Max looked at Eli and felt a moment of dread filling him. He could see that his triad partner was equally freaked out by Shelly’s words. He took a step closer to Shelly, successfully pressing her between them and holding her tightly.
“Baby,” Max whispered, doing his best to calm her. He turned her slowly so that she faced them as they stood beside the couch in the living room. “We’re going to be fine. Eli and I love you. We’re going to claim you tonight, and we’re going to start our lives together.”
He reached into his front jeans pocket and pulled out the gold chain that he had been safekeeping for her. He slid the length over her head and reached up to lift her heavy, dark tresses so that the chain rested comfortably against her neck. Taking the omega charm that hung from it, he brought it toward his mouth to kiss it tenderly before allowing it to hang across the bodice of her dress.
Eli reached into his pocket and removed the ring that he and Max had presented to their woman earlier. He waited until Max lifted Shelly’s left hand before placing it on her ring finger. He kissed it once it was in place, waiting for Max to do the same before breathing a sigh of relief.
“It looks good on you,” Eli said gently, looking at the blue stone that was so very much like the color of Shelly’s pretty eyes. “We chose the shape because you own our hearts, you know.”
Shelly melted between them, glad when their strength held her up. To be so loved and so cared for was something she would never take for granted.
“I need you both to claim me,” she whispered, a squeal of surprise leaving her as Eli swept her up into his arms and ran up the stairs to the master bedroom.
Standing in the doorway of the room, he waited before the open double doors until Max was beside them and his triad partner slipped his arms around Shelly and beneath her legs to participate in carrying her over the threshold. They carried her toward the massive bed and set her down beside it.
“Are you sure, Shelly?” Max asked softly, his deep voice gentle.
“It’s your choice, sweetheart,” Eli added.
Shelly reached into the deep pocket of the dress that she wore and pulled out the small, wrapped jar that Martha had given her. She unwrapped it quickly then handed it to Eli and smiled.
“You need to put that on the bedside table, Eli,” she told him firmly.
“What is it?” Eli asked, looking down at the jar as he walked over to the bedside table to place it carefully on the white lace doily before returning to stand beside Shelly and holding her gently within his arms.
“It’s salve for after,” Shelly said, her cheeks pinking with her blush.
“What?” Max whispered.
“Martha gave it to me. You both are going to take care of me after you claim me, right?”
“Of course, baby,” Max said, growling softly.
“Good, because after you soothe me with your tongues, you’re going to need to spread the ointment from the jar on me and inside of me so I won’t be sore,” Shelly said, forcing herself to push aside her embarrassment to tell her men what she needed them to do. “Do you think you’ll be able to do that for me?”
The immediate growls that left her sweet wolves made Shelly laugh out loud. All embarrassment fled her in that moment. Her men wanted her. They wanted to take care of her. They desired her.
Nothing could be better than that.
Chapter 17
“We’ll always take care of you, baby,” Max whispered, his eyes glowing golden as his wolf pushed forward. He pushed back. This first time was one that was destined for gentleness. Both he and Eli were determined to make love to their woman with the care and the tenderness that she deserved.
“No reservations about this, Shelly?” Eli asked, needing to be certain.
“You’re both mine,” Shelly said gently, reaching up and slipping her hands along their necks to thread her fingers through the hair at the nape of their necks. “I’ve already claimed you. Please claim me.”
“You ask so pretty,” Max teased, his grin a combination of happiness and need. “Love you, baby.”
He leaned forward and kissed Shelly’s shoulder, tracing the red piping of her dress to the soft swell of her breasts with the gentle touch of his index finger. The vision that they had shared just moments before made him growl with possessiveness as he thought about drinking the milk from her breast. Their woman was going to be a loving, nurturing mother to their cubs. He felt his emotions exploding within himself as he thought about how wonderful it was going to be to finally be able to call Shelly theirs.
Shelly closed her eyes and gave herself over to the loving, gentle touches that her sweet wolves gave her. Eli’s careful caress against the nape of her neck made her shiver. He pushed aside the long length of her hair to place light kisses along her spine, slowly lowering the zipper of her dress and following its progression downward with slow nips and gentle nuzzles of tenderness.
Max caressed her shoulders with the pads of his thumbs as he helped ease the dress from her body until it fell into a cloud of beauty around her feet. He knelt down before her and slowly caressed her legs from her hips to her ankles, carefully lifting each foot and pulling her dress free. He kissed her left hip just above her white panties and stood, confusing her. When he walked over to the closet carrying her dress, she watched with interest.
Eli stood behind her, wrapping her within his embrace and settling his hands just below her breasts, pulling her toward him gently and holding her against the warm hardness of his chest. She could do nothing but melt against him. It was amazing to her that she felt no fear or nervousness. Her men made her feel comfortable with their caring. Their time together was right. It was good.
The act of a triad mating had previously held some fear and had caused her moments of being unsure. She had questioned her ability to love, both physically and emotionally. She had worried about the actual joining, unsure if it would be pleasurable or painful. She had worried that she wouldn’t have what it took for her to love two men so deeply and in such a forever kind of way.
She knew now that those fears were unfounded. When you met the men who were meant to be your mates, everything was so very different. When your heart recognized the men who were your soul mates, nothing else could fill your mind except how beautiful and good that mating would be. Friendship, caring, support, kindness, dedication, and love jockeyed for position within your heart. The life that a triad relationship was meant to have, filled you with a peacefulness that calmed your soul. There was no fear. There was no question or doubt. There was only what was—the destiny for a beautiful love.
She watched as Max hung her dress on the pink satin padded hanger that had held the beautiful creation that Martha had made for her. Once it was hung and zipped carefully, he pulled the clear garment bag that covered it in place and zipped it closed. Shelly was touched by his care. He wanted to preserve the dress just as much as she did. She could feel how much both Max and Eli regarded that dress as her mating dress, and it touched her heart.
When Max closed the closet door and walked back to her, she was smiling widely at him. She opened her arms and waited as he stepped closer and embraced her. Resting her head against his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist, she felt at peace. Both her men were solid and strong against her body. They held her carefully. There was something about the way they pressed her tightly between them that told her how much they valued her being theirs.
“Thank you for taking care of my dress,” Shelly whispered.
“Any time, baby,” Max said, laughing softly. “If there’s ever a time you need me to take off your clothes and hang them up, I’ll be right there for you.”
“I’ll just bet you will,” she said, enjoying the soft laughter that she felt against her back as Eli chuckled behind her. “What about you, Eli? Will you help me take off my dresses, too?”
“I’m more of a bra and panties guy, sweetheart,” he answered without hesitation.
Shelly couldn’t help but laug
h. She pushed out of their arms and took a step back, looking up at her men and seeing the happiness that radiated from them. She liked it. She was determined to give them cause to be this happy every day that they spent together.
“Something’s wrong with this picture,” she said softly. At the confused looks that her men gave her, she couldn’t help but smile. “I’m nearly naked, and both of you are fully clothed. Not fair, guys.”
Max looked at Eli and saw the grin on his triad partner’s face. Yeah, being with Shelly was going to be pretty great. He reached up and began to unbutton his dress shirt, glad that Eli was doing the same.
“Next time, you can undress us, baby,” Max said softly. “I don’t think either one of us has the patience to wait to be naked with you right now.”
“You’ve got that right,” Eli said, peeling his shirt from his body and unbuckling his belt before unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans. “Next time, sweetheart.”
Shelly smiled at the growly tone in her wolves’ voices. She could feel their desire. She could sense their need. She wondered if they were aware of how much she needed and desired them, too.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly realized that her men were standing before her completely naked. She was overwhelmed by the power and the beauty of their bodies. When she had loved on them earlier, she had been limited in her view. Now, there was nothing covering her men, and she liked it.
Stepping toward them, she touched their chests and traced the mating marks that she had placed there. She felt their bodies tensing beneath her fingertips and smiled. She laughed softly as low growls emanated from her men as she traced the center lines of their bodies. Caressing their toned stomachs, she followed their happy trails to their shafts, wrapping her small hands around their girths and tugging gently.
Their moans of pleasure urged her to continue with her exploration. She loved the feel of their shafts within her hands. They were so warm and silky. They were also hard and pulsing. She knew she shouldn’t tease them too much. If she did, they wouldn’t be able to complete their mating. She wanted their mating to occur so she could call them hers. Permanently.
“I love the way you feel,” she whispered, pumping their cocks slowly and squeezing the heads gently. The small drops of pre-cum that escaped them sent her need into overdrive. Gathering the essence upon the tips of her thumbs, she drew her hands toward her mouth and sucked off the salty flavor. “I love the way you taste.”
“Shelly,” Max whispered. “You have no idea what you’re doing to us, baby.”
“I think I do,” Shelly disagreed. “I’m making you want me.”
Eli’s bark of laughter filled the bedroom. “She’s got you there, Max,” he said, his laughter quickly turning to a groan as Shelly dropped to her knees gracefully and engulfed the head of his cock to suckle sweetly.
“You were saying, Eli?” Max teased him, his words ending on a groan as Shelly gave his cock equal attention. “Holy hell!”
Max slid his fingers through Shelly’s hair at her temple and held on. His legs began to shake as her mouth did wicked things to the head of his cock. He didn’t know how he was going to last the night. He thought for sure he was going to combust with pleasure.
Eli’s words were trapped in his throat as Shelly gripped his shaft and sucked his balls into her hot mouth. The way she slid her tongue around the delicate orbs made him moan. When she pulled off and looked up at him, he reached down, slipped his hands beneath her arms, and pulled her up his body to kiss her with complete abandon.
Shelly’s knees buckled from the passion that Eli showed her. She rested against his body and held on for dear life, knowing that he wouldn’t allow her to fall. She felt Max move behind her and sighed into Eli’s mouth as she felt the soft kisses that Max traced down her spine. She felt him unhook her white lace bra and loosened her grip on Eli’s biceps long enough for Max to pull it from her body.
Max slid his hands down Shelly’s sides, placing gentle kisses along her back as he traced the sexy flare of her hips. Kneeling behind her, he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and slowly pulled them across her hips and down her legs. He couldn’t help the growls that escaped him as her sweet behind was revealed to him.
Leaning forward, he kissed each muscled globe before biting them gently. Shelly’s responding noises made him know that she was enjoying every moment of his loving touches. He was determined to make her always feel that way. He knew that Eli felt the same.
Once her panties were pooled at her feet, he helped her to lift her right foot to remove the delicate underwear but placed her foot on his thigh instead of allowing her to settle it on the floor once again. The immediate scent of her arousal and need filled the room as her body opened to them. He nuzzled his nose into the cleft of her legs, loving the intensity of her scent and the wetness that greeted him.
He licked at her lower lips, loving the soft moan that escaped her and the way she tipped her hips to give him better access. He took full advantage of it. Spreading her lips with his thumbs, he hummed in appreciation at the beautiful pink sight before him.
Shelly was already dripping with desire. It made him growl with satisfaction that he and Eli had made her need. Slipping his middle finger inside of her very slowly, he was greeted by the hot, velvet heat of her core. His cock bounced in anticipation. He had to reach down with his left hand and pull down on his sac to keep himself under control. That small bite of pain was all that it took to calm himself.
Sliding his finger out of her body, he followed the contour of her lips and pressed against the swollen button of her clit. That little button was already throbbing beneath his touch. He smiled in approval.
Shelly moaned into Eli’s mouth as she felt Max doing amazing things to her body. Eli’s tongue stroked hers gently. He sucked and nipped on it as he kissed her repeatedly, caressing her shoulders and back tenderly, making her know how much he loved and needed her with his touches. When he slipped his right hand between them and gently caressed her left breast, a sigh escaped her at the intimate caress.
She pressed into his touch, her body trapping his hand and his hard cock between them. Loving Eli was so very easy. Loving Max was so very easy. Her two wolves were perfect for her in every way. When she felt Max slip his finger deep inside of her, her entire being quaked with desire.
“So good,” she whispered, at a loss to know what to do with her body.
She pressed against Eli and tipped her hips for Max. She didn’t know if what she was doing was right, but she knew that she needed both men to touch her like she had never been touched before. No one would ever touch her in this way except her Max and her Eli.
“Very good,” Eli whispered against her lips, traveling kisses across her cheek so he could nuzzle against her neck. “Are you ready to be ours, sweetheart?”
“Yes.”
That one word made both men’s hearts happy. The deep joy settled into their souls. Their woman was ready to mate.
As one, Max and Eli lifted her and placed her carefully onto the center of the bed. Eli took his place at her right side, brushing her hair from her face and smiling down at her as he rested himself on his forearm to look down at her. Max settled on her left side, caressing her hip slowly as she looked at both of them and smiled.
“Are you afraid, baby?” Max asked gently.
“Of what?”
Before either man could speak, Shelly touched their cheeks and smiled gently. She could sense their worries. That was not acceptable. Closing her eyes, she centered on her wolf and called forth her omega abilities. Her wolf yipped happily as she imparted the comfort and the soothing that her mates needed. Shelly felt light with happiness as her wolf preened with satisfaction when her mates felt the calming gift. Shelly loved her wolf. She was such a gentle and loving part of her.
“My wolf loves you,” Shelly whispered. “I love you.” She tugged on Max’s hair then did the same to Eli’s. “How can we fear our mating? It’s what we both wa
nt and need. We’ve got the best men—our two wolves.”
Max moved to lie on top of Shelly, careful to keep the bulk of his weight on his forearms as he framed her face and kissed her with all the passion he had been careful to keep under control. Her lips were soft and warm beneath his. When she hesitantly slid her tongue against his bottom lip, he groaned in appreciation. Sucking her tongue into his mouth, he flicked at it with his own tongue, laughing softly at the soft whine that left her.
“Can you taste your flavor on my lips, baby?” he asked her, loving the sweet blush that came to her cheeks as she realized what he was asking her.
“Do I taste bad?” she whispered.
“You taste delicious,” Max told her without hesitation. “Do you know what else you taste like?”
Shelly shook her head.
“You taste like ours.”
Shelly’s smile lit the room. Max hadn’t expected her reaction of happiness. He was just stating the claim on their woman. He was glad that her knowing that made her happy.
Eli smiled at the interaction between Shelly and Max. He had always been concerned about Max being so angry and distant with everyone. He completely understood why his triad partner had been that way, though. Self-preservation did that to a person. There were only so many times when a guy could be punished and ridiculed before a wall slammed down over his heart. Max had reached that point with the last beating that they had received. Eli had to admit that he had been close to that point himself.
But now, they had Shelly to show them that opening their hearts was the way to go. She gave them kindness, caring, love, and tenderness. How could they not be open to her love? How could they deny the love that they had for her? The walls around both his and Max’s hearts had been shattered. It was a good feeling to be able to love and be loved without fear.
As Max slid to Shelly’s left side and continued to kiss and caress her, Eli slid down Shelly’s body and settled comfortably between her legs. He shouldered them apart a little wider so he could have access to her core. He growled softly as she opened easily for him and her scent of need reached out to him.
Shelly's Forbidden Mates [Beckett's Wolf Pack, Triad Mates 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Page 20