No wolves are out raiding after a Mating Moon. All male wolves are too exhausted to do anything other than try and recuperate. I knew it well. I’d heard them talk about it many times over the years.
Despite the beauty of these three men, their many kindnesses and how hard they'd tried. I feared another Mating Moon. Feared what might happen to me now as a mated female.
What if someone wanted to hurt me to get to them. I knew how none of this worked. But I hurt. And I was somehow afraid that went they awoke. All that had occurred the night before would only continue.
It's my one chance.
***
Wearing nothing but Racer's oversized shirt and covered in sex and their fluids, I fled barefoot from my hut. Straight blonde hair a banner chasing me in the early morning light as I streaked through the woods.
Faster than I'd ever run to get to the walls. As I ran, I saw light glinting over the wall and peering through the
I chewed my cheek feeling horribly uncomfortable."You've lost your virginity.""I was a virgin?" That did explain that first pain."You didn't know?" His brows shot up.I paused."Of course, you didn't. You can't remember." He did that strange, kind, gesture where he stroked my hair back from my face and tucked his palm against my cheek."We marked you, and the Mating Moon is done.""I can't survive that every night." I whimpered.***“Every night!” His voice rose.I shook my head.“Vanna Rae...” He chuckled chidingly. “Neither could we. We’d all die in a puddle.”“What do you mean?”“It’s the only night of the year we’re like that.”"Then what would tonight be like?""Tonight, you recover. And however, many nights it takes. We've traumatized your body. You need to heal. We hunt for you, we tend you. U
Declarations were one of the parts I’d always hoped to avoid.It was for women to be drug into camp by their mates to reveal their mark to all in the camp. Declaring them possessed by the man that’d ‘tamed’ them.I hate that term.Tamed. Like a house pet. I’d be damned if I were anyone’s house pet.If these boys thought they’d won all this game they’d be sorely mistaken.I stared at them as they faced me across the room. The closed door behind them.What they don’t know is I’ve not forgotten how I controlled them with that pleasure. How vulnerable they were to me.If I was going to stay and be their mate. It’ll be on my terms.Vanquish had set that guidelines would be set.Yeah, well they’re going to be set by me. Determination set my jaw.“What is that look?” Racer asked Hunter.
Soon after declarations Vanquish, Hunter and Racer took me to their two-level hut.“This isn’t mine.” I objected.“Is now.” Racer declared tossing open the door.Every corner was filled with dust except for around one corner on the far side of the base level.“Which of you knows how to clean?”It was better-kept then my hut had been. I wasn’t fair at tidying either.“Mine.” Vanquish said tight lipped.“Of course, it is.” I groaned.“Yes, of course it is.” Hunter mimicked my annoyed tone.Racer as well.“Am I just supposed to bounce from bed to bed?” I glared from one to the next to the next.“Well, you could.” Hunter grinned broadly. “Or you could lay in yours upstairs and call up whoever you’ll have for the night.” He pointed to a ladder nearby, that went up to a platform o
1353I could remember the plague that had decimated so many packs. I could remember vaguely the alpha that had led us from the city and deep into the woods. I remembered his face, seeing him barking orders and knowing that I trusted him completely.But I can’t remember his name.Or who he was to me.But as I envisioned him I felt great emotion, knowing that I had deep belief in him and mourned that I was no longer part of that pack. Though I couldn’t even remember what pack they were.Dammit.But things had changed slightly a few mornings ago.The morning of declarations. I had fled the Hayden brothers and as I was running. The morning breeze fanning my cheeks and brushing past leaves still coated in early frost. I felt soft grass and moss under my feet as I’d run along the wall, looking for a way out.Lara had found a way. So I knew there
Much had changed since the night of the Mating Moon.Vanquish was right.They weren’t the same men before the Moon, nor were they the same ones now as they had been that night.It brought out their aggression, their primal need to mate and breed.But on days like this where they’d worked at the Border much of the night and came in as the sun was cresting the horizon. Piling into their beds exhausted, then filtering into mine to hold me as the nightmares came, were my favorite.“I want to make love to you.” Vanquish sat up.I gave him a look and saw the question on his face. He’s not commanding he’s asking.“I’d like that.”“Me too?” Racer asked from behind me.I gave him a soft smile over my shoulder.He buried his nose further in my straight blonde hair. Taking in my scent.“Ohh, guess I’m breakfast man
“Vanquish?” I wasn’t sure I understood what he was saying.“I want everything to do with you. No holding anything back.” I stared down into his intent green eyes and could see the hard light there that told me he meant what he said.He’ll be pursuing what my dream was about later.He does always want to know everything. It was so breathtakingly intimate that I felt like I needed to look away.When I did he caught my chin and angled my face back to look at him.“Don’t do that.” He commanded.I nodded obediently.Racer was still moving inside me and I blew a breath and began lurching backward to meet him. Bringing me down more fully on Vanquish as well.He hissed an indrawn breath and thrust up to meet my movements.Soon I was in rhythm with both of them.And in moments I heard Racer shout. Catching my waist and yanking me back further onto him
I crooked a finger at him. Inviting him to come at me. It was fun flirting with fire. And Vanquish is definitely that.He stalked to the bank of the water and leaned over it to catch my shoulders.As he did I looked from Racer to Hunter.“Pull him in.” It was all I had to say.They each caught one of his forearms as he made contact with me and yanked hard.He’d been prepared to haul one small woman out. Not fight two grown males trying to pull him in.“Dammit, Vanna Rae!” He shouted as they dunked him, fully dressed before they danced away in the water. Unwilling to take him on one-on-one.But I reached over and caressed his face. “You look good soaking wet, Van.”And he definitely does. It’s no lie.With his black hair slicked back and vivid green eyes keen on me with dark sooty lashes framing them. And his white tunic soaked flush against the flat planes
I was still agitated from my visions down at the creek. It felt like I could still feel the stickiness of the blood in my hair. Darkening my blonde hair to deep ruby. And feel the wet heat of it along my arms.Blood of my little brothers. And I could see the scarred alpha's triumphant look as he stared at me.So sure he was victorious already.But I'd ran. I'd gotten away. And for the first time I truly wanted to know what I'd begun to suspect.We walked into our two level hut. Them stomping off their boots and me shaking water out of my skirts before crossing it.I took one step and rounded on the three of them. "Which of you was it?"They all three froze and blinked at me in confusion."Which, what?" Vanquish asked."Who drove me here, when I was running through the Warwood. Who chased me toward Jaecar?"They all looked at each other then to me."We all did." Hunter said. "I was the first one t
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