by J. L. Wilder
Ryder sniffed the air. He could smell the animals around him and sensed there was a pack of deer nearby. They’d be perfect.
He and Sean shifted back.
“OK,” he said. “I’m throwing you into the deep end. There are deer nearby, and you’re going to track and kill as many as you can.”
He could see that Sean was eager but scared.
“Do you know how to kill?”
“N...no.”
He placed his hand on his neck. “You’re a wolf, and I’m a bear. Different animals, but the idea is the same. You want to kill, you go for the neck. Don’t even need to bite through—a twist is enough to break the neck of most animals.”
“Got it.”
“Follow their scent on the wind. Keep a distance until you’re ready to strike. And when you do, strike hard. Don’t show any mercy. Understand?”
Another nod.
“And I’ll be close by. If you get into trouble, I’ll be there for you.” His next words surprised him. “I’ll always be there for you. You and your mom. Got it?”
He nodded.
“Now kill.”
Sean nodded one last time before shifting, sniffing the air, and taking off into the woods. Ryder smiled as the boy ran and gave him a few minutes before shifting into his bear form and following after.
He knew he had to give the boy space, give him a chance to make his kill on his own. But he also needed to stay close enough to protect him if anything happened.
Ryder tracked Sean for a long while, keeping him in his sights as they drew closer to the deer. Then Sean stopped. He sniffed the air again and began to move slowly.
He’d found them.
Ryder positioned himself so that he could watch from afar. Sure enough, a small pack of deer was nearby. Sean moved slowly, like he’d said, keeping his body low to the ground.
Don’t move too fast—you’ll scare them off.
Sean did it as if reading his mind. Then when he was close, he pounced. Sean flew through the air, landing on the nearest deer and sinking his teeth into his neck. He twisted hard, the deer going limp in his jaws. Then Sean moved to the next closest deer, repeating the process. By this point, the other deer had realized what was happening and scattered.
Ryder watched, proud of the boy for what he’d done. He shifted back and called out to him.
“Come on,” he said. “You made your kill. Let’s get these animals home—not good to let them go to waste.”
Together the two of them gathered the bodies. Ryder easily lifted his deer and was surprised to see Sean do the same.
“Is that hard to carry?” he asked.
Sean shook his head. “Easy. Not much to it, right?”
“I guess not.”
They continued through the woods, making their way back to the cabin.
“Sean, you’re going to have a hard few days ahead.”
“Why, because Dad’s back?”
“Because your Dad’s back. We’ve had peace in the region for a long while, but I’ve got a feeling that’s about to come to an end. You’re going to need to be strong for what’s ahead, and you’re going to need to look out for your mom. Can you handle that.”
“I can. I need to be a man.”
“That’s right. And me and my brothers can teach you more, but we won’t be around forever. And neither will your mom.”
The words didn’t sit well with Sean, but Ryder knew he needed to hear them.
“Lots of bad people out there in the world, and you’re going to need to be ready to fight against them. I think you can do it. You’re strong, Sean, stronger than maybe even I was at your age. But if you’ve got power, you’re going to need to learn how to use it the right way.”
“And you’ll teach me?”
Ryder nodded. “I will. You listen, I’ll teach. But for now, I want you to be on guard. Like I said, the days ahead are going to get harder.”
They continued through the woods, eventually reaching the cabin. April ran out to greet them, excited and worried.
“What happened?” she looked over the two of them, along with the deer they brought. She knew the answer, but Ryder could tell she simply wanted to be certain.
“You boy did well,” said Ryder. “But we’re not done yet.”
The three of them went into the cabin. Ryder went into the garage, where two tables awaited them. He put his deer down, and Sean did the same.
“Now,” he said. “We’re going to clean and prepare the animals.” He took a large buck knife from where it hung on the wall. “Watch me—I’ll show you what to do.”
Ryder went into it, skinning the animal as Sean watched. The boy was quiet and attentive, and when Ryder was done, he gave the bloody knife to Sean to do the same.
He stayed close, guiding Sean through the process. When he was done, and hour having passed, the two deer were ready to be eaten.
“Now,” he said. “It’s time for dinner. You’re going to find that the best meal is one you killed and prepared yourself. Come on.”
Over the next couple of hours, Sean and Ryder and April prepared the deer. When they were done, they sat down to dinner and ate. Afterward, Ryder could tell Sean was sleepy, exhausted from his day.
“Go on now,” said Ryder. “Get to bed.”
“But it’s so early,” said Sean. “Can’t I stay up? I bet you can teach me how to hunt at night.”
Ryder couldn’t help but grin.
“Nah. Maybe tomorrow. For now, you’re going to need your rest.”
Sean opened his mouth to speak but quickly realized there was no arguing. April gave him a kiss on the forehead, and he was off, Ryder and April alone. Ryder fetched a couple of beers out of the fridge, and the two of them went into the living room. There, he started a fire in the fireplace, Ryder and April sitting down next to one another on the couch.
“How was he?” asked April.
“He’s strong. I don’t think you know what kind of strength the kid’s got. And he’s going to be tested over the next few days. Don’t know how, but he will be. And I think he’s going to be able to get through it as a man.”
“Being a man means making his first kill, right? Not just hunting, but another shifter.”
Ryder nodded. “It does. But he’ll be ready when the time comes.”
April reached over and took Ryder’s hand. He was uncertain of the days to come, but at that moment, he was more content than he’d been in a long, long while.
CHAPTER 15
RYDER
He knew it was time to move. The next morning, Ryder woke up early. To his surprise, April was already in the kitchen, cup of coffee in hand as she stared off into the distance.
She smiled as she watched him enter. Ryder knew there wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for that smile.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Morning,” he said, preparing a cup of coffee and sitting down at the table.
Then she was nervous. “Sean’s still asleep.”
“Of course he is. I remember when my dad took me out for my first hunt. I was eager as hell, felt like I could kill all the deer in the forest. I took down a couple, of course, but right when I got back home, I collapsed. It’s the adrenaline. When you’re young, it hits you hard.”
She took a sip of her coffee, and for a moment, a conflicted look appeared on her face.
“I...want to thank you. What you’re doing for me and my boy...you don’t have to do it.”
Ryder grinned. “Maybe, maybe not. When I took you and him in, when my brothers took you and him in, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that it might lead to trouble.”
“Then...why did you do it? Just so you three could take me out on dates?”
He laughed. It’d only been a few days, but it seemed like weeks since he and his brother had made that deal with her.
“Nah, not just for dates. Don’t get me wrong—I was attracted to you from the start. But me and my brothers fled our pack like you did.”
“Sure. We weren’t fleeing abusive husbands, and we didn’t have a boy to look after. But there was trouble in our clan, and we left. And since we did, we all felt cut off, like there was something missing from our lives. You and Sean coming back...it reminded us of what we needed.”
“But I have to know...what’s next for us? For me and Sean and you and your brothers? Say we beat Sam, send his miserable ass back to where he came from.”
“Then you’ll be free,” he said. “You were up in your cabin because of Sam, right? Because you had to hide out from him? Once he’s gone, you and your boy will be free to make your own destiny. You can go where you want, live where you want, do what you want.”
She shook her head and looked down. “Hell, I don’t even know what I want anymore. I’ve spent so much time being afraid, thinking about nothing but Sean. I tried to work and live like a normal woman, but...”
“April, you’re hardly normal.”
“Thanks,” she said with a wry smile.
“And I mean that in a good way. You’re special—I knew it from the moment I saw you. And Sean’s the same. That boy’s going to be doing great things, and I know he’s going to make you proud.”
She smiled, pleased at his words.
“OK,” she said. “This is all scary as hell. But I’m starting to think we can do it.”
“I know we can. And in the meantime...maybe we can have something normal?”
April cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Well, my brothers have the ranch secured. Doesn’t look like Sam’s going to be making any moves today. I was thinking maybe when Sean wakes up, we could go into town.”
“Yeah? And do what?”
“Whatever we want. I’ll be there with you to make sure you’re safe. We can relax, spend some time together.”
“Like a date?” she smiled.
“Don’t forget that was part of the deal.” Ryder grinned to let her know he was only joking around. “But seriously, we can have something like a date. But not just with me and you—Sean can be there too. The boy hasn’t had a chance to live a normal day in a long time. Maybe he’s due.”
“I like that idea,” said April. “And I bet he’ll like it too.”
They finished their coffee, pouring fresh cups when they were ready. Ryder had brought some supplies to the cabin, and April prepared them a breakfast of eggs and toast and deer meat. About halfway through the cooking, Sean showed up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he came into the kitchen.
Without saying a word, he went over to Ryder and sat down on his lap.
“Morning, kid,” he said.
“Good morning,” said Sean. “What’re we going to do today?”
“We were just talking about that,” said Ryder. “Thinking we’d go into town for the day.”
“Really?” asked Sean, his eyes lighting up at the idea. “Can we buy some stuff? And I want ice cream, too.”
Ryder laughed. “Still morning and the kid’s already thinking about dessert.”
“We’ll see,” said April. “Maybe if you’re good.”
Together, the three of them ate breakfast. Ryder was still unsure about the idea—part of him thought it was too dangerous. Sure, no shifter would risk pulling any kind of stunt in the middle of a human town, but there was still the chance.
But he knew his words had been true. April and Sean had been on the run for so long that they deserved a day that was at least halfway normal. And the more Ryder thought about it, the more he realized the idea of being something like a family appealed to him greatly.
When April had come to them, when they’d made the agreement to protect her and her son in exchange for a few dates, he’d thought it was about nothing more than finding a potential mate. But the more time he spent with April and Sean, he knew it was about more than that.
It was about family.
Ryder was shocked at his thoughts. He’d always considered himself the tough-as-hell type, the kind of man who could go it alone if he wanted to. But April and Sean reminded him there was more to life than that.
Frightening and thrilling all at once. But Ryder was ready for whatever was to come.
After they finished breakfast, the three of them cleaned up and went into town. The day started with some shopping, buying groceries and supplies for the days ahead. It was simple errand running, but Ryder loved the time he spent with April and Sean.
Then there was lunch. They ate burgers and fries—not shifter food, but good all the same. After this, they went to the park, letting Sean play with some of the human kids while April and Ryder talked about everything and nothing.
With each word exchanged between the two of them, he felt closer to her. Sure, he was attracted to her like mad. As much as he was beginning to care for her, he still found himself thinking about what he’d like to do with her behind the closed bedroom door, how much her body turned him on, what she’d look like underneath him as he screwed her like the animal he was.
But there was more to it, and he knew it.
They picked up some ice cream and headed back to the cabin. Together, Sean and Ryder and April prepared dinner, and when they were done, Ryder took Sean out for another hunt, this time after the sun had set.
Sean was just as good as he’d been the day before—even better. He made his kills quickly and quietly, and Ryder couldn’t help but feel pride as they carried their deer back to the cabin. They had their ice cream as a reward for the hard work, and soon, Sean was back in bed again.
And Ryder found himself in the living room with April, the two of them watching the fire as they sipped their wine.
“Today was...good,” she said, her eyes on the roaring fire. “Sean really likes you—I can tell. He likes you and your brothers like crazy. I never really get to see him like that.”
“The boy needed some men around. You’re his mother, and you’ll always be important to him. But there are things only men can teach boys.”
“I know. And for so long, I thought I could do it all on my own. He’s...I don’t know. He’s a way I’ve never seen him before. It makes me think things might be alright from here on out.”
Ryder and April sat close to one another. Without thinking, Ryder slipped his arm around April. Her body felt so good against his that he didn’t know how to deal with it, how to process the emotions running through him.
“But there’s something else,” said April.
“What’s that?”
“This,” she placed her hand on Ryder’s solid chest.
“What’s ‘this?’”
“What’s...happening between you and me. And not just me and you, but me and Stone and Jack. When I agreed to the dates, I, well, I don’t know what I thought was going to happen. You guys are all so rough and hard that at first, I thought I might not like any of you. But then I liked Jack. And then I liked Stone. And now...I like you.”
Music to Ryder’s ears. He smiled, happy to know that the feelings were mutual.
“Is that normal?”
“Nothing about being a shifter is normal, but you know that already. And if you’re thinking about what I’m guessing you are, then...yeah, it’s normal. Three men can have one woman. In fact, for alphas like me and my brothers, it’s sometimes the only way we can have kids.”
“Really?”
“Really. We’re triplets, and we’re bonded in a way that no other shifters are. And if we all feel the same connection to the same woman...that means something.”
April turned, facing Ryder. “And...you feel that connection toward me?”
“I do. And I know my brothers do. And I also know you feel it toward us, as scary as it sounds.”
She sipped her wine and set it down on the coffee table. “Then what do we do now?”
Ryder felt his cock move in his jeans, his heart race as he knew what he was going to say next.
/> “We do what we’ve both been thinking about since the moment we saw each other.”
There wasn’t anything else to be said. In front of the fire, the two of them kissed.
Right as his lips touched April’s, Ryder knew the connection he’d felt was something real. Their kiss lingered and with each passing second, he wanted her more and more until her body, her face, her pussy, was all he could think about.
“Bedroom,” said April. “Now.”
Ryder grinned, standing up and offering his hand to April. She took it, and moments later, they were in the bedroom, kissing like a pair of teenagers who’d finally gotten time alone.
“I don’t know what to do,” said April as Ryder’s kiss moved along the slope of her neck. “This is all so new, so damn scary.”
“You know what to do,” he said. “Your mind might not know, but your body does. Your heart does.”
She sighed as he continued to kiss her, taking off her shirt as she did the same to him. Ryder’s body was tall and powerful, muscular and strong. And April was lean and curvy, easily the finest, most beautiful body he’d ever seen in his life.
Once they were down to their underwear, Ryder lifted April and brought her over to the bed. He laid her down flat, her legs hanging over the edge. Then he kissed her legs, moving up to her thighs and until his lips were close enough to her pussy to feel how wet she was through her panties. He reached up and peeled them down, revealing the perfect pink line that he’d been fantasizing about since he first saw her.
She looked delicious, and he couldn’t resist kissing her cunt up and down, dragging his tongue slowly over her wet slit. April writhed and moaned as he pleasured her, slipping a pair of fingers inside of her as he ate. April rubbed her bare breasts, her hips writhing as she closed her eyes in total delight.
When she finally came over his mouth, April’s taste flooded over his tongue. He savored it, savored her juices and her scent, and everything else that came with her orgasm.
“That...that was amazing,” April moaned. But Ryder wasn’t even close to being done with her.
He climbed up onto the bed, wiping her juices from his mouth as he positioned himself over top of her. April reached down and took his long, thick cock out of his boxer-briefs, his prick warm and hard in her hand.
