**************
Chapter 42
~Xavier’s POV~
"It... It shouldn’t be," Xander denied. "It ca once every three months like a heat, and now..."
"Aarrrghh!" we all scread as the agonising pain continued and our wolves roared agitated in unison.
"It’s... the curse... this is bad," I groaned out.
************
~Jade’s POV~
The water still clung to their skin in shining trails, catching the late afternoon light as they rose from the pool.
Xavier stepped out first, water streaming down the defined ridges of his chest and abdon, darkening the waistband of his black boxers.
Xade followed, shaking droplets from his hair, the motion making muscles shift under golden skin. Xander ca last, slower as rivulets slid over his shoulders and down the planes of his stomach.
They lifted their eyes at the sa ti.
My heart kicked hard against my ribs. I stood frozen at the edge of the pool deck, unable to look away.
I didn’t know what it was, but a sudden pull ignited in my chest, and Xavier reached first.
His hand rose, fingertips grazing my jaw before sliding into my hair. He tilted my face up, and in a second, his mouth was on mine.
I had kissed Xade, and felt Xander but Xavier... His kiss was warm, tasting faintly of chlorine and sothing darker, hungrier.
I lted into him instantly.
Xade pressed against my back a second later, chest solid and scorching. His lips found the side of my neck, kissing softly at first, then sucking gently on the sensitive skin just below my ear.
A shiver raced through . Xander dropped to one knee in front of , large hands settling on my hips as he pressed his mouth to the bare strip of skin above my shorts.
He kissed slowly, tongue flicking out to taste, while his fingers slipped beneath the fabric and tugged downward inch by inch.
My clothes disappeared between one heartbeat and the next. My shirt, my bra, my shorts—all gone until I stood bare between them.
Cool air kissed my skin, but their bodies were furnaces, surrounding , chasing every trace of cold away.
Xavier lifted without effort. My legs wrapped around his waist on instinct as he carried to the wide lounge chair nearby. He lowered onto the cushions, following down so his weight pressed into the soft surface.
Xade and Xander settled on either side, hands roaming freely now—stroking my sides, my thighs, the undersides of my breasts.
Xavier kissed again, deeper this ti, tongue stroking mine in slow, drugging pulls. Xade’s mouth closed over one nipple, sucking gently while his tongue circled the peak.
Xander mirrored him on the other side, teeth grazing just enough to make arch and gasp into Xavier’s mouth.
Pleasure coiled in my belly. Xavier shifted, settling more firmly between my thighs. I could feel his hard-on pressing against my core through the thin barrier of his boxers. His hand slid down my stomach, fingers dipping between my folds. He groaned when he found slick and swollen.
"So ready for us," Xavier murmured against my lips.
Two fingers circled my entrance before pushing into the core of my heat, carefully. I whimpered, my hips rocking up to et him. He curled them, stroking that perfect spot inside again and again while his thumb found my clit and rubbed in tight, steady circles.
The edge rushed toward fast.
Xade kissed along my collarbone, whispering soft praises against my skin. Xander nipped my earlobe, breath hot as he told how beautiful I looked, falling apart for them.
I gasped as a sharp, electric sensation shot through . I felt Xavier’s hand driving inward with a possessive rhythm that made my back arch.
Just as my body began to tighten, ready to shatter, sothing changed.
"Jade..." another voice murmured, thick with need.
I forced my eyes open. Their wolves were flickering just beneath their skin. But my focus was pulled to the wolf tattoos on their shoulders.
The star inside the crescent moon tattoo on Xavier’s chest, surrounded by a wolf’s mouth, one they all shared, flared to life.
A golden light shone at its centre, spreading from the ink, travelling across their skin and leaping to mine. The bond surged like a tidal wave, hitting so hard that my breath left completely, until every nerve sang.
And then — I woke up.
I bolted upright in bed, gasping for air, sheets twisted around my legs. Sweat dampened my skin, and an insistent ache pulsed between my thighs.
My core clenched emptily. Instinctively, I pressed my legs together and tried to catch my breath. My heart was thundering, and my skin felt like it was still on fire.
Why had I dread that? It was so vivid, so intense.
I had seen them by the pool yesterday, yes—wet, half-naked, beautiful—but this was different. My body rembered hands and mouths that had never truly touched that way.
Heat lingered in my cheeks, my chest, lower. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the images to fade, but they only sharpened.
A soft knock sounded.
"Jade?" Kael’s voice filtered through the door, laced with amusent. "You alive in there?"
I swallowed hard. "Yeah."
"Can I co in?"
I took in a deep breath before answering. "Yeah. Co in."
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, wearing only his sweatpants and a white shirt. His gaze swept over , probably my flushed cheeks, tangled hair, and rumpled sheets... then his nostrils twitched the second he stepped forward.
His eyebrows shot up as a slow smirk spreading across his face.
"Little one...Did I wake you from a wet dream?" he asked, sounding far too amused.
Mortification burned through . Sohow, even though I had inhaled, ntally I forgot my own arousal and invited a walking male species into my room.
Heat rushed to my face instantly. "No."
His grin widened. "You sure? I could sll your arousal all the way from the guest room."
I snatched a pillow and hurled it at his head. "Shut up, Kael!"
He caught it one-handed and laughed outright. "I’m not judging. I slled you from down the hall. That’s so serious heat you’re throwing off."
I buried my face in my hands. "Please stop talking. I’m not in heat."
He laughed softly, raising his hands as he dropped onto the edge of the bed, still chuckling. "Alright, alright. I deserved that, but relax. It happens. Especially when the mate bond is this strong."
I blinked at him, wondering how he knew.
"You found your mates, right?"
"Huh..."
He shook his head, and his tone softened. "I actually want to say I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have pushed about why you slled like the Alphas."
I let out a sigh. "It’s fine. They’re my professors at school. We have training sessions in school. That’s all."
That wasn’t a total lie, just part of the truth. Enough to satisfy him, hopefully.
He studied for a long mont, then nodded. "Okay. I’ll drop it." He reached over and ruffled my hair the way he always had when I was younger. "Try to get so rest. Or... handle things. Your call."
He winked and left, closing the door softly.
I flopped back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling.
Well. That was part of the truth, anyway.
*****
School felt off from the mont I walked through the gates. I spotted Kai close to the doors, but as soon as he saw , he pivoted and headed toward near the main entrance, his face lighting up.
However, before he could close the distance, Isadora appeared like a guardian shadow and hooked her arm through mine.
"Not today," she muttered, steering firmly toward the building. "Trust ."
"What’s his problem?" I asked.
"He’s been asking around about you and the Alphas. People notice things, Jade."
My stomach sank. Thankfully, Kai did not take another step closer.
We reached the classroom just as the bell rang in ti for Xavier’s class. But instead of Xavier’s tall fra at the front, Professor Halden entered.
"Everyone, settle down," he called over the rising chatter adn we did. "Due to illness, all classes and training sessions led by the Alpha Triplets are cancelled today. Substitute instructors will cover the material. Now, please open your books to Chapter twelve."
Rather than quieting down, whispers erupted imdiately.
"All three of them?"
"That’s never happened."
"Are they okay?"
Isadora’s hand settled lightly on my forearm, giving a gentle squeeze. "You alright?" she asked quietly.
I managed a nod, but my mind spun. An illness. All of them. At once? But they were fine yesterday.
The day crawled by. I barely registered the substitute teachers or the lessons. My thoughts kept circling back to the dream, to the golden glow, to the way my mates couldn’t control the bond.
After the final bell, I booked a taxi and headed straight to their mansion instead of ho.
The mont I stepped out of the car, the air shifted. Their scents slamd into . It was laced heavily with arousal and sothing feral.
My pulse jumped. My senses sharpened until I could almost taste them on the breeze.
I climbed the steps and rang the bell, but even after two rings, there was no answer. I knocked, then tried the handle. The door swung open.
"Hello?" My voice echoed in the quiet foyer. I shut the door and stepped inside, but no sooner had I done that than a sudden rush of movent too fast to track blew past .
A hand caught my wrist and pulled forward. My back hit the wall before I could react and warm, hard muscle pinned there.
I looked up to see Xavier staring at .
He didn’t look sick, just eyes darkening with hunger, sweaty and... He looked ravaged. His shirt was half-unbuttoned, and his skin was flushed red. But it was his eyes that caught .
His eyes glowed crimson at the edges, pupils blown wide with raw need.
He didn’t say a word. The heat coming off him was like a furnace.
His chest rose and fell in harsh pants. One hand braced beside my head; the other gripped my hip like he was anchoring himself.
"Jade," he rasped.
His gaze locked onto mine, his nostrils flaring as he took in my scent, and then he crashed his lips onto mine.
Reviews
All reviews (0)