《Resisting the Alpha Triplets by Cara Anderson》 Resisting the Alpha Triplets Prologue by Cara Anderson Mallory¡¯s POV Ten years old ¡°They¡¯ve breached our borders! We won¡¯t be able to hold them off for long. We have to get her out before they reach the pack house!¡± I heard a man¡¯s voice shouting! ¡°Take her and go now Mnie!¡± ¡°No!¡± Came the woman¡¯s shrill scream. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without you!¡± ¡°You have to go, love.¡± The man¡¯s voice softened. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to fight unless I know you and our daughter are safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going and that¡¯s final!¡± The woman insisted, her voice hard. ¡°If you die, I¡¯ll be no good to her anyway. Nanny can take her!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Carlton to let him know what¡¯s happening, make sure someone is there to meet them at the end of the tunnel.¡± The man finally relented, his voice breaking. ¡°Say your goodbyes.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, nanny is going to take you on a trip, okay?¡± The woman said, kneeling beside the little girl sitting on the floor ying with her dolls. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go, mommy!¡± The girl whined. ¡°I want to stay with you and daddy!¡± ¡°I know sweetheart, but mommy and daddy have some important grown-up business to take care of right now. Be a good girl and go on a little adventure with nanny and we wille meet you as soon as we can.¡± She instructed the little girl. ¡°Let¡¯s go sweetheart.¡± Another, younger woman leaned over and picked the girl up in her arms. But before she could go anywhere, the girl¡¯s mother pulled her into a tight hug. ¡°I love you sweetheart, more than you¡¯ll ever know.¡± She said, kissing the girl on the cheek then releasing her with a sob. ¡°Carlton and Erika will meet them.¡± The man said, walking back into the room. ¡°They are sending help but I doubt they will reach us in time. We had no warning!¡± ¡°Daddy! I¡¯m going on an adventure!¡± The girl announced excitedly. ¡°I know sweetheart!¡± The man replied, trying to sound upbeat for his child¡¯s sake. ¡°Now give daddy a kiss goodbye, my littledybug!¡± The little girl kissed his cheek then he knelt to pull back a rug on the floor, revealing a trap door. He opened it and helped the young woman and child down into a dark hole. ¡°If we don¡¯t survive, no one can ever know who she really is.¡± The man told the nanny who nodded in understanding. The child¡¯s mother sobbed and the man looked heartbroken as he closed the door to the tunnel. As soon as it closed, pitch ck surrounded them and the child began to scream in terror! ************************************ ¡°Mallory! Mallory, wake up sweetheart.¡± Mommy was cooing softly to me as she woke me from my nightmare. I woke up screaming again, shivering from the cold sweat that covered my body. Mommy lifted me into herp and rubbed my back,forting me until I calmed down. It was the same thing she always did when I had that nightmare, which was often, ¡°Better?¡± She asked, as my breathing slowed and my screams quieted. I nodded yes but she just kept rocking me some more until I stopped shaking. We sat quietly for a few more minutes until the doorbell rang, disturbing our peaceful moment. ¡°That will be the Alpha and Luna. Remember I told you they were stopping by today?¡± She asked without pausing for an answer. ¡°They brought the triplets with them so go wash your face and get dressed quickly. You can all y together while we talk.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to y with them.¡± I grumbled. ¡°They¡¯re mean to me!¡± ¡°They¡¯re just rambunctious thirteen year-old boys. I¡¯m sure they aren¡¯t trying to be mean. But they are our future Alphas so try to have patience with them, okay?¡± She said, swatting my behind and pushing me towards the bathroom. I groaned to myself. Boys were dumb. Especially those three. I just wanted to be alone to think about my dream some more. Why did I have the same bad dream over and over again? Who were those people and who was that little girl? I didn¡¯t recognize them but somehow they felt familiar, like I should know them. I wished I could see the nanny¡¯s face in the dream. I felt like I should know her too. ¡°Maeve, how are you?¡± I heard Luna Erika ask my mom. ¡°You look tired. Is she having nightmares again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. Always the same one but she still doesn¡¯t recognize anyone.¡± That was all I could hear clearly. Luna said something about an explosion, someone hitting their head, and ¡°no memories¡± but the sound of the triplets pounding footsteps as they ran into the house drowned out the rest. The ¡°no memories¡± part could have been about me. I couldn¡¯t remember anything from before three years ago. The pack doctor said it was selective amnesia or something like that. He wasn¡¯t sure if I would ever get my memories back. But it didn¡¯t bother me either way. Unfortunately, I had plenty of memories of the triplet Alphas I¡¯d like to forget. ¡°Hey, brat!¡± The oldest triplet, Colton, was standing in my bedroom doorway when I came out of the bathroom. ¡°Heard you woke up crying from a silly nightmare again. You¡¯re such a baby!¡± ¡°Shut up. Colt!¡± I snapped at him. ¡°And get out of my room! I didn¡¯t invite you toe in and I don¡¯t want you in here!¡± ¡°Too bad!¡± yton, the middle triplet smirked,ing up behind his brother and crowding in the doorway. ¡°We¡¯re the future Alphas and you¡¯re just an omega so you have to do what we say! And we say you have to let us in your room!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Carrington, the youngest, added. He always just went along with whatever his brothers said or did. ¡°Fine!¡± I huffed. ¡°You cane in. Feel free to y with my barbies or try on my make-up. It will be a great story to tell all your friends. I¡¯m going outside!¡± ¡°You better not dare say anything like that to anyone!¡± yton warned. ¡°If you do, we¡¯ll punish you, little wolf!¡± I put on my bravest face and tried to push past them, but all three of them stood shoulder to shoulder blocking the door. Their arms were crossed over their chests and they were growling at me. They didn¡¯t have their wolves yet so it was just human growls, which I would have found funny if they weren¡¯t ring at me like they were ready to murder me. I couldn¡¯t stop the whimper that left me at the threatening way they stared at me. ¡°Haha!¡± Coltonughed suddenly. ¡°Told you she was a baby! We didn¡¯t even touch her and she¡¯s almost in tears.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why we always have toe here anyways.¡± ytonined. ¡°Why are mom and dad so friendly with this scrawny little girl and her mother? It¡¯s not like they are anyone important. They are just omegas. Maeve doesn¡¯t even have a job. The pack probably pays for all their things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± I railed at them. ¡°We have our own money! I heard my mom say so!¡± ¡°Then where does ite from?¡± Cary demanded to know. ¡°None of your business!¡± I sassed back. Mom had said her family left it to her but I wasn¡¯t going to tell those nosy nellies that! ¡°When I ask you a question, you answer me!¡± Cary snarled, stomping towards me. I flinched at the aggressive way he was moving towards me and put my arms up over my face to protect myself. I braced myself for a hit that never came. ¡°What is going on in here?¡± Alpha Carl¡¯s booming voice bellowed. ¡°This little omega is being disrespectful, dad!¡± y tattled, an indignant look on his face. ¡°We¡¯re her Alphas and she refused to answer when we asked her a question!¡± ¡°What have I told you about singling people out because of rank?¡± Alpha demanded. ¡°That the weakest person in the pack is just as important as the strongest and a person¡¯s rank doesn¡¯t determine their value.¡± Colt answered proudly.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°That¡¯s right. And if you ever want to be Alphas and earn the respect of your pack, you better start remembering that!¡± He scolded them. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Luna¡¯s sweet voice asked as she walked up behind the Alpha. I held my breath, waiting to hear what Alpha Carl would tell his Luna. I hoped he wouldn¡¯t tell her the truth. If he did, Luna would punish the triplets for sure. And they would make me payter for getting them in trouble. ¡°No, love. Just giving the boy¡¯s an Alpha lesson.¡± He told her, bending the truth to save them from their mother¡¯s wrath. Luna Erika was strict with the triplets, which was one of the reasons I liked her so much. As long as I wasn¡¯t involved. ¡°Oh, okay. Well why don¡¯t you boys head to the car. Maeve and Mallory areing to the pack house to help us bake cookies today. Won¡¯t that be fun?¡± She dered cheerfully. The triplets grumbled under their breath but did as they were told. I bet they were as excited to spend the day together as I was. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 1 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 1 The Party

Mallory¡¯s POV Sixteen years old ¡°Ugh! I look like hell!¡± I groaned to myself, taking in the dark circles under my eyes and the sallow look to my skin reflected in my bathroom mirror. I¡¯d been having the same nightmare since I was seven years old but somehow it still managed to rob me of sleep. Last night was no different, leading to my current predicament. What a great way to start the day, my sixteenth birthday. ¡°Let¡¯s go birthday girl!¡± My mom called way too energetically from the living room. ¡°Alpha and Luna are waiting for us to arrive so they can celebrate with you!¡± ¡°Five minutes, mom!¡± I hollered back. I loved Alpha Carl and Luna Erika. They were like second parents to me, much to their triplet sons¡¯ dismay. I wasn¡¯t sure why they took such an interest in me, a lowly omega in the pack, but I wasn¡¯t going to question it. They had done so much for me over the years, treating me as part of the family. If only the future Alpha triplets felt the same way. Colt, y, Cary and I had developed a fragile truce over the years. Where they used to go out of their way to taunt and bully me relentlessly, now they basically ignored me. As long as I stayed out of their way, they stayed out of mine. Of course, that meant I spent the majority of my time dodging them. Because if I happened to cross their path, all bets were off. The exception was always days like today, when their parents dared to do something nice for me and insisted they attend. They resented the hell out of me for insinuating myself into their family, and they made sure I knew it. Unfortunately, their chosen method of torment had changed, from outright bullying, to more subtle forms of torture less noticeable to prying eyes. Which meant this party was going to be miserable. ¡°You said five minutes five minutes ago!¡± My mom groused, sticking her head in the bathroom door to check my progress. With a deep sigh, I smoothed out my long ponytail and applied a quick swipe of lip gloss. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go do this!¡± I huffed, grabbing my purse and stomping to the car. ¡°You could be a little more excited!¡± Momined about myck of interest in the event. ¡°Luna said they had a big surprise for you! Not every girl in the pack is lucky enough to have their favor like you do.¡± ¡°I know, mom. I do appreciate it. I¡¯m just tired.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie but it wasn¡¯t the whole truth either. ¡°But I promise to show the appropriate level of enthusiasm when we arrive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl!¡± Mom shimmied in the driver¡¯s seat. She always got so excited about my birthday. I reminded myself to try and have a good time for her sake. Ten minutester, we walked into the pack house dining room to see it awash in soft pink and yellow flowers. The damn ce smelled like a florist shop. The tables were covered in crisp white tablecloths and the chairs were draped in pink and yellow silk sashes. A banner with pink writing spelled out ¡°Happy Birthday Mallory¡± and a three tiered cake with pink and yellow roses and bowls of pink punch sat on a long table against the wall. I just stood in the doorway, speechless. This was too much, way morevish than any party they¡¯d thrown for me before. I nced around to find my mother wearing the hugest smile on her face, watching me take it all in. I stered a bright smile of my own on my face, but inside I was trembling while I considered how angry the triplets would be over this disy of familial affection. Luna Erika walked towards me with open arms, ready to pull me into a hug. Alpha Carl followed right on her heels. ¡°Happy birthday sweet girl.¡± Luna said, enveloping me in her arms. ¡°We¡¯re so proud of the beautiful woman you¡¯ve grown into. We wanted to have a special celebration for you today.¡± ¡°Happy birthday Mallory.¡± Alpha added with a smile. ¡°Boys,e wish Mallory a happy birthday.¡± The triplets broke off the conversation they were having with the current Beta, and looked over at me with identical sneers on their faces. Still, they trudged their way over to me, deciding it wasn¡¯t worth the argument if they refused. When they saw their sons head in my direction, Alpha and Luna stepped away. ¡°Happy birthday, Mal.¡± Cary was the first to greet me. But his teeth were gritted like every syble pained him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, happy birthday twirp,¡± was y¡¯s ttering acknowledgement, although much more genuine than his brother¡¯s. Colton just grunted, never letting the surly mask he wore slip from his face. At least his new girlfriend, Darcy, seemed nice enough. ¡°Happy birthday, Mallory.¡± She offered sweetly. ¡°Thank you.¡± I returned shyly, slightly intimidated by her aura. She was tall and thin, beautiful and elegant. Everything a future Luna should be. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the triplets made her their chosen mate and gave her the Luna role someday. Hopefully that day would be soon and they¡¯d forget I existed. The future Alphas had just recently turned eighteen and thought they were hot shit now that they had their wolves. It was annoying as fuck to be honest. They hadn¡¯t found their mate yet, but they didn¡¯t seem too fussed about it. Colton and Darcy had just started dating and he seemed pretty smitten with her. yton and Carrington, on the other hand, went through women like water, which I personally found disgusting. But if I was being truthful with myself, it wasn¡¯t just their atrocious behavior toward me that made me keep my distance from the triplets. I¡¯d hoped that as they got older, the Moon Goddess would curse them with skinny bodies and cystic e so they¡¯d finally learn some humility. Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t go my way. Instead, they had sculpted bodies covered in rippling muscles and perfect skin with not a blemish in sight. They were all six foot five with perfectly chiseled jaw lines and piercing blue eyes that would make any girl weak in the knees. The different ways they styled their sandy blond hair was the only way most people could tell them apart, though I never seemed to have any trouble. Colton had short hair, faded on the sides and spiky on top. y had short hair too but it was longer on top, all sexily mussed with an angled fringe. But Cary had the sexiest look of all. His naturally wavy hair was longer, reaching below his chin, and he wore it with his curls slicked back. Unless he was training, when he always pulled it up in a messy bun. Unfortunately, it was during training that I had ample opportunity to ogle their perfect physiques and I hated myself that I couldn¡¯t seem to stop. Looking at them shirtless did things to my body that I wasn¡¯t altogetherfortable with. Just thinking about the way sweat glistened on their sun-drenched skin made me want to lick them from neck to navel. Shit! I had to remind myself on the daily that they were shameless manwhores. Otherwise, I might find myself in danger of actually being attracted to them, which would be a total train wreck! ¡°What are you thinking about, little wolf?¡± yton pulled on my ponytail, derailing my dirty thoughts. He gave me a knowing look, like he could read my mind, and I knew I had to change the subject fast. ¡°Hey! Didn¡¯t you guys just turn eighteen?¡± I asked, quickly covering for my daydreaming with my usual snarky attitude. ¡°Yeah, a few weeks ago!¡± He beamed proudly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just wanted to confirm since you¡¯re still behaving like a first grader, pulling girls¡¯ ponytails to get their attention.¡± I scoffed, then walked away before he coulde up with a scathing reply. After a few minutes of hiding out in the bathroom, I decided it would probably be rude for me to avoid my own party so I reluctantly decided to go mingle. I was looking down,tching my bag closed as I walked out the door when I smacked into a hard wall. The impact knocked me backwards only to m into something else. Something with arms that quickly snaked around me and held me in ce. I looked up to see y standing much too close, glowering at me. I didn¡¯t have to look to know it was Cary standing behind me, trapping me in his embrace. ¡°Sassy little wolf, aren¡¯t you?¡± y¡¯s minty breath blew across my face as he spoke, then he leaned forward to murmur in my ear, ¡°I¡¯d watch my mouth if I were you or we might be forced to find another use for it.¡± His warm breath tickling my ear caused me to shiver and imagining what his words insinuated sent tingles straight between my legs. He was too close, his leather and tobo scent making me woozy. This was what happened when they caught me now. To onlookers, it appeared to be nothing more than innocent flirting. But to me, it was torture. Because they knew the effect they had on my adolescent libido and they took full advantage of it, only to mock me for itter. ¡°I-¡± I tried to think of a witty reply but my brain had short-circuited. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is your innocent little mind trying to figure out what he meant? Who¡¯s the child now, Mallory?¡± Cary¡¯s husky voice blew over my other ear. He smelled of bergamot and cinnamon, so thick it was numbing my senses to anything but him. And when I leaned forward, trying to escape his hold, I could feel a very hard, very adult part of his anatomy pressing against my ass. It was all I could do to stifle the whimper that threatened to escape. Wetness pooled between my thighs without my permission. If I didn¡¯t get away from them soon, they would smell what they were doing to me and I¡¯d never survive the humiliation. ¡°There you are!¡± My mother¡¯s impably timed yell came from the end of the hall. ¡°You three need to get out here. Luna wants to cut the cake, and she has an announcement to make!¡± Saved by my mother¡¯s inability to give me five whole minutes to myself, or so I thought. ¡°We¡¯ll bring her right out, Maeve.¡± y told her, never taking his eyes off my face. ¡°We were almost done talking anyway.¡± ¡°Thank you boys!¡± Mom chirped happily before walking away. I tried to step around them to leave but they just pressed closer to me, holding me in ce with their firm bodies. ¡°Did we say you could go yet, darling?¡± Cary growled behind me. ¡°But, your mother-¡± I tried pointing out, but y cut me off. ¡°Our mother will wait. We aren¡¯t finished with you.¡± He snapped, making me flinch. ¡°Next time you decide to get sassy with one of us, I suggest you remember who the adults are here. Though, if you want an introduction into womanhood, I¡¯m sure one of us would be more than willing to help you with that.¡± ¡°Or more than one of us.¡± Cary added, pressing his face into my hair and inhaling deeply. No force on earth could have stopped the whine that left me at their words. All I could do was stand there, helplessly trapped between them, my limbs refusing to work. ¡°I can smell your arousal, darling. If you were a little older and had the body of a real woman, we might consider scratching that itch for you. But we don¡¯t fuck little girls.¡± Cary taunted me, degrading me with his words. ¡°Now, put a smile on that sweet little face of yours, little wolf.¡± ymanded.¡± You wouldn¡¯t want to worry our parents by wearing a frown at the party they worked so hard on, would you?¡± I just shook my head. That seemed to be enough for them because they just turned to go back to the party, dragging me between them while I desperately tried to calm my racing heart. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 2 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 2 The Announcement

Mallory¡¯s POV Neither y nor Cary let go of me until we reached the front of the room where the Alpha and Luna waited for us. Colt was already standing beside his father, hands sped in front of him and a less than pleased scowl on his face. ¡°There is our guest of honor!¡± Luna Erika announced, beaming at me. ¡°Apparently my boys were monopolizing her.¡± I peeked out of the corner of my eye to see her ¡°boys¡± reaction to that only to see them both smirking to themselves. Jerks! ¡°But now that she¡¯s here,¡± Luna continued, ¡°My husband and I have a special announcement we¡¯d like to make!¡± Everyone waited with baited breath for their pack leaders¡¯ big reveal. Only the ranked members and their families and some of the pack council were here but I still couldn¡¯t help but fidget with all those eyes on me, probably wondering why an omega warranted so much fanfare. I tried to block everyone out and just focus on my mother, who¡¯s smile was so wide, you would think it was her birthday. ¡°As most of you know, Maeve and Mallory are like family to us.¡± Alpha Carl¡¯s gruff voice rang out through the room. ¡°Mallory is like the daughter we never had, which is why we feel so privileged to celebrate her birthday with her every year. But this year, we decided to go all out. Not just because it happens to be her sweet sixteen, which is a special event in itself, but also because it may be thest birthday we get to celebrate with her for a while.¡± What? That revtion sent my mind into a tailspin. Why wouldn¡¯t we be together for my birthday next year? Apparently, everyone else was wondering the same thing as curious murmurs rippled through the room. Even my mother looked confused, a little line forming between her eyebrows. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Alpha put his hands up, quieting the crowd. ¡°We won¡¯t keep you or the birthday girl in suspense much longer. But since the gift to Mallory we are about to announce was my lovely Luna¡¯s idea, which I happen to agree is brilliant, I will turn it over to her to do the honors.¡± ¡°Thank you, my love!¡± Luna said, taking the microphone from him then turning to me. ¡°The reason we might not be together on your birthday next year, my sweet girl, is that our gift to you, if you ept it, may take you away from us for a time. Alpha and I would like to send you to the King¡¯s Wolf Academy. We want to sponsor you for the Luna Preparation Program!¡± Cheers erupted and apuse rang out through the room along with a few murmurs of dissent, but all I could hear were her words reverberating in my head over and over again. I couldn¡¯t have heard her right. That was an elite program, for daughters of ranked wolves. And the cost was astronomical. Why would they spend that kind of money on me when I was unlikely to ever be a Luna? I was so lost in my own thoughts, Ipletely tuned out the crowd. Until a ferocious growl rose above all the noise. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Colton roared. Raucous cheering turned to dead silence in a heartbeat. My eyes searched for Colton only to shrink back when I found him. He was furious, fists clenched and chest heaving as he struggled to restrain his wolf. I followed his line of sight to his parents, who wore identical looks of shock and disappointment. ¡°Please help yourself to some cake.¡± Alpha announced. ¡°We will rejoin you shortly.¡± With a nod of his head, Alpha motioned for his sons to follow him. I found myself being gently led along with them by Luna Erika, the patter of my mother¡¯s footsteps following behind us. Soon, we were all crowded in the Alpha¡¯s office, tension hanging thick in the air. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Alpha Carl growled, ring at his oldest child. ¡°How dare you embarrass your mother and I with an outburst like that! Not to mention poor Mallory. We don¡¯t treat our pack members that way. And until you can learn to treat every member of your pack with respect, you sure as hell don¡¯t deserve to lead them!¡± ¡°I apologize, father.¡± Colton replied, hanging his head in shame.My guess was his remorse was more due to the threat of losing the Alphaship than anyone else¡¯s feelings, least of all mine. ¡°I¡¯m certainly not the only one in this room you owe an apology to.¡± Alpha barked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I embarrassed you, mother. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± He told her, then turned to me. ¡°I apologize to you as well, Mallory and to you Maeve, for being disrespectful to your daughter.¡± Mom and I both nodded in eptance, not wanting to cause their family any more drama. ¡°Now, can we calmly discuss the reason you lost your shit over something that doesn¡¯t concern you?¡± Luna Erika challenged, nearly making me choke on my spit. I¡¯d never heard her talk that way before. She was always the picture perfect Luna, never veering from proper etiquette. But now, she stood with her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her foot impatiently and fire dancing in her eyes. ¡°I just-, it just caught me off guard.¡± He admitted. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why you would invest so much of the pack¡¯s resources inherwhen it¡¯s highly unlikely she¡¯ll need Luna training. It¡¯s not like she¡¯ll end up mated to an Alpha. If you want to sponsor someone, why not Darcy? She has Alpha blood in her lineage.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but shrink in on myself at the bitterness in his tone. The message was clear. He would never want me as his Luna so he couldn¡¯tprehend why anyone else would either. I wasn¡¯t sure why it hurt so much to hear him say it though. He and his brother¡¯s were arrogant assholes. It¡¯s not like I wanted any of them anyway.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°First of all, as far as I¡¯m aware I am still the Alpha of this pack so how I choose to use pack resources is solely my decision. However, this gift is from your mother and I, not the pack, and it is our money we are investing in Mallory¡¯s future. And since your mother and I worked hard to earn that money, I believe how we spend it is no concern of yours.¡± Alpha Carl chided. ¡°And while Darcy seems to be a lovely girl, it is for her family to decide if she should attend the Academy or not. No offense, dear.¡± Luna added, smiling at Darcy who was trying, unsessfully, to hide behind Colton. ¡°Of course not Luna.¡± Darcy returned with a weak smile. ¡°But she¡¯s just an omega.¡± y said it like it was a bad word, clearly sharing his brother¡¯s opinion of me. Alpha growled at him and started to reprimand him but I cut him off. ¡°No, he¡¯s right.¡± I stated, putting on a brave face. ¡°Omegas don¡¯t get Alpha mates. It was a lovely gesture but I couldn¡¯t let you spend your hard earned money on me for something so unlikely to ever be worth the investment.¡± ¡°Mallory, listen to me. You are a smart, brave, kind,passionate and beautiful young woman. All things a Luna should be. And despite my sons¡¯ shameful attitude, you are worthy of an Alpha mate.¡± Luna Erika reproved me for my self-criticism. ¡°But even if you were to mate with an omega, there is a strength in you that deserves to be explored. Regardless of rank, you will hold an important ce in your pack one day. It would be negligent on our part if we didn¡¯t do all we could to help you prepare for that day. Besides, who are we to forecast the Moon Goddess¡¯ ns?¡± ¡°How long would she be gone?¡± My mother had been stunned into silence by the announcement so it surprised everyone when she finally found her voice. ¡°The program starts in two weeks andsts just under two years. There are no breaks so she wouldn¡¯t be able toe home during that time. You could visit but the program is rigorous. She probably wouldn¡¯t have much time outside of her studies.¡± Alpha exined. ¡°Two years!¡± Cary eximed out of nowhere, but a stern look from his father shut him up. My mother looked down, deep in thought for a moment. I was certain she wouldn¡¯t want me to leave her alone for so long. But when she finally looked up again, locking eyes with the Alpha, she only said two words. ¡°She¡¯ll go! Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 3 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 3 Homing

Colton¡¯s POV Two yearster ¡°I don¡¯t understand why a family dinner has suddenly be a formal event.¡± Iined to my mother, pulling at my tie to loosen it. I hated wearing a suit and tie, preferring sweatpants and a muscle tee, jeans and a t-shirt for dressier asions. Both my brother¡¯s looked equally miserable. ¡°Mallory will be here any minute. We haven¡¯t seen her in almost two years. We are all going to have a nice dinner together to celebrate her homing. The least you can do is look presentable.¡± Mom lectured. ¡°Now quit whining and go help set the table.¡± I turned to go, rolling my eyes at my mother¡¯s attitude. Darcy, my girlfriend of two years, was shaking her head at my antics with an amused smirk on her face. I stalked in her direction, intent on showing her what I thought of herughing at me. ¡°You¡¯re incorrigible.¡± She teased, looking up at me with an adoring smile on her face. There was so much affection in her gaze. It melted my heart and I couldn¡¯t help but kiss her. ¡°Could you stop sucking face with your girlfriend long enough toe help us out?¡± Cary griped at me. My youngest brother made no secret of his dislike for Darcy, though for the life of me I couldn¡¯t say why. At least y tolerated her without being rude. I picked up a napkin ring from the table and was about to fling it at Cary¡¯s head when a delicious scent wafted into the room, capturing my attention. It smelled of jasmine andvender and fresh citrus. I knew mom had baked cookies, but this was somethingpletely different and intensely captivating. Searching for the source of the intoxicating new smell, I caught sight of my brothers who looked equally enthralled. Before I could look further, the sound of footsteps approaching brought the scent even closer. And in the next moment, the most beautiful woman I¡¯d ever seen walked into the room. I was struggling to pick my jaw up off the floor. She had long midnight brown hair that hung in silky waves down to her waist. Her skin had a sun-kissed glow about it and looked impossibly soft, making my fingers twitch with the urge to touch her. And her lips. Fuck, those lips! They were so full and plush, I couldn¡¯t stop wondering what it would feel like to sink my teeth into them while I kissed her senseless. She was wearing a figure hugging wrap dress that proved she had a toned physique but still had ample curves. The hem hit her mid-thigh, showing off legs a man would die to have wrapped around him while she came screaming his name. I was momentarily speechless. ¡°Mallory?¡± y questioned, sounding utterly shocked. What? No! That couldn¡¯t be Mallory, could it? The girl that had irritated me since I was ten years old, joined our family out of nowhere like she¡¯d always belonged to it and was too sassy for her own damned good? ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted him with a small wave and shy smile. Then I looked again, really looked this time. And that¡¯s when I noticed them, those hazel eyes with the gold starburst that always enchanted me. The unique eyes that unmistakably belonged to Mallory Edwards. Only now, they had a maturity about them they hadn¡¯t before. But they were still sparkling with mischief. I¡¯d always felt an unexinable pull to the little omega and I¡¯d always resented her for it, not understanding why my Alpha wolf found her so attractive. But, I¡¯d always been able to fight it, pushing her away. Now though, I had a sneaking suspicion it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. My brothers were obviously as stunned as I was, but neither of them was even attempting to hide their appreciation for the woman in front of them. Cary was even licking his lips. Then he practically lunged for her. ¡°Mallory! Fuck, I missed you!¡± Cary blurted out, picking her up and twirling her around. ¡°Hey, little wolf! ¡°y was next, wrapping her in a tight hug. ¡°Looks like you grew up!¡± What the fuck was going on with those two? They¡¯d never been that happy to see her before she left. ¡°Neither had you. But now you¡¯re practically drooling over her.¡± My wolf unhelpfully remarked. ¡°Um, I missed you guys too, I guess.¡± Mallory mumbled nomittally. ¡°She smells amazing! Go hug her!¡± Kai, my wolf, prodded. I was about to follow his advice when a small hand on my arm stopped me in my tracks. Darcy. Shit! I¡¯d been so consumed by my thoughts of Mallory, I¡¯d totally forgotten about my girlfriend. How the fuck could I forget about her just like that? I was pissed at myself. Darcy was beautiful too and I was not about to ruin what I had with her for Mallory, no matter how good she looked. Kai whined at my refusal but I wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Is she our mate?¡¯ I asked him. ¡°Can¡¯t tell.¡± He shrugged at me. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a wolf yet.¡± ¡°Then drop it!¡± I demanded. ¡°I love Darcy and I¡¯m not giving her up for anyone.¡± He just stomped away in a huff without another word. I shed Darcy a reassuring smile. I didn¡¯t want her to feel insecure with Mallory back. She had no reason to be. When I looked back up, everyone was staring at me expectantly. ¡°Hi Colton. Hi Darcy.¡± Mallory offered another small wave and a half-smile. ¡°Wee home, Mallory.¡± I replied curtly. Mallory had never been very good at hiding her attraction to us when she was younger. I hoped she wouldn¡¯t make things difficult by following us around like a puppy now that she was back. I would have to talk to my brothers about not encouraging her with another disy like the one they¡¯d just given her. Just then, the front door mmed and Maeve ran screaming into the room. ¡°Where¡¯s my baby girl?¡± she screeched, then nearly knocked Mal over with her overzealous hug. ¡°Hi Mom!¡± Mallory squealed, clearly excited to see her mother again after so long. Themotion brought my parents into the room, awaiting their turn to greet the prodigal child. All eyes were on the mother-daughter reunion, but something was irritating my wolf, making him pace in my head. All at once, I registered the cause of his agitation. He had picked up an unfamiliar scent that now had me on high alert as well. I scanned the room to see a man I didn¡¯t recognize taking in the scene with, casually standing in our dining room with his hands in his pockets and a grin on his face. He looked perfectly at ease, like he wasn¡¯t a stranger in a house full of dangerous wolves. I took a step in his direction, intent on finding out exactly who the fuck he was and why he was in my packhouse, when Mal¡¯s reaction stopped me in my tracks. Mal seemed to scent him at the same time as the rest of us, looking around until her eyesnded on him. Her whole face lit up at seeing him there, making Kai snarl in my head. Something about the way her body rxed and the tension left her eyes the moment she detected his presence didn¡¯t sit right with me. ¡°Nathan! Come join us!¡± She waved him over. He immediately went to her, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. ¡°Everyone, this is Nathan Richardson, Alpha of the Winter Woods Pack, and my boyfriend!¡± A growl rumbled through my chest at that. I tried to y it off by clearing my throat but nobody was fooled. From the corner of my eye I could see Darcy¡¯s worried expression. I just squeezed her hand, refusing to meet her gaze while I struggled to force Kai back. ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll just see if they need help in the kitchen.¡± I excused myself, walking away quickly. ¡°Bro, what was that all about?¡± y¡¯s voice entered my head. I should have known he wouldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°Nothing.¡± I insisted. ¡°Kai¡¯s just a little wired tonight is all.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I get it! Gunner has been going nuts since he caught Mal¡¯s scent tonight. But who can me him. Seems our little wolf is not so little anymore!¡± He rambled on. ¡°But Darcy looks a little flustered. You should probablye sort her out.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± I said, closing the link. But I knew I couldn¡¯t go back out there until I got my shit together and brought my wolf to heel. If I kept behaving that way, it would hurt Darcy and that¡¯s thest thing I wanted to do. I knew I shouldn¡¯t care that Mal had a boyfriend, but damn if it didn¡¯t piss me the fuck off! I just wish I understood why. I hid in the kitchen, pretending to be useful, until dinner was served. My wolf still seemed rattled but had stopped trying to act out. I took my ce at the table next to Darcy and leaned over to give her a soft kiss. ¡°Tell us all about your Luna training, Mallory! We can¡¯t wait to hear all about it!¡± her mom gushed. ¡°What specialty did you choose?¡± ¡°Well, um . . .¡± Mallory started, hesitantly. ¡°Let me guess! You chose Healer, right?¡± y guessed. ¡°No, no! Mal hates the sight of blood. She chose Tracker.¡± Cary said with certainty. When did they be the resident experts on what Mallory did or did not hate? ¡°My girl is fierce. Why wouldn¡¯t you guess Warrior?¡± Alpha Rhcardson inserted. Kai grumbled softly in my head at hearing him im her as his but I quickly silenced him before he could alert the whole table to his presence. ¡°No way! Mallory, a warrior?¡± y sounded incredulous. ¡°She may have changed but nobody changes that much.¡± Apparently, Mallory didn¡¯t like hisck of faith in her because she squared her shoulders, a deep frown on her face as she prepared to snap his head off. There¡¯s the sassy, un-Luna like Mallory I remember, I thought to myself. But instead, she took a deep breath, smoothed out her features, and responded calmly. ¡°I actuallypleted all three tracks. I earned designations as Master Healer, Expert Tracker, and Warrior, First-ss.¡± She stated simply, not boasting but just rying facts. ¡°What?¡± My father was the first to respond, sounding stupefied. ¡°But no one¡¯s ever done that before.¡± ¡°Well, my girl did it! And she graduated with honors!¡± Nathan beamed with pride, scooting Mallory¡¯s chair closer to him and kissing the top of her head. Kai rumbled in disapproval and I could feel my brothers¡¯ wolves were equally unhappy. Mallory¡¯s answering smile was full of adoration as she returned Nathan¡¯s gaze. The rest of the room had fallen silent, too astounded to speak. I could have heard a pin drop if it weren¡¯t for my wolf snarling in my head at the sight of Mallory cozying up to her so-called boyfriend. Beside me, Darcy looked pale, unconsciously digging her nails into my skin where she gripped my arm. I understood her concern. Omega or not, what Mallory aplished would be enough to attract any Alpha to want her as their Luna. She obviously already had one drooling over her. I would just have to work harder to reassure Darcy that Mallory was no threat to her. I made her a promise and I couldn¡¯t go back on that. I wouldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± My wolf hounded me. ¡°Shut up, Kai!¡± I growled, ending the conversation. Because the truth was, I didn¡¯t have an answer. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 4 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 4 A Proposition

yton¡¯s POV ¡°Well that was a shit show.¡± My little brother, Cary, chuckled darkly as we walked upstairs together after the dinner party. ¡°Which part?¡± I snorted at him. ¡°The part where our dear older brother acted like an epic prick all night? Or maybe the part where Mallory showed up looking like a damn Goddess, making me drool all over myself? Or better yet, the part where her fucking Alpha boyfriend showed up and had his hands all over her all night, making my wolf insane with jealousy?¡± ¡°Yeah, Roan was losing his mind too. But I¡¯m not worried about the boyfriend.¡± He shrugged as if it was an easy obstacle to ovee. ¡°We¡¯re Alphas too, and we have history.¡± ¡°Are you fucking kidding me right now?¡± I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re right about her having a history with us, a terrible one. We tormented her for most of her childhood. She couldn¡¯t get away from us fast enough when she left for the academy. Meanwhile, she meets her Alpha prince charming there and he¡¯s probably been treating her like his queen for the past two years. We never should have treated her so badly all those years!¡± ¡°So, we¡¯ll just have to start treating her like a Queen too. Prove to her how sorry we are and how much we¡¯ve matured. Give the asshole Alpha a little friendlypetition.¡± He says like it¡¯s the simplest solution in the world. Cary flopped down on my bed, stretching out and propping his hands behind his head. His confidence truly amazed me sometimes. Admittedly, the three of us had pretty big egos and none of us had any problem getting girls, not that Colt tried anymore. But something told me winning Mallory away from her boyfriend, or even getting her to trust us enough to consider it, would be a bigger challenge than we¡¯d ever attempted before. ¡±I think you might be a little too sure of yourself.¡± I professed. ¡°And even if we could win her over, it would be a lot of work. It¡¯s not worth the effort for just anothery.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want just anothery.¡± Cary said, making me blink in surprise. He¡¯d never actually dated a girl in his life. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Had I entered some kind of alternate universe? That couldn¡¯t be my real brother talking. ¡°Why not? I mean, who wouldn¡¯t want her? She¡¯s fucking gorgeous! She¡¯s obviously talented and smart. And she¡¯s always been the perfectbination of sassy and sweet.¡± He sang her praises. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I think I¡¯ve always wanted her. I just didn¡¯t know how to act on it after the way we treated her.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too. And you¡¯re not wrong. Anyone would be lucky to have her.¡± I admitted. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t have her wolf yet. What if she leaves us for her mate. What if it¡¯shim?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it.¡± He answered nonchntly, shrugging again. ¡°Colton would never go for it.¡± I reminded him of our brother¡¯s current ¡°Darcy hung the moon¡± philosophy. ¡°We¡¯ll see!¡± Cary said with an evil smirk. I was about to argue but my father¡¯s voice in my head cut me off. ¡°Boys, I want to see you in my office in five minutes. Family only, Colton.¡± He linked all of us, but specifically made sure Colt wouldn¡¯t bring Darcy, which I was sure went over like a lead balloon. When we entered dad¡¯s office, Colt was already there, leaning against the wall next to dad¡¯s desk with his arms crossed over his chest. The pissed off look on his face left no doubt as to his current mood. Meanwhile, dad was sitting behind his desk with mom sitting in hisp, ruffling his hair through her fingers, the picture of tranquility. ¡°Good, you¡¯re all here. Have a seat please.¡± He said politely, but it wasn¡¯t a request. ¡°Your mother and I have something we want to discuss with you.¡± Colton made no effort to hide his aggravation butplied, knowing he didn¡¯t have a choice. An Alpha¡¯s order was an Alpha¡¯s order, dad or not. ¡°What¡¯s this about dad?¡± I asked, anxious to get to the point. It couldn¡¯t be anything good, Not when we got called into the principal¡¯s office like this. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it great to see Mallory again?¡± Mom answered my question with one of her own. ¡°Yeah, it was great!¡± Colt dead-panned. ¡°Did you call us all here to rehash dinner or was there something important you wanted to talk about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Colton!¡± Dad barked. ¡°You will show your mother some respect!¡± Colt nodded curtly and mumbled out an apology. ¡°Actually, Mallory is the reason we called you here. We have a proposition for you and would like you to hear us out.¡± Dad said. ¡°What kind of proposition?¡± Cary asked warily. ¡°We¡¯d like you to spend some time with her. See if you¡¯repatible together. And hopefully, one day she¡¯ll be your Luna.¡± Momid out their idea. ¡°No!¡± Colton growled immediately. ¡°We aren¡¯t finished son.¡± Dad¡¯s patience was clearly dwindling. ¡°We aren¡¯t forcing you into anything. We just want you to give it a chance. You heard about her aplishments at the academy. She would be a strong Luna for this pack. If things were to work out, I would hand the Alpha title to you as soon as your union wasplete. But if you find you aren¡¯tpatible, you can continue to wait for your fated mate.¡± ¡°Did it escape your notice that she already has a boyfriend?¡± Colt pointed out. ¡°And I have a girlfriend who I already intend to take as my chosen Luna.¡± ¡°No!¡± I protested. ¡°You know we can only have one Luna. If I¡¯m going to settle for a chosen mate, it¡¯s not going to be her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a no for me too!¡± Cary agreed. ¡°Actually, not just no but FUCK NO! ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough!¡± Dad cut us off. ¡°y and Cary, your feelings on Darcy are duly noted. What do you think of our proposal regarding Mallory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I told him honestly. ¡°I¡¯ll admit she¡¯s amazing and I¡¯m intrigued by the idea of getting to know her again. It seems like she¡¯s changed a lot, for the better. But I have concerns.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± Mom Prompted. ¡°Well, Colt has a point, she does have a boyfriend and they seem happy together. What makes you think she¡¯d even give us a chance? And even if she did, what if we aren¡¯t fated mates? What if she finds hers or we find ours? Someone might get hurt if that happened¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Cary voiced his opinion. Mom and dad both nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We would never try to keep you from your fated mate.¡± Mom started. ¡°But finding her isn¡¯t guaranteed and you couldn¡¯t do better than Mallory for a chosen mate. Besides, you never know, maybe she is meant for you.¡± ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s Nathan Richardson¡¯s mate.¡± Colton argued. ¡°And maybe Darcy is meant to be our chosen mate.¡± ¡°Colton, I know you care for Darcy, even believe you are in love with her. But I would caution you not to mistake love for what is really only attractive because it¡¯s safe.¡± Mom warned. ¡°Finding something real requires risk but anything worth having is worth taking that risk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not-¡± He started to protest again, but mom interrupted him, raising her hand to quiet him. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to convince you son. Just asking you to search your own mind. Now, as for Nathan Richardson, I¡¯m almost positive what Mallory feels for him is nothing more than misguided admiration. I¡¯ve seen true love plenty of times in my life and that is not it. I¡¯m less sure how Nathan feels but if Mallory doesn¡¯t feel the same, their rtionship is doomed to fail anyway.¡± Then she winked and added, ¡°All¡¯s fair in love and war after all.¡± ¡°Your mother and I are not expecting an answer here and now. We just wanted to nt the seed and give you some time to think about it. We will give you the room so the three of you can talk.¡± Dad said, then lifted mom in his arms and swept her out of the room. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 5 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 5 Choices

Carrington¡¯s POV Colton sank into dad¡¯s chair, dropping his head into his hands as soon as our parents left the room. ¡°Well, that was . . . unexpected.¡± I quipped. Colt looked up to shoot me a death re, apparently not appreciating myment. ¡°Geez, sorry.¡± I huffed under my breath. ¡°I guess we know how Colt feels. What about you y?¡¯ y took a deep breath and blew it out, looking up at the ceiling. I could¡¯ve sworn I saw his cheeks turn pink, before he finally looked us in the eyes. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I kind of had a thing for her before she left. But now, fuck, I¡¯m not sure I could stay away from her if I tried.¡± He confessed. ¡°And the way Gunner flipped out when he smelled her, I would¡¯ve sworn she was our mate even though I knew she didn¡¯t have her wolf yet.¡± ¡°I already told you Roan went crazy too. And we all know how Kai reacted. It couldn¡¯t have been more fucking obvious so don¡¯t even try to deny it, Colt.¡± I stopped him before he even opened his mouth. ¡°And I was actually a little sad when she left for the academy too. I was always drawn to her but just too stupid to realize how I felt before it was toote to tell her.¡±¡°You are both full of shit!¡± Colt called us out, turning the tables on us. ¡°If you were so enamored with Mallory, then why the fuck were you sticking your dicks in every pussy you could sweet talk your way into. And for someone who was supposedly so heartbroken when she left, Cary, you certainly weren¡¯t home sulking about it. I would know since I was the one dragging your ass home in the middle of the night from one party after another!¡± ¡°What are you trying to say, Colt?¡± I growled at him. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re so much better because you¡¯re in amitted rtionship with some girl who isn¡¯t your mate? Maybe we fucked around because we couldn¡¯t have the girl we really wanted, but at least we didn¡¯t settle and we certainly never made false promises to anyone. If you really believe Darcy is anything more than just a ceholder in your life, you are the one who¡¯s full of shit. If you¡¯re honest with yourself, you¡¯ll admit she¡¯ll never be enough for you because she isn¡¯ther! So don¡¯t you fucking judge us for how we chose to cope. At least we didn¡¯t pick one woman and use her as our personal whore!¡± Colt came at me with fire in his eyes, leaping over the desk to get to me. I knew my usation would piss him off but I couldn¡¯t give a fuck! I was so tired of his holier than thou attitude. I was no saint but I never led anyone on and neither had y. He might be telling himself a different story but he was only fooling himself. And it was high time he got the fuck over it! y jumped between us, grabbing Colt¡¯s fist as it flew at my face. I just stared him down, stone-faced, as he snarled at us. ¡°Calm the fuck down! Both of you!¡± y growled at us. ¡°We might not agree with each other¡¯s choices right now but this isn¡¯t how we solve it. Someday very soon we are going to be running this pack together and when that dayes, we are going to have to be on the same page, or at least figure out how to get there without killing each other!¡± Colt shook out of y¡¯s hold, still furious but no longer threatening violence. y came to stand beside me, both of us watching him carefully, waiting for his next move. ¡°I think we all need to sleep on this. We can talk tomorrow when we¡¯ve all had a chance to cool off. Meanwhile, I¡¯m going to go spend some time with the woman I love.¡± Colt bit out angrily, then stormed off in a rage. ¡°Colton,¡± I called out before he could open the door. He stopped but didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Darcy will never be our Luna. y and I will never ept her. That only leaves you two options. Find a way to fix your mistake and let her go or continue being stubborn and give up the Alpha role so you can be with a woman who will never truly make you happy. The choice is yours.¡± He didn¡¯t speak, though I knew he heard every word I said. He just walked out and closed the door behind him. I didn¡¯t relish threatening my brother but it needed to be said. Of the three of us, I never shied away from a fight and I wasn¡¯t about to start now. Not with our entire future on the line. ¡°Talk about a shit-show!¡± y blew out a whistle. ¡°Fuck! What are we going to do?¡± I scrubbed my hands over my face in frustration. ¡°Colt is stubborn as hell. Sometimes I think he¡¯d rather die than admit he¡¯s wrong. And as much as I am not a fan of Darcy, the longer he drags things out with her, the more she is going to be hurt. I wouldn¡¯t wish that on anybody.¡± ¡°I know you already have a n so just tell me already!¡± y¡¯s twisted grin told me he knew exactly what I was going to say. ¡°We show him what he¡¯s missing!¡± I returned his smirk. ¡°Yes!¡± he replied enthusiastically, pumping his fist in the air. As we passed through the living room, heading toward the front door, Colt was sitting on the couch facing Darcy, holding her hand. They seemed to be in deep conversation and Darcy¡¯s eyes were red like she¡¯d been crying. When we walked by, Colt¡¯s head snapped up to look at us. ¡°Where the fuck are you two going?¡± He demanded to know like the babysitter he thought he was. He took the ¡®oldest triplet¡¯ thing a little too far sometimes if you asked me.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Out.¡± Was all I said, and kept walking. His chest rumbled in a low growl. Whether at my tant disrespect or the fact he already guessed where we were going, I wasn¡¯t sure. Even though I hadn¡¯t answered him, our wolves talked almost constantly. He knew exactly where we were headed. Hopefully it would eat at him that we were with her and he wasn¡¯t. Five minutester we were almost to Mallory¡¯s house. As we rounded the corner, my wolf started getting agitated, pacing in my head. I looked at y who was gritting his teeth and his legs were bouncing in his seat. ¡°Is Gunner losing his shit too?¡± I asked him, worried by our wolves¡¯ behavior. ¡°Yeah but he won¡¯t say why. How about Roan?¡± ¡°He is fucking pissed, like he wants to rip someone apart. Stay alert!¡± I cautioned. But as we pulled up to the curb along her front yard, it was clear there was no danger. Well, not for anyone besides Nathan Richardson. Two angry growls ripped through the car as we took in the sight that greeted us. Nathan had Mallory pinned to the side of his car, hands on her hips with one leg wedged between thighs, and he was kissing her like his life depended on it. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill him!¡± y snarled. I put my hand on his shoulder to still him. As much as I agreed with him, murdering her boyfriend probably wouldn¡¯t earn us any brownie points with her. ¡°When is her birthday? When does she get her wolf?¡± I gritted out between clenched teeth. ¡°Four weeks.¡± y answered. ¡°She has to be ours. Maybe our wolves can feel it since her birthday is so close. That¡¯s the only reason I can think of for them to act this way.¡± I offered the only exnation that made sense to me. Or maybe it was wishful thinking. ¡°Or maybe there is something off with Alpha Richardson and our wolves can sense it. Maybe they are just protecting a pack member.¡± y offered another possibility, raining on my parade. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be an ass, but she is an omega. They usually aren¡¯t mated to Alphas.¡± He had a point, but I wasn¡¯t ready to write off the possibility. Usually didn¡¯t necessarily mean never. ¡°Well, either way, let¡¯s go ruin his night!¡± I snarled, jumping out of the car. y and I both mmed the car doors closed at the same time, enjoying the way Nathan flinched then took a step back to look around. ¡°y? Cary? What are you two doing here sote?¡± Mallory asked when she spotted us, the cutest little wrinkle forming between her eyes as she frowned at us. ¡°We just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay/¡± y covered quickly. ¡°It could be hard to adjust after being gone so long. We were worried about you.¡± ¡°You were worried? About me?¡± Mal looked incredulous, like she was struggling to reconcile our newfound concern with the way we used to treat her. Not that I med her. We had a lot to make up for. ¡°I should probably get going, anyway.¡± Nathan announced, taking Mal¡¯s hand and kissing it, irritating the hell out of me. ¡°But, I don¡¯t want you to go yet.¡± Mal whined, making my wolf snarl. ¡°I know. Me either. But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s gettingte and I have an early day tomorrow. See you tomorrow?¡± Nathan negotiated in an attempt to pacify her. ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± She pouted. ¡°Idiot!¡± y linked me. ¡°No way I¡¯d leave my girl alone with two other Alphas so easily.¡± ¡°Me either.¡± I linked back. ¡°But since him being an idiot actually works in our favor, I¡¯m not going toin.¡± ¡°Goodnight, sweetheart.¡± Nathan pecked her cheek, then got in his car and drove away. As soon as he was out of the driveway, Mallory turned to us with fire in her eyes. The starburst around her pupil actually looked like a swirling me, she was so angry. A happy Mallory was gorgeous but a furious Mallory was a fucking goddess. I could feel my dick twitch in my pants, watching her prepare for battle. I was going to enjoy pushing her buttons! ¡°Alright. Now that you¡¯ve ruined my night, what the fuck do the two of you really want?¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 6 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 6 Let¡¯s Talk

Mallory¡¯s POV Nathan drove me home after dinner at the pack house. I knew he had a long drive back to his territory so I was pleasantly surprised when I invited him in and he actually agreed. He¡¯d already gone above and beyond to pick me up at the airport and drive me home. ¡°Did you enjoy your homing dinner, love?¡± Nathan asked me as we snuggled on the couch together watching a movie. ¡°Mmmhmm,¡± I hummed ndly. ¡°It was nice, I guess.¡± ¡°You guess?¡± he prompted, his way of asking for more information. ¡°It¡¯s just weird being home again.¡± I borated. ¡°I¡¯m super excited to see mom, of course! And it was great to see Alpha Carl and Luna Erika. They¡¯ve always been like family to me. But the triplets were acting weird. I¡¯m almost sure they¡¯re up to something.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Nathan seemed genuinely curious.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°They were being nice. They¡¯re never nice!¡± I told him, remembering how they used to harrass me. ¡°Not Colton. He¡¯s been indifferent since he started dating Darcy. But the younger two never missed an opportunity to bully me.¡± ¡°Hmm, sounds to me like they were smitten with you. Maybe they¡¯ve grown up since you left.¡± He suggested. ¡°Smitten?¡± I snorted. ¡°I doubt it. But even if they were, all they did was make me loathe them.¡± ¡°Even if they were, they missed their chance because you, sweetheart, are all mine now.¡± He professed, pulling me into hisp and capturing my lips in a sweet kiss. I turned to straddle him, intent on deepening the kiss, when the front door banged open and mom came stumbling in with her arms full of groceries. Nathan immediately jumped up to help her as she thanked him profusely, all while shooting me an apologetic look. I was going to have to get used to theck of privacy again. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a moonlight walk?¡± I suggested when Nathan returned from helping mom carry the bags to the kitchen. He took the hint and readily agreed. But as we were walking down the drive, he suddenly spun me around and pinned me against the side of his car, pressing his muscr body into mine. ¡°Where were we?¡± He said in a husky, sensual tone, sending delectable tingles through me. ¡°Right about here.¡± I reminded him, threading my fingers through his dark hair and pulling his lips to mine. Nathan nipped my bottom lip, making me gasp. He slipped his tongue between my parted lips, and the kiss quickly turned heated, exploring and tasting each otherpletely. Soon, he kicked my feet apart and wedged his leg between mine, pressing against my pussy with his huge thigh muscle. I couldn¡¯t help but grind against it, enjoying the delicious friction right where I needed it. Just as Nathan¡¯s hand slipped under my shirt, skimming the flesh at the edge of my bra, two car doors mmed shut, startling us and making Nathan pull away. The scents of leather and tobo and bergamot and cinnamon reached me before I could even look in their direction. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed under my breath. Why were those two so intent on ruining my life? Nathan left quickly after they arrived, refusing to stay even when I pouted at him. I was furious, not even close to buying their bullshit story that they were worried about me. ¡°What the fuck do you want?¡± I growled at the youngest two triplet brothers. ¡°Is that any way to talk to your Alphas?¡± Cary¡¯s arrogance never ceased to annoy me. ¡°Future Alphas.¡± I reminded him, sticking a pin in his inted ego. ¡°With any luck, I¡¯ll find my mate and be long gone before that dayes.¡± Their chests rumbled with a stifled growl when I said that but they didn¡¯t argue the point. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Why are you really here?¡± They were both on myst nerve. y and Cary just smirked, then crowded in on either side of me, slinging their arms over my shoulder. ¡°We told you, we were worried about you.¡± Cary stated matter-of-factly, like he wasn¡¯t spewing total crap. ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside, little wolf. It¡¯ste and you shouldn¡¯t be out here alone.¡± y said, and I hated myself a little for the tiny thrill I felt when he called me by the pet name he¡¯d given me. ¡°In case it escaped your notice, I wasn¡¯t alone.¡± I grumbled under my breath but they pretended not to hear. ¡°Hello, Maeve!¡± They greeted my mother when we entered the house. Then they walked straight over to the couch and pulled me down between them, making themselves at home. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I gritted out under my breath, my irritation rising quickly. ¡°Spending time with our pack members.¡± Cary leaned over and breathed in my ear. I was hopeful he missed the little shiver that ran through me at his hot breath on my skin but his amused chuckle told me he definitely noticed. ¡°Two of my three favorite boys!¡± My mother crooned, feeding their already monstrous egos and earning an eye roll from me. ¡°You¡¯re too sweet, Maeve!¡± Cary nearly purred at her, making her blush. ¡°But since you¡¯re one of my three favorite girls, that means a lot to me.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± I muttered. ¡°What¡¯s impressive, darling?¡± Cary asked, already wearing a smug grin. ¡°That with so, so many girls to choose from, you were able to narrow it down to just three.¡± It was my turn to smirk as I watched his face fall, obviously not expecting my jab. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off to bed.¡± Mom announced. ¡°You three enjoy catching up!¡± Great! She had nothing better to do than monopolize Nathan¡¯s time when he was visiting but when two guys I actually don¡¯t want to spend time with show up, she can¡¯t desert me fast enough. Traitor! ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll definitely enjoy ourselves. Goodnight Maeve,¡± y¡¯s suggestivement either went right over my mom¡¯s head or she willfully ignored it. Either way, I ended up alone in a dimly lit room with only the two manwhores forpany. Lucky me. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk, darling.¡± Cary turned his whole body to face me. y practically lifted me off the couch, pulling my back against his chest so I was facing Cary. ¡°Will you quit manhandling me?!¡± I snapped at him. ¡°How would you like me to handle you, little wolf?¡± He murmured against my cheek. I shot him a re over my shoulder, telling him how little I appreciated his question. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± I asked, crossing my arms over my chest with an impatient huff. ¡°How long have you and the Winter Woods Alpha been together?¡± Cary asked with a frown. ¡°Almost a year, not that it¡¯s any of your business,¡± was my snippy response. ¡°Are you sleeping with him?¡± y asked boldly. ¡°That¡¯s really none of your fucking business!¡± I gritted out, clenching my teeth to keep from shouting at him. ¡°So that¡¯s a no.¡± Cary needled me, but I refused to dignify hisment with a response. He could think what he wanted. ¡°Maybe you should worry less about my sex-life and more about yours. It must be difficult remembering all the women you have to avoid after you fucked them over.¡± I snapped back. ¡°Somebody sounds jealous.¡± y taunted. ¡°Of your harem of sluts. Hardly!¡± I spit out, my chest burning with rage. ¡°So we like to fuck. I¡¯m not going to apologize for it. I don¡¯t see a mate-mark on my neck.¡± He replied haughtily. ¡°An attitude I¡¯m sure your future mate will appreciate. What a lucky girl.¡± I said, heavy on the sarcasm. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t reject you on the spot to avoid the humiliation of being seen as one of your whores.¡± I may have gone too far with thatstment. y obviously thought so because he wrapped his hand around my throat and tipped my chin back roughly, forcing me to look at him. ¡°Still too sassy for your own good, aren¡¯t you, little wolf?¡± He ground out angrily. ¡°I can guarantee you, when ites to our mate, no one will be rejecting anyone.¡± ¡°Whatever helps you sleep at night.¡± I bit back, yanking his hand away from me. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to leave. I have to get up early to drive to Winter Woods to see my boyfriend.¡± ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡± Cary barked. ¡°You will meet us on the training field at seven am. Our parents invested a lot for you to earn that Warrior designation. The least you can do in return is help us train the pack.¡± ¡°But-,¡± I started to argue. ¡°No buts, little wolf.¡± y said, cutting me off. ¡°Loverboy can wait. Your time belongs to us until we say otherwise.¡± And then they got up and left without a backward nce. ¡°Uuuugh!¡± I screamed, hurling a throw pillow at the door. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 7 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 7 Training

Mallory¡¯s POV The sound of my rm ring at six am made me jolt upright. I had finally been dozing after a restless night of broken sleep. I was still pissed at y and Cary for their behaviorst night but mostly I was just confused. I tossed and turned all night, trying to shut out the thoughts continuously assaulting me. Before I left for Luna training, they treated me like I was gum on their shoe, an annoyance to be dealt with. I assumed once I was gone, they would have thrown a party to celebrate. So why, after all this time, did they suddenly decide they enjoyed mypany? At first, I thought maybe they¡¯d just devised another way to mess with me. Interrupt my alone time with Nathan and try to keep me so busy I can¡¯t spend time with him just to frustrate me. Or maybe they think he will break up with me and they canugh at my heartbreak. But I had news for them, Nathan and I wouldn¡¯t break easily, and certainly not because of them. Still, something seemed different about the way they were treating me. Before, they would try to make me nervous by invading my personal space, nuzzling me, or whispering in my ear. Then they wouldugh at me when they got the desired response. But now, they seemed much more invested in my reactions, almost like they wanted me to enjoy their closeness and it angered them that I didn¡¯t. Shaking off those concerns, I quickly dressed in training gear, a pair of spandex shorts and sports bra, then threw my hair up in a braided ponytail. Rushing through the rest of my morning routine, I was ready in just enough time to grab a quick breakfast then head out the door. ¡°Where are you off to so early?¡± Mom asked when she saw me enter the kitchen. ¡°Training.¡± I answered, rolling my eyes. ¡°Apparently the future Alphas have deemed it necessary for me to help train the warriors. Something about it being my duty now that I have First-ss designation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Mom eximed a little too cheerily for the early hour. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect opportunity for you to show your appreciation to Alpha and Luna for their generosity, by giving back to the pack.¡± ¡°Where have I heard that before?¡± I grumbled under my breath. But I guess she had a point. I would have liked to have been asked rather than the triplets demanding it of me, but it wasn¡¯t like I would have said no. With that thought in mind, I put a smile on my face and determined I would show some enthusiasm on the field. Showing the triplets they couldn¡¯t fluster me like they used to was just a bonus. I pulled into the lot at the training grounds ten minutes early to find it full of warriors hanging out for their pre-training catch up sesh. I looked around, surprised to see several people I knew. ¡°Hey guys!¡± I called to Zach, Tyler and ire, three of my previous ssmates as I jogged in their direction. ¡°Hey, Mighty Mal! How¡¯ve you been?¡± Zach belted out, wrapping me up in a bear hug and lifting me off the ground. Ever since I punched Tommy Johnson on the yground for teasing ire, Zach has called me Mighty Mal instead of Mighty Mouse, because I was tiny but strong, he said. The nickname stuck. ¡°Aagh! You¡¯re crushing me!¡± I grunted yfully. When he set me down, I made a show of squeezing his biceps. ¡°Looking pretty mighty yourself these days. I¡¯m going to have to start calling you Hulk!¡± ¡°Are you here to train or are you here to flirt?¡± A gruff voice barked as Colton stomped up behind me, his lime and bay rum scent wafting around me. ¡°You should be on the field stretching!¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Tyler bowed his head in respect and the others followed suit. But I didn¡¯t. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest and returned his re without flinching. His eyes turned murderous at my defiance and a little vein pulsed in his forehead. Just when I thought he would explode, he turned and stomped away. ¡°Who pissed in his Wheaties?¡± Zach asked. ¡°We always hang out together before training and he¡¯s never said anything before.¡± ¡°Sorry, guys. That was probably my fault. Apparently, their sole purpose in life is to make mine a living hell. You just got caught in the crossfire.¡± I admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll understand if you¡¯d rather not incur their wrath by associating with me.¡± ¡°What did you do to piss them off?¡± Tyler asked.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± I shrugged at the question. ¡°I was born, I guess.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullshit.¡±ire protested. ¡°We¡¯re not going to stop being your friend because some Alpha-hole has an attitude problem!¡± Zach and Tyler said the same and we all walked onto the field together. y and Cary were already there and their heads snapped up as soon as I arrived, their eyes immediately finding mine. Their gaze was unreadable but intense, masking some emotion they didn¡¯t want me to see. I resisted the shudder that threatened at their unwavering stare. ¡°Hey, Mal! Want to spar with me?¡± Tyler asked, throwing his arm over my shoulder to grab my attention. ¡°Uh, sure.¡± I said, shaking my head to clear it. ¡°That will be fun!¡± Warriors were starting to pair up, squaring off in fighting stances. As I looked around, I noticed many of them looked unsure as they tried moves that looked unpracticed. Tyler must have seen me frowning because he quickly exined. ¡°Alpha y just taught us those movesst week. We haven¡¯t exactly had time to perfect them. But I think I¡¯ve made some pretty good progress.¡± He told me. ¡°Oh yeah? Come at me then. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± I taunted, sinking into a crouch and motioning him forward with my outstretched hand. Being much shorter than Tyler, I knew I¡¯d need to get in close. He knew it too, trying to keep me at arm¡¯s length. But I was patient. Eventually, he stepped forward with his left leg, preparing to throw a punch, and gave me the opening I needed. Ducking under his punch, I stepped right and crouched lower, locking my arms around his knee and using my hip to lift his leg up. The move knocked him off bnce, allowing me to stand, pulling his feet out from under him. Tylernded on his back with a thud and I quickly jumped on him, pinning his throat with my knee to signal he¡¯d been beat. ¡°Nice move, Mighty Mal.¡± Zach hollered to me, breaking my concentration. Tyler took the opportunity to flip me off of him andid on top of me, using the weight of his body to hold me down while restraining my arms over my head. ¡°Cheater!¡± I grunted, making himugh. But hisughter wasn¡¯t the only sound I heard. Three low growls tore through the air, followed by footsteps heading in our direction. Before I could blink, Tyler was lifted off me and Cary had pulled me off the ground and wrapped his arm tight around my waist. ¡°You¡¯re not here to y around.¡± He snarled. ¡°You¡¯re here to help teach. You¡¯ll be up in the front with us, helping us demonstrate moves.¡± I turned over my shoulder to send my friends an apologetic look as Cary dragged me along beside him. Facing forward again, I could see the other two Alphas ring in my direction. Then Cary leaned over, cing his mouth on my ear. ¡°If you¡¯re going to end up underneath any man today, it¡¯s going to be one of us.¡± His deep voice rumbled, sending shockwaves of need deep to my core. I wanted to hurl some snarky reply at him but my throat ran dry and I couldn¡¯t speak. Damn it! Instead, I just walkedmely beside him, allowing him to lead me away. But when we reached the front, Colt and y were still ring at me, their anger demanding my attention. ¡°What the fuck are you wearing?¡± yton demanded. ¡°Work out clothes. We are going to be working out, are we not? I replied snarkily. ¡°Those aren¡¯t workout clothes. Those are scraps of fabric.¡± Colt snarled, pulling off his t-shirt and forcing it over my head. It smelled like him and I found myself liking it a little too much. ¡°Better. Now don¡¯t take it off.¡± Well two can y that game. I stepped back, my eyes glued to his while I tied a knot in his shirt at my waistline so it showed the tiniest bit of skin on my belly and didn¡¯t cover my ass at all. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t take it off.¡± I smiled back innocently as his chest heaved in anger. ¡°Are we going to train or what?¡± For the next three hours, I alternated between the three of them, partnering with whoever was demonstrating the next move. The triplets seemed to take great pleasure in every opportunity to wrap their arms around me or pin me underneath them. And all three of them actually nipped my neck when teaching moves to expose the enemy¡¯s throat, leaving marks on my skin. Finally, I¡¯d had enough of their antics and decided to demonstrate some moves of my own. Colton came sliding towards me to demonstrate a sweep kick but instead of being a good little assistant, I jumped over his leg, spinning behind him to trap him in a choke hold. Then I kicked him behind his knee, throwing him off bnce and pulled him to the ground with me. I refused to let go until he tapped out. ¡°And that¡¯s how to defend a sweep kick!¡± I announced to the warriors, popping up from the ground with a bounce. Everyone pped which Colt did not seem to appreciate. ¡°If you wanted me on top of you that badly, all you had to do was ask.¡± He leaned forward to growl in my ear, too quiet for the pack to hear. He just stood there staring at me with this look on his face like he was having some huge internal debate. I was too caught off guard by his words to respond. He had a girlfriend he was supposedly in love with. He had never said anything suggestive like that to me since he started dating Darcy. Something was definitely going on with him too. We both stood there watching each other, breathing heavily but whether from exertion or the strange pull between us, I wasn¡¯t sure. Finally, he gave a small shake of his head, like he was waking from a trance, then walked away. ¡°That¡¯s it for today! Dismissed!¡± Cary bellowed, and I started to leave with the rest of the crowd. ¡°Not you, little wolf!¡± y grabbed my arm to hold me back. I huffed at him and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly while I waited for him to exin why he was detaining me. ¡°Meet us at the packhouse at six pm to discuss the training n for tomorrow.¡± His voice was gentle but it was an order, nheless. ¡°I can¡¯t. I have a date tonight.¡± Iined. ¡°We know. It¡¯s with us.¡± Cary stated without a hint of amusement. So much for hoping it was a sick joke. ¡°We¡¯ve already contacted Alpha Richardson to exin that you¡¯d be needed here and thanked him for his understanding.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± I growled, yanking off Colt¡¯s shirt and throwing it at him. I yanked my bag off the ground and turned to leave when y stopped me. ¡°Mal¡± he called, then waited for me to look at him. When I finally did, he said something I never thought he would. ¡°You did good today, little wolf.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 8 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 8 Inner Torment

Colton¡¯s POV ¡°Fucking hell!¡± I roared, picking up a stupid wolf figurine from my desk and shattering it against the wall. ¡°What the fuck is happening with us?¡± I growled at my wolf, though I was more angry at myself than him. He was just an animal, after all. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kai answered with a wolfy shrug. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful and her scent calls to me. I want her.¡± ¡°Well you need to stop!¡± I snarled at him before admitting the truth. ¡°I need to stop.¡± I was so fucking pissed at myself. Justst night, I¡¯d held Darcy¡¯s hand andforted her, reassured her I didn¡¯t have feelings for Mallory. It was hard work getting her to believe me after the way I¡¯d acted at dinner, growling at Mallory¡¯s boyfriend and practically drooling over the girl herself. But I¡¯d finally managed to convince her. ¡°Feeling better?¡± I¡¯d asked her after her tears had finally stopped. ¡°Yeah,¡± She said, still sniffling. ¡°Not that I ever want you to cry, but your lips are all swollen and puffy, making them look especially kissable at the moment.¡± I told her yfully. She was just leaning in for a kiss when my brothers came strolling through the room making her pull back. Neither of us were big on PDA, preferring privacy to an audience. ¡°Where the fuck are you two going?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask, though I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. ¡°Out.¡± Was my asshole little brother¡¯s response, knowing it would annoy the fuck out of me. After that, all I could think about was what they were doing, withher. Were they with her? Were they touching her? If they were, did she like it? If they weren¡¯t, did she want them to? Did she wish I was there, too? I couldn¡¯t stop the questions from tormenting me no matter how much I wanted to. ¡°I should get home.¡± Darcy said, startling me out of my thoughts. ¡°Do you want toe with me? Spend the night with me?¡± I knew what she was suggesting. She wanted me, maybe even needed me, to fuck her. To prove to her I was still hers. But I couldn¡¯t do it. Not with my head such a mess. ¡°I¡¯d love to sweets, I really would. But I can¡¯t tonight. I¡¯ve got too much work to do.¡± I refused gently, caressing the soft skin of her cheek with the back of my knuckles. ¡°I hope this pack appreciates how hard you work for them.¡± She said, raising up on her toes to kiss me goodnight. But when she pulled away, the look in her eyes told me she suspected I was just putting her off. I tossed and turned all night, wrestling with myself. I hated myself for hurting Darcy. I hated myself for this pull I felt to Mallory that I was too weak to stop. I hated the part of me that wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to stop it if I could. But despite all the self-loathing I felt, there was still another side to me. It was the side that kept me grounded, made me a man of my word, a man who kept his promises and made his own choices. So after a long, sleepless night, I resolved to prove to myself, and to Darcy, that I could ovee temptation. ¡°Thatsted all of ten minutes.¡± My wolf snorted at the memory of my behavior on training grounds a few minutes earlier. ¡°What are you yipping about?¡± I snapped back. ¡°It¡¯s not like you were any help!¡± I wanted to shift the me from myself, but the truth was, it was my fault. The minute Iid eyes on Mallory at the training grounds, in those fucking tiny shorts and sports bra, all her soft skin on disy, and fawning over some asshole¡¯s puny muscles, I was right back to wanting her. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, y and Cary pulled her up front to assist with training, meaning I had a ready-made excuse to put my hands all over her. But the worst part was when she pulled me down on top of her and every line of her lush curves was pressed against me. I groaned to myself at the memory. Thankfully, a knock at the door halted that line of thinking. ¡°Come in.¡± I called, knowing it was my youngest brother knocking on my door and interrupting my internal conflict. ¡°Hey, big bro! How are things?¡± He asked, obviously testing my mood before divulging the reason for his visit. ¡°Just tell me what you want, Cary.¡± I pressed him to get on with it. ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re a prick sometimes!¡± He scowled at me. ¡°Anyway, I thought training went well today, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Whose fucking idea was it to have Mal help with training?¡± It was my turn to scowl. I didn¡¯t know where this was going but I knew I wasn¡¯t going to like it. ¡°y and I thought it would be a great way for her to use that Warrior designation she earned and show some appreciation for our parents¡¯ generosity.¡± He said, beaming with pride at his self-proimed genius. ¡°She also has a Master Healer designation¡± I reminded him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have her help at the infirmary instead?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t need a doctor. So there¡¯d be no excuse for her to touch me.¡± He admitted shamelessly. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t enjoy touching her because I won¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°I was there to train the pack, not get off feeling up an annoying little omega.¡± I lied. ¡°Whatever you say.¡± he responded, totally unconvinced. ¡°So, do you have any ns tonight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably just hang out with Darcy. No formal ns. Why?¡± ¡°Good. Mallory is meeting us here at six to discuss a new training n for the pack.¡± He informed me, then walked out the door before I could argue. Fucking fantastic! At six pm on the dot, I heard the front door open and my brother¡¯s greeting told me who it was. ¡°There¡¯s our little wolf, right on time.¡± y called to Mallory. ¡°So d you could make it.¡± ¡°Like I had a choice.¡± I heard her grumble. I chuckled to myself. She may have learned some refinement at the academy, but she was still our same old sassy wolf. ¡°You called her ours.¡± My wolf pointed out. ¡°It was a figure of speech, not a im, Kai.¡± I tried to exin. ¡°Whatever helps you sleep at night.¡± He quipped before retreating. Soon after, three sets of footsteps trudged their way to my office. As soon as they entered the doorway, my eyes flew to hers without my permission. She was looking back at me warily, confusion reflected in her beautiful hazel eyes. I really couldn¡¯t me her. I knew she didn¡¯t know what to think of the three of us after the way we¡¯d treated her all those years. ¡°There are only three chairs in here. Where should I sit?¡± Her question pulled me out of my thoughts. ¡°You can sit with me, darling.¡± Cary smirked at her, patting hisp for her to sit on. ¡°I¡¯m here to work, not y whatever game this is.¡± She said, waving her hand between him and y. ¡°Take my chair, Mal.¡± I offered, vacating my seat. ¡°I need to stand for a while anyway.¡± y and Cary both sent me knowing looks, reading way too much into my act of chivalry. I rolled my eyes at them then handed out the packets with the training schedules I¡¯d developed for everyone to review. Not expecting Mallory to join us, I¡¯d only made three copies so I ended up sharing with her. I was bent over Mal¡¯s shoulder, one hand braced on my desk beside her with my face so close that I could feel the fine strands of her hair tickling my cheek. Her enchanting jasmine andvender scent surrounded me, making it difficult to concentrate. And when she spoke, her warm breath caused goosebumps on my skin. ¡°If you truly want my opinion, I think you should add tracking into the training rotation.¡± She suggested. When we didn¡¯t respond, she borated. ¡°At the academy, we learned that some of the skills between warriors and trackers ovep. Even if our warriors don¡¯t want to be elite trackers, the heightened senses they develop will significantly improve their reaction time during battle.¡± ¡°That makes sense. What do you think, brothers?¡± y asked. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± I agreed and Cary nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s work it into the schedule.¡± ¡°While you¡¯re being so receptive to my ideas, I also have another request.¡± Mallory stated tentatively. ¡°Go on.¡± I prompted.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯d like to offer some basic first aid and mass casualty response sses, not just to the warriors but to the whole pack. Wounded wolves can heal but some injuries take longer. I learned some techniques that can work with a wolf¡¯s natural healing ability to speed recovery. In battle, it could return them to the fight faster. And if war everes to our doorstep, our healers will need all the help they can get. It¡¯s only smart to be as prepared as possible.¡± I listened to Mal make her case and I felt warmth bubbling up inside me at the concern for our people she was disying. I knew she resented us for our past behavior toward her and she could have held it against the whole pack since we were the Alphas. But she didn¡¯t. Her care for others outweighed her animosity. ¡°Very Luna-like if you ask me.¡± My wolfmented. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡± I replied with a mental eye roll. ¡°Approved.¡± I announced gruffly, not wanting her to know the effect her request had on me. ¡°Thank you.¡± She responded simply. An hourter, we had managed to rework the training schedule to incorporate tracking lessons and allocated time for the warriors to attend Mal¡¯s other sses. Mal agreed to continue assisting with training, saying she would be attending either way to keep her own skills polished. I could feel my brothers¡¯ excitement about that through our triplet bond. I could also sense Kai purring with happiness in my head at the thought of getting her underneath us again. ¡°It¡¯s only seven pm. How about pizza and a movie?¡± Cary suggested. I watched Mal carefully for her response and saw the moment her shoulders sagged in defeat. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s not like I have anything better to do thanks to you.¡± Shemented. ¡°But I¡¯m not watching one of those ridiculous spoof movies you guys always choose.¡± ¡°Interesting. Our little wolf knows what kind of movies we like.¡±y teased. ¡°No!¡± she quickly protested. ¡°I just know your tiny little brains only have the capacity to appreciate stupidity.¡± Two low growls rumbled through them at her dig on their intellect. But she just ignored them and headed towards the door. ¡°Youing, Colt?¡± Cary asked as they turned to follow her. ¡°No, you guys go on. I still have work to do.¡± I dismissed them. Between the way my wolf was responding to Mallory and my own growing attraction, It wasn¡¯t a good idea to spend time alone with her in a dark room. I had to do better, for Darcy¡¯s sake. That¡¯s what I told myself anyway. I did my best to focus on work. I really did. But after thirty minutes of drowning in her scent that still filled my office, and aplishing nothing, I finally gave up. I should have just gone to my room. But I couldn¡¯t shake the jealousy I felt that my brothers were once again spending time alone with her and I wasn¡¯t. That maybe she was warming up to them,ughing at their jokes, or even epting their advances while still seeing me as the same jerk who used to ignore her or worse. So against my better judgment, I found myself heading for the lounge and the girl who was fucking up the wellid ns I had for my life. I told myself I was just going to watch the movie, but deep down I knew I was headed straight for hell. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 9 by Cara Anderson Ch. 9 A Mistake Mallory¡¯s POV I had no idea why I agreed to a movie night with the triplets. I must have temporarily lost my mind. I couldn¡¯t think of another exnation for voluntarily entering the lion¡¯s den, or wolf den as it were, with the three of them. Maybe it was because I was irritated at Nathan for his nonchnt attitude about the whole thing and wanted an opportunity to prove to him I was right about them being up to no good. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you sweetheart! It sounds like your Alphas are really taking your expertise seriously!¡± He¡¯d gushed when I¡¯d called him toin about canceling our date earlier.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°They¡¯ve never taken me seriously a day in my life! I¡¯m telling you they are up to something and as my boyfriend, you should be more concerned about it!¡± I¡¯d argued, but he justughed it off. I huffed to myself as I headed to the kitchen to grab sodas while the guys ordered the pizza. At least Nathan had agreed toe see me tomorrow. He would be here early in the morning so I had that to look forward to. Maybe I was feeling generous because they had finally shown me some respect and listened to my ideas, and had even been willing to adopt some of them. Maybe they had actually matured over thest two years and were actually trying to make up for being total asses in the past. Maybe we could actually be friends like our parents had always wanted. I snorted to myself at thatst thought. We would have to be in some parallel universe for that to happen. ¡°What do you want on your pizza, darling?¡± Cary yelled out to me, ending my inner contemtion. ¡°Pineapple and bacon!¡± I called back. I heard footstepsing my way and in the next second he was standing in the kitchen doorway, looking at me like I was some sort of alien. ¡°What the actual fuck, Mal? Who puts that on their pizza?¡± I almostughed out loud at the serious look of disbelief on his face. ¡°You asked,¡± I shrugged at him. ¡°I like what I like, but order whatever you want. I¡¯ll eat anything.¡± He wrinkled his nose in disgust and shivered at the thought but shook it off. ¡°y, add a pineapple and bacon pizza to our order!¡± He shouted to his brother, still shaking his head. After a few disagreements, we settled on a horror flick. The guys sat on the sofa behind me and I sat on the floor at their feet, setting my pizza and soda on the coffee table. We ate in silence, all watching the film and I refused to acknowledge the electric charge in the room that seemed toe to life the moment the lights went out. Everything was fine and I was actually enjoying hanging out with them, listening to them banter about how fake the special effects looked and how predictable the plot was. It was just like we were friends hanging out together. But all that changed in a heartbeat. The film had reached a suspenseful scene and I was unprepared for the gruesome disy. The killer came outof nowhere, making me scream and turn to bury my face in y¡¯sp. I hadn¡¯t meant to. He just happened to be sitting there, or that¡¯s what I told myself. ¡°Are you scared, little wolf?¡± He chuckled at me as he lifted me off the floor and set me between him and Cary. ¡°I-, uh, it just caught me off guard.¡± I tried to make an excuse but their scents were overpowering me, making my head fuzzy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll keep you safe, darling.¡± Cary promised, throwing an arm over my shoulder and pulling me into his side. y scooted closer to my other side, and the couch cushion dipped under his weight, allowing his leg to slide under mine. It was way too intimate but I had to admit it did make me feel safer. Ishould have just admitted what a baby I was and not agreed to a stupid scary movie. I did my best to calm my racing heart, but y¡¯s hand was on my thigh, tracing circles on it with his thumb and Cary was pulling me so close, my head was practically resting on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ve got you. I¡¯ll never let anything hurt you.¡± He whispered in my ear. His warm breath on my sensitive skin made me shiver and a small whine escaped. I could tell the two of them were smirking at the effect they were having on me even though I couldn¡¯t see their faces. I should have pulled away but I was actuallyfortable and I didn¡¯t want them to think they were getting to me. ¡°See, nothing to be afraid of.¡± Cary murmured when he felt my body rx into him. It almost sounded like his words held a deeper meaning, like he was telling me I didn¡¯t have to be afraid of them any more. Some instinct drove me to confirm my suspicions, so I turned my head to look into his eyes. But that was a huge mistake! He turned his head to look at me at the same time I turned to him. I didn¡¯t expect him to be so close. He was so close our lips nearly brushed together, his minty breath blowing on my face. A small gasp hitched in my throat and it was enough to tell him I was affected by his nearness, Cary leaned in, just a fraction, and touched his lips to the corner of my mouth. I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t pull away but I couldn¡¯t move. Maybe fromthe shock of it or maybe from the heat that shot straight to my core from that simple act. Either way, he took it as an invitation for more. He pressed his mouth against mine gently, not demanding more but not moving away. I couldn¡¯t believe how soft his lips were, so soft and so perfect touching mine. A tiny moan slipped out and that small sound was my undoing, because it drove Cary to kiss me with a passion I couldn¡¯t turn away from if I tried. His hands threaded into my hair, holding me against him. His tongue darted out to lick my bottom lip and I didn¡¯t even attempt to resist, opening for him automatically. As soon as his tongue slipped into my mouth, an appreciative groan escaped him and his hands tightened in my hair. I found myself climbing into hisp to straddle him, fisting his shirt in my hands to pull him closer. We were so lost in each other, licking and tasting like we¡¯d never get enough. y had slipped his hand under my shirt, caressing my back which only heightened my arousal and I knew their wolves could smell it. Cary was pressing his crotch into me and I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to rub against his hard bulge. I hadpletely lost control and given it over to him. Then a loud gasp snapped me out of the trance I¡¯d been in and I pulled away. Colt had walked in and caught us kissing. I was mortified. How could I have let this happen? Cary wrapped his hands around my waist, trying to pull me in to capture my lips again but I pushed him away. ¡°This was a mistake!¡± I insisted, scrambling off hisp. ¡°I have a boyfriend!¡± ¡°Are you trying to convince us or yourself, darling?¡± Cary smirked at me, rising from the couch to follow me. For their part, y and Colt were just standing by, watching the drama unfold. ¡°I thought maybe you¡¯d grown up. That we could actually be friends. But you¡¯ll never change will you? Always ying some kind of game, treating women like they¡¯re toys.¡± I bit out angrily. I stormed towards the door to leave but Cary was right on my heels. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back before I could open the door. He held me by my shoulders and pulled me close to him, chest to chest. ¡°I seem to recall you were a willing participant. I didn¡¯t force you to kiss me.¡± He murmured, his lips brushing against mine. ¡°And trust me, darling. Whatever this is between us, it is definitely not a game.¡± Then he released me and took a step back. I stood there for a moment, trying to gather my wits and shake off the feeling of loss that washed over me when he removed his body from mine. Coming back to myself, I turned to leave again and was nearly outside when he spoke again. ¡°See you in the morning, darling. Sweet dreams.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 10 by Cara Anderson Ch. 10 Inevitable Cary¡¯s POV ¡°What the fuck was that about?¡± Colton demanded as soon as I returned to the lounge.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I was not in the mood to deal with his imperious attitude at the moment. My lips were still tingling with the memory of Mallory¡¯s mouth on mine and all I wanted was to be alone to savor the sensation. Without waiting for an answer, Coltunched into a lecture. ¡°She has a boyfriend! How did you think that was going to end? Did you actually think she was going to throw away their rtionship, just roll over and spread her legs for you? Forget about all the shit we put her through growing up?¡± ¡°Ease up, Colt!¡± y barked at him. ¡± Neither of us are looking for an easyy here. There is something between us and we know she feels it too. Keep lying to yourself if it makes you feel better but you know it¡¯s true. You want her too and it scares the shit out of you!¡± ¡°Why the fuck would that scare me?¡± Colt balked at the idea. ¡°If I wanted her, I would just say so. But I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± I called him out. ¡°You¡¯re scared and I can give you a list of reasons why.¡± ¡°Oh really? This ought to be good.¡± He chuckled darkly. y put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed, a silent plea to back off. Of the three of us, I tended to be the one without a filter and Colton had a temper, abination that often led to fireworks. But I wasn¡¯t backing off. He¡¯d thrown down the gauntlet and I¡¯dbe damned if I didn¡¯t pick it up. ¡°For one, you have some misguided sense of loyalty to a woman who isn¡¯t your mate and you¡¯re scared to admit you made a mistakemitting to her. Then there¡¯s the fact that, even before Darcy, you¡¯ve never pursued a woman you weren¡¯t already certain would ept you. You¡¯re scared of rejection, and Mallory Edwards is far from a sure thing.¡± I listed just a few of his hang- ups. ¡°And, ¡°y added, picking up where I left off, ¡°you may not have been openly hostile to her but it was no secret you judged her for her rank. You were the one who decided for us she wasn¡¯t worthy because she was ¡®just an omega. ¡®Pursuing her would force you to admit your prejudices and beg her forgiveness for them. Two things the mighty Colton Collins loathes to do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to stand here and listen to this!¡± Colton protested. ¡°You¡¯re right, you don¡¯t¡± I called after him as he started walking away. ¡°But refusing to listen doesn¡¯t make it any less true!¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± y muttered under his breath. He was the most sensitive and hated it when we fought. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡± I told him. ¡°It¡¯ste and I want to get to the field early tomorrow to review the new schedule before we announce it to the pack.¡± It was an excuse to get away and he knew it but nodded at me anyway. I hurried back to my room, closing the door behind me and stripping off my clothes as I walked to the bed. I wasn¡¯t actually that tired but I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. Slipping under the covers, I closed my eyes and blew out a deep breath. All I could think about was the way Mallory looked, straddling myp and flushed from my kiss. Her lips were even softer than they looked, so plush and pliable, molding perfectly to mine. And her taste! Fuck, she tasted amazing, like the juiciest peach. I knew I would crave that taste for the rest of my life. I remembered the way her silky hair felt as it slid through my fingers and the way her luscious curves felt pressed against me as she pulled me closer. It was like she couldn¡¯t stand the thought of any space between us and for the first time in my life, I felt exactly the same way. Holding a woman in my arms had never felt so good before. In the past, I would sleep with a woman once, maybe twice, and then get bored and move on. No one held my attentionfor long. I hadn¡¯t even slept with Mallory yet, but just one kiss was enough for me to know I would never get enough of her. It was enough for me to realize I had to make her mine no matter what it took. Sure, there were obstacles. An Alpha boyfriend, our past behavior towards her, and a stubborn as fuck brother to name a few. But none of that was insurmountable. I would find a way. ¡°Cary, you awake?¡± y¡¯s voice entered my head. ¡°Yeah, bro, what¡¯s up?¡± I linked back. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep.¡± He said. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about how soft her skin was and how just touching her made me feel like the luckiest man alive.¡± ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m still awake?¡± Iughed humorlessly. ¡°Since we¡¯re sharing, how was the kiss?¡± y asked, pressing for details. But I wasn¡¯t ready to give them away just yet. It felt like a part of her I could keep for myself for now. ¡°Perfect,¡± was my simple answer. ¡± She¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, You lucky bastard!¡± He replied, then closed the link. The next morning came early, especially because I barely slept. I finally resorted to using my hand to relieve some tension, pleasuring myself to the memory of Mallory grinding against me. But even that left me wanting. Normally I wouldn¡¯t have bothered. Why get myself off when there were any number of warm and willing girls to help me out. But that thought nolonger appealed to me. Apparently Mallory ruined all that for me. But despite myck of sleep and being forced to tend to my own needs, I bounced out of bed, excited to get to the training grounds. There was a certain brte I couldn¡¯t wait to see and the thought of getting my hands on her, feeling all her perfect curves, had my cock thickening in my pants. Mallory¡¯s car was in the lot when I arrived so I hurried onto the field. As expected, she was already there, stretching and warming up. She was bent over, touching her toes and giving me a perfect view of her amazing ass. I was so busy checking her out, I almost missed that she wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Why the fuck is he here?¡± y asked. I hadn¡¯t even heard him walk up behind me. I growled lowly as I noticed Nathan standing beside her. ¡°She¡¯s using him as a shield to keep us at arm¡¯s length, if I had to guess.¡± I answered him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if we can put a few cracks in her armor then.¡± Was y¡¯s devious response. ¡°Mal, Nathan, good morning.¡± I greeted. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you here this early, Alpha. ¡°What can I say? I missed my girl.¡± He said, smiling at Mallory. She smiled back briefly but quickly looked away. ¡± When she called mest night after your nning session and asked me toe train with her like we used to at the academy, I couldn¡¯t say no.¡± Mallory averted her eyes, refusing to look at us the entire time we talked with Alpha Richardson. Did she feelguilty for kissing me? Did she feel guilty for going back to him after realizing we belonged together? One thing was clear, she hadn¡¯t told him what happened between us. No Alpha would take that lying down. ¡°Well you¡¯re wee to stay for training, but we¡¯re going to have to steal Mal for a bit. I¡¯m sure she mentioned she¡¯s co-leading with us now.¡± y told him. ¡°Nathan will help me demonstrate moves today, won¡¯t you babe?¡± Mal announced, making my wolf snarl in my head. But before he could respond, y intervened. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Between the four of us, we can handle it. No need to put you to work.¡± He said to Nathan. Mallory¡¯s heart rate picked up and angry vibes were rolling off of her. But I couldn¡¯t care less. She could be as irate as she wanted to be as long as I didn¡¯t have to watch Alpha asshole put his hands all over her for the next three hours. But fate wasn¡¯t on my side. ¡°Spending time with Mal could never be considered work for me, no matter what we¡¯re doing.¡± Nathan countered, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her into his side. Then looking back to us, he said with a smirk, ¡°Shall we?¡± He may not have known what went on between us but he wasn¡¯t dumb. He was most definitely staking a im. Hopefully in a few weeks, when he realized Mallory wasn¡¯t his mate, he would walk away. But until then, we were going to have to up our game. The next three hours were torture. My wolf and I hadn¡¯t been thrilled to see Mal with Nathan from the moment she returned. But after having her in my arms and getting a taste of herst night, we couldn¡¯t stand seeing her with anyone else. Roan was snarling and growling in my head the entire morning, making it difficult to concentrate. Every time Nathan wrapped his arms around her or trapped her underneath him, pressing hisrge frame into hers, it was like a stab to my heart. Fuck! What was this woman doing to me? I didn¡¯t do jealousy. I¡¯d never cared about a woman enough to bother with the emotion. But watching Mal smile at Nathan,ugh with him, enjoy his touch, was twisting me into knots. I looked to my brothers to see how they were faring. y had a greenish hue to his skin, looking ill. ¡°You okay, bro?¡± I linked him. ¡°No!¡± He ground out in my head. ¡°If he touches her one more time, I¡¯m either going to throw up or rip him apart.¡± ¡°Yeah, same.¡± I admitted. Colton wasn¡¯t doing much better, though he looked more angry than anything. His hands were balled into fists at his sides and his jaw was clenched so hard I was surprised his teeth didn¡¯t break off. But I didn¡¯t bother checking in with him. It wasn¡¯t like he would admit the truth anyway. When training finally ended, y pulled Nathan aside, giving me the chance to catch up with Mallory. I followed her to her car, catching her by the wrist and turning her to face me. ¡°You can¡¯t hide behind your Alpha boyfriend forever you know. Sooner orter you¡¯re going to have to face whatyou feel for us.¡± We were standing so close I could feel her breath on my face and I could hear her heart racing at my words. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything for you!¡± She snapped angrily, pulling her wrist from my grasp. ¡°I told you it was just a mistake!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s all it was, then why haven¡¯t you told him about it? Why note clean instead of keeping secrets from him?¡± I pressed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt him over something that meant nothing and will never happen again.¡± She said, nervously looking over her shoulder. ¡°Give him up now, Mal. If you don¡¯t it will only hurt him worse when the inevitable happens. And we are inevitable.¡± I leaned in to murmur huskily in her ear. She opened her mouth to argue but her body betrayed her, shivering at my closeness, and her argument died on her lips. I took a deep breath, inhaling her mouthwatering scent tost me through the day. Then I stepped away, leaving her flushed and flustered, hoping she¡¯d ept the truth in my words. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 11 by Cara Anderson Ch. 11 Me Time Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Goddess damn it!¡± I screamed, leaning my back against my bedroom door and smacking the back of my head against it in frustration. Nathan had just left after I¡¯d given him someme excuse about not feeling well and needing to rest. I guess it wasn¡¯t a total lie. My stomach was in knots. Still, I didn¡¯t think he was really buying it but it was the best I coulde up with. I¡¯d called him as soon as I got homest night and begged him toe spend the day with me. I told him I was having some trouble adjusting to being home and I thought it would help to have him here. But the truth was, I knew I couldn¡¯t let any of the triplets touch me again. If they did, I wasn¡¯tsure I¡¯d have the will to resist them and I had to resist them. Nathan and I came back to my house after training and I tried to rx and just enjoy being with him, but I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what I¡¯d done. Guilt was eating at me over kissing Cary behind Nathan¡¯s back. I knew I should just tell him about it but I didn¡¯t know how. ¡°Is something wrong, love?¡± He¡¯d asked when I¡¯d pulled away from his kiss. Usually I was the one trying to tempt him and he would pull away first, giving me some bullshit line about protecting my virtue. ¡°No. Sorry baby, I¡¯m just tired.¡± I lied. ¡± I think I just need to lie down.¡± That had been my opening to tell him the truth but I just couldn¡¯t. How couldI exin it to him when I couldn¡¯t even exin it to myself? I don¡¯t even know how it happened. One minute we were watching a movie and the next I was straddling hisp, kissing him like I was burning alive and he was the only one who could put out the mes. Which wasn¡¯t too far from the truth. My body had felt like it was on fire. I¡¯d always been physically attracted to the triplets. Who wouldn¡¯t be? They were fucking gorgeous. But in the past, it had never been enough for me to act on it, especially given their atrocious behavior towards me. So why did I have the urge to touch them every time we were in the same room together? And why, all of a sudden, were they pursuing me? None of it made sense. All I knew for sure was, I couldn¡¯t let myself fall for their act. And theirseeming attraction for me had to be an act, didn¡¯t it? Even if it wasn¡¯t, and by some miracle they¡¯d actually decided they wanted me now, I could never forgive them for the past. The hurt went too deep and I couldn¡¯t open myself up to that kind of rejection again. Deciding my earlier shower hadn¡¯t been enough, I decided to soak in the tub and try to rx. Maybe I just needed some ¡®me¡¯ time to help me clear my head. Then, I would decide my next move. I filled the tub with warm water and added my favorite jasmine scented bath salts. As soon as I sank down under the water, my muscles started to rx. I could feel the tension melting away. I closed my eyes and thought about Nathan. I pictured the way he lookedwhen we would train together back at the academy. When it was just the two of us he would take his shirt off, all the hard lines and ridges of his muscles on disy. His body was a masterpiece and I would have trouble focusing on the fight when we sparred together. Then he would pin me beneath him and that only made it worse. The memory of how my body longed to feel his against me sent tingles through me, igniting a throbbing need between my legs. I imagined Nathan¡¯s hands on me as I let my own wander over my curves. One hand found its way to my nipple, rolling it between my fingers while the other hand slid between my legs. Waves of warm water washed over me as I twisted and tugged at my nipple but in my mind it was the warmth of Nathan¡¯s mouth surrounding thehardened bud. And the fingers stroking between my folds belonged to him as well. ¡°Mmm!¡± I moaned as my clit throbbed, begging to be touched. Nathan had never touched me there before, but in my mind he would now. My fingers glided over the sensitive nub, gently at first but with increasing pressure as my need soared higher and higher. My hips rocked up of their own ord, searching for more friction from my hand. I was pinching my nipple hard, walking the line between pleasure and pain as the fire in my belly grew hotter. The walls of my pussy were pulsing with the need to be filled where nothing but my own fingers had ever been. Indulging the fantasy, I slipped two fingers inside, the most my tight sheath could take without causing pain. My thumb circled my clit as I pumped my fingers in and out of my weeping hole. My legs began to tremble as the imaginary man above me was fucking me hard. A few more rough strokes of my clit, a few more pumps of my fingers stroking my already clenching walls and I was falling over the edge. But as my body shuddered through wave after wave of intense pleasure, the eyes I imagined looking back at me weren¡¯t Nathan¡¯s and it wasn¡¯t his name I was screaming. ¡°Colton! Fuck!¡± I heard myself cry out. I sat up so quickly water sshed over the sides of the tub, drenching the floor. What the fuck was that? First I kissed Cary and now Colt is starring in my imaginary porn. I had no idea what was happening to me, but whatever it was, it had to stop! Drying off at record speed, I threw on a pair of leggings and the first t-shirt I could grab. Twisting my still damp hair into a messy bun on top of my head, I grabbed my bag and keys and ran out the door. I was heading to the packhouse to nip this problem in the bud, one way or another. I didn¡¯t even bother parking in the lot at the packhouse, pulling up out front and jumping out of the car. I took the stairs two at a time to the Alphas office and burst through the door without knocking. I had no idea what I was going to say, hoping it woulde to me as I went, but I was totally unprepared for what I saw on the other side of the door. y and Cary were nowhere in sight. Only Colton was there, but he wasn¡¯t alone. Darcy was sitting on hisp with her arms coiled around his neck and itwas obvious they had been making out. Later, I would examine why seeing that caused a stabbing pain in my chest, but for the moment, I was too humiliated. ¡°Mallory?¡± Colton sounded shocked, standing abruptly and nearly dumping Darcy on the floor. ¡°Fuck! Sorry!¡± I yelped, turning to go. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked, his hands on Darcy¡¯s hips to steady her while looking at me with an unreadable expression. ¡°Uh, I, I was hoping to talk with the three of you.¡± I stuttered out eloquently. ¡°About?¡± He questioned, looking at me expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s a personal matter.¡± I told him, my eyes flitting to Darcy briefly. There was no way I was saying what I came there to say in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Darcy said, smiling at me softly then turning to Colt. ¡°Meet you for dinner, babe?¡± ¡°Um sure.¡± He agreed, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. Darcy left and Colt mind-linked his brothers who arrived shortly after. ¡°Hey, little wolf!¡± y greeted me enthusiastically, wrapping me in a hug the second he walked through the door. ¡°Miss us already, darling?¡± Cary¡¯s greeting held his usual narcissism. ¡°How can we help you, Mallory?¡± Colton drew my attention, ignoring Cary¡¯sment. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should help with training anymore. I¡¯m happy to serve in another way to repay your parents. Ican work in the infirmary full-time if you want.¡± I poured out in one breath. ¡°No!¡± y and Cary barked together.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Colton just stared at me with a strange expression, something between sadness and anger. ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, annoyed by their response. ¡°Because we said so.¡± Cary answered in his typical domineering attitude. I rolled my eyes and huffed at him, crossing my arms over my chest defiantly. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m having this conversation with you. Your parents paid for my training, not you. I should have just asked them in the first ce.¡± I told them, then turned to leave. ¡°Mal, wait!¡± y reached out to grab my hand and stop me from leaving. ¡°What is it, y?¡± I asked with less sting in my tone than I¡¯d hoped. He was rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb and it was melting me a little. ¡°These two assholes might not have the balls to tell you the truth but I do.¡± He started, his vibrant blue eyes boring into mine. ¡°What is the truth?¡± My voice was breathy, barely above a whisper. ¡°The truth is, if you work in the infirmary or anywhere else in the pack, we will never see you. And if we can¡¯t spend time with you, we¡¯ll never have a chance to convince you that you belong with us. Because you do belong with us. We want you, Mal. Please just give us a chance to show you how much.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 12 by Cara Anderson Ch. 12 It Wouldn¡¯t Work y¡¯s POV ¡°Wh-, what?¡± Mallory stuttered, her eyes flitting nervously between the three of us. ¡°He said we want you, Mal.¡± Cary repeated my words, sounding more vulnerable than I¡¯ve ever heard him. ¡°I don¡¯t-¡± Mallory seemed taken aback at first, but then her back stiffened and her eyes hardened. ¡°I¡¯m not the same girl I was two years ago, the one who let you intimidate her. I¡¯m not falling for the same old games where you try to get me to admit I like you so you canugh at me and tell me what a naive, stupid little girl I am to think you¡¯d ever be interested in me. Frankly, I¡¯m a bit disappointed you haven¡¯te up with something more original by now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯re doing, Mal!¡± I implored her to believe me. ¡°Fuck! We were immature idiots back then. We never should have treated you that way. We should have realized how special you were even then.¡± Mal just stared at me for a minute, processing my words. I held my breath, hoping she would see my sincerity. It seemed like she was really considering it, but then she gave a little shake of her head and shot me a malicious smirk. ¡°Please, tell me more. When did this miraculous change of hearte about?¡± She challenged. ¡°I missed you the minute you left.¡± I answered honestly. ¡°It took me longer to understand why, but I gradually came to realize you meant more to me than I had been willing to admit to myself.¡± ¡°And you?¡± She nodded in Cary¡¯s direction. ¡°When did you experience this revtion?¡± ¡°I already knew I had feelings for you before you left. I panicked when our parents announced you¡¯d be leaving for two years. I couldn¡¯t wait for you toe home so I could tell you how I felt and try to make up for how I treated you.¡± ¡°Colt, what do you have to say about all this?¡± Mallory asked, giving him a pointed look. ¡°You¡¯re obviously still with Darcy and there can only be one Luna.¡± Cary and I exchanged a nervous nce. Colt had yet to admit his feelings for Mallory and he didn¡¯t respond well to being called out. ¡°Darcy will be my Luna.¡± He stated firmly, daring us to contradict him. I could have sworn I saw pain sh in Mal¡¯s eyes but it was gone quickly. She nodded at him curtly then turned back to us. ¡°There you have it. Game over! Now can we cut the bullshit?¡± She gritted out. ¡°It¡¯s not bullshit!¡± I protested. ¡°Just because Colt is a stubborn idiot doesn¡¯t mean we are lying!¡± Mallory nced back at Colt to gauge his reaction but quickly drew her eyes back to Cary and I, the same devious smirk stered on her face. ¡°Really?¡± She pressed. ¡°You expect me to believe you¡¯ve been pining away for me for thest two years?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cary and I answered together. ¡°So we like to fuck. I¡¯m not going to apologize for it. I don¡¯t see a mate-mark on my neck.¡± She deepened her voice, mocking Cary¡¯s earlier words to her. ¡°And before you even try to sell me a line about that being all in the past, you should know girls like to talk. I¡¯ve heard the she-wolves around the pack bragging about your exploits.¡± I hung my head in shame. I had no excuse to offer, other than loneliness, which I doubted she would believe anyway. Not that it would make it any better if she did. But in typical Cary fashion, he took a different approach. ¡°We¡¯re Alphas with high sex-drives. Did you expect us to live like monks?¡± ¡°Of course not! I would never expect that level of maturity from you, to actually show some respect for the girl you supposedly had feelings for.¡± She berated him. ¡°Self-sacrifice for the benefit of others has never been your thing, has it? But who you do or don¡¯tfuck is irrelevant to me. Just leave me off your list of conquests!¡± Cary¡¯s hands were balled into fists at his sides and his chest was heaving as he struggled to restrain his anger. We may have been triplets, but he was still the baby. He was used to getting his way and being coddled by mom. It wasn¡¯t often someone called him on his shit or refused to give him what he wanted. But if he thought Mallory would trust us easily or fall into our arms at our first attempt to win her over, he was sadly mistaken. She wasn¡¯t your typical soft, sweet omega. The girl had a stubborn streak that rivaled Colt¡¯s. Between the two of them, we had our work cut out for us. But I wasn¡¯t going to give up. I just needed to get my baby brother to shut his mouth before he ruined our chances. ¡°Mal, please just listen.¡± I tried drawing her attention back to me. When she finally released Cary from her vicious re and looked at me, I continued. ¡°There is no excuse for our behavior, past or present. It¡¯s just, this is all new to us. We¡¯ve never had feelings for a woman before. And for that woman to be you, knowing how we treated you and how unlikely it was that you would ever forgive us, it was just easier to keep doing what we were doing than to let ourselves hope.¡± ¡°But then you came back,¡± Cary picked up where I left off, ¡°and it all came flooding back, only a hundred times stronger than it was before. Your strength, your beauty, your scent! The pull is so strong and we can¡¯t just let you go without a fight. I know you feel it too so don¡¯t even try to deny it!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it. I do feel something.¡± She admitted. ¡°That¡¯s why I came here in the first ce. I don¡¯t know what this is that¡¯s going on between us, this weird connection I¡¯ve felt ever since I came home. But whatever it is, it can¡¯t happen. We can¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Why not? Why can¡¯t you just give this a chance and see where it goes?¡± I pleaded. Mallory looked down at her feet and sighed deeply before answering me. ¡°There are so many reasons it wouldn¡¯t work, y. You¡¯ve all hurt me so many times, trying to make me believe you felt something for me, were affected by me, just to rip it away the minute I showed the slightest bit of interest. I don¡¯t think I could ever trust that you truly felt something for me.¡± ¡°But we were affected by you. We were just too young and stupid to know howto handle it. Feeling something for you made us feel out of control and we hated that, so we tormented you rather than face the truth.¡± I confessed. Cary nodded in agreement. ¡°Even if that were true, loyalty is important to me. On one hand, you are trying to convince me you knew you had feelings for me but on the other hand, you kept fucking your way through this pack and who knows how many others. I don¡¯t need that drama in my life. I want to be with someone who can be honest with himself about what he feels for me and who is willing tomit. I could never trust you to be faithful to me.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°You are such a hypocrite!¡± My usually silent, brooding older brother suddenly burst out. ¡°Is that what you were doing when you had your tongue down my brother¡¯s throat? Being faithful? Funny how you haven¡¯t even mentionedNathan throughout this entire conversation. Didn¡¯t even list him as one of your reasons for not giving us a chance. Shouldn¡¯t he be your main excuse?¡± The whole room went silent aside from Mallory¡¯s sharp intake of breath. I wasn¡¯t even sure Colt heard what he¡¯d said, but the rest of us heard it loud and clear. The question was, would Mallory brush it off, or call him out. ¡°Us?¡± Mal answered my silent question, looking at Colt with guarded interest, the gold in her eyes dancing with curiosity. ¡°You know what I mean!¡± Colt deflected. ¡°It was a figure of speech.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Mal sighed, sounding disappointed. ¡°Because you love Darcy.¡± Colton nodded curtly, but didn¡¯t say more. ¡°And I love Nathan. I¡¯ve already said I made a mistake and it won¡¯t happen again, but I think it¡¯s better if we just avoid each other.¡± Mallory dered with finality in her tone, then turned for the door. I wanted to find something to make her stay but no words woulde to me. In my peripheral vision I could see Cary hanging his head in defeat as well. But then salvation came from the most unexpected source. ¡°Mallory!¡± Colt called after her, stopping her before she could leave. She turned back to look at him with a nk expression on her face. ¡°You seem to expect my brothers to avoid temptation because of their feelings for you. Surely you can do the same for Nathan. You will continue to help us train the pack.¡± Mallory¡¯s face turned bright red and she clenched her fists in anger but didn¡¯t argue. Instead, she just walked out and mmed the door behind her. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 13 by Cara Anderson Ch. 13 Us Colt¡¯s POV ¡°Colt, thank-¡± y started to thank me but I cut him off. ¡°Both of you, get out! Now!¡± I growled at them. They just nodded and left without a word. They both knew better than to challenge me when I was pissed. But I had nobody to me but myself. ¡°Fuck!¡± I shouted, punching the wall as soon as they left the room. My knuckles were bleeding but I didn¡¯t bother to clean them, just letting the blood drip onto the carpet. What the fuck was wrong with me? My brothers had at least one thing right. I was feeling out of control and I hated it! Why did I tell her she had to keep training the pack with us? She wasgiving me the perfect out, offering to stay away from us and I should have taken it. But I couldn¡¯t. I hated the thought of not seeing her everyday, not having her close to me. My wolf snarled at me for even thinking about letting her go. When she came storming into my office earlier, Darcy had been trying to get my attention, even climbing into myp when I seemed too engrossed in my paperwork. But the truth was, I didn¡¯t know what to say to her. I was too busy feeling guilty for thinking about Mallory. Nathan showing up to training this morning had thrown me for a loop. I knew it shouldn¡¯t bother me that they were together. I had Darcy. Why should I care if she had a boyfriend. But every time he put his hands on her, I just got angrier and angrier. My wolf wanted to rip him to shreds which didn¡¯t help my own mood any. As soon as training ended, I retreated to my office to be alone with my thoughts. I hoped maybe I coulde up with a rational reason for my feelings and be able to move on. But a few hourster I was still battling with myself, trying to make sense of what I felt for Mallory, when Darcy hade in and distracted me. Frustrated with my neglectful behavior, Darcy had wrapped her arms around my neck and was just leaning in to kiss me when Mallory walked in. A sudden surge of guilt washed through me when I caught the brief look of hurt in Mal¡¯s eyes. I jumped up so fast I nearly knocked Darcy to the floor. Darcy yed it off well, not making a scene even though I could tell she was not happy with me and hurt by my actions. Her ability to mask her emotions and put Mal at ease reminded me why she would make such a good Luna. But a bigger part of me couldn¡¯tstop wondering about that sh of hurt in Mal¡¯s eyes and why she would feel that way. And why did it make me feel guilty? I was actually relieved when Darcy left without protest. I¡¯d been doing so well during the whole conversation Mal and my brothers were having, standing in the background like an uninterested party while they talked about their feelings for her and she scoffed in their faces. Then, she started talking about loyalty and faithfulness and I couldn¡¯t hold my tongue. Maybe it was my own guilt that prompted me to speak, feeling disloyal to Darcy for even thinking about Mallory. Maybe I needed to steer the focus back to her to relieve my own sense of shame. But I should have kept my mouth shut, because in one little word I revealed the one secret I was trying to hide. Us. That word said it all. It told her that somewhere deep down, I wanted the same chance my brothers were asking for, even if I couldn¡¯t admit it. It told her I was just as much of a hypocrite as I used her of being. And now it was out. I tried to y it off but I knew it didn¡¯t fool anyone. All I could do now was find a way to work past it. ¡°Shit!¡± I grumbled to myself when my rm stirred me from my thoughts.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯d promised to meet Darcy for dinner and it was time to go. I knew she¡¯d want to talk about what happened with Mallory and I also knew I couldn¡¯t lie to her. But maybe I didn¡¯t have to tell her everything. Why hurt her when I had no intention of pursuing Mallory Edwards. Mymitment was to Darcy alone. ¡°Hey, babe.¡± Darcy greeted me when I arrived at the restaurant we¡¯d agreed to meet at. ¡°Hey, yourself.¡± I leaned over to peck her lips before taking my seat across from her. ¡°How was the rest of your day?¡± ¡°Boring! I just spent the day running errands and doing chores, waiting for time to pass so I could see you again.¡± She said. ¡°How was your meeting with Mallory?¡± That didn¡¯t take long, I thought to myself. But I knew this conversation was inevitable. ¡°It was interesting.¡± I hedged, hoping she¡¯d leave it at that but fate was not on my side. ¡°Oh, how so?¡± She looked at me suspiciously, waiting for me to borate. I took a deep breath and blew it out, preparing to tell her the whole story. ¡°She came to ask to work in the infirmary instead of helping with pack training. But my brothers weren¡¯t having it. They decided to tell Mallory they have feelings for her and want to spend time with her so they can show her they are serious about her.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± was all she said in response, but I could see the worried look in her eyes. I reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Talk to me, Darc. What are you worried about?¡± I nudged her to open up. ¡°What does that mean for us? If she epts them and they want to make her their Luna, what does that mean for you and me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not going to ept them. She loves her boyfriend. She doesn¡¯t want them.¡± Darcy nodded her head to acknowledge my words but stared down at the table, deep in thought. When she finally looked up, her eyes were ssy as she held back tears. ¡°What if she¡¯s your mate?¡± She asked, a lone tear spilling over. ¡°She¡¯s not our mate. And even if she was, she won¡¯t ept us.¡± I insisted. ¡°But you would? ept her, I mean.¡± She questioned, but it was more of an usation. ¡°Darcy, I didn¡¯t say that!¡± I argued. ¡°You¡¯re right. You didn¡¯t say it. You said she wouldn¡¯t ept you. You didn¡¯t say you wouldn¡¯t ept her if she was your mate.¡± Sheshed out at me. I could feel people staring at us as Darcy raised her voice. I did my best tofort her. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it because I assumed it was a given.¡± I tried backpedaling. ¡°If you were already doubting that, then I thought you¡¯d be moreforted by the thought she would reject us.¡± Darcy stared at me for a moment, looking unconvinced, then looked away without speaking. She sipped on her water and an ufortable silence hung between us. Then she spoke again. ¡°Prove it to me.¡± She demanded as I looked back at her in confusion. ¡°If you truly want me and not her, prove it. Take me home and make love to me.¡± ¡°Now?¡± I asked stupidly. ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten yet. ¡°We can get take out.¡± She countered. ¡± You¡¯ve barely touched me since the day she came home. If that¡¯s nothing more than coincidence, then show me.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± I reached for her hand and pulled out of her chair and out the door. The entire drive back to her apartment, I tried to shove aside the feelings of guilt that came rushing back to me. I loved Darcy. She was my girlfriend, not Mallory. There was nothing wrong with making love to my girlfriend! Thankfully, we¡¯d driven separately so Darcy was oblivious to my tumultuous thoughts. As soon as we entered the apartment, Darcy dropped her keys on the table and attacked me, wrapping her body around me and kissing me hard. I did my best to return her passion, but I was finding it difficult to stay in the moment with her. Visions of Mallory kissing my brother kept entering my head and memories of that fleeting feeling of jealousy I¡¯d had that it washim and not me kept returning to my mind. Darcy walked me backwards to her room, never breaking the kiss. Her hands were under my shirt, roaming my torso so I tried to follow her lead, untucking her shirt from the waistband of her skirt and brushing my hands over her soft skin. She moaned into my mouth and kissed me even more aggressively. Then one of her hands went to the button of my jeans, undoing the fly and slipping inside to grasp my cock. As soon as her hand found myid member, she pulled away from me. ¡°What the fuck, Colt?¡± she snapped at me. ¡°Usually all I have to do is breathe in your direction and you¡¯re hard for me. Do I not turn you on anymore?¡± ¡°Of course you do, Darc. I¡¯m just not used to performing onmand.¡± I told her. ¡°But I want to! Let¡¯s keep going.¡± I went back to kissing her, turning her around so her back was to the bed. I crashed down on top of her, trapping her slim body under mine. ¡°Mmm! Yes!¡± she moaned, squeezing my ass and grinding into me.¡± I moaned back but it was more out of habit than any real pleasure. Her body under me just felt wrong. Having pinned Mallory under me multiple times in training, my body remembered the feel of her lush curves pressed against me and it was that feeling I craved. When Darcy continued to grind against me but my cock refused to get hard for her, providing the friction she wassearching for, she pushed me away. For the second time tonight, her eyes filled with tears and I hated myself for the pain I was causing her. ¡°Come on, sweetheart. Give me another chance.¡± I begged, but she just shook her head at me. ¡°Just go, Colton.¡± Her words weren¡¯t angry, just sad. ¡°I need to be alone. We can talk tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay. Tomorrow.¡± I agreed, kissing her on the forehead before I left. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± I cursed to myself, as soon as I walked out her front door. ¡°She¡¯s not ours.¡± Kai grumbled in my head. ¡°Neither is Mallory! Not yet anyway!¡± I snarled back at him. ¡°So why all of a sudden are you picking a side?¡± ¡°She could be ours. But even if she¡¯s not, I want her.¡± He announced. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted her, but she was too young so I thought we could date Darcy for a while. I didn¡¯t know you were going to promise her she¡¯d be our Luna, dumbass!¡± 3 He was pissing me off so I blocked him out as I threw my car in reverse then took off with one destination in mind. It was one thing to mess with my head but it was something else entirely to mess with my cock. I was going to set things straight between Mallory and I so I could get her out of my head once and for all. I pulled into her driveway, and made it to her door in record speed. I could hear people moving around inside so I pounded loudly, making sure she couldn¡¯t ignore my presence. ¡°Mal, can you get the door?¡± Her mother yelled to her. ¡°Sure, mom!¡± She hollered back and I heard her feet pattering towards the door. Perfect. The door flew open and Mallory stood there in a tight tank top with no bra, her nipples protruding against the material, and a pair of cotton shorts with holes in them. She had no make- up on and her midnight brown locks cascaded over her shoulders, reaching her waist. She looked sexy as fuck and a low growl tore through me at the sight of her. ¡°Colt, what-¡± She started to say something but I didn¡¯t let her finish. Instead, I grasped her by the hips and mmed her body into mine, crashing my lips into hers in a soul-shattering kiss. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 14 by Cara Anderson Ch. 14 Leave Me Alone Mallory¡¯s POV My mind waspletely nk. All I could do was taste and feel the man holding me in his arms and kissing me passionately. It felt like his hands were everywhere at once, roaming my curves, and he tasted like dark chocte and cherries. I never wanted it to end. An echo of a memory broke through, of this same man touching me intimately. But that had been a fantasy, and this was¡­so much more. It was full of fire and lust and passion and need. I¡¯d never been kissed like this before and it terrified me that I might never be again. When Colt finally pulled his lips from mine, I whimpered quietly at the loss. He chuckled softly before moving on to kiss the sensitive spot behind my ear,then nipped and sucked his way down my neck to my shoulder. I knew he was leaving marks but I would worry about thatter. It never even crossed my mind to refuse when he returned his lips to mine and slid his hands under my thighs to lift me up and wrap my legs around his waist. In fact, I was so lost to the feel of his silky tongue sliding against mine and the way his hands massaged the flesh of my ass, it might never have urred to me to stop at all if it hadn¡¯t been for my mom. ¡°Oh! Sorry, don¡¯t mind me!¡± My mother trilled, having walked up behind us unnoticed. ¡°Fuck!¡± Colton mumbled under his breath, immediately setting me down and stepping away. ¡°Colton?¡± Mom asked in confusion now that she could see his face and realizednot only that he wasn¡¯t Nathan, but that he was kissing me and not Darcy. ¡°Um, hi Maeve!¡± He said, waving feebly. ¡°I just came by to talk to Mallory for a minute. I won¡¯t stay long.¡± ¡°You can stay as long as you like, Colton. You know you¡¯re always wee here. I was just going to run to the store anyway.¡± she announced, grabbing her keys from the hall table and squeezing past us through the front door. ¡°Um, would you like toe in?¡± I asked Colton after my mother had gone. He seemed conflicted and I could have sworn his eyes held a hint of regret, but he nodded and walked past me into the house. I followed him in but when he halted in the living room, I kept walking into the kitchen. My mind was whirling as I tried to make sense ofwhat had just happened between us and I needed a minute to myself. ¡°I¡¯m grabbing a soda. Do you want something?¡± I called to him, hoping to buy some time. ¡°No.¡± He answered gruffly. I made a point to clink sses and close cab doors loudly so he would think I was busy and not just hiding from him. Why did he kiss me? Why did I let him? Why did I want it to happen again? Did he want it to happen again? I needed answers to all those questions but I had none. Before Colton knocked on my door, I¡¯d spent the whole evening berating myself for my disloyalty to Nathan. Between kissing Cary, masturbating to thoughts of Colt and not even considering him once during my conversation with the triplets earlier, I had officially be the worstgirlfriend on the. Colt had been right to call me a hypocrite and the guilt I felt was consuming me. All it took for that guilt topletely vanish was one look from Colton. For a fraction of a second, before his lips met mine, there was a look of desperation in his eyes. It was a look that said ¡°if I don¡¯t kiss you now, I might die¡± and I was powerless against it. I wondered if he could read the same emotion reflected back in my gaze. Deciding the only answers I would get today were the ones he could give me, I grabbed my ss of Coke and headed back to the living room. The urge to stop at the liquor cab and add a little Jack to my Coke was strong, but I resisted, assuming I would need a clear head for theing conversation. When I walked into the room Colt was pacing but turned to face me when he heard me enter. ¡°I love Darcy!¡± he blurted out without warning. ¡°O-, okay.¡± I said, taken aback. ¡°Do you want to sit down?¡± I was more confused than ever. I had no idea where he was going with that opening line but I knew I needed to sit down for it. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to sit down!¡± He huffed, running his hand through his sandy blond hair. ¡°Why are you here Colton?¡± I didn¡¯t even try to hide the exasperation in my tone. ¡°I came here to tell you that what my brothers told you today, I¡¯m not a part of it. I don¡¯t want you. I want Darcy. I made her a promise and I¡¯m a man of my word. I don¡¯t break promises.¡± He spoke with a conviction that contradicted his recent actions. ¡°So you thoughting to my house and kissing me senseless in the doorway was the best way to get that message across?¡± I teased, raising one eyebrow in question. ¡°No! I don¡¯t know why-, I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± He stumbled over his words, struggling to exin himself. ¡°Take a breath, Colton.¡± I said, taking pity on him. ¡°And for Goddess¡¯ sake, will you please sit down.¡± He nodded, then took the chair across from me. He was twisting his hands in hisp nervously and his internal struggle was written all over his face. I just wished I could understand what it had to do with me.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°I just needed to make things clear between us.¡± He started again. ¡°I can¡¯t tell my brothers what to do or how to feel about you. And if you want to throw away your rtionship with Nathan forthe two little manwhores, that¡¯s on you. But I can¡¯t have you doing anything around me that could make Darcy ufortable.¡± ¡°What the fuck is that supposed to mean?¡± I bit out. I did not like what he was insinuating. ¡°I saw you climbing all over Cary the other night. If you were willing to do that before they announced their intentions towards you I can only imagine what might happen next. I just don¡¯t want you to think you can try that with me. I won¡¯t have you disrespecting my rtionship with Darcy that way.¡± ¡°Are you fucking for real?¡± I shouted at him, shooting out of my chair angrily. ¡± How fucking dare you! Youe to MY house and YOU kiss ME, then dare to lecture me about respecting Darcy!¡± I was screaming in his face and jabbing him in the chest with my finger while he stared back at me. I could tell he was angry by the way his face was turning red but I was nowhere near done! ¡°I¡¯ll be the first to admit that I have made mistakes, but until today, none of them have involved you. I have never once behaved inappropriately towards you. I never whispered innuendos in your ear at training while touching you unnecessarily. YOU did that! I even offered to remove myself from the situation but YOU wouldn¡¯t let me. And I certainly never came to your house and came on to you. Oh right, You did that too! Who the fuck do you think you are?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t enjoy the kiss. I could tell you did! I could smell it! You kissed me back Mallory so don¡¯t act like it was all me!¡± He railed at me. I was so done with him. Maybe this was meant to happen, I thought to myself. Maybe it was the push I needed to get over whatever was drawing me to him and his brothers. But after today, I would not be going anywhere near the Collins triplets if I could help it. ¡°Trust me Colton, ¡°I said with a deep sigh, ¡°the next time Darcy feels disrespected, it will have nothing to do with me. Now please get the fuck out of my house and leave me alone.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± He barked then stomped toward the door before stopping to look back at me. ¡°I know you feel something for me Mal. I saw it in your eyes when you walked in my office earlier today and I felt it when we kissed. Lie to yourself all you want as long as it doesn¡¯t hurt the people I care about!¡± Then he walked out the door, letting it m closed behind him before I could say another word. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 15 by Cara Anderson Ch. 15 Tricks And Falsehoods Cary¡¯s POV ¡°Where the fuck was she?¡± I asked as my brothers and I grabbed our gear and headed off the training field. It was a rhetorical question. I knew they didn¡¯t have an answer or they would have told me the first twenty times I¡¯d asked that morning. Mallory hadn¡¯t shown up to help lead the workout and no one seemed to know where she was. I¡¯d tried calling her phone several times but it just went straight to voicemail. I even asked a few of the warriors I¡¯d seen her hang out with before but they didn¡¯t know either. I knew she wasn¡¯t thrilled that Colt had denied her request to work elsewhere but she¡¯d been pissed before and still showed up to training. Besides, it was adirectmand from her future Alpha. That wasn¡¯t something easily ignored. I was speed walking my way back to the packhouse with y right on my heels. All I wanted was to shower and go find the little wolf who¡¯d been consuming my thoughts and haunting my dreams all day and night. Colton was following behind but seemed much less concerned than we were. Not that I was surprised. As the house came into sight, I noticed Mal¡¯s car parked right in front. It wasn¡¯t in a parking spot but right by the stair, like it was poised for a quick getaway. I took the front steps two at a time, anxious to get inside and see what she had to say for herself. ¡°Mallory!¡± I called, walking around the ground floor, looking for her. When I didn¡¯t find her, I made my way up to the next level, thinking maybeshe had gone to the office looking for US. ¡°She¡¯s up here somewhere.¡± y said from beside me. ¡°Her scent is stronger up here.¡± We both shoved through the office door but she wasn¡¯t there either. Just as we walked back out, Mallory came out from the room next door, our father¡¯s office. ¡°Hey little wolf!¡± y cooed to her, always the softy. I was more likely to demand an exnation for her MIA act this morning so it was probably better he got to her first. ¡°y, Cary.¡± She acknowledged with a nod in our direction but she didn¡¯t slow down. She headed straight for the stairs but just as she was about to step down, she nearly ran into Colt on his way up. Herhead snapped up and their eyes met but the look she gave him could make a grown man cower. The starburst in her hazel eyes turned to molten fire, and I had no doubt she would have burned him to ash if she could. In that moment I knew he was the reason for her absence. She stepped around him without a word. I didn¡¯t even wait for him to take the next step before I grabbed him by his shirt and mmed him against the wall. ¡°What the fuck did you do?¡± I exploded in anger. ¡°Get the fuck off me!¡± Colton growled, shoving me in the chest while trying to pry my hands off his shirt. ¡°Boys! My office, now!¡± Dad bellowed. We all filed in and I wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised to see mom there too,leaning against the desk beside dad. Her eyes narrowed at Colton when she caught sight of him but she didn¡¯t look particrly happy with any of us. ¡°Sit!¡± she ordered, and as scary as dad could be, mom was worse so we immediately obeyed. ¡°Which one of you wants to exin why Mallory is under the impression she needs to pay back the cost of her academy tuition?¡± Dad barked sternly. The three of us looked around sheepishly, waiting to see who was brave enough to incur his wrath. Turns out it was yton. ¡°We didn¡¯t really mean for her to pay it back. It was just an excuse to get her to spend time with us so we could try to win her over.¡± He admitted. Dad sucked in a deep breath, trying to stay calm while mom just shook herhead. ¡°When the three of you were born and not one of you was a girl, I knew I had a challenge on my hands. And I did my best not to raise three idiots. I really did. But apparently I failed.¡± Mommented to herself. We may have been idiots but none of us were dumb enough to challenge her opinion. ¡°Let¡¯s be clear. From this moment forward, Mallory will not be involved in training in any way that is not of her own choosing. And if she wants to attend, she will choose her own partners. Also, you will not interfere with her role in this pack in any way unless she specifically asks you to.¡± Dadid out his new rules and we all nodded in agreement. ¡°Now, Colton, I¡¯m going to ask you a question and I want you to look me inthe eye when you answer it.¡± Mom stated and he nodded his agreement. ¡± Has Mallory said or done anything to interfere with your rtionship with Darcy in any way?¡± ¡°What? Why would you ask that?¡± I butted in, unable to hold my tongue. But she just gave me her best ¡®mom¡¯ look, shutting me up without a word. ¡°No ma¡¯am.¡± Colton answered respectfully. ¡°Then why did she feel the need toe here today, apologizing for causing a problem for you and asking to be transferred to the infirmary so she won¡¯t make Darcy ufortable in the future. She seemed to think you would be too nice to ask her to yourself.¡± Mom borated. ¡°I will ask you again. What the fuck did you do?¡± I ground out, barely holdingback from punching him with my clenched fists. Colton sighed in defeat and sunk deeper into his chair. ¡°I went to her housest night and¡­ and I kissed her.¡± He confessed. ¡°I went there to tell her we needed to stay away from each other because I can¡¯t stop thinking about her and it is affecting my rtionship with Darcy. But when I got there, I didn¡¯t even get through the door when I had this overwhelming urge to kiss her. It was like I couldn¡¯t help myself. But then I was angry at myself for betraying Darcy like that and I took it out on her.¡± He spilled the whole tale with shame written all over him. I was torn between seething over him hurting Mallory and being ted that he finally kissed her. y was smirking at him and our parents just looked dumbfounded.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°The three of you need to get your shit together!¡± Dad growled at us. ¡°Your mother and I wanted you to consider making Mallory your Luna. But we did not want you to resort to tricks and falsehoods to do it. And you certainly shouldn¡¯t be treating her disrespectfully just to soothe your own conscience.¡± ¡°You all owe her an apology!¡± Mom scolded. ¡°And if I were you, I would do it sooner thanter. Her birthday is right around the corner and based on the way the three of you are acting, that girl just might turn out to be your mate. And if she is, so far I can¡¯t think of a single reason for her not to reject you!¡± And with that, they both stomped out of the room, leaving us to contemte our mistakes and weather their disappointment. ¡°You are a fucking asshole!¡± I spit at Colton. ¡°I know.¡± He replied quietly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not thatplicated.¡± y told him. ¡°You break up with Darcy and go for the girl you can¡¯t let go of no matter how much you think you should.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple! I love Darcy and I made promises to her. What kind of man would I be if I turned my back on that?¡± He tugged at his hair in frustration. ¡°The kind whose wolf and human sides have no control over who they fall for. Darcy will understand that eventually. And loving someone is not the same as being in love with them. If you truly care about her, you would give her the chance to find someone to love her theway you can¡¯t.¡± I said, hoping he would take my advice to heart. ¡°How did you feel when you were kissing her?¡± y pressed. ¡°Like I could drown in her and die happy.¡± He answered truthfully. ¡°Have you ever felt like that kissing Darcy?¡± I asked. He didn¡¯t answer, but he didn¡¯t have to, His face said it all. ¡± Seems pretty simple to me then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He promised, and I knew not to push him further. ¡°Now, we have to figure out how to apologize to Mallory and get her to actually listen to us when we do.¡± y reminded us. All I could do was groan. That girl was stubborn as fuck! And Colt had only made it worse with what he¡¯d done to her. I was not looking forward to that endeavor. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 16 by Cara Anderson Ch. 16 You Know Why Nathan¡¯s POV I was pacing back and forth in my office while I waited for Mallory to arrive in my territory. I knew the guards would mind-link me as soon as she crossed the border but I couldn¡¯t stop myself from checking with them to ask if they¡¯d seen her yet. She¡¯d seemed upset when she called earlier to ask if she could visit and it was making me nervous. Thest time I¡¯d seen her, when Ivisited ck Moon, I could tellsomething was bothering her. Butrather than talk to me about it, she sentme away. She¡¯d never done that beforeand I didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Things had been so simple when we met at the academy and I¡¯d visited her there. It seemed like since she¡¯d gonehome, everything had started to change. Mallory never talked to me much about what life was like for her in ck Moon. She would tell me stories about her mom and I could tell they were very close. She even talked about her Alpha and Luna like they were part of the family, but she never mentioned their triplet heirs. So it hade as a shock when she started to open up about how miserable they¡¯d made her childhood. ¡°Alpha, your guest just entered the territory. She should reach the packhouse in about ten minutes.¡± My head guard linked me. ¡°Thank you, Hollis!¡± I linked back, then rushed down the stairs to meet Mallory out front. I was anxious to see her and hopeful she would open up to me about whatever was on her mind. I¡¯d seen theway the triplets watched her during the training session I attended. Between that and the stories she¡¯d shared about their treatment of her, it was easy to see why she might feel ufortable. More and more, I was beginning to believe they wanted her for themselves and I could only imagine how they took it when she rebuffed them. They didn¡¯t seem the type to set their overgrown egos aside and ept defeat gracefully. But if I found out they were mistreating my girl, they¡¯d all have more than their bruised egos to worry about. ¡°There¡¯s my girl!¡± I called to Mallory as she came into view from the parking lot. ¡°Hi, babe!¡± She shed me a wide smile and walked into my waiting arms. I held her tight for a minute, inhaling her fresh scent, before releasing her. ¡°I missed you!¡± I told her, keeping her hands in mine as she stepped back from me. ¡°I cleared my schedule so I¡¯m all yours for the day. What would you like to do?¡± ¡°Actually, I was hoping we could talk first.¡± She said softly, not meeting my eyes. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go to my office. I¡¯ll have the kitchen staff bring lunch up to us and we can talk while we eat. How does that sound?¡± ¡°That sounds perfect.¡± She said, allowing me to take her hand and lead her up the stairs. I linked the head omega on the way to my office to send up our lunch but I knew it would take them some time to prepare. As soon as I pulled Mallory through my office door, I closed it behind us and pressed her against it. Looking down at her with hooded eyes,I couldn¡¯t keep my gaze from her plump lips. I had been craving her taste for two days and I didn¡¯t waste another minute before kissing her with all the pent up desire I felt for her. ¡°Mmm.¡± Mallory moaned into my mouth as our tongues explored each other. The sound of her moans only fueled my lust, driving me to taste and touch every inch of her I could reach. I trapped her hands above her head, holding them there with one hand while my other hand roamed her luscious curves. Goddess, I wanted this woman! And it was getting harder and harder to hold back. Mallory pulled back first, needing air, so my lips immediately went to her neck, kissing and nipping at the soft skin there. My hips pinned hers to the door as I grinded my rock solid cockinto her pussy. She was rocking her hips into me and making little mewling sounds as her arousal built. It had been too long since I¡¯d had a chance to make here and if I had my way, this wouldn¡¯t be the only one I gave her today. ¡°Fuck, Nathan! Yes! Just like that!¡± she cried out, close to her release. I slipped my hand under her shirt and unhooked her bra with one hand. Then I massaged her breast before teasing her erect nipple. As I continued to rub against her covered clit, I rolled her nipple between my fingers then gave it a few sharp tugs. That was all it took for her whole body to shudder with her orgasm. We stood there breathing heavily, my forehead resting against hers as we both waited for our bodies to calm. Then out of nowhere, Mallory startedto giggle. ¡°Well that¡¯s not the reaction I expected.¡± I told her,ughing lightly at her reaction. ¡°Sorry! I just wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± She exined, and I started to apologize but she put up her hands to stop me. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not aint! Though it is a little scary how easily you unhooked my bra one- handed. Should I be worried about how much practice you¡¯ve had doing that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not practice, it¡¯s just natural talent.¡± I assured her. I found it adorable when she fished for information about my sexual history like that. She never asked me directly, but if she had, I would tell her whatever she wanted to know. The truth was, there was very little to tell. I wasn¡¯t a virgin, but I wasn¡¯t a yboy either! ¡°Nathan, why won¡¯t you just give in and fuck me already?¡± Mal asked, and I had to grit my teeth against the urge to take her up on her offer. ¡°You know why.¡± I told her. It was far from the first time we¡¯d had this conversation. I knew there was arge chance that Mallory wasn¡¯t my fated mate. That didn¡¯t matter to me. Even if she wasn¡¯t, I still hoped she¡¯d want me as her chosen mate. But I had to be realistic. There was a possibility she would meet her mate and choose him over me. If that happened, I didn¡¯t want her to have any regrets that she hadn¡¯t waited for him. ¡°Ugh! Why are you so noble?¡± Malined like me protecting her virtue was a mortal sin.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Trust me, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing. No matter what happens, I just don¡¯twant you to look back on our rtionship and have any regrets about our time together.¡± I said honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you think I would ever have regrets about giving myself to someone I care about deeply and have amitment to. It¡¯s not like my mate, whoever he is, will have waited for me. What if you¡¯re my mate? You didn¡¯t wait for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just another reason I don¡¯t deserve your virginity.¡± I tried reasoning with her. She looked like she was about to argue again but thankfully there was a knock on the door. Then an omega popped her head in to announce our lunch had arrived, effectively ending the conversation. I knew it wouldn¡¯t be thest I heard of it but I was thankful for the reprieve. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy lunch and you can tell me what you wanted to talk about.¡± I said once the omega had left. I thought I saw worry sh through her eyes when I reminded her she¡¯d wanted to talk but she masked it quickly. We took our seats at the table and loaded our tes with food while I waited for her to say what was on her mind. But still she didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Out with it Mal.¡± I coaxed her. ¡°I know something was bothering you when you practically threw me out yesterday. Tell me what¡¯s going on because that¡¯s what we do. We talk to each other. We don¡¯t keep secrets.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. I just don¡¯t know where to start, really.¡± She sighed. ¡°Does this have anything to do with the triplets?¡± Her eyes snapped to me when I said that and shock colored herfeatures, telling me I was on the right track. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± She asked, obviously dodging my question. ¡°I¡¯ve got eyes, Mal. Speaking of which, they couldn¡¯t take theirs off of you the whole morning during training. You always seem upset around them and the tension between the four of you is suffocating. So spill it!¡± I was done with the kid gloves. ¡°Fine. Yes this is about them.¡± She finally admitted. ¡°They told me they want me.¡± ¡°What the fuck?¡± I growled, unable to restrain my rage! Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 17 by Cara Anderson Ch. 17 Consequences Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°What the fuck?¡± Nathan growled when I told him what the triplets said to me. ¡°Well, really only the younger two. Colt never said anything at the time, But then he kissed me so I thought he wanted me too but then he yelled at me and told me I was disrespectful to Darcy so I don¡¯t really know what to think.¡± I rushed out, sharing all my confusing thoughts. ¡°He fucking kissed you?¡± Nathan roared. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill him. How dare he touch you without your permission!¡± ¡°Nathan, I can take care of myself. I threw him out of my house and told him to stay the fuck away from me. Idon¡¯t think he¡¯ll bother me again.¡± I tried to reassure him.a I watched as he worked to slow his breathing and calm the fury simmering in him. He listened attentively while I told him how they¡¯d used their parents¡¯ generosity in sending me to Luna training as an excuse to get me to spend time with them. He couldn¡¯t help the snarls and growls that escaped as I recounted how Colton showed up to my house and kissed me then used me of hurting his girlfriend. I didn¡¯t me him. The fucking asshole had some balls on him, that was for sure. ¡°So this morning,¡± I continued my tale, ¡°I went to the Alpha and Luna to tell them everything and ask to be transferred to the infirmary. They were shocked to hear I was working off my debt and told me I didn¡¯t owe them anything. I heard them calling their sons into the office as I was leaving soI¡¯m sure they aren¡¯t happy with me right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck if they are happy or not. They better not say a word to you or I¡¯ll fucking hand them their asses!¡± He bellowed. ¡°You might not still feel that way when I finish what I have to say.¡± I said, bowing my head in shame. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He asked hesitantly, afraid of hearing my answer. ¡°You might not care what happens to me at all when I tell you the rest.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide the guilt written on my face. He just nodded for me to go on. The night they called you to cancel our date, we really did have a nning session to talk about how I could assist with training. But we finished early so they asked me to stay for a movie and I did. I shouldn¡¯t have but I did.¡± ¡°What did you do, Mal?¡± He choked out like he was trying not to cry. ¡°Tell me what you did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I wanted to believe we could be friends, move past all the shit they put me through.¡± I started to exin. ¡°So you thought fucking them was the way to aplish that?¡± He spit at me, but I could hear the pain and betrayal in his voice. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t fuck anybody! I promise you I didn¡¯t!¡± My tone was pleading, begging him to believe me. ¡°It was a horror movie. I got scared and Cary pulled me into hisp and kissed me. I didn¡¯t push him away. I don¡¯t know why. I¡¯m so, so sorry! I promise it will never happen again!¡± ¡°You-, you kissed him?¡± He asked incredulously. I just nodded, chokingon my sobs. Nathan startedughing. I was dying inside, guilt eating me alive and he was fuckingughing! ¡°I thought-, oh fuck! I thought the worst! I¡¯m sorry, Mal!¡± He was stillughing. ¡°Why¡­ are you apologizing to me?¡± I couldn¡¯t get the words out, too stunned by his reaction. Nathan came around and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. He nuzzled into my hair and just held me for a minute. ¡°Still mine.¡± He whispered. ¡°You aren¡¯t mad?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I¡¯d rather you hadn¡¯t kissed him, but no. I¡¯m not mad. Not at you anyway.¡± He said, sounding relieved. ¡°I can understand how confusing it must havebeen for you, having been mistreated by them all your life then suddenly they arevishing you with attention. Then, Cary took advantage of that when you were feeling scared and vulnerable. I¡¯m d you respected me enough to tell me about it though.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t respect myself if I didn¡¯t. I¡¯ve been hating myself over it. I never meant for that to happen and I swear it won¡¯t happen again. Thest thing I¡¯d ever want is to hurt you, Nathan!¡± I could only hope he could hear the truth in my words. ¡°Just because I¡¯m not mad at you doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m just going to let it go. I want you Mallory and I¡¯m willing to fight for what I want. There may be three of them but they don¡¯t intimidate me. And I promise you the next time one of them touches you, he¡¯ll wish he hadn¡¯t.¡± Nathan threatened, and his icy tone told me the threat wasn¡¯tempty. We finished our lunch but Nathan never took his eyes off me through the whole meal. There was a heat in his gaze that sent tendrils of desire coursing through me. He¡¯d never looked at me quite that way before and I couldn¡¯t help wondering what he was seeing with those lust-filled eyes. I didn¡¯t have long to contemte it though because as soon as I took myst bite he pulled me from my chair and coiled his arms around my waist until there was no space between us. Then he lowered his head to whisper in my ear. ¡°Take your pants off and go bend over my bed.¡± He breathed out huskily. ¡°Wh-, what?¡± I stuttered in disbelief. ¡°Now, Mallory! Don¡¯t make me ask you again.¡± He barked the order at me. Too stunned to argue, I kept my eyes locked on his as I slipped off my shoes and peeled my jeans down over my hips and stepped out of them. I could feel his eyes burning my skin as he trailed them up my toned legs then stared at thecy material covering my pussy. Slick ran down my thighs just from the way he was looking at me. ¡°Panties too!¡± He growled softly then his chest rumbled louder as he watched me slip them down my legs slowly. ¡± Good girl. Now bend over the bed and spread your legs wide for me.¡± On shaky legs, I walked over to the bedand leaned over it,ying on mystomach. My nipples were so hard, thce of my bra felt too sensitive againstthem. I spread my legs wide and couldfeel the flush creeping over my skin asthe cool air hit my pussy, remindingme how exposed I was to his gaze. ¡°Fuck! You have a beautiful pussy, sweetheart!¡± Nathan groaned. I could feel the lust rolling off him in waves as he stood so close behind me. A whimper escaped as I waited for him to touch me. The need was agonizing but he just took his time. Finally, I felt his hands on my ass, massaging and kneading my ass cheeks, making me moan. Just as I rxed into his soothing touch, a stinging p came out of nowhere. I yelped out loud, making him chuckle. Then he was rubbing away the pain, and I was once again a moaning mess. ¡°Did you think there wouldn¡¯t be consequences for your behavior, love?¡± His raspy voice reeked of desire. ¡°N-, no.¡± I lied. ¡°Aah!¡± Nathan spanked me again, making me cry out and my pussy leak at the same time. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Nathan pressed his chest to my back to whisper in my ear, his voice low and dangerous, all while caressing my ass gently. ¡°Your innocent little mind never dreamed I¡¯d end up spanking your sweet ass, or that you¡¯d be so aroused by it. I can smell how turned on you are and the evidence is running down your legs. You like it, don¡¯t you, sweetheart?¡± ¡°Y-, yes, I like it.¡± I confessed between wanton moans. ¡°Such a good girl.¡± Nathan praised me before pping my ass hard one more time. ¡°I think you¡¯ve earned a reward.¡± Nathan ran his fingers through my slick soaked folds, running them over my throbbing clit a few times. Then, just as I started to grind against his hand, seeking more friction, he pulled back and rammed two fingers into my slit. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so tight. I can¡¯t wait until it¡¯s my cock inside you.¡± Nathan groaned. ¡°Why not now?¡¯ I goaded him. Hoping he¡¯d finally give in.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯ve already talked about this, Mallory. Do you want me to stop?¡± He responded stubbornly. ¡°No! Please! I¡¯ll be good!¡± I promised. Nathan just chuckled again but began thrusting his fingers in and out of my wet walls, hitting a spot that made my eyes roll back in my head. It was driving me so wild, I mindlessly grinded against the bed while shoving my hips back to meet his every thrust. ¡°So responsive.¡± Nathan purred, finger ¨C fucking me even harder. I heard Nathan unzip his pants, and the way his panting and moans increased, Icould only assume he was stroking himself while he fucked me with his other hand. The feeling of his thick fingers moving inside me and the sounds of his own pleasure pushed me higher and higher until a mind- blowing orgasm consumed me. I came hard, screaming his name and a momentter, Nathan grunted out his own release, spilling his hot cum all over my ass. Iid there panting, too exhausted to move while Nathan just walked away. I suddenly felt embarrassed, wondering why he would just leave me lying there like that without a word, and thought maybe I should just get dressed and go. But before I could get my body to cooperate, Nathan was back, cleaning me gently with a warm cloth. As soon as he finished, he pulled me onto the bed with him and pulled the nket over us, holding me close. ¡°I love you, Mallory.¡± He murmured to me. ¡°I love you too, Nathan.¡± I whispered back. And I did love him. But as weid there together, drifting to sleep, a part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the future held for us and if our love would be enough. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 18 by Cara Anderson Ch. 18 An Apology Mallory¡¯s POV As I drove back to ck Moon territory, I kept my mind firmly fixed on the amazing day Nathan and I had shared. I refused to think about the triplets and what their deration to me might mean for our future encounters. What I shared with Nathan was too perfect to let some inexplicable shift in attitude from my former tormentors ruin it. Today was a perfect reminder of that fact. Nathan had always been the ideal boyfriend. Kind and considerate, attentive and sweet. But something shifted between us today. I had dreaded telling him the truth of what I let happen between my future Alphas and me but he had taken it in stride. Not only that, but he actually disyed a possessiveness I¡¯d never seen in himbefore. I never felt unsure of his feelings for me, but he was always soid back, never overreacting when other men would flirt with me. I had to wonder why that had changed so suddenly. But then again, I¡¯d never kissed any of those other men before. But more than any of that, I couldn¡¯t get over the way he¡¯d bent me over his bed, dominated me and made mee so hard for him. He¡¯d never touched me that way before, always so careful not to cross a line we couldn¡¯t uncross despite my constant cajoling him to take things further. I was especially surprised, because thest time we talked about it, he had actually gotten angry with me. ¡°What if you were dating someone else right now? Would you give him what should only be given to your fatedmate?¡± He¡¯d been furious at the thought. And before I could formte a response, he continued. ¡°What if I were your fated mate? Would youe to me already having given yourself to someone else?¡± ¡°I-, I honestly don¡¯t know, Nathan.¡± I¡¯d answered him the best I could at the time. ¡°It may not be what you want to hear but I guess I just don¡¯t buy into that double standard. You aren¡¯t a virgin. Most male wolves don¡¯t wait for their mates. Why should she-wolves have to? Why should we be the ones who have to bear the pain and jealousy of knowing others have been with our mate while he¡¯ll never have to deal with that baggage? Why should she-wolves worry about their future mates¡¯ peace of mind or possessiveness when most don¡¯t worry about ours?¡± He didn¡¯t have an answer for me and I think that pissed him off more than mywords. He¡¯d stormed out on me that day though he did apologizeter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mal. I know it seems unfair to you but I can¡¯t live with myself if I took something from your future mate that I would not want anyone to take from me.¡± He exined. It wasn¡¯t what I wanted to hear but I let it go, knowing I wouldn¡¯t change his mind. But today, he may not have totally crossed the line, but he definitely put a toe over it and it only made me want more. Maybe it made me a whore that I didn¡¯t care about waiting for my mate, or maybe it was just because I hoped Nathan was mine. Either way, he hadn¡¯t heard the end of it from me. I wouldn¡¯t dare admit to myself that the strange pull between me and the triplets might mean one or all of them could be my mates. That was a reality Icouldn¡¯t ept. Even if they weren¡¯t just ying with me now by saying they wanted me, there was no way they would ept an omega as a mate. They¡¯d made that more than clear over the years. Any or all of us being fated mates would only end in disaster. So, as I pulled onto my street, I renewed my resolve to avoid the triplets as much as possible and focus solely on my future with Nathan. I felt lighter than I had since the day I left the academy, but as soon as my house came into view, my heart dropped to my stomach. Cary¡¯s car sat in my driveway, meaning at least one of the triplets was in my house. Why couldn¡¯t they just leave me alone? ¡°Fuck!¡± I screamed just to vent my frustration, then turned my attention to how to handle the train-wreck I was headed for. ¡°I¡¯m just not going to engage.¡± I told myself. ¡°Just walk right past them like they aren¡¯t even there.¡± It was a naive idea on my part, doomed to fail from the start. Because I forgot one tiny detail. They were Alphas, and Alphas don¡¯t like to lose. So despite the fact that this was all a game to them, they wouldn¡¯t stop trying to make me submit to their whims. Anything less would be admitting defeat. Coming home covered in Nathan¡¯s scent did not equate to submission. It was an act of defiance. Three angry growls resonated around me as soon as I walked through the door. But I refused to acknowledge them, not even slowing down as I made a beeline for the stairs. ¡°Mallory, stop!¡± Colton demanded, but for some reason his Alpha tone didn¡¯t work on me so I kept going. ¡°Nope! Not happening!¡± I tossed over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m in too good of a mood to let the three of you ruin it.¡± Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because they just growled even louder and one of them, the leather and tobo scent told me it was y, caught me around the waist and dragged me back. ¡°I suggest you not imply that another man touching you is the reason for your good mood, little wolf. Now, you can go to your room when your Alphas say you can. And when you do, it will be so you can wash that disgusting smell off of you.¡± y snarled thest part. ¡°Why the fuck do you smell like him, anyway?¡± Cary and his wolf rumbled together. ¡°I thought we made it clear you were ours!¡± ¡°What part of me walking out and mming the door in your face madeyou think I was even a little bit interested in being yours?¡± I snapped back at him. ¡°Besides, the three of you really should learn tomunicate better before you start running this pack together. Head brother over there made it abundantly clear that Darcy would be the next Luna and I should steer clear of you.¡± I pointed my thumb in Colton¡¯s direction, taking the attention off of myself for a moment. All three of their scents surrounding me was making it hard to breathe and I needed a moment to catch my breath. I couldn¡¯t think straight when they encircled me like they were currently doing. ¡°He is not the decision maker for the three of us and Colton already knows that will never happen. He should never have said that to you.¡± y objected.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Colt!¡± Cary bellowed his name and though he didn¡¯t say more it was obviously meant as amand and Colton seemed to understand him. Taking a deep breath and scrubbing his hand over his face a few times, Colton eventually locked eyes with me. There were a myriad of emotions reflected in his bright blue eyes and for a moment I was lost in them. Then he started to speak. ¡°Mallory, I¡¯m sorry for what I said to you.¡± He apologized, and it sounded sincere. ¡°It¡¯s fine Colton. We both made mistakes. Can we just leave it in the past and move on like it never happened?¡± I asked wearily. It was so exhausting fighting with them. ¡°No we cannot!¡± y interjected. ¡°My brother may be a stubborn ass but he wants you just as much as Cary and Ido. The sooner he admits that to himself and to Darcy, the better off we¡¯ll all be.¡± ¡°y, shut up!¡± Colton growled at him, then addressed me in a softer tone. ¡°Look, Mal. I¡¯m not sure how everything got so fucked up or what provoked me to kiss you like that, but regardless of what my brother¡¯s think, I¡¯mmitted to Darcy. I was angry at myself for betraying her by kissing you and I took it out on you. Again, I apologize. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Cary snorted skeptically, but whatever ideas he was forming in his head about us, I wanted to shut them down before he had a chance to voice them. ¡°Listen, I know the two of you enjoy your little games,¡± I pointed between Cary and y, ¡°but I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m not the same naive little girl you used to enjoy tormentingbecause you always got away with it. Those days are gone so let¡¯s all just move on. I have Nathan, Colton has Darcy, and the two of you have the rest of the female poption and a reputation to uphold. So let¡¯s all go back to our lives and pretend none of this ever happened between us.¡± I was so tired. All I wanted to do was crawl in my bed and forget they were ever here. I turned to walk away from them, intent on escaping their suffocating scents and the unwee response my body always seemed to have when they were around. But before I could make it up the first stair, y called me back. ¡°Mallory, wait!¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 19 by Cara Anderson Ch. 19 Whatever It Takes y¡¯s POV After a lot of arguing and a shit-ton of bad words exchanged, we all agreed to drive to Mallory¡¯s house to apologize. Since we couldn¡¯t agree on a feasible way to do so, we decided just to show up and wing it, rip the bandaid off so to speak. But here we were, about to watch her walk away from us, and Colt was the only one who¡¯d managed an apology. A fucked-up one, but an apology nheless. I couldn¡¯t let her leave without saying what I came here to say. I knew Cary wanted to say his peace too but I was less confident his apology would be any better than Colton¡¯s. He was too much of a cocky bastard for his own good most of the time. Still, I had to try to make her listen. ¡°Mallory, wait!¡± I mored after her, the words tumbling out with no n in mind.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you want now, y? It¡¯s been a long day and I¡¯m tired.¡± She really did sound exhausted. ¡°We¡¯ve already told you what we want. You.¡± I reminded her. ¡°And we¡¯re not going to just give up because you keep pushing us away. But I know we went about it the wrong way and I¡¯m sorry for my part in that.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Cary added, more humbly than I¡¯ve ever heard him. ¡°But regardless of our methods, the oue will be the same. You can hide behind your boyfriend all you want but you know you want us too. Do you really think we can¡¯t smell how aroused you are just being in our presence?¡± And there he is,dies and gentleman. The Cary Collins we all know and love. Irolled my eyes at his tant arrogance. I scrambled for something to say that would erase the damage he¡¯d just done but couldn¡¯t think of a damn thing. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Cary. My body may be driven by the increased hormone production the closer my wolf gets to the surface, and she may have an innate need to please her Alphas until she finds her fated mate, but I¡¯m not some mindless puppet that has to act on every physical urge I have just because my hormones tell me to. I get that you¡¯ve never mastered that particr talent, preferring the mindless route, but thank Goddess we aren¡¯t all like you!¡± Cary¡¯s face remained stoic throughout her tirade but I could feel through our triplet bond that her words ripped him to shreds inside. I didn¡¯t trust him to keep his emotions in check and notsh out at her so I said the first thingthat came to my mind. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing with Nathan? Controlling your urges? Because that¡¯s not what it smells like.¡± I contested. ¡°Nathan and I are in amitted rtionship. What we do behind closed doors is none of your business! And don¡¯t you darepare me to the shallow sluts who spread their legs for you just because you sh them a sexy smile!¡± She snarled at me, stripping me to the bone with her words. Colton wore an unreadable expression, but I could feel his smugness at being excluded from our mutual condemnation. I could tell Cary felt as chastened as I did. But I also knew he was too stubborn to admit it. ¡°Do you think Nathan would still be somitted if he knew what you¡¯d done with us behind his back?¡± Cary sneeredat her with a cat that got the cream look on his face, finally feeling like he held all the cards. ¡°I know he would.¡± Mallory stated with certainty. ¡°Because I already told him.¡± All the color drained from Cary¡¯s face at that revtion. He had hoped Nathan would bow out gracefully once he realized there was something between Mallory and us. But judging by the fact she reeked of his scent, that wasn¡¯t going to happen. ¡°Look, we didn¡¯te here to argue. This is an emotionally charged situation and it¡¯s getting the better of all of us.¡± I squeezed Cary¡¯s shoulder, sending him some of my calming energy through our bond. ¡°That¡¯s the first sensible thing that¡¯s been said all evening. Can we call it a night, now?¡± Mal suggested again. But I had to give it one more shot before Igave up for the night. ¡°Mal, I know you think this is all some game to us. But the truth is, we really do want to be with you, to see where things might go between us. Our wolves want that too. We just want a chance to prove to you how serious we are. What can we do to make you trust us?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± She answered tly, a nk look on her face. ¡°After everything you put me through, there is absolutely nothing you can do.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t ept that answer, little wolf!¡± I yanked her body against mine and murmured in her ear, reveling in the way her body trembled in my arms. ¡°Come on y! You heard her. This is pointless.¡± Colton¡¯s strong hand gripped my arm, attempting to pull me away. A low growl escaped me, telling him to back off as I held onto Mallory even tighter. My head dipped to her neck, scenting her to calm my wolf who¡¯d been raging in my head since the moment Mal said there was nothing we could do to win her trust. ¡°Shut the fuck up. You¡¯re not in charge here, Colt.¡± Cary demanded tersely. I could hear my brother bristle at being told what to do by who he considered his ¡°baby¡± brother, if only by fifteen minutes. But apparently recognizing a lost cause when he saw one, Colt released my arm and stepped back. Still, it wasn¡¯t far enough for me. ¡°Both of you, get the fuck out! I need a moment alone with Mallory.¡± I red at them. Cary made a choked sound and I knew it was the beginning of a protest but thankfully, Colton cut him off. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s give them a minute.¡± He said, followed by the sound of reluctant footsteps. ¡°We¡¯ll be in the car.¡± As soon as the door closed behind them, I backed Mallory into the wall, crowding her with my bulky form. Her arms were trapped at her sides, held at bay by my arms around her tiny but solid frame. She had nowhere to go so I took a moment to admire her beauty, my warm breath fanning her face as I looked down at her. Her breath wasing in soft little pants, making my skin tingle where it hit me. ¡°I can feel the effect I have on you, Mal. You¡¯re quivering from my touch. Your whole body turned to jello the second you were in my arms.¡± I pinned her with a look that dared her to deny it, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, her cheeks turned a ravishing shade of pink under my gaze. ¡°y, I-¡± I¡¯d never know what she was about to say because I didn¡¯t let her finish. ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t talk, little wolf. Just listen.¡± I hushed her, having my own agenda for these few precious moments together. ¡°I know you¡¯re hurt. I know you¡¯re proud. I know you¡¯re stubborn. None of that makes any difference to me. I will do whatever it takes to break down your walls and heal your pain. And so will my brothers. You might not be able to see where this ends right now, but we can. Even if one of us refuses to admit it. And where it ends is with you in our arms every night, trembling under our touch just the way you are now. So don¡¯t tell me there is nothing I can do to earn your trust, because I am in this for the long haul and I won¡¯t stop until I prove you wrong.¡± A small whimper slipped from her lips and golden mes danced with curiosity in her gorgeous hazel eyes. At least in that moment, she wanted to know what that future looked like and I would give myst breath to make sure she found out. Because I could see it, a life with this fierce, loyal, sassy, strong little Goddess in my arms. And I wanted it. No I needed it, like I needed air. Mallory¡¯s plush lips were taunting me, the tiniest tremor revealing to me what she refused to say with words. She knew I wanted to kiss her and she wanted me to, I ached to taste her the way both my brothers already had and I couldn¡¯t step away, couldn¡¯t let her go until I felt her soft, pink mouth against mine just one time. Without thinking, I hauled her off the ground, bringing her face level with mine. Her eyes widened in surprise but fluttered closed a fraction of a secondbefore my lips pressed against hers. Mallory didn¡¯t respond at first, just stilling in my hold as I nibbled and licked her full bottom lip, relishing her sweet, citrusy taste. But in less than a minute, she let out a moan and her tongue darted out to meet mine. From the moment she gave in, it was like we¡¯d been doing this dance our whole lives, knew all the steps as our tongues twirled together in perfect rhythm. It was the most sensual, tantalizing kiss I¡¯d ever had, and I¡¯d had many. With that one simple act, she¡¯d ruined me. I would never crave the taste of anyone else as long as I lived. The needy sounds floating around us only heightened our arousal. The scent of Mallory¡¯s need for me was the most fragrant perfume I¡¯d ever smelled and the throbbing ache in my cock was almost unbearable. But I knew to pushthis further, to take advantage of her lust-filled haze would only backfire in the long run. So I reluctantly set her back on her feet and took the smallest step backward. Unable to deny myself one more taste, I pressed one more gentle kiss to her swollen lips, swiping my tongue over them onest time. Then leaned over to blow my warm breath over her ear as I whispered to her. ¡°Think about what I said.¡± I turned and forced myself to walk out her front door, not allowing myself to turn back even when I was sure I heard her slide to the floor in a wobbly heap. ¡°What happened?¡± Cary demanded to know the second I opened the car door. Refusing to cower to his demand, I waited until I¡¯dfortably settled into the back seat and clicked my seatbelt in ce. The low growl rumbling in Cary¡¯s chest while I situated myself was merely entertaining, feeling nothing could rattle me after that life-altering kiss. But finally taking pity on them, I chose not to say a word, simply opening the link between us and reying the scene in their heads. They both moaned loudly, and Cary shifted in his seat, adjusting his erection while Colt threw the car into drive and peeled away, clearly frustrated at his own reaction. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 20 by Cara Anderson Ch. 20 Please Don¡¯t Cry Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Goddess damn it!¡± I cursed, punching my pillow as I turned onto my stomach, trying, and failing miserable, to find afortable position. I¡¯d been lying in bed for thest hour since my one-sided conversation with y, and sleep still eluded me. One- sided, because apparently I¡¯d been struck dumb by his nearness, shaking like a shy school-girl standing too close to her first crush. What a colossal fucking disaster! What was it about those three men that got under my skin and so obstinately refused to be evicted? It had literally been less than an hour since I¡¯d left Nathan, having professed my undying love and promised to be faithful. Then I came home to find them in my houseand not only did I not throw them out forcefully, but I kissed one of them. Again! ¡°Fuck!¡± I screamed into my pillow, angry with myself for being so weak. If I could manage to control my traitorous body, I might have a chance of resisting them. But the moment they got close to me, my body responded without my permission and they took advantage of it, knowing I couldn¡¯t deny my desire for them. I couldn¡¯t even me it on my horny wolf since I didn¡¯t have one yet. If I was being honest with myself, the draw I felt to them was nothing new. Even as a child, their presence seemed to calm a restlessness I couldn¡¯t rid myself of otherwise. It was a strange paradox, the constant annoyance I felt toward them, the pain and anger they stirred in me, yet the underlying peaceI had, as if knowing I belonged wherever they were somehow. Despite the way they¡¯d taunted me yet again at my sixteenth birthday party, I nearly had a panic attack when my mother agreed to send me away for two years. It had taken me a full year at the academy before the anxiety of being so far away had started to settle. In fact, it wasn¡¯t until Nathan entered my life that I started to feel whole again. ¡°Goddess! Nathan!¡± I repented out loud. I just couldn¡¯t seem to stop myself from making choices that would hurt him. It wasn¡¯t fair to him, to keep betraying his trust then apologizing for itter. As much as it pained me, I knew what I had to do. And at that admission, the tears I¡¯d been holding back all night fell freely. Memories shed through my mind like a movie reel, scenes alternating between my worst days and my best. Cary asking me to a party in front of his friends only tough at me when I eagerly epted. Then Nathan asking me on a date in front of the whole training ss then swinging me around in his arms when I finally agreed to go. y constantly reminding me I was ¡± just an omega¡± and unworthy to be anyone¡¯s Luna. Then Nathan telling me my rank should never define me and I could do anything I put my mind to. Colton ignoring me, acting as if I was beneath his notice. Then Nathan¡¯s constant calls and texts, taking every opportunity to spend time with me. How could I break Nathan¡¯s heart when he¡¯d been the one to heal mine? The thought alone tore me to shreds, ripping painful sobs from my chest. But it was nothing more than I deserved. Because no matter how gut-wrenching it would be to let him go, he deserved better than my constant betrayal. Until I could get my head on straight, be sure I wouldn¡¯t hurt him again, it would be selfish to keep him bound to me. As my weeping turned to small shudders and sniffles, a tap on my window had me on high alert. At first I assumed it was just the wind blowing a nearby branch against the ss but as the sound grew more insistent, I kicked the covers away and shoved out of bed to investigate. ¡°Cary! What the fuck are you doing?¡± I shrieked, throwing the window open, and watching in astonishment as he climbed through it. His huge frame seemed to take up all the space in my little room and the heat radiating from his shirtless form immediately dissipated the chillseeping in through the open window. ¡°Have you been crying? What¡¯s wrong, darling?¡± I quickly wiped my face with the back of my hands to remove the tears still leaking out. Thest thing I wanted was to let Cary Collins see me cry. I¡¯d prided myself on never shedding a tear in front of any of the triplets growing up and didn¡¯t want to start now. But his careful scrutiny of my puffy, red eyes and stained cheeks told me there¡¯d be no fooling him, even if a small mewl hadn¡¯t escaped. ¡°Hey! Shh!¡± He cooed to me, pulling me close with onerge hand behind my head, holding me to his chest. ¡± Everything¡¯s going to be okay. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve got you.¡± Treasonous cries bubbled to the surface and spilled over in the form of tears. I reached up to wipe the warm liquid from his chest when my hand was metwith skin. Smooth skin, pulled taut over bulging muscles that reminded me I was cuddled up to a nearly naked man. ¡°Where are your clothes?¡± I pushed back from his chest, searching his eyes for a suitable answer. ¡°Why are you standing here, nearly naked, in my room?¡± ¡°Nearly naked?¡± He snorted. ¡°We¡¯re wolves, Mal. Be thankful I¡¯m wearing shorts. I let Roan out. We ran here.¡± ¡°But-, but why?¡± He still hadn¡¯t exined what he was even doing here and why he came through the window instead of the door. ¡°I was worried about you. You seemed really upset earlier. I wanted to make sure you were okay and my wolf wasn¡¯t going to let me sleep until he saw for himself that you were fine. Which you¡¯re clearly not.¡± He led me over to the bed and tugged me down besidehim. ¡°So tell me what all those tears are for, darling.¡± ¡°Why would your wolf care if I¡¯m upset?¡± I deflected, but at the moment it seemed far more interesting than my little meltdown. ¡°I told you, my wolf is head over heels for you. He¡¯s Team Mallory all the way.¡± Cary angled his body towards me, looking deep into my eyes like he was speaking straight to my soul. And I could swear I felt tiny sparks where he held my hands in his, rubbing soothing circles with his thumbs. ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely he¡¯s horny like his human and senses a challenge.¡± I used, rolling my eyes at him. ¡± Animals like to stalk their prey after all. He must get bored with all the girls who just drop to their knees for you because you looked in their direction.¡± ¡°Sure, we¡¯re both horny. But only for you.¡± He shrugged it off, pointedly ignoring thest part of my observation before moving on. ¡°Now quit stalling and talk, Mal!¡± ¡°Just telling myself some hard truths. Self-reflection can be a bitch when you don¡¯t like what¡¯s staring back at you.¡± I confessed the truth without revealing the specifics. ¡°Yeah, tell me about it.¡± Cary responded cryptically. ¡°But what could you possibly see in yourself that would cause so much sadness? You¡¯re beautiful, Mal. Inside and out.¡± ¡°Okay, now I know I¡¯ve entered an alternate universe.¡± I pulled my hands free, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back for effect, raising my eyebrows at him. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you see yourself that way?¡± He quizzed me, prying my armsloose and reiming my hands andcing our fingers together. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. But that¡¯s not the point, Carrington. You don¡¯t truly see me that way and you know it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! You know I hate it. And don¡¯t tell me how I do or don¡¯t see you!¡± He snapped irritably.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you! You told me! Nearly every day for thest ten years! Let¡¯s see, there was ¡®Of course you can¡¯te to the party, Mallory. You¡¯re too ugly. No one wants to be seen with you.¡¯ or ¡®Did all your brain cells die in the ident along with your memory? I¡¯ve never met anyone as dumb as you.¡¯ and then there¡¯s my particr favorite ¡®who would ever want you for a mate? There¡¯s nothing to love about you.¡¯ I may not remember my past, but I remember everything since the day I met you, Carrington Collins!¡± Fat tears rolled down my cheeks again as I ended my rant. I hated myself for showing weakness in front of him but was powerless to stop it. Cary gathered me in his arms and tucked my head into his neck, hushing me softly. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry, darling. I can¡¯t take it. I was a fucking idiot. All of us were. We don¡¯t deserve your tears.¡± He owned, continuing to stroke my hairfortingly. It took me a minute to contain my silent, shaking cries enough to speak but as soon as I could, I set him straight. ¡°You¡¯re still an idiot if you think I¡¯m crying over you. I¡¯m crying because I¡¯m angry at myself. Nathan helped me see past all your bullshit. He¡¯s the only man who has ever treated me with kindness and loved me for who I am. And all I do is keep hurting him because of you. What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Cary was silent for a minute, taking in my words as he rubbed my back and rocked me gently. When he released a deep sigh, I knew he was pained by what he was about to say. ¡°I understand how you feel. It sucks to realize you¡¯ve hurt someone who never deserved it, especially when you care deeply for that person.¡± HIs words wereden with so much sincerity and hinted at something deeper than just acknowledging my feelings. ¡°You¡¯re wrong about one thing though. He¡¯s not the only one who ever loved you just the way you are.¡± I gasped at his confession. Was Cary trying to tell me he loved me? No, definitely not. I must be going mad. ¡°Well, It¡¯ste. I should let you get to sleep.¡± He said when I didn¡¯t respond to his remark. ¡°I don¡¯t think sleep is in the cards for me tonight. But you¡¯re right, it¡¯ste. You should definitely get some sleep.¡± I told him. ¡°I can¡¯t have you dragging through training tomorrow. It will set a bad example for the pack. Come on, climb in.¡± He ordered, peeling the covers back for me. I obeyed, too weary to argue. But if I expected him to tuck me in and go, I was sorely mistaken. Cary climbed in behind me and snuggled into my back. He slipped one arm under my waist and slinked the other over my shoulders, pulling me in tight against him. ¡°Cary, what are you doing?¡± I hissed. ¡± You can¡¯t be in my bed!¡± ¡°Really? Present circumstances seem to disprove that theory.¡± He teased, but when he received nothing but a rueful snort from me, he grew serious. ¡°Come on, Mal. My wolf is agitated knowing you¡¯re upset and you¡¯ll sleep better with my warmth to lull you to sleep. I promise not to do anything ungentlemanly.. unless you ask me to.¡± ¡°Mmkay.¡± I was already drifting and he chuckled at my mumbled response. ¡°Goodnight, darling.¡± he murmured. ¡°G¡¯night.¡± I slurred back. Cary burying his nose in my hair and sighing contentedly as he took in deep lungfuls of my scent was thest thing I remembered before slipping into dreand. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 21 by Cara Anderson Ch. 21 Promise Me Mallory¡¯s POV I woke the next morning to a banging sound. Bolting upright in bed at the jarring noise, it took me a minute to get my bearings. Then, just as it registered with me that someone was at the door, strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me back down. ¡°Just ignore it. They¡¯ll go away.¡± Cary¡¯s gruff morning voice was muffled by his face burrowing into my hair until his lips reached the back of my neck.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. My mind raced as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Between Cary trailing kisses along the back of my neck and the persistent banging outside, I couldn¡¯t think straight. Why was Cary in my bed? I¡¯d slept so soundly, I felt like I was waking from aa after years of being unconscious. But gradually, the events of the night prior filtered into my brain. Cary had climbed in through my window. I had cried in his arms. Then he held me until I fell asleep. And apparently spent the entire night with me. That about summed it up. Cary scooted in closer to my back, his morning wood poking my backside. His hand drifted to my waist, squeezing my hip then trailing his fingers lightly over my skin. Whether from the remnants of sleep I was still trying to shake off or Cary¡¯s kisses and teasing touches, my mind was in a fog. I knew I should say something to him, probably something that led to him leaving my bed, but the words wouldn¡¯te to me. Then all that changed in an instant. ¡°Mallory!¡± My visitor yelled as he continued to knock on the front door. ¡± Come on, Mal! It¡¯s sweltering out here!¡± ¡°Fuck! Nathan!¡± I swore, shoving Cary off and sitting up again. ¡°You have to leave. Now!¡± I flinched slightly at the hurt that passed over Cary¡¯s face. He¡¯d been so kind to mest night,forting me with no games and no pretense for once. That, coupled with the wounded look he was giving me was almost enough to convince me he really did feel something for me. But that would have to be examined at ater time. ¡°Thank you for staying with mest night. It was honestly the best night¡¯s sleep I¡¯ve had in longer than I can remember.¡± I told him, hoping to soften the blow. ¡°That¡¯s because we belong together, darling.¡± Cary shed me his best sexy smirk as he spoke. ¡°Just let me stay, Mal. He¡¯ll get the message loud and clear that it¡¯s over between you and I¡¯ll be here to protect you if he gets angry.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Cary. He deserves better than that. I need to speak with Nathan alone.¡± I said, imploring him with my eyes to understand and ept my choice. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll sneak out the back like a dirty little secret this one time. But next time, and there will be a next time, I¡¯ll be leaving through the front door.¡± He moved to the window and was already halfway through it when he turned back to me. ¡°You have fifteen minutes to settle things with him, then I¡¯ming back. If he¡¯s still here, I will handle him myself. And you damn well better not smell like him!¡± I barely had time to blink, let alone respond, before he disappeared from view. I shook my head to clear it of Cary¡¯sst words then headed down the stairs. I knew I had to tell Nathan the truth and set him free from mybile behavior, at least for now, but I hadn¡¯t nned to do it on the spur of the moment like this. I had no clue what I was going to say to him. ¡°What are you doing here so early?¡± Was my brilliant opening line as I flung the door open with more force than I intended. ¡°Well, good morning to you too. What took you so long to answer the door?¡± He asked, stepping inside. I had just opened my mouth to respond when his forehead creased into a frown and he took a deep breath, sniffing the air around me. A deep growl rumbled in his chest and his eyes turned pitchck. Unfortunately, I knew what he was smelling and I knew this wouldn¡¯t end well for me. ¡°Nathan, I swear it¡¯s not what you think!¡± He was stalking towards me and I was backing up with every step he took. ¡°Oh really? So one of the triplets didn¡¯t rub his body all over yours to the point your scents arebined like they would be if he fucked you? You¡¯re telling me you didn¡¯t fuck one of them?¡± He practically spit the venom-ced words at me. ¡°Yes! I mean no! Shit!¡± Goddess damn my still half asleep brain. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you. No, I didn¡¯t sleep with him. Well, I did sleep with him but there was no sex involved. Fuck!¡± Why couldn¡¯t I just shut up while I was ahead? Nathan growled even louder at my botched exnation. He raised hishand and I flinched, though I knew he¡¯d never hit me. ¡°Fuck, Mallory! Do you really think I¡¯d every a hand on you, no matter how pissed off I am?¡± He bit out usingly. ¡°No! Of course I know you wouldn¡¯t.¡± I rushed to assure him. He just scrubbed his hand over his face in frustration. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect this of you.¡± He shook his head, sinking into the sagging cushions of our old sofa. ¡°After the day we spent together yesterday, I couldn¡¯t wait to see you again. I raced here this morning, blowing off training and all my meetings because I couldn¡¯t wait to see your beautiful face again. What a fucking fool I was.¡± ¡°Please, Nathan! Let me exin.¡± I begged, my shoulders shaking with silent sobs. ¡°Go on then. Exin to me why you came to me yesterday, begging me to forgive you and giving me one of the best experiences of my life just to turn around and break my fucking heart.¡± Listening to Nathan choke back his emotions was like being stabbed in the chest with a dull knife. I¡¯d started sobbing in earnest at hearing the pain in his voice. ¡°I-, I loved our day together yesterday. Every minute of it. I was-, I was so happy with you. With us. I still am!¡± I sputtered out through my tears. ¡°Then tell me what happened!¡± He demanded. ¡°How am I supposed to believe you when you just rolled out of bed covered in his scent?¡± ¡°They were all waiting for me when I got homest night, the triplets.¡± I sucked in a few shuddering breaths. ¡± They wanted to apologize for, well for everything, I guess. But then y, he-, he kissed me. I don¡¯t know what happens when they do that. It¡¯s like my brain gets all muddled.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s y¡¯s scent you¡¯re covered in.¡± He assumed. ¡°N-, no.¡± I corrected him. ¡°I was upset when they left. Cary came back to check on me. He stayed with me until I fell asleep and ended up falling asleep too. Nothing happened. I swear nothing happened!¡± ¡°You kissed one of them and spent the night with another. That¡¯s not nothing Mallory!¡± His voice was quieter now, like all the fight had left him and it just made me cry even harder. ¡°I know it¡¯s not. I¡¯m so sorry, Nathan. I never meant for any of this to happen and I know it isn¡¯t fair to you. You¡¯ve been nothing but wonderful to me andyou deserve so much better!¡± ¡°I want you, Mallory!¡± He dered, wiping away a stray tear he didn¡¯t want me to see. I inhaled deeply, steeling myself for what came next. There was no way I could look him in the eye. If I did, I¡¯d never get the words out. So I kept my eyes trained steadfastly on the floor. ¡°I want you too, Nathan. But even knowing that, I keep making choices that hurt you. I think it¡¯s best if we break up, at least until I can figure out why I keep allowing this to happen. Then, if you still want me, maybe we could try to work things out.¡¯ The words tasted like ash in my mouth but I knew they had to be said. ¡°No Mallory! I don¡¯t want that!¡± Nathan objected, dragging me into his arms and holding me close, burying his face in my hair. ¡°Nathan, we can¡¯t keep going through this. Right now, I can¡¯t promise you it won¡¯t happen again and I can¡¯t keep up this back and forth, hurting you then apologizing, only to do it all over again.¡± My voice was pleading, begging him to understand how much this was breaking me. ¡°You won¡¯t have to. Take as long as you need, just don¡¯t push me away.¡± Nathan grasped my shoulders hard, digging his fingers into my flesh almost painfully as he set me at arms length so he could look into my eyes. The pain and devastation I saw there sent a fresh round of sobs coursing through me. ¡°I¡¯m willing to fight for you Mallory. Promise me you¡¯ll give me a chance. Promise me!¡± Nathan raised his voice and shook my shoulders as he made his demands, forcing me to gasp through my sobs. ¡°Time¡¯s up Mallory!¡± Cary came bursting in at the worst possible moment.¡± Hey! Get your fucking hands off her!¡± He grabbed Nathan by the back of his cor and yanked him away from me, practically tossing him across the room. Then he was back with me, pulling up my sleeve to check for injuries where Nathan had been holding me. His roar shook the whole house when he saw the w marks in my skin. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Cary! He didn¡¯t mean to hurt me!¡± Itched onto his wrist, restraining him from attempting to beat Nathan to a pulp. ¡°Then exin the bruises on your arms and the blood where his ws cut you!¡± I could handle the snarling voice of his wolf but flinched away from the murderous look in his eyes. ¡°Fuck! Mallory, I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t realize-, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± Nathan hung his head in his hands, not even attempting to get up from the floor. ¡°Well you fucking did!¡± Cary growled at him. ¡°Stay the fuck away from her!¡± Nathan looked at me to gauge my reaction, but there was no anger there. Only guilt and remorse for the pain I¡¯d caused him. Slowly, he pushed himself up to standing, grimacing slightly as he likely had a few broken bones. Then he took a few tentative steps in my direction. Cary ced himself in front of me like a protective barrier but I stepped around him, stopping at his side. He put his arm out in front of me, preventing me from moving any closer to Nathan. The act was both endearing and annoying at once. I appreciated his desire to keepme safe but there was no need to protect me from Nathan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t do that.¡± Nathan responded to hismand. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I told her. I¡¯m going to fight for her until she has someone else¡¯s mark on her neck and there is nothing you or your brothers can do to stop me.¡± I could feel the fury rolling off Cary in waves as he clenched and unclenched his fists beside me. ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have a fucking problem!¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 22 by Cara Anderson Ch. 22 Divisive Cary¡¯s POV Waking up with Mallory in my arms felt fucking perfect! The few times I¡¯d allowed myself to fall asleep with a woman had always ended in me feeling dirty and disgusted, but with Mal it felt like I could lie there with her forever. I¡¯d had the best sleep of my life and I was in no hurry to let her go. I knew I¡¯d promised her I wouldn¡¯t try anything but I couldn¡¯t help myself. Her alluring scent surrounding me and the feel of her soft skin under my fingertips was too much to resist. I was so hard for her it was fucking painful and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from shoving my cock against her soft ass to ease the ache a little. She was letting me touch her and everything was perfect until theasshole Alpha came banging on her door. I wanted to go with her to confront him, to stake my im, but I had to respect Mal¡¯s wishes and let her go alone. It was a decision my wolf did not agree with. ¡°Let¡¯s shift. I want to go for a run.¡± Roan coaxed me as I mulled around in the woods behind Mallory¡¯s house, biding my time until I could go check on her. ¡°Nice try, buddy. I¡¯m your other half, remember? I can sense your intentions. You¡¯d go running straight for Mallory and then she¡¯d be mad at both of us.¡± I called him out because he¡¯d been snarling in my head at the thought of her being alone with Nathan since the minute I crawled out her window. ¡°She¡¯s ours!¡± He growled at me. ¡°That other Alpha wants what¡¯s ours and you shouldn¡¯t let him be alone with her!¡± ¡°Trust me, I didn¡¯t want to. But Mallory isn¡¯t exactly our biggest fan right now. We have to show her we will respect her or she will keep pushing us away.¡± I argued. ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± He barked at me. ¡°I was drawn to her from the first day you shifted. I wanted to be near her and be nice to her, but you and our brothers had to be little assholes!¡± I just rolled my eyes at him. I was already beating myself up for the way I¡¯d treated her. I didn¡¯t need my own wolf to say ¡°I told you so!¡± Having had enough of his rhetoric and feeling worried for Mal, I decided her time alone with Nathan was up and headed for her front door. ¡°Time¡¯s up Mallory!¡± I hollered, not even waiting for her to open the door before letting myself in. But as soon as I walked in the room and saw the way he was holding her, his ws digging into her flesh, I saw red! My wolf wanted to rip him to pieces but I just wanted him away from her so I could make sure she was okay. I tossed him across the room and heard his bones crunch when he hit the wall but it was no more than he deserved. ¡°Then exin the bruises on your arms and the blood where his ws cut you!¡± Roan and I snarled when she tried to im she wasn¡¯t hurt. Mallory didn¡¯t have her wolf yet. Not only would it take her longer to heal, but the cuts could get infected or leave scars. I knew she wouldn¡¯t want me to kill him but if he scarred her perfect, smooth skin I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to tear him apart. But for the time being, I settled for warning him to stay the fuck away from her. As broken as he was, I expected Nathan to tuck his tail between his legs and leave, to go lick his wounds in private. But instead, he had the nerve to challenge me, saying he would fight for her. Hearing that, my wolf pushed forward and roared at him. ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have a fucking problem!¡± ¡°Nathan, please just go. We¡¯ll talkter when everyone has calmed down.¡± Mallory put her hands on his chest in a calming manner and I hated the sight of her touching him but I held my tongue. ¡°Why do I have to go? If you¡¯re worried about us fighting, make him leave!¡± The fucker sneered at me as he spoke. ¡°I was here first.¡± I reminded him,enjoying the way his face crumbled at the fact I¡¯d spent the night in her bed. ¡°I mean it, I¡¯m not giving up on you Mallory!¡± Nathan countered, putting his hands over hers to hold her in ce. Roan let out a snarl causing Mallory to look back at me. My eyes were shing between the ck of my wolf and my own cobalt blue, telling her my patience was hanging by a thread. ¡°Nathan, I promise we¡¯ll talk soon. But you need to go now before someone gets hurt.¡± She urged him. ¡°I¡¯ll go, on one condition. Go on a date with me tonight.¡± He bartered. I held my breath, waiting to hear what she would say, while Mallory blew out a deep breath. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go out with you.¡± She agreed. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll pick you up at seven.¡± He said, then looked at me while he kissed her on the cheek. My fists were clenched so hard, my ws were cutting into my palms. Nathan shed me a smug smirk then left. I wanted to go after him but Mallory was staring at me, watching my every move. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I finally grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the stairs. ¡°Go where?¡± She demanded, digging in her heels.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Upstairs so you can take a shower. You reek of him so you need to wash off his smell. Then, we are going to spend the day together. You agreed to go out with him tonight. It¡¯s only fair we get you for the day.¡± I exined. ¡°We?¡± Mallory tilted her head questioningly and it was so fucking adorable I wanted to kiss the life out of her, but not with another man¡¯s smell on her. ¡°I¡¯ll link y. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to join us.¡± I told her. She looked at me for a moment and I was almost sure there was a hint of pain in her gaze, but she quickly covered it and went to take a shower. I could only guess that she was hurt knowing Colton wouldn¡¯t want to join us and it made me want to murder my own brother. But I also knew that being left out while y and I spent time with her would get to him eventually. ¡°Hey bro, are you free today?¡± I linked y. ¡°Where the fuck have you been?¡± He growled instead of answering me. ¡°I spent the night with Mallory.¡± I answered honestly, letting the smile on my face show in my tone just to taunt him. ¡°Woke up with her in my arms. It was fucking amazing!¡± ¡°Did you fuck her without me?¡± He snarled along with his wolf and I could feel their anger through the link. ¡°Now, now, y. I¡¯m a gentleman. I would never talk about my woman that way.¡± I teased him. ¡°Are you free or not? She¡¯s in the shower but I¡¯m taking her out for the day. I won¡¯t keep her waiting while you interrogate me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way!¡± He grunted, cutting the link. I was chuckling to myself about getting under y¡¯s skin when Mallory walked out of the bathroom in nothing but a fucking towel, little rivulets of water rolling down her chest and into her cleavage. I licked my lips as my mouth suddenly went dry. I felt like I was dying of thirst and all I wanted to do was drink her in. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Mal asked, breaking the spell I was under. ¡°Oh, um, I was just thinking of something funny y said.¡± I hedged. ¡°Hmm,¡± was all she said, looking at me suspiciously. I watched with rapt attention as Mallory flitted around her room pulling out clothes to change into. I nearly choked on my spit when she selected a redce bra and matching v-string from her drawer. How the fuck was I supposed to keep my hands to myself knowing that was under her clothes all day. ¡°Maybe we won¡¯t have to keep our hands to ourselves.¡± My wolf snickered in my head, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth in a goofy grin. Mallory went back into the bathroom to change and just as the door closed,my brother came bolting up the stairs and into her room. ¡°Where is she?¡± y asked and I just pointed to the bathroom door in answer.¡± I filled him in on the whole scene with Nathan earlier and his intention to fight for Mallory. His chest rumbled as I rted the events, his wolf angry that she¡¯d been harmed and that Nathan wouldn¡¯t back off. ¡°It¡¯s only two weeks until her birthday.¡± He said worriedly. ¡°Two weeks until she gets her wolf and can find her mate. That means we only have two weeks to earn her forgiveness and make her choose us. Otherwise, she might take him as a chosen mate and then where will we be?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t fucking let that happen!¡± I growled quietly, not wanting Mallory to hear. ¡°We might not have a choice. Especially if we can¡¯t get Colton to man up and admit his feelings.¡± y¡¯s voice sounded broken at the thought of losing her and I didn¡¯t me him. I felt exactly the same way. And I knew he had a strong point about Colton. Mallory knew that we could only have one Luna. Even if y and I were sessful in earning her love, I doubted she would ever ept us if Colton stayed with Darcy. She knew we had to rule the pack together. She would nevere between us that way. It just wasn¡¯t in her to be divisive. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to make sure our dear brother sees the light, one way or another.¡± I said. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 23 by Cara Anderson Ch. 23 Culinary Adventure y¡¯s POV Mallory came out of the bathroom looking good enough to eat. Her dark brown locks were pulled up in a low twist, a few wispy strands hanging loosely around her face. Her sun kissed skin glowed without a speck of makeup other than some shiny lip gloss that made her plush lips look even more kissable. And the thigh length, red baby doll dress she wore made her legs look impossibly long. Noticing us staring at her, Mallory narrowed her eyes as she looked back and forth between Cary and me. I tried to stop the bit of drool from escaping but the way she was scrutinizing me told me she hadn¡¯t missed me ogling her. ¡°This is not a date!¡± She insisted. ¡°I¡¯m giving you the gift of my time as a thank you for actually being nice to mest night and not trying to take advantage of my emotional vulnerability.¡± I looked at my brother who was studiously ignoring my gaze. But I wasn¡¯t about to let him off the hook that easily. He¡¯d tried to make me think he¡¯d slept with her to make me jealous but he was full of shit. ¡°You fucking liar!¡± I growled at him through the link. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie! I never said I fucked her.¡± He chuckled back, unfazed by my irritation. ¡°I just held her all night, with her pressed up against me while I breathed in her amazing scent. Best night¡¯s sleep I¡¯ve ever had.¡± His voice took on a dreamy quality as he talked and jealousy red within me. That was an experience I wanted for myself and hearing him describe it made me want it even more. And I was determined to make it happen very soon. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little wolf. We don¡¯t care what you call it. We just want to spend time with you.¡± I told her honestly. She still looked a little incredulous but nodded her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± She agreed. ¡°Wait, where are we going?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Cary shrugged, earning another suspicious nce from Mal, but she still followed us warily. ¡°Where are we going, bro?¡± I linked Cary, curiosity eating at me. ¡°Just back to the packhouse.¡± He stated bluntly. I didn¡¯t respond, just let myconfusion flow through the bond, prompting him to borate. ¡°That¡¯s where Colton will be and it will drive him mad to hear us having a good time with Mal without him.¡± My lips curled into a smirk. Leave it to Cary to know exactly how to push our surly older brother¡¯s buttons.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, since I have no ability to shift and neither of you have a car, I suggest you share the n so I¡¯ll know where to drive us to.¡± Mal¡¯s acerbic tone recalled our attention. ¡°Fine.¡± Cary grumbled. Mallory looked unimpressed when Cary shared the n but didn¡¯tment on it. We all climbed in her car and I slipped into the passenger seat beside her, forcing Cary to take the back seat which earned me a snarl from him. Not that I cared. It was every man for himself, or wolf, as the case may be. It was my first time being in such a small, enclosed space with Mal and her powerful scent flooded my senses. I kept shifting in my seat to try to hide my hard-on from her, she smelled so delicious. Memories of our kiss came rushing back and I couldn¡¯t wait to taste her again. ¡°Fuck me! This car is drenched in her scent. If we don¡¯t get out of here soon, I¡¯m gonna blow just from the smell of her.¡± Cary¡¯s voice in my head sounded urgent. ¡°Mmmhmm.¡± I grunted back painfully, unable to form words. I practically bolted from the car the second she pulled to a stop. ¡°Fuck!¡± Cary cursed out loud as he fumbled with his seatbelt, his fingers slipping in his hurry to release it. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re here. What¡¯s the n?¡± Mallory questioned impatiently. ¡°The n, darling, is to have a little culinary adventure.¡± Cary said, taking her hand and leading her inside. ¡°Our parents have had a lot going ontely and we¡¯ve haven¡¯t exactly made things any easier on them. I thought we could make them a nice dinner and set it up on the terrace for them.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s really thoughtful!¡± Mal said, looking mildly shocked. ¡°What¡¯s on the menu?¡± ¡°I was thinking roasted rack ofmb, potatoes dauphinoise and steamed asparagus. You¡¯re in charge of dessert.¡± Cary announced. ¡°Wait! Are you serious? Can you guys really cook all that?¡± Mal asked dubiously. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what we can do, little wolf.¡± I told her, leaning in close and wrapping an arm around her waist. The bewildered expression on her face was so fucking adorable. I was buzzed at the chance to show her I was actually good at something besides fucking around. The excitement must have gotten to me because I kissed her temple without even thinking about it and practically dragged her into the kitchen. I started pulling out ingredients while Cary gathered the cookware we¡¯d need. I could feel Mallory¡¯s eyes on us while we worked and I loved knowing I held all her attention for the moment. I just hoped I was impressing her. Finally, when I couldn¡¯t take it any more, I turned around to see her staring back at me with a stunned expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, little wolf? Never seen a man cook before?¡± I teased, stalking toward her. I wasn¡¯t sure what I was going to do when I reached her but I just needed to be in her space. My fingers itched to reach out and touch her. ¡°No, actually, since it was just me and mom growing up.¡± Her eyes shed with a hint of pain when she said that, but it passed and quickly morphed into amusement. ¡°But I certainly never would have expected it from you.¡± ¡°Just one more thing to love about us. You¡¯d never go hungry.¡± I winked at her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close for the briefest moment. ¡°Okay, Gordon Ramsey. I¡¯ll admit I¡¯m impressed but let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.¡± She said, pushing against my chest to escape my embrace only tofind Cary waiting to capture her in his. ¡°What about you, darling? Dessert isn¡¯t going to make itself. What are you nning to make?¡± He asked, holding her back to his chest and hooking his chin over her shoulder. As he stood there holding her in his arms, I could feel Colton¡¯s presence lurking in the hall, right outside the door. It urred to me then that Cary was a lot smarter than anyone gave him credit for. My wolf told me that Kai, Colton¡¯s wolf, was begging him to join us but my brother was still being stubborn. I could feel his longing through our bond though, and I knew it was only a matter of time until he gave in. ¡°We¡¯re making a croquembouche. It is a special desset for special people. But it¡¯s at least a two person job. Three iseven better.¡± She craned her neck to look up at him smirking, her words pulling my attention away from our brother¡¯s presence. I watched in awe as she zipped around the kitchen, measuring this and stirring that expertly while Cary and I followed orders, leaving a path of destruction in our wake. When it was all said and done, there was flour and spun sugar everywhere. But the tower of little pastries filled with chocte cream looked exquisite. The three of us stood shoulder to shoulder, staring at the disaster with matching looks of horror on our faces. It was going to be a bitch to clean up. So, in typical Cary fashion, he decided to make it worse. He walked tentatively toward the counter with the biggest pile of spilled flour, Mallory and I following behind,resigned to our fate. When suddenly Cary turned, a handful of the white powder in his palm, and threw it at us. What ensued over the next ten minutes was nothing short of juvenile, irresponsible, and ill-advised, but the smile on Mallory¡¯s face was so worth it! We allughed until we cried, our shoulders shaking as we struggled to catch our breath. When the hrity had finally worn off and the reality of our now gargantuan task sunk in, Mallory grabbed a rag and began wiping down the counter. I moved to join her, but Cary had other ideas. A predatory fire lit his eyes and I could feel the possessive energy from his wolf as he stalked toward her, caging her in with his arms. My nostrils red as something between fear and arousal filled the air around Mallory. Then Cary leaned over to murmur in her ear, and ruined the entire day. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 24 by Cara Anderson Ch. 24 Fragile Heart Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°I love hearing youugh and seeing that beautiful smile light up your face. I love it even more when I have something to do with putting it there.¡± Cary¡¯s warm breath on my ear made me shudder involuntarily. He was so close. Much, much too close. My breathing hitched as Cary¡¯s massive frame loomed over me. A spike of fear tore through me, though I knew he would never hurt me physically. It was actually that knowledge that scared me. I felt so safe with his arms around me, with any of the triplets if I was being honest with myself. Just like I¡¯d felt safe spending the night in his armsst night. What scared me even more was that a part of me liked his nearness. Hisbergamot and cinnamon scent hung thick in the air around us, sending a jolt of pleasurable tingles right between my thighs. I hated that I had that reaction to him and I hated even more that he knew it. I needed to get away from him before my arousal flooded the whole room but he had me trapped. ¡°Wh-, what are you doing?¡± I breathed out. ¡°Helping.¡± He answered coyly, picking up a rag and absently wiping circles on the counter with it, only managing to spread the flour around in a pasty mess. ¡°Sh-, shouldn¡¯t we divide and conquer?¡± It irritated me that my voice kept breaking,ing out like a frightened damsel. ¡°But this is so much better, isn¡¯t it darling?¡± He leaned even closer, his hot breath skimming my neck, his lips brushing my skin as he spoke. ¡°Admitit, you¡¯d miss me if I moved away. Miss my scent, my presence, the heat of my body pressed against yours. Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°N-, No.¡± I lied, making him chuckle. Because he knew I was lying too, the trembling of my traitorous body giving me away.. I could feel anger bubbling up from the pit of my stomach. Though I couldn¡¯t say who I was more angry with, Cary or myself. He shouldn¡¯t affect me this way. None of them should. I shouldn¡¯t let them after everything they¡¯d done to me. And who the hell did he think he was to keep insisting I wanted him when I told him I didn¡¯t? ¡°I can feel the way your body responds to me and I can smell your arousal. Keep lying to yourself if you want, but you can¡¯t lie to me. You never could. Even as a fifteen year old girl, yourbody always told us the truth.¡± He said arrogantly, stirring the burning rage within me even further. ¡°You¡¯re an arrogant dick! You know that, right?¡± I snapped at him, my rage fueled by the reminder of the way he used to tease me into a needy frenzy then belittle me. ¡°Oh, I know. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you want me. Want us. Tell me, darling. When you finally give in and realize you¡¯re ours, which one of us are you going to let im your virginity? Colton doesn¡¯t deserve it for denying his feelings for you for so long. yton would be a good choice for your first time. He¡¯d be sweet and gentle. But somehow I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you want. You¡¯re too full of fire and passion for that. I think you¡¯ll want it hard, rough. And I¡¯ll be more than happy to give you just what you need,¡± My heart raced and my breathing increased, my chest heaving from a mixture of desire and fury. He¡¯d crossed a line and something inside me snapped. I would examer this feeling that his words had hit way too close to the truth. ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are?¡± I demanded, all the pain of the past leaching into every word. ¡°I was a girl! And for some Goddess forsaken reason, despite the fact you were all undeserving pricks, I was smitten with you and you knew it. ¡°You had the opportunity to take my fragile teenage heart and treat it with kindness, gentleness. But instead, you used every opportunity you could find to destroy my self-confidence, to make me look foolish and ensure I knew just how beneath you I was. Two years ago, I left here all but destroyed. ¡°You did that to me! Sent me away beaten down and left it to another man to repair the damage you¡¯d done. Nathan fought for me, but more importantly, I fought for myself! So there is no fucking way, in this lifetime or the next, that I would ever let you get close enough to tear down everything I¡¯ve rebuilt!¡± ¡°Mallory, I-, we- .¡± y stuttered, at a loss for words. ¡°You what, y? You didn¡¯t realize how your words, your actions made me feel? Bullshit! You knew exactly what you were doing, thrived on it even. It made you feel special. ¡°Or were you going to tell me you¡¯re sorry? Don¡¯t! Because that¡¯s bullshit too! If you were truly sorry, that would have been the first thing you said to me when I came home. And instead of more of the same pompous attitude,you would be spending every second trying to win back the heart you practically served Nathan on a silver tter. So save your empty words for all the pack sluts who hang on them. I certainly won¡¯t!¡± Both of them stared back at me wearing identical looks of remorse. I could tell my words hit a nerve, illustrated a story they¡¯d written totally differently in their own heads. One where they were the heroes and not the viins. But now that I¡¯d finally made it crystal clear how I saw them, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from putting just one more nail in their coffin.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Let me make one more thing crystal clear. I came here today for one reason only. I thought if, and it was a big if, we could actually get along, actually be friends, it would make our parents happy and save me the headache of your constant torment. But there is NOWAY I would ever give any of you manwhores my virginity. ¡°Of the four of you, Nathan is the only one who¡¯s earned that privilege. But if someday hell actually froze over and I did decide to sleep with you, it would only be after I¡¯ve had as much sex as the three of youbined and you were the only option left!¡± y and Cary both growled at my words but I didn¡¯t care. I had turned to face him as I railed at him and I was attempting to push him away so I could escape but he held me back. Both of them worked to cool their tempers and shove back their wolves while I watched them warily. Then slowly, a smirk crossed Cary¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯ll see, darling.¡± Was his cocky response. ¡°I think you secretly like my pompous attitude.¡± ¡°Yes, we will see. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a date to get ready for. With the Alpha who taught me how a real man behaves.¡± I stressed thest part, unable to resist one final dig. I shoved hard and he let me escape his hold. I kept my head down and made a beeline for the door, refusing to look back at either of them. I was almost home free until I smacked into something hard and nearly fell backward. But a pair of strong arms reached out to steady me and I looked up into Colton¡¯s eyes, swirling with some undecipherable emotion that I had no time to puzzle out. ¡°Thanks.¡± I said quietly, then stepped around him, not stopping until I reached my car. I was proud of myself for the tongueshing I¡¯d delivered, standing up for myself after all those years of lettingwords like the ones Cary had just used make me crumble at their feet. Overall, I felt good about myself. Well, except for the part where I barrelled into Colton like a bull in a china shop, but that didn¡¯t count. I hurried home to shower and change for my date with Nathan. I took extra care with my makeup and curled my hair, wanting to look nice for him. To show him he was still special to me, still worth my time and effort. I told myself I wouldn¡¯t think about the triplets or the burning need I¡¯d felt to im them as mine all day long. I wouldn¡¯t think about the words Cary had breathed in my ear and how I¡¯d felt deep in my soul that he was right. I wouldn¡¯t think about any of that. At least not tonight. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 25 by Cara Anderson Ch. 25 I Don¡¯t Care Colton¡¯s POV Fucking torture! That¡¯s what the entire day had been. The minute Mallory walked in the house my wolf had been on edge. Even in my office with the door closed, he could pick up her scent from three floors down. Every delicious, mouthwatering note of her fragrance. Then there was the sound of herughter. That musical lilt that never failed to make my heart sing and my cock ache. Kai was riding me hard, jealous of his brothers and pushing me to join them. I couldn¡¯t say I med him. I was jealous too. But I pushed back, refusing to be led by my oversexed wolf. Until I couldn¡¯t refuse anymore. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll go see what they¡¯re up to. But we¡¯re just looking!¡± I bargained. ¡± We weren¡¯t invited and I¡¯m not going to invite myself to join like some loser!¡± ¡°Not good enough!¡± Kai rumbled. ¡± Need to taste her again!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t and you know it! Imitted to Darcy and I will not betray her trust!¡± I argued. Kai bared his fangs at me, not liking my response. It was the same fight we¡¯d had on the daily since the night I went to Mallory¡¯s house and kissed her senseless. My wolf had only craved more of her ever since. I spent most of my time shoving out the memories he shed through my head just to keep from turning into a drooling mess. Still, the sweet sugar of her lips, the silk of her tongue sliding against mine, the tantalizing sound of her little gasps as I devoured her, it all haunted me. The tingles under my fingertips as I trailed them over the soft skin of her thighs, the feel of them wrapped around my waist, spreading her open for me as I pressed my rock-hard cock against her warm pussy. Fuck! I shifted in my chair, trying to relieve the pressure on my swollen shaft. I gripped the edge of my desk, my ws piercing the wood to hold myself in ce. Every cell in my body begged me to go to her, to pull her into my arms and kiss her until she had no doubt who she belonged to. If only I¡¯d known I was fighting a losing battle. Even as I rose from my desk and headed to my office door, I knew it was a bad idea. Every time Mallory was within my sight, everything else slipped away. There was only her and the infuriating need for her that I couldn¡¯t seem to ovee. It was like I devolved into madness, no longer in control of myown will. It was exasperating! Yet I thirsted for her all the same. The closer I got to the kitchen, the thicker her enticing scent hung in the air. My wolf was salivating, rearing back on his hind legs, ready to pounce. But I refused to enter the room, to let him within arm¡¯s reach of her. Instead, I lurked in the hallway like some creepy stalker, drinking in the view. Mallory was wearing a short red babydoll dress that perfectlyplimented her tan skin and made her legs look incredible. She threw her head back,ughing at my brothers¡¯ antics, but all I could see was the smooth column of her neck, bared to me and begging for my teeth to sink into it. ¡°Yes! Do it!¡± Kaitched onto that thought and urged me forward. I had already taken a step when I caughtmyself. ¡°She doesn¡¯t even have a wolf yet! It¡¯s fucking illegal!¡± I admonished him. ¡± We¡¯d be thrown in prison, leaving only our dumbass brother¡¯s to run the pack and never see Mallory again.¡± ¡°Soon.¡± Kai purred smugly. ¡°¡±Oww!¡± Mal yelped as Cary swatted her ass with a dish towel. ¡°Watch it, Collins! Payback is a bitch!¡± Her pained cry had snapped me out of the trance I¡¯d been in but only sent my mind reeling in another inappropriate direction. All I could think about was that perfect round peach I¡¯d seen so often in her tight workout pants. But this time naked and turning red from my hand while she made those same little sounds. ¡°Fuck!¡±I muttered under my breath, stalking down the hall and away fromher before I could no longer stop myself from bending her over a chair and fucking her raw. ¡°Running away, brother?¡± Cary¡¯s voice entered my head as I made my retreat. ¡± Why don¡¯t you juste in and join us instead of hiding in the shadows?¡± ¡°You know, if you¡¯d actually take that stick out of your ass and actually admit you want her, you could be in here with us, drowning in her fucking intoxicating scent and hearing the little mewling sounds she makes when you slide up next to her.¡± y added, sounding like an infatuated teenager. ¡°Fuck off! Both of you!¡± I snarled. ¡°If you wanted me there, you would have asked me to join you in the first ce.¡± ¡°Somebody sounds jealous, don¡¯t you think brother?¡± Cary taunted.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh yeah, that fucker¡¯s green with envy.¡± y agreed quickly. ¡°Should have told us you were interested instead of holding on to the Darcy excuse for dear life. Don¡¯t worry though. When Mal asked about you we exined how you were banned from using the stove after trying to burn the ce to the groundst time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a fucking little shit, y!¡± I hurled back. ¡°Wait! Did she ask about me?¡± I turned on a dime, bee-lining it for the kitchen. Just the possibility that she might have wanted me there had me flinging all rational thought right out the damn window. I suddenly had tunnel vision and she was the light at the end of it. But when I got there, it was toote to stop my idiot brother from ruining any chance I had to enjoy her smiles. ¡°¡­ Tell me, darling. When you finally give in and realize you¡¯re ours, which one of us are you going to let im your virginity? Colton doesn¡¯t deserve it for denying his feelings for you for so long¡­¡± My wolf rumbled out a low growl at Cary¡¯s words. But it was Mallory¡¯s reply that really gave me pause. ¡°You had the opportunity to take my fragile teenage heart and treat it with kindness, gentleness. But instead, you used every opportunity you could find to destroy my self-confidence¡­¡± Fuck! None of us deserved her! My brothers were undeniably assholes, but I wasn¡¯t any better. In fact, I was worse. I told myself I was setting an example by giving up my yboy ways, choosing a woman who would make a perfect Luna, andmitting myself to her and our pack. But what I¡¯d reallydone was turn a blind eye to the girl I¡¯d convinced myself wasn¡¯t good enough despite the pull I felt to her, and let her fall victim to my brothers¡¯ immature and hurtful attempts to get her attention. I wanted to move, to go hide in my office and rethink all my life decisions and drown in my own guilt, but my legs wouldn¡¯t cooperate. So when Mal came barreling around the corner, I was powerless to get out of her way, her small body mming into my muchrger frame. It was instinct that had me wrapping my arms around her to keep her from falling backward, but I had no excuse for holding her against me so much longer than necessary. As soon as I set her back on her feet, keeping my hands on her shoulders to steady her, I missed the feel of her warm body pressed along the length of mine. Instead, I contented myself withthe tiny sparks firing off under my fingertips. I sucked in a shaky breath and fought with everything I had not to dip my head and suck her plush bottom lip between mine. ¡°Thanks.¡± She said in a hushed, almost shy tone. Her doe-eyed stare captivated me, the starburst of gold in her hazel eyes swirling with untold emotions that I wanted to dive into until I deciphered every single one. She looked fucking adorable with a fleck of flour on her nose. I wanted to brush it off, run my finger along her soft skin, but I held back. It would only embarrass her further. So with a disappointed sigh, I stepped aside, my eyes trailing after her as she hurried away. I only waited for the front door to m shut before turning back to my brothers. ¡°What the fuck were you thinking, saying that shit to her?¡± Ished out, pouring all my pent up frustration into the reprimand. ¡°I would have thought you learned something in thest two years! Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s not that same meek little girl anymore. All your cocky bullshit got you back then was her hate and distrust. But now, this version of Mallory, she¡¯ll eviscerate you for that shit!¡± ¡°Yeah, obviously.¡± y groaned, clearly gutted by Mal¡¯s tirade. ¡°All you managed to aplish with your narcissistic waste of breath was to push her straight into Nathan¡¯s arms. He¡¯s already her fucking hero and you just reminded her exactly why she should choose him over you. In fact, after the rubbish you just spewed, she may have left here a virgin but I¡¯d be damn shocked if she still is after tonight!¡± My wolf roared in my head and my brothers¡¯ eyes turned pitch ck, their wolves growling in rage at my words. But Cary quickly shoved Roan back, knowing he¡¯d lost all right to be angry. ¡°Fuck! You think I don¡¯t fucking know how bad I messed up?¡± He rounded on me, fists clenched against the urge to throw a punch my direction. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know why I say that shit, self- sabotage or some shit. I just want her so fucking bad and I know she¡¯s too good for me. It eats away at me until I end up doing something stupid instead of telling her how I really feel.¡± ¡°Why the fuck do you care anyway, Colt?¡± y challenged. ¡°What the fuck are you even doing here? I thought you only had eyes for Darcy and if there¡¯s one thing I can say for certain, Mallory sure the fuck isn¡¯t her. There is no fuckingparison. So I¡¯ll ask you again. Why the fuck do you care?¡± I clenched my teeth and balled my fists tight, my knuckles nching white against the need to throw a punch of my own. I couldn¡¯t say out loud what I knew to be true. That I wanted Mallory more than I wanted my next breath. That I¡¯d made a fucking cluster of thest two years of my life and wished I could take it all back. Because that would make me a liar and a hypocrite. And as a future Alpha, that was something I just couldn¡¯t be. So I didn¡¯t say any of that. Instead, I said what had to be true, even if I didn¡¯t believe it anymore. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking care!¡± And I walked away. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 26 by Cara Anderson Ch. 26 Be My Luna Nathan¡¯s POV Night, my wolf, had been on edge all day knowing Mallory was with at least two of the ck Moon Alpha triplets. It didn¡¯t matter to him that she wasn¡¯t our fated mate. He¡¯d considered her his since the first day weid eyes on her. We were exact opposites, my wolf and I. That was something I¡¯d always prided myself on, the way weplimented each other perfectly. Night took no prisoners, held nothing back, whereas I tended towards the more reserved end of the spectrum. Admittedly, I was a much better Alpha with him than without him. When it came to Mallory though, we rarely saw eye to eye. We wanted her with the same passionate abandon,revered her with the same awestruck wonder. But I understood what he didn¡¯t, that just because we wanted her didn¡¯t mean we could have her. Our differing attitudes meant I spent a great deal of time and energy holding him back when all he wanted in the world was to im her, to make her his in every sense of the word. A difficult task when I wanted the same damn thing. But today had been especially difficult. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill them if they touched her! She¡¯s ours!¡± Night snarled in my head for the umpteenth time today. I was way past reasoning with him about how we had to respect Mallory¡¯s choice even if we didn¡¯t like it. How could I when I wanted to taste their blood just for daring to want her for themselves. They broke her to pieces and I put her back together. They didn¡¯tdeserve her! I just hoped she could see that. I was pulling out all the stops for Mal and I¡¯s date tonight and I was dressed for the asion. I hoped my choice of ck tailored cks and metallic gray fitted button down shirt with a ck tailored suit jacket met with Mallory¡¯s approval. I spent the entire drive to ck Moon giving my wolf a pep talk. The jealous bastard wanted to know every detail of every minute we¡¯d spent apart, especially where a certain set of triplets were concerned. ¡°You will stay in the background tonight.¡± I ordered. ¡°You will not behave like a jealous lover and interrogate Mallory about her day. That will only send her running from us. We have to prove she can trust us. I promised to fight for a ce by herside, even knowing she¡¯d be spending time with them as well. If we give her the third degree about it every time they¡¯re together, she will just shut us out!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± He grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll back off if you do!¡± And that was the crux of the issue. His jealousy had been fueling my own all day until it was simmering just below the surface, ready to boil over at the slightest provocation. I gritted my teeth as I worked to rein it in. ¡°Wow! You look amazing!¡± I extolled when Mal answered the door looking like a runway model. ¡°Thank you,¡± She smiled at thepliment, blushing prettily. ¡°You look pretty incredible yourself.¡± I heard her speak but the words didn¡¯t register. I was too busy staring at thebeautiful woman in front of me. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a fancy fishtail it and the long- sleeved ck dress she wore hugged her curves all the way down to her mid- thighs. Coupled with the silver pumps she wore, the entire look only emphasized her long, sleek legs. Fuck. Me. ¡°Nathan? Are you ready?¡± She questioned, clearly noticing my distraction. ¡°Of course! I can¡¯t wait to spend the evening with you!¡± I said,ing back to myself. ¡°You never told me where we were going.¡± She reminded, fishing for a clue. ¡°You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t.¡± I winked at her, earning a little exasperated huff that made me chuckle. The drive to our first stop of the night was spent in silence, our interaction limited to the tiny circles I traced on the back of her hand with my thumb. Conversation had alwayse easy to Mal and me. I hated that our dynamic had shifted, erasing that sense of ease between us. Even asking her about her day seemed off limits, too invasive given the circumstances. ¡°Ballroom dancing!¡± Mal eximed when we pulled up to the studio I¡¯d booked for the evening. I puffed up my chest at the approving smile that spread across her face. ¡°We¡¯ve never had an opportunity to dance together. And I¡¯m all for anything that lets me hold you in my arms.¡± I answered with a grin of my own. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Sparring is kind of like dancing.¡± She countered cheekily. ¡°ButI get your point. I¡¯m excited to learn but I have to warn you, outside the training field I have two left feet!¡± ¡°That makes two of us. Hopefully, we¡¯ll make it through the experience in one piece and make it to dinner with no crutches required.¡± I teased. ¡°I mean, how hard can it be?¡± Famousst words. We spent the next two hours learning the Waltz, Cha Cha, and even Tango. Toes were crushed, egos were bruised (mainly mine), but mostlyughter was shared. All with the added bonus of feeling Mal¡¯s soft, sensual curves against the hard lines of my body all evening long. ¡°That was so much fun! I love how your mind works, Nathan Richardson!¡± She gushed, offering me a dazzling smile that made my sore feet totally worth it. ¡°I have lots of interesting ideas when ites to you, love.¡± I fixed her with asmoldering stare, letting the double entendre of my words take effect. I was rewarded by the tiniest shiver rippling through her. My wolf preened at seeing the effect we had on her but I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she responded the same way to them. Still, I shed her a smirk and turned away before she read the truth in my eyes. ¡°Dolce! Really? This night just keeps getting better!¡± Mal exined when we pulled into the restaurant. I knew she loved Italian food and we¡¯d talked a few times about trying this ce but hadn¡¯t made the time for it. But tonight, I wanted to show her I would always make time to do the things that made her happy. And food had always been high on her list of life¡¯s little pleasures. ¡°I hope it lives up to the hype! We¡¯re about to find out!¡± I said, taking herhand to help her out of the car. My hand went to her lower back as I guided her to the door. It hadn¡¯t taken long to notice the fucking confection she called a dress was backless, dipping just below her venus dimples. Her soft, warm skin heated my palm as we danced and now again as we walked together. Goddess only knew how I¡¯d make it through the night without fucking her. The hostess led us to a secluded table, a bottle of wine already waiting at my request. The gold threads in Mallory¡¯s eyes caught the dim light over our table, giving the illusion of fire dancing in them. It was either that or another kind of heat in her gaze that lit a different kind of fire in me. The kind that had me shifting in my seat to ease the strain on my cock. ?nce the waitress hade to pour our wine, I lifted my ss for a toast. ¡°To the best dance partner I could ever ask for. And the only one I ever want stepping on my feet for the rest of my life.¡± I ribbed light-heartedly. ¡°Careful what you wish for, Alpha.¡± She snorted. ¡°Trust me, love. I know exactly what I wish for and I¡¯ve thought it over long and hard.¡± I curled my lips into a devilish smirk and enjoyed the way her skin flushed under the intense look I was giving her. Mallory looked away, focusing all her attention on the ss of wine in her hand, sipping at it repeatedly to avoid my gaze. I loved knowing I could still make her blush, even after all the time we¡¯d spent together. But suddenly, I had an all-consuming need to know if I was still the only one that could turnher into that shy, doe-eyed girl who batted her eyshes so innocently when faced with such scious insinuations. ¡°How was your day, Mallory?¡± The question slipped out before I could stop myself. ¡°Nathan, please don¡¯t-¡± She stopped short when her eyes met mine, my wolf making his presence known as his own possessiveness melded with mine. ¡°It¡¯s a simple question, Mallory. Is it really that hard for you to share the details of your day with the man who¡¯s devoted himself unconditionally to your happiness for thest year? Surely that¡¯s not too much to ask. Unless you have something to hide.¡± The deep, gravelly quality of my voice made it clear I wasn¡¯t speaking alone. ¡°You promised you wouldn¡¯t do this, Nathan. I don¡¯t want to hurt you. That¡¯swhy I suggested we take a break. I knew it would be too hard for you to know I was spending time with them and have to wonder what went on between us every time you saw me. I don¡¯t want to cause you pain.¡± She said softly, as if it would lighten the blow of her words. ¡°Then don¡¯t hurt me, Mal. Choose me!¡± I urged. ¡°Let them go and be my Luna.¡± ¡°I want that, Nathan! But it won¡¯t be fair to either one of us if I don¡¯t ask myself why. Why do I feel drawn to them when we¡¯re together? Why do I let things happen that a woman in amitted rtionship with another man should never entertain? I can¡¯t answer those questions without spending time with them and if I continue to spend time with them, I can¡¯t guarantee you nothing will happen. That¡¯s not fair to you, Nathan.¡± Her words cut deep, each one like a stake through my heart. But I couldn¡¯t deny the truth of them. If she didn¡¯t get the answers she was looking for, they would always stand between us, taking up space where only our love for each other should be. Still, I needed to know.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°In my heart, you belong to me, Mal. My wolf sees you as his, ours. I just need to know if they¡¯ve had what¡¯s mine.¡± I ground out through clenched teeth, the thought alone shredding my insides. ¡°Nathan,¡± Mallory sighed deeply, tossing her cloth napkin on the table, Nothing happened today. We cooked a meal for the Alpha and Luna and I left. Now, that¡¯s thest time I will spend any of our precious time together discussing what did or did not happen between the triplets and me. Please consider carefully whether or not you can ept that before you ask me outagain. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ve lost my appetite. Mallory shoved her chair back roughly and stood up to leave. I blew out the breath I¡¯d been holding when I heard her admit they hadn¡¯t touched her today. But the thought of her walking away from me had me sucking in another sharp gulp of air. ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡± I pleaded. ¡°Stay and enjoy your dinner, Nathan. I¡¯ll find my own way home.¡± Mallory insisted, her tone unyielding. I watched her go, every step away from me more agonizing than thest. I fucked up. I let my jealousy ruin a perfect evening together, one with the potential for so much more. But I just couldn¡¯t keep my mouth shut. The ironic part was, it had all been for nothing, I knew she hadn¡¯t lied when she said nothing happened. I could feel the sincerity in her words. And now, nothing would happen between us either. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 27 by Cara Anderson Ch. 27 Hallucinations Mal¡¯s POV ¡°Goddess Damn it! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± I screamed to myself once I was safely within the confines of my room. Thankfully mom wasn¡¯t home to witness my pathetically infantile meltdown. Thest thing I needed was a witness, let alone her genuine yet misguided attempt to fix anything and everything that made me unhappy. I loved her dearly, but contrary to every parent¡¯s popr belief, she did not have all the answers. ¡°I should have stayed at the academy.¡± I muttered aloud. ¡°No you shouldn¡¯t.¡± A disembodied voice answered me.Fucking fantastic! I really was losing my fucking mind and it was starting with auditory hallucinations. ¡°You¡¯re funny!¡± The voiceughed, a high-pitched, tinkling sound, like bells chiming. 1 ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite. Apparently my subconscious feels I need this imaginary conversation. So¡­why shouldn¡¯t I have stayed at the academy? Everything was perfect there. I was respected, capable. I knew my ce. And let¡¯s not forget, I had the perfect boyfriend whom it never, ever crossed my mind to be unfaithful too.¡± I ranted to myself, then looked around furtively as if someone would appear from the shadows, a witness to my descent into madness. ¡°He¡¯s not ours!¡± The voice hissed, a much more menacing sound than her previously amused tone. ¡°We belong here! With our mates and the people who love us, the people who can help us achieve our destiny!¡± Okay! If I hadn¡¯t been before, now I knew I was fucking losing it! Ours? Well, I supposed if it was my subconscious talking, then that made sense. But mates, as in plural? How did I rationalize that one? Either even my subconscious was delusional or I was secretly hoping to, literally, bite off more than I could chew. Then again, maybe she was referring to the man and the wolf as separate entities. I would have to pack that conundrum away forter. ¡°All I¡¯ve managed to do sinceing home was ignore my mother, cheat on my boyfriend, and nurture a love-hate rtionship with the triplets. So if I have some glorious destiny that will require my own personal cheering squad to achieve, I¡¯m not exactly winning any poprity contests right now.¡± I retorted, carrying on with the neurotic argument I¡¯d started with, well, myself apparently. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± The voice faded as she spoke, until she was gone altogether. ¡°Everything will make sense then.¡± Great! I didn¡¯t even want to talk to myself anymore. I padded across my room, dropping clothes as I went. The dress I¡¯d worn didn¡¯t allow for underwear so I pulled open the drawer and grabbed thefiest pair of faded gray panties I owned. Then I dug through the pile of clothes on the floor of my closet and until I found my favorite pair of sweatpants with the holes in the knees and my threadbare jersey tee with the neck so stretched out it hung over one shoulder. Once I¡¯d pulled on what mom had dubbed my ¡°pity party uniform¡± I flopped down on my bed and proceeded to do just that. When the fuck had my life be so confusing? When had I lost all the certainty I¡¯d gained over thest two years about who I was and what my life was meant to look like? The day I¡¯d arrived for Luna training, I immediately felt a sense of belonging. No one asked my designation, just assumed I wouldn¡¯t be there if I didn¡¯t deserve to be, and I didn¡¯t correct those assumptions. Everything I¡¯d aplished there, I¡¯d earned through hard work and determination. And I did it for myself. Nathan supported me, pushed me, trained with me, but he never made it about him. He knew I was an omega because I told him. But never once did he say I had to be more, do more if I wanted to be a Luna. He asked me what I wanted and waited for me to ask for his help. All that hard work, that hard won self- confidence, and all it took to see it crumble at my feet was toe home. As soon as I stepped in that packhouse,id eyes on the three men who¡¯d been the banes of my childhood, it all fell apart. Because as much as I wanted todeny it, and fuck did I ever want to deny it, they still had the same hold on me they always had and I had no fucking clue how to solve that Triple Collins puzzle. As if the thought of them alone could conjure said triplets, the sound of something tapping against my bedroom window had me bolting upright to see y¡¯s stupidly handsome face smiling back at me.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Open the window, Mal!¡± He called to me through the ss. I just put my hands on my hips defiantly and locked him in a stern re. Is your idiot younger brother with you?¡± I demanded haughtily. ¡°Of course I am, darling. Do you think I¡¯d let this fucker have you all to himself?¡± He thumbed in y¡¯s direction, smirking impishly. ¡°Please, little wolf.¡± y made his best attempt at puppy-dog eyes which only made meugh. His answering grin was so wide, you¡¯d think I¡¯d just made all his dreamse true with one damn giggle. ¡°Fine.¡±I huffed, heaving the window open and standing aside as they both mored through. I reached out to close the window but before my hand could find purchase, I was being pulled into the middle of a hug sandwich. Both men buried their noses in my neck and took in huge lungfuls of my scent. They breathed me in with all the need of an asthmatic would their rescue inhaler. And once again, I was putty in their hands. ¡°Fuck, I missed you little wolf!¡± y¡¯s warm breath grazed my neck sending a shiver down my spine. But just as I came back to myself, Cary stiffened. A menacing growl rumbled inhis chest as he set me at arm¡¯s length and shot me a look that threatened violence. ¡°I can smell him on you.¡± A simple statement, spoken with all the venom of a rattlesnake about to strike. ¡°Of course you can. We were on a date. Did you expect him not to touch me?¡± I challenged. ¡°Exactly how did he touch you, darling?¡± Cary¡¯s usual term of endearment held nothing sweet this time. ¡°Look, Goddess only knows why you think you have any right to this possessive bullshit you¡¯re pulling right now. But I¡¯m too mentally and emotionally exhausted to have that argument with you.¡± I blustered. ¡°He took me for ballroom dancing lessons. He held me while we danced, in front of an instructor. Then he took me to dinner at Dolce, which I¡¯ve been dyingto try, but he ruined it all with a jealous disy in the middle of the restaurant, demanding to know what happened with you today. So, I¡¯ll offer you the same courtesy I gave him, right before I walked out on him. Nothing happened. Now since this is my house, it¡¯s your turn to get the fuck out!¡± I sucked in air, my tirade robbing me of breath for the better part of a minute. Then I walked straight back to my bed, ready to take up my previous position on the soft mattress calling to me. But before I could reach it, heavy arms coiled around my waist, pulling me back into a scrumptiously muscr chest I had no strength to resist. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, little wolf.¡± y swallowed his pride, the only one of his brothers who did so readily. Something I appreciated about him. ¡°You¡¯re stressed. My wolf can feel it and it¡¯s making him wild. He¡¯s scratching and wing at me, insisting I make it better but I don¡¯t know how. Tell me how.¡± ¡°I-, I don¡¯t know. I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind. Right before you showed up I was actually nevermind. My head is all over the ce. I wish I could just turn my thoughts off for a while but that doesn¡¯t seem likely to happen any time soon.¡± ¡°I think I know exactly what you need, love.¡± Cary locked eyes with y, some silent agreement passing between them before y broke out into a mischievous grin. ¡°Come for a run with us, little wolf. It¡¯s guaranteed to clear that gorgeous little head of yours. Nothing but you, us, the wind in your hair and the beautiful forest under the moonlight.¡± y chimed in where his brother left off. ¡°Um, that sounds lovely and all, but there¡¯s just one tiny little problem with that n. In case you forgot, I don¡¯t have a wolf. I¡¯ll never keep up and running in the forest alone at night is not my idea of stress relief.¡± Icountered. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no problem at all, darling.¡± Cary wore the same shit-eating grin as his brother. ¡°You can ride on my wolf¡¯s back.¡± I stared back at him in shock, unable to form a reply. What he was suggesting was so outrageous it was almost sacrilege. Outside of emergencies, wolves didn¡¯t give rides to just anyone. In fact, the only person to be granted that privilege was a wolf¡¯s mate. What they were offering me was nearly the same as asking me to be their chosen mate. But they couldn¡¯t be asking that, could they? Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 28 by Cara Anderson Ch. 28 Big Bad Wolf Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Wh-, what?¡± I sputtered at Cary¡¯s offer. ¡°You can¡¯t-, I can¡¯t-, I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°Breathe, Mal.¡± y coached, urging me to follow his lead. ¡°Mate or not, you¡¯re the only woman my wolf will ever allow on his back. There will never be anyone for us but you, Mal. No mateing for her pound of flesh because you took the first ride on our wolves so don¡¯t let that stop you.¡± Cary added reassuringly. I looked at them both warily, disbelief written all over my face. But the idea of flying through the forest at the speed of a wolf had always been a dream I couldn¡¯t wait to make a reality. I only had a couple weeks to wait for my own wolf but something told me I¡¯d end up having a nervous breakdown before that day arrived. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it!¡± I finally agreed. ¡°That¡¯s our girl!¡± y eximed triumphantly, gathering me up in his arms and twirling me around. As soon as y set me back on my feet, Cary swept them out from under me, carrying me against him as he flew down the stairs and out the door. He didn¡¯t stop until we reached the treeline behind my house. When he finally set me down and stepped back, he and y both held me in their heated gaze. ¡°Um,¡± y cleared his throat, ¡°We¡¯re going to undress now so we can shift. Not that we mind if you watch, but if you don¡¯t want to see more than your ready for-¡± ¡°And by that, he means a lot more.¡± Cary butted in. ¡°Pfft!¡± I scoffed, trying to cover the nervous energy flowing through me. ¡°I doubt there¡¯s anything all thatimpressive to see but I¡¯ll turn around to preserve your modesty.¡± ¡°No need to be embarrassed, love.¡± Cary called me out, not buying my charade. ¡°It¡¯s all yours to look at, touch, or whatever else pleases you,¡± I nearly choked on my own spit at that, but refused to turn back around. Instead I waved my hand over my shouldermely, indicating they should get on with it. The next thing I knew, two wolves were nuzzling into my sides, butting their heads into my hands in a bid for some ear scratches. I obliged of course, giggling at their tant bid for attention. But as I petted their wolves, I drank them in. They were both beautiful white wolves with light tan patches. Cary¡¯s wolf, Roan, had tan on his paws and the tip of his tail while y¡¯s wolf, Gunner, had a tan patch over one eye and one of his ears was tan as well. Somehow, I knew exactly which was which. ¡°Aren¡¯t you both so handsome?¡± I cooed in that voice one reserved for infants and animals. Roan rolled on his back, shamelessly seeking belly scratches which I willingly gave. Then Gunner, unwilling to relinquish all the attention, snarled at his brother before tugging me away by my shirt in his teeth. A sense of peace settled in my chest as my world was reduced to nothing more than the simplistic view of their animals vying for my affection. I was stroking Gunner¡¯s muzzle when the sound of purring startled me. Cary and y¡¯s wolves had rumbled appreciatively as I ran my fingers through their silky fur, but this wasn¡¯t them. This sound came from me. Only I wasn¡¯t making any noise. The purring sound was inside my head. ¡°I thought someone was giving me a ride.¡± I reminded them, shaking off the odd experience. Roan was on his feet in the blink of an eye, lowering himself for me to climb on his back. No sooner had I slung one leg over him and snaked my fingers through his fur when he took off like a bullet. Gunner kept pace right beside him, repeatedly ncing at me like he wanted to be ready to catch me if I started to fall. True to their word, all the nonsense I¡¯d been struggling to sort out disappeared. There was only the three of us, flying through the forest while the moonlight streamed down through the trees. The only sounds to be heard were the thudding of paws and the wind whipping by. I lost myself in the freedom of it, the liberation from everything but the need to hold on to Roan and tune in to the world around me. Time meant nothing at present, so it could have been minutes or hours that passed before wefinally slowed to a stop in a small clearing. But when we did finally stop, I found I was too exhausted to think, sliding off Roan and lying down on my back on the forest floor. Gunner bounded away but Roan flopped down beside me, licking my cheek before resting his massive head on my shoulder. ¡°Eww!¡± I grumbled yfully. ¡°Enough with the doggy slobber!¡± Roan just let out a contented grunt, his warm breathing out in puffs that teased my skin in the cool night air. I absently scratched his head while I stared up at the moon, soaking in the beauty of it. It was so quiet, so tranquil, and I basked in it. We were pack, so even in wolf form, they could havemunicated with me. But Cary seemed to recognize my need for peace so he stayed silent. Something I knew he found difficult which made me appreciate it all the more. Though eventually, even I needed to fill the silence with something. Slowly, tentatively, I rose to my feet, leery of that foreign voice in my head returning. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t. I sent a sidelong nce in Roan¡¯s direction to find him following me with his eyes but he didn¡¯t get up. So I took off! ¡°Bad idea, darling!¡± Cary gowled in my head. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you not to run from the big bad wolf?¡± I tore through the trees, dodging and weaving, trying to evade Cary¡¯s wolf. I was doing a pretty good job of it until y¡¯s wolf cut me off. I skidded to a stop right before I was about to m into him. In hindsight, a crashnding might have been preferable, considering the alternative. ¡°Aaagh!¡± I shrieked when I saw what his wolf dropped at my feet. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± The question was rhetorical. I knew what it was, my brain just didn¡¯t want to process it. ¡°It¡¯s a rabbit. My wolf hunted it for you.¡± y announced proudly. Suddenly, my stomach lurched, heaving up my non-existent dinner. ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good.¡± I moaned dryly, my throat burning from the acid. Roan barked and Gunner responded by quickly removing the bloodied creature, trotting off with it between his jaws.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Better?¡± Cary¡¯s question rang in my head just as a sharp, stabbing pain sent me doubling over, my knees hitting the ground. ¡°No! Oww!¡± I cried, actual tears stinging my eyes from the pain. ¡°It hurts!¡± Suddenly, two very naked men were kneeling on either side of me, hands iling around, unsure where it was safe to touch. Part of me wanted to stare at all that delicious muscle on disy while the other part of me told me to look away, but I couldn¡¯t do either. Another searing pain sliced through me and I reached for Cary¡¯s hand, needing something to ground me as the agony threatened to pull me under. ¡°Tell me what to do, Mal. Where does it hurt?¡± y asked, looking down at me with a fierce determination to fend off my unseen assant. ¡°Everywhere!¡± I managed to croak out, before another scream tore from my lips as every vertebrae in my spine felt like they were being cleaved apart. ¡°I¡¯msick. My whole body hurts. Can you please take me home?¡± For his part, Cary just looked broken, his eyes filling with defeat as it became painfully obvious there was nothing he could do. He sat beside me, still as a statue. But he never let go of my hand even as I curled into a fetal position, sobbing on the forest floor. ¡°Please, I just want to go home.¡± I pleaded, my own desperation reflected back in Cary¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wolf form would be faster.¡± y¡¯s words were directed at Cary. ¡°You shift and I¡¯ll lift her onto your back.¡± And that¡¯s what they did. But unfortunately, we didn¡¯t get very far. Just as Cary¡¯s wolf took a step towards home, a gut-wrenching pain rocked through me, apanied by a loud cracking sound that seemed to reverberate through the surroundingwoods. My body convulsed and fell to the ground before either man could shift back and get to me. I was thrashing on the ground as my whole body seized. My mind seemed untethered, unable to grasp onto a single thought. Until I heard y¡¯s next words. ¡°Fuck! I think she¡¯s shifting!¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 29 by Cara Anderson Ch. 29 A Gruesome Scene Colton¡¯s POV ¡°You know, all this work will still be here tomorrow. You don¡¯t have to finish it all in one go. I thought we were actually going to spend some time together tonight¡± Darcy wheedled from her perch on the edge of my desk. ¡°And we will, Darc. I promise. Just give me five more minutes, okay?¡± I tried bargaining with her. I really did have a shit ton of work to do. But the truth of the matter was, until Darcy had strolled in here a few minutes ago reminding me of my promise to spend the evening with her, I hadn¡¯t been working at all. Hadn¡¯t been able to focus on anything all day except the way Mallory looked in that short little red dress, the way her body felt against mine when she ran into me,and the absolutely infuriating urge I felt to bury my face between her silky thighs and find out if her pussy tasted as heavenly as her lips. The ringing of my phone earned a low growl from Darcy and a shocking dose of stark reality for me. I nced at the screen to identify the caller before actually answering it but seeing it was my brother had me reaching for it automatically. ¡°Don¡¯t answer it!¡± Darcy entreated. ¡± It¡¯s just y. You don¡¯t need another distraction.¡± ¡°I have to answer it, babe. Myst conversation with my brothers¡¯ didn¡¯t exactly end on a positive note. I¡¯m probably thest person he wants to talk to right now. So if he¡¯s calling, it¡¯s probably important.¡± Darcy just rolled her eyes and sighed in defeat. She knew my brothers weren¡¯ther biggest fans and probably assumed we argued about her. I wasn¡¯t about to correct that assumption by telling her we disagreed over Mallory. That would just be inviting trouble. ¡°y.¡± I answered brusquely. ¡°Colton! You need to get to the woods behind Mallory¡¯s house. We¡¯re about five miles straight in but you will smell us. You need to hurry-¡± He rushed out frantically before I cut him off. ¡°y! Tell me what the fuck is going on? Why do you sound so panicked?¡± I pressed. ¡°Colt, it¡¯s Mal! Something¡¯s wrong. I think-, we think-, it¡¯s too early, but we think she¡¯s shifting.¡± He stammered. As if on cue, an ear-piercing scream echoed through the phone. Mal¡¯s scream. My blood turned to ice in my veins and shards lodged in my spine asa cold shiver ran down it. ¡°I¡¯m on my way!¡± I was on my feet and headed for the door before thest word left my lips, but a hand caught my wrist, pulling me back. ¡°Are you seriously walking out on me?¡± Darcy¡¯s sharp tone chafed at me. She¡¯s not the first pup to ever shift. I¡¯m sure your brothers can handle it.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a member of this pack and y made it clear he felt something was wrong. As an Alpha, it is my responsibility to be there. For someone who aspires to be a Luna, you might want to familiarize yourself with that concept.¡± I bit out, yanking my arms free. ¡°Aspires to be? Meaning there is still a possibility I won¡¯t be your Luna.¡± She challenged, almost daring me to deny it. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss thister, Darcy.¡± I kept my tone firm and my eyes hard, even though inside I hated the way her face fell at my words. ¡°I have to go!¡± I should have been worried that I¡¯d hurt Darcy;s feelings. I should have been reying the conversation in my mind to figure out where I¡¯d gone wrong, how I¡¯d let things get so off track between us. But there wasn¡¯t enough room in my head for any of that. All I could think about was Mallory. Was she okay? Was she shifting early and if so, why? Or was this something else altogether? Something possibly much worse. Iid on the gas at that thought, roaring through the streets toward Mallory¡¯s house. It would have been faster to shift and run in wolf form but I wanted a vehicle nearby in case we needed to transport her. Potential scenarios, each one worse than thestwhirred through my head as I sped closer. She had to be okay! Nothing could happen to our beautiful Mallory. My Mallory. ¡°Fuck!¡± Tires squealed as the car swerved to the left. I¡¯d been blindly reaching for the phone I¡¯d tossed in the passenger seat and the wheel drifted. My hand closed around my prize just as I righted my course. I needed an update and I needed it soon or I was going to lose my fucking mind! Before I could even unlock my phone, it began to ring. I stabbed the green button roughly, as if that would get me the answers I was looking for any faster. But I didn¡¯t even have a chance to speak. ¡°Where the fuck are you?¡± Cary¡¯s voice red through the phone. ¡°You should have been here by now!¡± My wolf bristled at his using tone, wanting to be there every bit as much as they wanted us there. He knew we were doing everything we could to get to her. ¡°Pulling up to Mal¡¯s house now. I¡¯ll be with you in minutes!¡± ¡°Fucking hurry!¡± He barked then hung up on me. Grabbing a bag from the trunk, I quickly stripped off and shoved my clothes and phone inside, then added a nket in case we needed it for Mal. I mmed the trunk shut and shifted in the space of a breath, my wolf snagging the bag between his teeth and taking off towards the woods. Kai tried to shove me back and take the reins as we ran, his only thought to get to the one he considered his and make her safe. But I stayed at the forefront, sharing control, ready to shift back at amoment¡¯s notice. I had no idea what was happening but I did know if there was any way to help, it would require human hands. ¡°Close.¡± Kai whined, Mallory¡¯s scent much more potent than usual, easy for him to find. I thought I would be relieved to finallyy eyes on her, to see for myself that she was alive and breathing, but I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. Because the scene I walked into was nothing short of gruesome. And for the first time in my life, I wasn¡¯t sure I was strong enough to handle it. Malloryy writhing on the forest floor, something between a whimper and a gurgling sound slipping from her lips. She kept trying to sit up as she struggled to take in a breath and choked on her own secretions, but every attempt seemed to cause hermore pain. My brothers knelt beside her, hands moving around her in frenzied motions but never touching her, nowhere seeming safe enough to do so.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. None of that was the worst part though. Shifting was normal for wolves and the first shift always hurt. Still, we all not only survived it, but couldn¡¯t wait to do it again and again. But there was nothing normal about what was happening here. Her hands were the first thing I noticed, one human and one clearly not, though only three of her digits had elongated, tipped with ws. The other two remained unchanged. And so it went with every other part of her body. One human leg, one somewhere between human and beast, the joint distorted and jutting backwards but no paw and no fur. Her face a strange amalgam of human teeth and fangs,canine muzzle and her cute button nose, one pointed ear covered in fur and one missingpletely. ¡°Please!¡± She pleaded with them. ¡°I need-, I want-, please let me die.¡± ¡°No!¡± I barked out an Alphamand, refusing to let that thought continue to take root, the idea alone nearly crippling me. ¡°Oh, thank fuck!¡± y breathed out as all heads snapped in my direction. ¡°Colton!¡± Mal croaked like a chain smoker. ¡°Colton, please make it stop!¡± Every word she managed to eek out was like a stab to my heart, because I had no fucking clue how to help her. ¡°It isn¡¯t supposed to be like this!¡± Cary nearly sobbed. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what the fuck this is! Why is this happening?¡± ¡°I think we should call dad!¡± y ground out, gritting his teeth against the tears he was trying to hold back. My knees hit the ground beside Mallory and I pulled her into myp, cradling her. She immediately buried her misshapen face in my chest while I held her to me gingerly. Her long, dark brown hair had yet to recede so I took the opportunity to run my fingers through it in what I hoped was aforting act. It¡¯s okay, sweet girl. I¡¯ve got you.¡± I cooed to her softly. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you. Not ever.¡± Mallory¡¯s eyes squeezed closed, forcing tears to spill over. A low keening sound rose from her chest but no more words came. Cary sniffled and gasped for air but only y had the guts to say what we were all thinking. ¡°Something bad is already happening and we have no idea how to fix it.¡± He whispered, though I doubted Mal was lucid enough to hear him if he¡¯d shouted. ¡°Both of you, get your shit together!¡± I snapped, knowing the harshness was necessary while hating that their faces only reflected the same fear I felt. ¡°Us falling apart right now isn¡¯t going to help her.¡± ¡°Then what the fuck is?¡± Cary bellowed. ¡°You fucking tell me what will help her and I¡¯ll do it without a second thought. Just tell me how!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I whispered, burying my face in Mal¡¯s neck rather than face their censorious res. I was the oldest. I was the leader. I was always supposed to have the answers. But I didn¡¯t. I was letting them down. Letting Mallory down. If I had no ideahow to protect the people I cared most about in the world, how could I be trusted with a whole pack? ¡°I think you¡¯re right. I think we should call dad.¡± I admitted. As soon as I said the words, I wanted to take them back. Calling the current Alpha was tantamount to admitting I wasn¡¯t ready to be one. But Mallory was far more important than my pride, so I swallowed it down. y just nodded and reached for his phone, but stilled as he nced at Mal in my arms. ¡°Is she breathing? I don¡¯t think she¡¯s fucking breathing!¡± His tone conveyed all the panic I felt. It had taken my brain too long to register that she¡¯d gone eerily quiet and her body had gone limp against mine. Iid her on her back and bent over her, trying to listen for her breath while watching for her chest to rise andfall. But there was nothing. ¡°Mallory! Mal!¡± I roared her name over and over again, gripping her shoulders in my hands and shaking her wildly. ¡± Come on, angel! Come back to me!¡± I was so terrified I was losing her, all my emergency training went right out the window. I couldn¡¯t think beyond my next breath, couldn¡¯t remember how to help her. y was shoving me aside, prepared to intervene, when a shrill cry rent the air. It only took me a heartbeat to realize it wasing from her. Relief poured in when it registered that she was breathing again. But horror quickly reced it when the sound of flesh ripping and tearing joined her bloodcurdling shrieks. Wave after wave of nausea wracked me at the hideous sound. But just as I fought to swallow back the bile burning my throat, thesound morphed from unendurable pain to triumphant howl. I slowly raised my head as I pushed to my feet. My eyes studied the sight before me with rapt attention, even as my brain struggled to grasp what I was seeing. The most stunning wolf I had ever seen, a thick coat of glossy, raven ck fur and gorgeous silver eyes that shone like the moon, looked back at me. Awe-struck, entranced, enthralled. Any or all of them could be used to describe the spell this beautiful she-wolf had me under. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes from her but I didn¡¯t have to to know my brothers would wear the same expression. And while I was busy soaking in everyst inch of the dazzling creature before me, My wolf pushed forward to catch his own glimpse of her, and his deration was one I knew to be true but had beenunable to utter. ¡°Mate!¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 30 by Cara Anderson Ch. 30 Raven Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Mate!¡± ¡°Mate!¡± ¡°Mate!¡± Colton and Kai spoke the word first. Then his brother¡¯s along with their wolves. My wolf cocked her head, taking in the three men in all their naked glory, their hulking frames, six foot four inches of solid, rippling muscles and the long, thick cocks straining heavily between their legs. ¡°Mmm!¡± She purred. ¡°Mine!¡± ¡°Definitely Mmm!¡± I returned, caught up in the throbbing of the new bond pulsing between us. But before I could continue to ogle all those hard lines and ridges, perfectly carved V-lines and deliciously hard cocks the Goddess had gifted just for me, they closed in around me. I felt their hands everywhere, gliding affectionately through my fur. My wolf¡¯s chest rumbled, a sound much more suggestive than I would have thought an animal capable of. ¡°What¡¯s your name, beautiful girl?¡± Cary¡¯s wolf, Roan, asked through his human. ¡°Raven. My name is Raven, mates.¡± She projected in their heads. ¡°Raven.¡± They repeated reverently, in hushed tones as if worshiping at an altar. y came to stand directly in front of us, holding Raven¡¯s face gently in his hands as he kissed her nose. That was when it registered that he didn¡¯t haveto crouch to meet her eyes. How was it possible for her to be that tall? We were Omega. It was unheard of for Omega wolves to be that big. Peering out through her eyes, I could see the same confusion swimming in his. ¡°Hey, sweet girl! Our wolves are so excited to meet you, to go for a run with you. But you probably know your human had a hard time shifting.¡± A low growl erupted through us at the reminder. ¡°Can you let Mallory shift back so we can check on her? We need to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡± Raven stepped back, immediately submitting to her mate, and suddenly I was on two feet again. I had been so fascinated with my wolf that my brain had blocked out all other information. Now,ing back to my skin, the triplets¡¯ scents saturated my mind, filling my head with yearning and sending a rush of slick running downmy thighs. ¡°Mine!¡± Cary and y growled together as my arousal floated on the breeze and they both reached for me. ¡°Fuck!¡± Colton cursed, turning away and increasing the distance between us, drawing the attention of his brothers. That was the wake up call I needed. I had been so distracted, the trauma of my shift merging with the pull of the mate bond taking up all the avable space in my head. But that one word, that one small act was all it took to remind me that one of my mates didn¡¯t want me and I shouldn¡¯t, no didn¡¯t, want them. ¡°I want to go home!¡± I muttered quietly but I knew they heard me. ¡°Of course, baby.¡± Cary said,ing to wrap me in a nket that Colt must have brought. I peeked over Cary¡¯s shoulder to see Colton on his phone, pacing nervously. I hated that my eyes sought him out automatically but the pull was so strong. At least it was for me. Raven whined in my head, hurt by Colton¡¯s dismissal. But she was quickly cated by the powerful sparks that erupted where y rubbed the back of my neck with his hand and where Cary ran his thumb over my knuckles. ¡°How do you feel, little wolf? You scared the shit out of us.¡± y checked in. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I guess. Just tired.¡± I shared, not wanting to address the proverbial elephant in the room. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how this happened, but right now I just want to sleep.¡± ¡°That will have to wait.¡± Colton barked, gracing us with his presence once again. ¡°Dad wants us back at thepackhouse ASAP!¡± ¡°Goddess, Colton! Have some fucingpassion!¡± You sawy what she went through.¡± y berated him. ¡°Dad will have to wait!¡± Cary stood up to him. ¡°Our mate has just been through a traumatic experience. She¡¯s naked, hungry and tired. We¡¯re taking her home!¡± The way he emphasized the word ¡°our¡± sent a jolt of pain through my chest, reminding me that even he recognized Colt¡¯s refusal to acknowledge our bond. I told myself it was only painful because of the mate pull, that I didn¡¯t really want him, but my wolf snarled at that thought. I hadn¡¯t even had her an hour and already we were disagreeing. Not that I should be surprised. That was usually how my luck yed out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Colton said, actually having the decency to sound genuinely guilty. ¡°Dad says it can¡¯t wait. You can stop by her house so she can get dressed. I will have some food brought up to the office too. But sleep will have to wait. Oh, and dad said to bring Maeve with you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I huffed But as soon as I took a step, my legs gave out, the events of the night finally catching up to me. Cary swept me into his arms and held me close to his chest while y held tight to my hand. I wasn¡¯t sure it was the best idea for us to flirt with the bond this way, but my whole body was shaking from my recent ordeal and their nearness helped to settle me. Colton¡¯s eyes held unfathomable pain and his hand twitched in my direction, like it physically hurt him not to touchme. But still he stood apart, stoic as ever. He probably realized what his brothers hadn¡¯t yet, that those urges were a product of a fated bond and not based on true feelings. Once again, I reminded myself it was best that he held back. No one spoke as we traversed the woods, walking back the way we hade earlier, so blissfully unaware of what awaited us. At some point I must have nodded off because the next thing I knew, my eyes fluttered open at the sound of my mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Oh, my poor baby!¡± She wailed, wrapping her arms around my waist as Cary set me on my feet. ¡°I¡¯m fine mom.¡± I rushed to reassure her before she melted into a puddle of worry. I quickly changed, feeling much more steady after my short nap, and then wewere heading out again. The triplets¡¯ eyes zed over as some silent conversation passed between them. Then y kissed my temple before climbing in the SUV with Colton while Cary, mom and I took my car. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sweetheart. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Mom voiced repeatedly throughout the short trip, despite my multitude of assurances that I was truly fine and none of it was her fault. Cary refused to let go of my hand, only gripping it tighter when I tried pulling away. But if mom noticed, she didn¡¯tment on it. And thankfully, Cary never brought up our mate bond, seeming to understand my reluctance to discuss that particr tidbit. When we arrived at the packhouse a few minutester, Colton and y seemed to be in the throes of a heated argument. But both of them stilled andturned their backs on each other when we pulled up next to them. Luna Erika was already opening the front door as we all approached, tension so thick in the air you¡¯d need a blowtorch to cut it. ¡°Sweetheart, are you okay?¡± Erika asked, grasping my hands and spreading my arms wide to look me over. Cary¡¯s lips pulled back in a snarl at his mother removing me from his grasp but she shot him a pointed look and he rxed. A remorseful frown immediately formed on his face as he registered the disrespect he¡¯d shown his own mother. Erika patted his arm in understanding to relieve his guilt but that only made my stomach twist, realizing she knew the reason behind his reaction. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Luna.¡± I answered automatically, feeling like a broken record. ¡°Well, let¡¯s all go upstairs. Apparently we have a lot to talk about.¡± She waved her am towards the staircase. We all moved as one, following her lead, when a soft voice called out, stopping me in my tracks. ¡°Colton?¡± Darcy appeared out of nowhere and reached for him. My wolf growled at her, catching me off guard and causing Darcy to shrink back: Colton looked back and forth between us, his face drained of all color, uncertainty in in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mal. Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± y slipped his arm around my waist and guided me away. ¡°Colton, what¡¯s going on?¡± I heard Darcy ask him, her voice small and shaky. ¡°We¡¯ll sit down and I¡¯ll tell you everything very soon, okay. But right now, I have to talk with my parents. Why don¡¯t you go home and I¡¯ll call youter?¡± My wolf hissed at that but I managed to hold her back. I nced over my shoulder just in time to see Darcy reach out to him again but he evaded her, taking a step back. Her face fell, obviously hurt by his response, and I knew I should feel sorry for her but my wolf and the bond wouldn¡¯t let me. ¡°We¡¯re so sorry, Mallory. We didn¡¯t mean for you to find out this way.¡± Alpha Carlson said, rising from his chair behind his desk as we entered his office. ¡°What do you mean? Find out what?¡± I asked, thoroughly clueless about what he could be referring to.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I looked around the room at all the faces filling it. The triplets wore identical looks of consternation. Not our parents, though. Alpha, Luna and my mother also had simr expressions on their faces. But not of confusion. No. All their faces held was guilt. And suddenly I knew that as horrendous as the night had been so far, it was about to get a whole lot worse. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 31 by Cara Anderson Ch. 31 A Sick Joke Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°My love,¡± Luna Erika put her hand on the Alpha¡¯s arm, his mouth closing against the words he was about to speak in answer to my question. ¡°We will get to all that. But first, if I¡¯m not mistaken, we have something to celebrate.¡± ¡°And what might that be?¡± He looked at his wife adoringly,pletely capitting to her. ¡°Boys,¡± Luna addressed her sons, ¡°Am I right? Is Mallory your fated mate?¡± y and Cary crowded me from each side, wrapping their arms around me. I could feel their joy buzzing through the bond. A joy reflected in Luna¡¯s beaming smile. Mom sucked in a gasp, nearly sobbing with happiness, and Alpha¡¯smouth spread into a pleased grin. The atmosphere in the room went from apprehensive to ted in the span of a heartbeat. But in the same amount of time, Luna noticed the one thing I didn¡¯t want to discuss, that one of her boys was not so enthusiastic about our bond. I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of the death re she shot at him but thankfully she otherwise ignored the elephant in the room. ¡°Can someone please exin to me why we were all summoned here so urgently in the middle of the night? I apologize Alpha, Luna, but I¡¯m seriously losing my shit here!¡± I blurted out. Alpha nodded and took his seat. Cary found a chair, pulling me into hisp and I let him. I knew I would have to deal with the repercussions of thatdecisionter but I was too big of a coward to face what wasing without the bond to anchor me. ¡°It is probably time you took a look at these.¡± Alpha Carl said, taking some photographs out of his drawer and sliding them across his desk to me. Mom whimpered and my head snapped toward her but she just shook her head. I took the photos I was offered and flipped through them one by one. In each of the pictures, a little girl yed quietly at the feet of an older couple who appeared to be her parents. Then, in the veryst photo, was my mother. ¡°Mom? Who are these people?¡± I asked, my eyes imploring her to exin why the Alpha had pictures of the people I¡¯d dreamed of every night for years and why she was in one of them. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry baby! I love you so much! Please believe me.¡± Her tears flowed in earnest now, her words a stato punctuated by her sobs. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re scaring me!¡± I cried, my anxiety ratcheting up another notch at her response. y knelt in front of me and squeezed my knee while Cary wrenched his arms even tighter around me. It was like they could feel me falling apart and they were trying to hold me together. I risked a nce at Colt who hadn¡¯t moved but his jaw was clenched and his hands balled into white-knuckled fists. ¡°Sweetheart, the little girl in the picture is you. The man and woman are your parents. Your real parents.¡± She burst into tears again. ¡°What? No! This is a really sick joke! I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this tome but it¡¯s not funny! I¡¯m tired and I¡¯m going home!¡± I tried to stand up but Cary held me down. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, darling.¡± He breathed out softly. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how you must feel right now but after what happened to you tonight, I think we need to hear it all.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I whimpered, slumping back against him. ¡°You can. You¡¯re the strongest woman I¡¯ve ever met. And y and I are here for you.¡± He encouraged, notably omitting his oldest brother from my list of moral supporters. ¡°Your parents were Parker and Mnie Brooks. They were the Alpha and Luna of the Hazelwood Pack and you were their sole heir.¡± Luna took over the narrative as my mother, or whoever she really was, couldn¡¯t stop crying. ¡°I guess now we know why her wolf was so huge. Not an omega after all.¡± y remarked, sending Colton a scathing re before adopting a proud expression. ¡°No. She is definitely an Alpha.¡± Erika confirmed. ¡°In fact, if our system wasn¡¯t so antiquated and actually allowed women to attend, I would have sent her to Alpha camp instead of Luna training. I would have loved to see the look on your faces when I made that announcement.¡± All three boys had the good manners to look chagrined at that statement. ¡°What happened to them?¡± I cut in, needing to hear what my heart already knew to be true.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There was an attack.¡± My mother answered, sufficiently recovered to speak apparently. ¡°It happened so fastand we had no warning. Your father knew we wouldn¡¯t win but he was the Alpha and would never leave his pack. He tried to send your mother away with you, called his good friend Alpha Carl and asked them to protect you both. But your mother wouldn¡¯t leave him. So they sent you with me.¡± ¡°And who are you? Really?¡± I asked, the words much harsher than I meant them to be. ¡°I was your nanny. Your parents knew I loved you like you were my own and knew they could trust you with me. It was never my intention to lie to you, Mallory. I-¡­ ¡°She trailed off, seeming to reflect on that decision before taking up the story again. ¡°Anyway, there was a hidden tunnel between our two packs that had been used by the previous Alphas who were also friends. Your parents sent usthrough the tunnel but we hadn¡¯t gotten too far when an explosion shook the ground. You flew out of my arms and hit your head on the rock wall. ¡°You were unconscious and bleeding and all I could do was get you to ck Moon as quickly as possible. Alpha and Luna took you straight to the hospital but you wouldn¡¯t wake up. The doctor assured us you would be fine but when you woke up, you didn¡¯t remember anything.¡± ¡°So you thought you would just make up a story and let me live a total lie for the next eleven years?¡± I spit out. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we did.¡± Alpha intervened. ¡°Maeve didn¡¯t like the idea but we convinced her it was for the best. Alpha Quade of Blood w Pack, the man who killed your parents and took over as Alpha of Hazelwood, he¡¯s not a nice man, Mallory. He is evil andcruel and hungry for power. If he knew you, the rightful heir of Hazelwood, were still alive, he would stop at nothing to eliminate that threat to his rule.¡± ¡°So you changed her name, never allowed her to mourn her parents, and what? Hid her away?¡± Cary raged at them, furious on my behalf. ¡°What about her wolf? Her Alpha aura? Why did she always present like an omega?¡± ¡°Even at seven years old, her aura was so strong. We feared even with all of that, people might question the story, guess who she was. We couldn¡¯t take a chance that Alpha Quade would somehow hear about her, suspect her parentage. So we discussed the problem with one of the elders we trusted. She knew a mage who could subdue Mallory¡¯s aura.¡± Luna exined. ¡°Today is your real birthday, Mallory.¡± Maeve admitted. ¡°We didn¡¯t realize your wolf would force her way through. We thought we could wait to have the spell lifted on the birthday we gave you. You would shift then and no one would be the wiser.¡± All three of my mates growled at that, the sound reverberating off the walls. y was on his feet and in his father¡¯s face in the blink of an eye. ¡°That¡¯s why her shift was so difficult? Because you fucking tried to stop it?¡± He roared. ¡°Do you have any idea what she went through? What it was like to watch her struggle that way. She almost fucking died!¡± Colt wrenched him back just as he was about to lunge across the desk for his father¡¯s neck. And suddenly, it was all too much. The lies, the loss of parents I couldn¡¯t remember, A mate who didn¡¯twant me and two who thought they did but couldn¡¯t know that for sure. How could they when I didn¡¯t even know who I was? The walls were closing in on me. I had to get out. I pushed to my feet, breaking through Cary¡¯s grip that had loosened at the shock of his brother¡¯s outburst. ¡°Mallory please!¡± My mother, Maeve, whoever she was called out to me. ¡°I swear my love for you was always true. I couldn¡¯t love you more if I had given birth to you. Please forgive me!¡± But I couldn¡¯t think about that yet. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I had to go. ¡°I-, I can¡¯t talk about this anymore. I just can¡¯t.¡± I shook my head, backing towards the door. And then I ran. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 32 by Cara Anderson Ch. 32 The Chase Mallory¡¯s POV I gave Raven control as soon as we made it outside. The shift was effortless this time,pletely free of the restrictions the mage had ced on us. I could feel the Alpha aura vibrating in my bones, seeking release after being tamped down for so long. It was tempting to unleash it. But epting that part of me meant facing the lies I¡¯d been fed my whole life and right now that was the exact opposite of what I wanted to do. I didn¡¯t want to think. I just wanted to feel the breeze blowing through our fur, hear the whistle of the wind blowing past and the thud of our paws in the dirt. Raven was quiet as we ran. I could feel the effort it cost her to run away fromher mates. The bond was like a rubber band, stretching with every step she took, working to pull her right back to them. But she knew I couldn¡¯t face any of that yet so she just kept running. We ran without stopping until my wolf¡¯s powerful muscles sumbed to fatigue, the sinew loose and pliable but ck. Raven dropped the clothes she¡¯d carried in her massive jaw and flopped to the ground unceremoniously. The moon was bright in the clearing so she rolled on her side to soak it in. ¡°They¡¯lle after us.¡± She said, more hopeful than certain. ¡°Maybe not.¡± I answered with a hope of my own. ¡°Colton has Darcy. He already made it pretty clear he doesn¡¯t want us.¡± ¡°His wolf does.¡± She interjected. ¡°And so do his brothers.¡± ¡°Raven,¡± I sighed her name, hating that what I had to say would hurt her, ¡± You haven¡¯t known them as long as I have. Cary and y like a challenge. They were only pursuing me because they knew I didn¡¯t want them. They may have reacted to the bond but once the newness wears off, they won¡¯t want us anymore.¡± ¡°Then we give them a challenge.¡± She offered conspiratorially. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. There¡¯s too much history between us and none of it¡¯s good. I¡¯m not sure I could ever trust them, believe they were being sincere about their desire for us.¡± I told her gently. ¡°Besides I have¡­ oh shit! Nathan!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Nathan?¡± She queried, her silver eyes narrowing on me. ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± I confessed, earning a snarl from my wolf. ¡°Not for long!¡± She vowed. I was prepared to argue with her but before I could get a word out, the sound of leaves crackling and twigs snapping alerted me that we wouldn¡¯t be alone much longer. Raven stuck her snout in the air, inhaling deeply. ¡°Mates!¡± She announced smugly, just as the rich, luscious scents of tobo and leather, and bergamot and cinnamon stole my breath and filled my head with a myriad of impure thoughts. y and Cary had found us. ¡°Hey little wolf.¡± y pushed the words into my mind as Gunner¡¯s huge muzzle pressed into my neck, breathing me in. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you¡¯re hurting, darling.¡± Cary said, his huge wolf, Roanying down along the length of Raven¡¯sslightly smaller frame. ¡°Please don¡¯t run from us. Let us be there for you.¡± Raven whimpered, snuggling deeper into her mates. Gunner and Roan pressed closer, letting the weight of their hulking bodies provide usfort, a safeguard, a strength wecked at the moment. ¡°How is m-, um, Maeve?¡± I ventured, no longer sure what to call the woman who raised me. ¡°It¡¯s okay to call her mom, love. You may disagree with her choices, but she made them to keep you safe. Isn¡¯t that what mother¡¯s do?¡± Cary offered, surprisingly philosophical for the youngest triplet. ¡°He¡¯s right, Mal.¡± y added, in a tone that suggested it pained him to admit it. ¡°But to answer your question, she¡¯s distraught. Seeing her child in pain is breaking her as it would any lovingparent. Especially knowing she contributed to your suffering. But none of that diminishes your own grief or makes you any less entitled to it.¡± ¡°I never wanted this. Even when the three of you ridiculed me for being an Omega, I never wished to be otherwise.¡± I confided, both of them inhaling sharply like I¡¯d physically punched them with my reminder. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be an Alpha.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t change what you are, little wolf.¡± y sympathized. ¡°But who you are is entirely up to you. The Mal we know has always been fierce, an Alpha through and through. But you don¡¯t have to be the Hazelwood Alpha.¡± ¡°In fact, we¡¯d prefer it if you weren¡¯t. Just stay here and be our Luna.¡± Cary supplemented. ¡°But whatever you decide to do, we¡¯ll support you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I told him awkwardly. Genuine gratitude towards any of the Collins triplets just wasn¡¯t part of my repertoire. ¡°You need to talk to Maeve, little wolf.¡± y stated decisively. ¡°I know you. You¡¯ll be miserable until you settle things between the two of you.¡± I sighed at that. But in Raven¡¯s form, it came out as more of a purr. A sound both my mates responded to by shuffling even closer. Which only led to Raven purring for real in my head. Resigned to what I had to do, I pushed Raven to stand. She wasn¡¯t thrilled, enjoying the proximity of y and Cary¡¯s wolves a little too much. But when I shed her a glimpse of my idea, her chest rumbled in agreement. Gunner and Roan watched with interest as Raven wiggled her way out from between them. But when shestopped, showing them her rear, then swishing her tail across their muzzles, the challenge had been offered and they were all too willing to ept. Raven bounded away just as her two mates rose drunkenly to their feet, having gotten much toofortablezing next to her. I sat back and watched as she expertly navigated the trees and brambles of the forest as if she¡¯d been doing so for years. But despite her head start, it wasn¡¯t long before the intoxicating scents of Gunner and Roan grew thicker as they closed in on us. ¡°Run all you want, little wolf. There¡¯s nowhere we won¡¯t chase you.¡± y¡¯s taunt slipped into my head. ¡°We¡¯ll enjoy every minute of the chase.¡± Cary added. ¡°But it¡¯s you who will enjoy it the most when we catch you.¡± His words sent a sensual shiver down my spine while Raven made a wanton sound, something between a purr and a moan. Hearing her only seemed to push their wolves harder and soon they were nipping at our heels. My wily wolf darted right, so close to an old oak, she skimmed it with her fur. Having failed to anticipate the move, Gunner and Roan skidded off in the opposite direction. Raven chuckled, congratting herself on the small victory, But she celebrated too soon. Cary¡¯s huge sandy-colored wolf came out of nowhere, barreling into us from the side and bowling us over. We rolled across the ground, a flourish of twigs and dry leaves floating in our wake. And when we rolled to a stop, Raven was on her back, trapped within Roan¡¯s huge paws as he stood over her. ¡°Caught you, darling. Now the real fun begins.¡± Cary panted boastfully. ¡°Did you really think you could evade us, little wolf?¡± y¡¯s mocking voice joined Cary¡¯s as Gunner sauntered up behind Roan. But Raven wasn¡¯t ready to surrender. She tucked her hind legs in close to her belly and kicked out with all her strength. Roan flew backwards, taking his brother down with him. But she didn¡¯t even wait to see where they¡¯dnd before taking off again. Raven ran like the wind, determined to show her mates she was worthy. And by the time they caught up again, I had shifted back and was pulling on my clothes. ¡°You definitely have the speed of an Alpha.¡± y acknowledged as he and his brother sauntered across the yard, both in human form.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Both of them were naked. Gloriously and deliciously naked. I fought the urge to rake my eyes over every drool- worthy inch of them. But between the pull of the mate bond between us, the mouthwatering scents invading my senses, and all that hard, masculine muscle on disy, it was a losing battle. Slick ran down my thighs as my eyes trailed down their rigid abs then traced along their well-defined v-lines, finallying to rest on the long, thick rods between their legs. Both currently rock-hard and straining towards me. I wanted to face-palm myself when an involuntary moan escaped my lips, but it was toote. ¡°Like what you see, darling?¡± Cary smirked knowingly. ¡°Look all you want, little wolf. It all belongs to you.¡± y practically purred at me. But I couldn¡¯t. I shouldn¡¯t. So I didn¡¯t. ¡°Pfft.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Put some clothes on. No one wants to see that.¡± y and Cary both chuckled at my obvious falsehood. I knew I wasn¡¯t fooling anyone. Wolves had keen senses. They could smell my arousal. Probably even saw the slick between my legs. But admitting the truth was just something I couldn¡¯t do. ¡°Come on, love.¡± Cary took my hand and began leading me around the house toward the front door. ¡°Go talk to your mother. And we¡¯ll be waiting for you when you¡¯re done.¡± The first part of his statement was something I knew I had to do. Thest part I was less sure about. But at that moment, I was thankful for the strength they shared with me as they both squeezed my hands, for thecalming energy they sent through the bond. So I let it stand. When we reached my front door, I hesitated. My mind raced with all the questions I had, all the things I wanted to say as I drew in one shuddering breath after another. But they were there. ¡°You¡¯ve got this, little wolf.¡± y assured me. ¡°You¡¯ll be okay, my darling.¡± Cary confirmed. And somehow, I knew I would be. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 33 by Cara Anderson Ch. 33 Tell Me Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Mom!¡± I called out as I walked in the front door. ¡°Mallory? Oh, Mallory!¡± She wailed, flinging herself down the stairs and into my arms. ¡°I¡¯m so-¡± ¡°Enough apologizing, mom.¡± I interrupted her, not wanting to hear it again. The time for apologies was over. Now was the time for answers. ¡°At least you¡¯re still calling me mom. You don¡¯t have to, you know. I would understand if you didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Well, someone pointed out to me that everything you did, whether I like it or not, was done to protect me. And that¡¯s what parents do. I have no memory ofmy birth mother or my father for that matter. But I remember you. Every ouchie you kissed, every tear you dried, every night you sat up with me after one of my nightmares. If those things don¡¯t make you a mother, I don¡¯t know what does.¡± ¡°Oh sweetheart, I love you so much.¡± She professed between sniffles.ying her head on my shoulder as we sat with our arms around each. ¡°I know, mom. I never doubted your love for me. And I think that¡¯s what I find the most amazing about this whole thing. A child was shoved into your hands, made your responsibility in the blink of an eye. You never asked for this, for me. You could have delivered me safely to ck Moon and walked away, been free to live your own life, find a mate, have your own family. But you chose me.¡± I choked back sobs as I poured out my heart to her. ¡°I¡¯d choose you all over again, my sweet girl. Every damn time. I sacrificed nothing to raise you. But what I gained, a beautiful, intelligent, amazing daughter, you gave me everything.¡± We both dissolved into a puddle of tears. An unspoken understanding passing between us. Whatever the circumstances that led her to parenthood, she chose it for both of us. I couldn¡¯t remember anything about my life at the time, had been too young to make those decisions anyway. But now? Now, it was my turn to choose. I could walk away. I could shun her, choose not to forgive the lies, the secrecy. But I never would. Not when I knew in the depth of my soul that no birth mother had ever loved a child more than she loved me. ¡°I still have questions, mom. Lot¡¯s of questions.¡± I frowned with unease at the thought of all the threads of my life pping in the breeze, seemingly untethered. But my brain couldn¡¯t process anymore tonight. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll talk more. Tonight, we both need to sleep off the stress of this day.¡± We said our goodnights and I plodded up the stairs, my body heavy with fatigue and uncertainty. But the minute I flung open my bedroom door, my body came alive like someone had just flipped the ¡°on¡± switch. Because y and Cary sat on the end of my bed, their scrumptious scents filling my room, an unbridled heat surfacing in their eyes the moment they took me in. ¡°We told you we¡¯d be here when you were done.¡± y stated matter-of- factly, like I should have expected to find them waiting in my room, havinge through my window. Again. ¡°Come here, darling.¡± Cary beckoned, a hint of dominance in his voice. He slid back on the bed, resting against the headboard with his legs spread for me to nestle between. I stood stock still, staring him down, debating my next move. My alpha wolf bristled at themand, but another part of me felt the need to give someone else control, to let someone else make the decisions for just a little while. ¡°We can feel your anxiety, little wolf. It¡¯s buzzing just beneath the surface of your skin. No matter how tired you think you are, sleep won¡¯te easily tonight. But the mate bond can soothe you, help you rx, Let us take care of you.¡± y¡¯s pronouncement shook me a little. I wasn¡¯t entirelyfortable with the knowledge that they could read me so easily. I hadn¡¯t even beenaware of how anxious I was. But as soon as he said the words, I could feel it, that sensation like bees were buzzing through my veins, vibrating just under the surface. I had two choices. Kick the pair of them out so I could lie in bed and stare at the ceiling, waiting for the bees to burst through my skin. Or walk into Cary¡¯s arms, let the mate bond work its magic, just for tonight. I chose magic. ¡°That¡¯s my girl. Come sit with me.¡± Cary cooed, praising my choice yet making it clear he was still in control here. I crawled between his legs and Cary helped me settle with my back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me tight against him. My breath caught in my throat when I felt his impressivelyrge bulge pressing into me through the thinmaterial of his sweatpants. ¡°In my arms, right where you belong.¡± Cary murmured, brushing my hair over my shoulder and leaving teasing kisses down the back of my neck. y edged closer, taking one of my feet in hisrge hands and massaging it deftly. ¡°Mmm!¡± I moaned appreciatively, unable to contain the sound. ¡°Keep that up little wolf and these hands will be massaging more than just your feet.¡± y warned. ¡°What if I want you to touch more than just my feet?¡± Where the fuck had thate from? I wondered. But the damage was done. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find us more than willing to amodate you.¡± Cary¡¯s voice was a low, seductive growl. ¡± Where do you want to be touched,darling?¡± ¡°Everywhere.¡± I answered in a hushed, sultry tone. Oh shit! I was definitely having an out of body experience. That couldn¡¯t have been my voice talking. What was I doing? My brain was too muddled at the moment to puzzle that out. ¡°Take off her shirt.¡± y barked to his brother. ¡°I want to see what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°With pleasure, brother.¡± Cary¡¯s hot breath blew over my sensitive skin, gooseflesh rising in its wake. Cary slipped his hands underneath my t -shirt, caressing the smooth skin of my belly. His hands moved painstakingly slowly as he worked his way up over my ribs before stopping to trace little lines back and forth just under the swell of my breasts. ¡°So soft.¡± He murmured, a worshipful quality in his tone. I expected him to keep working his way up, to engulf my tits in his massive hands, to squeeze the flesh and tease my nipples but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he just kept maddeningly stroking the skin beneath them, letting his thumbs brush the underside, his touch lighter than a whisper. Meanwhile, his lips left a path of heated kisses along my neck and shoulder. He was driving me insane! My entire body was on fire, heated to the core by the sparks from his touch. y just sat back on his heels, his eyes smoldering as he watched me squirm in his brother¡¯s arms. I needed more. So much more. And I think they both knew it. ¡°Arms up, little wolf.¡± y ordered and I immediately obeyed. His breath came out in a woosh as Cary peeled the shirt over my head. The heat in his eyes morphed into a look of awe before the heat returned again in the form of molten desire. My arms dropped with the instinctual need to cover myself but Cary caught my wrists and spread my arms wide. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Hemanded. ¡°Your body, every delectable inch of it is a work of art. And it belongs to us, a gift from the goddess for our pleasure and yours. Don¡¯t ever hide it from us, darling.¡± Something between a whimper and a moan left me at hearing those reverential words and the promise they held. y¡¯s chest rumbled and his hand twitched, as if he wanted to touch me but restrained himself. I cocked my head in curiosity, a little hurt by his reluctance. Was he disappointed by what he saw? But his next words answered my unspoken question. ¡°Your tits are incredible, love. I always imagined they would be but the reality is so much better!¡± He licked his lips as he stared hungrily. ¡°But I won¡¯t touch them today. Those are for Cary tovish with attention while I im another part of your body.¡± I gasped when y tugged on my pant leg, the waistband inching down ever so slightly. But he didn¡¯t stop, just kept tugging as Cary lifted my hips until the pants slipped free. They were blindly tossed aside, his eyes never leaving me and I felt the heat of his stare burning my skin. Cary¡¯s hands hade to rest cupping my breasts while he peered over my shoulder at my nowpletely naked form. ¡°Fucking perfect.¡± y whispered, gliding his hands up my legs, working them closer and closer to where I desperately needed them to be. ¡°Fuck! You need to share, brother!¡± Cary groaned. ¡°Not today. We agreed!¡± y insisted. Cary snarled at him but relented. Then finally! Finally, his hands grasped my tits and squeezed them hard. I threw my head back on a moan, letting it fall on his shoulder as I lost myself to the sensation. They had taken so long getting to this point, with teasing touches and gentle strokes, that one good pinch of my nipple was all it would take for me tobust into me.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mine!¡± y purred as he stroked one finger along the small strip of hair down the center of my mound. My hips rose to meet his touch, but one of his hands shot out to pin me to the bed, holding me steady. ¡°Please! I need¡­¡± What the fuck did I need? I had no idea, but somehow my body seemed to know. ¡°Beg all you like, little wolf. But I will tell you right now, that¡¯s not how this works with me.¡± y schooled. ¡°When you¡¯re in my bed, I¡¯m in charge. You give and get as I say. I control your pleasure. Now brother, spread her wide for me. I want to see everything the Goddess blessed us with.¡± Cary made a garbled noise inint at being asked to release my tits but heplied, lifting my legs over each of his and spreading them apart. I waspletely exposed, nothing left to the imagination as y¡¯s hungry gaze devoured me. My instinct was to close my legs, remind him we were actually in my bed, not his, and deny him ess. But this was what I had wanted wasn¡¯t it? To give up control? To let them make all the decisions for me? ¡°Fuck, you have a gorgeous pussy, baby!¡± I could feel my whole body flush at hisscivious praise. ¡°Has anyone ever touched you here? Touched what¡¯s mine?¡± y ran his fingers through my sodden folds, rubbing circles around the entrance to my core with his thumb but never slipping it inside. My muscles tensed at his question, locking in ce despite his best efforts to make me melt, to muddle my mind. But then two fingers circled my clit and I softened into his touch. ¡°I asked you a question, little wolf. Answer me or we¡¯re done here.¡± He pressed. ¡°No!¡± I protested. ¡°I mean, y-. yes, I¡¯ve been touched there before.¡± Two angry snarls filled the room, making me shrink back but that only brought me deeper into Cary¡¯sembrace, his tight hold almost painful. ¡°Tell me!¡± y demanded, and we both knew I understood exactly what he meant. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 34 by Cara Anderson Ch. 34 Never Was y¡¯s POV ¡°Tell me!¡± I barked the order when Mallory admitted she¡¯d been touched before. Irrational anger swept through me at knowing someone had taken what belonged to me, her first rush of pleasure when two thick fingers slipped inside her. I knew it was hypocritical of me to have expected her to be totally unimed, having had my share of women before her. But fuck, it ate me up inside and I felt Cary struggling with the same jealousy. ¡°Who touched you, Mallory?¡± Cary demanded, his shoulders heaving with everybored breath as he fought to contain his beast. ¡°N-, Nathan.¡± Mal stuttered his name. ¡°But only once. The day I told him Ikissed you.¡± ¡°Of course he did!¡± Cary ground out angrily. ¡°You¡¯d think he¡¯d be angry but instead, after a year of dating, he finally decided to pleasure you.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He was angry though. He-, he spanked me first.¡± She admitted. Blinding, white-hot fury coursed through my veins, burning me alive and turning my vision red. I wanted to be the one to turn that creamy skin of her sweet little ass red under my palm. Me! No one else! For me, obtaining submission, exerting that dominance over a partner was the pinnacle of a sexual encounter, an experience I wanted to share with my mate. I hated that she¡¯d ceded that control to another man, submitted to him when it should only be me! ¡°y!¡± Cary called my name, a warning in his tone. The haze cleared from my eyes to find Mallory watching me warily, all the nervous energy of a prey facing down her predator. I hated that I¡¯d scared her. I wanted her willing submission, not her fear. ¡°¡±It¡¯s okay little wolf.¡± I purred, trying to calm her. ¡°We¡¯re not angry with you. Cary and I want something we know we have no right to, but we want it all the same. All your firsts, all your pleasure. But I still want your submission, my love. I need it.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± She stated simply, using my own words to draw out the exnation she needed. My clever little wolf. ¡°I won¡¯t spank you. At least not today. Because when I make youe for the first time, I want to see your beautiful face. Eyes on me, love. No matter whatmy brother does to those gorgeous nipples. No matter how hard I make you writhe against my hand, you keep your eyes on mine. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± She answered mockingly, a small smirk on her face. Oh, I was going to enjoy watching that smirk disappear as I reduced her to a writhing, moaning wreck. She had no idea she¡¯d just poked the bear but she was about to find out. I stroked her inner thighs, drawingzy circles with my thumbs as I rubbed higher and higher. Cary was doing the same to her nipples. Eliciting the most beautiful little whimpers I¡¯d ever heard. Her hips were already squirming, her clit swollen and needy for my touch. ¡°Shh, darling.¡± Cary hushed her. ¡°We know what you need and we¡¯ll alwaysgive it to you.¡± ¡°Now! I need it now.¡± She whined, music to my ears. ¡°Not yet.¡± I stated tly, continuing to take my time while actingpletely unaffected by her pleas. I ran my fingers along her slit, marveling at the slick coating them. ¡°Fuck, we¡¯ve barely started and she¡¯s already drenched. Look how wet she is for us, brother.¡± I offered my hand for his examination. Cary¡¯s eyes drifted from my dripping fingers to her glistening pussy, and the slick running down her legs. Mallory arched her back, pushing her tits into his hands as he tugged her tight little peaks sharply, his only outlet for the craving riding him. A deep groan escaped him when she wiggled her hips against his achingcock. But when I shoved my slick- covered fingers into my mouth, noisily sucking them clean, his eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head, so drunk with lust. I ran one finger up her seam, dragging it lightly over her throbbing clit before dragging it away again. After several passes, her wanton moans turned to a desperate keen as her need continued unsated. Her eyes pleaded with me to give her more, to satisfy the need for release rising to a boiling point inside her. ¡°So responsive. So perfect.¡± Cary whispered praises as he kissed everywhere his lips could reach, still pinching and rolling her hardened buds between his fingers. ¡°Oooh!¡± Mallory uttered an almost relieved moan as I slipped one thick finger inside her tight hole. ¡°Fuck, baby! So tight.¡± I gritted out, a tingling pleasure settling at the base of my spine as I imagined how my cock would struggle to fit inside her. Mal¡¯s eyes sparkled with lust as she met my finger thrust for thrust, chasing something that would be just out of reach until I chose to give it to her. But what she didn¡¯t know was that her pleasure was our pleasure too, that we burned with need for her, that by denying her we denied ourselves. ¡°y! Cary! Goddess, please!¡± She screamed as I added another finger, stretching her to amodate the impossibly tight fit. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, little wolf. Scream our names!¡± I encouraged, my cock pulsing against my stomach at the sound of my name on her lips. I wanted to hear her scream my name in pleasure as I brought her to orgasm over and over again for the rest of our lives. She was all I wanted, all I needed, my perfect little wolf. I had no hope of ever expressing to her what she meant to me but damn if I wouldn¡¯t die trying. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she whimpered incoherently, so close but yet so far from the climax bearing down on her. Suddenly, denying her release was thest thing I wanted. I wanted to feel her explode around my fingers, to see the ecstasy on her face and know I put it there. ¡°Are you ready toe for us, darling?¡± Cary asked, seeming to want the same. ¡°Yes! Please, yes!¡± She cried I curled my fingers inside her, increasing my pace as I stroked her velvet walls. Her channel pulsed around me with the first tremors of her orgasm. My thumb circled her clit, gradually increasing pressure until she was grinding roughly into my touch. ¡°Keep your eyes on me!¡± I reminded her as her eyes became hooded with pleasure. They immediately opened wide and when I knew I had her full attention, I ordered her release. ¡°Come now, little wolf!¡± I pinched her clit just as Cary pinched her nipples, sending her whole body into an explosion of pleasure. ¡°Fuck!¡± She screamed as her cunt mped down on my fingers like a vice. Her face flushed beautifully and her eyes held so much bliss as she looked back at me. Our names tumbled from her lips over and over as I continued fucking her while she rode out herorgasm. Then, when she finally went limp in his arms, Cary turned her head and crashed his lips into hers like he¡¯d been dying of starvation and her taste was all he craved. Mallory¡¯s hand came up to stroke his jaw, then tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer as their tongues tangled together passionately. She¡¯d allowed me the privilege of being inside her and I knew Cary deserved his moment of intimacy with her too. But as I watched them devour each other, I selfishly wished it was my kiss she hungered for that way. No sooner had that thought entered my head when she reached for me, pulling me in close. They broke apart and her lips immediately sought mine, easily coaxing me to the same steamy exchange. Fuck! I would never get enough of her! Mallory ran her hand down my chest, over my abs,ing to rest over my cock. I could feel it twitch under her palm, aching for her touch. But when she gave it a squeeze, I knocked her hand away. ¡°Not tonight, little wolf.¡± I grunted, pushing through the painful need for her. ¡°But you didn¡¯t, don¡¯t you want me to?¡± She stammered. ¡°Oh we want.¡± Cary confessed. ¡°But tonight was just about you. Let us have that privilege, to make you the center of all our attention.¡± ¡°What we just did was so fucking incredible. You were perfect, baby! Everything we could ever want. We don¡¯t need anything else.¡± ¡°O-, okay.¡± She mumbled sleepily. ¡°Are you okay, love?¡± Cary checked in with her,ying her on her back and adjusting the pillows under her head. He stretched his body out along the length of hers and brushed her hair back from her face, looking adoringly into her eyes. ¡°Mmm. Better than okay.¡± She breathed out. ¡°I feel weightless, boneless.¡± He chuckled at her response, knowing that was exactly what we¡¯d hoped to achieve. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I murmured, heading into the bathroom for a washcloth. Mal¡¯s eyes were closed when I returned but snapped open when she felt me begin to clean between her legs. ¡°Wh-, oh.¡± She mumbled as I stroked her sensitive pussy with the warm cloth, reveling in the way her hips twitched with tiny aftershocks as I rubbed over her still swollen clit. I tossed the rag aside andid down beside her, pulling her onto my chest while Cary moved in closer behind her. ¡°Sleep little wolf.¡± I purred. It didn¡¯t take long for her breath to even out as she slipped into a deep, restful sleep. ¡°That was amazing.¡± Cary whispered. ¡°I hope she epts our bond. Something tells me it won¡¯t be that easy. She was hurting, confused, and we helped her tonight. But she¡¯s strong. And when she¡¯s ready to face her past, that will also mean facing the way we¡¯ve treated her. That doesn¡¯t just go away because of a mate bond. I¡¯m not sure she can forgive us.¡± I confessed my fear. ¡°She has to!¡± Cary said adamantly. ¡± But whether she does or not, there will never be anyone else for me.¡± ¡°There never was for me.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 35 by Cara Anderson Ch. 35 Find A Way Colton¡¯s POV ¡°Fuuuck!¡± I roared, the sound echoing off the walls of my office. I couldn¡¯t stop seeing the hurt and humiliation on Mallory¡¯s face when I refused to acknowledge our bond and it gutted me. I hated myself for hurting her, a sentiment my wolf did not hesitate to share. ¡°You hurt mate, asshole!¡± Kai charged. ¡°Find her and fix it!¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t want that?¡± Iid into him. ¡°You think I don¡¯t want her with every breath I take, every beat of my heart? She¡¯s all I want! Even before the mate bond! But it¡¯s not that fucking simple. I made promises!¡± I fucking ached for her. It took everything I had not to pull her into myarms, sink my teeth into her neck and make her mine right there in the woods. I would have fallen at her feet and begged if I had to, if that¡¯s what it took to make her ept me. But I couldn¡¯t do any of those things because I already belonged to someone else. I loved Darcy. She was a wonderful girl and so easy to love. But I was beginning to realize, all toote, that I wasn¡¯t in love with her. I admired her quiet strength and gentle spirit, and while Mallory was away, it was easy to convince myself that what I felt for her was romantic love. But the minute Mallory stepped through the packhouse door the night of her homing dinner, I knew I¡¯d been lying to myself. Sure I¡¯d fought it, refused to admit my feelings. I thought if I could keep seeing Darcy, pretend like nothing hadchanged, I could recapture some semnce of what I thought I¡¯d felt for her. But the mate bond snapping into ce destroyed any chance of that. Now, the best I could hope for was to find a way to keep my promise and be a good partner to her. I knew it would mean betraying my own heart every day for the rest of my life but that was my cross to bear. The more difficult task would be getting my wolf on board.. ¡°Break your promise!¡± Kai growled at my feeble excuse. ¡°Nothing is more important than our mate, not even your pride!¡± ¡°Pride? You think this is about my fucking pride?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡± Who gives a fuck about my pride. This is about her! Her pride, wanting her to have a mate she can be proud of, ¡°Don¡¯t you see what I¡¯ve done? I¡¯ve all but made a formal announcement that Darcy will be my Luna. What kind of man does it make me if I go back on my word? ¡°Why would Mallory want a mate who breaks hismitments, has no sense of loyalty or duty? If I stay with Darcy, I obviously won¡¯t have Mallory. But even if I break up with Darcy, Mallory won¡¯t want me. I would only shame her. I fucked myself with the idiotic prejudices that led me to Darcy in the first ce.¡± ¡°Mate is perfect! And strong! She won¡¯t care what anyone thinks as long as we love her.¡± He argued. I was about to tell him how little I needed him to remind me how perfect our mate was when a knock on my office door interrupted our mental exchange. ¡°Son, open the door. We need to talk.¡± My mother¡¯s voice held concern but it was amand nheless. ¡°It¡¯s not a good time. Mom.¡± I scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to clear my head as I opened the door to her. ¡°We never think it¡¯s a good time to face our mistakes. But it¡¯s necessary. You and I are long overdue for this conversation.¡± She strolled in and made herselffortable, patting the spot beside her on the sofa for me toe sit beside her. ¡°Sit. Talk.¡± She ordered, letting just enough of her Luna tone filter through to tell me it wasn¡¯t optional. ¡°Tell me why you¡¯ve always fought so hard against your attraction to Mallory. And why in Goddess¡¯ name haven¡¯t you epted your bond?¡± ¡°You-, you knew?¡± I stuttered, gobsmacked by that revtion. ¡°Of course I knew!¡± She eximed. ¡± I¡¯m a mother. Mothers see so much more than their children imagine they do. What I¡¯ve never understood is why?¡± I shook my head and sighed. Knowing I was going to hate answering that question but also knowing I had no choice. She was going to be so ashamed of me when I admitted the truth but no more so than I was of myself. ¡°I¡¯m the oldest.¡± I shrugged, as if that exined it all, and to her it probably did. ¡°Dad always said that since I was the oldest, it was my job to protect my brothers, to set an example for them to follow. I wanted to be perfect so he would be proud of me. So he would know he could trust me with the pack.¡± ¡°Colton.¡± Mom breathed my name shakily, reaching out to hold my hands in hers, ¡°Your dad is an amazing Alpha and I love him with all my heart. But son, he is nowhere close to perfect and he certainly never expected you to be. But I don¡¯t understand what that has to do with Mallory.¡± ¡°In order to be a strong Alpha you need a strong Luna, son.¡± I deepened my voice, adding a gruff quality that mimicked my father¡¯s. ¡°Dad repeated that to me over and over again growing up. Mallory was an Omega, or so I thought. Omega¡¯s weren¡¯t strong enough to be Luna¡¯s. So when I realized I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her, found myself watching her every move, I knew I had to shut it down. There was no sense getting involved when there could be no future for us.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So I ignored her. It was difficult at first, but then I met Darcy. She seemedto be everything a Luna should be, from Alpha blood, patient, kind, well- spoken. I asked her out immediately. I liked her well enough when we started dating but it wasn¡¯t enough to keep my mind off Mallory. I was both furious and relieved the day you announced you were sending her to Luna Training.¡± ¡°Shame on you, Colton.¡± Mom wore that disappointed look all children cowered under. ¡°Your father and I both always taught you not to judge people¡¯s worth by their designation. You know that. So you should have also known he never meant an Omega couldn¡¯t be a strong Luna.¡± ¡°I never said Omega¡¯s don¡¯t have worth, Mother! But worth and strength, the strength it takes to be a good Luna are two different things. I mean, how many Omega Luna¡¯s do you know?¡± I snapped, aggravation seepinginto my tone. ¡°I know one.¡± Mom said cryptically. ¡± Am I not a strong enough Luna, son?¡± ¡°What?¡± My head snapped up to search her eyes for the lie, eyes the same as mine. Mom sat quietly beside me while I felt everything I thought I knew about my life fall away. I made decisions that directed the course of my whole life based on a belief that had absolutely no basis in reality. She squeezed my hand as the tears came hot and fast. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, son. Fate can be a tricky little bitch sometimes.¡± She brushed my overgrown hair out of my eyes and tipped my head up by my chin. ¡°But it is never toote to fix your mistakes. Do the right thing, Colton. I know you¡¯ll find a way.¡± She leaned in and nted a kiss on my forehead then got up and walked out the door. ¡°Fuck!¡± I picked up a crystal vase from the shelf and flung it against the wall, not even flinching when the shattered pieces flew back and cut my arm. Blood dripped down my arm as I stood frozen in ce, just listening to the pitter patter of it sshing to the floor. I couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t think, couldn¡¯t breathe. What the fuck had I done? The one woman I wanted, always had if I was honest with myself, was actually the best one for me and the pack. But I let prejudice blind me into choosing someone else, a prejudice I had no fucking right to. It was poetic justice to learn I had Omega blood myself. And to add insult to injury, she wasn¡¯t even an Omega after all. Mallory was an Alpha, an heiress to a pack of her own. She¡¯d just learned her entire life was a lie, that her mother wasn¡¯t really her family at all. I¡¯d watched as each new revtion slowly broke her until she couldn¡¯t take in another detail and ran from her pain. I was her mate! I should have gone after her, been there for her when she needed me. But instead, my brothers got that privilege. Because I lost all rights to that gift when I turned my back on her the minute I recognized our bond. ¡°What a fucking mess you¡¯ve made, Colton.¡± I berated myself. ¡°A mess you¡¯d better fix!¡± My wolf warned.. Shit! Darcy! How was I going to tell Darcy I¡¯d met my mate and that it was Mallory? It was hard enough to keepmy thinly veiled attraction for Mal under wraps. It would be even harder to hide with the mate bond between us, Especially when my wolf was dead set on iming her. ¡°You will not touch Darcy again!¡± Kai snarled, unable to ept the thought of being with anyone but Mal. ¡°Kai-¡± I started trying to reason with him but he wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°No! She is not my mate and I won¡¯t have her!¡± He roared in my head. I sunk down into my office chair and hung my head in my hands, all the fight drained out of me. It waste and I was too tired to move. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up with my cheek stered to my desk and the sun shining in the window. But if I thought the day was going to be any better, that idea went out thewindow the second I heard my brother¡¯s voice in my head. ¡°Where the fuck are you? We need to talk.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 36 by Cara Anderson Ch. 36 Give Us Time Cary¡¯s POV I couldn¡¯t sleep. Sleeping next to one¡¯s mate was supposed to bring the deepest, most rxing night¡¯s sleep imaginable. From the one night I¡¯d spent in Mallory¡¯s bed, I knew this to be true, and we didn¡¯t even have the mate bond between us at the time. But not tonight. Not for me. y, on the other hand, had no such problem. The bastard slept with a satisfied grin on his face the entire night. Malloryid across his chest, making an adorable purring sound as she slept peacefully. Anytime she made even the slightest shift, y¡¯s arms unconsciously tightened around her, fearing her escape even in his sleep. When we¡¯de to Mal¡¯s roomst night, we had no n in mind otherthan to be there for whatever she needed after the difficult conversation with her mom. If she hade in and copsed into a puddle of tears, either or both of us would have been content to just hold her and whisperforting words in her ear. But when she walked in the door and her eyes locked with ours, her arousal filling the room, all bets were off. y immediately took the lead and I let him, happy just to be involved in some way. After the events of the evening, Colton¡¯s dismissal of our mate and the trauma of learning Mallory¡¯s truth, he needed to be in control. It was something buried deep inside him that red to life at times in ways I could never understand but respected all the same. He¡¯d tried to exin it to me once, saying that as the middle triplet, he never quite knew where he fit. Coltonwas always the leader and I was always attracting attention with my antics. So being dominant in the bedroom was the only time he felt truly in charge. After what I witnessed tonight, I had a feeling that was only the tip of the iceberg. Nothing had the power to make you feel less in control than worrying about your mate. Especially when there was a danger of losing that bond to your idiot older brother¡¯s choices or your mate¡¯s inability to fully forgive your past. For my part, I would be happy to give her all the power. She could have me any way she wanted me. But Mallory had responded well to y¡¯s bossy attitude and I could tell that had settled him. My brother had drifted off shortly after Mal didst night. But not before we¡¯d exchanged a few words about the euphoric experience we¡¯d just had or what we needed to do next. We¡¯d bothagreed that Mallory was it for us but if we couldn¡¯t get Colton on board, where would that leave us? ¡°I can¡¯t lose her, y.¡± I¡¯d linked him once Mallory dozed off. ¡°I¡¯m jealous as fuck that she¡¯s in your arms and not mine, that you got to be inside her and I didn¡¯t. But I¡¯m willing to share as long as I know there will be another opportunity. We can¡¯t let Colton and his fucked up sense of duty ruin this for us.¡±. ¡°He won¡¯t Cary. He¡¯lle around.¡± y insisted, ever the optimist. ¡°I know he will. Because this there is nothing in the world worth giving this up for.¡± He looked down at the woman in his arms adoringly then buried his face in her hair, taking deep drags of her scent. I knew he was pulling on the bond to calm himself, because as cocksure as heacted, y was just as worried as I was that Colton could destroy this for all of us. ¡°Let me hold her for a while.¡± I tried but he wasn¡¯t going to give her up easily. ¡°Next time.¡± He linked back tly, not bothering to entertain my request. ¡°Fine. But next time shit goes down, just remember what a greedy bastard you were because I¡¯ll be the one inside her while you watch and I¡¯ll be the one holding her afterwards.¡± I goaded. ¡°It felt like spun silk, her pussy. And she was so soaking wet, my fingers just glided over her walls even though she was so tight I could barely fit two inside her.¡± He taunted. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking prick.¡± I grunted, palming my suddenly throbbing cock. ¡°I know!¡± He boasted, then suddenly turned serious. ¡°We need to talk to Colt tomorrow. Find out where his head is and make him listen to reason.¡± ¡°We will.¡± I said, with more certainty than I felt. yid there silently for a few more minutes before he fell asleep but I could feel his turmoil through our triplet bond. Still, having Mallory so close, being able to feel her soft skin and breathe in her mouthwatering scent was enough to coax him into sleep. Scooting in close behind her, I let the warmth of her body soothe me, but it didn¡¯t help me sleep. It only made me obsess more about what I had to lose. So I propped up on my elbow and rested my head in my hand, letting my eyes roam over her naked form. I took in every detail I could, a glutton feasting on an extravagant banquet. Everything about the woman captivated me. Her long, silky-soft hair tumbling down her back, the hard- earned definition in her lean muscles, the perfectly round globes of her ass and the smooth lines of her toned legs, sculpted from years of training. I watched as she nuzzled deeper into y¡¯s chest, noted the way one of her legs snaked between the two of his, her bare pussy pressed against his thigh. And I ached with the need for it to be me holding her that way. ¡°Need mate.¡± My wolf whimpered in my head. ¡°Soon.¡± I promised him, and hoped fate wouldn¡¯t make a liar out of me. I thought maybe at some point, it would get old watching her sleep, and maybe I would just drift off out of boredom. But that never happened. I just drank in every line and curve of hergorgeous body and beautiful face, reflecting on what an ass I¡¯d been to her and all the shit I had to make up for. I¡¯d been studying the way her impossibly longshes brushed against her cheeks when her eyes fluttered open. ¡°Good morning.¡± she rasped, her voice rough with sleep. ¡°Why are you staring at me while I sleep? It¡¯s creepy. ¡°Good morning, darling.¡± I leaned forward and pecked her plump lips, fighting the urge to sink my teeth into the bottom one. ¡°I can¡¯t help myself. No matter where you are or what you¡¯re doing, you¡¯re always the most beautiful thing in the room.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± She scoffed, cupping her hands over her reddening face. ¡°What did we tell you about hidingst night?¡± I teased, pulling her hands away and watching with fascination asshe blushed even deeper.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. I leaned over to nt sloppy kisses all over her face, making her giggle and squirm. ¡°Cary!¡± She squealed when I pulled her on top of me, wishing she was screaming my name for a whole other reason. I was just about to grind my hard cock into her pussy, showing her exactly what all her squirming was doing to me, when my brother ruined it all. ¡°Mine!¡± He growled sleepily, attempting to steal Mal back from me. But his spoken im, the reminder of our bond, broke the spell we¡¯d been under and catapulted her back to reality. ¡°Fuck!¡± She red, scrambling out of bed. ¡°Mal!¡± I reached for her, needing to feel her next to me again, but she stepped out of my reach. ¡°We-, you-, I-¡± She stammered in confusion, then looked down, realizing for the first time that she was still naked. ¡°Shit!¡± She stomped around the room, pulling clothes out of drawers while we watched her, stupefied. Once she¡¯d gathered her chosen wardrobe, she stalked to the bathroom and mmed the door behind her. y was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, trying to catch up with what was happening. And maybe my brain was too sleep deprived but I had to admit, I had no clue either. Five minutester, Mallory exited the bathroom looking much calmer. She hadbed her hair and her face glowed, looking fresh and clean andbreathtaking as usual. She stared back at us for a minute, wearing a confused expression like she still couldn¡¯t quite work out how we¡¯d gotten there. Then she said thest thing either of us wanted to hear. ¡°I have to go see Nathan.¡± She announced, gathering up her bag and heading for the door. But y was faster. ¡°The fuck you do!¡± He barked, jumping in her path. ¡°He¡¯s not your mate Mallory. We are!¡± I added, joining him. Mallory put her hands on her hips and red at us defiantly. Mate or not, there was no way she was going to cower to us. A fact I vaguely noted would beg further discussion at ater time. ¡°Mate or not, he¡¯s the one who has been by my side for thest year, unfailingly and unquestioningly. He epted my Omega status without judgment and never made me feel less than because of it.¡± She railed, reminding us of all the ways we¡¯d wronged her. ¡°He has done nothing but love me, encourage me, build me up and help me grow. While the three of you, one of whom isn¡¯t even here for this bond, did nothing but tear me down. And how have I repaid him? Apparently by eschewing all self-respect and cheating on him repeatedly.¡± ¡°What we didst night wasn¡¯t cheating!¡± y boomed. ¡°A mate bond trumps any previous rtionship and as an Alpha, he knows that. You don¡¯t owe him anything.¡± ¡°I owe him everything!¡± Mallory shouted. ¡°The very least of which is a face-to-face conversation exining what has happened in thest twenty- four hours. He deserves that much from me.¡± ¡°Please, little wolf.¡± y softened, willing to beg if that¡¯s what it took to keep her. ¡°Don¡¯t make any decisions yet. Give us a chance to make it up to you, to prove we can be the mates you deserve.¡± Mallory walked back to us, gently cing her hand on each of our faces. The starburst in her hazel eyes shined with some emotion I couldn¡¯t name, something between desire and regret. ¡°The Goddess may not have chosen him for me, but he¡¯s already the mate I deserve. I feel the pull between us and it¡¯s powerful. I¡¯m just not sure it¡¯s worth overlooking the one person wholoved me for who I was without the bond.¡± Her voice was hushed, sad. ¡± Besides, Colton has made his choice and I don¡¯t think this works without him.¡± ¡°He wants you, Mal. Please just give him time, give us time.¡± I pleaded. But she wasn¡¯t moved. ¡°I¡¯m going now. You can let yourselves out the way you came in.¡± Then she was gone. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 37 by Cara Anderson Ch. 37 Unfaithful Colton¡¯ POV The second my brothers entered my office, my wolf was on high alert. They reeked of our mate and it ruffled his fur that they¡¯d been with her and he¡¯d been left out. Even more so when he detected the distinct smell of sex. That had my hackles up too. ¡°Go take a shower. You stink!¡± I snarled at them. ¡°Jealous, Colton?¡± Cary jabbed at me, the little shit. ¡°We don¡¯t stink! We smell like our mate. It¡¯s every wolf¡¯s desire to carry their mate¡¯s scent.¡± y countered offensively. ¡°At least every sane wolf.¡± Cary muttered under his breath, though I had no doubt he meant for me to hearit. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here? To torment me and my wolf for ignoring our mate? Because if it is, you shouldn¡¯t have bothered. My wolf is doing enough of that for both of you.¡± I admitted. ¡°Of course Kai wants his mate, Colton. A mate is a gift from the Moon Goddess herself. Your soul-mate, you perfect match. How could you turn your back on that?¡± y challenged. ¡°We saw youst night in the forest and then in dad¡¯s office. You wanted to go to her. It took everything in you to fight it. It was obvious in the way you balled your fists and clenched your jaw, in the way you kept drifting toward her before you caught yourself and forced yourself back. Why the fuck are you fighting that?¡± Cary piled on some more. ¡°Because I don¡¯t fucking deserve her! That¡¯s why!¡± I blurted out, caving in to the pressure. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. None of us do.¡± y stated matter-of-factly, like it was old news. ¡°After the way we treated her growing up, we¡¯re lucky she didn¡¯t reject us on the spot. But she didn¡¯t, and that means there¡¯s a chance to earn her forgiveness and convince her to ept the bond.¡± ¡°From the smell of you, it seems like there¡¯s more than a chance.¡± I bit out, my tone thick with envy. ¡°She was hurting and we were there when she needed us.¡± Cary shrugged like it was no big deal, a reaction that had me eyeing him curiously. ¡°She left this morning to go see Nathan. ¡°y filled in the nks. Ah! So Cary had slipped into defense mode, shielding his heart from impending wreckage. That was his usual MO, pretend not to care, shut himself off before anyone had the chance to hurt him. ¡°So she¡¯ll still have him to fall back on when the rejection takes ce.¡± I taunted, my turn to provoke a reaction. Cary lunged across my desk and wrapped his hands around my throat at lightning speed. Even my wolf wasn¡¯t fast enough to avoid him. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever fucking say that again! No one is rejecting our mate! No one!¡± He roared in my face. His ws were out, piercing my skin, and I could feel the blood trickling down my neck. I looked over his shoulder at y for help, as he was usually the voice of reason when Cary¡¯s temper jumped the tracks, But thistime, all I could see was the ck of his wolf in his eyes and the same w- tipped hands as our brother. I prised Cary¡¯s hand from my throat and coughed, sucking in huge lungfuls of air. Unfortunately, that only served to imbed Mallory¡¯s scent even deeper into me. My wolf paced, desperate to shift and go to her. yton and Cary retracted their ws but their wolves still pushed forward, ready to defend their mate bond at the slightest provocation. At this point, I felt like my own wolf would shred me from the inside out if that¡¯s what it took to keep me from rejecting our mate. Not that I¡¯d me him. The whole situation was a fucking cluster and it was my fault. I slumped back into my chair, scrubbing my hands over my face in exhaustion. Between theck of sleep,the emotional turmoil of yearning for a mate I couldn¡¯t have, and a mutinous wolf, I was spent. And that was before my brothers showed up to torture me with her scent. ¡°How is she?¡± I broke down and asked the question that had been haunting me. ¡°Confused, scared, feeling betrayed and questioning everything she thought she knew about herself. And if that weren¡¯t enough, she¡¯s mated to three assholes who treated her like shit her entire life. Oh, and one of them is acting like she doesn¡¯t exist.¡± yid it out for me. ¡°Wait, did you mean emotionally, or were you asking about the sex?¡± Cary smirked, his usual smart-ass demeanor making a reappearance. ¡± Because let me tell you brother, I¡¯ve seen a lot of women naked but I¡¯venever seen a more perfect set of tits in my life. A perfect handful with rosy nipples topped with tight pink little buds.¡± ¡°Mmm, and her pussy,¡± y chimed in, licking his lips, ¡°such a pretty pink and so fucking tight, I could barely fit two fingers inside. But so wet with smooth, velvety walls and the sweetest slick I¡¯ve ever tasted.¡± ¡°Shut. The. Fuck. Up!¡± I gritted out, my hands gripping the desk so hard my knuckles were turning white. I actually groaned out loud when I rubbed my rock-hard cock through my jeans to relieve the pressure. ¡°Our mate is a fucking Goddess.¡± Cary went on, neglecting my warning. ¡°Last night was the single best night of my life and my cock wasn¡¯t even involved. She is fucking perfect and you won¡¯t ruin it for us. Or yourself. We won¡¯t letyou.¡± And if I thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse than listening to my brothers describe, in painstaking detail, what a siren our mate was while sporting a painful erection I had no chance of tending to, I was fucking wong! ¡°Is it true? Is Mallory your mate?¡± Darcy demanded, bursting through my office door without knocking. ¡°Darcy? What are you doing here?¡± I strategically changed the subject, my hand jolting away from my cock. ¡°I needed to see you, Colton. Last night you sent me away with a promise to tell me what was going on, but I never heard from you. Now I understand why.¡± She said, sounding broken. ¡°Could you give us the room? We¡¯ll continue this conversationter.¡± I said, spearing my brothers with apointed look, a clear warning not to argue. y nodded and turned for the door but Cary just couldn¡¯t hold his peace. ¡°Fine! We¡¯ll go. But this isn¡¯t over. And don¡¯t you fucking dare do anything to betray our mate!¡± He blustered. Darcy flinched when Cary mmed the door behind him and I felt a prick of guilt at seeing her so devastated. I pushed away from my desk and made my way over to the sofa, patting the spot beside me. ¡°Pleasee sit down, Darc. I¡¯ll tell you everything and we¡¯ll talk this out. ¡°Okay.¡± She said in a meek tone, taking slow, tentative steps to join me. I held her trembling hand in mine as I poured out the entire story. I told her all about what happened when I arrived in the woods to find Mallory strugglingto shift, the truth about her identityand the reason our parents kept thesecret all these years. I hated the wayher lip quivered and her eyes turnedssy with unshed tears when Iconfirmed that Mallory was my mate.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Our mate. But I promised to holdnothing back from her so I didn¡¯t. ¡°So what does this mean for us?¡± She asked shakily once I¡¯d finished my ount, ¡°Darcy, I haven¡¯t acknowledged the bond. My wolf did of course. There was no stopping him from recognizing his mate. But I swear I haven¡¯t touched her, haven¡¯t interacted with her at all and I won¡¯t unless absolutely necessary. I chose you, Darcy. I made a promise to you and I intend to keep it.¡± That seemed to put her mind at ease for the moment. Her shoulders rxed and she offered me a smile. But with hernext breath, she asked the question that erased any progress we had made. ¡°So, when will you reject her?¡± She pressed. ¡°Darcy, it¡¯s just not that simple. y and Cary want this bond and we have no idea what will happen if only one of us rejects her. I can¡¯t do anything until we know more. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to them.¡± I stared at her with imploring eyes, willing her to understand.. ¡°So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Just sit back and watch the bond pull you to her and away from me more and more every day? You won¡¯t be able to fight the bond for long and I¡¯ll end up losing you anyway.¡± She choked out, wiping frantically at the tears that had finally started to fall. ¡°Darcy. Please try to be patient. We¡¯ll figure this out.¡± I vowed, pulling her into my arms and stroking her haifortingly while she sniffled into my shirt. I may have realized I wasn¡¯t in love with her but I wasn¡¯t a total asshole. It felt disloyal to my mate, holding Darcy in my arms, but if I was going tomit to her, I would have to get over that feeling. So I let her cling to me until her tears ran dry. Once she¡¯d managed to calm down, she pushed away from my chest and gifted me a watery smile. ¡°Thank you for telling me everything, for being honest with me.¡± She said, ¡°Of course, sweetheart. I¡¯ll always be honest with you.¡± She nodded. ¡°I have to go to work. Can I see youter?¡± She asked timidly. ¡°Sure. Call me and we¡¯ll make some ns.¡± I stood, taking her hand and pulling her up with me. ¡°Okay.¡± She agreed. Then leaned in for a kiss goodbye. ¡°Darcy, we can¡¯t.¡± I told her, grasping her shoulders to hold her away from me. ¡°It would be a betrayal of the mate bond and would cause Mallory pain.¡± ¡°I see. You don¡¯t want her as your mate but I still can¡¯t have you.¡± She spat, then turned and stormed out the door. I should have felt bad that she was hurting. I should have hated the pain this was causing her. But instead, I was wracked with guilt for being unfaithful to my Goddess-given mate. And if I was honest, unfaithful to myself. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 38 by Cara Anderson Ch. 38 Devastating News Mallory¡¯s POV My hands trembled nervously at my sides as I neared the front door of the Winter Woods Packhouse. Maybe Nathan wouldn¡¯t even be home. I hadn¡¯t called to say I wasing, not wanting him to ask questions I was woefully unprepared to answer. So I was about to show up unannounced and drop a bomb in hisp.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. For the entire drive, my mind had been consumed with how to tell him the triplets were my fated mates. I practiced the speech over and over again, changing tactics from one imaginary scenario to another. Option one: ¡°Nathan, I have some important news to share. My name is Mallory Brooks, not Edwards. I¡¯m the rightful Alpha of the Hazelwood pack. Oh and BTdubs, I have a wolf now and I¡¯m mated to the triplets.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work.¡± My wolf chimed in. ¡°He¡¯ll smell me as soon as we arrive. I¡¯ll be the first thing he asks about.¡± ¡°Right. Damn it!¡± I huffed, answering her aloud. ¡°It¡¯s not thatplicated. Just walk in, tell him you shifted, you¡¯re mated, end of story. Then let¡¯s go home to our mates. Afterst night, they more than proved they have what we need.¡± She purred wantonly. ¡°No! No, no, no, no, no!¡± I vehemently disagreed. ¡°I¡¯ll admit the mate pull is strong andst night I was weak. I just wanted to feel something, anything besides the anger, pain and fear that was consuming me. But that can¡¯t happen again, Raven. I¡¯ve already exined this to you. We can¡¯t trust them!¡± ¡°But-¡± She whined. ¡°No buts!¡± I cut in. ¡°Nathan has loved me unconditionally. He¡¯s never done anything to hurt me. I know you¡¯ll grow to love him once you get to know him. That¡¯s IF he¡¯ll forgive me. Again. Which is highly unlikely. But even if he won¡¯t, it will never work with the triplets.¡± Raven growled her displeasure, turning in circles in my head before plopping down and refusing to participate further in my mental speech preparation. Maybe she had it right. Maybe option two should be just blurting it out, though not with the end result she intended. By the time I reached the packhouse, I hadn¡¯te up with a solid option three. So there I was, knocking on the door with absolutely no idea how to approach theing conversation. Or how to exin myscivious behaviorwith yton and Cary once again. I was well and truly fucked! ¡°Oh, hi Mallory!¡± Mikhail, Nathan¡¯s Beta, answered the door. ¡°Nate didn¡¯t mention we¡¯d be seeing you today.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s sort of a surprise.¡± I improvised, not wanting to share the gory details with him. ¡°Well he¡¯s down at the training grounds. Would you like to wait in his office? I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re here.¡± He offered. ¡°Sure. Tell him to take his time. I don¡¯t want to interrupt if he¡¯s busy.¡± I said, hoping for a bit of a reprieve. ¡°Will do.¡± He nodded and strolled away, leaving me to make my own way to the office. I¡¯d only been there once or twice, never having visited Winter Woods before returning home from the academy. Butit was easy enough to follow my nose to the ce Nathan spent most of his time. Especially now that I had my wolf. Stepping inside, I closed the door behind me. I thought about taking a seat but my body hummed with nervous energy,pelling me to pace the room. My eyes wandered without really seeing, too consumed by the challenging task thaty ahead. What I did register was Nathan¡¯s scent. Specifically the way it hadn¡¯t changed, remaining the same masculine fragrance I¡¯d always recognized to be uniquely his. Pleasant in a soothing kind of way. I¡¯d never been drawn to Nathan¡¯s scent, never craved it the way I seemed to crave the triplets¡¯ smell, wanting to bury my face in their neck and breathe them in until I was drunk on it. Now, with the mate bond, their scentsseemed to have a direct line to my pussy, making my panties wet with just one sniff. I mped my thighs together against the throbbing need that just the memory of their scent inspired. The thought was so enthralling, I didn¡¯t hear Nathan enter the room, startling me when he called my name. ¡°Mallory?¡± I turned to see a huge grin spread across his face. ¡°What are you-¡± He stopped mid-sentence, having caught my scent on an inhale. ¡°I shifted. I have a wolf.¡± I announced before he could ask. ¡°What? But you¡¯re not eighteen yet.¡± His face fell, the realization that I wasn¡¯t his mate dawning on him. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I think we should sit down.¡± I said with a sigh. Nathan walked over to me slowly, lifting my chin with a finger and searching my eyes. For what, I didn¡¯t know. Then he took my hand and led me to the little two-seater sofa and pulled me down beside him. ¡°I¡¯ll always make time for you Mallory. No matter how long it takes. Tell me everything.¡± he prompted. So I did. I poured out the entire grisly tale of my catastrophic first shift. Then told him all about Raven, how beautiful and brilliant she is. His eyes twinkled brightly as I spoke about her and he told me how excited he was to meet her. The next part was harder to recite, my quavering voice betraying the emotions I hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to reconcile. Nathan listened withser focus as I hammered him with all the facts about my true identity. I expected him to express disgust, shock, ordisbelief. What I didn¡¯t expect was the slow grin that developed as he took in my words. ¡°What?¡± I finally stopped to ask when his smile lit up his eyes. ¡°I always knew you were special.¡± He said with a nonchnt shrug. ¡°Thank you.¡± I offered in a hushed tone, squeezing his hand in gratitude for the reminder of his unwavering confidence in me. ¡°How is Maeve? I¡¯m sure this has all been very difficult for her. I can¡¯t imagine it would be easy keeping such a huge secret for so many years.¡± He sympathized. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t handle the news very well at first. But we¡¯ve had a chance to talk and though it might take some time, I think we¡¯ll be okay. She seemed good after our chatst night.¡± ¡°No one would me you for being upset, love. You have every right to your feelings. You always want to make everyone around you happy but sometimes you need to put yourself first, take the time you need to process everything.¡± Nathan counseled me and it truly did help to settle my mind, to ease the guilt I felt for being so angry about the lies. I dropped my head to my chest and took a few cleansing breaths, trying to calm my racing heart as panic reared its ugly head. I still had one major piece of news to share and it was the one I feared the most to divulge. Pulling my hands free from Nathan¡¯s grasp, I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. ¡°Hey, hey.¡± Nathan cooed to me, lifting my chin again to capture me in hisforting gaze. ¡°You can tell me anything, Mal. Nothing you say could ever change the way I feel about you. Whatever it is, you can trust me with it.¡± ¡°The ck Moon Triplets are my mates.¡± I blurted out before I lost my nerve. ¡°They were with me when I shifted and our wolves recognized the bond.¡± ¡°I had a feeling.¡± Nathan revealed, wearing a sad smile now, one that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°You did?¡± I frowned at that information. ¡°Mallory, I think you are the only one who didn¡¯t suspect it. The way you were drawn to them. The way you couldn¡¯t stay away from them even though I know you still loved me. And they had to have harbored the same suspicion. Especially Colton when he found himself kissing you despite his devotion to his girlfriend. There are only so many possible excuses for thatand he generally seems like a good guy, not the type to cheat.¡± I was stunned by Nathan¡¯sments, staring at him like he¡¯d lost his mind. He chuckled at the bemused look on my face which once again caught me off guard. I thought he loved me. How could he be so apathetic? Seeming to register my concern, he was quick to reassure me. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, love. It¡¯s devastating news but it isn¡¯t your fault and I refuse to let you feel guilty for it.¡± He professed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Nathan. I really hoped it was you.¡± I said, not really sure why I was apologizing for something beyond my control but feeling the need to anyway. ¡°No need for that, sweetheart.¡± He shook his head, his voice cracking slightly which only made my own tearsspill over. He reached up to brush them away but the sweet gesture had them racing faster, as if trying to prove he couldn¡¯t win. ¡°I won¡¯t ept the bond. I still choose you, Nathan.¡± I managed between sniffles. ¡°Come here, love.¡± Nathan pulled me into his arms and buried his head in my hair while my tears dripped down his shirt. ¡°You know I love you and I will take you any way I can get you. But please don¡¯t make me promises you can¡¯t keep. I¡¯m aware how strong the pull of a mate bond can be. I¡¯d even venture to guess you¡¯ve already had some experience with that. ¡°Nathan, I¡¯m-¡± I pulled away, determined to confess my sins and beg for forgiveness. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mal. I don¡¯t need to know. In fact I¡¯d rather not. Just know I don¡¯t me you.¡± His forbearing attitude only made me cry harder. Nathan lifted me into hisp, turning me around and pulling my back tight against his chest. We just sat there silently, both lost to our own contemtion but as his arms tightened around me, I knew he was weathering his own struggles. I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when he spoke again. ¡°Mallory, I think there is something you should know.¡± He started, his tone putting me on edge. ¡°I¡¯ve had a few run -ins with men from the Blood w pack. They aren¡¯t good people. In fact, I¡¯ve heard some of them boasting about the way Alpha Quade runs his pack and most of them seem more than willing to help perpetuate his depraved ideals. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I pressed him to borate. ¡°I don¡¯t know specifics. But from what I¡¯ve heard, I don¡¯t think people are safe there. Especially the women and children. It¡¯s a very male-dominated pack where the women, children, and even weaker males are treated like cattle. Used to serve the needs of the Alpha and his Elite Guard.¡± ¡°Serve how?¡± I asked, almost certain I didn¡¯t want to hear the answer. ¡°Like ves, Mallory. Some as household servants, some as sex ves, some both. And all forced to live in poor conditions, receiving the bare minimum when ites to food and shelter.¡± ¡°Oh Fuck No!¡± I shouted, jumping to my feet. ¡°Not on my watch!¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 39 by Cara Anderson Ch. 39 Alpha Stand-Off Mallory¡¯s POV Nathan took my keys and slid into the driver¡¯s seat of my car, insisting on driving me home after my hysterical tirade. I¡¯d been ready to march into Blood w territory and confront Alpha Quade with nothing more than my wolf and my warrior training for protection. Something he only just managed to convince me would be a suicide mission. After ranting and raving while pacing Nathan¡¯s office for over an hour, I was drained, if no less impassioned. I wanted to go home, speak to Alpha Carl, determine what could be done to free my parents¡¯ pack from the oppression they were suffering under that tyrant. But given my emotional state, Nathan hadn¡¯t trusted me to get there safely on my own. Mikhail followed behind us in Nathan¡¯s SUV. Not only would he need a ride home, but Nathan thought he might be of help nning strategy if I was determined to take back Hazelwood. Winter Woods was a smaller pack with little to offer in the way of warriors or resources, but he and Mikhail both were known for their cunning minds. He could offer me that. ¡°Mallory, please try to rx.¡± Nathan sped a strong hand over my knee to stop my leg from bouncing anxiously. ¡± I know you¡¯re upset and I don¡¯t me you. But you¡¯re going to have to find a way to calm down. Alpha Quade is a powerful man. He won¡¯t be taken down easily. It will take nning and preparation. That won¡¯t happen overnight.¡± ¡°How long then?¡± I demanded, ¡°How long is a reasonable amount of time to let people suffer and die while we staysafely tucked away in an office strategizing?¡± Nathan blew out an exasperated breath, wanting to answer me honestly, toy out all the prerequisites required in nning a sessful campaign, but clearly sensing the danger in doing so. My ability to think rationally was slipping through my perfectly manicured fingertips with every breath I took. ¡°Look. Mal. I shouldn¡¯t have sprung that on you. I had no idea you would react so .¡± My eyes bored holes into the side of his head, daring him to call me crazy, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°So passionately. ¡°But the truth is, my information was all second hand. We have no idea what the reality of the situation is. We need intel. That can be dangerous to obtain and takes time. I know you¡¯re worriedabout the innocent people there, but acting rashly will only send others to their deaths unnecessarily. I know you don¡¯t want that.¡± It was my turn to heave a sigh. I knew he was right. If I ran in there headlong, uninformed and unprepared, we could fail. And failure meant the people of Hazelwood would continue to suffer and even more men could die. That helped no one. ¡°So what would you advise?¡± I asked in resignation, but sincerely interested in his input. ¡°Pull together a team of experts, people you can trust. Then we all put our heads together ande up with a n. But you need to think long and hard about what you want, love. Freeing the pack from a raging lunatic Alpha is one thing, but taking on the responsibility of ruling a pack isanother. It¡¯s a lifelongmitment and those people deserve stability. You need to be sure before you take that on.¡± Nathan squeezed my hand and left me to my thoughts. What did I want? I hadn¡¯t looked beyond my blind rage to imagine what the future would look like with Alpha Quade out of the way. Did I want to be an Alpha? I didn¡¯t know those people and they didn¡¯t know me. I hadn¡¯t grown up among them as I was meant to. But some part of me still felt responsible. Whether that responsibility was to avenge my parents and take down their murderer or to stay and restore the pack to its former glory, I wasn¡¯t sure. The reality was, I didn¡¯t know my parents. I had no idea what kind of leaders they were or what they wanted for their pack. That was a conversation I needed to have with my mother as well as Alpha Carl and Luna Erika, the people who knew them better than their own daughter. Only then could I decide if I was up for the job. My wolf was conspicuously quiet on the subject, seeming content to let me decide. She was an alpha wolf but that didn¡¯t mean she desired the title. Bing a Luna to her mates was higher on her priority list. Still, I felt her willingness to support me if I choseto take on the role. When we entered ck Moon territory, Nathan drove to my home first per my request. I wanted to speak to my mother before anyone else. Maybe she had friends or family in Hazelwood that could verify the veracity of the horrors Nathan described. However unlikely, I held on to a shred of hope that things weren¡¯t really as bad as he believed them to be. But as we pulled into the drive, Nathan¡¯s chest rumbled in a defiant growl. My head snapped up to see two hulking figures stalking toward my car, all their bs of hard muscle on disy. Cary and y. Their chests heaved with every angry breath and their fists clenched at their sides. The pissed off expressions they wore had me cowering in my seat, but not my wolf. She panted at the sight of them like a dog in heat and I had to admit they were a mouthwatering sight. One look at them had me feeling wet in other areas too. I jumped out of the car in a rush, either to spare Nathan the scent of my arousal or to head them off before theymitted homicide, or maybe both. ¡°What the fuck is he doing here?¡± Cary questioned in a low growl, not stopping until we were standing nose to nose. My hands automatically went to his chest, gently caressing a line over his pecs to calm him. He immediately rxed under my touch, his breath slowing and his shoulders loosening. His forehead dropped to rest against mine and for a moment, I lost myself in the cobalt blue eyes staring so intensely back at me. y had posted up next to me with his back to us in some kind of Alpha stand- off, almost like he was trying to hide me from Nathan¡¯s view. His arms were crossed over his chest, a posture that had his shirt pulled tight against his back, highlighting all the delicious lines of his broad shoulders and definedts. One of my hands left Cary¡¯s chest to slide up y¡¯s spine and I could have sworn I heard the man purr. ¡°Now that nobody is about to wolf out, could we all go in the house and have asane conversation?¡± I ventured, my voice barely above a whisper so as not to reawaken their beasts. ¡°Sure, darling.¡±: Cary spoke first, pulling me into his side. ¡°Of course, little wolf.¡± y eventually relented, though he continued giving Nathan the side-eye as we walked inside. Mikhail followed a safe distance behind, keeping Nathan within arm¡¯s length like a good Beta, ready to defend him at the slightest hint of aggression. I rolled my eyes internally at the brazen disy of male dominance. These men were definitely drowning in excess testosterone. ¡°Mom!¡± I called as soon as we stepped in the door, stepping away from my mates now that I felt reasonably sure they wouldn¡¯t murder anyone. ¡°She¡¯s in the kitchen making us lunch.¡± y supplied, a sheepish look on his face. ¡°We tried to tell her it wasn¡¯t necessary but she insisted ¡°What were the two of you doing here anyway?¡± I hissed. ¡°I thought I told you to go home.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Cary snorted. ¡°Like that was going to happen. Not when our mate goes running off to see another man. You should go change. I can smell him on you and Roan wants to rip his head off for touching you.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Fine. But sit down and be nice.¡± I ordered, narrowing my eyes at him. ¡± There¡¯s a reason he and Mikhail are here. It¡¯s important and I need to talk to my mom.¡± Cary grunted, and figuring that was the closest thing to agreement I was going to get, I rushed upstairs to change my clothes. Not that I cared if Nathan¡¯sscent on me bothered them, but I needed them to focus on what I had to say. And for that, their wolves needed to be calm. Thankfully mom cooked enough for an army so we all sat around the kitchen table, tes piled high with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and homemade bread. Metal utensils nked against porcin as everyone dug in but three sets of eyes remained fixed on me as they waited for me to speak. ¡°Um. mom. What do you know about the Blood w pack? Specifically the part that used to be Hazelwood?¡± I opened tentatively. Maeve gasped and her hands trembled, though she tried to hide it from my notice. ¡°Not much.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Alpha Carl sent some men to find out whathappened to your parents when a week had gone by and we still hadn¡¯t heard from them. They said the pack was in chaos but that wasn¡¯t surprising given the takeover. They confirmed your parents hadn¡¯t survived the attack and after that, I put it out of my mind and focused on making sure you were happy and healthy, untouched by all that ugliness.¡± ¡°Did you have family or friends there? Anyone who might still be there you could call?¡± I pushed. ¡°Mallory, what is this about?¡± She looked at me with a fear in her eyes that said she already knew the answer. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know.¡± y interjected. I started to exin but Nathan put his hand up, clearing his throat to cut me off. ¡°I should probably answer that.¡± He said. ¡°Mallory is intent on going to war and I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s all my fault.¡± From the growls erupting around the table, it looked like war was about to break out right there in Maeve¡¯s kitchen. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 40 by Cara Anderson Ch. 40 Not Your Mate Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°What the fuck did you do?¡± y howled at Nathan, standing up so fast his chair flew backward. ¡°Over my dead body!¡± Cary red at me simultaneously. ¡°That can be arranged!¡± I hissed back. ¡± You don¡¯t own me and you sure as hell don¡¯t tell me what to do. I let you stay because I thought you might be willing to help once you heard what I had to say. If that¡¯s not the case, then you can leave!¡± The two men looked at each other, some unspoken conversation passing between them. Then y nodded and picked up his chair, returning to his seat. ¡°Sorry. Maeve. I overreacted. It won[t happen again.¡± He apologized to my mother for his misbehavior. Cary moved a little more reluctantly but eventually sat down too. His eyes never left me though and I could feel the heat of his stare on my skin. Nervous energy radiated from both of them in pulsing waves, my own anxiety rising with theirs. I tried to focus on breathing in and out to calm myself. I¡¯d heard that mates could sense each other¡¯s emotions, but this was something much more intense. I felt their distress as if it was my own. Shaking off that disconcerting thought, I refocused my attention on the topic at hand. War. I knew it would be a hard sell, especially for my mother. How did I tell her she¡¯d spent thest eleven years keeping me safe just so Icould confront the exact danger she¡¯d been protecting me from? ¡°Mallory, please exin what¡¯s going on. I said Mallory, not you Alpha Richardson.¡± y put his hand up when Nathan started to answer for me. So I did. They already knew the bulk of it, who I was and why what was happening in Hazelwood mattered to me. But as my eyes flitted back and forth between their stunned faces, it was abundantly clear they hadn¡¯t anticipated I would show any interest in iming my birthright. ¡°No! Just fuck No!¡± Cary barked when I¡¯d finished exining what Nathan had told me and what I hoped to do about it, ¡°If even half of what Nathan suspects is actually happening, I won¡¯t have you anywhere near it.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have it?¡± I repeated indignantly. ¡°I don¡¯t recall asking yourpermission, Carrington!¡± Cary flinched at my use of his full name. I felt a momentary flicker of guilt for wounding him, knowing he hated when I called him that, but I pushed it aside, chalking it up to the mate bond at work. I wouldn¡¯t let him cower me. I nced at y to gauge his reaction but frowned when I saw the disapproval in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re our mate, Mallory. If anything happened to you it would kill us. You can¡¯t expect us to be okay with you putting yourself in that kind of danger.¡± y reasoned. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to be okay with that, but I am asking for your support because it¡¯s the right thing to do for the Hazelwood people.¡± I squeezed his hand in mine to help calm him, but released it quickly when I felt Nathan shift ufortably next to me. ¡°And Iunderstand the protective response the mate bond is spurring in you, but we can¡¯t make decisions based on artificially induced emotions.¡± ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± Cary was on his feet again, his face inches from mine, his hands on the armrests of my chair, caging me in. ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s all this is? Fuck, Mal! I know I¡¯ve done a shit job of showing it, even did my best to convince myself it wasn¡¯t true, behaving in uneptable ways for uneptable reasons. But I¡¯ve adored you since you came here as a scrawny little seven year old. I¡¯m fucking over the moon to be mated to you but I would feel the same even if I weren¡¯t!¡± I just stared at him with my jaw hanging open, knowing I looked like a gawping idiot but helpless to form any other expression. That was a pretty speech he just gave but none of it couldbe true. So I told him as much. ¡°That¡¯s not-, that can¡¯t be true, Cary.¡± I all but whispered, breathless from the intensity behind his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that to me just to get me to do what you want.¡± y reached out to me, crowding his brother out of the way so he could caress along my cheekbone with his knuckles and run his thumb across my lips, pulling my attention back to him. His bright blue eyes held so much adoration, it was almost painful to hold his gaze. He was looking at me like no one else existed. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find Cary is not the only man in the room guilty of such foolish mistakes and concealed affections.¡± §¯§Ö confessed softly, words meant only for me though I knew they were heard by everyone. ¡°We have a lot to atone for. But I also know you won¡¯t be able toconsider any of that until we hear you out first.¡± I nodded in agreement, prompting him to continue. ¡°I¡¯d like to suggest we move this discussion to the packhouse. I for one would like to know what my father knows and why he never moved to take down Alpha Quade if he knew what was happening there.¡± y proposed. Everyone murmured their assent and we all filed out. Everyone but Nathan who hung back until it was just the two of us. ¡°Mal, I think Mikhail and I should return to Winter Woods. You know I¡¯ll support you in any way I can but I don¡¯t think we¡¯re needed for this discussion.¡± ¡°Pleasee. I need you there.¡± I pleaded with him. ¡°You¡¯re the only onewho¡¯s fully on my side and I need your support. Besides, Alpha Carl might want to hear directly from you about the things you¡¯ve overheard.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± He blew out a sigh, raking his hand through his already mussed hair. ¡°Thank you, Nathan.¡± I smiled gratefully. I hooked my arm through his and we walked out together to where Mikhail waited by their vehicle. He opened the back door for me and I was about to climb in when I felt myself being hauled backwards. ¡°Mine!¡± Cary and Roan objected together. I opened my mouth to protest but Nathan just shook his head at me, resigning himself to Cary¡¯s im for the time being. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mal. It¡¯s just a short drive, not worth the fight. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± I hated the dejection on his face but didn¡¯t argue, letting Cary drag me away to his waiting ride. y was driving so Cary slid into the back with me. I could see his wolf in his eyes so when he pulled my legs across hisp and tightened his grip on me, I held my tongue. Alpha and Luna were already waiting when we arrived, probably one of their sons having mind-linked them. And to my wolf¡¯s delight but my dismay, Colton joined us as well, though he looked less than pleased to be there. Pissed off was an inadequatedescription for the expression he wore. Everyone listened while I rted the details Nathan had shared with me for the second time that evening. Alpha Carl grew noticeably paler as helistened to what I had to say. Luna Erika squeezed her husband¡¯s arm tighter when Nathan added what he had inferred about the treatment of the women and children there. It felt as if everyone held their breath, waiting to see who would be the first to speak once I¡¯d finished my story. Though I had to admit I was shocked when that person turned out to be Colton. ¡°Did you know?¡± He demanded of his father, his face a furious red and hands balled into fists.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I-, I-, not the extent of it, no. I suspected the situation wasn¡¯t good.¡± He confessed. ¡°Why?¡± Though I desperately wanted the answer, it was Luna Erika who asked the question. ¡°If you suspected, why wouldn¡¯t you help them? We have the resources. We could have donesomething?¡± Alpha hung his head, seemingly ashamed of his failure to take action. Colton paced the room, huffing and puffing in anger like the big bad wolf he was. I just stared in disbelief, feeling betrayed once again by the people I thought I knew so well. Once again, it was painfully clear I knew nothing. ¡°How could you father?¡± Colton finally unleashed the rage he¡¯d been stifling. ¡± That¡¯s not the type of Alpha I thought you were. It¡¯s certainly not the type of Alpha you taught us to be. So exin to me how you could sit back and do nothing while innocent people suffered! ¡°I lost my best friend!¡± Alpha Carl jumped to his feet, mming his hands down on his desk, making everyone recoil. ¡°So did your mother. We promised to protect their child! I did what I thought best to keep her safe. ¡°Alpha Quade knew about Mallory. There were pictures of her everywhere in that packhouse. If I had gotten involved when no other Alpha¡¯s did, he would wonder why. It wouldn¡¯t have been much of a stretch for him to assume I had some kind of vested interest, such as securing the pack for its heir. ¡°We may have been able to protect her but at what cost? She deserved a normal, care-free childhood without a constant threat hanging over her.¡± Alpha Carl sunk back into his chair, deted after his vehement speech. He looked at me with sad, apologetic eyes. I could see in them the guilt he carried for being unable to save my parents. And now, for not having helped their people. It was an impossible choice. One I was d I didn¡¯t have to make. ¡°I understand.¡± I told him, smiling when he nodded at me gratefully. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to be protected anymore.¡± ¡°The hell you don¡¯t!¡± Colton countered, his ire piqued again. ¡°We¡¯ll get to the bottom of what¡¯s happening there and we will put a stop to that raping, murdering asshole if that¡¯s what he is. But my mate is not going anywhere near him!¡± ¡°Except I¡¯m not your mate, am I?¡± I spit out the usation without thinking, the bitterness clear in my voice. ¡°You¡¯ve refused to acknowledge the mate bond at all until now. And even if you had, you can ask your brothers how well that high-handed bullshit worked out for them. I¡¯m not a child. I can make my own decisions.¡± ¡°What are you proposing, Mallory?¡± Luna Erika intervened, seemingly the only one interested in my opinion. ¡°Nathan said the first thing we¡¯d need to do is gather intel.¡± He nodded when I looked to him for confirmation. ¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯d need to confirm just cause existed before mobilizing our army. I can¡¯t ask them to risk their lives without a defensible reason but we also need to know what we¡¯re up against.¡± Alpha agreed. ¡°If Quade is as bad as Nathan¡¯s heard he is, I¡¯m guessing he has the ce fairly locked down. It might not be that easy to get your warriors inside. But predators like that tend to only see women as their prey, not capable of being a threat. So a woman would be easily overlooked, probably even weed if he thought she might be his next victim.¡± I hinted vaguely at my idea. ¡°What exactly are you suggesting, Mal?¡± y pushed for rification that I was all too happy to provide. ¡°Alpha Quade may have seen my picture but I look nothing like that seven year old girl. I¡¯m going to infiltrate his pack.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 41 by Cara Anderson Ch. 41 Slipping Away Colton¡¯s POV A chorus of ¡°No!¡± erupted in the room, my voice among them. Fuck! This woman was trying to end me. I could stay true to my word, move on without her, as long as I knew she was okay, safe. If she insisted on risking her life, there was no way I could just sit back and let that happen. Mallory faced us all down, that defiant re I knew so well fixed firmly on her face. Damn, I wanted to kiss that look off her face. She was the most stubborn woman I knew, and next to my mother, that was saying something. She wouldn¡¯t give this up easily. ¡°I¡¯m waiting to hear a better idea.¡± She challenged obstinately. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought!¡± Mal smirkedvictoriously, when no one offered an alternative. ¡°You all know this is the best chance we have.¡± ¡°Mal, this is dangerous.¡± Nathan cautioned. I breathed a sigh of relief thinking he would make her see sense. You can¡¯t just go strolling through the front gate. You¡¯ll need a backstory, a reason for being there that won¡¯t cause suspicion. That will take time to develop. ¡°We can¡¯t mask your scent altogether. Not being able to scent you would raise a red g. But we should alter it somehow. Otherwise they¡¯ll know you¡¯re ck Moon and if you need to run, it wouldn¡¯t be safe for you toe back here. Better if you smell of a pack they wouldn¡¯t recognize. ¡°And earning a Warrior designation at academy is tough but it¡¯s nothing like facing a real enemy. You¡¯ll need totrain. Hard! Remember your goal. You won¡¯t help those people if you¡¯re dead.¡± Wait! Is he encouraging her? From the ck eyes and angry snarls in the room, it seemed y and Cary had caught that too. I could feel my wolf pressing against my skin, thirsting for Nathan¡¯s blood. ¡°You fucking bastard!¡± I roared, lunging for him and pinning him to the wall with my ws piercing the flesh of his throat. ¡°Colton, stop!¡± Mallory shrieked but I ignored her. ¡°You think if you¡¯re the only one to support her she¡¯ll choose you! You would use herpassion for your own gain, even if it risks her life!¡± I shouted, venom flooding my mouth as my canines lengthened, preparing to rip his throat out. ¡°No!¡± Nathan choked out, his own ws digging into my arm in an attempt to free himself. ¡°Son, put him down!¡± Dadmanded me in his Alpha tone, the only one I yielded to. So I dropped him to the ground. He sat there for a minute rubbing his throat while I stood over him, Kai still snarling. Mallory ran to his side, her hands fluttering around, checking for nonexistent injuries. Unfortunately, the fucker was fine. ¡°I would never take advantage of Mallory!¡± He pinned me in a death re, his eyes swirling ck. ¡°But I also know her well enough to realize I can¡¯t stop her. She won¡¯t be caged and I think you know that too. Even if we tried, she¡¯d find a way to do this on her own. ¡°So no! This has nothing to do with winning brownie points. I¡¯m going to do my damndest to ensure she survives this insane quest she¡¯s on. That¡¯s all that matters. Who she chooses to be with after that is up to her.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mallory whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Cary begrudgingly admitted. ¡°Damn right he is!¡± Mallory cut in. ¡°There¡¯s my sassy little wolf.¡± yughed, pulling her into his arms, conceding defeat. Nathan pushed up off the floor and leaned back against the wall I¡¯d pinned him to. He shoved his hands in his pockets and crossed one ankle over the other, trying for a casual calm. But I could smell the fear rolling off him, the same fear my brother¡¯s and I carried. ¡°When we consider what Mallory will need to pull this off, she could benefit from each of our strengths. Trust me, I don¡¯t like the idea any more than any of you, but all of us working together would give her the best chance of sess.¡± Nathan suggested. ¡°She¡¯s my mate! Of course I¡¯ll help her.¡± y agreed first. ¡°Our mate, brother! I¡¯m in too.¡± Cary added. ¡°Colton, you¡¯re the best fighter.¡± Nathan prodded. ¡°Her fighting skills need to be tested beyond what the rest of us are capable of. Will you train her?¡± ¡°Help mate!¡± Kai insisted. ¡°She¡¯s ours to protect!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this. I don¡¯t agree with it at all! But if you¡¯re determined to do this-¡± ¡°I am.¡± Mallory interrupted. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it.¡± I capitted. Mallory just nodded in my direction. I could tell she didn¡¯t know what to say to me and I didn¡¯t me her. I hadn¡¯t exactly beenmunicative with her. And now we faced spending time alone together, touching each other, her pinned beneath me. Fuck! How was I going to get through this without taking her, making her mine? And how the fuck was I going to exin this to Darcy? ¡°Sweetheart, are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Maeve¡¯s voice trembled with worry for her daughter. ¡°I have to do this mom. If we¡¯re wrong about him, if everything we¡¯ve heard is a lie, I will walk away knowing the Hazelwood people are safe and happy. But if the rumors and whispers aretrue, I will find a way to end him if it¡¯s thest thing I do.¡± A shiver rippled through me at the thinly veiled bloodlust behind Mallory¡¯s words. If the fire behind her eyes was any indication, that man had better run far and fast to avoid her vengeance. If it were anyone else but my mate, I¡¯d want a front row seat to the destruction. It waste in the day when we finally managed to convince Mal that we had a feasible n. We¡¯d worked out a schedule for her to spend time with each of us working on different aspects of our proposed strategy. I had a feeling our mate bond was about to be exponentially moreplicated. We would start with training tomorrow and I secretly couldn¡¯t wait. But I also knew that train of thought was a dangerous one. I would have to makesure my guard was up if I had any hope ofing out unscathed. Nathan had to head back to his territory and my brothers insisted on seeing Mal and Maeve home. That left me free to tell Darcy the news and fill her in on the n. Something I was not excited about. 2 I could feel my mother watching me, waiting to say something. But I didn¡¯t want to hear it so I hurried out the door. ¡°It¡¯s okay to admit you made a mistake, son.¡± She called after me as I walked out the door. If only that were true. ¡°Hey baby! I thought I was going to meet you at the packhouseter. What are you doing here?¡± Darcy asked when I showed up at her door unexpectedly. ¡°Hey.¡± I greeted her, leaning in for a hug which had my wolf rebeling. ¡°I was hoping we could talk somewhere quiet. There have been some developments today I wanted to discuss with you. Your ce seemed more private than the packhouse.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Darcy questioned warily, ¡°What kind of developments?¡± ¡°Darc, can we at least sit down?¡± I slipped past her and headed for the sofa when it looked like she would have this whole conversation in the doorway. She narrowed her eyes skeptically, a frown creasing her forehead. It urred to me then how little her concern moved me now. I used to find the way her nose wrinkled adorable and want to smooth it away at the same time. Now, I just wanted to get this conversation over with, one more chore on my to do list. ¡°Just tell me what¡¯s going on, Colton!¡± Darcy demanded, standing in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can take any more bad news.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think you¡¯re going to have to.¡± I said, the statementpletely devoid of empathy. I told her everything,ying out all the details of Mallory¡¯s n and how Nathan, my brothers, and I would be helping her. I exined that it would mean less time to spend with her for a while and that I would be spending a considerable amount of time alone with Mallory. I wanted no secrets between us. This wasn¡¯t some elicit affair I was having behind her back and I wouldn¡¯t behave as if it was. She deserved the truth. I could give her that if nothing else. Darcy wore a nk expression, giving nothing away as I told her everything. I thought she was taking it all remarkably well as she listened patiently. But it turned out she just wanted to be sure she had all the facts before sheshed out at me. ¡°Is this some kind of sick joke, Colton? You can¡¯t seriously be suggesting that I should be okay with you being alone with your fated mate, whom you have yet to reject, while I do what? Sit here alone wondering if the bond is growing between you? Wondering if you¡¯re going to show up at my door one day to say you¡¯re choosing her after all? You can¡¯t expect me to be okay with that! ¡°What I expect is for you to trust me!¡± I flung back. ¡°If you can¡¯t do that then I can¡¯t make this work between us! I came here to bepletely up front with you. Not to ask for your permission or even your blessing. If youcan¡¯t ept that, then maybe we should end this now.¡± ¡°What? Colton, No!¡± She sounded panicked. ¡°That¡¯s not what I want. It¡¯s just, you finding your mate hasn¡¯t been easy for me. I¡¯m trying to hold it together, to trust you when you say you want me and not her, but I¡¯m scared, Colton.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you. And this just makes it feel like you are slipping even further away from me. I don¡¯t understand why it has to be you. Why can¡¯t someone else train her?¡± Darcy slumped to the couch beside me, all the fight seeping out of her like air from a leaky tire. She reached for my hand and I let her take it, but it just felt wrong. I looked at her, trying to find any trace of the girl I loved, or thought I had, but all I found was eyes searching mine for an answer. ¡°Because of the four of us, I¡¯m the best fighter. If she has to fight her way out, I¡¯m the best chance she has of winning.¡± I answered with a shrug. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just reject her? Your brothers would get over it. They¡¯ll have to anyway. The pack can¡¯t have more than one Luna. Just let her go, let the Winter Woods Alpha have her.¡± Darcy begged. 3 It was the wrong thing to say. My wolf had been lurking just below the surface but Darcy suggesting he give up his mate to another Alpha pushed him over the edge. He shoved forward before I could stop him. ¡°You selfish bitch!¡± He roared, spit flying everywhere in his rage, ¡°You would have me give my mate to another Alpha like she is a piece of property? You would happily stand by and watch as my brothers¡¯ hearts wereripped from their chests? How fucking dare you? You are not fit to be Luna!¡± ¡°K-, Kai, please! I-, I didn¡¯t-¡± She stammered, reaching toward me timidly. But he wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± He bellowed. ¡°Stay away from me and stay away from my mate!¡± The wall between us held strong and all I could do was watch helplessly as he stormed out the door. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 42 by Cara Anderson Ch. 42 You Know Colton¡¯s POV As soon as we were out the door Kai receded to the back of my mind, but his fury didn¡¯t. My blood boiled with thoughts of Darcy¡¯s callous attitude. What happened to the sweet girl I thought I knew? How could she care so little for my brothers¡¯ pain and heartache? Or mine for that matter? The rejection of a fated mate was emotionally and physically painful whether you wanted that mate or not. Some lower ranked wolves didn¡¯t survive rejection. As Alphas, my brother¡¯s and I would live but we would still suffer. You had to be pretty heartless to toss out the idea like it was child¡¯s y. ¡°She¡¯s not a Luna!¡± Kai barked. ¡± That¡¯s why the Goddess didn¡¯t make her our mate!¡± He had a point. Maybe she was never meant to hold that title. Maybe I was trying to force her to be something that the Goddess had determined her unfit to be. Or maybe believing that was just my way of trying to make myself feel better. ¡°Aaaaahhh!¡± I roared my frustration into the otherwise peaceful night. And then I sent up a prayer. ¡°Moon Goddess, please tell me what to do!¡± ¡°You know.¡± The words were a whisper in my head, and then gone as if carried away on a breeze. ¡°You¡¯ve always known.¡± Surely the Goddess hadn¡¯t just answered me? Or was it nothing more than the babbling of my own subconscious? Either way, the voicewas delusional. Because I had no idea how to move forward. Though somehow, my feet seemed to know, carrying me in a direction I was sure I¡¯d regret yet had no desire to stop myself from going. I told myself I just wanted to see her. She wouldn¡¯t even know I was there, no harm done. But that was never going to be enough, was it? When I arrived at Mallory¡¯s house, I crept around the back like some creepy cat burr. There was a tree right outside her window that my brothers and I used to climb when we were younger and pretending she was a princess and we were her royal guards, not that any of us ever told her we did that. Since I was still telling myself I was only going to make sure she was safe then leave, climbing the tree to peek through her window seemed a betteroption than the front door. Only when I looked inside, she wasn¡¯t safe. At least not emotionally. Mallory was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around herself. Her chin rested on her knees and her cheeks were stained with tears. I was moving before I even made the conscious decision, prying her window open without even knocking. ¡°Colton?¡± Mallory looked up startled, wiping the moisture from her eyes. ¡± Goddess, you scared the shit outta me!¡± She watched me disbelievingly as I crawled through the narrow opening, giving her head the cutest little shake, like she was trying to make sure I was real. ¡°I needed to see you Mal.¡± I said by way of an exnation. ¡°Why are you crying,love?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She waved her hand, brushing me off. ¡°What I want to know is what is with the three of you climbing in my window in the middle of the night? What do you have against using doors, preferably in the daylight?¡± She blinked her eyes owlishly at me, waiting for an answer, but my throat had gone dry. Mallory had moved to stand in front of me, wearing nothing but acy camisole and a pair of silky pink shorts. Her stern stance with her hands on her hips only served to push her tits against the flimsy material of her top, the tight little buds straining toward me. I was so hard for her it hurt. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed, feasting my eyes on my sexy little mate. Desire, raw and unchecked, rioted through me. She was a fucking goddessand she was mine! And I was done denying myself what rightfully belonged to me. My hands found her hips, my fingers sinking into the soft flesh as I pulled her against me. ¡°Colton,¡± my name came out as a breathy moan and all my restraint snapped. My mouth took hers in a punishing kiss, needy and rough. I unleashed everything I felt for her, pouring my heart and soul into our bond as she opened for me and I tangled my tongue with hers. I kissed her until she felt my aching need for her, my anger and shame over pushing her away for so long, the awe and wonder I felt every time I looked at her, and the animalistic hunger that only she could inme. The drugging scent of her arousal nearly brought me to my knees as she pressed closer to me. I lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around me, opening her to my hard length thrusting against her hot pussy. I couldn¡¯t get enough, glutting myself on her little whimpers and moans. Every little taste of her only made me want more. I ran my hands over her full, round ass down to her thighs and lifted her into my arms, one hand in her silky soft hair and the other squeezing her ass as I walked us to her bed. She locked her ankles behind my back and just kept chasing my lips with hers, making my wolf preen and my heart feel like it would beat out of my chest. When my legs hit the bed Iid her on her back and fell on top of her, careful not to crush her. I let one hand slide down to cup her breast, running mythumb over the taut nipple and her answering moan made my cock even harder. I¡¯d seen Mallory¡¯s tits in tight sports bras enough to know they were perfect and fuck! I couldn¡¯t wait to see them bare. ¡°Colton! Colton!¡± Mallory called my name when I started to knead the tender flesh of her tit but it took me a moment to realize it wasn¡¯t from pleasure. ¡°Wh-, what?¡± I asked distractedly, trying to shake away the lust when I noticed her pushing on my chest and squirming out from under me. ¡°Stop Colton!¡± she snapped forcefully. ¡°I refuse to be your side piece! You can¡¯t juste here every time your wolf wants a hit of his mate¡¯s scent then run right back to Darcy¡¯s bed afterwards!¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t a side piece, Mallory! So don¡¯t you ever refer to yourself that way!¡± I growled, furious she would even suggest such a thing. ¡°And for your information, I haven¡¯t been in Darcy¡¯s bed since the day you came back!¡± Mal drew in a sharp breath. By the flustered look on her face, she either didn¡¯t believe me or was still as turned on as I was. I hoped it was thetter. But I held her gaze, hoping she could see my sincerity while watching the internal debate rage through her eyes. ¡°What are you saying, Colton?¡± She finally asked. ¡°I¡¯m saying I need you, Mal. I know I don¡¯t deserve you but I¡¯m begging you to please let me stay. I promise nothing will happen that you aren¡¯tfortable with. I just want to be close to you.¡± I bargained,Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She huffed resignedly and crawled up the bed, pulling the covers back. Her teeth sunk into her plush bottom lip and she batted her longshes as she looked up at me then patted the mattress in invitation for me to crawl in beside her. I didn¡¯t have to be told twice. Mallory watched me intently, licking her lips as I stripped down to my boxers. Her face flushed red when she noticed the outline of my thick shaft begging for freedom from its confinement. I couldn¡¯t keep the cocky smirk from my face when I saw how she was looking at me, like I was her favorite dessert and she couldn¡¯t wait to devour me. And fuck did I want her to! I climbed in beside her and pulled her tight against me with her back to my chest. She shivered in my arms when Iran my nose along her neck, taking deep drags of her scent. Then I worked my way back up to her ear, leaving hot little kisses on her feverish skin and relishing the sensual moans I pulled from her. She turned in my arms and hooked a leg over my hip to draw herself closer. For a minute she just wove her fingers through my hair, staring at me like she was trying to unravel all my secrets, and then she crashed her lips to mine in a scorching hot kiss. Every kiss with Mallory was better than thest and this one was made even better by the fact that she had kissed me first. Her tongue darted in to dance with mine before pulling away and attacking my lips with teasing little nips then slipping back in for another taste. Pre-cum leaked from my throbbing tip as she rocked her hips, grinding her soaked pussy into my rocksolid bulge. My hand picked up where we¡¯d left off, strumming her hard little peaks with my thumbs. ¡°Yes!¡± She moaned, leaning her head back when I sucked hard on her neck, wanting my mark on her skin even if only temporarily. I pushed up onto my knees and sat back, sliding my hands under hercy pink cami and slowly raising it. ¡°Can I?¡± True to my promise, I waited for her response before going further. But when she granted me permission with the tiniest nod, it was all I could do not to rip the thing off of her. I pulled it up over her head and sat back to take her in, cupping her tits reverently in my hands. ¡°Fuck! These are perfect!¡± I rushed out as all the air left my lungs. ¡°I knew theywould be. You don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been dreaming of your amazing tits and all the things I want to do to them.¡± Her cheeks colored again at my words but her reply wasn¡¯t bashful at all. ¡°Oh yeah? Like what?¡± She returned with a cheeky smirk. Damn! This woman was killing me! Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 43 by Cara Anderson Ch. 43 Side Piece Colton¡¯s POV ¡°Please, Colton! I want to know now.¡± Mallory begged me to tell her all the filthy ways I wanted to y with her tits. I could feel her confusion through the bond. Fuck, she was so innocent! ¡°That¡¯s a lesson for another time, little Omega.¡± Goddess please let there be another time. ¡°But I¡¯m not an Omega.¡± She quirked an eyebrow at me questioningly. ¡°You¡¯ll always be my little Omega, no matter what your designation. One I should have appreciated more.¡± I said somberly, guilt riding me hard.. Her answering smile made me want to howl with joy, but I settled for leaning forward and flicking my tongue overone of her rosy tips. She arched her back, questing for more and I was all too happy to oblige. So filling both my hands with her full, lush tits, Ivished them with attention working one with my tongue while tugging the other nipple and pinching it gently. Mal¡¯s slick drenched my thigh where it nestled between her legs making my mouth water with the thought of tasting her. I released one of her breasts to run my hand up the inside of her thigh, coating my fingers in her slick before slipping inside her shorts and dragging it through her dripping folds. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking wet for me, aren¡¯t you my little Omega?¡± I stroked her clit softly as I waited for her response. ¡°Colton please!¡± She whined, thrusting her hips up in a search for more. ¡°Can I taste you, Mal? Please, just one little taste?¡± I made a plea of my own. ¡°Yes! Goddess yes!¡± She cried. I slipped her shorts off and took a moment to admire the Venus spread out before me. Every fucking inch of her was incredible, a perfectbination of toned but curvy in all the right ces. I pushed her legs wide, settling my head between them and spreading her open with my thumbs. ¡°You have such a pretty little pussy, love. Tell me, has anyone tasted you before?¡± My stomach twisted as I waited for her answer, not sure I wanted to hear it. ¡°N-, no.¡± She stuttered out when I stroked her clit harder. ¡°Such a good girl! My perfect little Omega.¡± I praised, ecstatic that I would be her first. Then I dove in, licking and sucking at her folds hungrily while I continued to trace circles on her swollen nub. I slid my tongue inside her tight entrance, desperate for every drop of slick I could get. She tasted like sweet, juicy strawberries and every taste only made me crave more. Mallory whimpered when I withdrew my tongue from her weeping hole. I quickly reced it with a finger and her whimpers turned to wanton moans. I was about toe just from the sounds she made alone, knowing I was the one giving her so much pleasure. As an Alpha, everything about me was big, including my hands. But I never realized how big until I tried working my finger in and out of her tight channel. When I tried to add a second finger, Mallory winced telling me the stretch stung a little. I went back to stroking her clit with my tongue andshe immediately rxed. I could tell she was close by the way she thrust her hips more and more erratically, chasing her high. I curled my fingers, dragging them over her g- spot with every stroke and pulled the hood of her clit back and forth with my tongue, making her squirm and release deep, sultry moans. ¡°Colton, I-¡± She sunk her hands in my hair, holding me where she wanted me. ¡°Fuck, yes!¡± Mallory screamed as torrents of pleasure washed over her. Slick ran down her legs as the walls of her cunt squeezed tight around my fingers, setting off my own release with an animalistic groan. I stroked and licked her until her body rxed, then licked her some more until I¡¯dpped up all her delicious cum. ¡°That was fucking phenominal!¡± Imurmured, my body still trembling with the echoes of our shared release. ¡°Mmmhmm.¡± Mallory answered sleepily, her eyelids drooping. I crawled up behind her and held her against me, big spoon to her little spoon. She slipped a hand behind her back, feeling blindly between us for my still hard cock, butced my fingers through hers and pulled her hand away. She would end up a sticky mess if she managed to find what she was looking for. ¡°But, don¡¯t you want me to touch you.¡± She pouted. ¡°Baby, trust me. I want that very much but not tonight. Touching you turned me on so much I already came in my underwear like an adolescent pup.¡± I confessed, embarrassed. Mallory let out the most adorable giggle at my shameful admission,forcing me to retaliate. ¡°You think that¡¯s funny, little Omega?¡± I said, tickling her mercilessly only to hear herugh more. ¡°Stop! Colton, please stop!¡± She protested, squirming to get away from my assault. Her wiggling against me stirred my cock to life again so I wrestled with her to hold her still. ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± I relented, wrapping my arms tight around her and burying my face in her silken locks. ¡°Hold still, love. Any more rubbing that sweet little peach of yours over my cock and I¡¯ll be forced to stroke myself off between those plump cheeks and paint your thighs with my cum. I know you¡¯re too tired for that so I¡¯m gonna need you to settle down.¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± She moans at my suggestion. She pushed her hips back against me a few times just to tease me, making me hiss. My cock was so primed for her, I felt like it could shoot off like a rocket with the slightest stimtion. I wasn¡¯t nearly the sexual savant my brothers were but I¡¯d had my share of intimate experiences. None of them stirred a hunger in me the way Mallory did, leaving me only craving more. Thankfully, the little minx drifted off in my arms. And though my cock still ached for her, finally being able to hold her like that made it bearable. There was no way I would be sleeping when all I wanted to do was stare at the angel lying next to me and wonder why any sane deity would think I deserved her. I knew I had to talk to Darcy. I¡¯d basically cheated on her and it wasn¡¯t fair to string her along when I obviously couldn¡¯t stay away from Mallory. She would be hurt at first, buteveryone deserved a chance to find the kind of connection that came from being with your fated mate and she should keep searching for hers. As far as the pack went, hopefully they would respect me for admitting my mistake and ept Mallory as our Luna. That was if she epted us, of course. We still had a lot of work to do to earn her trust and forgiveness, me especially. And despite what happened between us, I knew Alpha Richardson was still in the picture. The thought made me want to strangle the fucker but there was no one to me but ourselves. She never would have dated him if we¡¯d epted our feelings for her and treated her like the treasure she was. It was barely daylight when I slipped out of Mallory¡¯s bed, kissing her on the head and taking onest hit of her scent before leaving her to rest a whilelonger. It was my turn to lead training and I needed to get there early to set up. But I knew she would be there to work out with us and that had me more excited for the day than I¡¯d been in a long time. I had just finished putting together the training sequence for the day when warriors started trickling in to warm up. A couple members of our security team had engaged me in conversation about some of their ns when a pair of slim arms snaked around my waist, hugging me from behind. For a moment my heart soared at the thought that Mallory would so openly acknowledge our bond but then the truth hit me. No sparks. I turned in her arms to meet Darcy¡¯s proud grin. But I couldn¡¯t return it. ¡°Surprise!¡± She cheered, gripping me tighter when I tried to pry her off of me. ¡°Darcy, what are you doing here? You nevere to training.¡± Her face fell when she noticed my annoyed expression. I shouldn¡¯t be so sharp with her. None of this was her fault. But the truth was, I didn¡¯t want her here, didn¡¯t want her touching me anymore. I¡¯d nned to find her after training and tell her the truth about what happenedst night and how irrevocably things had changed for me. She was putting me on the spot by showing up here. ¡°I want to be a Luna you can be proud of so I decided I should start training to be stronger for you.¡± She mumbled, her bubble burst by my reaction. ¡°Darcy-¡± I was going to tell her that I needed to go and we¡¯d talkter but she pressed up on her tip toes and kissed me in front of everyone, catching me off guard. I pulled away quickly but the moment I did, the delicious scent of my mate reached my nose, telling me Mallory had just arrived. My head snapped in her direction to see her watching us with a pained expression, the betrayal in her beautiful hazel eyes gutting me. Then she turned on her heels and walked away.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed, forcefully removing myself from Darcy¡¯s vice-like grip. Damn, Mallory was fast. I immediately ran after her but she had a head start. Finally catching up to her just as she was about to climb back in her car, I mmed the door closed and pinned her against it. ¡°Mallory, wait! Calm down, please. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± I said, desperate for her to listen. ¡°It¡¯s not? So you weren¡¯t letting Darcy hang all over you, kissing her in frontof the pack, reinforcing to her and them that she¡¯s still going to be your Luna? Because that¡¯s what it looked like to me and I guarantee you that¡¯s what it looked like to them. I told you I wouldn¡¯t be your side piece Colton!¡± She railed at me, the starburst in her hazel eyes almost glowing with fury. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see her here. I was nning to talk with her today to break things off with her but she showed up here before I had a chance.¡± I rushed out, her anger making me panic. ¡°So your solution was to pretend that everything is fine between you and let her kiss you knowing I would feel it even if I hadn¡¯t seen it? Impressive problem solving skills, Colton.¡± She sneered. ¡°The truth is, this is my fault. I should have been prepared for this. Seems to me you¡¯ve had a multitude of chances to end things, starting withthe night you found out you had a mate. It¡¯s simple enough if you want it to be, but you obviously don¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I was doing! Mallory¡­ugh!¡± I threw my hands in the air, flustered that the right words wouldn¡¯te. They never seemed to with her. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Colton. You made it clear who your choice was from the beginning. We let the bond carry us awayst night but deep down we both knew this wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Enjoy the day with your Luna. I¡¯m sure Cary or y would be willing to work with me today instead.¡± Then she slipped inside her car and drove away while I stood there like an idiot wondering how a day that started out so perfectly had suddenly gone so wrong. Fuck! Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 44 by Cara Anderson Ch. 44 Nothing To Say Mallory¡¯s POV I woke to a feeling of blissful serenity the next morning. I immediately realized Colton wasn¡¯t there but one nce at the clock told me where he would be. Part of me wanted to panic that he had changed his mind, regretted what we¡¯d donest night, but I refused to indulge it. Colton had responsibilities and I should just appreciate that he let me sleep instead of questioning his absence. If I were going to ept the mate bond, I would have to learn to trust the three of them rather than always assuming the worst. If I epted them. Was I actually considering that possibility? Something seemed to click into ce for mest night when Colton admitted he wanted me, like a missing puzzle piece had been found. A bond that hadbeen fragmented suddenly felt whole. I couldn¡¯t deny the feeling of rightness it gave me to be held in his arms, to be touched and pleasured by him. But there was still Nathan. Adults like to tell their pups stories about the mate bond, making it sound like a fairytale, this all epassing love that would be immediate and indelible, erasing all others. But that just wasn¡¯t true. I¡¯d loved Nathan for a long time, built something with him that didn¡¯t just vanish when my mate bond snapped in. ¡°But he¡¯s not ours.¡± My wolf did not hesitate to remind me. ¡°He belongs to someone else just like we do.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I admitted because no matter how much I hated it, it was true. Nathan had been my safe ce for so long. He gave me strength andfort in a way no one ever had before. He¡¯d always felt like home. How could I just toss that aside for a mate bond withthree men who had never seen me as anything more than an inferior Omega, put here solely to be the object of their sadistic sense of humor? ¡°They¡¯ve changed.¡± Raven inserted herself into my thoughts again. ¡°Have they? Do people really ever change?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure they did. Still, I couldn¡¯t deny the pull I felt to them or the excitement that had me jumping out of bed to get ready for training, anxious to see Colton again. I would just have to hope that somehow, this mess would sort itself out. That I could untangle my knotted thoughts and do the right thing for everyone involved. By the time I¡¯d made it to the training field, the butterflies in my stomach hadunched into full flight. I had no idea why I was so nervous. Maybe because Colton had been so reticent from the beginning so him wanting me now felt like a fragile, tenuous thing. I made my way to the practice field, grinning to myself at what I knew I would find, a certain three Alphas looking sexy as hell in their workout gear. I felt my panties dampen at just the thought of all their delicious muscles on disy. Raven was prancing eagerly in my head, purring a litany of ¡°mate, mate, mate¡± on repeat. It was a wonder I didn¡¯t have a migraine. So when I looked up to find Colton in Darcy¡¯s embrace, her arms snaked around him like a boa constrictor, to say it caught me off guard would be an understatement. But when she tiptoed up to kiss him on the lips, him leaning into her like it was the most natural thing in the world, like they were as together as they¡¯d always been, I couldn¡¯t stay and watch. My stomach roiled and I literally felt like I would vomit as I ran back to my car. How could I have been so fuckingstupid to have believed him when he said he wanted me and not her? How could I have let him touch me, make me the ¡°other woman?¡± Raven whimpered inside me, feeling the loss deeply after finally believing all her mates wanted her. When Colton caught up to me and tried to exin away what I¡¯d seen, she pushed for me to believe him. But I wouldn¡¯t be that gullible. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little wolf? What happened?¡± y took one look at me when I walked into his office and instantly knew I¡¯d been crying. ¡°Hey, I thought I smelled-¡± Cary came ambling in, drawn by my scent, but stopped short when he saw me. ¡°What the fuck? Why have you been crying?¡± y looked devastated, like he couldn¡¯t stand the thought of anything hurting me. Cary looked like he was ready to tear the world apart to find the problemand eliminate it. But I couldn¡¯t stomach telling either of them that I¡¯d let their brother y me. ¡°Could I work with one of you today on our strategy n? I was supposed to train with Colton but that¡¯s not going to work out.¡± I said, dodging their questions. ¡°Why not?¡± Cary crossed his arms, every ounce the stereotypical stubborn Alpha. I could tell by the frown on his face that he assumed Colton was the cause of my distress and he was already pissed on my behalf. I dropped exhaustedly onto y¡¯s sofa, resigned to my fate. They obviously weren¡¯t going to let it go until I¡¯d regurgitated everyst embarrassing detail. They both came to sit on either side of me, hands rubbing my back in soothing circles and sending me encouragement through our bond. Part of me loathedmaking myself so vulnerable to these men who¡¯d taken advantage of that same vulnerability in the past and used it against me. But the part that was beholden to the mate bond rejoiced in the knowledge that they wanted to listen, to care for me. ¡°Colton came byst night.¡± Both men stiffened, drawing in sharp breaths at that admission. ¡°What did he want?¡± y asked cautiously. ¡°Said he needed to see me.¡± I shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Climbed in through my window just like the two of you. I¡¯m starting to wonder if you three have some kind of weird door phobia. ¡°Anyway,¡± I went on, ¡°He started kissing me but I pushed him away, told him I wouldn¡¯t be the other woman just because his wolf wanted me. Then he dropped the bombshell that he hasn¡¯t been, um, intimate with Darcy since Icame home from Luna training. At least that¡¯s what he wanted me to believe. ¡°He swore he wanted me, that he was done with Darcy. Then we did¡­ things, and he spent the night. I was actually excited to see him this morning, was actually stupid enough to think maybe this bond could work. But when I showed up to training, Darcy was all over him and he did not look the least bit sad about it.¡± ¡°That fucker!¡± Cary growled. ¡°I¡¯m gonna fucking murder him myself! ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, little wolf.¡± y murmured, pulling me onto hisp and holding my head to his chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I sniffled. ¡°No need tomit fratricide on my ount. I think my gut was telling me the whole time that it wasn¡¯t real but I wanted it to be so I chose to ignore it. That¡¯s no one¡¯s fault but mine.¡± ¡°Did you talk to him? Maybe there was a legitimate exnation.¡± y offered, optimistically. ¡°He did try to tell me that he just hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk to her yet but that¡¯s just an excuse. I reminded him he¡¯s had plenty of chances, starting when he realized I was your mate. It¡¯s just not meant to be.¡± I pushed off of y¡¯sp, putting some much needed distance between us. His scent was overpowering mymon sense, making me want to strip him down and ride him like a pony. But I knew if I let that happen, I would never be able to walk away. I was letting myself get in too deep with these men as it was. ¡°He¡¯lle around, darling.¡± Cary stood up and grabbed my hand, imploring me with his eyes to be patient with them. ¡°They¡¯ve been together a long time. I know it¡¯s hard for him to cause her pain.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I scoffed at him. ¡°Thising from the brother who threatened homicide moments ago? What about Nathan? Do you think it¡¯s easy for me to hurt him? But still you expect me to do it without a second thought so I can ept our bond.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair, Mal.¡± y chastised me. ¡°We want you, love. But none of us relished the idea of causing you or anyone else pain. It was just a necessary evil. One we wanted over and done with sooner thanter.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I blew out a frustrated breath, unsure what to believe. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s best if we all just focus on the n for now. Theplexities of our rtionship will just get in the way.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Whatplexities?¡± The impatient, easily irritated Cary was back. ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple the way I see it. You¡¯re our mate, darling. You belong with us. End of story.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that simple, is it?¡± I snarked back. ¡°There are three of you, in case you forgot. One of you doesn¡¯t want me. What happens to our bond if he rejects me? What happens if the three of us mark each other? Does Colton lose his free will? Will he be forced to give up Darcy and be with me because he¡¯s bonded by association? Because we took his choice from him?¡¯ The two of them stared back at me nk-faced. It was clear neither of them had spent much time considering the finer details of our situation. What a fucking mess! ¡°Like I said¡­plexities.¡± I couldn¡¯t restrain my ¡®I told you so¡¯ attitude. ¡°Now can we please get to work?¡±, y was the best with schematics so it was agreed he would help me memorizendmarks within Hazelwood territory so I could move through the pack confidently, like Ibelonged there. He¡¯d managed to find an old blueprint of the grounds and though we couldn¡¯t be sure nothing had changed, it was a starting point. We spent the rest of the day working on learning theyout, with y quizzing me while Cary hovered nearby, unwilling to get too far away for any length of time. It was good to focus my attention on something other than what an idiot I¡¯d been to trust Colton. For someone who¡¯d insisted for so long that I¡¯d never ept them, his betrayal stung far worse than I would have expected. I¡¯d been concentrating so deeply on the task at hand that I hadn¡¯t noticed when the man himself joined us. He was standing in the doorway of y¡¯s office, watching me intently, but it wasn¡¯t until he cleared his throat that I looked up to find him there. His brothers were hovering so close that even his scent hadn¡¯t alerted me. ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡± He started, his face flushing with what I could only assume was guilt. ¡°Could I speak to Mal for a minute?¡± His brothers leapt from their seats to stand in front of me, forming a snarling, growling wall of muscle between Colton and I. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you lost that privilege, brother.¡± y scowled. ¡°Look, I know I fucked up. I just want a chance to exin.¡± Colton petitioned. ¡°The three of you can stand here and stonewall each other as long as you like.¡± I announced, standing up and walking around my bodyguards. ¡°But it¡¯s been a long day. I¡¯m tired. And I really don¡¯t think I have another conversation left in me for today. Especially not one full of more bullshit excuses meant to make me look stupid.¡± ¡°Damn it, Mal! That¡¯s not what this is. It¡¯s not bullshit!¡± He reached out to me but I put my hands up and took a step back. ¡°So you broke up with Darcy?¡± I questioned. His face turned bright red and he hung his head to the floor, effectively answering that query. I kissed y and Cary both on the cheek and thanked them for their help, then walked over and stood toe to toe with Colton, looking deep into his eyes so he would know I meant business. ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time. I won¡¯t be your side piece. Don¡¯te running to me because the mate bondpels you to when Darcy is the one you really want. ¡°If you were being honest with me that you¡¯re ready to move on, you wouldn¡¯t keep her around as your back up n incase we don¡¯t work out. When things are truly over between the two of you and you are sure about what you want, then we can talk. Until then, there is nothing to say.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for a response. I didn¡¯t give him the chance to beg me to hear his side or lie to me again. I just pushed past him and walked out the door with my head held high. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 45 by Cara Anderson Ch. 45 Mine Cary¡¯s POV ¡°You¡¯re un-fucking-believable!¡± I snarled at Colton as soon as Mallory left. ¡°She¡¯s your fucking mate! How could you use her like that? Every time I think you couldn¡¯t be a bigger asshole, you prove me wrong. I¡¯ll be the first to admit I¡¯ve done some truly despicable things in my time but you take the fucking prize. How the fuck am I even rted to you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t use her!¡± He roared back, storming toward me but stopping short of a physical altercation. Both of our wolves were out and he seemed to know it wouldn¡¯t end well for either of us if he tried attacking me. I growled at him, my wolf warning him to back off. Colton might be our brother but he¡¯d hurt our mate and that was unforgivable. ¡°What would you call it then?¡± y¡¯s even tone belied the seething rage he radiated through our bond. ¡°Fuck!¡± Colton threw himself into a chair with a frustrated grunt. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know! One minute Darcy and I were arguing and the next minute I found myself at Mallory¡¯s house.¡± ¡°So what? One girl pisses you off so you run to the other, pit them against each other and see whoes out on top? Sounds like using them both to me!¡± I butted in. ¡°No! It wasn¡¯t like that! I told myself I just wanted to check on her so I climbed the tree to peek in her window like we used to. But she was crying and my wolf couldn¡¯t stand it so we went in tofort her. One thing led to another and I ended up spending the night. I didn¡¯t mean for any of it to happen!¡± He exined, like hisck of intention made it better. ¡°I thought thinking with my dick was my forte, not yours.¡± I hurled insultingly. ¡°That¡¯s not what it was!¡± Colton denied. ¡°I meant everything I said to her and I still do. Darcy just caught me off guard, and everyone was watching. I didn¡¯t want to embarrass her.¡± ¡°So you¡¯d humiliate our mate instead?¡± y unleashed his fury at that. ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯ve done? She¡¯s your mate! It¡¯s your fucking job to put her ahead of everyone else! To stand up for her above all others, regardless of what it costs you or them! But you fucking chose another woman over her in front of the pack! ¡°Everyone knows Mallory has her wolf. When they find out she¡¯s our mate, they¡¯ll remember that moment, knowing you¡¯d already scented her. You disrespected your future Luna in front of the entire pack and just gave theentire pack permission to do the same!¡± Colt looked stricken, like that thought never urred to him and now that it did, he wanted to eviscerate himself for it. His head dropped into his hands, nothing but shame and anguish flowing from him through our triplet bond. His remorse went some way in calming my wolf but I wasn¡¯t as easily cated.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve always idolized you, Colton. Always looked to you as an example of the kind of Alpha I wanted to be.¡± My voice was t, emotionless. ¡°But right now, I don¡¯t want to be anything like you. You need to grow a pair. Man up and tell Darcy it¡¯s over and stay the fuck away from Mallory until you do. You don¡¯t deserve her until you¡¯re willing to do whatever it takes to put her feelings first, no matter who¡¯s watching.¡± I delivered my diatribe then got up and left the room without looking back. Anger and resentment were seeping from every pore and I knew my barely restrained temper was bound to break loose if I stayed in the same room with him a second longer. y might be able to hear Colton¡¯s confession and absolve him of his sins like the saint he was but I couldn¡¯t. Standing in the background all day while Mallory worked with my brother had chafed at my wolf. He knew she was hurting and it made him restless, needing tofort his mate. When Colton walked through the door and Roan felt her distress heighten, he¡¯d nearly burst through my skin. He wouldn¡¯t be held back any longer. If I didn¡¯t go check on Mallory now, he would force the shift. I could feel him just below the surface, threatening to do just that. So I gave him control and went along for the ride as he eagerly sought her out. When we arrived at her house, I expected to shift back so we could go inside but he never even slowed down. Mallory¡¯s scent trail was stronger in the backyard than the front so Roan continued on, following the heady fragrance of jasmine,vender and citrus all the way into the woods. It didn¡¯t take long to find her and when we did, she was in wolf form. Roan pulled up behind a tree to watch his mate, a shared sense of amazement passing between us at the fact this beautiful creature was ours. Raven ran and pounced yfully, frolicking like a pup. We should have announced our presence, mindlinked or something. But instead, Roan decided to have a little fun with his mate. He prowled around, careful to stay downwind so she wouldn¡¯t scent him. Then when her back was turned, heunched himself at her, the two wolves tumbling overand over beforeing to rest with Raven cradled gently in his paws. ¡°Mate!¡± Raven purred, her human giving her the driver¡¯s seat as well. ¡°So beautiful!¡± Roan rumbled back, nuzzling his snout through her fur. But Mallory¡¯s wolf wasn¡¯t in the mood for cuddling, apparently still feeling frisky. She nipped at Roan¡¯s neck then bounded away, leaving him no choice but to chase her. She dodged and weaved, a smug sense of superiority rippling through the bond the longer she went uncaught. But being the Alpha he was, my wolf would only tolerate her evading him so long. And when he finally decided time was up, he showed her exactly who was in charge. Roan lunged for Raven, rearing up and bringing his front paws down on her shoulders. He pinned her front to the ground with her ass in the air, his teeth sunk into her scruff just enough to show dominance but careful, always careful, not to cause her pain. Raven whimpered in submission and my wolf preened at the sound. No words passed between Mallory and I while our wolves bonded. I could sense her need to fade into the background for a while and though I itched to check in with her, I tried to be patient. It was enough that she was allowing Raven to bond with my wolf. Roan curled his body around his mate and the two of them rested peacefully, snuggled up together for some time. But soon enough, my wolf started licking Raven¡¯s muzzle then nudged her onto her back. He scented and licked at her belly but when his snout moved between her legs, his intentions became all too obvious. As if she came to the realization at the same time, Mallory returned to her skin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a naughty boy!¡± Mal cooed to him while giving him scratches and pets. He buried his nose in her neck, scenting the ce we would mark her, and Mallory snuggled into him. He was on cloud nine, reveling in the attention from his mate. As chuffed as he was, it took some effort to push Roan back but eventually, he relented, letting me slip back into my skin as well. ¡°Feeling better, darling?¡± I asked, pulling a gloriously naked Mallory into myp. My fingers twitched, fighting my instinctual desire to run them over all my mate¡¯s luscious curves. But as gratifying as that would be for me, Mallory needed emotional care first and foremost. She deserved mates who bothered to learn her every mood, decipher every nuance in her bodynguage and facial expressions, thenmeet every single need they revealed. That was the type of mate I was determined to be. ¡°Not really.¡± She sighed. ¡°But it was nice to give Raven control for a while, just appreciate the simple joy of watching her y.¡± ¡°I have to say, Roan and I enjoyed that quite a bit too. But that¡¯s only a temporary fix for both of us. Because what hurts you, hurts me. So talk to me, love.¡± Mallory let her head fall back on my shoulder, letting out a frustrated groan. I burrowed my face in her hair andced my fingers through hers, sending a calm, soothing energy through our bond. But she just yed with my hand, moving it restively between both of hers, avoiding the subject. ¡°I can¡¯t. It will only cause you pain and I think there¡¯s been enough of that.¡± She finally answered softly, shaking her head and nearly drowning me in her scent from the way her hair tousled in my face. ¡°I can handle it. Give it to me, love. Let me help you carry it.¡± I pressed again, once I¡¯d regained myposure and managed to ignore my demanding cock. She drew in a deep breath then blew it out slowly, a tired sound that made me want to shoulder all her burdens. My arms snaked around her waist, holding her tighter, lending her my strength. It must have been enough to make her believe she was safe. ¡°What Colton did hurt. I saw him in Darcy¡¯s arms and suddenly I was that fifteen year old girl again, the one who offered her heart to you only to have it yed with then discarded like an oldtoy you¡¯d suddenly be bored with. ¡°But as painful as that was, it was nothingpared to the devastation I felt at knowing I¡¯d betrayed Nathan again. Knowing that my choices keep chipping away at him one little piece at a time. And for what? ¡°He¡¯s never hurt me. Not once. He¡¯s the one who deserves my loyalty and still I choose the three of you time and time again. And when will it stop? When there is nothing left of him for me to destroy? ¡°Because even now, even knowing I will probably end up shattered, all I want is your touch. To feel your hands on me until Ie apart in your arms. What does that say about me? What kind of person does that make me? I unlocked my arms from around her waist, allowing one had to glide sinuously over the curve of her hip,along her side and over the swell of her breast, finally stopping to cor her throat possessively. ¡°Mine.¡± I growled. ¡°It makes you mine!¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 46 by Cara Anderson Ch. 46 Wanted Cary¡¯s POV ¡°Show me.¡± Mallory¡¯s tone was small, hushed at first. But when I made no move to respond, she grew bolder. ¡± Your hand around my throat is just posturing, Cary Collins. If I¡¯m yours, prove it to me. Show me how I belong to you.¡± Mallory blinked up at me as her back hit the ground, me hovering over her so closely our noses brushed together. I was already burning for her but her words stirred that me into an inferno. And when she arched up, pressing into my granite hard length resting heavily on her thigh, I thought I would burst. ¡°Be careful what you wish for, darling. If I give you what you¡¯re asking for, there will be no going back.¡± I breathedagainst her plush lips. ¡°Are you ready for that, Mallory?¡± ¡°I want to feel something, anything but this ache in my chest your brother left behind. Make me feel wanted, Cary.¡± I reached up to run my thumb along her pillowy bottom lip, releasing it from its cage between her teeth. A fire raged in her hazel eyes, of lust, of need, but mostly of pain, and all I wanted was to look at her and see only the love I felt for her reflected back at me. But until I could earn that, I would settle for satisfaction. ¡°Oh my darling, you are absolutely wanted. Allow me to show you how much.¡± I said in a seductive growl, then took her mouth in a searing kiss. Our lips fitted together perfectly, twisting and pouting in a way that was unmatched by any other. Never had a woman owned me with just a kissbefore, but this woman did. My woman. My mate. Her nails scored my scalp as she ran her fingers through my hair, pulling a moan from my lips. Her taste, the scent of her arousal, the soft feel of her beneath me was an entrancingbination. One I knew I¡¯d crave for the rest of my days. ¡°Mmm, Cary,¡± Mallory moaned as my lips trailed her jaw, her neck, her shoulder. I sucked hard on the ce I would leave my mark, while kneading the firm flesh of her tit with one hand. A sultry, needy sound left her as she squirmed underneath me, trying to align my cock with her core. But I stilled her with a hand on her hip. ¡°Patience, little minx.¡± I rumbled, sliding down her body to circle her other nipple with my tongue. ¡°Oh fuck!¡± She groaned as I licked and sucked the rosy pink tip until it was achingly hard, then pinched and tugged at the bud while my mouth did the same to its mate. Mallory¡¯s hands roamed my back, clutching at the hard muscles and digging her ws into my skin. ¡°That¡¯s it. Mark me up, love. Show the world who I belong to.¡± I purred, loving the thought of her iming me. I buried my face between her luscious tits,pping at the soft skin, then kissed my way down her body until my head hovered between her creamy thighs. She squeezed her legs together, pressing them into my shoulders, but I ran my hands up her thighs until my thumbs brushed her outer lips, just a whisper of a touch, and coaxed them open for me. ¡°Good girl.¡± I praised when her muscles rxed, her legs falling open just an inch. ¡°A little more now, baby. I want to see what¡¯s mine. You belong to me, remember?¡± ¡°Mmmhmm.¡± Mallory hummed, too lost to pleasure to use words as I stroked my fingers through her dripping folds. I withdrew my fingers then, earning a frustrated whine from my horny girl. With an amused chuckle, I slipped my hands under her thighs and bent her knees to her chest, opening her up wide for me. ¡°Fuck!¡± My wolf and I let out an appreciative groan at the sight before us, then reced my hands with hers. ¡± Hold yourself open for me, love. I want you spread wide for me while I feast on this gorgeous pussy, all pink and wet, covered in slick. You¡¯re gonna taste delicious for me, aren¡¯t you darling?¡± ¡°Y-, yes. Cary, please!¡± She whimpered. ¡°Shh, love. I have what you need. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± I promised, running my fingers through her sopping folds then slipping one inside her tight hole. ¡°Goddess, yes!¡± She hissed, rocking her hips as I stroked her core. Then, when I couldn¡¯t wait another second, I lowered my head and licked her from end to end, slurping greedily at the slick that poured from her weeping cunt. Fuck, she tasted incredible! I wanted to gorge myself on her until we both copsed, sated and wreckedpletely. I added another finger to her snug little sheath, scissoring my fingers to start stretching her for my brothers and me. There was no way she could take our cocks yet with as small as she was but I would enjoy every minute it took to prepare her. When I added a thirdfinger, Mallory screamed and I knew it was pushing her limits. ¡°Fuck Cary!¡± She half whimpered, half moaned. ¡°Are you okay, love?¡± I asked, panicked that I may have hurt her. ¡°So good!¡± She slurred out in ecstasy. ¡°That¡¯s my good little darling.¡± I praised, earning a satisfied sigh from her. Praise kink noted. I would tuck that away forter. For now, I went back to work, alternating between licking the slick gushing from her core as it ran down my hand andving circles over her hard little clit that rolled like a marble under my tongue. I could tell by the incoherent sounds and erratic thrusts of her hips that she was close. Pre-cum coated my thighs as my cock throbbed with need but I would worryabout thatter. Right now was aboutmy girl and I wasn¡¯t about todisappoint her. Her slick wallstightened around my fingers as sheneared her release but I stoppedstroking her and ttened my tongueon her clit, pressing hard to stop herfroming. ¡°Cary!¡± She growled, threading her fingers through my hair and yanking it to express her frustration. ¡°Mmm, I like it rough, darling.¡± I said between flicks to her pert little nub with my tongue. ¡°You want to pull my hair, rake my skin with your nails? Cut me? w me? Go ahead. It¡¯s no punishment to me. I¡¯ll take your love any way I can get it.¡± ¡°Fuuuck!¡± She called out, releasing her legs and locking them around my neck to push her juicy cunt into my face. ¡°Yes!¡± I hissed, and dove back in, eating her like a starved man. Sucking and slurping sounds echoed through the surrounding forest along with the squelching of my fingers fucking her sopping pussy. It was an erotic dream that only she could fulfill. I was harder than I¡¯d ever been and she hadn¡¯t even touched me yet. ¡°Please, Cary! I need-¡± She whimpered, grinding into my face as her head thrashed back and forth. ¡°You want toe, darling?¡± I pressed, forcing her to say the words.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Come. Yes, I need to.¡± She mumbled some form of sexual Yoda-speak but I would take it. ¡°Come for me now, love!¡± I ordered, ramming three thick fingers into her harshly as I trapped her clit between my teeth and sucked hard. Mallory¡¯s blissful screams reverberated through the trees, her body trembling as I kept fucking her, extending her high as long as possible. When she finally went limp,x and sated, I crawled up and pressed my body along the length of hers. ¡°You are the most amazing, most delicious, most satisfying creature the Moon Goddess ever created. And you¡¯re mine!¡± I whispered, nting soft kiss?s in her eyes, nose and cheeks. ¡°But I didn¡¯t satisfy you.¡± She pouted, pushing me onto my back and straddling my hips. I reached up to cup her face in my hands, pulling her down until our lips brushed together. Her soft, full tits pressed into my chest eliciting a lustful groan at the decadent feel of her body on mine. Then she shifted her hips to, my cock slipping between her slickfolds, forcing my grip to tighten, my fingers biting into the flesh of her hips as I fought back the threatening climax. ¡°Fuck, darling! You have no fucking idea what you do to me.¡± I gritted out. ¡± You satisfy me just by allowing me to breathe your air. But when you let me touch you this way? I¡¯ve nearlye three times already but held it back so I wouldn¡¯t embarrass myself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She asked, a smug smile crossing her face before morphing into a pout. ¡°But you and y have both tasted me. I want to taste you too.¡± Fuck. Me. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 47 by Cara Anderson Ch. 47 Afterglow Cary¡¯s POV ¡°Please. Can I taste you, Cary? Mallory sat back on her heels again, pouting down at me adorably. ¡°I know I don¡¯t know what I;m doing and it probably won¡¯t be that good but I want to learn.¡± I grasped her chin between my fingers and thumb, forcing her to hold my gaze and willing her to see the sincerity in my eyes. ¡°Love, you have no idea how sexy that is. Just the thought of your warm mouth on my cock has me ready to spill.¡± I confessed. A self-satisfied smirk settled over her features and I puffed out my chest knowing I put it there. But then she looked down at my still rock solid cock bobbing between us and her eyes went impossibly wide, the smirk morphing into something more calcting as shetried to work out how she would fit me in her mouth. I held in augh when a look of rm flitted through her beautiful hazel orbs before she quickly tucked it away. My cock throbbed even harder at the reminder of her innocence. I loved knowing that angelic mouth was all mine. Mallory reached out timidly but found the courage to wrap her small hand around my thick cock and give it a hesitant stroke. A long stream of pre- cum oozed out and a hiss escaped at the exquisite feeling. But she misunderstood and jerked her hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Feels so good.¡± I moaned, grabbing her hand and cing it back on my aching cock. Her hand was so soft and warm as she stroked it up and down my length, herthumb reverently tracing the thick vein on the underside of my cock. I breathed through clenched teeth, determined not toe like a pup before she even had a chance to explore. Then she cupped my balls in her other hand and I nearly lost the battle. ¡°You like that?¡± Mallory cocked her head to the side, an adorable look of fascination on her face. ¡°So much!¡± I grunted. ¡°But I doubt there is a way you could touch me I wouldn¡¯t enjoy, darling.¡± She smiled so brightly then, and I felt like a fucking hero. Her grip tightened as she stroked me more boldly, running her thumb over the slit and smearing the dripping cum all over the head while she massaged my balls. It was fucking heaven! ¡°Oh fuck, Mal!¡± I bucked my hips into her hand, thrusting, chasing my own release. It was so good, the sparks heightening everything between us. It was better than anything I¡¯d ever felt before. Until she leaned forward and licked the tip with a flick of her tongue. ¡°Mmm.¡± She hummed, licking her lips, and I nearly exploded. ¡°Salty but sweet. So tempting.¡± My eyes were glued to her face as her tongue flicked out again. She licked me from root to tip, her hand following the path of her tongue along my hard as steel shaft. Her eyes rolled back in her head like she¡¯d just tasted her favorite dessert which made my wolf and I preen. It was more than I could take. I grasped her hips and set her back on her heels then got to my knees. Mallory cocked a brow at me, frowning as she reached for me again, but I grabbed her wrist to stop her. ¡°You want to suck my cock, darling?¡± I asked, a cocky smirk on my face. ¡°Yes.¡± She whispered, her face flushing beautifully. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± I instructed, pressing down on her bottom lip with my thumb. She obeyed and I rubbed the leaking tip over her lips, spreading my cum over them. Her pink tongue darted out to lick them clean and I couldn¡¯t hold back the groan that escaped at the erotic sight. Then I gathered her hair in my hand and fed her my cock inch by inch. ¡°Tap my side if you need to stop. Do you understand?¡± She nodded her head, mouth still stretched around my thick head. ¡°Good girl. Keep your eyes on me.¡± She was a fucking vision, mouth forming a perfect ¡°O¡± as she struggled to take me and her wide doe-eyes fixed on me. Her virgin mouth felt like warm velvet. There was no way I wouldst very long. There were no words for the emotions coursing through me as I worked my cock into her mouth. It felt fucking amazing. Of course it did, but the fact it was her, my Mallory, made it so much hotter. Pleasure flooded through me and my grip tightened in her hair, pulling her back until just the tip was in her mouth then thrusting back in. She gagged on my cock and saliva dripped from the corners of her mouth but she didn¡¯t tap out. Instead, she curled her tongue to cup my shaft and slurped up everything I gave her. ¡°Such a good girl! You¡¯re taking me sowell.¡± I purred. ¡°That¡¯s it. Just rx your throat, swallow me down.¡± Mallory was a quick learner, swirling her tongue around my length as I withdrew andthering my balls in her hands with the spit and cum dripping from her mouth. I watched her throat work as I went deeper, swallowing to take as much of me as possible. Fuck, it was sexy as hell. A few pumpster and I was done! ¡°Gonnae, baby.¡± I moaned, trying to pull out. Mallory¡¯s perfect tits were bouncing as I fucked her mouth and I would be more than happy to cover them in my cum. Just the thought of my seed sshed across her chest, my hands rubbing it into her silky flesh, marking her with my scent had me leaking like a sieve. But Mallory had other ns. Her hands slid around my hips to grab my ass, squeezing it in her hand to hold me in ce. Then she surged forward, taking my entire length down her throat and sucking hard. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± I grunted as thick ropes of cum jetted down her throat. For as long as I lived, I would never forget the sight of her lips stretched around my cock, my cum dripping from her mouth as she looked into my eyes with pride. I was the one who just got toe in her delectable little mouth but she looked at me like I¡¯d just fulfilled her deepest desire. Fuck I loved this woman! I ran my fingers through her hair, whispering praises to her as she licked me clean, making sure to catch every drop. Then I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her backwards onto my chest. She snuggled into me like shecouldn;t get close enough. ¡°Thank you, love. That was perfect.¡± I murmured. ¡°You are perfect.¡± I had never felt more content and all I wanted was to hold her against me and have her all to myself for as long as possible, She belonged to all three of us and I would share her willingly with my brothers, but I would always treasure our moments alone. Unfortunately, only a few minutes had passed when I felt y pulling on our bond, trying to enter my head. So I reluctantly let down my block. ¡°Where are you? Nathan is here. He says he has information for Mallory but will only talk to her.¡± y ryed through the link. Fuck! So much for having her all to myself. Well, if I was going to have to share her already, I might as well tauntmy brother a little. Goddess knows he was all too happy to rub my nose in the fact he¡¯d gotten to devour her delicious pussy the other night and I¡¯d had to watch. Wouldn¡¯t hurt for him to know how it feels. ¡°Well, Nathan can wait. My beautiful mate and I are busy.¡± I hinted ¡°Busy with what? Where are you?¡± He pushed again. ¡°In the forest behind Mal¡¯s house. Lying naked in each other¡¯s arms, basking in the afterglow.¡± I borated, but not too much. ¡°Afterglow of what?¡± He ground out, and I knew his restraint was about to break. ¡°Only the best blow job of my fucking life.¡± I gloated. ¡°Our girl has a mouth like a warm, velvet glove. Of course, that was after I ate her sweet, juicypussy until she squirted on my face while screaming my name.¡± I knew I shouldn¡¯t antagonize him but it was just too good to pass up. I waited and listened to his heavy breathing while he worked to regain hisposure. Finally, he managed to grit out his next words. ¡°She really sucked your cock first?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think you would get all the firsts, did you brother? Thrusting into our mate¡¯s virgin mouth while she struggled to take me down her throat, fuck! There¡¯s nothing like it. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be next.¡± I teased. ¡°Whatever! Just get the fuck home!¡± He grunted, cutting the link. I stroked my fingers through a sleeping Mallory¡¯s silky curls, nting light kisses on her forehead to wake hergently. ¡°Cary?¡± She rasped sleepily. ¡°Yes, love. Can you wake up for me? y linked and he needs us toe home.¡± I informed her quietly. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± She asked tentatively, sitting up to study my face. Now that the fun of goading y was over, I couldn¡¯t hide the concern in my voice and I knew she could read it on my face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure darling. He said Nathan was there and he has some information he will only share with you. I¡¯d be lying if I said it didn¡¯t worry me a little.¡± I told her honestly. ¡°Nathan¡¯s at the packhouse?¡± Her voice trembled and I could feel her anxiety through our bond. ¡°I¡¯m your mate, Mallory! You have nothing to feel guilty about!¡± I snapped, hurt by her obvious concern for Nathan¡¯s feelings. ¡°I know.¡± She hung her head, hands wringing in herp. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I enjoy hurting him though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling.¡± I sighed, feeling guilty for snapping at her. ¡°I know nothing about this situation is easy for you. And I know my brothers and I haven¡¯t earned your loyalty yet. I¡¯ll try to be more understanding.¡± She nodded but I could tell she was still upset. Whether my attitude or the thought of causing Nathan pain bothered her more, I wasn¡¯t sure. But none of the was going to be solved today. I stood up and reached down to help Mallory to her feet. She took my hand and I pulled her into my chest,wrapping my arms around her and holding her tight for just another moment before releasing her. ¡°How about we let Roan and Raven race back to the packhouse?¡± I offered, earning a genuine grin from my mate.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. So we did. Though I had an ominous feeling it would be thest carefree moment for either of us for a while. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 48 by Cara Anderson Ch. 48 I¡¯ll Wait Mallory¡¯s POV Three sets of nostrils red the second Cary and I walked into the Alphas¡¯ office at the packhouse. If the entire situation hadn¡¯t been such a disaster, it would have been almostical to see the vastly different expressions on the three men¡¯s faces. y looked livid. Colton wore a pained expression, like he was remembering his scent on me and wished it still was. But it was Nathan;s expression that sent guilt searing through me like lightning strikes and threatened to split my chest open. Because Nathan just looked¡­ heartbroken. ¡°Nathan, I-¡± I started softly, unsure what to say but wanting to say something to erase that look from his face. ¡°I have some important information to share.¡± Nathan stood abruptly, tucking his pain away and adopting a formal expression that was all business. Seeing the effort it took for him to hide his feelings almost hurt more than his tant sadness, But I shook it off, letting my arms fall limply at my sides. It was my cross to bear and no more than I deserved. I wouldn;t make this harder for him than it had to be. ¡°Well she¡¯s here now. Tell us what¡¯s going on.¡± Colton ground out, obviously displeased with Nathan¡¯s reluctance to share. ¡°We put some feelers out to see if we could find out anything about the conditions within the former Hazelwood pack. One of Mikhail¡¯s contacts got a hit. ¡°There is a man that says he used to live there but managed to escape. He still has family on the inside and thinkshe can get us some useful information. But he refuses to talk unless we can assure his safety and that of his family. ¡°We had no contingency for this scenario and as this is Mallory¡¯s call to make, i wanted to discuss it with her.¡± Nathan informed us all. ¡°Set up a meeting. Give him the assurances he requests. I want to talk to him myself.¡± I stated emphatically.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No!¡± y barked. ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°Absolutely fuck no!¡± Cary added imperiously. ¡°We¡¯ll go. It could be a trap and we can¡¯t risk your safety.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not risking it! I am!¡± I insisted. ¡°Nathan will take me. He and Mikhail will keep me safe. Their contact can vouch for them and whoever this guy is, he won¡¯t be spooked by a seemingly powerless woman. He¡¯ll feel morefortable talking to me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Nathan interjected in support of my n. ¡°I¡¯ll make the call.¡± He got up and left the room, pulling out his cell phone as he went. As soon as the office door closed behind him, all hell broke loose. ¡°You can¡¯t be fucking seriously considering letting her do this.¡± Colton pounded his fist on the table. ¡°She¡¯s not doing this!¡± y revolted. ¡°No fucking way is she going without me.¡± Cary agreed. ¡°She is right here!¡± I roared at the top of my lungs. ¡°And thest time I checked, I didn¡¯t require your permission. My decisions are my own.¡± ¡°We¡¯re your mates, Omega! We¡¯re a team and we should make decisions together!¡± Colton red. ¡°Is that what you were doing when you spent the night with your fingers in my pussy then ran back into Darcy¡¯s armsthe next day? Being a team yer? Because if you were, I would have to question whose team you¡¯re on!¡± I yelled, enjoying the way his face paled at my words. ¡°And don¡¯t call me Omega! It¡¯s Alpha Brooks to you!¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡± Nathan¡¯s voice was like a bucket of ice poured over the room. It was my turn to turn pale knowing he¡¯d heard what I said about my night with Colton. ¡°He can meet us in the city in half an hour. Is that enough time?¡± ¡°Plenty.¡± I answered tly, turning on my heels and striding from the room. All three of my mates followed behind me, some arguing against me going without them and some arguing against me going altogether, But I ignored them all, not stopping until I reached the passenger side of Nathan¡¯s car. I turned and leaned my back against the door with my arms over my chest. ¡°I¡¯m not your helpless Omega,¡± I narrowed my eyes, throwing daggers at Colton, ¡°and I¡¯m not your property. I am Mallory Brooks Edwards and future Alpha of the Hazelwood pack if I so choose. You¡¯re going to have to get used to that idea. Start now!¡± I slipped into the car and shut the door, shutting out their protests along with it. Nathan drove out of the packhouse drive and out of ck Moon territory without saying a word. The silence was deafening, almost making me wish for the arguments and raised voices I¡¯d just left behind. ¡°Nathan, please talk to me.¡± I begged, more than a little whine to my voice. ¡°What is there to say, Mallory? You¡¯ve obviously made your choice. I would have liked to think you would have told me yourself rather than letting me find out in a room full of people with you drenched in their scent but I guess thatwas too much to ask.¡± He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white, telling me how he truly felt more than words ever could. ¡°But I haven¡¯t,¡± I said, watching his face morph from hurt to confused. ¡°Haven¡¯t what?¡± He gritted out between clenched teeth. ¡°Haven¡¯t made a choice. Haven¡¯t chosen them.¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯m hurting you Nathan. Everything is just soplicated. The bond, the pull, it¡¯s overwhelming at times. Especially physically. ¡°But despite what I know it must have looked like, and smelled like, I haven¡¯t mated with them. And even if I had, it wouldn¡¯t erase the years of pain they put me through. I¡¯m not sure If I can get past that. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t want anything to do with me anymore. Noneof this is fair to you, But they are my fated mates and I feel like I owe it to the Moon Goddess to at least explore the possibility that we could ept each other. ¡°I have no right to ask you to wait for me. You deserve more than to be somebody¡¯s back-up n. Though I¡¯d never see you that way, I¡¯m sure it must feel that way to you. I¡¯m truly sorry for that.¡± I apologized again. 2 ¡°You must severely underestimate my feelings for you if you think for one second I wouldn¡¯t be willing to wait for you, Mallory. Seeing you with them, hearing themy im to you, knowing they¡¯ve touched you in ways I never have, that all hurts like a fucking bitch. ¡°But I¡¯d endure it a hundred times over for the slightest chance you might choose me in the end. So yeah, I¡¯ll wait. Until you wear their marks, I¡¯ll wait.¡± he dered. ¡°Nathan,¡± I whispered, but I had no idea what else to say. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± He announced, eliminating the need for me to say anything else at all. We had arrived at a small diner on the outskirts of the city. There was a gas station next door with lots of big rigs in the lot but not much else. Nathan came around to open my door and when I got out, he immediately pulled me into his side. ¡°You stick to my side like glue, Do you understand me?¡± He waited for my affirmative response. ¡°Good. Mikhail has men watching the building from all sides and he is nearby too but I¡¯m not taking any chances.¡± We walked in and sat in the offered booth. The ce had a grimy look to it, the quintessential trucker hang-out and I had a feeling the food was of the same caliber. So when the waitresscame to take our order, we both stuck to soda and nothing else. I looked around at the dingy posters on the wall, all faded and yellowed at the edges. As expected the clientele were all burly men in trucker hats and more facial hair than seemed sanitary. Finding nothing more interesting to calm my shaky nerves, I focused on downing my newly delivered Coke. Nathan just stared at his drink, tapping the side of the ss with his fingers distractedly. We both jerked around in our seats when the door chime alerted us to a new presence. But before I could determine if they were headed our direction, an intense wave of nausea washed over me. ¡°I¡¯m going to be sick!¡± I pped my hand over my mouth, rising from my seat and looking around for the restrooms. ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± Nathan insisted, standing up too, but I shook my head. ¡°No! One of us needs to be here or they might think we didn¡¯t show.¡± I argued. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯m not going far. The bathroom is right over there. Nothing bad is going to happen to me in there,¡± Famousst words. I rushed into the bathroom and bent over the sink, heaving as I frantically pawed at the paper towel dispenser. I managed to tear off a length and soak it with cold water, dabbing it on my face and willing the nausea to subside. ¡°Perfect timing.¡± I grumbled under my breath, wondering what could possibly be making me ill faster than my wolf could heal me. Or was it just nerves? Before I could answer that thought the bathroom door creaked open and I felt a presence looming behind me. I lifted my head to greet the witness to my humiliation but all I saw was a distorted figure before everything went ck. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 49 by Cara Anderson Ch. 49 Without Her Colton¡¯s POV Could my life be more of a shit show right now? I hadn¡¯t showered, I hadn¡¯t eaten and I hadn¡¯t slept. How could I do any of those things, go on about my business as usual when the woman who held my heart wouldn¡¯t so much as look at me? Now that I knew what it was like to touch Mallory, taste her, hold her in my arms while we slept, I doubted I could do any of those normal things ever again. Not without her. I¡¯d been able to fool myself into believing I didn¡¯t need her, that I could let her go and live, if not a fulfilling life then at least a peaceful one, with Darcy. But that was before. No one who had ever had the privilege of loving Mallory would ever willingly give her up. So here I was wearing a hole in my office carpet as I pace back and forth, unable to calm my racing heart. A flight of ideas rolled through my head as I frantically searched for the one that would bring her back to me. But so far none seemed good enough. My wolf hadn¡¯t spoken to me since the morning Mallory had seen me on the training field with Darcy. Our mate may have unleashed hell on me for what I¡¯d done, but deep down she was hurting and Kai could feel her pain. He hated me for it and I couldn¡¯t me him. My brothers weren¡¯t speaking to me either. Unless it was rted to official pack business, they were both freezing me out. In their minds, I¡¯d just made it even less likely that Mallory would ept the bond, a bond they¡¯ve made no secret of wanting from the beginning. If I couldn¡¯t find a way to fix this, they might never forgive me. And then there was Mallory herself. It wasn¡¯t enough that she refused to ept my exnation and basically cut off all contact with me. She had to outright shame me in front of everyone, including Alpha Richardson, when all I¡¯d done was express my legitimate concern for her safety. Although, if I was being honest with myself, what hurt me more than her obvious disdain for me was the fact that she trusted Nathan to keep her safe when she trusted me for nothing. She could be running headlong into a trap with this damn meet-n-greet mission she was on and Goddess forbid I care enough to try to stop her. Nathan¡¯s word apparently carries more weight than mine. Than any of ours. We¡¯re her Goddess-given mates! How could she think we would ever willingly let anything happen to her? I would literallyy down my life before I wouldlet a single hair on her head be harmed and I know my brothers would do the same. Nathan may care about her, may love her even, but he could never feel the depth of emotion we do with the mate bond between us. And without that kind of soul-deep connection, I can¡¯t trust that he¡¯ll make the right decision if her life was on the line. I staggered to my desk when the sound of my phone ringing startled me out of my thoughts. But the name shing on the screen was just one more person who¡¯d been avoiding me since I¡¯d practically pushed her out of my arms to go running after Mallory. I had to wonder why she was calling me now. ¡°Darcy?¡± My tone was questioning, surprised to hear from her. ¡°Colton? Could we meet somewhere to talk?¡± She queried, her voice raspy likeshe¡¯d cried recently. ¡°Darcy, I-¡± I sighed in exasperation. having had my fill of drama for the day. ¡°Please, Colton. I¡¯m sorry I shut you out. I was hurt and needed some time to think. But we¡¯ve been together for two years! We can¡¯t just walk away from that without talking things through.¡± She pleaded. ¡°Fine.¡± I huffed. ¡°I have a few things I need to wrap up here but I¡¯ll meet you at our restaurant in an hour. Does that work?¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Thanks Colt.¡± She answered softly. I hung up the phone and immediately began to pace again. Even if I had something that needed my attention I wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on it. I was just stalling for time. Honestly, it had been easier when Darcy wasn¡¯t speaking to me. At least then, I didn¡¯t have to think about what I was going to say to her. Once upon a time, not too long ago, I¡¯d been convinced I knew exactly what the right thing to do was. I wasn¡¯t so sureanymore. I knew with a bone-deep certainty that what I felt for Darcy wasn¡¯t love, but could I tell her that? And even if I could, should I? It was my responsibility as the eldest to ensure our pack had a Luna. What if Mallory never forgave me? What if she didn¡¯t ept our bond? Darcy would never take me back if she knew how I really wanted Mallory. If she knew she was a stand-in, a substitute for the woman I really wanted. My phone rang again and I stabbed the green ¡°answer¡± button withoutlooking at the caller ID. I assumed it was Darcy calling back to make sure I hadn¡¯t changed my mind and I did not have the patience for her nagging right now. ¡°Darcy, I told you-¡± ¡°Colton? Colton, it¡¯s Nathan. Something went wrong! I need you to meet me at the hospital!¡± His frenzied words sent a chill down my spine and it felt as if all the blood left my body. ¡°Nathan, what happened? Where¡¯s Mallory? Is she-¡± I started to reel off questions, desperate to hear him say she was okay but he didn¡¯t. ¡°No time! Just get there as fast as you can!¡± He screamed through the phone then disconnected the call. ¡°Cary! y!¡± I pushed against their minds but they were both still blocking me. I grabbed my keys from my desk and banged on Cary¡¯s door on my way out. His scent was strong and I could smell y was with him. ¡°Open the fucking door! It¡¯s Mallory! Nathan called. I think she¡¯s hurt!¡± I roared. In two seconds t they both came flying through the door. They were both barefoot and wearing basketball shorts. Cary was wearing an old t-shirt and a thunderous expression. y was still pulling a shirt over his head but his pupils were blown wide and he looked terrified. ¡°What the fuck happened? He promised to keep her safe!¡± Cary snarled, and I almost felt sorry for Nathan if the murderous look in his eyes was any indication of what wasing for him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He just said to meet him at the hospital then he hung up!¡± I answered, flinching when his arm swung at me. ¡°I¡¯m driving!¡± He growled, ripping the keys from my hand. ¡°She¡¯s not dead. We would feel it.¡± I muttered, mostly tofort myself. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling tired for about thest hour, my limbs felt like lead and I couldn¡¯t think clearly, like I was in a fog. But I¡¯ve been so worried and miserable not knowing where she was and what was happening, I just thought that¡¯s all it was.¡± y confessed, and I was sure my eyes held the same guilt that his carried. ¡°I felt the same way and didn¡¯t recognize it either.¡± Cary admitted, squeezing his shoulder in brotherly support. I couldn¡¯t tell them I¡¯d noticed it too and wrote it off as self-pity. We were all guilty of ignoring the bond trying to tell us our mate was in trouble. But I¡¯d spent less time with Mallory than they had and was less in tune with our bond. For that, I was more to me than either of them. We made it to the hospital in record time with Cary driving even faster than his usual record-breaking speed. I was almost surprised the ¡°oh shit¡± handle didn¡¯t break with me gripping it so hard but I didn¡¯t dare suggest he slow down. As far as I was concerned, he wasn¡¯t driving fast enough. ¡°Where the fuck is my mate?¡± Cary bellowed as he barreled through the emergency room doors, y and I only half a step behind him. ¡°Alpha Collins,¡± one of the nurses braved his death re, ¡°We have award full of patients. If you tell me who you are looking for I¡¯ll try to help you.¡± ¡°Colton! Oh fuck! Colton!¡± Nathan came running down the hall, probably having heard Cary¡¯s outburst. Cary had his hand around Nathan¡¯s throat, blood dribbling down his neck where his ws dug into his flesh, pinning him to the wall. Nathan¡¯s attempts to pry his hand loose were futile in the face of my brother¡¯s rage and he was quickly turning blue. ¡°You said she¡¯d be safe with you! You fucking lied! If she doesn¡¯t make it, I¡¯ll rip your fucking heart out with my bare hands!¡± Cary spit out, nose to nose with the other Alpha. ¡°She¡¯s-, she¡¯s-¡± Nathan wheezed butcked the necessary oxygen to finish. ¡°Let him go, brother.¡± y ordered. ¡± He can¡¯t tell us what happened if youkill him first.¡± Cary stood nose to nose with Nathan, chest heaving with every furious breath as he considered y;s words. Then finally, he let go of Nathan¡¯s neck and watched him slide to the ground. ¡°Talk!¡± He red at the man currently sucking in huge gulps of air. ¡°She¡¯s going to be okay. She was drugged but the doctor is giving her fluids to flush it out of her system and her wolf healing is doing the rest. He said she just needs to sleep it off.¡± He exined. ¡°Where is she?¡± I butted in before he could go on. Now that I knew she would recover, the rest could wait. I needed to see her with my own eyes. Nathan pointed to her room and we all marched down the hall. All the air left my lungs when I stepped into Mallory¡¯s hospital room. Her usually tan skin was white as the sheet pulled up under her chin. She looked so small and fragile lying there with a jumbled mass of wires and tubes stretched between her body and an assortment of beeping apparatus. ¡°How could you let this happen?¡± Cary asked again, the question toned down to a mere snarl that time. ¡°He knew we wereing. Alpha Quade knew.¡± Nathan drooped into a chair by the door, hanging his head in his hands. ¡°How is that possible?¡± y asked, a bewildered look on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know but he did. And he must have long arms because his reach goes beyond anything I was prepared for. Even the waitress was in on it.¡± He went on to exin that Mallory¡¯s drink had been drugged, prompting her to leave the booth to use the bathroom. Someone must have followed her inside because Nathan¡¯s men watching the restaurant saw a man carrying her unconsious body out the back door. All three of us growled at that piece of information. ¡°You should have gone with her!¡± Cary insisted. ¡°Cary, you know it¡¯s doubtful any of us would have followed her into the bathroom.¡± y admonished, always the voice of reason. ¡°I would have.¡± Cary grumbled but let it go. ¡°How could he have set up such an borate n in such a short period of time. We didn¡¯t even know there would be a meeting until shortly beforehand.¡± I asked, perplexed. But I looked up to find everyone staring at me like I was missing some very important detail. ¡°What?¡± I grunted. ¡°This wasn¡¯t our meeting. He wanted us to think it was but it wasn¡¯t. It was his. He¡¯s had to have known for a while, at least long enough to know we were looking for information and put this n together.¡± Nathan filled me in.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°But how is that possible. The only people who knew about who Mallory really is are in this room.¡± y posited. ¡°And our parents, but they love Mallory like their own. No way they would do this. ¡°Cary added, All at once it hit me. We weren¡¯t the only ones. Because I¡¯d told someone else. And though I couldn¡¯t bring myself to believe she would hurt a fly, I had to find out for sure. Good thing Ialready had ns to meet her. ¡°I have to go!¡± I said, running from the room before any one could question me further. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 50 by Cara Anderson Ch. 50 Dire Consequences Colton¡¯s POV ¡°What happened to you?¡± Darcy looked rmed at the sight of my disheveled appearance as I stormed over to the booth where she waited for me at our favorite restaurant. ¡°How could you, Darcy?¡± More of an usation than a question. ¡°What? Colton, what¡¯s going on?¡± She deflected. ¡°Youe barging in here like a charging bull, looking like you wed your way across a battlefield to get here. And you¡¯re asking me how I could have done some obscure thing I have no frame of reference for like I should have anticipated the question.¡± I studied her perplexed expression for a moment, trying to determine her sincerity. If she was lying, it wasn¡¯twritten on her face. But then again, if she¡¯d done what I thought she had, the girl deserved an Oscar because she wasn¡¯t the girl she¡¯d convinced me she was for the past two years. ¡°How could you sell out Mallory to her enemy, put her life in danger? I told you about her heritage in confidence. I trusted you! Did you even stop to think what it would do to me if something happened to her? ¡°We¡¯re still bonded. If she died, I could die too! Is that what you want? Are you so insecure that you¡¯d rather see me dead than take a chance I might choose her over you?¡± A myriad of emotions crossed her features as my rampage wore on. Anger, hurt, betrayal all made an appearance. But the most prominent of all was fear. She tried to hide it away but I knew all her tells. She couldn¡¯t hide it from me. The more important question was what she was afraid of. Was she afraid of losing me or afraid she¡¯d been caught? Or maybe both. As far as I was concerned she¡¯d already lost me, and if I ever found proof of her betrayal, she would wish she¡¯d never met me! ¡°Colton, I-, I-,¡± She trembled as she tripped over her words. ¡°I love you. I would never want anything bad to happen to you. You know that. Please tell me you know that.¡± ¡°I thought I did. But the Darcy I knew would never do something like this.¡± I spit back. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± She cried, ¡°You have to believe me! Please Colton, don¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything, Darcy! You did this all by yourself!¡± I growled, a low and deadly sound. ¡°We¡¯re done! Don¡¯t let me catch you anywhere near my territory or my mate! And you better pray my brothers don¡¯t find out what you¡¯ve done or not even the Moon Goddess herself will be able to save you.¡± I stalked away, Darcy¡¯s ims of innocence trailing off behind me. It was true I had no proof beyond the process of elimination and a gut feeling I couldn¡¯t ignore. But in my mind, her guilt was a forgone conclusion. There was just no other exnation. Even with my much more sane driving speed, I made it back to the hospital in record time. Staff greeted me warily as I entered, not that I med them after my earlier blow-up. But a nod as I passed by was the only acknowledgment I could allow in my haste to check on my mate. I walked into Mallory¡¯s hospital room to find Cary and y had wriggled their way into the bed on either side of Mallory. Cary had his face buried in her neck, gorging himself on her scent. y was stroking her hair, whispering sweet words in her ear and nting gentle kisses on her face. Neither of them spared me a nce.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re okay little wolf. We¡¯re here and we won¡¯t let anyone hurt you. You¡¯re safe.¡± y murmured softly. My heart squeezed in my chest as I listened, wishing it were me by her side, reassuring her,forting her. But even if I could convince one of my brothers to give up his ce, she wouldn¡¯t want me in it. Not now. Maybe not ever. ¡°How is she doing?¡± I cut in, interrupting their peaceful moment. ¡°Why do you care?¡± Cary lifted his head to snarl at me. ¡°Our mate is lying unconscious in a hospital bed and you walked out on her. Probably to see your girlfriend if I had to guess.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I did!¡± I rebutted but the disbelieving frown he returned told me he wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°So you didn¡¯t go see Darcy?¡± y cross -examined me and I knew they would sense a lie. ¡°Yes, but-¡± Before I could finish my exnation, an erratic strain of ring rms filled the room. My eyes flew to Mallory whose back was arching off the bed and her chest heaved with every arduous breath she struggled to take. Both my brothers¡¯ hands fluttered uselessly over her, their faces identical shades of stark white. Nurses and doctors came bustling in the room, one nearly knocking me to the ground with a big metal cart as they pushed it towards Mallory¡¯s bed, total disregard for any obstacles, human or otherwise. ¡°All three of you out! Now!¡± A big male wolf with a tag that read Dr. Ried barked out orders. ¡°We need room to work and you¡¯re taking too much of it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? They said she¡¯d be fine!¡± y demanded ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my mate!¡± Cary growled. ¡°We won¡¯t get in your way. I promise. Please just let us stay.¡± I bargained. ¡°Alphas,¡± one of the nurses stepped away to address the three of us, ¡°I know you want to be here for her but the best thing you can do for her now is give us room to work without the addedpressure of her feral mates looming over our shoulders. I wille get you as soon as she is stable.¡± With a curt nod, she went back to Mallory¡¯s bedside. Neither of my siblings looked like they had any intention of moving so I grabbed them both by their shirts and dragged them outside. ¡°I need Epi STAT!¡± I heard the doctor call out as we stepped into the hall. It was thest thing I heard before the ss door to her room was mmed closed, my whole world fighting for her life on the other side. Mallory¡¯s mom arrived with my parents in tow, someone from the staff having notified them of Mal¡¯s condition. I sat with them in the waiting room while y and Cary paced the floor, snarling at anyone who dared look in their direction. Timeseemed to stand still as we all waited for news. It was maddening! Nathan had left shortly after I had to question the two kidnappers his men managed to capture. Part of me wondered if someone should call him. But the selfish part of me didn¡¯t want him anywhere near Mallory. There was nothing he could do here anyway. He¡¯d be just as inconsequential as the rest of us. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyone told us anything?¡± Maeve questioned, looking at each of us as if at least one of us should have the answer. Just then, Dr, Ried emerged with a solemn look on his face. My heart dank to my stomach as I waited for him to deliver the crushing blow. He came to a stop in the center of the room and everyone crowded around him. ¡°As you already know, Mallory ingested abination of wolfsbane and nightshade earlier today. The dose was not lethal and between her wolf¡¯s ability to heal her and the fluids we administered, we had every reason to believe she was out of the woods. ¡°Unfortunately, what we did not anticipate was that she would have a life-threatening allergic reaction to one or both substances. Neither her wolf or our methods were sufficient to clear them from her system in time to prevent it.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± My mother asked what the rest of us were too afraid to voice. ¡°It means that she¡¯s lucky to be alive and that any future encounter with those particr poisons would likely lead to more dire consequences.¡± He answered solemnly. ¡°Future? So she¡¯s going to be okay this time?¡± y asked hopefully. ¡°She¡¯s going to be fine, She¡¯s actually awake now. You can go in to see her any time.¡± Having said all he came to say, he turned and walked away. All of us trooped down the hall, a parade of exhausted but relieved souls. Only, as everyone filed through the door of Mallory¡¯s hospital suite, Cary turned and put his hand to my chest, holding me back. ¡°She¡¯s been through enough today, don¡¯t you think? She doesn¡¯t need another reminder of how you hurt her right now. You need to stay the fuck away from her until you get your head out of your ass for good.¡± Then he stepped inside and shut the door in my face. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 51 by Cara Anderson Ch. 51 Safe And Whole Mallory¡¯s POV A train wreck. A head-on collision with a Mack truck. Beaten with a sack of lead bricks. Those were all on the short list of things that could have possibly happened to cause this pounding in my head and every muscle in my entire body to ache. My brain felt like it was under water and couldn¡¯t find the surface. I blinked my eyes open against the harsh fluorescent lighting, then quickly closed them again, wincing when the pain of a thousand knives seared through my skull. ¡°Dim the lights! It¡¯s hurting her eyes.¡± I heard a familiar voice instructing. ¡°Mate,¡± My wolf slurred dreamily in my head, sounding like she¡¯d had one too many. I tried opening my eyes again, this time much more sessfully without the ring light in my eyes. Though it still took a minute for the moving dark blobs toe into focus, revealing two of my mates and my mother. My heart sank to see Colton wasn¡¯t there but I quickly locked that pain away. ¡°There she is. How do you feel, darling?¡± Cary asked, moving to sit on the side of my bed. ¡°Like death warmed over.¡± I croaked, my throat drier than the desert sands. ¡± What happened? Why am I here?¡± ¡°What do you remember?¡± y asked, slipping his hand behind my back and helping me to sip from the ss of water he¡¯d poured. Images reeled through my mind as I fought to grasp on to any of them. Arguing with the triplets in Colton¡¯s office. Nathan walking in with a sullen look on his face. A gas station with lotsof trucks. A diner, sliding into a booth beside Nathan. Wait! If I¡¯m here, what happened to Nathan? ¡°Where¡¯s Nathan?¡± I choked out on a gasp. ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± y assured me, hurt shing in his eyes before masking it quickly. ¡°He¡¯s dealing with the aftermath of your attack.¡± ¡°Attack?¡± I questioned, lifting the sheets to search my tender limbs for bruises. ¡°Did someone really beat me to a pulp? Is that why everything hurts?¡± Two menacing growls filled the room, fury radiating from both my mates. Instinctively, I reached a hand toward each of them, stroking their chest soothingly. I had no idea what the future held for us, but I had to admit the mate bond had its perks. ¡°You were set up. Alpha Quade knew you wereing. He sent people to drug you and kidnap you.¡± Cary grittedout, fists clenched at his sides. ¡°Hmm, no wonder I feel like mincemeat.¡± I chuckled, apletely inappropriate reaction to such news but I was in shock. That was my excuse anyway. Three heads turned to me at the incongruous sound. Cary and y both looked livid at the insinuation I was taking the situation too lightly. My mother looked genuinely concerned I¡¯d suffered a head injury. ¡°Sorry.¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure how to feel at the moment. y climbed into the bed next to me, lifting me up and settling me on his chest with his arms wrapped securely around me. Cary slipped in on my other side, scooting as close as possible to the two of us. I peeked over my shoulder at my mother, slightly embarrassed at their bold disy, but she was grinning from ear to ear, looking as pleased as punch with our current position. ¡°It¡¯s okay, little wolf.¡± y cooed to me. ¡°You¡¯re safe now. That¡¯s all that matters. We¡¯ll sort the rest outter.¡± A whileter, the doctor came in to give me the all clear, as long as I promised to go straight home and rest. He spent an inordinate amount of time exining the importance of not ingesting wolfsbane or nightshade again, as if I¡¯d actually done it on purpose the first time. Mom helped me into some leggings and t-shirt she¡¯d brought for me while the boys went to pull the car around. I balked at the wheelchair when the nurse brought it in but she spouted some nonsense about hospital policy and I caved. Both my mates helped me into the car and we were on our way home. ¡°Let¡¯s get you settled in bed, darling.¡± Cary said, sweeping me up into hisarms amidst my protests that I was perfectly capable of walking. ¡°We¡¯ll stay with you until you fall asleep. Then we¡¯re going to have to slip out for a bit.¡± y announced, toeing off his shoes and crawling into bed beside me. ¡°Nathan hasn¡¯t gotten much out of the two assholes his men captured but I think Cary and I can convince them to talk.¡± ¡°Two of them were caught alive?¡± I asked, sitting bolt upright in bed. ¡°I¡¯m going with you!¡± I started to climb out of bed but Cary¡¯s strong arms caught me from behind and pulled me back against his chest. ¡°No you¡¯re not!¡± He protested. ¡°You heard the doctor. Rest and no stress until you regain full strength. It¡¯s this bed or we take you back to the hospital. Which do you prefer?¡± ¡°I am at full strength.¡± I pouted. ¡°Oh really?¡± y stared at me dubiously. ¡°So Raven is awake? Gunner could talk to her right now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s said a word or two.¡± I answered sulkily, trying and failing to bring her forward. Both men just grunted in derision and settled back into bed with me. The warmth of their bodies pressed against mine and their soothing caresses on my skin stole every argument from my lips so I let them coax me into peaceful oblivion. But in thatherworld between sleep and wakefulness, I could have sworn I heard them speak. ¡°I love you little wolf. Don¡¯t ever scare me like that again.¡± ¡°We both love you, darling. You can¡¯t ever leave us.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how long I¡¯d slept or what time of the day or night it was, but I woke with the echo of those whispered words floating through my mind like adream. The sweetness of the memory had me burrowing deeper into the chest my face was pressed against. Strong arms tightened around me and I let out a contented sigh. A vague recollection tickled the back of my mind, and a hint of surprise rippled through me as I remembered y mentioning they wouldn¡¯t be here when I woke up. Before I could process the thought further, the mouthwatering scents of fresh- squeezed lime and Bay Rum clouded my senses. ¡°Colton?¡± I squeaked out, pushing against his chest. ¡°Hmm?¡± He replied groggily, still mostly asleep. ¡°Colton!¡± I shoved more forcefully, managing to break his hold on me. I sat up, only to realize I was straddling his hips, his veryrge erection pressing along my seam causing asteady stream of slick to dampen my panties. Colton¡¯s hands rested on my hips, holding me in ce while he struggled to open his droopy eyelids. ¡°So beautiful.¡± He mumbled, looking up at me under hooded lids. ¡°So soft. So perfect. Mine!¡± ¡°What are you doing in my bed, Colton?¡± I demanded, btedly noticing I hadn¡¯t bothered to remove myself from my perch over his rock solid cock and the delicious way it fit perfectly against my heated core. ¡°I, uh, I just needed to hold you. Feel you safe and whole in my arms.¡± He said, his voice cracking as he came fully awake. ¡°Seeing you lying in that hospital bed, knowing what you¡¯d been through and I hadn¡¯t been there to protect you. I was going insane, not being able to touch you, make sure for myself you were really okay.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Colton,¡± I sighed sympathetically, ¡°Iunderstand your wolf¡¯s need to care for his mate, but this isn¡¯t fair to any of us. You¡¯ve clearly chosen Darcy and it will only make it harder on Kai when we ultimately sever our bond if you keeping here just to appease him.¡± It wasn¡¯t Kai¡¯s fault his human didn¡¯t want his mate so I couldn¡¯t be angry at Colton for trying to give him somefort. But I stood by my statement. This would only make it harder on all of us in the long run. ¡°I¡¯m not here for Kai!¡± Colton insisted, an angry tint to his words. ¡°He hasn¡¯t even spoken to me since you ran away from us. I could feel his worry for you. Of course he was worried. But he¡¯s not why I¡¯m here. ¡°I ended it with Darcy. You were right, I should have done it a long time ago. Even if things don¡¯t work out between you and I, I could never go back to her. ¡°Colt, if you love her you should be with her,¡± I argued, but he just grinned at my use of his nickname and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t love her, Mal. I¡¯m ashamed it took me so long to see it but I don¡¯t think I ever really did.¡± He admitted, chagrin swirling in his hauntingly blue eyes. ¡°I know we have a lot to talk about and I have a lot of exining to do, And I promise I will but right now, you need to sleep.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to sleep?¡± I shed him a saucy grin, enjoying the way his pupils dted and he sucked in a sharp breath. ¡°What do you-¡± He started to ask. But I cut him off, crashing my lips to his in a passionate kiss. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 52 by Cara Anderson Ch, 52 Coward Mallory¡¯s POV Colton¡¯s kiss stole the breath from my lungs and the heart from my chest. It was heat and desire and worshipful all at once. The need I felt coursing through the bond from him was mind- numbing and toe curling. I¡¯d never felt so cherished or so powerful, like I was vital to his very existence. With every heartbeat, my mind mmed me with warnings. Stop, thump, this, thump, now, thump! Bad, thump, idea, thump! But I couldn¡¯t be bothered to listen. I might regret itter, but those gorgeous baby blues of his, and all the love they held¡­ he might as well have locked me up and thrown away the key for all the hope I had of breaking free from the spell he had me under. ¡°Fuck!¡± He cursed against my swollen lips before sinking his teeth into thebottom one and tugging at it. ¡°I¡¯ve never tasted anything as sweet as you, love.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± I moaned, too drunk on his intoxicating vor as well to say more. Colt¡¯s tongue delved back in, less insistently this time, like he wanted to explore every bit of my mouth, memorize my taste. I was content to floor his lead, sliding my tongue along the silk of his as he teased and tortured me. I wanted to savor his taste, his scent, the desperate way he needed me, for as long as I could. Then suddenly he flipped me underneath him, pinning me to the bed with the weight of his body stretched out on top of me. He trapped my arms up over my head, caged in one of his broad hands, while grinding his sizable package exactly where I craved the delicious pressure. His kisses took on a more urgent tempo, bruising and biting, but I loved it. His free hand went to my waist. Slipping under the hem of my shirt, his thumb caressing the soft skin of my belly before gliding up over my ribcage to cup my breast. When he circled my puckered nipple with his fingertip, I arched into him, seeking more, needing more. When he pinched the hardened bud, I screamed into his mouth. ¡°These are so fucking perfect.¡± He groaned, lifting my shirt to bare my tits to his view then leaning in for a taste. ¡± Mmm, so good.¡± ¡°Colton!¡± I whined in protest, needing him to stop talking so I could feel his warm mouth on my sensitive skin again. ¡°That¡¯s it. Keep saying my name, little Omega.¡± He purred. But it was the wrong thing to say. Because his use of the nickname, the memory of thest time he used it, right before he ran back to Darcy, had ice sliding down my spine and I shivered in his arms. Misunderstanding my body¡¯s response, he went back to teasing my nipple but I pushed him away. ¡°Colton! Stop!¡± I barked, making him flinch away from me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I thought you wanted this. Wanted me.¡± The sting of rejectionced his tone. ¡°I do, it¡¯s just. .¡± My eyes dropped to his chest, afraid to connect with his, afraid he¡¯d see the insecurity hidden in them.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mal, look at me.¡± He didn¡¯t force me, just waited patiently for me toply. ¡°I¡¯m not taking you to bed with anysecrets between us. So tell me what¡¯s on your mind or this stops here.¡± ¡°You and Darcy had sex, like a lot.¡± The words spilled out before I could stop them. For the briefest second, guilt and pain shed in his eyes before he schooled his features again. ¡°Is that really what you want to talk about right now? I¡¯m here with you, Mal. Not her.¡± He was exasperated with me and I couldn¡¯t me him. ¡°Have you asked my brothers about every she- wolf they¡¯ve been with?¡± ¡°Of course not, but that¡¯s different. They¡¯d just feed me some bullshit line about how sex will be better with me because all those women were meaningless and they actually care about me. But you¡­ you loved Darcy.¡± I tried not to let jealousy color my words but failed miserably. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re having this conversation right now.¡± Coltonughed dryly. ¡°But okay, let¡¯s talk about it, get it all out in the open. ¡°Yes, I cared about Darcy, even thought it was love at the time. And yes, we fucked every chance we got for the two years we were together. Right up to the day you came home from the academy and turned my world upside down. But who gives a flying fuck about any of that, Mal?¡± ¡°I do Colton! We were together for one night and you went back to her the next day. I can¡¯t be with you, worrying the whole time that you are thinking about her, wishing I could make you feel as good as she did, that I could please you the way she did!¡± ¡°You insane little wolf!¡± He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye, willing me to see the emotionsthey held for me. ¡°Why on earth would I waste a second on thoughts of her when I¡¯m busy praising the Goddess with every breath for giving me you, for granting me the privilege of holding you in my arms? ¡°There is nothing and no one on earth or the moon that I will ever love the way I love you or want the way I want you!¡± ¡°Colton,¡± I whispered, tears rolling down my face, summoned by the love and passion emanating from him. ¡°Mallory, I devote as little time as possible thinking about Darcy or the time I spent with her. Because when I do, all I feel is regret. I¡¯d rather spend all my time focused on my future with you, on all the joy and pleasure we¡¯re going to share together. And I promise you, it will be more pleasure than either of us has ever known. I¡¯ll make sure of it. ¡°So the other day, you didn¡¯t leave me, go back to her because you were disappointed with me?¡± I pushed, needing to hear him say the words. He scrubbed a hand over his face and shook his head. Then he stared at me for a long moment, seeming to gather his thoughts before speaking, wanting to perfect the words in his mind before he said them out loud. I yed with the worn fabric of my leggings, picking nervously at the little nubs created from too many wash cycles, while I waited for his response. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry about that Mal. In my effort to be diplomatic and avoid making a scene in front of the pack, I did thest thing I would ever want to do. I disrespected their Luna. ¡°I let my guilt get the better of me. I basically used her for thest two years and now I¡¯m breaking every promise Iever made to her. I only thought to spare her more humiliation.¡± I sucked in a sharp breath at those words, something nasty like bitter envy twisting in my gut. But Colton reached out to stroke my arm, soothing away the ugly feeling. ¡°Hey, hey,¡± he cooed, ¡°It wasn¡¯t because I chose her feelings over yours. Not for a minute. I just never thought about what it would feel like for you to see that and I should have. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for that infraction so I¡¯ll understand if you can¡¯t. But I need you to believe me when I tell you that I didn¡¯t go back to her and I sure as hell didn¡¯t want her to kiss me. ¡°You were right. I should have ended it with her the minute our bond snapped into ce, regardless of whether youwanted me or not. I was a coward and you deserve so much better than a coward.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a coward, Colton.¡± I objected. ¡°You¡¯re an honorable man, one any woman would be lucky to have.¡± ¡°But I am a coward, Mal.¡± He argued. ¡± I¡¯m a coward and it turns out, I¡¯m a hypocrite too. The only reason I dated Darcy in the first ce was because I was developing feelings for you and it scared the shit out of me. ¡°We all thought you were an Omega and I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make a strong enough Luna. So I hid my feelings for you behind my prejudice. Little did I know, my mother is an Omega and her blood runs in my veins.¡± ¡°But her aura is so strong.¡± I wondered aloud. ¡°I learned the hard way that not every Omega is weak. Sometimes they¡¯re as strong as an Alpha.¡± He said, winking at me. ¡°So you see, I¡¯ve waited a very long time to hold my Omega in my arms. ¡°Will you please let me do that? Will you please fulfill my wildest fantasy and let me make love to you?¡± He whispered the words against my lips while brushing his nose against mine, making me tremble in his arms. All I could do was whimper and nod. But it was the only response he needed, iming my lips in another soul- stealing kiss. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 53 by Cara Anderson Ch. 53 Up Close And Personal Mallory¡¯s POV Colton¡¯s mouth on mine consumed every rational thought before it could form. There was only him. His scent, his taste, the heat of his skin on mine. My head was swimming with desire that only heightened with every sweep of his tongue. ¡°Mmm! Colton!¡± I moaned as his lips trailed along my jaw, stopping to nip at that sensitive spot behind my ear. Sparks skipped over my skin, adding an electric energy to the already pulsing need thrumming through me. I could no longer tell where he ended and I began, our bodies fused together in an overwhelming bundle of sensation. My skin was on fire, melting under the heat of his kisses. My heart thumpedloudly in my ears, so loud I was sure he could hear it. And my pussy walls quaked, desperately aching to be filled. ¡°Colt, I need-¡± I paused, realizing I didn¡¯t know how to finish that sentence. The vast majority of my very limited sexual experience had been with them, the Alpha triplets. But although we¡¯d fooled around, we¡¯d never had sex. I knew I wanted him but I had no idea how to ask for it. As it turned out, I didn¡¯t need to. ¡°Fuck I love hearing you say my name with that sultry little moan you make. You have my cock so hard it could hammer nails, little girl! Don¡¯t worry, I know what you need.¡± He promised. Where he¡¯d been taking things slow before our little talk, this time there was a desperation, a frantic need driving him. Instead of the slow, gentleslide of my shirt up my body, he grasped it in his two huge hands and ripped it straight down the middle, forcing a gasp from my lips. And the fierce hunger in his eyes as he stared down at my bouncing tits had slick gushing from my core. Onerge, calloused hand dropped between my legs, stroking from my knee to the apex of my thigh. A deep goran left him when his fingers trailed through my slick, the evidence of the way my body craved his touch. A quick flick of his wrist was all it took to rid me of mycy thong. ¡°So wet!¡± He breathed out appreciatively. ¡°Is that all for me, my little Omega?¡± ¡°Y-, yes.¡± I whimpered. ¡°Tell me then. Tell me how wet you are, just for me.¡± Hemanded. ¡°I-, I-¡± I felt the mes on my cheeks, blushing hard at the words he wanted me to say. Colton dipped his fingers into my folds with light, teasing touches. My hips thrust against his hand, seeking more pressure, more friction, just more. But he pulled back, then circled one barely- there fingertip around my entrance, driving me out of my mind with need for him to plunge it inside. ¡°Let me hear you say it, love.¡± He coaxed some more. ¡°I¡¯m so wet for you, Colt. Only you.¡± I somehow managed to utter the words he wanted to hear. ¡°Fuck!¡± He groaned, crushing his lips to mine at the same moment he mmed one thick finger in my slippery hole. ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes!¡± I moaned wantonly as he pumped into my weeping pussy roughly. ¡°So tight.¡± he grunted, almost sounding pained. ¡°Have to get this sweet little cunt ready to take my cock, don¡¯t we baby?¡± ¡°Yes, Want your cock so-, aah!¡± I cried out when he added a second finger and a third, stretching me wide, the sting taking me by surprise. ¡°Shh! Rx, love.¡± He cooed, ¡°Open up for me. That¡¯s it.¡± The pain subsided quickly, reced with only pleasure and a burning, aching need for his cock stretching me even more. Colton¡¯s mouth closed around one peaked nippled, sucking it hard and grazing his teeth over the sensitive bud. Between the exquisite feeling of fullness between my legs and his mouth on my tit, I was nearing the edge, about to fall over any minute. Then he stroked a thumb over my pulsing clit and a scream tore from my lips. ¡°Such a greedy little pussy, sucking my fingers in, mping down on them so tight. Your pussy is hungry for my cock isn¡¯t it, baby?¡± Colton¡¯s dirty talk alone nearly made mee. ¡°Come for me, little Omega. Just once then you can have my cock. Okay, baby?¡± It was a rhetorical question. One I couldn¡¯t answer if my life depended on it, a string of incoherent mumbles the only sound I was capable of making. Colton increased the pressure on my clit while thrusting his fingers into me faster and harder. And suddenly, my vision went white and I came so hard it felt like my entire soul left my body.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s it, my beautiful girl. So perfect. Such a good little Omega.¡± Colton praised, holding me close with one arm while his other hand never slowed as he fucked me through the rise and fall of my orgasm. My wolf preened under our mate¡¯s sweet words and I couldn¡¯t hold back the satisfied grin on my face. When my body had mostly stilled, Colton stood from the bed, his eyes never leaving mine as he moved away. A soft whine bubbled up at the distance between us but it died on my lips when Colton peeled off his clothes. A smug smirk etched his features at my obvious appreciation of his fit physique. But as he shoved down his sweats, allowing his extremelyrge erection to spring up between us, I couldn¡¯t mask the fear in my eyes. We¡¯d seen each other naked before and I¡¯d definitely felt his considerable size against my thigh, grinding into my pussy. But I¡¯d always tried not to stare. I¡¯d never seen it up close and personal, and never with the knowledge that he was about to put it inside me. It was long and thick, with ropelike veins running along the underside. The head was swollen and pulsing angrily, beads of cum dripping from the slit. The sight of it made my mouth water and my thighs quiver but my heart raced nervously. ¡°It will be okay, Mal. I promise you can take me.¡± He vowed, climbing up the bed and resting his forehead on mine. I let the weight of his body on minefort me, a strong presence that made me feel safe. Taking slow, deep breaths, I reminded myself we were fated mates. Surely Selene would notgive me a mate I couldn¡¯t, um. procreate with, right? Colton slipped his arms underneath me and rolled me on top of him. Keeping me held tight against him with one arm around my waist, his other hand slid to the back of my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair. He nted soft, sweet kisses on my lips as he looked adoringly up at me. ¡°Lift your hips, love.¡± He instructed, helping me to pull my knees up underneath me. ¡°Good girl! Now reach down and put my cock at your entrance, baby.¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯m going to be on top? But I-, I don¡¯t know how.¡± I stammered. ¡°That¡¯s okay, my innocent little Omega. I¡¯ll help you.¡± He soothed, ¡± This way you can control the pace until you¡¯refortable.¡± ¡°O-, okay.¡± I did as he said, wrapping my small hand around his girthy shaft and lining it up with my core. Colton pulsed against my opening in short strokes to coat himself with my slick but not going further. Then his hands went to my hips to help me slide back on his enormous member. ¡°Fuck!¡± Colton hissed as he inched inside my tight channel. ¡°You feel so incredible love, Your pussy is fucking perfect!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± I started to say when I felt his tip press against my barrier, but again, Colton knew what I needed before I could ask. ¡°Hold still, baby. I¡¯m going to push all the way in. Just a pinch and then I promise to make you feel so good!¡± He tightened his grip on my hips and thrust up into me hard. True to his word, a pinch of pain had me gasping in surprise but it was quickly reced with the most delicious stretch. ¡°How do you feel, love?¡± Colton checked in ¡°So full.¡± I moaned, ¡°So good.¡± ¡°You look so beautiful taking my cock.¡± He whispered reverently. ¡°You can move when you¡¯re ready, baby. Experiment and discover what feels good to you. Use me for your pleasure.¡± Timidly at first, I started to move my hips, back and forth, and then in a swirling motion. It all felt amazing and from the grunts and groansing from Colton, it seemed he felt the same. ¡°Try sitting up. Ride me love.¡± §¯§Ö encouraged me. A deep, sensual moan left me as I followed hismand, a whole new level of pleasure flooding me with the change in position. I rose up on my knees then slowly lowered back down, gradually increasing my pace, testing my new power, while Colton guided me with his hands. He was hitting a ce inside me that felt like pure fucking heaven and I couldn¡¯t get enough. I moved faster and faster until I was bouncing on his cock, mming down in powerful strokes, chasing the high that felt just out of reach. But before I could get there, Colton let out a possessive roar and flipped my on my back ¡°Sorry, love but my wolf needs to be in control.¡± He said as he mmed back into me, taking my breath away. ¡°You have no fucking idea how crazy you¡¯re making me, riding my cock like a damn Goddess. You¡¯re fucking stunning, mysweet little mate.¡± Colton! Oh fuck! I-, I need toe.¡± I cried. ¡°I know, baby. We¡¯re almost there. Just a few more fuck!¡± He growled as his cock pulsed inside me. The way the head of his cock throbbed against my special ce with every stroke sent me crashing into oblivion, my pussy clenching so tight around him and forcing a groan from his lips as strings of hot cum painted my walls, each spurt like a brand on my soul. My own release seemed to go on and on as he fucked me through it, pushing me from one orgasm into the next. With every rock of his hips, his crotch smashed into my clit until I was nearly sobbing with pleasure. ¡°Colton, please! I can¡¯t¡­ too sensitive,¡± I panted out as I struggledtoe down but he swallowed my pleas with a searing kiss, fucking me until I was nothing more than a trembling mess. ¡°You can! Give me one more, love. I need it.¡± He pushed. ¡°Need to see that Goddess damn beautiful look on your face as youe for me until you¡¯re ruined for anyone else. I was sure I couldn¡¯t survive another orgasm but my traitorous body bowed to his will. I came again, calling his name in more of a whine than a shout of ecstasy. Then finally, blissfully, he copsed on top of me, breathing hard as he recovered from his own sweet form of torture. ¡°Fuck! That was incredible! You are incredible, my little Omega.¡± Colton extolled. ¡°That was amazing, Colt! ¡± I gushed, my voice full of wonder. ¡°I had no ideait could be that good. Is it always like that?¡± ¡°Not for everyone. It¡¯s never been that good for me before. I¡¯m g;ad to hear you enjoyed yourself.¡± He said with a smug smirk on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think my ego could take it if you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°When can we do it again?¡± I asked eagerly. ¡°Soon love.¡± He answered, nuzzling me and kissing my cheek when I pouted at him. ¡°But you¡¯re going to be sore tomorrow and right now you need to rest.¡± With that he curled his massive body around me, holding me tight against his chest and stroking my hair until we both dropped off to sleep. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 54 by Cara Anderson Ch. 54 Art Of Love y¡¯s POV I sat in a chair at the end of Mallory¡¯s bed, watching her sleep in my brother¡¯s arms. She was supposed to meet me at the packhouse this morning. So when she didn¡¯t show up I got worried and rushed over to check on her. I assumed maybe she was still too exhausted from her ordeal to keep our appointment. Thest thing I expected was to find Colton in her bed with the smell of sex still lingering in the air. Seeing the absolute contentment on my mate¡¯s face had me fighting a war in my head. Cary and I had hoped for so long that Colton woulde around, ept our mate and eliminate the only roadblock to our happiness aside from Mal¡¯s own reluctance. And by all appearances, he hade around. At the same time, I couldn¡¯t deny the jealousy and anger I felt at the thought of him fucking her. Since the mate bond snapped in, he¡¯d done nothing but cause her pain, from outright ignoring her to making her promises he didn¡¯t keep. If he ran back to Darcy after this, it would break her. Meanwhile, Cary and I had fought for her. We¡¯d apologized countless times and made sure she knew how much we wanted her. We¡¯d been there for her when she¡¯d gone through a brutal shift, when she¡¯d learned her true identity, and when she¡¯did half-dead in a hospital bed. But still, she¡¯d held herself back from us. The thought that she¡¯d forgiven him so easily, granted him a privilege he didn¡¯t deserve, it made me fucking furious. He¡¯d done nothing to earn her forgiveness and he sure as hell didn¡¯t deserve her virginity. Besides, we¡¯d always promised each other that when we found our Luna, we¡¯d all be there for our first time. No one would be left out. At the very least, he should have honored thatmitment. ¡°Colton?¡± Mallory sat up in bed, bleary -eyed but still panicked that he¡¯d left her again. The uncertainty on her face broke my heart. She should never have to second guess ourmitment to her, fear our absence. She should never have to wonder if she was enough to make us stay. I hated that she felt that way, even for a minute. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s still here.¡± I confirmed for her, the sound of my voice startling her. ¡°Fuck! y, you scared the shit out of me!¡± She hissed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t show up for our meeting and I was worried. The better question is, what is he doing here?¡± I nodded at Colton, still passed out in the bed. As if he knew he had an audience, he rolled over and snuggled into Mallory¡¯s side. Another re of envy reared up inside me at the sight. I wanted her to want me that way, to findfort in my embrace like she obviously did in his. Still, I worked hard to tamp it down, telling myself her happiness was all that mattered. ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± She asked, noticing the biting edge to my tone. I scrubbed my hands over my face, blowing out a heavy sigh. I knew I shouldn¡¯t unload my feelings on her but they were like an oing train bearing down on me and I was powerless to stop them. ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± I snapped. ¡± Because you slept with Colton after he denied your bond, used you, then went back to Darcy? Because Cary and I have been all in from day one, body and soul, yet you keep us at arm¡¯s length? Or maybe because though you¡¯re mated to all of us, you gave your first time to Colton, and didn¡¯t even allow us to be there.¡± ¡°y I didn¡¯t-, it wasn¡¯t-,¡± She struggled to exin herself and it may have been petty not to give her more of a chance, but I was too irritated at the moment. ¡°You know what? Never mind. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I bit out, cutting her off. ¡°You¡¯re obviously fine so I¡¯ll head out. Tell my brother I¡¯d like to see him when he wakes up.¡± I got up and walked out the door. Even when I heard her whimper my name Ikept going, though it nearly killed me to do so. But staying would have been a mistake given my mood. I would only say something I would regret and I¡¯d done enough of that already. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed under my breath as soon as I was out the front door. I¡¯d barely made it to my car when Cary¡¯s voice entered my head, no doubt feeling the anger and resentment I carried. ¡°y? Where are you? What¡¯s going on?¡± He pushed. ¡°He slept with her!¡± I snarled. ¡°He fucking slept with her without us and she let him.¡± ¡°What? Who?¡± He asked in confusion. ¡°Colton! He fucked Malloryst night!¡± I roared in a rage. ¡°Oh.¡± Cary paused, seeming to gather his thoughts. ¡°I felt his happiness through our triplet bond but I just assumed he was with Darcy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say? Where¡¯s the outrage? The famous Cary Collins temper?¡± I pressed, outraged enough for both of us. ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t that the oue we were hoping for? That he would finally acknowledge his feelings for her?¡± Cary questioned. ¡°Right!¡± I snorted. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t go running back to Darcy again. And what about our promise to each other that no one would be left out when we mated our Luna?¡± ¡°Sure, I wish it would have gone down differently. I wish I could have been there. Hell, I wish it could have been me her first time. But y, I love her. However she needs this to happen, aslong as she chooses all of us in the end, I¡¯ll deal with it.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Well fuck! Schooled in the art of love by my little brother. If any of us were usually the selfish prick, it was him. But here he was putting his own wants and needs aside for our mate. I wasn¡¯t too proud to admit I was a little ashamed of myself. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll fucking deny it to my dying breath, but you¡¯re right.¡± I admitted. ¡°Fuck! I need to apologize to Mal. But Colton¡¯s still on my shit list.¡± ¡°Damn right he is. He fucked up big time!¡± Cary agreed. An hourter, Colton finally came strolling into my office. The fucker was actually whistling as he approached. Whistling! Colton never whistled. It only made me want to strangle him more. He was wearing a huge grin when he rounded the corner but it fell from his face the second he saw the murderous looks Cary and I wore. We both red at him, arms crossed over our chests and our wolves in our eyes. I could tell it unnerved him though he would never admit it. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you two?¡± He barked, putting on the tough Alpha act. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know the answer to that question? Because if you don¡¯t, you¡¯re not the brother I thought you were.¡± I retorted. ¡°I smelled you in Mal¡¯s room this morning. You were there. Why didn¡¯t you talk to me then?¡± He questioned, his eyes searching my face for answers to my mood. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of waking you up. You looked quite cozy in OUR mate¡¯sbed after spending the night with OUR Luna!¡± I replied, heavy on the sarcasm. ¡°I thought this was what you wanted! I thought you¡¯d be happy I was finally pulling my head out of my ass! And it¡¯s not like the two of you haven¡¯t spent the night with her without me!¡± He returned the usation. ¡°That¡¯s not fair, Colt!¡± Cary jumped in. ¡°You didn¡¯t want her. We would have loved for you to be there. It was your choice not to be. ¡°But that¡¯s beside the point. We never fucked her. And we never would have without you there to share in her first time with us. We made a promise, remember?¡± For the briefest moment guilt seemed to gue him. But an indignant stoicism reced it just as quickly. ¡°Is that so? Are you sure about that, brother?¡± Colton countered. ¡°Of course! We made a triplet vow. We¡¯ve never broken one. Not ever!¡± Cary reminded him. ¡°What¡¯s a vow between brothers in the face of your mate looking at you with those gorgeous hazel doe-eyes, telling you she needs you in that soft, silky voice of hers?¡± He taunted. ¡°Lie to me all you want but you can¡¯t lie to yourself. No way you¡¯d say no to that and there was no way I was going to. I¡¯ve already held too much of myself back from her. I couldn¡¯t stand the look of rejection in her eyes if I¡¯d said no. I never want to see that look from her again!¡± Part of me could understand his argument, could put myself in his shoes and consider what it would feel like to disappoint our mate. I wouldn¡¯tbe able to take seeing her hurt or dejected if I had the power to change it, to take her pain away. And I could totally rte to that all-consuming ability she had to make me forget everything and everyone else when I was with her. But I was way too stubborn to admit that to him so the best I could do was to let it go. Not before issuing a threat, though. ¡°I hope you meant it when you said you won¡¯t hold back from her anymore. Because you can¡¯t hurt her again, not after this. If you do, the fact that we share the same DNA won¡¯t be enough to protect you from me!¡± ¡°Whew!¡± Cary blew out animatedly. ¡± Now that we¡¯ve all aired our grievances and outlined grounds for retribution, can we get to the more interesting details?¡± Colton and I both turned to him with raised eyebrows, waiting for him to borate. ¡°Come on, bro! You took our mate¡¯s virginity. The least you can do is tell us every scious, sensual detail so we can live vicariously.¡± Cary prompted, clearly not holding a grudge as long as Colton agreed to kiss and tell. Colton¡¯s lips curled up in a satisfied smile and his eyes took on a far away look like he was reliving every moment with our mate. Just imagining what he was seeing in his mind¡¯s eye had my cock trying to escape through my zipper. I found I was as anxious to hear it as Cary was. ¡°She was .. fucking perfect. It¡¯s the only word that evenes close. Fuck! Just thinking about how wet she was for me, how responsive she was to my touch, how her perfect pussy was sotight it nearly strangled my cock, I coulde in my pants right now!¡± ¡°d you¡¯re seeing things the way we do. Our mate is a fucking Goddess!¡± I shared my unbiased opinion. ¡°And we get to spend the rest of our lives kissing those plush lips, feeling all her soft skin, holding her luscious curves against all our rough edges.¡± ¡°And tasting her delicious pussy, hearing her scream our names when shees. Fuck, we¡¯re lucky bastards!¡± Cary added. We were all hard and aching for our mate. Until Colton said the one thing that had us all, literally and metaphorically, deting. ¡°If she chooses us.¡± Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 55 by Cara Anderson Ch. 55 Marry Or Die Mallory¡¯s POV Waking up to find Colton still in my bed did funny things to my insides. The fear I¡¯d subconsciously buried that he would regret what we¡¯d done, run back to Darcy and beg her forgiveness, was instantly alleviated when I found he hadn¡¯t left. I liked waking up in his arms, perhaps a little too much. But despite finding his fabulous bodid out next to me, his deliciouslyripped torso on disy with thebedsheet draped just below his v-line, Icouldn¡¯t ignore the fact that what I feltfor him went well beyond lust. Andwith that truth came an even harderone to face. I had to tell Nathan. Couple that realization with the fact that a very pissed off y had just all but stomped out of my room, the day was not shaping up to be thezy,peaceful one I¡¯d hoped for. But when Colton woke up, his eyes searching for mine and sparkling with so much adoration, I decided to shove all of that to the back of my mind, at least for a little while. ¡°Good morning, little Omega. How¡¯d you sleep?¡± He asked, rolling on top of me and burying his face in my neck. ¡°Um, not too bad I guess. How about you?¡± I answered cheekily, squirming and squealing when he tickled my sides. ¡°Best night of my fucking life.¡± His eyes held a seriousness as they bored into me and I had a feeling he was referring to more than just a good night¡¯s sleep. ¡°Me too.¡± I whispered, brushing my fingers through his hair, enjoying the way it slipped through my fingers like silk. Colton rolled to his side, pulling me with him. Weid there quietly, just looking into each other¡¯s eyes for the longest time, speaking without words. I wanted to trust the joy, relief, maybe even love I saw in his gorgeous blues but it was going to take time. ¡°Why do I smell y?¡± He finally broke the silence. ¡°Oh. He was here earlier but didn¡¯t want to wake you. He said to tell you he wants to talk to you. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s very happy with us for some reason.¡± I admitted.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, little one. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s me he¡¯s upset with. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± He reassured me. ¡°I have to go back to the packhouse soon anyway. We still need to question the men we¡¯re holding from your¡­¡± His words died out but the memory came mming back to the front of mymind. My near abduction. I couldn¡¯t help the tremble that rippled through me at the recollection. Colton held me tighter while I worked to rx. ¡°I want to go with you.¡± I insisted. ¡°Mallory I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± He argued. ¡°Colton, you can take me with you will drive myself. I need to be there, need to know the second you find out anything.¡± I countered stubbornly. or I ¡°Fine.¡± He blew out a long breath, giving in but not happily. We dressed quickly and Colton waited while I washed my face and brushed my teeth and hair. Then, hand in hand, we walked through the house and out the front door, my mom grinning like a cheetah as we walked by. As soon as we were in the car, he turned a heated gaze on me. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone back for your things if there¡¯s anything you need. You¡¯ll be staying in my bed tonight.¡± His tone made it clear he wasn¡¯t giving me a choice and something about it made my insides melt and my pussy leak. My cheeks burned and my body flushed at the insinuation of what would be happeningter. My voice had abandoned ship so all I could do was nod. Luna Erika greeted me with a hug when we walked into the packhouse together. When Colton kissed my cheek before heading upstairs, a self-satisfied smirk shed across her face before schooling her features. ¡°Have you had breakfast, dear? I was just going to whip something up.¡± She said, taking my hand and pulling me along without waiting for an answer. I put together some tea and pastries while she made us omelets. Then we ate together, chatting about nothing in particr. I could tell she was waiting for me to tell her what was going on between her sons and I but I had no idea what to say so I just kept shoveling food into my mouth. When I couldn¡¯t possibly eat another bite, I insisted on helping her clean up before excusing myself to find my mates. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Keep your secrets. I¡¯ll find out sooner orter,¡± She chided as I walked away. I just shook my head at her antics. Luna was like a second mom to me and I knew she couldn¡¯t be happier I was mated to her boys. I just hoped we didn¡¯t disappoint her in the end. As I neared the office, I could hear muffled voices but they wentsuspiciously silent as soon as I entered the room. ¡°What were you guys talking about?¡± I asked point nk, watching them squirm nervously. ¡°Nothing, darling.¡± Cary offered first, ¡± Just discussing strategy for questioning the prisoners.¡± I wasn¡¯t quite sure I bought that answer but it served my purpose so I went with it. ¡°I¡¯ming with you!¡± I demanded forcefully. ¡°And before any of you give me some bullshit about why it¡¯s too dangerous, don¡¯t bother. Despite Colton¡¯s reluctance to acknowledge it, I¡¯m an Alpha too and I can handle it.¡± I winked at the man in question so he would know I didn¡¯t mind the nickname. But it was one thing to affectionately call me Omega as long asthey didn¡¯t treat me like one. I was not being left out of this. ¡°But it is dangerous, little wolf.¡± y challenged. ¡°Aren¡¯t they behind bars? Are you saying your security measures are inadequate?¡± I taunted, hitting them where it hurt, right in the ego. ¡°Damn it woman. Let¡¯s go¡± Colton huffed, standing and holding out his hand. I sent y and Cary a devious smirk over my shoulder as I let Colton lead me out the door. Cary fixed me with a re that said I would be in trouble for thister. Somehow I couldn¡¯t find it in me to care too much about that possibility. When we entered the cells, the stench of rogue immediately wafted over me, making me gag. The further we went,the more potent the odor became. I was hoping I could get through the interrogation without vomiting. But despite the pungent smell, I was surprised to find myself face to face with two men who were, for the most part, clean and well dressed. y must have registered my questioning look when I nced his way because he took it on himself to exin. ¡°You would have clocked rogues from a mile away. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d taken scent blockers which have now worn off. And of course their employer would have ensured they didn¡¯t look out of ce so they could enter the diner without raising suspicion.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± I breathed out. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t our mark,e to offer herself up to us.¡± One of them sneered. He was leering at me with obvious lust and it made my skin crawl but I maintained a nk stare as I looked back at him. ¡°Who are you and what do you want with me?¡± I asked calmly. ¡°Oh sweetheart, surely you already know the answer to that.¡± The shorter, heavier one answered. ¡°Humor me.¡± I retorted. ¡°Oh we n to. And you¡¯ll love every minute of it.¡± He chuckledsciviously. Three furious growls ripped through the air, my mates crowding into me and practically crushing me between them. The only upside was their scent was so close, so powerful it almost drowned out the smell of rogue filling my nostrils. ¡°You¡¯ll live as long as you¡¯re useful, rogue. But if you even try to touch her,I¡¯ll chop you in tiny pieces and leave you for the scavengers to pick over.¡± Cary snarled. I twined my arms around him, rubbing his chest and willing him to calm down. If this devolved into a pissing match, I wouldn¡¯t get my answers. ¡°As appealing as that thought is, it doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡± I pushed. ¡°Well, allow me to honor your request.¡± The tall, skinny one responded. ¡°Alpha Quade sent us to collect you and deliver you to him. He may have mentioned his ns for you once or twice.¡± ¡°What ns?¡± I tried not to let my voice shake now that all our suspicions were confirmed. ¡°He said you¡¯ll have two choices: Marry him and be his Luna or die. Personally, I hope you choose optiontwo. You see, he promised we could y with you a bit before we ended you. We were hoping we might convince him to extend our time together, especially now that I see what he¡¯s offering.¡± He leered at me. Colton¡¯s hand was through the metal bars and around the foul-mouthed rogue¡¯s throat before I could blink. I watched as his face turned red then blue then a garish shade of purple while Colton choked the life out of him. His body hit the ground with a sickening thunk when my furious mate finally released him. ¡°Won¡¯t change what¡¯sing.¡± The other one sing-songed. ¡°How do you think we got to her in the first ce? It¡¯s only a matter of time before it happens again. And next time he won¡¯t fail.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take him down long before that happens.¡± y countered. ¡°But you won¡¯t be around to see it.¡± Then he reached through the bars with both hands and deftly snapped the rogue¡¯s neck. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 56 by Cara Anderson Ch. 56 Hungry Wolves Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°You go nowhere without one of us with you! Do you understand?¡± Cary barked at me before the rogue¡¯s body ever hit the ground. ¡°Y-, yeah, o-, okay.¡± I stammered, my teeth chattering away under the influence of the adrenaline unleashed on my system. Ice cold terror sent a rush of fight or flight hormones coursing through me as the rogue¡¯s words reyed on a loop through my mind. Marry him or die. Marry him or die. I couldn¡¯t stop hearing it in that gruff, hateful voice knowing that was the fate awaiting me if he¡¯d managed to abduct me. None of my training prepared me for a depraved Alpha whose sole purpose now centered on destroying me. He¡¯d alreadye close to seeding once. How could anyone protect me from an evil we couldn¡¯t see but who could obviously see me? I hated showing any kind of weakness in front of these men, aware they viewed any kind of frailty as a fatal w. I tried drawing strength from my wolf, but she was content to y the damsel in distress. In her mind, allowing our mates to care for us was nothing more than their due. ¡°Shit! She¡¯s in shock! We need to get her out of here!¡± y¡¯s voice sounded distant as I felt the walls closing in around me, the air too thick to breathe. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, darling.¡± Cary cooed, lifting me in his arms and carrying me upstairs. His arms tightened around me as the shaking intensified but I doubted even his strength would be enough to hold me together. My muscles ached as thectic acid seeped into my tissues,brought on by the violent tremors. I needed to pull my shit together but my body seemed trapped in a vicious cycle of fear.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Deep breaths, little wolf.¡± y encouraged and I did my best to obey. ¡± There you go. We¡¯re right here and we won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t promise me that.¡± I muttered. ¡°You heard the rogue. Somehow he¡¯s watching me.¡± A renewed dread spiked again and I twisted in Cary¡¯s arms, looking around wildly, expecting to see malicious eyes everywhere. But the only eyes I saw were those of my mates, brimming with concern. ¡°We can promise you that, love. We were naive in sending you to that meeting but that won¡¯t happen again.¡± y assured me again then nudged his brother. ¡°Cary, call Maeve and have her pack some things for her and Mallory. We¡¯ll send a couple warriors to pick her up. She and Mallory will both be staying here where we can keep them both safe.¡± Cary¡¯s fingers dug into my flesh to the point of pain. He red at y like he¡¯d just asked him to give up a precious jewel he had no intention of relinquishing. I wasn¡¯t sure what passed between them as they stared at each other, but eventually Cary nodded and his grip on me eased. 2 ¡°Thank you.¡± I whispered as Cary ced me in Colton¡¯s arms with a kiss on the head and a vow to return shortly. It was all I had a chance to say before he left to contact my mother but I hoped he understood everything those words epassed. I had yet to ept our bond and mate or not, they owed me nothing. They¡¯d been nothing but supportive and caring, even when I¡¯d been less than gracious about it, and now they were inviting us into theirhome. ¡°Come on, little Omega. You need to rest.¡± Colton purred, carrying me to a room that reeked of furniture polish and other household chemicals, but not him. ¡°I thought I was sleeping in your bed tonight?¡± I said, smiling wanly, a poor attempt to lighten the mood. ¡°I just assumed, since you¡¯ll be staying here a while, you¡¯d want your own space.¡± He replied,ying me on the bed and looking at me with worry and something like regret in his cobalt blue eyes. ¡°Will you stay with me?¡± I did my best not to whine when he went to stand, an unease growing in my gut as he moved away from me. ¡°Of course, baby.¡± He grinned, appearing pleased I¡¯d asked for him. Then his eyes hardened. ¡°But just until you fall asleep. My brothers and I needto talk, work out a n to make sure no one touches you again.¡± Colton forced the words through gritted teeth, his fists clenched at his sides. I reached for him, pulling him into me and wrapping my body around his, as if I could trap him there, keep him with me forever. His muscles rxed and his breathing slowed as he melted into me. Inside, Iughed to myself at how quickly the tables had turned and I had be theforter. My body and mind were exhausted after the day¡¯s events and it didn¡¯t take long for me to sink into blessed oblivion. I had no concept of time when consciousness slowly crept back in. All I could sense were the heated voices wereing from somewhere across the hall. ¡°Maybe she shoulde stay with me at Winter Woods.¡± A familiar voice suggested. Nathan? When had Nathan gotten here? ¡°Not just no. Fuck no!¡± Cary bellowed. ¡± Not only am I not stupid enough to send my mate to stay with her ex- boyfriend. You don¡¯t have the resources to protect her that we have here.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m the ex-boyfriend, now? Good to know.¡± Nathan sounded angry and hurt. ¡°What are you so afraid of Carrington? Worried she might not be as over me as you like to think she is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s you I don¡¯t trust. Not her.¡± Cary snarled. My old friend Guilt visited me again after hearing the pain behind Nathan¡¯s words. Given what happened between Colton and Ist night, I could understand why Cary would assume my romantic rtionship with Nathan was over. But he should have given me the chance to tell him myself. ¡°Look, none of this is helping us figure out how Alpha Quade learned ofMallory¡¯s existence, let alone know she would be at that diner.¡± y interjected. ¡°We need to find out who is feeding him information.¡± ¡°I have to go.¡± Colton spoke that time, a resignation in his tone I didn¡¯t like but couldn¡¯t put my finger on why. I heard the snick of the office door closing followed by footstepsing in my direction. Despite having listened to their angst-ridden conversation, I was still having trouble convincing my eyelids to open. So when Colton came to sit beside me on the bed, they fluttered but refused to focus on his handsome face no matter how much I wanted them to. ¡°I love you, little Omega.¡± He whispered, stroking my arm with the back of his hand, warmth seeping into me from his touch. ¡°Whatever happens next, I need you to know that. I have to leave for a while and you might hate me by the time Ie home. But that¡¯sokay. I can live with that as long as I know you¡¯re safe.¡± He leaned in and kissed my forehead then his weight lifted from the bed. I wanted to reach for him, to beg him to stay. I wanted to insist he exin himself. How could he leave when I needed him here with me? But my body wouldn¡¯t cooperate. I floated in that disorienting space between sleep and wakefulness, not sure what was real or imagined. And before I could choose, my body chose for me, sleep pulling me under again. ¡°Hello, beautiful!¡± Cary¡¯s smiling face greeted me when I opened my eyes again, this time fully awake. ¡°Hi.¡± I greeted with a weak smile. ¡± How long was I out?¡± ¡°About six hours.¡± He informed me. ¡± You needed the rest,¡± I nodded, struggling to clear my head. Something stirred in the back of my mind, a memory I couldn¡¯t quitetch onto. Then all at once, it came back to me. ¡°Where¡¯s Colton?¡± I blurted, failing to keep the panic in check. Something shed in Cary¡¯s eyes, pity maybe, but he reced it with a hard stare. ¡°He left a few hours ago. He didn¡¯t say where he was going and his mind is locked down tight. We haven¡¯t been able to reach him.¡± He ground out, obviously less than thrilled with the oldest triplet¡¯s behavior. ¡°I see.¡± It was all I could say. The vague recollection of Colton¡¯s words simmered in my mind. I clearly recalled him saying he had to leave and wanting me to be safe but I had no idea what one had to do with the other. None of it made any sense. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up.¡± y announced, joining us in the room. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Is Nathan still here?¡± I asked, ignoring his question. ¡°I thought I heard his voice earlier.¡± y lifted me into hisp and nuzzled into my hair,forting me in a way I couldn¡¯t find the will to deny myself. I linked my arms around his neck and held him close to me. Cary scooted in behind us and slipped his arms around my waist, holding me from behind. ¡°He had to go, darling. He said he¡¯lle by tomorrow though.¡± Cary murmured, his lips brushing my ear in a heated whisper. Their scents surrounding me, their bodies pressed against mine, were lighting a me in my belly and sending pleasurable tingles straight to my pussy. y grunted when I squirmed in hisp, pulling back tosearch my face, his chest rumbling at the desire he saw there. ¡°Take me to your bed.¡± I implored in a low, sultry tone. ¡°Both of you.¡± ¡°Are you sure, little wolf? You¡¯ve had a rough day. Maybe we should-,¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± I interrupted y¡¯s unnecessary hesitation. ¡°I want you to hold me in your arms. Make me feel safe. Make me forget what¡¯sing for me. Just for tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ours now, darling. This is your home too. We¡¯ll take you to our bed, love.¡± Cary wrenched me from y¡¯s grasp, nearly sprinting from the room. A blissfully carefreeugh slipped out as I hooked my legs around his waist and held on for dear life. y kept pace with us, one hand on my back as he refused to be left behind. y jumped ahead of us, pushing open a door and holding it open for us. ¡°Really dude?¡± Cary huffed at him for some unknown offense. ¡°What? She asked me first. It¡¯s only fair we use my room.¡± He said, shrugging off his brother¡¯s irritation. ¡°I can go back to my room if this is a problem.¡± I offered. ¡°No!¡± y rushed out. ¡°No problem at all, darling.¡± Cary backtracked. The next thing I knew, I was being tossed on the bed, an udylike yelp escaping me. My body bounced a few times before I could get my bearings. When I finally looked up, there were two very hungry wolves looking at me like I was their favorite meal. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 57 by Cara Anderson Ch. 57 Never Let You Go Cary¡¯s POV I looked down at my gorgeous mate and a whirlwind of emotions rushed through me, making me gasp for air. Sex with someone I cared about was a foreign concept to me. But this was my mate and I¡¯d never cared for anyone more. Not that our mate bond was the determining factor. I¡¯d wanted Mallory for as long as I could remember, and not just for one night. Looking back, that had terrified me a little. It had been easier to make her hate me than to finally have her in my arms just to lose when her I inevitably fucked it up. But I wouldn¡¯t fuck it up now. I couldn¡¯t. Nothing in this life mattered to me and my wolf more than this woman¡¯s happiness. I¡¯d die before I hurt her again. Mallory reached for me and I felt like my heart would soar right out of my chest. This stunning creature actually wanted me, needed me. That humbling thought almost brought me to my knees. Roan, on the other hand, was prancing around in my head like the conceited bastard he was. I took Mallory¡¯s hand and let her pull me down on top of her. y was stretched out beside her, kissing her cheek, her jaw, her neck. But I just stared at her in awe, taking in every detail andmitting it to memory. The way the golden starburst in her eyes came to life, shining with desire. The way her skin flushed under my heated gaze and the perfect feel of her softness against all my hard lines and nes. ¡°Cary, y.¡± Mal whispered our names like a prayer, like her soul was empty without us to fill it. I knew there was one other she needed as well, would never be whole without, but once again he wasn¡¯t here. y and I would do our best to fill that gap and make sure he wasn¡¯t missed. ¡°What do you want, little wolf?¡± y answered her call. ¡°You. I want both of you.¡± She replied breathily, press ing her lips to his. My brother responded aggressively, capturing her face in his huge hands and attacking her lips like he was starving for her. I could feel everything he felt through our bond, could almost taste her on my tongue as his twined with hers. Fuck it was hot! I rocked my hips against Mallory¡¯s, grinding my hard length against her pussy while y swallowed her moans. My lips trailed above the neckline of her shirt, and I yanked it down to bare her marking spot to my mouth. Shebroke their kiss and cried out when I grazed it with my teeth and sucked hard.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cary! Yes! Oh fuck, y!¡± She moaned, and I didn¡¯t have to look to know he¡¯d found his own spot and wasvishing it with attention. ¡°You like that, darling?¡± I teased, running my teeth and tongue over the spot again. ¡°Yes!¡± The word came out as a squeal when y pinched her nipple through her shirt. My eyes connected with my brother¡¯s and he nodded in understanding. I knelt back on my heels, slowly peeling her pants down her svelte legs. y had much less patience, ripping her shirt at the seams and tossing it aside. Mallory was spread out on the bed, all her dark hair cascading around her. We¡¯d left her in nothing but her whitece bra and panties, her luscious hourss figure on disy for us. Her nipples tightened, straining against thece and an adorable flush traveled down her chest, disappearing between her perfect tits. I¡¯d never seen anything so fucking sexy. y groaned, stroking himself over his pants as he drank her in. I¡¯d thought my own cock was hard before we¡¯d undressed her but now, the voluptuous little vixen had me so rigid my dick felt like solid steel. Lust for her burned like fire in my veins and I knew she could see it zing in our eyes by the way she squirmed as we stared. Then Mallory whimpered, her wolf calling to her mates to satisfy her need, breaking the trance she¡¯d held us in. We both quickly shed the rest of our clothes and crawled to the head of the bed. Mallory¡¯s eyes followed us and we beckoned her to join us. y and I reclined with our backs against the headboard and we settled Mal between us, reclining as well. Then we each took one of her legs and draped it over ours, knees bent and spread open wide for us. Angling our bodies toward her, we caressed her inner thighs, relishing the little mewling sounds she made when we stopped just before reaching her pussy. y was leaving heated kisses on her shoulder and neck while I took her mouth in a steamy kiss. The silk of her tongue sliding against mine and the satin of her skin under my fingertips was the most exquisite sensation. But then she reached over and wrapped her warm hand around my cock, stroking it gently, and I was sure I¡¯d died and gone to heaven. ¡°Fuck, baby!¡± I grunted, breaking our kiss. My eyes dropped to where she worked my cock and her grip tightened under my gaze. She pumped my shaft faster, swiveling her wrist at the tip and I nearly came undone. ¡°Yes! Fuck! Just like that, darling.¡± I urged her on. y¡¯s identical groans told me he was receiving the same treatment. Mal¡¯s head fell back with a wanton moan and I turned to see y had pulled down her bra, exposing her tits. He was rolling and pinching a peaked, rosy bud, eyeing it like a priceless work of art. I licked my lips at the thought of flicking one of those hard little tips with my tongue. As one, we bent our heads to suck on her tight nipples and knead her titswhile she writhed between us. My hand found thecy strap of her thong and pulled, tearing it from her body and baring her smooth pussy. Her panties were soaked as they came away in my hand making me ravenous for a taste of her. ¡°Cary! Oh Goddess!¡± Mallory cried when I released her tit, dragging her nipple between my teeth. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, darling.¡± I teased, pinching her nipple again before dropping between her legs. ¡°I-, you, oh!¡± She stuttered when y twisted her nipple hard. ¡°Look at you, little wolf! Look how beautiful you are with your nipples so hard and your pussy drenched in slick for your Alphas.¡± y murmured to her. ¡°So responsive. So fucking gorgeous.¡± ¡°But I need¡­¡± She trailed off, bucking her hips into my hand as I ran my fingers through her slippery folds. ¡°What do you need, darling?¡± I pushed. ¡°Use your words, baby girl.¡± y ordered, his hand joining mine to y in her juices. ¡°Please!¡± She whimpered needily. ¡± Please make mee!¡± ¡°Our pleasure, darling.¡± I dove into her folds, licking and slurping up the sweet honey dripping from her. y slipped a thick finger inside her, pumping in slow, precise strokes meant to drive her crazy. From the sensual sounds pouring from her, it was clear he was achieving his goal. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby girl. Ride his face. Fuck yourself on my finger. Use us for your pleasure.¡± He encouraged as she thrust wildly against me. My lips closed around her clit, rolling the swollen nub under my tongue. I flicked and sucked at it in a rhythmic pattern just as y added a second finger, stretching her walls and curling his fingers to stroke her just where she needed it. We each tugged on one of her sensitive nipples and it was thest straw, pushing her right over the edge into orgasmic bliss. A thin stream of liquid shot from her pulsing cunt, running down y¡¯s hand. He withdrew his fingers, allowing me to shove my tongue inside her wet heat andp up her cum while he circled her clit, prolonging her release. ¡°Mmm!¡± I moaned, enjoying every delectable drop. ¡°y, I can¡¯t-¡± Mallory whined as he stroked her from one orgasm to the next. ¡°Yes you can, love.¡± He insisted. ¡± You¡¯ll be done when I say you¡¯re done.¡± I let him wring another climax from her while I cleaned her with my tongue before rescuing her from the dominant asshole. ¡°I need to be inside her now, y!¡± I growled, effectively backing him off. ¡°Is that okay with you, little wolf?¡± He looked down at our mate, gauging her reaction. ¡°You want my brother¡¯s cock stretching your tight little pussy?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± She begged and he rewarded her with a gentle kiss. ¡°Good girl!¡± He praised huskily, his voice heavy with emotion.Mating our Luna was a huge step and Iknew he¡¯d been waiting for this moment just as long, if not longer, than I had. I leaned back on my heels and pulled Mallory down so she couldy back on the bed. y stuffed some pillows behind her head, propping her up slightly and making sure she wasfortable. He knew I wanted to see her face when I entered her the first time. I ran my hands up and down her legs, brushing her pussy lips with my thumbs on every pass, working her up until her slick leaked freely again. Her eyes were hooded with lust, her entire body flushed and the evidence of her desire for us coated her thighs. It was erotic as fuck! My need for her was a physical ache, my cock angry and throbbing. But I needed her to know what this meant to me. ¡°Tell me again you want this, Mallory. Because this is it for me. If I mate younow, I¡¯m never letting you go!¡± Then I held my breath, waiting for her response. Resisting the Alpha Triplets Chapter 58 by Cara Anderson Ch. 58 Fireworks Mallory¡¯s POV I¡¯m never letting you go. Cary¡¯s words echoed in my mind as I stared up at him. The affection, need, desire looking back at me was soul-igniting, lighting me up from the inside and leaving me speechless. The longer I contemted the more I could see the worry seeping into his eyes, along with his wolf who was peering out at me. But what was there really to think about? He was my mate, a gift from the Moon Goddess. There may be a long road of healing ahead of us as we work through our past, but I¡¯d been fooling myself to think I could give him, any of them, up without a fight. I reached up to cup his face in my hands and pulled him down to me, pressing my lips to his in a tender kiss. ¡°I want this¡± I breathed out as our lips brushed together. I could feel his answering smile, his lips turning up but never leaving mine. I couldn¡¯t see his smile but I could see the joy in his eyes. He deepened our kiss, his tongue sweeping in to dance with mine, holding my face in his hands like he couldn¡¯t bear to let me go. y ran his fingers through my hair in soothing strokes, a calming bnce to Cary¡¯s intensity. His all-consuming kiss was making me lightheaded and I felt like I might float away. My arm stretched out blindly, searching for y¡¯s other hand to anchor me, a peaceful sigh leaving me when heced his fingers through mine. The kiss went from sweet to searing in a heartbeat, each nipping and tugging at our swollen lips. I was hyper aware of the heavy weight of Cary¡¯s cock on my thigh, long and thick and branding my skin with its heat. When he shifted to drag it through my slick seam, bumping my clit with the tip, I nearly came off the bed. ¡°So greedy, little wolf.¡± y chuckled at me, but Cary broke our kiss and the look in eyes was pure molten fire. ¡°You ready, darling?¡± He rasped out in a deep, sexy voice. ¡°So ready!¡± I answered sultrily. He knelt between my legs then pushed them wide, watching with rapt concentration as he pushed his plush head into my tight hole. I gasped at the sting as I stretched to amodate him, but y turned my head, demanding my attention. ¡°Rx, little wolf.¡± He barked, just short of an Alphamand yet my body obeyed. All my mates were impressive in the manhood department, but Cary seemed to be thergest of the three. A fact that my pussy was bing well acquainted with. It was like having a soda can shoved inside me. While I longed for the exquisite fullness it promised, it was going to take some work to achieve. ¡°Such a good girl. You¡¯re taking me so well.¡± Cary praised as he worked himself inside me in gentle pulses. His thumb found my engorged clit, circling it roughly. Meanwhile y wasving my sensitive nipples with his warm tongue. Though I felt the pinch from Cary stretching me to my limit, the pleasure they were giving me far outweighed the pain. And the juicesleaking from my pussy let him slip in more easily. ¡°Fuck!¡± Cary gritted out when he finally bottomed out, his considerable lengthpletely sheathed inside my warm walls. ¡°So. Fucking. Tight.¡± His jaw was clenched and his eyes squeezed shut as he fought off his release. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think he was in pain but his eyes snapped open, locking with mine and the ecstasy in them mirrored my own. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I whispered, responding to his questioning gaze. ¡°So, so good.¡± ¡°Thank fuck!¡± He blew out his held breath. He withdrew slowly before sliding back in at the same leisurely pace, his gorgeous blue eyes never leaving mine. A few more dragging strokes was all ittook to make me feel like I would lose my mind. I twisted the sheets in my hands, using the leverage to thrust against him faster and harder. ¡°Fuck, Cary! More!¡± I pleaded. He just stared at me, continuing his agonizing tempo and I could feel the growl building in my chest. Then suddenly, his face broke out into a heartstopping grin, his own chest rumbling as he picked up speed. ¡°Anything for you, darling.¡± He conceded, then nodded at y hovering near my head. ¡°But you have another mate that needs your attention. You let me take care of you while you take care of him.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I wrenched my gaze away from Cary to find y¡¯s thick veiny shaft bobbing in my face, pearly pre-cum dripping from the slit. I reached for it, closing my fingers around the base and gentlyguiding him toward my mouth. My tongue flicked out to taste him, a feral hiss escaping his lips. I couldn¡¯t take much of him from my position on my back, but I managed to wrap my lips around the swollen tip, sucking him like a lollipop. ¡°Oh shit! Mal!¡± He groaned, leaning forward to feed me more of his rock hard shaft. I waspletely at their mercy, lost to the erotic sensations they were stirring in me. I opened my mouth as wide as possible, licking and sucking what he gave me while pumping the rest with my hand. Tears streamed down my cheeks when his fat head hit the back of my throat, making me gag. He ran his thumb around my lips as they stretched around his cock, then stroked it along my jaw, looking at me withunadulterated reverence. ¡°You look stunning like this, baby. Your lips around my cock, taking me so well.¡± He cooed. It was all I could do to focus on his words as the tingling in my core sparked and caught fire. Cary punched into me brutally, his hands lifting my hips so he hit my g-spot with every stroke. His pelvis battered my needy clit with every thrust until only one thought invaded my mind. ¡°I need toe. Please!¡± I begged shamelessly. ¡°Fuck, yes! Come for me, love.¡± Cary grunted. We both fell over the edge together, a string of obscenities pouring from him as my pussy mped down on his throbbing cock, milking him with every spasm. I felt my own body shatteringaround me as I screamed his name, My own climax breaking me in the best of ways. y¡¯s cock slipped from my mouth just as Cary dropped his full weight on me. He was heavy but his body felt perfect against mine and I wanted to stay like that forever. But y had other ns, rolling his brother off of me and looking at me with a wicked grin. ¡°My turn.¡± He smirked. In one swift move, y had flipped me onto my stomach and pulled me to my hands and knees. I looked over my shoulder at him in shock at the way he¡¯d just manhandled me but he wasn¡¯t the least bit repentant. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, little wolf. You liked it and you know it.¡± He challenged. I had no argument. My big, strong mate with his big hands gripping my hips tight made me feel safe and cared for, even if he was about to ruin my body more than his brother already had. His hand dipped between my legs, his fingers dragging through the mix of my slick and Cary¡¯s cum, gathering it up and shoving it back inside my with two calloused fingers. The filthy act alone made me a moaning, needy mess. ¡°y! I need you! Please!¡± I whined. He smacked my ass hard then rubbed away the sting. ¡°You¡¯ll have me when I decide you¡¯re ready. Not before.¡± He said gruffly, making my wolf whimper at his tone. ¡± Now you¡¯re going to suck Cary¡¯s cock like a good little girl while I wreck this pussy, aren¡¯t you?¡± I turned my head to see Cary¡¯s cock, thick and long and oozing cum again. I was so stunned to see him hard and throbbing again already that I forgot to answer. Until a crack reverberated through the room and my ass stung again. This time y fucked my cunt with his fingers a few times then dragged them over my tight pucker to coat it before shoving his thumb inside. ¡°Are you going to be good for us, little wolf?¡± He prompted, fucking my ass with his thumb. ¡°Y-, yes!¡± I yelped at the intrusive sensation. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± He chuckled, smacking my ass cheek just hard enough to make it jiggle. I could feel the heat of his stare as he watched what he was doing to me andit was making me ache for him. I whimpered and wiggled my ass, enticing him to enter me but instead he leaned over to whisper in my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you this time. You won¡¯t need a safe word. Just know that the next time I take you I won¡¯t be nearly as tame.¡± He warned, making me both curious and apprehensive. He twisted his hands in my hair and pulled back hard, forcing me to arch my back. Cary grasped my chin, urging me to open my mouth then slipped his fat tip inside. I swirled my tongue around it, slurping up his salty goodness, earning a pleasure-filled groan from him. y released my hair and grabbed both my ass cheeks in his hands, spreading me open to his view. I felt his tip prodding my hole seconds before he mmed inside, burying his cock to thehilt in one stroke. ¡°Oh fuck!¡± I cried out. Since Cary had gone first, I could take him all at once but it was still a stretch. Though it was more shocking than painful. In fact, my walls fluttered like mad at the delicious fullness. ¡°Are you okay, love?¡± y paused to check in with me. ¡°Yes! You feel amazing, baby.¡± I moaned sensually. Whether thepliment or use of the pet name, something I said spurred him on because he pulled out and drove back into me roughly, setting a bruising pace. Cary threaded his fingers in my hair to steady me but let y¡¯s momentum force me to take more of his cock. ¡°Fuck! Your pussy is divine, love.¡± y groaned out, never slowing his thrusts. He was so magnificently deep this way, hitting all the right ces inside me. While his fingers of one hand dug into my ass, he released the other to slide a finger back into my ass, fucking the tight ring in rhythm with his cock in my pussy. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to fuck this tight ass, baby. You¡¯re gonna strangle my cock so good!¡± He grunted, adding another finger, making me feel so full. Maybe Cary will fuck your pussy while I take your ass. Would you like that?¡±¡± I wasn¡¯t sure I would, but in my lust- filled haze, I would probably agree to anything as long as it meant he wouldn¡¯t stop fucking me. Apparently my body was on board because my pussy clenched and I sucked hard on Cary¡¯s cock at his filthy words. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Cary half chuckled, half moaned. I was so close to another life-changing orgasm I almost wanted to cry with desperation. Between the dirty talk and their delicious cocks working me from both ends, I was a puddle of aching need. My pussy pulsed wildly around y as I sucked down every inch Cary gave me, barely able to breathe around him. ¡°Just like that! Fuck I¡¯m gonnae, baby girl.¡± Cary warned but I was too far gone to care. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Your pussy feels too good, little wolf! Not gonnast.¡± y ground out. ¡°Come for me now, love.¡± I was already so close, I couldn¡¯t be sure it was his order that brought on my release, but either way it steamrolled through me. Heat rushedthrough my body like wildfire and lights burst before my eyes like fireworks. I.Saw.Fucking.Fireworks! Both my mates roared my name as their cum poured into me. I swallowed frantically as jets of Cary¡¯s thick cum shot down my throat. y¡¯s seed hit my walls in rope after rope of hot, creamy fluid. In silent agreement, we all copsed on the bed together. Both men pressed as close to me as humanly possible. Wrapping their limbs around me. ¡°Mine.¡± y murmured, burying his face in my neck. ¡°Mine.¡± Cary echoed, nuzzling into my hair. And we all fell asleep, our shared juices dripping from our bodies, each of us seeming to prefer it that way. Chapter 59 by Cara Anderson Ch. 59 Hopeless y¡¯s POV My eyes snapped open in the midnight ck room but my wolf could see as if it were daylight. Mallory was still sleeping soundly in my arms, Cary snoring softly from where heid curled up behind her. His face was still buried in her hair just as mine had been nuzzled against her neck, our wolves craving her scent even in sleep. It was a heady fragrance made even more intoxicating now that it wasbined with ours. Without consistent mating, I knew our scent would fade from hers until she was marked but that was hardly a problem in my mind. Sex with Mallory was fucking incredible. I was already irrevocably addicted in a way I¡¯d never been to anyone or anything else. She¡¯dbe lucky if I ever let her out of my bed again. Still, there was something so surreal about lying in bed, wrapped up in our now fully mated Luna. After years of denying myself this pleasure and being denied by her, I could hardly believe it was finally real. Maybe that was why I was awake in the middle of the night, feeling unnerved and off bnce. My hold automatically tightened on my sleeping mate as my wolf chanted a chorus of Mine, Mine, Mine, in my head. I wasn¡¯t sure what had woken me but something was gnawing at me to hold her close and never let go. Not that I ever intended to, but the feeling was unsettling nheless. Mallory stirred in her sleep, her cheek seeking the firm cushion of my chest. The soft smile and peaceful expression on her face told me she found it afortable as the fluffiest pillow. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from the gorgeous little wolf in my arms, a sense of pride overflowing from every pore that I could provide that for her. ¡°Mate is beautiful.¡± My wolf purred. ¡°Beautiful doesn¡¯t evene close.¡± I returned. Fuck! My cock was so rock solid it was bordering on painful. I didn¡¯t want to wake her but I couldn¡¯t stop myself from shifting beneath her so my hard length pressed against her belly, easing the ache somewhat. Mallory made the cutest little kittenish mewl, like she was letting me know she approved of the move. But momentster, those adorable sounds went from mewls to whimpers to full on sobs. She writhed in my arms as if her body was trying to escape some unseen enemy. Was she in pain orjust having a bad dream? Cary pushed up on his elbow, his eyes still sleep-ridden as he peered down at the little she-wolf causing all themotion. I saw the moment his brain came back online, realizing our tiny mate was in distress and he couldn¡¯t find the cause. He looked around the room wildly, like the darkness surrounding us held the answer. Suddenly, an overwhelming flood of emotions poured into our triplet bond. I nced at Cary but he still wore a perplexed expression. Not the guilt, self -loathing, anger and determination that assaulted me from Colton¡¯s side. Then all at once his features morphed to unchecked fury and I knew he felt it too. The realization of what this was hit me seconds before Mallory woke up screaming. Colton was betraying the bond. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Mallory sat bolt upright in bed, shrieking pitifully as she scratched at her chest right over her heart, a desperate attempt to remove the offending organ. She scrambled out of bed, dropping to her knees on the floor as she continued to cry out. Her ws came out and Cary flew off the bed, kneeling beside her and trapping her in his arms to keep her from hurting herself. ¡°It hurts. Why-, what¡¯s happening?¡± She sobbed through the pain. Cary looked back at me with a crazed look in his eyes. It was tearing him apart that he couldn¡¯t help her, couldn¡¯t take away her suffering. knew I should be down there with himforting our mate the best we could. But my anger refused to release me, set me free from the blinding rage that had me rooted in ce. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill him!¡± I snarled. ¡°His walls are up! I can¡¯t get through to him.¡± Cary¡¯s tone was wretched, broken. ¡°What? Who?¡± Mallory wailed louder, demanding answers neither of us wanted to give. ¡°Shh! It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all going to be okay. I¡¯ve got you, darling.¡± Cary cooed, rocking her in his arms, trying and failing to calm her as she struggled against him. Then without warning, her cries cut off, reced by breathless panting. Cary petted her, smoothing her hair back as one arm kept her locked in hisembrace. Their bodies swayed together, the action seeming to lull Mallory into a tenuous peace. ¡°Brother or not, he¡¯s fucking dead!¡± I growled, a thirst for violence finally spurring me to move as I pulled on my pants and shoved my feet into my shoes. ¡°y!¡± Cary called my name, looking pointedly at Mallory, freezing me in my tracks as my head snapped to her. But it was toote. She¡¯d caught my words and understanding had dawned. ¡°Colton? He . No, no, no, no. no!¡± Mallory pushed out of Cary¡¯s arms, backing away from us as if we shared his guilt. She looked around the room frantically then sprung into action, collecting her pants and the remains of her tattered shirt. Her hands shook and shefumbled clumsily as she tried to dress herself. It shredded me inside to see her so distraught and the tormented look on Cary¡¯s face told me he felt the same. ¡°Come back to bed, darling. Let me hold you.¡± Cary pleaded, reaching for her. She just shrunk back like a cornered animal. Her eyes flitted back and forth between the two of us, brimming with distrust and anguish. Then she started shaking her head forcefully. ¡°I-, I want to go home.¡± She stated, her broken speech underscoring her mental anguish. ¡°You are home.¡± Cary spoke softly, tenderly. ¡°My home! I want to go back to my house and sleep in my room!¡± Mallory insisted. It was thest straw. My wolf was already sprawling out of control, his outrage over Colton¡¯s actions pushing him toward a violent rampage. The thought of our mate leaving us was more than he could tolerate. Even as I stomped in her direction, literally a wolf stalking its prey, I knew it would only make things worse. I knew it would only send her running in the other direction but I was powerless to stop him, a feral beast defending what he considered to be his. ¡°No!¡± I barked, my body pinning hers to the wall and my hand squeezing her chin a little too tight. ¡°You will stay here where you¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°y, ease up man.¡± Cary tugged at my shoulder, trying to pull me away but I turned on him. ¡°She agreed! We told her what would happen if she let us mate her! Wewarned her she¡¯d be ours forever and she agreed! She can¡¯t take that back!¡± I yelled at him then turned back to my mate, my voice softening. ¡°You agreed, remember?¡± She just nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. I reached up to wipe them away and she flinched at the movement. In that moment, I hated myself just as much as I hated my brother for what he¡¯d done. I never wanted her to fear me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, little wolf.¡± I whispered, pulling her into my arms gently so she could push me away if she wanted to. But she didn¡¯t. Instead, she buried her face in my bare chest and let me hold her while she cried. Cary came up beside her and added his arms to mine, both of us offering nothing more than our presence while she gave herself over to the tears. ¡°Why? Why would he hurt me that way?¡± She asked, self-recrimination evident in her tone. I could have been yed alive then burned at the stake and it would have been less painful than hearing her me herself for Colton¡¯s despicable behavior.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Because he¡¯s a fucking idiot.¡± Cary answered her rhetorical question. ¡± Why else would someone turn their back on such an amazing gift like you? Mom must¡¯ve dropped him on his head as a baby or something.¡± A small, water-logged giggle bubbled out at Cary¡¯s pathetic attempt at humor and I could¡¯ve kissed my younger brother for that small miracle. ¡°Don¡¯t take this on yourself, little wolf.¡± I said, resting my forehead on hers and staring deep into her gorgeous hazel eyes. ¡°As far as Cary and I areconcerned, you hung the sun. moon and all the stars. Not even the Moon Goddess herself could tempt us when we¡¯ve already got our very own goddess. ¡°Some people just aren¡¯t capable of seeing what¡¯s right in front of them, but that¡¯s their failing. Not yours! Do you understand me?¡± A barely perceptible nod was the only indication she gave that she¡¯d heard my words but it was enough for now. I tipped her chin up to peck her lips with the softest kiss I could manage, despite my need to bury myself inside her and im her all over again. Then I left her in Cary¡¯s arms to rummage through my bathroom cabs in search of something to help her sleep. ¡°Get back in bed with Cary, little wolf.¡± I instructed, waiting while my brother coaxed her along. ¡°Now take these pills for me. They¡¯ll help you sleep and easeany residual aches and pains.¡± She swallowed the medication dutifully, not even questioning what it was. The thought that he¡¯d left her so miserable she was desperate for relief had me fuming all over again but I swallowed it down. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Mallory question when I pulled the covers of my brother and her, tucking her in tight. I stared back at her silently for a minute and the aggrieved look she returned told me she already knew the answer. I didn¡¯t need to say it out loud. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, love. I just have some business to take care of that can¡¯t wait.¡± I said instead. She didn¡¯t respond, just turned her head and tucked it under Cary¡¯s arm, shutting out the world. I waited until her breathing slowed and her featurestook on a cid calm. Then I threw on a shirt and grabbed my keys, heading for the door.. ¡°She¡¯ll feel it if you kill him.¡± Cary reminded in my head as I walked away. My fists clenched, my keys digging into my palm as I tried to get my anger in check. ¡°Then let¡¯s hope my wolf doesn¡¯t rip him to fucking pieces before I can stop him.¡± I linked back without the slightest shred of hope. Chapter 60 by Cara Anderson Ch. 60 Dead To Me Colton¡¯s POV * shback: Earlier That Night * Every step I took away from Mallory was like a knife to my heart. Shame followed me like a rain cloud over my head, threatening to drown me in its downpour. But no matter how many different ways I yed out various scenarios in my mind, this was the only solution that led to the desired oue: finding out the enemy¡¯s n and stopping him before he could hurt my mate. Betraying her was the hardest thing I would ever have to do. But after hearing those rogues threatening Mallory, admitting that shitty excuse for an Alpha had eyes on her, I knew there was no other way. It was the only thing that kept me putting one foot in frontof the other. My gut instinct told me Darcy was involved somehow and I needed to find out what she knew. I needed her to trust me again, getfortable enough to slip up in my presence so I could find out the enemy¡¯s ns. I¡¯d considered using my Alphamand to try and force the information from her but it was too big of a risk. Darcy was Alpha blood too so mymand might not work. If that were the case, she¡¯d never trust me again and our only shot at gaining vital information might be lost. I couldn¡¯t take that chance. Not with Mallory¡¯s life. Besides, if Darcy was responsible for selling out my mate, my Luna, I would dly put her in harm¡¯s way to serve my own needs. If she got hurt in the process, it was no more than she deserved. But the way I¡¯d left things with Darcy meant gaining her trust wouldn¡¯te easy. It was going to take more than words. I would have to show her and doing so would cost me everything but I¡¯d pay that price a hundred times over if it meant keeping Mallory safe. ¡°Colton, what are you doing here?¡± Darcy crossed her arms over her chest and blocked the door when she opened it to find me standing there. ¡°I, um, came to apologize.¡± I said, looking as sheepish as a six foot four Alpha could manage. ¡°For what? Lying to me about still wanting me over your fated mate? Or using me of having her kidnapped?¡± She returned mulishly. ¡°Both, uh, I mean, I didn¡¯t lie exactly and I never should have used you that way. It¡¯s just, Kai was losing his shit over his mate getting hurt,¡± atleast that part was true, ¡°and he was already mad at me for choosing you. He took over andshed out at you because he knew it would hurt me.¡± Darcy stared back at me for an interminable minute before she finally stepped aside, allowing me to enter her apartment. She walked over and sat on the couch, recrossing her arms in a move that said I wasn¡¯t even close to being forgiven. A small jerk of her chin was the only indication she gave that she was willing to hear the rest of my apology. ¡°Please, Darc,¡± I begged, forcing remorse into my tone and regret into my eyes as I sat beside her and took her hand. ¡°I know I fucked up. Please give me another chance to fix it. I wasn¡¯t prepared for how hard it would be to convince Kai to give up his mate, but I¡¯ve got him under control now. I swear it.¡± Darcy¡¯s eyes softened and for the briefest moment, I thought my groveling had won her over, but she blinked and the hard mask reasserted itself. She might¡¯ve been guilty of everything I suspected her of, but she was angry and hurt too. And those emotions were the only ones gazing back at me at the moment. ¡°You hurt me, Colton. When you asked me to be your chosen mate, your Luna, I was terrified of this exact scenario. But you assured me over and over again that you would always choose me over a fated mate and I believed you. ¡°Then, Mallory came home and nothing has been the same between us. I just don¡¯t understand. You never looked twice at her before she went away. I know the mate pull can be strong, but is it really so unyielding that you would suddenly give up everything we built together forsomeone who was never worth your notice before?¡± I hung my head in my hands and hoped that she thought it was to hide my shame. In truth, I was struggling to control my temper. Everything in me wanted to set her straight, to tell her I¡¯d never been able to keep my eyes off of Mallory, I¡¯d just gotten really good at hiding it. And she had always been worth far more than I deserved. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sweetheart. I know I hurt you and I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me easily. But if you give me another chance, I¡¯ll prove to you that I¡¯ll never hurt you again.¡± The words tasted sour on my tongue but there was no going back now. Darcy¡¯s shoulders sagged and I reached out tentatively. When she didn¡¯t pull away, I took a chance and pulled her into myp, nuzzling into her hair. Ittook all I had not to gag on her cloying, overly sweet scent but it kept her from looking into my eyes and had the added benefit of reinforcing my feigned affection for her. ¡°I¡¯ll try, Colton.¡± She sighed, finally relenting. ¡°But I¡¯ll need more than just words this time. I know you don¡¯t want to hurt your brother¡¯s chances with Mallory by betraying your bond and causing her pain, but I can¡¯t carry on a rtionship with you with no physical connection between us. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be a bitch, but I have needs too. I need to feel your love for me, to kiss you and be kissed. I need you to make love to me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I breathed out, reining in my guilt enough to get through what I knew would have toe next, forcing out my next words. ¡°It was unfair to ask that of you before. I won¡¯t makethat mistake again.¡± I pulled back to cup Darcy¡¯s face in my hands, using every ounce of dramatic skill I could muster to fill my eyes with a love and longing I didn¡¯t feel. Then, sending up a quick prayer to beg the Moon goddess¡¯ forgiveness, I dipped my head to kiss the woman I¡¯de to revile, knowing it would cost me the woman I loved. * End shback * I did my best to breathe through my nose, swallowing down the bile that rose in my throat as Darcy deepened the kiss. My stomach twisted and turned in some kind of nausea- inducing gymnastic routine as I thought about the pain I was causing Mallory. But to pull away would be tantamount to admitting the lie I was so desperate to sell. ¡°Nooo!¡± My wolf roared in my head, furiously fighting to tear me away from the interloping she-wolf who wasn¡¯t our mate. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kai. But we both know this is the only way to keep Mallory safe.¡± I reminded him again. He howled mournfully but stopped fighting me. y and Cary pushed against the barrier in my mind, trying to force their way in, but I resolutely shut them out. Only one thing could push them to fight their way in so forcefully. Mallory was in pain. I was crushing her and they were desperate to make me stop. Hot tears of anguish, shame and regret spilled down my cheeks as I forced my tongue into Darcy¡¯s mouth and let my hands slip from her face to roam her curves. I squeezed my eyes shut tight against the sound when she moaned into my mouth. My skin crawled and my stomach heaved but still I didn¡¯t pull away. Even knowing this was the exact moment Mallory was learning to hate me like never before, I let my need to protect her from a much greater evil drive me on. 1 At least she would have y and Cary to heal her heart. I could live with that as long as it meant she would be safe from harm. That was still far from a guarantee but I would sell my soul to Hades himself if there was a chance this would work. Just when I thought I couldn¡¯t stand another minute of Darcy¡¯s touch, the sound of her phone ringing made her pull away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I have to get that.¡± She apologized, and I could have sworn I saw a fleck of guilt and maybe even fear sh in her eyes. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll wait right here.¡± I encouraged and watched with eager anticipation as she hurried away. As soon as she left the room, I stood and edged closer to the hall she¡¯d disappeared down. She was speaking softly to someone but my Alpha wolf could still hear her clearly, even from behind her closed bedroom door. ¡°I did what you asked. What happened from there is not my fault.¡± I heard her tell whoever was on the other end. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy! I¡¯ll need more time.¡± She sounded frustrated with whomever she was speaking to, but also a little scared. I tried to move closer but just as I took a step a loud banging on the front door had me backing away. Fucking hell! Darcy would have been as startled by that as I was, effectively ruining my chances of getting anything usefulfrom her mysterious conversation. I stomped toward the front door, intent on strangling whoever was pounding on it. ¡°Open the door, Colton! I know you¡¯re in there!¡± y called from the other side. Fucking fantastic! ¡°y-¡± It was all I had a chance to get out before his right hook knocked me to the ground. ¡°I swear to the Goddess I¡¯ll fucking kill you! I warned you not to hurt her again!¡± He growled angrily, throwing punches left and right. I didn¡¯t fight back, just put my hands up to block the worst of it. I deserved every blow and then some. In fact, I¡¯d have been content to let him beat me to death if I didn¡¯t still have Mallory¡¯s safety to secure. ¡°What the fuck is going on here?¡± Darcy screamed, running into the room and trying to pull y off of me. ¡°You!¡± y snarled at her, pointing a finger in her face. ¡°You¡¯re just as bad as he is! How could you hurt her like that? She¡¯d never do that to you! ¡°She could have betrayed us with Nathan at any point and we would have deserved that pain. But she never did anything to deserve it. You¡¯re both pathetic excuses for wolves and the two of you deserve each other!¡± I wanted to link my brother, to tell him the truth of what I was doing here and make him understand but I knew I couldn¡¯t. Even if Darcy wasn¡¯t watching my every move, it wasn¡¯t a good idea.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Neither he nor Cary would let me see this through if they knew the truth. If they had even the slightest suspicion Darcy knew anything about Mal¡¯sattempted kidnapping, they would torture the truth out of her. And while I wasn¡¯t opposed to the idea, she may not know Alpha Quade¡¯s future ns, Yet. If she could lead me to him, I could end him. Killing Darcy got us nowhere. With that in mind, I stood to my feet and pushed Darcy behind me, protecting her in a way that I knew would enrage my brother. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking talk to her that way!¡± I thundered, pretending to defend Darcy. ¡°Just go, y.¡± Darcy added, peeking out from behind me. ¡°Colton made his choice. You don¡¯t have to like it but you can¡¯te barging into my home assaulting people.¡± y¡¯s face was fire engine red as he worked to suppress his wolf. Gunner was right on the surface, glowering at me through y¡¯s eyes and his fur pressing through y¡¯s skin. It took afew more heaving breaths before he was able to force him back and speak to me with deadly calm. ¡°All you¡¯ll ever have with her,¡± he nodded in Darcy¡¯s direction, ¡°is a life of misery and that¡¯s all you deserve. Don¡¯t let me catch you anywhere near MY mate ever again. If I do, I¡¯ll fucking kill you myself. As it is, you¡¯re as good as dead to me.¡± Then he turned and stormed out the door, mming it so hard it rattled the walls. Chapter 61 by Cara Anderson Ch. 61 Broken Bond Cary¡¯s POV I¡¯d heard it said that multiples have stronger bonds than single born siblings and the more in the birth litter, the stronger the bonds. Quads were closer than triplets who were closer than twins, etc. I¡¯d only ever been a triplet so I couldn¡¯t confirm the veracity of that theory but I could say my bond with my brothers had always been extremely tight. Some might resent the life of a triplet, always sharing everything. Hell, even my face wasn¡¯t my own. But I never once felt sorry for myself. In fact, I loved everything about having two ready-made best friends. At least that was true until just a few minutes ago. When y left to confront Colton, he was fuming and I couldn¡¯t me him. After what he¡¯d put Mallory through, I wouldn¡¯t have minded going a few rounds with him myself. But as time wore on, y¡¯s rage intensified. And thanks to our bond, I felt every bit of it as if it were my own. Mallory¡¯s body still shook from the aftershocks of Colton¡¯s betrayal. I did my best to hold her close while she shuddered against me, offering her the safety of my arms and the warmth of my body. But y¡¯s fury burned like fire in my veins. Blocking all my brother¡¯s malignant energy from bleeding into the mate bond with Mal took a lot of fucking effort. ¡°Shh. Sleep, darling. I¡¯ve got you.¡± I cooed to Mallory, threading my fingers through her hair in soothing strokes. She kept her face buried in my chest, huping in the aftermath of her wracking sobs. I clenched my teethagainst the profanity threatening to escape as y¡¯s anger skyrocketed, breathing through my nose and letting Mallory¡¯s calmingvender scent wash over me. I couldn¡¯t tell whose pain was whose. All I knew for sure was the two of them hade to blows. Guilt, shock, misery, resignation, and savage rage all assaulted me through the bond as I worked to block them out, to protect Mallory from the tumultuous emotions sting me from all sides.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Fuck!¡± I grunted, caught off guard by a fierce crack of pain, probably somebody¡¯s nose breaking. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mal¡¯s head snapped up, her watery gaze searching mine. ¡°Sorry, love. My brothers are sharing some intense feelings through our bond and it took me a bit by surprise. Everything¡¯s fine.¡± I considered lying to her but what good would that do? Our little mate possessed more intelligence in her little finger than the three of us put together. She would smell a lie a mile away and it would only piss her off. Colton had already told her enough of those. Adding insult to injury by hiding the truth would mean stooping to his level, something I had no interest in doing. ¡°I hate this.¡± Mallory confessed, dropping her forehead back to my chest. ¡°What do you hate, love?¡± I tipped her chin up gently and bit back a gasp at the ache reflected in her eyes. ¡°Everything, all of it.¡± She answered vaguely. ¡°Do you ever think the Goddess simply got it wrong?¡± A growing sense of unease trickled through me at the direction this conversation seemed to be headed. ¡°No!¡± I answered unequivocally. ¡°She always has a n!¡± ¡°Then please exin this grand n!¡± Her volume escted. ¡°Was it her n to have my parents murdered? To allow me to grow up unable to remember them, my entire life a lie, all while being tormented by the three of you? Oh but then it gets even better! Fast forward a few years and boom! I¡¯m mated to the very men who bullied me, made me feel lower than the dirt on your shoes!¡± Her maniacalugh punctuated the tirade which put my wolf on edge. Our mate sounded more and more unhinged by the minute, driving him to push forward. He insisted his presence would help calm Raven, her wolf, but Ishoved him back, worried his intensity would agitate her further. ¡°What the fuck am I even doing here, Cary?¡± Her shoulders drooped, all the fight leaving her. ¡°If this is all part of the Moon Goddess¡¯ n, it¡¯s a stupid one. I¡¯m no Alpha. I¡¯m still the weak Omega you always imed I was.¡± ¡°Mallory, you-,¡± My argument died on my lips when she put up her hand to silence me. ¡°No, Cary! No matter what I do, it¡¯s never going to be good enough, is it? I made history at the academy by earning all three designations. I had a man who loved me unconditionally. But no matter how much I¡¯d aplished, I still wanted more. ¡°The one thing I¡¯d never managed to earn was the approval of the famous Collins Triplets. Then the goddess seemingly served you up on a silvertter. So what did I do? I tossed aside a good man without a second thought to fill some selfish, irrational need. What kind of Alpha does that? ¡°But the joke¡¯s on me, isn¡¯t it? Not all of my Goddess-given mates want me. And the really scary part is, I actually believed Colton loved me. I¡¯m too dumb to know the difference. How could a true Alpha be so easily fooled?¡± A growing sense of unease trickled through me at the direction this conversation seemed to be headed. My eyes traced the way her expression changed from anger to shame to pained resignation. Something told me I was going to hate the thing she said next. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cary. I¡¯ve made a huge fucking mess of things. But you have to admit it¡¯s ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡± She let out a self-deprecatingugh, dropping her gaze to the floor and shaking her head ruefully. ¡°What¡¯s ironic, Mal?¡± Herment made no sense to my scrambled brain. ¡°I can¡¯t ignore what I know about Alpha Quade. He¡¯ll have to be removed. Hopefully we can find someone decent to take over the Alpha post.¡± She mumbled to herself, ignoring my question. ¡°What¡¯s ironic, Mallory?¡± I asked more forcefully this time. ¡°What?¡± Her head snapped up as if she just realized I was still standing there. ¡± Oh! That you and your brothers were right all along. You deserve someone better.¡± Fat tears started rolling down her face and she wiped at them furiously. An incredulous stare settled over my features while her words rattled around in my head, never quite making sense to me. I should have argued with her but I was too stunned. This incredible woman thought I could possibly find someone better than her? How could that be? Didn¡¯t she realize it didn¡¯t get any better than her? I was so lost in thought, I barely noticed when Mallory spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m going to go now.¡± She said, picking up her tattered clothes as she edged toward the door, I stood there watching her like an idiot. Mute. Transfixed. It wasn¡¯t until I heard the door snick open that reality came crashing in. She was leaving me and I couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Stop!¡± I thundered, Alphamand spilling into the order unintentionally. I crossed the room in three strides, mming the door closed and pinning her to it. She met my angry gaze with defiance in her eyes, her chin jutting out and her jaw clenched in a stubborn disy. I let Roane forward,showing her in no uncertain terms who was really in charge. ¡°Cary, let me go!¡± She hissed, attempting to push me away. I held my ground, ring at her while she squirmed and shoved beneath me. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, little mate?¡± My voice held the rough- hewn timbre of my wolf. ¡°Please, just let me go. You know this isn¡¯t going to work. Colton doesn¡¯t want me. He and y are probably trying to kill each other right now. I¡¯m telling you the Moon Goddess got it wrong. I¡¯m not worth all the trouble I¡¯ve caused.¡± ¡°Trouble? You haven¡¯t seen trouble yet!¡± I rumbled out. ¡°But you will if you try walking out on me again. You¡¯re MINE little mate.¡± ¡°Cary.¡± She said my name on an exhale, circling her arms around my waist and dropping her forehead to my chest. The small act of affection was like a balm to Roan, allowing him to take a step back. I returned her embrace and cupped the back of her head, holding her to my chest. And letting the closeness soothe my soul. ¡°Stop trying to leave me, darling. My heart can¡¯t take it.¡± I pleaded. ¡°I get it! This shit¡¯splicated and it sucks. But we¡¯ll figure it out together. And don¡¯t ever let me hear you say you aren¡¯t good enough ever again! Do you understand me?¡± ¡°Mmmhmm.¡± She hummed in agreement, sniffling quietly. I swept Mallory off her feet and carried her bridal style back to bed. But I¡¯d only gone a few steps when I felt a suddencrushing pain in my chest, there and gone again before I could register what happened. Mallory sucked in a sharp breath at the exact same time, telling me she felt it too. She reached up reflexively to rub her chest and if she hadn¡¯t been in my arms, I probably would have done the same. The pain was gone but the memory of it hung in the air between us, a gaping emptiness in its ce. It felt like a loss. Not a death exactly. More like a broken bond. But Mallory was in my arms and that kind of bond breaking would have brought me to my knees. I felt along the strands of my other bonds, those of my family, when the cold realization set in. I couldn¡¯t feel Colton anymore. The only remaining sentiment from the earlier emotional thunderstorm was the simmering rageof my angry middle brother but nothing from our oldest triplet. I voiced my next thought out loud before I could think better of it. ¡°y, what have you done?¡±. Chapter 62 by Cara Anderson Ch. 62 Unexpected Mallory¡¯s POV I woke up the next morning to the sound of water tinkling from the rainfall showerhead in the attached bathroom. Whoever was showering had left the door open just a crack. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and padded to the door only to stop dead in my tracks. Because damn! The sight that greeted me was mouthwatering. Cary stood under the water, suds sliding down his body as he rinsed his shoulder-length blond curls. The man was ripped in all the right ces, b upon b of solid muscle. I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip, biting back an appreciative moan as my eyes followed the arrow of his v-line all the way to the impressive member between his powerful thighs. ¡°Fuck.¡± I groaned to myself, my core aching with the memory of his thick length inside me. ¡°Are you going to stand there and drool or are you going to join me?¡± Cary¡¯s deep voice made me jump and he chuckled at me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t drooling!¡± I was totally drooling. But despite my aggravation at being caught tantly ogling, I scurried to join him, dropping the thin sheet I¡¯d wrapped myself in and scooting inside the clear ss shower door. Wearing a smug smirk at my enthusiastic response, Cary pulled me under the stream of warm water, pressing our bodies together and dipping his head for a toe-curling kiss. Our tongues danced togetherzily as the water streamed over our heads, the slide of our wet skin providing adelicious friction. His suddenly iron hard cock pulsed between us, throbbing against my belly. And again, the thought of him shoving inside my wet heat, the exquisite stretch of my pussy around his thick girth, had slick trickling down my thighs as my arousal perfumed the small, enclosed space. Without warning, Cary wrapped my leg around his waist and pushed inside me, a satisfied growl rumbling in his chest once he was fully seated. A loud moan escaped me at the extreme feeling of fullness but he swallowed it down, refusing to release my lips. A full minute passed while I waited for him to move. A whine built in my throat and I attempted to rock my hips, needing to feel the drag of his plush head over my sensitive walls. But Cary sank his fingers into the soft globes of my ass, holding me still. ¡°Shh. Let me savor you. Your cunt feels like heaven around my cock.¡± He murmured against my lips before diving back in for another kiss. I lost myself in his taste, fighting the urge to squirm in his grasp, to beg him for what my body demanded. But my rebellious cunt refused to y nice, tensing around his cock without my permission. When Cary¡¯s little grunts and groans increased with the fervency of his kiss, I knew he was nearing his limit. ¡°Fuck!¡± He finally broke. ¡°I can¡¯t-, you feel too fucking good. So tight.¡± The rest resembled more of a frenzied assault than making love, Cary impaling me on his stone hard shaft, the lewd sound of our bodies pping together echoing off the tile walls. He released my ass to grab a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back roughly,sucking savagely on my neck as he continued pounding into me. ¡°Oh Goddess, Cary! Right there.¡± I cried, my clit tingling with every pleasurable thrust. ¡°That¡¯s right! Come for me, mate! Come all over my cock.¡± Cary¡¯s voice was gravelly, Roan making his presence known. Neither of us were going tost long after the torturous minutes of denied pleasure he inflicted on us. I was already there and the string of curses spilling from his lips told me he was too. I wound my arms around his neck and held on while he battered into me, then we tumbled over the edge together. My head fell forward, my teeth biting into his shoulder as he fucked me until my shuddering pussy stilled. Then he thrust into me one final time, his seedwarming my insides. ¡°Fuck, Mal!¡± He groaned in my ear, panting through his release. Cary seemed in no hurry to pull out, both of us reveling in the connection while resting our heads together and catching our breath. His hand was still tangled in my hair, his fingers massaging my scalp and sending rxing tingles down my spine. ¡°That was¡­¡± I trailed off but he rushed to fill in the nk. ¡°Incredible, amazing, sensational, fucking fantastic!¡± ¡°I was going to say ¡®unexpected¡¯ but sure, those work too.¡± Iughed. ¡°It¡¯s not just the sex, you know. It¡¯s everything about you. You are amazing!¡± He extolled, taking on a serious tone. My eyes found my feet in a heartbeat. I was in the middle of an identity crisis that made epting praise a near impossibility. And after our conversation the night before, Cary wisely chose not to push the issue. ¡°Where is y?¡± My face heated, suddenly realizing he wasn¡¯t there and embarrassed I hadn¡¯t asked sooner. He responded with a nomittal hum, distracting me withthering shampoo in my hair. But I wasn¡¯t going to be so easily diverted.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cary?¡± I pressed. ¡°He didn¡¯te homest night.¡± He finally answered with a heavy sigh. ¡± That¡¯s actually why I¡¯d already gotten out of bed. I need to find him so we can talk.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I replied, feeling a little guilty for our interlude. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I sidetrackedyou. He caught my chin with his soapy palm, forcing me to meet his eyes. They held affection and a deep concern, probably for his brother, but no admonishment for me. ¡°Hey! Never hesitate to take what you want from me and never apologize for it. Just like I¡¯ll never apologize for always making you my priority. Especially not when ites to my brother because I know he would do the same. Besides,¡± he leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, ¡°I¡¯d tell my own grandma to piss off for a chance to be inside your sweet little pussy.¡± ¡°Carrington Collins!¡± I gasped, adopting a scandalized expression. ¡± You would never! Not Grandma Rose!¡± ¡°Oh, I promise you I would!¡± He swore, drawing a cross over his heart. We both dissolved into a fit ofughter, the mood effectively lightened. But as the amusement waned, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach returned, worried for y and what his prolonged absence might mean. Cary must have sensed my growing unease because he turned me around before moving me under the water to rinse the conditioner from my hair. He obviously wanted to look me in the eye when he spoke. ¡°Listen, darling, y had a rough night. I could feel it through our bond. But I can also feel that he¡¯s okay so I don¡¯t want you to worry. He wouldn¡¯t want that either, okay?¡± ¡°I hate that the three of you are fighting because of me. I can¡¯t help but feel guilty knowing things would be fine between you if I hadn¡¯t gotten in the way.¡± I admitted. ¡°Things weren¡¯t fine. Colton had already made choices for the three of us he had no right to make; We were always going to end up here.¡± He said, helping me out of the shower and wrapping me in a fluffy towel. ¡°What do you mean? What choices?¡± I frowned at my own curiosity, hoping I hadn¡¯t overstepped. ¡°Darcy.¡± He deadpanned, then shook his head in frustration. ¡°y and I were definitely not on board with making her our Luna. We always knew we were meant to share a mate and have only one Luna. When he asked her to be his chosen mate, he didn¡¯t consult us, just assumed we would be on board.¡± ¡°So you and y were never interested in Darcy?¡± I hated how insecure the question sounded but still had to ask it. ¡°Never.¡± He said, tipping my face up to peck my lips. ¡°Neither of us were attracted to her. But even if we had been, we only wanted our fated mate as our Luna. At least we did until the day you came home. Then all that changed. You were all we wanted. Fuck fate!¡± ¡°But I am your fated mate.¡± I reminded him. ¡°Exactly!¡± He shed me a self- satisfied smirk. ¡°But my point is, you aren¡¯t responsible for any bad blood between us. Colton is. So please don¡¯t me yourself.¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll try.¡± It was the most I could offer. ¡°Can Ie with you to get y?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea, love. You heard what that rogue said. Until we can figure out how Alpha Quade is getting his information, I think it¡¯sbest if you stay inside pack territory. I¡¯ve kind of already enlisted someone to keep youpany.¡± A dark shadow of apprehension crossed his face as he spoke. ¡°What? Who?¡± I raised an eyebrow in question, still standing there in my towel while Cary pulled on a tight ck tee and gray sweatpants. I was seriously contemting the ramifications of shredding the offensive garments for covering his heartbreakingly gorgeous body when he said thest thing I expected. ¡°Um, Nathan ising to stay with you while I¡¯m gone.¡± He answered as if he was confessing a crime. I fixed him with an incredulous stare. He voluntarily called the man I had yet to officially break up with toe stay with me so I wouldn¡¯t be alone? That move reeked of desperation. Was hereally that afraid something could happen to me in the safety of the packhouse walls? ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me, Cary? I¡¯m not stupid enough to go anywhere alone and I don¡¯t need a babysitter!¡± My voice ramped up along with my agitation. ¡°What has you so worried you would leave me alone with him?¡± ¡°Mallory, that¡¯s not what this is about. I swear! I¡¯m just trying to be a nice guyhere. I know Nathan wants to see youand I know the two of you need to talk. Ithought it would be good for you tohave a chance to do that with yourmates out of the way. If y and I werehere, I couldn¡¯t promise we¡¯d be able toleave you alone with him.¡± ¡°You still could have asked me. I haven¡¯t even had a chance to think about what to say to him.¡± I griped, still a little irritated. Cary¡¯s phone dinged and he snatched it off the dresser to read his message, a strained grimace on his face. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡± He grumbled under his breath before stering on a forced grin. ¡°Nathan is here. I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯ll be down in a minute on my way out.¡± He kissed my cheek and practically sprinted for the door before I couldin again, leaving me no choice but to face the man whose heart I was about to break. Knowing this conversation wasing, knowing Nathan deserved to hear me say the words didn¡¯t make it any easier. I wanted to crawl back under the covers and hide like the coward I was but that wouldn¡¯t be fair to him. It was time to put on my big girl panties and deal with the consequences of my actions. Nothing could just be easy in my life. I just had to go and screw over the perfect guy for the triplet Alpha-holes. Fucking Goddess-damned mate bond! Chapter 63 by Cara Anderson Ch. 63 The Colton Situation Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°You can do this Mallory. All you have to do is be honest. And don¡¯t cry! No matter what he says, don¡¯t cry! He¡¯ll only feel guilty and you¡¯re the only one who gets to feel guilty in this scenario.¡± I talked myself up while wearing a path on y¡¯s bedroom floor. I could almost hear my wolf¡¯s eyes rattling as they rolled back in her head. She found it utterly ridiculous that I would be so concerned about the feelings of a man who wasn¡¯t our mate. From the moment she entered my life, the triplets were the only men who mattered in her mind and she refused to even acknowledge my feelings for Nathan. That was all well and good for her. But part of me was still human, withhuman weaknesses and human emotions. And when I had to look in Nathan¡¯s eyes and see the heartache and sorrow I caused him, I would have the same reaction any human with a conscience would have. A stifling sense of shame and regret. Not that I didn¡¯t deserve it. ¡°Might as well get it over with. Guess I¡¯m having a huge helping of hate with a side of bitterness for breakfast.¡± I mumbled under my breath. I wandered through the packhouse, peeking in a few empty rooms until I finally found Nathan sitting in one of the sparsely decorated receiving rooms used to meet with dignitaries from other packs. He had his forearms resting on his thighs, looking at the floor while he twiddled his thumbs. He seemed deep in thought but he jumped to his feet as soon as I entered the room. ¡°Hi.¡± He greeted me with a half- hearted smile. ¡°Hi.¡± I returned shyly, stepping further into the room. As I moved closer, I noticed his nostrils re and his brow furrow. Despite the shower, he could still smell Cary on me and the knowledge made guilt re hard and fast in my gut. I should have worn perfume or something. How thoughtless could I be? ¡°Nathan, I-¡± ¡°Mallory-¡± We both spoke at once then chuckled at the ufortable silence that followed. ¡°You go first.¡± He prompted, waving for me to sit on the sofa next to him. We sat facing one another and I couldn¡¯t help but notice how tired helooked. Was that my fault too? Then again, why wouldn¡¯t it be? It seemed no one was immune to the trouble that followed me like a ck cloud. ¡°Um, I¡­ ¡°Fuck this was hard! I blew out a deep breath and tried again. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Nathan. I know an apology isn¡¯t good enough. You deserved so much better and I¡¯ll never forgive myself for hurting you. But I need you to know that I truly am sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry for what exactly?¡± He asked, his expression totally nk aside from one raised brow. ¡°I, uh-, I thought-¡± I stuttered, tripping over my own tongue. My jaw was on the floor as I watched him watch me flounder. Did he really want me to say the words? Wouldn¡¯t hearing me say it out loud only make it worse? I opened my mouth again but no sound came out. Thankfully, Nathantook pity on me. ¡°Mallory, breathe.¡± He instructed, taking my hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was mean.¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. I deserved it.¡± I countered. ¡°Please stop with the guilt, Mal. You have nothing to be sorry for. I admit I would have liked to hear it from you first but not telling your boyfriend before epting your fated mates is hardly a capital offense.¡± He said, letting me off the hook in typical Nathan fashion. ¡°You¡¯re right. You deserved to hear it from me. I didn¡¯t exactly n it. It just kind of happened but that¡¯s no excuse. I should have refused until I could talk to you first.¡± Fuck! Was there anything more awkward than talking to your ex- boyfriend about the first time having sex with your new mates, even if not in so many words? I studied his face for a minute but he didn¡¯t appear the least bit embarrassed. He looked sad, a little dejected maybe, but the devastation I expected to see was conspicuously absent. ¡°I don¡¯t me you for any of this. I think a part of me even expected it.¡± He answered my assessing gaze. ¡°If I¡¯m being entirely honest, I always held a part of myself back from you, Mal. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I loved you, still do. But I always worried we weren¡¯t fated and you¡¯d walk away from me some day. It seemed like the best way to protect my heart at the time. But now I realize I¡¯ll always have to wonder if maybe things would have turned out differently if I¡¯d given you all ofmyself. ¡°If I¡¯d loved you better, loved you with everything I had, maybe you still would have chosen me. Now I¡¯ll never know.¡± ¡°Oh Nathan!¡± My voice cracked and the tears I¡¯d barely managed to hold back now fell freely. ¡°You loved me perfectly. I never felt like anything was missing between us.¡± ¡°Except a bond.¡± He offered, one corner of his mouth turned up for the briefest second. ¡°Except a bond.¡± I confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s not something I can exin in words and I know it doesn¡¯t make any sense. Especially with the Colton situation. ¡°All I can say is, it¡¯s like a part of me always knew they were mine, but I just couldn¡¯t see it until the bond snapped in. And by that time, they¡¯d hurt me so much, I didn¡¯t want to see it. But in the end, my heart and my wolf could never be whole without them. ¡°Sounds wonderful. Maybe someday I¡¯ll find out for myself.¡± He mused. 2 ¡°I hope you do. I want that for you Nathan.¡± I told him honestly. ¡°Wait, what did you mean by ¡®the Colton situation¡¯?¡± I assumed he knew but he looked genuinely perplexed. I looked away, hating the crushing pain I knew he¡¯d see if he looked in my eyes. I tuned out the small voice telling me how humiliating it was to admit I¡¯d cheated on him with a man who turned around and dumped me. I deserved whatever mortification it cost me. ¡°Mallory?¡± He prompted, recalling my attention. ¡°He, um, he went back to Darcy.¡± I confessed the ugly truth to him. Nathan¡¯s angry roar shook the rafters. Hurried footsteps stomped in our direction, followed by two warriors rushing into the room. I waved them off with a shake of my head and though they both looked unconvinced, they slowly backed out the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking rip him to pieces. There won¡¯t be enough of him left to identify the body.¡± His tone was more vicious than I ever thought him capable of. ¡°I thought you might be smug about it. Tell me I asked for it by trusting him.¡± My hushed voice sounded a little shameful, even to my ears. ¡°How could you ever believe that of me, Mal? I only want your happiness, even if it doesn¡¯t include me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I whispered. ¡°I guess maybe I thought it would ease my guilt a little if you were mean to me. But you¡¯reright. I do know you better than that.¡± Nathan scooted closer to me, holding both of my hands in his and dipping his head to meet my eyes. I tried to school my emotions, hide the heartbreak I was sure he¡¯d see. But it was no use. He could read me like an open book. ¡°Mallory, I want you to know that no matter what the future holds, whether I find my mate or not, whether things work out with one or all of yours, I will always be there for you. I will always care about you and I will always be here to help you, whether that means going to war for your pack or just offering a listening ear.¡± His words brought a genuine smile to my face and I reached out to cup his cheek. He was such a sweet man and he deserved every happiness. I prayed the Moon Goddess would send him an amazing mate. One worthy of him and so much better than me. ¡°You¡¯ll always hold a special ce in my heart, Nathan. I hope we can still be friends, but I¡¯ll understand if that¡¯s not what you want.¡± It was hard to be vulnerable, knowing he could say he wanted nothing more to do with me but again, I would ept it if he did. ¡°You couldn¡¯t get rid of me if you tried.¡± His bright smile was more than I could have hoped to see and settled my battered heart. I threw myself into his waiting arms and he enveloped me in a tight hug. It felt like a new connection sprouted up between us, not a mate bond but a bond nheless, like we were always meant to be in each other¡¯s lives. Just not the way we thought we were. ¡°Get you¡¯re fucking hands off my mate!¡± y¡¯s booming voice echoed through the room. Startled by his outburst, I tried to wriggle out of Nathan¡¯s arms but he only held me tighter, turning to snarl at my mate. y¡¯s fists were balled at his sides and his face was a dark shade of puce.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Insecure much?¡± Nathan taunted him. ¡°Mallory and I are friends. We¡¯ll always be friends. Friends hug. Get over it.¡± ¡°Nathan!¡± I scolded him, smacking him on the arm but he just snorted. ¡°Mine!¡± y met me in three long strides, pulling me away from Nathan and tucking me tightly into his side. The way they were ring at each other, I was surprised one or both of them hadn¡¯t been burnt to ash yet. I pinned Cary with a look that begged for help but he just watched the scene unfold with unabashed amusement, hisshoulders shaking with barely restrainedughter. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m painfully aware that she¡¯s yours now. I¡¯m also aware that Colton is a fucking prick who doesn¡¯t know his ass from a hole in the ground. What I want to know is what the two of you are going to do about it!¡± Nathan demanded. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s handled.¡± y snapped at him. ¡°What does that mean?¡± I asked warily, an ominous feeling creeping over me. ¡°Have you felt any more pain?¡± He questioned me, an unfeeling quality to his voice that set me on edge. ¡°No. Maybe they haven¡¯t¡­¡± I stopped, unable to say the words. ¡°I doubt that. But it doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s no longer our brother and thatmeans he¡¯s no longer your mate.¡± He stated tly. ¡°What?¡± Chapter 64 by Cara Anderson Ch. 64 Choices Cary¡¯s POV ¡°What do you mean Colton¡¯s no longer my mate?¡± Mallory demanded. ¡°We haven¡¯t rejected each other so how is that possible?¡± She was close to hyperventting, her panic rising, and y was looking at her with a befuddled expression. I doubted he meant it in the literal sense. It was much easier to close the door on a familial bond, no formal rejection or magic required, though it didn¡¯t have to be permanent. The door could always be reopened. But the fact Mal hadn¡¯t felt any further betrayal did have me curious. I couldn¡¯t think of a single instance of mated triplets where one was shut out so I had absolutely no reference for how his decision would affect Mallory or their mate bond. I could only hope her reprieve from the agony he put herthrough earlier was the result of Colton¡¯s own choices and Not y¡¯s. ¡°Our triplet bond is broken. I pushed him out.¡± He confessed to her. ¡°I was trying to protect you. I thought you¡¯d be happy to be rid of him after what he did.¡± ¡°You did what? How could you, y?¡± she responded usingly. ¡°For being the triplet with the even- tempered and rational personality, your behavior has ¡®stupid¡¯ written all over it.¡± I linked him. ¡°If you thought she was going to thank him for taking her choice away, you¡¯re a fucking idiot.¡± He chose to ignore me and address her instead. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly want to go through what he put you throughst night again, Mal! That¡¯s exactly what would have happened if I hadn¡¯t done something about it. You should bethanking me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t fucking believe you!¡± Her irate attitude in the face of his bewilderment would have beenical if it wasn¡¯t two people I loved involved. She shoved him back, loosening his grip so she could escape his hold and storm out of the room. ¡°Mallory!¡± He called after her but she didn¡¯t even slow down. ¡°Let her go.¡± I gripped his arm firmly when he started to go after her. ¡°Give her some time alone to cool off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go.¡± Nathan finally spoke up as he headed for the door. But before he got there, he stopped to face us again. ¡°She may not be my mate or even my girlfriend, but Mallory will always be my business. So I feel no remorse whatsoever when I say, she¡¯s not the kind of girl to sit back and let others make decisions for her. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need you to ¡®handle¡¯ her problems. She just needs you to support her while she handles them herself. You better learn how to do that real fast or you¡¯re going to lose her. And I¡¯ll be right here waiting when that dayes.¡± 1 ¡°Well, that went off the rails fast.¡± I snarked when Nathan closed the door behind him. ¡°Is that how you feel too?¡± y rounded on me as soon as we were alone. ¡°Was I wrong for never wanting her to suffer like that again?¡± ¡°y.¡± I sighed, ¡°I get it. Your heart was in the right ce. And I know you were scared what might happen if they rejected each other, how it might affect our bond with her. But Nathan was right, we can¡¯t make decisions for her, no matter how much we want to protect her.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± He cursed, slumping onto the couch. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention. I didn¡¯t n to break the bond. Or maybe I did, I don¡¯t know. All I know is, I found him with her and I saw red. When I¡¯d found y earlier, he was hunkered down in our old tree house in the woods with a fifth of vodkaying empty beside him. I¡¯d taken him to a diner for some food and some really strong coffee before bringing him home so I hadn¡¯t been able to talk to him about what happened with Colt yet. I wasn¡¯t so sure he was in any better shape to tell me about it now but it was a necessary conversation. ¡°Tell me what happened, y.¡± He scrubbed his hands over his face, looking more exhausted and care-worn than I¡¯d ever seen him. He blew out a deep breath andunched into his tale, recounting his confrontation with our brother. By the time he was done, myhackles were up and my mind was in a rage so I could see how he¡¯d gone off the deep end. ¡°I could smell Darcy¡¯s arousal in the air, Cary! And when he answered the door, his lips were swollen and he had a hickey on his goddess damned neck. Even if he didn¡¯t want Mallory, how could he hurt her like that? How could he be so heartless?¡± He sniffed back tears and I knew Colton¡¯s loss was breaking him inside too. But he was right, it wasn¡¯t like Colton to be so ruthless, not caring who he hurt to get what he wanted. It just didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°I took your choice too. Do you hate me?¡± He asked, wrenching me out of my thoughts. ¡°He¡¯s our brother, y. I hate what he did but I could never hate him just like I could never hate you. I love you both. Maybe someday, if he pulls his head outof his ass, we can repair our bond. But for now, let¡¯s just focus on our mate.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what I feel for him to be honest.¡± y admitted. ¡°Hate is a strong word but every time I think of him I see Mallory trying to w out her own heart, hear her gut-wrenching sobs, begging for it to stop, and suddenly, hate seems not quite strong enough.¡± ¡°I know. But Nathan had a point. She¡¯s stronger than we give her credit for.¡± I pointed out. ¡°Goddess knows we won¡¯t always agree with how she chooses to handle things. The woman is too big- hearted for her own good most of the time. But that¡¯s also why we love her. We have to trust her enough to let her choose.¡± ¡°Look at you, baby brother, all grown up.¡± y snorted augh. ¡°Who knew you¡¯d turn out to be so wise.¡± ¡°Not wise. Just in love. Now let¡¯s go talk to our girl.¡± We found Mallory in the guest room we¡¯d given her, sitting on the bed with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, curled in on herself. Her cheek rested on her knees and she didn¡¯t look up when we entered. It gutted me to see her looking so hollowed-out and listless. I scooped her off the bed and resituated her in myp, tucking her under my chin with her back to my front. She melted into me and my wolf chuffed in approval. The bed dipped under y¡¯s weight as he sat next to us and Mallory turned to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little wolf.¡± He offered timidly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡± She slid her hand across the mattress and linked her pinky with his, earning a boyish smile. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for. I lost it when I saw you in so much pain. I just wanted to take it away. But I should have stayed andforted you. Then we could have decided what to do next together.¡± He replied. ¡°You were just trying to protect me. I was just caught off guard. But when I calmed down and thought about it, I realized it was for the best. He was never going to want me anyway.¡± She was crying when she finished and turned her head to my chest to stifle her sobs. It broke my heart to feel what she felt through our bond. The sense of rejection and desperation to know where she¡¯d failed. ¡°Shh, darling.¡± I hushed, holding her tighter. ¡°y and I aren¡¯t going anywhere. This is Colton¡¯s failing, not yours.¡± y scooted in closer andced his fingers with her, squeezing her hand to remind her he was there for her. ¡°Is there something wrong with me?¡± She asked between sniffles. ¡± Something so detestable that he¡¯s willing to defy the will of a deity to avoid being mated to me?¡± ¡°No, little wolf! Nothing¡¯s wrong with you!¡± y insisted, pulling her into hisp and tucking her head into his chest as he whispered to her. ¡°You are fucking perfect! You are everything we could want in a mate and so much more. If the moon Goddess hadn¡¯t given you to us, we would have wanted you anyway, It just doesn¡¯t get any better than you, love.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, darling. Something is wrong with Colton and I have no idea what he¡¯s thinking. But don¡¯t ever think you¡¯re not good enough. Ifanything, you¡¯re too good for us.¡± It was nothing but the truth. ¡°Now how about you go wash those tears off your beautiful face and let¡¯s get you some dinner?¡± y suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not really hungry.¡± Mal argued, but her stomach betrayed her, rumbling loudly. ¡°Lie to us again, darling. See what happens.¡± I threatened suggestively. ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± She scrambled off the bed but I managed to smack her ass as she went, an adorable yelp squeaking out. ¡°You love a good spanking and you know it!¡± I called after her, making her giggle. Her lighthearted mood had returned and it felt good knowing I was able to give her that. To make her feel safe and secure enough to let her troubles go, at least for a little while. y was staringat the bathroom door like his whole worldy beyond it and I knew he was relieved as well. But as happy as I was to see Mal¡¯s smile return, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that everything had irrevocably changed. Colton was gone and y was leaning toward unstable at best. That just left me to hold the remains of our bond together. And if that was the Goddess¡¯ n, I couldn¡¯t help but think it was a bad one.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 65 by Cara Anderson Ch. 65 Lover¡¯s Quarrel Colton¡¯s POV Thest few hours had been pure fucking misery. I couldn¡¯t feel my brothers through our bond anymore. An empty, hollow feeling sat where the connection to their souls had always been. A source of strength andfort I¡¯d taken for granted for a lifetime ripped away in a fraction of a second. I¡¯d always thought of myself as selfless, the triplet most willing to sacrifice for the good of others. This whole ordeal put paid to that delusion. I was a fucking selfish bastard. That¡¯s all there was to it. Foolishly, I¡¯d hoped that once I¡¯d vanquished her enemies like the knight on the white horse I saw myself as, Mallory and I could find our way back to each other. Maybe, just maybe, she¡¯dlet me fix what I¡¯d done, make up for all the pain I¡¯d caused her in the name of protecting her. y¡¯s beat down had forced me to see the truth of the situation. I¡¯d expected Cary, the hot-headed triplet, to rain hell down on me. But when my even- keeled, not easily riled middle brother came for me, I knew there was noing back from what I¡¯d done. I¡¯d been a greedy, egotistical asshole to ever think otherwise. One good thing came from getting my ass handed to me. Darcy epted that I was too injured to continue our previous interlude. After y left, she flew into caretaker mode, insisting I rest and heal. I was immediately put to bed and left to contemte the shit- show of my own making. I wasn¡¯t sure what the broken bond with my brother¡¯s meant for my fatedbond with Mallory. I was too chicken shit to follow the tether to its inevitable end, only to find it severed as well. Unlike the fading bruises my brother inflicted, that would be a crushing blow I couldn¡¯t recover from. But at least I knew for sure Darcy and I would cause her no further pain tonight. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping. I think I can slip out. Just give me ten minutes.¡± I heard Darcy¡¯s muffled voice carry from the other room. ¡°Fuck!¡± I groaned, my aching muscles protesting the movement as I sat up in bed. Thank fuck I wasn¡¯t sleeping or I might have missed an opportunity to find out what she was up to. Footsteps resounded through the hall, growing louder as they drew nearer. I threw myself back down on the bed, biting back a pained cry and forcing my face into a cid mask of peaceful sleep seconds before the door creaked open and Darcy stuck her head inside. Light from the hallway lit the back of my eyelids as it washed over my face, giving her a clear view of my features. I kept my breathing slow and steady, waiting for her to buy my ruse and leave. A few secondster, the door snicked closed, the room encased in darkness again. Following Darcy undetected was child¡¯sy. She may be a traitorous bitch buta seasoned criminal she was not. I keptmy distance, sticking to the shadowsbut she never once looked over hershoulder, her naivety working in myfavor. She wound her way through town on foot until she came to an abandoned car lot on the edge of the city that abutted the surrounding forest. Iducked behind an old rusted out car and prayed the wind wouldn¡¯t change direction and give away my position. I¡¯d coated myself in Darcy¡¯s lotion before leaving the house but it wouldn¡¯t totally hide my unique Alpha scent. ¡°Quade!¡± Darcy stage whispered into the deserted space. ¡°I¡¯m here. Where are you?¡± Fucking bitch! I knew my instincts were right. ¡°She doesn¡¯t leave here alive!¡± My wolf hissed in my head. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± I warned. ¡± I promise you blood for what she¡¯s done but we use her to get what we need first.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He snarled at me in frustration but agreed to stand down temporarily. A growl built in my chest when Alpha Quade himself stepped through the trees and strolled toward Darcy with all the swagger of a man in love with his own self-importance. My ws slipped from my fingertips and my mouth watered as I anticipated the taste of his blood on my tongue. I fought every instinct I had to not rip him to shreds before he could implicate himself. He didn¡¯t stop until he stood toe to toe with Darcy. Bile rose in my throat as he reached up and stroked her jaw with so much tenderness, it could almost be interpreted as loving if it weren¡¯t for the sneer he wore. ¡°Such a good girl. So obedient.¡± His voice was smooth as silk and she swayed into his touch. ¡°I-. I did what you asked.¡± Her voice trembled in fear, clearly not fooled by his adoring act. Rightfully so. His hand slipped to her throat and she began to wheeze as he tightened his grip, cutting off her air supply. He wouldn¡¯t kill her would he? Not if he still needed her help to get to Mallory. ¡°You didn¡¯t warn me she¡¯d be so heavily protected!¡± Terror cloaked her scent at his vicious snarl. ¡°Now she¡¯s locked down so tight I can¡¯t get near her. You better find a way to get her out in the open before I really lose my fucking patience.¡± He dropped her to the ground with a shove and she scrambled to her knees. ¡°I-, I will. I promise.¡± She groveled at his feet. ¡°Enough!¡± Kai roared in my head. I was out of time. He wasn¡¯t going to tolerate any further threats to his mate. Not that I disagreed with him. I stoodfrom my hiding spot and slipped my hands into my pockets, forcing myself to stroll forward with an easy, unaffected grace. ¡°So this is the famous Alpha Quade.¡± I maintained my rxed demeanor when both their heads snapped in my direction. ¡°And my sweet, innocent chosen mate knew him all along and didn¡¯t even offer to introduce us.¡± I relished the way Darcy¡¯s face crumpled at my words, realizing my illusion of her was shattered and she¡¯d never be able to put the pieces together again. My eyes were trained on her when a sh of movement caught the corner of my eye. Quade had Darcy¡¯s back pinned to his chest, his ws at her throat before I could blink. But if he thought I gave two fucks about her life, he was more delusional than I thought. ¡°Colton.¡± Darcy whimpered, but I didn¡¯t spare her another nce, too busy glowering at the Alpha who threatened my mate. ¡°Colton is it?¡± He sneered. ¡°Well Colton, I can be reasonable. I¡¯m more than willing to make a trade. My mate for yours.¡± What the fuck? He must have seen the question sh through my eyes because heunched into an exnation. ¡°Oh, Didn¡¯t she tell you? Sweet little Darcy here reached out to me a few weeks ago, you see.¡± He confirmed my assumption. ¡°I just wanted-,¡± Darcy cut in but snapped her mouth shut when he sunk his ws deeper into her throat, a drop of blood dribbling down her neck. ¡°Hush, little mate.¡± He breathed in her ear, making her shiver. ¡°We all know what you wanted, to get rid of thepetition. But as fate would have it, you got so much more than you bargained for. You got me. ¡°And we both know you¡¯d do anything to please me, your fated mate, don¡¯t we. A plot twist I couldn¡¯t have dreamed up if I tried. Unfortunately, the Goddess gifted me an ipetent whore!¡± 2 He growled thest part while Darcy shook in his hold. Her human fingers wed at the hand gripping her, a crazed attempt to free herself, but his grasp was unrelenting. I folded my arms over my chest in a move calcted to prove how unaffected I was by her impending doom. ¡°Please. Colton! I never meant for this to happen!¡± She cried, crocodile tearssliding down her cheeks. ¡°You pathetic little cunt! You took advantage of my trust and invited danger into our lives¡± I growled, turning my furious re on her. ¡°It¡¯s sickening enough that you would so callously sell out Mallory. Did you spare a single thought to who else might have gotten hurt in the process? ¡°Those warriors you let walk into a trap with Mallory had families, mates and children. You could havee to me, told me what you¡¯d done, put a stop to his ns before anyone got hurt. But you chose yourself over everyone else. You were willing to risk innocent lives to get what you wanted. ¡°You¡¯re not the woman I thought you were. Do you truly believe there is anything you can say to earn my forgiveness? You wanted to be a Luna so bad? Looks like you got your wish. I hope it¡¯s everything you dreamed it would be.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡± She wailed, still defending herself like I gave a shit. ¡°I thought maybe the rumors were exaggerated. Then Mallory would let it go and we could all go back to our lives. I tried to reject him! I swear I did! But he wouldn¡¯t ept it. He said if I wanted a rejection I had to help him first. I¡¯m so sorry!¡± ¡°Such a beautiful little liar.¡± Quade cooed to her, running his nose across her cheek. ¡°You didn¡¯t really want a rejection. You think I couldn¡¯t smell the way your body responded to me, little mate? You only tried to reject me because you thought it was what you should want. I just saved you from making a terrible mistake.¡± Darcy squirmed in his arms but he held her tight. He traced his tongue over theshell of her ear and I could see the disgust written all over her face. But I couldn¡¯t care less about her predicament. ¡°I could give fuck all about your little lover¡¯s quarrel. What I do care about is MY MATE and I¡¯m not stupid enough to think she¡¯ll be safe as long as you¡¯re allowed to keep breathing.¡± I loosed my ws and took one menacing step in his direction. ¡°If you thought it would be that easy, you¡¯re exactly as dumb as I thought you were.¡± Quade¡¯s dark chuckle grated on my nerves. ¡°You didn¡¯t really believe I trusted her not to fuck this up, did you? I wasn¡¯t about to take a chance she¡¯d be followed.¡± Five men stepped out of the woods behind him, marching up to surround him like the loyal soldiers I was sure he trained them to be. I might have beenable to take down Quade on my own but I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance with six against one. It didn¡¯t stop the frustrated roar from erupting into the night though. ¡°Such menacing posturing, Alpha Colton.¡± Quade chuckled again. ¡°I suggest you stand down before I¡¯m forced to rip her pretty throat out and let my men tear you to pieces.¡± ¡°Do you think I give a fuck what happens to her anymore?¡± I asked him the question but my hateful stare was fixed on Darcy. ¡°You can have the bitch. She¡¯s all yours.¡± Kai took over my skin in a heartbeat, his heels digging into the dirt beneath his paws and carrying us away from the danger we couldn¡¯t hope to defeat no matter how much our instincts drove us to fight. ¡°Colton!¡± Darcy shrieked my name as we tore through the night, but neither my wolf nor I even considered slowing down. Only one thought upied our minds, one consuming need. ¡°Mate!¡± Chapter 66 by Cara Anderson Ch. 66 Anything For You y¡¯s POV A tenuous peace settled over us for the next few weeks. Cary and I went to work during the day, though less of our time was spent on actual pack duties in favor of discussing our future and how to move forward without Colton. Our parents thought he was away gathering intel on Alpha Quade and none of us disabused them of that notion. Mallory spent most of her days with our mother, determined to perfect her future role as Luna by absorbing every detail the current ck Moon Luna had to impart. The three of us spent our nights together, Cary and I wrapped around our mate. And from the outside, it would appear that we¡¯d never been happier. But despite her best efforts to hide it, and our best efforts to reassure her, a tinge of self-loathing permeated Mallory¡¯s otherwise vibrant scent. Others might miss it, but as her mates who lived just to breathe her in, it was unmistakable. ¡°It¡¯s killing me to watch her beat herself up this way.¡± Cary mentioned for the hundredth time today. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. She seems happy enough when we¡¯re together. If we bring it up, she¡¯ll just feel guilty for making us worry.¡± I repeated my earlier point. ¡°Maybe we should start nning our bonding ceremony.¡± Cary suggested enthusiastically. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about that, bro. It¡¯s not a good idea to open our borders right now. We need to deal with Alpha Quade first.¡± I reminded him.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As Alpha¡¯s, it was pack tradition to hold a bonding ceremony where we would mark our Luna in the presence of our pack and all our allied pack leaders. But we had no idea how far Alpha Quade¡¯s reach extended and it just wasn¡¯t safe to risk him or one of his men slipping in with the other guests. ¡°Fuck! I know!¡± Cary conceded, slumping in his chair in defeat. A bouquet ofvender and jasmine wafted into the room seconds before Mallory poked her head in, putting a temporary end to our debate. ¡°Hey! Lunch is ready.¡± Her sweet voice made my heart race. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there, little wolf.¡± I winked at her and she nodded before slipping out the door. Our parents had insisted we move into the Alpha apartment when Mallorycame to stay with us. Most days we still went to our old offices since most of our files were there but Mallory had wanted to cook lunch for us today and who were we to deny our Luna? So we decided to work from our home office. We both locked down ourputers we¡¯d only pretended to be working on and made for the kitchen, the mouthwatering aroma drawing us in. ¡°It smells amazing in here, darling.¡± Cary announced, stepping up behind her and burying his face in her neck. ¡± The food smells good too.¡± ¡°Go sit down!¡± She swatted him away yfully,ughing at his little quip. ¡°What?¡± He put his hands up, feigning innocence. ¡°Just stating facts.¡± ¡°Hey, little wolf.¡± I stepped into the space he vacated, kissing her cheek. ¡± Can I help?¡± ¡°No, I got it. Go sit down. I want to serve you.¡± She insisted. ¡°I can think of a way you could serve me.¡± Cary suggested as I walked by, smacking him on the back of the head. ¡± Ouch!¡± ¡°Quit being an ass! She worked hard on this meal for us.¡± I growled in his head. ¡°Sorry, love.¡± He apologized out loud. A knock on the door drew our attention and I pivoted on my heels to answer the door. ¡°I got it.¡± I hollered over my shoulder, but I could sense Cary following behind. I swung the door open to find Colton standing there wearing an apprehensive expression. I swallowed the growl threatening to burst out, knowing it would draw Mallory¡¯s attention. Seeing him was thest thing her already fragile heart needed. ¡°Is she here?¡± He asked softly ¡°What the fuck do you want, Colton? Why the fuck would you think it would ever be okay to show up here? Haven¡¯t you hurt her enough already?¡± I snarled under my breath. ¡°I know she¡¯s here. Please just let me talk to her. I need to exin-,¡± He pleaded but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to his bullshit. ¡°Fuck off, Colton! You¡¯re not getting anywhere near her again. You lost that right when you used her to sate the bond then left her for that cunt you call a girlfriend.¡± I was so pissed, all I could hear was my own heart beating in my ears. So I missed the sound of Mallory¡¯s footsteps heading in our direction until it was toote. ¡°Guys, what¡¯s taking so long?¡­ Oh.¡± My head snapped to her in time to see her face contorted in anguish the minute she saw Colton standing there. ¡°Mallory.¡± Colton breathed her name, but she ignored him, her gaze bouncing between Cary and me instead. ¡°I¡¯m going to lie down for a bit.¡± Mallory¡¯s hushed voice wasced with sadness. ¡°Lunch is on the table.¡± I walked over to where she stood before she could make her escape and kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there to tuck you in.¡± I told her softly. Mallory left the room and Cary followed her while I held Colton in a furious re. Colton stared wistfully over my shoulder, his eyes following the direction Mallory had gone. Iwaited to speak until I heard the bedroom door close, the sound seeming to jolt him out of his longing. ¡°Are you proud of yourself, seeing the devastation your choices caused? I hope you lie awake every night, seeing her face the way it looked just now. And I hope the shame and regret rots you from the inside out. You¡¯re a fucking disgrace!¡± I red at him. ¡°y, please. Just let me exin.¡± He tried again. ¡°No!¡± I stated tly, spent of any emotion I might have spared him, then closed the door in his face. I rushed to the bedroom, anxious to check on my mate. Mallory was lying on her side facing the wall, her scent marred with guilt and grief. Cary had climbed in behind her, holding her when the dam broke and her tears spilled over. ¡°Please talk to me, darling. I can¡¯t stand to see you cry.¡± Cary implored. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so nice to me. I¡¯m a terrible person. I don¡¯t deserve it.¡± She choked out. ¡°You could never be a terrible person. Why would you say that?¡± He coaxed. ¡°I made a mess of everything! I let him fuck me when deep down I knew he¡¯d lied about leaving Darcy. He may have been my mate but he still belonged to her and I let him cheat with me. What kind of person does that make me? ¡°And if that weren¡¯t bad enough, you¡¯ll definitely hate me when I tell you the next part. I won¡¯t pretend to understand the intricacies of the mate bond. Because I don¡¯t see how you could still want me knowing after everything you did to protect me, I still want him?¡± The shame in her voice sliced into me with searing intensity. Two low growls filled the room, both our wolves angry with her for thinking we¡¯d ever not want her. If I hadn¡¯t hated Colton before, I surely did now. I¡¯d never forgive him for making her doubt herself that way. ¡°This is thest time I¡¯m going to tell you, Mallory. Don¡¯t ever so much as hint that any of this is your fault or that you are anything less than worthy of our love! Next time you do, I¡¯m going to paint your ass red! You are our mate! And you¡¯re fucking perfect! We could never hate you!¡± Cary eximed. ¡°Would perfection still want him after everything he¡¯s done? Because my traitorous bitch of a heart was actually happy to see him. My wolf is throwing a fucking party right now.¡± ¡°What?¡± The question slipped out, Mallory¡¯s eyes finding mine where I leaned against the doorway, listeningto their exchange. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She whispered apologetically. I stalked over to the bed and inserted myself between her and the wall, pulling her chest to mine. I feathered soft kisses over her lips while Cary left a trail of them down her neck, the two of us holding her from either side. ¡°I¡¯m not mad, little wolf. Just surprised.¡± I assured her. ¡°I guess it makes sense that you would still want him. It wasn¡¯t your choice to go your separate ways. It will get better with time.¡± ¡°But what if I never stop wanting him? What if I¡¯m this shell of a person for the rest of my life? You deserve a mate who is happy and whole, who never makes you feel like you¡¯re not enough. It¡¯s not fair to you that I¡¯m left piningover someone I¡¯ll never have when the two of you are right here, giving me everything a mate could ever ask for.¡± Her words seemed more contemtive than literal but I answered her anyway. ¡°Cary and I will take you any way we can get you. You are so much more than we ever hoped for just the way you are. But when you find yourself longing for him, please try to remember he doesn¡¯t deserve you, love. Promise me you won¡¯t let him hurt you again.¡± Mallory¡¯s eyes welled with sadness, telling me what she was afraid to say. She couldn¡¯t promise me that. But when she did speak, her words took me by surprise. ¡°Please make love to me. Make me feel everything I need to fill this aching hole in my chest he left behind. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Cary asked. ¡°You¡¯re hurting, darling. We can just hold you. ¡°Please .¡± A low keening followed the word that tortured my soul and I knew I could never deny her. ¡°Anything for you, little wolf. Always.¡± Chapter 67 by Cara Anderson Ch. 67 Sage Advice Colton¡¯s POV I let Kai run for hours that night after turning my back on Darcy and letting Alpha Quade walk away with her. Every instinct screamed at me to find Mallory, exin the truth behind my actions and beg her forgiveness. But I¡¯d needed time to think before facing her, so I gave my wolf free reign while I considered my next move. In the end, I¡¯d decided maybe time was my best ally. I¡¯de running to her with assurances that I was over Darcy twice before and as far as she knew, I¡¯d lied both times. After betraying our bond, the only way she might believe me was if some time passed without me hurting her again, Kai in no way approved of that n, harassing me daily to go see our mate.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. And every time, I would talk him down, exining that we needed to put her needs first and what she needed was space. But like every other day, he wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Raven needs me!¡± He insisted, demanding to see Mallory¡¯s wolf. ¡°Just a little more time, Kai!¡± I countered. ¡°No!¡± He roared, startling me. We didn¡¯t always agree but we always talked it out. But his impatience and fury at being denied rattled me. I felt him pulling away from me and I couldn¡¯t let that happen. He was all I had left. That was how I¡¯d ended up at the packhouse, knocking on my brothers¡¯ door and begging to see my mate. I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised to find them there and running interferencefor her. I¡¯d expected to have a fight on my hands if I ran into either of them. What I wasn¡¯t prepared for was the look of utter destion on my little Omega¡¯s face when she saw me. y railed at me with all the venom of a pit viper but his words barely registered. Even after Mallory left, I couldn¡¯t stop seeing her face. Her skin was pale, her eyes red-rimmed and sunken. She was still breathtakingly beautiful but it was clear she¡¯d been struggling. And it was my fault. I did that to her. When he mmed the door in my face, I slid down the wall, hitting the floor with a thud and hanging my head in my hands. I tugged at the short strands of my sandy blond hair, self-disgust seeping through every poor. I¡¯d only wanted to keep her safe, but I¡¯d made the worst mistake of my life. ¡°Colton? Son, what are you doing in the hall?¡± My mother asked, confused at finding me sitting there. ¡°Mom, I fucked up.¡± My voice broke, and tears slid down my face. ¡°Oh, baby boy. Come on. I¡¯ll make you some hot cocoa and we can talk like we used to.¡± she offered. I nodded and pushed off the floor, letting her lead me to the smaller apartment they¡¯d moved into while I was gone. I sat at their kitchen table, watching her flit around making our drinks like she¡¯d done so many times when I was a pup. I wished I could go back to those days when life was simpler. I wished life gave second chances so I could make different choices, ones that would never cause my mate to suffer. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Colton?¡± Mom asked pointedly, setting two mugs on the table and sitting across from me.¡± Tell me everything.¡± I watched her features change from anger to sadness to disappointment then back to anger again as I told her the whole sordid tale. I could practically feel her biting her own tongue against the need to lecture me for every stupid mistake I revealed, one after another. But it felt good to get it all out and although she¡¯d never hesitate to tell me exactly what she thought of my idiocy, I knew she loved me unconditionally. ¡°Colton, what am I going to do with you?¡± She shook her head, clearly aggravated with me. ¡°I know. I¡¯m a shitty excuse for an Alpha: You don¡¯t have to tell me that. Just tell me how to fix it.¡± I snipped, then instantly regretted my tone. ¡± Please. I can¡¯t stand seeing that devastated look in her eyes, mom. I have to find a way to make this better.¡± ¡°I wish I had some sage advice for you, son. But the truth is, I don¡¯t think there are any easy solutions to this situation. I think the best you can do is be the man she deserves, whether she chooses to forgive you or not. At least that way, you¡¯ll know you¡¯re worthy of her if she does take you back. ¡°Now your brothers are a whole other story! I understand being angry, furious even. She¡¯s their mate too and you hurt her. But there is no excuse for shutting you out of their sibling bond! You don¡¯t turn your back on family! Your father and I always taught you that.¡± ¡°Let it go, mom. I should have told them what I was doing. I didn¡¯t because I knew they wouldn¡¯t let me go through with it. Once again, I made a choice without consulting them and it drove a wedge between us.¡± I admitted. ¡°This is my fault and I¡¯ll work it out with them on my own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, son. Not all Alphas can admit when they¡¯ve made a mistake. I know you¡¯ll find a way to make things right.¡± She said with a confidence I hadn¡¯t earned. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± I answered, sighing sadly. Mom and I finished our drinks and she walked me to the door. I surprised her by scooping her up into a bear hug, her feet dangling off the floor. ¡°I love you, mommy.¡± I told her, just like I used to as a kid. ¡°I love you too, my baby boy.¡± She replied, giggling as I set her back on her feet and kissed her goodbye. I spent the rest of the day hanging around the packhouse. I really had nowhere else to go and felt an unassable need to be near Mallory even if I couldn¡¯t be with her. If I had tried to leave, I was pretty sure I would have had to fight Kai to do it. So I shot a couple games of pool with a few of the off duty warriors hanging around the lounge. When dinner time rolled around, I headed to the dining hall with the rest of the pack members. I might not be wee in the home my brothers shared with our mate, but they didn¡¯t have the authority to kick me out of the packhouse altogether. Yet. In the end, it was a moot point. The three of them never came down to dinner. I nibbled at my food, pushing itaround on my te more than actually eating it, dragging out the meal as long as possible. Finally, I gave up and headed upstairs to my office. It had been weeks since I¡¯d been there, preferring to sleep in the woods in my wolf form rather than risk a run in with my mate or siblings. But now that the band-aid had been painfully ripped off, I had no further excuses to avoid my job. And as expected, my desk was piled with files needing my review. With a groan I sank into my chair and started flipping through one document after another, signing some and shredding others. It was well past midnight by the time I looked at the clock again and I felt a sense of aplishment for the first time in weeks. But for all the attempts at distraction, the need to see Mallory was nagging at me. Our mate bond had felt dull and lifeless in the intervening weeks but after seeing her earlier, it was singing again. Or maybe that was just the indelible love my wolf and I felt for her, bond or no. Either way, I wondered if she felt it too, if she felt the pull to me as I did to her. Suddenly, my feet were carrying me back to the Alpha apartment despite my conscious brain telling me it was a bad idea. All I wanted was to see her face, breathe in her scent that I¡¯d so desperately missed. With that mission in mind, I stood outside the door for a few minutes, listening for any indication y and Cary were still awake to intercept me. Hearing none, I twisted the knob, wincing when the locking mechanism groaned under my strength then rattled when it broke. On silent footsteps, I slipped inside and closed the door behind me. Just likeearlier, their scents bowled me over, making me weak in the knees. ¡°Home!¡± My wolf purred. Technically he was right. It was the Alpha residence and I was an Alpha. Nevermind I wasn¡¯t wee here as far as the other upants were concerned. It couldn¡¯t really be considered breaking and entering, could it? The house was dark and only the low hum of the refrigerator could be heard as I crept down the hall. Finding the master bedroom door wide open, I peered inside. My breath caught in my throat. The smell of sex hit me like an oing train. The three of them were tangled together, Mallory between my brothers,pletely naked. Mallory¡¯s skin still glowed with the most beautiful flush from their activities. Jealousy stung me, my skin prickling with it, as I drank her in, noticing how perfectly all her soft curves melded with them. My cock was instantly hard, forcing meto readjust it in my pants with a lowgroan. I knew I was behaving like aperverted stalker and I needed to go,but my feet wouldn¡¯t move. Before Icould make my escape, Mallory stirredand her eyes popped open, locking withmine. I took a step forward, my arm reaching for her of its own ord, but I stopped myself. She didn¡¯t want me. As if I needed proof, she turned away from me, burying her face in Cary¡¯s chest. It was the motivation I needed to kick my ass in gear and get the hell out of dodge. My heart cracked, another piece falling away at her rejection. I¡¯d thought thatorgan had long turned to dust and swept away in the wind but today had taught me I still had enough left to break. I was panting, sucking in sharp breaths as pain wracked my body, until I finally reached my room. ¡°Fuck!¡± I growled loudly, punching the wall and pulling away a bloody fist. Their rtionship had progressed so far and they¡¯d done it without me. I was supposed to be there with them, in that bed with them, by her side, holding her close while she slept safely in my arms. I was missing so much time with her. But there was no one to me but myself. No matter how long it took, I swore to myself and my wolf that I would win her back. In the meantime, I would watch from the shadows. I would always be there, keeping her safe, helping her fight her battles and vanquish her enemies, and she would never know I was there. Not until she wanted me to be. It was the least I could do. Chapter 68 by Cara Anderson Ch. 68 Unnned Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Oh, and never seat Alpha Craig near Alpha Layton at dinner parties. Craig used to date Layton¡¯s Luna and now they hate each other.¡± Luna Erika instructed. We were in the ballroom reviewing the intricacies of hosting sessful inter- pack gatherings, one of my duties as future Luna. But I couldn¡¯t focus on the lesson. I was too busy trying to keep my breakfast in my stomach where it belonged. For the past couple of weeks, I¡¯d been exhausted, even sneaking away in the middle of the day to take a much needed cat nap. Then, for the past three days in a row, my stomach felt like it was doing cartwheels most of the time. I could barely look at food, and days like today when my mates practically force fed me, it refused to stay down. But I absolutely could not being down with something! We¡¯d worked so hard to perfect our strategy for deposing Alpha Quade and we were about to act on it. My mates would never let me go if they thought I was ill and I wouldn¡¯t want to jeopardize our team if I wasn¡¯t at my best. Whatever this was, it needed to find someone else to pester. has his own mate now so I¡¯m not sure why they still insist on behaving that way but-, Mallory are you okay?¡± Luna¡¯s voice drifted in and out while I pondered my predicament. ¡°Oh, uh, yeah, I¡¯m fine. Why do you ask?¡± I stammered, not sounding convincing at all. ¡°Because your eyes look ssy and your skin is the color of the avocado I had for breakfast. Are you sure you¡¯re feeling alright?¡± She asked again. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I prom-, ugh!¡± I spun around, scanning the room for the nearest trash can. I spotted one near the door and sprinted for it. Once I¡¯d emptied the entirety of this morning¡¯s meal and maybe some ofst night¡¯s dinner, I straightened up to find Luna Erika standing next to me with a towel at the ready. She waited while I cleaned my face, tapping her foot impatiently. ¡°Not so fine after all.¡± Shemented, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°How long have you been feeling this way?¡± ¡°Not long. A few days at the most.¡± I hedged. ¡°It¡¯s probably just a bug, nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a wolf, Mallory. We don¡¯t get bugs.¡± She pointed out unhelpfully.¡± Are you having any other symptoms besides nausea?¡± ¡°Um. I¡¯ve been really tiredtely.¡± I admitted. She had a scary look on her face that said I better not lie to my Luna. ¡°And the smell of food makes me gag. Otherwise, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Right. Come with me.¡± She pushed through the ballroom door, a woman on a mission. I trailed along behind her, surprised when she led me to her apartment. I followed her through the house but paused when she entered her and Alpha Carl¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Come in Mallory. Carlton isn¡¯t home. You can use our bathroom.¡± She prodded when she noticed my hesitation. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t need to use the bathroom. I think I¡¯m done vomiting for now.¡± I assured her. ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to need the bathroom.¡± She argued, pulling me by the hand into her room and all the way to her en suite. She marched right into the bathroom and started rummaging through drawers, digging around for something. I just stood by, probably looking as confused as I felt, until she apparently found what she was searching for. ¡°I bought this when you moved in with the boys a couple months ago, hoping you would need it.¡± She handed me a slender box. My eyes flew wide as I took in the blue packaging and the bold print that read ¡± pregnancy test.¡± I felt myself turn paleas the color drained from my face. No, no, no. That couldn¡¯t be what this was! ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I mean, surely, I¡¯m not.. ¡± I stuttered. ¡°Take the test Mallory. Trust me.¡± She urged. ¡°If it¡¯s negative, then no harm done. But it¡¯s positive, you should be under a doctor¡¯s care.¡± ¡°Um, okay. Sure.¡± I took the package and waited for her to close the bathroom door. My hands shook nervously as I opened the box and removed its contents. I must have dropped the little instruction pamphlet at least three times before I actually managed to read it. I took a few steadying breaths, giving myself a pep talk as I did, ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous, Mallory. There is nothing to worry about. You haven¡¯t even had your first heat yet.¡± Ireminded myself. ¡°Raven, can you tell if we¡¯re pregnant?¡± I asked my wolf, desperate for reassurance, but she remained resolutely silent. It was extremely rare, though not impossible, for a she-wolf to conceive before her first heat. That thought helped calm me a little. I sat on the toilet and did my business, peeing on the little stick. I sat it on the counter then washed my hands, but I couldn¡¯t stick around for the results. ¡°Mom! What are you doing here?¡± I was surprised to see her sitting on the bed chatting with Luna when I came out. ¡°We¡¯re about to find out if you¡¯re carrying our first grandchild. I couldn¡¯t let her miss out on that.¡± Erika announced. ¡°Eek! It¡¯s so exciting!¡± Mom squealed, rushing over to pull me into a hug and shaking me from side to side. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be nearly as excited when I puke all over you if you keep shaking me, mother!¡± I warned. ¡°Oh, right, Sorry! I just got carried away.¡± She stepped back, an abashed expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I offered her a weak smile. I wished I could muster the same level of enthusiasm they had for the potential bun in my oven. I should be overjoyed at the idea of being pregnant. But like everything else in my life, it wasplicated. I couldn¡¯t challenge Alpha Quade if I was carrying the future ck Moon heir. My mates wouldn¡¯t let me even if I was willing to risk our child, which I wasn¡¯t. Then there was Colton. If I waspregnant, there was still a slight possibility the baby could be his. Shaking those thoughts away, I tuned back to mom and Luna Erika who were both too preupied with their discussion of all things baby rted to notice my distraction. A wave of hysteria washed over me as I listened to them. I fought back a sudden urge to retch all over again. My phone ying a tune broke through their conversation and we all froze. It yed a few more times before I managed to turn off the rm; ¡°Oooh! It¡¯s time!¡± My mom sing- songed, doing a little happy dance. ¡°Can one of you go look for me? I don¡¯t think I can do it. I¡¯m too nervous.¡± I told them, a little embarrased by my cowardice. ¡°Of course, sweetheart. I remember feeling the same way when I suspected I was pregnant with the triplets.¡± Luna said, pulling me into a hug. ¡°Maeve, why don¡¯t you do the honors and I¡¯ll wait here with Mallory.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to be the first to know, sweetie?¡± Mom checked again. ¡°I¡¯m sure, mom. Go ahead.¡± She nodded once then disappeared through the bathroom door. I hadn¡¯t realized I was holding my breath until my head started to swim fromck of oxygen. I blew out all the air in my lungs but sucked in back in sharply when mom reappeared with the little stick in her hand. ¡°My baby is going to have a baby!¡± She revealed, jumping up and down. Luna Erika squeezed me tight, practically buzzing with excitement. My mom had already moved on to making a shopping list for the nursery. I was still staring at the test she handed me, willing the little plus sign to be a minus sign but it stayed resolutely positive. ¡°Pup!¡± Raven cooed happily in my head. Now she had something to say. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell Carlton!¡± I heard Luna tell mom. ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± I blurted out.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why not, sweetheart. He¡¯ll be so excited to be a grandfather.¡± She said. ¡°Please, could we keep this between the three of us until I have a chance to tell the guys? y won¡¯t be home from his trip for a few more days and I¡¯d like to tell them first.¡± It was partly true. ¡°And what about telling Colton?¡± She questioned. And that was the crux of the problem. If there was any chance he could be the father, I couldn¡¯t keep it from him. But I needed time. I needed to see a doctor, find out how many weeks pregnant I was. Maybe there was no chance he fathered my pup if I wasn¡¯t that far along. With y and Cary still wanting nothing to do with him and Colton wanting nothing to do with me, it was the best case scenario. If I did need to tell him, I had no idea what I would say. ¡°Hi Colton. Remember me, the mate you had a one night stand with? Well now I¡¯m pregnant and it might be yours. Okay, see you around.¡± Somehow I didn¡¯t think it would be that simple. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll tell him. I just need a little time. Please. That¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for, just a little time.¡± I finally answered Luna. ¡°Of course, dear.¡± Both women were looking at me with pity in their eyes and I hated it. Not just for me but for my unborn child. I grew up without a father, not knowing both my parents were dead, of course. But it wasn¡¯t a life I wanted for my pup. I didn¡¯t want Colton to resent him or her for ruining the perfect family I was sure he wanted with Darcy. And I didn¡¯t want y and Cary to transfer their resentment towards their brother to the baby if it turned out it could belong to Colton. Fuck. I had to figure out how to tell Cary and y. This was going to alter all our ns. That was probably where the term ¡°unnned pregnancy¡± came from. So much for my earlier reassurances. I guess I had plenty to worry about after all. Chapter 69 by Cara Anderson Ch. 69 Not Sick Cary¡¯s POV I was worried about Mallory. Really fucking worried. She hadn¡¯t been herself for a couple weeks now. She didn¡¯t think I noticed but I did. I noticed everything about her, right down to the minutest detail. Even y mentioned she looked tired before he¡¯d left on his scouting mission almost a week ago. Fuck, I wished he was here. He may have gone off the deep end a bit where our older brother was concerned, but when it came to our mate, he always seemed to know exactly what she needed. He always had this calming way about him where I charged in like a raging bull. But he wasn¡¯t here. He was out gathering thest bits of intel we needed to put our n for Alpha Quade into action. And that fact only added to my worry. Until two weeks ago, Mallory had spent every waking breath on preparing for this mission. ns for Hazelwood pack after Quade¡¯s rein of terror ended was all she ever talked about. Then suddenly, she was excusing herself in the middle of a nning session and disappearing for an hour or two. Something wasn¡¯t right. Mallory padded into the kitchen, tearing my thoughts away from my internal spiral and back to the breakfast I¡¯d been trying not to burn for her. ¡°What¡¯s that awful smell?¡± She asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust. ¡°It¡¯s bacon, darling. You love bacon. And look, it¡¯s not even ck this time.¡± She snorted at that, probably remembering the charred leather I served herst time I cooked. ¡°Bacon. Right. Thank you.¡± She smiled wanly. y wasing home today, thank fuck! As soon as he walked in the door, we were going to have a serious conversation with our little mate. I couldn¡¯t take another second of that nd look on her face where her vivacious personality used to shine through. I set the te in front of her then poured her some juice. I made myself a te then went to join her at the table, but when my eyesnded on her face. I nearly choked on my spit. Her skin was literally a kiwi green. ¡°Mallory?¡± I dropped my te on the counter and rushed to her. She was hunched over the table, about to facent in her eggs, but she held up a hand as if telling me to back off. Yeah, that shit wasn¡¯t going to happen. But before I could get to her, she solved her chair back, the legs grating across the floor in an angry screech, then bolted from the room. Of course I followed her, shoving my way into the bathroom behind her. She immediately dropped to her knees and heaved into the toilet. I held her hair back and rubbed soothing circles on her back while she emptied her stomach of nothing but bile. When she finally sunk to the floor, leaning into the wall for support, I soaked a rag with cool water and helped her clean up. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s it. I¡¯m taking you to the infirmary.¡± I stated firmly, brooking noargument. ¡°No!¡± She shrank away from me like a cornered animal. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me no, mate.¡± My voice had deepened and taken on the gravelly quality of my wolf. ¡°You¡¯re sick! You need a doctor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sick!¡± She insisted. I just stared at her incredulously, certain Roan was ring at her through my eyes. I waved my hand back and forth between her and the toilet as if to say ¡°then exin why you just vomited your guts out.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been lethargic for weeks, Mallory. And now you¡¯re puking? I am taking you to the doctor!¡± I growled out the words, my wolf angry at herck of self-concern. She visibly deted, practically sinking into the wall behind her, bing partof the ster. She was certainly the same shade of white, her skin blending with the paint perfectly. ¡°I¡¯m not sick, Cary. I¡¯m pregnant.¡± I froze. I could not have heard that right. She hadn¡¯t even gone into heat yet. My nostrils red as Roan searched her scent for evidence of her im. ¡°Pup!¡± He roared joyfully in my head. I fell to my knees in front of her, a beaming smile breaking across my face. ¡°You¡¯re-, but you haven¡¯t-, how?¡± I finally settled on the simple question. ¡°Um, didn¡¯t your parents exin to you how this works?¡± She made a weak attempt at humor. ¡°We haven¡¯t exactly been careful.¡± ¡°Of course I know that. I just meant, you haven¡¯t had a first heat yet. I thought that was a prerequisite.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare but it¡¯s not unheard of. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her face fell. I pulled her into myp and nted my face in her neck, breathing in her slightly altered scent, so subtle it was no wonder I¡¯d missed it. ¡°What do you have to be sorry for, darling? Aside from the day you gave yourself to me, nothing could make me happier!¡± I said, kissing every inch of her beautiful face. ¡°You¡¯re not mad?¡± The timid look of uncertainty on her face made my heart seize. ¡°Mad? Why would I be mad? I¡¯m fucking ecstatic.¡± I told her, pushing my excitement through our bond.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°¡±It¡¯s so soon. We¡¯re not even marked yet. We haven¡¯t really had much of a chance to talk about it. I wasn¡¯t sure you guys wanted pups.¡± That unsettledlook returned and I wanted to kiss it away but I knew she needed to talk this through. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. We still have a lot to discuss where our future is concerned. But all you really need to know is we want it all with you. We want you to wear our marks, help us lead the pack as our Luna, spend every night in our bed, and carry our pups, a whole pack of them.¡± She snorted augh at that, rolling her eyes in that way she knew made me crazy with lust, needing to fuck her into submission. But first, I needed to make sure she and the baby were okay. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get you to the doctor before that sassy attitude of yours gets you in trouble.¡± I teased. ¡°But I¡¯m not sick, remember.¡± She peered up at me in confusion. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re sleeping all the time and I can¡¯t remember thest time you ate a full meal. That can¡¯t be healthy and it¡¯s freaking me the fuck out. Please, just humor me.¡± I made that pouty face I knew she couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the doctor here in ck Moon.¡± She said and I waited patiently, hoping she would borate. She heaved a sigh then exined. ¡°I don¡¯t want Colton to find out. ¡°Once the doctor confirms how far along I am, I¡¯ll know if there is any chance this pup could be his. If that¡¯s the case, I know I¡¯ll have to tell him. I just don¡¯t want him to find out before I¡¯m ready and I¡¯m afraid the news might leak. People know me here.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± I replied, contemting her words. My heart ached for her, carrying the burden that Colton, the mate who¡¯d abandoned her, could be the father of her pup. But I would do everything in my power to make sure she never felt his absence. This was our baby! Mine and Mallory¡¯s and y¡¯s. No matter what. ¡°Cary?¡± There was a tremor in her hushed voice. ¡°What if it could be his? y hates him. I don¡¯t think I could handle it if he refuses to ept this pup because it could be the child of a brother he wants no part of. What if he ends up hating me too?¡± Her tears flowed freely by the time she was done. I couldn¡¯t let her think for a minute there was any world in which that was possible. ¡°Never!¡± I told her decisively. ¡°We¡¯re triplets. We share the same DNA. We always agreed it would never matterwho the father was. He or she will belong to all of us and no one will ever love a pup more.¡± My assurance seemed to lift some of her doubt. But between the crying jag and overwhelming emotions, vomiting andck of nutrition, she was drained. She sagged against me as I carried her to bed, giving in to sleep before I even made it down the hall. I tucked her in and left the room, frantically trying to curb my turbulent emotions so she could rest peacefully. It was easier said than done. My mind was a ho¡¯s nest of conflicting thoughts buzzing around in my head. When Mal said she was pregnant, my first response was unbridled joy. Now, I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t panicking just a little bit. A few short months ago, I was mourning Mallory¡¯s absence, fuckingaround to fill the void. Now, I was asmitted to her as any man could be, so desperate for her it consumed my every thought. But was I ready to be a father? I hadn¡¯t lied when I said I wanted it all with her. But that didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d be any good at it. I could only hope the pup would turn out like her and not me. Then there was y. I would never add to her worry by admitting he might resent her concern for Colton. Even if the timing proved he could be the biological father, I wasn¡¯t sure y would want him involved in any way. And though Mallory might agree with him, she would never be that spiteful. I told myself there was no use stressing over what I couldn¡¯t control. y would be home any minute and we would figure all of this out the same way we always did. Together. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m home!¡± y called as he walked through the front door. At least he was in a good mood. I hoped that wouldst. We were about to find out. Chapter 70 by Cara Anderson Ch. 70 Too Good To Be True y¡¯s POV I was so excited to be home! When we realized that one of us needed to scout the Hazelwood pack borders for ourselves, we knew it was going to take at least a week. We needed to study their defenses, determine where their sentries were stationed and how often they changed shifts. Patrol patterns weren¡¯t that easy to decipher in less than a few days¡¯ time. Unfortunately, I¡¯d lost the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who would go and who would stay with our mate. Leaving Mallory home alone was never an option. Not with Colton lurking around every corner, just waiting for a chance to catch her on her own. I wasn¡¯t too proud to admit I was a little bit jealous of all the one-on-one time Cary had with her while I was away. All I wanted was to bury myself deep inside her, feel her wrapped around me and lose myself in her for hours on end. My little brother could fuck right off too. He¡¯d had his turn. Now it was mine. ¡°Fuck! I knew I missed her scent but I never realized how much until I walked in the door.¡± I told Cary as I unloaded my bag and kicked off my shoes. I didn¡¯t wait for a response, following Mallory¡¯s mouthwatering fragrance down the hall where it was stronger. Was it sharper, too? It seemed almost spicier somehow but maybe that was just my overactive imagination after being away from her so long. Her scent led me to the bedroom and I was about to reach for the doorknob when Cary stepped in front of me. ¡°Get out of my way, Cary!¡± I snarled at him. ¡°I¡¯ve been missing her all week. All I could think about was getting back to her. Meanwhile you¡¯ve had her all to yourself. And I know you spent the entire week buried in her sweet pussy every chance you got. Now it¡¯s my turn!¡± The fucker smirked at me. Confirming that suspicion, but then his expression turned grim. He started pushing me back down the hall, away from our room, away from my mate. I was going to fucking kill him! ¡°y, listen to me!¡± He hissed under his breath, an obvious attempt to keep our disagreement from upsetting our little wolf. ¡°She¡¯s not doing very well. I just got her to lie down. You need to let her rest.¡± ¡°Is she okay? What¡¯s wrong with her? You need to let me see her!¡± Idemanded, every possible way she could be hurt reeling through my mind. ¡°She¡¯s not hurt. At least not physically. She¡¯s safe, resting in our room.¡± he reassured me. ¡°Tell me what the fuck is going on right now! I¡¯m real close to losing my shit here.¡± I growled anxiously. ¡°y, she¡¯s pregnant.¡± He ran his hands through his hair as he spoke, one of his nervous tics, and I couldn¡¯t understand his reaction. ¡°What? That¡¯s fucking amazing!¡± I tried to push past him, impatient to see Mallory and scent our pup on her, but he held me back with a concerned look. ¡°Why don¡¯t you look happy aboutthis?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how far along she is y.¡± He informed me like he was revealing a state secret. ¡°Why is that a problem? We¡¯ll take her to the doctor tomorrow and find out.¡± I shrugged him off. He gave me a pointed look, like I was an idiot missing something that should be obvious but nothing wasing to mind. There wasn¡¯t a single reason I could think of to not be fucking ecstatic about this news. We¡¯d always wanted pups. All¡­ three of us. Fuck! ¡°It could be Colton¡¯s.¡± I stated, finally catching on, ¡°Exactly.¡± He confirmed I¡¯d hit the nail on the head. ¡°So what! We always said we¡¯d never try to determine paternity when we had a pup. We¡¯re identical so they probably couldn¡¯t tell anyway. As far as I¡¯m concerned, this is our baby. I don¡¯t see the problem.¡± I told him. ¡°Well it doesn¡¯t matter what you think because she thinks it¡¯s a problem. She¡¯s devastated y.¡± ¡°Why? Are we not good enough to be the fathers?¡± This conversation was starting to piss me off. ¡°That¡¯s not it at all and you know it. Put your fragile ego away for a second and look at this from her perspective.¡± He chastised. ¡°She knows how angry we are at Colton. She¡¯s worried we won¡¯t love the pup the same if we thinkit could be his. ¡°Not to mention the guilt she feels knowing it could be his and knowing he doesn¡¯t want her. She thinks it¡¯s her fault the pup might not ever know his biological father because he won¡¯t want a pup with her.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to make sure we love her and the pup so much that neither one of them will ever feelthey¡¯re missing anything. Now move!¡± I demanded. ¡°I¡¯m going to see my mate!¡± Mallory was lying in bed with her eyes closed, looking thin and pale. Had she lost weight in the week I was gone? I sat down on the bed beside her. ¡°Hey there, little wolf. I missed you.¡± I cooed, running my fingers through her silky, dark curls. ¡°I missed you too!¡± Her eyes snapped open and locked with mine, studying me for a minute, ¡°Cary told you?¡± ¡°Told me we¡¯re going to be parents?¡± I grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Yes. And I couldn¡¯t be more fucking excited!¡±` ¡°Really?¡± She asked warily. ¡°Even if it could be his?¡± I felt a pang of guilt at that, knowing she didn¡¯t even feelfortable mentioning his name to me. But Iignored it in favor of reassuring my mate. ¡°This pup is ours, Mal. Never doubt that! He or she will never know anything but love. I promise you that!¡± She crawled into myp and snaked her arms around my neck and legs around my waist, clinging to me like a baby ko. ¡°I love you.¡± She whispered against my lips. ¡°I love you too.¡± I said, nipping her lips yfully. The kiss turned ravenous, a heated reunion after our week apart. I slid my hands under the t-shirt she wore, one of mine I noted with pride. I was desperate to feel her soft skin, to run my calloused hands over every luscious curve. I needed to feel her underneath me, submitting to me as I dominated her, so I flipped her on her back and followed her down. My cock throbbed in my jeans as I ground into her while our tongues danced together. She moaned into my mouth and the sound caused something inside me to snap. I scrambled back, lifting my weight off of her. Her brows pressed together in a frown as she reached for my shirt, an attempt to pull me back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She studied my face, trying to discern the answer. ¡°The pup.¡± I choked, horrified that I might have hurt it. ¡°What?¡± Malloryughed. ¡°Did you think you could hurt it by lying on me?¡± Sheughed even harder at that and I rxed a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I said, cracking a smile. ¡°Maybe.¡± She sat up and fisted my shirt in both hands, pulling me closer to her. Then she kissed along my jaw from my chin to my ear, sucking the lobe into her warm mouth and flicking it with her tongue. ¡°Our pup is tucked away safe and sound.¡± She whispered. ¡°You can fuck me so hard I¡¯ll feel it for a week and our pup will be just fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I verified, assuring myself she knew more about pregnancy than I did. ¡°Positive.¡± She affirmed. ¡°Well, in that case¡­¡± I grinned wickedly then flipped her on her belly. Mallory squealed when I pulled her to the edge of the bed, letting her legs hang over the side. Her t-shirt had ridden up when I dragged her, leaving her toned back exposed and her tits smashed into the mattress. I ripped her panties away, baring her lush peach to me. I smacked it once, making her yelp, then rubbed the sting away. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± I said, shuffling out of my jeans and letting my long thick cock bob against her ass. ¡°Allow me to remind you who you belong to, little wolf¡± ¡°Please!¡± She whimpered, spreading her legs even further apart, revealing her gorgeous pussy slick with her juices. I dragged the head of my cock through her dripping folds, teasing her entrance but not pushing in. ¡°Whose pussy is this?¡± I growled possessively. ¡°Cary¡¯s.¡± She taunted, crying out when I spanked her again. ¡°You¡¯d better watch that sassy mouth, little wolf.¡± I warned her. ¡°I can just as easily stuff my cock down your warm little throat and leave your pussy empty.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± She moaned, reminding me how much she loved to suck my cock. Maybe it wasn¡¯t so much of a threat after all. ¡°Lucky for you I¡¯ve been dreaming about stretching this tight cunt around my cock all week.¡± I thrust into her in one swift stroke then immediately pulled out and mmed back in again, setting a punishing pace and allowing her noreprieve. My fingers sunk into her round ass but it wasn¡¯t enough to hold her in ce. I fucked her so hard, the bed tremored and creaked beneath her. My abs bunched with every punch of my hips as I owned her pussy, leaving no doubt she was mine. She might belong to my brother too but right then, I wanted her so full of me she would never get me out. ¡°Oh, oh, I need toe.¡± She whined. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. Come for me. Strangle my cock and remind me I¡¯m yours just like you¡¯re mine.¡± I bent over her back to murmur in her ear. ¡°Fuck! y!¡± She cried out, choking my cock as she convulsed around it. I hovered above her, watching her shatter beneath me as I fucked her through it. Then finally, I emptied my seed deep inside her and the reminderthat she already carried my pup in her womb had meing even harder. ¡°Fuck, little wolf.¡± I panted as my cock throbbed with aftershocks. As soon as I caught my breath, I pulled out and flipped her on her back. I pressed her thighs apart, draping her legs over my shoulders and feasted on her drenched pussy. The taste of ourbined release had me hard all over again. Mallory squirmed beneath me, protesting as I worked her clit with my tongue, but I didn¡¯t relent. ¡°You¡¯re in for a long night, little wolf.¡± I told her. ¡°You¡¯re going toe for me at least once for every night I missed with this lush little body of yours.¡± ¡°y; I can¡¯t¡± She whined but I was determined to prove her wrong. I sucked and nipped at her puffy lips and teased her plump pearl until she screamed for me again. Then I picked her up andid her gently in the center of the bed, sliding slowly back into her. Her pussy walls were swollen and sensitive from my earlier assault making her feel even tighter around me. The sensation was so delicious, I had to fight the urge to rut her mercilessly, But I forced myself to take my time, to worship her like the queen she was. I made love to her for hours, both of us needing the connection after the time apart. When I finally let her sleep, the room silent where our cries and moans had been, Cary¡¯s voice filled my head. ¡°Are you finally done? Is it safe toe into my own room yet?¡± He snarked petntly. ¡°I¡¯m letting her rest for the moment but I n to spend the rest of the night inside her. You can stay out there and pout or you cane in here and join us. Your choice.¡± I linked back. ¡°Like that¡¯s even a choice.¡± He walked through the door with his voice still in my head. Mallory and Iid on our sides with her face buried in my chest. Cary stripped out of his clothes and crawled in behind her, reaching around to rest his hand on her stomach. I ced my hand on her belly next to his, both of us burrowing our noses into her hair, filling our lungs with her new spicy scent.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can you believe we¡¯re going to have a pup?¡± Cary muttered softly. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe the Goddess gave us Mallory, let alone a child. It seems too good to be true. But I¡¯m damn thankful for all of it.¡± Chapter 71 by Cara Anderson Ch. 71 Changes Mallory¡¯s POV As I waddled from the bed to the shower, I was seriously questioning the wisdom of my words to yst night. Admitting the pup would be safe no matter how hard he fucked me seemed a little short-sighted on my part now that I could barely walk for the ache between my legs. Deciding what I really needed was a soak in a warm bath, I grabbed my favorite bath salts and headed for the tub. Unfortunately, I¡¯d only taken a couple of steps before the pup in my belly diverted my ns. The bath products I¡¯d been carrying hit the ground with a resounding thud as I made a mad dash for the toilet. I heard the bathroom door hit the wall with a bang as someone flung it openbut I was too busy spilling my guts into the toilet to spare them a nce. I hadn¡¯t even had breakfast yet and somehow this kid was offended by my stomach contents. A cool rage was ced on the back of my neck by one of my mates while the other gathered my hair and held it back in a ponytail while I hung my head over the porcin bowl, my stomach still roiling. ¡°How long has she been like this?¡± y sounded strained, like a rubber band stretched to its limit about to snap. ¡°A few days at least.¡± Cary answered him, an uneasy undercurrent in his tone. ¡°Is this normal? Shouldn¡¯t we take her to the doctor?¡± y fretted. ¡°How the fuck would I know what¡¯s normal for an expectant she-wolf? AndI tried to take her to the doctor but she won¡¯t go.¡± Cary protested. ¡°The fuck she won¡¯t!¡± y¡¯s low growl set my teeth on edge. ¡°She is right here and can make her own decisions.¡± I snipped, snatching the rag off my neck to clean my face. Cary helped me to my feet and sought to wrap his arms around me but I wriggled free. I did my best to walk normally to the sink to clean my mouth so they wouldn¡¯t know I was sore. Thest thing I needed was to give them another reason to go all protective Alpha on me. When I headed for the bathtub, y was there two steps ahead of me, already turning the faucet on. I stripped off the nightgown someone had slipped on me during the night and lifted my leg to step in, wincing at the ache that red in my pussy with themovement. ¡°Are you okay? What hurts, darling?¡± Cary was already turning side to side, his eyes roaming over me in search of an injury. ¡°Why are you naked?¡± I answered him with a question, amused to see he and y had both undressed. ¡°We were going to get in with you. Is that okay?¡± y gave me his best puppy -dog eyes so of course I agreed. How could a grown man, a very masculine, hard-bodied man with very adult parts, melt me with his boyish smile. If being pregnant with their pup meant they were going to cling to me like toddlers with separation anxiety, I couldn¡¯t promise any of us would survive the next few months unscathed. Would I ever bathe alone again? ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me! Where are you hurt?¡± Cary was like a dog with a bone. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt!¡± I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly to keep from biting his head off. ¡°I¡¯m just sore, um¡­down there.¡± y chuckled, a self-satisfied smirk stered on his face, then lifted me up and lowered me into the tub. He stepped in behind me and settled me between his legs while Cary sat facing us. He watched with hungry eyes as y soaped a cloth and proceeded to slide it up and down my thighs. ¡°Since it¡¯s my fault your poor pussy is so sore, it¡¯s only fair that I soothe away the pain.¡± y¡¯s husky voice in my ear sent tingles straight to my core. He gently ran the cloth through my folds, the material a thin barrier between my sensitive flesh and his fingers. He circled my entrance withone cloth covered finger then dragged it up to my clit, already swollen and aching for his touch. My head fell back on his shoulder and his dipped to my neck where he left hot, open-mouthed kisses from my ear to my shoulder. His tongue swirled along my skin, leaving gooseflesh in its wake as he went. Not one to be left out, Cary leaned in to suck one nipple into his mouth while massaging my other breast. ¡°Are these bigger? I think they¡¯re bigger.¡± He observed, thumbing the hardened peaks while weighing them in his palm. ¡°So sensitive.¡± I moaned, arching into his touch. ¡°Mm, I think we¡¯re very much going to enjoy all the way¡¯s our little wolf¡¯s body is changing. Don¡¯t you brother?¡± ¡°Mmhm.¡± Cary responded, his mouth full of my tit. y had abandoned all pretense of washing me, having dropped the rag in favor of skin to skin contact. I had a vice grip on his thighs, my nails digging into his skin as he worked my clit in tight little circles. Between his magic fingers and Cary¡¯s tongue flicking my pointy-tipped nipples, I came undone in record time. A long sensual moan broke free as I came on y¡¯s hand. My body sagged against him and he stroked my arms, soothing me as I came down. My eyelids fluttered open to see Cary watching me with an almost worshipful expression. His thick cock bobbed in the water between us, the swollen head dripping with cum. y¡¯s own impressive length pressed hard and hot against my back. Ireached for them both but y¡¯s hand circled my wrist and trapped my arms beneath his. ¡°That waspensation for using you so roughlyst night. Now you¡¯re going to rx while we wash your body for real this time. Then, once you¡¯re all clean and dry, we¡¯re all going to have a conversation.¡± He dered in a tone that brooked no argument. ¡°I didn¡¯t use her roughly.¡± Cary pouted but relented when his brother snarled at him. y washed and conditioned my hair while Cary cleaned every inch of my skin very thoroughly. Briefly my mind drifted to ways Colton might participate if he were to join us but I shut down that line of thinking before it could sour my mood. I was far too rxed and sated to ruin it by wishing for something that would never happen. When Cary lifted me from the tub and y wrapped me in the world¡¯s softest towel, I sighed in contentment. A girl could definitely get used to that kind of pampering. Suddenly their over the top attentiveness throughout my pregnancy didn¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to rest while we get your breakfast.¡± Cary ordered, setting me on the bed and plumping the pillows behind me. ¡°But I¡¯m not-¡± I started to argue but y¡¯s warning growl had my mouth snapping shut. ¡°Just something light, little wolf.¡± His tone softened. ¡°You need to eat for our pup.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded. He was right. Now that I knew my symptoms were rted to growing a life and not some random virus, Ineeded to take better care of myself. So when they came back with a croissant, some fruit, and a ss of juice, I did my best to coax my non-existent appetite out of hiding. ¡°Good girl.¡± y praised when I managed to eat half the croissant. They¡¯d nted themselves on either side of me and watched every bite I took like it was an award-winning performance. I wanted to roll my eyes but decided it would be rude to demean them for following their instincts. ¡°We need to talk, darling. We¡¯re over the moon about this pup but we can¡¯t pretend like it doesn¡¯t change things.¡± Cary decided it was time to address the elephant in the room. ¡°Like what things?¡± I challenged. ¡°You going anywhere near Alpha Quade¡¯s territory for one.¡± y¡¯sadamant tone was just short of a bark. ¡± I hated the idea before I knew you were pregnant. Now, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let you put my pup in danger.¡± ¡°I would never put our pup in danger!¡± I said indignantly. ¡°How could you think I¡¯d be selfish enough to take that kind of risk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little wolf.¡± He apologized. ¡°Gunner is going nuts. He¡¯s in full Alpha mode and I¡¯m having a hard time separating his responses from mine.¡± ¡°So what does that mean for my parents¡¯ pack?¡± I asked, epting his exnation for his outburst. ¡°We¡¯ll meet with Nathan to rework the n. Nothing will change except for your participation.¡± Cary assured me and y nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay. But can we just say I changed my mind? I¡¯m not ready to tell anyone about the baby yet.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± y sounded defensive. ¡± Are you not proud to be carrying our pup?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it at all!¡± I rebutted. ¡°Then what is it, Mal? We¡¯re ready to shout it from the rooftops and you want to hide it. Why?¡± He demanded. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want Colton to find out.¡± Cary answered for me. ¡°Please. Just until we hear what the doctor has to say.¡± I pleaded. ¡°Done! I¡¯ll call the infirmary and tell them we¡¯re on our way.¡± y offered. ¡°People talk, yton.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how much of my growing aggravation was due to surging hormones or just in being over his attitude. ¡°Howlong do you think it would be until the news leaked to him? Are you going to use your Alpha bark on all of them, forbid them to speak?¡± ¡°I know a doctor in the city.¡± Cary interjected. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a call and see if she can see us.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to take her out of the territory.¡± y was ready to shut the idea down. ¡°It¡¯s not without risks.¡± Cary agreed. But there are ways to mitigate it. We can take an unmarked car and a few warriors. Plus, no one would expect us to leave with her so there¡¯s no reason to think they would assume she was with us.¡± ¡°Fine. Call her.¡± y grumbled. Cary left the room to make his call, leaving y and I alone to weather the ufortable silence. He heaved aheavy sigh then pulled me into hisp and rested his chin on my head. ¡°I¡¯m really not trying to make this difficult for you, little wolf.¡± His tone was remorseful. ¡°You, and now our pup, are the most precious things in the world to me. I lose my mind a little when I think about something happening to you.¡± ¡°I know. And I don¡¯t want to make you worry. I just feel like so much is out of my control. Not even my body is my own anymore. I need to tell Colton in my own time and that means ensuring he doesn¡¯t find out until I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°This sexy body hasn¡¯t been yours since the day our bond snapped in.¡± He teased, tickling my sides while I tried to wriggle away from him. ¡°It belongs to me, and Cary, and-¡± ¡°We¡¯re all set for tomorrow!¡± Cary announced as he reentered the room,cutting his brother off. But I was too distracted by y¡¯s almost statement to acknowledge him. His eyes were blown wide, a look of shock on his face like he couldn¡¯t believe what he almost said. Cary looked back and forth between us, his brow furrowed. I gave a little shake of my head to warn him off and thankfully, he moved on. ¡°Did you guys hear me? We have an appointment to get a look at our pup tomorrow!¡± He repeated enthusiastically. He and y left to make arrangements for our trip, insisting I stay in bed and rest. I grabbed the novel I¡¯d been trying to read from the bedside table and tried to pick up where I left off but my mind kept wandering. I rested my hands over my still t tummy, trying to imagine the little lifegrowing there. ¡°No offense baby of mine, but I sure hope you haven¡¯t been in there as long as I think you have. It would make mom¡¯s life a lot lessplicated. But I promise your dads and I will love you either way.¡± Chapter 72 by Cara Anderson Ch. 72 Two Months Mallory¡¯s POV Per my usual routine ofte, I woke up nauseated, rushing to the bathroom to empty my stomach. Today though, there was more than one reason for my abdominal gymnastics. Today, I was leaving ck Moon territory for the first time since my attempted abduction. Today, I would find out if my pup had only two or all three of the Alpha triplets as potential dads. ¡°Feeling better?¡± y asked,ing into the bathroom just as I was brushing my teeth. I gave him a wilting look before spitting into the sink. ¡°I usually get a reprieve around mid- morning but given the events of the day, I¡¯m not sure the butterflies are likely to settle down at all. Do I have time for a shower before we go?¡± ¡°Of course, love. Take your time.¡± y answered, kissing my temple then bending over to address my belly. ¡°Be nice to your mom, little one. She could use a break.¡± He kissed my belly and left me to my shower. I let the warm water ease the tension in my muscles. Logically, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I would be with my mates and they would keep me safe. I just wished we didn¡¯t have to go so far from home. Then there was the paternity issue. I tried to cling to y¡¯s and Cary¡¯s reassurances that it didn¡¯t matter who the father was. But seeing was believing so I wouldn¡¯t truly feel that weight lifted until we knew for sure. Part of me still worried that as soon as the doctorid out the timeline, they would change their tune.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I met the guys in the kitchen after I dressed and we all walked out together. Based on all the activity surroundingthe three vehicles traveling with us, you would think we were dignitaries with our own motorcade. My eyes widened at the sight of severalrge guns being loaded into one of them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, daring. It¡¯s just a precaution.¡± Cary assured me. ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯ve just never seen a real gun before.¡± That part was true. ¡°I wish we didn¡¯t have to use them. Most honorable wolves wouldn¡¯t. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t trust Alpha Quade to be an honorable wolf.¡± His low growl left no doubt how he felt about the man. We rode in the middle SUV with a driver and another warrior up front, The other two cars held four warriors each. It was all a bit much if you asked me but no one had. So I did my best to rx and ignore all the fanfare. My mates were worried that Quade might have eyes on all the exits. If he did, our little parade would be a dead giveaway that someone worth protecting was traveling. But y said he would rather make a statement that I was well protected than risk traveling without security and blindly hope we weren¡¯t detected. ¡°So who is this doctor you¡¯re taking me to?¡± I asked Cary, nervous about seeing a doctor I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯d known all the doctors in ck Moon since childhood so there was afort level there. But I guess something could be said for not having a man you¡¯ve known since you were a pup seeing yourdy parts then seeing them at dinner that night. Maybe a female doctor I¡¯d never met would be a good thing. ¡°Her name is Emily Diaz. She¡¯s really great and well-respected in the field ofobstetrics. I think you¡¯ll like her.¡± Cary said. ¡°You must know her pretty well if you were able to get us an appointment for the very next day with just a phone call.¡± I observed btedly. ¡°Not that well.¡± Cary mumbled. Well that didn¡¯t sound suspicious at all. Insert eyeroll here. ¡°Mal has a point. We¡¯re taking our mate to see this doctor, entrusting her with our unborn pup. How do you know her brother?¡± y inserted. ¡°I met her at a bar.¡± He rushed out, hoping to gloss over that detail. ¡°But I reviewed her credentials. She really does have a great reputation.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the gasp that escaped at the implication of that information. ¡°You¡¯re taking the mother of your pup to be seen by one of your former hook-ups!¡± I used, my voice escting to a high-pitched screech. ¡°I-,¡± He closed his mouth, turning to stare out the window, refusing to meet my eyes. ¡°Turn the car around!¡± I demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t need a doctor that badly. We can wait until I find another doctor. Preferably one you haven¡¯t slept with!¡± I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed over y to sit on his other side. I had been sandwiched between them but I didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Cary at the moment. I was so pissed! At him for being so thoughtless and at myself for letting the hurt look on his face make me feel guilty. ¡°It was a long time ago, Mal. I honestly didn¡¯t think about it.¡± Cary twiddled his thumbs in hisp, his eyes trained on them like they were the most fascinating things he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°I was just so excited about the pup and Iwant you both to have the best care. That was my only motivation, I swear!¡± ¡°Please, little wolf.¡± y begged. ¡± Don¡¯t you want to see our pup? Cary can wait in the car if it makes you feel better.¡± I could see the driver ncing at us in the rearview mirror, waiting for instructions from his Alphas on whether to turn around or stay the course. But they were waiting on me to decide. I did want to see the pup and I was anxious to know my due date. I supposed I could endure an hour with one of Cary¡¯s exes. It wasn¡¯t like I could avoid the whole female poption forever anyway. ¡°Fine.¡± I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°But only because we¡¯d probably have to go three states over to find a female doctor he hasn¡¯t slept with.¡± ¡°Thank you, baby.¡± y kissed my head and pried my arms apart to hold my hand. The rest of the trip was spent in silence. I may have been brooding a little. I was well aware of Cary¡¯s past exploits and I chose to ept him anyway so I knew it wouldn¡¯t be fair to keep holding that over him. I just didn¡¯t expect toe face to face with one so soon, and especially not in the form of my OB doc. I thought that entitled me to at least a small pout. Our convoy of vehicles pulled up right in front of the City General Hospital where Dr. Diaz practiced. My passenger door opened but where I expected to find one of our warriors, Cary stood waiting for me instead. I refused to meet his gaze as I slid out of my seat. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, darling.¡± He whispered, wrapping me in his arms and holding me to his chest. ¡°I would take it all back if I could. But you should know nothingbefore you mattered. My heart didn¡¯t truly start beating until I held you in my arms. You¡¯re the only woman I ever have or ever will love.¡± ¡°I do know that.¡± I replied, resting my forehead on his chest and letting his scent calm me and my wolf. ¡°I¡¯d just rather not have your past staring me in the face, literally.¡± ¡°I understand. I wouldn¡¯t like that either if I were you. I promise the minute you feel ufortable, we¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s go!¡± I sped his hand in mine and y took my other hand as we walked into the building together. Cary checked us in and we took a seat. My nerves had returned tenfold and I hadn¡¯t even realized I was practically bouncing in my seat until y put his hand on my knee to hold me still. ¡°Mrs. Collins.¡± The receptionist called. I gave Cary a sideways nce to see him smirking like an idiot. ¡°It will be true soon enough. Minor technicality.¡± He said. We were led back to a room and I was given a gown to change into. Both my mates eagerly assisted me in changing, especially the part that involved getting naked. Then they helped me onto the exam table to wait for the doctor toe in. A few minutester, a petite woman with curly blond hair and a winning smile walked into the room. Raven was growling in my head at the idea that this woman had been with her mate, forcing me to swallow the growl building in my chest. But as she came closer, I could see a mate mark on her neck and it helped to ease my mind knowing she¡¯d no longer be interested in Cary. ¡°Mallory? I¡¯m Dr. Diaz, but please call me Emily.¡± She held out her hand to me,pletely ignoring my mates and making me her sole focus. I was starting to like her already. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± I greeted. ¡°Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m happy to be of service to the future Luna of ck Moon! Now, I just have a few questions for you, then I¡¯ll do an exam and we¡¯ll take a look at your pup.¡± She exined. She asked me how I¡¯d been feeling and before I could respond, both my mates answered for me. ¡°Tired.¡± y told her. ¡°Sick.¡± Cary tattled. ¡°She vomits every morning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all normal.¡± She assured them. ¡°But there are some things you can try that might help. And we can always consider medication if it gets too bad.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s lost weight. That can¡¯t be healthy.¡± Cary worried. ¡°Not if it continues, but a little bit early on is expected. Let¡¯s take a look at this pup and I¡¯ll know more about how worried we should be. Now, lie back for me momma.¡± She instructed. I did as she said, y and Carying to stand on either side of me, eyes glued to the ultrasound screen. ¡°Depending on how far along you are, I may or may not be able to tell. But if I can, do you want to know the sex?¡± She asked. ¡°What do you want, little wolf?¡± y checked with me. ¡°I think I want it to be a surprise. Is that okay?¡± I looked back and forth between the two of them to gauge their response. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, darling.¡± Cary agreed and y nodded. ¡°Surprise it is.¡± I confirmed for Dr. Diaz. She ran the wand over my belly, swirling it around a few times but so far, I hadn¡¯t seen anything of note on the screen. Then suddenly, a whooshing sound filled the room, fast and furious, almost like it was echoing. That was immediately followed by a distinctly discernible handing into view. Then another hand, and a foot, and an adorable little round head. I was in awe, looking at our pup. But my awe quickly turned to panic when another head and more hands became visible. That couldn¡¯t be right. My mates apparently thought the same. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too many body parts?¡± y¡¯s tense tone belied his worry. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s just the right amount of parts.¡± Emily confirmed. ¡°For triplets.¡± ¡°What?¡± y asked, dumbfounded. ¡°Fuck, yeah!¡± Cary celebrated. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick.¡± ? announced. The doctor wiped off my belly and my mates helped me to a sitting position. Cary wisely picked up the trash can and set it next to me. I just stared straight ahead, unable to process the information, until Emily spoke again and I snapped to attention. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised you aren¡¯t showing more with three babies of that gestational age, but that may be due to your nutritional deficits. We¡¯ll keep an eye on it but they seem healthy for now.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®gestational age¡¯? How far along am I?¡± It was the moment of truth. ¡°Based on measurements, you appear to be right at two months pregnant. As you know, shifter pregnancies are longer than full wolves but shorter than humans. That puts you due in about three and a half months but with triplets, you could deliver as early as four and a half months. We¡¯ll have to keep you under close observation when we get to that point. ¡± She continued talking but her words fell away. All I could hear was ¡°two months.¡± That meant Colton could be the biological father. I would have to tell him. Fuck! Emily stepped out so I could get dressed. As soon as she left the room, I waited for my mates to say something, expecting the worst. But they were nothing but excited. ¡°Triplets! Can you believe it? Three pups!¡± y enthused. ¡°Of course I believe it! My boys are excellent swimmers!¡± Cary¡¯s response reflected his usual narcissism. ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask mom what to expect since she has experience carrying triplets.¡± y added. ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited, darling? I know it¡¯s a lot but we¡¯ll be here to help you every step of the way.¡± Cary vowed. ¡°Um, yeah. I¡¯m excited. Just a bit overwhelmed.¡± That was a reasonable response, right? Emily came back in, interrupting our conversation which I was d of. I needed more time to wrap my head around the news. She walked me across the hall to the bathroom to give a urine sample and told me to meet her back in the room when I¡¯d finished. I was thankful for a few minutes to myself, even if I had to pee in a cup to get it. When I was done, I exited the bathroom to find a gentleman wearing ab coat and a stethoscope around his neck waiting for me. ¡°Hi, Mrs. Collins. I¡¯m one of the nurses here. Dr. Diaz asked me to escort you to her office. They needed the room for another patient.¡± He exined. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± I followed him down the hall then turned down another hall lined with offices rather than exam rooms. We passed door after door but it didn¡¯t register that something wasn¡¯t right until I saw the green exit sign at the end of the corridor. ¡°Where are you-¡± I looked over my shoulder to ask but before I could get the words out, I felt a prick in my neck and the floor fell out from under my feet. My eyelids refused to stay open but I felt the cool outside air on my face just before the world went ck. Chapter 73 by Cara Anderson Ch. 73 Where Is She? Colton¡¯s POV Weeks had passed since the night I¡¯d snuck in to see Mallory. And though that encounter left me with no hope that she wanted anything to do with me, I hadn¡¯t given up on the idea that someday she would give me a chance to exin. Unfortunately the opportunity still hadn¡¯t presented itself. But I¡¯d meant what I¡¯d said when I told myself I¡¯d watch over her and that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯d done. Not that it was necessary. My brothers had her locked down tighter than Fort Knox. It would take a miracle of epic proportions to get to her. That¡¯s why I was shocked to see them loading her in an SUV and preparing to drive her out of ck Moon Territory. What were they thinking? Thest time she¡¯d left packnds she¡¯de within a hair¡¯s breadth of being kidnapped. What could possibly warrant putting her at risk that way? And if that weren¡¯t bad enough, they were traveling with a whole cadre of guards. They might as well have put a target on her back. Anyone watching our borders would guess the ck Moon Luna was traveling in a convoy that heavily guarded. ¡°They¡¯re putting mate at risk!¡± My wolf growled as we watched them drive away. I¡¯d been hiding beside the packhouse as they loaded up out front and I stripped out of my clothes right where I stood, preparing to shift and follow them. As soon as I took Kai¡¯s form, he trotted to where Mallory had been and inhaled deeply. ¡°Mate smells funny.¡± He whined. ¡°She smells fucking delicious to me!¡± I groaned as her scent hit me. It was fresh and soothing as usual, but maybe with a spicier edge than usual. We took off for the border at a full sprint to catch up with her transport. Thankfully, the road bordered the forest all the way to the neighboring city so we could stay within the treeline as we followed. If my brothers or any of our warriors were paying attention, they would recognize my wolf easily enough, but they couldn¡¯t stop me from trailing them. Wherever they were going, it seemed to be in the heart of the city because they took the main road straight into town and didn¡¯t stop for miles. Kai¡¯s muscles ached and his paws burned by the time the vehicles slowed and turned onto a side road. I only had a moment to appreciate the slower pace before I realized their destination. My blood turned to ice in my veins and Kai¡¯s fur stood on end as they pulled to a stop in front of thehospital. I stayed out of view as Cary opened her door and my mate was pulled into his arms. Was she sick? Was that why her scent was slightly off? They wouldn¡¯t risk her leaving our territory unless it was something serious, something beyond our physicians¡¯ ability to heal. I was going to lose my mind if I didn¡¯t find out what it was. y and Cary escorted her inside while a few of the warriors fanned out around the building. Kai paced back and forth, whimpering with the need to go to his mate. I understood his distress but I needed him to be quiet so I could think through my next move. ¡°Go inside!¡± Kai demanded. ¡°I can¡¯t just go inside. They¡¯d never let me get close to her. And if they find out I¡¯m here, They¡¯ll ensure I never get close enough to find out what¡¯s going on.¡± I argued. ¡°Mate needs us. I can feel it.¡± He pushed. ¡°Let¡¯s go around back. Maybe there¡¯s another door we can sneak through.¡± I suggested and Kai wasted no time following my directive. Thank Goddess I had the foresight to bring my clothes. Running around a hospital naked was sure to turn a few heads. But that would only be a problem if I ever got inside. As we ran around the side of the building and scanned along the back wall, it was quickly bing apparent just how huge the building was. Mallory could be anywhere once we got inside. I might have been able to follow her scent but with so many peopleing and going, it was possible I wouldn¡¯t be able to smell her. I had just decided to run back to the front and stay with her vehicle until she came out when a back door mmed open and Icaught her delectable fragrance on the wind.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Kai took off in the direction her scent wasing from, a growl ripping from his chest when she came into view. Some man in ab coat we didn¡¯t recognize was carrying her lifeless form. Her head lolled back and her limbs hung limply at her sides. We had just about reached them when two other men jumped out of an SUV parked nearby. ¡°Hand her to me. Let¡¯s get out of here before they realize she¡¯s gone.¡± One of them said, arms outstretched toward the man carrying her. Kai leaped for him, his jaws closingaround the stranger¡¯s arm and takinghim to the ground before he couldtouch our mate. My massive wolf shookhis head back and forth, wrenching theman¡¯s arm from his body and dousinghis fur in the resulting blood spray. The ferocious roar Kai unleashed shook the ground as he stood over the man bleeding out at his feet. Then he turned to the man carrying Mallory, his lips curling back in a menacing snarl. But just as he was about to leap, the cocking of a gun had us frozen in our tracks. ¡°Did you really think Alpha Quade was going to let anyone stop him from getting what he wants? He¡¯s more than prepared to go up against a weak wolf like you.¡± He sneered. ¡°Come on, man. Shoot him and let¡¯s go. Quade will have our ass if we don¡¯t bring him his prize soon.¡± The third man urged. I knew it was now or never. I couldn¡¯t sit back and let them drive away with my mate. Kai sprung at the man carrying Mallory, the one with the gun, with no regard for his own safety. His only thought was to keep Mallory safe. I could feel the wind skim his fur as he leapt through the air seconds before the sound of a gunshot rang out. My wolf¡¯s determination surged through me, reinforcing my own certainty that his teeth would soon be ripping the flesh of the would-be abductor, so it came as a shock when I couldn¡¯t taste his blood. Confusion engulfed me when the smell of blood reached my nostrils but the man was still running toward the waiting car with Mallory in his arms. Then I registered something else that seemed strange. I was looking up at him as he ran by, the whole scene ying out at an odd angle. That¡¯s when it hit me that the blood I smelled belonged to my wolf who was lying on the ground with his head cocked to the side. ¡°Mate.¡± Kai whimpered, attempting to push himself up but stumbling when his legs gave out beneath him. He was breathing heavily as his blood pooled on the ground. The pain was only amplified by the deep drags of Mallory¡¯s scent brought in by hisbored breaths. It was only seconds before the blood loss stole our consciousness when it finally clicked with me what the subtle change in her scent signified. ¡°Where is she? I can smell her! Where the fuck did she go!¡± ¡°Oh fuck! Kai!¡± Voices floated on the wind as I drifted in and out of consciousness but I couldn¡¯t grasp who they belonged to. In the rare waking moments, my only thought was for my mate. I could feel the life draining from me faster than my wolf could heal us and it devastated me that myst act in life would be a failure to save the woman I loved. ¡°He¡¯s bleeding out! He¡¯s been shot. Let¡¯s get him in the car!¡± Someone shouted. ckness surrounded me and it felt like I was swimming through tar, struggling to find the surface. The hum of voices and a rhythmic beeping sound broke through the darkness but I couldn¡¯t find the source. ¡°Surgery¡­ blood loss transfusion¡­¡± Just a jumble of words that held absolutely no meaning in my adrift state. I had no sense of time. So it could have been hours, days, or even weeks when my eyes blinked open against the harsh light of a hospital room. ¡°Where am I?¡± I croaked to no one in particr. ¡°The infirmary. You¡¯re home in ck Moon, son.¡± A voice I recognized answered. ¡°Mom? What happened?¡± I managed to ask despite my mouth feeling like I¡¯d swallowed cotton. ¡°You were shot.¡± Another voice answered. y. With those three words, it all came rushing back to me. ¡°Mallory!¡± I tried to sit up but the tubes and lines attached to me held me back. ¡°Where is she?¡± Chapter 74 by Cara Anderson Ch. 74 Forgiveness A few hours earlier y¡¯s POV Cary and I were buzzing with excitement. Not only were we going to be fathers but we were going to have triplets! My little wolf was carrying three little wolves. ¡°No wonder she¡¯s been so sick.¡± Cary observed. ¡°Growing three pups has to be a lot for her body to handle.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have to make sure she takes it easy, gets plenty of rest and always has healthy food on hand.¡± I was already making a shopping list in my head. ¡°In other words, we¡¯re going to spoil her rotten!¡± Cary rubbed his palms together excitedly. ¡°Exactly!¡± I grinned at the idea. A quick tap on the door was followed by Dr. Diaz slipping back into the room. She hadn¡¯t so much as nced at Cary or addressed him as anything other than Mallory¡¯s mate which I appreciated. And Mallory seemedfortable with her. That was a good sign,Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And where is our little mama wolf?¡± She asked. Immediately my hackles were up and my wolf, Gunner, was standing at attention, demanding we put eyes on our mate. ¡°What do you mean? You took her to the bathroom, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cary was about two seconds from losing his shit so I put a steadying hand on his shoulder. ¡°Yes. But I told her to meet me back here. I went to my office to return a phone call and when I headed back here, the bathroom was empty. Iassumed she would be here with you.¡± She exined. I nearly ripped the door from its hinges in my hurry to get to my mate. I tried telling myself that she¡¯d just gotten turned around and was wandering in the halls trying to find her room. But deep down, I knew it couldn¡¯t be that simple. Her scent still lingered in the hall. I followed it to the end of the hall and down another corridor lined with offices. My skin prickled with icy fear when I spied the exit sign at the end. Cary snarled next to me, telling me he felt the same terror for our mate. We burst through the door leading to the back of the building, only to find a concrete walkway and empty field. ¡°Where is she? I can smell her! Where the fuck did she go!¡± Cary boomed. I sniffed the air, trying to catch the direction of her scent, but she wasgone. But another smell filled my nose. Blood. ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± I muttered to myself. Please, Goddess! She can¡¯t be hurt. But then the iron smell of blood merged with a more familiar one. Realization hit me just before my brother¡¯s wolf came into view. ¡°Oh fuck! Kai!¡± I cried, all my hatred for him momentarily forgotten. My brothery bleeding out in wolf form on the ground at my feet. No matter how angry I was, I never wanted him dead. What was he even doing here? ¡°Fuck! He¡¯s been shot!¡± Cary yelled. ¡± Let¡¯s get him in the car!¡± I linked our driver to pull the car around. Cary and I lifted him in the backseat and I instructed the driver to take him back to ck Moon. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t one of us go with him?¡± Cary wondered aloud. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. If I didn¡¯t believe that, I would have had him treated here rather than sending him home.¡± I told him. ¡± I¡¯m not leaving without Mallory.¡± ¡°Her scent is gone, y. There were obviously men here with guns and I can still smell the burnt rubber from their tires. Colton is probably our best chance of finding out what happened and who took her.¡± He reasoned. ¡°We know who took her!¡± I roared. ¡± And I¡¯m going to fucking tear him apart with my bare hands.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be right there helping you.¡± Cary affirmed. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I want to be there when Colton wakes up. Quade would be stupid to take her back to his territory. He¡¯d know it would be the first ce we¡¯d look. Maybe Colt heard something that could give us a clue.¡± I reluctantly agreed, hating to leave thest ce I¡¯d felt Mallory¡¯s presence. But I knew Cary was right. She wasn¡¯t here anymore and staying here got us no closer to finding her. ¡°We have to find her, Cary.¡± I broke down as soon as we got in the car. ¡°If he hurts her, if he hurts our pups¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, could¡¯t even think the words. She was my life. And now our pups. They all were. I couldn¡¯t live in a world without them. ¡°Marry him or die, remember?¡± Cary said. ¡°What?¡± He wasn¡¯t making sense. ¡°The rogue we captured. He said Quade would only kill Mallory if she refused to marry him.¡± He reminded me. ¡°He couldn¡¯t expect her to agree to marry him right away. We have to hope he¡¯ll keep her alive while he tries to convince her. It¡¯s the best move for him to keep the Hazelwood wolves loyal.¡± ¡°If he so much as touches her, I¡¯ll cut off his fingers and feed them to him one by one.¡± I snarled. ¡°Our girl is smart. She knows we¡¯lle for her. She¡¯ll do what she has to do to stay alive until we find her.¡± Cary asserted. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.¡± I mumbed. The ride back to ck Moon was the longest of my life. I¡¯d never felt so helpless. Gunner was spitting and snarling in my head, only adding to my agitation. Cary was sporadically growling next to me, so I knew he was struggling to control Roan as well. Our driver dropped us off at the infirmary and we headed straight for the room reserved for the Alpha, assuming that¡¯s where he would be. But when we arrived, only our mother was there waiting. ¡°Oh, thank Goddess!¡± She cried, ¡°One of you please tell me what¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Colton?¡± Cary¡¯s panic was in in his voice. ¡°He¡¯s in surgery. They said he was shot with a silver bullet. He¡¯d lost so much blood already and his wolf couldn¡¯t heal. Why would someone shoot him?¡± She sobbed. ¡°Fuck! There was so much blood and we were so worried about Mallory/ I didn¡¯t smell the silver.¡± Guilt threatened to overwhelm me. I should have known. I should have gotten him help sooner. I would never forgive myself if he didn¡¯t make it. ¡°Where¡¯ Mallory?¡± Mom sniffled. ¡°She should be here for him. He¡¯ll need her to help him heal when he wakes up.¡± ¡°Mom, ¡°Cary said gently, leading her to a chair. ¡°Quade¡¯s men took her. We¡¯re almost certain they shot Colton.¡± ¡°What? No! That can¡¯t be. She needs to be here with her Alphas. She¡¯s pregnant!¡± She had her fists balled in Cary¡¯s shirt, shaking him as she spoke. ¡°Where¡¯s dad?¡± I asked her. He needed to be here for her. She wasn¡¯t coping well. None of us were. ¡°He went to the border to increase security. We weren¡¯t sure what happened or if there might be a threat to the pack.¡± She exined. A doctor in surgical scrubs entered the room, interrupting our conversation. ¡°Alphas, Luna.¡± He nodded his head in deference. ¡°Alpha Colton is out of surgery. They¡¯ll be bringing him here shortly to recover and I expect him to be awake soon. ¡°We were able to remove the bullet and his wolf began healing him as soon as it was out. He¡¯ll need to take it easy for a few days until he regains his strength but he should be back to full capacity in no time.¡± ¡°Thank you so much doctor.¡± Mom took his hands in both of hers and squeezed them in thanks. No sooner had he delivered the news than the team wheeled Colton¡¯s bed into the room. He was pale and had a bag of blood infusing into a vein in his arm but he was breathing evenly and looked otherwise healthy, back in his human form. Mom sat by the bed next to Colton while Cary and I paced the room. I was happy my brother would live and taking a bullet in defense of our mate went a long way in earning my forgiveness, but we needed him towake up. Goddess only knew how far away Mallory might be by now and if he knew anything that could help, we needed him to tell us. I couldn¡¯t rest until she was back safe and sound in my arms. Her and our pups. ¡°Where am I?¡± Cotlon¡¯s voice cracked and his eyes blinked against the harsh light when he finally came around about an hourter.. ¡°The infirmary. You¡¯re home in ck Moon, son.¡± Mom answered him. ¡°Mom? What happened?¡± He was still disoriented which was understandable under the circumstances. ¡°You were shot.¡± I told him and his eyes sought me out, surprise written in his features. I couldn¡¯t me him. I was probably thest person he expected to find athis bedside. I stayed quiet, giving him time to process my statement and remember if he could. We needed him to remember and I saw the way his face morphed from confusion to panic the moment he did. ¡°Mallory!¡± He tried to sit up but the tubes and lines attached to him held me back. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°We were hoping you could tell us the answer to that.¡± Cary¡¯s voice shook, anxiety rolling off him in waves. He turned his head toward the sound of his voice, shocked that we would be in the same room with him. I watched him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. I could see the astonishment on his face as he realized I was actually worried for him. Cary stood beside me, a simr expression on his face. But underneath it all, we both radiated fury and fear. Those were emotions I could tell was all too familiar with as his memory returned. ¡°Mom, can we have a few minutes alone with our brother?¡± My firm tone indicating it wasn¡¯t a request. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll just go tell your father he¡¯s awake.¡± She said, crossing the room to kiss his forehead before leaving us. ¡°What happened? Tell us everything!¡± I rounded on him the second the door shut behind her. ¡°What were you even doing there?¡± Cary wanted to know. ¡°I followed you.¡± He stated unapologetically. ¡°Why?¡± I demanded. ¡°If you had anything to do with this-¡± ¡°What the fuck! Of course I didn¡¯t!¡± He cut me off. ¡°I¡¯m the one who was shot trying to protect her, remember?¡± ¡°Right. Sorry.¡± I didn¡¯t sound sorry at all. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t belive him. I had just been so angry with him for so long, I didn¡¯t know how to be anything else. It was going to take me some time topletely forgive him and I wasn¡¯tpletely sure yet he deserved my forgiveness. ¡°Look, us fighting isn¡¯t helping Mallory.¡± He pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching her for weeks, making sure she was safe. When I saw you leaving the territory today, I followed. I couldn¡¯t understand what was so important it would be worth risking her safety but I wanted to be there in case she needed me.¡± ¡°Why would she need you? You abandoned her!¡± Cary snarled at him, echoing my thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t fucking abandon her! I love her more than my own life.¡± He barked back. ¡°Sure. Because making out with your girlfriend and inflicting crippling pain on your mate is the new lovenguage.¡± I snarked. ¡°I hated every minute of that! But it was the only way to get Darcy to trust me again and I needed her to trust me. I suspected she was the one informing Quade of Mallory¡¯s movements and I was right!¡± ¡°What?¡± Cary gasped. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± He mumbled, exhaustion taking over. ¡°Then you better start talking.¡± I glowered at him. If he thought we were furious before, it was nothingpared to the two rabid wolves pacing his room as heid out every detail of Darcy¡¯s betrayal. When he told us Quade had taken her, Cary and I both growled. Not out of concern for her safety but because she wasn¡¯t here for us to murder her ourselves. ¡°You should have told us!¡± Cary spit angrily. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to stop me and you would have.¡± Neither of us argued that point. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for hurting her the way I did and I know she might never forgive me. I don¡¯t deserve her forgiveness. But none of that mattered if it kept her safe.¡± ¡°Well she¡¯s not safe! So the question now is, how are we going to get her back?¡± I swallowed hard, forcing back tears. ¡°Wait! We? As in all three of us?¡± IHe questioned, sure we weren¡¯t including him in our ns. ¡°Yes!¡± Cary insisted. ¡°All three of us! And anyone else that will help us get our mate back.¡± He looked to me and I nodded in agreement. Relief flooded through him and I knew he hoped that maybe we could repair our bond after all. But none of that mattered if we couldn¡¯t get Mallory back safely. One step at a time, I told myself. Then out of the blue, he asked the one thing we had yet to discuss. ¡°Is Mallory pregnant?¡± Chapter 75 by Cara Anderson Ch. 75 Alpha Quade Mallory¡¯s POV I was barely awake but already my stomach roiled and heaved. I rolled to my side and emptied its contents onto the floor. Fuck, carrying triplets was already doing a number on my body. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what I would go through by the end of this pregnancy. I would be as big as a house. I groaned as I pushed myself into a sitting position and tried to pry my eyes open. My eyelids felt so heavy, like they¡¯d been glued shut and I needed toothpicks to hold them apart. I wanted to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. But if I did that, Cary or y would be left to clean up my mess and that wasn¡¯t fair. It took a minute for the room toe into focus, But when it did, all I coulddo was blink in confusion. Where was I? And how did I get here? Did we stay at a hotel instead of returning to ck Moon? And where were my mates? The room was opulently appointed, clearly high-end. I knew my mates had money and could easily afford a hotel of this caliber. But they were nowhere to be seen and it didn¡¯t make any sense that they would leave me alone in a strange ce. They would never leave me or their pups unprotected. There had to be a guard outside. A shiver rippled through me as an uneasy feeling sat heavy in my gut. I padded over to the door and attempted to pull it open but it wouldn¡¯t budge. So I pounded on it with my fist to get the guards attention. ¡°Hey! Is somebody out there? Can anyone hear me?¡± I shouted. Nothing. Complete silence. ¡°Raven? What¡¯s going on?¡± I reached for my wolf but didn¡¯t respond. This wasn¡¯t right. I couldn¡¯t remember how I¡¯d gotten here. I couldn¡¯t remember anything after the ultrasound and my mates¡¯ faces lit up with joy at learning we were having three babies instead of just one. But what I knew without a doubt was they would never leave me locked in a room alone without telling me first. ¡°Somebody open this fucking door!¡± I yelled, banging again and kicking the wood. I wouldn¡¯t be able to break the door down. I was too weak fromck of nutrition and too exhausted from all the pregnancy hormones. But that didn¡¯t mean I could scream my lungs out. A quick scan of my surroundings told me there were no windows and no other doors in the room. In other words, the only way I was leaving was if someone came along to let me out. The thought should have terrified me, but all I could think about was keeping my babies safe. Finally, light footsteps sounded in the hall, growing louder as they grew nearer. Whoever it was stopped right outside my door and the sound of metal nking together, probably keys, rang out. The lock clicked open and a woman not much older than myself pushed inside.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Luna,¡± she greeted, ¡°my name is Evelyn and I will be your personal Omega. Alpha Quade has asked me-¡± She cut off, sniffing the air. Her eyes zeroed in on the vomit pooled on the floor next to the bed. ¡°Are you ill?¡± She asked with what appeared to be genuine concern. ¡°Probably a side effect of whatever drug he gave me to bring me here.¡± There was no way I would tell her I was pregnant. No telling what she would do with that information. ¡°Please, you have to help me get out of here. My mates-¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible.¡± She interrupted. ¡°Alpha Quade would never let me take his Luna out without his private guard present.¡± I looked over her shoulder, noticing the two warriors standing in the doorway for the first time. My heart sank like a rock to the pit of my stomach. I¡¯d suspected Quade was behind this, but hadn¡¯t wanted to believe it. Now there was no denying the truth. ¡°I¡¯m not his Luna!¡± I growled, barely restraining myself from stamping myfoot like a petnt child. ¡°Of course you are dear. Now let¡¯s get you cleaned up and into some presentable clothes. Alpha wouldn¡¯t like to see you looking so disheveled.¡± ¡°Then maybe he should consider not having me drugged and kidnapped next time.¡± I snarked. Most likely she was fully aware of the circumstances that brought me here. But I was going to call attention to it every chance I got. If there was even one decent bone in her body, maybe I could wear her down with guilt. In the meantime, I would y along with her. I clearly wasn¡¯t going to escape from inside that room. Following her would at least give me the chance to look around. Maybe I could find another way out. The hall she led me down had multiple doors, all of them shut. So I had no opportunity to determine what they were, probably more bedrooms or maybe an office or two. Was he holding other people prisoner in them or was I the only one with that privilege, I wondered. We rounded a corner and the hall opened onto a sweeping staircase with views of the floor below. We didn¡¯t descend however, but crossed thending and headed down the opposite hallway. More closed doors greeted me until Evelyn finally stopped in front of one, pulling out her ring of keys to unlock it. She pushed the door open and stepped aside, ushering me in before her. My eyes roamed the four walls,nding on another door. But before I could wonder where it led, Evelyn solved the mystery for me. ¡°You¡¯ll find everything you need to shower and freshen up waiting for you in the bathroom. I¡¯ll return shortly to help you dress for the evening as well as do your makeup and hair. You¡¯ll find the closet fully stocked but I¡¯ll be bringing your gown for the evening so no need to put anything on.¡± She instructed. She backed out of the room and reset the lock, effectively imprisoning me again. I headed straight for the bathroom, hoping to find a window I could climb out of, but of course that would have been too easy. All I found was a massive walk-in shower and a luxurious looking w foot tub. I briefly considered refusing to bathe, fury and a fierce desire to make things as difficult as possible for Alpha Quade and anyone he employed. But a thin sheen of sweat had dried on my skin and my mouth felt like I¡¯d swallowedan ashtray. So I flipped on the shower, telling myself I was ensuring my own basic needs were met, not enabling Quade¡¯s evil n in any way. As the hot water coursed over me, I thought back to everything i¡¯d seen along the way to this new room. One thing was tantly evident. We were in a mansion of some sort and whoever had put it here had paid a pretty penny to do so. That meant people had to know it was here. My mates woulde for me. I just needed to dance to Quade¡¯s tune for as long as it was safe for me and my pups to do so. I knew deep in my soul that y and Cary wouldn¡¯t stop looking for me. I had to trust that they would find me in time. In time for what, was the question. Evelyn insisted I was his Luna. The words of the rogue captive came backto me then. Marry him or die. Before I found out I was pregnant, that choice would have been easy. Death was far preferable than a lifetime tied to such a heinous individual. But now, everything had changed. I had to protect my pups no matter what it cost me. I just hoped I could find a way to keep them safe that didn¡¯t involve allowing Quade to mark me. A tap on the bathroom door recalled me from my morbid thoughts. ¡°Luna, are you almost done?¡± Evelyn called. ¡°Alpha Quade is very strict about time and he¡¯s only given me an hour to make you presentable.¡± I wanted to tell her what Alpha Quade could do with his timeline but reminded myself to y nice. It was the chance I had to find a way out of here because rotting in this room wasn¡¯t an option. Besides, I was starving. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute.¡± I called back, turning the water off and wrapping myself in the nearest towel. ¡°Luna, you look breathtaking.¡± Evelyn gushed as she perused her handiwork. Forty-five minutes had passed while she powdered and primped me from head to toe then stuffed me into a skin- tight midnight blue confection. The room had no mirror so I had to take her word for it. All I knew is the dress hugged my curves to the point I could barely breathe and my tits nearly spilled out of the strapless bodice. ¡°Evelyn, please call me Mallory.¡± I said, hoping to endear myself to the woman. ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t do that. Alpha Quade wouldn¡¯t like it.¡± She shook her head no as she spoke. ¡°Now, let me help you into these heels and I¡¯ll escort you to dinner.¡± ¡°Dinner?¡± At least there would be food. ¡°Yes, Alpha is excited to introduce you to the pack. But tonight will only be a small affair with his council of ranked wolves. No need to be nervous.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± I mumbled under my breath. I was only kidnapped against my will, held prisoner, and being paraded in front of his men like a prized cow on disy. Not to mention, I was almost certain a Luna carrying another Alpha¡¯s pups was not part of his n. What was there to be nervous about? We descended three flights of stairs as Evelyn led me to my impending doom. I memorized every twist and turn along the way but never saw a window or a door that appeared to lead outside. It appeared the entire ce was designed to keep people in. The sound ofughter and boisterous conversation reached me as we neared the dining room. Evelyn left me with the two warriors who¡¯d been our constantpanions since leaving the bedroom and entered the room alone. I could hear her clear her throat and all the voices died away. ¡°Excuse me Alpha,¡± she addressed Quade. ¡°May I present your Luna now?¡± ¡°Please do. I was beginning to worry she might keep us waiting.¡± A deep, gruff voice answered. ¡°Go on!¡± One of the warriors ordered, giving me a small shove in the middle of my back and making me stumble over the ridiculous spiked heels I was wearing. I righted myself and stepped into the room. The sound of a chair scraping over the tile floor had me gritting myteeth as the man I could only assume was Alpha Quade rose from his seat. I sucked in a sharp breath, taken aback by his appearance. Finding a young, reasonably attractive man with dark hair and a well-kempt beard where I expected to find an old, gnarled monster was disconcerting. Not that it made him any less of a devil. But it was immediately obvious he wasn¡¯t a weak old man who needed to hide behind his warriors for protection. This man radiated power and could clearly fight his own battles. ¡°Wee to Blood w Pack, my beauty.¡± He fixed me with a sinister smile. He strode over and ced my hand on the crook of his elbow, leading me further into the room. A shudder shook me at the thought of touching the man who had killed my parents, despite thefact I couldn¡¯t remember them. I refused to say a word in acknowledgement as he showed me to a chair, the leering eyes of his men never leaving me. ¡°Please take a seat, sweetheart. My, I mean, our council are anxious to meet their new Luna.¡± His voice became silky smooth, like a fine whisky. I just stared at him, refusing to sit amongst a group of men who hadn¡¯t stopped undressing me with their eyes since I¡¯d stepped into the room. Instead, I let my gaze fall over the man before me in his expensive tailored suit and Rolex watch. When I reached his face, he was wearing a smug smirk that made me want to p him. ¡°Maybe I should dismiss our guests, sweetheart. Perhaps you¡¯d prefer to have me all to yourself. What do you say?¡± He asked arrogantly. ¡°I say I¡¯m not your sweetheart. And I¡¯m sure as hell not your fucking Luna!¡± Chapter 76 by Cara Anderson Ch. 76 Blood w Prison Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Gentlemen, would you please excuse me and my lovely bride.¡± Alpha Quade¡¯s suave tone didn¡¯t betray even a hint of agitation. ¡°She¡¯s obviously overwrought, tired from her long journey and overwhelmed by all the expectations of her new role.¡± Some of them men nodded and others just pushed away from the table but all of them left without a word. It was a testament to the level of control their Alpha maintained and the respect he demanded that no one so much as grumbled at being dismissed before their meal. But whether because they were loyal or simply afraid, I couldn¡¯t say. Once thest man had exited, Quade turned all his attention to me. His eyesburned into me like twin mes, his anger palpable. Hisrge hand circled my upper arm and yanked me down into my chair, Then he leaned over me, his hot breath making my skin crawl as it blew across my ear. ¡°That was your one and only free pass, my Luna!¡± He emphasized the title, ensuring I knew my ce. ¡°Next time you¡¯ll be punished for your insubordination.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t possibly think you¡¯ll get away with this.¡± I decided to push my luck. ¡°I have mates. I am a Luna. Just not yours. They wille for me.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure they will. But I wouldn¡¯t hold out much hope they¡¯ll ever find you if I were you.¡± He sneered. ¡°Of course they¡¯ll find me. No one hides a mansion of this size. Besides, they know where your pds are. We¡¯ve been studying them formonths.¡± I decided there was no harm in telling him so since I was already here. No need to sneak in now. Apparently I¡¯d said something humorous because heughed. Not just a chuckle. A full on bellyugh. ¡°Oh sweetheart.¡± He feigned wiping away an amused tear. ¡°Blood w has lots of properties under its umbre. Who said we were anywhere near the pack territory?¡± ¡°What?¡± I gasped, not having considered that possibility. ¡°I couldn¡¯t risk taking you anywhere near the pack. Not yet.¡± He replied. ¡°It was enough that my men saw you here. They will inform the pack of your new position. It will be enough to buy the time I need.¡± ¡°Time you need for what?¡± I pressed, hoping to keep him talking until hesaid something useful. ¡°Let¡¯s just say some of the families that remain from your parents¡¯ leadership are less than enamored with my rule of the former Hazelwood territory. Their unwillingness toply has prevented me from fully realizing all I had to gain from my position as their Alpha. ¡°Once they see the daughter of their beloved former Alpha and Luna hase home to rule at my side. They¡¯ll be more inclined to share the information I need.¡± He exined. ¡°And if I refuse to be a part of your ruse?¡± I asked, already sure of his answer. ¡°Then I¡¯ll murder them in front of you, one by one. And when there are none left to threaten you with, I¡¯ll end you too. It would mean giving up on finding the one thing I¡¯ve spent years searching for, the entire reason Iattacked your parents¡¯ pack. But at least I¡¯ll have my revenge.¡± ¡°What could possibly be worth so many lives?¡± I demanded. I had no memory of my life in Hazelwood beyond a few glimpses from my dreams. And even then, I couldn¡¯t be sure they were urate. But I couldn¡¯t imagine what my parents could have had that Quade wanted so badly. ¡°That, my dear Luna, is none of your concern.¡± He snapped. ¡°Stop calling me that! There is no one here to hear you and we both know its bullshit.¡± I spit out. He grabbed my face before I could blink, squeezing my cheeks so hard I was sure they would bruise. And without my wolf to heal them, the evidence would remain for days. ¡°Don¡¯t ever speak to me disrespectfully again. You will watch yournguage and behave in a manner befitting a Luna or there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?¡± He hissed. I nodded, unable to speak with his hand wrapped around my jaw. He released me roughly, my head jerking to the side. It took a moment topose myself before meeting his eyes, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing the tears in my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s my good girl. Now, let¡¯s have a civil discussion about our future together. It¡¯s only fair Iy out my expectations so you have every opportunity to meet them without earning my censure.¡± He stated imperiously. ¡°What expectations?¡± I gritted out, receiving a stern re for my tone but thankfully no physical repercussions. ¡°The rules are very simple, my dear. You do what I want when I want it. You do not disrespect me in front of my pack. You don¡¯t even speak unless directed to do so. In fact, the only time I want to hear from you at all is when I invite you into my bed. Then, you may feel free to scream all you like.¡± His eyes raked over mesciviously. ¡°That will never happen! I¡¯d rather die than let you touch me!¡± I shrieked, spitting in his face. I knew it was a mistake before I did it but I couldn¡¯t stop myself. My skin crawled at the thought of him touching me and my stomach roiled from something other than my pregnancy. I never could just keep my mouth shut. When the back of his hand connected with my face, it hurt like a bitch. Even though I was expecting it, the pain of it was still shocking. I fell to the floor, myhead hitting the ground with a sickening thud and stars bursting before my eyes. I rolled to my side and curled into a ball. Protecting my stomach in case he decided to punish me further. I would have to do better, learn to control my tongue. I couldn¡¯t risk my pups¡¯ safety again. But Quade didn¡¯t hit me again. Instead, he yanked me to my feet by my hair and snarled in my face. ¡°Maybe a night in a prison cell instead of afortable bed will change your mind.¡± He threatened. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the guards know you are off limits. This time. But if you don¡¯t learn your ce quickly, I won¡¯t hesitate to let them use you in lieu of payment.¡± He bent to bury his face in my neck and breathed deeply, inhaling my scent. ¡°Delicious.¡± He murmured, ¡°Are you still a virgin or did you let those pups you call mates have you already?¡± I jutted out my chin, refusing to answer. Refusing to speak another word to the monster in front of me. ¡°No matter.¡± he chuckled. ¡°When the timees, and it wille very soon, I¡¯ll be happy to show you what this tight little body of yours needs.¡± He dragged me to the door, his fist still gripping my hair. I stumbled along behind him, teetering dangerously on my heels as I struggled to keep up. He wrenched the door open and practically tossed me into the hall. ¡°Take her to a cell but keep her isted, away from the other prisoners. And no one is to touch her, is that understood? She is my Luna after all.¡± ¡°Yes sir, Alpha.¡± One of the guards acknowledged his order while the other twisted my arm behind my back painfully. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He pushed me along carelessly, obviously not giving two shits that I was supposed to his Luna. After being unceremoniously hauled down several flights of stairs, we finally entered the area where prisoners were kept. The caustic ammonia odor of urine nearly choked me as we walked by cell after cell of inmates. I gagged and my stomach heaved but there was nothing to expel, reminding me I hadn¡¯t eaten. I was shoved into a cell at the end of a long cellblock. Apparently, the role of Luna did note with an upgraded cell because this one had a threadbare mattress on the floor and only a bucket to do my business in like every otherone I¡¯d seen. I scrambled across the cold cement floor to sit on the mattress, a plume of dust rising around me when I plopped down on it. ¡°Wait!¡± I called out to my jailer as he turned to leave.¡±Could you please ask Alpha Quade if he would send me some food from the kitchen?¡± I thought it was worth a shot. There had to be leftovers since dinner was never served and I needed to eat something healthy for the sake of my babies. But all hope of a decent meal fled when the guard leered back at me with scious intent in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll eat in the morning, same as every other prisoner. And don¡¯t bother asking for anything else or I might just forget what Alpha said about not touching you.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I stared back at him, not speaking but refusing to let him cower me. He heldmy re for a moment then huffed and stalked away. Only once his footsteps disappeared did I dare to move. I kicked off the ridiculous excuse for shoes I¡¯d been wearing and pressed as close to the cell bars as possible. Rattling the door first but finding it not nearly as loose as its rusted hinges would suggest, I peered as far down the hall as I could see without my wolf to help me. As instructed, I¡¯d been ced as far from another living soul as possible. At least I could be thankful that it was quieter, away from the other prisoners moaning and crying out. I wondered how many of them had belonged to my parents¡¯ pack, only here to ensure their silence or to punish theirck of cooperation. ¡°Raven, I really need you to wake up.¡± I tried pushing through to her again butwas met with dead air. Fuck! What had I been drugged with and why was itsting so long? For the first time, true panic rose up inside me. She couldn¡¯t be gone permanently. And if she was, what did that mean for my bond with Cary and y? I tried to feel for them, letting my mind stretch along the threads of our bond, but again, I felt nothing. Maybe I was too far away or maybe it was another side effect of the drugs. Either way, I felt the emptiness like a hole in my soul. Trudging back over to the thin mattress, I flopped down on it again and tried to close my eyes. I needed to rest in order to retain what little strength I had, but my cheek throbbed where Quade had hit me and my jaw ached from his painful hold. Hot tears pricked my eyes at the thought that this could be all that was left of my life. If Quade wasn¡¯t lying, if we really were hidden away somewhere my mates wouldn¡¯t think to look, would I eventually give in? I couldn¡¯t keep my pregnancy a secret forever. Would I be willing to bargain with him to spare my pups, even if it meant letting him mark me? What if I never saw my mates again? Or worse, what if they were strangers to me when we met again, reduced to no more than men I used to know by the forced bite of my captor? I couldn¡¯t think about that now. Not when my heart ached for them so desperately. ¡°y, Cary¡­ Colton!¡± I allowed myself to cry out even for my uncaring mate, a fierce need for all of them saturating every corner of my mind. I could only pray the Moon Goddess would lead them to me before it was toote. Chapter 77 by Cara Anderson Ch. 77 Wee Home Colton¡¯s POV ¡°Colton!¡± I jolted awake to the sound of someone calling my name. I could have sworn that someone was Mallory but there was no one there. The room was dark and quiet. I pushed up from the couch and padded down the hall to the room my brothers shared with our mate. I peered in the door but they weren¡¯t there. Retracing my steps. I made my way to the opposite end of the hall where the office was situated. The light was on and the door was cracked but when I stepped inside, I found them both asleep, their heads resting on the map they¡¯d been studyingst night. Each of us felt guilty sleeping, knowing Mallory was in danger and needed us. But I was still recovering from being shot, my wolf barely awake for minutes at a time after healing me. And even healthy, strong Alpha wolves like my brothers needed sleep to be at the top of their game. Something we all needed to be for Mallory¡¯s sake. ¡°Colton?¡± y stirred awake just as I was backing out of the office and he was immediately on high alert. ¡± What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to wake you.¡± I apologized for disturbing his rest. ¡°I thought I heard someone call my name so I came to check.¡± ¡°You probably dreamed it.¡± He grunted. ¡°Cary and I were both sleeping even though we shouldn¡¯t be.¡± The chagrin in his voice was unmistakable. I knew he¡¯d stayed awake until he dropped fromexhaustion but it wouldn¡¯t do any good to point that out. He¡¯d still beat himself up for it like we all would. ¡°Maybe.¡± I couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility I¡¯d been dreaming but it seemed so real. ¡°It just¡­ nevermind.¡± He was probably right. I shrugged to myself and turned to leave. But the sound of Cary¡¯s voice stopped me again. ¡°It¡¯s just what? What¡¯s going on?¡± He questioned groggily. ¡°Nothing. I was just telling y I thought I heard someone calling my name but you were both sleeping and no one else is here.¡± I exined. ¡°Did you recognize the voice?¡± Leave it to Cary to ask the obvious, giving me no choice but to answer. ¡°Yeah. I could have sworn it was Mallory. It sounded like she was calling for help.¡± I told them. Cary stood abruptly, stomping to the mini fridge and pulling out three bottles of water. He handed one to y and I then cracked the cap on his own and downed it in one long guzzle. It was his way of saying we all needed to wake the hell up. ¡°We need to get back to work. It was probably a manifestation of your subconscious reminding you she needs us. And here we are sleeping when she¡¯s¡­ Goddess knows where.¡± His tone wasden with guilt and not just for falling asleep. Cary had been the one to insist Ie home with them when I was released from the hospital. I could tell he felt bad for not trying to reach out to me when y iced me out, but he didn¡¯t need to. I¡¯d been resistant to the idea of returning with them at first, stillunsure where I stood with y. He hadn¡¯t exactly been warm and fuzzy though I could tell he was making an effort. But in the end, he¡¯d agreed that we should all stick together so we could work out a n to find and rescue our mate and unborn pups. Our pups. I still couldn¡¯t believe I was going to be a father. We all were. My first response to hearing the news was anger. I was mad that no one had told me and furious that they¡¯d taken her outside ck Moon, risked her safety just to keep me in the dark. But I reminded myself that they hadn¡¯t known my rejection of Mallory and return to Darcy had been an act. I couldn¡¯t me Mallory for wanting to keep it from me until she knew whether or not it could be mine. And I couldn¡¯t me my brothers for going along with it. I probably would have done the same in their shoes. Now, all I felt was awe and more love for three little souls I¡¯d never met than I ever knew possible. I hoped one day I¡¯d get the chance to meet them. To see theme into this world, to learn and grow. I prayed that despite everything I¡¯d done, their mother would allow me that privilege. But I¡¯d made choices and those choices had consequences. And though my brothers were ming themselves, I knew Mallory¡¯s abduction was really my fault. She would never have gone to a doctor in the city if she hadn¡¯t believed I didn¡¯t want her or our pups. I let her believe that. I pushed her to put herself in danger. ¡°When is Nathan arriving?¡± I asked, wanting nothing more than to focus on Mallory¡¯s safe return and knowing we were going to need his help. ¡°He¡¯s reaching out to some contacts to see if he can find out where Quade might have taken her. He¡¯ll be here first thing in the morning with his Beta. We¡¯ll finalize our ns then and prepare to leave before dark tomorrow. With any luck, we can sneak into Hazelwood territory after dark andunch a surprise attack.¡± y outlined the basic n.¡± y answered. ¡°Wake me when he gets here?¡± I requested, though I had no intention of sleeping. ¡°Kai should be back to full strength by the time we¡¯re ready to head out. I want to be there to discuss the details of the attack.¡± ¡°Colton, you were shot. You should stay here and rest. Trust us to bring her home.¡± Cary offered. ¡°Of course I trust you!¡± I attested. ¡°But this is my fault and I need to be there to fix it. If I hadn¡¯t-, I let her think-, and now-¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org. I choked back a strangled sob. I was trying to hold it together but I couldn¡¯t forgive myself for what I¡¯d done. Now my mate was out there, pregnant and alone, with some madman intent on forcing her to ept him by who knows what means. The least I could do was rescue her or fucking die trying. I stormed from the room, not thinking about where I was going. I found myself entering the Alpha master bedroom, a room I¡¯d never shared with my Luna, and stopped at the end of the bed, staring. I should have been here with her, with all of them. I had no business trying to y hero when she needed me with her. I should have been sleeping in that bed with her, holding her in my arms, making love to her. I could see it in my mind¡¯s eye, how beautiful she would look, her midnight hair fanned out around her, her soft, creamy skin ondisy and her brilliant hazel eyes shining with love for me. I could have had that but I fucked it up. I should have been cooking for her, making sure her needs were met, caring for her like a good Alpha mate. y and Cary said the pregnancy had been hard on her so far, not surprising with triplets. I should have been there to help her,fort her. Instead, I¡¯d just made everything worse for her. All I¡¯d ever wanted was to be a good Alpha. To make my parents proud, take care of my brothers and our Luna. I thought if I sacrificed my own happiness for the good of others, it meant I was worthy of the title. I thought that¡¯s what a good Alpha did. But I hadn¡¯t just sacrificed my happiness. I¡¯d sacrificed hers too and told myself it was for her own good. What a fucking idiot I¡¯d been. And itwas all for nothing. Now she could die believing I didn¡¯t want her or our pups. I pulled a nket from the bed and buried my nose in her scent, hiding my tears. ¡°It was a good n.¡± y¡¯s voice startled me. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie to you and say it¡¯s okay that you didn¡¯t tell us. Especially her. She deserved to know why you let her feel your betrayal, to have a say in that n. But just because I don¡¯t like it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t understand it.¡± ¡°Lot of fucking good it did anybody.¡± Igrunted in reply. ¡°That¡¯s not your fault, Colton. You couldn¡¯t have predicted the way things turned out. It could have easily gone the other way. He could have divulged his n and we could have ended this before it started. It just didn¡¯t y out that way.¡± ¡°Why are you being nice to me? Up until yesterday, you hated me and I deserved it. I still do.¡± I admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t hate you, though I get that it seemed that way. I just hated what you did to Mallory and I couldn¡¯t let you hurt her any more. If you think it didn¡¯t kill me to break our bond, you don¡¯t know me very well.¡± y shook his head in disappointment. ¡°I just want to bring her and our pups home. I can¡¯t take back what I did. It¡¯s done and there is no going back to change it. But once they¡¯re safe and that asshole is in the ground, I¡¯m going to go away for a while.¡± I informed him. ¡°You and Cary will be great Alphas. Youdon¡¯t need me in the way.¡± ¡°The fuck we don¡¯t!¡± Cary burst in on the tail end of our conversation. ¡°So what? You¡¯re just going to run away again? Making more decisions withouttalking to us? What about Mallory and your pups, Colton? Do you give a shit about what they want or need?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t want me!¡± I raised my voice, all the hurt I felt bleeding through. ¡°Look what happened to her because she didn¡¯t even want me to know she was pregnant!¡± ¡°Because she didn¡¯t want to burden you. She thought you didn¡¯t want her. We all did!¡± y pointed out. ¡°The least you can do is stay here and face the mess you made. Exin the situation to her and let her decide. Quit deciding what¡¯s best for her without her input. That¡¯s how you got here in the first ce. You¡¯d think you¡¯d learn from your mistakes!¡± ¡°I will talk to her.¡± I sighed. ¡°But if she needs space from me, I¡¯ll give it to her. I want to be here when the pups are born. I want to be part of their lives butI won¡¯t force her to endure my presence if she doesn¡¯t want it. You need to be prepared to run this pack without me.¡± ¡°And you need to be prepared to grovel your ass off.¡± Cary retorted. ¡°She¡¯ll forgive you. It¡¯s who she is. None of us deserve her but she loves us anyway. All of us.¡± ¡°I love her too. I just hope I get the chance to tell her.¡± I whispered, but I knew they heard me. ¡°You will. We all will.¡± y insisted. ¡°I refuse to ept any other possibility.¡± ¡°Me either! Now get some more sleep so your wolf can regain his stamina. Gunner and Roan need their brother. And so do y and I.¡± Cary said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep in our bed? Her scent will help you rest more peacefully.¡± y offered. ¡°And when we bring her home, your scent will bethere to wee her back.¡± He walked over and pulled me into a hug. Cary joined us and I was sure my surprise was written all over my face. ¡°Wee home, brother.¡± y patted my back in a brotherly gesture I wasn¡¯t expecting. I also wasn¡¯t expecting the shock of our sibling bond snapping back into ce. Chapter 78 by Cara Anderson Ch. 78 Hang On Cary¡¯s POV Despite our agreement that we all needed rest, none of us went back to sleep. Colton was curled up in our bed, the sheets tucked under his nose so he could cling to Mallory¡¯s scent like a lifeline. y was probably in the office, analyzing every known detail of Alpha Quade¡¯s territory. And I was sitting on the floor in the back of our closet with one of Mallory¡¯s shirts pressed to my face.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Which of us was the most pathetic was a toss up. At least y was doing something but that had always been his coping mechanism. He was as close to losing his shit as the rest of us. If we didn¡¯t get our mate back soon, the famous ck Moon Alpha Triplets would be nothing more than three feral wolves, incapable of leading a pack. Incapable of anything without our Luna. I couldn¡¯t feel my bond with Mallory and it was the absolute worst feeling in the world. I assumed the others couldn¡¯t either but I hadn¡¯t asked. Talking about it would make it real. I just couldn¡¯t face that. Not yet. At least I knew she was still alive and I held on to that with both hands. If she were dead, the pain would have been unbearable. It felt more like she was sleeping or unconscious. Thatforted me a little. Maybe she was going through hell and was just too far away for us to feel her through our iplete bond. But it eased my mind somewhat to think of her sleeping peacefully. I shifted my weight and the sound of paper crinkling had me reaching for the forgotten printout I¡¯d stuffed in myback pocket. I pulled out the sonogram photos and searched for the recognizable outlines of my pups. They were barely the size of a kiwi fruit but already had well-defined parts as all shifter pups did at this stage. A sharp gasp beside me drew my attention. I¡¯d been so lost in thought, I hadn¡¯t noticed Colton enter the closet and sit down on the floor beside me. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± He asked. I nodded and handed the strip of pictures over to him. ¡°They¡¯re so small.¡± His voice was filled with wonder and I knew exactly how he felt. I didn¡¯t think it was possible to feel more excitement than I did hearing Mallory say she was pregnant. But I¡¯d been wrong. Because nothing could have prepared me to see my pups on that screen, breathing and moving and living. ¡°We have to get them back, Cary.¡± Colton was gripping the paper so tight I was afraid it would tear. ¡°Hang on. I¡¯ll get my brothers.¡± y¡¯s voice had both our heads snapping up, interrupting our sentimental moment. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait in the office.¡± Nathan answered, his tone morose. I jumped to my feet and offered Colton my hand. He took it and let me pull him up. All he had to do was raise his eyebrow at me and I knew exactly what he was thinking. Neither of us loved the way Nathan felt for our mate, the way he still longed to be near her even though she was officially off limits. But we all loved his willingness to help us get her back. So when Colton asked his unspoken question ¡°Are we really gonna work with this guy?¡± My unspoken answerwas unequivocally ¡°Hell yes!¡± He gave me a curt nod, shoved his hands in his pockets, and followed me out the door. ¡°There you are! Where have the two of you been?¡± y snapped. ¡°Closet.¡± I grunted. It was all the exnation he was going to get and probably all he needed. His judgmental tone irritated me but I let it go. We needed to work together, not fight amongst ourselves. We were all on edge. As soon as we walked through the office door a ferocious growl filled the room. Nathanunched himself at Colton, swinging at him with a mean right hook. They ended up on the floor with Nathan on top, throwing punches my brother didn¡¯t even try to block. ¡°Get the fuck off of him!¡± y bellowed, hooking Nathan under thearms and dragging him away from Colton. I kept my eye on Mikhail, his Beta, just in case he decided toe to his Alpha¡¯s aid. Fortunately for him and the office decor our mother so carefully selected, he had the sense to stay out of it before it turned into an all out brawl. ¡°What the fuck is he doing here?¡± Nathan snarled in Colton¡¯s direction. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. If you¡¯d asked before assaulting him, we could have exined it to you.¡± I bit out, my own temper hanging by a thread. Colton wiped the blood from his bottom lip with his thumb, his eyes never leaving Nathan. I could see the emotions warring in his gaze. The guilty part of him felt he deserved the beating. The jealous side wanted to put Nathan in his ce. I decided to sitback and watch. It would be interesting to see which side won. y gave the cliff notes version of Colton¡¯s n and how he found himself back in our good graces. But ever Mallory¡¯s champion, Nathan wasn¡¯t ready to let my brother off the hook just yet. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve her. No one who could justify hurting her that way could ever deserve her.¡± He hurled at Colton bitterly. ¡°I know. But that¡¯s not for you to decide. It¡¯s not even for me to decide. It¡¯s up to her who she wants.¡± Colt kept his fists in his pockets like it was the only way to stop himself from hitting him. But I could see the glint in his eye and had a feeling he was going tond a blow in another way. ¡°Anyway, none of that matters until we get her home. Her and our pups.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nathan¡¯s head spun around to look at y and I for confirmation. ¡± She¡¯s¡­¡± His head dropped to his chest. It was at that moment I knew he¡¯d still been holding out hope she would change her mind and that hope had just died. I could see it when he looked at me, that cherished wish withering on the vine, ¡°Yes, she is.¡± I confirmed smugly. ¡± Triplets. We found out just before she was taken.¡± I looked at Colton to see the tiniest curl to one corner of his lip, the only celebration of his victory he would allow himself. Nathan nodded and swallowed hard, his eyes shuttered in eptance. ¡°Then let¡¯s bring them all home.¡± He said, heading for the desk where y had the map spread out. We spent the better part of the day discussing entry points and briefing our warriors on the n. By dusk, we had the team assembled in the courtyard, ready to load up and roll out. We had so little intel to go on but none of us were willing to wait another hour let alone another day or more. The trip wasn¡¯t long by car, a couple of hours at most. But it brought to mind the one Mallory made to get to ck Moon, through a long, dark tunnel, on foot. Maeve must have carried her for hours to get her to safety. I could still remember that day. My little heart had lurched when Iid eyes on the most adorable little girl I¡¯d ever seen. Her hair was so shiny and she had the cutest button nose. Her pink lips were turned down and her eyebrows drawn together, even in sleep. Her tiny, heart-shaped face was covered in dirt and a trickle of blood ran from her forehead. When Maeve arrived on our doorstep with her, looking half dead, mom had cried. It was the first time I¡¯d ever seen her cry and my nine-year-old self wanted to cry too. In the chaos that ensued, I managed to sneak in the car with them when they took her to the infirmary. Mom scolded me and insisted I sit in the waiting room and not move when she realized I was there. But I kept sneaking into Mallory¡¯s room and climbing into the bed with her. I was just a kid but looking back, I should have known better than to follow my brothers¡¯ lead in bullying her. I should have known she was special and deserved better. If only I¡¯d known then how much I would grow to love her. ¡°We¡¯re there.¡± y elbowed me, stark reality smacking me in the face again. I nodded at him and followed him out of the car. We were leading the breach of the south entrance. Colton had taken another squadron to the east and Nathan, along with his Beta, were leading the attack from the North. The western border was rimmed by mountains with no entry or exit point that we could see on the map. We would wait to hear from the others that they were in ce then move in simultaneously. Ours was the closest entry point so it would take another hour for the others to reach their designated staging areas and assemble in attack formation. I still couldn¡¯t feel Mallory, but knowing she was so close and not going to her was making my wolf crazy. Pacing back and forth while y gave the men a final briefing was my only outlet for all my pent up nervous energy. We needed the element of surprise. The longer we waited to attack, the more likely they would realize we were here. They could move Mallory before we could get to her, or worse, hurt her. ¡°We¡¯re going to bring her home, brother.¡± y¡¯s heavy handnded on my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re not leaving here without her.¡± ¡°But what if-¡± I couldn¡¯t help but voice my fears but y wouldn¡¯t hear them. ¡°No what ifs.¡± He barked sternly. ¡± There is no other way this ends. I promise you. Neither Quade nor his men want to face Gunner if they refuse to give back his mate and I know Kai and Roan are the same. We¡¯ll ughter everyst one of them until someonegives her up!¡± ¡°Alphas, we got word the other squadrons are in ce. We¡¯re ready to breach on yourmand.¡± One of the warriors informed us. ¡°Thank you.¡± y told him then turned to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go bring our family home.¡± He walked back toward our men but I took another minute to send up a silent prayer before following him. ¡°We¡¯reing for you my darling.¡± I spoke into the night. ¡°Please hang on just a little longer.¡± Chapter 79 by Cara Anderson Ch. 79 Reprieve Mallory¡¯s POV A wanton moan escaped my lips as Cary¡¯s hard body pressed against my back, his hands cupping my breasts and his thumbs brushing over my hard, aching nipples. y had one leg between mine, letting me grind my soaked pussy against his muscr thigh while he plundered my mouth in a scorching kiss. Colton ran his fingers through my hair and when y and I broke for air, his thick veiny cock was bobbing in my face, waiting to slip between my lips. y¡¯s thigh was drenched with my juices, the hairs on his leg coiled into wet little curls. Sliding a hand between us, he found my throbbing nub and stroked it in neat concentric circles with just the right pressure to have my hips rocking into him, seeking more. Ihummed my pleasure around Colton¡¯s cock, earning an approving snarl from him. Cary¡¯s massive erection glided easily between my ass cheeks, the copious pre -cum he was producing acting as the perfect lubricant. All three of my mates worked together in perfect harmony to bring me to new heights of pleasure. I was so close. I could feel the delicious fire licking at my fingers and toes, a sensuous precursor to the inferno about to erupt. ¡°That¡¯s it, little wolf. Come for your Alphas.¡± y coaxed. ¡°Almost there, darling. Give us your pleasure.¡± Cary murmured in my ear. ¡°Fuck, little Omega! You suck my cock so well.¡± Colton praised. ¡°Get the fuck up!¡± Another voice startled me, my orgasm fading awaybefore it could fully form. My eyes flew open, my cold, dismal surroundings recing the cozy warm bed I¡¯d shared with my mates in my dream. I immediately sat up and pressed my legs together, hoping my jailor couldn¡¯t smell my arousal or see the slick glistening on my thighs. My eyes pricked with tears as the realization set in that none of it had been real. ¡°I said get up!¡± Mr. Asshole ordered again. ¡°Stand against the wall and don¡¯t move.¡± I did as I was told, having no better options present themselves. The guard unlocked the cell and stepped inside. His nostrils red and lust shed in his eyes. For the briefest second, I considered trying to run. But he just grabbed my upper arm in a bruising grip and yanked me out of my cage. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I demanded, trying to dig in my heels. He didn¡¯t seem inclined to answer and my attempts to detain him were about as effective as a mouse trying to stop an elephant. I had no idea what fate awaited me but I had little doubt it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant. So I let my mind drift back to my dream, my happy ce. I desperately wanted that dream to be real. It destroyed something deep in my soul to realize it had all been a product of my subconscious mind. Because the truth was, even if I wasn¡¯t in this Goddess forsaken ce, it would never be more than a fantasy. Colton would have to want me for it to ever be real and that just wasn¡¯t in the cards for me. My stomach sank like a rock when the halls the asshole was dragging me through became more familiar and Alpha Quade¡¯s acrid scent becamestronger. But I detected other, more pleasant smells as well. Fresh baked pastries, orange juice, eggs. Maybe I¡¯d at least get a meal out of the uing shitshow. Maybe I¡¯d even keep it down. ¡°Alpha, I have the prisoner as you requested.¡± Mr. Asshole announced as he pulled me into the dining room for the second time in as many days. ¡°That prisoner is your Luna and you will address her as such! Do I make myself clear?¡± Quade barked. Goosebumps trekked their way up my arms as I listened to the unhinged Alpha scold his guard. What did he expect when he was the one that had me locked up in the first ce? There was no winning against a man who clearly wasn¡¯t ying with a full deck. The thought only added to my already mounting terror. The guard offered a perfunctory ¡°yes, sir¡± and backed out of the room, leaving me alone with the raving lunatic. ¡°Come. Sit. Eat.¡± He ordered and I bit back the urge to remind him I wasn¡¯t a dog, panting after his everymand. Instead, I fell into the nearest chair and waited for his next order. Another backhand to the face wasn¡¯t on my list of things to repeat today so meek and obedient was my best move for now. ¡°I see your night as a guest in a prison suite had the desired effect. Continue in the vein of demure Luna and we¡¯ll get along swimmingly. Now fix yourself a te and join me for breakfast.¡± I hesitated, not wanting to find myself drugged again but when he took some of the food for himself, I decided it was probably safe enough. Besides, I¡¯d be a fool to assume it hadbeen an offer and not an order. I quicklypoured myself some juice and took oneof the blueberry muffins. It seemed asafe option and wouldn¡¯t bepletelymiserable if it came back up. Though Ifervently prayed that wouldn¡¯t happen. I could only stretch the drug sideeffects excuse so far. I hadn¡¯t realized how thirsty I was until I looked down to see my juice was gone. Quade chuckled and refilled my ss. I nibbled the muffin and stifled a moan when the fruit burst on my tongue. Maybe I was just really hungry or maybe he had an amazing cook, but it was the best muffin I¡¯d ever tasted. ¡°Isn¡¯t that better?¡± He asked with a condescending smirk on his face. ¡°Now let¡¯s revisit our discussion about your Luna duties.¡± I cocked an eyebrow at him and took another bite of the muffin, not trusting myself to open my mouth and keep something snarky froming out. ¡°I¡¯m quite anxious to take you home to Hazelwood territory. But in order to do that, I¡¯ll need some assurances that you will behave appropriately.¡± He mused, more to himself than to me. ¡°What kind of assurances?¡± I ventured, the muffin I¡¯d just eaten threatening to make a reappearance. ¡°Completing our bond, of course. A marked mate is a loyal mate, after all.¡± He answered, a malicious sneer marring his features. ¡°What? You can¡¯t-¡± I sputtered, but flinched away from his evil hiss. ¡°I can and I will!¡± He growled. ¡°But not until you¡¯ve had a bath. You smell like piss and I¡¯d like to enjoy theexperience. Finish your breakfast then Evelyn will take you to get cleaned up. I¡¯ll join you shortly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve suddenly lost my appetite.¡± I muttered. ¡°Fine!¡± He snapped his fingers and a servant by the door scurried away, no doubt to retrieve my Omega/guardian. Sure enough, Evelyn appeared within minutes and whisked me away. But instead of returning to the room I¡¯d upied yesterday, she led me in apletely different direction. When she opened the door to the bedroom, Quade¡¯s rotting fish odor smacked me like a ten-ton truck, nearly bringing me to my knees. ¡°This way, Luna. I¡¯ll run you a bath.¡± Evelyn guided me to the en suite. Could she not smell that? I tried breathing through my mouth but thpulsion to retch was barely held at bay. Pregnancy and vile Alpha scent were a lethalbination. I had precious little time to n my defense before Evelyn had me bathed and dressed in the white silk andce negligee Quade had draped over his bed for me to wear. The Omega slipped out, locking the door behind her. I knew it would only be moments before the Alpha arrived and tried to force his mark on me. ¡°Mallory?¡± A voice I desperately missed called my name. ¡°Raven? You¡¯re awake! Thank Goddess!¡± I nearly cried. ¡°You have impable timing.¡± ¡°Where are we? What¡¯s going on?¡± My wolf still sounded groggy but she was back and that was enough for now. I hastily filled her in on our predicament and her fury red to life like a live grenade. ¡°He won¡¯t touch us!¡± She snarled. ¡°I¡¯ll gut him like the disgusting pig he is.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let him know you¡¯re awake. We won¡¯t win if he¡¯s prepared for a fight. We have to catch him off guard.¡± I warned her. ¡°I¡¯m going to raise a barrier and drop it when he least expects an attack.¡± ¡°No!¡± Raven disagreed but it was toote. I threw up the wall between her consciousness and mine, blocking her out. I loved my wolf but she was wily. I didn¡¯t trust her not to give herself away the minute Alpha Quade said something threatening or cocky. But just knowing she was there when I needed her helped slow my racing pulse. ¡°You look ravishing, my Luna.¡± Quade came sauntering through the door without so much as a knock. His lecherous gaze roamed my scantily d form and I¡¯d never felt more exposed. He slithered toward me like a snake about to strike, eyes never leaving my nipples tenting the silk nightgown in the purposely cool room. I expected his touch, prepared my rebellious body to ept it knowing I needed to bide my time, but he stopped with a foot of space between us. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± He demanded, his nostrils ring as he drew in a deep lungful of my scent. I forced my features into a nk mask, hiding my inner panic from his notice. I sent up a silent prayer that he couldn¡¯t hear my heart thundering against my ribs, giving away the lie in my calm demeanor. Fuck! Did he smell my wolf, stronger now that she was awake? Or worse, could he smell the pups in my belly? Now that it was just the two of us in a room with no other scent but his, he would be more attuned to foreign odors. ¡°What smell?¡± I asked with feigned ignorance. ¡°You smell different.¡± He leaned in, a shiver rippling down my spine when his nose grazed my neck. ¡°A spicy undertone I hadn¡¯t noticed before.¡± I lifted my arm, making a show of sniffing myself, allowing an enlightened expression to rece the mask. ¡°It smells like the body wash Evelyn used on me. Don¡¯t you like it?¡± I used my best coquettish tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be happy to use another brand if you don¡¯t care for this one.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± He pulled back, studying me carefully before his features rxed into eptance. ¡°No, I do like it. It suits you, spicy like your attitude.¡± The steel knot my stomach had twisted into slowly loosened at his words. I¡¯d dodged a bullet for now but I knew I wouldn¡¯t get that lucky again. y and Cary had both described my scent as spicier since the pregnancy and I knew what was now subtle would be much more prominent as my babies continued to grow. I had to escape before he realized my secret. ¡°You look incredibly sexy in your bridal lingerie. I chose well.¡± He changed the subject, his renewed attention downright lewd. A cold terror nketed me, my skin erupting in goose flesh as he stepped closer and ran his hands up my sides. He stopped with each hand on my ribsnext to my breasts, his thumbs caressing the side swell of flesh. He dipped his head as if to kiss me but I flinched back, making him growl. ¡°Get on the bed.¡± He barked using his Alpha tone. ¡°I was going to make an effort for my Luna, offer you the romantic forey all bitches want. But I¡¯m happy to move on to the main course if you prefer.¡± Though his Alphamand had no effect on me and everything in me screamed to disobey him, I forced myself to scoot across the gaudy gold silkforter on his bed. A part of me would always hate myself for it but I knew I was going to have to let him touch me if I was going to have a chance to fight him. It was the only way he¡¯d let down his guard. I forced myself to be still when his hands wrapped around my bare anklesand yanked until I was lying t. Bile rose in my throat when his hands worked their way up my legs, kneading my calves then my thighs. My instincts screamed at me to let my wolf out, to extend my ws and sh at him like a feral beast, but I held back. His thumbs rubbed circles over the tender flesh of my inner thighs just below my sex. He leered at me maliciously the whole time, enjoying my distress, drinking it in and savoring it like a fine wine. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly against the nauseating sensation that woulde when he moved those thumbs just a little higher. ¡°Fuck!¡± He snarled, my eyes flying open to appreciate the fury on his face. His hands left me, blissfully releasing me from the repugnance of his touch. I pushed up on my elbows, following hisevery move as he paced irately at the end of the bed. He was mind-linking with someone and whatever they had to say was pissing him off royally. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to continue this little rendezvouster, my dear. Seems your triplet pups have invaded Hazelwood and I¡¯m going to need to handle them before we can get on with our mating.¡± He gritted out, obviously resenting the interruption. ¡°You will stay here and wait for me. You¡¯re not leaving this room without my mark on your neck so make yourselffortable.¡± He stormed toward the door but turned back to me suddenly. ¡± And Mallory, the lingerie has lost its charm. Be naked when I return.¡± He stomped from the room, mming the door behind him. I should have felt relief at my brief reprieve. I should have been plotting my next move. But mymind couldn¡¯t get past the information he¡¯d unwittingly revealed. He¡¯d said my ¡°triplet pups¡± hade for me. Did he mean that literally? Was Colton really with them? Did he care enough toe to my rescue with his brothers? I hoped I¡¯d get the chance to find out.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 80 by Cara Anderson Ch. 80 Winter Woods Luna Nathan¡¯s POV We were standing in front of the Hazelwood packhouse, right in the middle of the territory. We had waltzed right in like we owned the ce, absolutely no resistance to speak of. Wolves patrolled the borders and guards stood sentry at the entry points, just as expected based on our intel. But as soon as they¡¯d seen using with our warriors in battle formation, they¡¯d fallen back without a fight. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Colton growled, as confused by theck of defense as the rest of us. ¡°Something sure as hell isn¡¯t right.¡± Cary chimed in. ¡°What Alpha leaves his territory undefended and refuses to show himself when his authority is challenged?¡± ¡°One that isn¡¯t here.¡± y answered his rhetorical question. ¡°I doubt he¡¯s been here since he had Mallory taken. Fuck! We¡¯re stupid!¡± ¡°Not stupid,¡± Colton argued. ¡°We just had no other options. We¡¯ll find something here that will lead us to him. We have to!¡± ¡°The warriors are scouring every inch of the ce.¡± I added. ¡°So far all they¡¯ve found is a bunch of scared wolves, mostly women and children who want nothing more than to stay off their Alpha¡¯s radar. But I¡¯m still holding out hope they¡¯ll find a ranked wolf with some inside information hiding somewhere around here. ¡°I had an Omega show me the Alpha¡¯s bedroom and office. I personally turned them upside down. There wasn¡¯t so much as a scrap of paper in either of them. Noputer, no phone, nonothing.¡± y informed us. ¡°He knew we wereing and he made sure there would be nothing to find.¡± ¡°Fuuuck!¡± Cary roared, punching the windshield of the car he¡¯d been leaning on so hard it shattered. He stormed over to the group of guards we¡¯d rounded up and grabbed one by the throat. The man¡¯s face quickly went from pink to puce to purple as Cary choked the life out of him. ¡°Where is she?¡± He roared in the man¡¯s face. ¡°Tell me where the fuck she is! Tell me now and I¡¯ll let you live!¡± Colton and y rushed over to him, whether to save the man or join Cary in murdering him, I wasn¡¯t sure. I forced myself to look away, but it didn¡¯t stop me from hearing Cary¡¯s angry growls morph into pained cries. ¡°Please! Just tell me. Just tell me where he took my mate. I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t hurt you again, if you just tell me where to find her.¡± His broken pleas gutted me. Because his pain reflected my own, only I wasn¡¯t allowed to show it. She wasn¡¯t mine anymore. She would never be mine again. But the thought of her suffering ripped me to shreds all the same. I couldn¡¯t imagine a world without her in it and my desperation to find her was eating me alive. ¡°Come on brother,¡± Colton spoke softly to his fractured triplet. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know anything. Hurting him isn¡¯t going to help us find her.¡± I could hear Cary¡¯s choking sobs grow quieter as they dragged him further away. I balled my fists against the urge to pick up where he left off, choking the life out of every fucker here untilsomeone told us what we needed to know. But before I could act on it, I heard the packhouse door m and a new scent fill the yard. ¡°Alpha,¡± One of the warriors called, ¡± We found her hiding in one of the rooms. She says she¡¯s the Beta¡¯s sister.¡± I heard his voice speaking to me but I couldn¡¯t register the words. Because all I could see was the gorgeous woman in his arms. She was petite, maybe five foot two or three, with long, thick blonde hair and bright blue eyes, bluer than the deepest sea. 3) Her pouty lips were rose petal red and so fucking kissable. Her white t-shirt clung to her figure, her breasts petite like the rest of her but the perfect handful. Her full hips curved into thick thighs that begged to be wrapped around my head while I ate her til she screamed. I was instantly hard as steel,my cock trying desperately to escape my pants. ¡°Mine! Mine! Mine!¡± My wolf panted in my head. But outwardly, I was growling. Because the look of fear on her face yed me and the tight grip the warrior had on her arm was obviously painful. ¡°Let her go!¡± I snarled, storming over to them and snatching her away from him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, looking her over for other injuries. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯m fine.¡± She whimpered. All three of the Collins triplets stalked over to us, having heard their warrior mention her rank. They were out for blood and I wasn¡¯t sure how far they would go to get it. I shoved the girl behind me, using my body to block herfrom their view. She fisted my shirt in her hands and buried her face in my back. Her nearness made my whole body shiver in pleasure. * ¡°Why are you protecting her?¡± y red in my face. ¡°If she¡¯s a Beta wolf she¡¯s the enemy. She might know something about Mallory. I thought you wanted her back as much as we did!¡± ¡°I do!¡± I shouted back. ¡°It just, my wolf won¡¯t let you hurt her.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Colton asked, clear confusion etched on his face. ¡°I thought your wolf loved Mallory, too. What does he care about a stranger?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s his mate.¡± Cary fit the pieces together easily. ¡°Is that true?¡± Colton demanded, and I nodded my affirmation. ¡°So what? Suddenly Mallory isn¡¯t important anymore? You¡¯re going to protect this she-wolf you don¡¯t even know over the woman you said you loved?¡± y used angrily. ¡°Of course not!¡± I countered. ¡°But maybe we could try talking to her first.¡± They reluctantly agreed to take this conversation inside. I kept the girl, whose name I still didn¡¯t know, tucked into my side. It was meant to reassure her that she was safe but the way her body trembled, I wasn¡¯t sure it was working. ¡°You¡¯re safe.¡± I tried to reinforce the message with words. ¡°Just answer their questions the best you can, okay?¡± She tipped her head up to meet my eyes, searching them for the lie she wouldn¡¯t find. Then her gaze shifted from questioning to resolved beforeshe asked the question that made me cringe. ¡°Who¡¯s Mallory?¡± Her innocent question was the one thing I didn¡¯t want to answer. She may not know me. She may not even want me as her mate. But her wolf would. And the answer would only hurt her. Still, I owed her more than a lie. ¡°She¡¯s their mate.¡± It was the truth but not the whole truth. ¡°And my ex- girlfriend. The woman I loved still do. I¡¯m sorry¡± and She sucked in a sharp breath but gave no other indication that my words caused her pain. She nodded in acknowledgement and continued to walk silently at my side. The Alphas had chosen seats in themon room and I led her in behind them. There was only a single seatremaining and I took it, pulling her into myp. But she stoically refused, crossing her arms over her chest but standing close by. I abandoned the chair, offering it to her, my wolf issuing a pleased rumble when she took it. I moved to stand behind her like her own personal guardian, scanning the other men in the room for any sign of a threat. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Colton started the interrogation. ¡°Char-, Charlotte. B-, but I prefer Charlie.¡± She stammered nervously. ¡°Charlie,¡± My wolf, Night, sighed reverently. ¡°Okay, Charlie. Our warrior said you told him you were the Beta¡¯s sister. Is that true?¡± Cary asked, his tone much softer than I expected. ¡°Y-yes. But I-, they don¡¯t tell me anything. I don¡¯t know where your mate is.¡± She borated. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us what you do know?¡± y barked at her making Night snarl. y looked at me hatefully, like my wolf¡¯s defense of the girl was the severest betrayal. I thought he¡¯d be happy to have my attention diverted away from his mate. But I could understand how he might think my shifting loyalties could hamper our attempts to find her. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Charlie reiterated. ¡°None of the ranked wolves are here. My brother said they were going to meet our new Luna, but he didn¡¯t say where and he never used her name. It might not be who you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s definitely who we¡¯re looking for!¡± y inserted forcefully, making her flinch. ¡°Charlie,¡± I said gently, putting aforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°Can you think of anywhere they might go? Does Quade have any other properties he might stay at when he¡¯s not here in Hazelwood.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only overheard bits and pieces when my brother talks with his warrior friends. Mostly when He thinks I¡¯m asleep. Women are treated little better than animals here. We¡¯re certainly not trusted with important information.¡± She snorted disdainfully. ¡°But from the little I¡¯ve heard, Alpha Quade has lots of properties, spread far and wide.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± It was Colton¡¯s turn to destroy something, kicking an end table neck to him and sending the potted nt on it flying, the cracked pot and dirtcarpeting the ground. ¡°We don¡¯t have fucking time to scour the countryside!¡± ¡°Um, I heard my brother say our new Luna was Alpha Quade¡¯s mate.¡± Charlie spoke up unexpectedly, despite shrinking away from Colton in fear. ¡± But if it¡¯s the same woman you¡¯re looking for and she¡¯s your mate, then that can¡¯t be true. Is he-, is he, um, forcing her?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯s trying to force her, genius. He kidnapped her from her doctor¡¯s office on what should have been the happiest day of our lives, seeing our pups for the first time.¡± ¡°y!¡± Cary warned.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was more worried about the demeaning way he was talking to Charlie or the information he¡¯d just revealed. Either way, I was thankful he pulled him back. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant? And he took her?¡± The look on Charlie¡¯s face was a mixture of incredulity and understanding. There was an innocence about her I wouldn¡¯t have expected from someone growing up under Alpha Quade¡¯s rule. She seemed to struggle to believe someone would do such a thing. But it also seemed to confirm all her suspicions about the man. ¡°I-, I might be able to help. But I need your promise that you will protect me.¡± She negotiated. ¡°If he finds out I helped you, he¡¯ll kill me.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t let him get near you ever again!¡± Cary vowed. ¡°Please just help us find our mate and pups.¡± He shot me a pleading look. One that said ¡°please back me up.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. None of us will force you to leave if you don¡¯t want to, but if you do, we¡¯ll take you far away where you¡¯ll be safe from Alpha Quade and his men.¡± ¡°I want to leave and nevere back here again.¡± She stated resolutely. ¡± Come with me.¡± She led us upstairs to a non-descript room that looked like any other room in the packhouse. Nothing stood out to indicate it was anything more than housing for a pack member. Definitely not a ranked one. ¡°This is the apartment I share with my brother. I moved in here with him when my parents died. No one has ever said what happened to them but I¡¯m sure Alpha killed them when they refused to support some of his more depraved ns.¡± She exined. ¡°Anyway, I know all my brother¡¯s hiding ces. ¡°One night He had some of the other warriors over. I got up for a drink of water and saw them all looking at a huge map. They quickly folded it up and pretended to watch TV. But if it was important, I might know where it is.¡± She dropped to her knees on the living room floor and started crawling around. I tried to tell myself it was inappropriate to ogle her ass that looked amazing in her cut off jean shorts but it was hard to tear my eyes away. ¡°Here!¡± She announced, rerouting my attention to the loose floorboard she was pulling up. She felt around in the shallowpartment beneath the hardwood floor, pulling out several items before finally pulling out arge folded paper map. y snatched it out of her hands and stomped to the kitchen table tospread it out. Colton and Cary followed him but I stayed to offer Charlie my hand, lifting her from the floor. ¡°Thank you.¡± I whispered, standing toe to toe with her, enjoying her apple and cinnamon scent. ¡°I hope it helps.¡± she said, blushing furiously. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s on it.¡± ¡°Nathan!¡± y barked, waving me over and snapping me out of the trance my mate had me in. I joined them at the table and looked over the map. Several stars were marked on the map with red circles around them. Nothing differentiated them from the others to say Quade might have chosen a particr one and there were far too many to search one by one. But then my eyesnded on the spot I was sure the other men had alreadyzeroed in on. This one had writing next to it. Two words, underlined and punctuated with exmation points. Underground Compound!!! ¡°That has to be it!¡± Colton announced, his voice filled with hope. Charlie squeezed in between Colton and I, peering at the spot he pointed to. ¡°Undergroundpound.¡± She read the words aloud. ¡°I heard my brother talk about that ce before. He said it was like a whole mansion underground, like some marvel in modern engineering. But no one would ever know it was there because an old abandoned shack sat over the entrance.¡± ¡°Charlie, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Cary volunteered, leaning over to peck her cheek. Night¡¯s answering snarl ripped through the room, but Cary onlyughed. Asshole! ¡°Not so nice to have someone get close to your mate, is it?¡± He taunted. ¡°Enough!¡± y growled. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°What about all these people?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°You can¡¯t leave them here unprotected. We can¡¯t live under Alpha Quade¡¯s tyranny any more. That man is sadistic. What if hees back?¡± The triplets looked at each other, torn between their duty as Alphas to protect the Hazelwood people and their need to get to their mate. ¡°Go!¡± I told them. ¡°Leave me a squadron. I will send for reinforcements from Winter Woods. And send my Beta home to manage pack affairs until we settle things here.¡± Colton nodded in agreement and the . three of them took off, leaving me in the apartment alone with my new mate. ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha?¡± She inquired with an awestruck expression on her face. ¡°I am, sweetness. And you¡¯re the new Winter Woods Luna.¡± Now, I just had to find a way to get Mallory out of my heart and make room for Charlie there. Chapter 81 by Cara Anderson Ch. 81 Let Me Die Mallory¡¯s POV Alpha Quade¡¯s parting words came back to me, a warning or a threat to stay put. Fuck that! My wolf was awake now and almost feral with the need to protect her pups. There was no way she would let me sit here waiting for our would-be rapist to return, even if I wanted to. Which I did not! Trusting that my wolf strength would be enough to get me through the door, I approached it stealthily. I could only assume there were guards outside, ready to haul me back from my escape attempt. It would be great if I could catch them off guard, but Icked faith in that improbability. I tested the lock, giving the knob a twist. To my surprise, it opened with a soft click. Quade must have forgotten to lock it in his haste to go ¡°handle¡±my mates. I eased the door open a crack and sniffed the air. His faint scent remained but I didn¡¯t smell any guards so I risked sticking my neck out, literally. Finding the hallway abandoned, I slipped outside. I crept along silently, trying every doorknob I passed in hopes one would open to a room with a window or a phone. I would take whichever I could get my hands on first. I was feeling particrly appreciative of the overconfident Alpha whose penchant for underestimating women was currently working in my favor. I didn¡¯t encounter another soul on the entire floor and it made me smile to know my Alphas had Quade so rattled he took all his warriors with him to help devise a counterattack. ¡°Poor girl. There will be nothing left of her when he¡¯s done with her.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice had me shrinking against thewall. It wasing from the stairwell in front of me. I frantically scanned my surroundings, looking for a ce to hide. All she had to do was go upstairs instead of down and my bid for freedom would be short-lived. Unless I made a mad dash for the room I¡¯d just vacated, I had nowhere to go, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to willingly return to my gilded cage. ¡°Maybe now that he¡¯s imed a Luna, he¡¯ll let the dear girl be. I tried to bathe her today and she hid under the bed. Hasn¡¯t had a bite to eat in days. She won¡¯tst much longer.¡± Another female replied to my assigned handmaid. My blood boiled and my heart pounded in my ears. I had no idea who they were referring to but it was clear to me that whoever it was had been abused by theAlpha. Not to mention, Evelyn knew I was here against my will. How dare they turn a blind eye then talk about it like it was another day at the office and they were put upon by having to deal with it all. Sure, they were probably terrified of the man. He unquestionably threatened them into submission one way or another. But that didn¡¯t excuse them from doing the right thing. He¡¯d all but admitted he needed me to settle the Hazelwood pack members. Surely there were people with no love lost for Quade that would help them if they asked. ¡°We can¡¯t leave until we find this girl and any others like her.¡± I informed my wolf. ¡°Either we take them with us or we find a way to call in the cavalry.¡± ¡°Pups.¡± Raven whined, reminding me of her priority. ¡°Find mates. We can send help back for them.¡± ¡°Raven, we can¡¯t leave them. He could move them before we could help them. I¡¯m worried for the pups too but we would want someone to do the same for us if they could.¡± Her fear for our babies seeped into me, sending ice cold dread through my veins. But I shook it away. I had to do the right thing no matter what it cost me. I couldn¡¯t live with myself otherwise. Since at least the upper floors seemed to be devoid of any impediments in the form of burly warrior wolves or Alphas, I decided offense might be the best defense. Two Omegas wouldn¡¯t prove much of a problem with my wolf awake. Looking around for some means of causing a distraction, my eyesnded on a decorative vase on a stand at the end of the hall. I hoped it was expensive! Sending the vase crashing to the floor was mildly therapeutic, but I didn¡¯t have time to enjoy it for long. I slipped back through the Alpha¡¯s unlocked bedroom door and waited for the women toe investigate the sound.As expected, two pairs of footsteps came dashing down the hall. ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± Evelyn wondered aloud. ¡°No idea. All these rooms are locked.¡± Omega number two replied. ¡°We should check on our Luna.¡± Evelyn suggested. ¡°If someone was prowling around up here, they could have gotten to her.¡± I snorted to myself at thatment. If she came through this door, she¡¯d be the only one ¡°gotten to.¡± Thankfully, she followed through on her n. As soon as she stepped through the door, Raven unleashed her ws. I had her bythe neck, ready to tear through her carotid artery at one wrong move. Omega number two shrieked at her conrade¡¯s predicament. ¡°Quiet!¡± I hissed. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can settle this between the three of us with no harm to your friend. We don¡¯t need to interrupt the Alpha¡¯s important business now do we?¡± She nodded her head but made no further sound. Evelyn was trembling in my arms and I felt encouraged that she¡¯d be inclined to cooperate. ¡°Good. Who were you speaking about on the stairs just now? The woman you tried to bathe who is obviously terrified and doesn¡¯t want to be here?¡± I demanded. ¡°Luna, I-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! I¡¯m not that monster¡¯s Luna. My name is Mallory. And yours is?¡± I paused, giving her a moment to collect herself and answer my question. ¡°Regina.¡± She replied shakily. ¡°Well, Regina. Let¡¯s try again. Who is the woman and why is she here?¡± I pushed one sharp w deeper into Evelyn¡¯s flesh, no more than a scratch but enough to impress upon them both that I meant business. ¡°I-, I don¡¯t know her name. Alpha never mentioned it and she refuses to tell us. He-, he brought her here. He brings them all here.¡± She stammered. ¡°What do you mean ¡®all?¡¯ How many women like us are being kept against our will in this house?¡± I growled. ¡°Ju-, just her. The others¡­ he sends them away when he gets tired of them. If they, um, if they live.¡± Evelyn answered for her friend. ¡°And you stand by and watch it happen?¡± Renewed fury ripped through me. I needed to calm my wolf before she murdered these women. ¡°Take me to her. Now!¡± Regina moved like hot coals burned beneath her feet, turning on her heels and scampering away while Evelyn and I followed behind, my hold on the woman slowing our pace. After stumping down several flights of stairs, we came to a stop outside a nondescript door on a lower level. Fumbling the keys before managing to find the one that fit, Regina finally pushed the heavy door inward. It was then I realized the door was actually a thick metal, only covered with a thin veneer of wood to make it look like all the others from the outside. This room was every inch a prison, despite its elegant appointments. I had no time to consider the decor, however. The staggering stench of sex, blood, and bile nearly toppled me, my stomach threatening to expel what little I¡¯d eaten at breakfast. By sheer force of will, I stifled a gag. The lump of nkets on the bed moved with an anguished moan, the sound of a chain rattled with the motion. My feet were already moving, dragging Evelyn along with me as I barked orders to Regina. ¡°Close the door and lock it from the inside. Do it now!¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Once she¡¯dplied, I waved her over to take a seat next to her partner in crime and turned my attention back to the atrocity I was sure to find when I peeled theyers of nkets away. Had I known what I would find, I might not have had the courage to face it. ¡°Darcy?¡± Her name left my lips on a gasp. It was most definitely a question, because although I thought the woman in front of me resembled her, the damage to her face rendered her nearly unrecognizable. The sight was so disturbing, I didn¡¯t know whether to vomit, cry or scream. Instead, I crawled into the bed beside her. ¡°Go away.¡± She rasped, rolling onto her side, away from me. ¡°Darcy, it¡¯s Mallory. I¡¯m going to get you out of here. I¡¯m going to try anyway.¡± I mumbled thest part under my breath. She turned back to look at me, a discerning glint in her eye. At least I thought it was, both eyes so swollen only the barest hint of brown irises peering through the slits. Her entire face was a coge of bruises, somenewly minted in bright purples and blues, others fading into yellows and greens. Her lips bled, split in several ces, and I could see a sh of red in the shape of a handprint around her neck, peeping out above the covers. ¡°Why are you here? And why would you give two fucks about me?¡± She croaked, flinching away when I raised a hand to brush back her ratted hair. ¡°I presume I got here the same way you did. And why wouldn¡¯t I care about what¡¯s happening to you. Any decent person would.¡± I replied. ¡°Right.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Even decent people hate women who try to take their mate.¡± Her face was so inmed, any changing expressions were difficult to detect. But if her tone was anything to go by, I was sure hers would be a mix of disbeliefand intense dislike. I couldn¡¯t concern myself with suspicions though, because she¡¯d just reminded me I had more pressing problems. ¡°Darcy, where is Colton? He¡¯s not-, Alpha Quade didn¡¯t hurt him, did he?¡± ¡°How would I know where Colton is? He let Quade drag me away without a backward nce. Colton left me a long time ago.¡± Her words held so much hostility and bitterness, I almost believed they were true. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Darcy. He loves you. He gave up his Goddess-given mate for you.¡± I used a soft, appeasing tone. ¡°Is that what you think?¡± She snorted, shaking her head delicately. ¡°He hasn¡¯t loved me since the day you returned to ck Moon. I¡¯m not sure he ever did.¡± ¡°I can tell you¡¯ve been through hell so it¡¯s understandable that you¡¯re notmaking sense right now. Let me get you somewhere safe and we¡¯ll call Colton toe get you.¡± I reasoned. But she just rolled away from me again, turning her back on me and my offer. ¡°Just let me die. After what my mate, Alpha Quade, did to me,¡± She spit his name like sour milk, ¡°No one will ever want me again, least of all Colton Collins.¡± She muttered. A wave of nausea roiled through my gut again at the implication of her words. Quade was her mate? And he¡¯d allowed her to be harmed in his care? In fact, I could only assume most of her injuries could be attributed to him. What had she ever done to deserve such a fate? I would ponder that likely unanswerable questionter. But at the moment, I had greater concerns. Foremost being convincing Darcy to help me help her. ¡°No one¡¯s letting you die!¡± I argued, turning my full fury on the women who stood by and let this happen. ¡°Find the fucking key to this handcuff and unchain her now! My voice took on a menacing quality that scared even myself. Regina rose quickly and rounded the bed, deftly locating the key and popping open the lock. Darcy rubbed at the torn flesh on her wrist while I lifted her to a sitting position. ¡°Can you stand?¡± I prompted, easing her to the edge of the bed. ¡°I think so.¡± She said, rising gingerly to her feet but her knees immediately gave out. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got you. Lean on me for support.¡± I encouraged. ¡°I really don¡¯t deserve your help.¡± She whimpered as she limped along besideme. ¡°None of this is your fault, Darcy.¡± I tried to reassure her though I knew for victims of abuse, that was a difficult concept toe to terms with. ¡°Yes it is.¡± She whispered. I ignored her in favor of rolling offmands to the two Omegas in the room. ¡°Give me the keys!¡± I held out my hand until my fingers curled around the cool metal keyring. ¡°Now sit down and stay put. I¡¯ll lock you in from outside. You can tell your Alpha I overpowered you and hope he believes you.¡± I reached for the door, heaving the heavy steel open with one hand while supporting Darcy¡¯s weight with the other. But every shred of hope was reced with terror at the obstacle in our path. ¡°How lovely! My mate and Luna, together in one room.¡± Quade sneered. ¡°It hadn¡¯t crossed my mind until now. But finding you both here fills my head with all sorts of enjoyable ways the three of us can spend the afternoon together.¡± Chapter 82 by Cara Anderson Ch. 82 Wolf Fight Mallory¡¯s POV My instincts were screaming at me to let Raven loose on the vile excuse for a wolf in front of me. The moment he¡¯d appeared in front of me, I protectively shoved Darcy behind me. Her frightened whines, the reminder of what he¡¯d done to her, cut me to the marrow. Darcy and I had never been friends. Tobe honest, I¡¯d never wanted to knowthe woman who stole all the attentionof my childhood crush. But I¡¯d beenaround her enough to know that shecarried herself with unerring self-possession. The broken, mewling mouse she was now, to see someone sopletely destroyed that they¡¯d be a mere shadow of themselves,rocked me to my core. ¡°You couldn¡¯t manage to contain a wolfless woman and a chained up piece of trash? Pathetic¡± Quade hissed at the Omegas cowering in the corner of the room, diverting his ire from me for the moment. The two women bared their throats to him but refused to meet his eye. Evelyn started to open her mouth but I shot her a warning re, hoping it would silence her exnation. Quade didn¡¯t realize my wolf was awake and I had no desire to enlighten him. ¡°Forgive me, Alpha.¡± She stated simply. Regina emitted a whimper but said nothing. ¡°Get out!¡± He bellowed, and the Omegas scurried from the room. Ducking as they squeezed past his hulking frame in the doorway as if they anticipated his wrath to take physical form. Reaching behind my back to grasp Darcy¡¯s hand, I took a step back, pressing into her to force her to move with me. She grunted when I stepped on her foot but quickly backpedaled, working with me to give her tormentor a wide berth. He chuckled at our attempts to evade him when we were now securely locked in with nowhere to go. ¡°You let my pet off her leash without my permission.¡± He sneered at me. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t let that go unpunished ¡± The gleeful expression on his face told me he didn¡¯t find it unfortunate at all. In fact, he found the idea exhrating. ¡°He won¡¯t touch us!¡± Raven snarled in my head, fighting to take over. I closed my eyes, hoping he hadn¡¯t seen the truth in them, that she was awake and feral with the need to protect ourpups. ¡°He¡¯s an alpha male, Raven. Don¡¯t start a fight you can¡¯t finish.¡± I warned her, forcing her to the back of my mind. ¡°I wonder what punishment would be most effective in teaching you your ce.¡± He tapped his chin, the gleam in his eye revealing how much he enjoyed contemting the possibilities. I was more than ready to tell him what he could do with his punishment when Darcy broke free of my hold, shocking me with the strength of her reaction. She boldly leapt in front of me and growled at Alpha Quade. It was a human growl, not that of her wolf, but it promised violence all the same. ¡°If you want to punish someone, punish me!¡± She screeched at him. ¡± She hasn¡¯t been here long enough to know better. I knew the rules, knew the consequences and I let her unchain meanyway! Punish me!¡± ¡°Darcy, no!¡± I tried pulling her behind me again but it was like plucking a cow from quicksand. She was unmoveable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry pet.¡± He brushed his knuckles along her jaw, sending a shiver of disgust down my spine. ¡°An hour or two with my men should suffice to remind you who you belong to.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± I shook with rage at the insinuation. ¡°Darcy, what is he talking about?¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. With your lust for disobedience, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll get their turn with you too. But not before you wear my mark and provide me an heir. In the meantime, I¡¯ll just have to think of something more creative.¡± A knock on the door stole the Alpha¡¯s attention and I breathed a silent sigh ofrelief at the diversion. Only to wish it back again the moment the door opened. ¡°Take her away.¡± He directed the two men waiting there. ¡°She¡¯s yours for an hour each or two hours together if you don¡¯t mind sharing. Then put her in a cell.¡± ¡°Noooo! Let me go!¡± Darcy shrieked and iled, as they dragged her away. I jumped at the men, catching one by the arm and pouring all my strength into prying Darcy from his grasp. He shook me away easily but I wouldn¡¯t quit, kicking him and biting the muscr flesh of his bicep when his steps faltered from my attack. But before I could inflict enough injury to free her, I felt my feet leave the ground and the room turn upside down. ¡°Get the fuck out!¡± Quade bellowed, kicking the door shut behind them. Defeated sobs bubbled up and spilled out as I hung limply over his shoulder. He flung me onto the bed and sneered at me in contempt. Apparently having no instinct for self-preservation, I started to berate him for his caveman- like behavior, but he hissed at me to shut up. ¡°What is that sound?¡± He grunted as if it pained him to admit he didn¡¯t already know the answer. ¡°What sound? Are those psychotic voices chattering away in your head again? You really should see someone about that.¡± I smirked, my mouth on auto-pilot. Quade¡¯s face turned a bright shade of furious as he stalked toward me, squeezing my chin between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°What did I tell you about that impudent mouth of yours?¡± His fetid breath blew across my face as he huffed every word. ¡°Hmm. Apparently I wasn¡¯t listening. Oh well.¡± I shrugged defiantly. ¡°I.Said.Shut.Up!¡± He gritted out. ¡°And I said-¡± He pushed me back on the bed, stealing my breath and my words. I expected him to climb on top of me, try to kiss me, or touch me in some other unwanted manner. But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he leaned over me with his head hovering above my abdomen, not making contact at all. The act sent terror bursting from my chest into every cell of my body. He was listening to my babies¡¯ heartbeats. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± His voice was deadly cool, a calm before the storm. ¡°Wh-, what? No!¡± I denied it but the damage was done. He¡¯d read the truth in my eyes before I could mask the fear I harbored for my unborn pups. I could feel my wolf beating against the wall I¡¯d erected between us. If her pups were threatened, no barrier would hold her for long. ¡°You fucking slut!¡± He wrapped his rough hand around my throat, not enough to render me unconscious but enough to make me wish I was. ¡°You let those mutts touch what¡¯s mine! ¡°I bet you took them all together didn¡¯t you, you little whore. You like a good gangbang, don¡¯t you? Well don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get plenty of that when I¡¯m through with you. But we¡¯ll have to get rid of the little spawn first.¡± That was all it took for Raven to crash through thest of my tightly heldcontrol. Fur erupted on my skin and my canines lengthened. ws tipped my fingers without my permission, but I would have summoned them anyway. ¡°What the-¡± Shock colored his features at the evidence of my wolf¡¯s presence. But he wasn¡¯t afforded the privilege of speaking further. He¡¯d underestimated my wolf, discounted the fact that she was an Alpha in her own right and recovered like one. Now, she would make him pay for the oversight. Raven and I melded together as one, half human, half wolf. Our ws sliced through his wrist, forcing the release of our airway. He pulled back an arm with a nearly severed hand, palm and fingers dangling by a thread. A strangled cry made its way to his throat but died on his lips. The look of unveiled hatred in his eyesfollowed me as I rolled off the bed and out of his reach. If I let him get his hands on me, or hand singr, as the case may be, he was going to make me hurt for what I¡¯d done to him. We were locked in this room together and he was the only one who couldmand his men to unlock it. There was nowhere to go and he knew it. ¡°You stupid bitch!¡± He approached like a lion about to pounce. ¡°My hand will heal, but what I do to you won¡¯t. Your precious Alphas¡¯ pups will never take their first breath. ¡°I¡¯m going to take what I need from you and there is fuck all you can do about it. Then, when you¡¯ve outlived your usefulness, I¡¯ll throw you to the wolves, literally. I¡¯ll let my men use you like the dirty whore you are until you¡¯re so dead inside you lose all will to fight. ¡°And just when you beg me to let you die, I¡¯m going to toss you in a cell, keeping you alive with the memory of everything you suffered to keep youpany. But don¡¯t lose heart, little Luna. If you¡¯re very good, I might let you out of your cell to service me from time to time.¡± A murderous rage welled up within me and a violent scream reverberated through the room. Iunched myself at Quade, my vision red with bloodlust. I couldn¡¯t think. I couldn¡¯t see. All I could do was act. Snarls and growls filled my ears and hatred for the man who thought to own me fueled the fire in my veins. ws sliced and teeth shredded, the smell of fresh blood permeating the air. I knew there was pain but I couldn¡¯t feel it, so ovee by the homicidal haze I found myself in. One moment the ferocious sounds of a wolf fight ricocheted around me and the next there was dead silence. Darkness clouded my eyes though I could have sworn the lights had been on. The sound of fists on wood echoed in the distance but my brain couldn¡¯t reconcile that with the ominous quiet in the space around me. I was tired. So tired. Maybe I¡¯d already fallen asleep. Maybe I was dreaming. But before Ipletely sumbed to the blissful ckness consuming me, I could have sworn I heard someone calling my name. ¡°Mallory!¡± It was Colton¡¯s voice I heard and I knew that couldn¡¯t be right. Yes, it had to be a dream. Chapter 83 by Cara Anderson Ch. 83 A Beautiful Dream Colton¡¯s POV I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. The rickety little shack, one strong wind away from being reduced to firewood, was exactly as Charlie described it, and exactly where the map had so helpfully noted it would be. If we had just happened upon the structure while venturing through the woods, I wouldn¡¯t have trusted its structural stability enough to wander inside. But considering it may be all that stood between me and my mate, I was willing to risk just about any eventuality, even being buried under a pile of rubble. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± y blew out on a long exhale. ¡°You two,¡± Cary pointed at a couple of the warriors apanying us, e with us. As soon as we find the entranceunderground, wave the others in and follow us down.¡± The two hulking men looked as if we¡¯d asked them to voluntarilyy their necks on the guillotine, as untrusting of the shack¡¯s probability to remain upright as we were. Nheless, they heeded their Alpha¡¯s order, dutifully filing in behind us. Once inside, it was immediately clear no one was meant to just ¡°happen upon¡± the ce and certainly weren¡¯t meant to brave going inside if they did. Because anyone entering the dpidated shanty would no doubt notice the nearly pristine looking oriental rug with a rippled bulge in the middle was unmistakably out of ce. ¡°Whoever was herest wasn¡¯t too concerned about keeping their hideout hidden.¡± I observed. ¡°Not like this ce is big enough to hide an underground entrance.¡± Caryshrugged. ¡°Help me pull it back.¡± y jumped into action, taking one corner of the carpet while Cary took the other. The pair of them scooted backwards while the rest of us coughed at the plume of dust they stirred up. As soon as the air cleared, the trap door set amongst the floorboards came into view. So did the key-coded lock meant to keep us out. ¡°Fucking fuck fuck!¡± Cary¡¯s string of expletives reflected the general consensus on the matter. ¡°We have guns and explosives, We can blow it to hell!¡± y offered. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet the entirety of the pack¡¯s coffers there¡¯s a guard on the other side of that door. We blow anything and they¡¯ll sure as hell know we¡¯reing.¡± I pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t see a way we get in without giving up the element of surprise. We don¡¯t have time toe up with abetter idea. I say we go for it. Anyone disagree?¡± I couldn¡¯t fault y¡¯s logic. ¡°We get inside, and deal with problems as theye.¡± Cary agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± I concurred. I waved one of the warriors over with his firearm, exining the n. We bravely chose to stay inside, though the walls were likely to topple at the loud crack of gunfire. Failing this, we¡¯d all have to evacuate in favor of a second, more powerful attempt involving a small stack of C4. ¡°Might want to back up, Alphas Can¡¯t promise the bullet won¡¯t ricochet.¡± He warned. We all three took a hulking step backwards, ducking into a crouch as if we could anticipate the bullet¡¯s path with any uracy. As it turned out, we were in more danger from the shards of splintered wood flying than the bullet itself, Cary leapt forward, tearing at the shattered nks and slipping his hand under the edge of the trapdoor. I wasn¡¯t sure how much of his wolf strength he used in prying it open but it appeared to lift away effortlessly. ¡°Colton, wait!¡± I heard y hiss as I dropped through the opening. But now that the first obstacle was cleared, I was going to rush headlong into the second and every one after that until I found Mallory. She wouldn¡¯t even be here if it weren¡¯t for me and it was my responsibility to rescue her. Not that I wouldn¡¯t willingly ept my brothers¡¯ help. I just wasn¡¯t going to let them risk more than necessary by going first. My feet hit a t surface, a brightly litnding at the top of a stairway as it turned out. As expected, a guard had been posted there, but as fate would have it, the keypad hadn¡¯t been the only target the bullet hit. Heid there, staring at the ceiling with unseeing eyes, a trickle of blood pouring from his temple. ¡°Well that¡¯s unfortunate.¡± y muttered, dropping down behind me and huddling into thepact space. We could have questioned him. He might¡¯ve been inclined to tell us where to look with the right motivation.¡± ¡°That ship sailed.¡± Cary grunted. ¡°Only the fires of hell can motivate him now.¡± ¡°Good! I hope he¡¯s burning!¡± I grunted. We descended the stairs, the footsteps of our warriors resounding behind us. The staircase opened up into a gargantuan foyer. Another, far more opulent staircase with gold-rimmed railings swept up the opposite side of the room, in direct contrast to the utilitarian passage we¡¯d just vacated. If I wasn¡¯t so desperate to find my mate, I might have taken a moment to appreciate thevish decor. ¡°This ce is enormous. We need to split up.¡± Cary suggested. ¡°Colton take the ground floor and first level. y and I will start at the top and work our way down.¡± Our warriors split off into groups, each of us taking a handful with us for back up. y and Cary peeled off, bounding up the stairs two at a time. An unshakable uneasiness settled like a pile of rocks in my stomach. It was too quiet. Quade¡¯s warriors should have swarmed us by now and the fact that they hadn¡¯t didn¡¯t sit right with me. I wanted to chalk up ourck of opposition to his narcissistic belief he¡¯d hidden his tracks too well for anyone to ever find them. And maybe that was partly true. But my instincts were assaulting me with thoughts of all the other reasons he might leave such a depository of wealth unprotected. Reasons that involved acts he didn¡¯twant witnesses for. ¡°Spread out. Use stealth and don¡¯t engage unless absolutely necessary. If you find anything, link me so we can devise a n.¡± I instructed before waving them on. My wolf hearing told me they weren¡¯t likely to encounter trouble on the ground floor that appeared to be mostly open living space. There was most likely kitchen and dining areas on this level but a smart person wouldn¡¯t hide there. With that thought in mind, I ran up the first flight of stairs to begin my exploration. The staircase opened into an impossible long hallway lined with firmly closed doors. I tried the doorknob nearest me to find it locked. Stepping across the hall, I found the corresponding door in the same impassable state. Which left me with a conundrum. If Mallory was behind one of those doors, I needed her to know I was here. But if I started banging and hollering, it might draw unwanted attention as well. Ultimately, it was a chance I would have to take. ¡°Mallory! Mallory, it¡¯s Colton. Are you in there? We¡¯re here for you, baby. Make some noise if you hear me!¡± I shouted, banging on doors up and down the hall. I was halfway down the corridor and already any hope I held of finding her was fading light a candle in the wind. I forced myself to move from one door to the next, despite my dwindling faith. Then suddenly, the high-pitched wail of a woman reached my ears. ¡°Let go of me, fucker!¡± She screamed in a weak but raspy voice that sounded peculiarly familiar. I took off at a run, toward the source of themotion only to find the hall I was in teed off into another interminably longhallway. Veering left, I ran until the shrieking she-wolf came into view, struggling in the grasp of two massive male wolves. ¡°Darcy?¡± I questioned stupidly, because of course it was her. Even with her face swollen beyond recognition I would know the woman I¡¯d spent two years of my life with. It wasn¡¯t confirmation of identity I needed so much as to establish what I was seeing was real and not a nightmare I¡¯d somehow gotten lost in. ¡°Colton! Colton, he¡¯s got her!¡± She croaked out through parched, bleeding lips. ¡°Shut up, bitch!¡± One of the wolves covered her mouth with his hand then threw her against the wall when she bit him, Darcy hit the ground with a hard thunk that echoed through the narrow space but I couldn¡¯t spare her another nce. I took advantage of the momentary distraction tounch my attack on the two behemoths in front of me. Kai was front and center in a sh and my ws were ripping at the wolf Darcy bit before he had a chance to recover. Slinging his bloody windpipe from my hand, I stared down the other wolf. He had more warning than hisrade in arms and had already loosed his own ws, his canines dripping venom as he snarled at me. A split second passed as we red at each other then we closed the space between us in a heartbeat. My ws tore into the flesh of his arm while his sank into my ribs. I roared in pain but forced him back, preparing for another collision. He came at me again, but something in his path threw him off bnce. I caught him by the throat as he fell while my other hand punched him in the chest. I relished the agony on his face when I squeezed his heart inmy hand, but not as much as I enjoyed watching the light leave his eyes when I ripped it from his chest.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Darcy choked out then groaned. I looked down to see her outstretched leg, the one she¡¯d used to trip my opponent. Tossing the still warm heart on the floor, I crouched in front of her. ¡°I-. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She managed through gritted teeth before she passed out cold. ¡°y, Cary! She¡¯s here!¡± I linked my brothers, racing down the hall the way the men had dragged Darcy from. I banged on doors and called for Mallory with no response. Just when I¡¯d resolved to go back and shale Darcy awake, I heard an ear-splitting scream followed by snarls and growls. ¡°Mallory!¡± I bellowed, pounding furiously on the barrier that stoodbetween me and my mate. ¡°Mallory! It¡¯s Colton! Baby can you open the door?¡± But the room had grown ominously quiet, the kind that sent ice skittering down my spine. I threw my body against the door, mming into it with my shoulder over and over again but it wouldn¡¯t budge. I could hear y and Cary running toward me but I didn¡¯t stop, desperation recing all rational thought. ¡°Brother, stop!¡± Cary mmed me against the wall and pinned me there. ¡± You aren¡¯t helping her by beating yourself to a pulp uselessly trying to break down that door.¡± He chided. ¡°She¡¯s in there and she was screaming! He¡¯s in there with her! We have to get to her,¡± I heard the hysteria in my voice and I knew they felt it too. ¡°Shoot the lock!¡± y ordered the warrior who¡¯d just arrived with the gun. ¡°No!¡± I panicked. ¡°What if it hits her like the wolf we found in the stairwell?¡± The warrior stepped up to examine the door, putting his ear to it and knocking. I wasn¡¯t sure what he was listening for but he must have been satisfied with what he heard. He stepped back with a confident expression. ¡°That door is made of hollowed out metal. I can disable the locking mechanism without the bullet prating.¡± He affirmed. ¡°How certain are you?¡± Cary demanded. ¡°Ny-nine point nine percent.¡± He answered resolutely. ¡°Are we willing to bet Mallory¡¯s life on that one-tenth of a percent?¡± The bark in my tone betraying just how little I like that idea. ¡°What choice do we have? She could be dying in there, bleeding out. We don¡¯t have time for another n.¡± y countered. ¡°Do it!¡± I ordered the man with the gun. The ping of the bullet was surprisingly quiet. After all we¡¯d gone through to get to Mallory, I¡¯d expected some kind of booming announcement to foreshadow our sess. But I didn¡¯t stop to contemte it, barreling through to be the first one through the door. Nothing could have prepared me for the scene that greeted me. Malloryid on the carpeted floor, a study in blood and fur. Flesh still clung to her ws and one nce at the groaning man lying beside her left no doubt where it came from, Quade was literally sliced to ribbons, one hand mangled and hanging from his wrist at an unnatural angle. ¡°Mallory!¡± I dropped to my knees beside her, cing her head in myp. My brothers surrounded us, all three of us stroking her hair, her face, her fur- lined arms. y and Cary spoke to her in whispered words, coaxing her back to us. But all I could do was weep as I surveyed all the harm I¡¯d caused her to suffer. ¡°Mate!¡± Kai whimpered in my head. And as if my wolf calling to hers had been the siren¡¯s call she needed to rouse her from sleep, her eyelids fluttered open. She stared at me longingly for a full minute before her lips parted and her hand reached up to caress my face. ¡°A beautiful dream.¡± She sighed contentedly. Then her hand dropped away and she drifted off again. Chapter 84 by Cara Anderson Ch. 84 Devil¡¯s Advocate Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°No! My pups!¡± I woke with a start, frantic and disoriented. My hands flew to my stomach as if to shield my babies from imminent attack. But a heavy hand covered my heart, pushing me back and holding me down. My legs kicked out and my arms thrashed, trying to throw off my assant. ¡°Shh! Calm down, little Omega. I¡¯ve got you. You¡¯re safe.¡± A deep masculine voice murmured. I blinked once, twice, trying to make sense of what I heard, searching for visual confirmation. A brief examination of my surroundings revealed I was in the back of an SUV, my body stretched out across three setsof muscr thighs. I followed the length of the arm on my chest to its owner. ¡°Colton?¡± I blinked again, willing my vision to clear. It was a cruel trick for my brain to make me think he was holding me when I knew he would never do that. ¡°I¡¯m here, love. We¡¯re all here.¡± His voice was so reassuring, so real. I lifted a shaky arm to run my fingers over the stubble on his chin. It felt scratchy under my fingers. He leaned into my touch and I could¡¯ve sworn I heard him purr. Then someone¡¯s leg shifted under me, catching my attention. My gaze shifted to the other two men staring at me with tant concern. ¡°y? Cary?¡± Seeing them was the permission I needed to let my guarddown. To let all the hurt and horror of thest few days spill out. ¡°You-, you f -, found me!¡± The tears fell fast and furious. Like an oing train, there was no stopping them. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand but only managed to smear mucus across my cheek. It was a snot fest of epic proportions but the three men surrounding me didn¡¯t seem to mind. Three pairs of strong arms held me tight while I fell apart. By the time the tears ran dry, my brain had rebooted enough for worry to creep back in. ¡°Quade? Is he-¡± Still out there somewhere? Still a threat to me? I wasn¡¯t sure what I wanted to ask but my mates seemed to know what I needed to hear. ¡°Alive, but barely. And in custody.¡± y informed me. ¡°He threatened to kill our pups. I don¡¯t remember much after that. You must havee in time to stop him, I guess.¡± I racked my brain for the memory but came up empty. ¡°Darling, we didn¡¯t do anything but scoop up his half-dead corpse and toss his sorry ass in the trunk. He was hanging on by a thread when we got there, mauled within an inch of his life.¡± Cary looked at me like one would regard a mental patient on the verge of a nervous breakdown. ¡°You were locked in the room alone with him when we found you, half- shifted with his flesh in your ws and covered in his blood. You took him down all by yourself, little wolf.¡± y borated. ¡°But that¡¯s not-, I mean, Raven must have-¡± I shook my head and lifted my blood smeared hand to my face, seeingit but not believing it. ¡°You said he threatened the pups. She- wolves are known for savage attacks to protect their pups from harm. There are textbooks full of ounts where men twice their size and strength were ripped to shreds by a pregnant wolf or mother of young pups. It¡¯s not unheard of, Mal.¡± Colton added catingly. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± I replied stupidly. I would have to unpack that informationter. It was all too fresh right now. y said I was alone in the room but that didn¡¯t make sense to me. What about. ¡°Darcy!¡± I blurted out. ¡°She was there! Some men came and took her! Did you find her?¡± Colton stiffened behind me. And for the first time since waking up, I was left to wonder what he was doing here. ¡°She¡¯s in another car. We¡¯ll make sure she gets the help she needs.¡± Colton assured me. ¡°Not that she deserves it.¡± Cary muttered. ¡°But why aren¡¯t you with her?¡± I kept my expression nk, refusing to let Colton¡¯s answer break me, or at least to let him see the aftermath when it did. ¡°Mallory, we have a lot to talk about. I have a lot to say to you, anyway. And I hope you¡¯ll give me a chance to exin. I¡¯ll understand if you don¡¯t want to hear a word from me, but regardless, now isn¡¯t the time. You need to rest.¡± He said, settling me back on hisp and tucking me into the crook of his arm. Part of me knew it was a bad idea but still I allowed myself to findfort in his warmth. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the feel of their soothingcaresses. Cary massaged my feet while y ran his fingers up and down my thigh. Colton pressed gentle kisses on top of my head then buried his nose in my hair. I pretended his tenderness reflected a true desire for me and not just an instinct driven by his wolf. It would break me in two all over again when I had to face reality but for now, I needed thefort he offered. When I awoke again, it was to Colton¡¯s arms banding around my waist, holding me in ce as the car lurched to a stop. Cary dropped a heavy arm on my legs to keep them from slipping off and y let a few expletives fly at the roughnding. ¡°Sorry Alphas,¡± The driver apologized. ¡°That idiot just stepped out in front of me.¡± ¡°That idiot is the Winter Woods Alpha so maybe don¡¯t say that to his face. y snorted. ¡°Nathan¡¯s here?¡± I struggled free of Colton¡¯s arms but he pinned me to his side. ¡°Wait, where are we?¡± What little I could see out the backseat window waspletely unfamiliar. I¡¯d assumed we were returning home to ck Moon but we definitely weren¡¯t there. This ce looked deste and barepared to the lush forestry surrounding ck Moon. ¡°We¡¯re in Hazelwood, darling.¡± Cary enlightened. ¡°And before you speak to Nathan, there is something you should know.¡± ¡°What about Nathan? Is he okay?¡± Nathan was my friend and I¡¯d never not worry about him.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d say he¡¯s more than okay.¡± y answered cryptically, a wicked smirk on his handsome face. I listened with rapt attention as my mates exined all that happened when they arrived in Hazelwood, hoping to find me here, their disappointment when I wasn¡¯t and how they¡¯de to learn where I might be. ¡°He met his mate!¡± I shrieked in excitement. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet her! Let me out!¡± ¡°Slow down, little wolf! You¡¯ll scare the poor girl. I have a feeling she¡¯s been through some shit.¡± y warned. ¡°And so have you, for that matter. You¡¯re pregnant, love. You need to take it easy, let your body recover.¡± Colton added. My brain cells stuttered to a halt for a moment. It wasn¡¯t the first time mypregnancy was mentioned in the course of this car ride but to hear Colton mention it so casually, like he¡¯d known all along, left me dumbfounded. ¡°When did you find out?¡± I managed to mutter the question. ¡°The day you were taken. I was there, at the hospital. I followed you.¡± He answered sheepishly. ¡°But¡­ why?¡± It was a question I desperately wanted an answer to but the car door opened and everyone shuffled out,pletely ignorant of my burning curiosity. As we exited the car, I took a moment to survey my surroundings. It felt oddly surreal to know I¡¯d probably walked this same path many times as a pup but had no memory of it whatsoever. Maybe I should have felt the ghosts of my parents haunting the grounds. But the ce seemed utterly devoid ofanything remotely familiar. I felt no sense of belonging, no sense ofhoming I¡¯d imagined I¡¯d feelduring those weeks we plotted toliberate my parents¡¯ pack. I¡¯d hoped, nolonged for, some connection to thepeople who gave me life, who¡¯d lovedme enough to send me to safety allthose years ago. Somehow it felt wrongnot to remember them. ¡°Wee home, Alpha.¡± Nathan greeted me as we approached the packhouse. He was waiting for me to notice him, a huge grin on his face. I schooled my features, not wanting to ruin his happy mood with my mncholy. Instead of the scowl that matched my current attitude, I shed him my brightest grin. ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s good to see you in one piece, Mal. I was so worried.¡± He wrapped mein a crushing bear hug. A threatening snarl rose from somewhere behind him and he released me immediately. ¡°Um, Mallory,¡± He dipped his head, running one hand over the back of his neck, a contrite expression on his face. ¡°This is Charlotte, my-¡± ¡°Your mate!¡± I finished for him, shoving him aside to pull her into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m Mallory. It¡¯s so nice to meet you!¡± She flinched a little at my enthusiastic greeting but offered me a soft smile. ¡°Um, I prefer Charlie. And it¡¯s nice to meet you too. Sorry about the growl. My wolf¡­¡± Her voice was small, shy, but I could understand why. Living under Quade¡¯s rule would beat the confidence out of anyone. I hoped Nathan would be patient with her asshe worked through her trauma. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. You just found your mate. Nathan and I both should have been more sensitive to your feelings. I¡¯m the one who should apologize.¡± I told her. ¡°Let¡¯s all go inside. We have a lot to discuss.¡± Nathan reminded us. He and Colton and y headed inside while Cary hung back, unwilling to take his eyes off me. Giving him a pointed look that said I wanted a minute alone with her, he took a few steps ahead but turned abruptly, thinking twice about leaving me outside alone. ¡°Why don¡¯t the two of you rx in the living room while we make something to eat. It will probably take all four of us to manage something edible.¡± He chuckled. Filling the others in on his n, they quickly shuffled off to the kitchen, leaving Charlie and I to our conversation. I had so many questions about the pack, about her life here in Hazelwood. But I decided to start with something less likely to trigger her. ¡°How are things going with you and Nathan so far? I hope he¡¯s behaving like the gentleman I know he can be.¡± ¡°Um, he seems nice so far.¡± It was a nd, superficial response and I got the feeling she was ufortable with the subject. Silence fell between us and I racked my brain for something else to talk about. Something safe. Something less awkward. ¡°Are you in love with my mate?¡± She blurted out, shocking me speechless for a moment. ¡°Uh, No. I mean, I love Nathan but only as a friend. Those men I came here with are my mates and I love them. I¡¯m in love with them.¡± So much for avoiding . embarrassing topics. ¡°I know who they are. But I also noticed you¡¯re not marked. And Nathan told me he still loves you, so trailed off. .¡± She I was going to fucking kill him. Who tells their fated mate they love someone else. Oh right, one of my own mates, that¡¯s who. Maybe that¡¯s why I want to murder Nathan. I know how it feels and hate the thought of anyone suffering what I have. ¡°Charlie, I¡¯m so sorry he said that to you. Please give him time. I know he¡¯s happy he found you.¡± I squeezed her hand, a silent plea to consider my words. ¡°As for me not being marked, well, life has been¡­plicated. Butbelieve me when I tell you it has nothing to do with Nathan.¡± She just nodded but didn¡¯t look terribly convinced. Fortunately, the guys * returned with tters of cured meats and cheeses, some fruit and every expecting woman¡¯s friend, lots and lots of pickles. A perfect meal, no cooking required. And no more awkward conversation between Charlie and me. Unfortunately, I took one whiff of the stinky cheese and wrinkled my nose, a wave of nausea tumbling through my stomach. I pushed the te Colton handed me away with scowl as though it personally offended me. ¡°Come on, little Omega. You¡¯re pregnant. You need to eat something.¡± He urged. ¡°Wait! You¡¯re pregnant? And I thought you were an Alpha. I¡¯m so confused.¡± Charlie noted. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m pregnant with triplets.¡± I beamed at the announcement. ¡°And my wolf is an Alpha. It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°One for another time.¡± Nathan appeared annoyed with the conversation, a problem I would need to address at some point. ¡°We have more pressing things to discuss. Like the fact that Mallory is now the de facto Hazelwood Alpha, at least until Quade is fit to stand trial. And it¡¯s worth mentioning we should have a back-up n in case he gets off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen! That can¡¯t happen!¡± I protested. ¡°Besides, I beat him inbat. The title falls to me.¡± ¡°I hate to y devil¡¯s advocate, darling, but you were the only two people in that room when we found you. Aside from your three mates, there were no witnesses. And unfortunately,given our potential for bias, our word doesn¡¯t count.¡± My world tilted on its axis as I listened to Cary¡¯s ount. A ripple of fear spread through me at the thought that a monster like Quade could escape punishment. Sensing my distress, y pulled me into hisp and held me tight to his chest, dousing me with calming vibes. Colton and Cary took turns feeding me small bites of food here and there. I chewed and swallowed but didn¡¯t taste any of it. My mind was too upied with the horrifying thought that this fight might not be over. That the man who abused and prostituted his mate, who threatened me with the same, might still walk free. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. I had to make sure that vile piece of trash ended up in hell where he belonged. Chapter 85 by Cara Anderson Ch. 85 For Our Pups Colton¡¯s POV We were on our way back to ck Moon. On our way home. Nathan had agreed to stay in Hazelwood for the time being, to settle the pack and keep an eye on things. It had been an easy choice since his mate had been reluctant to leave with him. Mallory had put up a fight when my brothers and I announced our intention to leave. She felt Hazelwood was her responsibility and needed her attention. It did. But we¡¯d finally convinced her that the pack was in good hands, a fact she was hardly in a position to deny given her history with Nathan, and she needed to put herself and the pups first. She¡¯d been through a trauma, physically and emotionally, and as hermates, we were desperate to get her the care she needed and check on the condition of our pups. Not that there was any real concern for their well- being. Their three heartbeats were audible now and grew stronger every day. Still, our Alpha natures required reassurance. All of that was well and good. But soon the doctor appointments and relieved reunions with Maeve and our parents would pass and I¡¯d be forced to face my fate where my bond with Mallory was concerned. A flock of nerves took flight in my stomach at the thought. Sensing my disquiet, y offered his version of wisdom. ¡°Just tell her the truth. She¡¯ll understand. The bond-¡± ¡°The bond won¡¯t be enough.¡± I snapped, cutting him off. Cary hissed at us when Mallory stirred in her sleep, awarning to keep it down. ¡°The bond was never enough. You know that. But now, I don¡¯t know¡­ it feels weak. The sparks¡­ I can barely feel them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Even Cary couldn¡¯t stay quiet at that revtion. ¡°Our bond is healed. It should¡¯ve healed your bond with Mallory too.¡± ¡°Maybe you shutting me out isn¡¯t what broke it. Maybe I did. Maybe thest time I hurt her was too much to forgive.¡± The possibility gutted me but I knew it might be true. ¡°Give it time, Colton. The bond will heal.¡± y encouraged. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t-¡± I started. ¡°It will.¡± Cary gritted out insistently. ¡°But if it doesn¡¯t, if she doesn¡¯t want me, I don¡¯t want you to wait for her to forgive me when that might never happen. Mark her. Make her yours. We¡¯ve all been smacked in the face with the reality of what could happen. Life is too short.¡± ¡°Just give it time.¡± y muttered again, inflexible as ever. I gaped openly at Mallory. Her head lolled adorably on Cary¡¯s shoulder and one of her hands fisted in y¡¯s shirt, as if he might slip away while she slept. I wondered if she always slept that way, clinging to them like a baby ko, or if the trauma of her ordeal haunted her dreams. The fact I didn¡¯t know, hadn¡¯t shared those nights with them, tore me up inside. Jealousy had never been a problem between my brothers and me. Before Mallory, we¡¯d all had our own interests and been indulged enough to never feel slighted by what the others had. Seeing them now though, observing the ease that existed between them and ourmate, the way she gravitated towards them and sought them out forfort, the green-eyed monster was alive and well, taunting me. My wolf was no better. His own envy churned in my head, mixing with my own, a vtilebination. His thoughts mingled with mine, images of him snarling at my brothers¡¯ wolves, nipping at their heels in warning to back away from our mate. He wanted her to himself, to make up for the time he¡¯d lost while his human was busy fucking everything up. ¡°Down, Kai!¡± I warned him. ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong to us alone. It¡¯s not Gunner or Roan¡¯s fault. It¡¯s mine. We both have to make peace with that.¡± ¡°Bring me my mate or you¡¯ll never have another day of peace as long as I live.¡± He blustered. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I was telling myself or him. We pulled to a stop in front of City General hospital, the one Mallory had been abducted from days ago. Though I knew the threat was contained at the moment, anxiety spiked through our bond all the same, None of us had forgotten the terror it wrought to have our mate ripped away from us so violently. 1 But Mallory had liked Dr. Diaz and insisted if she were being railroaded into another doctor visit so soon, she only wanted to see her. So here we were. I was excited as hell to see my pups but at the same time, I worried she might not want me there. So as soon as Cary managed to shake her awake and set her on her feet outside the car, I hurried around to catch up with her, pulling her aside. ¡°Colton? What¡¯s up?¡± She questioned when I tugged on her sleeve to grab her attention. ¡°We¡¯ll just wait inside for you, little wolf.¡± y kissed her temple and pulled Cary away, giving us space. ¡°Um, I just want to make sure you¡¯re okay with me being here before we all go inside. I haven¡¯t been there for you and I know I don¡¯t deserve to be a part of this. I¡¯d like to be, but not if it makes you ufortable.¡± I exined badly. ¡°If you want to be then you should be.¡± She blinked up at me, her doe-eyes blown wide. ¡°You¡¯re their father too, Colton. I would never keep your pups from you. I¡¯m sure we can work something out so all three of you can be part of their lives.¡± I wanted to scream at her, make her understand that I wanted to be part ofher life too, but it wasn¡¯t the time or ce. So instead, I nodded and led her inside, my hand at the small of her back. Tiny sparks danced between us, reminding me of y¡¯s words. Give it time. I would wait forever, but would she do the same? We all filed into the small exam room where the doctor greeted us perfunctorily before focusing entirely on our mate. When she had Mallory change into a gown, I averted my gaze while y and Cary helped her undress. Jealousy red again but I swallowed it down. Then, finally, it was time for the ultrasound and our mate nearly bounced off the table with excitement. Mallory was a beautiful woman, strikingly so. But Mallory as a mother- to-be, glowing with love for her unborn pups, was stunning beyond description. My heart ached to be allowed by herside. y and Cary looked on with pride when the babies came into view and the whooshing of their healthy heartbeats filled the room. But me, I stood awestruck. My entire world narrowed down to the three little wiggle worms on that screen. ¡°Amazing.¡± I whispered as a huge grin stole across my face. Mallory¡¯s head snapped up, her eyes locking with mine. Thank you. I mouthed the words to her and she smiled at me in return. And that¡¯s when I knew, no matter what happened between Mallory and I, we would be okay. We would make it so for the love of those precious little pups. Given the all clear by Dr. Diaz and armed with the cursory sonogram photos every proud dad carried in their wallet, we all headed back to thewaiting vehicles. We all rode together with our warriors in the other cars but I was hoping for a new configuration on the way home. Riding the high of seeing our pups and the truce that seemed to have developed between us, it was as good a time as any to talk with my mate. ¡°Um, would you guys mind if Mallory and I took one of the other cars, alone? If she¡¯s willing, of course.¡± I tossed out before I lost my nerve. ¡°Would that be okay with you, darling?¡± Cary checked with Mal. ¡°Um, sure. Okay.¡± She looked like it was anything but okay but agreed anyway. ¡°It¡¯s fine with us then.¡± y confirmed. I helped Mallory into the backseat and climbed in beside her. As soon as wepulled onto the road, I raised the privacy screen between the driver and us, working up the courage to speak. But Mallory beat me to it. ¡°Colton, I¡¯m sorry!¡± She blurted out, striking me momentarily dumb. ¡°Sorry? What the hell do you have to be sorry about?¡± I couldn¡¯t fathom what she was thinking. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend for this to happen. I know this pregnancyplicates things for you and Darcy. I mean, I know she has a lot of healing to do but I assume she¡¯ll want-¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mallory! Stop talking!¡± I didn¡¯t mean to be rude but she obviously had the wrong idea and I needed to set her straight ASAP. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. What did you want to say?¡± She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout that had me internally kickingmyself. ¡°Listen, love,¡± I grabbed her hand and my heart leapt for joy when she didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°I know you hate me and I know it might not change anything. But I need you to know the truth. I don¡¯t love Darcy. I don¡¯t want a future with Darcy and we certainly aren¡¯t together. We haven¡¯t been since that first night I came to your room.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not true. I felt-¡± She swallowed hard, choking back the words she couldn¡¯t bear to say. ¡°Why are you lying?¡± ¡°I know what you felt. Fuck! I hate myself for it. But please believe me, little Omega, None of it was real.¡± She sniffled, tears welling in her eyes that she refused to let spill over. I pulled her against my chest, unable to look at the carnage I¡¯d caused that reflected on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re not making sense. It felt like someone wed open my chest and ripped my heart out with their bare hands Like my very soul was being torn from my body. I¡¯ll never forget that pain, Colton. How could it not be real?¡± Her words begged for an exnation but I wasn¡¯t sure mine would ever be good enough. ¡°Fuck! I didn¡¯t think! I¡¯m so sorry, baby! I only meant to protect you but I handled it all wrong. Please just hear me out, I¡¯m begging you. I know I don¡¯t deserve it but our pups do. Can you do it for them¡± Could I fucking sink any lower, using our unborn babies as leverage? But I was desperate in a way that left few things off the table, few things I wouldn¡¯t do for the chance I was desperate to have. Mallory regarded me for a long minute, searching my eyes for a reason to either ept or deny my bid. I held her gaze, though my inner shame implored me to look away. Finally, she gave a nearly imperceptible nod. ¡°Okay. For our pups.¡± Chapter 86 by Cara Anderson Ch. 86 Maybe Not Impossible Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I prompted Cotlon while I waited for him to exin whatever it was that he felt sopelled to say to me. I had to say, as far as exnations went, he was doing a shit job so far. I didn¡¯t understand him at all. On one hand, he was apologizing for hurting me by being intimate with Darcy, then in the next breath he said he did it to protect me, How was causing me unspeakable pain protecting me? In what universe was I supposed to be okay with him taking my virginity, telling me he wanted me, then going back to his girlfriend the next day? The idea was ludicrous. Yet here I was, waiting on tenterhooks to hear what he had to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologized again which was beginning to irritate me. ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t make rational sense. I see that now. But it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.¡± ¡°Colton, please just start at the beginning.¡± I didn¡¯t even try to hide my exasperation. ¡°Okay. Good idea.¡± He agreed, then took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly beforeunching into his tale. ¡± When you were almost kidnapped the first time, Goddess I can¡¯t even believe I have to say that. ¡°Anyway, y, Cary and I were trying to figure out how Quade would have known you were looking for him, to even know he could set you up like that. y mentioned that the only people who knew about your rtionship to Hazelwood pack were the four of us and our parents, none of whom would putyou at risk. I didn¡¯t say anything at the time, but he was wrong.¡± ¡°Who else knew. Colton?¡± I had a feeling I didn¡¯t want to hear the rest, but like a train wreck I knew it would be, I had to see it through to the end. ¡°Darcy knew. I told her. Fuck! I¡¯m so sorry! I really thought I could trust her.¡± I just nodded for him to continue, unsure how to even respond to that. ¡°I left your hospital room and went straight to confront her. She denied it of course but I told her I was done with her and to stay away from us. ¡°I meant it too. Even if I hadn¡¯t suspected her, I only wanted you. I never would havee to you that night, never would have mated you if I still had feelings for Darcy.¡± His tone was imploring but it still didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Then what changed. Why did you go back to her, Colton? Why rip my heart out that way?¡± I demanded. I needed to know. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡± He denied. ¡°Not really anyway. But when I heard what that rogue had to say, the way he threatened you with Quade¡¯s so-called offer, I lost it. I couldn¡¯t let anything happen to you and I was terrified Darcy might still be working with Quade, helping him get to you. ¡°I thought if I could win her back, get her to trust me again, I could find out something that would lead us to him before he could hurt you. Turns out I was right. She did go meet him, But he got away and I broke your trust in me for nothing. ¡± Colton continued telling me about following Darcy and Quade getting away. He told me how he¡¯d been willingto sacrifice our bond, been willing to lose me, if it meant I could live happily with Cary and y, without the threat of Quade hanging over me. A small part of my brain said I should be grateful for what he tried to do for me. But for the most part, I just wanted to wring his neck. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell me your n? I would have hated it but at least I would have known you still wanted me. I wouldn¡¯t have felt used and tossed away like yesterday¡¯s garbage, Colton!¡± What started as a question turned into more of a growl at the remembered pain of that night. ¡°I should have. Fuck! I know I should have.¡± He admitted. ¡°I just didn¡¯t trust you not to tell my brothers and I knew they¡¯d never let me go through with it. Besides, after cheating on her and dumping her the way I did, I knew I¡¯dhave to make it believable for her to trust me again. I couldn¡¯t risk too many people knowing the truth.¡± ¡°Darcy said something to me when I found her with Quade. Something like you stopped loving her when I came home from Luna Training and that you let Quade have her without a fight.¡± I recounted. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe her. I thought she was delirious from all the abuse she¡¯d suffered.¡± Colton sucked in a sharp breath, guilt flooding his features. Now, I had to wonder how much of Darcy¡¯s words had been true. ¡°She was telling the truth, on both counts.¡± Colton confirmed. ¡°I feel terrible about what happened to her. I would never wish that kind of treatment on anyone. But when I found her with Quade, when I found out she was his mate and had been feeding him information, I washed my hands ofher.¡± ¡°And about the love part?¡± I knew it made me sound needy and insecure but I was desperate to know the answer. ¡°Mallory, it took me way too long to admit it, but I have loved you since the day you punched me in the nose for teasing my brother on the yground. You were ten, almost eleven and I was thirteen. I was furious at you for embarrassing me but deep down I loved that you were full of fire and I was infatuated. ¡°I meant every word I said to you that night, Mal. I was with Darcy for all the wrong reasons. It¡¯s always been you for me and it always will be. If you decide you can¡¯t forgive me for hurting you, I¡¯ll understand. I¡¯ll be there for our pups and I¡¯ll be the best father I can possibly be. But I¡¯ll never bond with anyone else.¡± I stared into his eyes, trying to read what was written in those cobalt hidden depths. I tugged on the tether of our bond, feeling out the emotions it revealed. It felt weak and strained but not insincere. Everything in me wanted to believe him. But I¡¯d been bitten twice by him and not in the good, bonding for life kind of way. It would definitely take some time to trust him again. ¡°Will you tell me what happened? With Darcy, I mean. What you did with her that hurt me so badly?¡± Maybe I was a glutton for punishment, but again, I had this insatiable need to know. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you anymore Mallory.¡± He hedged. ¡°But from here on out, I promise to always be honest with you. I will tell you anything you need to know.¡± ¡°I need to know that.¡± I stated firmly. ¡°Okay. It was just a bit of making out, kissing and touching over our clothes. Not that Im making light of it. It made me sick to do it. I¡¯m sure it felt much worse to you.¡± ¡°It felt like being sliced open with broken ss repeatedly. But I think my imagination made it even worse. I lost all sense of time, so it seemed usible in my head that you, um, slept with her.¡± Even saying the words tasted sour. ¡°I never would have let it go that far, Mal.¡± He asserted. ¡°In my mind, I still held out hope that when it was all over, when I¡¯d made you safe and could tell you the truth, you¡¯d forgive me and we could finally be together. I knew if I fucked her, there¡¯d be noing back from that. I see now that there isn¡¯t either way.¡± ¡°What do you see?¡± I queried. ¡°Tell me what you see in me, Colt.¡± ¡°I see the most beautiful woman the Goddess ever created. I see someone with so much strength, goodness, and genuine selflessness, I don¡¯t deserve to breathe the same air.¡± He gushed. ¡°I see the best mate and Luna a man could ever hope to find, the only one I¡¯d ever want as the mother to my pups. A woman I¡¯ll never deserve but will spend the rest of my days trying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a pedestal you¡¯ve put me on. But for all that, do you see a woman incapable of forgiveness?¡± I challenged. ¡°Of course not!¡± He scoffed at the idea. ¡°But some things shouldn¡¯t be forgiven.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree. But I¡¯m not sure this is one of those things. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not making any promises. Twice you broke my trust and it won¡¯tbe easy to win it back. Not easy, but maybe not impossible.¡± ¡°I understand. But if you let me try, I promise I¡¯ll never let you down again. I know my promises don¡¯t count for much right now, but I think you get what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± He rambled excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ll never make you regret giving me a chance.¡± ¡°I hope not.¡± I said, smiling softly at him. We pulled up to the packhouse just as Cotlon and I finished our conversation. y and Cary were at my door before the driver put the car in park. My door flew open and two worried faces stared back at me. ¡°Um, is everything okay?¡± Cary asked sheepishly. ¡°Everything is fine.¡± I assured him. ¡± We didn¡¯t eviscerate each other ifthat¡¯s what you were worried about. I think we¡¯vee to an understanding.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good, I think.¡± y sounded unsure but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to rehash our conversation just yet. I let out an exaggerated yawn which made him chuckle. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you inside, little wolf.¡± He lifted me out of the car and insisted on carrying me upstairs. We¡¯d only taken a few steps when Colton spoke up and y stopped to listen. ¡°Um, I¡¯m just going to go back to my suite. I¡¯lle by a bitter to pick up the things I left in your apartment.¡± he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. I¡¯m not sure what prompted my response. Maybe it was how adorable he looked when he was unsure of himself, looking all timid instead of theself-confident Alpha he usually was. Maybe it was my naive hope that I could learn to trust him again. Or maybe I was just gullible enough to want him whether he was trustworthy or not. Like I said, glutton for punishment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay with us?¡± I offered. ¡°What? Really?¡± The look on his face said he was waiting for me to admit it was a joke. ¡°Really. How are we supposed to work on rebuilding trust if you¡¯re not there? Besides, even if things don¡¯t work out between us, these pups are going to grow fast. You should be there to feel them kick, to talk to them so they can learn your voice, so you can bond with them.¡± I shrugged like it was no big deal. But the way Colton was smiling at me, like I¡¯d just told him he¡¯d won the lottery, told me he thought it was a very big deal. Chapter 87 by Cara Anderson Ch. 87 Bonding Cary¡¯s POV ¡°Darling, please sit down and rest. Between your pacing and your frustrated scent permeating the air, you¡¯re triggering every Alpha instinct I have. Colton, please make her sit. She¡¯s driving me crazy!¡± I pleaded with my brother to step in and help me settle our mate before my wolf lost his mind. By the way Mallory was biting her nails and wearing a path in the carpet, she was obsessing over something again. It had been her favorite pastime since we¡¯d brought her home and I was beginning to worry. It was almost like she couldn¡¯t let her mind be quiet for fear of the memories that might creep in if she did. Colton¡¯s head snapped up from the report he¡¯d been reading and he fixedme with an irritated re. I¡¯d asked him to be the bad guy this time and it was a role he was nowhere near ready to y. When Mallory had allowed him to move in, y and I thought we¡¯d have an ally when it came to taking care of our mate, but that just hadn¡¯t been the case. How dare we suggest he do anything Mallory wouldn¡¯t like. In his bid to win her forgiveness, he was treating her like a spoiled princess. Whatever Mallory wanted, Mallory got as far as Colton was concerned. It had been a full week since we¡¯d brought Mallory home from Quade¡¯s hideout and Colton had spent every day catering to her every whim. Not that I was opposed to her being treated like a queen, but sometimes she needed limits for her own good. A concept Colton was vehemently opposed to. ¡°She can decide for herself whether she prefers to sit or stand, Cary.¡± §¯§Ö snapped at me. ¡°She needs to rx. The stress is not good for the pups.¡± I disagreed. ¡°She is right here.¡± Mallory barked in aggravation. ¡°And I can¡¯t sit. I¡¯m too upset to hold still.¡± ¡°Do you want to sit with me and tell me about it?¡± Colton offered, giving his best impression of a puppy vying for his master¡¯s attention. ¡°It might help to talk it out. Maybe I can help.¡± ¡°Um,¡± she chewed her fingernail worriedly as she considered her options, ¡°okay, sure. That might help.¡± She padded over and plopped down next to Colton. There was a bit of space between them but their bodies leaned together, naturally gravitating towardeach other. Their hands brushed where they rested on the seat between them. ¡°Thank fuck!¡± I muttered under my breath when the energy in the room shifted from intense to just moderately anxious. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, little Omega.¡± Colton spoke gently, hesitant to press too hard. ¡°Quade¡¯s trial ising up and I can¡¯t shake the feeling that he¡¯s going to get away with everything he¡¯s done. Darcy still doesn¡¯t want to testify, but even if she did, it might not be enough. We need more witnesses.¡± Sheid out her concerns. There was no stopping the growl that ripped from my chest when she admitted why she was so worked up. It wasn¡¯t enough the fucker had kidnapped her and tormented her. He was still haunting her from a prisoncell. I hated that he could steal a minute more of her peace. No one could find the men who¡¯d kidnapped her so there was no proof he¡¯d put them up to it. He was iming he found her unconscious and took her in while he looked for her family. He¡¯d have the council believe he was nothing more than a good samaritan. ¡°What about the women, the Omegas you met?¡± Colton suggested. ¡°You said you overheard them talking about what he¡¯d done to Darcy. They could tell the council what kind of man he is.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Mallory considered. ¡°If we can find them in time. Quade is healing a little more every day. We¡¯re running out of time and there were so many properties on that map. We¡¯ll never have time to check them all before the council sets a hearing date.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°If they¡¯re even still alive.¡± Colton added morbidly. ¡°Just like the men he sent for you, he would never let them out from under his thumb. His men probably had orders to either move them or murder them if he was ever caught.¡± Mallory sucked in a sharp breath, obviously disturbed by that thought, and my wolf nearly tore through my skin. I saw Colton¡¯s eyes sh ck and knew he was fighting the same battle with Kai. It had been a rough week for all of us, caught between our need to ease Mallory¡¯s distress and our wolf¡¯s need to destroy anyone who helped Quade victimize her, which definitely didn¡¯t fall into the non-stress category. Not to mention, the disstressed pheromones she¡¯d been putting out all week were like catnip to our Alpha wolves, making them a little bit highand just a little bit erratic. Hence the reason y was nowhere to be found at the moment. Since finding out our mate was pregnant, followed promptly by her abduction, his need for control extended far beyond the bedroom these days. Where I¡¯d enlisted Colton¡¯s help to calm her, he would have been more likely to bark at her to sit like a dog or tie her to the chair when she inevitably disobeyed him. It had taken exactly two such arguments before he learned to simply walk away. Speaking of the bedroom, that seemed the perfect ce for us all to engage in some stress-relieving activities. ¡°I think we could all use a break. Why don¡¯t we go lie down for a bit?¡± I suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not a child, Carrignton! It¡¯s ten am. I don¡¯t need to be put down for a nap.¡± I stifled a growl at her attitudeand use of my full name. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± I jumped up from my chair and lifted her into my arms. ¡°If you wanted to convince me you aren¡¯t a child maybe you should have started with not pouting like a petnt toddler.¡± ¡°Put me down! You¡¯re worse than y!¡± She added kicking her legs to her tantrum, further emphasizing my point. ¡°Colton. youing?¡± I called over myshoulder as I strolled from the roompletely ignoring my furious mate. ¡°Um,¡± He hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No excuses! Let¡¯s go, big bro!¡± Colton hadn¡¯t been in our bedroom since bringing Mallory home. He hadn¡¯t asked and she hadn¡¯t offered. While she slept between y and Ievery night, he slept in the spare room. I probably shouldn¡¯t have invited him until she was in the proper frame of mind to consent to having him there, but I had a feeling her salty behavior was somewhat pregnancy hormone rted so that could be months. Besides, the two of them were dancing around each other like shy teenagers. I would catch Colton staring at her when she wasn¡¯t looking with a forlorn expression in his face. He would make excuses to touch her, brush up against her, but never outright try to put his arm around her or even hold her hand. Mallory was no better. She made excuses to spend time with him, saying it was important for the pups. She¡¯d sit with him while he read to her, ory on the sofa in his office while he worked, all in the name of ¡°bonding.¡± y found it amusing but I just found it maddening. So now, I was takingmatters into my own hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom. Colt, why don¡¯t you help our mate get morefortable?¡± I set Mallory on her feet and left her in my brother¡¯s capable hands. Our little wolf may think she can get away with being a brat, but she should remember I cornered that market already. I gave them a few minutes to see what they might get up to without an audience before heading back in the room. As expected, by the time I rejoined them, they were snuggled up under the covers together¡­ and they were kissing. That was progress! ¡°Don¡¯t let me interrupt you.¡± I quipped when I went to crawl into bed. They broke apart like they¡¯d been caught making out behind the bleachers at school. ¡°Um, we were just -¡± Mallory sputtered. ¡°I know what you were doing, darling.¡± I whispered in her ear, enjoying the way she squirmed. ¡°I think you should keep going while I watch.¡± I pressed my chest tightly against her back and thrust my hips forward, letting her feel how hard I was for her. Sliding my hands over the soft skin of her belly and over her ribs, I cupped her tits, enjoying the way they filled my hands as her chest expanded with every panting breath. Her nipples hardened when I stroked them in feather light circles with my thumbs. ¡°Go on.¡± I prompted when neither of them had moved toward the other. Mallory whimpered and whined needily as I continued to tweak her tightened buds. Colton watched her unravel witha pained expression. I gave him a nod of encouragement over Mallory¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to mean anything if ¡®you don¡¯t want it to, love. Please, just let me take care of you. Let me help you rx.¡± Colton pleaded with her, looking as though he might die of unsated lust if she didn¡¯t agree. ¡°Yes, Colt. Please.¡± She answered breathily. He dove for her then, mming his lips to hers, ravaging her mouth in a searing kiss. They finally broke apart when I shimmied her shirt up over her head. Colton took her full breasts in his hands, staring at them reverently. ¡°So beautiful.¡± He groaned. ¡°May I worship these?¡± ¡°Please! I want that.¡± Mallory¡¯s words were little more than a sensual moan,making my cock jump in my pants. Colton dipped his head to the valley of her breasts, kissing, licking, nipping before sucking one pointed tip into his mouth. Mallory arched into him, gasping in pleasure. Itched onto the spot I¡¯d already chosen to leave my mark, grazing it with my teeth then sucking hard. ¡°Fuck!¡± Mallory cried, the scent of her arousal flooding the space around us and nearly choking me with need to be inside her. ¡°Get her pants off, brother!¡± Colton released her nipple with a pop at mymand and disappeared under the covers. My hands found their way between her legs as Colton stripped off her leggings along with her panties. Slick coated her pussy and thighs, my fingers gliding through with ease. Mallory thrustagainst my fingers, searching for the relief I was denying her, whining pitifully when she didn¡¯t get what she wanted. ¡°Fuck. Me.¡± Colton groaned, running his nose up her inner thigh before resurfacing. ¡°You smell so good. I¡¯m dying to taste you, little Omega. Please tell me I can.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll definitely never forgive you.¡± Mal hiss impatiently. I wrapped a hand around her thigh and pulled her knee to her chest, opening her wide for him. Mallory¡¯s long, sensual moan told me the minute his lips found her dripping core. I let my brother work her pussy with his tongue, while I captured her mouth with mine. Mallory writhed and whimpered in my arms as Cotlon ate her like a desperate man, which he probably was. Iswallowed every delicious moan, devouring her as I licked and sucked at her tongue. ¡°Please, please, please,¡± Mallory babbled, wildly riding Colton¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re being such a good girl for your Alphas. Wait until we say you cane, okay darling?¡± I purred. ¡°Oh-okay.¡± She stammered, her eyes zed over, lost in a carnal haze. I lost count how many times my cock dry fired, her needy sounds and slick pussy making me horny as fuck. But this was about her. I wanted her so blissed out she would pass out in my arms and we were doing a damn good job of getting her there. She slid one hand into my hair, tugging my mouth back to hers so she could bite at my lips. Her other hand slipped through Colton¡¯s longer locks, holdinghim in ce. He moaned against her pussy when she pulled his hair hard, struggling against the pleasure he assaulted her with. * ¡°Oh fuck! Oh fuck! Please!¡± Mallory rambled. ¡°What do you think, brother? Has our little brat learned her lesson? Should we let here?¡± I teased. ¡°Fuck, yes!¡± He gritted out, barely restraining his own climax. ¡°Colton says you cane, baby. Be a good girl and let go for us.¡± I coaxed. The lewd sounds of Colton slurping at her drenched cunt filled the room as he continued to punish her battered bundle of nerves. I pinched one of her pert nipples hard at the same moment he sucked her clit between his teeth, biting her just hard enough to send her over the edge. Mallory screamed, her body shaking with the force of her orgasm. Colton wickedly continued top at her, forcing her release to go on and on. She pushed at his head and pressed her back into me in an attempt to escape. But I held her in ce. ¡°Please, I can¡¯t! No more.¡± she begged and of course, Colton took pity on her. Her head fell back on my shoulder and I brushed the sweaty hair from her face. Her eyes were hooded, lids heavy as she fought the need to sleep. I kissed her head and purred, lulling her to sleep while Colton rubbed her limbs, soothing away thest remnant of her trembling release. ¡°Love you.¡± She mumbled, Colton¡¯s eyes going wide at the deration. He opened his mouth as if to say it back or maybe verify he was included in that sentiment at all, but I put my finger tomy lips to silence him. She had already sumbed to sleep and I wanted to keep it that way. Instead, he pulled her onto his chest and tucked her head under his chin, snuggling into her. ¡°Fuck, I want this tost forever.¡± He whispered. I was just about to respond when y came strolling into the room, just dropping his phone from his ear. He stopped in his tracks, taking in the scene and the scent of sex still hanging heavy in the air. I felt his shock at seeing our mate naked in Colton¡¯s arms but he just shook his head, deciding not to ask. ¡°Who was on the phone?¡± I asked him. ¡°The secretary for the council. Quade¡¯s been deemed fit to stand trial. The date has been set for a week from today.¡± He informed us. ¡°We have one week to find the proof we need to put him away for good.¡± Chapter 88 by Cara Anderson Ch. 88 Foreboding y¡¯s POV ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± I snapped at the woman on the phone. The Wolf Shifter Council¡¯s secretary didn¡¯t deserve my rudeness. She was just a messenger. But when it came to the safety of my mate, no one was exempt from my incivility. ¡°This is ludicrous! After what he did to my mate, he shouldn¡¯t be allowed inside a courtroom. He should never see the outside of a cell again!¡± I snarled. ¡°And you¡¯re only giving us a week to find witnesses. You¡¯re practically handing him his freedom on a silver tter!¡± ¡°My apologies, Alpha. The council has deemed him deserving of a trial and I was tasked with informing you of thedate. If you¡¯d like to file aint, there is a process for that. In the meantime, if you do not show up to the council hearing as scheduled, we¡¯ll be forced to dismiss the case.¡± She rattled on, giving me thepany line. ¡°Sure. What the fuck ever!¡± I cursed, hanging up on her as I entered the bedroom. I¡¯d been roaming the apartment during the entire conversation, looking for my brothers and the bedroom was the only ce I hadn¡¯t checked. But as soon as I strolled through the door, Ipletely lost my train of thought. What the hell did I miss? The pheromones were the first to hit me. Mallory¡¯s delicious arousal coated the air along with the musky scent of cum. My little wolf was naked, passed out on Colton¡¯s chest. Did she let him fuck her? If so, that was more progressthan any of us had hoped for. Hell, even if they just fooled around, it was progress. My youngest brother looked like the cat that ate the canary while Colton just looked awestruck. I was about to ask what the fuck happened and why they hadn¡¯t invited me to join when Cary reminded me of my recent phone call. ¡°Who was on the phone?¡± he asked. I quickly filled them in on ourtest predicament. A week was not enough time to search all Quade¡¯s properties and find witnesses who were brave enough to testify against him. From what Mallory described, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if most were too terrified to even consider speaking out against him. ¡°Let¡¯s take this conversation to the other room.¡± I suggested with a pointed look at our sleeping mate. Cary slowly slid out of bed, careful not to wake her. But Colton just looked at Mallory longingly, as if she might disappear if he weren¡¯t touching her. When he didn¡¯t follow, Cary stopped to survey him. ¡°Tell me what you notice, Colt.¡± Cary urged. ¡°What does it feel like where her body is touching yours?¡± ¡°Like fucking heaven.¡± he responded without missing a beat ¡°Yeah, I get that.¡± Caryughed. ¡°But what else?¡± Colton¡¯s eyes widened and his jaw dropped open. I watched as the two of them exchanged a knowing look but had no idea what was going on between them. Cotlon looked back at a sleeping Mallory, his eyes full of excitement and wonder. ¡°The sparks! They¡¯re stronger!¡± He eximed, then held his breath when Mallory stirred before adding more quietly, ¡°It feels like an electric current buzzing over my skin.¡± ¡°Best form of E-Stim on the.¡± Cary smirked. ¡°See, your bond is healing. If I was a betting man, I¡¯d say you¡¯ll be sleeping with us from now on.¡± Seemingly cated, Colton lifted Mallory gingerly and gave her his pillow to cuddle. He and Cary dressed quietly and followed me out of theroom. ¡°So what¡¯s our n?¡± Colton got right to the point. ¡°Oh no! Somebody is telling me all about what happened in there before we discuss anything else!¡± I demanded. Colton looked at the floor with great interest but Cary¡¯s signature devilish grin broke across his face. ¡°Mal was stressed. Colton and I helped her rx.¡± He shrugged it off. ¡°You could have invited me to join. I¡¯m very good at helping my little wolf rx.¡± I said with an irritated snarl. ¡°Did she not look sated to you, brother? Colton and I had it all under control.¡± He crowed. ¡°Besides, she was giving us attitude. As moody as you¡¯ve beentely, you probably would have tied her up and spanked her, the opposite of what we were going for.¡± ¡°Can we get back to discussing our n to deal with Quade?¡± Colton interrupted, ending our stand-off. ¡°Right, a n. Nathan has his own men guarding Quade. I can call him, see if he will question his guards. Maybethey¡¯ve heard Quade admit something useful.¡± Cary offered. ¡°That¡¯s definitely a good ce to start. Meanwhile, we¡¯ll keep looking for the two Omegas or the men who took Mallory. But I still think our best chance is to convince Darcy to testify.¡± Colton flinched almost imperceptibly when I mentioned her name. I had my work cut out for me if I had any hope of convincing him to talk to her. His guilt surged through our bond. Though I wasn¡¯t sure what he faulted himself the most for, turning his back on her and leaving her to Quade¡¯s evil devices or getting involved with her in the first ce. Probably both. If he¡¯d never brought her into our lives, Quade might never have learned of Mallory¡¯s whereabouts before we had a chance to neutralize him. Darcy may never have met her depraved mate andmaybe neither woman would have been traumatized by him. But there was no point in dwelling on maybes and ifs. ¡°I think Colton should talk to her.¡± I stated tly. ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± He refused point nk. ¡°Mallory said she stood up to Quade for her and even expressed a modicum of remorse for what she¡¯d done. She might be convinced to ovee her fear and testify if she thought it might earn her your forgiveness.¡± I debated. ¡°I said no!¡± He barked. ¡°I hurt Mallory enough because of her. I won¡¯t disrespect my mate by spending another minute in Darcy¡¯s presence. And I certainly won¡¯t pretend to care about her feelings. ¡°What she suffered was degrading and cruel, a fate I never would haveknowingly sentenced her to. They said they were mates. I never dreamed he could treat her so callously. But as much as I hate what happened, nothing she could ever say or do would earn my forgiveness. I won¡¯t lie and say it would. Not even to her.¡± ¡°Are you sure, Colt? Even if it meant protecting Mallory. Because I think y is right. It¡¯s our best shot.¡± Cary backed me up.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Colton dropped his head in his hands with a pronounced sigh, then tugged at his hair with a frustrated groan. It wasn¡¯t fair to use his need for penance against him but there was nothing I wouldn¡¯t use if it meant Quade could never harm my mate again. ¡°Fucking Goddess!¡± Colton growled. ¡± This is my punishment, isn¡¯t it? All I want is to be free of her. I want Mallory to be free of my past with her, for all ofus to be able to move on. But that¡¯s too much to ask, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Mallory will understand, Colt.¡± I softened my tone, trying to make him my ally rather than bing his enemy. We¡¯d been at each other¡¯s throats enough for a lifetime. We both loved Mallory and wanted the best for her. We just had two very different ideas of what that was. ¡°I won¡¯t hide anything from Mallory again. I won¡¯t do anything without talking to her first.¡± He insisted, but it sounded more like resignation. ¡°Talking to me about what?¡± Mallory stood in the doorway, watching us all warily. Fuck! I didn¡¯t want her to have to face this yet. But by the look on her face, she wasn¡¯t going to be put off for long. Colton was right anyway, no matter how badly we wanted to protect her, we shouldn¡¯t hide anything from her. That hadn¡¯t worked well for us so far. I walked to Mallory and wrapped her in my arms, burying my face in her neck and inhaling her intoxicating scent, made even more alluring by the residual traces of arousal. ¡°You smell scrumptious, little wolf.¡± I murmured in her ear. ¡°Mmm, I missed you earlier.¡± Shebed her fingers through my hair. ¡± You can make it up to meter but right now, you can stop trying to distract me.¡± ¡°Fuck! Fine,e sit down, love.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stand¡± She widened her stance and stubbornly put her hands on her hips, staring me down defiantly. ¡°Will you pleasee sit with me, Mal? I need to talk to you about something difficult and I¡¯m not sure I can get through it without your calming touch.¡± Colton appealed to her. ¡°Of course I will, Colt.¡± She crossed the room and went directly to him, sitting in hisp. How the fuck did he manage that? He was meant to be in the doghouse but one afternoon in the sack and she was putty in his hands. I noted the tiny lift to one corner of Colton¡¯s lips and the way his eyes danced with happiness. He was so different to the brother I used to know, so careful and uncertain where he used to be self-assured. I hoped he¡¯d find his way back to the strong, confident Alpha he used to be. But maybe this new Colton was for the best, for now. Maybe it was who Mallory needed him to be, vulnerableand open. After denying her for so long, she needed to be needed by him. ¡°Tell me. No more secrets, remember.¡± Mallory prompted. Colton exined that phone call I¡¯d received and our request that he try convincing Darcy to testify. ¡°I won¡¯t do it if you don¡¯t want me to.¡± He told her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to her. I don¡¯t even want to see her, I swear.¡± ¡°I think you should talk to her, Colt. I think it might help.¡± Mallory agreed to everyone¡¯s surprise. ¡°In fact, I want toe with you. I¡¯d like to talk to her again, thank her for trying to protect me. ¡°You don¡¯t owe her thanks, Mallory.¡± Colton spoke more sternly to her than he had all week. ¡°After what she tried to do to you, it was the least she could do!¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Mallory twisted her fingers in herp the way she always did when she was trying to figure out what she wanted to say. ¡°It¡¯s just, she¡¯d gotten what she wanted. I was out of the way, just like she¡¯d plotted. The only difference is, she didn¡¯t have you either. ¡°She could have been vindictive about it, stand back and watch him ruin me while she gloated about it. She didn¡¯t have to stand up for me, but she did. Maybe that¡¯s worth something.¡± I sat down beside Colton and pulled Mallory into myp, stealing her from him. My little wolf never ceased to amaze me, always seeing the best in people even when they didn¡¯t deserve it. It was a blessing and a curse, one that made her vulnerable and triggered my protective instinct. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, you know that?¡± I nuzzled her nose. ¡°I¡¯m not. I just know what it¡¯s like to be broken. I¡¯m not making excuses for her but she went from being in love, thinking she would be your Luna to feeling she¡¯d been discarded overnight. I can imagine she felt desperate and as some of us could testify, desperation breeds poor decisions.¡± Colton winced beside her, taking it as a personal blow. Mallory caressed his arm, soothing the sting of her words. They obviously still had issues to work through. After ironing out a few more details, it was agreed that we would be heading back to Hazelwood the next morning. It had to be done but I didn¡¯t have to like it. I didn¡¯t want our mate anywhere near the man who¡¯d terrorized her. A chill ran down my spine, a foreboding feeling that something was about to go very, very wrong. Chapter 89 by Cara Anderson Ch. 89 Bloodbath Trigger Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of physical and sexual abuse that may be difficult for some readers. Darcy¡¯s POV I hated being here in Hazelwood territory. I hated being any ce where Quade¡¯s presence lingered. I could feel him everywhere I went, like a waking nightmare I couldn¡¯t escape. But I had nowhere else to go. He may be locked in a cell, but the memory of his tyranny still roamed free, haunting these people who suffered under him for so many years. It was in the drab walls of this ramshackle packhouse while he used their wealth for his own gain. It was in the hopeless and defeated expressions of the people who lived here. Not that I saw much of the Hazelwood people. The crippling anxiety that gued me prevented me from leaving my room most days. Besides, Alpha Nathan Richardson had taken charge of the pack, and while he never treated me unkindly and seemed to tolerate my presence, I knew he med me for what happened to Mallory. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside. I need to run.¡± My wolf, Duchess, pleaded. ¡°I-, I can¡¯t g-go out.¡± I loathed the way my voice shook but the thought of being out in the open terrified me. ¡°Why not? Wolves need to run.¡± She pushed. After the first time Quade hurt me, I locked her away any time he was nearby. I couldn¡¯t let her feel the pain of her mate betraying her that way. But now, she didn¡¯t understand my fear. ¡°Not safe.¡± It was all I could say. I couldn¡¯t speak about what happened to me. I huddled under my nkets, pulling them over my head to shut out the world. I squeezed my eyes tight against the images that assaulted me, the memories that refused to be locked away. I started humming to myself, a tune my mother used to sing to me as a child, one that reminded me of happier times. My wolf was restless. I could feel her pacing anxiously in my head. She needed an outlet for the nervous energy I was forcing on her. It hurt to know I couldn¡¯t spare her from experiencing the aftermath of my trauma, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to block her out anymore. It was too quiet without her in my head. And I was too weak to be alone with my torturous thoughts. A knock on my door had me burrowing deeper into my mattress. I considered crawling under my bed to hide, but I tried to tell myself I was safe here. Quade was in a prison cell and couldn¡¯t hurt me anymore. Still, my body trembled in fear that he had somehowe for me. ¡°Darcy?¡± Nathan called to me from the hall. ¡°Darcy, I¡¯ming in. We need to talk.¡± It was no use hiding. Nathan knew I was in here, that I hadn¡¯t left my room all day. I was fairly certain he had someone watching me. Mallory would have told him Quade was my mate. He probably didn¡¯t trust me not to try to set him free, though that was thest thing I would do. The door creaked open, followed by footsteps, then a shifting of the mattress where he¡¯d sat on the bed. Iflinched at his nearness but if he noticed, he didn¡¯tment. ¡°Darcy, can you please lower the covers and look at me?¡± His voice was gentle but firm. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. I just want to talk.¡± ¡°Talk about what?¡± My voice was muted, timid. I didn¡¯t recognize it anymore. ¡°I have some news I¡¯d like to share with you and I¡¯d prefer it if you¡¯d look at me when I tell you. I won¡¯t force you, but I think it might help you not to be hiding in the dark when you hear it.¡± He continued to talk softly, like coaxing a wounded animal. I pushed the nkets back slowly, blinking against the already too bright light after the self-imposed darkness. Scooting back against the headboard, as far away from the Alpha as I could get, I pulled the covers up to my chinlike a shield between us. Nathan waited patiently for me to getfortable. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to know what you¡¯re going through,¡± Nathan¡¯s eyes held a gentleness I didn¡¯t expect, nor deserve. ¡°Mallory didn¡¯t tell me what happened to you, just that it was bad. She insisted it was your story to tell when and if you wanted to. ¡°But I do know it has something to do with Alpha Quade¡¯s treatment of you. So I thought it only fair you know what¡¯s happening where he is concerned.¡± ¡°W-, what do you m-, mean?¡± The words came out as a high pitched squeak. ¡°H-,he¡¯s in j-, jail, right?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He is.¡± Nathan confirmed. ¡°We have a guard on him twenty-four seven. But you should know his wounds are mostly healed. The council has set his trial for a week from now and it doesn¡¯tlook good.¡± ¡°But, but, but,¡± I stammered, my mind reeling with the news. ¡°He, he¡­¡± ¡°Darcy,¡± Nathan reached a hand toward me but let it drop when I recoiled. ¡°As far as the council is concerned, it doesn¡¯t matter what really happened. It only matters what we can prove. Mallory¡¯s word alone won¡¯t be enough to convict him. I just thought you should know.¡± He patted my leg beneath the nkets then rose from the bed. He made it to the door before he seemed to recall something he¡¯d wanted to say and turned to face me again. ¡°Mallory and the ck Moon Alphas will be here tomorrow. I imagine they will want to speak to you.¡± I nodded my head and thankfully, he left. I leapt from the bed and pulled thebedding with me, cocooning myself in the nkets while I paced frantically. This couldn¡¯t be happening. The council had to convict him, right? Someone so evil couldn¡¯t be allowed to continue his reign of terror. They had to believe Mallory! I knew what they would say to me when they arrived tomorrow. They would want me to testify. But I just couldn¡¯t do that. I couldn¡¯t face him again. A jolt of fear so intense I felt it like a crushing blow hit me in the chest. I dropped to the floor, incoherent pleas spilling from my lips. Scrambling across the floor on my hands and knees, I wriggled underneath the bed and curled into a ball. Nothing I could do could stop the memories from flooding my mind and nausea twisting in my stomach. Gooseflesh paraded up and down mybody, every hair standing on end as the sound of Quade¡¯s voice came rushing back to me. ** shback ** ¡°If you can be a good girl, I¡¯ll take you as my second Luna. Not to be seen in public of course, but my wolf will want to spend time with his mate. You can be useful to me by keeping him settled.¡± He said it like he was offering me the deal of the century. ¡°I¡¯m your mate! Do you know the pain it will cause me and my wolf to share you? If you don¡¯t want me, just reject me! Please!¡± I begged. Crack! He backhanded me across the face. It felt like my eye would explode out of my head. I screamed in pain but that only made him angrier. ¡°Shut up and kneel!¡± He shouted, digging his fingers into my shoulderand shoving me to my knees. ¡°You need to learn to listen when I speak! How dare you suggest I reject you! You¡¯re mine and I¡¯ll use you in any way I see fit!¡± I sat on my knees before him, shaking and resisting the urge to touch my swollen cheek. I kept my eyes on the floor but I heard it when he unzipped his pants. Then he stepped up to me and lifted my chin, a cruel smirk on his face. ¡°Now you can show me how useful you can be.¡± He said, pulling out his cock and waving it in my face. ¡°No!¡± I gritted out through clenched teeth. ¡°Oh little mate, that¡¯s not a word you ever get to say to me.¡± He gripped my cheeks and squeezed painfully until I opened my mouth then shoved his cock down my throat. The memory faded only to be reced by another. ¡°Regina told me you refused your bath today. What have I told you about that? I expect you to be naked and clean when Ie to you at night!¡± He growled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fuck some dirty whore!¡± I didn¡¯t bother to exin that I¡¯d been in too much pain from his beating the night before to move, let alone bathe. He would just hit me again for talking back to him. Instead, I justy there like a deaf mute. By that point, I¡¯d learned nothing I said or did would make a difference. None of it would save me from his wrath. But if I¡¯d known how he would punish me that time, I might have made an effort. ¡°Nothing to say? Fine!¡± He snarled, grabbing me by the hair and haulingme off the bed. If you want to smell like a dirty whore, you might as well y the part. Guards!¡± Two men entered the room when he called. He dragged me by my hair to meet them at the door. ¡°Take her. Share her. Pass her around to your friends. Don¡¯t bring her back until she¡¯s learned to be obedient. Just make sure she stays alive.¡± He tossed me at the men¡¯s feet. Filthy, calloused hands touching me. Rancid breath, slimy kisses, forced to take them one after the other, or sometimes more than one. ** End shback ** The memories were too real. I could feel them, smell them, hear them taunting me. The sound of screaming hurt my ears. I put my hands over my ears to block out the sound thenrealized it wasing from me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me protect you?¡± My wolf demanded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let him hurt you too, Duchess. It was my fault we even met him. I couldn¡¯t let you pay for my stupidity.¡± I sobbed. ¡°Well you can let me protect you now!¡± She insisted. ¡°There is no way to protect me from him.¡± I argued. ¡°If the council lets him go, he¡¯lle for me. I know he will. And he¡¯ll punish me for leaving him. I can¡¯t, Duchess. I can¡¯t ever face him again!¡± ¡°I promise you won¡¯t have to.¡± She sneered. The next morning I woke up to the sound of footsteps and keys jangling on their ring. My neck and back were killing me, like I¡¯d slept on them wrongall night. And I was freezing. My eyelids fluttered open, momentarily blinded by the sunlight streaming in from a high window. I shifted only to feel cold concrete scraping my back. What? Where was I? I jumped up and looked around wildly, ignoring the nk of metal hitting the ground. The surface below my feet was wet and sticky. I looked down to find myself standing in a pool of blood. Slowly, my surroundings came into focus. A bloody knifey on the ground at my feet. There was blood everywhere. I was covered in it. The walls were covered in it. The concrete walls of a cell, not my bedroom. In a panic, I scanned the room until my eyesnded on the source of the bloodbath, Alpha Quadeid on the ground on the other side of the cell, multiple stab wounds shed acrosshis body like a macabre work of abstract art. ¡°No, no, no, no. no! How did this happen?¡± I muttered to myself, though I refused to regret his death. A pained groan echoed from across the hall. I turned to see a prison guard propped against the wall, a gaping wound pouring blood from his side. The footsteps and keys were getting louder, their owner getting closer. Then a new scent rose above the coppery, iron smell of blood surrounding me. It smelled like rich coffee and something delicious, chocte croissants maybe. It made my mouth water even as my stomach roiled at the violent scene around me. The owner of the scrumptious scent came into view, one of the Hazelwood warriors, probablye to relieve the guard who sat injured across the hall. He was the most gorgeous man I¡¯d ever seen and the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. ¡°Mate! Mine!¡± But instead of iming me in return, his face twisted into molten rage. ¡°What the fuck happened here?!¡± Chapter 90 by Cara Anderson Ch. 90 Murder And Mayhem Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Everything is going to be okay, little wolf.¡± y reassured me again, pulling me into hisp and nuzzling my neck to soothe me. I suspected my leg nervously bouncing so fast it could have taken flight was the real motive behind him trapping me in his arms but I couldn¡¯t help myself. The closer we got to Hazelwood, to the ce I knew Quade was, the more anxious I became. It was maddening to let him have this power over me but I felt helpless against it. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll believe that when that monster is behind bars for good.¡± I muttered. ¡°Hey,¡± He tipped my chin up and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I nodded, earning a lopsided grin from him that made my stomach do somersaults. ¡°Good. Then trust me when I promise you I won¡¯t let anything or anyone hurt you again.¡± ¡°I trust you. All of you.¡± I sighed, leaning my head against his chest and letting him rubforting strokes up and down my arm. It was the truth. I did trust them. And suddenly that struck me as odd. When had I gone from this girl that wanted nothing to do with them, wouldn¡¯t trust them with a housent let alone my heart. I even trusted Colton when it came to believing he wanted the best for me. The only problem was, not everything was under their control. Bad things happened that they were powerless to stop. When we pulled up to theHazelwood packhouse to find Nathan pacing on the front porch, looking shot to pieces, I had a feeling we were about to face one of those problems. ¡°Thank fucking Goddess! I¡¯ve been calling you for thest hour. Do none of you answer your phones?¡± Nathan barked the second the car door opened. ¡°We turned them off,¡± Cary snarled, not liking Nathan¡¯s tone. ¡°Our mate is pregnant and already stressed enough. We wanted her to have some peace and quiet on the trip over.¡± ¡°Well I hope you enjoyed it, because it¡¯s thest you¡¯ll have for a while.¡± Nathan turned his back on us, striding into the house and expecting us to follow. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± Colton demanded once we¡¯d all crowded into the room he was using as his makeshift office. He fixed us with an assessing gaze, as if he was trying to determine whether he was safe to divulge his secret or one wrong word might trigger an explosion. Finally he sighed and scrubbed onerge hand over his face, looking more careworn than I¡¯d ever seen him. ¡°Quade is dead.¡± He rushed out. ¡°Darcy killed him.¡± 2 ¡°What?¡± All the air whooshed from my lungs and my knees buckled. Carytched an arm around my waist and pulled me into the nearest chair with him. We all sat in stunned silence while we waited for Nathan to finish the story. Because there had to be more. ¡°One of my men assigned to guard Quade wasing on duty this morning. He found her in his cell, covered in blood, with the murderweapon on the ground by her feet. She stabbed him to death.¡± Nathan rted. ¡°How is that possible? Where was the guard?¡± Cary questioned, his tone hard with worry. This was not good. This was not good at all. A prisoner in our care was murdered before he could stand trial for aint we¡¯d lodged against him. The council would have a field day with that. ¡°She attacked the guard, in wolf form if the huge chunk of missing flesh in his side is anything to go by. Thankfully he¡¯ll recover.¡± Nathan answered. ¡°Where is she now? Has anybody questioned her?¡± I remembered what a fragile state Darcy had been in when we left. She would shut down if they went at her too hard. ¡°Not yet. Can¡¯t get close to her.¡± Nathan told us. ¡°You see, there¡¯s more to this story I haven¡¯t gotten to yet.¡± ¡°More than murder and mayhem on our watch. I can¡¯t wait to hear the rest.¡± y replied sardonically. ¡°The warrior I sent to guard Quade,¡± Nathan continued, pointedly ignoring y¡¯s remark, ¡°turns out he was Darcy¡¯s second chance mate. He walked in to find her covered in blood and subsequently lost his shit. ¡°Darcy swears she has no memory of murdering Quade, almost like she blocked it out. But between the shock of what she¡¯d done, immediately finding her second chance after brutally murdering her first mate, and her new mate freaking the fuck out, she¡¯s totally shut down. ¡°He¡¯s with her now. Refuses to leave her side or let anyone get near her. Buthe has tried asking her what happened. The most she¡¯ll say is she doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I want to see his body!¡± I blurted out. Four pairs of concerned eyes looked at me like I¡¯d lost my everloving mind. And maybe I had. But I needed to see him before I could believe he was really gone. ¡°No way!¡± Cary automatically tightened his hold on me. ¡°I don¡¯t want you anywhere near the fucker, dead or alive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not a good idea, Mal.¡± Nathan backed him up. ¡°She didn¡¯t just stab him once or twice. She mutted him. It¡¯s a gruesome sight.¡± ¡°I slumped against Cary in defeat. One nce at y and Colton told me they agreed with their brother. It wasn¡¯t a fight I was going to win but it didn¡¯tmean I wouldn¡¯t find another way. ¡°You know this doesn¡¯t make the council problem go away.¡± Nathan pointed out. ¡°If anything, it¡¯s worse. She¡¯s going to go away for this if we can¡¯t prove what he did to her.¡± ¡°No!¡± I shouted so loud even Cary flinched. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. I won¡¯t let it. I saw what he did to her. It was unspeakable. What he did to me was nothingpared to her and even I wanted him dead. We¡¯ll figure something out. I¡¯m going to talk to her.¡± I slipped out of cary¡¯sp and headed for the door without looking back. I had no idea where Darcy was but I would find her. Before I could make it too far, Nathan called out to me. ¡°Mallory, wait! Let me go with you. Her mate, Braden, his wolf is on edge. Letme talk to him before you try to go barging in there.¡± He advised. ¡°We¡¯reing too.¡± y announced and all three of my mates stood to follow us, none of them wanting me near a feral wolf. ¡°Fine.¡± I huffed. ¡°But you¡¯re all waiting outside.¡± Braden, Darcy¡¯s second chance mate, was a mountain of a man whose hulking presence could easily be intimidating. I listened as Nathan exined who I was and calmly asked him to let me see Darcy. He eyed me warily, his mouth set in a hard line that seemed permanently fixed in ce. Finally, he nodded and stepped aside, letting me squeeze into the room. He shut the door behind me but didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he stood sentinel at the door with his arms crossed over his chest, tracking my every move. Deciding to ignore him, I sidled over to the bed where Darcyid curled in the fetal position, a bundle of nkets burying her small frame. I sat beside her and ever so slowly pulled the covers back to reveal her head. ¡°Darcy, it¡¯s Mallory.¡± I announced my identity since her swollen eyes were firmly closed. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to talk to me. But if you could, it would really help to know what happened.¡± Her breathing becamebored, the pile of nkets rising and falling more rapidly as her respirations increased. I stroked her arm to calm her. At least I thought it was her arm. It was hard to tell under all theyers. But it seemed to help as her breathing normalized again. ¡°Can you tell me what you remember?¡± Darcy let out a strangled sob in response. I risked a nce over my shoulder to see Braden leaning in our direction. He looked like he might leap on me at any second if I kept making his mate cry. I renewed my resolve to pretend he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Darcy. I know what he did to you. I know he deserved it. I¡¯m not judging you. I want to help you, but I can only do that if I know the facts.¡± I continued. To my surprise, she turned her body to face me, only her head poking out above the nkets. She opened and closed her mouth several times but no sound came out. Then her gaze wandered over my shoulder to the man who;d be her self-appointed bodyguard. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to hear.¡± She squeaked out. I turned to find him looking at her with a mix of worry and pain on his face. Did I dare ask him to leave? ¡°Could you please step outside? You can wait just outside the door. We¡¯ll only be a minute.¡± I tried to make my voice sound firm, uncowered. He stared at me unblinking for a full minute before he finally nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go down to the kitchen and get her some food.¡± His soft voice was a total contradiction to his gruff outward manner. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes, princess.¡± Darcy gifted him a watery smile and seemingly satisfied with that acknowledgment, he left us alone. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Darcy let out a gut-wrenching sob. ¡°She did it.¡± Darcy choked out. ¡°My wolf. She took over, blocked me out. She refuses to share the memory with me. I can¡¯t tell you anything because I don¡¯t know.¡± I pulled her into my arms and held her while she cried, stroking her hair as her body shuddered. ¡°Shh. That¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll figure this out,¡± I cooed. We just sat together in silence, findingfort just being in the presence of another who understood our pain. Soon the door snicked open and my head snapped up, expecting to see Braden returning, but instead it was Cotlon peeking in. ¡°Um, could I have a minute with Darcy?¡± He asked sheepishly. ¡°Of course.¡± I slipped off the bed and made my way to the door. I stepped aside to move past Colton but he stopped me, pulling me against himand kissing me hard before letting me go again. It was his way of reassuring me that his request to talk to his ex had nothing to do with our rtionship and I appreciated the gesture. But as I stepped outside the room, old insecurities red up inside me. Memories of everytime Colton had gone back to Darcy after insisting he wanted me flooded my mind. I knew it was childish, but as the door closed, I chose to indulge that insecurity one more time, eavesdropping on theirconversation. I¡¯ve heard it said, ¡°if you listen at doors, you hear what you deserve.¡± I took a deep breath, hoping I didn¡¯t deserve another heartbreak. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Darcy bit out. ¡°Come to gloat, to tell me I got what I deserved?¡± ¡°No.¡± Colton disagreed softly. ¡°Though I could see why you would expect that of me. I¡¯ve actuallye to apologize.¡± Apologize? My heart rate kicked up. Colton has insisted time and time again that he wanted nothing to do with her. Has he had another change of heart? Did hearing she had a mate make him jealous and now he wants to win her back? My wolf snarled in my head at my stupidity,pletely confident in her mate¡¯s love for us. But I still had old demons to purge. ¡°What do you mean? Apologize for what?¡± Darcy asked him. ¡°For being a coward.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°All of this is my fault. I should have just been honest with you. Everything you used me of was true but I didn¡¯t want to admit it because it would mean I¡¯d made a huge mistakeand I thought I had to be perfect. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved Mallory, wanted her, even before the mate bond. I¡¯m not saying this to hurt you, Darcy, just to illustrate how wrong I was for what I did to you. I should have been brave enough to admit my feelings and deal with the consequences rather than drag you into a rtionship that was always doomed to fail. ¡°I won¡¯t apologize for leaving you with Quade. You were conspiring to hurt my mate with the man and I couldn¡¯t have foreseen what would happen. I am very sorry for what you went through and want you to know we¡¯ll do everything in our power to help you out of this mess. ¡°That¡¯s really all I came to say. I¡¯ll go now..¡± Colton moved towards the door and I started to walk away, but Darcy stopped him. ¡°Colton!¡± She called to him. ¡°Thank you. For finally admitting the truth. It doesn¡¯t make it hurt any less. But it helps to hear you say it. And for what it¡¯s worth, I hope you find happiness together.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Me too.¡± His voice was hushed but I heard the hope in it. I hurried away from the door, my heart swelling in my chest from what I¡¯d heard Cotlon say. He really did love me. He wasn¡¯t ever going back to her. I couldn¡¯t stop the huge smile spilling across my face. But in the next moment, a searing pain ripped through my abdomen. A scream tore from my lips and I fell to the floor, writhing in pain. ¡°Mallory!¡± I heard Colton¡¯s thundering yell, but I was already being swallowed under by the agony coursing through me. Chapter 91 by Cara Anderson Ch. 91 A Boost Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°You¡¯re okay! I¡¯ve got you, love. Everything will be okay!¡± Colton lifted me from the ground and held me close to his chest. ¡°It hurts, Why does it hurt?¡± I cried out when another sharp pain stabbed me in the gut. Distantly, I heard footsteps pounding the ground, growing louder and louder as they drew nearer. But all I could focus on was pain and the panic for my babies. Then Cary¡¯s cinnamon scent and y¡¯s leather mixed with Colton¡¯s lime, surrounding me with a heady fragrance that reduced the agony to a dull difort. ¡°Fuck! She¡¯s burning up! Come here, darling.¡± Cary reached for me and I fellinto his arms, wrapping my arms and legs around him. ¡°Find a fucking doctor!¡± y thundered. ¡°We have a doctor on staff at the infirmary. He doesn¡¯t have much equipment to work with but it¡¯s the best we can do for now.¡± Charlie had arrived with Nathan and offered to take us there. I buried my face in Cary¡¯s neck and took deep drags of his scent. It eased my distress somewhat but not enough to stop the whimpers escaping me. All three of them plied me with soothing words as they practically ran with me to the clinic. ¡°Here! Lay her down over here.¡± Nathan directed when we burst through the doors of what was really no more than a house, fitted out as a doctor¡¯s office. Caryid me down on the cot and I caught his hand as he went to stand, pulling his face to mine. ¡°The pups, can you still hear them?¡± My voice broke as I considered what I was really asking. Are my babies alive? His face was somber as he held perfectly still. My ears were ringing and my head swam so I relied on him to be honest with me. But the longer he listened without answering me, the deeper my heart sank. Finally, a tentative grin stole across his face. ¡°Loud and clear, darling. Their heartbeats sound stronger than ever.¡± ¡°Really? Aah!¡± The question melded into a scream as another wave of cramps hit me. ¡°Where is the fucking doctor?¡± Colton red, seeing my face contort in anguish. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± An elderly gentleman entered the room. He had white hair and a white beard. His jeans were worn with holes in them and his nnel shirt was threadbare. The only indication he was medically inclined was the stethoscope around his neck. Colton and y stood on either side of me, each holding a hand, while Cary stood by my head, stroking my hair. As the man approached, three low growls sounded a warning. ¡°Your mate is obviously in distress. If you¡¯ll step aside, I will see if I can help her.¡± He boldly stared them down. One by one, they stepped back to let him move closer but none of them removed their hands from me. The doctor, who apparently found it unnecessary to introduce himself, leaned over me, shining a light in myeyes.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. He took my temperature and asked me a few questions about the quality of pain, which oddly enough, had mostly subsided. Then he straightened, his gaze flitting back and forth between my mates and me. ¡°These are your mates?¡± He queried and I nodded. ¡°Is she going to be okay? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Colton¡¯s gravelly tone belied his quickly dwindling patience. ¡°I don¡¯t go in for gossip, but word is you were held captive recently by that sorry excuse for an Alpha lying in my morgue. Is that true?¡± He raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°Y-, yes.¡± I managed, shuddering at the reminder. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Cary snarled. ¡°Everything.¡± He replied calmly. ¡°The four of you aren¡¯t marked, you were separated from each other under traumatic circumstances. Your mate doesn¡¯t need a doctor, gentlemen, she needs you. She¡¯s going into heat.¡± ¡°But-, no-, I mean, that can¡¯t be right. I¡¯m pregnant. It¡¯s not possible.¡± I argued. ¡°I assure you, my dear, it is.¡± He countered. ¡°I¡¯m calling Emily.¡± Cary was already dialing the phone but amended his words quickly when I growled at him. ¡± I meant Dr. Diaz.¡± What the fuck was wrong with me? I didn¡¯t get possessive, growling and snarling at people. That was my mates¡¯ M.O. not mine. ¡°Dr. Diaz, it¡¯s Cary Collins. I¡¯m here with Mallory. I have you on speakerphone. We¡¯re having an emergency of sorts.¡± He exined as soon as she picked up the call. He exined my symptoms and the doctor, who had the professional courtesy to introduce himself as Dr. Poling, added his exam findings. Emily listened closely then confirmed the diagnosis. ¡°Mallory,¡± She addressed me directly. ¡± It¡¯s entirely possible for you to go into heat while pregnant. Just like some human women have periods throughout their pregnancy, some she- wolves still have heats. Especially unmarked ones. ¡°As Dr. Poling stated, it¡¯s even more likely when separated from your mates during pregnancy coupled with anxiety inducing events. As your pain has subsided, I would assume what you experienced was pre-heat, but the real deal probably isn¡¯t far behind.¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to have a heat here. Please!¡± I looked at my mates with beseeching eyes. ¡°Please take me home.¡± ¡°Doctor, do we have time to make it back to ck Moon?¡± y asked, though I wasn¡¯t sure which doctor he was speaking to. ¡°It¡¯s not an exact science, but I would guess you have a few hours at most.¡± Emily answered. ¡°We can make it in two.¡± Colton consulted his brothers who both nodded in agreement. Having made a silent decision between them, Colton scooped me off the bed and ran for the car. I could hear Cary still speaking to Dr. Diaz as he and y jogged behind us. In less than ten minutes we were headed home. ¡°Understood.¡± Cary said into the phone before hanging up. ¡°What did she say?¡± y asked from the driver¡¯s seat. He and Cary¡¯s eyes connected in the rearview mirror. Something passed between them and I wanted to ask them about it, but before I could open my mouth another pang hit me. A needy whine slipped past my lips and a gush of slick ran down my thighs. ¡°Fuck!¡± Colton¡¯s nostrils red at the scent of my arousal. He palmed his cock through his pants and the sight sent a wave of need straight to my pussy. Cary groaned next to me, diverting my attention from Colton to the massive bulge in his pants. Where the initial wave had been nothing but agony, this time wasdefinitely painful but apanied by a level of lust I never knew possible and an overwhelming need for my mates. I licked my lips and reached for the button on Cary¡¯s ridiculously tight jeans. ¡°No!¡± He grabbed my wrist to stop me. ¡°Let me take care of you. This is about your needs, not mine. Besides, I¡¯m not fucking you in the backseat of a car.¡± ¡°Letting me put your cock in my mouth, tasting your cum, is what I need!¡± I pouted. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me you never fucked a girl in a car before, Carrington.¡± My raging hormones were getting the better of me. My wolf was feeling possessive and territorial. We didn¡¯t like the thought of our mate doing something with another she-wolf that he wouldn¡¯t do with us. Cary growled at myment, twisting my hair around his fist and forcing me to look at him. ¡°What I did or didn¡¯t do with anyone else has nothing to do with us, little mate.¡± His tone was gruff as he and Roan spoke together. ¡°You are mine! And I will treat you like the precious treasure you are, not a quick fuck in an ufortable car.¡± ¡°But,¡± my lower lip trembled at the thought of not getting the relief I was desperate for, ¡°I need you. I need-¡± ¡°Colton and I will help take the edge off until we can get you home. Right brother?¡± ¡°Whatever you need, little Omega.¡± Colton rushed to assure me. I shed him a huge smile and crawled into hisp. I rocked my hips over his iron hard cock as I undid his pants. ygroaned in the front seat as my arousal red again. ¡°Can I suck your cock? Please, Colt,¡± I breathed the words over the sensitive flesh of his ear. ¡°Fuck. Me.¡± He muttered, then nodded aggressively. ¡°Of course you can, baby.¡± I crawled off hisp to kneel on the floor between his legs. He lifted his hips to let me shimmy his pants down and I wasted no time reaching in to grip my prize. He was long and thick and dripping pre-cum from his tip. Mouthwatering. ¡°Oh no.¡± Cary reached over and grasped my chin just as I was lowering my head to lick Colton¡¯s cock. ¡°Bring that pretty little ass over here, darling. I¡¯ll let you suck Colt off as long as you give me a taste of that sweet pussy of yours. ¡°Fucking hell!¡± y cursed, making me giggle. ¡°You think this is funny, little wolf? Just wait til I get my hands on you. We¡¯re going to be locked in a room together for days. We¡¯ll see who¡¯sughing then.¡± A delicious shiver ran down my spine at the thought. y might not be my Dom but he definitely knew how to take control of my body. I winked at him in the mirror, letting him know I was looking forward to it. Now on all fours in the seat between my mates, I grasped Colton¡¯s cock and gave it a few teasing strokes before cleaning the head with a few kitten licks. He hissed between his teeth and bucked into my hand. I teased him some more, licking him from root to tip, tracing the bulging vein along his thick shaft. ¡°Enough teasing!¡± Cary pulled my pants down to my knees and smacked my ass, ¡°Get to work showing your mate how good he tastes.¡± A deep moan rumbled out as I swallowed him deep, gagging when he hit the back of my throat. I breathed in through my nose as I pulled back, then lowered my head again, taking him even further. That time I swallowed, letting my throat constrict around his plush head. ¡°Fuck! So good!¡± Colton grunted, threading his fingers through my hair. He stroked my hair but didn¡¯t force me, letting me set my own pace. Cary ran his fingers through my slick drenched folds then made sure I heard him slurping them clean. When his warm tongue reced his fingers, I moaned loud and long around Colton¡¯s cock. Cary¡¯s enthusiasm for eating my pussy matched my own for swallowing Colton¡¯s cock. I hollowed my cheeks, sucking him hard on every withdrawal, swirling my tongue around his tip. Finally, when he could no longer help himself, he gripped my hair tight, guiding me as he fucked my face. A steady stream of semen leaked fromhim and tasting it settled a deep-seated need inside me. A string ofexpletives and nonsensical wordsspilled from him and his cockthickened as his orgasm built. Cary wasfucking me with his tongue in timewith Cotlon¡¯s thrusts, rubbing histhumb back and forth over mythrobbing clit. Pleasure burned in mycore until it felt like I would explode. ¡°Fuck! I¡¯m gonna-¡± Colton gritted out. I whined when he tried to pull me off his cock. Tightening my grip on hisshaft, I stroked what I couldn¡¯t swallow. Cary increased the pressure on my swollen nub and we all came together in a moaning, grunting chorus of bliss. Colton let me lick him clean then pulled me up for a filthy hot kiss. Once he released me, Cary pulled me onto hisp, devouring my mouth, letting me taste myself on him. My wolf purred in ecstasy within me. ¡°Feeling better, darling?¡± He murmured as I cuddled against his chest. ¡°Mmhm.¡± Was all I could manage. ¡°Good. because we need to talk about your heat, love.¡± ¡°Mkay.¡± I muttered sleepily. ¡°Dr. Diaz said that while heats during pregnancy were known to happen, theycould also be more dangerous. She said it would be a good idea for you to have a little extra boost to get you through.¡± He recounted. ¡°How do I get a boost?¡± I asked, suddenly curious. ¡°By letting us mark you. All three of us.¡± Chapter 92 by Cara Anderson Ch. 92 First Heat Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°Mallory, you don¡¯t have to decide this today. My brother¡¯s marks will be enough. I won¡¯t let you be pressured into epting me.¡± Colton¡¯s voice was firm but his eyes held vulnerability. y and Cary had gone in ahead of us. They asked Colton to stay with me while they cleared the packhouse of unmated males, but I knew they were trying to give us some time alone to talk. Dr. Diaz¡¯s advice caught us both more than a little off guard. Logically, I understood where Colton wasing from. Hopped up on hormones while your wolf is begging for her alpha mate¡¯s bite isn¡¯t the best time to be making life-altering decisions. But emotionally, his attempt to be noble just felt like anotherrejection. I stared out the window, trying and failing to contain a whimper. Colton must have sensed where my head was at, because he pulled me into hisp and grazed my neck with his finger. I shivered under his touch and burrowed into him, chasing his soothing scent. ¡°Look at me, Mal.¡± He tipped my chin up to meet his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I want to leave my mark on your pretty little neck. I want that more than anything. But I also know I don¡¯t deserve you. ¡°If you let me bite you today, we¡¯ll be tied together for life. I don¡¯t ever want you to regret that decision. I still have a lot of work to do to earn your forgiveness. It¡¯s enough for me that you¡¯re letting me try.¡± He was still looking at me with that raw vulnerability that said my next wordshad the power to break him. But he was right, this wasn¡¯t a decision I could make without considering the consequences. If I gave in today, would I regret itter? ¡°Would you stop trying to earn my forgiveness? If I let you mark me, would I emerge from this hormonal haze to find myself bound to the Colton I used to know? The one that nearly destroyed me?¡± He cringed at the reminder and a surge of guilt assaulted me. ¡°Of course not! Whether you wear my mark or not, you¡¯re my mate. And I¡¯ll never stop trying to be worthy of that privilege as long as I live.¡± I felt his unguarded sincerity in his words and in the tender kiss he pressed to my lips. ¡± So you see, no pressure.¡± ¡°But, what if I want your mark? What if I tell you I¡¯m ready for it?¡± I asked softly. He shook his head, fighting an internal battle between what he wanted and what he believed was the right thing. It was cowardly of me to put that on him instead of just telling him what I wanted. But I knew he wouldn¡¯t give it to me if he thought it was the heat talking. I had to convince him. ¡°I listened to your conversation with Darcy!¡± I burst out before I lost my nerve. My shoulders slumped and I breathed out heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for eavesdropping. Insecurity got the better of me. ¡°But my point is, I heard you tell her you loved me. You didn¡¯t know I was listening. You weren¡¯t saying those things to reassure me. You were saying them because you meant them and were genuinely sorry for the pain you caused her because of it. ¡°So, since it appears to be the day for honesty, I love you too, Colton.¡± He sucked in a sharp breath at my admission but didn¡¯t speak, allowing me to finish. ¡°I genuinely loved Nathan, but I also hid behind that love. It was easier than admitting my feelings for the three of you when I knew they weren¡¯t reciprocated and believed they never would be. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is, I love you, have loved you for a long time, and I¡¯d be proud to wear your mark.¡± ¡°Oh little Omega!¡± Colton cupped my face in his hands, so close our lips brushed each other. ¡°I fucking love you so much!¡± Then he kissed me senseless. It started out sweet, tender but quickly turned heated. I twisted in hisp, straddling him as he licked into me. We were both so lost in each other, we didn¡¯t noticethe car door open until y cleared his throat. ¡°Looks like you two made a decision.¡± He remarked. ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside, little wolf. The coast is clear.¡± Colton made a strangled sound when y snatched me from his arms, but quickly followed us. y was practically running into the packhouse with me but my stomach was starting to cramp again so I couldn¡¯tin. I fisted my hands in his shirt and let his leather and tobo scent wash over me, holding the pain at bay. When we entered the apartment, I expected y to take me straight to bed. But instead, he bypassed the bedroom and headed for the bathroom instead. I was surprised to find Cary already waiting there for me, naked and in the bathtub. ¡°We thought a warm bath might help you rx before the full heat hits you.¡± He grinned sheepishly, answering my questioning look. ¡°That sounds nice, actually.¡± I smiled back, touched by their thoughtfulness. Having never been through a heat before, I assumed it would be days worth of mindless, sweaty sex. And maybe that part was stilling. But having mates who were willing to pamper me a little rather than jumping right into bed made me feel special. Colton helped y peel off my clothes and just removing the sweat-soaked garments already made me feel better. I was sure I¡¯d be sticky with various body fluids soon enough but it would feel good to start off clean. Cary reached for me and y helped me step in. ¡°Come here, darling.¡± Cary helped me sit to straddle him. He already had a raging erection and it bobbed between us in the water. Pre- heat red in my belly again and I pressed closer to him, rubbing my slick pussy over his thick member. He groaned at the sensation, then nipped at my bottom lip before deepening the kiss. The silky warmth of the water curled around us as we licked, nipped and sucked at each other¡¯s lips. y had joined us, washing my back with a soft soapy rag, while Colton leaned against the counter watching us with hungry eyes. ¡°Turn her around, brother.¡± y ordered. Cary pulled away from me, chuckling when I chased his lips. Then he flipped me in hisp, his cock between my ass cheeks. I wiggled against him yfully and he growled in my ear, tighteninghis grip on my hips to hold me still. y lovingly caressed my breasts with his soapy hands, tossing aside the rag in favor of skin to skin contact. He circled my nipples with his thumbs, teasing them to tight little buds. ¡°Spread your legs for me, little wolf. I wouldn¡¯t want to miss any part of you, dirty girl.¡± Cary helped me obey y¡¯s directive by spreading my thighs with his hands and holding them in ce. y¡¯s eyes ckened as he locked on to the glistening pink of my lower lips. Even under water, it was evident how wet with slick I was and the scent of my arousal only seemed thicker in the steamy air around us. ¡°She looks delicious, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Cary taunted. ¡°Make sure you get her nice and clean for us brother.¡± Cary bent his knees, pushing me above the water for y. He watched over my shoulder while y draped my legs over his shoulders and lowered his face to my pussy, licking me from entrance to clit. ¡°Fuck!¡± I screamed at the intensity of the pleasure that jolted through me. Everything seemed heightened, sights, smells, and definitely touch. Even kissing and tasting my mates earlier seemed sweeter. If this was only the beginning, I was actually a little scared to experience a full heat. I would lose my damn mind before it was over. y sucked at my folds, swirling his tongue over and between them, butpletely avoided my clit. Cary had released my thighs to y with my tits, squeezing the heavy flesh and tweaking my nipples. I pulled at y¡¯s hair, trying to maneuver him where I wantedhim but he refused to be moved. ¡°Please, Alpha!¡± I whimpered, my need for release blossoming into an ache deep inside. ¡°I¡¯m just cleaning you up, little wolf. Did you think I was going to let youe?¡± His wicked smirk said he wouldn¡¯t allow any such thing. I choked back a sob as the heat spiked and my clit throbbed with unsated lust. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I started to panic. If one of them didn¡¯t make mee soon, the pain was going to take over and I didn¡¯t want to feel that again. ¡°That¡¯s enough! Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s hurting?!¡± Colton roared, ripping me away from his brothers. I clung to him like a spider monkey and he wrapped me in a towel, drying me as he stormed toward the bedroom. Hid me gently on the bed and stretched out beside me. The way he was looking at me was part adoration and part unadulterated desire, undoing all y¡¯s hard work as slicked gushed down my thighs again. ¡°You need toe, don¡¯t you little Omega?¡± I nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got you. I¡¯ll always give you what you need, love.¡± He slipped two fingers inside me, curling them perfectly as he stroked my sensitive walls. His eyes shed with need and a groan rumbled in his chest. ¡°So fucking tight. I can¡¯t wait to be inside you.¡± He breathed. ¡°Yes. Please.¡± I whined. ¡°Not yet. Not until my brothers join us. But I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± He kissed along my jaw as he spoke. Increasing the pace of his strokes, he fucked me on his fingers while his thumb traced a mind-blowing pattern on my clit. As the pleasure built in my core, he murmured words of love and lust, making my heart throb in time with my swollen nub.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking beautiful. I fucking adore you. Thank you for loving me, for being mine. Everything about you is perfect. Your smell, your taste, your tight little cunt. You wreck me, love.¡± He rambled on. Then he kissed me, hot and dirty, fucking my mouth with his tongue as he increased the pressure on my clit. That was all it took to send me flying. Pleasure burst from my center like a volcanic eruption. My juices flooded his hand as I came screaming his name. Colton stroked me through everyst pulsing wave of bliss, then kissed mesoftly once, twice, three times. He nuzzled my nose with his then rested his forehead on mine while I panted, struggling to catch my breath. But instead of slowing down, my breath picked up again. I curled my fists into the fabric of his shirt as I arched off the bed, another searing pain ripped through my body. Slick poured from my pussy, drenching his pants where his leg was wedged between mine. A guttural cry tore from my lungs bringing y and Cary running. ¡°Shit!¡± y muttered when he saw me writhing. ¡°Fuck!¡± Cary cursed at the same time. My heat was here in full force. I reached for my mates as I whimpered and whined. ¡°Alphas, I need you! Need your cocks, need your bites!¡± y and Cary dropped their towels as the material of Colton¡¯s ripped clothes fluttered to the floor. Three pairs of ck eyes stared down at me as my mates¡¯ wolves joined us. My heart thumped and my core spasmed with excitement for our first heat together. Chapter 93 by Cara Anderson Ch. 93 Ours Cary¡¯s POV My wolf was practically rabid for our little mate writhing on the bed beneath us. It took considerable effort to keep him from shoving my brothers out of the way and sinking his fangs into her. My mouth watered as his need mingled with mine. Mallory was so stunningly beautiful, my breath caught in my chest just looking at her. Her hair, silky strands of midnight brown, flowed around her like a waterfall under the moonlight. Her perfect tits topped with tight rosy nipples bounced as her chest heaved and her slim waist red into curvy hips and thick, creamy thighs. She was a fucking vision and she was all fucking mine! I couldn¡¯t keep my mind from slipping back to those years ago when she leftfor the academy. I¡¯d been destroyed when she left but I hadn¡¯t understood why. So I buried my feelings in meaningless fucks and a multitude of bad decisions. Now I understood that when she left, she took part of my soul with her, because she was always meant to be mine. I wished I could take those years back, get a do-over, never give her a reason to resist our bond. But I was fucking thankful she was here now. Because the thought of her sharing her heat with anyone but us tore me up inside. In those weeks when it was just the three of us, Coltonnguishing in the periphery but no longer connected to us, y and I had talked often about how we wanted it to go down when we finally marked our mate. With Colton rejoining the bond and the intensity of her heat, that n was shot to hell. Still, I wanted it to be special. ¡°Oh fuck!¡± Mallory¡¯s warm hand around my cock broke me out of the trance she had me in. She had pushed up to her knees, y¡¯s cock shoved down her throat while she stroked Colt¡¯s dick and now mine. It was the hottest fucking thing I¡¯d ever seen! I yanked on my sac hard to keep froming. ¡°Damn, little wolf! Your mouth feels like fucking fire wrapped around my cock! I can¡¯t wait to slide inside your warm pussy!¡± A long, deep moan oozed from Mallory¡¯s lips around y¡¯s cock at his dirty talk. She was sucking him like she was trying to drain him dry and she probably was. An Alpha¡¯s cum was soothing to a she-wolf in heat and we were more than happy to give her as much as she wanted. y threw hishead back on a groan as she took him to the hilt and swallowed, her throat convulsing around his tip. Suddenly, she pulled back, swirling her tongue over his leaking slit before popping off and turning to me. Her wide eyes blinked up at me owlishly and her mouth opened like a baby bird waiting to be fed. Never one to disappoint, I slipped my throbbing length past her plush lips, a growl rumbling in my chest. ¡°Shit! It feels like I just stuck my cock in a fucking furnace!¡± I gritted out. I ran my fingers through Mallory¡¯s soft, satiny hair then coiled it around my fist. She rxed in my grip and let me fuck her face ruthlessly. I could feel the need to rut taking over but I pushed it back, wanting to remember every moment of marking her. ¡°Alphas, please! I need-, please fill me up!¡± She whined and I couldn¡¯t take the pained look on her face. ¡°Colton, you heard your mate. She feels empty. Stretch her pretty pussy with your cock.¡± I barked, slipping my cock back in her mouth and grinning down at her. ¡°You¡¯re taking my cock so well, darling. You deserve a reward. Colton¡¯s going to make you feel better, okay?¡± ¡°Mmhm.¡± She hummed around my shaft, her pretty pink lips stretched beautifully around me. Colton made a choking sound as he dragged his thick length through her sopping folds. She pushed her hips back against him, her slick cunt seeking to swallow him up. Mallory whimpered as his swollen head bumped her clit over and over again. I watched as ecstasy flooded her stunning features when Colt finallygrasped her hips and mmed into her in one fluid stroke. ¡°Fucking Goddess damn hell!¡± He muttered, leaning over her back to whisper in her ear. ¡°Your hot, tight little cunt is the best thing I¡¯ve ever felt, little Omega. I love you so fucking much!¡± I was momentarily frozen, taking in his words. I had no idea they were there already but thank fucking Goddess they were. I knew I fucking loved her too and I was sure y did as well. It just made this moment so much better. Mallory whined, reminding me I had a job to do, filling every one of my little mate¡¯s holes with Alpha cum. I worked in time with Colton¡¯s thrusts to fuck her mouth while he fucked her pussy. She was spitroasted between us and the sight alone had me on edge again. ¡°Fuck, little wolf! I¡¯m gonnae!¡± y groaned as Mallory jerked him off harder. Mallory looked up at me doe-eyed and lost, unsure whether to keep sucking me or or swallow y¡¯s offering. It was fucking adorable. I dragged her off my cock by her hair and guided her to my brother¡¯s. As soon as she had him deep- throated, he shot off like a rocket. The obscene sounds Mallory made while swallowing his load, watching her get fucked at both ends was all it took to find my own release. Hot, thick strings of cum spurted from me, painting her lush tits. A shudder rocked through her as her own climax followed. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± Colton grunted, releasing into her weeping hole. He pulled Mallory back against his chest, holding her tight as she slumpedagainst him. He cooed to her, praising her and telling her what a perfect mate she was, basically worshiping the ground she walked on. I knew exactly how he felt. ¡°You were such a good girl for your Alphas, little wolf.¡± y added his praise. ¡°I think you earned our marks. Are you ready for that?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± She keened. ¡°That¡¯s my girl. We want to all bite you at the same time. Can you handle all three of us?¡± I posed, hoping she was up for the challenge. ¡°Please! I need you! All of you.¡± It was all I needed to hear. I lifted her off Colton to help her kneel then slid my hand down to cup her perfectly round ass, pressing her fucking gorgeous tits to my chest. Her beaded nipples grazed my sensitiveskin, sending ripples of pleasure through me. I took her mouth in a filthy kiss, fucking her with my tongue. ¡°Okay, darling, it¡¯s going to be a tight fit, but we¡¯re going to make this work. You¡¯re going to be so full! We¡¯re gonna make you feel so good. Now shoulders on the mattress and ass in the air for Colton, love.¡± I cupped my hands behind her neck and guided her face to the mattress. ¡°Colton¡¯s going to take your ass, baby. Is that okay, little wolf?¡± y checked in with her. Colton¡¯s eyes went wide at that revtion, not being in on the n. Mallory muttered something that sounded like a ¡°fuck yes¡± but morphed into a needy mewl. ¡°I don¡¯t-, I never.¡± Colton stumbled out,¡°Same concept, different hole, bro.¡± I snorted, making him scowl at me. Mallory wiggled her hips, shaking her pert ass in his face and his scowl turned to molten desire in a heartbeat. He ran his fingers through the slick dripping from her core and smeared it around her tight pucker, slipping one finger inside. After a few strokes, he added another, scissoring them and stretching her hole. Precum was streaming from his cock and he used it to lube up his shaft. I petted Mal¡¯s hair with one hand while pumping my cock on long,nguorous strokes with the other. y was stretched out beside our mate, nting kisses on her shoulder and jaw while muttering encouraging words in her ear. ¡°Ah, Fuck!¡± She cried when Colt¡¯s tip pushed inside her ass. He froze, stroking her back with his palm to soothe her. ¡°You¡¯re okay, little Omega. I¡¯ll never hurt you.¡± He assured her. ¡°I¡¯m good. It¡¯s good.¡± She moaned, pushing back and taking more of him. ¡± Just so full. Your cock is so big.¡± The smug grin on Cotlon¡¯s face at thament almost made me bark out ugh but I held it back. As he workedhimself in to the root, his smirkmorphed into a frown of raptconcentration. ¡°So tight. Fuck!¡± Colton grunted. ¡°Good. Now pull her back to your chest andy back with her.¡± I instructed when he was all the way in and Colton followed through. ¡°Perfect, now slide your hands under her thighs and pull her knees up to her chest. Spread her open for us.¡± ¡°Your pussy looks beautiful like this, baby.¡± I gushed. ¡°So puffy and pink, swollen from Colton fucking you. Glistening with slick, so ready for your Alphas.¡± ¡°Get inside her!¡± Colton gritted out. ¡± It¡¯s fucking killing me. I need to move.¡± yughed into Mallory¡¯s mouth where he was kissing her with a filthy reckless abandon. I pressed my swollen tip inside her and Mallory gasped. I wasrger than both my brothers and it was going to take some work for y and I to both fit. But she was drenched for us so I had faith we could make it happen. ¡°Oh fuck! Oh goddess!¡± Mallory panted when I slid in to the hilt. ¡°You okay, love?¡± Colton checked in, though it sounded like it hurt for him to form words. ¡°So good.¡± She breathed out. I angled my body slightly to the side tomake room for y to join me. Hescooted in beside me and ran histhrobbing length between her lips,battering her clit with the head of hiscock. She clenched around me and fromthe strangled sound Colton made, Iassumed he got the same treatment. When he had her so close to climax she was literally gushing slick around my cock, y pushed in an inch. ¡°No. no no, I can¡¯t!¡± Mal started to panic, thrashing her head back and forth on Colt¡¯s chest, her hair flying in his face. ¡°Shh! Shh! It¡¯s okay, darling.¡± I stroked her face, her arms, her tits, calming her. I leaned forward and sucked one hard nipple in my mouth, swirling mytongue around it while I massaged around it with my hand. y reached down to pinch and tug the other tight little bud the way he knew drove her mad. She threaded her hands in my hair, pulling at my blond curls, a carnal moan escaping her. The distraction allowed y to inch his cock in next to mine. We were both hard as steel and I knew neither of us wouldst long. The look on Cotlon¡¯s face told me he was hovering dangerously close to the edge as it was. Then we all started to move. y and I alternated thrusting in and out while Colton fucked up into her ass with animalistic grunts. Mallory was babbling incoherently, tears spilling from her eyes. ¡°I-, I-, oh fuck!¡± She screamed, her entire body quaking with the ferocity of her orgasm. ¡°Fuuuck!¡± Colton growled while y and I gritted our teeth, breathing through our nose, trying desperately not toe. ¡°Sit her up!¡± y ordered when she finally came down. Colton sat up with her, his cock still buried in her ass, while y and I sat back on our heels, still deep in her pussy. Her knees were still bent to her chest, trapped between us so she couldn¡¯t move. We all gripped her waist, bouncing her on our cocks. ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, too sensitive.¡± Mal mumbled, her head resting on Colton¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can. Little wolf. You want our bites? Come for us one more time and you can have them. Gonna mark you all up, little one.¡± y promised.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Mallory¡¯s voice was cracked, rough from screaming. ¡°So tight, taking our cocks so good, baby. You should see your pussy stretched around our cocks, so pretty.¡± I murmured, ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m gonnae. Need you toe now, love!¡± ¡°I-, II-love you.¡± She sobbed, overwhelmed with pleasure. ¡°Fuck, I love you too, darling.¡± I held her chin, locking eyes with her so she could read the truth in them. ¡°I love you beyond words, little wolf.¡± y said, leaning in to press the tenderest kiss to her lips despite the feral way we were fucking her. ¡°You know I love you too, little Omega.¡± Colton added, already licking his chosen spot on her neck. ¡°Bite me! Mark me! Please!¡± Mallory cried. Her cunt convulsed around us in pulsing waves that went on and on. Slick gushed from her core, drenching my pelvis. y ducked his head, sinking his teeth into her slender neck while Colton bit the other side. The second my canines pierced the swell of her breast, my cock exploded. Mallory was shrieking but only bliss flooded me through our newlypleted bond. Heat rushed over me as y¡¯s release mixed with my own. Colton looked like he¡¯d been struck by lightning, his face filled with awe. Joy coursed through all of us at finally having bonded with our fated mate. She was finally mine! Ours! Chapter 94 by Cara Anderson Ch. 94 Conspiracy Mallory¡¯s POV Colton rolled me onto my side and propped a pillow under my top leg, bending it at the hip to spread me open for him. He entered me from behind, fucking into me brutally. With his fist in my hair, he wrenched my head back to take my mouth in a filthy, dirty, open -mouthed kiss. I reached over my head to tug at his short blond strands, intent on locking him in ce. ¡°You love it when I wreck this tight little cunt, don¡¯t you baby?¡± His lips still brushed mine, as if he wasn¡¯t willing to separate from me even to speak I just gripped his hair tighter and moaned into his mouth in response,mming my hips back to meet his thrusts. It was rough and raunchy. The sounds of flesh pping filled the room. And I loved every minute of it. Something changed between Colton and I when he marked me,pleting our bond. Having a direct line to another person¡¯s soul came in handy. Suddenly, he could feel that he wasn¡¯t going to break me, that I wanted him to stop treating me with kid gloves and take what he needed from me. And I could feel that he loved me sopletely, so irrevocably, it made me feel safe to trust him with my heart and my body. And fuck did the man know how to use my body. He fucked like a wild animal, my heat calling to the beast inside him. But through it all, I could still feel his tenderness, his reverence for me. ¡°The shower is-, what the fuck? Again?¡± y had gone to start the shower for us and came back to find his brother rutting me again. ¡°Another pang.¡± Colton grunted by way of exnation. ¡°Had to help her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been four fucking days.¡± yined on my behalf. My heat had been severe and all my mates nearly crumbled every time a wave hit me and my body shuddered in pain. We had thought it was fading so Cary had gone to make some food and y had offered to help me clean up. Thankfully Colton had stayed with me or I would have been curled in a ball, a miserable, sobbing mess. ¡°Let¡¯s go, little Omega.¡± Colton was undeterred, banding his arm around my waste and lifting me up with his cock still throbbing inside me. He set me on my feet under the warm stream and braced my arms against the tiled wall, then clutched my hips in a bruising grasp and pounded into me , again. y stepped in behind us but quickly insinuated himself between me and the wall. Hisrge hands enveloped my face, fingers massaging my scalp while his thumbs caressed my cheekbones. His gentle, licking kisses were a direct contrast to his brother¡¯s savage impaling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little wolf. We shouldn¡¯t have left you.¡± The deep remorse in y¡¯s whispered apology made me whimper. ¡°S-okay. Thought I was done, too.¡± I managed between thrusts.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can I help?¡± He asked and I nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Turn her around Colt!¡± Colton continued to pump into me but his pace slowed. I could see he and y were having a silent conversation over my shoulder. The wicked grin that spread across y¡¯s face at whatever they¡¯d agreed on sent a fresh wave of delicious anticipation running throughme. y pulled me into his chest, effectively dislodging Colt¡¯s cock, and flipped me around. He lifted me up as Colt stepped into me, pulling my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. ¡°Reach down and put my cock in your dripping hole, little one. ¡°Colton ordered. Of course I obeyed, but not without a little teasing first. I stroked his shaft in my wet hand, squeezing the tip on every pass, until he growled at me. He spanked me, but not hard, making megiggle which earned another impatient growl. Finally, I notched his plush head at my entrance and sunk down on his thick length with a satisfied moan. ¡°My turn¡± y murmured in my ear, his hands trailing up and down my sides, teasing my breasts. He reached beneath me, sliding his fingers through my folds and circling the ce Colton and I were joined, collecting the copious slick pouring from me. Two slick-coated fingers abruptly prated my back hole, fucking my ass gently in short, scissoring strokes. The next thing I knew, he was slipping his fat cock inside. My ass had been fucked so thoroughly by each of them over the past few days, little preparation was needed at this point. So it didn¡¯t take y long to work all the way in. But with the two ofthem fully seated inside me, I felt like I might explode. ¡°So full! Fuck, yes!¡± My head fell back on y¡¯s shoulder as they both plowed into me. ¡°You like that little wolf?¡± I knew y expected and answer but I was too far gone. ¡°Mmmhmm.¡± I managed to nod. ¡°Words, little wolf!¡± He smacked my ass, making me jolt. ¡°Y-yes.¡± I moaned. ¡°Yes, what?¡± He demanded. ¡°Um, what was the question?¡± I raised my head from y¡¯s shoulder, looking to Cotlon for help but he just smirked. ¡°Oh, you are in so much trouble, little Omega.¡± He grinned evilly. y tipped my chin back to look at him then murmured against my lips. ¡°You¡¯re being a naughty little mate, aren¡¯t you? Your Alphas are working so hard to give you indescribable pleasure and you can¡¯t even answer one tiny little question.¡± His voice was cool but yful affection pulsed through the bond. ¡°Maybe you should spank me.¡± I taunted. He just snarled and took my mouth in a punishing kiss. I was so lost to his kiss and the perfect way Colton¡¯s cock dragged over my g-spot at this angle, my orgasm snuck up on me. I rocked my hips between them, enjoying the sublime feeling of being stuffed full of their cocks. y reached around to finger my swollen clit, forcing unintelligible sounds to spill from me. Then as one, they dippedtheir heads to my neck and sunk their fangs into their fresh marks. My soul escaped my body as I screamed in pleasure. Every cell sang with ecstasy as my orgasm rocked through me. Both holes clenched so tight, spasming around their cocks, that both men stilled, grunting as they erupted inside me. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re sucking the life outta my cock, little wolf.¡± y ground out, shuddering behind me as his orgasm continued to wrack through him. ¡°So Goddess damn perfect.¡± Colton praised through gritted teeth. My head fell forward on Cotlon¡¯s shoulder as we all panted through the aftermath. My jaw clenched as he and y gently withdrew from my well- used pussy and ass. I walked on my own power since my heat started but I was beginning to wonder if I would be ableto manage it, as sore as I was. Feeling eyes on me, my head snapped up to see Cary standing outside the shower with an inscrutable look on his face and a fluffy towel in his outstretched hands, waiting to wrap me up. How long had he been watching us? ¡°Fuck me.¡± He grumbled, then yanked open the shower door and snatched me away from his brothers. He walked with me to the vanity and set me on the counter, drying me gingerly from head to toe. He helped me slip into somefy sleep shorts and pulled one of his t-shirts over my head, then lifted me in his arms again. ¡°I made you some pancakes and eggs, darling.¡± He said softly. ¡°Thank you!¡± I beamed up at him then leaned in for a kiss. He kissed me so tenderly at first, then turned up the heat, licking at the seam of my lips and slipping his tongue inside. We kissed until we were both breathless, and when I pulled back, he was looking at me like I hung the moon. I pressed one more soft kiss to his luscious lips because I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°I love you, Cary. Thank you for taking care of me.¡± I told him, earning a proud smile. Cary sat me in hisp in the kitchen and fed me bites of pancakes, refusing to let me feed myself. y and Colton joined us but he snarled at them any time they tried to get close to me. I ran my hair through his curls, massaging his scalp soothingly and let him know through our bond that I was right where I wanted to be. After four days of non-stop sex, it felt so good to share a moment of peace with my mates. Then a thought urred to me. ¡°We were out of groceries before we left for Hazelwood. Where did you get the ingredients for this breakfast?¡± ¡°Oh, our moms brought groceries and a few meals by the first night of your heat.¡± y shrugged. ¡°You didn¡¯t think one of us cooked what we fed you in between rounds did you?¡± I blushed furiously, because yeah,that¡¯s exactly what I thought. And itwas beyond embarrassing to thinkLuna and my mother were here duringany of that. I didn¡¯t remember muchbut I remembered that none of us wereparticrly quiet. How was I ever goingto face them again? ¡°Darling, it¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. Heats are natural for she-wolves.¡± Cary seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. ¡°Besides, they probably saved our lives. You were insatiable those first few days. None of us could have left you long enough to do the shopping or cook a meal. We would have died of starvation and dehydration.¡± ¡°If that was meant to make me feel better, it failed epically. I don¡¯t want to even think about my mother hearing my sex sounds.¡± I buried my head in Cary¡¯s chest shyly. ¡°I happen to love your sex sounds, little Omega.¡± Colton chimed in. ¡°So do I, little wolf.¡± y agreed, ¡°In fact, they¡¯re my favorite sounds in the world.¡± ¡°Mmhm.¡± Cary concurred. ¡°I love them so much, I want to hear themevery day,¡± My face was beet red and they were doing it on purpose. I could tell by their identical amused expressions. I hid my face in my hands but Cary pulled them away under the guise of feeding me more pancakes. His hand froze mid air, the fork with a speared piece of pancake hanging an inch from my mouth. A knock on the door had us all taken aback, wondering who would be brazen enough to interrupt Alphas whose mate was in heat. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Colton restrained a growl as he shoved his chair back and stomped from the room. Muffled words were exchanged as we all strained to listen but I couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying. The confused looks on y and Cary¡¯s facessaid they were just as clueless. It wasn¡¯t until Colton returned with an envelope in his hand and wearing a stricken expression that I knew something was very wrong. ¡°What is it?¡± y barked irritatedly in an attempt to hide his concern. But I could read the fear in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve been summoned to appear before the council to answer for Quade¡¯s death. They are using us of conspiracy.¡± Chapter 95 by Cara Anderson Ch. 95 The Council Mallory¡¯s POV My mates all looked devastatingly handsome in their ck, perfectly tailored three-piece suits. Aware that I was openly staring, I bit my lip as my stomach did a little flip. They were gorgeous and they were all mine. Unfortunately, the reason for their more formal attire put a damper on my otherwise raging libido. We were headed to a preliminary hearing at the Council headquarters in rtion to the murder conspiracy charge leveled against us. It waspletely ludicrous but apparently the Council didn¡¯t see it that way. Nathan would be bringing Darcy from Hazelwood and meeting us there. With overwhelming evidence that Quade died by her hand, she was beingcharged with his murder but we had no exnation for why we were being used of colluding with her. I supposed we would find out soon enough. ¡°Stop that!¡± Cary chided, pulling my pinky fingernail from between my teeth. ¡°Everything will be fine, darling. This is all just a big misunderstanding. One we will clear up with the council today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something feels off.¡± I shook my head, clearing away the thought. I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on why I felt that way. ¡°Maybe once we meet with the council we¡¯ll have a better understanding of what¡¯s going on.¡± y interjected. A few minutester, we were all loaded into one of the pack SUVs and on our way to the city where the Council headquarters were located. Today wasjust a preliminary hearing to discuss the charges and would hopefully be short-lived. Now that my heat was over, the triplets were anxious to have Dr. Diaz check on the pups while we were in the city if time allowed. I¡¯d rolled my eyes when they¡¯d announced that n to me. Their heartbeats were strong and I¡¯d even started feeling little flutters of movement. Emily was going to fire me as a patient if they didn¡¯t get their first- time dad jitters under control. Within the hour, we were walking into the cavernous space that housed the Council headquarters. My heels clicked on the tile floor, echoing through the halls as we walked to our appointed courtroom. My palms were sweaty and I couldn¡¯t help wiping them on my tight, ck pencil skirt. ¡°The sexy secretary look is really doing it for me. Maybe when we get home we can meet in the office for a little role y.¡± Colton leaned in and whispered in my ear. y snorted next to him, obviously having heard hisment. My cheeks flushed, part embarrassed, part intrigued by the idea. I reminded myself it wasn¡¯t the time or ce for such thoughts before my arousal perfumed the entire building. It did help me rx a bit to know my mates were unfazed enough by our current circumstances to tease me. There was an undercurrent of worry through the bond but it wasn¡¯t overpowering. I wasn¡¯t as optimistic as they were that our case would be dismissed but I appreciated their attempts to calm my nerves. ¡°Nathan.¡± Colton shook his hand when we entered the room to find himalready there with Darcy and her mate. ¡°What do you think this trumped up conspiracy charge is all about?¡± Nathan talked quietly with him while my other two mates led me to our seats and sat me between them. The room was set up like a typical courtroom where the Council would be seated on an elevated tform while we, the defendants, were seated facing them at a long table that stretched almost the entire width of the room. Darcy was seated at the end of the table with her ever-present mate standing guard behind her. I sent her what I hoped was a reassuring smile and waved. Darcy looked like she hadn¡¯t slept in weeks. Her hair wasnk, her skin sallow, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Her hands rested in herp under the table but it did nothing to hide the way they trembled. Bradenher mate, put a steadying hand on her shoulder and she peeked up at him with, if not a smile, at least a grateful nod. I was just rising from my seat to go sit by her when the council members filed in. Cary squeezed my thigh to keep me still, but I couldn¡¯t stop the shudder that rocked through me as the energy in the room suddenly felt stifling. There were four of them, two men and two women. Both women and one of the men appeared to be middle-aged while one of the men seemed to be a bit younger. He also seemed to have a permanent sneer etched on his face while the other three wore polite but professional expressions. ¡°Thank you for joining us today.¡± The older gentleman greeted us. ¡°Like we had a choice.¡± y scoffed under his breath. ¡°My name is Arthur Owens. To my right is Roselyn Martin.¡± He nodded to the woman with a blonde pixie cut and cat-eye sses. ¡°Next is Nora Connely and Miles McIntyre is at the end.¡± Darcy sucked in a sharp breath at Miles ¡®introduction. Whether it was coincidental or the name meant something to her, I wasn¡¯t sure. Nathan leaned in to whisper something to her but she shook her head curtly and looked away. I would have to ask him about thatter.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°We are here to review the charges anddetermine how the trial will proceed.¡± Arthur seemed to be the Council head although he hadn¡¯t introduced himself as such. ¡°If I might interrupt, Arthur.¡± Miles broke in, earning a look from Arthur that clearly said he could not interrupt but Miles was undeterred. ¡°Given theseverity of the charges and overwhelming evidence, I would like to suggest we forego any subsequent hearings and rule on the matter today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Colton was on his feet, his lips turned up in a snarl. ¡°We haven¡¯t even heard the evidence, let alone had a chance to prepare a defense. You can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°I assure you, we can.¡± Miles smirked. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Arthur barked. ¡± Alpha Collins, please take your seat. Miles, you will have a chance to put forth your rmendation AFTER the charges have been read and the used has had a chance to rebut them, as is our process.¡± Miles looked like he¡¯d tasted something sour but didn¡¯t argue further. The charges were read and the evidence against Darcy was listed. None of it was a surprise. The only thingmissing was for her to present a motive, something my testimony could help corroborate. ¡°Not guilty.¡± I added my plea to my mates¡¯ when we were asked how we would respond. ¡°We didn¡¯t conspire to murder Alpha Quade. We were shocked to hear he was dead though I won¡¯t hesitate to say we¡¯re all better off for it.¡± ¡°So you deny that you were conspiring to depose Alpha Quade before his death?¡± Miles questioned. ¡°That you were working with Alpha Nathan Richardson to infiltrate his pack and petitioning allied packs to lend their warriors for an attack?¡± ¡°No! I mean, that¡¯s not-¡± He had me flustered and my words were getting all jumbled. ¡°So you don¡¯t deny it?¡± Miles attacked again. ¡°Miles! You will give the defendant a chance to speak.¡± I offered Arthur a weak smile but he just nodded for me to continue. ¡°Thank you sir. While parts of that statement hold some truth, it was woefully misconstrued.¡± I took a deep breath before proceeding. ¡°It came to my attention that Alpha Quade may have been mistreating the members of his pack. As Hazelwood had been my parents¡¯ pack before Quade murdered them, I felt a responsibility to investigate. ¡°Alpha Quade is not on trial here!¡± Miles boomed. ¡°Maybe he should be!¡± y growled, but backed off when I squeezed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m only exining why I felt invested in what was happening inHazelwood. We had no desire to take over his pack and if we had found the rumor unfounded, would have left him in peace. Unfortunately, he had me kidnapped and tried to force me to bond with him before our investigation wasplete.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hearsay, Ms. Edwards.¡± Miles interjected again. I wanted to punch him in is stupid face. ¡°You have no proof.¡± ¡°Actually she does.¡± Darcy spoke up, surprising us all. ¡°While being held as Quade¡¯s prisoner, I overheard him nning it with a few of his men.¡± ¡°Forgive me for not putting much faith in the word of a murderer.¡± Miles scoffed. ¡°He deserved to die after what he did to me!¡± I was shocked as hell but so proud of Darcy for sticking up for herself. ¡°Again, I must insist we get back on track.¡± Arthur sounded exasperated at having to admonish us again. ¡°I for one would like to hear the rest of what Ms. Edwards has to say.¡± Pixie cut said. ¡°Indeed.¡± the other woman, Nora, agreed. ¡°Of course. Um, while captive at another of Quade¡¯s properties, he attempted to forcefully bond me. I was able to fight him off and ultimately, my mates found me.¡± I borated. ¡°He was being held for trial and we were actively tracking witnesses for our case. Why would we do that if we nned to kill him? Though after what I witnessed him do to Darcy, I¡¯m not surprised she snapped.¡± ¡°Are you alleging Ms. Norris acted alone?¡± Arthur requested rification. ¡°I¡¯m not alleging anything! We did not conspire to have Quade murdered! People do terrible things to escape their abusers. But given Darcy¡¯s mental state thest time I saw her, I would not have deemed her capable of conspiring with anyone. She was little more than a broken shell and nearly catatonic.¡± I argued. ¡°Thank you Ms. Edwards. Ms. Norris will be given a chance to plead her own case separate from the conspiracy charge.¡± Miles sneered. ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Collins now, actually.¡± Cary butted in, pulling aside the cor of my blouse to bare my marks, then looked at me and shrugged. ¡°I just thought if he was going to use you of something so heinous, the least he could do is get your name right.¡± I red at him. Not that I wasn¡¯t proud to be bonded to them but he only said itto ruffle Miles¡¯ feathers and that wasn¡¯t what we needed at the moment. The man was hateful enough as it was. Cary wasn¡¯t the least bit daunted by my re though, shing me a beaming smile in return. ¡°Congrattions.¡± Miles responded dryly. ¡°I apologize, Mr. McIntyre.¡± Anyone who missed the sarcasm in my voice was not the brightest bulb in the box. ¡± As there is no question she murdered him, I simply thought her state of mind was relevant in that she wouldn¡¯t be a viable choice for a co-conspirator.¡± This guy obviously had it out for us. I just couldn¡¯t understand why. The other three members seemed to be genuinely interested in hearing our side of the story but Miles took every opportunity to condemn us without cause. I had to wonder if he was just agenuine asshole or if he had other motives. Arthur and the coucilwomen asked a few more rifying questions but Miles waspletely uninterested in what we had to say or anything resembling justice in the case. He was chomping at the bit for his turn to speak so he could ask for our heads on a silver tter. Finally, Arthur nodded his direction, the signal for him to speak. ¡°As I see it, the facts in this case are clear. We have witnesses who will testify to firsthand knowledge of ck Moon and Winter Woods intent to mobilize against Alpha Quade. They will also testify that Ms. Norris and Mrs Collins,¡± he emphasized my mated name snidely, ¡°were found together in Quade¡¯s property after attacking him. ¡°When that attack did not result in his death, Ms. Norris finished the job pertheir n so as to gain them ess to Hazelwood pack. In other words, they conspired together in order to avoid a direct challenge that Mrs. Collins had no hope of winning. ¡°I move to pass sentence here and now as any further trials would be a waste of this council¡¯s valuable time.¡± Miles concluded. ¡°We will take a fifteen minute recess to discuss and return with our decision.¡± Arthur announced. As soon as they left the room, I moved to Darcy¡¯s side, impatient to speak with her. My mates all followed me, curiosity zinging through the bond. ¡°I heard you gasp when Miles was introduced. What do you know, Darcy?¡± I took her hand, offering her strength. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I remember overhearing Quade on thephone with someone he addressed as Miles. And I know I heard his men mention a Miles McIntyre. Quade knew him. That much I do know.¡± ¡°If he was close to Quade, it could exin why he is gunning for us after his death.¡± Colton suggested. ¡°Quade didn¡¯t strike me as the kind of person to have particrly close ties with anyone.¡± y observed. ¡°We need to investigate their rtionship.¡± ¡°If we get a chance. If Miles gets his way, we¡¯ll all be in a Council prison, unable to investigate anything.¡± I reminded them, shivering at the thought. ¡°We won¡¯t let that happen!¡± Cary was seconds away from wolfing out. ¡°No matter what happens, we¡¯ll make sure you and our babies are safe.¡± They all wrapped their arms around me, holding me close until the Council returned. When they finally re-entered the courtroom, we all took our seats to await their verdict. Miles¡¯ face was lobster red and he appeared to be fuming. It was the only thing that gave me hope this would go our way. ¡°After considering your testimony, we believe further investigation is warranted. You will be given two weeks from today¡¯s date to build your case and protect witnesses.¡± Arthur announced and my heart thudded in relief. ¡°If you fail to appear, we will assume guilt and you will be arrested on sight.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± Colton acknowledged their decision. Court was adjourned and Miles stormed from the room. We may have been given a two week reprieve, but something told me that man wouldn¡¯t rest until we ended up in prison or dead. Chapter 96 by Cara Anderson Ch. 96 Dangerous Mallory¡¯s POV After the disaster that was our preliminary hearing at the Council headquarters, we made a quick stop at City General so Dr. Diaz could reassure my mates that their pups were fine. They were, of course. She offered again to tell us their gender but we still steadfastly refused. Though, for a moment I thought I saw Colton waiver. ¡°Do you want to know the babies¡¯ sex?¡± I asked when we were cuddled up in the backseat together on our way back to ck Moon. ¡°Not if you don¡¯t.¡± He answered a little too quickly. I raised my eyebrow at him in an ¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a second¡± gesture. He sighed and finallyexined himself. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to ruin the surprise. And I especially don¡¯t want to ruin it for you. It¡¯s just that they aren¡¯t even here yet and I¡¯m worried about their future. My brothers and I are extremely lucky that we are all willing to share the Alpha role. ¡°What if they¡¯re all boys and the eldest doesn¡¯t want to share? I don¡¯t want there to be any animosity between them.¡± He admitted. ¡°What if they¡¯re all girls?¡± I gasped dramatically, teasing him. The hugest grin spread across his face and his eyes twinkled as he looked back at me. ¡°Three beautiful little girls, with waves of dark curls and gorgeous hazel eyes just like their mother? Nothing would make me happier.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. He had that awestruck look on his face again, like I was a priceless treasure and he couldn¡¯tprehend how he¡¯d been given such a gift. I pressed my thighs together, staving off the aching need that always welled up inside me when he looked at me that way. He cupped my head and pulled me in for a tender kiss that only left me craving more. But I could still feel his concern thrumming like a steady undercurrent in the bond. Sighing, I forced myself to focus on the conversation and not stripping him naked in the backseat of the car. ¡°Colton,¡± I ced my hands on either side of his face and brought his gaze to mine, ¡°No matter what gender these babies are, they are going to have the four of us to guide them. You and y and Cary are going to be wonderful fathers and teach them by example toalways be a team, just like the three of you are.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± He agreed, rxing into my side. ¡°Of course she is!¡± y chimed in from the front seat, winking at me in the rearview mirror. ¡°She¡¯s always right.¡± ¡°Except when she¡¯s very naughty and needs a spanking.¡± Cary¡¯s cheekyment earned him a punch in the arm. ¡°You like it when I¡¯m naughty!¡± I teased. ¡°Yeah, I do!¡± He grinned like an idiot. As our yful banter died down, the monotony of the road and the stress of the day caught up with me and I drifted to sleep between my mates. The next thing I knew, Cary was lifting me from the car to carry me inside. Heid me gently on our bed and tucked the coversaround me while he and his brothers started pulling out suitcases to pack our bags. After the hearing, we had discussed a n with Nathan and after much convincing, he agreed. Nathan would officially take over as Alpha of Hazelwood, and since Winter Woods was such a small pack, he would relocate them to Hazelwood,bining the two packs. I was more than content to relinquish my Alpha im and solely focus on bing the future Luna of ck Moon, especially with three babies on the way. Our hope was, Goddess forbid we were convicted by the Council court, that Hazelwood would remain under Nathan¡¯s leadership. We would testify that he was unaware of our ns for Alpha Quade and was only peripherally involved as an ally offering support. None of us wanted him to pay for acrime we hadn¡¯t actuallymitted. And it was bing clearer by the day that his mate, Charlie, needed his steady presence to ovee her trauma at Quade¡¯s hands. With that as our n, we were preparing to divide and conquer. Colton would take me to Hazelwood to search for anything belonging to my parents I may want to hold on to. Then the two of us would help Nathan establish structure within the pack and determine which rebuilding projects to prioritize since the ce had fallen into disrepair under Quade¡¯s rule. Meanwhile y and Cary would travel to each of Quade¡¯s known properties, spreading the news of his death and hopefully find witnesses to his atrocities who would be willing to testify now that he was gone. In our spare time, if we managed to find any, all of us would research Miles McIntyreand his connection to Quade. With only two weeks to work with, we were all feeling the pressure. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep while the three of you are working.¡± I grumbled, shoving the nkets away and attempting to crawl out of bed. ¡°You are working!¡± y insisted, gently pushing me to lie down again. ¡± You are busy growing three pups. You need to rest. Do not get out of that bed!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I smirked at him. ¡°You¡¯re ying with fire, little wolf!¡± He growled yfully, caging me in with his huge frame. ¡°Mmm. Want to show me what it feels like to get burned.¡± I taunted. But suddenly his weight was lifted off me and an angry looking Colton was snarling at him. ¡°You work. She rests!¡± He barked. y put up his hands in surrender and went back to packing. The next time I woke up, we were pulling into Hazelwood. I must have really been tired. The next morning, we had breakfast with Nathan and Charlie. y and Cary were heading out after the meal and I was not looking forward to being separated from them. My wolf had been extremely possessivetely, most likely due to the pregnancy, and I knew it was going to be rough for her to have two of her mates so far away. I distracted myself by watching the way Nathan and Charlie interacted. I chuckled to myself when I caught them watching each other when they thought the other wasn¡¯t looking. They weren¡¯t overtly affectionate, but there was no disguising the way they tookevery opportunity to touch each other, brushing hands or leaning over the other to reach for something. It was almostical. ¡°We have to get going, Darling.¡± Cary interrupted my observations. ¡°Will you walk us out?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I answered but couldn¡¯t hide the pout in my tone. He slipped his hand into mine,cing our fingers together. y came to my other side and did the same. I could feel their determination to seed in finding witnesses warring with their need to stay close to me and our pups, a tangle of emotions in our bond. It was a testament to their trust in Cotlon to leave me alone in his care. ¡°I love you, little wolf. You know that, right?¡± y said, stroking my jaw with his knuckles. ¡°We¡¯ll be back before you know it!¡± I could only nod and sniffle. Any attempt to form words would only end in sobs. He kissed me, our tongues dancing together for long moments, as if we were trying to imprint the memory in our minds. Then he stepped aside to let Cary say his goodbyes. ¡°Be a good girl for Colton, darling. Rest, eat, and take care of our pups. That¡¯s an order!¡± ¡°I will.¡± I was going for reassuring but did not sound convincing at all. He reached up and pulled my bottom lip from between my teeth, running his thumb over it and looking at me hungrily. ¡°You¡¯re making it so fucking hard for me to leave, darling. I want to sink my teeth into that pouty lip but if I do, I won¡¯t be able to stop there.¡± He said huskily. ¡°So don¡¯t go.¡± I tried. ¡°Love, you know why we have to go.¡± He sighed, resting his forehead against mine. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m making it hard for you. I love you.¡± I told him. He kissed me goodbye, but it was soft and sweet. I could feel through the bond how much it pained him to leave and anything more would break his resolve. He reluctantly released me and Colton came to stand next to me while we watched them leave. ¡°Well, I might as well get to work.¡± I announced, making a beeline back to the packhouse. Colton just nodded and walked silently beside me. He seemed to understand that I was riding the line between keeping my shit together and breaking downpletely. Once back inside, I told him I nned to start in what had been my father¡¯s office. He asked if I wantedpany but something told me I needed to face it alone. So he kissed my temple and went in search of hisptop to start his own research. Walking into the Alpha office, knowing my father had sat behind the huge mahogany desk, running the pack while I yed at his feet, all seemed so surreal. The only memories I had of him were shes from my dreams. I spun around, taking in the space. It looked nothing like the room I¡¯d seen in my nightmares. Then, the walls had been lined with family photos, framed and given pride of ce. Now the walls were bare of memories, Quade¡¯s doing I was sure. I shivered to think of that evil man in this space that he¡¯d had no right to,only his by spilling the blood of my father. I didn¡¯t want to think of him here. I wanted to turn back time, to see my father at work at his desk while my mother sat in hisp, doting on him. I wanted to see myself as a child, paper and crayons spread out on the floor while I quietly colored, just content to be in the same space with them. I would show them the picture I drew and they would ooh and aah over it like all good parents would, even if it was truly awful. I wanted something I could never have. Sinking into the plush leather chair behind the desk, I wondered if my father had sat there or if it was Quade¡¯s addition, the thought of thetter made my skin crawl. But when my eyesnded on the picture frame on the desk, a photo of a seven-year-old me smiling back, I nearly vomited. The thought of Quade keeping that pictureall these years, studying it and plotting ways to destroy me, made me physically ill. Still, it had belonged to my father before he got his tainted hands on it and knowing that sent a fierce longing coursing through me. My dad, a dad I never knew, had kept my picture on his desk because it brought him joy to look up and see me smiling at him while he worked. It felt like a connection to him and I knew I had to keep the photo. I picked up the frame and worked the back loose to remove the picture. I couldn¡¯t keep the frame when I knew Quade had touched it. I pulled the picture free and a folded piece of paper fluttered to the ground. I picked it up and examined it. It appeared to be some type ofnd deed with my father¡¯s name on it. Handwritten in pen on the edge of thepaper was a chemical form: Hg + 2NA + 2CH31 -> Hg(CH3) +2Nal The form was followed by the words ¡°neurotoxin¡± and ¡°dangerous.¡± I had no idea what it meant, but my intuition told me it was important. ¡°Colton!¡± I shouted. ¡°I found something!¡± Chapter 97 by Cara Anderson Ch. 97 Irene¡¯s Tale Colton¡¯s POV ¡°Colton! I found something!¡± Mallory shouted and I immediately came running. I hadn¡¯t been far away, just across the hall. I knew she wanted some time alone with her parents¡¯ ghosts, so to speak, but I was worried about her and my wolf wouldn¡¯t let me get too far away. When she called for me, I burst into the room like my ass was on fire. ¡°What is it? Are you okay?¡± I hadn¡¯t run that far but I still sounded breathless. ¡°Look at this!¡± She shoved a piece of paper in my face. ¡°I found it hidden behind a childhood photo of me that Quade kept on his desk.¡± My head snapped up from the piece of paper to spear her with a ¡°WTF¡± look. ¡°Yeah, I know. Super creepy. But in the scheme of things, I think keeping my picture on his desk is low on the list of Quade¡¯s disturbing behaviors. What do you think it means?¡± She scrunched her nose in that adorable way she had when she was trying to solve a particrly vexing puzzle. ¡°Some type of chemical equation.¡± She rolled her eyes at me impatiently as if to say ¡®thank you Captain Obvious.¡± ¡± Let me grab myptop and we can g*** *e it.¡± I jogged from the room and returned a minuteter with myptop in hand. Lifting Mallory from the desk chair, I sat down and settled her in myp then flipped open theputer. A quick g** **e search returned a disturbing result. Dimethylmercury, otherwise known asQuicksilver or in old Mercury. No wonder the word ¡°dangerous¡± was written beside it. Most people knew that silver was toxic to wolves. But mercury was in such short supply that no one ever mentioned how much more deadly it was. There just wasn¡¯t enough avable to make it a viable concern. Sure, silver could kill a wolf in high enough quantities, but we could also heal from it. Mercury in the bloodstream was a death sentence. Even more concerning, if someone found enough of it, it could be weaponized, aerosolized into a gaseous form that if released into the air, could kill hundreds if not thousands of wolves at once. ¡°Why would my father have this?¡± Mallory asked, her voice trembling as she read the words on the screen. ¡°I don¡¯t know, love. This looks like and deed.¡± I said, reviewing the information on the document. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Hazelwood pack had lots ofnd that had been in the Alpha family for years. Maybe this was one of the parcels.¡± ¡°Do you think this is what Quade wanted? Is this why he murdered my parents?¡± Her voice cracked and I could feel her heartache pulsing in the bond. ¡°I¡¯m not sure but we need to find out. If he knew about it and he told Miles McIntyre or anyone else for that matter, that puts us all in a very precarious situation.¡± I said, holding her tighter to my chest. ¡°If anyone with questionable motives were to get their hands on this and weaponize it, they would have a pretty clear path to ruling the world of wolves.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s still there. Why wouldn¡¯t he just get rid of it if it¡¯s so dangerous?¡± Mal asked. ¡°We will definitely need to go check it out. But this is arge plot ofnd and he was clearly hiding its existence. Mercury inrge quantities is not easy to dispose of. Large amounts of acid would be needed and that in itself is dangerous. ¡°There are so many unknowns here, Mal. We have no idea how long your father knew about the mercury. Maybe he just hadn¡¯t had time to dispose of it before Quade¡¯s attack. We also don¡¯t know how Quade found out, if that was even the reason for his takeover. We need answers.¡± I summoned Nathan to the office to inform him of Mallory¡¯s discovery and discuss what to do next. When he showed up with Charlie in tow, I sentMallory a questioning look. I wasn¡¯t sure how much we could trust Charlie or if Mal would befortable discussing our find in front of her. Mal gave one sharp nod of her head, telling me to proceed. ¡°The only person I could think to ask is Irene.¡± Charlie offered once we had exined the situation. ¡°Who is Irene?¡± Mallory asked her. ¡°She is the widow of your father¡¯s Beta. Quade killed him to get to your parents but she still lives among the pack. Mates tell each other everything, right? If the Beta knew anything, maybe she does too.¡± Charlie exined. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡± Mallory agreed. Charlie led us to a rundown cottage on the outskirts of pack¡¯s popted territory. An old woman with long silver hair and sad, gray eyes openedthe door when we knocked. As soon as her eyesnded on Mallory, her entire face transformed. ¡°You look just like your mother!¡± She eximed. ¡°I heard you¡¯de home to Hazelwood but refused to believe it until I saw you with my own eyes. And here you are!¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Mallory offered the woman her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Mallory Edwards.¡± ¡°I know who you are. Your mother was one of my dearest friends. But I knew you as Mallory Brooks.¡± The woman shoved her hand aside and enveloped her in a hug with more strength than her frail arms looked capable of. She ushered us all inside and offered us a seat in her living room while she went off to make the tea she insisted we drink. The inside of the house looked little better than the outside, tidy but in obvious need of repairs. Nathan and Iexchanged a look and he nodded, an indication he would be sending someone to help the old woman with some much needed work. Tea was served and we each took part in exining what we had found and why it was vital we find out what Quade may have known. Irene¡¯s wrinkled features took on a deathly pallor as she listened. It was clear the reminder of events that led to her husband¡¯s death still haunted her. ¡°My Henry came home one day after traveling for the Alpha and the moment he stepped in the door I knew something was very wrong. He tried to hide it from me but the bond doesn¡¯t lie.¡± She had a distant look in her eye, like she was remembering that day as if it were yesterday. ¡°Would you tell us what you remember?¡± Mallory asked softly. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. My memory isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± She blew out a deep breath, steeling herself for something obviously difficult for her to face. ¡°Your father, Alpha Parker, had been cleaning out files in his office when he found some deeds tond tracts his father left him. He asked Henry to go take a look at them, to determine if anything profitable could be done with them.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°He only made it to the first property then came straight back home. He¡¯d gone straight to the Alpha to report what he¡¯d found. He knew immediately how dangerous it would be for anyone to find out. When I finally hounded him into telling me why he was so upset, he wouldn¡¯t even say the words out loud. Insisted on whispering it to me in the bathroom with the water running. ¡°Henry was barely home after that. He and Parker always locked themselves in the office with their heads together,nning how to destroy the cache before anyone else could find it. Unfortunately, Quade attacked before they could follow through.¡± ¡°Do you think Quade¡¯s attack was a coincidence or did he know about the mercury? And if he knew, how did he find out?¡± I asked as soon as she finished her tale. ¡°He definitely knew. I¡¯m sorry to say this to you,¡± she locked eyes with Mallory, ¡°but your father¡¯s death was brutal. Quade tortured him for days for information before finally going too far. I don¡¯t think he meant to kill him because he hadn¡¯t gotten what he was looking for. ¡°Quade was in a rage for weeks after that, tearing up the packhouse and digging up thend, looking for any clue to the location of the cache. As you can tell by the coordinates on the deed,it¡¯s very remote. Not somewhere someone is likely to happen upon it if they don¡¯t know where to look.¡± ¡°So what, he just finally gave up looking?¡± Mallory wondered. ¡°Not exactly.¡± Irene chuckled darkly. ¡± He terrorized the pack, always believing someone knew something but no one did. He¡¯d convinced himself that the Hazelwood wolves were loyal to your father, which they were. But he thought if he could make you his mate, they would trust him and reveal the secret.¡± I couldn¡¯t have stopped the growl that erupted if my life depended on it. The thought of that vile fucker anywhere near my mate sent me into a rage. I wanted to bring him back just so I could murder him all over again. ¡°Does the name Miles McIntyre mean anything to you?¡± Nathan cut in,interrupting my tantrum. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of him.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for your time, Irene. You¡¯ve been very helpful.¡± Mallory offered her a warm smile. ¡°I know those weren¡¯t easy memories to recall and we appreciate your openness.¡± ¡°I was happy to help, dear. Henry died defending your parents. He would have wanted me to help you any way I could.¡± The sadness in her eyes had returned as she spoke of her mate¡¯s death. We said our goodbyes with the promise of sending someone to help her with repairs. She thanked us and waved us off. The mood was somber as we all trudged back to the packhouse. ¡°Someone had to have overheard your father and his Beta speaking about the mercury and leaked it to Quade.¡± I said, breaking the silence. ¡°You¡¯re probably right but I¡¯m not sure the who matters anymore.¡± Mallory replied. ¡°We need to find a way to destroy it before anyone else gets hurt. I have a feeling Miles knew exactly what Quade was looking for and hasn¡¯t given up on finding it just because his partner died. He wants us out of the way so he can continue where Quade left off.¡± That certainly seemed usible. But without proof, we were powerless to stop him. We just had to hope y and Cary found something useful. Because although it helped to know what we were dealing with, we were no closer to ending this ongoing nightmare. Later that night as we were getting ready for bed, I heard whimpersing from the bathroom. I rushed inside to find Mallory sitting on the tile floor with her head in her hands, crying. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry, little Omega. Tell me what¡¯s wrong so I can fix it for you.¡± I pleaded, pulling her into myp and nuzzling her neck. ¡°I¡¯m just angry and frustrated, and so damn sad!¡± She sobbed. ¡°I feel guilty because I loved my life growing up with Maeve. Buting here makes me realize the life I missed out on with two parents that loved me. And Quade took them away from me for nothing! ¡°Where did murdering my parents get him? He was nothing more than a malicious monster who terrorized innocent people in the quest for power he never realized. And now it seems Miles is trying to do the same. ¡°We can¡¯t let him, Colt. We can¡¯t let him!¡± She fisted her hands in my shirt and looked up at me with so much desperation in her eyes I nearly crumbled. Instead, I picked her up off the floor and carried her to bed, cradling her in my arms and whispering promises I prayed to the Goddess I could keep. ¡°We won¡¯t let him anywhere near this pack or your father¡¯s secrets. I swear it, Mal. Trust me. My brothers and I are going to keep you and our pups safe. We¡¯re going to keep everyone safe!¡± Chapter 98 by Cara Anderson Ch. 98 A Surprise y¡¯s POV ¡°Fuck, I miss my little wolf!¡± I told Cary when we hung up the phone. She and Colton had just called to tell us all about what Mallory found in her father¡¯s office and their conversation with the old Beta¡¯s widow. My heart ached for her as she talked about how her parents had died. I wanted so badly to cheer her up and Cary did too. Cary¡¯s idea of cheering her up, however, always leaned in a much less chaste direction. Under his guidance, we all ended up taking part in a rather dirty video sex session. Just thinking about it had me rocking a hard-on again. Cary may have given rise, no pun intended, to the idea, but my need to be in charge when it came to all things sexual quickly took over. If I couldn¡¯ttouch her, I could still take control of her pleasure. Thankfully, Colton was willing to y along, following my lead and doing everything to her luscious body I ordered him to. Watching him edge her with his tongue over and over again until she begged me to let here, then seeing her finally fall apart on mymand, it was erotic as hell! Mallory in the throes of pleasure was fucking beautiful and the sounds she made when she came were music to my ears. I came so hard, it felt like my balls deted. ¡°Fuck! I miss her too!¡± Cary agreed., shaking me out of my thoughts. ¡°We need to get the fuck back there and take her home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just as anxious as you are to do that too but we¡¯ll be letting her down if we go home empty-handed. We have to see this through, no matter how hard it is to be away from her.¡± I reminded him. ¡°I trust Colton to keep her safe. And Nathan too for that matter. But she¡¯s better protected when we¡¯re all with her. Being divided like this makes me anxious.¡± Heined. ¡°I get it.¡± I told him. ¡°But I really think Miles is banking on the Council convicting us. I doubt he¡¯ll try anything until after the final hearing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty fucking huge gamble to take with our mate.¡± He spit back, annoyed with me. ¡°Let¡¯s hope we find what we¡¯re looking for at our next stop then.¡± I needed to say an extra prayer tonight that my wish woulde true. The next morning we were on the road before the sun came up. It was a long drive to one of Quade¡¯s more remote locations and we could only hope that made it a more likely ce to stash people he didn¡¯t want to be found. Sofar, the other properties we¡¯d checked were small, with only a skeleton crew of staff who were obviously clueless. It¡¯s not like Quade was in the habit of sharing his devious master n with his servants. When we finally arrived on the border of the property line, ording to the map Charlie had procured for us, things immediately looked more promising. We hid the car a few miles away and walked in on foot but it was quickly evident that wolves patrolled the border of the area. Fortunately for us, we were pros at sneaking past border patrol. Cary and I stuck to the treeline until a fairlyrge house in the middle of a clearing came into view. A burly man whose assignment was clearly to guard the door stood like a ridiculously muscr sentinel. Luckily, Cary and I were not exactly small and there weretwo of us. ¡°Good morning!¡± I waved jauntily to the guard as I walked straight up to him, serving as a distraction. ¡°What the-¡± His words were cut off when Cary clocked him in the temple, dropping him in one shot. I pulled the zip ties out of my back pocket and made quick work of tying him up. Cary tried the door handle which happened to be unlocked. I supposed there was no need for something as redundant as a locked door when you had a six-foot five bouncer guarding it. Slipping inside stealthily, I waited while Cary scoped out the main floor. The house appeared to be an open concept floor n with the front door opening onto an expansive space. It seemed to be empty at first nce, but then voices echoed from the secondfloor. Female voices. ¡°Please Moon Goddess, let that be the women from Quade¡¯spound or at least be able to tell us where to find them.¡± I muttered a prayer under my breath. Unlike Quade¡¯s undergroundplex, this house had a single staircase along one wall. Cary and I edged along that wall as we ascended the stairs. The voices grew louder as we neared an open doorway and the sounds of a television program could be heard. We stood outside the door for a few seconds, trying to ascertain who was in the room. ¡°Good morning,dies.¡± Cary strolled through the door once we were reasonably sure they were alone. Both women startled and huddled closer together upon our entrance. I immediately recognized one of thewomen from the ce Mallory was held captive. Fucking finally.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Who else is here with you?¡± I demanded and they both flinched. Good. They better be fucking scared of me! I hadn¡¯te this far not to get what I was after and they were going to cooperate if I had to torture the information out of them. ¡°Uh, um, j-just the m-man guarding the d-door.¡± The younger of the two stuttered out, shaking with fright. ¡°He won¡¯t be interrupting our little chat.¡± Cary smirked. ¡°The men who Quade hired to kidnap our mate, where are they?¡± I barked. ¡°D-dead.¡± The older woman answered me that time. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed. I¡¯d known it was a possibility but I¡¯d still held out hope wecould find them. ¡°Are you expecting anyone else to show up here soon?¡± ¡°Only A-Alpha. Men bring in supplies but they were just here this morning so they aren¡¯t due back until next week.¡± The younger girl seemed to find her voice, batting her eyshes at me. I ignored her. As long as she kept talking, I would use her attraction to my advantage. But Cary wasn¡¯t having it, snarling at her until she looked away. ¡°You¡¯ll be waiting awhile for your Alpha to show up.¡± Cary sneered. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What?¡± The older woman gasped, sharing a look with her fellow Omega. Then suddenly, they both burst into tears. The younger one with the red hair slumped to the floor and sobbed. But the older one suddenly looked at Cary as if she¡¯d just caught on to hisgame. ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you? That¡¯s not funny if you¡¯re lying. Please tell me you¡¯re not!¡± She begged. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not lying!¡± Cary growled at her. ¡°The woman he tortured for weeks, his mate, she stabbed him to death.¡± The women fell into each other¡¯s arms and cried even harder than before. I was starting to lose my patience with their dramatic disy. The fucker deserved no one¡¯s tears. But then the older one said something that shed a whole new light on the situation. ¡°He¡¯s gone. He¡¯s really gone. You don¡¯t have to be scared anymore. He can never hurt you again.¡± she brushed the younger woman¡¯s hair back, petting her soothingly. ¡°That¡¯s enough! On your feet. We¡¯re leaving!¡± Cary ordered, having nopassion for the women who¡¯d refused to help our mate when she was at her most vulnerable. The two Omegas scrambled to their feet. I bound their hands in front of their bodies, eking out an apology as I did so. ¡°Sorry but we aren¡¯t taking any chances.¡± I muttered. ¡°Show you can be cooperative and we might take them off when we get where we¡¯re going.¡± Both nodded and walked between Cary and I willingly as we made our way back to the car. We were eager to get the hell out of there beforepany showed up. No matter how unlikely the women thought it might be. ¡°Colt? Where¡¯s Mal?¡± Cary asked when Colton answered her phone. He¡¯d called her as soon as we got back on the road to let her know we¡¯d be there soon. He had the phone to his ear but I could hear the conversation easily enough. ¡°Sleeping. It¡¯s been a rough few days for her.¡± He answered. ¡°Wait. She just woke up. I¡¯ll put you on speaker.¡± ¡°Hey, darling!¡± Cary cooed into the phone. ¡°I¡¯ve got a surprise for you.¡± ¡°A surprise? What kind of surprise?¡± Mallory used her rough, sleepy voice. The one that always made my cock stand at attention. I could just picture her rumpled hair andzy smile. ¡°y and I areing back to you.¡± He told her excitedly. ¡°And we¡¯re bringing a couple of Omegas we found at thest property. I recognize at least one of them from the day we found you.¡± ¡°What are their names?¡± I heard her ask. Cary asked for their names then ryed them to her. ¡°Regina and Evelyn.¡± He said. His answer was followed by a choking sound then obvious tears. ¡°Hey, baby! Don¡¯t cry! We¡¯ll be there soon. I can¡¯t wait to hold you in my arms.¡± He spoke soothingly to her. They talked for a few minutes longer but I was too busy trying not to crush the steering wheel in my clenched fists to listen anymore. I could not fucking stand to hear her cry and just knowing the sound of their names caused her tears made me want to ring the women¡¯s necks. Fortunately for them, they were of more help to us alive. Colton wasn¡¯t sure it was safe to bring the women to the Hazelwoodpackhouse so he directed us instead to take them to Irene¡¯s, the old woman they¡¯d met with earlier. We weren¡¯t sure the Omegas would cooperate yet but if we could convince them to testify, we¡¯d have to keep them alive until the hearing. Nathan felt fairly certain none of the remaining pack members were loyal to Quade but we couldn¡¯t be sure. The fewer people who knew they were there, the better. Cary had just taken the women inside when Colton arrived with Nathan and Mallory. The car had barely pulled to a stop before she leapt out and flew into my arms. I picked her up, letting her wrap her arms and legs around, then crushed my lips to her. Our kiss was frenzied, a reiming after being separated for too long. I fucked my tongue into her mouth just as I was dying to do to her pussy. My cock was throbbing in my pants and anembarrassing wet spot appeared from all the pre-cum I was leaking. ¡°Eh-hem.¡± Nathan cleared his throat, causing Mallory to break our kiss. I¡¯d developed a grudging respect for the guy but he was pushing his luck by interrupting our reunion. We may not have been apart all that long, but I was so far gone for the beautiful woman in my arms, even a few minutes was too long. I couldn¡¯t wait to get her somece private and get a proper wee. ¡°Oh, sorry!¡± Mallory apologized sheepishly. ¡°Where¡¯s Cary?¡± ¡°He¡¯s inside, little wolf. Let¡¯s go find him.¡± I tossed Nathan one more indignant re before carrying Mal inside. ¡°Hey, darling!¡± Cary snatched her away from me and buried his face inher neck. ¡°I missed you so fucking much. You¡¯re cuddling with me tonight.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s not fair! I missed her too!¡± I argued in protest. She reached out to me and pulled me close to them, leaning over to kiss me softly. ¡°I want to be close to both of you. We¡¯ll make it a cuddle cluster.¡± The look of excitement on her face made me weak in the knees. ¡°First we need to talk to Evelyn and Regina.¡± Cary got us back on track. Mallory nodded and stretched out her legs, forcing Cary to set her on her feet. He took her hand and guided her to the room where the Omegas were waiting. A surge of fear, anger and pity hit me as Mallory¡¯s emotions poured into the bond. I stepped into her and held hertight to my side, reminding her I was there for her as she faced the women who may not have outright tortured her, but certainly turned a blind eye to it. ¡°We have a lot to talk about.¡± Mallory found the courage to address them. ¡°If you refuse to cooperate, I cannot vouch for your safety.¡± It was a bluff. No matter what they¡¯d done, Mallory would never let any harme to them under our watch. But if we sessfully proved our case, what the Council would do to them was an entirely different matter. The women nodded in understanding, The older woman, Evelyn, maintained a stoic demeanor, but the younger woman was about to shake her way out of her own skin. When Colton addressed them in his thunderous voice, I was genuinely surprised she managed not to faint. ¡°Tell us what you know about Miles McIntyre.¡± He demanded. Evelyn¡¯s face drained of all color and her hands started to tremble. All attempts at bravery were abandoned, She¡¯d clearly heard of the man. I just hoped she knew something useful. ¡°H-he was w-working with Alpha Quade.¡± She said. ¡°H-he¡¯s my b- brother.¡± Chapter 99 by Cara Anderson Ch. 99 Good Little Wolf Mallory¡¯s POV ¡°What did you say?¡± y growled at Evelyn when she admitted to her rtion to Miles. ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± She repeated. ¡± When Quade found out I was rted to a council member, he forced an introduction. I think he was nning to ckmail him using me as leverage, but Miles has never cared about me.¡± ¡°But you said he was working with Quade. Why would he do that if it wasn¡¯t to keep you safe?¡± I probed. ¡°I can¡¯t be totally sure, but from the nature of their conversations, it sounded like Miles had turned the table on Quade, insisting he cut him in on whatever he was into or he would expose his crimes against Hazelwood.¡± She exined. ¡°And why would Quade tell you all of this? Cary sounded incredulous. ¡°Tell me?¡± She scoffed. ¡°Quade didn¡¯t tell anybody anything. He just didn¡¯t think enough of us to bother hiding it. To him, we were no more than animated objects meant to do his bidding. ¡°I don¡¯t think it ever urred to him that we might be in a position to use the knowledge against him some day. And honestly, we probably wouldn¡¯t have if he was alive.¡± She turned her head to me and stared into my eyes. You¡¯ve seen the things he would do to those who dared to step out of line. He ruled by fear and it was effective.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to need you to testify. Both of you.¡± Colton looked between Evelyn and Regina. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to testify against your brother.¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t d-do that.¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice quaked. ¡°He-he¡¯ll kill me.¡± ¡°What do you think he¡¯ll do if he finds you? He knows you worked for Quade and knows his connection to him. With Quade gone, what makes you think he won¡¯t be looking to tie up loose ends?¡± y pressed. ¡°If he really doesn¡¯t care about you, as you said, then you are just another liability to him.¡± I almost felt sorry for the woman as I watched her trembling form. She was shaking so hard I thought her teeth might crack. Not that she deserved any sympathy, but I didn¡¯t think my mates¡¯ bad cop approach was getting us anywhere either. ¡°Look, we met the Council for a preliminary hearing already. The other three members sided against Miles when he tried to have us imprisoned without a trial. I truly believe they wict against him if you testify.¡± I told her. ¡°Then he¡¯ll be behind bars where he can¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± She stuttered. ¡°We can protect you Evelyn.¡± Colton tried again. ¡°Nobody knows you¡¯re here. We¡¯ll keep you hidden until the trial. Alpha Richardson and his men will take you to the Council Headquarters and escort you out as soon as you¡¯re done with your testimony.¡± Nathan just nodded his assent at Colton¡¯s offer. He was leaning against the wall with an inscrutable expression on his face. He hadn¡¯t said a word but he was looking at Evelyn like he¡¯d thoroughly enjoy watching her bleed. ¡°Afterwards, we can ce you with an allied pack we trust and you can hide there until Miles is arrested and you feel safe. Your brother will beoverseeing the trial so he won¡¯t be able to get to you before we whisk you away.¡± Colton added. ¡°It¡¯s your only option if you want our protection.¡± y reiterated. ¡± Otherwise, we drop you off in the city and you take your chances that Miles won¡¯t find you before the trial.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll give you some time to think about it.¡± Cary thanked Irene for housing the Omegas and we all filed out. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t really drop her in the city and leave her to Miles¡¯ mercy, would you?¡± I asked when we were far enough away not to be overheard. ¡°No!¡± Colton and Cary insisted at the same time y barked ¡°Yes!¡± I leveled him with a stunned re but he just shrugged it off. ¡°You¡¯ll find there isn¡¯t much I won¡¯t do to ensure your safety or take revenge on anyone whopromises it.¡± He exined unapologetically. ¡°The only reason those women are still alive and not rotting in a cell is because we need them to testify. I could easily murder them both with my bare hands for not helping you when they had the chance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here and I¡¯m fine.¡± I coiled my arms around his waist and held him close as we walked. He growled, a deep menacing sound, but settled the longer my scent surrounded him. Nathan had stayed behind to speak with Irene but the four of us walked the rest of the way to the packhouse in silence. The discoveries of the past few days were overwhelming and we still had so few answers, but for the moment, we just needed to be together. When we arrived back at the packhouse, I attempted to release y to go fix us all a snack, but he snarled and squeezed me tighter to him. Then he flung me up into his arms and carried me to the bedroom. I looked over his shoulder at my other two mates to find Colton smirking and Cary looking a bit envious. ¡°I need you to myself for a while.¡± y¡¯s voice was raspy with need. ¡°The reminder of what you went through and no one bothered to help you, it has my wolf on edge.¡± ¡°But what about Cary? Roan must be missing Raven too.¡± I nudged. I was happy for some one on one time but I would need my other mates soon too. Even though Colton and I hadn¡¯t been separated, we were still making up for lost time and my wolf didn¡¯t like being apart from him very long. ¡°He and Colton can join uster. Right now, you¡¯re mine!¡± He nearly growled. Take off your clothes and sit on the bed.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. I hurriedly obeyed. y took his time undressing and I licked my lips, savoring every delicious naked inch of him as he revealed himself to me. He looked up with a smirk when he caught me drinking him in. ¡°Like what you see, little wolf?¡± I nodded rapidly. ¡°Well take a good look because it¡¯s thest one you¡¯ll get for a while. Scoot back on the bed.¡± He prowled towards me, running a silky piece of material through his fingers. I blinked, wondering where it hade from. I swear the man kept things like that in his pockets just in case the opportunity arose to use them. ¡°I¡¯m going to blindfold you with this, little wolf.¡± He held the material up in front of me. ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± I was already trembling with anticipation. ¡°Yes, what?¡± He pped the side of my ass. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I amended. ¡°Good girl.¡± He praised as he tied the fabric over my eyes and tested it. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to tie your hands and feet together. I want your total submission right now. I need it. I need to feel you under my control and know you¡¯re safe.¡± His tone was demanding but the vulnerability in his words was unmistakable. It made me want to give him whatever he needed so he could be at peace. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I used my sweetest, most submissive tone ¡°Fuck, you have no idea how hard it makes me when you talk like that! Hold out your hands.¡± He ordered. More silky material looped around my wrists, binding them together. y carefully checked that it wasn¡¯t too tight. Then his warm hands slid under my thighs and pulled me down until I was lying t on my back. The unexpected move made me yelp and he chuckled darkly. ¡°Bend your knees up to your chest. Just like that. Good girl.¡± He purred. More satiny softness wrapped around my ankles. I couldn¡¯t see what he was doing but I could imagine he was weaving the material between my ankles and wrist, fastening it into one of the fancy knots he was so fond of. ¡°You look fucking gorgeous all bound up andpletely at my mercy. You should see yourself, little wolf. So fucking pretty.¡± His voice was thick with lust. I was trussed up with my arms and legs locked together,pletely helpless. My leaking pussy waspletely exposed and I could feel the slick running down my ass onto the mattress below. A low, appreciative growl rumbled in y¡¯s chest. The bed dipped beside me and I could feel the warmth of y¡¯s body stretched out beside me. His hot breath tickled my ear, making me shiver. Just having him close to me sent more juices spilling from my needy cunt. ¡°y, please!¡± I whined. ¡°Do you want to try again?¡± He pped my pussy and my yelp ended in a deep moan. ¡°A-Alpha. Please.¡± I begged. ¡°No more begging, little wolf.¡± He whispered to me, brushing the side of my heavy breast with his fingers in feather-light touches. ¡°I¡¯m in charge. You¡¯ll get what I give you when I¡¯m ready to give it to you. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to fuck you so deep and dirty the walls will shake with your screams!¡± I felt him move down the bed and suddenly, his head was between my legs. He slid two fingers between my folds and spread my lower lips apart. Then he blew a stream of cold air on my clit, making me squirm. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cried. He waited for me to still, his hot breath recing the cold air. But as soon as I settled, he did it again. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. It was fucking torture. My nippleswere so fucking hard they could cut ss and my tits ached to be touched. I tried to reach for one beaded tip, to tug it and twist it between my fingers, but there wasn¡¯t enough give in my bindings. ¡°Naughty little wolf! I knew you would try to touch yourself.¡± y chuckled, smacking my ass again. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re soaked! I think you earn spankings on purpose.¡± I just moaned, because what could I say to that? He probably had a point. But he must have decided I¡¯d been punished enough because he flicked his tongue across my clit in teasing licks before eating me out in earnest. y sucked on my pussy lips, slurping up the dripping juices. His silky tongue swirled over my swollen nub in tantalizing patterns that were driving me insane. I needed to move, to thrustmy hips against his mouth but I couldn¡¯t get the leverage. Just when I thought I¡¯d lose my mind, he speared my cunt with his tongue, fucking me with it while softly pinching my clit between his fingers. The sensation was mind-blowing! I could feel the walls of my weeping sheath ripple around him. My wanton whimpers and moans filled the air as I writhed beneath him, But again, just as I was about toe, he pulled away. I was so frustrated that tears welled in my eyes, choked sobs bubbling up from my chest. ¡°Shh! I¡¯ve got you little wolf.¡± y wiped my tears away. ¡°I¡¯m going to wreck this pussy so good, baby. I promise, you¡¯re going toe so hard.¡± He squeezed my ass as he lifted my hips off the bed. Warm cum dribbled ontomy pussy as he dragged his long thick cock over it. And then, he mmed all the way in, stilling when he bottomed out. He didn¡¯t thrust, just grinded his pelvis against my clit while I stretched around his girth. But that was all it took. My pussy clenched around his cock tight as pleasure pulsed through every nerve ending. I screamed his name over and over again as I fell apart beneath him. ¡°Fuck!¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°So fucking tight, love.¡± And then he was thrusting. He punished my pussy as he pounded into me relentlessly. I felt my body being shoved up the bed with every punch of his hips. And his veiny shaft stroked my g-spot every time he pulled back. ¡°More, more, more.¡± I panted and heplied, fucking me faster and harder than ever before. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m there, little wolf.¡± His voice sounded pained but in the best way. Come for me.¡± ¡°I can-, can¡¯t,¡± I muttered. ¡°Yes, you can!¡± He barked. pping my ass. Then he pinched my clit hard and I shattered. It was so intense, I tried to wiggle away but he held me in ce. I knew I was making sounds but had no idea if they were even words or just incoherent babbling. ¡°Fuck, Mal! Love you!¡± He roared as his hot cum jetted against my walls. He grunted through his release, his body caging me in and making me feel safe and loved. As soon as he came down from his high, he released the strips of fabric and massaged my limbs. I shoved the blindfold off my face and nearly flinched at the way he waslooking at me. So much love, awe and reverence stared back at me that it made my heart clench. But beneath all that, he couldn¡¯t hide the fear and desperation he was feeling. Heid down beside me then pulled me onto his chest, banding his arms around me. ¡°Such a good little wolf.¡± He cooed, stroking my hair with one hand and my back with the other. ¡°I love you so much. Nothing is ever going to hurt you, I promise.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I murmured against his chest. ¡°I trust you to keep me safe, just like I¡¯ll keep you safe. All three of you. We take care of each other.¡± Colton and Cary wordlessly entered the room, lying on either side of us. There were hands stroking me everywhere, soothing me as I recovered from the soul-stealing ecstasy I¡¯d justexperienced. But they didn¡¯t let me rest for long. Cary was anxious to have his turn with me and he didn¡¯t care that the others were with us. We stayed up long into the night loving each other. Tomorrow we¡¯d have to face looming disaster again. But just for one night, we thought about nothing but us. Chapter 100 by Cara Anderson Ch. 100 Wild Animals Cary¡¯s POV We made the decision to stay in Hazelwood until the trial. It allowed us to keep an eye on the Omegas who¡¯d finally agreed to testify for us and help Nathan settle in as the new pack Alpha. We didn¡¯t think anyone knew we were harboring the women but I had no doubt if Miles found out, there would be an attempt on their lives. After a lot of heated discussion, we¡¯d finally all agreed it was best not to do anything that might call attention to the location or even acknowledge the existence of the mercury cache. Our little mate had fought us tooth and nail on that point and I couldn¡¯t me her for that. It was hard for her to ept that her parents had been murdered for it. Ignoring its existence like it hadn¡¯t been the sole reason their lives were destroyed felt like a personal insult to her. She wanted it eradicated before anyone else could be hurt because of it. But to destroy it required visiting the site and it would be too easy to be followed. I had no doubt Miles was having the Hazelwood borders watched, waiting for us to slip up. Unfortunately, the additional time spent here was taking a toll on Mallory, both physically and emotionally. Our pups were growing quickly but Mal was still nauseated and often exhausted. Couple that with the emotional strain of sifting through the remnants of her parents lives, orck thereof, and she was at the end of her rope. Something that had us more and more worried everyday. ¡°I need you to eat something, little wolf.¡± I heard y fussing over Mallory in the other room. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, yton!¡± She argued with him. ¡°You try eating while three gremlins are squirming around in your belly.¡± ¡°It sounds like world war three is about to erupt in the kitchen. We¡¯d better go intervene before he ties her up and force feeds her.¡± Colton chuckled dryly. He probably had a point. He¡¯d threatened it before, and I knew enough of my brother to believe him capable of it. But our little mate had a stubborn streak and she could definitely hold her own against her most dominant mate. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± I agreed. ¡°She¡¯s just as likely to rip his balls off as to let him bully her. It might be entertaining to watch but she¡¯d regret itter if we letthat happen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± Colton asked when we entered the kitchen, lifting her out of her chair and sitting her in hisp. He knew exactly what was wrong and probably even agreed with y when it came to her nutrition. But Colton was the weak link in our armor and Mallory knew it. She wrapped herself around him like a wet nket and the smug fucker grinned like an idiot. He¡¯d probably let her starve to death if it was between that and forcing her to do something she didn¡¯t want to do. ¡°Talk to your brother about that. He¡¯s obsessed with feeding me.¡± She grumbled into his chest where her face was buried.. ¡°I just want to take care of you and the pups.¡± y kneeled down beside her, lookingas repentant as he was capableof, which wasn¡¯t much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m upsetting you, love.¡± That was all it took for Mal to break out in tears. Which started a change reaction because that was all it took for me to snap. I scooped her out of Colton¡¯s arms and into mine and stomped from the room with her. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Mallory sniffled as I carried her straight out the front door of the packhouse. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some exploring of the territory and found a ce I wanted to show you. Now seems like a good time.¡± I told her, kissing her head and tucking her in close to my chest. Mallory sighed and rested her head against my shoulder. I could feel her emotions settle in the bond and it helped calm me and my wolf. I wanted to be her ce of refuge, her safe ce tond, andtely I felt like I wasfailing. We all did. ¡°None of this is your fault.¡± Mallory seemed to read my mind. ¡°You, Colton and y are taking excellent care of me. It¡¯s just a lot all at once, you know.¡± ¡°A lot?¡± I snorted. ¡°Darling, you went from thinking your mate had cheated on you to learning you were pregnant with triplets, to being kidnapped to being used of conspiring to kill your kidnapper. That¡¯s not a lot. That¡¯s insanity! ¡°You¡¯re entitled to a little meltdown here and there. No one mes you for it. But that¡¯s what you have us for. To help you get back up again. We love you, sweet girl¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± She smiled, cupping my face in her hand. ¡°Sometimes I wish I was just an Omega. I know Colton calls me little Omega because he wants me to know he epts me evenif I hadn¡¯t turned out to be an Alpha wolf. But it would be so much easier, you know. ¡°I could be at home right now, sharing this special time with our moms, resting, and letting the three of you pamper me. I know that¡¯s selfish of me but it¡¯s how I feel sometimes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not selfish, darling. It¡¯s what every pregnant she-wolf wants and it¡¯s exactly what you should have. It¡¯s what my brothers and I are going to ensure you get, as soon as the trial is over.¡± I promised. ¡°I know Maeve misses you and worries about you being under so much stress. My mom does too. ¡°If we don¡¯t get you and these babies back to ck Moon soon, the three of us might be emunicated. I¡¯m pretty sure now that you¡¯re knocked up, we¡¯ve outlived our usefulness as far as our mothers are concerned anyway.¡± Mallory giggled at that, a tinkling, melodious sound that made my heart beat faster. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Her tone was fierce. ¡°There is no way the three of you are getting out of diaper duty that easily!¡± It was my turn tough. How had I ever thought I could live without this woman? How had I convinced myself she was just an annoyance worthy of nothing more than my torment. It should have been her scorning me all along. I was never going to forget what a lucky fucker I was! ¡°Okay, close your eyes!¡± I instructed as we neared the spot I¡¯d found when I¡¯d let Roan out for a run the other day. ¡°Alright, they¡¯re closed.¡± She assured me, stering her face against my neck. I walked her out into the middle of the field and gently set her on her feet, framing her back with my hands on her hips to steady her. ¡°Open your eyes, darling.¡± ¡°Oh, Cary!¡± She gasped. ¡°Oh my Goddess! It¡¯s beautiful!¡± We were in the middle of thergest field of wildflowers I¡¯d ever seen. Every color of the rainbow swayed together in the wind, Pale pinks and periwinkle blues,venders, soft yellows and vibrant oranges sat upon bright green stalks that reached our knees. If we were to sit, we could hide among them and never be found. ¡°Thank you for bringing me here!¡± Mallory breathed, turning to slip her arms around my waist and press herself against me. ¡°This is exactly what my soul needed. To see somebeauty in the world again.¡± She raised up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine, sending fire licking through my veins. Everything about her drove me wild, her scent, her soft curves against my hard nes, and especially her taste. Her lips were my guilty pleasure and getting a taste of them was a perfect reward. I slipped my hands under her ass and lifted her up. She immediately wrapped around me like the good little girl she was and I sank to the ground. What had started as a sweet kiss of gratitude quickly turned heated as I took her lips in a filthy hot im. ¡°Fuck me, Cary!¡± She pressed my shoulders back and fell over me, chasing my lips. ¡°Please! I need you to im me. Remind me who I belong to.¡± I flipped us until she was pinned underneath me, growling into hermouth as I fucked it with my tongue. Roan came forward, demanding to im his mate and I could feel Raven, Mallory¡¯s wolf, answering his call. We fucked in the dirt in the middle of that field of flowers like the animals we were. Roan was feral with need, driving me to devour every delectable inch of her. He took her desire to be imed seriously, sinking his fangs into her neck, her tits, her ass, her thighs. She was marked up from head to toe by the time we were done with her. Hourster, as I carried her home, Mallory had a satisfied smirk on her face. She looked more content than I¡¯d seen her in weeks and my chest swelled with pride knowing I¡¯d put that look on her face. She was fucking stunning with her hair a gnarled mess, petals and leaves littered through it, and smudges of dirt on her cheeks from when I¡¯d taken her doggy-style, her face pressedinto the ground. She hadn¡¯tined once at the wild, animalistic ways I¡¯d taken her. In fact I was pretty sure neither of us hade that hard or that many times since the first night we marked her. My wolf was feeling particrly smug. ¡°Are you happy, darling?¡± I asked her as we walked back into the house. ¡°So happy. I really needed today, more than I realized.¡± She beamed up at me. ¡°What the fuck happened to you?¡± Colton roared the minute he spotted us. He snatched Mal away from me, which was fair since I¡¯d done the same to him earlier. Then his nostrils red, smelling the evidence of what we¡¯d been up to and he growled, storming away with her. ¡°Don¡¯t be a sore loser.¡± I taunted him through our link.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± He snarled back. ¡°I¡¯m taking my little Omega for a warm shower since one of her mates seems to have forgotten she¡¯s pregnant and should be treated like a princess, not rutted into the dirt like an animal.¡± ¡°She begged me to be rutted into the dirt.¡± I shot back. He just huffed and closed the link. After Colton managed to get her clean, which took much longer than entirely necessary, prompting me to assume he¡¯d done some rutting of his own, y actually got her to eat something. I may have pointed out that he had me to thank for working up her appetite which no one appreciated. Then we all fell into bed in an exhausted pile. I pulled Mallory against me with her back against my chest and rested my hand on her growling belly. She had a little bump now and I loved that herbody was expanding to amodate our pups. Coltonid down facing her and syed his huge palm out next to mine. y wasying between us with Mallory¡¯s using his hard thigh for a pillow. I couldn¡¯t imagine how that wasfortable but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. No one spoke as we all tried to find sleep, preferring to leave our problems for tomorrow. We¡¯d made it through another day with no major disasters. I¡¯d even managed to take Mallory¡¯s mind off our troubles for a little while. That was something to celebrate. But with every day that passed, we were one day closer to the trial that would decide our future. It helped to know we had an ace up our sleeve with Evelyn¡¯s testimony. But if thest couple months had taught me anything, it was to never underestimate just how much evil men were capable of. Chapter 101 by Cara Anderson Ch. 101 Dirty Secrets Mallory¡¯s POV I was so anxious I was about to crawl out of my skin. The nerves weren¡¯t helping my already roiling stomach. My mates were already threatening to boycott the trial on the grounds of my fragile health. I had no doubt if I vomited one more time, y would actually follow through on the threat. Forcing myself to swallow back the bile that kept trying to sneak it¡¯s way out, I finished getting ready and poured all my focus into blocking my difort from the bond. Failing to show up today, for any reason, even a valid one, wouldn¡¯t bode well for us. I needed to keep my shit together long enough to get through the day, no matter what it held for our future. ¡°Tell me the n one more time.¡± Colton paced anxiously as the rest of us huddled together at our kitchen table,onest meeting before we headed into the city. ¡°I¡¯m going to testify first.¡± Darcy answered with a surprisingly steady voice. Braden, her mate, beamed down at her, She still looked frail from her ordeal and she was extremely skittish, startling at the slightest noise. But it was easy to see her mate¡¯s unwavering strength had been good for her. She had a long way to go but I was starting to have hope that she could heal from her ordeal. I just hoped being forced to relive it today wouldn¡¯t set her back. ¡°I¡¯ll testify next, rting my experience of being taken from the hospital to quade¡¯spound. Then I¡¯ll move into what I experienced there and what I witnessed happening to Darcy.¡± I chimed in next. ¡°Then I¡¯ll end with what happened when Quade tried to force the bond. I don¡¯t remember much after that anyway.¡± ¡°We can testify to the state we found you in.¡± Cary growled. ¡°But I think we all know that won¡¯t carry much weight. None of it will if Miles has his way. That¡¯s why it¡¯s imperative he not find out the Omegas are there and prepared to testify until the veryst minute.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll slip out while you are wrapping up to let Nathan know it¡¯s time to bring thedies inside.¡± Braden added helpfully. We didn¡¯t have a pack link with Nathan and no phones were allowed in the courtroom so one of us would have to find a way to speak to him face to face. Braden was the only one who wasn¡¯t legally obligated to be there so it made sense it would be him but Darcy visibly flinched when he mentioned leaving her. I squeezed her hand, reminding her she wouldn¡¯t be alone for the short period he was gone. Timing was everything in pulling this off. If Miles knew they were there, I hadno doubt he would send someone to ensure they never made it inside. Best case scenario, Evelyn testified against her brother and the other three Council members believed her, arrested him, and we were all allowed to go home. Regina¡¯s testimony might not even be needed. Worst case, they don¡¯t believe any of us. I didn¡¯t even want to contemte what would happen then. ¡°Mallory, tell me what you¡¯re going to do if it all goes to shit.¡± Colton demanded. ¡°Go with Braden. He will sneak Darcy and I out while you create a distraction.¡± I reiterated the n. One I didn¡¯t intend to follow. There was no way I was going to run and hide while my mates went to prison. But I also knew nothing good woulde of telling them so. ¡°Good girl.¡± y nodded. ¡°Nathan will meet you when the dust settles and get you somewhere safe.¡± I looked away before any of them could see the lie in my eyes. I had no idea what I was going to do, but that wasn¡¯t it. For now, I would just hope our n worked. After the meeting, Nathan took Darcy and Braden out to the car, giving my mates and I a few minutes alone. They all surrounded me, pressing close and trying to send reassuring vibes through our bond. In their minds, this could be theirst chance to hold me if things didn¡¯t go our way. ¡°I love you so much, little Omega.¡± Colton purred. ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯m forever thankful for every moment I¡¯ve had with you. You¡¯re going to be an amazing mother to our pups and I¡¯ll always have peace knowing they have you.¡± He kissed me deep and long, then held me tight for a moment longer before stepping aside and letting y take his ce. ¡°You¡¯re my everything, little wolf.¡± He ran his thumb along my cheek, a look of pure adoration in his eyes. ¡°If it all goes to hell today, I¡¯ve already had more joy in this life than I ever deserved. Make sure our pups know their daddies love them. And never, ever doubt my love for you.¡± Tears welled up in his eyes and it almost broke me then and there. My strong, stoic mate rarely crumbled. Seeing him on the brink now made the danger of never being with him again all too real. ¡°You¡¯re going to be just fine, my sweet darling.¡± Cary brushed away the lone tear that escaped. ¡°You are so strong. I know you can survive anything. I have faith we¡¯re going to win today, but if we don¡¯t just know, there¡¯s no life I won¡¯t find you in. Keep yourself and our pups safe. And know I¡¯m thinking of you every minute of every day.¡± He kissed the top of my head then rested his cheek on it, breathing me in while I sniffled into his shirt. We shared one more group hug before joining Nathan and the others at the car. From that point on, I kept my emotions locked down tight and didn¡¯t trust myself to speak. The mood was somber as we filed intothe Council courtroom but the anxiousenergy buzzing under my skin wasnerve-wracking. Colton helped me intoa chair and took the one next to me butI couldn¡¯t sit still. My leg bounced andmy foot tapped, sending an echothrough the room that mirrored thehammer pounding against my skull. ¡°Don¡¯t let him see you like this.¡± Colton ced a steady hand on my thigh. ¡°That¡¯s what he wants, to know you fear his power over you. Don¡¯t giveit to him, love.¡± That was all I needed to hear to get my anxiety in check. There was no universe in which I¡¯d willingly give Miles McIntyre power over me. He would not win. No matter what I had to do, or how long it took, I would never let that happen. ¡°Well. I half expected you to run. It seems we won¡¯t have the pleasure of a hunt after all.¡± Miles sneered as he and the others filed in and took their seats. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Councilman.¡± Arthur Owens took charge again. ¡°Despite your mind-boggling determination to behave otherwise, this is not a personal grievance but a legal proceeding and will be conducted as such from here on out. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Miles¡¯ fury burning just below the surface was in to see despite his stic smile. ¡°Wonderful.¡± Arthur¡¯s tone belied his impatience with his co-council. ¡°Now, since ourst meeting was preliminary, you¡¯ll be given an opportunity to restate any testimony previously given and provide any additional information you deem relevant. Are there any questions before we begin?¡± I had plenty of questions, the first of which being why we were even here defending ourselves in the first ce, but I knew the answers weren¡¯t going to be forting so chose to hold my tongue. Satisfied that he¡¯d given us ample opportunity to ask, Arthur invited us to begin. I watched with rapt attention as Darcy testified. She was much more assertive in her ims and much more confident under questioning than she had beenst time. Arthur, Roselyn Martin, and Nora Connely all listened attentively as she spoke, even grimacing as she rted some of the more gruesomedetails. It was no surprise Miles¡¯ mind seemed to be elsewhere. We all knew his mind was already made up and we all knew why. I just hoped his distraction meant he¡¯d truly be caught off guard when his sister strolled in and knocked him off his high horse. Once Darcy finished, I was invited to speak. I delivered my testimony just as we¡¯d rehearsed then sat down close to Darcy, hoping to calm her with my presence. Cary stood up to speak and as soon as he did, Braden quietly slipped out. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± I panicked internally when Miles followed Braden¡¯s exit then seemed to furiously type something on his phone. I could feel the apprehension rolling off Cary as his testimony wound down and there was still no sign of Nathan or theOmegas. He was looking around covertly while trying to draw out his tale. I wasn¡¯t sure, but it appeared the Council members were starting to catch on too by the way they narrowed their eyes at him. ¡°Mr. Collins,¡± Miles addressed Cary, purposely omiting his Alpha title, ¡± unless you have anything new to add, I¡¯m going to have to ask you to conclude your testimaony and we¡¯ll move into the deliberation phase. I know I¡¯ve personally yet to hear anythingpelling.¡± The look of terror on Cary¡¯s face was enough to make me tremble in fear. Something had gone wrong. Our bond was a ho¡¯s nest of emotions, the most prominent being regret. We¡¯d had a good n, but it somehow failed, and now our lives would be ripped apart because of it. ¡°Right. I guess I have my answer.¡± Miles announced smugly when Cary failed to respond. ¡°I move to con-¡± Suddenly Braden came stomping in and dropped into the chair next to Darcy, practically yanking her into hisp and facenting in her hair. His hair was a mess, his shirt was torn and he was dripping in sweat. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Arthur demanded. ¡°Ask him!¡± Braden pointed a thick digit in Miles¡¯ direction. ¡°I assure you I have no idea what he¡¯s referring to.¡± Miles shrugged in Arthur¡¯s direction. ¡°I beg to differ, brother!¡± Evelyn spit the title like the use of it offended her. She was leaning heavily on Nathan as she limped to the front of the room. He looked a bit worse for wear himself,one eye quickly purpling and his lip split and bleeding. ¡°Someone better exin what the hell is going on here, right this second!¡± Arthur bellowed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? This bout of theatrics is clearly theirst ditch effort to derail these proceedings to avoid conviction.¡± Miles used. ¡°You always were a pathological liar, Miles. I guess I should be thankful our parents aren¡¯t around to see what a disappointment you are.¡± Evelyn jeered at him then turned to address the other Council members. ¡°My name is Evelyn McIntyre. Unfortunately, Miles is my brother. I have some information about him that I think you¡¯ll find relevant to this hearing.¡± ¡°Please, go on.¡± Nora prompted, looking almost giddy at the prospect of learning all Miles¡¯ dirty secrets.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 102 by Cara Anderson Ch. 102 Not Guilty Mallory¡¯s POV Nathan helped Evelyn into a chair and stood watch over her while she gave her testimony. His arms were crossed over his chest and he never took his eyes off of Miles, like he expected him to leap from the dais and attack her himself. Actually, I wouldn¡¯t put that past him. One of Nathan¡¯s men came in a few minutester with Regina in tow but no one spared her a nce, enthralled with Evelyn as we were. If she was lucky, her testimony wouldn¡¯t be necessary at all. Evelyn told the council how she came to serve in Alpha Quade¡¯s household and unfortunately, the story had a familiar theme. Apparently even the women in Blood w pack hadn¡¯t beenimmune to his abuses. Quade had found her attractive when she was younger, used her until his interest waned and only granted her the opportunity to remain in his service out of a desire to retain her father¡¯s loyalty, all for ess to his wealth. She went on to describe the way he¡¯d forced her to introduce him to Miles and the conversations she¡¯d overheard between the two of them. Apparently the two of them had concocted quite the master n to amass more wealth and power than any one wolf should have. Miles had friends in high ces. Friends who would need to be eliminated in order for the two men to achieve their goals. If Quade could get his hands on the weapon he was searching for, Miles could get him the ess to use it on anyone who stood in their way. A marriage made in heaven. As it turned out, one of Quade¡¯s former pack members had been mated to a Hazelwood she-wolf. He¡¯d been milling around the Alpha¡¯s office, waiting to discuss joining the pack, when my father¡¯s Beta hade rushing in to tell him about the mercury he¡¯d found. In his haste, the door hadn¡¯t closedpletely and the man had overheard their conversation. ¡°My parents died because of a fucking rank climbing wolf and a cracked door.¡± I muttered as I listened to her story. Cary slid his arm over my shoulders and pulled me into his side, bolstering me as the truth poured from Evelyn¡¯s lips. ¡°Thank fuck he never heard them mention where it was.¡± y whispered. ¡°Thank fuck that deed was the only record that the tract ofnd belonged to Hazelwood and Alpha Brooks had the good sense to hide it. I know it doesn¡¯t help much, but your father was a brave man to keep that secret even when Quade tortured him. A lesser man would have cracked.¡±Colton added. ¡°It does help, actually. Thank you!¡± I reached over andced my fingers through his, letting our entwined hands dangle in Cary¡¯sp. The three Council members seemed to ept Evelyn¡¯s version of events but it wasn¡¯t until she told them of Miles¡¯ and Quade¡¯s n to eliminate them and rece them with their own men that I knew we really had him. The women gasped and Arthur¡¯s face was so red, I thought it might explode. ¡°Then, as Alpha Richardson escorted me inside today, we were attacked. Myown brother tried to have me killed.¡± Her voice cracked as she admitted that fact for the first time. ¡°I recognized his best friend as one of the men who attacked us so I know he ordered the attack.¡± ¡°Thankfully, I anticipated that possibility and had my own warriors standing by.¡± Nathan interjected. ¡°We were able to take most of them into custody. I thought you might be interested in interrogating them.¡± ¡°Oh absolutely we would.¡± Roselyn confirmed. Evelyn corroborated Darcy¡¯s testimony, detailing the abuses she¡¯d witnessed Quade perpetrate against her and other she-wolves. Between Darcy¡¯s more detailed testimony from today and Evelyn¡¯s ount of Darcy¡¯s condition after the repeated assault¡¯s, she was acquitted of Quade¡¯s murder.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°After hearing what he subjected you to, his own mate no less, I would say the man got off easy.¡± Councilwoman Connely pronounced. Braden had snarled and growled with each new mention of Darcy¡¯s bruised and battered body after Quade or his men beat her, or the excruciating pain she suffered when he fucked other women, leaving her to scream and writhe in pain for hours. But when she talked about the way Darcy nearly bled out from a severed artery, inadvertently slicing her wrist when she tried to hide under the bed and pulled the cuff too tight, Nathan had to restrain the man. After Darcy¡¯s verdict was read, it was our turn. I was hopeful that we¡¯d be acquitted as well but didn¡¯t want to be overly optimistic. Although by the look of unbridled fear on Miles¡¯ face, maybe I should have rethought that stance. ¡°First and foremost, I think it goes without saying that we are returning a verdict of ¡°Not Guilty.¡± Arthur announced and a collective rush of air whooshed out as we all released our held breath. ¡°Secondly, please allow me to apologize on behalf of the entire council for the horrors you¡¯ve all suffered. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly eye opening to see how easily we¡¯ve all been manipted. I can assure you, the three of us will be re- evaluating the way we vet usations moving forward. Clearly, trusting one of our own is not as straightforward as we thought or perhaps as it should have been.¡± My heart pounded in my chest, both at the relief of finally being able to put this whole nightmare behind us, but also at the fact that Miles was surreptitiously trying to slink away through the back door. I didn¡¯t thinkmy sanity would survive him being loose in the world, ready to pounce the moment we let our guard down. I didn¡¯t want to live that way anymore. Fortunately, Arthur must have anticipated he would try to run, because as soon as he opened the door, a hulking wolf stood in his way, ready to apprehend him. ¡°Oh yes. Thank you Daniel.¡± Arthur addressed the man first and then his former co-councilman. ¡°Miles, you¡¯re under arrest. Unfortunately as a member of this council, we don¡¯t have the authority to sentence you, but I¡¯m not too worried. I think the men who do have that authority will be more than interested to hear the ns you and Alpha Quade had for them.¡± Miles was forcibly removed from the room, kicking and protesting his innocence the whole way. The guard,Daniel, just hauled him along as if he was little more than a minor nuisance. I couldn¡¯t remember when I¡¯d seen something quite so entertaining. Once Miles was dragged from the room, we were dismissed with the understanding we could be recalled to provide testimony against him when the time came. Although Arthur told us he felt reasonably sure it would be unnecessary. I hoped that was true. I was beyond ready to put this chapter of our lives behind us and focus on the future. ¡®Shall we celebrate?¡± Nathan suggested when we all spilled out onto the front steps of the Council headquarters. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re going to celebrate.¡± y wiggled his eyebrows yfully. ¡°Just as soon as we get our Luna home to ck Moon.¡± Nathan¡¯s brow furrowed momentarily but he managed to chuckle good naturedly. He turned to Braden and Darcy but the man only had eyes for his mate. Darcy wore a shell-shocked expression but the way she leaned into him told me if she hadn¡¯t epted their bond already, she was close to it. Despite the mistakes she¡¯d made, I didn¡¯t believe she was a truly malicious person deep down. And she certainly hadn¡¯t deserved the things Quade had done to her. I truly hoped braden could help her heal and they could find happiness together. We might never be best friends, but I didn¡¯t hate her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, little wolf.¡± y said, lifting me into the SUV that had just pulled up. ¡°Thank you for everything, Nathan.¡± I leaned out the car door to say goodbye. ¡°No need to thank me, Mal. I told you I¡¯d always be there for you and I meantit. As long as you are safe and happy, that¡¯s all the thanks I need.¡± He replied, waving back to me as y closed the door between us. Colton climbed in the other side and scooted in next to me. He pulled me into hisp, letting my head rest between him and Cary. y pulled my feet into hisp and ran his hands up and down my legs in long soothing strokes. ¡°Go to sleep, little Omega. You¡¯re safe now. No more Quade, no more Miles. No more being separated from you mates. It¡¯s time to let us spoil and pamper you, give you the future you deserve.¡± Colton whispered. ¡°Mmm. I like the sound of that.¡± I answered sleepily. After all the stress of the day, of every day since I learned the truth of my heritage really, my system was crashing fast. I melted into my mates, trusting them to take the reins for a while. Raven purred in my head,pletely content to have her mates¡¯ undivided attention. I drifted off to sleep, knowing when I woke up, I¡¯d still be safe in their arms and we¡¯d all finally be home. ¡°Here, hand her to me.¡± Someone said as I felt myself being lifted into strong arms. ¡°Careful! Don¡¯t jostle her.¡± Someone else hissed. ¡°I¡¯m not jostling her! I¡¯m walking. There¡¯s a difference.¡± A third voice argued. The part of my brain that would recognize my mates voices no matter how tired I was registered that I was safe. That was all I needed to slip back into a dreamless sleep. The next thing I knew, I was beingid on a cushionymattress while warm hands slid over my limbs, taking my clothes with them. ¡°Raise your arms for me darling.¡± Cary¡¯s hushed voice barely registered. I mumbled something incoherent and heard someone chuckle. Then a soft shirt was pulled over my head before being lowered back to the mattress. I turned over and cuddled into the pillow beneath my head. It smelled like all three of my mates. It smelled like heaven. Thest thing I remembered was being surrounded by warm bodies and my mates¡¯ delectable scents. But when I woke up the next morning, it was to something much less appealing. My mates were all missing from the bed but my mother and Luna Erika were hovering over me like a couple of hawks about to swoop down on their prey. ¡°Time to wake up, sweet girl.¡± Luna Erika chirped. ¡°We have a Luna ceremony to n!¡± Chapter 103 by Cara Anderson Ch. 103 A Mother-Daughter Moment Mallory¡¯s POV Weeks of nning had all culminated in this day. I was exhausted, worried my dress would need to be let out again, panicking about the food, the music, and the centerpieces of all things. My nerves were shot! But I couldn¡¯t remember when I¡¯d ever been more excited. I didn¡¯t need all the fanfare for myself, personally. I went along with it because it was expected of me in epting the Luna role. And also because Luna Erika and my mother would be gutted if I spoiled their fun. But ceremony or no, I was tied to my mates for eternity and that was all that mastered to me. My mates were who I was truly excited for. Alpha Carlton was handing over the Alpha title to them tonight as well and Icouldn¡¯t be more thrilled for them. ck Moon would be blessed to have three amazing Alphas and they deserved to be celebrated. ¡°Good morning, darling.¡± Cary slipped into the steamy shower with me. ¡°You seemed deep in thought. Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Nervous your mother is going to have me waxed, plucked and pampered to within an inch of my life before the day is over.¡± I rested my head back on his shoulder and enjoyed the way he caressed circles on my expanding belly. ¡°Mmm. I¡¯m all for the waxing bit. I quite like you bare.¡± He teased a finger along mybia, eliciting a moan. I turned in his arms and leaned in to capture his lips in a dirty kiss. It was getting harder to get close when we faced each other. At nearly four months pregnant with three babies, mystomach was already as big as a full- term single pregnancy. But my guys still managed to always make me feel sexy. ¡°Fuck, you taste delicious.¡± Cary groaned, backing me up against the shower wall and caging me in with his arms. ¡°And these,¡± he cupped my heavy tits in his hands, ¡°I¡¯ll never get enough of these.¡± He dipped his head and sucked one hardened tip into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue and making me squirm. My tits were huge, having grown a couple cup sizes with the pregnancy, and all of my mates were obsessed with them. But Cary most of all. ¡°Yes! Aah!¡± My head fell back against the wall and my fingers threaded through his hair, holding him to me as he tormented my extremely sensitive nipples. ¡°Gonna make youe just like this, darling.¡± Cary murmured against my aching flesh. He twisted one tight bud, pinching and pulling at it while heved the other with his tongue. Thanks to my raging hormones, my nipples had be extremely sensitive. Cary took it as a personal challenge to bring me to orgasm just by ying with them. And he was usually sessful. ¡°Mom¡¯s here.¡± y announced, joining us in the shower. ¡°Colton is trying to distract her but the woman is on a mission.¡± A pitiful whine left my lips and my head dropped to Cary¡¯s chest. We may have been in a hot shower but y¡¯s words were like a ssh of cold water. ¡°Fuck,¡± Cary grumbled. ¡°This is actually perfect. Now you¡¯ll be aching for us all day. Just think how explosive your orgasm will be tonight after being denied all day long.¡± y tipped my head up and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips, grinning at me wickedly. ¡°You¡¯re sadistic!¡± I grouched but he just chuckled at me. y was the king when it came to using denied orgasm as a form of torture. I rolled my eyes at him but that only earned me a swat on the ass. Albeit a gentle swat. He was much more careful with me as the pregnancy progressed. ¡°Let¡¯s get you washed, little wolf.¡± He said, working the soap into ather. He and Cary cleaned me thoroughly, if not a bit too formally for my taste. I did enjoy the soothing massage while he shampooed and conditioned my hair though. They all swore they¡¯d never done it before me but I would never getover how good those three men were at washing a woman¡¯s hair. ¡°Guys, I can¡¯t hold her off anymore.¡± Colton poked his head into the steam- filled room. ¡°She¡¯s going toe in here and get her herself if you don¡¯t send her out in the next thirty seconds.¡± I pushed the ss door open and moved to step out, epting my fate. Colton rushed over with a towel and dried me from head to toe. It was especially adorable when he dropped to his knees to dry my feet but kissed my belly first, saying ¡°good morning, babies.¡± I walked into my bedroom to find my mother-inw standing there holding a fluffy robe out for me to slip into. ¡°No need to get dressed, sweetheart. We¡¯re just going next door to our suite where you¡¯ll just need to undressagain.¡± She exined. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, Carl will be out the entire day. His honey-do list is so long, we won¡¯t see him again until the ceremony.¡± I tossed my mates a pleading look over my shoulder as their mother dragged me from the room. Not one of the traitors moved to rescue me. ¡°Make sure she eats, mom. And don¡¯t have her on her feet too long. She needs frequent rest periods. Call me immediately if she starts feeling unwell.¡± y rattled off instructions. ¡°Of the two of us,¡± she pointed between herself and y, ¡°I¡¯m the only one who has actually had triplets. I¡¯m perfectly capable of taking care of your mate, son!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. With that, she pulled me from the room and toward my doom. Okay, it wasn¡¯t actually that bad. My mom and Luna Erika kept mepany, sippingmimosas while I sipped sparkling cider. And I was lying down or sitting through most of the day¡¯s events so I got plenty of rest. Then suddenly, it was time for the part I was most nervous for. The dress. No matter how hard she¡¯d tried, the seamstress had been unable to predict how much my belly would grow. Every time I tried it on, it had to be let out a little more. Fingers crossed that today, it would still fit. The dress was made of a silky white satin that felt heavenly against my over -sensitive skin. It had an off the shoulder neckline that dipped into a modest v-cut in the front and a scooped back. The center was ruched to amodate my belly before smoothing back out into a mermaid skirt. Of the dozens I¡¯d tried on, it was the only one that managed to make me still feel sexy despite my ever-growingwaistline. ¡°Oh, sweetheart! You look so beautiful!¡± Mom gushed when I stepped out in the dress, dapping at her eyes with a tissue. Luna pulled me in front of a full-length mirror and my breath caught in my throat. I didn¡¯t recognize the woman staring back at me. After everything that had happened with Quade and the trial, not to mention the pregnancy, I¡¯d felt so run down. I¡¯d really leaned in to the casual, make-up free look. But this woman didn¡¯t look run-down at all. She looked radiant. My hair shone under the lights like midnight under the moon, falling in soft waves with the sides pulled back and a few strands framing my face. The muted tans and creams of my eye make -up set off my hazel eyes to perfection, making them sparkle like multi-colored jewels. The contouring highlighted my cheekbones despite the pregnancy-induced puffiness and the petal pink lip gloss made my lips look plush and kissable. ¡°The dress fits perfectly! You are a vision, sweet girl! My sons are lucky men!¡± Erika¡¯s voice cracked with emotion. ¡°Thank you!¡± I whispered, not trusting myself not to cry. ¡°Erika, could I have a moment alone with my daughter before we have to go?¡± Luna nodded to my mother and slipped from the room. ¡°Come sit with me.¡± Mom pulled me to sit on the nearby sofa. ¡°Mom, I think it¡¯s only fair to warn you that you¡¯re taking your life in your hands if you¡¯re about to make me cry. Luna will murder you if my makeupgets ruined.¡± I said, trying to lighten the mood. To be fair, it was a preemptive attack. The affection in her ssy eyes was unmistakable and the way she was squeezing my hands in hers was just short of painful. Thest few weeks had been hard for her as well, fearing for her daughter¡¯s life then freedom. Now I was safely home only for her to have to give me away again. ¡°My beautiful daughter,¡± she sniffled, her voice raspy andden with emotion, ¡°I¡¯m so, so proud of you. Your strength, your humility, your capacity for love and forgiveness¡­ you¡¯ve grown into an amazing woman. Those three boys are incredibly lucky.¡± I snorted augh at her calling my three hulking Alpha mates ¡°boys.¡± I think she said it on purpose to hold my rapidly building emotional disy at bay. ¡°What?¡± She raised an eyebrow in challenge. ¡°I¡¯ve known them since they were ten years old. They¡¯ll always be boys to me. ¡°Anyway, I know I¡¯ve said this before, but it bears repeating. I hate what happened to your parents and part of me will always carry some guilt that they had to lose their lives, lose the chance to know such an amazing daughter, while I¡¯ve been so blessed to raise you, to see the woman you¡¯ve be. ¡°But I will always be grateful they chose me when they had to trust their only child¡¯s life to someone else. I have to believe that if you couldn¡¯t be theirs, then the Moon Goddess meant for you to be mine. And there is no greater gift she could have given me.¡± ¡°Momma¡­¡± I choked back a sob. ¡°None of that.¡± She wiped the tear from my cheek. ¡°We can¡¯t have you looking anything less than perfect for your big day. I just wanted to make sure you knew that even though we don¡¯t share the same blood, my heart will always im you as mine, my precious little girl. I love you so much!¡± ¡°I love you too, momma. And that¡¯s what you are. My mom. Part of me wishes I could remember them, that I could have known them. They sound like amazing people. But I wouldn¡¯t trade the life I¡¯ve had with you for anything. Oh!¡± My hand flew to my stomach where I¡¯d just been kicked from the inside. ¡°What is it? Are you okay?¡± Her face was panic stricken. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think the little ones just want to say hi to grandma.¡± I took her hand a put it over the squirming minions. ¡°That never gets old.¡± She smiled at me, a look of pure wonder in her eyes. ¡± I can¡¯t wait to meet them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to be three lucky pups to have you in their lives.¡± I pulled her into a fierce hug, her hand still resting on my belly. We sat like that for a moment, three generations connected. Then Luna Erika was there, poking her head into the room. ¡°I hate to break up this beautiful moment.¡± Her tone was hushed so as not to startle us. ¡°But it¡¯s time to make you our Luna.¡± Chapter 104 by Cara Anderson Ch. 104 Vows Colton¡¯s POV Fucking finally! My mother stole my mate away in the early hours of the morning and hadn¡¯t allowed us to see her all day. My wolf was on edge being denied ess to our mate and pups. I needed to get this party started and thankfully, it was time. To say I was excited to make Mallory my Luna would be an understatement. I couldn¡¯t care less about the pomp and circumstance of it all, though it was required in order to make it official. All I wanted was to hold her in my arms and know she was mine forever. Yes, she wore my mark and our souls were already tethered for eternity. But there was something about her officially bing my Luna that set my mind at ease. Maybe it was thememory of what Darcy tried to do in order to take that role for herself that caused my apprehension. I needed to know that no one else could try to separate us in the name of a title.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Ladies and gentleman, our visiting Alphas and Lunas, and all members of the ck moon pack.¡± My dad addressed the crowd. ¡°Wee and thank you for sharing this momentous asion with Erika and I. ¡°Today, I pass the mantle of Alpha to our three wonderful sons. And my beautiful wife will transfer the title and power of Luna to their lovely mate, a young woman we love as if she were our own. Let us begin¡± The crowd apuded and the orchestra struck up the music. Then all eyes turned to the back of the room. Kai purred in my head as he felt his mate approaching. Mallory stepped into view and my heart stuttered in my chest. I couldn¡¯t breathe. Her beauty literally took my breath away. How was it possible that she could be mine? ¡°Fucking hell!¡± y murmured next to me. ¡°She looks like a damn goddess.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s all fucking ours.¡± Cary added smugly. Mallory wanted both of our mothers to walk her down the aisle. They all looked beautiful but I only had eyes for her, my little Omega. Fuck! I loved everything about her. She was gorgeous from head to toe but I was drawn to her eyes. Those luminous hazel eyes sparkled with so much love as they looked back at me. The gold starburst around her pupils swirled like molten fire, full of joy and excitement. And it was all for my brothers and me. ¡°Hi.¡± She smiled a huge, radiant smile, looking up at us from beneath thick, darkshes. ¡°Hi yourself, my beautiful Luna.¡± I leaned in to capture her lips but my father cleared his throat, recalling our attention. ¡°None of that just yet, son.¡± He scolded and the crowd chuckled. Mallory took her ce on the stage and turned to face the audience. y, Cary and I circled around behind her, scooting in as close as possible. Cary and I both rested a hand on her belly and y ced his hand on her hip, none of us able to resist touching her. ¡°Let¡¯s begin with the Alpha ceremony.¡± My father announced, pulling the crowd back to order. A hush fell over the room as my dad talked about how proud he was of hissons and how he felt assured the pack would prosper under our leadership. Each of us pledged our allegiance to ck Moon and its people then held out our palms for our father to slice with the ceremonial de. When he finally cut his own palm and pressed it to each of ours in turn, the transfer of power was immediate. It was like a tiny ember burning in my chest had suddenly burst into me. The air whooshed from my lungs with an oomph, a sound my brothers made at the same time. Mallory was watching us with unadulterated pride in her eyes. My chest swelled at the way she looked at me, like I was her hero. A look I didn¡¯t deserve but would die trying to earn. Then, before I knew it, it was time to make Mallory our Luna. We had asked for time in the ceremony to say vows toMallory and I was going first. I was nervous as hell and all of a sudden being the oldest by even a few minutes didn¡¯t feel like such a gift. Please Goddess, don¡¯t let me embarrass myself. ¡°Mallory, my mate, my life, my little Omega.¡± I leaned in to whisper thest part, making her giggle. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to say I fought my feelings for you for so long. I made some bad choices in the name of resisting my feelings for you. ¡°If I had it to do over again, I would do so many things differently. I would make sure you never had a reason to resist our bond or doubt my feelings for you. Because your love is everything to me and I can¡¯t live without it. ¡°But since I can¡¯t get a do-over, I choose to focus on the positives. Facing the possibility that you might never be mine was the hardest thing I ever hadto do. But it taught me what a precious gift it is to have you in my life. I love our bond and all the things that go with it, the sparks, the connection to your beautiful soul. But more than any of that, I love you. ¡°I loved you before our mate bond. I was just too stubborn to admit it. But I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I always have and always will love you. Will you be my Luna?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She nodded through her sniffles. ¡°Yes, of course I will. I love you. Colton.¡± I smiled so broadly my cheeks ached. There was no stopping me from taking her lips in a searing kiss, audience be damned. I could have stood there kissing her sweet lips forever. Unfortunately, y was anxious for his turn. y¡¯s POV ¡°My turn, brother.¡± I pulled Mallory out of Colton¡¯s arms and into mine. ? My turn to tell my little wolf how much she means to me.¡± Mallory was glowing. I mean, the woman was always stunning, even more so now that she was carrying our pups. But when she stepped into view this evening, I nearly choked on my own spit. She took my fucking breath away. ¡°You look so beautiful tonight.¡± I whispered in her ear then pulled back to stare deep into her gorgeous hazel eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not great with words. Not the way Colton is, anyway. And we all know Cary could charm the devil himself. All I can do is speak from the heart and hope you feel the truth in my words. ¡°The day our bond snapped into ce, I thought it was the happiest moment of my life. Then you made resisting us look so easy and I couldn¡¯t understand it because there was no way on earth I could possibly resist you. But like Colton, I¡¯d made one bad decision after another when I should have been admitting the truth of my feelings for you instead. ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to express in words how thankful I am for the chance you gave me to prove I could change. I grew up knowing I¡¯d be Alpha one day and I thought that made me special. Now I know you are the only thing that makes me special. Being Alpha is nothing without you by my side as my Luna. ¡°My life truly started the day you epted our bond. And despite a few bumps in the road, it¡¯s only gotten better ever since. You, our pups, ourfamily, it¡¯s all that matters to me in the world and I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you¡¯ve made me. Will you be my Luna?¡± ¡°I think you are pretty wonderful with words.¡± Mallory¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°And yes, I¡¯ll be your Luna.¡± I cupped her face and attacked her lips, pouring all the love and passion I felt into our kiss. A few people whooped in the crowd while othersughed. But I ignored them all, kissing my mate until my little brother demanded his turn. Cary¡¯s POV ¡°Hello, darling.¡± I looked down at my little mate adoringly. ¡°Hello, my love.¡± She was gazing up at me with stars in her eyes and damn if I didn¡¯t feel like the luckiest man alive. The minute Mallory walked in tonight, the rest of the world faded away. Nothing else existed for me. No Alpha ceremony, no crowd, no family and friends. Only her. She had always been the most beautiful woman I¡¯d ever met. But Mallory pregnant, her belly round with my pups, and that dress hugging all her generous curves. Fuck! She was a vision! And maybe it wasn¡¯t the time but I sure as hell couldn¡¯t wait to get that dress off herter. ¡°Last but not least, right.¡± I chuckled, enjoying her tinklingugh. ¡°My brothers have already admitted to their mistakes in our past and I¡¯m definitely no exception. And like them, I wish I¡¯d been mature enough to make better decisions. But I won¡¯t waste any more of our precious time together dwelling on the past. Not when we have such a beautiful future ahead of us. ¡°I know I¡¯d never be the triplet who would strike anyone as good father material, but for you and these pups, I vow to prove them all wrong. No one will ever love our babies more than me. And I promise to spend every day showing them how much I love and cherish their mother. ¡°You are my sun, moon and all the stars. Without you, my world just doesn¡¯t exist. You are everything I¡¯ve ever wanted and never knew I needed. You hold my heart in the palm of your hand and absolutely have the power to destroy me. That would be pretty damn scary if I didn¡¯t know in the depths of my soul that you never would. ¡°So will you, my sweet darling, spare my fragile heart and be my Luna?¡± ¡°Your heart will always be safe with me. Of course, I¡¯ll be your Luna.¡± Mallory¡¯s eyes glistened with unshedtears but it was the strength of her love pulsing through the bond that really hit me in the chest, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her passionately, dipping her romantically while the crowd oohed and aahed. I kissed her breathless, until we were both panting, then set her back on her feet. Then my mom came forward with the ceremonial de, wiping happy tears from her eyes. ¡°My boys, I¡¯ve never been so proud of you. Make no mistake, this youngdy is definitely the best thing to ever happen to you and they key to all your future sess as Alphas and as men. But I think you know that already. Let¡¯s make it official.¡± With that, she cut Mallory¡¯s palm and her own, pressing them together and saying the words that transferred her power to our mate. My father introduced us as the new official Alphas and Luna of blood Moon and the crowd cheered. But the three of us couldn¡¯t tear our eyes away from our mate, our Luna, our whole damn world. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!