Protecting Their Heart

By K.S. Brae

A home invader chases Penny from her house in the middle of the night and straight into shifter territory.

From one danger to another, she's running for her life when Adam and Ethan, two wolf shifters, come to her rescue. With their vow to protect her, it seems inevitable that she would fall for them. If only it wasn't widely known that shifters only mate with their own. She's determined to resist them, and they're determined to prove she can't.

Adam and Ethan have found their mate in the feisty, curvy female who wandered right into their arms, and now wants nothing to do with them, but everyone knows a wolf doesn't give up easily when it sets its sights on prey, and now they've found her, they’re keeping her.

With a stalker in her shadow, protecting Penny isn't as easy as they hoped, but when it comes to their mate, they'll do whatever it takes, and if they can make her realize they're the only men for her, then even better.

Determined to claim her as their own, only two things matter. Protect their mate and win her heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: K.S. Brae
• Release date: Mar 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215440506

K.S. Brae

I'm a British romance writer. I also work a day job and I have a cute dog who keeps me company while I work. Or more realistically demands walks every time I sit down to write.

Book preview

Copyright Information

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Protecting Their Heart

Copyright © 2023 K.S Brae

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Synopsis

A home invader chases Penny from her house in the middle of the night and straight into shifter territory.

From one danger to another, she's running for her life when Adam and Ethan, two wolf shifters, come to her rescue. With their vow to protect her, it seems inevitable that she would fall for them. If only it wasn't widely known that shifters only mate with their own. She's determined to resist them, and they're determined to prove she can't.

Adam and Ethan have found their mate in the feisty, curvy female who wandered right into their arms, and now wants nothing to do with them, but everyone knows a wolf doesn't give up easily when it sets its sights on prey, and now they've found her, they’re keeping her.

With a stalker in her shadow, protecting Penny isn't as easy as they hoped, but when it comes to their mate, they'll do whatever it takes, and if they can make her realize they're the only men for her, then even better.

Determined to claim her as their own, only two things matter. Protect their mate and win her heart.

Table of Contents

Copyright Information

Synopsis

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Fifty

Epilogue

Author Information

Other Stories by K.S. Brae

Chapter One

At first, Penny thought it was the dream that woke her.

Her eyes snapped open. She peered into the darkness, and the mist of sleep swept away the remains of her reverie. She was about to toss over in bed, ready to drift off again, but the whispered expletive coming from the hallway outside her door chased away any feelings of tiredness.

What the hell was that?

She lived alone.

She shot up in bed and scurried silently out, creeping to the bedroom door. Her movements were slow as she turned the handle and opened it a crack.

She held her breath, fear making her dizzy.

The door opened without a noise, and she stared into the dark hallway.

She hadn’t imagined it. There was someone in her house! It was too dark to see who the person was but from his size and build, she guessed a man.

Holy shit, she had a home invader! A strange man was wandering through her home. Things like that didn’t happen in real life, did they?

To hell with this. She wasn’t sticking around to confront him. She didn’t even spare the time to get dressed. She dashed straight to the window and slid it open, but before she could make her escape, the door behind her flew open with a bang.

She spun, her heart thudding against her ribcage. The man wore a hood that hid his face, and she saw him look at the bed before his surprised gaze darted to her.

Shit! he cursed and then he was coming toward her.

She grabbed the lamp from the desk beside the window and launched it at him. She heard the smack of contact but didn’t hang around to see it, and the next second she tumbled out onto the grassy ground below, and then she bolted.

Normally she loved the seclusion of her home, the privacy that came with the woods around her, but right then, she’d have given anything for a neighbor. For someone to help her or a door to bang on, but all she had were trees.

All she had was the woodland to get lost in.

Her breaths were short, sharp, and panicked as she ran, cutting her feet on twigs and stones. She tried to concentrate on what was ahead, but it was dark, and branches whipped her in the face.

She stumbled over a stone sticking out of the ground, slicing the sole of her foot on a sharp edge. Crying out, she fell to her knees, but she didn’t stay there long. She scrambled up and took off again, limping and leaving a bloody trail.

She didn’t feel him right behind her anymore, but she knew he wasn’t far away.

It felt like she’d been running forever. Her lungs burned, her foot was weak, and her cheeks were wet with terrified tears.

She didn’t even know where she was going. Had she made a mistake? Should she have run to the road instead? She thought she’d be easier to follow that way because she would be in plain sight, but this endless running didn’t feel any better.

This was the furthest she’d been in the woodland. She’d never ventured this deep, being aware that the border of shifter territory was in here and she never wanted to accidentally wander onto their land. It was said trespassers were killed without question, which was a risk she saw no reason to take.

When she was tackled from the side and rolled over the hard ground, she knew she’d been right.

She screamed as sharp claws embedded in her side. Sprawled on her back, a wolf thrust its face in hers and growled, saliva dripping from the points of its long fangs.

Penny cried out and tried to scurry away but between one second and the next, the wolf twisted, bones shifting until she found herself pinned to the ground by a wild man.

Unbelievably, he was more terrifying than the wolf. At least from a wolf, you expected ferocity and coldness, but when you looked into the empty eyes of a human it was all the more alarming, and when he growled, she screamed.

You’re trespassing, little girl, he snarled. Why did he still have fangs? Why was saliva still dripping from them?

She turned her head to the side, trying to keep her face from his.

He moved in closer. His claws sank deeper.

Penny tried to speak, to beg for mercy, to apologize for her presence on their land, but it came out as a whimper.

The human wolf who had her pinned took a deep, long sniff, running his nose over her throat and up the side of her face.

Penny shuddered, shoving at his chest to get him off, but it was a futile effort. He was too strong, and she was too terrified.

Let me go, she pleaded, her voice barely more than a whisper.

I don’t let trespassers go, he said. When he growled again, it chilled her blood. Such a cruel sound. Such a deadly sound.

Before Penny could speak again, the sharp points of his fangs scratched her throat, and she was sure death was about to strike. She squeezed her eyes shut and tears slipped down her temples into her hair.

She waited for the end, only it didn’t come. Instead, before she knew what was happening, the heavy weight of the wolf was gone.

She wasn’t saved though.

Sitting up she looked to her left where her attacker was back in his animal shape, wrestling with another wolf.

It would have been her chance to escape, to run, except the huge shadow of a man loomed over her. Not the one who’d been creeping through her house. Not the one who had tackled her to the ground.

This one was naked. This one was an animal in human form. Another shifter. Another wolf.

Screw this. She’d risk it.

She scrambled to her feet, and she ran.

Chapter Two

Ethan was out for a run. He’d taken to his wolf form and was enjoying the dark, crisp midnight air flowing through his animal lungs.

His brother Adam was out there somewhere too, but they’d gone their separate ways for the release of their beasts. He’d caught the scent of other members of his pack, but avoided them, finding contentment in solitude, and when he came upon his friend Dom’s scent, he was about to turn away. Something stopped him though. Another distant aroma, but this one sweeter. It weaved through the air, intertwined with the wild, and drifted through his senses.

Even as the man questioned who it belonged to; his wolf already knew.

Mate.

What the hell…?

It was unfamiliar, unknown, and oh-so delicious. Made his mouth water for a taste.

Mate! His wolf growled at him impatiently. In a daze, Ethan turned in her direction and stumbled her way. It was only when he reached a point where the scent crossed Dom’s that Ethan was knocked from his shock.

Their two scents had met and then there was a clear trail of them merging. Dom had smelled Ethan’s mate and he had followed her.

Fuck!

Ethan’s friend wasn’t the type of shifter to give a stranger on their land the chance to explain themselves. He’d neutralize the danger and then, if he was feeling charitable, he might let her defend herself. But she would suffer first.

Usually, Dom’s protective impulses were beneficial to the pack. This time, they turned Ethan’s blood cold.

He needed to find his new mate. He needed to get to her and protect her from his packmate.

Dom was a good guy. Protectiveness for those he cared about was fierce, and the guy loved his pack. That being said, if he hurt Ethan’s mate, he’d fucking pay for it.

Ethan chased the scent.

Shit, he was anxious. His wolf was in hunter mode, and he was about to meet his mate. The woman he would be with forever. Eternity with one female had never been something he wanted but now it was happening… well, hell, nervousness was just the beginning.

This was a monumental moment for him, and for his brother, even if Adam didn’t know it yet.

First, he had to get to her.

Following her scent was easy. It sank inside of him as if he’d always known it, as if it was a part of himself, and he tracked it deeper into the woods until it grew stronger and stronger. It was a concern that Dom’s also intensified, but Ethan didn’t have time to think about it. The wolf’s instinct propelled him forward.

He snarled as he drew closer, but the growls grew to a fierce roar at his first sight of them. A female sprawled on the ground with Dom on top of her. Ethan had time to take in no details of her before he launched himself at his friend. He tackled him away, and when he smelled the woman’s blood in the air, the wolf attacked.

Adam stopped running as he caught his brother’s scent. He growled.

These woods were too fucking small.

This wasn’t their deal. They ran separately. That was the agreement.

They needed this space from each other. They were in the same pack, they lived together, and most of their friends were mutual so they hung out together. If they didn’t release their wolves separately then they bickered as men. As animals, though, their arguments took on a more violent edge, which was why Ethan ran to the east, while Adam ran to the west. It was the only way they kept their tempers. Which begged the question; what the hell was Ethan doing in Adam’s domain?

He’d crossed Dom’s path earlier, so his friend’s scent in the area wasn’t a surprise, but before he could lose his temper over Ethan’s invasion, his wolf was blindsided by the aroma intertwined with it. Just a trace because her scent was overpowered by both Dom and Ethan tracking it.

Whoever owned this scent was in danger. Two wolves were on their trail.

Mate!

Slowly, slowly, he stalked the scent, disbelieving his wolf’s wild statement.

Mate? Not fucking likely. Not for him. It had been a constant guilt in his life that his brother would miss out on a mate because Adam didn’t want one.

Dread was heavy in his chest because if he had one, she was going to find him lacking. He’d never been able to love a woman. Hell, his brother and his aunt were the only ones he had protective instincts for, and though he cared about his pack, he wasn’t the most integrated member.

He almost felt sorry for the female destined to be his, and if he looked into their future together, he guessed she would feel more attached to Ethan. Ethan cared easily. He’d be picking up a lot of the slack in their relationship.

He cursed mentally, even as his wolf drove forward desperately. The animal wanted its mate. Wanted to roll around in her scent. Wanted to sink its teeth into her, not in a vicious way. In a hot-sex kind of way.

The animal was moving, picking up the pace, following the sweet aroma.

She was delicious this mate of his, and his brother was already tracking her.

Adam ran faster. He needed to get to her too, and if the man fell emotionally short, then the wolf would make up for it. The wolf was desperate for her.

With a growl, he followed the three scents that had seeped together.

His mate. He had a mate.

He had a mate.

Well, shit.

When he reached the point in the woods where she was, he wasn’t surprised to see his brother fighting Dom. Their scents were mixed in a way that said Dom had touched her and Adam could smell her blood in the air.

Shifting into his human form, he approached the female slowly. She peered up at him through wide brown eyes. Her fear and the scent of her blood provoked his temper, provoked his wolf’s ferocity. He was all set to join the fight until the curvy little female scrambled to her feet and took off. Then he had a choice to make. Fight or chase?

As her plush little ass disappeared into the shadows, he sighed.

Chase.

He went after the female.

Holy mother-fucking shit balls.

Men were coming at her from all directions. One in her house, three in the woods. How was she supposed to get out of this unscathed?

She was running back toward her home, but that wasn’t the safe option, and in the end, it didn’t matter. She didn’t get far before the bare-assed man in pursuit, caught up to her. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, his fingers gripping her until she had no choice but to stop.

Would pleading help? She didn’t need pride if begging kept her alive and unraped.

Please, she whimpered.

Where you going, female? he asked, his deep voice a raspy growl.

Um… Was that a serious question? A serious question from the naked guy who she was scared to look at. Home.

Even under deadly threat, she blushed at all the skin that would be revealed to her gaze if she dared to look.

She risked a quick glimpse at his face, but all she could see was a set of dangerous eyes glaring at her. She didn’t know if it was sexy or if she was going to pee her pants in fear.

Not yet, he replied, roughly.

Pee. Definitely pee.

With his hand on her nape, he steered her back to the fighting wolves.

No, not back there. It was dark, and it was scary, and they had sharp teeth. She’d rather go home and take her chances with the home invader.

She dug her heels into the ground, trying to stop him from directing her, but her feet were sore, and he was so strong that she stood no hope of resisting whatever he wanted.

Please, let me go. Her voice wobbled, which is what the threat of being held captive by naked men did to a girl.

He didn’t answer and she wished it wasn’t dark so that she could get a good look at his face. Except seeing the feral eyes and sharp white teeth in the shards of moonlight breaking through the trees was enough. Also, if it was lighter, she’d be getting an eyeful of naked man and she sure as hell wasn’t prepared for that.

She heard the growls of the feral wolves before they even got back, and tremors shook her body. She wanted to go home. She wished she was there already, safely tucked up in her bed, with no intruder.

Thank God, the man holding onto her didn’t take her right up to the fight. She’d get killed with a stray fang or fist.

He kept her on the sidelines, but his grip never loosened. It didn’t hurt, he wasn’t holding her tight enough for that, and at no point did she feel so much as the tip of a sharp claw – not like with the other wolfman whose talons had made her bleed – but this guy’s hold was controlling.

She locked her stark gaze on the ground, every muscle in her body tense to the point of aching, and her frantic mind sought an escape. She was in the woods in the middle of the night with three men. She had to get out of there and away from them. Stomping on his foot and running probably wouldn’t cut it. She’d injure herself more than she’d hurt him.

Female, the man holding her said, Look at me.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head.

When he growled, a whimper burst from her lips and the snarl cut off instantly. The fight paused as well. She didn’t see its end, but silence fell in the forest, and it was all the more eerie after the grunts and thuds of battle.

A sharp roar burst through the silence, and she lifted her eyes just enough to see that the wolves had turned into men, and one was shoving the other.

What the fuck, man? her initial attacker said.

You. Hurt. Her. The words were hard to make out, distorted by the wildness of his wolf.

Who the fuck cares? her attacker snapped. She’s a trespasser.

The second guy was about to lunge again, but the one holding her bit out, Ethan! and that easily, the man got control of his temper. His head jerked to the side and his gaze locked on Penny. She should have looked away, but she was trapped by something she saw in his expression.

She was all about their faces because she was so intimidated by the expanse of big, taut muscles on show. Tall and huge, every single action, every single step was made with a power that had the ability to either crush or protect.

The second guy – Ethan? – marched toward her, but before he reached her, her captor stepped forward, holding his hand flat to stop him.

Get control first, he commanded. She’s scared.

It was the first time he’d let go of her since he’d arrived and she instinctively tensed, preparing to flee - The fight or flight instinct was securely set on flight – but before she could, her captor turned, and said, Don’t even think about it, woman.

She gulped, her legs trembling, and it took all her concentration not to drop to the ground.

I want to question her, her attacker snarled. She’s trespassing.

Back the fuck up, Dom, her captor said. We’ll deal with her.

Under what right? Dom, a bad-tempered man with a cruel scowl raged.

Under the right of fate. The guy called Ethan replied.

Now, what the heck did that mean? Why the heck did she care? She didn’t have time to stand there musing about what was going on. She needed to get away from these animals. Away from this whole place and get herself into a safely populated area where she could hide among others.

Fate? Dom said, and he looked like he’d been whacked in the face with a plank of wood. Are you fucking serious?

Her captor nodded, the only man whose name she hadn’t learned yet.

Dom’s glower was unwavering. Get answers! He seethed and in a twist of bones, his skin turned into fur, and he took off running in the body of a dark wolf. Penny thought she did well not to pass out at the sight.

It was her first experience of a real-life wolf. She’d known there was a chance she might see one when she’d moved into a shifter town, but the reality was a lot more intense.

Down to two wolfmen. The two that intimidated her the most. Dom might have been the one to draw blood, but he didn’t have the intensity that these two had.

Her captor’s hand returned to the back of her neck, but his hold was gentle, more of a caress. This was worse. Her body acted all crazy at the soft contact.

Goosebumps spread over her skin. Butterflies fluttered in her belly. This was not good. So not good.

Her place or ours? Her captor asked.

Shit was getting real. She was about to be abducted and taken by these two huge men.

Should she try to explain why she was on their land, or were they part of it all? Was the man in her house one of theirs, someone they’d sent to smoke her out into their woods? Why would they though? Were they looking to punish someone? She had nothing a shifter would want, and she was trying to avoid the one word pinballing around her head. Rape. She was terrified that she’d found herself surrounded by some kind of crazy shifter gang who had cruel, nefarious plans for the woman they chased out of her home.

She’s hurt! Ethan said. Let’s head back to our house. We have the stuff we need to clean her up.

God, she wanted to go home. Alone.

Yeah, her captor said. We can interrogate her there.

Really, really wanted to go home.

They urged her forward, but her feet burned from her barefoot run through the forest, and she took small tentative steps, biting down on her bottom lip to stop herself from whimpering in pain.

Ethan dropped his gaze to her feet and then said, Adam, nodding downward.

Adam. Her captor’s name was Adam. Ethan and Adam. It wasn’t any less terrifying being able to put a name to their faces, but she was glad she knew what to call them when she told the police about her abduction.

With a squeal, she was scooped up smoothly into a pair of big arms, cradled against a hair-smattered chest. This was too much. Way too much.

Can you at least put some clothes on? she snapped, as he prowled forward. She gave up on trying to find a safe place to look, and instead squeezed her eyes shut.

Chuckling at her comment, Ethan took the lead.

Must have forgot them, Adam replied nonplussed.

Another chuckle and the guy in front added, We’re taking criticism from a female running barefoot in the woods, with her ass hanging out of a pair of tiny shorts.

Penny’s face flamed. Ass hanging out? Like she had a big butt or something? Rude! Besides, she’d been chased from her bed. It wasn’t her fault she slept in shorts and a matching top. It wasn’t like she’d gone for a midnight jog. She did, however, regret the decision to pick the ones with the cartoon puffer fish print, because they were the ones with the smallest bottoms. Her other PJ sets covered more of her butt, and in this position, held in the arms of the giant wolfman, she was self-conscious about what exactly was on display.

She suspected the wolfmen had better night vision than she did.

They were silent on the long walk to wherever they were taking her. Their place, they said, which took her deep into wolf territory.

This had not been her plan when she’d gone to bed that night. It had been her day off from work and she’d gone into the small town to stock up on groceries. She’d treated herself to a mocha and a slice of chocolate fudge cake with Chantilly cream, and then she’d returned to her small cottage to spend the afternoon cleaning. She’d ended her evening with a hot bath, a pink bath bomb, and a small glass of wine then she’d gone to bed early. She had to be up at five a.m. for her shift at the bakery. Now she had no idea what the time was, but she guessed she was due at work soon.

She longed for normality.

They reached a worn road and Ethan stopped walking. Wait here, he said. I’ll get a car.

Holy shit. They weren’t there yet? They’d been walking for ages.

Penny braced herself to be lowered to her feet, but when the wolfman did put her down, he set her on a small wall.

Why are you taking me? Penny asked as he loomed over her. She was becoming an expert at keeping her gaze averted.

He paused before answering, then finally, he said, To question you.

You could have done that in the woods. If you’d given me a chance to explain, I could have cleared it up in seconds.

Well, now you get longer. We’re generous like that. She resented the amusement that lightened his somber tone as he added, Besides, judging from the way you can’t look at us, I think you’d appreciate us getting to our clothes.

That was the truth. Or part of the truth, because from the small glances she allowed herself, there was no denying that both these men were beautifully built.

But why do we have to go so far? To where no one would hear her scream.

How do you feel? he asked, ignoring her question.

Was he serious? How did she feel? She felt shit scared. Cold. Exhausted. Shocked. Petrified. Worried. And a whole load of other things.

I want to go home. She needed to get back there and phone the police, not just on her new abductors, but on the man who had broken into her house while she slept. She had no clue who that could be. She didn’t have enemies, hadn’t fallen out with anyone in town, she didn’t own anything worth stealing. Had it been a burglary or was it connected to these guys?

We want to talk first, he responded. Are you in pain?

Oh, right. He was talking about the injuries their friend had inflicted on her. The cuts from his claws and teeth stung but she didn’t think it was too bad. Her foot hurt from the cut, her face had taken some whips from branches, and she’d probably have some bruises along her ribs. Her pufferfish PJs were navy so she couldn’t see how much blood there was, but the teeth around her throat hadn’t gone too deep. She’d survive.

We’ll get you cleaned up as soon as we get back to our house, the wolf added.

Or let me go home and I’ll clean myself up. When he didn’t answer, she said, I don’t need your help.

Silence beat between them, and it was only broken by the thunder of the truck driving toward them.

She released a ragged sigh. Adrenaline and exhaustion blended to make her a jittery wreck.

Ethan threw a bundle of fabric out the window at Adam, and Penny could have cried with relief at the sight of a simple pair of gray track pants. A T-shirt would have been good too, but she’d take what she could get. She was just glad her captor was putting something on. It would make the whole situation slightly less terrifying.

At least that’s what she thought, but she hadn’t anticipated how sexy he would look. It hit her straight in the gut. Now she wasn’t so focused on not looking at him, even in the darkness, she could see how strongly built he was.

She wasn’t aware she was staring at his body until her concentration was broken. In a swoop of movement, the wolfman lifted her back into his arms and carried her to the truck. He didn’t place her inside like she thought he would. Instead, he climbed in, settling her on his lap.

What the hell…?

She didn’t sign up for this. In the lap of a sexy man she didn’t know, only the layers of thin cotton between them. No no. This was too much for her. She was a virgin for God’s sake. This was as close to a nearly-naked man as she had ever been, and she’d had no choice in the matter. She squirmed for escape, but the man holding her grunted and tightened his arms around her.

I’d stop doing that if I were you, Adam growled, and when she felt a hardness growing against her butt, she froze.

Was that what she thought it was? Was this guy… turned on?

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. She launched forward, but with nowhere to go, he imprisoned her easily.

Ethan set the vehicle moving forward. Adam’s scowl was unwavering.

Let me out of this truck, she ordered. Now! This was the kind of situation where you had to demand stuff.

Calm down, female, Ethan said, taking the truck over rough terrain. We’re not going to hurt you.

Calm down? Calm down? When she was bouncing about in the lap of some topless, horny man. Not freakin’ likely.

You calm down, she snapped. You’re not being kidnapped.

Ethan darted his gaze from the track to her, and then replied, Neither are you.

And yet, I said let me out the truck, and you ignored me. Sounds like kidnapping to me.

The man whose lap she was perched on, said, We saved you from Dom.

You mean your friend who attacked me? Maybe you shouldn’t be buddies with violent men who attack random women.

You were trespassing on our land, Ethan said. It’s not as if every person in the world doesn’t understand the consequences of that.

She didn’t know where her courage came from, but she couldn’t stop answering back, even if it meant she would get eaten by wolves. Her fear was overridden by her temper.

Do you think I just felt like a run in my pajamas, without shoes or clothes, or do you think there was a reason?

What was the reason? Ethan asked.

She glared at him. Oh, now he wanted to know. Now they were mid-abduction.

Let’s save it, Adam said, until we get home. We’ll talk about it there.

Ethan turned his gaze from the track they were on to look at Adam and something passed between them. She didn’t know what – it was a silent exchange – and then Ethan returned his attention to the road.

They pulled up outside a one-level white house. There was no garden, no driveway, just a cottage in the middle of the countryside. She couldn’t say it had a particularly homey feel to it because, with the trees behind it, the vibe she got was creepy. They needed to plant flowers or something. Maybe fairy lights. A porch swing. Anything to make it look more friendly than an abandoned building in the middle of nowhere.

Ethan got out first and he circled the front of the truck. The door on Penny’s side opened, and she was passed from one kidnapper to the other.

Ethan was as strong as Adam, holding her with ease.

Hi, he said, as he carried her to the house, and up the wooden steps to the front door. How’re you doing?

Was he serious? I’ve been better, she snapped her reply.

We’ll take you home in the morning, he said. We’re not planning to lock you up or anything like that.

Was that supposed to be a comfort. I want to go now. She had work in the freaking morning, and she didn’t think her boss would believe her if she called in with this story.

Soon.

Stubborn man. You don’t have to carry me everywhere.

Saving your feet. They look pretty cut up.

She didn’t know whether to believe him. Was it really for her benefit that they carried her?

They didn’t turn a light on as she was carted through a dark house, and only when they reached the living room and she was lowered onto a gray sofa, did they flick a light switch, giving her the first proper look at the two wolfmen who had stolen her away.

Both tall, both muscular, that she’d already known, but Adam was dark, with a smooth jaw, wild eyes, and a scowl, whereas Ethan’s hair was lighter, with blue eyes and his lips curved in a devastating smile of sensual promise.

Even with their contrasting appearance, there were enough similarities to show they were related. Brothers, or cousins at least, but the other thing they had in common was that they were both the most gorgeous men she’d seen in her life.

And they were looking at her like she was their next meal.

Chapter Three

Ethan was stunned by the female sitting on his sofa and glaring at him. Not just because she was beautiful, which she was with her cute round face and smooth pale skin that enticed him to stroke. Her cuteness transformed to damn temptation with the full lips and the flush to her cheeks. Ethan wasn’t sure he was strong enough to resist her. He’d never seen a face as open as hers. She wouldn’t be able to hide a single emotion from them, and he liked that. He liked that there would be no games, no dishonesty.

Sitting there with her curvy body barely contained in her tiny pajamas, and her brown hair braided messily with strands falling loose around her face. Her small hands were fisted at her sides as she stared at them with fury, all traces of the fear he had seen earlier gone.

His brother stood at Ethan’s side with his arms folded over his chest. In a deep voice that barely contained his wolf, Adam said, Take off your top.

The fear returned in flash, her eyes widening. Ethan could see what was about to happen, so when she bolted for the door on wobbly legs and bleeding feet, he got there before her. Banding his arm around her waist, he stopped her, but he fought the urge to hold her flush against him. Scaring her more was the last thing he wanted.

Let me go, she shrieked. I’ll die before you rape me.

Whoa! Adam’s head jerked in their direction, shock hitting him like a punch. Ethan knew it was a misunderstanding, but the realization had just struck Adam.

He didn’t mean it like that, Ethan explained, content just to hold her. We’re not going to hurt you.

Her nails dug into his hand, but they weren’t sharp enough to cause damage, however, when she started to tremble against him, he led her back to the sofa.

I promise, he said and then repeated, We are not going to hurt you. Neither of us.

As she perched on the edge of the cushion her stark eyes turned to Adam. You have to promise too, she said.

Adam gulped and Ethan knew that the thought of hurting her had the same impact on his brother as it did Ethan. It brought up bile in his throat.

I promise, Adam replied without hesitation.

Then why did you say that? Her bottom lip trembled, and Ethan had to bite back a groan. If she cried his wolf would go insane. He was close to it from the threat of tears.

Poor Adam looked worse for being the one to scare her. His face was pale, he was shaking his head.

I didn’t mean it like that, he rushed to explain. I just want to check the injuries that Dom gave you.

She sniffed wetly. Really?

I promise, he said again.

Oh, She rubbed her nose and sniffed again.

Maybe if we put T-shirts on, Ethan suggested, and then to soothe her fears, he offered, We can get you something that’ll give you a bit more cover too.

She looked down at her outfit, tugging futilely at her shorts, and Ethan followed her gaze. Goddamn, she was sexy. He wanted to sweep his hands over every soft curve. To squeeze and caress her voluptuous shape.

Relief made her visibly sag. Thank you, yes.

You’re safe here, Ethan told her. And we will take you home when we’ve checked you over and got some answers.

She nodded stiffly. She was still wary of them, but at least the terror had eased.

I’ll get her clothes, Adam said, and then he stomped from the room, his spine rigid, his face set in a scowl.

Ethan crouched in front of the female, his hands flat against the cushion on either side of her thighs, close to her, but not touching. She was pretty and she smelled so good that he had to rein in his wolf with savage control. The curve between her neck and shoulder was a brutal enticement. Fuck, every part of her was. He was already enamored by her. Not just her beauty but her spirit as well.

My name’s Ethan Roan, he told her, and then he jerked his head at the doorway his brother had just gone through. That’s my brother Adam. We’re wolf shifters and this is our land, our home. He was aware that she knew all this, but he wanted to make things crystal fucking clear so that when they told her she was their mate there was no misunderstanding about what that meant. If you need anything, you only have to ask.

She didn’t hesitate. First thing she asked was, When can I go?

We’ll take you home soon. Even if he wanted her to stay forever. She wasn’t their prisoner, despite what she believed.

You don’t have to take me. I can go myself.

Ethan was shaking his head before she’d even finished talking. You can’t. This is shifter land, and nobody here knows you. You can’t wander through unsupervised. Not yet. That was why they used one of the pack’s communal trucks. Easier to drive through and avoid packmates than to explain who she was and why she was there. Besides, you can’t walk that far with your sore feet?

She didn’t acknowledge that last part. But you’ll let me go soon?

He nodded. I promise.

She breathed in deeply, her eyes darting everywhere, and he noted that she was reluctant to look at him. She had been since they’d met. He hoped it was because she was fighting attraction, and not because she was intimidated by his size or his bare chest. He didn’t want to push it though, so he rose to his full height and stepped back.

I’ll be back in a few minutes.

Her eyes darted to the front door, but she showed no other signs of fleeing, and if he didn’t show faith in her, if he insisted on watching her every second, then it was exactly like she was their captive.

He crossed Adam in the hallway. His brother’s brow was furrowed, and he’d pulled on a plain white undershirt. He had a green first aid kit tucked under his arm and a gray hoodie clutched in his hand. His hair was disheveled, a sure sign that Adam had run his hand through it.

You okay? Ethan asked.

Adam gave a sharp growl, and then he looked at Ethan through eyes that glinted with the wolf’s presence. I scared her.

She’s fine.

I scared her, he repeated angrily.

Go in there, Ethan said, Talk to her. Adam nodded stiffly but as he started to walk away, Ethan stopped him, grabbing his arm. I don’t think we should tell her she’s our mate yet. We need to give her time.

That chased away Adam’s surly expression. You want to entice her?

Yeah, he replied. So to speak.

I agree. We need to win her over.

Ethan smiled. You get started with that while I throw on a T-shirt. He heard the deep hum of his brother’s voice as he closed the door to his bedroom. He wanted to give Adam time to make amends for terrifying her. Not only for her but for Adam too, because he would let the guilt eat at him as self-punishment for putting that fear in her.

His brother thought he was tough, but Ethan had already seen Adam softening for the female who was meant to be theirs. Their sweet mate was going to wrap his tough, surly brother around her little finger. Ethan couldn’t wait to see it.

Chapter Four

Penny had gone from terrified to angry, to scared, to furious, to annoyed to panicked, and somehow, she’d ended up at numb.

No, maybe not quite numb, but wary. Whatever it was, she was calmer than she expected she would be. Maybe this was shock. She’d been through a lot in one night.

She didn’t look up when Adam walked back into the living room, and she didn’t question how she knew it was him without looking. He must have particular-sounding footsteps.

She only dared a glance when he sat down beside her on the sofa. She was relieved to see he was dressed, but if she thought having his nudity covered would ease his attractiveness, she was painfully mistaken.

His huge arms gave her visions of holding onto his biceps as his muscled body moved over hers, and his feet being bare was the oddest intimacy. Like she was seeing him in a vulnerable, relaxed state.

Oh, God, what was wrong with her?

Her throat was suddenly dry, and she wished there was a subtle way to fan her hot face without betraying her desire for him. Why did he have to be so wildly sexy? Her body had never betrayed her like this before. Usually, it was the other way around.

She’d wanted to feel attraction before, but her senses were stone for every guy who asked her out, and she’d persevered a couple of times, but when kisses turned her cold, she always stopped.

Now, it was like a flame had ignited in her belly. Her nipples tightened, making her sit with her arms folded over her chest, and the place between her legs had turned liquid.

She wished she was wearing longer shorts. The last thing she wanted was for these men to get a look at something they shouldn’t be seeing.

As if he read her mind, the wolfman sitting beside her handed her a bundle of cotton.

A hoodie.

That’s all we’ve got. I’m not really a robe kinda guy.

This is perfect, she said, standing to pull it on.

Before she could, Adam said, Wait. She paused, and he pulled out a green plastic box. I need to check the damage Dom did to you.

Oh, it’s fine, she replied. She wasn’t taking her top off.

I need to check. She opened her mouth to argue, but he added, I’m not asking you to remove anything. Just show me the wounds that are bleeding.

Pressing her lips together, she sat back down clutching the hoodie on her lap. Okay.

Adam slid off the sofa, taking a crouched position in front of her, the same as Ethan had earlier, then he cracked open the plastic case to reveal first aid supplies.

He pinched the hem of her top between his fingers but before he lifted it, his eyes met hers. What’s your name? he asked.

Penny. Her voice was barely a whisper. Penny McCall.

A stiff nod and he lifted the side of her top.

She knew the wounds inflicted by the wolf’s claws weren’t disastrous, but they stung like a son of a bitch, and she suspected that she’d come out of her encounter with bruises.

She held his hoodie in front of her like a security blanket. His warm breath against her side was a sensuality that she wasn’t prepared for. She lowered her head and tried to keep her own breathing steady. It shouldn’t have been erotic, except a sexy man, one for whom her body had awakened, was touching a part of her that was usually hidden under clothing. It was a part of her that she couldn’t recall ever being stroked, skin to skin by another.

Not that he was caressing her in an inappropriate way. His touches were fast and efficient, so why was it affecting her?

She heaved a sigh of relief when he lowered her top, but before she could relax, he moved onto the other side.

You’re doing good, Adam said, and his deep, growly voice made her hunger worse. What was happening to her? Why was it taking all her willpower to stop herself from lunging forward and planting her mouth on his? He was a stranger for God’s sake. One, who minutes ago, she’d been trying to run away from. Are you okay? he asked when she squeezed her eyes shut.

Yes, she replied, tightly.

I’m nearly done.

Thank God and thank God the other wolfman hadn’t come into the room. Bad enough having these feelings for one guy, but it was completely freaking her out that she was attracted to both.

She’d heard that ménage relationships were common in the shifter community, but she wasn’t a shifter. She was human, and besides one erection, they’d shown no real signs of wanting her in the same way. That erection could have been a reaction to having a woman in his lap. Any woman. It could just be nature.

Which was why his hands on her were such a frustrating pleasure.

The other side of her top was lowered and then Adam paused, moving back.

Right, Adam said, Last one. He leaned forward, moving his face close to hers. Her heart stopped, and for a second, she thought he was going to kiss her, but then he lowered his eyes to her throat.

She didn’t know if she was relieved or disappointed.

He inhaled deeply, and then started to dab at the bite marks on her throat. His expression grew darker by the second, and she sensed fire in his anger. She didn’t know what made her do it, it was as if her body reacted without conscious thought, but she released her grip on the hoodie and placed her hand on his upper arm. It was solid muscle, and at her touch, his gaze shot upward to clash with hers.

A rumble worked its way through his throat, and he edged closer. His nose swept over the rapidly beating pulse in her throat and he inhaled.

Penny’s chest heaved, her breaths sharp. She parted her lips.

Without warning, the rumble cut off and Adam jerked back, putting distance between them. Cold air weaved around her that before had been heated by his body.

What just happened? He’d been close and now there was too much space.

One minute she’d been leaning into him, goosebumps covering her flesh at his touch. For just a moment she’d fallen lost in their contact, of his smooth jaw against her skin, and then he was gone.

Adam rose to his full height, towering over her, and she peered up from beneath her lashes. His dark eyes were blank, and his spine was rigidly straight, but as he stared at her, his hands curled into fists.

Feeling awkward in her pajamas, she pulled on the gray hoodie, zipping it up to her neck. It reached just above her knees, covering more of her than some of her dresses.

Without a word, Adam turned and stalked from the room, leaving her confused and dumbfounded, sitting on the edge of the sofa, her hands clasped in her lap, and her feet still burning from her run through the woods.

Ethan headed out to meet Adam in the hallway when he heard him come out of the living room. Where are you going? he asked.

I need a minute, his brother replied roughly. The wolf was rising, making himself known in Adam’s eyes and in his voice.

Everything okay? Ethan asked concerned. He’d left them alone and deliberately not eavesdropped because he wanted to give them time together. It was going to be difficult to get his brother to open up, and he was trying to give them a head start.

Adam growled. I need a minute, he repeated, sharply.

Did something happen? Ethan frowned.

Through a tight jaw, Adam replied, You’ll understand when you go in there. He scrubbed his hand over his face and said, I need to get my shit together. Get a hold on my wolf. If winning her over is still the plan, I need some space between us, because I’m ready to get her body flush up against mine.

Fair enough, Ethan said. "See you