The Pack Rules Boxed Set: The Complete Series of Wolf, Bear, and Dragon Shifter Romances

by Michele Bardsley

  She heard the droning voice of Elder Magnus, and knew it wouldn’t be long before it was time for the Daughter of Man’s entrance.

  “You’ll be fine,” said River. He kissed her lightly, then stepped back so that Stone could have his turn.

  “Stay focused on us,” he said then he kissed her.

  Ash took his brother’s vacated space. “Think only of how we make you feel. Once the scene is complete, you’ll be free.”

  She nodded, swallowing the knot in her throat.

  Ash’s blue gaze studied her face. “You want your freedom, Echo?”

  I want you. And River. And Stone. But she didn’t say the words. How could she admit she’d be quite happy to be their woman? How could she expect three werewolf males to take one mate? Once the ritual was over, they would return to their own clans and pick up their lives.

  Just like she would.

  “Yes,” she said softly. “I want my freedom.”

  “Then you shall have it.”

  The pounding rhythm of the drums indicated it was time for her to make an appearance. She offered them a tremulous smile, then turned and walked with head held high and shoulders straight into the main cavern.

  Echo’s heart pounded furiously and her stomach squeezed with nausea. She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to get fucked in front of her entire clan. She wasn’t ashamed of her body, or even of her feelings for the Three Brothers.

  But the reality of what she was about to do hit her full force, and her knees nearly buckled.

  Instead, she took her spot, standing in front of the fire where she cast her gaze demurely at the ground. Not a single werewolf on the other side of the flames made a sound. Only the crackling of burning wood interrupted the eerie silence.

  Then a werewolf howled.

  And another.

  And one more.

  Together the howls blended together in a sensual music that made her womb clench. Anticipation rolled through her, but she didn’t move, waiting for the Three Brothers to make their conquest.

  The wolves bounded into the cavern: red, black, blond. They surrounded her, and howled again. She turned to the left and faced the big, ginger-haired wolf, and bowed before him. River shifted, going from four feet to two, from fur to smooth skin, from wolf to man.

  She turned right, and bowed toward the black wolf. Once Stone completed his shift, she turned around and offered her submissive stance to the blond wolf. He, too, shifted.

  She spun in a circle until she once again faced the flames.

  She was no longer Echo.

  She was the Daughter of Man.

  River and Stone pushed open her robe, revealing her lush body to the eager eyes of those crowding the cavern. It pooled at her feet, and she stepped out of it.

  Behind her, Ash moved forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. On either side, River and Stone cupped one breast each and laved her nipples. One of Ash’s hands dropped to her core and he played with her clit.

  “Accept us,” he whispered.

  “Yes.”

  They warmed her up -- touching, stroking, kissing, rubbing. Her flesh was on fire, her heart ready to beat out of her chest, and her body aching for the penetration of her men.

  She was lost in the sensations. She forgot everything, everyone, except her lovers, and she happily gave herself to them.

  In a haze of sensual overload, she found herself astride River. His gaze was dark, more animal than man, and she couldn’t look away, not even when Stone crouched behind her.

  Where did he get the lube? she wondered vaguely as he worked in slickened fingers and stretched her opening.

  She leaned forward, trying to give him as much room as possible as he replaced his fingers with his cock.

  Even though she had experienced double penetration last night, she still couldn’t get over how utterly stuffed she felt… how the sensation of two penises within her fulfilled her in unexpected ways.

  And then Ash stood over her and River, kneeling so that his cock was within her mouth’s reach.

  Yes, oh yes.

  Perfection.

  She never knew she needed this. Needed them.

  River set the rhythm. His strong hands gripped her hips, keeping her steady enough to accept Stone thrusting into her from behind. Ash gripped the base of his shaft while she tongued the top half, sucking and laving.

  Pleasure took wing, a song created by the four of them, as they reached for the pinnacle of bliss. The Three Brothers were taking the Daughter of Man, showing her strength and power and beauty.

  And she accepted them -- all they had to offer. Not just their lust, though she could certainly handle their voracious sexual appetites, but their hearts as well. They each fulfilled a different need for her, all pieces of a puzzle that made her feel like a whole, beloved woman.

  Love, she thought as her orgasm rose into a tingling wave of need, I love them.

  “Echo!” they cried together.

  River and Stone penetrated her deeply; their cocks jettisoned their seed within her. Ash cried out next, and she accepted the fullness of his trembling cock. Even as she swallowed every salty drop of his come, she went over the edge into her own intense pleasure.

  It was as if she’d fallen off the earth and into the sun. She burned, and flew, and felt free, so free.

  When she floated back into reality, she was in the arms of River, with Ash on one side and Stone on the other. She blinked. How the hell had that happened? How could she not remember getting freed from her men and picked up like a fragile china doll?

  River put her down, keeping his arm around her, and said, “Shift.”

  All four took their wolf forms.

  She heard the cheers of the pack as they first ran a circle around the fire, and then out of the cavern, into the woods where they truly felt at home.

  ECHO PUT THE last box into her sparkling new Lincoln Navigator. A hundred grand bought a lot of happiness.

  After her run in the woods with her men, they’d shifted into humans and spent one last night together. She’d awakened alone in the big, beautiful house, and had known it was time to leave.

  If only she could leave her feelings behind as easily as she would the past.

  “That everything?”

  Her brother Trevor still couldn’t look her in the eye.

  “Yes,” she said. She hugged him, and he gave her a quick squeeze before hurrying toward his car. He gave her one last wave before getting into the SUV.

  Her other brothers had helped her empty the house, taking the furniture and items she wouldn’t need; their wives had eagerly gone through the knickknacks and other small treasures left from Echo’s previous marriages.

  She was free of all that now.

  And she couldn’t help but think her brothers and their families would be relieved she wasn’t around. Even though performing in the ritual was supposed to be a great honor, and she didn’t for a minute feel ashamed of her actions, it was difficult for them to be related to the woman who’d sexed up three men in front of the entire pack.

  Echo laughed. It was all so silly.

  She understood herself so much better. Her new self-awareness was just another gift from the Three Brothers.

  She’d packed her clothes and a few sentimental items. She planned to travel. And if a very tiny part of her thought she might be running away, then so be it. She would go wherever she felt like, and she could feel safe. The new tattoo on her shoulder was rare, but known: singulus licentia. If she showed the tattoo to any pack member, they would grant her both protection and shelter, if needed.

  Echo climbed into the front seat and gripped the steering wheel. She started the car and heard the quiet roar of the engine. She put the car into gear and turned onto the road that would lead her away from the village.

  A week. Seven days of not knowing where they had gone, what their real names were, if she would ever see them again. Her soul ached.

  It was selfish to want them all. How could o
ne woman think to satisfy the mating requirements for three men? It was a stupid dream.

  But she dreamed it all the same.

  She drove automatically, lost in memories and thoughts of all that she’d experienced as the lover of River, Stone, and Ash.

  So, she wasn’t too surprised to find herself parking in front of the glass and chrome mansion where some of her happiest memories had been created.

  Echo got out of the car. She couldn’t resist going up the landscaped walk, and laying her hand against the door.

  No one was there.

  It would be absurd to knock. And for all her new feelings of worth and joy, she knew without a doubt she would fall to her knees and beg to be with them.

  Her breath caught in her throat, and tears threatened.

  While she still had her dignity, she turned…

  …and the door opened.

  “Echo.” River stood in the doorway dressed in a knit cable sweater and a pair of faded jeans. His feet were bare, and his hair tousled. Gods, he was gorgeous.

  “River.” She clenched her fists and commanded her feet to stay planted. She so very much wanted to throw herself in his arms. “I was leaving. So, wanted to say good-bye. Again.”

  He cocked one eyebrow. “Good-bye?”

  “Oh, stop tormenting her,” said Stone as he pushed his brother to the side. “You missed us, didn’t you?”

  Echo nodded.

  Stone was yanked backward and Ash appeared. “You came back.”

  “I… of course. I wasn’t supposed to, was I?”

  “We hoped you would,” said River. “The choice had to be yours.”

  “What choice?” Her heart started to pound.

  “To be the mate of the Alphas,” said Stone.

  “Our mate died many years ago,” said Ash. “And we didn’t believe we would find another.”

  “All three of you share a mate?” she asked. She blinked. “Wait. You’re the Alphas?”

  Her knees began to buckle, and all three men rushed out to grab her.

  “Sweet Echo,” murmured Ash. “Say you’ll be ours.”

  “Yes,” she said. “Yes.”

  Echo was finally home.

  Together, they led her inside the house, and showed her how much and how well three men could love their woman.

  The End

  Kidnapped by the Werewolf

  FROM THE BACK of the speeding car, Bo Brown lay across the seat, attempting to liberate his bound hands. His wrists bled from trying to wiggle out of the sturdy rope threaded with pure silver. The silver had weakened him considerably, which meant shifting into his wolf form was out of the question, but his persistence was about to pay off.

  The black sedan zipped along Main Street, taking no heed of stoplights or the slickness of the roads due to an earlier thunderstorm. Bo knew the man driving the car didn’t care about road rules—as a member of the Wellsford’s police force, he had carte blanche to do as he pleased.

  “You still conscious back there, buddy boy? Hope ol’ Rufus didn’t break your nose.” He chuckled.

  Laugh while you can, moron. The ropes loosened and his hands slipped out. He reached down and unwound the rope binding his ankles. Finally free, Bo smiled, wincing at the pain in his freshly bruised jaw. His wrists and ankles burned. Silver was deadly to all shifters and even a small amount caused considerable discomfort. Luckily, the effects of the silver would fade—but he wouldn’t be at full strength for a few hours. They’d taken his wallet and his cell phone—those items were probably destroyed by now. He had to escape so he could call in his pack. The alpha would be pissed off that he’d gone off by himself on a rescue mission without telling anyone.

  Yeah, Ellison was going to kick his ass.

  And Bo deserved it.

  Wellsford, Oregon only had four main cross streets, and the sedan passed through the last one. Bo knew a small grocery store was the last building on this side of town, and only dense woods and miles of unpopulated roads followed.

  “Almost to the hunting ground,” the cop said. “I tell you, it’s going to be a real pleasure. The chase is almost better than the kill.”

  Bo popped up and lunged forward, grabbing the .357 Magnum he’d seen the cop carelessly toss onto the passenger seat. He wrapped his left arm around the man’s throat and jabbed the gun into his temple. “Pull over you son-of-a-bitch.” He motioned to the store. “In the parking lot.”

  The jolt of the brakes being applied almost sent Bo over the front seat, but he’d been prepared. His feet were tucked under the driver’s side, and he tightened his grip on the jerk’s thick neck. The car skidded across the wet pavement and careened to a stop.

  “You won’t live, you know. There’s not a place in Oregon—hell, on this planet—where you can hide from Morgan.”

  Bo turned the gun with quick, nimble fingers and slammed the man’s head with the butt. The kidnapping cop slumped forward, unconscious.

  Slipping out of the car, Bo hurried toward the store and grabbed the front door. Locked. Even if he could get inside, who’d listen to his story? These people had lived in the same place their whole lives. Who would they believe—a total stranger or their local law enforcement led by their beloved mayor?

  The gun felt heavy in his hand. He emptied the bullets and put them in his back jeans pocket. He was tempted to throw the gun into the trash receptacle near the door, but he might need it. God forbid he might have to shoot the damned thing. He understood the predator mentality, but in nature, animals hunted for food or attacked to protect themselves and their young.

  He looked at an old blue Mazda parked three feet away. He’d only been in Wellsford for two days, but he’d grown up in a small, isolated community. Small town folks trusted easily and didn’t put much stock in locking doors. His suspicions were confirmed when he tried the back door. It opened. So, he scooted inside and dropped down behind the bucket seats.

  Soon, he heard two voices—a man and a woman. He hoped they weren’t together. Convincing one person about the injustices perpetuated by Wellsford’s politicos would be difficult enough.

  The voices drew closer. He looked up and saw two shadows standing by the Mazda. The smaller shadow bent, and Bo heard the driver’s side door handle rattle.

  “Thanks for special ordering Lolly’s food,” the woman opening the driver side door said to the man with her. “I almost forgot to stop by.”

  “You know it’s ’cause you got your head stuck in them books.” The man chuckled, his tone flirtatious. “You’re the absent-minded librarian.”

  “Very funny, Billy Joe. Don’t you have an overdue book?”

  “Ah now, Ava....”

  Laughter tinkled, and Bo liked the sweet sound of it. When she drew open the door, he flattened to the floor, letting his gaze adjust to the darkness underneath the passenger seat. Two small green eyes glowed at him. A solid white kitten emerged and, surprisingly, planted herself firmly on his aching shoulder, licked his cheek, and purred.

  AVALINE SHEPARD BID Billy Joe goodnight and got into her car. She tossed the cans of too-expensive cat food onto the passenger seat, then secured her seatbelt and started the engine.

  A country-western song blared from the radio, and she adjusted the volume before shifting into reverse and backing out. Humming, Ava tapped the steering wheel in time with the music. She drove out of the parking lot and onto the highway, driving five miles under the 50-mph speed limit.

  “Please don’t freak out,” said a man’s deep voice.

  Ava shrieked. It was a carjacker! She knew the drill. Never let a criminal take you to a second location. Oh God, oh God. Hands shaking, she grabbed the emergency brake and pulled. The car fishtailed and screeched to a stop. Her heart pounded as she wrestled with the seatbelt. The damn thing wouldn’t unlatch!

  “I won’t hurt you,” he said.

  She bet he said that to all his victims.

  Finally, the seatbelt came undone, and she grabbed for the door handle. A plaintive �
��meow” stopped her fumbling.

  “Lolly!” Ava twisted around in the seat. A tall broad-shouldered stranger sat in her back seat, his face hidden by shadows. Her precious kitten sat on his leg, white fur gleaming in the darkness.

  Then another, more dangerous gleam caught Ava’s attention. A big, silver gun was pointed at her face. Her mouth dried and she swallowed the sudden knot in her throat. “Wh-what do you want?”

  “I need your help.”

  Help? His entreaty confused her. What kind of person asked for assistance while waving around a huge gun?

  “If you get out of the car, then I won’t tell the police.” Hah! That would be the first thing she would do.

  His derisive snort of laughter sent terror skittering up her spine. “Sorry, sweetheart. You’re stuck with me.”

  Her fingernails dug into the seat. She looked at her helpless cat and mentally begged the small creature to leap down or at least claw the villain’s leg. Green eyes glowed at her, and Ava heard a distinct purr. Oh for heaven’s sake—weren’t animals supposed to sense bad intentions?

  “You must live outside of town, otherwise, you would have driven in the other direction.”

  She lived ten miles out in a small log cabin that had belonged to her grandfather. “I live in town,” she lied. “Next to the police station. I was just taking Lolly for a ride.”

  “Yeah, right. C’mon, let’s go to your house.”

  This couldn’t be happening. Not in Wellsford. “I’m not taking you to my home,” she whispered. She shuddered to think what he would do to her in such an isolated location. “Shoot me. I’d rather die than have you touch me.”

  Ava closed her eyes. She wondered how badly a bullet hurt—if she’d feel a burning pain or anything at all. She heard the man sigh heavily. Her eyes flicked open.

  “Don’t be so melodramatic.” He repositioned himself in the seat, and Ava saw his weapon-free hand stroke the cat.