Page 26 of Stealthy as a Wolf

She was a combination of sexy and innocent that heated my blood.

When the kid invited her to look her fill, I thought he was trying to seduce her. My wolf nearly burst out of my skin, ready to tear out the kid’s throat. I even took a step forward to beat the crap out of the little shit…until I saw the curiosity in her expression.

The kid was clutching the side of the couch like his life depended on it, and I finally sensed what he must have seen up close—her fear mixed with arousal.

She wanted to explore him but wasn’t brave enough to put her thoughts into action.

I almost felt sorry for the kid…if I weren’t so damn jealous of the intimate way she explored him. He didn’t take advantage of her, and I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to manage the same level of restraint when presented with such temptation.

I wasn’t sure how it was possible in this day and age, but Maggie was obviously a virgin or close to it. Although she wasn’t completely innocent about the male anatomy—no one could be in our shifter-dominated world—it was more like she’d just become aware of the attraction between men and women.

Her curiosity was going to kill me.

She’d obviously been abused, and I worried that if we curbed her interest in any way, she might see sex as something shameful. I clenched my fists, claws digging into my flesh while I fought against the need to hunt down the pack that had abused her.

So I watched her get the kid off, and it was the sexiest fucking thing I’d ever seen in my life. My cock was so hard that it throbbed against the confines of my jeans. One wrong move, and I would go off like a cocked gun.

And damn nearly did anyway when she swiped her thumb through his cum, then stuck it in her mouth with a hum of pleasure. I stifled a groan and suspected that being near us had awakened her natural hunger.

If we weren’t careful, we would trigger her heat.

I wasn’t sure how it was possible, but I was starting to think we had each been drawn to this place.

Drawn to her.

I was very much afraid that something bad was coming. Every one of us was obviously her mate, and I suspected it would take all of us to keep her safe.

It was a sobering thought, one that helped me focus on something other than the massive iron rod in my pants. When Maggie got to her feet, the kid rose as well, and I gave him a nod of respect for his willpower.

Maggie walked toward me with flushed cheeks, an almost shy expression on her face. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable, I pretended that I hadn’t seen what happened. “Pack everything on the table in the bags.”

She flashed me a relieved smile and immediately went to work. When the twins exited the bathroom, I saw the knowledge of what happened on the couch in their eyes. Before they could open their mouths, I narrowed my eyes in silent warning for them not to say a damn thing.

To my surprise, they remained quiet, almost somber, as if they were finally realizing the magnitude of what it meant to have a mate. I just wished I knew whether I could trust them with her, or if they would put their mission above her safety.

Chapter Nine

MAGGIE

“So what’s the plan?” I dropped the last bag by the door. When I turned, I found all the guys staring at me a little too intently. I shifted uncomfortably, a little unnerved at being the center of attention. Usually, any sort of attention meant a beating.

I put my hands on my hips and cocked my head, a little annoyed that I was unable to read any of them. “Are we sticking together or parting ways?”

I didn’t want to admit how much I wanted us to stay together.

It was stupid.

I knew I was better off on my own, yet the thought of them leaving triggered a crippling wave of panic through me, my chest feeling like there was an air bubble caught in it.

Grady didn’t hesitate to come to me, cupping my face, his scent of pine and rum calming my racing heart. “We’ll hit the road, put distance between us, and decide our next move. No matter where you go, I will follow.”

The vow sounded vaguely like a threat, especially since I already had a crazy stalker, but I practically sagged in relief at his promise. I wouldn’t have to give him up just yet. I knew it was a bad idea to get attached to any of the men, because it would surely lead down a bad road when fate finally found me, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.

For the first time in my life, despite my better judgment, I wanted something for my own. As much as I tried to deny it, I was attracted to every one of them.

And that scared the crap out of me.

Emotions and attachments would make me weak and leave me vulnerable.

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