Chapter 5

Naomi's head throbbed, and the yelling going on around her didn't help, rather it added to her general malaise and irritation. What she did find comforting was the lap she found herself cuddled in. Strong arms held her close against a hard chest where a rapidly beating heart lulled her for a moment longer before sanity set in.

Whose freakn' lap am I on?

Somehow, she doubted they were related to her given the evident erection poking at her bottom and the fact her whole body tingled. Oh no, one of them has got me. Panic made her scramble to escape before she opened her eyes. She dove off the warm lap and didn't peer around with wild eyes until she found herself clear of bodies, nausea and pain weaving a dance in her body that made her want return to her unconscious state for a while longer. Since when do I wish for the cowardly route? She straightened her spine and took in the scene before her.

Out from the cocoon of the behemoth's arms, the noise seemed even louder and chaotic. On one side of the living room, her mother stood nose to nose with her father, who, in this rare instance, wasn't backing down on whatever they fought about. Three of her brothers stood around number sixty-nine, haranguing him as he held up his hands in a conciliatory manner. As for number forty-four, he sat on the couch and ignored her two other glaring brothers to watch her.

"Enough." Silence descended as she planted her hands on her hips and regarded them all. Her head pounded fiercely, and all she wanted was to go home and lie down. Alone. "Why are these guys in our house?"

"Naomi, is that any way to treat your beaus?" Her mom's voice cut the silence and Naomi grimaced at her.

"They are not mine," she growled. "No matter what they seem to think." Or her own inner bitch whined.

"Stubborn chit," her mother chided. "You can't fight fate."

"Watch me." Naomi went to stride out of the room, but a wave of dizziness made her sway, not far, though, as a new pair of firm hands grabbed her and tugged her into a solid embrace.

Heat enveloped her and she held in a sigh as she looked up into the tanned face of the feline. "Let me go."

"Of course." Immediately the male she still only knew as number sixty-nine released her and stepped away, but not far. His dark eyes watched her, a smoldering fire in their depths.

"Darling, why don't you sit down?" Her mother's suggestion held more a tone of command, but Naomi fought it.

"No. I want to go home." Naomi cursed the plaintive note in her tone, but she couldn't help it. Too much was happening and with her head dancing to the tune of an out of key Mariachi band, she just wanted peace and quiet. She also needed time to plan how to evade her sudden and unwanted suitors. A grimace crossed her face as she realized her damned mother, with a stubborn tilt to her chin, already plotted against her, determined to force her-probably kicking and screaming-to her fate.

"You, the big one," her matriarch ordered. "Ethan, if I recall correctly. You will drive my daughter home. Javier." Her mother pointed to number sixty-nine "You will follow so once your big friend drops her off he has a ride home. As for you." Her mother swiveled to fix her with a glare. "Get some rest. I'll see you and your beaus tomorrow night for dinner. No argument." Naomi's lips tightened into a thin line. Oh, there will be arguing, just not right now while I'm not in tip-top shape. Judging by the stormy expressions on her father's and brothers faces, they'd also have plenty to say once she left.

Chris tossed her car keys to number forty-four, whose name, Ethan, seemed too docile for a man his size. One big mitt came up to catch her keys and she wanted to protest the giant beast couldn't touch her car, but given the choice between escape or more of her family's tough love, she chose possible injury to her car.

Of course, before she could escape, she found herself enveloped in too many hugs, not as tight as usual, her brothers and father, treating her gingerly. She thought she saw her mother speaking to Javier in between embraces, but before she could see what they conspired, Chris squeezed her tight with a whispered, "Brat, figures fate would think you need two men to keep you in line." Her head didn't ache enough for her not to stomp on his foot, his yelp of pain making her almost smile.

Hugs accomplished and with no time to change her mind, she found herself pressed between a pair of male bodies, her breath stolen by their sudden nearness while heat flashed through her.

They made it outside before it crossed her mind that her mother had just sent her home with strangers-and ones who'd caused her current, if accidental, injury in the first place. It occurred to her to march back inside and lambast her parents for poor decisions, but Ethan rumbled. "Which car is yours?" and she decided to hold onto that harangue for later.

Naomi wondered who'd driven her car over as she obviously hadn't and Francine didn't do manual transmissions. Whoever brought it, they'd better have treated my baby right. She peered around for her red Miata and saw it parked in front of a shining, silver Lexus.

"Are those your wheels?" She asked pointing at the sweet ride she dreamed of but couldn't yet afford.

"Mine, actually," Javier replied.

"Nice," she replied grudgingly. "Mine's the red one behind it. Hurt it and I will hurt you."

"Promise?" Javier teased with a smile that hit her right between the thighs.

When she would have stumbled on the last porch step, she instead found herself swept up into Ethan's arms.

Heat at his proximity flooded her and she struggled. "Put me down. I can walk."

"And I can carry you. Your point would be?"

"Caveman," she grumbled, wincing at the twinge in her head.

"Are you always this irritable?" asked the cat.

Naomi shot him a glare. "Gee, let me see. My friend dragged me to a lacrosse game, which, I might add, is not my idea of a good time in the first place, where some clumsy bear missed a ball causing me to get injured. That same bear and his alley cat then show up and try to claim me as their mate even though I don't want one. I think I've earned the right to be annoyed."

"I told you we should have brought more flowers," Ethan grumbled.

"Flowers?" She turned incredulous eyes up to Ethan's face, but he didn't meet her gaze as he opened the passenger door on her car and deposited her in with a gentleness that seemed at odds with the aggressive demeanor he'd displayed during the game.

He slammed the door shut instead of answering her and crossed over to the driver side. He leaned in and tugged the lever to send the driver seat as far back as it could go. Then, he inclined the back rest.

"Dude, maybe I should drive her car. You're kind of big for it." Naomi silently agreed with Javier, but at the same time found herself morbidly curious to see if the bear would fit.

"And maybe you should invest in a wheelchair, because I'm about to put you into one," was the behemoth's growled reply.

Naomi leaned her head back against the headrest and prayed for the nightmarish evening to end.

The suspension on her car sank alarmingly as the determined bear shifter sat in the seat and Naomi shuddered at the imagined damage his weight would cause. But, at this point, arguing would just delay the whole trip and she really, really wanted to get home. Besides, I can always just send him the bill.

"Where to?" he asked turning those chocolate eyes her way.

Naomi gave him the directions to her townhouse and then tried not to flinch as he turned the key in the ignition. Stu tended to hold the starter a tad long making it whine. However, the beast let go as soon as the engine caught. Car started, he hit the gas and shifted, his movements smooth as he displayed a gentleness with her baby that made her ease somewhat. However, a lack of worry over his chauffeur skills meant she had time now to notice just how much space he took up in the cab of her car-he almost sat in the back seat, for Pete's sake, he was so damned big. She couldn't ignore how his scent, a soap and musky male mix, permeated the close space. When his hand brushed her thigh as he shifted gears, she jumped as if burned, tucking her legs tight against the passenger door. A soft chuckle made her cheeks burn as she realized he'd caught her reaction.

Attraction to the behemoth confused her. He embodied nothing she appreciated in a male, and yet her body reacted as if she'd sucked back a whole bottle of Viagra for women. I'm freakn' horny.

The knowledge bothered her almost as much as her nagging headache. Sure, he sported a great body and a decent face; however, she prided herself on looking past a male's exterior to his insides for intelligence, manners and common interests. She never allowed her hormones to rule her, choosing boyfriends who met her strict criteria starting with them not belonging to any shifter caste. And how boring has that been? Her sarcastic conscious continued to snipe at her. It's just because I haven't met the right one. Her inner wolf yapped and made her gaze slide over to the behemoth whose big paw clutched at her steering wheel with white knuckles. Stop that. He is not the man for me. He's a boneheaded jock, goddammit. Her mental assertion didn't stop her inner wolf from snorting, her disgust evident.

They got half way to her house before Naomi frowned at the silence in the vehicle. As my supposed mate, shouldn't he be trying harder to woo me? Or is he plotting? She shouldn't care, but her wayward tongue always wagged before she thought.

"Why so quiet?" she asked rudely.

Brown eyes flicked over to catch hers for a second and Naomi sucked in a breath at the banked fire in their depths. "I'm not good with words. I thought it best, especially given your current state, that I not speak."

Naomi bit her lower lip at his admission. It was actually kind of nice, not that it helped his case. "Thanks. I think. Listen, I know you think we're mates or something, but I can assure you it's a mistake."

"You prefer Javier?" he growled.

His accusation made her blink. "No. I don't want to be mated with a shifter, any shifter."

That comment turned that melting gaze her way again. "But you are a shifter. Shifters mate. And I am not mistaken. You are mine."

The possessive claim made her shiver in a way that tightened her nipples. Pursing her lips, she ignored how it made her feel and forged ahead. "See, it's that kind of attitude that irritates me. My wolf is only a part of me, and while she might think you smell good and want to do nasty things to your body." He choked. "I want more out of a partner in life than hot, animal sex. I want a man who will support me."

"I have money," he interrupted.

"I wasn't done speaking," she snarled and he clamped his mouth tight. "It's not just about money. I also mean support in the sense that I can have an intelligent conversation with him. Own pretty things that won't get destroyed because some testosterone laden male has decided he needs to vent some steam indoors."

"You think I'm stupid?" Anger threaded his words and Naomi felt a moment's chagrin.

She ignored it. "Not stupid, exactly, but come on, you're an athlete, not an intellectual. Are you going to tell me your first instinct is to talk things over or use your fists?"

"I'm annoyed right now and yet I'm talking to you aren't I?" His sarcastic reply coincided with him pulling up in front of her house.

Without waiting for her reply, he exited the car, but before she could open her door, he appeared, and lifted her out.

"Would you put me down?" she exclaimed, exasperation coloring her tone.

"No. But, since you find me so offensive, perhaps you'd prefer Javier." Neanderthal A passed her to Neanderthal B while Naomi could only fume.

"Did I miss something?" Javier asked as he tightened his arms around her.

Naomi told her hip hopping tummy to take a hike before answering. "I was just explaining to your friend how neither of you will do as a mate. So please, put me down and be on your way."

"Are you challenging us?"

Ethan snorted as he fit her key into the lock and opened the door to her townhouse.

"No, I am stating a fact. Find some other gullible bitch to bite, fuck and fetch your slippers."

Javier's laughter washed over her in a warm wave she enjoyed way too much. Fuming that they wouldn't take her serious, she clamped her lips shut as the overgrown cat carried her into her home. He finally set her down on her couch, but then instead of leaving, Ethan sat in the chair opposite her while Javier wandered off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Shouldn't you be leaving?" she asked with a pointed stare toward the door.

A shrug from massive shoulders answered her. "Make me."

"Ooh," she almost shrieked in exasperation. Only the pulsing of her painful head held her back. "Why are you both being so stubborn? Can't you tell you're not wanted?"

"My mama said the same thing to my dad when they first met," Ethan admitted. "Not liking her answer, he tossed her over his shoulder and kept her prisoner in a cave for two weeks, making love to her numerous times a day until she finally admitted she loved him, too," he added with a smug grin.

Naomi's jaw dropped and her throat worked soundlessly for a moment. "You wouldn't dare!" Her mouth said one thing, her pussy, drenching at his words, screamed another.

"Well, as you've mentioned a few times, I'm probably too dumb to know better. Although, don't worry, because of the lacrosse season, maybe I'll just handcuff you to a bed instead of finding a cave."

"My family won't stand for it!"

"Children, children," Javier chided returning to them holding two open beers, and one tall glass of juice. "Can't we all get along? After all, since our beasts have seen fit to join us in a m俷age, we'll be together a long, long time."

"Over my dead body," she growled.

"Not dead, but gagged can definitely be arranged," Ethan grumbled.

"Hmm, a little kinky, but I'm not averse to the idea," Javier added.

Irritated, frustrated-and so fucking horny at the idea of them tying her down to have their wicked way-she took a swig of the juice, sudden thirst making her down the whole thing.

It didn't take long for wooziness to set in. She blinked as their image wavered. "You drugged me," she accused, trying to push herself up off the couch, but her body wouldn't obey.

"Your mother's orders," Javier explained. "You need to rest, but fear not, we will watch over you and make sure you come to no harm. Sleep, feisty one, and we'll sort things out when you feel better."

I am going to kill my mother. Naomi slumped over before she could tell Javier where he could shove his sorting out idea.