Lords of the Were (4 page)

“You’re the image of your fathers,” his voice cracked with emotion as he pulled her into his strong arms and hugged her close, “but you have your mother’s eyes. Sweet Allesandra, how we’ve missed you.” Allie felt her heart hinge open and tears rolled down her face as she clung to the older man. He was strong and his arms felt safe and warm, like she imagined her father would have felt had he—no, make that they—lived to raise her.

“You’re my Uncle Thomas,” Allie whispered softly as she returned his welcoming hug.

He let her go and held her at arm’s length for a long moment, looking deeply into her eyes. Then he turned her around so she stood in front of him facing the room full of watching were.

“This woman is blood of my blood. I stand in place of her sires and claim her as my own. I will protect her where my brothers cannot.” A roar of approval met his words and though Allie was still a bit confused, she realized he’d just claimed her publicly. He turned her back around, his enormous strength evident though his touch was gentle.

“I’m only sorry it’s taken me this long to claim you, Allesandra. I hope you’ll let me stand in for my brothers and think of me as your father, as is traditional among our people.”

“I have a lot to learn about your ways, but I’d really like that, Uncle Thomas.” Her smile was bright, as were the feelings of belonging that were blooming in her heart.

“Call me Tio or just Tom, if you like. You’re kin, Allesandra, and you should have been claimed a long time ago. You come to me if you need anything, and I mean anything, all right?” Allie nodded past the lump in her throat, her eyes brimming once more. She could feel the care radiating off the man and though they’d only just met, she felt a kinship with him that could not be denied.

“The kids are away right now, but your cousins definitely want to meet you. I’ll bring them by next week.”

A bustling sound from the doorway drew their attention as a tall, elegant woman entered and made a beeline for them. From her coloring and the tears in her eyes, Allie guessed this was her aunt. The woman stopped before her and just stared.

“I’m Jillian.” The woman’s soft, cultured voice was almost musical.

“I’m Allie.”

Jillian’s eyes overflowed with tears as she grasped Allie gently by the forearms. “You are so beautiful, Allie. My brothers would be so proud of you. But when I look in your eyes, it’s like Lilias is looking back at me.” Jillian sobbed as she dragged Allie into her arms and hugged her close. Allie felt a little overwhelmed by the emotion coming from the taller woman, but it was also a comforting feeling. Here was a woman, joined to her by blood, who had known her birth parents and loved them, and quite obviously loved her for their sake. Allie let the woman hold her as long as she wanted, finding comfort in the tight squeeze her aunt gave her.

“Jilly, let the girl breathe,” Her uncle scolded cheerfully as his sister finally drew back.

“I’m just so happy you’re here,” Jillian said tearfully, placing a kiss on her forehead. Allie could feel the truth ring in her aunt’s words.

“How are you doing?” Betina asked quietly beside her.

“I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” she said softly, turning to her aunt and uncle, “but thrilled by the idea of having family.” Jillian stepped back and latched onto the arm of a tall man who’d come up behind her. “This is my mate, Ryan. Our cubs wanted to come but I thought it would be better for you to meet them tomorrow, privately, if that’s okay. They can be a little overwhelming.”

“How many children do you have?”

“Five at last count, and a new one on the way.” Ryan patted his wife’s flat tummy lovingly as he hugged her from behind. Apparently this was big news because Jillian blushed and Tom clapped his brother-in-law on the back, offering hearty congratulations.

Allie added her congratulations and stepped back as the rest of the guests crowded around to offer theirs. She found herself in a somewhat secluded corner, still flanked by those disturbing twin men who had caused such mischief earlier in the night. For the moment, Betina was chatting with Jillian and left Allie to her own devices.

“I hope you’re not shy.” Tim spoke softly, his attention outward, but his words directed somewhat coldly toward Allie.

“Not as a rule, no,” she bristled at his implied disapproval, “but it’s hard meeting family you never knew you had.”

“And perhaps discovering that the world you knew isn’t quite as it seemed?” Rafe gave her a teasing smile that made her feel more at ease.

“Yeah, that too,” she laughed.

The sound of her amusement shot through Tim like a bolt of lightning, but he fought against the attraction he had no desire to feel.

He didn’t like the idea of this woman—who knew nothing of their world—

coming into their lives and taking over as he had no doubt she would.

Women, in his experience, always did. First they made you want them with their wiles and before you knew it, you were tied up in knots of their design.

“Stop teasing her, Rafe.” He warned off his twin with a barely contained growl.

“Stop fighting the inevitable, Tim. You’re only fighting fate, and that’s never a good idea.”

They talked over her head as if she wasn’t there, but Tim was all too aware of her every movement, her every breath. She even smelled like desire and he wanted her with a sudden tightening of his body that he could do nothing to stop. When she’d kissed him on the nose in wolf form, he knew he was a goner. This little woman would seal his fate, but he wouldn’t go down without a fight. That he swore.

“I’ll fight whatever I damn well please.” Tim growled at his twin and snarled when Allie backed away from him, straight into Rafe’s arms.

He didn’t like the fact that she was afraid of him and he liked even less the idea that she would accept his brother’s arms around her while she ran from him. But he refused to give in to the instincts that were clamoring for him to claim her as his own. He’d never fought his twin over a woman and he refused to start now.

“You behave civilly, Tim, or I’ll kick your ass myself.” Rafe’s arms tightened around Allie’s shoulders, pulling her back against his chest and cradling her close. Her sky blue eyes were wide with apprehension and Tim didn’t like that he’d put that look on her beautiful face. Stubborn to the core though, he refused to give in and apologize. He scowled and turned away.

“Don’t mind him, sweetheart,” he head Rafe say, “sometimes I think he’s a bear instead of a wolf, he’s so snarly. Don’t let him ruin your party.” He heard a smacking sound and looked back to see Rafe kissing

her temple, his gaze meeting his brother’s with a dangerous light. “Let’s get you something to drink and introduce you around. There’s lots of folks here who want to meet you tonight.” With a deliberate look at his brother, Rafe tucked her little hand into the crook of his arm and led her off in the direction of the small kitchen.

Tim steamed, watching after them silently when he’d like nothing better than to tackle her, drag her to the floor and fuck her brains out. But that would never do.

A few hours later Allie was completely overwhelmed. Rafe stayed by her side, introducing her around to everyone and continuing the amusing banter that kept her on her toes. Tim watched her with angry eyes that made her uncomfortable, but Rafe shot his brother some well-aimed comments that had him behaving for the most part. Betina came and went, introducing her to various people while she enjoyed the party herself, and her aunt and uncle chatted for a few minutes before taking their leave.

Aunt Jillian left early in deference to her “delicate condition”, though she’d wanted to stay. Her mate, Ryan, had interceded rather forcefully on that one. The look on his face spoke volumes of the love between the two and for a short moment Allie wished, just once, a man would look at her with the eyes of love.

At about two in the morning, most of the well wishers gravitated toward the backyard. Rafe escorted her outside as the first of the guests started shifting into whatever animal with which they shared their spirit.

“It’s time to run,” Rafe whispered in her ear as she watched, openmouthed, as a huge man who’d been introduced to her as Rocky changed into a grizzly bear not ten yards from where she stood.

She noticed Tim taking off his shirt to her left as Rafe continued to hold her right arm politely. She wondered if they all planned to leave this

way, leaving heaps of clothing in her new backyard. A small, almost hysterical giggle left her throat as she spotted Betina coming out the back door and making her way toward them.

“Are you going to, uh, run, too?” Allie felt shy asking such a question of Rafe, but he just smiled and patted her hand.

“My surly brother will lead the pack alone tonight if you want me to keep you company. I don’t mind staying by your side, sweetheart.” But she could almost feel his longing to run with his twin and their pack. She could practically taste the energy coming off him in waves as he watched each new animal take to the woods. Making a decision, she released his arm and stepped back.

“You’ve been more than kind to me tonight, Rafe, but now it’s your turn to have some fun.”

“I’ll keep her company until you all come back for your things, and we’ll cook up some breakfast.” Betina came to her rescue, facing down both brothers. “I assume the kitchen is stocked?” Rafe laughed as Tim changed without so much as a farewell and bounded off into the woods. “Tim stocked it himself, and you know how thorough he is.” Allie swore he licked his lips with an entirely different message as he held her gaze. Her blood heated and liquid fire burned between her thighs. Rafe grinned as he sniffed, almost as if he could smell her renewed arousal. “It would be kind of you to provide a little nosh for us after our run, and it’ll go a long way toward making new friends.”

Betina smiled archly. “Just what I was thinking. Plus, I have quite a bit to discuss with Allie, so we probably wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight anyway. We might as well do something useful while you’re out gallivanting around the woods.”

Rafe nodded respectfully though his eyes twinkled. He stripped off his shirt, making sure Allie caught every ripple of his hard muscled frame.

He dropped his jeans and stepped out of them, toward Allie as she stood frozen. He was beautiful, a gorgeous specimen of ultra-masculine male in his prime and he was teasing her senseless. Sighing, she realized both Rafe and his unpredictable brother could make her wet with no more than a look. It was downright shameful.

Never had she wanted to stroke a hard cock the way she wanted to stroke Rafe’s now, or take him in her mouth and suck the living daylights right out of him. Never had she wanted a man to possess her utterly, taking her hard, fast, and in every way imaginable. And never had she wanted such possession from two men.

Because even as surly as Tim had been all night, she was attracted to him too. She sensed the hunger riding him hard, just below the surface, and she guessed the bad mood was his way of fighting against the attraction he so obviously had no power to control. She didn’t like being at the mercy of emotions she’d never experienced and never expected, so she could only imagine how hard an in-control kind of guy like Tim would find it. He was rebelling, no doubt about it, but she didn’t think he’d last long. She knew for a fact she was already a goner and if, or more like when, these men came knocking on her bedroom door, she wouldn’t be able to send either one of them away.

Rafe stood before her, gloriously nude. He changed, licking her hand with his raspy tongue before bounding away. All that was left to mark his passing was a pile of discarded clothing. Without quite realizing what she was doing, Allie bent to pick up his jeans and shirt, folding them lovingly and placing them on the nearby patio table. She did the same with Tim’s discarded clothing and realized only when she caught Betina’s knowing smile, she’d been caressing the soft denims the way she longed to caress their hard male flesh.

How she could be attracted to two men? Never in her life had the thought of having two men at once even entered her mind. With limited

sexual experience, she hadn’t even realized she could become so easily aroused, but all these two men had to do was look at her and she was theirs. It confounded her. Each of them held their own appeal, but she couldn’t choose one over the other. She simply wanted both—as if that were the only right way. That thought struck her as odd, but with the new insights given her tonight at the ceremony, something echoed through her mind and told her it was the only right way for these two special beings. The only right way for her with them.

The thought shocked her. With it came the realization they would probably try to take her and possess her in the ways a man possesses a woman—but these men would do it together. Fear stiffened her limbs as she followed Betty back into the cozy house. She couldn’t dwell on those two disturbing men. There were much more imperative things to discuss with Betty while she had her here.

Betina and Allie talked for the remainder of the night. There was so much she had to learn, so much she had to come to terms with in such a short time. From time to time, they heard howls and roars from the forest and Allie had the sneaking suspicion the shapeshifting partygoers were having a good time on their run.

At about half past four in the morning, Betina started making breakfast. Allie was a little surprised, but followed the older woman’s lead. When Betina took out three dozen eggs and began assembling enough ingredients to feed a small army, Allie started to appreciate why the older woman had started work on the feast so early. An hour and a half later, they had plates of bacon, sausage and steaks as well as mountains of fluffy eggs ready and waiting as the first of the revelers started to return.

One by one and in small groups, they entered the house, following their noses to the pleasant surprise awaiting them. Allie and Betina stood back and watched as their guests tucked in the masses of food, eating more than Allie had ever seen any human being eat in one sitting.

“We work up an appetite when we run in our fur.” The deep voice at Allie’s ear made her jump, though she instantly recognized Rafe’s warm presence behind her. Still buttoning his shirt, he sniffed appreciatively at the food.