by BA Tortuga
“Stupid heels.” She bent her leg to slide one off and suddenly Shaw could smell her. Their mate. He shifted closer, moaning low, his nose sliding along her leg.
Jordan moved, grabbing their girl and pulling her down. She landed on Jordan’s lap with a thump.
“Hey!”
Shaw groaned and reached for her leg, hands sliding up.
“You can’t just go on dates, woman.” Jordan kissed her, which cut off whatever she was saying. It had started out profane.
Short skirts were amazing. So were the tiny panties that were silk against his fingers. Shaw savored the feel of them for maybe two seconds before Jordan tore them off.
“You can’t do that.” Steph swatted Jordan’s hands, but she was laughing, the sound almost like tears.
“I can too.” Their alpha mate just kissed her silly and Shaw moaned at how pretty they were.
Shaw moved behind her, nuzzling her jaw, beneath her ear. She smelled good, flowers and soap, her own unique scent right there underneath.
“Need you, mate.” Jordan lapped at her lips, drew her closer.
“No. You need your mate.”
“Damn it, would you listen to us? You’re our mate!” Jordan nipped her lower lip and Shaw knew how that felt, how it made all your muscles jump.
“I can’t be!” She kissed Jordan back, tongue fucking his mouth, hard and fast.
Jordan drew him into the kiss too, their lips and tongues working together perfectly. Shaw knew they were right. No more doubts. She was theirs. Every inch. He stroked her inner thighs, loving the wetness there, the proof that she needed them too.
Jordan pulled off her skirt, then her top, and Shaw helped stretch her out, spread her. She lay back for them, her breasts pushing up, her belly pale and enticing.
“Look at you.” Shaw moaned, tongue sliding up along the swell of her breast toward one hard nipple.
“I—you shouldn’t be.” She wasn’t covering up, though, she was reaching for him.
“Need to. You’re ours.” His lips wrapped around one sweet nipple and he pulled, tongue lashing the tip as if he knew she liked it.
She cried out, bucking for him. “Oh Goddess.”
Jordan laughed, a deep, exultant sound. “His mouth is so fine, huh, Steph? So talented.”
“Shaw. Oh fuck, baby…” Her fingers tangled in his hair, kept him right there.
“Mmm. We’ll get to that.” Jordan moved in, mouth on Steph’s belly.
“We…”
Shaw could see Jordan’s dark hair spreading out over Steph’s pale skin. No thinking, no arguing. Just feel. That was the one rule tonight. Make her understand.
She had to understand when they showed her how good they were together.
Steph’s scent was all strawberries—fresh and tart, but with a hint of richness. He put his nose against her skin, his lips still working. Jordan was right there and he smelled like spice, like pepper and cinnamon. Earthy. Together they made his head spin.
Jordan growled, tugged Steph’s legs over his shoulders. “Need to taste, Steph. Need you on my tongue.”
She stared at them for a moment, then lay back and closed her eyes, whimpering. “Yes. Anything.” Her heels dug against Jordan’s back.
Shaw just kept his mouth moving, loving on her breasts. He tugged at one of her nipples, rubbing it in between his fingers, watching it go dark and full.
“Oh, baby, do that again. That makes her crazy; I can taste it.” Jordan licked at Steph’s inner thighs, working toward her center.
“So pretty. You make us ache.” He growled softly, tugged her nipple.
“I don’t mean to.” She opened her eyes again, the tears right there, fighting with the heat. “I’m sorry.”
“Shh. Shh, just feel us. You have to know, don’t you?” He swooped up, took Steph’s mouth.
Jordan growled a little against her, but never stopped licking. Shaw could hear the wet, hot sounds of Jordan loving their girl and it made him start to rock.
He kept touching her body, plucking her nipples whenever she started to relax, to fight it. No. No, love. Please. Please, we love you.
Her fingers slid down his body, wrapped around his cock and Shaw whimpered, eyes rolling at her touch. She knew him so well, knew just what kind of pressure he liked. She pulled, and God, that was perfect.
“Shaw. Oh God. I…” Jordan did something that made her fingers squeeze tighter.
“Yeah. Oh, Steph. Feels so good.”
Her lips were parted, tongue flicking out to wet them, almost as if she was imitating Jordan. He kissed her, letting her lick at his lips.
Jordan was making her shudder and shake, making her legs move restlessly. Jordan always went on about his mouth. Shaw knew Jordan could make anyone tremble.
Steph began to cry out, little broken, pleading sounds, and when she took one of his hands and put it on her breast, Shaw almost howled. He held it in, pinching at her nipple, rubbing it with his palm.
Jordan moved finally, sliding up to meet them both face-to-face. “Want inside you, Steph.”
“Jordan. Oh fuck.” Steph arched, hips bucking restlessly, and Shaw groaned, took Jordan’s lips in a kiss so he could taste her too. That kiss went white-hot, Jordan’s need a palpable thing. He could feel Steph shifting, feel Jordan’s cock brush his skin.
Steph groaned, the fingers around his cock started moving, as though jacking him would get Jordan’s cock inside her faster. Maybe it was a solid thought. Jordan grunted, moving up between Steph’s legs, cock pushing against her wet folds.
“So good.” He yelped softly as she tugged at the tip of his prick and made his toes curl.
“It always is.” She laughed a little, kind of hysterical. “Always so good. Jordan, please.”
“I won’t make you beg, love.” Jordan slid home, pushing inside Steph with one thrust.
“Jordan!” Her shoulders left the floor, her belly rippling as she moved.
“Yeah, love.” Jordan lifted her butt a little, her legs still clinging to those wide shoulders. Shaw had never seen something so beautiful.
At least not until she tugged him, pulled his cock over near her open lips, offering him that sweet, sweet mouth.
Shaw could never resist that. He surged up and pushed into her mouth. Her lips closed around him, tugging at the head of his prick, and Shaw had to grab Jordan so he didn’t fall. He managed to get one hand braced against a cabinet, his other cradling her head as he looked at Jordan, fighting to keep control.
Those dark eyes met his and Jordan bared his teeth, the look one of agonized pleasure. They needed to make her come again before they let go, though. They needed to overwhelm her with pleasure. It was good to see Jordan, though, because now Shaw could match their alpha’s rhythm.
Their alpha.
Theirs.
He keened happily, the pleasure in his spine sharp.
“Baby. Take her mouth. She wants you so bad.” Jordan’s voice was a low growl, the one that always made Steph start to pant. She loved to listen to Jordan talk during sex.
“Yes.” He yelped the word, started moving as her mouth tried to melt his brains, tried to make him shoot.
“Come on, love. Steph. Give it to me.” Jordan changed positions slightly and there was a muffled sound around his cock.
“Don’t stop, mate. She needs.” And Shaw knew Jordan could give it to her.
“Not going to stop. Not until both of you come for me. I want to see you both come, to feel it.”
Steph groaned around his prick so that the suction went from amazing to demanding, their girl pulling at him furiously. Shaw cried out, his balls drawing up. He knew he was going to come first. Steph was too damn competitive. Damn it. Jordan growled low, the sound vibrating inside him, and a dark flush climbed up Steph’s belly. If it was making Shaw shake, he knew it was making her come.
Score! Shaw laughed, feeling sheer joy bubble up in his belly, and he let it all go. He came so hard his vision grayed out, his whole bod
y tingling, all the way to his toes.
Jordan’s howl rang out—bright and sure, pure male animal.
They all collapsed together on the floor, a pile of sweaty, satisfied lovers. Shaw chuffed, happy to be alive.
Steph’s hand slid on his hips, her eyes closed, breath slowing.
Jordan panted, kissing her neck, petting her leg. One big hand landed on Shaw’s skin too, keeping them all connected.
“You two…” She sighed softly, petting them. “You have to move on. I do too. You know this. Your alpha’s going to skin you both.”
“You’re still not listening.” Shaw sat up, staring into her eyes. “You said we’d dream our mate. We keep dreaming about you!”
“I’m not a wolf, baby. Not. I can’t do what you do.” She never looked away, the staring contest getting a little intense.
Jordan shrugged, breaking in. “You will. We’ve seen it.”
Steph glared at Jordan. “Bullshit. I’m just a human. I’ve heard you tease about it. I know how you both feel.”
“Now who’s talking out their ass? We were shits, yeah, but you never took the time to see how we felt. You were Miss All Business. You did the spell and kicked us out!” Oh man, Jordan was grumpy.
“You were still in me when you asked me to find you another woman!” Steph jerked away from him, pushed Shaw away. “You didn’t even think about me. You needed someone so you could fit in, so you came in with chocolate and fucking and then wanted me to…” Her voice rose to a screech. “Get out of my house!”
Jordan grunted, going to all fours, his eyes glowing. “No. Not unless you come with us.”
“Get out!” She stood up, tears on her cheeks. Jordan opened his mouth again, but she was crying again. Shaw couldn’t bear to see her cry.
It didn’t help that she was reaching for her spellbook.
He grabbed Jordan’s arm. “We should go.”
“But—”
“Now. Now. She’ll… We’ll come see her tomorrow.” With clothes on. Shoes. Wine. That way she wouldn’t whammy them.
Jordan stared at him, then Steph. Then Jordan growled and shifted, leaping for the back door and slamming it almost off its hinges to get out.
“I’m…I’m sorry, Steph.”
She looked at him, tears on her cheeks. “Don’t be. Find your mate. Be happy. Just go.”
“We can’t be happy without you.” He stood, going over to kiss her gently on the cheek before turning to follow Jordan into the night.
Her sobs followed him all the way to the truck.
Chapter Eight
Steph showered, ate half a cheesecake—thanking the Goddess that she had a great metabolism—and cried herself to sleep.
When she dreamed, she dreamed about Jordan and Shaw running under the moon, calling to her, howling for her. They were all teeth and fur, until they weren’t. Then the dreams turned a little late-night cable, with lots of naked skin and moaning.
God, she was losing it.
She woke up twisted in the sheets, drenched in sweat, with her cell phone ringing madly. “Okay. Okay. I’m up. Just.” She hit the screen, slid that little bar. “What?”
“Stephanie? Steph, it’s Wendy. Are you okay?”
“What? I’m fine. I was sleeping.”
“You got home okay, no one bothered you?” Wendy sounded…pissed. A little scared, but gaining on the angry.
“What’s wrong? Mike was great. The date ended early, but…”
“Yeah, I fucking guess so. He’s in the hospital.”
“What? Did he have a car accident?”
“No. He was attacked. The emergency room folks are saying wild dogs.” Wendy stopped and Steph could hear the old clock above her bed ticking. It took maybe ten seconds to figure out what Wendy thought.
“No.” She shook her head. “They wouldn’t. Wendy, they wouldn’t.”
Not her boys.
“Bullshit. They’re males. They’re like me. They would.”
“When? When did it happen?” They’d been with her long enough for Mike to get home, right? Maybe she could prove…
“Around midnight. He managed to call 911 before he bled to death, so he lived. Damn it, Steph. Did your boys go after him?”
“No.” She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did. They’d been mad, frustrated, but if they were going to bite someone, it would be her. “No, they stopped and saw me, but I know they wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“That’s not good enough. I’m going to see them, and I swear by the moon, I’ll put them down if they’ve lost it.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Jordan and Shaw, they wouldn’t hurt Mike. They wouldn’t.
Steph hung up her phone without listening to another thing Wendy said and dialed Jordan. Please answer. Please answer.
No answer. She tried Shaw next.
“Steph?”
“Wendy’s coming for you. Mike, my date last night, he was attacked. They think it was you. I told her it couldn’t be, but she doesn’t believe me—”
“Wait. Slow down, honey. What’s all this?”
“She just called. She thinks you attacked him, bit him. He’s hurt bad. You can’t go to jail, Shaw, neither one of you. You’re mine.”
“Jail? Jordan?”
There was a clacking and muffled noises, then Jordan was on the line. “Okay, honey. We didn’t hurt anyone, you know that, right?”
“I know. I told her!” She was crying now, so overwhelmed and mad and just… Argh! “I told her, Jordan! You wouldn’t do that!”
They didn’t have to. She wasn’t interested in Mike and they knew it.
“No, baby girl. We wouldn’t. If Wendy is coming, though, we’re going to clear out until we can find out what happened. You remember that ski shack we took you to that time?”
“Uh-huh.” She sniffled, nodded, even though they couldn’t see her. “You go. Now. Before Wendy finds you.”
She’d…do a spell to expose the real bad guy. As soon as her head stopped pounding.
“Okay. You call the trading post up there if you need us. That way you don’t have my phone on your calls over and over.”
“Okay. I’m… Be careful, please?” She loved them.
“We will.” Jordan’s little growl made her almost smile. “You too. If it was someone else, not us, who was upset about you going out with him… Shit. I’ll call Brett.”
She nodded, crying again. “Tell Shaw…tell him thank you for answering the phone?”
“I wasn’t mad at you, baby girl. My phone got lost somewhere between the truck and the house last night. You stay safe until we come for you.”
“I will. I love you.” She hung up the phone before he could answer and went to find some clothes. She needed to make sure Wendy didn’t hurt her boys and then go make sure Mike was going to be okay.
She wasn’t sure when everything had just gone to hell, but it was time to get things back on track. Starting with finding out who had done this horrible thing.
Then she’d take a long cleansing bath and figure out what to do.
Chapter Nine
Mike was being pretty decent to her, considering that a big chunk of one of his arms was gone, and he had a bad bite to his right shoulder. She’d brought coffee and strudel from Erhard’s, built a cone of energy around him, placed sage and some wolfsbane around the edges of the room, and fluffed his pillows before settling down in the chair beside him.
“What the hell happened, Mike?”
“After watching all that, I have the feeling you might know more than I do, honey.” God, I was just heading to the damn convenience store, you know? And this wild dog jumped on me.” His blue eyes were almost unnaturally bright, the pallor of his face making them seem to glow. “I’m going to end up getting rabies shots, I just know it.”
“Maybe they’ll find them.” Steph wasn’t sure there was a vaccine for what Mike was carrying. Biting random humans was like a felony offense in the werewolf world, as far as she understood. The
pack wouldn’t let you stay, at least that’s what Shaw had said. Jordan’s derisive snort had said more than words about how Shaw was trying to protect her.
If her boys had done this, the pack would kill them.
“What them?” Mike shook his head, wiped his sweating forehead with his uninjured hand. “I wish there had been a pack of them, at least then I wouldn’t feel like the world’s biggest dipshit. I mean, hell, honey, I almost got eaten by a dog.”
“Oh.” She managed to swallow back the immediate “thank the Lady”, because there was no way it could be her boys. No way at all. They were a pair. Where one was, the other shadowed.
She’d believed that her boys were innocent, now she knew.
“Steph, can you call the nurse, please? I don’t feel well.”
“Sure. Sure, Mike. I’m going to get one on the way out. You look like you need rest.” And she needed to figure out what happened, see how she could help her men.
“Thanks. Thanks for the snack too.”
“You’re more than welcome.” Although she was afraid rare steak would probably help more than apples and brown sugar.
Steph headed to the nurses’ station, skin goose-pimpling up. Goddess, she felt as if she was being watched. Hunted, a tiny voice deep in her lizard brain whispered.
“Uh. I’m sorry. Mr. McAllen in room 310? He’s not feeling well and asked me to…”
The feeling got worse and she spun around, searching for some reason she felt so nervous.
“Ma’am?”
“Sorry. He needs help. I’m on my way out.” Because if there was someone, or something, hunting her, she had to get away from all these injured people, all the machinery and worry and pain that got in the way of her abilities.
She didn’t even wait for the nurse to answer, she just headed for the elevator bay, punched down and started pacing.
Craziness.
This was all craziness.
Steph managed not to run until she hit the parking lot, and then she sprinted to her car and started driving. She headed out of town, first, zipping down the highway before taking an off-ramp, retracing her steps.
That feeling of being watched was gone, the tension around her shoulders eased, even when she stopped for gas. Maybe it had just been the pressure of the hospital. So many hurting and scared people there. So much birth and death all mashed up together.
