Mated to the three rogue princes

Disclaimer isn't probably going to be very good but I thought I would try PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS.

Her pov:

I was still crying when it happened.

The dirt road twisted deep into the woods my SUV's headlights barely pushing back the dark. Tears blurred everything Grandma's death, the years of bruises from his hands, the way I'd finally left in the middle of the night with nothing but a suitcase and the trust papers for her cabin. I just wanted to get there. To hide. To breathe. To think.

A huge black shape darted out from the trees right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes but the thud was sickening metal hitting solid muscle. The SUV jerked to a stop. My heart slammed against my ribs as I threw it into park and stumbled out sobbing.

Knowing I hit something.

"Oh God, no—no, please—" I dropped to my knees beside the massive wolf. It lay on its side, breathing hard one front leg tucked awkwardly. Blood matted the fur on its shoulder. It was enormous easily the biggest animal I'd ever seen with thick black fur that looked almost mightnight in the headlights with flecks of silver. I reached out with shaking hands.

"I'm so sorry... I didn't see you. I'm so, so sorry."

It whined softly low and pained and lifted its head. Those golden eyes met mine. It struggled up limping badly on that front leg and limped closer to me instead of running away. Its nose brushed my jeans then my trembling fingers sniffed me carefully.

Another soft whine like it was trying to comfort me even though I was the one who'd just hit it.

Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. I couldn't leave it here like this. "Come on," I whispered my voice cracking. "Let me take you to my house. It's not far—the cabin my grandma left me. I'll call a vet as soon as I can charge my phone." I gave a watery laugh and shook my head. "Why am I even telling you this? It's not like you speak English, you big dummy." I say to myself.

The wolf huffed and limped around to the passenger side like it understood every word. I hurried to open the door. With a little help from me guiding its haunches it climbed up into the seat surprisingly steady for something that had just been run over. It turned toward me and rested its heavy head right on the center console nose nearly touching my thigh, golden eyes half-lidded.

I couldn't help myself. I reached over and stroked the soft fur between its ears letting my fingers sink in. It felt warm and solid and strangely grounding.

"You're gonna be okay," I murmured. "We both are."

I started driving again the cabin only a few minutes farther. The silence and the weight of everything pressed in so I fished the pack and lit a cigarette with the car lighter and took a long slow drag. The smoke curled through the cab familiar and sharp.

The wolf's head lifted instantly. A deep, disapproving rumble rolled through its chest not quite a growl, but close. It wrinkled its nose his ears flared back, and he nudged my arm with his muzzle pushing gently but firmly like it wanted the cigarette away from me.

When I didn't react fast enough, it did it again harder those golden eyes locked on mine with clear frustration.

I blinked at it surprised. "What? You don't like the smoke?" I took another drag just to see. The rumble deepened and it pawed lightly at the console still favoring that leg but clearly agitated.

I stared at the glowing tip for a long second then rolled the window down and flicked the cigarette out into the dark trees. "Fine," I sighed letting the fresh pine air rush in. "No more. You win, stranger."

The wolf chuffed softly sounding satisfied and settled its head back on the console. I rested my hand on its fur again petting slow as the cabin finally appeared through the trees small, weathered, and tucked away like a secret. Mine.

I still didn't know it then but this wolf wasn't some random injured animal I'd accidentally run over. He was my mate. One of three who had been waiting in these woods for me my whole life. He'd stepped in front of my car on purpose faked the limp and the pain just to get close enough to pull me into his world... and to make sure I never lit another cigarette again.

Ryker POV:

I crouched in the thick underbrush with my brothers every muscle coiled tight as her SUV's headlights sliced through the trees ahead. We'd only picked up her scent a few hours ago when she crossed into our territory the wild borderlands we three rogue princes had claimed after we walked away from our father's poisoned court though he had promised if we had found our mate, our titles would be reinstated

Kai, Jace, and I had been running free for years, no massive pack, no throne, just the woods and the bond that told us one day our mate would come and reinstate everything. We could take it all back from our father.

And she had. Her scent hit like summer lightning sweet, warm, and most importantly ours. But she was driving straight through heading for the old cabin on the far edge. Once she crossed the boundary line, she'd be gone. Out of our claimed territory. The mate bond wouldn't let us follow without it being sealed. No eye contact, no spark. No claim started.

"She's almost at the line," Jace growled through the pack link his black fur bristling beside me. "If she leaves without locking eyes with one of us, we lose her."

Kai's black wolf form shifted restlessly. "Then we do it now. Ryker—you're the fastest. Jump out, make her stop. Let her see you. Once the bond snaps into place with that first look, we can go where she goes. No more borders holding us back. But don't scare her off. Limp. Whine. Make her want to help."

I didn't waste breath arguing. She was ours and she was slipping away before our eyes.

I burst from the trees and lunged onto the dirt road right in front of her oncoming lights. Brakes screamed. The front bumper caught my shoulder with a solid thud that rattled my bones but I rolled with it letting my front leg buckle as I went down hard. Pain flared real enough to sell it.

Her SUV jerked to a stop. The door flew open and she stumbled out already crying her voice breaking on sobs. "Oh God—no, no, I hit you—I'm so sorry!"

I lifted my head limping a few shaky steps toward her. Our eyes met.

Golden to her tear-filled ones.

The bond ignited like a live wire sharp, bright, and undeniable. It surged through me locking into place with a pull so strong my chest ached. Mate. Mine. Ours. She was bound to us now. We could follow her anywhere. Even beyond this territory.

She dropped to her knees her hands gentle and trembling as they hovered over my fur. I whined softly playing up the limp letting my nose brush her fingers. Her scent flooded me clean and feminine under the faint trace of smoke. Only that she was ours and she had been about to drive right out of our reach.

"Come on," she whispered her voice thick with guilt and tears. "Let me take you to my house. It's not far the cabin my grandma left me. I'll call a vet as soon as I can charge my phone." She laughed wetly at herself. "Why am I even telling you this? It's not like you speak English, you big dummy." she called herself. I didn't like that but I couldn't exactly tell her that now could I?

I limped obediently around to the passenger side. She opened the door and I climbed in settling my big head on the center console so my muzzle rested near her thigh. The contact sent another warm pulse through the fresh bond. I could already feel Kai and Jace moving silently through the trees behind us drawn forward now that the link was open. Able to follow now.

She started driving again one hand drifting over to stroke between my ears. Her touch was everything. Soft. Hesitant. Like she needed the comfort as much as I did.

Then she lit the cigarette.

The harsh smoke burned my nose. I rumbled deep in my chest my ears flicking back in clear disapproval No. Not our mate. I nudged her arm with my muzzle then pushed harder when she didn't react immediately golden eyes locked on hers with intent.

The bond let me pour a little of my will into the look protective, pleading, and insistent.

"What you don't like smoke?"

She blinked, surprised then took one last drag and flicked the cigarette out the window into the night. "Fine," she sighed as fresh air rushed in. "No more. You win, stranger."

Satisfaction rolled through me. I chuffed softly and settled my head back down under her petting hand the cabin lights finally appearing through the trees up ahead.

Through the link Kai's voice came warm with triumph: "Bond's set. We're in. She's not getting away now."

Jace added, quieter, "Easy with her tonight, Ryker. She seems... skittish. Like she's running from something. We take this slow. Win her trust first."

I stayed quiet letting her fingers keep stroking my fur as she parked. She had no idea the "injured wolf" she'd run over and rescued was a rogue prince who had just bound himself and his brothers to her for life. The chase was over. Now the real work began keeping her here, healing whatever had her driving through our woods with tears in her eyes, correct some of those bad behaviors, and showing her that three wolves who had waited years for her would never let her be alone again.

Her POV:

I parked the SUV in front of the small cabin the headlights washing over weathered wood and ivy covered walls that looked exactly like Grandma's old photos. My hands were still shaking as I turned off the engine. The woods around us were alive with night sounds crickets, rustling leaves, and the distant hoot of an owl but for the first time in hours I didn't feel completely alone.

The wolf beside me lifted his head from the console those golden eyes watching me steadily. He hadn't moved much during the last stretch of the drive just stayed there letting me pet him whenever my hand wandered over on its own. It was ridiculous how comforting his warm fur felt under my fingers. Like he was the one taking care of me instead of the other way around.

"Okay... we're here," I said softly my voice hoarse from crying. "Let's get you inside, big guy. I'll figure out the vet thing once I plug in my phone."

I climbed out and hurried around to the passenger side opening the door carefully. He limped down with a little grunt still favoring that front leg but he stayed close to my side as I fumbled with the key the lawyer had given me. The cabin door creaked open and a wave of dusty pine-scented air greeted me. It smelled like Grandma lavender sachets and old books. My eyes stung again.

I flipped on the lights. The place was small but cozy a main room with a stone fireplace, a tiny kitchen, a loft bedroom up a narrow staircase. Everything was covered in sheets, but it felt solid. Safe. Far away from him.

The wolf limped in right behind me without waiting for an invitation his nose to the floor as he sniffed every corner like he was checking the place for threats. I almost laughed through the exhaustion. "Making yourself at home already, huh?"

I found an outlet and plugged in my dead phone, then dragged one of the sheets off the old couch. "You can lay here for now. I'll get some water or... something. God, I really hit you. I'm so sorry." My throat tightened again. I crouched down and ran my hand along his neck and shoulders. The fur was so thick and soft, and he leaned into my touch with a low rumbling sigh that vibrated against my palm.

He really was massive. His head came almost to my boobs when he sat and those golden eyes never left my face for long. There was something unnervingly intelligent in them like he understood every word I said. When I tried to pull my hand away to go find a bowl for water, he nudged my wrist with his nose, insisting on more pets.

"Alright, alright," I murmured smiling despite everything. "You're kind of pushy for a stray I just ran over."

I sat the water on the ground and then I sat on the edge of the couch and he immediately rested his big head in my lap my eyes half-closed in contentment. His weight was heavy and grounding. For the first time since I'd left the city my breathing slowed. The constant knot of fear in my chest loosened just a little.

I didn't know why this wild animal felt safer than any person ever had. Maybe because he couldn't yell or raise a hand to hurt me. Maybe because he'd looked at me on the road like he actually saw me not like I was something to control or break.

My phone finally buzzed to life on the counter. A few missed calls from numbers I didn't recognize probably the lawyer or him trying to find me. I ignored them and searched for the nearest vet. Nothing close. Of course. We were deep in the middle of nowhere.

"I'll take you to one first thing in the morning," I promised stroking the soft spot behind his ears. "Or maybe you're not as hurt as I thought? You seem pretty steady now."

He huffed and shifted closer his injured leg suddenly looking a lot less painful as he draped part of himself over my thighs like a living weighted blanket. A quiet satisfied rumble rolled through him.

I leaned back against the couch my eyes heavy. The woods outside pressed close against the windows dark and protective instead of threatening. I still didn't know his name if he had one or why he'd stepped in front of my car or why being near him made the running feel like it might finally be over.

But for tonight with this huge wolf's head warm in my lap and the cabin quiet around us, I let myself close my eyes.

Just for a minute.

I woke up from my little doze on the couch with a start the wolf's heavy head still warm in my lap. My phone said it was past midnight. I rubbed my face and gently eased out from under him.

"Stay here, okay?" I told him firmly pointing at the couch. "I'm just going to bring my stuff in from the car. It'll only take a couple trips. You rest that leg."

He lifted his head golden eyes watching me but when I headed for the door, he stood up and limped right after me like I hadn't said a word.

"No—stay. Seriously." I pointed again. "You're hurt. Lie down."

He ignored me completely slipping past my legs and waiting at the open door like a giant furry bodyguard. I sighed and tried one more time. "Stay inside. I mean it."

He didn't even twitch an ear.

"Fine. Whatever." I muttered stepping out into the cool night air. The woods felt alive around the cabin, branches rustling in the breeze. I grabbed my big duffel from the back of the SUV hauling it toward the porch. Just as I reached the steps something big moved in the bushes off to the left leaves crunching and a low snap of a twig. My heart jumped into my throat.

I froze staring into the dark. The wolf was right beside me in an instant head low soft growl rumbling in his chest as he stared at the same spot. Whatever it was, it didn't come closer. After a few tense seconds the sound faded.

"Fine, whatever," I said again louder this time, mostly to calm myself. "You can come with me if you're going to be stubborn about it."

He stuck to my side for the next two trips my suitcase and then the grocery bags I'd picked up right before heading here at the gas station. I carried everything inside and locked the door behind us feeling a little ridiculous that a wolf I'd run over an hour ago was now acting like my personal escort.

My stomach growled loud enough for both of us to hear. "Alright. Food first." I unpacked the groceries quickly milk, bread, eggs, and a couple of frozen pizzas I'd grabbed on sale. I preheated the old oven and slid one pepperoni pizza in, then cracked open a cold soda from the six-pack. The fizzy sweetness hit my throat and I leaned against the counter sipping slowly while the cabin filled with the smell of melting cheese.

The wolf stayed close limping around the kitchen like he owned the place nose sniffing at the air every few seconds. His leg seemed better already. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought.

When the pizza was done I sliced it ate two pieces standing up and carried the rest with my soda toward the little loft bedroom. "Bedtime for me. You can have the couch downstairs. Stay."

Of course he didn't listen. He followed me up the narrow stairs moving surprisingly quiet for his size.

I set the plate and can on the nightstand, then closed the bedroom door behind me, a force of habit I guess.

The wolf sat in the middle of the room watching patiently as I turned my back and stripped off my jeans and long-sleeve shirt. I pulled on soft sleep shorts and an oversized tee sighing at how good it felt to be out of the clothes I'd driven in for hours.

When I turned around the wolf had gone completely still. His golden eyes were locked on my bare thighs and upper arms. The bruises were impossible to miss fading yellow-green fingerprints on my hips where my ex used to grab me too hard, darker ones on my upper arms, and the ugly one along my ribs that was still purple. I'd stopped noticing them years ago but seeing the wolf staring like that made heat rush to my face.

He let out a low deep sound not quite a growl but something tighter almost pained. His ears pinned back muscles tense under his fur and one paw stepped forward like he wanted to come closer and inspect every mark. For a second his whole body vibrated with tension like he was fighting some invisible battle. His lips pulled back just enough to show a flash of teeth before he forced them down again shaking his big head hard once.

"Hey... it's okay," I said softly tugging the hem of my tee down a little. "They're old. I'm fine now. That's why I'm here...new start, right?"

He didn't relax. Those intelligent golden eyes flicked up to mine intense and burning with something I couldn't name. He took another careful step closer nose twitching as he sniffed the air near my skin then huffed like he was forcing himself to stay calm. Whatever was going through that wolf's head it looked like it was taking every bit of control he had not to react stronger.

I sat on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress beside me. "Come here. It's been a long night for both of us."

He jumped up carefully circling once before curling his massive body around me on the bed like a living shield. His head rested near my bruised arm warm breath ghosting over the marks and that same low protective rumble started up again softer this time, almost soothing.

I finished my soda turned off the lamp and slid under the covers with him pressed close. The woods outside were quiet now. No more rustling. Just the steady warmth of this strange wolf who refused to leave my side and the faint smell of pine and fur that somehow made the cabin feel like home already.

I still didn't know why he felt so right. But for the first time in years I fell asleep without checking the locks twice.

Ryker POV:

The loft bedroom was dim lit only by a sliver of moonlight slipping through the thin curtains. I lay curled around her on the narrow bed my massive wolf body taking up most of the space but she didn't seem to mind. Her breathing had finally evened out into the slow rhythm of real sleep deep, exhausted, and trusting.

My head rested near her bruised arm and every time I inhaled her scent filled me warm skin, faint traces of tears that had dried on her cheeks, and underneath it all, the lingering shadow of old pain. Those marks on her body...

A low growl built in my chest before I could stop it. I swallowed it down forcing my muscles to stay relaxed against her. Whoever had put those bruises on her human hands, gripping too hard, too often would pay. But not tonight. Tonight she needed safety not rage because she was so used to.

Through the pack link I felt Kai and Jace drawing closer to the cabin circling silently in the trees just beyond the clearing. Their presence was a steady thrum in the back of my mind.

She's asleep, I sent to them keeping my mental voice quiet so I wouldn't disturb her even through the bond. Curled up with me like she's always belonged here. But she's marked, brothers. Bruises on her arms, hips, ribs, and back. Old, but they still smell like fear and someone else's hands.

Kai's response came first his wolf's energy sharp and protective even from a distance. We saw the way she was crying when she hit you. She's running from something. Or someone.

Jace ever the calm one added softly, Easy, Ryker. We take it slow. She let you in this far. Don't push. Let her wake up to safety first. We'll handle the rest as not to scare her if we can."

I huffed softly against her shoulder careful not to wake her. Easy for him to say. The mate bond was singing in my blood now bright, insistent, demanding I claim, protect, keep. Every instinct screamed to shift, to pull her into my arms as a man and promise her the world. But I couldn't. Not yet. One step at a time. She'd taken in an injured wolf. A man showing up in her bedroom in the middle of the night would send her screaming.

She stirred slightly in her sleep murmuring something incoherent and pressing closer into my fur. Her hand came up unconsciously and tangled in the thick ruff at my neck. The simple touch sent warmth flooding through me chasing away the edge of my anger. I nuzzled closer letting my breath ghost over the worst of the bruises on her arm as if I could heal them with will alone.

She smells like home, I told them. Like she was always meant to be here with us. But she's fragile right now. Skittish like you said, Jace. I can feel it in the bond even while she sleeps tight knots of fear that haven't unraveled yet.

Then we unravel them, Kai replied, his tone fierce. One night at a time. We're not going anywhere.

I stayed awake long after they quieted listening to the woods outside and the soft sounds of her breathing. Hours passed. The moon climbed higher, then began its slow descent. My leg the one I'd faked the worst injury on had stopped aching completely, but I knew to keep up the limp for show. She needed to feel useful needed to believe she was the one rescuing me. It was a small price to pay to stay this close.

Eventually the first gray hints of dawn filtered through the curtains. She began to wake shifting under the covers with a small sleepy sound. Her fingers flexed in my fur then stilled as memory seemed to hit her. I felt her body tense for a second probably remembering she'd brought a wild animal into her bed before she relaxed again with a soft sigh.

I lifted my head slowly golden eyes meeting hers as she blinked up at me. Those eyes... still a little red from last night's tears, but clearer now. Beautiful. Ours.

Beautiful green almost to the color of grass. Fitting almost.

"Good morning, stranger" she whispered her voice rough with sleep. A small hesitant smile curved her lips as she reached up to scratch behind my ears. "You stayed in the bed all night. Guess you really are pushy."

I chuffed softly in response nudging her hand with my nose for more pets. She obliged her touch growing surer. The bond pulsed warmly between us, and I poured as much calm reassurance into it as I could without shifting.

She sat up slowly, the oversized tee slipping off one shoulder and revealing more faint bruises along her collarbone. My jaw tightened, but I kept my expression soft my ears forward and my tail doing slow lazy thumps against the mattress.

"Hungry?" she asked swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "I think I have eggs and bread. Or leftover pizza for breakfast. Weird, but it works. I can go get you dog food you will probably need it."

Ewe I certainly would not be eating that.

I followed her down the narrow stairs still limping just enough to look pitiful. She glanced back at me every few steps concern flickering across her face. In the kitchen she moved around with quiet efficiency, cracking eggs into a bowl, slicing bread, starting coffee in an old percolator that smelled like decades of use.

While she cooked I stayed close sitting at her feet and leaning my weight gently against her leg. Every now and then I'd nose at her hand or give a soft whine just to keep her attention on me. She laughed lightly a real sound this time, not the watery one from last night and dropped a small piece of scrambled egg onto a plate for me.

"Here, big guy. Test run before I eat."

I ate it politely then looked up at her with expectant eyes. She shook her head amused. "You're spoiled already."

As she sat at the small table to eat her own breakfast I rested my head on her thigh again watching her face. The bond thrummed steadily. Kai and Jace were closer now just at the edge of the clearing hidden in the underbrush. I could feel their anticipation.

She finished eating and reached down to stroke my fur her fingers tracing idle patterns. "I should probably still take you to a vet today... but there's nothing close. And you seem a lot better. Maybe you just needed rest and food?"

I gave her my best pathetic look my ears slightly back eyes wide. No vet. I needed to stay right here.

She sighed, but there was fondness in it. "Fine. No vet for now. But if you start limping worse, we're figuring something out."

The morning stretched lazily. She unpacked a few more things moved around the cabin opening windows to let in fresh air. Every time she glanced at me, I was there watching, waiting, and ready to follow. When she stepped outside onto the porch with a mug of coffee, I went with her staying glued to her side as she leaned against the railing and looked out at the woods.

The trees were still and quiet, but I knew my brothers were out there waiting for the right moment.

She took a deep breath of the pine-scented air. "This is crazy," she murmured more to herself than to me. "I hit a wolf, brought him home, and now he's acting like my guard dog. Grandma would've loved this story."

I leaned against her leg letting my weight ground her. Inside the bond sang louder. Soon. She'd meet the others. She'd learn the truth. But for now, I was content to be her stranger, her warmth, her unexpected anchor in the middle of these woods that had always been meant to bring her to us eventually the prophecies had spoken about her.

And when the time came to shift, to stand before her as Ryker the rogue prince who had thrown himself in front of her car on purpose I would make sure she never wanted to run again.

She was ours. And we were finally home. Home being with her. We actually have our own house but thats beside the point.

The morning sun filtered through the trees warm and dappled on the cabin porch. She'd been moving around inside for a while washing the breakfast dishes making the bed, humming softly under her breath like she was trying to convince herself this new life could feel normal.

I stayed close my wolf form a constant shadow at her heels, but when she finally stepped out onto the porch with a mug of coffee in one hand and something small rolled between her fingers in the other, I knew what was coming from the smell and the look of the jar of rolled joints she pulled out a foil package and got out the last blunt before throwing the package in the trash by the door.

She paused at the door glancing back at me with a sheepish little smile. "Stay inside, big guy. Just for a minute. I need some fresh air... and a little something to take the edge off. Grandma's rules don't exactly cover emotional support ugh wolfs, but I think she'd understand."

I rumbled low in my chest ears flicking back in clear disapproval. The scent of the blunt already tickled my nose sharp, herbal, nothing like the cigarette smoke from last night but still unwanted. I stepped forward nudging her leg firmly with my head my golden eyes locked on hers with every ounce of protective intent I could push through the fresh mate bond.

She laughed softly and scratched behind my ears. "I know, I know. You're not a fan. But it's just one. I've had a hell of a week. You can guard the door from in here, okay?"

Before I could do more than huff and try to block her path she slipped outside and pulled the door shut behind her with a soft click. The latch caught. I stared at the wooden barrier frustration boiling under my fur. Wolves don't open doors. Not without shifting and I wasn't ready to blow everything yet. Not when she was still so raw still smiling at me like I was the strangest safest thing that had ever happened to her.

Through the window I could see her settle on the top porch step, back against the railing. She lit the blunt with a small lighter took a slow drag and exhaled a plume of smoke that curled into the morning air.

Her shoulders relaxed almost immediately her eyes half-closing as the tension she'd been carrying started to ebb.

I paced inside claws clicking on the old wooden floor a deep whine building in my throat. I mindlinked Kai. Jace. She's smoking again. Something herbal this time. I can't get out there without shifting and scaring the hell out of her.

Kai's amused voice slid through the pack link closer than before. On it. Give me two minutes. I'll come in from the east side act like I'm just a concerned neighbor checking on the new arrival at the old Miller cabin. Make it look natural.

Jace chuckled quietly. Try not to look too intense, Kai. She's already jumpy.

I pressed my nose to the glass watching her. She took another drag tilting her head back so the sunlight caught the faint bruises still visible on her neckline. My chest tightened. She shouldn't need anything to take the edge off. Not when we were right here ready to carry every burden for her.

A couple minutes passed. She was a few good hits in the sweet-smoky scent drifting faintly even through the closed door when movement caught her eye from the tree line.

Kai emerged from the underbrush in his human form tall, dark-haired, wearing a simple flannel shirt, worn jeans, and scuffed boots that made him look like any local who spent more time in the woods than in town. He moved with easy confidence his hands loose at his sides and a friendly half-smile on his face. But I knew him. That "casual" stride still carried the coiled power of his black wolf just beneath the surface.

She spotted him immediately. Her whole body jerked upright the blunt nearly dropping from her fingers as she scrambled to her feet. The sudden fear scent spiked sharp and acrid through the air hitting me even inside the cabin. My hackles rose a growl ripping out before I could stop it. I threw myself at the door claws scrabbling uselessly against the wood.

"Hey easy there," Kai called out his voice calm and warm raising one hand in a clear "I'm not a threat" gesture. He stopped a good twenty feet from the porch giving her plenty of space. "Didn't mean to startle you. I'm Kai. Live just over the ridge old hunting cabin about a mile that way. Saw the SUV come in last night and figured I'd check if the new neighbor needed anything. These woods can feel pretty isolated if you're not used to them."

She stared at him her heart hammering so loud I could almost hear it through the bond. The blunt was still pinched between her fingers, smoke still curling up. "I... um. Hi. Sorry, I'm just jumpy this morning. Didn't expect anyone out here."

Kai's smile softened his eyes flicking briefly to the blunt before politely looking away. "No worries. Happens to the best of us. Place has been empty since old Mrs. Miller passed. You her granddaughter? The lawyer mentioned someone might be coming up to settle the property."

She nodded slowly still wary but starting to breathe again. "Yeah. That's me. Melanie. Just... getting settled." Her voice was a little looser now from the hits she'd taken the edges of her tension blurred.

Kai took one careful step closer still keeping his distance respectful. "Melanie. Nice to meet you. Mind if I...?" He gestured vaguely toward the blunt, his tone light and almost teasing. "Smells decent. Haven't had one in a while myself."

She blinked surprised then gave a soft, slightly dazed laugh. The weed had clearly loosened her up just enough. "Uh... sure, I guess? Here." She held it out without thinking twice the mate bond and the sudden calm of his presence making the offer feel oddly natural.

Kai closed the remaining distance in a few easy strides taking the blunt from her fingers with a grateful nod. He brought it to his lips took a slow deliberate hit deep enough to make his point then exhaled smoothly the smoke drifting purposefully away from her face. "Thanks. That hits nice." He didn't hand it back. Instead, he took another casual pull holding it between his fingers like it was already his. "You been up here long?"

Melanie watched him a mix of amusement and lingering surprise on her face. "Just got in last night. Rough drive. Hit a... well, never mind. It's been a lot."

Kai leaned one shoulder against the porch post, casual as anything the blunt still in his hand. "These back roads'll do that to you. Deer, raccoons... sometimes bigger things if you're not careful." His golden-brown eyes same shade as mine in wolf form met hers with quiet intensity for just a second before he looked away again keeping things light. "You settling in okay? Need any help with the generator or chopping wood? Winter hits hard out here, even if it's still a ways off."

She shrugged hugging her arms around herself the absence of the blunt in her hand apparently not bothering her as much as it should have. "I think I'm good for now. The place feels... safe. Quiet. That's what I needed."

"Quiet's good," Kai agreed taking one more unhurried hit before finally stubbing the rest out carefully on the porch railing and pocketing the remainder like it belonged to him now. He didn't ask. He just did it smooth, confident, the same protective instinct I'd shown last night now wrapped in human form. "But if the quiet gets too loud in your head, you know where to find me. Over the ridge. Can't miss the blue roof if you follow the old trail. I have two brothers too if I'm not there one of them probably will be."

Melanie gave a small laugh the sound softer and more genuine than anything I'd heard from her yet. "Thanks, Kai. I'll... keep that in mind."

He pushed off the post with an easy nod. "Take care, Melanie. And hey...if you see a big black wolf around don't worry. He's harmless. Probably just curious about the new face, he just stays where he wants." With that he turned and headed back toward the trees his hands in his pockets the stub of her blunt safely tucked away.

Inside the cabin I finally stopped my frantic pacing, a satisfied rumble vibrating through my chest. Well played, brother.

Kai's voice came back through the link warm with triumph. She's sweet. A little hazy from the hits,

but trusting once the fear faded. And no more smoking for herright now. We'll ease her off it gently.

Melanie stood there for a long moment after he disappeared staring at the spot where he'd been. Then she shook her head a bemused smile tugging at her lips and turned back toward the door.

When she opened it I was right there my tail wagging hard, nudging insistently against her legs the second she stepped inside. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around my neck burying her face in my fur with a soft sigh.

"Did you hear any of that, stranger? Met the neighbor. Tall, kinda intense, but... nice. He took my blunt and never gave it back, though. Bold as hell, kinda handsome." She laughed quietly the sound muffled against me. "Guess the woods aren't too bad."

I huffed in agreement licking her cheek once in pure relief and satisfaction. She smelled like pine, coffee, and the fading trace of smoke but no fresh hit lingering on her breath. Kai had handled it perfectly.

She scratched behind my ears still smiling. "Weird morning. But... I think I like it here already."

Through the link, Jace's quiet amusement joined us. One down. My turn soon.

I pressed closer to her letting my weight ground her as she stood and headed back inside. She had no idea yet that the "neighbor" who had casually stolen her blunt was one of the three rogue princes who had waited years for her.

But she was starting to feel it.

Safe. Wanted. Home.

And we weren't letting go.

The rest of the morning passed in a warm, lazy haze inside the cabin. Melanie moved around with that slightly loosened energy from the blunt she'd only half-finished humming under her breath while she sorted through boxes and wiped down surfaces that hadn't been touched in months.

Every few minutes her hand would drift down to stroke my fur or scratch behind my ears and each touch sent another steady pulse of contentment through the mate bond.

She was relaxing bit by bit letting the woods and this strange black wolf settle something deep inside her that had been wound tight for years.

I stayed glued to her side still limping just enough to keep the act alive but mostly I was content to be her shadow watching, protecting, and soaking in every soft laugh and quiet sigh. Through the pack link I could feel Kai lingering not far off smug about the blunt he'd pocketed, and Jace circling closer to the perimeter his presence calm but eager.

Then Jace's voice slid into my mind smooth and deliberate. Ryker. She's comfortable with you now. Act like you need to go outside to use the restroom whine, paw at the door, the usual act. I'll slip in while you slip out. We'll swap. She won't even notice the difference if I play it right. I want to feel her hands on me too.

I huffed softly against Melanie's leg where she sat on the couch flipping through an old photo album she'd found. The idea made my chest tighten with a mix of protectiveness and brotherly amusement. Jace was the quietest of us the one who observed everything before acting, but once he decided on something he moved like water smooth and inevitable.

You sure? I sent back. She's still skittish. If she figures out there are suddenly three identical giant wolves...

She won't. Not yet, Jace replied his mental tone carrying that steady confidence. I'll keep the limp. Same golden eyes. Same size. Just let me in close. One shift at the tree line and I'm in.

Melanie glanced down at me her fingers pausing in my fur. "You okay, stranger? You're staring at the door like you've got somewhere to be."

Perfect opening.

I stood up slowly favoring the front leg with an exaggerated limp and walked to the cabin door. I pawed at it once then twice letting out a low urgent whine while looking back at her with pleading golden eyes. I even shifted my weight restlessly like I couldn't hold it any longer.

She raised an eyebrow, amused. "Really? Oh You need to go potty? Fine, fine. But don't go far, okay? And come right back if that leg starts bothering you again."

She crossed the room and opened the door for me. I gave her one last look ears slightly back tail low before limping outside into the bright midday light. The moment the door clicked shut behind me, I moved fast. I slipped around the side of the cabin staying low in the underbrush until I was out of sight from the windows. Then I shifted.

Bones and muscle rearranged in a silent rush of power, fur melting away until I stood on two legs tall, broad-shouldered, black a little too wild wearing the simple dark clothes I'd worn before shifting. I shook out my shoulders and melted deeper into the woods circling wide so I could watch from cover.

Jace was already waiting his black wolf form with the careful limp as he padded silently toward the cabin from the opposite direction I'd just "left."

Through the link I felt the seamless swap. He reached the porch, whined softly once, and Melanie bless her trusting heart opened the door again without hesitation when she heard the sound.

"There you are," she said warmlyrelief in her voice as the "same" wolf limped back inside. "That was quick. Good boy."

Jace now playing me chuffed softly and immediately pressed his big head against her thigh leaning into her touch exactly the way I had been doing all morning. She laughed and dropped back onto the couch letting him settle his massive frame half across her lap like I'd done earlier. Her fingers sank into his fur without a second thought stroking slow and affectionate.

"Missed you already, huh?" she murmured her voice soft and a little hazy from the earlier smoke. "You're kinda clingy for a wild wolf I ran over. But I don't mind. Makes this place feel less empty."

Jace rumbled a low satisfied sound that vibrated through his chest identical to mine and nuzzled closer, golden eyes half-lidded in pure bliss. Through the link he sent me a quiet pulse of gratitude and wonder. Gods, Ryker... she's perfect. Her hands... her scent up close like this. The bond is singing. I can feel every bruise on her skin like it's on mine.

I stayed hidden in the tree line my arms crossed with a smirk tugging at my lips as I watched through the window. Told you. She's got no idea there are three of us yet. Keep the limp believable. And don't push the smoking thing too hard today she's already down one blunt thanks to Kai.

Jace didn't answer right away. He was too busy soaking up her pets letting her talk quietly about her grandma, about the long drive, and about how she just wanted peace. Every now and then he'd huff or nudge her hand when she paused encouraging her to keep going to keep touching him to keep talking.

From my vantage point I could see the way her body language softened even more with "me" back in her lap. The mate bond was doing its work pulling her toward us whether she understood it or not. She felt safe. Grounded. Like the woods themselves were wrapping around her in the shape of one oversized, pushy wolf.

Kai's voice joined the link warm with amusement. Smooth swap, Jace. She didn't even blink. My turn next?

Patience, Jace sent back, his mental tone laced with quiet joy as Melanie's fingers found that spot behind his ears and scratched just right. Let her get used to "Ryker" a little longer. Then Kai finally we'll start introducing the "others "properly... as men.

I leaned against a tree watching the scene inside the cabin with a deep sense of rightness settling in my chest. She had no idea the wolf currently draped across her like a living blanket was actually my brother wearing my exact appearance in wolf form. our human form was different you could tell us apart though alot cannot for some reason. She had no idea three rogue princes were already half in love with her from scent and bond alone.

But she would.Wen

Soon she'd learn that the "stranger" who had decided to throw themselves in front of her car wasn't just one wolf.

He was three.

And all three of us were never letting her go.

For now though I stayed hidden content to let Jace have his moment while I kept watch from the trees.

Melanie was smiling more. Laughing softly at whatever nonsense she was telling the wolf in her lap. The bruises on her skin were still there but the fear scent was fading hour by hour.

This was only the beginning.

And it felt like coming home.