by Jenny Foshia
Chapter 1: Dani
Dani was exhausted. There was no other word for it. She had easily put in 14 hours today at the animal shelter she ran with only 4 hours of sleep. She had been working non-stop, it seemed, since her sister, Brielle, was mated with Cole and Max. The only reason she had increased her hours were because she was avoiding people. Well, more specifically, she was avoiding 2 men; Ryan, and Adrian to be exact. The sexy as sin nurse, Ryan, and his best friend, Adrian, had been on her mind ever since she met them when they had all teamed up to rescue her sister, Brielle, some months back when she was abducted by a pack of sick bastards. Unlike Brielle, Dani wasn't a twenty-something virgin. She had been with a few partners in her life but none of them ever brought the feelings or physical awareness that Ryan and Adrian brought. Just the thought of the dark haired, chocolate-eyed Ryan, and the jet black haired, crystal blue-eyed Adrian, made her wet. They were on her mind no matter how hard she worked herself to exhaustion. Not even in her sleep could she escape them and she was getting pissed off. She was a 21 year old and her mind was acting like it belonged to a 15 year old virgin. She needed to take a vacation or something, anything to get away. Maybe she would go stay with her sister for a few days. It has been a few weeks since she had seen Brielle. That’s it, there was her plan. She would let Connie and John know she was taking off for the week and head home to pack up. She couldn’t wait to see her sister and brothers-in-law. She missed the three of them like crazy. It didn’t help matters worrying about Brielle, knowing she was pregnant with a set of twins and due pretty much any day and Dani wanted to be there for her sister and new nieces or nephews. With her decision made she called for John and Connie.
“Hey John and Connie, are you guys back there?”
“Yeah, you need something Dani?” Connie replied as she walked into the front office of the vet clinic they ran together.
“Yeah, I am going to take some time off and go visit Brielle, Max and Cole for a little while. My sister called me last week and extended an open invitation and I think I’ll take her up on it.”
“Good. You need to take some time for yourself. You have been working too hard these last months and that isn’t healthy for a young woman like yourself.”
That was one reason why Dani loved Connie. Connie was a good 20 years older than Dani and looked out for her like a second mother. If Dani forgot to eat or didn’t get enough rest then Connie was right there like a drill sergeant to force her to take better care of herself. “I know Con, you always tell me that I need to take care of myself and for once I am going to willingly obey.” Dani joked. Working with Connie and John, a couple who has been married for over 20 years, was a blessing. They were part of her family and she didn’t know what she would do without them. She bought her vet clinic when she was 19, before even completing schooling, and hired them on to help her. She had always been connected to animals and she was positive she was able to hear their thoughts. With the exception of her closest friends and her family everyone thought she was crazy. No one could hear animals, but she could and that was one of the things that helped her business thrive. People trusted her to care for their pets and she loved every single one of her four-legged patients. John was her assistant and Connie kept the office running smoothly.
“Did I just hear you tell my Connie that you were actually going to follow her advice and take some time off?” John asked as he joined them in the office. His clothes were wet in front indicating that he had been bathing some of their overnight guests.
“You did hear that John. I know I have been over doing it lately since my sister mated. Which, may I say, is still crazy to me? How on earth my parents were able to keep our family secret from us I will never know! And I cannot believe you two knew all along and never clued me in. I thought we were family and I find out you knew all about my family’s past and never told me. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“Oh, now come down off that high-horse you are riding on right now little missy. You know very well that we couldn’t betray your fathers and mother, our Alphas. Besides, whether you knew or not does not change who or what you are, and it most definitely does not diminish the fact that you are great at your gift of caring for the animals.” John countered. She knew he wasn’t upset with her. He and Connie never had any children of their own and they looked after her as if she was the daughter they never had.
“I know John, and I appreciate the fact that my parents have such loyal friends to keep their secrets and who were there to help protect their family. I will say one thing though, now that I know that I am part wolf it does explain a lot to me. I knew I wasn’t crazy growing up and hearing animals speaking to me. Brielle always understood and encouraged me to use that gift. She was always such a patient and caring person, which we know, now, has always her gift. I can’t wait to see her again. Are you sure the two of you will be ok here while I am away?” Even though she needed the time away she was still reluctant to leave the two of them alone to handle the daily running of the clinic.
“Dani, you go on, get out of here and don’t come back until you have had a nice long visit with your sister and have rested enough to last the rest of your life.” Connie laughed.”We are fully capable of being able to care for the animals until you get back. Just enjoy yourself and we will see you when you get back.”
“Thanks guys. I love you, you know that don’t you?”
“Yes, we know. Now I have work to do here in the office and I am sure John has plenty more baths to give. We will be fine here. Call us and let us know you made it up to Brielle’s place safely.” Connie hugged her and walked over to her desk.
“Ok, then I guess I will head out now. I will talk to you guys soon. Bye!” She grabbed her bag and purse and headed out to her car and called Brielle to let her know that she was taking her up on her offer to stay for a while. After ending the call she took off for her place to pack before heading to bed to rest up for her journey.
Chapter 2: Ryan (At Brielle, Max and Cole’s house)
“That was Dani. She has decided to follow my advice and come stay with us for a little while. I can’t wait to see her, I have missed her lately. I think this pregnancy is making me a little more emotional than normal. Cole and Max, do you think you guys could help me get one of the guest rooms ready for her?” Brielle was glowing with excitement and Ryan felt a twinge of jealousy toward his friends for finding a mate that loved them with as much conviction as Brielle loved them. They were a couple of lucky bastards. He was happy for them though. Some months back they had almost lost Brielle when she was kidnapped. Luckily they were able to get to her before any mortal damage was done and since that time they had married her in a bonding ceremony and the three of them were going to be parents any day now.
“Brielle, I would be happy to help out. What can I do to help you get the room ready?” He asked.
“You will do nothing. You are a guest here and are taking a long overdue break. You just sit right there and relax, we can manage this. Why don’t you call Adrian and see if he wants to visit? It would be great to get together with all of you before we are too busy with the little ones.”
“I can do that.”
He dialed Adrian’s number and got his voice mail. He left a message but decided to try getting a hold of him at the gym. After a couple of rings Cassie picked up. “Hey Cassie, it’s Ryan. How are you?”
“Oh, Ryan, it is nice to hear from you. I’m fine, how are you? Is everything ok?” Her cheerful voice held a worried note as she asked the questions.
“Oh, everything is fine. No need to worry. The reason I am calling is because I was trying to
get a hold of Adrian. Is he there right now?”
“Yeah, he just finished a session. Hold on one sec and I will call him over.”
He waited a few minutes before Adrian picked up. “Hey Ryan, what’s up man?”
“Listen, I am at Brielle, Max and Cole’s place for the week and Dani is coming for a visit. Brielle wanted me to call you to see if you wanted to join us as well.”
“Oh, of course I would. I have a session in about 30 minutes and then I should be free. I will have Cassie call the clients that I have lined up for the week and reschedule for next week and head up there in the morning. Tell Brielle, Max and Cole I said hi and I’ll see them all tomorrow.”
“I’ll tell them. See you tomorrow.”
He hung up and leaned back in the over-stuffed chair that Brielle had in the den. He let his thoughts drift to visions of Dani. It had been months since he had seen her but he could still picture her as if she were right in front of him. A beautiful, rounded face surrounded with glorious auburn-red hair that hung almost to the middle of her back. Large, expressive green eyes framed with long, thick lashes. A few freckles splattered across her tiny nose and she had the most luscious lips that begged to be kissed. All that with a petite body graced with curves in all the right places made her one hell of a knock-out. He had had many wet dreams featuring her since they met and just thinking of her now made him hard as a bat. He knew she was his destined mate and he couldn’t wait until she realized it too because once she did he would work her body well. She was just as tiny as her sister but without the vulnerability that Brielle had when they first met at the hospital when she was a patient. Dani was tough, that was for sure, and she was smart. He owned her own business at a young age. She was a caring person, he could tell that when he first met her. He could sense it about her, her caring, generous and loving nature. She was going to make him a very loyal mate just as he would make her. Maybe this was their guardian’s was of bringing them together, having them all visit Brielle and the guys during the same week. He didn’t care who or what was responsible for bringing them together, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she left here at the end of the visit knowing that she belonged to him…and if his instincts were correct, she would leave here knowing she belonged with Adrian as well. He couldn’t get over the fact that little Brielle knew that they would be mating. He just wished that she was able to tell him when they would be mates because he wasn’t quite sure how much longer his body or emotions could hold out. He was getting hard again just imagining the mating process. Damn! There was only one cure for it now, he needed a cold shower and then he would head off to bed. He was going to start his campaign of winning Dani tomorrow and needed all the energy he could muster.
Chapter 3: Adrian (At the gym)
Getting out of the showers at the gym, Adrian quickly dressed so her could head home, pack and then get some sleep so he could head up to Brielle, Max and Cole’s place in the morning. He couldn’t contain his excitement knowing that he would see Dani. She had been on his mind for months on end, driving him crazy with erotic thoughts of mating with her. Brielle already told him that she knew he and Ryan were destined to be her mates but he was getting impatient. He attempted to contact her since Brielle’s rescue but she had been successful at averting his calls and avoiding him. He knew she felt something toward him and Ryan, he could sense it when they met. He felt the energy past between them when he touched her. The jolt was something that he had never experienced before. His mom explained to him that the feeling was something that almost always only passed between mates, which left him with a feeling of both excitement and anxiety. He always longed for a mate, someone he could share his life with and someone to love, someone who would love him back. His parents had the kind of bond that he had always dreamed of and now that he met Dani he knew that his dream was not far away, all he had to do was come up with a plan to get her to acknowledge the fact that they were destined to be together.
Enough thinking already, he buttoned his pants and pulled his shirt on over his head and picked up his bag. He called out a goodbye to Cassie and left the building. He was ready to get to bed and get some rest so he could head out first thing in the morning.
**********
Waking before the sun was up the next morning Adrian laid in bed and allowed his thoughts drift to a tiny little auburn haired beauty with gorgeous green eyes and a feisty spirit. He couldn’t wait to see her again. Just being around her washed him with a sense of contentment as well as a sense of peace. His life would truly begin when he could convince her to be his mate. He knew he had his work cut out for him. It would take everything he and Ryan had to make her see they were meant to be. And there was no better place to start their work than at Brielle’s. She would be a wonderful source of strength and would definitely be a tremendous help in their cause. Hopefully with Dani seeing how happy her sister is with Max and Cole it would help her understand the potential happiness she could have with him and Ryan. He didn’t care how long it took them, even if it took the rest of his life, he would do what it took to make her his.
Deciding he spent enough time in thought he decided to get up and get ready to leave. He took a quick, cold shower, dressed and grabbed his duffle bag and rushed out to his car. He called Ryan to let him know he was on his way and then set off. About an hour before he would see his mate…and the time couldn’t pass quickly enough.
Chapter 4: Dani
Dani woke early and performed her morning ritual before calling Connie to check in on how things were going at the clinic.
“Hey Connie, how are things this morning?”
“Dani, I told you to call when you got to your sister’s place. Are you there yet?”
“No, I am just getting ready to leave but I wanted to check in before I left to make sure you guys were ok.”
“Well, I am fine, John is fine, the patients are fine and I am done talking to you until you are safely in your sister’s house. Talk to you then Dani.”
Dani laughed to herself as she heard the click of the phone on the other end of the line. Connie sure knew how to get her way but this time Dani wasn’t going to argue. She picked up her suitcase and carried it out to her car and then called Brielle.
“Hello dear sister. Are you on your way yet?”
Laughing, Dani answered Brielle, “Yes, Brielle. I am in my car right now and getting ready to start it. Just wanted to see how you were. Do you need me to pick up anything before I get to your place?”
“I do not need anything. You know Max and Cole. These two never let me need anything. I am lucky they let me go to the bathroom myself.” She said, chuckling.
“They love you Brielle and they are just trying to protect you and the babies. I am sure they are still a little scared from the whole ordeal back in October. You are a lucky girl to have them around to take care of you and love you.”
“I know. I love them to death. I don’t know what I would do without them. I couldn’t imagine being any happier than I am right now. One day soon you will know exactly how I feel dear sister.”
“I hope so. Anyway, I better let you go so I can hit the road. I’ll see you soon. Love you!”
“Love you too Dani. See you in a while. Drive safe.”
Dani set her phone down in the passenger seat and backed out of her driveway and then she was on her way. She turned the radio up, rolled the windows down and enjoyed the ride. The scenery was beautiful on the route to her sister’s place. Tall mountains and green trees lined the road. The open windows allowed her to breath in the fresh late-spring air. Spring was honestly her favorite time of the year. This was the season in which nature came alive. Flowers bloomed, trees grew new leaves, animals came out of their shelter and the sun raced the earth with its warmth. Yes, this was the best season; it was so peaceful right now and the further into her journey she got the more relaxed she felt. The stress from the long hours at the shelter drained from her and she felt her spirits lift, regardless of
the constant habitation two men took in her mind. No other man had ever consumed her thoughts as much as Ryan and Adrian did. They caused her nerves to be on end and her heart skipped a beat when she thought of them, which was often. She had met and dated extremely handsome men before so why did these two make her feel like this? And how could she feel such a pull toward both of them? It was almost like she was her sister. Brielle tried explaining to Dani that even though Max and Cole were so extremely different she still felt a strong pull toward both of them and she didn’t feel whole without both of them. Would she end up like her sister? Was she destined to have two mates? It wouldn’t be unexpected considering her mom had two mates and Brielle did too. Is this instant connection she felt toward Ryan and Adrian the same Brielle felt toward Max and Cole, or her mom toward her men? All these questions were giving her a headache. She needed a distraction. She turned her radio up louder and belted out the lyrics to the song that was playing, allowing the music to wash away all her thoughts. She would contemplate the answers to the questions later, for now she was going to enjoy the peaceful drive.
**********
Forty-five minutes later Dani was pulling into the driveway of her sister’s house. She parked her car and grabbed her suitcase out of the trunk and walked up to the front door. She rang the doorbell and waited for the door to be opened. She heard a voice over the intercom.
“May I help you?” She heard the deep voice ask and she felt tremors make their way through her body. She knew that voice well. It was the same one she heard time and again every night in her dreams. It belonged to Ryan.
“Hello Ryan, it’s Dani.” She replied.
“Oh, Dani! One sec and I’ll get the door.”
A few minutes later the door opened and she drew in a quick breath. Right in front of her stood one sexy as hell man. Ryan looked like he just stepped out of the shower. He had a pair of grey sweats that hung low on his hips which allowed her an amazing view of his perfectly chiseled chest that tapered down to the v-muscle above his package. She was instantly wet between her legs and felt the familiar achy throb that arrived whenever she thought about Adrian or Ryan.
