It was, and the sun was still visible over the Sierras to the west. “I thought we’d go at least until sunset and then find a place to set up the tent. Unless you’re tired?”
“No, not really. Not yet.” He sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a longwhoosh. “Smells good already.”I sniffed, letting the clean pine-scented air fill my lungs. Technically we weren’t in the foothills, but it appeared that way since the valley sat at nearly 5000 feet above sea level. I turned around and walked backwards, taking in what might be our last view of the area where we’d grown up for a while. “If we go another hour or two, we’ll get some real distance behind us.”“Agreed. I’m ready to let my wolf out. He’s been antsy for a while.”“Mine, too. It was their den as much as our house.” Leaves crunched under our boots, a reminder of how late in the year it was but also a balm to my really rattled soul. Our garden had been a sanctuary, but since it was gone, massacred by progress, I’d missed the quiet of being in nature. My parents’ home, where I’d stayed only on a temporary basis, was in the middle of a busy area not too far off Highway 395, and the constant hum of traffic had just about shredded my nerves. Funny that it hadn’t bothered me much growing up, but now? I’d slept with my pillow over my head.We traveled on in silence for a while, the easy quiet of people who’d been together more than apart for most of their lives. An hour later, we were passing through a section where one of the wildfires of the past summer had extended its fingers, charring the trees and burning out the underbrush. Acrid and distressing, this was not a place where we could stop, so by unspoken consent, we continued on for another three hours until we reached the shore of one of the many secluded lakes.“Here good?” Liam dropped his pack on the ground and reached to unzip it without waiting for an answer.I gave him one anyway. “Good spot. We should be able to do a little hunting without too much trouble.” After our long hike and with a couple more days of it ahead of us, we needed to be energy conscious. “If you’re hungry.”“I’m hungry and for more than the beef jerky you’ve stuffed in my pack.”I chuckled. “It’s one of the few things we had room for after taking all our supplies. Let’s hurry and get set up so we can run.”“Yes.”Not our first time camping together, we had the tent out and up and our sleeping bags inside in a very few minutes. The lake was blue and tempting, but even in the height of summer, this glacial pool would be freezing and tonight; we’d never get warm if we took a plunge. But as soon as we’d stripped off our clothing and donned our fur, our wolves were lapping at the icy water, drinking it down to rehydrate after our hike. It burned down my throat but tasted amazing. In two-legged form, I had to filter water from these sources, but my wolf seemed to process it just fine.After our drink, we ran into the brush and chased one another and any small prey we roused along the way. It was a good way to travel without carrying a lot of food, if time allowed. The moon rose, casting her light over us, and energizing our wolves. All of which led to our spending far too much time frolicking, cavorting, and otherwise letting off steam after a very long, tense time.When we finally came back to the tent, we did the practical thing and crawled inside still in fur. We probably didn’t need to worry about zipping the tent because this late in the season, most of the creepy crawlies had already found somewhere to hide. Also, our wolves didn’t care about things like zippers.As we had on other occasions, we fell asleep on top of our sleeping bags in a mini puppy pile consisting of two wolves. Unlike on other occasions, we woke up no longer in our fur but still tangled in a pile. Rather, I woke up because at first, I had no idea whether or not Owen was awake. Or what to do about it.I’d spent so much time trying not to be aware of him, not to do anything to make him uncomfortable or ruin our friendship. All the years we’d been friends, he’d never done or said anything to make me think he was interested in me, and it was not because he was not interested in anyone. Liam was a serial dater who rarely went out with someone more than once. He didn’t talk about them much, and I got the impression they weren’t important to him. Certainly not a true or fated mate, but it was only a matter of time before he did find someone he liked a lot—and that would be hard to take.But not as hard as my cock, currently nestled in the crack of Liam’s ass. And I had absolutely no idea what to do about that. Well, I had ideas, but they would have to involve consent and a conversation before anything more happened.I should roll away, maybe climb in my sleeping bag or put on clothes, or both, but with the firm halves of my secret crush’s ass squeezing my cock, I wasn’t sure I had the strength or moral fortitude to do more than just appreciate the experience and hope we were still friends when this night was over with.As I wavered, my dick remarkably getting even harder, those cheeks squeezed harder, and my oldest friend said, “Feel good, Jessica ?”So good I could barely draw breath, but like the goof I sometimes can be in situations where I don’t know just what to do, I said, “Yes. It feels pretty great.”MiaDespite the security brought me by my fur, my wolf’s absence in my mind preyed on me, and I lasted only a few hours before giving up on sleep and deciding to move on. It would be cold, but as long as I put on most of the clothes I brought and kept moving, I shouldn’t lose a finger or toe. My boots were old, discarded by one of our visitors, and they didn’t fit perfectly but they were lined and warm. Three sweatshirts, two with hoods, two pairs of leggings and one of jeans. A scarf, a hat…gloves. I’d taken the best of what lay within our closet, no matter which family member had once owned it, so everything was an odd size but that didn’t matter.What did was the fact that I was so layered, it hampered my stride and slowed me down.The moon had risen, since I lay down, and there were almost no stars visible, but the silvery light lit the trail for me, and as it climbed and descended, I hummed under my breath and tried to imagine what it would be like when I arrived at Triple L.The alpha female would greet me and make me welcome. She would find me a little room in someone’s home that I could pay for maybe by caring for their children or garden or chickens. I would get to know these people who lived happily together and were supported in their dreams by their alphas and elders.I would be—A groan shattered the quiet of the forest, and I came to a stop. What animal made such a sound?Late fall…hunters would be about and I’d not thought of that at all. In wolf form, we were vulnerable to them, although there were no tags for us. Not for shifter wolves or any other kind in this area. But that didn’t mean that some overeager poacher wouldn’t feel that he had the right to take us down. We’d always been warned of that, told to keep close to the village in fall especially.My breathing was loud against the light whisper of the icy breeze brushing the aspens who had not quite given up their leaves quite yet. Their characteristic rattle made music, and whatever I’d thought I’d heard no longer seemed to be happening. Perhaps I was too lonely here, without even those remaining pack members who barely paid me any attention unless they wanted to buy eggs or rolls or something. Wolves were not meant to be alone.I was not meant to be alone.And I had been. For far too long. If the worst happened and I died of hypothermia or was taken down by a poacher who spotted movement and shot without thinking, it was better than the way I had been living.I hoped that Nikky, my neighbor’s daughter, would be good to my poultry. I’d have brought them if I could, but how would I have led a flock of chickens, geese, and ducks over the mountains?I had to press on, no matter who or what had groaned or made a noise that sounded like one. Every step took me closer to where I wanted to be, where I prayed I’d be welcomed or at least allowed to remain. In the distance, the moon’s reflection brightened a lake, and I made for it, ready to replenish my water stores. Luckily, I had a filtration straw, so I wouldn’t have to treat it any other way and ruin the taste. Like with the iodine tablets I’d used before a guest left the straw behind after a visit.Mike I hurried down toward the shimmering body of water and crou
A guttural moan came from the man behind me. He was awake. The stiffie might have told me so, but I didn’t want to mistake morning wood occurring late at night for a deliberate attempt to fuck me.So, I gave another squeeze, the tip grazing my ready hole. “Feel good, Jessica ?”“Yes. It feels pretty great.”“Understatement of the year from my position. Any idea how this happened?”“No.” He nipped the spot where my neck met my shoulder. “But it’s about time, isn’t it?”I didn’t want to believe it. We’d been friends forever, business partners in our gardens that had ended so disastrously. We’d had such an incredible life together so far, sharing everything, all but the one thing I’d craved deep within my soul. I licked my lips, prayed for the right answer to the question I was about to ask. “About time for what?”“To mate.”My eyes flooded with tears, but this was not the time to cry or discuss something so right. Why now? That was a question for another time or one that perhaps might n
A good day.We hiked on, discussing our plans for building gardens up here and how we wanted to develop a seed program around native plants of the area. We thought it might be a way to earn a living as well as do something valuable to the earth. Liam pointed out various plants he thought we could incorporate into our program, and I appreciated once again how he had been able to pivot from the plans we’d had before to the ones we were building now.“Maybe it was the stress we were under?” Liam posited. “Maybe that was why we were ready to be together?”“Doubtful.” I bent to rub my fingers over a low-growing shrub to release its scent. “We’d been under that stress for months before we came up here. Don’t you think it might have been our wolves? They might have gotten tired of our hesitation.”“Had yours ever pushed you in any way to speak out? To act on your feelings?”I considered as we came to the top of the trail above the lake and began a switchback down to a high meadow. “No, actua
Liam My wolf was remarkably pleased to have the female join us. I supposed that was because he liked to be around as much pack as possible, and he seemed to regard Mia as a pack member. She hadn’t been accepted yet, but it was probably going to happen. According to our new traveling companion, she had skills that would be valuable to us. Baking was always popular, but working with poultry was a good thing. Also, she could weave a bit, and I knew old Helga was dying for someone to help her with that.A bigger worry was the look of the sky. As soon as we’d gotten off the switchbacks, we also left the fog behind, and the overhead picture was that of clouds pregnant with snow. Something the pack would welcome because we needed the snowpack of winter to grow crops in the spring and summer. There had been so little for so long. But we were not anywhere near where we wanted to be—where there were a few scattered travel shelters we could have holed up in, meaning, we were going to have to ca
“But how?” she whispered. “We were…we were in our fur and sleeping, and now…did you make this happen?”Now I did roll, onto my back, wanting to be prepared to catch her before she fled into the cold and maybe suffered some kind of harm. Outside the tent, the wind was still high and slashing the branches above us. Despite the thick, interwoven canopy, snow had piled upon the tent again, and I’d have to push it off soon. But not quite yet.“No, we didn’t. We wouldn’t have any idea how to do that—or that it was even possible until it happened to us last night. When we get to Triple L, we’ll see if anyone else has more information.”“But you’re safe with us.” Liam laid his head on my shoulder and offered her a smile. “We offered you protection and shelter, and we’d never violate that.”“Good to know.” She sounded just a little snarky, and I liked her even more for it. “Because I’m feeling a little vulnerable here.”“Of course you are.” Taking a chance, I slipped an arm over her shoulders
Shh, some of us are sleeping!The feminine mind voice was not Dan nor was it mine. We hadn’t even mated her yet, and she could hear us? Speak to us? When did that happen? What kind of a mating was this?Her eyes opened, wide, startled, and beautiful. It could be the best kind.“Why are you both making so much noise? Has the snow stopped?”“No.” Dan smiled down at her. “We’re sorry to disturb you. We were just wondering if you thought it was odd that we’re all so comfortable together.”Comfortable might be a bad choice of words. My cock was stiff and weeping with pre-cum, and, under the thigh I’d tossed over Dan, his dick throbbed with life. No, not comfortable. But right. “It’s just right.” That described it. “Mia, did they have any matings in your old pack with more than two people?”She blinked, clearly startled, and pulled back, but Dan stroked her shoulder and she settled back in. “More than two? No. Wait, I have heard about your alphas and their mate. Is that common at the Triple
I leaned across Mia to kiss Dan, brushing her lips on my way back. She was warm and curvy and sweet, and her kisses were somehow all those things, too. I trailed my lips down her throat and hesitated there, casting a quick glance at Dan. He nodded and gave up nibbling her ear to press his lips to the opposite side of her neck.“We want to mark you,” I murmured and she sighed and tossed her head back.“Yes, please.” She whimpered when our teeth pierced her skin, two tears running down her cheeks. It hurt, I knew it did, but once we licked away the blood, the skin healed quickly. And the pain should fade right away, but I hated that she had the least bit of hurt at our hands. From that point, we continued dropping kisses over her skin, suckling her nipples and dipping between her legs to taste her juices. Then we kissed each other, sharing them before gliding back up her body where Dan lay between her legs. He stroked her until she writhed and begged, before fitting himself to her openi
Life on the Triple L Ranch was good. Better than good, it was paradise. My former pack treated its females poorly, as breeders and waitresses, servants to their males. Which was a lot of the reason I left. That and the fact that my stepmother was getting me out of her hair by marrying me off to someone I wanted no part of.I ran from my wedding with no idea where I was going or what I would do when I got there, but when I did, I found myself in the arms of the two alphas of the Triple L Ranch. Tal and Lukky were everything I could have dreamed of and were my fateds. But when I escaped in full bridal regalia, I did not know that I was running toward my fated mates. I was running away from the arranged marriage to someone I had no interest in spending an afternoon with, much less the rest of my life.But sometimes, Fate is kind, and I’d learned that not all males were arrogant bastards who wanted nothing but power and control and had no empathy whatsoever. My mates, who had been a happy