Chapter 17: Jericho

I felt Ash and Deke just behind me. 

"I suggest you forget you even saw us or know who Zoey is before an unfortunate accident happens." Ash's voice was cold as ice.

I put a little more pressure on his hand, and he yelled.

"Ok ok. She was never here, and neither were you."

"Let him go Jer."

I gave a low growl but did as Ash said. 

"You ok, Jer? Usually, it would be me being the one doing the hurting. You're usually the 'smooth things over' type." Deke sounded concerned. "Do you need a minute?"

"Yeah. I don't know what happened. I just snapped. He was touching her, touching her tits, trying to blackmail her into sucking him off at the very least. I didn't think, I just reacted."

"And this is why you are my Beta. While you are more diplomatic than Deke most days, this need to protect is what makes you formidable. That and, like Deke, you're cold-blooded enough to kill if the situation calls for it. Most people underestimate you since you are so easy-going." 

"Thanks Ash. I'm sorry for not thinking first and for putting us in this position."

"It's all good my friend. You just got there before we did. Honestly, this trash would have been hurting a lot more if Deke or I had gotten there first. He's lucky it was you instead."

"Fuck." The sleaze in front of us rubbed his wrist as he got to his feet. He glared and tried to look intimidating, which failed miserably. "You're gonna pay for this. Just who the fuck to do you pricks think you are?"

"The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma of the Silver Moon pack. We own this town and we are not men to be trifled with. If you want to keep living in our town, or still living period, I suggest you scuttle back to whatever rock you crawled from under." Ash gestured to Deke who was flexing his muscles in anger. "That is, unless you want to have a private… discussion…. with my Gamma here? I'm sure he would be more than happy to go over some things with you on how to treat your tenants and women in general."

"Nah man. I'm good. We're good. You weren't here, she was never here. I don't know her or you, never saw any of you. No need to discuss anything."

With scared eyes and fear rolling off him, he turned and ran down the stairs, almost tripping and falling face first down them in his hurry to get away from us.

"Holy shit Jer… I think that was one of the hottest things I've ever seen."

Zoey's voice made me jump slightly as I had been so focused on that jerk of a landlord. I looked at her and saw the awe and heat in her eyes. I gave her a twisted smirk.

"Oh really?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Oh yeah. There is just something about you guys getting violent and all dominant that just gets me. Not to mention those deep, sexy as fuck growls you guys do. Men like you should be illegal you're so hot."

I threw back my head and laughed. I felt pride and amusement along with a healthy dose of lust bouncing around in our bond. Her words affected us all.

"So, you like your men dominant, do you? Does that make you a good little girl?"

She tilted her head and looked at all of us seriously.

"Ya know what? Yeah, I think it does. I always figured that if I ever found someone special he would be softer and not controlling. But you guys balance the soft and the hard, the kind and controlling, perfectly. Oh! By the way, can we stop at Walmart on the way home?"

Ash grimaced at her. "Why the fuck do you want to go there?"

Zoey started to walk down the stairs before looking over her shoulder at us. She gave us a grin that I swear had my mouth watering and wanting to taste the devil on her lips. 

"I need to buy more panties since being around you three makes them drown several times a day. I need extras cause the four pairs I've got just aren't gonna make it."

Fuck! I swallowed hard. Goddess, I don't think I've ever been this hard before in my life. I wanted so much in that moment. I wanted to feel how wet she was for myself, lick her pussy clean, and pull her over my lap and spank that perfect ass for giving that sexy smirk as she walked away from us, knowing what she just did to us. 

"Fuck. Me. Running. That girl is gonna kill us before we get the chance to claim her." Ash gave us a wry look. "I don't know about you guys, but I don't think I've ever jerked off as much as I have since we met her."

Deke snorted. "Same. I think we all need to buy some large bottles of lube or lotion or something if we are gonna survive waiting for her to accept us. That or we're gonna blue ball like hell."

I laughed and adjusted myself as we headed down the stairs after Zoey. We came out the building door to see her standing by the truck looking anxious and a little scared. 

"What's up, baby girl?"

She cocked her eyebrow at me.

"Baby girl?"

I felt my face turn red as I nodded. Fuck. It had just slipped out. She gave me an amused look before her smile fell from her face and she looked around. 

"Someone was here. And they left us… well, me…. a note. Not gonna lie. I'm freaking out a little right now." 

She held out a piece of paper and I frowned as I took it from her and unfolded it. Deke and Ash were looking over my shoulder.

"What the ever-loving fucking hell is that?" Deke sounded furious.

I felt my temper rise as I read the note.

"Watch your back, bitch. Because you're mine." I bared my teeth. "Who the fuck would leave something like this?"

Zoey shivered and I watched as Ash took her in his arms and held her tight. 

"I try to keep a pretty low profile. The only person I can think of that might be pissed off like that is that guy from the party." She looked scared. "But how did he find me? Is he following me?" 

 Her fear scent was strong, and it was driving me crazy, and not in a good way. 

"I don't know, love. But I'm gonna find out. You're safe with us. I think in the short term if you need to leave the house, make sure you take someone with you. One of us is best but if we aren't around, make sure you take a friend you trust like Sasha who can call 911 if something bad happens."

Zoey gave a sigh and stepped away from Ash and came over to me and wrapped her arms around me, resting her forehead against my chest. 

"Why is my luck always shit? I don't hurt anyone. I don't bother anyone. I just want to live in peace."

I felt her shoulders shake as she started to cry, and her tears started to soak through my shirt. I held her tightly to me and rested my cheek on the top of her head. 

"Please don't cry, love. It breaks my heart. I can't bear to see you cry." I tilted her head up so her eyes met mine. Gently I wiped her tears away and kissed her lips. I felt her relax and melt against me.

"Mmmm, I love your sweet kisses. Don't get me wrong, I love it when you guys kiss me like you can't live without me, but I love your soft, sweet kisses too. They make me feel safe and wanted."

Deke came closer and I let her go to him. He held her close and gave her a slow soft kiss too. He gave a grin as Ash took her back in his arms and kissed her gently. Her eyes were dazed and shining like stars as she licked her lips.

"If you guys are trying to get me to like you, you're doing a damn fine job."

I laughed and it seemed to break the tension we all felt after the note. We climbed into the truck and Zoey cuddled up against my side. I felt her start to doze as we headed back to our side of town. 

"Ash… she's almost asleep. Let's do the clothes shopping later this afternoon. She was up pretty early to cook and I'm sure that note shook her up. She's been through a lot since yesterday."

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'm gonna make some calls and have an investigation done on that landlord just to be thorough and do a deep dive into Wilmington's life and financials. When we hired them, I focused on the business and the father and didn't look into the son at all. My gut tells me he's behind the note. I don't think that sleaze at the apartment is that brave to do something like that."

"I wish I'd thrown him farther. Maybe he would've landed on his head. I'm gonna put out some feelers of my own. Check with the local muscle. No offense Ash, but I can get more info from the less savory elements here in town than you can."

I smirked. "Yeah, Ash. You're too much of a good boy to play with the dirty side of town." I snickered at his eye roll. "I'm gonna make some calls myself. We need to amp up the security at the house and I'll get someone to shadow her and see if they can catch who's watching her."

"Won't that freak her out though? Having two people following her?"

"That's the beauty of it, Ash. With our tail, she'll know who they are and what they're doing. I think it will help her feel safer. I just wish there was a way to keep her close to us all day. But we have to go to the office or work doesn't get done."

Deke gave me a grin. "Lord knows what would happen if we took her with us. Not only would we be walking around with our dicks hard all day, but I think the temptation to bend her over the desk would prove to be too much to resist."

I gave a low groan. "Fuck you Deke. Now that's all I can think about, and my cock was hard enough already." It was payback time. "Can't you just imagine it though, Deke? Her bent over your desk, her skirt up around her waist and that amazing ass and pussy bared for you. Her arousal perfuming the air and her juices running down her thighs with how hot she is for you. Hearing her moans and screams as you fuck her hard for the whole office to hear as you claim your mate."

I felt the sheer need and lust roll through our bond from both Deke and Ash. My cock was rock hard and straining my pants again and I knew they were in the same boat now.

"God damn the both of you. How am I supposed to concentrate on the road when all the blood in my body is in my fucking cock! We can't do that yet but fuck, that scene is definitely going on our bucket list of places to fuck our mate. And just think of how much fun we could get up to with the large conference table. We could spread her out on that table as a feast for us to taste and take."

"Goddess, we're all assholes. Think she would freak out if she woke up while I rub one out right here in the backseat?" 

"Damnit Jer, don't you fucking dare. Cause if she does wake up and decides to join in then I can't join too because someone has to fucking drive."

I shook with silent laughter. I wanted to laugh out loud, but I didn't want to wake Zoey. I looked down at her with a look on my face that I knew I couldn't let her see yet. A look so full of love and want. She wasn't ready to know just how much she meant to me. How much I was already in love with her. I gently ghosted my fingers across her cheek and pulled her closer.

I felt my friend's startlement.

"Already Jer?"

"Already what Ash?"

"Already in love with her that much?"

I looked into Ash's eyes in the mirror.

"Yes. She just… fits. She's everything I've ever wanted in a woman and a mate. It kills me how much she has been through. All the things we take for granted that she's never had. Like a home. New clothes. Even just a fucking bed. I want to give her everything she could ever want and not see her struggle or hurt anymore. I want to see her smile every day. And to NEVER ever hear her ask for a quick death, or any death, ever fucking again. It kills me to even think of her dying."

I felt Deke put his hand on my shoulder and squeeze.

"I couldn't have said that better myself. You aren't alone in loving her that much. I do too, and so does Ash. Let's get our girl home. I want to run her a bubble bath when she wakes up. I saw that sorry excuse for a bathroom she had there. And I'm betting our girl hasn't had a bubble bath before in her life. It's going to be exciting giving her all these firsts for her life. Even beyond the sexual ones. Just to see her light up and find joy in life."

"Amen to that Deke." Ash gave us both a smile as we pulled into the drive. "I couldn't agree more."