Three Fated Hearts by LNC novel Chapter 28

~Third Person~

Adela looks on, hidden by the branches of a tree. She's pleased with what she is seeing. Portia is going along with everything much easier than she originally thought. She figured it would take a lot of persuading to get her to warm up to Neal.

The only thing that would make this better is if Aida was here to enjoy the show. Aida hasn’t been out of her room since she spoke with Lincoln one-on-one. She won’t eat, and she won’t talk to anyone. If she spends any longer in her room, Adela will be forced to drag her out.

Adela looks forward, toward Neal and her sister. If she can just get Neal to sweep her off of her feet, the Alphas will be free, and they can be hers and Aida’s again. Adela has always felt she was meant for great things, and she will do whatever it takes to get what she feels she deserves.

Closer to the two, Landon and Lincoln have had trouble focusing on training when they see Tia spending her time with an unmated male. They know the young man as Neal Woods. He is a decent warrior and a pretty quiet guy. He hasn’t met his mate yet, but he's looking forward to that day.

As nice as Neal seems, he has no place speaking to Tia like he is. It may be innocent, but neither Lincoln nor Landon are interested in any explanation. That Alpha blood of theirs is starting to boil over, and their wolves are itching to spring forward to show everyone who Tia truly belongs to. The only thing keeping the twins focused is the fact that they need to complete training, but even with that, they are hanging on by a thread.

Tia and Neal are enjoying a light conversation, though Tia continues to wonder why Neal is suddenly taking an interest in her. They have been in the same pack all of their lives, and he has never once been interested in getting to know her. It isn’t as if he is any different from anyone else in this pack; they didn’t take an interest either. It's just weird that with her return has come an interest from someone who didn’t have as much before.

Tia could sense eyes on her while speaking with Neal. She decided not to look up to see who it was. In her heart of hearts, she already knew, and there was no reason to confirm it. The twins keep stealing glances at her, and she is wondering how much longer until she needs to worry about what they will do. She may be mated to them, but they have not completed the bond. She has to be careful with whom she socializes with lest she jumpstarts their animalistic possessiveness.

~Tia~

My body prickles every time one of the twins lays eyes on me. I can only imagine what’s going through their minds while I sit and chat with Neal. I guess it would be smart to talk to Neal another time and focus on making sure the twins know that there is no one else for me.

We may not discuss it much, but I know I’ve already welcomed them into my heart. I guess my reservations weren’t enough to push the mate bond back. I never really considered rejecting them, to be honest. My issues are the same as it when I first found out I was mated to them: can I be back at Emerald Lake Pack after everything I’d been through?

“It was nice chatting, but I think I will stop here.” Neal chuckles next to me.

“The Alphas-to-be have you on a short leash huh?”

“It isn’t that. I just need to take care of some things.” Neal nods his head, but his face says that he isn’t buying it. We stand up, and he takes my hand. He places his lips on the back before I can pull my hand out of his grasp. I hear two growls come from behind me, and rather than be scared, Neal smirks. This won’t end well if I let it continue. I pull my hand out, and I take a few steps back. “Goodbye, Neal.” He nods and turns toward the packhouse.

I take a deep breath to try to put calmness into my veins. I turn toward the training ground, and I see that training is wrapping up. I walk to the edge of the area and wait. I don’t want to wade into the middle of the group and cause a scene.

I wait for everyone to leave the area. For the most part, people walk past me without so much as sparing me a glance. The only people who take the time to greet me are Mark and Lynn. I have gotten older and have even left for years, yet nothing has changed. How exactly am I to be the Luna to a group of people to whom I seem to be invisible? I may not have planned to reject my mates, but it may end up being the best choice for the pack.

Hands are on me quickly, touching me all over and pulling me to a hard body. I feel the sparks everywhere, and I can feel myself getting wet. A nose nuzzles into my neck, and I start to go weak in the knees. Rough hands grab the sides of my face, and lips are pressed roughly against mine. A tongue invades my mouth, traveling along every inch. My neck is being attacked with nibbles and sucking, and I feel myself turn to jelly. I’m quickly whipped around and, once again, find a tongue fiercely tasting my own and the inside of my mouth. The other side of my neck is being attacked, and every inch of my arms and upper body are being felt.

I’m finally released, and I almost fall to the ground. Two strong arms wrap around my waist, keeping me right side up. I’m pulled flush against a body, my back against a front. I open my eyes to find Lincoln glaring at me. Landon is holding me tight, and his mouth is close to my ear. “Next time, we won’t be so gentle.” If that was gentle, I truly don’t want to see what rough would feel like.

“You are ours only.” Lincoln steps closer to me and grabs the back of my neck, pulling my face to his. “Don’t ever forget that.” I clamp my thighs together in a half-assed attempt to keep my arousal out of the air. I’m so wet; it’s as if I’m made out of ice and am melting. Lincoln pulls my head back and takes a deep breath. He looks at me, and his eyes are black. Landon growls in my ear, his hardness pressed against my lower back. These two may end up being the death of me.