Chapter 21 #2
My heart fluttered. I stood close as Hudson threw himself into Emery’s chest, nuzzling into his wet fur with abandon. Then that joy morphed into something else. Not jealousy. I was so past feeling jealous toward Emery, but…
“Ty?” Hudson was sitting bolt upright in Emery’s lap, searching my face. “What’s wrong? You’ve been off since the woods.”
I shook my head, forcing a smile. “Nothing, baby boy. Don’t worry about it.”
Emery let out a chuff through his muzzle, staring at me. Hudson snorted. “I’m with him.” He jerked his head at Em, grinning. “This thing between the three of us isn’t gonna work if we’re not open, Ty. Talk to us.”
With a sigh and a grumble, I opened my mouth, trying to put it into words.
“I just…” With a frustrated growl, I screwed my eyes closed, pursing my lips.
“I feel so out of place with you two sometimes. I always have, being squished between a witch and a werewolf. Look at him.” Opening my eyes, I threw out a hand at Emery.
“When I saw him shift before when we went after Vera, he was feral. Murderous. Now he’s—”
“I told you, Ty. He was trying to protect me. It had nothing to do with you being there.”
“I know, I know that, Hud, but…” I blew out a tight breath, taking a step closer with a splash. “It’s like his wolf has been waiting his entire existence to meet you. Like… it was meant to be.”
A soft whimper left Emery, and he gave Hudson’s chin a gentle lick.
“I guess I just worry…” I continued, hoping I didn’t piss either of them off with the honesty they deserved, “...that even if I become a wolf, I’ll never measure up to that kind of devotion. That maybe becoming cursed isn’t the piece of the puzzle that will make me fit.”
Hudson’s face sank. He curled his fingers into Emery’s chest fur, eyes flitting over the water.
“Come here,” he finally uttered, meeting my eyes.
I waded right up to him, getting licked on the shoulder by Em as I did.
Hudson took both of my hands in his, staring straight into my soul with those brilliant green eyes shining in the sun.
“If you become a werewolf… you do that for you. Not me. Not Emery. Not our relationship, got it?”
“Hud…”
“I mean it, Tyler.” He set his jaw, practically glaring at me.
“Making that kind of choice for someone else only leads to resentment. You don’t have to be a paranorm to be ours.
” Suddenly, he snaked his fingers below the silver chain on his neck, taking it off.
“This thing between us is still new. Give it time, Ty. Until then—” He lowered the necklace over my head, adjusted the pendant to rest between my pecs, and gave me a smile that made me weak in the knees.
“You can carry the responsibility Grams gave me as a Garland. Whatever the hell that thing is.”
My chest grew so warm at the sentiment. The way he tried to make me feel included in their world like I’d never really felt before. I curled my fingers over the pendant, stupid tears welling in my eyes. “I’d bear any curse for you, Hudson Garland.”
Hudson rolled his eyes, then grabbed the back of my head. “Kind of missing the point, dummy.” He crushed his lips to mine.
I giggled into the kiss, my hand drifting up his chest. Sunlight warmed our bodies, and the cool lake air whipped over our skin as we lost ourselves in one another.
Another whine came out of Emery suddenly. Hudson pulled back from the kiss abruptly with wide eyes, turning to Em. “Oh, fuck.”
“Wh-What?” I sputtered, dropping down in the water so I was at eye level.
“Um…” Hudson’s eyes flitted to mine, then back to Emery. “Our wolf… has a problem. A big… big problem.”
I curled my fingers into Em’s neck fur, glancing between his pleading stare and Hudson’s face of concern.
Hudson was rigid in Emery’s hold, his eyes searching.
Suddenly, he shifted on top of him, and Emery let out a deep, rumbling sound that was more purr than growl, making my eyes pop. “Oh, that kind of problem.”
“You… said it wasn’t safe, Em,” Hudson breathed, leaning closer to him, trying not to spur him on with his cautious movements. “Can you… shift back?”
Emery kept very still, his breathing shallow as his golden eyes remained locked on Hudson. A deep growl rumbled through his teeth, his eyes clenched tight. With a huff, he opened his eyes, softly whimpering at us.
“He might be too riled up to shift back,” I muttered, placing my hand over Hudson’s. “It’s probably taking all of his restraint not to… you know.”
“Fuck me right here in the water, you mean?” Hudson asked, raising both brows.
Another desperate, low whine came out of Emery as he turned to me, bumping my head with his.
“What do we do?” I scratched behind Emery’s ears, trying to calm him.
Hudson met my eyes with a weak shrug. “Give him what he wants?”
“Hudson, he told you how wolves get when they fuck,” I said with a sigh, already exasperated. “He could rip you apart.”
“Sounds hot,” he shot back, rolling his eyes. “Fine, then you ride the monster cock currently grinding against my entire backside. Maybe it’ll be easier if it’s you since his wolf hasn’t been dreaming of knotting you for the past decade.”
My brow furrowed as I carefully leaned over Hudson’s shoulder, sucking air through my teeth, spotting Emery’s huge wolf dick poking up out of the water with the girth of a pop can.
“Holy shit, that’s a huge cock.” I pulled back, my concern for both our asses written all over my face. “What the fuck does knotting mean?”
“Werewolf 101 didn’t cover that, huh?” Hudson blew out a long breath, shaking his head with a grin. He slowly leaned into Emery, petting his head with both hands, getting apprehensive licks to his face in return. “Is that what you need, Em? I know you were worried about the idea, but…”
Emery’s licks became more needy. He shoved his long nose in Hudson’s armpit, licking and taking heavy breaths.
“Okay, okay!” Hudson sputtered brokenly at the sensation. “Gonna need a bit more than that, Em.”
I couldn’t help but snort at the sound of his voice, clearly turned on by Em’s tongue. “Bark once for yes, twice for no, puppy dog. Do you want to—”
Before I could finish the sentence, Emery raised his snout, letting out a low howl that made my skin prickle, then immediately returned to lapping at Hudson’s chest.
“Wolves don’t bark,” Hudson chuckled. “But that was definitely a yes.” He held Emery tight, speaking softly, “I trust you, Em. Human you and wolf you.”
Emery’s entire body shook beneath our touches.
He clenched his eyes shut. His fur bristled along the back of his neck, then started receding.
Emery’s long snout shrank. A pained, frustrated growl left his teeth, not nearly as long as they were, his features caught halfway between man and wolf. “Can’t… hold it for long…”
“Em!” Hudson shouted, taking his face in both hands. “What do we do?”
“Ty’s right…” He groaned, shaking his head tensely in Hudson’s grip.
“I shouldn’t have… shifted. It’s my most primal urges, and they’re all fixed on you.
” His eyes opened a sliver, and he looked right at me, agony all over his face.
“Both of you, actually. My wolf… sees you as a package deal now. Pun… intended.”
I searched his eyes, something in them softening despite his struggle. It made my heart flutter.
His wolf wanted me too.
“Okay…” I blew out a breath, then set my jaw. “Fuck me then.” The idea of taking that monster cock up my virgin asshole made my skin break out in a cold sweat, but the alternative was putting Hudson in danger.
That, and the thought suddenly had my swimsuit stretched to the limit beneath the water. I’d wanted Emery to fuck me when he was human, but even shifted, he was still ours. Still the same guy who put years of resentment toward me aside to give the three of us our chance.
Hudson chewed his cheek for a moment. “Ty, you’ve never bottomed before, if anyone is going to get ripped apart—”
“I’ll be fine,” I said sternly, taking his hand. “There’s lube in the bag with our stuff. Em needs this, and you can keep me safe with magic if you need to.” Meeting Emery’s eyes, I grinned. “Go big or go home, right?”
“Yeah…” With a soft grunt, Emery nodded.
“Yeah, that’s probably the best plan. Can’t…
hold this half-shift any longer.” He looked back at Hudson, heaving shallow breaths.
“Talk to me. Tell me what to do, Hud. I’ll—listen to you.
” Another growl ripped out of his throat, and his features disappeared beneath fur and fangs again.
“Once we know Em can control himself with me, then you can have your turn getting railed by that thing between his legs.” I gave Hudson’s shoulder a squeeze, offering a smile despite the churning in my soon-to-be-rearranged guts.
Hudson shot me an angry pout. “Knotting means the base of his cock swells up inside you and literally locks you together while he comes, by the way.”
My ass clenched immediately. “Wh-What?”