by JJ Massa
Riker was glad to be alone with his father right then. He carried the plate of food and a bowl of milk into the living room and put them on the coffee table.
“First, Son,” Mik said through mouthfuls of food, “She already told me she loves you. But I knew it way before that by her actions.” He looked up at his son. “You’re going to have to help her to feel safe enough to tell you herself.”
“Why did she leave, Dad? How can I make her feel safe enough?” Riker was desperate for answers. If he knew, maybe he could keep anything like this from happening again.
“Son, she’s a human who’s had a very tough life. Everyone she loved was taken from her as a child. She grew up in foster homes and couldn’t trust those around her.” Mik heaved a deep sigh. “She found a letter and a newspaper story that morning in your hotel that talked about women turning up in your bed. She was sure you’d think she was another besotted fan trying to have sex with someone famous. She was worried that you’d think … that you’d think she was a woman of loose morals. Promiscuous.”
“Oh, God, Dad,” Riker groaned. “How could she not know better?”
“Son, you know humans are taught—actively taught to ignore their instincts. But I’ve lived with Bethany for more than a month. She has resisted that teaching and punished herself almost every day for leaving you. She believed it was her own fault that someone wanted to hurt her and take those boys.”
Riker stared at his father, aghast.
“Son, I’ve never met a more loving and accepting person. She just needs you to accept her. Go take care of your mate.”
Chapter 8
As Riker headed back down the hall, he ran into Elke. Mother and son looked at each other unmoving. Finally, she spoke.
“Your mate has made our family better. She has done such a beautiful job with those pups. Our family is stronger for all of this.” She gazed at him fixedly.
“Maybe you’re right, Mom. She’s been through so much. They all have. I guess we all have, too.” Riker sighed.
“Those boys never knew they’d been through anything, Riker. They won’t even be a year old for almost a month. They’ll be fine. They have a good mother,” she reassured him. “Go make sure their mother is fine, too.”
He gave his own mother a tight hug and walked into his bedroom. The moon was low in the sky and morning was approaching. Kicking off his jeans, Riker slid into the bed next to Bethany.
“I thought it was all a dream,” she whispered lying on her side, hugging her knees.
“Which part?” he chuckled, pulling her to him. Her fever had broken again. He knew it could still come back.
“The part where you were with me and we were safe,” she responded, her voice husky.
“Oh Baby, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there with you from the beginning.” He hugged her tight thinking about all they’d missed.
Bethany began to cry. “It’s my fault,” she gulped. “I didn’t trust either one of us!” she was crying harder now. “I never gave you a chance!” she was nearly hysterical.
“Hush, Honey, don’t!” he said. Shaking her, he growled again, “Stop that, hush!” She collapsed against him still sobbing.
“Bet, there was nothing either of us could have done to anticipate or change the way things happened.” He had her attention, finally. “I missed you for eighteen months and I hope you missed me, too.” He looked at her with a question on his face.
“I missed you every minute, Riker,” she whispered through her tears. He gave her a hard kiss.
“Bethany? I love you with my whole soul. You’re my mate and I need you.”
When she looked dubious, he gave her another little shake.
“You, Bethany Black Montgomery, you and nobody else. You are my mate and my wife and, it turns out, the mother of my sons,” he told her severely. “Will you link your life to mine and marry me legally? In my heart we’ve been married since the first time my body joined with yours.”
Bethany was sobbing openly now. She couldn’t speak so she clutched his chest and nodded against him.
“Honey? Baby?” He was concerned. She looked up at him gulping for air. “Are you okay?”
“Love…” she gasped. “You…” she gulped. “Too…” She sniffed and began sobbing again.
Struggling not to grin too broadly, he held her against him and stroked her back. Her sobbing slowed, and then stopped and soon she was breathing normally again. When it did return to normal, Riker slid an emerald and diamond engagement ring on her finger.
He kissed her eyes and her hair and slowly eased her down in the bed, removing the sweatshirt along the way.
He lowered his mouth, brushing his lips over hers again and again. Finally, he slid his tongue into her open mouth and swept a sweet trail across hers. She sighed into his mouth.
“Love me, Riker,” she moaned.
“Every day of my life,” he murmured.
He moved his hands down her arms and up her sides, feeling every inch of her. His fingertips discovered the planes and hollows of her neck, back, thighs, all of her.
She was just as hungry to touch him. She ran her hands up and down his back and over his buttocks. Slowly and gently her hands explored his thighs and the angles of his hips.
The couple continued their excruciating journey of exploration until both were shaking with need.
Riker slipped his hand between her legs and moved his fingers between the cream filled lips of her sex. He began to rub back and forth over her clit.
She reached between them and grasped his cock, finding him hard and ready. He throbbed in her hand as she stroked him, gently teasing and enticing. He caught her other hand before she could reach his balls.
“No more, Baby,” Riker growled. “I don’t want to turn into an animal this time.”
He kissed her again, longingly, and lovingly. He pulled back and looked into her eyes as his cock throbbed against her wet sex.
He leaned down and captured a nipple in his mouth and flicked it with his hot tongue and then transferred his hungry mouth to her other nipple. His cock nudged against her hungrily.
“Please, Riker,” she whispered.
He pushed into her steadily, slowly burying himself to the hilt inside her body. Her wet sheath clenched tightly around him. She shuddered beneath him, coming almost immediately.
Riker was so close to coming, but he forced himself to slowly pull out. He paused with his cock barely inside her. Then, steadily he slid forward again.
He looked down at her, ravenous, his rigid length throbbing inside of her sweltering heat. Slowly, he pulled out again, lingering with only the tip of his rod inside of her as before. Once again he gradually pushed his hard cock into her depths.
Again and again, he loved her this way, never taking his eyes from hers. She was writhing beneath him and clutching at his shoulders.
Soon she could take no more. Bethany closed around him like a Venus Fly Trap. Her arms, her legs, her hot core wrapped around him, melding him to her. She threw back her head and screamed, the sound issuing hoarsely from her as her body curved beneath his.
He surged forward again and couldn’t stop himself. With a muted roar, he came, his cock emptying inside of her.
* * * *
February 5
Suite of August Livingston
Holiday Inn,
Lincoln New Hampshire
“It would seem, boys,” growled an irate August Livingston, “that every damn one of you is a worthless piece of shit.”
Five men stood looking at Auggie with their heads hung low. They look like bad children lined up in front of the principal’s desk.
“I can’t believe that none of you can catch a human woman walking down the highway by herself! I just can’t understand it!” he was bellowing now. “And will somebody please tell me how two toddlers left unattended were able to escape your net? Just tell me that!” He was absolutely beside himself.
“Boss, c’mon, I told you…” ignoring Auggie’s menacing growl
, the man pressed on, “Boss, I smelled another Were around the house. I didn’t recognize the scent.”
Another man piped up. “Boss, I know I smelled Mik Montgomery’s scent all over the place.”
“God damned mongrel son of a bitch!” Auggie spat. “We’ll get the dog catcher out after that mutt!”
“Boss, the woman didn’t go back to her house. She … somehow she hid out and now she’s with Riker Montgomery,” one of the men, Roland, was brave enough to fill Auggie in. They all cringed.
Auggie had to get his hands on that human woman somehow. She was the key to toppling Riker’s hold on the pack. If he got rid of Riker, he effectively got rid of all the mixed bloods. He'd spent too much time planning that half-breed’s downfall to let a human woman take it all away from him.
If he couldn’t get the pack, he’d get the woman. Riker Montgomery would give up the pack or he’d give up the woman and the pups. Right this minute Auggie would take either one, brutally.
These whiners were getting on August Livingston’s nerves. Once again, he lamented having to rely on idiots to help bring the Montgomery family down. But then again, imbeciles were so easy to manipulate.
Looking at his merry band of losers, Auggie came up with a plan. “Mitch, you, Frank, and Joel will take turns watching the Apple Inn parking lot,” he barked. “You will inform me the second the woman and pups leave. Try to pay attention to who is with them and what mode of transport they use, hmm?” he purred superciliously.
“Yes, Boss!” they fawned and left the room.
“Roland and Gordon, I need a gun, some tennis balls and a delivery van. I’d prefer something refrigerated.” The men started to leave the room. “Oh, and get me a very large dog crate.”
Confused, the two men nodded and left the room.
Auggie knew what he was doing. He’d follow the woman and the pups when they left to go to Riker’s home. At some point in their travels, the pups would need to walk around. Where the pups were, their beautiful mother wouldn’t be far behind. The opportunity would come. His patience would be rewarded.
He looked forward to taking Bethany Black for his own. He had every intention of making her scream his name. He didn’t care if she screamed in pleasure or pain. She was a tasty morsel and he was going to have a bite of her. His pleasure would be enhanced if he could stake his claim in front of those pups.
Riker thought he’d won. No doubt the man’s arrogant brother thought so, too. Auggie was going to be Alpha and neither of them would lay one tooth on him. They were such “decent” men. It was time they learned that the good guys only won in the movies.
* * * *
February 5
Top floor
Apple Inn
Conway, NH
The next morning, Bethany woke before Riker. She looked in on the boys, but they were fast asleep with Winsome.
She was still totaled and she knew she still had a fever although it was nothing like it had been the day before. Her strength was limited and if she didn’t get something to drink, she was sure she’d dry up and blow away.
She wore one of Riker’s old college sweatshirts emblazoned with the word “WolfPack” across the front. It was bright red and hung to her knees, drooping off of one shoulder. On her feet she once again sported the thick oversized socks Riker had tugged onto them during the worst of her fever.
She silently made her way into the kitchenette and pulled open the little refrigerator. Pulling out a bottle of water, she downed half of it before she closed the door and turned.
“Morning, Sugar,” Lakon’s deep voice purred. He had a half smile on his face. “Feeling better?” He was sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar wearing only a pair of battered jeans.
The water bottle slipped from her hand. Catching it, Lakon simultaneously reached out and pulled her between his knees. Even seated, he was an overpowering man, so much taller than her five feet five inches.
“Mr. Montgomery,” she quaked, bracing her hands against his bare chest. “I’m so sorry about…”
“Hush, Sugar, I knocked you down, remember? I’m sorry,” he said kissing her exposed shoulder.
“Mr. Montgomery, I could have hurt you…”
“It’s Lakon.” He gave her shoulder a lick. “Beautiful Bethany, you’re forgiven.” He licked her shoulder again. “Just call me Lakon.”
“She’ll be calling you Dearly Departed Lakon in about a minute if you don’t take your tongue off of her,” came a menacing rumble. Riker was up.
“Now brother,” Lakon said, resting his chin on the top of Bethany’s head, “I’m just having a little conversation with my beautiful and tasty new sister. There’s nothing but love here,” he finished smugly.
A low, rumbling growl came from Riker as he advanced toward Lakon and Bethany. Bethany began to shake. The men ignored her fear.
“Lakon Montgomery, release your brother’s mate right now!”
Thank God for the cavalry!
Elke marched into the kitchen and wrapped an arm around Bethany. She left her sons growling and snarling at each other as she led Bethany from the room.
“Anger, Sweetie, be angry. It masks the scent of fear.” Elke counseled leading her down the hall.
“Will they be okay?” Bethany fretted looking over her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Sweetie, they’re bound to wake Mik up. He’ll take care of it!” she beamed at Bethany. “They’re just over-grown little boys. Just like your own pups, they fight viciously and love the same way. Now, I want to play with my grandsons! Tell me about every minute from their birth, your pregnancy, their first steps…”
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and playing as everyone spent time together and got to know each other. They all knew that trouble was brewing. Everyone assembled savored the respite they shared.
The biggest shock of the day for Bethany was learning that Tav was a werewolf. He’d been caged at the zoo the day that August Livingston had come to threaten Bethany and the boys. He’d left the zoo that same afternoon and had been following Bethany ever since.
“My mate and pup were killed by a drunk driver,” he explained. “She was a werewolf, too. I just couldn’t face life after that. But when I saw you and the pups being threatened by one of our own kind, I had to do something.”
Bethany hugged the muscular, black haired man. Riker shook his hand and slapped his back. Both Riker and Lakon apologized for ganging up on him the previous night.
“I knew it! I told you, Mik!” she exclaimed.
Mik laughed. “She always said the wolves whispered in her ears at night so she’d know what we were thinking.”
Tav, it seemed, had been an artist of some note before the death of his family. Bethany recognized the name Tavist Darke from several popular sculptures and paintings she’d admired. She was quick to tell him so.
He admitted to her that he’d become friends with Marc Fonteneax. “I called him last night to let him know that you and the boys were finally with your mate. I said you’d call in a few days. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh, Tav!” she hugged him again. “I can’t wait for Riker to meet Marc. He delivered the boys!” she explained.
Bethany, Tav, and Mik introduced the boys more fully to Riker, Elke and Lakon. The group played together and ate together, talking about what had happened and what was to come.
Elke had gone out the day before and returned with clothes for Bethany and the boys so everyone was ready to travel that morning. Bethany thought it was sweet how doting she was with her grandsons.
Elke was so eager to lavish love and attention on the twins that she flew home to prepare a room in Riker’s home for them. She also wanted to shop for them and plan a family get together to show them off.
Bethany was exhausted just hearing about Elke’s plans. She didn’t mind too much that the older woman had traveled ahead.
The boys enjoyed riding in Lakon’s fancy tour bus and Bethany was fascinated by all the conveniences. Eq
ually fascinating to her sons was the enormous television installed on the bus. There hadn’t been one in their cabin in the White Mountains and before that, Bethany couldn’t remember.
Although she was enjoying talking and listening to Mik, Riker, Tav and Lakon, she was still so tired. The twins were enjoying all the attention and Winsome didn’t mind sharing her nanny duties. The first two-thirds of the long trip were very restful and pleasant.
Everyone went to bed early that night and prepared for an early start the next morning.
Chapter 9
February 7
Hwy 67 West
It was late at night when the driver pulled the large tour bus into a gas station just west of Winston-Salem, NC to fill up one last time. Riker got out to stretch his legs and talk to the driver. That sounded like a good idea and Bethany gathered up her restless and cranky toddlers and they stepped out onto the concrete.
Except for a Dairy truck, there were no other vehicles nearby so Bethany let the boys wander while she followed them. Kameron turned to toddle back toward the bus but a bouncing tennis ball near the Dairy truck distracted Kaden.
Bethany had no time to ponder this incongruity as she sprinted after her gleeful eleven-month old.
“Wait for Mommy!” she called to him.
Her hand had just closed over his little shoulder when she felt someone grab her from behind.
Bethany couldn’t scream because her mouth was covered. She saw a flash of gray and heard a small pop noise. Mik crumpled to the ground in front of her as she was roughly shoved into the back of the van.
*
Mik had awakened when the bus slowed down and stopped at the gas station. Glancing toward the window, he could tell it was late at night. He was vaguely aware of Bethany getting out with the boys.
He continued to lay in a half daze when he heard it. The rhythmic thumping began to penetrate his consciousness. When he heard Bethany call out to the pup, he knew.
Barking and growling, Mik shot out the door of the bus toward Bethany and Kaden. He had to leap over Kameron. A man had his hand over Bet’s face and he could see his nephew, August Livingston with Kaden in one arm.
In his other hand, Auggie had a gun. He raised his arm and pointed it at Mik. As Mik leaped toward him, Auggie pulled the trigger.
