Claimed by the Alphas (Shifters of Appalachia Book 1)

by Viola Rivard

  She let her hands explore his body. Everywhere her hands could reach, Mila found hot, bulging muscles, and she reveled in the feel of her own soft hands running across his rough, scarred flesh.

  Caim pulled back before she could lose herself in him completely. She stared up at him, helplessly, her breathing shallow.

  “Mila,” she whispered. “My name is Mila.”

  One corner of his mouth lifted in a semblance of a smile. “You are my mate, Mila Foster. I will call you whatever I please. I am not willing to negotiate on this.”

  8

  Caim had undressed her by the time Asch arrived. Mila was relieved to see him. Caim was like a vortex that sucked her in, and she needed the other alpha to anchor her.

  Caim looked up at him as he approached, his eyes glowing. Mila thought he would goad Asch, but instead, he said, “The human asked that I seek you out so we may mate.”

  She would have kicked him if he wasn’t currently sitting astride her legs. “That is not what happened,” she protested.

  Ignoring her, he said, “Come, join us, Asch.”

  Asch entered the clearing and made his way to Mila in long strides. Fresh from the hunt, the air around him seemed charged with electricity.

  She opened her mouth to greet him, but Asch was unexpectedly brusque. His hand went to the back of her head and he lifted her up to his mouth. His kiss was full of pent-up hunger. When his tongue entered her mouth, she tasted the metallic tang of blood. She knew it had to be from a recent kill, and it should have disgusted her, but it only aroused her further. She moaned and urged him deeper into her mouth.

  Remembering Lotus’s instructions, she kept her hand on Caim as Asch savaged her mouth. Her fingers skimmed over his hairy chest until she found the flat plane of his nipple. Her toes curled as she brushed the pad of her thumb in small circles. She felt the pace of his breathing speed up as the tiny bead stiffened under her touch.

  With her free hand, she lightly grazed the nape of Asch’s neck and ran her finger up and down in a sensual caress. Asch groaned into her and his hand moved to grasp the swell of her breast. She had a moment of apprehension, concerned that Caim would object, but the alpha grunted and lowered his head to her free breast.

  Caim’s mouth molded to the aching peak of her breast. His tongue flicked out to lavish it in ways that only he could manage. To her disappointment, he didn’t linger on her chest for long. His mouth began a slow, wet descent down her torso.

  She tried to turn her head to see what he was doing, but Asch’s grip tightened in her hair, and he kept her mouth firmly locked to his. A rush of anticipation filled her as Caim parted her thighs. She knew what he was going to do, and not being able to see it only heightened her excitement.

  His insidious tongue ran the length of her inner thigh and tasted her soft flesh. He let the blunt surface of his fangs graze her as he worked his way up, and it sent a shiver of apprehension down her spine. He stopped at the juncture of her thighs, and she felt his warm breath tease the small thatch of curls that hid her center.

  She moved her hips impatiently, wanting him—any part of him—inside her. Between her interlude with Asch in the bath, and the annoyingly drawn out foreplay with Caim, she felt sick with unspent lust. She let out a needy sound, wrapped her legs around Caim’s neck, and urged him forward.

  Unable to resist, Caim gave a rumbling growl and buried his face in her. His tongue shot out to burrow its way into her swollen passage. Asch broke away from her as she cried out. She had not anticipated such an enthusiastic invasion. He flashed her a predatory look before his mouth fell to her exposed neck, nipping and sucking at her tender flesh.

  There was nothing slow or subtle in the way Caim worked her sex. Once he’ had his fill of her juices, his teeth tugged at her clit, fueling the frenzy of passion built up inside her.

  Her climax came fast and hard. She screamed, not just because of the intensity of it, but because throughout her orgasm, Caim’s mouth never stopped. By the time she finally came down, she was a sobbing, shaking wreck.

  Neither male gave her any time to recover. Asch released her neck and let Caim flip her onto her knees. He was inside her almost instantly. His thick girth crashed into her with a fierce need. She whimpered and felt the familiar burning pleasure of being stretched too full.

  Determined to maintain some semblance of control, Mila grasped Asch’s own hardened shaft. A slick drop of moisture had pooled on his swollen crown, and without waiting to gauge his reaction, she bent down and lapped it up with the tip of her tongue.

  Asch hissed and groaned her name. His erection surged beneath her hand. As Caim thrust into her from behind, she angled her neck and took Asch’s rigid length into her mouth. Her tongue swept out to twirl around his engorged head. His hips jerked forward.

  Unable to resist, Mila looked up at him. He was the picture of male ecstasy. Head thrown back, his chiseled face contorted with unbridled pleasure as sweat beaded down his torso.

  In that moment, she realized that for the first time in days, neither male was competing for her body. Pride coursed through her veins with the knowledge that she had given each alpha what he desired. Caim was behind her, pounding his dominance into her body while she was lavishing Asch with the intimate attention he craved.

  Caim’s pace became frantic, and she felt him swell inside her. She couldn’t imagine the amount of control it must have taken for the powerful male to be gentle with her. As rough as he could be, she knew she was given only a taste of what he was truly capable of. She felt it every time he climaxed, when his control was at its thinnest. He would let out a roar before slamming his cock into her with a force that both excited and terrified her.

  Gripping her hips tightly, Caim spent himself inside her. He stayed inside her until his cock began to soften, and then he pulled out and slumped over onto the pelt.

  She continued to work Asch. He was too long for her to take all the way into her mouth, not without practice, at least. Instead, she used her fist to work the base of his shaft while continuing her oral assault on his head. No longer needing to brace herself, she brought her other hand up to his heavy sac and gently massaged him. It was his undoing.

  Whenever they had sex, Mila could feel the males swelling inside her, but experiencing it in her mouth was entirely different. The head of his penis expanded in her mouth as heat blood impossibly filled it.

  “I’m going to come, Mila,” he rasped.

  She pulled her head back just far enough that only her lips brushed over his painful thickness. Forcing him to meet her gaze, she gave him a challenging look.

  “Then come.”

  She took him deep until he pressed against the back of her throat. Her jaw ached as she jerked her head up and down, taking as much of him as she possibly could.

  The sound of branches snapping between his clenched fists and the rippling of his stomach muscles signaled his impending climax. She heard him snarl just before hot jets of his semen spurted into her throat. She gagged a little, surprised by the sheer volume of his seed, but she took everything he had to give her.

  When he finally pulled her up, Asch looked sublimely contented. He pressed a kiss to her lips before he rolled her over onto her back.

  Mila lay on the pelt between the two males. As she usually did after having sex with them, she felt a little shy. In the heat of passion, the things she did seemed perfectly acceptable. She hardly recognized the wild, uninhibited creature she became when she was between the two of them, and it unnerved her.

  She had a feeling this would fade, in time.

  * * *

  Mila had surprised them by falling asleep. They indulged her, but away from the safety of the den, neither male could join her in slumber. Asch wondered if she was aware she snored. It was a subdued snore, not so loud that it was annoying, but loud enough that he found it amusing and endearing.

  His eyes roamed the length of her, taking in every dip and swell of her beautiful, curvaceous body. When the
y got back to the den, he would need to have her again before he could rest.

  Caim drew lazy circles around one of her erect nipples. When he caught the younger male’s expression, Asch was unable to look away. Caim was looking down, not at her breasts, but at her face. With his lips slightly parted and his eyes glazed over, he looked as if he were in a trance.

  Sounding almost forlorn, Caim said, “I want her again.” His voice was soft, considerate of the female sleeping peacefully between them.

  “I know,” Asch replied, unable to think of anything else to say.

  Of all the things he had considered, he hadn’t thought that Caim might come to care for Mila as well. Asch wasn’t sure how he would feel about that down the line, but right now, the knowledge was somehow comforting.

  Caim would never hurt her—at least, not intentionally. And if anything were ever to happen to him, Caim would protect Mila and any children they might have. Asch thought of this, and many more things, as he lay under the moon with his old friend and their mate resting between them.

  9

  T wo nights later, Caim woke her with a particularly zealous appetite. Mila had to protest several times before he relented, and even then, she had the impression he was just managing her while he waited for the opportunity to strike.

  “I told you, I’m too sore,” she said, simultaneously pushing at and fondling his huge pectoral muscles. She really was sore, but when the man came on all hot and heavy, she lost all good sense. Desperate to distract herself, she asked, “Where’s Asch?”

  It was very unusual for the other alpha to be gone from her bed. It was probably the first evening she had woken up with just one of the males by her side.

  “Why must you mention Asch every time I seek to mate with you?”

  Mila almost felt guilty. Fortunately, she was starting to recognize when Caim was toying with her.

  “The only thing you’re doing is molesting me. Now get off.”

  Feigning annoyance, she squirmed beneath him in an attempt to escape and not-so-accidentally arched her breasts into his chest as she did so. His gaze smoldered as her taut nipples grazed his rough skin. Still wanting to do some toying of her own, Mila brought her hand up and pressed it gently to his neck.

  She said, “I’d really rather have Asch here.”

  Apparently, she sucked at bluffing, because Caim looked completely unconvinced. He lowered his face, his wicked lips just beyond her reach.

  “You say that, but I am beginning to suspect that you prefer having me as your mate.”

  Shocked by his bold declaration, Mila gasped and smacked his side. “Shut up!”

  Caim pulled back and moved to a sitting position while still straddling her. He folded his arms over his chest and regarded her as one might regard a disobedient child.

  “You are fortunate I have yet to hit you back,” he said as if he genuinely believed it was his mercy alone that kept his smacks at bay.

  Mila let out a big yawn and stretched out her arms before crossing them behind her head. The position accentuated the swell of her breasts, and she swore she could feel his erection throb against her inner thigh.

  She gave him a sweet smile and said, “The day you hit me is the day I have Asch kick your ass, big guy.”

  “You can count on that.”

  Mila glanced over to the doorway as Asch entered. Her smile widened and she reached a hand out for him. “There you are.”

  “Did you rest well?” he asked and came to sit beside her on the bed. Ignoring Caim, who looked distinctly peevish, Asch took her hand in his and kissed it.

  Mila made an affirmative noise and braced herself up on one elbow. She gave him a wanton look before lowering her gaze to his gorgeous lips. One corner of his mouth lifted knowingly, and then he bent down to catch her lips in his. He gave her bottom lip a hard nip, his kiss quick and chastising. When he pulled back, she felt herself grinning like an idiot.

  Falling back on the bed, she looked between the two men with a sense of peace and satisfaction. She was in bed with two of the sexiest guys on the planet and in this moment, at least, both of them were completely devoted to her.

  “So, what’s on the agenda for today?” she asked them.

  “I’m going to be a little busy tonight. River and the others are back from Tye.” Asch didn’t look pleased by this.

  Mila gave him a questioning look. “Everything okay?”

  His expression softened. “Of course, Mila.” He turned to Caim. “I’ll need to speak with you before you leave for the hunt.”

  Once again, Mila got the impression she was being managed, but this time, it was decidedly less appealing. She cleared her throat but neither male paid her any mind.

  “I led the hunt last night. It is your night,” Caim said.

  Asch’s jaw ticked. “I’ve got things to do here, unless you want to sit down and discuss Blackthorn politics.”

  “River can lead the hunt.”

  “River is tired. They all are. They haven’t even been back an hour yet.”

  Mila watched the exchange, more interested than annoyed. They didn’t usually argue unless it was over her. They’d been remarkably civil toward one another over the past few days, so it was strange to see them so combative, stranger still to see Caim refusing to lead the hunt.

  Caim gave Asch a scathing look before climbing off of Mila and leaving the bed. With a muttered, “I will be back shortly,” he was gone. Her heart sank a little, and she realized the crazy tramp who lived inside her had hoped the three of them could have some fun in bed before they started their night.

  She looked hopefully at Asch. Amusement danced in his hazel eyes. “Get dressed. Brae is waiting for you.”

  Mila grumbled under her breath and crawled out of bed. The stone floor was cold beneath her bare feet. Asch stayed on the bed, apparently not too busy to watch her get dressed. He finally got up as she was putting on her boots.

  Something still bothered her, and as he was leaving, she remarked, “I don’t see why he was so stubborn about leaving the den. I always thought he hated the nights he couldn’t hunt.”

  Asch paused at the door. Offhandedly, he said, “He can probably smell that you will be fertile soon.”

  Mila froze, her fingers suddenly feeling numb. “How soon?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

  He shrugged. “By morning, maybe sooner.” He must have sensed her anxiety, because he quickly added, “Don’t stress yourself out. We won’t be fighting. I promise.”

  “That’s a relief,” she said, not relieved at all. “I’m gonna brush my hair before I go down. Don’t wait up.”

  Thankfully, Asch accepted the excuse and left the room, leaving her to stew in an apprehension that rivaled any she had felt so far. She slumped down against the wall, put her head in her hands, and groaned. They had literally just gotten to the point where they were all getting along and having great sex. Why couldn’t they leave it at that for a few more years?

  “This is why you’re here, dingbat,” she hissed at herself.

  That might have been the truth, but motherhood had been the furthest thing from her mind when she volunteered. Since then, she had been so wrapped up in dealing with the men that she’d hardly considered her own feelings about getting pregnant. She wanted more time. She was just getting to know them, and just getting to know herself.

  Mila doubted any of that would matter after tonight.

  Part Four

  On the mating thrall, I will say this:

  It is the union between two souls, both flawed and impassioned,

  desperately seeking the perfection and purity that can only be found in new life.

  Marie du Luponte, 1931

  An excerpt from Wolves of the Cordilleras

  1

  A smatter of bruises, varying in size and intensity, dotted the curves of Mila’s hips. Light abrasions blemished her legs and torso, all the byproduct of wayward claws and mismanaged canines. Her alphas had been particularly carel
ess lately, their needs increasingly voracious, and she knew why.

  Everything has a price, kid, especially great sex.

  When she was younger, she’d thought her mother was a cynical bitch. Like most women in their twenties, she was starting to realize that her cynical bitch of a mother may have been right about a few things. Granted, it would have taken a crystal ball for her mom to see where Mila had ended up: mated to two werewolves and soon to be their broodmare.

  “Just get in, Mila. It’s not so bad.”

  Washing and sunning themselves in the last rays of daylight, Brae, Rosie, and Gem were resplendent. With their beautiful hair, long legs, and shapely bodies, any man who encountered them would probably think he had stumbled upon bathing sirens.

  “I can see my breath,” Mila told Brae. She pointed down at the shoreline. “That water is going to give me pneumonia.”

  “You smell like sweat and mating,” Rosie said impatiently. “You really need to clean yourself up before the thrall begins.”

  Unlike Brae, who erred on the side of tactfulness, Rosie had a bluntness to her that vacillated between refreshing and irritating. With Mila’s nerves already frayed, she was in no frame of mind to appreciate the she-wolf’s candor.

  “If I smell like sweat and sex, it’s because your stupid alphas can’t keep their paws off me,” she said and kicked at a pile of gravel. “And I don’t give a crap about the stupid thrall. If you really want me to be clean, then take me back to the den and help me heat up some water in my tub.”

  Mila was being a whiney brat, and it had very little to do with how cold it was. She had taken her clothes off with every intention of suffering through another icy bath time, but saw the marks on her body and was reminded of the one thing she was trying to forget about.