Alpha Province: Reigning Kings’ (Siren Publishing Menage Everlasting)
Page 9
Pixie leaned forward, and after glancing back to make sure no one was listening, she asked, “How do you make love with three men?”
Emmy blushed. “You have three holes. Use your imagination.”
Pixie gasped and covered her mouth. Her face was so hot she had to be redder than a tomato. “At the same time?”
Emmy nodded. “I was scared of that, too, but let me tell you once you’ve had…that, you’ll never want to go back. Sometimes we make love one on one which is wonderful because you need that occasionally. Other times it might be with two of them and of course all at once.”
Pixie reached over and squeezed Emmy’s hand. “Thank you for answering my questions, and I’m sorry for embarrassing you.”
Emmy waved her statement away. “I don’t mind at all. In fact, I wished I’d had someone to talk to.”
“How are they so sure when they find their mate?” Pixie felt more comfortable asking a less intimate question, and from the way Emmy relaxed back in her seat, she did, too.
“They have a phenomenal sense of smell. Declan said the moment he scented me his polar bear started going crazy as did other parts of his body. He tried to explain it to me and likened it to a magnet and metal. There was just no way for him and his friends to ignore that attraction.”
“What about you?” Pixie asked.
“My sense of smell is nothing like theirs, but I loved the aroma each of my guys was putting off. My body was going crazy every time I was near them. It was way more than normal lust.” Emmy glanced about and then met her gaze again. “You can fight the attraction all you want, Pixie, but in the end, you’ll end up caving.”
Pixie shook her head. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me. I’ve been thinking about moving on.”
“Please don’t.” Emmy frowned. “I’ve only known Tatum, Rex, and Shaffer for a few months, but they’ve changed since you’ve been here. I actually saw Tatum smiling yesterday. That was a first. They care a great deal for you, Pixie. You’d break their hearts if you left. I also know you’ll be hurting, too. If you agree to mate with them, they’re yours for the rest of your life. They will never cheat or even look at another woman. I’m not saying that you won’t have your struggles because every relationship does, but they will never leave your side.”
“You don’t know that,” Pixie said as she leaned back and crossed her arms beneath her breasts.
“Actually, I do,” she replied sincerely. “There’s something in their DNA that connects you to them. Once they claim you, they will be connected to you emotionally.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’ll be able to feel what you are after a while, and eventually they’ll be able to communicate with you telepathically.”
Pixie shook her head. “I don’t want that. I don’t want anyone to be able to read my mind. I’d never have any privacy.”
Emmy chuckled. “They’ll never be able to read your mind, Pixie, so rest easy on that. But if you accept being their mate, they will be able to tell if you’re sad, happy, or in danger, as long as you aren’t unconscious.”
“Unconscious?” Pixie sipped her water.
“Long story short, the goon found me, knocked me out, and kidnapped me. My mates were beside themselves because they could no longer feel me.” Emmy ran her fingers through her hair, sighed, and blinked back tears. “My mates and the other guys found me just in time.”
“Thank God.”
“Yeah.” Emmy rested her elbows on the table. “Give them a chance, Pixie. They’ll never leave you, cheat on you, or do anything to purposely hurt you. They’d step in front of a bullet if it meant keeping you safe. If you walk away from them, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life. You’ll never meet better or more loving men.”
Pixie cleared her throat. “How do they mate you?”
Emmy grinned excitedly. “The initial step in mating is making love to one of the guys and they’ll bite you, usually in the crook of your neck and shoulder. When they bite you some of their DNA transfers to your bloodstream. You’ll heal way faster than you used to. All of your senses will be stronger and you’ll have a connection to them.”
“What do you mean by initially?” Pixie frowned.
“The mating isn’t complete until they all make love to you together and bite you at the same time.”
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
“Does what hurt?” Emmy quirked an eyebrow.
“The mating bite.”
“Yes and no.”
“Care to explain that?
Emmy nodded. “They wait until you’re in the throes of climax to bite you and claim you. The pain seems to strengthen the…experience.”
Pixie waved her hand in front of her heated face and snickered.
Emmy giggled and then started laughing outright. It seemed neither of them were used to talking about sex and were red-faced, but Pixie was glad Emmy had taken the time to answer her questions. She’d only ever had one close girlfriend, and Cheryl had never been open about her love life, and Pixie hadn’t wanted to pry, until she’d seen those bruises. She really liked Emmy and hoped they became the best of friends.
“Hey, darlin’,” Brooks said as he returned. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” Emmy scooted along the seat and rose with Brooks’ help. “You’re coming to the hotel soon, aren’t you? We have a great band set up to start playing at eight.”
“I’d love to.” Pixie smiled.
“Good. See ya later.” Emmy waved as she and Brooks left.
Pixie glanced over to see Shaffer and Rex working behind the counter. Shaffer caught her gaze, smiled, and waggled his eyebrows at her. That was the moment she realized that he, Rex, and probably every other shifter in the place had heard everything she and Emmy had discussed. She kept the embarrassment at bay, just. She was going to have to get used to having no privacy at all.
An hour later Shaffer sat in the seat next to her. “Do you want anything to eat or drink, sugar?”
She glanced at the clock and then met his gaze again. “I think I’ll have another coffee. What time are you closing the doors? Are you all going to listen to the band at the pub?”
Rex brought her and Shaffer two steaming mugs of coffee, winked at her, and went back behind the counter.
“We close at nine. It will take another half hour for us to clean everything and close up.”
“Oh.” Pixie wrapped her hands around her coffee mug. She’d been looking forward to going to the hotel with one of the guys to listen to the music, but it looked as if she would be going alone. Tears burned her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She had no idea why she was feeling so emotional or needy, but she was.
“I’ll walk you over to make sure you’re safe.” Shaffer nudged her arm.
She drew a deep breath which helped her get her emotions under control and turned to face him. “I’m a big girl, Shaffer. You don’t need to do that. I’ve been looking after myself for a long time.”
“There is no way you’re walking by yourself when you’re in danger,” Shaffer stated firmly.
“But—”
“Don’t argue with me, mate. You won’t win.”
“I’m not your mate,” she snapped and felt instantly contrite when Shaffer’s eyes cooled. She closed her eyes as pain pierced her heart. She felt so guilty for what she’d just said. She hadn’t even meant to say what she had, and had no idea why she was goading him. Pixie opened her eyes and her mouth to apologize, but she was too late. Shaffer was no longer sitting beside her. In fact, he wasn’t even in the room anymore. Rex had her back to her, but she realized he’d heard her statement, too. He was tense, and when he turned around he avoided looking in her direction.
Pixie sighed, slung her purse over her shoulder, rose, and hurried out the door. A minute later she entered the pub and took a seat at the bar.
“Hey, Pixie, what can I get you?” Brooks asked with a smile. He glanced behind her and then t
“I’ll have a rum and Coke please.”
Brooks nodded and set about making her drink. As soon as he placed it on the bar in front of her, she handed over the money and slugged down half of it in one go.
“You shouldn’t be drinking with all the medicine still in your system.”
Pixie choked and spluttered as the liquid went down the wrong way. She held her side when it hurt as she coughed. A large hand patted her on the back. When she’d wiped the tears from her face and had her breath back, she met Broden’s gaze.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, thanks.”
Broden nodded then pointed to the big men next to him. “You haven’t officially met my brothers, Airen and Archer.”
“Officially?”
Broden grinned. “They assisted me when I operated on you.”
She leaned around Broden to meet the other men’s gazes. “Thank you for helping to save my life.” She met Broden’s eyes again. “Thank you, as well.”
“You’re welcome, honey.” Archer winked at her.
“Sure.” Airen nodded.
Broden inhaled deeply and smiled. “You’re not scared of me anymore.”
“Uh, no.” She ducked her head and picked up her drink.
“That’s your one and only drink for the night.”
“I know. I don’t normally drink.”
“Hey there, beautiful, how about you and me dance?”
Pixie turned away from Broden to stare at the big man standing next to her. He had the lightest blue eyes she’d ever seen, and while they were amazing, they reminded her of a wolf’s.
“Back off, Zayn.” Broden rose. “She’s taken.”
She tensed when Zayn leaned toward her and sniffed. “She’s not mated or marked.”
Broden stepped around her and placed himself between Zayn and her, his huge body hiding her from the other guy. “Do you have a death wish? This is Pixie.”
“Zayn, stand down,” Brooks ordered from behind the bar.
“Sorry, can’t do that. She smells too good.”
“Keep your fucking voice down,” Archer snarled as he came to stand behind her. “There are humans in here.”
When Broden shifted on his feet, Pixie saw Zayn shrug. His eyes locked with hers, and he licked his lips as he stared at her hungrily.
“Fuck!” Brooks growled just after he sniffed the air. “Get her out of here. She’s in heat.”
Chapter Ten
“Tatum, get over here now!”
Tatum dropped the pot he’d been scrubbing and ran. Seconds later he burst into the hotel and scanned for danger. He didn’t see anything wrong until he glanced toward the bar. Broden, Archer, and Airen were surrounding Pixie who was sitting on a stool looking terrified. Zayn was trying to dodge the Kodiak bears to get to his mate. If the pub hadn’t been filled with humans, he would have unleashed a roar loud enough to shatter windows. He raced toward his mate and inhaled through his nose, trying to get his anger under control. That was when it hit him. The sweet-musky fragrance of her heat almost had his knees buckling. He locked them and stepped in front of Broden to stare Zayn down.
Zayn met his gaze glare for glare and looked as if he was about to pounce. Tatum curled his lip and let the wolf see his elongating fangs. “Mine,” he growled in a low voice.
“She’s not marked or mated.” Zayn took a step closer.
Tatum met him and shoved the wolf back with his chest. “Do you have a death wish?”
“Zayn what the fuck—oh hell.” Karter, Zayn’s brother, grasped Zayn’s shoulder and tugged him back. “She’s not yours and you know it. Back away, Brother.”
“She smells so good.”
Karter pulled his brother around to face him. “I know she does, but she’s not our mate.”
“I want my mate.” Zayn hung his head with dejection.
Tatum sighed out, releasing the tension in his body. He felt for the other single shifters. Ever since Emmy had arrived in town, their yearning and aggressiveness had risen a few notches.
“Come back to the table and have a drink. Maybe one of the human women will be willing to come home with us after the band has finished playing.”
Broden and his brothers walked back to their stools. Tatum was aware of Rex and Shaffer entering the bar, but he kept his gaze on Zayn until he was no longer a threat before turning to face his mate. He held his hand out toward her. “Let’s go.”
Pixie frowned. “I don’t want to go. I want to listen to the band.”
“Now, Pixie.”
Pixie huffed out a breath and turned her back on him. Blatantly ignoring him, she picked up her drink and gulped the rest of it down. Anger and desire surged through his blood. His cock had been hard as soon as he realized she was in heat. He was a dominant alpha man and wasn’t used to being discounted, and by hell he wasn’t going to let her dismiss him.
He moved closer toward her, scooped her up into his arms, and turned toward the door. “Get her purse.”
“Put me the fuck down. You have no right to just give me an order and expect me to obey it.”
“Shut up,” Tatum snarled to cover his groan of lust. Having her wriggling in his arms as she tried to get free with the scent of her honey drifting to his nose was doing a number on his control. All he wanted to do was strip her down and bury his cock balls deep into her hot, wet cunt. He didn’t care where he was or who was around, but he knew she would. Plus, she had no idea what was going on. Tatum wasn’t sure how much longer he could go without claiming her. His lion had been riding him from the first day and was getting worse with each passing minute. He was worried his animal was going to break free and claim her without her permission.
Thankfully, she’d stopped trying to get down, and now she was holding herself stiff in his arms, with her arms crossed over her chest. He growled when he gazed at her chest and saw how her breasts were pushed up higher. If she hadn’t been wearing a sweater he probably would have lost it.
“What is wrong with you people?” Pixie asked as soon as he deposited her in the front seat of his truck. She glanced toward the diner when Rex and Shaffer hurried in the door.
He silently thanked whoever was listening that the last of the patrons had left before he’d gone racing to the hotel. Shaffer and Rex turned the lights off, locked up, and then rushed toward the other truck. Tatum nodded at his brothers and started the ignition. “Put your seatbelt on.”
She huffed out an angry breath but reached for the belt and clicked it into place.
The drive home was fraught with tension since neither of them spoke. Pixie was staring out the side window and refused to acknowledge him, and right now, that was a good thing. He was barely holding on by a thread, but they needed to talk to her before they could move on one way or the other.
Tatum had never been scared of anything, not even while fighting in the military, but right now he was downright terrified. He’d heard Pixie telling Shaffer she wasn’t their mate. It had hurt, but after he’d calmed down he’d realized that she was acting more emotional than usual. He just hoped that it was to do with her hormones and not because she decided she didn’t want to be with them. He’d thought they’d had a chance with her after Emmy had spoken to her, but now he wasn’t so sure.
If Pixie decided to leave, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to survive without her now that he’d met her. His lion had been getting harder and harder to control, and now he was worried he would take over and end up feral.
God help everyone if that happened.
He and his brothers had been appointed as the unofficial leaders, alphas of Ambrose, because they’d been more stable than the other shifters and because no one else had wanted the job. Now he wasn’t sure if they’d made the right decision. Tatum felt as far from stable as he could get.
He sucked in a deep breath and parked the car in the driveway, turning off the ignition. He glanced over at Pixie, but either she was so lost in thought she hadn’t noticed they’d stopped, or she was that upset with him.
Tatum got out of the truck and hurried around to the passenger side to help Pixie out. His heart flipped in his chest when he saw tear tracks on her face, and he groaned. He’d made their mate cry. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do. He opened the door and held his hand out to her. She turned away and unclipped her seatbelt and then slid to the ground, ignoring his hand. When she gasped, he knew she’d jostled her side and growled angrily as he swept her off her feet.
“Put me down.”
“Never,” Tatum snapped as he shoved the truck door closed with his hip and strode toward the door. Shaffer and Rex were standing just inside the entrance. He brushed by them and carried her through to the living room before taking a seat. Pixie went to scramble from his lap, but he wrapped his arm around her ribs and held her in place. He bit back a snarl when her ass rubbed against his hard, aching cock.
After closing and locking the door, Shaffer and Rex came into the room. A grumble of need rumbled up from Rex’s chest and out of his mouth when he inhaled.
Shaffer sniffed the air and then bent over to rest his hands on his knees as he panted.
“What the hell is going on? Why did you bring me home? I wanted to hear the band,” Pixie yelled as she shoved at Tatum’s arm.
“Stop it,” Tatum ordered. “You’ll end up hurting yourself.”
“Why do you care?”
Tatum grasped Pixie’s hips and turned her to face him. She clutched at his shoulders for balance as her knees sank into the cushion on either side of his hips.
“Because you’re our mate and I don’t ever want to see you hurting.”
Pixie swallowed audibly but didn’t say anything. Rex stalked over to the sofa and sat beside him. Shaffer straightened and hurried over to sit on his other side.
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