Taken as Theirs

by Kryssie Fortune

  He spoke to himself. Eli had already raced off to find her. Dane was less than half a footstep behind. When they rounded a corner, they spotted Sable pulling stones from the around that crashed car.

  “We can help,” Eli yelled.

  Dane growled. “What the hell happened? And where’s Cassie?”

  * * *

  Trapped on the top floor of an abandoned house, Cassie tried to think. Below, Sable clawed at the boulders wedged in the doorway. Even in human form, Sable would find it hard to squeeze through the wrecked car. But any minute now, she’d realize she could break in through one of the windows.

  Cassie needed to do something, fast. Inspiration hit. She flung the front bedroom window open then ran back onto the landing. Somehow, she maneuvered the heavy pot jardinière through the doorway and across the room. Feeling like Wile E. Coyote attacking Road Runner, she heaved the jardinière onto the windowsill. The effort left her muscles shaking.

  She put both hands on the jardinière and shoved hard. It flew from the window, and cartoon style, it shot outward before it fell. It landed on Sable’s back, knocking her to the ground. She lay unmoving. Her stillness scared Cassie, and she hoped she hadn’t killed Sable.

  Her beloved werewolves rounded the corner, racing to her rescue. Too late. She’d saved herself, but they were the most wonderful sight she’d ever seen. Knowing she was safe, she relaxed and let her tears fall. “Eli, Dane, I’m up here. Sable attacked me, but I think I’ve killed her.”

  Eli poked Sable with his foot. She groaned and turned human. Grinning like a loon, so proud of Cassie he could burst, Eli shook his head. “Nah, she’s still breathing.”

  Dane gave one of his rare smiles. “Our tiny female took down a fully turned she-wolf. You did good, little human. You make us proud.”

  Eli gave her his signature thumbs up. “Are you okay up there, princess? Do you need a doctor?” He lowered his voice so only his brother could hear. “She’ll make one hell of an alpha female when Mum’s ready to retire.”

  “Agreed,” Dane answered, his voice so low only Eli could hear.

  Their protectiveness showed in their voices, soothing Cassie. She’d laid out a fully turned she-wolf, and she’d worried they’d punish her for it. Instead, they’d grinned and said she’d made them proud. Her men couldn’t be more perfect if they tried.

  A crowd of curious Lycans gathered in the street below. Alpha Simon arrived a few moments later. He curled his lip at Sable as she lay on the ground then looked up at Cassie as she peered out the open window. “Come down, human, and tell me who attacked Sable.”

  Cassie shook her head. “Not bloody likely. That bitch tried to kill me, and I’m going nowhere until she’s in some sort of werewolf custody.”

  She looked around, searching for Dane and Eli, but the crowd had sucked them in and she’d lost sight of them. It wasn’t like them to fall back, but Cassie still didn’t understand the nuances of pack behavior.

  A loud thud from downstairs made her think someone had burst through the hall door. She shoved the bed against the door. As footsteps pounded up the stairs, she prayed that her makeshift barrier held.

  The door banged open, sending the bed shooting across the room. Cassie screamed. The door shattered. Dane and Eli skidded into the room.

  “Are you hurt?” Eli demanded.

  She hurled herself into his arms. “I thought one of Sable’s friends had come to finish what she started.”

  He held her close, stroking her hair and whispering sweet nothings. More footsteps echoed from the stairwell. Dane stood behind her, sandwiching her between himself and Eli as he held her tight.

  Relaxing into their group hug, Cassie couldn’t hold back her tears. “Sable attacked me. Look, I’m still bleeding, but she kept going for my throat.”

  Dane growled when he saw the bruises on Cassie’s arms. They spread from her shoulder and over her bicep, outlining a she-wolf paw print. Four parallel slashes—claw marks—below it still oozed blood. Anger swirled like a fire tornado inside him. For Cassie’s sake, he reined in his monstrous wolf’s need to claw and maim.

  Eli lifted her into his arms and strode back down the stairs. “Your arm needs cleaning and maybe stitching.”

  He carried her to the castle infirmary. A medic sealed Cassie’s wounds with butterfly closures and even gave her a tetanus shot. “Our scavenger team thought the humans under our protection might need these.”

  Wounds treated, Cassie felt washed out and tearful. “What will happen to Sable now?”

  Dane’s face set in arctic lines. “The Dark Moon Prowlers will banish her, and the other packs will follow our lead. Unlike Michael who was young and stupid, she can never come home.”

  Eli stroked her uninjured arm. “You were amazing, the way you fought her off. We need you to be brave again and testify in front of the pack. They’ll have a million questions, but they want to believe you. Don’t worry, we’ll stick to you like glue until the hearing’s done.”

  Determined to support Cassie, Dane spotted his dad’s assistant in the crowd. “Tell Dad the hearing will be this afternoon or me and Dane are going nowhere.”

  Cassie stiffened. “You’re leaving? Can I come with you?”

  Eli shook his head. “The timing couldn’t be worse, but our salvage team came under attack by shooters with silver bullets.”

  “Werewolf hunters,” Dane clarified.

  Taking her hand, Eli added, “We need to bring our wounded home and put a stop to idiots hunting our kind. We’ll be away three and a half days, tops.”

  Panic choked her, and she took a moment to control her breathing.

  “Take me with you,” she begged.

  Dane dropped a tender kiss on her forehead. “It’s too dangerous.”

  Eli pulled her closer. “We won’t put you at risk, princess. We wouldn’t go if people weren’t hurt, but we’ll be there and back before you know it.”

  Dane wound one of her short curls around his finger. “You won’t even have chance to miss us.”

  Seeing the tears in her eyes, Eli wrapped his arms around her, holding tight. “Some surviving humans, especially those who have gravitated to London, have had run-ins with rogue werewolves. They tar us all with the same brush and hunt the good guys along with bad.”

  “Understandable, but not permissible,” Dane added.

  “The thing is,” Eli continued as if his brother hadn’t spoken, “our scavenger team got too close to London. Somehow, they passed through the city’s demon-raised barrier, and it’s up to us to get them out of there.”

  Barely aware of his words, Cassie shook her head. They were leaving her when she needed them the most.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cassie’s adrenaline rush faded, leaving her shaky. Her day kept getting worse; not only did she have to testify at a hearing, but her men planned to leave her.

  Eli waited until the crowd dispersed and retrieved the picnic basket. “We had plans for this afternoon, princess.”

  “A beach picnic, paddling, and maybe even skinny dipping,” Dane added.

  She managed her first genuine smile since the attack. “After my run-in with Sable that sounds amazing. Can we still do that? Please?”

  “We’ll have to be back for the hearing,” Eli told her, “but if you don’t mind us freeing our monstrous wolves, then we can.”

  Cassie loved them whatever their form. “Go for it.”

  Both men stripped and rammed their clothes in the picnic basket. Dane shifted then snatched Cassie into his arms. He sprinted out of town and along the cliffs, Eli at his side. They slowed when they reached an isolated, horseshoe-shaped cove.

  The sunlight danced on the water, making it sparkle. A flat rock half-filled the entrance to the bay and whitish boulders dotted the golden sand. Cassie grinned, her troubles temporarily pushed aside. “Beautiful.”

  “Yes,” Dane agreed as he turned back human, but he was looking at her, not the scenery.

  “Perfect,”
Eli added, his gaze fixed on her face. He opened the hamper and spread a picnic blanket between two boulders. Dane lay Cassie atop it and settled beside her.

  She grinned when she realized both men were still naked. The way their muscles rippled when they moved fascinated her. They’d leave her soon, but Sable’s words kept running through her brain. If Eli really had already found his soulmate in the Black Cardinal pack, then where did that leave her? God, thinking about that hurt, but she’d stay silent and enjoy her a few hours at their side.

  As they soaked up the sun, they spoke of anything except her Lycans’ upcoming mission. Meal over, Eli leaned across and unfastened the one intact strap of her dungarees. Her face fell when she remembered Sable ripping the other.

  Sensing her unease, Eli stroked her uninjured arm. “Time for a swim.”

  She let them help her off with her clothes then headed toward the sea. As she walked naked across the sand, she added a sassy sway to her hips. Behind her, she heard both her Lycans groan.

  The sun-warmed waves broke over her toes. Another five steps and Dane and Eli flanked her. With a mischievous smile, she challenged, “Race you to that flat rock.”

  She threw herself forward and kicked hard, her powerful stroke carrying her through the water. Reaching the rock before them, she hauled herself onto its surface. When Dane and Eli reached her, she knew they’d let her win. She splashed the pair of them. “You weren’t trying.”

  Eli pulled himself alongside her and pushed his hair back from his face. She hitched in a breath as she watched droplets of water run down his broad chest. The way Dane’s muscles bulged when he climbed up beside made her breath catch. It was like been surrounded by Greek gods. She didn’t know which one to drool over first.

  “Earth to Cassie.” Eli grinned.

  Her cheeks heated, and she swallowed hard. He’d caught her ogling his chest, but then it was beautiful, broad, and suntanned, just like Dane’s. Embarrassed, she looked away.

  Dane raised her hand to his lips. “Are you up for a rematch? You’d have to make it worth our while, of course.”

  Eli settled beside her and trailed his hand down her stomach. “If you win, we owe you a forfeit. If we win, you owe us one.”

  Rising to her feet, Cassie studied the distance back to the beach. She could do this. The thought of them owing her had... possibilities. “Dane caught me when I jumped ship. I know you’re both fast, but we race in human form and you give me five seconds start. The first one back to the blanket wins.”

  “Done,” they answered in unison.

  Without warning, she made a perfect racing dive and struck out for the shore. When she reached the shallows, she rose up, ready to run to the blanket. Dane streaked past on her left while Eli raced past on her right. They touched the blanket in unison.

  Damn. I wanted to claim a forfeit, not perform one.

  * * *

  Eli smirked as he leaned against the nearest boulder. Beside him, Dane grinned like a schoolboy. Once he’d shoved his hair from his face, Eli turned to Cassie. “You owe us a forfeit. Lie on the blanket and make yourself come.”

  They both growled when she shook her head and looked around for her clothes. “No way. Never. I can’t do that, not with you watching.”

  Dane’s gaze smoldered with heat. “We won, and you owe us.”

  Aware of Dane’s joy, Eli felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Around Cassie, his brother seemed freer and wilder, more the way he’d been before the incident scarred his face. If Cassie hadn’t already claimed his heart, he’d love her for making Dane smile. She was the perfect mate for them, and come the next full moon, they’d claim her as theirs. They just needed to bring their pack mates home. That and prepare her for public nudity and ropes.

  “Do all humans welch on their bets?” he teased.

  Cassie shook her head. “I’m embarrassed. Can’t I pay my forfeit another way?”

  Face faux stern, eyes shining, Eli pulled himself erect. “Lie on the blanket. Let us see you finger your beautiful nipples until they bead. I want to see their red tips hard and pointy.”

  Chewing at her lower lip, she sank onto the blanket. Eli’s eyes shone in excitement. Even Dane looked expectant and happy as he commanded, “Lie back and pluck at your nipples. Tease them until they turn hard.”

  Slowly, hesitantly, she cupped her breasts. The delighted smile on his brother’s face made Eli want to turn cartwheels and cheer. Unaware of Eli’s scrutiny, Dane’s gaze never left her face.

  “Pinch your nipples,” Dane ordered.

  Closing her eyes, she stroked and pinched them as he’d demanded. Her nipples hardened instantly.

  Eli sounded hoarse when he commanded, “I want you looking at us when you come. Open your eyes.”

  Her cheeks turned scarlet, but she did as he’d said.

  “Good girl,” Eli praised. “Is your sweet cunny wet yet? Spread your legs and let me see your cum smearing your thighs. It’s thick and creamy, a delicious treat that spills out of your pussy.”

  His voice had deepened with need. Raspy and rough, it sent shivers down Cassie’s spine. For all her show of reluctance, she had an exhibitionist streak that responded to their dominance. Craved it on a primordial level, Eli hoped.

  “Hands lower,” Dane croaked, obviously as caught up as Cassie in the moment. “Rub your sweet little clit until it’s as swollen and as red as your nipples.”

  Dane and Eli held their breath as she slid her fingers toward her cunny. They watched her with wolf-y intensity, both eager to see this. As if mesmerized by their words, she slid her hands down her belly then into her cunny. Her blush showed her innocence, but her actions were compelling and deliciously naughty.

  Neither he nor his brother could take their superheated gazes off her. Both men freed their cocks, stroking and squeezing them as she caressed her clit. Eli had never seen a woman so responsive. Watching her submit like this set his heart soaring.

  He couldn’t help but push her boundaries. “Such a sweet slut we have, brother. Cassie, slide one finger in your tight little pussy. Ride it until your sweet cream makes it hot and sticky.”

  Her cheeks flamed, but she obeyed, riding her finger until her eyes glazed with need.

  “Hot damn, she’s one sexy slut.” Dane gasped as his cock thickened. “Put your finger between your greedy lips and taste your juices.”

  Balls swelling, ready to come, Eli breathed hard and fast. “Keep the other hand on your clit as you taste how hot and delicious your honey-sweet cum is.”

  He’d had never seen anything so sensual as the way Cassie pumped her finger in and out of her mouth. When she pulled it free and ran her tongue along it as if licking a lollipop, he almost shot his load. Once she claimed them, he’d have her lick her cum like that daily. “Sweet, tempting, and slutty, you’re our perfect woman. Now your finger’s clean, move your hand back to your pussy and sink two fingers inside yourself. I want you on the edge of orgasm, but you don’t come until we tell you.”

  Like a temptress, she trailed her fingers over her breasts, down her belly, and into her cunny. Spreading her nether-lips with one hand, she slid two fingers inside her intimate channel.

  Dane stroked his cock faster, squeezing harder. “Tell us what it feels like, finger-fucking yourself like that.”

  As if she searched for the words, she spoke slowly, her voice little more than a whisper. “I’m tight and so wet, so ready to come. My inner muscles are quivering as I try to hold back my orgasm. Obeying you in this makes me feel tingly inside. I’m burning with need, so hungry for you that I want to forget everything and beg you to screw me, right here, right now.”

  As she pumped her fingers in and out of her pussy, her eyes glazed and her head thrashed on the blanket. Eli loved seeing her like this. “Pinch your clit and come.”

  She obeyed, letting the sensation push her into an orgasm that went on and on. Dane and Eli came hard, shooting streams of cum over her belly and breasts, marking her as theirs.
/>
  Orgasm finally over, she smiled up at them. The ribbons of cum on her torso shone in the sunlight and her thighs were sticky with her own juices. She looked wonderful and wanton, a feast they both wanted to devour nightly.

  Her voice throbbed with passion. “I like that you marked me, Sirs.”

  Eli settled on her right while his brother lay on her left. Unable to keep their hands off her, they stroked her arms and covered her in tender kisses. Much as he loathed parting from her—even for a few days—he’d no option but to accept the upcoming mission. Leaving her before she was officially theirs was the most difficult thing they’d ever done.

  * * *

  Cassie showered and changed, but this hearing was another ordeal she needed to face. Cheeks as white as Dover’s famous cliffs, she sat on a makeshift stage at one end of the castle’s Great Hall. Unlike the vampire auction, this room was lit with burning torches.

  Once her Lycans claimed her, she’d look into salvaging some solar panels and wire up some decent lights in here. Her hands shook and her mouth dried. The pack gathered, all wanting to know how a human took down a fully turned she-wolf. Some were openly disbelieving. The brief snatches of conversation she heard didn’t help settle her nerves.

  “No human could...”

  “She’s lying, of course.”

  On a small balcony overlooking the stage, Sable smirked at the crowd. Two of the town’s marshals flanked her, and a solid metal door enclosed the space. When Cassie looked up at her smug countenance, she felt like she was the one on trial there.

  Dane sat on her left, his huge hand wrapped around hers. “Deep breaths, little human, you have nothing to fear.”

  Eli took the chair to her right and enveloped her free hand in his. “Start at the beginning and tell everyone what happened. You were very brave earlier, and we’re proud of you.”

  Once the room settled, Alpha Simon swept onto the other balcony. “We are here to determine the truth. Cassie, what happened between you and Sable?”

  She started slowly, explaining how she’d decided to explore the harbor. When she spoke about her encounter with Sable, her spine stiffened. Although her words started out halting, she stared straight ahead. Glad that Dane and Eli each cradled one of her hands, she addressed the crowd.