Page 41

Marcus moved with impossible smoothness along the worn path, his stride carefully measured to keep me secure on his back. The soft fur under my fingers and the steady rhythm of his movement was oddly soothing. Derek and Caleb ranged ahead, their powerful forms weaving between ancient trees with familiar ease. I relaxed further, letting my fingertips trail through Marcus’ impossibly soft fur as we ventured deeper into what I now recognized as their territory.

A month ago, I would have been counting escape routes and checking for monsters behind every trunk. Now, surrounded by three powerful wolves, I felt safer here than I ever had in the city. The forest had changed from a source of anxiety to something almost… welcoming. Or maybe I was the one who had changed.

“Let me guess,” I said as we approached the sound of water. “Secret wolf lake?”

Marcus’ chest rumbled in what felt like agreement. The trees opened up to reveal a pristine lake, its surface gleaming like polished glass in the late afternoon light.

Caleb didn’t waste any time, his golden-brown form launching into the water with a splash that seemed deliberately aimed at Derek. The larger gray wolf retaliated immediately, and suddenly I was watching two massive predators play like oversized puppies in the lake.

“Real dignified.” I laughed, sliding off Marcus’ back. “Very alpha-like behav?—”

A wave of water cut me off as Caleb’s tail created a surprisingly accurate splash zone. I stood there dripping, trying to maintain some dignity while two wolf faces managed to look completely innocent despite their size.

“Oh, it’s on.”

I kicked off my shoes and waded into the lake, immediately regretting my choice of a thin t-shirt as it clung to my skin. But the water was perfect—cool but not cold—and something about being surrounded by three playful wolves made me forget to be self-conscious.

Caleb darted around me in circles, creating waves that had me stumbling and laughing. Derek tried to maintain some dignity, but even he couldn’t resist joining in when I managed to splash water right in his face. And Marcus… Marcus watched it all with those intense crimson eyes, like he was memorizing every moment.

“I can’t wait until I can feel the mate bond,” I said, floating on my back between them. “At least then I’d know what you’re thinking when you look at me like that.” I glanced at Marcus. “Though maybe that’s dangerous territory.”

The wet shirt was becoming annoying, plastered to my skin and heavy with water. Without thinking too much about it—they were wolves right now, after all—I peeled it off and tossed it toward the shore. The late afternoon sun felt amazing on my bare skin, and the water was perfect for swimming.

It wasn’t until I noticed all three wolves had gone very still that I remembered these weren’t actually wolves—they were three very male, very alpha werewolves who had been driving me crazy for weeks.

“Um,” I managed eloquently as the air suddenly felt charged with something that had nothing to do with swimming.

The change started with Marcus, because of course it did. His black fur seemed to melt away like ink dissolving in water, revealing bronzed skin and powerful muscles. The transformation was somehow both elegant and devastating, each stage a display of controlled power that made my breath catch. When it finished, he stood waist-deep in the lake, water droplets tracing paths down his chest like they were worshipping every perfect line.

Derek’s shift was next, his steel-gray fur rippling away in a controlled wave that showcased every inch of his warrior’s build. His transformation spoke of contained strength, each movement precise and deliberate. The water barely stirred around him, like even the lake knew better than to disturb his change.

Caleb’s transformation was pure grace, his golden-brown fur shimmering away like sunlight dancing on water. His shift was faster, more fluid, revealing lean muscle and golden skin that seemed to glow in the late afternoon light.

Three very naked, very wet alpha werewolves surrounded me, their eyes conveying something that made my skin tingle with awareness. Derek’s steel-gray gaze burned with barely contained heat, Caleb’s electric blue sparkled with mischief and desire, and Marcus… Marcus’ eyes were pure crimson fire.

“Oh,” I breathed, heat flooding my face as I belatedly remembered I was also half-naked. “That’s… that’s really not fair.”

Marcus moved first, closing the distance between us. Water rippled around his powerful form as he approached, and I began to back up, until I hit Derek’s solid chest. Marcus’ hand cupped my jaw, tilting my face up as water lapped around our bodies. “Life rarely is, little mate,” he murmured, then claimed my mouth with a hunger that made my toes curl.

Marcus kissed like he did everything else—with absolute authority. His tongue swept into my mouth, hot and demanding, making my breath catch as he deepened the kiss. My lips parted instinctively, letting him take control as our tongues tangled in a dance that had heat pooling low in my stomach. Derek’s solid chest anchored me from behind, his skin fever-hot against my back despite the cool lake water. Every brush of their wet skin against mine sent electricity dancing along my nerves.

“Beautiful,” Derek growled against my neck, his voice rough with need. His teeth grazed my pulse point, making me shiver. When Marcus finally released my mouth, my lips felt swollen and sensitive. Derek turned my head back toward him, and I melted against his chest, using his strength to stay upright as he claimed his own kiss. Where Marcus had been demanding, Derek was pure intensity—each stroke of his tongue making me whimper. Water droplets traced paths down our bodies as he deepened the kiss, his hand sliding up to cup the back of my neck.

Marcus took advantage of my distraction, his mouth trailing fire down my throat. The contrast between his hot tongue and the cool water drops had my skin tingling. I gasped into Derek’s kiss when Marcus’ teeth grazed my collarbone, then moaned outright as his mouth moved lower. His tongue flicked across my nipple, making it tighten into a hard peak. My back arched involuntarily, pressing harder against Derek’s chest as Marcus’ clever mouth sent sparks of pleasure shooting through me.

“My turn,” Caleb announced, and suddenly I was being tugged away from his brothers. His lean body pressed against mine as he backed us toward deeper water, his eyes electric blue and hungry. Droplets clung to his long eyelashes, and his usual playful smile had turned predatory. “They’ve had you long enough.”

“Caleb,” I started to protest, but his mouth caught mine before I could finish. He kissed like he fought—quick, graceful, and devastatingly effective. His tongue teased along my bottom lip before diving deep, drawing a moan from me that the water couldn’t muffle. His hands slid down my back, pulling me closer until every inch of our wet skin pressed together. The lake swirled around us, making everything slick and heated and desperate.

A low growl from Marcus reminded me we weren’t alone, but Caleb just smiled against my lips, his teeth catching my bottom lip in a playful nip. “They’ll have to catch us first.”

Caleb spun us deeper into the lake, his movements as fluid as the water around us. My body was already hypersensitive from Marcus and Derek’s attention, and every brush of Caleb’s wet skin against mine sent new sparks of pleasure racing through me. He kept stealing quick, heated kisses as we moved, each one making me forget why we were supposed to be escaping.

A deep growl behind us sent shivers down my spine. I glanced back to see Marcus and Derek cutting through the water with predatory grace, their powerful bodies moving with intent that made my mouth go dry. Water streamed down their chests, highlighting every perfect muscle, and their eyes… their eyes promised delicious retribution.

“Oh God,” I breathed as Caleb’s teeth found my earlobe. His tongue traced the shell of my ear, making me shudder.

“They look good when they hunt, don’t they?” he murmured against my ear, his hands sliding down to my hips. “But you look even better being hunted.”