by Treva Harte
She would have liked his full attention when she made her announcement but she knew it was already overdue. She shouldn’t wait longer for the right time. “I’m pregnant. Did you know you weren’t lying when you told everyone?”
Grey’s grip tightened for a moment. “You said you weren’t.”
“I ‑‑ I must have been spotting. That’s what Leila tells me. It happens sometimes.”
“Does that mean something is wrong? With the baby? With you?” He looked down then, frowning.
“No. As long as it stops, everything is fine. I guessed what was going on after the bleeding stopped because I still felt a bit…off. While you and Dek were trailing Rome, I finally let Leila check me out the way I should have before.” Mia took a long breath. Let it out. “Anyhow, your duty here is done.”
“Looks that way.” He kept his hold on her.
“You aren’t going to go after Rome? Like last time?”
“I caught him, sure. Could do it again, most likely. But I can’t keep him if he won’t stay.” Grey ran his hand over her hair. “Guess you can’t, either.”
“No. I’m not good at making people stick around.” She was good at being lonely. Well, she’d been before. She could be again.
And she’d have a baby. She could manage. She would.
“I’m not going anywhere, Mia.”
“What ‑‑ what does that mean?” It couldn’t mean what she wanted it to. She tried to keep from hoping.
“I miss Rome. Will miss him for the rest of my life if he’s fool enough to stay away that long. But you’re here. That’s good, because I’d miss you, too.”
Mia looked down at her stomach. “You mean because of the baby.”
“Because of the baby. And because of you.” Grey bent his head to kiss her hair this time. “We belong together.”
The two of us isn’t like three. But it’s a damn sight better than one. Especially when all of us were meant to be together.
Mia swallowed at the echoing of Grey’s thoughts. But she had to be sure. “You want me? Even if it’s just me?”
“Just you isn’t half-bad, little girl.”
Mia turned and let her lips graze his. “Show me you want me.”
Please. She had to feel. She had to know.
He didn’t hesitate. He deepened the kiss, slowly at first, so it was like being petted. His tongue strokes were soft and persuasive, coaxing out her response. Mia slid her hands into his hair and clung. Grey kept the kiss going, made it deeper and hotter.
He touched her breasts as he kept the kiss going. How did he know she was already getting more sensitive there? Just his touch was sending shocks of heat through her ‑‑ from nipples down to her clitoris.
She was whirling, falling deeper and deeper into a velvet blackness that promised slow, sensual delights. She’d wondered if she and Grey would ever have sex alone. She’d wondered if it did happen whether she’d have to seduce him.
This was better than anything she had imagined. They weren’t just having sex. Grey was making love to her.
Her sigh mingled with his as she stroked the side of his head. He turned to kiss her palm. Then he laved it with his tongue.
“You, Mia. I want you.” He was hard against her, rocking slightly against her hips.
“Well, you have me. Now what?”
“Guess we’ll find out.” He slid his hand under her shirt and unzipped her pants. She tilted her hips up, let him trace the edge of her panties with his finger. He ran them once, twice against her skin. Then he paused. Tease.
She rocked against him this time, rubbing against his erection through his pants. He was hard, so hard. He unzipped his own jeans.
“These are in the way,” Grey murmured, and with one lethal swipe, her panties were in tatters and he inched inside her. Perfect. His controlled ferocity was perfect. She clenched his hardness, wanting more, wanting everything, and he shuddered.
He suddenly withdrew.
“Wh ‑‑ ?” Mia opened her eyes.
“I like this.”
“Driving me insane?”
“Yeah. Tasting. You taste different. You smell different.” He licked his lips and Mia sucked in her breath. His eyes looked dazed. “’s good. Real good. I like taking time with you. I like hearing ‑‑ ” he ran his tongue between her breasts and she bucked ‑‑ “you whimper. I like hearing you beg.”
“You’re horrible.”
“Try again, sweetheart.”
“You’re wonderful. And if you don’t keep moving just that way, I’m going to kill you.”
“Beg me.”
Mia kept her mouth shut. She was good at that. She had self-control. She was the quiet one. The head of Grey’s cock tickled her clit, the traitorous clit that swelled and tingled at his touch, sending more waves of need through her. She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming.
“Meeee ‑‑ ahhh. Mi alma.”
His soul.
“Please. Grey. Oh, please.” She spread her legs wider, knowing she was wet and ready and needy. “Please, I want you in me so badly.”
He entered her without hesitation, filling her up, making the ache better and worse at the same time. He paused before he moved. She arched her back, still silently begging for more.
“Look at me, mi alma. Keep looking.”
He kissed her, the stubble of his beard scraping against her skin. His kiss was tender and hungry and close to hurtful. All the ways there were to kiss a woman, all at the same time. And then he fucked her.
Without any more warning his cock was deep within her, pushing inside her, battering her body.
She stared at him. He looked back, the tension in his face matching the tension in her body as he kept up the strokes within her. His eyes were intent on her. He looked at her face and into her soul, memorizing just who he had up against the wall.
Close. She could feel his breath on her, feel his skin against hers, knew the ache of wanting in her, matched the need in him.
She mouthed the words to him, unable to speak as the beautiful pressure mounted.
I. Love. You.
He shuddered and thrust.
Hard enough to make her scream. Deep enough to make her gasp. And long enough to make her body shudder in response once, twice. Three times.
He was sitting, quietly, when she opened her eyes. She crawled, still half-dazed with sleep and sex, and settled into his lap.
“I prob’ly don’t smell very good.” She was sweaty and come streaked her thighs.
“You smell perfect.”
She smiled and let her head rest against Grey’s chest. Warm. Safe.
She couldn’t ever remembering feeling so good.
In the distance she faintly heard the sound of a wolf howling, all alone, up at the moon.
Oh, God. She couldn’t ever remember feeling so sad.
* * * * *
“The house isn’t a total loss.” Lowell shook his head. “But it’s going to take months to restore.”
“The house never was my favorite anyhow. It was too ‑‑ too cold. Impersonal.” Lin didn’t look bothered at all.
Mia hadn’t cared about the rest of the house but she’d miss her one refuge. And that was gone forever. Her bedroom would never be the same. Would never feel as safe.
Then again, she was getting used to sleeping in Grey’s bed. But how would that work now that everyone was back? She wasn’t part of Grey’s pack. Lowell had huge respect for Dek, his former Alpha as well his father-in-law, and the packs got along better than two packs ever should, but no one in separate packs ever lived together.
“Dek, how the hell did you keep Hunt from coming back to finish the job after Rome blew their office to hell?” Lowell didn’t look bothered, either. In fact her two Alphas looked strangely cheerful.
Mia frowned. Lowell was a good Alpha. Even though he usually kept himself carefully controlled, she’d always figured there was more to him than he showed most of the pack. Lord knows Lin seemed to adore him and
swore he was funny and warm ‑‑ all things he never revealed to anyone but Lin. But while he might be many things, cheerful had never been his style.
What was going on?
“I promised him something for the future.” Dek glanced uneasily at the women. “First choice of the next female we have available.”
Mia gulped. So did Lin.
Lowell just shook his head. “Why the hell would he wait on a possibility? And, even if it happens, why allow for something that won’t do him or his pack any good for a long time? Even if we have a girl, it will be almost two decades before they can do anything with her.”
“Desperation?” Dek shrugged. “There aren’t many other packs or were females out there.”
My baby. Bargained away before she’s even born.
Grey turned and looked at her. Even though they didn’t touch, she heard him.
I’ll make sure nothing hurts her. Not even something the Boss has promised.
Mia managed a nod back. How a beta was going to do that was beyond her, but it didn’t matter. The panic inside subsided. Grey would do what he said. She knew that.
“Lowell, before this goes any further, I need to talk to Mia.” Lin touched her mate’s hand.
Lowell nodded and Lin turned to Mia.
“Mia, I want you to know first. Before everyone else in the pack.” Lin’s eyes glittered as she grabbed Mia’s wrists, pulling her up and away from the rest.
Mia raced along, trying not to be pulled. Lin was powerful and she was determined. Whatever the Big Talk was, Mia had a feeling she wasn’t going to want to hear it. She hadn’t liked anything else she’d heard so far.
When Lin stopped at last, Mia braced herself.
“Don’t look so worried! It’s good news. The best. I’m going to have a baby.” Lin’s grin spread all over her face. “Given all that’s happened I figured you deserved to know before anyone else but Lowell.”
“That’s wonderful!” Mia smiled back. Then her smile faltered. “Oh.”
Lin had done it. Mia wasn’t needed for anything now.
What did you do with an Omega’s baby when the Alpha was pregnant too? Mia touched her stomach.
Her pack wouldn’t turn them out. They wouldn’t. The stories about the other packs ‑‑
Mia opened her mouth to tell her Alpha her own news and shut it again. Lin would find out soon enough. She’d keep quiet and let Lin shine. She’d ‑‑
No.
“So am I.” Mia’s chin firmed. “I don’t know what that means for you, Lin. I’ll go if you want. But I’m going to keep my baby. I’m not giving him or her away. And I’m not acting like it was a mistake. Because it wasn’t.”
This was something she had to stand for. Even if no one stood with her.
Lin shook her head. “Mia, dear, I’d never do that. I know how much having a baby means. Except for Lowell, it’s the most important thing ever.”
“I have to tell Grey.”
“We have to tell everyone!” Lin’s laugh bubbled over.
“No, I have to tell Grey first. Because if you can get pregnant, then maybe all those things Rome believed about himself are wrong.”
Things like not being a were. Not being able to father a child.
“You worried that I’ll step away if the baby might not be mine?” Grey asked behind her back.
Mia jumped. She’d forgotten how quiet Grey could be.
She turned. Grey. He was unshakeable. Steady. Someone to depend on. And so sexy, even when all he did was look at her with that half-smile on his face.
“No. I don’t think you would. But I wondered if you’d want to.” Mia swallowed down more words. She wanted Rome back. For so many reasons. But a small part of her was thrilled that Grey had chosen and chosen her.
But a larger part didn’t want to make him choose. She didn’t want to choose one or the other herself. All. She wanted it all. Both of them, her pack, her baby. Everything.
“Think again, sweetheart. I always figured it was Rome’s baby as much as mine, no matter who provided the sperm. We’d never have gotten here without him. But I’d never leave you now.” Grey smiled a little wider. A real smile. “”Course if Rome ever finds out the news, could be he’ll finally realize who he is.”
“A real were?”
“Hell, he’s always been that. I mean he’s Alpha. Pure Alpha. Born to the role. He’s been fighting it for too long, pretending he couldn’t be.”
“He’s always been way too bossy, if that’s what you mean,” his loving sister muttered.
“Bossy. Protective. Knows what he wants and will barge in to get it. Alpha.” Grey shrugged.
“Do we need yet another Alpha nearby?” Lin asked.
“We don’t know yet if we’re going to have one.”
* * * * *
The music blared. The yells at the bar were too loud. The lights were too bright.
He had a mother of a hangover. Rome ran his hand over the stubble on his face and ran his tongue over the fur on his teeth. He must look as good as he felt.
“Hi, honey. I bet you could use a friend.” The redhead smiled at him a little too blearily and hung over his table, showing a little too much cleavage for so early in the morning.
“Uh, thanks for asking but ‑‑ ”
“You trying to hit on my woman?” The bruiser who stepped up to them looked like he was ready for a fight.
A week ago Rome would have been happy to oblige both of them.
“Not at all. I’m leaving. I’ll tell the bartender to set you up with another round on me on my way out.” Rome got up, made sure his balance was all right before he put one foot ahead of the other and left a faintly puzzled, scowling couple behind him.
What had he been thinking? This wasn’t his place. These weren’t his people.
He had a place.
He was bonded because how the hell else could Mia hear their thoughts? Too bad he couldn’t hear hers or Grey’s, the way bonded mates were supposed to. Then again it might not be what most weres had, but even a half-assed bonding meant something. Meant everything.
Hell, even more importantly, he felt bonded to them. He wanted them happy. He wanted to comfort them if they were sad. He just wanted to be with them.
Two mates. Two were mates.
Whether he was a were, a human, or just some genetic freak, he had two lovers who cared about him. He’d left them because ‑‑
Because he didn’t want them to see him as weak? He was an idiot then. They made him strong. They made him better because he was with them.
Better than when he was alone.
Damn it, they needed him, too. Just as much as he did them. What kind of coward ran because things might be too good?
* * * * *
“I’m back.”
Shit. Grey and Mia stared. The two of them were standing together, staring at him. Looking tight. Looking as if they were together.
Looking like he wasn’t a part of them.
“I can tell that.” Grey didn’t look welcoming.
“Oh?” Mia crossed her arms, everything in her body language shutting him out. “Why are you back?”
He’d rather confess to murder. Rome loosened his shoulders and admitted, “Because I need you two.”
“Really. Why do you suddenly need us?”
He’d never believed Mia could look so cold. Instead of her melting at his words the chill was getting worse.
But he wanted this badly enough to try again. “Because we belong.”
God, he hoped he still did. How much could change after a few angry words and a day or two away?
“Are you sure?” Mia asked.
“Damned sure.”
No response.
She couldn’t hear his thoughts any more? Couldn’t tell he meant it with all his soul? There were no more words for what he wanted. But he could try again. Keep trying until he convinced them. He had no choice.
Sudden blinding insight hit.
Hell, there were
words. It’s just they were the ones he’d been terrified to say.
Rome swallowed. “I love you. Both of you.”
When Grey smiled, the first tendrils of relief started growing inside Rome. “Welcome home, kid.”
Rome tried to hide the sudden weakening emotion inside him with a quick laugh. “What? No ‘I told you so’?”
“Naw. I’m too busy thinking ‘hallelujah.’ All I’ll tell you is ‑‑ ” He reached forward to bear hug Rome. “ ‑‑ I’ll kill you if you ever try to do this again. It’d destroy me to go through this one more time. Hear me?”
“Heard and understood. Don’t worry. It won’t happen.”
Grey bent, rested his face between the palms of Rome’s hands. Didn’t look up. Were those Grey’s tears dripping onto his skin? Rome swallowed as he stared down at Grey’s head.
Submission. Trust.
It’s stupid not to take what’s offered when you finally get what you want, Rome. Took me long enough to figure that out. Hope you’re smarter than that. Love.
Rome bent down and bit hard into the sinews of Grey’s neck. His. Grey grunted and looked up, eyes glittering with lust and love.
“You better not try. Because after he kills you, I will too.” Mia grabbed as much of the two of them as she could gather in. “We missed you so much. We love you, Rome.”
One small hand slid between his legs, resting against his cock. Why not? Rome bent and bit her shoulder, not quite as hard, but enough to mark, to claim her.
Love. Submission, trust and love.
He’d given them to Grey and to her once. Now they were giving the same to him.
He held them both, gripping them like a lifeline. All he had to do was tell them and this was his? It was just that easy?
Just that hard.
Rome cleared his throat. Made sure he could say something without bawling first.
“How about a welcome back fuck?”
“Rome, bad dog! No biscuit.”
“I’m not looking for a biscuit, exactly.”
Mia’s clever little fingers had unzipped his pants and were now jerking him off. His pulse hammered down into his cock as she gripped him. He could smell the spice of her arousal. If he touched her ‑‑ and oh, he wanted to ‑‑ she’d be wet, wanting him. Grey’s cock was already poking into his thigh.