Authors: Lynnette Bernard
Jace looked at Jackson and smiled before turning to look at Laurie’s hand that gently held his. Raising his eyes to look up at Laurie, he couldn’t help but smile at the concern that shone in the softness of her brown eyes. He squeezed her hand gently and loved the blush that crept across her cheeks as she carefully pulled her hand from his.
He looked at Janine briefly, his eyes reflecting the anger of his wolf, flashing a warning before he turned to look at Martha. He saw the concern that the older woman had for her daughter and nodded to her. They would talk about Janine later. He would not let her ruin this night for them.
Martha looked at her children as they sat around the large table with their chosen triad partners. She was happy they sat with Jace and Jackson, the two men that she loved like her own sons. She was content that her son Adrian and his triad partner Colin had found happiness with their mate Julia. She was proud that her son Alexander and his triad partner Butler had found their calling as lieutenants for the pack. It would only be a matter of time before they found their triad mate, too. Now that Jace and Jackson had found their mate, she was even more content with the way her children were living their lives. Just Janine was her source of frustration. She didn’t know why her daughter had become such an unkind and bitter young woman.
Jackson got up from the table and retrieved the large pitcher of water, returning to place it on the table in front of Laurie. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek lightly and straightened to wink at Jace before returning to his seat. Jace smiled and looked at Laurie, loving the adorable blush that covered her cheeks as she looked across at Jackson in absolute shock.
Couldn’t resist, Jace.
Jackson explained calmly as he winked at Laurie.
I know her scent proves she’s our mate, but the way she reached out to calm you proved to me without a doubt that she was meant for us.
Unable to control his thoughts, Jace couldn’t help but project the image that flashed in his mind to Jackson. It was of Laurie, sitting on the deck in the lounge chair, waiting for them, smiling and rubbing her very swollen belly. The sight stole his breath for a moment, and his chest constricted with emotion at the thought of this woman filled with their child.
Jackson’s breath caught in his throat at the mental image Jace sent him. He looked at Laurie, and his heart pounded as he watched her gentleness with Tammy. He looked back at Jace and nodded, his eyes flashing golden for a brief moment as he sent back the image that appeared in his mind of Laurie holding one of their babies to her breast while her womb was swollen once again with another of their children.
Jace closed his eyes briefly and then looked at Jackson with the same golden glow in his own eyes. Raw need and want flashed in them, and Jackson had to stop himself from reaching out to touch Jace’s forearm, then join his other hand with Laurie’s, forming the triad of love that was destined to be.
Do you think it’s too soon to claim her tonight, Jace?
Jace looked at Jackson and scowled.
What do you think?
Jackson blushed slightly.
I think I can’t think at all with my cock as hard as steel!
I know.
Jace’s voice was tired
. But we have to do this right or risk losing her, and we can’t have that happen.
Jackson smiled at his friend then looked across to their mate. He was glad that Jace already felt the bond beginning to form with Laurie and didn’t want to risk losing her. He had been afraid that Jace’s stubbornness would cause him to reject the woman and seal their fate to a lifetime of loneliness by refusing to accept the mate the Fates had destined to be theirs. They would never have another. Laurie was their one. And he couldn’t wait to claim her and start their future.
“Is your room all right, Laurie?” Jace asked her, drawing her attention to him. He forgot what he asked when she turned to him and smiled with such genuine happiness. The woman’s total openness and lack of guile was refreshing. She didn’t flirt, didn’t play. She made him feel comfortable and happy just to talk to her. And he had never experienced that before when talking with any woman.
Women in general made Jace uncomfortable. Those that flirted with him did so with ulterior motives. Whether it be for improving their rank in the pack by mating with the alpha male, or wanting to experience sex with him and, in turn, bind him to them. Either reason left him cold and untrusting.
“The room is beautiful.” Laurie’s answer drew him back to the present. “I’ve never had such a nice room. But the reason I’m here is for the peacefulness of the ranch.” She helped Tammy spoon some corn onto her dish then turned to face Jace once again. “I was on the deck before, and two wolves came up and sat with me.” The sparkle in her eyes showed her excitement and happiness.
Jace couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he watched her talk about him and Jackson. “Were you afraid?” he asked her quietly, holding his breath without realizing it as he awaited her answer.
“At first,” Laurie admitted, “but they were so calm and gentle. They were absolutely beautiful. And when they climbed up onto the lounge chair with me and I held them, it was amazing. I have never felt so calm and protected in my life.” She looked at Jackson and then back at Jace, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Does that make sense?”
Jackson smiled and lifted his glass of water to her, winking playfully. “It makes absolute sense,” he told her warmly, his deep voice making her shiver slightly.
Laurie looked from Jackson to Jace again and blushed lightly, unable to keep the desire she was feeling under control. If they knew that she was thinking about them and that she was attracted to them, they would laugh at her, and she would have no choice but to leave the ranch in humiliation. She would not allow that to happen. She wanted to enjoy her time here. Her private fantasies would remain just that. Private.
Jace inhaled sharply, the scent of her arousal reaching him and making his already achingly painful erection throb. When he looked at Jackson, he knew that his friend was suffering a similar fate.
I’m not going to be able to hold back much longer, Jace.
Jace looked at Laurie and smiled. He would do what it took to have this gentle woman accept them. And he needed to do it soon. Time was important.
Jackson, we will claim our mate together within the next few days.
Jackson nodded slightly, knowing both he and Jace needed Laurie with an urgency that she had no way of understanding. Looking at Laurie as she spoke quietly with the rest of their family, he knew she was going to be everything they had hoped for and more.
He settled back in his chair, relaxing as the realization that they were finally going to be part of a mated triad came over him. Laurie may be unaware of what he and Jace already knew to be true, but they would enjoy every moment of helping her to accept them and the future the Fates had planned for them. Their triad mating was going to happen, and it was going to happen soon. It may be fast from a human’s perspective, but not from a wolf’s.
He looked at Jace and barely contained the growl of possession that threatened to escape him. He had only one thought.
Mate.
Jackson’s voice was strong and sure as it resounded with conviction in Jace’s mind.
Jace nodded and smiled slyly.
More than that, Jackson.
Jackson’s eyebrows rose in question as he watched Jace look over at their mate, drawing her scent into his lungs with a slow inhale. Smiling, Jace turned his attention back to Jackson.
Our mate is fertile.
Chapter 4
Laurie sat silently beside Julia and her husbands on the oversized, brown, suede couch, watching Tammy as she climbed awkwardly onto Jace’s lap. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw Jace’s unmistakable joy as he reached down and helped the adorable girl climb up his legs and settle comfortably within the safety of his arms.
“Story time, Unca Jace.” Tammy giggled as she shoved the little storybook she had in her hand against his chest. “You promised.”
“Yes, I did, cub,” Jace told her warmly, taking the book from her and settling her back against his chest as he opened the little book.
Laurie found herself pushing back tears as Jace read the story about a little puppy to Tammy. The way he pointed to the pictures as he read and had her talk about each one showed that this was a common occurrence with the small child. It touched her in a way that scared her. And when she saw Jackson leave his recliner to sit on the floor beside Jace, to tenderly touch Tammy’s hair as she giggled about the story, she almost lost her composure.
“Look, Unca Jackson,” Tammy told him happily, squealing with delight as she pointed to the picture in the book.
“I see,” Jackson told her, smiling as she looked at him with such happiness.
“The little puppy is so cute!”
Jackson laughed as he leaned over and kissed Tammy’s cheek quickly. “Not as cute as you, darlin’,” he told her, smiling at her.
Tammy reached out and grabbed a handful of Jackson’s hair, hanging on tightly as Jace finished the story. Laurie watched them silently, amazed at the honest comfort level both men had with the little girl. There was an ache in her chest as she saw the way Tammy snuggled against Jace’s chest, and her eyes went from the book to Jace and then to Jackson as she enjoyed herself so totally.
When Jace finished the book, Tammy let go of Jackson’s hair and twisted her little body to turn into Jace’s embrace, giggling as she kissed his face sloppily.
“That was a good book, Unca Jace,” she told him sweetly before turning and jumping into Jackson’s arms, tumbling him to the floor before kissing his cheek as well.
Jackson laughed as Tammy quickly scrambled off of him and ran to the couch to climb up quickly onto Laurie’s lap. Both men grew immediately serious at the sight of Laurie opening her arms and cuddling the child to her quickly, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.
The men looked at each other, neither able to put into words the feelings that rushed through them as they watched the warmth that Laurie shared with a child she barely knew. As Tammy settled against Laurie and they watched their mate tenderly stroke the little one’s hair, they both flashed a picture to the other of Laurie cuddling their own child against her. It was a beautiful image that made them feel a desire so strong for the scene in their minds to be their future reality.
Jace sat back in the big leather recliner that sat at an angle to the fireplace. Jackson stood and walked back to the matching black recliner that sat at the opposite side of the fireplace and leaned back to lounge comfortably. They watched silently as Laurie slowly pet Tammy’s hair, lulling the child to sleep and holding her tenderly as she snuggled against her chest. Laurie held her gently, rubbing her shoulder lovingly as she slept peacefully.
“She’s such a great kid,” Laurie spoke softly to Tammy’s parents as they sat next to her on the couch.
Julia smiled at Laurie then turned to her husbands Adrian and Colin, and touched their hands gently. “She is at that,” she agreed, whispering her fingers across her mates’ hands lovingly. “She’s the sweetest baby, just like her daddies.”
Adrian smiled and held his mate’s hand, squeezing it tightly before bringing it to his lips to kiss it lightly. “She’s just like you, honey,” he argued, smiling.
“Hopefully the next baby will be just as sweet,” Colin added, reaching out to touch Julia’s belly gently, leaning in to kiss her cheek tenderly.
Laurie looked at Julia and smiled, her eyes sparkling at the joy she felt for the three of them. “Congratulations,” she offered sincerely. Her eyes filled with tears at the news. She couldn’t help the emotions that filled her as she watched the loving trio as they sat cuddled against each other.
Unable to stop herself, she reached out and touched Julia’s hand, squeezing it lightly. Julia looked at her with such happiness that Laurie couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. How wonderful that this young woman could be so happy with these two men, who obviously were just as happy as she was at the prospect of having another child.