Finding Home: Wolves of Wet Waterfalls

By Lulu M. Sylvian

Everything is changing so fast, except my rate of healing. I would really like to be able to walk around in regular clothes. These open-back hospital gowns are a little too cold up the backside. I'd give my left pinkie toe for some warm cotton panties. Oh, wait I have, so where are my panties? The guys keep repeating, "We are pack," like some kind of cult mantra. It tickles when they say it against my skin. The FBI wants to use me as some kind of fishing lure to catch the bad guy. I'm game if it means I can finally ditch the whole hospitalized patient get up. I'm really tired of being hooked up to an IV. Also, I really want the good guys to catch the evil known as my ex-boyfriend. I can't believe I thought I was in love with him. Max has gone AWOL and Gage has promised to keep me safe. I'm counting on him. Welcome to Wet Waterfalls, Wyoming, my new home town. I'm moving here, because monsters are real, doughnuts are magic, and I'm pretty sure my new boyfriend is a werewolf. Finding Home is the second in the sexy hot why choose/ poly romance trilogy of the Wolves of Wet Waterfalls

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu M. Sylvian
• Release date: May 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223762805

Book preview

1

Iwoke up after a night of the second best sex of my life with a large fluffy white wolf in my bed. When I had fallen asleep, he had been a very sexy, very muscular man. If that didn’t illustrate how bizarre and fucked up the past two and a half weeks of my life have been, I don’t know what would. My very ex-boyfriend took me on a romantic getaway which turned into a kidnapping that I managed to save myself from. During my escape I caused severe damage to my feet, resulting in losing a toe to frostbite, falling into the company of a group of the world’s sexiest men, and discovering that one of my best friends is a witch. Oh, and it turned out the ex might be a demon, and he was definitely a serial killer.

I snuggled my face into the wolf’s fluffy ruff and took a ragged breath. I didn’t want to cry.

I love you, Max.

In return, I got a whiney growl. Nice.

Good morning, Doggo?

He thumped his tail on the bed and squirmed until I lifted my face away from him.

I got a face full of doggy breath, and a drooly lick. I shoved on his vast body. Get out of my bed you big phony.

He rolled off the bed, and with the agility of a cat, landed on his feet. Had he merely been a big dog, there would’ve been a definite thud, but he was wolf plus extra, and that extra gave him some additional skills. His paws were back up on the bed, and he gave me a big doggy grin before trotting out of my room.

I laughed. The gloom chased away by the big silly fluff.

Good morning. Gage’s gruff morning voice zinged through every cell in my body. He moved with stiffness as he came into my room and sat on the bed.

Two nights ago his back had been shredded by a demon that looked like a bear crossed with a bull. It had tried to take over Gage, but his magic protected him. All I knew was he claimed to be some kind of monster. Something very much like Max, but Gage’s power uses the full moon.

Was Max a wereperson? A wolfwere? A therewolf? I didn’t know what Max was—precisely. He was like a werewolf, but instead of being a man who shape-shifted into a wolf on the full moon, he was a man living as a wolf who returned to human form on the new moon. I didn’t know how all of it happened, and I only believed them because yesterday Max was a tall, gorgeous man, complete with hard muscles, gloriously shaggy long hair, and a smile that could melt chocolate.

I watched him shift two days before that. And then he and Gage double-teamed me for the very definition of mind-blowing sex, which was beyond good, because I had fallen hard for Gage. It turns out I had fallen pretty damned hard for Max too. Last night with him had been pretty outstanding as well. Just him though. I’m not sure if that’s because Gage was injured or because Max had claimed me to mate first.

I still wasn’t keen on the whole claiming thing. When Gage tried to explain it the first time, I turned around and claimed him. Honestly, I still didn’t know what anything meant. Hell, it could all be a delusion brought on by pain medications, or I could be dying in the woods having escaped from my suddenly violent and abusive boyfriend Gordon. I’m pretty sure that part was real.

There wasn’t much I could do no matter the situation. I couldn’t walk on my feet, so I was on strict bed rest, and I was hooked up to an IV with some seriously heavy grade antibiotics. I also recently had the pinky toe on my left foot removed because of frostbite.

You okay? he asked. I figured he was asking if I was handling the fact that my new lover turned into a furry beast.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned against his lower back. It’s all kinds of weird, Gage. How much is real? How much is a dream?

He twisted, so I pressed my face into his hip. His fingers traced my jaw and then my shoulder. It was an awkward position, so he touched what he could reach. At least you didn’t say nightmare.

I rolled away and started to sit up. Even though his movements weren’t as fluid as they usually were, he moved with swiftness, gathering my extra pillows and helping me into a sitting position.

Nightmare? I huffed. There is no way I could ever call the other night a nightmare. Okay, maybe the whole demon thing is a bit freaky, but… I sighed and then shivered. Yeah, the memory of the sex and of him touching me was that good, so good.

Gage laughed. He leaned in for a kiss and said, I love you. And then his lips were on mine. I melted. Somewhere, there had to be a Bailey shaped mold I was continually re-poured into to return to my human shape because I was gooey around Gage most of the time. But I knew that wasn’t the case. If it were, I’d have my toe back.

His lips were soft and warm, and he poured everything he was into that kiss. Gage was a giver when it came to kissing. He gave me his strength, his passion, his intensity. He gave, and I was a greedy, selfish bitch and took. I held his head to me and sucked his tongue into my mouth to play with mine. I didn’t take simple little kisses from Gage, not when his mouth rendered me into a vibrating mass of nerves and need.

He growled low in his throat and pressed me back into all the pillows he had, five seconds ago, arranged so nicely. Pillows went flying as he drove me down to the mattress.

I loved the look on his face when he finally broke off the kiss. My heart pounded in my throat, and he had taken all of my breath. I reached up and toyed with the curl above his forehead. I could live here forever, just as we were, as long as he looked at me like that. His eyes were soft and had a happy gleam sparkling in them. The smallest smile played across his lips. And it somehow made me feel as if I were everything to him.

I instantly felt guilt over Max.

Hey. His voice was soft. We are pack. Everything is fine.

You say that, but I’m not pack, and I don’t know exactly how to manage these feelings, I confessed.

I knew I said the wrong thing when he left the bed and headed for the door.

I was surprised when he closed and locked the door instead of walking through it. He pulled his shirt off while he faced away from me. The claw marks across his shoulders glowed in angry red lines.

I blinked. Those had been raw and bleeding, and in serious need of stitches less than forty-eight hours ago. Now, they were healing and shrinking. They were still huge marks, and the skin pulled, but in comparison, they looked as if they had been made weeks, maybe months, ago and not a day ago.

Damn the man had wide shoulders and a broad chest. He also had a bit more chest hair than I thought I would ever be attracted to. It was curly and slightly more auburn that the chestnut hair on his head. The sheer quantity almost obscured the rock hard definition of his chest. The hair thinned out as I scanned down his body—no sexy little happy trail disappeared into his jeans. A fine dusting of body hair covered his abs. It wasn’t fair how hot he was.

I sucked in a sharp breath when I looked back into his face. His crystal green eyes now held something more aggressive in those depths than that look of love I saw moments before. He stalked back to the bed and was over me again. Do you love me? His voice was thick with emotion. I cringed because I thought I was hurting him over the Max situation. Bailey, do you love me?

I nodded my head and bit the inside of my cheek. I didn’t want to cry. I was in love with Gage, and yet everyone, including Gage, knew I had slept with Max last night. How was I supposed to live with that?

I’m so sorry, Gage, I barely whispered.

For what?

Max. His name was barely a breath. The guilt forced air from my chest like a pile of stones pressing me down.

Do you love him?

I nodded. It was hard to say anything with Gage’s eyes boring into me.

Then what’s the problem? Bailey, I love you. Max loves you. We are pack. We are yours.

But, I wasn’t loyal to you. Tears stung my eyes. I was in love with both of them. How was that going to work?

Because of Max? Gage rubbed his face against the side of mine. I think we need to clear something up. His voice sounded lighter, not laced with the anger I expected. Not drenched in hurt or pain. We are pack.

You keep saying that and I don’t know what you mean, I cried out, the need of him and the guilt over Max too much.

Gage nipped at my chin. Oh gods, what was he doing to me? I was confused, but my body didn’t care. My body seemed to know I belonged to this man.

There is no guilt or shame for being with any of us. We are honored you want to be with us.

You are speaking in the plural, Gage. I need simpler words. I need, ahhh—

He sucked a nipple into his mouth; my thin hospital gown offered no barrier between my skin and the warm wetness of his mouth.

You need me. His lips tickled as he spoke against my skin.

He was right. I needed him. Him making love to me right now was the only thing that would keep my brain from shattering under the confusion, guilt, and pressure of all the weird shit that was happening in my life. But my stupid mind would not let this go.

I gently pushed him back and started to sit up. When had he taken his jeans off? He was more than a bit distracting, kneeling on the end of the bed, ready to spring into action with one hell of an erection. I hiked my hospital gown up onto my shoulder. I wanted whatever meager protection I could have between us for the moment.

You and Max regularly share lovers? I needed to know where I stood with him.

He huffed, not quite a chuckle. A sexy half grin pulled at the side of his mouth. That was a first.

Excuse me? No way. You definitely knew what you were doing, that could not have… no.

Bailey, you inspired us. That’s all I can say. I have never shared a lover before.

What, not even a three-way with two girls? I couldn’t help but ask. Those were supposed to be fun. I wouldn’t know though, having never been invited to play before.

Gage shook his head.

And never again? Which would be a shame. I’d happily be the cheese in their sandwich again.

I wouldn’t say that. Bailey, we are pack now, and I take care of the pack. So, if that means I find myself in bed with you and Max, or you and one of the others, I won’t complain.

Wait up. You said others. What? Why was he complicating things?

We are pack. We are yours. He said that like some creepy cult mantra.

I covered my face. I wasn’t getting the message. The words he spoke and the meanings in my head didn’t mesh.

Gage, are you telling me you want an open relationship? I didn’t do open relationships. Either I was in a relationship, with no outside dating,