Jasper had put Sylvia in harm’s way. Jasper hadn’t listened to him. And Jasper got a kiss.
He dug his claws into the earth, determined to put some good distance between him and the den. He didn’t want anyone coming after him, especially not Jasper, bringing fake concern and false pity.
But why should he care? Sylvia was free to do what she wished, and it wasn’t like Jasper would listen to him, Alpha or no. The two of them could do as they pleased. They could kiss, until it led to more, then find a quiet spot—
A growl tore from his throat. Why was he so upset? He had never been this annoyed with his brother, and he couldn’t put his paw on the reason. Sylvia fascinated and infuriated him. She was the most beautiful human he had ever met, but she seemed oblivious to real danger. And in the end, she was nothing more than human, as weak and frail as the rest of them. She was no match for a bear, a vampire, or even an angry sparrow.
He pushed himself onward, faster and faster. She was only human. So why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?
A doe burst out of the trees in front of him, alarmed by his scent. Her tail flashed white, like a flag of surrender. She leapt away, hooves throwing dirt and moss.
Well, he wouldn’t let her surrender. Where had she been earlier? The doe should have been in the thicket, not a bear. Sylvia never should have been in danger. Snarling, Jet bounded after the doe.
She kicked at him, sharp hooves flying by his ear. He ducked, making sure to keep his footing. The doe stared at him, eyes rolling, before surging away again. Jet followed, unwavering. The doe would be his.
All it took was a single misstep, like it always did, like he kept warning them about. The doe faltered, and he was on her. Latching onto her hind leg, he brought her down. The motion was practiced, and her neck snapped as she fell. It was quick and clean, the way he liked it.
Jet stood over the carcass, breathing heavily. He would not fail in his hunts. He needed to put no one else in danger.
And yet… It flashed into his mind again, the sight of Sylvia, her lips locked with his traitorous brother’s. Jet shifted, putting his hands over his eyes. None of it mattered—his hunting prowess, his commands, his title of Alpha. It had taken him too long to realize that the woman might mean something to him, and another shifter had taken her.
It was just salt in the wound that the other shifter happened to be his younger brother.
Gritting his teeth, he pulled the deer onto his shoulders. Jet shifted again, not caring about the hot blood that stained his fur. Turning, he padded back toward the den.
What should he do now? What could he do? Kick Jasper out of the pack? That would be a great way to lose Sylvia as well, just like he’d lost Juniper.
Jet closed his eyes. Why was he so miserable at this? Should he leave the pack to their own devices? Were they all better off without him?
He sighed. It had always been so easy for him to do what was needed, to lead the pack despite the occasional objections and complaints. He had thought that nothing mattered compared to being Alpha. He thought that he had achieved everything he’d ever wanted, that nothing else could make him happier than his position.
He had been wrong.
Jet took the long way back to the den, dragging the doe through the canyon. He braced himself as the oak came into view, preparing for the sight of Jasper and Sylvia locked together again. But they were gone.
“A doe?” Rowan, accompanied by Fable, walked out to meet him. “But you weren’t even on hunting duty today.”
Jet shifted. “I do my duty to the pack, no matter what day it is.”
As he dumped the doe off his back, he saw Rowan and Fable exchange a worried look.
“Let us take care of this, Alpha,” Fable said.
“Yeah,” Rowan added. “Why don’t you go get washed up? Otherwise you’ll drip blood into the den.”
They took the doe aside and began to dress it. Jet watched them, annoyed. They were both treating him like he was a quail egg, fragile and breakable. It wasn’t like Rowan to let such a perfect opportunity pass to hound him about Juniper, how it was all his fault and why he shouldn’t chase after her. Instead, she had taken a burden off his paws.
Because she knew. Jet looked into the den and saw other shifters watching him from the shadows. They all knew that he had wanted Sylvia, that she had chosen another. And they pitied him. They all did. Like he was weak.
Biting back a snarl, Jet shifted again. He would go to the river to wash, but not because Rowan told him to. He needed some time away from everyone.
Loping back out of the canyon, Jet made his way toward the water. Warblers called from among the reeds, and the wind whispered through the rushes. Jet felt himself breathe easier. This was exactly what he needed. Taking a flying leap, he splashed into the river.
Someone let out a gasp. “Jet?”
It was Sylvia, hidden among the reeds.
“You scared me. For a second I thought an actual wolf was jumping in here with me.”
She swam over to him, her body hidden under the water. Her hair was damp, and she was looking radiant.
Jet shifted, trying to hide his annoyance. He couldn’t even bathe without having what he’d lost rubbed in his face? “I didn’t mean to startle you. I can go.”
“Don’t.” She reached out to grab his arm.
He felt himself flush. This was all just ridiculous. An Alpha should have more control.
By the way things were going under the waterline, all control had been lost. He bent his knees, hoping the darker water would conceal his growing ardor.
“I won’t bother you. I’m sure you want to be alone.” Or with Jasper.
“I want to be with you.” She swam over to him, her hazel eyes unbearably close. They reflected the greens and browns of the river, and he had never seen anything more stunning.
“Rowan gave me this.” Sylvia held up an oilcloth bag. “She said it’s full of soap sand, but I’m not sure how to use it. Can you help me?”
She held the bag out to him. How could he refuse? She was entrancing. It was hard to forget that she had chosen someone else, that he couldn’t have her… She swept her wet hair over her shoulders, droplets of river water dotting her arms.
Jet poured some sand into his palm, struggling to remember how to speak. Somehow, she had completely transformed from the moment they’d met. She’d been afraid, meek, quiet. But she stood before him self-assured and vibrant, seeming to know exactly what she wanted, which was for Jet to help wash her naked body. But hadn’t she chosen Jasper? He was so confused.
“Are you sure you want my help?” he asked. “I could tell you how to do it yourself.”
She smiled over her shoulder. “You aren’t going to make me ask again, are you?”
Jet swallowed, his throat suddenly dry, then rubbed the sand into her shoulder. She exhaled, leaning into his touch. Jet hoped she wouldn’t lean too far, or she’d discover more than she might bargain for under the water.
He dipped his hand into the water, wetting the sand, and started massaging it into her arms. Sylvia’s eyes were closed, and she seemed totally at peace.
Jet’s mind was raging. Should he be doing this? What if she was soon to be bound to Jasper? He wished he could have her, but he would never betray his brother, not even for his fated mate.
She is, you know, his wolf said inside him.
Jet froze.
“Is everything okay?” Sylvia asked.
“Yes. Just getting more sand.” He upended the bag, dumping half of the sand into the water before he could stem the flow. Had his wolf gone mad? There was no such thing as fate.
You don’t have to believe it. She’s still our mate, though.
“Can you put that stuff in my hair?” Sylvia asked. Her voice was like music. He had noticed when they’d met, but he hadn’t realized how much he needed to hear it.
“Sure.” He remembered that she’d asked a question. “Just keep your eyes closed. You don’t want any to g
et in there.”
Jet brought his sandy hands up, running them through her hair. She smiled, moving closer to him. His heart beat in his throat. What was she thinking? Did she not know how much he needed her? How much his wolf needed her?
Inside, he felt nothing but a glow of contentment from his wolf.
The creature must be mad. She wasn’t theirs!
Stop worrying. Our mate knows us.
Jet rubbed his face with a wet hand. There was no talking to the beast. He’d just concentrate on Sylvia. It wasn’t like it was hard.
The afternoon sun made her creamy skin glow, and her hair glinted with strands of bronze and gold. Jet sighed. She was gorgeous. But not for him.
“If you lie back, you can rinse the sand out,” he heard himself saying.
She brought up her feet, letting herself float on the water. Droplets cascaded down the curves of her breasts, and he tried not to stare.
“Did I rinse it all out?” Sylvia’s hair formed a cloud around her head.
“Mostly. You might have to dive under to get it all.”
“Will you come with me?” She reached out to grasp his hand.
Jet hoped she couldn’t feel his racing pulse. “On three,” he said. “One… Two… Three.”
They both ducked under the water.
She shook out her hair, the lazy current playing with it. Opening her eyes, she looked at him. She was totally naked before him, the river lending her a greenish tinge. Her hair was wild, her eyes alight. She had never looked more beautiful. A string of bubbles escaped from her mouth. He had never wanted to kiss anyone more in his life.
But he couldn’t.
Sylvia kicked up, breaking the surface, and he followed.
“Why were you looking at me like that?” Her wet hair dripped down her back, and water clung to her every curve.
He wished he weren’t grinning so stupidly. He couldn’t think of anything to say, so he plucked a flower from a nearby waterlily and placed it in her hair.
Sylvia put a hand up to it. Jet held his breath. He’d never been compelled to do anything like that before.
Turning to him, she gave him a gorgeous smile.
He could feel his resolve melting. How was this human holding such sway over him?
She swam closer, right into his arms. Jet held her close. She felt so perfect there, so right. Tilting her head up, she kissed him.
She was air and light. An eagle on the wind. A cool breeze on a sweltering day. And her lips were the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted.
His hands traced her back, her shoulder blades. His fingers ran through her damp hair of their own accord. He wanted to draw her closer, closer, until she was part of him.
Jet forced himself to break away. He gazed at her, panting.
“I thought you liked Jasper.”
“I do.”
Damn those bewitching hazel eyes. “You can’t like me too. You have to choose.”
“Why?”
On the bank, the rushes parted. Jasper stood there, the absolute last person Jet wanted to see in this moment. He stepped away from Sylvia, letting the river flow between them. He felt like a pup that had been caught sneaking meat before dinner, and he resented that it was his little brother making him feel that way.
Jasper waved to them both, then hopped in. Cutting gracefully through the water, he swam over to them. Jet scowled. He didn’t have to show off.
“Did you see that?” Jet asked warily.
“Your kiss? I did.” Jasper grinned. “Nice, wasn’t it?”
He would have preferred his brother to be angry. Was Jasper planning to try and drown him if he turned his back?
“All right.” It was best to lay everything out in the open. “I know you’re mad, Jasper. There’s no need to pretend otherwise.”
“I’m not mad.”
Jet stared at him. What was his game here?
“I’m serious, Jet. Sylvia and I have already talked about it. She likes both of us. We’ll both just have to accept it.”
“What?” He couldn’t be hearing right. Had he gotten water in his ears?
“You both found me,” Sylvia said. “You both make me feel safe. I want both of you.”
The thought of sharing her made annoyance flare within him. “You can’t have both of us. You have to choose.”
“Come on, Jet,” his brother said. “Tell me, does your wolf really have a problem with it?”
As long as we have our mate, nothing else matters.
They were insane, all of them. He turned to Sylvia. “How would this even work?”
She took him by the hand. “Let me show you…”
When Sylvia reached out to take his brother’s hand, Jet’s wolf barely stirred. Jet found himself caring less that she wanted both of them. He wanted her, needed her. Nothing else mattered.
She made them follow her onto the bank, had them lie with her in the tall grass. Rolling onto her side, she laid a hand over her hip. The motion seemed to put a spell over him. He rose to his knees beside her, hardly daring to believe she could be his. Bending low, he put his lips on her shoulder.
He was going to claim his mate.
Chapter 7
Sylvia lay back in the long grass, her damp hair heavy around her shoulders. Jet knelt at her right, Jasper at her left, their eyes molten gold. With them beside her, she feared nothing.
The sky above was a deep blue that could only be held by a summer afternoon. Birds called, insects hummed, and her men bent to kiss her.
A shiver ran through her, from her toes all the way to her crown. In this moment, she was the luckiest woman on earth.
Jet put gentle fingers near her face, softly pushing her hair away so he could kiss her neck. Jasper’s lips roved over her belly and thighs, making her laugh with delight.
She knew one thing—today was going to be unforgettable.
Slipping a hand behind her head, Jet put his lips to hers. She responded greedily, wanting more of him. With her tongue, she traced the line of his lips, making him shudder. She suppressed a smile. He was hers. They were both hers.
Farther down, Jasper slid a hand beneath her ass, giving it a light squeeze. Sylvia was pleasantly powerless as he straddled her, putting a finger between her legs. She moaned as he felt the wetness within, wetness that had been called forth by him and Jet, not left by the river.
Jasper moved his finger back and forth, lightly stroking her. His touch sent ripples of delight through her, ripples that she was sure Jet could feel. He gripped her more tightly, kissed her more fervently. And she could see them both growing harder. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back.
Jasper’s breath was growing ragged. He slid a finger into her, then two. Sylvia moaned into Jet’s mouth. It still wasn’t enough, not quite enough… She wanted more.
Seeming to sense her needs, Jasper bent over her. Spreading her legs, he lay in the space between them. As he set his tongue to her flesh, Sylvia cried out. It felt like she would never be the same.
Jet moved down her body, his tongue flickering over her breasts, forming whorls as he moved closer to their center. His tongue and Jasper’s seemed to work in time, both sending waves of sensation through her that crashed when they met, melding into a paroxysms of pleasure.
Sylvia tried to keep herself still and under control, but they continued until she could no longer feel the grass beneath her. Jasper’s strong hands grabbed her hips, holding them tight to keep her from bucking. His tongue ran over her like a flame, and she loved the heat. It seared her, branded her, and she wordlessly cried out for more.
He knew what she needed—he’d always known what she needed. Jasper mounted her, easing his hard cock deep into her wetness. Jet ran his hands through her hair, tethering her to the earth as Jasper pushed deeper, so deliciously tight inside her. Jet’s lips brushed her neck, her collarbones. He whispered in her ear, telling her what he was going to do to her, the descriptions so lush and detailed that she had to remember to breathe.
>
Jasper clutched her waist, his fingers spasming over her skin as he buried himself in her. Sylvia wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, urging him deeper. He looked up at her, his golden eyes locking with hers, his gaze somehow even more erotic than his touch. He stared at her like she was an oasis in the desert, a ship to one lost at sea.
Sylvia pulled him closer, her thigh muscles burning. She would give him and Jet everything, mind, body, and soul.
His eyes never leaving hers, Jasper pumped in and out. His every thrust sent her spiraling higher as bliss surged through her. She never wanted him to stop.
But he did, shuddering. “I’m sorry, my love,” he said, kissing her above the ear, “but I want to last longer for you.”
Before she could ask what he meant, Jet had picked her up and set her on all fours. “Are you ready for more?” he murmured.
She could only moan in response.
Jet positioned himself behind her, his cock brushing the backs of her thighs. Sylvia tingled with anticipation as Jasper gathered her hair and draped it down her back.
Then Jet grabbed her hips, and thrust.
Stars burst behind her eyelids. He seemed to drive all the breath from her body, all the power from her limbs. Leaning in to kiss her, Jasper helped her remain upright. He cupped her breasts in his hands, stroking them, as Jet plunged into her. Jasper’s hands traveled over her, his touch electric. Jet’s hands were firm on her hips, pulling her forever closer.
Bending her head, she moaned, their caresses blurring together until she couldn’t tell where one man ended and the other began. And it didn’t matter, because they both belonged to her, and she to them. They filled her with strength, and she had the power to face any foe with them by her side.
Sylvia opened her eyes to find Jasper kneeling in front of her. His cock was hard, and at eye level. Reaching out with one hand, she drew him closer. He had taken good care of her, and she needed to return the favor.
Jet was still pulsing into her as she licked the long length of Jasper’s shaft. He closed his eyes, and his cock throbbed under her tongue. She grinned. He needed her now. Opening her mouth, she took him in.
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