Bear Triplets (Triplet Harems Book 2)

by J. L. Wilder

  When Jonas found out, he demanded the relationship end and that Annie spend the night with him, doing whatever he wanted of her. Annie, being strong-willed, refused.

  And Jonas, to Ryder’s surprise, accepted it. At least, that’s what Jonas had wanted them to think.

  Not more than two days later, Jonas prepared a special mission for Annie and a few of the other members of the pack, ones whose loyalty he wasn’t certain of. It was a mission into Rabid Rock territory, recon to spy on the pack that had been a threat to them for so long. They were to go deep into the territory to find out what they could and report back.

  But they never came back. The entire team had been killed, Annie among them. And the smirk on Jonas’s face when he learned the news had been all the proof Ryder needed that it’d been planned that way.

  “He wanted her to get killed,” said Ryder. “He knew sending that small of a team into Rabid Rock territory would be a death sentence.”

  “And he got away with it.”

  “He did. No proof of that shit. I confronted him, told him I knew what he’d done. But he just played dumb, acted like it was all some kind of tragedy. Fucking liar.”

  “We need to do something about him,” said Jack. “If he stays in control of the pack for another year, it’s going to weaken us to the point that anyone will be able to take over. And there’s a shitload of packs that want what we have.”

  Ryder nodded, knowing he was right. But before the conversation could continue for any longer, a pair of men stepped out of the shadows.

  “Who the hell is it?” barked out one of them.

  “You seriously can’t smell me?” asked Ryder. “You know who the fuck it is.”

  There was silence, the two men staying still for a time. Then they kept toward Ryder and Jack until they were close enough for the brothers to recognize them as Jimmy and Mace, two low-level gammas in the pack.

  “You two think you can just walk into camp like this?” asked Mace.

  “Why the fuck wouldn’t we?” asked Jack. “Last I checked, we’re members of the pack.”

  “Barely,” said Jimmy. “Haven’t seen hide nor hair of you in months.”

  “Don’t tell me Jonas is upset about that,” said Ryder. “I’m sure he’s happy as shit we’re gone.”

  “What do you want?” asked Jimmy. “Come to join the party?”

  “Come to talk to Jonas,” said Ryder. “Got some important shit for him to hear.”

  “That right?” asked Mace. “And that’s what?”

  Jack laughed. “What, tell you so you can relay it to Jonas and take the credit for it? Fat fucking chance. Now, let us in, or we’ll blow right past you.”

  Jimmy and Mace regarded one another as if thinking it over.

  “Fine,” said Jimmy. “Jonas has been wanting to see you both anyway.”

  “Where’s Stone?” asked Mace.

  Ryder glanced over at Jack. He was reconsidering telling Jonas about April and Sean, and he could tell Jack was thinking the same thing.

  “He’s back at the ranch. Had some shipments to get into town today, and he drew the short straw.”

  “Whatever,” said Jimmy. “Come on.”

  Ryder and Jack formed up with the two men. Mace put his hand on Ryder’s arm, Ryder quick to shake it off.

  “No touching,” said Ryder. “Asshole.”

  The group moved through the woods, the scent of the camp strengthening by the second. The fires grew brighter and bigger, and before too long, the sounds of heavy metal music were all around them.

  And then they reached the camp. The place looked about the same from a distance—a collection of cabins—but Ryder knew there was an important difference.

  It was a raging party, like Ryder had thought. Nearly every member of the pack was there, drinking and dancing, some even screwing out in the open. Everyone was drunk and out of control. Ryder was a man who liked to party and cut loose, but under Jonas’s rule, this was all the pack had been.

  It was chaos, and Ryder knew it couldn’t last.

  They reached the alpha cabin, the biggest one on the grounds.

  “Wait here,” said Jimmy.

  The two men entered, leaving Ryder and Stone alone.

  “This is fucking insane,” said Jack. “Barely anyone’s sober enough to realize we’re even here.”

  Ryder glanced in the distance, spotting the familiar face of Mick, one of the pack betas and one who’d been opposed to Jonas from day one. With a wave of his hand, Ryder called him over.

  “Holy shit,” said Mick. “It’s really you guys. What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Got some info for Jonas. Might be a war ahead.”

  “Are you serious?” Mick’s face was one of worry. “Guys, this shit is bad.”

  Ryder nodded. He could tell that Mick wasn’t hammered like the rest of them, still had a couple of brain cells in his head.

  “No shit,” said Jack. “How long’s this party been going on for?”

  “Two days,” said Mick. “And it’ll stop when everyone finally passes the fuck out, then start up again. We can’t go on like this.”

  “You’re right,” said Ryder, looking over the scene. “It’s only a matter of time before the other packs see how weak and vulnerable we are.”

  “What are you going to do about it?” asked Mick. “Every day that Jonas is the alpha is a day we get weaker.”

  Ryder clenched his fists, furious to see what his pack had become.

  “There might be some moves happening,” said Jack. “But that’s all we can say for now.”

  “Good,” said Mick. “Something needs to happen.”

  “But for now,” said Ryder, “keep your head down. Don’t make any waves. You’re one of the few men here we can trust, so when anything’s more certain, we’ll let you know.”

  “Right,” said Mick. “You know I’m with you guys all the way. And I’m not the only one.”

  With that, he was off. Moments after Mick disappeared into the party, the doors opened again.

  “Come on,” said Mace. “Boss wants to see you.”

  They went into the cabin and Ryder and Jack followed them in.

  The alpha cabin, once a symbol of the pack’s power, was a mess. Beer cans and whiskey bottles were everywhere, a dozen or so pack members passed out among them. Ryder wanted nothing more than to take over, to bring the pack back into the fighting shape it once was and could be again.

  They went up to the second floor, reaching the study at the far end. Mace gave the door a knock.

  “Come in.”

  Mace opened it, and there he was. Seated behind the desk, two women at his side, was Jonas.

  Jonas was a tall, well-built man with long blond hair and a face as wolfish as his animal form. He wore jeans and a pair of boots, his feet up on the desk. On top, he wore a leather vest with nothing on underneath. His mouth was twisted into its usual smirk, and his eyes were narrowed as if he were laughing inside at some joke only he knew about.

  “There are my boys,” he said. “Get your asses in here.” He glanced at Mace. “Get out and shut the fucking door when you do.”

  Mace and Jimmy complied.

  Ryder looked around as he entered the study. Once, the room had been a place of strategizing, where he and the other alphas made their plans for increasing the power of the pack. But now it was as much of a mess as the rest of the cabin. The women at Jonas’s sides seemed too drunk or high to notice anything was going on.

  Ryder and Jack sat down across from Jonas.

  “God,” said Jonas, sitting up. “Been too long, my dudes. Hell of a party, as you can see.” He tossed the bottle of whiskey over to Ryder, who easily caught it. “Take a load off; have something to drink. Grab a female while you’re at it.” He squeezed the ass of the redhead on his right, who didn’t seem to notice or care.

  “Not in the mood for any of that,” said Ryder. “We’re here on pack business.”

  Jonas waved his hand t
hrough the air as if he couldn’t imagine a more boring subject.

  “Whatever. Pack business. Let’s hear it.”

  Ryder glanced at Jack and nodded.

  “Happened last night,” said Jack. “When I was alone in the woods...”

  He told the story about how he was attacked by two wolves, him killing one and the other getting away.

  And Ryder noticed he omitted the details about April and Sean. Probably for the best.

  Jonas raised his eyebrows when Jack was done.

  “Alright, so some ferals attacked you in the woods. You fought them off—good for you. What’s the issue?”

  “The issue is that we’re pretty damn sure they weren’t ferals,” said Ryder. “They strategized, used their brains. Ferals don’t do that kind of shit.”

  “Right,” said Jack. “They might be scouts from another pack.”

  “We need to start getting the pack ready for a war because one might be coming soon.”

  “’We’ don’t need to do anything,” said Jonas. “I’m the alpha, and I’m the one who calls the shots. In case you forgot.”

  “This is serious shit,” said Ryder. “Look at the pack out there. If there were an attack today—”

  “We’d win,” said Jonas. “We’d win, and that’d be the end of it.”

  “The pack’s a mess,” said Jack. “Half of them are too fucking drunk to walk.”

  “They’re blowing off steam,” said Jonas. “Cut them some slack. And don’t act like you motherfuckers aren’t as down for partying as I am.”

  “Not when it puts the pack at risk,” said Ryder. “And right now, they’re fucking at risk.”

  Jonas leaned forward, pushing away the two women. “Are you questioning my authority as alpha?”

  Ryder wanted to say, “Fuck yes, I am.” But he knew to do so would be to issue a challenge, a fight to the death between him and Jonas. It wasn’t the time for that, as much as he wanted it.

  “No,” said Ryder, using every bit of restraint he had. “No questioning. Just a suggestion from one alpha to another.”

  “Fine,” said Jonas. “Your suggestion is noted. But I’m in charge of the pack, and I say we’re in fighting shape. If you two want to call the shots, go ahead and form your own fucking pack.”

  I’d love to, thought Ryder.

  “Now,” said Jonas. “Is there anything else?”

  Ryder knew there was no point in continuing the conversation.

  “No. Nothing else.”

  “Good. You two are staying over. I want to see you still fit in with the rest of the pack. Been thinking all that time apart has been putting ideas into your heads. You can leave in the morning, if you’re not too hungover to do it.”

  Ryder nodded to Jack, and the two of them got up and left.

  “Motherfucker,” said Jack, anger in his voice. “Prick’s gonna get everyone here killed.”

  “No doubt about it,” said Ryder. “And staying here’s the last thing I want.”

  He thought about April and Sean, about how much he wanted to be with them. It scared him, feeling such a way after only a short time.

  “Nothing to do about it,” said Jack. “We leave, and it’ll look suspicious.”

  “Right. Need to keep under Jonas’s radar until we know more about whatever the fuck’s going on.”

  One of the pack members tossed a bottle of whiskey to Ryder. He wasn’t in the mood for drinking but opened it up and took a sip anyway.

  But all that was on his mind were the woman and her son back at the ranch. He said a silent vow that nothing, nothing would happen to them. No matter what.

  CHAPTER 11

  STONE

  “There you go!”

  Stone stood by in his human form as Sean rushed through the trees. He’d managed to catch up with Sean earlier with no problems, but he was still surprised to see how fast the kid could move.

  He was something special. Stone found himself wondering if the kid might have what it would take to be an alpha. Sure moved like one.

  “Now, get on back here!”

  Off in the distance, Sean came to a stop. Then, at a speed that was incredible to Stone, he rushed over to the man. Sean sat on his hind legs, waiting for an order.

  That’s good. Kid’s learning to respect authority.

  “Shift back.”

  Sean did, returning to his human form.

  “How’d I do?” asked Sean. “Was it good?”

  “It was good as hell. Kid, you can move like a wolf twice your age.”

  “Really?” his eyes lit up with excitement. “I knew I could run fast. That’s why Mom always gets mad at me when I go into the woods. She says I start running and don’t know how far I’m going.”

  “She’s right. You’d make a hell of a scout for a pack.”

  Sean thought the matter over.

  “Do you...think it’s weird that I don’t have a pack? I know wolves are supposed to be in one. I mean, I was in one once, but Mom took us away.”

  “It’s different, but it’s not weird. Hell, I don’t have much of a pack of my own these days.”

  “How come?”

  Stone had no idea how to answer the question. It was all pack politics, stuff a kid didn’t need to worry about.

  “Just...things are complicated when you’re a grown-up. You’ll find out soon. But for now, we need to keep up with your training.”

  “What do I need to learn next?”

  “You need to learn focus, like I said. And we’re going to do it the hard way. But I think you’re ready.”

  Sean was excited again. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. But first, give your leg a tap where you broke it.”

  Sean complied, reaching down and tapping his shin hard.

  “Now, tell me honestly—does that hurt?”

  “Not even a little bit.”

  “OK,” said Stone. “Then I think you’re ready. What we’re gonna do now is find us some ferals.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I’m serious. There’s a few of them running around here. And what we’re gonna do is mess with them until they get mad. Then you’re going to shift. Got it?”

  “Are...they going to try to fight us?”

  “They might. Most likely, they’ll take off the moment they see a healthy wolf. They’re dumb, but they’re smart enough to know a losing fight when they see one. But if anything happens, I’ll be right there with you.”

  “So, what do we do?”

  “I want to see how well you can shift under pressure. Because a shifter that can’t shift then won’t be worth a damn in a fight. You ready?”

  “Ready!”

  Stone had his hesitations about the ferals. Sure, he was right that they’d be no match for him, but there was always the chance that something would go wrong. Still, shifting under pressure was a skill the boy would need to learn sooner or later. Stone figured it was better under his guidance than in a situation of real danger.

  “OK, Sean. Come with me.”

  Sean formed up at Stone’s side, and the two of them started off deeper into the woods.

  “I have a question,” said Sean.

  “What’s up, kid?”

  “How come you and Jack and Ryder don’t have any kids? Or wives?”

  The question hit Stone hard. He wasn’t sure how to answer it.

  “I did. But they’re not around anymore.”

  “How come?”

  Stone knew he needed to choose his words carefully. The issue was personal as hell, and not something he shared openly.

  “It’s...just something that happens when you’re an adult. And that’s that.”

  His tone seemed to make it clear to Sean that the subject wasn’t up for discussion. They continued on, Sean talking to Stone about all the things he wanted to do when he was finally a mature shifter.

  Stone loved listening to the kid talk. Being around no one but his brothers, he’d forgotten what youthful energy was like. Sean was eag
er and excited about nearly everything to do with shifters, and the more he spoke, the more Stone felt himself growing closer to him.

  “There,” said Stone, pointing ahead. “A couple of ferals.”

  Off in the distance were two wolves, both looking ragged and weak, like they hadn’t eaten in days—if not longer.

  “What do I do?”

  “You’re going to walk, in your human form, right next to them. And when they notice you, you shift. Got it?”

  “Got it.”

  Stone squatted down, getting eye level to Sean. “Now Sean, this isn’t playing around—this is serious. Don’t try to fight them, and don’t do anything stupid. You shift, and if they don’t run away, you come right back to me. Got it?”

  “Got it.”

  “Good. Now move.”

  Sean nodded, took a deep breath, and started off. Slowly but surely, he made his way closer to the ferals. Stone watched carefully, ready to jump in.

  The moment Sean stepped close, the ferals took notice. They bared their fangs and turned their attention to Sean.

  “Now!” called out Stone. “Shift now!”

  The kid had to be scared, and that was the point. But Stone was there to make sure nothing happened to him.

  It took a moment or two, but Sean was able to shift as the ferals approached. And he shifted quickly—fast enough to impress Stone.

  The ferals stopped in place, as if not sure what to do.

  “Now!” shouted Stone. “Come back!”

  But Sean didn’t obey. Instead, he stepped toward the ferals.

  Fucking hell. Kid’s gonna try to fight them.

  Stone didn’t wait for him to have the chance. He shifted into his bear form and rushed toward Sean and the ferals. The moment the ferals noticed Stone, they ran off, tails between their legs.

  When they vanished into the woods, Stone shifted back into his human form.

  “Shift back, now!”

  Sean hung his head down low for a moment before obeying.

  He said nothing once he was back in human form, as if he knew he was in trouble.

  “What the hell was that?”

  “I...I wanted to see if I could take them.”