Claimed by the Pack

I shrugged. “I guess that depends on what you do with it.”

He rolled down his shirt. That part was a damned shame. I was enjoying every bit of his skin, scar or no.

“Karessa was good to me,” he said. “For a long while. Before, and even after Damien.” He sighed heavily. “But now…”

“Now she’s just an asshole,” Damien chimed in. He’d just entered the room, but I had little doubt he’d heard everything. “An asshole who’s trying to hold you hostage by keeping your totem.”

That part made me angry too. I didn’t know how long he could go without the object, but in keeping his totem this woman was risking the very life she gave to him. Broderick might shift into a wolf at any moment… and then never shift back.

“Do you still love her?” I asked abruptly.

It was a strange question, considering. Even Damien remained silent. He folded his arms, waiting to hear.

“No,” said Broderick, after a time. “Not in the ways I once did. Not after everything she’s done.”

The words were genuine, even healing. I could tell it had been something he’d struggled with. Something he was only now ready to admit to himself.

Beyond the big glass window dusk had long since given way to darkness. It was getting late.

“So we’re not going tonight?” I asked.

“No,” said Broderick. “Last time we took the wrong approach. We went at night, thinking we could catch them while they were out.”

His palms slid up along my bare arms. His touch gave me the shivers.

“This time we go in the morning. Catch them in. Maybe while they’re sleeping, or tired, or turning in.”

I swallowed, realizing the implications. We’d actually be staying the night here. In the meantime, Damien had silently moved behind me. I felt his hands go to my hips.

“Tonight we rest,” said Damien, as his lips fell to my neck. His hands slid around, to the front of my waist. He began unbuttoning me. Unzipping me…

“At least for some of the night,” Broderick grinned. He lifted my arms. Slid my shirt over my head.

My heart pounded wildly in my chest. Every square inch of my skin was covered in goosebumps.

“Is that so?” I said, trying to be brave.

“Yes,” they said together. “That’s so.”

27

SERENA

The bath was more of a triangular hot tub. Right now it was filled with superheated water, made silky by the addition of the soaps and oils Damien had brought up by room service. The candles too; all three of them. Together they cast a deep red glow, reflected in the tiled walls of the darkened room.

Gotta love room service.

I allowed them lead me here after stripping me down. Lowering myself into the steaming waters made me feel just short of orgasmic. But leaning back and watching as they stripped and did the same?

Now that was a sight to see.

My two beautiful wolves each took their own corners of the tub. For a while we just sat there, enjoying the silence, the candlelight, the feel of hot water rolling against our sore backs. As a joke I extended my legs, offering each of them a foot to rub. When they actually did start rubbing them I closed my eyes and just about came.

God, if only I could just stay here forever…

Another water jet, located somewhere beneath me, seemed to be even more strategically positioned. So much so, that I had to wonder if the design were intentional.

“I must’ve done something right,” I groaned at the ceiling. “To deserve this.”