Page 118 of Knot Her Mountain Men

He had been tried and convicted, the jury unanimous on their first vote, his life sentence coming down like a hammer. Unfortunately, we still had no news on Maisie or any plans to help the omegas at the Decker compound, but I kept hoping. At least Brandon was dealt with, and he was locked up hours away. That had been a pivotal moment in my healing journey.

He couldn’t hurt me anymore.

“You two will have to stay inside,” Maverick told the dogs. The alphas had suggested a game, but none of us wanted to risk Muffin or Pumpkin getting confused about the intentions.

Anticipation zipped through me.

The others had been pushing through their chores, making sure everything would be ready for the arrival of a group coming for a foraging walk. I had taken on the task of welcome treats, making sure we had an assortment of baked goods they could snack on while they got settled.

While the cookies baked, I got dressed for the game. A sundress wasn’t my usual attire, but it offered easy access. The pack had worked hard at keeping all of the main trails clear and accessible so I wasn’t going to have brambles to contend with.

The bolt of lust shooting down the bond from Maverick when I came back downstairs had my pussy clenching.

“We haven’t even started yet,” I said with a laugh.

“Not my fault I want you at all hours. You’re the one who came down here looking hot as hell.”

My cheeks warmed. “My thighs are gonna be slippery before we even get out there.”

“Tragedy.” Maverick waited for me to pull the cookies out of the oven and set them safely on the stovetop before wrapping his arms around my waist, lips teasing their way down my throat.

“The sooner you let me get these on the cooling rack, the sooner we can go outside.”

“We can delay a minute.” One of his hands swept beneath my dress, going straight for my bare pussy. I gripped the countertop, shaking as he lifted one of my knees to plunge his fingers into me. “Gotta make sure you’re all warmed up for playtime.”

Fucking in our kitchen wasn’t exactly a daily occurrence, but it wasn’t uncommon by any means.

I whimpered, canting my hips against his hand, his name coming out breathy and broken. “Maverick, oh god.”

Maverick pulled away, leaving me aching and desperate. “There we go. All ready.”

“You’re not going to let me come?”

“Saving that for the game. You’re gonna come so many times you won’t even be able to walk.” He dipped his slick-soaked fingers into his mouth, and I moaned, my body wishing they were back in me already. If my heat flares hadn’t calmed down, this would probably be dangerous to do so close to guests arriving, but after a dozen or so flares lasting no more than a day each, my body hadfinallysettled down, leaving me on a much more reliable schedule.

I quickly transferred all of the cookies onto a cooling rack and moved them to the top of the fridge, topping them with a picnic screen for extra protection.

Maverick got Pumpkin and Muffin settled in their beds with some chewy treats to occupy them, and then we swept outside. My hiking boots didn’t quite go with the aesthetic, but I wasn’t eager to twist an ankle during this.

Kit swept me up as he came around the corner. “Ready for our little fox hunt?”

“More than. Maverick was teasing me in the kitchen, so one of you’d better catch me fast.”

“You’ll have a sixty-second head start,” Ryder said. “I’ll set the timer when you start running.”

Bear looked me over, his gaze like fire on my skin. “Safe word?” he signed.

“Muffin.” We figured it would be a good one to start with since I was used to calling for her now whenever I felt the panic sneak up, so I wasn’t likely to forget it in the heat of the moment. They would be able to tell in the bond if I wasn’t having fun, but it didn’t hurt to have a backup.

Bear’s kiss left me panting, half wanting to ask them to fuck me here and now instead. But that would spoil the fun.

My alphas stripped off their shirts, lust and anticipation a dull roar in the bond. They turned around and I took off running down the main trail. I knew the path I wanted to take. The lush leaves of summer wouldn’t do much to hide me, not with my red hair, but at least the dress was green.

Each footfall against the ground had my adrenaline surging, excitement from the alphas growing with every passing second. They would each take a different path, and the name of the game was to get me on a knot before one of the others caught up and took me for themselves.

My thighs slipped together as I ran. Cardio had been a hefty goal of mine the last few months, determined that I would be able to run as long as I needed to if anything ever happened again. I hadn’t been specifically practicing for being chased down in the woods by my alphas, but primal play did provide a unique motivation.

I felt Bear’s excitement before I heard or saw him. He must’ve caught sight of me.

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