Page 18

Rumor

Although I hadn’t made love with anyone but Vargas yet, we were sleeping in the bed together, all of us in that amazing puppy pile that night. Nobody was pushing me to go further, and I wanted to absorb one step at a time. Even Vargas had not marked me, yet. But sleeping in their arms was something I’d never dreamed could be so wonderful. I felt safe and warm and cared for.

My wolf hadn’t expressed an opinion about anyone else yet.

I woke up late, a few days later. Stretching, I enjoyed the luxury of the big bed all to myself while the scents of bacon and coffee tickled my nose. Although I tried to do as much as I could to get them to let me do more work around the house, they were forever insisting that I wasn’t here for that. We were a pack together, and we all did our share.

Climbing out of bed, I padded into the shower and got ready for the day. I’d replaced the rags I arrived in with cute and simple clothes, and today, I chose a flowered cotton top and jeans. I planned to spend some time taking care of the quail and do some gardening in the morning. In the afternoon, we were going to a movie.

I hadn’t been to one in years, and I was already looking forward to hot buttered popcorn and a tall soda with lots of ice. Didn’t even matter what the movie was. The company was the best part.

We were sitting at the breakfast table over second cups of coffee when the doorbell rang, and I hopped up. “I’ll get it.”

“You sit down.” Penn guided me back to my seat. “I’ll go see who is bothering us at this hour. Breakfast time is sacred.”

“It is?” I’d never heard that.

“It is in our family…now.” He disappeared into the hallway, and a moment later came back in. “Rumor, your sister is here. Do you want to see her?”

“No.” I didn’t even have to think about it. “Tell her to go back to her kingdom and leave me in peace.”

“Now, how is that a way to greet your identical twin?” Reyna swept into the kitchen on a cloud of expensive perfume. “I’ve missed you.”

“Really?” Sarcasm dripped from the syllables. “And why is that. Having trouble getting servants?”

She plopped down on Penn’s empty chair next to me. “Can we have some privacy?”

“Why would I want to be alone with you?” Except to speed things along maybe.

“Really. I wasn’t the one who wanted you sent away. And to here…to them… Well, you know.”

“Maybe that’s something you should have thought about when you had me waiting on you hand and foot, doing your laundry and making your bed and cleaning your bathroom.”

“None of that was my doing, and I couldn’t make it stop. Isn’t it worth something that I came all this way to make up with you and make sure you weren’t being abused by this pack? Why, they are practically criminals.”

“Those are my mates you’re speaking of,” I snarled. “And you are standing in their home insulting them.”

She waved a hand at the three alphas. “They bought you. It’s not like a love match.”

I could have told her different, but this was neither the time or place. And the longer I argued with her, the longer she’d stay. She’d always thrived on conflict. “What do you want, Reyna? No more nonsense. Just tell me, I’ll say no, and you can go back to your ordinary life.”

“Rumor, I’m your sister.” She thrust out her lip in a pout, but I’d seen this move before. “Can you really just tell me to get out?”

“Yes, but I’m afraid if I do that, you’re going to come back again. So, let’s resolve your issue. I can’t imagine what I have that you don’t.” Unless it was my men, and she was not leaving with them.

She sniffed, but finally let the childish expression fall away, and a piercing stare filled her eyes. “Fine, you never were one for the niceties. I was just wondering if you were marked yet?”

“What?” That was not a polite question.

“Also, do you think your heat is coming soon?”

“Reyna, I don’t know why you are asking me these things, and before you attempt to explain, I can’t think of anything I care less about.”

“I’m an alpha, Sister, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure I have an heir.”

I blinked at her. “Not sure what that means, but it doesn’t affect me. Goodbye, Reyna. Have a good life.”

My sister gave me one last assessing look before turning to stalk out the kitchen door. I heard her voice and Penn’s before the front door clicked closed and he returned to the kitchen. “You okay, female?”

“No…yes. I will be, but for right now, I need you to help me forget everything. Can you do that?”

Penn’s smile was as bright as the first time we met as he led me upstairs. When he started for my room, I paused. “Can we go to yours?” No real reason, except I wanted him right then and there. No delays. “Now?”

“You sure, omega? You seem pretty upset.” He hesitated not because he didn’t want me—everything about him told me that wasn’t true—but because he was too kind to take advantage of the situation.

“I’m sure.” I grabbed his hand and tugged. “Make love to me, but no marking.”

“Whatever you say.” He strode forward and was soon pulling me up the stairs. “I have been dreaming of you.”

He led me into his room and kicked the door closed behind us, sending me tumbling onto his bed. Clothing flew, this time, and I participated fully. I no longer had any fear of the act because I’d been there with Vargas, but I soon learned that the members of this brotherhood were anything but identical in the bedroom. When Penn bent me over the mattress and took me from behind, my slick let him in deep right away, and I found out that an angle could make things very different. It didn’t hurt, exactly, but the places he stroked inside me at this angle were very different from Vargas’ technique with me, and when Penn reached around to find my pleasure bud, he sent me into a spiraling orgasm, followed by another and another until I felt like I was lost in deep space, everything black or sparkling. His knot swelled so big, I didn’t know how there was room for it in there.

After we finished, he carried me into the bathroom and gave me a sponge bath, his tender care getting me so horny, I ended up seducing him again in the shower. And then we had to wash up all over again.

So hot.

But so loving.