Betraying the Pack (19 page)

First, though, they’d need to
fight because Roderick wasn’t alone. From the stone well poured wolves, dozens
of them, their hackles raised and their gums peeled back over their lips.

Parker braced himself, but the
rogues did not immediately attack. A chilling laughter floated to him as
Roderick, one hand still braced around Bailey’s neck, pointed at them.

“So nice of you to join us,”
Roderick hissed.

“Let her go, Roderick. There is
no escape,” Gavin ordered, having shifted back to his human shape. Only their
many years of friendship allowed Parker to recognize the terror he fought to
hide.

“Look, my incubator, your dogs
have arrived and are already barking orders. Shall I take them as I’ve taken
your other lover?”

“No. Leave them alone,” she cried,
a reply to which the vampire tightened his grip, puncturing her flesh until
rivulets of red ran down her skin.

“I’m going to kill you,” Wyatt
shouted, also forgoing his beast to speak.

Roderick laughed. “I’ve faced
death before, numerous times, I might add. Apparently, that lord of darkness
has no use for me because I’m still here. And keep in mind, if you try
anything, the first to go will be your precious mate.”

A red haze descended over Parker’s
gaze when the vampire’s hand tightened around Bailey’s throat, transforming the
fear in her eyes to panic as she struggled to breathe.

“Bastard,” Gavin whispered.

“Is that any way to speak to
your master?” Roderick replied. “Kneel for me, dogs. Bow to me, and maybe I’ll
let you live and serve.”

“Never,” Wyatt vowed.

“Funny, your friend here once
said that. Shall I show you how I taught him to serve his master?”

Parker wondered at Roderick’s words
until the tenebrous touch of something cold and dark skittered at the edges of
his mind.

Like hell.
Nathan had
warned them of Roderick’s ability to control minds, and while the weak couldn’t
fight his touch—nor his son, bound to him by blood—the strong could. Parker
pushed back at the crawling sensation, and judging by the grimace on Roderick’s
face, he wasn’t the only one.

And that didn’t please the
vampire abomination at all. “Kill them,” he screamed. “Kill them all!”

“No.”

The word traveled to them on a
whisper, and a puzzled glance at Gavin showed his pack mate just as confused. A
flurry of movement made Wyatt’s jaw drop, and Parker’s heart swell in pride,
even as his feet moved to bring him closer to help.

Jaxon, the strain on his face
evident, sprang up from his crouch and half shifted, a true wolf man like
Hollywood had never imagined.

“Down, dog!” Roderick bellowed.

Jaxon kept moving, his mouth
opening and releasing a mournful howl imbued with a gut-wrenching agony. But Jaxon
didn’t stop, despite his evident pain, and sank his teeth into the vampire’s
arm. The hand holding Bailey released, and she slumped to the ground as Jaxon
grappled with Roderick.

While the battle for supremacy
took place, from the woods poured wolves, dozens of them, the pack arrived to
join the fray, Nathan at their head. The rogues, confused by their leader’s
lack of direction, remained cognizant enough to know the newcomers were a
threat and attacked.

Parker leapt over the thrashing
furry bodies, his goal lying on the other side. A snarling wolf intercepted
him, and Parker fought to keep gnashing teeth from his neck. Disposing of the
rogue, he turned back to his objective.

As if in slow motion, he saw Wyatt
and Gavin reach Bailey’s side just as the wrestling duo edged toward the
precipice. Roderick began to gain the upper hand, his mental power crushing
Jaxon, who lost his wolf shape and screamed, “I love you, Bailey. Tell them all
I’m sorry.” And with those words, he bellowed as he surged forward against the
vampire, toppling them over the edge.

A hoarse scream came from
Bailey as Gavin dove forward, his fingers grasping for a hold of Jaxon. They
met fabric . . . and tore free. A shocked silence followed that even the
cacophony of battle couldn’t interrupt. It lasted until the first of Bailey’s
harsh sobs.

The moment of freezing passed,
and Wyatt scooped her into his arms as Gavin turned around to stroke a hand
across her cheek.

“It’s over, darling,” he
murmured.

“But Jaxon . . .” she wailed.

“Did what he had to, to redeem
himself. For that, he will always be honored.”

The battle, however, still went
on. The rogues, even without their master, fought tooth and nail, although a
crazy few did scurry over the edge of the cliff to join their sick lord in
death. Parker had lost his thirst for battle, though. He accompanied Gavin and
Wyatt as they strode with their mate back to their SUV, knowing their pack held
the upper hand and would take care of the mess.

A heavy pall hung over them,
the pitiful hiccup of Bailey’s sobs the only sound as they traveled back.
Parker drove as Gavin rocked her in the back. Wyatt sat shotgun, his face
blankly peering out the window at the passing scenery only slowly lightening as
day arrived.

“Pull over.”

“Huh?” Parker dazedly came to
himself and turned in to the motel he assumed Wyatt meant. The thought of a
long shower and a soft bed held a lot of appeal, anything to wipe away the
gritty eyes and fatigue that pulled at him now that the adrenaline had worn
off.

Idling at the front of the
motel office, he waited for Wyatt to come back with a key. He parked in front
of the last room on the row, and like battle-weary soldiers they filed in,
Bailey still nestled in Gavin’s arms.

He took her straight into the
bathroom, and soon the sound of the shower came to them. Gavin returned rubbing
his face. “What a fucking night.”

“Will she be okay?” Wyatt asked
gruffly.

“She’s tougher than she looks,”
Parker said.

The room held a pair of double
beds, and Parker lay down on one, figuring he’d catch a few winks until his turn
with the shower arrived.

Wyatt settled beside him with a
gruff, “Keep your feet to yourself, or I’ll make you into a midget.”

“Try it, and I’ll make you
shriek like a little girl.”

Their attempt at levity fell
flat without Jaxon.

Parker closed his eyes, but
still heard the door when it opened and Bailey stepped out, her scent fresh and
clean.

Gavin kissed her gently on the
forehead. “I’m next,” he said, and the door to the bathroom shut again before
the shower pulsed.

Parker watched Bailey through
hooded eyes, unsure if he should get up and do something or say something.

But what?

She stood surveying the beds,
gnawing her lip. “Can we push them together?” Bailey’s soft words saw him and
Wyatt moving quickly to obey, sliding the heavy frames until the bed butted
together, forming one massive sleeping surface.

A tired smile pulled at her
lips. “Thanks. I don’t want to be alone.”

“I’m sorry,” Wyatt whispered,
saying what Parker longed to.

“For what?” she asked,
appearing genuinely confused.

Parker hung his head. “We
failed you. We said you would be safe, and you still got taken.” The shame of
it still made him burn.

“We don’t deserve you,” Wyatt
added gruffly.

She approached them, raising
her hands to stroke their cheeks. “You came for me. Just in the nick of time
too. I’d call that the actions of heroes. And I’m the one who doesn’t deserve
you. If it weren’t for me, none of you would have gotten caught up in that
monster’s plan, and Jaxon would still be alive.” She broke then, sobbing, and
he and Wyatt closed in on her, comforting her with softly spoken words and
their bodies.

Wyatt swung her into bed and
took to snuggling one of her sides, while Parker took the other. When Gavin
came out from the shower, he took Wyatt’s place, comforting her. And when it
came time for Parker to wash the grime of battle off, he did so even though the
water ran tepid.

When he returned, he found
Bailey sleeping, the eyes of his brothers anxiously watching from either side.
Parker slept at her feet, his arm thrown over her legs.

Despite her tears over Jaxon’s
demise, Parker couldn’t help the relief that Bailey had survived. And even
better, with Jaxon’s last heroic act, Roderick was no more.

Waking up surrounded by male bodies proved interesting, especially when
she needed to ease out to pee and brush her teeth. One of the guys had thought
ahead and hit the motel’s store, because she found not only toothpaste and a
brush, but also some deodorant and lotion for her skin. The one thing she
didn’t bother with was clothes.

During her uneasy slumber, where she’d found herself sometimes crying,
she’d taken time to reflect as the male bodies around her shifted positions,
but made sure to stay in close contact at all time.

She reflected on the fact that she had three men who cared so much for
her that they faced down the ultimate in evil to save her. She mused on the
growing wonder in her belly. And she rejoiced in the fact she lived.

The loss of Jaxon would always be a wound in her psyche. Even without a
bodily claim, she loved her fourth mate. Despite his demise, he would stay a
part of her forever. But, life went on. She’d had her moment to grieve and wail
at the unfairness of the world, to ponder life’s frail nature.

Now she needed to reaffirm her existence, to reignite the bonds that
bound her with her lovers, her mates.

And what better way than through body-to-body, heart-pounding, skin-sweating
sex.

Hence the naked body that sauntered out into the room, shocking her now
woken and dressed men into silence. The dropped jaws were a nice touch.

Placing her hands on her hips, she eyed them with a saucy smile that
was only slightly forced. “Now that I’ve finally got all three of my mates in
one spot, albeit overdressed, I think it is long past time you all showed me
just how well you share.”

“What are you saying, darling?” Gavin asked cautiously, standing up
from the chair.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m saying I want to feel alive. As in, I’m horny,
and I want all of you, pretty much at once, so what are we waiting for?” She
couldn’t quite manage her brazen words without a blush, but at least they
worked. Clothes went flying, and in short order she looked upon three utterly
delicious naked men.
My men.

Although they didn’t say a word aloud, they seemed to own a plan of
action as they moved in a seamless fashion that saw her placed on the bed, on
her hands and knees, a very happy cock waving in her face.

A tanned hand stroked the hard dick, and she peered up at Wyatt, whose
dark eyes danced with mischief.

“You asked for it, sunshine. I hope you can handle it.”

She didn’t reply with words, not when she could let her tongue do the
talking. She slid her lips over his silken head and down his length, caressing
his skin as she went. She pulled on the prick, suctioning as she moved her way
back up. A low moan came from him, but his wasn’t the only rapid breathing.

Taking a look to her left, she saw Parker stroking his cock, a glazed
look on his face. How decadent. A peek to the other side saw Gavin doing the
same.

“I think we should see how good she is while distracted,” said her
blond cowboy.

The bed dipped as he moved behind her. Warm breath fluttered across her
nether lips, and liquid heat pooled in her cleft. She bobbed her head,
excitement filling her as she waited for the first touch. The mouth behind her
teased, though, placing butterfly kisses on her inner thighs, blowing humidly
onto her sex. It so distracted her that when a hot mouth latched onto one of
her hanging breasts, she jumped, clamping down on Wyatt’s cock. His sharply drawn
breath made her mumble an apology through her mouthful, but he didn’t seem to
mind, not if the way his cock throbbed in her mouth was any indication.

Keeping her rhythm proved hard with the mouth tugging and alternately
biting down on her nipple. Add to that the mouth that finally latched onto her
cleft, and she went still. Wyatt helped her out, his fingers threading through
her hair and moving her up and down on his cock while the other two mouths
lavished her with attention in an orgy of sensual delight.

A mewl forced itself past the object in her mouth when the torture on
her clit subsided. And she let go of Wyatt’s cock completely when Gavin’s long prick
thrust into her waiting wetness. Wyatt and Parker both shimmied out from under
her, and she buried her face in the bedcover, her bottom pushed straight up as
Gavin pumped into her, bringing her to the edge of bliss.

Then stopping. She cried out, craning to look back, and saw Gavin
switch places with Wyatt, who, with a lift of a dark brow, slammed into her
waiting pussy. She clawed at the fabric as his hard thrusts rocked her body,
butting against her sensitive G-spot. She climbed the peak of pleasure even
faster, and hovered on its edge when he withdrew.

“No!” she yelled, her channel throbbing and begging for relief. But
they had other plans. Parker took his turn next, the thickness of his shaft
stretching her, but unlike the previous two, he didn’t piston, he took his
time, languorously pushing into her, swirling then retreating. Over and over.
Bailey could only keen at the intense sensation.

But slow and steady or not, his torture brought her to the brink. So of
course he stopped, and Bailey almost cried. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Doing what? Sharing?” Wyatt mocked.

“Isn’t that what you asked for?” Gavin added.

“You know we serve to please,” Parker finished.

“Make me come!” She managed to not scream it, but barely.

They flipped her onto her back. Parker and Wyatt each grabbed a leg and
pulled it up and away, exposing her to Gavin’s ardent gaze. His cock jutted
proudly from his body, the tip of it gleaming. She arched her hips at him,
silently begging.

With a melting smile, he sank into her, his gaze locked to hers. “I
love you, Bailey,” he whispered as he thrust into her, the walls of her sex
clutching him tightly. “Forever and ever.” Quickening his pace, he increased
the friction, and yet despite their frantic hip-rolling, they kept eye contact.
They came together, the roaring wave of orgasm sweeping them and rushing
through their bodies.

Before the quakes subsided, she found herself placed on Wyatt’s lap,
straddling him, his cock sliding into her wet sheath. He rubbed his rough cheek
against hers as he rotated his hips, driving his cock into her still-quivering
channel.

“Sunshine, you are my everything,” he murmured against her ear as he
clutched her to him tightly. A body pressed in from behind, and a hand slid
between their bodies to find her clit. The rubbing of her already sensitive nub
as Wyatt bounced her on his lap soon had her second climax striking, the
milking strength of it making Wyatt gasp as he shot his pleasure into her.

But it wasn’t done. There still remained her gentle giant to take care
of.

He lay on his back, his hooded eyes watching as his brothers grabbed
her with gentle hands and lowered her on his staff. Spent, Bailey wasn’t quite
sure how she could manage the strength to bring him off. She needn’t have
worried. Three sets of hands clasped her body, and a pair of mouths found her
straining nipples. They rocked her slowly on Parker’s cock, swirling her just
right and hitting that delicious inner spot of hers.

“Oh, baby,” her gentle giant rumbled. “There’s no place I’d rather be
than with you for the rest of my life.”

Tears pricked, and she hoped her tremulous smile and shining eyes
showed how much she loved him. Loved all of them.

Her third orgasm made her body seize, her muscles tightening for so
long she thought she’d keel over with the intensity of it. When her body
finally released, it took her breath and the rest of her thoughts with it. A
shudder wracked Parker’s body as his hot seed joined the others in bathing her
channel.

To think, a lifetime ago, she would have been appalled at a woman who
would bed three men at a time.
Talk about
missing out. I love my men, each and every one of them.
And according to
pack law, mating was for life.

Lucky her.