Page 36 of The Heirs

“This reminds me of when Hank and Dad would take us camping every year before school started.” Eli spoke, breaking the silence of only the crackling fire.

Knox’s serious face softened with the memory, chuckling slightly. “As much camping as we could do. We would just set up tents in the backyard.”

Eli laughed along, continuing the story. “And half the time, we would sneak back into the house to hang out with our moms instead of sleeping on the ground.”

The girls chuckled at the story, but my face remained blank. I didn’t have those memories with my father, he hadn’t stuck around long enough to make them with me. Mom had done her best with three sons under her roof and I was extremely grateful for her, but I couldn’t say I didn’t miss the opportunities I wasn’t given.

“My dad used to take me hunting. We’d camp out in a blind the night before and he’d wake me up at dusk.” Wilder’s quiet voice added and I was as shocked as everyone else. Not many people knew that Wilder’s father had been killed by the Hunters when he was young. But I knew that was one of the reasons he kept himself at a distance from everyone by being an asshole. Surprisingly, he and Halley had that in common.

“Mom and I camped a lot. She taught me how to build a fire, how to find plants to eat. She always made it a game. But really, I think we did that when we had nowhere else to go. To make sure I could take care of myself with any resources.”

Halley’s somber voice added to the mix and my chest ached when I thought of a young girl, all alone and relying on the knowledge her mom taught her. I wanted to comfort her in that moment, but Kalani beat me to it, wrapping her arm around her friend’s shoulder.

“Well, if everything goes to shit and we’re on the run for the rest of our lives, I guess Halley and Wilder will be taking care of us all.” Maeve spoke, trying to alleviate the mood that had descended.

Everyone laughed, including Wilder who added. “Yeah, I can see it now, the princess and I keeping all your dumbasses alive.”

At his words, everyone broke into loud peals of laughter, echoing in the vastness of the outdoors. For several minutes, only the sounds of happiness could be heard, until they all died down, the reality of Wilder’s words hitting us all at once. Because the truth was, we were relying on each other to stay alive. And tonight, knowing the Council would be on their way to find us, could be the last time any of us were happyandalive.

“I’m going for a run.” I ground out, the emotions in my chest making me ache to be in my creature form. Where the instincts were the only things I could feel.

Jogging away from the group, I stripped down, shifting into my wolf and taking off in a sprint, the air bliss against my fur. Pushing everything aside, I focused on my tread against the soft ground, tearing into the dirt and grass as my speed continued to increase. After several laps, I felt the hair on my back stand up, sensing someone watching us. Raising my nose to the air, I scented the area, tracking whoever was interrupting my time. When I caught the familiar scent, the one that constantly ran through my mind, I shifted back into my human form.

“You should know better than trying to sneak up on a shifter.”

Halley stepped out from behind a tree, shrugging her shoulders. “Not trying to sneak up on you, just checking in.”

Prowling towards her, I wrapped my hands around her waist, pulling her heat into mine. Running my nose up her neck, I placed a kiss behind her ear and felt her shiver in return. “I should be the one checking on you. I couldn’t get to you.”

Pulling away so she could see my face, Halley frowned. “It wasn’t your fault Madden. We were in the middle of a fight.”

She didn’t get it. That I would let everyone else around her burn to the ground if it meant she was still safe. I wasn’t good with words, never had been, but I could show her how much she meant to me.

“Turn around, sweetheart.” I goaded; my voice hoarse with need.

Halley followed my instructions without hesitation, proving to me how much she trusted me. And I knew neither of us needed the words to describe what was going on between us. With her back towards me, I wrapped a fist around that wild hair that had called to me since our first day training together, pulling her head back so I could dip my lips down. Licking and sucking up her neck, I found each sensitive spot, felt her ass squirming against me, wanting more.

Reaching a hand around her front, I slipped a hand beneath her pants and underwear, slicking a finger up her wet slit. Another shudder wracked through her body at my touch, begging me for more. Pushing my hand lower, I spread her arousal, before inserting two fingers, her cunt tightening around them. Easing in and out, I teased her, reaching my other hand underneath her shirt and flicking her nipple.

“Madden,” Halley moaned, pushing back against my hardness that was straining to be inside of her.

Continuing to tease her, I brought her to the edge, pulling back each time until she was panting in my arms. I felt her hand reach back, cupping my cock with the slightest pressure and I groaned into her ear, biting hard on her neck.

“You always come first sweetheart.” My double entendre wasn’t lost on my own ears, that she would always come first in any aspect of my life. Slipping a finger to her clit, I began massaging it in time with her nipple, feeling as she began crashing towards her orgasm. Biting down on her neck again, I felt her body begin to quake with ecstasy, my grin stretching across her soft skin as she drenched my hand with her come.

Once she came down from her high, she spun around, ripping her shirt off and baring her chest to me. I growled, reaching for her again when I felt someone’s eyes on us once again. Pushing her behind my body, I turned towards the intruder, my hackles rising until I saw blonde hair and lust filled eyes.

Eli stepped closer to us, smirking. “The others sent me to make sure you guys were okay. Seems like everything is more than okay to me.”

Halley shifted from behind me, Eli’s eyes drinking in her nakedness, heat pooling in his gaze. No one could deny that Halley was the sexiest woman alive. I could see that Halley was nervous, even though the three of us had already shared a moment, she still wasn’t sure that we were both okay with this. And I, for one, didn’t mind easing those worries.

Grabbing Halley, I brought her to the front of my body, letting Eli drink her in while I bent down to whisper in her ear.

“Take off your pants, sweetheart.”

Halley looked towards me, clearly looking for reassurance, and once she found it, she slipped her hands beneath the waistband of her pants, slowly peeling them down her long legs. Eli’s eyes lit up as he continued to stroll closer.

Once Halley was naked between the two of us, I shifted my gaze towards Eli. “Seems you’re a little overdressed.”

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