Chapter 20: Pack

DELILAH

I started to stir near sunset, wrapped in Seth’s arms.

Cole got up, stretching, his backside marred by claw marks and dirt.

Had I done that? Or Seth?

Did it really matter?

Sighing happily, Seth pulled me tighter to his body, making me melt against him.

No, it didn’t matter. What had happened during our passion was simply that—passion.

“I’ll go get you both some clothing,” Cole said, turning around, his arms still outstretched.

His cock was relaxed against his muscular body.

~Mine.~

An ugly thought reared in my mind, making me pull out of Seth’s arms and get up to grab onto Cole’s waist before he could shift.

“Don’t go,” I said sullenly, resting my head against his back.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, softly rubbing his hands over mine as I held him tight.

Was it my tone? My body language? Or was it because he was my mate that he could pick up on my feelings?

We weren’t bound yet—I could feel that; the spell was still in effect.

I may be marked by their teeth and their smell, but until the change overtook me, having sex was just a delay.

It wasn’t a true mating mark until I shifted.

“I just…” I bit my lip. It was a foolish thought, but it was enough not to want him to leave.

“Jewel?” Seth asked from behind, drawing out the word, making me stiffen immediately.

~Hammer on the nail…~

A feral growl left my throat that I didn’t know I could make, but just the thought of one of them being naked around her—knowing she had touched what was mine.

Part of me wanted to kill her for it, even though I had met them long after they had been intimate.

Hell, she was the very reason I met these two, and to know she was the one who caused such jealousy…

The ground began to rumble slightly. Seth suddenly yanked me from Cole, shoving his tongue down my throat, his hands running down my body.

My mind was reeling, but this—this I could focus on. I moaned into his mouth as he pinched my nipples before pulling away abruptly, leaving me dazed.

Both of them said something I missed. I shook my head, still feeling Seth’s hands run over my body, but only in comfort.

“What?” I asked.

“I said you have no need to be jealous, sweetling,” Cole said softly from behind me.

“We live now to be with you, and only you,” Seth agreed, running his hand down my hair.

“It seems that you’re more powerful than you ever let on,” he said lightly—not an accusation, just in surprise.

Cole made a noise of agreement as Seth released me to stand between them, making a semicircle of us, all in the nude.

“Well, I wasn’t…witches, um…” I didn’t want to spill my secrets—witch business was our own.

Things were technically different now, though. There were ways to get out of a binding—my mother would be back.

I couldn’t keep the alphas in the dark—and keeping the pack in the dark wasn’t something they did.

In a coven it was very easy to be underhanded and sneaky, to not say anything rather than too much.

Packs were different. They were family, and there were no secrets once you were shifted.

Could I even be a part of their pack?

I’d barely interacted with them over the last few days, so the idea of them accepting me as their new luna…

They both watched me silently, waiting. Even though I felt overwhelmed, I decided we needed to take things one step at a time.

Starting with witch secrets.

“There’s a lot you two don’t know about witches,” I started with a giant sigh.

“For one, that reaction wasn’t normal. To be honest, I think some of the Fae magic is still in me from that spell.”

“That or your inner wolf is wanting to come forth,” Seth said, rubbing his chin. “Your witch powers could be affected by your wolf’s emotions.”

“It could be a combination of things,” Cole said, crossing his arms. “We should probably contact the Clapton pack.”

I blinked at them, both confused and oddly surprised by their insight.

Granted, I was bonded with them.

Which meant if I could successfully shift, I would have an inner wolf inside—one that likely had been dormant, but would begin to wake.

I knew that much about wolves at least. With other things, I had no idea.

“Clapton pack?” I asked, tilting my head, unfamiliar with the title.

Both Seth and Cole grinned at me. I guess everyone had secrets after all.

“They have a witch. One who was very unskilled, according to your people. So she was disposable,” Seth explained.

Cole rolled his eyes.

“Not so much disposable; they ended up blinding her. But once she was mated and shifted, she became a very valuable asset to them. They were once a pack near destruction, and now none of the more feral packs dare mess with them.”

He came up to me and ran a hand over my hair. “If it helps, Jewel has never touched me sexually. Let me go get us some clothing, and let the pack know what’s going on so they're prepared.”

His eyes flicked to his brother. “Seth can carry you through the woods, and I’ll make sure a big breakfast is ready for us all. Then we’ll contact the other pack; see if they have some tips.”

My stomach growled at the prospect as I chewed my lip. I didn’t want to agree but he was being entirely rational.

I gave him a small nod, making him grin at me and kiss me on the forehead.

“I’ll see you soon, my flower,” Cole’s eyes went again to his brother, his face growing stern. “Do not let her out of your sight.”

Seth growled in response, his annoyance obvious that Cole would even question his watch.

Seth looked as if he were ready to shift and attack. Cole was just as tense, a growl building in his throat, but before it went further, Cole quickly shifted and ran into the brush.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

They shared, but it was clear, even now, that was the last thing they truly wanted.

Their wolf forms were unhappy with the arrangement, at the very least.