Abbey's Protectors [Beckett's Wolf Pack, Triad Mates 4] (Siren Publishing Menage & More) (55 page)

“I’m fine. So is Hunter,” Clay told her, reaching up and holding her head still so he could claim her lips and kiss her passionately.

When he pulled back, he saw the worry on her face despite the passion she had for him. He counted his blessings that this wonderful woman cared so much for the both of them.

“Where’s Hunter?” she repeated, reaching up and grabbing two handfuls of Clay’s hair. “Are you keeping something from me, Clay?”

“No, honey. Hunter is fine. He’s just outside.”

The kitchen door opened and Hunter stepped inside, smiling at the woman who filled their life with such peace and love. “Hey, sweetheart. Having fun?” he teased.

Abbey pushed from Clay’s arms and ran to him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. “Thank goodness you’re both okay,” she whispered, leaning into him and taking a deep breath to soothe herself with his scent. “What happened?”

Clay stepped up behind her and effectively pinned her between him and Hunter. He loved the way she sighed and relaxed as their bodies pressed against hers.

“It was a definite attempt to try and destroy the alliance the other packs have made with ours,” Clay explained. “Thank you for having the women tell their mates what was happening. That helped them to react quickly and squelch the uprising.”

Abbey nodded. “I told you, we women should be in charge,” she told him seriously.

Both men laughed softly. Kissing her gently, they walked her toward the stairway that led up to their bedroom.

“Yes, you did, sweetheart,” Hunter agreed. “And you were right. Because of all of you, the fight was quick. There were some injuries, but nothing more severe than a shift would heal.”

“Hayward’s men, and the enforcers from Randall’s pack, were planning to get rid of the ruling triads,” Clay told her softly. “I guess they figured the resulting lack of guidance from those packs would make it easier to control them. They don’t understand that our packs are more than just a ruling triad taking charge. We’re families who protect and fight for each other.”

Abbey nodded, shaking slightly as she held onto both men’s shirts. “I need you to take me upstairs,” she told them softly.

Hunter immediately swung her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest and holding her tightly as he led the way upstairs to their bedroom. Once inside, he lowered her gently onto the bed. Taking off his gun belt, he stowed it quickly inside the safe in the closet, holding the heavy door open while Clay did the same. Walking back into the bedroom, he toed off his boots and climbed in to settle beside their mate.

Clay did the same, reaching out to gather her in his arms and hold her tightly. “You doing okay, baby?” he whispered, kissing the back of her neck lightly, rubbing his face in the softness of her dark hair.

“I’m much better now that you’re both home,” she told them honestly. “I was really scared when I heard the gunfire.”

Neither man spoke. They just tightened their arms around her and held her until she calmed.

“Abbey,” Hunter whispered against the top of her head, stroking his hand soothingly down her body to rest on her hip. “I love you.” His voice was gentle as he allowed his emotions to fill her with their warmth.

Abbey moved slowly, turning to face him, reaching back to pull Clay flush against her back as she settled against Hunter’s chest. Clay’s strong chest supported her as she reached up and touched Hunter’s cheek, lightly running the back of her index finger across his jaw.

“I love you,” she told him softly. “I love my life with you and Clay.” She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Clay. “I love you, Clay.”

“Honey, I love you, too,” he told her, smiling. “I hope you realize just how much.”

Abbey nodded, pushing aside the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. “Don’t you guys know you shouldn’t say such sweet things to an emotional, pregnant lady?”

“Oh, honey, that’s where you’re wrong. We should say those things more now that you’re pregnant,” Clay corrected her. “How else are you going to know how much more we love you every day that our baby grows inside of you?”

Abbey smiled through her tears, reaching up and touching his chin lightly. “It
is
pretty cool that we’re going to have a baby, isn’t it?”

“Way cool,” Hunter whispered against her temple, making Abbey laugh softly.

“Amazing,” Clay agreed. “How are you doing with the pregnancy, honey?”

“I’m doing much better now that I’m with you both,” she told them honestly. “When I was with Peter I was tired and sick to my stomach. Every time he touched me I had to throw up. Is that normal, do you think?”

“Actually, it is,” Hunter explained. “When a triad is formed, the bond is solid. No other man or woman interests those within the bond. Matings are for life, sweetheart, and we’re faithful to our mates. When you were touched by another man, your body revolted against that touch.”

“How did he touch you, honey?”

Clay’s voice was calm but Abbey could feel the jealous tension that was winding tightly within him. She touched his arm gently as she sent him soothing thoughts.

“He got into bed with me and wrapped his arms around me. He touched my stomach to feel our baby. I pushed out of his arms and ran to the bathroom.”

“That’s when you were sick, Abbey?” Hunter asked her, covering her belly with his large hand and caressing it slowly.

“Yes,” Abbey whispered, closing her eyes and concentrating on the warmth of Hunter’s hand as he covered their child possessively. “I like this.”

“What, honey?” Clay whispered, leaning toward her and rubbing his cheek against her hair as his hand joined Hunter’s to caress her belly.

“This,” she said softly, covering their hands with hers and pressing down lightly.

They were quiet for a while, Abbey’s mind racing as she thought about all the things that needed to be done before their child arrived. She felt her men smiling against her cheeks and reached up to tug on their hair.

“Are you laughing at me?” she asked them, trying to sound angry and failing miserably.

“Just enjoying that you’re planning to get the nursery ready for our son,” Clay told her.

“You’re not painting, Abbey,” Hunter warned her.

“You won’t let me paint the nursery?” Abbey asked, surprised.

“Sweetheart, you can pick out the paint, but Clay and I will do the painting,” Hunter told her. “It wouldn’t be good for you to breathe in the paint fumes in your condition.”

Abbey smiled, relaxing. “Oh, that’s what you meant.”

“What did you think I meant?”

“I thought you didn’t want me to change the color of the room,” she explained.

“Sweetheart, I don’t care what color it’s painted. It could be chartreuse for all I care. You’re just not the one who’s going to do the painting.”

“Hunter, do you even know what color chartreuse is?” Clay asked him, laughing.

“Haven’t got a clue. But it sounds bad.”

Abbey’s burst of laughter brought wide smiles to her men’s faces. She brought each man’s hand to her mouth and kissed their knuckles lightly before returning them to her stomach. Their son chose that moment to move against his fathers’ hands. Just the slightest butterfly movement within her womb made the three of them gasp. Words were inadequate for how that made them feel—instead they wrapped each other in the warmth of their love and happiness.

“I love that your hands are protecting our baby. I love that you want him,” Abbey finally whispered.

“We want him and at least four more,” Clay reminded her, smiling when Abbey laughed softly.

“At least four more, huh?” she asked, smiling when a vision of her men outside playing in the yard with six children on a warm summer afternoon flashed through her mind.

“Clay, I think we should have made one more bedroom,” Hunter spoke up, leaning over Abbey and smiling down at her. “It looks like we’ll be having six cubs, Abbey.”

Abbey was too overwhelmed to speak. She never in her life expected to find love, never mind find it with two men who wanted such a large family with her.

Clay eased above her and covered her left side with his chest, sharing in her embrace with Hunter. He leaned down and kissed her lips lightly before pulling back and winking at her.

“I think having that many cubs with you is going to be amazing,” he told her softly. “What do you think, Abbey?”

Abbey looked at Clay and saw the softness in his light blue eyes, knowing the teasing was more serious than he led on. His desire for a large family was bright in his heart, but it was his desire to have that family with her that touched her soul.

Turning to face Hunter, she saw his warm, brown eyes filled with love as he looked down at her. She could feel his vulnerability—the strong man with the heart of a teddy bear.

She opened her heart to them and allowed them to see all the love and desires she had for her future with them. She no longer kept those feelings hidden behind the tiny door in her mind. She opened it wide and allowed all her hopes, dreams, and feelings for them escape in a torrent of emotion, filling them with her love for them.

Their eyes immediately changed to the most beautiful golden color, and Abbey knew that their wolves had felt her complete acceptance and love for them as well. It was as it should be. She was never going to allow either man to question or worry that they were not what she wanted or needed because she certainly did want and need them both. Always.

Hunter walked into the kitchen of their home and stood silently by the door, watching their mate as she pulled out an incredibly delicious smelling chocolate cake from the oven. She placed it carefully on the top of the stove and stepped back, brushing her hand over her forehead to push her beautiful, sable hair away from her face.

When she turned, she jumped in surprise before smiling at him and stepping toward him. He drank in her beauty, loving the sight of her very pregnant form. Her belly was heavy with their cub and he ached with the love that filled him at the tender softness of her. Her face held a rosy glow to it, partially from the heat of the stove but mostly from the healthy condition she was in.

“You look happy,” she told him as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed beneath his chin, laughing softly as he growled.

“How can I be anything but happy when I have you?” he asked her, reaching up to touch her cheek lightly. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?” His large hand rested on her belly, petting it softly and smiling when he felt their son moving beneath his touch.

“I’m good,” she answered without hesitation. “A little tired—but good.”

“Our cub is making you tired, Mate,” he whispered as he ghosted his lips across hers. “You need to rest.”

“What I need is to make love to you, Hunter,” she told him, biting at his lower lip and laughing softly as his growls increased.

“Abbey, you have to take care,” he warned her. “You’ll be delivering any day now.”

“So? Does that mean I can’t make love to my men?” she challenged him.

The golden color of his eyes showed that he was all for her suggestion. She smiled up at him as she tugged at the button of his uniform shirt.

“Take these clothes off so I can ravish you,” she demanded, loving when he laughed and grabbed her hand to kiss her knuckles lightly. “I’m serious, Hunter. Take your clothes off.” She waited for him to comply but he remained still. Insecurity filled her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“For what, sweetheart?”

“I know it’s probably difficult to have any desire for me when I’m as pregnant as I am.”

Hunter snorted as he grabbed her hand and brought it to his groin, pressing the palm of her hand against his aching shaft. “Does this seem like I don’t desire your very pregnant form?” he demanded.

She gripped him lightly and closed her eyes at the enjoyment she felt at how much he truly desired her. “You want me, too?” she whispered.

“Hell!”

He grabbed her beneath her legs and swung her up into his arms, holding her securely against his chest as he made his way up the stairs to their bedroom, two stairs at a time. By the time he stood her by their triad bed he was breathing heavily, his eyes were completely golden, and continuous rumbles of need were erupting from him.

“Your choice,” he told her firmly. “Take your clothes off quickly or I’m going to shred them.”

Abbey’s channel clenched with need at his show of dominance. She loved it when he was barely under control. His lovemaking was always careful, but sometimes she loved it when it was raw and hard—like now.

“You’re going to have to help me,” she told him, her voice breathless. “It’s hard for me to undress quickly.”

Hunter’s gaze softened at her admission. He still desired and wanted her fiercely, but he was cautioned by the reminder that their child had made a difference in what she was able to do. Reaching up, he framed her face with his hands and pulled her toward him, kissing her gently before nipping at her lip and smiling at the resulting moan that she emitted.

“I’ll help you, Mate,” he whispered against her mouth.

“Thank you,” she answered softly.