Page 29 of Shadow Spirit

Adriana was awake long after her two fated mates fell asleep. At least they didn’t snore. Finally, she was able to close her eyes and drift off. The dreams that night were not of the erotic, sexy kind involving Decker, Greg, or both. They were very Eoghan-centric. She could see his shadow moving through the mists, never leaving them to step into the clearing.

He made a low woofing kind of noise—not quite a bark or a howl—it was as if he was trying to call her to him. Adriana got the feeling that he was trying to compel her to come to him, with him, maybe. She felt the same pull she always had when Eoghan had used the mate bond against her, but this time before her resistance failed, she could feel the presence of her two fated mates. Both Decker and Greg were there with her. Both growled low in their throats, moving between her and Eoghan, their hackles raised. Decker’s wolf moved in front, baring his teeth and pointing his ears straight up and forward.

When Eoghan bounded away, Adriana woke, trembling. The room was dark, but she could feel Greg spooned up against her—his front to her back—his arm wrapped around her waist. Seemingly not to be left out, Decker was sprawled on his back, his large hand resting between her legs. Normally she woke from her nightmares terrified and drenched in sweat, but not tonight. She felt safe and warm sandwiched between the strength and comfort of her fated mates.

Adriana snuggled closer to Greg and laid her hand over Decker’s. There were probably dangerous and frightening days ahead, but for tonight—for the first time since Eoghan had kidnapped her—she felt as if they were all going to be okay.

CHAPTER 14

GREG

The first thing that awakened him was the sweet scent of Adriana’s hair, into which he’d buried his nose sometime during the night. Considering his hard cock was nestled between them as he spooned against her with his arm draped around her middle, it would seem they were making progress. She’d been nervous when they went to sleep last night, but apparently at some point, he’d pulled her into his body.

Raising his head, the first thing he noticed was that the covers had moved down past Adriana’s waist, and her lush upper body was on full display. The second thing he noticed was Decker’s hand resting between her thighs. He looked over to Decker to see his co-mate was awake as well, his eyes sweeping down Adriana’s curves. There was a moment of awareness, or maybe it was recognition, that the pieces between the three of them were falling into place.

“Do you remember getting into this position?” asked Decker softly.

“No. All I remember is how nervous she was and then some kind of weird dream where we were all there.”

Decker nodded. “O’Shea, too.”

“Yeah. I remember seeing her from the back and realizing he was a threat.”

“He was trying to call her to him.”

“Right. We moved forward, flanking her on either side and then I moved in front of her, and you moved in front of me.”

“That’s weird,” said Decker. “That is exactly how I remember it.”

“I remember feeling her tremble, but then it was like she recognized we were with her…”

“And that we wouldn’t let him take her from us.” Decker glanced at the bedside clock. “Shit. Can you handle her? I’ve got to be on duty in ten minutes.”

“Colby seemed to indicate we could take some time.”

“I know, but I was gone all day yesterday. I know you want to give her some time, but I could feel the pull of the mark he has on her. We need to get rid of it.”

“Couldn’t I just give her a localized pain killer and excise the thing with a scalpel? It would be much less painful and stressful for her.”

“I have no idea if that would work, but what would you suggest then, that we wait until it heals and then I bite her savagely and have you follow it up with your own claiming bite? It’s not just the removal of O’Shea’s mark, it’s placing both of ours as well.”

“Maybe it’s because I wasn’t wolf born, but I have to ask: do you really think both marks are necessary?”

Decker laughed as he rolled out of bed, leaned over to kiss Adriana, and then stood up. “You might not understand it because you were turned, but trust me, the instinct to mark her as your mate isn’t going to go away, no matter how much you might think you want it to.”

“I’m just trying to make it easier on her. Maybe if we bite her down at the clinic…”

Decker continued to laugh, which Greg couldn’t decide if it was more annoying or insulting. “Greg, I get it. You want to make it as easy on her as you can. I do, too, but at the end of the day, we’re wolves. There’s a certain amount of savagery that comes with the job.”

“Do you have to go?” she asked reaching for Decker before growling and elbowing Greg in the gut. She sat up and turned to face him. “Don’t, just don’t. You’re all curled up behind me and Decker is out of bed. He’s obviously getting ready to go on patrol, and you seem content where you are. Honestly, I’m developing feelings for both of you, which is confusing and difficult enough, but I can’t handle the two of you going at each other and putting me in the middle. I swear, if you two try to play push-pull with me, I’m out. I don’t give a shit what you think. Trust me, the Shadow Sisters’ ability to protect our females trumps a fated mate bond.”

Greg looked at Decker, who was still laughing. “It’s not funny.”

Decker sobered. “No, it’s not. She belongs to both of us. If I can control my own possessive, jealous tendencies, so can you.”

“What do you have to be jealous about?”

“I have to go on patrol and leave you and our very naked and more than a little bit aroused mate alone in our bed. Trust me, I’ve got plenty to be jealous about.”

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