CLAIMING CLAIRE

BY
DELILAH MOHAN
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 CLAIMING CLAIRE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events
and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a
fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Design by Indie Author Boutique
Editing by Leticia Sidon, In-Depth Edits

© Copyright: Delilah Mohan

Published: October 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without
written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in
any format.

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 CHAPTER 1
CLAIRE

I closed my eyes tightly and swallowed hard before placing my hand on

my stomach, over the place where the nervous butterflies danced. This was
happening. There was no turning back now. Not like I planned to turn back.
I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. This was my last chance to make my family proud, to
prove to my father having a girl wasn’t the biggest mistake of his life.
Get it together, Claire.
“Aren’t you just the cutest thing?” the older woman, Martha, stated
as she put in the last pin in my hair, forming a crown with my braided hair.
When she was satisfied it would hold, she began to pick up flowers and
strategically shimmy them into the crown. “You’ll get picked for sure.”
Deep breaths, Claire. This is what you want. You want to be picked.
I licked my dry lips, “I hope you’re right.”
Martha slapped a hand on my shoulder. “Oh, Honey, of course, I am,
look at you! And this dress! It has to be the best one out there tonight.”
I looked down at the tulle and taffeta monstrosity I was wearing. It
was the best of the worst options, the only thing I could afford at the
second-hand store that would work for this occasion. I could only hope they
looked past the hideous dress and saw me for what I was.
Desperate.
I was desperate. Which is why I applied for Pack Match without my
father’s knowledge. I needed out from under his thumb, I needed freedom, I
needed the validation that my life mattered so much more than my father
believed.
“Have they explained how this works? Once payment is submitted,
there is no turning back. You are bought and paid for,” Martha elaborated.
“I understand.” I understood completely that once their money hit
my account, I was considered my new husband’s goods. I had to abide by
their house rules, live the life they choose for me. Not like that was any
different than the life I was forced to live inside the walls of my father’s
den.
Someone poked their head into the room alerting us it was time, and
all the surrounding girls giggled nervously as they chattered about what
their future husband might be like and sent up prayers for a handsome new
husband who knew how to please. I wanted to roll my eyes at the ideocracy
of it all. I just wanted freedom while all these women could think about was
their future husband’s cock.
After lining up, we were led to a stage with lights so bright I had to
squint. After my eyes adjusted, I stared out into the sea of men standing
below, looking at the woman on stage with hungry eyes and possessive
gleams.
You can do this, Claire. You’ve come too far to back down now.
By too far, I meant the money I secretly saved to pay the fees for the
background check and application required to be accepted into Pack Match.
Not to mention the deception to my family, the sneaking out during the dark
and leaving them nothing they could use to find me. They couldn’t find me,
at least not until everything was official and my father couldn’t use his
power in his pack to control me.
The microphone squeaked before the speaker tapped it and spoke,
“Gentlemen, can I have your attention, please?” There was a pause while
the crowd lowered their voice right before the room went silent.
“Gentlemen, I want to thank you all for coming out today and participating
in this round of Pack Match. Each lady you see before you has gone
through rigorous evaluations and should hopefully meet your satisfaction.
Take a good look at these ladies because, in just a few moments, I’m going
to ask them to put on their blindfolds then I will invite you to get a closer
look and maybe spark up a conversation. When your choice has been made,
write the number that matches your woman on your ballot and place it in
the box along with your highest offer. We will sort through the ballots and
announce the winners later this evening before our traditional marriage
ceremony. Once your money transfers to the ladies’ Pack Match account,
they are officially yours. Remember, that money is theirs to keep and is no
longer under pack control.”
There was a round of acknowledgments from the surrounding men
before the woman turned toward all the females on stage. “Ladies, go ahead
and place your blindfolds on and remember, no peeking.”
With shaking hands and sweaty palms, I lifted my blindfold to my
eyes and covered them. Then I secured the blindfold in place with the
attached satin ribbon. When all the women had their blindfolds fastened, the
men were given the go-ahead to move forward and examine the woman on
stage. With my sight gone, the nearing footsteps seemed to ricochet through
the room, and I stood straight, trying to remain calm as they neared closer.
The first few men strolled by me slowly, and I was thankful they
hadn’t stopped to question me. A few others passed, making verbal notions
about my height, hair, body shape before I heard their pencils scrape against
the paper.
God, please don’t let me get stuck with these pigs.
I didn’t think this through. I mean, I did, but obviously not enough.
Because now, standing here with all eyes judging me, I realized the
potential existed that I had put myself in a much worse situation. Men
shifters outnumbered the females eight to one, it’s a known fact. Women
were in high demand. How did I not consider the repercussions of my
actions?
“Blackwell,” a deep voice said thoughtfully, “As in Clay Ridge . . .
Blackwell?” I bit my lip and nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. “I was
unaware that Blackwell had a daughter. Laden, did you know Blackwell had
a daughter?”
I felt the presence of another man step forward. “I’ve heard rumors,
but no one has really seen his child, so it was just that . . . a rumor.”
I felt a finger run down my cheek and the deep voice spoke again,
“But you very much are real, aren’t you . . .?” There was a pause as paper
rustled, the man no doubt reading my name, “Claire.”
I nodded again as he took my chin in his hand, tilting my head to get
a better look. “You look like your mother, has anyone ever told you that?
You’re fucking lucky there, that’s for sure. Your father is an ugly bastard.
Does he know you’re here, sweetheart?”
I wanted to shake my head, but my chin was still firmly in his grip,
“N-no.”
“I’ll be damned. Gabriel, what are the odds that this is a bad idea?”
A voice spoke up from my right, “It’s the absolute worst possible
idea, I would advise against it.”
“That’s what I thought.” He leaned in, burying his nose in the crook
of my neck and breathing in the scent of my skin, causing my wolf to stir
with excitement. Calm down, little hussy. “She’s close boys, maybe a week
out, two would be a stretch. Ideally, she’s the perfect specimen for our
needs.”
 “Our?” I managed to push out, and suddenly, my wolf was no longer
excited, but terrified.
He made a sound in his throat, “Our. Is that shocking? We’re a
family, and we need a mate, sweetheart. What’s a family without pups?
Think you could give us a litter or two?”
Shit. What have I gotten myself into? One man was enough of a
challenge, but three?
Another face found the other side of my neck. “I think she could.”
Four? No. Absolutely not.
“I-I can’t?”
The hand let go of my chin, and the man attached chuckled, “Why is
that?”
“I’ve n-never. . .”
“You’ve never . . . I’ll be damned.” I heard paper crinkle as they
read through more specs, “She’s a damn virgin.”
I heard some cursing as I stood there awkwardly, under the scrutiny
of the men. There was silence, silence for so long I thought maybe they all
walked away and I somehow heard nothing of their departure. Finally, when
my shoulder relaxed, and I let out a sigh of relief, I heard a throat clear.
“Claire, there is no one in this room that is a worse decision than
you are. Everyone here just needs to read your profile to know that what I
speak is true. The daughter of Lester Blackwell has nothing but trouble and
grief written all over her. But the fact that you signed up for Pack Match in
secret tells me that maybe you already know this. The bastard who takes
you on is either going to be really smart or so fucking dumb, and I can’t
even tell you which.”
“I understand,” I whispered meekly as I tried to hold back the tears.
The man leaned in one more time, inhaling my scent before he and his three
companions walked away.
Once he spoke the truth openly, it seemed like all the men were
repelled against me, not a single one giving me attention, asking me
questions, acknowledging my existence. Even though I couldn’t see them, I
knew they walked a full circle around me, avoiding me like the plague.
All too soon, it was announced that the time for selection had ended
and all men were to file off the stage. Those who placed bids were
instructed to line along the front of the stage, while those who did not find a
woman to their liking, had to remain behind the roped-off line if they chose
to stay.
We took off our blindfolds, facing the sea of hopeful men as we
waited for the final tallies to be counted and the winners to be recorded. The
wait time was minimal since they did most of the scores as the ballots were
turned in, but even still, the wait dragged on for what seemed to be hours.
When they announced they were finally ready to make the matches, the
room went silent. The men looked excited, the women looked scared, and
the crowd who didn’t bid for a lady seemed more than a little amused at the
thick layer of awkwardness that blanketed the room.
The same woman from before picked up the microphone, clearing
her throat loudly before talking into it, “I’m so excited for the outcome of
this event, how about you guys?” When no one answered her, she
continued, “Right, okay. In just a few moments, we will announce the
matches. When and if your match is called, you will step forward and claim
your girl and then proceed behind the stage where someone will be waiting
to show you the ceremony room. Any questions you have about the match
can be answered during that time, but keep in mind, there are no refunds
now that your match is accepted.”
She went on to announce match after match. Each pair seemingly
happy with the choice made. All the females beamed with pride over their
new soon to be mates, while the mates latched on to their women
possessively, daring another man to look. The stage cleared, one body at a
time until only two were left, myself included.
I shifted on the stage uncomfortably. The girl beside me looking
equally uneasy. The woman with the microphone cleared her throat, “Well,
this is a bit awkward. We’ve never been in this situation before.” She
looked down at her papers. “It appears we have two brides left, but only one
has a bid. In the history of Pack Match, this is the first time we have a bride
unbid.”
It was me, I knew it, my wolf knew it too. I was the unbid bride, no
thanks to the men who loudly proclaimed what an awful choice of a woman
I would be. I bit my lip, promising myself I wouldn’t cry until I was safely
off stage and alone. But, it didn’t stop my eyes from stinging as unwanted
tears tried to form.
Hold it together, Claire. There is always next time.
 Only there wasn’t a next time, not really. The next Pack Match
auction was three months away, and after tonight, my father would surely
be on to me. Hell, chances were he had already noticed my absence and was
tearing apart our whole land searching for me. Not because he cared, no . . .
Lester Blackwell cared for no one but himself. He valued no one’s life over
possessions, power, riches.
But I was useful to him. Useful because one day, I would be his
bargaining chip. A virginal offer to grow his power and fortune, which was
the only reason he kept me stored away, rarely letting me leave his house
without permission.
I knew that day was coming close, I’d heard the talk, the bargaining,
the counteroffers. It was close, and I thought maybe escaping to Pack Match
was my way out, but I failed. Now, not only would I be bartered away, my
father would be furious at the match I tried to form.
The whole room was silent as the woman fumbled to open the
envelope, the sound of paper rustling amplified through the microphone.
Finally, when she got it open, she stared at the paper, blinking a few times
before speaking. “My, oh my, someone must really want you, Darling. This
is the highest bid I’ve ever seen for a woman, and I’ve been doing this since
the company’s formation.”
She cleared her throat, and my vision started to go black. No. You
will not pass out from utter embarrassment, I chastised myself. You will
never see these people ever again. This would all be over soon. Hopefully.
“The last claimed bride is . . .” she turned her whole body to watch
us and let a pause settle over the room, most likely to draw out the
suspense, but instead, she was highlighting my shame. “Claire Blackwell.
Step on up hun, come claim your man.” She paused and tilted her head at
the paper again and corrected herself, “Men. Come claim your men. Claire,
you’ve been bought by Jace Stonewall of the Mountain Peak pack. Jace,
Laden, Gabriel, Vix, come snag your woman so we can all get the ceremony
underway.”
I didn’t move. I was frozen in place, my wolf suddenly dormant. I
hadn’t been the one rejected after all. The relief that flooded me was soon
replaced by the terror of knowing I had been bought by four men. Jace
Stonewall. My stomach tightened, both from fear of the rumors I had heard
about him and from excitement.
 Jace Stonewall was as mean as they came, well at least that’s what
the rumors said. My father’s hate for the man ran deep, so deep in fact that
he vowed to one day destroy the whole pack, leaving nothing but bones and
ash in his wake. But his scent, I couldn’t deny it was enticing as hell when
he stood so close to me earlier, the blindfold only heightened the spicy scent
of pine and a freshwater stream.
I must have spaced out because the next thing I knew I blinked, and
my vision was filled with four men. Four very handsome and large men.
Panic began to set in at the realization of what I had done. Sure, being
married off to someone twice my age wouldn’t have been ideal, but binding
myself to four men . . . at once. Large, did I mention how large they were?
“What’s wrong, Claire? You look like you’re ready to run,” the one
that I knew now as Jace Stonewall said, a smirk tilting up the corner of his
lips.
It’s because I am ready to run. “I-I’m not going to run.”
His blue eyes danced with humor, but his face seemed otherwise
passive. “You sure about that?”
“P-positive.”
His eyes suddenly became cold. “I would be ready to run if I were
you. Because you’re the daughter of the man who murdered my father, and
you just became mine.”
“Ours,” one of the men corrected behind him.
He nodded his agreement to that, “Ours. I would be scared if I were
in your shoes.”
Well, now, I’m terrified. “I didn’t know.”
My voice came out as a whisper, but I knew he heard me. “It doesn’t
change the facts, sweetheart.” He reached up to pull on a strand of curled
hair by my ear, and I flinched. He pulled back, looking a bit annoyed. “Do
you think we would hurt you?”
Yes. Absolutely. No questions asked. I might be dead tomorrow.
“No.”
“We may despise your father, but we wouldn’t hurt you because of
that fact. No, but you are part of the payback. I mean, what’s a better slap in
the face than having the enemy get your daughter with pups?”
I felt equal parts of relief and disgust. Sure, they wouldn’t physically hurt
me, but the thought of being a pawn for the rest of my life already put me
into mental anguish. “I-I . . .“ I fumbled with the words, nerves striking me
dumb. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“What? To marry the enemy? I’ll let you back out if you really want
to. Go back to your dear old dad and live in the precious tower you’ve been
kept in . . . if you really want to.”
Only I didn’t have a dear old dad, not really. There was no precious
tower or joyous life Jace hinted at. Only me, alone in the musty house day
in and day out, with family to keep me company. Minus the odd jobs trusted
pack members hired me to do, I couldn’t leave without permission, always
having to carry my phone on me to be tracked and monitored. The same
phone that’s currently laying in my bedroom, on the nightstand.
Two situations, neither of them favorable. But maybe one was better
than the other? “Do you, can I . . . ?” I paused, feeling the weight of four
sets of eyes boring into me. “Can I leave the house?”
Jace reeled back like it was the dumbest question he ever heard. “Of
course you can leave the house. I mean, let one of us know, so we don’t
worry, but why would we lock you away?”
He didn’t get it, and that was okay, I didn’t want to explain it either.
“I’ll do it.” He stared at me in confusion, leaving me to clarify, “I’ll join
your pack.”

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 CHAPTER 2
JACE
The ceremony was quick; thank the fuck for that. I thought for sure that
any moment the scared little mouse of a woman would flee and I would
have to hunt her down and drag her back just to appease my damn wolf.
The thought made him growl his approval. The moment he caught her
scent, he was adamant that this female belonged to him, and I’d be damned
if I could get him to listen to any sort of reasoning.
My wolf didn’t understand what a risky investment purchasing Claire
Blackwell would be. The potential for so much backlash was ginormous.
Still, I went against my better judgment and bought her anyway. Partially to
make my wolf happy but also waking up to a woman that gorgeous
wouldn’t be a hardship.
The boys all agreed that the benefit of having a beauty like Claire
outweighed the trouble her ownership would cause. Whatever her father
threw our way would be worth it, knowing that she was a part of our pack
against his wishes.
I watched from the rearview mirror as she tried to make herself as small
as possible in the backseat. She was sandwiched between Laden and Vix,
their big frames making it nearly impossible for her not to touch them as
their bodies flanked her. It was cute, adorable really that she thought she
could avoid our touch. Impossible, not when you married four men at once.
It’s unconventional but not unheard of to have more than one mate. But
from the moment I met these boys, I knew they would always be part of the
way I ran and functioned throughout my life. Sharing a mate? Creating a
family? It just seemed like the next step in our years of running the pack
together.
I pulled up the driveway to our place, a two-story farmhouse nestled
between thick trees. Our closest neighbor was at least half a mile down the
street, giving us the freedom to do what we wanted out here and be as loud
as we wanted. Not like we were really that loud, but men can be wild when
they get a little alcohol in them, so we have definitely had our moments.
After parking the SUV, I got out, going directly to the trunk to grab her
bag. It was a small, light sack, probably carrying just the bare essentials if I
had to guess, but I would change that the first chance I got. She may have
been bought as a form of payback, but I wouldn’t treat her poorly because
of the fact.
After shutting the trunk, I rounded the vehicle to see her standing next
to Laden and Gabriel, staring up at our house in awe. I shifted a bit
uncomfortable, it was a nice place, but nothing to stare in wonder at. Or
maybe she was disgusted? Please don’t let it be disgust. Did Blackwell
really treat his daughter like a princess, giving her so much in life that my
little house, the house that had been in my family for generations,
displeased her?
Before I could ask what she was staring at, she spoke, so quiet I almost
didn’t hear her, “It’s absolutely beautiful.”
My chest suddenly felt lighter, but I didn’t dare acknowledge it; instead,
I knocked Laden’s shoulder lightly with my own. “Let’s go then, we
wouldn’t want the Blackwell princess to be cold, and the sun is setting.”
“Stonewall.”
I turned, looking at her in confusion. “What?”
“I am a Stonewall now, not a Blackwell.”
Fuck, she was right, and the realization had my cock rising, urging me to
claim her, own her, making it so official that anyone who passed her would
have no doubt who she belonged to. Instead, I turned around and nodded.
“Let’s get her inside.”
She followed meekly behind me, the rest of the guys trailing behind her,
no doubt watching the sweet curve of her ass flex under that questionable
dress she wore. When we reached the front door shaded by the covered
porch, I reached into my pockets, grabbed my keys, and inserted them into
the door.
I felt the lock click, and as I twisted the knob, I turned to say, “Welcome
home, Claire.”

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 CHAPTER 3
CLAIRE
I felt all eyes on me, waiting to see if I decided to step through or spend
the rest of our marriage outside on the porch. As appealing as spending time
on this porch was, I knew I had to move forward. When? Well, I hadn’t
quite gathered enough nerve for that. But, it turned out I didn’t have to.
Before I could even object, strong arms grabbed me from behind and swung
me in the air like I weighed next to nothing.
I squealed and grabbed on to the flannel that covered the offender’s
chest. I looked up into Gabriel’s laughing brown eyes. “What do you think
you’re doing?”
“Why, I’m carrying the bride over the threshold, ma’am.” He made a show
of tipping his hat.
“I know that, but why?” I wiggled in his arms, feeling self-conscious of
how heavy I must be and how close in proximity we were. “Put me down!”
His fingers gripped tighter into my body. “I can’t do that; it’s bad luck.”
I gripped his shirt tighter, terrified I would fall. “It’s bad luck in a
traditional marriage, but that’s not what this is.”
He took a giant, dramatic step over the threshold before bending at the
waist and placing me down. When I was positive my feet were stable, I
slowly released my grip on his shirt. “You know, maybe the start wasn’t
traditional, but mating is for life. Same general rules apply.”
Technically I knew that, but I tried not to think about it too hard to avoid
breaking into hysterics over the predicament I got myself into. When my
father found out, and he would find out, the fury would cause so much
destruction. Knowing this, though, didn’t stop these men from making the
purchase.
Feeling all eyes on me, I swallowed back my fear and nodded my
agreement. Vix, who seemed to be the quietest of the group, rubbed his
hands against the thigh of his pants. “Alright then, let me show you around
and get you settled.” His eyes looked toward Jace as he spoke, “I think
there is some official paperwork that Jace needs to fill out and get sent
pretty quickly to make this all permanent.”
Jace nodded and walked away without saying another word. I knew the
paperwork, I spent quite a bit of time filling out my side of it before
standing up at the auction, but I had assumed he had done the same
beforehand as well. “Hadn’t he done it before the auction as well?”
“He did some, but as pack alpha, he has additional paperwork to file with
the counsels. It’s important that it’s announced throughout the whole state
when an alpha takes a bride,” Laden answered for Vix.
Oh no, this was bad, this was very, very bad. “How soon will it be
announced?”
As if the men in front of me already felt my despair, they all seemed to
take a step closer. “It’s usually about a week, give or take a few days. But,
don’t worry sweetheart. We won’t let anyone hurt you . . . if that’s what
you’re worried about. Do you have enemies, Claire?”
Besides my own family? The ones I was hoping to make proud? I shook
my head. “No. It just all seems so official, so fast.”
Laden shrugged. “Well, yeah, it’s not like you signed up for a courtship,
doll.”
Technically, I knew this. I just thought maybe we’d have some time to
get to know each other, perhaps some slow and steady friend-zoning before
we jumped both feet in without looking. “I just thought there was an
observation period.”
Laden snorted, “You mean like the rest of our lives?”
Gabriel used his frame to push Laden away from me. “Whatever you’re
comfortable with is what we will do, right Laden?”
He gave Laden a hard stare and Laden just grinned, exposing a set of
dimples. “Right.”
Vix took my hand, leading me further into the house. He showed me the
whole lower level, which consisted of a half bathroom, a large family room,
a kitchen that had to be twice the size of the one I grew up using, and a
dining room with a large table.
I was standing between the kitchen and the dining room when he said,
“What do you think? I know the table is large, but we want a big family. He
won’t admit it unless confronted, but Jace built the table himself.”
I felt that continuous ball of nerves in my stomach tighten at the thought
of giving these strangers the big family they wanted. That was what I was
bought for, after all, to breed with them, obey them, and build them a home.
Although, it seemed they had done well to build their home between them.
“How long have you guys been . . . together?” I asked curiously.
 Laughter came from behind me, and I turned to see Laden wiping the
tears from his eyes. “We aren’t together, love. Not together, together,
anyway. We’re just good friends. Well, I guess co-mates. Is that even a
word?”
“So, you’re just roommates?” I clarified.
There was a pause before someone answered, “Essentially.”
“But?” Sensing something they weren’t saying.
“No, but, I swear it.” Laden walked past me. “Now, come along little
pup, we still have the rest of the place to see.”
They led me to the laundry room, then down to the basement, which
was designed as a hang out lounge. Then back up the stairs to the ground
level, past the half bathroom and up another set of stairs. The stairs creaked
under our conjoined weight, and I prayed that the structure of this old
farmhouse could withstand us all.
They all stopped at the top of the stairs and waited for me. When I
stepped into the hallway, Vix pulled me forward. “Ready for the rest of the
tour? Tomorrow when it’s light out, I’ll show you the barn, but for now . . .
this is it.” He spread his arms wide gesturing toward the hallway. “After
you.”
I took a few slow steps down the hall, the presence of the men behind
me nearly suffocating me. As I approached the first door, Gabriel pushed it
open while Laden announced that it was the guest bathroom. The next two
doors were guest bedrooms. The door after that, an office where Jace was
hunched over a stack of papers reading. He spared us a wave then we
continued on to the door at the end of the hall.
Gabriel pushed open the door. “This is our room.”
I felt my heart stutter. “Ours?”
I felt Laden’s body crowd close to mine from behind as he leaned close
to my ear. “Ours. Where did you expect to sleep, Mate?”
I licked my dry lips, “Y-you all sleep here?”
“Ours,” he emphasized, his breath tickling my ear, causing a sudden
chill to run through my body. “One great, big puppy pile, sweetheart.”
Silence fell over the room while they waited for me to process that and
when it hit, I stepped back slamming right into Laden. His hand dropped to
my waist to steady me, and I pulled away, still too shocked to speak.
When I had signed up for Pack Match, I expected a mate. A Mate. But I
got four. Four huge, handsome, vastly different mates. But still, three more
than anticipated. I had the whole drive over here to think about how this
relationship was going to work. I assumed Jace would mark me first since
he was pack alpha. Then after that I would travel from room to room,
collecting marks and losing my dignity. However, I never once thought that
we would all share a room together. I assumed the men all had their own.
I looked toward the bed, the larger than usual furniture, painstakingly
carved out of pine. “You all have the same room, then?”
“Is that a problem, Claire?” Laden’s voice held a bit of amusement.
“No, no problem. I’m sorry. Today has been a bit overwhelming.” I
pushed a stray strand of hair away from my face. “So, umm, do you all fight
over closet space or something?”
I was mostly joking, but I was also curious how the dynamic worked if
these four men shared one living space, but were never together. Laden’s
fingers wrapped around my own, and he pulled, guiding me to a massive
sliding barn door against the wall. He pulled the barn door back and stepped
inside. “Well, this here is our closet. As you can see, there is space enough
for everyone. We saved the best spot for you.”
He pointed to a large area in the corner of the closet that was next to a
window and had both shelves and a hanging bar. Next to the shelving was a
built-in vanity with a large mirror hanging from the wall. I was shocked,
really. When I was home in my father’s den, I never had such a beautiful
space for myself. “I can use that?”
“Well, yeah. We wouldn’t use it. Well, maybe Vix, but the rest of us
have no use.” I heard Vix grumble a curse under his breath but otherwise
kept quiet. Laden turned, pointing to each section and telling me who they
belonged to. Each section of the closet seemed to fit its owner’s personality.
Jace’s closet was organized and neat. Vix’s section held only the bare
minimum without having an excess overflow. Gabriel’s closet was full, but
everything was hung up. But Laden’s, well his closet area was a disaster:
clothes littered the floor, hangers hung awkwardly, shoes weren’t matched.
The boys stepped out of the closet, and I followed after them. Gabriel
went to the other side of the room and pulled open the other barn door.
“This is the bathroom.”
When the large bodies moved out of the way, I was taken aback by the
large luxurious bathroom. In the corner, a stone shower was set up with a
big waterfall showerhead. On the opposite wall of the shower, a large
oversized tub was built into the stone. Along the edge of the walls were
multiple sinks and across from the sinks were two doors which I assumed
lead to toilets.
“Is it alright?” Vix asked, a hint of nerves in his voice.
Was he kidding? It was magnificent, way more than just being alright.
“It’s amazing.”
He visibly relaxed as Gabriel stepped forward, his arm out with towels.
“We, ah, thought you might want to shower.” When I took the towels, he
suddenly reached behind him and started scratching at the back of his neck
nervously. “We wanted to let you know that we don’t have to complete the
mating tonight, but umm, we have three days to complete it, or the mating
is voided.”
I felt crushed by the elephant in the room, my breath weighed down by
the subject we hadn’t all addressed, but we knew was there. Mating. All five
of us, together. My muscles suddenly quivered as I watched the men in
front of me, my wolf rubbing against me like she was begging for attention.
Three days? What’s the difference between three days and now? None,
really. Not in this situation. If anything, in three days, my father could have
found me and dragged me away before it was completed. I couldn’t have
that happen.
I took in a deep breath and let it out shakily. “I-I’d like to do it tonight if
that’s okay.”
The men all took a step back as if they hadn’t expected my request. I
watched as Gabriel licked his lower lip before biting it. Finally, he spoke,
“I’ll let Jace know. Are you hungry? Vix is amazing in the kitchen.”
As if on cue, my stomach cramped with nerves. There was no way I
could eat, not tonight anyway. “Not so much. They fed us before the
auction.”
He nodded. “Well, I guess we will leave you to shower then. I’ll bring
your bag upstairs and leave it on the bed.”
This time it was me who was biting my lip, trying to keep it from
trembling as I nodded my agreement then watched them walk away. With
shaky hands, I removed my clothes and piled them on the shelf next to the
shower. I stepped under the giant shower head and turned it on, hoping that
at least for now, it would wash away all my fears.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 4
JACE

I lifted my head at the sound of knuckles rapping against the door

frame. Laden leaned casually against the wood, but I could tell his body
held tension. “We finished the tour.”
I gave him a slight nod. “Good. Where is Claire now?”
“Showering.” The mention of her in my shower sent an unexpected
jolt to my cock and made my wolf whimper. Alpha? More like a giant baby,
I taunted him. It didn’t matter if I bid on Claire as payback, my wolf didn’t
seem to understand the difference; he only knew her as his.
Well, almost his.
Ignoring the uncomfortable pull of my denim, I set my pen down
and leaned back in the chair. “Does she seem to be settling in okay?”
He scratched his forehead, a sign that he was deep in thought. For
all the jokes and immature actions Laden was known for, he was one of the
brightest and most thoughtful people I knew. “She didn’t have any
complaints, so I take that as a good sign.” He paused for a moment, “Hey,
listen, we told her that the mating had to be completed within three days as
per the rules.”
“Good, so we will let her warm up to us for a couple of days, finish
the mating and call a pack celebration for . . . eh four days from now?
Sound good?”
He began to run a hand through his hair, a telling sign that he was
about to disagree with me. “About that, she doesn’t want to wait.”
“What do you mean? Of course, she wants to wait. We are complete
strangers.”
He cleared his throat, “She wants to do it tonight.”
There was no way that little mouse wanted to mate tonight, she
obviously hadn’t thought about what she was asking for. A low rumble
waved through my chest, both wolf and man excited at the prospect of
showing her.
“You sure this is what she wants?”
“It’s what she said.”
 I stood, stepping around my desk and heading toward Laden. “Well
then, tell the boys to be ready to play.”
I walked past him, heading toward the bedroom, then followed the
sound of running water to the bathroom. Pushing open the door, I saw her,
standing under the water spray, her head tilted back, her back to me. She
was a magnificent sculpture made out of flesh, and I couldn’t wait to taste
her.
Silently, I peeled off my clothes and padded toward her, the shower
absorbing any sound I made. I stepped onto the wet stone floor behind her,
breathing her fresh scent before placing a hand on her stomach and pulling
her back into me. The initial touch made her jump, but she didn’t pull away;
instead, she stood stiffly in my arms.
“You sure this is what you want, Claire?” I spoke close to her ear.
I expected her to change her mind, to object to intimacy so soon
after meeting us. But even now, with my naked body aligned with hers, she
only nodded.
“Is it really true? That you’re a virgin?” My thumb began to
massage small circles against the skin of her abdomen.
“Yes.” Her voice was timid, but I still heard it over the water.
“Have you ever been touched, Claire?” I wrapped my other hand
around her waist, traveling it lower as my other hand moved higher. With
one hand on the apex of her thighs and the other gently rubbing her nipple, I
could feel her pulse quicken, practically hear her heart beating.
“N-no.” With her confession, a growl escaped me, both man and
wolf satisfied to be the first one to lay a hand on her.
I reached out and turned off the water, then used my foot to kick her
legs wider apart. “Put your hands on the wall.” She followed my directions,
her whole body already quivering under my touch. “Have you ever come,
Claire? Have you ever touched yourself?”
I flicked her nipple as my fingers delved into her folds, satisfied that
she was already wet; even though she was scared, my touch excited her. Her
whole body turned a delicious shade of pink as she whispered, “Yes.”
I hummed my approval, “I can’t wait to watch you.” I dipped two
fingers into her body while my thumb grazed her clit. Her whole body
jolted against mine, her fingers curled into the stone wall. “You’re so tight,
are you positive you can handle us?”
 “I-I can try.” Her breath was already coming out in pants like just
my touch brought her near orgasm.
“No, sweetheart, you will handle us.” Fuck, but my wolf liked that
thought. I pulled my fingers out and pushed them back in, loving the way
her head fell back into me as she gasped. “Say it.”
I pumped my fingers while grazing her clit, timing the grazes
perfectly with gentle tugs to her nipples. It excited me to witness as sweet,
innocent, quiet Claire, went wild in my arms, thrashing her head from side
to side, leaning her whole body toward the wall as she ground against my
palm, chasing her own release. She was so damn responsive, I couldn’t help
but rub my cock into her, loving the feel of it cradled against her bare ass.
Her walls clenched around my fingers, and her breathing became
more sporadic. “Say it Claire, say that you will take us all.”
Her head was shaking from side to side, her legs were trembling
beneath her. I was positive that if it weren’t for my hands on her body, she
would have already crumbled to the stone floor, unable to hold herself up.
“I don’t think I can.”
Her voice was barely audible over the sounds she was making. I
stopped moving my hand. “Then I don’t think we can finish this.”
I began to pull my hand out, and her hands fell from the wall to my
wrist, her fingers digging into my skin. “Don’t.”
My face nuzzled into her wild hair. “Then say it, say you will take
us all. I need to hear the words, sweetheart.”
She took a deep breath and blew it out, “I-I’ll take you all. All four of you.”
My tongue lashed out and tasted her skin. “That’s my girl, now
hands back on the wall, or I’ll never give you what you want.”
She eagerly obeyed me, her hands going to the wet stone, her
fingers bent as if her grip on the wall alone would keep her standing. I
pushed my fingers back in hard, curving them in such a way that they
pressed against her front wall as I pushed down on her clit.
She. Went. Crazy.
Her body slumped forward as a scream tore from her throat, her
hands digging into the stone wall, trying to gain purchase, as her entire
body pulsed with pleasure. Her body gripped my fingers like a vice, her
voice echoing off the walls and her scent of pleasure that permeated the air
was driving both the man and animal inside of me to the brink of craziness.
 The bathroom door crashed open behind me. I turned, just as
Claire’s body began to go lax in my arms and her grip on my fingers
loosened to see the boys staring back at us, hunger, want and jealousy
written on their faces.
Laden was the first to step forward, his eyes solely on her as he
stealthily moved toward us. He stopped in front of us before his eyes left
her body to meet my gaze. Then, he bent at his knees, wrapped his arm
around Claire and threw her over his shoulder before turning and walking
away.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 5
CLAIRE
Never in my life had I felt anything like now when Jace touched me.
My entire body was on fire, my muscles quivered, and I couldn’t stop the
scream that tore from my throat if I tried. Not like I actually tried hard.
The second his hand touched my skin, my wolf howled her approval,
wanting me to rub up against him and mark him with my scent. I restrained,
for probably one full minute until his palms sought out my sensitive skin
and had me putty in his hands. My body was still limp, held up mainly by
the tight forearm across my chest when more arms wrapped around my
body and lifted me up.
I tried to move when a hand came up and smacked my butt. Laden’s
laughing voice filled my ear followed by a seductive growl, “Oh, no, you
don’t, there’s no getting away now, the big bad wolf has you.”
The growl alone caused a new wave of moisture to pool between my
thighs, and I buried my face in his skin, embarrassed. He took a deep
breath, another rumble from his chest vibrated through my skin, right before
he flipped me over his shoulder and let my body fall to the middle of the
bed.
I looked up, staring into three sets of eyes. I heard a rustling noise
coming from the bathroom before a large body appeared. Correction, four
sets of eyes were staring down at me, my whole naked body on display. A
large hand to my left grabbed my knee, pulling my legs open as the sound
of four separate inhales filled the air.
“Gabriel, I think our mate needs a little attention, don’t you?” Jace’s
voice sounded rough, and it sent shivers through my body.
The hand that had pulled my leg open before gently caressed down my
thigh as another hand snaked across my body to pinch my nipple. My back
arched at the contact, my mouth opened in a soundless gasp. “She likes the
attention, I think she needs more.”
A body moved onto the bed behind me, lifting me up to lay against a
broad chest, cradling my body between hard thighs. Hands came down to
my breasts, messaging them as lips found my neck. I didn’t have to look to
know whose hard cock it was rubbing against my back. The scent of the
male was somehow already ingrained in my senses. My wolf rubbed against
me, trying to get closer to her mate, wanting to touch Vix as he touched us.
My hands went to Vix’s thighs, as I watched Gabriel pick up my leg and
nip at the flesh, before soothing it with his tongue. He slowly left a trail of
pain and pleasure up my inner leg until he reached my thigh. His shoulders
pushed my legs wider apart as I tried to close them. Never had I had a
man’s mouth so close to my bare skin, and the thought of it made my skin
heat.
A thick voice whispered in my ear behind me, “Let him taste you,
sweetheart. Look at his eyes, his beast is fighting to get a lick of you.”
I gazed down my body, yellow eyes watching me hungrily as he inhaled
my scent, his broad shoulders nearly shaking with restraint as he waited for
my approval. Even with him being half beast, he was still willing to wait, to
back away if I said no. I gave a slight nod, and that was all it took for Jace
and Laden to pull my legs back, and Gabriel to delve into my folds.
The first touch of his tongue had me instantly panting, my body
thrashing against the hold of the men, both trying to get away from
Gabriel’s assault and move my body closer. I’d orgasmed before, alone in
my small room, with thoughts of what it would one day be like to have a
mate. But this, this feeling these men brought out of me, the pleasure they
managed to coax from my body from just the slightest touch, was
incomparable. I thought I knew what pleasure felt like, I thought I knew the
extent my body was capable of, but with one touch of their fingers, my
body ignited in an internal fire.
Jace leaned his body down, trailing his lips up my stomach toward my
breasts. “I won’t tie you up, but that won’t always be the case. Think I can
let go of your leg and you’ll be a good girl?” My head thrashed to the side
frantically as Gabriel’s teeth nipped at my clit and gave it a gentle tug.
“That’s not the answer I’m looking for, Claire, and you know I like words.”
Could I stay still? There was absolutely no way in hell I could. Not with his
tongue sweeping into my folds in long hard strokes and his fingers dancing
around my entrance. “I can’t.”
My voice came out embarrassingly shrill, but he was lucky I was able to
speak at all. He made a tsk sound then his lips came down on my nipple,
pulling the buds into his mouth with a roughness that caused the most
delicious type of pain. His lips popped off my skin. “It’s a shame because if
you can’t sit still, I can’t give you the things you want most.” He sat up and
leaned toward my face, his lips close to mine, his hard cock bobbing against
my hip as he whispered against my lips. “Orgasms.”
I wanted that, I wanted all that they wanted to give me so damn bad. “I’ll sit
still.”
He smirked. “I knew you would.” His hand came up to smooth my wild
hair off my forehead. “Have you ever tasted a cock before, Claire?”
Gabriel pushed two fingers inside of me as his tongue lapped against
my clit, and I was losing my battle to stay focused and keep my body still
like Jace demanded. I bit my lip. “No.”
A satisfied smile crossed his face. “Good. I want you to open your
mouth wide for Laden, can you do that?” I hadn’t even realized Laden had
let go of my leg and brought his body close to me until I turned, his large
cock directly at eye level. His palm ran up and down the length, and I
watched in fascination. “Open for him, Claire.”
I did as Jace requested, I opened my mouth for Laden as he jutted his
hips forward, replacing his palm with my lips. He let out a groan, the sound
exciting me more than I thought it would, and I wanted to hear it again. I
ran my tongue around the head of his cock, as I bobbed my head up and
down the length. Each sound he made fueled me on until my body burned
with the need to come, unable to stand the sensations of the hands, bites,
tongues, that caressed all over my body.
“Shit. I’m already close. It’s like her mouth was fucking made for my
cock,” Laden ground out and the desperation to reach his climax in his
voice only fueled me on, encouraging me to try to take him down my throat
deeper than I had before.
“Do you want to come with him?” Jace whispered by my ear as Vix’s
fingers pinched my nipples. My body tensed, the sparks of the action
making my hips buck into Gabriel’s face. “I’m going to need words,
sweetheart.”
“Yes.” God, yes.
“Good girl. Gabriel, do it.” Jace brushed back my hair again, a
conflictingly tender act for a man who admitted not truly wanting me.
“You’re going to swallow it, all of Laden’s seed.”
I didn’t get to respond, I couldn’t. Not when Gabriel curled his finger
inside of me and stroked the nerves on my inner wall in perfect harmony
with his tongue’s movement. My whole body arched as pleasure shot
through me, my screams silenced by Laden’s cock, as his warm cum jutted
down my throat. My body squeezed around Gabriel’s fingers, pulling them
deeper into my body, Vix’s fingers on my nipple doing nothing to ebb the
sensitivity.
I was still gasping when Laden pulled out, a long string of cum and spit
trailed down my lips from the movement. He leaned over and used his
tongue to lick my lips clean before kissing me deeply, tangling his tongue
with mine. He pulled back, and Gabriel climbed up my body, taking his
place, kissing me, sharing the taste of myself on his tongue as he let out a
satisfied groan.
“Gabriel.” There was a pause before Jace called his name again, and
Gabriel pulled back, “I want our mate’s eyes on me when I claim her.”
Gabriel’s eyes shifted down submissively, the first real sign the men
showed that Jace was definitely in charge. A sound of satisfaction came
from Jace’s chest before he grabbed my ankles and pulled my body down to
the edge of the bed. Letting go of one of my ankles, he used his finger to
trace down my slit. “You’re drenched. You like the attention of your mates,
do you?”
“Yes,” I whispered. I did, very much so. My body reacted to them, to
their touches, like it had been made for all four of them all along.
He held his cock in his hand, palming it slightly before leaning his body
over mine and rubbing it in my folds. “I need to warn you, honey, it’s going
to hurt some before I can make you feel good.” I bit my lip, drawing a tiny
bit of blood. I was scared, I couldn’t lie to them about that, they had to
smell it in the room, mixed with the scent of sex and arousal. Vix leaned
forward, turning my head toward him as he curved his body over mine. He
took his thumb to my lip and pulled it from its assault.
“Don’t do that.” He leaned over and licked the blood off my lip. “I’ve
got you. Lean against my body and if it hurts, squeeze my hand.” He held
up a big palm to me, and I took it, threading my fingers in his before he
wrapped our entwined hands in front of my body. He nodded to Jace and
Jace used that as his cue to push the tip of his cock into my body.
I felt myself stretch around his girth, and I closed my eyes tightly,
anticipating what was to come. I felt a tap on my cheek, and I opened my
eyes to Jace watching me, his hand still on my jaw. “I need to see your eyes
to know you can handle it.”
He rocked his hips gently, each movement moving him inside my body
a little more, helping me adjust to his size. He stopped his movement and
looked toward Gabriel, having a silent conversation. Gabriel’s hand came
down, his finger finding the nerves at the junction of my thighs as he
rubbed in slow circles, his knuckles grazing Jace’s half-buried cock,
causing Jace’s eyes to flutter and his breathing to pick up.
A moan escaped me from the sight and feel of the two men. The sound
causing Vix’s hips to shoot forward from behind me to grind against my
back. My breathing was heavy as the ball of pleasure began to build; it
came to me so much faster now than it had earlier tonight.
My arms began to tingle, my legs began to shake. “I think . . .” I
groaned as Gabriel leaned down and sucked on my nipple, his hand still on
my clit. “I think I’m going to come.”
“Not yet,” Jace demanded, and I didn’t want to obey him. I wanted to
chase the feeling that was so close to breaking, the ecstasy that was almost
in reach, but I somehow had a hard time not following his orders, my wolf
unwilling to please him.
He pulled his hips back and slammed them into mine, the pain tearing a
scream from my throat as Vix held onto my body tightly, whispering
soothing sounds and words into my ear. “Shhh, that’s the worst of it, baby.
It won’t ever feel like that again. Shhh, you’re alright.”
I know what he spoke was the truth, but it didn’t help soothe the burn or
stopped my eyes from watering. Jace’s body froze in place, Gabriel
withdrew his hand, and Vix wiped the tears from my eyes. Jace looked at
me, guiltily. “Shit. I had to do it, Claire. Or it would never be official.”
Official, right. Because we both needed this to be official. Me, so I
could be out from underneath my father’s thumb, and them so I could give
them the pups that they bought me for. The thought of both had the tears
falling faster. It wasn’t Jace’s fault that he went into this only caring for two
things, procreating with the side of revenge to a man he hated. I had signed
myself up for this after all, but at this moment, the truth hurt me more than I
thought it would.
“Don’t do that, don’t get all in your head,” Vix’s voice whispered right
next to my ear, “We’re all in this together now, all of us.” I took a deep
breath because I knew he was right. It didn’t matter what brought us to this
moment, it was all or nothing now. They all belonged to me as much as I
did to them.
Another deep breath.
 Then I dared move, slowly squeezing my inner muscles around Jace’s
cock and feeling a thrill as a string of curses left his mouth. He took that as
a sign I was ready for more and he slowly withdrew his body from mine,
before roughly pushing it back in. It still hurt, but with each pull out and
thrust forward, the sting hurt just a little less until it actually began to feel
good. Really good.
I reached for his body, trying to draw him closer to me, trying to angle
him at just the right position to give me the pleasure that his movements
kept hinting at. His hand slid around my back, pulling my body up to his,
using his legs and hips as leverage to pump into me. I wound my hands
around his neck, leaning my body close to his as hands and lips touched me
from all angles, biting and nipping, kissing and soothing.
The sensation was overwhelming, and I buried my head in the crook of
his neck, clinging to him like he was my only lifeline. I took a deep breath,
inhaling his scent. My wolf let out a growl in satisfaction. She approved of
him, that was for sure. She approved so much so that an overwhelming urge
to bite him began to consume me.
My teeth grazed his skin, and he growled a sound of pure pleasure at the
gentle scraping. “She wants you to mark me, doesn’t she? To show the
world that I belong to you.” She whined at his words, before urging me to
nip at his skin gently. “Shit. You’re driving him wild, you know. My wolf
wants me to bite you, fast and hard. He wants you quivering in ecstasy
when he spills into you. Do you want that, Claire?”
His voice was getting rougher, choppier as he spoke. His movements
less smooth. The hands and bodies, lips and tongues, rubbing against me
from all angles all crowded closer, not leaving an inch of my skin without
attention. I nodded my head in response to Jace’s question, then licked my
dry lips. “I . . .” I paused, knowing I wanted this, but also terrified. “I want
you to bite me.”
“But you’re scared?” Vix asked, as Gabriel's head lifted up from where
he was nibbling just under my breast.
“Yes.” I hadn’t meant to moan it, but the tightening at my core, with all
the sensations that were hitting my body, was becoming too much.
Jace grabbed a handful of my hair, tilting my head to the side to expose
my neck. “It will hurt for a moment, but then all you will feel is pleasure.”
He ran his teeth over the crook of my neck, the elongated incisors
sending a shiver through me. The contact, though simple, had me writhing
against him, rubbing my breasts against his chest, urging him on.
My wolf wasn’t willing to wait any longer. As if she was in control, my
hand latched onto his hair, mirroring his own actions, and pulled his head to
the side, right before I bit into his skin. A hiss and a long groan passed his
lips before he bent his head, buried his face into my neck and a blinding
pain hit me.
Not once, but four times pain hit me before my screams turned to
cries of pure bliss. My vision blurred, consumed by light as shocks and
sensations rushed through me. My body clenched around Jace as his hips
ground into mine, his cock pulsed as he shot his seed into me. The normal
mask of control he usually wore was gone, and in its place, the wild beast
had taken hold.
Electric? Was that possible? Currents of electricity shot through my
limbs in an endless loop, sending nonstop jolts of pleasure to every nerve
ending. I was frantic, gasping, clawing at whatever I could grab hold of,
trying to find something to ground me to earth before I floated away.
Vaguely, I was aware that the pulsing of my core had slowed, but I
was too worn out, too completely depleted to do anything but cling to Jace
as I struggled to take air into my lungs. I closed my eyes for a second and
was gone.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 6
CLAIRE
I woke up slowly, stretching my body and wincing at all of my sore
muscles. Memories of last night floated in my mind, and my whole body
heated with a blush. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure I would be able to stand today,
let alone walk. How could I? Not with all the ways my mates took me last
night, waking me up throughout the night to each claim me in their own
way. A shiver ran through my body at the thought.
My mates.
Each one so vastly different, something I’d already learned in such a
short time. Vix, my sweet mate. He’s quiet and caring and so considerate.
Laden, so full of fun and jokes, but when he didn’t know I was looking, I
could see he’s always deep in thought, thinking about something of
importance. Gabriel was definitely the biggest of my mates, and I could tell
that to anyone outside of our room, he could be terrifying. But with me, he
was gentle and treated me like a porcelain doll, holding me gingerly in his
large hands.
But Jace, well, he confused me. He bought me, he mated with me,
but the moment he removed his body from mine, he left. Like the mere
thought of lying with the other mates and me disgusted him. Did he regret
it? Did he regret tying his life to mine now that the mating was permanent?
We couldn’t change it now. We each wore each other’s bites and even years
from now when the bite has healed, the telling scar would remain.
I was alone in bed when I woke, and for that, I was thankful. I
wasn’t positive I would be able to look any of the men in the eyes now that
the night had faded, replaced by day. But I did know, sooner or later I would
have no choice. I needed to leave this bed before one of them searched me
out.
I stood, my legs wobbling a bit, still exhausted from last night’s
activities, then walked into the bathroom to shower. I was a mess, I knew it
without even looking at myself in the mirror. The thought of facing anyone
like this, let alone four practical strangers, made me cringe. As if they knew
I would head to the shower first, a fluffy towel and my bag sat on the
wooden bench next to the row of sinks.
 The scorching shower felt amazing on my sore muscles, and I found
it hard to tear myself away from the water. I stood there until the water ran
cold before I switched it off and got dressed. I put on my favorite pair of
jeans, something familiar and comforting. Then grabbed a solid black tank
top. After running a brush through my hair, fighting all the tangles caused
by the night’s activities, I tied my hair in a bun, knowing full well it was the
least sexy hairstyle I could have picked.
I followed the smell of coffee to the kitchen, where I found Vix
standing barefoot, wearing only a pair of jeans, cooking breakfast. As if he
sensed me, he looked up as I approached, a broad smile taking over his
serious expression. “I see you found your bag.”
Of course, it would be Vix who left it, always the thoughtful one.
“I did, thank you.” I nibbled at my bottom lip, feeling nervous in the
light of day.
He turned his back to me, reaching for the coffee pot and . . . oh my
god. The scratch marks that grooved into his back. Shit. I did that, the vivid
memory of my time with Vix reeled in my head and my body heated from
both want and mortification. I saw him inhale deeply as he poured a cup of
coffee.
Passing the cup to me, his warm brown eyes rimmed with the gold
of his wolf. God, he knew, he knew that just the sight of my markings on
him was making my center squeeze with want. “It was my favorite part, you
know, when you were so crazy for me that you latched on to my body
without care.” He cleared his throat, and his eyes turned solid again. “I’ll
remember in the future, but I’m not exactly sure how you take your coffee.”
I blew out a breath, still trying to slow my heart rate from his
confession. “Cream and sugar. Two spoons.”
He grabbed the cream from the fridge and poured some in, then
scooped two spoonfuls of sugar and stirred while I stood there holding the
mug. “Laden and Gabriel went for a run, Jace had some work to do with the
elders.”
At the mention of Jace’s name, I could see in Vix’s face that what he
said wasn’t entirely true, but he wasn’t going to hurt my feelings. “You
stayed back to babysit me?”
He grabbed a plate and put on a stack of pancakes, bacon, sausage,
and eggs then placed it on the table, gesturing for me to sit. “I could have
gone with them, but I decided not to. My wolf would rather make sure his
mate is well fed, then run.”
“I could go with you guys next time. I mean, is that okay? I never
got to go further than my father’s property back home. My wolf is itching to
get out.” I picked up a piece of bacon and bit off the corner, eating it
nervously under his gaze.
“I think the boys would all agree that it would be amazing to have
you to chase,” he said with a smirk.
“Wait, who said there will be chasing?”
He leaned down, placing one hand on the table, the other on the
back of my chair. “Claire, our wolves will always chase you.”
He tilted his head to the side as his eyes gazed down at my lips and
back up to my eyes like he was having an internal battle. As if one side of
the battle finally won, he leaned down, capturing my lips in his for a slow,
sensual kiss.
A whining came from the left, right before a large body covered in
fur wiggled its way between us, pushing Vix back. I laughed, reaching
down to thread my fingers into the thick black hair of the jealous wolf. “I
don’t think someone wants to share.”
In a blink, the fur under my hands disappeared and Gabriel’s naked
body formed under my touch. “Someone doesn’t want things getting carried
away without himself present.”
He leaned over, taking over where Vix left off, kissing me slowly.
His skin was fire and granite under my touch, and when he pulled away, I
was squirming in my seat. “Eat your breakfast, sweetheart. You need the
energy.”
He grabbed a pair of pants off a chair and slid them up his thigh,
knowing I was watching his movements thoroughly. He smirked and
grabbed a plate, filling it with food before taking a seat at the table. Gabriel
had just begun eating when Laden’s wolf strolled in. One look in my
direction and he was drawn to me, rolling over and waiting for me to rub
his stomach as he laid at my feet.
I bent over, running my hands through the fur on his stomach. He
was grey in coloring, with blue eyes that sparkled with the gold of his wolf.
“You’re much more submissive than you are in the man form, aren’t you,
sweet little guy?” Gabriel snorted from his spot beside me, and I tilted my
head toward him. “What?”
 “If anyone else but you tried to rub his stomach, his wolf would
have drawn blood already.”
“No, he’s a sweet baby, aren’t you?” I gave his stomach an extra
rough rubbing.
Gabriel bent down, his hand poised to touch Laden’s stomach when
a loud, vicious growl erupted from Laden. He pulled his hand back, holding
it up in surrender. “See.”
Laden’s body shifted, “Try to touch me again, and I’ll tear open
your throat.” He turned to me, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Morning. Sleep well?”
He had a knowing smirk on his face because he knew I hadn’t. How
could I when they woke me up nonstop? “I slept perfectly.”
“Good. Eat. We are heading to town to get some new clothes for you
and whatever else it is women like. Then we have a meeting with the elders.
Nothing too important, just official stuff before the public celebration.”
“What’s wrong with my clothes?” I wasn’t going to bring up the
elders. I knew I would have to see them, but that didn’t mean I was feeling
stellar about the meeting either.
His eyes narrowed, “That dress you wore last night. Let’s be honest,
it was hideous.”
“Hey! I bought that with my own hard-earned cash, thank you very
much.” I crossed my arms defensively.
“And?” he prompted.
I tried to hide the smile, but it escaped anyway. “And it was
hideous.”
Everyone at the table nodded their agreement. “Plus, you only came
with a small bag, we expected you would have had more.”
“I don’t need more, I brought what I needed,” I stated.
“Claire. You’re the alpha’s mate. You may have what you need, but
you deserve whatever your heart desires.” There was another round of
agreements before Laden added, “Eat up, we leave in thirty.”

The town was already busy when Gabriel parked the truck, each
member of the pack no doubt already hearing rumors of the alpha’s new
mate. Or would it be mates? I wasn’t totally sure how that worked. I knew
for a fact that I belong to all of them, and they all belong to me. But to each
other? Are they bound to the same rules?
 We all got out, and after being cramped between some very large
men, I was thankful to stretch, even if I was only confined for a short drive.
“Who’s going shopping with her?”
All eyes turned to Laden. I cleared my throat, “You mean I don’t get to
lug all of you around all day?”
Vix shook his head. “That would be a negative, sweetheart. Only one of
us needs to suffer.”
“Or none of you? I could meet you somewhere in a little bit?” After all,
I still had a little money left. Not much until my funds from Pack Match
came through, but I had enough to buy a few articles of clothing if I
shopped on sale.
Laden shook his head. “No can do. Jace would have our heads if we let
you wander around right off the bat without introducing you to the whole
pack first.”
Well, Jace isn’t here. He bolted the second the mating was final. “I don’t
want to keep you from other things.”
Laden stepped closer and cupped my face between his hands. “Claire,
there is nothing more important than you.”
He leaned in and gently kissed my lip before pulling back, and I smiled
sweetly at him. “Is that why you are all about to rock, paper, scissors your
way to freedom.”
“Aww, sweetheart, I knew you got me.” Instead of rock, paper, scissors,
he suddenly called, “Not it!”
A chorus of “Not it!” followed, with an added curse from Gabriel.
Laden raised an eyebrow. “Looks like Gabe will be your chaperone for
the afternoon, doll face. You two behave, I’ll know if you don’t.”
The thought of both not behaving and him knowing sent heat straight to
my core, “What if we don’t behave?”
He leaned his head in. “Ever been punished by four big, bad wolves?”
Shit, he wasn’t helping his cause at all. “Not yet.”
“But you will,” he paused, “Soon.”
He took a step back from me, then chatted with the men for a few
moments. After it was decided that Laden and Vix would take the truck,
they got in and took off. Gabriel’s hand found mine, and he twined our
fingers together. “We thought it would be easier to see the town if you
walked it. It’s pretty quiet now, but if you give it a week or two when
summer is in full swing, this place is a tourist hideout. That’s where a good
portion of the pack’s money comes from, that and Vix is actually killer with
numbers and investments.”
I filed that knowledge away, loving that I learned something new about
one of my mates. Gabriel’s hand tugged mine along the sidewalk. “What do
you do?”
“It depends on the day, really. During the summer I head a tour up to the
old gold mines that ends in river rafting. It’s a big hit.”
“Are you shirtless?” I asked.
“Ah, yeah.” He looked at me questionably.
“That’s why it’s a big hit.”
A rumbling laugh escaped his lips, “You like what you see, then?”
“Very much so.” I was suddenly feeling shy, and I buried my head
against his arm to hide my face.
He let go of my hand, and pulled my body into his, wrapping his arm
around me. I had to be a good foot and a half shorter, but he didn’t seem to
mind the height difference. We passed a few storefronts before he reached
out and pulled open a door and nudged me inside.
The store was a bright clothing boutique with rows and rows of
gorgeous dresses and unique tops. The saleswoman looked up as we
entered, her eyes growing wide for a moment before she stated, “Gabriel! I
didn’t expect to see you here.”
He nodded, “Honestly, I hadn’t planned on coming.”
“Yet here you are. How're your brothers? I haven’t seen them around in
quite some time.”
“They decided to take the winter to recoup in their cabin before the next
wave of our tourism hits.” The woman, Tiana, nodded enthusiastically, her
focus entirely on Gabriel. My wolf stirred in agitation, wanting me to state
my claim and show that woman who his mate was, but I pushed her down.
“It’s a shame, it’s such a sight when all of you boys are milling around
town.”
“Yeah. Glad, we can be of entertainment, I guess.” He reached up and
scratched his neck awkwardly, and Tiana’s eyes followed. She gasped and
took a step back.
“You’ve mated.” Her eyes landing on me as if she saw me for the first
time.
“We have.” He reached out and snagged my hand. “This is our mate,
Claire.”
 She gasped again. “Our. You all found a mate to share? That’s so . . .
rare.”
What she meant was, nearly unheard of. A wolf did not like to share his
mate, and a relationship between five people was asking for trouble. “Our
wolves accept it.”
She held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you, Claire. I’ll be honest
with you, I don’t know if I should congratulate you or give you pity. A little
wisp of a woman like yourself bound to those four grumpy wolves. You’re
stronger than I am.”
I shook her hand. “Thanks.” I think.
“Well, why don’t you look around? Let me know if you need help with
anything.” She shot Gabriel an approving look and walked toward the
backroom.
“Brothers?” I asked as I walked down an aisle, my finger grazing the
row of soft fabric.
He pulled a flowy blouse off the rack and held it up. “Two. Try this one,
I like blue.”
“You just grabbed it off the rack, you don’t even know if it’s my size,” I
objected, and he just shoved the garment at me.
“It’s your size.” He reached for another top. “Vix likes yellow, try this
one on.”
“What if I don’t like yellow?”
He shrugged. “Do you not like yellow?”
I let out a sigh. “I do like yellow. But I don’t really like to be told what
to wear.”
He stepped forward and took the clothes out of my hands. “Sweetheart,
suggesting you try something on is not demanding you wear it. If I am stuck
shopping, a hobby which I most definitely do not enjoy, the least you could
do is pacify me by trying on something that I know would appeal to one of
your other mates or me.”
I hated that he was so logical. “Fine.”
I turned on my heels and stalked toward the back dressing room as he
filled his arms with clothes as he passed. What was the point of me actually
looking when the big oaf was going to do it all for me anyway? “I see
someone woke up on the wrong side of the massive bed this
morning.”
I turned to the sound of his voice. “What was that?”
 He smirked. “Nothing sweetheart.” He bopped me on the nose. “You’re
cute.”
I struggled with being annoyed as hell because I had, in fact, heard what
he muttered under his breath and being pleased that he still used a pet name
and called me cute. “Hand me the clothes, you wait out here.”
And he did. He waited and waited. He switched out sizes, grabbed new
colors, and picked new outfits. Stood. Crouched. Lay on the floor. But not a
single complaint came from my mate. It was impressive.
I had just tried on the yellow blouse, which I grudgingly loved, when
Tiana joined Gabriel in the waiting area. Even though I couldn’t see her, I
knew she was standing outside the door. “I’m going to shut down the shop
for lunch. If you want to just leave the tags for whatever clothes you’ve
decided on and leave out the back when you’re finished, I’ll invoice Jace
later.”
I pushed open the curtain, not even bothering to change out of the
clothes I’ve tried on. “No, we can leave now. I’ll take this shirt and the blue
one.” I pointed to the one Gabriel had liked. Then I reached into my purse
to take out my wallet.
Both Gabriel and Tiana looked at me like I had grown horns right in
front of their eyes, neither moving to take the money I had thrust toward
them. Finally, when the silence got awkward, Gabriel pushed my hand
down. “Ah, no.”
“What?” I stared between the two of them, confused.
“You will not pay for your own clothes. That is our job as your mates, to
take care of you. If you want a coffee and we aren’t around, sure, pull from
your own stash. Want to sneak in a surprise gift, go ahead and spend away.
But, in this pack, it is the mate’s job to provide. You have four . . . four
capable providers who can purchase your clothing.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” I objected. “I can earn money, just like my
mates.”
“Sweetheart, it isn’t about fair, it’s about the satisfaction we get as
males. Don’t worry, give it a week or two, and we will have a job in the
pack for you like everyone else, because we know you’re capable.” He took
my shoulders and turned me around, “Now, go try on something.” He
looked around and grabbed a navy lacy dress from a rack. “Go try this on.”
I debated arguing more, but if it made them happy, then I guess I would
let them. No use spending my emergency money so frivolously if I didn’t
have to do so. I pulled off the yellow top and my jeans and slid the navy
dress over my body. Reaching behind me, I pulled at the zipper. I got it
halfway up when it snagged, refusing to move.
I was debating if I should ask for help, or just give up trying it on all
together when Gabriel asked, “What’s taking so long? Need help?”
I hesitated, still not entirely sure what I wanted to do. When Gabriel
cleared his voice like he was about to speak again, I rushed out, “The zipper
is stuck.”
He pulled open the curtain, making a low growl in his throat before
stepping forward and pulling my hair to the side, placing it on my shoulder.
His knuckles grazed my back, causing a shiver to run down my spine as he
pulled the zipper up slowly. When I felt his hand graze the top of my neck
and stop, I turned around, smoothing the material over my body self-
consciously. “So, what do you think?”
He let out a slow breath as he surveyed me, “I-I think that dress is most
definitely coming home with us.”
I looked down again, “So, you like it, then?”
“Like?” His voice was low as he took a step toward me, forcing me
back into the wall. I tilted my head up to look at him, his eyes rimmed in
yellow, “Love. I love that dress, Claire. When you wear this dress, I will
know you are wearing it for me.” The back of his knuckle came up and
rubbed gently against my exposed cleavage. “Not Jace. Not Vix. Not Laden
. . . Me, Claire.”
My breath caught at his touch, my pulse quickened, and I knew he heard
the changes in my body. His palms came down to rest on each side of my
head, caging my body in as he leaned down to kiss me. His tongue dueled
with mine slowly at first, each stroke coaxing the embers between my
thighs until it was a full-on fire.
Shameless, I found myself rubbing against his leg, seeking pressure and
almost begging for pleasure. One of his hands fell to my thigh, gripping it
tightly as he hiked it up toward his hip. “Be careful what you’re asking for,
Claire. Your mates are the jealous type.”
His words sent a thrill through me, knowing their punishment would
most definitely be more pleasure than pain. “I’m willing to risk the
consequences.”
He nipped my lip with a groan, “Think about what you’re saying,
Claire. We’re in a dressing room. Are you sore?”
 I most definitely was sore, in the most delicious way and he was right.
We were in a dressing room, not our bedroom. Or our house. Anyone could
walk in at any time and catch us. That thought made me rub harder against
his leg and reach for his jeans. “I trust you will be gentle.”
“You’re trusting the wrong mate,” He growled and images of last night
flashed through my mind. His large body between my thighs. His thick cock
moving inside of me, stretching me so much that pleasure and pain
intertwined.
“I trust all my mates equally,” I whispered as I lowered his zipper,
pulling out his cock to hold in my hands.
His head fell back as he groaned. His hands gripped the hem of the
dress, pushing it to my waist before he gripped the back of my thighs and
lifted me up, slamming my back against the wall. “I warned you,
sweetheart, but with your little fingers wrapped around my cock like that, I
can’t be responsible for my actions.”
He leaned in and kissed me roughly, his tongue battling with my own,
our teeth clashing, his hips grinding against my palm as I squeezed him in
my hands. My legs wrapped around his body tightly, pulling him closer to
me, and he cursed. A long string of profanity left his mouth before he said,
“I’ll probably regret this in an hour or two, but right now, all I can think
about is claiming your body. Imprinting it in every way possible so that
every damn wolf within a hundred miles knows who you belong to.”
Then, he pulled my hands into his and pinned them against the wall
before he shifted his hips forward and plunged into me. Feeling him inside
of me stole my breath, leaving me to struggle through the sudden overload
of sensations. He fit so tightly, I was afraid to move. He pulled out and
pushed back in, grinding his body against my clit, causing white lights to
cloud my vision.
“So. Damn. Tight,” he groaned, “Just the feel of you already has me
close to the edge.”
I knew the feeling. Each grind into me, pound of his hip, jolt of my
body roughly hitting the wall behind me, made logical thinking impossible.
Each incoherent thought was focused solely on him. His body, the feel of
him pushing into my core and the sparks of pleasure he was shooting
through me until it all wound together so tightly I exploded. I screamed and
gasped out his name, clawing at his shirt-covered body as he followed
behind me with his own climax.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 7
JACE

It was admittedly a douche move to leave Claire laying in our shared

bed, naked, trusting that her other mates would take care of her throughout
the night, but it was a move I had to do. One bite, one extremely
pleasurable bite, had my wolf begging me to curl up into her side and never
leave and I couldn’t have that.
I bought her for one particular reason. Two actually. To breed and to get
back at her no good, useless father for what he had done to my own. I
wasn’t supposed to like her, only care for her, see that her needs were met,
and make sure no harm came her way.
Too bad my wolf didn’t understand that. He whined, scratched, howled
at me from the inside, insisting we march back into that room and make
sure she was safe with her other mates. I trusted them, and he usually did
too. But something possessive took hold the moment we marked each other
and suddenly, she was his only priority.
I couldn’t deal with his constant badgering so the moment the sun
peeked past the horizon, I left. I used a poor excuse of pack business, which
my men all instantly saw through, and promised to see them later.
Only now, it’s hours later, and we were standing in front of the elders,
and all I could do was fight irritation. Claire stood next to me, smelling
strongly of Gabriel, unaware of the turmoil she was causing my wolf. The
elders loved her, they ate up her charm and innocence like I knew they
would, welcoming her as a new pack member without an ounce of question.
I refused to let my wolf control me, even as he begged I step closer, take
her hand, bury my nose in her hair. A Blackwell, no matter male or female,
would never be welcomed into my heart, even when she looked at me with
those big, sad eyes, silently begging for me to talk to her.
She’s a Stonewall now. My inner voice tried to reason, but deep down, I
knew she would always be Lester Blackwell’s child. An apple doesn’t fall
far from the tree, and if I let my guard down, I would surely be sideswiped.
The elder’s dismissed us, approving the celebration for three days and
giving me and my mate . . . mates . . . their blessings. I walked them all to
the truck, not intending to follow them home. Despite my better judgment
and mentally scowling myself not to, I glared at Gabriel. “You reek of our
mate. In front of the elders, too. Have you no respect?”
“The only one who seems to really mind is you. If the elders had a
problem, they wouldn’t hesitate to speak it.” Gabriel leaned against the
truck, his eyes looking past me to Claire, who was sandwiched between Vix
and Laden as they walked down the sloped driveway. After a short pause,
he spoke again, “Why did you leave?”
“I had matters to take care of.”
“Bullshit,” he spoke the words loud enough to cause the mates’ heads to
turn in my direction. “We’ve been a family for years now, Jace. Never once
have you had sudden matters to take care of in the middle of the night.”
“Just because I hadn’t in the past, doesn’t mean I can’t now.” I stared
him in the eyes, and he shifted, trying not to look away from my superiority.
“You’re scared,” he finally offered. “Of what? I don’t know.”
I looked over my shoulder then back to Gabriel and sighed, “She’s a
Blackwell. They are a cold-hearted bunch.”
“She’s a Stonewall and not an ounce of cold in her heart.” He ran his
hand through his hair. “Look, go ahead and fuck this up for yourself, but
don’t you dare ruin it for us. They love her. Look at them.” His eyes
watched his mates interact. “Don’t break her heart, Jace, because we are all
tied to it.”
I brushed him off, unable to respond now that Claire was so close. It
didn’t matter what I would have said, Gabriel would have sided with Claire,
already fallen in her mesmerizing trap. I’d made a mistake, I could clearly
see that now. At the auction, I let my wolf push me toward what he wanted,
and I was convinced it would be a sweet deal, a prime opportunity to show
Lester Blackwell I one-upped him.
But I didn’t think it through. I assumed all my mates would be on the
same page, would know that she was a tool, not a treasure. But the moment
the vow ceremony was completed, I think I lost them all. Admittedly, I lost
myself for a bit too, until I was alone and I let myself think about all the
ways having her around could be wrong.
She could be a spy.
She could frame our pack.
She could give Blackwell access to our funds.
I wish I’d thought of the large amount of negative bringing Claire into
the fold would have brought to us, instead of the single vengeful positive
thing. Now? Well, now the only thing I could do was live through the bare
minimum of this relationship. Go through the motions, but not let myself
get too close.
She had saddled up to my side, and I hadn’t even realized she was near
me, I was too focused on my thoughts and the conversation with Gabriel.
“Are you coming home too?”
Home? How could she be with us less than twenty-four hours and yet,
already call my house, my land, my men . . . her home? “I have business to
take care of.”
It wasn’t a blatant lie, but it wasn’t entirely true either.
“Oh.” She wrung her hands together in front of her, like being next
to me made her nervous. A ridiculous notion since I’d seen and touched
every inch of her creamy skin as she writhed and moaned underneath me.
My cock began to stiffen at the memory, and I urged my thoughts
elsewhere. “Do you know what time you will be home tonight?”
Jesus, not even a full day married, and she was already trying to
keep tabs on me. “When I get home.”
My words came out harshly, and she flinched. “I just thought . . .
never mind.” She shook her head as if she was clearing her head. “I’ll see
you when you get home, Jace.”
She stood on her toes and stretched as far as she could reach,
placing a little kiss on my jaw before opening the truck door and climbing
inside, not even giving me a second glance. Each of the men followed her,
but not before glaring at me like I had done something offensive. I stood
there as they backed out and drove away, kicking up a cloud of dust around
me, and watched my best friends and our mate leave.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 8
CLAIRE

On the days leading up to the mating celebration, the men showered me

with attention, both in the bedroom and out of it. At first, it was a bit
uncomfortable, always having someone around to help and give me
anything. My body was always under their gaze, and it made me self-
conscious until I finally accepted that they didn’t care about the dimple on
my thighs or the awkwardly shaped birthmark on my back. In fact, they
lavished those flaws with extra attention, convincing me that each defect
was their personal favorite part of me.
Except for Jace. The alpha avoided everyone in our den like the plague,
me the absolute most. He spent a lot of time in his office, or out doing pack
business, not once coming to bed, dinner, or on an outing with us. I tried not
to let it defeat me, not when I was lavished with all the attention I could
want, but still, I wanted just one more. Just Jace’s.
I knew that tonight Jace couldn’t avoid me. Not when our whole family
was to be the center of attention, the guests of honor, the main attractions at
the celebration thrown just for us. This fact both excited and terrified me.
On one hand, he was forced to say more words than just a stiff hello to me,
since he was in charge of all the guests. But on the other hand, I was afraid
how the conversation would go after he spent days intentionally ignoring
me and keeping his distance.
I heard a soft rap of knuckles again the bathroom door, and I froze,
afraid to turn around. After I didn’t answer, Laden’s voice filled the room,
“You have to be the prettiest sight I’ve ever seen; I swear it.”
I looked over my shoulder. “I can’t get my hair just right.”
He wrapped his arm around me from behind, aligning himself with my
back. “Leave it how it is; it already looks flawless.”
I grumbled about him being a suck-up under my breath, “You’re only
saying that because you’re stuck with me either way, might as well make
the best of it.”
He pinched me through the silk material that was clinging to my body.
“I would still pick you again, you know.”
 His lips came down as he placed slow kisses on the crook of my neck.
“Are you trying to make me feel better? Because it’s not working.”
I turned in his arms, and he raised a single eyebrow. “No?”
I sighed, “Okay, it’s working a little.”
He leaned down again, burying his nose in my neck. “What are you so
worked up about? We’ve all felt you pulsing with nerves all day. God, you
smell divine.”
“Do you think Jace will show up?” I blurted out.
He let go of me and sighed exasperated, “Of course he will show up, it’s
his party.”
I grabbed onto his shirt tightly. “Why doesn’t he like me?”
“Doll, I don’t think it’s you. I don’t think he likes himself much right
now, either.” He leaned down, his lips a breath away from my own. “But he
doesn’t matter. You have three other mates who have spent their
daydreaming about all the ways to remove that exquisite dress and show
you a good time.”
His lips touched mine, and he moved them slowly, lazily kissing me
until my body was frantic for him. It didn’t take much, not really. Just the
lightest touch of his lips had my body grinding on his thigh and gripping his
shirt so tightly my fingers left wrinkles in the fabric. He pulled away and
tapped my nose. “Are you almost ready?”
I felt the nerves ball in the pit of my stomach again. No, no, I wasn’t
ready to have to actually face Jace after days of him ignoring me, but I
guessed I was as prepared as I was going to be. “Almost.”
He took my hand in his, lacing our fingers together before pulling
gently. “Let’s go. The party has already started, and you’re here, fixing
everything that doesn’t even need fixing.”
My mates, excluding Jace, were all waiting for me by the back door
leading out to our yard, where a crowd of people was already gathered.
Strings of lights were hung from posts creating a soft glow as the sun set
behind the trees. Tables with food and refreshments sat to one side, while
the other side held tables and chairs for guests. Surrounded by the tables
was a giant dance floor.
“Do we just go out?” I asked a bit timidly as I peered down at all the
people.
“I mean, we can. If you want, but we were waiting for . . .” Vix’s voice
was cut off by the sound of Jace’s deep timbre.
 “You look beautiful.” I turned to see Jace standing a few feet behind me,
his hands in the pocket of his slacks, his dress shirt perfectly wrinkle-free.
I felt shy at his compliment, completely exposed under the scrutiny of
his gaze. I looked down at the silk of my dress, my fingers instantly finding
one of the tiny beads and fidgeting with it. “Thanks, I . . . um, couldn’t get
my hair just right. And my make-up, I’m not used to . . .”
He held up his finger to cut me off. “I said you’re beautiful, Claire.”
He stepped next to me, taking my hand, and I had the urge to pull away,
to seek out the comfort of Vix’s loving arm, or Laden’s humorous laugh. To
hide behind Gabriel’s bulking size and pretend that nothing else around me
existed. His grip tightened as he pulled open the door and led me outside.
He leaned down and whispered in my ear, low enough for the other men not
to hear him, “Are you afraid of me?”
Was I afraid of him? Not exactly. But he hadn’t let me have the chance
to know him like the other men. I hadn’t had one on one time, learning his
likes or dislikes, or group outings. Hell, we hadn’t even shared a meal
together. “I don’t know you.”
“You know me in all the ways that count.” His voice was rough, his
breath against my ear made goosebumps cover my body, and I hated that I
reacted to him, even when I didn’t want to.
“You know my body, maybe. What’s my favorite color?” I challenged
while plastering on a smile, knowing the whole pack was watching.
“We just met, you’re being unreasonable,” he growled, and it vibrated
through my body.
“Am I? Gabriel likes blue. Vix yellow. You and Laden both like green,
but you prefer darker colors, like the forest instead of his bright lime
preference.”
“So what? I could have told you that.” We approached the last step, and
I tripped, he caught me with ease as I landed against his body and in the
distance, I heard a few women swoon.
“You could have, but you didn’t. I learned it just by observing you.
Why? Because you’ve been avoiding me.”
His eyes locked on mine as he held my body close to his. “I haven’t
been avoiding you.”
“Are you sure you aren’t a cat in there?” I pulled away, wearing a fake
smile as he lead the way to the table set at the head of the dance floor.
 He growled a deep sound that would have intimidated me if I didn’t
have three other protective men at my back. “Watch it, sweetheart, my wolf
doesn’t take lightly to taunts like that.”
“I’m sorry, I thought I heard a purr.” Behind me, I heard Laden choke
on a laugh.
“Claire!”
“Yes, Jace?” I made a slight purr in my throat.
He stopped walking midway to the table, centering us right in the middle of
the dance floor, then turned. Taking my face in his large hand, he held my
jaw in his fingers, tight enough I couldn’t move, gentle enough not to hurt
me. “Stop talking, Claire.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Not when he was
staring at me so intently, my mouth went dry, and my pulse picked up. A
battle warred behind his gaze before finally one side won. He leaned in, his
lips seeking my own like the pull of magnetic forces, before we crashed
together, in a soul-searing kiss. My legs felt suddenly weak, and if it wasn’t
for the strong arm that bound around my waist from behind, I’m positive I
would’ve crumbled to the ground, right there in the middle of the dance
floor.
He pulled away slowly, and cheers erupted around us. Placing his
forehead on my own, he closed his eyes. “Why are you making this so
hard?”
“So hard for what?” I cupped his cheek, stroking the slight stubble with
my fingers.
“So hard to not like you.”
He grabbed my hand in his and turned, pulling me behind him, leaving
me no more time to ask questions when we were suddenly surrounded by
people, eager to celebrate our new status and share their own newly mated
stories.

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 CHAPTER 9
JACE

She’s a traitor.
She’ll be no good for the pack.
She’s probably funneling Blackwell private information as we speak.
She’s beautiful.
She smells so divine, like sunshine and temptation.
One more kiss won’t hurt.
My thoughts waged war inside of me, both pushing me away and
pulling me closer. I wanted distance to remind myself that she was bad
news, but I also couldn’t help but lean into her body and smell the
temptation of her skin. I could sense the change in her body, my wolf
whining with his need to be close to his mate, wanting to breed with her
when the time came. I wasn’t really sure if that was what I wanted anymore.
If I couldn’t trust her in my home, how could I trust her with my pups?
She hasn’t even given you a reason to doubt.
Which was technically correct, but I needed to keep my guard up.
Even now, as I watched all my pack shift back to human form, a pack run in
celebration of our mating, I couldn’t help but watch her. I wanted her, and I
hated to want her. Jealousy at what my other mates had with her only fueled
my anger, adding to my internal rage.
Gabriel picked her naked form up, carrying her in a bridal hold like
she weighed nothing, and she squealed, then buried her nose in his neck and
rubbed her body against him. I growled.
That should be me.
It could be me, a voice deep down argued.
Fuck, I wish she wasn’t so damn sweet, even when she was pushing my
buttons, comparing me to a damn pussy cat, I wanted to fuck her. I could
distance myself without being outright rude, couldn’t I? Show her who the
boss was while still being her actual mate?
Deep down, I knew I couldn’t resist the pull, my wolf wouldn’t let me.
Hell, even now, my feet were pulling in the direction of the mates,
following Gabriel as he walked toward the house. I thought about stopping,
but the thought made my wolf agitated. He clawed painfully at my insides
until he was sure I wouldn’t turn back.
I took the stairs two at a time, but when I made it to our bedroom, the
one room I’d successfully ignored for the better part of a week, I hesitated.
Would they even want me there? They all seemed to have bonded
flawlessly. So flawlessly, that the man in me doubted there was room for
me, even as my wolf refused to care.
I took the metal knob in my hand, turning it slowly before pushing the
door open. All my mates were there, and although I wanted to feel jealous
of the time they were getting with her, somehow, the sight made my heart
feel full. Satisfaction at them all together, pleasing our woman, coursed
through me. I growled, causing the room to still as all heads turned to me.
With all eyes on me, my back stiffened, my senses on alert. I licked my
suddenly dry lips, “I . . .” I took in a deep breath, “Can I be here?”
The men’s eyes turned to Claire, watching her as she rolled onto her
knees, a position I would die to take her in, and crawled across the soft
fabric of the blanket before she stepped off the bed. She stalked across the
carpet, the predator in her both causing a stir of desire and fear. When she
reached me, she stopped, her eyes focusing on me intently, causing me, the
alpha, to fidget in place. Then, she reached up, her fingers wrapped around
the hair at the nape of my neck as she pulled my head down, kissing me
roughly before backing us into the bedroom.

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 CHAPTER 10
CLAIRE

Jace changed at the celebration. But only a bit. He accepted me as a part

of his household, and I accepted his small olive branch and let him into our
bed. After the night of the celebration, we hadn’t had sex, but he had made
it a point to be around more, to have conversations with me, to inquire
about my day.
It was all automatic, but it was better than being outright ignored. I
noted Jace could be sweet if he chose to be, but mostly preferred to be gruff
and stand outside the ring of everyone and watch. Determined to protect his
mates from me, the threat. The inside enemy. The only child of the person
he hated most in this world.
Laden told me the truth about his struggle and the regret from
purchasing me at the auction, and I understood his fears. But I would stick
with these men any day over siding with my father. My father was ruthless
and controlling, at times he could even be abusive. But these men, my
mates, were kind and caring. They wanted my happiness over theirs, and
they trusted me with freedom outside of their walls that I never once
experienced in my life living with my father’s pack.
I watched each of my boys leave for work today, no one wanting to
leave my side, all obsessed with burying their noses in my skin. I knew my
time was close, I could feel my wolf’s restlessness as she paced back and
forth, whining for attention, but I thought I had a few more days. Now?
Now, as I shifted uncomfortably as I stood at the stove, trying to ease the
discomfort I was feeling, I knew I had misjudged.
Inhale. Exhale. I reminded myself, knowing it would do little to ease
my discomfort, but it might calm my pounding heart a bit.
This wasn’t my first time being in heat. In my father’s pack, it wasn’t
something mentioned. In fact, I was confined to my room during the
duration as I thrashed with pain and the feeling of dissatisfaction. It was
lonely, hard, torture.
But, this won’t be as bad as the past. I took air into my lungs, letting it
out slowly. Knowing this time, that fact was true. My men would take care
of me, well, at least most of them. They would drown out the pain with
pleasure, forcing my body to accept it all. They would know what I needed,
their wolves driven on pure instinct to protect me from the pain.
I heard a car door slam and a slow smile curled my lips. They came,
without me having to call. Not like I would have called, to begin with, I
would have waited out my day for them, hoping their work didn’t keep
them late. But they came to me, knowingly, as if they sensed my inner
turmoil.
I walked through the dining room, having to stop in the hallway by the
front door to clutch the wall and bend at my waist, the sudden sharp pain
almost too much to handle. When the wave passed, I stood, and opened the
door, ready to welcome my mates.
I froze.
Terror at the expression on my father’s face built inside of me.
After almost two weeks of being mated, I assumed he wouldn’t come.
Sure, I knew he knew my whereabouts. The moment Jace filed out our
paperwork with the elders, all pack leaders statewide got the news. But he
had remained quiet and I let my guard down, no longer afraid when I was
surrounded by large men capable of protecting me. Only, they weren’t here
right now, it was only me. And my father.
“I did not give you permission to leave my house.” His voice sent
shivers up my spine, and I took a step back, then another, trying to put
space between us.
He advanced forward with each step I took back until I was pinned
against the wall. His body leaving no room for me to run. My throat was
suddenly so dry, I could barely speak, “I-I . . .”
“You what, Claire?” He slammed his fist into the wall next to my head,
shards of drywall scattered everywhere. “You ran away from home. You got
mated. You betrayed your father. For what? For a fucking Stonewall. You
betrayed your family for him, a piece of trash Stonewall. He’s a shame to
his whole damn pack, can’t you see that by looking at him?”
Anger bubbled within me. Jace was stubborn and pig-headed, but he
was a good man. No one had ever spoken unkind words about him, and he
genuinely cared for his pack. I swallowed hard. “He’s a good man.”
“He’s a disgrace to his father’s name!”
I closed my eyes, gathering courage. “Kind of like I’m your disgrace.”
Fire flared in his eyes. “Look at you, you are a disgrace. I should have
had a son; instead, I was cursed with you as my only child.”
Feeling bold, I blurted out, “It was a curse to have you as a father, too.”
The fire I saw in his eyes moments before turned into a full raging
inferno. His fists, which had shattered the wall moments earlier, unfurled
before they wrapped around my neck, holding me in place. “How cheeky
and brave you have gotten with only a few weeks away. I think it’s time for
you to come home now. Marry Sal, like I had promised. I’m sure the deal
will be drastically less, but he will still take you.”
The pressure of his fingers on my throat had my hands pulling at his
forearm. “No.”
He squeezed a little tighter. “You belong to me, and you think you can
tell me no?”
“I’m not leaving my mates,” I gasped, the pressure making it hard to
breathe, to think, to speak.
“You will do as I say because you belong to me!”
“No.”
“No?” He squeezed. “Then you belong to no one.”
My fingernails clawed and scratched into his skin, trying to loosen his
grip, as my mind grew fuzzy, taking on a haze that made it nearly
impossible for me to think. I tried to swallow, but the band around my
throat made the action impossible. My eyes watered, and my vision started
to blur, black dots floated in front of me. I closed my eyes, waiting for the
inevitable. Accepting my fate.

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 CHAPTER 11
JACE

I made it a point to be more of a mate for Claire, even if I wasn’t fully

trusting her yet. I would get there, eventually. Hopefully. One day.
I wasn’t as touchy as my other mates, but I didn’t think she really
wanted me to be. I was her alpha, I command control and obedience. But, I
did make it a point to communicate with her and to be around instead of
completely avoiding the situation. She seemed to genuinely care for my
men, a fact that caught me off guard. And well, them? They were utterly
enthralled with her, sniffing around her each chance they got, always in her
space.
Could I blame them? No, not really. This morning as I left the house, I
had to force my wolf away from her. She was close, my wolf could sense it,
and that fact alone made it nearly impossible to leave. When I did finally
manage to drag myself out of the house, my wolf only let me go a couple
miles before he forced me to pull to the side of the road, the pain of his
struggle too much to bear.
I tried to wait out his despair. I tried giving him time. But all he wanted
was his mate; a fact I couldn’t ignore any longer. I wasn’t sure really what
my plan was because having sex with Claire was a one-time thing. Since
the night she became my mate, on the rare occasions I allowed myself by
my mates to sleep, I had only watched. Maybe some touching. But I hadn’t
allowed myself to have sex with her, not until I knew I could fully trust her.
I was pulling my truck around, getting ready to drive home when I felt a
sudden pain hit my body. My wolf whined, knowing his mate’s body was in
distress, and only we could relieve her pain. My palm came down hard,
hitting the steering wheel and making the horn honk as I let out a string of
curses.
I already knew the truth. “If I go back, I won’t be strong enough or
resist the call.”
My voice echoed off the empty cab of the truck, no one around to offer
me advice on what I should do. Why wasn’t there a handbook for situations
like this? Maybe I should call Gabriel? Or Laden? Or Vix? But odds were,
they would already know. Their bodies would have felt the shift in their
mate’s body from any distance, their own wolf dragging them home, the
sacred scent that only we as her mates could smell, enticing us into a state
of arousal before any of us even touched her skin.
The few miles back to the house felt like they dragged on and passed
too damn quickly all at once. I pulled up and parked, a little shocked to see
an unfamiliar car parked on our lot. Claire hadn’t mentioned having
company, a fact that brought my suspicions back to the surface.
How convenient was it to have company suddenly show up the first day
that all the men went back to work? The timing was suspicious, to say the
least.
I got out of my truck and quietly closed the door, taking slow steps
toward the house, straining my ears to catch the words that were streaming
out of the open door. Claire’s voice sounded shaky as she said, “He’s a good
man.”
My hackles began to rise, suddenly worried that I misjudged the
situation. My worry was only confirmed when I heard Lester’s angry voice
scream, “He’s a disgrace to his father’s name!”
I stepped slowly along the wall, not willing to be seen by Lester until I
was ready to make my presence known after the situation was assessed.
They spoke more, Claire’s words were hardly audible. My worry began to
rise. Did she sound weak? My wolf wanted to spring forth, but the man in
me knew that slow was the only way to keep control.
“I’m not leaving my mates.” She made a gasping sound, and my heart
sped up with panic.
“You will do as I say because you belong to me!” Lester’s voice
sounded crazed like he was past the point of angry, and he no longer had his
control.
“No.” Claire’s word sounded rough, but she said it with confidence.
I was almost to the door, just another few feet. “No?” He paused, “Then
you belong to no one.”
The words stalled, but slight sounds of movements, a struggle, filled my
ears, and I could wait no longer. Both man and wolf sensed the danger in
the air, smelled the desperation and fear our mate felt, and nothing would
have been able to stop us from protecting her.
I turned into the doorway, fury engulfing me. Lester, Claire’s own
father, stood with Claire against the wall, his fingers wound so tight around
her neck that her face was beginning to take on a greyish purple hue and her
eyes were red. Her hands fell to her side as she lost her strength, unable to
struggle any longer against her former alpha’s power.
My beast and man both roared, sprinting forward at the sight of our
mate in despair. My claws extended out of my hands as I reached for Lester,
sinking them into his shoulder as I pulled back. I caught him off guard, and
he released his hold on Claire, whose limp body slumped to the ground.
Spinning around, Lester snarled, his teeth bared as he reached a claw at
me. He missed, giving me an opportunity to duck low and grab hold of his
waist, then push forward until he was slammed into a wall. I slammed him
three times before he got the opportunity to swipe his claw into my side, the
pain causing my hold to falter.
“You think you can beat me?” He grunted, and he lunged forward,
forcing my body backward and out the door and into the porch’s post.
I arched my back, using my legs to kick his body off mine. “I can sure
as fuck try.”
He laughed, straightening his body to his full height, which was still
shorter than me. “You’re weak, like your father. He tried once to best me, to
take my pack from under me, but I refused to relinquish control.”
I shifted on my feet, ready to move any way my body needed to.
“Someone needed to take control of your pack, he was the only one brave
enough to try.”
He growled, low and menacing. “You can’t keep her. I won’t let you.”
“I don’t think you can stop me. Claire’s already mine,” I declared, “I
would never give her back. You don’t deserve her.”
I heard a gasp from the doorway, a shaken Claire stood watching over
us, her throat red and her face wet from tears. Fuck, maybe I didn’t deserve
her either. But I had to be the better of the two options, or at least I would
spend the rest of my time on this earth proving I could be.
With a low, threatening growl, her father’s wolf emerged tearing his
clothes from his body, my own wolf following, until we were two feral
creatures, fighting each other for life and in my case, love. Our bodies
tangled together, our claws slashed, our teeth nipped, the whole outside
world ceased to exist as I fought my real enemy, the man who murdered my
father and minutes earlier, tried to take my mate, too.
My back was pinned to the ground, his massive paws holding me
down as he bared his teeth, his snout dripping with drool and blood, his
eyes set on murder. He leaned down, I shifted my head to the side, barely
missing his teeth from my throat. I tried to push, but I was weak, both of us
were. Our energy expended in a match of equal strength.
A sound behind me made him freeze. I breathed deep, knowing my
other mates were here and they would protect Claire, then I pulled my
strength, using every ounce I had left, and flung the wolf off me. His body
slammed into a tree with a yelp, before he slumped down. I stalked forward,
my senses on alert, prepared to fight if the wolf sprung up, but he didn’t.
He lay on the ground, his hind leg bent at an awkward angle as he
whimpered when I came into view. My mouth salivated at the thought of
taking life, my jaw opened, my head leaned down. “Stop!”
I froze at my mate’s raspy voice. She fell to her knees beside me, unafraid
of the damage my wolf could do to her and wrapped her arms around my
pelt. “Don’t kill him. He’s still my father.”
My wolf growled into the face of the other wolf, threatening him to not
move before turning to Claire, nuzzling her neck, assessing her damage. He
wanted revenge, and I felt the same. But our mate was crying as she held on
to my pelt and we couldn’t bring ourselves to disappoint her. With one last
menacing growl, I shifted, scooped Claire up into my arms, and walked
away, leaving my mates to deal with Lester.

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 CHAPTER 12
CLAIRE
I wrapped my arms around Jace’s neck as he carried me, his body slick
with blood, sweat, and, dirt. Deep inside, my wolf growled her approval,
but outwardly, I worried. They both took some hard hits, and I knew I
shouldn’t have interfered, but I couldn’t let him kill my father. It would be
within Jace’s rights to punish me for interfering. All rules were against
mingling in a fight, especially one between two alphas. But I couldn’t live
with myself knowing I was the cause of my own father’s death.
He carried me into the house and sat me down on top of the kitchen
table, the jarring movement caused a slight moan to escape as I squeezed
my thighs together to try to relieve some of the discomfort. He caged my
legs in with his arms, bracing his palms on the table. He took a deep breath
and closed his eyes before he whispered, “Claire.”
“I’m sorry. I know the rules,” I rushed out, “I’ll take whatever
punishment you give me, but thank you. Thank you, Jace, for not killing
him.”
He shook his head no before he whispered my name under his breath
again. He buried his head into my neck, inhaling my scent. His tongue
darted out, tasting my skin before he pulled back. “I knew you were close, I
shouldn’t have left you this morning.”
“But you came back.” I took one of his hands in my own, pulling it up
to my lips and kissed it before licking at the blood that trickled from a battle
wound.
A rumble tore from his throat before he pulled his hand away, threaded
his fingers in my hair, and pulled me forward, capturing my lips in a searing
kiss. His lips were bruising against mine, his teeth nipping at my mouth,
until he trailed down my chin, toward my throat, leaving a damp trail from
his tongue. He reached my neck and stopped, pulling away from me.
He brought his fingers up to my neck, rubbing his thumb around my
sensitive skin. “He hurt you.”
I swallowed, still feeling the burn in my throat. “You saved me.”
“Not soon enough,” he confessed, guilt written all over his face.
I shrugged and rasped out, “I didn’t think you would.”
 He took a step back, anger and disgust clouding his expression. “I
would always save you, Claire.”
“I just thought. . .” I let the words hang in the air as I gathered my
thoughts. “I didn’t think you wanted me very much.”
He was shaking his head in disagreement. “Claire, I’ve always
wanted you. From the moment I saw you standing in the middle of that line,
I knew I would take you home. Hideous dress be damned, you were always
mine. But honestly, I had doubts. A lot of doubts. And . . .” he paused,
lowering his head and resting it on my shoulder, allowing my fingers to
come up and thread in his hair, “and for that, I’m sorry.”
His voice broke a little when he said the last words, the action so
unlike our alpha. I gripped his hair and pulled his head up, holding his locks
tightly in my fingers as I leaned forward, stealing a kiss from his lips. He
moaned low before his hands found my hip, gripping them tightly as he
pulled them forward, placing his body between my thighs. His lips chased
my own, his kisses hungry as he delved inside my mouth, his tongue
expertly tangling with my own.
My fingers reached for his cock, my hands shaking from want. I
wanted Jace ever since he claimed me as his mate, but now, I didn’t just
want, I needed. I needed him to accept me, I needed him to want me, and
most of all, I needed him inside of me.
His eyes closed and his head fell back as I slowly moved my fingers
up his length, caressing the underside. My mate mark was visible from this
angle, and I growled with approval at seeing this strong, stubborn alpha so
blatantly marked as my own.
He hissed, a sound of pleasure and pain as his hand wrapped around
my wrist. “Claire, the way you smell right now, I can’t have you touch me.”
I batted my lashes at him, knowing damn well he was weak with the
need to mate, just like I was. “What do you plan to do about it then,
Alpha?”
A rumble filled the room seconds before I was yanked off the table,
my body spun so fast I was almost dizzy. Jace wrapped his arm around my
abdomen as his lips teased along the sensitive skin of my mate mark, his
tongue leaving a wet trail behind. His hands slowly moved up my sides,
gently caressing the underside of my arms until he reached my wrist, where
he grabbed them, and forced my body forward, placing them on the table.
 His left hand found the button of my jeans and flicked it open, his
fingers slipping inside. My breath caught, and my body stilled. I was torn
between seeking out his fingers or trying to get away, my body already so
sensitive that even the slightest touch might make me come. His voice
whispered low in my ear, “You’re so wet already. Your body is begging me
to take you. I don’t think I can wait much longer. Your scent is making me
painfully hard.”
I pushed my body back into his, savoring the feel of his hard cock
nestled against me. My invitation as loud and clear as he pushed my pants
and panties down, pausing long enough for me to kick them off before he
kicked my legs wide and held me forward, holding me against the table
with a palm to my back.
A finger ran through my slit, and I bucked against the touch, so
sensitive that just the tiny graze of my clit caused both pleasure and pain to
hit me. It had to be the heat, I knew it, surely it couldn’t be the man alone,
but at this moment, the man was the only thing I could think about. Two
fingers slid inside my body, and I screamed, the sound echoing off the
kitchen walls as my core clenched, an instant orgasm racking my body.
His hand leisurely stroked my back as I came. “They say during the
heat, a woman becomes twice as sensitive, their body designed to make
them want to mate so bad, they would chase down their mate, would you
agree?”
God, yes, fuck, yes. I would do anything to have another orgasm
right now. Instead of words, I only nodded, my breathing still choppy from
the sudden burst of pleasure. I felt his fingers, still inside of me, widen,
stretching and preparing me for his girth.
“Would you chase me down, Claire?” He leaned in, removing his
fingers as he whispered the question in my ear and waited for me to nod.
“Good. From now on, I want to be the first person to know when you have
needs that need to be met, you understand me? Use words, you know I like
to hear them.”
“Yes.” My voice cracked, “I’ll tell you first.”
“Good girl.” His free hand wound tightly around my hair, his other hand
pulling forcefully against my abdomen before he thrust forward, roughly
pushing his cock inside of me.
My body thrashed in his grasp as he held me in place, my fingers trying
to grip the table, finding nothing to anchor me in place. He pulled back, his
large cock scraping against my inner walls, shooting sparks of pleasure
through my limbs before he pushed back in, jolting my body forward.
A scraping sound to my left caused Jace to pause. He cleared his throat,
“It’s resolved?”
“Gabriel is taking him home now,” Vix informed him.
Jace leaned over my body. “Do you want to suck Vix’s cock?” Just the
thought drove me wild, and Jace must have sensed it. “By the way you’re
squeezing my cock, I would take that as a yes.”
Vix eagerly stepped forward, already unbuttoning his pants, and my
mouth watered with anticipation. Out of all the guys, Vix was my favorite
for oral, he was so damn animated, his face expressive, his abs constantly
contracting as he fought for control. I licked my lips, Vix’s eyes followed
my motion as I stared at him in anticipation.
Laden came to my other side, his pants already unbuckled as he slowly
stroked himself, getting off on just the sight of his alpha touching his mate.
Watching Laden’s eyes glaze over with arousal, Jace pulled out and pushed
back into me. My body thrashed uncontrollably with the movement.
“Take Vix’s cock now, sweetheart.” Another shallow pump of his hips
as he demanded I suck off my mate.
I stretched my lips around Vix’s cock, gliding my tongue over the
underside as Jace pulled my hair tightly, pushing his hips into me. Tears ran
down my cheeks as I bobbed up and down, Vix's gasps filling the room.
Jace leaned down over my body and took my hand, gliding it over Laden,
intertwining our fingers before placing our joined hands on Laden’s cock,
stroking it together. Laden’s cock jumped under our touch before a groan
escaped his lips.
“They like it, they like when we touch them you know,” Jace whispered
in my ear before releasing my hair, using his now free hand to reach for
Vix, cupping his balls in hand and squeezing. Vix’s hips jolted, his cock
hitting the back of my throat as his head fell back in pleasure, his hand
finding my hair and gripping it tightly, holding my head in place.
“I don’t think they can last too long, sweetheart. Honestly, with your
tight grip on my cock, I’m not sure I can either.” He paused his movement,
his cock pulsing in my core, and I moaned at the slow throb it brought forth.
“Laden, our mate needs some help.”
Laden didn’t have to ask what Jace was referring to; instead Laden ’s
hand found my clit, Jace’s cock stretched me, and Vix filled me, and the
pleasure of all three sensations had my heart racing and lights dancing in
front of my eyes. Jace grunted, his movement less calculated, “She’s close,”
he gasped, “Are you good to go?” He wasn’t asking any of them
specifically, and they both gave their approval. “Good.” There was a pause
as he sucked in a breath. “Do it.”
I didn’t have time to process his words, one moment I was sucking
Vix’s cock while Jace pumped inside of me and helped me work Laden with
my hands, the next my vision was grey as pleasure consumed my body,
starting from the sharp pinch on my clit to spread outward. I tried to
scream, the pleasure too intense not to, when Vix's cum jutted down my
throat with a grunt, his hand in my hair tightening, only adding to my
enjoyment.
To my right, Laden groaned as Jace forced my hand to squeeze down, a
warm stream of cum shot from his cock, coating my back and Jace’s cock.
Jace’s movement stilled, a string of intangible curses left his lips before I
felt him pulse inside of me, coating me from the inside with his seed.
My body’s sensations faded to a slow buzz as Jace grabbed my waist,
pulling me to the floor, the other men following with us. I lay sprawled on
Jace’s lap, his face nuzzled in my neck, Vix’s leg on top of my thigh as he
lay on the floor catching his breath and Laden’s leg underneath both Jace
and me. Jace’s hand went to my back, smearing the remnants of our tryst
into my skin as he whispered dirty words into my ear that already had my
sex clenching, ready for more.
The door slammed, and we all turned in the direction of the sound,
Gabriel’s large angry body filled the doorway. “You couldn’t even wait
thirty fucking minutes for me?”

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 EPILOGUE
SIX YEARS LATER
CLAIRE

“No. No. No.” I stared down at the pregnancy test, freaking out inside.
This one was definitely not planned. “I need another.”
I heard Jace laugh from the other side of the door. “You most certainly
don’t need another test, Sweetheart.”
I pulled open the door, throwing the positive offender at him, “I can’t do
this so soon, what if it’s triplets? I can’t handle triplets.”
I heard a collection of laughs down the hall, informing me I wasn’t
discrete with my panic. “It won’t be triplets, I promise. Laden doesn’t have
triplets in his family.”
“Well, it would have been fucking nice to let me know that Gabriel was
a triplet before having him be the second to knock me up.”
There was a roar down the hall from the playroom, a roar of laughter
that sounded very much like Gabriel’s. “Honey, we didn’t think you would
actually get pregnant with triplets.”
“Well, guess what! I did! And I haven’t had a solid night’s sleep in four
years because of it!”
Jace had both hands up, palms out like he was trying to calm a wild
horse. “Baby, our boys aren’t that bad?”
“Really? Why did I call you all home from work today? Oh yeah,
because one of them shoved Nessa’s doll down the toilet, flushed it, got it
stuck halfway down the pipe, then they all got together and decided to
throw baking soda and vinegar to dislodge it . . . because you know . . . let’s
teach our children science, they will love it. Whose words were those? Oh
yeah, Vix’s. But don’t think you got off easy from this because once that
didn’t work, they grabbed the laundry soap and oil to slick it up. Isn’t that
an exact quote you used last week when you got Jaden’s head unstuck from
the stair rail?”
 He began to speak, and I held up my finger. “No, you don’t get to talk
here. You all were supposed to wrap it up this heat season, not plot whose
kid I was going to be knocked up with and surprise me with it. I thought I
had the flu for two weeks, Jace. Two damn weeks of taking care of your
four pups while literally vomiting at the sight of anything edible.”
Laden’s head popped around the doorway, unwilling to fully enter the
warzone. “We love you,” he said pridefully, knowing full well that this
time, the situation was all his fault and he wasn’t even remorseful about it.
“Also, I just wanted to let you know that the toilet is fixed, Nessa’s doll is
in the wash, and you can take a nap because I’m staying home the rest of
the day.
“A nap? God, that sounds amazing.”
“We should have led with that,” Jace grumbled and took my hand,
pulling me forward. “Aren’t you just a little excited? “
I tried to hide my smile, but I couldn’t. “A little.”
“It could be another girl,” Gabriel shouted from the room where he was
playing with the triplets.
“Or a boy, with his dad’s handsome features,” Laden pointed out.
I flopped down on the bed, completely exhausted, and it was barely
noon. “I could use more girls in this house.”
“Speaking of, I think we might want to think about expanding. At the
rate our den is growing, we might not be able to fit many more kids in
here.”
I sat up, bracing myself on my elbows to look him directly in the eye.
“Wait, how many kids are you planning to shove into this house and out of
my vagina?”
A long, rich laugh escaped his lips, a laugh that was making my lady
parts tingle. “As many as possible sweetheart, as many as possible.”

***

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Other works by Delilah Mohan

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Obscured Love (Obscured Love Series, book 1)
Eluding Fate
Ricochet (Obscured Love Series, book 2)
Five Seconds to Love (Obscured Love Series, book 3)

PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Claiming Claire (A reverse harem shifter novella)
Saving a Succubus (Available in the Rouge Souls Anthology)

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