“What is?” I ask, eyes narrowing, as he reaches the edge of the spring.
Then he tosses me in. My heart stops midair and resumes as I hit the surface. I choke and lock my mouth closed. Scared and thrashing. I can’t swim. I’ve never been able to.
I was planning to just dip my feet at the edge. I flail until strong hands come around me, and I look up into two pairs of concerned eyes. I cling to Tim, feeling small and bedraggled and chubby, surrounded by two powerful, muscular dudes.
Then Tom laughs. “You can’t swim?” he asks.
Tim glares at him. “Dude, not cool.”
Tom raises an eyebrow at him and Tim ducks his head, as if he shouldn’t have dared to say anything. I check to make sure my clothing is still stuck to me. It is. Tom puts a finger under my chin and tilts it up so he can study my face. I glare indignantly at his impassive blue eyes.
“What the hell did you do that for?” I ask, still glaring.
Tom shrugs. “You were shivering. And how I was supposed to know a grown woman can’t swim? Not to mention, I thought you were just being shy and I was hoping to surprise you, loosen you up.”
“Well here’s a newsflash for you, ladies man. Women don’t like to be randomly tossed into things.”
He caresses my cheek gently, coming a little closer, and I don’t have the heart to chew him out anymore. “Hm. What do ladies like then?”
His body is caging me back against Tim. Not a bad place to be, muscles on all sides. My heart is beating in a new way now. The heat of the water contrasts well with the cool air over my wet skin and hair. Tim lowers in the water, wrapping his hands around my waist and nuzzling my neck so that I sigh and lean my hair back.
Meanwhile Tom comes closer, twirling one wet lock of my hair around one long, perfect finger.
“Hm, what should we do with you, Misty? You smell so damn good.”
Tim inhales my hair and moves his hands down to my hips. Such big hands, lighting up my skin as they go. The wolf inside me is definitely interested in the benefits of two mates for the price of one. Even if I can’t get Lindon out of my mind.
Even though we can’t be together.
I want to forget. So I reach for an errant curl on Tom’s forehead and brush it off to the side, exposing his handsome face and full lips. He comes closer, just inches away, twirling my hair until it’s wrapped around his finger and I couldn’t pull away from him if I wanted to.
The last thing I see is smoky eyes, and then my eyes close in pleasure as he takes my mouth.
It smells like smoke and the ocean. Like hot sex at night under the stars on a beach with a bonfire nearby. With two men. Tim kisses the back of my neck, nipping his way to my ear as Tom explores the inside of my mouth. Two pairs of hands explore my body, running up and over my arms, my thighs, my waist. They’re playing fair, not going anywhere naughty, but just the fact there are two mouths on me, four hands on me, feels naughty in and of itself. I let out a sigh against Tom’s mouth and he growls and flips me around toward Tim. Tim takes my mouth and opens it aggressively, entering with his tongue almost if he’s in competition with his brother.
I sigh as Tom’s hands find their way to my side and his mouth finds the back of my neck and shoulders. Nipping along it while I gasp into his brother’s mouth. Holy hell.
Tom’s hands just graze me and then move lower, over my waist, down to my butt, which he squeezes lightly before coming back up to my waist and holding me tight as his lips move over the most sensitive areas of my back and Tim pleasures my mouth.
Holy crap, I could do this for days.
It’s lazy and comfortable in some ways, and exciting beyond belief in another. So why do I keep seeing a pair of golden, disappointed eyes?
I blink it away and sink into the pleasure as Tim raises me in the air so that Tom can place a biting kiss at the base of my hip. I wrap my arms around Tim and lean in as he kisses my neck and nips the skin there. His arms touch my back and Tom’s caress my thighs.
Holy hell again. I inhale deeply, trying to hear anything but the howling of my wolf, who is a little tired of being teased without me choosing a mate. But I can’t help it. I’m still getting to know everyone.
And even if mentally I’m a little turned off by the idea of brothers sharing, something about the way Tim and Tom do it feels alright.
Except for the fact that I’m so turned on and overwhelmed by sensation that I can barely breathe.
“Lindon’s gonna kill you guys,” a low voice says. I look up, embarrassed, into Jack’s green eyes. He’s standing there in an olive green flannel shirt, and I’m not sure when he got out here or how we didn’t hear him.
Well, I guess it’s not surprising since all I can really hear is the echo of my own want.
I blush deeply as Tom and Tim keep their hands on me and smirk at Jack.
“You want to do something about it, big boy?” Tom asks mockingly. Jack is slightly taller than him, but I doubt he could take both Tom and Tim. And there’s really no need to. This is plenty consensual, and I’m allowed to have some fun.
“You okay, Misty?” Jack asks, and I sigh, looking up and down his long frame and then meeting his intensely green eyes with those dark, long lashes. Can’t he smell that I’m okay?
Heck, if he just got in here…
But judging from his glare and the hard set of his jaw, I can’t see him sharing with anyone. Too bad.
And yet, when I was with Lindon, I didn’t wish for anyone else. I didn’t see how more could be perfect.
Misty, stop thinking about that.
I need to keep it in my pants where he’s concerned. Why do I have to suddenly want what I can’t have, when there’s finally so much I can have?
“We should go back,” Jack says, checking the time on his phone. “Lindon’s not going to like this.”
I move away from Tim and Tom and splash the water. “I just needed some time alone.”
Jack puts his hand over his face. “Misty, you have to understand, you can’t…”
I shake my head and glare at him. “I’m tired of people telling me what I can and can’t do, okay? Why don’t all three of you go back to the house, and make sure that all of you are there? Then I can stay and have a little more alone time in the spring, and you guys can know I’m safe because there’s no one around to cause problems for me. After all, I’m not the one bothering any of you or Lindon. You are,” I say, pointing at them.
I pull myself along the side of the pool.
“We aren’t leaving you here,” Tim says.
“Yeah,” Tom says. “You can’t swim. Plus…” he hooks a hand around my waist and pulls me in against him. “I want to finish what we started.”
Jack lets out a low growl and Tom sighs and lets me go. I cling to the side.
“I’ll get out then,” I say, grumbling. “I’ll just get out and dry off for a minute and rest and then transform.”
All three men eye me, and then Tim and Tom pull themselves up out of the water with smooth motions that make me envious of their athleticism.
“Fine,” Jack says. “I’ll make sure these two get back. But you better come soon, or I’ll tell Lindon where you’re at, and you probably won’t have alone time for some time.”
I frown at him and wait for him to go. “I’m not getting out until you guys get a little ways away.”
They seem reluctant, but then Tim and Tom transform into their wolves, leaving their underwear comically behind, and bolt toward the house. Jack follows after, jogging in human form.
I’m kind of surprised they all left me alone. But I guess they all really do want to make a good impression. When you’re competing with nine other men, you need to not screw up at all.
So why do I keep giving Lindon lots of chances when he doesn’t even try to please me? Easy, because he’s my friend and the first guy I’ve trusted or who has tried to take care of me in a long time.
But in a way, each of the men here has shown care or protectiveness to
ward me. Even Tom was just trying to warm me up in the spring, and Jack was probably just trying to make sure the brothers weren’t being overly aggressive.
I pull myself up out of the water, awkwardly throwing a leg up over the ground and rolling onto dry land. I make sure my pants are up and pull the belt as tight as it will go. Luckily I have curvy hips and Tim’s are lean, so it kind of works. Except for the length, that is. I sit up, wipe damp hair out of my face, and then stand, pulling my shirt away from my skin and shaking it to get excess water out.
I look up in the direction of the mansion. The sun is getting lower in the sky, and I’m sure they’re starting to get dinner ready and making plans for evening activities. A part of me is nervous and overwhelmed at the prospect of going back to the mansion. Another part is excited, ready to hear from Thor about the book, talk to Lock and see his smile, smell the various scents and endure Fifi’s teasing and Bradley’s quiet nature.
And then hands shove hard into my back, throwing me forward, flailing, into the hot water.
I land with a splash and flail as I sink. I can see a figure above me through the water but can’t make it out. I just know they’re staring. They did that on purpose and they aren’t going to help me. I grasp for the edge of the pool but can’t reach it. They pushed me too far out.
I close my eyes against the heat and try to kick my legs, but I accidentally take water in when I gasp and that just makes me lose control further as I sink in the water, dragged by the heavy, wet clothes and my own thrashing panic.
Float, I tell myself. Float you bastard, relax. But I can’t. My feet brush the bottom and I try to push off them to get up, but my head is going dark, my lungs screaming for air.
Damnit. Drowning. I can’t believe I’m drowning.
I guess there was a reason for Lindon to be protective after all. Too bad no one told me someone was trying to kill me.
My brain goes sort of calm as my lungs give up on breathing, and I let myself sink the water, somewhat delirious.
Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore.
My eyes hear that and fly open, and I make one more thrash for the surface. Then I feel for my wrist, for the watch, will it still work in the water? I press the button as it starts to go dark again.
Lindon, help.
* * *
* * *
To be continued in Alpha Contender 3. Turn the page for the next volume!
Alpha Contender 3
Copyright © 2015 by Terry Bolryder
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Design by Melody Simmons of eBookindiecovers
Chapter 1
I hear a splash and my body feels vibrations in the water, murky though things are right now. Soft hands brush me, then reach under my arms and drag me toward the surface. When we break, my body sucks in air and I thrash, reaching around for whoever is holding me.
“Calm down, you idiot,” Matt says, as I flail around, dragging him down with me.
He wraps a thin arm around my shoulders, pulls me to the bank, and then drags my thrashing body out. He’s surprisingly strong for being so lean and feminine looking. I flop on the ground, gasping for air and coughing water up as he hits my back.
“What the hell were you doing?” he asks.
“I was. Drowning,” I say, between coughs.
“Well, what the hell were you doing in a hot spring if you can’t swim?”
“Someone pushed me,” I say, turning to him with narrowed eyes. I know he just rescued me, but my heart is still pounding from terror and fear and I don’t know for sure that he wasn’t the one who pushed me.
“Don’t look at me,” he says, holding his hands up, blinking light blue eyes at me. His face really is angelically beautiful, despite nearly always permanently scowling. “I was just coming back from a run to get away from the Neanderthals and happened to scent your fear.”
“Scent my fear?”
“I have strong senses. Your thrashing moved your scent around, even in the water. You’re lucky I came by.”
I try to push to a sitting position but slump back down, body aching and sore, head pounding. Right now I want nothing more than to be back in the mansion, in my room alone, recovering from today.
But someone…someone really did try to push me. I eye Matt, who looks away, a light blush on his pale cheekbones. Do I really trust him?
He turns back, and, not making eye contact, brushes a soft palm over my forehead, looks over my face. “You okay now? We should get you back.”
His voice is soft, melodic, a high tenor. He’s a gorgeous guy, with smooth, lean muscles. But he looks so much younger than the other guys.
“How old are you?”
He gives me a wry grin. “Old enough that you shouldn’t be asking me that.”
“Ah. Sorry, you just look young. I mean, not in a bad way…I mean, thanks for rescuing me.”
One perfect blond brow arches. “Well, you’re welcome.” He stands and reaches out a hand for me. “Come on, let’s go back, you can lean on me.”
Perhaps this means peace between us, at least for now.
“You know, you aren’t what I expected, for a chick who wants ten dudes to compete for her.”
“Ha! I didn’t ask for that. Rowan just found me and started spouting off about duty…and okay, hot dudes didn’t hurt,” I admit begrudgingly.
Matthew laughs at that, soft and low, and pulls me to standing. I wobble and he wraps a hand around my waist and pulls me against him for balance. My hands wrap his waist and I look up into his eyes. Delicately arched brows raise in surprise.
His scent is like honeysuckle, clean and fresh and springy. Floral. I love how each of them has their own scent, and I would know they were coming simply by scenting the air. I think good scenting ability might be one of my alpha powers, but I guess I’ll have to ask one of the others to make sure.
“Um…” Matt bites his lip. “Here, put your arm on my shoulder, I’ll hold onto your waist.”
I do. “Thanks.”
“But don’t get me wrong here. Don’t get the wrong idea.” Ah, his prickliness shows up, finally. “I’m not into you, I’m not here to mate you or be one of the beefcakes on display for the choosing.”
I laugh. “I like the way you put that. But yeah, no offense, but I’m not into you either.”
“Hmph,” he says. “Sure.”
“No really,” I say. “Nothing.”
“Really?” he eyes me with interest. “Interesting.”
I shrug. “Just nothing there. I’d be happy to have you as a friend though. Especially now that I know someone is trying to kill me.” A horrible thought occurs to me. “You don’t think it’s one of the men, do you?”
Matt sighs, a long, slow exhale. “Who else could it be?”
“Matt, don’t tell anyone. I don’t want everyone overreacting and jumping to conclusions about one another.”
“Heavens knows I don’t want to be involved,” he says. “The less I interact with those oafs, the better. But I really am here to report back to my father and the Tribunal. So I don’t know…”
“Just for a bit,” I say. “If the Tribunal knows they might do something about it, and we might lose our chance to find out who it is and what they want.”
“And if we don’t act, then someone might be able to murder you,” he says stuffily.
I pat him lightly on the back, too weak to do more. “Aw, Matt, you do care.”
He grumbles something and keeps us heading up the path. “I’m guessing you’re too tired to transform.”
“Yeah,” I say.
“You know, it’s too bad. Back when we were much more pure wolf, it would have been more tiring to be in human form. But now that we’re having such a hard time keeping pure bloodl
ines, people can barely stay as wolf form unless they’ve been getting used to it all their lives. What is the world coming to?”
“Yeah,” I say, semi-sarcastically. “What would the world be like without men who can change into animals?”
Normal, I think.
“Yeah,” Matt says. “Who would want that world?” I can hear the belief in his voice, and I can’t help but admire that conviction, plus the straightness in his back as he helps me walk to the house, the integrity he had to tell me his purposes and agree to keep my secrets.
He’s only a few inches taller than me but is almost holding my full weight, despite being much more slender than me.
It’s probably good he’s not interested. Someone like him would probably make me feel fat. I frown at that, and then flick my eyes to a bolt of golden silver, racing toward us across the lawn in the distance, past the tree line.
Flying like a bullet on the wind.
I’ve never seen him in his wolf form, but I know exactly who it is, from the long, desperate strides and the glittering beauty of his fur, white and yellow gold with flashes of silver.
Lindon. I bite my lip and watch him approach, folding my arms over my chest and wondering how mad he’s going to be. And yet, a part of me can’t help but think that it’s all because he cares about me. I mean, why would he be so stressed, so upset, over someone he barely knows being with another dude?
Matt’s arm tightens around me, a silent show of support, just another thing making me think Matt isn’t as bad as he tries to seem sometimes.
Lindon stops in front of us, breathing hard. His wolf eyes are bright silver, shimmering in the afternoon light, and he looks up at me with a silent question in his eyes.
I nod. “I’m fine.”
He looks to Matt.
“He rescued me,” I say. “Someone pushed me in the pool.”
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