by Alyse Zaftig
There was a moment where he stared me down, but I'd grown up with a father who used that as his primary disciplinary tactic, so it didn't work on me.
"I knew you'd come," Blue said, walking out of the stall. "What do you think?"
"They're pants," Jasper grumped. "And we're in the middle of talking about why my date just ditched me. I paid for every table in that restaurant for you!"
"Did it ever occur to you that it was too much?" I put my hands on my hips. "I didn't ask for that. All you did was drive me home after someone spilled wine on me, and then all of a sudden I was on a date in an empty restaurant with two guys I didn't know."
Jasper ground his teeth and said nothing. "Come back."
"No," I said. "Blue and I are going to buy pants. Then I'm going to take him home and feed him popcorn while we watch a movie. And maybe cuddle on the couch."
"On board with this plan," Blue said easily.
Jasper's face was red. I knew I had to tone it down.
"You can be invited if you behave yourself."
"She's sassy," Blue said. "You wouldn't want a shrinking violet for a... You wouldn't want a shrinking violet anyway."
"What were you about to say?"
"Nothing," Blue said. "Oh look, more pants." He went back into the stall so that I was still face to face with Jasper.
"I'm used to getting my way."
"If you're interested in me, you're going to have to get used to doing things my way." I walked close to him. I was still mad about our disastrous date, but I had to admit that the man was sending out pheromones. He smelled like the kind of decadent sin that could keep you up until dawn. I put a hand on his arm, and he stopped breathing. "Listen," I whispered. "I've had some bad experiences. You have to take it slow with me, okay?"
He inhaled a shallow breath and said, "Okay."
5
Pants
JASPER
I could barely breathe with my mate this close to me. I already knew that she was right for me, but right now, the urge to mate with her in the middle of this store was nearly overwhelming. If I didn't have supernatural self-control, she would be screaming my name while naked right now. Instead, because I was a paragon of virtue, I had the worst case of blue balls I'd ever had and an overwhelming desire to turn her over my knee for running out on me before fucking her until she could no longer move.
"What do you think of these?" Blue sauntered out of the room like some Italian runway model and turned around.
"They're pants," I said.
"Those look great on you!" Jasmine countered, walking forward and touching Blue's upper thigh. "We should buy these." She slid her wallet out of her purse.
"You're not buying his clothes," I growled. The pack could take care of itself, and if it couldn't, I had an outside business that provided for our income. "Not ever."
"You don't own me," she tossed back. She rubbed Blue's upper thigh. I could see in his eyes that he was already wrapped around her little finger, even though they’d barely met. I knew that he could feel the tug of the mate bond. "You won't stop me, will you?"
"Not as long as you promise to keep rubbing me," Blue whispered to her. Fuck my shifter hearing. They were looking at each other like they were already falling in love. I'd met her first, but somehow he was ahead in the relationship stakes. I didn’t like being in second place.
I was used to being respected. I ran a construction company full of shifters. Construction was hard on human bodies, but with our supernatural strength and healing abilities, we were a little bit better at it than the average human would be. And I had different sorts, but being a wolf alpha was always good enough to bring people into line.
Until Jasmine. She'd walked out on me in that restaurant. I didn't know if I should be offended or fall at her feet. She was the first person in a long time to actually deny me anything. If she'd come back to the table to chew me out, we would've had our first fight and I wouldn't have had to watch her so easy and comfortable with Blue in this store. With my beta, she was fine. With me, our personalities clashed. She was the right mate for us, no question, but whether she'd accept it was up in the air.
I watched as Blue gently shouldered her out of the way as he paid for his own pants. No werewolf, beta or no, would let her pay for his own clothing unless the card was linked to his own account. Blue was my second-in-command. My right-hand man. He sweet-talked Jasmine into getting his way and the formerly bored teenage saleswoman was even laughing. Blue had a fun charisma that made everyone love him.
I made everyone fear me. Children didn't run screaming from me in the street, you understand, but I was good at getting my voice heard.
But part of being a leader is knowing when to shut up. And my instincts were screaming that I'd run off my mate if I moved too fast. So I just stood there and watched as the saleswoman carefully wrapped the pants in tissue paper and put it into a box.
Blue was holding the box in one hand while still wearing his stained pants, which had black marks on them, and in his other hand was Jasmine's. And the smile on her face was radiant, so effortlessly beautiful that I could barely breathe. I wanted her to smile like that because of me.
Jealousy sank its sharp claws into my heart. The three of us were meant to be together. We were fated mates. But it seemed like Jasmine wasn't ready for that.
If I were a kind man, I'd leave Jasmine with Blue. They'd fall in love. And with his help, I could get her into my bed, too.
But I was not a kind man. I wasn't courteous. I wasn't going to let Blue encroach on my property, although he had equal rights to her. She was our mate, after all. But there was no way that I'd let him steal the moments we were supposed to have together.
I trailed behind them as they walked toward her car.
"My car," I interjected.
She gave me some stink-eye, flipped me off, and slid inside of her car.
I went to my car and followed her out. I didn't care that I had no idea where her address was or even what her last name was. She was spending tonight with two men, not just one.
When her car came to a stop, it was outside of a pretty little two-story house with pretty flowers around it. Autumn was coming, but her roses were still blooming. Some of the other plants were ready for winter.
She took my breath away when she got out of her car in a graceful movement. I wanted to see her do it again. And again. I had no idea that standing up could be so alluring until I watched her step out of the car.
When she opened the door, she motioned for Blue to come in.
"I'm coming in," I told her.
"I won't stop you, but if you come in, you have to promise to behave."
"I'll behave." Our definitions of behaving might be different, but I'd do my part.
With a moment of hesitation, she let me inside of her home.
For a large family, her home would've been too small. But somehow it fit her personality. There was artwork on the walls and cheerfully colored cushions on the couch.
"Looks like a home," I said.
"Of course," Jasmine said, her voice a little tight. "It's my home."
Blue broke the tension by flopping down on her couch and picking up the remote control. "What do you want to watch?"
"Pick a romantic comedy. It could be a classic. I'm going to pop some popcorn."
I sat down on the other couch, the one that Blue wasn't sprawling on top of. My hands were sweaty because I was nervous about a girl for the first time ever. I wasn't ashamed of the number of girls I'd charmed into bed when I was a little younger, but it had never been particularly hard. Jasmine wasn't going to take one look at my face and shifter body and fall into bed with me.
I could hear the sounds of popcorn popping in the microwave.
"Is this how normal people feel?" I asked Blue too softly for anybody but a shifter to hear.
"It's a normal date, if that's what you're asking." We had gone to different schools. My father had wanted me to experience the jungle of public scho
ol. Blue had been cosseted as a college prep school. "Lighten up. I think you're trying too hard. Your hands are shaking."
I looked down at my hands. That was another first. I was a wreck and it was just our first date. She'd rejected the restaurant plan. We were at her home now, which was definitely good. I wondered if she had any high proof liquor like grappa. I couldn't get drunk all that easily, but I could try very hard.
I wandered into the kitchen. She didn't see me for a moment, her back turned to me, so I just admired the view. The swell of her hips under her small waist was so tempting that I wanted to go over and sink my teeth into her hip. But it would scare her, so I didn’t, no matter how hard the wolf pushed me.
"Almost done," I commented as I watched the microwave hit ten seconds.
She jumped a little. "You scared me." She swatted my chest lightly with the back of her hand.
I wanted to kiss her. Her brown eyes were so warm and full of laughter. She was much more playful than the women I was used to. Blue could handle this sort of thing. I found myself at a loss, because women didn't really act like this around me. I normally controlled the conversation.
"Can I help?"
"It's just popcorn," she replied. "I'll throw it in a bowl, grab a popcorn shaker, and call it a day."
"Popcorn shaker?"
"Yeah, I like flavored popcorn." She took the steaming bag out of the microwave, threw it into a giant glass bowl, and picked up two shakers from inside of the spice cabinet. "Come on."
She marched into the living room with her popcorn in tow. I followed her in. Blue's eyes were half shut. She jumped onto the same couch as him, nudging him with her thigh. As soon as she sat down, Blue was pulling her into his lap and giving me a smug look. I rolled my eyes. My beta wanted to take victories where he could. Jasmine set down the bowl of popcorn as Blue hit the play button on the movie.
I fell asleep during the first scene when the main character broke her heel.
6
Interrupted
JASMINE
"He's a good man, you know." Blue whispered in my ear before biting my earlobe and making me yelp. "I know that you feel like he's coming on too strong, but he's just never felt this way about anybody before."
"Like what?" I asked. I could feel the bulge of Blue getting hard behind me.
"You smell good," he moaned before shifting so his body was on top of mine. I put a hand on his chest.
"Like what?"
"Like you're the person he's meant to be with."
My stomach sank. I was literally underneath Blue at the moment. "But what about you and me?"
"The three of us could work something out." Blue chose that moment to grind his body on mine. I instinctively arched up against him and then shot a guilty look at Jasper's sleeping form. He probably wouldn't be all that happy to wake up and find Blue and me on top of each other.
"What about Jasper?" I whispered.
"He'll be fine," Blue said. Blue picked me up like I weighed as much as a feather and brought me into the bedroom. "If you're very good, I think I can convince him to be cool about this."
I bounced on the bed as he threw me down and began biting my neck. I felt my body heating up as his lower body ground against mine. I wanted to moan, but the sleeping man in my living room made me hesitate.
"We should close the door."
Blue just looked at me and laughed. "If you think it'll help."
He moved so fast that he had barely finished his sentence before the door was closed and he was back on top of me.
"I want to see you naked," he told me. He started taking off my clothes. "You're so delicious," he told me, tasting me with the tip of his tongue. He held my hips down when I wanted to arch into him.
He started diving straight into my softness and I thought that my body would shatter from the sharp intensity of the sensation. Every muscle of my body was screaming as he brought me higher and higher. I couldn't hold back a half yelp, half gasp.
The door swung open. There was a very sexy, just awoken Jasper running a hand through his disheveled hair. I was worried that he was going to be mad about me running off with his friend when I was supposed to be on a date with him. Instead, he just took off his shirt.
I swallowed hard. Was I about to be double-teamed? I wasn't ready for this. "Um... I don't know about this."
But Jasper kept walking towards us. I wiggled out from beneath Blue and pulled the sheet up to cover myself. "I'm not comfortable."
"Your wish is our command." Blue slid off of the bed, calm and relaxed. Jasper growled at him.
7
Fight
BLUE
I snarled at Jasper, making him back up a step. He was my alpha, but she was my mate. If she said no, it was absolute.
“Meet me outside,” I said, my voice low as my wolf had his hackles raised, trying to protect our mate.
“You don’t want to do this,” Jasper protested, his eyes showing that his wolf wasn’t happy about his second-in-command challenging him.
“I do,” I said. “Our mate is more important than anything.” If he couldn’t control himself and stop scaring her, he’d ruin our future. “Outside.”
He showed me his teeth before walking away. I turned around. Jasmine had her sheets pulled all the way up and looked like she was on the verge of tears. She was holding it together, but barely.
“Hey there,” I said, kissing her cheek. “You’re okay.”
I could see in her eyes that she wasn’t comfortable with the direction that the date had taken. She was visibly shaking.
“Everything will be fine,” I said, kissing her shoulder. “Why don’t you try to get some rest while I knock some sense into Jasper?”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep.”
I pulled away from her and eased her into a comfortable position.
“I’ll be back in a bit.” I closed her bedroom door behind me as I went to talk to Jasper. If he hadn’t scared her, I would be engaged in far more pleasurable activity than having a hard talk with my alpha.
“What the fuck was that?” Jasper spat at me, pacing in front of the house. He was at his crankiest.
“You’re a dick, that’s what,” I said, ice to his fire.
“You’re the dick,” he growled at me, lowering his chin as if he were about to tackle me in human form. “We need to be…”
“The three of us will form mating bonds, for sure.”
“Then why are you stopping us?”
“You are,” I snapped. “Instead of letting her establish a relationship with me, you’re too insecure about your own claim that you’re messing up mine.”
He showed me his teeth. Normally, betas bared their necks or stomachs to show submission. Instead, I showed my teeth back at him.
“Don’t ruin everything,” I warned. “You won’t like the consequences.”
He snarled at me, his shoulders tight. “Don’t threaten me. I’m still your alpha.”
“If you want to be my alpha, you have to earn that respect.”
He lunged at me, even though we’d settled our dominance fights long ago.
“Don’t make me hurt you,” I told him. I brought my hands up and kept them loose. I’d defend myself if I had to.
“Stop!” We both froze when Jasmine’s voice registered.
“You two shitheads,” Jasmine said. “Why didn’t you think to ask me what I wanted, huh?” She had her hands on her hips.
“We’re trying to be respectful,” I replied. “Or at least I am.” I raised my eyebrows at her.
“Both of you, get back in the house before you freeze to death.”
Shifters weren’t worried by a temperature in the forties, but we hadn’t even brought up the subject with Jasmine yet. I could see that there were goosebumps on her skin.
“Let’s take this inside before you get too cold,” Jasper said. I guessed that he could see the same thing. It wasn’t too cold for us, but it was for our future mate.
“Don’t change the subject,” she warned, even though she was heading back inside. She was barefoot, which probably contributed to the way she was beginning to shiver.
As soon as we got into the house, I wrapped a blanket around her and settled her on a couch, sitting next to her and glaring at Jasper.
“Ahem,” she said, clearing her throat. “Okay, first of all, you don’t need to fight over me. Jasper may have met me first, but I feel more chemistry with Blue.”
I could not resist sending a smug look over at Jasper, who looked like he had been slapped.
“But Jasper is the one who invited you into this relationship, Blue, and I’m not going to forget that. Yes, I bailed on the date, but that’s because it wasn’t even remotely what I wanted.”
“What do you want?” I asked. “See, I actually take the time to ask, unlike somebody I know.”
Jasper’s face darkened and Jasmine sent me a glare. “That’s enough out of you.” She scooted away from me, so I shut up.
“Jasper, you have to take it slower with me. You can’t just jump into my bedroom without any kind of warning. I was about to… do some things with Blue.”
“I belonged there,” Jasper protested. “You might not see it yet, but I belonged there with the two of you.”
“There’s something going on,” said Jasmine. “That’s my second point. You guys keep cutting yourselves off. I know there’s more to this than two guys being interested in the same girl, especially since Jasper brought Blue to the date.” She crossed her arms, which created a very distracting amount of cleavage in the V-neck shirt she’d thrown on before she’d gone outside to stop the fight in its tracks. “So you two better come clean before I throw both of you out of my house.”
“You wanna?” Jasper asked me.
“You should go first,” I responded.