Page 38 of Hunted (Haven Realm Chronicles 1)

I nodded, dropping mygaze.

Oryn placed a hand on my other thigh. “It’s okay. Having multiple mates is normal forhunters.”

I stared from one man to the other. “So you’re okay with this? Because I’m freakingout.”

The men exchanged a knowing look, and it comforted me to know they shared such a trusting bond, stirring a desire to give in to what I wanted and forget myconcerns.

Nero burst out laughing, while Oryn leaned in and kissed me, his warmth adding fuel to the blaze. “You’re safe and ours,” he said. “You need notfret.”

“We are wolf brothers,” Nero began, “and I would risk my life to save Oryn’s along with yours. We’re bound, the three ofus.”

Okay, that earlier excitement returned three-fold because technically I had two boyfriends, right? Oh geez, Bee would bombard me with rude jokes if she heard aboutthis.

“So how does this work? Are we nowdating?”

Nero ruffled my hair and closed in for a kiss, soft and passionate. “You’re too adorable. But when a wolf selects a mate, it’s for life. We’re way past dating, littlelamb.”

I sat there, trying to process his words. For life! That terrified me because this whole mating thing was moving too fast. They were shifters, so this might be natural to them, but for me… Each breath sped. Who was I kidding? Just thinking of going to Terra and leaving the guys behind had an invisible vise constricting myheart.

“What if…?” I began. “What if what we’re feeling is my ability tampering with your wolves? Confusingthem?”

Oryn plucked a twig out of my hair and drew me backward against him. Her wrapped an arm across my shoulders and kissed my head. “In the cave our connection shook through me, my wolf awakening, opening up to welcome you to our bonding. This is real, unlike anything I’ve ever felt, and everything inside me demands you are mine. I have no doubts. Doesn’t matter if you’re not one ofus.”

Nero lifted my feet and placed them on his lap, rubbing my soles in a way that had me softening. Now, this I could get usedto.

“Sweet lamb, when you vanished, and I searched for you, I swore I’d go insane if I didn’t find you. Losing you isn’t even a consideration. You are alsomine.”

No response came to mind, only the whirling tornado of a million questions, from me desiring shifters, to whether I had to move to a new home, and even if their packs would accept me… heavens, those were insane thoughts and it hurt my brain trying to make sense of them. Too much had happened too quickly, and my spinning mind hadn’t caught up yet. Sure, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my attraction toward them owned me. And their smallest caress undid me. But I ought to get to know them better, and such a commitment washuge.

Grandma had always told me to never move too fast with a man, but when I found him, I’d sense it. And that was Nero and Oryn for me. Unable to picture myself living without them. But how could I experience such devotion in such a shorttime?

I pushed my feet off Nero’s lap and rose out of Oryn’s arms. Both men stared at me, and I yearned for nothing more than to remain in their embraces, talking about setting up home in the woods, and forgetting everything else. Learn Nero’s tricks in the kitchen, Oryn’s tracking skills. But what about my shop? Friends? People I assisted withherbs?

Were the walls closing in around me? Going outside for fresh air was out of the question with those rabid wolves prowling around, and as much as I yearned to ask to be taken home, I refused to leave their side. Talk about being a walkingcontradiction.

My thoughts flew to Dagen and how I hadn’t even given him thought since arriving back. I’d harmed him, and it was my responsibility to helphim.

“I’ll check on Dagen.” I didn’t wait for a response but sprinted out of the room and down the dark hallway toward the shifter I’d injured and who needed my attention. Yep, that was what I’d do. Focus on healing him and try to sort out the mess in my head before I did something mental like agree to move in with them rightaway.

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