Page 9 of The Alpha's Autumn Baby Mama (Triple L Ranch Shifters 4)

Chapter Nine

Owen

My wolf was remarkably pleased to have the female join us. I supposed that was because he liked to be around as much pack as possible, and he seemed to regard Nova as a pack member. She hadn’t been accepted yet, but it was probably going to happen. According to our new traveling companion, she had skills that would be valuable to us. Baking was always popular, but working with poultry was a good thing. Also, she could weave a bit, and I knew old Helga was dying for someone to help her with that.

A bigger worry was the look of the sky. As soon as we’d gotten off the switchbacks, we also left the fog behind, and the overhead picture was that of clouds pregnant with snow. Something the pack would welcome because we needed the snowpack of winter to grow crops in the spring and summer. There had been so little for so long. But we were not anywhere near where we wanted to be—where there were a few scattered travel shelters we could have holed up in, meaning, we were going to have to camp out tonight, no matter what the goddess showered on us.

The sun had disappeared behind the western peaks when Levi stopped and dropped his pack under a pine tree. “We can’t go any farther. We’re going to be crossing a glacier, and we don’t want that to happen in a storm. It’s all open with no protection at all.”

“Agreed.” Owen set his pack down, too. “I’m glad you got to this stand of trees. If it snows, as I feel it will, the branches should catch a lot of it for a while. Let’s set the tent up. We can help you with yours, Nova.”

She winced. “Uh, that’s okay. I’ll just wrap up in my blanket out here right under the tree.”

“You don’t have a tent?” Owen asked.

“No. I don’t. I’m fine though.”

Levi’s sigh was from deep inside. “No, you would not be fine. I’m glad we didn’t believe you when you said you would be. You’ll have to share our tent with us for tonight.”

Nova

“No!” There was no possible way I could sleep with the two of them going at it like bunnies in heat. “I mean…thank you, but no. You two need your privacy.” Shit. The minute the words came out my cheeks flamed.

“I beg your pardon?” Owen asked.

Levi stared at me. “What would make you say that?”

“Well, you’re clearly mated right? All mated couples like to be alone together. It’s the way of things.”

“You’re not saying that because you happened to be by a certain lake last night and may have overheard…us…”

“I don’t know what you mean.” And I hoped my face wouldn’t burst into flame. My pants were certainly on fire. Unfortunately in more ways than just being a liar. As we’d hiked the afternoon away, I’d been far too aware of both of them, of the scent of mating that clung to their skin, and that my weird wolf seemed enchanted by.

“It doesn’t matter.” Owen briskly shook out their tent. “We’re going to have to share. You’re right, we’re mated, and we’ll have the rest of our lives to be alone together. Let’s light the stove and heat some water so we can have a quick meal before the storm closes in.”

At least I was able to contribute some dried meat to our meal because they hadn’t brought a lot of food, either. They’d planned to hunt along the way, but there wasn’t time tonight, and after we had some ramen and hot tea, we all crawled into the tent.

If the scent of lovemaking had clung to the men themselves, once the fly was zipped behind us, it intensified many times over. We’d had to bring our packs in with us to avoid their getting snowed or rained on, so room in the tent was limited. I searched around for a corner to crawl into but there were none. Our belongings filled them all. Pulling out my blanket, I cuddled it close to me, prepared to wrap up in it and sleep.

Levi and Owen unzipped their sleeping bags and laid one on the ground over a thermal blanket. “Since we only have two, we’re all going to have to lie down on one and cover up with the other,” Owen said. “Or we can wolf sleep.”

“Yes,” I said, relieved. “Let’s do that. We will be warmer that way.” And it was something pack members did all the time. Somehow sleeping together in their unzipped bags as humans was way too intimate for my comfort level. Fur was a great insulator…and of course warm.

“You good with that, Levi?”

“Fine.”

I wish I’d remembered what shifting required before I agreed. Because they immediately started to remove their clothing and they were naked in seconds. Before I could react too strongly, they were in their fur and looking at me.

Two sets of entirely too-perceptive wolf eyes waiting for me to take off my clothes and join them. Usually it was no biggie for shifters to change in front of one another. We did it all the time before runs or swimming…or just wanting to lounge in our fur.

But this time, my mouth was dry as I pulled off layer after layer of clothing until my bare skin was exposed. Weirdest striptease ever, ending when I melted into my fur and joined them where they lay on the sleeping bag. I tried not to take up too much space, not to touch them, but in wolf form, I was not totally in charge, and my wolf was not interested in lying separate from those she considered her pack.

And she very much wanted to be with these two males.

What harm could it do to fall asleep with them? I’d done it so many times with so many friends and relatives. Snuggled close to the two of them, I let my eyes close and prepared to wait out the storm.

Chapter Ten

---