by Cara Adams
The fact she clearly hadn’t chosen one of the wolves in her father’s pack didn’t provide any relief for him. Often growing up with someone inoculated the people against each other. There was too much knowledge, too much shared history, too much between them for romance to flourish. But fuck! She was so beautiful and so genuinely loving and kind, no man here could fail to see what a treasure she was. Yet he had no right to demand she commit to being with him and Ben. Maybe tomorrow after they’d played a BSDSM scene she’d be drawn closer to them. But what if he was misreading the signs and BDSM didn’t interest her? Maybe the shiver she’d given when he mentioned the ball gag was one of distaste not one of appreciation. Fucking hell. All he wanted was Ebony, but his hands were tied by the rules. Rules he knew were logical and right. But that didn’t make him happy. Nothing would stop his worry and stress until Ebony said those little words, “I will mate you.”
And how the fucking hell was he supposed to bring her to that point when they had so little time alone together?
Merek leaned over Ebony and softly kissed a line along her shoulder. She sighed and wiggled then sat up, gently shaking his hands from her skin.
“I need to shower and go home.”
“You could stay here tonight. We’d really like it if you did,” said Ben, reaching for her hand.
But she shook her head and slid off the bed. “No way. Three people in that bed is a recipe for disaster. Besides, Ivory will be expecting me any moment now and I don’t want her to worry.”
Ebony retreated into the bathroom. Merek could think of a dozen things to say. They could push the two beds together, making one large bed. She could send a text message to Ivory. But he knew she wouldn’t listen. Her mind was made up and he had no rights over her as yet.
Besides, she was damn smart. She knew her arguments were just that. Arguments. The real reason was that she wasn’t ready to stay with them all night. Which meant she wasn’t ready to commit to them yet. Which in turn meant his job was still unfinished. Damn it!
She wasn’t in the bathroom long. He and Ben had scarcely dressed and finished tidying the room before she came out and put on her jeans and shirt again.
“Thank you for a lovely evening. I enjoyed myself very much,” she said quite formally as she opened the door.
Merek raced to hold it for her and follow her outside. “We’ll escort you to your cabin.”
They walked in silence back along the path to where she’d made them wait the previous night. He stopped and turned her to face them both. “Please may we escort you to the barbecue? Will you be our date for the night?” he asked.
Ben picked up her hands and held them in his, gazing into her face.
Ebony looked from Ben to him and back to Ben. “Very well. Thank you.”
She let them walk her to her cabin door and they stood back as she opened it just wide enough to slide her body through the gap. She wiggled her fingers at them and the door closed silently. Merek was pleased. She’d allowed them to know which cabin was hers. She’d agreed to be their date for the barbecue. Their first genuine date. That had to mean she favored them above all the other men. It had to mean she was seriously considering them as her mates. It had to.
Chapter Six
Ivory was asleep when Ebony returned to the cabin. They had such a lot to talk about but they’d virtually had no time alone together to talk. And now wasn’t the right time either. Apart from the fact that she’d learned a very long time ago that it was never a good idea to wake Ivory up from a sound sleep, there was the simple fact that they both had classes to teach in less than eight hours’ time. So going to bed now herself was an excellent idea, whereas starting a long and involved conversation would only mean both of them were exhausted by the end of their third class tomorrow—well today actually.
But she really absolutely had to talk to Ivory before her relationship with Merek and Ben went any farther. The situation between the three of them had moved really fast. Way faster than she’d ever dreamed of. And while she was confident that neither man would take advantage of her, by letting them monopolize her attention she was automatically preventing them from finding another woman who might suit them even better than she did. And that was totally unfair. They’d already had to wait an extra year to come to the mating party, despite passing the tests last year, so it would be beyond rude for her to take up all their time and attention now unless she was reasonably certain they were the men for her.
And that’s why she wanted to talk to her sister. They’d always shared everything and she needed to know what Ivory’s thoughts and plans were before she could feel confident enough to take her own relationship deeper.
Should she walk away from the men and give them the chance to look around and see if someone else was a better fit for them?
A better fit. Wow, her mind was in the gutter right now. Her cunt and ass still felt stretched and swollen from the massive orgasms they’d given her tonight. They certainly knew how to rev her engines and send her into outer space. But was she being fair to them? She liked them. Liked them a lot. Okay, liked them a hell of a lot. But was that enough? Their home pack was in Ohio but she would have to quit her job and move to live with them. Presumably she’d be able to find work in the nearest big city. Or maybe she’d start her own small business. That was an idea she and Ivory had talked about on and off over the years.
But what about Ivory? Ebony was certain Ivory was dating someone here. Or possibly more than one someone. But Ivory hadn’t said and Ebony sure as hell hadn’t asked. Ivory would speak when she was ready, just as she was now ready to talk to Ivory about Ben and Merek. Although, having said that, if their days hadn’t been so cram packed full of things to do, likely they would have talked already. They needed to talk and talk soon. Preferably before the barbecue tonight. Somehow they’d have to carve out some time after they finished teaching their classes and before the party tonight.
Having made up her mind, Ebony curled into a ball and went to sleep. It seemed like only minutes later when the alarm woke her and she dragged herself into the bathroom to clean her teeth and begin her day. The morning was a blur of a hasty breakfast, followed by three hours of dancing with classes that showed no signs of becoming smaller as the days passed. She and Ivory introduced Suzie Qs to the advanced group. Although a few of the men almost fell over and did crash into each other the first time they attempted a crossover, basically it went quite well and by the end of the lesson they were all Suzie Q’ing at full speed and adding the move into their other steps. Ebony was really impressed.
Before anyone could approach them after the final class, Ebony whispered to Ivory, “We’ve hardly had a minute to talk to each other. How about we grab some food and take it back to the cabin and eat alone, just the two of us?”
“That’s a cool idea. We need some sister time and I was thinking about taking a nap this afternoon as well.”
So when Merek and Ben appeared to ask her to meet them for lunch, Ebony shook her head and said teasingly, “I’m sorry. I’ve already got a lunch partner.”
Instantly she felt bad as Ben looked as if she’d hit him and Merek developed a deep frown although neither of them said anything. Still she hastened to add, “Ivory and I need some sister time.”
She was glad she’d explained, because their countenances changed instantly. Ben patted her arm and said, “Of course you do. I hope you both have a great time.”
Merek’s response was more true to the Dom in him, “May we see you after lunch. Or collect you for the barbecue instead?”
“I need to find out what people are wearing. I might have to rush back to the cabin and change if I’m not happy with my choices. It’d be better if I met you there, I think.”
Ben just looked confused. “It’s a barbecue. Won’t everyone be wearing jeans?”
“Ah, you see for a woman it’s not that simple. Men can get away with jeans just about everywhere, but a woman is judged on her outer appearance always.”
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They finally left and she and Ivory moved to the foyer area where the food stands were.
“I haven’t had any of the pasta yet. Let’s get takeout boxes from there,” suggested Ivory.
Ebony followed her sister and was glad several people were in line ahead of her as she tried to decide between spaghetti, paccheri, tagliatelle, gnocchi, lasagne, and ravioli.
It was another lovely sunny day, but Ebony shut the cabin door firmly behind them and left the drapes closed. It was a shame to shut out the light and sun, but if they were to talk in complete privacy they couldn’t afford to have curious wolves peering in the window or trying to watch them through the open door.
Ivory piled her drink and pasta onto the table, then stood with her hands on her hips. “You are taking this seriously, aren’t you?”
“I guess it means a lot to me. So much has been happening these past few days. I feel like it’s been a month, not a few days since we arrived.
Ivory dropped into a chair and laughed. “I feel the same. Hell, I’m planning on taking a nap this afternoon. I can’t remember the last time I did that.”
They settled at the table together and Ebony relaxed. Ivory wasn’t just her sister, she was also her best friend. They understood each other completely and had a bond so strong nothing could break it. Certainly not a new relationship with her men, which was turning into quite a different kind of friendship. One of heightened emotions and hot sex as much as of words and shared experiences.
“Tell me about Merek and Ben. It is them you like, isn’t it? They always seem to be watching you. Ben looks at you with love and longing, but Merek’s gaze is one of intense possession.”
“Really? I thought they’d been very good about sharing me at the parties.”
Ivory laughed. “Come on. You called this meeting, so talk.”
Ebony giggled. Having to go to a meeting had been their standard excuse to avoid dates they didn’t want to accept with boys all through high school. The meeting was inevitably in their bedroom with each other.
“I like them both a lot. We’ve done a surprising amount of talking and get along well together. They’ve always acted very fairly and I like the way they work together so cooperatively, too. They’re also dead sexy and hot.”
“And I’m guessing you’ve checked that out as well, judging by the fact I got home before you the last two nights,” added Ivory.
Ebony felt herself blush. But hell, she was twenty-nine and could do as she pleased. “Yes.”
“So what’s the problem? You’ve got a few more days to talk some more and do other stuff some more. By the end of the week you should know if you’re ready to say good-bye to them or not.”
Ebony put her fork down and stared at her gnocchi. “I suppose I wonder if I’m being selfish by staying with them. This is their big chance to find the woman they want, and if they stay with me and I decide not to accept them, it’s like I’ve wasted all their opportunities.”
“Do you think you’ll say no to them?”
“Not at the moment. I like them. The more I get to know them, the more I like them. But what if something changes my mind?”
“Wait up a minute. Let me understand. Right now you’re thinking yes. Is that right?”
Ebony nodded.
“You aren’t thinking maybe yes. It’s a definite yes at this stage?”
“Correct. I don’t have any problems with them now. But what if—”
“You can’t tie yourself in knots with what ifs. So far you’re happy and they’re happy. If it all blows up later, well that’s just your bad luck and theirs. You have to be honest with yourself and them, but you can’t live in what-if land.”
Ebony smiled at Ivory. Her sister always helped her to clarify her thoughts. “Thank you. But there’s a whole lot of other stuff as well. There’s Thom’s pack with no women. And—” Ivory was about to speak but Ebony shook her head and rushed on. “—there’s also the worry that we’ll end up living hundreds of miles from each other and not be together any more. And a job, too. I don’t want to sit at home all day doing nothing and—”
“One step at a time, Ebony. Life is just one step at a time. Thom doesn’t need dancing teachers. He needs unmated women and a means to find them. Giving his men dancing classes is not an answer. There are other people here he needs to talk to and get ideas about sending his men out where they can build friendships with women who are open to interspecies marriage. The men he meets here, and the knowledge and ideas they can share with him will be of far more use to him than you or I could be by running a dance class or mating him. As regards us being apart, why do you think they invented Skype? Sure it’s not the same as holding your hand, but with e-mail, and text messages, and Skype we can still talk to each other every day.”
Ebony was grinning at Ivory. She was waving her fork around as she spoke, heedless of the chunk of lasagne about to fly across the room. “You haven’t said anything about a job yet,” she teased.
“There’s no need to. You’ll find something worthwhile to do.”
They both concentrated on eating for a while, and then Ebony asked, “What about you? Who has been keeping you entertained these afternoons?”
Her smile widened as Ivory blushed, but her sister shook her head. “I’m not nearly as far progressed with my feelings as you. Yes, there are two men I’m looking at, but I’m a long way from any kind of a decision yet.”
Ebony wanted to ask if it was two men together, or two separate men, but understood that if Ivory had wanted to tell her she would have made it clearer. That was her sister’s private business right now.
With the heavy discussion out of the way, they sipped their beverages and gossiped happily for half an hour. Ebony felt easier in her heart and mind. Nothing was settled. Nothing had changed externally. But inside she knew that she was doing the right thing to pursue the romance with Merek and Ben. She wanted to say she loved them, but shied away from such strong words so soon. There was a definite link between her and them. She didn’t have to explain herself to them. They seemed to understand her thoughts and feelings and that was amazing after such a short friendship. She also liked the way they made her body sit up and dance.
She needed to find out for sure if Merek was a Dom and what that would mean for her. She’d seen a Dom in action once at a fetish club and it had made her hornier than hell. Even when Merek had spoken about gagging her she’d creamed at the thought. Maybe this afternoon she ought to get online and check out the BDSM scene so she could ask some intelligent questions about the lifestyle.
No, she hadn’t made any decisions, but talking to Ivory had cleared her head and now she knew which way to move forward. And Ben and Merek were very much in her future right now.
* * * *
No matter how many times Ben reminded himself they were only halfway through the week and that Ebony had chosen to leave with them each night from the parties, he couldn’t stop the way his heart pounded with terror every time he thought he and Merek might not win her love. He’d been attracted to Ebony from the moment he met her. She was beautiful, sexy, and athletic, but he knew his attraction wasn’t just lust. Nor was it desperation to find a mate. There were sixty women here and plenty of them were also beautiful, sexy, and athletic, but he wasn’t interested in any of them. Although he hadn’t looked much at other women, while waiting for Ebony he’d had plenty of time to observe Ivory and he really liked her, but there was no spark in his mind or body when he watched Ebony’s sister.
As he’d gotten to know Ebony better, his attraction for her had simply grown. She had a sharp mind and was interested in so many things. He’d found himself falling in love with her mind as well as her personality and her body. Again, there were plenty of intelligent women here. He’d had conversations with some of them, too. But once again, none of them excited him in the way Ebony did. He never found himself staring after them as they left and wishing they were still beside him. He hadn’t behaved like that with his pa
st girlfriends either. He’d never been in love before and it was Ebony he loved.
Which was why every time there was a hint she might never agree to be his and Merek’s mate, his heart pounded with fear, his palms became sweaty, and terror rolled through his body. When she’d refused to see them this afternoon he’d almost thrown himself at her feet and begged her to let him be with her. Only years and years of training as a werewolf helped him remain in the same position as she left. But the entire time his inner toddler was lying on the ground kicking and screaming in a massive meltdown.
Benedict had finally admitted to himself that he was hopelessly and helplessly in love with Ebony. And he had no way of knowing if she would ever come to love him.
He’d thought that was his main problem until he and Merek arrived at the area of lawn where the barbecue was happening. All afternoon the scent of roasting meat had been making him salivate. Right now he was so hungry he was planning to eat half that cow all by himself.
Then he saw the security guards. He was used to seeing the security team. One or more of them always guarded the doors to the rooms during the day for the various activities and classes. Several guarded the ballroom each night. Others accompanied the supervised daily runs and still more could be seen patrolling the fence line. On the one hand he could imagine that sixty females willing to marry shape-shifters would be very tempting to a pack with very few, or even no, women. But on the other hand, no mating was legal in shape-shifter law unless all the parties involved consented freely. Stealing a couple of women was only the first step. After that, the pack still had to encourage them to fall in love with someone. And since he was batting zero right now in that very battle, he couldn’t imagine someone who kidnapped a woman would be successful in gaining her love. Or at least, it wouldn’t happen either quickly or easily.