Chapter Twenty-Two
Diesel
My wolf dragged me from the depths of sleep. Our mate needed something. I stirred, feeling her next to me. Last night had been incredible. She accepted us as her mates and, even though none of our mating had gone to plan, she was ours.
She could’ve walked away. Told us to go to hell.
Hungry mate. Sore mate. Hungry mate.
Demanding beast.
I opened my eyes to see Josie looking at me.
She and I faced each other. Aries was pressed against her back.
Carver had his head on her hip and his legs dangling off the edge of the bed.
We would have to get a bigger bed. “Morning, Josie,” I whispered and leaned forward to capture her lips.
They were pouty this morning, still rosy and plump from being used the night before and several times before dawn.
She mewled into my mouth and reached for the hair at the back of my neck, filling my skin with goose bumps. “Good morning, Diesel.”
“You’re hungry and sore. Which shall we take care of first?”
Josie cringed, moving a bit. “Oh, I am sore. Can we take care of that first?”
Aries was awake now and pressing kisses to her naked back. Carver woke shortly after, and soon, her entire body was being paid attention to. I moved to nibble at her neck and she giggled. “Guys, I love this but I really am aching.”
Every mouth stopped. Aries got out of bed and threw on some pants. “I’m gonna run a hot bath with Epsom salts.”
Carver playfully bit her leg. She giggled. Noted. “I’ll get you some pain reliever and get you something to wear and throw a towel into the warmer.”
I guessed I was on breakfast duty. Not where I wanted to be, away from her, but my wolf demanded we feed our female.
Since the three of us were on different shifts with the club, the motel, and the laundromat always needing time from us, it had been ages since we shared a meal together.
I made a promise to myself that we would share meals as a pack.
It was important for Josie and for all of us.
Bonding over food was for shifters, like breathing.
I threw together a breakfast fit for a queen.
Cooking wasn’t really my forte, but I could scramble eggs and heat up things like a pro.
Coffee brewed while I set the table and listened for Josie.
My wolf was constantly listening for her now.
Paying attention to the subtle shifts in her scent.
Noticing the scrunch of her nose and when she bit down on her bottom lip.
I lifted my head from scrambling the eggs as I heard her get out of the tub. From what I could tell, Carver and Aries hadn’t let her lift a finger and had washed her head to toe. She moaned at the warm towel and then the three of them padded into the kitchen on bare feet.
“It smells good in here,” she said.
“Take a seat.” I chuckled. “I don’t even know how you take your coffee.”
“Hey,” she said, taking my hand in hers. “Why are you nervous? It’s just breakfast.”
Snorting, I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s not just breakfast. I’m feeding my mate.”
She laughed. Her shoulders shook. Fuck, it made me so happy to see my mate sated and content.
She had our marks on her and I wore my own with pride.
“Are you serious? You three have been lying about ordering extra food and oops, someone didn’t get their meal from the driver. All kinds of pathetic excuses.”
Aries gasped. “You knew and didn’t say anything?” He dragged her into his lap and began tickling her. “I can’t believe you.”
“It was terrible. Did you really think you were getting away with it?” She giggled harder and leaned into Aries’ embrace.
“We actually did,” Carver said, chuckling. “Now you two stop it and let’s eat.”
Josie stayed on one of our laps for the rest of the meal. We took turns feeding her. I hated thinking about going to work or being around any females, but thankfully the bite on my neck and scenting like Josie would turn most of them away.
“What do we do now?” our mate asked once breakfast was over. She and Aries stood shoulder to shoulder washing the dishes. We didn’t want her to help, but she insisted.
“What do you mean?” Carver got another cup of coffee. He was a three-cup man at least.
“Do I move in here? Are you ready for me to live with you?” Her shoulders bounced. “I don’t know how to do this.”
Aries shut off the water and turned to her. “You can do whatever you want, Josie. You can work or not work. We have the means to allow you not to work. You can go to school or learn a trade. You can do anything you want.”
“Wrong,” I said. I got two sets of stink eye from my brothers. “She can’t be a bouncer. Some of the men I see are real assholes. Some of the women too, now that I think about it.”
“Oh?” Josie crossed her arms over her breasts, and I had a flashback of how they felt in my hands. “I really wanted to be security, Diesel. You’re squashing my dreams.”
“Sassy little female. Come here.” I threw her over my shoulder and took her to the bedroom. She pretended to throw a fit, but we ended up mating her over and over for the rest of the day. It turned out, she wanted to help people, as we did.
“You never answered me about moving in.” She twirled some of Aries’ hair on her finger.
“Do you want to live on your own?” he asked. My body tensed a bit.
“No. I don’t ever want to feel alone again.”
He kissed her hard. “Then you never will.”