True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves

Andrea pulled a bottle of water of a cooler and handed it to Alexandria. "The sun reflecting off the water will dehydrate fast." She explained.

"Thank you." Alexandria replied. Her focus on the brothers splashing and trying to drown each other.

"What are doing after dinner?" Andres asked. Alexandria shrugged.

"I suppose just listen to music and relax." Alexandria replied. "Why?"

"I was hoping we could start your pack education tonight." Andrea said. "We could meet at Margarette's at seven. She and Marcus should be done with dinner then."

"Margarette's?" Alexandria asked curiously. "I thought you were solely in charge of that part of my education?"

"Yes. Margarette will train you as the new Luna." Andrea replied a keenness in her eyes. "Last night was tough on you and them."

"Yes," Alexandria replied color blooming in her cheeks.

Andrea laughed. "I understand. My own adoption into the pack when John brought me here from Maine was tough too. And we had just discovered the more intimate parts of things."

"Intimate parts?" Alexandria asked and then her blush deepened. Her olive skin now had a cherry hew to it.

"Ah good, so we can skip over that part." Andrea laughed. "I am surprised that they would not wait."

"Oh no," Alexandria stammered quickly. "They are. That is to say we have not."

"I was going to say. Marcus waited until Margarette said the bonding words. Lucky for him that Margarette's ex had come to town looking to take her back. It only took him a day." Andrea replied. "Are you waiting?" She asked emphasizing the word you.

"That part terrifies me. I had the basic education. But there were no rules where I am from. Until last night I had never worn a dress. The females that did got "claimed," she used air quotes around claimed. "I caught on to the selection process pretty quick. Even so I was still not safe."

"I can tell you from experience and from talking to the other mated females in the community. You have nothing to fear. The males of this pack are all about gentleness and pleasure." Andrea assured waving to John. "I must say, though I am very happy with my mate. I envy you getting three."

"Oh no don't." Alexandria laughed. "I have a feeling that I am going to be exhausted most of the time."

"But happy as a lark." Andrea retorted. "Serotonin and dopamine are fantastic hormonal painkillers." The males began to climb back onto the boat. Andrea glanced at her slim watch on her wrist. "I believe it is time we left. John has a shift at the bar tonight. I will see you this evening."

"Yes." Alexandria rose and kissed her mother's cheek and then John's. Though he smelled like lake water mixed with his cedar and oak.

"Have a good chat with your mother?" he asked as he made his way over to his own small fishing rig.

"Yes, thank you." Alexandria replied.

"Your welcome." John said and then moved to the captain's chair to start the engine.

Alexandria rounded on the three males now soaking wet on the deck. "You three forgot sunscreen." She smiled. "Boiled lobsters for dinner then?"

They shared a sheepish grin and William pulled out the huge pink family sized bottle of sunscreen. "Only if you get our backs, sugar." He said challengingly. His grin got bigger when her cheeks reddened again. His soaking wet red shirt hit him in the face.

"That is what the shirt is for, Will." Quincy replied letting go of the shirt. William gave him a dirty look and rung out the shirt over the side of the boat and put it on. Alexandria had to sit down. The cold water mixed with the warm air had make their nipples hard under the shirts that now clung to them like a second skin. She had to keep her eyes on their shirts for a slip just below the navel and she could. Oh no.

"You alright, love?" Rick asked taking a seat next her. She nodded and looked at his face quickly. He grinned. "Ahh. I see. They will quickly in the heat."

"Did you have a good chat with Andrea?" William asked curiously.

"Yes I go to your mother's after dinner tonight. Mother is wanting to get me educated quickly." Alexandria replied. The brothers looked at each other and then at her.

"Anything else?" William prompted. Had she not asked then? Perhaps she was not ready then? Don't ask, asshole. You will only scare her. She will when she is ready. Keep your balls on. It was bad enough that after only four days he was ready to explode. He was sure when she finally gave consent he was going to go off before she even touched him. He cursed himself a fool for thinking she wanted to stay. For believing that she wanted to stay.

"No." Alexandria replied, a tone of indignation in her voice. "I have not asked for that. Considering I am starting at newborn stage I thought it uncouth to ask that right out the gates."

"Of course, honey," Quincy responded before William could stick his foot into it more. "There is still much to do yet and planning a ritual so soon would be just one more thing."

"Speak for yourself." William replied and stomped to the other side of the boat. Quincy and Rick shared a look of surprise then looked to her. Breaking into grins.

"I'll be damned." Quincy said in disbelief.

"What?" She asked confused and shaken. William was upset that she wanted to wait? To learn the basics before jumping into intermediate. But why? He had been the one who had adamantly stated she would not be touched until after the ritual solidified everything.

"One word and I am throwing you both back in, assholes." William thundered from the bow of the boat. Quincy shut his mouth but was still grinning. Of course now William would change the rules. He was in love with her. Rick and Quincy had already come to that conclusion of themselves. But with William being deeper. More. He had more to wade through to get there.

"I thought you wanted a bigger pack house first." Rick offered. "For her to get an education." He was trying to understand where this was coming from. He looked to Alexandria for an answer but she was staring at William's back both hurt and confusion on her face. Tears in her eyes. Oh hell no. He pulled a set of earbuds out and hooked it up to a small stereo. "May be not what you like but you will like that a whole lot more than listening to us fight. It doesn't happen often but can get bad." Rick handed them to her. "We won't drown him." He winked at her as she put the earbuds in and Rick and Quincy walked to the end of boat with William. She hit play and a haunty melody filled her ears.

"She can't hear us." Rick said. "If your intention is to ruin a nice day then congratulations she has tears in her eyes. Explain, brother."

"She is legal now." William sighed. "She can leave if she chooses. Without the words, the ritual, she can walk out." He hung his head. "I know it's not the same but if she leaves-."

"I do not think she will." Rick answered putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "There is no need to worry about ifs. She has said she wants to stay. Is adopted now. Has accepted John and Andrea well. I think she is going to make a life here with us." Rick looked to Quincy for help.

"I love her too, man." Quincy added. "I really don't think this is a concern we need." He too put his hand on a shoulder. "Now go and apologize or we will both throw you back in that water."

William shot them both a galled look. "But she-."

"Is being reasonable where you are not, brother." Rick cut him off again. "I love her too. But we cannot push. And frankly I don't want to. She is coming along well." It was Rick's turn to sigh. "I know the frustration you are feeling. All three of us are. But the only thing we can do is take a trip to an adult store and pray the walls in the bathroom are thick enough." He grinned.

"They are." Quincy gave a knowing smile.

"Fine, I will talk to Dad and get new drafting papers." William said.

"This is not the same as Maria, she mated to another. This is our mate. She is our true mate." Rick reassured. William nodded and looked in Alexandria's direction. The tears that had been in her eyes were now falling on her cheeks.

"Oh no. Did you check that before you started it?" William asked.

"No why?" Rick asked.

"It's Justin Davis." William groaned. This was going to be interesting. He'd come out after Maria had broken the news of her finding her mate. She had been so happy. He had been well heartbroken. He had Played a particular song on the album and fished for five hours.

Alexandria listened to the song over and over. It was William. The radio had already been set to replay the song. This is how he had felt after Maria. The way he had explained the relationship made her think that it really had not meant much to him. But he had been deeply hurt. Put on a brave face. Did it still hurt when he thought of her?

Would he feel the same for me? She thought. She remembered what he had said about the female. That's when the tears had started falling. Her chest hurting. Would he ever feel that way for her. She closed her eyes to stop the hurt. The earbuds came gently out of the her ears and she opened her eyes. "Sugar?" William's voice was low with concern and something else. She raised her eyes to his. Concern with something she had never seen before shone in his beautiful yellow-green eyes. She had seen it from Rick and Quincy too.

"That's a beautiful song." She said wiping the tears from her cheeks. He held a tissue out to her. He had pulled the stash out of a compartment from under one of the seats on his way to her.

"Yes it is." He said gently. The hurt was still in her eyes though. "What were you thinking about?" She shook her head and put her hand on his arm.

"Does it matter?" She asked. She was stuck whether they had feelings for her or not. Whether they could love her or not. She could go nowhere else. On her own she was vulnerable. It would only be a matter of time. She would ask about the words tonight. William was right. Why should they wait? She would never be independent of them. For that would mean death. Either from the streets or the other triplet set finding her.

"It does." William said gently. Then sighed. "I am sorry for losing my cool. I wasn't thinking logically."

"Thank you." She accepted. She opened her mouth and closed it shaking her head. She would not open herself up like that. Or would she? No. Her chest hurt enough. Was this what a heartbreak felt like? But in order for her to have heartbreak she had to... A fresh set of tears filled her eyes. She was in love with them. But of course she was. They were kind and understanding. Strong and protective.

"Don't hide, Alexandria." William said tenderly. "What were you thinking?" He tried again. Looking to Rick who was still at the bow of the boat.

"It was a heartbreaking song is all." Alexandria replied. William didn't buy it. The hurt in her eyes would have disappeared soon after he took the earbuds off. Something she was thinking about was still lingering.

"I may not have a degree but I think I know you well enough to know when you are hiding." He tried for the third time. He reached for her hair with his free hand. She closed her eyes against his touch. Why did he care? She was not even close to what he needed. What he had said he needed.

"Don't push, William. Please." She responded softly. The fresh tears spilling over. He let out a long breath. She was testing his patience. He got to his feet, nodded to his brothers and picked her up and placed her on his lap. She rested her head on his chest. Feeling like a small child compared him. One arm was behind her back, the other over her lap. Rick started the boat while Quincy tucked away the poles and the stereo. Then took a seat next to William. His fingers caressed a path up and down her right arm.

Alexandria kept her eyes closed willing the tears to stop. They may never love her, but they did care. That was obvious. She needed to just be satisfied with that and stop with the romantic notions. She would ask about the words tonight. Say them before she went to bed and let the cards fall where they would.

William felt her tears on his shirt. He had not been that harsh? Perhaps he had. She was more sensitive than she let on. He would have to make it up to her. He thought about what he could do. They had horses. He could take her tomorrow to do that. Or perhaps she would just like a walk. A hike through some back trails would be good.

Quincy watched the tears fall down her cheeks. She did not open her eyes. Even squeezed them shut a few times. Like she wanted to open them but she was willing herself not to. She was hurt and hiding. But why? He met William's eyes but he was just as confused as Quincy was.

Rick at the helm was going over the last thirty minutes play by play. Trying to remember what was so significant about Jonathan Davis. They had left their phones and knives on the dock locked up in the truck in the shade. He would look it up when he got home. He did not want to upset her again. So he tried another route. Who had been the last one to take the boat out? William. A month ago. Right after Maria. His eyes widened and he stifled a groan. He knew the song. He knew the implications of it. And then he grinned. Of course. He had to keep this to himself. The secrets were piling up but hopefully he will not have to hold onto this one for very long. They just had to keep moving forward.