Free His Mating Mark by Alicia White Page B

with us both. We will love you and take care of you forever.”
    Josh lowered his head to the other shoulder, and on some quiet command, they both bit down hard. The pain was what she needed to be thrown into a hard climax that had her bucking and moving, rubbing her already sensitive clit against Gabe, giving herself another orgasm. She yelled their names and heard her echo throughout the large room. She slumped against Gabe while they pulled back, disengaging their teeth. Gabe collapsed back down on the table, taking her with him. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. She closed her eyes, and her world went black.
     
    * * * *
     
     
    “Holy hell, that was amazing.” Gabe wrapped his arms around Nicole and rubbed her back. He cradled her tenderly, loving her weight against his chest. She had passed out again, and he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.
    “We need to tell her the truth. The longer we wait the worse this lie will become,” Josh whispered as he slowly climbed off the table. Gabe could tell that he was shaking. He held on to the table for support and took a few deep breaths.
    “We will. I’m just trying to figure out the best time. How do you tell a woman who is scared of wolves that you are one? How do I tell her that I’m the wolf who bit her arm, who left her on the floor crying alone?” He was scared. What if she left them, what if she couldn’t overcome her fear, what if she couldn’t forgive him?
    “I’ll take her to back to bed.” Josh leaned down and picked Nicole up, pulling her into his arms. Sam stayed on the table, listening as Josh walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. His after-sex high wore off quickly, now that Nicole was gone, out of his arms. He was consumed with doubt and guilt. They had claimed her, slept with her, and she didn’t know the whole truth.
    Gabe finally moved, climbing off the table. He grabbed his clothes and got dressed. He walked into his office and sat down in his favorite overstuffed chair, leaning back and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t feel like he was handling this whole situation correctly. He needed to be honest, and he needed to explain what mates were, what the mate-bond was. Things would be so much easier if she weren’t fully human.
    A soft knock brought his attention back to the present, and he looked up at Josh. “She’s sleeping.” He smiled, and Gabe nodded. Sam recognized the look on his face. He was content, happy, and it was all because of Nicole. Her presence had changed them, and he was willing to do anything to keep that, to keep her.
    “I have a few ideas.” Josh walked into the office and closed the door, giving them more privacy. “Okay, my first idea is that one of us holds her and the other shifts. That way, if she freaks out, she can’t run away. Plus, whoever is holding her can talk her through it. My other idea might be a little scarier...I don’t know. We can take her to one of the pack dinners. Introduce her to everyone and then we both can hold her when the night run begins. We can tell her everything then.” He didn’t want to do anything that could potentially be traumatic to her. He shoved his hands through his hair and leaned back, feeling lost and confused.
    He might be the Alpha, but this one fully human woman had the power to completely crush his heart. She could leave, and that was the worst thing of all. She wasn’t like them. She wouldn’t feel the connection that they felt. She wouldn’t turn into a crazed maniac without them. He would. He wouldn’t be able to live without his mate.
    “Gabe, you’re freaking out for no reason. Calm down. We should introduce her to the pack, but when it comes to shifting, it needs to be here at home where she feels a little safer. The forest would be too overwhelming, and having dozens of wolves around, way too traumatic.” Josh shook his head, and Gabe agreed. They needed to explain things to Nicole in the privacy of their