Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2011 Stacey Espino

ISBN: 978-1-926950-60-0

Cover Artist: LF Designs

Editor: Marie Buttineau

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

This one goes out to all the lovely Evernight Publishing authors.  What a talented, supportive group to be a part of.  I'm truly honored.

FREYA'S MATES

Pack Seduction, 2

Stacey Espino

Copyright © 2011

Chapter One

After spending the frigid night hiding behind rancid dumpsters, and the day in various sheds and garages, Freya grew desperate and hungry.  She only wore tattered clothes she'd found on a clothesline in one of the backyards she'd used as a refuge.  This city was new and unfamiliar to her, but at least she was free.  Life on the run was preferable to fulfilling a destiny she wanted no part of. Her mother had sent two shifters to try and bring her back to the royal palace, but she'd gained her freedom once again.  Next time she may not be so lucky, so she needed to be more careful.

She didn't know where to turn at this point.  Her sister, Carna, was mated to four alpha shifters.  Freya wished her the best, hoping she'd found the happiness and stability they'd all sought for so many years.  Now it was just her and Delia on the run, and Freya lost track of Delia years ago.

"What have I gotten myself into?" she muttered to herself.  Maybe she should have stayed with Carna when she had the chance.  Gods it had been good to see her sister again, but Freya wouldn't be a burden to anyone.  She wasn't the responsibility of Carna's mates, not theirs to protect and care for.  This was for the best, she tried to convince herself. She was meant to be on the road, alone, and on the run—a free spirit, a phantom wolf.  It's what she knew and what she grew accustomed to over the years.  If she returned home, she'd be the target for every shifter eager to mate with one of the last royal females.  Or her mother would set her up with a list of pre-selected suitors.  She wanted no part of a forced mating.

She crept out of her hiding place as the sun set, following the scent of food on the breeze.  Walking in a crouch, she used her senses to try and detect any potential threat, but the coast appeared to be clear.  She followed the narrow alleyway, trailing the scent to the rear of a large brick building.  A single metal door at the rear of the establishment was closed tight, but she could hear and feel the deep bass of music coming from inside.  Her curiosity was piqued.  She imagined a room filled with sweat-glistened bodies, losing themselves to the techno beat. But even in a crowd she wasn't safe.  There were shifters everywhere—not just in the forests and backcountry, but living amongst humans in towns and heavily populated cities.  If there were shifters, they'd recognize the scent of her royal blood within seconds.  Then they'd want her.  Not for the woman, the wolf, or any deep seated longing—just for her pedigree and what she represented.  Male shifters would kill to mate with one of the three Demori sisters, only two left unmated now that Carna had found her fate.

"I'm sure they'd let you in the main entrance.  You're cute.  They'll send you to the front of the line."  The male voice originated in the deep shadows along the building.  "Not sure about the get-up, though."

Her hackles rose.  Why hadn't she sensed him?  A billow of sweet-smelling smoke surrounded his face, still hidden in the darkness.  He leaned against the building, one jean-clad leg bent up.  When she realized he wasn't a shifter, her defenses lowered.  Just another human.  Not a threat. Only shifters went crazy from the scent of her blood.

"What's inside?"

"Club Frenzy.  You'll find everything you're looking for in there."  He took a drag on his cigarillo. The human was tall, but that's about all she could gauge besides the deep tone of his voice.

"I just want food.  I'm not looking for a good time, if that's what you're suggesting."  Freya spent her fair share of time moving from one city to the next.  Sometimes nice hotels, other times little shitholes frequented by drug addicts and prostitutes.  She didn't want this stranger mistaking her for one of those ladies of the night.  If anything, Freya still had her dignity.

"Well, it's not my first choice for a decent meal."  He pushed off from the wall, stepping into the dim glow of the outdoor lighting. The human had narrow eyes, dark as the night sky.  His hair was black and tousled.  Freya froze as he moved toward her.  He scrubbed a hand over a neatly trimmed goatee, a devilish smirk on his lips.

"I'm not picky.  Do you have a key?"  She took a step back, not eager to get so close to a man she knew nothing about.  Unlike Carna, she wasn't as comfortable with her sexuality. Her raging monthly urges were a source of dread.

This human's size and rugged good looks tempted her in ways she'd never known.  She didn't feel threatened.  Her wolf could rip him apart, and he'd be helpless with no teeth or claws to protect himself. What she feared was her own desire.

"No, but I can get you in."  He took another step forward, and reached out to lift a section of her hair, feeling it between a thumb and finger.  Everything about him was calm and unrushed. "What's your name?"

She almost leaned into his heat, somehow enamored by the human. "Freya."

"Well, Freya, I'm Darius. Get ready for a wild ride," he said before banging a fist on the metal door.  The echoing boom was rewarded with a quick response.  "Mind if I bring in a guest?"

The oversized shifter looked her up and down before nodding.

Darius stepped into the club, pausing for her to follow.  Should she go?  She had no clue what awaited her inside.  The kidnappers her mother had sent for her could be waiting just past the threshold. But her basic need for food overpowered any logical thought.  Freya followed behind the human, putting as much distance between her and the imposing shifter as possible.  Once inside, a different world awaited her.  The music drowned out every other sound, beating in her chest like a living force. Colored lights zigzagged around her, adding to the chaos and confusion of the bustling nightclub.  Women and men reveled in the sex-laden atmosphere, dancing, making out, and drinking. It was the perfect place to blend in, to get lost when she didn't want to be found.  Surely the male shifters wouldn't be able to pinpoint her scent amongst the flood of stimuli around them.

She zeroed in on her target—the grill near the back bar.  The rich scents enticed her, beckoned her. Gods her stomach protested violently. A nice steak, medium-rare, would hit the spot about now.  She hadn't eaten anything in nearly two days as she remained in hiding.  Freya turned to the right, moving fast, twisting in and out of the dancers, hoping to lose her companion as she moved closer to the bar.  Her stealth had aided her in many escapes over the years.

"Do you have a menu?" she asked the bartender, leaning over the counter on her elbows.  Freya had to shout just to be heard.  The shifter was busy mixing drinks, serving several customers at once.

He paid her no heed, dealing with the others ahead of her.  His blond hair was casually brushed off his face and his blue eyes were dominant in the dim lighting. When he glanced in her direction, he did a double take, and chose to offer his undivided attention.  "Can I help you?"  He flipped the two bottles he handled with expert skill, setting them on the lower counter in front of him.

She looked over her shoulder to make sure the human still hadn't found her. "I want to order food.  Do you have a menu?" she repeated.

His eyes narrowed.  "Menu?  This ain't a restaurant, sweetheart.  The best I can do is chicken strips and French fries.  We have a fryer.  That's about it."

"Fine.  I'll take whatever you have."  She was ready to dumpster-dive with the stray cats if she didn't get a meal soon—or perhaps shift and make a meal of the cats themselves.

He stood there for a moment, assessing her.  Did he detect her true identity, or was her request really that unusual?  She took note of the patrons sitting at the counter to her left and right.  The people were drinking and mingling, not eating.

After his pause, he disappeared into the kitchen at the end of the bar.  Freya fidgeted, not comfortable around so many potential fortune-seekers.  She couldn’t count the number of male shifters that had tried to entrap her in the past, hoping to become a part of history by mating with one of the legendary sisters of royal blood.  Just because she carried the future for all shifters in her veins, passed on from select female to select female in the royal family, didn't mean she would be forced into a loveless mating. She'd choose a man when she was damn good and ready.

The fact her sister had given up the good fight, mating instead of continuing to run like her and Delia, had forced Freya to think about her own future.  As she holed up for the past couple days, waiting for her captors to give up their search, she had more than enough time to think.  Maybe she should settle down and stop running.  But how could she choose a mate when she had no life?  It would be impossible for her to develop a normal relationship. She had no home, no roots, and no job.  All she did was wander, determined to stay single…to what end?  Her determination had been so one-sighted that she didn't notice her life slipping by.  She wasn't getting any younger.  What did the future hold for her?

"Here you go, blondie."  The bartender dropped a plate in front of her.  A couple fries spilled off the side onto the counter. She frowned, but was too hungry to say a word in protest.  Freya began to shovel food into her mouth.  She knew she must look classless, but the grease and salt on her tongue was sheer heaven, and she couldn't eat or swallow fast enough. "You're hungry. How about a drink?"  Freya only nodded, not willing to answer when all that mattered was filling her stomach.  The shifter watched her with interest, as if she were a freak show he couldn't pry his eyes from. Was that a grin?  With her plate half finished, she began to slow down her frantic pace.  She became more aware of her surroundings and took stock of the man staring at her from behind the counter.  He really did have the bluest eyes.  A cougar.  Wild cats had distinctive eyes, and he was close enough for her to scent him.

But if she could scent him, then he could scent her.  Shit! She bolted from her seat and disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor.  With her hunger satisfied, her focus was on getting the hell out of the club and back into the open air.  She'd hitch a ride with some unsuspecting humans and find a new city to hide out in.

Freya pushed through the throngs of people, their flesh warm and moist from perspiration. The front doors were here target, the symbol of freedom from the stale air suffocating her.  She felt trapped, watched, and had to escape. The lit exit sign drew closer with each step, but when she emerged from the dance floor a heavy set of hands shackled her upper arms, barring her retreat.

Freya struggled to no avail.  "Let me go," she ordered.

"Ah, ah, ah, sweetheart.  We don't take kindly to dine and dashers at Club Frenzy."  He spun her around, still holding her secure. It was that cute bartender.  Instead of concerning himself with her pedigree, he only wanted her to make good with her bill?  The news was a relief, but also a problem considering she had no money.  When she'd been captured, days earlier, she'd shifted and lost all her identification, along with her clothing.

"I don't have any money," she said, hoping he'd let her go.

"Well, that's a problem, then.  You'll have to talk with Gideon about that."

He began to tug her along, pushing through the dancers. If he wasn't so tall and built, she'd have put up more of a fight, but knew it would be useless.  His arms were thick with muscle, and she could imagine the rest of him was just as strong.  "Who's Gideon?"  She didn't like the idea of being taken anywhere.  Her sister, Delia, always taught her not to allow a man to take her to a secondary location if she had a bad feeling about him.  She had a bad feeling about this Gideon, whoever he was.

"He owns the club.  If you can't pay, he's the only one you can appeal to."

"Or what?  You call the cops?"

He chuckled, but didn't answer.  Her hackles rose as she followed stiffly behind him.  Was Gideon a shifter, too?  She had a hard time understanding why the cougar hadn't hit on her.  Couldn't he scent her royal blood?  She'd guess he was mated, but Freya had a good look at his tanned neckline and saw no love bites. If felt odd being so close to a man without having to fight them off.

They neared a lonely doorway at the far wall of the club, marked private.  The cougar knocked on the door before opening it.  With his hand still clasped around her arm, he pulled her in after him.  She felt like the worst sort of criminal, but all she'd done was skip-out on a bill, and even that wasn't intentional. If they knew the kind of money she had in her bank account or about the royal blood flowing in her veins, they certainly wouldn't be treating her like a common thief.

The room was not what she expected.  It was night and day from the darkness, and depravity of the night club.  Everything was a warm tan color with hints of yellow, and a bit of red.  She couldn't help but admire the African inspired artwork adorning the walls of the large room.  An oversized oak desk, with intricate details carved into the wood, sat at the far wall with an Adonis of a shifter sitting behind it.  Was this Gideon, the club owner?

He stood up, his brow lowered as he assessed her.  "What's the problem, Vincent?"

"Another one trying to skip out without paying."  He released her arm and gave her a little shove, landing her in the center of the office.  "Thought you might want to deal with it personally."

"Thanks, Vincent.  I'll take it from here."  Was he a lion shifter?  She had only met one in the past.  They were a rare and revered race. His alpha aura was so potent that she couldn't help her body's response.  Her stomach fluttered with sexual yearning from just his scent.  Her little wolf would be helpless against the size and strength of a full grown, male lion shifter.  The mere idea of being at his mercy brought out her base desires. She shocked herself from the wicked thoughts flitting in her head.  The moon wasn't full.  She shouldn't be in heat, but in the span of an hour she'd been devastatingly attracted to three separate males.

Gideon's hair was a mix of brown and blond, hanging just past his shoulders.  His eyes were more yellow than green, so dominant against his golden skin.  Damn was he ever huge. He'd make an excellent protector, not that she needed one.  She'd learned well from her sisters on how to survive alone in the cold, cruel world. It was only in times of weakness that she craved a respite, a chance to stop looking over her shoulder and have a male take charge of her safety.

The door clicking shut brought her back to the present. The lion was staring at her, like a predator sizing her up as he walked around to the front of his desk.  He sat on the edge and crossed his heavily muscled arms over his chest. Such strength. "What should I do with you, little wolf?"

"You know what I am?"  Of course he did.  Then why was he not responding like every other shifter she'd come across?  Was there something about this club that kept her unique scent masked?  Was the fact these men appeared disinterested the reason she craved them so intensely?

He took a couple steps toward her, taking deep breaths to inhale her scent. She didn't move a muscle.  Even though she felt alone and threatened standing in the middle of the large room under his scrutinizing gaze, she would not show weakness. "Do you know what I am?"

"Of course.  You're a lion.  Only a fool would mistake you for another race."  Was she too eager in answering?  It had to be true, though.  Any shifter, male or female, must be able to sense his overwhelming aura.  Even now it lulled her into beautiful submission, such potency and power.

He chuckled.  "Then it only makes sense I'd be able to detect what you are.  Don't you think?"  Gideon circled her, but she remained in place. "You're far from home, aren't you?"

He had a knowing look in his eye.  How did he know she was far from home?

She had to get free.  The longer she stayed in his presence, the less chance she'd have at leaving—ever.  If this lion shifter decided he wanted her as a mate, she'd have little say to the contrary. She may have a wicked bite, but he could snap her like a twig and demand her obedience.  "Look, I have no money.  Do you want me to wash dishes or something?"

"Now why would I let a princess scrub dishes?  No, I have better plans for you."  When he began to unfold his crossed arms she flinched and then mentally cursed herself for showing her fears. "Do you think I'd hurt you?"  He scowled before returning to his desk.  He sat in the oversized leather chair and began shuffling papers, effectively ignoring her.  "Because I'm a lion I'm capable of harming a female?" The shifter nearly growled the words.

A knock sounded at the door behind her, and then opened before Gideon could reply. "Hey, Gideon, let me pay her tab."  The human from the alley stepped into the room, leaving the door ajar.  Heat and music drifted in, killing the tense silence within. She eyed the open entry, ready to make a dash for freedom at a moment's notice. Her heart beat triple time. She'd been discovered for who she was by the lion and had to get the hell out of Dodge.

"Sorry, you won't be able to save this one."  Gideon continued to sort his papers as if discussing the weather.  "Don't come in my office uninvited again."

"I said I'd pay for her.  Fuck, I'll pay double.  What's the problem?"

She may have tried to lose the human when she first arrived at the club, but now she felt drawn to him. Gideon suddenly stood, his hands braced on the desk as if he held onto control by a thread. "Don't test me, Darius.  I already give you more leeway around here than I should."

"What are you going to do with her?"

The human was so close to her, mere inches.  She could feel his body heat, smell his subtle cologne, and reveled in the alpha energy he emitted.  A human against a shifter, a lion no less, was a losing battle—but she still admired his tenacity. He didn't even emit a tinge of fear, something humans were unable to mask as it carried a unique chemical signature.

"That's my concern, not yours."

She should be playing them against each other, anything to help her gain her freedom.  But before she even realized what she was doing, she began to speak to the human beside her. "I'll be fine.  Thank you for your concern." Freya didn't want them to fight, and wasn't ready to leave the lion just yet. Gideon has snubbed her, claiming she judged him unfairly. He'd piqued her curiosity, and his control was unwavering. Rather than feel relief for not being an object of obsession, she wanted a chance to win him over. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Everything okay in here?" Vincent, the cougar shifter, leaned into the partially open doorway. So much male energy in the confined space did wild things to her libido, or was it these three particular men?

Gideon visually relaxed when the bartender appeared. "Yes, Darius was just leaving."

"And the girl?"

"She's staying."

Freya turned around, her eyes beseeching the bartender.  Would he help her out of this mess?  Would anyone besides a human offer to save her?  He must have told Darius she was in trouble, but hadn't come for her himself.  It felt foreign to be so disregarded. Normally she'd revel in being invisible, but not with these men.

"Sure thing, boss.  Call me if you need anything."  The two men left, leaving her very alone with Gideon. Her desire diminished thanks to her growing nerves.

Freya had to do something.  Her body nearly vibrated with her need to fight or run.  As she filed through all her possible moves and escapes, she continued to watch the shifter's every move.

"Let's cut to the chase.  What do you want from me, lion?"

"Testy."  He smirked, an adorable tilt of his lips.  "But you're the one who stole from me."

"I offered to work it off and the human said he'd pay for my freedom—you refused both.  What do you want?" She raised her voice, feigning bravado when all she wanted was her freedom.

He shrugged and she couldn't help but admire the wide expanse of his shoulders in the fitted T-shirt he wore. "I haven't decided yet.  And you still didn't answer me.  What are you doing so far from home?"

"I'm running away from would-be suitors like yourself.  I'd sooner die than be forced to mate."  She allowed the full venom of her words to seep into her tone.  It helped that what she said wasn't a lie.  If he knew she was a princess, he also knew how valuable she was to all races.

Gideon approached her and tilted her chin with a crooked finger.  He stared into her eyes with unblinking focus.  She prided herself from not flinching or pulling away from the contact. He licked his full lips in a slow drag, mesmerizing her, making her imagine what his tongue would feel like trailing over her beaded nipples.

"I don’t remember saying I wanted you, princess."  He tweaked her nose before striding away.  Anger bloomed inside her.  Why didn't he want her? And why was the fact aggravating her?

Chapter Two

Gideon watched the little blonde firecracker as she ranted, fists clenched.  He liked her natural beauty, but her spunk even more.  Before Vincent had brought her to him, he'd noticed her in one of his security monitors.  Her pale blonde hair was impossible not to spot, like a flash of gold on his screen.  Once he had her alone, he knew immediately she was one of royal blood.  The sweet scent of her blood covered her like an erotic perfume, permeating her skin and surrounding her in an invisible veil. Was he immune?  He liked to believe so, but wasn't so naïve to think he could resist for long.

Being a rare and well-respected race, he prided himself on his strength and self-control.  If anyone could resist the tempting little siren, it would be him. Should be him.  Especially when he had qualms with the royal family.

"Now, as to your payment…"

"I won't sleep with you!"

He tried to rein back the laughter bubbling to the surface, but wasn't as successful as he'd hoped. Gideon had always enjoyed the fact he could have any woman he desired.  Being a lion shifter and owner of Club Frenzy had its perks.  He never wanted for female companionship, so being rejected was…comical.  It also ignited a new desire to win over what was denied to him.

"Would it really be that bad?"  He narrowed his eyes, taunting her.  Gideon was going to ask her to have dinner with him, but this new direction was so much more entertaining.

"I'm not a whore.  You may be stronger, but I guarantee you my teeth and claws are sharp."  Dammit, but he loved her fire.  She was more feral than the female shifters that frequented the club. No wonder Vincent brought her to him—his friend knew his flavor well.  His cock hardened more each time she cut him down.  Gideon usually had steadfast control over that appendage.  He blamed her unique blood on how deeply she affected him.

"If I wanted you, I guarantee, I wouldn't need to fight you."

He could hear her heartbeat loud in his ears.  Was her heart racing from nerves or something more?  Did she have the same connection he felt between them?  He enjoyed her discomfort, watching her squirm.  No, he had no intention of harming her, or forcing her into his bed, as she'd suggested.  But he did like playing with her. She was a beauty, even in her disheveled state.  Her long blonde hair hung over one shoulder and down her back.  Her eyes were a bright greenish-yellow, beautiful and untamed.

"I need to get out of here.  What do you want from me? Hurry and tell me!"

Gideon shrugged.  He didn't know what to do with the wolf, but knew he wanted to keep her around for a while longer.  His days were long and dreary.  After he left at night, he had no mate to go home to, only an empty penthouse condo.  His furniture was black, leather, the décor modern and minimalistic—it was the last time he'd allow a decorator free reign.  He felt more at home in his office, which he had decorated himself with mementos from his roots.  Gideon had a proud heritage, traced back countless generations to the grass plains of Africa.  Since he spent most of his days and evenings at Club Frenzy, he needed to feel comfortable, to immortalize a link to the past.

"First things first.  What's your name?"

She huffed, then obliged him. "Freya."

"Spend the night with me."

He grabbed her upper arms before she bolted out of range.  She snarled at him, her incisors lengthening.  Gods, it made him hot seeing those cute little fangs emerging.

"You're just like all the others.  Let me go!"

"Kiss me."

The feisty thing struggled like a wild woman, attempting to kick and bite.  It was so easy to hold her still, and even easier to rile her.  He laughed, something he rarely did these days.  He'd have let her go if not for the waves of lust rolling off her, nearly knocking him flat.  A woman like her would no doubt be wicked in bed, much more of a challenge than the women eager for his affections. Her breasts were soft and full, pressing against his chest as he held her steady.  He'd love to give those fleshy mounds a love bite to remember.

A loud knock at the door stilled them both. "Gideon!"  The muffled voice carried a threat even with the barrier separating them.

He growled his disapproval.  "Nobody better open that fucking door!"

Darius burst in.  Again. "Aha, I knew you were up to no good."

He eased his hold on the wolf and she bound for the human.  The other man was quick to pull her into an embrace, a mix of desire and territorial threat seeping from his pores.  Even a blind man would know Darius had the hots for the girl, but to a shifter, the chemical signature was unmistakable. If he knew he was getting a hard-on for a wolf-shifter, he'd be running the other way.  Freya glared back at Gideon, finding security with the human—security he wanted her to find with him. How had he managed to fuck things up with her already?

He should knock the other man through the wall, but he couldn't stay mad at Darius.  "You were a difficult child, weren't you?"  His friend smirked. He'd taken the human under his wing years ago.  When he first spotted him in the club, drunk, and lacking any ambition to live another day—he intervened.  Gideon offered him odd jobs around the place, and usually enjoyed his company.  Keeping his shifter identity a secret wasn't too difficult.  Gideon rarely had the time or space to connect with his beast, something he began to resent over the years. It seemed the décor around him was the only reminder of who he really was.

He'd given up his fight with the royal family when he opened Club Frenzy, but seeing a princess in the flesh brought back all his animosity for the royals.  In his opinion, lions were the rightful heirs to the thrown, not the wolves. Yet only select daughters with royal wolf blood were capable of continuing the shifter races.

"I think the isolation gets to your head sometimes, boss. She owes you ten bucks.  Worry about your blood pressure and let her off the hook."

"Yeah.  You're right."  He wouldn’t make matters worse by ordering her to stay.  As Darius led the wolf out of his office, he called out. "Offer still stands, sweetheart."  Gods he was a jerk.

She only turned back with a heated glare.  It would have been fun if she'd stuck around, but Darius was right, he needed to stop being such an asshole.  But it hadn't been a power trip, and he wasn't angry.  He just felt the need to be close to Freya, and the thought of letting her walk out his door didn't sit well with him.  But he couldn’t inspire his own desire into another, so it was good his friend showed up when he did.

****

"You alright?"

"I am now.  Thanks for coming to the rescue."

Darius didn't fail to notice she still clung to his shirt even though they were out of the office and past the dance floor.

"You shouldn't have taken off on me in the beginning. I would have been more than happy to buy you a meal."  He had money, if only his friends knew how much.  Darius just had enough of his father's iron fist, long hours behind a desk, and never being good enough in his family's eyes. He'd never embraced the high society making him an outcast. The night he walked out, resigning as CEO, he came to Club Frenzy to get wasted.  He didn't care if he had to live off the streets, it would have been a better life than the deceptive paradise he left behind.  A week later, Gideon picked him off the floor and stood him on two feet.

They sat at the bar, facing each other. Freya lowered her eyes to the ground.  "It's just hard to know who to trust."

"I can understand that.  But, I promise, I'm not a bad guy, Freya."  Looks could be misleading.  When people thought he had no money, they didn't give him the time of day.  He may give off a hardcore image now, but he'd never done anything criminal in his life.

She kept silent, fidgeting, not giving him her full attention.

"Are you in trouble?"  He took a section of her shirt between a thumb and finger.  She was wearing ill-fitted, dirty clothes and her hair was in tangles.  Her beauty radiated through it all, she just needed to be taken care of.  Protected?  "You can tell me anything.  I'm not going to judge you."

She licked her lips and raised her eyes to meet his. After opening her mouth to speak, she shut it. He slanted her chin up to focus on him alone. "It's complicated."

"Life can be sometimes.  Now, what's the problem?"

Just before she filled him in, Vincent leaned over the bar. "How's our little dine and dasher doing?"  His wide smile carried no hint of resentment.

Vincent was Gideon's right-hand man, the club manager.  Sometimes he bar-tendered, other times he watched the doors.  Keeping the peace and making life simpler for the boss-man were his top priorities. "Knock it off, Vin."

The demand for more drinks down the bar pulled him away as quickly as he'd arrived.

"I don't have a place to stay," she said, barely audible. "I've never been to this city."

"How'd you get here then?" What was her story?  There was a mysterious air about her, and he wanted to know it all.  He wanted to help her, as Gideon had helped him once upon a time.

"My sister wanted me to stay with her, but I don't like being a burden to anyone."

"A burden?  How could a sweet thing like you be a burden?  If you just need a place to stay for a while, I can help you out."

She stared at him for a moment. "Stay with you?"

"I have a place not far from here, but a free room just came up.  One of our bouncers, Jacob, just quit.  Gideon says I can have the room.  It's yours for now, if you need it."

"Oh… Thank you."

"And don't worry about Gideon, either.  He's a big softy once you get to know him."

"I'm sure he is," she said with skepticism in her voice.  He noticed how she continually scanned the room as if expecting someone to jump her.

He slipped off his stool and scooped her up under the arms, setting her on her feet.  "Come on, I'll show you the room.  There's a shower you can use, too."

She latched onto his arm as he navigated through the patrons clamoring to get closer to the back bar to watch Vincent and Steve work their magic with the bottles. It was loud.  It was always loud.  The music, the people, the inhibitions—it was his world now, what he used to drown out the life he left behind.

He pushed open the door to Jacob's old room.  He'd been one of the biggest guys working for Gideon and the boss-man wasn't happy to see him go. But he gave no notice, saying he was moving in with his new "mate", and nothing anyone said could convince him otherwise.

"My sister was in here," she said as soon as they entered the small windowless room.

"How do you know?"

She dismissed his question and walked the perimeter, her unease nearly palpable.  What had the poor girl gone through?

"There should be fresh towels in the bathroom.  I can find you something to wear, too."

She turned around, as if suddenly remembering he was still there. "Thank you."

As Freya showered in the bathroom, he sifted through the lost and found box, hoping to find something suitable for her to wear.  The little dress he found looked to be about her size and clean.  It wasn't what he wanted to give her, but he had little alternative, and anything would be better than the rags she wore. He intended to leave the pink dress he'd found on the counter and slip out without a sound, but when he opened the bathroom door she was standing there in the cloud of humidity, completely nude.

****

Freya had turned on the shower, stripped, and studied herself in the full length mirror.  Gods, how long had if been since she'd seen her reflection?  She look pale, tired, nothing like the girl she remembered who used to look back at her.  Once upon a time she wore beautiful dresses, handmade by renowned tailors. Her hair was professionally styled, along with her nails. She barely recognized herself now.

Yes, she'd been a spoiled brat, almost unwilling to follow her two sisters hell bent on escaping the royal palace. Before they split up, all she did was complain—the hotels weren't good enough, the food unacceptable, and she was bored to tears.  That was the past.  After years on the run, and endless hours of inner reflection, the girl she once knew was dead.  Freya had reinvented herself, prided herself on her strength of character, her ability to survive.

Still, no matter how strong she'd become, there was always a lingering doubt deep within. It begged her to give up, to run home to safety and security.  She didn't have time to nurture that insecure girl locked up inside her, instead stifled what she considered weakness.

As she assessed her body, she noted how emaciated she looked. An irregular diet had lessened all her curves, and her muscles were more toned from a life constantly on the run. Who the fuck would want her?  Why did nearly every male shifter want a woman like her as a mate?  She shook her head, a look of disgust staring back at her.  Steam began to collect on the mirror, distorting her image.

She used to be beautiful.  If only Darius, or even Gideon, had seen her then.  She dug her nails into her palms, angry for the traitorous lust cramping her stomach when she thought of the two men.  And what of the cougar?  She'd felt something for him, too.

"You're sick," she muttered.  "Sick, sick, sick."  Or deprived.  She wasn't as comfortable with her sexuality as Carna had been, but still knew what her body craved.  Just as she'd attempted to blot the illicit thoughts from her head, the door swung open.

Darius froze in the doorway, a shock of pink material hanging precariously from his right hand. His eyes instantly roamed over her body, not leaving an inch untouched by his greedy gaze. She could see the heavy rise and fall of his chest, the glaze settling over his black eyes, and feel the heat of his dark desires. It affected her, he affected her—a human no less.  Logic dictated that he was inferior, weak, an unacceptable mate.  But her body and mind burst alive with sensation.  His toned body, dark features, and dominant aura pulled her in, tempting her to let it all go.  What would sex with a human feel like?  Could he compare to a shifter?  Would he disappoint her?

Chapter Three

"I thought you were in the shower."  He paused, still staring, speaking in a whisper. "I brought you clothes."

She couldn’t talk, couldn't move. Her nipples tightened in awareness.  She was naked with a man, but didn't attempt to cover herself as she should.

"Water looks ready."  Darius took the lead since she was frozen in place.  Rather than shielding his eyes and darting from the room, he set the clothing on the counter and held the shower curtain open, urging her to enter.  Why were her eyes riveted to the bulging muscles in his arms?  Why did she want to run her palm along his jawline to feel the roughness of his goatee?  It wasn't even a full moon, yet her wolf howled within in her, desperate to be let loose, to nip and scratch—to fuck.

She followed his instruction, stepping into the shower stall. The humid heat made it hard to breathe when she already gasped for breath due to her rising hormone levels. What could he see in her?  She had never been so unattractive, and Darius was a human, unaffected by her royal blood.  Right now she wished she looked as healthy and curvy as she had been so many years ago.

"Do you need help with your hair?"

Her voice wouldn't work, so she nodded, unwilling to see him leave the room. There was an unspoken connection between them, and his lust grew stronger by the second, pulling her in. She faced the wall, and his hands began to work her hair.  He rubbed the sweet-smelling shampoo into her tangles and massaged out the knots with care.  It had been far too long since she stopped and took proper care of herself.  The feel of his fingertips working her scalp had her entire body lighting up, coming to life.

"That feels good," she murmured. It was so unlike her to let down her guard. Darius was a stranger, but also the most familiar person in the world.  She sensed no sinister motives, no threat—only genuine attraction.

His fingers drifted beyond her hair, down her back.  Her body fired hot, his simple touch scalding her moist flesh. Should she stop him?  She knew she wouldn't be able to if she tried.  Darius smoothed his fingers along the curve of her back, lower, lower, in a slow, sensual drag.  When he cupped the side of her ass in his big palm, she gasped, then held her breath.

"Shhh." He reached for the soap on the ledge near her head.  "Let me wash you, Freya."  His lathered hands started at her sides, reached around to her stomach, and then rose to her breasts.  When he squeezed her, offering careful attention to her sensitized nipples, she leaned back against his chest. She drifted—absorbing his touch and desire, savoring the companionship and attention. When her fangs began to emerge, she opened her eyes, the air suddenly too difficult to breathe.  Darius was human.  If things got too far, which they would, she could hurt him, or in the least, inadvertently reveal her wolf.  She knew her sister, Carna, had been with human males in the past, but she never had, and doubted her level of control.

She summoned all her will and whirled around in the tight confines of the shower stall.  When she came face to face with his chest, t-shirt soaked and clinging to every deliciously defined muscle, she lost her courage.  "Darius.  I can't…"

If she didn't know better, she'd swear he was a shifter.  The feral need in his eyes made her pussy throb. He said nothing, only leaned down to her level and kissed her lips.  Kissing was something she wasn't accustomed to. It was so intimate and addicting, and she needed to remain cold and neutral.  Her lust was leading her astray.  She should be running, leaving town, continuing the pact she made with her sisters—to remain unmated until she found males of her own choosing. Would she choose Darius?  Every minute with him made her surer she would, and her wolf already decided from that first sight in the alley.  But he was human, not a potential mate.

"I won't hurt you."  He kissed her again. "I'm not a monster."  But maybe she was.  To a human she was a monster, everything Hollywood depicted as sinister, dangerous, a freak of nature.  Her white wolf would have him running in seconds.

"I'm not who you think I am," she whispered.  Darius ignored her, peppering kisses along her jaw.  Rather than push him away, she tilted her head to give him better access.  Would it be so bad to give in?  The gods knew she needed companionship, any companionship.  Just being able to talk with another person was a blessing when she'd be on her own for so long.  He pressed his hard body against hers until her back hit the cool tiles behind her.  "I'll hurt you."

Now he paid her heed, pulling his head back with a smirk. "You'll hurt me?  Freya, if you want to get freaky with me, I promise I won't complain."  He nearly growled as he grabbed a thigh in each hand and hoisted her up against the wall.  She gripped onto his shoulders as he heaved her up effortlessly.  Her wolf hummed within, reveling in his male strength.

Carna could go through with this, she had to.  She had to try because leaving her body so pent up would be cruel.  By the time the full moon came around, she'd be down right dangerous to the opposite sex. With her luck she'd get herself mated with some cad she could barely tolerate.

"You might."  She wrapped her legs securely around him and gave in to his assault.  Carna trailed her tongue along the tan plane of his neck.  He tasted all male, completely addicting.  The one taste wasn't enough. She wanted more, craved for him to fuck her as much as she wanted to sink her teeth into his flesh to mark him.  She'd have to settle for sex alone.

He wrestled with his belt and damp jeans.  Her pussy felt void and achy, pulsing deeper as she anticipated Darius filling her.  "Ready?" he asked.  She nodded, surprised he asked.  Not many men would be able to turn back at this point, certainly not a shifter.

She felt the smooth, swollen head of his cock nudge her slick folds.  The water continued to shower down over them, steam rising to blanket their illicit act. She lapped at the water collecting on his face and neck, suckling, and nipping. He pushed his cock into her waiting heat.  As he penetrated her, stretching her pussy with his steady advance, she gave a drawn out moan.  Was she that needy?  That deprived?  The sound seemed to echo around them, spurring on her lover.  He began to pull out before slowly thrusting.  She loved the fullness, the way he quenched her deep seated need.

"You feel amazing around my cock.  So tight."  He increased the tempo until he was slamming in and out of her cunt with stamina.  The sound of wet flesh on flesh was erotic music to her ears.  Her body began to coil tight, heat radiating towards her pussy from all her extremities.  Would she be able to maintain control once she reached her peak?  Keep her secret in check when all she wanted to do was scream out the truth and pray he'd accept her for what she was?

The frantic throbbing stopped, replaced by an eerie calm where all her pleasure felt magnified and glorious. She wanted to stay in this sweet zone for the rest of her life, but as suddenly as it overtook her, it vanished.  Freya writhed as her pussy exploded and pulsed around Darius's cock.  She clenched around him in deep waves, barely able to keep from screaming out as her body took control. Sex had never been this good, this intense, not that there had been many experiences to compare it with.  When her breathing eased, and she settled down from her high, she came face to face with the darkest, most beautiful eyes. What now?

****

"Better?"

She nodded.  He never wanted to set her down.  Her soft body molded perfectly to his. Along with her orgasm, she'd gone wild, thrashing and moaning as if possessed.  It did wonders for his libido, and he'd never come so hard and fast. The world vanished for those priceless seconds as he peaked. Now that the heat of the moment had passed, she appeared shattered, ashamed. There was no need, not when he could judge her character with ease.  She wasn't one of the many bar-trolling women he had to deal with every night at the club, certainly not a gold-digger.  He learned a long time ago how quickly he tired of loose women with little in their heads. This blonde-haired beauty was way out of her element, lost in a world she didn’t belong.

He gently lowered her to the tiled floor and shut off the water.  The resulting hush was deafening.  "I didn't hurt you," she whispered as if surprised.  Darius could barely make out her words as she trailed a light finger against the cord of muscle along his neck.

"Guarantee you, I'm fine."  He used both hands to brush the moist hair from her face, then leaned down for a kiss.  "After you get dressed, we should talk."

Freya wasn't a one-night stand in his mind and he wanted to be sure she knew that.  He wanted to help her out, find out everything about her, and hopefully not watch her run out of his life again.  Darius would love to spend some of his money on Freya—buy her clothes he'd seen in downtown shop windows, and take her to some of the great, little Italian restaurants he'd discovered over the years.  According to Vincent, the woman could eat.

With their lust tamped down, clothes on, and level heads back in place, Darius and Freya sat on the small sofa in uncomfortable silence. He had so much to say, so many questions to ask, but felt awkward.  He wasn't one to be shy, quite the opposite, but he feared saying or doing the wrong thing and losing favor in her eyes. Whatever her story was, she was scared and needed help.  He wanted to be the person to offer that help. From her point of view, she probably saw him as a predator, a man only out to use her body.

The silent anticipation was killing him.  He bolted upright and paced the small room, digging in his back jean pocket for his smokes. As he lit his cigarillo, he felt her presence behind him. He took a drag, the sweet scent surrounding him, easing his tension.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked.

He spun around, holding his arm outstretched and the smoke away from her. "Leave?  I told you I wanted you to have this room.  I know you're in trouble, Freya.  But you'll tell me when you're ready.  Until then, you're my responsibility."

"I'm no one's responsibility."

He cupped her face with his free hand. "A wolf in sheep's clothing…" He chuckled. "You don't have to be on guard every second.  You can let others help you out once and a while, you know."  She was a slip of a woman trying too hard to play the bad-ass chick. He respected her independence, but also wanted her to accept his assistance. Gideon had been there for him when he hit rock bottom, and Darius wanted to do the same for her.

She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and held herself close. "Why do we always want what we can't have?"  Freya took a breath and slowly exhaled, her eyes closed. "That smell reminds me of you now."

"It's a nasty habit."

"I like it.  The scent, I mean."  She let her hands drop down along the hardness of his body before stepping back with a defeated look in her eyes.  God, what would he have to do to prove himself to her?  He supposed giving in to his impulses on the first night they met had not worked in his favor.

The door burst open, shattering their intimate bubble.  Gideon's large frame filled the doorway. "Boss?"

"What's going on in here?"

"You said I could use the room."

Gideon strode in, his eyes riveted on Freya.  "And her?"  He stopped in front of her, his hands clasped behind his back.

"She's my responsibility."  Darius wasn't sure why he gave a fuck, but he did.  He'd take care of much more than her dinner tab if he had to.

"Is she now?"  Gideon raked his eyes up and down her body.  Darius had never seen that look in his friend's eyes.  Gideon wanted her. Bad.  He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but only a fool wouldn't be attracted to Freya.  The pink dress clung to her shapely curves, her long, damp blonde hair brushed neatly down her back.

"I should just leave," she said, backing away from his friend and inching toward the entryway.

Darius snagged her arm, torn between keeping her with him and not pissing off his boss by telling him to fuck off. "You don't have anywhere to go, Freya.  Stay here."  He may be able to buy the club with just the weekly interest from his bank account, but nobody knew that.  He kept his mouth shut time and time again because he'd grown accustomed to his new life.  Never again did he want people looking up to him, friending him just for what they could gain. He enjoyed being invisible, normal, being accepted for who he was.  Club Frenzy embraced him.  The party-goers and staff never looked twice when he fucked up, had two dates in a night, or had a little too much fun.  But for the most part, he played the responsible one, helping Vincent keep Gideon's patrons in line.

Gideon narrowed his eyes. "Don't have anywhere to go, princess?  That seems unlikely."

****

"Do me a favor, Darius. Tell Vincent I want a bottle of his best.  I need a minute alone with your…guest."

Darius lowered his brow, appearing ready to refute, but complied, slipping out the door.

"I thought you were going to leave me alone."  Freya put distance between them as soon as the door slammed shut.

Gideon could scent what he'd missed when he first came in.  Sex.  Darius had moved fast, but what surprised him was the fact the little wolf obliged the other man.

"Tell me.  What are you doing indulging a human?  From what I know you're expected to mate with shifters—to carry on the lines."

Her mouth gaped open, but she recovered, crossing her arms in defense.  "That's none of your business."

"Darius is a good man. Best human I know." He took measured steps toward her as if dealing with skittish prey. "But you don't know what you're missing, Freya.  With me you could let loose, let your wolf out to play. I'd love to meet her, by the way."

She licked her lips and he could sense the turbulent mix of desire and irritation coming off her in waves. "At least with Darius I know he's not using me for status."

"So you don't mind being used for a quick fuck?"

The she-wolf was on him in a flash, fangs and claws bared. She growled as she attempted to sink her teeth into his shoulder.  The only reason she'd be so passionate is if she had real feelings for the human.  Not possible.

Earlier, when she'd left his office, Gideon couldn't stop thinking of her.  He'd blame it on the pull of her royal blood, but he knew better.  The gods must have a sense of humor after everything he went through with the royal family, but there was no doubt—she was his mate. Seeing her fury, her feral side unleashed, only cemented the fact he had to have her.  The shifters in his life were so humanized, ignoring their beast until the full moon brought it to the surface. Freya was refreshing.

He held her back with ease.  "Are you trying to hurt me, sweetheart?  I'm not one of your human toys."  Damn, but he loved pushing her buttons.

"I don't care what you think of me."  She continued to struggle and bare her sharp, little incisors.

"And what do I think of you?"

"You think I'm a whore, but I'm not.  My wolf's just confused.  She thinks Darius is her mate."

So she did have feelings for his friend. "But you and your wolf are one."  He knew his features were set as hard, just as his muscles had gone rigid.  After just realizing Freya was destined to be his, she informs him she's falling for another, a human to boot.

"Look, I should go.  It was a mistake coming here.  Tell Darius…"  Then she shook her head. "Never mind."  She released her tight hold of his shirt, but he wrapped his arms around her waist before she could pull away.

"Why didn't you tell me you needed a place to stay?  I would have helped you."

"That’s why you went nuts over some nasty, five dollar French fries?"

He could care less about her skipping out on the bill.  What he wanted was her, her fire, and the possibilities that presented themselves to him.  With a mate, he'd never have to go home to an empty house again.  She'd give him purpose, and her feral side would force him to connect with his beast more often.  "I don't care about your tab," he whispered.  Gideon hoped to correct the damage he'd made during their first encounter.  He needed to show her that he wasn't an asshole, but had a kinder, gentler side.  If she was indeed his mate, why was she so eager to escape from him?  She should feel the same pull he did, but so far, she only claimed to have a connection with Darius.

This time she actually remained quiet, rather looking deep into his eyes, searching for something he hoped she'd find.

"Freya.  What are you running from?"  He loosened his hold on her, but kept his arms draped around her waist.  Her soft heat and pounding heart pulled down his guards.  How could he convince the little beauty they were meant for each other?

"You know exactly what.  There's only me and one of my sisters left.  We run to keep from being forced to mate with males chosen by our mother, or worse, being forced into mating by shifters only looking for honor and glory, not love."

"Is that what you're looking for? Love?"

She swallowed, shifting in his arms. "Maybe."

"To what end, Freya?  Where will you go next?  Do you have a plan or is it always about running away from things?"

Gideon could relate to her on some levels.  He felt he'd turned his back on his race, sold out.  Rarely shifting into his lion form, he was essentially selling out to the human world. When lion shifters lost their battle with the royal family, only to skulk off into the shadows, Gideon felt he was betraying his race for not continuing the fight.  No, he didn't want lion shifters to lead the royal family because he coveted status, wealth, or glory.  He just wanted his people to be treated fairly, at least to be heard by the royals, which they were not.  As punishment, no female wolves of royal blood were permitted to mate with a lion shifter.  They hoped to kill off their species in future generations to guarantee no rivalry for the crown.

Freya wasn't like her mother or the females before her. She wanted freedom, independence, and love.  No wonder she was on the run.  The queen would never grant her such privileges, not when such a heavy burden lay on her shoulders. Freya and her sisters were the future.  He'd heard the speeches time and time again about needing new royal blood to keep the races strong.  Without the infamous Demori sisters, all shifter races would die out in the future.

"I'm not running…"  She twisted uncomfortably. A female not in touch with her feelings?

He deepened his voice, hoping to display his dominance, anything to get the wolf to open up. "Are you never going to mate?  Just move from city to city, fucking the first human you come across?"

"Bastard!"

****

Freya was not immune to the lion's alpha scent.  She wanted to fuck him, to bow down to his authority, but her stubborn pride wouldn't allow her to admit it.  Yes, she had feelings for the human that she shouldn't, but also for the sexy beast of a male in front of her.  How would he fair in bed?  Her mouth went dry just imagining him controlling her body.

"I'm not letting you leave until you calm down and talk with me."  He used such little effort to keep her in check.  Even exerting all her strength, she couldn't budge a muscle when he held her limbs in place. It was her sister, Delia, who had taught her how to fight.  She told her never to trust a male shifter, no matter how many sweet words they spoke.  It was all lies, lies to trick them into a loveless mating.  Now that she had three males of interest to her wolf, Freya began to question the validity of her sister's claims.  If she refused all males, how would she ever find the right ones?  Her sister, Carna, found four shifters, all willing to share her and love her.  But maybe she'd been lucky and Freya would only fall victim to a fortune-seeker. She was so programmed to hate, to refuse all advances, that she couldn't stop and open herself up to a potential mate.  The human had been easy to succumb to because he had no ill motives besides being a playboy.  After she'd had sex with him in the shower, she fully expected him to walk away—but he didn't.

"I'm confused.  Okay?"

Gideon took a cleansing breath.  "Just give me a chance to help you.  Let me show you there's more to life than running away from everything."

What did she have to lose?  Worst case scenario, the lion could force her into a mating, but somehow she knew he wouldn't.  As much as she'd love to be able to give Darius her love bite, it was impossible.  What would it feel like to sink her fangs into the lion's thick neck?  Her pussy began to pulse once she opened herself up to the idea.  Still, she wouldn't make it easy for him.

"Fine.  Can we talk in the morning, though? I haven't slept properly in days."  It was the truth.  Plus she needed time to reflect, to consider the array of emotions bombarding her.  She missed her sisters.  Running away from Carna had been the hardest thing in the world to do, but she did it out of love.  Carna had found her calling, and Freya didn't want to get in her way.

"You can stay here for now."  He nodded to the small bed in the corner. "But after we talk in the morning, I'll make sure you have some place nicer to stay."

She didn’t argue, only nodded her head in agreement.

"Good.  Rest up now, my little wolf."  He leaned down and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering long enough for her to feel his heat brand her. She closed her eyes and savored the brief intimacy, secretly craving him to force her to the bed and fuck her raw. Her hormones were as much out of whack as her emotions. It would be so nice to just surrender and let someone else take care of her, to accept the love of a worthy male.  But in doing so, she'd be letting down her sister, giving up the good fight.

As soon as Gideon closed the door behind him, she crashed on the twin-sized bed, pulling the blankets against her for comfort.  It beat sleeping on concrete floors in old sheds, but it wasn't home.  There was no home.  The childhood palace she'd grew up in was an illusion of paradise, one she never wanted to return to now that her eyes had been opened.  But she had nowhere to go, no roots, no companionship, not even her sisters.  Gideon was right.  How long could she keep running?  What was the point if there was no end to it all?

Chapter Four

Vincent had eyed the door to the private room on numerous occasions.  The cleaning crew was busy sweeping and mopping, pushing chairs along the concrete floor and chattering amongst themselves.  He remained behind the bar, mindlessly cleaning up his station and ensuring they were fully stocked for tonight when they opened the doors to the public.  Why couldn't he stop thinking about that woman?  Even without being told by Gideon, he'd have known she was a shifter, a wolf even.  She was strong and feisty for a female, and for the first time in his life, he felt a bonding connection.  He'd almost forgotten what it was like to feel anything, but she managed to awaken him.  Was it the mating call?  Vincent wasn't sure, but decided it was close enough for him.  His cock hardened just imagining sinking his teeth into her soft flesh to administer the love bite.

Gideon had given the staff strict orders not to enter the room where Freya slept.  Darius had protested, but after an hour of arguing with the boss, he left for the night. Gideon had a couple bouncers do an all-nighter to ensure she didn't take off when he was away.  Vincent didn't like that she was being treated like a prisoner, but he had little say.  This wasn't his bar and he owed his loyalty to Gideon.

He approached the door, carrying a glass of lemonade and a bowl of mixed nuts.  There wasn't much in the way of food to offer at this time of day, but he had to bring something along if he wanted to get past Brady.

"You can't go in there, Vin.  You know it," said Brady.  He looked ready to crash, his eyes heavy, but had to wait for Gideon to show up before he could head home to sleep.

"She's gotta eat, right?  It's already past noon."

Brady shrugged, giving the near-vacant interior of the club a once over. "Hurry up.  It's my ass if he shows up and finds you in there."

Gideon wasn't one to settle down.  Freya was just his new toy, exciting for a time, but nothing long term.  Vincent, on the other hand, was ready for a commitment.  It sounded crazy even to him.  He'd always been a loner, uncomfortable around other shifters because of his difference.  He was ready to give up on finding a true mate, believing he'd end up settling for one of the humans he lived amongst. It would be nice to know the unconditional love of a woman.  Unfortunately, Freya hadn't shown any obvious signs of attraction for him that he could identify.

He slipped into the room.  Without windows, the space was dark, but thanks to his cougar vision, he could see Freya asleep on the bed.  He crept over, not wanting to wake her, yet still wanting to get a closer look as she slept.

"I'm awake," she said.  When she shifted to look in his direction, her greenish eyes glowed inhumanly.

"Sorry."  He flicked on the light and sat on the edge of the bed with his offering.  Freya eased herself into a sitting position, running a hand through the thick blonde hair that he couldn't stop thinking about. She eyed the bowl of nuts. "Hungry?"

After nodding, she reached for the food.  There was nothing lady-like about the way she ate.  She took handfuls at a time until the small bowl was empty.  He could appreciate a woman who didn't starve herself and didn’t care what others thought.

"I remember you.  You're the one who turned me in."  She mock scowled, brushing crumbs from her mouth.

"I wasn't sure who you were then. Now I know."

"Oh?"

"I didn't realize you were a shifter..."  He paused, trying to convince himself not to be a pussy and tell her the truth. "Or my mate."

Her scowl morphed into a blank slate.  He couldn’t read her.  Fuck his disability!  Right now he wanted to be able to know exactly how she felt.  Was she angry, scared, or happy? Did she feel even a tinge of desire for him?

"I know.  I'm a stranger—one who didn't exactly start off on the right foot with you, either."  She remained silent.  He didn't have much time before Gideon returned.  Before she gave into the lion's seduction, which she would, he wanted her to at least know how he felt. "Am I totally off base?  Do you feel anything for me? I'm really not good at any of this."

Despite being an outcast for most of his life, Vincent still believed in fate, believed that when he found his mate, he'd know it.  Even without all his senses, his cougar knew she was the one.  It clawed within him, demanding he claim her. Could he be wrong?

"I'm not your mate, cougar.  You're just attracted to my blood, not me." She swung her legs around to sit beside him, exhaling in a sigh. For once, she wasn't angry.

"How do you know?  It's not just my beast that knows.  There's something about you that calls to me."

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Look.  I can tell you're being sincere.  Haven't you heard about me and my sisters?  Didn't Gideon tell you who I am?"

He shook his head.  The only thing Gideon told him was her wolf status, nothing more.

"I'm Freya Demori of the royal family.  I've been in hiding most of my adult life. Last week I was found. They brought me to this city to collect my sister, Carna.  The threat's passed now, but my sister's gone and I still have no clue where I am. That's basically how I ended up in this situation."

A royal?  Gods his senses were more fucked up than he realized. "That's really interesting and everything, but I could give a shit about your royal blood."

"You expect me to believe that?"

He scoffed.  She had no idea.  "Trust me.  If I say you're my mate, it has nothing to do with your infamous blood."

"I have no mate.  Nor do I want one."  She slipped off the bed and began to pace, that feral streak reemerging.  If she bolted for the door and disappeared, Gideon would blame him.  More than that, he'd lose her and any chance of developing something between them.

"If you're holding out for Gideon, don't hold your breath, sweetheart."  He stood to leave.  There would be no begging.  Maybe his senses were wrong—he could never trust them before. If she continued to refuse him, deny him a chance of having a family, of fulfilling fate, he'd walk away with his dignity. She began to argue, to tell him she wanted no part of any man, but he slammed the door shut, effectively cutting her off.

****

Her fur began to tickle just beneath her skin as her wolf fought to be free.  The nerve of that cougar! Who did he think he was?  She thought her troubles were doubled having two men vying for her attention, now it was tripled.  But, despite her ragged nerves, she was aware of something different.  She'd dealt with lust-crazed men, shifters that only wanted to use her for her pedigree, and henchmen her mother sicked on her. Freya sensed no underhanded motives from these men.  There was lust, but that was natural, and she felt the same thing for all three—including the human.

She hated how complicated her life had become in such a short time period.  If only she'd found Carna unmated, they could have fled the city together.  They could have searched for Delia and the three of them could have lived out their days together.  Would that be enough?  Surely one of them would desire more at some point.  The lure of mating was natural, undeniable.  Even now, she was tempted to just sink her teeth into all of them: Darius, Gideon, and Vincent.  She'd just have to hope they lived up to their claims of wanting her for who she was, not what she was. Freya didn't have that kind of courage though.  To give in, just to be used, would destroy her.  It was better to keep up her guards and save being hurt. Then why did she pray to the gods for Vincent to walk back into the room?  Why did she have the urge to beg for his love?

With no energy left to fight or reflect, she threw herself onto the mattress and cried.  It had been so long since she allowed herself to cry.  Those first years alone, without her sisters, she'd cried herself to sleep most nights.  But as time passed, she grew numb.  Now she reveled in her status of stone cold bitch.  It was safer that way.  But also exhausting.

"Don't cry."  The male voice soothed her like a gentle breeze.  Rather than flinch or leap to attention, she stayed put, savoring the feel of Vincent's hand rubbing soft circles over her back. Her energy to keep fighting seemed to drain away along with her tears. "I'm sorry for upsetting you.  I'm an idiot."

She shook her head.  "It's not your fault."

"Roll over."  He urged her to her back with a gentle nudge.  "Tell me what's going on.  Drop the act for two minutes and tell me what's really bothering you."  He stopped and took a deep breath, opening his mouth to speak a couple times, but stopping himself. "Freya, I'm not the man I appear to be.  I'm not good at guessing games; you have to talk to me."

Why continue to fight?  Vincent believed they were fated for each other, and male shifters were known for recognizing the scent of their mate.  Maybe he was right, maybe she should allow the sexy blond cougar to mark her. Her days of running would be over and she could finally know the love of a man, just like Carna and her mates.  But accepting Vincent meant rejecting Gideon and Darius.  Any relationship with the human was already impossible and there was no way a dominant lion shifter would share his mate.  The idea of a ménage mating was the norm for her and all royal females in her family lineage, but outside the royal family it was a rarity.

"I'm tired of running, but it's all I know.  If I stop now I'll let down my sister and myself."

"What are you running from?"

"My calling. Being forced into a loveless mating."  That was it wasn't it?  Over the years the running became more of a habit and less of an act of defiance.

He leaned over her, supporting his weight on those strong arms.  "I promise I'd love you, Freya.  I know it's soon, but I've never been more certain about anything."

"I want to believe you, but every time I trust a male it seems to blow up in my face.  How do you know it's not just my blood calling you?"

He brushed his cheek against hers, prickly with stubble, and gently nipped on her ear lobe. "I don't care about your blood."  His hot lips moved down her neck. Would he bite her?  Would she stop him?

Gods it would be refreshing if a man could love her for who she was.  Boy meets girl.  No royal blood, no burden to continue the races, no running and hiding.

"Vincent…"  She couldn't resist, not when his hot breath defrosted her icy exterior.  Freya needed to be loved, to be wanted.  She could only go so long in isolation, of knowing every male advance had nothing to do with a desire for her or her wolf.

"Just tell me what you like.  I need your help, sweetheart."  He snaked his hand under the hem of her dress, smoothing those skilled fingers along her sensitive flesh.  She still recalled his talent behind the bar as he played with the numerous bottles.  As she'd watched him, she couldn’t help but imagine what kind of lover he'd be.

He cupped her breast, testing the size and softness. "That.  I like that," she stuttered.

"Good girl."

Vincent began to undress her. She assisted him, lifting her hips, then each arm.  The cool air made her nipples pebble and chilled the wetness between her legs.  He must be able to scent the rich musk of her arousal, yet he showed considerable control for a shifter.  The cougar took his time, exploring her body with thoroughness.  His tongue, mouth, and hands brought her to new heights of desire.  How would she handle making love to him?  Just the thought of him filling her, marking her, made her pussy throb in anticipation.  Yes, she wanted Darius, but knew their union was an impossibility.  Vincent's offer to be her mate was real, tangible.

When he pressed two digits into her cunt, she gasped from the electricity that sparked within every cell of her body.  With the full moon weeks away, this wanton desire had to be the result of a true mating.  Vincent truly was her mate, but didn't she feel this way when Darius touched her?  She focused her thoughts on the man above her—his scent, his dominance, his overpowering lust directed at her. At least she couldn’t inadvertently harm him.  He was a cougar, and if her wolf became a little frisky, he'd be able to handle it.  Not having to worry about letting go allowed her inhibitions to vanish. She growled as he pumped his fingers torturously slow, curling them, just so, to drive her wild.  Freya arched up, attempting to spur him to go faster, harder.

"Tell me what you want, Freya.  You have to tell me."  His wicked mouth descended on her breast, sucking and tugging the bundle of nerves.  She closed her eyes and absorbed all the wondrous sensations, writhing beneath him.

"Take your clothes off," she said.  She'd seen him in his tight t-shirt, but her imagination could only go so far.  The muscles outlined beneath his clothing would no doubt be superior in the flesh.

"As you wish, m'lady."  His voice was deep and rich, teasing her when her body was already heating from the inside out.  Vincent rose, straddling her legs as he tugged off his t-shirt.  He had tattooed bands on his arms, common for shifters who liked to connect with their roots.  She'd seen them on several others, especially in her home town where history of the races was revered. They told a story and represented honor and masculinity amongst males.  Just looking at the black ink made her pussy clench.  His pecs and abs were hard sculpted muscle.  She looked between his intense blue eyes and the strength of his body, unable to get her fill of the sight of him.

What she needed was his pants off and him falling between her legs.  She felt void and achy, itching with need.

He stared down at her, trailing just a fingertip along the plane of her neck. He made every touch feel intimate and all consuming, pulling her into his world.  "Untouched," he growled.

She shook her head.  "I'm not a virgin."  Only last night she'd had relations with her human lover.

"You're unmarked.  No love bite."  His chest rose and fell as if his control was paper-thin.  She wanted his control to waver. When he opened his mouth to breathe, she noticed the tips of strong incisors peeking below his upper lip. Gods she wanted to feel those fangs sinking deep as he cock penetrated her cunt.

He unbuckled his belt, and she watched his every move.  Yes.  Just as she anticipated sweet relief, the door swung open, colliding against the wall in a thunderous bang.

Chapter Five

He'd had his misgivings about leaving the club for the night, but he decided it was in his best interest to clear his mind before taking the biggest leap of his life.  Freya was his mate, but also a virtual enemy considering she was one of the royals.  But she was nothing like her mother or the women before her.  Rather than embracing her gift and lot in life, she ran from it, looking for love instead.

The moment he arrived at the club the next day, he knew something wasn't right.  His employees appeared stiff and a nervous tension lingered in the air. "Brady, she's safe and sound, isn't she?"

One of the best men on his security crew, next to Jacob, had an uneasy look in his eyes. "Yes, sir."

"What's the problem?"  Gideon surpassed all males in size.  Lions were known for their large builds and strength.  Right now he was glad because if harm came to Freya during his absence, someone would pay, friend or not.

"No problem." Brady pounded on the door with the heel of his boot, a guilty look crossing over his usually vacant expression.

Gideon didn't wait to find out.  He brushed his bouncer aside.  Once at the entrance he could scent Freya's desire like perfume to his senses.  She wasn't alone.  He tossed open the door, ready to fight for his mate.

She was sprawled on Jacob's old bed, his right-hand man kneeling over her, half naked. The violent anger that had begun to burn in his chest subsided.  He'd never told Vincent he planned to mate with the wolf, so he essentially did nothing wrong.  But why was Vin attracted to her? Her royal blood would have no effect on the cougar, and he wasn't a player.  On the rare occasion he screwed around with a woman, it was on his own time, and he wasn't proud of his natural needs.

"Gideon!  Shit."  Vincent climbed off the bed, tossing a blanket over the princess before facing him. "It's not what it looks like."

"You were about to fuck her."

He shrugged.  "Maybe.  But I have good reason. Actually I need to talk with you about it."

"Tell me now, Vincent.  My patience is wearing thin."

"She's my mate.  At least I think she is."

Freya sat up in the bed, a scowl marring her delicate features. "You think?  That doesn't inspire much confidence in me, especially when you were ready to mark me for life."

"You, my little wolf, should keep quiet.  In one day you've managed to take hold of my two best men, yet you fight me at every turn."

"I don't know what your intentions are.  Vincent isn't even sure if I'm his mate.  The only male I've trusted to date is Darius, but he's a human."  Her voice sounded pained, a mix of unfulfilled desire and confusion.

Gideon sat on the side of the bed.  He wasn't surprised when she shrunk away from him, taking the blanket with her.  "Freya, I haven't told you this because I was hoping it wasn't true—but you should know.  My lion has been begging me to mark you. You're mine. "

"Your mate? Why you filthy lion!  Is this how you treat a woman fated to you?"

"I've already apologized for yesterday.  Did I not tell you we'd talk today?  I want to help you, Freya, even if you choose not to be with me."

She had no retort for him.  After glancing in Vincent's direction, her nervous energy grew.  "If I'm your mate, then he must be using me."  She nodded in the cougar's direction.

Gideon took her hand in his, loving the softness of her skin. He kissed her knuckles as he inhaled her essence. "Vincent isn't using you, princess—"

"Don't," warned Vincent.

He loved his friend like a brother.  For years he'd been a faithful employee and confident. Although Vincent preferred to keep his disability a secret, in this case, he needed to come clean.  If there was any chance that he was also Freya's mate, Gideon wouldn't steal that opportunity from him.  Messing with fate would be a foolish move for any shifter.  If Gideon didn't share Freya with Vincent, there'd be another at some point.  All females of royal blood were destined to mate multiple shifters to ensure maximum new blood into the races. If he had to choose, he'd pick the best man he knew.

"Vincent can't scent. He's no different than a human in that regard."

She narrowed her eyes and looked to the other man. "Is that true?"

Vincent raked a hand though his hair and knelt in front of her. "I'll understand if you don't want me.  You deserve a full male, not a damaged one like me."

Her chuckle was unexpected, but sweet as nectar, dissipating the tension. "You're exactly what I need.  A male guaranteed not to be using me for my blood."

Gideon felt for his friend.  A shifter's senses were a vital part of their life.  They helped recognize danger, lust in a woman, fear in the enemy, and most importantly—led you to your mate.  Since Vincent's other abilities were heightened due to his disability, Gideon never questioned him when he claimed Freya was his. The challenge would be learning to share one woman—that's if she accepted Gideon at all.

****

If she ever believed in fairy tales, her new reality just took the prize. How could she say 'no' when two of the hottest, most stubbornly irresistible shifters claimed she was theirs?  They didn't even fight for the right to her hand.  Gideon, the hot-headed lion, even vouched for the cougar.  Knowing the bartender had such a devastating disability only endeared him to her.  This all began to feel right.  Maybe she'd get the same happily ever after rewarded to her sister, Carna.  Although she'd never been with more than one man at a time, she knew it was inevitable. What would it feel like to have two virile, alpha males claim her body?

"No more running, Freya."  The lion smelled all male, the muscles in his shoulders bunching as he leaned towards her.  She wanted him to lose the bravado, become so aroused that he begged her to allow him to fuck her.  But she wasn't sure she had that much will power, not after Vincent left her throbbing for more only minutes ago.

"Okay."  She barely squeaked out the word, ready to submit to these two shifters, knowing it was a life-long decision.  Gideon gently tugged the edge of the blanket and let it slip off her body to the floor. Her breathing increased as their hungry gazes drank their fill of her curves.

Vincent joined them at the bed, his buckle still loose. She licked her lips as she imagined them both naked, both giving her their undivided attention.  Gideon tugged off his shirt and she had to bite her tongue not to gasp. He was muscle upon muscle of smooth, tanned flesh.  There were similar tattooed bands around his arms as Vincent, a testament to his rich lion heritage. She both anticipated and feared what lay beneath their blue jeans.  As she began to have her doubts about taking two men at once, Gideon lowered her to her back.

"Just relax, Freya.  Let us take care of you."

Gideon spread her legs wide, and she had the overwhelming urge to close them.  He held her open, his hot breath tickling her hypersensitive clit.  As he planted strategic kisses along her inner thighs, Vincent moved in with a predator's grace.  He palmed one breast and suckled the other.  The multitude of sensations had her spiraling out of control.  But she didn't need to maintain a level-head, not with the powerful lion between her legs. If her wolf escaped, she had no doubt Gideon and Vincent could keep it in line. Right now she wanted to be tamed.

"More," she growled, arching her hips up. Gideon continued to tease her inner thighs, occasionally lapping at her clit with his rough tongue, but never giving her what she needed.  Her toes began to curl and heat crept up her body.  The intensity became distracting and she writhed on the bed, as desperate for release as she was to savor the night forever.

"How hot is she, Gideon?" asked Vincent.  His hands combed through her hair, just an added element of pleasure assaulting her.

"She's ready to be fucked, Vin.  Should I let her come first?"

"Yes!" she screeched. The pulse in her cunt was brought out her feral side. Her fangs pierced her own tongue and her nails morphed into claws which she used to rake Gideon's shoulders. He growled when she drew blood, but never stopped toying with her pussy.

"Give it to her.  I can't wait another minute."  Vincent tweaked both her nipples as Gideon began to rhythmically suck her clit.  He had mad skills and in no time the pressure was building. She let out tiny gasps as the fires grew hotter, stronger.  Gods she needed to come!

"Gideon!  Please!" Hadn't she wanted him to beg?  It didn't matter now, not when he held the key to her release on the tip of his tongue.

A few moments later and the first spasm rocked her body.  He clamped down over her pussy, absorbing the tremors as she cried out.  The intensity was blinding, leaving her spent and throbbing.  When she opened her eyes, barely able to focus on the here and now after being transported to another realm of pleasure, Vincent was fully undressed and stroking his cock.  He was big and beautiful, the muscles in his stomach and groin creating a perfect 'v' leading to his erection.

It was the lion's rough tongue trailing up her body that stole her attention. "I can't wait to claim you, to taste you." His barbed tongue passed over her nipple, a mix of pleasure and pain. Gideon's eyes had gone feral, glowing like a cat's.  "But first I need to be inside you."  He lowered his weight over her body, holding himself up just enough so she could breathe easily. When he prodded her folds with the head of his cock, she held her breath, unsure if she could even take his size.  She reached between them to feel him, unable to wrap her fingers around his girth.

"You're too big," she muttered between breaths.

"I was made to be inside you." He pulled back slightly and inserted two fingers into her heat.  "You're nice and wet for us. Not too worry, little wolf."  He replaced his fingers with his cock and held her hips as he pressed into her tight opening.  Inch by inch he worked himself into her body, stretching her, filling her to the max. Once fully seated, she reveled in the fullness and gentle pressure on her cervix.

He looked her in the eyes; his fangs peeking out as he spoke. "You're mine now." As if to emphasize the statement he pulled out and thrust back in, holding her tight to his body. His muscled torso curved around her in a protective embrace.  With his cock still deep inside her, he leaned down and kissed her lips. "Mine."

When she nodded, unable to deny the alpha, he sank those fangs into the side of her neck.  She cried out, digging her nails into his shoulders as he simultaneously pumped his hips.  The dual sensation was electrifying, filling her body with a swirling desire like she'd never experienced.  The love bite, her first, connected them on an intimate level.  She had no regrets now—she knew Gideon was meant to be her mate.

"Delicious." He licked his thick lips when he came up for air. It was done.  She was now a marked woman.  "Your turn."

Her turn?  Not only did he get the opportunity to claim her, but she had to do the same to seal the deal. His neckline looked mighty tempting, and she didn't need to coax out her fangs.  She already drooled with the need to taste his blood.

Freya tugged him lower and licked the flesh she planned to bite.  Even his skin was an aphrodisiac, tempting her to take more.  She raised her upper lip and sunk her teeth into the unmarked flesh.  The metallic, salty taste of his blood pooled around her tongue after piercing his neck.  She bit deep, wanting to leave a mark for all females to see as a warning to stay away from what was hers alone. For the first time in her life, she knew what if felt like to be a mated woman, and knew she'd kill if any threat tried to take away her most prized possessions.

****

Vincent had stood to the side, pumping his rigid cock as Gideon claimed the woman he knew was fated to him. He owed that much to his friend for being there for him when the rest of the shifter world turned their noses up at him due to his disability. Gideon never judged him, but entrusted him with every important matter regarding Club Frenzy.  If the gods intended for both of them to mate with Freya, then he wouldn’t fight it.  He could choose no better man if there had to be another.

Now Freya had been sated and her virgin neckline marked by the lion.  He'd let Gideon take her first, so in his mind, they were even.  It was his turn to savor the princess's body.

He nudged the other man with his shoulder, needing to be closer to their woman. She turned to him, her eyes glazed over. Vincent ran his fingertip along the tips of her needle sharp fangs.

"I can't sense your feelings, but I'll be able to taste you once I mark you," he said. He couldn’t wait to administer his love bite.  Gideon had an advantage over him being able to recognize Freya's every mood and desire. He needed this connection with her.

"Then don't wait."

He didn't hesitate, but brushed her hair to the side revealing the unmarred side of her neck. Gideon continued to pump his cock in and out of Freya in a slow rhythm, but her arms were around Vincent's neck.  He wished he could sense the arousal in the room, her desire for him, and the mating call…but this was the best he could hope for.  Vincent licked his incisors as he eyed his prize.  She tugged him closer, urging him on.

"Gods, don't wait any longer, Vincent.  I need you both."  As soon as she closed her eyes, he bit into her soft flesh.  Her royal blood instantly came to life in his mouth, so rich and potent.  He tasted the sweet fluid as it coursed down his throat and lit up his body, including his already stiff cock.

When he neared orgasm from the intensity, he pulled back, his breath coming out if harsh gasps. "Freya, what have you done to me?"  He fell to his knees at the side of the bed, overwhelmed with all the new sensations bombarding him.  In human equivalent, he'd lived his life blind and deaf, but now by some miracle, his proverbial eyes and ears were opened.  The scent of sex, lust, and love swirled around him.  Gideon's alpha aura, Freya's mating call, and their sudden concern were as clear as day.

Gideon separated from their woman and leaned over the bed, bracing Vincent's shoulder. "What is it, Vincent?  What's happened to you?"

He smiled. "I believe you."

"Believe what?"

Vincent felt like celebrating.  "You're genuinely concerned for me, not just asking."  Gideon's expression remained neutral.  "Don't you get it?  Her blood's cured me.  Somehow my senses have come to life."

They both turned to Freya, sprawled naked before them. "You did this?" asked Gideon.  "How is that possible?"

She looked as surprised as they were.  "I've always been taught that our blood had special properties, that royal females had unique gifts.  I don't know too much about it, but my sisters do."

One thing for certain—now that he could sense, he was one hundred percent certain Freya was his mate.  No more doubts. His cougar roared within him, seeming to know they were no longer damaged.

He growled, rising from the ground to his feet.  Austin looked to Gideon, nodded without speaking, and they both converged on Freya.  Gideon tossed the blanket to the ground and Vincent scooped up their mate and lowered her to the soft covering on the floor. The bed would not do, not with what they had planned for her body.  Once Freya completed the bond, they'd claim her body together, sealing their ménage relationship.

"Take my blood, sweetheart.  I can never repay what you've given me, but I promise to be everything you need for the rest of my life."  He lowered himself over her body, supporting all his weight on his arms.  She teased him, licking his neck and nipping on his earlobe.  "Freya!"  If she held off any longer, he'd come against her leg and not inside her body like he wanted to.

She bit down on the thick muscle at the side of his neck, nothing gentle about her actions.  He reveled in the connection, the beautiful pain, and the symphony of new sensation.

Chapter Six

Vincent's blood had been delicious, but different from Gideon's.  She savored the unique tastes of her mates, and became more comfortable with her decision to submit to them.  When the cougar claimed to be free of his burden just from consuming her blood, she'd never felt so honored, so proud to be a royal.  For the first time since she fled the palace she didn't curse her blood, but was thankful for its healing properties.

Gideon's big hand cupped her mound from the side making her jolt in awareness.  "It's time, Freya."  He dragged the overflow of moisture from her pussy back to her ass.  When he began to coat the perimeter of her nether hole with the natural fluid, she tensed, knowing what they planned.

"I've never been with two men," she confided, feeling uniquely vulnerable.  Yes, she wanted them to double fuck her, needed to feel the three of them connecting as one, but she still carried her doubts.

Gideon's hot breath against the shell of her ear made her pussy pulse with urgency. "We'll go nice and slow, my little wolf."  He slipped a moist finger into her anus, barely able to penetrate her impossibly tight virgin opening. "Shhh.  Relax, Freya, open up for me."

She tried her best, attempted to loosen her muscles and focus on the pleasure rather than the discomfort.  It was Vincent who assisted her in relieving her growing tension.  He kissed her, the taste of her blood still on his tongue.  Male hands were everywhere—on her ass, her pussy, her breasts, in her hair.  She was bombarded with new and erotic sensations, pulling her into a sinfully blissful realm of pleasure.

Gideon inserted two fingers, and she braced herself from the burn of her muscles stretching for the first time.  These two men were immeasurably skilled in the art of love making and they'd only just begun.  Vincent suckled her breast, his hands continuing to roam as Gideon scissored his fingers in her ass, increasing the pressure.

"This will be like having sex for the first time, Freya.  I've never been in touch with my senses before."  Vincent nipped her jaw, kissing, licking.  He used one arm to bring her leg over his hip.  Once facing each other, on their sides, he prodded her pussy with a cock so hard, she couldn't believe it was part of his anatomy.  With her body so hot and throbbing, her inhibitions vanishing, she accepted his erection into her slick folds.  The dual stimulation of Vin's dick forging its way inside her and the lion's fingers teasing her virgin hole, she counted on a fast and explosive orgasm.

But there was more to come.  "Yes," she chanted as the cougar's cock filled her to the hilt. She savored the closeness, the bond, the ripped muscles of the man in front of her. Her fears were replaced with a depraved desire for anything these alphas could give her. The nastier, the better.

"Can you take both our cocks, Freya?  Can your wolf handle being double fucked?"

Could she handle it?  Gideon was so well endowed and her ass was so very tight. Still, she wouldn’t say no, not at this point.  Her curiosity was piqued and the lion's fingers in her ass ignited new fires so wanted to explore.

"Hurry, Gideon.  I won't last."  Vincent's words came out clipped as he thrust in and out of her cunt with stamina. His fingers and claws dug into the fleshy curve of her hip as he anchored himself to her body.

She gasped when the probing fingers gently exited her ass, replaced by the smooth, swollen head of Gideon's cock.  Gods he'd never fit.  "I'm—"  She wanted to admit she was scared, unsure if she should go through with the dual mating, but feared appearing weak in front of her men.

"Don't be afraid, little one.  You'll feel the pressure for a few moments, then I promise, you'll be begging for more."

They could sense her trepidation, and she trusted them not to hurt her. If Carna could do this, enjoy it even, then so would she.

Her body broke out in a sheen of sweat, a new pressure building inside her.  The men made feral sounds, their masculine musky scent dominating the small room.  She loved the feel of their moist skin pressed against hers, so much muscle and strength at her beck and call. Freya wanted to become saturated in their scent so she'd never forget this night. Gideon entered her, forging his way past her tight anal ring.  Her wolf wanted to fight the invasion.  It expelled its nervous energy by grinding against Vincent's cock.  She sought his mouth and focused on his taste, feel, and lively tongue until her ass was fully breached.

"Good girl, Freya.  Bear down on me. Breathe."  Gideon kissed the back of her neck and shoulders, but never moved an inch once fully seated. She forced her ass to accept him, to relax as he demanded. He'd been right.  Within minutes she forgot all about the initial pain and discomfort.  She felt pleasantly full, a new itch begging to be scratched deep within.

"For the love of the gods, Gideon!" Vincent exclaimed. "I can barely move, I'm wedged in so tight."

"Wait until we work her."  At that, the lion began a slow, languid thrust, which surprisingly didn't hurt. She was so stuffed full of cock she could barely breathe, nearly choking on the delicious fullness. Only a thin membrane separated the hard flesh of the two men, their dicks gliding past one another as they double teamed her.

She was too focused on the beauty of the moment to worry about whose hand toyed with her clit.  It didn't matter—she was surrounded in a veil of male heat and testosterone. Freya's connection to their beasts grew and she suddenly craved to meet them in their natural forms.  Soon. The added stimulation to her swollen nub, combined with their tireless pounding into her ripe body, brought her to the crest of something monumental. The pre-orgasmic bliss cascaded through her body like a calming dew. Then she detonated, light sparking behind her eyes as her pussy and ass clamped down on both cocks.  Her milking brought both men to completion in a massive chorus of grunts and growls.  Without the thundering music of the nightclub, the animalistic sounds would fill the building.

It was done.  She was mated to two of the most eligible alpha shifters she'd ever come across.  Best of all, they wanted her for her, not her royal blood.  If only she could share the news of this blessed day with her sisters.

****

Late in the evening hours, Freya slipped from the room, becoming invisible in the crowd of revelers still partying strong.  She no longer feared the unknown, crazed shifters hoping to mate with her, or a loveless future. Her gait was confident now.  If there was trouble, Gideon and Vincent were in the club and they'd sense it.  Their mating bond was strong, secure, and forever.  Then why did she feel a piece of herself was missing?  Why did her thoughts continually drift to her human lover?  The reason she left her room in the first place was to seek him out, and she knew it.

This would be their last night in the club, then they were going to look into getting a home together.  Gideon wanted no part of his condo, and was happy to put it up on the market for sale.  They'd buy a comfortable home not too far from Club Frenzy.  She'd have a lifetime to learn about her mates as they built a future for three.

"Hello there, stranger."  She knew it was him just by the deep, smooth tone of his voice.  Before she could turn around, his hands slipped around her waist and pulled her back to the firmness of his body. He was only human and would have no clue she was no longer on the market.  Her love bites wouldn't register for him, but they would for any shifters foolish enough to get too close to her. Her marks symbolized ownership, mating, and every shifter knew a male would sooner kill for the honor of their mate than ask questions.

"I was looking for you," she said, twisting in his arms.  Freya instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the tip of his nose.  "I've missed you."  What was she doing?  She blamed her stupid wolf for the playful attraction between them.  It still confused her as to why she felt a pull between them despite her recent mating and Darius' human status.

"Have you, now?"  He smirked, in the seductive way that made her pussy pulse.  His five o'clock shadow and dark features were shaded further by the lack of overhead lighting.  Only soft wall lights and colored beams from the dance floor provided illumination in Club Frenzy.

"I'll be leaving here soon.  I wanted to say goodbye."

His brow furrowed. "Goodbye?  Did you find a place to stay already?"

This was harder than she thought.  Her wolf whined within her to keep the human, but it was an impossibility. Her emotions were a muddle.  She didn't want to betray her new mates, which she loved and would never replace.  There was just something about the human.  Even from that first night in the alley, she felt a unique attraction for him, something soul-deep.

"It's complicated."  She didn't want to hurt him by telling him she'd be moving in with his friends, Gideon and Vincent. But she would ensure her new mates took good care of Darius, maybe gave him a raise at work.

"How I feel about you isn't complicated."  He leaned over and kissed her neck, a hot brand to her already feverish skin. She closed her eyes and sighed, absorbing his affection, wishing there could be more between them.

He pulled away abruptly.  When she opened her eyes and focused, Gideon's hand was on Darius' shoulder, tugging him back slightly. "Freya, you okay?"

"I'm fine."  She didn't want Darius to get into trouble.  She'd seen what jealous shifters could do to a threat.  The thought of harm coming to her human made her bristle. "I was just saying goodbye."

"Good.  We'll be leaving in a couple hours."  The lion leaned in close and ran his tongue along his mark on her neck.  She shivered, liquid heat escaping her body as she recalled the wicked things he did to her body.

When he disappeared in the sea of bodies, Darius stood stiff, his arms crossed over his chest. "I see.  You and Gideon, eh?"

She shook her head emphatically. "It's not what you think, Darius.  I care about you, but there're things you don't know about, things I can't change."

"But you can change for Gideon?  Is it because of his money?"

He reached into his back pocket, fumbling as dancers brushed against him from every direction. Then he opened his wallet and pulled out a stack of bills.  She noted several hundreds.

"What are you doing?"

"Here!  Will this buy your love?" Venom seeped from his words.  Fuck, she hated hurting him. He waved the stack of bills in front of her before tossing them in the air with disregard and retreated into the now frantic crowd.  They screamed and dashed for the money, making it impossible for her to follow him.  Her throat choked up and she knew she'd be crying as soon as she got to her room.

****

Vincent was busy serving drinks when Freya squeezed up to the bar and leaned over the counter. "What is it, sweetheart?  Everything okay?"

"I want to leave.  I don't want to be here anymore."

"Gimme a sec."  He wiped his hands on a bar rag and met her around the other side of the counter.  "Tell me what's the matter."

He could feel her moods now, thanks to her blood. She was worried, sad, confused, a rainbow of melancholy emotions. "It's just everything.  This place reminds me of things better left forgotten."

Her sister.  She often talked of the sisters who she desperately wanted to reunite with.  When they'd first entered Jacob's old room, she swore she scented her sister. He'd put two and two together when his head was clear and realized Jacob's new mate must be Carna, one of the missing Demori sisters. He knew Gideon would know where to find the bear shifter and Freya's kin.  Maybe that would make her happy?

"Would you like to see your sister?"

She froze as if she'd heard wrong. "Why are you asking me?  You know I do."

He brushed a few stray blonde hairs behind her ear and stared deep into her wolf eyes.  She was a beauty—a passionate, loving mate that he'd be forever grateful for.  He'd do anything for her.

"I think Gideon will know how to find Carna.  Would you like that?"

Her eyes lit up like a child being offered a rare gift. "How?"

He smiled and kissed her forehead before leading her to Gideon's office.  After a quick knock, he ushered them inside.

"Princess."  Gideon smiled and stood, ending his phone conversation immediately. He came around the desk and whisked their mate into his arms. She squealed and held on as he gave a twirl. "Tonight I'm going to spoil you properly. The best hotel, best food, finest clothes.  Anything your heart desires, it's yours."

They kissed briefly and Vincent felt no animosity, only peace.

"Gideon, Freya would like to see her sister.  Do you know Jacob's new address?  I'm pretty sure his new mate is Carna, one of the other Demori sisters."

His friend set Freya to her feet, his mood shifting from playful to serious.  "How do you know it's her sister?"

"Just a feeling.  Besides, Freya thinks she found her sister's scent in Jacob's room.  It would make sense why he'd suddenly quit and disappear over a woman."

The lion focused on the wolf. "Is this what you want?  If you want to see Carna, I'll make it happen."

"Yes, please."

Vincent hoped finding one of her sisters would give her some closure, a sense of peace.  He knew too well how it felt to be alone in the world.  Until he found Club Frenzy and Gideon's open embrace, he'd been an outcast in the shifter world. If she had a family, he'd do everything in his power to ensure she didn't lose it.

****

They drove for half an hour through the darkened city streets until they reached a highrise condominium.  Freya looked out the window of the SUV and allowed her eyes to travel up the near-endless expanse of glass and mirrors.  Was Carna in there somewhere?  It seemed like a dream if it were true.  For so many years she'd been in hiding, separated from Carna and Delia.  Getting a brief visit with Carna had healed part of her heart, but not nearly enough, not when Freya ran from her after they only just reunited.  But she'd no longer be a burden to her sister and her mates.  She had her own men now, so Carna would have no obligation to care for her.  Maybe they could actually live normal lives and become part of each others' future.

Vincent held out his hand for her after opening the car door.  She blindly grasped his outstretched palm, still dazzled by the urban landscape. City lights reflected off the shiny surfaces surrounding them, creating a wonderland of modern technology.  They had the address and unit number, so this was the final stretch. Gideon walked on her right, his stride confident.  He was an imposing figure, all muscle and dominance.  Vincent, on her left was everything she could hope for in a mate and equally handsome in a more refined sense.

The elevator ride up was torturously slow.  She watched the numbers light up, one at a time, until they finally reached the penthouse.

"Relax, Freya.  If she's not here, you still have us."  Vincent kissed her knuckles as they walked to the door. She smiled as soon as they neared the unit, the scent of her sister unmistakable.  But was she still here?

Gideon moved in front of them, providing protection should there be a threat on the other side of the door.  She'd have to get used to having two overprotective alphas by her sides. As they waited, she studied her lion's wide, muscled back under the thin black t-shirt he wore.  She wanted to run her hands over the broadness of his shoulders and nip his firm flesh, but that would have to wait for later.

The door flew open. "Gideon?"  An oversized bear shifter stood in the doorway wearing boxer briefs and nothing more.

Gideon didn't answer, only strode into the unit without invitation, scanning the interior. Vincent and Freya followed.  She squeezed the cougar's hand hard, attempting to use him as an anchor for her nerves and anticipation. Royal wolf blood overpowered the room and she could see Vincent testing the air, no doubt sensing the same thing.

"Where's your lovely new mate, Jacob.  I'm dying to meet her."  Gideon dropped down in a black leather arm chair as if he owned the place.

"Why?  Since when were you interested in my mate?"

Two other shifters entered the room from down the hall.  A tiger and…a wolf? Freya had chosen well.  They were all handsome as sin, radiating powerful alpha energy. "There a problem here, Jacob?"  The tiger crossed his arms over his chest and braced his feet on the shiny wooden floorboards.

"I don’t know."

Freya had no time for the male posturing.  Yes, it did wicked things to her libido, but more importantly, she wanted her sister. "I thought my sister had four mates.  Don't tell me she killed one of you," she half-teased.  Of the three sisters, Freya was the least dangerous.  She lived her life, survived however she had to, but inside she was soft and craved a life of security.  Carna was stronger, an example she tried to live up to and fell short. She'd be able to challenge any threat, even a male intent on capturing her.

Just then the main door opened.  Freya twirled around, still holding Vincent's hand for stability. A dark-haired shifter with blazing blue eyes stood in the doorway.  Beside him was a reflection of herself—an image of home, love, happy days, and a bond like no other. Carna.

She dropped Vincent's hand and lurched forward without thought. Carna was a beacon and she couldn’t get to her fast enough. She collapsed into her sister's embrace, breathed in her familiar scent, and leaned her head on her shoulder. "Carna. I'm sorry for running.  Please forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you.  You worried me sick though."  Carna ran her claws through her hair like she did when they were younger.  Such a simple act pulled down all her barriers and left her a puddle of a woman, barely able to move or speak.  It had always been just the three of them until they split up and went into hiding, determined not to be forced into a loveless mating. Gods, there had been nights when she missed her sisters so much, she didn't think she would make it another day. It was like a dream to have Carna back, especially knowing she wouldn't have to run from her again.

"I didn't want to be a bother."

"Foolish girl.  All I've thought about these past years was getting you and Delia back.  Splitting up was the worst idea we've had.  If anything, we should have stayed together after leaving the palace."  Freya looked to her sister's side.  The panther was tall and built, glaring down at her with those inhuman blue eyes. Carna followed her gaze and frowned at the man.  "This is Blue, one of my mates.  He's being very rude."

The panther shook his head, as if freeing himself from a daze. "Sorry, it's just…them."  He nodded to Freya's two mates.  After a quick inhale, she noticed how electrified the air was with potent male threat, a dominant show that could end up much more.

Carna growled a drawn out sigh and tugged the panther into the center of the room.  Freya studied her mates.  Vincent stood exactly where she left him, his stance guarded as he eyed the two shifters at the opposite side of the room. Gideon was still relatively calm in the chair, but she noted the fire in his eyes as he kept tabs on all the males in the room. "Gideon?  Is everything okay?"

Carna answered for him. "Yes, everything's fine!  Listen up all you big, alpha males.  Freya's my little sister and I don't plan on becoming separated from her ever again.  If any one of you plan on driving a wedge between us, speak up."  Silence. "Good.  Now, me and my sister are going out together.  Alone.  While we're gone, the six of you can get to know each other.  Since you'll be spending plenty of time with each other in the future, it's a good idea."

The wolf shifter, wearing just a Stetson and black boxer briefs stepped forward in protest. "But, Carna, it's not safe for the two of you to roam around unescorted."

"Austin, really?  You don’t think I'm capable of protecting us?"

He shrugged and didn't put up more of an argument.  Carna's males were certainly concerned for her, but equally eager to keep her happy.  If anyone could protect herself, it would be Carna.  Delia had taught her everything she knew, making her nearly as lethal.  Although Freya could hold her own, she didn't have the vicious streak that her sisters possessed.

"Where we going?" asked Freya as her sister pulled her to a room at the end of the condo.

"Before we go out, you need to change.  You look like a…"  She rummaged through a dresser drawer and held up a few articles of clothing. "Never mind.  Put this on and then we'll take off."

Chapter Seven

After much protest, all the males stayed together in the condo as the two women left for some much needed alone time. They didn't head to a restaurant.  Rather, they took the elevator up to the roof and sat on the ledge of the high rise building.  Together, they glanced down at the bustling city, all glistening metal and modern angles.  Freya tired of cities. Part of her wanted to connect with her wolf, to run free through the old growth forests like when she lived back at the palace.  The odd time she shifted these days was to escape a potentially dangerous situation when fear and adrenaline filled her veins.  It wasn't for pleasure or to embrace her beast within like it should be.

"Let me see them," said Carna.

"See what?"

Her sister tugged at her collar. "Your love bites.  Did you mate both of them?"

She nodded, proud of her decision to bond with Gideon and Vincent. It seemed to be the only right decision she'd made in a long time, and to think she almost ran from them.

"I wanted to talk with you about that.  The big one's a lion.  Don't you know the stories about them?"

Freya shook her head, not liking the direction of the conversation.

"What have we always taught you?"

That was easy. "Trust no male."

"Exactly. Lions have wanted to take over the thrown for centuries.  It's the reason we're warned never to mate with them. We mustn't give them a chance to take over what is rightfully ours."  She gripped Freya's shoulders, looking her directly in the eyes. "He's using you to get to the crown."

She shrugged away from her sister and walked dangerously close to the ledge of the building. Her mind wandered in several directions. "No.  No, you're wrong about Gideon.  I don't care if he's a lion—it means nothing. Besides, he recognized me as his mate.  "

"How many have told you the same thing in the past?  What makes him different?"

"I don't know, Carna." She tossed her arms in the air.  "He just is.  It's not just him, either.  I love him. I need him."

Her sister frowned, not willing to accept her logic.  The only reason she didn't scream and shout in defense of her males was because her sister was only looking out for her best interest. She couldn’t hate Carna for that.

"And the other?"

"Vincent's special.  I know he wants me for me.  It's a long story, but you have to trust my judgment."

"Fine.  But how many lion's have you met in your life?  They're a rare breed and suddenly one claims to be your fate?  More likely he saw an opportunity to get what he believes is his."

"This is crazy talk!  Gideon loves me.  Besides, everyone knows only a few royal females of wolf blood are capable of carrying on the races, not the lions.  Taking over the palace wouldn’t change that fact."

"Just be careful.  I don't like it."

She sat back on the ledge and took a cleansing breath. "Can we just talk about something else.  I'm happy.  For once in my life I feel I've found my place, and I want you to be happy for me too."

"Oh, Freya.  You have no idea how much I love you."  Carna leaned over and hugged her tight.  "I never want to lose you again." The gentle breeze lifted the ends of Carna's dark hair.

"What about Delia?"

"She won't be found until she wants to be."

Delia was the one who led their escape and decided it best for them to split up to stay off the radar.  She was suspicious of everyone and everything, and a vicious wolf to any threat, male or female, human or shifter.

They spent much of the late evening laughing and reminiscing. It was so comforting to speak freely, to have a piece of herself and her history back in her life.  Although she valued Carna's advice, she hoped to put an end to any question as to Gideon's intentions when she saw him.

"Well, you've chosen well for yourself.  That's the biggest bear shifter I've ever seen.  The others are not hard on the eyes either."

"One is more delectable than the next, but it doesn't matter since I never have to choose between them." Her sister winked, braiding strands of her hair at her side.

Freya began to think of her men.  Not just for sex, but because she knew they'd be worried.  The connection between them weakened the longer they stayed apart and it made her anxious, even with Carna at her side. "Yeah, I suppose being a royal female does have its perks in a few rare instances. Mating more than one male certainly has its advantages."

"If they're the right males."

Not again. She didn't bother to argue.  When she confronted Gideon, she'd be able to tell if he was lying.  The stench of deceit was difficult to disguise.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

She chewed on her lower lip before replying. The question had plagued her thoughts continually, and she'd unsuccessfully tried to push it from her mind. "Have any shifters mated with a human before?"

"Of course.  It happens all the time.  Do you not realize how many males have abandoned their beasts altogether?  They play human, ignoring their true nature.  Others mate humans out of love and keep their secret guarded their whole marriages.  It's difficult, but like I said, it happens every day."

"Even for royals?"

"No, not royals.  Since when is anything common for us?"  She brushed the question off, getting up and stretching her legs.  They'd have to head back soon. "Wait a minute. Why you asking about this?  Does this have anything to do with you?"

"No.  I was just curious."  Curious and condemned. If she couldn’t forget Darius, she'd live life as an incomplete woman, her wolf forever wanting what it couldn't have.

"Do you not love your mates?  If you don't, then you've chosen wrong.  After the love bite, there should be no doubts."

Freya had no doubts about Gideon or Vincent, not for her feelings towards them.  It was her love for a third that tore her apart.  As a royal, there was no issue mating with three males, it was the norm. But not with a human.  "No doubts.  It was just a question."

****

"So…"  The tiger circled Vincent, his arms crossed over his chest.

"So…" echoed Gideon from his seat.  He had a clear view of the entire room.  "You're all mated to Freya's sister?"

"That's right.  And you two have marked your woman?"

"Oh, she's marked all right.  Don't tell me you couldn't scent our claim," warned Vincent. It wasn't like his friend to radiate such malevolent energy.  Vincent was usually laid back with a level head. But being in the same room with their new mate and four alphas had Gideon's lion roaring within him, so the cougar had to feel the same thing. Even with Freya away, she'd be back, and the threat would remain.

"I saw the way you looked at Carna when she walked in.  Not very nice," said the shifter with the Texas accent. "I've killed for less."

"Is that so?" Vincent's upper lip twitched, a warning of an impending shift. Gideon looked around the open concept condo.  The shifters had good taste, but if things got ugly, there could be a lot of damage.  It was one thing to brawl out in the forest amongst mature trees and undergrowth.  They were surrounded by thin drywall, collectibles, and expensive manmade furniture.

"Damn straight."  The cowboy tossed his hat on the coffee table and took a bold step forward. Gideon stifled a laugh.  It was easy not to get overly riled when he had the muscle to defend his mate if he really needed to.  This was just one big pissing contest.

Vincent growled, his fangs lengthening and tendons snapping.  Gideon rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. This wouldn't be good. Within a minute a snarling cougar lowered, ready to pounce.

"You not gonna join in?" asked Jacob, leaning on the arm of the sofa beside him.

"I'll sit this one out."

Jacob had worked for him as a bouncer at Club Frenzy for years.  When he gave his notice to leave out of the blue, claiming to have found his mate, Gideon was less than understanding.  Now he could relate to the pull of the mating bond.

The wolf was next, shifting into animal form.  His body twisted and morphed, hair sprouting from his flesh before he dropped down to four legs. Razor sharp teeth were displayed to the cougar in a show of aggression.  When Gideon looked to the left, the panther had also shifted even though this wasn't his fight. It sounded like a fucking zoo.

The black panther stuck first, seeming too feral to connect to his logical human side once shifted.  He slashed Vincent in the side with wicked claws, but it only seems to enrage the cougar.  Soon they were rolling around the room in a flash of fur, teeth, and claws.  The yowling and growling was like a macabre opera that must have been heard in all neighboring units. When the wolf joined in, Gideon was tempted to shift just to help his friend.  But he waited, allowing Vincent the honor of fighting two to one. He was well aware of the other man's skills.  He'd fought countless shifters at Club Frenzy when the need arouse.  He never lost.

****

They followed the same direction back to the condo.  The door opened before they even raised a hand to knock. Gideon raked a hand through his shoulder length hair and closed the door behind him, joining them in the hall.  He had guilt written all over his handsome face.

"What's the matter?" asked Freya.

"It's a bit messy in there right now. Best to stay out here for a few minutes."  He winked, trying to play down whatever transpired on the other side of the wall.

Carna used both hands to push him aside and flung open the door. "No way!  You morons!"  Freya followed Gideon inside behind her sister.  The place was a mess.  Tables were reduced to kindling, pictures hung precariously from the walls, and potted plants were overturned leaving a dark smattering of dirt over the beige oriental rugs. The city lights beyond the great glass windows left streaks of red and blue along the skyline, but it didn't make up for the disaster inside.

The bear strode over to Carna and pulled her against him.  "I told them not to do it, sweetheart."  A panther, cougar, and wolf began to return to human form.

Freya ran over to Vincent once he lay on two human legs, his side was marred with blood, similar to the others. "Are you okay?"  She gingerly touched his wound, but he appeared unaffected, standing and pulling her up with him.

"I'm fine."  He kissed her forehead and held her close, tucked under his arm protectively. She could feel the territorial threat coming off the cougar in waves, even though the fighting was supposed to be over. It surprised her that she liked it.  In an odd, twisted way, it turned her on that her males were ready to die to protect and keep her.

"What were you guys trying to accomplish?  Do you want me and my sister split up again because you can't get along with each other for a few hours?" Carna spit venom with every sentence. "I have no interest in Freya's mates, so just stop."

"Feisty today."  The tiger scooped her up, until she was kicking and threatening for him to set her down.  He didn't, only twirled her around and nuzzled her neck.  In no time, her sister was giggling, her anger dissipating.

He set her down, smoothing her long dark hair down her back.

"I know one thing," said Carna. "I'm not cleaning this place."

****

Freya wanted to return to Club Frenzy for one more night, rather than get a more comfortable hotel.  Gideon didn't complain.  He wanted Freya happy, especially since she wasn't quite herself since seeing her sister. Rather than finding peace, as he'd hoped, she was distracted and quiet.

He closed the door to the private room behind him and Freya, while Vincent went to help out at the bar. "Something the matter?" he asked.

"Maybe."  She fidgeted, rubbing behind her neck, not looking him in the eyes.

"Let's have it, then."

"Why do you want to be my mate?"

He hadn't expected her to doubt him.  He thought she'd had a bad reunion with her sister, and he was ready to comfort her. "It's not a choice, you know that.  My lion knows you're meant to be mine and I couldn't be happier."

She appeared to absorb the information, trying to decipher if he was telling the truth. "You knew I was a royal before you knew I was your mate."

"And?"

"And…my sister says the lion race would like nothing more than to get a paw in the door to the palace." Then she blurted, "Are you using me, Gideon?"

He had to give his head a shake.  Was she actually asking him this?  He'd finally opened himself up for love and she doubted him?

"I guarantee you, I'm with you because I want you.  If we never see the palace, the queen, or any of the other royals, I could care less."

"Really?"  Her words sounded so vulnerable and hopeful.  How could he prove his intentions to her?

He wrapped his hands around her small waist, loving her deceiving fragility.  "Really."  She had tried so hard to scare him off when they met, but all she really wanted was to be accepted for who she was. No more facades. She needed to trust him.  If lions were anything, they were trustworthy and honorable.

Gideon leaned down and swept a gentle kiss on her lips.  He tried to convey that what he felt for her was more than lust, deeper, a soul-deep bond that he planned to nourish, not abuse.

"There's more."  Her body stiffened. "I'm in love with a human."

Chapter Eight

When she'd questioned Gideon, nothing about his scent changed—no guilt, no deceit, no fear.  She accepted his admission, having never truly suspected him of using her.  Carna was just overly protective, scared that something bad may happen to her little sister. But Freya didn't take to love lightly. Years of proposals had no effect on her, not until her true mates came into her life.

But to have a healthy relationship, trust had to work both ways.  She had to own up to her deep seated feelings for Darius.  She was worried about alienating her mates, but it had to come out in the open.

"Darius," he stated matter-of-factly.

She nodded, only partially surprised he'd guessed correctly. "Are you angry?"

"I suspected there was something between the two of you, but he's a human.  I didn't think you'd commit your emotions to a relationship destined to failure."

"You can't help who you fall in love with."

"I guess I can believe that since I fell in love with a princess.  After everything my race went through to gain the thrown, the last mate I'd choose for myself would be a royal. But here I am…"

Guilt welled up inside her.  She didn't want Gideon to think he was her second choice.  It was impossible for her to explain her feelings. "I want to be yours—"

"You are mine," he said, the deep growl in his voice exuding a possessive male quality that had her underwear dampening with sudden need.

"Yes."

He kissed her hard, dominating her mouth, and holding her tight to his body. She could feel the hard length of his arousal pressed against her stomach. "What of the human?  If you want him, I'll give him to you."

"No."  She shook her head as he peppered kissed down her neck.

"Don't deny your desires now, little wolf.  He may be human, but he'd make a good play thing for you.  I'll allow it if it'll make you happy."

She closed her eyes and absorbed his ministrations. His tongue teased her erogenous zones, leading her deeper into his erotic web. "I don't want a toy," she managed to muster.

"That's all he could ever be to you, princess.  You of anyone should understand that."  He halted his sexual advance and cupped her face in his big hands.  She looked deep into his lion's eyes. "Sweetheart, he doesn't even know shifters exist."  He was being sincere, which only made her feel more a fool for wanting what she couldn't have.  Maybe she should have just kept her big mouth shut.

There was a knock on the door, pulling their attention away from each other. Was it Darius?  His image kept flashing in her head, and she kept thinking about him—his dark eyes, the sweet smelling smoke, and the way he dominated her body in the shower.

"Vincent said you were in here."  It was Carna's bear shifter.  He was huge, filling the doorway, wearing all black.

"What are you doing here, Jacob?"  The bear came into the room followed by her sister. She released her hold on Gideon to meet Carna.

"Carna needed to talk with Freya, so I zipped her over here on my bike."

What could be so urgent that she'd need to come over now, so soon after they left their condo?  "I talked with Jacob about Gideon.  I may have misjudged him."

Gideon joined them, his alpha presence surrounding her like a loving shield. "You did."  He hooked his arm around her waist, standing beside her. "Just because I'm a lion doesn’t make me the enemy."

Carna shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe adding some lion DNA to the mix couldn’t be so bad.  I mean, when was the last time we listened to anything our mother advised?"

"Unfortunetly things are a bit more complicated than race relations," said Gideon.

"Oh?" asked Carna.

Would her sister think less of her for desiring an inferior human?  Her sisters always taught her that nothing could compare with a shifter.  Humans were soft-skinned, breakable, complete with limp dicks.  She knew the last to be false.  Darius had been a talented lover with a body to die for. "Remember I asked about humans?  Well, you were right, I was asking for me."

"You want to mate a human?"

Freya felt surrounded, unnerved.  She didn't need to be judged, not when she'd never been so certain of anything.  "Yes!"

Gideon held her firmly, not allowing her to bolt from the small group.  She was used to bottling her feelings, hiding from shifters, living in isolation.  Being under a microscope had her nerves frazzled.  "It's okay," he cooed in her ear. "Jacob, bring Darius to me."

She wanted to rebuke him, but Jacob had already slipped out the door with stealth she didn't think his size was capable of.

****

Darius sat at the back bar, ready to down his third shot.  It's not like Freya was the first hot girl to come into his life, then why couldn’t he get her off his mind?  There was just something more there, something he couldn't quite put a finger on.  He had to have her, but as she'd stated, she was taken.  How could he compete with Gideon?  Why would he want to?  Gideon had only ever been good to him.  He just hoped the club owner didn't come around to show off his new woman too often.  His heart couldn’t take seeing Freya, knowing she wanted no part of him. The last time he felt this way was when he'd hit rock bottom.

A heavy hand to his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Gideon wants to see you."

He swiveled on his bar stool.  "Jacob?  I thought you quit."

His old friend smiled, and then winked. "I wouldn’t worry about me, Darius.  I have a feeling your eyes are about to be opened."

He followed the larger man through the crowd.  His balance was shot and he staggered most of the way, riding his way through the wave of sweaty bodies. What could Gideon want with him?  To rub his nose in the fact he had Freya?  No, his friend wouldn’t do that to him.

Jacob opened the door to his old room.  The lights inside were off, but he didn't question the fact, just entered, hoping not to fall on his face. After hearing the door close tight, the lights were flicked on.  His eyes took a moment to adjust.  When he could see clearly there was a full-grown male lion in the middle of the small room.  Its presence made the room feel smaller than a closet.  It was so grand, huge, mesmerizing…but couldn't be real. He must have been more drunk than he thought.

Then he spotted her.  She was already staring in his direction, not concerned that a lion stood a foot from her.  There was no trainer in sight.  Could an illusion, a trick of the mind, be that realistic?  He could have sworn if he reached out his hand, he'd feel the thick yellow-brown coat against his fingers.  The color reminded him of Gideon's hair.

"Freya, am I dreaming?"  It must be a dream if she was in it.  Day and nights blurred because she was always on his mind.

"You sure this is a good idea?" said Jacob from behind him.

"It's the only way," said another woman.  She reminded him of Freya, but with dark hair, rather than pale blonde.

The lion stepped forward and he countered the movements, backing against the wall. "Don’t be scared, Darius.  It's Gideon."  Freya's sweet voice cut through the fog of disbelief, but her words made no sense.

"Nice, kitty."  Darius had never seen a lion up this close.  It was truly majestic, but could also rip him apart in a flash.

Freya approached the great beast, running her hand through its thick mane.  The animal didn't even flinch.  He'd expect it to turn and bite her arm off.  When she leaned over to wrap her arms around its impossibly thick neck, he bolted forward, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her behind him.

"Shift, Gideon.  Show him," said Freya.

When the animal rose on hind legs, twisting and changing right before his eyes, he thought he'd truly lost his mind. Just as Freya had commanded, he finally morphed into Gideon, the man he knew well.  What kind of black magic was this?

"Cool trick, eh?"  Gideon patted him on the back before reaching for a pair of shorts on the edge of the bed.  Darius was too shocked to notice the man had been stark naked. He reached into his back pocket and shakily pulled out a cigarillo. After five attempts to get his lighter to work, he dropped his arm.

"Can we be alone, please," said Freya.  The other three left the room, leaving him alone with his dream woman.  She had a lot of explaining to do.  Or he needed to wake up from this fucked up dream.

****

The big reveal had been a failure.  It only succeeded to scare and confuse Darius. How could she expect him to accept the unknown after a lifetime of believing the world was black and white?  In fact, it was a rainbow of color, something very few humans were granted a peek into.

"Darius?"  She took his hand and pressed it to her chest.  "Darius, talk to me."

"Are you an angel or a demon?"  His eyes were glazed over, a hint of alcohol on his breath.

"You're not dreaming."  She ran her hands over his roughened jawline, closing her eyes briefly.  Since she left, all she'd thought about was touching him again. She whispered, "I left because I'm different from you, not because I don't love you."

"You can't love someone after a few days, Freya."

She could sense his chemical signature, a mix of lust, desire, but also unique elements associated with only one thing—love.  Why would fate bring them both together? So ill-fitted, but undoubtedly linked soul deep.

"Do you feel anything for me?"

"It doesn't matter.  You're with Gideon now.  I'm not going to fight for you if you've made a conscious choice. Speaking of Gideon.  What the fuck is going on here?"

Shit. Not only did she have to deal with their differences, revealing she was a shifter, but now had to convince him that a ménage relationship was not a negative thing.  She had her work cut out for her.

"He's a lion shifter.  Haven't you ever thought that just maybe all the Hollywood movies had at least some basis in reality?  Is it so far fetched for a creature that can shift forms to live amongst you?"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"How would you explain what you saw, Darius?"

He shrugged and shook his head slightly. "A trick. I'm drunk, it could have been anything."

She bit her lower lip to fend off her rising nerves. In one minute she'd shift into her white wolf and pray for the best. "No tricks. Do you like dogs?  'Cause if you do, you'll love me."  Freya closed her eyes and began to shift.  All she could think about was Darius' acceptance. Yes, she had two loyal mates, but needed him too.

Once fully in her wolf skin, she sighed inwardly, reveling in the feel of her beast. When she opened her eyes, fearing the worst, she came face to face with him.  He'd knelt down, no fear registering, only curiosity glinting in his eyes. "You're beautiful," he whispered as he ran his hands through her soft, thick coat. Her heart skipped a beat knowing her wolf didn't repulse him.  If he couldn’t accept her for who she was, it would never work between them—it still probably wouldn't because they were too different. One day she'd forget he was human and hurt him, or her shifter mates may tire of babysitting a weaker male in times of trouble. A true mate should be able to protect their woman, but Freya didn't care, she just wanted to keep Darius.

When she shifted back, now wearing nothing but a scrap of her clothing, he helped her to her feet.

"Do you believe me now?"

"I guess I do."  He smiled. "You know I've suspected something like this, but never entertained the idea.  Guess I should have.  Things can get pretty freaky at Club Frenzy after hours."  Darius ran a hand through her hair. "Your eyes are still the same. Beautiful wolf eyes."

She leaned forward and they joined lips, beginning a slow, sensual exploration.  It was all in the open now and hadn't been nearly as painful as she'd expected.  Now she just had to get Darius and her mates to agree to share her—forever.

"Please love me," she murmured against his lips.

"You know I do."  His voice was rich and deep, the sound cascading through her body like foreplay.  He reached around and cupped her ass, squeezing her fleshy mounds.  There was nothing between her sensitive pussy and his rough blue jeans. The friction had her pulse racing. Another set of hands snaked around her from behind, covering her breasts. She jolted out of her lust and scanned the room.  Freya hadn't even heard her mates enter, she'd been so enraptured by Darius' kiss. They also allowed Carna to enter, but not her mate.  She was naked and feeling out of sorts with her sister now in the room.

"Thought you'd killed him," said Vincent with humor in his voice.

"So you know now.  Everything make sense now?" asked Gideon, unsuccessfully holding back a chuckle.

Darius nodded, still appearing slightly dazed from the information overload.

Carna pressed in, pushing all the males aside. "I'm not staying; trust me I want out of here as fast as I can."  The room was ripe with lust. "Are you sure you love the human?  Are you sure he's your true mate?"

She had no doubt. "Yes."

"Well, he does look like a keeper."  She grinned. "So there are some things you should become familiar with." Her sister winked and continued on a whisper, "You know we have special abilities due to our royal blood.  There's one secret nobody knows but us."

"What?"

"Royal blood can create new shifters. Bite each other and you'll find out.  Just be sure it's what you both want first.  There's no going back after the love bite."  Carna kissed her cheek and made her way to the door. "Make sure these animals bring you by to visit," she called out teasingly before slamming the door shut.

She kept the newfound information within her where she could absorb the enormity of it. If she could change Darius into a shifter like the rest of them, he'd be an equal—strong, unbreakable, and hers forever.

"You look cold," said Gideon.  All three men moved in on her once the door closed.  "How about we warm you up, pretty little wolf?"

Heat already bloomed in her core, lighting up her extremities. Her lion and cougar looked absolutely savage, sexual hunger burning in their eyes.  She wasn't immune to their desire.  It pulled her in, making all her insecurities, worries, and doubts fizzle away.  All that remained was need.

They hadn't asked Darius to leave even though he wasn't yet her mate.  And Darius hadn't show signs of revulsion to the idea of sharing her…yet. Vincent stripped off his shirt, offering his perfectly chiseled body for her pleasure.  She loved every inch of him, from his lean muscled frame, to his armband tats, to his unkempt dirty-blonde hair. When he approached, she eagerly wrapped her arms around his neck and sought his mouth.  Her bare flesh pressed against his sizzled, making her pussy pulse, strong and demanding.

"She smells ripe, Vincent," said Gideon.

"That she does."  He nipped his way down her neck and across her shoulder.  Pleasure bordering on pain, and the promise of the intense, feral sex she craved.

"Do we let the human play?"

"The human is standing right here."  Darius plucked off his own shirt.  He was gloriously bronzed and wickedly tempting for a non-shifter. The faint scent of cigarillos and alcohol clung to him, increasing her arousal. She'd do anything to ensure he joined in with them tonight, even if she had to drop down to her knees and suck his cock in front of her mates.

"He gets to play," said Carna.  She reached for Darius' hand and placed it on her breast.  Gideon's golden eyes traced the movement.  She half expected him to snap the human's wrist in two for daring to touch her, but his guarded stance softened and he began unbuckling his pants instead.

Once shirtless with his zipper down, Gideon ordered her to her knees.  She knew his alpha lion would demand to dominate with a new male in the room, and she reveled in every minute of it.  The floor was cool on her knees, but only an afterthought. She pulled the flaps of his pants wider and freed his cock from his boxers.  Up close, he was massive—long, thick, and virile. She imagined that heavy cock being rammed into her achy pussy, but her needs would have to wait a little while longer.

"Go on, Freya.  I want to feel you sucking me.  Suck me while your human watches."

She opened her mouth as wide as she could and sucked on the bulbous tip.  Her womb continually spasmed, coiling tight with her increasing desperation to be fucked. She could hear Darius in the background, insisting the human wasn't the only other man in the room.  Gideon's cock was hot and pulsed each time she suckled it.  She lost herself in the act, grabbing the base in a loose fist, pumping and sucking, licking and teasing. Before long, he pushed her shoulders back, releasing her suction. "No more.  You'll have me coming in no time with a mouth like that."

He hoisted her to her feet as if she weighed mere pounds.  His mouth on hers was demanding and probed deep.  As they backed up, she hit a wall of hard male flesh, an aroused dick prodding her back to match the one to her front. Her desires grew sinfully high and she couldn't help it when her fangs lengthened.  She didn't want to startle Darius too much.  He'd already been taking all the revelations so well.

"Bite me, Freya," Gideon growled.  She didn't hesitate, but lashed forward in a vicious, yet erotic attack. Her teeth sinking into his thick muscles was heavenly, transporting her to a new realm.  She didn't care what they did to her at this point, she needed so much more.

Chapter Nine

Vincent's hard-on grew painful as he watched Freya's beautiful white-blonde head bobbing back and forth over Gideon's cock.  He wanted to feel her lips wrapped around him, but knew what was to come. Soon he'd be sharing her body with the lion, both balls deep into her impossibly tight body.

He held a tube of lube from the dresser drawer, but Freya snatched it from him. "Darius.  Sit."  He obeyed, his potent lust impossible to disguise.  Sitting on the edge of the bed, she demanded he lose his pants as well.  Again, he complied until naked, his cock jutting out from between his legs.  "You're both going to watch this," she said in an assertive tone.  "You have to learn that Darius is my mate, too, and that sharing is good."  She coated the human's dick with a healthy layer of lubricant.  He leaned back on his elbows, his eyes half mast.

"Freya," Gideon warned. "He hasn't even marked you!"

"He's about to."  She turned her back to Darius and lowered her ass onto his erection.  The man groaned loud and strangled as she impaled her tight little ass over his rigid cock.

Vincent couldn't help himself any longer.  He lost his pants and began to pump his shaft.  Freya watched him as she slowly rose and fell over Darius' lap. Her eyes were lust drunk and she followed his movements.  Thanks to her, he could scent her array of emotions, including the unmistakable white-hot need.  "You feel good in my ass, Darius.  Now bite me before I invite one of my mates to join us."

Even though human, at least if they marked each other it would be a binding relationship.  Sharing her with the other man wouldn't feel right until he'd taken the blood oath.  They'd have to deal with the human issue, but Darius was already a good friend to Vincent and Gideon, so they'd work it out.  Besides, Freya wanted him, and Vincent would never deny her anything.

****

"I'm not biting you."  Darius said it as if it were a bad thing.

"The only way for us to be together is for you to join us, to become a shifter.  To do that, you need to bite me."  Although she said the words in a clinical voice, her blood had turned icy cold, terrified he'd refuse.  If he did, she'd lose him.

"I'll hurt you."

She shook her head in rapid denial.  There was nothing she craved more than Darius' bite.  It would be more painful without fangs to break the skin, but she'd gladly suffer through it. He sat straighter, his chest to her back.  She continued to wiggle and grind over his cock, loving the fullness in her ass. Gideon and Vincent were watching her intently.  Gods, she loved her two alpha shifters, such power and aggression at her command.

"Fucking bite her, Darius.  Don't be a pussy."  Her poor kitty cat. He was all pent up, patiently waiting his turn to make love to her.  She couldn't wait to feel his massive cock wedged into her pussy, filling her to the brink.  Tonight she'd take all three men, binding their ménage for good.

Darius finally chose the thickest area of muscle on her neck and bit down, only to release her.  "I can't do it," he said.  She could sense his apprehension.

"Are you scared of changing?" she asked.

"No, I'm scared of hurting you."

She pulled off his cock and turned to straddle his lap.  "I'll go first, then."  Freya kissed his delectable lips, once, twice, then went for his neck.  She sunk her teeth in deep, ensuring that any bite would change him as Carna explained. He grunted in discomfort, but that pain soon changed into pleasure.  She knew exactly what he felt, it was pure bliss.  His hands began to roam over her back, her ass. She pulled free of his neck and used a hand to the back of his head to lead him to hers. He licked her pulse point, inhaling deep.

"Mark her, Darius!" Vincent demanded.  He must be close to reaching his peak, too.  She couldn't wait to invite her mates to join them.

This time her human lover took the plunge and bit the base of her neck.  It hurt like a mother fucker, but she held back from screaming or he'd stop.  As soon as his blunt teeth punctured her skin, and her sticky blood seeped out, his body went rigid. He suckled her wound, drinking in her royal blood. What if Carna was wrong?  She prayed to the gods that he'd change into a shifter now that the love bites were complete.

As soon as Darius came up for air, a smear of blood at the side of his mouth, Freya was whisked off his lap by her lion. He kissed her as he carried her to the thread-bare loveseat. "You're a little temptress, princess.  But you're mine now."  He sat on the cushion and pulled her atop him as she'd been with Darius minutes earlier.  Her back to his front, he gripped her hips and guided her onto his huge cock. When she'd pumped his shaft while on her knees, her fingers failed to meet around his girth he was so well endowed.  She tensed as he swirled the wide, firm head of his cock at her anus.  Already thoroughly lubed and primed, he eased her down, down, down until she was so full of cock, she thought she'd gag. He moved slow, giving her time to stretch and adjust to being filled up the ass again.

She looked back to where they'd left Darius.  His skin had broken out in a sheen of sweat, his chest rising and falling in rapid waves.  As much as she wanted to rush over and nurse him, ensure he was okay with the change, she also didn't want to leave her perch on Gideon's lap. "Darius," she called.

When he lifted his eyes to look in her direction, they were no longer near-black in color, but the same as hers, a greenish-yellow.  Wolf eyes. Her empty pussy throbbed as realization took root. Her darkly masculine human, was now a wolf shifter.  The light eyes against his golden skin and dark hair were truly beautiful. He rose to his feet, seemingly taller, more solid.  Every step was now with the grace of a predator, but the feral need in his eyes, combined with the rigidity of his bobbing cock, showed his determination to claim her body.

Oh gods, this is going to be a wild ride.

"You've gotten your wish, my little mate," Gideon cooed in her ear. "But I think you've created a monster that won't be easily sated."

"A new shifter," Vincent said reflectively.  "You're going to be sore tomorrow, sweetheart."

"Just put it in me, Darius!  I'm achy all over."

The wolf leaned over her, guiding Gideon against the sofa cushions.  The lion's cock in her ass shifted as she lay back, hitting every sweet spot inside her. "I've never felt so alive.  I can hear everything, see details I've never seen before, and feel your body calling to me.  I've never been so fucking horny."  Darius licked his tongue over his new, glistening fangs.  She wanted them in her as much as his cock.

"Give it to me then!"  Her patience grew thin.  She wanted it hard and fast and soon.

He bent up one knee on the sofa, and both men shifted her into alignment.  Darius grabbed the root of his cock in a rough hold and drove it into her wet heat.  He forged his way along Gideon's cock, only a thin membrane separating them.  She squealed, raking her claws over Darius' shoulders to the point of drawing blood.  It didn't matter.  He was no longer a soft-skinned human.  He'd be able to take her at her worst—wolf for wolf. As soon as he was buried to the hilt, her body exploded, milking both men in deep, contracting waves. She held onto her sanity by a thread, but it wasn't over…

A new burning heat built in her core as the two men pumped in and out of her body like a finely tuned engine. The delicious friction was building something epic, she could feel it—heat coursing its way from every cell in her body, straight to her pussy.

"Vincent," she murmured, barely able to speak from the onslaught of sensation. She needed her cougar too, each man was a piece to her heart and it was finally complete.  He came into view beside Darius, wall to wall muscle around her.  She reached for his cock, gently tugging him closer by his length.  "Give me," she panted.  He leaned over, just so, bracing his strong arms on the back of the sofa and wall as he offered her his erection.  She eagerly lapped at the moisture beading at the tip, the salty tartness an aphrodisiac in her heightened arousal.

"Oh, shit, your mouth feels like heaven, Freya."  He thrust his hips, his cock reaching down her throat to the point of gagging, but she took as many inches as she dared, while sucking him hard, expelling her energy on his mushroom head.

Each man was grunting, growling, or claiming she was theirs in gruff, masculine voices.  The erotic chorus was music to her ears.  She savored being the center of attention to these men.

They all neared their peak at once.  It was the combination of Vincent grabbing her hair in a tight fist, Gideon sinking his fangs into the back of her neck, and Darius whispering he loved her into her ear as he came—that brought her next orgasm to a precipice.

"Oh gods!" she called out, thrashing her head from side to side as the men filled her every orifice with their seed. It was done, she was theirs and they were hers.  Always.

****

"You know you sealed your mating in the same room I did," said Carna as they sat on the ledge of the high rise condominium. The sun had long since set and they'd be heading in to join their mates before long.

"That's gross."

"No it's not.  It was just meant to be for both of us."

Freya reflected on the past couple weeks of being a newly mated woman. She regretted nothing.  The only sadness left in her heart was the loss of her third sister.  "What about Delia?"

"Delia's a big girl.  I have no doubt she's surviving just fine."  Carna looked down on the darkened city, thousands of lights illuminated the skyline as far as the eye could see.

"Surviving isn't living.  I want her to have what we have, but she may be too stubborn to see an opportunity.  I almost did the same."

"If the gods intend for her to mate, her men will find her whether she approves or not."

They both laughed, giddy on their happiness, on the fact neither had to run any longer.  They'd found the love of good men they'd chosen, they had each other once again, and the future for all races was looking brighter each day.  Once they found Delia, they'd finally have peace, finally reunite as they'd always planned. Tomorrow was another day with all its possibilities, but for today, Freya counted her blessings.

The End

www.staceyespino.com

Other Books by Stacey Espino:

Beyond The Wall

'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas

Catch Me If You Can

Claiming Their Mate (Pack Seduction, 1)

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com