A chill made Alyssa shiver as she immediately removed the clothes again and filled her tub with the hottest water she could stand.
With a great sigh, she lowered into the deep, warm water, leaned back, and closed her eyes.
A soft snick made her eyes pop back open. Tyler and Michael strolled into her bathroom, making her gasp. Actually, it was more like Michael stalked into the room. Tyler hobbled a bit, favoring one leg. “Umm, don’t you two know how to knock?” She glanced down at Tyler’s ankle.
“Knock?” Michael frowned. “We’re kinda familiar with your body now. Well, not as familiar as we’d like to be, but we’ll get there soon.”
Alyssa swallowed and narrowed her gaze. She hadn’t put bubbles in the water, so the only modesty she had was her hands. It seemed strange to cover herself, so she tried to remain still, her hands resting across her stomach, while her two clothed mates stared down at her from above. “This is just awkward. I’m not used to…”
Michael sat on the edge of the tub and reached a hand into the water. “Ooh, that feels good. Next time I’ll get in with you.” He glanced up at her face and sobered. “Sorry. I’m being insensitive. I just…”
Tyler finished for him. “We just want to be with you. We missed you. Do you know how hot you are right now?” His eyes twinkled.
Alyssa’s body betrayed her. If she hadn’t been under water, the men would have seen the moisture pooling between her legs. They looked so fantastic. In fact, even Tyler had on a pair of jeans. He’d arrived yesterday so dressed up she hadn’t figured he even owned jeans.
Tyler glanced down at himself. “I can dress down, my love. I’m not a total stiff.” He grinned. He’d been in her head.
“How do I block you two from my thoughts?”
“Practice.” Michael winked. “I wish we could get naked and join you, but we need to leave for a bit.” Michael’s fingers swam through the water and grazed over her stomach. It was too warm in the tub for goose bumps to form, but butterflies definitely fluttered inside her.
“Where are you going?” She tried to inch away from him, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he grazed her breasts and nipples next.
Tyler sat behind Michael and reached into the water too, his hand landing on her leg. “To the adjoining farm. To see if anyone knows anything about the strange hole in the ground. That was not an accidental trap. Someone put it there. And it wasn’t to catch a rabbit.”
“Oh. Jeez. I didn’t think of that.” She squirmed as Tyler’s hand trailed up her thigh. She glared at him. “Stop that. How’s your ankle?”
“Not a chance. It’ll be fine in a few days. Wolves heal fast.” He reached the top of her leg and didn’t even try to act nonchalant anymore. Instead, he squeezed his hand between her thighs and pushed a finger inside her.
Alyssa moaned. She grasped the edge of the tub with a splash while Michael tweaked first one nipple and then the other. “Don’t you have to be somewhere?”
“It’ll wait a minute or two.” Michael leaned in and kissed her so thoroughly she never even had a chance. One second they were barely teasing her, the next, they were … so not teasing anymore.
While Michael pushed his tongue into her mouth and began exploring, Tyler added his other hand to the water, spread her thighs, and pumped two fingers inside her needy core.
She wanted to come so badly she couldn’t deny them. She even spread her legs farther to give Tyler better access.
As soon as he added a thumb to her clit, her eyes rolled back. She stopped kissing Michael back when she couldn’t think anymore. Michael chuckled and leaned back a few inches. His face still hovered over hers, but his hands wrapped around her breasts, squeezing both and pinching her nipples just enough to push her over the edge.
She came so hard she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Or maybe she did scream? She wasn’t sure. All she knew was her pussy pulsing around Tyler’s fingers as he curved them up against the front wall.
When she finally came out of the clouds, both men were smiling at her. They slowly released her and stood.
I’m going to drown.
“I hope not. We kinda like having you around,” Michael teased.
Alyssa wasn’t amused. “That thought was not for your ears.”
“Then you’ll have to learn to block.” Tyler hobbled around Michael and leaned in to kiss her. “Good morning.”
“We’ll be back soon. If you want, you could just stay there, and we’ll pick up where we left off.” Michael’s eyes squinted when he grinned.
“Ha ha.” She tried to sound annoyed but couldn’t pull it off. The reality was she wanted them to stay—strip naked right now and fuck her silly again. That little orgasm wasn’t enough. She craved something more.
“You’re killing us, babe.” Michael adjusted his crotch and backed away. “If this wasn’t so important, we’d take you up on that thought, but I promise we’ll hurry.”
*
Michael pushed the door open, and he and Tyler backed into the hall. If they didn’t get out of there fast, they never would. Michael pulled the door shut with a soft snick. He exhaled, a whoosh of air leaving his chest. The last thing in the world he wanted to do right now was leave that bathroom. He headed down the hall. “That woman has my brain scrambled.”
“Your brain? That’s your first thought? My dick is so hard I can’t even walk straight.” Tyler adjusted his cock as Michael glanced back at him.
“If we didn’t have to deal with that damn trap in the woods…”
“We probably wouldn’t have been in a position to claim Alyssa last night,” Tyler finished. “Realistically, although it’s mighty inconvenient, that hole has brought the three of us closer together.”
“You’re right.” Michael opened the front door and was greeted by a blast of cool air, and two men waiting patiently on the porch.
Michael nodded at his father and his brother Charles. “What’s the plan?”
Richard stood and paced to the center of the porch. “I think we should head to the neighboring farm first. After all, that trap is right on the edge of our two properties. I don’t know what the hell we’re going to say. Amy Shultz has lived there for at least twenty years. She’s the nicest woman I know. Even after her husband died, she still manages to run that farm like a top. There is no way I would believe she’s been hanging out in the trees between our properties digging big holes.”
“Maybe she truly has a coyote problem?” Tyler stepped forward and leaned on the porch railing.
Michael watched his father scrunch up his face and shake his head. “I just can’t reconcile it at all. If that were the case, why wouldn’t she talk to us about it first? It just doesn’t add up.”
“Is it possible someone else dug the hole?” Tyler crossed his legs. Michael glanced at his face. The man was all business, his head tilted back as he tried to come up with a logical solution. Tyler was a finance guy. He was undoubtedly frustrated that this situation just didn’t “add up.” Michael chuckled into Tyler’s head, making his new partner glare at him.
“What’s so damn funny?”
“Nothing.” Michael smiled. “Just watching you … calculate.”
Richard cleared his throat. “It’s a possibility. I suppose anyone could have set that trap, but why on earth would they do that?”
Charles headed for the stairs. “To catch a wolf shifter?”
Michael cringed. Someone had finally voiced the words no one wanted to admit.
“Let’s get going. I’ll drive.” Charles settled his hat on his head and headed for his truck.
The ride to Amy’s farmhouse would take only about ten minutes. Michael settled into the back seat next to Tyler and stared out the window. The acres of woods in question were surrounded by four dairy farms. Three of them were owned by other members of the Masters’ wolf pack. One was owned by a human—Amy Shultz.
Michael had met Amy numerous times over the years. He shivered to think she had anything to do with
this trap.
The crunch of gravel as the truck pulled off the main road brought Michael’s attention forward.
“You’re nervous.” Tyler stared at him.
“Concerned.” Michael gave a half smile in his direction as the truck pulled to a stop.
All four men exited the cab as the front door opened, and Amy walked out onto the porch. She smiled broadly at them as they approached. “Richard, what a pleasure.” Amy headed down the front steps and sauntered their way. The woman didn’t look a day over forty, even though Michael knew she had to be in her mid-fifties.
“Amy.” Michael’s father took her hand in his. “We have a … situation we’d like to ask you about.”
“Of course. Nothing serious I hope?” She raised an eyebrow and motioned for everyone to follow her back to the house. “Let’s go inside. I’ve got a fresh pitcher of iced tea.”
Michael glanced around. The farm was pristine. Amy had an excellent head on her shoulders to have single-handedly managed this farm for so many years after the passing of her husband. The two had never had any children, and except for Amy’s aging father who’d moved in several years earlier, she was virtually isolated.
The inside of the ranch house was warm and inviting as Michael stepped through the front door. The smell of fresh bread filled the air. They all took seats around the kitchen table, and Amy served them a round of iced tea. Neighbors in this farming community were nothing if not hospitable.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, Richard.” Amy settled in a chair at the head of the table.
Michael’s father cleared his throat and began in a clear voice. “We had an incident yesterday that concerns us. We’re checking with all the neighbors to see if anyone knows anything about it.”
Amy leaned forward.
“My son, Michael, and his friend, Tyler,”—Richard nodded in their direction—“were out in the woods between the properties when they came upon a large hole. Well, to be honest, Tyler fell into the trap actually.”
Amy gasped. She glanced at Tyler with a hand over her chest. “Trap? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, ma’am. Just twisted an ankle.”
She turned her attention back to Richard. “You think it was an intentional trap?” Her brow furrowed.
Richard nodded. “Unfortunately yes. We’ve gone out again this morning to examine the hole and determined there is no other possibility. It was man-made. In fact, it was very specifically camouflaged with branches and leaves to prevent detection. It’s rather deep, and the walls are solid dirt. There is no way for a … person to escape once they fall in.”
“Oh my goodness.” Amy’s hands shook as she set them on the table.
“We’re wondering if you’ve, by any chance, come upon anything similar or know anything about it. Perhaps you’ve had a coyote problem? Wolves?” Richard swallowed hard. Michael could feel the tension radiating off his father.
Amy shook her head while she spoke. “I haven’t seen a coyote around here in years.” She paused for only a second and then continued, her head tipped to one side. “You think someone might be trying to catch a wolf?”
“It’s possible I suppose. Though I can’t understand why.” Richard ducked his chin as he spoke.
Several moments passed, the only sound in the room that of the ticking grandfather clock behind them. Suddenly a high-pitched, buzzing noise jolted everyone into a collective flinch, and Amy abruptly stood, her chair scratching across the hardwood floor as she rose.
“My bread.” With shaking hands, Amy turned, opened the oven door, and pulled out two loaves of steaming fresh bread. The delicious smell in the house increased.
After situating the loaves on the stove and turning off the oven, Amy turned back around and leaned against the counter. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak, pausing for a moment before carefully choosing her words. “Where is this hole?”
“She knows something.” Michael spoke to Tyler alone. The two men were the only ones in the room who could communicate with each other right now.
“I’d tend to agree,” Tyler added.
“Right on the edge of your property and ours. Just south of the stream.” Michael spoke this time, forcing Amy’s gaze to wander his way.
The woman took a deep breath and glanced out the window before she spoke again. “I have an idea.”
Michael held his breath.
“First of all, I have a confession to make.” With trembling hands, Amy shuffled back to the table and sat, gripping the wood so tight her knuckles turned white. “My sister is married to a shifter. Has been for twenty-five years.”
Michael didn’t blink. She knows?
After a glance around the collectively silent table, Amy continued. “I respect your privacy and have never felt the inclination to inform you of my knowledge. It’s your business, and you are good neighbors. My sister is a wonderful person who married into a great family. She has never had anything but kind loving words to describe her family.
“Some years ago, when I first bought this land, Judith and her husband came here to visit. It was then that he told me most of my neighbors were shifters. I’ve known for nearly twenty years.” She smiled.
“Amy, I…” Richard ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to say. What does this have to do with the trap?”
“Ah.” Amy shook her head as if to clear it. “Right. Well, nothing. The thing is, you know my father came to live with me many years ago, right?”
Richard nodded.
“He’s never known about Judith. She and I are very close, but we didn’t think Dad could handle the information, so we never told him. Unfortunately, about a dozen years ago, Dad was living on his own about thirty miles from here. He had a few acres of land, which he and my mom farmed until she passed away. Not long after Mom died, Dad was out walking his dog, and he heard gunfire on the neighboring farm. It was truly a coincidence that he happened to be so close at the time. Right as he passed the neighbor’s driveway, he caught two men shooting a pair of wolves.”
Amy wiped her forehead with one hand, her brow furrowed in anger. “Dad yelled at the men, telling them it was illegal to shoot wolves in the area and scaring them off. The men jumped into their truck and drove away as he approached. Concerned, he went to the house to check on the neighbors. The only person at home was a ten-year-old child. She’d witnessed the entire scene out the window and was in shock. My dad stayed with her and called the police. Her parents never came home.
“When my father called me that night, he was… Distraught doesn’t even begin to describe him actually. He’s never been the same.”
A choke sounded to Michael’s right, and he turned his head to find his brother Charles with tears in his eyes. “That little girl is now my mate, Jessica. I’m sure of it.” His words were a mere whisper.
Amy leaned forward and took his hand from across the table. “Oh, Charles. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Those two men were Alfred and Judas. The leader of Jessica’s Oklahoma pack sent them.” He cleared his throat, trying to keep the bile from rising. “So, what happened to your dad? Did he put two and two together?” Charles muttered the words as he rubbed his temples with both hands.
“Yes. At least he thinks he did. Judith came over to help me console him, but my dad was extremely upset. He kept mumbling incoherently about werewolves. He was sure those two wolves were the little girl’s parents. Judith and I knew he had no proof. It was all speculation. So we agreed to keep it to ourselves. He needed to heal. He was in no position to handle the truth.
“The trouble is, he never recovered. He’s never been the same since. I moved him in with me within days, and he lived here for many years.”
“Lived? Your father isn’t still here with you? Did he…?” Richard asked.
Amy shook her head. “He’s fine. I moved him into a nursing home about six weeks ago. He’s eighty-seven now. His health was failing, and I couldn’t keep track of him an
ymore.
“He spent a great deal of time wandering the woods around the farm trying to see a wolf. Naturally, he did see you folks from time to time. I always considered it rather harmless. Just an old man on a Don Quixote quest for werewolves.” Amy chuckled but then sobered. “I’ll bet anything he’s responsible for the trap. Probably dug it years ago when he was still in perfect health, physically at least. I’m so sorry. It’s my fault for not paying better attention. I had no idea he was hiking so far from home. Is it possible the trap had been there for some time?”
Richard turned to Michael. “What do you think?” He glanced at Tyler next.
Tyler spoke. “It was very well disguised. Could have been there for years I suppose with leaves and debris camouflaging it more each season.”
“My dad isn’t well, but I’m going to see him this afternoon. I’ll see if I can get anything out of him. Maybe he can shed some light and confirm our suspicion.”
Richard stood. “That would be excellent. Amy, thank you so much for all your help. We really appreciate it. We’ll all sleep better knowing this isn’t some madman out to capture one of us.”
“Well, that wouldn’t be far from the truth.” Amy smiled as she stood. “My father certainly fits the description, but he didn’t have a harmful bone in his body. He just wanted vindication for his suspicions. I believe he was already suffering from dementia before the incident twelve years ago.”
Amy turned to Charles. “I’m so sorry for your mate’s tragic loss.”
“If it’s any consolation, ma’am, Jessica holds your father in very high regard. If it hadn’t been for him happening by at that precise moment, she truly believes those men would have killed her. His presence scared them off and saved her life. I’m just sorry the incident left him so scarred.”
Amy took Charles’ arm in her hand. “I’m glad he was at the right place at the right time. And don’t worry for a minute about his mental health. He was always rather strange, even when I was small. That event just gave him something new to focus on.” Amy grinned.
Alyssa's Wolves (Wolf Masters, Book 4) Page 15