I glanced back toward Alan’s house. Heartache—yes, even after less than a day—set in to accompany the twinges of being sexually satisfied… multiple times. My she-wolf wanted to be with her mates, practically nudged me to get up and go back inside to them. Hell, I wanted to, too, but my mom needed me. She relied on me, and I couldn’t walk away now. She wouldn’t be able to pay the mortgage. Or the second. Or the car payment. Or the lights. Or food. Not if she only had the cashier job.
It was all because of Dad. This mess, this never ending hand to mouth arrangement was all because of him. I didn’t want him in our lives since he was an asshole, but if he’d stayed, Mom wouldn’t have to drink five cups of coffee a day because she worked herself weary. Wouldn’t have to debate if she should pay for heat or food.
I’d fallen for Gibson and Ben, and their wickedly skilled dicks, in less than a day. How could I build a foundation of a lifelong mating if they were anything like my dad and bailed on me? It was a good thing we’d used condoms. I refused to be like my mom. Oh, fuck, I loved her, but I didn’t want to be trapped in a cycle of unhappiness.
“Now, tell me about your news,” she said, cutting into my thoughts. “I heard that smile in your voice. I want to hear all about it.”
This was the moment I did the one thing I was used to. I lied to protect my mother. “I heard Lizzie’s crawling.”
9
BEN
I sensed the moment Shelby came back into the tattoo artist’s house that something was off. She’d been warming up before she took the phone call with her mom. Hell, not even that. She’d sat in Gib’s lap as I got my tattoo. Her sass, her loving nature had been evident. She’d been her true self. She was comfortable with Alan, trusted the shifter, which was obvious with the amount of ink she’d had him put on her skin. She’d been at ease here and with us. Now, she seemed to be putting on a pleasant front. Like we were friends, not her fucking mates. Like her pussy hadn’t milked my dick as she came all over it.
I had to wait until our tattoos were finished and we had her to ourselves again to ask what was up. My back stung where the silver dust had been embedded along with the ink. It was a minute amount. The burn was a reminder Shelby’s name was permanently on my body for all the world to see. She-wolves had the bite and their mate’s scent on them to know they were claimed, but this? No one would question who I belonged to. Same went for Gib, who had his new mark displayed prominently on his arm. We were Shelby’s. Irrevocably.
She was already beneath our skin. Figuratively and now literally.
But the moment we all stepped outside, she crushed us both.
“I can’t move to Wyoming with you,” she blurted, turning to face us and crossing her arms over her chest.
I swore to fuck, it felt like someone punched me in the gut, but I did my best to hide my reaction, the way Gib always did. For an enforcer, I was pretty level-headed, but when it came to Shelby, I was losing my cool.
I forced myself to sound casual. “What’s holding you back, kitten?” I picked up her hand and tried to catch her gaze. Gib came to flank her other side.
She shook her head and wouldn’t meet our eyes. I experienced her upset like it was my own. Tasted her turmoil. Sensed the way her insides twisted and bunched like a wet dishrag. “It’s just… all too sudden. We only met last night!” Her arms went up in the air, her body full of agitation. “I have a life here. Jobs I like. My pack needs me.”
I had a feeling there was something she wasn’t saying. Something didn’t add up because she wasn’t acting like a female who just found—and was thoroughly satisfied by—her mates. I glanced at Gib, who said nothing.
“Well, I’ll stay here with you until you're ready,” I offered. “I’ll take you down to visit Gib since he needs to return for the pack. We can work this out. We’ll do long distance until you’re ready.”
It wasn’t ideal—not by a long shot, but I wasn’t going to pressure her. Taking a mate without consent was unconscionable.
“No, I don’t want you to stay,” she whispered. Guilt shone in her expression. “You can mark me before you go. I know you need to.” She blinked back tears.
“Fuck that.” Gib stabbed his fingers through his hair. “We’re not going to claim you if you’re not ready.”