Patrick's Heart

by Stacey Espino

  Matthew didn’t question him, not when he knew Garret had rare gifts as alpha. He was uniquely tuned in to his pack mates’ emotions to the point he often needed alone time to run under the light of the moon with no other thoughts playing in his head.

  “What about that wolf? You going to just let him run free on our territory? He’s a threat, Garret.”

  “Calm down. The safest place she could be now is with Patrick. Tomorrow’s a new day. We don’t let her out of our sight, and I have a feeling he’ll be coming for her again. That’s when we’ll strike.”

  Regardless of what tomorrow had in store for them, he was determined to officially claim Cassidy. In such uncertain times, he needed to know she was marked, a warning to all other males. How would she react when she found out he wasn’t all he appeared to be either? She’d been terrified when she saw his wolf cut through the underbrush earlier, nothing like the look of innocent adoration she had when meeting Red’s wolf. But she’d accepted one of them unconditionally, which was hopefully the biggest hurdle.

  He had to get back to the mine at first light to straighten things out with his crew and the inspector. Evan and Travis had been manning the helm while he dealt with the whole brother fiasco. But everything was secondary to tomorrow evening when they’d expose themselves to Cassie and stake their claim.

  Chapter Nine

  Patrick escorted Cassidy out of the forest in the early afternoon the next day. His senses were on high alert, every slight noise capturing his attention. He made sure not to show his concern to Cassidy, holding her hand and making small talk as they walked. Little did she know he was ready to kill for her on a moment’s notice. Let that fucker try to threaten her now.

  Garret had left a company vehicle parked beside Cassidy’s little house, the key under the floor mat. Today they weren’t going into hiding, but returning home. He needed a shower, clean clothes, and to pass out on something not hard as stone. He may be a wolf, but he was also a human.

  “I’ve missed this house,” she said as they pulled up to the bungalow. She sighed a breath of relief, and he felt exactly the same way.

  After turning off the ignition, he leaned over the bench seat and kissed her. Unlike his pack mates, he had no secrets to keep from Cassidy. She knew and accepted his wolf, and he’d told her about the black days from his history that haunted him. He felt free, a heavy burden lifted off his shoulders. She knew it all and was still at his side. Tonight would finally solidify Cassidy as their mate. Her mark would keep her safe from rival wolves that seemed to be coming out of the woodwork.

  “I’m going to head down to the creek to wash up. I won’t be far.”

  “Are you turning into the wolf?”

  He opened the door to the cabin and followed in after her. “Why?”

  She shrugged. “Just curious.” Cassidy ran her palms down his chest, reaching lower and lower. He had no clothes on, and the sudden thickening of his cock was impossible to hide. Patrick secured both her wrists.

  “Behave. You have to wait for the others. Tonight is special.”

  “Fine.”

  “I’ll bring you back something to eat,” he said before slipping away.

  * * * *

  Cassidy wandered around the room. It still had the remnant scent of burning wood and cologne. She ran her fingers along the back of the sofa, her mind wandering. She thought about tonight and what it signified. Garret and all her miners made it out to be something monumental, greater than even a marriage ceremony. She was ready—body, mind, and soul—to commit to the men. This was her home, the place in the world carved out just for her. Now if only outside forces would stop stepping in to mess things up for them.

  Once the inspector returned to the city, she could start working at the mine again. She craved her regular routine. Hopefully Peter would either give up his mad quest or be caught and dealt with. Then she could move on with life. She’d settled for never finding her half brother again. In all her life, she’d never heard anything from him, and it was only Peter playing the imposter now. She had no clues or starting point, everything back to square one. But she was ready to find solace in her romantic love, ready to move forward.

  “You look good enough to eat.”

  She gasped, whirling around. Garret’s dark eyes were trained on her, his large frame only feet away.

  “Where did you come from?”

  He smirked, closing the remaining distance between them. “I took off early. Today’s too important for me to stay away.”

  “What about the inspector?”

  He tilted her chin up. “Once she found out about Peter, she decided it was best to return to the city.”

  “Did she give you a failing grade?”

  “Actually, she agreed it was likely a bogus report, and gave us the all clear.”

  Cassidy was thrilled that the sexy Ms. Tanner was leaving. She liked being the only eye candy for her men.

  “That’s good news then.”

  “Very. Matthew, Evan, and Travis were right behind me when I left, too.”

  She swallowed hard, her pussy suddenly clenching with nervous anticipation. “Aren’t we doing this tonight?”

  He nodded his head.

  Her chest heaved, the room suddenly too small and warm. “But I wanted to wash up first. I’m not celebrating anything when I haven’t showered for two days.”

  “No problem. We can join Patrick at the creek.”

  “How did you know…” Cassidy gave up trying to understand. “Never mind.”

  By the time they left the house, the other three men had shown up, still wearing their work gear. They looked gorgeous, masculine, and dirty. And they were all hers.

  “We’re washing up at the creek,” said Garret. “You joining us?”

  “Do you have to ask?” Travis whirled her around like a child. “I’ll go anywhere you go, darlin’.”

  The five of them walked through the woods to the creek. Wildflowers dominated the areas near the outer bank—white, yellow, and red. The water was crystal clear, a gentle current the only thing reminding her it wasn’t made of glass.

  Matthew smacked her ass to keep her moving at a faster clip. She wasn’t at home in the forest like they were and struggled to avoid all the roots and branches.

  Even before they reached the river bank, she could see the red wolf, the sun making its fur stand out against the backdrop of muted greens and browns. She stopped dead in her tracks.

  “What’s the matter?” asked Garret. He followed her line of sight, briefly looking at the wolf. “You’ve seen him before, Cassie. You’re not afraid again, are you?”

  “No, it’s just so hard to believe, even though I know it’s true.”

  The four men looked at each other as if conveying some secret message. Had she said something wrong?

  “Come on.” Garret held her hand the rest of the way. The red wolf had submerged its entire body in the water. It ran up onto the bank and shook out its fur before turning to stare directly at her.

  “They’re kind of beautiful when they’re not out for blood,” she said. “Wolves, I mean.”

  “He’s worried about shifting in front of you. Red’s fallen in love.”

  “How can you know that?”

  “Telepathy, baby girl.” Travis’s arms snaked around her from behind.

  She shook her head. “That’s not possible.” They were probably just playing with her, trying to push her buttons. How could human men understand the thoughts of an animal, even if he was part human? She got the same dreaded feeling she’d felt so many times before but chose to push away. What were their secrets?

  “You have a lot to learn,” said Garret. “It’s about time we stopped hiding things from you.” He nodded to Travis, who frowned, appearing like he wanted to protest.

  Instead he broke away from their little group and approached the creek. He began to strip off his layers of clothing—his orange safety vest, his shirts, and then unbuckled his jeans. Once fully naked,
he leaned forward, his body convulsing before it started to shift forms. No fucking way. Not Travis.

  It was like déjà vu. She wasn’t sure if she was more or less shocked than the first time she’d seen it happen. Cassidy supposed the thought had crossed her mind—that more than one of them were shifters. The men all lived together harmoniously, even though one was actually a werewolf. She tried to suppress the idea because it was hard enough to digest Patrick’s new identity. Her mind could only take so much.

  When Matthew followed suit, stripping off his clothes and heading for the water, she swore her heart stopped. He shifted forms, turning into a brown wolf.

  “Garret… What’s happening?” she whispered. She needed to be grounded in a hurry.

  Evan kissed her cheek, a look of sympathy on his face before he moved toward the creek. He walked backward, watching her reactions as he slowly slipped out of his clothes. She’d just had a breakthrough with Evan. But all along he was a wolf, too? When he finally turned and dropped to all fours, she swore her entire world tilted off axis. She was dizzy, hollow, ungrounded. The trees and the sun began to meld into one, her ears ringing.

  “Cassidy, it’s okay,” said Garret. His voice broke through her haze. She turned to him in a panic, a hand gripping each of his forearms in a death grip.

  “Don’t even think about it!” Her peripheral vision could pick up the four wolves frolicking in the water. Garret was the last man standing.

  “Didn’t you suspect it, Cassie? The forest, the secrets, and running around in the nude, as you call it?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know. I just didn’t want to believe it, I guess.” Panic welled up inside her. “And you?” She was terrified of the answer but already knew.

  “I’m the alpha, remember. Alpha of a wolf pack.”

  “Oh my God. I’m going to be sick.”

  “We love you, the same as always. And we want you to be ours, always—our woman, our mate.”

  She continually held her breath in a weak attempt to squelch the emotion raging within her. “I’m scared,” she confessed.

  “Didn’t you learn anything from Patrick? We’re the same men you fell in love with. And you won’t find a human more devoted than us.” Garret scooped her up into his arms without warning. She felt so small and fragile surrounded by these massive wolves that could destroy her in the blink of an eye. It was still so difficult to comprehend that they were also her miners—the ones she laughed with, cried with, and let do unspeakable things to her body.

  He walked to the water’s edge. When she dared to look for the wolves, they were all gone, replaced by four very virile males wading in the stream. Their defined muscles glistened under the late-afternoon light. Matthew ran his hands through his moist hair, looking more like a god than a man.

  “Today is the day, Cassidy. Time to complete the mating bond.”

  He set her down on the grassy bank and tugged off his T-shirt. Garret squatted down beside her, the muscles in his chest and shoulders flexing. They were all so powerfully built, and she could barely carry a case of water at the office. But their strength turned her on.

  She shook her head and crawled backward when they converged on her. “I’ve been waiting for this day,” said Evan.

  “You’re a wolf,” she said.

  He nodded.

  Cassidy pointed at Travis. “And you, you’re a wolf, too.” They kept staring at her as if they expected her to crack down the middle. “You all are!”

  She twisted and got to her hands and knees, only managing to crawl a foot away before someone grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. Cassidy screamed.

  “She’s cute,” said Garret on the end of a chuckle. “She thinks she can escape us or that anyone would dare steal her away.”

  “I can’t go through with this.” She needed time to think, to take in this new revelation. Jumping into a long-term commitment with five wolves required lots and lots of consideration.

  “The choice has already been made, sweetheart. You’re ours,” said Travis. He started to unbutton her pants, but she swatted him away.

  When Patrick’s mop of red hair came into view, she calmed somewhat. “Cold feet again?”

  “You should have told me last night,” she said. “No, all of you should have told me months ago.”

  Patrick crawled over her body, her traitorous pussy throbbing as his weight hovered over her. She wanted to feel those strong biceps holding up his body or run her fingers along the slight stubble on his face, but held back. They were getting off too easy.

  “I know, little one. But I was afraid, we all were. You don’t realize how important you are to us.”

  Yes. She yearned for their affection and acceptance. How could she turn her backs on them now? At least her world suddenly made sense. And she no longer had to lie to herself. All five miners were werewolves that loved her. Every crazy antic since her arrival in Climax suddenly made sense.

  “Why? Am I dinner?” Her nerves had eased enough to be playful. It was hard to grasp the fact these larger-than-life men were the wolves she saw minutes ago.

  “You’re definitely on the menu,” said Evan.

  “Let’s get her washed.” Patrick rose to his feet and hauled her into his arms. He waded into the thigh-deep water and lowered her body until she was submerged to her neck. They began to undress her, peeling the heavy layers of wet fabric from her body. She didn’t fight them. Cassidy closed her eyes as the sun warmed her face. She was safe and she knew it. So what if they were all like Patrick. It only made things easier, made it so that her Viking wasn’t the odd man out. She tried to recollect all her experiences with wolves since coming to Climax and wondered if any of those animals had been one of her miners.

  “Did you fuck Patrick today, Cassie?” asked Garret.

  His crude words sent a thrill whirling around in her lower stomach. “No, he wouldn’t touch me.”

  “Good, because you’ll need all your energy. You have to take all five of us, feel our cocks inside your body. Then I’ll be the first to administer the love bite.”

  “As a wolf?”

  He smiled. “As a man.” She remembered what Patrick said about growing fangs when angry or aroused. What would it feel like to have those needle-sharp canines pierce her skin while she took a cock in her pussy and her ass? She trembled, a low gasp escaping her lips.

  They all laughed, making her blush. “She’s a naughty one,” said Travis. “And I bet she’ll like it dirty.”

  “Yes,” she blurted before she could stop herself. They had her naked and wet. Their hands were all over her as they passed her around in the water. Two fingers impaled her pussy, a mouth covered her puckered nipple, and a hand grabbed a handful of her hair, wrenching her head back. She loved every second of it.

  They brought her to the edge of the water, the cool mud coating her back. She didn’t care, not with her cunt so hot and achy. Her men knew her too well, from every sensitive erogenous zone to her kinky fetishes. They used their full arsenal, driving her mad with desire. She no longer worried about the pain of being bitten, too concerned with getting cock in the next two minutes.

  The world spun as they played with her, shifting her body this way and that, and she trusted them every step of the way. She got brief glimpses of muscle and erect cock, arousing her more.

  Without warning, Garret spread her thighs wide, his heavy body taking up residence between her legs. She gasped as he shoved his massive cock into her pussy. He didn’t give her time to accept the intrusion, thrusting in and out with intense stamina. After a few seconds her eyes lolled back in her head. She was in for a night to remember.

  * * * *

  Patrick bided his time, waiting for his chance to impale his ready cock into Cassidy’s tight little ass. She loved anal, frequently demanding to be double-fucked during sex. Right now, it was all he could think about.

  Travis held her hands high above her head as Garret fucked her good and hard, owning her body. He couldn’t hold
off another moment, pushing his alpha to the side to expose her ass. Patrick was already wet, but used his own saliva to moisten the head of his cock before breaching her anal ring. She cried out as he drove every long inch into her ass, fitting snugly inside her along with Garret.

  The sex and promise of more sex was addicting. His pack mates could only stroke their cocks for so long, especially knowing today they’d get to mark Cassidy as theirs. Tension grew thick as he worked with Garret to piston in and out of her body. The friction drove his balls higher, the pleasure mounting with each thrust. Minutes later, his friends turned feral. Evan was the largest of them all. He pulled Patrick back, taking his place behind Cassidy. He immediately filled her ass with his own cock, growling as he filled her to the hilt. Travis and Matthew grabbed at her breasts, both attempting to feed Cassidy their cocks. She stuck out her tongue, licking everything they offered and occasionally suckling a cockhead.

  It was beautiful chaos, an erotic, feral dance of sex and lust. They rolled about on the bank, their bodies coated in a thin layer of light brown mud. When Garret pulled away, Matthew took his place. She was never without two hard erections filling her pussy and asshole.

  “I’m coming!” she cried out. Patrick kissed her lips the moment she detonated. She clawed his arm, holding him close. His pack mates were all over her, worshiping her body.

  “Ready, Cassie?” asked Garret. “Once we do this you’ll be stuck with us forever.”

  “Good,” she barely managed to say, her breathing still labored. “Bite me.”

  His alpha pulled her onto his lap, tenderly embracing her. First he kissed her lips. “I love you,” he said. Then he licked the smooth plane of her neck. His eyes appeared reddish as his fangs extended. Patrick was living through Garret, anticipating every sensation and emotion of the moment. Soon it would be his turn. As Garret sank his teeth into the thick muscle at the base of her neck, she began to flail as panic set in. Garret held her securely, his mouth clamped over her neck. It was a hard thing for him to watch, but he knew it was only temporary.