by Lee Savino
Pleasure blossomed, crested, broke. My cries rang out over the heather.
Once Leif finished licking me clean, they tied the belt back in place.
“Your taste is pleasing to me.” Leif wiped his mouth. “Now that we know your scent, you can never run from us. We will track you as easily as a hare over deep snow.”
Body humming with pleasure, I did not protest. I no longer wanted to escape these warriors.
“What will it be like being your mate?” I asked.
“Our minds will link. You’ll connect with us through the bond.” He touched my forehead. “You will hear us speak to you here. You’ll never be able to hide your feelings from us. The three of us will be closer than any other persons on earth. We will share you, forever.”
At this, Brokk rose and walked away.
Leif frowned. “Let us return.”
Brokk
You should not leave us like that, Leif lectured in my head. She thinks you do not want her.
I have not yet decided if I do, brother. I spat the final word.
Leif stayed silent so long, I wished he’d speak and distract me from my painful thoughts.
It was so long ago, he said. I thought you had forgiven me.
I stepped into the forest near the keep to watch Leif and Willow return. She acted nothing like the woman I had loved back in the north lands. She’d never been touched by any other man.
And never will be, Leif said, but we will share her equally.
She likes you better.
You are not handsome when you sulk. Try smiling. Leif slammed the bond shut.
He took Willow down to the lakeshore while I chopped wood. They stripped naked, and their delighted shouts followed the sound of splashing. Her laughter wafted up to the keep. I threw my axe down. Willow, laughing. A few days, and Leif had wooed her, as he intended. Perhaps, tonight, he would lie with her and mark her as his mate. My heart ached as I thought about it. It would be better if he and I had not bonded. Then he could claim her for himself, and they could be happy.
Magic rippled through me at the jealous, desolate thought. The beast, clawing to the surface, ready to fight for what it wanted. It would not allow me to relinquish my mate. It wanted her just as much as Leif did.
I left. Traveling at Berserker speed, I reached the craggy heights well before dusk. The day was clear and fine, and I could see for leagues and leagues. A fog lined the southern horizon, but it was still a long way off.
In the high places, I sometimes found it easier to link to the pack. I reached out, traipsing over the cold stones to find the best place to reach them.
After climbing a tall, slender finger of rock, I caught a familiar echo.
Svein?
Leif? Where are you?
I sent him a picture of the rocky cliffs and the ruined keep where we’d made camp. What of you and Dagg? Are you home?
We are hiding. The Grey Men…escaped them… The Alphas ordered…protect the women… Corpse King’ s magic…blocking the pack bonds…
His voice wavered in and out, but I heard enough.
I am glad you and Dagg are safe. We also met some Grey Men. I did not add how Leif nearly lost control when he called on the Berserker rage and destroyed them. The Corpse King’s magic swept through the village and turned the men into his undead servants. That is why there were so many, so quickly.
Too many to fight…avoid them. The Alphas consult the witch to find a spell...the mage grows stronger…
We are safe, for now. We took the woman Willow, and we will keep her safe. Svein?
Yes?
I couldn’t keep a smile off my face. Have you found your mate?
This time, his message came through clearly. Yes. She is with us now. He sounded proud and tender at the same time. She was frightened, at first, but is very brave. And you?
We have a woman. I fought to keep glee out of my voice. Leif thinks she is the one for us. And so did I, I realized. Otherwise, it would not bother me so much to leave or feel I must compete with Leif for her affection.
What of Rolf and Thorbjorn? I asked.
We have not heard from them. Like us, they may have traveled far to keep their mate safe, or they may be lost. The Alphas don’t know.
And the woman they took?
Her name is Sage.
I felt as if someone had struck me. Sage was Willow’s closest friend. I wanted to deliver good news to Willow.
Thank you for the news, I told Dagg. Can you reach the Alphas? Tell them we are well?
Yes. Their orders are for all of us to make our way to the mountain, but do not engage the Grey Men. Stay safe. Keep together and, whatever you do, watch over your mate.
We will. At all costs. May the moon smile on you.
When I cut off the link from my fellow Berserker, my head throbbed with pain. My beast surged to the fore, giving me strength. I pushed it back, unwilling to risk letting it loose. Staying away from the pack this long was dangerous. Without the Alphas’ stabilizing strength, Leif and I must rely on one another.
I had been wrong, I realized, as I loped down the mountain. Willow belonged to me and Leif. I needed to woo her as he did, so she would laugh and smile with me.
Of course, I didn’t have that skill. When I tried and failed, would she turn from me and find solace in Leif’s arms?
The thought struck me like a dagger. I gritted my teeth.
As I left the mountain, I walked right into a thick mist at the foot of the high rocks. The fog I’d seen creeping up from the south had moved faster than I expected.
Brokk. Brother. Where are you?
Coming. I picked up my pace to outrun the mist.
A full moon rose above my head. I should’ve been excited to claim my woman with my warrior brother.
Instead, I felt only dread.
Leif
Willow sat by the fire, a flush on her pretty cheeks from a long day in the sun. She wore a small pink rose tucked behind her ear—a gift from me. We spent every moment together, and it would be the best day of my life, bar one detail. Brokk was not there.
My head ached from our separation. I sensed he climbed high where the air grew thin and used much of his energy and reserves to reach out to the Alphas.
He came running, trying to outdistance the strange mist sweeping over the ground. I open the bond and lent him strength.
Come quickly, Brokk. We need you. I’ve managed to keep the beast at bay, but I will need to claim Willow soon. We both will. Why were you gone so long?
You seemed to be enjoying the day well enough without me.
Brother, how many times do I need to tell you? Together, we are stronger.
Silence. I took a deep breath and continued. In the past century, we have come together to share many things. But I do not forget the woman who tore us apart.
You betrayed me.
I have asked forgiveness. I have tried to atone. I am your brother and fellow warrior. I will always stand by your side.
Brokk’s answer was grudging. We are warriors, comrades in arms.
What about Willow? You know as well as I we must both claim her. Our hold on the beast is too weak. She can heal us. You leave, and it is not fair to Willow.
No, it is not fair to her.
Let her be the bond between us. I sent him an image of our woman, curled up near me, the fine green gown drawing out the color of her eyes. Her rosy cheeks, pale skin, and wealth of dark hair. Add to that her courage, her smiles, and her scent, and she became irresistible.
For once, I did not need a silver tongue or my charm. She could convince my warrior brother to fulfill his destiny, in a way I could not.
Brokk finally answered. If I agree, then you must promise this: we will share her equally or not at all.
I cannot slice her down the middle with my sword.
No. But you will claim her one way, and I another.
I expected him to cut off our connection, and when he did, I went to the wall and waited until his shad
ow moved over the grass. His control remained strong. He’d outrun the fog and stopped to make a kill. I’d hoped he’d eat with us, he and I feeding Willow bits of choice meat, proving to her we could provide for her. But since he had fed, I left Willow and met him before he stepped into the circle of the fire.
“Brokk, when you say we will both claim her—”
He produced a carved wooden plug, shaped like a bulb, with a narrow stem flaring out again. Another item he’d commissioned at the village, no doubt.
“Willow,” he called. She startled and rose to her feet, a trace of eagerness in her step when he beckoned to her. Brokk planted his hand on the center of my chest and pushed me out of the way. I growled and staggered back. My beast rose up fighting, and I took a moment to compose myself, leaning against the wall in the shadows.
She is not ready, I said. We must be gentle.
“Willow, I have another gift for you.”
“What is it?” she asked and touched the polished wooden piece Brokk held out to her.
“It goes in your arse,” Brokk said.
She flushed and jerked her hand back.
I glared at him. You could be kinder.
Why, Leif?” he said out loud. “Don’t you prefer when I am harsh? I train her to our will, but when the discipline is over, she runs into your arms so she cares for you, but not for me. I think this is your plan.”
Willow’s gaze darted between us, lines creasing her forehead.
“Fool.” My voice sounded choked, guttural. Brokk had to realize I grew close to losing control. I clenched my fists and fought to keep my wits about me. Already my fingernails lengthened, curving into claws, and magic tingled up my spine, ready for the Change. “You’re the one who chooses to be rude. You’re the one who pushes us away.”
Brokk turned his back. “Come, Willow. It is time to test your devotion to us.”
“Brother, be gentle with her.”
Be silent. You wanted me back, I am here. You will stand aside while I bring her to the gates of ecstasy, and beyond. His hand dropped to her bottom and squeezed it through the dress. The woman’s sound of breathy surprise made my cock harden.
She wants this. She wants my dominance. It is I who sate her, not you.
My vision goes dark for a moment, fur sprouting from my arms as the magic takes hold. I push back against the wall, fighting for the upper hand. We are to be equals in this, Brokk.
Equals? I am not the one who cannot rule my beast. Perhaps I should take her far from here and leave you, the lonely king of the ruined keep.
I snarled and laughed from the shadows. Brokk pushed Willow forward and whirled to face me. His axe sliced up towards me. I ducked and caught his arm. The two of us grappled, equally matched in height, weight, and strength. A fight between us would not go well, and we both knew this. We glared at each other, locked in a tense embrace.
“Stop,” Willow shouted. “Both of you, stop.” Her voice rang out, a slight tremor in her words. “Don’t fight.” She stepped close, acting braver than I liked.
“Be off with you, lass,” I grunted. “’Tis dangerous.”
“You won’t hurt me,” she snapped.
After a breath, Brokk and I released each other and stepped back. Willow moved between us.
“What is it you want from me?” she asked Brokk.
“Everything. Your submission. Your cries, your pleas, your will bent to mine.”
“To us,” I corrected.
She nodded. “Very well.”
“Lass—”
“I’m fine, Leif.” She held out her hand for the plug. “I’ll do it.”
Willow
“I will do it.” I repeated.
“Go to the furs,” Brokk said, without taking his eyes off Leif. “Strip and kneel on the blanket. All fours.”
“Arse in the air,” Leif added.
Both warriors eased their stance a little but didn’t take their eyes away from the other, their warrior training too ingrained for them to ignore a present threat. I gulped but hurried to do Brokk’s bidding. It seemed my obedience was the only thing keeping them from tearing each other apart.
My heart thumped. What had made them fight? What would happen to me if they became enemies? Did Brokk realize his answer when I asked what he wanted of me matched Leif’s? Everything, they’d said. These men wanted everything I had to give. They would accept nothing less. They would require nothing more.
I laid aside the beautiful garments they had given me, shivering with anticipation. My flesh glowed in the moonlight as I crossed the keep. Was I pretty enough for them? A prickle up my spine told me they watched me, and when I risked a glance back at them, it seemed they could not tear their gaze away. Their golden eyes shone with that eldritch light.
Kneeling, I settled into position, pushing my bottom into the air.
“Good girl,” Brokk said, and I quivered with pleasure just from his approval.
I chewed my lip as I waited with haunches exposed, knees cushioned by the pelt. My hair fell over my face, until one of the warriors knelt beside me and tucked it back. Leif. His face had lost the strain of the past few moments, but he didn’t seem his jovial, joking self. He ran a thumb over my lips. I closed my lips over it, sucking as I’d pleasured his cock the night before. His gaze turned heated, and one corner of his mouth turned up in a smile by the time he took his hand away. I relaxed further. It frightened me more than I wanted to admit when the rage had taken over his charming face. Brokk, I expected to be stern, standoffish. I’d thought I’d broken through his armor, but their fight shook me.
Perhaps I did have something to give these warriors. My sweetness and surrender and acceptance of whatever they would do. So far, every experience they brought me gave me great pleasure. I trusted them. They had not failed me yet.
Brokk’s hand gusted over my backside.
“Lovely,” he murmured.
“We have no oil to ease the plug’s passage,” Leif said. “What will you use?”
“Her own juices.” Brokk’s fingers touched between my legs. He stroked my puffy lower lips. “Did you wear the belt all afternoon?”
“Yes, Brokk,” I told him.
“Did it make you feel owned, Willow? Did you ache and think of me?”
“Yes.” My head hung lower. With the belt locked around my loins, every time my cunny throbbed in pleasure, I remembered them putting their creation on me, guarding my sex from anyone’s touch but their own. And, every time I thought of it, I ached all over again.
“Leif is lenient. He freed you after a few hours. I would have you wear it all day and all night. Touching you would be my privilege, and mine alone. I’d remove the belt to clean and inspect you, and each time, I’d heat the water and run the cloth over every inch of your skin. When I washed between your legs, I would take care, and go ever so slowly. And if you came, you would be punished.” He pinched one of my lips, and I sucked back my squeal. His voice was hushed, reverent, as if he’d slipped into a trance. I did not want to break the spell.
“So wet, so ready,” Brokk continued. “There’s plenty of honey here to use to penetrate your bottom.”
“Get on with it, then,” Leif grunted, but he didn’t sound angry, just eager. He knelt beside me, his cock right by my head, pressing against his breeches. I lifted my hand and traced it with a teasing finger. He caught my wrist and lifted my hand to his mouth to suck on my fingertip. His canines grazed my skin and I whimpered.
“Steady, lass. We have a long way to go.” Brokk ran a wet cloth between my bottom cheeks, pressing it into my small hole. The intimate probing had me hanging my head in embarrassment.
“Nothing to be ashamed of,” Leif said. “Your mates will tend to you and clean you inside and out.”
I sucked in a breath as Brokk dipped his fingers between my nether lips, gathering the moisture there and painting the area around my bottom hole. His fingertip pushed at my pucker, and I clenched.
“Easy,” Brokk crooned. His t
ender tone surprised me. Exhaling, I opened to him, and his finger slipped inside. He worked me a little, stretching the edges, playing with the rim of my crinkled hole.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” Brokk breathed. I blinked at Leif, who winked back, his smile returned in full force. The hard armor Brokk wore had fallen away, and revealing the passionate man underneath. Leif always displayed his feelings, but Brokk hid them away like a treasure for me to find. I loved both, but I savored this glimpse of the man Brokk could be.
“Oh yes, she’s very wet. She likes this.”
“No,” I whined, and a hand laid a heavy swat on my right buttock.
“Be good,” Leif reminded me.
“This is not right,” I protested. My face felt hot. I wished I could shake my hair down and hide behind its screen.
Leif cupped my chin. “You trust your mates. We do this for your own pleasure and ours.”
“I bet she could take her pleasure from stimulation here.” Brokk’s finger pushed into my back hole. The stimulation made the muscles of my cunny flutter, begging to be filled.
“Oh aye.”
As Brokk’s digit fucked my arsehole, a curl of arousal wound through me, a lazy loop that tightened my muscles, heralding my climax.
Brokk kept teasing my back hole as his thumb brushed between my nether lips again, collecting more juices.
“Oh no.” My mouth went slack, my legs trembling. Brokk’s touch didn’t bother me as much as the thought I could climax just from this indecent stimulation. “No.” I put my head down lower, hiding my face.
“Be good, Willow,” Leif said. “Be a good girl.”
Something hard and unyielding probed my bottom. Brokk fucked me slowly with the plug, stretching the ring of tight muscle. I clenched, trying to resist, and he squeezed my bottom.
“No, no. This is going in. We do not want to hurt you.” He kissed my bottom, his stubble tickling my sensitive skin.
“Relax, little captive.” Leif stroked my hair. “You belong to us. And this is what we want. You want to please us, right?