Mountain Moonlight (23 page)

It damn well better be symbolically speaking. “Which means what, exactly?”

“It means that I must have sex with you  and another man tonight. Another lupine

male.”

Whatever happiness he felt dissipated in an instant. “What?”

“You don’t do this in your marriage rituals?”

“Uhh, no.” And if he  had any say about  this marriage, it wouldn’t happen here, either.

“It is done  with every marriage, Conner.  And it is only a one-time occurrence.  Every alpha male who has been mated must follow our customs.”

His wedding night and he had to share his woman with some stranger? “I don’t  think so, Katya. I don’t share what’s mine.”

She frowned. “I don’t understand. You know  I do not seek another mate. But I will follow lupine custom.”

Fuck. “Well, it sure as hell would have  been nice if you told me about this  beforehand.”

“I tried to yesterday. You kept brushing me off.”

He remembered that now. She’d tried to  tell him about the rituals and customs.

“You could have forced me to listen. Didn’t you realize how important this is?”

She shrugged. “I assumed you already knew, that your pack did the same thing. How was I to know it was unique to the Carpathians?”

“It’s a big damn deal, Katya.”

“Not to me. I suppose because  it’s simply another ritual,  and not important to me as  it obviously is to you.”

“Fucking another guy is no big deal to you.”

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She studied him and pursed her lips,  then smiled. “You’re jealous.”

A growl rumbled through his chest. “You’re goddamn right I’m jealous. No man touches my woman. Ever.”

She grinned. “I like that. Your woman.”  When she traced his  cheek and jaw with the palm of her hand, his breathing quickened. He’d had enough of ceremony. He wanted his  wife to himself now.  He wanted to  take her upstairs, peel off that sexy dress that hugged her curves, and lick every inch  of her until he drove them both crazy.

When he imagined his wedding night, that’s what he thought of. Not watching as his wife fucked another guy.

The music had stopped and they stood together in the center of the room.

“Conner, people are staring.”

“I don’t care. We need to talk about this, Katya.”

“Very well.” She took his hand and excused them as they walked through the crowd toward the kitchen. Dismissing the people cleaning up in there, she leaned against the counter. “Now,  tell me what’s  wrong.”

“What’s wrong? What  the hell  do you think is wrong? Do you think I’m happy about having to share  you with another man? Do I even get to be there to watch, or am I supposed to wait outside while you’re happily fucked by some guy?”

She blushed and tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. “Actually, Conner, there are several witnesses.”

This was getting better and better. “How many?”

“Everyone who wishes to attend as witness.”

Christ! What the hell kind of civilization were they running up here? “I don’t

believe this.”

She reached for his hand and pulled him  toward her, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying  her head against his chest. “I’m sorry. I thought you knew, that itwas the same marriage rite practiced in your  land. Here it is  an ancient ritual, but one that has been passed down to every mated alpha since  the beginning.”

“I should have kidnapped you and taken you to Boston to get married.”

She tilted her head back and smiled. “It would not have  mattered. The ritual would

still have taken place upon our return.”

Dragging his hand through his hair, he pulled away and paced the kitchen. “I  don’t

like this, Katya.”

“I know. And it makes me happy that you don’t want to share me.”

He stopped and looked at her. “Be very clear on this. I will
 
never
 
share you. What’s

mine is mine. And you are most definitely
 
mine
.”

The warmth  in her eyes and the sexy way  her lips curled when she smiled tore him apart. “And you are mine. If the situation  were reversed and I was required to share

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you, I would not be happy about it, either.  But I respect the customs of my people. As  alpha, you will have to do the same.”

He already knew that.  But goddamn he hated this! “How  does this  work? Is some  guy chosen at random, or has this been preordained?”

Hell, he  didn’t even have a beta  yet. A  beta would assist with these customs. He  had a hell of a lot to learn here. There was so  much pack business to take care of, and  not nearly enough time  to do it.

“Normally it would be the pack beta, but there isn’t one.”

“So who will it be, then?”

“Your beta. Your choice. It can be a  substitute, any man of your choosing.”

“I have to pick the guy?”

“Yes.”

“It can be anyone I choose?”

“Of course.”

He thought about it,  but really, what choice did he  have? There was only oneperson here  that he trusted enough to  take  this impersonally. One person who could do it and walk away, and Conner would know he’d  never infringe on his relationship with  Katya.

“Noah. I choose Noah.”

Katya’s eyes widened, then she nodded. “I  will go upstairs and prepare myself andwill meet you in the clearing just  inside the woods in an  hour.”

As she walked away, her hips swiveling  in that soft, easy way  that made him insane, his groin tightened and he hardened,  wondering what it was going to be like to share her with his brother.

Other packs shared their females.  It wasn’t  anything new. Hell, he’d participated in quite a few three-ways before. Never gave it a second thought.

The difference was he hadn’t been in love  with the women he’d fucked before. And that made his nerve endings feel raw and  exposed, like someone  poured acid on his skin. The thought of sharing Katya with  anyone was like a punch to his gut.

But she was right. If he was going to be the alpha of the pack, then he had to adapt to their customs, not force his on them. And  that  meant he had to  follow through with this, like it or not.

He  spied  Noah  as  he  walked  out  of  the kitchen and motioned to his brother,bringing him into the office and shutting the  door.

“What’s up?” Noah asked, leaning against the desk.

“We have a slight…problem.”

Noah arched a brow. “What kind of problem?”

“There’s a Carpathian lupine  marriage ritual that I hadn’t counted on. And it has to happen tonight.”

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“What is it? You don’t have to sacrifice a chicken or anything, do you?”

“I wish it was that easy.”

“Oh shit. Tell me.”

“Katya has to fuck another man tonight.”

Noah’s eyes nearly fell out of his head.

Conner nodded. “Yeah, you heard right.”

“Holy Christ, Con. Why?”

“It’s their custom. The alpha male shares his female on the night of  their marriage.”

“Just tell her no. Refuse to do it.”

He leaned against the  table across from Noah and crossed his arms. “I wish it were that easy. But as Katya pointed  out, and she’s  right, if I’m taking over as alpha, then I  need to follow their customs and rituals.”

“Okay. So who’s the guy? And will he survive the night without you killing him?”

Conner laughed. “I hope so. Because I chose you.”

Noah’s eyes widened. “Me? No way. No  thanks. I don’t want any part of it.”

“You’d rather have me  watch her get fucked  by a stranger, some guy that I’ll have to worry about and maybe even have to kill if  he ever looks at Katya again?  Hell, Noah.  You’re the only one I trust to do this.”

“Shit.” Noah stood and walked to the window, staring out at the full moon. “You

know I’d do  anything for you, Con. But I don’t want your woman.”

“I know that. Which makes you perfect for  this. I know  you have no attachment to

Katya. You’ll be fulfilling an obligation.”

Noah blew out a breath and  dragged his hand  through his hair. “It’s one hell of anobligation.”

“If you say no, I’ll have to choose someone else. I hate this, Noah. And I know youdo, too.”

“How does Katya feel about it?”

“She’s fine with it. Says it’s a one-time thing, means nothing. I guess she’s used to it

since she’s familiar with the customs here. It’s not like a bomb was dropped on
 
her

tonight.”

Noah turned around and faced him, a smirk lifting the corners of his mouth. “You’re just worried she’ll enjoy it too much.”

“With you as my choice, I doubt it.”

Noah laughed and shook his head. “I can’t  believe the shit I do  for you, Con. So  what’s the game plan?”

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Chapter Thirteen

Noah stood in the clearing with Conner,  Elena and about a dozen other witnesses.  Much fewer people than he expected. Then again, he supposed this wasn’t a  big deal to those who’d seen it before.

For that matter, it wasn’t a big deal for  him either. He wasn’t  a newcomer to the arena of ménages, and had shared women  with other men before. He’d even had several women at once, and they’d shared each other.

Hell, he liked sex. Liked it a lot. And Katya had a fiery passion that  he couldn’t wait

to taste.

But he didn’t love her, and Conner did. And this ritual
 
was
 
a big damn deal to his brother. This wasn’t just a woman to fuck and discard  as if she  meant nothing.  Katyawas his sister-in-law now. She was a Devlin. And he’d have to tread carefully in this

event.

Shit. He really needed to finish up this  task with Conner and get the hell off this mountain. Some solitude was definitely in order. Maybe one of the islands, or even the jungle. The sooner he got a new assignment from the agency, the better.

There was too much emotion here. This love  crap was fine for other people, but not for him. God help him when it came his time to take on a pack and a mate. He sure as hell wasn’t ready for it right now. He might never be.

As a wolf, he was wild, untamed and as  free as the night air swirling above  them.  The human part of him craved the same freedom.

No, he’d be unlikely to settle down  anytime soon, much  to his mother’s disappointment. Then again, she knew him  better than anyone, knew he hated to be tied down. That’s why he chose the career  path he had. It allowed him freedom ofmovement and never required him  to settle in one place too long.

He’d already been here too long and felt the  burning itch to run.

But not yet.  First, he had a task to  fulfill. A last duty to his brother.

Making love to a beautiful woman wasn’t  exactly an arduous task. He’d never tell  Conner, but he actually looked forward to it.

He glanced over at Elena, enjoying the way she devoured him with  her hot eyes. Ifhe read Elena’s signals right, Katya wouldn’t be the only woman he had tonight.

His cock rose and pressed against his pants,  a fact that wasn’t lost on the icy blonde.  She was perfect for him. Wild and free, loving  sex for the pure satisfaction and thrill ofit. No strings required. Elena was no more ready for love and relationships than he was, which made her the ideal sex partner for him while he was here.

Soon enough, he’d leave her, too. Only  she wouldn’t care. And neither would he.

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If only life could always be that simple.

* * * * *

Katya headed into the woods,  trying to  summon up the courage to get through what came next. She wanted to be locked  in  her bedroom with her husband and spend the remainder of the night making hot, fiery  love with him. But she had  an obligation tofulfill first. Once that was done, she could start on her new life with Conner.

What was going to happen tonight made  her nervous. First, because she never wanted anyone other than Conner to touch her. And two, because she worried he would think she desired another man.

Granted, if she had to choose another to partake in the  ritual, she couldn’t ask for one better than Noah.  Not only was he ruggedly handsome, but he walked and talked with an inherent eroticism that intrigued  her. The man had to be good, and despite the fact she was wholly and completely in love  with Conner, the idea of having Noah just once wasn’t at all unpleasant.

The bond Noah and Conner shared was evident. That made what was going to happen easier than if Conner was forced to  share her with a stranger. Besides, shedidn’t think she could tolerate another man’s touch. Noah, on the other hand, was family now. And that she could deal with. He and Conner were so close in looks and temperament that it would be like making  love to a mirror image of her husband.