The Mating Rules

Landing at the capital, my mates and I unbuckle our seatbelts from our seats that we returned to a few hours later after a nap and a second round of love making where my boys swapped places. I have no complaints about the above and nor does Skarla, especially as halfway through, both men’s wolves took over and I was shoved out the way so my wolf could enjoy her mates in human form. Let’s just say that it’s a good job that room was soundproofed because wolves are a lot more aggressive than we humans are.

Standing from my seat, my legs wobble a little courtesy of the bumpy landing that ratcheted up my terror of flying a few notches.

Taking Caden’s hand, I allow him to lead me down to the front door, helping me down the small steps and over to a waiting SUV that has a driver standing by the door, holding it open for us. The warriors that came with us, collect our luggage, and place it in the back of the car before splitting between two other awaiting vehicles.

One SUV of warriors leads the way out of the airstrip, followed by our own car then the second protection car behind us.

‘Are we going straight to the Council?’ I ask nervously, staring out of the window at the huge skyscrapers that mar the skyline ahead of us.

‘No, we are due in front of them first thing in the morning’ Caden replies, his hand linked with mine, holding it in his lap. ‘Nine am that Allegra woman said’ he adds, his voice dripping hostility at the thought of the woman who put that damn bracelet on me.

I nod distractedly, my fingers playing with the cool metal that must be magically sealed as nothing we did could get it to unclasp.

‘I’d have preferred it to be this afternoon’ Hadley growls beside me, ‘I don’t like this hanging over us, I’d rather just know what they are going to do.’

Caden snorts, ‘and have them give up their power trip?’ he huffs. ‘Fat chance of that mate, they want to make us feel as uncomfortable as possible for breaking their ridiculous law.’

‘Why do you think they have that law?’ I ask quietly, my gaze still trained on the growing city in front of us. Since our meeting with the Alpha that was interrupted by Luella, none of us have really had a chance to consider the question that has been buzzing around me ever since.

Caden shrugs, ‘covering their bases?’ he offers.

Hadley rubs his forefinger of the hand covering my thigh over my jeans lazily. ‘Do you think maybe there was a double pairing before?’ he asks me softly, his gaze flicking to the driver who is completely ignoring us, concentrating on the road ahead.

‘Not according to any of the books we’re got’ Caden replies, ‘and I looked after you stepped out of that damn clearing, believe me.’

The warrior laughs, ‘oh I don’t doubt you’ he agrees, ‘I’m sure you were looking for a way to break a mate bond’ he adds with a raised eyebrow as I turn my head so fast toward the Alpha, my neck cracks.

‘You were trying to break our bond?’ I demand angrily.

The Alpha squeezes my fingers, ‘not ours baby’ he replies with a sheepish grin, ‘just yours and his’ he adds under his breath.

‘CADEN!’ I yell, lifting my free hand to swat the young Alpha as he grabs my arm, pulling me toward him and pressing his lips to mine.

‘I’m glad I didn’t find a way baby’ he coo’s against my lips, ‘the a*****e is growing on me and your desire for both of us means I get turned on so much more than I would if you just had me. That also means I get laid way more than I think I would without him making you all hot and bothered when I’m not there.’

I flush, peeking over at the driver who pretends he wasn’t just staring at us in the rear view mirror. ‘I can’t believe the things that come out of your mouth’ I whisper yell, hiding my face in his shirt, ‘can’t you keep a civil tongue?’

The Alpha smirks, kissing the top of my head, ‘baby’ he murmurs, ‘where you are concerned, my tongue never wants to be in my mouth. There are so many more interesting places it can be exploring when I’m near you.’

Hadley’s chuckle behind me doesn’t help my flaming face, this guy seriously has no filter, how did I end up with him again?

The rumbling sound of the car and Caden’s steady heartbeat against my ear lulls me and I fall asleep against the Alpha’s muscular chest.

‘Baby, we’re here’ comes Caden’s voice, a hand running through my hair as I yawn, pulling away from his white shirt that now has a wet patch in the middle. I cringe as I look up at him, finding him smiling as he shrugs, ‘you can drool on me anytime baby’ he winks.

Sitting up, I try to hide my embarrassment as I rummage around beside me to unclip my seatbelt.

‘You know, I feel a little unloved’ Hadley muses from beside me as he opens his door to climb out, ‘you never seem to want to sleep on me sweetheart, am I not as comfy?’

‘It’s my manly scent mate’ Caden retorts before I can open my mouth, ‘why settle for the little boy wearing his grandpa’s cologne when she can have an all Alpha male holding her?’

I shake my head, taking Hadley’s hand so he can pull me up out of the car. Going up on tip toes, I k**s him softly, ‘I happen to find your scent very manly’ I whisper, ‘and I definitely like sleeping with you.’

The growl that rumbles out of my warrior mate tells me that he caught my meaning and the slap against my a*s cheek informs me that my other mate heard me too.

‘Now now baby, only Hadley and I get to see your naughty side’ Caden warns, wrapping an arm around me and biting my ear lobe playfully. ‘Don’t make me s***k you out here in front of all our warriors, you know I prefer playtime in the privacy of our room.’

I squeeze my thighs together, clamping my lips shut as my warrior pulls me from my Alpha mate and leads me toward the swanky hotel that we are parked in front of.

I glance behind me to spot Caden deep in conversation with one of our guards, nodding, his face stern as a second warrior skirts around them, carrying our luggage for us.

Walking into the hotel, my breath catches as I take in the grandeur around us. I don’t know where I was expecting to stay but when I travelled with my parents, we usually stayed in a motel or a caravan park. The high vaulted ceilings of the reception area are painted white with gold leaf detailing. The entire reception is mahogany wood with the name of the hotel emblazoned across the front. Each receptionist is wearing tailored suits with a small pin badge showing their name, by the smell of everyone, this is a human owned and run hotel. The women have their hair up in tight buns, the men, perfectly styled short hair, each giving the impression of perfection.

Moving through the lobby, Hadley walks up to one of the free women who looks up from her computer immediately and smiles welcomingly.

‘Good afternoon and welcome to the Majestic, do you have a reservation?’ she asks.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

My mate nods, ‘booking under Star’ he replies as I tune them out and study all the people moving around the area. From Porters to security guards, house keeping to the Concierge, everyone looks busy and important. I glance down at my jeans and jumper, suddenly feeling very under dressed around all these well dressed staff members and obviously rich patrons going by their clothes and the jewellery dripping off the women as they pass.

‘Got the keys?’ I jump at the sound of Caden’s voice right beside me almost falling backward as his hands catch my waist, righting me again. ‘Not gonna lie baby’ he says, ‘I like the fact your knees go weak just from hearing me speak.’

‘You scared me’ I hiss back, glaring at him in annoyance.

The Alpha smirks, ‘you and I both know that Skarla is aware of me at all times, it’s impossible for me to sneak up on you’ he replies quietly so the receptionist doesn’t overhear. ‘It’s my animal magnetism, your legs turn to jelly just thinking about what I can do to that delectable body.’

A shiver rolls through me at his words, damn him and his sexy voice, knowing just how to make me turn to putty.

‘Skarla is asleep’ is what I huff back at him, crossing my arms, ‘your friend’ I make quotation marks in the air as I speak, ‘wore her out, she couldn’t warn me if we were about to be attacked by people of the night.’

The Alpha growls low, pulling me against his chest and burying his head into my neck, his tongue running up the skin toward my ear. ‘Just remembering what Cobalt and Hunter did to that sexy a*s of yours makes me want to go upstairs and see if we can’t recreate it without their interference.’

‘Got the keys’ Hadley calls out, dragging our attention back to him where he’s standing slightly away from the desk, an eyebrow raised at us both, Ten keys in his hands.

‘One room for us, four rooms for the guys to split between them’ he explains, handing Caden a card before slipping a second into his pocket. Turning toward the lifts, he leads the way to where our men are waiting, handing out keycards with instructions on what rooms are ours before heading into the elevator, holding the door open so Caden and I can walk in along with two warriors who are seeing us to our room.

‘How come I don’t get a key?’ I demand sulkily as I stand between my two mates.

‘Because you won’t be leaving the room without one of us escorting you’ Caden replies simply.

‘Umm, I can take care of myself’ I huff, ‘I don’t need a guard to walk down and get a coffee with me. I did train just like the rest of you.’

The Alpha turns to look at me, his eyes narrowing, ‘you know you can’t go off on your own Leeway’ he replies firmly, ‘not until . . .’ he glances at our men, allowing his words to trail off, but I know what he was going to say.

Until we know more about this spirit wolf thing, I’m on lockdown like some helpless Goddamn pup. . I scowl deeply, watching the numbers on the display screen ticking upwards before stopping on the thirty seventh floor. The doors sliding open, I find we are on a corridor with only a handful of doors, ours is to the right and after unlocking it, our two guards sweep the room before allowing us to enter, walking out and leaving us alone in the most extravagant suite I have ever seen in my life.

A huge living area is laid out in front of me, one wall is completely made of glass giving a spectacular view of the city that leaves my mouth hanging open. A kitchen is to my right and on the left is a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom containing a spa bath and a shower that could easily hold all three of us and a few more people on top.

Taking in my home for the next three days I push back my annoyance, maybe being on house arrest won’t be as bad as I thought it would be after all.

Two arms encircle my waist as a pair of lips land on my nape making me suck in a breath, ‘like it Luna?’ Caden asks, his breath tickling the hairs on my neck.

I nod, unable to speak right now, it’s perfect, just like my boys.