by Becca Van
“Hi,” Mari replied.
“What’s wrong?” Prim frowned as she studied Mari’s face.
Mari shrugged. She couldn’t answer because she didn’t really know.
“Talk to me, Mari.”
“How long did it take for you to mate with your men?”
“A couple of days.”
“Oh.” Mari sighed, and her shoulders slumped.
Prim reached over and placed her hand on Mari’s forearm. The gesture of affection was too much for her and she fought the tears forming in her eyes, but it was useless. They welled up and over her lower lids before spilling down her cheeks.
“Mari, what’s wrong?” Prim got up from her stool and hugged her.
The dam broke, and Mari started crying quietly. She wasn’t normally a crier, and she was finally able to force the tears away. She wiped her face and reached for the coffee mug when Prim sat down next to her again.
“I don’t think they are my mates.”
“Why would you say that?” Prim asked.
“They haven’t made a move on me for days and they try to stay away as much as they can.”
“Mari, maybe they’re just waiting for you to decide if you are going to accept them.”
“I don’t think so. They are angry nearly all the time. They fight over the stupidest things. I feel like I’m making their lives hell.”
“Have you asked—”
Mari didn’t let Prim finish her question. There was no way she was asking those three men anything and ending up getting hurt. The best thing to do would be to leave and give them some space.
“Can I move in with you?”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
Mari wasn’t sure about anything, but she couldn’t stay where she wasn’t wanted. She nodded her head.
“Okay. Why don’t you get your things together? I’ll ask Barrett to come and collect your bags.”
“Thank you, Prim. I don’t want to be a fifth wheel, but I just can’t stay here anymore.”
“Hey, sweetie, that’s what friends are for.”
“Thank God my car is fixed. I think the best thing to do would be for me to leave after the wedding.”
“Mari, I’m sure there’s a reason…”
Mari shook her head and slid off the stool. After collecting the cups, washing and drying them, and putting them away, she headed toward the spare room. She didn’t have much with her, and it didn’t take long before she was ready to go. She wanted to go out and thank Sin for taking care of her, but she couldn’t face him right now. The last thing she wanted to do was end up crying in front of him, and with such a tenuous hold on her emotions it wouldn’t take much to set her off.
Barrett arrived and took the bags she placed by the front door and left again without saying a word. He didn’t look happy, and she hoped it wasn’t because she would be moving into his house when he was about to get married. She would have to ask Prim later, but the lump of emotion constricting her throat made it impossible to talk just then.
As she stepped out onto the porch, the pain in her chest was nearly more than she could stand, and it took a great deal of effort not to bend over and scream out her agony. She walked beside Prim, not speaking and feeling as if her legs were wooden, and she knew she would never feel what she was feeling for Sin, Taylor, and Michael for any other man.
They had managed to work their way under her skin and into her heart in a few short days. With each step away from their house, the emptiness inside her chest grew until the void was so big she felt like she just may freeze from the inside out.
Prim showed her to the spare room, and she was thankful that Barrett had already placed her bags on the bed and left.
“Mari, I really think you need to talk to them. I know that you are their mate.”
“I don’t think so.” Mari turned her back on Prim, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared unseeingly out the window. She heard Prim sigh, and then she walked away. The door closed quietly behind her, and Mari whimpered when her legs gave out and she slid down to the floor. She leaned back against the wall, hugged her arms around her drawn-up legs, and let the tears come. They were tears of loss and pain so profound she couldn’t make a sound as she cried.
How long she sat there in her misery, she had no idea, but when she finally lifted her head she realized it was dark. Did the men even know she was gone? Or were they too intent at staying away from her that they hadn’t even missed her?
Damn them and their fucking wolf pheromones.
Marigold knew she would never be the same again.
* * * *
“What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Sin looked up when Barrett came charging toward him. He dropped the axe and held his hands up, showing the aggressive wolf he didn’t want to fight.
“What do you mean?”
“That woman is in so much pain the stench is almost sickening.”
“Who?” Sin asked, although he had a feeling he knew who Barrett was talking about.
“Your mate,” Barrett roared.
Sin spun on his heels and headed toward the house, but Barrett grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.
“She’s not there.”
“What? Where the fuck is she?”
“In my home.”
“Why?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.” Barrett released Sin’s shoulder and sighed. “She told Prim that she can’t possibly be your mate.”
“That’s not true. Of course she’s our mate.”
“Then why the fuck does she think she’s nothing more than a burden and that none of you want her?”
“I don’t…Shit.” Sin scrubbed a hand over his face. He, Michael, and Taylor had decided not to pressure her to become their mate, scared they would end up pushing her away. They’d also decided not to touch her until her ankle had healed. She had been in quite a lot of pain after they had made her come the first and only time they’d touched her sexually and seen how pale her face had gotten afterward, they'd thought it better to wait until they could love her without hurting her further. He voiced his thoughts and sighed with relief when Barrett’s anger dissipated.
“Did any of you think to tell Marigold any of this?” Barrett asked. Sin shook his head.
“Shit, and I thought my brothers and I were dense where women were concerned.”
Sin glared at Barrett but knew they had fucked up with Mari. They needed to fix this, but he had no idea how.
“You three need to sit down and decide what you’re going to do to win your mate back and you’d better do it fast,” Barrett said. “Prim told me everything she said through our link. Your mate has every intention of leaving once the wedding is over. That gives you two days’ grace. Decide something quickly before she’s gone forever.”
Sin immediately contacted Taylor and Michael telepathically, telling them everything that happened. Taylor wouldn’t be back home for a couple of hours since he was on duty, but Michael was already on his way home.
* * * *
Mari had no idea what time it was, but she knew it was late. She’d heard Prim and her men head to their room hours ago. She was still too distraught to even think of sleeping, yet she was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. When she finally pushed up from the floor her muscles protested after staying in one position for so long
She opened the door and crept out to the front verandah before sinking into one of the comfortable padded seats, breathing in the cool fresh night air. In a way, she wished she’d never been invited to Prim’s wedding. Maybe then she wouldn’t be in so much pain. Although, she would never disappoint her friend. Mari would leave right after Prim was married. It would be too hard to hang around for the reception. She didn’t want to have to face Taylor, Sin, and Michael knowing they didn’t want her. Nor did she want to make a fool out of herself by crying in front of them or begging them to claim her.
She’d never begged anyone for anything, and
she wasn’t about to start now. She had no idea when she had accepted Prim's invitation that they were her mates and she wanted them more than anything. After thinking about it, she decided that their mating musk had been an allure she couldn’t ignore, but that wasn’t all. There was the fact that they were all smoking hot with buff bodies and a manliness she’d never encountered before. She wasn’t a feminist, but she wasn’t someone who was used to being told what to do, and the three men had such a power, an authority about them that she was drawn to them and didn’t want to leave.
Another shaft of pain ripped into her chest, and this time she didn’t try and stop herself from doubling over. How was she supposed to leave them behind and get on with her life when she was already well and truly on her way to falling for them?
Mari gritted her teeth and blinked as more tears burned her eyes. She refused to give in to her emotions again. She’d cried buckets over them already and didn’t want to waste any more energy over men who didn’t want her.
Forcing herself to take deep breaths, she felt the sharp pain in her chest ease and she was able to sit up straight again. When she caught movement from her periphery, she turned her head and clenched her teeth as she saw them walking toward her.
* * * *
Con mentally cursed as he watched that asshole and his new friends head over to the human bitch. He’d been waiting for a chance to take Henderson down, but when he’d realized the fucker had met his mate he’d changed his plans. Going after the woman would tear that bastard’s heart out, condemning him and the other wolves to a long, slow, painful death. Just as he’d been about to make his move and snatch the cunt from the porch, he’d caught the scent of his worthless pack mate and he’d had to skulk away, making sure to stay downwind so he couldn’t be scented.
He hated Henderson from the first, but the emotion had slowly started eating away at him after the fucker had killed his lover and it was eating him up inside. Spicer Owens had been everything to him, and he wasn’t about to let Henderson live a long and happy life.
The anger and hate was consuming him, and he’d almost given himself away a few times, but he’d managed to control his emotions when the asshole had been trying to sniff him out.
Con couldn’t understand how the wolves of this pack could even contemplate mating with humans. They were tainting the blood of their pack, and the thought was so abhorrent to him that he felt sick to his stomach.
When he’d heard that Spicer had gone after one of the human women, Con hadn’t believed it. They had made a promise to each other and vowed to never stray. Bitterness twisted his insides, and acid rose from his stomach. No, Henderson had to have lied so he could challenge their Alpha. Con should have known that the prick had coveted the leader’s position. He’d failed to keep his lover safe, but when the challenge had been issued and accepted there hadn’t been a thing he could do.
He’d dreamt of ripping that bastard’s throat out before he’d even had the chance to touch Spicer, but pack protocol had to be adhered to, and if he’d stepped in he would have died with Spicer. Waiting was a much better option. He’d watch and wait and make his move when Henderson least expected it.
He was going to take Taylor Henderson down, and losing wasn’t an option. His friend and lover would be avenged, and then he would be Alpha. He would rule over the Nomad and Sugar Creek Packs. A werewolf’s blood was supposed to be pure, and tainting it was an abomination
All the men mated to human women would die.
Chapter Seven
Taylor, Sin, and Michael stepped up onto the porch, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw their glowing golden eyes. Even though she hadn’t seen them in wolf form, she knew that anomaly had to be from their animal side.
Mari lowered her head and hoped the stoic expression she was aiming for was enough to hide how she was really feeling, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to maintain her “didn’t give a shit” attitude for long. How could she when her heart, body, and soul were crying out for them? She just hoped that she could until she was on her own again.
Taylor stopped in front of her, and she stared at his jean-clad knees and remained impassive while inside she was roiling with hurt so intense she felt physically ill.
She squeaked when he scooped her up into his arms, turned around, and started walking back the way they had come, and the pain turned to anger.
“Put me down,” she demanded harshly.
“No,” Taylor replied in a quiet, calm voice.
That only made her angrier. How could he be so calm, cool, and collected when she was feeling so much? Mari started wiggling in earnest while she pushed against his chest.
“Settle down, baby.”
“I don’t want—”
“Don’t bullshit me,” Taylor bit out, and she realized that he wasn’t as calm as she’d first thought.
Sin and Michael moved up beside Taylor. When she glanced at each of them, she saw how tense they were and she wondered what they all wanted with her.
Taylor carried her into the house, but instead of taking her to the living room or the kitchen like she’d expected, he headed toward the bedrooms. Mari’s heart sped up, as did her breathing. Had they decided to claim her without her consent? No, she didn’t think they would do that.
Mari shrieked when she went sailing through the air, but sighed when she landed on the bed. All three of the men stood at the end of the bed watching her, and she glanced away before licking her lips nervously.
When she tensed in preparation of getting off the bed, Sin and Michael moved until they were on each side of it. She was effectively blocked in on three sides with nowhere to go.
She shuffled back on the bed when they all got onto the mattress, Sin and Michael at her sides and Taylor on the end. She was trapped, and although she hated feeling that way, she also liked it.
God, Mari, now you’re contradicting yourself. Get a grip!
“Why did you leave?” Taylor barked out the question.
“There was no reason to stay,” Mari answered just as angrily.
“Explain,” Sin snapped.
“I don’t need to explain anything to any of you.” She crossed her arms over her chest and drew in a deep breath. She nearly moaned when their musky-piney scents invaded her olfactory senses. Her areolae contracted and puckered, her nipples hardened, and her pussy was so wet she was dripping. The ache deep inside her womb intensified, causing her cunt to clench with need, and she barely contained the whimper trying to escape.
Michael leaned over until he was scant inches from the side of her head, but she picked a spot on the wall and focused on it, refusing to look at any of them. “I can smell your need, sexy. You want us as much as we want you.”
Mari didn’t respond to his verbal taunt and hoped her cheeks weren’t turning pink. Her face was hot. In fact, her whole body was on fire and she didn’t know how long she could sit here without doing something stupid. Like jumping on them.
Taylor reached out, clasped her chin between his finger and thumb, making her meet his gaze. “You aren’t leaving until we clear this up, so I suggest you start talking.”
“I don’t—”
“Now!” Taylor yelled making her jump. It wasn’t that she was scared of him, but he’d never used that tone with her before and she didn’t like it. Not one little bit, and that made her feel hurt and angry. She latched onto the anger and glared at him.
“Why would I want to stay somewhere I’m not wanted.”
“Who said we didn’t want you here?” Sin asked.
“Did any of us ever say we wanted you to leave?” Michael questioned in a harsh voice.
Mari turned her head, dislodging Taylor’s hold on her chin. Now that he wasn’t touching her, she could think a little better. Although, it was damn hard to concentrate when all she wanted was for them to touch her, make love with her, claim her.
“If you were uncertain about what we wanted with you, why didn’t you come and talk to us?” Tayl
or asked.
That was the million-dollar question she wasn’t sure she wanted to answer or even knew how, but she decided that asking her own questions might give her some reprieve from their interrogation.
“Did you ever talk to me? Tell me that I was welcome in your home? What you expected or wanted from me?” Mari took a deep breath when she noticed her voice had become strident. She released it and felt some of the tension drain away. She was so damn tired, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep until things had been sorted out.
Mari decided it was time to pull her panties up and face things head-on. If they didn’t want her, at least she would know where she stood, even if she had her heart ripped out. Uncertainty wasn’t what she was used to. She’d always dealt with problems head-on even if she ended up getting hurt, but this time she knew the word “hurt” was an understatement.
But knowing where she stood was a lot better than not knowing.
* * * *
Taylor could smell the emotions rolling off of Mari in waves. There was anger, trepidation, and fear, but most of all there was pain. He and his wolf hated that she was hurting, but they needed her to talk so they could clear any misconceptions she had up. But she was also right. Not once had he, Sin, and Michael sat down with her and told her what they wanted. They’d been cowards and let Primrose explain about them, but that was all about to change, and if he had his way they would be mated before the night was over.
“She’s right,” Sin said through their link.
Taylor had never been more glad that he, Sin, and Michael had established a connection to each other on a private link. Their connection as friends and fellow pack members had been immediate, and they had decided that biting each other to form that private link was essential to their camaraderie.
“Yeah she is,” Michael agreed. “We need to change that and now.”
Taylor inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly. Her decision to accept them as mates hinged on everything they said and he didn’t want to fuck it up, but he’d never been diplomatic, was blunt to the bone, and he couldn’t change who he was. Not even for his mate.
