by Abby Blake
What Louise found was more than a little disturbing. Josh had once been a farmer living not far from this small town. He’d disappeared nearly thirty years ago. Except that disappeared was probably not the correct word. Abducted was probably closer to the truth.
Everything that they knew from both human and werewolf records that they had access to suggested that Josh Hampton had been turned into a werewolf against his will and then taken halfway across the country. The hardest part to verify was what had happened after that. Neither Aiden nor Zeb even remembered seeing the guy, even though they’d been members of the same pack for almost thirty years. Granted, Zeb and Aiden’s work took them all over the country, but they’d attended enough pack social functions to believe they’d known everybody.
“I’ve got it,” Louise said triumphantly. Ever since Cal had left twenty-four hours ago, Louise had thrown herself into her work. She hadn’t even slept, but that was something Aiden hoped to rectify very soon. The full moon was the night after tomorrow. If she wasn’t at peak physical condition, the transformation might be even harder for her to control. “Josh Hampton is the father of Belinda Stiles. She and her fourteen-year-old daughter still live on the family farm south of town. Her husband was killed in a tractor accident about ten or so years ago.”
“So Josh is protecting his daughter?” Zeb asked.
“Or his granddaughter,” Louise added. “The question is whether the threat is real or just in his head.” She continued to flip through pages on a file she’d grabbed from the cabinet. “The one thing we do know for certain is that he is very frightened of going back to face your alpha.”
“Your alpha, too, now.”
“My what? How the fuck did he end up my boss?”
“He’s not really a boss. He’s in charge of our pack, but he’s more like a mayor than a boss.”
“Sorry, guys, but I don’t know any mayor who can act as judge, jury, and executioner.”
Aiden tried to hide the grimace, but her assumption was essentially correct. If Doug Grayson decided it was for the good of the pack, he could basically do whatever he wanted. Only a successful challenge for leadership could force him to step down, but considering that Grayson was the largest, strongest, and meanest wolf Aiden had ever known, few had challenged him, and none had been successful. The last challenge had come from his own son, and Grayson had torn his throat out with barely a second glance and absolutely no remorse.
“I think we need to go speak to Josh’s daughter. Maybe see if we can dig up a reason for Josh risking his life to protect them.”
“Okay,” Zeb said as he pushed away from the wall he’d been leaning on and stepped over to take Louise’s hand. “After you’ve had some sleep.”
She started to say something—disagreeing with Zeb, no doubt—but was interrupted by a jaw-cracking yawn. Zeb gave her a triumphant smirk. Louise rolled her eyes, threw her hands in the air, and headed for the narrow cot at the back of the room.
Aiden desperately wanted to join her and hold her while she slept, but it was too soon. Cal leaving had devastated her, and neither Aiden nor his brother wanted to make things worse. Hopefully, one day she’d be ready to love them, but for now, he’d let her sleep alone.
* * * *
Louise tried to stifle her moan. A part of her realized that she was dreaming, but it was the same part that never wanted to wake up, so it didn’t really count. She was in Cal’s arms again, and it was exactly where she wanted to stay.
He kissed her with breathtaking, soul-stealing passion, and she whimpered as that clever and oh-so-familiar tongue explored the dark recess of her mouth. Like they do in dreams, her clothes magically disappeared, and a warm, comfortable bed materialized underneath them. Cal groaned, rubbing his hand over her face and neck, and then moved lower to cup her breast. He teased the nipple with his thumb, smiling widely as he lifted away and gazed into her eyes.
“You’re going to love this,” he whispered a moment before warm hands pushed her thighs wide. Cal lay beside her, his hard cock trapped against her hip, his hand caressing over her breasts and stomach, as he pressed soft kisses to her collarbone and throat.
She gasped as the head of a hard cock rubbed against her wide-open pussy. Her gaze flew to Cal’s, but he smiled in reassurance as the thick cock pushed slow inch by excruciatingly slow inch into her pussy. She moaned at the incredible sensation, damn near giddy with relief when Aiden leaned over and kissed her lips. Cal ran a callused hand over her stomach, his fingers dipping to her clit as Aiden lifted her hips, sat back on his heels, and drove into her harder.
“Hello, baby girl,” Zeb whispered a moment before he pressed a kiss to her lips, his tongue probing the dark recess as he ran a hand down the side of her abdomen, over her thigh, and grabbed her knee. He pulled her leg higher, opening her wider for Aiden’s fucking. Aiden sped his pace, his forceful entry making her gasp in delight. She could feel her orgasm spinning wildly closer, Cal’s clever fingers dancing over her swollen clit as Zeb leaned down to suck a hard nipple into his mouth.
Over and over, the three of them tormented her, holding her orgasm just out of reach, slowing down so many times she thought she’d go mad with the need. She growled, wrapping her arms around Cal and Zeb, pulling them closer, winding her legs around Aiden’s hips, using the leverage to meet his violent thrusts. Every nerve ending tingled, electric currents streaking through her, her orgasm so close there was no turning back.
“Come for us, babe,” Cal said. Peace settled over her like a warm blanket a moment before orgasm exploded within her. Unable to hold back, Louise screamed as every muscle, every nerve ending, every cell in her body went into meltdown.
All three of her men held her close, kissing, caressing, loving her, only her. Replete and completely satisfied, she sighed as they helped her roll over into the middle of the…
Fucking floor.
Louise hit the ground hard, the narrow cot not meant for such a seemingly real dream. She whimpered as Aiden—the real man, not the dream lover—pulled her into his arms and held her close. Zeb sat on the floor beside them, his hand shaking as he caressed up and down her back.
“What the hell do you think it means?” Aiden asked cryptically. She wanted to ask for an explanation, but warm completion was still flooding her veins. Between the lack of sleep, the grief of losing Cal, and the too-good-to-be-true dream that left her heart in tatters and her body exhausted, Louise took the coward’s way out and went back to sleep.
* * * *
Thirty miles away, Cal Sanders jolted awake. Holy fucking shit. Where the hell had that come from? He was used to dreaming about Louise, but what the hell were Aiden and Zeb doing there? Was he losing his fucking mind?
He hadn’t meant to close his eyes, but sleep had eluded him last night, and he’d tossed and turned instead as he rehashed every decision he’d ever made in his entire adult life. He scrubbed a hand down his face, grimacing at the scruffy bristles he could feel. He probably looked like he’d been drinking, and if he’d thought that would help, hell, he’d consider it, but getting good and toasted in the face of a problem had never been his style. He was a guy who faced life head-on. He wasn’t scared to make the tough decisions. He was the man who saw a problem and found the solution.
He was just that type of guy.
But a mocking little voice inside his head told him otherwise. His fearlessness and ability to handle whatever headed his direction may have been true in most of his life, but when it came to Louise, he’d played it safe for far too long. He’d prevaricated, made excuses, wasted time, and now he’d lost her.
He adjusted his jeans, trying to give his cock a little more space. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this hard. He tried to ignore the fact that he was practically vibrating from the need to come. He was a man, not some horny teenager needing to jerk off over a picture of a pretty girl.
But even as he chastised himself, he undid the snap on his jeans, lowered the zipper, and wrapp
ed a hand around his erection. He closed his eyes, trying to remember the expression on Louise’s face as…Aiden had fucked her.
Fuck! What the hell?
He groaned as he climaxed, pearly white streams of cum coating his hand as his orgasm went on and on and on and his mind raced with unanswerable questions.
* * * *
Louise woke, gasping in surprise as all three occupants in the sheriff’s office groaned as they felt Cal’s orgasm as keenly as if it were their own. How she knew Aiden and Zeb felt what she felt she wasn’t quite sure, but she had no doubt as to the source of the shuddering climax.
When she finally caught her breath, she turned accusing eyes on Aiden and Zeb. “Did you guys forget a few details on the whole wolf deal?”
Aiden looked as confused as Louise felt. Zeb just looked completely dumbfounded.
“No,” Zeb answered slowly. “At least I didn’t think we did. I’ve never heard of a human sharing a mating dream—well, not one that wasn’t a werewolf’s mate.”
Aiden shook his head as he levered himself off the ground and held out a hand to help her up. She could sense their confusion and, in a twisted sort of way, reveled in it. Ever since she’d woken a werewolf, she’d felt off-balance. At least in this problem, none of them knew the answer.
That would have been quite pleasant, except that it was one situation she really wanted explained.
“Could Cal be a werewolf’s mate?”
“If he was, he’d be dreaming with his mate, not with us.”
It was the answer she’d sort of expected, but it did raise a little ray of hope in her mind. “Could Cal be my mate?”
“We’re your mates,” Zeb answered gruffly, crossing his arms defensively.
“But could Cal be my mate also?”
Aiden rubbed a hand over his eyes. “It’s probably the most likely answer, but I’ve never heard of it happening before.”
“Why not?” Louise demanded belligerently. “Andrea has three mates.”
“Andrea’s mates are all born werewolves, and they’re brothers.” Zeb seemed cantankerous enough to argue the point until they were both blue in the face.
“So how then was Cal able to join our—what did you call them?—mating dreams?”
“Maybe he didn’t join them. Maybe you just imagined him being there.”
Aiden laughed softly, the chuckle sounding like that of a man resigned to his fate. “Give it up, brother. Louise is right. Either Cal is her mate as well.” He laughed harder, trying to get words out that he obviously found hilarious. “Or he’s one of ours.”
“Fuck,” Zeb said as he sat heavily in the nearest chair. “You’re right. He has to be one of Louise’s mates.” He scratched at the stubble growing on his face, his movement filled with agitation. “The only safe way to handle this is to make him a werewolf as well, but we’re already going to have a hard time explaining Louise to the alpha. I don’t fancy trying to explain Cal as well.”
“Me neither.”
“What does that mean?” Louise’s heart had stopped and started so many times in this conversation that she was liable to have a heart attack.
“It means, baby girl, that we need to get permission from the alpha before we talk to Cal. If the alpha says yes, then we’ll explain to Cal about making him a werewolf. But,” he said, cutting off her excitement before it could really get started, “you need to be prepared. Aiden and I aren’t willing to go away—you’re our mate. Cal will either have to accept the four of us together or remain human and walk away.”
Louise nodded as she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and tried not to cry like a weak-willed woman again. But there was nothing quite like a cold, hard dose of reality.
Chapter Five
“Belinda Stiles?” Louise asked as the woman dismounted from her horse.
“Yes,” Belinda answered, looking concerned. “How can I help you, deputy?”
“I just wanted to ask you if you’d seen a large silver wolf hanging around. It was recently spotted in the middle of town, so we’re hoping to be able to catch and relocate it before it becomes a problem.”
Belinda nodded. “It’s been hanging around here for several months now. It hasn’t caused any problems, so I’ve just left it alone.” She glanced at Aiden and Zeb before continuing. “A couple of nights ago it did take one of my lambs, but I was almost relieved. The poor wolf was getting thinner and thinner, and I was worried it was ill.”
“Has it exhibited any unusual behavior?”
“I’m not sure you would class it as unusual, but it took a lamb that had been injured in a fall into the dry creek. I was going to get my rifle to put the poor thing out of its misery, but the wolf killed it quickly and carried it away.” She shook her head and laughed self-consciously. “The strange part was that the wolf looked directly at me and dipped its head like it was thanking me or something before it turned away.”
“Has it come up to the house?”
“Not that I know of,” Belinda answered with a shake of her head.
“Mom?” a young girl said as she came out of the house. The child was all arms and legs, skinny as a bean pole, but even now it was obvious she would grow into a beautiful woman one day.
“Becky, this is Deputy Jackson,” Belinda said to her daughter, having obviously read Louise’s last name off her name tag. “She was just asking about the silver wolf that’s been hanging around.”
“You’re not going to hurt him, are you?” The child’s voice was just a little too hysterical to be general concern for an animal’s welfare.
“No,” Zeb said as he stepped into the conversation. “We’re from Parks and Wildlife. We’re just going to relocate him so he doesn’t get hurt.”
“No, you can’t. He didn’t do anything.”
“Becky,” her mother said with a look of concern. “A lot of folks get a little trigger happy when a wolf starts hanging around. It would be better for the wolf to be away from people.”
“But you can’t!” the child cried angrily. “He’s my friend. He protects me.”
Belinda looked startled, and it seemed obvious to Louise that she had no idea what her daughter was talking about.
“Protects you from what, Becky?” Aiden asked very quietly. The child’s eyes darted around the small group of adults, her bottom lip quivering as she hesitated to explain.
“From…f–from the man who tried to take me.”
“What man?” Becky’s mother asked frantically. “Who tried to take you? When? Why didn’t you tell me?” Becky burst into tears and ran into her mother’s arms. Belinda gave Louise a pleading look, and Zeb and Aiden stepped away, indicating that the women should take the child inside.
Louise nodded in agreement and then turned to help the distraught mother and her daughter.
* * * *
Zeb turned to the paddock, his gaze scanning the area for some sign of the wolf. It was a damn good chance Josh Hampton was nearby, maybe even planning to attack Aiden and Zeb in the mistaken belief that they were here to steal his granddaughter.
“Josh,” Zeb called into the general area. “We understand now. We can help you keep her safe. But you need to trust us.”
“How do I know you’re not just telling me what I want to hear?” The voice came from behind them, catching them both by surprise. Obviously, the man had been hidden nearby but managed to stay downwind. In his human form, he looked even more ragged than he had the day before. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“Because they know I’ll neuter them if they let me down,” Louise said in a sweet voice as she stepped out of the house. She smiled, and even though she seemed to be relaxed, gave the naked man plenty of warning that she was coming down the stairs. She handed him a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. “Welcome home, Josh. Why don’t you drag the clothes on and come inside?”
Josh looked more than a little freaked out, but Louise seemed to know exactly what to say. A few words and a lot of moments later, Josh Ha
mpton stepped into the house he’d once called home and finally introduced himself to his daughter and grandchild.
* * * *
“Of course we’ll help,” Andrea said before her husband could respond.
It was obvious that Xavier Cloveck realized the seriousness of what he was getting his pack into, but he smiled at his wife and nodded his head in agreement. “See you in a couple of hours.”
Andrea winked, leaned forward, and closed the webcam conversation. Aiden and Zeb had hesitated to get the other alpha involved, but the revelations of the last few hours had made it very clear that, whatever was going on, their own alpha was a huge part of it. It was a good bet that Josh Hampton’s story was only the tip of one huge-ass iceberg. But even without more information, Aiden knew that any leader who agreed to abductions and forced claimings wasn’t a leader he wanted to follow.
That, however, made them all vulnerable. And the one thing he and Zeb weren’t willing to do was allow any more harm to come to Louise. If that meant involving the Cloveck brothers and their pack, then that’s what they’d do. Thank the gods they were willing to help. With a strong pack behind them, they at least had a chance of untangling themselves from this mess.
“Call Cal,” Aiden said as he pulled Louise onto his lap. “Let him know that we’re heading up to the mountain to spend a few days with Andrea and that we’ll contact him as soon as we get back.”
“Will he be safe?”
“Probably safer here than with us, to be honest. Even if Grayson knows of the connection Cal had with you, he wouldn’t expect the mating link that has developed. We’ll get Josh and his family settled in, stay for the full moon, and then head back here.” Aiden touched her face, pressing his lips softly to hers, unable to resist touching his mate. “We need to discuss Cal’s unusual situation with Xavier before we can do anything anyway, so I’d rather not raise the man’s hopes if the situation isn’t what we think it is.”