by Morgan Fox
Dominic chuckled. “Do you remember anything about your time as a virus-infected freak? You had no scent, Sebastian. You were the atomic stealth boy, and even I couldn’t sense you. You were the perfect weapon. No scent and no sound.”
“So you think I was followed by Mason Levi?”
Luken shook his head. “Actually, no. We found someone from Mason’s pack willing to talk to us.”
“Who?”
“His name is Rider O’Laughlin. He’s a were-panther.”
“Great, just what we need. Another pack to muck with.” The disappointment in Reyes’s voice was duly noted from the political head of the group.
“What did O’Laughlin say?” Jonah asked.
Luken’s turn, he answered, “He said we’ve got more to worry about than Mason Levi. Said there’s more out there like him and they know about Brie, at least the myth of her bloodline. Of course we didn’t understand what they were talking about until now.”
Shrugging off his friends annoyed tone, Jonah muttered, “Explains why Zane paid us a surprise visit.”
Sebastian stared at the ground, his fingers twined around Brie’s. “This is bad,” he groaned. “This is very bad.”
Brie shook her head. “I don’t get it. I just used my power to heal Sebastian. How does Mason or anyone else even know I have powers? I never—” Realization struck her like a meteor the size of Texas. “Oh, shit!”
Glancing at her wide-eyed expression, Jonah breathed, “Exactly.”
Megan raised her hand, waving it back and forth, drawing attention her way. “I’m sorry, I’m a little in the dark over here. Why the, ‘oh, shit?’”
Sebastian spoke first. “Brie used her powers on Mason Levi last month when he attacked her in the ladies’ room at the local diner, and I stupidly let him walk.”
“You what?” Dominic abruptly stood. Heat seethed from every pore in his body, face bright red, neck pulsing with tension. “You had that little prick in your hands and you let him fucking go?”
Sebastian glared up at his friend, eyes filled with astonishment that Dominic would dare disrespect him in front of everyone. He was the next in line if Sebastian wasn’t able to maintain order in the pack, and that sure as hell wasn’t happening now. “I could smell that something was wrong with him, saw his eyes weren’t right. I didn’t want to risk whatever was wrong with him infecting Jonah, Brie, or myself, for that matter.” Rising to his own feet to stand toe-to-toe with the giant, he growled, “I made a judgment call, Dominic. Deal with it.”
“That’s your answer, as usual. ‘Deal with it’?” His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched tight, and he spoke, calm and lethal, “Look, Sebastian, you could’ve saved us all a hell of a lot of time fixing this shit last month instead of dragging us all in over our heads. We’re fighting a ghost here, and you managed to let our only connection fucking get away. I’m sorry if you think I’m overstepping my bounds, but while you were turning into a fucking mutant, the rest of us have been cleaning up your shit.”
Brie rose to her feet, her chest tight with apprehension. She’d just miraculously saved Sebastian from a fate worse than death, and damn it, she was not about to watch as these two hulky men slung their dicks around in a “whose cock is bigger” contest until one of them was seriously injured or dead.
Wiggling between the two brooding men, she placed her palms flat against each one’s chest, glancing from one to the other as she said, “As much as I think screaming at one another helps”—her eyes darted to meet Dominic’s—“perhaps we can find other means of solving our issues.”
Meeting her gaze, he huffed out a breath. Stalking to the far side of the room, he muttered, “Whatever."
Sebastian kissed her knuckles, whispering into her mind, Thank you.
She batted her blond lashes and grinned, You’re welcome, now answer some questions for them before they all go stir-crazy and stampede the village and kill the chief and his telepathic, power-flinging mate. Her smile widened.
Shaking his head at her, Sebastian blew out a large breath of air. “I’m sure you all have questions for me. This would be a great time for answers, and then together we’ll come up with a plan of action.”
Reyes’s boot dropped heavy to the floor, and all eyes moved to glance at him.
“Reyes, do you have a question?”
“You’re damn right I do. What the heck happened in here? Why the hell did it look like you tried to eat the cabin?”
Chapter Sixteen
Snickering, Sebastian answered, “Please forgive me for not knowing all the details with precision. I was a little delusional at the time, but what I do remember, I’ll share.” Inhaling a deep breath he began, “During my infection I had a fierce urge to hunt, like what we experience during our first lycan change. I must have gone out hunting one night and left the front door open. When I returned, there were several large animals rummaging through the trash, scurrying around for food. I sensed something strange, like another were-animal. The scent was maddening. But the only thing that was remotely large enough to be a were-animal was a fox. An abnormally large fox, mind you. I was crazed, attacked and killed the animal. I dragged its remains out into the woods and left it, but when I returned, I was so angry. I was losing myself to the virus. I started destroying everything, unable to contain my frustration, my fury. I’d been without Brie for weeks, and the mating heat was like a needle fucking my brain. I needed her, but I was afraid to call for help. I didn’t want to hurt anyone, especially her.” She squeezed his hand.
“How did you keep yourself from infecting Brie and me when we first found you?” Jonah’s question brought nervous flutters to his stomach.
“Brie kept me from hurting anyone else. As I told you, my Brie is special.”
“When did you get infected?” Megan’s calm voice slid from behind him. He didn’t need to see her to know she had her arms folded over her chest and exaggerated frown on her face. She was still reeling over what Dominic had done to her now slumbering and mended colleague.
“I caught his scent, or at least I thought I had. I had no way of knowing that this virus somehow mutated the host’s scent and strength. I didn’t know what I was up against. I only knew that his scent, or what I thought was his scent, led me to a real hole in the wall in east Tennessee. But as you can guess, it was a trap. Mason was waiting for me. He got the drop on me, and we fought. I couldn’t believe the strength of this guy. He seemed more like—”
“A pussy?” Ryken’s humor once again beamed from the depths of the room in the most inappropriate fashion.
“I was going to say he seemed more like an easier target than I’d figured, but pussy works, too.”
Sebastian met Ryken’s wide grin. “He laughed the moment he sliced into my skin. He knew what he was doing, but I didn’t. The first sign of the virus didn’t hit me for days. The onset was like getting the flu, or what I hear it’s like to get the flu. I could suddenly hear and see with extreme supernatural keenness, way beyond normal werewolf abilities. The sensations would come and go, but then there were times when I could see practically everything, no matter how far away. I could hear every single conversation within a mile. The scent change, the stealth ability, those came later, but the worse part of the virus was the rage. The mind-fuck I got. The virus took on a personality of its own, practically telling me what to do and how to feel. When that started, I knew what Mason had done to me was deliberate.”
“How so?” Reyes asked.
“Because after Mason bit me, he just left, he didn’t try to finish me. He didn’t do anything but leave.”
Reyes’s eyes narrowed. “So you think he wanted you to capture Brie or deliver her to him? Sort of make you an in-house ally?”
“Yes, and certainly after hearing Zane’s story, it makes perfect sense.”
“Well, now what do we do?” Ryken questioned.
“First things first, you and Luken need to go retrieve Tabitha Burns. She’s Brie’s best friend. Brie will cal
l her to let her know you’re coming. I’m willing to bet Mason’s goons are all over her, hoping we’ll go after her. They’re most likely watching her every step. Find a way to get them off your trail and bring her back here.” Both Ryken and Luken rose to their full heights, but Sebastian cut off their retreat with one final thought, “And gentlemen, a word to the wise, hands off Tabitha. She’s not to be manhandled in any way. Like I mentioned, she’s Brie’s best friend, and I want her to see us as humans, not raging lunatic wolves. Got it?”
Luken nodded, and Ryken snickered. “Sure,” Ryken said, but his eyes clearly suggested something else. Something he hoped Brie hadn’t noticed.
Damn, werewolves are giant horn-dogs.
* * * *
The living room cleared of all guests, and Megan went upstairs to sit with Zane. Reyes and Dominic disappeared outside to check the perimeters and most likely discuss between them everything they had just heard, and Ryken and Luken were off in pursuit of Tabitha. Things couldn’t seem more fucked-up if it were served on a platter with a pile of hot steaming shit. These last several weeks had left Brie with a solid lump in her throat and nerves so out of whack it was a wonder she managed to stay sane.
The silence between the three of them had to end. She had so much to discuss with Sebastian and Jonah. She had to learn more about Sebastian’s travels, and also she couldn’t let things change between her and Jonah. She’d gotten so close to him over the last few weeks, and she didn’t want that uniqueness in their relationship to end.
She placed some distance between her and her mates, turned, and stood in front of them. Her gaze drifted from one gorgeous, masculine face to the other. Their soft-as-silk expressions stared up at her as if she hung the moon. Sweet smiles curved their lips. The sight of them as she held their attention with little effort stole her breath away.
“I’d like to talk with you for a moment now that we’re alone.” Her gaze fell to Jonah, whose smile deepened just a little more. He was the first she told her secret to, and she was sure somewhere deep inside that meant a great deal to him. But now it was her turn to tell Sebastian, and she wasn’t sure how well her alpha was going to take it. Not that she was pregnant, but that she’d told Jonah first and that the baby was most likely his.
“What about, sweetheart?” Sebastian’s deep, buttery voice poured over her, tingling vibrations shooting up and down each vertebra.
“I have something to tell you. Something I’ve wanted to tell you for days.”
He rose to his feet and moved to hold her in his arms. “Is it something I’ve done? I know I have so much to make up for, and I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to make it up to you. The wedding, the distance—”
Interrupting him, she stated, “No, Sebastian, it’s none of those things.”
“Then what is it? What’s got you looking so distraught?”
Holding his gaze, she nervously chewed her bottom lip. Sucking in a deep breath, she blurted, “I’m pregnant.”
The air was sucked from the room as she stared into his profound eyes. His intent look had been confused and dark, but now, suddenly emerged with a brightness she hadn’t expected, only hoped for. The hard, coarse lines around his mouth and eyes softened as the confusion in his gaze cleared. Her heart raced, pounding so hard in her chest her lungs struggled to hold the air she breathed.
“Oh, baby. This is wonderful news. Oh, God. Are you angry with me because we’re not married? I’ll fix everything right away. I’ll get all the preparations done immediately. I promise you’ll have the wedding of your dreams with both me and Jonah at your side. I don’t care how much it costs.” A smile pulled his lips wide so his white teeth beamed at her. “Oh, God, a baby.” Kissing her mouth hard, he gasped, “A baby. You and me, we’re going to have a baby.” His arms wrapped around her, pulling her so tight and close she thought she might break.
Brie wanted to be so happy, wanted to embrace the idea of the baby with him, but she couldn’t because it was just as much Jonah’s as it was his. The chance that it was Jonah’s was greater, that was for sure. They spent so much more time together, made love more than once daily for weeks. How could she explain this to Sebastian without crushing him?
“Brie?” he whispered. His voice held a bit of concern.
Her eyes found his, a sadness falling over his gaze. She gulped wondering if he sensed something hidden in her eyes.
His strong hands cupped her face. “Sweetheart, I won’t pretend I don’t know that there’s a greater chance that the baby belongs to Jonah. I expect him to love this child no differently than I will. You will be married to him just as much as you will be married to me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know I said things to you that seemed different while I was infected. I know I said things that weren’t so threesome friendly, but I love my brother, and he loves you just as much as I do. No matter who helped create this baby, we are both the fathers. That’s what we decided up front, what you decided was a suitable arrangement. And that’s how it will always be, no matter what.”
Her arms flew around his neck the second the last word left his lips. He couldn’t have made her any happier if he tried. She was going to have her fairy tale, marry her white knights, and raise their baby together, all things that couldn’t get any more perfect.
Then again...
Jonah stood, Brie’s back to his chest and her front pressed up against Sebastian. Jonah brushed her golden hair to the side, kissing the column of her neck, groaning against the warmth of her flesh, “See, baby, I told you it would all be okay.” His lips left a trail of sweetness along her skin that sent goose bumps erupting everywhere. Warm tingles flooded her pussy.
“The only thing that could make this moment the best it could be…” Brie’s words drifted off as Jonah pressed his hard-as-steel erection against her ass, and she moaned as Sebastian hungrily took her mouth. Hard, sensitive nipples abraded against the fabric of her bra. Panties damp, her fingers clung to Sebastian’s firm biceps.
The large alpha read her mind and finished her thought. “You want us to make this night perfect, Brie.” Nuzzling her neck, he growled against her skin. “Then let us love you all night long.” His lips trailed kisses along her cheek and jaw. Nipping at her ear, he said, “I’m dying to be buried inside you, feeling your tight pussy swallowing my cock. I’ve missed your taste, Brie, missed the sweetness of your cunt.” He pressed himself against her belly, his hard cock teasing of what was to come. “Let me fuck you, Brie. Let me show you how much I love you, want you...desire you—the mother of our child.”
Jonah pressed himself firmly against her back, grinding his cock between the cheeks of her ass. Her head fell to rest against his chest. The soft, swaying motions of his hips lulled her into seduction. Hands, arms, and chests intertwined with hers. She couldn’t imagine a time where she and her mates hadn’t been together. This was where her heart belonged and where her body craved to be. With two men who wished to protect her also wished to make her the happiest woman in the world. Who was she to resist?
“I would be a fool to say no. Besides, unfairly, you can scent my answer, even before I said it.”
Sebastian’s scrumptious grin tickled her senseless. “True, but it is much more enticing to hear you speak the words.”
Jonah’s fingers weaved into her hair, he whispered, “Tell us what you want, Brie. Tell us what you need.”
She licked her lips. Excitement sprung from her brain and surged to her already wet pussy. Quivering, she gasped, “Oh God, I want it all, both of you in any way I can have you.” She giggled. “Pretty soon I’ll be a big as a house, and I won’t be able do much more than lay there. I’m sure that will be super sexy.”
Jonah caressed the side of her face, holding her against his body. He whispered, “You are the woman carrying our child. What could be sexier than that?”
“You’re the most beautiful woman we’ve ever seen, sweetheart. I couldn’t be more pleased that you’re pregnant. I never be
lieved I’d be a father, and you’ve made that possible for me. I love you more than you’ll ever know, Brie Ferguson.” Sebastian kissed her lips, but she gently pulled away.
“Right. About that.”
“About what?”
She pushed out from between the two of them so she could see Jonah’s face as well. “When are you two going to make an honest woman out of me?” She glanced from one handsome face to the other, absently rubbing a hand over her belly. “I don’t want this baby coming into the world without the McCarthy name attached to his and mine. Not to mention, I’d prefer not to be as large as a whale waddling down the aisle.”
Both men sighed through wide grins. Jonah said, “Sweetheart, we’re going to marry you the first chance we get. The ball’s really in your court. You tell us when and we’ll make it happen.” He kissed her cheek and then cupped her face to turn her enough to claim her mouth. His sweet lips caressed her own, enjoying the delicious spicy taste of his tongue as it slid between her lips.
Sebastian caressed her shoulders, and she rounded to look directly into his honey brown eyes. He kissed her nose. “I told you before, I’m not going anywhere without you ever again. I meant it, Brie. If you want to get married this weekend, fine. If you want to wait another month, okay. Just please don’t make me wait much longer than that to claim my bride.”
A warm, tender smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I’d like to have my best friend Tabitha here when we get married. So planning a wedding for month from now would be great. That way Ryken and Luken can bring Tabitha here and we can avoid any more crazy interruptions from Mason Levi.”
Sebastian’s brow arched, he shared, “Sounds good, but you know what sounds even better?”
“What?”
“Fucking you all night long,” Sebastian growled.
Nibbling her lip, she asked, “Well, then, what are you two waiting for?”