by Lori King
Mateo felt the smile widen on his face. She wasn’t pushing them away. She just didn’t want to share her feelings with her entire pack yet. He could understand that. He was a very private person, and he respected that some things weren’t anyone else’s business. “Absolutely, mi reina. Lead the way.”
She brushed between them, and his nostrils flared as her scent swept over him. It was tinged with the spicy shade of her arousal, and his cock thumped against his zipper.
“Christ,” Cadence hissed, gripping the door handle tightly as he shut the door and clenching his jaw.
The trio began to move down the hall when she stopped and turned around. “Just a minute.”
Everything froze, and Cadence and Mateo held their breaths in unison as they waited to hear what she was going to say.
“I’m sorry—” She lifted both hands in front of her and shook her head. His heart plummeted to his feet, and he felt like he was going to vomit. In his mind his wolf snarled for release as his emotions dipped. Instead of pushing them away, she tangled her fingers in the front of each of their shirts, tugging them closer. “I just need a taste before—”
Her mouth met his, and his brain stopped functioning. The sweetness of her soft lips against his was intoxicating and he no longer had control over himself. Gripping the back of her head tightly, he held her in place while his other hand slid up her shoulder to the center of her back and pressed her closer. The brush of her breasts against his chest was like cinders from a bonfire drifting on the breeze as they burned through his shirt, and he could feel her hand squeezing and molding his bicep as she opened wider and deepened the kiss.
Only a sharp whine of need followed by a growl pulled him from the depths of his desire for his mate. Cadence was still standing by, waiting for his turn to plunder her sweet mouth. Forcing himself to release her into his cousin’s waiting arms, Mateo took the opportunity to skim his hands over her backside. He cupped the firm flesh before dancing his fingers up her spine and pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck beneath her hair. Her body arched back against him like he had just flipped a switch, and he filed that pleasure point away for future knowledge.
She was a firecracker, a lit match in a bottle of vodka, and sweeter than any syrup. Not only did his wolf want her, but Mateo the man wanted her just as much. When Cadence and Whitney finally separated, she was flushed and panting hard. Her nipples poked through her shirt, and Mateo couldn’t resist reaching around to tweak one.
Her whimper of need made his balls ache. “Dios mio. I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk very far with my dick this hard.”
She didn’t withdraw at his crude language. Instead she laughed and pressed her ass back into his groin. “Don’t worry. I’m in a similar boat. As wet as my jeans are, I’m afraid I’ll be too chafed to touch by the time we get to the cabin.”
“Mateo and I aren’t going to be able to keep our hands off of you tonight if you go to our cabin, flower. Are you okay with that?” Cadence asked, running his knuckle over her bottom lip. She grinned and nipped his skin lightly.
“I’m more than okay with that.” The words were barely a whisper, but something primal broke free in Mateo at her acceptance, and he scooped her up in his arms. Her laughter echoed through the house as he carried her down the stairs past the gawking crowd of Gray and Diego wolves and out the front door. Following her verbal directions, he headed toward the privacy of their temporary living quarters. There was no way he was stopping again without her say-so.
Chapter 4
Whitney clenched her eyes shut and pressed her face into Mateo’s neck. She couldn’t believe she was actually letting him carry her off without even getting to know him first. She knew that it was a completely irrational and irresponsible thing to do, but her hormones were overriding her good intentions at the moment.
One look at the dark desire on his strong face and she nearly laughed out loud. How many times in just the last few months had she questioned her family and friends about their sudden overwhelming addiction to another person. When Liam found Tina, it was like he became a different person. He craved her to the point of discomfort, and Whitney had been there teasing him every step of the way. Now the shoe was on the other foot as she felt her wolf fighting for control of her mind and body.
It would be so easy to sink her teeth into that taut muscle connecting his massive shoulders to his thick neck. His blood would spill onto her tongue and…and what? A moment of doubt pinched her gut as she realized she really didn’t know what happened next. She knew the basics. Boy wolf meets girl wolf and the mating lust drives them mad with lust. They make wild passionate love that culminates in an exchange of bites that will leave permanent marks of their mating as evidence to any other werewolves of their devotion to each other. What she didn’t really know was what actually happened in that moment. Was there a sudden lightning bolt of understanding? Like the enlightenment that monks meditated for years trying to seek? Or was it just a subtle shift in priorities?
By the time Mateo was carrying her through the door of the tiny cabin, she had lost her nerve. Lust still raged through her system, but her confidence was shaky. He lowered her to her feet, and she twisted out of his grasp, putting the sofa between them.
“Wait, just a minute, please?”
Cadence looked confused, but Mateo smiled gently at her. “It’s all right, mi amor. We’re not going to strip you and mount you before we talk. We’re not animals.”
“Speak for yourself.” Cadence growled low in his throat as though to punctuate his statement. “I damn near shifted after that last kiss. I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out.”
A mix of irritation and guilt tightened her voice-box, making it difficult to speak. “I’m not saying no. I just don’t usually jump into bed with a man before I know him. I’m facing two men, so forgive me for feeling a little off balance.”
Immediately Cadence looked contrite, and when he moved to her side, she didn’t flinch or pull away. He cupped her face and met her gaze steadily. “I apologize, little flower. I shouldn’t be so crass when I’m speaking around you.”
“You don’t have to be anyone but yourself. Please, don’t change your words for me, just be patient with me,” she whispered back, struggling to keep her eyes on his when his lips were so close.
“We have the rest of our lives.” His head dipped to brush his mouth over hers, and she fought her need to claim him in order to keep a clear mind.
“So it would seem, but before we fall into bed with each other and hope for the best for the next fifty years or more, could you tell me who you are?” She held his thick wrists in her grip and exerted slight pressure. In any other circumstance the idea that she could control his movements would have been ridiculous, but she was pleased when he gave a slight nod and released her.
“As you wish, flower. I’ve already told you our names”—he gestured to himself—“I’m Cadence Renault Diego, only son of Barton Diego, the former Alpha of the Diego Pack.”
“And I’m Mateo Sergi Diego. I’m his second, as well as his older cousin.”
She returned Mateo’s sweet smile and accepted his hand as he took a seat on the sofa. There wasn’t a great deal of room between their two large bodies on the cushioned piece of furniture, but she didn’t feel squashed. Instead she felt coddled and cherished.
Mateo’s hands were enormous compared to hers, and she found she wasn’t able to lace her fingers with his. Instead, she settled for wrapping her grip around his thick thumb. When he lifted it and pressed a kiss to her tight fist around his digit, she bit her tongue hard enough to taste blood. Good grief, the man’s lips were sinful no matter what part of her they touched.
On her other side, Cadence lifted his arm around her shoulders, and she tipped her head to rest in the crook of his elbow. His body was turned to face her, and his knee pressed against her thigh. A glance down revealed that his thigh was thick solid muscle that almost burst through the denim it was encased in.
Fighting for clarity, she mumbled her next question. “How old are you?”
“Before we answer that, shouldn’t you tell us who you are, mi reina?
A flush of heat filled her cheeks and she cursed her own reaction. It wasn’t like he asked her to strip, he just wanted her name. “Whitney Victoria Gray, only daughter of Henley and Victoria Gray, but I have three brothers. You met Liam already. He was the growly one that was so put out with you both. Rafe and Ryley are in Wyoming on pack business. I’m a Beta for the Gray Pack as well as a nature photographer.”
“Beautiful,” Mateo breathed into her ear, and she shivered. She could feel her nipples scrape against her clothing, and she shifted in her seat. “I’m thirty-one, and Cadence is twenty-five. How old are you, mi amor?”
“Twenty-seven. What does that mean?” When Mateo frowned at her in confusion, she laughed. “I know mi amor is my love, but what is mi reina?”
“My queen,” Cadence answered before Mateo could, and his answer stole her breath.
If she mated Cadence, and he won the battle, she really would be a queen. She would become the Alpha-bitch of the Diego Pack. Her brain fuzzed over and she suddenly felt very claustrophobic between them. Standing abruptly, she began pacing as she panted for air.
“Whitney? What is it? Does that upset you?” Mateo started to rise but she stopped him with one lifted hand.
“No! No. It’s fine, it just surprised me. I guess I hadn’t had time to think through all of the repercussions of this whole thing.”
Cadence exchanged a glance with Mateo and then frowned at her. “What do you mean ‘this whole thing,’ Whitney?”
“I mean you, me, us, the pack, the battle… Oh my God. I think I’m going to be sick.” She dropped back down to sit on the edge of a small chair and put her head between her knees.
“Slow down, little flower. You’re going to make yourself sick if you keep worrying about things to come. You should be focusing on the joy of finding your mates tonight, and nothing else.” Cadence moved to her side and lifted her up in his arms, making her gasp. He seated himself in her place and settled her in his lap, pressing her head to the soft spot between his shoulder and his collarbone. “There, this is better. Calm yourself, and let’s get to know each other more. You said you’re a photographer, right? Who do you take photos for?”
She nodded. “Magazines mostly, and occasionally marketing and graphic designers. I focus on nature, well, wildlife photography mostly. You wouldn’t believe how many wolves there are in this neck of the woods.”
Her joke eased the tension, and Mateo settled back on the sofa across from her and Cadence. He didn’t seem bothered or jealous of their cuddling at all. In fact, he looked downright pleased.
“How did you get started in photography, mi reina?” he asked, watching the two of them as they snuggled.
“When I was fourteen or so, I went to a summer camp put on by the local boys and girls club. One of the things they let us try was taking our own photos. When they developed them and I saw what I was able to capture through the lens…” She paused and shrugged. “I was hooked. It started out as a hobby, and as my reputation grew, it turned into a career.”
“That’s amazing, Whitney.” Cadence looked at her with honest admiration and she smiled back.
“Thanks. So what do you two do in Chicago?”
“We own a security company called 3 Moons Security.”
Now it was her turn to be impressed. “You both own it?”
Mateo shifted in his seat. “Yep. We started it as a sort of temp agency for bouncers. If you didn’t notice, most of the Diego wolves are big guys, so it was a natural fit. Now we do security for the wealthy and well known for the most part.”
“Sounds like an exciting life.”
Cadence shrugged underneath her. “Sometimes. We were working to expand the business, until my father died. I thought I would have another dozen years or more before I would have to lead.”
She knew her eyes widened. “So, how are you going to work if you win the Alpha battle?”
“When, not if, pretty girl. I will win the battle,” Cadence said in a hard tone that allowed for no questions.
Frowning a little at his arrogance, she pushed for more answers. “But what if you don’t?”
“Enough. I don’t deal in what ifs. We will win because there is no other option. The Diego pack is our destiny.” Gone was the soft, sweet man who had consoled her only moments ago. In his place was a cold, hard Alpha wolf.
Her wolf reared back in her head, and she tried to pull away from him. Like steel bands, his arms locked around her and he frowned. “Where are you going?”
“Back to the sofa. I don’t appreciate being treated as though my opinion doesn’t matter,” she snapped, and his dark eyebrow rose.
“Your opinion matters very much to both of us, mi reina. Cadence is just sensitive about that subject,” Mateo said from across the room. She wanted to argue, or at least fight Cadence’s hold and stomp to the other side of the room to sit on the sofa, but something about the sympathy in Mateo’s tone made her sit still. “Let’s not fight about it now. I would much rather know more about you. Besides photography, what do you like to do?”
“Hang out with my best friend, Tawny. Go dancing at Rustler’s, read, and help out around the den when I can. I play softball in the spring with some of the other girls in the pack. What about you guys? What do you do in your downtime?”
Cadence laughed loudly. “I don’t have much down time. Between the pack, and the company, I’m always working. Mateo here likes to go play poker with some of the guys, and he babysits.”
Her eyes widened in surprise and when she turned to find Mateo glaring at his cousin. She couldn’t hold back a giggle. “Really? You babysit?”
“No. I volunteer. Our pack has recently opened a group home for young wolves. Some of the other packs will send their orphans there to be cared for. I go down there once a week to hang out with them. We play basketball, or video games, or whatever. It is not babysitting.” Mateo almost seemed embarrassed by his good deeds, but it warmed her heart to hear about the softer side of the big man.
She wasn’t surprised by Cadence’s response. He seemed like a guy who was all business and little play, but then she had to assume that that was what it took to be a great Alpha and a good business man. Obviously he was good at the latter because he had a successful company. What would he be like as a mate, though? Would she always be fighting for her place in the lineup, or would he make time for her?
Mateo, on the other hand, seemed to have divided priorities. Clearly, he wasn’t living his life for business, but where did she fit in to his already cramped schedule? For that matter, where did they fit into hers? She had built her own business, too, albeit it a smaller one that theirs. Yes, she could legitimately take her career with her and do it from anywhere, but did she want to sacrifice the familiar territory for an unknown one?
She was silent for several moments before Cadence cupped her chin in his hand, and his fingers stroked over her jaw. When their eyes met, his dark chocolate-brown eyes lit up with desire, and the wolf in her body reacted. “Little flower, I know this is happening fast, but we’re only delaying the inevitable with this chat. Your wolf recognizes its mate in me and in my cousin. Can you deny that?”
She shook her head as white-hot need replaced curiosity.
“Then please, Whitney, can we continue this conversation at a later date? Say in the morning over breakfast?” The harsh light of his eyes softened at her acceptance, and he had the look of a playful flirt again.
“I hope you can cook, because I’m no dainty miss. I have a werewolf’s appetite…” She paused and glanced over at Mateo, who still reclined on the sofa. He looked less relaxed than before, and the bulge at his groin looked enormous. “For everything.”
A growl filled her ears, and she was suddenly moving. She was still wrapped in Cadence’s arms, but he rose in one fluid movement and he
was moving toward the bedroom at lightning speed. A queen-size bed dominated the small room, and it was made up with the luxurious bedding that she and the other Gray Pack women had purchased.
Cadence allowed her to stand at the foot of the bed before his hands rose to the hem of her shirt. “I take it the Gray Pack expected the two of us to share a bed?” he asked with a hint of annoyance.
“No! The sofa is a pullout. You each would have had a bed. You should be grateful Devin made the exception for the two of you and gave you your own cabin. The other men will be sharing and sleeping in bunks.”
Mateo’s face appeared next to Cadence and he winked. “Oh we’re grateful, but so are the other guys. Cadence here snores like a chainsaw. The guys haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep since we hit the road.”
Whitney’s laughter was cut off by Cadence jerking his T-shirt over his head, leaving his enormous ripped chest bare to her view. Beside him, Mateo dropped his shirt to the floor, and suddenly everywhere she looked, all she saw was golden rippling muscles and sexy ridged abs. Her pussy wept in her panties and she trembled, clenching her fists at her sides to keep from attacking them.
Before she could decide who to touch first, Cadence pulled her own shirt over her head, leaving her standing in her pretty blue lace bra. Mateo licked his lips as his eyes skimmed over the swells of her breasts and the taut line of her belly before landing on the tattoo that decorated her ribs.
“Who is Daphne?” he murmured, running his finger over the tiny rainbow and script letters.
“She was my niece. Liam’s daughter. She died in a car wreck a couple of years ago.” Pain made her voice crack, but the understanding and compassion in Mateo’s eyes eased the sting and made her want him even more.
Cadence bent and pressed a kiss to the ink that was no more than four inches long. “I hope you’ll tell us about her soon.”