“Shut up, Lance.”
“What the hell, man? I’m only trying to make her understand. She needs to know all of it.”
Grant stared at her as though trying to pull an answer to an unspoken question out of her with his hard gaze. “Say it again, Christy.”
“Say what?” As if she didn’t know.
“Say what you said before Lance rambled on. You said you care for us. Say it again.”
“You did?” Lance leaned forward. “Yeah, say it again. I missed it the first time.”
She laughed at him, loving his lighthearted manner even now. “Then maybe you should learn to listen better. Yeah, I do. In fact, I think I love you guys.”
Grant’s face lit up. “Wait. You think you love us?”
“Oh, mamma. Give you guys an inch and you want a mile. Okay, fine, I’ll say it. I’m sure I love you.”
“Babe, if I could break free of these chains right now, I’ll prove to you how much I love you back.”
“How much we love you back,” added Duncan with his dimples flashing.
“Do me a favor, guys. Keep the chains on and prove it that way.” She had to admit that seeing them chained up gave them an added bit of sexiness. The last bits of her fear were giving way to the increasing pulse of need. Was it the way she’d always feel? Or was the amber moon influencing her even now?
“I just hope we haven’t already blown it.”
They all turned to Grant. “What do you mean?”
“I know none of us ever actually made love to you. Or at least not all the way. Which means we haven’t really claimed you yet. With either our bodies or our bites.”
She hated seeing the worry in his eyes again. Bites?
“He thinks we may have done the same kind of damage to our connection by what we did do with you.”
She shook her head at Lance. “No. I still feel it. Don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do. The problem is, until morning comes, we won’t know if the connection between us, the lifelong bond we share, is what we’re feeling right now or just the effect of the amber moon at its most powerful.” Grant clenched his fists, the muscles working in his jaw.
“Then we wait and find out.” She’d gone too far to back out now. “You’re going to bite me?”
“If and when we get to claim you as our mate”—Lance glanced at his cousin and friend—“then we bite you. The bite serves two purposes. It’ll leave a scar to show that you’re ours.”
“And the other purpose?”
“If we use the claiming bite, then you’ll change into a werewolf, too.”
“A werewolf? Me? I haven’t even gotten used to the idea that you’re werewolves. Now I’m supposed to become one?”
“Not if you don’t want to.” Duncan yanked on his chains as he turned away from gazing out at the dying sunlight. “You can remain human. It’s your choice, not ours.”
“Christy, are you ready to leave?”
She didn’t turn toward the sound of Jackson’s voice. She’d already made her decision. “I’m staying.”
“No. It’s not safe.” Grant jerked on his chains. “We can’t guarantee that these will hold us. Or that we’ll stay in our right minds. Jackson brought us back once, but there’s no telling if we can come back again.”
“It doesn’t matter. You won’t hurt me.” She cleared her throat and called out louder. “We’ll see you in the morning, Jackson.”
She could sense his hesitation all the way from the top of the steps. At last, however, he gave in to her wishes. “Okay. I’ll be back. Take care of yourself.”
“Don’t worry. I will.” She prayed she could. Or better yet, that she wouldn’t have to find out either way. She waited until she heard Jackson’s footsteps across the ceiling, then the slam of the front door.
“Okay, guys, it’s just us.” She adopted a confidence she didn’t totally feel. “So tell me. What about children? If I stay, can I have children? Werewolves and a human? Is that even possible? And what if I don’t want any?”
* * * *
“You don’t fool me, Christy Smith. You want kids. I know you do.” Or at least, Lance hoped she did. She was their mate and she’d call the shots when it came to children. If she wanted them, they’d have as many as she’d allow. If not, then he’d learn to live with her choice.
“You’re right. I do.”
“How many?” asked Duncan.
“Three or four, I guess.”
Damn, but she was beautiful. Lance couldn’t believe their luck. Plus, she was brave and adventurous, not to mention sexy as hell. He’d give his life a thousand times over for her.