Climbing the Ladder (19 page)

wagged once, tried to roll up to all fours, but her front leg screamed at her and she yelped,

gnawing on the cloths wrapped around it. Kody nipped at her tail, stopping her.

She stared at him, rumbling. It hurt.

Kody nipped her again.

Mesa chuffed, those pretty eyes glowing at her. Mate. She rubbed her muzzle on his, then

her eyes went wide.
Juniper. Juniper! Mate! A cage!

That bitch had put her in a cage!

Mesa licked her whiskers, and she could hear Kody’s voice in her head.
Safe.

Safe.

She nudged Mesa, whining softly. She’d tried to get out, to come to them.

Mesa stropped his cheek against hers, making these amazing noises. He knew. He was

proud. Kody’s growls and chirrups joined Mesa’s, soothing her, easing her deep inside.

Safe.

That meant Juniper was safe, too. Poor Junie.

Alicia wanted her mate, had been willing to kill Junie to have him.

The door opened, the creak of hinges making them all look up. Grandma Minnie.

Sammy’s tail wagged, once, in greeting.

“It’s me.” There was a scent of something…off. Mesa leaned up, rumbling, and Granny

stroked his chin. “She left, Mesa. Alicia. She’s gone. We found footprints outside the window

where she was kept; someone slipped Jack a drug. She’s gone east.”

She could feel Mesa’s fury, then a wave of peace came from Kody, washing over all of

them.

“That’s right. Healing first, then we’ll find her.” Granny’s fingers came near her hurt

shoulder and she rumbled softly. “I have to look.”

She grumbled, but buried her face in Kody’s soft belly fur, let Minnie look. There was

fire in her shoulder for a moment, then it went away. She heard Mesa growl, the sound unhappy, deep. Kody, though, he made soothing noises, panted a tiny bit.

Her Kody.

As she thought it, a wave of warmth hit her. Kody grunted, pushing up against her, warm

and solid.

My Kody.

Her nose wrinkled as Minnie brought something vile smelling to her muzzle. Mesa made

approving noises, though, pushing her to take what Minnie had brought. She drank it, shuddering through it. Nasty. Bad stuff. Kody laughed at her, tongue lolling.

She snapped at him, lazily.

Mesa bit her good shoulder, gently enough that she barely felt it.

“You’re going to be fine, Samantha. Sleep now. Heal.”

She could do that. She could sleep for a long while.

She barely felt Minnie’s soft touch before she faded away.

Kody cut the carrots and celery, the chicken breast. Soup. Soup would be good. Soup and

bread. Lots of garlic. And cake.

“She doesn’t have a cold, brother.” Juniper’s voice was soft, amused.

“So? Chicken soup cures everything.” He grinned at her sideways. “Got you here.”

“Was worried. Bad dreams.” Junie nuzzled him, clinging a little.

“What about?” He hugged her tightly, pouring safe/happy/love thoughts into her little

body.

She slumped a little, started to cry. “Kody, she wanted to kill me.”

“She’s crazy, you know? She’s gone, though.”

“I know. How’s Sammy?”

“She’s better. Her shoulder is bothering her, and she’s really mad.” His grin turned into a

laugh. She wanted to hunt Alicia down.

“She fought for me, brother. So fierce. I was so proud.”

“I’m proud, too.” So was Mesa. Their Alpha was strutting these days.

“Can I have supper here with you? Granny is busy.”

“Of course you can.” Sammy came downstairs in one of Mesa’s shirts, blinking slowly.

“Smells good. Where’s Mesa?”

“He’s out with Canyon. He’ll be back in time for supper.” Kody reached out to Sammy,

who came and hugged him and Junie both with one-armed hugs.

“Of course you can eat here.” Sammy nodded at Junie. “Smells good, huh?”

Juniper put one hand on Sammy’s forehead, whispering softly. Praying. “It does,

Sammy.”

Sammy’s eyes crossed when she tried to see what Junie was doing. “Are you going

mystical on me?”

“Yep. You’re still a little fuzzy.”

Sammy looked at her hands. “Am I?”

Juniper chuckled, and Kody shook his head. “No, honey. You’re fine.”

She was just a touch confused. Granny said it was the medicine.

Kody leaned in for another kiss. “Chicken soup.”

“Oh, I love your soup.” She kissed him again.

“Mmm.” He loved her. He was so glad she was safe.

“Should I go?” Juniper was laughing at him.

“No. Dork.” He and Sammy were just loving on each other. Sammy was in no shape for

anything gymnastic.

Sammy’s soft laughter made him smile.

“Who’s a dork?” Canyon came in and sniffed hard over the pot, Mesa following along.

“Did I say I was feeding the whole family?” He winked, chuffed softly. The table was set

for all of them.

“No, but you’re making chicken soup.” Canyon hugged all of them, big and comforting.

“I am. For all of us.”

Mesa scooped Sammy up, careful of her shoulder, kissed her. “Is there bread?”

“And cake. But the soup needs to simmer.”

“Then we can all have a sit and wait for it, huh?” Mesa turned, Sammy still in his arms,

and kissed Kody.

Yes, mate.
He thought the words, knew Mesa heard him.

Mesa nodded, smiling against his lips, just a tiny, shared thing.

Love.

His eyes went wide.

That was Sammy.

Oh. He could hear her. Loud and clear.

Sammy?

She looked over at him, smiled.
Love.

Mesa grunted, the sound perfectly satisfied.
My mates.

Sammy’s cheek rested on Mesa’s shoulder.
Yes.

Kody touched them, the world in place.

Home.

The moon.

The moon.

She ran, howling, paws slamming into the leaves, the snow. Mesa ran with her, beside

her, his pride in her strength as loud as anything she had ever heard. Kody was ahead, bouncing, playing, snapping at the snowflakes as they fell.

Her silly boy was so happy these days, so perfectly balanced. It made her want to bite

him in the best way.

She leapt, nipping Kody’s tail, both of them rolling, tumbling into a pile of leaves, as

Mesa barked at them, running in to gnaw on them a little here and there. She licked his muzzle, nuzzling Kody’s ruff. They’d hunted, ran, played. The dawn was coming.

Mesa nipped at her throat, then Kody’s, before turning and running back toward their

home.

They all ran together, panting hard, calling the Clan home. One by one their wolves

joined them, old and young, from big Canyon to tiny Junie. Sammy touched noses with each of

them as they bowed to her, to Mesa. Her Clan.

Her family.

When the other wolves disappeared like smoke, and they had paid their respects to the

elders, she and Mesa and Kody turned back to their house.

They climbed the stairs together, all of them losing their fur, slowly, lazily.

“I want a bath, boys.”

“I like a bath.” Kody made the best bathwater combos, too. Oils and stuff.

They’d put a little fridge upstairs with milk and juice. It was decadent. Better than a

convenience store, too. She grabbed a juice, passed it to Mesa, then gave Kody a milk.

Mesa drank deep, Adam’s apple bobbing. He had a pretty throat.

She leaned in, licking, lapping a little bit. Hers.

An approving sound was all the warning she got before Mesa pulled her close, right up

against his chest. His leg slid between hers, all but lifting her off the floor. She moaned, tongue fucking Mesa’s lips as she let her hips roll, let herself ride Mesa’s thigh.

He dropped the juice on top of the fridge and lifted her under her butt, holding her there.

His kisses were scalding, perfect.

When Kody’s hands pushed between them, fingers finding her nipples and tugging them,

she cried out into Mesa’s lips. Mesa panted, pushing his thigh against her, one hand on her ass, the other reaching for Kody.

Kody moaned, tongue pushing into their kiss, and Sammy groaned, their desire crashing

over her. They were a force of nature, one she’d been afraid she couldn’t measure up to. She

knew better now.

One of her hands found Kody’s hair, tugging a little bit, making it sting like he liked it.

Kody bucked against his lovers, his breath hitching, his cock hard and long against her hip.

“Mine.” She rubbed back along Kody’s prick.

“Yes. Yours.”

“Mine, too.” Mesa growled little, but the sound was pure sex, not a bit of real grr.

She chuckled, nosing Kody’s throat playfully. “Nope. Not sharing. Too bad.”

Mesa grunted, and they were all moving all of a sudden as he bore them toward the bed.

Boom.

“What about my shower?” She couldn’t stop laughing.

Kody chuffed. “You shouldn’t tease the Alpha, lady.”

“Did I pull the puppy’s tail?” She loved them, loved playing with them.

“Make me bite you.” Mesa chuckled and nipped her shoulder, which had healed well.

“Uh-huh. Harder.” She leaned, bit Mesa.

“Yeah.” Mesa held her so close, hands hard on her skin, little bruises popping up.

Kody was sliding down, his tongue on her, on Mesa, teasing them both. She could hear

Mesa, out loud and in her head. Someone wanted that mouth bad.

Sammy pinched one of his nipples, tugged it hard. “My Beta.”

Mesa bared his teeth. “Ours.”

She growled low, cunt aching with her need. “Mine.”

A low snarl was all the warning she got before she was on her back, Mesa on top of her.

His cock pushed at her belly, his teeth stung her throat. “Stubborn woman.”

“Yes.” She arched, heels digging into the mattress.

Kody barked out a laugh, but he was right there, touching her, his fingers on her breasts.

“She always this hot, baby? This hard to deal with?” Mesa’s eyes were laughing at her.

Not as hard as Kody was, though. “Goddess, yes. All the time.”

“Got to watch her.” Mesa kissed her until she couldn’t breathe.

Sammy ended up clinging to Mesa’s shoulders, blinking as Kody’s mouth worked her

breast. Mesa rubbed against her hip, her upper thigh. His cock felt like fire. “Boys…”

Kody’s lips moved down her belly, his hand guiding Mesa’s cock into her. Bingo. She

was flying all of a sudden, Mesa stretching her wide, Kody touching them where they came

together.

“Kody, love. Turn around.” She loved the flavor of Kody; he was sweet compared to

Mesa.

Kody made a low, happy noise and swung up so his cock was at her mouth.

“Mmm. Yeah…” She took him in, hummed, licking at the silky flesh. Kody slid between

her lips, his hands holding her hips now so Mesa could take her. Mesa felt huge, so hot, perfect inside her.

She thought she heard them kissing, could feel their desire.

They were giving her the most amazing pleasure, too, with just the right amount of

friction. Kody’s fingers kept working her clit, tugging and rubbing, circling, and she cried out, her whole body caught up in it. This was better than the hunt, than the moon.

Kody’s heat pushed into her lips, spreading her, opening her wide.

They were all over her, all around her, not giving her a moment to breathe or think.

Mesa’s fingers tugged her nipple, Kody flicked her clit, and she jerked, swallowing convulsively.

Kody cried out, the sound a tiny bit muffled, which meant Mesa was doing something very

naughty.

Her fingers circled his balls, tugged carefully. She was all about naughtiness.

Mesa bucked inside her. “Christ. I felt that.”

She tugged again, swallowed hard.

Kody came for her, his cock jerking, hot and wet and perfect.

She whimpered happily, tongue slapping his cock, adoring him, as best she could.

Moving faster, Mesa pushed her higher and higher, and Kody tried to help. His fingers were a

little clumsy.

She threw her head back, Kody’s cock slipping from her lips. “More!”

“More. Mine.” Mesa was moving faster, harder, his hips slapping hers.

“Yes.” She cried out, arching as Kody moved, mouth dropping on her skin.

“That’s it, baby. Let her know you’re with us.” She could see Mesa stroking Kody’s hair.

“Always.” They were one heart. The Clan’s heart beat.

“Oh, fuck.” Mesa lost all of his finesse, Kody’s mouth on both of them just making her

Alpha mate crazy.

She couldn’t hold on one second longer, head tossing as she screamed, came with every

fiber of her being.

Mesa shouted, his body bucking atop hers, his cock swelling impossibly inside her. God,

he felt good. Their need went on and on, swirling around them, fading slowly into a long hum, a long, sweet growl.

Mesa lowered down to rest against her, pulling Kody up to love on them.

Kody cuddled, licking lazily.

“I should shower.”

Kody rumbled, kept her there. “Stay. Rest.”

“Smell like us.” Mesa’s hand lay low on her belly, holding her in place as well.

Kody nodded, humming softly, and she relaxed, visions of running, of the moon, of her

mates in her heart.

It was a good place to be. A very good place.

About the Author

I enjoy indulging in the shallow side of life, with hobbies that include collecting margarita

recipes, hot tub dips, and ogling hot guys at the beach. A connoisseur of the perverse and

esoteric, my days are spent among dusty tomes of ancient knowledge, or, conversely, surfing

porn sites in the name of research. Mixing the natural born southern propensity for sarcasm and the environmental western straight-shooting sensibility, I do my damnedest to produce

mainstream fiction, literary erotica, and fine works of pure, unadulterated smut.