Chapter 3
STONE brOTHERS
T hey had always watched him.
Through nine years and six cities, across state lines and carefully crafted new identities, the Stone brothers tracked every movement of their little mate. Sarah Chen might have thought she’d hidden her son well, but she hadn’t understood one crucial truth: what belonged to them could never truly escape. Not when his scent called to every alpha within a hundred miles. Not when those gold-flecked eyes marked him as something precious, rare—a descendant of the First Pack, though Sarah had tried to bury that truth along with her mate’s murdered body.
The pre-marking at thirteen had been necessary. Brutal, perhaps, but necessary. Too many alphas had already caught his scent, drawn to the ancient power in his blood. The deal with Sarah had been simple: their protection in exchange for Kai. She’d broken that deal, running with their mate, but they’d allowed it. Time was on their side.
Marcus Stone stood at his office window in the historic Stone Building, the town square of Cedar Grove spread beneath him like an offering. The conference room downstairs hadn’t been enough to contain his wolf once he’d caught that scent—honey and rain and mine . His second-floor sanctuary, housed in what was once a lumber baron’s private study, gave him a perfect view of Karen’s General Store.
The pen in his hand shattered, ink staining his suit. His chest trembled with barely contained need as he watched Kai enter the store. Nine years of iron control meant nothing against the sight of their little mate, all grown-up and finally within reach.
“Sir?” His assistant’s voice came through the intercom. “The investors are waiting—”
“Cancel everything.” His voice emerged as a growl, fangs already dropping. The wolf inside him paced, clawing, howling. Take. Claim. Mine.
Nine years of waiting. Of watching from afar as Kai grew from that frightened thirteen-year-old into this exquisite creature below. They’d been patient, so patient. Even Derek, with his military precision, had submitted to Caleb’s insistence they wait until Kai was truly ready. Twenty-one had seemed reasonable. Now, at twenty-two, their mate had finally returned—right on schedule, thanks to Marcus’ carefully orchestrated legal maneuvers.
Marcus’ claws scraped against the window as Kai moved through the store. The memory of thirteen-year-old Kai hit him like a physical blow. How small he’d been, how innocent, drawing in that sketchbook while they watched from afar. The first time they’d scented him, all three brothers had known—this one was theirs. The ancient power in his blood had only confirmed what their wolves already knew.
But they’d waited. Protected. Planned.
While Kai grew up unaware, they’d systematically purchased every property surrounding the cottage. Built their compound within running distance. Established dominance over every pack in a hundred-mile radius. Any alpha who dared track their mate found themselves facing three of the most powerful wolves in the Pacific Northwest.
The glass cracked under his grip as Kai loaded his cart with survival supplies. Every item screamed of escape plans, and Marcus’ wolf snarled at the thought. Never again. Ours now.
His phone buzzed. Derek.
“You feel him?” His brother’s voice was already half growl.
“Karen’s store.” Marcus forced the words past his fangs. “He’s planning to run again.”
“Like hell he is. I’ll—”
“Get Caleb,” Marcus cut him off, though his wolf howled in agreement with Derek’s rage. “Follow him in wolf form. Stay hidden. Make sure he reaches the cottage safely.”
“And if he runs?” Marcus watched Kai’s ancient Honda pull away, his entire body trembling with the effort of not shifting, not chasing, not claiming. “He won’t. Not this time. The board is set.”
Pleasure surged through him, primal and possessive, as he sensed Kai crossing into their territory. Even the pre-marking from nine years ago still hummed between them, faint but alive. Soon it would be complete. Soon their little mate would understand exactly what power ran in his veins.
Soon he would be theirs .
His phone buzzed again. Caleb this time.
“I’m on his trail,” his younger brother reported. “He’s nervous. Keeps checking his mirrors.”
“Good.” Marcus finally turned from the window, his shirt stained with blood and ink, eyes glowing alpha-red. “Remember—gentle. We have to play this carefully.”
“I know.” He paused. “Derek’s already shifted. He’s running the perimeter.”
Marcus growled, knowing his brothers would be the first to scent their mate up close. “Just get him to the cottage safely. We’ll let him settle in before…”
“Before we remind him who he belongs to?”
“Before we show him what he’s always been meant to be.”
The ancient power in Kai’s blood was waking. They could all feel it. Soon, their little mate would feel it too.
Welcome home, precious one.
T he Stone Manor rose from the misty forest like an echo of old-world power, its four wings spreading like compass points from the central great hall. Built from native stone and timber, the manor incorporated stones from the original 1667 lodge, seamlessly blending centuries of additions into a masterpiece that dominated yet complemented the surrounding wilderness. Soaring ceilings and massive windows flooded the space with natural light, while gleaming hardwood floors and rich wood paneling showcased the region’s natural wealth.
The formal dining room, housed in the central great hall, could have hosted fifty, but only three places were set at the massive Brazilian rosewood table. Crystal glasses caught the light from the custom chandelier, wine untouched beside plates of barely touched venison.
Jorge, their cousin and family chef who’d served as the manor’s culinary master for over fifteen years, Maria, their Spanish great-aunt whom the brothers affectionately called Tía, and her son Miguel had retreated to the north family wing of the manor. They all knew when to give the brothers space, tactfully withdrawing to their private suites as the tension rolled off the three alphas.
At their feet, three massive wolf-dogs lounged with deceptive casualness. Shadow, pitch-black with silver markings, sat regally beside Marcus’ chair, watching the room with calculating intelligence. Storm, Derek’s silver-gray sentinel, maintained his guard position, muscles tensed and ready even at rest. Scout, golden-brown and smallest of the three, sprawled near Caleb’s feet, though his playful demeanor didn’t fool anyone—these weren’t ordinary pets.
Their presence was a constant source of speculation in town—too large to be normal dogs, too well trained to be wolves, yet somehow both and neither. Like their masters, they commanded respect without effort.
Derek stabbed at his meat, still in his tactical gear from running the perimeter. The scent of their mate clung to him from his forest patrol—faint, teasing, maddening.
“He’s exactly as I remembered,” Caleb said softly, pushing food around his plate. His designer clothes were still dusty from playing roadside rescuer. “But grown-up. Perfect.”
Marcus set down his fork with careful precision, but his claws had already left marks in the custom Brazilian rosewood. “Report. Everything.”
“Frightened rabbit in that beat-up Honda,” Derek snorted. “Nearly caught his scent six times on the drive in. Like he was going in circles. That rust bucket shouldn’t even be road-worthy.”
“He was lost.” Caleb’s lips quirked. “Google Maps doesn’t work well out here. We made sure of that. Though watching him try to keep that ancient Civic running was…” His voice tightened. “He couldn’t even afford proper maintenance.”
The brothers shared a look of grim satisfaction tinged with protective anger. Every detail, every possibility, had been planned for years. The cottage’s strategic isolation. The town’s careful cultivation. The selective technology dead zones. But seeing their mate struggle in a car that was one pothole away from collapse—that hadn’t been part of the plan.
“Speaking of technology…” Caleb pushed back from the table, crossing to the state-of-the-art monitoring station built into what looked like an antique writing desk. Three screens glowed to life. “He’s online now. Using our Wi-Fi—the only signal that reaches the cottage.”
Derek abandoned all pretense of eating, moving to loom over Caleb’s shoulder. “What’s he looking for?”
“Jobs. Apartments.” Caleb’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “Seattle, LA, Vegas… anywhere without trees, basically. He’s—” He broke off, tension visible in his shoulders. “He’s good. The jobs he’s applying for? Perfect for his skills. The apartments are in safe areas. Smart escape plans.”
“He’s not leaving.” Derek’s growl echoed off the vaulted ceiling.
“Of course not.” Marcus remained at the table, the picture of control except for his glowing red eyes. “But we let him try. For now.”
The screens showed Kai’s browser history in real time, each new search another city, another possible escape route. The cottage’s security feeds ran alongside, showing their mate curled up with his laptop, small and vulnerable in his sleeping bag.
“Knox’s pack scented him,” Derek bit out. “Three of them were testing the borders this afternoon.”
Storm’s hackles rose at the mention of rival wolves, a low rumble building in his chest.
“They won’t dare cross our territory,” Marcus said, but his wineglass shattered in his grip. Red liquid dripped onto the imported marble floor, looking too much like blood.
“You should have seen him up close,” Caleb said, eyes glued to the screens but a small smile playing on his lips. Scout’s tail wagged in agreement, clearly sharing his master’s amusement. “He’s got this… spark now. Called me a ‘woodland deity’ and ‘lumberjack guardian angel’ right to my face. Then started rambling about horror movies and becoming the start of one—‘city boy moves to creepy cottage, loses phone signal, never heard from again.’“
Derek’s growl filled the room. Marcus’ chair scraped against marble.
“And the way he talks,” Caleb continued, either oblivious to or enjoying his brothers’ reactions. “All sass and snark. Started asking if there were ‘mandatory barn raising events’ and ‘secret handshakes.’ Even made jokes about negotiating Wi-Fi with the local bears.”
The antique desk cracked under Derek’s grip. “Enough.”
Marcus appeared behind them, his control slipping enough to show fangs. Shadow rose silently beside him, the massive black wolf-dog’s presence adding to his master’s intimidating aura. “You seem to have learned quite a lot about our mate in one brief encounter.”
“Jealous?” Caleb’s tone was light, but his eyes were careful when they met Marcus’ in the screen’s reflection. “I’m just saying… he’s not that frightened kid anymore. He’s perfect. The way he blushed when the truck hit that bump and I had to steady him. His skin’s so soft, and those eyes up close…” He trailed off, remembering the gold flecks that had caught the afternoon light.
Marcus yanked him back by the scruff of his neck, eyes blazing alpha-red. “Choose your next words carefully, little brother.”
“Just stating facts,” Caleb said, not quite managing to hide his grin despite Marcus’ grip. “Up close, in the cab of my truck… honey and rain and need . Every time the truck jerked, he’d grab my arm, and the scent would spike with—”
He didn’t finish because Marcus had him pinned against the wall, forearm across his throat. “One more word about touching our mate, little brother, and you’ll be running patrols for a month.”
“Worth it,” Caleb wheezed, but his eyes sparkled with mischief. “You should see how responsive he is to an alpha’s presence. The way his breath catches, how his body naturally seeks the heat. And those little submissive gestures he doesn’t even realize he’s making—”
Derek’s roar shook the monitors.
“And when he gets flustered,” Caleb pressed on, clearly enjoying his brothers’ reactions, “his cheeks flush this perfect pink. The way he unconsciously tilted his head when I reached past him… pure submissive instinct, even if he doesn’t know it yet—”
The wooden paneling cracked under Derek’s fist as Marcus’ grip tightened dangerously.
“The way he naturally yields, even while trying to maintain that adorable sass. When I helped him out of the truck, he practically melted against—”
The wall cracked where Marcus slammed him harder. Shadow and Storm flanked their masters, hackles raised, while Scout whined anxiously, caught between loyalty to Caleb and submission to the pack order.
Caleb finally cracked a genuine smile. “Though I might have exaggerated a bit. About some of it. You know how I get carried away.”
Marcus’ grip loosened slightly. “Which parts?”
“The touching, mostly. I was careful. Professional.” Caleb rubbed his throat as Marcus released him. “Though the part about his scent, his eyes… that was real. And the way he naturally responds to an alpha presence, even if he fights it.”
Derek paced the length of the great room, his tactical boots silent on the marble floor. “You’re enjoying this too much.”
“Maybe.” Caleb dropped back into his chair, fingers returning to the keyboard. “But you have to admit, it’s kind of adorable how he thinks he’s being subtle with these searches. Look— ‘How to disappear completely’ followed immediately by ‘cute cat videos’ like he’s trying to cover his tracks.”
Marcus loomed over him, watching the screen. “He’s researching the town.”
“Trying to.” Caleb pulled up Kai’s browser history. “But all he’s finding are the carefully curated articles we’ve allowed to exist. Tourist trap stuff. Logging history. Nothing about… well, us. Or what really happens in these woods.”
“Good.” Derek’s voice was rough. “What else?”
“He’s got tabs open for self-defense classes,” Caleb said, his amusement fading slightly. “Survival gear. Security systems. He’s scared.”
Marcus’ claws scraped across the desk’s surface. “He should be. But not of us.”
“Tell that to his search history: ‘How to know if you’re being watched’ and ‘warning signs of cult activity.’” Caleb paused, then added with a slight smirk, “Though he did bookmark an article about Stockholm syndrome with the note ‘just in case hot lumberjacks are actually serial killers.’”
The wine bottle next to Marcus shattered.
“Sorry,” Caleb said, not sounding sorry at all. “But you have to admit, his commentary is—”
“Enough about his commentary,” Derek growled. “What’s his plan?”
“Based on these searches?” Caleb gestured at the screen. “He’s thinking Seattle first, then maybe LA, Vegas, or San Francisco. Looking at temp agencies, coffee shops, bookstores. Smart choices, easy to disappear in big cities, but…” He trailed off, frowning at a new alert. “Hang on. He just opened his banking app.”
Marcus went very still. “And?”
“He’s… oh.” Caleb’s playful demeanor finally cracked. “He’s got maybe three weeks of funds. Max. Even living on ramen and hope.”
Derek’s pacing stopped. “Show me.”
The brothers crowded around the screens, watching their mate’s desperate attempts to budget his meager savings. Each calculated sacrifice, each careful allocation of funds, felt like a physical blow.
“He’s not eating enough,” Derek growled, seeing the food budget Kai had set.
“He’s not sleeping enough either,” Caleb added softly, all teasing gone from his voice. “Look at the timestamp on these searches. He’s been up since—”
“Enough.” Marcus straightened, decision made. “Caleb, make sure the bookstore position opens up tomorrow. Derek, increase patrols—I want to know the moment any other pack comes within ten miles. It’s time we started closing the net.”
“And you?” Derek asked, though his smile suggested he already knew.
Marcus’ eyes glowed red in the dim light of the screens. “I think it’s time the CEO of Stone Industries took a more… active interest in local business development.”
“Local business development?” Caleb’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re going to terrorize him with quarterly reports and profit margins?”
“He needs stability,” Marcus said, ignoring his brother’s grin. “Financial security. The bookstore will be a start, but…” He trailed off, watching Kai on the security feed. “We’ll create more opportunities. Legitimate ones.”
“Through shell companies,” Derek nodded, understanding. “So he won’t know they’re ours.”
“Exactly.” Marcus moved to the floor-to-ceiling windows, his wolf eyes cutting through the darkness to find the distant glow of the cottage. “Small steps. Let him think he’s choosing his own path.”
Caleb turned back to the screens, pulling up new windows. “I can have the bookstore position posted by morning. Jane already knows to hire him—she’s been prepped for months. Oh, he’s finally stopped researching. Fell asleep with the laptop still open.”
Derek moved toward the door, already shifting. Storm fell into step beside him, both predators moving with lethal grace. To any observers, it would appear to be just another night patrol with Derek’s “dog”—a perfect cover for when Derek completed his shift to wolf form beyond the tree line. The brothers often ran as a pack with their wolf-dogs, the six of them indistinguishable to distant observers, maintaining the carefully crafted illusion that protected their territory.
“Take the north ridge,” Marcus ordered. “Past Knox’s territory. Make sure they understand what happens if they cross our borders.”
“Gladly.” Derek’s grin was all fangs before he disappeared into the night, Storm’s massive form melting into the shadows beside him.
Caleb’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “Setting up the job listing now. Should I make it sound desperate? ‘Immediate hire needed, competitive salary, flexible hours’?”
“Perfect. Add healthcare benefits. He’s been skipping his medications—trying to stretch his budget.”
“You’ve been monitoring his prescriptions?” Caleb asked, though he didn’t sound surprised.
“Everything.” Marcus’ voice was soft but held an edge of steel. “His anxiety medication. His student loan payments. Everything he needs but can’t afford.”
“Which we’ll provide,” Caleb murmured, understanding. “One careful step at a time.”
“Until he has no choice but to accept our protection.” Marcus’ claws tapped against the glass. “Until he understands that fighting this—fighting us—will only hurt him in the end.”
“And when he finally realizes who’s really behind everything?” Caleb asked, watching his brother carefully.
Marcus’ smile was slow and dangerous. “By then, it will be too late. He’ll be too dependent. Too involved. Too…” His claws extended. “…ours.”
Through the trees, a wolf’s howl split the night—Derek, marking their territory. Claiming their space. Warning others away from what belonged to them.
T he cottage windows offered no challenge to alpha strength, but Marcus didn’t need to break in. He had keys to every lock, codes to every alarm. Sarah’s protective wards had died with her, leaving only the illusion of security.
He moved through the darkness like a shadow, his wolf reveling in their mate’s scent filling every breath. Honey. Rain. Mine .
Kai lay curled up in his sleeping bag, laptop still casting a blue glow across his face. Dark lashes fanned across cheekbones like ink strokes, casting delicate shadows. Even in sleep, tension lined his features, though it couldn’t diminish the soft curve of his mouth—lips slightly parted, pink and perfect and begging to be claimed.
Marcus’ control slipped, just for a moment. His claws extended, fangs dropping as he fought the urge to wake Kai, to pin him down, to taste those tempting lips. The wolf in him howled at the sight of their mate so vulnerable, so close.
So small .
He knelt beside the sleeping bag, letting himself truly look for the first time in years. Kai’s oversized shirt had ridden up, exposing a strip of pale skin. His neck lay bare, perfect for marking. Those artist’s hands that had once drawn pictures for them now twitched in dreams. A stray lock of silky black hair fell across his face, and Marcus nearly broke at the need to brush it away, to feel if it was as soft as it looked.
A whimper escaped those kissable lips, and Marcus froze. But their mate was still asleep, lost in whatever nightmare plagued him. Instinct drove Marcus closer, his presence alone enough to make Kai settle. The boy’s breathing evened out, his body unconsciously recognizing its alpha.
“Fighting so hard,” Marcus whispered, voice rough with restraint, watching those dark lashes flutter. “Running so far. But you’ve always been ours, little one.”
He reached out, not quite touching, letting his hand hover over Kai’s face. Even this close, he could feel the heat of his mate’s skin, see the rapid flutter of pulse at his throat. The urge to taste, to claim, to devour was almost unbearable.
Kai turned in his sleep, seeking the alpha’s warmth without knowing why. His lips parted on a soft sigh—part distress, part need—and Marcus’ last thread of control nearly snapped.
The wolf demanded: Take. Claim. Keep.
Those lips, that delicate face, the vulnerable arch of his throat—everything about Kai called to the predator in Marcus. One taste. One kiss. That’s all it would take to shatter a decade of careful restraint.
Kai shifted again, cheeks flushing pink in his sleep, and Marcus had to dig his claws into his own thigh to keep from reaching out. Their mate was a study in contradictions—sharp tongue and soft lips, fierce spirit housed in such a delicate form. Even now, a tiny furrow appeared between his brows, as if he was arguing with someone in his dreams.
“Still fighting,” Marcus murmured, letting his hand hover just above Kai’s cheek, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his skin. “Even in your sleep, precious one?”
Another whimper escaped those tempting lips, and this time Marcus couldn’t stop himself. He leaned closer, letting his breath ghost across Kai’s face. The response was immediate—their mate turned toward him, seeking, submitting without even waking.
The sight nearly broke him.
Dark lashes fluttered against flushed cheeks. Soft lips parted on a sigh. The perfect column of his throat exposed in unconscious offering. Every instinct screamed at Marcus to take, to claim, to mark that pristine skin and make sure everyone knew who Kai belonged to.
But not yet. Not like this.
Marcus stood, every muscle trembling with the effort of pulling away. His eyes blazed red in the darkness as he looked down at their sleeping mate. So innocent. So unaware of what waited in these woods. What had always waited for him.
“Soon,” he promised, the word more growl than speech. “Soon those lips will form our names. Soon you’ll understand why you can’t stop looking over your shoulder, why your body remembers what your mind tries to forget.”
He left as silently as he’d entered, but his scent remained—marking the space, marking their mate, warning other alphas away from what belonged to the Stone brothers.
Marcus barely made it to the tree line before his control snapped. His wolf surged forward, clothes shredding as he shifted, desperate to run off the burning need to return to that cottage, to those parted lips, to their sleeping mate.
The massive black wolf tore through the forest, silver moonlight catching his fur. Every instinct screamed at him to go back, to claim, to take. The memory of Kai’s scent drove him half-mad—honey and rain and innocence just begging to be corrupted.
He caught Derek’s scent before he saw him. His brother’s dark-gray form materialized from the shadows, even larger than Marcus in wolf form.
You went to him. Derek’s growl echoed in their pack bond.
Marcus’ answering snarl shook leaves from nearby trees. Had to see. Had to scent.
Had to taste? This mental voice was lighter, teasing. Caleb. The youngest brother dropped from a nearby branch, his golden fur almost white in the moonlight.
Marcus snapped his jaws at his little brother. Watch yourself.
You’re not the only one who’s dying to taste those pretty lips, Caleb taunted, dancing away from Marcus’ warning lunge. Did he make those little sounds in his sleep? The ones that—
Derek’s massive form slammed into Caleb, pinning him. Enough.
But their brother’s words had already done their damage. Marcus’ wolf howled, the sound echoing through the forest. In the distant cottage, they all felt Kai stir restlessly, responding to his alpha’s call even in sleep.
We can’t wait much longer. Derek’s voice was rough with shared need. Other alphas will come. They’ll smell him. Try to claim—
Marcus’ roar cut through the night. MINE.
Ours, Caleb corrected, still pinned under Derek. And he’s so perfect. So small. Did you see how he—
This time both older brothers snarled at him.
Sorry. Caleb didn’t sound sorry at all. But you know I’m right. We’ve waited too long already. Nine years of watching, wanting…
We stick to the plan, Marcus commanded, though his wolf raged against his own words. Let him settle. Let him try to run. Let him learn there’s nowhere safe except with us.
Through their pack bond, they all felt it—the moment Kai bolted awake in his cottage, heart racing, gold-flecked eyes wide. Their mate pressed a hand to his scar, confused by the phantom heat, the lingering sense of being watched.
He feels us, Derek growled with pleasure. His body remembers.
Those lips remember, Caleb added, earning another warning snap.
Marcus turned toward the compound, forcing himself away from the cottage’s pull. His brothers fell in behind him, their wolves moving as one through the moonlit forest. But every few steps, Marcus caught himself looking back, drawn to the soft glow of the cottage windows. To the precious, tempting creature within.
To those lips that would soon form their names in surrender.