The Wolf's Mate Book 3: Callie & The Cats (14 page)

Ethan agreed that he’d not expected it either
and they lay in silence with their mate tucked between them, until
they could sleep. But it wasn’t a restful sleep. For one, Callie
was not sleeping soundly. She jerked and moved often, waking both
of them with each small gasp or clutch of her hands against him. He
didn’t like her being afraid, even in her sleep.

Dozing once again, he was woken by a hand
moving in smooth waves up from the small of his back to his
shoulder and back down. Deliberately slow, it was like she touched
each vertebra in his back until his body unconsciously moved in
that same rhythm and he sleepily put his arm around her to draw her
close, and hit Ethan’s stomach. Oh yeah. His brother was right
there on her other side.

When he started to pull away she said, “No,
touch me, Eryx, please.” He felt her mouth caressing his
collarbone, that dangerous tongue flicking along the arch of bone,
and if it weren’t for the fact that when he opened his eyes Ethan
was staring at him, he might have rolled over on top of her and
just taken her. Early morning light filtered in through the blinds
and bathed the room in a faint glow and he met Ethan’s curious and
confused look with his own.

Her arousal was heavy in the air, like sun
warmed honey, hot and sweet. He knew the right thing was to make
sure she was awake and then to remind her that they had more
serious things to think of at the moment besides scratching an
itch.

As if sensing his hesitancy, she rolled onto
her back and shoved the covers down. Her skin was flushed a pretty
pink color and his eyes immediately drew down to her beautiful
breasts and their tight, dark pink nipples.

She hooked an arm around each of their necks
and pulled Ethan down to her mouth first and then turned to him.
“I’m hot.” She whispered into his mouth, licking at his tongue. She
arched suddenly with a moan and dropped her head back to the pillow
and he saw that Ethan had captured one nipple in his mouth, his
cheeks hollowing as he sucked it deep into his mouth.

Was it possible that he’d never seen anything
as erotic as watching his brother tend to their mate? With renewed
vigor, his cock hardened another degree and he descended on her
mouth with a moan that matched hers, as she dug her nails into his
scalp and moved between them. He slid his hand slowly across the
curve of her hip, up her flat belly, to the gentle swell of her
untended breast, and ran his thumb across the puckered bud while he
fed at her mouth. In the back of his mind, he thought they should
stop and talk, make plans, and…do…something?

Both he and Ethan jerked at the same time on
the bed as her hands wrapped around their cocks. He put his hand on
her hand and stilled her. “Callie,” he warned, looking into her
dark eyes, “we should talk.”

“He’s right, sweetheart. We have plenty of
time for other things.” Ethan didn’t sound very convinced, and he
wasn’t feeling it much either, but they had several things looming
over them, the least of which was consummating their new
relationship.

She thrashed her head on the pillows and made
a whimpered sound, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

He met Ethan’s eyes over her body and knew
that Ethan’s furrowed brow and worried frown were mirrored by his
own. Ethan leaned his head against the side of hers, “Are you in
pain, Callie?”

She moaned and arched her back off the bed
like she was trying to get away from the lower half of her body.
Maybe this was what happened when wolves mated? Were they hurting
her by trying to put this off in favor of discussing the danger,
not to mention the facets of the physical side of their
relationship?

Her eyes were bright but unfocused, the
pupils bare dots in the depths of brown and gold and green. “I just
need, uh, I” her words ceased in the midst of her panting breaths.
His first thought was that she was going to have a panic attack or
hyperventilate, but the air was suddenly pulsating with the heat of
her arousal, and once again he met Ethan’s eyes.

Ethan’s voice was deeper than normal when he
spoke softly, “We’ll take care of you, love.”

Their hands moved to the same place between
her legs, and he slid a finger inside her slowly while Ethan
circled her clit with his finger.

Fuck but she was hot and wet.

Her body clenched his finger and she moaned
so deeply that the sound went straight to his cock and lodged at
the base there. She kicked at the blankets and he pulled his hand
away to free her and the sight of her legs spread wide on the bed
between them and Ethan’s finger running tight and fast circles
around her perfect bud nearly undid him. He pushed two fingers
inside her this time, the silky wet depths of her body seemingly
endless.

Her hand flexed on his shoulder and she
closed her eyes, as if she wanted to absorb only the feeling of
their hands on her. He pulsed his fingers inside her to the same
fast tempo that Ethan worked her clit and her whole body joined in
her climax that was so raw and incredible that it was just sheer
willpower that he didn’t come from the sight, not to mention the
motion of her body against his.

Her body bucked against their hands and she
cried out with a throaty growl and moan combined and her pussy
pulled at his fingers as her orgasm rushed through her. Struck dumb
by the sight of her bliss, he watched as her skin flushed a deep
rose color and her mouth fell open with light pants. She wriggled
slightly and shivered, and when her eyes opened they were focused
and normal, but exceptionally beautiful, almost entirely gold laced
with green.

“I, uh, thanks?” She said with a rough voice.
And then they all laughed. He pulled his hand from between her legs
and Ethan did, too. It didn’t escape his notice that both of their
hands were glistening and the desire to taste her was so strong but
he fought it. He didn’t know if she’d like that. He’d never had a
woman respond to him like that before, so to say he was out of his
element was an understatement.

As if reading his mind, she said, “Do you
want to know what I taste like?”

“Yes.” His voice was a bare hiss of
sound.

Her top teeth snagged her lower lip and her
eyes lowered as her hands pulled both of theirs up from where they
lay on her thighs and she licked the tip of his finger and then the
tip of Ethan’s, and directed their hands towards their mouths.
Exquisitely sweet and silky, her juices were as sweet as anything
he’d ever tasted, and the knowledge that he’d helped her come like
that was heady.

Her hands dropped to her stomach and she
played her fingers across the soft, flat expanse of flesh
underneath the innie belly button that he found wholly erotic. “If
we have other things to do, then we should get out of bed, okay?
Because I can’t really think straight with you two naked in bed
with me.”

Ethan snorted, his finger popping out his
mouth with an audible wet sound. “You can’t think straight?”

They sat up, both of them groaning quietly.
His body was hard with tension. He’d never had such an erection
before, but he didn’t care. Sure, he wanted to bury himself in her
pussy for years, but he didn’t want to rush it. Seeing her climax
that way had been more powerful than anything he’d ever witnessed
in his life. He dare thought he could just pleasure her for the
rest of his life and he’d be more satisfied than all of the times
he’d ever come combined.

Little vixen, she purred, “Sure I can’t take
care of anything for you?”

He gave her an incredulous look and she sat
up suddenly. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop feeling so needy. I’ve
never felt like that before. And now you’re both unsatisfied. I
don’t mean to tease. Let me help you.” She kissed his shoulder and
then turned her head to look at Ethan who was already drawing pants
on from the dresser.

“No, sweetheart, we’re fine. It was our
pleasure, I promise. And right now, we have more serious things to
discuss.” Ethan assured her.

Her knees drew up under her arms as if
remembering the wolf. “Do you think they thought it was me?”

Ethan tossed a pair of jeans at him and he
slid them on over his aching skin. “I don’t think so. It was a male
wolf, for one, and for another it was very clearly a natural wolf
and not a shifter. But I think the message is clear.” He leaned
over and kissed her forehead.

Ethan offered to make breakfast and Eryx
urged her to take a shower and said he was going to make some phone
calls. She nodded, looking a lot less happy than she had several
minutes earlier.

Although every fiber of his being revolted at
leaving her in bed alone, they had matters to attend.

After a short conversation with their father,
in which he cursed a blue streak and said he’d be over within the
hour, he called their Uncle Rhett.

After a cursory greeting, he dove into the
explanation of things, and Rhett did not disappoint him.

“We’d love to have you come here, Eryx. Lisa
would love to have another woman around. The humans shy away from
her a little because of me, and she’s lonely. When do you think you
can come out? There’s not much to do right now except tend the
animals for the winter. The police force could use another cop,
although in a town this small it’s mostly youthful
indiscretions.”

“We’ll need to come pretty quick. If last
night was any indication, then they’re not playing anymore.” He
sighed and rubbed at the space between his eyes.

“You know, we’ve got the old apple barn, it’s
just got equipment in it right now, but it’s got a big old cast
iron stove in the center of it for warmth and has a second floor
that could easily be converted into bedrooms. I’ll get to
converting it right quick at least with the plumbing and getting it
cleaned out, we’ve got plenty of furniture in storage for ya’ll to
use.”

“Thanks, Uncle Rhett. I don’t know what we’d
do if we didn’t have you to turn to.”

“Nonsense. No lion male would turn down
family, or anyone else in distress. You give me a ring in a couple
days and let me know when we can expect you. If you’d like, you can
have your Callie call Lisa and they can get to know each
other.”

He ended the call on a sigh of relief and
then he felt hands on his bare shoulders and recognized them. With
practiced skill, she smoothed out the taut muscles of his shoulders
and he was lulled into a sweet peace. Her hands slid across his
chest and she kissed the shell of his ear.

“I feel like I’m falling in love with you,
Eryx.” Never had a woman spoken such sweet words to him.

“I’m already there, angel.”

Chapter 10

**Callie**

Ethan opened the door to let in their father
and brother. Callie was certain she surprised them by going
straight to his father and hugging him. She kissed his cheeks and
told him softly that she was sorry she'd fought against the truth
and he nodded and took in a long breath, as if he were trying to
stop some great emotion from breaking free. Just behind them, their
uncles walked in, and she hugged and kissed their cheeks as well,
and then went to Ethan and crowded against him in the kitchen. It
felt like she'd been away from him for too long. Eryx joined them,
sandwiching her in a possessive way she liked while the other men
sat at the table and discussed the situation. She listened quietly
while they talked about moving to Indiana and selling the house and
keeping her safe in the meantime. A storm was moving across the
Midwest and if they left now they’d get mired in the middle of
it.

So they decided to wait until the first week
of February. That was just three weeks from now. They were certain
they could keep her safe until then. She hated the idea of them
leaving their family for her, but if what had happened last night
was any indication of just how off-balance the female lions were,
it wasn't smart to stick around.

Ethan excused himself to the garage to get
his laptop from the jeep and Callie offered to go with him.

"Are you sure?" She stopped Ethan before he
turned to go back into the house.

"About what, love?"

"All of this. This was your grandpa's house,
your family is here." She paused, a little lost to the emotion of
everything when an unwelcome voice interrupted them.

"Hello, dog." Melania crowed, coming to stand
just inside the garage next to Eryx's mustang. Behind her were
Tanya and Farrah, mocking smiles on their lips.

Fear washed over her immediately as Ethan
tucked her behind him. Eryx was suddenly at her back. She didn't
know what had prompted him to come into the garage, but she was
very glad he was there.

The women moved a few steps further into the
garage as if they owned the place, and the looks on their faces
said they hadn’t come to apologize. She was tempted to back up a
few paces but she knew if she turned tail now that things would
only get worse. She heard Ethan and Eryx's family come to the door
for support but they didn't come into the space with them. She knew
that they would back them up if things got out of hand, but the
three of them had to work this out on their own, period.

Melania peered down her sharp nose at Callie
and her eyes narrowed. Whatever her plans were, they weren’t good
at all.

“What are you doing here, Melania?” Ethan
asked angrily.

She sneered, raking her eyes over Callie like
she was a helpless bunny. It made her blood run cold. This was a
woman that wouldn't waste an opportunity to take out a rival, by
any means necessary. Melania ran her tongue across her top lip and
pointedly ignored Callie, turning her head to look at Ethan.

“I can’t believe you wanted to have a cub so
badly, Ethan. Really, that you would go to the dogs for that, it
just boggles the mind.”

A fine shiver of tension wove through Callie
and she stepped slightly away from them and turned her head to look
at Ethan who looked completely mortified.