Chapter 13

Ayla POV

Everything felt a bit heavier since taking my body back from Alune, like she was constantly there, pushing at my walls, looking for a way in. I won’t let it happen again, though, this is my body, and I control it; I will say when she has any access, if at all. I know how important her work is and how I fit into the greater plan of things, but that does not mean she gets to do as she pleases with me in the process.

I wouldn’t admit it to Axel and Aiden, but it affected me when Alune took control. Watching my mates in that way but knowing it wasn’t really me just made me feel icky. Even though it was still my body, and they were fighting her back too. I don’t know; it just didn’t feel nice.

Axel had been busying himself running here and everywhere, trying to make sure we had everything in place and ready for when Aleena and Michael got back; goddess knows when that would be, they have been gone almost the whole day so far. The moon had risen, and the hour was late already, yet I refused to leave this room.

Sitting on the armchair next to Archer’s bed, my legs pulled up under me; I wrapped my arms around my knees. I was exhausted, but there was no way I was going to sleep yet. Every time my eyes would drop and my head dip forward, my hair would tickle my nose waking me up again and feeling like spiders crawling on my face.

Aiden had barely left my side all day; it was like he had to make sure it was me one hundred per cent of the time. He had run to my room for me when I asked for a change of clothes. I felt freezing, and nothing was better than snuggly socks and fleecy joggers when you are cold, oh and don’t forget your boyfriend’s hoodie. The best thing was I had three, so I had plenty of choices when it came to the boyfriend smell to snuggle up to.

“What you thinking about?” Aiden’s voice broke through the fog that clouded my mind.

“Nothing much, just willing the time to hurry up until the others get back; I’m worried”, I replied, slowly lifting my eyes to meet his.

“How can I help?” he asked, genuine concern marring his gorgeous face.

He looked exhausted; two dark circles adorned his face under each eye. He still looked incredible, of course. I guess being able to manipulate the shadows played a part in that. The night was his friend and always would be.

Shifting in my seat, I get comfy, needing to study my man’s face, body, and everything closer. A sexy smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and his emerald eyes shone with mischief, he was doing the same to me, and I suddenly felt naked.

“So, what are you thinking about now” his voice was husky, and my face flushed. Lifting his left hand, he ran his fingers over his jaw and chuckled, never taking his eyes off mine. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he loved how it affected me.

“Do I need to answer that” I mutter, knowing he could hear me and not trusting my voice to go any louder.

“You look cold; why don’t you let me help you with that” he sat back in his chair, patted his knee with one hand, and ran the other through his jet-black hair.

The way he never took his eyes off me was intense yet stupidly hot. I didn’t feel cold anymore; the sheer look he was giving me sent my body into overdrive. It was like every hair on my body stood up, and electric shocks ran over the surface of my skin. My breathing felt thick, and I couldn’t keep my mind from racing. Which only fuelled Aiden more. He could hear my thoughts, and he loved the power he held over me.

“I’m waiting”, he growled, lifting one finger and beckoning me over. How the hell am I meant to refuse that?

Standing on shaking legs and taking a deep breath, I move across the room, stopping right in front of him; I wasn’t going to blindly do what he wanted just because he asked me to, even if it took everything for me to hold myself back.

“We are playing that game, are we” he leaned further into his chair, laying his arm over his lap and smiled at me devilishly. I knew I wouldn’t win, but I didn’t care. I loved teasing him and getting my way. But I knew one of these days he was going to get his way with me, and part of me was exhilarated by it, the other slightly scared.

The casual way his body filled the chair and the way he demanded my attention blew my mind. He could have anyone; I don’t think I would ever get my head around it.

“I only want you” his rough voice filled my head; I gasped, not ready for it. I honestly thought I had my walls high enough so I would be alone with my thoughts.

“I’ll always get in when you’re thinking like that” his hand trailed up my arm, leaving a line of goosebumps where his fingers had been. My eyes snapped to his hands, needing to watch every move he made as if that meant I had any measure of control.

“Thoughts like what” I replied, trying for sexy but only really achieving nervousness.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, sweetheart”, he growled, and I’m sure I saw Blaze behind his hooded eyes.

Reaching forward with my pulse humming in my ears. I place my hands on the arms of his chair. He pinned me in place with his stare alone. My body ached for him to touch me again. Anywhere would do. I just needed to feel his skin on mine, and my lips were desperate for his to slam into them, claim them like they had done so many times be for lately.

Aiden controlled every aspect of this moment, I was a prisoner to him right then, and in all honesty, I didn’t care. He shifted his forehead to mine, his throat bobbing up and down, the only sign he was thick with desire as much as I was.

The soft sound of the door clicking open and shutting just as quickly was the only warning I got before I felt Axel’s hands on my hips.

“I heard your thoughts too, princess! I’m not prepared to ignore them this time, even if you’re in the capable hands of my brother,” his voice husky in my ear.

I was fucked; I had Aiden, the dark-haired god-like man, in front of me and Axel – so similar in every way to his brother; the only difference was his eyes and the silver in his hair – behind me. I was trapped in the sexiest predicament ever!

“Ayla here, looked cold brother, so I thought I could fix that for her; two of us are definitely better than one, wouldn’t you say,” Aiden told Axel, a wicked grin crept onto his face.

“I see; well, I’m sure we can do something about that”, Axel replies, his fingers brushing over the sensitive skin of my neck. Moving my hair over my shoulder, granting him access to lay kisses on my neck and collarbone.

My heart slammed into my ribcage as his hot lips left burning trails over my body. I was lost to these men; there was no saving me; I didn’t even want to be.

“Look at me, don’t turn your head and don’t close your eyes” Aiden’s voice was barely a whisper yet still demanded I obey him.

My breath shook as I trained my eyes on his. Every hair on my body stood on end as his fingers trailed up my hip, onto my waist, and under my top.

“I don’t feel cold anymore”, I stammered, feeling like a complete idiot. Both brothers quietly laugh as they hear my loss of control.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Ayla; we will never force you into anything you’re not ready for”, Axel whispered next to my ear.

“I know, and I want this, I swear” I blushed the deepest shade of red.

“So do we”, Aiden mumbled, his hand skimming the bottom of my bra, fingers dangerously close to the tender skin of my breast underneath. My need grew with every stroke of his thumb as it inched over the lacy material. All the while, Axel was behind me, kissing my neck, his hand resting gently on my throat to keep me where he wanted me.

I was totally and completely in love with these men; there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them within a shadow of a doubt. And right now, they control my very core. My body screamed out for their touch in all the right places. Aiden’s free arm snaked around my waist whilst his left one cupped my breast, constantly teasing me with his thumb and forefinger. Axel still held my throat with one hand and gripped my hip tightly with the other; his lips never left my skin.

Lost in the feeling of my mates all over my body, I gave into the desire, letting my eyes close, and my breaths became quicker. A sound left my lips that I thought was meant to be a moan but sounded more like a growl; Bria was enjoying this as much as I was.

Allowing myself to sink into the feeling of every sensation racing through my body, I didn’t hear when the door opened; I had no warning.

“ What on earth is going on here” Laura’s voice slammed into my ears, like a being hit head-on by a truck.

“Laura!” I shout as I try to scramble out of my mate’s arms. I was so wrapped up in them that it wasn’t easy to do.

“It’s bad enough that you have more than one mate as it is, but to be in here getting up to disgusting orgies like this whilst one of your mates lay dying, no doubt”, she all but screamed at me, I could see her physically shaking, her fists clenched so tightly, her knuckles had turned white. “don’t you think we have enough going on without you indulging in this stupid charade Ayla, you are meant to be helping with pack issues, but right now all you seem to do is create them”

“That’s enough”, Axel growled at my Luna as I stood dumbstruck staring at her.

“Excuse me, whom do you think your talking to” Laura lifted her chin as she spoke, showing her superiority.

“With all due respect Luna Laura, you should be thinking that yourself, Ayla is an exalted and higher than a Luna, so whom do you think you are speaking to in such a way” Aiden stared her down, never blinking as he looked the Luna in the eye.

His arm was still around my waist even though my fingers dug into his arm with such force I know I was leaving marks; I wasn’t sure if it was to get him to let me go or if it was to make sure he held on tighter.

“I can’t believe this. First, we take you in as a baby, give you the life you would never have had, then you bring chaos to our pack, causing Michael to run off on so-called errands with that elf he has always been obsessed with, and now this kind of disrespectful behaviour in my house! I’m sorry, I don’t care who you are. You don’t come in my house and start throwing your weight around; just because Michael is entertaining the idea of this three-mate thing does not mean I do, and if I have any say in it, they will be gone, and if that means you go too, then so be it” she spat the last words before turning and slamming the door shut.

“Say the word babe, and I’ll rip her fucking head off”, Axel growled, but Ace was in his eyes, he had a fiery temper when angry, and right now, Luna Laura had insulted his mate, his queen, his everything and he was not going to let that stand.

“Not now, brother,” Aiden spoke, stopping his brother and never looking away from me. His eyes were trained on mine, but I wasn’t looking at him.

I watched the door that had been slammed in our faces by the only mother I had ever known. I knew she favoured Mason; he was her only biological child after all, but I thought she at least cared for me. Michael did; I guess I was wrong to think the same of his wife. My heart hurt for the wound she had just placed there. The utter mortification of being caught in such a compromising position was at bay at the moment, but I knew it would rear its ugly head sooner or later.

“Ayla” Aiden cupped my cheek with his free hand. Slowly I tore my eyes from the door to look at him, the concern on his face was all it took for my emotions to crash to the surface, and tears ran rivers over my cheeks. Never had I thought the approval of the Luna meant so much to me, but now I didn’t have it, I was crushed.

“What will Michael think of me now” I sobbed and strong arms wrapped me up in a tight hug.

“The Alpha loves you, sweetheart, never doubt that” Aiden kissed my temple as he finished speaking.

I allowed him to hold me close, and the tears fell from my eyes, soaking into his top.

“We will get Archer back, and then we will deal with this” I knew Axel meant it, and I hoped we could, but sadly something felt so final.

“Laura doesn’t want me here; maybe she never did.”