by Belle Harper
Maverick thought I didn’t know but I could tell he liked her, and I knew he was the one giving her those books she loves, not Lyell. He was just the in-between guy. Lyell was really quiet, but you could tell he had a good heart. Lexi felt relaxed when she was around him so it made sense in the days I wasn’t here, Maverick had him deliver the books to her.
The party was at the Jones brothers’ house, which was just a few houses down from the Lovells’. But they all had such big properties that it was a good ten-minute walk before we even got to their front gate. I was nervous, in my old pack I was the only teen. I was the only one under forty. So, for this place to have so many teens, it was intimidating and my wolf was pacing, I was looking for danger everywhere, trying to calm him when I saw nothing.
“I need to talk to you before we go in. Is that okay?” Ranger asked. It was dark out, but I could see him quite well—benefits of being a shifter. I shrugged, for someone who talked a lot, he had been really quiet as we headed toward the party.
Maverick hesitated but Ranger waved him on to go ahead. I realized he wanted to just speak to me, and I think I already knew what it was about.
“So, I have a packmate, and I am going to walk in there tonight and tell him that I am breaking that with him. For now, at least. But before I do, I wanted to speak to you. And well, I know Lex is with you now. And I am happy for her and you, but you know how I feel about her.
“I want to… Is there any way you can forgive me, for everything I have done? I want to make this work, us work as friends and show Lex that I would make a good mate. Fuck, I am in love with her. I can’t stop myself. I want her, to share her with you, and I swear on my life, I will protect her. She will have the backing of the whole pack even if she doesn’t want me like that.
“You are one of us, even though it’s not official yet, but you are. And I wanted to tell you, that you can trust me. I will have your back always.”
I was taken back a little. I had only just been told about Pack Kiba’s offer to join them on my birthday. I thought about my uncles—the assholes who tortured me—and it didn’t take any thinking to say yes. There was no way I could go back to Pack Russet, they would kill me and take Lexi for their own.
I didn’t even want to think about the horrors they would inflict on her. And I didn’t want to be a lone wolf my whole life. Lexi needed a pack, and with Kiba, I could give her that. She would be protected by me and the pack. And maybe, if she wanted, her other mates.
I held my hand out and Ranger smiled as he took it, then he pulled me into a hug. I was a little surprised by that as he patted my back.
“That feels so much better, thanks so much, man. And… ah, can you like maybe talk me up? Like talk to Lex for me?” At that, I shook my head and chuckled. If he wanted her, he had to do all the work himself.
“Oh man, really? You suck,” he said as he playfully pushed me away. “You’re making this hard on me, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, well… just be yourself. If she likes you, she will tell you.” I didn’t know what else to say, but my wolf knew that Ranger could be trusted. That he would make a good packmate to me. I could feel my wolf getting closer to the surface. He wanted to run with Ranger, to show him that I liked this arrangement. I turned to see Ranger’s eyes flash—his wolf was thinking the same.
“Let’s go say hi, then go for a run?”
Hell yeah. I needed this… we needed this.
We had been in the kitchen while Josh and Lexi had their little play date in the pool. I loved the connection they had with each other. That was something special, and it wasn’t just for Josh, it was for Lexi too. She really cared about him.
Ranger and I were talking when Nash called for us to come watch Lexi. Said he was trying to be discreet, but he could smell the fear coming from her. We ran up and got changed for the pool. I didn’t own any boardshorts, so Ranger lent me a pair. He was built larger than me, so I had to really pull the drawstrings in.
“Dare you to dive in.” I shoved him playfully before I ran off down the stairs, but the guy was still bigger than me and faster. He beat me to the pool and I watched as he flipped in the air and dove in. I watched the back of Lexi as she tried to block the water from splashing her face. She didn’t smell like fear now. No, I could smell arousal. For Ranger.
Nash nodded and walked off as I made my way to the stairs into the pool and walked down, the warm water lapping at my skin. Ranger was right, these boardshorts would come off if I dove in.
“Hey, where were you?” Her big smile and those gorgeous eyes sparkled at me, I couldn’t get over how lucky I was. How the hell did I get such an amazing girl? I could smell her arousal stronger now as I got closer, I knew that this was for me, too. My wolf nuzzled her neck, feeling happy being close to her.
“I was just chatting with Ranger.” She climbed my body like a monkey, wrapping her legs around my waist and kissed me. My cock grew hard at her tiny body pressed against mine, wearing my T-shirt. When my hands went under her ass to carry her toward the deeper water, I was met with more skin than her underwear. I growled softly as I nipped her lips. I might be inexperienced, but I was a quick learner.
She responded as she grinded herself against me. When I moaned against her lips, she giggled. I moved her away from my body to reached down and adjust myself. I seemed to be forever needing to readjust myself around Lexi.
She ran her hands all over my chest, then traced a path lower…
“I love your tattoos, you have so many for someone so young.”
I could hear Ranger laugh before he called out, “Yeah, well, that because someone has good control of his wolf and he wears the proof of it on his body. If I only I had that much control. Raff is one of a kind, Lex.” She pulled back and looked over to Ranger. He only had half a sleeve—it was a wolf in a forest scene, and most the Kiba teens had something similar. It was very detailed, I had been meaning to ask who his artist was—I still had a little time before my eighteenth to get a couple more. I wanted to get Lexi’s name tattooed to me. I knew, she was it for me.
“What does that mean? Does your wolf not like you getting tattoos?”
I realized then that she didn’t know. I had never told her… I guess there was much she still didn’t know, that was just normal to us that we forgot to mention it. She looked back at me. “What is he talking about?” I shook my head and laughed.
“I heal fast, we all do. But if I was to shift into wolf form too fast after getting a tattoo, it would heal too fast and be gone. It takes about two weeks before my body fully accepts the tatt. So, it would all be for waste if I didn’t have control over my shift.”
Her little brows crinkled in the middle and I kissed her there. She was confused, and I wasn’t good at this.
“He is just being modest. Trust me, he is strong. Mav is probably the only other shifter our age that has such control of his wolf.” Ranger had moved closer and she started tracing some of them on my shoulder.
“Is that why you only have that one?” she asked Ranger, her voice teasing.
“Yeah, and to be honest, this was the second go. But then I turned eighteen, so no more for me.” She nodded then gave us another puzzled look. Ranger laughed. “Man, we are shit at this. When we turn eighteen, we become full shifters? Is that what you would say, Raff?” I nodded. “So, I heal fast. Like super-fast without shifting, the tattoo will be rejected by my body before they have even really started it. Where Raff will still take time, until his birthday. Then he won’t be able to get anymore tattoos.”
I could see Lexi’s brain was working overtime, and I hugged her close. I could smell Galen coming … with Maverick. That had my ears perked.
“Yeah, okay. I am just not going to think about it and just enjoy them instead.”
That was when Ranger splashed us and Lexi squealed, clutching her legs tight around my waist. She moved her arms to the side and splashed him back. She turned to me, so playful and happy, she smacked my chest. “Go get him.”
She dropped away from me and I pushed her to the side so she could hold on, and I wrestled Ranger down under the water in a mock fight.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Lexi
I was laughing so hard when Raff and Ranger tumbled around, it was a sight that I won’t forget—might even use it when I get myself off. God, they were so hot. And the tattoo thing was still reeling over in my mind. I wondered if what Ranger said was true, Raff was like super tough or something for a shifter.
“Good to see the peacocks are out today.” I laughed when Galen walked over, wearing yet another sweater. Wasn’t he a little warm? Oh fuck. The alcohol thing made him warm to the touch he said. So, I guess he was cold right now? Or he doesn’t feel the sun? Or the heat? Actually, how does he walk around in the sun? Or was that one of those myths, he was a myth what was I thinking.
“Hey, who you calling peacock?” Ranger called out. Maverick pulled a chair closer to the edge of the pool, he was wearing a tight white tee, his colourful tatts out on display. I wondered after that conversation if he had more. He smirked at me, dimples out, and I felt it between my thighs. I clamped my legs together which just intensified the need. Oh God, I gotta stop this. I have my period still and my body was all hyperaware of sexy bodies and dimples. Galen pulled a chair beside Maverick and took a seat. I looked away, I didn’t want to get caught out, and I knew Galen would send me over the edge.
Ranger appeared from the water in front of me. I giggled as his hair lay limp in his eyes. He shook his head like a dog, little droplets spraying my face. He winked just as Raff popped up and Ranger jumped on his back and took him down under the water again. I could feel Galen and Maverick watching them, and me.
“Lunch is ready,” Jett called out as he brought a huge plate of subs.
My stomach growled as I walked over to the edge and grabbed one before Jett moved on to Maverick. Jett shook his head at me. “Don’t eat and swim.” I laughed, yeah, like I could actually swim.
Ranger and Raff waved Jett on; apparently, they had already eaten. I was surprised at how fast they had formed a friendship, even though Alaric did tell me this was happening between them.
But what surprised me the most was how fast this was becoming so comfortable—the four guys here with me.
I sat on the edge as the boys took turns on different swimming races up and down the pool. I moved back into the pool as I watched them swim underwater again and got into position for Raff to swim into me. I wanted a little bit more now, and I was ready to kiss him. I was feeling a little horny again, and I missed his lips on mine.
He grabbed my waist as he popped up. “I win,” he said just as Ranger popped up at the edge of the pool.
“Yes, you do.” He chuckled as he leaned back against the ledge. I wrapped my legs around Raff and pulled my lips to his. I could feel him walk backward past Ranger and backed himself into the corner. My back was to Maverick and Galen, so I was hidden in a way.
I licked the seam of Raff’s lips and he opened for me, his hands cupping my ass as he pulled me closer, I could feel one of his hands start to travel up my back, under the heavy, wet tee. I wanted to take it off so I could feel his skin against mine.
I trailed my hand down his chest and between us as I toyed with the drawstring that held his shorts up. He groaned into my mouth, bucking his hip up, and I smiled. He pulled away from the kiss and I could see his hooded gaze trail down my body. The wet tee stuck to me, showing off my body without being naked.
“You are so sexy, Lexi,” he whispered in my ear. I could feel my body heat up, my clit wanted to be rubbed, I wanted to rub his cock, watch him come… I turned back to see Ranger had moved closer to us, like really close. I looked over and could see Galen was now leaning forward on his chair, his elbows on his knees. Maverick was in the same position as Galen, but he moved over to see me, his knee touching Galen’s. I could see them both look to where they were touching, then back to us. But their knees didn’t pull apart.
“You are beautiful, Lex. Inside and out.” Ranger hadn’t moved any closer, but I could feel the air around us, full of built-up sexual tension. He gave me a small smile before he checked out my ass. Holy shit. Could everyone see my ass? I reached behind and tried to pull the material to cover more but it had ridden up a lot.
They were all looking at my ass? I looked back to Galen, who just cocked his head slightly, his expression didn’t change. Did my history teacher just look at my ass? Holy fuck, I think he did. The thought alone had me growing wetter. Raff started to grind his hips into me, his hard length rubbing against my clit. It sent heat flaring through my body, and I turned back and kissed him. I rubbed myself more, chasing that blissful feeling of a climax and knowing I had an audience made it feel all that more intense. I wanted it. I wanted to fall apart in front of them.
I felt something press against my back and I froze. My chest heaving and I felt Ranger pressed gently against me. My eyes flashed to Raff and the corner of his mouth turned up slightly.
“You make me so hard, just watching you rub yourself against his hard cock. Are you going to cum, Lex?” I sucked in a breath. Ranger, holy shit… My heart pounded, his chest pressed heavily against my back, and Raff didn’t tell him to leave. He just nodded at me—he was telling me he was okay with this if I was.
I didn’t move, I wasn’t sure. But when I felt the pressure from my back leave as Ranger moved away, my hand flew out and grabbed his arm to stop him. I didn’t know what I wanted, but I didn’t want him to leave. I knew that.
I pulled him back, this time I could feel his hard cock against my ass as his hands grabbed my ass cheeks. I let go of his arm and held on to Raff’s neck.
“Tell me to leave and I will,” he whispered into my ear. When I didn’t reply, he took that as a silent answer. He squeezed my ass and I started to move against Raff, but this time, there were three of us, breathing deeply, getting closer, chasing that climax. I took Raff’s lips again, this time I was rough as I bit his bottom lip and licked it better. He growled and I could feel it in my chest.
My nipples rubbing against him. I wanted this wet tee off. I needed to feel his chest against my nipples, I needed him to touch me. I reached down and pulled it up as high as I could get it, it was stuck to my body, but with four other hands helping, the two of them pulled it up over my head. I heard Ranger gasp from behind me and he ran his finger down my spine. I arched back toward him. I hadn’t even kissed him and he was touching me in ways I didn’t think would turn me on. Was this what it was like for a female shifter?
Double the pleasure. Raff pulled down the cup of my bra, exposing me. His thumb brushed over my hard nipple before he took it in his mouth. I let out sound that was almost cat like.
“Fuck, I’m close,” I said. God, I wish I didn’t have my period. I wanted to fuck him so bad, but this was good enough for now. Ranger wrapped his fist around my hair and pulled it gently, my back bowing, giving Raff better access to both my nipples. My head on Ranger’s chest, I watched as his eyes asked for permission to kiss me. I gasped, then turned my head to the side, exposing my neck to him. He bent down, kissing and sucking my neck, giving me small bites then kissing them better. I was pressed so hard against him and I wanted to kiss him, I just… I wasn’t ready.
I pulled free of Ranger and grabbed Raff’s shoulder just as pleasure crashed through my body in waves. I moaned loudly, closing my eyes. A hand went to my mouth as I rode out wave after wave from that intense orgasm.
As I started to come down, the hand was removed, and I realized it was Ranger who had stopped me from screaming out and alerting everyone what we were doing in the pool. He didn’t pull away from me though. He held me with Raff—all three of us panting hard.
“Shit, you didn’t cum in the pool, did you?” I didn’t think about that as I looked down to Raff’s crotch. I didn’t think many people would want to swim in here after something like that. Raff shook his head with a lazy smile, and I could feel Ranger chuckle from behind.
“No, but you are so fucking sexy when you cum, Lex.” My body shivered at his words; Ranger knew how to talk and… now I was down from that high. I didn’t know what had come over me. Did I want more with Ranger? I… Fuck, Galen and Maverick. I tore my eyes away from Raff and glanced behind, Ranger smiled at me. I cocked my head to see Maverick and Galen were now standing, watching us.
I couldn’t tell by Galen’s expression what he was thinking—it was unreadable—but as I looked down, I could see Maverick had the heel of his hand pressed against his crotch as he rubbed himself through his jeans. His eyes widened like a deer in headlights and he stopped as he looked right at me, his mouth dropped open. I quickly looked away, breaking apart from Raff’s body. He pulled gently on my wrist and I pulled him down for a kiss.
Ranger had stepped back a little but his hand was still on my ass until I spun around and I looked up into those pretty green eyes of his. His breathing was still heavy as he looked down to the space between us. His hand went out and found mine. He didn’t say anything, he just held it. Waiting for me to make the next move.
But I just didn’t know what that move was. I dropped his hand and quickly made my way out of the pool, forgetting I was now only wearing my wet underwear, and my bra was exposing my nipples to everyone. I flicked them back up as I looked over to where I left my towel earlier, but then I felt it brush over my shoulders. I grabbed hold of it, looking over my shoulder, catching the hazel eyes of Galen.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I wrapped it around me tightly. He rubbed my arms through the towel, drying me, touching me.
This was too much, I was in way too deep. I needed to talk to someone. Right now.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Lexi
I texted Ada to come over, I needed someone. And this was what friends did, right? They helped you and they talked about boys. Right? I had to tell her I now lived at the Lovell mansion. I was nervous to tell her that, because I guess that was something you told your friends if you moved. She called me and screamed about how I didn’t tell her that, and that she learned it from Ranger yesterday and that she had been waiting for me to tell her. Then, once she calmed down, she said she would be over shortly, and it was a full girls’ night sleepover.