Page 12

“Great, when can we do that? Because seriously, this whole ‘kiss me senseless, then run for the hills’ thing is—” I broke off as Derek leaned even closer. Even kneeling, he managed to loom over me, his presence overwhelming.

“We can’t. Not yet.” Derek’s voice was pure gravel, his hands coming up to grip the couch on either side of my thighs. “You’re not ready.”

“Not ready?” I raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore how his position made me feel small and protected and somehow both safe and endangered at once. “Pretty sure my enthusiasm speaks for itself.”

Caleb’s grip tightened on my shoulder, his teeth grazing my neck.“Trust me, we know. But you haven’t fully awakened yet. Can’t shift, can’t access your wolf side.” His other hand slid into my hair, tugging my head back slightly to expose more of my throat.

“If we tried to claim you now,” Marcus added from my left, his eyes darkening to midnight as he watched Caleb mark my neck, “the intensity would kill you.” His hand splayed possessively across my lower back, steadying me as I squirmed between them.

Oh. Well. That explained some things.

“So all this stopping and starting…” I gasped as Derek’s hands moved from the couch to my thighs, his thumbs tracing dangerous patterns through my jeans.

“Is us trying not to lose control,” Derek finished. “Because believe me, once we start…” His hands slid up to cup my face again, completely engulfing my jaw in his calloused palms. “We won’t be able to stop.”

“Then maybe you should stop teasing and start training me,” I suggested, aiming for practical but probably landing closer to breathless, especially with how Derek’s thumbs were tracing my cheekbones. My hands found his tactical vest, needing something to anchor myself between the three of them. “Because this whole ‘can’t claim you yet’ thing? Not getting easier with all the—oh.”

Derek’s kiss was nothing like Marcus’ calculated conquest or Caleb’s artistic seduction. This was raw power, barely contained, like trying to bottle lightning. His hands held me still as his mouth claimed mine, and I was suddenly very grateful for the couch and his brothers’ support because my bones had apparently decided to melt. Somewhere in the kiss-induced haze, I registered Caleb’s approving growl against my neck, felt Marcus’ grip tighten on my back.

“Beautiful,” Caleb murmured, his teeth finding that sensitive spot behind my ear that made stars explode behind my eyes. “The way you just melt for us…”

I would have protested that assessment, but Derek chose that moment to deepen the kiss, one hand sliding into my hair while the other kept me still. His tongue swept inside, tasting, claiming, destroying what was left of my sanity. The tactical vest was rough under my desperate grip, but I needed something to hold on to as three sets of hands branded my skin with possessive touches.

When Derek finally pulled back, I was grateful for Caleb’s support on my right and Marcus’ steady hand on my back. Derek stayed close, his forehead resting against mine as we both tried to catch our breath. This close, I could see the amber fighting with the steel-gray blue in his eyes, could feel the tremors of restraint running through his powerful frame.

“Now who’s broadcasting smugness?” Marcus drawled, though his own voice was rough with barely contained need.

Derek’s grin was pure predator, his thumb brushing over my swollen bottom lip. “Can’t help it. Our little mate tastes like addiction.” He was still kneeling between my legs, making no move to create distance despite the dangerous heat in his eyes.

“And you’re both making it very hard to remember why we can’t claim him right now,” Caleb added, his voice rough against my skin as his teeth grazed a particularly sensitive spot.

“Training,” I managed to gasp out, clutching Derek’s vest like a lifeline as Caleb’s mouth did wicked things to my neck. “Definitely… need to start training. Like, yesterday.”

Marcus’ laugh was warm with promise, his hand sliding up my spine in a possessive caress. “Soon, little one. First, you need to heal. Then we’ll see about awakening that wolf of yours.”

“And then?” I couldn’t help asking, even though their darkening eyes told me I was playing with fire. Derek’s hands tightened on my thighs in response.

“Then,” Derek growled, his voice dropping to that dangerous register that made my toes curl, “we show you exactly what it means to be claimed by three alphas.”

Caleb’s teeth grazed my pulse point, making me shiver. “No more holding back.”

“No more control,” Marcus added, his voice like silk over steel as his fingers traced the edge of my collar.

Right. Okay. Healing. Training. Wolf awakening. I could do this. Just had to survive their “careful” attention until then.

Though given the way Derek was still kneeling between my legs, looking at me like I was his next meal, and Caleb was determined to mark every inch of my neck while Marcus’ touch burned through my clothes… survival might be the wrong word choice.

“Enough!” Maria’s voice cracked through the room like a whip. “Dios mío! Can you animals not leave him alone? He’s still healing!”

The brothers tensed but didn’t immediately move. Derek’s grip on my thighs tightened briefly before he rose to his feet, though he stayed close enough that his leg pressed against my knee.

“Dr. White is here,” Maria continued, hands on her hips as she glared at the three alphas. “And she needs to examine him properly, not piece him together through the gaps between you three octopuses.”

“We’re not—” Caleb started to protest.

“Octopuses?” I couldn’t help adding. “Wouldn’t it be octopi?”

“Actually,” Anna chimed in from the doorway, where she stood with an elegant woman in her late fifties, “it’s octopodes, but that’s not really the point right now.”