Page 22 of Alpha's Rise

She was almost afraid to answer. If she admitted the truth of how she was feeling, what would that say about her. Having only one man desire her was one thing. But, having two men who claimed to need and want her as their mate, was something else.

The grip around her waist tightened before Tobias pulled her back toward him. His thickness pressed against her back and her legs almost gave out. She wondered how that thing was going to fit inside of her.

“Ooooohhhh,” she couldn’t help the sound from releasing.

“No matter how much you want to deny it, you know that you want this as well,” Tobias said from behind her.

Nathan stood and began making his way over to her and Tobias. Predator. That was the only word to describe him. She wanted to move away from them, to run and hide in the bathroom. To put some space between the three of them. They were overwhelming her senses, awakening her to things she never thought were possible. Her nipples pebbled as frissons of electricity coursed through her body.

“What are you doing to me?” Romi finally found her voice.

Tobias turned her body around so that she was facing him, with Nathan now at her back. He took a step forward, which caused her to take a step back. Once her back was pressed up against Nathan’s front, Tobias pressed closer. Although she was considered a tall woman, standing between these two, she felt ridiculously small and dainty. Then again, any woman would feel that way.

Looking down at her, Tobias grinned. “We’re just letting you know that we meant every word we said. We already know that you’re meant for us. But we also want you know that we’re meant for you. You want to know what it means to be our mate?”

“It’s a natural question,” she countered.

Nodding, Tobias continued. “As I already said, the Goddess has blessed us. You are my true mate and the only woman who can bear my pups. Now that I’ve found you, no other woman will do for me. As my wife and mate, I will be devoted to you and your happiness. Your happiness and pleasure will be my focus. Giving you the life you deserve is my goal. When the time comes, we will rule our pack. I will protect you with my life. My devotion will be to only you. That’s just the beginning.”

Romi was almost hyperventilating her breath was coming out so fast. His words were honestly everything she wanted to hear. But was he telling her the truth? Could she believe what he was saying to her or was he only giving lip service? The tightening of Nathan’s arms around her waist took her attention away from Tobias and placed it squarely on the man standing behind her.

“What about Nathan? I thought you said this would be a Triad? You only speak of yourself, but not him.” Maybe this was the moment she would blow-up this entire farce. Tobias wasn’t speaking as if there would be three people in this relationship. He spoke as if he were the only one she would be with.

“Tobias cannot speak for my relationship with you,” Nathan said in her ear. She never removed her eyes from the man in front of her, which somehow made the words Nathan said in her ear even sexier. “You would be my mate. My wife. The Goddess has deemed us worthy of ruling the pack together. You will be my Queen, my Luna, and I will be devoted to you only. I will give my life to protect you and any pups created because of our mating. You will never be alone because I will always be by your side. You will never have to question if I want you. Because, sweetheart, I will always want you. I will always worship you. Until the day I die.”

Tears prickled her eyes as they both committed to her. This wasn’t a marriage ceremony, but their words, spoken in the confines of her room, meant more to her than she expected. Could she commit to loving two men? How would she make sure that both men received what they needed from her?

“You both just met me. Less than a day ago, I had no idea you existed. This is a bit overwhelming and I’m just not sure how to handle all this. Can you give me some time?”

Silence filled the room for a few seconds. Tobias and Nathan looked at each other over her shoulder, each giving the other a look that spoke volumes. They knew there was a lot to overcome for Romi. She showed up on their lands searching for her family and in less than a full day, had already been claimed for marriage and mating.

Not that he would let her go. That was a huge hell no. He’d finally found the woman meant for him and Nathan. Nothing on this earth would make him give her up. They would just need to convince her that this is where she belonged.

Eleven

Spoiled was too soft of a word to explain the way Tobias and Nathan treated Romi. Since that morning in her room, they’d spent every moment they could with her. When Tobias wasn’t with his father understanding about pack politics and learning the ways he had to be a diplomatic representative for the Bloodmoon Pack, he was with the pack guards training.

Which is where Nathan spent most of his time as well. Except when he was with Brayden trying to understand the role he would play in this Triad relationship. What he had learned during those discussions had surprised him. Brayden was more than just a third person in the Triad. Publicly, they all had to play a role. Privately, it was a different story. From his perspective, he didn’t know if Tobias was open to the type of balanced relationship the current Alpha Triad had. Just thinking about the fight in front of him made Nathan’s stomach churn with regret for what he would be up against to hold onto his mate.

Romi, determined to make her own way in this new world, spent time on video chat with Layla and Christopher and training on her own. Just because the two men felt they wanted to protect her, it didn’t mean she couldn’t do the same in return. Fighting was what she did. Regardless of her powers, she was a warrior. A Soldier.

Even as they tried to shield her behind the walls of their mansion, Romi knew that she needed to make her own way. Over the past week, she’d observed Tobias’s mother, Maria, in action. The woman seemed soft and loving even though Romi believed she had a strength inside her that she hid away. To be the Queen, she had to be tough, right?

One day, Romi followed behind, watching her moves as she ran errands. Every time she encountered one of the pack members, be they men, women, or children, they’d bend their heads slightly and show their necks to her. When Romi, Tobias, and Nathan sat down for dinner that night, as they always did at the end of each day, she asked about it.

“That’s how our people show respect to the Queen. You’ll see them do it to our Alpha and their third as well.”

“Why do you call Brayden their third all the time? Is he not an Alpha like your father? He doesn’t seem to be subservient to them.” She glanced at Nathan. “How do you feel about that? Being referred to as the third?”

Unknowingly, Romi had stepped on a landmine. Over the past few days, Nathan had tried to overcome his frustration about the situation. Of knowing that he would always be considered second choice in his own mating. Of course, he and Tobias had agreed to see this through. Again, what choice did he have. But he also didn’t really want to deal with it in front of Romi.

Taking a sip of his scotch, he took a few seconds to answer the question. His eyes caught Tobias and he could see the warning reflected. Who cares? Tobias thought he could control the situation. He couldn’t. Nathan was still his own wolf. He could handle the situation without anyone looking over his shoulder.

“In an Alpha Triad, there is the Alpha, the Luna, and the Beta. Sometimes there is an Omega if the Goddess considers it necessary. The Alpha and Luna are the primary pairing. Any pups from their mating will become the heir apparent. The Beta,” even saying the words left a sour taste in his mouth, “completes the bond. He, or she, is their third. There is no changing what has been ordained by fate.”

Romi’s eyes were wide as she listened to his explanation. He could see her gaze shifting from him to Tobias and knew she would have more questions.

“But that’s not what I asked you. My question was do you mind being referred to as the third in a relationship. It seems to me that you would want to make your own choice and not be tied to a woman, or a relationship” she said, with a look towards Tobias, “that wasn’t of your own choosing. How do I know that one day, you won’t change your mind and want someone else?”

---