by Anya Nowlan
“Sounds serious,” Tyler said, his expression losing a bit of that mischievous quality he always carried around.
“Sort of. I don’t know,” Sabra sighed, feeling tongue-tied and confused. She sat on the edge of the leather couch that took up a lot of the dining and living room space in the open-planned common area. Nervously, she wrung her wrists, trying to find the words that would make everything magically make sense. Tyler stalked over to her and sat down on his haunches in front of her, grabbing her hands so she’d stop harassing her wrists. He brushed a lock of hair out of her face, and when his fingertips touched her skin, bolts of pleasure ran through her.
“Tell me, Sabra. Whatever it is. Is this too much for you? Did something happen?” he asked, his tone soft and comforting. Sabra shook her head, fighting tears. How could she tell him that she’d kissed his brother without completely breaking his heart?
“No, everything’s alright. I’m just afraid you’ll hate me after I’ve told you what I need to say, and I’d hate to hurt you in any way. I… just. Tyler, I’ve loved the week I’ve spent here with you, Trey and everyone in Shifter Grove. I didn’t expect that I’d feel so at home anywhere, let alone with a man I met over a dating app. But I do. Everything’s been just perfect.” Tyler smiled.
“Well, that’s not bad at all, my sweet.”
“That’s not it. I did something. Something I don’t regret, but I don’t think it’s something you can forgive me. And before I say it, I want you to know that I really feel a connection between you and I. I love how fun you are to be around and how you don’t let anything get you down, even when some psychos burn down weeks of work. How you get back up again when life kicks you down. And the way you look at me. I went to see Trey last night. I was going to help out with the patrols on the ranch site and we got talking. And we… we kissed.” Sabra looked down at her hands in his palms, avoiding looking at him while she pressed the words out. “More than once. It wasn’t just him, it was me too. It didn’t go any further, but I think I wouldn’t have minded if it had. And I feel horrible about it because it’s unfair to you.”
A low, rumbling chuckle made her look up in surprise, meeting Tyler’s eyes brimming with excitement. He grinned widely, licking his lips like a predator looking at the juiciest morsel he had ever seen.
“Okay, you kissed him. Tell me, Sabra, do you want to kiss me too?” The words came as a complete shock. For a second, Sabra’s world ground to a halt. Was he really asking her what she thought he was? Did he… like that she had kissed his twin? Her brows knit in confusion but when he inclined his head a little, mirroring the look of a curious wolf, Sabra nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Good,” he said simply, raising up a bit on his haunches and cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her, hard and hungry, his lips attacking hers. Where Trey had been slow and gentle, Tyler was brash and without any filters. Sabra groaned as his tongue slid into her mouth, thrusting against hers and claiming her mouth as his own. She melted into the kiss, letting the yelling voices and questions in her head fall to the wayside. There was a force driving him, the same strength of will she’d experienced with Trey, but it took a different path. When he finally pulled away from her, Sabra was left panting and disarrayed. Those Warfang brothers sure knew how to shut her brain down hard.
“Now that that’s settled, I think we need to wait for Trey, and then I can tell you what this is all about. How about that?” Tyler asked softly, grinning as he caressed her cheek. Sabra nodded dumbly, willing herself to focus on something other than the delicious memory of the kiss he’d laid on her lips. Tyler scrunched his nose, inhaling a deep breath as he glanced at the clock hanging over the dining table. Sabra followed his gaze. When she’d gone to ask Trey and Tyler to join her for dinner, Trey was supposed to have been right behind her. He should have been there before Tyler, but he was nowhere to be found. Tyler whipped his head towards the open porch door, and his eyes went wide, a snarl coming to his lips.
“Fire,” he said, pulling Sabra up on her feet.
“What?” she yelped, looking out into the dimming evening. Where the sun had just set, angry red flames were licking the sky, devouring the scaffolding that could be seen in the distance. “Oh my god, Trey!” Sabra said, stumbling after Tyler as he rushed towards his truck. Her gut fell, a peculiar feeling of emptiness taking over her.
If something happens to Trey, I can’t live with myself, she thought desperately, jumping into the passenger seat and barely hanging on as Tyler sped out of the driveway.
CHAPTER SIX
"Fucking Blacktooths,” Tyler growled as the truck screeched to a halt on the ranch site. He was out of the truck before Sabra could fumble open her seatbelt, and by the time she had slipped out of her seat, he had already taken off towards a violent fight going on near the big piles of timber at the edge of the site. In mid-step, his body began to twist and convulse, transforming right before Sabra’s very eyes. His strong shoulders grew thicker, and his legs and arms elongated into the paws of a large timberwolf. Thick fur sprouted all over his body, and his handsome face twisted into a long powerful maw. When his legs touched the ground again, he had become a wolf, snarling and growling as he headed for the savage scuffle.
“Jesus H. Christ,” Sabra murmured, her heart pounding in her ears. Several of the construction workers, who were supposed to stand guard for the night, were sprawled across the site, injured or unconscious. Sabra ran to Bailey, a carpenter who was gritting his teeth as he tried to get back on his legs. He was cut badly, deep gashes in his side and teeth marks on his neck. “Bailey, no, stay down. You’re in no shape to fight!” Sabra said, kneeling next to him. He seemed to take the gist of it well enough, letting his head fall back against a stack of bricks. She fished her phone out of her pocket and thanked the heavens above that she had one bar of reception. Sabra thumbed Warren’s number and called the man. He picked up immediately.
“Warren, you better get down here. Someone’s attacked Tyler and Trey’s crew on the ranch site, and whoever they are, they’re still here. Hurry!” With that, she ended the call and rushed onward towards the fight itself, grabbing a crowbar on her way there. Hell if she was going to let some assholes beat up her crew or her men.
The closer she got, the harder it was to distinguish exactly who was who. The Warfang brothers were distinctive enough, bigger than the other wolves that were circling them, but with the growling, snapping and lunging at each other, they all turned into a brownish white mess in front of Sabra’s eyes. The construction crew, or the three guys that had been on the lot at the time, had been no match against the Blacktooths and their flunkies, though Sabra had notices at least two groaning men on the ground, who certainly weren’t part of the crew. Five wolves were attacking Trey and Tyler, whose backs were turned to one another, protecting each other’s flanks. A smaller wolf lunged at Trey, who already had a bad gash in his side and kept one of his ears at an odd angle. Tyler caught the wolf before he could make it to Trey’s wounded side and flung the smaller predator against a pile of beams not far from Sabra. She jumped back in order to get out of the way of the flying bundle of fur, but the moment the man slumped against the wood and tried to jump up again, Sabra raised her crowbar high and whacked him across the head with it. He went down with a yelp and stayed down.
What the hell am I doing, Sabra asked herself, clutching her weapon harder. Tyler had noticed her help and maneuvered himself and his brother a little to make sure they could block anyone’s attempts at attacking her. The next attack came from the remaining flunkies, and Trey and Tyler both struck one at a time, ripping open the sides of the two wolves that dared come too close and taking them out. The ground was becoming damp with blood, but luckily it was not the Warfangs’ blood that was being spilled. The wolves were circling one another now, the Blacktooths sending ravenous, rage-filled looks at Sabra. Trey and Tyler were both growling menacingly and taking up places to match the two remaining wolves. The Blacktooths had
darker coats, and they were a bit smaller than the Warfangs, though having worn the brothers out, they were still reasonable contenders.
Adrenaline pounded through Sabra’s veins, both fear and excitement mingling together. She was worried sick for Tyler and Trey, as well as the crew, and given the chance, she wouldn’t hesitate to bash in the skull of any shifter who used such low-down tactics. The ranch house was burning with an open flame, and it didn’t take much to realize that all of the work was ruined once again – just because some petty wolves couldn’t deal with a bit of competition.
A moment later, one of the Blacktooths, Sam, lunged in earnest towards Sabra, trying to bypass Trey. Sabra hissed in a breath as violent fangs snapped shut just a few inches from her face, before being brought down to the ground with a heavy thud with Trey grabbing at his neck. Sam spasmed and snarled in anger, but Trey held firm, regardless of the way the wolf was beating at his soft belly and sides with his long nails. Tyler caught the other Blacktooth, Sawyer, on his way to help out and brought him to the ground in a similar fashion. In a second, it was all over. Trey and Tyler’s massive jaws were crushing the life out of the Blachtooths, giving them just enough time to decide what they wanted to do with their lives – leave them on the lot or retreat and lick their wounds.
The one Trey was holding shifted back first, revealing a tall, well-built man with shaggy brown hair and gray eyes underneath the dark mane of the wolf. When Tyler’s prey shifted as well, both of the Warfangs changed back. Sabra wordlessly handed the crowbar to Trey, considering his wounds and the look of utter rage that contorted his face as he reached his hand out for it. He wielded the crowbar like it was a baseball bat, poised to smash in the head of the man lying at his feet.
“Fucking hell, Trey, stop! I give up, okay,” the man called, raising his hands defensively.
“Trey, leave him,” Tyler said quietly, keeping his foot on Sawyer’s neck, which was covered in purple and blue marks where Tyler had held him. Sabra had to admire the fact that they hadn’t killed the two bastards. She wasn’t sure she would have had the same self-control had she been in their place.
“The fuck do you two think you’re doing?! Attacking our men, our livelihood like this? Do you want to be killed?” Trey snarled, keeping the crowbar up. Not that he needed it. Sabra had no doubt that considering the state of mind he was in, he could just as well rip the man’s face off with his bare hands if need be.
“You’re making us do it,” Sawyer spat, making Trey turn his attention to the man.
“What do you mean? Did I shove a lighter in your hands and tell you to set fire to the kindergarten and this house?”
“No. The kindergarten was supposed to be a warning. We assumed you’d be smart enough to get that we were serious about this. We want you gone. There’s not enough room for two Alpha triads in the area, and you’re obviously not getting that through your thick skulls!” Sam grumbled. The vein on Trey’s neck was throbbing, and Sabra was sure this wasn’t going to end well. She stepped closer and snatched the crowbar from Trey, who gave it up with notable reluctance.
“I don’t think you two realize that the only ones, who care about the fact that there are two Alpha pairs in the area are you. We’re fine with you two setting up your pack and doing whatever else, as long as you don’t fuck with Shifter Grove. But, it seems that this sort of intelligence is too much to expect from you.”
Sawyer glanced at Sabra, and his face twisted in irritation, regardless of Tyler almost standing on his windpipe.
“Well, you shouldn’t have brought in a mate then. If you’re so god damn magnanimous then you wouldn’t need to rush to complete your triad, would you? Taking on this bitch was the last fucking straw.”
“You watch your damn language or I’ll finish the job for them, you mutts,” Sabra snarled, thrusting the sharp end of the crowbar in Sawyer’s general direction. “Now, what the hell are they saying about mates and triads? Trey? Tyler?” she demanded, her brows knit in confusion. Sure, she knew what an Alpha triad was (she’d googled a bit before coming to Idaho – due diligence and what not), but she wasn’t exactly sure how it had anything to do with her. Her heartbeat still pounded loudly in her ears, muffled only by the sounds of the giant fire blazing behind them and throwing orange and red shadows over the angry, heaving men.
Tyler’s expression fell a little at the sight of Sabra’s fury, but before either of the brothers had a chance to say anything, the sound of several trucks speeding to the site broke their concentration. In a flash, Warren, Deacon, Rake, Slate and a slew of other Shifter Grove locals were on the scene, helping the wounded and rushing to Sabra and the wolves.
“Sabra, we can talk about this later,” Trey said with a low voice, regretfully letting Sam go as Deacon put his hand on his shoulder and gently but firmly had him step away from the wounded Blacktooth. Uncertainty broiled in Sabra’s gut, but she released her deadly grip on the crowbar when Warren reached for it, turning to talk to him about what had happened.
What the hell is going on here? she wondered, a hint of terror taking place in the pit of her stomach. Kissing two brothers, being part of a fight and now learning that things might not be quite as they seemed, was frankly a bit much for just one day.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was another couple of hours before all of them could make their way back to the house. Trey had just about demanded to go to the construction site, but Warren had told him that there was really nothing to do at the moment. They’d controlled the fire until it ran out of kindling and made sure it didn’t spread to the thick woods around the lot. Kacey had been adamant about checking out both of the Warfangs before she’d let them go home, though unsurprisingly, they’d got only mild wounds. It was amazing to watch how they healed. The gash on Trey’s ear was almost completely healed by the time Kacey let them go, and the rest of his cuts and bruises were looking like they’d soon be gone as well. Even Warren had been impressed – Alpha pairs sure had it good as far as strength and healing went.
The drive back to the house had been spent in complete silence, Sabra seated between the brothers, and both of the men staring out in front of themselves wordlessly. It was dawn when they finally parked in front of the house, all exhausted but unable to sleep because of everything that had happened. When Sabra walked into the kitchen, she had to suppress a groan. Their dinner was still laid out on the table, and aside from a couple of leaves that had been blown in by the wind and the smell of a certain ranch house burning filling the dining room, everything was just as they had left it. She sat down heavily at the table, resting her head on her arms. It felt good to just be still for a moment, not having the world toss and tumble around her.
“So, does anyone want to tell me what’s going on here? What were those wolves on about? Did they burn the ranch house down because of me?” Sabra finally asked when no answers seemed to be coming forth without coaxing. She glanced up, catching the brothers eyeing one another with a look that told her they were trying to determine who would draw the shorter straw. Finally, Trey sighed and turned towards Sabra. He was covered in soot, and dried flakes of blood still lingered on his skin. His shirt was ripped, and just a second ago, he had looked like the most furious man in the world. Now, she could only read solemn worry on his face.
“Yes, they probably did think they were burning the place down because of you,” he started levelly. “We haven’t been completely honest with you, Sabra.” The confession made her sit up straight and take notice.
“That is to say, we haven’t lied, but we could have told you more before things got so far,” Tyler continued. Side by side, they were so damnably handsome that it was difficult focusing on their serious conversation instead of imagining what she could do to the two of them. Sabra pushed her hair back and fell against the back of the chair with a sigh, clearing her mind. This better be good.
“And by that you mean…?” Sabra asked, looking from one wolf to the other. Tyler and Trey shared a look, and Trey gr
inned a little, his white teeth flashing.
“Before we fell in love with you, Sabra.”
Sabra blinked, her mouth falling open. Love? Love? Were they really saying that? And ‘we’, as in ‘they’? Both of them? She inhaled sharply, her heartbeat buzzing in her ears. This day was going into all sorts of unexpected directions.
“Hear us out. I found you on SassyDate, and I got an immediate feeling about you. I thought you could be the one, and the more we talked, the more I was sure of it. So I asked you to come over, figuring that if things didn’t work out between the three of us, then at least we’d get some competent help on the construction. As luck may have it, I wasn’t wrong. You are the one. Our third. The one we’ve been searching for but never expected to find,” Tyler continued, smiling softly.
“Whoa, back it up! Your third?” Sabra asked, still not sure if this was a dream and maybe she was laying face-down passed out from smoke inhalation somewhere, or if it was actually happening to her. Two insanely attractive brothers telling her that they both wanted her? Madness.
“Yes, our third,” Trey picked up. “We are an Alpha twin pair. Our powers are only complete if we find our third – the woman who ties us together and finishes our Alpha triad. It has never felt right before until I met you, Sabra. It’s like you’re the piece missing between me and Tyler, the one woman, who could smooth out our differences and make us work together as an unbeatable team. And not just that. I don’t know if I can put this into words, but I’ve never wanted anyone as badly, as desperately as I want you.”
“And so do I. Just the sight of you takes my breath away, Sabra. I didn’t want to tell you why I called you here at first, and that’s why I kept my distance as well. We both had to be sure, and we wanted to give you enough time to get to know both of us before we confront you with something this big. But when you said you’d connected with Trey and that you had feelings for the both of us, well, I knew you must have felt the chemistry, the bond between the three of us as well.”
