Logan leaning over her, his cock in her mouth, his hands on the headboard behind her.
Sawyer on his knees behind Logan, his fingers at her entrance, his cock grazing through her folds in the grip of his other hand. Suddenly, he leaned forward, plastering himself against Logan’s back, and plunged into her.
She moaned louder against Logan’s cock, sucking deeper in rhythm with Sawyer’s movements. The angle of Sawyer’s length inside her forced the tip to graze her G-spot with every stroke.
She recognized the sounds coming from her mouth, but she also knew she wasn’t the only one making noises.
The cock inside her mouth grew stiffer.
Sawyer reached between his body and hers to stroke her clit, and she dug her heels into the bed to thrust upward.
So many sensations at once. Even her breasts repeatedly grazed the fine hairs of Logan’s thighs, her nipples remaining stiff and sensitive from the light contact.
On a long groan, Sawyer thrust into her deeply and held steady, his fingers working her clit in rapid flicks. The sound of his release sent Amanda over the edge right behind him, her orgasm squeezing around Sawyer’s cock in a firm grip.
Logan’s release hitting the back of her throat shocked her back to reality while her pussy still pulsed. He started to lift himself out of her mouth, but she wrapped her lips around his shaft tighter and sucked, swallowing his essence as it poured down her throat.
It was heady. Intoxicating. While Sawyer continued to circle her clit, his cock still buried inside her, Logan hovered above her head, his eyes glazed, his mouth hanging open, his arms shaking with the effort to hold himself up at the headboard.
Finally, he eased out. “Baby…”
She was too sated to respond and only managed a small smile as her eyes fluttered closed. She loved these men. Both of them. Nothing would ever change that fact.
She was one lucky woman.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Rachel, how are you this morning?” Mary said, forcing a smile while knowing she was about to lose another client. All she could do was grin, however. This would be the last family to pull out of her school from the Church on the Hill. Hopefully, with no one left to boycott her, she was in the clear.
She still had no idea why they were doing this, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask, either. She’d chosen to take the high road. Besides, it didn’t matter. Whatever the Church on the Hill had a beef with this time, Mary was not backing down. If they were pissed about her relationship with Jazmine, they could just be pissed. It was high time Mary outed herself anyway.
She still needed to discuss it with Jaz, but she wasn’t opposed to coming out if it meant she could stop hiding and ducking every time the two of them were together.
If the church had somehow found out about Amanda’s relationship with two men, they could go fuck themselves over that topic too. It had been rehashed too many times. Mary wasn’t about to bow to that congregation over mixing races or threesomes.
And the last possibility was Amanda’s job prospect. That was a stretch. Why go after Mary if the congregation was interested in stopping Amanda? She hadn’t started the job yet. And there was no way in hell Mary would ever tell her not to take that job. It was an important study that proved more necessary by the day.
With a deep breath and a smile, Mary faced Rachel.
“Mary, I’m afraid I’m going to have to remove Kayla from your school. We have decided to move her to the facility closer to our home.”
“Oh.” Mary pretended to act surprised. “I’m sorry to hear that, Rachel. I know Kayla is very happy here.”
“Yes. It’s a shame, but the drive is proving too much.” Rachel didn’t meet Mary’s gaze as she wrung her hands in front of her. Her speech was obviously prepared. And the driving distance excuse was Mary’s favorite one to-date. After all, the town wasn’t large enough for there to be traffic, and the school closer to Rachel’s house, if that were possible, would save her perhaps one minute.
“I understand.” Mary pasted a smile on her face. She was used to this charade. “Let me just print out the paperwork.”
While Mary busied herself with the computer, Rachel fidgeted in front of her.
Finally, the woman spoke again casually. “I heard your sister moved to town.”
“Yes. She did.” Mary kept her composure and continued clicking her mouse around the screen, hoping Rachel would say more before she finished.
“Did I hear correctly she applied for a job at the college? You must be so proud.”
And there it was. Holy shit.
“She did. I’m sure you also heard she had a second interview yesterday.” Mary smiled broadly, trying to meet Rachel’s darting gaze. However this woman was getting her information was immaterial. All that mattered was that in response to Rachel’s idle threat, Mary tossed one out of her own.
“She’s more than qualified to do the research needed to help ensure this county enters the twenty-first century. After all, this area is way behind the times. It makes me sick that there are still people out there who think we should keep the races separate in the United States these days. Don’t you agree?” Mary forced an enormous smile on her face as she stared directly at Rachel.
Rachel’s cheeks turned a dark red, her eyes went wide, and her mouth opened. For several seconds, she simply stared back at Mary. “Oh. Well, I don’t know much about the topic.”
“You don’t know much about the horrors of bigotry and racism in America?”
“I mean, I don’t pay much attention, I suppose…” Rachel ducked her face and pretended to search through her purse for something imaginary.
Mary listened to the printer finishing until the room remained perfectly silent. She grabbed the paper and set it in front of Rachel, handing her a pen. “If you’ll just sign here.”
Rachel’s hand shook violently as she scribbled her signature. When she set the pen down, she looked as though she might pass out. The woman hadn’t expected to be treated to such an outburst, and she had no idea what Mary was made of.
As Rachel turned to leave, holding the strap of her purse at her shoulder with a tight grip that made her knuckles turn white, Mary tossed her final blow. “Oh, and Rachel…”
“Yes?” She hesitated, her voice squeaky.
In the softest, calmest voice Mary could manage, she continued, “You can tell Pastor Edmund, his wife, Ada, and whoever else has organized this time to run our city into the ground that he can take his bigoted ideas and shove them up his pompous ass. Neither I nor my sister will bow down to his brand of racism and intolerance. I have already informed the sheriff of Edmund’s renewed interest in threatening the citizens of this town. If he even blinks wrong any time in the near future, he’ll find himself behind bars faster than he can finish his next breath.
“I’m so sorry to see you used as a pawn in his charade. I hope you can grow a spine in the near future so your children’s lives are not ruined by the brand of intolerance and hatred spewed from the pulpit of your hell-fire-and-damnation church. Have a nice day.” Mary smiled as widely as she could and then turned her face back toward her computer and pretended to focus on her next task as though everything she’d just said were of no particular consequence.
Rachel gasped. She stood rooted to her spot on the other side of Mary’s desk for several seconds before turning around and slipping out the door as quiet as a mouse without uttering another word.
Mary leaned back when the door shut and closed her eyes. She was exhausted, but she’d never been more proud of herself. Considering she had to pull that speech out of a hat on the spot, she felt rather smug.
As soon as she could pull herself together, she reached for her phone. She had several calls to make. Amanda, Trace Masters, and Jazmine to name a few. And then she could get back to her day job, teaching children. Good riddance to the pompous assholes who had their heads so far up their asses they couldn’t see the light of day.
»»•««
“My mom’s coming over today,” Sawyer casually informed Amanda over a late breakfast.
She rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms.
“What? You’ve only met my parents in passing Friday night. And that was before we knew we were destined to claim you. She wants to get to know you.”
Amanda narrowed her gaze at his innocent expression. “You know perfectly well I have nothing against your mom, and she’s welcome to spend as much time with me as she wants. I’m sure I will adore her, as long as she’s nothing like my own mother. But Sawyer, let’s call a spade a spade. You asked her to come over here to babysit me.”
He frowned. “That’s not true.”
Logan shoved his chair back and grabbed several plates without meeting her gaze.
Sawyer continued. “We just want you to be safe.”
“I’m perfectly safe. You taught me how to descend a mountain I have no intention of ever climbing, and we haven’t seen another warning spirit since then. I managed to walk into a building yesterday and come back out without it falling on me. I think we’re good.”
She hated lying to her mates, but she hated suffocating even more. She’d woken up in the middle of the night and spent over an hour pondering her dilemma.
No one in the family had ever been harmed by a black aura. In fact, no one outside of the family had, either. It meant no harm.
She wanted this job to work out. Not only was it her first professional experience where she would actually be paid a salary and be a grownup, but it sounded interesting, and she couldn’t wait to get started. The last thing she wanted was for Logan or Sawyer to follow her around—or worse, send someone else to—making her boss think she wasn’t mature enough to handle a research position on her own.
“Amanda…” Sawyer stretched his head back and forth.
Logan came back to the table and leaned over it. “Just humor us for this morning, okay? We aren’t comfortable leaving you alone. Besides our concerns about that totally whacked church and their indirect threats to your sister, there’s something unsettling about the logging site. I spoke to Trace earlier. Jackson called after he visited the site. He confirmed they appear to be over-logging and may have other violations as well. He didn’t give any indication to the owner they were under investigation, thank God. He simply acted like it was a routine visit and left.
“But I don’t like it. Even though it’s irrational, I still think someone at that site knows I’ve been there snooping. If they suspect I called the safety manager, they could retaliate.”
Amanda rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think that’s a bit of a stretch? You’ve only been to the site in wolf form. You said no one there’s a shifter. And logging inspection must be a routine occurrence.” Logan was overreacting. She was certain of it.
“Nevertheless, I need to go help out at the lodge, and Sawyer needs to go to the gym. Humor us. Spend some time with Joyce.”
She nodded. “Like I said, I don’t mind spending time with Joyce. I do mind you thinking you’re going to follow me to work next week.”
Were they ever going to see reason?
“We can revisit the topic later,” Sawyer said as someone knocked on the door.
Amanda seethed. They’d made this plan without consulting her at all, obviously. And then they’d given her about thirty seconds notice.
Joyce came in with a huge smile and headed straight toward Amanda. “Amanda, so nice to have a chance to finally sit down with you.”
Amanda rounded the table and put her most pleasant I’ll-kill-my-mates-later face on to greet Sawyer’s mom. “Yes. Thanks for coming over.” She pointed toward the living room. “Let’s sit.”
“Do you want anything, Mom?” Sawyer asked. “Coffee?”
Joyce waved him away. “No thanks. I’m good.”
Sawyer leaned over Amanda and kissed the top of her head as she lowered herself into one of the black leather chairs. Logan did the same behind him, and then they both left.
“They blindsided you, didn’t they?” Joyce asked, eyeing the door skeptically.
“Yes. I’m getting used to it.”
“Don’t let them bully you.” She smiled warmly from her spot on the couch. “They sometimes forget they need to treat a human mate differently from a shifter. You’ll start to pick up on a lot of the nuances of our world, but you’ll never have the same level of ability to read a situation as them, unfortunately. And you’ll never be able to block your thoughts as well as them.”
Amanda sighed. “Great.”
“Don’t worry. Keep putting them in their place, and eventually they’ll come around. Even female shifters go through a learning curve when they mate, and I can’t begin to imagine how that is multiplied by mating two men. I only have one man to deal with. That’s enough for me.” She shuddered intentionally.
Amanda chuckled. She was going to love Joyce. And it wasn’t Joyce’s fault her son failed to mention her arrival until the last second. No need to punish her.
“So tell me about your job. Sawyer said you start Monday. Something about researching the effects of racial separation at the junior college.”
“Yep. That sums it up in a nutshell. I’m looking forward to it. I know they’re both worried about retaliation, though. Do you think it’s warranted?”
Joyce nodded. “To a certain extent. You’ll be surprised by how many people in this area are still intent on keeping the races from mixing. The majority simply frown upon it and keep it to themselves, but there’s always a vocal few who protest and piss and moan all the time. You’ll find that on both sides.”
“It’s so complicated. And it’s too bad I can’t detect who’s a shifter and who’s not. That gives me the heebie jeebies every time I leave the house.”
“Yeah, that is a nuisance, especially since any shifter has a leg up on you now that they can scent you are mated, but they don’t necessarily let you know that. Or often, if you’re in public, they can’t.”
“It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“Anyway,” Joyce continued, “I wanted you to know I’m involved in this issue myself. I don’t know how much Sawyer told you, but when I met my mate, Gene, almost thirty years ago, I was forced to leave the reservation by the elders of our tribe who were intent on keeping the line pure. My mate is white.
“It didn’t matter to anyone that we don’t choose our mates. Fate chooses them, and I could no more have left him than cut my own arm off. I was still banished without permission to even inform my parents, who were left to raise my twins after my disappearance. It was the only way I could save their lives.”
Amanda gasped. “God. That’s awful.”
“Horrific. Yes. When the last of the old generation of elders died, I finally returned with my mate. Our three children are half siblings to Melinda and Miles.”
“Right. I’m trying to get everyone straight, but there are so many of you.”
Joyce chuckled. “I understand. Don’t worry. Eventually it will all come together. Anyway, times have not changed entirely in three decades. There are still many folks who would like to see segregation remain alive and well.
“And to make things more complicated, there are plenty of shifters who don’t like to see us mate with non-shifters. And then you have to add the shifters who don’t want to see groups of three mating together.”
“Geez. It’s so messed up.”
“Yes. It is.”
“I don’t understand how any shifter can stand in judgment of who another mates with since it’s fated and they know it.”
“Think of it like this: it’s the same thing as heterosexuals standing in judgment of homosexuals in any society. Those who are attracted to the opposite sex fail to recognize that they were in a sense fated to that lifestyle, and they refuse to acknowledge that perhaps someone else is fated to a different lifestyle.
“So the shifters who are in a relationship with another shifter of their same race have twi
sted their minds to the extent that they believe those who choose to mate outside of the pack must have done so in complete disregard for the laws of nature. Many such individuals are unwilling to see reason on the topic.”
“Makes sense. What a shame.”
“It is. And over time, what’s right will prevail. Let’s hope your work for the college will help move us quicker in that direction.
“I’ve organized a women’s group where I’m already working on this issue among Native American shifters. I’m trying to get the older generations to see reason and stop perpetuating the younger generations to maintain the belief that we should mate only within our pack, with a member of the opposite sex, and only one of them.
“It’s a tough road, but I’m making headway, and I’ll be happy to help you out any way I can. I’ve been working with mostly older women, and I know you’ll be tackling the young children and their parents, but I’m sure there will be times we can help each other out.”
“Sounds good.” What Amanda was really excited about was having someone she could go to who would listen and provide advice, especially now that she knew she was up against a challenge far greater than the one proposed by Lucy Burnhart.
There was little chance her new boss was a shifter. Logan had informed her there were far fewer Caucasian shifters in the area than there were Native Americans. The Natives had been there for centuries. Most of the whites were transplants from other areas of the country, including the Masters, who were from Oregon originally.
A knock at the door had Amanda glancing up. “Did Sawyer invite anyone else to come help babysit me?” Amanda joked as she stood and padded across the room.
She peeked through the peephole to find Mary standing outside. When she whipped the door open, she beamed. “Hey. What are you doing here in the middle of the morning?” She opened the door wider. “Come in.”
Mary stepped inside and hugged Amanda for a few seconds. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had company.”
Joyce rose and stepped their direction.
“This is Joyce Hamilton. Sawyer’s mom.”
Amanda's Wolves Page 25
