“Okay, boys, it’s time for you to leave.”
He heard Milly, but he didn’t care. He zeroed in on Christy, his desire, his prey, his woman.
“Grant?” Milly came between him and his woman, blocking him from her. “Grant.” Milly had shifted enough to bring the warning tone of her inner wolf to her voice.
Lance and Duncan continued stepping toward her. He growled, ready to shove Milly aside if he had to. He’d do anything to get to his mate. The world around him disappeared, his lust putting blinders on his eyesight as Christy became everything to him.
Christy was breathing harder now, faster, her gaze darting from one man to the other, her chest heaving, spurring him on. Her pink tongue swept out to skim her lips, sending another shock of their mutual bond scorching into him. It would tear him apart not to touch her.
“Grant!”
He felt Milly grab his arm and jerk it hard. It broke his stride, giving his mind a second to clear. The amber in Milly’s eyes grew brighter, telling him that she was ready to fight him if she had to.
“Grant.” Her tone was softer, but no less insistent than before. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You can’t do this. Get Lance and Duncan and get out of here before you totally lose it. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.”
He could see what was happening now. Christy was frightened. Her body was stiff and her eyes sparkling with fear as she put her back against the refrigerator and crossed her arms in front of her. Lance and Duncan were almost on top of her. If they shifted and brought out their claws, they could take one swipe and bring her to her knees.
And yet, her eyes held another emotion.
She wants us.
Oh, hell, how he wanted to take her. But it was too early. She wasn’t ready for them.
“Duncan. Lance. No.” He didn’t need to speak in a loud voice. The strength behind his command was enough.
They stopped but didn’t back up and didn’t turn away from her.
“Now.”
They were equal partners in Crescent Moon Ranch and they were equals in life. He didn’t command them and they didn’t command him. Yet as equals, they respected each other and would decide things together.
Lance and Duncan backed up, going slowly and not taking their attention off Christy until they were several steps away from her. She let out a huge breath, and yet, he could sense her disappointment.
As much as his body ached for her, he couldn’t help but rejoice. She would be theirs soon. They didn’t need to force her. All they had to do was give her the time she needed.
He sensed Milly’s relief as well.
“If you three hounds will head on out, I’ll give Christy the five cent tour of the place. That and a little girl talk.” Milly shooed them out like a mother getting her teenage boys out of the den after they’d found their father’s porn magazines. “Get, you three. And don’t come back.”
* * * *
Duncan snagged Milly by the arm. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”
“Do I have a choice?” Yet Milly didn’t let him pull her out of the apartment before Grant and Lance had gone outside.
“You know what’s going on here.” Milly had to know. And if she did, why was she interfering?
“You think she’s your mate.” Milly jerked her arm away and crossed them, then planted her feet apart and blocked their way back inside.
“I don’t think. I know.” He’d never felt anything like it. Attraction, hell, even lust was one thing. But the zap of power, of yearning that had hit him when he’d touched Christy had left no doubt in his mind. She was his mate.
He and Milly checked with Grant and Lance. They didn’t have to say a word. Their confirmation that she was their mate was written in the determination on their faces and in their body language.
“Fine. She’s your mate.” Milly’s stance softened along with her tone. “And don’t get me wrong, guys, I’m very happy for you. I know you’ve wanted this for a long time.”
“Then don’t get in our way,” grumbled the normally jovial Lance.
“I’m not.” She shrugged. “Okay, I am. But I’m doing it for your own good. And for hers, too.”
“How is keeping us away from our woman doing something for our own good?” He was faking it, of course. He could guess why she was standing in their way.
“Really? Come on, Duncan, you know as well as I do. I’m trying to keep you four apart until after the amber moon. The connection will still be there once the phase has passed.”
“I don’t think it’s possible for us not to come back for her.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” She placed her palm on his chest. “You have to try, though. Lock yourselves up, chain each other to a tree, do whatever you have to do to keep away from her. If she’s your mate—”