Shay's Shifters [Mountain Men of Montana 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (20 page)

“They’re ready for you.” Rosh, looking strong and sexy in a white cotton shirt and pair of jeans, offered his hand to her. She took it, keeping Kira’s in her own.

“Let’s do this.”

Rosh led them into the cabin where The Council as well as many others, including Renkon and Walker, waited. Charlton sat at a table along with Xnax, Tina, and the werecat Wisa. The werewolf Dagon who had sat on The Council was one of those lost in the battle, and another council member had yet to be selected.

Charlton tipped his head in greeting. “Shay Mathews, we are happy to see that you are well.”

“Thank you. But I wish I could trade places with those who came to my rescue.”

Xnax shook his head. “It was their choice, and The Time for Mourning has passed. We need to move on to other matters. We’ve given you more than enough time to make a decision.”

This is it.
Although she’d already told the men that she wanted to become their mate and stay, she hadn’t made an official announcement. She drew her body straighter. “I want to stay.” She hadn’t expected any cheers, but she’d hoped for some kind of a reaction.

“And will you change?” Xnax bounced a sphere of fire from hand to hand. “Are you prepared to become werewolf?”

She’d thought about it a long time and had spoken to other werewolf females. Parts of it, like the pain that came with the transformation, made her nervous. Yet other aspects of it were thrilling. She longed to run through the forest, to see into the darkness, and to feel the tug of the moon. But even if being a werewolf was the worst thing in the world, she was still ready to face it. She wanted to be like her mates, and changing would bring them even closer.

“You don’t have to become a werewolf,” added Charlton. “But no one has ever mated in The Hidden and not changed.”

“I want to and I will. Tonight, if possible.”

“You must also choose mates in order to stay.” Tina’s silver eyes twinkled with delight. Everyone knew the men wanted her and that she wanted them. The only thing left was for Shay to publicly choose them.

“Then I choose Rosh, Renkon, and Walker.”

Charlton shifted his gaze to the men, who’d gathered behind her. “Is this what you three want?”

“We do.” They spoke in unison, and their powerful voices sent a shiver of desire through her.

“But there’s another I’d like to choose.”

Murmurs broke out around her. Charlton recovered from his surprise and asked, “Who else would you choose?”

“I don’t want another mate. But I do want to choose Kira to be my adopted daughter. If that’s what she wants.”

All eyes fell on the young girl who clutched her hand. She squirmed under the attention.

“Is this what you want, Kira? Remember, your mother has family on The Outside. If you like, we could take you to them.” Charlton’s tone was soft and tender.

Kira shook her head. “I don’t want to leave The Hidden. I want to stay with Shay and her men. My mother would’ve liked that.”

He gazed past Shay and Kira. “What do you three say? Will you accept the responsibility of caring for Kira?”

She turned around to see her men nod. Walker spoke for all of them. “We’d like that very much.”

Charlton looked to the other council members for their agreement. “Then consider Shay your adoptive mother.”

Kira and Shay hugged each other then let go so that Kira could move to join the crowd. Shay turned back to The Council. “I’d like to request one more thing.”

Tina laughed a bell-like sound. “It seems you’d like a lot of things. But go ahead. Ask.”

“I’d like to have The Pledging Ceremony as soon as possible.”

Tina threw out her arms and grinned as the crowd around her applauded. “It’s about time you asked, Shay Mathews. It’s about time.”

* * * *

Shay stepped forward to stand under the ancient tree where she’d seen Bisna and her mates pledge their love and devotion. Walker stood across from her while Rosh and Renkon bumped shoulders, vying like boys squabbling in the schoolyard, to get the closest to her. They were sexy as hell in their cotton slacks and bare chests. Rosh had swept his hair away from his forehead while a lock of Renkon’s fell across his forehead. Walker’s dark gaze fixed on her, warming her with unspoken passion.

A breeze blew the fragrance of the surrounding flowers to her, and she drank in the aroma, committing it to memory. Every sight, sound, and scent of the day would live on inside her for the rest of her life.

She was barefoot, and her thin white dress flowed around her ankles. Although Kira and the other children weren’t allowed at the ceremony, the young girl had combed her hair, intertwining yellow daisies in the strands. In remembrance of her mother, she’d added Myla’s favorite blue ribbon to a lock of Shay’s hair. Shay lifted her head to see the sunlight filtering through the branches of the huge tree as the birds gave voice to their gifts of song.

Charlton emerged from the crowd and took his place in front of them. His long blue robe flowed around him, making him appear even more regal and commanding than he always did. He cleared his throat, pressed his palms together, and the talking around them ceased.

“Shay Mathews, do you pledge to honor the men you’ve chosen? Will you lie with them at night, keeping their bodies warm and their hearts filled with your love? Will you treasure them as they vow to treasure you? Will you give them a life complete with pleasure and happiness? Will you keep them safe as they will keep you free from harm?”

She shifted her attention from Charlton to her men. “I pledge to do these things and more.” Without shyness, she untied the knot in the top of her dress and let the soft material fall to the ground. She kept her attention on her men’s faces and hoped they could see the love in her eyes.

Charlton faced the men. “Do you, Rosh, Walker, and Renkon, pledge to honor the woman who has chosen you? Will you give her your bodies each night, keeping her warm and her heart filled with your love? Will you treasure her as she vows to treasure you? Will you give her a life complete with pleasure and happiness? And will you keep her safe as she will keep you free from harm?”

Rosh winked at her and joined his friend and cousin in answering. “I pledge to do these things and more.”

Together, her gorgeous, loving men dropped their slacks to the ground. Her pulse picked up speed. In only a short time, she’d take them to their new bed in the huge hut they’d made and show them just how much she loved them.

Charlton lifted his hands over their heads as they stepped closer together. “People of The Hidden, do you accept this union? Do you pledge to honor them as they live and grow together?”

Her new friends raised their voices as one. “We do!”

Shay held out both her hands. “Okay, guys, let’s go home.” She laughed as Rosh and Walker took her hands, leaving Renkon to take her arm. “Easy, boys, there’s enough of me to go around.”

* * * *

Shay stepped into her new home. Although she’d already spent the past week in the new hut, she still couldn’t believe that she’d finally found the home for her. She’d traveled to many places, all lacking in comparison to her hometown of Passion, Colorado, but she’d always sensed an empty part of her. Only when she’d come to The Hidden and found the men who she’d chosen as her mates had the hole in her heart been filled.

The hut was much larger than their previous one. They’d even gone so far as to put in wooden floors and pane-less windows with shutters they could close at night. Two rooms—one for Kira and the other she’d share with her men—lay on either side of the common living quarters with its pallets for guests and the open fire pit in the middle. Candles cast soft shadows on the walls while the petals of various flowers, their colors forming a rainbow on the floor, led to the bedroom.

The place was a shack compared to the luxurious mansion she’d grown up in, but to her eyes, it was the most beautiful place in the world. As she’d learned from her men and others, supernatural beings didn’t need the comforts of modern living. Instead, they preferred to live close to nature and spend as much time as they could in their alternate forms. They’d only stayed human for so long in deference to her.

She peeked into the bedroom and saw how the men had laid out blankets all over the floor. Tears came to her eyes as she thought of the many happy years that lay ahead with the men who loved her. They came up behind her, not touching her but giving her time to take it all in.

“This is so amazing.”

“Are you sure it’s okay? We could go to The Outside soon and take you to one of those fancy hotels where they have fine linen and hot water.” Rosh trailed a finger down her back to the crack of her bottom.

“And room service,” added Renkon. “I wouldn’t mind having room service.”

She faced them so they could not only hear the truth but see it on her face. “No way. I couldn’t ask for a better place. I’m home with the men I love, and that’s all I need. Damn, I love you all so much.”

Walker gave her the biggest smile she’d ever seen. “You finally said it.”

“Said what?”

“You finally said that you love us.”

She scoffed as she tried to remember. “Naw. I’ve said it before. Lots of times. I’m positive of it.”

“You’ve pledged your love and you’ve told us that you care for us, but you’ve never said those exact words.”

She searched Rosh’s face then the other two men’s. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” Walker took a look toward Kira’s room. “She’s at Tina’s, right?”

“She is. I’m sure she’s probably knee-deep in fairy dust by now.” She dropped her gaze to take in their erect cocks. “We’re all alone, so why don’t we make the best of it?”

“Good.” Rosh picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

She yelped then reached out to Walker and Renkon for help. “What the hell are you doing? Help me, you two.”

But the other men ignored her as Rosh strode into the room then plopped her down on the pads of blankets. The three of them stood over her, their chests like mountains she wanted to climb.

“You’re our woman.”

She made a funny face. “Yeah. I think that’s what The Pledging Ceremony was all about. But do me a favor, okay?”

“Anything,” answered Renkon.

She licked her lips, eager to taste their cocks one by one. “Just don’t ever say the word
mine
.”

They didn’t understand, but she didn’t care. If she never heard that word again, she’d die a happy woman.

Walker fell to his knees. “Done.”

She pulled him into her arms as he fell on top of her then rolled to her side. He pulled on one of her legs, spreading her wide for Rosh to see her pussy. She giggled and reached down to pull her folds apart.

“Do you like what you see?”

“Hell, yeah.”

“Tell us what you see, Rosh.” Renkon held his cock in his hand as he went to his knees beside her.

“She’s beautiful. Her pussy is a pale pink like a perfect pearl. She’s glistening with her juices.” Rosh skimmed his finger around her clit then around her opening.

Renkon moaned and played with her breasts. She took Walker’s hand and placed it on her other breast. She squirmed, enticing them to do more as the heat between her legs grew. Moaning a sound that changed into her imitation of a growl, she shot Rosh a look, urging him to stop teasing her.

He laughed then flicked his finger over her clit. She bucked and tried to move closer to him, but Walker and Renkon held her still.

Walker leaned over to give her a quick bite on her breast. “Should we change her first or after we fuck her?”

“You have to bite me to change me, right?” She frowned at a question she’d had before but hadn’t asked. “Why is it that you can bite other things and they don’t change into werewolves?”

“There are different bites for different things. Plus, we don’t bite unless we mean to either kill or to change someone. Biting The Cursed had no effect on them since they already have werewolf blood in them.” Rosh crouched down on his belly and slipped his hands under her bottom. “Enough talk. It’s time for better things.”

He put his face close to her pussy, and although she was ready for his move, she still jerked at his touch. He drew in her scent in a long sniff.

“Damn, but her scent is intoxicating. I love the way you smell.”

“Then show me.”

Rosh swept his tongue across her tender clit, making her jump again. His laughter was muffled as he pressed his mouth to her pussy and stuck his tongue inside.

“She’s quick to the touch.” Renkon pinched her nipples between his fingers. “See how her body responds?”

“I want to do more than just feel it.” Walker dragged his tongue over her skin and up to her ear. He traced his tongue in circles around her sensitive skin, pausing twice to whisper how much he loved her.

Her body came alive under their touches, singing with every stroke they made, every word they said. She sensed their need grow as hers did. Walker and Renkon caressed her, their fingers roaming everywhere as they bent over her to explore her body with their mouths and tongues. She went to take their cocks in her hands, but they pushed them away, leaving her grasping at the blanket.

She closed her eyes then opened them. She’d felt their love before. Now she wanted them to dominate her. They could use the primal instinct she sensed inside them to take her as their woman, their lover, and their mate. “Don’t hold back. I want you to love me, but I want to know you lust for me, too.”

Rosh lifted his head to check with her. “Are you sure? It can get rough.”

She licked her lips. “I’m sure. I know you’d never hurt me.”

She could see the change in them, see the animallike glint in their eyes as sparks of red ignited in them. Tamping down the alarm that threatened to force its way into her, she refused to let what lay beneath their skin frighten her. Whether they were in their wolf forms or in their human bodies, they had put their lives on the line for her. She’d trust them to keep her safe. Yet she had another reason. She wanted to experience the tip of their beasts before she, too, welcomed her own wolf.