Monsters in My Bed

This is my contribution to the Halloween Contest 2021. Please remember to vote at the end and thanks for taking the time to read.

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Copyright (c) 2021 Ada Stuart, All Rights Reserved.

This work may not be published whether for fee or free without this copyright.

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*** 

“I like the name of your company,” Ivy blurted out.

“Do you?” Darther Landon looked up from his papers. He looked as if he was finally seeing her as a person and not just another interview object he needed to suffer the company of. He was probably used to having women fawning over him and blurting out stupid sentences just to get his attention.

When she’d learnt that she had an appointment with the CEO, she had imagined a grey-haired older gentleman, not the sleek panther-like figure sitting in front of her. Maybe they were messing with her and sent one of their bodyguards to interview her instead. But then he’d opened his mouth, and his words sounded like any other businessman. Except that the deep baritone was making funny things happen inside her chest and mind. It was probably the reason why she spoke when she should have kept her mouth shut.

“Yes, who wouldn’t? ‘Monsters Inc’ sounds both cute and dangerous at the same time.”

He looked at her as if he wondered if he should feel insulted or laugh. He cleared his throat.

“Do you know what we do?” he asked in a neutral voice.

“No. But if I’m only here to answer your phone and sort the visitors, I’m sure I can survive.”

He chuckled, revealing a handsome smile behind his stern features. “I certainly hope you will.”

She gave him a broad smile, hiding her true feelings while she tried to behave like the most biddable woman he’d ever come across. She needed this job. Really needed it. It was the only way of finding out what had happened to Marcus. This was definitely not the right time to be dazzled by the hunky employer.

 

*** 

A week later, Ivy wondered if it was her stupid statement that had landed her the job. There had certainly been plenty of other temps that were interviewed, but for some reason, they had called her a few hours later and offered her the job. She’d felt so relieved she would probably have kissed the caller if they hadn’t been on the phone. It would make it so much easier to do what she needed to do.

Besides, how difficult could it be to pretend to be a receptionist? She’d done plenty of secretary work for both her brother and father over the years. Plenty of legwork too, when they happened to find something that wasn’t too dangerous. She had often wondered why they bothered to train her at all when they were always reluctant to let her do any of the more interesting tasks for the family business. It would have been useful now that she faced the biggest challenge yet.

And it was all Marcus’s fault. After taking over the business when their father died, her brother had shared even less information about what he was working on. So when he vanishes without a trace, Ivy had to start from scratch and go over everything he’d done for the last few weeks. Everything pointed to a company called ‘Monsters Inc’, led by the Landon family.

For some reason, Marcus had been investigating them. Lurking in the shadows to learn more about their operations and the family leading everything. His carefully scribbled notes contained tons of details about their operations and the employees. It had to be the result of weeks of surveillance. For that reason alone, Ivy knew she was on to something.

Which was why she had decided to infiltrate them. Pretending to be a colourful young woman that was more interested in her fingernails than in their operations. She ran her hand down her skirt, smoothing out any non-existent wrinkles while she wondered if it was too short when she was sitting down. If it was, it would only do what it was supposed to. To draw attention to her legs and clothes and away from the fact that she was feeling terribly nervous. She checked her watch. She was punctual. Taking a deep breath, she entered the enemy’s den.

“Welcome, Ivy,” Darther Landon said as she stepped inside the building. “Let me show you around.”

She greeted her new boss while she put on the role she was supposed to play. It was almost like she expected someone to jump forward and shout ‘Action’ or ‘Cut’, but it didn’t happen. She could do this, she instructed herself. Because she had to. There was no room for errors when lives were at stake.

 

*** 

Darther watched the young woman stare as he showed her the equipment storage and all the different costumes his agents used when they were on stakeouts. It was apparent she’d never worked for a security company that resembled theirs before.

He hoped she was made of sterner material than she appeared. Her lithe figure was both appealing and a potential problem when dealing with difficult clients. Hopefully, the fact that she was young and appealing would outweigh the other drawbacks. He’d done what he always did and followed his gut instinct when he’d hired her.

“Gosh. This is so cool. Where are the monsters?” Ivy asked and ran her fingers over the nearest costume.

‘Right beside you,’ Darther wanted to say, but he knew he could never admit it out loud. Not unless he wanted to get rid of her and start searching for another receptionist. And for some reason, he felt it more important to keep this one.

“What monsters?” he asked.

“You did that Disney movie, didn’t you? I totally loved it.”

“Ah no. That wasn’t us.”

“So what do you do? Are you event planners for Halloween parties?”

“Not exactly. We’re security consultants.”

“So you’re more like ‘James Bond?”

He forced a laugh. “Sorry to disappoint you, but our work is a lot more boring in real life. We usually give businesses advice on how to avoid cybercrime.”

“Oh.” Ivy did sound a bit disappointed. But then she smiled broadly. “That’s still cool. So where do I start?”

‘With me,’ he wanted to say. “We need you to handle the front desk and direct whatever comes in. Nothing more.”

“No problem. I have experience from secretary work too, in case you want to add to my task load.”

“I’ll consider it. But since you’re new, we’ll cut you some slack.”

She giggled. “Not too much slack, I hope. I make the most amazing coffee.”

“Do you always dress in yellow,” he asked her.

“It’s my favourite colour.”

He’d noticed. The bright yellow colour mixed with her black belt made her look like a bee. A chatty bee, now that he knew her a bit better. But still a bee. He briefly wondered if the bee could sting if her boss forgot his manners and groped her ass. She probably would.

 

*** 

Ivy soon discovered that the job wasn’t hard at all. She just had to keep tabs on the boss’ schedules and make sure his guests felt welcome before directing them to the correct office. So far, so good.

But the staff were of a peculiar kind. Her boss had told her they usually did surveillance and were hired as bodyguards. It explained the muscular hunks hanging around the office. The way they dressed certainly made them stand out in a crowd. Some went for the dark and gloomy goth style, while others were more colourfully clothed. No matter what, she had difficulty imagine any of them being able to blend in anywhere unless they attended a rock concert or a trip to a different planet.

The benefit of it all was that it allowed her to dress just as freely as they did. Instead of going for her sombre work suits, she chose to wear her favourite colours instead. Usually, it was a bright yellow blouse with black trousers or a dark skirt. Too bad they hadn’t hired her for more interesting tasks than handling their reception, but if she proved her worth, they might give her additional tasks.

Unfortunately, as a receptionist, she would also have to deal with the employees who considered themselves God’s gift to women. Those that were convinced she would fall into their bed just by waving their hands. In reality, it felt more like they wanted to ruin her day, and she’d learnt to spot them a mile away.

The man strolling toward her desk was a clear example of the sort. She sighed. Before she started working here, she had no idea how tedious it could be when every man thought she was available and open to flirtation. It was the downside of the way she dressed, but it suited the role she wanted to portray, so she had to pretend to enjoy it.

The young man winked at her and grinned so widely he looked as if he’d spotted the last candy on the plate, ready for taking and eager to be swallowed by him. Ivy forced a smile on her face, hating what she had to do. If she’d met him at a pub, she would have shut him down instantly, knowing it was the only thing that would work.

These sort of men were the complete opposite of her boss’ calm demeanour and the brief looks of approval before he managed to control his features. Why couldn’t men copy him instead of going ballistic as if flirting was the only way forward? Despite him being her primary suspect, Darther Landon was a lot more tempting compared to the one trying to impress her right now.

As expected, the young man leaned too close and sniffed her neck. Just like a dog would take in the scent of another dog, she guessed. She took a step back, giving him a cold stare while hating the fact that she needed to lift her chin to meet his eyes.

“May I help you, sir?” Ivy asked, trying to be professional.

“Where did Landon find you?”

“I’m Ivy, the temp. Do you have an appointment?”

“You’re a human.”

“Last time I checked, yes.”

He took a step closer. “You’re a tasty morsel.”

“And you’re in my comfort zone,” she fired back.

“Tasty. No doubt.”

“Nope. I’m not edible.”

“You sure about that?”

“Absolutely. What do you want?”

“Let me make a list.”

“Camron!” Her boss bellowed as if he thought she was flirting with his guest. “Bring your ass over here. Pronto.”

The man sighed. “I’ll see you later, sweetie.”

“Not if I can help it,” Ivy muttered, not able to hide her discomfort.

Then she heard him chuckle as he walked into her boss’ office.

 

*** 

A few days later, Ivy heard the same voice as she bent over her table to reach for a pen.

“Nice ass.”

She sighed before she turned and wrapped her arms in front of her. “Nice pecs,” she said as she ran her eyes all over his chest. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Not yet. But he’ll see me.”

“Camron, wasn’t it?”

“You remembered. I made some impression on you, didn’t I, sweetie?” He sounded smugger than he should.

“Only of the wrong kind,” Ivy admitted. She sat down and pressed the intercom. “Sir? Mr Camron is here to see you.”

“Let him wait,” Darther answered.

Ivy shrugged her shoulders and looked at the young man. “I guess not.”

“No problem. I’m sure you can entertain me while I wait.”

“Please take a seat, Mr Camron.”

“You can skip the ‘Mister’. What’s your name, sweetie?”

“I told you the last time we met.”

“I must have been too busy looking at your lovely face.”

She gave him a cold stare before she returned to her work.

He walked toward her. She felt him looming over her. “He hasn’t claimed you yet. Interesting.”

“What are you talking about?”

He looked surprised and laughed. “You really have no idea what we are, do you?”

“Maybe you’ll be so kind as to enlighten me?” she asked sweetly.

“We’re monsters, sweetie. Fucking real-life monsters.” Then he turned and barged into her boss’ office.

“Gee! That makes me so scared,” Ivy sighed, feeling bored. Well, if that was his version of the last statement to turn up the tension, he should get another script next time. Monsters, huh? They behaved more like ‘Pussycats’ circling the feline in heat. She chuckled softly.

No sounds came from Landon’s office. She saw that Camron had closed the door behind him. She waited in case her boss would throw him out, but it didn’t happen. Maybe the boss wasn’t opposed to Camron letting himself in without an appointment. She didn’t know him well enough to know the rules around here, but he would probably inform her if she’d failed to do what he expected of her.

 

*** 

“When are you going to claim your mate?” Darther heard Camron ask after he’d closed the door behind him.

“My mate?” Darther stared at his agent. “What mate?”

“The one in your reception. She smells just like you.”

“Really?” Darther knew that Camron’s sense of smell was way beyond any other shifter. “Are you sure?”

Camron settled lazily on a chair, looking as relaxed as ever. It was quite the opposite of what Darther was now feeling. The agent was probably enjoying the situation immensely. It wasn’t often Camron had the upper hand when they met.

“Of course, I’m sure. She’s tried to disguise her scent, but it’s clear once you get close enough or she gets agitated.”

“What did you do to her?” Darther sneered at him.

“She hates flirting. That should have given you a clue since she dresses to invite the flirting that she hates. Besides, something else is off about her. She’s too scared.”

“Maybe you behaved obnoxiously?”

“Not at all. Just get closer to her, and you’ll smell the same.”

“I will.”

“One more thing. Her smell is like your and Thorn’s.”

“Thorn? What’s he got to do with this?”

“You both smell the same. Guess it’s only fair you have the same mate, eh? Or don’t you fancy sharing, boss?” Camron grinned widely.

Darther wanted to throw the man out the door, but he wanted the weekly update before he could do that. “I don’t think we smell the same.”

“On a molecular level, you do. Makes sense since you’re twins.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Darther didn’t like the way this conversation was turning.

“You should claim her before someone else does. She’s a tempting thing.”

“Just stay the hell away from her.”

Camron smiled. “Oh, I know she belongs to you. But the others won’t know, would they?”

“Just give me the information and get out,” Darther sneered.

“It’s just friendly advice…boss.”

The young chit was getting on his nerves, Darther thought. He was waiting for a reaction. Any reaction. Probably so he could gloat about it later that their level-headed boss had lost his temper for once. Darther took a deep breath and felt calmer. He would get this over with so he could check on his so-called mate. Then he would figure out if her scent was the right one or not.

 

*** 

“Did he bother you?” Ivy heard her boss ask after Camron had left.

“Who?”

“Camron.”

“Not at all. I’ve developed a thick skin.”

“Have you?”

“I can take care of myself, Mr Landon.”

“Just let me know if he misbehaves. I won’t tolerate my female staff getting harassed.”

She looked at him, trying to figure out if he was goading her or being honest. He looked honest. But he seemed to study her more meticulously than he’d done on the interview. Did he suspect anything? She knew they could smell fear, but she tried her hardest to hide it.

“Yes, Mr Landon,” Ivy said.

“Good,” he said and leaned closer to her.

She smelled his cologne, and before she could prevent it, she took in a deep breath. He made her want to sigh in contentment. She jumped back. Wondering if he’d caught her uninhibited weakness.

“Very good,” he repeated while he looked just as surprised as she did.

She feared he would do something out of the ordinary. Feared he would grab her and throw her out for coming on to the boss. But he didn’t. Instead, he looked her over before turning and walking away. That gave her all the answers she needed. It was a one-sided attraction. Nothing more. She would have to remember that. And stay the hell away from him.

Besides, he was the enemy. Why would she even consider him attractive?

It was about time she did what she was supposed to be doing. Her brother might be right when he hadn’t included her in the operative part of their business. Not when her mind had a tendency to forget who Darther really was. The main suspect. Damn.

 

*** 

 

Later in the evening 

Ivy moved slowly and methodically. Opening the door lock had been a lot easier than she’d expected. The office was dark. Just as she had expected since all the staff had gone home hours ago. She tiptoed over to her boss’s office and walked over to his desk. The piles of paper would take a while to sift through, but she was sure the answers would be among them. Somewhere. She aimed her flashlight at the first stack of papers and started searching.

“You want to explain what you’re doing?” A cold voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

Ivy whirled around and saw something large and dark. He stood still, watching her. Despite the darkness, she would have recognised that voice everywhere.

“Mr Landon. Oh gosh, I’m so sorry,” she burst into giggles, acting her part.

“What are you doing here?”

“I lost my hairband. I’ve looked everywhere, but I thought I might have lost it here.”

“Really?” He didn’t seem to believe her at all.

“Have you seen it? It’s yellow with black stripes. It’s my favourite.”

“Your favourite, huh?” Judging by the tone of his voice, she knew he wasn’t fooled for a second.

He hit the light switch before he took a step closer. His large size was a definite problem if he wanted to subdue her. There was nothing left to do but to reclaim control.

Ivy pulled up her gun and pointed it to his chest. “Stay right where you are, Landon,” she said in a neutral voice.

He chuckled. “So the little bee can sting after all. I should have known.”

“It would have been better if you stayed at home this evening.”

“Do you know how to use that thing?” He didn’t seem too nervous about the gun she held.

“Of course I do. What part of you would you like me to use as target practice?” Ivy asked sweetly.

That seemed to shut him up. Making him look focused and more deadly than before. He was obviously a man that was used to people shooting at him.

“What were you searching for?”

She might as well come clean with him and get some answers at the same time. “Tell me where my brother is.”

“Your brother?”

“He was tailing you when he vanished. His name is Marcus Hunter.”

“I see.”

“Should I shoot first, or would you like to say something?”

“You believe he’s dead?”

“A wolf hunter lost in werewolf land? Of course, I believe he’s dead. Do you know what happened to him?”

“He tried to kill the wrong people.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“What, are you also a killer? Must run in the family.”

“My father hunted werewolves all his life. He trained us to follow in his footsteps.”

“Too bad he didn’t teach you to distinguish between werewolves and were shifters.”

“Who cares?”

“We do. We’re shifters. Not people going crazy every time there’s a full moon.”

“Just cut the speech. Where’s my brother? And in case you’re wondering, I’m using silver bullets.”

He whistled. “Quite bloodthirsty, aren’t you? And here I thought you were all sugar sweet.”

“Only when I want to.”

“I like that. I’ve spent the entire day wanting to bend you over my desk and fuck you senseless.”

“You want me to shoot your dick first?” she asked, refusing to let him bait her.

“Your brother is alive.”

“Really?”

“Some small injuries but nothing serious.”

“I don’t believe you. He was on a mission to kill all of you.”

“He wouldn’t have stood a chance if our healer hadn’t taken a liking to him.”

“Your healer?”

“She claims he’s one of her mates.”

“Prove it.”

“I need to call her to do that.”

“Go ahead. But don’t try anything stupid.” She nodded but kept the gun toward him as he found his cellphone and made a call. Setting it on speakers, she heard a woman’s voice.

“What is it, Landon?”

“Can you put Hunter on the line? His sister is pointing a gun at me.”

“Darther, you poor thing,” the woman laughed. “Have you finally found a woman that refuses to be charmed?”

“Alicia.”

“Alright, alright. But I’m sure a few bullet holes would be good for you, Darther. Marcus is asleep right now. We had to do some surgery on his knee.”

“Can you prove he’s alive?”

“Sure. I can put him on video.” The woman came into view before she pointed the phone at another person lying on a bed.

Ivy leaned in and recognised her brother. “What happened to him?”

“He broke his leg when climbing down an office building. Nothing serious, but his knee took the worst of it.”

“When will he be on his feet again?”

“A few weeks at the most,” the woman said.

“Thanks, Alicia,” Landon said and turned to Ivy. “See? Maybe you can point that gun somewhere else before anyone gets injured.”

She ignored him. “I want to talk to him.”

“Come by tomorrow, or give me a call,” Alicia said. “He should be awake then.”

“We’ll give you a call tomorrow,” Landon said and hung up.

“Hey, what did you do that for? I wanted to ask her more.”

“There’s plenty of time for that tomorrow.”

“Where are you keeping him?”

“Pack land.”

“And where is that?”

“Don’t even think about it. It’s too dangerous to go there.”

“You have no right to keep him locked up.”

“He threatened my pack. Now he must deal with the consequences.”

“Do you want me to shoot you?” she asked. “But we can make an exchange. Your life for his.”

Darther stared at her as if he couldn’t believe what she was saying. Then he started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” she asked icily, backing away from him when he moved his arm to clasp his stomach.

At the same time, it felt like a brick wall slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. It took her a moment to catch her breath and realising Darther had disarmed her.

“What the hell…” she gasped as he placed his knee against her ribs. He put back the safety on her gun. “Regular bullets,” he muttered. “What were you thinking? These can’t hurt a fly. And definitely not a wolf shifter.”

She budged and tried to push him away from her. But it was no use. He was too strong. He leaned closer and smelled her neck.

“Geez, that smell of yours,” he muttered.

She pushed at his chest, feeling indignant. “I don’t stink. I just had a shower.”

He chuckled. “I didn’t say you smelled bad. Quite the opposite.”

Lazily, he released her while he locked away her gun. She used the opportunity to get away from him, carefully making sure he was at the opposite side of his desk.

He seemed to think it funny that she thought it was safer on the other side of the room. She noticed he’d positioned himself so that he blocked the door, the most obvious escape route. She glanced at the window, trying to remember if there was anything to hold on to if she jumped through it.

“Don’t even think about it,” he said and walked closer. “I can take you to your brother, but only if you agree to some terms.”

“What terms?”

“To my kind, you smell like a ripe fruit, eager to be picked. As soon as you enter pack land, every unmated male will be on you. Some might try to mate you.”

“You mean they will bite me?”

“That too. First, they will fight over you. Many will be injured unless the Alpha stops them. After that, you will be fucked repeatedly until you’re either dead or pregnant. No matter the outcome, you’ll never be allowed to leave.”

“Sounds fun,” Ivy said with sarcasm. “What other options are there?”

“Go home and wait for your brother to get better. You can talk to him on the phone until he’s well enough to travel.”

“That’s not good enough. I don’t trust you people. I want to see him in person.”

“The only safe way to enter pack land is if you’re already mated.”

“No thanks.”

“Then you better stay away.”

“Alright. I’ll be a good girl and return home.”

“I don’t believe you. You’ll try to get yourself killed. I can tell.”

“Nonsense.”

“Stay right there,” he said. “I need to make another phone call.” He hit the speed dial, and soon after, Ivy heard the call being answered. He’d put it on speakers.

“Yes,” a rusty male voice answered.

“Are you awake?” Darther asked.

“Barely,” the other man replied. “I’ve been on patrol for 12 hours straight.”

“I think you should head over to my office. I’ve caught a burglar.”

“What’s so special about this one?”

“It’s our receptionist. And her scent is somewhat peculiar.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think you need to judge this one for yourself, Thorn.”

“I’m on my way.” The phone went silent after that.

Ivy glared at her boss. “You need backup?”

He laughed. “Probably. Are you going to dazzle me with your scent?”

She snorted. “Highly unlikely. I’m barely sweating, so quit nagging.”

Soon after, she heard someone enter the premises, heading straight for the office. This was probably the ‘Thorn’ that Darther had brought in to save his ass. Ivy wasn’t sure if she should feel insulted or complimented that he needed support. But nothing prepared her for the man himself when he came into view.

“Fuck. What is that smell?” Thorn blurted out as he came inside the office.

Ivy gawked at him. Taking in the sight of a man that was almost an exact copy of her boss. She could never have imagined that there could possibly be more than one of his kind. She closed her eyes, thinking she had seen something wrong. But when she opened them again, they were still two men who looked like they had come from the same mould. The only thing that differed was their clothes and the ruffled appearance of the newcomer.

“Good. I’m glad you too felt it,” Darther said.

“What the fuck is going on?”

“It’s from her. Usually, she covers it up somehow, but now it’s more pronounced than ever.”

“Is that what I think it is…? Thorn’s voice drifted as if he got lost in thought.

“Yes. I’m thinking the same thing.”

“What are you talking about?” Ivy asked.

“Your scent,” Thorn said.

“Not you too,” Ivy groaned. “Why don’t we cut the crap, and you take me to my brother.”

“What brother?” Thorn asked.

“She claims Marcus Hunter is her brother,” Darther explained.

“Oh him,” Thorn said and laughed. “Alicia’s latest plaything.”

“Don’t call him that,” Ivy snapped at him.

“Why not? He injured himself while spying on us. He’s lucky he’s still alive.”

“We just talked to Alicia. That should settle it,” Darther said.

“I want to hear it from him.”

“I doubt Alicia will let him go. I’ve heard she says he’s her mate. That might explain why she’s taken a liking to him.”

“What’s with this mate thing?”

“We protect our mates. No matter if they are humans or shifters. ”

“He’s been gone for weeks. The least he could have done was to give me a call and say he was alright.”

“Our base is supposed to be secret. I doubt he’s been allowed to make phone calls.”

“The guards would probably have killed him right away if Alicia hadn’t interfered.”

“I want to see him.”

“You can’t. No humans are allowed.”

“I don’t care. I don’t trust you.”

“It doesn’t matter what you think. We can’t allow you to get injured,” Darther said.

“You’re handing me over to the police?” Ivy asked.

The brothers looked at each other, and she saw Thorn nod. It was almost like they were talking, even if no words were heard.

“You’re staying with us,” Thorn said.

“You intend to tie me up and put me in a basement somewhere?” Ivy blurted out.

“Good idea,” Darther said. “But then we have to have guards watching you.”

“Let’s make a deal instead,” Thorn said.

“What sort of deal?”

“You want to meet your brother, right?”

“Yes.”

“And the only way to enter pack land and escape without being killed is by being mated.”

“So?”

“You can mate with me,” Thorn said.

“Forget it, Thorn. Either both or none at all,” Darther said.

Thorn shrugged his shoulders. “Fine with me.”

“It’s not fine with me,” Ivy said. “I don’t want to mate with any of you, no matter what that mate thing is.”

“It’s a temporary bond,” Thorn said.

“Really?” Ivy saw the brother exchange looks. Were they messing with her?

“According to Camron, we’re both scent specific to you,” Darther said.

“Which means?”

“You can be mated to us but not to any other shifter.”

“Was that why you hired me?” she asked him.

“One of the reasons. Your scent wasn’t as pronounced as it is now. But I sensed there was something special about you.”

“How long will that bond last?”

“For as long as you want,” Thorn said.

Ivy felt there was still something they weren’t telling her. Something that would probably make her furious when she found out. But what other options did she have? They seemed reluctant to let her leave at all, and being locked up somewhere would make her unable to solve anything.

“What will happen if I don’t accept the mating?”

“We can’t let you leave. The way you scent, every shifter will try to grab you.”

“I can leave the country,” she offered.

Thorn growled. He sounded more like an angry animal than a man.

“Not an option,” Darther said mildly. “Even as a human, you should know that. There are shifters all over the world.”

“So, basically, I’m trapped.”

“Yes,” Darther said.

“Gee, don’t make it sound so much fun,” she said with sarcasm.

“If you mate us, we can protect you. One mate is not enough against an entire pack. With two mates, no one will bother to interfere. Besides, you can meet your brother.”

The temptation was being dangled right in front of her eyes. Still, it wasn’t so much what they said that mattered. It was more important what they didn’t say. They could force her. With their combined strength, she wouldn’t stand a chance. She waited for them to spell it out to her, but instead they seemed to prefer to make her believe she had a choice. When in reality, there was none.

“Come. Let’s return to my apartment. You can think it over while we have some coffee.”

“Do you have anything stronger?” Ivy asked.

“Of course. Whatever you want.”

She followed as Darther led them into the elevator. Showing his key-card, another button became available on the display. She had no idea Darther lived above the offices, but it shouldn’t surprise her. He seemed like a practical man, never wasting his energy on details he couldn’t change.

The apartment was just as elegant and clean as she would have suspected. A bachelor, no doubt. It occurred to her that she had forgotten to ask.

“Are you both single?” Ivy asked.

“We wouldn’t have offered this solution if we weren’t,” Darther said.

She looked over at his brother. They looked almost similar, except for a scar running throw his left eyebrow. A knife wound?

Thorn nodded at her. “He’s telling the truth. How about you?”

She thought about her last failed relationship. Knowing she was to blame for not giving it 100%. Somehow she’d never felt as much for him as he seemed to feel for her.

“I’m single too,” she said as she heard Darther start the coffee machine.

 

*** 

A while later, they were all sitting in the spacious kitchen, lounging on soft chairs while they drank the warm coffee Darther had offered them.

“You don’t look the way I imagined you would,” Thorn said to her as he leaned his back against the back of his chair.

“No? What did you expect?” Ivy took a large sip of the coffee while she waited.

“You’re human. And small.”

“If I received a penny every time I heard that, I would have been rich by now.”

“But your scent is correct. You’re our mate.”

“I don’t care about that. All I care about is seeing my brother.”

“Have you reached a decision?” Darther asked.

“I’ll let you mate me.” They looked at her as if they couldn’t decide what to say. “You only have to bite my neck, right?”

“Not quite,” Darther said and cleared his throat. “We need to fuck you.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

She wondered why he said that. Maybe they were even less eager than she was. It didn’t make it feel any better. Quite the contrary. If none of them wanted a bond, how was it possible to form one? All she felt was the attraction to the way they looked and smelled. But she didn’t really know them. And she had to have sex with them anyway?

“So you just have to come inside me then?”

“And you have to come too,” Thorn added. “At the same time, or else the bond won’t form.”

“Oh. How long will it take?”

“A few seconds in his case,” Thorn said and lifted his cup to his brother. He laughed deeply.

Darther gave him a push. “Speak for yourself, bro.”

She needed a few minutes to think before she reached a decision. “Alright. I’ll accept since it’s the only way.”

“Don’t sound so eager,” Darther said with sarcasm.

“It wasn’t exactly how I planned to spend my evening.”

“Me neither.”

“How do we do this? I just have to bend over the table or something?”

Darther laughed. “I think you should undress first.”

“What for? I just need to lower my pants.”

“And let us just shove inside you? You can’t come that way, can you?”

“Probably not.”

“We will probably have to try many times before we succeed. That’s what the elders have told us repeatedly.”

“Many?” she felt herself become pale by the thought. “So it might not work at all?”

“Someday, it will. But it’s easier to succeed if we come at the same time.”

“But there are two of you. How does that work?”

“I don’t know. There aren’t many triads in our pack. But the bond forms easier during orgasm.”

“Right.”

“Come. Let’s take this somewhere else. A bed is much more comfortable,” Darther said and held his hand out to Ivy.

It took her a moment to decide whether she wanted to jump or not. But there was no alternative. She placed her hand in his and let him guide her, listening as Thorn’s footsteps sounded behind her.

As they entered the bedroom, Ivy glanced at the large bed, feeling more nervous than before. It was almost like the magnitude of what she had agreed to was finally dawning on her. Was this really the best solution? The only solution?

She feared she wouldn’t be able to go through with this. Talking about it was one thing, but actually participating in a threesome was something else entirely. She felt her pulse increase, and she took a deep breath. Wondering if the immediate dizziness was to be expected or not.

“Don’t back down now,” Darther said and clasped his hand around hers.

“Can we do this quick and get it over with?” Ivy asked with a thin voice, meeting his eyes and seeing the encouraging smile.

Darther leaned closer and gave her a soft kiss. “Just close your eyes and relax. We’ll do what is needed.”

She felt dazed by his lips, the taste of him. She let him pull her into his arms, transferring his strength to her by his presence. It reminded her of the attraction she had felt for him that first day of her first interview. The invisible pull that had only become stronger the longer she worked beside him. She knew this man. Knew him better than many other people she’d come across. And for some reason, her mind trusted him. Even if she probably shouldn’t.

She felt Thorn lean closer, kissing her neck. It was so easy to give them the reins. To stop thinking and just accept.

“Alright,” she said, leaning her head against Darther’s chest.

“Let’s get undressed,” Thorn said and started opening her jacket.

She heard clothes being moved, sliding to the floor. It was slightly disturbing to know Thorn was undressing behind her back. But she didn’t dare to turn and look at him. Hands moved to her waist and made quick work of her pants and the top she wore. Darther kissed her deeply as she felt fingers slide over the clasp to her bra, feeling how it loosened and was pushed down her arms.

“Come,” Darther said.

Soon she found herself lying on the large bed. Darther in front of her while his brother spooned her back. She saw Darther was still wearing his pants, and she watched while he leaned back and quickly got rid of the clothes. She felt Thorn kiss her shoulder, biting softly until she yielded and leaned her head to the side to give him more room.

“Beautiful,” he murmured before he sucked on her skin.

She knew she would have a mark there come morning. She opened her eyes just as Darther lay down beside her again. A brief glance over his body, and she took in his muscular chest and the sight of his cock. Oh my god, she thought, as she realised the size of him. He wasn’t even erect. She knew she looked worried as his lips covered her and kissed her softly first, then deepened the kiss.

She felt fingers run across her breasts and further down her body. A click sounded as soon after she felt something cold being smeared over her lower body. Moisture? Or was it oil of some kind? At the same time, she felt fingers move across her mound and toward her centre.

“Open,” Darther said to her, and she spread her legs at his insistence. His large hand pushed slightly at her thighs, and when she followed his lead, she felt his fingers rub against her clit. It was cold at first. The lube he’d put on his fingers made it feel like shock against her warm skin.

“More lube?” he asked.

“It’s cold,” she sulked.

He chuckled and put more on his finger before he slid them further down, making sure to splash the lube all over her. Was he making it easier for her to take them? She felt a finger penetrate her from the front, and she pushed her body back and met Thorn’s warm cock. She gasped into Darther’s mouth as she felt his brother start to fingerfuck her.

“Touch me,” Darther said while he steered her hand toward his dick. She felt the warm and smooth texture on his cock. Feeling him harden and increase even further just by her touch. He held on to a bottle and moved it to her hands. She let her hand open, and he poured some into her palm.

She knew what he wanted. Knew the lube was necessary to slide her hands down his shaft without hurting him. She slid her hands over his length. Making sure to turn her fingers so that most of the lube could transfer from her hands to him.

“Please,” Darther said as he wrapped his hand over hers, pressing around his shaft and giving her an idea about how tight he wanted her grip to be. It was tighter than she would have expected, but she did what he wanted and squeezed tight. Listening to the catch of his breath as she worked his shaft.

Suddenly she became aware of Thorn trying to work his cock inside her body. It was tight. So tight, she wondered if she would be able to take him at all. He seemed to understand what was the problem, and he rubbed her clit harder while he slowly slid inside her. The lube made it easier, and she was grateful it was between them.

“Condom,” she said. “Did you remember to wear a condom?”

“Can’t,” Thorn said. “The bond won’t work with one.”

“But…”

Then she felt him push deep inside her, and she forgot to speak. Only taking in the feeling of being so full, she feared she would burst. Darther moved his hands to her nipples and fondled her. Tightening around them and making her gasp.

He leaned in and kissed her deeply. Swallowing all the sounds she made while his brother starting fucking her harder. She could feel every part of him inside her. Pushing and retreating while rubbing against all her pleasure points. The insistent circling around her clit, made her feel more frustration than relief. Was he missing the good spot on purpose?

She arched her back, taking Thorn’s cock deeper and squeezing around him. She heard him growl as he bit down hard on her shoulder. The pleasure and the pain mixed together, making her forget who she was and what she wanted. All she cared about was the pleasure they were giving her.

“Harder,” Darther reminded her as her hands slipped off his cock. He tightened his fingers around hers and reminded her what he wanted.