All too familiar, Jack...
"They died a few years after we left," Henry chimed in a little too happily, his earlier pout already gone. His outburst earned an elbow to the ribs from Zack, but Henry continued anyway.
"So, we decided to make lives for ourselves out here. We built this place from scratch and have been living fine ever since." He beamed with pride as he gestured at the place. "The only rules we live by are our own."
Jack cleared his throat.
"You mean my rules. Last I checked, you didn't have any."
"Ha ha." Henry looked at me then. "Told you. No sense of humor."
Jack rolled his eyes and sighed.
"You two are always like this." Zack interrupted, and took a seat on the back of the couch near me. "Forgive my brothers, we haven't even asked your name yet."
I blinked in mid-sip and found the three of them staring at me. Jack and Henry looked a little flustered at their youngest brother's revelation.
I cleared my throat and extended a hand to them.
"I'm Mia. Pleased to meet you." Zack was the first to take it, which he shook very meekly. "Sorry, I'm still a little dazed from everything."
"Quite understandable. So sorry that we didn't have time to gather the clothes you left behind, Mia. We have plenty that you can borrow until you're ready to head back home."
Right. Home. I couldn't go back just yet, empty-handed. I stared down into my mug of black brew, debating with myself how much I should tell them.
"But we did manage to recover this." Jack placed my somewhat-beaten phone on the couch next to me. A second saving grace, I supposed.
"If... you're worried about your friends... we gave them a good burial," Zack whispered, and set his gently hand on my shoulder. It was comforting, warm, and solid. Enough to keep away the prickling of tears that threatened the corners of my eyes. I wanted to mourn, wanted to change and run out in the snow and howl at the world for its cruelty. I hadn't even gotten the chance to give them a proper goodbye. But I was much too tired, and I just wanted to go back to sleep.
"... marked?" I asked, my emotions caught in my throat.
"Very inconspicuously. We wanted to make sure only shifters could find it," Jack responded, and set a hand on my knee, rubbing it softly. Henry joined in as well, his hand on my elbow, but didn't say anything.
"Thank you all. So very much." I wiped at my eye with the corner of a blanket and swallowed back my emotions. I didn't feel it was appropriate for me to be so openly emotional before them, and I didn't want to impose any further. They all nodded in unison, looked at each other, and then their expressions became quite serious.
"So, Miss Mia... can you tell us what the fuck you and your friends were doing near bear shifter territory?"
The question cut me like a knife, and I was stunned to silence. How could I answer, when I couldn't be sure they were on my side? Going near such borders was akin to declaring open war on the bear shifters, and no one was eager to start another one with them, not when all the packs were still trying to recover their numbers.
"Well?"
4
I realized I still hadn't answered him, and mentally spluttered to come up with a good excuse or half-truth I could tell them. But I quickly gave up on the idea. They'd likely see through it anyway, and being the lieutenant of my pack, I needed to set a good example.
"Me and the others.... we were out looking for a cub from our pack, and we followed the trail there. We were about to hatch a plan to get in and out without the bears knowing, as long as we stayed quiet enough and they didn't know what we were looking for. But they found us before we could and chased us away from their borders. That's... where you found us." After fighting a losing battle, of course...
Jake rubbed at his forehead in thought, looking incredibly worried.
"Yes, we've heard stories. A few cubs have been disappearing from the other packs as well, but no one knows why. Zack thought we should look into it, but it's not really any of our business."
Zack was slowly turning red, but not in embarrassment. His fists were balled at his side and his brows couldn't have furrowed any deeper.
"Because they're our kin! Related or not, wouldn't you want someone having our back and looking out for us if we were in trouble?"
I was a little shocked to hear him speak that way, especially to his older brother. The glassiness of his eyes revealed his sensitivity and how much this meant to him. Jack only shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.
"And who do you propose would take us in? We help them out, and they'd still reject us. You prefer people using us?"
"You don't know that!"
"Zack, stop! We've had this discussion before and I'm not interested in having it again. If you've nothing else to add, then I'd like to move on to something else."
Zack's gaze strayed to the floor, taken aback by his brother's words. I couldn't fault Zack for being upset, but I could see both sides to the story. Knowing what Jacob had been through, I would be hesitant to provide aid to anyone outside of my immediate family either. The ostracization just wasn't worth it.
Henry was the only one who didn't look upset by the whole thing, as he got up and headed to the pot of stew without a word. He dished himself a bowl and returned with a mouth already full of food, his gaze fixed out the window. I was tempted to join him and be rid of this argument I found myself in the middle of, but that would appear rude. Instead, I decided to defuse the situation.
"I'm... not asking any of you to help me if you don't want to. In fact, I had my mind set on sneaking out of here once you were all asleep so that I could take care of this by myself. No offense, you've demonstrated that you're all excellent soldiers, but I had no intention of dragging any of you into this."
I noticed Henry turn out of the corner of my eye with something of a surprised look on his face. Zack and Jack seemed equally stumped as well, though the former seemed upset by the idea of me leaving on my own.
"You're not healed yet, and you have to regain your strength... look, we have no intention of keeping you here, but it would be suicide to go out there in your current condition. Stay another day or two, until you're healed up. Then you can head back to your pack." Jack tugged hard on his earlobe as he looked to his brothers. Maybe he didn't like having to make the suggestion or he was put off by my honesty, but it was obvious he was upset at something.
"She could go with us on a hunt," Zack suggested brightly, and I was glad for the change in topic. "We're almost out of reserves anyway, and it would be good to have the extra hand helping us out." He dropped to one knee before me and took my hand between his. "What you need right now is a good distraction to clear your mind. How about it?"
I blinked at his offer; they barely knew me, yet they were eager to take me along with them, help me train my muscles so they could be back to full strength again. I couldn't exactly say no since I didn't want to stay here by myself if they left. Nor did I want to take the risk of my endurance cutting out on me while they were gone. My body could only take so much of being stranded out in the cold.
"I don't see why not," I answered, unable to say no to Zack's baby-faced smile. He definitely knew how to work those puppy-dog eyes. "If you don't mind me tagging along. I might not be a great deal of help, though."
"We're not asking you to. The fresh air and getting a small run is better than laying up in bed. You're welcome to join us," Henry said, around his mouthful of food, waving the spoon around. Jack yanked it from his hand and dropped it back into his bowl of stew. He gave him a look before giving an approving nod.
"It's settled, then." Zack clapped his hands together and left to get his own meal, returning soon after.
I retrieved my bowl of stew and dove in. It was delicious, to say the least. I was going to have to figure out who'd made it, so I could doctor up the recipe myself once I got back. I listened to the brothers talk about various things; which prey they should take down today, whose turn it was to cook, and what
they should do about the bear shifters. By the time I was done, the warmth of the stew had made me drowsy, but I was determined to work it off and get back to my feet.
"So, when are we leaving?" I asked, as I shakily got to my feet. Henry caught me by the elbow and helped me to stand.
"You should at least get washed up first, so I can take a look at your wounds." Zack straightened and helped to lead me through the living room towards the back of their cabin. I managed to snatch my phone in the process and tucked it inside the sheet, within my cleavage, just in case I needed to make a phone call and tell my pack where I was. Zack only grew redder as he led the way. His touch was stiff and overly polite, like he was trying his best not to offend me with wandering hands. He had a hard time meeting my gaze and offered a small tour of the various rooms along the way. I didn't think it was necessary since I didn't plan on staying here long. But it was better to be polite, I supposed.
I couldn't help but feel his arm around me as he talked. We parted for a brief second as he flipped on the light of a room. I noticed that he walked with a smooth gait, and erect back. It was like he had worked as a professional museum curator... with the body of a twenty-year-old athlete. I folded my hands behind my back to resist the urge to make a grab for his rear. It was small but pert, and quite smooth. I wanted to ask him what kind of skincare he used, but I got the feeling I would only make things more awkward between us.
Finally, he stopped in front of a closet and retrieved a towel to hand to me.
"And this is where you'll be... this is where you'll be showering." He nudged the door open, and I was greeted by a rather spacious bathroom. It was a very pale grey color, and there were assorted bathroom accouterments adorning it.
"Just, uh, let me know when you're done, and I'll look at that wound for you..." He hurried into the bathroom ahead of me to move some things aside, placing down a bathmat and lowering the toilet seat. He flushed even redder that I'd found the bathroom in such a stereotypical male setting.
"Sorry. I keep telling them to put the seat down, but..." He shrugged, unable to finish his sentence as he stepped aside from the doorway.
His embarrassment was a little endearing, to the point that it was hard not to find him cute. I'd been surrounded by headstrong individuals all my life, so it had been easy to forget that not everyone was a soldier. His current personality, however, was a stark contrast from the wolf I'd seen murdering the bears, and that made me even more curious to find out more about him and his brothers.
"It's not really a problem. Thank you very much for helping me out." I placed a hand on his shoulder and dragged him a little closer to place a kiss on his cheek. He stiffened in response and blushed all the way down his neck. I covered my mouth to hide my laughter, but he only grew a little redder.
"If there's anything else you need, don't call to hesitate, I mean don't hesitate to call." Zack facepalmed, and looked like he was slowly dying on the inside.
"Don't get a lot of visitors, do you?" For his sake, I gestured for him to turn around, which he obliged. I dropped the sheet to the ground and wrapped myself in the towel. I didn't think he'd be able to get anything done with a naked woman standing before him.
While he waited, he dug around in the cabinet and extracted a medical kit. I took a seat on the lid of the toilet, and Zack knelt next to me.
"No, not all the way out here. Sorry, one moment." He shifted the towel so that he could get better access to my side, and I felt his cool fingers tracing the scars. "Except for the occasional wildlife, but they're not good conversationalists."
I chuckled lightly then winced when I felt something cold and stinging against my skin.
"Sorry." He held up the small piece of gauze dotted with a bright orange liquid. "Just iodine. Did it hurt?"
"Only a little. I guess the skin's still a little tender." I moved even more of the towel out of the way so that I could see what he was doing. He moved the gauze with precision and with such a careful touch that I knew he didn't mean me any harm. "I'm not going to need stitches, am I?"
"Hardly. I don't see any signs of infection, and the skin isn't puckering together. By tomorrow, most of the ache should be gone. Do you want something for the pain?" He turned to search through the rest of his medical kit, and I caught his chin with my hand to turn him back towards me.
"I'm fine, Zack. Really. Thank you for wanting to look me over."
The blush on his cheeks this time was less from embarrassment and more from praise. He captured my hand in his and turned it over to place a kiss on the back of it. It was a little wet and unpracticed, but it was sweet all the same.
As he released his grip, however, his hand brushed high against my thigh, and that small ounce of confidence he'd gained was quickly shattered.
"I didn't mean… it was a slip, and I… oh god..." He tried to bury his face in his hands, and I quickly stopped him.
"You're fine... honestly, I wouldn't mind feeling your hands on the rest of me once we get to know each other a little better." I tilted his head up towards me, winked, and placed a more solid kiss on his lips. It was short, but it left an impression on his skin that I thumbed away. "You might want to wash that off before your brothers find it."
He did so, scrubbing his face until it was quite pink before looking to me for approval. I gave him the thumbs up and watched as he hurried out without another word. It was difficult not to laugh.
I politely closed the door behind me and turned the water on. I waited a few moments and got in when the heat finally kicked in. My wounds still stung with the water that trickled down my body, but I had to admit that the shower felt heavenly. It slowly washed away the aches and pains of the fight... but what it didn't do was eliminate the nightmarish images of Jacob, Taylor, and Nate.
I quickly shook the thoughts out of my head; lamenting them wouldn't change anything, and there would be time to mourn later with the rest of the pack. For the time being, I still needed to focus on getting that cub back. And with these three brothers at my side, I had a much better chance of getting it done.
5
The sound of the falling water was the static background noise I need to refocus my thoughts. I needed to come up with a plan that was guaranteed not to fail this time. Even with the three brothers, it would still be four against an entire camp of bear shifters, and those odds weren't looking any better than when the others and I had started our search for the cub.
No. What I really needed was some time to relax and not think about anything, so I could get my bearings. I was still exhausted from... what I'm guessing was yesterday, and probably going to sleep the rest of the day away after our hunt.
It would be nice to get out and do something seemingly normal again. To pretend as if I hadn't disappointed my deceased friends and my pack. A small respite before I got back to work and make up for what I hadn't done. I rubbed the back of my neck and wished for Jacob's hands to take it away.
I groaned with disappointment and found my thoughts drifting to the three men on the other side of the door. Probably arguing over... something. But I had to admit that the brothers themselves were impressive... and attractive. Their naked bodies would be a sight to behold, and I pondered what they would feel like pressed against my own. What they would feel like inside me...
Guilt dwelled at the back of my mind, reminding me that Jacob had been gone not even a day, and here I was lusting after three men I barely knew. Still, Jacob had never claimed me, had never said as much that he wanted to. He'd been too much of a gentleman for that and preferred to toe the line and wait his turn rather than jump the gun... part of me got the feeling he would have been a great lover, too.
I dunked my head beneath the showerhead to wash away the thoughts. Right now, I had to focus on being alive and thinking of some way to repay the brothers for their kindness.
The memory of a few minutes ago played in my head: the three of them sitting on the couch as I walked down the stairs, how they'd perked up with curiosit
y at my presence. I hadn't needed my canine nose to tell that they were interested. It had been written all over their faces. What an event it would have been had things played out a little differently.
A dropping of one shoulder, the bed sheet slipping down my arm to expose one breast. The nearest, Jack, would have stepped up to me to correct it, and I would have drawn him in closer, slipped a kiss across his lips in gratitude. A tilt of his head, a fluttering of those dark lashes against my cheek, and he would have reciprocated, his tongue warm and wet against mine. I would have let the rest of the sheet slip away and surrender to the air of the room, as well as the arms he'd circle around my waist. His impressive strength would have lifted and carried me over to the couch, where he could lay me down and examine all I had to offer.
His brothers would have had to make room, but they wouldn't have ventured far, not wanting their brother to have all the fun. Henry would have pawed at my breast; Jack's kisses would flutter along my stomach; and Zack... well, he would have been a blushing mess, but his lips would soon find mine in a gentle, unexperienced kiss that would have melted into something more.
There, their hands would roam all over my body, caressing my curves, my breasts, drifting gently between my thighs.
My skin prickled with pleasure and my breasts tingled with anticipation at the thought. The sinful desire inspired an ache between my legs that begged for attention.
Kisses would cover my skin, some gentle, some biting to the point of leaving little bruises behind. Marks that claimed me as theirs. Henry would be the first to take me with that little grin of his, his chest flush against mine as he lay atop me, his knee gently nudging my legs apart. Just a touch is all it would have taken him, a gentle play with my core to make me ready for him. Jack would be by my breasts, his tongue playfully teasing them with his mouth and teeth. Zack would be the gentle one, his soft hands caressing my neck and collarbone, peppering them with kisses as he would try to find the courage to submit to his lust.
Mated to the Alpha Wolves Page 3