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

by Lynette Bernard

  Shelly nodded.

  Dean reached out and took Janey’s hand in his, squeezing it lightly. Mitchell did the same to her other hand. She felt their concern for her.

  The last time Janine had been aware of Vera’s cruelty had nearly caused Jace and Jackson to lose their minds. Janine still felt guilt over the manipulation that Vera had used to have Janine take Laurie a cup of tea that was laced with herbs that would cause her to lose her cub.

  “Listen, Shelly, we certainly would never hold you responsible for your mother’s actions,” Dean said calmly. “You’re not your mother, just like Mia and I are not our father. He’s an asshole. He’s cruel and sadistic. He’s probably hurt a lot of people. We know he’s hurt our mother and us. It wouldn’t be right for people to judge us by his actions.”

  “I know you were blamed for the tea, Janine,” Shelly said softly. “I’m so sorry, honey. You must have been upset and scared when you were accused.”

  “It’s okay, Shelly,” Janine answered without hesitating. “I wasn’t exactly being nice to everyone at the time. I can’t blame them for thinking what they thought.”

  “Janey,” Dean whispered, reaching up with his free hand and touching her cheek tenderly. “I’m so sorry, honey.”

  “Sorry, Janey,” Mitchell offered quietly, leaning forward and rubbing his cheek against their mate’s neck, breathing in her sweet scent and growling softly.

  “None of you need to apologize,” Janine said, stopping them. “We’re not our parents. We’re ourselves. We should be judged on our own merit.” She turned to face Shelly and smiled. “I love you, Shelly.”

  “I love you,” Shelly whispered. “You’re right. I’m not my mother. I’m myself.”

  Janine was touched by Shelly’s words. She was also upset by the reminder of Vera Moore’s cruelty. She had never liked her. She had actually always hated her. Janine knew that it was wrong to hold hatred in your heart for any person, but Vera had done so many cruel and abusive things over the years. She remembered how Synthia and Shelly had often come to her home when they had been upset. Janine had always suspected that Vera’s abuse was both emotional and physical, but the girls had been adamant in denying any cruelty.

  “Now you know why my sister and I have hyphenated our fathers’ names,” Shelly explained, setting her piece of pizza down on the plate in front of her, her appetite gone. “We just couldn’t give that honor to Vera.”

  “It’s unusual for a child to be named after their mother,” Mia offered. “Growing up, Dean and I realized that we were among the minority of kids who had their mother’s last name. We’re glad we do.”

  “You got that right,” Dean said angrily. “That man was not a father to us. He didn’t deserve to have any part of us or claim on us.” He turned to look at Janey and touched her cheek lightly. “I’m going to be a good father, Janey. So is Mitchell.”

  Janine blushed as she looked at both of them. She saw the promise in their eyes. She also saw the hope that they had that she would accept them. It was not something that she was ready to commit to right then, but she had a feeling that living with them was going to change her mind pretty quickly.

  “I think I like the idea of my children having my last name,” Mia said thoughtfully. “Are you sure that the men don’t mind?” She looked directly at Cole and Luc. She wouldn’t hurt them for the world. Now that she knew that she was directly responsible for their physical well-being and emotional happiness, she was going to take that role very seriously. She didn’t want them to ever hurt again because of her.

  “No, Mia. The men don’t mind,” Cole assured her. “Our mate will be the focus of our world. She will be the most important member of our triad.”

  “Without her, our cubs wouldn’t exist,” Luc told her gently. “Without her, we would have no love. She will be the center of our family.”

  “Our babies will have your name, Mia,” Cole promised. “We’ll have your heart.”

  Mia fell in love with both of them at that moment. And she fell hard.

  Chapter 41

  “How did it go?” Jace asked Lucian and Cole as they stepped into his and Jackson’s office.

  “Mia is willing to give our relationship a try,” Cole said, his wide grin making Jace smile.

  “Then your trip was a successful one,” Jackson said calmly as he stood up from his seat behind his desk and walked around it to sit on the front right corner of it. He crossed his arms and looked at Jace, concern filling him.

  “Mia was open to the possibility of forming a triad with us in the future,” Luc said cautiously. “We can sense that she’s still concerned that she would lose her independence. Neither one of us is willing to push. It will take time to get her to see that what we’ll have as a mated triad will be something that will be comfortable for her.”

  “It will take some time, but at least it’s time she’s willing to give us,” Cole added.

  “I believe she’ll come around,” Laurie said softly, turning to face the large picture window that provided a beautiful view of the back area that had an open field in the distance and a playground that the members of the pack had built for the cubs off to the right. “Mia is a loving person. She may appear strong and independent, which she is, but she’s also a woman who needs love.” Laurie turned to look at Luc and Cole and smiled at the two men she knew would be loving husbands to her daughter. “Are my children, Janine, and Mitchell doing well?”

  “They are,” Luc said, nodding his head. “Shelly convinced Janine that it was in her best interest to stay in the pack home. Her apartment had very little heat, and it wasn’t the best when it came to security. The main door to the housing unit had no working lock.”

  “When I saw the apartment in August, it didn’t have the broken front door,” Jace said, shaking his head. “It also didn’t have the problem with the lack of heat. I should have checked up on her in person instead of just calling her.”

  He was filled with guilt that he had not seen to the comfort and protection of Martha’s daughter. He had not been diligent in his role as alpha. One of their cubs had been in distress. He had sensed it but had believed Janine when she had told him that she was feeling that way because of the stresses of college life.

  “She’s safe and happy, Alpha,” Cole assured him. “Dean and Mitchell were very protective of her. So was Mia. I doubt Janine will ever feel alone again. Or hungry.”

  “Or hungry?” Laurie questioned, smiling at the comment.

  “Dean and Mitchell kept feeding her all weekend. They wouldn’t allow her to leave their sides,” Cole explained.

  Laurie laughed softly, picturing her son taking care of Janine. Dean was an amazing young man. Whoever his secret mate was, she was a lucky woman.

  “What about Marra?” Jace asked. “Mia was very concerned about her. Does she seem like someone we could trust with our secrets?”

  Cole and Luc looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh softly. Marra had certainly been a surprise. She had come downstairs when they were eating pizza the first night they had arrived. Cole and Luc had been standing close to the stairway, intending to go back into the kitchen to grab another two of the pizzas when Marra slipped and would have fallen down the bottom three steps if they hadn’t caught her. She was so embarrassed and flustered, it had taken Mia’s calming influence and reassurance to help her friend to realize that Marra’s stumble had been no big deal.

  “Mia has taken Marra under her wing,” Luc said, his voice soft as he thought about the way Mia was a natural mother and caregiver. “Marra is a very sweet woman. She’s shy and unassuming. She’s also very kind. She and Mia helped all of us all weekend.”

  “Helped you how?” Laurie questioned.

  “They both were right there to help with homework,” Cole said, smiling as he remembered how adorable Mia looked when she was studying. “They also did their share of housework and cooking.”

  “I remember telling you that cooking was your job,” Jace remi
nded them. “I want the cubs to be free to do their schoolwork.”

  “Jace, they have to feel like they’re contributing,” Laurie pointed out. “They need to work together and feel like they have their own family to take care of. Life can’t be isolated. They have to learn to juggle every aspect of it and be able to survive.”

  “Such a smart mate,” Jackson said as he walked over to Laurie and gathered her within his arms.

  “Don’t ever forget it, Jackson,” Laurie said sternly, loving the immediate bark of laughter that left him. She turned to look at Jace and nearly melted at the look of love that he was directing at her. “Do you have something to say, Jace?”

  Jace stood up slowly and stalked toward her, reminding Laurie of the predatory wolf that he was. Seeing him coming toward her with that look of ownership made her need for him skyrocket. She heard Jackson’s low growls against her neck and smiled. Both her men wanted her. Good.

  “I love you, sweet Laurie,” Jace whispered against her temple as he pressed against her neck and breathed in deeply.

  Cole and Luc looked at each other and welcomed the happiness that swept through them. They were happy for the alpha triad, but they were even happier that they now had the same chance at love with Mia.

  A knock on the office door drew their attention. Jace kissed Laurie’s temple before turning so he could face the door. As much as he would prefer to be wrapped up in Laurie, he knew that he had alpha duties to attend to.

  “Come in,” he called out, watching as the office door opened wide and two of his pack members entered. “Gabe. Cameron.” His greeting was serious as he welcomed his childhood friends.

  Gabe Shepherd was the taller of the two men, being six feet four inches in height. He was thirty-six years old, had black hair and brown eyes, and displayed a quiet strength that every member of the pack relied on. He was the one that Jace and Jackson went to whenever they needed advice. He was a deep thinker and a good listener. Jace often wondered why Gabe had kept himself apart from the women of the pack, but Gabe had once explained to him that neither he nor Cameron would approach any woman within the pack that they already knew was not their mate. They both felt that it wouldn’t be fair to the woman who had mates waiting for her.

  Cameron Lynch was two years older and one inch shorter. His blond hair and blue eyes had been a draw to many women over the years, but his quiet shyness did not allow any of them to get close. Jace knew that it would take a very kind woman with a good heart to be able to break through the barriers that surrounded his heart.

  Both men were powerhouses of strength. They worked for the pack as electricians, and often helped neighboring packs with the construction of their homes. Jace was very proud of both of them. Other packs were open to the kindness and talent of these men. Gabe and Cameron often acted as diplomatic liaisons without ever realizing that they were doing so, but Jace and Jackson did, and they valued their friends’ natural sincerity.

  Jace and Jackson had depended on their ability to friend others easily from the time they had been young cubs together. There was an easiness about their personalities that made others feel comfortable from the moment they met. Both Jace and Jackson knew that they would be good and loving men to their destined mate. Despite their desire to find the woman meant to complete their triad, it had just never happened for them.

  “Alpha, we’ve finished the rewiring of the visitors’ center,” Gabe said quietly as he stood before Jace and lowered his head in deference to their leader.

  “How did it go?” Jackson asked, pulled Laurie against his chest as she faced Gabe and Cameron.

  “Very well. Every guest room has been checked to ensure the safety of the wiring,” Cameron answered for them. “We’ve added several spotlights around the parking area. We’ve also installed additional subdued lighting in the main hall as our queen suggested.”

  “I’ll bet it looks nice,” Laurie offered, happy to see the smiles that lit both men’s faces. “I think it’s important to have a soothing atmosphere for our guests.”

  “It does look nice, my queen,” Gabe agreed.

  “It also gives a nice, romantic quality to the area around the main fireplace,” Cameron added. “It would be a soothing place to bring a special lady.”

  Do they have someone special in their lives? Laurie asked Jace and Jackson gently. She could sense their loneliness. She could also sense their goodness. She had enjoyed the conversations with them since coming to the Circle Three Ranch. They were smart and funny. They were also on the shy side, which Laurie found completely charming.

  No, Laurie, Jackson answered for them.

  Laurie stepped out of Jackson’s hold and walked toward Gabe and Cameron. Warmth filled her as she stood before them. It was something that she felt each time she was with them. It made her know without a doubt that these men were good men.

  Their mate awaits them, Mother Fate said softly. Cole and Lucian will bring them to her.

  Laurie looked at Cole and Luc in surprise. It was obvious by the way the two men were looking at her in confusion that they hadn’t heard what Laurie had heard.

  Did you hear Mother Fate just talk to me? she asked Jace and Jackson through their link.

  I didn’t. Did you, Jackson? Jace questioned his triad partner.

  No. I didn’t.

  “Cole, Luc, come here, please,” Laurie said gently, not knowing what it would accomplish to have them come to her, but accepting that Mother Fate had given her guidance. She had to do what she could to help Gabe and Cameron.

  Cole and Luc stepped forward to stand before Laurie, unsure what she wanted them to do. They looked at Gabe and Cameron and saw that they had focused their attention on them. Cameron’s blue eyes had turned golden. Gabe’s brown eyes had done the same. Both men’s wolves were present. Rumbling growls escaped them as they took deep, even breaths.

  “Mate,” Gabe said suddenly. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

  Cameron reached out, gripped Luc’s shoulders, and pulled him close. Gabe did the same to Cole. The scent that both men carried that was not their own belonged to their destined mate.

  “Who have you been with?” Gabe demanded, his voice harsh as he fought for control over his wolf.

  “We were with Mia,” Cole explained. “Janine and Shelly were there, too.”

  “That is not the scent,” Cameron said with certainty. “It does not belong to Mia, Shelly, or Janine.”

  “Was there another?” Gabe asked, his heart slamming within his chest at the possibility that they might finally know the identity of the woman who was meant to be theirs.

  Cole looked at Luc in confusion before he remembered the other woman who had been at the pack home. He smiled as he thought about the shy woman with the kind heart. When she had hugged them good-bye, both Cole and Luc had embraced her carefully. Despite her shyness, Marra had offered her affection and gratefulness. No wonder Gabe and Cameron could scent her on them.

  “There was another woman there,” Luc said, his smile wide as he thought about Marra. “She’s going to school with Mia. She’s determined to be a nurse. She’s kind and caring. She’s also very shy.”

  “Who is she?” Cameron asked, almost afraid to be disappointed if he hoped too hard.

  “Her name is Marra Matthews,” Luc told him. “She’s a good person.”

  “She’s been through a lot,” Cole added with sadness. “I think she needs someone to watch over her. Mia told us that some of the students have been cruel to her.”

  “Alpha, we need to go to her,” Gabe said as he released his hold on Cole and faced Jace with determination.

  “When Cole and Luc return to the pack home on Wednesday, you and Cameron will go with them,” Jace told them firmly. “Your electrical background will be helpful in renovating the house.”

  Jace stepped forward and placed his hands on each of their shoulders. He squeezed lightly to give them the power that they needed to control their wolves.

  “Plan on staying,�
�� he told them very seriously. “You will be part of that pack family for the next four years.”

  Both Gabe and Cameron nodded, unable to speak. To know that their mate was waiting for them was overwhelming. In just three days, they would find the woman that they had been looking for for so long.

  “You will share in the responsibility of seeing to the safety of our family,” Jace continued. “You will also share in the upkeep of the home.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” Cameron said at once, his heart pounding at the thought that they would be meeting their destined mate very soon.

  “It’s a home that is quickly filling up with pack,” Jackson said, laughing softly. “Good thing it has three stories and has a lot of rooms. It looks like we’re going to need them.”

  Maybe they’ll be filling some of the rooms with babies, Laurie suggested.

  Jackson chuckled softly, feeling the panic that was building within Jace. Don’t worry, Jace. The babies will belong to Gabe, Marra, and Cameron. Our cubs aren’t ready to start families yet.

  You never know, Jackson, Laurie said thoughtfully.

  Laurie, you’re not helping me calm down, Jace warned her.

  Laurie just smiled. She knew that it was too soon for her children to have children, but she couldn’t discount the possibility. She wanted them to be happy with their mates. Hopefully, everything would work out for them.

  “We’ll contact Alpha Gil Rodney to let him know that the four of you will be in his territory to watch over our pack members,” Jace said, realizing that they needed to inform Gil of the additional members of their pack that would be living there so they could be granted permission to live and work within Rodney’s pack land. “He’s a good, fair man, and a strong alpha. The four of you can offer your services to help with his pack while you’re there.”

  “I’m certain he’ll appreciate your skills,” Jackson said, smiling at their two friends.

  “I have a question,” Cole spoke up, doing his best to hide his pleasure at the turn of events.