Snack
The room was silent as his words filled the room, seeping into the cracks. They were talking about war here, and the only one who seemed worried about it was Charlotte. I still didn’t know how she fit into the puzzle.
Who was she, and why was she still here?
“First off, I wasn’t getting my hopes up,” I huffed. Ryder smirked as he dropped to where Darius and I connected. His brows scrunched together as he ran a claw around his mark. Goosebumps broke out along my skin, and the corner of his lip twitched. The bastard was pleased. Straightening, he grabbed a sheet and put it over me.
“My King, my Prince,” her voice dripped with honey. Irritation filled me as she addressed my mates. I didn’t like those words coming from her mouth and I didn’t like the not-so-subtle possession in her tone. As if she were chastising her friends and not overstepping. They weren’t her anything. Balling my hands into fists, Darius groaned as everything clenched. His cocks twitched inside me.
“Easy, little mate,” my beast teased.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I huffed.
“I can taste it on my tongue,” he chuckled.
“You… can’t taste that,” I murmured.
“Do I need to fuck you again?” His arm came around, and a claw flicked my sensitive clit. My hips bucked and liquid gushed down my thighs.
“No,” I whispered.
“More lies,” he growled.
“Are you sure you’re human?” Ryder’s voice drew my attention from his twin.
“Of course I’m human,” I huffed.
Glaring at my other mate. Instead of getting into it with him, I blatantly checked him out. Bright gray eyes that could only be compared to lightning cutting through the night sky watched me with curiosity and amusement. I think my favorite tattoo was the black wolf on his throat. Even though I knew this was an illusion, he’s hot. Not in the pretty boy way, but in the dark, dangerous, I have a motorcycle and would fuck you on it way. The fact that I didn’t know what he really looked like bothered me.
“Then what am I? If I’m not the human woman your brother snatched from her bed?” I scoffed. The idea was ludicrous.
“A succubus,” he answered without hesitation. There was a moment of silence. Joking. Ryder was joking with me.
“You can’t be serious,” I laughed.
“I am for once.” Ryder grinned. The smile was blinding.
“I think you guys are the ones who are incubi. You never get tired! I’ve been stuck on a knot most of the time that I’ve been here,” I hissed.
“You’re right. There’s no way you could have crawled out of hell,” Ryder’s words caught me off guard, but Darius chuffed.
“Enough. I want to know more about Cohen,” Darius spat his name like it was vile.
“You don’t get to bark at me. Especially when you have her here.” I tipped my head in her direction.
Literally. Like, why was she still here?
“I asked first,” the grumpy puppy growled.
“There’s another woman in our room. I want answers,” I humphed. It was immature of me, but after everything that I happened, I didn’t give one flying fuck. Muscles flexed against my back and cocks moved inside me. Claws wrapped around my breast.
“Did he fuck what’s ours?” Darius snarled.
I’m so tired of being ignored. Could I bop my monster mate on the nose and get away with it?
“If you want something, I need something in return,” I sighed in frustration.
“We don’t share. Our mate is entangled with another, and we’ve decided to throw away a pact we made years ago for you. There is no question of where our loyalties lie. Tell us about Cohen ,” he demanded. Ryder was jealous.
“You kidnapped and chained me up, but because you’re my mates, I have to accept every bad thing you’ve done to me. But now that you found out I had a life before you, I can’t be trusted?” my voice trembled with emotion.
“We never claimed to be fair,” Ryder soothed.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. The urge to feel silver cut against flesh festered. The beasts who were supposed to be my escape, were also my triggers. The last thing I wanted right now was to talk about Cohen. Especially when it felt like I was being crucified for a man who wasn’t worth shit.
“What do you want to know?” I hissed through clenched teeth.
“Darius asked if you’ve fucked him. Start there. When was the last time he was in your cunt?” Ryder’s expression was composed, but his eyes never lied. There was a slap before I realized what happened. I’d slapped Ryder across the face, but his stupid head didn’t even move. He snatched my wrist and held them in front of me.
“I’ve never fucked him. Use your tongue to taste that. Am I lying?” I spat. He covered my mouth with his free hand.
“What was that, Bunny? I can’t hear you?” he sang. I tried to answer, but the words were muffled. He leaned close, pushing his ear against the hand covering my mouth.
Asshole.
“Oh… yes… I see. You’ve been fucking him. What? Gave him your virginity? You want to go back?” Even as he acted like the mentally ill patient I knew he was, he was voicing his fears and ignoring the truth. Darius’ vibrated behind me.
Why was he riling him up?
My brain screamed, ‘Danger!’ and I shook my head. Ryder released me. I didn’t know if it was an act of mercy or entertainment. Darius’ hand pushed on my back and I folded. His claws trailed down my back, over my hips, and I shuddered as he gripped my parted ass cheeks. My fingers curled into the sheets as I felt his gaze on my hole. His silence was unnerving. It felt like the calm before the storm.
“It isn’t true,” I breathed.
“It’s a reminder you weren’t pure,” Ryder explained. I squeezed around Darius’ cocks. Glaring at him because he was at fault here.
“I forgot you were still here. Char, get out,” Ryder sighed.
Lifting my eyes to where she still stood by the door. She smiled, apparently pleased my mates weren’t happy with me. She was fucking enjoying this, and I wanted to scream. My hackles rose, because once again, I didn’t miss the nickname. She bowed low, flashing her cleavage.
“My King. My Prince,” her sultry voice fanned the flames of my insecurities. She turned, and closed the door on her way out.
“You’re angry at me for having a fiance but you’ve fucked your assistant. I don’t want to go back to him. My parents arranged our marriage,” I hissed. My vision blurred as tears begged to run free. This feeling of betrayal was new, and I didn’t know what to do with it.
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have killed them so quickly,” Darius seethed.
Too soon.
Too fucking soon.
I would never get over the fact that he killed them, but I didn’t want to be reminded. The tears finally escaped and my breaths became shaky. They’re not human, but fuck do their words cut deep. Each one dripped from his tongue like venom, burning through my pathetic defenses and poisoning me from the inside out.
“Brother,” Ryder cooed. His eyes flickered above me. The beast growled. “That was cruel,” he reprimanded Darius as if he’d called me fat, not thrown the nasty truth into my face; he’d killed my parents and wasn’t apologetic. The illusion’s focus returned to me, pity filling his eyes. I wanted to tell myself I was fucking delusional, but right now, that’s what I needed.
“Don’t bother,” I hiccuped, swiping at my cheeks.
“Look what you’ve done. Our mate is sad,” Ryder chastised. Darius nuzzled my cheek. A sound akin to a soft whimper warmed my face. Pulling me back into his arms, his cock deflated as he withdrew from me.
“I’ll make it better,” he growled. The beast cradled me like a baby and I burrowed into his chest.
“As long as you don’t fuck me again, I’ll take it,” I hiccuped.
Ryder chuckled as a large paw batted my head. Almost buckling at the pressure, I felt like it might snap off. Waiting to see what the hell he was doing, he did it again, but softer this time. His hand patted my head, and then slowly slid down my hair. I blinked. The flow of tears stopping as I straightened.
He is… petting me.
Fingers slid beneath my backside, collecting the mess. He scooped it up and pushed it back in.
“Can’t waste a drop,” he murmured, mesmerized.
“You’re supposed to be cleaning it out,” I rasped. Piercing eyes shot to mine, holding me captive. Brows furrowed as the corners of his lips curved down.
“Why would I do that?” his tone was reserved and calm, too calm. I backtracked, trying to figure out what I’d said wrong this time.
“So I don’t get pregnant.” My mate stopped petting me.
“You don’t want pups?” Glancing at the other half of his whole, I looked for help. Ryder’s chest rose and fell rapidly.
“Are you disgusted with us?” Ryder bit out.
“Dirty,” Darius snarled.
Ryder’s expression morphed into something like sadness. Again, I’d gotten too close to an issue and froze with my foot on a landmine. They were everywhere, and I had no idea where to step. Did I want to get to the root of the problem? He jerked his head to the side before he looked at me again.
“I’m not disgusted with you. I want… both of you.” With the truth out in the open, it felt like an eternity as we stared at each other. He tapped his brother’s arm, and the beast relaxed. Ryder leaned forward, his face inches from mine.
“Explain. Make it quick. The voices…” he tapped his temple. “ They’re so loud ,” he whispered. And for the first time since I’d found myself with two monsters for mates, my heart broke for them. I don’t know what made them this way, but I can feel it in my soul: it wasn’t good.
“I just meant this is all new. You might change your mind. What if you grow tired of me?” There’s a rumble from the beast who held me. Tilting my head back, I looked up at my powerful mate. I’d never seen a wolf laugh, and while I knew they didn’t smile like we do, I knew he was. His mouth was open, the corners pulled back in a predatory grin, sharp teeth bared. When I looked at Ryder, his focus was entirely on his brother. There was something there: love. Seeing his brother smile made him happy, like these moments were far and few in between.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that. You’re our mate. Your cunt, your body, your mind—everything about you is the missing piece to the puzzle that is us,” Ryder murmured.
I’d given myself over to my captors.
“Seeing your belly swell with our pups would only make you more beautiful.” Darius this time. He started petting me again, and I hummed.
“You did hear us declare war for you, right?” Ryder chuckled.
“But you didn’t have to,” I whispered, dropping my gaze.
“So you do want to go back to him?” It isn’t a jab this time. He’s teasing me.
“No! Gods, no. I can’t stand his touch.” I shivered at the thought. Wrapping my arms protectively around myself, I leaned into Darius, but Ryder’s fingers snapped out and gripped my chin. I was forced to meet those piercing grays.
“I thought you said he never fucked you?” All hint of teasing was gone, replaced with that low, calm tone.
“He didn’t,” I whispered.
“But he’s touched you?” His eyes flashed.
“I never welcomed him.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Bunny.” Ryder cocked his head to the side, and steel flashed to yellow. This was the most animalistic I’d felt Ryder be. I shouldn’t find it so exciting.
But I do.
“Yes. Every opportunity he got. From the little touches on my hip, to groping me. He found out… about my weakness and used it to make me feel wrong. He said I was sick for the things I liked…” my voice cracked.
“How would he know what’s between your legs, if he’s never been there?” Ryder leaned forward.
“She didn’t lie,” Darius’ words reverberated from behind me.
“No, I didn’t,” I whispered as a tear escaped. Ryder dragged a finger up my cheek, collecting it. Bringing it to his face, he stared at it.
“I don’t like someone else making you cry, but I know that look in your eye.”
“Tell us,” Darius growled, an arm wrapping around my belly as he held me. I gripped it.
“He saw. The first time we met wasn’t because our parents introduced us. They announced my engagement over breakfast. Like we were discussing what to eat. As if we weren’t talking about who I was going to spend the rest of my life with. Nothing I said would change it. I did what anyone would do. I went out and spread my legs for anyone who would…” I coughed, trying and failing to cover up what I’d been about to say.
“I needed a release, so I slipped into the bathroom and flipped up my skirt. I touched myself, but couldn’t get there. My life was falling apart and I couldn’t even get off. At that time, I carried my blade with me everywhere I went. Widening my legs, I played with myself as I sliced the flesh that hadn’t healed. It was… euphoric, and I came. As I chased the high, the door swung open. I’d forgotten to lock the door, and that’s how we met. With my skirt up, blood seeping down my thigh, and my fingers knuckle deep.”
“What did he do?” Ryder asked quietly.
I swallowed and squeezed my eyes shut. The room disappeared, and I was back in that bathroom.
“He closed the door.”
A hand cupped my cheek, the claws gentle not to prick me.
“Open your eyes.” Obeying, I did as he said.
“I know what it’s like to be trapped. Free yourself. The past is behind us and you’re no longer stuck in that room. You’re here. Where you belong.” Ryder’s eyes flashed, but instead of feeling scared, I felt his anger, and his need to protect me. I felt cared for.
A tear rolled down my cheek and I bit my lip until the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. Ryder lowered himself until we’re eye to eye. Pressing his nose to mine, I felt his wet nose. A smile pulled at my lips as Darius continued to pet me.
“Don’t worry about him anymore. We’ll take care of him, won’t we?” Ryder cooed. Darius rumbled in response.
“.”