by M. L. Briers
Shaun knew she could neither take the impact of the ground coming up to meet them, or the weight of his body crushing hers without suffering serious damage, as they sailed through the air, propelled by the speed he had reached when he launched himself at her.
He twisted his body in one fast movement that had her on top of him at the moment they landed, and he curled around her to protect her as best he could with his own body as they spun against the hard floor. He held one large hand protecting the back of her head as he nestled her face against his chest.
To Shaun it felt like forever. Ever single second stretched out until the moment he came to rest with her body on top of his. He quickly cupped her head and brought her face up, taking in the tears that had already been there, and the shock that the impact had caused, as she stared at him without blinking.
“Are you hurt?”He demanded. His eyes searching for her confirmation, even when she could only suck the breath back into her lungs.
“Sofia!” The male voice caught his attention, but he dismissed it easily.
“Sofia are you hurt?”Shaun used every part of his Beta essence to get through to her. Better if he was Alpha, but she was Fae, she responded to his demand with a shake of her head. Her eyes blinked awareness and Shaun would have collapsed onto the ground with relief if he had not already been down there.
“Sofia…”Jonathon’s voice pulled her from the haze of what had happened. She realised where she was, lying on top of Shaun, and tried to scramble backwards from him, but he was already lifting her and pulling her up to her feet. “Thank you, my god, thank you…”Jonathon blurted out towards Shaun who acknowledged the man with a quick flick of his eyes.
Shaun watched Jonathon reach for Sofia and felt her go willingly into his arms. If he didn’t have an understanding of who Jonathon was, or the man that stood shifting from one foot to the other in something of a panic behind him, he might never have let her go.
He could scent the men on each other. Knew that they were lovers, and then watched the tender and possessive way that Jonathon folded her into his arms and against his chest as he brought his cheek down on the top of her head, like he would a sister in need of comforting, and Shaun breathed a small sigh of relief.
“Sweetheart, are you hurt?”Jonathon swayed with her, as much for his own comfort as hers. He had nearly run over his own wife.
“No.”Sofia felt Jonathon’s arms, safe and warm and comforting, but they didn’t compare even remotely to Alex’s. She loved Jonathon, but she wanted to feel Alex’s arms around her now. She wanted to feel his strength and his safety…
“Oh my god, you nearly hit her…”Steve tossed his hands up to his mouth as the total shock and realisation of what had happened washed through him.
“State the bloody obvious why don’t you?”Jonathon growled over his shoulder and Shaun wanted to chuckle. And if Sofia hadn’t of been in such a state he might just have done that.
“I should take her home.”Shaun said and saw Jonathon’s eyes snap up in confusion. Shaun nearly kicked himself. “You should take her home.”He corrected with a shake of his head and a mental slap.
“Yes, thank you. Thank you so much…”Jonathon took Shaun’s mistake as shock. The man had just pulled off the most miraculous of miracles, but then Jonathon could see that he wasn’t just any man. He was Lycan.
“Really, really, thank you.”Steve added and Shaun nodded.
“I’d say anytime, but hopefully not.”Shaun added as he started to back away from the scene in front of him. Jonathon was already turning Sofia towards the car and Steve was fussing around them, and Shaun really didn’t need to witness anymore.
‘Alex, where are you?’
Shaun had figured it might be a good idea to keep things too himself, now he had other ideas. Alex’s mate had nearly died tonight, and while he didn’t know what had sent her running down the middle of the road in tears, he thought that a side issue. The real one being she needed to be safe with her mate.
‘Not now, Shaun…’ The way Alex voice sounded. The deep hardness that resounded inside Shaun’s head, he guessed that whatever had his mate fleeing blindly into a cars path was somehow connected to Alex’s mood.
‘It can’t wait, brother. It’s about your mate.’
‘If it’s not life or death…’
‘It very nearly was.’
“Sofia?” Julia squealed as she saw the state of her friend when Jonathon led her into the living room and Steve fritted about behind them. “What did you do?”Julia added a punch to her brother’s upper arm to get him out of the way so she could take over.
“He nearly mowed her down…”Steve blurted out, still wide eyed from all of the excitement.
Julia threw her brother a scowl as she led Sofia to the sofa and sat beside her, putting her arms around her and pulling her against the warmth of her chest. Sofia sniffled back her tears.
“That wasn’t my fault she was running down the middle of the road towards me…”Jonathon sat on the coffee table in front of Sofia and reached for her cold hand.
“You were going above the speed limit.”Steve sniped back, causing Jonathon to roll his eyes.
“Well I wasn’t expecting my wife to be in the middle of the damn road…”He shot back and Steve waved his hand in front of his face.
“Always expect the unexpected behind the wheel…”He put in and Jonathon hissed out his annoyance.
“And I was going two miles over the limit. Two…”
“When you two have finished having a hissy fit at each other…”Julia groaned. “Jonathon get a blanket, and Steve, put the kettle on.”She waited until the two men were occupied and then she turned her attention back towards Sofia.
“You went for a drink, you come back looking like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. I’m guessing it was an eventful night?”Julia felt another sob go through her friend.
“I lied.”Sofia hiccupped.
“Don’t we all, no reason to go throw yourself under dumb and dumber’s wheels…”
“I lied to my mate.”Sofia admitted and curled in closer to Julia.
“Ah, you saw the Howling, no wonder there’s tears. I wouldn’t want to be mated to a damn wolf either…”Julia grabbed her shoulders and forced her backwards so she could look down at her face. “Did that damn wolf hurt you?”She demanded and Sofia shook her head just as Jonathon sailed in with a blanket.
“Hurt her? He saved her. Swooped right in front of the car and snatched her up.”Jonathon gave a low whistle of appreciation.
“Oooh, he was hunky…”Steve added from the kitchen doorway, spoon in hand, towel over his shoulder as he rolled his eyes in appreciation. Jonathon snorted his contempt.
“Let’s not go overboard.”Jonathon sniped at his boyfriend.
“The alpha?”Julia demanded and Jonathon shook his head.
“Don’t think he was an alpha, he didn’t have the right vibe.”Jonathon informed her and she snorted her disbelief.
“You’ve been playing with other wolves from the pack. The alpha won’t be pleased.”Julia teased, letting Jonathon cover Sofia’s shoulders with a blanket. She wasn’t shaking as hard now, but she was still sniffling and there was the occasional hiccup.
“Playing?”Steve snorted. “That’s not the kind of game I’d like to play with one of those big boys.”Jonathon shot him a look of annoyance and he shrugged his shoulders and gave him an innocent look, raised brows and a small smirk. “What, I was just saying…”He turned on his heels and disappeared back into the kitchen.
“What do you mean other wolves?”Jonathon asked, plonking his backside back on the coffee table and leaning his elbows on his knees, his eyes on Sofia and not his sister.
“Well… here’s where things get interesting…”Julia admitted and Sofia opened her mouth to speak, but she hiccupped instead.
The pounding on the back door took everyone by surprise, especially Steve who came rushing into the room wide eyed and flustered.
/> “Naked hunky guy at the back door!”He squealed and Jonathon shot to his feet.
“Damn, I was hoping to get to that…”Julia bit out as Sofia squeaked and curled in closer to Julia.
“What the hell?”Jonathon bit out, looking to his sister for answers.
The thudding on the backdoor was accompanied by the deep growl of the man wanting in. “Open the damn door or I’ll break it down!” His voice boomed into the room as Steve shrugged helplessly.
“What do I do?”He rushed out.
“I’d say let him in. Ever seen an alpha separated from his mate?” Julia tossed her eyebrows in the air and gave her brother a poignant look. Sofia groaned and hiccupped, and Jonathon slowly drew himself up to his full height. The look of shock on his face matched that of his partner.
“Mate?”Both men echoed together. The pounding increased and made Steve jump in place.
“Hello, naked hunky guy going to batter down the door?”Steve hissed into the silence of the room as Jonathon tried to take it in.
“Wow. I didn’t see that one coming.”Jonathon admitted, dropping back down onto his backside on the coffee table, and Julia couldn’t help the snort of disbelief that came out of her mouth.
“Yeah, imagine how Sofia feels…”She hissed, just as the loud crack from the kitchen echoed through the room.
Steve gasped and jumped out of the way as Alex stalked through the house. The scent of his mate leading him to her, and he stared down, his eyes taking her in. He dismissed everyone else in the room, including Jonathon who was back on his feet and staring at his wife’s naked mate.
“Sofia…”Alex’s gentle growl towards his mate made her lift her head from Julia’s chest and she flicked her eyes towards Alex.
“Alex I…”She tried to shake away the surreal bubble that seemed to have descended over her mind since she had left him earlier.
“Are you injured?”Alex went to reach for her, but she pushed back into the sofa, into Julia. He was here, in her home, in her home with Jonathon…
“You have to leave…”Sofia shook herself out of the funk she was in, and then her eyes took him in. Naked and so damn gorgeous that she could only drag her eyes up his hard body until she reached his face again. “You’re naked.”She hissed.
“And that’s a very good look for him…”Steve chuckled from behind them. Jonathon turned towards his partner and scowled, as Alex tried for a grin to assure her.
“I needed to get to you fast when Shaun told me what happened…”
“Get him a towel…”Sofia said absently and Julia chuckled.
“Spoil it for everyone why don’t you.”She teased. Steve took the tea towel from his shoulder and a step towards the Lycan. Then he looked down at the towel and up at the Alex’s body and sighed.
“We’re going to need a bigger towel if we want to cover him.”Steve mused, his eyes enjoying the show, and Jonathon snapped.
“Go get a damn towel from the bathroom.”He hissed at his partner, snapping Steve out of his perusal and off in the direction of the stairs.
“You need to go…”Sofia dismissed him again and Alex growled in annoyance.
“I left you once tonight and look what happened. I’m not leaving you again.” He growled down and Jonathon cleared his throat.
“Sofia we need to talk about…”He waved a hand towards Alex, who shot a dark glare in his direction. Jonathon snapped his hand back and folded his arms across his chest.
“Alex.”Sofia offered and she heard Julia chuckle her appreciation.
“Hello, Alex.”Julia felt Sofia pull away from her as she tossed her a look of disbelief. “What?”Julia added innocently and then motioned to Alex’s naked form. “Come on, the guy is eye candy of the very best quality.”Julia chuckled and Steve swept in carrying a bath towel. He was going to go with the bath sheet, but he didn’t want to deprive them all of the God like naked form of the man in the living room.
“Yes he is…”Steve agreed with gusto as he swept past Jonathon and held out the towel for Alex. “If you really must cover yourself.”Steve offered and Alex raised just one brow towards the man before taking the towel and wrapping it around his waist.
Shaun came racing into the living room. Naked and panting, and Steve almost jumped backwards in delight.
“Oh Saints bless us there are two of them…”Steve announced with glee and Jonathon groaned at him.
“Get another damn towel.”He hissed and Steve hummed his delight before setting off for the bathroom again.
“Alex…”Shaun growled out and his Alpha turned towards him.
“Relax you idiot, I’m not going to kill anyone…”He turned his eyes on Jonathon, and then dismissed him when the man swallowed hard. “Just yet. I want to know what the hell is going on first.”He turned his eyes back on Sofia and saw her push back further into the cushions, a grimace on her face.
“Married? Really?”Alex tossed her a look of contempt.
“To me…”Jonathon announced and Alex’s head snapped around on his neck to glare at him. Shaun took a long step forwards, just in case.
“Alex, I told you. He’s …”Shaun paused and waved a hand in embarrassment.
“I think the word you’re looking for is Gay…”Jonathon offered just as Steve swept back into the rom.
“Very gay…”Steve chuckled as he walked over towards Shaun holding the towel out towards him like a peace offering.
Alex heard the small groan that came from his mate’s lips and turned back towards her, his eyes accusing and questioning at the same time.
“You forgot to mention that…”Alex accused and Sofia scowled up at him.
“I didn’t know it was a requirement to be able to live here.”She snapped back, and Alex’s head tipped to the right as he regarded her.
“You know what I mean.”Alex growled down and Sofia balked.
“I’m still a married woman…”
“Not really…”Alex motioned dismissively towards Jonathon and Steve, and Jonathon cleared his throat.
“Someone want to fill in the damn blanks here?”Jonathon saw Shaun take another step towards Alex, as if he just didn’t trust his alpha not to reach out and flatten the man.
“You’re wife is my mate.”Alex turned his dark gaze towards Jonathan as well as his body. The body language alone was enough to make Jonathon swallow down his pride.
“I get that much…”
“Then what damn picture do you need drawing for you?”Alex growled and Steve hummed again.
“Someone has a temper.”Steve offered as his eyes flicked to Shaun who just slowly shook his head in a warning to the man.
“What’s the damn problem?”Jonathon dismissed the alpha and turned his eyes towards Sofia, who balked under his gaze.
“Well I…”She flustered and Alex’s head snapped around and his gaze fixed on her, her eyes flicked from Jonathon to Alex and back again. “He’s…”She shrugged helplessly. “We’re married!”She spat out in hot denial of her husband’s inability to see a problem.
“Sweetheart…”Jonathon started and heard the low warning growl from Alex as he turned his head and gave him a dark look. Jonathon raised his brows and his arms questioning the alpha’s stance. “Seriously? Because I’m such a threat to you and getting your mate?”Jonathon tossed at him. “What part of I’m gay didn’t you understand?”Jonathon offered with a hefty dollop of sarcasm and Alex cocked his head and shrugged his shoulders in concession to that point.
Jonathon turned his attention back towards Sofia. “What’s the problem?”He asked softly and Sofia balked. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear.
“Did you forget why we got married?”She gritted her teeth and ignored everyone else in the room.
“I didn’t forget and I will always be grateful, but this is your mate. Your chance of happiness…”Jonathon motioned towards Alex and Sofia balked again.
“Let’s just throw Sofia to the wolves…”She folded her arms across her chest and pouted. “Literally.�
�She bit out and heard Julia chuckle beside her.
“You’ll never go wanting for a landscape to look at.”Julia teased, but she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Shaun’s chest. She’d be looking elsewhere, but he’d already wrapped the damn towel around his waist.
“You like vampires…”Sofia hissed and Julia gave her a wicked grin.
“I said look not touch.”She admitted as she caught Shaun’s eyes for the first time, she’d been too busy looking at his sinfully gorgeous body.
Shaun stiffened slightly when the woman licked her full lips. He could definitely lick her from head to toe for a few hours, he told himself with a small wolfish grin.
“Nothing wrong with a little touching…”Steve commented taking Shaun in, and Shaun cocked his head towards Julia, his eyes eating her up now.
“I second that emotion.”He offered and then turned towards Steve when he heard a small squeak come from his lips. “Her, not you. I don’t swing that way, and you already have a mate.”
“Not so much a mate…”Steve offered lightly. Jonathon cleared his throat. “More a deep bonded soul mate.”Steve offered with all the conviction he could manage. Then he shot Jonathon a knowing look. “Like you wouldn’t let your hands wander over something that precision made.” He hissed and Jonathon rolled his eyes.
“This isn’t about any of us, but Sofia, so could you please try to keep your hands, your eyes, and your mouth from wandering off the beaten path?”Jonathon said with a little more acidity than he needed too, and Steve pouted.
“Sofia…?”Alex started, but she waved him away.
“I’m tired, Alex. And a little battered, and even a little drunk, although, not so much since going head to head with a car…”
“I need to know that you’re unhurt. My wolf isn’t going to let me rest until I make sure…”
“I’m fine.”Sofia put in quickly and Julia snorted.
“Mentally or physically?”Julia muttered and got a dark glare in return from her friend. “What? I was just saying…”