Bethany [Eminence Shifters 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Ashley Malkin

  “No, he’s gone from Claremont,” Bethany said, wiping the tears from her face and sitting up straighter. “Now they’re safe from him. If he comes here, then you can catch him and stop him for good.”

  “You’ve got a lot of faith in us, kitten,” Samson said, “but you’re right, we will stop him.”

  “Of course you will,” she said, gesturing up and down Samson’s body with her hand. “You’re the damn Terminator.”

  * * * *

  Jason had spent all of breakfast marveling at his mate. Bethany had only just discovered she was a shifter, and she was trusting her instincts more than he had his whole life. She remained wary of him, and he couldn’t blame her, but he could feel the warmth that flowed through the bond between her and his brothers.

  He could still feel the simmering anger his brothers felt for him, but it was nothing compared to what he felt for himself. He was an arrogant fucking idiot, and the realization that he’d been that way his whole life was hitting him hard. It had nearly cost them all their lives.

  He would prove to them all that he was worthy of being Bethany’s mate, and he’d become the shifter he was always supposed to be. He and his cat were finally working together, and it felt amazing. Samson better watch his back next time they got into a fight, because Jason knew that, now he was working with his cat instead of against it, he could take him.

  He’d found an old pair of scrubs for Bethany to wear while her clothes were in the wash, and they were now heading into town to meet the Wilders and the Fredericks for lunch. Bethany was sitting quietly next to Samson in the back of his truck while Jason drove.

  “‘The Oasis’ is the best diner in Eminence, Bethany. You’ll love it,” Jason said. He could see in his rearview mirror that she was biting her lower lip nervously.

  “It’s the only one in Eminence, idiot,” Michael said, slapping him lightly upside the head.

  “I’m not really hungry. Maybe we should just skip lunch.” Bethany looked pleadingly at him in the mirror.

  “You haven’t had a lot of experience meeting people socially, have you?” Jason said. He’d guessed at the cause of her discomfort, but when she lowered her eyes and sighed, he knew he’d guessed correctly.

  “None,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “There will be a lot of new people, but Melanie and Peata have both come to Eminence recently,” Samson said. “They’ll understand exactly how you feel.”

  Jason watched as Samson gently brushed Bethany’s lips with a kiss. Blood flooded to his groin, his cock becoming hard in a second. He hoped that Bethany would soon trust him enough to allow their mating. The scent of Bethany’s arousal joined that of his in the confines of the truck.

  Michael groaned and shot him a glare. It was his fault they weren’t already mated to their sexy mate.

  Having parked the truck, he smiled at the scowls on his brothers’ faces as they each held one of Bethany’s hands and walked into the diner. She’d fought hard not to be carried into the diner, and won. Jason found he liked her strength a great deal.

  The large group of people they were meeting was already sitting at two of the tables. Bethany slid in opposite Melanie and sat quietly between Samson and himself as Michael walked around the tables to make the introductions. Jason was glad of the opportunity to slide his arm behind Bethany and move her close to his side.

  “It is nice to meet you again, Bethany,” Finn said. “Are you now feeling well?”

  Even after clearing her throat, Bethany’s voice was still tremulous when she spoke. “I’d like to thank you for your help. I’m sorry for any inconvenience I caused you.” Jason rubbed circles on her arm with his thumb and hoped she took it for the encouragement it was.

  “It comes with him being the big, bad Alpha,” Melanie said, reaching across the table and grabbing one of Bethany’s hands. “Peata and I are so pleased you’re feeling better.”

  “Melanie and I would have been over to see you first thing,” Peata said, “but your idiot mate put us off.”

  The men all laughed, but Jason just inclined his head in agreement at Peata’s mock glare.

  “We’d planned to come over anyway, if they didn’t show for lunch,” Melanie said. “We wanted to make sure you were really all right.”

  Over lunch, the men mostly talked amongst themselves, allowing the three women to get acquainted. Jason watched, as Bethany’s naturally effervescent personality emerged and she became increasingly more comfortable within the group.

  When Melanie announced that they should all go shopping for clothes, Bethany’s face fell.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t have more than a few dollars to my name, and that is back at my…” Bethany stopped speaking. Her cheeks colored and she looked up at Samson.

  “We’re your mates, kitten,” he said, “but you can just call us your men when non-shifters are around.”

  “Naming them all individually becomes a total pain in the ass, too,” Melanie said. “Easier to just lump them all together.” She laughed when Finn held up his index finger.

  Peata covered her laugh behind her hand, but Jason failed to see what was funny.

  “Samson hauled you all the way up here without consulting you,” Michael said. “The least he can do is pry open his wallet to pay for a few clothes.”

  “I’ll come along and foot the bill,” Samson said, tugging her into his arms and carrying her out the door. She began to protest being carried, but Samson’s kiss seemed to distract her.

  * * * *

  By the time her heart rate had returned to normal after Samson’s scorching kiss, he was setting her on her feet inside a small department store.

  “That’s playing dirty, Samson, I’d prefer to walk next time, please.”

  “Ha,” Peata said. “If you manage to win that argument, you’ll need to let us know how you did it.” Melanie and Peata each took one of her hands and led her to the women’s clothing.

  Samson waited by the door with two of Melanie’s mates, Hunter and Cooper, and one of Peata’s mates, Calder. They were talking to each other, but Bethany could see they were also watching the store and the street outside, as well as them.

  “I can’t believe I’m still the shortest around here,” Melanie said.

  “Not by much,” Bethany said. Melanie was even shorter than her own five foot one inches, but unlike Bethany, she had breasts and hips. Her hair was long, falling halfway down her back in strawberry-blonde waves.

  “You two make me feel like a giant,” Peata said, nudging Melanie with her shoulder as they all laughed. Peata was taller than her by a few inches, with pale skin and really long black hair. They were very beautiful women.

  “You both seem really happy,” Bethany said. “Samson said you were new to Eminence as well.”

  “I met my men nearly five months ago,” Melanie said. “We’ve been married for four of those now. I’m really happy here.”

  “That’s really fast,” Bethany said. She felt her cheeks heat at her rude statement.

  “We know,” Peata said. “I’ve only known my men three months and been married the last two months.” She suddenly turned and ran toward the back of the store.

  Bethany tensed, looking around for signs of danger. Calder sped past, right on Peata’s heels.

  “What’s happening?”

  Melanie just looked after them with a smile on her face. “She still has a couple of weeks to go until her morning sickness eases,” Melanie said. She placed her hand on her own abdomen and Bethany noticed the small bump for the first time.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. Congratulations.”

  She was a little surprised that they were both pregnant so soon. Melanie smiled and rubbed her bump, gazing over at her husbands with a look of unadulterated joy and love on her face. Bethany then felt nothing but happiness for her.

  Looking across to the two men, she saw that love mirrored on their faces, too. She realized that time didn’t matter. Their love was al
l that mattered.

  She looked at Samson. He was staring intently at her, the love he felt for her clear on his handsome face. Her blood began to warm under his gaze, and when he smiled at her, it nearly set her pants on fire.

  “Just a word of warning,” Melanie said, touching her hand to get her attention, “any shifter in the vicinity can scent when you’re aroused.”

  They looked at each other and burst out laughing. “God. That sucks,” Bethany said when their laughter subsided.

  “I need new clothes,” Melanie said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m going to be as wide as I am tall by the time this baby is born.” That started them laughing again.

  When Peata rejoined them, Bethany found her just as easy to talk to as Melanie. As they shopped, they told her how they’d each met their mates. She was horrified at the events that had led them to Eminence.

  “Shit. At least I only have a drug lord and a rapist after me.” Even though she had meant it sincerely, it led to another bout of laughter.

  “This town must be cursed,” Peata said, “or have a magnet for criminals buried under the town hall.”

  “I think now that Bethany’s here, our luck will change,” Melanie said. She wrapped her arms around Bethany and gave her a hug. “We’re thrilled to have you join our pride, Bethany.”

  Bethany was a little stunned. She hadn’t even thought about staying in Eminence. The four weeks she’d been in Tijuana had been the first time in her life she’d experienced freedom. Am I trapped here now?

  “I heard your men made a complete mess out of telling you about shifters,” Peata said. “My men laughed for an hour over that debacle.”

  Shelving her worrying thoughts for later, she enjoyed shopping with her new friends. Melanie decided they all needed to go dancing the following night, at a club called Rory’s in Grand Springs.

  “If we don’t go now, I’ll be too big to get my groove on,” she said.

  “You’re perfect, angel,” Cooper said, joining them at the registers. “You grow more perfect every single day.” He unashamedly picked her up and kissed her long and hard on the lips. “Let’s get our woman home to bed, Hunter.”

  Melanie blushed a startlingly bright crimson. “He means, so I can have a nap.”

  “No I don’t.”

  Chapter 18

  When Samson returned to the truck with Bethany, Michael had immediately sensed that something was troubling her. She sat in the circle of his arm, but was stiff and uncommunicative.

  She’d answered them politely when they’d enquired about her shopping trip with the other mates, but her monosyllabic answers had lacked her usual buoyancy.

  As they drove through the gates to their property, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “We will find out what’s troubling you, darlin’. It’s up to you whether we do it the easy way or the hard way.”

  When she turned her gaze on him, her eyes were a glowing lavender. “You should know that you look magnificent in your fury,” he said.

  She still refused to speak and exited the truck immediately when it came to a stop.

  “What happened in the store?” Jason asked, once Bethany had entered the kitchen.

  “No fucking idea. She seemed fine until the other mates left.”

  “She won’t hold out for much longer,” Michael said, following her into the house. “The mating bond will be pulling at her too strongly. She’s hurting. I can feel it.” He rubbed at the pain in his chest, certain that it was her pain he was sensing there.

  He found her sitting at the kitchen table, chewing anxiously on an already-gnawed fingernail. The scent of her blood was thick in the room. That scent had both concern and lust coursing through his veins.

  “Stop, darlin’. You’ve hurt yourself.” Picking her up, he sat down with her on his lap and gently took her hands in his.

  “They said I’m part of the pride,” she said. Jason and Samson leaned against the table on either side of them, their expressions puzzled.

  “You are, love,” Jason said, taking one of her hands and kissing it.

  “I thought I was free. Back in Tijuana, I was able to do whatever I wanted for the first time in my life.”

  Samson’s eyes began to spark with a heated amber. “You are free.”

  “But I have to live here. I have to, or we all die.”

  Michael could see it now. Trapped for six years in a virtual prison, then to think she was now confined to Eminence. No wonder she was upset.

  “We would never want to imprison you, Bethany,” he said. “We have lived a long time already, followed our dreams. We want you to do the same.”

  “We just ask,” Samson said, “that you let us share in your life from now on. We’d like to go with you, wherever you choose to go.”

  “Be with you,” Jason said, “whatever you choose to do. I understand your feelings, Bethany. I fought against my shifter nature for three of your lifetimes, thinking it would control and confine me. I was wrong. Embracing all of me has set me free. Free to love you to my very core.”

  “We want you to grow as a person and achieve all your dreams and desires,” Samson said.

  “We’d be honored to help you in any of your life’s goals,” Michael said. He held her tight, her body now shaking with little sobs. Jason wiped away the tears leaking from her eyes.

  “I don’t have any dreams right now. I just didn’t want to be locked away again.”

  “Never,” they all said at once.

  “But we do need to protect you until your asshole fan club are neutralized,” Samson said, he was smiling widely now.

  “We have a state-of-the-art computer system here. You can look around and see what interests you,” Michael said. “Even do some classes remotely, if you like.”

  “He must love you to let you near his computers,” Samson said. Bethany’s small laugh had them all grinning like fools.

  “Thank you. I misunderstood. For now, I’d really love to learn how to cook, like Peata has. Do you think Melanie would take on another hopeless case?”

  * * * *

  Bethany couldn’t understand how she had gotten so lucky. These men were not just gorgeous, they were also wonderfully caring people. They were also hers.

  As she embraced that thought and stared into their smiling faces, she felt her cat’s need for them surge. It was no longer tentative in its demand for her to stake a claim. It was clawing at her mind. It wanted to taste their blood. To mark them all as theirs with its teeth and claws.

  They all began to growl, their stares turning heated, their eyes changing to bright amber. Those looks might have frightened her two days ago. Now they sent her pulse racing. Her nipples tightened painfully and her pussy swelled and throbbed.

  “Whatever you’re thinking, kitten,” Samson said, his voice deep and rough, “don’t stop.”

  Plucking her from Michael’s arms, he crashed his mouth into hers in a kiss so heated, she nearly came. Rubbing her nipples against the steel of his chest gave her the sensation she needed to push her over the edge. She sucked his tongue further into her mouth, the taste of him making her burn for more than the small release he’d just given her.

  “Jesus, Bethany,” Michael said, pushing tight against her back. She could feel the hard length of his cock, hot against her ass, as he nipped at her neck teasingly.

  “Please,” she found herself begging. The ache in her pussy was growing. It was nearly painful now. “My skin feels as though it’s on fire.” She panted out the words, her lungs on fire with the thick and delicious scent of her men.

  “Be sure, Bethany,” Jason said, and took her face in his hands before kissing her. He licked along her lips, but she was starving for him. She sucked his tongue into her mouth. She still needed more, and delved into his mouth with her tongue, licking along his elongating fangs. His rumbling growl sent the burn in her body raging out of control.

  Breaking the kiss, Jason tilted her face until she tore her gaze from his sexy mouth and was
focused on his eyes, his blazing eyes that told her he was as starving for her as she was for him.

  “I’m sure, Jason,” she said, the words hard to say with her heart a lump in her throat. “I can feel you all in my heart already. I can feel you.”

  Chapter 19

  “I can feel you, too,” Jason said. “It will be stronger once we’ve completed the mating.”

  Jason knew he was the luckiest man alive. He had been the cause of so much pain to Bethany, but she had not only forgiven him, she was gifting him with her life as his mate. It was a gift he’d nearly thrown away in his arrogance and stupidity.

  Her pupils dilated and the lavender color bled away, leaving them their natural blue. “I don’t know what to do,” she said.

  Samson lifted her higher in his grasp until they were eye-to-eye. “Shit, we’re animals. I’m so sorry. We can wait as long as it takes until you’re ready.”

  She stroked her fingers across his lips. “No, I want you all so much I’m going to explode.” She looked at Jason, then turned to look at Michael. “I don’t know how to…mate with you all.”

  “You just came when Samson kissed you, darlin’,” Michael said, caressing her ass in his palms. “You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. Perfect.”

  Samson strode out of the kitchen to the master bedroom, with Jason and Michael close behind.

  “I haven’t seen this room before,” Bethany said, swiveling her head to take in the entirety of the massive space. “It’s beautiful.”

  “We each have our own rooms, but this one I made to share with our mate,” Michael said.

  Jason had never been in the room before, either. He’d never envisaged taking a mate, so he had taken no interest in whatever Michael had been doing in the room.

  Its focal point was an enormous, custom-made bed that easily could have slept ten people. The windows were floor to ceiling, with French doors that opened onto the verandah. A huge hot tub sat on the veranda, just outside the French doors. The uninterrupted views to the mountains beyond were stunning in the late afternoon light.