Chapter 2

2

TATE

W hen my tears started to wane, Dante picked me up off the ground and cradled me to his chest as he took me over to the bed. He laid me in the center, crawling in next to me while Ryder got in on the other side.

I rolled onto my side, using Ryder’s shoulder as a pillow as Dante curled his massive body around mine, wrapping his arms around me. Ryder’s hand found Dante’s on my hip, and he laced their fingers together, all of us holding onto each other.

“I’m sorry,” Dante whispered, his tone absolutely devastated.

Ryder shot him a worried look. “D, don’t do this. We talked about it. You couldn’t have done anything differently.”

Dante stiffened at my back. “I should’ve been in there with him.”

“And then we might’ve lost you, too,” I whimpered. Losing my dad was brutal, but losing Dante or Ryder? Yeah, that would freaking kill me.

Dante’s nose pressed against my hair, a shudder racking his large frame, and I knew that whatever Ryd or I said wouldn’t matter right now. Part of the reason Dante was destined to be an Alpha was because of how deeply he cared and fiercely protected the ones he loved.

It was one of the reasons why we loved him.

Ryder kissed my forehead absently, like it was second nature. He was the cuddly one of the three of us, always finding reasons or excuses to touch one of us. I knew that outsiders often viewed our relationship as me in the middle with Dante and Ryder bracketing me, but the truth was, Ryder was our nexus.

Dante was often too serious and stoic for his own good. I was reckless and brash. Ryder balanced us out. No one was more important than the other, and I knew Dante and Ryder loved each other just as much as they loved me.

It hadn’t always been that way. Dante and Ryder had fought against their connection for years, happy to share me in secret while I was publicly Dante’s girl. But I’d seen the lingering looks they gave each other, the way they’d dance around one another. The night I’d forced them to confront their feelings was the biggest risk I’d ever taken, and it had been so worth it.

“What happens now?” I murmured, heat finally sinking into my bones as they surrounded me.

Ryder’s golden eyed gaze flicked over my shoulder to Dante before coming back to me. “Whatever you want, pretty girl.”

My hand curled into a fist on his chest. “I want Norwood to pay. They killed my father.”

“They’ll pay,” Dante vowed.

Ryder nodded. “Tate, we need to talk about… arrangements.” He said the word so delicately, like the wrong word might make me fall apart again, and it damn well might’ve.

I swallowed roughly, my throat unbearably tight. “I can’t, Ryd. Not… not yet. I want to take him back to Brooks Ridge, to the river. But not until we’re at peace. I don’t think he would have been able to rest until we were, too.”

Ryder’s full lips curved into a sad smile. “You’re right. Luke would’ve wanted us to finish the fight first.”

Dante let go of Ryder and rolled away from me onto his back. “I shouldn’t have agreed to merge the packs. I gave up everything Luke worked for.”

I twisted around as Ryder pushed himself up onto one elbow. We both stared at Dante, his dark eyes laser focused on the ceiling as he wallowed in regret.

When he’d made the decision to step down as the Alpha in the wake of my father’s death, he’d merged our pack with Blackwater. While I mourned the loss of my pack, I also knew it was the only move we had left to give us all the best shot at defeating Norwood and avenging my father.

“No,” I disagreed, grabbing his shirt in my hand and feeling his heart thump under my knuckles. “You made the right call. You protected everyone else. That’s exactly what Dad would’ve wanted.”

“She’s right, D,” Ryder chimed in, resting his chin on my shoulder as he looked down at the man who would always be our alpha. “You kept us all safe. That’s what matters.”

“Is it?” Dante still wouldn’t look at us.

I could feel the distance starting to pull at us as we each retreated into our own thoughts, and I couldn’t stand it. I’d spent the last week separated from my guys, and even before that, Dante and I had been at the Council meeting and away from Ryder for even longer.

My soul ached, and I knew there was only one way to soothe it now.

I pushed myself up and climbed on top of Dante, straddling his hips and looking down at him as Ryder moved closer to us, claiming my original spot at Dante’s side.

Dante’s gaze flicked to me. “Princess—”

I covered his lips with my hand, the nickname he’d given me when we were kids pulling on my heart. I’d been the pack princess for years, but that was over now.

“I lost my dad,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I lost my home and my pack.”

Dante’s eyes flashed.

I glanced from him to Ryder and back. “I can handle those losses,” I admitted, “but I can’t lose you . Either of you.”

Ryder’s hand reached out and slipped under my shirt, rubbing the bare skin of my back as I leaned over Dante, my hand drifting up to stroke his dark hair.

“You’ll never lose us,” Dante told me, his gaze searching mine with a feverish sort of need.

Ryder kissed my shoulder. “We’re right here.”

I rolled my hips, rocking my core against Dante and making him hiss. “I need you.” There was no need to specify who I needed because it was both of them, always both of them.

Ryder’s hand slipped up and cupped the nape of my neck, turning my head so he could claim my lips. Beneath me, Dante groaned and his cock started to swell. Ryder swallowed my whimper of need as I rocked against Dante again.

Abruptly, Ryder pulled away and shot Dante a knowing look. “She’s being greedy again, isn’t she?”

Dante made a purely masculine rumble of agreement that turned my insides to lava. “Our girl’s always greedy,” Dante teased, his hands falling to my hips and stopping me from grinding against him.

A frustrated sound squeaked out of me. “Please,” I begged, looking at Ryder because I knew of the two of them, he was the one more likely to give me what I wanted.

Dante’s hand came down hard on my ass, not missing that I’d tried to manipulate Ryder into giving me what I wanted. “You know the rules, princess.” His rough voice sent a shiver down my spine as my wolf whined, clawing at my chest with the need to please him.

I dipped my head to the side, baring my throat in apology as they both grinned, thriving on my submission. I took a deep, cleansing breath and felt the tension drain from my body. All my worries were pushed aside. I’d deal with them later, but right now I needed to be in this moment with the men I loved.