“Yeah. So, I’m a little on edge. My mother just showed up. I barely got to spend any time with her. My sister-in-law had a baby. And not one but two men stepped into my life with the intent of claiming me. That’s not the average day.”
Trace stood abruptly, as if the couch were on fire. He stepped around the coffee table and lifted her right out of the seat, tugging her into his embrace. “We met your mom while you were with Rebecca. She seems very nice. Genuine. I’m glad you could finally be reunited.”
She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent as she buried her face in his firm chest.
His arms ran up and down her back soothingly. His head came down lower so he could speak into her ear. “It’s a lot to take in all at once. No wonder you’re so stressed.”
Amazingly she felt calmer in his arms. She hadn’t realized Keegan had also stood until his hand landed on her back above Trace’s arms. “Is your mom moving back here?”
Melinda shrugged. “Not right now. She has a life and three other kids I’ve never met in her husband’s hometown. It’s about two hours west. She can only stay a few days. She and her mate, Gene, have to get back. It’s going to be weird getting to know her.”
Finally, she wiggled back an inch and lifted her gaze to Trace, changing the subject. “Your turn.” She grinned.
He chuckled. “I can’t top that.” Instead of releasing her to sit back down, he pulled her around to the couch and sat her between the two of them. Their heat surrounded her, making her fidget. “I’m sure you know most of my life story from Griffen. My family owns the ski resort outside of Cambridge. I was in the deputy training program right before the earthquake and joined the local law enforcement soon after. I still work part time for my parents during ski season. I have three brothers and one sister, the baby. Griffen’s the oldest. Then me. Then Zachary, Logan, and Sharon.”
“Yep. I win.” She sighed and leaned back in her spot. Cambridge—forty minutes north of Sojourn at the other end of the lake… Both men’s thighs touched hers, making her hyper aware of them. It took all her concentration to listen to Trace’s words.
Trace reached across the coffee table and grabbed her wine, which he then handed to her. “You’re shaking.”
“I’m not usually like this,” she informed them after taking another sip. “But I also don’t meet my mate every day. Or mates.”
She stared at the glass in front of her to avoid either man’s gaze. It seemed as if they could see inside her, and that was a foreign concept to her since she was usually the one with the upper hand in reading people.
Keegan spoke next. “I feel like we’re at a disadvantage here.”
“How’s that?” She twisted to look at him.
“You haven’t said much about your psychic abilities. Did you know you would meet us today? Did you know who we were even? Can you foresee what happens next? How extensive is this ability?”
She couldn’t help the soft chuckle she emitted. Her? At an advantage? Hardly. Finally, she shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that. I’m not psychic. More like intuitive. I don’t see the future. It’s more like a feeling that washes over me—an emotion really. I get a gut feeling about something at random. I can’t control it. It’s hard to explain.”
Keegan nodded slowly, but his brow was furrowed in confusion. “I see.”
“I’m sure you don’t get it. And I wouldn’t expect you to. You’ll understand better over time. It’s confusing to me. It must seem very frustrating to you.”
Trace stroked his fingers down her arm. “Like the earthquake last year. You predicted that, right?”
She turned toward him. “No. Not like you’re thinking. It was more of a feeling of doom. I knew something awful was about to happen. I even thought it was environmental, but I didn’t predict an earthquake. Really, I might not have known anything if it hadn’t been for the strong vibe telling me to make sure Rebecca didn’t compete in the Spartan Race that day. Turned out she might have been killed. In either case, she was needed for her nursing skills. Without her, many more lives would have been lost.”
Trace nodded, his expression similar to the one she’d seen on Keegan’s face. It wasn’t unreasonable for her mates to be confused. She couldn’t blame them. Only time would alter their perceptions.
A few seconds of silence passed, during which she was fairly certain both men conferred silently over her head. And then Trace spoke. “Melinda, look at me.”
She lifted her gaze and turned her head his direction, another piece of her chipping away at the sincere look of concern on his face.
“I know this is weird. I know you didn’t expect to meet your mate today, and certainly not two of us, but there’s something you aren’t sharing. Why are you so scared?”
Yep. She had to tell them. She turned back to her glass, downed the rest of the wine for fortification, and then mumbled into the empty glass. “Naturally I’m nervous about there being two of you. Anyone would be. I’m not stupid. I know you both have to take me at the same time for the mating to be complete.”
“But?” Keegan encouraged.
“The thing is that…” Fuck. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. Maybe she could sugarcoat it a bit. “I don’t have a lot of experience with even one man.”
Trace blew out a breath and set a hand on her shoulder. “Baby. That’s what you’re worried about?”
She knew she’d given them the wrong impression, but she didn’t care. It wouldn’t change anything. They didn’t need to know her secrets. She’d rather take them to the grave than admit anything that would make them look at her funny.
She jumped from the couch, dislodging their hands and thighs and giving herself a chance to breathe. She padded to the kitchen and set her glass on the counter, eyeing the rest of the bottle with longing and half considering the idea of picking it up and chugging it.
Instead she turned around and faced her future. “Let’s do this. Bedroom?” She nodded to the hallway and stepped in that direction.
Chapter Four
Neither man followed immediately on her heels, so she pushed open the first door on the right, found it to contain an office space, and moved on. The next door on the left was a guest bathroom. Finally, she stepped into the second room on the right and decided it was the master bedroom.
Conveniently, Keegan had a king-sized bed. She shivered, padding into his space slowly while flipping on the light. How many woman had he slept with in this room? Hell, how many women had he and Trace shared in this room?
Rubbing her arms as if suddenly chilled, she examined his space. His bed was made, which surprised her. Who made their bed? Especially men? His comforter was a dark navy, and hints of matching navy sheets hung lower than the bedspread. All of which was further testament to his anal tendencies.
The carpet was a deep rich brown, thick and luscious. He hadn’t saved money in that area. The furniture was also dark. Like the living room, the dark wood and furnishings didn’t make the room small or uninviting. On the contrary, it felt calming. She needed calm.
She sensed both men behind her as she wandered around his space.
Keegan cleared his throat. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yep.” The one word sounded forced even to her. She wasn’t close to okay. And there was no way to make her okay either. The best thing to do would be to let them claim her so they could get past this crazy night and move on.
How bad could it be? People sequestered themselves for days on end after meeting their mates. Surely she could fake it for tonight and then… And then what? How often would they want to have sex with her?
She shuddered, trying to hide her unease and failing miserably when Trace spoke. “You’re lying.”
He ambled farther into the room and sat on the bed. He kicked off his shoes and scooted back to lean against a pile of pillows at the headboard.
“What do you mean?” She picked invisible lint off her skirt.
Keegan’s hand landed on her lower
back, making her jump with a squeak. “Honey, Jesus. You’re wound so tight. I know you’re nervous, but I swear to you we aren’t going to force anything that doesn’t come naturally. There’s no law that says the claiming has to be completed tonight. Or hell, even tomorrow.”
She twisted her neck to meet his gaze. “No. Really. I’m good.” That annoying ball of nerves low in her belly reared its head again. She squeezed her legs together against the wetness leaking between them. Arousal wasn’t something she was familiar with. And it scared the fuck out of her. The thought of losing control stressed her more than anything else.
“You’re so far from good.” Trace leaned forward and took her hand. “Climb up. Sit. No one’s going to maul you.”
Keegan helped her up, and she sat cross-legged next to Trace, tugging her skirt as far as she could down her thighs. Why had she chosen such a short dress today?
Keegan climbed onto the other side and sat next to Trace. They both looked at her speculatively.
Finally Trace spoke again. “I’ve never seen anyone look as fearful as you in my bed.”
She flinched.
He narrowed his gaze. “That didn’t sound right. I’m sorry. It’s just that you look like you’d rather have a tooth removed with a string tied to a door.”
He was so very right.
She swallowed. “No. I’m fine.” If she kept telling them that—telling herself that—maybe they could get this done.
A part of her wanted to crawl between them with confidence and snuggle into their chests, absorbing their warmth and scent. In fact, her body wanted to do that. Her nipples ached. A throbbing was annoying her, centered in her sex. It was foreign and frightening.
“Let’s eliminate the claiming from the table for now. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’ve never had anal sex, and the idea is freaking you the fuck out. So we won’t do it.” Keegan crossed his legs, but there was no way for him to hide the bulge in his jeans.
She let her gaze wander there for only a moment before she yanked her face back up to meet his gaze, a flush stealing over her.
“Don’t we have to?” she asked before she could stop herself.
Neither man laughed. Or even smiled. They remained serious.
Finally Trace took over. “Yes. To claim you we both have to have sex with you at the same time. But what Keegan is saying is we don’t have to claim you tonight. Let’s just enjoy ourselves. There are so many ways we can have sex without anal if you aren’t ready.”
“Okay.” She barely heard her voice. If only they knew.
Trace leaned forward and reached out a hand. He didn’t touch her. Instead he left it up to her to come to him.
She grabbed his fingers and held on, drawn to get closer to them against her better judgment.
“Lie down between us, baby. You’re so tense.”
She let Trace help her turn around, and then she lay on her back, her head propped on a pillow, her hands clasped at her belly. She breathed so hard and so fast, it seemed she shook the bed. She felt like a corpse—her hands folded, her body rigid, her gaze on the ceiling.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, intending to calm her nerves. Instead, she got a giant whiff of both men that scrambled her brain and indeed loosened her tension.
Both men stroked her arms. She didn’t open her eyes. Immediately her nipples pebbled further, and she wondered if they could see them under the front of her dress. Without a bra on, it was inevitable.
“Relax, baby.” Trace’s voice soothed again. He was a master at calming her while heightening her arousal at the same time.
She was losing her grip on reality. And that wasn’t her style. Feeling out of control never set well with her.
Trace stroked up her arm, over her shoulder, and across her cheek.
She tipped her head into his touch, her lips parting.
“That’s it, baby. Just relax. Let us make you feel good. You’re so tight. After the first orgasm, you’ll feel so much better.”
Her eyes shot open. She stared at him with a wide gaze. And then she bolted up and scrambled off the bed. “This isn’t going to work.” She headed for the far side of the room, heaving for oxygen and kicking herself for being so stupid. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I just can’t. It’s too fast. Too consuming. I feel out of control.”
Keegan chuckled, which cut her to the quick. “Honey, that’s the idea.” His face sobered quickly when he met her gaze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh. That wasn’t nice.”
“I don’t… I’m not…” She didn’t have the first clue what to say.
“Have you never had an orgasm, baby?” Trace’s eyes went wide.
“Of course I have,” she shot back. Alone. In my condo. With my vibrator. That doesn’t judge. Or care that I lost control.
Trace narrowed his gaze. “Melinda, what are you not saying? Whatever it is, please trust us. I can’t come up with a thing. Did someone hurt you?” He stiffened.
She shook her head. “No. Nothing like that.” Because I never let them.
“What then?” Keegan asked. “Hon, you’re going to have to talk to us. We’re at a total loss. We don’t know how to help if you don’t say something.”
Finally, she lifted her arms in complete frustration and let all the words she never wanted to speak tumble into the room. “Fine. I’m a virgin, okay? I’ve never let any man get close to me. It scares the fuck out of me to lose control. And in the same room with the two of you, I’m completely out of control.” She turned and stomped from the room.
She had no idea what to do or where to go. Her arms shook. Hell, her entire body shook with the proclamation that undoubtedly left them both stunned and confused. Disappointed even.
She couldn’t go through with this. No matter how badly she wanted them, she couldn’t do it. Not tonight. Maybe not ever.
She was embarrassed beyond belief and humiliated. Her usual strong outer façade was shattered, leaving behind a weak, limp, exhausted bundle of nerves. And the two men she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with were witnessing her at her very worst on the same day she met them.
Unable to hold herself upright, she crawled onto the couch and curled up in the corner. Thank God the lights were out. She needed the dark to hide in. She was pissed she hadn’t insisted on driving herself. What she wanted more than anything was to leave Keegan’s house and go back to her condo, where she could at least breathe without the damn throbbing in her pussy and the consuming need in her belly.
Or could she? Now that she’d met them, maybe she would never feel normal again. She almost groaned at the idea.
A blanket landed over her, stunning her. She hadn’t realized the two men had entered the room. She was really off tonight.
Keegan stood next to her, tucking the blanket around her balled-up body. And then he sat at her feet.
Trace sat on the coffee table at her head. His face was less than a foot from hers. “I’m sorry, baby. Why didn’t you just tell us?”
She didn’t move.
“Okay. I kind of understand your position. It’s not the kind of thing one blurts out on a first date. But this is so much more than a first date. Did you intend to let us make love to you without saying a word?”
Yep. That had been her intention. Until she couldn’t bear the feeling of being out of control.
Keegan sighed. He set a hand gently on her shin. “Hon, you’re ours. Even though we haven’t claimed you and no matter how long it takes, you’re ours. And we’ll cherish you forever. We’ll go slow and gentle. Your pace.”
Finally, she conjured the courage to speak. “Is that even a thing you can do? From what I’ve heard, mates tend to fuck first and ask questions later.”
Keegan chuckled. “I’ve heard that. And I won’t deny the desire is there, but we’ve already broken that tradition. We asked all sorts of questions first. Hell, you and I have already had our first disagreement.”
She interrupted, yanking her head to face
him. It was dark in the room, but all three of them could see fine in the dark. “Disagreement? That’s what you call your warped idea of turning my homeland into a circus?” She flung her arm out from under the blanket and slapped her thigh. “Ugh.”
Keegan chuckled again. “I’m gonna fight with you every day if that’s what it takes to get you to relax and be yourself.”
“Men.”
“Do you mean stupid white men who want to promote progress?”
“Yep. Those are the ones.”
He smirked. “Yes. I’m going to love sparring with you, hon.”
“Okay, break it up. That’s not helping.” Trace reached tentatively for her cheek and stroked the skin. Undoubtedly, he knew every time he did that she melted. “Come back to bed. Please. Sleep between us. Keep your dress on if you want. I need to be next to you. That’s all I’m asking.”
She stared at him, wondering if that was even a possibility, doubting she would be able to rest in the same room as them. Of course there was no chance she could sleep in the living room either, so what difference did it make?
“Can I ask one question?” Trace asked.
She nodded.
“Why? What happened to you to make you shy away from men? There has to have been hundreds of men who wanted you over the years. You’re gorgeous, sexy—stunning really—smart, witty, and the list goes on. Why swear off men?”
She shrugged, a little stunned by his pronouncement. “Not sure. I’m not like other lupines. That could have something to do with it. I can read people better than anyone. I can see into their souls sometimes. I never met a man I thought had the best intentions. Plus, I knew no one I ever dated when I was younger was my mate. Seemed ridiculous to fuck for the sake of fucking when it had no future.
“I don’t know how anyone does it. But then again, no one else can read people so well. On top of that, like I said, I like to be in control. I rarely get drunk. And when I do, it’s alone in my condo with a girlfriend. Not in public.”
“Well, I’m not going to deny you’ll be completely out of control when we claim you, and every other time we have sex for the rest of our lives. And truthfully, you won’t be yourself for weeks after the first time.” Trace stroked her cheek again.
Melinda's Wolves Page 4
