A man walking by the table gave her an appreciative glance, and Barron glowered at him, letting out a low, rumbling growl.
“Are you actually jealous of me?” she asked, astonished.
“Of course we are!” Barron downed the rest of his beer in one gulp, and Ajax followed suit.
“All right then. Tell me what happened last year.”
Barron and Ajax exchanged glances at each other. As they did, she felt the tension and anger in her loosening, replaced by something else. Warmth. Desire. They were so handsome. So sexy. She’d been with Ajax…now she wanted to be with both of them.
“We…there was a family emergency that we had to deal with. It’s something that we can’t talk about. Pack business,” Barron said. He was breathing hard, and staring at her as if she were the sexiest thing on the planet.
“After I ran off like that…we were afraid to talk to you.” Ajax reached out and grabbed her hand, and she felt a shudder of desire ripple through her. “We had to spend the rest of the festival dealing with the family problem, and then we didn’t think you’d want anything to do with us.”
“Of course I did. I just wanted an explanation. And who was that woman who came over to tell me you two were claiming her?”
Ajax looked bewildered. “There were a lot of women hitting on us from the moment we got there. I mean, not to sound stuck up or anything, but there were. Maybe one of them thought she’d have a chance with us if she scared you off. I don’t know.” He stroked his thumb across her hand and she stifled a shudder of desire.
The waiter, who’d been rushing by their table, grabbed up their empty pitcher of beer. She glanced down at her mug and realized it was empty too. When had that happened?
“Want a refill?” he asked them.
“We’re fine,” Ajax said, waving him away.
“Can we go back to our cabin and talk about this?” Barron asked.
Dimly, in the recesses of her mind, she thought that wasn’t the best idea. She needed more of an explanation from them. She needed to know why last year had happened, and also to know that it would never happen again.
No, she needed them. Right now. More than anything she’d ever wanted in her life.
“Let’s go,” she said. “Right now.”
As they rushed out, she saw Vita dancing on a table top, and an exasperated Karlie standing there, waving at her and trying to get her down. I should go help, she thought. But no. Ajax. Barron. She had to be with them. Now.
Chapter Four
Barron flung the door to their cabin open and Ajax set Mackenzie down. He’d scooped her up when they were halfway there, and dashed through the woods with Barron jogging alongside him, laughing breathlessly.
“Clothes,” Ajax said. “You’re wearing too many of them.” He reached out and in one swift motion, ripped open the front of her dress.
Cloth tore and buttons pinged across the floor. Mackenzie gasped, caught between outrage and fierce, overwhelming arousal. Moisture pooled between her thighs as Ajax pulled her into his arms and held her close, drinking in the heat of her skin and running his hands over her back, over her hips and ass, as if trying to memorize every contour and curve of her body. He took a deep, shuddering breath, then stepped back, the heat of the desire in his eyes setting up an answering flutter low in her belly. As he stepped away she brought up her hands to cover herself, but as the brothers ran their gazes from her wild mop of blonde hair to the tips of her curling toes, she realized she didn’t feel shy or uncertain about her body. And although her nipples were hard against the fabric of her bra, she wasn’t cold – she felt as if she were burning up with fever.
Ajax and Barron stalked around her with predatory expressions, moving with smooth, muscular grace and looking at her as if they wanted to eat her alive. Like the wolves they were. The air seemed to hum with energy and tension. She felt as if she were filled from top to toe with butterflies and sunshine – free, elated and so very desirable.
Barron ran an exploratory finger over the curve of her breast, while Ajax pulled the barrette from her curls, allowing her hair to tumble to her shoulders. He ran his fingers through it, then held a lock up to his face so he could inhale her scent. Suddenly bold, she allowed the tattered remains of her dress to slip to the floor, and Barron gave a deep, rumbling growl of desire and snatched her into his arms.
Then he was kissing her with a desperation that pierced her heart. His tongue dueled with hers and he nipped and suckled at her lips, tilting her head with his big hands so he could get even closer to her. His body pressed against her, the hard heat of his chest against her tingling nipples, and she could have sworn she could feel his heart beating. Her own pulse fluttered like a panicked bird. Ajax was a reassuring presence against her back.
Barron pulled away for a moment, his breath ragged and unsteady. “You don’t know how badly I’ve wanted this,” he said, pressing his forehead against hers. His irises were bare rims of pale blue around pupils dilated with passion. “I thought I might die if I couldn’t have you. Oh God…”
But Mackenzie knew neither brother could possibly have wanted her more than she wanted them. Her heart had been broken, and being held in their arms made her feel whole, complete…as if she’d found the missing part of herself.
He bent his head and took her mouth again, while Ajax ran his fingers playfully under the straps of her bra then began to fumble for the clasp, growling with comical frustration when he realized it hooked in the front. He tugged her away from his brother, who tried to follow her mouth with his, blinking with dazed passion when she was taken from his arms. Then his eyes dropped to her breasts, their creamy tops spilling over the demure cotton of her bra, and he reached out and flicked open the catch, allowing them to spill into his palms.
Ajax tugged playfully at the fabric of her panties. Mackenzie wished fleetingly that she’d worn some sexy confection of satin and lace…but of course she hadn’t been planning to hook up with anyone, least of all Ajax and Barron. And anyway, it didn’t seem to matter – the brothers were devouring her with their eyes as if she were some kind of tempting calorific treat.
“So innocent looking…” Ajax purred as he slipped his hand between her thighs, probing between the petals of her pussy. “But so wet.”
Mackenzie realized that her panties were soaked with her juices, and when Ajax’s wicked fingers found the nub of her clit she panted then groaned, unable to keep the sound inside. Her thighs shook, and if he hadn’t wrapped his strong arm around the curve of her stomach and held her in place, she didn’t know if her legs would have held her.
As Ajax continued to stroke between her thighs, sending thrills of electricity zapping through her body, making her nipples pebble, making her breathing ragged, Barron reached out and tenderly stroked a tendril of hair away from her face. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, her nose, her lips. “Come to bed with us, Mackenzie,” he said in soft, husky tones. “Please.”
“Yes,” she replied. “Oh, yes.”
Barron lifted her easily in his arms and carried her to the bed in swift, sure strides. He lay her in the center, then the twins crawled in beside her, one to each side, their movements sleek and animal and utterly arousing. Their expressions were both tender and triumphant.
Ajax reached down to unbuckle her sandals to slip them off, then urged her to lift her hips so he could peel down her panties. He brought them to his nose and inhaled, his eyes fluttering closed at the unique scent of her arousal, before tossing them onto the floor. Then he worked his way behind her, pulling her back against his chest and wrapping his arms around her. She could feel the hard length of his cock pressing against her ass, but he seemed content simply to hold her. As Barron hastily stripped off his clothes, Ajax sucked her earlobe into his mouth and bit down gently, making her squeak and wriggle. He pinched her nipples, almost hard enough to hurt, and she gasped and allowed her thighs to fall open, lost in the sensation.
Warm hands slid up her inner thighs, an
d she felt Barron’s hot breath on her pussy before he flicked his tongue over her clit then sucked on her, drawing mindless gasps and moans from her. The heavy sensation of building arousal in her pelvis had her arching against his mouth, desperate to get closer, and the little grunts of effort and desire he gave, muffled against her flesh, had her racing towards climax. Barron was a more intense lover than Ajax – more earnest and not as playful, but just as skilled.
Behind her, Ajax played with her nipples and kissed the side of her throat, nipping and licking, scraping his teeth gently over the sensitive skin. She clutched his fingers with one hand, squeezing hard, and allowed the other to reach down to fondle the velvety, close-cropped hair of Barron’s scalp. “Oh God…” she moaned. “I’m going to come. Ajax… Barron…” She screwed her eyes closed and bit her lower lip as the feeling between her thighs spiraled and intensified. Her breath came in shallow, effortful pants.
Then Barron moved up her body, holding himself above her with one strongly muscled arm while he positioned his cock at her slick entrance. He was big, just as Ajax was, but she was so hot that he slid into her easily, pushing inside her to the hilt even as her pussy contracted greedily around him. She arched her hips up to meet his, desperate to take in all of him. She gave a little sigh that was half satisfaction, half a plea for more of him, more of this. Then he started to thrust, slow and smooth and hard, hitting her clit with each movement and sending her flying over the edge of orgasm. She cried out as she throbbed and clenched around him, shuddering and moaning as thrills of sensation swept over and through her while Ajax continue to kiss and fondle her, keeping her riding a wave of sexual desire that seemed as if it would never end.
As the last tremors of her climax began to fade, Barron increased the pace of his thrusting, flexing his hips with a frantic urgency that told her he was holding onto control by the most fragile of threads. With each thrust he cried out, making Mackenzie hotter, more desperate…and then incredibly she was flying again, the violence of her orgasm making her twist and cry out, thrashing her head from side to side. Barron hammered into her before giving a low, desperate groan and spilling himself inside her, arms trembling as he fought to keep himself from collapsing on top of her.
As Barron came, Mackenzie felt Ajax sink his teeth into the tender flesh of her throat, marking her, and a whole different kind of pleasure flashed through her as she felt his sharp incisors break the skin—a pleasure so intense she didn’t know if she could bear it.
Barron rolled to one side, chest heaving, his skin dewed with sweat. Ajax helped her to sit, then knelt at her side, hastily unzipping his jeans and taking his thick, heavy cock in his hand. “Next time, I’m going to be inside you,” he growled, then panted for a few moments as he fisted his dick, working himself towards an orgasm she could see building in the tension of his biceps and the hectic flush of his skin. “I’ve thought of nothing else for the past year. Couldn’t close my eyes without seeing your face, your body, your…ohhh…”
He came with a shudder, mouth open, spilling himself over her generous breasts and ample tummy, thrusting himself into his hand until the spasms subsided.
And as he gave a low, joyful bubble of laughter, Barron sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her upper arm with a contented moan.
As she drifted off to sleep between their warm, solid bodies, Mackenzie had time to wonder, a little smile crossing her face, what she’d wear to leave the hut tomorrow – her dress had been ruined. Of course at the Claiming Festival there was no such thing as a walk of shame. And what was there to be ashamed of in having been taken by a pair of drop-dead gorgeous twin alphas who thought she was the most desirable woman in the world?
Chapter Five
Mackenzie woke in a pleasant haze, entwined between the two incredibly hot, sexy wolves who had just claimed her…wait, what?
She sat bolt upright.
She looked at her arm. She felt her neck. Mating bites. She’d been marked.
Ajax and Barron were still sprawled out, snoring gently. The sun was rising; soon it would be time for opening ceremonies. And the pounding in her head made her wish she hadn’t slammed down so much beer the night before.
She reached over and shook Ajax and Barron, and they stirred and sat up, yawning.
“What the hell is going on here?” she demanded.
She thought she saw the twins exchange the briefest look of bewilderment.
Then Barron flashed her a huge smile. “Good morning, sunshine. How did you sleep?”
“Not much at all. Not that I’m complaining. I’m just a little confused,” she said. “We were starting to talk about what happened last year and…the next thing I know, I’m…here. Mated. Claimed.”
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Barron stroked her hair, a lazy grin spreading across his face. “Think of last night. Now think of that happening every night for the rest of your life.”
“But…I’m just trying to wrap my head around this. Last year you…I mean I…is this really what you want?”
“Of course it is. Isn’t it what you want?” Ajax looked worried.
“I wanted you both from the minute I saw you.” She rubbed her face with the palms of her hands. “Argh. Hangover. My head’s still kind of fuzzy. Why do you guys look all fresh and happy?”
“Because we just spent the night with the most beautiful woman on the planet, and she’s going to come home with us and light up our lives forever.” Ajax kissed the top of her head.
Mackenzie gave a contemptuous, unladylike snort. “Good Lord, do you know how to lay it on thick.”
Ajax flashed her a wicked grin and a wink. “Yes ma’am. But only for you, beautiful.”
“I just want to be absolutely sure. You really want to Claim me. You want me to be your forever mate. You…you want me to be the mother of your cubs?”
“Yes!” Ajax and Barron both said, really quickly. Something flared up in them when they said that. She was picking up just the faintest sense of emotion from them. Was it worry? She couldn’t tell for sure. The bonding process had only just begun; it would grow stronger over the coming days and weeks, and she’d be in tune with everything that they were feeling. If they were angry, happy, sad, lustful...she’d know about it.
But something about her being the mother of their cubs…it had triggered something in them. Anxiety. Fear. What did that mean? They wanted her, but not to be the mother of their cubs? That wouldn’t make sense. Every Alpha wanted cubs. Lots and lots of cubs. Any woman who wanted to be claimed by an Alpha pair knew that came with the package. Big families. The future of the pack, and all that.
“But there’s no hurry,” Barron said. “We just claimed you. We could spend years together before we start having to think about that.”
“Okay.” She shook her head in confusion. She could have sworn that Ajax had been talking a lot about cubs the previous year, and how eager he was to have them right away, but right now she was having a hard time thinking clearly at all. She was tired and sore and her brain felt like it had been wrapped in cotton wool.
“I was thinking of buying us some breakfast after the opening ceremonies,” Ajax said. “Shall we, my lady?”
Mackenzie groaned. Opening ceremonies. Bunch of werewolves and humans standing up on a stage reciting the exact same thing year after year. Werewolves protected humans in times of peace and war, humans who married werewolves ensured the survival of their species, blah blah blah.
“My hangover is kicking my butt this morning. Would it be terrible if I slept in?”
“Sleep as late as you like,” Barron said. “We’ll come back and fetch you for breakfast.”
They both headed off to get ready, and she flopped back down and pulled the covers over her head. She had everything that she wanted. The hot Alphas she’d been yearning for had claimed her, and were treating her like a queen, and she’d be going home with them and she’d be the Alpha’s Woman and…
Why did she feel a nagging sense of worry gnawing at he
r, on the morning when she should be the happiest she’d ever been?
* * *
Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Panicking never helps anything. Think with a clear head, Barron thought, as panic clutched at his throat.
“What the hell happened last night?” Ajax demanded as they hurried away from the cabin, heading down the path towards the central pavilion area. “I don’t understand why we took her back to our cabin when we knew the risk. What were we thinking?”
“Apparently we weren’t thinking,” Barron said grimly. “The beer was doing our thinking for us.” Which made no sense – they’d only had one pitcher of beer. And they’d shared it with Mackenzie. They normally had a much higher tolerance.
“Have we just killed the woman we love?” Ajax’s voice was shaking. He was afraid. The man who jumped off roofs for fun was afraid.
“No!” Barron said vehemently. “As long as we don’t have cubs together, she’ll be safe. We’ll just never have sex when the moons are full. We’ll lock ourselves away.”
“I think she’s going to pick up on that pretty quickly, don’t you?” Ajax asked.
“Hey, guys. What a crazy night, huh?” Vita and Karlie were walking towards them, and Vita was waving cheerily, but her hair was rumpled and she had circles under her eyes.
“Man, I don’t know what was in that beer you drank last night, but I’m glad I didn’t have any,” Karlie said.
Alarm bells went off in Barron’s head. “What do you mean?” he demanded.
“I mean, first you guys go from barely speaking to Mackenzie to rushing off to get frisky in no time flat, then Miss Thing here is dancing on tabletops and propositioning every guy in the place.” Karlie nodded her head at Vita. “I ended up dragging her back to the women’s quarters last night, because she clearly wasn’t thinking straight.”
Twin Alphas: Desired (A BBW Paranormal Romance) Page 3