Keeping My Pack (18 page)

I place my lips over him, relaxing my jaw so I won’t bite him. I bring my head forward, taking as much as I can before cutting off my airway.

“
Jesus, Kitten!” Finn whispers. I pull back and lick him again. It’s kind of fun actually. I push down, sucking as I come back up and lick at the gooey stuff at the tip my action caused. It’s almost like a reward for doing the action. I decide I like this game. I nod my head faster, keeping my hand at the base to keep his still and because that part won’t fit in my mouth.

After a while, and two explosions from later, one from me, one from Finn, Kellan insists that they switch places. Kellan is more verbal than Finn was, telling me new, fun things to do with my tongue in between his panting and praising of me. Turns out that if you lick around the mushroom top, you can make a guy go speechless.

Behind me though, Finn had stopped licking at me, and I feel his hardness gliding between my legs, slowly. As if asking a question. I press my hips back at him, saying yes to whatever it is because that feels amazing on my button. He then lines himself up and slowly pushes into me. I nearly swallow Kellan whole as I attempt to moan and suck on him at the same time. He seemed to like that though as his hips bucked up off the pillows and he shouted a curse word.

After a moment or two, I decided that this was fun as well, as Finn would pound into me from behind, pressing me forward and onto Kellan. I didn’t even have to move my head that much. I was just starting to see stars when Finn froze behind me, flooding me with his warmth and whispering he loves me. He pulls away from me, gently, collapsing on the pillows beside me. I get one last lick in with Kellan before he quickly pulls me up, flipping us around until I’m the one laying down. He adjusts himself between us and starts a furious pace that leaves me breathless and clawing at his back in moments. It only takes minutes for me to reach my peak, still half worked up from Finn, and we’re both shouting our pleasure out into the room. I feel Kellan coating my core with his warmth, and he leans down to kiss my forehead before collapsing on my other side. He pulls toward me and lays an arm over my sweaty and exhausted body. Finn rolls over to us, and once again I’m sandwiched between the gorgeous twins. My heart rate slows and I lift a tired arm to drape it over Finn before my heavy eyelids close. I just need a moment or two to rest.

The rest of the week passes rather quickly. Maksim, Albert, Remy and I had a talk over tea and tiny sandwiches about what our plans should be for the near future. It was decided that the guys and I will be moving to the pack house before Christmas when the entire pack gathers anyway. We spoke at length about my idea of allowing other changed wolves into the pack. Remy, of course, was on board with me, but Maksim Albert took a while to convince. Their main issues were that changed wolves were stronger, healed faster, and lived longer than born wolves, so other packs might see this as us gathering forces and put them on edge. My and Remy’s argument was that all of the above was true, so we’d win that fight hands down if it came to it. Another point was that being as resilient as my guys were, made them dangerous. Albert had mentioned that we could make rules as to how many we accept, or they had they had to meet certain criteria, but I shot that down, getting the others to agree to make the decision on a person by person basis.

Logan pretended to have a hissy fit over news of the move. Not that he minded the change of scenery, just that he hardly had any time to prepare for it. He and Albert had moved quickly on to a long conversation about room sizes, en-suite bathrooms and closet space. Albert was able to answer most of the questions quickly and was able to get ahold of some of the household staff for Logan to speak to at the pack house. I had helped him a bit with his design ideas and insisted that Reed’s cloud bed from here, be taken with us on our move. I also came up with an idea for his room, since he has such a hard time with it. Most of the things we bought online or had specially made were going to be shipped or created in Colorado and Logan will deal with it all when we arrive, putting it all together. It was actually a lot of fun.

Reed took me with him to the gallery a couple more times as well. Once just to pick out a few pieces we’d like for our new home, and another to meet the manager he hired to take over the place when we left. He explained how he actually had a few galleries and student art studios all over the place, so this was nothing for him, and if he felt like it, he’d open a new one in Colorado, he hasn’t decided yet. He mentioned maybe focusing on his own art for a while. I love the idea of hanging out with him, watching him as he paints.

I also learned so much about the guys. Like how Jace works in real estate and owns properties all over the world. How Tristan is a two-star chef, and he continually goes through cooking schools to work his way from the bottom, all the way to the top again. Speaking of which, Finn also continues to go to school from time to time, though he tends to stick to traditional colleges, and sometimes even teaches. The more I learn about them, the more amazing I know they are, and the luckier I feel to have them in my life.

I wake up and yawn, stopping midway through as pain radiates from my gums. I wince and close my mouth quickly. Someone is drumming loudly, and it’s a wonder that I’ve slept through it this long. There’s a constant rhythm, but it doesn’t sound like music, more like thudding.

“
Ash,” I whisper. My eyes go wide, and I scream in fear, or at least I think I do, as my whisper sounds like I shouted at the top of my lungs right into my own ears. The thudding gets louder and with shock, I realize that it’s my heartbeat. The other drumming noise is coming from Ash, who is curled around me in his oversized bed.

I shake him roughly, waking him. “Ash,” I try again, quieter this time. I whine in frustration when even that hurts my ears.

He stirs, taking one look at me and shoots up from the bed, alert and looking for the threat that has me so terrified. He takes in a lungful of air, his eyes checking every inch of the room before his shoulders unbunch themselves, and he looks to me with worry framing his dark features. I wave my hands frantically at my ears, picking up the sound of displaced air as I do so.

“
Wha-,” He starts, but I shake my head quickly at him, putting my hands up as if to block his words from reaching me. His brows come together in confusion, and he tilts his head to the side.

I wish I could fawn over his powerful, naked body right now, but I’m freaking out, and I can’t even tell him why! What is happening to me! Other sounds reach my ears, the clattering of pans, Logan singing a fast song about telling him what you really, really want, footsteps thudding down the stairs, Remy coughing to clear his throat. It’s all too much and tears stream down my face as I’m sure my ears are bleeding now. I grab two pillows from the bed and shove them at my ears; it doesn’t help.

Ash stands at the end of the bed, watching me. His eyes are wide, and his mouth is parted. He looks like he’s about to shout for someone, but notices me tensing up. He thinks better of that, thankfully. Instead, he shoots me a brief, sympathetic look, uncovers AJ, and hands him to me before grabbing a pair of jeans and leaving the room. I can tell he tried to close it gently, but the snick sound it made sounded like a gunshot at close range.

I follow his thundering footsteps through the house, wondering if he’s going to go tell them all that I’ve gone crazy. I hug AJ to my chest tightly, biting my lip in worry before I remember, too late, that my mouth feels like all my teeth have been ripped out. I focus on the teddy-wolf, stroking its fake fur to calm myself. The more I freak out, the louder I hear my heartbeat.

I focus on Ash as he very quietly gathers everyone else in the house and they walk to the back door together, sounding like a herd of elephants. They go outside, and I run to the window to see them. They walk all the way out to the tree line before anyone speaks.

Kellan waves to me as he turns around. “Can you hear me, Kitten?” He asks, and it sounds like a whisper. I sag in relief and nod my head.

“
And you can see us clearly?” He continues. I nod again. “Anything else strange going on?”

I nod once more waving a hand in front of my mouth. Kellan looks at the other guys with a happy smile on his face. Logan bounces excitedly, but Jace slaps a hand over his mouth before he can shout anything.

“
Don’t be afraid, Kitten. We thought you may not be able to shift after you were changed and nothing happened for so long, except for your scent being different, but it seems that it just took you a while.” Kellan explains with a shrug.

Shift? As in change into a wolf like they do? I don’t know if I’m more scared or excited. I mean, I want to run around and play with them as a wolf, but it probably hurts, right? Bones cracking and shifting into different forms. I shudder at the thought. Sounds like torture, although the guys have never complained about it. I shift from foot to foot, wishing I could ask all the questions building inside of me.

“
It shouldn’t last for more than a few days, Love,” Remy tells me from across the yard. “We’ll remain mostly outside of the house for your comfort, though a couple of us will stay close to keep an eye on you. Hang in there.”

Remy talks to Reed and Finn, telling them to shift because wolves are quieter, and Kellan tells me if I get desperate, to swish salt water around in my mouth to help with the ache. He warned me that the running faucet might hurt my ears, though. I pouted at them before slinking back to the bed. I don’t want to be by myself; I want to be around them.

I buried myself under the pillows and blankets and eventually drifted off and on for who knows how long. My muscles began to ache, and it was hard to find a comfortable position to lay in. Rolling my eyes, because I couldn’t even sigh, I got out of bed to stretch, my spine feeling tight and itchy. I sniff the air and my tummy growls at whatever Tristan must be cooking in the kitchen.

To pass the time, I look out the window. The guys are outside in their wolf forms, Logan trying to pounce on a butterfly, Reed rolling around on his back and the others were lazing about in the sunny yard. I sniff the air again, and my mouth waters like crazy. With the window partially open, I notice that the wonderful smell is coming from outside. The pain in my gums intensifies and my attention shift to the trees behind the boys. My eyes track several small movements, and a growl rises from my throat. Something was out there, and it smelled delicious. I want it. No, I need it.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was running through the house, out the back door and down the steps of the porch. I paid no attention to anything around me as the smell of whatever was in the woods lured me straight to it. My ears, gums, and sore muscles fled my mind as I got closer to my target. My viewpoint seemed off, and I was closer to the ground than I normally was, but I couldn’t stop until I found whatever was out here.

A twig snapping got my attention, and I chase after it. Ahead of appeared a spotted deer with pointy antlers, running full speed away from me. Adrenaline shoots through me, and all thought left my head except one word. Mine.

It seemed like in a blink, I was running, then I was face first in a bloody carcass. It should have disgusted me, but it was the tastiest thing I have ever eaten. I chew happily, making high pitched sounds of glee. Something nudges my leg, and I growl before turning and snapping my teeth at it. I stop instantly when I realize it’s Tristan’s sand colored wolf. My ears go back in shame for being so harsh, and I move over to let him eat beside me. It felt natural, and I didn’t allow myself to question it.