by Scarlet Day
He didn’t move as Tucker joined him on his perch and unbuckled his snowshoes, before sitting down on a bare piece of boulder next to Matt. Matt held his breath, his nerves making him feel as though he was ready to jump out of his fur.
“She didn’t know.” Tucker’s voice was soft, barely audible above the wind. “She had nothing to do with it.”
Matt leaned back on his haunches and turned his head to stare at Tucker, needing to see if there was any doubt in his friend’s eyes. He was afraid to even breathe.
Tucker stared back at him, his gaze true and pure. “I believe her, Matt.” Tucker sighed, and his expression darkened. “It was her father who tried to kidnap Laci.” His voice dropped to an ominous whisper, as though the words pained him to say them out loud. “And I think he might have had something to do with the massacre, but I don’t know exactly what.”
Shock shot through Matt. That revelation was the last thing he’d expected. He waited for Tucker to continue.
“Aunt Liz is gone. Nate put all of them through hell over the years.” Tucker’s forehead creased, and worry filled his gaze. “She’s been abused, Matt. She’s literally been beaten into submission. Coming here took a great deal of courage. If Nate finds her…”
Matt didn’t need Tucker to finish the sentence. Matt remembered Nate from years ago. He had been a bully and an ass. The thought of him hurting Paige made Matt’s blood boil. If Nate ever showed up around here, Matt would make sure he never threatened Paige again.
“She wants to stay here.” Tucker’s words dragged Matt away from the murderous rage that threatened to overcome him. He stared at Tucker and blinked, not sure he heard him correctly.
“I welcomed her back into the pride. If Nate comes here…” The warning tone of his voice mirrored the steely determination Matt felt.
Matt huffed and dipped his head once, in complete agreement with his friend and pride leader. If it came to it, the two of them would stand together against any threat.
Tucker sighed and looked out over the range, shaking his head slightly. “The only submission she’s ever known has been through brute force. If you go down this road with her, you’ll need to tread carefully.” He turned and leveled his gaze at Matt. “And Dylan, too.”
Matt knew what Tucker’s words meant. Tucker, being not only their pride leader but also Paige’s uncle, could have forbid Matt or Dillon from getting involved with her. But he didn’t. All he asked was that they be careful with her. And Matt knew Tucker trusted him to do exactly that.
Hope surged through Matt. He stood up and shook out his fur, the fear and tension falling off of him. He looked at Tucker and caught the smile spreading across his friend’s face. Matt shot a toothy grin back at Tucker and then launched himself off his perch, bolting down the slope as fast as his four legs would carry him.
The scent drove him on. Her scent. It filled his nostrils and focused his thoughts. This morning he had fought against the desire her scent sparked in him. After the night he’d spent with her, hope had begun to spring up inside of him. In the light of morning, it had been a hope he was afraid would be quashed before it had a chance to grow. But now, he raced toward that hope. He embraced it. He let the scent guide him toward her, his heart beating faster with every step he took.
But he also knew there was another hurdle that needed to be overcome before he could let his heart go too far down this path. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be up to him to decide if the barrier was too high. It would be up to Paige. Since Matt had never been one who tiptoed around a subject, there was only one way he could think of to find out if she could, or would, accept everything about him.
He just needed to make one quick stop by the small cabin he preferred to live in, a short distance from the main lodge, to shift back into his human form and put some clothes on. He felt a grin slide across his furry face. If things went well with Paige, though, he wouldn’t be wearing clothes for long.
Chapter Twelve
The news that Paige was Tucker’s niece had stunned Dylan. The fact that her father had been the one who’d tried to kidnap Laci had been even more shocking. Dylan had spent most of the morning wandering aimlessly around in the forest near the resort, hoping some fresh air and wide-open space would help him sort through his tangled thoughts. It hadn’t helped much.
He could still smell Paige’s scent as easily as if he were standing right next to her. He knew, deep down, that it wouldn’t matter if he were far enough away to escape the alluring call of her scent, though. He’d felt drawn to her from the moment he’d seen her, even before her pheromones had kicked in. He also didn’t want to think about the possibility that Paige might have been involved with Laci’s kidnapping. He couldn’t accept that. He wouldn’t accept it. Surely she hadn’t known anything about her father’s plans.
Dylan knew where his ramblings and wanderings were taking him, and the thought scared the shit out of him. He’d been used to being single and carefree, never committing to anything more than a few fun nights. But he knew what it meant to get involved with a shifter in full mating phase, especially one who was a close relative of the pride leader. If he went down this path, and if she accepted him, there would be no turning back. If Dylan wasn’t sure he wanted to end up mated, he’d be better off to run away from Paige as fast as he could and never look back. Dylan’s cat roared inside his head, the thought of leaving Paige sending the agitated mountain lion into an indignant fury. Dylan snorted, quite aware of what his cat’s motivation was. His cat had never shown interest in mating before, but it was damn well showing it now.
He’d tried to avoid going back to the lodge all morning, because he knew he’d hunt her down. It was the same reason he’d kept his human form while wandering the forest, knowing his cat, if given more control over his mind, would tuck its tail and run straight back to Paige. The damn cat would probably even roll over at her feet and solicit a tummy rub. Not that Dylan would be averse to rolling over in submission to her once in a while. His cat chuffed in his head, a sound that was all too much like a laugh. Dylan rolled his eyes and told his smug cat to shut the hell up.
He needed to be near her, though, and he’d felt like all his walking and thinking was just going to lead him right back to her side, if she would have him. He knew it would be wise to wait until he knew the outcome of Matt’s talk with Tucker, but Dylan couldn’t resist any longer. He needed to be near her.
He had no idea what Matt’s thoughts were on the idea of mating, but Dylan had no problem sharing. It had worked out well for Tucker and Colt and the arrangement wasn’t uncommon in the shifter community, since males tended to outnumber females.
There was one other hurdle, though. If Tucker didn’t approve of a relationship between his niece and Dylan, things could get ugly. Not that Dylan thought Tucker would object, assuming Dylan’s feeling that Paige was innocent in Laci’s kidnapping, but it would be foolish to presume anything before getting confirmation. He hadn’t been able to find Tucker all morning, though, which was another reason Dylan had tried to put some distance between himself and Paige until he could talk to his pride leader.
Trouble was, Dylan had always been a little on the impulsive side. Part of him realized that his circles around the resort had gotten closer to the lodge with every pass. Even as he told himself he needed to stay away until he was certain Tucker wouldn’t bite his head off, quite possibly literally, Dylan’s footsteps took him closer and closer to Paige. And with each step, his frustration and desire grew, as well.
As he completed another wide loop around the property, Dylan stopped and stared at the lodge. He couldn’t take it anymore. If Tucker got his tail in a knot, so be it, but Dylan needed to see Paige. He needed to know if last night had felt as right to her as it had to him. He needed to know if she might want to learn about his lifestyle and become part of it, accepting him for who he was.
Before he even realized it, he was only yards from the lodge. Her scent had grown stronger as he’d neared the mai
n building, and it pulled at him, obliterating all hesitation. When he reached the rear entrance, he practically pulled the back door off its hinges. Her scent overwhelmed him, and he stalked down the corridor, no longer able to even pretend he could be patient.
His nose led him through the lodge to the solarium, where warmth from the indoor heated swimming pool filled the room with wisps of steam and fogged the windows. His gaze scanned the pool, but only two otter shifters shared the water, their furry bodies lithely cutting through the water as they played. He sniffed the air, certain that Paige was here. His nose led him around the pool and across to the other side of the big room, behind a wall separating the spa area from the pool.
And there she was. He could only see the back of her head as she sat submerged in the roiling water of one of the custom whirlpools. Her hair was pulled up into a tangled pile, and her head rested on the headrest behind her. As Dylan walked around the whirlpool, her eyes shot open, and she looked up at him. Her face was already flushed from the heat of the water, but Dylan swore her cheeks grew even pinker. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes practically bore holes into Dylan’s chest as her gaze raked down his body. Desire sparked between them, and Dylan’s dick throbbed, his jeans becoming unbearably tight.
Without thinking, without caring about the otter shifters frolicking in the pool on the other side of the wall or what Tucker might do to him, Dylan stripped off his shirt and tossed it to the floor. His fingers unfastened his belt and jeans while he kicked his hiking boots off. Paige’s eyes grew wide and her chest heaved as he peeled off his jeans, briefs, and socks.
Without a word, he stepped down into the hot, bubbling water and scooped Paige into his arms. His lips claimed hers with all the pent-up frustration and desire that had grown stronger and stronger within him all morning. He crushed her body to his, the thin material of her bikini the only thing between them. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, her sweet taste combining with her powerful scent making his head spin. His hands skimmed over her smooth wet skin and he cupped her ass in both hands, pulling her tighter into his pelvis, his hard dick pressed between them.
Paige clung to him, her fingernails digging into his back with delicious pain. Dylan wondered how she would react to the knowledge that he thrived on that pain, that he would welcome more of it at her hands. He put the thought aside, for now anyway. Soon though, he would tell her about his needs and lifestyle and find out if she might be willing to learn about it, to share it.
His fingers probed between her legs, skimming over her clit. She broke the kiss and gasped, throwing her head back as Dylan thrust two fingers into her hot depths. Her walls clenched around him, and she rocked her pelvis against him. Dylan pumped his fingers into her over and over, his thumb stroking her clit with every thrust. Her chest heaved against him, and she gripped his shoulders even tighter. He watched her face as his fingers drove her into a frenzy. Low groans escaped her pink lips, and her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, their color deepening each time he stroked her.
Dylan added another finger into her, feeling her tightness against his hand. He remembered that tightness clasped around his dick the night before and heat surged into his pelvis. He needed to be inside her, needed to be buried deep within her and feel her spasm around him. But first, he would give her what the desperate look on her face told him she needed.
He thrust his hand harder and faster, his thumb pressing against her clit with every stroke. He could feel the tremors starting to build in her and he knew she was so close to the edge. He wanted to push her over, wanted to see the sweet release on her face as he guided her over the ledge. She gasped, and then her whole body stiffened in his arms, his fingers trapped inside her as her orgasm took her and she clamped down tight around his hand.
He smiled as he watched her face, reveling in the fact that he’d been the one to bring her to this moment of pleasure. He wanted to bring her to this point over and over again, for as long as she’d let him.
“Why wasn’t I invited?” Matt’s voice echoed off the glass windows.
Dylan pulled his hand from Paige and they scooted away from each other, like two teenagers caught making out behind the school when they should have been in class.
Matt chuckled and motioned to the fluffy white resort robes draped over his left arm. “C’mon, the three of us need to talk.” He held his right hand out to Paige.
Her face was still flushed, and she bit her lip in apparent embarrassment. She glanced at Dylan and then took Matt’s offered hand, allowing him to help her climb out of the whirlpool. Matt held out one robe, and she slipped her arms into it. Dylan caught the way Matt’s hands slid down her shoulders and arms as he helped her into the terrycloth robe. Had Matt had a change of heart since this morning and gotten over his hesitation where Paige was concerned?
Matt looked over at Dylan and raised his eyebrows. “You can get yourself out.”
Matt tossed the second robe toward him and Dylan caught it just in time to keep it from getting wet. He climbed out of the whirlpool, keeping the robe in front of him to hide the fact that his dick was still painfully hard. If Matt hadn’t interrupted, Dylan would probably be getting some relief right about now. But he doubted Matt would have intruded if it wasn’t important, so Dylan’s curiosity was fully engaged.
Dylan quickly pulled on the robe and scooped up his clothes, before following Matt and Paige out of the solarium. Matt turned and threw a glance at Dylan. Even though Matt wore a slight grin, Dylan knew him well enough to see the tight strain across his forehead and uncertainty in his eyes. Matt was worried about something, and there weren’t usually many things that worried Matt. Dylan swallowed hard, and a cold knot of dread formed in his stomach. Whatever Matt wanted to talk to them about, Dylan had the distinct impression that it could either turn out good, or it could turn out very, very bad.
Chapter Thirteen
Paige followed Matt down to the basement, trepidation and anxiety gnawing at her stomach. Ever since she had talked with Tucker this morning, she’d been nervous about what Matt and Dylan would think of her staying with the pride and how they would feel knowing she was Tucker’s niece. Dylan had surprised her in the spa, and there hadn’t been a chance to find out if he already knew who she was. Considering his enthusiasm a few minutes ago, though, she wouldn’t be surprised if he still didn’t know about her family bond with Tucker.
Would they consider her off-limits? Dylan seemed to want to continue seeing her, but what if last night had just been a one-night fling for Matt, with no intention of it happening again? Paige wasn’t certain which of those scenarios bothered her more, but she realized she didn’t like either of the possibilities.
She had no idea what the future might hold for her, but it hadn’t taken long for her to recognize the sense of safety she felt when she was in the presence of the two men she currently walked between. Since she’d spent her whole life tiptoeing around her father’s bad moods and violent temperament, safety wasn’t something she was used to. But now she knew she liked it. Already her cat purred with contentment whenever she was near Matt or Dylan. Whether her cat was responding to their natural protective tendencies or to a deeper connection wasn’t something she’d figured out yet, but it made her want to spend more time with them to explore the feelings she had. She just wondered if Matt’s sudden seriousness meant those possibilities were about to be ruled out.
As they walked through the club, passed the few people who were playing pool or sitting at the bar enjoying a midafternoon drink, Paige’s nervousness grew. Matt didn’t stop until they reached the door leading to the back rooms, only pausing to cast a worried glance down to her. The look on his face ratcheted up the panicky feeling she’d been trying to fight. She followed him down the hallway, expecting Matt to lead her to the room where they had spent last night, but he stopped in front of a different door and opened it instead.
Her gaze flashed down the hallway to the door they’d gone through last, and she won
dered why they weren’t going there again. Was it because of the memories that room held? If Matt was bringing her down here to tell her they couldn’t be involved with each other, maybe he didn’t want to be in the same room where they had enjoyed each other so much. But then why bring her down here at all, if his intention was to end whatever they’d started? Maybe he thought it would be private enough in case she caused a scene or got upset. She braced herself for such news, vowing not to let her emotions get out of hand.
She followed Matt into the room, expecting to see a similar interior to the other room. As Dylan trailed behind her, though, she stopped and stared at the scene before her. This room bore no resemblance to the plush hotel-like feel of the room from the previous night. The space was dimly lit, but not in a cozy, intimate way. She glanced around, her gaze flitting over unfamiliar and intimidating items. A large metal cross object stood in one corner, its beams affixed with small metal loops. A strange swing with multiple harnesses hung from the ceiling in the center of the room. Paige knew she didn’t have the knowledge or experience to even try to figure out what it was or what it was used for. A bed jutted out against one wall, but it was furnished only with crisp white sheets and pillows, without a thick comforter as the bed from the previous night had been provided. As her gaze swung to the other side of the room, though, she was fairly certain she knew the purpose of the numerous whips that hung along the wall. A shiver went through her, but she wasn’t certain if it was caused from dread or curiosity.
She had already known Matt and Dylan were into this lifestyle. Hell, she’d learned it was one of the main reasons shifters came to the resort. But knowing it and seeing the truth of it were two completely different things.
Matt walked over to a bar in one of the room’s corners. It was one of the few things in the room that Paige could actually identify and know what its purpose was. He poured three drinks and then brought them back over to where she and Dylan still stood. He handed one to each of them. “I thought you might be able to use this, considering what I’m about to say.”
