by Belle Harper
“We good?” He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on mine, then took a few deeps breaths. I was so lost and had no idea what was upsetting him so much. He wasn’t giving me any answers, but when his head pulled away, he nodded.
“Just had shit on my mind, it’s not you. I’m just…just overthinking shit.” He moved in and kissed me. When his tongue licked the seam of my lips, all the noise and people at the party disappeared. It was just the two of us. My hands on the back of his neck pulled him closer, wanting his body against mine.
“Get a room,” I heard someone’s voice call out, breaking through my bubble with Maverick, but I didn’t want to pull away. I was so worked up, I bet I smelled like a bitch in heat, and I could tell Maverick was just as worked up as me. He pulled my hips down and let me feel how worked up he was. Better slow this down. I spun on Maverick, so I was now sitting in his lap, my back to his front and now facing Noah, who was taking off his shorts? What the hell?
I put my hand up to block the sight. I looked over to Ada, and she was staring at Noah. Like really staring at him. I saw her tongue dash out quickly, wetting her bottom lip. I shook my head and, with my hand positioned just right, I looked back over at Noah.
“Ah, what the fuck are you doing, Noah?” Maverick asked. Noah cocked his head to Ada and smiled.
“Ada wanted to see a wolf, so I told her I would shift for her.” My other hand went to my mouth to cover the laugher I knew would spill out if I didn’t hold on. Ada must have seen me move and gently pushed my shoulder. The giggles came out, right as Noah went from human to wolf. By the sound Ada made, she was either excited that he shifted for her or that she was seeing a wolf shifter, I wasn’t sure. She really had mixed feelings for him.
“Wow. Holy shit. He really is a wolf.” I could feel Maverick laughing under me, and my heart wanted to burst. He always seemed too serious, and it was nice for him to let go. I turned and laughed with him. I kissed him a few times before I turned back and saw Ada leaning over and stroking the huge wolf in front of her.
“He is so soft, like holy crap. Do you get someone to brush your fur?” My mouth dropped, and I could see Saint standing nearby, just watching Ada. Then I realized there was a lot of guys watching her pet Noah. Oh fuck, she was petting Noah.
“Ada, stop. Fuck, petting him is like, you know, making out for them. You only stroke your mate.” Well, that’s what Raff had told me. Her hand jerked away like Noah was on fire, and she held her hand to her chest like she had been burned.
“He told me I could pet him. He didn’t say anything.” That had Saint over here in a flash, and he growled low at Noah. At first, Noah didn’t move, but a second warning from Saint had him moving quickly but not far from us.
Ada was totally freaking out, and I felt terrible that I didn’t warn her about it. I was distracted and didn’t think twice. But I guessed I thought Noah would be a good guy and tell her at least. Then again, this was Noah. He was crazy about her, so I should’ve known he would trick her into something.
“It’s okay, Ada. He should’ve told you,” Saint said, trying to calm down Ada. He growled low again, and I watched as Noah’s ears pinned back slightly as he crouched low. Was Saint like an alpha to him, or were they getting ready to fight? I groaned and rubbed my hands down my face. I didn’t want to see any fighting, since I was having a good time again.
Then I had an idea. I leaned over and grabbed the bag full of pool goodies that I’d left near my chair, reaching in and grabbing the ball I’d bought earlier. I couldn’t help the grin now spread across my face as I handed it to Ada. She looked down at it, and I could see her brow furrow, when she squeezed it her eyes lit up when she knew what I’d just given her.
“You wanna play catch?” She waved the ball at Noah’s face, and there was a bunch of chuckles from around us. Noah perked up and shuffled closer, but he was really avoiding Saint. She threw the ball, not very far, but he got up and chased it.
We all laughed, and my tummy hurt from laughing so much when he brought it back and dropped it at her feet, sitting with his tongue lolled to the side. She laughed and picked it up, but this time, she stood up and threw it further before he chased it.
“I think someone is trying to get back in the good books,” Galen said, and I looked up as he handed me a plate with a burger and then held out another one. Maverick hesitated at first, but then took it from him.
“So, I heard from a certain Alpha, that it was someone’s birthday yesterday and they didn’t tell us. And in the crazy shit day we all had, we all forgot.” Galen said as he winked at me. I looked around, since it wasn’t mine. Ranger and Raff came back, holding two glasses and a few bottles of water under their armpits. Raff had three plates in his hands, and he leaned over and gave one to Ada. It made me so happy that they didn’t forget about her. Then everyone took a seat on the grass around us.
“Raff, you should have told us sooner, this was huge. I’m so sorry we all missed it” Galen said. I stopped mid bite and looked at Raff. He just shrugged and mumbled it wasn’t a big deal. Oh my god, how could I have missed something so important? My heart sank for him. I didn’t wake up with him, I…
“Raff, why didn’t you tell me?” My eyes were starting to water, and my throat got tight. I didn’t even share my bed with him, he woke up alone on his eighteenth birthday and no one wished him a happy birthday all day.
He didn’t meet my eyes, but he shrugged and shoved the burger in his mouth. I knew then that he hadn’t ever celebrated a birthday before, not like the others. His birthdays were more like mine…alone. I’d never had a birthday party or a birthday cake, and presents were something I only dreamed about.
I stood, Galen taking my plate as I wrapped my arms around Raff’s back. “Happy birthday, I whispered as I tried hard to keep the tears in, but a lonely one escaped, rolling down my cheek and onto his tee.
“It’s okay. There was more important things happening. No big deal.” His hands were on mine as he held me to him. I felt his heart racing, and I couldn’t believe I didn’t know.
“Raff. It is a big deal. We want to make it special, throw a huge party, man. You turned eighteen, and you didn’t tell us.” Ranger told him.
I turned to the others and said, “You better tell me your birthdays. I’m never going to miss another one.” I was going to make sure Raff had the best late birthday ever.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lexi
Burgers were the best, and the ones the guys had all cooked up were amazing. I’d stuffed my face. Now the stars were out, and the music was perfect and not too loud. Raff had gone inside to change again he had said, but I knew he just needed time alone for a moment. I thought he was a little overwhelmed by Ranger’s party plans, and he had plans. I thought my plan was a little better, since I was hoping we could go out to dinner, maybe somewhere in Port Willow. I’d seen some restaurants around there, and it would be nice. Just the five of us. But have a special one on one lunch with him. Alone, together.
“Let’s have something to drink.” Ada snapped me out of my thoughts as she reached over and took her glass. It was full of clear liquid, and I was told it was vodka and Sprite. I took mine as I shuffled my ass on Maverick. I’d jumped back onto his lap when Raff left, and I hadn’t let him up. He wasn’t getting away from me. I took a small sip, and I could taste the alcohol instantly. I thought vodka didn’t like have huge a taste, but it was strong. Ada’s eyes flared open to me as she coughed.
“Who mixed this? It’s like vodka with a dash of Sprite.” She asked. Maverick pulled my wrist holding onto the glass towards him and took a sip. He shook his head and laughed.
“Ranger is trying to get you drunk, I think. That’s strong.” More laugher came when Ranger shook his head and pointed to Galen, who looked…guilty?
“I didn’t make them.” Ranger smiled, Galen was over to us fast, taking the glasses from our hands and making the liquid slosh over the sides in his haste.
“I’m so sorry.
I don’t mix mine, so I didn’t know… I’ve never made one before. I should’ve asked how you liked them.”
I snatched mine back, and so did Ada.
“It’s fine, just means I won’t need more than one to feel a little buzzed.” Ada smiled and took a huge mouthful, but the grimace on her face made me decide to sip it.
Galen was watching me closely. The group around us had grown and I’d noticed that quite a few guys were sitting closer to Ada, but most looked as if they were trying to avoid being close to Galen. It upset me a little, but Ranger sat right down on the grass with him earlier, shoulder to shoulder, not caring about the stares. Galen acted like he didn’t care either, but I knew he still would. It still upset me that he was excluded here, even more so than Raff was, and Galen had been here for six years. I took this as a good time to show them all, all the shifters of Kiba, that Galen wasn’t going anywhere.
“Hold this for me?” I spun and gave Maverick the glass. He kissed my shoulder as I turned into his lap. I leaned forward to where Galen was still standing in front of me and grabbed onto the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing. His eyes followed my hands as I pulled him in so close our noses were touching.
I could hear the gasps and silence around, then the music the only thing I heard as I moved in and took his lips with mine. His hand sneaked up into my hair, and he pulled me closer, which caused my back to arch in Maverick’s lap, my ass pressing harder into his now hard cock. With one hand, Maverick held me against him, grinding against my ass as I pressed hard back against him. Maverick moaned the same time I did, and Galen swallowed it with a hungry kiss.
When Galen pulled away, I licked my bottom lip before I leaned back onto Maverick. I reached up and moved his face closer to mine. He didn’t need to be asked, he just took my mouth. He was just as hungry as Galen, like he was trying to taste him on my lips. Tongues and teeth, this was wild coming from Maverick, and I fucking loved it. It was Ada who broke the silence.
“Okay, you really do need to get a room.” I pulled away, my lips tingling, and I was so worked up again. I thought a room sounded good just about now, but also, maybe a little too much.
“Well, I guess there’s no more wondering if Galen is in or out… I take it that was your way to tell us that you have taken him as a mate, Lex.”
I eyed Ranger and looked over to Raff, then gave them a lazy smile as I took the cup back from Maverick and drank the whole glass of vodka. It burned as it went down, the taste yuck, and I shook my head, trying to get the taste away.
“He’s always been in. He just didn’t know it.”
I could hear a lot of talking, but I blocked it out as Galen took my hand. I felt two more hands and looked down to see all my mates were touching me. In that moment, something clicked into place.
This was right, this was me giving my heart away to four guys. For the first time in my life, I felt protected, loved, worshipped, and happy. I never wanted this feeling to end, and I would do anything to keep this.
I looked up to the sky. It was cloudy, but there was a small break that allowed me to see the stars. They were so far away, but they were always there when I looked up. Then I saw a streak of light.
“Shooting star, Lexi. Make a wish,” Galen said as he kissed my palm.
“I wish upon a star…” I thought that’s how it went. I wished that this would never end. That this was forever, and nothing would hurt us now that we’d all found each other.
But something deep inside told me that something was coming.
And I needed to be ready.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lexi
I felt hands on my body, a lot more than two, and I realized I was waking up to more than just Raff today. I kept my eyes closed and smiled as hands roamed under my sleep shirt and up to my nipples. I pressed into them, my breathing getting deeper, and I could feel myself getting wet. Fuck, I’m always wet around them.
I felt kissing on my neck as someone took my mouth. His tongue wasted no time, meeting mine with a deep hunger. I ran my hands down the closest body to me, along his bare chest and to the waistband of his boxers. God, they were tight as I dipped the tip of my index finger beneath the band and tugged lightly. He growled, and I opened my eyes to see it was Ranger. He took my wrist and pressed it over his hard cock. It wanted to break him free from that thin material holding him tight. I was kissing Maverick, and I bit his lip as his twin rubbed himself against my palm. This was so…dirty.
I felt a hand snake around my thigh, my legs opening, giving more room to where I wanted to be touched the most. I glanced down to see it was Galen. I wanted to get off so bad, I needed this. It felt like forever that we’d been all been toying with each other, pushing and pulling. The large warm hand of Raff pressed between my legs, cupping me and starting to rub against my core, my hips chasing after the pressure every time it moved away from my clit. I moaned out their names.
I wanted to touch Ranger, see Raff come, take Galen, and see how far I could push Maverick. All of them.
“Lexi…”
I moaned again, but the hands felt strange now. Why was the bed shaking? Was this an earthquake?
“Lexi, you’re having a dream,” I heard louder, the image in front of me changing as I opened my eyes.
I looked up into Raff’s face. He looked so cute and sleepy, with his hair all messed up and those eyes.
“How are you like, so hot?” I asked. His brows went up, and he threw his head back and chuckled.
“Yeah, I think our mate here was having a very nice dream,” Ranger said, and I turned to see him looking just as disheveled as Raff. What the hell?
I sat up, rubbing my hand over my face. I was in my room, in my bed, with Ranger, Raff… I looked down and saw Maverick was also here. His eyes were closed, but I could tell he was awake. But… “Where is Galen?”
“I’m here. Apparently, my scent makes it hard for the guys to sleep, so I tried to stay away.”
I heard Maverick make a groaning sound at that. I looked over to Ranger, and he rolled his eyes.
“I said that it was messing with my senses and my body couldn’t relax. I did say to come back when I passed out, not to stay over there all night. I can still smell you anyway, so I guess it’s just something I’ll get used to. I didn’t really think about it when we all agreed to sleep in here.”
I threw myself back down on the pillow, then I felt the bed dip.
“So, you have a nice dream, Lexi?” Galen asked.
“Stop smelling me, assholes. And don’t wake me up when I’m just getting to the good bit in the dream. I was just about to have sex with…Zac Efron.” I could hear them all groan.
“You know, you can lie all you want…but it wasn’t Zac you were calling out for,” Ranger teased. I just shook my head at him. Okay, I was caught having a good dream…a really hot and heavy, I need to recreate this in real life kind of dream. Instead, I rolled over and cuddled into Raff. Last night, I decided that today was going to be his birthday do over day. Everyone agreed while he was inside, so today was going to be all about Rafferty King.
“Happy eighteenth Birthday, Raff.” I moved in and kissed him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rafferty
I’d been feeling strange since I woke up, especially since I didn’t get the best night’s sleep. I hadn’t wanted to mention to Galen last night that it was his scent that wouldn’t let my wolf relax too, and even while he was in the closet, his scent was enough to have my skin prickle. My wolf was on alert all night, even though I knew he wouldn’t hurt us. I took a deep breath and tried to settle into Lexi, but I felt exhausted.
Lexi was well rested, and if anything, she seemed happier than ever waking up next to the three of us. I could smell her worry when she didn’t see Galen at first, and the happiness I saw wash through her at knowing he was there made me feel bad for wanting to ask him to sleep in another room tonight.
Like Ranger had said, I’d have to get used to it now that Lexi
had let him in. I felt better knowing that she had accepted him, and it felt like we were complete now with him. A real family, a pack of our own.
I still couldn’t believe the way my life had changed in just a month. If Keene hadn’t picked me up running my uncle’s shit, if I didn’t finally let Shelly convince me to go here to Kiba…I would probably be dead, and that was the best scenario.
“I’m taking you to a birthday lunch, so go get ready but keep the sexy bed hair,” Lexi said, running her fingers though my hair a few more times. My wolf wanted to be stroked by her, and I could feel him wanting to nuzzle her. “We’re going out, so get moving.” I laughed when I realized that I was nuzzling her.
My wolf had grown so strong, it would be hard to contain him now. He wanted to claim Lexi and for Lexi to claim him. To bond. That was something that would never happen, but I was still so happy without it. I never wanted her to become a shifter, and now we knew that couldn’t happen. Whatever Lexi was, she was perfect, and she called to my wolf like no other ever had. Nothing would change how I felt about her.
She pulled away from me and clapped her hands.
“Okay, boys, time to get out. I’m taking a shower.” I felt the bed jostle and looked up to see Ranger wearing nothing but boxers, strutting his way to Lexi’s bathroom.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Lexi called out to him, her head cocked to the side when he turned back to us with that shit eating grin.
“I need to shower too, so I thought we could save time. I wash your back, you wash my—” A pillow hit him before he could finish. As I had come to know Ranger, I knew he wasn’t going to finish with, “wash my back.” And Mav knew it too.
It was Galen who had us all moving, but I didn’t need too much pushing to go get ready. Lexi and I were going out, alone. I would have her most the day to myself, something I had wanted to have for a while now.