Chapter 26

Dylan

H unter grabbed her face and melded his lips with hers. She felt the fear he had of her rejecting him, the rejoicing in her accepting him, and then the passion he felt with her all at once. It was overwhelming at first, but then they sank into the kiss, and she only felt his love. His citrus scent surrounded her, and the warmth of their bond opening more ran through her. Dylan pulled away, and Hunter nipped her lip with his teeth, which sent a rush of warmth right between her legs, and she moved her hips, not thinking.

Hunter growled. "Not yet, woman. I need to mark you first."

Dylan pulled away some more. "More like bond yourself to me. This shit needs to be official before you get the goods."

Hunter laughed, and she heard Jackson behind her laugh, too. She turned to her mate, and he leaned down to put his hand on her face. There was some guilt for accepting the bond and not consulting Jackson first. It wasn't just her anymore. Jackson was part of her now that they were bonded. They were family. She should have asked him how he felt about this.

I'm fine, beautiful. The Great Moon chose him for you, too. Once the bond showed up, my wolf was able to accept him.

Dylan smiled and leaned into his hand, Thank you. You have made everything in my life so much easier.

That's what I am here for.

Jackson said. "Am I calling Lupe, or are you?" he asked Hunter.

"I will. It is my responsibility. How about you get ready with our mate? I will meet you down there."

Jackson held out his hands for Dylan to take. He lifted her onto her feet and walked her to the bathroom. She heard Hunter unlock the door, open it, and close it. She didn't like him going out there alone. Not with someone getting away with killing a student right now. The way poor Hazel died was just horrific, and Dylan couldn't imagine someone being able to do that. How did they do that?

Why did they do that to her?

"That isn't something to concern yourself with right now, love. You deserve to be pampered before getting bonded."

Dylan leaned into his shoulder. "I didn't get pampered before bonding myself to you."

"You wouldn't let me be alone with you much longer before we did. I wanted to ensure you had a spa day before we bonded, but it happened so fast." He stood straight and then smiled. "I have an idea."

He ran the bath water and allowed it to get to temperature before pouring some bubble bath into it. The scent of sweet vanilla hit her nose. Dylan loved this scent. No one could go wrong with it because she always associated it with something amazing, like fruit or baked goods. Jackson gave her a wink and helped her take off her clothes. She noticed him staring for a second before smiling at her.

"Boy, I wish I could take advantage of this moment the way I want to, but I have to go do something." He kissed her forehead and then walked out the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Noneya."

She growled playfully before getting into the water. It was really at the perfect temperature, and she lowered herself until her chest was covered. She pulled her hair up so water wouldn't get on it and allowed herself to soak. She had a feeling the boys were plotting, and she wasn't exactly thrilled they were getting along so well. She had a feeling this would end up biting her ass in the end. They were both powerful and dominant wolves. They weren't going to make it easy for her at all to get her way, which did not sound like a fun time to her at the moment. But she wouldn't change either of them for anything. She at least knew no one would get away with even saying something to her in a bad tone without one of them flying off the handle.

There. A silver lining.

She heard the door open and shut again. Dylan didn't want to move just yet, and the footsteps didn't come any closer to the bathroom. It didn't make much sense if it had been Jackson. He had seen her naked a lot over the last two weeks. If it had been Hunter, he would have at least told her it was him, right? An unsettling feeling coursed through her veins as Dylan slowly sat up. She thought of the three weird wolves that stopped her earlier. Neither of her mates was here to protect her, and she was currently naked and covered in bubbles.

I am not in the greatest position to protect myself.

Dylan swallowed hard before calling out to whoever was in her suite. "Who's out there?"

The red hair of her best friend came into view, and Dylan relaxed a little. "It's me! Sorry. Didn't Jackson tell you he called me out of class?"

"No! Does he have that power? How?"

"Well, he doesn't. But Lupe does. He told her you needed your best friend to help you prepare for your bonding ceremony. Are you bonding with Hunter?!"

Dylan laughed. "Yeah. I am."

"When were you going to tell me, you bitch! I am the last to know everything when I should be the first! I swear to the Great Moon I am about to ask to switch teams and bond with you guys just so I'm not left out anymore because this is bullshit!"

Dylan laughed some more and slowly got out of the tub. She didn't need to be rushed to the infirmary because she fell out of the tub onto the hard tile naked. That just isn't the look she wanted to go for right before the bonding ceremony.

"It literally happened just before Jackson got you out of class! I didn't have time to tell anyone."

"Ugh, whatever! I am here to help you with your hair if you wish and for moral support!"

Dylan walked out with the towel around her and hugged her best friend. She never was a fan of hugs until this girl, and now she couldn't get enough. Her friend squeezed her tight and then let her go.

"I am so happy for you. I'm so excited to witness this one. Oh!" Serafine rushed over to the chair and grabbed a dark blue dress. Dylan already knew that dress would make her vibrant purple hair pop and grinned. "I brought this over. I think it's fitting. Blue is the color of loyalty, and you are about to get yet another loyal as hell mate."

When she handed the dress over to Dylan, she couldn't help but remember that Serafine was still without a mate. Serafine must have noticed Dylan's smile wasn't as genuine as she tried to play off.

"What's going on?"

"I feel awful. I have two mates that are rushing to complete the bonding with me, but you still haven't found anyone except the asshole who rejected you."

"Girl, it's fine. I know the Great Moon has a plan for me. It's probably a sexy as fuck guy who is more growly and possessive than yours combined, knowing my luck. Maybe two of them. That would be good. Ooh... or three. Yeah. I can see three."

Dylan chuckled. "I really hope so, though. I want you to be happy. You deserve it so much."

Serafine put her hands on Dylan's shoulders. "So do you. Now, let's do something with your hair and maybe some eyeliner."

Dylan convinced Serafine to get into a dress as well. She had another dress in her closet that was a little formal for the occasion. Serafine wanted to wear it at her own bonding ceremony. It was pale blue and tight in the bodice but frilly and poofy on the bottom. It was gorgeous on her and light enough to make her hair pop. The dress she had given Dylan was nothing like it. It was a deep blue that hugged every curve Dylan had. When she tried to protest that it was not a bonding dress, Serafine said she noticed Hunter checking out her curves when he first started coming around, and it was perfect because it was a sweetheart neckline with no straps of any kind. It was perfect access to her neck.

Her hair was curled with some straight hair on top and in a bump. Serafine made her magic more dramatic than she did last time, but she said it was fitting. They had talked about everything while they got ready, and Dylan told her friend that Hunter was an Enforcer. Serafine didn't bat an eye. It was almost like she already knew, but then she said that the Great Moon would step in to save her life. She believed Dylan was very important to their community, especially this school. Dylan was the person who could change the minds of those here who hated Shadowborns. She was powerful but didn't have an evil bone in her body to commit the crimes she constantly is accused of. This proves it further since the Great Moon changes Hunter's fate and gives him a fated mate when the choice is removed from him.

Serafine had her arm looped through Dylan's, and she walked side by side with her until they were in the same spot she was bonded to Jackson. Lupe was in the same white gown as last time, too. The difference was who stood beside her and Jackson standing beside him. Hunter and Jackson were both in black slacks, a deep blue dress shirt that matched her dress color, and a black vest. Dylan glanced at her friend to see if her face gave away anything. Her friend remained stoic until they reached the boys.

"Take care of my girl. The both of you." Serafine threatened.

"If we don't, we give you permission to kick our ass," Hunter said with a wink at her.

Serafine fanned herself with her free hand. "Yeah, girl, you deserve this." She stepped off to the side after kissing Dylan's cheek.

Lupe looked at them and grinned. "I hoped that this would happen. I felt the darkness in Mr. Hawthorne's soul the moment I met him. I knew he was an Enforcer, but he has seen more than death in his long life. Knowing that the Great Moon overrode what that academy does to ensure you are focused on the mission at hand only shows how great of a Creator she is. Now. Hunter Hawthorne and Dylan Pierce. Today, you will unite your wolves under the eyes of the Goddess in the Moon. She chose your souls to be perfect for one another and for you to stand beside each other until you take your final breaths. After this day, you will bind your souls as one. If you wish to decline this bond, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I choose this bonding," they said in unison.

"You may say your vows," Lupe told them with a bigger smile on her face than before.

Hunter turned to face her and took her other hand in his. Dylan smiled at feeling the warmth of his hand touching hers moving up her arm and into her chest. "Under the watchful eye of the moon, I take you as my eternal mate. In the presence of our Goddess and the spirits of the forest, I vow to stand by your side through every hunt and howl. As the moon waxes and wanes, so shall our lives grow and change, but my commitment to you will remain the same."

The stitching of their bond grew stronger. Dylan felt Hunter's presence surrounding her as his soul melded into hers. Her skin broke out in goosebumps just like last time. Her body shuddered as she now felt Jackson open to Hunter, and the three of their souls opened to each other. She did not expect it since her mother didn't have another mate. She couldn't prepare her for how this felt. At first, it was a little weird and intrusive. As the magic settled, Dylan relaxed and smiled at her mates.

It was her turn.

"Under the watchful eye of the moon, I take you as my eternal mate. In the presence of our Goddess and the spirits of the forest, I vow to stand by your side through every hunt and howl. Whether the moon is full of light or shrouded in darkness, our lives will experience good times and bad; my commitment to you will remain the same."

Hunter winced and sucked in a breath. His grip on her hand tightened, and then he let it go. He rubbed his chest as he looked at her with a hungry look on his face. She knew that look well. Jackson had a similar one. When she looked at him, Jackson had mischief in his eyes. She didn't know what those two were cooking up, but she had a feeling she was going to be happy being on the receiving end.

"You may now retire to your suite. Jackson, Hunter, you two will not need to mark each other for the bond to show."

"We know," they said in unison.

Lupe raised her eyebrows at them.

"The bonds opened up between us three enough to talk to one another after it opened with Hunter."

"Really?"

Dylan nodded, not liking the surprised tone in Lupe's voice.

"That is unusual. But so is an Enforcer receiving a mate bond. The Great Moon is working in mysterious ways right now. I should not even try to question it. Congratulations, Mr. Hawthorne and Miss Pierce. Is anyone changing their names?"

The three of them looked at each other and shrugged. Dylan wasn't sure what to do in that instance. None of them talked about it.

"That's fine. You'll have time to sort that out. I will see you all in class next week. Though, I wouldn't mind still seeing you, Miss Pierce, on Friday as scheduled."

Dylan nodded. "Yes, please. I don't want to miss any more mentorship classes."

"Perfect. Now, off you all go."

Hunter wasted no time throwing her over his shoulder and took off toward their room. Dylan pounded on his back and told him to put her down while laughing, but it did nothing. Serafine waved at her as she was taken away. Jackson trailed after them.

"That was rude! How can you just run off without me saying goodbye!" Dylan yelled while pounding on Hunter's back some more.

He opened the dorm building's door and then smacked her ass. "I have been told I wasn't getting a mate and lived without one for over one hundred years. I am not going to wait any longer to make you mine."

Jackson was chuckling as he ran up the stairs behind them. She flipped him off for enjoying this too much, but it only made him laugh harder. When they got to their suites, Jackson ran ahead and opened the door. Once inside, he locked it and then jogged to the bathroom. Hunter put Dylan on the bed and kneeled in front of her to remove her shoes. Dylan loved the way his warm hands felt against her skin. He trailed his fingers up the length of her legs, sending chills all over her body.

"I love seeing how my touch affects you."

"If it's any way like what I do to Jackson, buckle up. It's only going to get better."

He grinned at her. Jackson walked in wearing only his boxers and carrying a bowl of warm water and towels. Hunter stood up, removed his clothing outside of his boxers. Seeing both of her men in only their boxers with all their chiseled muscles on display made her mouth water. All werewolves were well-defined in the muscle department, but various size charts were in their bulk. Jackson was a thick man, but it didn't make him seem larger than life unless someone was just tiny around them, like her and Serafine. Hunter... he was bigger than Jackson. Making him seem like a mountain of a man.

"Keep staring at me like that princess, and I won't be able to make this as romantic as I want it to be."

"Pfft, fuck being soft and romantic. Make me yours."

Hunter's eyes glowed the color of his wolf's, making her very much okay with what was about to happen. She didn't need gentle sex. That was great sometimes, but really, she wanted to be a sweaty, wet mess on a mattress since she had two hot as fuck men at her disposal.

Okay, now I understand why females tend to want multiple mates. She gets to just stare at them all day and know they are hers.

Dylan stood up and pointed at the zipper in the middle of her back. Hunter growled and walked over to unzip it. "If this were yours, I would just rip it off you. From what I understand, this is Sera's."

"It is. She made sure to tell me to tell you two that if either of you rip this, you owe her $300."

Hunter scoffed. "I have more than that in my savings, but I also don't want to piss off a female that isn't mine to piss off."

"Trying to tell me you plan on pissing me off? That is not what you want to tell me before I bond myself to you for life."

He blew on her neck, and it sent another shiver down her spine. Damn, these men and knowing how to distract me.

The dress was at her feet, and she turned around to look at him. He sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. He cradled her in his arms before kissing her deeply. Dylan felt herself meld into him as the passion of the kiss became barely containable. She just wanted him to lean back on the bed so she could straddle him and scream his name already.

Not yet, love. You need to mark me first.

Dylan growled when he broke the kiss. Instead of waiting, she kissed his jawline and down his neck. Once she was over the place to leave her mark, her canines slid down, and she pierced his skin. Hunter moaned her name and leaned his head onto her shoulder. He tasted the way he smelled, and she felt like she had found a piece that was missing as she felt his soul more connected to her than before. Dylan thought this wouldn't feel this great, having two mates that were completely about her. She thought it would take longer to settle into having a mate, but it seemed more like second nature now.

While she was in her thoughts, Dylan had removed her canines from his neck, and Hunter was scraping his against her skin. She shuddered under his touch and felt his smile against her skin. He sunk his teeth into her neck, and just like him, she moaned. She felt the heat pooling between her legs as the bond settled completely. He licked her neck when he pulled his teeth out, and another moan escaped her lips. Jackson handed him a towel, and he cleaned up the blood trailing down to her breasts. She grabbed the towel when he was finished cleaning up her mark.

Jackson was suddenly behind her, unsnapping her bra. She felt Hunter move her above his hard cock, and Jackson placed a kiss on her shoulder.

"We are going to make this a night you'll never forget."

She already knew this could happen, but not just yet. Since it was her and Hunter's bonding, she thought Jackson wouldn't be a part of this.

Hunter kissed her lips. "I wanted him here. It's us three for the rest of our lives. That starts now."

Jackson lifted her off Hunter and moved her onto the bed while propped his lap. Hunter had her lace panties off. Jackson had her nipples in between his thumb and finger, rolling them until they were stiff peaks as Hunter dove his tongue inside her. He listened to her wishes. Hunter did not take it easy. She felt his tongue lap in between her folds and against her clit rhythmically before pushing it as far as he could go. Her hips gyrated against his face, sending her closer to the edge. Hunter stopped for a moment to gently bite and kiss the insides of her legs. Dylan whined at him, and it made him chuckle.

"Say, please."

It was a demand. Dylan looked at him and his eyes glowed for a brief second. He and his wolf were challenging her, trying to see if she was just as dominant in the bedroom as she was outside of it. Dylan rubbed her legs together from him not playing with her anymore. Jackson stopped his touch as well, and Dylan wanted to smack both of them.

"Please."

"I don't believe you," he told her, pressing open her legs and only licking her once.

"Please!"

"Please... what?"

Dylan growled. "Please, sir."

"Good girl."

Hunter continued the same way he had before. Dylan quickly found that rhythm and moved her hips to match his pace. Jackson grabbed onto her hips to keep her in place before Hunter sucked on her clit. Dylan cried out as her walls vibrated against Hunter's tongue. When she felt Hunter leave her again, Dylan whined again just before she felt her body being tugged down the bed. Hunter was inside of her before she could make sense of what was happening. She felt her walls stretch to accommodate him, and he quickly rocked his hips against her, sending her into another orgasm. He lifted her hips for another angle, and she started to see stars.

He pulled up with her arms and held her underneath her ass. He kissed her passionately as he thrust into her. Dylan bounced, hitting all the right places at the right time. When he put her back on the bed, he flipped her over. Jackson was on his knees and perfectly placed in front of her. Dylan wrapped her mouth around him at the same time Hunter slipped back inside of her. As he thrust, it moved her mouth, so Jackson went deeper than she was prepared for. Dylan relaxed her mouth to allow it, only to have Hunter hit another spot that sent her quickly over the edge. As she moaned against Jackson, he grew harder inside of her mouth. Jackson's hand was on the back of her head and helped keep her steady. They fell into a rhythm and the room filled with their moans. She felt Hunter twitch inside of her, and he groaned as he leaned forward on her. Dylan used her tongue against the bottom of Jackson's cock, but he pulled on her hair before she could do much else. Hunter moved out of the way, and Jackson quickly got off the bed. Dylan felt herself flip around and yanked down on the bed again.

"My turn," he told her before he pushed himself into her.

Dylan wrapped her legs around him as he moved his hips in the way he knew she liked. He found the movements quickly to hit a deep button inside of her. He lifted her hips a little, enough to give him the right leverage, and then moved deeper into her. Dylan fisted the blankets as she felt her whole-body tense as the orgasm went through her. She screamed in ecstasy as Jackson finished.

Jackson flopped down beside her, covered in sweat but with a giant smile. She looked over to see where Hunter was, and he walked out of the bathroom.

"Shower anyone?"

He wore a grin more wicked than Jackson ever held, and she already knew this day was far over.

"Yes, please."

"Please, what?" Hunter smirked.

Yeah, I can get used to this.