So this was it.
This was how it ended. This was how I died. With a knife pressed against my throat.
I blinked back the tears and tried to focus on my mates standing a few feet away. Their faces were pale and their big bodies shaking. My eyes dropped to the claws that slowly slid from David’s fingertips. He was almost panting and I knew it was because he was fighting the shift. They wanted to save me, but the man holding the knife had warned them to stay back. I could feel the blood slowly dripping down my neck from where he had dug the blade into my skin.
My body shook—from the fear and the cold that was seeping into my bones. I was pulled right out of bed. To think that it was supposed to be an ordinary night. I was waiting for my mates to return but it wasn’t them who woke me. Something else had, and when I opened my eyes, it was to a dark figure hovering over me with a knife pressed to my throat. He had warned me not to scream, but I had anyway. And that was why he had pressed a cloth over my mouth and nose.
“P-please,” I begged.
I wasn’t ready to die.
***
***12 hours earlier. . .***
“Faster.”
“Harder.”
I groaned but obeyed their orders. I gave them all I had. Punch, dodge, and kick. It was always the same thing but in different orders. But this time I wasn’t fighting against Devon alone. David had joined us not soon after we started. Having both of them shirtless with their skin glistering from sweat was very damn distracting. My mouth was watering with the urge to lick their skin and have a taste.
A kick to my back made me stumble forward right into David. He grunted when my body hit his. We were both unprepared. He stumbled backward, unable to steady himself. We both hit the floor hard enough to knock the air from our lungs.
I instantly pushed myself up and straddled his hips. My eyes trailed over his face in concern when he didn’t move. “Are you okay?”
“I should be asking you that.” Devon walked closer, glancing down at me.
“I’m fine. You didn’t kick me hard enough to hurt me.” I pressed my hands against David’s chest and leaned forward until my face was inches from his. “Did you hit your head when we fell?”
“I’m fine,” he finally muttered.
He slowly opened his eyes to look up at me. His eyes locked with mine for a few seconds before dropping to my chest. He growled and reached out to grip my hips. I glanced down and smiled when I realized what a great view he had of my cleavage. The sports bra I wore barely covered anything—maybe it was because it was a few sizes too small. It made my boobs appear bigger than they were.
“A little cleavage turns you on?”
His lips twitched. “Your cleavage turns me on.”
“I have small boobs.”
David chuckled. “They are a perfect size, doll.”
I rolled my eyes and sat back to glance up at Devon. “What about you?”
He frowned as if confused. My eyes dropped to the front of his pants and the visible bulge. Really, that’s all it took for them to get hard? A flash of cleavage and they’re ready to go.
“Step closer, baby,” I ordered Devon.
He moved, stepping closer until his feet brushed against David’s arm. Reaching out, I gripped the band of his pants and tugged it down and over his hardening length. He gasped. My eyes shot up to his. I waited for his objections, but he said nothing. My smile widened.
I gripped his dick firmly and slowly moved my hand up and down. His low groan shot straight down to my pussy. I turned slightly to get a better angle and then wrapped my lips around the head of his dick. I licked the small drop of liquid from the slit before sliding my mouth lower. Devon grabbed my ponytail and tugged me closer as he thrust his hips forward. My gag reflex kicked in when he hit the back of my throat. I reached up to grip his thighs and push back, but he held on tightly.
“You’re choking her.”
Devon finally allowed me to pull away. Spit dripped down his dick and my chin. I sucked air into my lungs. I was so focused on Devon that I hadn’t realized that David had ripped the bra down the front. I raised my eyebrows at him but help him tug off the remaining material. He cupped my breasts and gave them a firm squeeze. Callused fingers brushed my nipples back and forth. I gasped when he suddenly twisted them. The pain made tears fill my eyes.
“You’re hurting her.”
He eased off and slid his hands down my ribs to my hips. David gripped them and then suddenly flipped us around. He sat back on his haunches and gripped the band of the workout pants I wore. My eyes widened when he just ripped the material down the seams. A second later I was completely exposed to them. I turned my head to Devon when he moved. He pushed his pants the rest of the way down his legs and kicked them away. Moving closer, he stepped over me and lowered himself onto his knees. Devon was straddling my chest.
“Push your breasts together,” he ordered softly.
I was a little confused but I followed his order. My confusion cleared when he leaned back slightly and guided his dick down between my breasts. He slowly started moving his hips back and forth. I’ve read about this on one of those rare nights where I couldn’t sleep. It was making me hotter watching him fuck my breasts. I read about something else too. Tilting my head up, I parted my lips and licked the head of his dick every time he’d thrust forward. He grunted and increased his pace slightly.
My concentration was lost when a mouth suddenly clamped down over my clit. My hips jerked upwards when a raspy tongue licked my pussy lips. Up and down. Circling my clit and then flicking it up and down a few times before repeating the process. My muscles clenched. I wanted something inside me. A moan slipped past my lips when David slowly slid a finger inside me. He moved it slowly in and out.
To think, a few weeks ago I was still a virgin.
It’s been four weeks since the attack at the cabin. Four weeks of being stuck inside the house and only seeing my mates early in the mornings and late at night. They were worried but they refused to discuss anything with me. I had the right to know what was happening, but I wasn’t ready to take responsibility just yet. I doubt anyone would listen to me anyway after what Devon’s father was telling everybody. So maybe they were doing the right thing by not involving me with pack business just yet. One day, just not today.
“Val. . .”
My eyes shot up. Devon was leaning over me with amusement dancing in his eyes. Heat flooded my cheeks when I realized that I had drifted off in my thoughts. My eyes fluttered closed when he brushed his lips against mine. His tongue traced my bottom lip and then slowly entered my mouth. His body slid down mine. Hard flesh against soft flesh. I parted my legs when he slipped between them. Where’s David?
“W-wait,” I breathed before he could enter me. “I want both of you together.”
Devon’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” My eyes darted over to the clock. “You have time, right?”
He too glanced over at the clock. I knew the answer before he even turned back to me. Some of the heat faded. I sighed as I sat up.
“The moment’s ruined, huh?” David suddenly muttered from our right. “It’ll take time for me to get you ready enough to take both of us, and we don’t have time now.”
“I know. We can try tonight if you’re home before I’m in bed.”
“We will be here before then,” Devon said before David could utter a word. They shared a glance. “We will have dinner and then head right to bed.”
I laughed. “So eager.”
He leaned down the peck my lips. “Always.”
“Go take a shower and then we will eat breakfast before we leave.”
Unfortunately, I had to shower alone. I blow-dried my hair before getting dressed. When I entered the kitchen both men were already seated at the island. Conversation stopped when David caught sight of me.
I slipped in between them and reached for the juice. Taking a sip, I placed it aside and reached for a slice of toast. This morning there was no small talk as we ate. It was unusually quiet. I picked up on the fact that both men were suddenly tensed. They left with a kiss to the cheek and a promise to be home on time. My shoulders dropped the moment the front door closed behind them. I knew two guards would be standing outside and a few more were close by.
I haven’t argued with them when they told me about the guards. It honestly made me feel a little safer knowing I had helped close by if needed. After cleaning the kitchen, I headed back to my room to grab the small notebook and pen. I took a seat on the couch and opened the book at the page I had used last. I reread the list I had already started and then continued.
By lunch, I had not heard from either of them. It was obvious that they won’t be joining me for lunch today either. I got up to make myself some sandwiches for lunch. I was busy searching through the cabinets and making a list for groceries we needed when the phone suddenly started ringing. I nearly tripped over my feet in the rush to get to it.
“Hello?” I answered breathlessly.
“Don’t be mad at us,” Devon spoke up.
“This is something we can’t get out of,” David muttered.
“What are you talking about?” I sank down on the couch and leaned back.
“We won’t make it tonight,” Devon said softly. “Some activities near the pack borders were reported. It’s too close for comfort.”
“After the attack with the rogues and hunters, we can’t take the risk of only taking someone’s word for it. We need to investigate as soon as possible.”
Fear rushed through me. “Do you think it's Hunters again?”
“It’s a possibility, doll.” Some papers were crinkling in the background. “We can’t take that risk.”
I wrapped an arm around my waist and hugged tight. They weren’t going to be back in time. They were going to the border and it could be dangerous for either of them. It could be a trap. Either one of them could get killed then. I could lose them. The sudden fear that gripped me made my stomach clench. I pressed a hand against my mouth and stumbled to my feet. The sink was the closest thing to empty the contents of my stomach in. I gripped the edge of the sink tightly as my knees shook.
Reaching over, I opened the tap and rinsed my mouth before splashing some water onto my face. What the hell just happened? I slowly made my way back to the couch and picked up the phone again. The dial tone sounded in my ear. I frowned and redialled the number but no one picked up. The phone slipped from my fingers when the door was suddenly thrown open. My head snapped up and my eyes widened. Devon stormed inside with David hot on his heels.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
Devon clutched my arms and searched my face with worried eyes. I frowned at him but before I could speak, I was pushed down onto the couch. A tall glass of ice water suddenly appeared in front of me. When I refused to take the glass, David held it to my lips and forced me to drink some of it.
“What happened?” Devon repeated his question from earlier. “It looks like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“You’re pale,” David muttered, “and you’re shaking.”
I licked my lips. “I just got a little sick. I think the cheese has gone bad.”
They didn’t look convinced, but there was no way I was telling him how upsetting it was just thinking of them leaving to go to the border. I leaned into Devon’s touch when he cupped my cheek. I wanted to make the worry in his eyes disappear.
“I’m okay, really.” I gripped his wrist and turned my face to press a kiss against his palm. My eyes darted over to David. I gave both of them a small smile. “You need to get going.”
“I’m staying.”
My eyes widened and the fear inside me increased. “No!” I almost yelled. “You have to go with Devon. I’d feel better if you were together. I know you’d have each other backs if something happens.”
“That is why we have enforcers and other ranks, little dove.”
“But I don’t know if I can trust them,” I whispered. “I’m not stupid. I know you’re having trouble with some members because of me.”
“Every pack has—”
“Don’t argue with me,” I said firmly. “Either both of you go, or both of you stay with me.”
They glanced at each other. My frustration level rose when they did that thing where they communicated silently with each other. Why couldn’t I do that with them? How do they even do that? Devon sighed and turned back to me. He leaned down to press a kiss against my forehead. I watched as he walked away and disappeared down the hall.
“Wrin is going to stay with you while we’re out. Depending on what we find, we shouldn’t be gone long. We might even make it back before you fall asleep.”
The word was said with a smile, but even hours after the sun had set, there was still no word from them.
My eyes darted over to the clock and then to Wrin sitting on the couch across from me. We had talked for a little while until my mind became too preoccupied to pay any attention to what was being said.
When the clock struck eleven, I gave in to exhaustion. I bid him goodnight as I made my way towards our bedroom. I slipped out of my clothes and into one of their shirts before sliding in between the thick blankets. The bed felt too big without their bodies flanking me.
Within seconds of my head hitting the pillow, I fell asleep. My dreams were troubled. I dreamed of people coming to tell me that my mates were dead. I dreamed of bloodied bodies being dragged back to the house.
The nightmares kept me tossing and turning until something woke me.
I turned onto my back and opened my eyes. The air got caught in my throat when I saw the dark figure hovering over me. I thought it was Wrin, but suddenly the shadow moved. Something cold and sharp was pressed against my neck.
“Scream and I’ll kill you.”