by Lacey Thorn
She shook her head, and that one movement reminded him of all the reasons she shouldn’t be here. It made him think of the danger she was in. The danger they put her in. And it made him angry because despite that danger, he wanted her. He wanted to be her mate.
“Most have nowhere to turn unless there’s another shifter nearby with a little bit of knowledge. For us, actual doctors are few and far between, and there’s too much risk involved to go to a human doctor.”
“Even in an emergency? Wouldn’t any doctor be better than none?” she challenged, but Cody shook his head.
“You’ve seen our blood. How would you explain that to someone who hadn’t been searching for us their whole lives? How would you explain our accelerated healing? Our natural immunities? Our advanced senses? There’s too much risk.”
“You trusted me,” she stated softly.
Cody laughed. “Derrick wouldn’t have accepted anything else.”
“And you?” Jess questioned him. “Would you have let me walk away?”
He hated himself for the lie he told. He nodded. “I would have.” If he’d been a stronger man.
“Why?”
“You have no idea how much your life will change now. The toll that being with us will take on you. What it will cost you. But I do. You don’t see it yet, but a day will come when you might resent us for what we’ve cost you.”
“Never,” she swore. “I’ll never resent you.”
“What about your father? Will he?” He’d sent him the information she’d requested and prepared himself for a phone call. He’d spoken with Professor David Mueller several times, as had Derrick. When he’d asked to speak with Jess, Cody had slipped and said she was with Michael. Then Adrian had answered Michael’s phone and spoken with David. The man had an endless stream of questions.
“My father loves me. He wants me to be happy.”
“Even if it means he won’t see you as much? Even if it means he won’t always know where you are or how to reach you? Even if he knows there are those who would hunt you down and kill you simply because you’re important to us? Because you’re with us? That’s the life you’ve stepped into, and there’s no going back. You’ve mated two alpha wolves. You belong. God help you, Jess. You’re one of us, and no matter how much I wish we would have walked away, it’s too late now.” Losing her would be the one thing that destroyed them all.
“I want to be here,” Jess told him.
“In mating with Derrick and Michael, you’ll begin noticing some physiological changes. Your senses will sharpen and expand. Your hearing and sight will be the most noticeable. Smell will sharpen. You’ll also form a bond with your mates. A mental link. You’ll be able to sense each other. To know their feelings and emotions.”
“Are you telling me they’ll know what I’m thinking? All the time?”
Cody almost laughed at how pissed she sounded.
“No. They’ll know when you’re angry. When you’re happy. Sad. Emotions, Jess. They won’t be able to read your mind. And don’t forget, you’ll know the same about them.”
She rubbed her neck. “The bite? Is that what starts the connection?”
Cody nodded. “Yes, the bite allows our DNA to enter your blood, forming the bond and initiating the changes I spoke of. No bite. No mating.”
He practically saw her mind turning over everything he’d shared.
“And your immunities to human diseases?”
He nodded. “You’ll gain that, too. You’ll have just enough of our DNA to alter yours on a level that will initiate these changes. Which means no more going to a human doctor.”
“I’m a doctor, Cody. Besides I can count the number of trips I’ve made to a doctor, outside of my father, on one hand. Even as a child, I was never ill. Chicken pox when I was ten. A broken arm at fifteen.” She shrugged. “I’m not worried about my health, Cody. In fact, I can help take the burden off you. Now that I’m one of you.”
“No. You’re with us. A mate. An alpha mate. But you’re not a wolf, and god help us all, it matters. To the wolves who seek my help. It matters.”
It was one of the things the alphas were trying to work on. The acceptance of non-wolf mates. It galled Cody that some scorned what should be the most amazing moment of a wolf’s life, the day they found their mate. All because that mate turned out to be someone other than another wolf within their pack. He’d never understand purists. Especially those who thought it was their responsibility to ensure only the purists survived. They had no care for the hunters who thought the world would be a better place without any of them.
“Then we’ll change their minds,” Jess stated as if it were a done deal. God, if it were only that easy.
There was a knock at the door, and they both turned to see Derrick standing there holding a phone.
“Your dad called. I told him I’d find you and have you call him back.”
Jess practically hummed with excitement. “He’s found something! I know it!” She grabbed Cody and gave him a squeeze before running to Derrick and bouncing up to wrap her arms around his neck.
Derrick didn’t settle for the given hug. He cupped her lush bottom and lifted her higher into a kiss. One that made Cody uncomfortable due to how much he wished it were him, instead.
“I missed you,” Derrick murmured.
“Mmm,” Jess agreed, nuzzling closer.
“Why don’t you get dressed then call your dad back while Cody and I talk,” Derrick urged, settling her back on her feet. “We’ll be up soon. Adrian’s making breakfast.”
“I’ll see you both in a minute,” she promised as she headed out with a bounce in her step. She was definitely excited to speak to her father.
“I never expected you to be the one to lie.” Derrick stared at Cody, arms crossed over his chest. There was no anger. That was all Cody’s.
“What the hell are you talking about?” he demanded, but he knew exactly what Derrick was calling him out on. He’d lied when he told Jess he would have let her walk away.
“I heard everything you said to her. The one thing I can’t understand is if you’re lying to her or yourself.”
“Once again, what the hell are you talking about, Derrick?”
“Yourself, then.” Derrick nodded as if he’d expected that to be the answer.
“I’m about ten seconds from putting my fist in that pretty boy face of yours,” Cody warned.
“You wouldn’t have walked away any more than I could have,” Derrick stated with no doubt. “You would have tried to deny yourself, but when it came right down to it, you wouldn’t have been able to walk away. No matter the cost.”
It shouldn’t surprise him that Derrick knew him that well. Well enough to know Cody couldn’t have walked away any more than Derrick could have.
“Do you understand how complicated we’ve made her life? What it costs her?”
Derrick nodded. “I do. I also know she’d have never walked away. Would have never let us walk away. She’d have kept hunting, kept searching for us, until she bumbled her way into something. Hunters. Shifters. A group who didn’t want to risk her finding anything. Someone who would have killed her without a second thought. She’d have been alone. Now, that’ll never happen. She’ll have us. All of us. Always. You think this is crazy? She’s the answer to everything we’ve been fighting for. Survival. Inclusion. Acceptance.”
“How can you believe that?” Cody asked.
“Once you and Adrian bond with her, she’ll be mated to all four alphas. The alpha lines will be hers. There will be no distinction between white, brown, gray, or black. There will only be wolf. Only us. In the four of us uniting, we show by example that all wolf packs can unite and increase our survival. By creating this alpha pack with her, we assure her protection. You think this was easy for me? To share the woman I chose as my mate? You know me better than that, Cody. Hell, you know me better than anyone. She makes me think beyond myself. Beyond my wants and needs. The moment I locked gazes with her, I knew
my life would change forever. Call it fate. Call it whatever you want. In that moment, I knew she was mine. I knew I’d do everything in my power to protect her from our enemies. Including sharing her with you, Michael, and Adrian. So whatever’s holding you back, deal with it. We need you, Cody. All of us do.”
Chapter Sixteen
Derrick wasn’t saying much at breakfast, and Jess could tell he was upset. As Adrian sat with them while Cody remained in the lab, there was no doubt in Jess’ mind as to what or who had upset Derrick. He’d merely told her Cody was staying downstairs for a little bit, analyzing the new blood tests and running a few more for clarification. Nothing else was offered, but she was picking up on his emotions through their bond. It was a bit disconcerting how deeply his feelings resonated inside her.
“Dad sent me a new phone. It’ll go to my PO box in town. Are we far from there?” She still had no clue where she was.
“Not too far,” Derrick told her. “We’ll wait a few days before heading into town. We’ll pick some more supplies up when we go. Did he say anything about the information Cody sent him?”
“He’s still going over it. Of course, he said the best thing would be if he had blood to run his own tests.” She held up her hand before Derrick could say anything. “I told him that wasn’t possible. After some grumbling, he said he’d get back with me later today.”
“Michael looked a lot better this morning,” Adrian commented. “Still a little antsy but more himself.”
“His latest blood tests show a remarkable change, but he’s still got the drugs in his system. I’m hoping they’ll continue to decline over the next few days.”
“Cody wants to run a few other tests to make sure whatever it is doesn’t respond by mutating in some way,” Derrick added to what Jess had said. That had been something she hadn’t even thought of. Cody continued to impress her with his knowledge and skills.
“Makes sense,” Adrian agreed. “Never can tell what they’ll think of next.”
“They as in hunters or they as in the wolf purists?” she asked.
“Both,” Derrick answered.
“Especially since it seems the purist are taking their cues from the hunters,” Adrian added. “Darts laced with drugs. That’s a hunter move.”
“How long have hunters been around?”
“As long as shifters, I suspect,” Adrian replied.
“Or at least as long as they’ve known of our existence.” Derrick’s jaw tensed, and she automatically reached to cover his hand with hers, giving it a squeeze that brought him out of whatever memory he was visiting and back to the here and now. Back to her.
“How…” She paused, working to collect her thoughts into concise questions. “I’m trying to figure out how they hunt you. I mean, how do they know who’s shifter and who isn’t. Because short of seeing you shift or hearing your rumbly, wolfy sounds, how do they know?”
“Rumbly, wolfy sounds?” Adrian laughed.
“You know what I mean.” She waved aside his question. “How do they know who to hunt?”
“Some hunters are gifted with a type of sight that allows them to see a shade of color around shifters,” Derrick informed her.
“They can see auras?” That was interesting. What shade would shifters have?
“I’m not sure if they see auras, but apparently, we tend to have a golden glow. As long as there’s a member of their party who can see the glow, then we’re easy to spot,” Adrian continued.
“And if they don’t have someone?”
“They don’t care,” Derrick growled. “Anyone who will hunt and kill another person, wouldn’t care if that person turned out to be solely human instead of a vile shifter.”
Pain. Anger close to rage. His emotions filled her. Mixed with it was an overriding sense of helplessness. Because he couldn’t save them all. Because too many of them wouldn’t let him.
“I’ll never understand what exists inside a person to make them hate simply because the other person is different. Whether it’s skin color or religion or any number of other criteria people use. It sickens and disgusts me. To use that hate to hunt and kill…” She broke off, shaking her head.
“There are worse things than death,” Michael said from the doorway, and looking up, Jess drank him in. It was hard not to after the night they’d spent together.
“You’re awake.” Jess was up and on her feet, moving toward him. “Adrian made breakfast. Have a seat.”
She wasn’t sure how to act. She was mated to Derrick and Michael, and soon, Adrian and Cody would be her mates, as well. How would the semantics of it work? Would there be jealousy among them? God, she hoped not.
Michael grasped her arm softly as she turned from the counter with a loaded plate in her hand, one of the two that had been set aside. He took the food and set it on the table before pulling her close and holding her. He dropped his head atop hers so his cheek nuzzled her hair and breathed her in. Her gaze met Derrick’s, and a smile touched his lips.
“It’s good to see you up and around,” Derrick said. “Looking more like yourself.”
“It’s good to feel more like myself,” Michael replied, giving her a squeeze before releasing her and guiding her back toward the table.
Then Adrian stood and embraced Michael. A long, hard hug that brought tears to her eyes.
“Good to have you back,” Adrian growled when they broke apart.
“Damn, it’s good to feel normal in my own skin again,” Michael told them as he took a seat.
“Do you feel in balance? Any urge to shift?” She grasped his wrist and tested his pulse. Unsure what was normal for them, she reached for Adrian’s wrist for comparison. “Seems normal.”
“I’m good,” Michael assured her, patting her hip before pulling his other hand free and picking up his fork. “Mmm, this is good. I’m starving.”
“Starving? When was the last time you ate?” she demanded.
“Jess, honey. I’m fine. Promise.”
She nodded and held her tongue when Derrick tugged her back to sit on his lap. Her gaze went back and forth between them then flicked over to Adrian. There was longing in his gaze, quickly hidden, as if he were trying to shield her from what he felt, what he wanted.
“How is this going to work?” She blurted out the question. “The five of us.”
“However, you want,” Derrick offered with a shrug.
“Will we all be together at the same time or will I only be with one of you at a time?”
“Maybe, only one of us at a time for now,” Michael offered. “My wolf’s on board with sharing but not exactly into sharing if that makes sense.”
“Exactly,” Derrick agreed.
“Adrian?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.
“Whatever you want. Always.”
She wondered if he’d say that once they’d consummated their bond. Maybe. He seemed to be the easiest going among them. She didn’t think he’d argue if she said she wanted him and Michael at the same time. Why that thought had her getting damp between her thighs said a lot about her current state. She’d been in a constant state of arousal since she’d met them, and it showed no signs of relenting. Maybe, it was her body’s way of making sure she was ready for the sexual demands of four lovers. Four alpha lovers. It was an interesting theory, though maybe not a solid one.
“Like most relationships, we’ll figure it out as we go,” Derrick told her. “Don’t stress over it.”
“I merely want to make sure there’s no room for jealousy or animosity between you guys. I want this, but not at the expense of damaging what the four of you have created between you. I want to be a part of the bond. Not the thing that breaks it.”
“That’ll never happen,” Michael assured her. “Adrian, Cody, Derrick… They’re like brothers to me. Family. Our bond is strong. If we have any issues, we work them out. Loving you will only strengthen that bond.”
“Agreed,” Derrick and Adrian both said.
“Then why
is Cody downstairs while we’re up here?” she asked, voicing the question that had weighed on her mind since she’d felt Derrick’s emotions earlier.
“Cody worries too much,” Derrick offered with a sigh. “Over everything.”
“He takes a lot on himself,” Adrian clarified. “He thinks it’s his job to take care of everyone. Not just us but every wolf.”
“Because he’s one of the few medically trained doctors available to us,” Michael added. “He tries too hard to save everyone.”
“Sometimes, to the detriment of his own health,” Derrick finished.
“I noticed how exhausted he looks,” she told them. “He said he sleeps a few hours here and there as he can. That’s not healthy.”
“He’s his last priority,” Adrian murmured. “Everyone comes before him. The fact you’re here probably has him twisted in knots.”
“Why would you say that?” she asked, thinking of her earlier conversation with Cody.
“Part of him wants you,” Michael said. “He wants to claim you, mate you, as Derrick and I have. As Adrian also wants. But he fears the danger this bond puts you in and our ability to protect you from enemies both known and unknown.”
“Rationally, he knows it’s too late for that fear. You’re here, and you’re not going anywhere. Emotionally is a different story. He loves you already,” Derrick added. “And that love strikes right at the heart of his fear. Loving you gives him one more person whose loss would destroy him.”
Their words made sense and explained Cody’s behavior when they were together. The question was how to break through what was holding him back and persuade him to mate her. Could she seduce him? She’d never seduced anyone in her life, but she wanted Cody. According to his fellow alphas, he wanted her as much.
She pushed off Derrick’s lap and moved to grab the other plate being kept warm. “I think I’ll take breakfast down to him and look at the new tests he’s running.” She pointed her finger at Michael.
“You don’t go anywhere. Rest and relax until we know for sure there won’t be a relapse.”
