Shelly's Forbidden Mates [Beckett's Wolf Pack, Triad Mates 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Lynette Bernard

  “To Randall, my mother and father looked like a mated pair,” Eli explained. “Max’s parents looked like a mated pair.”

  “So Randall assumed that they were mated pairs,” Jackson said, understanding.

  Eli nodded. “We knew that it couldn’t remain that way, though. Max and I are destined to have a triad mating,” he explained. “We saw the love that our mothers shared with our fathers. We want the same.”

  “Each of our parents planned to leave the pack and find a pack that would respect the loss of their triad mates,” Max said softly.

  “Is that why you’re here?” Jace asked. “Do you want to ask to join our pack family?”

  “It’s a little more complicated than that,” Max said softly.

  “How is it complicated, Max?” Jackson asked, stepping down the stairs to stand beside the young man.

  Jace felt the draw to the two men and knew that these men were meant to be a part of his pack family. He had been having dreams about men from Randall’s pack. Now that Max and Eli were standing before him, he knew that these were some of the men who were here to ask for help. He couldn’t deny that each of the men in his vision was meant to be under his protection.

  Mother Fate showed me these men, Jackson.

  She did?

  She showed me these men standing beside Shelly, Jace told him.

  Jackson smiled, looked at Max and Eli, and then faced Jace once again. It’s meant to be, Jace, Jackson said softly. We have to help.

  Jace nodded, stepping down the stairs to stand before the two men. They both looked at him with wariness. He couldn’t blame them. He knew he was an intimidating bastard. He used his size and his anger to push people away. It was a useful tool that was slowly chipping away his ability to function in any other way.

  “Tell me what has made this complicated,” he said finally, crossing his arms across his chest and waiting patiently. “While you’re at it, tell me why you didn’t shift to heal the bruises on your bodies.”

  “We were forbidden,” Max said calmly.

  “Forbidden?” Jackson’s voice held disgust. “Who told you that you were forbidden to shift and heal yourselves?”

  “Alpha Randall,” Eli said, his voice strong. “He said we needed to suffer for not following his rules. We have to obey him. He suspects that we’re triad partners. If he knows for sure, he’ll have us killed.”

  “He’ll also kill our parents for keeping our secret,” Max added. “Once Randall finds out that our parents were part of triads, they’ll be subjected to his brutality, too.”

  “I won’t allow that to happen,” Jace said angrily. “You’re welcome to be a part of our pack family. So are your parents.”

  “Thank you, Alpha,” Eli said, tipping his head slightly to offer his allegiance.

  “What are your jobs in Randall’s pack?” Jace asked.

  “We’re enforcers,” Max answered for the both of them.

  “That might be something you could do for us after a while,” Jace said, touching each man’s neck and squeezing lightly. “Once I’m certain of your loyalty to my pack family, I’ll award you that honor.”

  “That is understandable and acceptable, Alpha,” Max answered for both of them. He would expect nothing less from this strong alpha in his need to look out for his family. It just convinced him and Eli that they had done the correct thing in coming to Beckett’s pack land to ask for sanctuary.

  “For now, I have a job that requires a certain amount of skill. Do you have handyman capabilities?”

  “Alpha?” Eli asked.

  “The log home at the lake’s edge is in good shape, but it needs some repair,” Jace said as he pointed toward the lake on the far side of pack land. “You both can live there while you work on it. There is a young woman that keeps it habitable. She lives there most of the time. I would ask that you watch over her. She’s a good woman. She and her sister are under my protection.”

  Max and Eli nodded, unsure where Alpha Beckett was going with his explanation. Did he think that they would hurt or disrespect the woman?

  “Shelly is very special.”

  “We will respect her, Alpha,” Max said with all honesty.

  “We will protect her as if she were our sister,” Eli vowed.

  “No, Eli, that’s not acceptable,” Jace said, looking at Jackson briefly to see his triad partner trying to hide his smile.

  “You don’t want us to protect her?” Max asked, confused.

  “Yes. I want you to protect her.”

  “I don’t understand,” Eli said, running his fingers through his blond hair and tugging on it lightly, wincing slightly as it pulled on the gash at the side of his head that was hidden within the thickness of his hair.

  “Go to the log home and take care of the broken latch on the front door,” Jace said, ignoring their confusion. “The tools and equipment that you’ll need to fix it are already inside the house. If you find that the home is acceptable, and you’re ready to settle here on pack land, let me know and I will arrange for your parents to have their own homes here, as well.”

  “Thank you, Alpha,” Max said, emotions filling him as the beginnings of hope tugged at his heart.

  “I’ll check on your work in a few days,” Jace said, turning to face Jackson and smiling at the happiness that seemed to radiate off of his triad partner. “Jackson, you and I need to check on the plans for this weekend’s party.”

  “You two are invited to come,” Jackson said to Max and Eli. “It’s Shelly’s birthday party. We’ve planned a Renaissance dance for her.”

  “Oh, I don’t think we’d fit in,” Eli protested.

  “Everyone in the pack will be there,” Jace said, stopping his protest. “It will be a good time to introduce you both to the pack. Everyone will welcome you. We’re family. You will become a part of our family.”

  “Shelly has been looking forward to it,” Jackson added. “It’s an important day for her. I’m sure she would love it if you shared it with her.”

  “Do we have to dress up in those kinds of clothes?” Max asked, knowing they couldn’t possibly pull together anything that would remotely pass as Renaissance clothing. They only had the clothes they were wearing. They hadn’t brought anything with them in case they had been turned away.

  “No, just come as you are,” Jackson said, laughing softly. “Some of our men are going to be dressed accordingly, but most of us are just going in jeans and Tshirts. Most of the women will be dressed in the clothing of the period. It’s been enjoyable watching them get so excited about it.”

  “Maybe you’ll find the woman who is meant to be your mate,” Jace suggested, turning and walking away before either man could see the sly smile on his lips.

  Eli and Max watched Alpha Jace and Beta Jackson walk away. Turning to face each other, it was obvious that both of them were completely stunned.

  “Do you think that’s possible, Eli?” Max asked, his voice hushed.

  Eli shrugged. “If you had asked me this morning if we would have been welcomed into this pack, I would have told you that we didn’t have a chance in hell.”

  “You did tell me that we didn’t have a chance in hell,” Max said, laughing softly.

  “Well, that just shows you I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.”

  Both men were quiet for a minute, unable to keep the hesitant smiles from their faces. As one, they started walking toward the lake to the log home that Jace had said needed repair. Coming upon the home, they stood back and gazed at the beauty of it.

  “Alpha Beckett wants us to stay here?” Max said in wonderment. “This is a beautiful home.”

  “It is,” Eli agreed.

  He started walking up the stone path that led to the front door of the log home, stepping up onto the front porch and opening the door to the screened enclosure that ran the length of the home. There was a collection of comfortable furniture that was scattered across the wide porch. Eli could easily see the way the people who
used to live there must have sat outside on many occasions to enjoy the serenity of the area and appreciate the beauty of the lake.

  “This is really nice,” Max said softly as he looked around.

  “It is,” Eli agreed once again. “I think our parents would be safe within this pack. I could see us having a really nice life here, Max. Maybe we’ll find the woman who’s meant to be ours. It’s time for us to be proud of being triad partners and value the chance of having a triad mating.”

  “It’s something I’ve always wanted, Eli,” Max said quietly. “I promise to treat our woman kindly. I would never hurt her.”

  “I know you wouldn’t,” Eli said firmly. “We’ve both had to be what we aren’t in order to survive and protect our families, Max. That doesn’t mean we’re uncaring or cruel.”

  Max nodded. “I want to be tender and loving to our mate,” he said softly. “I want to be able to hold her in my arms and know that she isn’t afraid to be with me. I want her to know that I’m a good man who will love and protect her.”

  “She’ll know,” Eli said with conviction. “She’ll see into both of our hearts and love us.”

  He looked toward the comfortable, burgundy couch that was set up on the porch and saw a wave of white light undulate before it. He reached out and gripped Max’s forearm.

  The front door of the home was pulled open and an adorable little girl of about five years old with black hair down to the bottom of her waist and cute bangs that brushed the tops of her eyebrows ran out straight into the waiting arms of the man with blond hair who knelt down before her to catch her.

  “Poppa! You’re home!” the little girl said happily, kissing her poppa’s cheek over and over again as she hugged him excitedly.

  “I am, sweetheart,” the man said, sitting down on the porch floor, hugging his daughter to him, and settling her onto his lap. “Did you have a good day with Mommy?”

  “I had so much fun, Poppa! Mommy and me and Matthew baked cookies and brownies!”

  “I hope there’s some left for me and Daddy to eat,” the man said, tipping his head back and laughing.

  His face was filled with joy as he peered over his shoulder to look at the man with black hair who came up behind him. The happiness on the man’s face was apparent as he looked at him and the little girl who was in his arms.

  “Hi, Daddy! We baked cookies and brownies today!”

  “I can’t wait to eat them,” he said, walking over to them and sitting beside them on the porch floor.

  A little boy of about four ran out and climbed up onto his lap and cuddled sweetly against his chest. The man held him gently against him, laughing softly as he kissed their son’s blond head.

  “You taste as good as cookies,” he teased their little boy.

  The little boy laughed with such joy as he looked up at him. “Hi, Daddy!”

  “Hi, little boy. I missed you today. Did you make cookies with Mommy and Allison?”

  “Me and Allie helped Mommy make oatmeal cookies with lots of raisins in them,” the little boy said happily.

  “Matthew was a good helper,” Allie said proudly.

  “We made peanut butter cookies, too,” a sweet angel’s voice came from inside their home.

  Both men looked up and saw their beautiful mate come out onto the porch and slowly sit on the overstuffed couch that was flush against the outside wall of their home. She rubbed her swollen belly slowly, laughing as she felt the baby inside of her kicking.

  “Max, Eli, I need some kisses,” the beautiful woman said, smiling as her two men stood carefully, lifting their daughter and their son into their arms so they could walk over to her and sit down on either side of her.

  “Love you, baby,” Max said, leaning forward and kissing their mate’s sweet lips lightly before nuzzling against her neck and biting down on his mating mark lightly. He rested his son against his chest, loving the sweet giggles that escaped him as he was cuddled tightly between his daddy and his mommy.

  “How are you feeling today, honey?” Eli asked as he kissed their mate and spanned her belly with his large hand.

  “I feel wonderful. Your children make me very happy.” She kissed Eli’s cheek lightly. “You make me happy, Poppa,” She turned to face Max and laughed softly at the soft growls that were escaping him. “Daddy makes me happy. Love you, too, my sweet wolf.”

  “Sweetheart, you’re the one who makes us happy,” Eli told her gently. “We’re nothing without you.”

  “Do I have to remind you again how important you are, Eli Granger?” she asked in frustration.

  “Maybe you should,” Eli said, teasing her.

  “And you, Maxwell Oliver? Do I need to remind you, too?”

  “Yes,” Max said without hesitation.

  The beautiful woman laughed softly. “I’ll remind you both later,” she said quietly. “I hope you’re not too tired for a night of love.”

  “Never,” Max whispered before growling against their mate’s neck and kissing it tenderly.

  “Did you see that, Max?” Eli asked, shocked by the vision that he had just experienced.

  Max could only nod. They had both just seen the most beautiful and miraculous sight.

  “We just saw our cubs and our mate,” Eli whispered.

  “This is going to be our home, Eli,” Max said, finally able to speak. “We’re going to have a little girl named Allison and a little boy named Matthew, and our mate is going to carry another baby for us.”

  “We’ll call her Allie,” Eli said softly. “She’s just as sweet as her mother.” He turned to look at Max, hope filling him for the first time in such a long time. “I wish we could find her soon. I need us to find her.”

  “Me, too,” Max barely whispered.

  “She’s so loving and beautiful. I felt so calm and warm. I’ve never felt so at peace before,” Eli said, going over to the couch and sitting down, touching the cushion beside him and wishing that their mate really was sitting there beside them already.

  “I felt the same,” Max said quietly, sitting on the couch and looking out through the screens of the porch windows to the beautiful scenic view of the lake. “We’re meant to find our mate here.”

  Chapter 6

  “Synthia, I need to come to you,” Shelly whispered into the house phone, looking over her shoulder to make sure that her mother wasn’t around.

  “Shelly, you’ll be twenty-one in just five days,” Synthia said calmly, knowing exactly how frustrated Shelly was. She had hated staying with their mother, too. “Jace promised to bring you to me. Once you’re twenty-one, you have a right to go anywhere you want. I hope you want to be with me.”

  “Synthia, are you kidding me?” Shelly asked, snorting and making the most unladylike sound she had ever made. “Of course I want to be with you and away from Vera. I’m going to ask Jace to bring me to you as soon as he can.”

  “Good,” Synthia said, relieved. “You’ll stay with me and Abby. You can go to college if you want to. If you want to find a job, that’s fine, too. Abby and I will support you. Her father is a great guy, just like our fathers were. He loves her like crazy.”

  “Just like our fathers did,” Shelly whispered.

  “They still do, Shelly,” Synthia said softly. “I feel them around me all the time. Don’t you?”

  “Sometimes. Mostly I feel Vera’s coldness.”

  “Yeah, well, you won’t have to be around her after your birthday.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, Jace told me they’re throwing you a Renaissance party. That’s really nice of him.”

  “He’s such a good man. So is Jackson.”

  “Whoever mates with them is going to be one lucky girl,” Synthia said, unable to keep the love and admiration for their alpha and beta from her voice.

  “Vera still wants you to be their mate, Syn,” Shelly reminded her.

  “I know. She’s delusional.”

  “She’s crazy.”

  “Yeah, that, too.”
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  “I don’t like the person I was when I was living on pack land, Shelly,” Synthia whispered after a moment. “I’m ashamed of everything I said and everything I did.”

  “Synthia, you did what Vera made you do,” Shelly said, stopping her.

  “I let her words influence me,” Synthia said softly. “Someday I need to make things right. I have a lot of people I need to apologize to.”

  “I know you feel that way, Syn,” Shelly whispered back. “You’re a good person. I love you. Everyone here understands.”

  “Maybe. It doesn’t make it right, though.”

  “No. It doesn’t.”

  “Jace said you’ve been doing a good job taking care of the old alpha home,” Synthia told her quietly, doing her best to pull herself out of her guilty thoughts.

  “I’ve always loved that house. He’s kept it in good shape and has filled it with supplies.”

  “He always said it was going to be your place.”

  Shelly nodded, thinking about the story of the three bears that their fathers had always read to her. She remembered telling her fathers that she was going to live there with two wolves. Maybe, someday, that would come true.

  “Jace promised that you would live in Cara’s home,” Shelly said, glad to hear Synthia’s soft laughter at her words.

  “It would be really nice if we lived close to each other with our mates,” Synthia told her, her voice filled with caution as the insecurity of their future filled her. “For now, you need to be strong. Avoid Vera as much as possible. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, Shelly. You’re almost out of there.”

  Shelly nodded, completely understanding her sister’s cautious words. Neither one of them ever referred to Vera as Mom. Shelly and Synthia had stopped calling her Mom a long time ago. A mother was someone who loved and supported you without hesitation. A mother was someone who gave warmth, and love, and hugs, and kisses. Vera Moore had given none of those things to either one of them.

  “Spend all of your time at the home Jace has given you. He’s told Vera that she needs to stay out of your way when you’re working there. I think he’s trying to keep you away from her so you can make it to your twenty-first birthday with no aggravation. I talked to him just a little while ago. He told me to tell you that he’s arranged for two men to help you with the repairs and upkeep of the house. Don’t be afraid when they come around. Jace said they were good men who needed your help.”