The Mating Rules

I stand under the hot spray, the water running over my skin, turning red as it washes away the b***d of the werewolf who hurt my sister. Images of the club flashing through my mind, my sister’s fear filled gaze as she silently pleaded with me to help her, the screaming as he bit down on her neck against her will.

A loud sob tore from my mouth as my legs give way sending me crashing to the floor of the shower, my arms curling around my legs as I pull them up to my chest.

A crash resonates through the room as Caden’s panic filled voice washes over me, ‘baby?’ he calls out frantically, ‘are you OK?’

I feel the cold breeze of the door opening before I’m wrapped in two sets of strong arms, one on my left, one on my right. My naked body is squeezed between the two muscular warriors, their clothes plastered to their skin as water beats down on us and I cry.

‘It’s OK sweetheart, let it out’ Hadley soothes from my left, his arm around my shoulders, his hand guiding my head to his shoulder.

‘We’re here, it’s OK, everyone is OK’ Caden adds, his arm wrapped possessively around my waist as he plays with my fingers.

‘I could have got her killed’ I whimper, trying to anchor myself somehow to the two men beside me.

‘It wasn’t your fault baby’ Caden argued firmly.

‘But you said it yourself, I was stupid to go there, I put them in danger’ I wailed.

‘Your plan wasn’t the smartest sweetheart’ Hadley agreed, ‘but you didn’t go there with the intention of putting them in danger. Ashleigh is a grown she wolf, a mated one at that, she made the choice to go. Bailee also chose to accompany you tonight’ he holds up his hand as I snarl, ready to defend my sister. ‘It wasn’t their fault either’ he continues, ‘the only people at fault were those bastards who tried to force mark you. Am I angry that you left the territory alone? Yes! Am I still shaking from what could have happened? Also yes. But do I blame you for what happened?’ he turned my face so I was looking at him, ‘hell no. You went to a club for a bit of fun and you should be safe to do so. Those wolves are the problem in this scenario, not Bailee, not Ashleigh and definitely not you.’

I blink as I stare first at the warrior, letting his words wash over me, then at the Alpha who is also studying me, his face telling me that he agrees with Hadley. The guilt has been eating away at me, even though I know deep down that I didn’t purposefully lead them into danger. To know my mates didn’t blame me for what happened though, that does lift a tiny part of the guilt from my shoulders.

‘I was so scared’ I admit, staring down at my wrinkled fingers, ‘Bailee was terrified and I couldn’t do anything to save her. Then I heard her scream, it was awful, like her skin was burning off her body or something. I managed to get to the wolf that was holding her but she had already been hurt.’ I gulped loudly, my tears mingling with the spray of the shower, ‘I let her down.’

‘No, you did everything you could and you killed that son of a b***h who put his teeth into our Bails’ Caden growled angrily. ‘Because of you, he will never force another she wolf to suffer like Bailee did.’

I give him a weak smile, ‘well I suppose that’s one ray of sunshine to my cloud’ I replied making them both chuckle.

Standing up, Caden held his hands out to me, waiting patiently for me to place my own in them before pulling me to my feet. Standing between them, Hadley turned me around so I’m standing under the spray, carefully working the water through my hair before picking up my shampoo and washing my brown tresses. Rinsing the suds away, he did the same with the conditioner as Caden grabbed the body wash and squirted some in my hand with a wink.

‘As much as I’d like to wash you, I don’t think tonight is the right time to be dealing with a hard on’ he whispers, making me blush. I rub the wash over my skin before scrubbing myself clean, eyeing my mates shyly as they stand in front of me, soaking wet.

‘You are going to have to walk through the pack like that’ I mutter, indicating their clothes, trying not to focus on the two walls of muscle that are obvious under the wet tshirts.

My wolf growls, not happy with the thought that other she wolves will see my mates like this and I’m kind of in agreement here.

‘Don’t worry’ Caden replies as his eyes glaze for a second before returning to his usual intoxicating blue.

Stepping out, he grabs a towel as I wash away the soap, averting my gaze as he unashamedly strips down to his boxers and wraps a spare towel around his waist, leaving the bathroom and shutting the door.

Hadley steps out next, doing the same as I shut off the water, grabbing my towel and holding it out to me as I step into his close proximity, very aware of how much skin is on show.

The warrior wraps my towel around me, tucking the corner in to hold it in place before opening the bathroom door and leading me out where Caden is placing two sets of jeans and t-shirts on my bed.

‘I had to guess your size’ the Alpha says gruffly, indicating one of the piles.

Hadley nods, moving around me and picking up the pile, checking the label quickly. ‘Thanks’ he mutters, walking to my vanity and placing them down before starting to dry himself.

Caden starts to pull off his towel by my bed and I squeak loudly, my eyes widening for a second before I turn tail and run into my closet, away from my naked mates.

I towel off my body and pulled on some leggings and a tshirt to sleep in. Peeking out of the c***k in the door, I’m relieved to find both men dressed, Hadley sat in my chair and Caden perched on my bed flicking through a book I was reading.

Walking out, I clear my throat drawing their attention, ‘umm, I just wanted to say thank you’ I mutter, avoiding their gaze.

Caden looks up from my book at the sound of my voice, Hadley turning around so he’s facing me.

‘I wanted to thank you both for coming out to get me, Ashleigh and Bailee, for getting my sister to the clinic and for . . . you know . . ‘ I wave my hand vaguely toward the bathroom giving them a small smile.

Hadley is the first to stand, covering the distance between us in three strides as he wraps his arms around me. ‘You don’t have to thank us sweetheart, we’d do anything for you.’

Caden joins us, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as I lean into him, my own arms still encircling Hadley, holding him to me. ‘Carrington is right baby’ the Alpha growls into my hair as he k****s me, ‘there is nothing we would not do to keep you safe or make you happy.’

Dammit, I’m crying again, only this time its tears of gratitude for the two men who put aside their own issues to come and find me and then support me as I fell apart.

‘Let’s get you into bed’ Hadley murmured, pulling my arms from his waist and taking my hand, leading me toward my double bed and pulling back the covers.

Sliding onto the mattress, I scoot my way to the middle, snuggling down as the warrior tucks the blankets around me tightly.

‘Goodnight sweetheart’ he murmurs, placing a k**s on my forehead.

‘Night baby’ Caden says, pressing his lips firmly to mine as Hadley rolls his eyes.

‘Dude, really?’ he growls in annoyance.

My Alpha mate smirks, ‘hey, I behaved whilst she was naked in there, don’t expect any more than that’ he retorted.

‘We’ll see you tomorrow’ Hadley says to me softly, before reluctantly moving toward my door, Caden a step behind him.

As he reaches for the doorknob, anxiety flares through me and I sit up, causing them to spin around to face me.

‘Stay!’ I almost shout, suddenly desperate to keep them both with me.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

‘Baby . . ‘ Caden starts uncertainly.

‘Please, at least till I fall asleep’ I whisper, ‘I don’t want to be alone.’

Exchanging a glance with each other, the Alpha lets out a harsh breath before nodding and moving back toward me.

I go to lift the blankets but he stops me, ‘we’ll sleep on top of the covers Leeway’ he says firmly, ‘there is only so well behaved I can be, and trust me, neither of us wants to see the other losing control over you. Let’s not risk an all out wolf fight in your room, not tonight.’

I drop the covers nodding, settling back down into the blankets as Hadley lays down on my right, and Caden on my left. I immediately roll onto my side, pulling the Alpha in behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist as I in turn cuddle against Hadley’s body, laying my head on his shoulder.

A soft sigh leaves me as I relax, my wolf purring contentedly in my head at the closeness of her mates. It takes seconds for my eyes to start drooping, something about the scents of both my mates surrounding me, making me fall into a deep and comforting sleep.

‘Night Sweetheart’ Hadley says softly, lifting my arm so he can place a k**s on my fingers before placing it back where it was.

‘Night Hadey Bear’ I reply with a giggle.

‘Night baby’ I hear behind me as a k**s is placed on my shoulder.

‘Night Daydie’ I murmur sleepily, and I swear Caden chuckles into my neck as his arm tightens slightly around me.