by J. L. Wilder
Before Sarah had a chance to respond, Jack grabbed her by the hips and lifted her off her feet. Sarah wrapped her legs around Jack’s hips, and he carried her across the studio, pressing her back against one of the unfinished paintings. The paint was still wet, and the cool fluid smeared across her back, covering her skin in vivid colors.
Once she was in position, she grabbed hold of Jack’s glistening cock and brought it to her lips. She was wet and slick, and with a smooth drive, Jack easily entered her. She gripped him tightly, her lips sealing around his shaft.
“God, you feel like fucking heaven,” he said. “Wet and tight for me.”
“Just for you,” she said. “And I need it, now.”
She felt like a woman possessed. Part of her knew it was strange to give herself to a man so quickly. But she realized he was no man. And the longer she spent around the brothers, the more she knew she was no ordinary woman.
Jack pumped into her, his cock tunneling into her pussy. He effortlessly held her up, her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders. He drilled into her hard, pleasure coursing through her body as an orgasm approached.
“Tell me where you want it,” he spoke in a low voice. “Tell me where you want my cum.”
She didn’t hesitate a moment before answering. “I want it inside of me. I need it inside of me.”
He grinned, his gorgeous face flashing with a smile. His expression quickly shifted into one of tight concentration as he came, his cock pulsing inside of Sarah as he shot his load deep into her, exactly like she’d wanted.
The sensation of him exploding within her walls was enough to push Sarah over the edge. She dug her nails into his back as she came, moans pouring from her lips as Jack grunted with each full thrust.
Then the orgasm faded, Jack’s thrusting slowing to a halt. When they were done, the two of them collapsed onto the ground, paint smeared over both of their bodies. They took several minutes to catch their breath.
“This means something, you know,” said Jack.
“What?” asked Sarah. “What just happened?”
“That,” he said. “And that you’ve been with all three of us. That you’ve willingly given yourself over to us.”
“Given myself?”
“It’s the omega’s nature to submit. You’re a strong-willed woman—I could tell that from the moment I first saw you. But it’s in your very nature to be taken by alphas.”
“You mean...this is more than just sex?”
“It’s so much more than that. Tell me—why did you come to New York?”
“Because...I needed to get away from my old life. And I knew someone here.”
He shook his head, his arm wrapped around her. “There’s more to it than that, and you know it.”
Sarah considered his words, realizing he was right. “There was...this pull to come here. One that I couldn’t explain.”
He nodded. “That’s right. You were drawn to the seat of dragon power. And now that you’re here, you can finally fulfill your destiny.”
“I...have a destiny?”
Before Jack could explain, his phone rang from the other side of the room. He rose and started over, Sarah watching his toned physique work as he walked. Jack answered the phone and spoke, Sarah unable to hear the conversation.
When it was done, he hung up, appearing unsure how to convey what he’d learned.
“What is it?” asked Sarah.
“That was Adrian. It’s about your friend, Kelly.”
Sarah’s eyes went wide.
“What about her?”
“She never made it out of the city. Brandt has her.”
CHAPTER 17
SARAH
Sarah spent the rest of the afternoon worried sick about Kelly.
“I need to go find her,” she said, still at Jack’s place late into the evening. “She’s been taken, and it’s my fault.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said.
“Right,” she said. “Almost forgot for a second I was a prisoner.”
“You’re not a prisoner,” said Jack. “We’re keeping you here for your own good.”
“If I’m not allowed to come and go as I want, then I’m a prisoner. Pretty sure that’s the definition of the word.”
Jack sighed. “Tell me what you think you’re going to do?” he asked. “The war’s on. Brandt’s dragons are all over the city, and they’ve got two goals—kill every shifter who’s against them, and to find you. Emphasis on the second one.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to sit the whole thing out and hope that Kelly’s OK.”
“That’s exactly what it means.”
“But I have powers now,” she said. “When I was with Hunter I...pushed one of the dragons back. I don’t know how I did it, but I did.”
Jack nodded. “I heard about that. And it’s impressive that an omega as young as you has developed powers like that. But right now they’re still new. You don’t know how to control them.”
“I’ll learn,” she said. “I know it.”
Jack shook his head. “It’s too risky. And omegas can become powerful, but you’re still not capable of going up against a dragon one-on-one. Let alone a dragon like Brandt.”
“I don’t have to fight him,” she said. “I just have to sneak in. I’ve been to his apartment, and I know how to get in.”
“Not a chance,” said Jack. “You’re staying here, and that’s the end of the discussion.”
Sarah let out a frustrated sigh. She hated how helpless she felt, how her friend was in danger, and it was all because of her.
“Then you want me to stay here and wait for everything to take care of itself.”
“You have to trust us,” said Jack. “Adrian and Hunter are meeting with our clan allies right now. They’re putting together an army, and once they do, they’re not going to waste any time taking the fight to Brandt. This war is because of you, sure, but you’re not going to be fighting in it. Leave that to us.”
Sarah began to realize saying anything else would be a waste of breath. The brothers seemed to have her best interests at heart, but they were all stubborn as hell.
But she was too. And Sarah was determined to make sure her friend was safe, no matter what.
Jack shook his head as if not wanting to say what was on his mind.
“What is it?” asked Sarah.
“I’m locking you up tonight.”
“What?”
“Your room’s upstairs, next to mine. And the brothers and I agreed that it’d be for the best if we secured you for the evening. Shit’s going down tonight, and you need to be as far away from it as possible.”
“Great,” she said. “So I’m even more of a prisoner than I was before.”
“It’s for your own good.”
“So I keep hearing.”
Jack’s phone rang, and he gave Sarah one last glance before answering. As he spoke, Sarah paced back and forth. She hated feeling helpless, like her fate was out of her hands. After a short time, Jack hung up.
“Adrian and Hunter need me. We’re meeting with some of the other dragon clans tonight, planning an attack on Brandt’s headquarters.”
“And that means I get to go to my cell.”
“It’s only for a short time,” he said. “And it’s—”
“For my own good. I know.”
He nodded. “When this is all over, you won’t be a prisoner. But for now, you need to sit tight and let us work.”
Sarah wanted to argue, but another plan formed in her mind, and she knew Jack leaving was the first step.
“Fine,” she said. “Let’s get this over with.”
“All right,” said Jack. “Come on.”
He led her up the stairs to a small bedroom. Security bars were on the window, and there didn’t look to be any way out.
“Gonna lock up on the way out,” he said. “And your job is to stay put. Got it?”
“Got it.” Her tone was even and compliant. She wanted Jack to
think she was ready and willing to go along with his plan.
“All right. Just...stay put. One of us will check in with you tonight, make sure you’re OK and let you know how the fight’s going.”
“Sure.”
Jack prepared to leave but stopped as he did. “You...mean a lot to us, Sarah. All we want is for you to be safe. You have to know this.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
As he spoke the words, she realized that she felt the same way, that the brothers meant a great deal to her too. Despite everything, the urge to give herself over to them was strong, almost overwhelming.
Jack nodded, shutting the door. Soon after, he left the apartment, and Sarah was alone. As soon as she had the chance, she left the bedroom and began looking for a way out.
All of the windows were barred, and a huge lock was on the front door. She struggled with it for a time, but to no avail. After a half-hour or so of searching, her phone buzzed on the kitchen bar. She rushed over to it.
A text from Kelly. Sarah eagerly read it.
“Sarah! Ok, listen—Brandt and his men got me when I was trying to leave the city. But I managed to get away. Please, please meet me at my apartment. I’m going to get my things and leave for good, but I want to make sure you’re OK. Text if you can.”
Sarah unhesitatingly fired back a text letting Kelly know she’d be on her way, meeting her in an hour. Relief settled over her as she took in the news that her friend was safe.
But she still needed to get out.
My powers...
Sarah hurried over to the front door and focused on the lock, trying to summon the abilities that had allowed her to push the dragon at the beach. She swept her hand in front of the lock again and again, but nothing happened.
She sighed, closing her eyes. And as she did, the images of the brothers formed in her mind. Something about imagining them caused something to burn inside of her, something like a passion, a drive. With them in mind, she swept her hand one more time.
A wave of air rushed from her fingertips, one with force behind it. The lock buckled as though it’d been slammed with a massive hammer, bending and breaking and opening.
“Yes!” Sarah looked at her hands as if they were magic. She felt that she wasn’t far off in thinking so.
She pulled the door open, savoring her freedom as she hurried into the hallway. Once she was down on street level, she hailed the nearest taxi and told the driver to take her to Kelly’s address.
The drive was intolerable. All Sarah wanted was to make sure her friend was safe, her friend that she’d put in danger. All of this was because of her. Sarah vowed not to rest until she’d made things right.
A short time later, the taxi pulled up to the apartment. Sarah gave him the last bit of money she had left and started into the building. She ran up the stairs to the apartment door and quickly opened it up.
She gasped at what she saw inside: at who she saw inside.
Seated on the couch, two men in suits at his side, was Brandt, a sick, scheming smile on his face. Fear pulsed through her body.
“What...what are you doing here?” she asked. “Where’s Kelly?”
“Don’t worry about her,” he said, leaning forward. “You’re mine now, Sarah. And I can’t wait to show you the plans I have in store for you.”
CHAPTER 18
JACK
“Still don’t know how the fuck she got out!”
Hunter was pissed, as usual. But this time, Jack couldn’t blame him. Sarah was gone, and it was all but certain Brandt had her. The three brothers were in Adrian’s apartment. The sun was beginning to set, the sky awash with orange over the city through the windows.
“Her powers,” said Adrian. “We underestimated them. Should’ve known that an omega like her would develop quickly.”
“Yeah,” said Hunter, a bottle of whiskey in his hand. “Saw that shit at the beach. Girl knocked back a fucking dragon. Didn’t think she had any control over it. Seemed like more of a fucking accident than anything else.”
“It’s pointless to worry about how she did it. I mean, we know—she gained some control over her powers and broke out of the apartment.”
“Stupid as fuck to leave her alone like that,” said Hunter.”
“What the hell else were we supposed to do?” Jack asked. “We needed to meet with the clans tonight, and we all needed to be there.”
“We could’ve fucking brought her along!” said Hunter. “Made sure she was safe.”
Adrian shook his head. “Bringing the omega in the presence of the other alphas...it wouldn’t have been a wise idea. The negotiations were delicate enough already. Her being there might’ve clouded the thinking of the alphas.”
“Yeah,” said Jack. “This alliance is barely holding together as it is. They start getting big ideas about Sarah, and shit could get even more complicated.”
The negotiations had been the one bright spot of the evening. Adrian had managed to gather the heads of the clans who hadn’t joined with Brandt, convincing them that working with the Thornes was in their best interests. Brandt was a menace, and it was clear he needed to be dealt with. But the issue of Sarah was thick in the air. Once Brandt was taken care of, she’d still be the prize they all coveted.
“That’s right,” said Adrian. “Fortunately, we’re more powerful than any of them. If Brandt’s out of the picture and they begin to get big ideas about Sarah, we’d be able to take on any single one of them.”
“Fuck,” said Hunter after another pull of his whiskey. “They’ll probably tear each other apart before they manage to even come up with how to get her.”
Adrian nodded. “Brandt’s the real threat. And we’re going to have to spread the word that the attack happens tonight.” Adrian turned his attention to Jack. “And there’s the other matter.”
Jack knew exactly what he was referring to.
“You mate with her?” asked Hunter, getting right to the point. “Tell me you did.”
“I did,” said Jack. “Happened fast. The two of us couldn’t keep our hands off one another.”
“Good,” said Adrian. “And I assume that, as with us, she gave herself over willingly? She submitted to you?”
“She did,” said Jack. “That means she’s submitted to all three of us.”
“Ho-ly shit,” said Hunter. “That means...”
Jack knew exactly what this meant. “It means she’s carrying our child.”
Adrian corrected him. “It means that she’s carrying our children.”
“And it’s gonna happen fast,” said Hunter. “How long did it take mom to have us?”
“A month,” said Adrian. “There’s a good chance she’ll have a sense by tonight that something’s changed inside of her.”
Jack considered the idea. The brothers had been searching for an omega for as long as they could remember. An omega was the key to continuing their bloodline, and they’d finally found one in Sarah. She’d needed to submit to all three of them, and she had. It was almost too much to take in, that they’d finally achieved what they’d sought to for so long.
And he knew there was more than that. It wasn’t simply a matter of reproducing—it was a matter of love. The submission of an omega to an alpha was the strongest bond in the shifter world. Already Jack felt stirrings inside of him, a passion for Sarah that he could hardly understand, along with a rage to destroy anyone who threatened her. He had no doubt his brothers felt the same way.
“Brandt’s going to try to get her to submit,” said Jack. “And he’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
“Sarah’s strong,” said Adrian. “She’ll be able to resist. But Brandt’s vicious. He’ll do whatever it takes to break her. Each hour that passes with her in his possession is an hour that could make all the difference.”
“What you think that fucker’s gonna do when he finds out she’s pregnant?” asked Hunter.
“Not a chance in hell he’s going to let her keep the kids,”
said Jack, anger welling up inside of him. “Three more alphas of our bloodline would be a problem that even he wouldn’t be able to handle.”
Adrian nodded. “He’ll kill them while they’re young and force her to carry his offspring. We can’t let that happen.”
“No fucking shit!” said Hunter. “Then what’s the plan?”
Jack thought back to the meeting with the rest of the city’s dragon alphas. They’d all favored a measured approach to Brandt, taking out his allies one-by-one before finally moving in on him.
“We can’t wait,” said Jack. “We’re going to have to attack tonight. What’s the situation in the rest of the city?”
Hunter spoke up. “It’s a fucking warzone out there. The wolves in Queens are tearing each other apart, and Brooklyn’s turning into a clusterfuck with every wolf clan in the borough trying to get a piece of the action.”
Adrian nodded. “It’s only a matter of time before the dragons join in on the fight. Brandt’s got half the clans in the city on his side.”
“And we’ve got the rest,” said Jack. “Betting they’re not going to be too thrilled that we’re going to move tonight.”
“I’ll sway them,” said Adrian. “Tell them that the longer this war drags on, the more likely it is that more and more clans won’t survive. If we can take Brandt out with a quick strike, we can end the fighting tonight.”
“And we’ll be fucking on top of it,” said Hunter with a grin. “Right where we belong.”
“But we have to make sure Sarah’s safe,” said Jack. “How are we going to pull this off?”
“The three of us,” said Adrian. “We move in on Brandt’s apartment while the rest of the dragons create a distraction. We’ll have to move fast. He’ll likely use Sarah to get us to hold back.”
“Then we need to move now,” said Jack. “No time to waste.”
“I’ll put in the calls to the rest of the city’s alphas,” said Adrian.
He went to it, Jack eagerly awaiting the night ahead. He wanted Brandt’s head on a platter. And more than that, he wanted Sarah back safely.
When Adrian was done, and gave the word for the dragons to strike, the three brothers took the elevator to the roof. The sun had long set, giving them cover to shift. Adrian shifted into his gold form, Hunter into his red, and Jack into his silver.