by Jade Alters
He rolled away and Chase started to come at me, but I saw the stream of water hit him too. It wasn't enough to knock us back physically, but it was cold and shocking.
I followed the water until I saw the source of it. Cheyenne had gotten the hose from the side of the building and turned it on.
It was one of those big hoses the island ordinances made every building have in case of fire, hooked directly to a main water line. She was holding onto it with two hands and the look on her face was pure determination.
Strangely, as I saw her pretty eyes flash in my direction and she turned the hose on me once more, my heart swelled with more love for her than I'd ever felt.
“Are you going to stop this!?” she yelled.
Chase and Gray were already lying in a docile position on the ground. I was the only one still trying to move.
The fight had gone out of me, I wanted to move toward her. I stopped and did the same thing my pack mates had done. I lay down in a submissive pose, just long enough to get her to stop.
She didn't take her eyes off of us as she turned off the hose, but as soon as the water was off and she'd taken her hands off the hose, I shifted.
I could see Gray and Chase doing the same out of the corner of my eye. The scratches and bites all over my body were already healing and I assumed theirs were doing the same.
They'd be much sorer and more bruised than I was, probably for days, but they would heal. Even if Cheyenne hadn't turned the hose on us, I would have stopped before I ripped open anyone's throat. I didn't want to kill my pack mates, my best friends...Only slightly maim them.
As wolf shifters we can heal ourselves quickly, thanks to our incredibly hot metabolism. It's why we live so long.
But there are ways to kill us.
We can be starved to death, dehydrated, stabbed through the heart so the flow of the healing blood is interrupted...or, as wolves, we go for the throat. Once a wolf's throat is ripped open there's too much blood loss for him to heal properly.
Sometimes he can pull himself together enough to keep breathing for a while, but if it's done right, he'll either die on the spot, or very soon after. Now that the rage was receding, it was quickly being replaced by the shame of attacking my friends at all.
“You're insane,” Cheyenne said, “All of you.” It was at that moment that I realized, though we were all bleeding, Grayson was the one she was approaching.
Although he was no longer her dog, but now a bloody teenager, she was kneeling down next to him, using part of her sweatshirt to stop the blood that was oozing from a wound in his neck. He was staring up at her and I could feel the love pouring out of him, so strongly that it seemed to wash over and dilute the jealousy I was primed to feel at that moment.
I looked over at Chase.
He was watching her too, and I felt his own envy toward Gray and his admiration for Cheyenne...more than admiration...his connection.
Gray and Chase were connected to Cheyenne, my mate, almost as strongly as I was. Or maybe as strongly, and I just didn't want to see that. Was it possible that she was meant for us all?
I thought about Chelsea and the alphas and wished I had asked more questions of them, about how their relationship came about and how they tolerated sharing the love of their life with someone else. I was sure the men's close friendship had something to do with it, maybe everything.
They loved each other as much as they loved Chelsea, just in a different way. I never imagined that I would be able to share my mate with anyone else, but in that moment, there was so much warmth and love rippling through the four of us, that I had to wonder.
Maybe it was worth exploring...that was, if we hadn't completely blown it with Cheyenne for good. I looked back at her and Gray and concentrated on her this time.
She definitely felt something for him...but he'd been her pet. Would she feel the same way about him as a man?
She turned her head suddenly to look at me and in a commanding tone that I'd never heard her use she said, “Get him into the apartment. I need to clean up these wounds.”
“He's healing...” Chase started.
Cheyenne whipped her head in his direction and it was almost like daggers were shooting out of her chocolate brown eyes. I saw Chase do something I'd never seen before, cower to a female. “We'll get him,” he said, struggling to his feet. I got to mine as well, deciding things would be better if I just kept my mouth shut for now.
Chase and I lifted Gray underneath each arm, and the three of us, naked as the day we were born, followed Cheyenne to her apartment.
I was just thinking how glad I was that it was such a quiet place when the door three down from Cheyenne's opened and a middle-aged woman stepped out. Her eyes widened when she saw us and I smelled Cheyenne's anxiety as she said,
“Excuse us Mrs. Garrett. My friends had a little too much to drink tonight.” The woman's eyes looked like saucers as she watched us walk inside and I heard her say,
“I wonder what the hell they were drinking,” as Cheyenne closed the door.
My poor, beautiful mate would be the talk of her complex by morning, I was sure. But since I still planned on changing her address soon, I wasn't worried. As soon as the door was closed Cheyenne said,
“Go put him on my bed, I'm going to get some bandages and antiseptic.”
Neither Chase, Grayson or I thought to argue with her. Her tone left no room for it. We took him into her room and I felt another surge of jealousy when we lay him down and I thought about him being so comfortable there in her house...in her bedroom. He curled up like he owned the bed and I rolled my eyes.
Chase picked up an afghan from the bottom of the bed and threw it over him and Cheyenne yelled from the other room, “There is a rack in my closet with a couple of robes. Put them on!” We looked at each other and Chase was the one that went over and got the robes out.
He had a fuzzy gray one in one hand and was holding out a soft, satin pink one in my direction. I growled at him and he handed over the gray one.
By the time Cheyenne came in, we were covered up. She had a little plastic box in her hands and ignoring Chase and I, she sat on the bed next to Grayson and began taking things out of the box.
First, she took out a bottle of water and I watched in jealous fascination as she slipped her hand underneath his blonde head and pulled it up slightly before pressing the bottle to his lips and saying, “Drink.”
Grayson did as he was told.
After she was satisfied he had enough water she wet one of the bandages out of the box and began to delicately dab at his wounds. I was oddly aroused watching her. Her touch was so soft and the look on her face, well, that was even softer.
I felt her feelings for Gray pouring out as she tended to each one of his wounds, even pulling the afghan down to the top of his pelvis to tend to a bit just at the top of his right thigh.
Grayson had his eyes closed, but the little shit was almost smiling. I looked at Chase again and this time he rolled his eyes.
It seemed to me that Cheyenne spent way too much time on Gray's wounds than she needed to, while meanwhile Chase and I had wounds of our own that she seemed to be ignoring. When she finished at last, she stood up and finally looked at the two of us. I was shocked when her pretty lips turned up into a smile and she said, “You two look ridiculous.”
Chase and I looked at each other again. He was the one in pink satin, I didn't think I looked too bad. “Cheyenne,” Chase said, being the first one of us to speak. “I'm sorry, for everything.” The smile fell from her lips and she frowned. She looked at me and then back at Chase and said,
“I just don't understand why you picked me. There are plenty of women on this island to mess with, why me?”
“Because,” I said, “It's never been about “messing” with you. We have real feelings for you, Cheyenne. I love you.”
“Me too,” Chase muttered, and then from the bed came Grayson's sleepy,
“And me.” I growled at them both and went
on,
“The three of us have been strays most of our lives, Cheyenne. Before that, we were raised in the wild, under the old rules. Things were so different, and some of it is not just learned, but in our blood. We're all trying hard to be “normal” humans, but I can't even explain how difficult that is. But we are, Cheyenne, human...for the most part. And I...” I stopped and looked at my stupid friends. “We, care so much about you.”
Cheyenne looked from one to the next of us and sighed.
“Sit,” she told me and Chase as she sat on the bed. Chase and I jockeyed for the spot next to her and just as I was about to growl at him, she threw me a look that stopped me. We finally sat and she said, “If this is not a trick...if you're not just playing with me, then what are my options here...my choices, to keep the three of you from killing each other?” she looked at Gray and said, “And pretending to be my dog.” Gray smiled. He still had his eyes closed. “It's not funny!” she scolded, but I could see real affection in her eyes when she looked at him.
“We could...” Chase started, and then stopped.
“We could, what?” Cheyenne said.
“I was just thinking, you know about Chelsea and our other alpha's relationship, right?” Cheyenne cocked an eyebrow and nervously Chase went on, “I mean, you might not want all of us, but if you did, they've set a precedent. Maybe there's more than one mate out there for some people. I know how strongly I feel about you. I felt it way back when Ridge first introduced us in the bar. We're not like humans in that we don't have to really get to know someone before we develop our feelings. We feel first...and I've felt for you since day one. I'd be okay with you loving my two best friends too...I mean of course, if you were so inclined.”
She raised her other eyebrow. I could feel chaos coming from her, and I couldn't get a read on what she was thinking. She looked at Gray then and said, “Open your eyes, pet.” Grayson had another little smile on his face as he pulled his eyes open. She rolled her eyes at him, but again, I saw the affection there. “What's your take on this?”
“I feel the same way as Chase. I knew Ridge wasn't going to like it, but the second you found me downstairs, I knew you were more than just my friend's mate. I would gladly live as your dog forever, just to be close to you.” I'm not sure, but I think her eyes filled with tears when he said that. Little shit. She turned those watery, beautiful eyes on me then and said,
“And you?”
“I am head over heels in love with you, Cheyenne. I have known from the second I saw you that we belonged together. I want you more than I've ever wanted anything, or anyone. I'm not good at sharing,” Chase and Gray both snorted and I said, “Shut up, it's my turn.” Cheyenne bit her bottom lip, like she was hiding another smile and I went on, “I hate to share. I'm selfish and arrogant. I know I am stronger and better looking...” the guys snorted again, but this time Cheyenne let out a little laugh too. Slightly hurt, I went on. “Women want me. I expected you to just want me. I was surprised and confused and hurt when I realized that you also feel something for my mates. But like the dog there, I'd be more than willing to change my life and my beliefs for the chance to be with you. I'll share with these idiots if it means having you.”
She was quiet for a long time. The sound of the clock ticking in the living room and our breathing was the only sounds in the apartment for too long. My imagination was running wild with all the possibilities, and I was so nervous that none of them were good. At last she said, “I have a lot of questions.”
“Ask, we'll answer them,” I said.
She shook her head and said, “No. I want to talk to Chelsea.”
Chase, Grayson and I looked at each other. I was sure they were all thinking the same thing as I was.
Chelsea wasn't happy with any of us right now. It was possible, and highly likely, that she'd tell Cheyenne to run for the hills.
Cheyenne
Two Months Later
I knocked on Chelsea's door.
She yelled at me to come in, and I stepped into the cabin, not for the first time witnessing the beautiful chaos that was her life, and would soon be mine.
Never in a million years would I have imagined that I'd meet a wolf-shifter, or even that they existed. Never in a billion years would I have imagined that I would fall in love with not one, but three of them, and never in a trillion years could I have wrapped my head around what was about to happen today.
But this was the choice I'd made and as nervous as I was about it, I was a thousand times more excited. I'd spent a lot of time with Chelsea, her babies and her mates over the past two months and I'd witnessed nothing but pure love and happiness.
Of course the men sometimes bickered and the cabin wasn't always neat and clean and sometimes no one could seem to figure out what the babies wanted. Their phones were always ringing thanks to their security business and they'd just wrapped up a huge case where they were responsible for catching a ring of people that were committing insurance fraud and using the money to fund a drug organization.
Four men had been killed...drug dealers, and Ridge had been one of the packs that had found them. I'd watched him for the past few months too, go from my sexy mate, to a serious member of the pack. I'd heard him take charge in a professional way in phone calls with the police in Bali about the case, and I'd heard him take phone calls from one of his alphas where he was almost submissive.
I've seen him in 3-D is the way I like to look at it, from arrogant, sexy man, to glorious beast, to a docile servant...and a sweet, kind, loving mate, and even a protective, caring best friend. I knew from the moment I saw him that I was attracted to him.
I know now, that I love him.
Then there was Chase. He was the one I could talk to, the one that made me laugh away my problems.
At first, I thought I was confusing my need for a real friend with attraction, but the more time I spent with him, the more I began to see him not just as my friend, but as a desirable man.
Chase wasn't good-looking in the traditional sense, I suppose. He was shorter than Ridge, and not nearly as muscular. He had dull brown hair and hazel eyes and he wasn't ugly, just average...at first. But the more I got to know him, and the more I saw him in different situations, the more attractive he became to me. For one thing, his relationship with the triplets was one of the most heartwarming things I've ever experienced.
He loved those babies like they were his own, and other than their own parents, there was no one they loved more. Chase got this light in his hazel eyes that turned them almost bright green when he looked at them...and that same light was there when he looked at me. I honestly believe Chase would have been the one to walk away first, just to make me happy, had I wanted that...but when I looked deep inside my heart, I knew that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted Chase as much as I wanted Ridge.
I just loved them both differently and for different reasons.
Then there was Grayson. The other guys still tease him about being my “pet,” and maybe that's true. Of all three of them, I like Gray the best.
That's not to say I love him more, because I don't. I just feel more comfortable around him, like he's the one that has truly seen the real me, stripped down, bare...and I don't mean naked, although he'd seen that first too. I mean that people are raw with their pets, no pretense.
Gray had seen all of that, and he still loved me. He was young, but only two years younger than me. He still had some growing up to do, but so did I. He was definitely beautiful to look at.
As a human with those incredible blue eyes and jet-black hair, the sight of him sometimes sent a chill through me that settled in my core and leaked out into my panties.
I'd chosen all three after spending a lot of time talking to Chelsea. There was no pressure to choose any of them, or all of them.
She was just honest with me about her life with her mates, the good and the bad, and she let me see them all at their best and worst. I'd still chosen all three...and today would be the day that I would mate
with them, together.
“Hey,” Chelsea said to me, handing Jackie to Will and saying, “Okay guys, we need the house. It's a no male zone for a while.” There were a few grumbles but each one of her mates ultimately kissed her on the cheek and left the cabin. It looked like a tornado had touched down in their living room and she put her hands on her hips and sighed as she looked around and said, “You sure you want to do this?” I laughed.
“Maybe I'll train mine to clean up after themselves.” She was the one that laughed then.
“Yeah, good luck with that. It smells like a wet dog in here. I can't even train Will to leave his boots outside the door. But anyways, I'm so excited for you. Are you really ready for this?”
By that, I knew she meant the mating ceremony. I was given many choices about how I wanted to do this, and I chose the “old way” that all three of my men seemed to be so connected to.
None of us had made love yet...that had been incredibly hard. I'd shared kisses and sweet, sexy touches with them all, and I was dying some night when I had to go home, but I had a feeling it would all be worth it...tonight.
I nodded at Chelsea. “I'm sure. I'm ready.”
“So your roommate believes your moving in with Ridge?”
“Yes. She's still not happy about it. He's tried so hard to win her over, but she's a tough nut to crack. My other friend, Bonnie...she likes him now.”
“Good. I don't want to see you lose your friends and your own identity. It's important for you to hang onto that.”
I nodded. I was keeping my job, despite my “mates” objections. They had their jobs, and I wanted mine, at least for now, until children came in the picture and then you never know. “I believe that too,” I told her.
“Let's get you ready then.”
For the next two hours, Chelsea helped me get ready for my big day. I had a new dress, it was off white with a lot of lace and it was fitted to the curves I'd grown up hating, but my mates seem to love. I wore my dark hair down my back and Chelsea helped me curl the ends and she'd made me a wreath out of baby's breath to wear around my head.
