by Viola Rivard
And provided she was somehow able to give birth to two perfectly healthy babies, what then? Her biological mother had been absent even during the few years she was physically there. Taylor had only had one foster mother that had been any good, and she’d gone out of her way to ignore and rebuff every attempt Mrs. Smith had made to turn her into a respectable adult. How could Taylor possibly raise not one, but two functional people?
Compounding all of her discomforts, worries, and fears was the fact that Alder was the only person she could talk to. Telling Glenn about her problems was awkward to say the least, and behind the pleasant facades of her female friends, Taylor could see a deep and unsettling envy. How could she possibly complain about pregnancy and motherhood with women who probably longed for children of their own?
Hale placed a hand on the small of her back, drawing her back into reality. “What’s wrong?”
She looked up as his face, which was uncharacteristically marred with concern. In the past, Hale had been a font of blunt advice. Unfortunately, he was probably the only person less qualified to advise on parenthood than she was.
“I’m a little tired.” She gave him a small smile. “Take a nap with me?”
His eyes brightened and she held a finger up.
“Just a nap.”
His mouth slanted. “I accept your challenge.”
Taylor laughed as he picked her up and hauled her into the cabin. She struggled half-heartedly as he took her to the bed, practically collapsing on top of her. Her resistance only served to excite him and she could feel his hardness against her thigh. Her traitorous body arched into him.
Groaning, Hale moved to her neck. He nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin, lighting a fire across her body. Her hands went to his hair, gripping it tightly between her fingers.
Just as Hale was moving a hand between her thighs, Taylor let out a sharp gasp. He raised his head abruptly, following the direction of her startled gaze to the open door. On the porch, in his customary wolf form, was Caim. His amber eyes were staring at them with detached interest. Taylor was torn between annoyance and embarrassment. Hale had no such ambivalence.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he barked out.
Caim didn’t seem particularly phased by his uncle’s fury. He stared at them for a few more seconds before turning and walking away.
For once, something had dampened Hale’s sex drive. He let out a harsh breath before sitting up and scratching his head. “Why the hell didn’t that kid go back with his parents?”
That was something Taylor was actually privy to.
The morning before she’d left, Sarah had taken Taylor aside. On top of telling her about Snow staying, she’d also explained that Caim most likely wouldn’t be returning with them. With clear reluctance, she had confessed that earlier in the summer, Caim had tried to mate with her.
“I noticed last year that he’d been strange, but I didn’t think anything of it,” Sarah had said. “I became fertile early this year. My youngest stopped nursing in May, and then in June, I was fertile. Cain was away and Caim was helping me to look after the kids.
“We’ve always been so close. It never even occurred to me that… It wasn’t a violent assault. He pressed himself against me and when I didn’t react, he must have assumed it was okay. He kissed me and then I slapped him and that was it.
“It was devastating—for the both of us. I’d raised him from a child, but biologically, I’m not his mom. I think the part of him that’s wolf was just confused. I tried to explain this to Cain, but he kicked Caim out until after the thrall.”
When Caim had finally come home, things weren’t the same. The months that followed were uncomfortable. Caim and Cain fought more than ever before. By the end of the summer, this had culminated in Caim deciding to leave the pack. Snow had gone with him.
“You’re not in any danger,” Sarah had sworn. “He’s confused and he’s trying to figure things out. He and I…we used to be so close and now it’s like we’re strangers. I don’t know if I can ever fix that.”
Sarah, who had previously seemed so mature and wise, now appeared utterly helpless. This time, it had been Taylor who had offered up a hug.
“I’ll keep an eye on him for you,” Taylor had promised.
And there she’d gone again, making promises she couldn’t possibly keep.
CHAPTER SIX
After a week of persistent nagging, Alder and Hale finally allowed Taylor to live in her cabin. Though he didn’t know it, Caim had actually helped her make her case. The gruff young alpha seemed to ruffle feathers everywhere he went, causing friction amongst the pack members. After a particularly bad fight between Caim and a beta male, Taylor had innocuously suggested that Caim stay with her throughout the day. He could watch over her while she was at the cabin, making sure the perimeter was secure.
Surprisingly, Alder and Hale had gone for the idea. Granted, they still insisted keeping at least one other patrol—usually Fenix—close by as well.
As far as babysitters went, Caim was very low maintenance. Unlike her previous guards, he never asked her what she was doing or told her where she could and could not go. One day, when she’d been feeling particularly restless, she had even taken a walk through the woods. Caim had simply followed her at a distance without a hint of protest.
He was so unobtrusive that, much like today, Taylor often forgot he was even there. She was in the midst of making breakfast when she noticed movement from outside. She set her spoon down in the bubbling pot of stew and made her way over to the window. Drawing her curtain back ever so slightly, she saw that there was a visitor.
Snow stood beside Caim, a warm smile on her face. She ruffled the hair on the top of his head. The usually stoic wolf leaned in to nuzzle the side of his sister’s cheek. Snow’s smile widened.
Pulling back from the window, Taylor made a quick effort to fix her appearance. Aside from running her fingers through her hair, there was little else she could do to make herself presentable. Some time during the last week, her midsection had ballooned, making her new clothes ill-fitting overnight. Her feet had become too swollen to fit inside the boots she’d been given and the only other shoes she could find were two sizes too big. When it wasn’t too cold, she often walked around barefoot outside rather than making her gait any more absurd.
Taylor was checking her nails for dirt when there was a soft tap at the door. She waited a few seconds, feeling strangely anxious, before plastering on her brightest smile and opening the door.
“Hi, there,” Taylor said, sounding too cheerful even to her own ears.
“Hey,” Snow said. “I was just stopping by to see how you were doing.”
“Great, great.”
They both stood there for a moment. Taylor had forgotten how tall Snow was and they stared at one another eye-to-eye.
Biting her bottom lip, Snow asked, “May I come in?”
“Oh!” Taylor’s eyes widened and she quickly backed up, allowing Snow room to enter the cabin. “Sorry.”
Snow closed the door behind herself. “No worries. I wanted to come see how you were doing, but I also wanted to thank you. Um, is that burning?”
“Shit,” Taylor blurted.
She dashed over to the fireplace where her breakfast pot was bubbling over. Grabbing a cloth, she pulled the pot from the fire and placed it on the floor to cool off.
“Sorry, I don’t have a place to sit,” Taylor said, shuffling over to grab some furs. “I’m in the process of figuring out how to build furniture.”
She set the furs down in front of the fireplace and motioned for Snow to sit. “Want some stew? It’s mostly venison and mushrooms.”
Snow wrinkled her nose, causing Taylor to grin.
“Not a fan of mushrooms? Neither is Alder.”
“Not the mushrooms,” Snow said, giving her a sheepish look. “It’s actually the venison. I’ve never liked meat that much, especially venison. Caim says I get it from our mother.”
<
br /> Snow was still smiling, but Taylor recognized the way the girl’s eyes had darkened. In spite of all the resentment she’d been building up over the past week, Taylor just couldn’t help but like Snow.
“You must wonder about her a lot,” Taylor said, scooping a spoonful of stew into her bowl. “Which parts of you are you and which parts come from her.”
Snow shook her head. “I don’t like it when people compare me to her. That’s why I usually don’t complain when all we have for dinner is meat.”
Taylor nodded, but was unable to offer a response as she’d just spooned a large chunk of overcooked meat into her mouth. She chewed quickly as Snow continued to speak.
“I think I smile like my mom,” she said, her voice lowering. “Whenever I smile, my dad seems a little sad. I’ve practiced smiling a different way, but it’s not something you think about until you’re doing it, you know?”
“My mom and I are total opposites,” Taylor told her. “But we have the exact same laugh. I didn’t actually meet her until I was a little older than you, but somehow, I always knew that if I ever heard her laugh, she’d sound just like me. I think I spent half my life wishing I could hear her laugh.”
Snow appeared mystified. “What was it like when you did? Was it everything you’d hoped it would be?”
“It was great,” Taylor said, giving a small shrug. “But…it was just a laugh, Snow. At the end of the day, she wasn’t the person who had taught me how to cook or had taken care of me while I was sick. There’s a huge difference between a ‘mother’ and a ‘mom’.”
Now, Snow was nodding her head. Her bottom lip quivered. “Sarah was my mom. I love her so much… I don’t know if I’m ready for all of this. I always wanted to grow up so badly, but now my body is changing and there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t be a kid anymore.”
Taylor set her stew aside and reached over to squeeze Snow’s hand. “Your mom loves you so much. You’ll always be her daughter, no matter what.”
She could hardly imagine what Snow was going through. Her own transition into adolescence had been a difficult and confusing time, and that was with all the resources modern society had to offer. Shifter society wasn’t equipped to deal with a girl like Snow.
“It must have been hard to talk to Sarah about this. Probably even harder to talk to Alder.”
Snow inclined her head. “The only other person I’ve talked to is Silas… I know it wasn’t safe for me at Whiteriver and I’m glad I’m back, but sometimes I miss him.”
Taylor smiled knowingly. “Well, I’m not a super hot alpha wolf, but I’m here any time you want to talk.”
Snow’s face colored. In a hushed voice, she asked, “You think Silas is hot, too?”
“Don’t tell your father.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Taylor had just finished combing her hair when Alder entered the cabin, bringing with him her new favorite thing—venison. She was happy to see that he had brought an extra large portion, indicating that he’d be joining her for dinner.
She climbed to her feet as Alder set the meat down on the fireplace grate.
“How was the hunt?” she asked.
Rather than answer, Alder swung an arm around her hips and pulled her in for a kiss. Taylor let out a muffled laugh and eagerly reciprocated. When he drew back, she was grinning ear to ear.
“The hunt went well,” he said, his voice husky. “Have you looked outside yet?”
She arched a brow. “No, why?”
Lips twitching, he motioned towards the window. “See for yourself.”
Reluctantly leaving his arms, Taylor made her way to the window. She pulled back the curtain and her mouth fell open. In the hour between when she’d woken and now, a heavy layer of snow had fallen, covering the ground. Large, fluffy snowflakes were still drifting down from the sky as she opened the window. So far that winter, it had snowed a few times, but it was always a light sprinkle that never stuck to the ground.
Alder joined her, resting his elbow in the window frame and leaning to the side. “If it keeps up like this, we probably won’t hunt tomorrow night.”
She grimaced, knowing that meant there wouldn’t be any fresh meat. Halcyon was not totally reliant on daily kills. During the fall, they had stockpiled a sizable amount of salted meats that would keep through the winter. While they were practical and necessary, she wasn’t a big fan of them.
“Relax, we’ll still hunt for you.”
Taylor nearly jumped out of her skin as Hale appeared at her window. He stood outside, completely naked, with snowflakes clinging to his wet hair.
She reached out to smack his shoulder. “What did I tell you about sneaking up on me? And get in here before you freeze to death.”
He rolled his eyes, but didn’t object.
As he walked around the cabin, Taylor grabbed a towel. When he stepped inside, she wasted no time in drying him off. She was surprised at how warm his skin was and could only attribute it to the fact that he had just shifted. What didn’t surprise her was that he was fully erect. She patted his chest dry, doing her best to keep a straight face as the tip of his erection brushed against her dress.
After Hale was sufficiently toweled off, Taylor went to hand him the damp cloth. She turned, only to find Alder blocking her path. He took the towel from her hand and tossed it on the floor.
“What are you—?”
He put his hands on her hips, pulling her body against his. “Have I told you how beautiful you are lately?”
Her insides melted.
“Not really,” she replied coyly.
While Alder did spend time with her when he could, their conversations usually revolved around her pregnancy and their impending parenthood. As much as she enjoyed talking about the babies with him, it was nice to be reminded that she was more than just the mother of his children.
She was his mate.
As if to convey this with his lips, Alder dipped down to claim her mouth. This time, his kiss was slow and deliberate. He tilted his head to the side as his tongue pushed past her lips and swept into her mouth.
Reminding her that they weren’t alone, Hale reached a hand under her dress to grip at the bare skin of her thigh. Having regained all the weight she’d lost in the first trimester and then some, she became a bit self-conscious as his hand continued upwards, intent on disrobing her. But when she felt his hot length jutting against the curves of her backside, most of her anxiety dissipated.
How long had it been since she’d been between them like this?
Too long.
Not willing to let a little bashfulness spoil her fun, she put her arms around Alder’s neck, and pulled herself up. With the added leverage, she was able to grip his cock between her thick thighs. Burying his head in her neck, Hale let out a ragged groan. The primitive sound made her skin prickle.
Closing her eyes, she stopped focusing on which one of the twin alphas was touching her where, and instead surrendered her body to their skilled ministrations. A mouth latched onto her neck, sucking hard as canines pressed against the delicate flesh. A calloused hand palmed her sensitive breast, squeezing it until she whimpered. The hand eased its grip, gently massaging her for a few seconds, only to tighten its grasp once again. She moaned, her knees growing weak from the dual assaults of pleasure and pain.
Caged between the two, hard males, she did her best to undulate her hips, applying friction to them both. She expected the tantalizing motion to have them dragging her over to the bed, but was taken by surprise when Hale lifted her up by the hips and positioned the tip of his swollen cock directly against her wet cleft. She barely had time to gasp in a breath before he jerked her hips down, impaling her with his turgid flesh.
With remarkable restraint, he stopped just short of slamming himself into her. She could feel his strong hands trembling with repressed need as he began to move her hips up and down on his cock. The usual pleasure of his thrusts seemed to be amplified by her hormones.
With ea
ch nerve ending over-sensitized, it was all she could do to hold onto Alder. Her nails bit into the skin of his back as she gripped at him for purchase. Not willing to be a passive bystander, the other alpha kept his mouth latched onto hers while his hand worshipped her breasts—one, and then the other.
Perhaps because she was too overwhelmed, Hale climaxed before her. She could swear that she felt him swell even larger inside of her just before he erupted with a fierce growl.
Hale had hardly finished inside of her when Alder let out a loud growl of his own. He tried to pull her away from his brother, but Hale stubbornly held her in place. They both growled again, sounding not unlike two hungry dogs fighting over a piece of meat.
It wasn’t the turn off that it should have been. In fact, she found herself more aroused by their jealousy than she had any business being, but she knew that if she didn’t do something, things could actually escalate.
With one hand, she stroked the back of Alder’s neck. With the other, she reached back to run her fingers through Hale’s hair.
“Shh…” she crooned. “It’s okay.”
A low growl continued to emanate from Hale’s chest, but he loosened his grip, allowing Alder to take her. Whatever part of Alder was human had completely checked out. Overcome by his animal instincts, he took her to the farthest corner of the room, positioning his body between her and Hale.
Knowing what he needed, she dropped to her hands and knees. Her mate immediately settled himself behind her, taking her like the wolf that he was.
As Alder thrust into her, she couldn’t help but look towards Hale. He stood by the fire, his eyes blazing with raw, naked emotion. Lust, need, and above all, a possessiveness that caught her completely off-guard.
She couldn’t understand where it was coming from. In the past few weeks, he had been aloof towards her, almost to the point of indifference. And even before that, he had never, ever given her a look like that.
His eyes narrowed and the dark look he gave her could mean only one thing. ‘I don’t give a shit if he’s fucking you, you’re mine.’