Resisting the Alpha Triplets by Cara Anderson

Ch. 45 Mine

Cary’s POV

“You’re un-fucking-believable!” I snarled at Colton as soon as Mallory left. “She’s your fucking mate! How could you use her like that? Every time I think you couldn’t be a bigger asshole, you prove me wrong. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve done some truly despicable things in my time but you take the fucking prize. How the fuck am I even related to you?”

“I didn’t use her!” He roared back, storming toward me but stopping short of a physical altercation.

Both of our wolves were out and he seemed to know it wouldn’t end well for either of us if he tried attacking me. I growled at him, my wolf warning him to back off. Colton might be our brother but he’d hurt our mate and that was unforgivable.

“What would you call it then?” Clay’s even tone belied the seething rage he radiated through our bond.

“Fuck!” Colton threw himself into a chair with a frustrated grunt. “I don’t fucking know! One minute Darcy and I were arguing and the next minute I found myself at Mallory’s house.”

“So what? One girl pisses you off so you run to the other, pit them against each other and see who comes out on top? Sounds like using them both to me!” I butted in.

“No! It wasn’t like that! I told myself I just wanted to check on her so I climbed the tree to peek in her window like we used to. But she was crying and my wolf couldn’t stand it so we went in to comfort her. One thing led to another and I ended up spending the night. I didn’t mean for any of it to happen!” He explained, like his lack of intention made it better.

“I thought thinking with my dick was my forte, not yours.” I hurled insultingly.

“That’s not what it was!” Colton denied. “I meant everything I said to her and I still do. Darcy just caught me off guard, and everyone was watching. I didn’t want to embarrass her.”

“So you’d humiliate our mate instead?” Clay unleashed his fury at that. “Do you understand what you’ve done? She’s your mate! It’s your fucking job to put her ahead of everyone else! To stand up for her above all others, regardless of what it costs you or them! But you fucking chose another woman over her in front of the pack!

“Everyone knows Mallory has her wolf. When they find out she’s our mate, they’ll remember that moment, knowing you’d already scented her. You disrespected your future Luna in front of the entire pack and just gave the entire pack permission to do the same!”

Colt looked stricken, like that thought never occurred to him and now that it did, he wanted to eviscerate himself for it. His head dropped into his hands, nothing but shame and anguish flowing from him through our triplet bond. His remorse went some way in calming my wolf but I wasn’t as easily placated.

“I’ve always idolized you, Colton. Always looked to you as an example of the kind of Alpha I wanted to be.” My voice was flat, emotionless. “But right now, I don’t want to be anything like you. You need to grow a pair. Man up and tell Darcy it’s over and stay the fuck away from Mallory until you do. You don’t deserve her until you’re willing to do whatever it takes to put her feelings first, no matter who’s watching.”

I delivered my diatribe then got up and left the room without looking back.

Anger and resentment were seeping from every pore and I knew my barely restrained temper was bound to break loose if I stayed in the same room with him a second longer. Clay might be able to hear Colton’s confession and absolve him of his sins like the saint he was but I couldn’t.

Standing in the background all day while Mallory worked with my brother had chafed at my wolf. He knew she was hurting and it made him restless, needing to comfort his mate. When Colton walked through the door and Roan felt her distress heighten, he’d nearly burst through my skin.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

He wouldn’t be held back any longer. If I didn’t go check on Mallory now, he would force the shift. I could feel him just below the surface, threatening to do just that. So I gave him control and went along for the ride as he eagerly sought her out.

When we arrived at her house, I expected to shift back so we could go inside but he never even slowed down. Mallory’s scent trail was stronger in the backyard than the front so Roan continued on, following the heady fragrance of jasmine, lavender and citrus all the way into the woods.

It didn’t take long to find her and when we did, she was in wolf form. Roan pulled up behind a tree to watch his mate, a shared sense of amazement passing between us at the fact this beautiful creature was ours. Raven ran and pounced playfully, frolicking like a pup.

We should have announced our presence, mindlinked or something. But instead, Roan decided to have a little fun with his mate. He prowled around, careful to stay downwind so she wouldn’t scent him. Then when her back was turned, he launched himself at her, the two wolves tumbling over and over before coming to rest with Raven cradled gently in his paws.

“Mate!” Raven purred, her human giving her the driver’s seat as well.

“So beautiful!” Roan rumbled back, nuzzling his snout through her fur.

But Mallory’s wolf wasn’t in the mood for cuddling, apparently still feeling frisky. She nipped at Roan’s neck then bounded away, leaving him no choice but to chase her.

She dodged and weaved, a smug sense of superiority rippling through the bond the longer she went uncaught. But being the Alpha he was, my wolf would only tolerate her evading him so long. And when he finally decided time was up, he showed her exactly who was in charge.

Roan lunged for Raven, rearing up and bringing his front paws down on her shoulders. He pinned her front to the ground with her ass in the air, his teeth sunk into her scruff just enough to show dominance but careful, always careful, not to cause her pain. Raven whimpered in submission and my wolf preened at the sound.

No words passed between Mallory and I while our wolves bonded. I could sense her need to fade into the background for a while and though I itched to check in with her, I tried to be patient. It was enough that she was allowing Raven to bond with my wolf.

Roan curled his body around his mate and the two of them rested peacefully, snuggled up together for some time. But soon enough, my wolf started licking Raven’s muzzle then nudged her onto her back. He scented and licked at her belly but when his snout moved between her legs, his intentions became all too obvious.

As if she came to the realization at the same time, Mallory returned to her skin.

“Aren’t you a naughty boy!” Mal cooed to him while giving him scratches and pets.

He buried his nose in her neck, scenting the place we would mark her, and Mallory snuggled into him. He was on cloud nine, reveling in the attention from his mate. As chuffed as he was, it took some effort to push Roan back but eventually, he relented, letting me slip back into my skin as well.

“Feeling better, darling?” I asked, pulling a gloriously naked Mallory into my lap.

My fingers twitched, fighting my instinctual desire to run them over all my mate’s luscious curves. But as gratifying as that would be for me, Mallory needed emotional care first and foremost. She deserved mates who bothered to learn her every mood, decipher every nuance in her body language and facial expressions, then meet every single need they revealed. That was the type of mate I was determined to be.

“Not really.” She sighed. “But it was nice to give Raven control for a while, just appreciate the simple joy of watching her play.”

“I have to say, Roan and I enjoyed that quite a bit too. But that’s only a temporary fix for both of us. Because what hurts you, hurts me. So talk to me, love.”

Mallory let her head fall back on my shoulder, letting out a frustrated groan. I burrowed my face in her hair and laced my fingers through hers, sending a calm, soothing energy through our bond. But she just played with my hand, moving it restively between both of hers, avoiding the subject.

“I can’t. It will only cause you pain and I think there’s been enough of that.” She finally answered softly, shaking her head and nearly drowning me in her scent from the way her hair tousled in my face.

“I can handle it. Give it to me, love. Let me help you carry it.” I pressed again, once I’d regained my composure and managed to ignore my demanding cock.

She drew in a deep breath then blew it out slowly, a tired sound that made me want to shoulder all her burdens. My arms snaked around her waist, holding her tighter, lending her my strength. It must have been enough to make her believe she was safe.

“What Colton did hurt. I saw him in Darcy’s arms and suddenly I was that fifteen year old girl again, the one who offered her heart to you only to have it played with then discarded like an old toy you’d suddenly become bored with.

“But as painful as that was, it was nothing compared to the devastation I felt at knowing I’d betrayed Nathan again. Knowing that my choices keep chipping away at him one little piece at a time. And for what?

“He’s never hurt me. Not once. He’s the one who deserves my loyalty and still I choose the three of you time and time again. And when will it stop? When there is nothing left of him for me to destroy?

“Because even now, even knowing I will probably end up shattered, all I want is your touch. To feel your hands on me until I come apart in your arms. What does that say about me? What kind of person does that make me?

I unlocked my arms from around her waist, allowing one had to glide sinuously over the curve of her hip, along her side and over the swell of her breast, finally stopping to collar her throat possessively.

“Mine.” I growled. “It makes you mine!”