Page 11 of The Alpha's Autumn Baby Mama (Triple L Ranch Shifters 4)

“But how?” she whispered. “We were…we were in our fur and sleeping, and now…did you make this happen?”

Now I did roll, onto my back, wanting to be prepared to catch her before she fled into the cold and maybe suffered some kind of harm. Outside the tent, the wind was still high and slashing the branches above us. Despite the thick, interwoven canopy, snow had piled upon the tent again, and I’d have to push it off soon. But not quite yet.

“No, we didn’t. We wouldn’t have any idea how to do that—or that it was even possible until it happened to us last night. When we get to Triple L, we’ll see if anyone else has more information.”

“But you’re safe with us.” Owen laid his head on my shoulder and offered her a smile. “We offered you protection and shelter, and we’d never violate that.”

“Good to know.” She sounded just a little snarky, and I liked her even more for it. “Because I’m feeling a little vulnerable here.”

“Of course you are.” Taking a chance, I slipped an arm over her shoulders and gave her a friendly squeeze. “Anyone would be.”

“But I’m safe because you don’t like girls.” Why didn’t she sound happier at that concept?

“You’re safe because we have honor,” Owen corrected. “But we don’t dislike women.”

“I didn’t mean—” She broke off as if unsure where to go with it. “You’re mated and women are not on your preference list for…for, ummm.” She couldn’t even say it without complete awkwardness. Did we have a naked virgin snowed in with us in a small tent with no place to go? Sounded like a movie plot. But not one for that Christmas movie channel. Nobody was naked there that I could recall.

My mate liked watching those things around the winter holidays. Okay, me, too. Guilty pleasure.

“It isn’t a question of whether we have or would sleep with a female,” Owen remonstrated gently. “Yes, we are mated, and while we have been friends for many years, that state is new. The shifting while sleeping is also new, and we’re as confused by it as you are. To set the record straight, I have been with females before and have nothing against it. But they were willing and not compromised by being trapped with me.”

“And you?” She addressed the question to me. “Do you also like girls?”

Chapter Eleven

Nova

Do you also like girls?

What kind of a question was that? It sounded like total fishing for compliments, a risky thing to do when my nipple was tingling from brushing against Levi’s light swirls of chest hair.Hey, don’t take advantage of me here but tell me I’m pretty.My inexperience was showing.

But my wolf was almost purring, if she could do such a thing. She made it clear that the only thing that would make her happier was if I moved in between the two of them and made myself an alpha sandwich. They might not be pack alphas, but they were both alphas in truth, and the silly wolf inside me was preening and demanding they notice her.

They are mated!I chided her.Stop with the inappropriate ideas.

Mates.

Yes, we’ve been over this. Mates. So not available.The poor thing had been lonely for so long, she’d lost her wolfen mind.Stop making me rub up against them.

Mine.

No! Not yours!

“I haven’t been with a woman, no.” Levi’s voice washed over me like a warm breeze. “But then, I’ve been pretty well in love with this guy for most of my life, and the few men I’ve dated haven’t really done much for me.”

I would have asked more questions because their love story sounded so intriguing. But my wolf was already convinced she had a place—we had a place—in their romance, which could not be more preposterous. I should climb out of this cozy nest and get dressed. Shifting would do no good if I’d developed a sudden tendency to shift back without trying.

The guys had sounded like the sleep shift was something very mysterious, but with my wolf practically trying to seduce this very nice and polite mated pair, I didn’t find it all that strange. Maybe their animals were less pushy than mine? Didn’t attempt to make decisions for them when they least expected it? True, I’d never actually had a shift sneaked in when I wasn’t looking, but she had other tricks.

I’d have more interest in doing the right thing if they didn’t smell so good. Heady, intoxicating, and really encouraging me to beg them for things I’d only read about in books.

“That’s interesting,” I said because they’d continued speaking, and I’d gotten lost in my head. Common for me to do. “Anyway, I’m so sorry for this whole mess. It’s embarrassing.”

“No, you’re fine,” Owen said, reaching over his mate to pat my cheek in a way that was either endearing or condescending. I decided to choose endearing. “As soon as the storm backs off, we’ll shut down and make a run for the Triple L. We’re really not too far off.”

“That’s good news.” Once I’d joined them, I’d pretty well stopped navigating for myself. “Do you really think the alphas will let me stay?”

“Why not?” Levi gave me a friendly squeeze with his arm around my shoulders. “You seem nice enough and from everything you told us yesterday afternoon, you have good skills. We can vouch for you if you want, too.”

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