by Erin M. Leaf
Avery screamed again, and it turned into a howl. She felt fur push out along her spine. She scented her mates next to her and growled as a golden bond snapped into place in her mind. When something reached over and clamped down on her neck, she slumped down as instinct pushed her into submission.
“Avery,” Fletcher said into her mind. His mental voice throbbed with power.
Avery looked up into his golden eyes, and her wolf loved him. He was a huge, golden Alpha wolf, and he was hers. When Mitch moved in beside him, fur dark as night, his startling blue eyes told her that he was hers, too. She whined, then rolled over onto her back, submitting to both of them. They touched their noses to hers.
“Queen,” Mitch’s voice murmured.
She growled agreement, then stood up and shook out her fur. She twisted around, not surprised to see that she was completely white. She’d always known what her wolf should look like. “Run?” she asked her mates.
“Not yet.” Fletcher pushed at her with his head, and she felt a strong wave of power flow over and through her. “Shift.”
The command was irresistible. Avery’s wolf stepped back mentally, and her body shifted back into her human skin. Avery lay on the bed, hands gripping the sheets. “Oh my God.”
She lifted a hand up, staring at her fingers. Was that real? She touched her face, thinking she’d dreamed everything, except the aches in her body told her that she’d made love, and the golden bond in her mind told her that she was truly mated, as of old. The stories aren’t myths after all. How extraordinary.
“No, it wasn’t a dream, baby,” Fletcher said, gripping her hands. “It was real.” He’d shifted back to human, too, sometime during her catalogue of her body.
Avery stared at him, but he was so blurry she couldn’t see him clearly. She could feel him in her head, though: warm and strong and overwhelming. Mitch was there, too: cool and calm and strong.
“You shifted, love,” Mitch said, pulling her into his arms. “And your wolf is beautiful.”
Avery blinked, and opened her mouth to speak, but instead, tears she hadn’t known she’d held onto for years rolled down her face.
Chapter Seven
Fletcher stared down at his Queen. It had taken Avery a while to calm down, but now she slept peacefully between him and Mitch. He knew she needed her rest, but he couldn’t quiet his mind enough to follow her into dreamland. The light of the small lamp on the nightstand fell over the bed, touching Avery with golden light. She was beautiful, and she was theirs. He could hardly believe it.
“I can’t sleep either,” Mitch murmured. “I think it’s because her ex is still out there. My wolf is on high alert.”
Fletcher shook his head. “It’s not just that. Her father worries me. There’s something strange about him that I can’t put my finger on. And we haven’t yet taken over full control of the pack. This nebulous in-between status is infuriating.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Everything is unsettled. I can feel the pack bonds in the back of my head, but not clearly, and it bothers my wolf.” He sighed. “We’ll protect her, no matter what happens.”
“Agreed. And I understand your worries.” Mitch reached out and hugged his Alpha. “But we should try and sleep, Fletcher. There’s nothing we can do right now anyway. We need to settle in and get used to being home again. Only time will take care of the situation.”
“Will it?” Fletcher wasn’t so sure.
“Of course.” Mitch kissed him, and Fletcher felt their bond in his heart, stronger than before. Avery’s presence enhanced their connection, solidifying it into something stronger than he’d ever suspected it could be.
“What are we doing?” Fletcher asked as his cock twitched. Mitch smelled like wolf and Avery and home, and his wolf loved it. He growled softly.
“Making love,” Mitch replied softly. He climbed over Avery and slid his nude body against Fletcher’s.
Fletcher shuddered as his cock went from soft to hard-as-fuck in less than a second. “God. Touch me.” He grabbed Mitch’s hand and put it on his erection.
Mitch smiled, slow and sexy, then cupped Fletcher’s dick, stroking him with an expertise that only another man could manage.
“Oh, hell,” Fletcher muttered, and then he flipped Mitch onto the bed, right next to Avery. He slid down, and inhaled, nosing around Mitch’s shaft. “I know you washed up earlier, but you still smell like Avery.” He licked Mitch’s balls, then nibbled up his erection. “It’s delicious.” When he looked up, he found Avery staring at him, eyes wide. He gave her a smile.
“Oh my God,” she said, licking her lips. She twisted her fingers into the sheets, and then made as if to get up, but Mitch stopped her. “No. Don’t go, love.”
She glanced at Mitch, and then at Fletcher.
“You’re part of us,” Mitch told her, lifting one of her hands and kissing the back. She shivered.
“Like what you see?” Fletcher knew she did. From this position, he could see her pussy glistening with arousal, and his seed from earlier. His wolf snarled in the back of his mind, pushing him to fuck and claim his lovers. He bent his head down again, slipping Mitch’s erection into his mouth. He sucked, savoring the knowledge that he and Mitch could do this now, and it wouldn’t be futile. They could fuck and it would never again end in frustration for both of them.
“Oh, Jesus. If you keep that up, I’m going to come in thirty seconds, Fletcher.” Mitch thrust up into his mouth.
“That’s the point,” Fletcher said, after sliding off with a pop. He grinned. “It’s not like you’ll have any trouble getting it up again.” He glanced at Avery, pleased to find her with a hand between her legs. “Benefit of our wolfish nature.” He nosed around Mitch’s balls, then slid a thumb back to his hole. “Someday I’m going to fuck you, and you’re going to love it.”
Mitch gasped, legs falling open. “Promises, promises.”
Fletcher laughed, then sucked him back in. From this position, he could grind his cock into the mattress, but he wouldn’t come. He wanted to fuck Avery again. And then maybe he’d let Mitch fuck him. The possibilities were endless.
Avery moaned softly, and Fletcher looked up to see that Mitch had slid a hand down and was teasing her clit. “Oh God,” he said, trying to keep his mind on task, but he was quickly losing his mind with the view. He settled a hand around Mitch’s erection, and jacked him as he reached up to sample Avery’s wetness. “Beautiful,” he murmured, reaching down with his slick finger and sliding it into Mitch’s ass.
Mitch bucked, groaning. He lost his place between Avery’s legs, gripping the sheets instead. Fletcher grinned, then climbed on top of him and lined their cocks up. “Come on. We can do this.”
Mitch growled, reaching down to grab Fletcher’s ass. “God, you make me crazy.”
Fletcher chuckled, hips moving. “Good.” He kissed Mitch, feeling the weight of their connection settling even more firmly in his mind. His wolf loved this man, and now with Avery here, he could finally show Mitch how much he cared with his body, too. He slid his cock against Mitch’s, savoring the thick heat of him, and then Mitch gasped. Wet heat pumped out between them. Fletcher groaned, letting Mitch rub one off on him. When Mitch settled, Fletcher shifted his attention to Avery. She’d stopped playing with herself, and Fletcher growled at her, then rolled off Mitch and between her legs. Her pussy glistened pink and gorgeous, and he sucked her clit into his mouth. Her heat was exactly what he wanted. She bucked, crying out, and he teased her until he knew she was right on the edge. He looked up, his erection so hard it hurt.
“Fuck her,” Mitch said, idly stroking his rapidly hardening cock.
“Please,” Avery begged. “I need you.”
Fletcher grinned fiercely, and then he moved up and pushed inside her in one hard thrust. Avery gasped, and then Mitch kissed her, swallowing her sounds. Fletcher fucked her hard and fast, and his orgasm swept through him so suddenly he couldn’t stop. He groaned, head pushing into her shoulder as he caught his breath. He knew
she hadn’t peaked yet, and didn’t protest when Mitch pushed at him. He rolled off her, still panting, and she whined, but then Mitch pushed inside. Fletcher smiled at the look on her face and moved down to lick her clit while Mitch made love to her.
“Oh my God,” Avery said, head thrown back. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.” She clutched at his hair.
Fletcher loved that he could taste all three of them at once. His seed lingered at her pussy with Mitch’s musk scented over it. Her own sweet juices were so lovely, he couldn’t get enough. He flicked her clit with his tongue, and then he settled in and sucked in time with Mitch’s movements. When he felt her body tense, he didn’t fool around. He sucked harder, one hand on her ass and one on Mitch’s. Mitch growled, and Fletcher felt his lover’s cock swell against his mouth. He closed his eyes and savored their pleasure, and then he shuddered as their shared bond flashed hot with energy. He climaxed again, falling back on the bed as his wolf howled inside his head. He shivered, and then rolled over to embrace his Queen and Beta.
“Good lord,” Mitch said, breath puffing warm against Fletcher’s arm. “What the hell was that?”
Avery giggled. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Fletcher smiled, but didn’t have the energy to speak.
“I’m glad I waited to have sex,” Avery said then.
Fletcher lifted his head, and kissed her softly. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I’m pleased you waited for us, but your choices are your own to make. We don’t own you.”
She frowned slightly. “Then why did you cuff me earlier?”
“It helped you and your wolf relax,” Mitch said, trailing a finger from her shoulder to her wrist. “Sometimes we get so lost inside our own heads, we run around in mental circles with ‘what if’ on our backs, spurring us on. Restraining you gave you an illusion of submission.”
She pursed her lips. “My wolf submits to both of you. I can tell.”
Fletcher shook his head. “No. She chooses to submit to show respect, but she’s our equal.”
Avery stared at him. “The Alpha of the pack is the leader. We all submit to you.”
“Yes, but I think it’s different for our triad,” Mitch said, sitting up. “I’m Fletcher’s Beta, but I’m almost as powerful as he is.”
“And I respect Mitch’s opinion,” Fletcher said. “I would never make a serious decision without letting him weigh in on it.”
Avery looked from him, to Mitch, and then back again. “But will you respect my opinion?”
Fletcher immediately drew her into his arms. “Avery, yes. Of course.” He hugged, not sure what demons haunted her, but positive that he would fight them with all he had. He’d only just found her, but he already knew he would never, ever let her go. “You’re bonded to me, and to Mitch. You’re part of us. We couldn’t be fully ourselves until we met you.”
Avery drew back. “It seems too easy. We meet, instinct pushes us together, and then wham.” She gestured with a fist. “Instant bonding.” She shook her head. “Real life doesn’t happen like that. I’m afraid it isn’t real.”
“This is very real, love. And I prefer to think of it differently,” Mitch said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Fletcher and I just spent fifteen years looking for you. When we found you, we knew that wasting even a day would be pointless.” He shook his head. “And has it really been easy for you? Wondering why you felt so alone, all these years?”
She blinked, tears rushing to her eyes. “How did you know I felt like that?”
Fletcher rested his forehead on her shoulder. “Because we felt the same way.”
****
Avery held perfectly still as she let their words settle into her mind. Could it be true? She felt a connection, yes. Their bond had definitely taken her by surprise, but it was as real as her wolf in her mental landscape. And she’d shifted. That didn’t feel real yet. She was almost afraid to try again, given how many times she’d failed. She ran a hand through Fletcher’s hair, thinking back to how she’d felt to wake up to seeing the two men kissing. I should’ve felt jealous. Confused. Instead, all I wanted was to watch them together. She swallowed. “Watching the two of you together was strange, but I didn’t feel left out.”
“Because you weren’t. You were right there with us,” Fletcher immediately said. “We wouldn’t have been able to climax without you.” He laughed. “And believe me, we’ve tried. We spent years traveling, and meeting women, and even other men. Nothing was quite right until we came home and saw you, all grown up.” He cupped her cheek. “You’re our Queen, Avery.”
“And now that we’re bonded, all bets are off,” Mitch said, a wicked grin on his face. “I may accost Fletcher in random places.” He walked his fingers up her torso. “And you, too.”
Avery laughed, face going hot, despite her lingering sense of worry. The thought of Mitch trapping Fletcher in a hallway to get a hand job was hilarious. She couldn’t even imagine it. “I don’t know if that will really work in this place. The big house is constantly full of people coming and going.”
“I’ll figure something out,” Mitch said, kissing her.
Avery sighed, melting into the kiss. Her wolf wanted her to keep going, but her body had other plans when she yawned in Mitch’s face. “I’m sorry,” she said, pulling away.
He laughed. “We all need sleep. Close your eyes, love. We’ll still be here in the morning.” He leaned over and turned out the lamp, then turned back to her, softly petting her hair. “Lights out.”
Avery let him soothe her, smiling when he pulled the covers up over the three of them. “We’re a mess, though,” she murmured, barely able to keep her eyes open. It was as if she’d been tense for years, and was finally safe, and able to relax. Exhaustion pressed her body to the mattress, and the warmth of her mates calmed her wolf.
“We can shower in the morning,” Fletcher murmured, voice low and rumbly. “Sleep. You’re safe. We’re right here with you.”
Avery nodded, and let the darkness swallow her whole.
Chapter Eight
Fletcher sat at the kitchen table, fighting his wolf. His human side wanted to be here, eating breakfast with his father, but his very Alpha wolf wanted none of it. He grimaced, fighting his wolf’s instinctive snarl.
His father smiled faintly at him as he set a bowl of scrambled eggs in the center of the old, scratched wood table.
Fletcher nodded thanks, and began to spoon eggs onto Avery’s plate first, and then his own, before handing the bowl to Mitch. He’d always liked this room. It wasn’t a small kitchen, not with the amount of food that sometimes needed to be prepared when the pack congregated out back, but it wasn’t huge, either. The warm log walls contrasted with the modern appliances his father had insisted on when he’d renovated just before Fletcher had left for his walkabout. The old table, though, that remained the same, as did the large farmhouse sink set under the window looking into the back clearing. The high ceilings were crossed with beams, and various cooking pans hung from the ones near the stove.
“We’re going to be leaving this afternoon,” Fletcher’s mother said, sitting down with a cup of coffee.
Surprise made Fletcher look up from his plate. “I thought you finished moving into the new cabin yesterday.” He took a sip of his coffee, appreciating the caffeine more than he’d expected. He hadn’t slept much, but then, neither had Mitch or Avery, yet he wouldn’t trade last night for anything. He smiled at Avery, thinking about how perfectly she fit with him and Mitch, and her flush told him she knew exactly what he was thinking. In the back of his head, he felt his wolf’s satisfaction. They hadn’t told anyone yet about the mating, but he had a feeling that his father knew. It’s not like it’s obvious. The bite marks disappeared when Avery shifted for the first time.
“We’re all moved in, but we’ve also got plans for the shiny new RV we bought a few months ago,” his mother explained, scooping some eggs onto her plate. “We’ll be gone for several months. Maybe
longer.” She sat down and began eating. “I’m looking forward to finally doing the travel I’ve always wanted.”
“Wait, what?” Fletcher pushed his coffee mug away from him. “You’re leaving, not just moving out? Already?” After their talk the other day, he knew his mother and father were moving to a new house, but he’d had no idea they were planning on an extended trip. “You don’t have to go on my account.”
His father shook his head. “Actually, we do, Fletcher. We’re going on a road trip. We’ve been planning it for over a year.” He smiled, and his light brown eyes flashed gold for a split second. “Surely you know that neither of our wolves will handle it at all well if I hang around.”
“I thought that the new cabin would help,” Fletcher said, leaning back in his chair. “I’ve only just come back home.” He hated the thought that he was pushing his father out of his home. Out of the pack. “This seems drastic.”
His father finished his eggs and frowned at him. “Fletcher, think about it. It’s necessary.”
Fletcher bristled. He was thinking about it. “I’m thinking that I’m not going to get to spend time with my parents after being away from home for years.” He stood up and began pacing as his wolf scratched at his control. “Dammit.” He knew Mitch and Avery were watching him, concerned looks on their faces, but he couldn’t help it. He’d been looking forward to spending time with his family.
His father looked at him, lips pursed, and then he, too, stood up. “Fletcher. Think.”
Fletcher stopped pacing. “Dad.” He ran a hand through his hair. “This sucks. Can’t you stay for a week or two? I understand wanting a vacation, but I was hoping to pick your brain for a bit before you and Mom did any traveling.” He glanced at his mother, hoping an appeal to her would help. “Mom? You don’t really want to head out so soon, do you?”
