Melindas Wolves (6 page)

Keegan sighed. He set a hand gently on her shin. “Hon, you’re ours. Even though we haven’t claimed you and no matter how long it takes, you’re ours. And we’ll cherish you forever. We’ll go slow and gentle. Your pace.”

Finally, she conjured the courage to speak. “Is that even a thing you can do? From what I’ve heard, mates tend to fuck first and ask questions later.”

Keegan chuckled. “I’ve heard that. And I won’t deny the desire is there, but we’ve already broken that tradition. We asked all sorts of questions first. Hell, you and I have already had our first disagreement.”

She interrupted, yanking her head to face him. It was dark in the room, but all three of them could see fine in the dark. “Disagreement? That’s what you call your warped idea of turning my homeland into a circus?” She flung her arm out from under the blanket and slapped her thigh. “Ugh.”

Keegan chuckled again. “I’m gonna fight with you every day if that’s what it takes to get you to relax and be yourself.”

“Men.”

“Do you mean stupid white men who want to promote progress?”

“Yep. Those are the ones.”

He smirked. “Yes. I’m going to love sparring with you, hon.”

“Okay, break it up. That’s not helping.” Trace reached tentatively for her cheek and stroked the skin. Undoubtedly, he knew every time he did that she melted. “Come back to bed. Please. Sleep between us. Keep your dress on if you want. I need to be next to you. That’s all I’m asking.”

She stared at him, wondering if that was even a possibility, doubting she would be able to rest in the same room as them. Of course there was no chance she could sleep in the living room either, so what difference did it make?

“Can I ask one question?” Trace asked.

She nodded.

“Why? What happened to you to make you shy away from men? There has to have been hundreds of men who wanted you over the years. You’re gorgeous, sexy—stunning really—smart, witty, and the list goes on. Why swear off men?”

She shrugged, a little stunned by his pronouncement. “Not sure. I’m not like other lupines. That could have something to do with it. I can read people better than anyone. I can see into their souls sometimes. I never met a man I thought had the best intentions.

Plus, I knew no one I ever dated when I was younger was my mate. Seemed ridiculous to fuck for the sake of fucking when it had no future.

“I don’t know how anyone does it. But then again, no one else can read people so well. On top of that, like I said, I like to be in control. I rarely get drunk. And when I do, it’s alone in my condo with a girlfriend. Not in public.”

“Well, I’m not going to deny you’ll be completely out of control when we claim you, and every other time we have sex for the rest of our lives. And truthfully, you won’t be yourself for weeks after the first time.” Trace stroked her cheek again.

She was afraid of that. She’d heard. She just hadn’t believed.

“However,” Keegan continued, “the problem is you aren’t going to feel less of any of that even if we don’t claim you. The urge is strong. It will grow. It will overwhelm you. Fate will win. That’s how it works. You can deny it. But it’s evidently difficult to the point of painful.”

He paused. “I’m not saying any of this to pressure you. I’m not kidding when I say we won’t rush you to do anything you aren’t ready for. I’m just pointing out what I’ve heard to be true.”

“Yeah. I’m being ridiculous. And you’re both being unbelievably considerate.

Thank you.” She loosened up and let some of her muscles relax from the tense ball she was in. Fear clenched her brain, but lust ran rampant through her traitorous body.

“What do you sense when you read us, baby?” Trace asked.

She sighed. “That’s the weird thing. I can’t get a good read on you. Neither of you.

But also nothing bad. I can tell your intentions are pure. I know you’re both mine, deep in my soul. I just can’t shake the need to remain in control of my faculties.”

“I can understand that.” Trace grazed the edge of her bottom lip with his thumb.

“Will you come to bed with us? We promise not to pressure you.”

“Yes.” Some level of relief seeped into her. It was refreshing to have told them everything in her heart. She had no idea why she’d been so reluctant. A huge stress was lifted.

Keegan stood, tucked the blanket under her, and lifted her into his arms.

Surprise at his movements clouded her ability to speak as he carried her back to his bedroom. Trace yanked the comforter down to the foot of the bed, and Keegan settled her in the center.

Trace was shaking. Partially because he needed to claim his mate with every fiber of his being. Partially because he felt so strongly for her that he wanted to ease her tension any way he could. And if that meant proving he could keep his hands to himself and love her unconditionally, then so be it. He would.

He knew Keegan agreed. In fact, the two of them were already starting to sense each other inside their heads. Even without the completed claiming, he could feel Keegan’s same anxiety and need.

Melinda lay rigid under the blanket they’d covered her with in the living room.

He cringed. They would get through this. Everyone did. But it wasn’t going to be easy.

Keegan yanked off his shirt on the other side of the bed, grabbed a pair of loose shorts, and then padded to the bathroom. Two seconds later, he reappeared without his jeans and climbed up next to Melinda, dragging the comforter over the lower half of his body.

Melinda appeared to concentrate on only one thing—breathing.

Trace imitated Keegan, borrowing another pair of his shorts without a word.

“I’m sorry,” Melinda muttered as Trace turned out the light. As lupines, they could see fine in the dark, but light from the moon streamed in through the window, illuminating the room, casting Melinda in perfect beams and shadows.

He propped up on his elbow and smoothed a lock of hair off her face. “Don’t ever be sorry. You are who you are. And we’ll take this at your pace.”

Her gaze wandered down to his exposed chest. She swallowed. “Do you guys do anything besides work out?”

He grinned. “Sometimes.”

She turned her face toward Keegan and groaned. “Jeez. Both of you. You’re ripped.”

Keegan chuckled. “Were you hoping for a skinny, flaccid mate?”

She giggled.

Trace loved that sound. It was music.

“Never thought about it. I had hoped…” She didn’t finish that statement.

“Hoped what, babe?” Trace encouraged.

“Hoped I never met my mate.”

Silence hung in the air.

“Why?” Keegan leaned closer, twisting onto his side to match Trace.

She shrugged. “I didn’t have parents. My grandmother was awesome. I love her dearly, but as far as I knew, both my parents left me. Of course I recently learned my dad was a rapist and my mom’s hand was forced, but for twenty-seven years I’ve felt abandoned—ever since my mother left when I was three. If I never mated or had kids, I would never feel that rejection again.”

“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry. That’s horrible.” Trace couldn’t help reaching for her, stroking one finger down her cheek. He needed to touch her with every fiber of his being. His cock ached. Thank God it was hidden beneath the comforter.

“We’ll work through this, hon.” Keegan also touched her tenderly, a hand on top of her head. “You can trust us. And no one is leaving anyone for any reason.”

“Yeah. I’m sure my mother felt that way also, but she was backed into a corner. It happens.”

“Times have changed,” Trace said. “We’re a unit. We won’t be separated for any reason. Your mother had a complex situation, caught between the man she was drawn to in the same way we three are pulled toward each other and two kids who didn’t belong to her mate. That must have been excruciatingly difficult every day of her life.”

Melinda nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek.

Trace wiped it away and leaned in slowly. He kissed her forehead. When she didn’t flinch, he continued kissing her, nibbling a path down the side of her face until he reached her lips.

She opened for him immediately, turning his direction as he gently set his mouth on hers for the first time. A soft moan escaped her lips, making him struggle to maintain his composure and not yank the blanket off her body and bare her to his sight.

This night would be an incredible test of control. He hoped he won.

When he pulled back a few inches, she stared up at him with heavy eyes. “That was nice.”

He chuckled. “Good.”

Keegan leaned in and kissed her cheek on his side. “Mmm. Can I try some of that nice?”

She rolled her head his way and let him kiss her softly too. And then she smiled.

Keegan spoke, all three of their faces as close as possible. “Honey, you’re precious to us. This will all work out. We’ll earn your trust no matter how long it takes. And you won’t regret it. I promise.”

She nodded. “I believe you.” Her gaze roamed back to Trace when he and Keegan bumped heads. A quizzical expression furrowed her brow. “Do you two, um…”

Trace lifted one brow. For a second he was confused, but then she glanced back and forth between them, and he understood. He shook his head. “No. We don’t fuck each other. Our only interaction will be centered around you. We might bump into each other, but only in an effort to be closer to you.”

She bit her lower lip and gave a brief nod, slightly embarrassed.

Trace continued. “And you can ask us anything. We’re an open book. We have been around the block a few times. Not everything we have to say may sit perfectly with you, but we won’t sugarcoat it. You deserve to know whatever you want.”

“When was the last time you had sex with a woman in this bed?” she blurted out.

He grinned. It occurred to him she might have been wondering that since they first arrived. He was glad she was getting comfortable enough to let the dam loose. “Never.”

Her eyes widened. “Come on.”

Keegan set a hand on top of hers which lay under the blanket over her belly. “Not once. We never really discussed it, but we never brought a woman home to either of our places. Perhaps we both knew the inside of our homes was a sacred place for only one woman.”

She blinked. “That’s…incredible. Really?”

“Yep.” Keegan closed the gap and kissed her again.

“So that’s why I don’t smell anyone except you two inside the house.”

“Well, you might smell my sister, her mate, and their baby.”

She inhaled deeply. “Mmm. Maybe, but they haven’t been here recently.”

“True. It’s been a while. Her little hooligan is crawling now. He moves stuff. I usually go to her house to visit.”

“I can’t wait to meet him. I bet he’s adorable.”

“He’s a stinker.”

Trace closed his eyes and let his head fall to the pillow. Breathing in the scent of his mate was amazing. Just knowing she was his, and that she belonged to him and Keegan, was calming. No more wondering and worrying. They had her right between them. Everything would work out.

His cock ached. There was no opportunity to do anything about it. It wasn’t as though he could leave the bed and take care of it himself. And Keegan was in the same position.

In addition, he needed to avoid squirming. Every movement exacerbated the need to take her. Deep breaths.
Down boy.

•●•

Melinda tried to relax in the silence. She begged her body to calm. Her muscles were stiff, rigid, unyielding. Soon they would hurt from the stress.

Minutes ticked by. Both men remained still, but she knew they couldn’t be sleeping.

God bless them. The way they handled her rant and insanity warmed her to them considerably. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

She wasn’t opposed to having sex. That alone didn’t really scare her. What scared her was the feeling of being out of control, losing herself, becoming three instead of one.

Caring so much about two other people that she would constantly fear losing them.

And then there was the sex. She had to admit it was nerve-wracking. She wasn’t stupid. She got it. But Lord, they were both so huge. She had no doubt that extended to all parts of them. And she was small.

A new problem arose. She was fucking hot. Wrapped like a burrito between two heaters was making her sweat.

She ignored it for a while, and then gave up the battle and wiggled her arms free, tugging the blanket from the living room down her body. “Too hot,” she mumbled as Keegan helped free her.

He tossed the throw off the bed, leaving her in her dress, the comforter covering her legs.

Her skin was damp, and the cool air wafted over her, sending a chill down her body. Or maybe that was a physical reaction to removing the layer between her barely covered upper body and two naked male chests.

Trace set a hand on top of hers and threaded their fingers loosely together on her belly. “Better?”

“Mmm.” Her stomach dipped.

He rolled to his side again, facing her, and snuggled closer, his lips landing on her neck, his hand—with hers in tow—settling beneath her breasts. “I’ll never get tired of your scent.” He inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly against her skin.

She wiggled, willing her nipples to stand down. Her panties were wet.

Keegan curled into her other side and set his hand on her belly below Trace’s. His lips tickled her ear. “This is true.”

They were intoxicating. All-consuming. Her control was seconds from snapping.

This time she didn’t feel the same panic she had earlier. No one was pushing her.

Well, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. But their intentions were altruistic. They needed her. She couldn’t ignore that fact. And her insistence on putting off the inevitable bordered on cruel—for all of them.

The cards were all on the table. They knew her hesitations. Her limitations. Her lack of experience. Her fears. They knew her better than anyone else alive after one hour together.

That was how it should be. All that was left was the sex.

A twitch developed between her legs. She knew that sensation. The one in her clit when she was aroused enough to grab her vibrator. It thrummed, pleading with her to fix the problem.