by T. Cobbin
Chapter 17
Awe again shook Melanie. What had it been, two hours, since waking up in her men’s arms? And now there she was, walking back, knowing she was mated and her life would be changing a whole lot more when she got back home.
“I can’t wait to ring Amy and Sarah,” she said.
She stopped mid-step. Would she be able to tell Bobbie—her best friend? They had talked about Sarah and Amy, her other friends who were now mated to dragon shifters, so she could talk to them. But what about Bobbie? She would love all this. Melanie shared everything with Bobbie. It caused a physical pain in her heart to think she might never be able to share the one thing that Bobbie would love to hear about.
“What about Bobbie?” She voiced her question in a loud whisper. She turned to look at each male. “I can’t tell her, can I?”
She watched Cole peeked over her head to Brock. The look in his eyes as he returned his gaze to hers told her that he didn’t want to say she might have to forever withhold the truth from her best friend.
“I’m not sure,” Cole said solemnly.
“I am,” Brock said. She turned her eyes to Brock, his face lighting up with a smile. “I think by the time we get back, Bobbie will probably know a few things about us.”
Both Melanie and Cole looked at Brock with surprised faces.
“What do you know that we don’t?” Cole asked, a frown deepening the crease between his eyebrows.
Brock winked. “You will just have to wait and see for that answer.”
Turning back to where they had been walking, Brock shut the conversation down, leaving Cole and Melanie staring at each other for a few seconds in question.
“We could always torture it out of him.” Melanie grinned. “I still have some superglue.”
Reaching their tent, Cole began laughing. Images of what she could do to Brock crossed her mind in an array of laughter, pain, and retribution, tickling her pink.
“Maybe just suck his cock ’til he’s ready to pop, then stop. No injuries then.” Cole whispered loudly enough Brock would hear him.
A low growl was the only answer they received from Brock as Cole opened the zipper of the tent. The smell of hot chocolate filled the air and made Melanie moan.
“That’s one hell of a welcome home,” she said with a smile.
Unzipping her coat, she slung it into the spare compartment and walked toward a waiting cup that Bradley held out. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if her males had a cup of hot chocolate waiting for her when she came home from work? Maybe she would plant that seed in their brains. She sat in one of the empty chairs, humming in enjoyment as she sipped the warm, sweet drink.
Cole undid his jacket and threw it on top of Melanie’s before sitting down. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him fidget beside her. Lifting her gaze, she saw a blush rise in his cheeks before noticing the bulge in his pants. Quickly glancing at Brock, who was sitting on the ground with a cup in his hand, she noticed he too had a large bulge in his jeans. It was then she realized it was her humming that had the men looking rather uncomfortable. Well, apart from Brock’s—his shouted I can’t wait to get your lips around my cock and feel you hum. Now it was her turn to blush.
Turning back to her chocolate, she stared at Bradley over the rim. He looked older than his young age of nineteen. From what Brock had told them, he’d been through so much. In fact, she wondered if Bradley would believe her if she shared her past with him. Like him, she had spent years traveling around trying to stay undetected. For him to ask two bear shifters for help must have taken a huge amount of guts. Bradley looked between them, and his face told her he knew the fate of his world was in their hands.
“What have you decided?” the young male asked quietly.
“You can stay with us tonight. We have a spare compartment,” Brock replied. “We’ve decided that we’ll cut our holiday short and head home tomorrow. We can take you with us...that’s if you still wish to accompany us?” Brock paused, waiting for the teenager’s answer. Once he received a nod, he continued. “We will give you protection and sanctuary. We’ll even talk to our boss about giving you a job. You realize, don’t you, that you will come across a lot of grief being the shifter type you are?”
The lad nodded again. “I know. I’m a hyena shifter, it goes with the territory. I just want a chance to prove I’m not like my fellow shifters.”
Brock sighed. “You have tough times ahead of you, man. I admire you for having the guts to stand up against your father and pack. But...” Brock added, growling low, and leaned forward toward the male. “You turn on us, or any of our friends, and you will live to regret it. Understand?”
Bradley nodded so fast Melanie near chuckled. It was like watching one of those nodding dogs in a car window going over a few bumps at once.
“Plus, from what we’ve heard, she and her friends are quite handy with superglue.” Cole motioned toward Melanie with his head.
The young male looked at her wide-eyed, and she shrugged and finished her chocolate. Placing her cup on the floor, she yawned. It felt like forever since she had slept. What with being loved all day and then being bombarded with all this new information tonight, she suddenly felt bone tired. But with Cole mentioning her superglue, it brought one fact to the front of her mind—she also had two bears to deal with. Mating her before telling her? They didn’t think they were going to get away with that, did they? Not bloody likely.
“I’m going to use the bathroom before I turn in.” She stretched her arms above her head, relishing the feel of her muscles as they moved, and then stood. Walking toward the spare compartment, she knelt and shuffled around inside until she managed to find the small tube of superglue she had hidden in a pocket of her coat. Quickly opening it, she dribbled a few drops inside all of Brock and Cole’s backpack pockets and sealed them closed. She left the large opening at the top free, or else they wouldn’t be able to carry anything.
Then she added a few more drops to their jacket pockets and did the same. With a smirk, she recapped the glue and placed it back inside her coat, while putting it on. Turning around, she nearly crapped herself seeing Brock appear behind her. Had he seen what she’d done?
“I’ll come to the bathroom with you, sweetpea,” Brock announced, his voice deep and demanding. It seemed to flow through her and straight to her sensitive bits.
She almost exhaled in relief that he hadn’t seen what she’d done. Had he? Surely he would have said something if he had.
Her first thought was to reject his offer and throw in a sarcastic I’m big enough to go the bathroom by myself, but she bit her tongue to hold the words back. Brock had explained that by taking Bradley under their wing it would put them in the firing line if his ex-pack caught up with them. Coming across a group of shifter thugs while peeing wasn’t on her wish list.
“Are you really okay with all this?” Brock asked as they walked toward the utility building. “You have taken it mighty well, especially the mating-before-we-told-you part.”
Melanie shrugged. You will find out soon enough how pissed I was, she thought, thinking of their bags and jackets. But as far as she was concerned, they were forgiven now.
“I suppose all my life, all I have really wanted was to be loved. I have wanted a family for as long as I can remember. My friends kind of became that, but I always felt I had a hole inside me.” She looked up at the handsome male walking beside her who she now considered hers. She admired his gorgeous features in the moonlight. “You fill that,” she added, wanting him to know how she felt.
Brock pulled her against his body, his heat seeping into her chilled bones. It had been a long night and she was beginning to feel it. Although this trip had been cut incredibly short, she was looking forward to being part of Brock and Cole’s life. To being theirs.
The thing that was bothering her most about the situation was her best friend Bobbie. How could she tell her that she had fallen in love—with two men—so quickly? Bobbie wouldn’t give a flying
fuck that Melanie was with two men. It was more the fact that Melanie would be leaving her behind in the village on her own. If Amy and Sarah both left the nursery, that just left Bobbie and Wendy.
Melanie shook her head mentally. How could things change so much in six weeks? A sad ache filled Melanie’s heart. Bobbie had been there for so long; since the age of sixteen she’d been through everything with her.
“I hate feeling you so sad,” Brock muttered. He looked down at her before stiffening and lifting his head toward the sky. He inhaled deeply and let out a low growl.
Melanie looked around frantically, wondering what the hell he had sensed. “Brock?”
“Shhh.” He looked at her, amber shining in his eyes. Melanie guessed it was because of his bear. “I smell hyenas.”
The arm Brock had around her waist tightened when the bushes in front of them moved. She scanned the area around them quickly, wondering if someone would help them if they shouted. A couple of tents weren’t that far away. If she was to start screaming, she was sure someone would help.
“No, don’t,” Brock warned. “The humans could get killed.”
Melanie spotted a large rock not far from her foot; if these shifters were going to cause trouble, she would go down fighting. Moving her foot sideways, she edged the rock closer to her so it would be easier to pick up when or if she needed it.
“Show yourself,” Brock growled low.
Melanie’s heart began to thunder when the large bush parted. An elderly male stepped into the small clearing, the moonlight lighting up his worn-down face. He was wearing shorts and a creased green t-shirt. He had nothing on his feet. His short, black hair was tinged with gray streaks, and his face was half-covered with a finger-length beard.
“I smell him on you. Where is he?” the male growled, stepping toward them.
Seeing him up close, Melanie could see long wrinkles on his face, but they didn’t hide the slight resemblance to Bradley. This must be his father.
“Smell who?” Brock countered.
“You know who.” The male sneered, showing off a couple of large fangs in his top teeth.
Melanie gulped. Fear was now coursing through her. If he chose to bite her, those teeth would break bones for sure.
Branches snapped around them, and a few more males showed themselves. Shit!
“We want the male known as Bradley. You have had recent contact with him, judging by the stench of him on you, bear shifter.”
“We don’t want any trouble,” Brock growled low. “We came across a stray lad of your kind a while back. If that’s who you’re talking about, he came out with some cockamamie story about running from his pack. He wanted our help.”
The large male stared at Brock for a long while before peering at Melanie, then back to Brock. Melanie waited and prayed that the male believed Brock’s story. But then a thought crossed her mind that made her heart stutter. Hadn’t Cole said earlier that a shifter could smell a lie? Thinking back over what Brock had just said, she thought maybe they were safe for now. He hadn’t lied. Yet.
“How long ago, and where did he go?” the male finally asked.
Had he believed Brock or was he just playing, Melanie wondered.
“Are you going to cause us problems?” Brock asked, avoiding the man’s question.
“Are you going to tell me how long ago he left and which direction he went?”
“We saw him a few days ago and think he’s heading north. Now answer me, are you going to cause us problems?”
“Not this time, bear. Too many fucking eyes and ears. But be warned, if I find you fucking lying to us, shit will be right up your street.” With those words, the male and his pack slipped back into the bushes.
Melanie’s heart began slowing to its normal pace when Brock’s hold on her relaxed.
“Go to the bathroom, sweetpea. I’ll wait outside.”
“It’s safe?” she asked. She could hear the shake in her own voice.
“For now. But I have a feeling we’re going to have to pack up sooner than we thought.”
Melanie ran into the building. After a quick pee and washing her hands, she went back outside. A gasp left her before a strong, male hand covered her mouth, stopping her from screaming. Brock was laid out on the ground, a large male standing over the top of him. Her heart thumped against her ribs. She tried shaking her head to dislodge the hand over her mouth, but it only made them hold her tighter. She found it hard to breathe, her lungs burned, and her vision began dimming.
No, this can’t be happening. Brock! She called out his name mentally as the world became black.
Chapter 18
Something was wrong. Cole could feel panic deep in his bones. Reaching out for the bond he shared with his mates, he realized where it was coming from. He ran to the entrance of the tent. Shifting his fingers to claws, he ripped the material apart; opening the door would take too long.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Bradley asked, following him outside.
“My mates are in trouble,” Cole said, not stopping. Bradley followed.
Scenting the air, Cole followed the faint scent of his mates. The area of the campsite suddenly became huge. Urging his bear forward, his beast gave him the extra energy to run that little bit faster. Finally seeing the utility building ahead of him, he slowed his pace, scenting the air. Hyenas. Growling low, he stalked forward, trying to see anything that would show what the fuck was going on.
The sight of Brock’s body lying on the ground had him speeding up again. “Brock,” he called out.
Reaching the prone body, Cole pulled his mate over onto his back. He breathed out a sigh of relief at seeing Brock was alive. Cole paused for a brief moment to watch Brock’s chest rise and fall.
“Brock.” Cole shook his mate’s broad shoulders. Nothing, no reaction.
He glanced around, making sure whoever had knocked his mate out wasn’t still there. Although the air scented heavily of hyena shifters, he couldn’t sense anyone close by. It was the sweet scent of his mate that was tinged with fear that reminded him of Melanie. He also noticed Bradley had continued, running further into the woods.
He shook Brock’s shoulders again. “Brock, wake up, you fucker. Come on.”
Bradley knelt beside him, panting. “I’m sorry, I can’t find her.” Bradley didn’t have to say Melanie’s name, Cole knew who he was talking about.
Brock stirred and groaned. Gradually, he lifted a hand to the back of his head. “Fuck, man,” he moaned.
“Where’s Melanie?” Cole asked, shoving at Brock’s shoulders again.
Brock’s eyes shot open and he sat up. Moaning again, he paused a second. “She was in the toilets. How long have I been out?” Brock’s fingers touched the sore spot on the back of his head, and he winced and moaned.
“She isn’t in there,” Bradley informed them.
“What?” Brock stood, swaying on the spot for a second, then he stepped toward the female bathrooms. “Melanie,” he called out, as if he needed to make sure she wasn’t in there himself. The sound of his voice echoed around the small building.
The three of them filled the tiny room, looking in each cubical before Brock stopped and peered at the mirror. Snatching a piece of paper from the reflective material, Brock read it and growled low.
“What is it?” Cole asked.
“The male for the female. Be at the south beach at midnight,” Brock read out loud.
“They know he was with us?” Cole asked.
“They must have guessed. They smelled him on us.” Brock spun, standing nose to nose with Bradley. “If they hurt her, I will hand you back to them in pieces,” he promised.
Bradley paled and stumbled back from Brock a few steps. “I swear that I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“We promised to help, Brock. It’s our fault.”
Brock sneered at Bradley then turned his gaze down to the ground, his shoulders sagging with defeat. “I’m sorry. Someone must have crept up behind me. I didn’t
lie that much when he asked his questions. I have no idea what led him to believe he—” Brock spat the word out, giving Bradley a death stare. “—was still with us.”
“What are we going to do?”
Cole’s bear growled deep inside, to the point where Cole’s own chest rumbled. Ask stupid question. Go after mate. Kill hyena.
“We go after her of course. Those bastards just had their last day on this earth.” Brock exited the building and stomped off toward the woods. Cole followed close behind, with Bradley trailing after them.
“I’m really sorry,” he whined. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I just needed help.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Cole rasped. “You want to show you’re sorry, then follow on and help.” Cole stopped in his tracks for a second, causing the young male to run into his back. “If you are part of that pack, or think you are too fucking weak to help, then this will be your last warning. Fuck off and never show your face again.” With his bear so close to the surface, he knew his eyes were shining bright orange.
The teenager gulped, but then he stiffened his shoulders and lifted his chin. “I’m with you.”
Cole nodded and turned back to follow Brock.
Young male brave. I like.
Cole snorted. Bradley had yet to prove to Cole that he was worth saving. The young male’s ex-pack had taken Cole’s female; if Bradley stood up to them, along with Brock and Cole, to get her back, then Cole would owe him a life debt. Which, to any shifter, wasn’t something taken lightly. A life debt meant just that. For the rest of Bradley’s life, if he ever needed help or aid of any kind, Cole would be there to give it to him.
With the power of their shifter walking, it only took the three men about ten minutes to reach the south beach. It was currently empty.
“What are you planning?” Cole asked Brock as they all crouched inside a deep dune overlooking the beach. He knew full well that Brock wanted to rip the heads off each member of the pack, and he felt the same. He also knew Brock would take the lead in any decision made to get their mate back.