Suddenly Wolf, Too

Suddenly Wolf, Too Okay, time out! It was not appropriate for the sheriff’s deputy to be lusting after the mysterious stranger in town or the man’s brother, especially not when she was dating the sexiest man in the whole county, Cal Sanders. Confused, embarrassed, and completely unnerved by her out-of-control libido and nightly dreams of ménage a quatre, Louise tries to avoid all three men. But that might prove to be a fatal mistake. Aiden and Zeb have been tracking a rogue werewolf, but when they finally manage to corner the criminal in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, the local sheriff’s deputy is caught in the melee. Injured and bleeding, the only way to save her life is by making her one of them. But a certain wildlife expert, who also happens to be Louise’s current boyfriend, might have a thing or two to say on the matter. Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves Length: 37,084 words

SUDDENLY WOLF, TOO

Abby Blake

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

SUDDENLY WOLF, TOO Copyright © 2011 by Abby Blake E-book ISBN: 1-61926-121-9 First E-book Publication: December 2011 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Suddenly Wolf, Too by Abby Blake from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Abby Blake’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Blake’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

SUDDENLY WOLF, TOO ABBY BLAKE Copyright © 2011

Chapter One Her lips still tingled. Nearly fifteen minutes after Cal Sanders had kissed her good-bye, and all of her brain cells were still complete mush. It did not bode well for her job as a sheriff’s deputy to be so distracted. Thank heavens this was a small town. Louise and Cal had known each other for years, but a few weeks ago their comfortable friendship had taken an unexpected turn. Considering how well the man kissed, that was a very good thing. Sexy memories of last night wandered through her brain. The things that man could do. Wow. Had it suddenly gotten hot in here? She fanned herself with a file folder as she tried to think of something, anything, else other than Cal’s clever fingers and oh-sonaughty tongue. She was almost grateful for the interruption when the phone rang. It wouldn’t do her reputation any good to go up in flames while she sat there remembering some of the things Cal had done with her last night. “Sheriff’s department,” she said, grabbing up the phone before Ethel managed to wake up. She was a sweet lady, but it was probably time the eighty-three-year-old retired from her unpaid, self-appointed mission. Although, considering that they could literally go days

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without the phone ringing, sleeping at a desk in the sheriff’s office was probably as good a place as any. “Lou, it’s Jed Hawthorne. There seems to have been some mischief over at Andrea’s jewelry store. It’s probably just kids, but I thought I better report it.” “No worries, Jed. I’ll go over and have a look around. Thanks for letting me know.” Louise hung up the phone but couldn’t stop the small smile forming on her mouth. Jed Hawthorne used to be the town drunk, but an incident nearly a year ago had left him so rattled that he’d joined AA and turned his life around. He now seemed to go out of his way to be a good citizen. She grabbed her hat, diverted the office phone to her cell—Ethel could use the rest—and quietly slipped out the front door. Even though Andrea had left town a long time ago, the locals still referred to the store as Andrea’s jewelry store. In the last ten months, the building had been a cheap clothing store, a fancy Internet coffeehouse, and one of those bargain bookstores that sold everything ninety percent off. None of them had lasted long, and Louise suspected it would be called Andrea’s place for a long time to come. She hadn’t been in town long, but the woman had certainly left an impression. Louise crossed the street, heading to the front windows of the empty store. From there everything seemed in order—abandoned but undamaged—but a quick check around the side alley, where a set of fire stairs led up to the apartment above the shop, revealed some broken glass and general disarray. There weren’t any windows on this side of the store, so the glass was most likely broken bottles, but it was the blood that drew Louise’s attention. She followed the bloody smears, her heart pounding as images of what she might find sped through her mind. She pulled out her flashlight, trying to stay calm as she stepped deeper into the shadows of the building. The half-eaten lamb wasn’t so shocking once she

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realized what she was looking at, but it was the injured wolf sleeping nearby that had Louise backing away. It wasn’t unusual to see the occasional wolf around the outskirts of town, but it was quite rare for them to venture into the main street—even rarer for them to steal livestock and drag it into a populated area. But it was the sheer, overwhelming size of the thing that sent fear skittering down her spine. She’d never seen one that big in her life. Hell, it was damn near twice the size of an average wolf. She’d almost made it out of the alley when the damn thing woke up. **** Aiden sniffed the air. Their quarry was close, but being in a small town, they couldn’t afford to attract attention. City folk tended not to notice them wandering around, poking their noses into strange places, but in small towns like this there was a far greater risk of being observed. Aiden and his brother, Zeb, strolled down the street trying to blend in with the small number of tourists wandering along the main street. He followed his nose, surreptitiously tracking their target, but by the time they located the silver wolf, all hell was about to break loose. **** Louise backed away slowly. She had one hand on her gun, the other around her flashlight, her eyes never leaving the growling monster in front of her. She needed to get to her cell phone, but the flashlight was big enough and heavy enough to use as a club. If the animal attacked, she’d much rather whack the creature than try to kill it, so she slowly moved her hand away from the gun and reached for her phone.

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The loud growling noise was damn near terrifying. It rumbled over her skin, drawing fear to the surface. She took a quick glance behind her, relieved to see Jed Hawthorne had hung around. “Call Cal Sanders,” she tried to say in a voice loud enough to be heard but calm enough to not upset the beast in front of her. Jed nodded and rushed into the nearest store. The poor wolf looked undernourished, and if the way it was dragging its hind leg was any indication, badly injured. There weren’t many people on the street, but she couldn’t afford to let the wolf get past her. The safety of the citizens and tourists in the area was her first priority. She stopped, held her ground, and hoped like hell that Cal would get here with a tranquilizer gun before the wolf decided it was time to leave. **** Zeb and Aiden found the local sheriff’s deputy staring down the rogue wolf. They knew a human was no match for a pissed-off werewolf, but short of revealing their own identities, there wasn’t much they could do to apprehend the criminal at this moment. With a few simple hand signals—a silent communication they’d developed between them over the last thirty years—Aiden explained what he intended to do. Zeb nodded and stepped toward the woman. He could smell her fear, but she held her ground, willing to put herself at risk in an attempt to keep the rest of the town safe. “Excuse me, deputy,” he said in a quiet voice, trying not to startle the woman. “My brother and I work for Parks and Wildlife. We’ll handle the wolf. You go get everyone off the street.” She shook her head without looking at him, her focus remaining on the growling silver wolf. The thing was crouched and ready to attack if Zeb didn’t get her out of the way. “My responsibility,” she said very clearly. The growling stopped a moment before the wolf launched itself straight at the deputy’s face. Unable to stand by and let the woman get

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hurt, Zeb stepped in front of her, his back to the wolf just as its jaws reached them. The bite on the back of his neck hurt like hell, but it was the tearing of the skin on his spine that pissed him off. The wolf used the momentary distraction to literally climb over his body and leap into the middle of the road. Aiden took off after it, but with so many witnesses, he couldn’t afford to run faster than a normal human. “What the fuck was that?” He shrugged slightly, hissing as the movement pulled at his torn skin. “A wolf,” he offered in reply. “I know that was a fucking wolf, you dipshit. I want to know what the hell you thought you were doing.” “I don’t know. Saving your life maybe,” he answered angrily, feeling his own temper grow. He was aching all over, bleeding profusely, and completely pissed off that they couldn’t capture the rogue wolf because there had been too many human witnesses. He was absolutely not in the mood to play the blame game. “Yeah, well, I didn’t need saving. What the fuck are you doing in my town?” He had a smart-ass answer all ready, but he touched a hand to the back of his neck where the wolf had bitten him and realized the injury was far worse than he’d first thought. She stood in front of him, hands on hips, her annoyance with his interference very clear. Geez, he’d just saved her from getting her face ripped off. The least the woman could do was offer him a thank-you. Majorly pissed at the woman’s attitude, Zeb’s annoyance rocketed sky-high when his legs wobbled. He landed heavily on his knees. “Apparently,” he said with every bit of sarcasm he could muster, “I’m bleeding in your crappy little town.” He heard his brother laugh a moment before Zeb swooned and passed out like some frightened maiden. Great, he was never going to live this down. ****

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“He needs an ambulance.” “No, he’ll be fine. I’ll just patch him up.” “But he’s unconscious from loss of blood. He’ll die if we don’t get him help.” The deputy was kind of cute in her tenacity, and without a believable explanation, she wasn’t going to let this go. “Look, deputy, he’s the squeamish type. He always passes out when he sees blood.” And wasn’t his brother going to rip him to shreds over that lie? “Just give me ten minutes. If I can’t get him to wake up and tell you himself that he’s fine, then I’ll let you call in the cavalry.” She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded and handed over the first-aid kit she’d retrieved the moment they’d made it into the local clinic. It was such a small town that they didn’t even have a full-time doctor. He glanced around the stark little room full of concerned townspeople. “Maybe you could clear everyone out,” he said to the deputy. Thinking quickly for an excuse, Aiden tried to hide his smirk as he added one more lie. Zeb was going to kill him. “I assure you he doesn’t need an audience. He’s going to be embarrassed enough when he wakes up.” “Oh, yeah…um, sure.” She moved away, herding onlookers back out the door. As soon as Aiden felt confident that he could check the wounds without someone looking over his shoulder, he peeled back the ruined shirt. The bite had been deep and ragged but, thanks to Zeb’s physiology, was already starting to heal. The deep gouges left by the claws had also started to close over, but it was going to be difficult to explain the copious amounts of blood. He quickly grabbed sterile gauze and started taping it over the open wounds. Most of them would be closed in a few minutes. At least with the covering, Zeb would still appear to be injured. “Fuck,” Zeb groaned as he finally regained consciousness. “The mongrel is going to regret that.”

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“Oh, thank God you’re awake,” the deputy said as she stepped back into the room. “What the fuck were you thinking?” “I was thinking,” he said in the most sarcastic voice Aiden had ever heard his brother use around a beautiful woman, “that you looked better with your face attached to your head.” “I would’ve moved,” she said, sounding defensive. “You’re the idiot who made that impossible.” Aiden actually felt anger ripple through his brother’s muscles, but as he tried to lever himself off the doctor’s bench, Aiden held him down with one hand. “Stay still. You’ve been injured, and it’s going to take several weeks for you to heal.” Zeb groaned at the reminder that he needed to at least seem to be human, but he took a deep breath and relaxed just a little. The deputy stepped closer, peering over Aiden’s shoulder as he placed sterile bandages over the deep cuts on Zeb’s shoulder blade. “Shit, that could probably use a few stitches.” “I’ll check it in a couple hours or so,” Aiden said, trying to remember human physiology. “If the skin hasn’t started to knit together by then, I’ll drive him to the nearest hospital and get them to check him over.” Again the sheriff’s deputy didn’t look happy, but she nodded and stepped back. “Where are you staying?” “We’re not. We were just passing through, so we’ll be out of your hair in an hour or so.” Aiden raised an eyebrow at his brother’s words. It was true that the wolf had run out of town and they needed to follow, but Zeb’s words seemed fueled by a different sort of urgency. The deputy’s cell phone rang, and she took a step away to answer it. Thanks to his better-than-human hearing, Aiden could hear both sides of the call and learned two important things. One being the pretty deputy’s name—Louise—and the other being that some guy named Cal had managed to do what Aiden and Zeb hadn’t been able to accomplish—he’d captured the wolf.

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“I need to go,” she said as she closed her cell phone. “I’m coming with you,” Zeb said as he levered himself off the bed. “Like hell you are,” Louise said in a startled-sounding tone. “You’re going to lie here and wait for Nurse Jenny to come check those wounds. You’ll need to get rabies shots as well.” “The hell I am,” Zeb said as Aiden took off his jacket and handed it to him. “That wolf didn’t have rabies, but it is dangerous. You and your friend have no idea what you’re getting yourselves into.” “I’m sorry, Louise,” Aiden said as he stepped toward the door, “but you need to trust us on this. That wolf is why we’re here in your town.” **** Okay, something screwy was going on. She was certain she hadn’t given either of these men her name, but even if they’d overheard someone else call her Louise, it didn’t explain how they knew Cal had caught the wolf. Surely nobody had hearing that good. She was anxious to reach Cal, so she lifted her shoulders in a “do whatever you want” shrug and headed for the door. Both men followed. The way Zeb was moving certainly suggested that his injuries weren’t as bad as they’d first seemed, but that relief didn’t quite override the annoyance when both men climbed into her police cruiser as if they had some sort of right to. Swallowing her annoyance—she had a feeling arguing with them would just waste time—she started the engine and headed to the outskirts of town where Cal was currently babysitting an unconscious wolf. If nothing else, at least she’d be able to close the file on mysterious silver-wolf sightings in the area.

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Cal looked a little confused when the two men stepped out of the car. Louise wasn’t even sure what their names were, so she let the men introduce themselves. “Aiden Leckie. This is my brother, Zeb Leckie. We work for Parks and Wildlife and thought you might need some help. We can organize transport if you like.” “That’d be great,” Cal said, looking somewhat bemused. As a small town, they were pretty used to handling problems without the help of the larger organizations, but it would save Cal time if he didn’t have to leave the area—he did have a farm of his own to run after all. But then he surprised Louise by adding, “As soon as you show me some ID.” **** Cal was usually a pretty trusting guy, but he’d worked with enough representatives of the Parks and Wildlife department to know the type, and these two sure didn’t fit the bill. There was just something off about them. Aiden and Zeb—if those were even their real names—seemed more like soldiers than nature lovers. They actually reminded Cal of a couple of bounty hunters who’d passed through town a few years ago. “Sorry,” Aiden said with a nonchalant shrug. “We’re on vacation and didn’t think to bring our department ID. We can wait while you make a couple phone calls.” “Vacation?” Louise asked, crossing her arms in an obvious sign of her irritation. “You said you were in my town because of this wolf.” Cal knew that look. She wore it when she suspected someone was lying. He was glad to know they seemed to be on the same page. “Don’t go getting huffy, beautiful,” Zeb said with a friendly smile on his face. Louise showed no response to his derogatory statement or offhanded use of the endearment, but if Cal knew his woman at all,

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she was currently calculating how best to castrate the guy— figuratively speaking, of course. “We are on vacation,” his brother said, sounding quite earnest. “We swung by your town because we’d heard the reports of a silver wolf hanging around. Sorry to mess up your plans by trying to help.” Cal carefully hid the smile that kept threatening to break free. Louise had a long-fused temper, but when she’d been pushed far enough, it was good advice to get out of the woman’s way. “I’d like to see some ID, gentlemen,” Louise said, holding her hand out. “Now.” Both men looked surprised by the demand, and this time Cal didn’t bother to try and hide his smile. Technically speaking, she had no legal right to demand their identification, but he knew that simply refusing would give Louise more reason to be suspicious. “Um…sure,” Aiden said as he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a slim black wallet. He extracted his photo license and handed it to Louise. She took it, looking it over carefully, making it quite obvious to the men that she was checking it wasn’t a fake. “You’re a long way from home, Mr. Leckie. Why would you bother to interrupt your vacation to help little ole me?” “Look,” Zeb said, clearly annoyed at the strange turn the conversation had taken. “Just let me take a look at the wolf, and then we’ll get out of your town.” Cal smiled as Louise looked the man up and down a moment before nodding just once. “Fine, sooner I can get you out of my jurisdiction the better.” She turned to Cal and raised an eyebrow. Cal quickly took the hint. “It took four tranqs to knock the damn thing out even though it was already injured. It looks like someone shot it with a low-caliber rifle. I packed and bandaged the wound, but it’s going to need veterinary attention. I managed to drag it into one of the cages, but I could use a hand getting it onto the truck. That is the biggest damn wolf I’ve ever seen.”

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As he spoke, he led their little group over to where the wolf had finally succumbed to the effects of the tranquilizer, but what they found was an empty cage. “How the hell?” he asked as he looked the cage over. It wasn’t damaged. The only way the wolf could have gotten out was if a human had opened up the sliding lock and let it out. But even if the wolf had somehow managed the impossible and popped the lock from the inside, it didn’t explain how it had woken from what should have been a very long period of unconsciousness. Until that moment, Cal had been absolutely certain that he was the only person in the immediate vicinity. Confused, he searched the dirt surrounding the cage, trying to find some evidence of human involvement, but all he could see were paw prints. Everything suggested that the wolf had freed itself. Cal had been using these cages for years, and it was the first time any critter had gotten out. How the fuck had that happened? **** Aiden wandered around the area, surreptitiously sniffing the air, trying to find a scent trail that would lead them to the wolf, but after several minutes of trying it was pretty clear that their quarry was gone. “What now?” Zeb asked quietly. “No clue,” he answered honestly. “All the accounts we read suggested that the wolf has been hanging around this area for quite some time now. Maybe it’s got a reason for staying.” Zeb nodded. “I suppose it’s as solid a theory as any. If we take a room in town, we might get lucky.” “Unlikely,” Aiden said, turning his gaze on the pretty deputy sheriff. “Not what I meant,” Zeb said irritably. “But you know she’s my mate, right?”

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“Your mate?” Aiden asked as shock belted through him. “She’s mine, also.” “Great. What are the chances of finding a woman who belongs to us both but is already involved with someone else?” Zeb asked with a nod toward Cal Sanders. “I noticed.” It had taken all of Aiden’s control to be civil to the man currently speaking to his mate. As soon as they’d stepped from the vehicle, Aiden had been able to identify the man by his scent. He was the one sleeping with Louise. But humans didn’t feel the same mating instinct that Aiden and Zeb felt, so it wasn’t really fair to be upset. She was a beautiful woman and, despite the ornery attitude she’d showed them so far, deserved to be happy. “So we take a room in town, hope the wolf comes back quickly, and then get the hell out of here.” Aiden nodded in agreement. He’d often heard stories of failed matings. He’d just never thought his would be one of them.

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Chapter Two Louise finally stepped into the shower to wash away the accumulated dirt. They’d spent most of the afternoon trying to track the escaped wolf but to no avail. Cal had been completely stunned that the wolf had managed to get out, and a quick look at the locking mechanism explained why. Put very simply, only a hand as dexterous as a human’s would have been able to open a latch like that. The idea that a wolf’s paw could have opened it was actually laughable. Except that it wasn’t a laughing matter. It would seem that some unknown human was willing to risk their own life and others’ simply by letting the beast run free. She couldn’t think of one person in town who would do something like that, which meant she was likely dealing with a stranger. If Aiden and Zeb hadn’t been in the car with her when the wolf had been set free, they would have been top of her suspect list. Yet, thinking about the brothers created all sorts of nasty warmth low in her belly. They were both very handsome, well-muscled, fitlooking specimens of male hunkiness, and as recently as a few weeks ago she might even have gotten around to doing a little flirting. Of course, with the shift in her relationship with Cal, that wasn’t going to happen now, but she couldn’t seem to convince her libido of that fact. Annoyed at herself for the uncharacteristic thoughts, Louise lifted her face into the shower spray, hoping to let the water wash away the tension of the day. “Room for one more?” Cal asked, accidentally echoing her own thoughts. Of course, she’d actually been thinking two more. She ground her teeth together and let the water run over her hair. She’d

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wash away these silly thoughts the way she washed the dust from her hair—with lots of froth and bubbles…and lube…and heat, lots and lots of heat. Fuck! What the hell was wrong with her? Before Cal, it had literally been years between sexual encounters. Had falling into bed with one of her best friends unleashed some sort of latent horniness gene or something? “Babe? You okay?” Cal had the shower door open a crack, his worried face clear even with all the steam. She swallowed, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart even as she tried to thrust away lust-filled thoughts. “I’m fine. It’s just been a long day. You coming in?” He grinned, moved back to strip off his clothes, and then stepped into the shower stall. **** Cal stifled the groan as he ran his hands all over the beautiful woman he’d finally taken as his own. They’d known each other all their lives, and he’d loved her for most of that, but their friendship had been so comfortable that neither of them had wanted to mess it up. Now that he had her naked in his arms, he couldn’t quite remember why he’d been so worried that sex would create a problem. Sex with Louise was incredible. But right now, as much as his cock ached, and as much as he wanted to take her hard and fast, Cal forced himself to slow down. Now that he had her, he never intended to let her go, so they had the rest of their lives to make up for lost time. Of course every gentlemanly thought flew out of his head when she leaned out of the shower a moment, then grabbed his cock and rolled on a condom. He could barely breathe when she bent over in front of him. He didn’t need any further coaxing. He put a hand on

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her spine, pushing her upper body forward at the same time that he probed her pussy with the head of his cock. “Put your hands on the tiles.” She nodded, doing exactly that, holding herself up as he pulled her gorgeous ass toward him. He pushed into her pussy, relieved to realize she was wet and ready for him, and then groaned as he went balls-deep in one long thrust. He ground his teeth together as he pulled out, but his need to take her, to make her his, overwhelmed his better judgment, and he slammed back in. He gripped her hips, holding her steady as he thrust into her harder and harder. She gasped, her body shaking as he wrapped a hand underneath, found her clit, and rubbed the swollen nub. She trembled all over, panting hard, squirming in his hold as he fucked her more urgently. Just as he was about to come, he leaned over, pressed a kiss to her neck, and then sucked hard against her skin. She exploded into orgasm, her frantic cries bouncing off the tiles, the pulsing walls of her pussy dragging the cum from his cock. He sucked harder, dragging her soft skin into his mouth, deliberately marking her sun-blessed skin. As they finally came down from the euphoric high, he had a moment to regret his actions. His need to take her hard and fast had nothing to do with the Leckie brothers, but even as he thought the words, he knew he was lying to himself. His primitive need to mark his woman had everything to do with jealousy. The way the two men had looked at Louise when they thought no one was watching had pushed just about every Neanderthal button Cal owned. “Wow,” Louise said as he finally eased his cock from her stillspasming pussy. She turned in his arms, her fingers running lightly over his mark on her neck as she smiled at him shyly. “I haven’t been given a hickey since junior high.” He tried to apologize, but she cut him off by pressing her lips against his and kissing him until his world tilted on its axis. By the time they came up for air, the shower water was running nearly cold,

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his beautiful woman was writhing in his arms, and his cock was just as hard as when they’d started. Amazing. Would he ever get enough of this incredible woman? **** Zeb lay on the bed and tried not to think of the beautiful woman who should have been his mate. Deputy Louise Jackson would have made the perfect partner for both him and Aiden, and surprisingly Zeb wasn’t the least bit disturbed that fate had chosen that they share a mate. Of all their siblings, Aiden was the one he’d always been closest to. Sharing a mate and the responsibilities of fatherhood with his brother and best friend really just seemed like a natural progression. It would have been perfect if the woman wasn’t already involved with one of the locals. A nasty, self-serving idea slipped into his mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately. He wasn’t going to do anything to break up Louise and Cal’s relationship. He wanted his mate to be happy, even if that meant being happy without him. “In some ways,” Aiden said as he lay down on one of the single beds in the strangely over-decorated hotel room, “knowing that our mate is unavailable is kind of freeing.” “How do you figure that?” Seriously, his brother might be the glass-half-full kind, but announcing their mate being taken was in some way a good thing just managed to piss Zeb off. “At least now, when we find someone to love, we won’t have to worry that our mate might someday come along and mess things up.” Okay, that did make a twisted kind of sense. Even though they’d shared a few women in the past, neither of them had been completely comfortable with the idea. At least by knowing they’d been fated to share one woman, they could get over the whole confused-emotions part and simply enjoy their choice of lifestyle.

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And all of that would have been perfectly reasonable if he couldn’t already sense his mate’s nearness, and her emotions, and the goddamned orgasm that had just vibrated through her—an orgasm neither he nor his brother had been responsible for. He rolled over, buried his head under the pillow, and hoped for the sweet oblivion of unconsciousness. **** Louise wriggled, the tickly, featherlight touch making her laugh quietly. The fingers skimmed higher, tracing over her breasts, circling the nipples but not quite touching the aching nubs. She arched her back, chasing that elusive caress, whimpering softly as her dream lover denied her demand. She lowered back down, her spine on the mattress once more as the soft touch began again. But this time a callused hand skimmed over her soft flesh, the touch firmer, more attentive, more loving. “Open your eyes,” a rough voice commanded. She did as she was told, sucking in a surprised breath when she saw the two men standing naked at the end of her bed. They moved closer, the two very different caresses starting once more—the soft, feathery touch and the firm, loving caress of callused hands. She moaned at the delicious contrast, opening her legs, inviting them to touch her more intimately. Something niggled at her brain, something important, something she needed to remember, but the gentle assault continued, and she sighed and closed her eyes once more. Thick fingers caressed her inner thighs, her legs opening wider as a hot tongue touched her dripping pussy. She bucked against the intense sensation, surprised to find her hands held tight in someone’s grip. She glanced down, smiling as Aiden lifted up long enough to wink at her before lowering his head once more and laving his tongue over her swollen clit. Zeb sat beside her, caressing her breasts,

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pinching her nipples as he watched her with an intensity that was nearly unnerving. But then Aiden pushed his tongue deep into her pussy, then licked and suckled the swollen folds, before plunging back into her moist heat. “Come for us,” Zeb demanded in a passion-thick voice. Every nerve ending was on fire. She shook all over as Aiden sucked her clit into his mouth and thrust rough fingers deep into her slit. She squealed, the rough intrusion more arousing than painful, the sensation taking her by surprise. She gasped for air, her chest heaving as heat burst from her womb and spread over her entire body. Tears leaked from her eyes, the orgasm more intense, more overwhelming than anything she’d ever experienced before in her life. “Open your eyes.” She tried, her dream lover fucking her harder with his fingers as someone twisted her nipples to the point of pain and someone else held her hands pinned to the mattress. “Open your eyes,” the voice said again, this time more forcefully, more frantically. She struggled to comply, her body still quivering even as exhaustion dragged her toward sleep once more. “Louise.” The voice sounded worried now, really worried, so she tried to comply. “Babe, please open your eyes for me.” That concerned plea finally broke through her lethargy, and she opened her eyes to find Cal leaning over her. He breathed a sigh of relief as he caressed her face softly. “Welcome back.” “Oh, God,” she said as embarrassment washed over her. “Oh,” Cal said with a quiet laugh. “It was one of those dreams.” She pulled the blanket over her head, wishing a vortex would open up and swallow her into some alternate reality. She did not just dream about having sex with three men. She did not just experience the most amazing orgasm by fantasizing about two strangers that she didn’t even really like—well, not much anyway. And she sure as hell

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did not imagine her current lover holding her down, caressing her wrists as he watched two incredibly appealing men finger-fuck her to orgasm. But she moaned as Cal donned a condom in record time, grabbed her, dragged her underneath him, and thrust into her so hard and fast that she exploded into orgasm once more. He quickly followed, his loving kisses and gentle caresses soothing her as she drifted back into a—thankfully—dreamless sleep. **** Three miles away, Aiden could swear he tasted the woman’s essence on his tongue. He rolled onto his back, draped an arm over his eyes, and mumbled to no one in particular, “We need to get the fuck out of here.” Zeb answered with an affirmative grunt, obviously as painfully aroused by the mating dream as Aiden was. “I need to run,” he managed to force out a moment later. “Me, too,” Aiden agreed as he rolled out of bed and dragged on some clothes. If they went far enough out of town, there was very little chance of them being seen, and if they headed in the same direction the silver wolf had gone, then maybe they had a chance to apprehend the rogue at the same time. They slipped out the door of their room, quietly tiptoed their way to the front door, and disappeared into the night. **** Louise was kind of glad that the sheriff was on vacation. Normally Tuesday was her day off, but with the sheriff unavailable she was needed to work every day for the next two weeks. Technically, she was on call twenty-four-seven, but considering yesterday was the most excitement they’d had since Jed Hawthorne

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had imagined shooting Andrea in her jewelry store, it shouldn’t be a problem. Louise glanced at the computer and wondered what her friend was doing. When Andrea had first moved away, they’d spoken every day on the webcam. But of course, marrying three millionaires, designing award-winning games, and making unusual, highly sought-after jewelry tended to take up a lot of Andrea’s time these days, so their discussions had become less frequent. Maybe that was where her dream had come from last night. Louise had always been a little curious about the sleeping arrangements in Andrea’s home but had never quite built up enough nerve to ask her. Maybe last night’s dream was just her imagination filling in a few blanks. She knew she was lying to herself but didn’t really have the energy to do anything about it. She jumped as the cell phone beside her elbow rang. It was barely five in the morning. She’d come straight here the moment Cal had left her bed and headed home to do the morning chores on his farm. She hadn’t even canceled the diversion of the sheriff’s line from her cell phone. “Sheriff’s office.” “Oh, Louise, I’m sorry to call you so early, but there’s an awfully strange noise coming from my neighbor’s barn. Ordinarily, I’d call Jesse Calhoun—he’s Henry’s nephew—you remember Henry, don’t you? God rest his soul—but as you probably know, he’s off on his honeymoon, and that nice Mr. Jefferson is taking care of things while he’s away. His new wife—that’s Jesse’s wife, not Mable Jefferson— is such a lovely young woman. Can’t say the same thing about Mable. But anyway, I’m sure they’re going to live a happy life together— Jessie and his wife, that is, not Mable—because as you know living a good, happy life is very important. Did I tell you that Mr. Thomson and I have been married for forty-eight years come this fall?” Ethel Thomson continued to talk about everything and anything that popped into her mind as Louise gathered her keys, locked up the

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office, and climbed into her car. A few minutes later she was halfway to the Thomson farm even though she was still waiting patiently for the woman to get to the point. It was obvious that Ethel was quite lonely while her best friend, Mavis, was off visiting her grandchildren in California. Louise smiled softly. Sometimes serving a community involved listening to people as much as protecting them. Ethel was well into her rant about a niece who was too focused on her career to find herself a good husband when the noise she’d called to report happened again. But this time it sounded close enough to Ethel’s home to be heard through the phone. “Mrs. Thomson, I need you to make sure the doors and windows are locked and that you stay inside until I tell you it’s safe to come out.” “Of course, dear,” Ethel said with a mildly disgruntled harrumph. “I’m not silly enough to go outside with that racket going on. It’s not like I’m one of those ridiculous young things in a horror movie who goes outside even though the entire audience is yelling at them not to.” Louise considered calling Cal, but that would mean disconnecting from Ethel, and it was becoming more and more obvious that the woman was talking nonstop because she was scared out of her wits. Whatever was going on in the Calhoun barn was not the usual animal disturbance. Of course she could have called Cal or Aiden or Zeb or even all of them and then called Ethel back, but after her confusing dream earlier this morning, she’d just as soon avoid all three. At least until she could figure out what was going on in her head. Louise turned onto the dirt road that led to the Calhoun and Thomson farms, switched on her flashing lights briefly so that Ethel would know it was her, and then turned the car toward the barn where everything was supposedly going on. She had to get out of the sheriff’s cruiser to open and close several gates before she reached the barn, but each time the noise she’d heard over the phone had been

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absent. The silence, however, didn’t stop her from unsnapping the buckle on her gun holster. This time she’d shoot first and worry about the animal afterward. Zeb had been damn lucky. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t get off quite so easily. But as she quietly slipped into the barn, she heard the one thing she hadn’t been expecting—human voices. “Just come back with us, and we’ll sort it out.” Was that Aiden’s voice? “I can’t,” a stranger’s voice said tiredly. “Josh,” a third voice said quietly—was that Zeb?—“at least give the alpha a chance to understand what happened.” The entire barn was in shadow, but Louise didn’t want to alert them to her presence by using her flashlight. Something told her this conversation was important, even as bitter disappointment burned in her stomach. Even when she’d thought they were lying, she hadn’t really believed Aiden and Zeb were criminals. But what else could they be? They were trespassing very early in the morning, having strange conversations with an unknown acquaintance in a town a long way from their supposed home. She crept through the dark, feeling her way, moving slowly so as not to alert them to her presence. She finally found them talking at the far corner of the barn. Aiden and Zeb literally had the other man cornered. It was hard to tell in the small amount of moonlight, but she rubbed her eyes twice before deciding that, yup, they were definitely naked, and it wasn’t just her libido doing some wishful thinking. But as she watched, both Aiden and Zeb seemed to sniff the air. Zeb turned and looked at the exact space where she was hiding, almost as if he could see her in the dark. “Goddamn it, woman,” he said in an exasperated tone. “I’m going to spank your ass when we get home.” He marched over to the spot where she crouched against the wall. Even in the dark she could see his hard cock bobbing against his stomach as he moved. “What are

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you doing here?” He leaned over, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her to her feet. She wrenched her elbow from his hold, absently noting that his grip had been firm but not painful. She took a deep breath, trying to get her thinking back on track. “I’m doing my job, asshole. You’re all under arrest for trespassing on private property.” Zeb shook his head tiredly but then reached out a hand and cupped her cheek the exact same way he’d done in her dream earlier. “Stay here, baby girl. We’ll deal with you in a moment.” He turned away from her, and she finally noticed the disarray around her. It looked like there had been one hell of a fight. Firewood, tools, and hay were scattered everywhere. She was still looking around when Zeb spoke to the man she assumed was Josh. “Just let us take you back, and we’ll sort this whole mess out.” “I can’t,” Josh replied angrily. “You know what they’ll do to me. I can’t leave her unprotected.” “Her?” Aiden asked, sounding confused. “Her who?” “I can’t do it. I won’t. She needs to be protected.” The man’s voice got more hysterical with every word, but then he did something that made Louise certain that she was dreaming. God, she hoped she was dreaming, because otherwise she was completely insane. The man named Josh dropped to all fours and changed into a wolf. Stunned, Louise stood frozen as the wolf from yesterday ran past her, knocking her ass over tit. **** Aiden moved faster than the human eye could see, but it wasn’t fast enough to save Louise. She landed hard, very hard, but it was what she landed on that had his heart in his throat. The earlier fight had knocked most of the machinery and tools from their hanging spaces on the wall, and Louise had landed right on

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top. Judging by the blood frothing at the corners of her mouth, at least one of those tools had gone through her lungs. “Don’t move, baby girl,” Zeb said as he carefully stepped through the mess of tools, trying not to jostle anything. Tears blurred Aiden’s vision as he heard her heartbeat speed up with panic. He was fairly certain adrenaline would be protecting her from the pain at this moment, but it was obvious by her reaction that she realized she was in serious trouble. “We need to change her,” Aiden said as his wolf side seemed to howl painfully in his head. “She’ll die if we don’t.” Zeb nodded, his eyes never leaving his task as he carefully moved away as many tools and bits of debris that he could. He finally managed to make a space large enough for him to get low enough to see what she’d landed on. He looked up at Aiden with glassy eyes. He blinked several times before turning to Louise. “I’m sorry, baby girl, but if we don’t do this, you’re going to die.”

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Chapter Three Louise believed him. She was already losing consciousness, her vision darkening around the edges as she struggled to breathe. She had no idea what they could do to save her, but she was willing to let them try. She’d seen enough car wrecks to know that even if the ambulance did get here on time, she was unlikely to survive long enough to make it into surgery. She must have passed out for a moment because she opened her eyes as the men lifted her off the ground, the sharp implements that she’d landed on tearing open the skin as they moved her away. She wanted to scream but barely managed a whimper, her vision darkening once more as she succumbed to the pain. But then she was being carried in someone’s arms. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart.” Aiden’s voice was hoarse, but he sounded very relieved. “Get some sleep, baby girl, while I get things cleaned up.” She closed her eyes, willing to follow Zeb’s bossy order…just this once. **** Zeb paced at the end of the bed. They’d brought Louise back to their hotel room, hoping she’d finally get some rest. Almost as soon as the transformation was complete, she’d gone back into deputysheriff mode and insisted on contacting the woman who’d made the report of noises in the barn.

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Annoyed at himself for not realizing that Louise wouldn’t have been there otherwise, Zeb had held her in his arms as she’d spoken— well, listened was probably a more accurate description—to the old woman for over an hour. Thankfully, Louise had explained the noises and damage to the barn with enough detail for it to sound like a real story. Aiden had moved around the barn, putting things back where they seemed to belong. Their earlier fight in wolf form thankfully hadn’t broken too many things, and most of what was on the ground had fallen from the hooks on the wall. They’d done the best they could to clean up the human blood, but at least by having the deputy sheriff around they could pretty much pass it off as animal blood and avoid anyone looking more closely at it. She stirred in her sleep, and both Zeb and Aiden stopped to look at her. It was obvious she was dreaming, but she said the one word guaranteed to make him feel like a load of crap—Cal. They hadn’t had a chance to explain to Louise what they’d done when they’d changed her. She most likely had no idea she was a werewolf now—probably didn’t even believe such things existed— but it was the changes to the life she so obviously enjoyed that were going to cause them all the most problems. The fact that she’d have to give up her current lover was only one of the issues they would need to face. “I should probably call the alpha,” Aiden said as he once again sat himself in the chair beside the bed where Louise slept. “He’s not going to be happy.” “No shit,” Aiden said sarcastically. Not happy was a major understatement. Their alpha was a mean son of a bitch who insisted on micromanaging every aspect of pack life. He was going to be furious that they’d changed a human without his approval. Their only saving grace was that Louise was their mate, and even alphas couldn’t interfere in true matings, otherwise they’d likely face the same type of judgment that Josh had feared.

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A niggle of doubt ran through Zeb as he thought of the werewolf they’d been trying to apprehend. They didn’t know the full story of why he was considered a criminal, but they’d believed in their justice system enough not to question it too closely. Yet now, faced with the need to explain their own actions, as defensible as they were, Zeb’s faith in his alpha and the pack laws they lived by was suddenly very shaky. “Maybe we can delay our report for a few days.” Aiden looked surprised by his suggestion but nodded in agreement. A short while later, Zeb was busy planning how to track down Josh by hopefully following his scent to the woman he’d said needed his protection, when Louise stirred and opened her eyes. **** Louise slammed her eyes closed almost immediately. Why was it so bright in here? And why did she feel like she had the mother of all hangovers? Surely she hadn’t been drinking on duty. “Swallow,” Aiden said in a deep voice as he touched a glass to her lips and lifted her with an arm under her shoulders. She downed the water gratefully, her mouth so dry that she lifted her hands to try and take the glass from him. But Aiden pulled the water away and lowered her shoulders back down onto the mattress. “What happened?” she managed to ask in a croaky voice. But memories flooded her brain, and she jackknifed into a sitting position. Her head pounded, her vision swam, her eyeballs felt way too big for their sockets, but she forced herself to look around. Aiden slid onto the bed, wrapped his arms around her, and pressed her head against his warm chest. “Relax, sweetheart, you’ll feel a little woozy for a few more hours, but it will pass.” She snuggled into his solid warmth even as her conscience yelled at her not to. She was dating Cal Sanders and shouldn’t be cuddling

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up to near strangers, but somehow it felt right to be here, as if this were where she belonged. “What do you remember about this morning?” “The barn, naked men, a lot of pain.” She opened her eyes as she realized she should still be feeling the pain. “What? How? Why aren’t I in the hospital? Why don’t I feel any pain? Fuck. Am I dead?” Zeb laughed softly as he sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed the hair away from her eyes. “No, baby girl, you’re not dead, you’re just a werewolf.” Okay, it wasn’t nice to make fun of the sleepy person. She had a headache the size of Mount Rushmore, and they were cracking jokes. “Very funny. Ha. Ha.” The words were mumbled, but she hoped they got her point. “What really happened?” Aiden smoothed a hand through her hair. “We really changed you into a werewolf. It was the only way to save your life.” “Fine, don’t tell me,” she grumbled as her eyes closed all on their own. She’d get some more sleep, but when the headache was gone she was kicking some joker ass. **** Cal worked like a demon. It was true that he had chores to do each morning, so leaving Louise alone in her bed wasn’t completely an asshole move, but he had to admit that the chores would have gotten done without him. It was why he’d hired a manager to oversee the day-to-day running of the farm. He’d known for most of his life that his interests lay elsewhere, yet his family had lived on this land for generations, and staying had felt like the right thing to do. But with his father’s recent passing and his mother moving to live with his sister and her family, he wasn’t quite sure now why he stayed. His manager was more than capable of running and maintaining the property. It would always be Sanders

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land—he had no intention of selling—but he no longer needed to be here every day. His chance to live his own life was finally here, so why wasn’t he taking it? But his thoughts brought him full circle, and visions of Louise sleeping in his arms filled his brain. Louise Jackson had always been the brightest part of staying in the area, and their relationship had finally moved in the direction he’d always wanted. Louise loved her job as deputy sheriff, but they’d never discussed whether it was the town or the job itself that she loved. Maybe, just maybe, she’d be willing to come with him as he chased down his dream. Decision made, he finished his chores, checked in with his manager, and then headed for the shower. Hope sparked in his mind as his future suddenly seemed within his grasp. **** Louise woke without the headache. The room was filled with the most delicious smell, and she sniffed a time or two before she realized it was coming from the tray beside her. Even before she lifted the lid she knew it would be T-bone steak, cooked medium-rare. She usually liked her steak well cooked and way smaller, but the big juicy slab of meat was suddenly very appealing. She sat up, dragged the tray onto her lap, and started cutting before it even occurred to her to question the whereabouts of her men. Her men? Fuck. They weren’t hers. Cal was hers. Aiden and Zeb were strangers who’d turned her into a werewolf. The fork froze midway to her mouth. Werewolf? They’d been joking, right? There was no such thing as werewolves. The fact that she was about to practically inhale a huge, barely cooked steak didn’t mean a damn thing.

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“Figures you’d wake up in the three seconds it took me to use the bathroom,” Aiden said as he strolled back into the room. “How’re you feeling?” Fork still halfway to her lips, mouth still open, ready to eat, Louise watched as he walked over, traced a finger over her shoulder, and sat down in the chair beside her. She squeaked in embarrassment as she finally realized she was naked. Fuck. How did she miss that little detail? Aiden must have read her reaction correctly because he lifted the tray off her lap and held it up as she dragged the bed sheet up her torso and tucked it tightly under her arms. He placed the tray back on her lap, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and settled back in his chair. “Where’s Zeb?” Definitely not the most important question, considering everything she needed to ask, but still one she wanted answered. “He went to try and track down Josh again. Hopefully, he can get him to talk to us without the dogfight this time.” “You let him go on his own?” She couldn’t quite explain the fear or hysteria that thought evoked. “Relax, sweetheart. He’s an experienced hunter. He knows what he’s doing.” Aiden leaned over and brushed the hair from her face once more. Considering the messy strands that kept falling into her eyes, she was fairly certain she looked well and truly fucked. Except that she wasn’t, was she? “What happened? Did we…you know…um…do something we shouldn’t have?” Aiden smiled softly but was quick to reassure her. “No, Louise, we didn’t have sex. You’re only naked because your clothes were torn to shreds and covered in blood.” Her relief was short lived. “So the pain, the accident? That was all real?” He nodded, his expression neutral.

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“And the whole werewolf thing? That wasn’t a joke?” If her memories weren’t faulty then she should be dead. Turning her into a werewolf made an almost-weird sort of sense. But werewolves weren’t real, were they? “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Aiden said as he moved closer. “When we realized you were with Cal, we’d planned to walk away, but we couldn’t leave you to die. Cal would have lost you today either way, but at least this way you get a second chance at life, and Zeb and I get to claim our mate the way that fate intended.” “I…can’t…” Her throat closed over the words as tears blurred her vision. Give up Cal? But they’d only just truly found each other. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but as a newly made werewolf you’re a danger to him. We need to get you somewhere safe before the full moon rises in three nights.” “The full moon?” Fuck. Was she really beginning to believe this bullshit? The hotel-room door opened, and Zeb came in. His clothes were dusty, and he looked tired, but he wore a smile until he saw her face. “You told her?” His voice was sad, his tone resigned as if he hadn’t wanted to have to give her bad news. She moved the tray off her lap, her appetite gone, and then lowered her head and rubbed a hand over her eyes. Still fighting tears, but somehow knowing deep down in her heart that they were telling her the truth, Louise asked quietly, “Can I see him one last time…to say good-bye?” She didn’t hear their answer as strong arms pulled her into an embrace and held her tight as she cried. **** Hours later, Louise was still sitting at her desk, making phone call after phone call, trying to find a temporary replacement to cover the sheriff’s duties until the sheriff completed his vacation. The arrogant

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asshole had barely listened to her carefully crafted explanation on how she needed to resign immediately because of a family emergency before swearing at her, telling to suck it up and deal with it. No way, no how was he accepting her resignation until he’d finished his damn vacation. He’d also given her his favorite lecture on why a woman shouldn’t be employed in a man’s job. In the end she’d hung up on the stupid asshole. But she still couldn’t leave the town without a sheriff while she went off and learned how to be a good little werewolf. She was almost to the end of her list when the bells over the door tinkled and someone walked in. Louise looked up to see Andrea walk through the door. After everything that had happened over the past couple of days, it was wonderful to see a familiar face. But Andrea’s smile faltered as she stepped closer, her gaze swinging immediately to Aiden and Zeb where they sat at the back of the room. And then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Andrea’s husbands, Xavier, Daegan, and Isaac, came through the door and placed themselves between Louise and her men. “Explain!” Xavier ordered in a voice that sounded barely human. Both Aiden and Zeb looked shocked, but they dipped their heads in what looked suspiciously like respect. “Explain what?” Louise yelled at their muscled backs as she stood up from her desk. All three of Andrea’s husbands seemed disinclined to answer, so she turned her angry gaze on her soon-to-be-former best friend. “What the fuck is going on?” Andrea looked angry enough to chew nails, but her expression turned a little guilty when she finally seemed to realize that Louise wasn’t happy with the way things were going. “We just want an explanation,” Andrea said, raising her voice so that Aiden and Zeb could hear her clearly, “as to why my best friend is suddenly a werewolf.” “Y–You know?”

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“Yes,” Andrea said, her anger obviously draining from her as she stepped closer. “What we don’t know is why.” **** This was so not good. Aiden glanced at his brother, seeing no way out of this situation. It was clear that all three men in front of them were very strong werewolves, and nobody would be leaving this room without their say-so. “Apologies, alpha,” he addressed the man who’d spoken, hoping that his assumption was correct. Hell, they could all be alphas, but he figured the one in the middle was most likely in charge. “We didn’t realize we were in your territory. We would have sought permission if we had known.” “You’re not in my territory,” the one in the middle said quietly, confirming Aiden’s guess. The alpha’s voice was calm and controlled, but Aiden knew that just made the man more dangerous, not less. “But the people in this town are under my protection. Explain why Louise is now a werewolf.” Fortunately, by the time they’d explained most of the story, all three men had relaxed, and the interrogation turned into a more friendly conversation. The woman who’d come with them was smiling widely, but Louise looked like she was ready to explode. She did a moment later. “Xavier, what the fuck is going on? What the fuck are you doing here? And why the fuck would you do that? I don’t appreciate you threatening people in my office.” But Xavier turned and grinned at Aiden and Zeb. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full with this one. Does your alpha know you’ve found your mate?” “Not yet,” Zeb said, reaching over to pull Louise into his embrace. She slapped his hands away, seeming so goddamned angry she could barely see straight.

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“Who the fuck do you think you are? My mate? Not fucking likely.” “Louise,” Andrea said as she stepped closer and wrapped a slender arm around her shoulders. “Becoming a werewolf is a good thing. Trust me on that. I can explain everything.” “Good,” a familiar voice said from behind them. “You can start by explaining how my woman ended up surrounded by men who think they’re fictitious creatures.” **** Cal was livid. He’d come into town to find Louise, declare his love, maybe get down on one knee and ask her to marry him, and then plan a life together. What he hadn’t expected was to find a tense standoff between Andrea’s three husbands—Three! Was the woman mad?— and the two men who’d been ogling Louise yesterday. The only good thing to come of his eavesdropping was that Louise didn’t seem any happier about the situation than he did. Their talk of werewolves was more than a little unnerving. Just yesterday he would have declared them all insane, but he’d seen enough in the past twenty-four hours to give that theory just a little credence. Yet that wasn’t his main concern. Louise was upset, and it was his responsibility to comfort her. She’d looked angry enough to shoot the other five men in the room, but he smiled grimly as she stepped into his arms and held on tight. **** Zeb felt jealousy flash through him like a bolt of lightning. Every instinct screamed at him to drag his woman from the man’s arms and claim her immediately. Aiden must have sensed his thoughts, or

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maybe shared them, because he placed a restraining hand over his arm. He took a deep breath, trying to still his chaotic thoughts. Attacking the man she loved wasn’t going to win him any points anyway. Zeb glanced over at Cal. It was obvious he’d heard most, if not all, of the conversation. He would know he was dealing with a group of werewolves. Even if he didn’t quite believe, he had to know he was standing in the middle of a very dangerous group of men. A growing respect for the man caught Zeb by surprise. Cal loved Louise, that much was obvious, but it didn’t change the fact that she was now a werewolf. With her increased strength and stamina, she had a very real chance of hurting him accidently. Fair or not, she needed to let the man go. “Okay,” Andrea said. “Everybody out! I want to talk to Louise and Cal. Go on, shoo.” Andrea’s three husbands smiled indulgently but did as she asked, making certain that Aiden and Zeb went with them. It irked him to leave his mate in the arms of a human male, but it seemed he wasn’t being given a choice. “It’ll work out,” Isaac said as they stepped into the sunlight. Zeb hoped to hell he was right. **** “What are you doing here?” Louise asked Andrea. “We came to visit you two. Of course, if I’d known you were dealing with werewolves, I would have come sooner.” “How do you know about werewolves?” Louise asked. She had a feeling she already knew the answer, but until she heard the words out of her friend’s mouth, she wasn’t taking anything for granted. “Remember the day Jed Hawthorne thought he shot me?” The sudden change in topic confused her at first, but then all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. “He really did shoot you?”

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“Yup,” Andrea said with a soft grin. “If Isaac and Daegan hadn’t been in town, you would have found my corpse the next day. They saved my life by making me a werewolf, the same way Zeb and Aiden saved yours.” “They said I have three days.” Andrea nodded, but her eyes filmed with tears as she tried to smile. “The next full moon is in three nights’ time. You’ll need to be somewhere safe by then so that you don’t hurt anyone.” She looked at Cal as the tears spilled over her eyelids and slid down her face. “I’m so sorry, Cal, but she can’t stay. You need to let her go.” Cal’s arms tightened around her, but he stayed quiet, simply listening to the conversation. It broke her heart that he was learning about what had happened to her in such a strange way, but it only reinforced everything Aiden and Zeb had tried to explain. She couldn’t stay in town, she couldn’t stay on as sheriff’s deputy, and she couldn’t stay with Cal. Her life had changed irrevocably, and there was no choice but to walk away from everything she’d once known. Cal didn’t say anything as Andrea got up and started making coffee. He simply pulled Louise back into his tight embrace and rocked her gently. **** Aiden could feel his mate’s grief and wanted to rage at the fates for their unfairness. Louise Jackson would have been fine if she’d never met them. She wouldn’t have been hurt, she wouldn’t have been changed to a werewolf, and she wouldn’t have been forced to give up a man that she so obviously loved. “Who’s your alpha?” Xavier asked as they waited outside the sheriff’s office. “Doug Grayson.” Daegan whistled a sound that suggested he realized how much trouble they were in.

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“What brings you here?” “We’ve been tracking a rogue wolf, Josh Hampton. We managed to corner him in barn early this morning, but once Louise got hurt we concentrated on her.” “This Josh Hampton attacked her?” The growled question may have come out of a human mouth, but it was pure wolf fury behind it. Aiden realized he needed to explain quickly, or Josh wasn’t liable to make it back to their pack for trial. “No, he knocked her over as he fled, but I’m positive it was an accident.” “Are you sure he didn’t injure the frail human on purpose so that you’d be distracted?” Aiden ran a hand through his hair. He knew in his gut that Josh hadn’t hurt Louise deliberately, but that wasn’t the sort of evidence one presented to an alpha as proof. “Before Louise crept up on us,” Zeb said slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully, “Josh was talking to us. He’s frightened, really frightened, of what our alpha will do once he catches up with him.” “Why does your alpha want him?” “The report we were given said he’d gone rogue and was attacking people all over the country, but the man we met this morning seemed about as far from a crazed killer as a werewolf could get.” Xavier scrubbed a hand down his face, gave them both assessing looks, and turned to his brothers. “What do you think?” They seemed to be communicating silently, which even in werewolf terms was unlikely between brothers. It took a while to realize that they were probably relaying the conversation via their mate. If Andrea was anything like their first impression of the woman, he had no doubt she was a strong alpha’s mate and quite capable of helping the men make a decision.

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“Louise needs to be somewhere safe for her first shift. You’re welcome to join us for the full moon.” Xavier handed him a business card, turned away as if to leave, but then added casually over his shoulder, “Of course, Josh would be welcome, too, if you wanted to bring him along.” Aiden was still trying to figure out that cryptic invitation when the three men stepped back into the sheriff’s office. A few minutes later they, along with their wife, climbed into a large four-wheel drive vehicle and headed out of town. He watched them drive away with Andrea’s parting words still ringing in his ears, “Find a way to make it work.” **** “So what happens now?” Cal asked Aiden and Zeb as they came back into the sheriff’s office. He’d been so pleased to see Andrea’s car parked out front, but never in a million years could he have anticipated an outcome like this. “Xavier has invited us to stay at his compound for the full moon.” Louise shifted in his arms and looked up at Aiden and Zeb standing near the front door. “That’s a good thing, right? They’re only a couple of hours from here. We can come back afterward?” Zeb gave her that affectionate look that had Cal grinding his teeth with jealousy. Ironically, even through the green haze of his anger, he was also grateful that the men who’d made her a werewolf so obviously cared for her. But that only made things more confusing. This had to be the most fucked-up situation he’d ever encountered. “We need to finish our assignment, so I guess we can figure something out,” Aiden said with a sad smile. Zeb shook his head slowly. “Maybe that isn’t such a good idea.” He took a step closer to Cal, and for just a fleeting moment, Cal sensed sympathy from the man. “Cal, if we hadn’t changed her, she would have died this morning. You would have lost her anyway.

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Maybe it will be easier on both of you if you just make a clean break.” Cal wanted to punch something, to rage at both men. Cal’s loss was Zeb and Aiden’s gain, but even as the thought wound through this heart and soul, he knew they weren’t at fault. They’d saved her life, and despite being the reason she’d been hurt in the first place, Cal realized that as sheriff’s deputy, Louise had run that risk every day. Even in this sleepy little town. He closed his eyes, suddenly realizing how unfair it was of him to try and hold on to the woman he’d known. If he’d had any doubts about the werewolf thing, Andrea had wiped them all away. Her honest and frank explanation had only confirmed everything he’d overheard, but he’d declined her offer to change into her wolf. Maybe it was his own form of denial, but by not witnessing one of his friends change into a werewolf he could somehow maybe deny their existence. He moved, lifting Louise to her feet. She turned to him immediately, but he placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from hugging him. Aiden nodded, his own eyes glassy as Cal turned Louise around and gently guided her into the other man’s arms. “They’re right,” he whispered, hoping like hell Louise couldn’t hear the tears in his voice. “I love you, Louise, but our time has passed. Aiden and Zeb will take care of you now.” “I don’t want to be taken care of! Damn it, Cal, don’t you know me at all?” Her words twisted his heart, but it was the tone that damn near broke him. Louise was hurting, really hurting, and staying around, prolonging the agony of separation, would only make that worse. “I’m sorry, babe,” he said in what he hoped was a nonchalant voice. “But you know it’s better this way. I have no doubt that Andrea will kick their asses if they don’t treat you right.” Louise half laughed, half sobbed at his words. He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, noticing the hickey that should have lasted for

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days was already gone. He nodded to both men, turned toward the door, and walked away from the only woman he’d ever loved.

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Chapter Four Aiden ran his hand tiredly down his face. It hadn’t taken long for Louise to track down some information on the human called Josh Hampton. Aiden and Zeb had known he was a made werewolf, rather than born as one, but until Louise started digging up details from the human databases had known very little about the man they’d been sent to drag back to the pack. What Louise found was more than a little disturbing. Josh had once been a farmer living not far from this small town. He’d disappeared nearly thirty years ago. Except that disappeared was probably not the correct word. Abducted was probably closer to the truth. Everything that they knew from both human and werewolf records that they had access to suggested that Josh Hampton had been turned into a werewolf against his will and then taken halfway across the country. The hardest part to verify was what had happened after that. Neither Aiden nor Zeb even remembered seeing the guy, even though they’d been members of the same pack for almost thirty years. Granted, Zeb and Aiden’s work took them all over the country, but they’d attended enough pack social functions to believe they’d known everybody. “I’ve got it,” Louise said triumphantly. Ever since Cal had left twenty-four hours ago, Louise had thrown herself into her work. She hadn’t even slept, but that was something Aiden hoped to rectify very soon. The full moon was the night after tomorrow. If she wasn’t at peak physical condition, the transformation might be even harder for her to control. “Josh Hampton is the father of Belinda Stiles. She and

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her fourteen-year-old daughter still live on the family farm south of town. Her husband was killed in a tractor accident about ten or so years ago.” “So Josh is protecting his daughter?” Zeb asked. “Or his granddaughter,” Louise added. “The question is whether the threat is real or just in his head.” She continued to flip through pages on a file she’d grabbed from the cabinet. “The one thing we do know for certain is that he is very frightened of going back to face your alpha.” “Your alpha, too, now.” “My what? How the fuck did he end up my boss?” “He’s not really a boss. He’s in charge of our pack, but he’s more like a mayor than a boss.” “Sorry, guys, but I don’t know any mayor who can act as judge, jury, and executioner.” Aiden tried to hide the grimace, but her assumption was essentially correct. If Doug Grayson decided it was for the good of the pack, he could basically do whatever he wanted. Only a successful challenge for leadership could force him to step down, but considering that Grayson was the largest, strongest, and meanest wolf Aiden had ever known, few had challenged him, and none had been successful. The last challenge had come from his own son, and Grayson had torn his throat out with barely a second glance and absolutely no remorse. “I think we need to go speak to Josh’s daughter. Maybe see if we can dig up a reason for Josh risking his life to protect them.” “Okay,” Zeb said as he pushed away from the wall he’d been leaning on and stepped over to take Louise’s hand. “After you’ve had some sleep.” She started to say something—disagreeing with Zeb, no doubt— but was interrupted by a jaw-cracking yawn. Zeb gave her a triumphant smirk. Louise rolled her eyes, threw her hands in the air, and headed for the narrow cot at the back of the room.

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Aiden desperately wanted to join her and hold her while she slept, but it was too soon. Cal leaving had devastated her, and neither Aiden nor his brother wanted to make things worse. Hopefully, one day she’d be ready to love them, but for now, he’d let her sleep alone. **** Louise tried to stifle her moan. A part of her realized that she was dreaming, but it was the same part that never wanted to wake up, so it didn’t really count. She was in Cal’s arms again, and it was exactly where she wanted to stay. He kissed her with breathtaking, soul-stealing passion, and she whimpered as that clever and oh-so-familiar tongue explored the dark recess of her mouth. Like they do in dreams, her clothes magically disappeared, and a warm, comfortable bed materialized underneath them. Cal groaned, rubbing his hand over her face and neck, and then moved lower to cup her breast. He teased the nipple with his thumb, smiling widely as he lifted away and gazed into her eyes. “You’re going to love this,” he whispered a moment before warm hands pushed her thighs wide. Cal lay beside her, his hard cock trapped against her hip, his hand caressing over her breasts and stomach, as he pressed soft kisses to her collarbone and throat. She gasped as the head of a hard cock rubbed against her wideopen pussy. Her gaze flew to Cal’s, but he smiled in reassurance as the thick cock pushed slow inch by excruciatingly slow inch into her pussy. She moaned at the incredible sensation, damn near giddy with relief when Aiden leaned over and kissed her lips. Cal ran a callused hand over her stomach, his fingers dipping to her clit as Aiden lifted her hips, sat back on his heels, and drove into her harder. “Hello, baby girl,” Zeb whispered a moment before he pressed a kiss to her lips, his tongue probing the dark recess as he ran a hand down the side of her abdomen, over her thigh, and grabbed her knee. He pulled her leg higher, opening her wider for Aiden’s fucking.

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Aiden sped his pace, his forceful entry making her gasp in delight. She could feel her orgasm spinning wildly closer, Cal’s clever fingers dancing over her swollen clit as Zeb leaned down to suck a hard nipple into his mouth. Over and over, the three of them tormented her, holding her orgasm just out of reach, slowing down so many times she thought she’d go mad with the need. She growled, wrapping her arms around Cal and Zeb, pulling them closer, winding her legs around Aiden’s hips, using the leverage to meet his violent thrusts. Every nerve ending tingled, electric currents streaking through her, her orgasm so close there was no turning back. “Come for us, babe,” Cal said. Peace settled over her like a warm blanket a moment before orgasm exploded within her. Unable to hold back, Louise screamed as every muscle, every nerve ending, every cell in her body went into meltdown. All three of her men held her close, kissing, caressing, loving her, only her. Replete and completely satisfied, she sighed as they helped her roll over into the middle of the… Fucking floor. Louise hit the ground hard, the narrow cot not meant for such a seemingly real dream. She whimpered as Aiden—the real man, not the dream lover—pulled her into his arms and held her close. Zeb sat on the floor beside them, his hand shaking as he caressed up and down her back. “What the hell do you think it means?” Aiden asked cryptically. She wanted to ask for an explanation, but warm completion was still flooding her veins. Between the lack of sleep, the grief of losing Cal, and the too-good-to-be-true dream that left her heart in tatters and her body exhausted, Louise took the coward’s way out and went back to sleep. ****

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Thirty miles away, Cal Sanders jolted awake. Holy fucking shit. Where the hell had that come from? He was used to dreaming about Louise, but what the hell were Aiden and Zeb doing there? Was he losing his fucking mind? He hadn’t meant to close his eyes, but sleep had eluded him last night, and he’d tossed and turned instead as he rehashed every decision he’d ever made in his entire adult life. He scrubbed a hand down his face, grimacing at the scruffy bristles he could feel. He probably looked like he’d been drinking, and if he’d thought that would help, hell, he’d consider it, but getting good and toasted in the face of a problem had never been his style. He was a guy who faced life head-on. He wasn’t scared to make the tough decisions. He was the man who saw a problem and found the solution. He was just that type of guy. But a mocking little voice inside his head told him otherwise. His fearlessness and ability to handle whatever headed his direction may have been true in most of his life, but when it came to Louise, he’d played it safe for far too long. He’d prevaricated, made excuses, wasted time, and now he’d lost her. He adjusted his jeans, trying to give his cock a little more space. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this hard. He tried to ignore the fact that he was practically vibrating from the need to come. He was a man, not some horny teenager needing to jerk off over a picture of a pretty girl. But even as he chastised himself, he undid the snap on his jeans, lowered the zipper, and wrapped a hand around his erection. He closed his eyes, trying to remember the expression on Louise’s face as…Aiden had fucked her. Fuck! What the hell? He groaned as he climaxed, pearly white streams of cum coating his hand as his orgasm went on and on and on and his mind raced with unanswerable questions.

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**** Louise woke, gasping in surprise as all three occupants in the sheriff’s office groaned as they felt Cal’s orgasm as keenly as if it were their own. How she knew Aiden and Zeb felt what she felt she wasn’t quite sure, but she had no doubt as to the source of the shuddering climax. When she finally caught her breath, she turned accusing eyes on Aiden and Zeb. “Did you guys forget a few details on the whole wolf deal?” Aiden looked as confused as Louise felt. Zeb just looked completely dumbfounded. “No,” Zeb answered slowly. “At least I didn’t think we did. I’ve never heard of a human sharing a mating dream—well, not one that wasn’t a werewolf’s mate.” Aiden shook his head as he levered himself off the ground and held out a hand to help her up. She could sense their confusion and, in a twisted sort of way, reveled in it. Ever since she’d woken a werewolf, she’d felt off-balance. At least in this problem, none of them knew the answer. That would have been quite pleasant, except that it was one situation she really wanted explained. “Could Cal be a werewolf’s mate?” “If he was, he’d be dreaming with his mate, not with us.” It was the answer she’d sort of expected, but it did raise a little ray of hope in her mind. “Could Cal be my mate?” “We’re your mates,” Zeb answered gruffly, crossing his arms defensively. “But could Cal be my mate also?” Aiden rubbed a hand over his eyes. “It’s probably the most likely answer, but I’ve never heard of it happening before.” “Why not?” Louise demanded belligerently. “Andrea has three mates.”

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“Andrea’s mates are all born werewolves, and they’re brothers.” Zeb seemed cantankerous enough to argue the point until they were both blue in the face. “So how then was Cal able to join our—what did you call them?—mating dreams?” “Maybe he didn’t join them. Maybe you just imagined him being there.” Aiden laughed softly, the chuckle sounding like that of a man resigned to his fate. “Give it up, brother. Louise is right. Either Cal is her mate as well.” He laughed harder, trying to get words out that he obviously found hilarious. “Or he’s one of ours.” “Fuck,” Zeb said as he sat heavily in the nearest chair. “You’re right. He has to be one of Louise’s mates.” He scratched at the stubble growing on his face, his movement filled with agitation. “The only safe way to handle this is to make him a werewolf as well, but we’re already going to have a hard time explaining Louise to the alpha. I don’t fancy trying to explain Cal as well.” “Me neither.” “What does that mean?” Louise’s heart had stopped and started so many times in this conversation that she was liable to have a heart attack. “It means, baby girl, that we need to get permission from the alpha before we talk to Cal. If the alpha says yes, then we’ll explain to Cal about making him a werewolf. But,” he said, cutting off her excitement before it could really get started, “you need to be prepared. Aiden and I aren’t willing to go away—you’re our mate. Cal will either have to accept the four of us together or remain human and walk away.” Louise nodded as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and tried not to cry like a weak-willed woman again. But there was nothing quite like a cold, hard dose of reality.

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Chapter Five “Belinda Stiles?” Louise asked as the woman dismounted from her horse. “Yes,” Belinda answered, looking concerned. “How can I help you, deputy?” “I just wanted to ask you if you’d seen a large silver wolf hanging around. It was recently spotted in the middle of town, so we’re hoping to be able to catch and relocate it before it becomes a problem.” Belinda nodded. “It’s been hanging around here for several months now. It hasn’t caused any problems, so I’ve just left it alone.” She glanced at Aiden and Zeb before continuing. “A couple of nights ago it did take one of my lambs, but I was almost relieved. The poor wolf was getting thinner and thinner, and I was worried it was ill.” “Has it exhibited any unusual behavior?” “I’m not sure you would class it as unusual, but it took a lamb that had been injured in a fall into the dry creek. I was going to get my rifle to put the poor thing out of its misery, but the wolf killed it quickly and carried it away.” She shook her head and laughed selfconsciously. “The strange part was that the wolf looked directly at me and dipped its head like it was thanking me or something before it turned away.” “Has it come up to the house?” “Not that I know of,” Belinda answered with a shake of her head. “Mom?” a young girl said as she came out of the house. The child was all arms and legs, skinny as a bean pole, but even now it was obvious she would grow into a beautiful woman one day.

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“Becky, this is Deputy Jackson,” Belinda said to her daughter, having obviously read Louise’s last name off her name tag. “She was just asking about the silver wolf that’s been hanging around.” “You’re not going to hurt him, are you?” The child’s voice was just a little too hysterical to be general concern for an animal’s welfare. “No,” Zeb said as he stepped into the conversation. “We’re from Parks and Wildlife. We’re just going to relocate him so he doesn’t get hurt.” “No, you can’t. He didn’t do anything.” “Becky,” her mother said with a look of concern. “A lot of folks get a little trigger happy when a wolf starts hanging around. It would be better for the wolf to be away from people.” “But you can’t!” the child cried angrily. “He’s my friend. He protects me.” Belinda looked startled, and it seemed obvious to Louise that she had no idea what her daughter was talking about. “Protects you from what, Becky?” Aiden asked very quietly. The child’s eyes darted around the small group of adults, her bottom lip quivering as she hesitated to explain. “From…f–from the man who tried to take me.” “What man?” Becky’s mother asked frantically. “Who tried to take you? When? Why didn’t you tell me?” Becky burst into tears and ran into her mother’s arms. Belinda gave Louise a pleading look, and Zeb and Aiden stepped away, indicating that the women should take the child inside. Louise nodded in agreement and then turned to help the distraught mother and her daughter. **** Zeb turned to the paddock, his gaze scanning the area for some sign of the wolf. It was a damn good chance Josh Hampton was

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nearby, maybe even planning to attack Aiden and Zeb in the mistaken belief that they were here to steal his granddaughter. “Josh,” Zeb called into the general area. “We understand now. We can help you keep her safe. But you need to trust us.” “How do I know you’re not just telling me what I want to hear?” The voice came from behind them, catching them both by surprise. Obviously, the man had been hidden nearby but managed to stay downwind. In his human form, he looked even more ragged than he had the day before. “How do I know I can trust you?” “Because they know I’ll neuter them if they let me down,” Louise said in a sweet voice as she stepped out of the house. She smiled, and even though she seemed to be relaxed, gave the naked man plenty of warning that she was coming down the stairs. She handed him a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. “Welcome home, Josh. Why don’t you drag the clothes on and come inside?” Josh looked more than a little freaked out, but Louise seemed to know exactly what to say. A few words and a lot of moments later, Josh Hampton stepped into the house he’d once called home and finally introduced himself to his daughter and grandchild. **** “Of course we’ll help,” Andrea said before her husband could respond. It was obvious that Xavier Cloveck realized the seriousness of what he was getting his pack into, but he smiled at his wife and nodded his head in agreement. “See you in a couple of hours.” Andrea winked, leaned forward, and closed the webcam conversation. Aiden and Zeb had hesitated to get the other alpha involved, but the revelations of the last few hours had made it very clear that, whatever was going on, their own alpha was a huge part of it. It was a good bet that Josh Hampton’s story was only the tip of one huge-ass iceberg. But even without more information, Aiden knew

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that any leader who agreed to abductions and forced claimings wasn’t a leader he wanted to follow. That, however, made them all vulnerable. And the one thing he and Zeb weren’t willing to do was allow any more harm to come to Louise. If that meant involving the Cloveck brothers and their pack, then that’s what they’d do. Thank the gods they were willing to help. With a strong pack behind them, they at least had a chance of untangling themselves from this mess. “Call Cal,” Aiden said as he pulled Louise onto his lap. “Let him know that we’re heading up to the mountain to spend a few days with Andrea and that we’ll contact him as soon as we get back.” “Will he be safe?” “Probably safer here than with us, to be honest. Even if Grayson knows of the connection Cal had with you, he wouldn’t expect the mating link that has developed. We’ll get Josh and his family settled in, stay for the full moon, and then head back here.” Aiden touched her face, pressing his lips softly to hers, unable to resist touching his mate. “We need to discuss Cal’s unusual situation with Xavier before we can do anything anyway, so I’d rather not raise the man’s hopes if the situation isn’t what we think it is.” Louise nodded, obviously eager to sort out the problems they may face before risking hurting Cal again. It was obvious that she loved the man very much. It was in her eyes, in her sad smile, and very clear in her emotions. The surprising, yet most welcome, part was that she was quickly developing the same affection for him and Zeb. It wasn’t love yet, but it was a start. Louise moved off his lap and grabbed her cell phone. She frowned when she got Cal’s voice mail, hung up, and then tried a different number. She dialed a third number, her worry starting to show on her face. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” Aiden said, pulling her back into his embrace. “Close your eyes and concentrate on him. If he truly is one

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of your mates, you’ll be able to sense roughly where he is and most of what he’s feeling.” “Even when I’m awake?” Aiden nodded and smiled at the startled expression on her face. “Close your eyes and picture him in your head.” She did as he instructed, but a moment later growled in frustration. At first Aiden thought she hadn’t been successful, but then she blew out an exasperated breath and said, “He’s ignoring my phone call. The rotten jerk knows it’s me and won’t answer. I am so going to kick his ass.” Aiden grinned at his woman’s vehemence. It was likely that Cal thought he was doing the right thing by refusing her calls, but Aiden had no doubt she fully intended to kick one very stubborn mate when she finally managed to pin him down. Yet right now they needed to get going. Zeb was still at the Hampton farm protecting the family as they gathered their possessions. Thankfully, with Xavier and his pack willing to help, they had a place to go. “We’ll visit Cal when we get back.” Louise nodded, but it was clear that she was worried. “Will I still be able to sense him from Andrea’s place?” “Probably not,” Aiden said, not wishing to upset his mate but not willing to lie either. “We’ll be over a hundred miles away. Even the strongest mating links struggle with that distance. But we’ll call him when we get there. Maybe he’ll answer Andrea’s calls.” Louise gave him a sad smile, nodded, and diverted the phone to the fill-in sheriff’s number. She’d managed to track down the retired sheriff, Henry Simpson, and he’d agreed to cover Louise’s duties for the two nights they expected to be away. It wasn’t a perfect solution—the guy had been retired for ten years now—but it was the best they could manage. Henry had Louise’s cell phone number, but hopefully he wouldn’t need to use it. It was supposed to be a quiet, sleepy little town, after all.

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**** Becky Stiles had squealed in delight when she was shown her new bedroom. The home Andrea and her husbands organized for the family was beautiful, and in the last twenty-four hours, many of the neighbors had already come to say hello. Josh Hampton had been offered and had quickly accepted a position in pack security almost the moment they arrived, and several teenagers had dropped by to welcome Becky to her new school. Apparently, being part of a pack meant more than just moving into a new neighborhood. The only down side to the visit was Cal’s continued refusal to answer any phone calls. Annoyed, worried, and moving toward freaking pissed off, Louise had finally called one of his neighbors and they’d confirmed he was fine but simply wanted some time alone. Zeb and Aiden had convinced her to leave the man be, at least until they got home. Except that technically home was no longer home. As Aiden and Zeb’s mate, she was supposed to join their pack and move thousands of miles from everything she’d ever known. But her men had been more and more appalled as details of what Josh Hampton had lived through came to light. It only confirmed her growing trust in them, and when they’d explained their unwillingness to follow a werewolf such as Doug Grayson, Xavier had invited them to join his pack. Despite the possible danger Grayson presented, the entire pack had been unanimous in their support of their alpha. So now Louise sat on the wide veranda of a rustic-looking log cabin that camouflaged the modern interior very nicely, and marveled at how much her life had changed in recent days. She closed her eyes in an effort to sense Cal even though she knew it was pretty useless to try. “You okay?” Zeb asked as he came onto the veranda with a cup of coffee each hand. He sat beside her, handed her one cup, and then turned to look over the scenic vista.

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“I don’t know. I feel nervous, but I’m not really sure why. It’s like I’m ready to leap out of my skin,” she answered honestly. She glanced at the position of the sun and heard a soft chuckle from the man beside her. “There’s always a feeling in the air on the night of a full moon. Even born werewolves feel the urge to change.” “But you can fight it, can’t you?” “We can, but why would we? Running on a full moon is truly exhilarating.” He settled an arm over the back of the chair, and she slid a little closer as Zeb caressed the back of her neck with his callused fingers. She melted into his touch, but there was still a part of her that felt awkward accepting affection from Zeb and Aiden. Yet, it also felt kind of natural, like it was where she belonged. “But I don’t get a choice. I’m going to change against my will.” “True,” Zeb said, “but I think you’ll enjoy it nevertheless.” “Maybe,” she hedged, even knowing he was probably right. “I already feel…something. Kind of like a kid the night before Christmas.” Aiden laughed as he stepped onto the veranda. “That’s a pretty accurate description.” He took the seat facing her and suddenly became very serious. “There’s something we need to ask you.” “Oh,” she said, moving away from Zeb a little. She couldn’t think straight when they were touching her. “Now, you need to remember that this is a first for us, too.” She crooked an eyebrow, wondering why Aiden was dancing around the point. “Moonlight runs are usually…um…” Aiden’s words trailed off as he seemed to search for a word that eluded him. Both men seemed uncomfortable, and she had the strangest urge to laugh nervously. “They’re usually very stimulating,” Zeb finally managed to say. “Stimulating how?” If they were talking about what she thought they were talking about, it brought a whole new meaning to the words “doggy style.”

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“Afterward you’ll probably want to jump our bones.” He smiled and winked at her, but it was obvious that they were trying to warn her about something important. “But only afterward? When I’m human again?” “Well, you’ll probably feel the need to hunt your first time in wolf form. You’ll run and explore and maybe play, and we’ll stay with you. We’ll protect you and make certain that you don’t hurt anyone.” She nodded, quite relieved to hear that. Too many things had happened in too short a time for her to be thinking about the problems she could cause in furry form. “The thing is, after we revert to human form,” Aiden said, reaching over to pull one of her hands into both of his, “we need to know whether it’s okay to make love to you.” “You think I won’t be able to control myself? That I won’t be thinking clearly?” Aiden must’ve sensed the fear in her emotions because he tried to pull her into his embrace. She resisted, ripping her hand from his grip. “We don’t really know what’s going to happen,” Aiden said quietly. “It’s a first for us, too, but from everything we understand, running the full moon with one’s mate is a very…inspiring experience.” “Baby girl,” Zeb said quietly, leaning over to cup her face with his hand. “We won’t do anything you don’t want us to do. If you say no now, we’ll make certain to keep you safe tomorrow, no matter what you say or do.” Her heart did that silly little stop-start that she was beginning to associate with these two men. As much as she loved Cal and wanted him to be a part of her life, she couldn’t imagine giving up these men either. She really hoped the four of them could come to some sort of workable arrangement. “We can wait until Cal can join us,” Aiden said, obviously picking up on her hesitation. The mating link was getting stronger, and she could easily sense the nervous energy behind their calm demeanors.

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They’d waited a long time to find their mate, yet they were willing to let her make the decisions on when and how their relationship moved forward. Cal had already let her go. He’d told her he wanted her to be happy with Aiden and Zeb, so she wouldn’t be doing anything wrong. But it still felt like cheating. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of disappointing Aiden and Zeb, but they understood immediately. This time, when Aiden pulled her into his embrace, she went willingly. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he said, running his hand through her hair over and over in a slow, hypnotic movement. “We have plenty of time.” They stayed that way for a while, simply holding each other and enjoying the quiet. But the peace was broken when a car pulled up in the driveway and Andrea called them over to help. Curious as to what Andrea would need help with, Louise headed down the driveway. She could smell the casserole even before she got close to the vehicle. “What’s this?” “Dinner,” Andrea said with a huge smile. “For how many?” The car had so many covered bowls, dishes, and baskets it looked like Andrea was catering for a party of twenty. “I have found,” Andrea said, handing another casserole dish to Aiden, “that having a full stomach before shifting helps protect the local wildlife.” “Huh?” What did changing into a wolf have to do with endangering the animals? Louise’s stomach rolled as she finally understood what Andrea was trying to tell her. “So in wolf form I’m liable to go snacking on little furry critters?” “Yup,” Andrea said with a huge smile on her face. But then she wrinkled her nose and added, “There’s nothing quite like the memory of swallowing a mouse whole.” “What’s a mouse or two between friends,” Andrea’s husband, Daegan, teased as he slung an arm over her shoulders and turned her toward the house. Andrea rolled her eyes, but it was very clear that

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she adored the man. “Xavier and Isaac shouldn’t be too far behind us, but we can start without them if they take too long.” Fifteen minutes later, Louise sat at a table with her best friend, all three of her best friend’s husbands, and two of her own mates. The only person missing was Cal. “It’s okay, sweetheart. He’ll be one of us soon,” Aiden said as he noticed the expression. “Xavier has given us permission to make him one of the pack. We just have to convince him.” “That’s great,” she said as she tried to tamp down the excitement rising within her. Making the offer and having him accept it were two very different things. “But do you think he’ll go for it?” “Of course he will,” Andrea answered brightly. “How can you be so sure?” Louise asked, not feeling nearly as confident as her best friend. Andrea rolled her eyes and gave her an incredulous look. “The man has been in love with you forever. He’s not going to turn down a chance to be part of your life.” Louise tried to smile at her friend’s reassurance but didn’t feel quite so confident. Asking any man, no matter how much he loved her, to share her with two other men seemed an awfully big thing to ask. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number again. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t answer. Stubborn jackass. **** Zeb exhaled a deep breath and told his cock to behave as he watched his mate undress. Aiden was busy giving her last-minute advice on what to expect when she changed into a wolf for the first time, but all Zeb could think about was the arousal he could smell coming from her. Even with the moon still half an hour from rising, Louise’s body was preparing for the heady experience of a mating run.

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But they’d already decided against sex afterward, so he took another deep breath and let it out slowly. He had a feeling his patience was about to be tested like no other time in his entire life. “Shifting doesn’t hurt,” Aiden advised, “as long as you relax and let it happen. Zeb and I will stay with you the whole time. We’ll keep you out of trouble.” She smiled, but both her demeanor and her emotions gave away her nervousness. “Next moon, when you shift we should be able to communicate telepathically, but for now we’ll just stick by you.” “Whoa, telepathically? Are you kidding me?” Aiden looked slightly annoyed by her disbelief, but Zeb could understand her reaction. They’d thrown a lot at her in the past few days. Normally, when a human was changed to a werewolf, it was done a few days after the full moon so that they had a whole month to develop the mating link and practice telepathic communication. It was even quite common for the born-werewolf partner to claim their mate before the full moon. In Louise’s case they’d almost done everything backwards. Theirs was obviously going to be a very unusual mating. And even though Zeb didn’t want to voice the feeling out loud, he suspected that their lives wouldn’t be complete until Cal could join them. But as the moon rose and his wolf began to stir restlessly, he decided to set aside his worries and try and enjoy his first run with his mate by his side. Even if it wasn’t exactly what he had hoped. **** Louise couldn’t believe the prickling excitement running through her. She’d had quite a few strange experiences in recent days, but this was proving to be the strangest. It was like every cell in her body was vibrating, dancing to a tune only the moon could provide. Her heart

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rate was accelerated, butterflies flittered in her stomach, and her skin tingled all over. She opened her mouth to say something, but her tongue felt funny, almost like it wasn’t her own. Her jaws ached momentarily, her vision growing fuzzy as she fell to all fours, her paws landing on the ground with a soft thud. She looked down, a hysterical giggle bubbling through her head, but only a small whine reaching her ears. She swung her gaze to the left, looking up at Aiden curiously as a warm hand scratched behind her ear. She tilted her head to give him more access even as her inner voice demanded that she bite him for treating her like a dog. “You’re very beautiful, Louise.” She forgave him instantly, chuffing happily as he stepped back to remove his clothes. A warm, furry body pressed up against her side, distracting her from the nearly naked man. She pressed her face against the wolf’s muzzle, rubbing against him in an instinctive move that her human brain decided could wait until later for analyzing. She lifted her nose, sniffing the air, the wilderness calling to her in a way she never thought possible. She turned to the front door, whining pathetically when she realized it was locked. She lifted her paw, scratching at the wood, needing to get outside and run. Aiden, still in human form, laughed as she growled at the wood. Inside her head it seemed perfectly reasonable to be annoyed at the door, even though she knew it probably shouldn’t. “Okay, sweetheart,” Aiden said as he moved to the front door and undid the locks. “We’ll be right behind you.” She weaved around the door, desperate to feel the earth under her paws, the wind in her face, the scents of the night surrounding her. And then she ran.

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Chapter Six Aiden could smell Louise’s arousal. They hadn’t lied when they’d said she would likely prefer to hunt on her first run in wolf form. But now that the frantic need to explore was loosening its grip, Louise’s wolfy thoughts seemed to be turning to a more carnal nature. He breathed deeply, his own wolf wanting more than his human brain would allow. He whined his discomfort, his brother echoing the sound a moment later. Louise turned to them, her tail wagging happily, her tongue lolling out as she moved toward where they stood. She nuzzled first against Aiden and then moved to Zeb’s side before yipping loudly and almost dancing around them. Then she took off, her legs pumping hard as she ran across the open meadow and disappeared into the night. Aiden was right on her heels, the primitive urge to subdue his mate, to claim her, riding him hard, urging him to faster speeds. He heard the howls of other wolves, scented them on the air, but only one she-wolf interested him, and he was fast gaining on her. She miscalculated, stumbling over a log that was wider than it seemed. He caught her easily, landing on her, using his larger weight to push her to the ground. His mind and body were filled with the urge to take her, to fuck her, to claim her as a werewolf mate should. But then Zeb was there, growling, his wolf voice low and deep and so damned annoyed that sense finally broke through Aiden’s lust-filled brain. He moved off her, pressing against her side as his brother did the same, trapping her between them. She wriggled, her tail still wagging

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madly for a moment before she understood their intention was only to hold her safe, not to mate with her. She whined her annoyance but settled down as weariness began to overtake her. Satisfied for the moment that his mate would sleep for a while, Aiden closed his eyes, simply enjoying being with the woman who would one day, hopefully soon, truly be his mate. **** Cal damn near fell out of his bed. The feeling of exhilaration, of being one with nature, of belonging to the wild in ways he could barely fathom, wound through him. It whispered tantalizing promises of a different life. He would swear he could feel the dirt beneath his paws, taste the myriad of scents on the wind, and hear the noise of the night. But it had been just a dream. Just a dream. He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the mattress as he scrubbed his hand down his unshaven face. He scratched at the long stubble, trying to ignore the reminder that he hadn’t been bothered with his appearance since he’d learned about werewolves. Annoyance gripped him even as he relived the breathless moments of his dream. Louise was gone. He had to accept that. He was torturing himself imagining the things he would never share. She was a werewolf now, and even though he’d refused Andrea’s offer of a demonstration, in his heart he knew the woman he loved was now beyond his reach. God help Aiden and Zeb if they ever hurt her, because werewolves or not, Cal would skin their hides. He was about to get out of bed when arousal gripped him. **** Louise rolled in her sleep, her mind barely recognizing the place she now inhabited. She’d only stayed at Cal’s place a few times,

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mainly because hers was that much closer to the sheriff’s office if there was a problem, but she recognized Cal’s spicy scent immediately. Somehow, she understood that she was dreaming, but it felt so real her mind didn’t care. And then Cal was there, his arms open wide as she stepped into his embrace. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered a moment before pressing her lips to his mouth. She wanted, needed, the man with a desperation she couldn’t fathom, but something held her back, some niggle, some worry that something wasn’t right. “It’s okay, baby girl,” Zeb said as he pressed against her naked back. “We’re all here now,” Aiden added as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She sighed in relief, the peaceful feeling of finally being surrounded by her mates permeating every cell in her body. She lifted her eyes to Cal’s, smiling as she saw her excitement mirrored in his gaze. “I love them,” she confessed to Cal, glancing over her shoulder at her wolf mates. “But I love you, too. Aiden and Zeb can make you a wolf as well. Can we find a way to make a relationship work?” “I hope so,” Cal said with a grin, leaning forward to press an aggressive kiss against her mouth. “That’s assuming, of course, that they can keep up.” He lifted her then, wrapping strong arms around her middle, placing her onto his cock even as the other men helped to hold her steady. She groaned as Cal slid deep into her pussy. “Fuck,” he growled as he gripped her tighter, lifted her up slightly, and then slammed harder, going deeper, thrusting all the way into her dripping pussy. She moaned, the incredible sensation stealing her sanity, her breath. Over and over, he fucked her, Aiden and Zeb holding her steady, pressing kisses to her throat, her shoulders, caressing her spine, her ass, her thighs, even as Cal increased the pace. A hand found her clit,

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rubbing the swollen nub, the rhythm driving her need higher, so much higher. “Come for us, baby girl.” A hard slap on her ass took her by the surprise, the orgasm that followed shaking her to her very core. Everything shook, inside and out. Mind, body, and soul, she came apart in their arms, screaming as Cal fucked her harder and deeper and faster. He grunted, pouring his seed deep into her body, his cock pulsing, throbbing in the same beat as her heart. She gasped for air, damn near screaming when strong hands lifted her, easing Cal’s cock from her body only to replace it with something hard and thick. Zeb smiled, stepping backward, holding her hard against him as he lowered to the bed and lay down. She was draped across his chest and stomach, her ass in the air, her thighs spread wide, exposing her secrets. She felt too relaxed to be embarrassed. But the slippery touch against her dark hole had her squirming away, the fear overriding her postcoital bliss. “Shhh, baby girl, we’ll take care of you. We’ll always keep you safe.” She relaxed minutely, the fear slowly subsiding as all three men soothed her with comforting strokes. Cal lay down beside them, smiling when she lifted her head, and pressed his lips against her own. He touched her face gently with his warm hand. “Trust them, babe,” he whispered reverently. “They love you.” “What about you?” she asked, fear gripping her again as she imagined him fading away. Somehow she still understood she was dreaming, but when Cal remained where he was, his presence more solid, more real, than a dream should allow, she sighed and relaxed. A lubed finger pressed into her ass, the feeling strange, different, but not painful. She gasped as a second joined it, stretching her open, the sting a tad uncomfortable. But slowly, gradually, the tense muscle loosened, and she began pushing back against Aiden’s fingers. When

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he added a third, she growled her need, the unusual sensation inflaming nerve endings she hadn’t known existed. But then Zeb thrust upward, fucking her pussy slowly as Aiden pressed his fingers deeper and then retreated in counterpoint to Zeb’s rhythm. “Please,” she whimpered, pushing back against Aiden, the movement changing the way everything fit, her ass gripping Aiden’s fingers, her pussy pulsing against Zeb’s cock. “That’s what we were waiting for, sweetheart,” Aiden said as he removed his fingers and replaced them with his cock. The mushroomshaped head pushed into her slowly, Aiden filling her ass as Zeb lifted her slightly and pulled his cock from her pussy. She gasped, her hand reaching for Cal, unconsciously seeking his reassurance. “I’m here, babe. I’m not going anywhere.” And then Aiden and Zeb started to fuck her, really fuck her, their movements hard, jolting, forceful. “Let go, baby girl,” Zeb ordered. “You’re a werewolf now. You’re much stronger than you think you are. We aren’t going to hurt you.” She breathed out, trusting them, believing them, loving them. She relaxed into their care, and both men groaned as she practically melted against them. Harder and faster they plowed into her, taking her, possessing her, owning her. She screamed as orgasm slammed her, every muscle vibrating as heat burst outward and engulfed her whole. She shook uncontrollably, her men both pushing to the hilt as they each reached their peak and joined her in bliss. She sighed, feeling exhausted, feeling loved and, for the first time since Aiden and Zeb had entered her life, feeling complete. **** Cal woke covered in his own semen. He rolled angrily from his bed. He wasn’t even sure if he’d gone to sleep again or had only dreamed of waking up the first time, but whatever had happened, it

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had to stop. Letting his imagination run riot with sex dreams was only going to make losing Louise harder. He had to let her go. Hell, for the sake of his own sanity, he had to forget she’d ever existed. It was time to get on with his life. He’d made the decision several days ago to get the hell out of this small town. His farm was in good hands, his finances were healthy, and his future was calling him. The only thing that had changed between making the decision two days ago and now was that Louise wouldn’t be going with him. Longing gripped him anew as he packed several bags and loaded up his truck. He’d had high hopes for such a short time but, fair or not, it was time for him to go. When he reached the highway, he sat there for a moment, the car running as he fought his conscience. Louise would be heading back to town today. She still needed to finish up her time filling in for the sheriff and, judging by all the phone calls he’d managed to ignore, wanted to speak to him one last time. But then acid burned his stomach, the grief cutting deep, and he realized that he couldn’t see her one more time without breaking down and begging her to keep him. Hell, judging by the dreams, he was even ready to share her with Aiden and Zeb Leckie. But all the wishing things had happened differently wouldn’t change the fact that she was now a werewolf and he wasn’t. Grinding his back teeth, Cal pointed the truck south and headed away from the woman he loved. **** Zeb smiled down at the sleeping woman in his arms. She was probably going to be very embarrassed when she woke and realized she was lying naked on a bed of grass at the edge of the forest, but for now he simply enjoyed holding her. The sweet smell of her arousal filled the air around them. His cock was still harder than steel, pulsing with his heartbeat, but he was

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strangely satisfied just to hold her close. He was a little surprised that the mating dream they’d shared seemed more than enough to appease him for the moment, but was very grateful for the sense of peace. Aiden had already gone back home to collect clothes and shoes for their mate. Ordinarily they’d stay in wolf form until they got back to their house, but it would take months, maybe even years, before Louise would learn to control her wolf well enough to stay shifted without the full moon. She wriggled in his arms, and he again smelled her arousal. “Zeb?” “Yes, baby girl.” “Was it a dream?” “Yes.” He felt both her relief and her disappointment, their mating link seeming to have grown stronger overnight. “We’ll head home when the sun rises, and then we’ll explain everything to Cal, lay it all out for him to consider, and hopefully convince him that he belongs with us.” She rolled to face Zeb, glancing down at her naked breasts before seeming to dismiss the observation and asking her question instead. “What about you and Aiden? I doubt you were expecting to share a mate with a complete stranger.” “I admit to it being unexpected.” He touched a hand to her face, tracing his finger over her lips as he tried to put into words what was in his heart. “But he belongs with us. Everything in the mating dreams seems right, complete. He just might take a little convincing, but I’m sure the four of us can be happy together.” Louise nodded, ducking her head against his chest as her eyes filled with tears. He nearly laughed when he realized how annoyed she was at her own weepiness, but he hugged her to him harder and loved her all the more for her strength. “Ready to head home?” Aiden asked as he stepped into the meadow. He was fully dressed and carrying a duffel bag full of clothes.

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Louise smiled, pressed a kiss to Zeb’s lips, nipped at his jaw with her teeth, and then rolled away. He grabbed her ankle, and she kicked out playfully as she tried to escape him. He swatted her backside as she shrieked with laugher. And somehow, despite the loud noise breaking the stillness of early morning, he’d never heard a sound that seemed sweeter. **** Impatience rode her hard as they traveled slowly down the switchback roads. She wanted to be on the highway, speeding back to the man who was the missing piece of her life. She wanted to be close enough to sense him. Hell, she wanted to be home already. “Ouch,” Aiden said with a quiet laugh. “Thoughts like that can really damage a man’s ego. We’re quite fragile, you know.” She could sense his humor, realizing through the mating link that he wasn’t really upset by her thoughts, and in some way he even shared them. “I just need to see him. To know he’s okay.” “We know, baby girl,” Zeb said, not taking his eyes off the winding, dangerous roads. “We’ll sort it out.” “I know,” she said, truly believing it. Even as she worried at Cal’s possible reactions, she knew that these two men would stand by her no matter what the outcome. Deep love and affection wound through her senses as she remembered all the ways these men had already kept her safe. Her wolf yipped in her mind, the strange feeling of two very different sides of her personality taking her by surprise. But somehow it also felt natural. Her wolf half approved of her mates, knew they’d protect her and their children when they had them. Aiden pulled her closer, his warm hand caressing her belly as he sensed the direction of her thoughts.

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“We’ve waited a long time,” Aiden said, pressing a quick kiss to her throat. “But you’re still quite young, so we can wait until you’re ready.” Young? She was thirty-two. That wasn’t exactly old, but it did mean they should try for kids sooner rather than later—when they were all in agreement that the timing was right. But then it finally dawned on her that she didn’t even know how old Aiden and Zeb were. They looked midthirties. Zeb laughed suddenly. “Do you want to tell her, or should I?” “Tell me what?” “That werewolves live longer lives than the average human.” Okay. That was maybe good news, if that extended to made werewolves, not just those born as one. The idea of growing old while they stayed young looking was not a comfortable one. “So how old are you?” “Exactly?” Aiden asked with a silly grin on his face. “Yes. Exactly, how old are you two?” “We’re both fifty-two.” “Twice my age?” she blurted out, the revelation tickling a funny bone she didn’t realize she had. She giggled at their affronted expressions. “Not twice. What sort of math did you learn at school?” “Okay, okay, settle down, old guy. Don’t want to give yourself a heart attack.” “Old? You’re going to find out exactly what these old guys can do—after I spank your ass for being a brat.” It was obvious that Zeb was joking, but she squirmed in her seat, surprised to discover the idea appealing. Kinky? Huh, who would have guessed? She tried to stifle a yawn, but the few hours of sleep she’d gotten in wolf form didn’t quite cover the exertions of the night before. “Get some rest,” Zeb ordered in his most bossy voice, but even though she wanted to argue, she really was too tired to form the words. She stuck her tongue out at him and then settled against Aiden

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and closed her eyes. Zeb chuckled quietly, the words, “You’ll pay for that later,” reaching her ears a moment before sleep claimed her. **** Cal sat in his car and stared at the sign. He’d dreamed of doing this for years, of following the ambition that he’d held since childhood, but now that he was here it just seemed silly. Did he really see himself as a zoo worker? He laughed quietly in the confined space of the car. As a kid he’d dreamed of working with exotic animals, of studying their behavioral and mating quirks, and perhaps learning more about their needs as a species and the dangers humans represented. But now, sitting in his car out front of the zoo where he had a job interview in less than ten minutes, he suddenly found himself wondering if it was truly what he wanted. It wasn’t even the fact that he would need to start in an entry level job. Technically he was already qualified to shovel poo. He’d been doing the exact same thing on the farm for years, but would it help him protect the future of the planet the way he’d dreamed as a kid? He fingered the bullet Andrea had given him. He hadn’t really wanted it—he preferred not to kill things—but she’d assured him that a hollow-tipped bullet with a drop of mercury inside was the only way to stop a werewolf. He’d been surprised to learn that, despite the legends, it was quicksilver, not actual silver, that killed werewolves. He could only guess that the people who’d written down and passed the legends through generations hadn’t known that mercury was not liquid silver. But that raised another question in his mind. How much more didn’t he know about the world around him? Andrea had described the community where she now lived, and he’d been pleased to learn of its environmentally sensitive design. He’d spent most of his adult life trying to preserve as much natural habitat for wild creatures as he

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could. It felt good to know that there were other people—well, other species was probably more accurate—fighting for the same things. He glanced back at the front gate of the zoo. The chance to learn about animals from other countries paled in comparison to the things he’d already achieved with the wild animals and environment in his own home state. He was well informed and quite vocal on occasions when it came to protecting the habitat and breeding grounds of local species. In some ways he’d already achieved far more doing what he’d done at home than he could ever accomplish by tending animals in the artificial environment of a zoo—even if he worked his way to the top of the zoo career ladder. Finding a balance between human needs and saving the animals was something he truly enjoyed. He wasn’t a fanatic screeching on the six o’clock news in protest. He was one of the people doing something practical and trying to find workable solutions. He closed his eyes and breathed out a deep sigh. In all the years he’d resented staying on the farm, he’d never really seriously considered following his own dreams. Not because he couldn’t, but because he really didn’t want to. He ran a hand down his face, laughing at his own stupidity. Yes, he wanted to travel and spend time in other places, but as his mother had always told him, “Home is where the heart is.” Except his heart was with Louise. And Louise was with Aiden and Zeb. Cal tried to rub away the ache in his chest, but the stubborn pain wouldn’t budge. Frustration boiled over, and he slammed a hand on the steering wheel. Damn it all. He’d take the vacation he’d told his manager he was taking, find a new focus, and then head home. By the time he got back, Louise would be living with Zeb and Aiden somewhere halfway across the country. At least then he might be able to sleep in his own bed without dreaming of the woman who had once been his.

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Chapter Seven Louise glanced around the sheriff’s office for probably the last time. Her two weeks were done, the sheriff was officially back on duty at midnight, and she had no reason to linger in town any longer. “I still can’t sense Cal,” Louise whispered to Aiden for the hundredth time since they’d come back into town. The plan had been so simple. Find Cal, convince him they all belonged together, and then have Aiden and Zeb make him a werewolf. Simple. Well, not so simple if they couldn’t find the stubborn man. Her plan to finish up her two weeks filling in for the sheriff and move herself and her men to the house Xavier had offered them in the mountain community no longer seemed workable. She hadn’t even had a mating dream since the morning after the full moon. Then she’d been at least one hundred and twenty miles away, so that meant that now Cal was even farther away than that. The only thing Cal’s farm manager had been able to tell them was that he’d gone on a vacation. Not even his family knew where he was. Aiden pulled her into his arms. “Relax, sweetheart. It will all work out.” “I can’t see how.” She was well aware of the fact that she was sulking like a five-year-old denied an ice cream, but she’d felt so hopeful once. If only Cal had stayed put long enough to hear them out. “Come on, baby girl. Let’s get packed up and go grab some—” Zeb’s words cut off at the same moment Louise sensed…something. The alarmed emotions that she felt coming off

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both men had her reaching for her revolver. Somehow she knew whatever was about to come through the door sure as hell wasn’t human. As quickly as she could, Louise reached into the side pocket of her purse, grabbed the specially doctored bullet Andrea had given her, and loaded it into her revolver. She had no idea if hollow-tipped bullets with a drop of mercury would kill any other paranormal creatures besides werewolves, but she wasn’t willing to put her gun away yet. The door opened with an ominous creaking sound, and then the man stepped through. Although “stepped through” was probably a poor description for the maneuvering the man had to do to get his imposing height and impossibly wide shoulders through the doorway. Despite his size, he seemed to move quite gracefully. He smiled, holding his hands palms out in a very clear sign that he didn’t mean any harm. “Sorry, I didn’t realize there were wolves in town.” His gaze bounced between Aiden and Zeb before settling on Louise. He smiled that wide smile she knew so well and laughed quietly. “Lou, when did you join the fur club?” “Um…” It seemed shock had short-circuited her brain. She’d known Brandon Delko her entire life. What she hadn’t known until now was that he was some sort of paranormal creature. Aiden and Zeb were both still tensed for a fight, but the one thing Louise knew for certain was that Brandon wasn’t here to hurt them. He’d been a peacemaker all his life. She’d never even heard him raise his voice, let alone get into a physical altercation with anyone. That could partially be explained by the man’s sheer size—who’d pick a fight with a mountain?—but mostly because the man was calm, friendly, and relaxed. “Aiden Leckie,” Aiden said as he stepped forward to offer his hand, “and this is my brother, Zeb.” “Nice to meet you,” Brandon offered with a smile. “How’d you meet Lou?”

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“We were tracking a rogue wolf. When we finally caught up to him Louise managed to get in the way—” She interrupted with an annoyed “Hey” but eventually let Aiden explain things his way. “Anyway, long story short, Louise was badly injured and would have died. We couldn’t let her go, so we made her a wolf.” “Mates?” “Yup.” “Both?” “Yup.” Brandon chuckled as he stepped over to give Louise a big bear hug. “Congratulations,” he said in her ear but laughed again when they heard two very distinct growls. “I better put you down before your mates tear into my hide.” But he didn’t move to put her down, seeming quite pleased with himself for riling her mates’ possessive urges. “Hey,” he said suddenly, finally letting her stand on her own two feet once more. “What about Cal? Weren’t you two an item?” “We were,” she answered sadly, trying to control the tears that threatened to fall. “They will be again, just as soon as we can find the man,” Zeb said confidently. “He’s one of her mates, too.” “Three mates?” Brandon asked with a barely suppressed laugh. “I always knew it would take more than one man to keep you in line.” “Hey!” she said again, but there was no heat in her complaint. Brandon had always teased her, and it felt good to know that some things never changed. “Didn’t I hear a rumor about one of the local business owners running off with three men?” Louise smiled at the mention of her friend. “That would be Andrea. She’s a wolf now, too.” “Seriously?” Brandon asked with another laugh. “I really should come into town more often. It seems I miss all the fun stuff.” He smiled again, but then his demeanor changed slightly, and he

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indicated for Louise to take a seat at her desk. “I actually came to report some suspicious activity over at the Hampton farm. I heard that Belinda and her daughter Becky have moved away, but I wasn’t sure if she’d sold the property or not.” “She hasn’t and, as far as I know, doesn’t plan to,” Louise told him as anxiety churned her gut. She was very aware of her mates’ tension as they mentally filled in the missing pieces of Brandon’s story. “What have you seen?” “I was taking a stroll in furry form a couple of hours ago when I noticed several cars heading down the driveway toward the Hampton farmhouse. Well, as you know, bears have a rather curious nature, so I wandered closer to the tree line.” “You’re a bear? A werebear?” Brandon nodded, smiling at her startled question. “We prefer bear-shifter, but yes, I’m a black bear, and so are my brothers.” Louise nodded, biting her tongue against the million questions wanting to escape. If Doug Grayson or some of his pack were on Hampton land, it could be a prelude to disaster, so she needed details. “Anyway, I stayed and watched for a while. They went in the front door, seemed to search the premises for nearly an hour, and then got back into their cars and left. At the time I thought they were human, but judging by your faces, I’m now assuming they were shifters.” “You assume correctly,” Zeb said with a low growl in his voice. “They were likely members of our former pack. We don’t have all the details, but somehow Becky Stiles has been erroneously identified as one of the wolves’ mates. The kid is barely fourteen years old, yet apparently they’ve been trying to abduct her for several months now. Her grandfather, Josh Hampton, has been protecting her.” “Josh Hampton? Didn’t he disappear decades ago?” Brandon must have sensed something in their collective demeanor because he added, “Don’t tell me he’s a wolf, also. What happened? Did the town get overrun by werewolves while I wasn’t looking?”

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“Not that I heard of,” Louise answered quietly. “Any more bears I should know about?” “Only me and my brothers,” Brandon answered with a wry grin, “but there might be some cougar-shifters living nearby. I’ve come across a couple that don’t quite fit the behavioral requirements for them to be wild animals.” “Cougar-shifters?” Louise asked in a small voice. She was starting to feel just a little bit woozy. How much of the world did she not know about? “It’s okay, sweetheart,” Aiden said with a soft smile. “All shifter species try to keep a low profile. If humans knew about us…Well, let’s just say, historically, humans don’t react well to things they don’t understand.” “Understatement,” Zeb added. “Okay,” Louise said, trying to get her mind back to the problem at hand. Belinda and Becky were safe in the gated community over a hundred miles away, but on her last official day as fill-in sheriff, she really should check over the damage and file a report. Belinda would need it for the insurance claim. “I’m going to head over to the Hampton farm and catalog any damage. I’ll meet you back at my place.” “Not a chance, baby girl.” Louise rolled her eyes at Zeb’s bossy tone. She also noticed Brandon trying to stifle a laugh. “How do you expect me to do my job if you won’t let me work?” “One,” Zeb said as he stalked closer. “You are no longer employed as sheriff’s deputy in this town. Two. This is no ordinary human concern. If Doug Grayson is involved, we are involved. And three. I don’t know how humans deal with danger, but in werewolf society we protect our mate, whether she wants us to or not.” “That is so sexist!” As annoying as his decree was, she had trouble hiding the small kernel of warmth that curled through her. She was supposed to be an independent woman, well trained in her chosen

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field, but it felt kind of nice to know they had her back—especially if they were dealing with a bunch of pissed-off werewolves. Brandon must have read it in her body language because he couldn’t quite suppress a laugh. “I didn’t think I’d ever live to see the day,” he said in what she’d always thought of his “big-brother voice.” “Shut up, you,” Louise managed to bite out. Unfortunately, it came out sounding far more indulgent than she’d intended. This falling-in-love stuff was going to take a lot of getting used to. Aiden looked ready to call her on that thought, but Brandon interrupted. “I’ll go get my brothers. We’ll take a look around the edges of the forest just in case your werewolf friends left anything behind. They spent an awfully long time going through an empty house. Be ready for anything.” “Agreed,” Louise said before either of her men could interrupt. “We’ll meet you there.” “Okay. My brothers and I will be in furry form, so do me a favor and don’t shoot.” Louise smiled and nodded. Brandon grinned that mischievous grin she knew so well, turned to leave, but then turned back to add, “Congratulations. Let me know if these guys get out of line.” He winked, and then he was gone. She felt Zeb bristle at the comment, but Aiden obviously understood it for what it was. “How long have you two known each other?” “As long as I can remember,” she said as she grabbed her hat, checked her gun, and headed toward the door. “Me, Cal, Brandon, and his brothers, Declan and Jayden, grew up together. Brandon sort of took on a big-brother role for me and Cal.” She laughed happily at a particular memory that slipped into her mind. “Not that he was all that good at it. I lost count of how many pranks we pulled as kids, although, Brandon being a bear-shifter does explain our numerous expeditions for wild honey.” She smiled as memories of less complicated days wandered through her mind. But then she glanced at the men with her and

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realized that she wouldn’t change anything about her life—before or after becoming a wolf.

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Chapter Eight Aiden looked around the trashed room. Everything had been smashed. Everything. But the worst part was that it had a rather methodical feel to it. Rather like someone had deliberately broken everything in sight, instead of the emotional outburst such damage would indicate. “Stay close to me,” he said as Louise went to step through a doorway into another room. She rolled her eyes but moved back toward him. “Is that urine I can smell?” She wrinkled her nose in disgust, grimacing as he nodded. It didn’t really shock him—he was a wolf after all—but it did seem a little extreme even for his ex-alpha. The most concerning part was that it was a mixture of scents, not just one. Whatever was going on, it didn’t seem to be the instinctual behavior of an animal marking its territory but rather a deliberate attempt to hide another smell. Panic streaked through him as a theory sped through his mind. “Get out,” he said to his brother, grabbing Louise’s arm as he rushed at preternatural speed toward the front door and far out into the paddock. Fortunately, Zeb didn’t question him, just followed his order. Several hundred yards from the house, Zeb and Louise turned to him, waiting for an explanation. “Remember the alpha’s nephew? The one who got kicked out of the Navy SEAL program?” Zeb nodded, and it was obvious that both of them were beginning to understand his reasoning.

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“So the urine was to hide the smell of an incendiary device?” Louise asked, looking rather pale. “I believe so,” he said, glancing around the area, looking for anything that seemed even the slightest bit out of place. “A wolf’s sense of smell is far stronger than a human’s. Zeb and I both know the smell of putty explosives.” “So why didn’t it go off? I mean, what would be the purpose of setting a trap and not catching us?” Louise asked, obviously running possible scenarios through her mind. “It couldn’t be a timed explosion. They had no idea if or when we’d get here.” “Which would mean one of two things. Either they left someone behind to set off the explosives, or there aren’t any explosives in the first place.” “But if they left someone behind…” All three of them searched the surrounding area, straining to see, hear, or smell anything that may be out of place. The scent of bear reached Aiden’s nose about the same time his brother and mate turned in the same direction. Fortunately, the scent matched the man they’d met earlier. The most unexpected part was that the black bear was dragging an unconscious wolf by its tail. Aiden tried to hide the grimace. As a youngster, he’d once gotten his tail caught on a fence. It had been a very painful experience, and even after he’d shifted back to his human form he’d been unwilling to sit down. As one, he, Zeb, and Louise moved toward the black bear and its captive. Brandon dropped the wolf as they got closer, bowed his head in acknowledgement, and turned to lumber back into the forest. “Well hello,” Zeb said, obviously recognizing their old pack mate. “Look what the bear dragged in.” “He’s unconscious,” Louise said, lifting the wolf’s eyelid to peer at the dull-looking eyeball. “But if I know Brandon, he used only enough force to obtain his goal. This guy will probably wake very soon. When will he change back to human form?”

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“Not until he wakes up. Born werewolves remain in one form until we consciously change to the other. One day you’ll have enough control to do the same.” Louise nodded absently as she glanced around the area. “The cuffs aren’t going to work on a wolf. Maybe Belinda has some rope in the barn.” “Not necessary,” Aiden assured her quickly. “This guy is young and not really the brightest wolf in the pack. He would only have been following orders. My guess is he’ll spill the whole story as soon as he wakes up.” **** Louise shook her head in frustration. True to Aiden’s prediction, Terry Haynes, the newest former member of Doug Grayson’s pack, spilled all. Unfortunately, he’d known precious little. He’d been told to wait and watch for Aiden and Zeb and to press the remote control to the explosive device the moment they stepped into the farmhouse. Thankfully, the young man had been accosted by three black bears before he’d been able to follow through on his orders. The most chilling part was that he’d also been told that nobody left Doug Grayson’s pack and lived to tell the story. The poor young man had been so frightened of the alpha that Louise felt certain he would have pressed that button exactly as ordered if Brandon and his brothers hadn’t intervened. Yet one more thank-you she owed to her surrogate big brother. “So now what? Where do we go from here?” “I’ve dismantled the bomb,” Aiden said quietly, revealing that his training was far wider than she’d first understood. “There’s nothing else we can do here.” “What about Terry?” Louise asked. “I’ve spoken to Xavier, and he’s willing to take him in. Terry’s a decent-enough guy, but he’s a follower. Maybe with an alpha like

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Xavier, he’ll learn to be more independent.” Louise could hear and feel the deep respect that her mate had for Andrea’s husbands and was quickly learning herself just how special the three men really were. “Okay, so we’ll escort Terry up to Xavier’s pack tonight and then head back here when Cal gets back from his vacation,” Zeb said as he pulled her into his embrace. Louise nodded, swallowing the lump that always seemed to catch her by surprise. It was awful to be so unsure of her lover’s—she refused to think of him as her ex—feelings toward her. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. She was thinking so hard about the man, she could almost feel his presence. It took almost a whole minute to realize she actually could feel his presence. “He’s home,” she exclaimed gleefully. “Well, I mean, he’s on his way home. I can sense his emotions. I can sense…his guilt. What the fuck?” All the nasty things she’d do to a cheating boyfriend raced through her mind. Zeb and Aiden both tried to stifle their laughs, but it wasn’t until she realized that, in Cal’s mind at least, they’d broken up and he was free to date anyone he liked that the depression slid into her mind. “Don’t jump to conclusions, baby girl. Let’s just find the man and figure out what’s going on.” She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek as she tried to convince herself that as long as Cal was happy, she was happy for him. Now if she could just believe it, she’d be fine. **** Cal turned onto the main street even though he knew it was unlikely that Louise would still be at the sheriff’s station. A car accident blocking the highway had delayed his homecoming by several hours, and he’d tried to convince himself that everything

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happened for a reason, even as he cursed the universe for its stupid sense of timing. His heart did a little excited dance as he imagined he could sense her nearby, but as he pulled out front of the darkened building, all hope fled. Despondent, he was left wondering if she’d already moved out of town or if she, Aiden, and Zeb had chosen to stay one more night and head home tomorrow. Hell, home for Louise was halfway across the country now. He was about to turn the truck around and go home to his farm when headlights from a vehicle pulling up behind him blinded him momentarily. The sound of Louise’s voice had him trying to get out of the truck without undoing his seatbelt, even as a little voice inside yelled that he was just imagining what he wanted to hear. But then she was there, opening his door and climbing onto his lap. She peppered his face with kisses, mumbling words that didn’t quite make sense. Forgive him? For what? “I missed you, and it doesn’t matter. Whoever she was, it doesn’t matter.” “What?” he exclaimed, too confused to be angry. “There wasn’t another woman. Not now, not ever.” Louise gave him that suspicious look he knew so well but had never before been aimed at him. “Then why do you feel guilty?” “Guilty?” He had nothing to feel guilty about…well, except that he had been feeling guilty as he headed home three days early, wanting to see Louise one more time. It had seemed like such a selfish move at the time. He went to explain, but almost as if Louise could follow his thought processes, she grinned, turned to straddle his thighs, and kissed him until his head spun. Catching sight of Aiden and Zeb smiling indulgently as their werewolf mate practically made out with him on the front seat of his truck, Cal was still working on the theory that he’d had a nervous breakdown and was imagining everything, when Zeb stepped closer to the truck and hauled a squirming Louise away.

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“Relax, baby girl. Let the man breathe.” “Welcome back, Cal,” Aiden said as he held his hand out to shake. “As you can see, our mate missed you, and we have a few things we need to discuss.” “Discuss? I thought we said everything that needed saying. She’s a werewolf, you’re both her mates, so you get to ride into the sunset, and I get to go back to the farm.” “Hell,” Aiden said, rubbing his neck as if he couldn’t quite find the words he needed, “if you’d just answered your phone…Look, there’s no easy way to put this, but you’re also her mate.” “I’m what? But…but I’m not a werewolf.” “That’s actually the easy part,” Aiden said with a very serious look on his face. “Xavier has already given us permission to make you one of the pack. The harder part is going to be learning to live with me and Zeb in the picture.” “So Louise will have three husbands?” “In a manner of speaking, yes. But being mates with a werewolf is a whole lot more than being a human husband. We sense her emotions and share her dreams and…” Aiden trailed away as he saw the look of disbelief Cal probably wore on his face. “Dreams? As in, actual dreams?” “You tell me, Cal,” Zeb said with a happy laugh. “The last mating dream we shared with Louise, you were definitely there. You seemed quite happy to fuck her while we watched.” Heat streaked through Cal’s middle as embarrassment stole his words. But it didn’t stop his cock from hardening as memories of that incredible dream flashed through his mind. Aiden smiled, but he must have sensed Cal’s disquiet. At the time Cal had simply believed the dreams were just that—dreams—his mind imagining what things might have been like, but with this new information came more questions. “Why don’t you and I follow Zeb and Louise up the mountain to Xavier’s pack? That way the four of us can spend some time together,

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and you can get to know the life a werewolf leads. Then you can make decisions about the type of future you want.” “Um, yeah, I suppose making me a werewolf isn’t something easily reversed.” “Try impossible.” Cal nodded. He’d been so miserable without Louise that he was more than willing to try and figure things out. He glanced in the rearview mirror and realized that there was someone else in the back of Louise’s cruiser. “Who’s that?” he asked, desperately hoping it wasn’t another mate for Louise. He might be able to find a way to share her with Aiden and Zeb, but surely there was a limit to what one man could take. “Just a young wolf who needs a new pack.” “Oh,” Cal said, sounding so thankful that he managed to give away his thoughts. “Trust me,” Aiden said with a friendly smile, “if we find out there are any more mates for Louise, we are bundling that woman up tight and heading as high into the mountains as we can go. Three is more than enough.” “Agreed,” Cal said with no small amount of relief. Aiden turned to talk to Zeb and Louise, and Cal finally realized he still had his damn seatbelt on. “Aiden.” When the man turned back to him, Cal felt suddenly embarrassed but spit the words out anyway. “Thank you for giving me a chance.” Aiden looked very thoughtful for a moment, as if he were assessing Cal’s genuineness. “She loves all three of us,” he said simply and turned away once more.

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Chapter Nine The ride up the mountain seemed to take ten times longer than last time. Louise understood why she was traveling with Zeb, and why Cal and Aiden followed in Cal’s truck, but it didn’t mean she liked it. She would have loved some time alone with Cal to sort out a few things. “Aiden and I will give you and Cal all the space you want when we get home, okay?” She growled low in her throat. “Stop doing that. It’s really creepy finding out you can read my mind.” “Get used to it, baby girl. Cal will be able to do it, too, once we make him pack.” “If we make him pack. What if he doesn’t want to be a werewolf? What if he doesn’t want to live the type of life the four of us will live together?” “Then he’s a fool.” “No he’s not.” Some small part inside her realized she was arguing just for the sake of arguing, but anxiety over whether things would work out with the four of them or not was messing with her head. Zeb sighed. “I know I’m going to regret this.” He glanced over at her briefly and then put his eyes back on the road. “You should be able to hear some of his thoughts by now. You’ve been a werewolf long enough to be able to do it.” “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Okay, it seemed belligerent was currently her middle name.

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“We tried to, but you’ve been so tense since Cal left that we didn’t want to throw too many things at you at once.” “So I should already be able to read your mind. Is that what you’re telling me?” “Yes, baby girl. Do you want to guess what I’m thinking right now?” She didn’t need to guess. She already knew. How the hell did she miss that? “Because you’re a stubborn, ornery woman,” Zeb said directly into her mind. “Geez,” she said, rolling her eyes, “tell me something I don’t know.” “All right, how about first chance I get I’m going to bend you over, spank that gorgeous ass until it glows pink, and then fuck you the way I’ve been wanting to since I met you.” Heat streaked through her. She knew she should be annoyed at his threat to spank her, but it only made her excitement burn hotter. Zeb groaned as the smell of her arousal filled the car. Well, that was a drawback to an increased sense of smell. Good grief, how embarrassing. “No need to be embarrassed, sweetheart.” “Aiden?” she asked out loud, glancing over her shoulder to see the car lights following them as if she could somehow see the man himself. “Of course,” he said with a soft telepathic laugh. “I’m very glad you found your talent. Now behave for Zeb.” She wanted to tell him to shove his bossy order up his ass, but then he added, “So that he can concentrate on the switchback roads without being distracted.” “Okay.” It was supposed to come out sounding annoyed—she did realize how dangerous these roads were—but instead the word sounded almost submissive. Before she could even wipe that thought from her mind, Zeb and Aiden sent mental pictures of tying her down, spanking her to orgasm over and over, and finally fucking her

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together the way they’d done in their mating dream from nearly two weeks ago. “Behave,” she told both her men. Fortunately, they did, and both turned their full attention back to the road. “But when we get home…” Aiden left the promise unfinished, but of course, her stupid overactive imagination took over, and she squirmed in her seat the rest of the way up the mountain. **** Cal glanced around the area in the light of day. They’d arrived well after midnight last night, and despite how many things the four of them needed to say, they’d simply curled up on the big bed and fallen asleep. He might have been embarrassed to sleep on a bed with two other men, but he’d been holding Louise in his arms, and nothing else had mattered. They’d shared a mating dream again, and even now Cal had trouble hiding the erection pressing against the zipper of his jeans. The dream had seemed so real that he’d woken wondering if it had actually happened, but they’d all still been fully clothed, so he was fairly certain it was just a dream. “Mornin’,” Aiden said as he stepped onto the porch and handed Cal a cup of hot coffee. Cal lifted the dark brew to his lips, surprised to find Aiden had made it exactly as he liked it—black and sweet. The question must have been written on his face, because Aiden laughed and took the seat beside him. “The interesting thing about a mating link between werewolves is that we end up with access to our mate’s thoughts and sometimes her memories. I learned nearly a week ago how you like your coffee.” “Oh.” Cal tried to look casual as he asked his next question. “Will you develop access to mine?” “Not directly,” Aiden answered, “but Louise will, and since I have a link with Louise…”

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“You’ll know me better than you probably should,” Cal finished for him. Aiden hesitated for a moment, and Cal got the impression he was searching for the correct words. “I know it’s not an easy concept for humans to understand, but werewolves develop a deeper relationship. It’s why we mate for life. Once we claim our mate, there’s no going back.” He lifted his head and faced Cal head-on. “If we change you to a werewolf, your future is almost predestined. Louise is mate to all three of us, so we either find a way to make it work or all end up miserable. Either way, Louise is the only woman we’ll ever feel this connection with.” “Can I ask…” Now Cal hesitated. It was a question he needed answered but a topic he really didn’t want to raise. “What happens if Louise dies?” Aiden grimaced. “Then we go on without her. But we’ll never have the same connection to someone else.” “Why not?” Cal asked. “Louise has three mates. Why couldn’t you have more than one also?” Aiden laughed, glanced over his shoulder, and sighed. “Considering that our mate is currently lying in my brother’s arms listening to everything that is going on in my head, I’ll be brief and to the point. Three mates is an anomaly. I’d never even heard of a werewolf having more than one mate until Zeb and I found Louise. I’m not even sure how Andrea ended up with three mates, but they are the only two cases I’ve ever heard of.” “And I’m the only werewolf you’re ever going to love, Cal Sanders.” Cal glanced over his shoulder, expecting to find Louise standing behind him, but when he found the space empty, he turned back to Aiden with a question on his lips. But he didn’t need to ask it. “That’s part of the mating link,” he said with a grin. “If we make you a werewolf, you’ll be able answer her telepathically as well.” “Shit.”

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Aiden gave him a sympathetic look. “Louise just wants you to be happy. I know,” he said, tapping his temple, “that she loves you enough to let you go, if that’s what you truly want. We all want you to stay, but if it isn’t what you want, Louise will understand. Give it some thought.” He levered out of the chair and headed back into the house, but before he stepped through the doorway, he turned back with a mischievous grin. “But you need to remember that as a werewolf Louise is a lot stronger now, so if you two want to play in the bedroom, it’d be best to make sure Zeb and I are there to hold her down.” “I am so going to kick your ass when you get in here, Aiden,” Louise said directly into Cal’s mind. Her voice was full of humor as she added, “But he’s right, Cal. I could hurt you. Either we wait until after you’re a werewolf, or Zeb and Aiden can supervise.” She said “supervise” with so much excitement in her voice that he almost clambered off the deck chair and ran inside. It didn’t help his peace of mind when images of Cal riding her sweet pussy while Aiden fucked her ass and Zeb fed her his cock bounced through his brain over and over. But he stayed where he was, determined to sort through his jumbled emotions before making a decision that would affect the rest of his life. **** Zeb slapped her thigh, nuzzling the back of her neck as he whispered, “Leave the man alone.” Louise stopped the flow of mental images to Cal and rolled over in Zeb’s arms. “I’m just trying to let him know how good things will be between us.” “I know it will be,” Zeb assured her, “but Cal needs to make a decision without his brain being addled by arousal. I know he loves

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you. He just needs a chance to figure out that he loves you enough to accept how much your life has changed.” “I know,” she said with an exaggerated pout. “I just want him to make a decision quickly.” Zeb leaned over, sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, and nibbled on the sensitive flesh for a moment. “Trust me, Aiden and I want him to make a decision quickly, too. We want to claim our mate and then make love to her until she screams our names in ecstasy.” “Well, wouldn’t it make sense then for Cal to join us in bed before he decides if he can accept the four of us together?” “The lady does have a point,” Cal said as he stepped around the corner and leaned against the doorjamb. “If I’m going to be uncomfortable with you two making love to my woman, I’d rather know about it before I’m a werewolf.” “So what are you saying?” Aiden asked as he stepped past Cal and stood beside the bed. “I guess I’m saying I want to try the stuff we’ve been dreaming about. I didn’t seem to have a problem with it in the mating dreams, but I’d like to be certain.” Louise might have felt a little insulted by his “try before you buy” attitude if she hadn’t been able to sense his deep fear. He was worried that he’d hurt them all by not being sure. Tears filmed her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to try and hide them. Cal truly loved her, loved her enough not to risk hurting her or the other men who loved her. By their reactions, she got the impression that Aiden and Zeb realized it, too. She climbed off the bed, giggled quietly as Zeb smacked her ass on the way past, and then wrapped her arms around Cal. “Make love to me,” she whispered a moment before she pressed her lips to his. Cal kissed her slowly, seeming to savor the contact they’d both been missing. He gently coaxed her lips apart, pushing his tongue into her mouth and exploring the warm recess.

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She sighed as she felt Aiden and Zeb removing her clothes. She really should have gotten changed before they’d fallen into bed last night. But somehow, sleeping together fully clothed had seemed a necessary first step in their relationship. She lost herself in Cal’s kiss, groaning as Aiden and Zeb worshipped every inch of her skin as they slowly peeled off her clothes. Finally standing naked in the middle of her three men felt like coming home, almost like she’d finally found where she belonged. For her the emotions were the same as they’d been in the mating dreams. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Cal’s feelings and realized he shared the same revelation. Two deep chuckles sounded behind her as Aiden and Zeb moved away to strip off their own clothes. She felt a moment of panic from Cal, but it was quickly replaced by arousal as Aiden and Zeb pulled her gently from his arms and helped her to lie on her back on the bed. They sat on either side of the mattress, caressing her with their eyes as she squirmed with excitement. It was the first time she’d seen her wolves naked in real life, and she was very pleased to note that her dreams had been no exaggeration. All three of her men were lean muscle and long limbs, and fortunately, all roughly the same size and thickness where it counted most. “So I take it we meet with your approval,” Aiden said with a laugh, obviously hearing her thoughts. She blushed in embarrassment. “Wait,” Cal said, glancing between the two men. “This is your first time with Louise? You haven’t spent the last two weeks fucking her every chance you got?” Again, Louise might have been offended by the words if she hadn’t been able to sense his deepening respect for Aiden and Zeb. “No,” Zeb said with a smile. “Once we realized that you were her mate as well, it felt like waiting for you was the right thing to do.” Cal swallowed several times before he looked at both men and dipped his head in thanks.

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“I wish I’d known that two weeks ago. I would have come home much sooner.” “You would have known two weeks ago if you’d just answered your phone, you stubborn man,” Louise said with a pretend growl. “Now come here and make up for lost time.” Cal smiled that confident smile she remembered so well and started to remove his clothes. Two warm mouths lowered to her breasts, and she had a damn hard time trying to concentrate as Aiden and Zeb alternated between laving her nipples and flicking the hard tips with their tongues. She was writhing against the sheets, moaning, by the time Cal moved to kneel on the end of the bed. Warm hands grabbed her knees, pulling her legs wide, exposing her wet pussy to them all. “So beautiful,” Aiden whispered as Cal wedged his shoulders between her thighs and lowered his mouth over her mound. Her legs tried to close instinctively from the first warm, wet stroke of his tongue, but true to their word to protect Cal from her increased strength, Aiden and Zeb held her knees, holding her wide open, trapping her as Cal tormented her with his tongue. Wet warmth once again engulfed both nipples, both men sucking strongly as Cal thrust his tongue hard and deep into her pussy. She gasped, the overwhelming sensation of all three men pleasuring her at the same time taking her by surprise. Even the mating dreams hadn’t really prepared her for the incredible reality of what was happening. “Shhhh, baby girl,” Zeb said as she whimpered. “We’ll take good care of you.” She nodded, not sure whether she was agreeing with him or pleading for him to follow through on his promise. He ran a callused hand over her cheek, lowering his head to capture her lips in a kiss that would have curled her toes if she wasn’t already shaking with arousal. “Please,” she whispered, trying to somehow move closer to them all. “Not yet, baby girl.”

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“Not yet!” She practically screeched the words, so close to orgasm every cell of her body was shaking. She whimpered as Cal stopped fucking her with his tongue and moved away. She would have grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back, so desperate for the orgasm that held just out of reach, but it was then that she noticed that Aiden and Zeb held her arms as well. She growled, a little surprised to realize that her wolf side was annoyed as well. “Now, now, baby girl. There’ll be none of that.” Between the two of them, they managed to maneuver her until she was lying facedown, her head, breasts, and shoulders pressed to the mattress, her legs tucked up underneath her. Her ass was in the air, her pussy dripping with her arousal, as her excitement level jumped several notches higher. “I believe that I promised you several spankings in the past few weeks. This can be number one.” **** If Cal hadn’t been standing right behind her, watching her pussy glisten with her juices, he might have been a little worried. But the way her muscles clenched around nothing and the soft moan that escaped her at Zeb’s dark words worked to make Cal’s cock even harder. He’d always loved sex with Louise, but having Aiden and Zeb in the room took things to a much higher level. Zeb glanced at him, seemingly waiting for Cal to protest, but when he simply grinned, Zeb raised his hand and smacked Louise’s ass. She jolted from the loud noise but moaned as a pink impression of Zeb’s hand appeared on her pale skin. He smacked her again, this time on the other cheek, then rubbed over the same place until she squirmed, lifting her ass, apparently pleading for more. The third blow was a lot harder, and Cal was on the verge of protesting until Louise began to shake all over. He knew that as a sign of her impending climax. Again and again, over and over, Zeb

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peppered her soft flesh with his hand, some smacks soft, some much harder, until their woman was shaking more violently than he’d ever known. Her soft plea, directly into his mind, had him doing exactly what his woman asked. He grabbed her hips. Thrust his cock hard and deep. Her orgasm exploded. Her pussy clamping on his dick, holding him so tight he could barely move. He ground his teeth, trying not to come like an inexperienced schoolboy. He caressed her spine, waiting for her orgasm to wane just a little before he started pumping into her hot, tight pussy. She was panting, her words incoherent, but her telepathic request was very clear. “Fuck me.” He chuckled, realizing her words were also an exclamation. Aiden and Zeb still held her arms and knees, minimizing her movement as Cal plowed into her sopping-wet pussy over and over and over. Her second orgasm took him by surprise, her startled gasp the only warning before her internal muscles caressed him, dragging against his hard cock, pulling him deeper, claiming his cum as he marked his woman with his seed. He collapsed forward, landing on his hands and keeping most of his weight off her back, but his moment of bliss was destroyed by the realization that he hadn’t used a condom. Fuck! But one word sent into his mind from the woman he loved was enough to quell his guilt. “Werewolf.” **** Aiden watched, trying to remain patient as Cal pressed soft kisses against Louise’s spine. It was obvious that the man was head over heels in love with her. Aiden just hoped Cal realized it. As Cal eased away, Aiden and Zeb helped Louise roll onto her back. They’d deliberately encouraged Cal to make love to her first. Granted, the spanking hadn’t really been part of the plan, but they’d

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hoped that by letting them participate as she and Cal made love that Louise would be less likely to feel guilty. The woman grinned at him, obviously able to hear his thoughts now as easily as her own. This mating-link thing was going to take some getting used to. “I need you,” she whispered, lifting a hand to touch his face. “I know you can feel that in your mind.” She glanced over at Cal. “And I know Cal knows it, too.” And then she grinned like a cat that got the cream. “And for a woman with three mates, I seem to be awfully lonely.” Cal laughed, changed places with Zeb, and leaned over to press a kiss to her lips. “I love you,” he whispered, probably expecting the words to be private but clearly underestimating werewolf hearing. For one heartstopping moment, Aiden thought Cal was going to leave the room, but he merely grabbed a chair and dragged it closer to the bed. He moved to sit in it, close enough to touch Louise if he wanted but far enough to get out of the way if things got a little too energetic. Aiden found himself quite pleased by Cal’s willingness to watch. It added a layer to their lovemaking that increased Aiden’s excitement exponentially. Louise grunted as Zeb lifted her legs over his shoulders and thrust straight into her. She laughed softly, and Zeb stilled for a moment. She reached over and pressed a soft hand to his face. “I always knew you’d be the impatient type.” “Just this once,” he said with a grin. She shook her head, obviously not believing him, but then Zeb started fucking her in earnest and whatever she was going to say was lost in her renewed arousal. She was screaming, shaking, dangling on the verge of orgasm when Zeb pulled out and moved away. She growled low in her throat, but sighed as Aiden slid into her welcoming warmth. Aiden moved slowly, savoring the gentle glide of his mate’s flesh against his cock.

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He’d wanted a mate for many years, and somehow the reality surpassed all of his imaginings. Tears shone in her eyes as she picked up on his thoughts, and he leaned forward to kiss them away. “I love you,” she confessed, giving him more than he’d expected this early in their relationship. She’d told them in her dreams, but he hadn’t dared hope to hear the worlds out loud just yet. “And I love Zeb and Cal. I love all three of you.” She kissed Aiden softly, her emotions washing over him as he slowly moved into and out of her body. And then he felt the mischief in her next words, even before she said them. “But if you don’t start fucking me harder, I’m not the only one in this room who’s going to get a spanking.” “Sorry, sweetheart, but your ass is the only one that’s going to get paddled in this bedroom.” He slid into her slowly, teasing her a few more strokes, but then his own arousal got the better of him. He lunged forward, slamming into her pussy, fucking her the way he’d been dreaming since he’d met her. She groaned a contented sound, her back arching off the bed even as he lifted her higher and thrust harder, much harder. But he couldn’t resist the urge to tease her just a little more. He slowed again, fucking her at a leisurely pace, holding her still when she tried to speed things up. And then he pulled away and let Zeb take over once more. Zeb followed Aiden’s lead, fucking her slowly as she moaned in protest. Cal laughed, leaning over to pinch her nipple harder than Aiden would have expected him to have done when Louise was human. But the grin on Cal’s face suggested that Louise was giving him telepathic instructions. She was shaking again by the time Cal leaned over to lave her sore-looking nipple with his tongue. Zeb grinned as he grabbed her legs and started fucking her in earnest. Harder, deeper, he thrust his cock into her pussy, increasing his pace to a speed that probably belied human vision. Louise screeched as Aiden pinched her clit, holding the slippery bud hard as Zeb fucked her even harder. “Come for us, baby girl,”

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Zeb ordered in a strained voice. Almost instantly Louise’s body shook in frantic movement, a high, keening cry escaping her as Zeb joined her in climax. Panting hard, Zeb lowered her legs to the mattress, groaning when he tried to pull away. She closed her eyes, obviously exhausted, and Aiden considered letting her sleep before finding his own satisfaction. But worry stole through her mind, and she awkwardly tried to move toward him. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I plan on fucking your beautiful pussy just as soon as you get your breath back.” He leaned closer, pressed a kiss to her lips, and whispered loud enough for the human in the room to hear, “And then I’m going to roll you over and take that beautiful ass.” He pushed a finger against her tight back passage, grinning as he realized by her reaction that he would be her first. He felt her arousal spike again, her need to experience everything they’d shared in their dreams making him smile even wider. If he and Zeb had ever doubted their place in her life, their worries had been completely and thoroughly resolved in the past hour. Unable to wait a moment longer, Aiden lowered himself over her and slid into her heavenly pussy. She opened her legs wider, taking him deeper, entwining her arms around his neck as he slowly made love to her. Just as he felt her need increase, he pulled away. “Roll over,” he ordered with a tap on her thigh. She smiled, winking before she followed his instructions. Cal handed Aiden a bottle of lube, and he nodded his thanks even as he wondered when the man had left the room. Last time Aiden had checked, the lube was in the bathroom under the sink. “Aiden,” his impatient woman groused. She wriggled against the bed, the muscles in her ass clenching as she pressed her clit harder against the sheets. He smacked her ass and told her to stop moving. She giggled, obviously pleased with her effort to get him to hurry up, but did as he asked and stopped moving.

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He drizzled the lube onto his hand, warming it slightly before pressing his slippery fingers into the crease of her ass. She gasped as he breached her tight ring of muscle with one finger and groaned when he added a second. He tried to control his own arousal, monitoring her emotions telepathically as he prepared her back passage for his cock. By the time he added a third finger, he could feel her reaction in his mind. He sensed the hot sting she felt as he scissored his fingers, widening her further, but he also felt her growing need. With a few more thrusts she was pushing back against his hand, moaning as he pulled out and damn near purring when he slid his fingers back in. He pulled away, quickly lubed his cock, and pressed it against her anus. **** Louise could barely breathe. The feeling was incredible, even more amazing than she’d expected. Every nerve ending was alive with electricity, pulsing and jumping as Aiden slowly pressed his cock into her back passage. She could feel his wonder as her ass squeezed him, the muscles clenching involuntarily as he held still and let her body adjust. But then her need grew exponentially, her arousal suddenly overwhelming. “Fuck me. Please, Aiden, fuck me.” The first slow glide out of her ass was almost as frustrating, but then he slammed back in, his need echoing hers in her mind. He built the pace with every thrust, every movement into her ass, faster, deeper, harder than the last. A hand snaked under her body, Zeb pressing a kiss to her forehead as Aiden plowed her ass and groaned as her body clenched him harder. But then everything stopped, and she was about to start complaining very loudly in frustration, when Aiden lay down beside

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her and Zeb lifted her to lie on top of the man, her back to his front. She quickly lowered onto his hard cock, understanding exactly what they had planned as Cal moved to stand at the edge of the bed. Aiden pulled her legs wide, holding her open as Cal slowly worked his fat cock back into her pussy. The incredible sensation of being filled by them both had her gasping in ecstasy, holding back her orgasm as both men started to move slowly. Only one more thing would make things perfect. She sent mental instructions to Zeb, and with a huge grin on his face, he moved to comply. The angle was awkward, his thrusts quite shallow, but she laved the head of his cock lovingly with her tongue and moaned in delight when he pushed it deeper into her mouth. Her men fucked her together, the happiness and contentment she could feel coming from all three convincing her they would have a happy future. And then her arousal kicked into high gear, her men moving faster as they sensed her impending orgasm. Electricity forked through her, sizzling every inch of her that they touched. Heat burst through her midsection, stunning her as the most amazing climax of her life took her by surprise. She shook violently, trying desperately to contain the explosion that threatened to tear her apart. Over and again, reaction bounced through her, her entire body on fire as, one after the other, her men came inside her, marking her, possessing her, owning her heart, mind, and soul.

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Chapter Ten Cal watched the love of his life play in the alpha’s front yard with two wolves. Zeb and Aiden wagged their tails in obvious glee and happily chased the stick she threw for them. It was quite eye-opening to see two grown men not only shaped like wolves but acting like family pets. Although, considering that he could feel Louise’s arousal in his mind, whatever they were doing wasn’t as innocent as it seemed to the outside observer. Andrea sat down beside him. She rubbed her back awkwardly for a moment, and Xavier joined her almost immediately to take over. She sighed quietly and then turned her attention to Cal. “Are you nervous?” “Not about becoming a werewolf,” he answered honestly. Even though he’d only made the decision a few hours ago, he was feeling quite comfortable with the idea. He loved Louise with all his heart and felt confident that he, Aiden, and Zeb would be able to love the same woman without too many problems. No, the reason for his nervousness was the fact that the pack wanted to celebrate his rebirth as a werewolf with a big party and much pomp and ceremony. “You don’t look comfortable,” Xavier noted with a wide grin. “Usually, a new werewolf is made by the alpha and the new werewolf’s mate the day after a full moon. Just like Andrea and Louise, you had to go and do things out of order. Is there something in the water back in your hometown or something?” He shook his head, but Cal could see the humor in the man’s eyes. “I’ve never heard of a human mate for a made werewolf before, but then again, I’d never heard of a human having three werewolf mates until we

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stumbled across this one.” He hugged his wife closer, laying a hand over her belly as she snuggled against him. “You’re pregnant?” Cal asked Andrea, finally putting two and two together. She smiled happily and whispered, “With triplets.” Louise was there almost immediately. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked with a mock frown. “I tried to,” Andrea said with a laugh, “but then I got into town and discovered my best friend was a werewolf. Figuring that out seemed to be just a little more important at the time.” “Important? Good grief, what is more important than telling your best friend you’re having triplets?” “Well, since you put it that way,” Andrea said as she stood up to hug Louise. “I’m having triplets.” They all laughed as Aiden and Zeb joined their little group, thankfully having changed back into human form and dragged on some jeans. The congratulations took a few moments, and then Aiden’s gaze settled on Cal. “Are you sure you want me and Zeb to make you a wolf? Traditionally—” “I know the tradition,” Cal said, cutting off Aiden’s explanation, “but I think it’s sort of fitting that it’s you two.” Aiden smiled and dipped his head in acknowledgement. “I think you’ll make a cute puppy,” Zeb said with a grin. “I always wanted a little brother to tease.” “Watch yourself, old man,” Cal teased back. “Puppies are known for their sharp teeth.” Cal and Zeb continued to swap mock insults for a few moments, and the whole group was laughing by the time Andrea’s two other husbands joined them. “Everything’s organized,” Daegan said as he pulled his wife from Xavier’s arms and hugged her close, a protective hand hovering over her flat stomach. He turned to Aiden, Zeb, and Cal. “Are you three ready?”

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“As I’ll ever be,” Cal answered. It wasn’t the changing him into a werewolf that had him so nervous. It was the changing him into a werewolf in front of several hundred other wolves that had him practically jumping out of his skin. “How long will it take?” “The change or the ceremony?” Zeb asked, clearly interpreting his nervousness correctly. “The change will happen quite quickly, but you’ll want to sleep for a few hours while it happens. The ceremony? Well, I’m told that despite having added six wolves to this pack in recent times, there hasn’t been a Changing ceremony for many years. So, my guess is it could go for hours, maybe even days.” Cal must have paled significantly because Louise leaned over and playfully smacked Zeb upside the head. “Now tell him the truth.” “Five minutes, maybe a few more,” he said with a wink. “The party is liable to go on for days, but since you’ll need your beauty sleep you’ll probably miss most of it.” The relief Cal felt at only being the center of attention for a few short minutes was probably very obvious to all present, but he was so grateful for the reprieve that he didn’t really care who knew it. “Come on, Cal,” Louise and Andrea said as they led him into the house. “Let’s get this party started.” **** Aiden stood beside Zeb as they watched the three friends head into the alpha’s huge house. As he understood it, Andrea and Louise had been close friends for years, and it was a welcome happenstance that he and Zeb were able to keep her close to the woman rather than drag Louise halfway across the country to live with people she’d never met. Meeting Xavier and his pack had been quite fortuitous. Aiden didn’t even realize the alpha was standing beside him until the man started to talk.

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“My contacts on the East Coast tell me that Doug Grayson is really disappointed by your defection. Apparently, leaving his pack is at the alpha’s discretion, and since you didn’t get permission, you’ve been branded as rogues and hunters have been sent to track you down.” Aiden nodded. He wasn’t really surprised. They themselves had been sent to track down many rogue wolves. But if he and Zeb had known then what they knew now, they might not have worked so hard to be so good at their job. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” he said respectfully, but Xavier just waved his apology away. “You’re safe here. Our pack is quite isolated, and even if Doug Grayson managed to locate us, it would take more than a few hunters to cause any problems. I would suggest, however, that you put off leaving the compound until we’re sure things are safe.” “Yes, Alpha,” he and Zeb said together. “None of that,” the man said with a grin. “Please call me Xavier. With Louise and Andrea being best friends, we’re practically family. And besides, with those two together, I suspect we’re going to need all the help we can get.” Aiden grinned. It was no secret that Andrea was well respected by their pack. Louise was the same type of personality—strong, confident, protective, opinionated, and stubborn. If he’d had any doubt that Louise would fit in to werewolf life, Andrea’s acceptance by the pack had very thoroughly quelled the notion. “Come on,” Xavier said as he headed toward the house, “you’ve got a werewolf to make.”

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Chapter Eleven Cal woke suddenly. Disorientated for a moment, he lifted his head and glanced around the room. It was dark, but somehow he could see way better than usual. His foggy brain was still trying to catch up when Louise wriggled closer and laid her head on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?” “Good,” he answered, realizing it was actually true. He felt great. Fantastic even. “We have less than two weeks to the full moon, but until then you’ll feel much stronger. Stronger even than you will as a full werewolf. Maybe even stronger than Aiden and Zeb for a while.” “Why?” he asked, curious about the anomaly. It seemed strange that what was essentially the infant version of a werewolf would end up stronger than an adult of the same species. “I’m not really sure, but Andrea suggested it may be a genetic quirk of the werewolf survival instinct. Until a made wolf shifts into wolf form for the first time they are definitely stronger.” “So what you’re saying is that if I want to beat up Aiden and Zeb, now is my best chance?” She laughed, obviously knowing he was teasing. He was already starting to think of the two men as his brothers in much the same way he considered Declan, Brandon, and Jayden Delko extended family. He should probably drop by and let them know he and Louise had moved out of town. “Um…” she said, squirming uncomfortably for a moment. “There’s something you should probably know about the Delko brothers.”

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He raised an eyebrow, confident that she could see him clearly in the dark. “They’re, um…bear-shifters.” “Bear-shifters? Are you kidding me? How was it that I was friends with three bear-shifters all my life and never knew about it? Why didn’t you tell me?” “Hey, I only found out yesterday.” She glanced at the time on the clock. It was two in the morning. “Well, technically, the day before yesterday, but in my defense it’s been a busy couple of days.” He pulled her closer. Yes, it had been a busy couple of days. He could still feel the sting and quite uncomfortable pressure as Aiden and Zeb had sunken their fangs into his shoulders. He’d wanted to squeal like a little girl, but the fact that he’d been surrounded by hundreds of werewolves had kept his mouth closed and, thankfully, his dignity intact. Cal barely remembered a thing after that. “Did I pass out?” he asked, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep over his face. “Kind of,” Louise said, “but I’m told that’s pretty standard.” “So the party wasn’t really for me?” “Hell no,” Zeb said with a laugh as he rolled over to face them both. “The party is for everyone else. The new werewolf always sleeps through the fun stuff.” “So what happens now?” Cal asked. He was technically unemployed, and even though he had substantial savings, he’d never been the type to sit idle. “Well, the instructions we got from the alpha as we bundled your sleepy ass into the car were to take two weeks honeymoon at home with our beautiful mate and then to drop by his office. Apparently, he has a job he thinks you’ll enjoy. Something to do with studying and protecting the indigenous species in the area. He’s been trying to block several destructive development projects proposed for the base of the mountain, and somebody told him you’d be just the guy to be able to help him with that.”

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Cal couldn’t stop the silly grin that covered his face. Maybe he was still dreaming, but it seemed that somehow the universe had provided exactly what he’d always wanted—the woman he loved by his side and the job opportunity he’d always wanted. He was almost asleep again when wolves started howling. **** Zeb rolled off the bed, not bothering to get dressed. Whatever the alarm was about, he suspected that he’d need his furry form, and clothes just got in the way. “Protect Louise,” he growled at Aiden and Cal before rushing through the house and out the front door. He leaped off the veranda and landed on all fours, his wolf senses on high alert as he smelled blood. He ran toward the wolves who’d sent up the alarm, prepared to protect his new pack with everything he had. “Be careful,” Louise sent to him telepathically. “Always, baby girl.” **** Aiden didn’t even wait for his brother to leave the house before he changed into his wolf form. He tilted his nose high as he scented the air for danger. Several more loud howls broke the night, at least one of them cutting off with a strangled-sounding yelp. Aiden paced in front of the bed where Cal and Louise were currently dragging on their clothes, anxiety and a need to know what the hell was going on churning his gut. If the hunters from Doug Grayson’s pack had found them, the security here was more than adequate to handle them. The level of panic he could feel in the air was much higher than an attack from a few wolves would warrant.

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“Becky!” Louise exclaimed as she scrambled off the bed. She walked straight into the closet, grabbed her revolver and the special bullet Andrea had given her, and went to step out the bedroom door. Aiden growled in his wolf form even as he pleaded with her telepathically to let someone else handle it. “I need to do this,” she said quietly. Cal nodded to him, obviously believing that Louise was capable of taking care of herself. “But we protect our mate,” he said telepathically, already realizing he would lose the argument. Part of why he’d fallen in love with her was her willingness to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. By trying to lock her away from danger, he was denying a very big part of who she was. “You can still protect me,” she said, stroking the soft fur on his muzzle. “But I promised Becky I’d keep her safe.” He nodded, turning toward the front door, determined to protect his mate as she protected Becky. **** Louise followed Aiden’s wolfy butt through the dark streets of the pack’s community. Cal stayed close, the tranquilizer gun in his hand loaded and ready should the need arise. Everything was eerily quiet, and a small, terrified part of her wanted to run back home and lock herself in. “Zeb?” she asked telepathically. She could feel that he was close, but like the rest of the pack, he seemed to be staying very still and very, very quiet. “We’ve been invaded by at least half of Doug Grayson’s pack. Stay down, stay quiet.” “We’re on our way to Josh Hampton’s place to help protect Becky.” “Good thinking,” he said, surprising her with his attitude. He’d obviously garnered from her mind at least part of what had happened

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back in their bedroom with Aiden. “But get inside quickly. It’s not safe to be out in the open.” She agreed. The absolute stillness of the night was horror-movie creepy. Fortunately, Becky and her family lived in the street behind them, and it took very little time to reach her home. Thankfully, Josh Hampton caught and recognized their scent as they approached the house from the backyard. With barely a sound he opened the door and motioned for them to enter. He used hand signals to indicate where Becky and Belinda were hiding and then turned back into his wolf form. He preceded them into the tiny room and nuzzled his snout against Belinda’s leg before leaving Louise and Cal to protect them. Louise was glad to notice that Josh had moved his daughter and granddaughter into a windowless closet in the middle of the house. There wasn’t much room for the four of them, but the walls were solid rough-hewn logs, and there was only one way in. Unfortunately, that meant there was only one way out as well, but with Louise and Cal protecting Becky and Belinda from inside the closet, Aiden and Josh patrolling the house, and the rest of the pack preparing to protect their community, it shouldn’t be a problem. Louise stood facing the door, Cal beside her, and Belinda and Becky crouched down behind her. Nobody—man, wolf, or otherwise—was getting past them. **** It was a dark moonless night, and it took Zeb a few minutes to realize how much easier it was for him to see in the dark these days. Growing up in the compound back East, there had always been some sort of artificial light illuminating the area, but his years as a hunter had given him a lot more experience moving about in pitch-black darkness.

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Judging by the clumsy movements he heard coming toward him, he suspected that Doug Grayson’s pack as a whole might struggle moving about an unfamiliar area without any light. His theory was confirmed when the stupid mutt moved straight past him. The wolf had seemed to be concentrating so hard on seeing that he’d forgotten to use his sense of smell. He recognized the wolf as one of the younger members of the pack. Whatever Grayson was up to, he seemed to have drafted every young pup he could find. Zeb let him pass, unwilling to hurt the youngster. The pup was barely out of his teens, and in wolf terms that practically made him a child. Zeb was really wishing he had Cal’s tranquilizer gun when another scent tickled his nostrils. Doug Grayson. Zeb scented at least four experienced hunters protecting the man, but it was the terror coming off the woman they held captive that had his hackles rising. The she-wolf was clearly hurt and in pain, but it was her identity that Zeb found so shocking. Carly, Doug Grayson’s youngest daughter, was barely fourteen, as young and as vulnerable as Becky. Zeb crept closer to where the small group had stopped, careful to stay downwind as he finally got a visual of the enemy. Five wolves prowled toward him, followed by the young girl. Carly Grayson was covered in bruises, bleeding from a split lip, and moving awkwardly like she’d taken quite a few hits to her gut. Whatever had happened to her was obviously recent, and Zeb prayed her injuries hadn’t been inflicted by a member of Xavier’s pack. A quiet sob tore from the girl’s throat, and Grayson shifted back into his human form. He lifted his hand, ready to strike the child. She cringed away, clearly afraid of her father, and before Zeb really understood what he himself planned to do, Zeb stepped into the open and shifted back into his human form. “Enough, Grayson. Leave the child alone.”

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“Grayson?” the man asked as he lost all interest in his daughter. She tried to move away, but one of the hunters, still in wolf form, growled low in his throat, and she stayed put. “I am your alpha,” Grayson said as he stalked closer. “You’ll treat me with respect.” “You’re no longer my alpha,” Zeb said, hoping that his words carried to the members of Xavier’s pack and alerted them to the invaders whereabouts. “Says who?” Grayson asked casually as if they were having a quiet discussion at the local pub. “Xavier Cloveck?” Grayson waited for Zeb to say something, but when he didn’t, the man continued. “There’s something you should know about Xavier Cloveck. He’s a soft, yellow-bellied CEO of a corporation. He might be able to make money, but I can practically guarantee you that he wouldn’t survive a leadership challenge. All that time behind a desk would make him soft as marshmallow. I doubt the man has lifted anything heavier than a pen in years.” “That’s where you’d be wrong,” Xavier said as he stepped into the street. **** Cal strained to hear any movement in or around the house. Since waking, he’d noticed a significant increase in his hearing, but it was proving harder than he’d expected to filter out softer, closer sounds. But the sound of Aiden and Josh both clashing with attackers was distinct and, unfortunately, terrifying. It was obvious by her movements that Louise both wanted to stay and protect Becky as well as move to help Aiden and Josh. “Is he okay?” Cal asked her, hoping that he had some small grasp on how the werewolf form of telepathy was supposed to work. Her immediate answer was both welcome and, ironically, not the words he wanted.

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“He’s injured. Josh is unconscious, and more attackers are coming through the front door of the house.” “Where’s Zeb?” “Confronting his old alpha in a street over a mile away.” A loud crash had all four of them jumping in fright. “Stay here,” Cal sent to Louise urgently, not really thinking about what he would do, only knowing that he couldn’t stand here and wait for their attackers to find them. Falling back on his experience dealing with wild animals, Cal raised his rifle, moving down the hallway and into the front room. He found several wolves unconscious and bleeding, but since he didn’t really recognize Josh or Aiden in furry form, he couldn’t tell friend from foe, so continued toward the front door and prayed that his friends would recover before the invaders. The first wolf that came at him went down with a single shot. He had but a moment to reload before the second leapt at him. He covered his face, using his elbows to throw off his attacker, almost as confused as the wolf sounded when it went flying through the air and hit the opposite wall. It slid to the floor to land in an unconscious heap, but Cal had barely a moment to notice before a third wolf entered the room. He raised his rifle, firing a shot as a fourth attacker jumped him from behind. The wolf in front of him yelped and staggered sideways as Cal dropped his gun and tried to grab the wolf currently chewing on his neck. A weird chorus of wolf howls reached Cal’s ears as a fifth invader scurried past him, heading for the closet where Louise stood protecting Becky and Belinda. More wolves, too numerous to count, pushed through the open front door of the house and headed toward him. Outnumbered, outplayed, and out of ammo, Cal did the one thing he had left—he got really, really mad. ****

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Zeb stood back, grateful that Xavier Cloveck wasn’t the pushover that Grayson seemed to think he would be. As much as Zeb wanted to stay and watch what he hoped would be his old alpha’s downfall, Louise’s fear spiked, and he found himself running to help her. By the time he reached the front porch of Josh Hampton’s home, Louise had filled him in on everything she knew, but it was the terrifying and unearthly roar that had him hesitating at the door. Zeb ducked away as an unconscious wolf went flying over his head to land heavily on the front lawn. Another yelped in pain as it hit the doorway and slid to the ground. Aiden knew both wolves from his old pack, so he hoped like hell that whatever creature had done that to them was on his side. He changed back to his human form, hoping that he wouldn’t be mistaken as the enemy as he stepped into the fray. Standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by growling wolves was a sort of half-man, half-wolf creature. It batted away the wolves as easily as one would wave away annoying flies. As each wolf fell, the others looked and sounded more and more unsure of themselves. With loud, screeching, dog-in-distress noises, several of the remaining wolves turned and fled the house. The two stupid enough to stay were soon unconscious, and the creature stood heaving air, nervously waiting for more attackers. Zeb held up his hands, moving slowly, showing that he was no threat as he moved toward Josh and Aiden’s still forms. The creature growled again, the anger and pain filling the room. Whatever it was, it was still a frightened and distressed wild creature, and Zeb didn’t take his eyes off it until Louise stepped into the room. “Cal,” she said calmly, addressing the creature in the middle of the room. “It’s okay, Cal. They’re gone. We’re safe now. You can change back.” The creature that Cal had somehow turned into still looked frightened and angry and unpredictable in his reactions, but Zeb swallowed the urge to drag his mate away. Louise loved the man, had

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known him all his life, and if she trusted him, then Zeb was willing to go on faith that Cal wouldn’t hurt her. But it didn’t stop his heart thundering loudly in his ears, or the adrenaline that spiked through his veins. Zeb tried to concentrate on pinching the split skin back together so that Aiden’s wounds would heal more quickly, yet he heard every word, felt every emotion, and witnessed every moment of Cal’s change back into a human. Some of the other wolves began to stir as well, and Louise quickly moved to hold a gun to one furry head. “I have three words for you, asshole,” she said. “Mercury. Tipped. Bullets.” The wolf looked frightened enough to piss himself, but he managed to crawl submissively to the front door and tumble down the steps. The others followed suit, and soon the house held only those who belonged there and a couple of still-unconscious wolves. Louise checked on Josh while Cal retrieved his darts and dragged the two drugged wolves out the front door and onto the porch. The room was covered in blood, but at least no one seemed to have received life-threatening injuries. “Grandpa,” Becky cried as she and her mother came into the living area. Thankfully, the child didn’t seem to notice the bloody battlefield that had once been her living room as she dropped to her knees beside the injured wolf. Josh lifted his head and licked his granddaughter with his long wolf tongue. His version of a doggy smile covered his muzzle when the teenager let out a loud, “Gross!” and wiped doggy slobber off her cheek. “Will they come back?” Belinda asked Zeb quietly, glancing at her daughter, obviously trying to shield the child from more bad news. “I hope not,” Zeb whispered quietly. “When I left them in the street, Grayson had just issued a leadership challenge against Xavier.” Aiden lifted his head, groaning as he turned back into human form. “Damn, that hurts,” he said out loud, but he used quick, discreet hand signals to tell Zeb to head back to the alpha’s fight. Zeb nodded.

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They needed to know what was happening. If Doug Grayson won, all hell was about to rain down on their heads. With one last glance at his mate, Zeb stepped outside, dropped to all fours, and ran quickly through the still-recovering wolves in the front yard. **** Louise monitored Zeb’s progress, pleased to note that none of the wolves they’d dropped onto the front lawn were in any condition to follow him. The few that tried to get up fell back down the moment Zeb leapt over the picket fence. She held Cal tighter as the man shook in reaction. Louise had no explanation for what had just happened. The only thing she knew for certain was that she herself hadn’t turned into a half-human, halfwolf, upright-on-two-legs killing machine since she’d been turned into a werewolf. She could sense Aiden’s concern but wasn’t about to share it with Cal. The man was worried enough. But Aiden seemed to know exactly what Cal needed. Aiden limped over to where Louise and Cal stood holding each other in the middle of the destroyed room. “Thank you,” he said sincerely, briefly placing his hand on Cal’s shoulder. “Without your intervention, we would not have been able to protect any of them.” Louise heard the disquiet Aiden felt at the realization that she could have died. She hugged Cal closer at the same time that she reached an arm out and urged Aiden to hold her, too. “I’m too late. The fight’s over,” Zeb said telepathically as she felt him slow his approach to the area. “I don’t know who won.” Aiden and Cal both felt her tense, so she quickly passed on Zeb’s message. Josh held his daughter and granddaughter close, and it was obvious by his tense expression that her whispered words had reached his ears. At least he knew to be ready.

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“It’s okay,” Zeb finally sent with no small amount of relief in his telepathic voice. “Xavier looks a little banged up, but he won. Grayson is dead. So are a couple of his betas—it looks like they didn’t want to fight fair.” Louise got a sense of Zeb looking around the area, perhaps seeking a familiar face, before he sent a mental sigh of relief and passed on a message from Andrea. “Xavier’s already nominated his beta, Dave Kinsky, to take over Grayson’s former pack. Tell Joshua it’s over. Becky is safe.”

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Epilogue Nearly ten months after the attack, Cal stood at the edge of their veranda and watched the world go by. Becky and Carly waved as they skipped passed, and he smiled at the girls. Carly had come a long way from the beaten and frightened young girl she’d been the night they’d met her. Belinda Stiles had offered the girl a home after her father’s death, and everyone in the pack had done their best to assure the child she was safe. Less than a year later, she was already acting like the average teenage girl. She and Becky had both turned fifteen in the past few months and, much to their mother’s dismay, had suddenly noticed that boys weren’t just annoying freaks. Cal watched as one of the teenage boys nearly fell off his bike as he craned his neck to get a longer look as he rode by. Cal shook his head, glad to know that he had many years before he’d need to worry about something like that from a daughter of his. He glanced at the horizon, feeling the familiar anxiety churn in his gut. Even though he knew for a fact that the moon wouldn’t rise for at least another six hours, he couldn’t quite tamp down his apprehension. Nobody had any explanation for what had happened to him the night Doug Grayson and his pack had attacked, and despite having changed successfully into a wolf each full moon, every new month brought a niggling doubt. None of the known history of werewolves had contained reference to a third form, but they’d found several entries in fictional literature. Unfortunately, despite the realization that at least part of the stories must have been based on reality, they’d been unable to sort fact from the authors’ imaginations.

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That hadn’t stopped pack members from discussing the event at length or offering their own theories. The only one that he’d truly liked had come from Andrea. She’d put forth that as a man who studied wildlife in detail, and being a newly made werewolf who wanted to protect his family, he’d simply shifted into a form large enough to do exactly what he’d done. Of course, her explanation was based on nothing more than supposition and wishful thinking, but Cal was hopeful enough to do some wishing of his own. At any rate, the last nine moons he’d turned into a proper wolf and not some grotesque creature, so it was a safe bet that the same would happen tonight. He laughed at his own thoughts. Less than a year ago the thought of turning into a wolf—proper or otherwise—would have been the stuff of imagination. He glanced around his new home, amazed again by the design of the community and how well human technology was blended into nature. It should have been strange that he felt more at home here than the farm where he’d grown up, but in some ways it was exactly what he’d been aiming for when he’d fought for habitat preservation and environmentally sensitive government policy. He didn’t want to stop human developments. He—and thankfully, Xavier, also—simply wanted to find a workable compromise so that humans could blend into the environment, not destroy it. He glanced at the horizon again. He really had little reason for concern, but he supposed he’d always wonder where that strange creature had come from and if it would one day be back. All of his friends in the pack had assured him that no matter what happened he was still welcome. Of course that was rather easy to say when none of them had actually seen the thing he’d turned into. “Don’t worry so much,” Zeb said as he stepped onto the veranda. “I found your alter ego very handy in a fight. You took down more than your fair share of wolves that night.”

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Cal raised an eyebrow, waiting for Zeb to admit that Louise had sent him out here. She’d been doing that each month as the full moon rose. In some ways he was a little annoyed by the attention, but he could sense her emotions clearly enough to know that she was worried for him. Zeb just grinned and turned away to look at the horizon. “We’d like to claim Louise tonight.” The words were completely out of the blue. Cal knew that Aiden and Zeb had delayed claiming their mate so that Cal could learn enough control over his own wolf to claim her at the same time. It was yet another reason Cal had for the deep respect he held for the two men. He wasn’t sure what to say, but then a familiar silver-gray wolf nosed open the fly-screen door of the house and joined them on the veranda, and his thoughts instead turned to his lovely mate. He’d never seen Louise’s wolf form through human eyes before, but she was truly as beautiful as a wolf as she was as their wife. “Why thank you, kind sir,” she said telepathically as she rubbed her face against his hand. A moment later she was standing beside him, gloriously naked. He pulled her into his arms as Aiden wrapped a bathrobe around her. “I think you can do it, too,” she said with a knowing look. Unfortunately, the damn mating link meant that he couldn’t hide his biggest fear from his mate. She knew that he hadn’t tried to change into a wolf without the aid of the full moon simply because he was frightened he’d change into that creature again. Maybe it was the voluntary nature of the change that had left him not quite a wolf but not quite human either. “You’ll never know unless you try.” Aiden and Zeb both nodded, proving that they knew as much about his fear as their mate did. Cal ran a hand down his face. “Fine, but let’s do this inside where the neighbors can’t see.” As soon as they made it to the living room, Cal stripped off his clothes and tried to calm his pounding heart. Determined to get this

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over with, he tried to remember everything Aiden and Zeb had told him and Louise over the past ten months. He closed his eyes, breathing out slowly as he pictured his wolf in his mind. He was almost terrified to realize that he seemed to have a choice. Yes, he could turn into a wolf voluntarily, but he could also call up that creature he’d been when his mate was in danger. He could feel Louise’s love shining in her emotions and for the first time in ten months truly appreciated the gift he’d been given. His half form was stronger, more agile, and capable of humantype movement, but it was also based on pure emotion and more likely to be difficult to control. Even though the realization unsettled him, he also realized that Aiden and Zeb would be there to help him if they ever needed his half form to protect their mate. Just knowing he wasn’t alone helped settled his emotions even more. He opened his eyes to smile at the woman who was the center of his universe, winked, and let his body change into the wolf he knew he was. He wagged his tail, bumping into Louise’s leg the same way she’d done to him on the porch. She scratched him behind the ears, and he suddenly understood the appeal. He let out a happy sound and nuzzled closer. “Well, I guess that settles it,” Aiden said as he pulled Louise into his arms. “Tonight we claim our mate.” “Prepare yourself, Mrs. Leckie-Sanders,” Zeb said with a grin. “You are in for a very long night.” **** Louise laughed happily at the love she could feel surrounding her. All three of her mates were incredible men, not only because of their ability to love her but also because of their willingness to work things out as a family. She knew of the deep respect the three men had for

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each other and felt it grow each day as they all adjusted to living under the same roof. Tonight she would claim all three, her wolf marking them as hers as thoroughly as they would mark her. She was a lucky woman to be loved so unconditionally by three incredible men, and she vowed that she’d never forget. “Come on, baby girl,” Zeb said as he slid his arms around her and kissed her neck. “The moon won’t be up for several more hours yet, and Cal, Aiden, and I have plans for our last official night as unclaimed lone wolves.” He sent images of all the wicked and delicious things they had in mind. She gasped, her body beginning to burn as heat pooled low in her groin. She nodded, unable to make her mouth work enough to form coherent words. Did she really want to spend two or three human lifetimes loving three bossy, overbearing, protective, amazingly sexy, wonderfully affectionate, incredibly adorable werewolves who wanted to spank her ass? Hell, yeah.

THE END WWW.BOOKSTRAND.COM/ABBY-BLAKE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Abby Blake prefers to read or write romance over just about everything else—except maybe chocolate. Most days she can be found hurrying to do what needs to be done so that she can curl up with her laptop and her latest bunch of heroes.

Also by Abby Blake Ménage Everlasting: Suddenly Wolf

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/abby-blake

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com