Brick House: Blue Collar Wolves #2 (Mating Season Collection) (6 page)

It was the most exaggerated eye-roll Mel had ever seen, and Bella had probably given herself a small headache with the motion. “I’m Iron’s woman now, and more importantly, I can throw him down and have my way with him
any time I choose
. So of course I don’t regret it.”

“I’m glad you have priorities.”

“Damn straight. Speaking of becoming a werewolf, I hope they bring me my damn bacon soon.” The word
bacon
had Mel’s stomach rumbling, and Bella offered a sly smile. “Though the need for bacon probably has more to do with last night’s activities – for
both
of us.”

“Shush.” Mel waved her hand in front of Bella’s nose, causing Bella to make a smack for it. “I’m not giving you any details, so don’t even ask.”

“My college experimentation phase didn’t include threesomes, so this is information I need to know.”

“Smartass.”

Bella threw up her hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. I’ll stick to porn for details on who sticks what where. Can you at least tell me what started you down this path of licentiousness?”

“You and your college words.” Coffee was great, but coffee was not a substitute for liquor, and this conversation was much better suited to the bar. “John appeared yesterday.”

Bella’s eyes went hard and dark, and damned if they weren’t glowing, just a bit. “The hell you say. Why the hell was he around you? Danny okay?”

“Danny’s fine. It never touched him. And dear John wanted me to give him money. Threatened Danny if I didn’t.”

“And?”

“And…House took care of things, and Brick stayed with me and Danny until House was done.”

Bella’s head tiled, her eyes narrowing as she took in everything Mel said…and everything Mel did not say. “Which means John is no longer a threat then.”

It was a combination of question and statement, and Mel didn’t bother answering.

The food came then, greasy spoon portions of bacon, eggs, and pancakes, and after getting drinks refilled and assuring their waitress they were good, the two women tucked into their orders.

It took about five bites and another cup of coffee before Bella started up the conversation again. “What do you think last night was? A one-off? Friends occasionally fucking? Mating one of them…mating
both
of them?”

Mating both.
The words rumbled through her mind, settling more comfortably maybe then they would have this time yesterday. “That’s impossible. Wolves only have one mate.”

Bella shrugged, scooping up some egg. “There are a couple stories about two wolves with the same mate. It’s pretty rare, but I do remember Iron talking about his grandfather’s best friends both having the same true mate, so it happens.”

It sometimes flittered through Mel’s thoughts that she might be the true mate of one of them. It was the explanation that made the most sense, but she always dismissed it, because –
two
of them. There would be no reason for the one who wasn’t her mate to act so nice for her. Instead she kept repeating a litany of excuses though they never felt right, like a jigsaw piece that wouldn’t fit no matter how much you pushed.

If she was the true mate with both of them though?
“Oh my God.”

“Did the clouds just part for you? You really never considered that?” Bella’s voice was so matter-of-fact, Mel had to push hard against the urge to smack her friend on the shoulder.

However, Mel did raise her head back up to give her friend the evil eye. “Why would I have thought that? I never heard about it before today. In fact, before today, what I could have told you with no hesitation is wolves don’t like to share,
especially
when it comes to their mates. They’re possessive bastards.”

“True, they are. You are so screwed considering you’ll be dealing with two of them. You’ll be lucky if they let you leave the house, though as long as they keep you busy screwing…” Mel ducked the piece of toast that had been lobbed at her, giving a shit eating grin as she did so and putting another piece of bacon in her mouth.

Both.
Both both both. “This is unreal. Yesterday I was happy in having an occasional fantasy involving the two of them, and now today I’m contemplating the possibility that I’m the true mate of two wolves who I–”

Fuuuucccck.
The
L
word did not just pop into her head while discussing this crazy situation. It did not. No one could force her to admit that it did.

Last night was supposed to be a tension release, the ultimate example of seizing the moment. How did it become a love-and-true-mates talk?

“Want to finish that sentence? This is me you’re talking to, Mel, your best friend since six years old. I can see what’s going on in that brain of yours.” Bella’s mouth was pursed, the same way it always got when she got an idea in her head she would not let go. This time, that dogged determination was focused solely on Mel, and since Mel still needed a ride home, she couldn’t run away and escape it. “What’s the problem? The two men thing? The pack thing? The love thing.”

“I can see why you’re sarcastic, since all of those are such small deals.”

Bella shrugged. “If you think about it, they are. I already told you, being a werewolf is no big deal, and let’s be honest – you already are pack in almost all ways. Your whole life revolves around the wolves, so there will be no change there. It’s not like you’re going to need to uproot your life.”

“I know that, and I wouldn’t change my life.” The light through the windows was getting brighter, a few more people meandering in. It was still comfortable, but the signs were there that rush would be starting soon.

Brick and House would be up now. Were they mad? Did they assume she was going to run?

“Part of me is…rebelling. I know I’m as good as pack, but I’m not pack. I’m not a slave to the wolf like the guys are, I’m not beholden to urges demanding to be filled. Once I mated and was turned, that’s it, and I don’t plan on leaving, but to have that option taken away from me – it doesn’t sit well.”

“I thought you were over this escape mentality.”

Bella sounded so disappointed that Mel’s cringe was instantaneous and unavoidable. “Bella, I’ve got nothing but obligations on me, in a way you don’t know yet. Please don’t hold it against me that I get a little antsy while discussing the only freedom I have possibly going away. It’s not like I knee-jerked away from this talk.”

Bella drew in a deep breath, but nodded before grabbing her coffee. “Okay, you’re right. Divorce is not an option with a wolf, so I can understand. I’m lucky that I’ve never doubted what I felt for Iron for a moment. It made my decisions a lot easier. With that said – how do you feel about Brick and House?”

“It was so gradual. I didn’t know it was possible to creep up on you.” Where were the fireworks, the blazing inferno that had always categorized her relationships before? That’s how she thought love was supposed to be, passionate and loud and eventually devolving into screaming matches and tempers blowing up.

With Brick and House, it had never been anything like that. She
enjoyed
being with them, so different in their personalities – House with his energetic exuberance and Brick’s quiet stoicism. It brought her a contentment not even hanging with Bella could replicate. With them, she was at peace, whole within herself in a way nowhere else could produce. With them, she didn’t feel alone, didn’t feel like the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. They made her feel beautiful and desirable, but they also made her feel intelligent. They asked her opinions on a wide range of subjects, and took what she said into account when making decisions. They relied on her, but only in ways that built her up, not had her feeling like she’d sink under extra weight.

What she felt for them was…quiet. It wasn’t huge rollercoaster swings of emotion, no butterflies beating winds into hurricanes in her stomach. With them, it was a firelit glow, a cozy warmth shielding her from the world.

Yet, looking at it now, from her new view on this this side of their night together, it slammed down into her how desperately she needed that warmth, how fake those large, loud emotions were compared to it. Those other relationships were theatrics, while her hands enveloped with Brick’s and House’s was a sweet reality she would never get enough of.

“I love Brick and House.” Where the
hell
had this come from? If someone had said the word
love
two days ago, she would have rolled her eyes, wouldn’t she? Almost sure she would have…right? “I can’t believe I had a fucking
epiphany
about loving two guys in a greasy spoon talking to my best friend, all the while being braless.”

“At least you’re wearing underwear. Wait, you are wearing underwear, right?”

“
Two
. Two men. Don’t forget that part.”

“Trust me, I’m never forgetting that part. In fact, I’ve already decided anytime I need Iron to lay down the caveman routine in the bedroom, I’m going to casually mention how you got two wolves of your own, and then I’m going to sigh.”

“Woman, do
not
use my life as fodder for your bedroom games!” But Bella’s teasing had Mel smiling in return, had both the women breaking into a fit of giggles that had people looking around and had the waitress coming over to check on them. The good part was they got more coffee and the check, as the rapidly filling restaurant would not be useful for small, intimate conversation much longer.

Mel grabbed her coffee and took a long sip, needing the sugar surge it provided right now. “I have a son. It’s not just me this affects.”

“True, and I’m not downplaying that, but let’s take this one step at a time.” Bella’s voice was the reasonable tone Mel recognized from the talks they had from when she had been expelled and found out she was pregnant. Both those times, Bella had come through for her, and hearing that tone again was softening the edges of her jagged emotions. “As far as pack goes, they hold true mates above everything. If you’re a true mate to both wolves, the pack won’t blink twice for you being with both of them.”

“Yeah, I agree with that, but the outside world doesn’t quite hold that view.” Would her Mom and Dad? What would they think?

“Let’s be honest – if you do mate and become a wolf, the outside world isn’t going to be part of your life much. What they think doesn’t count.” Bella’s matter-of-fact voice circled back to their earlier conversation. Mel hadn’t quite come to terms with the loss of that last freedom, but…she would. She’d gotten used to much more devastating losses. The phantom disappearance of imaginary choices to be with two wolves who loved her and she loved? That wouldn’t be an obstacle.

“What about Danny?”

“Danny already carries a lot of secrets, just like we did growing up. It’s not easy being the one kid who knows those myths and fairytales don’t always belong in the fiction section. He’s strong, more than you give him credit for sometimes. In my opinion, having two father figures will be one of the lesser weirdnesses of his life, and he’ll adjust just fine. At least you know Brick and House adore him as much as they would one of their own.”

“How do you know that? You haven’t seen them together?” Mel wanted to believe those words so much, but she refused to grab onto them without proof. This was her son they were talking about, his future and his life. Mel refused to only hear what she wanted to hear, best friend or not.

“Because Iron told me. Told me that House and Brick talk about Danny a lot, that they both think he’s great. All the little things Iron’s told me since Brick and House became part of the pack is why I think they’re both your true mate.”

Think.
That’s right. Right now, everything was supposing, her little discovery notwithstanding. They might have just wanted some no-holds-barred sex with a woman who was willing.

Her stomach twisted, and everything within her rejected the thought. Going with her instincts, the gut deep certainty that she was the true mate to two wolves, and she
wanted
to be the true mate to them both. “I wish I knew why they fought so much and why they hate each other. It might make all of this deciding stuff easier. That’s the main wildcard in play.”

“They don’t hate each other. I can’t tell you what their issue is, but my Psych 101 class and the fact they were both doing you last night assures me they don’t hate each other. The question is, why do you think they fight? No,” Bella shook her head and held up her hand in a
stop
motion when Mel began to shrug her shoulders. “Don’t overthink it. I told you, wolves are all about instinct. It’s instinct guiding them, and you need to stop letting your brain override what your gut is telling you is going on with those two. Is it they’re bisexual and fighting it?”

“No. They’re comfortable with each other, but last night…” Last night had been all about her, about them wanting to touch her, caress her, have her between them. She hadn’t for a moment felt any spark between the two of them, seen any sign either or both were fighting something physical.

“Want to finish what you were saying about last night?” said Bella, batting her eyelashes.

“No. They’re not bi, though.” But looking back, something was becoming clear. Maybe there wasn’t anything sexual, but the way they moved in tandem with each other, the way they took turns with her without saying a thing, almost as if they were having the same thoughts at the same time, those images were setting off that instinct Bella had been talking about.

They had been at ease with each other, working with each other in quiet familiarity. It was the same way they worked at the garage or sat at the bar – when they weren’t actively fighting. They were always looking towards each other, always gauging the other when making decisions or entering new situations. “They’re not lone wolves.”

Bella’s eyebrows rose in question, but Mel let her instinct guide her, let her mind follow the path her gut was telling her to walk.

Brick and House, they always needed to maintain a connection on some level, even if it was stomping around each other after a fight, maybe even the fights themselves could be classified as such. But for most wolves, though they ran with a pack, at their heart they were loners, and that individuality was seen as strength.