Katie's Mates (12 page)

“We don’t
have
to, we want to. It’s an old tradition, but more than that, it makes our bond stronger. I haven’t claimed you yet. I want to do it outside, under the stars.” Lucas pulled her up his body so that they faced each other, and he kissed her slowly. Their tongues started a slow dance, twirling around, and she lost herself for a moment, enjoying his touch.

A warm washcloth touching her ass got her attention, and she stiffened for a minute, turning her head slightly to see Ethan cleaning her up. She cringed a little, wanting to clean herself, but she didn’t pull away. She knew that they liked taking care of her even if it was something silly like wiping her off.

“Lucas is right. We have some time now to get to spend together and for you to get to know all of us before the ceremony. We’ll stay here so that you can spend time with your sister. Maybe she will be able to calm your nerves about the ceremony. I know this whole thing has been a little shocking, but I’m glad that you’re our mate. We just want to make you happy.” Ethan threw the washcloth on the nightstand and climbed into bed. He kissed her shoulder, moving closer to lean his chest against her back.

“Where did Nathan and Ryan go? I didn’t realize they left the room. I feel bad about that.” She whispered the last part. She had been so focused on Lucas and Ethan that she hadn’t even realized her other men had left.

“They went to get some clothes and stuff from our house. Don’t worry about them. They could have joined us, but I think they wanted to give Lucas some time with you. I should’ve left with them, but I couldn’t seem to make myself go.” Ethan moved closer, wrapping his right arm around her waist to hold her close to his body. She snuggled between them, resting her head on Lucas’s shoulder.

“I’m glad you stayed. I wish they would’ve. I miss them. I sound like a selfish jerk.” Katie felt bad. Two gorgeous men had made love to her and she was thinking about Nathan and Ryan.

“No. Not selfish. You’re a woman with four mates, who is missing two of them. You own all of us. I wish I would’ve seen it sooner. Having you in my arms, I can’t even tell you what that does to me.” Lucas’s sweet words had her heart squeezing in her chest. He sounded so sincere, laying his feelings at her feet.

The room was silent. She could hear them breathing and pretended to be asleep. Could she walk away from this, from these men? Could she really leave Alaska behind with Nathan, Ethan, Lucas, and Ryan? The thought made her feel sick to her stomach, and she realized that she couldn’t leave them. She didn’t know how a ménage relationship worked, but she promised herself that she could at least give it a chance. She sat up and looked from Lucas to Ethan. They were both watching her with curious looks on their faces. She needed the four of them here.

The door opened, and Nathan and Ryan walked in carrying some luggage. Her heart beat faster in her chest, and she smiled at them. It seemed weird. She needed to talk to all of them, and then they walked in. Having all four of them in the same room thrilled her, and she realized Lucas was right. She did need them all. They were her mates, and they belonged to her just as she belonged to them.

“What’s wrong?” Ryan dropped the bags he was holding and walked toward the bed. He sat down on the foot of the bed and held out his arms. She automatically crawled toward him. She moved to sit on his lap, and he wrapped his body around hers in a protective hold.

“I missed you and Nathan.” She leaned her face into his chest, taking a deep breath and smelling him. They all smelt of pine, mint, and sunshine. It made her feel safe and relaxed. She lifted her face when she felt a hand on her leg and looked up, seeing Nathan crouched down next to them so that he was eye level with her.

“We missed you, too. That’s why we hurried home to grab some clothes. We wanted to be here with you.” Ryan moved then, opening his arms and giving her to Nathan. It felt good to be near them all, her heart whole and her soul full. It was a heady feeling, and she had a hard time breathing when she realized how much they all meant to her. She felt like a fool for running to her sister, for worrying at all. At least she hadn’t lost them with her ridiculous tantrum.

Katie wrapped her arms tightly around Nathan’s neck, her face pressed into his chest. He held her close as he stood up and walked across the room. She knew he sat down by the fire. She could feel the flames at her back. “I love you.” The words came out before she could stop them. She was feeling more emotional than she could ever remember. His arms tightened around her, and he kissed her head. “I love you, too.”

He turned her around on his lap, moving her body easily. She saw Ethan, Lucas, and Ryan all kneeling around her, and she had to catch her breath at the look of vulnerability in their eyes. She looked at Ryan first. Their relationship had always been easy, and he winked at her.

“We all love you.” Ryan moved toward her on his knees. He pushed her hair behind her ears and kissed her deeply, shoving his tongue in her mouth, and ravaged her. His dominant attitude had her squirming on Nathan’s lap. When he built her up and had her moaning, he stopped and pulled back. He moved back and gave her space, allowing Lucas and Ethan to move forward. They moved together, two identical men, and she felt like a goddess.

Nathan put her on the plush carpet at his feet, and she crawled on her knees toward them, wanting to be in between them once more. She felt giddy and lighthearted when she reached them. Lucas grabbed her first, pulling her into his arms, and she rubbed her nipples against his chest. Ethan leaned into her back, and she felt his hard cock against her hip. He leaned his face down and licked a path from her shoulder to her ear, taking his time to suck and nibble on her. When he reached her ear, he whispered to her. “You’re so beautiful. I love how open you are, how free you are with your passion. I love you.” He bit down on her earlobe, and she moaned deep in her throat.

Katie pushed her hands through Lucas’s thick hair and pulled his face down to meet hers. She felt aggressive and moved closer to him, straddling his thigh. She felt their hands on her, running up and down her body, and it made her feel wild. She moved, rubbing her pussy on Lucas’s thigh, feeling her clit swell. She was close to having an orgasm just from touching them.

“She’s so perfect, isn’t she? Look at her riding Lucas’s leg. It looks like she needs more. Do you need more, baby?” She opened her eyes and looked up to see Nathan taking off his clothes. “Bring her into the bathroom. She’s gonna love the tub.” Ryan followed him toward the bathroom, taking off his clothes as well. She stared at their muscular asses as they walked away from her. She felt Ethan move, and when he was standing, he leaned down and picked her up, easily throwing her over his broad shoulder. She felt manhandled and loved every minute of it. She laughed aloud as he marched in the same direction as Nathan and Ryan. She knew that Lucas was following them.

Ethan walked down the steps to enter the tub, and Katie used her hands to push herself off his back so that she could see where she was. The tub was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. It couldn’t really be called a tub at all. The bathroom wasn’t a normal size, and the room seemed to be bigger than her apartment. It looked like something that she had seen in an old Roman film. At least a dozen people could sit comfortably. Ethan helped her to stand up, and she finally was able to get a better view. Her men walked into the tub and sat down, smiling at her and, she assumed, enjoying the shocked look on her face.

When the jets started, Katie moved to the bench and sat down. She stared at each of her men and knew there wasn’t any way she would ever be able to leave them. Alaska was her home now. She leaned back, enjoying the water massaging her back, and closed her eyes. She didn’t have to wait long for her men. Four sets of hands moved on her body, touching her everywhere. They pulled her away from the edge of the tub, holding her up as she floated in the water. She gave herself over to them, refusing to think, only feeling.

Chapter 11

Four weeks later

“Shit! Ouch! That freakin’ hurts!” Katie lay on the bench in the bathroom. She gripped the towel underneath her tightly and took a deep breath. She hated this. She hated being a woman sometimes. She only wanted to look good for her men for the bonding ceremony

“Seriously? This hurts, but having four cocks fucking you doesn’t?” Chloe taunted her with a huge, wooden Popsicle stick and warm wax.

Katie didn’t have a lot of hair to get rid of, and she thanked god for that. She always kept herself well groomed, but today she wanted to do something to surprise her men. She wanted to be completely smooth and soft.

“How much more?” She panted the words.

“That was just the first one. It will be done in just a minute, only a couple more to go.” Chloe rolled her eyes, and Katie held her breath, waiting for the next quick flick of her vicious wrist.

“Distract me. Tell me about the ceremony.” She had been asking her sister for weeks now, hoping to get an answer, but her sister refused to give her any details.

“I’ve told you everything that I can. It’s fun and exciting. If you ever get scared, just remember that they’re your mates. It’s a bonding ceremony. The sooner it’s over the sooner you can go home with your men.” Chloe applied another line of warm wax, and Katie didn’t move. She knew that Chloe loved having her around, but she also wanted to be with her mates and enjoy some peace and quiet. The house had been crazy, tons of clan members coming and going. Katie and her mates tried to give the Alphas space to be with her sister, but it was obvious that they needed to have their house back.

“I know. The ceremony is tonight. I’m just a little nervous, that’s all.” Katie gritted her teeth as Chloe ripped back the long piece of paper.

“We’re all done now. Go take a bath and relax. You’ll need your strength.” Chloe winked at her, leaned down, and hugged her. Katie sat up and hugged her back. She knew she didn’t really have anything to worry about. The last month had been the happiest of her life. She had never felt such love. Every night, Nathan, Ethan, Lucas, and Ryan took turns making love to her, holding her, and pampering her.

“Thank you,” Katie said. She watched Chloe leave the room. Chloe looked over her shoulder once more, smiling broadly. She needed to prepare for the ceremony. She had asked her men for some time alone to think.

Katie walked over to the full-length mirror and studied herself closely. She no longer saw a woman lacking worth. Instead she saw a sexy, self-confident goddess. She stood straighter, admiring her curves, seeing what her men saw. Tonight she would be a worthy mate to four men and love them all under the full moon.

She stepped into the bath that waited for her and sat down, letting the warmth seep into her. She had been waiting for this night for weeks, and the anticipation was killing her. Her body was shaking from the excitement of the unknown. She couldn’t seem to relax. Even sitting in the bathtub, she wasn’t able to fully calm down. She closed her eyes and took deep, cleansing breaths, trying to think of anything but the ceremony. She stayed in the bath until her fingertips looked like prunes.

She climbed out of the tub and looked around the bathroom. The room was silent, and she dried off and walked into the bedroom, needing to get dressed. When she spotted the clock, she moved a little faster. She was running out of time. Katie got dressed in a couple of layers. She knew that it was going to be cold outside, but with all the running, she also knew she wouldn’t stay cold for long.

She only knew the basics. She was supposed to meet her men downstairs, and then they would walk out into the forest alone. Nobody else from the clan would be there, and for that she was thankful. When she was dressed and ready to go, she stopped in the middle of the bedroom and stretched her muscles a little. She walked to the bedroom door and turned the knob. It was time to go.

* * * *

Nathan watched Katie walk stiffly down the stairs and smiled to himself. He knew she was nervous, perhaps even a little scared. He could hear her heartbeat with each step she took, and he wanted to reach out and comfort her. The bonding ceremony was an old tradition, and he wanted to experience it with his brothers and mate. It wasn’t necessary, but he wanted to have what his cousins had, a tighter bond, the kind of bond that only true mates could experience.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she walked to them, biting her plump lower lip. She looked so innocent in that moment, so much like the way she did when she first arrived at their house. It had only been a month, but it felt like so much longer since he was able to spend all of his time with her. He was so grateful that she was their mate, so happy that she had given them the opportunity to love her. He opened his arms and she walked to him, letting him hold her. This was exactly what he wanted, what he needed before the ceremony.

He held her close, inhaling a mixture of vanilla and honeysuckle. He rubbed her back, loving the feel of her soft body against his. His cock jerked, and he could feel his blood pump through his veins. He was ready for the ceremony to begin. He pulled back and kissed her forehead, needing a little space. He could feel his animal pacing, wanting to break free, needing to chase down its mate. Both the man and the animal wanted her, needed her in a primitive manner that he was having a hard time controlling.

“Are you ready?” He smiled at her, hoping that his voice would be able to calm her down a little.

“Yeah. How much of a head start to I get?” Nathan watched Lucas open the front door, and they all walked outside. The cool air felt good. It was what he needed to help his heated body. He took a deep breath as his brothers walked down the steps and off the front porch.

“How much time do you think you’ll need? It’s just for fun. You don’t really have to run that fast. I’d rather not be tired when I catch you. I have lots of wicked things I want to do to your body.” He winked at her, and her laugh echoed throughout the small clearing.

“I’m taking this serious. I plan to run, and I want the full amount of time,” Katie told him with a straight face, and he was glad she didn’t think this was a joke. He had tried to ease her mind by wanting her to think that this really didn’t matter, and even though it wasn’t a necessity, it was important to them.

“We’ll give you about ten minutes. You’ll be far enough from hearing distance by then. If you get scared, I want you to stop and sit down. You don’t need to wander around. We’ll find you. I promise you.” Nathan reached out, grabbed her glove-covered hand, and pulled her toward him through the treeline. Each step they took moved them farther into the forest and away from the clan’s main house. They moved together in a comfortable silence, enjoying the night.

Nathan watched their surroundings and knew that they had the advantage in this chase. They had been raised in this forest, they had played here. Katie squeezed his hand and he looked at her, focusing on her beautiful face. Her cheeks were pink, and he could tell her breathing was becoming more of a pant with each step. He was feeling some doubts and wondered if he should just call this whole thing off and go to their house. They weren’t that far away. Maybe they could push Katie in that direction. He would rather tackle her onto their bed instead of the ground. He was about to say something when his brothers stopped walking. They had reached the clearing.

“You don’t have to do this. We could just go home,” Lucas said, taking the words out of his mouth. Lucas walked over and kneeled down on the ground, right at Katie’s feet. “We love you. We can go home right now, and the four of us can make love to you. I’ll claim you, and we’ll have our own bonding ceremony by the fire. It’s okay. I just want you to be happy.” Lucas seemed to be able to speak his heart clearly, now that he decided to be with Katie. Nathan looked at his other brothers and saw acceptance in their eyes. If Katie wanted to go home, that’s exactly what they would do.

“No. I really want to do this. I was feeling nervous, but I’m not anymore.” She leaned down and kissed Lucas. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into him. It was a beautiful picture to see, his stubborn brother with their beautiful mate together. The last four weeks, all of them had really bonded together.

“All right, you two, let’s get this show on the road. I’m ready to fuck my mate under the stars.” Ethan’s crass words had Katie jerking back out of Lucas’s arms and laughing.

“Okay, mate, it’s time. I want you to run, and I want you to have fun. This is all for our enjoyment. When we get you, we’re going to ravage you.” Nathan grabbed her once more and planted a kiss on her lips. His cock swelled even more, demanding that he take her, sink into her warm pussy, and fuck her until she screamed his name. His skin felt itchy, and he cringed a little, knowing that his animal was taking over, trying to break free. He turned her body so that she faced the forest. He wasn’t sure he was ready for her to see him lose control.

“Go ahead. The clock starts now.” His voice had changed slightly, and he wondered for a moment if she could tell. It only took her a couple seconds, and she walked toward the thick trees. She didn’t sprint, like he initially thought she would. Instead she took her time. He watched her. She never once looked over her shoulder. Instead, she disappeared from his sight. He knew where she was. His hearing was perfect. He started stripping off his clothes, never once taking his eyes off the last spot he saw her. This race wouldn’t last long. He wanted to claim her once again and take her home.

He knew his brothers were taking off their clothes as well. He could hear everything. One by one, they stood behind him, waiting for the time to come where they could shift and chase her. He could sense their excitement, and it made his heart beat faster. He tried to concentrate on the cold air, trying to calm his already-shot nerves. Time froze as he waited.

“I’ve never felt like this before. I feel like my heart is going to explode from my chest.” Ryan’s whispered words said what he already felt. This crazy possessive feeling was taking over. The air was electrified, a living being, and he couldn’t control himself any longer. He let his animal take over, shifting slowly so that he could feel it happen. When the change was complete, he paced, waiting. He didn’t have much longer. Soon, he would be with his mate. He had to get to her. Nothing in his life had ever been this important.