Chapter 228

“Luca!” Rafe shouts, just as Jesse shouts Jackson’s name, both of them baffled.

I shake my head at Jacks, begging him to understand as I keep moving forward, as I place myself between my mates. And the moment I step actually between them, holding out a hand, palm out, towards each, begging them to stop –

I realize that it was a mistake.

I mean, I don’t know what else I could have done, but it was a mistake.

Because in that moment, each of my mates sees that I’m not denying the other. Luca’s eyes flash to Jackson’s just as Jackson’s move to his. There’s a brief moment of silence before Jacks releases a horrible, desperate snarl. Luca roars in response before, in a flash, they both shift into their wolves.

Ben realizes what is happening half a second before everyone else, and he’s the only one to move in time. My friend releases a shout, hurling himself up from the couch and leaping over the coffee table to tackle me to the floor just as the two wolves crash into each other above us.

And god, the sound they make –

The crashing roars they release sound unending, so loud in our tight stone room that it feels my eardrums will shatter. Ben wraps an arm around me, pulling me away, back against the stone of the fireplace as I cover my ears with my hands, tears slipping down my cheeks. I try to look, but god, there’s blood –

And as each of my mate’s emotions rage through me, I’m completely overwhelmed. I no longer have any idea which of my emotions are mine, and which are theirs – I want to scream, and scratch, and bite, and intercede, and stop them, and –

Somewhere, outside, I feel Ben wrap me up in a tight ball as more noise adds to the fury –

And suddenly, somehow, the feelings change – shock and confusion adding to the anger, and a sudden sense of shame, and restraint –

I open my eyes, my senses slowly coming back to me, and my face goes still when I see that there are four wolves in front of me now – Rafe’s huge dark wolf snarling as he holds Jackson’s scruff in his mouth, not biting him but a warning growl rumbling deep in his chest. Jesse’s familiar brown wolf stands between Rafe, Jackson, and the fourth wolf, who is a lighter brown – almost blonde – panting and snarling his warning. But then Jesse shifts, his hands out between them. noveldrama

“This is done!” Jesse shouts, glaring viciously between Jackson and Luca. “Shift the fuck back! We are getting to the bottom of this, right now!”

There’s a long pause as we all look around at each other before Jackson shakes himself, just a little, and Rafe loosens his grip on his neck. Luca shifts then, and my eyes go directly to him, groaning when I see his bloody lip, the swelling already starting around his eye.

I move, wanting to be next to him instantly, to check on his wounds – but Ben tightens his hands on my arms. “You stay…right here…” he murmurs in my ear. “For just a little longer, okay?”

Realizing that he’s right, I stop, though I can’t stop the whimper in my throat as Luca stares at me, appalled.

There’s another flash to my right, and when I look I see Jackson getting slowly to his feet. He didn’t come out of it as badly as Luca did, but I see his hand move instantly to his jaw, rubbing it like he’s assessing the damage.

Rafe shifts a moment later, turning to me in his rage. “Ariel!?” he says, glaring down at me. “Is there something that you want to explain here!?”

“Um,” I say, glancing at Ben, who sighs and releases his grip on me. The two of us get to our feet and I look awkwardly around the room, tears welling in my eyes, not knowing where to begin. I feel so horribly selfish and overwhelmed – because I know I need to tell them – all of them.

It’s just – I have no idea where to start…

“Ariel,” Luca says, his voice desperate and heartbroken as he takes a step towards me. A snarl breaks from Jackson and my head whips towards him, but I see Rafe’s hand out in a flash, catching Jackson in the chest.

“Stop,” Rafe growls, glaring at the other Alpha who only he could probably hold back. “Let them talk.”

I turn my head back to Luca, who is just staring at me, crushed. “Why…Ariel, why is he saying that he’s your mate?”

“Because,” I whisper, locking my eye with his. “Because, Luca…he is.”