Page 28 of Shifter Mates for the Single Mom

“Holy shit,” Madelyne said as I handed back her phone.

“That’s the most I have ever heard you say at one time,” Nathan breathed. “Do you think he can be goaded into attacking directly?”

“He may be direct. He may try his skulking ways, as may his companions. But one thing is certain. He will come. And in his rage and his jealousy, he will make mistakes.”

“Why did you do this?” Madelyne was looking at me in a mix of shock and awe as she nestled in Nathan’s arms.

“I have come to understand that we were making a mistake by playing by his rules. He ran, we chased. He hid, we searched. Everything we have done has been a reaction. But we must make him react. We must stop wasting time and never knowing when he will come by again. Now, he will come to us.”

“I hope you’re right, Ulf,” Nathan said quietly. “It’s a hell of a risk, but you may well be right. It’s time to end this.”

* * *

Nathan wasn’t very traditional. Before this, I had never seen that as a boon. But in a traditional Pack, the Alpha Female would have been his alone while the rest of us would have to seek out mates where we could manage it. Sharing a woman was an unorthodox idea, but had he been orthodox, we would all have fought over her. This I knew down to my bones.

Perhaps my challenging Matthias had been a touch reckless, but I knew from his seething rage that it had been the right call. His mother had been trying to rein him in, but I doubted it would work. The wound to his pride in knowing that “his woman” had not just shifter guardians but shifter lovers would draw him in.

It was cooler today. We actually had some cloud cover, and a breeze was blowing. Madelyne had finished her silver knives earlier. Simple things, with no decoration to them and unadorned suede-wrapped grips. They were for defense, not for show.

Aidan and I were practicing with the knife tied into its sheath. He had insisted, worried about burning me, the dear little cub. He probably would have been shocked to see all my battle scars.

“Keep the knife hidden under the back of your shirt until you need it,” I warned. “They are fast. Surprise is your best friend if one of them attacks you.” I gently shifted his grip to give him more control. “Draw it and hide it against your arm. When they turn toward you, be ready to strike.”

Aidan nodded, pressing his lips together. Then he looked a little worried. “I’m not very strong.”

“You do not have to be. The silver burns shifters. Even a touch on their bare skin is enough. It will hurt him enough to make him back off. That will give us time to get to you.”

Aidan was nodding when Madelyne came down the stairs and said, “Ulf? Can I talk to you for a second upstairs?”

I nodded once and straightened, touching the boy on his head. “Keep practicing the strike. I will return.”

She took me to her room, which left me raising an eyebrow but I was happy to go along. Once we were in there and the door shut, she turned and told me, “I wanted to thank you for handling that phone call. I always feel so helpless when he calls. Not knowing where he is, not knowing what he’s going to do…”

“Don’t thank me. I am supposed to be protecting you. His harassment takes a toll. The longer we go without a proper fight, the longer he can keep it going. I was done with watching it.”

She let out a sigh. “Yes. I don’t relish his coming here to attack when Aidan is here, but at least it means it will be over and done with.”

“We are better off choosing the battleground.” I reached out and touched her hair, which was spilling from its ponytail from her nape. She smiled and looked down. “And I like you. I do not want to see any more fear in your eyes.”

She looked at me in surprise, then smiled softly. “I like you too, Ulf. You’re straightforward, and Aidan adores you. And I…” Her gaze faltered, slipped away from my face again. I fought down a grin and moved closer to her.

“You what?” I murmured. The flush to her face deepened. Her eyes were bright, full of invitation.

Then, to my surprise and delight, she put her hands on my chest, leaned up, and kissed me.

TWELVE

MADELYNE

My time with Nathan had been like a dam breaking after years of pressure, but my interest in Ulf and the others was different. Those had the blush of first attraction on them, and all the hesitation of wondering if they would mind me making the first move. Ulf, apparently, didn’t. Far from it.

He was impatient getting my clothes off, impatient with his jeans, his shirt, his boots, and the condom. I heard cloth tear more than once and didn't know if it was his clothes or mine. His big, warm kisses were rougher and more direct than Nathan's, and soon turned into little nips along my neck and shoulder. Just tiny caresses with his teeth, not breaking skin when he very much could have. His big, callused hands roamed me and then picked me up, carrying me to the bed.

He tore my panties, yanking them off. I didn't care–barely noticed as he set me face down and I knelt there at the edge of my bed. He came up behind me, nipping and kissing his way up my spine before bending over to cup and caress my breasts. His huge hands engulfed each one easily, their restrained power leaving me moist and trembling and ready for him.

Neither one of us wanted to wait. He thrust into me from behind, panting hoarsely as his loins started slapping against my ass–slowly at first, strong but measured, sending jolts of pleasure through me with every thrust. His cock was as big as the rest of him, and he handled it with more care than I'd expected, holding back until I groaned through my teeth and started grinding against him.

He gripped my hips, holding me up as I squirmed and bucked against his hard-thrusting body, and gradually sped until we were both gasping and groaning in time. One hand slid up my side to knead my breast again as the other held my hip, keeping me upright while he kneaded the crease between hip and thigh and kept up his powerful strokes.

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