by Cara Adams
“And you believed them?” asked the Alpha frowning heavily.
Dom watched as Konstantin thought before replying. “I believe that those two men had no idea what the mountain is like. I think they really did expect a nice signpost saying ‘Alpha’s house two miles.’ I think it’s likely the Alpha of France isn’t that stupid, but was willing to let these men have a go at what they wanted to do, and if it worked he’d snatch the advantage. Since it’s failed, likely he’ll deny all knowledge of it.”
“Where are the men now?” Yeah. Dom wanted to know that, too. Especially he wanted to know if they’d be back on the mountain again anytime soon.
Konstantin gave a huge grin. “We blindfolded them, slung them over our shoulders, and walked all around the mountain for an hour or more, then drove them halfway back to Plovdiv and dumped them at a diner. The chances of them finding where they were, or where we are, are not high.”
“Good work. But unfortunately they or someone else will be back. And next time it might be a wolf who actually knows north from south. Konstantin, set up camp in the Snow Line Cave. I want you settled in by midday and prepared to stay there a week. Take a couple of men with you and keep watch from those cliffs. Dominik, you and Stefan camp out at Big Rock. You might need someone else to help you as well. You don’t need to patrol at night. I think they’ll come in daylight next time. But keep a fire burning anyway so if someone is lost they’ll find you. Stay alert. I don’t trust these people.”
“Yes, sir.” Dom didn’t trust them either. But spending the next week in a cave wasn’t how he’d planned to progress his relationship with Kady, either. Although a cave did have possibilities. Especially if they had a warm fire and some cozy blankets, meat to barbecue… Yeah he could work with this.
* * * *
Stefan had been woken by Dom and sent immediately up to the cave. “Just take what you need for an hour or so. I’ll bring up the rest of what we’ll need by noon,” Dom had said.
It was just as well he didn’t have to think. He was still half asleep as he hit the trail to Big Rock. He’d dropped a sweater, a couple pairs of socks, and a couple bottles of water in his backpack, and had eaten two energy bars as he hiked, carefully tucking the wrappers in his pocket. But the crisp morning air soon refreshed him, and by the time he was almost there he was wide-awake and enjoying the climb. Big Rock was one of the highest peaks that was easily accessible in this area of the mountains and it was an excellent vantage point with a panoramic view of the trails up the mountain.
The actual cave was harder to find. There was a rocky ledge under an overhang, and that was where most hikers stopped and camped. It had an amazing view and provided shelter. But maybe a quarter mile west of there, without the spectacular view and almost hidden in a thicket of scraggly bushes, was a snug, private cave, perfect for a romantic tryst. Stefan assumed that during the day they’d stay up on the ledge, under the overhang where they could watch the trails and check out any activity they noticed. And at night they could rest securely in the cave.
He’d like to show Kady the cave. He’d like to build a fire, lay out some thick blankets on the dirt floor, then spend a whole lot of time exploring her body. The one taste he’d had of her was not enough. Her mouth was perfection. Her kisses had almost blown his mind. She was so responsible and inventive in the way she’d let her tongue play with his. Her breasts were wonderful, too. Neither too big nor too small. Just right for his hand and mouth on them. And she’d tasted sweeter than wine, sweeter even than mountain strawberries.
Stefan sighed. Not going to happen unfortunately. The Alpha had sent him to work so he’d have to do that. Besides, the mountain needed protecting. The last thing they wanted was to be overrun by the various factions fighting for the position of Supreme. Why the fuck couldn’t they just hurry up and elect someone? It’d been months already. Surely they could get this issue sorted and let him get back to his own life. A life of getting to know Kady better. Learning all about her desirable body, her vivacious nature, and her smart mind. Even though she’d been almost asleep when they’d gotten back to the truck last night, she’d been smart enough to demand to steer the thing. Not that any of them would have ever asked her to push it, but she was on top of the issue herself anyway.
Stefan reached the top of Big Rock. It’d taken him well over an hour even though he’d been walking fast and knew the track. First, he hiked all around the plateau, checking for any signs anyone else had been here. There were none. Of course, the local wolves wouldn’t leave any trash or anything behind them anyway, but there weren’t any broken branches or footprints in the dirt, so he was as sure as he could be no one had been here in a while. Next he looked over all the trails. Again, there were no signs of recent activity on any of them. Finally, he went and sat on the ledge, his back resting against solid rock, but his body slightly angled so he could watch all three trails at once. Not that people had to follow the trail. Up was up after all. As long as a hiker kept moving up the mountain the actual path they followed didn’t need to be a trail.
He pulled out a water bottle from his pack and took a long drink, then took the energy bar wrappers out of his pocket and put them in his backpack, wishing he’d brought a couple more. They’d never gotten supper last night and two energy bars weren’t exactly a big breakfast. Oh well, Dom would be just as hungry as he was and would likely bring them food. Otherwise he’d have to hike back home later and get some, dammit.
Stefan let the calm serenity of the mountains sink deep into his bones, into his soul. He loved this place. It was home. All it needed to be perfect was Kady and he hoped they’d be able to persuade her to mate all three of them. He knew that it might take her a little while to come to terms with the idea, but he was confident that she was worth the effort. Again he remembered her lovely body from yesterday. His dick hardened almost painfully in his jeans, and he spread his legs wide to give it some space.
He kept his gaze on the trails, watching each one in turn, then scanning all the lower levels of the mountain for signs of a hiker. His belly rumbled with hunger but he didn’t want to drink anymore of his water in case Dom took longer to arrive than he’d anticipated. He worried about the interlopers on the mountain. Could they make life up here unsafe until the Supreme was elected? Could the arguments and disagreements, fighting even, between factions end up involving the mountain wolves? What if one of the contenders started offering money or other inducements? Plenty of people could be prevailed on to get involved if there was a fat fee for their participation. He’d hate it if his peaceful home ended up in the center of a sordid fight for the leadership of Europe.
And Kady. Would she agree to mate with them all? It was one thing for her to let them kiss her, but another to agree to a permanent union of the four of them. It was a big step, mating with a werewolf, as there was no divorce in the shape-shifter world. Partnerships were for life.
Stefan was almost glad to see Dom coming up the mountain toward him. His own thoughts were becoming too depressing. He wanted Kady. He wanted to live peacefully on his mountain. It was starting to look as though he couldn’t have either of these things just yet.
* * * *
Hiking the mountain hadn’t made Uwe tired. He’d been doing that all his life. Even carrying all three backpacks down the mountain hadn’t been too difficult. It was the kind of thing he’d done as a young man to prove to his brothers that he was just as tough as they were even though he was a human, not a shape-shifter. Lack of sleep wasn’t all that unusual either. He’d attended plenty of parties then gotten up the next morning for work, over the past half dozen years. The difference this time, he decided, was that he’d never done all of them on the same day. It was the combined effect of all three things, on top of a busy day at work, that was making him long for the end of the day and his bed.
He didn’t even have time to watch Kady today. He was too focused on completing on his own work, forcing his tired muscles and fuzzy brain to concentrate and g
et things right. The last thing he needed would be to have to throw out a batch of pies and start from the beginning again. From the few glances he’d flicked to Kady, she seemed to be coping way better than him. Of course, she’d napped in the backseat, while he’d stayed on guard until his brothers had returned, but she’d walked just as far as him, and had very little more sleep really.
Uwe really wanted to know about the interlopers last night and what had happened to them, but cell phones were discouraged in the kitchen. In fact, they weren’t supposed to have them while they were working in the castle at all, except for on their breaks. He’d find out when he got home. Right before he sank into his bed and didn’t get up for a minimum of eight hours.
He was about ready to leave for the day when Kady said, “Just a minute, Uwe. I’m almost finished.”
He turned to smile at her as she put a tray of Turkish delight in the huge, walk-in refrigerator, then disappeared into Evan’s office to collect her own cell phone and a sweater. He held the kitchen door open for her, then checked it locked properly behind them.
“Have you heard anything about those two men?” she asked.
“Dom had a meeting with the Alpha at seven this morning. He wasn’t thrilled at having to get up so early.”
“Neither was I. We were very late back.”
Uwe pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through for messages. “Here we are. He and Stefan have been sent to stay up at Big Rock for a week. He’s suggested we go up and meet him on your early afternoon. Would you like that?”
“Where’s Big Rock? Do I know it by another name?”
“It’s the high plateau, maybe an eighty-minute hike. There’s a ledge under an overhang with a wonderful view out over the mountain.”
“Oh yes, I’ve been there and picnicked on the plateau. The view from up there is stupendous. Well worth the walk. Are they camping there?”
Uwe wasn’t sure that he should mention the cave where he assumed they’d be staying. So he said, “Something like that.”
“I’d like to do that. Should we take them some food or something?”
Uwe smiled at her. She was so caring. “We can do that. It’ll save them a trip. Likely they’ll be coming up and down for food and water and anything else they need, so we can take them up some supplies.” What he’d really like is for her to spend the night with them in the cave. He needed to talk to his brothers about that. Surely this would be the perfect opportunity to really get to know her so much better than they did already.
He walked her to the priests’ house then went through the turnstiles into the outer courtyard. He’d driven his own car today, leaving the truck for his brothers in case they needed it. He sat in it and texted Dom.
Can you talk? I want us to invite Kady to stay overnight in the cave.
His cell phone rang immediately.
“Yes, that’s what we were thinking. Stefan and I think we can bring things up to the cave a bit at a time so we can have a comfortable bed for us all as well as anything else we might need.”
“Kady suggested we bring the food so I can get us some steaks to grill over the fire and maybe potatoes to bake in their jackets, apples to cook on a stick, or whatever.”
“That sounds great,” said Stefan, letting Uwe know his brothers were both together and that Dom had his cell phone on speaker.
“Okay well let me know of anything you want us to bring and we’ll come up straight after the lunch rush on Wednesday. Now, what else did the Alpha say?”
“Konstantin and his team took the strangers to a diner well out of our area and left them there. But we’d be foolish to believe that’s the end of it. Trouble is going to keep happening until the new Supreme Alpha has his hands firmly on the reins,” said Dom.
“I agree. It’s a damn shame we’ve gotten tangled up in this mess. Keep a sharp lookout up there. Don’t let trouble creep up on you.”
“We won’t.”
Uwe headed home, feeling happier that the Alpha had his eyes on everything. And he’d be dating Kady again on Wednesday. Now that was something special to look forward to.
* * * *
Kady’s week went very fast. She loved her work, loved living in the castle, and enjoyed spending time with the other human women sitting around in the kitchen at the priests’ house of an evening. That was one of the very few downsides to living on the mountain. Most of her school friends had lived in town and once they all went off to college or started work, there hadn’t been many opportunities to just hang out with each other anymore. She loved being in a community and able to do that again.
She also found herself worrying about the situation with the struggle for leadership within the shape-shifter packs. It just wouldn’t seem the same to have to be careful when she went on the mountain, or to have to always hike with a friend. She’d walked the mountain alone since she was about eight years old, and was used to packing her lunch and just wandering wherever she felt like going. To have to be constantly alert for trouble or strangers was going to seriously limit her fun and enjoyment of her home.
And then there were the three Golubev men. Not one man. Not two men. But three of them. Three big, dominant, dark-haired men. Would she really be able to find happiness with so many of them? Plenty of one-man, one-woman marriages failed, and here she was thinking of taking on three men. Three men used to being in charge of their lives and events. She really needed to think more seriously about what she was doing. Even the Werewolf Castle pack only suggested two men, not three. But how could she possibly choose between Dominik, and Stefan, and Uwe? They all attracted her in different ways. They were all quite individual in her mind, and the playtime on the blanket at the waterfall had gone very well. Or, at least it had from her point of view. There was something very enticing about three long, hard cocks. She blushed at the thought of them fucking her one after the other, or better yet, all at once.
Three orgasms. No red-blooded woman could complain about that.
By midday Wednesday she was a mass of conflicting emotions, certain only of one thing. She needed to see them all again.
Uwe drove them to the parking lot for the Big Rock hike. Like so many of the trails here, there was no signage to encourage hikers. The locals liked to keep the mountain to themselves, and the marked trails with bathrooms and kiosks and staff were all in set areas and usually only for quite short, easy walks. Tourists who wanted longer, more demanding hikes had to do their own research.
Kady recognized the only other vehicle in the tiny parking lot as the truck that she’d traveled in a week ago. “Whose truck is that? Dominik’s or Stefan’s?” she asked.
“It just belongs to the family. Right from the time we were small Dad said there was no way he was buying four of everything. We’d have to learn to share.”
They shouldered their backpacks and started walking before Kady asked, “And did you share? Or did you all fight?” The answer to that would tell her quite a lot about their natures, she thought.
“Oh, a bit of both. The older we got the better we shared, but there were always times when more than one person wanted something someone else was using. The truck was different though, as Dominik was the only with a driver’s license for two years, then Stefan got his, and by the time Anastasia finally got hers we were good at coordinating our activities so one person would drop off the rest of us, then we’d either get rides home with friends or wait until someone could come collect us again.”
Kady nodded to herself as she followed him up the trail. That showed her they could and did work out how each one’s needs could be met, then cooperate in achieving their aims. For some reason it made her feel better about being with them, knowing they would work through issues to find a mutually acceptable solution.
Uwe had said it was an eighty-minute hike, and there were sections of the trail that were very steep. She was glad to be following him as the narrow track disappeared at times in the rocky dirt and she thought it’d be very easy to diverge from it
and end up in the wrong place. As they got higher up the mountain she could see the plateau they were aiming for and understood that anyone who’d made it this far would find the lookout now, as they could see where to aim for. Hopefully any bad guys would never make it this far but get themselves lost way back down the trail.
As they got closer she could pick out the rocky ledge with the overhang, where Uwe had said Dom and Stefan would be watching, and then, much later, she could even see the darker speck, which would be a man sitting well back against the rock wall. What she couldn’t see was their tent, so she could only assume what appeared to be a flat plateau actually dropped down lower somewhere and they’d pitched their tent out of sight deliberately. It certainly made sense not to advertise their presence.
“Have any strangers been seen on the mountain this week?” she asked.
“Not that I know of,” replied Uwe.
“Are other people watching out for them as well?”
“Oh yes. The Alpha has at least one other watch point I know of. There could be more I don’t know about, or maybe he just knows that his people will tell him if there are strange people or cars around.”
Kady thought that sounded logical. Everyone knew the Alpha of the Mountains might not have the latest in technology but he had a system of people telling him things unrivalled by any spy system in the world.
By the time they reached the plateau she was ready to drop her backpack and lie flat on the grass to get her breath back. It’d been a demanding walk and she’d already worked an eight-hour day before starting it. That was the trouble with hospitality. To have hot food ready for hungry tourists wanting breakfast at eight in the morning, someone had to be putting the first things on to cook at six and although Evan and Anastasia were always there at six, she tried to arrive not much after them. The first few hours in the day were just as hectic as the lunchtime rush.
