My fingers knot behind Ellery’s neck as I pull him even closer. The desire to use my tongue to lap away all traces of anyone else on his skin grows stronger. I rub against him, dropping my hands to his body and stroking my scent all over him. His pull is magnetic. Power radiates off him in warm waves. He’s a force to be reckoned with.
A force that could be my alpha.
My mate.
My future…if I let him, let them.
Something suddenly changes between us. It’s as though Ellery can taste the direction of my thoughts, because one second I’m kissing the shit out of him, and in the next, he takes control.
My brain stalls. My toes curl. My knees actually go weak. Ruger’s presence at my back, his hands around my waist, are the only reason I don’t drop to my ass.
“Noah.” That’s all he says—just Ellery’s voice in my head, my name floating from his thoughts, unfurling like a flower in my mind, delicate, beautiful, and so full of meaning that I can’t fully comprehend it…and yet I feel it.
A brilliant, all-encompassing surge of power sizzles through our connection, and for a split second, I feel invincible. Immortal. I feel everything.
Him.
Me.
Ruger, Perth, and Gannon.
They fit into little nooks in my soul. Everything they are expands into those carved-out pieces of my heart. What I always thought of as holes suddenly become spaces…spaces that were simply waiting for them. Like these men were always meant to be a part of who I am.
Ruger retreats as Ellery’s hands clasp my ass, lifting me until I wrap around him. He walks us out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. His lips are gentle against mine, softening and withdrawing until they’re the barest whisper of touch, drawing me in until I whimper an objection.
Ellery pulls back, his blue eyes glowing with shifter magic and desire as he sets me on my feet. I pant, confused as I stare up at him, pressed against his chiseled body, my own senses humming.
“More,” I demand, so breathless with need that it comes out as a mewl.
“More,” Ruger agrees behind me, and then he spins me and claims my mouth again.
Ruger kisses me like he’s an expert on the subject. His lips suck and nip, his tongue twining and taunting like he did research on the best kiss ever and then said, hold my beer.
His large hands cradle my face, guiding my mouth to all the perfect angles to be wholly devoured. I eagerly follow his lead, each stroke of his tongue and touch of his lips melting me into a puddle of desire. It’s the perfect balance of dominance and submission, of passion and reverence. It’s everything that Ruger is…and promises so much more to come.
When Ruger pulls his mouth from mine, I swear I don’t even know who I am anymore, let alone how to breathe or function. Ellery chuckles and Ruger’s grin grows cocky when it takes me a minute to figure out how to brain again.
“That’s it, everyone get naked right now,” I order, turning to leap for the bed and freezing when the faintest hint of Zara hits my nose.
My eyes slam shut and I force myself to breathe through the wash of anger that ripples through me. I round on Ellery and fight the urge to rip my underwear off and rub my crotch all over every inch of his exquisite body.
“I’m losing my mind,” I declare, dropping my face into my hands as though it will hide me from the truth of what I’m saying.
“You’re not,” Ellery assures, but his calm tone just pisses me off.
“It’s not normal to want to rub my pussy all over you because you helped someone, Ellery. You saved a woman’s life. That’s not a betrayal, but I want to rip her apart for it.”
Ruger lets out an amused snort, and I aim a glare at him.
“Don’t you dare smile about this,” I warn, pointing an angry finger in his direction. “It’s not adorable, it’s fucked-up. I want to literally tear someone limb from limb because they got their smell on him,” I groan, gesturing to Ellery. “Where does it stop? Am I going to lunge for the grocery store clerk if your hands accidentally touch while they hand over your receipt? Who’s safe from this kind of mental instability?”
“Tucker can be a bit flirty; maybe it’s time someone put him in his place,” Ruger jests.
I growl at him. “You are not funny.”
“My mom would disagree,” he counters without missing a beat.
I groan.
“This is just part of the claim. Once the bond is sealed, everything won’t feel this intense. Yes, you’ll still have moments where you feel possessive or territorial because that’s our nature, but we’ll bite and fuck it out and you’ll feel better,” Ellery explains, pulling me into his arms and kissing the top of my head sweetly.
“How does any of that help me now?” I grumble. “I’m not solidifying this mate claim tonight, not with another den still here and their mate is sick in the guest room at the end of the hall.”
I ignore the rush of euphoria Ellery and Ruger emit when I say the word tonight, instead of the word ever.
“Don’t worry. I can think of a few ways we can help you feel better.” Ellery’s tone is full of naughty promise.
My mind may be a mess of conflicting thoughts and instincts, but when Ruger leans down and drags his lips over my neck, my body erupts into flames. All I want to do is escalate everything until I’m screaming their names while I cum all over them.
I look up at Ellery and feel a surge of satisfaction when I spot my faint teeth marks on his lower lip.
His pecs could use a few marks of their own.
Ellery grins as if I projected my thoughts, even though I’m pretty certain I’m shielding the shit out of everything I’m thinking right now. Either way, it’s impossible to disguise the lust pouring off me as I gaze at his perfect body. Those washboard abs and the happy trail leading down to his…sweats—why does he still have clothes on?
“We can feel what you want,” Ruger tells me, his voice deep with the same longing I’m swimming in. “Take it, Noah. Take whatever you want, it’s already yours anyway.”
34
NOAH
Ruger presses in closer from behind me, his fingers tickling my ribs as he drags them up my sides and tucks them under the hem of my wet sports bra. He waits a moment, giving me a chance to stop him.
I don’t.
When he drags off my bra and my breasts drop free, Ellery’s sharp intake of breath is music to my ears. With a small splat, the bra hits the wood floor, and I lean back into Ruger’s chest, reaching for his hands and pulling them up to cup my breasts.
Ruger’s calloused fingers are gentle as he palms me. His touch makes me grow heavy with need, and when his huge thumbs circle my nipples, the sparks that shoot down to my core leave me gasping.
“So fucking gorgeous,” Ruger practically purrs.
Ellery’s expression says he agrees. He bites his lip as he watches his denmate touch me.
“You too,” I urge, my eyes dipping down to my panties—which he hasn’t removed yet—the look a very unsubtle hint.
“You want us both at the same time?” Ellery’s eyes spark, the bedside lamp lending them a golden glow. He steps forward, his fingers deliberately tracing the waistband of my bikini briefs. “Can you handle two men at once?”