The Trail Back (23 page)

Brody was standing between his two huge mates, each of them had an arm around him as they, too, laughed at their private conversation. All were pleased to be back with their mates. Abbie decided to just enjoy having her big wolves around her. She knew then, that she was going to love it here with her new pride.

Josh sat at the table with Shane and Brayden taking the seats on either side of them. Charlie and Jason Reed followed them into the room. Jason had a steel kidney dish in his hand. Abbie could see that it contained two hypodermic syringes. She shuddered involuntarily. The memory of what the vampires had done to her, how they’d bled her, rushed back.

“You don’t have to do this now, sweetheart,” Shane said.

He squeezed her hand and wrapped his other hand around her thigh. His warmth was comforting, and it pulled her away from the terrifying memories.

“We can wait.”

She couldn’t speak past the lump of terror still clogging her throat, so she just shook her head.

“We really can’t wait,” Sean said. “We need to get this stuff tested before Aiden takes it to the vampires. We need to be certain, or they’ll come for Kaitlyn and Abbie, and it will be to kill them.”

Isabelle walked into the room holding her mate’s hand. Kaitlyn’s father was walking slowly, and he still bore bruises and cuts around his neck.

“Sean is correct,” Isabelle said. She helped Ray sit in a chair and remained standing behind him, her back rigid, her face pale and drawn. “Once we inform them that we have knowledge of hybrids, all our lives will be forfeit unless we can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we have negated the toxic side effects of their blood.”

“I’m ready, Jason,” Kaitlyn said. “I want this over so I know we’ll all be safe. I won’t have my babies growing up in fear or isolation.”

Kaitlyn glanced at her parents, and Abbie saw them both flinch. Abbie could see that Kaitlyn had more scars than just the ones the vampires had inflicted. Abbie sat up straighter. If Kaitlyn could do this, then so could she. They’d killed the vampire together and they’d stand united in this battle as well.

“I’m ready, too. It’s only a needle, right?”

“Yes, at present,” Jason said. “But I hope to soon have a serum that can be ingested.”

“You assured us that Kaitlyn’s fetus will be unharmed by this,” Aiden said.

“Of course, I’d never do anything that would endanger the cub. This vaccine simply alters the aberrant enzyme production present in the hybrids. I won’t bore you with the science, but it stops the hybrid blood from having any drug-like effect once it’s ingested.”

He walked to Kaitlyn and held up the syringe. “Arm or butt?” Kaitlyn asked. Sean and Aiden both growled.

“Arm will be fine,” Jason said calmly. He injected Kaitlyn and everyone in the room stared at her in rapt silence. “She’s not going to turn blue or sprout horns,” he said. “Honestly!” He rolled his eyes at Charlie, who did the same.

Abbie rolled up her sleeve as Jason approached.

“How long until we can test it?” Josh asked. He growled when Jason injected her with the vaccine. She patted his leg to calm him.

“I imagine there will be an immediate change in the taste of their blood, but to be sure, maybe a day or two.”

“She still smells the same,” Aiden said as he nuzzled Kaitlyn’s neck.

“It won’t stop her being a hybrid, that’s genetic. It’s only one small enzyme that needed changing.”

“All these years,” Isabelle said, “I stayed away all this time to keep her safe when I should have been seeking a cure. How many hybrids have been put to death in the time I’ve wasted?”

“You didn’t know,” Ray said. He grasped Isabelle’s hand where it rested on his shoulder. “What’s important is that Aiden thought of it and then enlisted the right person to help. Thank you, Jason.”

The meeting broke up, and Charlie asked that they return on Friday for a blood test. Jason was thanked profusely by everyone for his help with the injured, as well as his work in creating the vaccine. Abbie had been scared that Isabelle or Aiden would have to bite her and was thrilled she was wrong. A blood test was going to be easy.

“Time for that bath, little wolf,” Brayden said. “Are you ready to go home?”

Abbie crawled into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was ready. She had mates, a new home, and a new life. A life she never envisioned possible as she endured those weeks of torture and abuse. She needed to thank Isabelle. She was the reason for all of this.

“One more minute,” Abbie said. She slid from Brayden’s lap and walked over to Isabelle. She still looked as though she were in a great deal of pain. “I haven’t ever thanked you.”

Isabelle smiled and cupped her check with one of her slim hands. “There is no need. Seeing you alive and free is thanks enough.”

“You risked your life to rescue a stranger. Because of you I have a life to live, mates to love, and a pride to keep me safe. You did all this out of love for your daughter and mate, I hope you can find the same happiness that you’ve gifted me.”

Abbie hugged her and walked back to her mates. It was time to start her life.

Brayden washed Abbie’s hair for the third time. His little wolf made the sexiest noises when he massaged the shampoo into her scalp that he was tempted to wash it again. “You are so sexy, Abbie. A little skinny, but very sexy.”

“We haven’t done a very good job of putting some meat on your bones,” Josh said.

“I think we need to feed you more,” Shane said. He cupped his hands, scooped water over Abbie’s hair, and washed away all the suds.

“Are you going to learn to cook?” Brayden said.

Abbie sat up and turned around, arranging herself on his lap in their big corner bath. Even when he’d had it installed, over a year ago, he never really thought it would be used for its given purpose. But now it was. He and his brothers had found their mate and they were mated to the most beautiful woman in the world.

“No. I’ll eat my food raw before I learn to cook,” Shane said.

Brayden’s cock had grown hard as Abbie had enjoyed her hair wash and now that her bare ass was pressing against him, his cock was starting to throb painfully. He tried to concentrate on what Shane was saying, but Abbie’s small breasts were bobbing on the surface of the bath water.

Josh moved across the bath and cupped Abbie’s breasts in his hands as he lowered his mouth to hers. He hadn’t been the only one affected by their sexy mate.

“I think we’re clean enough,” Brayden said. He stood with Abbie in his arms and Shane appeared from nowhere with a towel. They had Abbie dried and lying on the bed in seconds. Sometimes it was good to be gifted with preternatural speed.

“But I like a good soak,” Abbie said.

She attempted a pout, but Shane sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and began teasing one of her nipples with his fingers. Abbie moaned, arching into his touch. Brayden swept his hands up the soft skin of Abbie’s thighs, parting them gently as he neared her pussy. Abbie’s scent was sweet and alluring—irresistible. Lowering his head he licked gently at her folds.

“So sweet, little wolf,” he murmured. He circled her clit with his tongue and inserted a finger inside her. “I need more of your cream, baby.”

She grew moist around his finger as he slid it deeper before setting a gentle pumping rhythm that had Abbie rocking her hips in time with his thrusts. Josh lowered his head to Abbie’s neglected breast, and she grasped his hair and held him to her, as he licked and bit at her swollen nipple.

“So good,” Abbie said, her words garbled as Shane thrust his tongue into her open mouth.

Brayden’s balls drew up tight, and his cock ached as he sucked on Abbie’s clit. He needed to be inside her, but he wanted her pleasure to come first. She would always be the most important thing in his life.

As Abbie’s pussy clamped down on his finger, he added another and sucked her swollen clit into his mouth. Flicking over it lightly with his tongue she cried out as she came. He continued to lick her clit and stroke her pussy until her orgasm waned.

“I need you now,” Brayden said. He kissed her stomach as he rose above her. Holding her waist he rolled onto is back and brought her with him. She rose on her knees above him and grasped his cock in her hands. She rubbed his pre-cum around the head of his cock with a finger as she positioned it at her entrance.

“I want you all. I need to feel you all inside me,” she whispered.

The room was dark now that the sun had set and the curtains let in only a faint glow from the rising moon. Abbie looked like a goddess as she sat astride him.

She sank onto his cock with a moan of pleasure. The sound of that moan alone could have made him come. Coupled with the tight warm heat of her pussy swallowing him, it was an erotic torture. He clamped down his pelvic muscles and held her still as her groin settled over his.

“It’s too good, baby. Stay still or I’ll come right now.”

She nibbled at his neck and kissed her way to his lips. He felt the bed dip and sway as his brothers positioned themselves around Abbie.

“Your lips are so soft, Brayden,” Abbie said.

She kissed him again, licking along the seam of his lips and then dipping her tongue inside to rub against his own.

“This will feel a little cold, baby,” Shane said. Abbie moaned into his mouth as Shane prepared her ass. “Just relax and let it feel good, Abbie.”

Abbie rocked her hips back toward Shane, and Brayden had to hold her still before he lost his fight not to come.

“My turn to feel those lips, Abbie,” Josh said.

Abbie kissed Brayden one more time and reached out a hand to grasp Josh’s cock. She licked the head and gave a small moan.

“Nothing has ever felt as good as you, Abbie,” Josh said. A low growl rumbled from him.

As Abbie bobbed her head, sucking and licking Josh’s cock, Brayden began to move. He pulled back a little and felt Shane slide fully into Abbie’s ass. She shivered and started to rock her hips between them. He and Shane let her set the pace and thrust in turn, each of them filling her.

“I’m coming,” Josh said, his voice strained.

Brayden stilled as Abbie stroked Josh’s cock and swallowed his cum. Josh kissed her head and lay beside them, caressing Abbie’s back as they all made love to her.

When Abbie’s pussy began to pulse around him, Brayden let loose his control and pumped his hips faster, sliding his cock in and out of his mate. His orgasm rushed through him. Lifting his mouth to Abbie’s neck, he let his canines extend and slide into his mark. She came instantly, calling out his name as his cum bathed her pussy.

Shane tensed above them and called Abbie’s name as he came and marked their mate again. When Abbie’s breathing slowed, Shane pulled from Abbie and went to the bathroom. He returned with a cloth, and they all helped to clean her.

She snuggled up to Josh and laid her head on his shoulder. Shane spooned against her back, his hand possessively wrapped around her stomach. Brayden kissed Abbie good night and left to do a final sweep of the property. They’d been through too much for him to ever take Abbie’s safety for granted. By the time he returned to their bed, Shane was still awake, but Abbie was fast asleep and Josh was softly snoring.

“I didn’t know Josh snored.” Brayden said. He untucked the quilt and lay across the foot of the big bed.

“He snores worse when he’s a wolf,” Shane said, smoothing the hair away from Abbie’s beautiful face. “I thought you were crazy when you put this huge bed in here. I’m glad you never gave up on us, Bray.”

Brayden nodded and stroked his hand over Abbie’s calf. Nothing had ever felt so right to him—the four of them, together as a unit. Brayden felt happy and complete as he let sleep claim him.

For the last six weeks Abbie had woken like this every morning, warm in her bed and surrounded by her wolves. She felt soft, silky fur at her back and feet. She quite literally, woke up with her wolves. Invariably either Josh or Shane, and sometimes both, shifted to their wolf while they slept. It was usually when they were upset or worried about something, as they were now.

After six weeks of mated bliss, two of her mates were leaving her. She knew she was being a little dramatic, but it still felt like that to her.

“I can feel you worrying, little wolf,” Brayden said. He pulled her close against his chest and kissed her. They were both moaning when Josh shifted back, he climbed over Abbie and rolled her onto her back so he could kiss her good morning, too.

“Good morning, baby,” Josh said, breaking their kiss and staring into her eyes. “We’ll be fine, we need to be sure you’re safe. Let us do this for you.”

“I’ll miss you,” Abbie said. “I’d rather we all went out into the woods and mapped out another tour.”

She wriggled as Shane, still as his wolf, wedged his furry head between her and Josh. He licked her stomach and nudged at her with his cold nose.

All Abbie’s worries about the day ahead fled as Shane shifted back and licked his way to her pussy. She always lost her mind completely when her mates loved her together.

* * * *

Brayden stood with his arms wrapped tightly around Abbie. She was fidgeting and shuffling her feet, unable to stand still despite him constantly murmuring comforting words into her ear. “They’ll be fine, little wolf. We’ll see them any minute now.”

She wasn’t the only one radiating anxiety. The mood in the tavern was somber as they all waited for the delegation from Pine Falls to return. Aiden’s plan to slip quietly away to present his case regarding the hybrids to the vampire nation’s governing body, had somehow led to half the pride accompanying him.

Initially, Aiden and Isabelle were to go to the council alone, but Caleb had insisted on accompanying them to show his support as their Alpha. Then Charlie had been included to answer any medical questions. Brody insisted that he be included, in order to protect his Alpha in case the vampire’s “got nasty.” Landon had to go to watch over Brody and finally, Josh and Shane had insisted on being there to represent Abbie’s interests. They had become good mates to Abbie.