he was sharp-eyed and stern. Dragos refused to stand, refused to acknowledge that Laurentiu’s second son had any more power than he did. In Maggie’s Grove, Trajan was just another shifter, albeit a legendary one. Dragos was the one with the power here, and Trajan would soon learn that, one way or another.
Trajan stared at Dragos’s desk with a strange expression of longing for one or two heartbeats before transferring his gaze to Noah. Dismissing the alpha werewolf almost contemptuously, he looked at Dragos, his expression angry. “I need to speak to you. Alone.”
That was a bad move on his brother’s part. Noah was a stubborn bastard on the best of days.
“No.”
Dragos didn’t even need to see the expression on Noah’s face. The derision was obvious in his voice. The only way Noah was leaving the room now was if the house fell down on his head.
“Dragos, call off your pet wolf. This is serious.”
Dragos snorted, amused. “Trajan Ibanescu—”
“ Lord Trajan Ibanescu.”
Dragos continued as if his brother hadn’t spoken, grateful that Noah hadn’t reacted to the fact that Dragos had a brother. “—I’d like you to meet Alpha Noah Wulfenbach, the Maggie’s Grove wolf pack alpha and alpha of the United States.”
The title did little to thaw his brother’s icy demeanor. “Nice to meet you.” Trajan turned his attention back to Dragos, and for the first time he saw something other than ice or longing. He saw fear. “Vasile is coming.”
If both of his older brothers were coming to his town, something bad was about to happen. He bit back the urge to clench his teeth. Instead, he yawned, as if the news meant nothing. “Father sent him?”
Trajan smiled bitterly, sending a shiver down Dragos’s spine. “You know how Father is.”
Yes, he did. Laurentiu Ibanescu wouldn’t send one of his sons if his plan was to kill Dragos. He would come himself, ready to rend and tear and destroy. No, something else was going on. “When do you expect him to arrive?”
“Any day now, as he was right behind me.”
Since Vasile, unlike Dragos, could fly when the sun was in the sky, his eldest brother would probably arrive within a day or two. “Wonderful.”
“Not a happy family reunion, I gather?” Noah shot Dragos a cocky grin.
Dragos grinned back. “I’d rather dance naked in sunlight covered in cooking oil and bread crumbs.”
“Dragos,” a masculine, British-accented voice tsk’d. “Southern fried bloodsucker is so last season. No one serves that at their parties anymore. Far too gamey.”
Wonderful. Just what he needed, to have Parker and Amara stop by to check up on him during an unwanted family reunion. Parker had his hand to his chest, an
“You have no idea.” Few beings had the power to rattle his home like that. The man at the door was one of them.
Eddy came tearing into the room as if the hounds of hell were on his ass. “Company!” He then dove under Dragos’s desk and cowered.
Noah, bless his heart, strode over to Dragos’s desk and parked his behind on the edge, crossing his ankles as he sat, effectively hiding Eddy from view. The spark that made him a good alpha meant he protected those weaker than himself, pack or no.
If anything happened to Dragos, his will stated Noah was to become mayor. He couldn’t think of anyone else who’d protect his people better.
Dragos could have told Noah that his gesture was useless as the scent of his visitor drifted into the room in the wake of Eddy’s mad dash. Trajan would be able to follow the scent of his Renfield for over two miles, no matter where the Renfield went or who attempted to protect him.
Dragos sometimes missed having his senses that sharp all the time.
The man who strode into his office bore little resemblance to the brother that Dragos remembered. He was dark-haired and gray-eyed, but where Trajan had once sparkled and bubbled with curiosity, he was sharp-eyed and stern. Dragos refused to stand, refused to acknowledge that Laurentiu’s second son had any more power than he did. In Maggie’s Grove, Trajan was just another shifter, albeit a legendary one. Dragos was the one with the power here, and Trajan would soon learn that, one way or another.
Trajan stared at Dragos’s desk with a strange expression of longing for one or two heartbeats before transferring his gaze to Noah. Dismissing the alpha werewolf almost contemptuously, he looked at Dragos, his expression angry. “I need to speak to you. Alone.”
That was a bad move on his brother’s part. Noah was a stubborn bastard on the best of days.
“No.”
Dragos didn’t even need to see the expression on Noah’s face. The derision was obvious in his voice. The only way Noah was leaving the room now was if the house fell down on his head.
“Dragos, call off your pet wolf. This is serious.”
Dragos snorted, amused. “Trajan Ibanescu—”
“ Lord Trajan Ibanescu.”
Dragos continued as if his brother hadn’t spoken, grateful that Noah hadn’t reacted to the fact that Dragos had a brother. “—I’d like you to meet Alpha Noah Wulfenbach, the Maggie’s Grove wolf pack alpha and alpha of the United States.”
The title did little to thaw his brother’s icy demeanor. “Nice to meet you.” Trajan turned his attention back to Dragos, and for the first time he saw something other than ice or longing. He saw fear. “Vasile is coming.”
If both of his older brothers were coming to his town, something bad was about to happen. He bit back the urge to clench his teeth. Instead, he yawned, as if the news meant nothing. “Father sent him?”
Trajan smiled bitterly, sending a shiver down Dragos’s spine. “You know how Father is.”
Yes, he did. Laurentiu Ibanescu wouldn’t send one of his sons if his plan was to kill Dragos. He would come himself, ready to rend and tear and destroy. No, something else was going on. “When do you expect him to arrive?”
“Any day now, as he was right behind me.”
Since Vasile, unlike Dragos, could fly when the sun was in the sky, his eldest brother would probably arrive within a day or two. “Wonderful.”
“Not a happy family reunion, I gather?” Noah shot Dragos a cocky grin.
Dragos grinned back. “I’d rather dance naked in sunlight covered in cooking oil and bread crumbs.”
“Dragos,” a masculine, British-accented voice tsk’d. “Southern fried bloodsucker is so last season. No one serves that at their parties anymore. Far too gamey.”
Wonderful. Just what he needed, to have Parker and Amara stop by to check up on him during an unwanted family reunion. Parker had his hand to his chest, an