by Jane Jamison
She stopped, only now realizing the real surprise in her thought. They’d done more than have sex. They’d made love. She’d sensed it from the moment they’d surrounded her, penning her against the pool table.
Once she’d heard the Lennox men leave the house earlier that morning, she’d hurried over to the bedroom door. Knocking hadn’t garnered any response so she assumed that Stella was in the shower.
Come on, Stella.
She put her ear to the door. Was the water still running? If her sister didn’t answer soon, she’d start pounding on the door. And if she still didn’t answer, she’d call for help.
Had Stella’s werewolf men hurt her? Could she trust men who were animals with her sister’s safety? Could she trust men who were animals with her safety? With her heart?
The door swung open just as she lifted her hand to knock for what seemed like the hundredth time. Stella jerked backward as though thinking Maddie were about to hit her. “Whoa. What’s going on?”
Maddie grabbed her sister’s arm and pulled her back inside the bedroom, slamming the door behind them. “Do you really forgive me for not telling you about Bruce?”
“What?” Stella stared at her. “Yes. I said I did, didn’t I?”
“That’s what you said, but I’m not so sure.” She was going about it the wrong way, but it was hard as hell to say the words straight out.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because if you’d really forgiven me, you would’ve told me about you and your men and the rest of this crazy town before I even got here. Instead, you waited. It’s almost like you wanted me to feel the way you did when I waited to tell you about Bruce. Blindsided.” Exasperated, she flopped down on the end of the bed. “I still can’t wrap my head around it. Werewolves. Shit. They’re real.”
Stella sat next to her. “I promise you I didn’t hold back because of Bruce. I wanted to tell you so many times, but let’s be real. You wouldn’t have believed me, anyway.”
She was right. Even after she’d told her, Maddie hadn’t believed her. Hell, even after seeing the men change into wolves, she still fought against believing the truth.
“I shouldn’t have told you when I did. But I felt like, as your sister, I needed to.”
“What’s wrong with telling me?” The reason was beside the point, but she still wanted to know. Maybe knowing more would help her understand.
“Because a woman’s mates should tell her. That’s their right and their responsibility. I took that away from them.” Stella twisted so that she faced Maddie. “Does that mean they told you?”
“Oh, they did more than tell me. They showed me.” She could still see the men changing from humans to animals. “My head’s still spinning.”
“But they told you, that’s the main thing.” Stella studied her. “There’s more, isn’t there? What else happened?”
Maddie and Stella had often traded tales about their dates and relationships before, but now it was imperative that she do so. Stella was the only one she knew who would know about being a mate. “They told me that they wanted me to be their mate, whatever that means.”
“They did?” Stella wrapped her arm around her and hugged her tight. “Maddie, that’s terrific.”
“Is it? I’m not even sure what that means.”
“It means they want to spend their lives with you. They want you to be their woman, their wife, their mate. You can be one of us and part of the pack.”
Maddie shot to her feet then whirled to confront her sister. “Part of the pack? What the hell are you talking about? Are we going to howl together at night? How about kids? Are we going to raise our litters together? Damn it, Stella, they’re animals.”
Stella’s face hardened. “Then I’m an animal, too.”
Shit. Guilt swamped her. “I’m sorry, sis. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Sure you did, and you’re right. We are animals. But when you think about it, aren’t we all animals beneath the skin? Sometimes I think people who are fully human act more like animals than most shifters do.”
“Maybe, but they don’t grow fur and fangs.”
“I do.” Stella’s gaze challenged her to say more. “Isn’t who you are inside more important than what you look like? Isn’t it your soul that matters and not the package that holds it?”
What more could she say? She loved her sister no matter what she was. Fangs or not, she was still Stella with Stella’s personality, heart, and soul. “Okay. Let me try and understand. Tell me, sis, what’s it like being a mate?”
“It’s wonderful. It’s like being a wife except so much more. If you want to be turned, you’ll become part of something bigger than you. The pack is a tight group, and we take care of each other. Even if you don’t want to be changed, you’ll still be one of us. You’ll still gain brothers and sisters.”
“Why do I feel like there’s a but coming up?”
Stella nodded. “You’re right. As hard as we try, it’s easier to bring someone into our inner circle when we know that they live like we do. That they understand what it’s like to change, to run. But that doesn’t mean the pack won’t stick by you through thick and thin. It just makes it easier for you to handle us if you go through what we go through. Does that make sense?”
Maddie tunneled her fingers through her hair. “It’s all happened too fast.” She dragged in a breath and let it out. “Sis, we had sex.” She pushed out the rest, getting it off her chest. “On top of the pool table at the Wolf’s Den.”
Stella’s eyes grew wide. “You’re kidding me. Right there at the bar? On top of a pool table? Damn, I hope no one else was trying to play at the other table. Then again, I suppose if they wanted to see a show…”
Stella was joking, trying to lighten the mood. Strangely, it worked. “Eew. Shut up. I wish I hadn’t told you now.”
Stella stood and pulled her into her arms. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you. Still, talk about moving fast. Word is that the Lark brothers are impetuous and quick to act, but I never would’ve thought they’d move that fast.”
“They’re not the only ones who moved fast. They didn’t have to force me on top of that pool table. Which makes me look like the ultimate slut.” What did the rest of the town think? She had no doubt the customers at the bar had put out the word.
“No, no. Again, Fate’s different like that. We understand basic primal instincts more than regular folks do.” Stella gave her a small smile.
Maddie had to laugh. “I guess they would, considering what they are. But, sis, what am I going to do?”
“What do you want to do?” Stella shook her head before she could answer. “No, seriously, think. And listen to your heart, too.”
“None of this makes any sense. I’ve just met them, and then, before I know it, I’m on top of the table letting them do anything they want with me.”
“And loving it?”
Her sister always did have a way of cutting to the chase. “Yeah, and loving it.”
“Do you regret it now?”
She didn’t hesitate. “No. Not even a little bit. It worries me, of course, but I don’t regret it.”
“Why does it worry you?” Stella pulled her back to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Because it’s so fast. Because I’m not using my head.” She laughed, amazement overcoming caution. “Because they’re werewolves, for shit’s sake.”
“You’re right. Those are worrisome things. Not the werewolf thing, but about you not using your head. But it’s not unusual. You have to understand, Maddie. Sometimes it happens that way for shifters. They see their mate, and they instinctively know. The mate doesn’t always know as fast, but I think you’re lucky that you do. Why waste time when all of you know how you feel?”
“Do I know how I feel? Am I mistaking lust for something more? Finding one man this fast is hard enough to believe, but three of them? That’s damn near impossible. And then that they’re werewolves?” She closed her eyes for a momen
t. Would she ever fully understand all of it? She’d wrestled with her feelings all night, logic warring with what her heart wanted.
“I think you know how you’re feeling. It’s obvious, at least to me, that you do by the way you’re acting. The Maddie I knew wouldn’t have wavered for a moment. You’ve always known your heart and listened to it. Why aren’t you doing that now?”
“Because it’s insane. The whole thing is insane. Werewolves, packs, all of it.”
Stella shrugged. “Maybe it is, but it’s wonderful, too. Take it from me. Becoming my men’s mate was the best thing I’ve ever done.” Bumping her shoulder against Maddie’s, she added, “Don’t think. Just answer. Do you want to be with them or not?”
Doing as Stella had said to do and not thinking first, she answered, “Yes.”
“Then is what they are, them being shifters, a deal breaker?”
“Of course it is. Shouldn’t it be? Yet, it wasn’t for you.” And as amazing as it was to admit it even to herself, it wasn’t for her, either.
“Hey, I’m not saying it wasn’t tough to get my head around it, but once I stopped fighting the idea, I had my answer. Just like I think you do.”
Suddenly, it was as clear as a sunbeam breaking through the clouds on a stormy day. No matter how illogical it was, no matter how much her mind fought against it, she cared about them. She had no doubt that in only a short while she could easily come to love them.
“You’re right. I have my answer.”
Stella hugged her. “I knew it. I just knew it.”
Having her sister’s arms around her was the best feeling in the world. Well, almost the best feeling. “Yeah, yeah. You and Shawna both.”
“Then all you have to do is stay in Fate.” Stella gave her a suspicious look. “Unless there’s something else holding you back.”
“No. Not really.”
“That sure sounds like a loaded answer. What’s up?”
Not wanting her sister to think less of her, she’d never told Stella about her shoplifting conviction. Their few conversations had focused on rebuilding their relationship. How could she tell Stella? In the end, she simply blurted it out. “I have a record.”
Stella started to laugh then stopped. “You’re kidding. Why? How? What happened?”
“I was convicted of shoplifting. Or, to be more exact, I pled guilty to the offense.”
“You stole something?”
Maddie cringed at Stella’s shock. “No, I didn’t. A friend of mine took a scarf and shoved it into my pocket without my noticing it. Once we were outside the store, I was the one the store’s security officer nabbed and hauled off to the police.”
“Oh, my God, Maddie, why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you call me?”
“We weren’t talking to each other at the time. I didn’t want that conversation to be our first one in months. I swear I didn’t steal it.”
“But you were convicted?”
“More like I was stupid and took a plea deal to stay out of jail.” Shame, fresh as the day the police had taken her to jail, washed over her. “I didn’t have my big sis around to tell me what to do, so I screwed up.”
“So you went to jail?”
“No. The plea deal was for probation. And a short one at that. Still, I figured you should know.”
Thankfully, Stella hugged her again, making her feel better. “I wish you would’ve called me. And not been hanging out with so-called friends like that.”
“Me, too. On both counts.” She was almost afraid to ask but had to have an answer. “Will people around here think less of me once they find out?” Will the Lark men?
“No, but what I think you’re really asking is if the Lark men will think badly of you.”
“Yeah, well…” Had she already ruined her chances with them before she’d even arrived in Fate?
“I don’t think they will. If they love you, if they believe you’re their mate, it’ll take a much bigger thing than a shoplifting conviction to run them off. Wolves don’t scare that easily. Besides, everyone makes mistakes. They’re good guys. They’ll understand.”
“I hope so.”
Stella grinned, her lips pulling back in a wolfish kind of grin. “Trust me. I know so.”
* * * *
“What the hell is all that racket?” Danny Lennox stormed into Maddie’s bedroom without knocking, followed by his brothers, Alex and Mike. Stella was right behind them.
If Maddie hadn’t already been watching the scene below, she would’ve been startled enough to fall out the window. “Damn, guys, you scared the shit out of me.”
“What’s all the fucking noise?” Mike and his brothers went to the other window while Stella came to Maddie’s side.
Maddie backed up to let her sister lean over the windowsill and get a good look. She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face as Stella’s mouth dropped open.
“What are those guys doing?” asked Alex.
Maddie nudged Stella. “It’s the Lark brothers.”
“I can see that, for fuck’s sake, but what the hell are they doing?” complained Mike.
“They’re singing,” answered Maddie. At least, she was pretty sure that was what they were doing.
Shane, Brandon, and Braxton stood in the bed of their pickup, each dressed in white shirts and black jeans. Their dark hair glistened under the moonlight. Shane played the guitar and joined in with his brothers. The song was an old ballad that told the story of a man longing to hold the woman he loved.
Too bad they couldn’t have changed the lyrics to be three men and the woman they loved, but I’ll take it.
“You call that singing?” Danny laughed and shook his head as he gazed down on his friends. “Man, they must have it bad to go through this kind of humiliation.”
“They’re serenading Maddie. I think it’s amazing. And very sweet.”
Alex snorted. “They look like idiots.”
“And they sound worse,” added Mike.
Stella was on them then, snatching hold of their shirts and pushing them toward the door. “Out with all of you. And stay away from the Larks. This is between Maddie and her men.”
“Just get them to shut the hell up. No one’s going to get any sleep with all that racket going on.”
“You shut up, Mike Lennox, and take a lesson from them. Not one of you ever did anything that romantic for me.” Stella kept pushing them toward the door then waved at Maddie to go ahead and enjoy her serenade. “Don’t mind them. I’ll keep them away and quiet. Enjoy the serenade, Maddie.”
Maddie turned back to the sight below her. It was as corny as it could be, but she had to admit it was also very sweet. Not one of the men could carry a tune, and Shane wasn’t doing more than strumming the guitar without using any actual chords. Obviously, he didn’t play, but he was giving it a shot, anyway. Judging by their pained expressions, they weren’t having much fun singing. Which, of course, was why their attempt to court her was so damn touching. At last, she had to put them—and the Lennox brothers—out of their misery.
“Hey, guys? You can stop now.” Please, please stop.
They didn’t need to be asked a second time.
“Thank God.” Shane tossed the guitar away as though he never wanted to touch it again.
“Did you like it, sweet thang?”
She’d never tell them how awful their serenade had been, so she answered as honestly as she could. “I sure did.”
“Darlin’, I hate to say it, but you must be tone-deaf.”
She wouldn’t lie this time, either. “It’s the thought that counts.”
“Come down here and let’s talk about this without having to yell.” Braxton tried to coax her down by motioning toward the pickup. “If you come here, little girly, I’ll give you some of my candy,” he teased.
At first, she was all too eager to join them. But it was the middle of the night, and she had already gone to bed. Not that she’d gotten any sleep once fantasies of them had taken over. Then it
hit her. The next time she was with them, she’d tell them how much they meant to her. She would, in fact, tell them that she wanted to be their mate.
I do. Wow. I really do.
The realization thrilled her. But did she want to tell them without makeup and her hair disheveled from tossing and turning in bed?
No. It has to be a special place and time.
“Not tonight.”
Their expressions were crestfallen.
“Why not, honey-bear? We really want to see you.”
“Yeah, like Shane said. We really want to see you,” added Brandon.
“To see me? Or to see me?” She wiggled her eyebrows, letting him know that she knew what he actually meant.
“Both, darlin’,” answered Braxton.
“I’m sorry. Not tonight.”
“Then when?” Shane crossed his arms, a scowl darkening his face. “Tomorrow?”
“Yes. Tomorrow.” As much as she wanted to be with them tonight, she couldn’t help but think that making them—and her—wait a while would add an extra layer of spice to the mix.
“Fine. We’ll pick you up and take you out to see our ranch around noon. How’s that sound?” asked Shane.
“Sounds good, but I’ll drive out.”
“Why drive, darlin’?”
“I just want to is all.” She’d get something special made and take it to them. Besides, depending on how they reacted to knowing about her shoplifting offense, she might want to be able to leave on her own. The idea that they could reject her stung, but not for long. She had faith that they’d overlook her past.
“Let her drive.” Brandon crossed his arms, flexing his muscles. “She’ll need her car at the ranch, anyway.”
“I will?”
“You sure will. Once we get you out there, you’re going to want all your possessions with you.”
“So if I come to the ranch tomorrow, I’m basically moving in?” She refrained from jumping up and down with joy. They wanted her as much as she wanted them. It was crazy fast, but it was what she wanted with all her heart.
“That’s our plan, honey-bear. As long as it’s what you want, too.”
“Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.”
