Prowling Their Mate

by Tamsin Baker

  Laura was different and it made me want to growl with a different sort of frustration. All those years of anger and fear, hurt and disgust. I’d walked through a desert with nothing but a glass of water, and now I was in an oasis of pleasure and love.

  “Tyler, oh, Tyler, that feels...”

  I moved my hips faster and reached down to grab Laura’s ass, tilting her up for a better angle.

  “Oh, I’m— Tyler!” Laura cried out and squeezed her legs around my waist, forcing me to stay inside her as she came around me.

  I clenched my teeth and fucked her harder, riding the exquisite waves of her orgasm right through to the end.

  Laura gasped a few more times, shuddering all over, then relaxed under me like every bone in her body had been removed. She stared up at me with a look of wonder and love that pushed me right over the edge.

  I pulled out and exploded, groaning against her neck as I collapsed onto her warm body. My cock sent wave upon wave of pleasure up my body as I spurted all over our bellies.

  Laura stroked her hands down my back, kissing my face and murmuring loving things in my ear. I never wanted the moment to end.

  When I finally lifted my head to look at her beautiful face, sleep tugged at my subconscious, beckoned from its dark abyss. “It’s still early, gorgeous, let’s sleep.”

  Laura nodded, her eyelids dropping.

  “But first, let’s clean up.”

  We disengaged, and I grabbed Laura’s hand and gently lifted her up and out of the bed. Her beautiful eyes were at half-mast as I led her into the bathroom and gently cleaned her body.

  I loved the look of pure contentment on her face as she hummed and smiled.

  I quickly wiped myself off and guided her back to our room.

  We fell back into bed in a tangle of limbs and soft words before slumber claimed us both.

  LAURA

  I giggled to myself as I received the third message for the day from Tyler. We’d woken late and jumped out of bed in a hurry. I’d showered quickly and dressed in the spare work clothes I had in my car.

  Luckily I’d popped home before going to their house the night before and packed a bag... just in case. And thank goodness I had or I would have arrived at work a lot later than the ten minutes late I was.

  “Come over for dinner again. We miss you.”

  I checked the clock and typed a response while a stupid smile spread across my face. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d been this happy.

  “I’ll be there in an hour.”

  I finished the paperwork I had to complete and changed into some jeans in the staff room so I wasn’t in my work pants again.

  I had a few questions for my beautiful males and I needed some answers. How was this strange relationship supposed to work? There were two of them and only one of me.

  Would I always be enough for them?

  What if Brandon decided he was going to date on the side, or something stupid like that?

  Acid burned in my belly at the thought and I swallowed against the sick sensation swelling like a wave as it approached the shore. I wouldn’t be able to handle anything other than full exclusivity.

  I said goodnight to the staff and travelled the twenty minutes to my men’s home, then walked up to the front door with butterflies the size of cats flying around in my tummy.

  The door opened before I knocked on the intricately carved timber.

  “Oh, hi!”

  Tyler reached out and pulled me into the warmth of his arms.

  I laughed against his lips as he tilted me off-balance. Tyler’s strong arms held me as he showered my face with kisses. “Hello to you, too.”

  He chuckled and planted one more quick kiss on my lips before he kicked the door shut and brought me down the hallway and into the huge living area where Brandon sat on the couch.

  “You hungry, babe?” my blond lover asked from his comfortable perch. I moved away from Tyler to greet him, throwing my leg over Brandon’s lap and straddling him.

  Normally I’d think I was too fat to do this, but my men were supernaturally strong. They’d already proven that.

  “No, not yet.” I leaned forward to kiss him, our lips meeting and heat building between us.

  When he stood up, I was still wrapped around him.

  I opened my eyes when he pulled back from the kiss to see his eyes flicker the lion-yellow. I slid down his body and my feet landed on the floor. Was that flicker his lion shifter?

  “I need to talk to you guys about something.”

  Tyler moved over and pulled me down onto his lap and Brandon continued to sit sideways with his eyes fixed on my face.

  “Sure, babe, what’s up?” Tyler ran his fingertips down my arms, making me relax and sink into his strong embrace.

  I bit my lip and looked between my two gorgeous men. How was this discussion going to progress? I was loathe to throw any tension into our newfound happiness, but this had to be discussed.

  I took a breath and relaxed into Tyler’s arms, looking at my blond-haired god across the room. Here goes...

  “How’s this going to work exactly?”

  Brandon cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  I inhaled through my nose, then let it out again. I didn’t want to have to spell it out, but these were men. Subtlety wasn’t going to work.

  “Are you two going to be faithful to me? Or does monogamy not exist in this kind of relationship?”

  Tyler chuckled, his chest vibrating the way a cat’s does when it purrs.

  Funny, that.

  Brandon gave me a weird look with a smile flirting around the edges of his strong mouth. “Why, Laura? I hope you’re not asking if it’s okay for you to see other men.”

  I stared at Brandon, then burst out laughing when I saw the smile turn into a frown. “You’re kidding me. You guys are more than enough for me!”

  Brandon’s tight shoulders relaxed. “Why ask then?”

  I grimaced, hating the weakness within me, and my logical brain that screamed at me for my hypocrisy.

  “Because, technically, I’m not being monogamous. I have both of you, and you only have me. I’d love to say you could have someone else if you really wanted to, but I think it would break my heart if you slept with someone else.” There! I said it.

  Tyler chuckled again, wrapping his arms around my waist and squeezing hard. “Of course, we’ll commit to only you, Laura. I certainly don’t want anyone else, and as far as the monogamy thing goes, you will be faithful—and that’s more important. Just to two men, not one.”

  Tyler kissed my temple, the gesture sending warm honey through my core.

  I glanced across the room and could almost see the internal struggle going on in Brandon’s head. His face was twisted in a weird sort of way.

  “You okay?” I asked, attempting to rise to go to him, yet Tyler held me tight.

  Brandon shrugged. “Yeah, I’m fine. I hadn’t really thought about it.”

  I swallowed, fear fluttering in my belly. “Which part? About you being monogamous? Or the hypocrisy of me expecting it, when I’m not really giving it?”

  Brandon nodded, and his eyes took on a glazed sort of look.

  Oh God, it’s going to kill me if he agrees to this.

  I hurried on. “If you aren’t ready for this, Brandon, I understand. I don’t think I can choose between you, but if you aren’t comfortable, or want some more time to enjoy being single, maybe I can stay with Tyler and you can—”

  “No!” The word shot across the room, silencing anything else I would have said.

  Brandon sat up straighter in his chair and flicked his head at me. “Come here.”

  Tyler’s arms released me and he helped me to my feet.

  I walked over to my big Viking, my legs trembling with each step. He grabbed me and pulled me down into his lap as soon as I was within reach, his solid bulk supporting me and making me feel safe and small.

  “I’ve never been monogamous bef
ore. I’ve liked the freedom of being able to do whatever... and whoever I want.”

  I struggled to get off Brandon’s lap, anger filling me up so quickly I could see red flashing in my vision as I growled.

  Brandon’s arms clamped down and I struck out at him, my futile attempts to get away making tears spring to my eyes. “Then let me go! If you don’t want me, I’ll leave.”

  A wounded noise sounded behind me and I ignored it. Tyler wouldn’t like the idea of me leaving, but I couldn’t stay if it meant Brandon kept sleeping around. “Stop it, silly woman. That’s not what I meant. Now, let me finish.”

  Brandon was squashing me into his chest and holding my arms down so I was tucked into him. His heart beat loudly under me and I found the sound soothing as I settled to press my ear against his chest.

  As my anger drained away, I closed my eyes and nestled in, finding the most comfortable spot where all of my body was warm and caressed.

  “What did you mean, then?”

  He sighed and squeezed me again. “I mean...I will commit to you, only to you. I don’t care about Tyler being there, too, that’s not an issue in our community. I have always known I’d share a mate with my brother, I don’t think of it as cheating.”

  A huge weight lifted off my shoulders and I sagged heavier into Brandon’s embrace. Now that my anger had gone, I was left feeling vulnerable and a little fragile, and open to whatever feelings and thoughts they wished to share. “So, what is it then?”

  Brandon groaned and shifted me so that my ass was right over his crotch. I wiggled because I couldn’t resist and he squeezed me again.

  Brandon sighed. “Just remember that this is new for me. I’m not used to it yet.”

  I had to ask. “Do you want anyone else?”

  Silence for a moment, then Brandon barked out a laugh. “No. I don’t. I had a woman proposition me this morning at the gym and I growled at her. I wasn’t even slightly interested, though she was hot, and that’s strange for me. I’m not sure I entirely like the feeling.”

  I ignored the she was hot comment because it had way too many squigglies in it for me, and processed the rest of the information. There’d always be good-looking women around, the concern was whether or not my men found them tempting.

  So, the problem was that the big, wild cat wasn’t interested in all the other pussies anymore? And he was... worried? He probably thought something was wrong with him.

  I slipped my hands under Brandon’s t-shirt and teased his tight little nipples with my fingers. “I like the feeling.” I began gyrating on his lap, rubbing my ass against his rising cock, and loving the feel of the feminine power. “I love the fact you want me above all others.”

  Brandon grunted, in agreement with my assumption or not I wasn’t sure. I raised my head to stare into his blue eyes and found them looking strangely cautious.

  I smiled up at him with as much warmth as possible. “Because I need you.”

  Brandon crushed me against him and kissed me, his hunger evident in the thrust of his tongue into my mouth and the way his hands clung to my body like a dying man in need of my love.

  Chapter Eleven

  Laura

  I stepped into the noisy bar with my men. The smell of sweat and beer assaulted my nostrils, yet I giggled like a schoolgirl on my first date.

  I felt so special standing there. Brandon and Tyler’s protective postures resembled strutting peacocks and angry gorillas all in one.

  Some huge guy was standing in front of us grinning like he’d won something, his muscular build very similar to Brandon’s.

  “Hey, Ty. Brandon. Who’s your friend?”

  I waited to see what they would do and was surprised when Brandon spoke up. “Jim, this is Laura. Laura... Jim, a friend of mine from work.”

  Brandon’s mouth was turned down and he was shifting from foot to foot, as though readying himself for a fight.

  Calm down, honey.

  “Hey.” I nodded at the guy.

  Jim stepped forward with a slight leer. “Wanna’ dance?”

  I laughed at the offer. This wasn’t exactly the sort of place I’d want to dance with a stranger. Brandon stepped in front of me, blocking Jim’s advance as effectively as a solar eclipse. “I don’t think so.”

  I turned to my right when a feminine hand slid into my palm. I turned to face a gorgeous redhead rolling her eyes in Brandon’s direction.

  “Hey, Renee.”

  “Hi, Laura, let’s get a drink.” Renee tugged me away from the boys and I let her. Why not? May as well get to know the sister of the men I was probably going to spend the rest of my life with.

  I watched with amusement as Tyler and Brandon’s mouths dropped open, looking more like cartoon characters than the big men they were.

  “I can’t believe they’re so protective,” I nodded at Tyler and Brandon, and Renee laughed with a gusto similar to her brothers.

  “You’re kidding? They’re men who’ve found the only woman designed for them. They’re not leaving anything to chance.”

  Holy hell, that sounded intense!

  “What can I get you to drink?” the bartender asked us, and I swung around on my seat, facing the cute guy and giving him an automatic smile.

  “Renee?” I turned to the woman who had befriended me last Sunday before she’d known a thing about me.

  “Yeah. Whiskey for me.”

  I grimaced. “Yuck. Red wine for me, please.”

  A hand pushed some money across the bar and I looked up to see Tyler paying for our drinks.

  “Thanks, sweetie.”

  Tyler dropped his head and planted a kiss on my lips. It was hard, possessive and very thorough. I threaded my hands through his hair and held him tightly as white light tingled around my brain.

  When he finally lifted his head, his expression was soft. “You okay?”

  I nodded. “Of course. You go talk to your friends. I’ll hang with Renee for a bit.”

  Tyler glanced over to the corner where Brandon was standing with a group of guys. “Okay, but come find me as soon as you want.”

  He kissed me once more and swaggered over to cheers by the group.

  “What was that about?” I indicated to the men, who were handing beers around.

  Renee laughed. “Tyler’s been sulking for months now. His friends will give him a bit of crap tonight about that little display, but don’t worry. They’re happy for him and Brandon.”

  I frowned, watching the back-slapping and beer-guzzling with a jaded eye. “Is this what every Saturday night is going to be like from now on, then?”

  Renee handed me a glass of red wine and we clinked our glasses together. “Cheers, and to answer your question, no. I have a feeling this may be one of the last times you’ll be here. The boys are too in love with you to take you to places like this.”

  I was forever grateful I hadn’t been actually drinking my wine when Renee said such a thing. I would have sprayed my drink all over the gorgeous woman in front of me if I had. “Did you just say ‘in love with me’?”

  Renee could not mean that.

  “Yeah, of course.” Renee grinned and tossed back her whiskey, swallowing it in one smooth motion.

  “But...it’s only been a week!” This made no sense whatsoever.

  “Shifters are like that. Mate for life, Fated soul mates. Blah, blah, blah.”

  Heat seared my cheeks and she looked away for a moment. I was still finding it a little hard dealing with the whole, men-who-turn-into-mountain-lions thing, but Renee, of course, had been dealing with it her entire life.

  “Nae!”

  “Rosie!” Renee waved at a cute blonde woman across the bar. “Do you mind if I run over to chat with Rosie for a minute?”

  I waved her off. “Go, go. I’m going to enjoy my wine and think.”

  Renee winked and jumped up, her sexy little bum sashaying away. I would have been jealous of Renee’s physique once upon a time. But Tyler and Brandon had satisfied me so complete
ly, making love to me in every way I knew, and ways I’d never dreamed of.

  Why should I be worried?

  “So... you’re the new girl Tyler’s screwing?”

  I swiveled on my stool, gaping at the tart sneering at me. Was this woman really talking to me? “Excuse me?”

  I stared at the woman in front of me. This could not be the sort of bed partner Tyler usually went for. She was dark and short, attractive in a skanky sort of way. But her aura was horrible, all ice and flint.

  The woman tossed her head like a horse. “Tyler and his brother have slept with most of the women in this bar. I wanted to warn you not to get too attached.”

  Another woman, this one tall and blonde, stepped up beside the dark one.

  “Yeah, you know you won’t last, right? Those two never keep any woman around for more than a week or two.”

  I swallowed the burning in my throat and tried not to think about my lovers taking these women into their beds. “Why are you talking to me?”

  The dark one nodded. “You should be warned. You look like a nice chick. They take you to their beds, make you feel loved, act like you’re special, and shit. I mean, boy do they know how to screw, right?”

  Acid burned in my tummy and I placed the wineglass down with shaking hands.

  “Do they now? How would you know? Had both of them, have you?”

  The blonde narrowed her eyes at me. “They never cross swords. I slept with Brandon a few weeks ago, and he told me his brother and he never share.”

  A small flame of triumph flared in my belly, despite the anger and jealousy threatening to consume me. My heart was pounding and I could barely swallow the bile rising in my throat. This was a nightmare come true.

  I gathered my courage and pushed forward. “Well, I’m glad you weren’t good enough for both of them. But I am.”

  The women reeled back as though I’d struck them.

  “What?” The blonde gasped. “You’re screwing both of them?”

  I shuddered at the word, unable to link the two images together—the way my men touched me—loved me—and the crude way these women were talking about it.