Wolf Triplets (Triplet Harems Book 3) Page 5

  But all he could think about was her.

  CHAPTER 6

  CASEY

  She was still in a state of total denial. It was morning, the sun rising through the trees. Casey stood in front of the graves of the men killed in the attack, simple graves dug quickly, the bodies buried with only a small amount of ceremony.

  Her eyes were on Sam’s grave. Her uncle was dead, and she still couldn’t wrap her mind around what had happened. He’d always been tough with her, too stern for her liking. At times, she found herself wondering if he had resented her, resented how he’d been forced to raise her after her mother had died and her father had sunk deeper and deeper into the bottle.

  But he’d gone out like a hero. If it hadn’t been for him, the pack would’ve been lost. His sacrifice had bought them valuable time, and she vowed not to let his death be in vain.

  She stood with her arms wrapped around her slender body, the air chilly and cool. When she was finally ready, she started back to her cabin. The pack grounds were silent, everyone at home mourning their dead. What would happen next, she had no idea.

  Casey opened the door to her cabin and saw her father seated at the kitchen table. In front of him was a plate of eggs, barely touched, along with a glass of booze—that had most certainly been touched.

  “You’re kidding me, Dad,” she said, sitting down at the table. “Not even eight in the morning and you’re already after it?”

  He shook his head, clearly annoyed. “I just lost my damn brother. Cut me some slack, would you?”

  “I know,” she said.

  “You don’t know. You don’t know what it’s like to lose—”

  He stopped himself, evidently realizing that Casey did, in fact, know what it was like to lose someone she cared about. Her mother, for one. And now her uncle.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I...I’m having a hard time with this, is all.”

  “I get that. But Dad, you’re the new alpha of the pack. The rest of the wolves are going to be looking to you to lead. You can’t be drunk out of your mind half the time.”

  He shook his head.

  “Not true.”

  “What? You’re telling me you’re just gonna...drink while you’re in charge?”

  “No, I’m telling you I’m not going to be in charge.”

  Casey was confused. “What’re you talking about, Dad?”

  “You know Michael Stone?”

  Casey stopped short. The last name—“Stone.” As in, “the Stone triplets.”

  “I...I know him. One of the other alphas of the pack. Hasn’t been living with us for years, though.”

  James nodded. “Right. Moved to Chicago to make a fortune. He’s a big part of the reason we’ve been able to hold onto this land, have enough food and resources to make it through when times have been tough.”

  “What about him?”

  “Got a call from him last night. He and I are the only elder alphas of the pack left. We got to talking, and I told him I’m in no position to lead. Even if I weren’t drinking all damn day, I’ve still got my injury. I’m...I’m no damn good to anyone.”

  Casey hated hearing her father talk like that. She knew that back in the day, James had been one of the strongest alphas in the pack, some thinking he was going to be the one to take charge one day. That all changed after the death of her mother. He was nothing but a shadow of his former self.

  “You don’t have to be like that, Dad. You can use this tragedy to come back stronger, right? Cut out the drinking, let yourself heal, and lead the tribe!”

  There was passion in her voice, and part of her hoped against hope that her words would be enough to motivate him.

  But James only laughed and shook his head.

  “Baby girl, I appreciate what you’re saying. But...this pack doesn’t have time to sit around and hope that I sober up. We’ve got to be ready for when the rest of the wolves come back for another round. Maybe...maybe someday I’ll be the man you think I am. But until then, we need leadership.”

  “So Michael Stone...he’s coming back to take charge?”

  “Nope. He’s got to stay in Chicago and oversee his business. Can’t step away from that, even for a little while.”

  “Then I don’t get it. What’s going to happen?”

  “The Stone boys. They’re coming back.”

  Casey sat up straight. “Are you serious?”

  James seemed confused. “That’s...a hell of a reaction. And yeah, I’m serious. Michael’s going to be the one in charge. But all of his orders are going to go through his sons. They’ll be leading the pack in his place.”

  “But the Stone brothers, they’re totally immature, not fit to lead a damn summer camp!”

  James raised his eyebrows. “I mean, you’re not wrong, kinda. I heard about how they were when they were kids—spoiled brats, thought they ran the place. But they went off to college. Maybe that got them to mature a little.”

  “Not a chance. I went to school with them, remember? They were immature then, and I bet you anything they’re the same now. Maybe being around humans has made them even worse.”

  James still seemed surprised. “You seem like you’ve got some strong opinions on the matter, baby girl. You rivals with these boys or something?”

  Casey didn’t know what to say. The short answer was yes, that she had problems with them all. She’d been involved with all three of them, and each one had screwed her over in their own way.

  But what the hell was she supposed to do, she considered, tell her dad about that? Maybe some other time, but not now.

  “I just know what they’re like, like I said. Tigers don’t change their stripes, is all.”

  “Maybe so. But like I said, they’re only here to carry out their dad’s orders. And Michael, well, he’s a hard man. A hard man might be what we need right now. Not to mention that shitheads or not, the Stone boys are all alphas—we’re going to need all the muscle we can get if we’re going to survive.”

  She wanted to argue, but Casey knew he was right. The crisis facing their pack was bigger than any high school nonsense, as much as she still held a grudge against those boys.

  James threw back the rest of his whiskey, and right as he did, a knock sounded at the door.

  “Mind getting that, baby girl?” he asked. “It’s...the leg.”

  She knew it was more than that—likely he didn’t want to get up and show off how drunk he already was. Casey heaved out of her seat and made her way to the door, opening it up when she was there.

  On the other side was Juniper Barnes, a pretty redhead and one of the other three omegas of the tribe. She had fair skin, big green eyes, and a small, full mouth. Juniper had been unclaimed so far, and with the rest of the alphas taken out, hope of that happening soon seemed remote.

  “Hey,” she said, her voice soft. “Morning.”

  “Morning,” said Casey. “What’s up?”

  “It’s the Stone brothers—they’re here.”

  Her stomach tensed. When her father had told her the brothers were arriving, she’d, in the back of her mind, hoped it would be some time in the future—not right after her dad had brought it up.

  “That right?”

  She nodded. “And they want the rest of the pack to come to the alpha cabin right now for a meeting.”

  “I’ll...be there soon—me and my dad.”

  Juniper smiled before nodding, then turning to leave. Casey shut the door.

  “Dad—it’s time to go. The Stone boys are here, and they want to see us all. Don’t even try to get out of this one. You’re the alpha, and they’re going to expect you.”

  James sighed as if knowing there was no getting out of it. With a deep grunt, he got up and limped over to the kitchen cabinets, opening one up and removing a small, silver flask.

  “Dad,” she said. “You really can’t go an hour without?”

  “Case, I’m barely hanging in there as it is. Just...let me do what I need to get through the day, all r
ight?”

  “You’re going to ‘get through the day’ until your liver fails on you. I know wolves have better constitutions than humans, but even we have our limits.”

  “And I know my limits. Don’t worry about me, kid. You’re going to need to be focused on the pack, not your screw-up of an old man.”

  “But Dad...you know I’m going to worry about you no matter what you tell me.”

  “I know, I know. But what I’m saying is you don’t have to. Just...whatever happens to me, happens. It’s fate. Understand?”

  She opened her mouth to speak, to protest, but closed it. Casey knew her father, knew how stubborn he was. She watched as he took the flask and the bottle to the kitchen sink and filled the former with the latter.

  “All right,” he said. “Let’s see what these boys have to say.”

  Together, the two of them went outside. The rest of the pack—fifty or so members remaining, mostly beta males and females, a few gammas here and there, made their way to the alpha cabin.

  As she walked, her father at her side, Casey could feel the absence of the stronger men of the pack. Something had to be done, she knew. And all she could do was hope the Stone boys had a plan, and a good one.

  The pack was gathered in the front of the cabin. When she arrived, Casey’s mind flashed back to the day of the battle, when Byron had stepped out with the body of their former alpha. She wondered if she’d ever be able to look at the building again without thinking about that horrible day.

  She scanned the crowd, not spotting any sign of the Stone brothers. The rest of the crowd talked among themselves, all of them wondering the same thing—where the hell were they?

  Fucking cocky dumbasses—they’re building up the suspense. Now’s not the time for that bullshit.

  More time passed, and finally, the door to the cabin opened.

  And out they came.

  The Stone brothers, big and powerful, smirks on their faces, stepped out of the cabin.

  There was Jake, the jock of the three. He was tall and brawny, with huge muscles and a clean-shaven, all-American look with short hair, a broad jaw, and a winning smile. Hunter was the scholastic of the three, with a stylish haircut and trimmed beard, his eyes flashing with intelligence. His looks were sharp, pretty almost, and Casey knew he was as brainy as they came. Bryce was the artist, his hair as wild and untamed as his talent. His arms were covered with tattoos, his body lean but toned.

  All of the brothers had the same look, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. But each was stunning in his own way, all men that Casey had been at one time unable to resist.

  Silence fell as the men took their places at the front of the crowd. Casey noted that all three of the men, well, looked like men. When they’d gone off to college, they were attractive, but still teenagers. Whatever they’d gotten up to had aged the brothers, and they appeared far older than their twenty-five years. She’d heard that alphas matured faster, and at least in the case of their looks, this seemed to be the case.

  “Redtooth pack!” called out Jake, his voice deep and booming. “We’re the Stone brothers!”

  “In case you didn’t already know that!” added Bryce with a grin.

  Cocky, cocky. They’re going to get us into serious shit with that attitude.

  The eyes of each of the brothers locked onto Casey. Her heart seemed to stop, and for a moment, she worried they could read her thoughts. But they each quickly turned their attention back to the crowd.

  “We’re all aware of the horrible tragedy that’s taken place,” said Hunter. “And you don’t have to worry—we’re here for you.”

  “Our father Michael is in command,” said Bryce. “He’s in Chicago, overseeing everything that’s happening. And while he is, we’re going to be his eyes and ears in the pack. Whatever happens, we’re going to know about.”

  “And more importantly than that,” said Jake. “We’re not going to stand by and wait for another attack. We’re going to rebuild, and we’re going to be ready.”

  “Then what’s the plan?” called out one of the male betas. “How are we going to fight all of the packs at once?”

  “Diplomacy!” said Bryce. “We’re going to go out beyond the territory, find other packs who aren’t allied with our enemies. And we’re going to work together to take down Byron and the rest of the fuckers who did this to us!”

  “Don’t think they’re going to get away with it!” said Hunter. “Soon, we’re all going to have our revenge. And once again, the Redtooth clan will be the most powerful pack in the state!”

  Cheers sounded out from the crowd. But Casey was unsure.

  “Well,” said James. “They’ve got confidence—I’ll give them that.”

  “But we’re going to need more than confidence,” she said. “We’re going to need a concrete plan.”

  The brothers broke through the crowd, big smiles on their faces. For a moment, Casey wondered where they were going, what they had next in mind.

  But then she realized their destination—her.

  The brothers made their way through the pack, three pairs of ice-blue eyes locked onto Casey. She froze in place, no idea what to do.

  Soon, they were in front of her. The three brothers, powerful and tall, stood in a half-circle.

  “James,” said Hunter. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Right,” said Jake. “And sorry to hear about Sam.”

  “He was a good man,” said Bryce.

  “Thanks,” said James. “But we’ve all lost people. At least my brother went out like a hero.”

  “He sure as shit did,” said Jake. “And we’re not going to forget his sacrifice.”

  They turned their attention back to Casey—and it was clear she was the one they wanted to talk to.

  “All right,” said Jake. “Casey. You need to come with us.”

  “What?” she asked. “Why?”

  The brothers grinned.

  “Because we’ve got big plans,” said Hunter.

  Bryce spoke up next. “And you’re the most important part.”

  CHAPTER 7

  CASEY

  “Come on,” said Jake with a smirk. “Meet us in the alpha cabin. We’re going to talk about the next steps.”

  “Looking forward to it,” said Bryce.

  And they were off. The brothers turned and left, moving with that same cocky strut that Casey had seen so many times in high school.

  Her eyes went right to their asses. As she ogled them, Casey felt like a kid again, that same girl who couldn’t stand the full-of-themselves ways of the Stone brothers but at the same time was irresistibly attracted to them.

  She’d been with them all. In fact, the Stone brothers had been the only men she’d been with—ever. It was a big part of the reason she’d been so looking forward to going away to college, to add some more notches to her bedroom count.

  But deep down, on some level she could barely understand, she knew that no men would be able to please her like the Stone brothers had. Tall and built and broad-shouldered and impossibly handsome—there was no getting around how attracted to them she was.

  Another idea occurred to her—how not only did the brothers look alike, they were all...endowed in the same way. Three cocks, all long and thick and capable of bringing her to orgasm after orgasm. As she watched the brothers disappear into the alpha cabin, she felt a tight heat grow between her legs.

  “I don’t know about this.” Her father’s voice snapped her out of her daydreaming.

  “Huh?” Casey’s voice came out like she’d just been woken up from a deep sleep. “What?”

  “These guys.” James reached into his jean jacket and pulled out his flask, undoing the cap and taking a quick swig. “They’re alphas, sure, but God...I forgot just how much of kids they all are.”

  “You can still do something, Dad,” said Casey. “You can go in there and let them know you’re the alpha in charge.”

  James shook his head. “Not gonna happen. Usually
, the way these things work out is that an alpha challenger has to fight the leading alpha for control of the pack.”

  “You think they’d do that? Make you fight them?”

  “Maybe, maybe not. I doubt it’d be a fight to the death or anything like that, but we’d still have to scrap. Even if it were just me and one of them...I doubt I’d be able to pull it off.”

  “Then the future of the pack is with these...kids?”

  James laughed as he tucked his flask back into his jacket. “They’re just a bit older than you are, Casey. And you are practically an adult yourself.”

  “They’re only in their early twenties. Still kids.”

  James put his hands on the small of his back and stretched. Birds chirped among the trees, the sun rising higher in the sky.

  “Well,” he said. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re not exactly stocked-up on old-timers.”

  Casey looked around at the crowd as they dispersed. The average age of the dozens of Redtooth pack members was no older than thirty. Any of the older members were either dead or too wounded to even come to a meeting.

  “There has to be another way,” said Casey.

  “Maybe there is.”

  Casey raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

  James took another swig of his booze. “Kid, I don’t know what those three have in mind for the pack. But whatever it is, they’re going to be bringing you along for the ride. You’re smart as hell, got a good head on your shoulders. Maybe you can make sure they don’t do anything too crazy.”

  She laughed. “Dad, I know the Stone brothers. Maybe, maybe they’ll listen to what their dad has to say. But other than that, they do whatever they want.”

  “They’re alphas, sure. But you’re an omega. And omegas are the most powerful kind of female shifter there is. You might be able to get to them in a way that other males can’t.”

  James furrowed his brow, stepping back and catching himself before he stumbled. Casey hurried to his side, putting her arm around his waist and keeping him steady.

  “You all right, Dad?” She knew the answer was no—not even noon, and he was already too drunk to stand up straight.