PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 2

PRIMAL HUNGER

By

Mandy Monroe

(C) Copyright by Mandy Monroe, May 2014

Cover art by Alex DeShanks, May 2014

Smashwords Edition

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636nj

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and

not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Chapter One

Maura’s car bounced down the wooded, shady road. Saying she was roughing it was an

understatement. There hadn’t even been a gas station for miles. She was looking forward to this
retreat, though. Maura felt the extra pounds jiggling whenever she hit uneven road and her
resolve to find this out of the way retreat strengthened. It was that jiggling mess that made her
cringe. It was confirmation in her mind of every cruel taunt and jest she'd received as a child.
She mentally shuddered and purposefully dismissed those thoughts. She wouldn’t dwell on the
fat of the past but would focus on a fit and trim future. Her little blue sedan crept up a
moderately steep section of the road that led to a rural mountain fitness retreat.

Maura had been hitting the gym for a few months now but decided it was time to take more

drastic weight loss measures. Everyone at her gym was buzzing about the exclusive fitness
retreat in the mountains that pampered and pummeled you all at the same time. She'd decided
that an escape from her life for a couple weeks, paired with the potential to lose a few pounds,
sounded like a win-win situation. She'd saved for a few months, taking extra hours at the office,
and scraped up enough to afford the trip.

The road forked and led to a national park on one side, the retreat on the other.
Maura had read in her research on the place that the fitness retreat center had an arrangement

with the national park officials for permits to use small bordering parts of the land, they in turn
offered internships for students of forestry, wildlife biology, and others. The partnership made
sense to her. The retreat employed people educated in being in the wild, and the students earned
field credits for school, win-win.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 3

She hadn’t really been an outdoorsy person most of her life, hiking, biking, and whatnot, but

she did enjoy being out of doors. Her thoughts drifted to all the things she would be doing over
the next few days and she found herself looking forward to the canoeing the most. She had
difficulty envisioning herself having fun in a bathing suit, but she knew she would also be
wearing a lifejacket and that would cover most of her. The group might even be able to see some
really neat things on the trip. The grin on Maura’s face dissolved somewhat when the thought
chain led her to other water activities that ranked a lot higher on her stress meter. Swimming.

Ugh, Maura’s nose scrunched, this better not be the kind of retreat where people only go to

show off how good their stick thin bodies look in next to nothing!

Her attention redirected to following the last few instructions on the map as the road became

more and more winding. She kept an eye out for the wooden slat signs with their neat and
precise lettering carved expertly into the surface. They were neither ornate in the design nor too
casual in appearance as to be mistaken for shabby. Hopefully the rest of the company was
similar in design and presentation.

Who are you kidding, Maura scoffed to herself? You would sleep on rocks and eat grass

clippings to get this weight off.

All thoughts disappeared when she rounded the corner and saw the entrance to the retreat.

Whoa.

Her car was dwarfed on each side with stacks of rough hewn river rock and slate framing each

side of the road. A large intricately carved cedar slab stretched from one rock wall to the other
with ‘Barrett Retreats’ in the center and the carving of a bear in relief on the left and right. The
right side had a bear on all fours standing in front of pine trees and the left was a detailed portrait
of a bear. The features of the bear were so intricate she slowed the car to a crawl to view it
longer. It was beautifully done. Making mental notes to trek back up here at some point to
photograph the sign, Maura continued, eagerly anticipating her first view of the main house.

It did not disappoint. After a heavily wooded half mile the tree line spread and opened to

reveal a large, rustic hunting design cabin. The base was the same rough river and slate rock that
framed the entrance. On top of it were large cedar tree trunks notched together at the corners.
The chimney on each end of the house was again the same rough rock mix. The rustic cut of the
materials should have seemed primitive but the wide wraparound porch and the large sometimes
floor to ceiling windows that lined both floors of the building gave it a sophisticated air.

Maura parked the car and went in search of directions to check in. As she reached for the

door it swung open towards her and she collided with a well muscled and very large man
walking out.

His arm shot out and he grabbed her waist to keep her from stumbling backwards down the

stairs.

She righted herself and looked up to see who, or what, she had run into. Her gaze just kept

traveling up… and up… and up.

Leave it to me to run into a human wall.
Maura looked up and got momentarily stuck in the deepest, richest, chocolate brown eyes she

had ever seen. Before she could gawk any further, she remembered to apologize. It couldn’t feel
good to have someone of her big size run smack into you. “I’m so sorry,” Maura said, appalled
at the first impression she was leaving. “I hope I didn’t hurt you!”

His eyebrows shot up at her comment in what looked like surprise.
Maura’s mood soured. Surely he knew fat people had manners, too.
“Hurt …. me? You? No. I'm fine.”

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 4

Maura examined him closer to better judge if he was making fun of her. He looked genuinely

surprised. She puzzled at that a bit. She couldn’t help her gaze from exploring his features. His
hair just touched his collar and was slightly shaggy but not raggedly so. It shone in the sunlight
and when the light hit it she saw that she had mistaken the color for black at first glance but it
was a dark rich brown much like his eyes. His nose showed evidence of having been broken and
not properly set in the past but only added to his rugged handsomeness. His lips were full and
parted slightly in surprise. She had the irrational impulse to kiss him right then but realized his
lips were moving again. It took her a moment to register that he was talking and to hear what he
was saying.

“What is your name?”
“Maura. Maura Brooks.”
“Hello Maura Brooks. I’m Bain. I work here. Can I show you around? Get you checked in?”
Maura nodded and tried not to notice how enticingly muscled her tour guide was as she

followed behind him looking room to room in the main cabin. He was tall, a good foot taller
than her five foot five frame, but with shoulders so wide she could probably sit comfortably on
one side. His waist was also thick, but not with fat. It was as solidly muscled as the rest of him.
A man that dense with muscle should be clumsy and slow but Bain moved with fluidity and
grace that belied his size. She blushed when completely inappropriate but wickedly satisfying
visions of him moving that fluidly, naked, popped in her head.

Returning her attention to what she was being shown in the house, she marveled at the

simplicity and efficiency of the cabin. The rooms only needed to hold about fifteen people
comfortably for a number of different workouts. Part of what made this camp so desirable was
its exclusivity. Management only allowed twelve clients at a time, six men and six women. That
allowed the workout rooms to be moderately sized, as well, and with a few clever scheduling
tricks and mobile equipment, the floors were used for a number of activities. Most of the
workout action was outside. The efficient floor and equipment planning let the main cabin size
stay stately without being too large and overwhelming the beauty of the mountain views in the
background.

He explained that individual schedules would be designed after each camper went through a

fitness assessment the following day. The assessment, and physical every client had to bring
from their doctor, would determine what individual workout programs would be inserted
between group activities like volleyball, kayaking, and hiking. Maura tried not to think about the
fitness exam but focused on remaining encouraged by the clean bill of health the doctor had
issued her days before.

Maura realized they were exiting the house and she followed his lead down the path towards

the cabins. She was pleasantly surprised when Bain hefted her two pieces of luggage out of the
trunk when she opened it and carried them like they were nothing. It had taken all of her might
to heave them into the car. To someone with that much muscle, those two ton bags probably felt
like next to nothing. He could probably even pick her up without grunting, maybe hold her up
against the wall and press that big, hard body into hers.

Maura shook her head to clear it and felt desire bloom low in her belly. She couldn't help

feeling like a horny teen lusting after a camp counselor. They approached a cozy, small cabin
made of the same rough hewn wood as the main house. Each camper was assigned their own
cabin and each cabin was positioned somewhat close together but surrounded by such dense
foliage and vegetation that privacy was also ensured. She was so lost in the view of the trees and

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 5

the quaint appearance of the cabin she didn't notice he had stopped walking and almost plowed
right into him again.

Bain set down the bags, delved into his pockets, fished out her cabin key, and slid it in the

lock. He held the door for her and followed after retrieving her bags. The cabin was a small one
room deal. There was a large bed frame made with what looked like small tree trunks fitted
together. It gave the cabin a feel of bringing the outdoors in. The headboard of the bed was
carved into a scene depicting a lazy creek making an ambling path through a stone filled creek
bed.

Maura was immediately drawn to it. She bent to examine it more closely, inspecting the

subtle differences in the carving that made the textures between the rock and the water so
distinctive. You could almost hear the water trickling down the stream. She would bet her life it
was the same carver who had carved the road signs.

"So beautiful," she whispered reverently, her voice so soft if was almost a sigh. "Is this by the

same carver who did the road signs? What’s his name? How can I find more of his work? I
would love to be able to get some for my home."

When Maura turned to Bain and caught a glimpse of a thunderstruck expression on his face, it

quickly morphed into something that, if he were looking at any other woman, Maura would
swear looked like desire. She refused to suffer under the self inflicted hopeless delusion that a
man that looked like him would lust after someone like her.

"You would have to talk to management about that."
His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath in, his pupils dilated, and he cocked his head to the

side just a bit. Before she could puzzle much over that reaction, he cleared his throat and
excused himself so she could settle in.

Maura resisted the urge to peek out the window and watch his smooth gaited walk carry him

down the path. Her attention turned to the task of exploring and unpacking. She hung up the
few clothes that required hangers and turned to the more daunting task of tucking all her workout
clothes in the craftsman style dresser. When those were put away she had toiletries to unpack
and turned to find the bathroom.

What looked initially like a rock wall was, in fact, a pass through fireplace that separated the

main area of the cabin from the bathroom. It also heated the small space more efficiently in the
winter months. In the mountains in the late summers, like now, the days might stay hot enough
to work up a sweat and swim but the nights could get cold. Evenings would be nice, relaxing in
a bath with a fireplace going. She looked forward to the little luxuries for the days ahead.

* * * *

Bain closed the door to Maura's cabin and had to take a moment to steady himself. His brain

had a lot to wrap around at the moment. A few moments ago he had been sitting in the main
house going over paperwork when he’d caught a whiff of something delectable. He'd opened the
door and ran right into it! Rather, it had ran right into him. She smelled like vanilla, honey, and
a scent that was hers alone. The sweet-toothed bear in him rumbled happily.

She smelled delicious.
He had to agree with his bear. Maura Brooks was definitely edible from her curly brown hair,

down those lush curves, to the bottom of her wee feet. Speaking of bottom, seeing her rounded
backside framed in those shorts as she bent over to inspect the carving had just about been his
undoing. Just thinking about it again caused a stirring in his pants. He wanted to give her a
reason to grip that headboard she so admired.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 6

Bain was taken aback by the intensity of the pull he had toward her. He both feared and

hoped for what that might mean. He knew his first stop would be to the office to look with a
new eye into the background file of one Maura Brooks. Whatever he could find out from those
would be a good start on figuring everything out. His bear just wanted to go back to Maura's
cabin so he could run his fingers through those rich chestnut curls and make those startlingly
bright blue eyes roll back in her head.

Usually, because of his size, women were intimidated by him or wanted him as a trophy fuck.

Back in his fighting days it was constant, but not so much anymore and for that he was glad.
Most men just wanted to pit their own strength and size against his. Little Maura had crashed
into him and apologized because she thought he might have been hurt. Bain did a quick search
in his memory and no one, save Gavin, had ever apologized for hurting him. He couldn't believe
she even thought she could, little as she was. She didn't even reach the bottom of his chin!

Bain was still shaking his head in disbelief when he opened the door to the office he and his

brother Gavin shared. Gavin sat behind the cedar desk with his feet propped up on the gleaming
surface. His mane of tawny blond hair was tied back in his typical casually-thrown-back
ponytail. When loose, his hair reached just past his shoulders and, while Bain couldn’t for the
life of him figure out why, women seemed to be obsessed with it. Gavin was clad in his
trademark look: khaki cargo shorts, t-shirt (this one had a Buddha on the front), and Chaco
sandals. Gavin looked up from the papers he’d been perusing.

“Hey man. I see the guests have begun to roll in.”
“Yeah. Maura Brooks is here. Do you have her file out?”
Gavin tossed a file folder toward Bain with a flick of his wrist and launched the file toward

him. Bain snatched it from midair and eyeballed it for a moment before opening it. There were
whole pages full of information about his woman contained in this. He felt the stirring of an
erection begin and was somewhat startled at the instant reaction he had just thinking about her.
It was … disconcerting.

He sank into his big leather office chair and turned the file over in his hands before opening it

and there she was. Maura’s picture was pinned to the inside cover of the file. Her dark curls
framed her soft face. She had a light dusting of freckles across her nose and sweet, full lips. Her
eyes were a robin’s egg blue, but her smile didn’t really reach her eyes. They had sadness in
their depths.

“See something you like?” Gavin teased from his desk across the room.
Bain just grunted a bit and redirected his attention right back to Maura’s file. It said she lived

about two hours away and worked as a medical coding and billing specialist and apparently
wasn’t just some desk jockey. She had redesigned the system of coding and filing both on paper
and electronically in the office where she worked in order for it to run more efficiently. She was
smart and efficient. He liked that.

Six months ago Maura had moved out of an apartment which had a male’s name on the lease

and into a place with a lease with her name alone. Bain found himself agitated at the knowledge
that she had lived with someone and some man had provided for her. At least he hoped it was in
the past and she wasn’t seeing him now. He felt itchy at the thought and scratched the stubble on
one cheek.

Why does it matter?
Bain snapped the file shut and placed it on the desk. He walked over to his mini fridge and

got a bottle of water. After upending it and drinking it all, Bain's eye strayed inevitably back to

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 7

the seemingly innocuous file on his desk. None of what was in that file should've affected him
as profoundly as it so obviously had.

Unless.
Instead of exploring that ‘unless’ any further, Bain settled back in his chair and delved further

back in the Brooks file. She had first moved out at the age of eighteen into an apartment
building and eventually graduated college. Her doctor's physical was clear, nothing to inhibit
exhaustive physical activities, especially some of the exhaustive physical activities he wanted to
do with her.

A mental image of Maura bent over the headboard, like she was earlier, popped into Bain's

head, except this time she was naked. He felt his canines lengthen and his pants got even tighter.
The reaction this woman elicited from him was disturbing.

The guests began to arrive at a steady pace and saved Bain from having to delve too deeply

into that emotional quagmire, but it continued to haunt him most of the night.

* * * *

Everyone gathered for breakfast the next morning. The kitchen was fully stocked and open to

guests almost always but served up three palate pleasing meals a day. Guests were expected to
maintain a healthy caloric intake to fuel themselves, especially on outings that required lots of
exertion. They were encouraged to eat when they were hungry, as long as they made sure it was
healthy, nutrient filled food. Individual cabins didn't have kitchens for this very reason. The
food selection was specially designed for premium fuel intake and minimal caloric impact.
Chips and soda weren't among the selections here.

Almost all of the food was supplied by a small self sustaining farm set on the property but

situated somewhat away from the main fitness compound. Fresh fruits and vegetables abounded.
The farm was yet another reason the resort opted to stay small and exclusive. Keeping the guests
size minimal allowed the small farm to supply the resort with the excess crops they grew and
keep food costs to nearly nothing.

It was genius really.
The exclusivity of the place kept the demand for its services very high. The wait list to come

here had, at times, been months in advance. Maura had no doubt the waitlist would soon extend
to years. The timber cut to clear the area for the club house had been repurposed into the
housing material or raw materials to make the furniture. They employed solar water heaters
which often came in handy during hard mountain winters when losing electricity during snow
storms was more common than not. The clever design of the fireplaces in guests’ cabins gave
off maximum heat with minimum energy waste. The expenses for this resort were next to nil,
the carbon footprint very little, and it was an excellent model for a sustainable eco friendly
resort.

Genius.
After breakfast, each guest was given their individual itinerary for the fitness assessments.

Everyone would participate in a yoga lesson everyday but proficiency level of each student
would be determined before grouping into classes of similar skill sets.

Maura had included yoga in her classes at the gym. She jiggled less in those workouts, but

still was very much a beginner. Apparently most of the yoga classes were set near the river
bank, which ought to be a tranquil setting.

There were a variety of methods of exercise the resort used to whip its guests into shape.

Maura couldn't help but feel a surge of both anticipation and dread flash through her. Suck it up
buttercup. This was what she had come for, the discipline needed to seriously shed pounds.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 8

Two men came to the front of the room to welcome everyone. Maura was temporarily
dumbstruck by their contrasting coloring and resulting hotness.

Each man's coloring complemented the other perfectly. Bain's coloring was dark, having

those dark chocolate eyes and hair, and he stood tall and broad, heavily muscled like a boxer.
The man next to him stood almost as tall but with tawny gold hair, sky blue eyes, and a more
leanly muscled frame, more like a swimmer or martial artist. Maura wouldn't mind being the
meat in that man sandwich. Heat flooded her body and pooled in her panties. Bain chose that
moment to meet her assessing gaze. Her face flamed and she looked away, sure that her
thoughts were written all over her face.

You must quit lusting over every man you encounter here.
That problem was solved easily when, after the greeting and brief orientation from hot and

hotter, guests broke for an opportunity to meet the people they would be sweating with over the
next couple weeks. She actively avoided looking at Bain, embarrassed at being caught
undressing him with her eyes and concentrated on meeting the other guests. The men mostly
dismissed her after a handshake and perfunctory name swap then gravitated toward the more
delicately formed members of the women's group. The women were mostly nice. She supposed
she posed no threat for male attention and that made making female friends easier.

* * * *

Bain watched, trying not to glare at the men touching Maura. It was simply handshakes, but

his bear was decidedly unhappy about the situation. This completely conflicted with the
incredulity he felt at the men's immediate dismissal of what was so obviously a luscious,
beautiful woman. How could they miss what a desirable, delectable woman was right in front of
them? Not that he wanted men to hit on her. Hell, he didn't know what he was thinking
anymore.

Bain couldn't keep his eyes off the way she flitted amongst the guests. Her smile dimming

ever so slightly every time she was summarily dismissed after each greeting. He saw a quickly
disguised flash of pain in her eyes every time. It made his bear very grumpy. Bear wanted to go
to her, comfort her, and cause pain in those that put sadness in her eyes. He was having to put
effort in restraining his beast from doing bodily harm to his guests.

Gavin could feel the tension rolling off of Bain in waves. He could see the woman Bain was

growling over and was immediately captivated by her sweet face and figure. She was generously
curved and in all the best places. Her breasts were full, hung pleasantly over a soft waist and
nicely flared hip. When she turned to greet another camper, Gavin got an eyeful of her backside
and felt a rush of blood to his groin.

Juicy.
Overwhelmed suddenly by the urge to sink his teeth in that behind like it was a rare steak, he

felt a bigger rush of blood to his groin and had to adjust himself. His lion purred in agreement.
There was something unique about this woman. The curious feline in him perked at the hint of a
riddle to be solved.

What is it about that woman?
This was going to be a very, very interesting couple of weeks.
Gavin couldn't wait to assess her physical fitness. Hell, he had already assessed her

physically anyway. Luckily, he didn't have to wait for long. Her last name began with B and
was toward the top of his list. Gavin was also not surprised that her's was the name on the file
that Bain asked for the day before. She was wearing yoga pants that molded her shapely legs in
mouth watering detail. She had paired that with a larger t-shirt that hit her mid-thigh. It offered

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 9

only a tantalizing peek at the amazing ass that hid underneath it. It also planted the image of
what she would look like padding around wearing nothing but a shirt.

His shirt.
After sex.
Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail that had a slight curl at the end. Gavin couldn't

stop the image of that ponytail wrapped around his fist from flashing in his mind. Gavin was
stunned momentarily when she turned and the full force of her bright smile focused on him then
gaped.

"You're the yoga instructor," she gasped?
"Now, now Miss Brooks, that's not very equal opportunity of you."
She shuffled somewhat uncomfortably but Gavin could scent her arousal in the air. It

heightened his and made his loose fitting pants tent.

"You're right. I've just never had a yoga instructor that ... well, looked like you."
Gavin couldn't contain his bark of laughter.
"I’ll take that as a compliment."
Maura blushed an attractive pink on her neck and up her cheeks.
"It was supposed to be one. It just wasn't a very well worded one."
Gavin turned the conversation towards the purpose of the visit and asked her the series of

predetermined questions for new guests. He was pleased that yoga was already something she
had experience in and began to run through a series of poses. Most of the beginning poses were
standing but when she bent forward to do the 'downward facing dog' pose, he realized it was
going to be a much harder workout than he thought ... for him and his cock.

Her infatuating backside was thrust in the air, her shirt riding up slightly, and the yoga pants

stretched across the plush perfection. Her back was flat and her legs about shoulder width apart.
It was all he could do to keep his hand from straying to cup those beautiful cheeks and stepping
in to rub the growing length of his flesh against hers. A moment later she teetered as she stood
on one leg and instinctively Gavin put his hands on her waist to steady her. Her waist was soft
and feminine and if he wiggled his thumb up another inch or two, he would be able to just brush
the underside of her breast. He saw her nipples pearl and couldn't resist a feather light brush
against them as he withdrew his hand.

Maura let escape an almost inaudible gasp of breath at his touch. Gavin grinned somewhat

slyly to himself. He continued to find excuses to touch her during their time that wasn't an overt
grope--like running his flattened palm down her spine to ensure she was supporting it by keeping
it straight, placing a hand on her soft middle to remind her to use her core stability and breathing,
or gentle swipes of his fingers between her knees when she needed to widen her stance. He felt
his response to her with every touch and was innately pleased to hear the little gasps and hitches
of breath that let him know she wasn't unaffected by him either.

Very interesting.

* * * *

Maura couldn't believe the way she was acting during yoga. Well not acted so much as

thought. Gavin, worlds hottest yoga instructor, had her damn near panting, melting down into a
puddle in her panties. Every touch and swipe of his hand on her body was like pulling a string
attached right between her legs. She was having trouble breathing at all, much less taking deep,
cleansing breaths. She couldn't fathom what had gotten into her.

All this activity and fresh air must have jumpstarted your libido.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 10

Well that was just going to have to stop. There was no way a man who looked like that would

be attracted to her. She wasn't the type men like Gavin and Bain went after. She was on the
verge of dropping trousers and jumping their bones. Her mouth literally watered around both of
them and they probably couldn't pick her out of a lineup of one. She had never been this
attracted to any man and here she was fighting an overwhelming attraction to two.

It had to be something in the air.
Turning her attention back to her itinerary she almost groaned when she realized she would

get no break from her sexual onslaught. The very next assessment she had was her strength
training assessment with Bain. Checking the time and deciding there was no time for a cold
shower either, Maura opted for a cold drink instead.

There was plenty of that in the main hall. Grabbing a cold bottle she briefly considered

pouring it over her head, or maybe down her pants, before meeting with Bain but decided adding
any extra moisture in her pants was the exact opposite of what she needed.

After chugging down a few bracing gulps of the frigid water, Maura made her way out of the

eating area and into the weight room. Bain stood next to a large full length mirror replacing
some free weights on the rack. He had a vee of sweat down the back of his shirt and his hair
clung to the back of his neck. She had a fleeting desire to lick the sweat from his neck and
anywhere else her tongue could find the tasty droplets but gulped down more water instead.

She couldn't help taking in the way he moved. Even the simple act of putting weights back on

a rack caused his muscles to shift pleasantly under his clothes. She resisted the urge to feel those
muscles moving under her hands.

The door clicked shut behind her and startled her out of her growing sexual fantasy. Bain

turned just in time for Maura to collect her thoughts and compose herself before she got caught
undressing him with her eyes again.

"Miss Brooks, I'm Bain. I showed you to your cabin."
Maura nodded. As if I could forget that.
"Please come in and we can get started."
"Please, just Maura."
She stopped next to him and looked up, meeting his gaze. Bain's pupils dilated, his eye color

shifting slightly and she found herself being pulled into them. She was fascinated with the flecks
of gold that glowed within the dark brown depths.

"Maura it is then."
Maura barely repressed a shudder at the way his deep, husky voice caressed her name. She

literally felt his timbre travel down her spine. He placed his hand at the small of her back to
direct her towards the free weights and she bit her lip to keep from arching into it and
encouraging his palm to slide down a little further.

As if he could read her mind, Bain's palm flexed slightly against her and she did shudder

slightly. He released her then and handed over some lightweight dumbbells. To monitor her
weightlifting technique, Bain turned her toward the full length mirror and stood behind her.

Lifting the weights over her head, Maura began the grueling repetition of pumping them up

and down while feeling the heat of Bain's body radiating into her from behind. He lifted her
arms by slightly, palming the sensitive underside right near her elbow and she felt little electric
tingles dance up her arm to her breasts. When she had to lift her arms straight out to the side,
Bain placed one hand on her waist and one on her lower spine to correct her posture. His hand
was big and spanned it completely. It scalded the thin material of her t-shirt and sent sizzles into

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 11

her panties. So many images flashed through her head of things that she would like that hand to
do, she was thankful she was exercising and had an excuse for her sudden shortness of breath.

Laying on the bench to press what looked like teeny tiny weights on the bar, she breathed a

brief sigh of relief that she would get a break from the arousal his touch was causing. That was a
very brief breath because she realized he was going to spot her and ... yup, his groin was a few
inches from her face. She saw the hairs on his thighs ruffle slightly when her panting breath
brushed across them and thought he shuddered a little.

She tried to focus on the lifting and the lowering but kept getting distracted by what was

covered by workout shorts and under armor just a few inches from her mouth. Saliva pooled on
her tongue and she could just pick up the musky, but pleasant, scent of his sweat-slicked skin.
Lucky for her, before she could embarrass herself by giving in to the impulse to lick his thigh or
something, they were changing position again.

Maura thought maybe working legs would give her the break she needed to get her mind

under control. Bain gripped her ankle and his hand completely encircled it. She felt the now
familiar tingles rush up her leg.

Nope. No break.
Bain was glad for the break in his schedule right after his appointment with Maura. He

needed to gain control of himself. He had been sporting a serious hard-on from the very minute
she walked in and he got a whiff of her scent. Just thinking about it made his cock jerk. He
marched to his office and debated on where to pour the bottle of water, throat or pants?

He growled irritably. Normally he was very decisive. Bears weren't known to be real wishy-

washy. He was very pointed in his goals and how to achieve them. Now, he couldn't even
decide where to pour water.

Chapter Two

The second day of boot camp retreat dawned with a splash of brilliant colors across the sky.

Wispy fog floated across the mountain peaks and treetops, adding to the mystical feel of the
location and dew twinkled on the grass giving the morning sparkle. It was the most pleasant
walk to breakfast Maura had ever had. She could almost imagine fairies flitting about at any
moment.

Fairies, indeed. Maura shook her head at herself. All this mountain air and exercise must be

getting to me if I’m expecting fairies and the like to appear.

Breakfast once again included healthy food and handouts, but this time everyone received an

individualized workout schedule. She had one-on-one instructions with both Bain and Gavin.
She bit back a groan that was about equal parts pleasure and frustration. The pleasure both of the
men caused also increased her frustration. Hopefully she would acclimate to the decreased
oxygen levels in the higher mountain elevations and this wicked obsession with not one, but two
men, would end.

Yeah, right.
The itinerary listed a canoe trip beginning in about an hour that included the entire group.

Although the thought of paddling herself around in a boat was foreign, and she worried she

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 12

wouldn't have the strength to keep up, it still seemed like an exciting adventure. She went to her
cabin to get dressed in her bathing suit and shorts. She donned sunglasses and a hat after a
generous layer of sunscreen had been applied all over her pale skin.

On the walk to the riverbed where they would be introduced to the instructors and guides,

Maura met and pleasantly chatted with some of the other guests and was beginning to genuinely
enjoy herself. A few skeptical glances aside, most of the others were happy and eager to get
started on their adventure. There was much comparing of class times to see the similarities and
differences in each other’s schedule.

The group arrived at the site and Maura groaned when they walked up on Gavin and Bain

standing with two men that she had never seen before. The two new men were introduced as
student guides, graduate students in forestry and wildlife management. Darryl seemed ok,
greeting everyone warmly. As a bonus Darryl didn’t seem to get the flicker of judgment in his
eye when he saw her size. Seth was another matter altogether. There was something unsettling
about his gaze, it was too ... predatory.

Guests discovered they would be carrying the canoes from the dry docks, up the forest trail

for a mile, and to the actual launch spot. The guides would pair up Gavin and Darryl together in
one canoe in the front with Bain and Seth bringing up the rear. When guests were paired in boy-
girl groups and assigned a canoe, Maura tried to ignore the half disguised eye roll of her male
counterpart. She was determined not to give him the satisfaction of adding fuel to his ignorant
and narrow minded fire. It only served to strengthen her resolve to do whatever it took to push
through to the end.

Halfway down the trail, lugging the backend of a canoe she was increasingly sure was made

from lead, Maura began to suspect her partner was allowing her to heft a greater and greater
amount of the weight. She was sweating and her muscles were already shaking from exhaustion
but vowed that she would bite her tongue off before she complained and got labeled the lazy fat
chick. Concentrating on not dropping the boat also kept her too occupied to stare at Gavin and
Bain. The burn in the muscles in her arms and back wasn’t quite enough to keep a warm burn of
a totally different kind from zipping across her breasts and goose bumps across her sweat slick
skin.

* * * *

Bain could tell the man carrying the canoe with Maura was shifting the brunt of the weight to

her. The tilt of the boat told him that. Maura’s face was set. She was clearly determined not to
be seen as weak, but that determination told him nothing about how she was doing. He knew she
had to be getting exhausted already, but her expression gave no hint of it if she was. She looked
like she would carry the canoe by herself all day if they asked.

He felt a wave of admiration swell in his chest. She was strong. She might not be able to lift

as much as he could, but she was strong in spirit and determination. Bain could count on one
hand the people that engendered that kind of admiration in him. It was an emotion he was much
less familiar with than, say, anger, vengeance, or disgust. Those he knew well.

Once they reached the launch point, everyone took a short break to hydrate and prepare for

the next leg of adventure. Bain couldn’t help but stare at Maura when she threw her head back to
take deep gulps of cold water. His gaze followed a few errant beads of sweat as they trailed
down her shapely throat and disappeared under the neckline of her bathing suit top. Those little
droplets were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world to him.

A few of these precious drops disappeared in the shadow between her breasts and he felt

himself growing hard. He tried not to imagine following those wet rivulets with his tongue.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 13

When she propped her knee up and rested her forearm on it, a bead ran down her thigh and into
her shorts. He became uncomfortably hard. Turning away to give himself a moment to get
control over his body, he tried to focus on any and every other member of their small group.

The journey itself went well. They were able to spot a few wildlife specimens along the trip,

few fell in, and no one got hurt. He considered it a success. The other reason he was particularly
pleased with this outing was because, bringing up the rear, he was able to let his gaze constantly
wander back to Maura without her being the wiser.

She never flagged or faltered. She just kept paddling with the best of them. He was struck

again with the level of focus and determination she possessed. He could relate. Few knew better
than him how life would attempt to beat you into submission and sometimes the strength of your
will was all you had to keep going. He was both proud of her and perplexed at what life had
thrown at her to develop such a force of will in her. One certainly didn’t get that kind of strength
without adversity.

Bain’s brow knitted in a frown. Thinking of the kind of difficulties Maura might have faced

alone to develop such an independent spirit did not sit well with him. It made his bear very
angry and he felt a tingle in his canines indicating a shift in species if he wasn’t careful. He
hadn’t had trouble with uncontrolled shifting since he hit puberty. Thoughts of Maura did that to
him. He was becoming more and more convinced that Maura would be playing a very
significant role in his future.

He couldn’t say he was disappointed. If she was indeed his mate, as he suspected she was, he

couldn’t have done better if he had created her himself. She was sweet, caring, brave, and
strong. Her body was put together perfectly, padded and curved in all the places that made him
pant. She was soft and sweet but fiercely determined at the same time. He wanted to sink into
her softness and breathe her soft vanilla and honey scent and let it wash over all his senses. Just
lose himself in her.

Her eyes met his briefly and he was sure he saw a flash of longing in them before she turned

away. Bain vowed then to fan that flame of desire to an inferno big enough to engulf both of
them. She called to both the man and the bear in him like no other. He wanted to see that look
of longing magnified and glowing from her eyes as her hair tumbled around her in a mass of post
coital curls. He planned on seeing a lot of that look in the future. He could easily see them in a
future together. In fact, he was becoming increasingly determined to make sure she stuck around
long enough to make a future together here.

* * * *

Maura couldn't shake the sensation that she was being watched. She had felt Bain and Gavin

looking at her periodically during the trip this morning, because she couldn’t stop sneaking looks
at them, as well, but this felt different. When she felt Gavin or Bain’s gaze on her, it made her
feel hot and tingly. This felt prickly and invasive. She didn't like it at all. Casting furtive
glances around during the duration of the journey failed to reveal anyone looking oddly at her.
She only occasionally met intense looks from Gavin and Bain.

Maybe the mountain air really was affecting her brain?
It certainly was affecting her appetite. She made her way to the kitchen for a small snack

before lunch. She reached for a bowl of chopped fruit at the same time someone else did and
bumped hands. Her startled gaze flew to meet Gavin 's.

Why must she keep running into these two men in the most awkward of ways?
Although they looked like polar opposites, Maura could see some similarities between some

of the mannerisms in both Gavin and Bain. They must have been working together for a long,

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 14

long time. The way they worked together spoke of an almost instinctive anticipation of the
other. It was almost like watching twins.

He smiled a devastatingly charming smile that made her flush. He tilted his head slightly and

his grin widened.

“Have you enjoyed yourself today?”
His voice was a caress across her breasts and she hoped he wouldn’t notice her nipples

hardening when she heard it. The way he said it made her wonder briefly if he meant the
canoeing or the many times he caught her looking at him.

“Yes.”
Maura inwardly winced when her voice came out more raspy than she intended. She could

almost swear she saw his ears twitch when she spoke. His eyes seemed to be looking into her
rather than at her, much the same way Bain looked at her. It was unnerving and deeply exciting
at the same time.

Gavin peered at her fixedly for a moment longer before excusing himself and telling her he

would see her for yoga in the afternoon. She watched him walk out of the room and didn’t quite
know what to think.

What the hell just happened? Did something just happen?
Gavin took deep breaths, willing his canines back into his gums. He was appalled at himself.

He had not involuntarily shifted since Antoinette’s death. His mouth still watered as he
continued to fight the irrational impulse he felt to mark her. He refused to think too deeply about
what that meant and concentrated solely on getting control of his lion.

Gavin took that opportunity to escape to his room and change. He readied himself for the

back to back yoga lessons he had that afternoon and welcomed the distraction from where his
thoughts had been taking him. Donning something more fitting, he made his way to the river’s
edge. He rarely felt like doing yoga inside. He had a hard time getting truly relaxed within the
confines of walls. He felt caged.

Classes began and Gavin focused on the stretch and pull of the muscles. The big cat in him

was deeply pleased. He led everyone through pose after pose and welcomed the release of
muscles tense from the morning canoeing. He became so lost in each class he was caught off
guard when, during a break between classes he leaned against a tree and saw Maura walk up with
the unconscious seductive sway to her hips. He sputtered and almost choked on his drink of
water.

Her steps faltered and her smile fell. Gavin wondered what was going through that clever

little head of hers. He could imagine she didn’t know what to make of his abrupt departure
earlier and sighed inwardly. It wasn’t like he could explain with-- Hey sorry I left so fast earlier.
I was so turned on by touching your hand I dropped fang. That should go over very well.

Gavin decided it was safest at this point to stick to business. They placed the mats and Gavin

started the music. He tried to look only at the form of her poses and not the luscious curves and
wonderfully padded bottom that peeked out from under her shirt in her tight yoga pants. He
could feel his cock lying hard against his belly and moved from her sight while still giving
instructions.

The fact that the scent of her arousal was also in the air was almost too much for him to bear.

Her aroma, mingled with the earthy smell of forest that surrounded them, acted like an
aphrodisiac to his senses. He was nearly drunk on it. He absently reached out and grasped her
outer thigh and she gasped. The musky sweetness of her arousal thickened the air and snapped
what little reserve he had left.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 15

Her hips shifted slightly and brushed against where he lay hot and hard almost coming out of

his pants. She stood up and turned slightly, facing him. She was flushed, aroused, and her lips
were parted and in a slight ‘o’ of surprise. Without thought, Gavin cupped her cheeks in his
palms and kissed her full lips. When her lips parted in a gasp of surprise, Gavin swept his
tongue inside.

Her taste exploded in his mouth and short-circuited his brain. When she gripped his shoulders

and began kissing him back, his knees almost buckled. She nipped and licked with a fervor that
matched his own. She was a fire in his arms and her taste was more intoxicating than any drug.
He couldn’t get enough of the taste of her.

He cupped her breast from outside her shirt and her breath shuddered. The nipple pebbled in

his palm and he circled it with his finger. She rubbed herself against his length and he feared he
would spend in his pants like an untried teenager. When he slid his hand from her hip, up under
her shirt to her waist, she gasped and pulled away.

She looked dazed for a moment and then a look of horror washed across her face.
“Oh my GOD! I’m so sorry!”
Maura took a few steps back and Gavin resisted the urge to pull her back into his arms. Her

fingertips lifted to her lips.

“I shouldn’t have attacked you like that.”
Gavin’s eyebrows shot up.
“Attack me? Maura, I ….”
“No, NO! Please don’t say anything more. I am going to go. I am so sorry.”
“Maura .…”
“Good-bye Gavin.”
Gavin watched as she disappeared down the trail that led to her cabin. He did drop to his

knees then because try as he might, after tasting her, he could no longer deny what Maura was.
Bain’s strange obsession with her meant she was probably his mate. Unfortunately there was no
probably in his case. His lion had roared mine the moment their tongue collided. She was his
mate.

Gavin once again felt the need to retreat to his den, his bedroom. He felt his chest constrict

and couldn't catch his breath.

His knowledge of pride life was second hand, never having been in one himself. But from

what little he knew about the lion shifters it wasn't uncommon for males to fight over one or
more women. Pride of the strongest male and to the winner, the spoils. He didn’t want to fight
Bain for anything, not even over the most important person he would ever have to give up.

Gavin felt ill at the thought of hurting Bain in any way. He couldn't imagine losing him

because they had fought over her or because one could not endure seeing the other with her.

Can you? Can you watch them together always from afar? Once again looking in on a

happy family from the outside?

He would have to.
He had been told that he would never have a family. He would never belong. Over and over

they had told him but he had refused to give up his hope that one day he would have someone
that he could love and a family to call his own. He had clung to that belief so dearly his whole
life it seemed like that hope alone was what sustained him and became the food in his belly when
there was none and when his happy thoughts were all he had to keep him warm on long cold
nights.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 16

After everything Bain and his mother had done for him, he would have to. They had given

him a family for a short while. It was the only taste of family he had ever known. He would be
dead by now if it weren't for them. An act like that couldn't be repaid by stealing what he was
sure was Bain's mate. Taking Gavin in had taken Bain's mother from him. He couldn't take his
mate, as well.

Gavin grabbed a bottle of whiskey that was rarely used, figuring there was no better reason to

drink than having to give up the woman you were born to love. Maybe this was his punishment
for causing Antoinette's death. He took a long swig of whiskey. Bain's mother had been good to
him and she was gone because of him, too. He let the whiskey burn a trail down his throat and
tried to drown the voices that haunted him from childhood that told him he would bring nothing
but grief.

And he had.
In spades.

* * * *

Bain couldn't find Gavin in the office or the kitchen, two of his favorite indoor hiding places,

and decided to try his room before looking for him in some of his more remote getaway spots.
The very first thing he noticed when he cracked open the door was the overwhelming aroma of
whiskey.

Had he bathed in the stuff?
Gavin was strewn across his bed, sprawled across the covers, with an empty whiskey bottle

dangling from his hand. A chair was broken in the middle of the room. Bain eyeballed Gavin's
already healing knuckles and wondered what had Gavin in such a fit that he would smash his
furniture.

Bain could sometimes be quick to anger and had a somewhat volatile temper. It was the

grizzly in him. He would flare like a volcano and roar but recovered more quickly. Gavin had a
much more laid back approach to life in general but was fierce once his temper was riled. He
would have a much harder time than Bain calming down once angry.

It was the big cat in him.
They held grudges.
One would think the differences in personalities would clash but, in them, it served only to

balance one another. Bain heaved Gavin's feet onto the bed and took off his shoes. Pulling up
the blanket and softly peeling the empty whiskey bottle out of his fingers, Bain covered him up
with the blanket and, thinking back to his heavy drinking days, placed an empty trash can near
the bed.

"Maura."
Bain froze as Gavin called out in his drunken stupor.
Was Maura the reason for this rare outburst? If so, why?
A million questions bombarded him at once. If Gavin was upset enough about something to

get this stinking drunk over, he would probably tell him. They had only had each other for so
long, it was second nature for them to turn to one another when they needed something. It was
all they had been able to count on for much of their life. Bain couldn’t imagine it would start
changing now.

If not, surely Bain would be able to pick up on some clues, somewhere. Bain was resolved to

find out what exactly had gotten under Gavin's skin. No one knew Gavin better than him. He
should be able to get to the bottom of this in no time.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 17

Chapter Three

Maura took special precautions to avoid Gavin for the next couple days. She begged off yoga

twice and managed to avoid him and Bain those days. She couldn’t imagine he hadn’t told Bain
about the chubby one kissing him. It was too embarrassing to face. She still had no idea what
had possessed her to do that. Maybe this retreat wasn’t the best idea? Clearly she was
experiencing some kind of mental or emotional break.

Maybe her breakup with the last boyfriend had caused some kind of psychotic break and she

was really in a straightjacket in some mental hospital slobbering from all the psychotropic drugs?
She pinched herself enough to sting but didn’t know if that would even work or if it was only
supposed to wake you from dreaming not from out of a drug induced state.

Maura briefly considered banging her head on the wall to see if that would do the trick. A

side bonus of head bashing would be a plausible excuse to get out of canoeing with Gavin, Bain,
and the group. Shaking her head and steeling herself for what she was sure would end up being
an uncomfortable and awkward gathering, she walked to the dry dock.

Gavin seemed just as eager to ignore her as she was to pretend she hadn’t attacked him.

Although it was the best and most arousing kiss she had experienced to date, it was still
embarrassing. She could almost picture the laugh they must have had at her expense after that.
She cringed.

Upon arriving at the dry dock site Maura found that many had already been paired up in

canoeing teams. She looked around for a single but didn’t see anyone until she realized the
guides were interspersed with the guests and Bain stood alone. Their eyes met and she felt a
spark of desire flare quickly and just as quickly tamped it down.

“You’re with me, Maura.”
Maura couldn’t help a tingle that shivered down her spine when he said that. The look in his

eyes felt much more intimate than just a canoe trip partnering. Or is that wishful thinking?

Maura reminded herself where thoughts like that led--right to embarrassing displays of sexual

aggression, like kissing her trainers. Putting her focus back on the physical task at hand, she
hefted her end of the canoe up and followed Bain. She tried to keep from noticing the way his
ass moved in his pants, or the way the muscles in his arms flexed and moved but hardly broke a
sweat, but she failed miserably.

Bain could feel her eyes on the back of him and it was causing a stirring in his pants. He had

never canoed with an erection before but felt like he was about to find out. He was going to be
sitting behind her in the boat because he had an inkling it wouldn’t be going away soon. He
couldn’t help but put an extra flex in his arms while carrying the canoe. It was a male bear’s
natural tendency to want to show off a little strength for his mate.

He could smell her reaction to him, particularly when her body heat and heartbeat were

already elevated. Then to scent her arousal and her eyes on him at the same time was enough to
make him want to drop the boat and drag her into the woods. His cock stirred in his pants again
as if in agreement and Bain shifted the boat’s weight to one hand to adjust himself. When the
boat was balanced on one hand, he heard a slight gasp from behind him and a spike in her natural
aroma. He flexed a little and shifted himself in his pants once again, thankful he wore a long
shirt untucked. So no one would see cock peeking out of the top of his pants.

He had mostly tamed his raging erection when they came upon the river’s edge. Everyone got

their safety gear on and checked the fastenings on each others’ equipment. Bain noted the sharp
intake of breath Maura gave when he checked the chest strap on her lifejacket. His fingers

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 18

lingered on the curve of her neck after a relatively unnecessary adjustment to the chin strap on
her helmet. He could just feel the spike in her heart rate when the tips of his fingers ghosted over
her pulse before patting the top of her helmet.

Maura looked slightly dazed. Her lips were parted and when she licked them Bain fought the

urge to grab her and kiss her. He reminded himself and his bear that now was not the best time
but Bain was losing his grasp on just why that was. He stretched out his hand to help her into the
canoe and when she stepped in, it shifted slightly. She fell towards him and her entire body
brushed against him as she slid into the canoe.

His cock jumped when he smelled her body’s response to his erection. He was again fighting

the urge to haul her against him and explore her entire body with his tongue. She was just so
delectable. Maura quickly broke contact, sitting in her seat at the front of the canoe.

Bain lowered himself in the back of the canoe and slowly paddled them out so others had

room to load themselves in waiting canoes.

“Sorry again for bumping into you. I seem to always be running into you, literally.”
She gave a nervous little laugh.
“A girl my size keeps slamming into you, you must wish you had extra padding to protect you

against me.”

“Not at all.” Bain shrugged, a lopsided grin lifting one corner of his mouth. “Quite the

opposite actually.”

Maura turned to look at him with a mix of doubt and confusion. She looked as if she doubted

she heard him correctly but shifted back and began paddling instead. Bain watched her from
behind. She was curved nicely and sitting behind her in the canoe lent him the perfect view of
her backside plump and pushed against the seat of the canoe.

Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail and pulled through a baseball cap. He could see the

tiny tendrils of hair, sweaty and curled at the nape of her neck, and wanted to kiss her there.

Bain made every excuse to touch her. He tapped her on the shoulder or grazed her neck to

point out some random fact or spotting animals. The way goose bumps broke out on her skin
when he touched her encouraged him in his sensual pursuit. He continued until a particularly
tricky bend near the end of the trail.

Bain couldn’t help but admire Maura’s natural canoeing ability. She handled herself very

well. She was very responsive to the direction of the canoe, water, and what he would need from
her. He hadn’t worked this well with anyone since … well, no one but Gavin. She moved in
sync with him instinctively. Visions popped in his mind of how responsive she would be in
other, more naked, areas. These visions distracted him just long enough for the canoe to
maneuver into a rock formation at the wrong angle and almost tip the canoe over.

Bain watched in horror as Maura tipped to one side and out into the churning water. It felt

like an eternity before she surfaced amidst the rocks and white water. His heart stopped. She
sputtered a bit and indicated she was OK. Bain blew out the breath he didn’t realize he was
holding and reached for her, grabbing the front of her jacket. He hauled her into the boat,
dragging her up, and she ended sprawled across his body on the bottom of the canoe.

She looked at him with surprise, lips forming a little ‘o’ of shock. Bain’s control was already

frayed but losing her like that, even for a moment, shook him deeply. Without thinking he
palmed the nape of her neck and pulled her down to his mouth for a kiss. Her lips were cool
from the water but her mouth was hot. The taste of her mouth was addictive and Bain was a
willing junkie. His tongue swept her mouth and she nibbled his lip.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 19

Bain was on the verge of taking her there when a sound finally pierced his consciousness. He

reluctantly parted from her sweet mouth to sit them both back upright and signal to everyone that
they were OK. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her brush her fingertips against her lips softly
with an aroused but confused look on her face. He liked knowing that she was affected by him,
too. It would be too much to be the only one feeling unsettled by attraction.

Chapter Four

Mate?
What exactly was that supposed to mean? Like buddy? Was that what all this was?
Maura’s gaze bounced back and forth between the two men. She felt trapped. She was

pinned down by a steely blue gaze on one side and a deep brown on the other. She bit the inside
of her cheek under their scrutiny. She had no idea how to respond. What was she supposed to
do say something like, Hey sorry but I am equally attracted to both of you. She was completely
out of her element.

Fatty Moo-ra isn’t supposed to have men after her like this. Not one, much less two. There

had to be some kind of catch. Maybe they wanted to seduce her and film it for internet porn or
something?

“I don’t think I understand.”
“Ask whatever you want. I can see something interesting is going on in that beautiful head of

yours.” Gavin held his arms out to the side.

“What does that mean? Mate?”
Gavin and Bain both exchanged a look. Gavin was usually the more vocal of the two, but it

was Bain who spoke first this time.

“In our family, we mate for life. It’s sort of like marriage but there really isn’t a divorce

system where we’re from.”

Maura’s brows knitted in a frown. “Are you from some kind of cult?”
Bain’s chuckle rumbled deep in his chest and even while all wound up and distressed, the

sound still relaxed something deep in her chest.

“Not quite.” Bain directed her to a chair. “There’s a lot we all need to talk about. You might

as well sit.”

Maura sat with a plop and the resulting jiggle she felt was a harsh reminder of why she

shouldn’t be in this seat. It should be some Barbie porn star looking woman, not her. She
couldn’t help but feel like she was being tricked. This wasn’t supposed to happen outside of the
movies.

“The people in my family have unique … traits”
Maura lifted one brow. Here it comes.
“My family, and people like my family with this same trait, have mates. It’s a lot like what

you would call soul mates. Once you find your mate you complete and balance each other.
There have never been known to have a divorce among them because they are all happily mated.
Family legend says we find the one who completes our soul and tames our beast.”

“How do you know I am a mate to both of you?”

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 20

“We’re both having a mate reaction to you.”
“A mate reaction?”
“Yes.”
“What is that?”
“Can’t stop thinking about you. Intense reaction to your presence and over exaggerated

aggression towards other males in your close proximity. Also, the irrational and constant need
to mark you.”

“MARK ME?”
Gavin stepped over and put his hands on her shoulders, directing her back to her seat when

she shot up to stand. When she was again seated comfortably, Gavin pulled up a chair in front of
her, taking both her hands in his.

“Calm down. A more delicate way of putting that is a driving need to be able to lay claim to

you. Not to make you a possession but as a way of securing affection. It’s a way to ward other
men away from trying to hit on you.”

Maura was sure she looked like an imbecile staring at him open mouthed. They both wanted

to … what? Go steady? Together? Gavin continued when he saw the lingering look of
confusion on her face.

“Maura, we aren’t aggressive toward each other. We think you’re both our mates.”
“So, what? Am I to be passed around like a timeshare?”
“If that’s what you want.”
Maura didn’t want to be a part time partner to anyone. That wasn’t what she imagined for

herself. She wanted ONE happy family not two. She couldn’t cause tension between the two
men which had to eventually happen. Then something Gavin had said sunk in far enough to
register in her brain. They weren’t aggressive towards each other. Did they mean to share her,
at the same time? Maura waited for a wave of disgust to wash over her at the thought but
something much darker and more erotic flooded her veins instead.

She couldn’t get that thought out of her mind. She felt a rush of wetness in her panties and

pressed her thighs together.

“Or? What’s my other options?”
“Maura, many people like us wait for a very, very long time looking for their mate. You have

no idea how precious you are to us. Whatever will make you happiest we will work it out.”

Erotic images again swarmed her head, her eyes taking in first Gavin, then Bain. Would they

be shocked if they knew she wanted them at the same time? Did she want that? She had never
done anything like that before but now found the idea appealing. More than appealing really, she
wanted to rub her naked body against these two men, standing in between them.

Bain took another deep breath and his eyes changed. She felt the very air in the room thicken

in her lungs. Bain uncrossed his arms and stood in front of her.

“Something you’re thinking has you aroused. What is it?”
Maura’s gaze locked to Bain’s, in shock. “What?”
“What were you thinking about just then? Us? It had you getting hot. I’m curious. Tell us.”
Maura’s mouth snapped shut and she felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. Bain’s eyes

narrowed on her and she felt way too naked to his gaze.

“Were you thinking you wanted us together?”
Maura’s face flamed even hotter. She half expected the ridicule to begin now. Surely both

these men couldn’t desire her. This was where she became the butt of the joke. Bain stood in

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 21

front of her, so close she could feel his heat. Gavin came around to stand behind her, his hands
on her shoulders offering comfort. He bent forward near her ear and rasped in a low, sexy purr.

“It’s ok. Just tell us what you need.”
Bain looked intently down at her, cupping her cheek with his palm. She could detect no trace

of subterfuge or deceit in his eyes. She could see only desire and concern.

“Do you? Want us both? There is nothing you could answer that will change how we feel

about you.”

Maura nodded. It was all she could do to respond. She was so aroused being this close in

proximity to both men and in the spotlight of the sexual desire radiating off both of them she was
overwhelmed. She did all she could think of to do next. She reached up and pressed her lips to
Bain’s.

Maura began kissing Bain, her fingers tangled in his hair and their tongues entwined. She

reached behind her and gathered Gavin to her back. He began kissing her neck and fondling her
breasts from behind. Maura rubbed her ass against the hard ridge in Gavin's pants while sliding
her palm down Bain's chest to palm his crotch as they kissed. Their lips parted briefly while
Gavin lifted her shirt and bra and when Bain bent forward to suckle and lick at her nipples, she
turned to meet Gavin's mouth.

Gavin slid his palm up her neck and cupped her chin with his right hand while massaging her

hip and rubbing his growing length between her plump cheeks. She was awash with sensation.
Her nipples throbbed from Bain's ministration and Gavin's grinding from behind was getting her
even wetter. The only thing missing was ... as if on cue, Gavin slid her pants down and his
fingers into her wet and waiting pussy.

Maura's mind shut down and she operated on sensation alone. Her lips broke from Gavin to

cry out sounds of ecstasy. She rode wave after wave of pleasure, as two sets of fingers, lips, and
tongue teased out every thread of every nerve ending in every erotic zone she had. She found
herself cresting all too quickly into an orgasm that had her seeing stars.

Gavin grunted a very male sound of satisfaction against her neck and Bain rose to whisper in

her ear.

"So very responsive, I like that."
Maura hadn’t yet gained enough mental faculties to respond. She backed into one of the

workout benches and almost stumbled. Her knees were already weak from her last orgasm.
Gavin caught her and lowered her lengthwise onto the bench. Gavin hooked her knees with his
hands and pulled her toward him. If she weren't naked she would look ready to bench press. Her
knees hung off the end and were spread to steady her weight on the narrow surface.

Gavin couldn't take his eyes from her wet and ready pussy glistening from between her legs.

He hefted one of her knees over his shoulder and began to lick and nibble his way up her thigh.
She gasped when his rough tongue licked the crease where her inner thigh met her body. She
arched and moaned when his hot breath fell on her clit, but he passed it only to lick up the crease
on the other side. He blew a little on her quivering slit and she felt that rush of air as potently as
any lick.

Bain stepped towards the bench in the spot he used when spotting her during a workout. The

same images that flashed through her head that did during her assessment the very first day.
Maura reached for Bain and tugged down his pants, freeing his massive erection. She heard his
gasp and fingered it from tip to base, admiring its size. Even looking at it upside down and
backwards as it were, it was still magnificent. So thick she could barely wrap her fingers around
it.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 22

Gavin’s tongue still teased all around her slit without ever actually delving into it driving her

into a frenzy. She slid the thick purple head of his cock between her lips and rolled her tongue
across its slit. Her mouth stretched across its girth and her saliva slicked his velvety hardness.
Bain groaned in pleasure and gripped the barbell catchers that hovered a foot or so above her
head. Arching back she slid his length down her throat reveling in the salty taste and musky
smell.

Gavin chose that moment to delve his tongue deeply into her pussy and begin licking in

earnest. She moaned deeply with a mouthful of cock, lips vibrating against the shaft of his penis.
Bain groaned and thrust deeper into her waiting mouth. Gavin began a rhythmic licking of her
wet slit that rocked the weight bench a bit. Maura used the rocking motion to slide her mouth up
and down the length of Bain’s shaft.

Gavin began suckling on her clit and, in turn, she began a more frenzied pace on Bain. His

rough tongue on her most private place sent every nerve cluster in that area into overdrive. She
was mindless with pleasure. Her hips lifted of their own accord and when Gavin inserted two
fingers into her while licking her clit, she came. Hard. Her screams of climax were stifled by
the flesh in her mouth but the vibration from the screams were enough to send Bain’s over the
edge and his seed shooting down her throat. She swallowed it all and tongued his shaft clean.

“Damn it, woman! Your mouth is magic,” Bain rasped.
“You should taste this honey.” Gavin chuckled as he laved one last, lingering lick up her slick

pussy.

Gavin rose, fist pumping up and down his shaft. Maura looked down and watched in

fascination as he stood between her legs and placed himself at her entrance. Her eyes rolled back
in her head when he began feeding his engorged head and shaft into her quim still quivering
from the orgasms she’d received already. Her legs spread wide, Gavin hooked his elbows under
her knees and began long, slow strokes that threatened to drive her to madness.

“Fuck Maura, you are so slick and tight. You. Are. Perfection.” Gavin followed each

enunciation with a deep thrust within her.

She was stretched wide and filled, her hips no longer resting on the bench but suspended with

Gavin’s hold under her knees. Maura felt him all the way to her womb and wondered why she
thought she had ever really had sex before. Nothing compared to what she was feeling now. She
panted breathless moans and pleas to for more, harder, and faster and Gavin delivered.

Bain, not content to just watch yet, knelt on the floor and lowered his head to her breasts

again. While Gavin plowed into her, Bain teased one nipple with his teeth and tongue and the
other with his talented fingers. Every few seconds he would alternate which breast got his hands
and which got his mouth. Maura lost coherence. She had no idea what was coming out of her
mouth all she could do was feel. There was so much pleasure to process she thought she would
go insane. How could one live through so much ecstasy? Surely her brain would short circuit.

Her brain did short circuit just a moment later when Gavin slid his thumb down to massage

her clit while he pumped. She cried out as she was hurled into a vortex of colors and tidal wave
after tidal wave of pleasure crashed into her. She dimly registered Gavin shouting his release
moments later and Bain’s grunt of satisfaction.

The men helped her melt into a boneless puddle on the floor. She smiled to herself as she

realized that lying here in a naked heap on the floor, she had gotten the wish she made on the
first day here. She did get to be the meat in the middle of their man sandwich after all.

She must have dozed off because she started awake some time later with Bain spooned

against her backside, his big arm slung across her middle. She was facing Gavin, her head rested

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 23

on his chest, and his hand resting on her hip. She couldn’t believe she had just had a threesome
with two of the most handsome men she had ever met.

Doubts immediately began to assault her. What if this is what they did? What if they picked

the fat girl in every group who would be grateful for male attention and lured her into ménage a
trois? She felt something in her chest shrivel at that thought. That had to be it. Why else would
either one, much less both, of these men be attracted to her?

She carefully extracted herself from the tangle of limbs and gathered her clothing on the other

side of the room. She thought she had just made it when Bain’s raspy voice made her freeze in
her tracks.

“Just where do you think you are sneaking off to?”
“I thought I would slink out while I still had a shred of dignity.”
Bain sat up straight and Gavin stirred awake.
“What are you talking about? Are you ashamed of what we just did?”
The sleep cleared from Gavin quickly at his statement. He looked questioningly to Maura.
“You’re ashamed?”
“Yes …. No …. I don’t know!” Maura threw up her hands, still clinging to the clothing she

was picking up.

“Is this your M.O? Talk the fat chick into a ménage. Surely she’ll be desperate for male

attention and, obviously, more likely to let you get in her panties.”

Gavin and Bain both gaped at her. The shocked expression on their faces stopped her tirade.
“I don’t know what I am doing. I don’t know what to feel. That was the most amazing sexual

experience I have had … ever. Girls like me don’t get experiences like that. Not with men who
look like you.”

Maura held her clothes in front of her like a shield. She knew it was ridiculous considering

what they had just seen of her and done to her, but she still inexplicably felt vulnerable. Both
men approached her like they would an injured, cornered animal. Talking to her in low even
tones as if any sudden movement would cause her to flee. Bain reached her first and stroked her
arm, pulling her into his arms. Gavin stroked her back and sighed.

“Maura, we don’t generally sleep with any guests. Bad for business, dipping the wick in

company ink and all, and never, ever have we ever talked to anyone about being our mate.”

She gave a half hearted laugh but a tear rolled down her cheek. Bain swiped it with his thumb

and look down at her. Bain’s heart ached at the lost look on her face. He wanted to howl that
their sweet little mate couldn’t see how precious she was. Maura Brooks had no idea how to
accept the idea that she was truly desirable to men.

The thought of her tender heart being bruised every time she was insulted, either outright or

by others behavior, just killed him. She already hinted at being subjected to cruel taunts growing
up, he didn’t want to think about what she felt like every time one was hurled at her.

And all because of shallow stupidity.
It was time to make her see herself through Gavin and his eyes.
Bain turned her toward the full length mirror with his hands on her shoulders. Gavin and he

standing behind her on either side. Maura covered herself with her hands instinctively and
blushed a deep pink. Bain began stroking her shoulders and gently tugged her arms to her side.
Maura looked away from her reflection and turned to look at Bain.

“No, don’t look away. Do you trust us?”
She nodded but her hands still crept back to cover herself. Bain took her wrists and attached

them to the wrist weight straps hanging above them. Maura’s wrist were suspended above her,

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 24

not uncomfortably so, but her back slightly arched in the pose causing her breasts to jut forward
and butt to poke out. Nothing concealed here.

Gavin leaned forward and rest his chin on her shoulder, breath tickling her neck when her

growled in her ear.

“What do you see?”
“Wh- What?” Maura stammered, sure she hadn’t heard correctly.
“When you look up there,” Gavin gently turned her chin to once again face her reflection,

“what is it you see?”

“I see the fat girl that everyone called Moo-ra. The one whose father told her she was too fat

to keep a man. And he was right, Darren left me because I didn’t lose enough weight, I am too
big. There has to be a better, happier, skinny me in here somewhere. One that’s skinny enough
to be worthy.”

“Gavin, I think Maura needs to see herself the way we do.”
Bain traded places with Gavin behind her and spoke with his deep rich voice rumbling next to

her ear. He sought her eyes in the mirror and began stroking her hip.

“When you first got here I got hard the minute I saw you. I thought you were the most

perfectly formed woman I had ever seen. Everything on you appeals to me. Everything.”

Bain reached around and palmed her breasts growling in her ear.
“I love the way your full, round breasts overflow my hands.”
He ran his palms down her sides to her hips.
“And these just slay me. I watch the way you walk, and that sway you have with these

fucking fantastic hips ….”

Bain bit his bottom lip and pressed his erection against her hip.
“Well, you can feel what it does to me. Does that feel like you aren’t worthy of my

attention?”

Bain backed away then and swatted her backside. Gavin stepped in then to add his two cents

worth.

“Maura, when I first saw you I thought you were rounded everywhere I liked. Still do. Aside

from your obvious smarts and backbone, know what I have the most trouble keeping my hands
off of?”

He stood directly behind her, speaking just inches from her ear. His breath tickled against her

neck and she almost forgot the question.

“N-no.”
Gavin ran his fingertips up the back of her thighs to grip one buttock cheek in each hand. His

fingertips barely brushed against her anus there and it quivered in response. Her breath hitched
again and Gavin smiled, knowing she would enjoy what he had planned for her there … later.

“This work of art you carry behind you my dear, this juicy and wonderful ass.”
He continued to massage her ass cheeks and smelled her arousal ratchet up another notch. He

almost forgot what they were doing for a moment he got so caught up in her full globes.

“I have wanted to take a bite out of this for what feels like an eternity.”
Gavin dropped and placed a firm bite on her right ass cheek. He used his blunted, human

teeth knowing it was still too early to formally mark her with his lion’s canines. Maura’s sharp
intake of breath told him all he needed to know.

Bain approached again but stood in front of her this time. The backs of his fingers brushed to

tips of her breasts.

“Now I want you to keep your eyes on us in the mirror.”

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 25

Maura nodded and watched as Bain sunk to his knee in front of her. He palmed her legs apart

wider and leaned in, inhaling deeply. He took a long, sweeping lick up her core and groaned
with satisfaction.

“Mmmm, Honey indeed.”
Maura watched in fascination as Bain’s dark head dipped between her legs. The contrast

between her pale thigh and his darkness just added to the eroticism of the scene. Where Gavin
had a rough and flexible tongue, Bain’s was thicker, still rough but softer than Gavin’s. He had a
skill set all his own. She saw the pink flush creeping through her body and the way her middle
undulated in pleasure.

When her knees buckled her wrists still supported her from the light restraint but Gavin

stepped up behind her. Bain hooked each knees over a shoulder and proceeded to bury his
tongue deep within her wetness. Maura cried out and leaned her back against Gavin’s chest.
Her weight was completely supported and suspended by these two men.

Gavin’s hand snaked around and began plucking her nipples making her arch into his hand as

she simultaneously worked her hips against Bain’s mouth. She caught her reflection and
glimpses of the look in both men’s eyes. There was no calculating coldness in their eyes like she
had seen in men who just used the fat girl for sex. There was just open admiration and desire.

She felt the armor around her heart cracking with an even greater force but promised herself

she wouldn’t let it be too serious.

Maura lost all train of thought as Bain brought her to yet another screaming orgasm. Her hips

worked herself against his face and her toes curled where they were thrown on his back. Her
back arched further encouraging Gavin to prolong her climax plucking her nipples.

Gavin reached up and unhooked her wrists from the pulley straps but continued to support

her. Bain lay of the ground and Gavin helped lower her to straddled him, facing the mirror. She
rubbed her wet sheath against his thickness wondering briefly how she would take in that girth,
but remembered that Gavin had fit, so would he.

Maura lifted herself and sunk down seating him deeply within her waiting pussy. He cried

out and she thought she may have hurt him. She lifted herself to check when he gripped her hips
and thrust his hips upward into her. It was all the confirmation she needed. Maura began to ride
him in earnest, sliding up and almost off of him before lowering and impaling him deeply again.

His hands came up to cup her breasts when she met Gavin’s gaze in the mirror. He grinned at

her knowingly and gestured towards the mirror.

“What do you see now?”
Maura looked once again in the mirror and didn’t immediately recognize herself. Her hair

was fell around her hair in a wild, tousled mess. Her lips were swollen and full from their
lovemaking and her body was flush with arousal. She looked like a pagan warrioress mounted
naked atop a man, eyes bright and breasts pink from passion. She saw the look of appreciation
and desire in Gavin’s eyes and immediately looked to Bain.

He looked the same. They truly saw her. She felt a huge weight fly from her chest and she

didn’t feel crushing unworthiness, she felt precious and desired. She cupped Bain’s face and
kissed him fiercely. After a moment she lifted her head and crooked a finger to Gavin. He
walked to her and bent over to kiss her, their tongues entwined and dueled in a playful game of
passion.

When he finally rose to stand again she reached out and softly grasped his shaft. Using it like

a divining rod, she guided him towards her mouth. Gavin had much the same scent but a vastly

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 26

different flavor all his own. She played her tongue around the head while continuing to slide up
and down Bain’s hard length, his hands guiding her hips.

She let her lips slide around the shaft synchronized first lowering herself onto Bain, pulling

her mouth to the tip of Gavin’s cock. Then rising to suck him down to the base, lifting off Bain,
and repeating.

She felt full, not just because she was being pleasantly stuffed at both ends, but because she

felt less empty. She felt finally beautiful and these men made her see it. Maura let herself fall
into an abyss of sensation reveling in feeling full in her pussy and the intoxicating flavor of the
cock in her mouth. She increased her fervor, her suction, and her urgency. Both men cried out
at the same time. She felt the warm wash over her that surged a final wet swell into her nether
lips and pitched her forward into climax.

She clenched and moaned deeply, her throat constricting around Gavin and sending him

reeling into a spiral of pleasure himself. She was cresting another orgasm when Bain shouted
and released with her. Her tremors of orgasmic aftermath milked every drop from him as surely
as her mouth had Gavin.

She collapsed atop Bain and Gavin lay beside, stroking her back. When she got drowsy again

her men dressed her and themselves and carried her back to her cabin. When she thought they
would retire to their own rooms, they stripped down and got in bed on either side of her. She
smiled and curled her backside against Bain tucking her feet between his legs and resting her
head on Gavin’s shoulder. One hand rested on Bain’s arm once again thrown across her middle
and her other rested palm up on Gavin’s chest, his hand resting lightly on top of it. Maura
drifted off thinking she had never felt more safe and secure in her life.

Chapter Five

Maura couldn't help but feel a little disappointment during the next canoe trip. Neither Gavin

nor Bain were to be her partners during this trek. She had hoped to engage in a little light flirting
but it was not to be today. She was paired with Seth, one of the student guides. Maura wished
she could pinpoint what exactly it was about that guy that unsettled her so much. She just felt
wary.

Seth seemed nice enough and his smile looked genuine when they greeted each other at the

canoes. He carried his weight of the canoe and didn't tilt most of it onto her. He flirted with her
a little, and he did point out some interesting facts she didn't know along the way. Conversation,
at least as much as could be expected during such an activity, was pleasant enough.

Once they got in the water and began to paddle down the river, Maura felt herself relax a bit.

Never one for a whole lot of outdoor action before, she found it was actually quite fun. Maura
surprised herself with how much she enjoyed canoeing in particular. Gavin and Bain might have
some part in it but paddling down this river, and feeling herself getting stronger while
surrounded by such beauty, soothed her and empowered her all at the same time.

She liked watching her men work the river, as well, looking at them move. Her eyes darted to

Gavin and Bain in the canoe together, moving in perfect harmony with one another without even
speaking. Both had muscles that glistened in the sun but where Bain's was thickly corded and

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 27

covered with dark hair, Gavin was lean and sleek muscle with a barely there dusting of blond
across the forearms. It constantly amazed her how opposite but alike those two were.

Images of other ways the men were in perfect sync flashed through her head, thoughts of

things Gavin and Bain had done working her body and some things that they had yet to try. A
small smile crept across her face as warmth flooded her. Still somewhat amazed that she was
reasonably certain that there would be a next time, her body eagerly awaited it.

At least while they still want you.
Refusing to let that train of thought taint her trip, she refocused on the trip and what her

partner was saying. Gavin and Bain went ahead to guide everyone through a particularly rocky
section but since everyone had traveled this a number of times before, it was a minor precaution
only. Seth was bringing up the rear in the canoe with her, but she didn't mind being last.

Each little canoe followed in their wake like little ducklings and Maura giggled at the thought

of either of those two men waddling around like a mama duck. They maneuvered through the
first set of rapids easily enough and wound their way around to the next set. Maura noticed that
she and Seth had fallen somewhat behind the others and didn't want to lose sight of the group, or
her men. He indicated that they would catch up but he was supposed to make sure everyone else
was navigating the rapids safely.

The last canoe disappeared around the bend as she and Seth began the trek through the rocky

water. The canoe was having some difficulty working through a few areas they scraped and
bumped through for awhile when, without warning, she pitched forward and was thrown from
the boat.

Maura was instantly glad for the helmet when her head smacked against a large rock. It still

rattled her teeth but she was sure that without her helmet she would have had a concussion. Her
body was churned around end over end, but she finally came sputtering to the surface. There
was a fist on her lifejacket pulling her towards the shore. She lay, momentarily, just regaining
her breath and turned expecting to see that either Gavin or Bain had pulled her out and was
surprised to see it was Seth. She had assumed he would need saving in the same waters as she.

"Thank you," she panted.
Seth just shrugged noncommittally. "It’s my job.” He grinned. “We’ll have to hike a bit and

catch up with the group to make our way back."

Maura groaned inwardly. Her head throbbed and so did a few new cuts, scrapes, and bruises

she had acquired on the rocky tumble. She shrugged off her lifejacket and helmet and arranged
her clothing, catching a brief glimpse of Seth watching her as she did. A lascivious look flashed
in his eyes and Maura felt that same prickly feeling on the back of her neck.

Just because Gavin and Bain are attracted to you, don’t start thinking everyone else is, too,

she scolded herself.

They got up after a short rest and began to make the trek back to camp on foot. After hiking

through what would barely be considered a trail, Seth stopped and suggested a rest. Maura's
body had just taken a wallop and she was more than ready to stop for a bit. She eased down on a
fallen tree and wished she had some water to drink. Even though she had swallowed quite a
during her dunking, she was ready for more water now.

"Ya know Maura, you’re an intriguing woman."
"What? Me? How do you figure?"
"Well, I know you have both Bennett men panting after you. I’m curious what exactly it is

they’re so enamored of."

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 28

The amiable facade that Seth had projected since the beginning of the trip was gone and the

cold predatory look in his eyes was back. Maura felt chills down her spine and looked at the
situation with different eyes. She was without defense and alone with this guy.

Not good.
She eyed him warily and when he walked towards her, she got up from her perch on the tree

trunk and began backing away.

"What?"
"Oh c'mon, there have been dozens of women come through here that could be supermodels

throwing themselves at those two. They barely batted an eye. You come here and you might as
well be leading them around by their dicks. Must be prime pussy to whip those two. I wanna
find out."

"What? I’m not having sex with you!"
She turned to run but only got a few steps when her hair was wrenched from behind.
"No, but I will be fucking you."
Seth dragged her back and held her against his body.
"You have spirit. I bet they like that, too. I like it when a girl fights, makes it more fun."
He threw her down and Maura tried to scramble away but Seth was fast and was on top of her

too quickly. She tried to scream but he clamped a large palm over her nose and mouth.

"No one will hear you, and even if they did I’ll just tell them you seduced me just like you did

both the Bennetts. All the other guests know you’re sleeping with them. What's one more
guide? Think anyone will believe you? You’re already fucking two guys here, likely at the
same time. Who wouldn’t believe a lusty little whore like you would fuck one more? Look at
you. No one needs to force a fat chick."

Maura felt cold wash down her spine. Who would believe her? What would Gavin and Bain

think? Would they think she’d invited him? She didn’t resist either of them for long. How
would that look to anyone else? She was trapped.

She had to get out of this. Think Maura, think!
Maura felt tears spring to her eyes when her shirt was pulled up and her breasts were exposed.

His rough hands abraded her nipples before tweaking them painfully. Maura resumed her
struggling but her arms were pinned by one of his hands while his other abused her breasts. She
couldn’t get free of his grasp no matter which way she twisted, turned, or fought.

When his hand left her she was relieved. A glimmer of hope for escape flickered but only for

a moment. Her hope vanished when a knife was held near her throat and she realized his other
hand was fumbling with his pants. He pulled her shorts down and she wanted to block her mind
to what was about to happen. When his knees forced her legs apart, she screamed again. The
knife pushed harder against her throat, cutting the sound off immediately.

Frustrated tears burned down her cheeks. She was unable to stop this no matter how she

fought and her helplessness was appalling. She saw him free himself from his pants and shut her
eyes.

Abruptly, his weight lifted off her and she could breathe. She saw Bain pin Seth against a tree

by his neck, growling an inhuman growl. She felt hands on her shoulders and she jumped,
startled.

"It's ok baby. It's me. Did he hurt you?"
Maura flew into Gavin's arms, weeping against his chest. She shook her head. Gavin helped

her adjust her clothes and brush dirt and debris off of her.

"Bain stopped him. He was going to … to …."

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 29

Gavin shushed her and picked her up as if she weighed nothing. She could do nothing more

than cling to him, crying.

Seth babbled excuses in the background, claiming that she had lured him away to seduce him.

Maura waited for the accusatory glares from Gavin and Bain but they never came.

"Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth. If. You. Want. To. Live."
It was clear Bain was on the verge of losing control. Gavin's arms tightened around her and

an angry growl rumbled in his chest, low and menacing. She barely had time to process that
when she heard a different roar and turned in time to see a shimmer covering Bain's body, his
body lengthening and thickening, his face shifting to form the snout of … a bear.

Maura gasped. Bain roared, and Seth pissed himself in fear. Where Bain was a moment ago,

now stood the biggest Grizzly she had ever seen. Seth screamed and Bain slashed him across the
face with his claws. Deep cuts swelled and blood ran down his cheek. Bain simply roared again.

Maura stared, mouth agape, at the scene unfolding in front of her. The head injury must have

been more severe than she’d thought if she was hallucinating. Her gaze darted back to Gavin
and there was a lion face flickering across his features as if he were struggling to keep from
changing, also.

Her chest constricted and throat closed. Her lungs burned with the need for oxygen, but she

couldn't drag in enough air to fill them. Gavin yelled something to Bain but he sounded tinny
and far away from her ears. She panted as stars twinkled in front of her eyes and the last thing
she registered before darkness took her was looking up in the concerned faces of both men.

Consciousness returned in small degrees. First she felt the sway of someone walking. There

were large arms banded behind her shoulders and knees, and cracking one eye revealed a strong
square jaw.

Bain.
The events all came rushing back and she struggled to sit up. Bain stopped, but he was

reluctant to set her down.

"Bain put me down."
“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. You’ve been through a lot.” His eyes met hers

and concern furrowed a crease between his brows.

Maura couldn't help her gaze bouncing back and forth between the two men. "Wait. What

just happened and where is Seth?"

She wondered if they had killed him while she was out. Would they kill her, too?
"Seth ran off when our attention was on you and your condition."
Bain looked contrite.
"I'm sorry I let him escape."
"Were you going to kill him?"
Gavin and Bain exchanged a brief glance, but Bain spoke first.
"I wanted to, for what he tried to do to you. But I couldn't. I was going to turn him over to

the sheriff, file charges, and, well, firing his ass goes without saying."

"You turned into a bear."
Bain turned pleading eyes towards hers. She couldn't look at the hurt in his eyes right now. It

woke a deep urge to comfort him but she couldn’t do that just then. Her gaze swung to Gavin
instead.

"You were a lion."
Maura half expected laughter and ridicule at the absurd idea that they turned into animals, but

it never came. Gavin spoke first.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 30

"Maura, sit. Let us explain."
Her legs lowered her on a nearby rock in an almost instinctive obedience to his instruction.

She scrambled away from them, needing distance to process what was about to happen. She was
still having difficulty mentally digesting the fact that they weren't denying her accusation.

"Are you like werewolves? Were you bitten?"
"No, we’re shifters. We can turn into our animals at will. We don't have to wait till a full

moon or anything. We were born shifters. Our parents were and we are."

"How are you different animals?"
Bain sat near her, lowering his bulk to the ground. Even with her sitting on a sizable rock, he

still sat taller than her.

"Gavin was adopted by my mother."
"Oh."
"His mother found me and took me in. That's why I’m named Gavin. It means lion. Barrett

means bear. I’m a lion raised by bears. My name means lion bear."

"Oh."
Maura's mind raced trying to take in all that she was hearing. She couldn't reconcile this with

the world she knew around her.

"The farmer couple are rabbit shifters whose warren was raided by wolves."
"So there are werewolves."
"Yes, but they’re shifters also. They have a stronger pull to shift and run during a full moon

but not in the way you see in horror movies."

"And they’re bad."
"No, their warren was raided by rogue wolves. Shifters are like anyone else. There are some

who are good and some who like to hurt others. It's a tossup in any population."

Maura digested this bit of information and surprisingly it made sense. She decided she had to

be sure of what she’d seen.

"When you’re an animal, do you know what you are doing? Do you remember things?

Would you know me?"

Gavin ran a palm up and down her spine as Bain reached to engulf both her hands in one of

his. Their warmth was soothing. It began to calm the nerves that had been frayed in the past
couple hours. She should be as wary of these two as she was of Seth but just couldn’t muster the
effort to remain distant from them. Bain's deep voice washed over her when he answered.

"We know you in our animal form. We can also speak to each other telepathically over great

distances. Our life span is quite a bit longer than the average human and the cold doesn't affect
us as much as it does humans."

"Although Bain does have a tendency towards hibernation in the winter. He likes his sleep."
"And Gavin likes to laze and nap in the summer sun like a big cat."
Maura let a small giggle bubble past her lips at the mental image that brought. Her mind

whirled taking in this information.

Shifters.
They turn into animals.
She shook her head. Ever since getting to this retreat she’d been worried that somehow,

someway, she was slowly losing her mind. Beginning with her affair with these two men and
now this. It was too much.

“Maura …,” Gavin began.
“No.” She shook her head again, trying to clear her mind. “I need to go.”

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 31

Gavin and Bain traded furtive glances at one another. She wondered briefly if they would

now threaten her, or worse, to ensure her silence. Who would believe her anyway?

Hey, sure the guys that own the most successful fitness retreat to date really turn into animals

at will. The river has the Lochness monster and Bigfoot leads hikes into the woods, too.

She’d be fitted for a straight jacket faster than she could blink.
Maybe she needed one because she was clearly having a psychotic break.
“Maura …,” Bain began to speak, but she cut him off again.
“No! Show me how to get back.”
Both men looked pained and saddened, but she couldn’t accept that right now. They were

freaking animals for christsake! Luckily the walk back wasn’t too terribly painful. She was still
stiff and sore from her bumps and bruises of the day, but that paled in comparison to the
heartbreak from her inner turmoil.

Maura had really begun to develop strong feelings for both of her men, shifters, whatever.

They had gone to great lengths to make her feel beautiful and treasured. Shouldn’t it have been
apparent that something was horribly wrong if these men wanted someone like her? She would
have resisted, knowing they weren’t for her. Tears welled in her eyes.

She kept reminding herself this situation was always meant to be temporary, but couldn’t help

a seed of hope planted in her heart that maybe it was something real this time. She had fallen
hard for these men in the short time they were together and felt like leaving would be like
leaving a big chunk of her heart behind.

As tears spilled over, Maura wiped them away quickly. It had to be this way. What other

answer was there? Their lives were here and her life was somewhere else, at least what she
called a life.

Thinking about returning home to her house all alone and sleeping in an empty bed night after

night after becoming used to sleeping sandwiched between these two beautiful men broke her
heart all over again.

Bain could hear her uneven breathing and could smell the salt of her tears. Every hitched

breath she tried to hide from them on the hike home lashed across his heart like a whip. His
heart was being flayed open seeing her so hurt. They should have told her everything when they
talked about mating. He just thought it would be too much at once and now it was possibly too
late.

Bain frowned and pushed that thought from his mind. He simply couldn’t accept that. He

searched his mind for something, anything to say to ease her suffering but came up blank. She
would think he was lying if he told her he loved her at this point. But he did.

She was more than he had ever hoped to find in a mate. Her courage and strength made his

look paltry in comparison. Maura had endured so much but managed to retain so much beauty in
her soul and refused to let others jade her. There were many in her life that had made her feel
worthless and it had damaged her self esteem, but she could still see so much beauty in people, it
awed him.

All too soon they arrived at the door to her cabin.
When trying to enter, she stopped them.
“I need to be alone.”
Bain’s heart cracked just a little further seeing the pain and confusion on her face. He wished

he could restart all of this and do so many things differently. Gavin looked equally as pained as
he felt and he knew they were all in for a rough night.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 32

His heart dropped to his stomach when her door clicked shut and they both heard her stifled

sob coming from the other side of the door. Both men trudged silently back to their office.
Gavin called the police station to report the incident. The sheriff promised to come out that
evening to take statements from everyone and took Seth’s information to be on the lookout.

Gavin pulled out a bottle of whiskey and gestured to Bain. He nodded miserably and downed

his dram in one swallow. Bain welcomed the whiskey burn down his throat and lifted his cup
indicating a desire for a refill which Gavin was happy to oblige. Gavin was the first to speak up.

“She’ll be ok. She just needs time to adjust.”
Bain grunted and tossed back another glass of whiskey. His chest was tight at the thought of

her leaving. Maura had become an essential element to his life in such a short time. He simply
couldn’t imagine a future without her. He would be crushed under the weight of his sorrow.
Holding his glass out, he didn’t even pause once it was filled to toss it down his throat. He
wanted to drown the dread that this was more than she could accept.

It was a miracle that she had felt the mate pull to both of them and that he and Gavin were co-

mating the same woman happily. They couldn’t believe their luck. Fate had truly chosen well
for them. They made a perfect trio. His instincts to protect and provide for his mate was
appeased in that he trusted Gavin implicitly to care for her to the utmost of his ability with him
and in the case of his absence. If anything happened to him or if he had to be away he had no
worries about her wellbeing. He knew Gavin felt the same.

They had gone through that whiskey bottle and were well into splitting the second bottle when

the alcohol began to take effect. His shifter metabolism required a much higher alcohol content
to get drunk, but it wasn’t impossible. The numbness he sought didn’t find him till after another
bottle and Bain finally slept draped across the desk.

Chapter Six

“She’s gone.”
Gavin jolted awake, ignoring the pounding in his head. A quick glance at the clock showed it

was late afternoon. There was no need to question who Bain meant, there was only one ‘she’
that would cause that look of panic on his face. Cold fear washed down his spine.

“For how long?”
“Not sure, woke a bit ago and saw her car wasn’t here anymore. I checked her cabin just in

case. Everything’s gone.”

Gavin glanced at the clock, running fingers through his hair then scrubbing his face with his

palm. He was on his feet and walking out the door in a flash when a thought came crashing
through his head and he froze.

“Bain, we still don’t know where Seth is.”
Bain froze in his tracks and stared at Gavin. Dread lit his eyes.
“Shit.”
“OK, if she took the time to pack and load the car, she hasn’t been gone too terribly long. She

couldn’t be very far. He may be a hundred miles from here by now.”

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 33

Both men rushed toward the car, attempting to squelch the growing dread that was rapidly

mounting. Gavin could feel his lion, irritated and restless, pacing in his mind. His lion wanted
his mate and, quite frankly, so did the man. His need to see Maura. smell her unique scent, and
assure himself she was safe and whole, was a physical ache in his chest. His lion kept growling
Find! Protect! Mate!

It threatened to overtake his rational thought. He forced those thoughts in the back of his

mind and took a deep breath. They needed to concentrate on finding her now. Everything else
could be worked out later.

Gavin wanted to believe she was fine, just upset, and left without incident. But his mating

instinct was blaring sirens of warning. As they got to the car he opted to drive, Bain was too
close to succumbing to his animal and that would not be the best idea to have him that agitated
and behind the wheel.

“There’s only one route she could have taken out of the park. It’s the only outgoing road. So

we should be able to track her at least that far.”

Bain barely nodded and returned to staring blankly. They rolled down the windows to

attempt to pick up her scent, as faint as it may be, there were slight traces of it still wafting
through the air. It had been some time before she had been through, but not so much that her
scent dissipated entirely.

Gavin felt like jumping out of his skin as every mile crept by. He knew his speed was closer

to low level flying than high speed driving but couldn’t force himself to slow down. He felt
urgency to find her clawing at his insides. After twenty minutes her scent became much
stronger.

Bain sat up with his nose in the air about the same time Gavin detected the scent. They

looked at each other, threads of relief just began to become interwoven with the cold dread they
felt all morning. All of the sudden Maura’s honey vanilla scent became tainted with traces of
blood. If Gavin thought he felt cold dread before, he was wrong. It was nothing compared to the
glacial cold that washed down his spine, when he smelled her blood.

Bain growled low in his throat. Gavin couldn’t help but rumble a growl of his own. Their

mate was bleeding, she was injured, and she needed them. His lion was throwing himself at the
walls that separated them in his mind. A few minutes later, the car rounded a sharp curve and
screeched to a halt. There, in the middle of the road, sat Maura’s car partially covered by large
rocks and boulders. Gavin and Bain scrambled out of the car and made their way to Maura’s.

The airbag had deployed and there was some blood on it and the door handle on the inside but

not a life threatening amount. Gavin further investigated the car and found her phone and purse
in the passenger seat. As he pulled himself back out of the car he caught a different scent
altogether. Bain shouted for him from atop the mound of rocks. The scent was stronger there.

“Seth.”
He could no longer restrain his beast. His lion came roaring to the forefront. Bain shifted

into his bear, as well. In this form, their sense of smell was far stronger. Gavin and Bain
followed the scent trail of Maura and Seth into the woods for what felt like an eternity to both
men. The smell of blood had dissipated but the mingled scents of fear and aggression was a
torturous trail for the men to follow.

Knowing Maura was at the mercy of that piece of shit was slowly driving him insane. He had

to force himself to concentrate on the fact that she was still alive and close. He could hear Bain’s
bear crashing through the brush a few yards away. Their sense of urgency was tangible in the air
between them. Gavin felt rage and fear in equal measure clawing up his chest and gripping his

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 34

throat. He had to put his full focus on the scent trail, his mind kept trying to slip into what ifs
and that could drive him mad and worse, make him make mistakes. There was no room for error
in this.

Gavin couldn’t stop a roar ripping free of his throat when he caught sight of Seth and Maura.

His mind almost blanked with rage when he saw Seth’s hands on her. Maura was struggling,
hands bound behind her back, and Seth had cut free some of her clothes with the knife he kept
with him. Seth was openly groping her and tears streaked her face. Gavin heard Bain bellow
and crash forward a titan of anger and aggression.

Seth whipped around toward the noise and pulled a gun from his waist band. He fired off a

couple shots in the general direction that Bain’s roar came from and Gavin pulled up short. He
reached out with his mind and connected with Bain, reassuring himself that bullet was indeed a
wild shot. Seth’s eyes were wide and wild and Gavin knew there would be no resolving this
without bloodshed.

“See, you fucking freaks of nature!! I came better prepared for you this time!”
Seth was waving the gun wildly around, that meant he didn’t really know where they were or

where they were coming from, just in the general direction of the noise. Gavin had to force his
mind to focus on details so his rage wouldn’t take over and cause him to make mistakes that
could be fatal to them all. He circled around to the left while Bain approached more head-on.
Gavin worked to calm Bain and lay a plan to get the three of them out safely.

The pistol Seth was waving around wouldn't do much against either of them in this form.

Bain's hide was a bit thicker and he maintained a more head on approach. Gavin circled around
to the rear of where they were while Seth's attention was focused on Bain. Bain slowed his
approach when they came into sight. Seth grabbed Maura and used her as a human shield,
putting the gun to her head. Gavin fought the instinct to charge forward and rip Seth’s throat out
with his teeth. The lion in him roared and fought, wanting desperately to protect their mate.

Bain came forward into Seth's line of vision and, in response, Seth pointed the gun at him.

"Where’s the other freak? I know you two are always together."

Bain merely stared silently in his bear form, there was no real way to answer him without

shifting back to his human form and that would leave him more vulnerable to gunshot. Seth put
the gun back to Maura's head and Gavin could smell the insanity coming off of him. Seth's hand
was shaking and Gavin knew the gun could discharge in his unsteady hand and almost dove for
him when Bain's voice sounded in his head.

I'm going to shift back and keep his attention and the gun pointed on me. You do the rest.
No. Bain, it's too dangerous. The gun can do too much damage to you in human form.
I’d rather be shot as a human than lose our mate.
With that, Bain changed shifted back into his human form. Putting his hands up, palm out so

Seth would know he was unarmed.

"Seth, there’s no good way out of this. Just let her go. We can all just walk away from this

now."

"Bullshit!"
"No, Seth, not bullshit. Just put the gun down and we’ll all just walk away."
"You think I could let you walk away now? You’re demons in animal form, an abomination.

She’s fucked you both, and at the same time. It's sick! She’ll let animals between her legs but
refuses me? It's disgusting!"

Seth's eyes were wild and he was sweating heavily. Gavin could smell the perspiration and

tension rolling off him like a beacon.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 35

"Others refused me but I changed their minds. Stuck up bitches, fucked like animals. Never,

NEVER as sick as this shit." Seth pulled Maura's head back towards him. "I bet you even let
them screw you while they're animals, don't you? You dirty whore, and you will tell me no?
Unacceptable."

Bain growled low in his throat. He hated the way Seth was talking to Maura. He and his bear

wanted to take off the arm that held the gun to her head. He narrowed his eyes and focused on
Seth's shaking hand. He just had to keep the attention on himself for a little longer. Bain kept
his approach slow and steady so as not to startle Seth.

"Where’s the other one?" Seth shouted his eyes were wild and spittle flung from his mouth.

"I know you aren't alone! Where's the other one?"

Bain continued walking slowly toward Seth, stalling for a few more moments and kept his

eyes trained on the gun. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gavin closing in.

Bain heard Gavin in his head. Wait for it. Wait for it.
Seth suddenly repositioned the gun towards Bain and just as he saw Seth’s finger beginning to

squeeze the trigger, Gavin leapt from the bushes catching Seth's wrist in his powerful jaws. A
shot rang out. Maura screamed and Bain felt a blow to his chest that flung him to the ground.
He shook it off and sprung to his feet. Gavin was on top of Seth and Seth was wailing what
could only be described as death gurgles.

Bain ran to Maura and checked her over for any injuries. When he was satisfied she had only

the most minor scrapes and bruises, he turned his attention back to Gavin. There was little more
than a mass of mangled flesh left of Seth. Gavin was covered in blood, none of which was his
own.

Gavin shifted back to human form and hurried to Maura to assure himself she was ok.
While Gavin inspected Maura, Bain began to feel a dull throbbing pain in his shoulder. Bain

looked down and to his surprise his chest was covered in blood. His brows knitted together in
confusion.

"Shit man, you need to shift back." Gavin rushed to Bain with concern. "You've been shot."
Bain resisted and pulled Maura into his arms, careful not to get his blood on her. When

Maura clung to him, he could smell her honey vanilla scent and was able, for the first time in
hours, to take a deep breath. She was alive. She was unharmed. Everything else would work
itself out, his mate was safe. Nothing else mattered.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered against his chest.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. I know you had to have been freaked out, but just don't

leave like that again. Did he hurt you?"

Maura shook her head. "No, but he hurt you."
Bain shrugged. "This doesn't hurt really, it's nowhere near what I felt when we realized you

were gone."

Maura pulled away from where her head lay on his chest to look up at him.
"But, you were shot."
"It’ll heal. Losing you would wound me in a way I’d never heal from."
Her eyes went liquid and she flung her arms around his neck. He cared little about bleeding

and clung to her. Bain held her close, flooding his senses in her scent, and reassuring himself
that she was, indeed, safe. He could barely wrap his mind around how close they came to losing
her. Bain felt his knees buckle a bit when she pulled away to hold Gavin close. He was losing
too much blood.

"Gavin …."

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 36

"Shift back, Bain! You’ve lost too much blood. You need to heal."
Bain shifted back, feeling the energy of his bear already working to heal and renew the

gunshot wound. Maura turned to Gavin again.

“I’m so sorry you had to take a life Gavin. I can’t imagine .… I know how you feel about

violence. I ....”

Gavin cupped her cheek in his palm as she stumbled for words.
“Maura, you didn’t create that situation. Seth did. That was merely a consequence of actions

he chose to make. I gave him every opportunity to leave peacefully. He chose this. Not you.
Not me. Not Bain.”

Tears began to fall and it was like a dam burst. The gravity of the situation they had just been

in finally settled like a weighted vest on her chest. The tears grew in intensity till she was
sobbing, her body shuddered with every renewed jag of tears. Gavin simply held her close,
muttering reassurances to her and stroking her back and shoulders. Bain lumbered close and
stood over them both until her tears were spent.

The trio made their way back to the car in silence. Bain in his bear form, and Gavin in his

human one carrying Maura, ignoring her protests. Bain stayed close by her side, not wanting to
be far from her after what they had just gone through. When they reached the car Gavin decided
to drive, Bain reverted back to human form and gathered Maura to his side in the backseat. She
curled into his warmth, bathed in Gavin’s scent and needing to be near Bain’s unique smell and
feel.

She needed both of them. It was true. All of it. Every outrageous, unimaginable situation

she was sure had been imagined was real. She was the mate of not one, but two incredible men
who turned into animals at will. It was the combination of both of them that balanced her and
made her feel completed. The girl that no one wanted to keep was actually the destined mate of
two gorgeous men that happened to be shifters who wanted nothing more than to see her happy
and safe.

These were her men.
The urge to rid herself of Seth’s scent suddenly overwhelmed her. She needed the smell and

feel of her men to wash away the mental and physical imprint of her ordeal today. They drove
back to the cabin that Gavin and Bain shared. When the opened the doors and walked in Maura
grabbed their hands and led them to the oversized shower in Bain’s bedroom.

“I need you both to make me forget this day. I don’t want to feel or smell him on me. I don’t

want to feel his hands on me. I want to feel yours. Both of yours.”

She turned the water on and stripped her clothes, throwing them in the garbage. They were

saturated with mud and blood and smelled like Seth. She never wanted to see them, much less
wear them, again. Maura stood in front of Bain and lifted his shirt off of him. She ran her hands
over where the bullet had punctured his shoulder and traced her fingers lightly over the rapidly
healing wound. It was scabbed and already forming new, pink skin on the edges.

Her palm curled around his neck and brought his lips to hers. Maura kissed him thoroughly.

She poured into the kiss the desperation she felt when she thought Seth would kill them all and
the relief she felt when they had come for her. Not just to save her from Seth, but because they
had come for her regardless of why she left. She was wanted, needed. Finally. Maura flashed
on many regrets at that moment and most of them centered around not enough time with Gavin
and Bain and never telling them how she really felt.

When she had Bain naked, she turned to Gavin. He watched her closely, seeing through her

as was his way with that lion’s stare. She looked deeply into that gaze, with all the emotion she

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 37

felt written on her face. She reached for him and kissed him with everything she had. As with
Bain, this kiss was a soul searing one. Branding her heart and forever marking her theirs. She
could never simply place her lips on anyone else. Not after knowing kissing could be like this.
Everyone else would far pale in comparison. She removed his blood stained clothes as she
nipped and licked at his mouth.

They all fit nicely in the shower. Gavin facing Maura and feasting on her mouth. Bain

scrubbed his fingers through her hair from behind and wet her beautiful tresses. Her lips broke
away from Gavin and she arched back into Bain’s hands. Gavin soaped his hands and ran them
down her neck and shoulders while Bain worked shampoo into her scalp. She moaned in
pleasure luxuriating in the feel of their hands on her body.

Gavin traced her collarbone with his fingers, causing her nipples to pucker. Gavin cupped the

sides of her breasts, watching in fascination as the bubbles slid down the full globes making
them slick and wet. Maura thrust her breasts toward him arching her neck into Bain’s hands.
She soaped her hands and ran them across Gavin’s chest, tracing every muscular ridge with
bubbly fingertips. His nipples puckered as well and she saw his cock leap toward her.

Her palms made lazy circles over his pecs and collarbone. Bain’s fingers began a trail down

her spine, his palms flattening and flexing over her back and waist. Maura turned after Bain had
thoroughly washed and rinsed her hair and began her soapy ministrations on his chest as well.
Gavin closed in from behind and soaped her buttocks palming her mounds and spreading them.
His fingertips brushed the cleft of her ass and sent a rush of moisture to her pussy.

She shuddered, arching her buttocks toward his hands and grasped Bain’s cock with her palm.

She worked her palm up and down on Bain while Gavin lightly teased her rear passage. She
urged Gavin on with her body and Bain’s fingers crept to her weeping pussy and he circled her
clit. Maura opened for them both and writhed with the satisfaction of the combined stimulation.

Bain slid a slick finger into her as Gavin pressed his against her anus and both men danced

circles with talented fingers. Maura worked herself in tandem, aiding to the friction, and
building a climatic wave inside her. When Gavin slid a finger into her from behind and Bain
slipped another into her from the front, it was all she needed to find her release.

They turned off the water and dried each other with urgency but not speed. Maura felt much

better now that the traces of Seth and his actions were being erased. Bain traced every curve,
nook, and cranny of her body with his hands covered in towel. Gavin rubbed her hair dry with
another towel and she surreptitiously licked droplets of water off both men.

They moved in unison to the bed and stood before it. Bain knelt in front of her, pulling her

soft belly toward his waiting mouth. She lifted her arms and, arching backward, clasped her
fingers around Gavin’s neck behind her. It caused her back to arch dramatically. Gavin took
that as an invitation to pluck at her straining nipples. He rolled the pink buds between his thumb
and finger gently tugging them to hard rosy peaks.

Her legs opened wider of their own accord and Bain trailed his tongue lower in lazy circles.

Bain licked at her swollen clit and she cried out in response. Gavin palmed her breasts scraping
her nipples between his fingers, pinching, and teasing them. Maura writhed against them both,
straining for more. Bain licked her wet and swollen slit till it was all she could do but writhe
against his tongue. When he sucked the engorged clit into his lips, she came apart. She
climaxed and bucked against his mouth. Gavin help support her from his position behind. After
licking up every drop of her sweet nectar, Bain crawled backward, stretching out on the bed,
coaxing Maura toward him.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 38

Maura kneeled over him and positioned herself over his upright shaft. It was straining

towards her and she couldn’t resist a playful lick across the blunt head of his cock while inching
over him. It jerked toward her, seemingly just as eager for her as the man was. She positioned
herself over his thick shaft and lowered herself onto it.

He stretched and filled her like only he could. They groaned in unison. Bain lifted his hips,

impaling her further on his engorged cock. It slid easily in and out of her slick channel. Gavin
still massaged her ass cheeks and the combined stimulation only heightened her arousal. He
withdrew from her, she rode Bain but turned to see what Gavin was doing, insistent that he join.

Gavin held a small bottle of lube in his palm, set it nearby, and positioned her hips and knees

further apart so she would be spread for him while riding Bain. While Bain’s sizable cock
pumped in and out of her, Gavin slid a slickened finger to her rear entry. He circled the tight
hole and felt her muscles quiver at the sensation. She gasped and stiffened when he finally
slipped a finger into her there, never having anal play before, Maura was nervous.

Gavin simply eased his finger back, backing out till his digit was almost all the way out

before slowly pushing it back in. Maura quickly adjusted to the sensation and relaxed, pushing
against him and silently encouraging his ministrations. When one finger was sliding in and out
with ease, Gavin worked another in. She tensed anew at the feeling of being stretched by his two
fingers, but rather than painful it was more like a sharp pleasure. Maura reveled in the new nerve
clusters being awakened, having never had that hole breached before.

Gavin worked his fingers in a rhythm that complimented Bain’s thrusts. When Maura was

moaning, panting, and working herself against both invasions, Gavin coated himself with the
lube and positioned himself behind her. He pumped his fist along the length of his growing
erection and used the slickened head of his cock to tease the cluster of nerves at her dark entry.
Maura rubbed against him encouraging him with her body and Gavin gripped her hips to further
position her.

She stiffened when the head of his cock began to breach the ring of muscles there. Bain

grunted, the tensing of her muscles simply gripping his shaft like a fist, tighter within her. Gavin
mumbled encouragement and slowly, gently eased the blunt head past her tight ring of muscles.
When her body began to relax, he eased his shaft in further.

Maura moaned with pleasure and her body loosened of its own accord to accept his delicious

invasion. Bain pumped into her and when he withdrew, Gavin invaded her from behind. They
pistoned in and out of her alternately never giving her body cease from the sensual onslaught.
She cried out in pleasure, barely registering the sounds coming from her own mouth. She was
mindless in her drive to work herself against these two men and ride to explosive climax.

She felt her muscles clenching in anticipation of the orgasm barreling down on her. Bain’s

cock swelled and she felt him nearing his release. She increased her tempo, impaling herself on
him faster. Gavin’s pace increased in response. Maura’s brain was hijacked by the sensations
taking over her body and she could do nothing more than writhe against both of them inside her.
The three lost coherent thought and gave in to the needs of their bodies, straining for release.
They pumped and strained against each other, skin slapping together in a staccato rhythm of their
own creation.

Maura threw back her head and screamed aloud when the most powerful orgasm she had ever

experienced, crashed over her body. Her inner muscles tensed and contracted of their own
volition which milked an orgasm from her men in response. Bain cried out pumping deeply into
her, seating himself to the hilt, filling her to her womb and bucking against it. Gavin similarly

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 39

impaled himself to his balls into her from behind, filling her, stretching her, and emptying
himself into her there.

They collapsed together in a jumbled pile of bodies, arms, and legs. Happy to be together and

so intertwined. Bain cupped the back of her head to his chest and Gavin nuzzled the nape of her
neck from behind. She intertwined her fingers with Gavin’s where his hand rested on her hip.
Bain did the same to their fingers and let them rest on his chest.

The room was saturated with the scent of their sex mingling in the air. The scent eased much

of the emotional scars the past twenty four hours had inflicted on them. Maura sighed, deeply
content. She must have dozed off because she woke with a start when Gavin pressed a warm
washcloth between her legs and softly wiped away residual stickiness from her body. She was
still covered in their combined scent and turned to settle her cheek on his chest when he nestled
back into bed.

Bain spooned in close from behind her and she snuggled down deeply between her two men.

She felt small and petite pressed between two great walls of male muscle. She smiled to herself
and sighed contently when Bain played his fingertips lightly along her nape and shoulders.
Gavin traced fingertips lightly along her hip. She felt deliciously tender in all new places but it
was a sweet and pleasing ache, one she looked forward to experiencing again.

Maura felt her heart swell. She was irrevocably lost to these two men. Bain and Gavin had

found their way not just into her body but into her heart. She would never really be able to leave
them, not because they could, and would, track her down but because she would never feel
complete without them. They filled her both body and soul and soothed emotional scars she
never thought she would recuperate from.

She, fat Moo-ra Maura, was in love with two men.

Chapter Seven

Maura woke in much the same way she fell asleep, nestled between Gavin and Bain. They

were still a tangle of arms and legs. She was toasty warm and deliciously tender in all new
places. Bain was curled behind her plastered against her backside with and arm thrown around
her waist. Gavin was on his back, his arm cushioning her head, his fingers tangled in her hair.
Her fingers were entwined with Bain’s and rested on her stomach and she had one leg tucked
between Gavin’s thigh.

As she slowly became aware she also felt a pressing need to go to the bathroom. She slowly,

carefully extracted herself from the two men and tiptoed to the toilet. After relieving herself and
washing up, she splashed her face with cold water. Maura stared at herself in the mirror.
Somehow she felt like she should look different. She felt different.

Maura still couldn’t shake niggling doubts about the future they had together. She knew they

cared about her. Hell, they had taken a bullet for her, but that was now. What about a week, a
year, a few years from now? Would they still feel the same? She didn’t know how she would
recover if they left her. She would be devastated. What would she do if they decided another
woman was a better fit down the road. It would kill her to see them with another woman.

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 40

What if this three way balance went awry and they couldn’t function as a unit together? She

loved both men and couldn’t stand to cause a rift between them. Doubts swamped her and she
felt her throat close. She was still in there, staring at herself when her men came in the
bathroom.

Maura knew her uncertainty was written all over her face, Gavin and Bain could already read

her like a book. She averted her eyes, not wanting them to see so deeply in her thoughts.

"Maura." Gavin made her name sound more like a warning.
She answered with a noncommittal sound of her own.
Bain sighed heavily. "You might as well just get it out now. You know he doesn't give up

when he thinks he knows something."

Gavin shot Bain a scathing look.
"Talk to us."
Maura took a moment to collect her thoughts and figure out the best way to tell them what

was bouncing around her head. She didn’t want them to get the wrong idea but she was so
unsure. She knew she loved them both but, would that be enough?

"I'm just unsure of what happens next. Will this work? What happens if you realize someone

else is better for you or you want them more in the future? What if someone thinner, younger, or
more attractive comes along?"

"Maura," Bain began, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly working to give her the words she

needed. "Maura it's you, every bit of you. Everything about you calls to us. There’s no loving
you despite what you look like. You’re perfect for us in all ways."

She felt stunned. They loved her. They loved her. She knew they wanted her, yes, but love

hadn’t been mentioned yet. Mating had been discussed, but not love.

"Love?"
Gavin and Bain looked equally exasperated.
"How could you not know we love you, woman?"
Maura's eyes watered and threatened to spill over.
"You never said .... I didn't .... I wasn't sure .... I mean ...."
Maura stumbled over her words, not really knowing exactly what it was she was trying to say.
"Do you think we do this often? Did you not hear when we said you were our mate? That it

was for the long run, not just for now. Mating is more serious to us and more permanent.
Marriage can end in divorce, matings are forever."

Bain ran his fingers through his hair in a way that was becoming very familiar and endearing

to her. Gavin fiddled with his hair, frustrated, but he would pull out his pony tail and refasten it
over and over. She wondered if they even realized that they did it.

"Maura," Gavin began, "There is no 'unless' or 'until' with us. It's not a situation where we

amuse ourselves until we get bored, too old, or unless someone else comes along. You were
fated at from the moment your soul was formed, to be the embodiment of everything Bain and I
would need in a mate. You were supernaturally designed to be the perfect match for both of us.
You complete our soul and balance our beast like no other ever will. Love is a paltry description
for the depth of what we feel for you."

"Have you ever thought," Bain growled, "that maybe the reason that no one man was right for

you before, is that you were made to be loved by two?"

Maura's heart swelled, there were two men who thought she was the most precious, most

beautiful thing on Earth. More than that, the way they treated her and looked after her every
comfort was testament to how much they cared. The way both men did it was second nature, not

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 41

something they called attention to or demanded compensation for or preened over, her well being
was something they insisted upon.

Gavin and Bain had both gone out of their way to show her how beautiful and strong she was,

and battled back the cruel voices of the past. She felt worthy for the first time in her life. She
knew that it would be an unconventional relationship by many standards but she wasn't willing to
let that affect her.

All her life Maura wanted someone to see the value in her. It never felt like too much to ask

for just one person to see what she was inside rather than just the extra pounds she carried.
Gavin and Bain had awakened her both in and out of the bedroom. They challenged her to test
her boundaries in strength, adventure, and in sex.

Maura was tired of seeking the approval of people who could care less about her and broke

her heart. There was really no deciding what she wanted, her heart only called out for two
things, Gavin and Bain. As long as they looked at her with eyes full of pride, desire, and love,
everyone else could shove their opinion up their ass.

Both men watched the emotions flicker across her face but it was Bain who finally spoke.
"We want you for forever."
Tears welled in her eyes again as she pictured the future of what their house full of their love

would be like. Maura could not contain the overwhelming sensation of rightness that it all had.
She began crying uncontrollably. Both men stared, shocked, not quite sure how to gauge the
reaction.

Gavin looked like he was going to be sick . "Maura, I was abandoned by my mother. I don't

even know who she is or what she looks like. Bain' s mother took me in, against the laws of the
Bear counsel. Years later, when they discovered what she had done, they killed her and tried to
kill us. I lost the only family I had ever known and caused Bain to lose the only family HE had.
We have only had each other since then. We fought in the streets for money and survival. To be
able to create a family of our own, with our mate, is the only thing we had to cling to. It was
thoughts of a better life and future family that kept us warm on nights we slept covered in snow.
It was what kept us going when there was no food and we couldn't sleep from the rumbling in
our belly. It was you, Maura."

Maura reached for them and gathered them both in her arms, one wrapped around each neck.

She told them the only way she could and nodded, hoping they would understand what she was
incapable of saying right now.

"That's a yes?" Bain asked hopefully. "Tears of joy?"
She continued to nod laughing through her tears at the look of boyish exuberance that glowed

from both men. Bain swept her up in a bear hug, lifting her off of her feet and spinning her
around. He kissed her soundly and set her down in Gavin's arms.

Gavin, cupped each cheek with his palms and claimed her mouth. It was more than a kiss, it

was taking possession of her mouth. She reveled in the masterful way he showed her how much
he desired her, this level of intensity would forever be hers alone. These men would never have
eyes that strayed because she was too fat or too old, she was the only keeper of their heart and
soul. The only one there ever would be.

It was a heady, powerful feeling to be so confident in their devotion and she loved them all

the more for giving her that, too. She would rather carve out her heart than leave them. In fact,
leaving them would essentially carve out her heart anyway.

Her mates stripped her slowly and worshipped every inch of her body. She was licked,

nibbled, and kissed in places she never even knew she had, but felt like she glittered from head to

PRIMAL HUNGER Mandy Monroe 42

toe. Their first coming together was hectic, passionate and impatient in the desire to delve into
one another as mates. Bain let his canines lengthen and bit into her neck marking her there.

Maura cried out at the initial sting of the piercing of her flesh, but it quickly became cries of

ecstasy as liquid fire filled her veins. It was very much like a volcanic eruption within her body,
the explosion threw her headlong into climax. Her pussy clenched in delicious orgasmic
aftershocks with every continued pull he took of her from her neck.

Gavin marked her as well but placed his mark in a less publicly viewable place. While Bain

kissed and stroked her from behind, Gavin knelt before her and licked her thighs. She eagerly
spread them aching for his tongue on her most intimate spot. His rough tongue worked it’s
magic, bringing her to the brink of pleasure and as she began to be pitched into mind shattering
climax, his fangs sank into the artery in her thigh, marking her there also.

Bain wanted his mark seen as a warning to other males, particularly other shifters, to stay

away. Gavin wanted his mark to be something that was more like a secret between the three of
them. It was so intimately placed, these two men would be the only ones to ever see it. They
made slow and passionate love together dozing and waking only to begin again. Every time she
felt more precious, desired, and loved. In between lovemaking they lay and chatted about plans.

Maura would move up here and begin organizing the medical files of the clients that attend

the retreat as well as examine the filing and efficiency of the office and make improvements. As
much as the newly independent woman balked somewhat about quitting her job for a guy (or
two), she also knew that other women who quit for men weren't the spiritual mate of two
supernatural beings and ordinary rules need not apply.

Bain and Gavin would go with her at the end of the week to pack her things. During the

breakup six months ago her ex got most of the furniture, what she had was mostly hand me
downs till she got more. Most of which could be donated or just left behind. Bain promised to
make her whatever furniture she wanted since she loved his carved pieces so much.

It was almost sad to think how easy it was to leave her old life behind. But when faced with a

future like this, why would she want anything else? They were made me make each other happy.
She was made for Gavin and Bain and they for her. She really was made for two.

THE END