Astrid Cielo Read online

  "How can this be?"

  Xavier flashed his canines before wrestling back control, a wicked grin spread on his face when he flashed the tube of lubricant in front of Skylar's face. Skylar groaned as Xavier lubricated his fingers generously before parting Skylar's thighs. He hissed as Xavier's fingers, cold from the lube, fingered his asshole. The sweet pleasure/pain from the burn of being impaled on his fingers was only a precursor to the intense pleasure he knew would come from Xavier's dick being buried there instead.

  "I'm going to fuck you, Sky. Fuck you so hard, baby. Then we're going to go find our mate."

  Xavier punctuated his statement with a bite to Skylar's shoulder. Skylar groaned and spread his thighs. He grabbed the tube of lube and used his hands to clasp Xavier's hardened cock coating him in the gel-like substance. He loved the look of lust that spread over his mate's face as he increased the speed of his jerking.

  Xavier pulled Skylar's hands from his cock and pinned them above his head. Skylar loved the play of his muscles as Xavier exerted his strength over him. Xavier nipped at his jaw then lined his dick up with his nether hole. They both groaned in unison as his head breached the tight ring of muscle, the small sting sending shivers up Skylar's spine. Xavier was panting by the time he'd buried himself to the hilt, his abdomen sandwiching Skylar's own dick between their stomachs. The pressure against his dick was almost as divine as the rod impaling him, but then Xavier began to move and Skylar lost all coherent thought. All he could do was feel as Xavier tunneled in and out of his asshole, the smell of Xavier that surrounded him and the dream that soon he would have Aspen here with his other mate.

  All too soon, he groaned as he felt Xavier find his release deep inside of him. Skylar hissed as Xavier pulled free of him and he reached for his dick to finish off the ache that begged for release. Xavier swatted his hands out of the way and took his dick into his mouth. Xavier’s throat worked the head of Skylar’s cock and Xavier cupped Skylar's balls to gently roll them in his hand. Skylar couldn't contain his release and groaned as he spilled his seed down Xavier's throat. Xavier swallowed every drop, licked his now sated dick clean, and sighed as he climbed up the bed to lie beside him.

  "Why?"

  Skylar sighed at the hurt that still infused Xavier's voice.

  "I couldn't stop myself, baby. It was like three years ago when I first saw you and I wanted to claim you instantly. I jus-"

  "You claimed her?"

  Skylar rolled to his side and looked down into Xavier's strong masculine face.

  "No, I just lost myself to my wolf. I couldn't resist Aspen...When I realized what I'd done… I hated myself."

  Xavier smiled.

  "Well, at least she's also my mate. My wolf is going crazy wanting her here beside us. Aspen...such a beautiful name."

  "How do you feel about having a female?"

  Xavier laughed.

  "It's not that I've never had a female, Sky, I just prefer males."

  His face turned somber. "That's why I was kicked out of my pack, but I find females attractive also. Besides, my wolf and I are sure that she's our mate so attraction will never be a problem."

  "What will be the problem?"

  "Us. Do you really think she'll just mate us so readily?"

  "What's not to love?"

  Xavier punched him playfully on the shoulder as he got up, his tight ass on full display. Skylar groaned as his dick hardened all over again, this time the vision of him plowing into Xavier's nether hole had him hard as a rock.

  "Come on, Skylar. We've got to go find our mate or did I misunderstand when you said that you left her without claiming her first?"

  Skylar jumped up a new wave of energy infused him and started pulling his clothes on. His wolf whined wanting out to find his mate.

  Soon.

  Chapter 2

  November 13

  Aspen hissed as the cold jelly squirted onto her abdomen. She looked over at Miranda and hated that she felt crummy because the little mouse was smiling so broadly. She should feel grateful that Miranda had rescheduled her own prenatal visit to come with her, but no, instead she was angry that someone else was so happy. Aspen sighed as Dr. Sanchez moved the probe around her stomach.

  She wasn't angry that Miranda had such happiness, and loved the little mouse dearly. Miranda had been nothing but kind since she realized that Aspen had no designs whatsoever on Caleb. She didn't want to steal someone else's happiness; Aspen just wanted some of her own.

  Aspen closed her eyes to will away all the memories that wanted to flood her mind. One night was all it took and some days it felt as if she couldn't go on. Three months and she still craved her mate--no, she craved the man that left--just as much as the first time she saw him. She missed his scent, his touch, and his presence in her life. Although it was a short time, mere hours she and her cougar were in total agreement that no one else would do. It was only her pride that kept her from seeking him relentlessly to ask him all the questions that had been plaguing her. How could he leave his mate?

  The rapid beating of a heart pulled her from her silent misery and opened her eyes. Excitement and wonder coursed through her veins and for the first time in three months she didn't feel an overwhelming sense of loss. It had been so unreal when Miranda had announced that she was pregnant. Her whole world had been knocked for a three sixty, but now listening to her baby’s heart beat, her whole life seemed to right itself--maybe not completely, but it gave Aspen hope that she wouldn't just wallow in her misery forever.

  "Is that my baby's heartbeat?"

  "Yes, Aspen, and it sounds good. Now if you'll look at this screen you'll get the first glimpse of your baby."

  Aspen was grateful to have a shifter obstetrician. She had to remember to thank Theresa for the recommendation of Dr. Sanchez. She couldn't stop the tears that fell and hated herself even more when Miranda took her hand.

  "Look at your baby, Aspen. Isn't he beautiful?"

  "He?" Aspen said her voice thick from her tears.

  Miranda bit her lip and Aspen noted the subtle lean in followed by a sniff.

  "You can smell the sex of my baby?"

  Miranda's face flamed with red and Aspen could feel her eyes widen at the truth.

  "Well..."

  "I'm having a boy?"

  Miranda nodded a frown forming on her face. Aspen squeezed her hand and offered her a smile.

  "It’s okay, Miranda, I mean, I wanted to know, but didn't think I'd know this soon. How do you know?"

  Miranda's face scrunched.

  "I don't know…he just smells like a boy."

  Aspen nodded and turned her attention back to the screen. She couldn't believe she was going to be a mother--a single mother. And just like that her whole world seemed to shatter once more. How had that man become so important? She barely even knew his name and she and her cougar were devastated with his absence.

  "Make sure you take your pre-natal vitamins, Aspen and see the receptionist on your way out for your next appointment. Everything looks good here."

  Aspen wiped the gel from her stomach and re-dressed. She patted her growing belly and a sense of peace washed over her. It was okay that her mate didn't want her. At least she'd have this baby, her son, and maybe fate got this whole mate thing wrong this time. Aspen promised herself, her cougar, and her baby that she would move on and live her life to the fullest. She didn't need a mate to make her whole--no matter how empty her heart felt.

  ***

  "How does that look?"

  Aspen stood back and nodded her head. Miranda beamed and turned back to the pictures she'd been hanging on the wall. After their doctor appointments, Aspen and Miranda had eaten at Haven's where Aspen now worked as head chef. It was a job she'd dreamed about since graduating from her culinary arts school. She was proud of the changes she'd made to the menu in the short couple of months she'd worked there and Haven ensured her that any changes were welcome since her menu changes had increased profits.

  "You don't
think it's tacky?"

  Aspen laughed. Miranda had enlisted her fourth grade class to make various pictures that she now used as art around the living room of the new house Caleb built her. It was funny to think this was just a mere foundation only two months ago.

  "I think they suit you, Miranda."

  "They do, don't they?"

  Aspen couldn't help but feel a loss as she looked around the completed home. It was a perfect re-make of the house Caleb once resided--with the exception of the three extra bedrooms and a giant play area in the backyard--before a crazy member of the pride burned it down. The completion of Caleb and Miranda's home meant that they would no longer be living in Caleb's parent’s home and she would be left there alone. The loneliness crept slowly, but surely back into her soul. No mate. No friends. Aspen gently patted her stomach and smiled at the reminder that she wouldn't be alone now. She still had her baby boy.

  "Sis, where do you want all these bags?"

  Aspen wanted to laugh at the look of panic that crossed Miranda's face.

  "I was actually going to leave those in the car and bring them in slowly so that Caleb didn't realize I'd gone a...little…overboard."

  Miranda squealed when Caleb caught her around the waist, his hands resting protectively over her stomach.

  "He already knows, little mouse," he said with a kiss to her neck.

  "I'm sorry, Caleb...I just saw so many pretty things and-"

  "Hush, Miranda. It doesn't matter; besides, I knew you were an impulsive shopper before I mated you."

  Miranda squealed again when Caleb lifted her in his arms. Miranda wrapped her arms around his neck as he exited the room.

  "If you two will excuse us, we have a bedroom to christen," Caleb shouted over his shoulder.

  "Okay. On that note, I'm leaving," Andrew said turning to walk out the front door.

  Aspen nodded and followed Andrew her mind still rolling over the fact that she'd be alone tonight for the first time in three months. She wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans.

  "Are you okay, Aspen?"

  Aspen attempted a smile, but it felt so out of place. The situation only became worse when she felt the familiar burn of tears waiting to fall. What happened to not needing anyone to make her feel complete? Before she knew what was happening, Aspen found herself wrapped in Andrew's embrace, and though his touch didn't make her feel complete in a way that her mate would, his arms were welcome to her lonely soul. And it was all she needed for the waterworks to become uncontrollable.

  "I'm sorry," Aspen said between tears, her hands fisting Andrew's shirt.

  "It's okay, sweetie."

  Andrew held her as she cried the entire misery that she'd felt for the past three months pouring as tears all over Andrew’s shirt. Sure she'd cried plenty in private, but it felt good to let go while someone else held her. Her cougar paced in her mind, angered that her mate wasn't here to soothe her. Her cougar cried for its mate all the time. Aspen could almost pretend that the man holding her was the same one who should be holding her.

  One moment Andrew held her close, his hands rubbing her back and the next she felt herself ripped away from his arms her sense of balance lost. She never hit the ground as expected, but still her breath left her as she peered into the green eyes that haunted her dreams.

  "Skylar?"

  Chapter 3

  Skylar breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the sign announcing his and Xavier's arrival to Pinewood Creek. His GPS assured him in a horridly polite voice that they were only ten minutes away from their destination of the Cougar Creek Community. He could almost feel Aspen in his arms after three very long months of searching. The mating heat had been riding both Xavier and Skylar hard and they'd fucked so much in between tracking down their elusive mate that he wasn't certain he'd have enough energy to claim Aspen once he found her. Skylar refused to think about Aspen being alone for the past three months locked in her own mating heat.

  "You're going to break the steering wheel, Sky."

  Xavier's voice calmed him enough to release the death grip on the steering wheel.

  "Sorry," he growled.

  His wolf was too close to the surface, something he'd suffered for three months since going back to where he'd left his mate only to find an empty apartment. Her scent remained as well as the lingering scent of misery and rage. Xavier had fucked him against the wall he put his fist through to calm him. He didn't understand how Xavier could be so unruffled about being away from his mate.

  "How can you be so fucking calm?"

  "Because one of us has to be calm enough to beg Aspen for forgiveness, and since you've been less than levelheaded since you left her then it has to be me."

  "I panicked! I thought we talked about this and you understood. I've told you I was sorry for sleeping with my other mate without telling you first!"

  "Just because I understand doesn't mean I'm not fucking angry about being essentially cheated on. Before we mated we talked about your preferential attraction to women and I thought we'd settled it then, but now with Aspen..."

  Skylar pulled over on the side of the road, his burning need to see Aspen still an inferno deep within his gut, but the need to soothe his mate of three years made him and his wolf more agitated. Skylar clasped Xavier's hand in his and nipped the knuckle. Three years ago, lonely and spending his life working for the council Xavier had saved him. How could this man not realize how important he was to him?

  "Xavier, nothing will change between us, except we'll have one more person to love with all of our hearts. Aspen will complete us in a way we didn't know we needed. You'll see."

  Xavier smiled, but his dark brown eyes remained wary. Skylar sighed and pulled back out into the road. Nothing he said would change Xavier's mind. He'd have to ensure that Xavier never felt like a third wheel.

  Skylar took the left turn the GPS politely reminded him to take and took in the Cougar Creek Community. Houses lined the road that seemed to circle the entire subdivision. A large building sat in the center of the entire community with a play area for children and a large clearing with just grass.

  "Which house is it supposed to be?" Xavier said.

  "According to my sources, the alpha's house burned about two months ago and they've been living at the house near the back of the community. I programmed that address in the GPS."

  They pulled up to a house whose yard appeared to have recently been the site of construction and before Skylar could stop the car Xavier was out and walking toward two people embracing on the porch. Skylar barely made it to catch Aspen after Xavier ripped her away from the male who held her.

  "Skylar?"

  Skylar clasped her face, his wolf whining at the evidence of the tears she'd cried. Grey eyes studied him and he felt his soul calm for the first time in three months, until he heard the growl from Xavier and looked up to see him punch the guy.

  Aspen gasped when Skylar picked her up and placed her back on the porch before stopping his mate from killing someone.

  ***

  The little subdivision reminded him of home, or at least where he and his twin grew up together. Pinewood Creek.

  They'd been on the road since twenty-one and neither had put down roots. They were content with the hunt. Shawn closed his eyes against the rage that tried to eat him alive. His twin, Shane, had been taken from him, killed by the Council's lapdog. Skylar. Just the name was enough to make his wolf want to break free and rip out throats. It didn't matter whose throat it had, just the taste of blood and fear as he watched the life fade from the weak human's eyes was enough--at least for a little bit.

  But now he didn't have Shane to cut them up, and then stab the victims several times to make the chase interesting. They'd switched roles for one day and he'd stumbled upon the scene.

  His brother had just ripped her throat out, a pretty blonde who made his blood boil. He'd wanted to be the one to watch the light fade from her eyes, taste the fear as she struggled beneath his jaws, but he had to share. Shawn w
atched in shock as another wolf pounced out of the woods onto his twin wolf's back. He should help, but something glued him to the spot he stood.

  What seemed like hours but could only be a few moments, his brother's throat had been ripped out and Shane's lifeless body lay in a growing pool of blood. Numbness spread over Shawn's body followed by a rage so thick he couldn't breathe.

  The sound of retching drew his eyes back to prey. Pussy. He couldn't even handle his reactions to death.

  Shawn ran through the forest, away from his brother's killer and vowed he would kill this man and everyone he held dear.

  Now here he stood watching drama unfold. He'd known about Skylar and his mate's hunt for a woman. What he didn't understand was why. Now as he watched the dark, haired male he'd come to know as Xavier react to another male holding the female they'd been searching for he knew. Mate. They were a rarity among their kind...shifters tended to be territorial. He and his brother had been one to share a kill, but never a bed partner.

  He could feel his mouth stretching, but couldn't believe it. He ducked and looked at himself in the side mirror of his car. The smile that he saw was foreign to him. But he couldn't refute the happiness that coursed through him. It seemed that he'd hit the jackpot with vengeance against this male.

  "I'll avenge you yet, Shane."

  Shawn climbed back into his Mustang, red just like his brother had wanted, and revved the engine. His wolf howled within the confines of his mind. Soon, he assured his beast. He waited to see them carry the female to their vehicle with other shifters in tow before he left. He had some hunting to do. He needed to make his presence known.

  ***

  Aspen's scent haunted him. From the first time he'd captured a whiff of her unique scent clinging to Sky's skin, he'd struggled with his wolf for control. Although extreme jealousy and rage had been his first instinct, he quickly realized her scent for what it was--his second mate. And though he'd never heard of such a combination before--three true mates--he was willing to see where this led.