by L. Rose
I paused outside the door and glanced back. “I think it had something to do with being hungry and stressed, sweetheart.”
“I’ll need to be on top of it then since my new job is very stressful.”
“That, and I’m sure your mates can help you stress less.” I winked and opened the door, but I didn’t miss the smile, a real one, coming over Paige. I loved seeing her smile, especially when I felt her love shining through the devastation and worry. I grabbed some meat off the hook and took it back out to Paige, glad to see her still in a lighter mood. I hoped, with the help of some food, she might get some sleep.
As I cut off some human flesh and placed it in bowls, I asked, “How’s Eric liking his job?”
She laughed, her eyes never straying from the bowl. “I never knew how much of a nerd he is. He’s having the time of his life taking over the role of investment manager.” She grinned warmly. “Thank you for helping him find it.”
“My pleasure,” I said, pushing the bowl and fork her way. On the first mouthful, she moaned in the back of her throat, and my cock thickened. To distract myself, I took my own forkful, only I should have looked away from Paige to be distracted because she was too seductive. Her eyes had fluttered closed. She licked her lips after each bite, and she moved around in her seat like she was riding a dick.
My cock throbbed. I’d wanted to be inside her since the last time. Even a couple of times a day, but after everything that had happened, I hadn’t made a move in that area. She’d been grieving, and I would have been the biggest jerk if I’d started something.
Closing my eyes, I clenched my jaw and scolded myself. My poor mate was starving, and all I could do was think about sliding into her. How wet, soft, tight and inviting she would be.
“Thorn,” Paige called softly. I opened my eyes to her. “Would it be wrong if you fucked me on the countertop where people made their meals?”
My fork clattered to the floor, and just as I made a move around the bench, the door to the kitchen opened. Michael and his very pregnant wife, Leona, walked in, laughing about something. They froze and slammed their mouths closed when they spotted us.
All desire in the room fell away.
“It’s all right. Come in,” I offered with a smile and a wave.
Paige shoved the last of the meat into her mouth, making her look like a chipmunk with how big her cheeks were as she chewed wildly while the couple slowly made their way over to us.
Was she ashamed of what she was or just what she ate?
It was something I would ask when it was just the two of us. Then I’d reassure her it was natural and no one in our community cared. If they did, they wouldn’t have followed the former queen in the first place.
I moved in beside Paige and wound an arm around her waist. She shivered at my touch, which caused me to smile.
Once they were close enough, they bowed, Michael helping his wife bend. “My queen,” they said together. Paige shook her head and stepped up to them. She reached out and assisted Leona to stand. Only the woman was so shocked by it she gasped, her knees wobbled, and Michael had to pick her up in his arms.
Paige rushed over and grabbed a chair. “Here, sit her here.”
Michael helped Leona into it, but all Leona could do was stare up at Paige in awe. Paige smiled down at her, asking, “How’s everything going?”
Leona opened her mouth, then snapped it closed before she made a noise. Michael chuckled while I watched on with a grin. Finally, Michael came to his wife’s rescue and said, “We must thank you again, Your Majesty, for the doctor and for allowing us to stay within the castle walls.”
“It’s not a problem. I like to have my advisers close, so thank you for moving in.”
Leona cleared her throat, then whispered, “It’s been many, many decades since shifters were seen as more than dirt under others’ shoes. There’s never enough thank-yous we could give for the things you’ve done.”
Paige shrugged. “I can’t understand how that happened, why shifters were seen as lesser beings to the rest of the supernatural community. But I’m glad I can be a part of helping others to see shifters are important as well. Even if it’s within these walls.”
“For now,” I added.
Paige smiled over at me before glancing back down at Leona. Paige’s hand fluttered out toward the horse shifter. “Is everything all right with the baby?”
Paige’s features softened even more. I’d seen her with her niece and nephew, she loved children, and it had me wondering if there would ever be a time or a way she could eventually have her own. As far as I knew, even with her queen power, she’d be unable to get pregnant. The knowledge saddened me because she would be a great mother.
However, the former queen had only ever been with her own species, and ghouls were infertile, much like vampires. But our queen, our mate, had a shifter and a mage whose bodies were alive. Could it happen then? I enjoyed the thought of Paige pregnant too much. We were her family; we all would care for any child as our own, no matter its race. It was something I needed to find out.
“Yes, she’s happy and healthy. Ready to see the world any day now,” Michael said proudly. Leona smiled up at him warmly while rubbing her belly. “We came down for a snack since it seems Little Miss is in need of chocolate cake.”
Paige laughed lightly. “Chocolate cake sounds good to me.”
“I’ll see if I can find any,” I told her.
“Thank you,” she replied. Just as she was about to look my way, Leona took her hand. Paige’s gaze snapped back down to her as Leona placed their hands over her belly. Paige melted. I’d never seen that look on her face or the one where it brightened blissfully as she giggled out, “She kicked.”
Yes, I had to find out if our queen could have children. I knew it wasn’t the time for it yet, but I prayed that things would eventually settle.
“You feed off me. Not him today,” Nate stated as the door to the office closed after Thorn took Paige out. I knew Thorn would be able to help Paige in the way she needed. There would also be guards following their every move, so I stayed back and arched my brow at Nate.
“Nate,” Alex scolded. “I can help Asher out.”
“No,” he snarled. He strode right up to me, tilted his head to the side, and ordered, “Fucking eat.” I glanced over at Alex, who looked irritated, his nostrils flaring, yet his eyes told me he found the protectiveness sweet.
I glanced back down to Nate’s neck, the pulse ticking away under the skin. He’d never offered me his blood before. Was he only doing it now so I wouldn’t get close to Alex? Had his wolf truly claimed Alex as a mate?
“We should talk about this.”
He grabbed my arms, tugged me closer, and barked, “Another day. Just eat and hurry the fuck up before—”
My fangs dropped just before I embedded them into Nate’s neck. On the first pull of his blood, as it touched my tongue, I moaned around the rich, earthy, yet tangy taste. Nate held me tighter, and his warm breath fanned over my shoulder and onto my skin where my shirt folded open. When his hands dropped to my hips, I placed a hand on the opposite side of Nate’s neck and the other at his waist, dragging him close so he was flush against me. Nate’s wolf woke, and he growled. His hands on my hips squeezed painfully. The wolf was uncertain about me taking his blood, and his damn mouth was close to my throat; he could easily rip it out. I needed to stop feeding, but I enjoyed his taste too much. Just like it had been hard for me to stop feeding from Alex for the first time.
Another growl rumbled out of him. I opened my eyes as they bled to green and saw Alex stepping up behind Nate.
“It’s all right. You’re all right,” he cooed into Nate’s shoulder, the same side as I drank from so our eyes held each other’s. I felt Alex’s hands on Nate’s sides as they ran up and down gently, softly, reassuringly. “You’re fine,” he whispered and kissed Nate’s shoulder.
Since I held Nate close, I felt the first stir of his cock thickening.
&nb
sp; Christ.
My own dick responded. After another hard pull of his blood, where I savored his taste, I withdrew my fangs and straightened. Stepping back, I watched as Nate lifted his head. His nostrils flared. A moment later, he gripped Alex’s hand at his side and dragged it around to his front, then down to run over his length behind his jeans.
Fuck.
I’d been with many men and women. Though, it had been many years since I’d desired for two men together. Until then. Witnessing Nate’s dark gaze and Alex’s heated one had me wanting to see them naked together. Where I may even join in on the fun. I hadn’t been turned on in so long, except for the first night with Paige. She could draw my cock hard in an instant. It seemed watching my two brothers-in-arms touch each other could also have my cock rock-hard as well.
Never would I have thought I’d see this or feel it.
“Leave, Asher,” Nate bit out.
“No,” I clipped back quickly just as Alex undid the button to Nate’s jeans and slowly lowered his zip.
Then the door burst open, and in it stood Gregory, blood dripping from his forehead. “Help, please.”
Nate did his jeans up, and we all faced Gregory. “What happened?” I demanded.
He stumbled in. “Please, come with me. Help. Please.”
Alex was the first to move toward him. “Tell us on the way,” he said. Gregory nodded. He was out the door, running in seconds. Alex followed. I glanced at Nate, whose jaw was clenched before he took off after his claimed mate. I raced after them.
Nate and I caught up easily and heard, “The pack found us. He was going to leave for me, come here, but they won’t let him. He got me away before they got him.”
“Who?”
“My mate. My love. Jessup.”
Nate stumbled. “Jessup? But he’s the alpha of the wolf pack. He has a mate. They have that fuckhead of a son. How is he your mate?”
Gregory shook his head. “The woman is the female alpha who joined with Jessup, but they aren’t mates. Hers died. Jessup’s brother. They came together to conceive, and that was it. He’s mine. I’m his. No one knew until now. I messed up…. I shouldn’t have gone there and pushed him; they don’t accept it. They’ll kill him.”
When we’d first arrived, we’d had an altercation with the local wolf pack. Nate had accepted the challenge to fight Fenris, Jessup’s son, to claim Paige. If he hadn’t, Fenris was willing to fight anyone to prove he had the strength to stand at Paige’s side and rule the people.
He was a bad seed, and Nate had even told me Fenris’s own parents warned that if Fenris won, it wouldn’t be good. So it wasn’t hard to guess who would be behind the attack on the alpha when they found him with a man for a mate.
“You might have to move up the challenge,” I told Nate.
“With fucking pleasure, but I’m not becoming their alpha,” he replied as we ran by the kitchens. Paige stepped out. “Fuck,” Nate cursed.
“What’s going on?” she called, her eyes wide in alarm.
“Keep going. I’ll be there shortly,” I informed Nate. I wound back to Paige and Thorn. Four guards stood back from them. “Jessup, the wolf alpha, is in trouble. We’re—”
“Let’s go,” Paige said and took off after Nate and the others.
“Christ,” I clipped. “Stay close to her,” I ordered the guards, and they followed Paige quickly. I looked at Thorn. “Nate may have to challenge Fenris early. If she’s there for it…”
“It could be a shitstorm,” he finished. We both rushed out the doors. The people who were still awake watched as we flew by them. “Is Alex there? He might be able to put her in a bubble like before,” Thorn suggested.
I nodded. “It’s an idea.” And probably the best one, because if the challenge went ahead and Paige saw Nate in trouble, she could break all the laws of the challenge and probably break a few extra bones along the way. “Although, we may have to watch Alex too.”
Understanding dawned on Thorn’s face. “That’s true. Let’s see how it goes. I might call in more guards.”
“Could be good.”
Thorn and I stopped behind Paige in the woods just as she asked, “Gregory, what are you doing here?” She gasped when he faced her. “You’re bleeding? Why are you bleeding? Who do I need to hurt? No one makes you bleed. You feed me, take care of us, make our beds.”
Jesus. The things that came out of her mouth could have me bursting with laughter, but it wasn’t the moment to do so.
“I’m fine, my queen, but it’s Jessup who is not.”
“How? Why? And how do you know?”
Gregory glanced from Alex to Nate and then me. I shook my head and said, “She doesn’t know yet.”
He bowed his head and met Paige’s gaze. “I’ve only recently discovered Jessup is my mate. The pack as a whole doesn’t know. But a few have discovered the truth, and a few don’t approve. He wanted to keep me safe until he could change things…. N-Now they’re making him pay for being with a man. He got me away, but he needs help.”
Paige opened her mouth, but Nate spoke first. “Jessup isn’t mated to the woman. They’re the alpha couple, but she was mated to his brother. They only came together to have a kid.”
Paige nodded, then clapped her hands and said, “Right, let’s go save Jessup and kick some bigotry ass while we’re at it.” She started forward until Alex grabbed her arm gently.
She glanced at him, and he told her, “I’m sorry, Paige. I do enjoy seeing you kick ass”—a few of the guards chuckled—“but Nate will have to take point on this mission. It’s a wolf pack we’re dealing with, and Nate being, well, a wolf, he’ll be better at sorting it.”
She nodded and curled her arms around Alex’s waist. Of course, he blushed, gazing down at her like she was the treasured prize she was. “You’re right.” She stepped back and took his hand. “I’ll hold myself back.”
Nate snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
She glared over at him. “You say shit like that and I won’t.” She glanced at her guards. “Sorry, I’m not acting very queen-like.”
They bowed, and one said, “You be whomever you wish when you want, and we will follow you, my queen.”
Tenderness bloomed inside of her and shone out. I knew Thorn would be feeling the same. “Thank you.” She smiled.
“Please, my queen, may we move forward?” Gregory asked. Fear had his body twitching.
“Of course. Lead the way, Nate.”
Nate grunted and took point. I followed behind him to his left and Thorn to his right. Gregory stepped up behind us, then Paige and Alex, swinging their joined hands. After them, the guards joined the line. Only one had his eyes on my mate’s ass. When I let out a hiss, all eyes shot to me, and when the guard saw I was directing my glowing eyes on him, he blanched. There was his one chance. If I caught him ogling her again, I would make him pay in pain. He nodded as if reading my thoughts. Good.
Turning back around, we rushed through another couple of miles before we stepped into a clearing that held at least thirty cabins scattered here and there. I hadn’t understood why the wolf shifters kept to themselves in this area when all the other shifters lived in the village behind the castle. That was until Thorn had explained that the former queen allowed the wolves their own area because of their large group, as long as they swore their allegiance to her.
Passing a few cabins, we entered the open space where we found Jessup strung up by his arms to a pole in the middle.
Gregory cried out. He made a run for Jessup, but Paige grabbed him and held him close. “Not yet,” she said. “It’s all right,” she added, patting his back.
Upon Gregory’s cry, Jessup slowly pulled his head up. There wasn’t a part of his face that didn’t look cracked, bruised, or bloodied.
He was alpha, the strongest of them all… how had this happened?
My answer came when five shifters, in their human form, stepped out from between the cabins. The one at the front was Fenris.
/> “You dare come onto pack land without an invite?” Fenris snarled, his upper lip raised.
Nate stepped forward. “We had concerns for the alpha. We came to help. No invitation needed.”
“I’m alpha now.” His gaze flicked to Paige, and he licked his lips. “And soon to be king by your side. We’ll rule well together.”
Paige opened her mouth to respond, but I caught Alex tightening his hold on her waist and she snapped her mouth closed. Instead, she just glared Fenris’s way.
“Do not fucking look at her,” Nate growled.
Fenris tensed. “Do not fucking come on my lands and talk to me that way. I’m alpha here. I’ll deal with you in the challenge.”
“How did you become alpha?” Nate nodded to Jessup, who’s head had dropped back down, but his eyes stayed half open and on the ground while he listened. “Jessup isn’t dead, or did he step down?” Nate questioned.
Fenris spat to the side. “He’s filth. He’s no alpha.”
“So he stepped down?”
Fenris’s jaw clenched.
“They were going to kill him in the morning” came a voice. The alpha female stepped out.
“Mom, get the fuck inside,” Fenris clipped.
“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me, boy. You disgrace our ways. You do this to your father—”
“He’s no father of mine,” he roared.
She shook her head. “You disappoint me. Disappoint the pack. There was no fair fight. You all took Jessup to the ground when you caught him and beat him senseless, then strung him up to make anyone too scared to go against you and your ways.” Her eyes moved to Paige. “Times are changing.”
“Not in this pack,” Fenris yelled. “Fine, you want a fair fight? Release him and I’ll rip his throat out.”
She laughed humorlessly. “You would fight a man in his condition? Pathetic.”
“Have care, Mother,” he warned. Other shifters, some in their wolf form, some human, emerged from inside the cabins.
“Or what? You’ll fight me? You’ll beat me? Because you want power, you want to be alpha and have the pack fear you instead of leading it with love, happiness, and an iron fist? When has Jessup steered the pack wrong? He hasn’t been challenged in decades.”
