He eased back on a groan but didn’t get to enjoy the moment. Ethan grabbed his arm and yanked him roughly to his feet. Noah stumbled, but Ethan curled his hand around the back of Noah’s head and pulled him close for a hard kiss, thrusting his tongue into Noah’s mouth and demanding he follow his lead. The pinch of Ethan’s sharpened nails in his scalp flipped the switch inside Noah, turning him from dominant to submissive.
It used to shock him how quickly they slipped from role to role, sometimes during sex. No longer did he question it. Noah accepted the need to submit and Ethan’s rough hold. Noah relaxed in Ethan’s embrace. He tugged Noah closer and ate at his mouth with the same intensity as he had Hannah’s. Noah relished it, even if he didn’t get the same out of it as Ethan did. Noah got to experience Ethan’s passion. That was enough.
Soft hands slid over Noah’s ass, while Ethan’s hard dick poked at his hip. Noah reached for Hannah and realized Ethan held them both. Noah slipped his hand between her legs, wanting to stimulate her too. Ethan beat him to it. He pumped his fingers into her. She whimpered and scratched at Noah’s ass. She was going to come again. He wanted to watch her. He pushed at Ethan’s shoulders.
Ethan broke their kiss. Noah got one glance at Ethan’s wild eyes before he captured Hannah’s mouth. The sounds of Ethan’s fingers smacking against her wet lips mixed with their heavy breaths. Noah savored it. He grabbed Hannah’s hand and entwined their fingers while Ethan sent her over the edge a second time.
Heaven. That was what Noah found holding Hannah’s hand. After the loss he’d suffered, he never thought he’d experience it again. Unconventional or not, he got a second chance at love and life, and he’d never let Hannah or Ethan go. Noah pitied anyone who thought to rip either away.
Chapter Twelve
The mixed signals coming from Ethan’s wolf matched his thoughts. He’d run the gamut of them since walking into his home, and he still wasn’t sure what the animal he housed desired. It wavered from looking at Noah with possession to wanting to attack him for getting too close to Hannah.
“That was perfect.” Hannah’s sated voice centered him.
Ethan let the conflicting emotions fade and focused on the female who’d awakened him. “It was. I never knew—”
The ringing of his cell phone stopped his words. The personalized ringtone told him who called—Maria. Though it wasn’t unusual for her to call—they were close friends—trepidation settled over him.
He glanced at Noah, letting him see everything he couldn’t say. He’d never gotten the chance to tell him of his meeting with Michael. Noah didn’t need an explanation. He’d sense the anxiety emanating from Ethan and react appropriately to it. A nod from Noah confirmed Ethan’s thoughts.
He moved toward the opposite side of the room and answered. “Maria? What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you. Are you home?”
He stiffened. “Yes, why?”
“Open the garage door for me. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“No. You can’t come here tonight.” He couldn’t risk anyone finding out what he had done with Noah and Hannah.
“It’s important. I overheard your conversation with my father. I think he wanted me to listen in, so I knew what he had planned for me.”
The desperation in her tone made his choice. He couldn’t turn her away. The need to protect his pack mate was too strong. “I’ll meet you outside. We can go somewhere and talk.”
“Thank you, and I’m sorry I ruined your evening.”
He sighed. She had no idea how much. “It’s okay. Wait outside for me. Don’t come in.”
He ended the call, then faced Noah and Hannah. She held her top against her chest, while Noah had yanked sweats on and stood slightly in front of her as if ready to defend her. Both called to him on a primal level he no longer wanted to fight. His wolf would just have to learn to accept their arrangement. He wasn’t giving them up. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry.”
Noah stepped forward. “What did Michael say to you?”
“He threatened me. I’ll explain later. Make sure Hannah gets home safely, and if anyone asks”—he shifted his gaze to her—“you came to discuss Riley’s pregnancy, nothing more. Do you understand? Nobody can find out about us or what we did tonight.”
“Okay. Sure.” She squeezed her eyes shut, not quickly enough to hide the pain in them. “I won’t tell.”
After the intimacy they’d shared, her reaction didn’t make sense. He’d told her he wanted her. He went to her and pulled her into his arms. She remained stiff in his embrace.
“Hannah, look at me.” He waited until she met his gaze. No warmth hovered in her eyes, confusing him more. He wanted to demand the reason behind her mood change, but their time was limited. They’d have to talk another day.
“I will mate you. Do not doubt me or my feelings for you.” He kissed her, slowly, reverently until she sighed and linked her arms around his neck. He loved her mouth a few moments more before forcing himself to release her. “But there are things you don’t know about me. I’ll explain everything soon. I promise. In the meantime, you need to trust me and keep our secret.”
“Both of them, right?” She glanced at Noah. “People won’t accept what Noah means to us.”
He looked at Noah too. Nothing showed on his face. He was holding his wants in check, giving Ethan the chance to accept the change in their relationship. His lover knew him well.
Ethan let the desire and love he felt for Noah show. One corner of Noah’s mouth lifted in a knowing smile. Ethan matched it. “They will after I become alpha. Any shifter who doesn’t like our arrangement can leave.”
Noah dipped his head, never breaking their gaze. “Go on, take care of Maria. I’ll make sure Hannah gets home safely.”
Ethan hesitated. He wanted to set some rules involving what Noah could do with Hannah when Ethan wasn’t around, but doing so would make Noah feel lesser than him, as if he didn’t have the same rights. The truth was—Noah didn’t, not exactly. He’d only ever be her lover, not her mate. Not the one who’d hold a piece of her soul. Not the one who’d fill her with life. His thoughts bothered Ethan. They felt wrong. He let it go for the moment. He didn’t have time to understand why.
“Okay.” He nodded to Noah, then stepped away from Hannah and rushed to the bathroom.
A quick shower later, and he emerged to find both Hannah and Noah dressed and waiting for him. Both greeted him with matching hunger in their eyes. The sight brought a smile to his lips. He could get used to seeing them in his bedroom.
He went to them, first trailing his fingertips down Noah’s arm, then brushing his lips over Hannah’s. He resisted pulling them into his embrace so as not to take their scent with him, but he couldn’t walk away without the contact.
Headlights cut an arc of light across the rear wall of the room, putting an end to their time together. He stepped back. “Stay safe.”
Walking away from them left him with an ache in his chest and a sense of worry. All the problems facing him returned in a rush. Not only did he have his position as pack alpha to secure, he had less than forty-eight hours to find Owen. He didn’t have time to devote to forming a bond with Hannah and Noah, but Ethan knew he had to do so. When he failed to save his only brother, he’d need their comfort.
No. I will save him and my pack mates. I will live up to my heritage.
He held his conviction close and slipped into the night. Maria waited in her SUV. He climbed into the passenger seat, and she threw the vehicle into drive, leaving his house and his lovers behind.
Though no tears flowed, her red-rimmed, puffy eyes and the blotches on her pale skin told him she’d spent time crying. Protective instincts flared. “Maria? What happened?”
“I’ve discovered hell in my own backyard.” She cut him an enraged look. “That’s what happened.”
She turned
her attention to driving. Her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel spoke of her anger. She merged onto the main road and drove toward the nearest human town. Once they left their pack lands, she slumped in her seat.
He waited quietly a few more minutes for her to explain. She worked her jaw back and forth but remained silent. He laid a hand on her upper arm. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“I heard my father. What he said to you.” She pulled over into the parking lot of a boarded-up coffee shop, then faced him. “It triggered a memory from years ago, right before Owen took off.”
Maria would’ve been ten. Ethan remembered her from that time. She’d been quiet and watchful. Many of the other shifters questioned her strength. Not all of Michael’s children were dominants. Ethan had argued that she was the wisest and would grow up to be the strongest. She knew better than to draw unwanted attention to herself. He’d been right.
“What kind of memory?”
“He was talking to Greg.”
The venom in her voice was clear. Ethan knew why too. Greg, another dominant in their pack, wanted to mate Maria and had been pursuing her ever since Michael’s last son died. Nobody actually believed Greg’s interest in Maria was genuine. He was an opportunist who only wanted a strong female at his side so he could challenge Michael for the role of alpha.
Honestly, Ethan was surprised Greg hadn’t suffered a tragic accident. Michael didn’t tolerate any threats to his holdings. Ethan suspected that would change the moment Greg acted on his interest in Maria. Or any dominant female for that matter. Then again, Greg had been doing Michael’s dirty work for decades. Michael might’ve been hesitant to lose a flunky.
She cleared her throat. “My father asked him if the delivery of the fresh meat had been successful and what they got for him. It had seemed odd since we don’t own a butcher shop, so of course I’d snuck closer to listen.”
He grinned. “Of course.”
“Greg looked as if he’d been in a fight. Blood still dripped from cuts on his chest. He’d motioned toward his wounds and said after the buyers saw what the little prick did to him, he was able to sell him in the pit fights.”
His gut twisted. Shifter trafficking had grown in popularity since the pack elders reached out to the human leaders. There was no evidence humans were responsible for the disappearances. Many factors could’ve contributed to it. The timing made many shifters leery, however. It was one of the reasons some packs refused to disclose their existence and remained hidden.
“Do you think he was talking about Owen?”
“At the time, I thought he was talking about dogs. I loved him. He was my dad, the pack alpha, and respected by all.” She shook her head. “I was a damn fool. Anyway, the reason I remember the conversation was that he warned Greg that if the little bastard died, so would Greg because you needed to be kept in line.”
He sat up straighter. “What else did he say? Any hints about where the pit fighting was?”
“No, I’m sorry. I slipped away once they started going over cash flow and the debt our pack has amassed.”
He cursed, and the sick feeling in his stomach spread. Owen was strong, but he walked the line between dominant and beta. It was the reason he’d been so resentful after learning about Ethan’s parentage. He and Owen had fought about it the night he took off. Ethan hated that Owen had felt less of a male because he’d been born to a beta family.
Ethan glanced out the window. Owen could be anywhere. Maybe even dead. Ethan shoved away the thought. He refused to assume the worst. Owen wasn’t weak. He hesitated before acting, thinking through his choices. It wasn’t a bad habit, just one that pushed him to a lower level in the pack.
He faced Maria. “How the hell am I supposed to find Owen before the full moon?”
“You’re going to challenge my father even if you don’t, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I have to. I can’t allow him to live any longer.” He didn’t fear telling Maria of his plans. She was one the few people he trusted. Had he been attracted to her, they would’ve mated years before.
And if I did, I would’ve missed out on Hannah and lost Noah. When he thought of it that way, his lack of interest in females became a blessing. For so long, he viewed taking a mate as a means to secure his role, not as a gift. He’d been a fool.
Maria studied him, then sighed. “You were with Hannah tonight, not Noah. You’re going to mate her.”
He nodded, not bothering to correct her assumption. She didn’t need all the details of his private life. Nobody did, not until he could ensure both his partners would be safe. “I love her.”
“And Noah? Does he know he’s going to be losing you?”
“He knows about Hannah.” He squeezed her hand. “Thank you for telling me what you remembered. At least I know in which direction to focus my efforts.” Not that it would help. He was a lawyer. Nobody who worked in illegal businesses would tell him anything.
“There’s more.” She leaned forward. “That night I heard them talking, I watched as my father opened a safe in the living room. He took out ledgers and books. That’s what he started going over with Greg. I never tried to get into the lockbox because I didn’t care about money or our debt. I was a kid, then I forgot about it.”
“Where in the living room?” It’d be risky getting in there, but he had to try.
“Don’t even think about it. I got in there already. Took pictures of what I found.” She popped the glove box and grabbed a small digital camera, an inexpensive kind that could be found in many department stores. She handed it to him. “I didn’t want to use my phone.”
Because Michael demanded the passwords to all of her accounts and randomly confiscated her phone and computer. He didn’t trust her any more than she did him. Only her mother kept them from going at each other’s throats.
Quiet as Maria had been as a child, Michael’s mate did her best to rein him in. Ethan knew. They’d both worked behind the scenes to manipulate Michael as much as they could. At least, she wouldn’t die with him. He refused to soul-bond to her. She’d told Ethan that one day out of the blue. Probably so he wouldn’t feel bad when he took out her mate.
He curled his fingers around the cheap plastic. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have risked it.”
She motioned toward the camera he held. “I’m glad I did. We might be able to find the rest of our pack mates who deserted us.”
While some members had legitimately left, others had simply disappeared. Most of their pack mates believed, as he did, that Michael was responsible, but they could never find any hard evidence. Those who did question him went on to suffer accidents. Fear had crippled their pack.
“I hate him.” Her eyes took on a hard glint. “It disgusts me knowing I carry his genes.”
“He wasn’t always a bad alpha.”
“True but one night he snapped. He’s unstable. It makes me wonder if I hold the same evil inside me.”
“He didn’t snap.” He sighed. “The spirit wolf wanted him to pass on the role of alpha to another male.”
“To you.” She whipped her head to stare at him wide-eyed. “You matured that night.”
He sighed. “But I couldn’t become alpha then. Maybe it was just prepping Michael for the inevitable day. I don’t know. No matter. Michael decided to take it upon himself to figure out why the spirit wolf was unhappy with him and—”
“He came to the conclusion our pack was weak. That it needed to be cleansed.”
Anger radiated from her. And hurt. She truly had loved her father and felt betrayed by him. Ethan knew that. She told him many times. He ran a hand over her messy hair. “You can’t pick your family, Maria. You’re nothing like him. Remember that.”
She scrubbed at her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Neither are my sisters. Alex tells me that all the time.”
“What’s going on with the two of you?”
“Nothing. He won’t accept what I can give him.”
“And what about after the full moon? I’m sure Nic will welcome you into his pack and bless your union under the light of the full moon.”
While not technically a mating, a union sanctified in the ceremonial circle equated marriage, at least in the pack’s eye. That was what Nic’s dad, Nicholas, had done when he’d blessed a same-sex partnership years before.
She gazed out the window, a despondent look on her face. “I can’t claim Alex as mine.”
He frowned. “Why? You love him.”
She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes. “Don’t worry about it. Just let it go.”
“I can’t. You’re my friend and my pack mate. Tell me.”
“No.” She dropped her hands. “You can’t fix this, Ethan. So don’t bother trying.”
“Quinn wants you, doesn’t he?” It was the only logical reason he could come up with.
A sharp nod answered him.
He cursed. The look of possession in Quinn’s eyes combined with the aggressiveness he’d shown toward Alex told Ethan everything he needed to know. “Quinn knows you’re sleeping with Alex and threatened to hurt him.”
“Yes.” She started the vehicle, threw it into Drive and peeled out. “But don’t confront him. It’ll only set him off. For the time being, he’s giving me space as long as I don’t go to Alex. Quinn wants me to come to him willingly.”
“No. That’s not going to work. Wait until next month, and I’ll bless your union. If Quinn thinks to start anything, he’ll suffer. I won’t allow it, even if I have to hurt—”
“Stop!” She cut him a quick glare before focusing on the road. “You will not hurt Quinn. You will not talk to him. You won’t even go near him. You’re going to keep your nose out of my business. Got it?”
Shared for Love: Kagan Wolves, Book 2 Page 12