“I love you further,” Theo said, and all three of us laughed.
It had been a rocky ride, and I didn’t expect for our relationship not to have any bumps along the way, but Ali was ours, and we were going to prove it—as soon as we got home, and for the rest of our lives.
EPILOGUE
ALI
Theo dismounted from Chester, our prize stallion, and dropped to the ground with surprising grace for such a large man. Chester nuzzled Theo’s neck and my mate rubbed his forehead.
“He likes you better than me now,” I observed, sliding off Daisy.
Theo smoothly removed the saddle and blanket from Chester and began to brush him. He was now well-versed in all the duties at my ranch now.
He’d had his pick of jobs in West Springs—deputy sheriff, head of security at the distillery, even private eye work, but amazingly, he’d chosen to work on the ranch with me.
“My mate requires protection,” he’d said stubbornly, even though I told him I was a big girl who could handle a rifle like the best of them. Which he and Holt both knew well enough, and wouldn’t forget any time soon.
It had taken the horses and the cattle a little time to grow accustomed to his wolfy scent—which they noticed, but I only smelled… Theo—but now it seemed he had control of all of them. One sharp command and every animal obeyed, even the most stubborn of bulls. I wasn’t sure if I should be awed by the action, or jealous.
“He knows I’m the alpha around here,” Theo rumbled. There was a suggestive purr in his voice that dared me to disagree, just so he could prove it. Because in bed, he and Holt were in charge of me. I rubbed my thighs together at the thought.
He had a habit of ravishing me anywhere and any time he got me without the ranch hands around—stable, large boulder or anywhere else he found fitting, included.
Of course, I had to play along. “So you think,” I said as I hung Daisy’s saddle up and grabbed the curry brush. I tried to keep the smile off my face, but his large arm snaked around my waist and it broke free.
“Did you need a demonstration?” Now there was no mistaking the suggestion in his voice. The promise of delicious, dominant manhandling.
I leaned my head back against his shoulder, closing my eyes to savor how good it felt just to be held by my mate.
Officially, Theo was my new head of operations. It was a job that required him to live on the property, and since I happened to have plenty of room at the ranch house, he’d moved in. That was what we told the ranch hands and anyone who asked. Also officially, I was engaged to the West Spring’s sheriff. Holt had moved in as well, so all three of us lived together under one roof. Our new very unique family.
The wedding was next month. I was getting married because I’m human and we were closely involved with other humans. And, to me, the ring was important. The vows. I’d say them to Theo as well privately, but while I had their marks on my shoulders, I also wanted what I’d dreamed of as a little girl—a husband and family on this ranch. I realized I had more than I’d dreamed of because I got two men who loved me.
As for my dad, he wouldn’t be out of jail, and would miss the event. Right now, I didn’t really mind. I hadn’t come to terms with what he’d done, what he’d allowed me to do when I’d shot Holt and Theo that fateful night. He had tried to protect me, but it hadn’t been enough. Too little, too late.
Because of it, he’d received an eighteen-month sentence. Honestly, it was totally okay with me. He’d earned it. I’d saved him, and it was going to take that year and a half for me to work on it.
I liked having this time to learn to run the ranch without him and with my new mates. I didn’t know what we’d do when he got out, but my mates promised we’d figure it out together. I’d worry about it later. For now, I was happy. So fucking happy.
My brother, Steven, was coming back for the wedding. Holt’s parents were coming too, from Alaska, so I was looking forward to meeting them. Apparently they were as over the moon about our mating as Theo’s had been.
“Hmm.” I pressed my ass against Theo’s lap. “Aren’t I your boss?” I taunted, my voice husky with arousal. My body had been trained to come alive at the mere suggestion of his dominance, the timber of his voice. Holt’s too.
His hand slid between my legs and he pressed the seam of my jeans against my clit, making a slow pulsing movement. I groaned, the urgency suddenly ratcheting up. “You’re my boss on the ranch, but I’m the boss of this sexy body of yours,” he murmured.
My laugh was so full of velvet and honey, I didn’t recognize it as my own. “I think I do need that demonstration,” I replied, wiggling against him again.
“I thought as much,” Theo agreed. He took the brush from my hand and set it down, then put both horses in their stalls with fresh hay.
When I turned from hanging up their bridles, he was right there, tossing me over his shoulder.
I gasped, then laughed and ogled his taut ass as he walked. “Where are we going?”
“To the house. I need to give you a proper demonstration. In fact, I’ve called the sheriff to file a complaint against you.”
I giggled then panicked as we stepped out into the afternoon sunlight. “Theo!” I yelped. “Someone might see.”
“No one is around,” he promised.
“No one but me,” Holt rumbled, appearing out of nowhere.
“You really did call the sheriff on me!” I exclaimed. My cheeks heated from excitement.
Theo chuckled. “I heard him pull up.”
Right. That shifter hearing thing got me every time. It was crazy having partners with superhuman abilities. It made them all the more attractive to me. They weren’t just strong, virile men. They were able to lift vehicles in the air with their bare hands. They saw in the dark. They heard every whisper and hum I made.
And there were two of them. As if one wouldn’t be enough to satisfy me for the rest of my life. I hadn’t wanted to choose from the first moment I saw them on my doorstep. Now they lived here with me.
Holt gave my upturned ass a light slap. “You planning something fun for our mate, Theo?”
“It seems she requires another demonstration of who is alpha around here,” he replied, his long legs carrying us swiftly toward the ranch house.
“Mmm, that sounds like fun to me. I get to spank her!”
I laughed and kicked my legs just to make it difficult for Theo. Not that he had any trouble managing my weight.
When we stepped into the house, Holt said, “Put her down, I need to kiss that mouth on her. It’s been eight fucking hours since I’ve tasted her lips.”
Theo lowered me to my feet and I turned and twined my arms around Holt’s neck. “Here I am,” I said softly, lifting my lips to brush his. “Did you miss me?”
“Always,” he said with conviction.
I’d missed him too.
“Do you get jealous of Theo being here with me all day while you’re at work?”
He thought about it and offered a small shrug. “Jealous? No. Knowing he’s here with you keeps my wolf from getting antsy about being away. I know you’re safe and satisfied. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think about you all day.”