Starr, Ellen - Wolf's Passion [The Joined] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (8 page)

This wouldn’t be such a bad place to live
. She laughed at herself. If she stayed, she’d be giving up everything she’d worked for back in New Orleans. Besides, how would she ever explain it to Jean-Paul? No, better to get in her car, get to Dead Man, take care of the business Jean-Paul sent her here for, then get back home as fast as she could.

Chapter Eleven:

Falling Apart

Cora smiled at Dale as she stepped past him. Rafe saw his eyes widen almost imperceptibly. When Dale turned to watch her go, Rafe suppressed a grin. Dale turned back. He inhaled deeply, his eyes closed. Then he sighed and opened his eyes, an expression of wonder on his face.

Wolf chuckled. “Yeah, she affects us that way, too.”

Dale ducked his head, favoring them with a shy, lopsided grin.

Rafe gave Dale a light punch on the shoulder. They all chuckled, a purely male response to the mutual attraction they felt for Cora, before Rafe continued, “The other news is bad.”

Wolf’s eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Bad how? Will Cora be safe out there?”

“She’ll be fine for a few minutes. Last night someone killed the sheep. Dale found them.”

“Shit. How are you taking it?” Wolf took Dale’s hands in his, concern beyond his years etched into his face. This is why Wolf is Alpha, Rafe thought. Pride in this young man who was both leader and lover to him gave Rafe a lump in his throat.

“Rafe helped me bury them. I’m okay, I guess.”

“Dolores—”

“Sent us a message.” Rafe managed to keep his voice steady.

“Dale? You didn’t hear…” Wolf looked at Rafe, startled.

Rafe shook his head. “No, he didn’t.”

“But…” Wolf gave Rafe a puzzled glance. Rafe raised an eyebrow. He saw realization dawn in Wolf’s eyes. They both knew Dale went down to the rocks by the creek when he needed more sexual relief than they could give him.

“I’m sorry. I was down by the creek.” Dale kept his eyes down as he addressed his Alpha.

Wolf brushed Dale’s hair back then lifted his chin to look into his eyes. “It’s all right. We’ll find who did it. It’s not your fault. We’ll take care of it, and we’ll get some new sheep.” Dale nodded.

Rafe nodded toward the door when Dale glanced at him. “Go keep an eye on Cora.”

Dale looked at Wolf for permission before he stood and hurried out the door. Wolf sighed. “Just when he was beginning to open up. I worry we’re not taking care of his needs.” Wolf rubbed his eyes. “Maybe we should talk to Jake about getting one of us some training in this bondage stuff.”

“Dale will be fine. He’s come a long way from the feral kid we found living in Old Town.

“So what do we do now? About the sheep?”

“It’s weird. We went over the whole ranch and found nothing, not even any clear tracks. I think we file a formal complaint with the council. Ask for restitution.”

“Another complaint. Right.” Wolf sounded as discouraged as Rafe felt.

“We need to stay within Pack law or they destroy us.”

Wolf nodded. “I know. Do it. But wait until Cora leaves. If she isn’t going to join with us, she doesn’t need to know our problems.”

“Okay. But maybe if she knew what we were facing she’d give us a chance.” Rafe knew it wouldn’t work as soon as he said it.

“No.” Wolf shook his head. “The attraction is there, but this fiancé is the problem. She’s afraid to leave him.”

“Maybe we could turn him. If he’s not too ugly or stupid. Let her keep him as a pet.” Rafe dabbed a finger in a puddle of leftover syrup. He put his finger in his mouth and sucked, winking at Wolf.

“It’s a thought. You suppose he’d turn into a poodle?” Wolf finished off his coffee. “She did mention he’s French.”

* * * *

Dale ambled after Cora. He knew Wolf and Rafe worried about him, knew they’d be discussing him. They didn’t understand his need to have his inner self, the monster inside him, controlled. They didn’t have the uncontrolled wildness he had. They couldn’t know the ecstasy of letting go with someone strong enough to keep him from hurting himself or anyone else. They were a little afraid of what he might do. He could have told them they didn’t need to worry, but they still would. He’d let them. It made them feel better.

Life was hard in Old Town, dangerous with all the strange things that happened there. The other creatures there had been both family to him and enemies. The blind rage that took him without warning kept most of them away and protected his life. As he got older he began to realize he needed rigid boundaries if he wanted to stay alive. Dale learned to control himself in order to survive. Then Rafe and Wolf found him. Alone for as long as he could remember, it was strange to suddenly find two people who accepted him as he was. They took him in, giving him security and stability. Love, too, and a home. With them he learned to let others care about him. Now Cora had come into their lives. Dale thought about it all night, even while Rafe fucked him. Her presence felt right. He decided he could accept her in the Pack and his life.

Dale caught Cora’s scent on the breeze. Something in her scent calmed him at the same time it made him want to fuck her. He’d been attracted to women before, in Old Town, but this was different. Somehow, he knew Cora was meant for him in a way no one else was. He gave a silent sigh. There was still an empty hole deep inside his heart, even with the Pack and Cora taking up so much of it. He wondered if it would ever be filled. Then he took another deep breath, pushing all the sad thoughts away.

Rafe was right. Cora did smell better than food. He saw her a few yards ahead, sitting on a rock. He caught Wolf’s scent on her from the jeans she wore. Dale smiled at the curl of desire that tightened behind his dick. She stirred his protective instincts. There was no way on earth he would ever hurt her.

Chapter Twelve:

Quiet Waters

A twig snapped somewhere behind her. She jerked around to find Dale watching her from the brush a few feet away. “Rafe sent me to make sure you’re all right.” He had a quiet, solemn way about him. Cora wondered what made him so serious.

She didn’t try to analyze why she patted the rock beside her, inviting him to sit. He walked over to her, sitting on the ground at her feet. She gazed at his bowed head. The urge to touch him, to see if his glossy dark brown hair was as soft as it looked, refused to be denied. Cora reached down, brushing her fingers over the sun-warmed silk of his hair. Before she realized it, she found herself stroking Dale’s head. He sighed, relaxing under her touch, laying his head against her knee.

“I like you,” he said in a voice so soft she almost couldn’t hear him. He slid his hand over her calf. His gentle, hesitant touch sent a warm rush of desire through her, totally unlike the fierce need Wolf’s touch aroused or the heat Rafe caused. Before she half thought about it, she bent down, kissing the top of his head. He seemed like a shy boy.

Dale turned to face her, rising up to his knees. Cora moved her legs apart, pulling him closer. His lips touched hers in a feather-light kiss. She parted her lips, inviting him in. His shy acceptance sent a wave of pleasure through her as strong as any she’d ever felt. He stiffened when she pulled him closer.

“It’s all right,” she whispered. He sighed then slipped his arms around her waist. Cora gathered him closer. Dale relaxed into her arms. They kissed again. He moved down, planting soft butterfly kisses over her neck.

Her breath caught as he began to explore her body. His hands trembled as they cupped her breasts then moved to the fly of her borrowed jeans. She stood, allowing Dale to push the jeans down over her hips. He stopped long enough to pull off the old work shirt he wore, slipping it behind her before he urged her back down onto the rock.

She bit her bottom lip as he took the jeans off her, laying them aside. He placed her legs over his shoulders. Leaning forward, he kissed her, all traces of the shy boy gone. Dale flicked his tongue over her clit, brushing his hands over her hips and belly.

The tightness inside her needed release. He teased her, thrusting his tongue into her pussy, sliding a finger in as he kissed her inner thigh. “Dale, please,” she moaned, pleading.

He backed away and stood. Cora heard his zipper, and then he was inside her, fucking her. The first wave of her orgasm hit her. She cried out, tightening around him. He growled, low and deep in his throat. She felt him come, shuddering against her. She held him, riding out the aftershocks until they were both spent.

* * * *

Rafe waited until he was sure he couldn’t be overheard. He turned to Wolf and raised his eyebrows. “I take it you enjoyed your first woman?” The possessiveness he saw that morning worried him more than a little.

“First and last. I hear her, Rafe, like a low hum in the back of my head. She hears me, too. She picked up what we are from my thoughts last night.” Wolf’s tone bordered on reverent. Rafe resisted the urge to smile. He loved this man who managed to make everything fresh and new for him.

Rafe held in his fears. Their kind were rare, with fewer children every generation since they’d come to this world. In the three thousand years since their colony ship had crashed on this world, they had lost so much of their history and culture. Few knew anything about shifter history past the fact they were not native to this world. Blending in, hiding from humans had cost them dearly.

“I’m glad. Does it bother you that we’ll all fuck her?” Rafe had seen many Alphas screw up a chance for a mating group because they got jealous. He didn’t want to see their chance for a family and home destroyed. Only a true
chienne
could give them the children all Packs longed for. Cora was a true
chienne
. He could smell it in her scent. She would bear them all children who would be full Werewolf.

“No, it doesn’t bother me. Well, not much. Not the way you mean either.” Wolf’s breath caught.

“How then?” Rafe needed to know. As Beta his job was to head off trouble.

“I told you. I hear her. She and Dale, uh, he’s going down on her.” Wolf shifted in his chair, blushing.

“Ah.” Rafe slid his chair back, sinking to the floor, kneeling before Wolf. He could do something to distract his Alpha. Rafe pushed Wolf’s legs apart, making him gasp. Wolf’s erection strained against his jeans. Rafe unfastened the button, easing the zipper down, freeing Wolf’s cock. It jutted out, moving with Wolf’s pulse.

Rafe bent forward, swirling his tongue over the head, drawing a low groan from Wolf. He closed his lips over his lover’s cock, taking Wolf until the tip of his cock nudged the back of Rafe’s throat. Wolf tried to buck his hips, Rafe held him still with an iron grip. Wolf tangled his fingers in Rafe’s hair, clenching them into fists. Rafe growled deep in his throat. Wolf moaned in response.

“Oh gods.” Rafe heard the desperation in Wolf’s breathless voice. He allowed his teeth to graze the silken skin as he looked up into the black eyes of his Alpha. Wolf threw his head back, letting out a hoarse groan as he came.

“Damn, you sure know how to distract me, old man.” Wolf gave him a lazy smile when he’d caught his breath.

Rafe chuckled. “Just doing my job, kid. Now go rescue Dale. He’s probably itching to go see to the horses.”

“Yes, sir.” Wolf rolled his eyes at Rafe. “Remind me again who the Alpha is here?”

Rafe watched him zip up his jeans and amble toward the door. He didn’t bother to answer.

Chapter Thirteen:

Unpleasant Truths

Cora lay back on the rock with a deep, satisfied sigh. Dale leaned over her, touching her lips in another of his shy kisses. “Go back to the house. It’s safer there,” he whispered. “I need to take care of the horses.” She nodded, sitting up as he moved away.
What am I doing?
In the last twenty-four hours, I’ve had sex with two men who were total strangers
.
I’m attracted to a third, and I’m living with a wonderful man back home
.