9. Emma

My entire body hurts so fucking much and my head is clouded with both lust and never-ending questions. I've spent hours now on Owen's wolf's back, pressing my thighs against his massive form to hold on, gripping his black fur in my fists. It's dark now and getting cold. My back is freezing, but at least my face is warm, buried into Owen's back. Just when I think I can't hold on much longer, from too much exhaustion and fatigue, he starts to slow. My eyes pop open and I search the area in front of us to figure out where we're going to stay. I look to my left as I cautiously lift my head and see Luke in his wolf form. He's a beautiful beast, but fuck him. I can't fucking stand to look at him right now. I thought to be someone's mate meant to love them. But Luke doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word.

Instead I look straight ahead and my eyes widen. I don't really know what I expected. But not this.

It's a town. A very quirky town. The town you'd think of if you imagined a fairytale village. Yes, village. Village is a better description. With houses of different shapes and sizes and stone pathways connecting the small and large dwellings. All the houses appear to be made of stone and mortar, some with wood planked roofs, others with tin.

Owen and Luke slow their stride as we come closer to the village. They nod their heads slightly as children run past us, squealing with delight and chasing one another. I start to think that the line of small houses to my left can't possibly be real homes, they must be playhouses for the children. But then a row of foxes emerges and bows to my Alphas. Their bright red fur nearly blends in with their homes, but the tuft of white at the end of their fluffy tails and their white paws stand out against the red brick.

Foxes? They're sentient? I've never in my life heard of fox shifters.

Up a rather steep hill straight ahead, past the homes and little market, is a thick forest, and I can just barely make out a stone wall behind the trees that separates the village from what looks like a castle. It's a true-to-life fairytale setting.

All the homes seem to circle around a large fire pit in the center of the town, where nearly a dozen people are gathered around the fire. Or shifters, I'm not sure what they are. But I'm positive that they're all naked, which reminds me of my own state of undress. I shift uncomfortably on Owen's back in an attempt to cover myself, but he must take it as a sign that I want him to put me down.

Nope. Nope, that's not at all what I want. I shield my breasts and whisper to him, "I'm naked." Luke's wolf chortles on my left, which makes me narrow my eyes at him with even more contempt than I held for him just moments ago. The large white wolf's eyes spark with a challenge and I watch in amazement as Luke shifts in front of me. My breath stills in my lungs as his large muscular form appears before my eyes and the sex God emerges from what was a magnificent wolf.

He stalks toward me, forcing a desire from me I wish I could deny while also making me cower on Owen's back.

"What was that, sugar? You looked like you had something to say?" I shake my head as a wave of arousal hits me with a vengeance. How the hell could my sore body want anything other than sleep right now? I hate that I'm so turned on by him. Fucking prick.

Luke sniffs the air and groans, palming his dick. "We've got to get you inside, sugar. You can meet everyone later."

His large hands wrap around my waist and lift me off Owen's back with ease. The breeze between my legs makes me close them instantly and attempt to cover myself as best as I can. Luke laughs again, the low chuckle is sexy as hell, but I still don't appreciate it. With his arm wrapping around me, he shields my body. I'm grateful for that at least and it's the only reason I allow him to touch me.

As we walk toward a house, I notice it's rather large but not much different from the other houses surrounding the large fire pit. The group of people go silent and watch us with obvious interest. I walk quickly between Luke and Owen to hide myself from the prying eyes while keeping my own cast down as my cheeks flame with embarrassment.

"Don't worry, sweetness. There's nothing wrong with being nude. No one is going to look at you like that."

My arms cross tighter over my breasts as I mumble under my breath, "I don't feel comfortable."

Both Luke and Owen seem to straighten their backs. "We'll get you clothes then. Charlotte has some clothes?—"

Luke interrupts Owen's response. "We'll get you more, you won't fit in her clothes." What the fuck does that mean? I glance at him, feeling even more self-conscious, but he doesn't even turn his head to look at me. I let out a large huff of air that turns into a yawn as we enter the house. It's decorated modestly with a contemporary edge, but it is, without a doubt, a bachelor pad.

"Is this...home?" Owen nods a yes at my question while Luke continues through the room and down the hallway. I have no idea where he's going, but with him gone I feel like I can breathe a little easier. "Is there internet?" I can't imagine that there is, but they are tech gurus or whatever he said before.

Owen's smile widens. "Of course." He takes my hand and leads me past the living room, through a slightly outdated kitchen and into an office in the back. Holy shit. This office is insane. There are eight large, flat-screened monitors on the wall with three desks in the center of the room facing the monitors.

"Why are there three desks?"

"One for Charlotte. But you can use whichever one you want." He speaks matter-of-factly and I get a sick feeling in my stomach. Who is Charlotte? "Or if you want your own, we can get you one."

Before I can ask who the fuck Charlotte is, Luke comes back into the room holding a plain white tee. He's still naked and the sight of his body makes me close my eyes to repress the sexual urges I have for him.

"No social media though. The Authority doesn't allow it." I stare straight into Owen's eyes and nod, but inside I've already decided that I'll be leaking this story. What's the worst that can happen?

"Put this on." Luke finally speaks and holds out the shirt for me to take. I put it to my nose and inhale his masculine, woodsy scent. I love the smell but hate that it's from him. It's disturbing how just the very smell of him can do such strong things to me.

"No clothes in the house." Owen yanks the shirt from my hand and a look of pure rage crosses over Luke's face. "She needs to be bared to us at all times." Luke's brows raise at Owen's response; he obviously approves of his twin's reasoning. They both look at me and my heart stutters from the primitive hunger in their eyes.

"No." The word slips through my lips as my first line of defense to protect myself from them. Luke's expression is unaltered, still emotionless and hard. Owen doesn't try to hide his amusement.

"Why's that, sweetness?" His cocky smiles drops just slightly as he asks, "You aren't in need?"

"I'm tired and want to sleep"—my breath comes in panicked bursts—"and I don't want to be naked all the time."

Owen's amusement disappears at my words. "Why?" Luke continues to stand there, just watching me, almost glaring at me.

It takes everything in me to get any reason out, my head is so cloudy. "I want to be clothed…and have a sense of normalcy." And I'm not going to sleep with Luke ever again. My heart hammers in protest.

Luke's eyes flash as if he heard me and for a moment I feel a break between us.

"Wear whatever the fuck you want. It's time for bed." Luke turns his back to me and stalks out of the room. I don't know where he plans on going, but I'm not fucking following.

Owen's jaw ticks as he looks down at the shirt in his hand. "I don't want you to wear this. At least not tonight." I bite the inside of my cheek as he cocks his head and lets his eyes roam down my body. His breathing comes in shallow breaths and desire is written all over his face.

"I want to feel your skin against mine. It will be good for our bond." His response seems genuine, and I allow what he's saying to register.

I'll cave on this issue, but only so I can escape to bed. I'm tired. I can already feel myself getting hot for him, but I haven't got it in me to take any more physical activity tonight. I nod my head. "For tonight, fine. I just want to go to bed though."

Surprise and disappointment are evident in Owen's expression as he takes in my words. It takes so long for him to respond that I start to grow anxious. "Bed it is then." Relief overwhelms my sore, tired body as his arm wraps around me and he pulls me into his side and leads me out of the room.

As we enter a bedroom at the back of the house, Luke tosses a pillow onto the left side of the bed and pulls the covers back. I stop at the entrance to the room and stare at him and then Owen.

"What's the matter? Aren't you tired?" Owen looks down at me with confusion.

I part my lips then slam them shut looking between the two men who are watching me expectantly. "I want my own room." Owen laughs at my request as if I'm joking and Luke stares back at me with what looks like anger.

"Why would you want that? You'll be needing us."

"I can come and get you if I need you." Desire sends a wave of need through me at his words. Fuck, I do need them, but I don't want them. I don't want to lead them on any more than I have to.

There's not a doubt in my mind; I've decided I'm going to be leaving as soon as I get what I came for. My emotions war with themselves at the decision. I need to keep myself in check so I can leave them when the time comes. Guilt aches in my chest, but as my eyes meet Luke's hard stare, the guilt vanishes. I think he hates that I'm his mate. How could I ever stay when that's how he makes me feel?

"We'll need you too, though." Owen kisses my hair and strokes my back gently, making me involuntarily lean into his hot, hard body. Then I realize his words and my eyes pop open. "You have no idea what your scent does to us." I look between the two men as the meaning of everything comes into clear focus.

"I'm tired and I don't want to."

Luke lays back in the bed and doesn't respond to me.

"Get your sweet ass in bed, you've got to rest up. After all you're only human and the last two days have been rough on you." Owen's words hurt me more than they should. So what if I'm human?

"What's wrong?" Owen asks when I don't move. The two of them are fucking clueless.

"Nothing." I pull back the covers and scoot myself onto the bed, on the very edge to be as far away from Luke as possible.

"I don't like you lying to me." Owen stalks over to the bed and crawls onto the mattress, forcing me to move to the center.

"I may be human, but I'm not weak." I can hear how pissed I am and I wish I could've just kept my mouth shut. Why should this bother me at all? Luke opens his eyes and rolls onto his side to stare at me. As if he's suddenly interested in me and actually wants to have a conversation. But he doesn't speak. I look at him for a moment, waiting for him to say something, but I get nothing. I roll onto my side with my back to him.

"No one said you were weak." Owen's eyes focus on Luke's, and I get the impression that he's lying to my face. They think I'm weak. Just another reason I have for leaving them in however many days. I swallow and settle my weak body on the bed and give myself a deadline. Realistically my editor wants the story in two days, but I'm not sure two days will be enough. Once the story hits, I'll need to have a way to get out of here and be far away before the shitstorm comes this way. I need to scout out the place and figure out what the hell I'm going to do. Formulate a plan of escape.

As my eyes start to drift, a large arm settles across my midsection and pulls my back into a hot, solid chest of muscle. I don't have enough energy to open my eyes and register what's going on. As the hand splays across my belly another cups my chin and warm lips kiss mine. I murmur into the sweet touch and fall peacefully asleep, forgetting what it was that I was supposed to be thinking about.