Page 46 of Feral Mates
The prickling on my skin continued, every cell in my body ignited from an intense fire.
I stood where I was as they advanced, shadowed predators that had become my lovers.
My mates.
What I knew in my soul was that this wasn’t simply a normal level of desire, but something that transcended space and physics. But there was no denying the deep, dark craving I had for all three. My pussy was wet, my panties soaked, and the intense throb was leaving me as fractured as the fear.
Their fur glistened in the moonlight. They were truly magnificent creatures. Strong and virile. They were much bigger than other wolves I’d seen, true alphas of their kind. They continued advancing until they were standing right in front of me, their eyes piercing my soul. I no longer had any fear of them.
Perhaps to prove that to myself, I reached out, stroking Apollo’s ebony fur. They remained silent, allowing me to satisfy my curiosity. There was a crusty substance on his fur, matted in globs. Blood. I could smell it on them. What had they been through?
I curled my hand and moved it toward Kai, rubbing the white hair behind his ear. He lolled his head, nuzzling against my hand. A tiny laugh escaped my lips. “So soft.”
When I turned my attention toward Roman, I could sense the protectiveness he felt. There was no reason for me to be overcome with emotion, but I was. Tears formed in my eyes as I stroked his head, marveling in the reddish color.
A blasting car horn from the street broke the magical moment and Apollo nodded toward the building. It was time to get inside.
They trailed behind me, waiting patiently until I unlocked the door, heading inside one after the other in a perfect formation. Now we were secure inside, locked away if only for a few hours. What would happen then?
The way all three were looking at me was completely feral. The rawness in my system was electric and the pull toward the wolves was unmistakable: magnetic in a way that left me breathless and yearning. My core remained on fire, molten lava that bubbled, threatening to expose every vulnerable trait.
Immediately, I could tell they’d been in a fight. All three of them. “You’re hurt. What happened?” I half laughed and moved closer to Apollo. “You’re bleeding. But I can’t see a wound.” My thoughts drifted to what Camden had said once again. No, I couldn’t believe they were capable of doing anything so horrid.
Very quickly I checked the others. Kai was covered in scratches but had no obvious signs of trauma.
Then there was Roman. His entire muzzle was dark, covered in dried blood. The slight stench was unmistakable.
The smell of death.
All three were sharing with me that their injuries had already healed. There were several species on Earth that had impressive healing capabilities.
Dolphins were known for their rapid healing properties even after severe injuries like shark bites.
Some lizards could rejuvenate or regrow their tails.
Folklore suggested lycanthropes could also heal quickly, even more so than every other species. But the notion was based on fantasy. Not reality.
Yet I’d seen it in action when I’d stabbed Apollo. Seconds later, there’d been no sign of penetration. “How do you heal so quickly?”
In a situation like this with being surrounded by wolves that were at least twice if not three times larger than the typical gray wolf, I should be nervous that their primal instincts would override what little human qualities that remained. But the situation was anything but normal.
They remained silent as I approached. Still tentative. Still amazed.
When I reached out, Apollo lifted his head. I curled my fingers briefly before tracing the line of his shout, exposing my continued nervousness by a short laugh. His eyes flashed and he offered a quick snort.
“The three of you are incredible. So beautiful you’re breathtaking.” I continued stroking, even scratching behind his ear. His fur was coarse, yet just as thick as his human hair.
I shifted my attention to Kai, the light in my apartment allowing the true majesty of his French vanilla-colored fur to shine with an almost luminous sheen.
When I turned toward Roman, he had his head held high, his stance highlighting the thickness and strength of his muscles.
The moment was powerful, but I needed them in their human forms to better communicate. I took a step away, breaking the connection and almost instantly, I felt a sense of loss.
I cleared my throat, still trying to connect the dots of what we were dealing with. “The fire at the laboratory. I don’t think it was accidental.” I was certain they could understand what I was saying. “Anyway, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but there is no doubt in my mind there are more of you. I need to ask you a question. Did you kill some hikers in the woods?”
Maybe I was trying to convince myself that if they were killers then I could end the connection.
Apollo lifted his head and for a brief, very brief second it was as if I was seeing a snippet of something they’d endured that afternoon.
