Bernard, Lynnette - Laurie's Loves [Beckett's Wolf Pack, Triad Mates] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Lynnette Bernard

  “Love you, Jackson,” Laurie whispered against his shoulder as he held her.

  “Love you, baby,” Jackson whispered, kissing the top of her head tenderly, his heart overflowing with emotion.

  They lay in each other’s arms, allowing the water to support their bodies as they recovered. Laurie wondered if it would always be this way. She hoped so.

  “You guys are going to have to carry me home,” she whispered as she lay against both men in the warm water. “I’m so tired, I can barely move.”

  Jace looked at Jackson and smiled, knowing the secret that slept so safely within Laurie’s body was part of the reason for her tiredness. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Jace told her quietly. “You go on and get some rest. We’ll carry you home and tuck you into our bed.”

  Laurie sighed and smiled, closing her eyes tiredly. “Okay,” she whispered. “You both have filled me up with love.”

  “Baby, we’ve filled you with more than that,” Jackson whispered against her mouth as he kissed her tenderly.

  But she didn’t hear him. She was already asleep.

  Chapter 23

  Laurie stood silently before the lake, looking across its serene stillness as her mind raced with thoughts of the night before. She smiled, unable to keep the happiness at bay. She never in her life had ever hoped to find such love and tenderness as she found with Jace and Jackson.

  And the sex! Man! Earth shattering would be putting it mildly. They make me want to do things with them that I’ve never in my entire life desired to do, let alone knew how to do!

  I can hear you, Laurie. Jackson’s voice entered her thoughts.

  She jumped slightly, blushing immediately. His laughter warmed her, but embarrassed her nevertheless.

  Stay out of my head, Jackson! Her voice was stern, but she couldn’t keep the laughter or her embarrassment from his knowing presence.

  Baby, you’re the one who is showing me your thoughts. And I have to say, I love every minute of it. I think Jace and I need to take you up to our bedroom and make you scream as you come.

  Jackson! Laurie’s voice admonished him quickly, embarrassment making her look around quickly as if someone could hear his words.

  Don’t worry, sweetheart. No one can hear us. Jace and I are just finishing up with Doc. As soon as we’re finished we’ll head out to the lake to meet you.

  You’re with Doc? Are you two all right?

  She could hear Jace’s laughter in her head, and the warmth of his happiness spread through her like a warm blanket. We’re fine, Laurie. Doc just wanted some blood samples. He’s still working on trying to figure out why Mitchell isn’t able to shift. He already took samples from unmated triad partners, and he wants to compare them to those of us in a bonded triad.

  Laurie smiled. She liked that they were good and truly a bonded triad. In fact, she was so happy she could cry. What the heck was wrong with her? Her emotions were all over the place lately.

  I’ll wait for you both at the lake.

  She felt the push of warmth that both men sent her through their bond and pictured herself opening her arms to them to hold them to her tightly. She was really starting to like this bond connection thing. At first it had scared her and had made her nervous that everything she thought and felt was no longer private, but with both men’s help, she was beginning to learn to control it so that she still had her sense of self and privacy when she needed it.

  “There you are, Mom,” Dean called to her.

  Turning, she smiled as she saw Dean, Mitchell, and Mia walking toward her. It seemed that the three of them had become fast friends, and Laurie couldn’t be happier about it. Dean’s easy humor was a good influence on Mitchell, who seemed to be less jumpy lately. And her son’s strength and sense of right and wrong also gave the abused shifter a good indication of what a true friend should be.

  She smiled at the three of them, glad to see that Mia’s injuries were starting to fade and both her body and her spirit were healing. Her daughter was slowly returning to the confident and strong young woman that she had always been. Mia’s protectiveness and caring for all of them was also something that had had a major impact on Mitchell. Laurie could see how much it amazed him that the three of them were such a loving family who really were a team that helped each other in every aspect of their lives.

  Mitchell was also learning that Jace’s pack was much the same. Although Jace was the alpha and ruled with undeniable strength and power, he was also fair and caring—something Mitchell never knew could be a possibility in pack dynamics.

  “What are you three up to?” she asked them, smiling as they neared her.

  “We were just gonna go to the movies and wanted to know if you wanted to come with us,” Mia told her as she stood next to her mother. “Do you feel like getting away for a while?”

  Laurie smiled and looked at the three of them, fighting back tears once again at the thought that they wanted to hang out with her. “I think you guys should go and enjoy yourselves. You don’t need your old mother hanging around.”

  “Ma, you’re not old.” Dean stopped her immediately. “Come on, come with us.”

  Laurie smiled at him. “Okay,” she relented. “Let me just grab my purse, and we can go.”

  Mia smiled at her brother and nodded. Mission accomplished. Once they got their mom away from the ranch, Nikki and Martha would be decorating the back deck for her surprise birthday party. Although their mother’s birthday wasn’t for another three days, they had all plotted together.

  Jace and Jackson had been adamant that no one slip up and ruin the surprise for her. And their generosity in getting all of the supplies for the party and the way they helped to organize it with them shocked both Mia and Dean. Their mother had never been the recipient of such unselfish giving in her life. The two men’s obvious love for their mother had gone a long way in endearing them to both Mia and Dean. Their mom deserved every bit of happiness that the men were determined to give her.

  Mates, I’m heading up toward the lodge. The kids and I are going to the movies.

  Jace and Jackson’s contented growls vibrated through her chest, making her smile. I like the sound of that, honey. Jace’s deep voice sent a shiver of desire through her.

  What?

  Mates.

  Laurie smiled, knowing that her use of the word had just made both men happy. Without hesitation, she pushed her thoughts of kissing them both with passion through their link.

  Laurie, you’re going to make me come. Jackson’s voice was strained.

  Sorry.

  Her giggle echoed in her mates’ heads, and they knew she wasn’t sorry at all. But they wouldn’t change her honest feelings toward them for the world. It had taken them forever to find her, and they cherished every thought, every emotion, every touch she sent their way.

  Remember what they say about payback, sweetheart. Jackson’s teasing voice filled her with desire as he pushed his thoughts of both men taking her at the same time.

  Laurie stumbled slightly as she fought to control her shaking.

  “Are you okay, Mom?” Mia asked, reaching for her arm to help steady her.

  “I’ll be fine,” Laurie answered quickly. “Just a little daydreaming, and I didn’t watch my footing.”

  Good save, Laurie.

  Jackson, just see what happens when I get you alone.

  I can’t wait, baby.

  * * * *

  Jace’s cell phone vibrated at his hip. Reaching down, he pulled the phone from his belt and pressed to connect the call, bringing it quickly to his ear as he leaned back in the chair at Doc Barrett’s office.

  “Jace,” he answered gruffly, turning to face Jackson as he sat across from the doctor.

  “Alpha, there was a man here asking questions about your mate and her children,” Janine’s voice spoke quickly across the phone connection. She was whispering, and Jace could hear the fear in her voice. “He was really creepy. He gave me a really bad feeling.”

 
Jace stood immediately. “Where is he?” he growled, his anger consuming him.

  Jackson stood and stepped toward him. He knew something was wrong, and his stomach knotted in fear as he felt Jace’s anger curl around him. His immediate thought was that their mate was in danger.

  “He just walked out the front door of the main lodge,” Janine answered quickly. “I told him I didn’t know anyone named Laurie Young, but I don’t think he believed me. I told Lucian, and he just followed him out the door.”

  “Call Alexander and Butler and have them go to Laurie and the children. They’re heading toward the back deck of our lodge. Make sure the men guard them until we get there.”

  He disconnected the call and turned to Jackson, his wolf close to the surface as the anger consumed him. “Jackson,” he began.

  “I heard. Let’s go.”

  Both men burst through the door of Doc Barrett’s clinic, shifting immediately as they went.

  Laurie, where are you and the children? Jace’s voice growled through their bond.

  We’re almost to the lodge. Why? Are you okay?

  Baby, we need you to take the children and get inside the lodge as soon as you can. Alexander and Butler will meet you.

  Why, Jace? What’s wrong?

  I think Patrick is here and is looking for the three of you.

  Laurie’s instant fear gripped them both, and they stumbled as her panic slammed into them. Don’t worry, honey. Just get all of you inside our room and lock the door behind you. We’ll be there in just a few minutes.

  Laurie turned and reached for Mia’s hand. “We have to hurry up to the lodge. Your father is here.”

  Dean turned to face her immediately. “How do you know?”

  “Jace just told me,” she explained quickly. “I’ll explain it to you later. Just trust me. We have to get inside the lodge. Alexander and Butler will meet us and make sure Patrick won’t hurt us. Jace and Jackson are on their way. Come on. Let’s go.”

  Without hesitation, Dean, Mia, and Mitchell followed Laurie as she ran toward the lodge. Laurie was grateful that they didn’t question her words. They had always been that way. Even as young children, they trusted her implicitly. They knew she wouldn’t tell them to do something without just cause.

  As the back deck of the lodge came into view, Laurie breathed a sigh of relief, and she slowed to a stop, bending over and holding her stomach as she took great gasps of breath. She was exhausted from the run but was more scared than anything else, and the fear was making it difficult for her to breathe. She had to calm down. She couldn’t take care of the kids if she panicked.

  She turned to face them when she felt an arm wrap around her waist and saw a masculine hand bring a knife to her neck. She froze. She knew immediately that it was Patrick. She could smell the overpowering aftershave he wore and felt the familiar body that had abused her for so many years as it was pressed against her.

  “I warned you. Now all of you are going to pay,” he spoke quietly in her ear.

  Mia, Dean, and Mitchell looked at her with wide eyes. She could feel the emotions roaring through them and knew they were afraid to do anything that might trigger Patrick’s violence toward her.

  “Let her go,” Mia demanded, stepping forward slowly.

  Patrick pressed the knife to Laurie’s throat, drawing blood as he slowly sliced into her skin. “Don’t say a word, Mia,” he warned her. “Now. Very slowly. Come here.” He looked at Dean and Mia, dismissing the unknown kid beside them. “We’re all going for a little ride.”

  Dean reached out and took hold of Mia’s forearm and pulled her behind him. “We’re not going anywhere with you.” His voice was firm as he stepped toward his mother.

  “Oh, but you are, son,” Patrick told him, his voice deceptively calm. “You see, if you don’t, I’ll just kill your mother right here, right now. And then I’ll kill you both.”

  The blade cut a little deeper to make his point. Laurie kept silent despite the pain. She bit down into her bottom lip to keep the whimper from escaping her. She would not be the cause of her children doing something to help her and then getting hurt themselves.

  “You should never have divorced me, Laurie,” he told her calmly, pulling her body tightly against his.

  “I valued my sanity,” Laurie told him firmly, fighting the nausea that was welling up inside of her. “If I had stayed married to you, I would have lost my mind.”

  “Bitch!” he growled, grabbing her hair and preparing to cut deeply into her neck.

  The flurry of movement happened so quickly, it took a moment before Laurie realized what was happening. Both children lunged for her as Mitchell growled, and blue light encompassed him as he shifted into a light brown wolf with golden streaks and pounced on Patrick. His teeth sank into the arm that held the knife, and his body weight slammed the man down to the ground. The knife flew from Patrick’s hand as he howled in pain.

  Two more wolves leaped from the back deck to land on either side of the man as Laurie was pulled away by her children. Laurie looked up at the sky as she was thrown down and covered by her children in time to see Jace and Jackson in wolf form sail over them to land on Patrick’s chest.

  The vicious growls of all of the wolves filled the air. Dean pulled both Laurie and Mia to their feet and pushed them protectively behind him as he gaped at the wolves in shock. Mia hung onto his arm as she stepped aside and viewed the surreal scene before her. Laurie stepped out from behind them and walked toward the wolves.

  By that time, Nikki and Martha had run out onto the deck. Taking in the situation, Martha turned to go back into the lodge to quickly return with several large bath towels from the laundry room. There was going to be an abundance of naked men on the back lawn very soon, and although the shifters would not be concerned with their nudity, she knew that Laurie, Nikki, Dean, and Mia would be.

  “Patrick, did you really think you would get away with this?” Laurie asked incredulously.

  Mitchell still had his teeth embedded in Patrick’s forearm and shook it angrily. Jace and Jackson leaned over him, their teeth bared and snapping at him. Alexander and Butler stood on either side of him, their fangs bared, growling, ready to do serious injury.

  “Mitchell, let him go,” Laurie spoke to the young wolf calmly.

  Mitchell shook his head angrily, pulling another sharp cry of pain from Patrick. The other four wolves growled deeply, and Patrick’s eyes grew larger as he looked at each one until his eyes rolled back in his head and he lost consciousness.

  Laurie walked to Mitchell carefully and knelt down beside him, slowly petting him as she tried to calm him. “I’m so proud of you, Mitchell,” she told him honestly. “You shifted. And you did it to protect me and my children. You’re a brave wolf.”

  Mitchell looked up at Laurie with something close to adoration in his eyes. There was a blue shimmer of magic, and the young wolf transformed back to his human form. Laurie caught the towel Martha tossed her and handed it to Mitchell, smiling at the blush that covered his cheeks. She was glad to see that his injuries from his beating by his previous alpha were now completely healed. His shift had given him the miraculous ability to heal as was the norm for shifters. She was so happy for him.

  “Dude, that was awesome!” Dean’s amazed voice broke the silence.

  Mitchell looked up at Dean and smiled. “It was, wasn’t it?” Mitchell agreed. “It’s the first time I’ve ever shifted into my wolf form. I never could before.”

  “That’s because you found your triad partner.” Jace’s deep voice startled them.

  Laurie looked up to see that all four wolves had shifted back to their human forms and were wrapping towels around their waists, grateful that Martha had thought to get them.

  “I have?” Mitchell asked, confused. “I’ve only met Dean,” he protested, his voice dying out as he looked up at his new friend. His triad partner.

  “I don’t know what that means, but if meeting me made you shift, that’s freakin’ amazing
!” Dean told him, totally in awe of him.

  “Aw, I didn’t get a good look at all that naked flesh before you guys covered up,” Nikki complained from the deck.

  Alexander and Butler both growled at her at the same time. “Woman, you will not look at anyone but your mates,” Butler told her angrily.

  “Yeah right, buddy,” Nikki called down to him. “In your dreams.”

  Laurie laughed quietly then found her legs giving out on her as her nerves took over, and she felt herself falling to the ground. Jackson reached for her and pulled her onto his lap as he sat quickly to cushion her fall and cuddled her in his lap. Jace was beside her immediately, touching her face as the anger left him and concern took its place.

  “Get Doc Barrett,” he commanded Alexander quickly, facing his men with fire in his eyes. “Find out what happened to Lucian,” he told Butler, snapping the order angrily before returning his gaze to Laurie. He reached out and held his hand to her throat to try to stop the blood that was escaping her in a steady stream from the wound in her neck. “I should have killed him,” he whispered angrily.

  Laurie reached up and touched his face gently. “No,” she said firmly. “That would make you as bad as he is, and you are nothing like him.” She leaned forward and kissed his lips tenderly, running her hand down his shoulder to hold his hand in hers. Reaching down, she found Jackson’s hand as it cradled her hip and took his within her grasp, entwining her fingers with them both. “I love you,” she whispered as their heads leaned in to rest against hers.

  “We love you, baby,” Jackson whispered against the side of her face. “So damned much!”

  “Okay, Mom,” Mia’s voice chimed in. “Let’s call the police and get this piece of trash taken away.”

  Laurie looked up and saw her beautiful daughter looking down at her with determination. She couldn’t help but smile at her fierce little warrior.

  “And then we’re going to have a long talk about all this wolf business.” Mia crossed her arms across her chest. “Way to keep a secret, Mom!” she told her proudly, her voice conveying her amazement. She looked up at Dean and saw that he stood there with a wide grin on his face. “And don’t you even start about how cool it is to be a triad partner to a wolf!” she told her brother, poking him in the chest as he stood beside her.