by Becca Van
“Mari, I’m going to leave you in these men’s capable hands. I still have a lot of loose ends to tie up for the wedding.”
“I don’t—”
“Primrose!” Palmer yelled just before he came storming inside. He rushed over to Primrose’s side before taking both her hands into his. “How many times do I have to tell you that you need to tell me, Edison, or Barrett where you’re going to be?”
“Don’t you take that tone with me, Palmer Vargas. You knew perfectly well where I was.”
“You’re ours to protect, baby. You know I hate it when you go off without one of us by your side.”
“Oh, puh-leez. I’m on pack land. How could it be dangerous?”
Sin's shoulders tensed and he glanced over at Mari to see if she'd noticed Prim's slip but she was too absorbed watching her friend, and from the look on Mari's face, she was shocked at the way Prim was standing up to Palmer. If he hadn't been so worried about her picking up on the words that had been used, he would have laughed out loud at the incredulous look on Mari's face. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was gaping slightly.
He moved to the opposite end of the sofa when Palmer had rushed into the room, so he had the advantage of seeing everyone, but especially Mari and her reactions. He’d been going to warn the other wolf that she was here, but of course that wasn’t necessary. Palmer had sniffed the air and glanced Marigold’s way before moving closer to his mate.
However, Sin hadn’t been able to temper what any of them said, and since no one was used to having humans amongst them, caution seemed to sort of fly out the window. He just hoped that Mari hadn’t picked up on a couple of words that wouldn’t normally be used in conversations.
“Did you find her?” Barrett’s loud voice preceded his entrance, his eyes immediately lighting on Prim. “Damn it, Prim. I should haul you back home and spank that delectable ass.”
Sin cringed when he looked at Marigold and saw the anger on her face. She pushed up to her good foot, slapping at Michael’s hand when he tried to grab her wrist and pull her back down.
“What the fuck is going on?” Mari yelled as she took a step toward Primrose. Her injured leg wouldn’t hold her and she gasped in pain.
Sin moved fast and snagged her around the waist before she could fall to the floor, and then he lifted her up into his arms and carried her back toward the sofa.
When he glanced down at her, her mouth was hanging open and she was looking at him with shock. Sin frowned. He hadn’t said anything that would put that look on her face. It took him a few moments to realize the total silence in the room, and then it hit him. He’d used his wolf to get to her, and she must have seen him move impossibly fast to get to her before she fell flat on her ass.
Damn it to fucking hell. He’d just fucked up big time.
Prim tugged her hands from Palmer’s before shoving Barrett in the chest and walked over to Mari. Sin sat on the sofa, but instead of putting her on the cushion beside him, he placed her ass in his lap. He loved the way she felt in his arms and the scent of her apple-cinnamon-perfumed body. His wolf must have liked it, too, because he was pushing at him to claim his mate. It was really hard to control his animal when saliva pooled in his mouth as if he were already tasting her delectable skin.
“Ah, Mari…I have three men.” Prim’s face went from pale to pink and back to pale as she looked at her friend.
“Y–you have…Three?” Mari’s voice came out husky with bewilderment.
“Yes.” Prim nudged Michael, and Sin was glad his brother took the hint and let her sit next to him and their woman.
“How…Why…” Mari snapped her teeth with an audible click.
Prim’s arms crossed beneath her breasts in a defensive move as she stared at Mari. “Do you think I’m a slut now?”
“What? No.”
Sin’s wolf growled when Mari pushed against the arm he had wrapped around her waist, but Mari just turned and gave him the “are you shitting me” look. With a sigh of resignation he stood up, making her clutch at his shirt, before he gently lowered her back onto the cushion then straightened. He nodded his head to the men and led the way outside, figuring it was best to leave the women alone to talk for a bit.
He wondered if Prim was going to tell Mari that they were all werewolves. In a way, he hoped she did so he, his brother, and his friend wouldn’t have to worry about her reaction, but he also contradicted that when he wished he was in there with her so he could see to her well-being and answer any questions.
Because if one thing was certain, it was that Marigold would have a million and one of them.
* * * *
Marigold was relieved when the men went outside and felt like she could breathe properly for the first time since she’d arrived. There was something weird going on here, but she couldn’t work out what. What astounded her the most though was how she felt sort of empty inside now that Sin, Michael, and Taylor were no longer in the room. Her body was like a separate entity with a mind of its own. No matter how much she told it to stop reacting to those three gorgeous men, it wouldn’t listen.
She had never been so turned on in her life. Her panties were soaked through, her nipples were hard and aching, and her pussy kept clenching. Plus there was the way those three smelt. The aroma wafting off them was bad enough when only one of them was close, but when the three of them where near…potent was too weak a word. Damn! Why couldn’t she get a hold of herself? She felt like one big, massive ache of lust and had no idea how to put the fire out.
No, that wasn’t true. She knew that those three hunkalicious men could appease the hunger, but she’d only known them a few hours. Wouldn’t she look like a slut if she jumped their bones?
The image of them naked and spread out for her carnal delectation had another gush of cream dripping from her pussy, and a moan slipped out before she could stop it.
She jumped when Prim touched her arm and then felt her face heat at being caught out in a sexual fantasy.
“Are you okay, Mari?”
“Yeah.” Shit, was that my voice? No way did she just sound breathy and husky with need, but the smile Prim gave her belied that thought.
“Mari, I’m going to be marrying Palmer on paper on Saturday, but Barrett is also going to be my husband and so is their brother Edison.”
“Is that legal?”
“I’m not going to marry Ed and Barrett legally, just Palmer, but all three of those men are mine. They are all my husbands as far as I am concerned. We don’t need a piece of paper to tell us that.” Prim paused and placed her hand over her heart. “They love me and I love them, and they own my heart. I couldn’t survive if I didn’t have them all by my side.”
Tears burned the backs of Mari’s eyes at the emotion she could see in Prim’s. She drew in a ragged breath and released it shakily. She would love to have a relationship like that. To have at least one man to hold her and for her to hold at night. To spend their lives together sharing the ups and downs, but mostly just to be accepted for who she was.
“You’re very lucky,” Mari said in an almost whisper. “I’m very happy for you.”
“Do you mean that?” Prim asked.
“Yeah,” she sighed, and then reiterated with more conviction, “Yes, I do. I can see how much they mean to you and from what I saw with Palmer and Barrett they love you just as much.”
Prim smiled and nodded, and then her face cleared of all expression. A knot of dread began to form in the pit of her stomach, but she had no idea why. Something was up, but instead of questioning her friend she remained silent and waited.
“The people who live on this land are one big happy family. They don’t like living apart.”
“Wow, okay. That’s a great thing to have. I would have loved being a member of a big family. It kind of gets lonely not having anyone.”
“Yes,” Prim replied, and Mari knew she’d been on her own for years, too. She broke their visual connection before meeting her gaze again, and Mari saw the ner
vous look on her face and heard her swallow.
“What—” She paused when Prim held up her hand and waited, the knot of dread becoming bigger.
“The reason why they all live together is because they are part of a pack.” Prim blew out a shaky breath. “Pack animals hate being apart.”
Animals? Did she just say animals? What the hell?
“Mari, most of the people here are werewolves.”
Mari opened her mouth and tried to think of something to say, but quickly snapped it closed when her mind came up blank. She studied Prim’s eyes intently and saw that her pupils weren’t dilated or tiny pinpoints, so she couldn’t have been on any drugs. Could she?
Prim reached over and clutched at her hand. Mari just stared back blankly at her friend as her mind began to spin.
What the hell was going on? Was this some kind of cult? Had Prim been brainwashed?
If that were the case, then they needed to get out of here now.
Mari pushed to her feet and gasped when pain shot into her ankle and up her leg. Shit I don’t even have my car. How that hell are we going to leave? Prim has a car. We can use hers. There is no way I’m letting my friend marry a bunch of nut jobs.
“Prim, we have to leave. Is there a back door? Where is your car? Have you got the keys?”
Prim tugged on her hand and pulled her back down to the sofa. What amazed Mari was the steely strength she’d felt in that move.
“Please, just sit down and listen to me. Okay? I promise that I’m not delusional, on drugs, or lying. Just give me a chance to explain.”
Mari nodded. She felt a little light-headed and wondered if all the blood had drained from her head. It certainly felt like it.
“I know what I’m telling you is hard to accept, but it’s true. Have I ever lied to you?” Prim asked.
“No.” Mari’s voice came out hoarse, and she cleared her throat.
“And I’m not lying to you now. The people here can change into a wolf. They can’t shift until they reach puberty. None of them know how they became the way they are, but as long as they can remember this family has had the Lycan gene, which enables them to change shape.
“There is only ever one true mate for a werewolf, and when he meets her, his wolf emits a pheromone to entice her to his side. The scent is amazing. It’s smells like a mix of pine and musk and is so damn good you just want to inhale it all the time.”
Mari felt more blood drain from her face and wondered if she was swaying in her seat. She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes until Prim squeezed her arm. She opened them and just stared uncomprehendingly at her friend.
“The man, or men, falls in love with his mate from the start and he will do everything he can to woo her. Once he’s met his other half he doesn’t want to be with anyone else. The thought of touching another woman is abhorrent.
“I’m not sure about other packs, but in this one there is usually more than one man that’s a true mate to the woman.”
Mari was having a hard time taking in what Prim was saying, and although she wanted to laugh she didn’t find anything about this amusing.
“The female is instantly attracted to the men meant for her and it’s nearly impossible for her to walk away, but if she did manage it, she would be condemning the men to a long, slow, painful death.”
“W–what? H–how?” Mari whispered her question.
“The wolves inside them become aggressive and eventually take over. They would become a danger to everyone around them and would have to be put down.”
“No.” Mari gasped and shook her head.
“Yes,” Prim said.
Mari went to speak again but stopped when Prim held her hand out, palm up, again.
“There’s more,” Prim said.
Mari licked her lips nervously before nodding.
“The men will want to be with you sexually, but they won’t make love to you unless you accept them as their mate. When they make love to their woman it’s like their animals have this compulsion to claim them right away.”
“How?” Mari found herself asking even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear any more.
“They bite down where the neck and shoulder meet. Part of their DNA is transferred to their mate, which creates a connection between them.” A dreamy smile came over Prim’s face as is she was remembering. She turned and took both of Mari’s hands into hers. “It’s the most amazing thing. You can feel how much they love you and you’ll be able to speak to them in your mind. Your senses will be…more. Your hearing, sense of smell, and sight will be way beyond what they are now. You’ll heal faster and won’t ever have to worry about getting a cold or having headaches anymore.”
“Would I…Would you…Are you…” Mari blew out a breath and tried to get her tumultuous thoughts under control.
“If you decided to accept them as your mates, you wouldn’t turn into a werewolf.”
Mari didn’t have to ask who “them” was, because she had a sinking feeling she already knew. Her body lit up at the thought of those three men touching her. Juices slid from her cunt, her nipples became so hard she wondered if they’d poke a hole through her shirt, and her breathing escalated.
Damn fucking hormones.
Prim’s voice drew her from her lascivious thoughts.
“The only reason a mate or mates would change you into a werewolf was if you were dying. They would each give you some of their blood and the transformation would begin.”
Mari drew in a wheezing breath when black spots formed before her eyes and dug her fingers into the sofa cushion for an anchor. She had no idea what to think, what to believe, and she wasn’t sure that she wasn’t hallucinating or dreaming. She couldn’t possibly be sitting here listening to Primrose talk about werewolves. Am I? No! Maybe I’ve had a car accident and hit my head. Yeah, that would explain it.
“If the woman mates to her men and she gets pregnant, she won’t give birth to puppies.”
Mari burst out laughing, and once she did she couldn’t stop. After the last statement she knew that Primrose had to be pulling her leg. As a joke it was certainly elaborate, and even though she’d never known her friend to have such a vivid imagination or a wicked sense of humor, it couldn’t be anything else.
Tears streamed down her face, and she bent over when her stomach began to ache. She drew in a gasp and continued laughing when Prim looked at her as if she’d lost her marbles.
Prim stood up, pulled the light cardigan she was wearing off, and flung it aside, but when her friend took her T-shirt off Mari’s humor slowed until she was only chuckling. When Prim was down to her bra and panties all mirth faded.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m showing you.”
Mari glanced away when Prim removed her underwear and stood before her naked.
“Look at me, Mari. Don’t you dare look away. Just remember I would never hurt you. Okay?”
Mari nodded, thinking that maybe Prim had suffered a trauma and she was the one who had lost her marbles, but she kept her gaze on her friend as she lowered down to her hands and knees on the floor in front of her.
Loud cracking and popping sounds permeated the air and then she gasped with horror as the muscles and bones beneath Prim’s skin moved. She covered her mouth with her hand when her stomach roiled and hoped she wasn’t about to be sick.
Claws erupted from the tips of Prim’s fingers, which were reshaping into paws, and fur sprouted all over her body. A tail formed and lengthened from the end of her spine, and when she blinked, she was looking at a dark-fur-coated wolf with red ears.
It was all too much for her to take in. The black spots returned, but this time when she drew in a gulp of air they didn’t go away. They joined together until all she could see was black. There was a loud roaring in her ears and with a sigh of resignation she let herself fall into the abyss.
Chapter Four
"Shit," Michael whispered, when he heard Mari gasp loudly. He hoped she wasn't as freaked
out as she sounded.
Michael, Sin, and Taylor had listened in on every word Primrose had said. What worried him was that Marigold had hardly spoken, but he put it down to shock. He, his brother, and their friend moved closer to the front door when they heard Prim start to change, and he became really concerned when he heard Mari’s panting breaths.
He couldn’t stay away from her any longer. Not when she sounded like she was in shock and having trouble breathing. Plus his wolf hadn’t stopped pushing at him since the moment they had laid eyes on her. It was really fucking hard keeping his wolf at bay, harder than ever before, and he prayed to the fates his animal wouldn’t do something stupid to jeopardize a relationship with their mate.
He stormed inside and rushed over to Mari just as her body went lax and she passed out. His wolf whined, but Michael ignored it as he scooped her up off the lounge and into his arms. She felt so perfect he didn’t ever want to let her go, but he knew he couldn’t carry her around for the rest of his life. He also didn’t think she’d appreciate waking up in his arms since she didn’t know him.
Sin and Taylor hurried over to his side, and they all stood there like idiots, mesmerized by her beautiful face and inhaling her mouthwatering apple-cinnamon scent.
“You’re going to have to put her down,” Prim said, drawing his gaze. She was already back in her clothes and looking concerned for her friend. “Why don’t you put her in the spare room? Hopefully after a good night’s sleep she’ll feel…better.”
Michael nodded and swallowed around the lump of emotion constricting his throat. He knew Prim was right, but he was reluctant to release her. With a sigh of resignation he turned and headed down the hall. Sin hurried ahead of him and pushed the bedroom door wide open before moving to the bed and tugging the covers back. He gently placed her on the bed and smiled when she sighed and rolled over onto her side.
When her hair dropped over her face he couldn’t resist brushing it back. He closed his eyes as his fingertips came into contact with her warm skin, absorbing the softness beneath his touch. She felt so fragile and delicate, but as he opened his eyes and looked at her breathtaking beauty, he knew that was far from the truth. Although she would never be as strong as him, his brother, and Taylor, he had a feeling their mate had a steeliness in her spine she could draw on when necessary.
