by Belle Harper
“No, his punishment is fair. It’s just…you know. Hard.”
Callum had hurt me, he’d hurt us all when he bit me, but I didn’t want him to lose everything over something so stupid.
Because once you have good people, family that care about you. It would be stupid to throw it all away for a girl.
Chapter Seventeen
Lexi
Alaric was in his office when I walked in. I didn’t even knock, which was the reason for the look he was sporting right now. I wanted to smile at that, since Nash often wore that same expression… I could tell he wasn’t happy to see me.
“Alexis,” he ground out between his teeth. Yep, not happy at all.
“What is Callum’s punishment?” I stood there with my hands on my hips, demanding he answer me. But I would be lying if I said he didn’t sacred me…a little. He gave off a very intense vibe. He let out a huff of breath and stood up from behind his desk. He was tall, and the power I felt from him was strong.
“He is being exiled to Pack Bardoul. He is not to have contact with anyone in our pack. You will be safe here, Alexis. I have men patrolling the grounds at all hours of the day for any threats, or leaks that might have happened, and we will take care of you and keep you safe.”
My mouth popped open. He was being exiled and couldn’t speak to his pack? This was because of me. If I hadn’t gone into the woods, if I hadn’t told Ranger I wasn’t interested in his packmate… Even though Callum was an arrogant asshole, this was too much.
“No, I don’t think that’s a very fair punishment. He can still call his family, right?” I could see Alaric didn’t like the way I spoke to him, but I didn’t give a shit. This was too much. Even prisoners got to call their families.
“This was hard choice. You don’t understand pack rules, and he broke a very important rule. He is the first one to do this in almost fifty years. I did what was best for the pack.” I went to argue, but Alaric beat me too it.
“You have a big heart, Alexis. I know this must look harsh to you, but there had to be consequences. He bit you, gave you his venom. If I didn’t go hard on him, I would have a bunch of teenagers biting human females, so his punishment is also a warning to other pack members. Bardoul will educate him, and hopefully, he will learn from his mistakes.
“You must understand, when a shifter is exiled, it is never to another pack. Pack Bardoul has done this as a favor to Kiba. Callum is young and he needs a pack, as all shifters do. This is the best outcome for all involved. Now, if there is nothing more, please leave my office. I have a lot of work to do.”
My mouth opened to protest, but I knew deep down inside it was true. If he let him get away with it, then there would be no stopping others from doing this if they knew they wouldn’t be punished. And with how many women die during the transformation to shifter…there would be a huge death toll on Alaric’s hands.
I didn’t say anything, I just stormed out of this his office. I felt like shit. Callum was Ranger’s best friend, and just by being here, I had messed up so many lives already. I should have left when I had the chance, and everyone would’ve been better off. Except me, but I had done this long enough to know I could do it again. But now it was too late. I couldn’t fix this by leaving now. What was done, was done.
I felt heavy in my chest, and I didn’t want to go back out there and see the look on Noah and Ranger’s face. When I rounded the corner, Raff was standing there. Was he waiting for me? I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest at his open arms. I was near crying, and all of a sudden, everything just seemed to come crashing down.
I reached over to him, and he wrapped me in his arms without a word. I needed this. I’d missed him this morning, and even though I didn’t want to admit it to myself earlier, I had needed him last night. As much as I was used to being alone, last night just felt like everything was too much all of a sudden. That I was being smothered, but that’s wasn’t true. This was what it was like to have someone—a family, people who care and love you. I was that for Raff, and he was that for me.
I didn’t want to sleep alone again…ever. And I didn’t give a shit what Alaric had to say on that. If he had a problem, then I would move into Galen’s place. I would still be on his property, safe within the walls, just not in the same white walls of the Lovell house. This house felt too bright, too clinical…everything about it was too much. Why the hell was this house so fucking white?
“Wanna go up to your room?” Raff asked, and I glanced up into his beautiful blue eyes. They were swimming with so much pain and worry. God, did I put those fears there? I shook my head.
“No. No, I can’t stand these white walls any longer. Let’s go back outside, but can you give me something before we go out there?” I gave him a playful smile, I wanted to see him happy again. I wanted this good start to the day not to be derailed by this shitty middle.
He didn’t even have to think about it, he just nodded.
“I want a kiss…” I licked my lips as his hands snaked up to my cheeks. He leaned down slightly, nose brushing against mine before our lips touched. So soft, so beautiful. It was gentle, like the first time we kissed, but it was also full of so much more. My toes curled as his tongue swept into my mouth, and when he ground his erection against my core, it went from innocent to so much more fast. I moved against him, trying to get closer, needing everything he was giving me and not caring if anyone heard us.
When he pulled away slightly, our breathing was heavy between us. I couldn’t stop my tongue from running over my lips, tasting him. He rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed as he breathed me in.
“Sometimes, I worry you’re not real. That this is all a dream, and tomorrow I’ll wake up, back into the nightmare of my old life.” My chest ached at his words. He had been through so much, yet he never fully opened up about it. This was special, he was giving me a little something. I hoped that one day, he would truly open up, know that I would never leaving him. I was here forever and always.
After my runaway attempt, I knew I had a lot of work to do on that. I did abandon him, but only so he would be safe. He needed a pack and he couldn’t be on the run with me, but I knew he would never have seen it that way.
I knew that was something I had to show him, since words like that meant nothing without the actions. I should know, that was how I had lived my whole life. His eyes slowly opened and looked right into mine. I felt them reach down deep inside, latching onto my heart, and I welcome it.
“I love you, Rafferty,” I whispered against his lips. There was a quiet moment where nothing was said, our chests breathing deeply, heavy with emotion.
“I love you, Lexi.” I felt his body finally relax. The power I felt between us…it was there, stronger than ever. I needed him, all of him.
I pressed myself hard against his body, and my hands snaked up into his hair, tangling in the silver strands. I pulled him down as I took his mouth, showing him I was here, I was real, and that I loved him with every fiber in my body. His hands roamed my back to my ass, his fingers digging into my jeans as he pressed his erection into me again. I used that moment to pull myself up and into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. My core throbbed, needing the friction. The shorts he was wearing did nothing to conceal how turned on he was.
There was a loud crashing sound and laughter coming from the kitchen. We pulled apart slightly, a smile on my face. Fuck, that kiss was not for public display. I heard a chuckling sound coming closer, and I knew that laugh. The look on Raff’s face told me he could see him, and he rolled his eyes in a playful way as his smile got bigger. Arms wrapped around me and Raff, and I felt the huge sweaty body behind me.
“Ranger…” I laughed as I tried to wiggle away from him, but he held on tighter.
“Gross, get your sweaty hands off me,” Raff joked as he took a step back, but Ranger just held on, and I felt the deep rumble in his chest pressed against my back as he chuckled.
“That wasn’t what y
ou said last night,” Ranger deadpanned back. My mouth dropped, did something happen between them last night? I turned to face Ranger. He took that opportunity to kiss me quickly before letting us both go and laughing.
“I was joking, but you smell amazing, Lexi. Do you want to maybe take this party somewhere a little private?” I rolled my eyes. He never stopped mentioning my smells, which I guess was something I had to get used to, living with shifters and vampires. Plus, I knew that I was turned on, very turned on.
Did I want to take this somewhere private?
Yes, I did. And not because I was giving off this scent and I didn’t want all the pack to smell it too, but because I really did want to keep doing this. I wanted to go further and was tired of holding back, but Ada was on her way over. Crap.
“Maybe later. Ada will be here soon.” Ranger just smirked, his brows raised, and I knew that face. He was up to trouble.
“All good. Noah will keep her entertained while Raff and I take care of you.” His brows bounced up and down as he winked. I rolled my eyes and smiled. He was such a sexy dork at times. Ada was gonna hate me for this. I turned back to see what Raff wanted to do, and he gave my ass a squeeze. I could feel between my legs what he thought of the idea, and I let out a chuckle. I needed something…and this time, I didn’t want to go to bed and take care of myself.
“Yes.” It was almost a whisper, but the look on Ranger’s face made me laugh. He wasn’t expecting that answer. I dropped out of Raff’s arms and took both their hands.
“Lead on to the private area, Ranger.”
Chapter Eighteen
Lexi
Well, the private area wasn’t exactly private. It was outside, but on the other side of the house, farther away from where most the pack was getting the grill ready for a big cook out. That was what all the loud sounds were—they were in the kitchen getting ready.
There was a little alcove here, just hidden enough not to been seen. I was sure we would still be heard. But I was hoping there was enough noise out that it would be hard to really hear us.
“You have been such a tease today…coming out in these shorty shorts and showing off these legs to me. You have a sexy body, Lexi. You make me so hard every time I see you. But when you’re rubbing yourself against Raff here, fuck. That is hot, and I want to join in so bad, touch you until you call out my name as you’re on the edge of release…” I shiver went down my spine, and my heart started pounding hard in my chest. Fuck! Ranger’s hand slid up my back and gathered some of the hair at the base of my neck. He tilted my head back, my mind swimming. Fuck yes, I wanted him to touch me, wanted to feel this. His mouth crashed onto mine, but only for a brief dizzying moment. “But…I want to watch too.”
I let out a shuddered breath. Oh fuck. My thighs clenched together, needing the friction. I was so hot and worked up before he started talking. He’s talented at dirty talk.
“Touch me,” I demanded. He tilted my head back further, but his eyes looked above me as a grin crossed his face. He walked me backwards a few stumbling steps, then I felt the warmth of Raff behind me, his warm fingers skating under the fabric of my tank and along the waistband of my jean shorts. He pulled me in an almost possessive way to his warm, hard body, his hard cock barely contained in his shorts now resting against my ass.
Ranger used his hold on me to tilt my neck to the side, and Raff didn’t waste any time. Using his tongue, he licked and nipped his way up my neck to my jaw. His hand followed up under my tank, resting just below my bra.
Ranger swallowed my moan with his lips as he pressed his body against mine. I was wedged between two hard bodies, and it felt amazing as Ranger’s erection ground against my stomach. He was taller than me, so it wasn’t hitting the right spot, but it didn’t matter. Ranger’s hand snaked down between us and popped the top button of my jeans. He pulled back slightly, watching my face for a moment, and I realized he was seeking permission. I nodded, I wanted this.
“Touch me, both of you.”
My zipper lowered, then my shorts were loose, and I could now feel how wet I was. It surprised me when it was Raff who reached down and cupped my mound, rubbing his index finger against the wet spot on my underwear. I was all his firsts, and this was another first for him.
My body moved on his own, seeking out his touch, needing the thin piece of fabric between us to be gone. I ground my ass back against him, causing him to let out a deep groan that sounded almost like a growl.
“You like that? You want more?” Ranger said, and my eyes opened and focused on him as his teeth dragged against his lower lip. His heated gaze flicked between my face and where Raff was touching me. Fuck, he was so devious. And he was mine.
I shoved my shorts down a little, giving Raff more room to move his hand. I reached out and grasped Ranger’s cock though his shorts. He was hard and hot, and he grabbed my hand with a cocky smile, rubbed against it a few times, then took my mouth in searing kiss. Hands were roaming everywhere, and I reached back to rub against Raff’s erection as his hand pushed under the cup of my bra and found my tight nipple. His pinching and rubbing it between his fingers had hot pleasure shooting down to my core, I was so wet now.
My underwear was shoved to the side. Fingers found my clit, and I let out a moan as my legs parted, wanting more. The heat of this moment was fueled by the lust and sexual tension that had been building between us all for weeks. It had finally bubbled up to the surface, and the reward was amazing.
A finger circled my clit, and I let out a whimper as another found my entrance. Two hands from two different men were working me. I needed them both to hold me up, my legs wanting to give out under the ecstasy I was feeling. Pleasure rocked through my system, and I saw stars. My head was pulled back, and Raff kissed me as I moaned out, wanting more but also feeling too much, as I was so sensitive. I reached out to Ranger, trying to touch his cock… but he chuckled.
“This is about you, babe. Take it all. Use our hands to pleasure yourself. Don’t worry about us, we’ll get off just on you alone.”
God, he was so unlike other guys. Most were all taker, never givers, and here they both were, giving and not wanting anything in return. I rubbed my ass against Raff’s erection harder, his body moving with mine. I knew he could come from this and I didn’t need to touch him. I ran my hand down Ranger’s chest and under his tee. His abs were like rocks, so tense, then I found his waistband. I tugged on the elastic a few times, and his chest rumbled deep.
“You don’t have to ask. You can touch me anywhere, anytime.”
I was so wet now, I could smell my own arousal in the air, and the guys were getting off on it as much as I was. I reached down into Ranger’s shorts and found his hard, silky cock, throbbing and hot. I stroked a few times and rubbed my thumb over the head, swiping the pre-cum and circling it a few times. I smiled when the fingers working me from the inside stopped, which told me it was Raff that was strumming on my clit. Fuck, he knew what he was doing. He’d circle my clit and then give a few quick harder strokes that had my legs twitching, then slowly circle it again. He was teasing me, working me up to a mammoth orgasm, and I’d already had one…but I was greedy and wanted so many more.
“Don’t stop,” I panted to Ranger. I was so close, my chest heaving as a bead of sweat trickled between my breasts. His fingers sped up, curling and working my g-spot. Raff didn’t let up on my clit until I gasped, called out their names, and really did see stars and the heavens as a huge orgasm rocked through me. My legs were unable to keep me standing, but they held me up as I rode that high.
There were a few kisses as Ranger pulled my hand from his cock, he hadn’t come but he shook his head. “This was about you.” He reminded me, he kissed my shoulder as my underwear was rearranged and my shorts were put back in place.
“Now that was hot.” Ranger smirked as he licked his fingers, the same ones that had been inside me. He winked and took my hand. I looked down to see how Raff had gone, he had a darker patch on the front of his shorts.
I smiled, I did that.
Raff spoke up as he took my other hand. “Ada has arrived. I’m just gonna quickly change.” He kissed me and ran off in the opposite direction.
I had no idea how I was going to walk back out there and not look like a chick who just got off…twice behind the house. But these were my boyfriends. My mates.
No one would say anything and make it awkward…right?
Chapter Nineteen
Maverick
I was drowning in guilt and memories. My wolf was out of sync with me for the first time in my life and… Just… Fuck. Watching Lexi dying, then Galen. All that blood…so much blood on white floors, white rugs. So much red.
It brought up memories of my mother’s death and the reason why our house was white—because dark rooms hide dark men. Shadows are easier to see on a white wall than a dark one. My mother, lying on the floor of the living room… I didn’t see her, but I smelled the blood. I could taste it in the air.
After that, Father had the whole house painted white. He said if it had been that way before, maybe my mother could have been saved. But we knew it wouldn’t have stopped them. Vampires my father pissed off had come to send him a warning, and that was the first one. My mother. He said he’d killed the assholes who did it, and that was right before Galen moved in.
My heart was pounding in my chest. So much bad shit has happened, but now I wasn’t sure. How could I give my heart to someone, knowing that something could come and take them from me? Like they did my mother.
I didn’t know what to do, and I felt uncomfortable around Galen, so much so that I hadn’t spoken to him. I was pretty much avoiding Lexi, because I felt like my heart would break into a thousand pieces. Fuck. I didn’t know what I was doing and this wasn’t like me.