by Anya Nowlan
“Dinner sounds good,” she said, managing a smile.
Though being the dessert sounds even better.
CHAPTER FOUR
Cooper
Cooper yawned loudly, not bothering to strive for better manners. He was in the middle of the Idaho countryside, standing on the porch of their newly-bought home, with no one around for miles aside from his Alpha partner and their hopefully soon-to-be mate. If he couldn’t feel like himself here, feel comfortable, then he couldn’t imagine there was a place in the world where he could.
“Enjoying the fresh air?” Argo asked tauntingly, padding out onto the porch in Cooper’s wake.
It was early in the morning, the sun was barely crawling up the sky, and the dew was still fresh on the grass. It was, in a word, perfect. Cooper accepted the mug of coffee from Argo with a thankful nod of his head and turned to look at the view again, admiring the mountains.
“I am. I don’t think I can get sick of this view,” he admitted truthfully, letting the caffeine trickle down his throat.
“I hope so. I intend to stay here,” Argo said.
Cooper gave him a look, the familiar sense of uneasiness settling at the pit of his stomach at the conviction of his partner. To him, it reeked of danger. Cooper prided himself on understanding Argo but in this, their views had not coincided. But, he had followed and he would stand by Argo’s side, no matter what. That was just the way this relationship was going to work.
“Is Claire up yet?” Cooper asked, trying to veer onto the path of more pleasing topics.
It was their second night in the house and so far, both he and Argo had been perfect gentlemen. Cooper wasn’t entirely sure how much more he could stand, being all prim and proper, when a mouthwatering piece of curvy ass was driving him up the wall day in and day out. It wasn’t just the body, of course. It was the knowledge that she was the one. Their third. The woman they had been looking for.
It had taken one look at her at the diner to know. To really, really know. It was comforting, in a way, how his wolf worked. Black and white, yes and no. Right and wrong. And she was right.
Sadly, through his lust, he still had to admit that the hard-as-iron conviction that he and his wolf had could not be translated so easily into a concept a human would understand. Claire didn’t have a primal being within her, telling her with the utmost certainty that the two men whose ad she had answered were her mates for life. He needed to give her time. He and Argo both. But it was so damnably difficult to keep his paws off of her!
“Not yet. I thought we could talk before she wakes,” Argo said, the soft smile he had been wearing being brushed away.
Shit, Cooper thought to himself, leaning against the porch railing.
He was dressed in only a pair of sweatpants, and the cool morning air licked at his skin. His eyes rolled over Argo, who was wearing comfortable-looking pants and a T-shirt that hugged his form so tightly that Cooper could see the outlines of his chiseled abs. As he had done on the first day they met, Cooper admired the body of the man he felt so connected to. It was difficult not to and he knew the feeling was mutual.
“Okay. What about?” he asked.
He tried to distract himself from the glumness in Argo’s tone by having another sip of coffee. It did nothing to relieve the sudden bout of desire to drag both Argo and Claire into a room and have his way with them.
“I came back here for a reason,” Argo began, his blue eyes set on Cooper.
“I figured as much,” Cooper admitted with a chuckle. “You told me as much.”
“I didn’t tell you everything. I want the pack back.”
That quieted him fast. Cooper frowned, looking at his partner. The passion he held in his blue eyes left little room for questioning. Cooper knew exactly which pack he meant, but he couldn’t resist asking. Couldn’t resist hoping.
“You mean the Longbrooks? Achilles’ pack?”
“Yes. My pack.”
“I thought you decided not to pursue that anymore,” Cooper said.
He knew it had been a tiny bit naïve to hope that the only reason they had returned so close to the Longbrook lands was because of Argo feeling homesick. But, ever the optimist, he had clung to the possibility like a life raft and refused to let go until he was told otherwise. Before it was pried from between his fingers.
“I couldn’t. Not after Adam died. I had no claim on them anymore. You can’t have an Alpha triad without a second and I had lost mine. Though, as I’ve told you before, I don’t think we were ever meant to lead together. I don’t think fate would have allowed us to become a triad,” Argo said, pain tinting his words.
On instinct, Cooper set down the mug on the railing and plucked Argo’s out of his hands as well. He drew the man against him, slipping his arms around him gently. They had talked about the way they had found each other, marveling at it many times. The combination of bad luck and horrific tragedies that led up to their chance meeting left both of them uneasy. Yet, at the same time, it made it all the more special that they did find one another.
Argo lost Adam when he was a teenager, so the cut was so much fresher than it was for Cooper. Cooper’s twin had died when they were both just babies, Collin having been snatched from his crib by a rival pack and killed mercilessly. For Cooper, it was a fact of life, something he had grown up with and acknowledged. The pain had never consumed him like it had Argo. Argo had watched his brother die, and even worse, he had helped orchestrate the sequence of events that culminated in the tragedy. The guilt chipped away at him every day and Cooper could see it tightening around his partner the closer they got to the Longbrook lands.
It was rare that two Alphas found each other like Cooper and Argo had. Usually, almost always, a wolf pack was led by a pair of Alpha twins and their third, their fated mate. But, sometimes, one of the twins would pass, leaving the other as just one half of what had once been whole. Most of these wolves succumbed to their pain, being left without their other side. In rare cases, they could find a similar connection in someone else.
That was what had happened with Argo and Cooper. They’d met at a seedy bar in San Diego, both stepping in at the same time when an argument between two drunken, disgruntled parties grew into more than just a little altercation. As if they were reading each other’s minds, they quickly and efficiently put an end to all of it, together. Wherever Argo couldn’t be, Cooper was there. Whenever Cooper was in danger of getting tackled or maimed by someone, Argo was right behind him, willing it to stop.
It was like an intricate dance, falling into sync with one another, and subduing a crowd of roaring brawlers at the same time. Cooper remembered the look in Argo’s eyes so clearly from that night. In his, he could see the reflection of a memory, familiarity and surprise. It was like Argo was looking at the connection he had thought he had lost forever, formed in the shape of Cooper Greymane.
And for Cooper, it was a feeling like no other. He’d gone through life feeling like he had been robbed of half of it. Something was always missing. Nothing felt complete until Argo came into his life and everything fell into place. It didn’t take long for them to understand what they had been gifted by fate: another chance. A chance to become an Alpha triad, like both of them had separately been destined.
Cooper felt the small shudder that went through Argo as he let him go. Cooper’s heart beat hard in his chest, sharing the pain that he knew to be filling Argo up right now. He leaned into his partner and kissed him lightly on the lips, just a gentle brush. Argo exhaled and a wry smirk tinted his lips, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief for the slightest moment.
They’d spent the last night apart, in separate rooms. That hadn’t happened in a while, but they figured Claire had enough to deal with without getting immediately accustomed to how comfortable the wolves felt around each other. But the side effect of this was that a deep hunger gnawed at Cooper, gnashing its teeth at the thought of keeping away from either Claire or Argo for a moment longer. It must have been reflected i
n Argo as well, considering the look he gave him.
“If only all problems could be fixed so easily by a kiss,” he murmured, his deep voice strumming through Cooper and making his spine tingle.
It was that voice that could make Cooper do anything Argo asked. He didn’t need to tell Argo that no matter what, he would be there, right by his side. But he did anyway. Seemed nothing could be left to chance these days.
“Whatever you need to do, Argo. I’ll be here. But you need to realize that you’ve brought Claire into danger as well. She doesn’t deserve having happiness dangled in front of her and then snatched away because of a pack war. At the very least, you have to tell her what she’s facing when she opts to stay. I am tied to you, but she still has a chance for something different.”
It hurt Cooper to say that. His wolf growled low and hard within him and his muscles contracted, as if he was getting ready to pounce. It was a physical reaction to the idea of letting her go. He didn’t like it one bit. The shadow that fell over Argo’s features said much the same.
“I know. Give me time.”
“Always. Do you have a plan?” Cooper asked, now aiming straight for the problem at hand—the Longbrooks.
“I need to find out how many of them are still in the area, and if any of them can be helped or are they all as angry and bitter as Achilles is. And then… we’ll see.”
“Not the most solid of plans,” Cooper noted, smirking.
“It’s not the plan that brings results, but the man behind the plan,” Argo said with a wink.
Cooper was just about to shoot back a snippy comment when his head snapped to the side and he inhaled long and hard. Something smelled…delicious.
And it wasn’t just the scent of Claire and Argo that got him riled up.
“Pancakes,” Argo said flatly, grabbing for his mug.
“And bacon!” Cooper announced happily, already sprinting toward the kitchen.
He liked this new bride of theirs more and more by the minute.
CHAPTER FIVE
Claire
The way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, right?
Well, Claire knew how to cook a mean breakfast, so she was more than ready to put that concept to the test. At least two pans were sizzling at the same time, one with pancakes and the other with eggs and bacon. She’d woken up a while ago, but on her way to join the wolves on the porch, she’d caught hint of their tones and felt that any conversation she’d be walking in on would not be for her ears. Not yet.
But she was a patient woman. She could wait.
She flipped another fluffy, thick pancake onto the ever-growing pile just as Cooper rushed in. He snatched a strip of bacon from one of the plates while she wasn’t looking, reaching around her.
“Hey!” she protested, laughing.
He gave her a foxy smile and a wink, biting off a thin strip of the crispy bacon. He smelled so damn fine. He looked even better. Claire had to take a breath to cool her nerves after she caught sight of the shirtless hunk, lest she topple over and bring the pans down along with her.
Jesus Christ, it’s like you’ve walked into a Magic Mike show, she thought to herself, biting down on her lower lip and turning back to her cooking.
Argo stalked in next, sipping his coffee and looking subdued and intense as usual.
“Smells delicious,” he offered, setting down his cup and grabbing another from the cupboard.
He made her a mug of coffee from their fancy coffee machine, the one that Claire had tried and failed to handle for the past two days. Letting a lump of sugar fall into it, Argo set it down by her hand and retreated wordlessly to take a seat at the kitchen table. She smiled to herself, glancing at the steaming hot mug. It was the little things. She barely knew these men and already they were fitting their lives neatly around her, making her a part of their daily rituals.
She hadn’t had someone pour her a cup of coffee in… well, a very long time. It was almost meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but it warmed her heart immediately.
“Thank you,” she said, taking a sip between flipping sizzling food on hot pans.
“Anything we can help you with?” Cooper asked.
“You can help me by eating a decent breakfast,” Claire called, trying to keep the shaking out of her voice.
She hadn’t realized it, but she had been shuddering since the first wolf had stepped into the room and she was rather sure she wouldn’t stop until she was alone again. It wasn’t a bad feeling. A lot of anticipation, mixed with a lot of desire. She could think of worse ways to spend her days.
Claire turned the heat off and slid the last of the food onto big plates and then carried one of them to the table. Cooper was up, grabbing the other one and her mug before she could say a word. With practiced ease Argo drew out her chair and helped her take a seat.
She blushed immediately. This was ridiculous. These two completely scorching shifters falling over backwards… for her? Okay, so Claire had never had any issues with her sense of self-worth, but this was a little bit much for even her to explain away easily. One of them wanting her? Sure. She was a Georgia peach, all curves and silky skin and gleaming hazel eyes. But two at the same time? Two who happened to be werewolves? And not just any werewolves… but the hottest damn werewolves she’d ever seen?
She was going to need some answers before she passed out from the intensity of it all.
The men were digging in happily, piling their plates high with eggs, bacon, pancakes and syrup, and a part of Claire started worrying right away if she’d made enough food.
Focus, Claire. Bigger problems, here!
“Whoa. These might just be the best pancakes I’ve ever had,” Cooper announced with a flourish, grabbing another one.
“Thank you! I’d like to say it’s a secret recipe, but it’s just a little bit of cinnamon and sugar at the right time,” Claire said with a nervous grin.
“Something wrong?” Argo asked, straight to the point as ever.
“No, no! Nothing’s wrong,” Claire hastened to say, shaking her head so her auburn locks bounced around her face.
For a moment, she thought Argo would reach across the table and brush her hair out of her face. He seemed to opt against it, though.
“Tell us,” Argo urged, smiling slightly.
It made him look so damn deliciously dangerous when he smiled. Just something about him made her think of old-timey spy movies and those suave, sophisticated men who secretly ran the world. He definitely had the looks and charm for that. Claire glanced at Cooper, who urged her on amidst bites of food and she let out a sigh.
Okay. Here goes nothing.
“I know we’ve been talking for a while. And I know it was all my own choice to come to Idaho and meet you two. But I have a question.”
She paused hesitantly, feeling the weight of Argo’s gaze on her.
“You can ask us anything. We’d never hide anything from you,” Cooper said, saying it so naturally like it was common truth and she should have already known that.
It did nothing to help alleviate her blush.
“Why me?”
That seemed to strike both of the wolves completely out of the blue. Cooper put down his fork and he and Argo shared a confused look before looking back at Claire.
“What do you mean, why you?” Argo queried.
“I mean, why did you invite me here? I know you must have had dozens of women contacting you on SassyDate. That ad… well, I’m sure there are plenty of women out there who couldn’t say no to a pair of werewolves and a quiet life in nature. And, not to put myself down or anything, but I have to imagine that there were women who were maybe… better suited for this? Who hadn’t been living sort of a sequestered life in a tiny Georgia town, hoping that something better was about to come along but not actually going ahead and grabbing it, you know?”
Her cheeks were burning up now and Claire was actively willing herself to shut up. A soft, almost endearing smile had spread over Argo’s l
ips and Cooper was shaking his head with a chuckle. She could remember the ad they’d placed on SassyDate so clearly that she could probably recite it by heart. When she’d answered it, she’d expected nothing more than maybe a nicely-worded rejection letter the next day and an excuse to hole up with another bottle of wine. But here she was, sitting across from them in a gorgeous cabin, breaking bread and having the weirdest conversation she’d ever had.
After all, how many times could a woman really expect to ask her suitors why they chose her to be their mail-order bride? At least in the twenty-first century, anyway.
“We just…” Cooper started, glancing at Argo as he grabbed one of Claire’s hands.
“Knew,” Argo finished, taking the other.
She felt like she might just melt underneath their heavy gazes. Having both of them touch her at the same time sent her body into a kind of frenzy she thought could just consume her entirely. It was all she could do to keep from hyperventilating. The butterflies in her stomach were making a valiant case for escaping.
“It’s simple. Shifters recognize their mates. Sometimes it’s easier, sometimes it’s harder. Me and Argo, we didn’t want to roam the world, hoping to stumble onto the right woman. The way we figured was that we’d put the message out into the universe that we’re ready for our third and fate would bring her to us,” Cooper said, squeezing her hand.
“I took one look at your photo and knew you had to be the one. And when you arrived at the diner, I had no more doubts. Now, it’s all up to you. We’ll give you all the time you need. All the space you need. Or we’ll take all of it away and give you all the closeness you can take. Whatever works for you. I know you’re meant to be here. Cooper knows it. Now the question is, do you?”
Argo’s gaze pierced through her again and his words spoke right to her heart. Did she know that this was right? She certainly felt more comfortable here than she ever had in Georgia, and she’d just been in Idaho for a little over a day. And though she’d always been a bit shy and aloof with dating, she felt damn near brazen around Argo and Cooper.