Mal, meanwhile, slid behind my shoulders, using his hard thighs as a pillow to prop me up so I could watch Jasper fuck me. Beau had withdrawn for a moment to let us adjust, but as soon as I lay back on Mal’s legs, Beau’s cock was between my lips again. I savored the salty sweet taste of him and the hitch of his breath as he slid slowly into my mouth.
They shared me like we had all done this every day, I realized, and it sent a wicked thrill through me. As Beau and Jasper fell into a rhythm, I realized how much I loved being the focus of their attention. All of their attention. I was greedy and I didn’t care. I didn’t want it to stop.
Jasper’s thrusts became faster, erratic. I loved that I could make this controlled man lose it like this. He pumped faster and faster, and suddenly I felt Jasper’s cum fill me, and another surge of magic flooded with it, like a wave crashing down over us both.
“Fuck, I can’t last much longer,” Beau groaned as he slid out of my mouth. Jasper leaned down to kiss my forehead before sliding out, and Beau took his place kneeling between my thighs.
I was so sensitive when Beau slid inside me that I gasped. I had barely managed to hold back my own orgasm, but I could feel the tightness that told me it was close.
“You want to cum on my cock, Allie?” Beau murmured, with a wicked smile. The low, teasing note in his voice almost drove me over the edge right there.
“Yes,” I gasped, as Jasper’s clever fingers found my clit and began to stroke me in teasing circles in time with Beau’s thrusts. Mal’s hands stroked my shoulders and circled down to cup my breasts. They were all too good, and it was too much.
My back arched up off the rug as the pleasure shot through me, burning away everything. Beau drove into me, spurred on by my release, and then I felt him join me over the edge. The third surge of power tore a cry from my throat as it poured into me, intensified by my own orgasm. I felt like an overloaded circuit, and I could see the men joining hands above me, forming a triangle around me.
“Shift, Allie,” Jasper growled. “Use our power. Do it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to change, to transform. My heart pounded so fast it scared me. The seconds ticked by, the power ran through me. Then more seconds. Then more.
Nothing happened.
24
Allie
I sat up and looked from Beau to Jasper to Mal. They all gazed back at me, and where I was expecting to see disappointment in their eyes I only saw love.
I had tried so long to be strong, but all my resolve crumbled when I realized the ritual hadn’t worked. I couldn’t stop the sob that burst from my throat.
“Hey, shhh,” Mal said, gently stroking my back. “It’s ok.”
“I ruined everything,” I sobbed. “You’re stuck with me, and it’s my fault.”
Jasper shook his head. “We knew there was a chance of it not working. We made the choice, Allie.” He bent down to meet my tear-filled eyes. “We chose to be with you, and we’ll gladly stand by that choice.”
“You’re our Queen,” Beau said, leaning down and softly kissing my cheek. “No matter what.”
Their kindness only made me cry harder. I didn’t deserve them. And now they were stuck with me.
“There’s still a chance it may work,” Jasper said. “The first shift often happens in a moment of extreme emotion. Maybe we didn’t push you far enough.”
I knew he was just trying to be kind, but I didn’t want to try to hold on to some vague hope anymore. It was obvious the ritual had failed, and I needed to face reality. I managed to get my breathing under control and swiped shakily at my tears. “So if I can’t be Queen, what happens now?” I asked, looking to Jasper. “We leave, right?”
“We could protect you,” Mal blurted.
Jasper shot him a warning look, but Mal shook his head. “We’ll fight for you, Allie,” he said. “If anyone challenges you, we can keep you safe.” Beau didn’t speak, but his smile was sad.
“It won’t work,” I told Mal, although I loved him for trying. “If the other Packs heard we had a Queen who can’t shift or fight her own battles we’d be invaded by the next full moon. People could get hurt.” I shook my head. “No. I’m not going to put our Pack in danger because I’m too stubborn to admit when it’s over.”
Mal looked stricken, but finally, he nodded. The Alpha crossed his arms and glanced over at Jasper, and I followed his gaze. “What now, Jasper?”
“Tomorrow night you go to the Grove and perform the ceremony where you officially give up your claim to being Queen,” he said. “And then we all leave Silver Grove forever.”
My heart sank. It was my fault. I wasn’t wolf enough to rule, and they had chosen to go with me anyway. And look where it had gotten us. “Is there any way you can still stay?” I asked. “I’ll leave. But I don’t want to ruin your lives.” Never mind that the thought of giving them up made my heart feel like it was about to crack in two.
“No,” Beau said, as he reached out to stroke my cheek. “You belong to us now, and we belong to you. The ritual is binding. But it was our choice,” he said softly. “And it won’t be Silver Grove without you, Allie.”
Exhaustion enveloped me suddenly. Had it only been a day since I’d returned? It felt like a year had passed. I knew I shouldn’t sleep. I had to go visit Gram again, and I had to figure out what the hell I was going to do now. But my body was betraying me.
Strong arms slid under my knees and around my back, and Mal picked me up like I weighed nothing. He carried me down the hallway, Beau and Jasper trailing behind.
I could have picked Jasper’s bed as his out of a lineup: perfectly made, with sharp creases and smooth pillows. But it was big and inviting, and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. We all crowded in, and between the warmth and strength of their bodies and the softness of the bed, I finally got myself under control. I would figure something out. No, we all would. This wasn’t as big of a disaster as it felt like. I took a deep breath.
“Rest now,” Beau said, gently stroking my hair. “You need it.”
Jasper nodded. “We’ll figure out what we’re going to do in the morning.”
“But we’ll be together, no matter what,” Mal said, kissing my shoulder.
Despite feeling like the world was ending, I took comfort from their reassurance. And somehow, despite my grief and exhaustion, I dropped off into sleep.
* * *
I found myself in a cabin, but not Jasper’s. One I hadn’t seen before. The furniture was luxurious but shabby: velvet couches with worn spots, carved mirrors with hairline cracks in the glass. Magnolia petals fell from the ceiling and clustered on the dusty table. I stood in the little kitchen area, but when I tried to take a step I found myself frozen in place like a statue. All I could do was watch. A single petal drifted past my face, and I watched it spin down to the floor in slow motion.
A brisk knock sounded at the front door. I heard a door from somewhere inside swung open, and footsteps approached. Ruby appeared, her long blonde hair tied back in a swinging girlish ponytail, but she didn’t see me. She crossed the room and opened the front door.
My heart ached when I saw it was Gram who waited on the front steps, and she beamed as Ruby hugged her. She looked like herself again: wise with the wisdom that comes with age, but still vital and strong. I gazed at her smile, storing away every second in memory. If she woke up, I would never take her smile for granted ever again.
“I can’t believe she’s finally coming home,” Ruby said, leading Gram inside. “You must be so excited, Priestess! How long has it been?”
“Seven years,” Gram answered. “But it feels like much longer.” She sniffed the air. “Is that your famous spicy gumbo I smell, my dear?”
“It is!” Ruby giggled. “These colder nights call for something with a little bit of heat, don’t you agree?”
“Oh, that sounds lovely. Do you need any help?”
“No ma’am, you just relax. It’s almost done.” Gran smiled as Ruby led
her over to the shabby couch and then went into the kitchen, passing through me like I was a ghost.
A pot of thick gumbo simmered on the stove. From my frozen vantage point, I watched as Ruby took two bowls out of the cupboard and set them on the counter. “I’m looking forward to seeing Allie too,” Ruby said, as she ladled the gumbo into the bowls. “I bet she has lots of interesting stories about the human city.”
“She’s a brave one, that’s true.” My heart nearly broke at the pride in Gram’s eyes, but I was distracted by Ruby rummaging around in one of the cabinets. As I watched, she pulled out a small glass bottle about the size of a shot glass. It had a label on it, but I couldn’t read it. Ruby kept up a cheerful conversation as she picked up one of the bowls, turned her back to hide it from Gram, and tipped a little bit of grey powder into the gumbo.
I watched in horror as she stirred it, the grey powder vanishing into the stew. I willed myself to move, to scream, to knock the bowl out of Ruby’s hand, but I was frozen and helpless. Ruby slipped the bottle back into the cabinet and picked up the other bowl. “Let’s eat!”
Luckily, I could see the little dining table from the kitchen, and I watched anxiously as Gram spooned up a mouthful of gumbo. She swallowed, and I braced myself for the worst. But instead of coughing or choking, she just laughed. “Oh, it has a nice little burn! Ruby, did you add some extra hot sauce?”
To my surprise, nothing else happened. Gram didn’t act distressed in any way, which told me whatever Ruby had put in the gumbo was a slower-acting poison. If it was poison. Even if I didn’t know exactly what it was, I knew it couldn’t be anything good. It was torture to sit here helplessly, knowing that something horrible was going to happen to the person I loved most in the world.
“A little bit,” Ruby said, smiling coyly. “Is it too hot?”
“No, I like the bite,” Gram said, stirring her bowl.
“That’s good. I’ve got plenty, so eat as much as you like.” After a moment’s pause, Ruby glanced up. “Priestess, do you think Allie will stay? I mean, let’s face it, she’s not exactly qualified. She’s a stranger and a half… I mean, only part wolf.”
I knew I was invisible, but Gram glanced up and toward the kitchen, and I had the strangest sensation she could see me. “I know my Allie,” Gram said quietly. “And all I can say is I know she’ll make the right choice.”
And as she raised another bite and put it to her mouth, I screamed, “Gram!”
* * *
My eyes flew open. The room was dark and unfamiliar, and I clapped my hands over my mouth to muffle a cry as I wildly looked around.
The bed was crowded with my sleeping mates. That’s right. I was at Jasper’s place. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart. Around me, the men slept, undisturbed by my sudden waking. I was glad. I needed a moment to process what I had just seen.
The dream had been a true vision, but it had been a scene from the past. But that was impossible. Only true Seers could see both past and present, and I wasn’t one. Unless… had the ritual given me a different power? Was it possible I was a true Seer now?
My mind raced. Even if it was a true vision, I couldn’t accuse Ruby without proof. But if she suspected I was on to her, she would hide the evidence. If she was using it to keep Gram sick, that meant she still had it somewhere. I needed to search her cabin for that powder.
Moving silently, inch by cautious inch, I slipped out of the bed. I froze when Mal turned over in his sleep, but luckily he didn’t wake. I silently gathered up my clothes and slipped out into the main room of Jasper’s cabin, pulling the door closed behind me.
The fire was down to embers as I quickly dressed. I knew my men would be angry with me for not waking them, but this was something I had to do alone. Four people sneaking across the grounds at night would draw too much attention, but maybe one small half-wolf could go unnoticed.
I slipped outside, shivering in the chilly pre-dawn air. The sky was still dark, but I knew dawn was just around the corner. I didn’t have much time. It had to be now. I used the shadows of the silent cabins to slip toward Ruby’s place, trying to remain unseen.
Her cabin was dark and silent. I circled the place until I found her kitchen window, then gave it an experimental pull. I was in luck: nobody felt the need to lock up in Silver Grove, and the window slid open with a soft scrape.
I froze for a second, straining to listen, but I didn’t hear any movement from inside. I boosted myself up and sat on the sill, pausing a second to listen again before sliding my feet in and ducking under the edge of the window.
I climbed carefully down off the counter, still tense for any noise. What would I say if she caught me? I hadn’t thought that far. My only concern was finding that bottle. Nothing else mattered.
Part of me hoped it had only been a regular dream. Ruby wouldn’t do something like this, I told myself, but the sinking feeling in my gut wouldn’t go away. I turned to find the cabinet where she had been standing and eased it open, looking for the little bottle.
To my surprise, it only had wine glasses. I was reaching for the second cabinet door when I heard a voice from behind me.
“Thirsty, Allie?”
25
Allie
I whirled around. Ruby was leaning casually against the wall, and she smiled at me like we were sharing a private joke. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised to find me standing in her kitchen, which I took for a bad sign.
“If you wanted a visit you could have knocked, Allie,” she said, but her light tone and smile didn’t hide the cold way she studied me. I knew playing dumb wouldn’t help me now. It was time to face this head on.
“What was the powder that you put in Gram’s food, Ruby?” I asked.
Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “And how would you know about that?”
“I’ll tell you if you answer the question. Was it the same thing you used on Edie?”
Ruby blinked, then threw back her head and laughed. “You’re not as dumb as you look, Allie. You sure you want to go down this road, though? Truth is an ugly thing. You might not like what you find.”
It dawned on me that coming here alone had been a really stupid thing to do. I knew that keeping her talking would be the best thing while I tried to figure out what to do next, so I made myself lean casually against the sink. “Tell me.”
“Powdered silver,” she answered, then chuckled at the confused expression on my face. “Look. Any idiot could use Wolfsbane, but I knew your little boyfriend Jasper would figure that one out. Sage too, probably, even though he’s an even bigger idiot.” She waved a hand dismissively. “So I figured out another way. Did you know that humans use powdered metals for their silly science experiments? A trip to the human library to use the internet, a shipment to the Pack P.O. Box, and boom. Easy enough.” The note of pride in her voice and the way she talked so casually about hurting people made my hands shake with rage, but I knew that if I attacked her it would be the end of me too. I forced my anger down.
“Now, your turn. How did you know what I did, Allie?”
“I had a vision,” I answered. “I saw you do it. I was standing right over there. But I don’t understand why. She never hurt you.”
Ruby shrugged. “I knew if she was around when you came home she would guilt you into staying and trying to be Queen. And if you did do the smart thing and give up being Queen to go back to the human city, she would mess with me like she did Edie. It wasn’t personal, just politics.”
I listened as she talked, but my thoughts were racing. Gram’s symptoms all made sense now. Everyone knew that humans had hunted werewolves with silver weapons for hundreds of years. But small amounts of silver would weaken a werewolf over time until it eventually killed them. “If she stops drinking it, will she get better?”
Ruby eyed me appraisingly. “That’s up to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll make you a deal. She could still recover. You give up being Queen,
make your grandma crown me instead, and then you and she and your little boyfriends need to get the hell out of Silver Grove forever. It’s my turn.”
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
She arched an eyebrow. “And why not?”
“I was chosen. I didn’t ask to be chosen, but it happened.”
Ruby rolled her eyes. “Allie, wake the fuck up. You wouldn’t last a day as Queen and you know it.” She leaned forward, resting her hands on the countertop, her tone low and reasonable. “Look. Contrary to popular belief, I want what’s best for the Pack, and that’s not you, Allie. You can’t shift, you hide behind your men, and you’re a half breed who was selfish enough to abandon your Pack for life with a bunch of humans. Why would anyone follow you?”
“Because I care,” I said softly.
“You care?” She rolled her eyes. “Please. Caring won’t help you when a rival werewolf comes and rips your throat out. We have a lot of enemies now, thanks to Edie. How can you possibly keep us safe? Oh, that’s right, you can’t. You’re weak, Allie. And worse, you know it. It would be selfish of you to be Queen if you can’t protect us.”
The knowledge that she was right made my heart sink. I was physically weaker than a true werewolf, and they all knew it. Maybe I should just leave. Maybe it would be best for everyone. Ruby might not be the best Queen, but she at least wouldn’t die from a fight.
“Besides,” Ruby went on, “everyone knows your grandmother rigged the ritual. Even you. Isn’t that right?”
No, that was wrong, and hearing her say it jarred me out of my misery. For better or worse, Gram had too much honor to rig the choosing ritual. I had been divinely selected as Queen. Surely that had to count for something?
Princess of Wolves: A Reverse Harem Romance Page 14
