Chapter Three – Lukas
She looked even more beautiful in real life than in her photos. The picture made her look more slender than she actually was. The real thing was all curves, with thick arms and a stocky waist that indicated true strength. She was wearing some sort of construction outfit, but her overalls had a touch of lace sewn onto the edges, and pink leather gloves peeked from the pockets.
His hands were sweaty. He was more nervous than he thought he would be, meeting her for the first time. Honestly, he hadn't expected it to take this long. But every time he wanted to meet her, her father told her she was out of the country or otherwise couldn’t make it.
"Elena," he greeted, stepping forward.
"I feel like we're old friends," Will interrupted. He grasped her hands and kissed her cheek.
Elena swallowed and pulled away from him. Lukas was glad that she did. He realized his hands had clenched into fists and forced himself to relax. She was his mate first. Will couldn't change that, even if he claimed everything else.
"Shall we go inside?" Will said with a grin. How could he have teeth that white when he smoked the way he did? Lukas internally sighed–if only cigarettes affected Shifters the way they did humans.
"Uh, no."
The moment he heard her voice, Lukas immediately regretted the deal he had made with Will. There was no reason for the other male to so much as look at his mate. He had his two women that he refused to mate. There was no indication he'd treat Elena like anything but a brood mare. Well. Will might give her the first child, but every other child after that would be Lukas'. He'd make sure of that. The only reason he wasn't calling this off was because he needed the money.
Elena stepped back and shook her head. "I only found out today that I've got a werewolf Alpha, and I'm here to give it a try, but I didn't sign up for two men."
"Wait." Lukas' heart plummeted. "You just found out today? I've known about you my whole life, why were you just told today?"
Alan cleared his throat. "I think I had best let you three discuss this yourself. If you need me, I will be at home."
Lukas grunted at him.
Elena turned. "Thank you."
Alan looked a little startled but nodded at her before heading off. The human turned back to the two Alphas and visibly gulped. But she still tossed her head, her short hair flipping into her eyes, and put her hands on her hips. Her eyes narrowed.
"Now. Will you two kindly tell me what all this nonsense about both of you maybe being my mates is all about?"
Will snorted and turned to Lukas. "When you proposed this idea you didn't tell me that you'd never met her before. I thought it was something that you had discussed with her. And now I find out that she didn't even know she was mated to you. For all you know, she's got a dozen children by a dozen different men."
"Excuse me? 'She' is standing right here, and I don't appreciate you talking as though I'm not. And for your information, Mr. I'm All That, I just happen to not have a boyfriend and I'm a virgin—" Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand to her mouth. She looked horrified like she had just revealed a dirty secret.
Lukas hadn't even considered that she might not be. He had always assumed that she was saving herself for him like he had saved himself for her. But it was still a relief to hear that she hadn't had other men.
"My pack is financially unstable, but we have a lot of land," he explained. "Will's pack is wealthy but has only a little land. It's beneficial for both of us to combine our packs. The best way to do that is for us both to mate you, and have you as Alpha Female of both packs. Your first child would then be Alpha of both packs."
"And you agreed because of land," she said dully, looking at Will. "Is it something you want to… mate me?"
"I must do what is best for my pack," the male said smoothly. He took one of Elena's hands in his. "I will admit that was never a situation that I expected or would have wanted, but when so many of my pack members are giving up their rights to stay on packlands and going to cities, despite the fact that Wolves need space… Well, I have to put them over my own needs. Not that it won't be a delight to be your mate."
Was this the kind of drabble that he used on the two women from his pack that he was sleeping with? Lukas repressed a growl. This was for the best of his pack. His father had left him with massive debts. As much as it grated to have to share a mate, let alone with an arrogant asshole like Will, he had to actually do it.
Not that he was going to let Will have the satisfaction of knowing that he was in such a terrible situation. And as for Elena, if she was going to fall for Will's lines, then maybe she deserved what she got from him. No–he'd fight for her. He wasn't going to just abandon her to Will's debauchery.
"And you?" Elena turned to Lukas. "You said that your pack is financially unstable?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lukas shrugged. The truth was too painful to talk about. She'd find out plenty from talking to other Wolves, anyway. Rumors were plentiful, and the worse part was that most of them weren't as half as bad at the truth. His father might not have left him with much, but he still had his pride. He wouldn't have a mate who pitied him.
"They say that Lukas' father was quite a gambler," Will said.
"And yours never took a mate," Lukas growled, temper flaring.
"And you always knew I was your mate?" Elena interrupted. Her foot tapped.
"Yes."
"And that's never bothered you?"
The question caught Lukas off guard. He had never questioned being bound to her. He'd been given pictures sent by her father over the years, which was one of the reasons why he was so shocked to hear she didn't know about their relationship. Was he supposed to be bothered by the fact that he had a beautiful mate? It bothered him that she hadn't known until he sent Alan for her, but not that they were mates.
"I would rather have a different mate, but you're the one that my father agreed on. We're already mates, if I took another one, I'd be stripped of my position."
Even as he was speaking, Lukas could have kicked himself. Of all the stupid things to say… He couldn’t have just said that he hadn't considered it? He couldn't have said that he was given pictures of her and never wanted anybody else? He couldn’t have said a million other things that didn't make it seem like she was the last choice he'd have?
It was too late now. Elena's expression, already somewhat guarded and jaded, closed off entirely. She opened her mouth, but before she could respond, Will had put his arms around her waist. He pulled her snug against him and grinned at her as though she was the only woman he had ever seen. Did he look at his other two women the same way?
He didn't deserve her.
"I'm sure Lukas doesn't mean that the way it sounds. But we have talked quite enough, don't you think? Before we can mate we have to find out if we're compatible."
Elena's eyes widened and Lukas could actually see the pulse in her neck flutter. She put her hands on Will's chest but didn't push him away. If anything, she seemed enthralled by him. Lukas growled low in his throat, unable to stand seeing his mate with another man like this. She opened her mouth, but before Will could kiss her, Lukas jumped forward. He put his hands on either side of her face, turning her to him.
He kissed her hard, pushing his arms between her and Will's bodies. Elena kissed him back, her hungry mouth surprising him. From the way she had been acting, and because she only found out that they were mates, he had expected her to be more reserved, at least at the beginning. But she kissed him with so much passion that he felt himself stirring in a way he hadn't ever experienced before. When Elena's eyes fluttered shut and she gave a slight moan, he forgot entirely about Will.
Until, that was, he realized that Will was kissing the back of Elena's neck.
Lukas jerked away from Elena. She leaned forward, trying to follow, but Will held her back. The other Alpha kissed her mouth like he was trying to eat her, and she moaned again. Lukas stepped back. Elena's hand fluttered in his direction; when it landed on his arm, she grasped him tightly.
Did she really want them both? From how she acted before, he never would have expected it.
Her eyes snapped open. She pushed Will away from her and struggled free of his grasp, shaking her head hard. "What are you doing?"
"The same thing you are." Will leaned forward again.
"No. No, I am not going to jump in bed with a couple of men I don't know! Or even a couple of men at all. That's just weird. Isn't it? Or is it common among Wolves?"
Both Alphas were silent. Lukas couldn’t help but feel pleased that Will looked so flustered–until he remembered that this was his idea. It was his responsibility to make it work between the three of them. And who knew, maybe after they were mated Will would have the decency to die and then—
A howl broke through the air.
The three of them turned towards the setting sun. A vague, misty shape slowly coalesced into the form of a massive Wolf. It shone with a bright white light, vivid blue eyes peering out of a snowy face. Its lips were pulled back into a vicious snarl. Another howl, and it lunged for Elena, mouth wide and teeth snapping.