Wild Love [Werewolves of Forever, Texas 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Werewolves. Men who change into wolves.

  Emma tried to make her head believe what her eyes had seen. The Carr brothers were werewolves. She’d made love to werewolves.

  No. She’d made love to men. Kind, strong, generous, and giving men who made her body ache with need at the sight of them. She closed her eyes, remembering their touch, their soft words, their erect cocks that gave her so much pleasure. She could see them almost as if she were back in the house with them. Jackson, with his serious expression and dark, soulful eyes, had given her more tenderness than Brian or any other man had ever done. Jacob, the middle one, a unique blend of both his brothers, had understood her every need. And Jayden. She smiled, recalling his quick laugh. She’d waited all her life for men like this. Now she had not one man to love but three.

  But how could she return to the rental house knowing what they were? And why hadn’t they told her? If she hadn’t seen them, what would’ve happened next? She’d run out of fear, but the fear was subsiding, giving way to a strange sense of emptiness, as though she’d lost her best friends. As though she’d lost the real meaning for her life.

  Clarity hit her so hard it took her breath away.

  She wanted the Carr brothers. What she’d realized at Milly’s was true. She loved them, and she didn’t care if they were werewolves. The answer shocked yet pleased her. Hadn’t she already sensed that she was supposed to be with them? They were meant for her, and she was meant for them.

  “Turn the car around.”

  Brian laughed. “Oh, sure. Right.”

  “I’m not joking. I want to go back, and you’re going to take me. If you do, I promise to forget everything you’ve done to me.”

  His laughter died as he glared at her. “You can’t be serious. You’re going to give up your only chance at living? For what? To live in that little house with no one but the local yokels to talk to? Get real, Em.”

  “Don’t call me ‘Em.’ I hate it when you call me that. My name is Emma. Not Em. Take me back to town and don’t show your face around me ever again. Now do it.”

  His anger flashed across his face. “Like hell I will. You’re not going to blow my big chance. I won’t let you.”

  “Brian, you can’t make me go with you.”

  His laugh was hard and mean. “What do you think is happening right now? I’ll get you there, and if you cause any more problems, I’ll have you judged incompetent. You’re not thinking straight. The tumor’s making you irrational. No sane person would turn down a chance to be cured.”

  Would he really do such a horrible thing? She snarled, her lips pulling back in much the same way she’d seen the men do. She opened her mouth to curse him when something in the middle of the road made her turn her head.

  “Watch out!” she screamed as Brian slammed on the brakes.

  Chapter Eight

  Emma flattened her hands against the dashboard as the car skidded to a stop, flinging her forward. Her seatbelt jerked her back seconds before her forehead would’ve struck the hard surface, and the momentum whiplashed her against her seat. The force knocked the breath out of her, and her heart raced like a speeding train. She clutched the arm of the door and her seat, her fingers digging into the leather.

  Brian groaned, his eyes closed and blood trickling down his forehead. He turned his head to look her way. “What the hell was that?”

  She almost smiled. “Wolves.” She searched the road but didn’t see any sign of them. “Oh, my God, did we hit them?”

  “You’re worried about some dumb animals? What about me?” He pressed his fingers to his forehead then held up his hand and stared at his bloody fingertips. “Can’t you see I’m hurt?”

  She studied his wound. “It’s only a scratch. You’ll live.”

  “But I’m hurt.”

  She pushed open the door, intent on finding the Carr brothers. Stumbling to the front of the car, she held her breath and braced against finding a bloody body. When she didn’t, she let out a breath of relief then turned in a circle, searching for them. Had they gotten out of the way? Or had the impact sent them into the ditch at the side of the road?

  Brian joined her. “See? I didn’t run over any animals.” He slumped against the hood. “Too damn bad. I’m sorry I didn’t hit at least one of them even if it meant damaging my car. Someone should put out poison and get rid of the mangy mutts.”

  She whirled to confront him, ready to tell him to get lost, when her gaze slid past him. Unable to suppress a grin, she pointed behind the car. “I wouldn’t let them hear you say that.”

  Brian craned his neck around to see what she was pointing at. Three wolves, gloriously huge with snarls exposing glistening white teeth, stood in a line. Their ears were laid back and their tails hung low as they hunkered down, ready to attack.

  “Shit!” He scrambled backward, taking her by the arm to force her in front of him to use as a shield.

  She rolled her eyes, too happy to see the brothers to call Brian a coward. Instead, she broke free and walked toward them.

  “Em, are you insane?”

  She glanced at Brian but kept on moving toward the wolves. “According to you I am. And I told you. Don’t call me ‘Em.’” Bending over, she ran a hand through the largest wolf’s fur.

  “Is that you, Jackson?” she whispered.

  The wolf seemed to smile. Cocking its head to the side, his amber gaze locked onto her.

  “It is.” She chuckled then turned her attention to the other two wolves. “Jacob.” She slipped her fingers through his dark fur. “And Jayden.” He leaned into her as she scratched him behind the ear. She laughed and turned back to Brian.

  Brian gawked at her. “You are fucking crazy. How can you touch those beasts?”

  Jackson took a step forward, his snarl growing bigger. He flattened his ears and tucked his tail even lower. Emma moved out of the way. Together the three wolf brothers crept toward Brian.

  Panic washed the disgust from his face. “No. Stay away. Go! Get back!”

  The wolves moved closer, the threat to the man evident. She had no doubt they were ready to attack.

  “Get in the car then throw my things out.” She edged between Jackson and Jacob and placed her hands on their heads.

  Leaning against the side of the car, Brian inched his way toward the driver’s-side door. Taking the handle, he yanked it open and jumped inside. His chest rose and fell as he sat there, gaping at the wolves.

  “Do as I told you. Then get the hell out of here while you still can.”

  He grabbed her purse and tossed it out the window. Reaching around to the backseat, he opened his door just far enough to push her small suitcase outside. Closing the door, he took one more look at her, his hands white-knuckled on the wheel. He drove off, leaving skid marks behind.

  Emma took a few steps forward and watched the man she’d thought she loved disappear from her life. When she couldn’t see the car any longer, she pivoted back to the wolves. But the wolves were no longer there. Instead, the naked Carr brothers grinned at her.

  Need, both physical and emotional, flooded through her, and she ran to them. Jackson enveloped her in a hug, and his brothers wrapped their arms around both of them. Their nakedness was natural and provided all the reassurance she needed.

  “How did you find me? How did you know?” Joy filled her as the men—her men—held her, kissing her, caressing her. Her pussy clenched with need, and she slid her palms over each of them, delighting in their rock-hard flesh. She could feel the push of their growing cocks against her, and for a moment, she considered undressing and taking them on the side of the road.

  “Milly told us. She figured you were heading to Dallas, so we took a back road and cut you off at the pass. Just like in the movies.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. “I can’t believe you did this.” She hugged Jackson, then Jacob and, lastly, Jayden. If she had anything to say about it, she’d never let them go. At least, not until the end.

  Jackson cocke
d his head to the side, reminding her of the way he’d done the same gesture as a wolf. “Why wouldn’t we come after you?”

  “Yes, but to block the road like that? All three of you could’ve gotten killed. No one’s ever put their life on the line for me.”

  Jayden cupped her under her chin. “You shouldn’t have run off in the first place.”

  “I was afraid. I saw you in the yard when you changed into wolves, and I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t know if I was seeing things or if I could believe in the impossible.”

  “But you said you believed in supernatural beings.” Jayden arched an eyebrow then answered for her. “I guess seeing us in person still threw you for a loop.”

  “You can say that again.” She slid her palm over his cheek.

  “So that’s what happened.” Jacob winked at her. “You saw us getting ready to go for a night run. Obviously you know what we are now, so why aren’t you still afraid?”

  She couldn’t find the right words. How could she explain a feeling that permeated her entire being yet left her speechless? She shook her head. “I can’t explain it, but the last thing I fear is you.”

  She turned to stare down the empty road. “I’m surprised you didn’t attack Brian. God knows he deserves payback for what he wanted to do. And Dr. Harding has to be stopped.”

  Jackson slid his hand along her back, easing the tension stiffening her spine. “Don’t worry. They’ll get what’s coming to them.”

  “What do you mean?” She searched for the answer in his face and found it in Jayden’s instead.

  “My friend with the Dallas Police Department told me the FBI has their sights on both of them. I called him on our way here to tell him Brian was headed back to Dallas. The feds will be all over his place and Dr. Harding’s not-so-secret facility in no time.”

  “Which is why we didn’t tear Brian’s head off. A headless corpse and a body with large animal wounds are hard to explain to the feds.” Jacob grinned at her.

  “Trust me. My friend is positive those two will be headed for jail and their careers ruined.”

  She sighed and reached out for Jayden. “I’m just glad Brian’s out of my life for good.”

  Jackson cleared his throat, his expression serious. “They may need you to testify against them. Can you do that?”

  Could she handle seeing Brian again? She hated the idea, but if she could keep others from being hurt, then it would be worth it. “Tell them they can count on me.”

  She touched Jackson’s face, a tender gesture of love. “As long as my men are by my side, I can do anything.”

  “We’ll always be by your side.” Jackson took her hand from his cheek and pressed a kiss to her palm.

  “Our clothes are hanging on a bush over there, and our pickup’s just down the road.” Jackson jerked his head to the side. “How about we continue this back at our house?”

  “You mean your house?”

  He took her hand and led her to the bush, where the men started dressing. “No. I mean our house. At least, I hope it’s going to be your house, too.”

  * * * *

  The three brothers didn’t say much on the ride to their home. Emma basked in the warmth of Jackson’s and Jacob’s warm bodies as she sat squashed between them in the cab of the pickup. She let the silence wash over her, keeping reality at bay for a little while longer.

  An energy that filled her with renewed strength and hope radiated off the men’s bodies. Although she tried to focus on the road ahead, she couldn’t help but let her gaze slide down to the denim material covering their crotches. Wetness dampened her panties, and she had to force herself to keep her hands on their legs. If she moved her hands any higher, she might startle them and cause an accident.

  Letting Jackson take the lead again, she entered their modest home and looked around. Their home’s décor suited them, with rustic furnishings of deep browns and tans dominating the room while splashes of color gave the eye something to enjoy. Photographs of the men among friends, people she’d seen in town, dotted the walls. Even without any touches of green like plants, the home exuded a welcoming friendliness.

  “All of you live here?”

  “We do. Our parents raised us on the ranch, and their parents before them. Now it’s our turn to find our mate.” Jackson motioned for her to take a seat on the couch then sat beside her. Jayden bumped into Jacob in a good-natured way, taking the other seat next to her. Jacob grumbled, frowned at his brother, then dropped his body onto the leather recliner.

  “Your mate? You mean like how a wolf takes a female wolf as his mate?” She couldn’t help the disappointment she felt. She wanted all of them, not just one.

  “In that way, yes, but with a difference, too.” Jackson took her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “As our fathers did before us and their fathers before them, we waited for our mate.”

  “I’m sorry? Fathers? As in more than one?”

  “We have the same mother. Our fathers mated with our mother, giving us more than one father to teach us, to train us in the ways of the werewolf. They loved her, and she loved them back. That’s the way it always has been and always will be with our kind.”

  She snuggled against Jackson’s arm. “What are you saying?” She thought she knew but wanted him to say the words. What would they say when they learned about her disease? Would it matter to them? And even if it didn’t, how could she put them through the horror of watching her die a slow and horrible death?

  “We’re saying, Emma, that you’re our mate. We want you. We need you.”

  “Hell, Jacob, quit babbling on and just tell her.” Jayden gave her the grin she adored. “We love you. All three of us do.”

  She didn’t want to cry and tried to hold back the tears but couldn’t. Instead, she pushed away from them and hurried to the other side of the room. She grabbed the windowsill for support and bent forward, her head dropping to her chest. Her hair fell in front of her face, and she was glad that they couldn’t see the tears falling to the floor. She heard them rise to come and stand behind her.

  “Emma? Tell us what you’re thinking.” Jackson ran his hand along her back. “Don’t you want us?”

  “If you don’t, then we’ll take you back to Milly’s to get your car. The pack took care of it after you left by towing it to Ron’s garage.”

  “Wait. The pack? I thought you were the pack. You mean there are other werewolves in town? In your pack?”

  “Three brothers is hardly a pack.” Jayden chuckled. “Most of the people who live in and around Forever are part of our pack. They’re werewolves like us.”

  “Even Milly?” Had she stayed in a werewolf’s home and not known it? “But Milly seemed so normal.” She pivoted to face them.

  “Ouch. We’re normal, too. We’re just a different kind of normal. We’re shifter normal.” Jacob’s eyes twinkled as he let her know she hadn’t offended him.

  “Is that why some people in town have large teeth?”

  “I could make a very bad joke about ‘the better to eat you with,’ but I won’t. Sometimes, especially when shifters see someone new in town, they forget to keep their inner wolf in total control. But no one in the pack would ever hurt you.”

  “Jacob’s right. And we want to make you one of us. Hell, we’ve dreamed of the day when we’d meet our mate. But we’d never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do.” Jackson, as always, was the serious one.

  She shook her head and dropped her gaze. “It’s not that. I want you, too. There’s nothing I want more than to become your mate.”

  Jayden took her other arm, making her look at him. He put his hands on her cheeks. “Then what’s the problem?”

  “You know what the problem is, Jayden. She’s worried about dying.”

  Stunned, she gaped at Jacob. “How did you know? I haven’t told anyone. Only my doctors, my closest friend, and Brian know.”

  Jackson leaned in to give her a quick kiss. Emotions, both understood and i
ndefinable, whirled inside her. Her body responded, sending out signals to take him, to beg him to lie between her legs and drink her juices. “I sensed it the first time I met you, but we wanted you to want us back. We wanted you to get to know us first. So go on, Emma, tell us. We know what’s wrong, but we need to hear it from you.”

  She nodded, her heart ripping apart. She would lose them for certain now. “I have an inoperable brain tumor. I’m only expected to live a few more months.”

  “You don’t look sick right now.” Jayden reached out to take her hand.

  “I’m fine. But my headaches are coming more often. Sometimes they’re so bad that I pass out.”

  “Like you did the night we found you on the floor.”

  She nodded, worried that they wouldn’t have anything to do with her now that they knew the whole truth.

  Their silence unnerved her. She’d have given anything not to hurt them, but they had the right to know everything. “Now you know why I can’t be your mate. I won’t do that to you. To any of you. I won’t let you watch me die.”

  “But you do want to be our mate, right?”

  She hugged herself. “I would like more than anything to live with you, all three of you. But why would you want to take on my burden? No, I can’t ask that of you.”

  The men drew closer and comforted her with their touch. “You could never be a burden. But if you say yes, you have to know first that you’ll need to change and become a werewolf like us.” Jackson narrowed his gaze, diving into her eyes then into her soul.

  Could she do what they asked of her? What was the life of a werewolf like? She could remember their graceful wolf bodies exuding strength and power that she’d never hoped to obtain. “I swear I would. I’d do anything, become anything, to stay here with you.”

  “Can you handle our biting you after we make love to you? It hurts, but it heals fast. Are you ready to accept our way of life?” Jacob squeezed her hand.