Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Pack Read online

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out

  With His Pack

  Delilah Devlin

  Copyright © 2016 Delilah Devlin

  Nook Edition

  Cammi didn’t realize when she dropped out of college that her pack alpha, her stepbrother Corbin, would demand she choose a mate.

  Angry, she chose three…

  Note: This original 7800-word short story may be short in length, but it’s not short in passion!

  Check out more sexy stepbrother romances:

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Doctor

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Friends

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Partner

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Boss

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Professor

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Team

  From the Author

  To those of you who’ve read me before—hello, friends! To new readers, welcome to my world!

  As you’ll discover, I tend to bounce around in different genres, from contemporary to historical to paranormal to sci-fi—all are very sexy, so be warned. I also write in many lengths from short story to full-length novel. If you can’t tell, I love to write. And when a story is fast, it’s short. If my characters need more pages, well, you get the picture. I’m a slave to my muses (I have three—or so three different psychics have told me!).

  I love hearing from readers and have a very active blog and Facebook friend page. I run contests, talk about my favorite TV shows, what I collect, what drives me crazy. I ramble a bit. I’m doing it right now. But if you’d like to learn more about me and what I’m doing or writing about, be sure to check out the “About Delilah Devlin” page after the story.

  And if you enjoy this story, please consider leaving a review on your favorite retail site or simply tell a friend. Readers do influence other readers. We have to trust someone to tell us whether we’ll have fun when we open a new story!

  Sincerely,

  Delilah Devlin

  Visit www.DelilahDevlin.com for more titles and release dates, and subscribe to Delilah’s newsletter at newsletter.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  About the Book

  From the Author

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Pack

  About Delilah Devlin

  More Short Stories by Delilah Devlin

  Stepbrothers Stepping Out:

  With His Pack

  ‡

  There’s nothing more unnerving than waking up naked on your hands and knees in the middle of your brother’s pack—unless it’s waking in the middle of all the single males of that pack.

  I blew a lock of hair from my eyes, dusted my hands of leaves and dirt, and slowly moved to sit on my haunches, trying my best not to give in to the urge to slide a hand between my legs and an arm over my breasts. My embarrassment would only sharpen their still-feral, mirrored stares.

  “You couldn’t have ended the run closer to our cars?” I asked, turning to glare at my stepbrother Corbin. He and his friends had somehow managed to cull me from the larger pack during our run—a deliberate move, I knew, because he never did anything without calculation.

  “Wouldn’t have been as much fun,” he said, lifting his upper lip. His teeth were always slow to shorten, so his smile was especially wolfish.

  “You’re an asshole.”

  “And you haven’t given me a name.” His gaze went to the males who formed a semi-circle around me. “Choose one. You’ve had time to get to know them. Weeks. You have a duty to fulfill.”

  I licked my bottom lip, stalling for time, just as I had every day since I’d returned to the North Carolina mountains. If I’d known that dropping out of college in my sophomore year meant I had to immediately choose a mate, I might have gutted out the remainder of my degree—and then sought a place in a graduate program. I wasn’t ready to choose. Wolves mated for life. None of the men in front of me had held my interest during our supervised dates. How the hell was I supposed to shackle myself to one of them for the rest of my entire stinking life?

  Although I had to admit that, naked, they looked a whole lot more interesting. All were young and well-built. Some lean, some burly. Dark and light.

  Unwanted, desire stirred inside me. “Can I narrow my choices? Will that satisfy you for now?”

  My brother’s jaw firmed. But then, he gave a curt nod. “Name them.”

  I glanced around the circle, passing Scott, Doug, Jason, Mathias, Howie, and finally, I rested my gaze on Corbin, all the while thinking. This was just another stall tactic, and Corbin knew it, but he’d allowed me more time. Why? He didn’t have to. As the newly appointed alpha of our pack, he could simply make a decree and give me to one of his friends. As a breedable female, a rare commodity among werewolves, I understood my responsibility. Still, that didn’t mean I wasn’t resentful of my fate.

  Since he was forcing me to narrow my field, I decided I wouldn’t let him see me as beaten, not even a bit. I pushed up from the ground. “Form a row,” I said to the handsome wolves surrounding me.

  Scott glanced at Corbin. “You know you could just assign her a mate. She doesn’t understand her place.”

  I stepped toward Scott and made sure he registered the fact I was as tall as he was. Our gazes collided. His pupils flared, nearly consuming the bright green irises. Brown shaggy hair tickled the tops of his shoulders. The days-old stubble framing his mouth gave him the look of a pirate, which fit given the fact we were all descended from Edward Teach’s crewmen, who had intermarried descendants of Jean Lafitte’s—all cursed by a Haitian witch, because they’d managed to steal her greatest treasure—her daughters.

  Interestingly, Scott’s cock lengthened the longer I held his hard stare. It was lovely really. Long and thick, with a broad head. His balls were a little on the large side though. I almost passed him, but I liked the fact he was the most aggressive of the group. And one of my brother’s closest friends. The bitch inside me wanted to lick those big balls. My witchy DNA from my mother’s side wished Corbin would watch while I did it. I eyed his cock then arched a brow. “You,” I said softly.

  He cupped himself and smiled.

  An image flashed of those balls hitting my clit every time he stroked…

  Maybe he read my mind, because his smile stretched, and his strut was especially cocky as he walked to stand beside Corbin.

  I continued down the line.

  Doug’s smile was open. Too honest. The last thing I wanted as a mate was a nice guy. I’d walk all over him and make his life a hell he didn’t deserve.

  I moved to Jason. His smirk raised the hairs on my arms. I couldn’t stop myself, I growled deep in my throat and let him see my inner bitch, flashing him a glowing glare.

  Next, I paused in front of Mathias. Quiet, watchful, golden-haired Mathias. Another of Corbin’s besties. Something about the way Mathias looked at me with his nearly purple eyes hinted at a sensual patience I found intriguing, right along with his arrow-tipped cock. Almost as intriguing as the plan building in my mind. “You,” I said.

  Without a smile, his chin lifted, effectively cutting his gaze from mine because he was taller by a head. He strode to stand by Scott.

  In front of Howie now, I sighed. Howie was a puppy. Playful. Happy. Ever eager to stick his nose where it wasn’t invited… I heard his sigh as I turned away.

  I strode toward Corbin. My black-haired, burly brother. His expression was as hard as granite. Did it bother him to see my choices? Or was he bothered for another reason? I glanced at his cock, still flaccid. Was he truly uninterested or did he have
that much control? Didn’t matter. He’d forced my hand. I’d give him back some of his own medicine.

  I reached out and scraped a sharpened claw across his chest, watching as goose bumps lifted on his skin. A low warning sounded in the back of his throat. And his dark eyes narrowed to slits. “Don’t.”

  I shook back my hair and stood on my toes so that my lips were even with his. An inch apart. Close enough I felt his harshening breaths against my mouth. “You,” I whispered.

  *

  At our communal meal Saturday night, every head turned to watch our entrance. I wore a low-cut, red dress that hugged my curves. The three men wore jeans, boots. Scott and Mathias wore tees that stretched across their broad chests. Corbin wore a blue button-down shirt with the arms rolled up.

  All smelled like they’d bathed in the creek after their run. I’d passed on their invitation, wanting to take my time primping. I’d known we’d be the center of attention, and fully expected the elders to chide me about my stubbornness or one of my boys to snarl about the short hem of my dress. I itched for a fight.

  And if they all knew I was nude beneath the dress, I didn’t care. In fact, I reveled in the way the cool air from the fans whirling from the overhead beams of the outdoor pavilion caused my nipples to bead. In human skin, the elders demanded modesty. No matter every single one of them had seen me nude at the end of a run. In our world, women should remain circumspect in dress and manners to avoid confrontations among the males. Bleh.

  I paused on the top step. A hand cupped my ass then pinched me through my dress. I angled my head to give Scott a glare.

  He shrugged. “You invited it.”

  I had, and I was secretly pleased he’d amped up our dramatic entrance.

  Mathias slipped an arm around my waist and bent toward my ear. “Snarl, and I’ll bite.”

  A quiver worked its way down my spine. Could he be any sexier? My gaze sought Corbin’s who stood to the side of our cozy group.

  He arched a brow then muttered under his breath. “Hope you know what you’re doing, sis.”

  I pouted. “Camille, brother. Seeing as we’re courting. No sense making the elders even more angry over this.”

  He shook his head and strode toward the end of one long table, taking a seat. Mathias pressed against my lower back, urging me to follow. He seated me next to my brother then stepped over the bench to claim the empty spot beside me, which relegated Scott to the place across from me.

  Scott didn’t seem to care. His gaze was on my breasts.

  “Shameful the way you let that girl run wild,” Arnie Dupuis said from a few seats down. The gray-haired elder’s face was deeply lined, the furrows above his brows forming a permanent frown.

  “She’ll make her choice by the next full moon,” my brother said.

  Shock slammed into me. He’d said it in front of the clan, so there was no backing down. The full moon was only days away. I leaned toward him. “What are you doing?”

  “Calling your bluff.”

  “I need more time.”

  “You’ve had plenty.”

  Fury flushed my cheeks. I held his stare, trying to think of a way out. But there was none. However, I knew a way to make this every bit as uncomfortable for him as taking a mate was for me. I lifted my chin. “If I must make a choice so soon,” I whispered. “I demand a mating test.”

  It was his turn for angry color to flood his face. “Hush. You’re being ridiculous. That’s an archaic practice, and there are three of us. I won’t abide—”

  “Not your choice,” I said, jutting my chin. “Who says I’m not a traditional kind of wolf bitch? Tell them,” I gritted out.

  Corbin’s mouth curled at the corners. Upward. A sly darkness entered his gaze. “Arnie,” he said, his voice even, “she demands a mating test.”

  Gasps rang out since he’d said it loud enough that all the occupants of the tables around us heard.

  A glint of something, maybe rare humor, shone in Arnie’s sunken eyes. “You may have use of my hunting cabin. I’ll deliver the keys after our meal.”

  *

  We left directly after dinner. A dinner that was so quiet and so full of furtive glances, I’d had to bow my head to hide my hot cheeks. Now, I sat in the front seat of an SUV beside Corbin, driving down a gravel trail, deep in the Black Mountains. Scott had talked quietly in the back seat about the things they might “get in”—some fishing, hunting, maybe a swim if the river water was warm enough.

  All I could think about was the one thing everyone would “get in”—me. Why had I been so rash? Still, as dismayed as I was, I couldn’t deny the thrill of anticipation that kept my blood hot and humming.

  The test was akin to old handfasting traditions. Prospective mates would give their vows a test run to see whether they were compatible. There was no shame in walking away at the end of the specified period, usually weeks or months. We’d have only days. And somehow, the men had to divide the days between themselves so that each would have time alone with me so that they could prove we were fated. With wolves, the time spent alone wasn’t to see whether our politics or personal philosophies meshed. Ours would be based on carnal compatibility. Wolves tended toward rough and frequent sex. Compatibility was therefore key. Just the thought of how the men would seek to woo me to choose one of them kept me quivering on edge. Tense, I jumped when Corbin cut the engine and turned in his seat.

  “Scott, Mathias—see to our bags. Then go for a run.”

  Scott snorted. Mathias drew a deep breath. But neither offered an argument. They opened their doors and moved toward the rear of the SUV.

  I couldn’t look away from Corbin’s face. Although we’d shared a home as teens after our parents married, and I lived in his garage apartment now, I couldn’t read him. His face was stony. His body loomed large in the crowded confines of the vehicle.

  “When we step through the door,” Corbin said softly, “you will strip. You’ll remain nude throughout the our time here. Accessible to us.”

  I tore away my gaze, looking toward the small cabin with its darkened windows. “I’ll be allowed no privacy?”

  “You chose three. Therefore, three you shall have.”

  I frowned, still staring through the windshield. “You know I only thought to give myself more time.”

  “I know, Cammi. But you’re a big girl now. And it’s time for you to learn that everything you say as the pack alpha’s sister holds weight, a certain level of commitment.”

  “I was angry.”

  He cupped my chin and turned my face toward his. “Like I said, you’re not a child anymore.”

  “You know I tend to speak first—”

  “No excuses.” He rubbed his thumb across my lower lip.

  Suddenly, I couldn’t drag enough air through my nostrils. I opened my mouth. His thumb tracked across my lip again. I didn’t think. Couldn’t. Not with moonlight glittering in his eyes. Following pure instinct, perhaps because I felt the pull of the waxing moon, I licked the tip of his thumb.

  Corbin closed his eyes for a brief second. “Remember what I said. Now, go inside.” He dropped his hand.

  With his taste in my mouth, I fumbled for the door latch and exited the vehicle. Already, the other two men had opened the front door, turned on the lights, and set our bags just inside. Their clothes were strewn over couches and chairs. The sliding glass door at the back of the living area was open, curtains billowing in a breeze laden with the fresh aroma of the river.

  Although I’d been naked with all of them, too many times to count, never had I stripped when arousal scented the air. Were Scott and Mathias standing in the darkness outside watching? Would they stay to see what Corbin would do next?

  But my alpha, my brother, had laid down a command. I didn’t even consider disobeying—not because I respected his rank, which I did—but because I was curious about his plan for me.

  Knowing he stood on the front porch, watching me through the open door, I walked around the living room,
picking up the other men’s clothing and folding it. I placed everything in a neat stack atop an ottoman then sat to tug off my boots, my socks. I stood and grasped the hem of the gauzy tunic I wore and slowly drew it over my head. I folded it and placed it on the stack. I unhooked my bra and folded the cups together and set it in the center, too. Then I removed my jeans, pushing them past my hips, catching the thin elastic straps of my panties and sweeping them off as well.

  I stood nude, nipples prickling in the cool air and methodically added my clothing to the growing pile. When I was done, I turned toward the door.

  “Why did you choose me, Cammi?” he asked, leaning against one side of the doorframe.

  His gaze was trailing downward, resting briefly on my beading nipples before sliding lower. Not new territory for him, but then, he’d never touched me intimately. Perhaps, for the first time, he looked at me through a lover’s eyes.

  He wanted me to take this seriously. He wanted honesty. I drew a deep breath that lifted my breasts and took courage from the fact he watched the movement. “We may have shared a house as siblings, but I never thought of you as my brother.”

  His gaze studied my expression. He waited, not drawing a breath.

  “When I found myself in the middle of the pack, you demanding that I choose…” I drew another breath for courage then shrugged. “How could I not include you?” That was as far as I willing to go. The fact he’d always drawn my gaze, always left me feeling shaken, full of secret longing…well, I wasn’t brave enough to admit that. He’d given me my choice of mate. Now, he knew that, at the very least, I was attracted.

  He began to strip, his expression still set, completely unreadable. An ability that had driven me wild when I was younger. I’d spent years trying to push him past his reserve, but he’d been more stubborn than I. More patient.

  When he was nude, I couldn’t help the little mew I made. Like a damn kitten. Because his cock was thick and upright. He wasn’t unaffected by what I’d said or what he saw.