Bear Triplets (Triplet Harems Book 2) Page 2

  He pounded through the woods, drawing closer and closer to the deer. The animal was fast, but he knew the trick to catching them. Deer could only run quickly for short distances. After sprinting, they needed time to let their muscles rest before unleashing another burst of speed.

  So, the key to taking them down was persistence. Keep after them, never let them out of your sight, and simply wait for them to tire out. He’d read once before that it was the same strategy ancient humans used when tracking prey.

  The deer was close, and he’d caught enough glimpses of its form through the woods to see it was lagging, running out of energy. Part of him hated this aspect of the hunt. After all, it meant it was about to be over.

  Up ahead, he heard a crash, followed by a thud. Ryder stopped, listening for anything else. But he heard nothing. He grinned, knowing it was the deer. He slowed his pace, moving in the direction of the noise.

  After a short time, he spotted it. The deer was there, alright, laying in a heap, its brown chest rising and falling as it struggled to regain its breath. Ryder approached, soon looming over the animal. It looked up at him with fearful eyes, and he said a silent thanks to the creature for providing him with food—not to mention good sport.

  Then he leaned down. With a quick bite and snap at the neck, the animal was dead. Ryder savored the taste of the animal’s meat in his jaws but held back. It wasn’t just for him, after all.

  When the creature was dead, he shifted back to his human form.

  Like his brothers, Ryder was a tall, burly man, his hair fire red and matching his short beard. He had brilliant green eyes and fair skin. His body was built and strong, his muscles hidden underneath a red flannel shirt and rugged jeans.

  With a heave, he lifted the deer from the forest floor and slung it over his broad shoulders. He knew that carrying it in his bear form might’ve made more sense, but he liked the exertion of hauling the animal as a human. It was good exercise and kept his muscles strong and developed.

  After a short walk, he was back to his truck. He tossed the deer’s body onto the tarp in the truck bed, the tires drooping for a moment as it settled. Moments later, he was behind the wheel, Black Sabbath blasting on the radio as he drove back to the ranch.

  He steered the truck down the winding dirt roads, singing along to the music, his rough, gravelly voice filling the air. Before too long, he spotted the ranch.

  The ranch house was huge: three stories—one for each of the brothers. The building was situated on a cleared green, the house surrounded by barns and pens for the cattle they owned.

  Ryder pulled the truck next to his brother’s and killed the engine. By this point, he was good and hungry. He climbed out of the car and went over to the deer, heaving it back onto his shoulders and carrying it toward the house.

  He threw open the door to the spacious living room, Jack and Stone seated there with a bottle of whiskey as some retro action movie played on the TV.

  “Fucking hell,” said Jack. “You carrying that thing right into the house?”

  “And it took you long enough,” said Stone.

  Though Ryder, Jack, and Stone were triplets, they looked different enough that they were each distinguishable. They both had Ryder’s tall built frame, but Jack had darker hair and a wider jaw, and Stone was lean and toned, his brown hair shaved and tattoos covering his arms.

  “You want to go out there and kill the damn deer yourself?” said Ryder. “You’re more than welcome, shithead.” He grinned as he headed into the kitchen. “Get your asses in here. And bring the whiskey.”

  He stepped into the kitchen and heaved the deer onto the large wooden block table that they had for just that purpose. The table led to a draining area, where the blood from the animal could flow down into the pipe system. Ryder grabbed a nearby knife and cut open the animal, letting the fluids drain down.

  Stone and Jack entered, Jack whipping the bottle of whiskey through the air, Ryder neatly catching it with his free hand, yanking the top off with his mouth and spitting it out before taking a long pull. Whiskey was always his favorite after a hunt.

  Once the animal was drained, he skinned it and began cutting chunks out.

  “Damn,” said Stone. “You don’t need to go through all that bullshit trouble. Just let me take a bite out of the fucking thing.”

  “We might be bears,” said Ryder. “But we can at least pretend to be civilized.” As the oldest by only a few minutes, Ryder often found himself giving orders to his slightly younger brothers. But they were all alphas and didn’t take kindly to what they viewed as getting bossed around.

  Ryder pointed to the table with the bloody knife. “Sit. We’ll eat in a sec.”

  “Bossy motherfucker,” said Stone as he took the bottle of whiskey and drank.

  “You know,” said Jack. “When you call him a motherfucker, you’re saying he, uh...”

  “I know, I know,” said Stone as he dropped into one of the seats. “Just a figure of speech, brainiac.”

  Ryder and Jack laughed as Ryder finished preparing the plates. Once he was done, he sat down with the rest of the guys, and they all started eating, washing their bloody meat down with swigs of booze.

  “You fuckers keep the place in order while I was gone?” asked Ryder.

  “Man,” said Jack. “You were only out for an hour. What the hell kind of shit you think we might get up to in that amount of time?”

  Ryder laughed. “You mean like last week when I went into town and came back to you dumbasses throwing a kegger with the whole damn clan?”

  “That was the one time,” said Stone. “And what the hell are you complaining about? You were drinking with the rest of us as soon as you showed up.”

  “Principle of the thing,” said Ryder. “Speaking of, either of you...?”

  He trailed off, and Jack and Stone both knew what he was referring to—it was the issue that’d been on all their minds for the last year.

  “Not a one,” said Jack.

  “What about you?” Ryder asked the question to Stone.

  “Man, I don’t know why you’re always asking. The answer’s gonna be the same every time.”

  Ryder shook his head. “I don’t fucking get it. Dozens of women in the Black Claw clan, and there ain’t one of them that you two are into.”

  Stone shot an accusing glance in Ryder’s direction. “Why the hell are you saying that to us? You’re in the same damn situation.”

  Ryder opened his mouth to speak but decided to say nothing when he realized Stone had a point.

  It was a problem—a big one. The triplets needed to mate. But as alphas, only the top females would do. Problem with that was the stock in the Black Claw clan—their clan—wasn’t up to their standards.

  “We need a woman around here,” said Ryder, looking around. “Need a woman’s touch in this joint.”

  “A woman’s touch?” asked Stone. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “I don’t know,” said Ryder. “Like, you can only put up with two other dudes for so long before you start needing a woman around.”

  “Man,” said Jack. “If I want a woman around, it’s going to be for something other than a damn woman’s touch. Maybe the bedroom kind.” He laughed.

  Ryder shook his head and went back to his meal. He didn’t know how to solve the problem. But if they didn’t get a woman soon, one that was worthy of carrying their seed, they’d be in a hell of a predicament.

  He didn’t have much time to think about the matter before he heard the braying of one of the cattle outside. The noise was long and low, then abruptly cut off.

  He raised his head, the other men doing the same. They regarded each other with the same surprised expression.

  “What the fuck was that?” asked Jack.

  “You know what it was,” said Stone. “Some fucking animal’s gotten into one of the pens.”

  “How the hell did that happen?” asked Ryder. “They’re locked up tight. And even the non-shifter animals got e
nough sense to stay away from this place.”

  Another moo, this one cut off just like the other.

  “Holy shit,” said Stone. “Whatever the fuck is out there, it sure as shit isn’t stopping at one.”

  “Let’s go check it out,” said Ryder.

  The other two brothers didn’t need to be talked into it. They burst from their seats, all rushing out the back door into the cool night air.

  Ryder stopped short once he was outside.

  “Shit,” he said. “You smell that?”

  He sniffed the air. It was tough to make out what it was at first, but after a moment, he picked up the smell of...what had to be tobacco. That, a little cedar, and what smelled to him like the scent of a cool, fresh breeze.

  “Smells like a fresh pack of cigs out here,” said Stone.

  “Weird combination of smells,” said Jack.

  “Yeah,” said Ryder. “Smells...like a shifter.”

  “Are you fucking kidding?” asked Jack. “What shifter would be dumb enough to come on our property? Even a fucking savage would be smart enough to know we’d rip them limb-from-limb for messing with our cattle.”

  “I don’t know,” said Ryder. “But we’re gonna find out.”

  He stepped forward and shifted into his animal—a giant brown bear. Stone shifted next, his form black as night. Jack did the same, forming into a massive red-furred bear. The triplets were even more distinguishable as Bears.

  Together, the three brothers tore across the property, leaping over the fence that separated them from the nearest pen. The cows scattered as the three bears approached, and before too long, Ryder laid eyes on the two cows that had been slain, both laying on the grass, their throats slashed open.

  He was pissed. Those cows weren’t cheap, and it looked like whoever had done the deed was doing it for sport.

  The three brothers rushed across the grass, Ryder following the scent of tobacco as it grew stronger and stronger.

  Then he spotted something. Off near the tree line, he caught sight of the slender form of a wolf with black fur. He turned to his brothers but could already sense they’d seen the same thing. They formed and ran towards the wolf, the animal spotting them and ducking back into the woods.

  Fucking hell, thought Ryder. Major, majorly fucking stupid wolf. What the hell’s going through his mind?

  They soon reached the tree line, Ryder arriving just in time to see the wolf take off, trying to lose them among the trees. The three brothers gave chase. Wolves were fast, but bears were faster.

  They tore through the woods, drawing closer and closer to the wolf as they did. Ryder was a master hunter, and there was little prey he couldn’t track and kill.

  But he didn’t want to kill the wolf. As he drew closer to the animal, he began to sense that there was something different about this shifter. Sure, he’d killed two of their cattle, and that was an offense that anyone in the shifter community would consider one worthy of a quick death.

  More than that, he wanted answers. He wanted to find out who this wolf was and why he’d be so stupid as to think he could get away with breaking into the territory of one of the most powerful groups of alphas in the region.

  He put those thoughts out of his mind as he continued the hunt. Ryder was happy to have eaten—the raw meat gave him fuel, power to give chase to the wolf. He whipped his head from one side to the next, making sure his brothers were keeping up with him. They were.

  The distance between him and the wolf shrank by the second, and he knew it was only a matter of time until they were on top of him. The wolf glanced back, and for the first time since the chase began, Ryder could see fear in his eyes.

  He knows he fucked up. He knows he’s screwed as shit. Ryder was ready for some answers.

  Then, when the wolf turned his attention back to the forest in front of him, he made a mistake. One paw hit the ground wrong, and then the other. He tripped, tumbling into a heap and slamming into the trunk of a nearby tree. Dust and leaves flew up into the air, and he came to a stop.

  Ryder did the same. He watched as the wolf struggled to get back up, only to fall onto the ground again. The impact of the tree had done some damage. His brothers stopped at his side. Ryder shifted back into his human form and nodded to his brothers to do the same.

  Once they were human again, Ryder stepped slowly toward the wolf. As he drew closer, the animal finally managed to stand up. But there was no more run left in him. Instead, he whimpered as Ryder and his brothers approached.

  “Fucking hell,” said Stone as they drew closer to the wolf. “We should kill him now.”

  “Not a chance,” said Ryder. “I want some answers.”

  Soon they were on top of the wolf, the creature regarding them with those same worried eyes.

  “I don’t know who the hell you are,” said Ryder. “But you’d better shift right now if you know what the fuck is good for you.”

  The wolf complied. With a small struggle, he changed back into his human form.

  Ryder’s eyes went wide as he realized what was going on—the shifter was a damn kid.

  “Where’s...where’s my mom?”

  CHAPTER 3

  STONE

  “A fucking kid?” Jack’s voice boomed through the evening silence. “What the hell’s a kid shifter doing running around alone?”

  Stone glanced over at Ryder and Jack, both of them deep in thought as they stared down at the wounded boy.

  “Yo, kid!” said Jack. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “Easy,” said Stone. “Dude’s scared out of his damn mind.”

  “He should be scared,” said Jack. “He fucked up, big time. Lucky we didn’t tear his throat out the second we had him cornered.”

  Tears formed in the kid’s eyes, panic at the idea of the three bears killing him right then and there.

  “What’s your name?” asked Ryder, his voice edged with anger.

  “I...I don’t know,” said the kid weakly.

  “You don’t know your fucking name?” asked Jack. “What are you, some feral shifter?”

  “Jack!” said Stone. “He’s in shock. Just got chased by three bears and took a nasty spill. Give him a fucking second to come to it.”

  “He doesn’t deserve a second,” said Jack. “Killed two of our cattle.”

  “I know, I know,” said Stone. “But killing him isn’t going to do a damn bit of good for anyone.”

  “What should we do then, huh?” asked Jack. “Let him go?”

  “Not gonna do that either,” said Ryder. “I want to know what was going through his damn head when he did what he did.”

  “Then we bring him back to the ranch,” said Stone. “Figure it out from there.”

  “Yeah,” said Ryder. “Get some answers.”

  Stone turned his attention to the kid. “Yo, kid—you good to move?”

  The kid said nothing at first, then tried to get to his feet. But the moment he put his weight on his legs, he cried out in pain before collapsing again.

  Stone dropped down to him, looking the kid over. One of his shins was red as hell, and he pressed the redness with the tip of his index finger. Again, the kid let out a cry of pain.

  “Think he fractured it,” said Stone. “Probably when he fell or hit the tree. He’s not walking anywhere.”

  “Then we carry him,” said Ryder. “Come on—don’t want to waste any more time out here.”

  “I’ll do it,” said Stone. “Come on.”

  Stone slipped his thick arms underneath the kid and effortlessly lifted him, slinging the small body over his right shoulder.

  “Gonna be a long walk back to the ranch,” said Stone. “You gonna handle it?”

  The kid murmured a soft, “Yeah.”

  “Alright,” said Stone. “Let’s move.”

  The three brothers started back to the ranch. Neither one of them said a word on the way there. Stone knew they were all likely thinking the same thing, wondering who this kid was and why he’
d done what he had.

  The trip took around a half-hour, but finally, Stone spotted the ranch in the distance.

  “Almost there,” he said. “Hold on for just a few more minutes.”

  The kid said nothing.

  “Why you going easy on him?” asked Jack. “Don’t coddle the kid.”

  Jack was pissed, Stone could tell. It made him glad Ryder and he were there. Jack was tough as they came, but Stone knew he could be a bit of a hothead at times. The other brothers had to balance him out.

  They reached the ranch, and Ryder opened the door, gesturing for Stone to carry the kid in.

  “Clear off the table,” said Ryder. “Let’s get a look at that leg.”

  Jack did, quickly moving a way the plates and glasses. Once the table was clear, Stone set the kid down. Ryder moved down, pushing the kid’s pant leg up enough to see the injury. It was red and swollen.

  “You ever fucked up your leg like this before?” asked Stone.

  The kid shook his head. In the light of the kitchen, Stone could see he was scared out of his mind. Ryder gave the leg another quick poke, the kid letting out a cry of pain.

  “You ask me,” said Jack, “if this is the worst that happens, he got off easy. If you were a fully grown shifter, I’d have killed you where you stood.”

  “Jack,” said Stone. “Keep it in check until we at least figure out what the fuck’s going on.”

  “Fine, fine,” said Jack before snatching up the whiskey bottle and taking a pull.

  “You fucked up your leg,” said Ryder. “But you don’t have any bone sticking out, so that’s good. You’re a shifter, and you should know by now that means you heal fast. Should be good in a day or two.”

  “Where am I?” asked the kid.

  “You’re not asking any questions,” said Jack after he wiped the whiskey from his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’re the one who fucked up. Got it?”

  Stone opened his mouth to speak but realized Jack had a point. Their finding out what was going on with the kid was far more important than the kid knowing what was up.

  Ryder left the room, returning a few moments later with a bottle of pills. He dumped a few into his hand and held them in front of the kid’s face.