Ranch of the Alphas (Steamy BBW Werebear Shifter Menage Romance) Read online

  “A surprise,” I told him.

  “Is it always gonna be a surprise?”

  “Damn straight.”

  “Keep ‘em guessin’,” he chuckled to himself.

  Leaving me to resume my duties, he snatched up a coiled whip and saddled up outside, then galloped off into the trees. I had already begun mentally preparing dinner as I started scrubbing down the floors, but I wondered to myself what it would be like to be out there with him, riding horseback and tending the land…

  * * * *

  The ranch hands he had mentioned showed up around mid-day on Thursday. Uncle Jack hadn’t done them nearly any justice with his vague descriptions — they looked to be every ounce of man that he was, with their firm builds, broad shoulders, and chiseled jawlines. They were built taller and larger than my uncle, somehow seeming to draw the man who already imposed above my father. With dusty hair, glimmering green eyes, and charming demeanors, the ranch hands politely introduced themselves to me.

  “Brad, ma’am,” the first told me, doing a little bow as he lifted my knuckles to his lips. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  “Caiden,” the second offered, doing the same as he kept his confident eyes on mine.

  “And I’m Petro, at your service,” the final one explained with a sly smile.

  “The pleasure’s mine,” I answered them collectively. As much as I wished to maintain my composure, I could feel the blush rushing to my cheeks at the sight of these three incredibly hot, well-mannered country boys.

  “Well, come along, then!” Uncle Jack motioned, waving them inside. “You’ve had a long gallivant on the way here, haven’t ya? Time to rest those boots and take a load off…you can wait until tomorrow to get started.”

  “Oh, unless it’s any problem, we’re fine getting started right now,” Brad offered with a wink my way.

  “You lot and your stamina. Well, suit yourselves!” My uncle smiled, clapping them on the back. “Darlin’, you’re gonna be cookin’ for a few more tonight. See to it that our esteemed company is well fed, wouldn’t ya?”

  “She cooks?” Caiden asked, looking at me with renewed interest.

  “You’re damned right she does. Fantastic grub all around,” Uncle Jack answered. “You’ll not want to leave!”

  “No, I think perhaps not,” Brad smirked, his electric eyes focused on mine. For a brief moment, I thought I sensed something deeper to his words, as if he were telling me something. Licking my lips slightly, I became very aware of my breathing…

  “Well, I’m convinced!” Pedro chuckled. “As long as it isn’t your fried mystery meals, I don’t give a rat’s ass if she serves us rat’s ass!”

  The men roared with laughter as they clamored outside, heading towards the stables. Thoughtfully, I watched them all ride off a few minutes later, although I noticed Brad turn straight towards the window and tip his ten-gallon hat as they went on their way.

  * * * *

  Getting used to the ranch hands being around wasn’t much of an adjustment, although I could sweat that I would see Brad smile at me out of the corner of my eye, or his gaze linger on me from time to time. Whether or not I was imagining it, I couldn’t help but smile inwardly. The kinds of guys who usually paid attention to me were typically nothing special, but it felt more substantial when it came from such handsome, rugged strangers…strangers who believed in being a real man, living off the land…

  They immediately took over the laborious stuff, as Uncle Jack had noted. I still woke up early to cook breakfast for everyone — in fact, I woke up a little earlier than before just to make sure there was enough to go around. After seeing them off, I took care of all the house duties, cleaned up the mud room, and polished the boots from the previous night. Since there were four of them now, they rotated out boots to keep me from falling behind on the workload. It usually took about an hour and a half to clean all eight boots, clearing off all the caked mud, and then polishing them afterwards.

  I usually found myself with about an hour of television time before I had to start preparing dinner. I tried to keep it as varied as I could, although I quickly learned that I could probably cook them their own boots (with a little seasoning, maybe) and they would have been happier with Uncle Jack’s own concoctions.

  Sundays were the lazy days, although I still had to have my uncle bring me into town to do all the grocery shopping for the week. We frequented a farmer’s market that sprawled out in the rural little village, picking up only the freshest vegetables and nicest cuts of meat.

  “Why don’t you grow your own vegetables, Uncle Jack?” I asked him on one of these trips. “You’ve got a whole ranch, it seems like you’d save some money and satisfaction with that…”

  “If you want a garden, build a garden. I never had the time or patience for that. Tried a few times, killed damn near everything.”

  That was my uncle for you. He was always straight to the point, willing to embrace his own flaws, and apparently less nurturing and hospitable than a desert.

  I didn’t spend much time with the ranch hands, despite their increasingly obvious interest in me. They seemed to stick close to my uncle with whatever they did, and I silently begged to be left alone with them, to see if I had been reading the signals correctly.

  And one night, out of the blue, I got my chance…

  * * * *

  I couldn’t sleep that night, easily a month into my trip, and decided to kick on some clothes and take a walk around. Uncle Jack had warned me to be careful if I wandered around after dark, but I knew I was a big girl, and that there weren’t any major predators near the ranch.

  The whole property took on a somewhat mystical feeling after dark. Always being inside after they came back in, I’d never bothered to walk around under the moonlight, and the whole place just seemed alive with the settled dusk.

  Wondering what to do, I remembered a small lake nearby — more like a pond, in all actuality. Thinking myself ready for a midnight swim, I carefully navigated my way towards the soft lapping of the water, through the brief, brisk layer of trees between it and me. I knew these woods stretched on for miles in either direction, but there was a stone crag that jutted out near the right way, acting as a natural landmark.

  Soon, my boots found the right path, and I slipped onto the trail and towards the water. Excitement filled me. I’d never been skinny dipping before, especially at night, and I was excited to live a little and enjoy the privacy of the lake under the stars.

  Try doing THIS back home, I smugly smiled to myself.

  Once I found the clearing of the lake, I stepped onto the small bridge and kicked off my clothes. Down to my underwear, I thought for a moment whether I should keep them, before finally shrugging and tossing them into the pile as well.

  I slipped into the cool, refreshing water. It was fairly hot and humid here, even at night, and the water had retained some of the temperature. No need to wade near the bridge — I dropped in completely, feeling the silt beneath my toes as my head descended a couple of feet underwater. Rising back up and treading water, I started to swim out a little further — but not too far.

  Alone with my thoughts, I wondered about my parents, about home, about college and my life afterwards. Uncle Jack had it so easy. It was hard, backbreaking work, but with some help, he’d be able to easily keep the place maintained. He didn’t have to worry too much about the outside world — keeping up with the neighbors, living with constant technological advances, social media, changing fashions…it was just the land, the help, and him.

  I respected him. I admired him. I loved my father to death, both Mom and Dad, but they didn’t have the stamina or the fortitude to do what my uncle did. They wouldn’t last longer than a few days out here, doing what he did the last few decades. He was a dying breed, and even into his Fifties, he loved what he did and he was damned good at it.

  The sounds of rustling from the trees ripped me from my thoughts, and I instantly dropped underwater. Swimming as low to
the slit as I could, I darted in the direction of the bridge. Was somebody else out there? But then the worse question was asked: was I wrong about the predators?

  I came up for air under the bridge, and what I saw almost made my heart stop beating altogether.

  Three bears were wandering out from the trees and onto the lakebed. Large, shaggy animals with powerful muscles beneath their fur, they wandered along the edge for a moment, one pawing at the water. After a moment, they seemed to look at each other, before the light around them grew to a glimmer, and they…

  …They changed. It’s the only way I can describe it. It was over so quickly that I can still barely remember it. Their fur receded, their bodies shrunk, and their limbs contorted until they were three broad, powerful men, laughing and running for the bridge, ripping off their jeans and boots.

  But they weren’t just regular men.

  They were the ranch hands.

  Brad was the first to dive in, landing just ten feet in the water in front of me. Next was Petro, shouting “Cannonball!” at the top of his lungs. But Caiden, the last one, paused before lunging in after them. As I continued to tread water, ducking behind the thick column of the bridge, I realized all too late what had stopped him.

  “What’s the matter, boy? You change your mind after all?”

  “We’ve got company,” Petro told them. I heard a rustling up top and knew he was digging out an article of clothing, and judging by how the ranch hands looked up, he was probably holding it out.

  “It’s that niece of his,” Brad mentioned. “Where are you? Come on out! It’s fine, we’re not going to hurt you!”

  I bit my lip, still hiding behind the bridge. They hadn’t spotted me yet…

  “Maybe she’s not here anymore?” Caiden offered. “Maybe she just got scared by somethin’ and took off.”

  “Without her clothes?” Brad asked incredulously. “No…I’m more worried that she’s hurt herself…it’s dark, what if she slipped, she have drown out here…fuck, we’ve gotta look for her!”

  Petro stumbled around up top, and I could hear him moving towards the edge of the bridge.

  “You see anything, man?” Caiden called out.

  “…Nah! Nothing! I don’t see anyone out on the lake!”

  Brad turned to Caiden. “We’ve gotta tear this place apart, if anything’s happened to that girl…”

  I couldn’t take it anymore. I opened my mouth to call out to them…

  But something caught my foot. Before I could utter a syllable, something drifting snagged my foot and dragged me underwater. I struggled to grasp at it — something metal, by the feel of it, that just happened to clamp around it — but whatever it was, it was sinking, and I couldn’t even touch the top of the water now…

  I let out a panicked burst of air as I struggled to pull myself free. Whatever it was, it was going to spell my doom. They hadn’t seen me under the bridge, and I had no idea how close they were…

  I heard a tremendous splash nearby, and something new grabbed my arm. It was a hand, and in the dark, murky water I couldn’t make out who or what it was…but it was incredibly strong, and joined by the other. Another hand grabbed my leg, sliding down to feel the metallic trap around me, struggling to disentangle it.

  My lungs struggled for air, burning, and everything was growing even darker than before…

  * * * *

  The next thing I remember, I sat up with a burst, gasping for air. The ranch hands were there, and I was clutching at them, begging, pleading…

  “It’s okay,” Brad told me assuringly. “Don’t worry. We got you. You’re alright now.”

  I struggled to regain my composure, staring up at them. I realized that I had been loosely redressed in my clothes. “How did you…why…did…?”

  “It’s stupid, probably, and maybe even life-threatening. But we didn’t want you waking up naked and wet, if you were comin’ back,” Brad looked sheepish. “We weren’t sure, actually…you were out of it a while, and none of us knew CPR. We didn’t want to bring you back to your uncle like we found you.”

  “That is the…stupidest thing I have ever…” I grumbled, glaring at all of them, “…but the sweetest. You are the oddest bunch of people I’ve ever met.”

  “Oh, you don’t know the half of it,” Caiden chuckled.

  All of a sudden, the whole “bear-dude transformation” thing came roaring back into my head, and my eyes bugged out as I drew back slowly.

  “Fuck, why did you have to remind her?” Pedro asked, slapping Caiden up the back of the head. “She could have just thought that was some kind of a dream.”

  It was Brad’s turn to punish him, grabbing him by the back of his hair. “And thanks to your stupid mouth, now she definitely knows it wasn’t.”

  “Sorry, boss!” Pedro mumbled, yelping as Brad’s grip grew tighter.

  “I won’t…I don’t understand…just…don’t hurt my uncle!” I blurted out. “I don’t care what you do to me, just don’t hurt him! He’s a good man!”

  Brad let go of Petro’s hair. “Wait, what? Why would we hurt him? He’s been nothing but kind to us! Even without knowing…no, we won’t lay a finger on him,” he reassured me. In the moonlight, his features took on a somewhat wicked tone, but they — and his voice — considerably softened when he realized what was happening.

  “No, no, you’ve got it all wrong,” he murmured gently. “We’re not going to hurt either you OR your uncle. You’re both safe. Although…now we don’t know what do do about you learning our secret…if you were just some stranger, we’d probably have to do something drastic, but you two? Never.”

  The confusion must have been apparent in my eyes.

  “Now, now, don’t you worry yourself at all,” Brad continued. “Besides, even if you weren’t Jack’s niece…you are the most wildly attractive woman we’ve ever seen in these parts.”

  Suspicions confirmed: awesome ranch dudes, bears or not, totally have the hots for me.

  “You’re…wow, I thought I had just been making that up,” I told him. “I’d seen you looking at me a little too much and thought, you know, I’m no one special…”

  “Oh, don’t you think that at all,” Brad whispered while the others shook their heads in agreement. “You’re incredibly special. And we’ve been struggling to keep our hands off of you.”

  “We?” I asked, glancing around at them. It was true — they were looking at me very hungrily now, and in an odd way, it was seriously turning me on…

  “Well, it’s true that you guys just saved my life…let’s just say I’m pretty wet, and I’m not talking about lake water…”

  Without sparing a second, the three bear-guy ranch hands descended upon me, ravenously ready to take me for a ride — all of them, at the same time.

  * * * *

  Brad pulled me into his embrace, and my nostrils filled with his earthy musk. The sheer power of his presence called to me, teased me, made me crave more.

  So much more.

  His lips locked with mine, and I felt his strong fingers tenderly brush locks of my hair from my face. As he dove in for another kiss, I felt his tongue flit between my lips, pushing against mine into my mouth, and our mouths collided with force now. My hands slipped up the back of his bare shoulders, clenching into his skin, then grasping at the back of his head. I held him pressed against me, his lips to mine, and tasted his rugged strength.

  Unable to control himself, he pulled free, his fingers going for my buttons. I began prying them all open, top to bottom, but his impatience forced him to rip them all free. As he pulled my shirt open and off of my skin, my buttons flew against the ground, and my dark bra was exposed in the semi-light of the lakeside.

  My fingers immediately flew for his buckle, and I started to unzip him before he could coerce me further out of my clothes. While the other two watched, I sank to my knees in the soft earth, withdrawing his thick manhood from its prison beneath his jeans.

  I was no virgin, having grown up in
a small town with nothing terribly exciting to do. But this cock was the largest, thickest one I’d ever seen. It put the boys I’d climbed into bed with to absolute shame. As I plucked it free into the night and began to stroke it, the thick erection continued strengthening itself, rising just a little higher and a little thicker.

  Brad took control, pushing my head down upon the shaft. My lips parting around it, I tasted the evidence of his anticipation. It was like salty nectar from the slit of his bulbous head, and I gracefully accepted the gift as my tongue slid around the mighty rod of his passion. Pumping my lips up and down it, I took as much of it into my mouth as I could, tugging his jeans down to his knees before cupping his balls and stroking with my free hand. Using everything to please him, I set to work getting him off, exhilarated that I was doing this outside where Uncle Jack could come out at any moment, and with others watching me…