He moves right away, doing as I ask fairly quickly. How I am the one in charge, I don’t know, but I like it. I’ve never seen myself as a dominant person in any aspect of my life until now, but I guess it makes sense. Ranger is so confident out in the real world all the time, maybe he just wants to let go of that behind closed doors. Be himself. Give in to who he is on the inside?

  I can give that to him. I want to give that to him.

  He’s given much more to me.

  Jade’s eyes find mine as she chews on her bottom lip, her eyes filled with heat. I jerk my chin in the direction of Ranger and she doesn’t waste any time taking him into her mouth. He lets out a hiss, removing his hand from me, and angling both hands toward Jade’s head. Fisting his fingers into her hair once more.

  I press a soft, sweet kiss to Ranger’s shoulder before trailing my fingers down his spine, stopping right above his ass crack. My skin barely brushes against his as I graze over the perfect smooth, tan roundness of his ass. I pull my hand back and… crack. I’m not sure about the pressure, but his response tells me all I need to know.

  “Ah, fuck,” he growls through clenched teeth, panting. I huff out a tiny laugh that no one could have heard. He actually likes it. So I do it again, emblazoned with confidence. I watch as his entire body tenses before he begins to fuck Jade’s mouth instead of letting her do the work.

  Another slap, this time a little harder, on the other side, and he’s groaning out his release, holding Jade’s head still as he comes down her throat. I can feel my own desire building at the sight, I’m aching for a release. I’m so hard it hurts.

  Jade gets up onto her knees, wiping her mouth and Ranger pulls her in for a heated, fast kiss before turning to me, gripping around my neck and pulling me to him next, forcing his tongue into my mouth. I groan into him, deepening the kiss, wanting it more than I thought possible. His lips move against mine in a flurry, and I can taste him.

  I like him like this. Demanding. Needy. Different from how he normally is, that’s for sure. He guides me onto the bed on my back, tearing my briefs away from my body without hesitation, freeing my cock. The cool air strikes my skin, but it isn’t long before his hot mouth is on me. I let out a deep moan, as I hit the back of his throat, knowing I won’t last long. Not after all this. And especially not when Jade’s mouth joins his.

  Fuck, I’ve had my dick sucked only twice before in my life, and never by more than one person at the same time. This is… wow, this is fucking hot. Jade smiles up at me as her tongue circles me, and I can’t help the words that come out of my mouth.

  “Give me that pretty pussy, Jade.” She shifts herself closer without question and without taking me out of her mouth, and spreads her legs for me, nice and wide. I slide two fingers into her, moving them slowly. She groans around my cock, her and Ranger taking turns between sucking and licking me. I find her clit, hard and swollen, needy. Using my thumb, I circle it while still pumping my fingers in and out. She moans softly as she clenches around me, and knowing she’s going to come soon has me just about releasing my own load, but I hold back.

  “Come for me,” I urge her, my voice breathless. Her movements around my dick slow as she chases her own release, but Ranger makes up for it, sucking me like a lollipop. The second she cries out, squeezing my fingers so hard they may break, I give in to it, letting the pleasure take over. My vision goes black, coming so hard I see fucking stars.

  I don’t know who it is that swallows it all down, maybe both of them. I rest my head back and pat the bed. Jade shifts and falls down beside me, Ranger gets behind her. She rests her head in the crook of my arm, a satisfied smile on her lips. Ranger drapes his arm over her hip, resting his hand on my stomach.

  Maybe having our own pack won’t be so bad after all.

  Chapter 44

  Dustin

  The sun comes up all too quickly. Last I checked, the clock read 2:03 a.m.. I know I haven’t slept, so where did the time go?

  And how the fuck does it always seem that I get put into these ridiculous fucking situations?

  Now I’m being tortured with the choice of choosing the one and only girl I’ve ever loved, or taking over a pack.

  This is… fucking rididculous.

  I spent the entire night filled with rage, and half a bottle of Jack. I look around the room, finding it lying on the floor. Empty. Okay, an entire bottle of Jack.

  I feel nothing though. The alcohol didn’t do a damn thing to make me feel better. But it never does.

  It isn’t the first time I’ve drunk myself silly over Jade. Only this time it wasn’t her fault, not really.

  Maverick was right. I do know the rules. I knew what would happen if she turned him. I just… didn’t think she would do it. I didn’t think the transition would take... I should have said something, warned her of the consequences. I fucked up. I’ll admit that.

  I need to talk to her, I need to tell her what’s going on in my head. I don’t want her thinking I’m choosing the pack over her, she needs to understand why I have to do this. She needs to know.

  I get to my feet and steady myself, realizing the alcohol did a little something now that I’m no longer sitting down.

  I storm out the door, slamming it shut behind me. My father can yell all he wants about it, I don’t give a fuck, not anymore. I’m surprised he even allowed me to stay here after the words I spewed at him. Motherfucker tried giving me shit when I walked through the door. I didn’t want to hear it, so I locked myself in my room and thankfully he gave up quickly and left me the hell alone. I’ve always respected my dad. Well, I thought I did. Now, I’m not so sure what it was I was feeling for him but I don’t think respect was it.

  Fuck him.

  I should shift and run to Hollow’s land but I know it isn’t a good idea. Alcohol and my wolf don’t mix. It seems to affect him more than me, and I don’t want to deal with that mess. Running as fast as I can while intoxicated is a bad, bad idea. The walk doesn’t take me long… I don’t think so, anyway. I guess it doesn’t really matter. The sun is fully up and it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day, despite what I am feeling inside.

  I reach the guesthouse, feeling better about my decision to come here. I have a good feeling that Jade will understand. And I don’t think that’s the happy juice talking. Things are different between us, since we had our time at the lake.

  Fuck, I love this girl so fucking much. I can’t believe she’s finally admitted it, finally gave herself to me.

  I knock on the door and it isn’t long before it’s opened. Rev stands there in nothing but a pair of tight, black boxer briefs that leave nothing to the imagination. Why my eyes rake over him and linger on his… package, I will never know.

  I blame the alcohol.

  “Dustin? You okay?” he asks, taking a step outside. He smells like Jade and my stomach rolls with nausea, not from jealousy, but because I want to fucking smell like her. My senses and emotions are always worse when I’m drunk.

  “Jade here?” I grunt.

  “Yeah, she’s—”

  The woman in question makes her appearance from the shadows of the darkened hallway, coming to the door. She’s in a T-shirt, one that doesn’t belong to her, and nothing else. If she has on a pair of panties, I can’t see them. The scent of sex is overwhelming with both Jade and Reverie standing in front of me. My dick starts to harden in my jeans and I groan because that’s just uncalled for. I don’t like Reverie, and I definitely don’t like Reverie fucking Jade. I know whatever is going on with us all will need to be talked about, but I can’t find myself angry with her for wanting to be with Reverie too.

  “Was hoping we could talk?” I try to keep my mind away from sex, away from the small whimpers and moans she makes when she’s filled with my cock, but that scent. It smells so good. It’s a mix of the both of them, along with something else. Something I can’t pinpoint but really fucking like.

  “I don’t know,” she says, looking at me skeptically under her lashes.

  “Oh, hey, Dustin.” Ranger comes to the door next, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans, running his hand through his disheveled hair. I look from Reverie, who is practically naked, to Jade who is wearing a T-shirt and no bottoms, to Ranger who is missing a shirt. The shirt Jade is wearing.

  I take a step back as reality hits me. Hits me right in the fucking chest like a bullet. That smell…

  I scowl as I take in the sight in front of me.

  “Dustin,” Jade starts, eyes dancing with alarm. I just shake my head, my hands raking through my hair as I’m suddenly flushed with heat, with a hundred thoughts and feelings I can’t process. The alcohol doesn’t help.

  I start to laugh, but it doesn’t last. The emotions inside are driving me fucking insane. I’m pretty sure this is the point in my life where I actually lose it.

  And being the man that I am, I say exactly what I should not fucking say. And this is not something I can blame on the alcohol, this is something I blame on me being a complete fucking asshole.

  “So, you just gonna fuck the whole pack now, or what?”

  Her eyes widen at my words as her cheeks pinken with embarrassment.

  “The fuck did you just say?” Ranger asks in a tone I’ve never heard from him before, stepping forward, shoulders tensing as his eyes narrow at me. His features are dark, his eyes murderous. I’d deserve it if he punched me right now. Hell, I wish he would. I don’t want to fight him, but I deserve to get my ass beat. I know that.

  “You need to go,” Reverie says. “Get the fuck out of here, Dustin,” he growls, taking a step towards me.

  “Fucking glad to.”

  And once again, I’m giving them my back, shifting into my wolf, and fucking running. Only this time, I won’t have the luck of being taken and almost killed. Because the only bad guy left out here is me.

  Chapter 45

  Jade

  Dustin and I have to stop meeting like this.

  Every time I feel like we’ve cleared a barrier, another one shows up.

  I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised; after all, he doesn’t really say what he’s feeling. He just shoves everything down until it erupts later.

  Or when he’s drunk. Which is clearly why, when he’d showed up drunk on my doorstep at dawn, I knew things weren’t going to end well.

  I shouldn’t be mad, it’s not his fault he doesn’t understand.

  Samuel Blackridge is an asshole. It isn't a secret that he and his wife despise one another. But Dustin doesn’t know anything else. He’s been raised in a pack house big on tradition, and not so big on emotion.

  He thinks I belong to him.

  That being my future husband means he has a claim on me and no one else does.

  It’s how he was brought up.

  It’s how most of the packs operate. One alpha, one alpha’s female.

  But no one owns me.

  My heart belongs to him in a way it didn’t belong to anyone else. But it also belongs to Rev and Ranger in their own way too. I know that now.

  Ranger takes a step towards Dustin but it is me who puts an arm out this time.

  “Let him go.” I watch Dustin run off haphazardly, his balance off kilter.

  Intoxicated shifting is not as fun as it sounds.

  Rev grits his teeth, and I can almost feel the steam coming off of him.

  “It’s okay, Rev.” I try to sound soothing as I turn back into the house, completely tired. Tired from the last few days, tired from our recent activities, tired of dealing with Dustin’s normal bullshit.

  “How can you just let him talk to you like that?” Rev is getting more agitated.

  Mood swings, emotional response, quick to anger.

  It will only get worse closer to the full moon.

  “Because I know he doesn’t mean it.” I close the door. I know Dustin on a level not even Ranger can see. I know he hates to feel out of control. I know he runs because he feels threatened. I just wish he understood that there’s no threat here. We aren’t a threat to him.

  “Still, it’s a dick move.” Ranger scowls as he walks over to the fridge, the light casting an ethereal glow on his defined muscles as he grabs a bottled water.

  Rev starts pacing.

  Ranger is right. Normally I’d be incited, all too eager to take Dustin’s bait and fight with him.

  Maybe it is because it is so close to the full moon, maybe it has something to do with my front row seat to the world’s sexiest man show, maybe I'm just tired and need sleep.

  But I just don't want to fight him. Not anymore.

  I want him to come home.

  I want him to choose me. Choose us.

  But he’ll never choose this, I know that now. He tolerated Rev at best because he knows I care about him. He cares for Ranger, even if it’s only a little bit, but I always felt like if he could have had me without him always being there, he most certainly would have.

  I didn’t understand when I bit Rev. Or when my dad told me my actions had cast me out of the pack I grew up in.

  But I don’t regret a second of it. I understand it now.

  This is my pack.

  They are my home.

  “I’m going back to bed.” I let out a sigh, and Rev is at my side, Ranger following suit.

  I curl up in bed and Ranger slides in next to me. He pulls me to his chest and plants the softest kiss above my ear, fingers trailing through my hair. Part of me can’t beleive we had sex, the other part knows it’s how it was supposed to be this whole time. Everything feels so right. With him and with Reverie. And especially them together.

  “In the morning, baby,” Ranger whispers softly in my ear.

  Rev situates himself under the covers on the other side of me, fingers interlocking with mine.

  “In the morning,” I whisper back.

  The knock on my door is loud and incessant.

  My eyes flutter, adjusting to the light. Rev snores quietly beside me, his arm draped over my side, fingers brushing against Ranger’s stomach.

  Ranger stirs with me, pulling me in closer, his face buried in my hair. I can feel his cock pressed against my ass, as he lets out a sound of contentment. “Morning, baby.” He murmurs in my hair.

  “Good morning,” I whisper.

  This isn't the first time I’ve slept with Ranger. I’d spent plenty of nights curled beside him in tents, and in the treehouse with Dustin in my youth.

  But this was the first time I’d woken up with him and felt this way.

  Like nothing else matters at this moment except his arms around me.

  The knocking continues as I think about all the mornings that I woke up next to Ranger, when we were just friends.

  I throw off the covers, trying my best not to disturb Reverie, and slowly make my way to the door, Ranger right behind me.

  When I open it, Scarlet raises an eyebrow at me. A whole lot of judgement shining through her dark green eyes.

  She stands there, on the guesthouse porch, in her perfect little cardigan, the blue one Ranger bought her last Christmas.

  I rub my eyes.

  “Breakfast is on.” Scarlet was always straight and to the point.

  Ranger comes up behind me, leaning an arm against the doorframe, the motion showcasing his defined muscles and I see her eyes look him over.

  I know she has a thing for him. She was always trying her best to catch his attention, taking his natural flirtations for something more.

  Ranger just has an air about him, he flirted with everyone. It was part of his charm. But Scarlet never seems to understand that, no matter how many times he tells her otherwise.

  “Thanks…” I am not sure what else to say. She looks from Ranger to me, and purses her lips.

  If anyone could give Dustin a run for stone-cold, resting bitch face, it was my sister.

  She betrays no hint of emotion and just nods.

  “Okay then. See you there.”

  Ranger lets out a low whistle as we watch Scarlet walk back to the main house.

  “She’s going to write a song about this for sure.”

  I can’t help but smile.

  “Maybe she’ll title it after you.” Ranger sets his hand at the small of my back and rubs it lightly.

  “Maybe she’ll just cut her hair instead.” He lets out a chuckle.

  I can hear Rev stirring in the background. I shut the door and turn around, slowly walking back to the kitchen past Ranger. My eyes settle on Reverie, who looks positively dreamy first thing in the morning with his hair all mussed up.

  “Alright, you two, time to get moving.” I say. Rev swivels back and forth on one of the kitchen’s barstools, in nothing but his briefs, and I watch Ranger’s eyes seek out Reverie too. I don’t miss how they light up when he looks at him. Memories of last night push forth in my mind, and I can’t help but blush at the thought.

  “Moving? Where?” Rev cocks his head curiously.

  Ranger ambles down the hallway, past us, shedding his clothing without a care in the world, his rather appealing ass on full display.

  “The main house. For the best breakfast spread you’ll ever have in your life!” he hollers from the hallway.

  Rev’s eyes dart in his direction, and I smile.

  I could get used to this.

  I hadn’t planned on Rev staying so long, and when we’d taken him home after discovering his infection, clothes were the last thing on any of our minds.

  At some point, we’d need to take him back to Timber Falls, if only for him to pack up his things and bring them here.

  I still felt an immense pang of guilt over that.

  Rev had a life before he met me. From what he told me, it didn’t sound like he was happy, but it was still a life. He had a family, a job, a house. All of that had changed in the blink of an eye, and yet he didn’t seem homesick at all.

  Which was why I was shocked when my mom handed him a box of clean clothes, toiletries, and a Ziplock full of protein bars and beef jerky.