“What did you say, Vanna Rae?” Vanquish was urging.
I gave him a befuddled look. Trying to recall what it was he was talking about. My brain felt as if it were made of pudding. It was hard to filter through even very recent thoughts.
I felt like a fool that it took me so long to catch up.
He’s asking about the name.
What I said…
“What was the word you just said?” He persisted.
“Gallions…” I whispered. Feeling as though I was giving away some great secret. In my head I had begun to know. But I wasn’t ready to tell all of them yet.
But it’s time now.
“Why did you say that?” He asked under his breath.
“It’s what I was…”
“You were a Gallion?” He seemed incredulous. Clearly knowing the name of the greatest wolf royalty in recent times.
“One of the heirs.” I nodded slightly.
But Rebekah’s cutting voice drew my attention. “Don’t move!”
She doesn’t want me m
“Who?” Vanquish lowered my head carefully to the floor before standing over me.Preparing to get very aggressive with Magnus.Quickly, from the look of it. If Magnus doesn’t start talking.“Are you Gallion?” Magnus’ gaze was locked on me. Fully prepared to ignore Vanquish closing in on him. Breathing raggedly and exuding fury as if he were already prepared to pounce.“Yes..” I whispered.Magnus did an excited little hop in the doorway.“It’s her, Hawk!” He barely tossed over his shoulder. “I was right. Zyra was right…”“Zyra?” Vanquish growled.“My mate.” Magnus gave him a surprised glance, as if only now, seeing him for the first time. “She thought Vanna Rae was the one…”“The one what?” Hunterjoined Vanquish. Shoulder to shoulder with him, crowding Magnus fr
Vanquish grunted. Then made a sound which I was fairly certain was a low chuckle. He caught the hair at my forehead in a fist and used it to push my head back against his leg. So, I was laid flat again. “So fierce, my little mate.” He murmured. Both pride and arousal brightening his eyes. I growled in warning, and swatted his hand to make his grip lighten. He’s reminding me, he’s dominant. I recognized. I know! My lip curled slightly. I had to remind myself again of the tenuous line I walked being mated to three aggressive men. I could lose control of them if I’m not careful. If any one of them decided they needed to take over our group instead of letting me run it, I could be put in my place as most she-wolves were. That would be unbearable. I liked things as they were. On my terms. I saw in my mind a shadow of a future where they tore at each other as they f
“You’re going to need me?” I said nervously. Chewing my cheek. I’d already dealt with another Mating Moon since that first one. It hadn’t been nearly as brutal.Still…“Yes.” Vanquish nodded. “But I don’t think that’s what he means.”“I mean they’re going to scent you a mile away.” Racer warned in a dangerous tone. “I’m not letting you go anywhere near that camp.”Shit.I wanted to go. Wanted to see how big their force was. And what resources they have.Magnus walked through the trees. Catching the tail end of the conversation. “He’s right, you know? I was standing downwind from you and could smell you down the hill.&rdq
He was staring at me covering myself with blatant disapproval. He nodded his chin down and my arms obediently fell away. Letting his gaze rove over me like a fondling touch. Caressing every part of me. “Chair.” He jerked his head toward it. Not giving me a choice. I walked to it. Looking at him next to me in confusion. “Lean over it and grip the seat.” I blew a long breath and leaned over it. I heard the rustle of him removing his clothes and felt his large hands land on my bare waist, just above where my hips flared. I felt the hardness of his cock prodding my entrance and awaited the vicious thrust that would plant him in me. “Van…” Racer tried to intervene. A sympathetic note in his voice. Trying to calm his brother. Vanquish whipped around as if challenged to roar at them. “Go to bed.” And for the first time I could recall, the other two slunk over by the fire to obey. Watching uneasily. If I cried
I began to lower before him. Dragging my hands down his chest and belly to push them under the cloth and feel the thin layer of skin over sinewed muscle. The tightening of his abdomen as I touched so close to his root. I looked up at him as I slowly parted my lips just below the head of his partially swollen rod. I slid my lips from the tip. Opening them around the knob and taking excruciating time to lower him into my mouth while I kept my palms flat over his hip and stomach. Stroking him with only my mouth as I took him in fully. Still looking at him as I tightened my lips and suctioned around him as I drew off his length. Making him immediately tense and grow firmer. I did it again, letting it pop from between my lips before starting again. Then I began to do it faster. He moaned deep in his throat. His head falling forward to watch me work. He reached to scoop my hair from my face. Holding it back along my temples, just above my ears on both sides. Giving
Vanquish was brutally ravishing me. Taking the pleasure he craved from my warm inner walls, to abate the fierce need that was now driving his beast. And as much as I wanted to be furious with him for it. My heels were driving into the back of his legs. Pulling him closer. A reminder that my beast was just as aggressive as his and she was willing to meet him. Violence for violence. Monster to monster. When he snarled low, I gave short high ones to alert him I didn’t fear him. I felt the pounding of my heart evolving into a flutter. The rough slip of fur grating through my pores and the yellowing of my eyes. The growing of my teeth in my mouth. She’s responding to his threats. I knew. Feeling the writhing of my she-beast taking control of my human flesh. My back snapped. Crunching. Even while he was inside me. Craning upwards into a peak. I’m changing. He didn’t stop. Knowing he was driving my a
“Supposedly my father was a descendant of the First Wolf, one of the sons of one of his son’s, sons.” Vanquish whistled. Frowning in confusion he asked. “Do you think the rumors are true, that Fury is him?” “That’s what they say.” I murmured. Shrugging. I tried to remember if I’d ever seen him or if father had ever mentioned him. But just thinking about it was making my head ache and my vision begin to blur enough that I could tell it was warning me that there would be another series of tremors, if I kept pushing at the barrier of my brain. “But you’ve met the man, what do you think?” “I think Fury unsettles me and he certainly feels different to be around.” I admitted. Remembering how I always felt the need to skitter from his path. As though he’s more animal than the rest. *** “Do you know about his sons?” Vanquish said. “The others?” “Others?” What others? I had no idea what he was
“You’re all furious. Your blood is up and your vicious.” I noted. Giving them all an assessing study. Explaining even as the idea fully formed in my mind. They both looked at me as if I were a fool for declaring the obvious. “We’re going to use that.” They all looked at me flabbergasted. I need to explain. Quick. There was already indignation written over them. “Tonight, we’re hunting. There are two or three packs within walking range tonight. You said they’re already smelling me. So, we’ll use that too.” I’ll be bait. They’ll be completely distracted by wanting to mount me. They’ll be slaughtered by my mates. Hunter and Racer exchanged a look. But it was Vanquish that said what they were all thinking. “No.” “Yes.” “No.” Hunter shook his head adamantly. “You could end up underneath the whole pack. Do you have any idea what you smell like?” Not really.
Marta was willing to follow Lorem to the ends of Ferus.It made me consider how far I’d go to be loyal to my mates.What would I do for them?How many awful things would they have to do before my image of them changed?My instant thought was that they would never do something like what Lorem had.It’s not even a comparison.I looked at Marta.“My father should’ve banished you from the pack with Lorem.” Draven murmured. “I wonder how you’d have fared then?”“I’d have been with him.” She clawed at Fury’s grip but that was like trying to get a tree to release a trunk.He’s unmoveable.“What you want to do with her?” Fury asked.“Take her with us.” Draven said. “We’ll give her to the NightHunters and let them toy with her awhile.”Marta looked intensely nervous despite all her bravado.I bit my lower lip. Pitying her a bit for her fate.***Fury, Killian and Aviari had been talking ahead of us. Our army of wolves and mages were tromping through the woods so loudly that there was no mistak
“Her smell has changed.” Draven was staring at me as he announced it.I skittered into a sitting position. Reflexively drifting backward to put more space between he and I. Trying to protect myself.Which I’d suddenly had a much stronger urge to do, today.“I know.” Vanquish said. Rolling to lean up and give me a warm look over Hunter’s shoulder.I flushed. Biting my lip.How can they already know?I’m not even sure yet.“The Asara’s first pups are being carried by the Gallion Princess.” Vanquish murmured proudly. Meeting my gaze with infinite tenderness.My males all stretched to reverently place their palms over my flat belly. Rubbing it soothingly in a way that had me leaning back. Offering myself to more of their touch.I subconsciously flattened back out and ducked my forehead against Racer’s chest. Avoiding everyone’s permeating study and finding comfort in the warmth of my mate.Lyra Lani’s voice rose. “That’s why you’d not share the drink!”I nodded slowly without looking at h
I knew I’d hugged Lyra Lani a bit longer than I needed to but it was so nice to receive affection from a female after so long with only my mates for company. I gave her another quick squeezer before letting her go. She slid her hands down my arms and did the responding squeeze to my fingers right before she let them fall. Reassuring me that I had her support. And that she’s here. Her kindness nearly brought a tear to my eye. Hearing Killian’s voice behind me, I peered back at him. He bobbed his head in greeting and waved his hands in a motion for me to come to him. I did. Returning to hug him just as eagerly. I didn’t know how many times I’d embraced he and Aviari and BailaLae now, but I was beginning to feel like it would never feel like enough. Probably because I’m so scared of losing them again. Giving his dark, waving hair, a fond caress before turning my attention back to the girl
“Perhaps they do.” Killian nodded to the three identical males stepping into the small grove. My blood coated mates. They, all three, looked exhausted but unharmed. Thank Heavens! I was incredibly relieved to see them okay. Glad that the sounds of battle had died down. We won. Seeing how shaken I appeared, Vanquish immediately whirled to see the others appearing from the camp. “What’s going on?” He backed up toward me. Casting a worried glance over his shoulder before eyeing all the mages pouring from behind trees and the edges of the camp. Looking at them all just as warily as he had the first time, he’d seen them.
I flattened my back against the tree and held my breath. Praying that no one would hear me. That my bits of torn clothes wouldn’t guide them. And that I would still be whole by the time my mates returned from ambushing the camp. Please. I held one hand over my stomach. The other over my mouth to hush any sound escaping my throat. Boiling fear nearly paralyzing me. Making me feel choked as if I’d never get another breath of air through my throat. I felt the urge to move one of my legs, to alleviate the ache boring through me from my mates loving last night but I didn’t dare move. Stay quiet. I was reminding myself over and over in a steady chant. I’d never been so relieved when I saw the face of the dark-haired girl peek around a tree a distance from me and meet my look. I blew a relieved breath. Recognizing her immediately as my brother’s mate. Jade was her name. I recalled. Feeling my whole body rela
Just then Hunter scampered up to us. “I got his line.” “Which way.” “Headed North.” “Toward the WildWood?” Vanquish asked in surprise. “He must be thinking if he can make it there, we won’t follow him in.” Racer suggested. “We can’t.” Vanquish agreed. “Not with the wolf-hunting-Roamer there.” “What’s that?” I asked. “A troll. I think.” Racer murmured. “A giant. He hunts anything with fur and ears that seems like it might be a wolf.” “Why?” “It’s said that a vicious mage cursed him to forever be trying to destroy the Moontower Mob.” I gave him a questioning look. “Really?” Vanquish groaned. “Memory loss.” I tapped my head pointedly. “There was a castle beyond the WildWood-” “It’s still there.” Hunter injected. “I’ve glimpsed its ramparts now and then.” “Truly?” Even Racer looked surprised. And he’s usually the historian amongst us. V
The morning was chilly and there was a knock at my door very early. Hunter rolled to his feet from before me. Walking barefoot to pull open the door. Heedless of the fact that he was entirely naked. I lifted my head enough to see Killian was there. I moved to rise but Vanquish’s arm draped over me kept me from going anywhere. “It’s time.” He murmured from the doorway. “Get dressed.” “Time to fight?” “Not you.” Aviari joined Killian near the doorway, staying just from view. Unwilling to glimpse me in here with my mates. Even though my nakedness was shielded by Racer lying between us and the door. Killian glanced at him to the side of the doorway then back at me. “You’re going ahead to find the next camp for us…To track the NightHunter.” “What are you going to do?” I asked warily. “We’re going to confront the beast after us.” Killian said blandly. I could feel the rise of Aviari’s glee at
Racer’s fists dug into my hair. Pulling my face harder against him. But this time he brought me against the base of him. Pressing so far into my throat I couldn’t breathe. “Ah. Ah. Ahhh.” He too shuddered with pleasure. His head falling back, and his entire body angled toward my face in offering as his nerve endings exploded with life. I licked along his length. Coaxing the last few drops out of him until he too yelped in objection because he was so overly sensitive from his rough climax. He stumbled backward and dropped to the floor. Lying on his back as spent as his brother. But Vanquish was staring at me. His green eyes unblinking. Unwilling to allow me from his sight for even a moment. The intensity of him was nearly overwhelming. With his brothers out of the way he rolled us over. Hooking my thigh with his knee and turning me onto all fours, aligning him with me still. He re-entered me. Flexing through me. His power evide
That night we scattered to the emptied huts. I had no time to even look at the others. As soon as the strange ceremony was finished and wolves began to scatter to obey their new King of Alphas, I was pulled backward into the hut we’d still been standing in the doorway of. Racer kicked the door closed and all three sets of eyes landed on me. I sighed. A bit nervous that their aggression might be more than I could take tonight after the violent beating I’d endured. “Be gentle, Lovers.” I breathed. Waving them toward me. They nodded gravely. Knowing how careful they would have to be. All of them nearly shook with expectation. The pink haze of the Mating Moon was now in full effect, and it was reflected in the hardened arousal of my mates. I bid Vanquish to me and he dropped to his knees before me. Lifting me over his bent knees to settle down on him. Hunter slid in behind me. Crossing his knees next to Vanquish’s a