Now she just had to figure out what to do about it.
Chapter Twelve
They weren’t Talons yet, but Bram knew it was only a matter of time. And because of that, he would listen to what Gideon had to say and take each word in measure.
It had only been a day since Bram had created a mating bond with both Shane and Charlotte, but they were already doing their best to find a way to make things work.
Bram had honestly thought they’d wake up in the morning and find themselves Talons, or perhaps even find Shane a Redwood. But that hadn’t happened. Instead, Shane remained a Talon Pack member, while Bram and Charlotte were still Redwoods. It wasn’t exactly how things went for most of the other wolves that mated across Pack lines, but their triad mating was anything but usual.
Soon they’d have to make a choice, but he had a feeling they would end up Talons anyway. Gideon was sure that Shane could never break from the Talons now, and had said as much when they’d shown up at the Alpha’s house that morning. And because Bram trusted Gideon, almost as much as he trusted his own Alpha, he knew soon he and Charlotte would have to take that plunge.
In all honesty, it wasn’t a choice at all, and that was something he’d have to get used to.
Everything was far messier, far more out of sync than most matings. “Anything worth doing is hard,” his mother had used to say when he was a pup. And though he could barely remember the sound of her voice, he could still hear those words.
He pushed away the sadness that came with thinking of his mother and father, and focused on the Talon Alpha in front of him. His parents were long gone, and he’d mourned for them. Now it was time for him to find his new path with two wolves he’d never seen coming.
Charlotte was out on patrol with the Talons, not the Redwoods. Kade had thought it would be a good idea for her to learn to work with the new wolves. Bram had never been prouder. She was such a fast wolf, such a fantastic dominant female, but it was hard for her to look beyond her past to see that. It wasn’t his role to show her how brilliant she was, however. That had to be all her. He could nudge her a bit, of course, and he had been trying to do that for years.
Hopefully, a new Pack who hadn’t seen her as she was as a child would help. While the Redwoods had never treated her differently, she had felt it anyway because of the pressure she put on herself.
Now, Bram and Shane stood with Gideon in his home to talk about what would come next. It was all a little surreal, but he wouldn’t be who he was if he couldn’t roll with the punches.
“We still have the three wolves who attacked you in custody,” Gideon was saying. “Kameron has his people on guard.” Gideon frowned. “I know others want me to call a Pack circle to decide what to do, but I don’t think that would be good for the Pack moral. However, these wolves betrayed us, betrayed you. So I’m going to take your input into consideration, Shane.”
Bram’s eyes widened. While Kade listened to his wolves, for some reason, Bram had always thought Gideon was a little more of a dictator than his Alpha. It seemed Bram had been wrong, and for that, he was very thankful.
Shane ran a hand over his face, and Bram put his hand on the other man’s knee. Gideon didn’t look surprised at the display of affection. The other man would clearly be able to see the mating marks at the collars of their shirts, scent them all over each other, and feel the bond between them. Bram knew all three of them—him, Shane, and Charlotte—were so blatantly into each other that even the weakest wolf would be able to tell at the moment.
“I don’t know the options here,” Shane said bluntly. “I think everyone is forgetting that I was a human man in the military less than a month ago.”
Hell, had it only been that long? That was crazy.
“Fair enough,” Gideon said after a moment. “For what they’ve done, they could be put to death. We can shun then from the Pack, break the bonds that make them Talon. We could lower their ranking within the Pack itself and force them to work up through the system over time like they did their entire adult lives. There are a few other options, but those are the main three.” Gideon paused. “The main three that I’m willing to do right now.”
Bram breathed in through his nose, letting the scent of Alpha and Shane roll over him. This would be Shane's and Gideon’s decision, but Bram would be here no matter what happened.
“They thought I was the enemy when they came after me,” Shane began. “They didn’t know the truth, and while they should have trusted you and your word, they were scared. So, yeah, they need to learn the chain of command and maintain that, but killing them or pushing them out into the world without a bond during the unrest we have outside the wards right now seems cruel.”
Gideon’s shoulders relaxed marginally. If Bram hadn’t been watching the other man, he would have missed it. It seemed Shane had passed some sort of test, or rather; the Alpha was pleased with Shane’s words.
“You’re thinking the same as I am, then,” Gideon said, confirming Bram’s thoughts. “Pull their ranks and make them work for it.”
“I also want to show them that I’m not the enemy,” Shane said earnestly. “I want to show all of you. I need to pull my weight.”
Gideon studied the other man. “You will. You already have with what you’ve given us. We’re still waiting on retaliation and what McMaster might do on the other end, but for now, we’re training and keeping our people safe.”
“It’s not enough, though. I need to feel like I have a purpose.”
“Then train with Bram, train with the Talons. And let’s see what your wolf can do. Once we figure that out, we can see where you fit, and what role you’ll play in the grander scheme of things. Breathe, Shane. You’ve been wolf for all but a day, and you have two new mates that need to know you, as well. We’ll be here when you’re on your feet. Now, go take time to see who you are. I have another meeting with one of our wolves in Washington, and then one with the Aspen Pack.”
And with that, they were dismissed.
“The Aspen Pack?” Shane asked as they made their way back to the house. Only Shane lived there for now, but Bram had a feeling soon, all three would be staying there. That meant they would have to make it a home, not just a place to sleep.
Bram cleared his throat, focusing on Shane’s question. “It’s another Pack on this side of the country.” He frowned as they walked inside the house, closing the door behind them. “I don’t know much about them other than they’re even more secretive than we are and kind of assholes.”
Shane chuckled roughly. “I guess the same could be said about you guys from an outsider’s perspective.”
Bram tilted his head and growled. “Watch it, soldier. You’re one of us now.”
The puzzled look on Shane’s face turned to a bright smile. “Yeah, I guess I am.” The other man’s eyes darkened, and he licked his lips. “And since we’re alone…”
Bram barked out a laugh. “I’m thinking this new body of yours is showing you just how much stamina you have.”
“My turn.” That was all Shane said before the other man crushed his mouth to Bram’s.
Bram growled low, biting and kissing, even as they both tore each other’s clothes off. This would be no sweet and simple mating. This would be teeth and heat and claws. He wanted to hurt, wanted to feel the other man deep inside him even as he begged for release.
Shane looked down at his hands as he tore his mouth away, his eyes wide. “Fuck. They’re claws.”
It was just his fingertips, but that was enough to tell Bram that Shane needed to cool down a bit while he learned control. The fact that Shane had only shifted his fingertips and not anything else during the crazed passion told Bram that Shane’s wolf was going to be as strong as hell.
Maybe Gideon and Kade were right, and there were stronger wolves now than there had been before because there was a reason for it.
“Breathe and picture yourself pulling your claws in. You can do this, Shane. You’re in control.”
&nb
sp; Shane kept his gaze on Bram and focused. Soon, the claws were gone and in their place were two fists stiff with tension. Bram sighed and cupped the back of Shane’s head, kissing him gently. Perhaps this wasn’t the time for something rough.
Seeming to know where Bram’s thoughts were going, Shane nipped at his lip. “Don’t go soft on me.” The other man cupped Bram, and a wicked gleam filled his eyes. “Okay, maybe you’re not too soft, but don’t be gentle. I’m learning. I’ve got this.”
Bram inhaled deeply, letting the heady scent of Shane and his wolf wash over him. Bram could handle Shane, even if the other man lost control, and Shane was right—he needed to practice restraint.
And if both of them got off in the process, well, that was just fucking fantastic.
Bram went to his knees and licked his lips. “I’m going to make you come, but you can’t let your claws come out. When you have more control, you can have them slide out during sex, but for now, you need to rein it in.” They were already naked, and Shane’s cock was hard, long, and thick. Bram stroked him once before licking the tip. “Can you do that?”
Shane slid his hand over Bram’s head. “If you keep looking at me like that with my dick in your mouth, then, yeah, I’ll be able to keep my claws in because I’m going to come in like two seconds.”
Bram liked the sound of that and swallowed the man whole. He cupped Shane’s balls, rolling them in his hand as he bobbed his head. And when the other man moaned, he used his free hand to reach around and rub Shane’s prostate. There wasn’t any lube around, so his saliva was going to have to do. But from the way Shane stiffened before coming down Bram’s throat, it hadn’t been an issue.
Bram’s cock ached, and he needed to come, but he wasn’t sure either of them was ready to go farther than they had just then. Shane was a little too close to his wolf, and they’d made love the night before. Though wolves could heal quickly, he didn’t know how sore Shane was, and Bram wasn’t sure Shane had the energy to fuck him like he needed him to.
The choice, however, was out of his hands when Shane slid to the floor, kissed Bram hard, and forced him to his back.
“I’ll fuck you tonight,” Shane said with a grin. “But for now, I need you in my mouth.”
Bram groaned, sliding his hands through Bram’s hair as Shane went down on him. The other man had a wicked tongue, and before he knew it, he was coming.
Sweaty and sated, the two of them ended up naked, wrapped around one another on the hardwood floor. They probably should have moved to a bed or even the couch, but Bram was too wrung out to care.
When a very sweet scent hit his nose, he smiled.
“I see you two have been busy,” Charlotte said with a smile. “Can I join in?”
Bram looked over at Shane, who grinned. “I guess I’m not too tired, after all.”
He knew that soon, their mating wouldn’t only be about sex, and hell, it wasn’t now. But their mating heat rode them hard, and he was so fucking happy to have the two of him in his arms, he could freely push thoughts of the uncertainty surrounding them out of his mind.
The real world would intrude soon enough, but for now, he could relax…for now, he could be Bram.
****
Shane stood with Charlotte near the Alpha’s home, breathing in and out. She wanted him to learn how to bring his wolf close to the surface without shifting, and stay in control, and it wasn’t easy. Bram was with the Redwoods, working his shift. They weren’t sure how long he’d be an enforcer there, but he would still be doing his duty for as long as possible. Gideon was in and out of the house, working on a million things, but Charlotte had wanted the two of them close to the Alpha, just in case.
While she was Shane’s mate, she wasn’t his Packmate yet, and according to her, things could get tricky.
And he’d rather kill himself than hurt her because of his lack of control. Yet other than that one time with Bram and his claws, he was doing pretty well according to the others. He supposed he had to take that and run with it since he didn’t quite feel like he was landing on his feet yet.
“You doing okay?” Charlotte asked. She slid her hand into his, and Shane smiled.
“Yeah, but with you so close and all bitable, I kind of want to forget the breathing I’m doing here and do some heavy breathing instead.”
Charlotte winced. “That was…well, I don’t know what that was, but that wasn’t a line.”
Shane wiped his mouth with his hand and tried to look chagrined. “Yeah, not one of my best.”
“Just do better next time, and I’ll give you a blowjob.”
She said it so deadpan that it took a moment for the words to register. Shane threw his head back and laughed. He was falling for this woman, just as much as he was falling for Bram. It wasn’t the bond that made him fall either. It was who they were, and how they fit with him. He’d known from the moment they’d walked into the infirmary room that they were different.
And now he knew why.
“What’s so funny?” Gideon asked as he strolled toward them.
Shane was about to answer when he heard something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but a sense of knowing slid over him. He jumped pulling both Charlotte and Gideon to the ground.
The explosion shocked the sky, the wards above them radiating a kaleidoscope of colors as they burned away the remnants of the bomb that had been thrown at them. But as Shane looked up, he knew that wouldn’t be the end of it. Small cracks were forming in the wards. Not large enough to do anything at the moment, but those cracks would grow, and the wards would fall.
And then there would be nowhere safe for the wolves.
Gideon pushed him off, as did Charlotte, and the two of them stood. “You two okay?” Gideon growled.
“Yes,” they both answered.
“Good. Now don’t fucking risk your life for me again,” Gideon growled.
“You’re the Alpha,” Shane growled right back. “If you die, our Pack might not make it. And they know that. I’m not going to let you die on my watch.”
Something came and went in Gideon’s eyes, and the other man nodded. Before he could say anything else, other wolves ran toward him—the Alpha’s lieutenants. Each of them gave Shane a look he couldn’t interpret, but he didn’t think it was a bad thing, so he didn’t respond other than to take Charlotte’s hand in his.
“What happened?” Gideon asked. “And find our witches. See if they can help heal the cracks. Call the Redwoods and make sure they’re okay.”
Charlotte let out a little gasp. “I need to call my parents.”
Gideon looked over at them. “Go, and report back to me.”
Charlotte stiffened but didn’t meet the Alpha’s gaze. Gideon was full-on Alpha right now, but at the moment, he wasn’t her Alpha. Shane wasn’t sure exactly what that all meant, but he figured it had to be complicated.
“A helicopter flew over low and dropped a bomb on us,” Kameron said as he stomped toward them. “They had to know they weren’t going to take us out, but the point is, they knew where we were. And the fact that none of the guys in Washington warned us speaks volumes.”
Gideon cursed.
“That means it was Montag,” Shane added in, ignoring the way the others looked at him. He couldn’t tell if they thought he was one of theirs or still the enemy, but he was past waiting on the sidelines. He would help any way he could. “If those wolves you have on the inside didn’t now, then it wasn’t a government operation. Montag is working outside the system, and he’s fucking crazy. This is all him.”
“Then it’s retaliation.” Gideon rubbed at his jaw and narrowed his eyes. “But it’s not the end of it. This was just a test.”
“So it seems.” Kameron rolled his shoulders. “Ryder and Mitchell are out making sure everyone is okay, and Walker is ready to deal with any injuries. For now, it looks like it was just a loud explosion, but something else could be coming at any moment.”
“Be on alert,” Gideon ordered everyone within hearin
g distance. “This could be just the beginning.”
But after four hours, they knew it had only been a test in a long game that no one wanted to play. Shane sank down in the tub fit for four and closed his eyes. His body hurt from shifting, nearly dying, and throwing his body around like he had. He was almost up to full strength, but he wasn’t exactly there yet. Thank God he’d been in top shape before all of this had happened. If he hadn’t been, he was sure he wouldn’t be where he was now.
After they’d been on high alert for so long, Gideon had ordered Charlotte and Shane to rest. Bram was still with the Redwoods and would be for the night, leaving Shane and Charlotte by themselves. The Redwoods, thankfully, hadn’t been attacked. Only the Talons. Only where Shane was now. That had to mean something, but Shane was too tired to think about it.
Of course, when Charlotte walked into the bathroom, naked, curvy, and fucking sexy as hell, Shane figured he wasn’t too tired for everything.
Her hair covered her breasts, but her nipples peeked out from beneath the long waves. He loved her body, the way her hips flared out and her nipples went from a light brown to an even darker color when she was aroused. After he and Bram had sucked on them for hours, they turned even duskier.
Her breasts overfilled his hands, and he knew he’d never stop wanting to lick and bite every inch of her. He loved her ass, how it was firm but also round and perfect for his grip when he pounded into her.
He let out a groan, unable to hold it back and squeezed the base of his dick. “You’re so fucking sexy, Charlotte.”
She smiled at him then before cupping her breasts. “Oh, really?”
He licked his lips before slowly sliding his hand up and down his cock. He hadn’t added any bubbles or shit to the water so she could see exactly what he was doing.
“Come closer but keep playing with your tits.” She did as he ordered, and he lifted one hand out of the water. “Pinch your nipples. That’s right. Do it hard and imagine it’s me and Bram, taking turns, seeing who can make you come first.”
Wolf Betrayed Page 15
