STORY EXCERPT

“How’s she doing?” asked Chandler as he entered the guest bedroom.

Linc lifted the T-shirt they’d used to replace her bloody clothing away from her abdomen just far enough for his friend to see. “The knife wound is already healing nicely. That’s why I left the bandage off this time. And the bite wound’s doing better, too. As soon as she gets through these next couple of days, she’s going to be fine.”

“Do you think we were right to take her clothes off?”

Linc nodded. He’d had the same question running through his mind since last night when they’d brought her home. “What else were we supposed to do? Let her lie in bloody clothes? Besides, werewolf healing powers or not, we still needed to clean the wounds. Yeah, we were right to do it. I’m just glad we were able to resist.” Then again, any respectable man would’ve resisted the primal urges that had stormed through him. He’d almost broken a tooth gritting his teeth to keep from touching her where he didn’t need to touch her. He was, after all, not entirely an animal.

“I barely made it through it. Especially when I washed her…you know where.”

Linc straightened up then sat in the chair next to the bed. “We had to make sure she was clean, right? Don’t women get infections or something if they don’t keep their private parts clean?” What he knew about women’s hygiene could fit on the head of a pin. But they’d done their best, and that was all anyone could expect.

“Beats the hell out of me. But she did need a bath, even if it was only a sponge bath.”

Linc studied the steady rise and fall of her chest. “Maybe we should’ve called in one of the women from town.”

“Maybe. Probably. But to tell the truth, I didn’t think about it. All I wanted was to get her into bed and let her rest.”

“Do you think we should’ve changed her?” Linc had already answered this question for himself several times, but he still needed reassurance. Second-guessing, however, wouldn’t change things, but it might ease the knot in his gut.

“Shit. We don’t need to keep going over this. It was either that or let her die. We did the only thing we could.”

“Yeah, we did.” Yet would she think so? Would she have rather died than be bitten and changed into a werewolf? He’d never even thought of changing someone without their consent—until her. He had to stop questioning his decision, or he’d go nuts. “I’d sure like to know who stabbed her and left her for dead. And once I found out…”

“I’d be right there with you. What kind of dirt bag does that?”

“The kind of scum who doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air she breathes.”

Silence came as tension mounted in the room. Linc’s wolf howled at him to turn it free, to let it hunt for her attacker. But even if he’d known who that attacker was, he wouldn’t, couldn’t leave her side until she awoke.

Linc looked to his friend. “Getting her to rest wasn’t the only reason we wanted to wash her, and you know it.”

He sighed, resigned to the truth. “No, it wasn’t. I feel shitty for that and yet…”

Linc didn’t have to ask his friend to confirm what he thought. He’d wanted the same thing. As soon as they’d found her lying by the side of the road, he’d felt it. He was connected to her. Not only physically but emotionally and, even in some werewolf way, spiritually.

“You’re thinking she could be the one.”

He had a difficult time taking his attention off her and back on Chandler. “I do. I felt…something. Didn’t you?”

What would he do if his friend hadn’t felt a connection with her? They’d both agreed that if their mate chose one and not the other, the one she didn’t want would have to leave. But making that decision and following through on it were entirely different things. Could he make Chandler leave? Could he force his best friend off the ranch for any reason? For anyone? Could he leave if it turned out the other way around?

Chandler let out a frustrated groan. “Yeah, I did. At first I didn’t know what it was, but after giving it some thought, I do now. It’s the connection. It has to be. Hell, I feel it right now.”

Linc sat back, relieved. “Yeah. It has to be.” He chuckled. “The strange thing is that I’d about given up on it. I was beginning to question whether the connection thing was real or a bunch of made-up romantic crap.”

“Me, too. But it’s there, all right. Like electricity jolting through me every time I look at her. I want to touch her, to hold her, to keep her safe.”

“Same here. So at least that question’s been answered. We both share a connection with her.”

“Meaning we can share her as our woman.” Chandler came closer. “But that doesn’t mean she’ll feel the connection with both of us. Shit, she might not feel it with even one of us. Talk about the worst-case scenario.” He bent low and took her hand.

“Yeah. That would be the worst.” Linc watched as his friend closed his eyes and smiled. He was getting that feeling again. Although he wasn’t touching her, he still felt an underlying vibration, a current of need whipping crazily inside him. “We just have to hope she wants both of us.”

“Yeah. We can hope.” Chandler pulled up another chair, turning her hand free for a moment, then took a seat on the opposite side of the bed. “Until then, we wait.”

ADULT EXCERPT

He tasted even better than the almost raw steak had tasted. Unique flavors flooded her mouth as he worked his hips back and forth, carefully shoving his cock toward the back of her mouth. Sucking, she then whipped her tongue around his length then sucked again, earning her an agonized moan.

They finger-fucked her, shoving in quick, short strokes then switching to long, languorous ones. Linc’s tongue played around his fingers as he pumped them into her asshole. A slap then another added to the fun.

When at last Linc took his fingers and tongue from her, she was more than ready to have his cock inside her pussy. Chandler mumbled a complaint but eased away, taking his cock away from her then wrapping his hand around it.

“Come here, darlin’,” Linc said.

She turned around, albeit in a somewhat unsteady manner. With a quick tug, he brought her to his lap. She sat down, her gaze once more meeting his as he guided his cock inside her. Drawing in a steadying breath, she welcomed the huge shaft then let her breath out. They set up a sweet rhythm, rocking, undulating her bottom back and forth. She clutched his hair with both hands and pulled his mouth to her breast. “Suck it, Linc. Suck it hard. Use your teeth.”

Catching her nipple between his teeth, he gave her what she wanted. His hands gripped her butt cheeks and went along with the slow ride of her hips. His cock sleeked over her spongy spot, driving the wild sensations inside her to an even greater spin. She cried out as her orgasm grew stronger, demanding a release soon.

Soon came all too fast.

She cried out as the wave overtook her. Then, before it could end, she was lifted off Linc and onto Chandler. He brought her down hard on top of his, his cock spearing her. She cried out again as her climax kept thundering through her.

Perspiration dotted her brow and made droplets of water between her breasts. Chandler wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and licked the droplets off her. Soft grunts accompanied his thrusts into her pussy. As he pounded into her, she bounced, making small sounds that echoed his.

“Fuck her hard, man.”

She would’ve said something, yet she couldn’t think with Chandler’s cock driving deep inside her pussy. Taking hold of his shoulders, she gripped him hard and vaguely wondered if her nails were digging into his flesh. He didn’t seem to notice.

Suddenly, her hair was jerked back. Linc bent to whisper in her ear. “Open your ass for me, darlin’. I need my cock inside you.”

Bending forward, she lifted up, giving her ass to Linc. He slapped her butt cheek then took hold of her hips. His cock eased between her cheeks, and then, with a quick thrust, he was inside her.

Chandler widened the spread of his legs then cupped her tits and brought them to his mouth. He sucked hard, his grunts still coming with his thrusts.

Her body was alive with the strange sensation. She felt electrified, filled with not only her spirit but theirs. The how and why of it made no sense, but she didn’t care. She could hear the buzzing of sexual power in her ears.

Closing her eyes, she struggled to keep the emerging climax at bay for as long as she could.

The image hit her strong, taking her breath away. Linc and Chandler, naked, stood in the small clearing surrounded by trees. Their eyes blazed with amber, and the desire on their faces was unmistakable.

She tightened her pussy walls around Linc, eager to see where her fantasy would take her.

She was naked, too, in the fantasy and began to walk toward them. Just as she was only a few yards away, their bodies began to blur. Stopping, she struggled to understand as the men she wanted began to change.

She heard the sound of their bones breaking.

Their limbs grew shorter and into strange angles.

Their facial features became distorted as long snouts replaced short noses.

Dark fur skimmed over Chandler’s body while golden fur overtook Linc’s.

And when she met their eyes, all she saw was amber.

She sucked in a breath, both in the fantasy and the reality, as the men dropped to the ground, paws meeting dirt.

Wolves.

The thought hit her, then suddenly she felt her limbs breaking, changing. She dropped to the ground on all four paws.

A moan escaped her, but had that moaned changed into a growl?

No. That can’t be.

Her eyes opened, meeting Linc’s.

“It’s okay, darlin’. Everything’s okay.”

She sucked in a breath. The fantasy was a fantasy, but it had seemed all too real.

“Don’t stop now, babe. I’m about to blow.” Chandler paused, lifted her up a little, then shoved his cock harder than ever into her pussy. His cry matched hers as their orgasms broke free.

Linc moaned then pulled his cock out of her asshole. Warmth of his seed struck the small of her back as he gave into his release.

Their pants filled the air. The musky scent of their sex tantalized her nostrils. Slowly, carefully, she eased off Chandler. Then, before her knees could buckle, she sat down beside him.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Funny how we didn’t kiss during sex.

And then an even stranger idea came.

Do animals kiss?