by Ruby Scott
“Yes!” Hailey was glad to hear him say it first. “And I should be freaked out that you’re not freaking out!”
“But you can’t be.” Jacob spoke then, and his voice was as mellow and cool as the energy whirling between them. “It’s like drowning, except you can still breathe. You’re still being pulled down, and as you do, your mind is growing clearer and sharper. Everything is more vivid and intense.” He walked over to the couch and sat next to her gingerly, and she gazed at him, transfixed.
“Your muscles grow heavier, longer, more elastic. Every sensation is euphoric. A single moment is suspended across your entire existence, and everything is bound to you in the greatest way possible. And you realize that drowning is really just another type of rebirth, for another type of being.” His face was inches from hers, and Hailey wanted ---needed--- to kiss him. His mouth was full, and as she gazed at him, he bit his bottom lip tenderly. Something in her snapped, and he lunged forward and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his before he could react. She felt his hands on her thighs, and the tingling in her skin intensified until they became tiny bonfires everywhere he touched. Then she was being pulled back and away, leaving him gasping for air and staring at her, his expression dazed and somewhat annoyed.
Hailey turned just as Pete released her, feeling a hot lance of anger for a fraction of a second before it faded away. His narrow face was as animated as it had gotten since introducing Jacob---his eyes were sparkling, and he was struggling not to burst into laughter.
“I don’t have quite the need that you do, but I do get it,” he said mildly. “But we have to focus.”
Hailey felt her fists ball at her sides. “How are you so calm? Don’t you want to touch him?”
Pete’s eyes grew thoughtful. “Yeah, I do,” he admitted. “But I don’t need to like you seem to. I’m not sure why yet, but I have a feeling we’ll figure it out.”
His nonchalance was out of character, but there was nothing she could do about it. She walked carefully back to the couch, avoiding Jacob’s gaze. She couldn’t feel embarrassed, but she thought she should. It was incredibly frustrating. She looked at Jacob, finally, and a frisson of energy rolled through her as she met his eyes.
“I know it seems odd, but I only have this effect on people whose energies are truly compatible with mine.” His words and tone were placid and comforting. “My old pack elected me a leader because of it, despite the fact that there were many older people there.”
“What happened to your old pack?” Hailey asked. “Weren’t they upset to see you go?”
Jacob smiled, and it lit up his face. Hailey felt something tug at her heart, and she dropped her eyes again. “They’ll miss me, and I’ll miss them even more. But the people in my family have always had a talent of going where we’re needed. I felt like it was time to move on, and so I did.”
“Literally poked at a map,” Pete interjected. “Just picked a place that felt right. Lucky for us, it was here.”
It wasn’t luck, Hailey thought. She wanted to feel the thrill of alarm that should have come along with this situation. Here was a man so beautiful and charming that she couldn’t keep her hands to herself for more than a few minutes---and her usually neurotic husband didn’t seem to mind one bit. This whole situation hinted at power far too colossal to simply accept, and yet she was being forced too. Maddeningly, she knew that doing so would likely work out in her favor, but her suspicious nature was so ingrained that she couldn’t even shake it with metaphysics.
“So you were pulled to us,” Hailey said, meeting Jacob’s stormy gray eyes again. “And you just…what? Decided to help us for nothing in return?”
Jacob laughed, and the sound was so rich and moving that Hailey gasped. She felt a sliver of annoyance at herself, but it was quickly slapped away. Pete smiled at her, apparently finding her resistance funny.
“Does this feel like nothing to you?” Jacob asked, gesturing between them. “I’ve never felt anything like this. Even just with Pete…” he shook his head, his eyes growing thoughtful. “I’ve never felt such a strong potential to bond. Not with anyone. It’s why I haven’t taken a mate yet. I’ve always felt the need to keep moving at some point, bringing energy to where I can. I’ve been a power booster for a lot of packs.”
Hailey could hear her heartbeat in her ears again. “What about now?” She took a deep, shivering breath and reached out to touch his shoulder gently. A fire blazed to life under her fingers, and she moved back immediately. His eyes flashed white for a second, then they bled back to gray.
White eyes, Hailey thought. She stood up abruptly and moved toward Pete, touching his hand and relaxing as soon his warm, loving energy sparkled to life between them.
“What’s wrong?” Jacob asked.
“I’ve only seen white eyes on alphas,” Pete said conversationally. “I think you spooked her.”
“But not you?” Jacob asked. He was wearing a faint smile, and his eyes were narrowed, as though Pete had surprised him.
“No,” Pete said simply. “I knew you had to be powerful as soon as I realized the effect on me.”
Pete had always been a tad more rational and accepting than Hailey. It was one of the reasons the dirty members of his pack had been able to operate without his knowledge for so long.
“How is it that an alpha doesn’t have his own pack already?” Hailey demanded. She wanted to return to the couch and straddle Jacob, grind her hips into him furiously to release her pent up energy, but she stayed rooted to the spot. “I can’t believe that you really just felt like moving.” Her last words were shrill; fear had peeked through the soft layer of tranquility surrounding all her thoughts. “How do I know you weren’t kicked out for staging a coup, or assault, or worse?”
“Didn’t you guys vet all your applicants?” Jacob asked. Looking from Hailey to Pete. “Doesn’t Pete have access to government-level software? When shifters are kicked out for violent reasons, they’re forced to register with police. Did you see me on the database?”
Oh. She looked at Pete sheepishly. “Babe, I checked everyone thoroughly,” he said soothingly. “I even asked some of my lycan friends in private agencies to help. I didn’t pick anyone dangerous, or who might have been interested in usurping power. His story checks out.”
Hailey turned back to Jacob. “I’m so sorry,” she said. The tension her tirade had invited into her body dropped away. “I’m just nervous. You’re so powerful, and I don’t know you, but I would give anything to bond with you at this second.” The air thickened after she spoke, and Pete moved behind her. She turned and found him grinning at her.
“No time like the present,” he said cheerily. He smiled broadly and reached for her hand, and a thrum of energy shot into the middle of Hailey’s being. It was like a hot knife slicing through butter. The warmth spread through her until she felt like she was floating in a bath.
Jacob stood up and moved toward them slowly, looking between the two of them like he was examining something they couldn’t see. He held out his hand, and as soon as it passed into the space between them, his cool and subduing aura wrapped around the white-hot energy from Hailey and still the frenetic vibrations coming from Pete. His hand kept moving until found Pete’s chest, and his eyes locked with the other man’s. Hailey realized that something was happening, and she didn’t know if she could stop it---even if she wanted to.
Jacob moved forward and pressed his lips to Pete’s, and the shorter man stepped forward into the kiss as though he’d been waiting for it all this time. Pete’s heart sped up as Jacob ran his tongue across his bottom lip and pushed his mouth open, moaning as their tongues entwined. Hailey felt the energy pulsing around their bodies, and her panties were wet with juices.
Jacob was running his hands along Pete’s arms, and Pete was slowly grinding his sinewy body along Jacob’s broad form. Hailey was astounded at how fast things were moving, but the thought barely had time to register before it was swept away in the ti
de of lust flowing from the men. Their energies were blending together, and Hailey could no longer tell who was contributing what. Pete started to kiss down Jacob’s neck, nibbling at his tanned skin as he slowly sank to his knees. Jacob removed his jacket and then his tank top, throwing the garments to the floor as his eyes stuck to Pete’s. He broke their gaze for a moment to find Hailey, and when his eyes met hers, it was like being doused in ice water.
“Come here.” His voice was suddenly sonorous, but he hadn’t raised his speaking volume. He held out one huge hand, and Hailey walked forward, feeling like she was being pulled on strings. Her nipples were hard under the cotton of her dress, and instead of taking his hand, she grabbed his wrist and pressed his palm to her chest. His fingers closed around her full breast, and he started to massage it slowly, his eyes darkening with need. The remaining tension in her body exploded and melted away all at once, and her pussy tightened as juices dripped down her thighs.
“Jacob,” she moaned, and reached up to pull his head to hers for a kiss. He shuddered as she plunged her tongue into his mouth, and his hand moved behind her to cup her ass as Pete had done earlier. He found her panties and ripped them away with one hand, ignoring her surprised squeal, and ran his fingers across her soft skin. Hailey stepped back so she could pull her dress over her head, and she shivered as his eyes moved over her wide hips, shapely thighs and small but full breasts. Then his head rocked back and he closed his eyes, gasping. Hailey pushed her gaze downward.
Pete had tugged Jacob’s pants down around his ankles, and his palm was moving over the Jacob’s shaft, long and thicker than his own. Pete’s pants were gone and he’d unbuttoned his shirt so that Jacob’s hands could run over the taught skin of his chest. His eyes were fixed on Hailey as he slowly tugged on Jacob’s cock, using the man’s pre-cum as lubricant so he could pull and twist on the shaft. Hailey realized with a jolt that this wasn’t his first same-sex experience.
“Come over here,” Pete said, his voice rough with desire. His other hand was pumping his own rock-hardness furiously, and his breath was coming fast. “I need you.”
Hailey moved forward without hesitation, falling to her knees to take the position she knew Pete loved best. Jacob backed away, unsure of where to put himself, but Hailey motioned for him to lie on his back in front of her. She felt Pete take her hips as she bent over Jacob’s beautiful body, and she braced herself as Pete’s thick cock pressed against her vaginal open.
“Ooooh, god.” He sank into her with a long, satisfied groan, and Hailey pushed her hips back so he could sink into her to his hilt. The energy between them all was boiling the air, and Hailey bent her head forward to look at Jacob before she took him in. His eyes were wild, and she kept his gaze as she ran her tongue around his bulbous, shining head.
“Yes,” he moaned throatily. Hailey sucked his head into her mouth, working his wide shaft into her mouth slowly. His hips bucked gently, and she felt his hands grip her head to steady her as he thrust himself deeper into her mouth. His eyes closed in ecstasy as her tongue massaged his shaft, eagerly pushing his head toward the back of her throat.
Pete was increasing his speed, digging his nails into the plump flesh of her ass as he rammed his cock into her warm pussy faster. “This is incredible,” he panted. “Your auras are golden. God, this is fucking amazing.” He slammed his body against her ass, burying his cock as far into her body as he could. His head rammed against her g-spot repeatedly, and the pleasure in her body reached a fever pitch. Hailey gripped Jacob’s finely muscled hips as she opened her throat and tried to desperately swallow the length of him; he cried out, pulling on a handful of her curls as his body danced with the incredible sensation her mouth and tongue brought him. She peeked through her hair to see his chest heaving, beads of sweat sliding down his pecs. Then her pussy clenched around Pete’s shaft, slipping inside her walls lightning fast, and the air was knocked out of her again.
“Hailey!” Jacob shouted as his hips surged forward. “I’m coming!” He held her head against him, gasping as his cock twitched and emptied inside her mouth. His eyes went wide, and as they raised to meet Pete’s, the world exploded around them.
The sensation of being plunged into an abyss was sharper this time, and the shapes around Hailey were glowing with energy. She felt Pete tighten his hands around her, and Jacob’s eyes went wide. Hailey couldn’t normally see auras, but she could now see an intense golden light enveloping them all, moving around them like a rushing river trapped in a globe. Her body was being penetrated by pure light, and the boundaries of her body were being stretched and extended. A cool breeze brushed past her somehow, and she exploded with sensation again, her vision wiped out in a hot burst of light that filled the universe with a soft, calming energy. Then the room faded back into being, and Hailey was back on the floor on her den. Jacob was gasping, and his eyes were still white, wide open and fixated on hers as though she were the only link to reality. Their hands connected, and a peculiar locking sensation came from deep in Hailey’s stomach. Then it faded away, and the adrenaline drained from her body. She slumped sideways and the world grayed out.
When she came to, she was lying on the queen sized mattress in her bedroom. Pete was sitting next to her, gazing at her face and waiting for her to open her eyes.
“There you are,” he murmured, brushing her curls away from her forehead as she blinked into the sunlight. “I thought you were going to be out for the night.” She looked down and saw that he’d covered her in her favorite pink robe. Hailey sat up slowly, struggling against the fatigue in her body so she could look around the room. Pete saw her searching and answered her question before she could ask.
“He’ll be back later,” Pete said, smiling. “Had to go grab some things from home. He’ll be staying with us for a few days, if that’s ok.”
Hailey thought for a moment and realized it was. The anxiety in her body was completely gone; she no longer resisted the thought of Jacob being their third. She seemed as calm as Pete had earlier. She looked at his deep blue eyes, full of peace and affection. Her brow furrowed.
“Why are you still so calm?” she asked. “We should be even antsier without Jacob here until we bond. What’s up with that?”
Pete gave her a strange look. “Hailey…what do you think that was? We just bonded.”
She blinked slowly, trying to wrap her mind around the words. “But…we didn’t do a ritual.” Her heartbeat sped up, and her stomach knotted in fear. “There wasn’t any bloodletting. How did we bond?”
Pete reached out to touch her, and calm flooded her veins instantly. He ran his thumb over her hand as he spoke. “Apparently bonds don’t need that kind of things if the participants are truly in sync.”
‘What?” Hailey blurted. Then something in the back of her mind stirred. “Wait. My dad told me something about that when I was little. He said folk’s didn’t used to need candles and knives to form packs.” She could almost hear his Mainer accent saying the words in her head. “I thought it was a bunch of bull, like when old folks say things used to be safer for kids or music has gotten worse.”
Pete laughed and squeezed her hand. The last of Hailey’s consternation dripped away. “Turns out this is true. We’re bonded. All three of us.”
Hailey looked at their hands in wonder. They were bonded triumvirate, just like that. She felt lighter and more alert, but that could easily be from the sex and rush of metaphysical energy.
“So we’re bonded,” Hailey repeated. “What now?” She looked at Pete’s slim face as it softened in thought. The energy between them was more pronounced now, and she leaned forward and kissed him, softly as first, and then more urgently. She pulled back while she still had the presence of mind to do so, giving him time to answer.
“Now,” Pete said, laughing, “we put out a call. It should be pretty easy, given how well our energies blend together.”
“When can we do that?” Hailey asked eagerly. She wanted to see how a pure bond like this would af
fect a pack bond. Before, the bond between them and the other members had been mild at best, and they didn’t get any of benefits that others did, like thought-sharing and pooling energy to heal. It had been frustrating, and the need to experience a real bear pack was overwhelming. Now that she had a taste, Hailey was eager for more.
“Soon,” Pete promised. “You know that once you feel a call it might take a few days before you decide what to you. “
Hailey nodded. She’d been called to the Boston pack in Maine. She’d dreamt of the pack and its huge underground den one night, picturing herself padding through the halls in bear form. She’d found her own nest of blankets, already warm with her scent. As her dream self settled down in the nest, something in her ursine mind told her she had to go west to Boston. It only took her five minutes and a call to the east coast consulate to find out which den she’d dreamed of.
“Where will we move once our pack gets going?” Pete asked Hailey, snapping her out of her reverie. “Our basement is a fine den for now, but it can only hold about six or eight bears. You’ll want more than that, right?”
Hailey pictured her basement crammed with sleeping bags and pads of foam. “Maybe we can pool our money and buy a place,” she said. “Something big. “ She smiled, and a feeling of pure happiness spread through her body. “I can’t believe this is happening!” She bounced on the bed, snuggling closer to Pete so she could place her head on his shoulder.
“I know,” Pete murmured, kissing the top of her head. “It’s all happening so fast. And we have Jacob to thank.”
At the sound of his name, Hailey pictured the man, the unbelievable Adonis-like figure who had breezed so mysteriously into their lives. She felt a fondness sprouting for him already, and she wondered if Pete felt the same.
“Pete?” He moved his head toward her in response. “Are you really not worried? Or nervous?”
He sat up so he could meet her eyes. “I’m really not.” He sounded faintly surprised. “And again, I know I should be. Maybe it’s because I’ve known a few more bonds than you have, but something about this feels so different, but incredibly right.”
