I shrugged one shoulder. “I kind of did. But I didn’t want to assume anything about you based on gossip. Not really my thing.”
He leaned over and kissed my hair. Goddess, loved when they did that. And both of them did it so well. “I appreciate that, Jade. But nonetheless, it’s true. My parents basically sent their contractor to redesign this dorm room themselves. It used to be two dorm rooms.”
I’d noticed it was twice as big as mine, but didn’t mind since I was sharing it at the moment.
I nodded. “Thank you both for taking care of me,” I said bashfully. All of this was new to me still. One day, I would get used to it.
“There is no reason to thank us, Jade. We are here to take care of you, always. I feel a little ridiculous it took us this long and an injury to realize what was right before us all along. I mean, I knew, but…” Aramis shrugged one shoulder.
“But I’d said you were my mate as well and we were a bit…confused.”
“Nora said she went through some confusion as well in the beginning. I think she still is, but we will figure it out. My wolf says we are mates. I just have to wait for my human brain to catch up.”
“Don’t we all. In the meantime, I’m enjoying having you here. We…are enjoying having you here.”
We spent the rest of the night eating greasy Chinese food Aramis slipped away and brought from the village joint, and watching The Big Bang Theory. And though I’d seen almost every episode of the show, it was funny to hear my mates laugh at certain situations. Braxton was the touchier of the two. He always had a hand on my thigh or over my shoulders while Aramis seemed more reserved, and so I’d closed the distance for him, taking his hand in mine and leaning against his steely frame.
He looked down at me as I did and smiled, a faint redness blooming up the rim of his ear.
Fuck, my mates were both gorgeous.
“Jade, you…” Aramis feathered his fingers across my cheek. “I can’t believe I found a mate.”
Braxton chuckled then sobered. “A mate who is still healing. Let’s let her rest.”
Aramis nodded, and I burrowed deeper into the covers, perfectly content to be sandwiched by my mates on a cold night like this.
I giggled while my eyes closed. “Wait till my mom finds out I have two mates.”
Chapter Thirteen
Braxton
I woke up after the best sleep of my life. Jade’s lithe arm was slung around my waist, and I felt the steadiness of her breaths along my spine. There was something about waking up to the life force of his mate literally at his back to let a man know he was alive.
Gently, I grasped her hand and pulled it up to my chest, the thought of her sleeping so close to me had my heart beating overtime.
“Good morning,” she whispered then placed a sweet kiss on the nape of my neck.
Wanting to see her face, I didn’t hesitate to turn, but carefully, as not to jostle her or fall off the bed. Landing on my ass in the middle of the floor first thing in the morning might not be the sexiest thing in the world.
But as I whirled around to face her, I came to the realization Jade, my new mate, was the sexiest thing in the world with her raven hair mussed and laying all over the pillow. Her eyes bored into me as her chest and neck became flushed with color. I ran my hand along the opening of the V-neck shirt, and she slowly closed her eyes as I brushed against the tops of her breasts. Through the thin material of the T-shirt, I could see her pebbled nipples pressing against the fabric, almost begging me to pull each one of them into my mouth.
“Good morning, mate,” I whispered and nipped at her bottom lip. She moaned in appreciation and scooted closer while a snore came from Aramis behind her.
We both laughed, and she tried to cover her mouth, but I pulled her hand to my mouth and paid her fingers the same attention I had her bottom lip.
“First time I’ve ever heard him snore. He must be really knocked out.”
She looked over her shoulder at Aramis, and I could see the care she already had in her eyes for him. I hoped she looked at me the same way. “Last night was the best sleep I’ve had…like ever.”
“Me, too.”
Her stomach decided it was the perfect time to growl and let us know she was hungry which woke me up the rest of the way and roused Aramis from a dead rest.
“You’re hungry.” He grunted and stretched his arms over his head. “Are you okay to go get some breakfast?”
I was already on the task of unbandaging one of her hands to see there were no marks left. No more open wounds. No more hurt mate.
“I am,” Jade answered.
Aramis looked over Jade’s form then groaned and lay back down. “We’d better go then before I get ideas.”
“Ideas about what?” Her tone read innocent, but the flaming blush dusting her cheeks indicated she knew what she was asking.
“Ideas about this position and all the things you aren’t ready for. And on that note, I need a shower.” He hopped up and skedaddled from the room.
I thought my best friend probably needed a cold shower then as much as I did.
Jade got up and sheepishly dressed, though we shifters weren’t shy about nakedness or body parts.
We glanced at each other more than once, and it took everything in me not to put her right back in the bed where I’d found her this morning and mate and mark her before breakfast or any other meal.
She was ours. And we needed to claim her before I lost all control.
Dressed for the day and apparently skipping school, we got into Aramis’s car, and he drove the three of us into the nearest village. We stopped at a little cafe where he loved to get his weird coffee concoctions on the daily.
For all the caffeine he drank, you’d think he’d get more studying done.
“Finals start tomorrow,” Jade sighed while looking at the menu. Under the table, I took her now healed hand in mine, and she winked at me. “Thanks. I think I’m ready, but I always get nervous. Have since I was a little girl. I tossed my cookies the morning before the first day of school until I was fourteen. Fun fact about Jade.”
Even though it was about puking and obviously wasn’t a good memory, I loved hearing those little facts about her. I looked forward to knowing more about how she grew up.
My parents would get a kick out of me being in a mini-harem, but I didn’t think they would oppose it. They were pretty open-minded.
There was a newspaper on the table, and Aramis opened it. His eyes widened as he scanned the front page. He turned it around and showed us.
Whoever had fired those shots yesterday had made front-page news. Village, small town news, but news all the same.
Chapter Fourteen
Jade
Surreal. Not only was I ditching school on the day before finals, probably missing some critical piece of information that would drop me from straight As to the unthinkable A minus, but I’d spent the night in the arms of two men. After taking a bath with them. Sure, nothing happened besides some truly outstanding cuddling, but nobody would believe it if I told them so. I had a hard time believing it myself.
It wasn’t as if the men in question were not interested in taking it further. Not only had they said as much before insisting we go at my pace—take that high school boys who tried to push me past my comfort zone—but I probably had bruises from where my mates’ dicks poked me all night. I’d awakened a few times, ready to say let’s do it, but every time I did, they were, despite those erections, sound asleep, hugging me like their favorite stuffie.
Why hadn’t I gone for it? I trusted them, knew they were not trying to add me to their bedpost notches. Shifters did not use the M word—mate—unless they meant it. But so many factors were in play. First of all, the fact I’d never considered having more than one mate, although I thought Nora was a pretty lucky girl. Second, a lingering suspicion as to why two such amazing men would like me. Third, would I be able to satisfy them? There were other concerns, but those were the ones at the foref
ront of my mind.
For the moment, I was way more into breakfast. If I was this hungry without any exertion, I’d need to carry a bag of snacks when we finally did the deed. I squirmed a little in my seat as I consulted the menu. So many delicious choices.
“Finals start tomorrow.” I brought up school to calm myself, hoping I wouldn’t get so turned-on breathing in the pheromones of my mates I embarrassed us all in the restaurant. Braxton took my hand under the table, and I gave him a grateful wink. “Thanks. I think I’m ready, but I always get nervous. Have since I was a little girl. I tossed my cookies the morning before the first day of school until I was fourteen. Fun fact about Jade.”
OMG way to be an enticing mate: discuss vomiting before breakfast. As I struggled to think of something bright and entertaining to divert attention from my gross TMI, Aramis lifted a newspaper and turned it so the headlines faced us.
Shots Fired on Private Property. Local Hunters Deny Knowledge. Strangers With Guns Running Amok.
Despite the gravity of the situation, a nervous giggle bubbled up in my throat. “Strangers with guns running amok? What does it mean?”
Aramis turned the paper around again and studied the story. “Apparently, the headmaster complained to the mayor who sent the police chief to the local pub where he questioned the good old boys about where they’ve been hunting and they all denied knowledge.”
“But…do you think they were telling the truth?” I chewed on my lip. “And they don’t know what the school is about, do they?”
Brax shook his head. “In theory, they think it’s an exclusive private school, but it’s been here for generations, so it stands to reason they may have suspicions. As to telling the truth? Who knows?”
Aramis folded the paper and set it on the table. “They had nothing to gain by admitting to it, and a lot to lose. And it doesn’t really matter who it was. Because whoever fired on our mate will pay—local or otherwise.” He lifted the menu and scanned it again. “I think I’ll have the special.”
I looked at the small note clipped to the top of the menu. “Pancakes, sausage, ham, bacon, eggs, country potatoes, toast and small juice?”
“Yep, you Brax?” Aramis asked.
Braxton set his menu on the edge of the table. “Yeah, the usual sounds good.”
I asked for the farmer’s omelet with wheat toast and fruit then the server left.
“How do you guys eat like this and look so…so amazing?” I mean, sure, shifters had a faster metabolism than humans, and I ate my share, but wow!
Aramis preened. “We keep busy and work it off. If all goes well, we’ll need more calorie input to keep our voracious mate satisfied.”
My cheeks were so hot I thought they’d burst into flames. “Guys I don’t— I haven’t—”
“Aramis! You’re embarrassing out mate,” Braxton chided but then cocked his head and gave me a searching look. “Although I’d like to know more. You haven’t? Ever?”
Okay, the blush spread over my entire body. “Do we have to discuss this at breakfast?”
They shared a glance, but, before the uncomfortable topic could be explored, our server returned with two huge platters and my more reasonable plate and we dug in.
Chapter Fifteen
Aramis
Taking our mate to breakfast was a great way to start the day, one I hoped we’d repeat often. But the newspaper headline had taken a little of the shine off the moment. The shooters in the forest the day before were still on the loose, and the writers of the article seemed to believe whoever it was had been passing through and had no doubt now moved on to other parts and would not be seen again. Everyone chill and enjoy the holidays! The diner played Christmas carols of the soft jazz variety, multiple wreaths graced the walls, and a tree decorated with an odd assortment of tin fish and strands of hand-cut snowflakes, creating a carefree holiday feel in contrast to the serious issue at hand.
Despite their headline designed to raise the ire of the locals, the publication then spent a full column contradicting themselves. Quotes from local hunters who promised to keep an eye out while tromping through the woods for strangers were followed by reassurances from local law enforcement. Don’t worry, folks, we got this! Your big strong men will protect you. Light those Yule logs and sing those carols. Not in so many words, but the effect was the same. Nobody should be worried. The bad guys couldn’t possibly be around. Everyone in the village knew one another, and, of course, none of them would ever trespass much less shoot at innocent students out for PE.
Apparently, the school had admitted it was a gym class out for a run, but while the villagers might buy the two-legged people jogging story, whoever had those guns knew better. They’d seen a wolf pack. Usually, things occurring on our grounds stayed unreported, so I was more than surprised the matter had been reported. However, I did not share Headmaster’s faith in the local police. And a niggling suspicion took up residence in my mind.
“Earth to Aramis?” Jade’s question brought me back to the moment. “Either put that bite in your mouth or set it down.”
I focused on my hand, holding a forkful of potatoes, poised halfway to my face. The jazzy tunes played on, and the diners at other tables were all talking about shopping and baking and other holiday topics. “Sorry, daydreaming. What were we talking about?”
Somehow, I managed to push the danger to the back of my mind and finish breakfast with my mate and my best friend. The village was probably the least dangerous place to be, anyway. Whoever was trying to kill my fellow students was not likely to step into the open here surrounded by townsfolk.
I sat, as I always did, with my back to the wall where I could see the entrance and the sidewalk outside the big windows despite their snowmen-having-a-snowball-fight design painted in the lower half. As I scooped up the last bite of house-made sausage, its sage and thyme flavor blending with the chile flakes added for some extra spice, I vowed nobody would get another shot off at Jade, or one at Brax. Never.
We drove back to school and went our separate ways. Jade insisted on going to the last couple of classes of the day for fear of missing something critical, but she promised to return to our suite afterward to study for finals. Brax was, as always, prepared to take any and all tests, but he hated skipping class on general principles, so he was also heading to his. And me…I had another plan in mind. It was no secret my heritage gave me certain privileges. I’d never failed a class although, in all fairness, I probably should have. I’d never worked as hard as Brax, and with teachers giving me the benefit of the doubt, I had a C average.
We were shifter royalty, me and my family. Once, long ago, when such things were more important, we’d ruled a small European country. Of course, our human subject didn’t know they bent a knee and paid taxes to those they would have considered abominations. And then they found out.
My ancestors emigrated. Along with the majority of our shifter subjects. And while each pack had its own alpha, nobody ever forgot in whose veins the royal blood ran. Nor did we forget the obligations it held.
And I would be damned if I would sit back and allow my mate, my friend, or a single student, faculty, or staff member be harmed or killed by whoever these bastards were. The humans believed it to be someone passing through, but my hackles rose at the thought of who I truly believed it to be. If I was right, nobody would be safe as long as they lived.
So, no, I would not be attending classes today, and unless I found my quarry, nor would I be taking finals tomorrow. I paused only long enough to leave a note in the suite for Brax and asked him to pass the word to Jade not to worry, I had something to take care of. For a moment, I considered taking a weapon, but it would mean I’d have to stash it somewhere in the woods and count on being able to circle back to it and shift to use it…something that might be more of a dangerous distraction than helpful. So instead, I yanked on a baggy T-shirt and loose shorts and ran down the stairs then slipped out a back door where I could shift out of sight of the general student b
ody.
“About time.” I jumped as Brax straightened from where he’d been leaning against the wall. “I thought I’d missed you already.”
“I thought you were in class.” I stripped my shirt off and reached for my waistband. “Just going for a run.”
“Liar.” Brax disrobed and folded his clothing neatly in a pile near the door. “Did you expect me to buy that? I can’t let you go out there alone.” He faced me naked and waved at my shorts. “Let’s find the bastards.”
“Brax, no I…” One look at his determined face ended my protests. “All right. I could use the backup.”
Once we’d both shifted, we took off toward the forest, loping along. But a bark from behind us slowed our steps until we were joined by a third wolf. Black and glossy and female. I growled and butted her back, tried to make her return, but our Jade was anything but submissive. She growled right back and ran ahead, making it clear we either took her with us or she’d go it alone. I hadn’t been able to fool either of these wolves. Brax knew me too well, but it appeared Jade had figured it out as well.
We crisscrossed the grounds all afternoon, looking for the hunters, but they were nowhere to be found. We did follow the careless trail they’d left of broken twigs, boot prints, and some rifle shells all the way back to the road outside the forest. A car had been parked there at some point, but since the tire tracks ended where they’d pulled back onto the paved roadway, we were stymied.
As the winter sun set and darkness gathered, we returned to school and got dressed.
Chapter Sixteen
Jade
The door to the cafeteria hadn’t closed behind me yet, when both arms were grabbed by silent forces and I was tugged away from the food my stomach craved.
“What the…?” Then I saw the beaming faces of Nora and AJ. Their arms were now crossed over their chests, and they wore matching shit-eating grins.
“Spill your guts,” they said in unison, reminding me of the creepy twins from The Shining.
Jaded Love (The Lycan Academy Book 4) Page 5
