Commanding My Mates

I stared down at Huntley’s uncharacteristically pensive face. I understood his words but wasn’t sure I knew exactly what it meant. I couldn’t imagine feeling safe.

I’d learned to fear everything. Starvation, isolation, the pack seeing me, then them.

He caught my hips and pulled me down over his lap.

I felt his hard length beneath me, but he seemed more intent on staring at me. Petting my hair back from my face, he tucked it behind my ears.

He kissed my mouth with such tenderness it made my chest tighten. His tongue met mine in a wild dance that sent warmth pouring through me.

He moaned and pulled me tighter to him. Molding my body to his, he changed angles to kiss me more deeply.

He was all heat and caresses.

Despite my aching body I felt my own arousal mounting.

Huntley’s hands roved over me, pulling my shoulders tighter against him.

Soon I felt like I was melting into him.

“Love me, Valerie. Love all of us.”

I moaned into his mouth, unsure what to say.

“Now.” He swatted the outside of my thigh playfully. “Get some rest. I’ll watch over you until they get back here with food.”

“You’re stopping?”

“Until you’ve eaten and had a chance to regain some strength.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Go. Get,” he ordered, pointing toward my meager bedding.

I scurried to it, pulling my blanket over my shoulder. I was so exhausted that I was instantly asleep. I dreamed of wolf paws. Running the forest floor. Brisk winds in my face.

There were wolves around me. Three large ones. Males.

~The Faber brothers. My mates. ~

I needed them now.

Because I could see a face. The glimpses of a long scar running down an ugly face. An enemy.

Then flashes of throats being slitted before me. And murmured threats. I could hear a voice. It was garbled and nearly unclear. Screams rang in my ears. Nearly deafening.

This was my family dying.

But I was going to avenge them.

I awoke to the door bursting open.

Both Victor and Chase stood there with a bloodied rabbit in their hands. Urgency and raw agony on their faces.

“You got her wet again?” Chase accused as if betrayed.

That had been before I went to lay down.

~They can still smell it? ~

“How are we supposed to think to hunt when we could smell her out there!” Victor swallowed hard.

Both of them looked at me as though mesmerized. Their expressions starved.

~Oh, no…~

I climbed to my feet weakly, putting out a finger between me and them. “Both of you stop!”

To my utter astonishment they skid to an abrupt halt.

I looked from Victor barefoot, wearing only pants, to Chase in his tunic, pants, and boots.

“Chase.”

His head snapped to attention.

“Give me your shirt.”

He ripped it off and tossed it to me.

I yanked it on. “I need a minute. To eat. To breathe. Please.”

They shifted uneasily and swallowed. Adjusting themselves in discomfort, they gave me some space.

I walked to the rabbit they’d found for me. Watching them warily, I bent to pick it up. The tunic slid partway up my ass, baring the lower part of my cheeks to their view.

All three groaned in pain.

I tugged it down and turned around. Rabbit in hand. “Now, stop it.”

They whined in their throats, nearly in unison.

~Like beaten pups. ~Turning to look away made Chase and Victor run into each other than shove each other from their paths. Huntley was climbing to his feet, forcing himself to look away.

~They’re all in pain. ~I was beginning to understand it better every moment.

I feasted on the rabbit while Victor built me a fire in the fireplace to keep me warm. Chase handed him logs absentmindedly.

Huntley knelt behind me, massaging my shoulders in a comforting way as I grabbed my tiny dagger off the small table near me.

I gouged into the rabbit, severing open the hide to bare the meat at the chest and ribs. I violently tore away the fur in my hunger.

His touch felt good. It lulled my aching body and offered comfort to me on a new level.

The other two cast him envious looks. But it was clear they knew they’d not be able to touch me without having me immediately.

Chase stared at me unashamedly.

Victor looked over his shoulders frequently as though checking to make sure I’d not gone.

Huntley dropped a long sensual kiss to the top of my shoulder.

“That’s it! I’ll fucking kill him.” Chase leapt to his feet.

“Sit down.” Victor didn’t even look back, avoiding whatever had his brother trembling in annoyance. But he caught Chase’s arm and yanked him back to the floor. “She wants a break. You give her a damn break.”

“Not with him touching her like that!” Chase argued.

I chewed the raw meat, unsure how much more time I’d have. The meat was succulent, and the flavor poured sweetly across my tongue. I moaned in enjoyment as I felt it hit my belly warmly. I turned it and tore more of the hide aside to claw out more meat.

I glanced up. All the men had stopped, watching me raptly.

Even Huntley had twisted to lean around me and watch.

“The sounds you’re making…” Victor was staring at me over his shoulder. Frozen. His voice tight.

“They’re killing me,” Chase complained in a high voice.

I sighed and ate a couple more quick handfuls. I turned with bloodied hands but could find nothing to wipe them on.

“Use my shirt.” Chase nodded.

I did. When I lifted it, I caught his scent, slightly different than Victor and Huntley’s.

~More combined smells.~

~As if being so fast allowed him to cover areas that the other two couldn’t.~

I could sense their tension. Exhaustion and annoyance snapped my gaze over to Chase and Victor.

Chase shifted.

“Stay,” I said with more snap than I knew I possessed. My wolf agreed with me.

He froze, eyes wide and nearly yellow with lust.

I was shocked by how quickly he’d acted. I’d need to be careful to maintain a balance with all of them.

My body ached and even my bones were tired. Just the thought of standing had me wanting to collapse and just sleep on the floor another night.

I held Victor’s gaze. “Can you wait for me, another night?”

His posture was tight, but he dipped his head in a nod. “For you.”

“But—” Chase moved forward.

“No,” Victor said harshly. “No more tonight. She’s had all she can take.”

I crawled over to my bedding.

Victor walked to me and swept me up. Carrying me there, he settled a blanket over me.

Chase cursed in frustration and went to sit by the fire.

Huntley collapsed next to the chair.

Victor lowered to lean his arms over the edge of the bed.

Stroking my hair back from my forehead, he said, “I’m here. I’ll watch over you until the sun rises. The Mating Moon is nearly over now.”

***

I lay there, but I was too sore to fall asleep.

Victor had been right. It was only a short time before they’d all dropped to their sides, spent on my floor.

Just as first daylight crept pink and orange fingers through the trees, and into my window. Martha’s words and Laura’s hints warred in my mind.

I stumbled to my feet.

The morning after the Mating Moon was the only morning all year that there’d be no border guards watching the walls locking the Borders Pack in.

~No wolves are out raiding after a Mating Moon. All male wolves are too exhausted to do anything other than try and recuperate.~ I knew it well. I’d heard them talk about it many times over the year.

Despite the beauty of these three men, their many kindnesses and how hard they’d tried, I feared another Mating Moon. I feared what might happen to me now as a mated female.

~What if someone wanted to hurt me to get to them?~ I didn’t know how any of this worked. I hurt. And I was afraid that when they awoke all their pawing and mounting before would only continue.

~It’s my one chance.~

Wearing nothing but Chase’s oversized shirt and covered in sex, I fled barefoot from my hut.