by Ever Coming
Shane gave Noah a look before meeting my eyes in question. I wasn’t even sure what he was asking, but gave my nod of approval anyway. He leaned forward, kissing Noah deeply before backing away from me slowly. I was about to cry out for him to stay when he tapped my inner thighs encouraging me to open for him. As he settled between my legs, his tongue swiping my core, sending a jolt of electricity through me, my teeth began to elongate.
“No!” I screamed in frustration, and before I could realize what was happening, both men were standing on the side of the bed as if they had just been burned, both of them mumbling apologies.
“Shit.” I sat up, patting the bed beside me. They stayed put. “I wasn’t wanting you to stop. That wasn’t why I screamed,” I insisted, neither of them looking as if they believed me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“You’re going to need to give us more than that.” Shane held the bridge of his nose, Noah’s arm coming up around him for comfort. “We only want to take what you are willingly giving.”
“I screamed no because my hyena was pushing me too hard,” I confessed. If they were going to stick around, they might as well know what a pushy bitch she could be.
“Your teeth.” Shane gave a curt nod before sitting beside me. Phew, at least he got it.
“Yeah.”
“I think it is safe to say that all three of us are facing that dilemma.” Noah sat on the other side of me.
“Really?” That changed all things, or maybe none, but it felt huge. Their tigers were pushing for me as much as my hyena was pushing for them.
“We would never lie to you, beautiful,” Noah vowed. “Never.”
“Now, what?” My hyena was done with the chitchat. So, either I needed to run, or we needed to make a decision, whatever it might be. I knew where my heart was leading, but there were three of us, not just me to consider.
“I vote we claim your sexy ass.” Shane sure as shit sounded onboard.
“Really, Shane? That’s how you want to do this?” Noah asked, his exacerbation almost pushing out the laughter I was trying desperately to hold in. This was not the time to be laughing at each other, even if I was fairly certain he’d done it for effect.
“What?” Shane shrugged. “It’s true.”
“Not the point.” Noah just shook his head.
“You forget the elephant in the room,” I interjected, taking both of their hands, needing to feel their skin against mine.
“There is no contract your mother could sign that holds you to anything.” Shane bit out. He was very much as un-okay with the situation as I was. Good tiger. “You’re past the age of maturity.”
Which, technically speaking, was true, but that didn’t make breaking them easy.
“It might mean I come to you penniless.” I wasn’t sure how much that mattered to tigers, but to hyenas, it was everything because their priorities were pretty messed up. Males, go do all the things. Females, marry who you should, and you’d better have a dowry with you or else your worth is diminished greatly.
“We came hundreds of miles, taking an entire week off because a matchmaker gave us a match. An expensive matchmaker, at that. Does it sound like we need your money?” Shane was right. I was an ass.
“No. I didn’t mean to imply—it’s just I want to contribute.” Because, if they were penniless, I still would have felt these emotions. Argg. Why did I have to lose all ability to communicate well when I was so turned on. Not that I ever had been that turned on before. It was them. My tigers.
“My trust fund will probably go to the man I was signed over to.” As far as I was concerned, he was welcome to it. It wasn’t as if I even used it for extras. I’d touched it exactly never.
“But you would be ours.” Noah wrapped his arm around me, holding me close. “If we claim you, and you us, we are bound by a law greater than any shifter or human law out there.”
“You just met me.” My hyena was pushing me hard to claim them, and I used the dumbest excuse over for it not to work. I was officially my own worst enemy.
“I’ve been waiting for you for over twenty years.” Shane dropped to his knees in front of me, his hands on both my knees.
“You don’t know it is me,” I argued.
“I do. I knew the second I scented you. I never saw your face, no, but I recognized you immediately.”
“But you said—” His finger came up to my lips, begging me to stop.
“I am a modern man, and, unlike my clan and your cackle, I believe in choices.” I’d been so wrapped up in my own woes, I hadn’t once considered they might be facing similar pressures. Not to the same extent, since they weren’t running out the door, but still.
“Besides, it would have been creepy as fuck for me to be all—mating time, before I even crossed your threshold.”
“He has a point,” Noah whispered in my ear, using his proximity as an excuse to nibble my earlobe. “He usually does, although using some more care in choosing his words wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“I like him the way he is.” I more than liked them both the way they were. We somehow fit, just as we were. Fate didn’t mess around.
“I do, too.” He kissed my cheek before settling his hand on Shane’s still perched on my knee.
“I kind of like me as well.” Shane winked. “So, are we all in agreement, we should get all bitey?”
“I’d like to hear from Noah.” He was all about communication, but I needed there to be no doubt. Matings were until death. There were no backsies, no divorces. “I know where I stand, and I know where you stand, but Noah has been reserved in his opinion since I brought it up.”
“Oh, he wants to.” Shane smirked. “Trust me. He told me we, quote, needed to seal the deal before dinner. Unquote.”
“I was in the restroom, what, two minutes, and you discussed all of that?.” I fell back in laughter. Of course, they did. I had still been so closed off, denying what my hyena already knew. They were mine.
“We had limited time.” Shane plopped on the bed beside me, Noah allowing him to fall back so he, too, was prone on the bed.
“Yes,” Noah said before kissing my breath away.
“Yes?” I panted.
“Yes, I want you both as my mates more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.” He brushed a stray hair from my face. “I want to wake up beside you both each and every morning. I want mark you so every shifter knows you are mine.”
Shane purred as I growled to that. Oh yeah, our animals were completely onboard with being marked, claimed, owned by the sexy man beside us.
“I want to marry you so humans see our commitment for what it is. Fuck, I want to have a family with you both, with an entire litter running around beneath our feet. And, yeah, if that isn’t the way you want to go because of your career, I can wait.” Babies. I’d never allowed myself to even think about that as a real possibility. My career was only a way to make a living. I was so onboard with the making-babies plan.
“Or even adopt from one of the war-torn clans overseas who have more orphans than homes.” And adoption. All the babies. My hyena was prancing as if she’d just won the shifter mega lottery.
“But the answer is yes. I want you both in every way possible.”
“That work for you?” Shane bit the crook of my neck as he asked. He wasn’t playing fair, but he didn’t need to. I was onboard the second Shane uttered the word yes.
“He had me at yes.” I eyed them both where I planned to mark my claim. “So, bite me, maybe?”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Noah sat up. “Should we discuss logistics?”
“Logistics?” Shane grabbed our future mate’s hand, yanking him back to the bed. “How about this for logistics: we go at it like bunnies all night long until we all wear each other’s marks.”
“Works for me,” Noah chuckled before scraping my neck with his teeth, sending shivers down my spine.
They kissed each other before focusing all of their attention on me. There were hands, lips, teeth everywhe
re, it no longer mattering which belonged to whom and, as my body begged for more, Noah crawled between my legs, his front pressed to mine.
“I think we need to alter things a bit.
Yes, the deal was I would fuck you from behind as I sucked Shane dry, but I want to be able to see your face straight on as you come apart beneath me, so I think this works.
Yes. This works.
With that, he slid inside me, filling me more completely than I thought possible. He moved slowly, as if staving off his own release, his tiger visible in his eyes. As Shane stood beside us, my insane need somehow having me miss him getting off of the bed, he kneeled beside my head, offering Noah his cock, which Noah greedily accepted. He licked it slowly, at first, making a big show of how delectable it was, matching his leisurely pace. A pace that was driving me crazy, my hips meeting him thrust for thrust, encouraging him to move faster, harder.
“Patience, beautiful. I learned, years ago, if you try to rush him, you will spend an exorbitant amount of time flustered.”
“But I need more.” I wrapped my legs around Noah’s thighs as if the smell of my arousal wasn’t enough to prove my point. Noah never increased his pace, nor did he stop his ministrations with Shane’s cock. The man could multitask like nobody’s business.
“Trust me, he will give you—” Shane bit back a hiss as one of Noah’s hands snaked underneath his balls. I filed that away as another trick I needed to learn since it all but stole Shane’s breath in the very best of ways. “What you need.” His voice cracked as need escaped his lips
Shane had never spoken truer words.
Noah played both of our bodies like well-tuned instruments, Shane coming only moments before I did, giving Noah just enough time to swallow Shane’s offering before my climax hit and Noah’s teeth sank into my shoulder as mine sank into his.
I had a mate, and my hyena was more than ready to claim her second with absolutely no recovery time. Our human halves disagreed, opting to snuggle together as we caught our breath. Not that we rested long. We had biting to do.
By the time we fell asleep, we were all covered in far more bites than necessary and had a contentment in our hearts that could only be described as bliss.
Whatever might happen next, we all belonged to each other, and that was all that mattered.
Chapter Seven
I woke among a pile of limbs. It was perfect.
My night was filled with beautiful dreams of passels of little children running around as we had a barbecue surrounded by friends and family. Most of them I didn’t know, but Gina and her two mates were among them, a baby in her arms. Wouldn’t that be amazing to have both of us finding our true mates and raising our babies together. It was just a dream, but it felt so real I woke up almost expecting it to come to fruition.
“Morning, beautiful mate.” Shane’s arms stretched across me, embracing me as he scented the mark he had given me the night before.
“Morning smexy mate.” I kissed the top of his head, loving the feel of him nuzzling into my neck.
“Hey, what about me?” Noah nibbled his mating mark. The first one, anyway. He might have overdone the biting thing, having marked us each and every time any of us came. Not that Shane and I had been any less bitey.
“Good morning to you, Mr. Smexy.” I reached out, tracing the line where I’d bitten him. Their marks were bigger, but mine were more pronounced, my hyena making sure there was never a sliver of doubt when they came across another shifter. “Better?”
“Much.” He purred. Damn, I loved that sound. “Shower then breakfast?”
“Sleep more.” I groaned, snuggling into my two tigers. I didn’t want to leave this wonderful cocoon I was enveloped in.
“If we miss breakfast, I have a feeling there will be a very hurt old lady downstairs.”
Crap. Shane was right, and she was eighty if she was a day.
“Fine,” I conceded, my eyes staying firmly shut.
“How about we stay in bed ten more minutes and then take a shower together to make up for the lost time.” Shane pressed into my side, his morning wood greeting me, just as he’d intended.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d have said you guys planned this.” I said as Noah gave my side a similar greeting. At least I didn’t have to second guess if they still wanted me the morning after.
“We totally did.” Shane winked at me. “Expect us to plan many, many ways to get you naked.”
“Trust me, it won’t take much planning.” Heck, being in the room wasn’t even a necessity. Just hearing their voices would be enough to get me ready to go.
“Have I thanked you for turning me down all those years ago?” Noah propped himself up on his elbow to get a better view of his mate—our mate.
“No.” Shane nuzzled in closer to me. “As I recall, you were very butt hurt at the time.”
“Tis true. But you were right.”
“Say that again.” Shane popped his head up to meet Noah’s eyes.
“You were right.”
“You heard him.” I was waiting for him to whip out a victory dance, the way his face lit up at the silly admission.
“Yes, I heard him.” I rolled my eyes. “I thought we had ten more minutes of sleepies.”
“We can sleep when we’re dead.” Shane rolled out of bed before yanking the covers from us. “Let’s use that extra time in the shower instead.”
“I’m up.” He had me at shower. It was going to be a tight squeeze. I could hardly wait.
“That’s our girl.” Noah climbed out his side of the bed.
“I’m just going to grab my shampoo, and I’ll meet you in there.” And maybe watch them as they walked away because why have the view if you aren’t going to enjoy it.
“We’ll set the water.” Noah started for the bathroom before turning back and adding, “If you play your cards right, we might even give you the good spot right under the water with no cold spots.”
“And what card should I play to earn that amazing spot?”
“Oh? I’m sure you can think of a few,” Shane answered with a wink as they both disappeared into the bathroom.
Sexy man was right, I could think of more than a few.
I walked over to where my bag was, fishing inside for my shampoo, which was very much absent. So much for getting ready on the fly. I gave it one last dig before coming up emptyhanded, my hand settling on my phone, instead. The shower had just started, so I took out my phone to shoot a quick message to Gina, wanting to let her know I’d found not one but two mates. She’d better have called Gerri. If not, I was going to get her a gift certificate or something.
After I turned on my phone, I was met with message after message, all from my mother. Choosing not to listen to them, I shot back a text.
Can’t get my messages right now. CliffsNotes?
I couldn’t ignore her. She was my mom and, at some point, I had to stick up for myself instead of just running away, which had somehow become my norm over the years. Go to college out of state—in a human school. Take a crappy modeling job in the city, not knowing it would become so much more, to avoid moving back home. Packing a bag to evade a suitor. Three for three, but no more. I was going to stand up to her, for true. I had two mates who deserved a mate who could fight for what was theirs.
Of course, I did it via text. Baby steps.
Be at your place at three, and don’t be a brat about it. I’m doing this because I love you.
Which was true, but that still didn’t make it right.
Fine.
She was probably telling the phone that I shouldn’t sass her so, nor roll my eyes, both of which were true. Thankfully, her hatred of technology had her not responding again. I was fairly confident if I looked back at our texting history, this was the longest conversation we’d had. And I was okay with that.
“What’s wrong, mate.” Noah stood in the doorway and then, upon seeing my face, made his way to me. “Shane’s in there contriving a way to make it only practical
to be fully under the water if you are on your knees.”
Oh, I was sure he was. Good thing that had been on my short list of ideas only minutes earlier.
“He’d give up warm water for a blow job?” Of course he would. But it still made a gal feel good to know for sure.
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “For all I know, he is planning to be the one on his knees.” Ohhh. That could work, too. “Now, stop the diversion tactics. What’s up?”
“My mother.” I looked down at the phone as if there were any confusion that she might be in the room with us. “She said to be at my place at three.”
“Tell her you’ll be there,” he said curtly before lowering his voice and adding, “Best to get it over with.”
“I already did.” I held my phone out to him, and he gave it a quick glance before handing it back.
“Good mate.” He extended his hand, and I took it as he helped me up from my seat on the floor.
“Yours,” I mumbled into his neck as he embraced me.
“Ours,” he corrected. “Now, get in there.” Smack His hand came down with a snap.
“If you keep doing that, I’m going to end up here begging for your cock instead.” Who was I fooling? That was a foregone conclusion, only without the spanking there was an off-chance I’d make it to the shower first.
Smack.
“I’m going.” I feigned annoyance as I swayed my hips a little more than normal on my way to the bathroom. “Hey, Shane,” I called into the shower, the water cascading down his muscles one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen. “I can’t find my shampoo, but Noah said you made up for my disappointment by getting the water just perfect for me.” His eyes went wide.
“Did he say where that water was directed?” he asked, checking to make sure the conclusion he jumped to was the right one. It very much was.
“No, but he said it was the ideal place for me getting to taste both your cocks, so I’m in.” I climbed right in.
“She’s fucking perfect,” He called to Noah who had somehow snuck in alongside me. Cats and their catlike moves.