Tanya rocked her hips back, wanting him all the way, but Nathan gripped her tightly, stopping her from moving. It felt so good, zings of pleasure shot through her, but there was also a slight bit of pain. She didn't mind that, though, and as Gabriel eased out and back in, fully lubricating her, the pain dissipated. He then held her in place while Nathan eased on a condom and entered her, just as slowly as Gabriel had. She felt so full she was afraid he wouldn't fit, but soon enough they were both buried into her.
"It feels so good," she sighed, holding Nathan, her face buried in his chest as Gabriel's hands roved her body. "Better than I imagined."
Both her men chuckled. They started to move, first Gabriel then Nathan. They matched each other's rhythms perfectly, one entering while the other withdrew. Tanya mewled as the heat coiled tighter. Her nails dug into Nathan's spine. Gabriel nipped at the back of her neck, his teeth leaving a slight sting behind. She loved it. Both of them had a hand on her hips, stopping her from moving as they picked up their pace.
They moved faster and faster, until Tanya was screaming on every thrust. Her eyes were wide as the knot tightened to a point where it almost hurt. The sensations overwhelmed her and suddenly everything came undone. Her limbs went limp, thrashing from side to side as the alphas battered her body. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she couldn’t even think. Gabriel followed soon after, and finally Nathan.
The three of them lay on the bed, pressed so tightly together the sweat on their bodies cemented them into one being. Tanya panted for breath as their hands roamed over her. When Nathan whispered in her ear, she could only groan to acknowledge she had heard him.
Eventually, both of them withdrew, both leaving stinging sensations in their wake. Gabriel got her a glass of water, then kissed her breast as she drank.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice rich and deep.
"Better than okay." Her voice was husky from screaming. "That was… that was amazing. Did I bleed?"
Nathan returned from the bathroom with a cloth in his hand. He wiped it over her thighs. The warmth made her sigh and move into his touch. He inspected her for a moment, then shook his head.
"A little blood. Nothing major. Did it hurt at all?"
All her bones felt like they had turned into jelly, but even the slight pain was gone now. She shook her head. "I loved it. I loved it so much… You were in perfect harmony. Are you sure that the two of you have only done that once before?"
Gabriel sucked on her nipple, causing a new jolt of pleasure to go through her. Her eyes widened. Was it possible even though they'd just made love?
"It was a long night," Nathan said, inserting a finger into her. "This can be a long night, too. Unless you want to talk."
Tanya arched her back, pushing her hips harder against his hand while Gabriel moved to her other breast. "Talking can wait. More… please!"
Chapter Eight
Gabriel
The first rays of light seeped through the window, landing in a strip over his eyes. Tanya lay with her head on his chest, soft snores moving in time with her chest. Behind her, Nathan's arms were locked around her middle. His face was buried into the back of her neck. Moving slowly, Gabriel slipped out of the bed. He had tried leaving twice during the night while Tanya slept, but she woke both times and he hadn't had the heart to tell her that he was trying to leave.
She was so receptive. So vocal. So eager to share her body with him… and Nathan. The way she looked between them, it was like they had both agreed that this arrangement would last forever. But it couldn’t. There could only be one alpha.
Tanya didn't wake as he slipped away from her.
"You know it's rude to leave a woman before she wakes up, don't you?" Nathan whispered without opening his eyes.
Gabriel let out a soft warning growl. After the display from yesterday, Olivia had told Gabriel everything that had happened while Tanya locked herself in her room. He had thought that Nathan already knew about the baby Olivia had lost and didn't care. Seeing his reaction after finding out made Gabriel rethink his entire assessment of the other alpha. It was difficult to put aside his own years of anger… but maybe Nathan had changed since then.
"I have some business to take care of. I'm not running away like I'm ashamed of her."
"Whatever you want. It's fine by me," Nathan whispered, arms tightening around the lush human woman. "But don't come crying to me because Tanya chose me to be her alpha because I stayed."
But he hadn't changed that much.
Without another word, Gabriel left the room. He went to his suite to shower before dressing for the day. He had been neglecting his work with the pack since Tanya came to him, and it was probably time to refocus his attention a little. If nothing else, it would help him to sort through the confusion that filled him. He ought to be wanting to tear Nathan limb from limb for touching what was his… but Tanya wasn't his, and he had enjoyed the look on her face as they both took her the previous night.
He hadn't thought that he could share the woman he was going to be with for the rest of his life. Maybe Tanya just wasn't the woman for him.
Olivia and Grace were both in the kitchen when he entered it. He nodded in greeting, wondering what they were doing up so early. Olivia wrinkled her nose and made a disgusted noise in her throat while Grace flushed. Both of them looked so uncomfortable that for a moment Gabriel was certain he had interrupted something between them.
But he knew that Olivia, for one, wasn't attracted to other women. Besides which, Grace was far too young. She was barely an adult, and Olivia wasn't into cradle robbing.
He opened the fridge and grabbed the milk. "What's wrong with you two?"
Grace turned a deeper shade of red and Olivia made a gagging noise. "You have to ask?"
"Wha—" Of course. Gabriel's face reddened. He cleared his throat and poured himself a glass of milk before grabbing the chocolate syrup. "You two were supposed to go for a run in the forest last night."
"We did."
"So, what's the problem?"
Olivia rested her elbows on the table. "How far we had to go before we stopped hearing the three of you. Honestly, you might want to buy a muzzle for that mate of yours."
"We weren't that loud!"
"Loud enough," Grace muttered. "I thought you were killing her at first."
Olivia laughed. "That's right, she did. I had to wrestle her to the ground to stop her from going back and interrupting. Wouldn't want to have seen that. The next time you three plan on making a marathon out of it, go to Nathan's place and let us get some sleep. We just got back."
Gabriel flinched. He wanted to explain what had happened, but they clearly already knew what was going on. He had a feeling that any further explanation was unwelcome. He cleared his throat. "There will be no more marathons, don't worry."
Neither of them replied to that. He drank his chocolate milk and grabbed a protein bar before heading back to his room. Part of him wanted to return to Tanya, but it wasn't fair of him to expect anything from her now. Last night had been amazing. Better than what he had expected from his daydreams about her. The unexpected addition hadn't been terrible, either. It had almost felt… natural.
Which was completely bizarre. An alpha didn't get excitement from sharing his mate. And yet, watching as Tanya had achieved orgasm again and again, sometimes when he just moved, sometimes when he stayed still, but always with the two of them together… He didn't know how to take it.
Was it proof that she wasn't his true mate? Shouldn't he be a raging ball of jealousy? Olivia always said there was no jealousy in love, but they hadn't known each other long. There should be a little bit of jealousy at this point, shouldn’t there?
Gabriel collapsed onto his bed, tired but not wanting to admit it. After having no sleep all night it wasn't surprising that exhaustion dragged at his limbs. His gaze roved the ceiling, searching for answers there.
Ever since he was a young pup, he'd had a very certain idea of what his mate wo
uld be. She would be the girl he knew he was destined for. They'd meet at a function or by accident, and instantly both of them would know. They'd be soulmates, and there would be no others for either of them. When this situation came along, he had nearly given up his right as alpha to protect his dream of finding a mate who loved him.
There was no love at first sight with Tanya, but every time he talked to her, he felt himself drawn in closer. Last night, he had reacted to her suggestion with… excitement. It wasn't what he expected when those feelings were there. Maybe it was just that he wanted to prove he had as much sexual prowess as Nathan. Maybe it was that if she would only have them together, it meant that Nathan wouldn't be able to seduce her away from him…
A soft knock at the door had him sitting up. "Come in."
Tanya slipped in. She wore a white nightgown and smiled shyly at him. Gabriel smiled back, heart hammering. She had left Nathan to come to him? He held his arms out for her, and she climbed onto the bed. Her head rested over his heart as they laid back down. Instinctively, Gabriel knew that nothing was going to happen between them now. He would have liked to test things between them without Nathan, but he knew in his gut that wasn't going to happen.
"You left before I woke up."
Gabriel shrugged. "You were sleeping so soundly. I knew you needed your rest."
She slipped her fingers between the buttons on his shirt and rubbed them against his chest hairs. "Are you mad at me?"
"Mad?"
"For last night." Tanya raised herself on her elbow. "I thought that you were into it as much as I was, but now… If I pressured you into it, if you didn't really want to do it, then—"
Gabriel shook his head. "No."
She looked so worried that he kissed her. It was sweet and gentle, and ended quickly. After a moment Gabriel relaxed into the bed, looking up at the ceiling again. How was he meant to tell her how he felt when he didn't know what that was?
"I'm not angry with you," he said at last. "I was excited last night. I have done that sort of thing before and I enjoy it. I especially enjoyed it with you."
"And… Nathan?" she asked hesitantly.
Silence.
"If I—"
Gabriel shook his head, frustration welling. "It's not you. You were very clear in what you wanted, and I agreed to it. I'm just… this isn't what I expected. Certainly not with him."
"So… is Olivia the only reason you don't like Nathan? Or is there more? I mean, you both said you had done that before with each other. Well, with the same girl at least. So there had to be a time when you got along."
Gabriel shrugged. "It was summer. We were young. It was before we really got to know each other. As for Olivia and him… maybe I didn't know as much as I thought. It's going to take time to get over it…"
Tanya hummed. Having her with him made his tense shoulders relax, and his eyes began to drift shut. He didn't want to let go of her.
"I guess I'm just feeling… insufficient," he whispered after a moment. "Like I'm not good enough. I wanted to be the alpha, and I'm happy with my position, but my dad wasn't there to teach me everything I needed to know. I don't know if I can take care of all the packs. Especially when it comes to money. My father was a whiz at these things, but with the packs combined… And I know I rely on Olivia too much. She should be off finding her own mate now, not staying in her home pack, helping her brother take care of things."
"Is Nathan's pack very poor? Is that why you're worried about the finances?"
Gabriel shook his head. "It was one of the poorest packs in the region. But when Nathan's father went missing and Nathan took on the leadership role, he turned things around. I don't know how he did it, but they are now the richest pack I know of. He wiped out their debt and built their infrastructure. It's… remarkable."
Tanya giggled, hiding her face in his chest. "That sounded like it was ripped from you with pliers."
"Just because I'm not fond of him as a person doesn't mean I can't recognize that he's smart with money." Gabriel couldn't help but smile at her amusement, though. Maybe part of the problem with this whole situation was that he was finding out that Nathan wasn't as bad as he had convinced himself… there were a lot of years of anger waiting to turn into guilt if that was the case. "Look, I know that I can't compete with his raw, smoldering sexuality. And he might be rich, but I'm rich, too. I can give you everything you want."
Her giggles died away and she stiffened.
"I know that's not everything that's important to you," he continued hurriedly. "I just hope you can see my worth, too."
Tanya pulled back. Her brows pinched together. "Of course I can see your worth. Better, I think, than maybe you can. You are sweet and steady, and it's not like you're shabby in bed. You're a romantic. You would make the packs more stable, I think. You're a strong balancer. I mean, just look at what you did last night. You were the one who made sure things went at the right pace, not too fast, and you made sure that I got rest. You made sure we all stayed hydrated and ate. It wouldn't have been half as much fun without you."
Gabriel pulled her back down against him, smiling softly. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to ask about the one last question burning against his lips–what about love?
Chapter Nine
Nathan
Around them, the forest was warm, full of the sounds of animals calling to one another. A peaceful place. At least, he thought it was. He had invited Grace to come walk with him, so they could talk about what happened. He hadn't expected for Grace to break down into tears. As she wiped her tears away, he put an arm around her shoulders.
"What's wrong?" he asked her.
"You're mad at me for not telling you about Olivia's baby."
Nathan shook his head, guilt swamping his stomach. "No. No, I'm sorry that I made you think I was angry with you. It's not that at all. I understand she didn't want you to tell me. You were only respecting her wishes. I'm not mad."
Grace wiped another tear away. "So you're mad at Olivia."
"I'm not mad at anybody."
Grace looked at him doubtfully.
"I was upset yesterday, but I've calmed down since then. I wasn't really mad then, either. Just shocked and hurt. But that's not your fault. And it's not Olivia's fault, either. It's just the situation." Nathan sighed. Mad wasn't the right word for what he was feeling. Regretful, upset, yes, but not mad. "Why do you think I'm mad?"
"I don't know, I just thought…" Grace's shoulders slumped and she bowed her head. "Dad would be mad."
Nathan tensed but didn't speak. Between the two of them, Grace was the one who had suffered the most under their father's anger. She was sensitive, and Cole had always made sure she knew he thought she was weak for crying when he yelled and screamed at her. It was one of the reasons Nathan tried never to raise his voice, no matter how upset he got. Grace was still carrying around those expectations, though, and he could see her fear every time he did get angry. It didn't matter if he didn't act like their father, Cole had left scars that were not so easily healed.
He kissed the top of Grace's head. "I'm not mad. I'm sorry that I scared you."
"If you're not mad, why did you want to talk?"
"I wanted to talk about Tanya. I don't think she's going to pick me. Gabriel's got everything going for him. All I have is… well, my experience borne of one-night stands." His voice was layered with self-disgust. It didn't matter that it was common for wolves to try out various partners, the way he had gone about it was wrong.
Grace made a face. "You're smart and brave and—"
"And I don't know the first thing about running the day-to-day business of a pack. Sure, I'm good with money and the stocks, but taking care of the packs is so much of the interpersonal stuff. The stuff that I don't know how to do. Maybe the packs would be better with him as the alpha…" His shoulders slumped. "Maybe Tanya would be better with him. I've got too much of Dad in me, I might end up just like him."
"No." Grace squeezed his hand. "Even w
hen you hit rock-bottom, you weren't like him. I'm sorry I thought you would be mad because he'd be mad. It's not because I think you're anything like him. It's just… It's hard for me sometimes not to expect everybody to act like that. But I'm getting better."
"You don't have to apologize for your feelings."
"There." Grace poked him in the chest. "Right there. Dad would never do something like that. He'd go on a rant about how hurt he was even after I apologized for saying it."
That was true. Nathan bristled thinking about how Cole often made Grace apologize for being hurt by one of his callous remarks.
"You aren't him, Nate. I think… I think you need to stop being so afraid of yourself. And as for Tanya, she's a smart woman. But she's not going to look at things like money and public relations. She's going to choose with her heart. She's not a wolf, she doesn't operate by the same rules as we do. Besides, after two months do you really think she'll choose either of you? She wants someone that she can love."
Gabriel's candlelight dinner came to mind. He was trying hard to show Tanya how romantic he could be. Nathan never bothered with that sort of thing. But then, he never really had a girlfriend, either. It was always him and the woman coming together for some crazy sex and then parting when they were bored with each other.
"Let's go back," he said. "We can make breakfast. Bacon and eggs."
Grace's eyes lit up and they headed back to the mansion. On their way there, they met Olivia walking along the path. When Grace invited her to join them for breakfast, Olivia shook her head.
"We're out of eggs. I was just going to pick some up. Why don't you come with me?" Olivia glanced at Nathan. "Grace, I mean. I think Tanya wants to talk to you and Gabriel."
Talk like last night? Nathan's eyes lit up. Tanya's suggestion had surprised him greatly, but it hadn't been as big a surprise as Gabriel agreeing to it. Instantly memories of that hot summer day had flooded his mind, of the girl eagerly pressed between them. He had loved watching Tanya's eyes go wide, mouth slack, and a deep red flush to cross over her chest and rise up her neck. Nathan had never minded three-ways, as long as everybody knew he was there for the girl alone. Gabriel had understood that, and even with the tension still between them, they had worked in harmony to bring Tanya her pleasure. It made him groan, wanting it again.
The Billionaire Wolves' Virgin Page 5
