by Tl Reeve
The lion purred.
“Dude…are you fucking purring?” Saber asked.
Of course, Saber just had to remark on it. So far he’d only ever purred with Jasmine, in the privacy of their bedroom.
“Yes,” he growled, slightly uncomfortable with the sounds emitting from his chest.
Zoe was oblivious to it, even though, this close, Rapier knew she could hear it and feel it. Rapier suspected, because of her non-reaction, it was something Jasmine must have done often with their girls.
“I know mom’s pissed at you, because, you know, you weren’t setting an example for us and all. I would never tell her to her face, but she’s wrong. You were totally showing us how to stand up for ourselves. In the most badass way,” Zoe whispered, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. “Thank you, Pops.”
“It was my pleasure, Zoe,” he said. “I promise not to make a habit out of it.”
Zoe snorted, her bow-shaped lips twisted into a grin, and her pretty blue eyes twinkled with amusement. Combined with the midnight black hair, Rapier knew Zoe would be a heartbreaker when she got older. God help any man who attempted to mate this daughter of his. He’d need a strong constitution and thick skin to deal with her mouth.
“Please. No skin off my back. Although, to be completely transparent, Bell is still wigging out.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “She is such a drama queen.”
“Zoe,” Jasmine said, her tone warning. “Be nice. Bell isn’t like you.”
Thank God for that, Rapier thought.
“She’s sensitive,” Jasmine added.
Zoe slipped from his lap. “We’re cool, Pops.”
“Be nice, Zoe,” Jasmine ordered.
Zoe was a lot to take in and had a mouth on her that would only get deadlier the older she got. Rapier winked at her. “We’re good.” From the corner of his eye, he spied his youngest pop her head in, take in the space then hang back. “Bell…princess, come sit beside me.” He patted the cushion beside him.
Rapier held his breath, waiting for her to make her decision. If she came and sat down beside him, he’d take it as a good sign. Jasmine whispered something to Bell, so low Rapier couldn’t hear it. Bell nodded and shuffled her way toward him.
She plopped down on the couch, right next to him. Looking down, Rapier marveled at her porcelain skin, pale blonde hair, and blue eyes. Thankfully, he saw no fear reflected in her gaze, although she trembled slightly. Her tiny frame made him want to protect her. Always. Rapier suspected when this one mated, her other half would have to be strong and would be protective as hell of his youngest cub.
“You okay, princess?” Slowly, so not to startle her, he placed his hand on her knee.
“Yes,” Bell said. Although her voice trembled slightly, it relayed her strength.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Bell shook her head. “No…Daddy, Mommy told us the guy said some pretty nasty stuff about us. You did it to defend us.”
“You were scared though. I frightened you, and for that I’m sorry,” he said, his voice filled with sadness.
“No…. I don’t want an apology, Daddy. Yes, it was shocking, and yes, it was violent.” Bell’s eyes flickered over to her mother for a second, and then right back to his. “It was warranted. You had to make a stand and let him know not to mess around with us. Mommy and Jenna, they did their best to protect us, but we always worried it wouldn’t be enough. For the first time in years, I feel safe. You gave us that.”
“I was afraid you’d be afraid of me,” Rapier admitted.
Bell dove into his side, her head resting in the crook of his arm. “Never. I’d never feel afraid of you. Mommy says you’re mostly blustering with her and you’ll be the same with us.”
“Bell.” Jasmine growled. Rapier could tell there was no heat behind her tone though when she continued, apparently reminding her daughter of an earlier conversation. “That tidbit of information was to stay between us.”
“My roar is much worse than my bite,” Rapier confessed. “Although, I can’t say the same for my lion.”
“Your lion is cool. I saw him in your eyes during the fight. He didn’t scare me,” Bell said, her voice filled with pride.
“When mom’s comfortable, we’ll all take a run in the woods in our animal forms. My lion has been biting at the bit to reveal his regal self to his cubs and play with you all,” Rapier announced.
Really his lion wanted out to fuck his mate, Jasmine’s panther. Soon, big guy, soon, he promised his lion, who stared back at him with a droll look on his face. It made Rapier want to chuckle. Knock it off, asshole. I know you came out to play this afternoon. I felt it, so did she.
“Badass,” Zoe said, her eyes wide with amazement. “I can’t wait to see him.”
His lion felt the same. He was ever eager to frolic, if he could believe it, and play with his cubs. Rapier looked at his mate; her face and stance were relaxed as she leaned against the couch where Saber sat. He could see the hint of tiredness in her eyes, which was there because he’d pretty much fucked her senseless this afternoon. It was a good look on her, one he intended to have her in often.
Rapier also realized she was no longer pissed at him. True to form, they’d fuck the anger each of them had been holding onto out of each other. Not for the first time, he gave a silent prayer to God that their way of communication and conflict resolution still worked for them.
“What do you think about doing a couple of pizzas and wings for dinner tonight, mate?” Rapier asked.
“That works. Because of this morning’s excitement, I never took anything out for dinner. Everyone here?”
“Except Wy,” Saber interjected. “His loss, as he won’t be home until later.
“Tate and Henry are being dropped off by six. We’ll need to make sure we have enough for them,” Jasmine said.
“Order them each an extra pizza and you’ll be good,” Saber teased, but they all knew it to be true. Human males were known for having large appetites during their teenage years. Shifters had voracious appetites, and they could, and did, eat massive amounts of both human food and freshly caught wildlife.
“I’m just glad they’re finally coming home,” Jasmine said.
Rapier beamed at her over the room. “Me too, mate. It’s been a long time coming.”
* * * *
Did you enjoy class? Osirus stared at his son, who’d joined them moments earlier. Rapier wanted them to come over for dinner because he had some kind of announcement to make. After all the shit that went down in town, Osirus had been prepared for the worst.
Yes. Utah pulled his shoes on. Mark smells different.
Different?
Mix of wolf. Utah frowned. Like Danielle and Keeley. But more.
Osirus cut his gaze to Jenna. Oh.
“It is the full moon,” Jenna said while signing.
True. Wolves were drawn more to the phases of the moon than their feline counterparts. Mating?
Utah shrugged.
Does it bother you?
His son shook his head.
Osirus wondered if his boy knew he could scent the lie. He glanced at Jenna again who shrugged. If he thought she’d help him out, she remained silent. Are you interested in that—mating?
No. Not for me. Deaf. Not desirable. Inferior. The corner of Utah’s mouth kicked up, as though he meant it as a joke, but the sad truth of his words broke Osirus.
Fuck that. Jenna snarled and sat forward. You want it, go get it. Be careful. Be safe.
Utah gave one of his silent chuckles. You too.
Jenna snorted. I’m smart. No mate.
The hell. Osirus would get deep inside her soon, after the threat Raymond posed against his family was neutralized. We’ll see. Let’s go. Rapier is waiting.
When they arrived at the house, Osirus could hear the raucous coming from inside the house. He glanced at Jenna then back to Utah before getting out. His son’s words didn’t settle right when they talked earlier. Utah was sixteen. Like the female
shifters, he was coming into his first season.
Fuck, why the fuck you have to be so fucking awkward about this shit? He shook his head as Jenna and Utah joined him. Osirus knew this time would come. He hoped he’d have a couple of more years before he had to explain to his son what the gut-eating sensation meant. Or how just the smell of a female feline in heat could tear him apart. It appeared, though, he got a dose of it at the school house with Mark. Maybe he needed to talk to Mark about it.
Way to screw a mate out of screwing their mate. Osirus growled.
“Issues?” Jenna cocked a brow.
“No. Just thinking.”
“About Utah.” She stepped forward and grabbed the handle of the screen door. “Walking in here, Utah is about to get a system full of pheromones. It was going to happen eventually.”
Shit.
“I thought, mistakenly, I’d have more time.”
Jenna snorted. “He’s sixteen. Not ten. If he hasn’t gotten a chubby before now, we have bigger issues.”
Whoa. Wait. Why are you talking about my dick? Utah winced. Sorry.
“Don’t be,” Jenna said as she signed. “We’re only concerned about you. We want what’s best for you too.”
Utah waved them off and went inside.
“See.” Osirus pointed to his son’s retreating form. “We have been unsettled for so long I never had the chance to talk about this shit until now.” He wouldn’t tell her he enjoyed it when she said “we,” while talking about and to Utah.
“You’re settled now. You can talk to him. Help him out. Teach him how to maneuver through this new part of his life.” She said all the right words, but they didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t want to be a tom cat. He wanted her.
“Not what I had in mind.” He stepped into the house and came face to face with his family.
“What’s not what you had in mind?” Rapier quipped.
Getting laid. Utah signed.
“Dick broke?” Rapier cocked his brow.
Osirus growled. “No.”
Jenna laughed.
“Utah discovered mating scents today or this week.” Osirus cut his gaze toward his son.
“Oh shit,” Saber mumbled.
“Seems our new teacher might be a mate, and Utah has caught onto it.”
Smells like wolf. Utah shrugged. Smell it on Keeley and Danielle.
Rapier whistled. “What’s the plan?”
“There is none. Utah doesn’t think he’s mate material.”
“Fuck that,” Rapier snarled while signing. “We don’t need that negativity here.”
You kicking me out?
Rapier’s features contorted in disbelief and rage. “We don’t give up on one of our own. What the fuck is wrong with you, kid?”
Utah looked away. Not like you.
“If you haven’t noticed, kid, we’re all fucked up.” He pointed to Rashid. “What kind of coyote has blue eyes?” He then pointed to Saber. “What kind of coyote has a bobbed tail? Or mismatched eyes?”
Not the same. I can’t hear you.
Rapier looked at Osirus. “Told you.”
“Boy,” Rapier grunted. “You think I give a fuck you can’t hear me?”
Utah didn’t say anything.
“Son of a bitch, you do.” Rapier blew out an exasperated breath. “Kid, you have a lot to learn.”
Dinner hadn’t gone exactly as planned, and whatever Rapier had planned on telling them didn’t get said, because they were worried about his son. Utah, on the other hand, spent most of his time with his hood up, concentrating on his paper plate loaded down with pizza. He talked to the girls and Henry and Tate, but he didn’t do much of anything else.
As for the rest of them...
Osirus let out a breath. Hard didn’t begin to cover how much he ached. Unlike wolves, unmated male felines could smell every female, within close proximity, who were in estrus. It didn’t affect their canine brethren, though, lucky bastards. It’d been a long time since he’d smelled the spicy aroma of a female entering her cycle.
Jenna let out a shuddered breath beside him and rubbed her arm. It’d been her scent that drove him wild all night, not Jasmine’s. How he didn’t realize the subtle differences in their smell shocked him. He could blame it all on being focused on his son and wanting to protect him while also encouraging him to enter the world without restrictions.
“You should have told me,” he whispered, as he pulled into the driveway.
“That, what? My cycle would be starting soon? Kind of not something you discuss with a guy.” She rubbed her arm again.
“I’m not just any guy, Jenna.” He glanced over at her. “You and I have been doing this dance for a long time.”
“Not really.” She popped open the door. “I’ve been protecting my family.”
“So have I.” He followed behind her, knowing Utah was close behind as well. “Before things went to shit, we were good.”
“No.” She gave a soft laugh. “You were raising a little boy, and I was happy on my own.”
Osirus came up behind her as she stood at the kitchen island going through the mail she’d thrown there earlier in the afternoon. “You sure about that?” He bracketed her in. “We were good together.”
“In your imagination we were.” She turned to face him. “O, shit happened. It wasn’t our time.”
“And now?”
“Too much time apart has changed both of us.” She placed her hand against his chest. The warmth of her touch spread through his body. “It’s time to move on.”
He frowned. She still didn’t get it. They were mates, whether or not she wanted to acknowledge it. “Give me one night. I promise, after one night together, if I can’t convince you we should be together, I’ll back off and we’ll go our separate ways.”
“O, I—”
“One night. It’s all I’m asking for,” he countered.
She stared up at him with her pretty honey-colored eyes. He saw the uncertainty swirling in their depths, and he wanted to take it away. He couldn’t, though. She had to be the one to take the first step to him. He let her know his intentions. They’d never change.
“I can’t trust you,” she whispered. “One night will turn into two and then...” She shook her head.
“And then, what, Jenna?”
“Nothing,” she said. “There is nothing.”
Osirus stared after her as she strode down the hall to her room. He glanced over at his son, who’d stayed at the back door while he hashed shit out with Jenna. She rejected me. He glanced down the hall again. See, this is why you don’t want to jump into anything too fast.
She’s done it all on her own with Jasmine. Utah opened the fridge. Drink?
Osirus nodded. She did. He accepted the beer Utah handed him then sat on the stool beside him. She doesn’t have to anymore.
Your opinion. Utah lumbered over to the stool beside him. Can’t force it.
No, he couldn’t. He stared at his son for another minute before taking a drink. You good?
I’ll be fine.
Not what I asked.
Utah’s shoulders slumped. You’re not me. I’m not you. It’s different. I want everything. I get nothing.
Not true. Osirus rushed to make sure his son knew the truth. It’s all there. Get it.
His son frowned and stood. Maybe. Night, dad.
Night, son. Fuck, he messed everything up. There was no way for him to even begin to understand how his son felt or feels about anything. Osirus took for granted his ability to hear. It made him whole. Without it, he’d be lost. The exact same thing his son experienced day in and day out. Maybe, I should talk to Mark about it. If what Utah said to them was the truth, Mark would be the first and only person who could relate to his son.
Osirus stood then crossed to the sink to pour the rest of his beer out. Down the hall from where he stood, Jenna would be getting ready for bed. He promised never to intrude on her space, but he also couldn’t allow her to keep denying what bo
th of them needed. First, he needed to take a shower and gather his tattered thoughts.
Wrapping the towel around his trim hips after his bath, Osirus still hadn’t a clue what he’d do with Jenna. She needed her space. She also needed to feel as though she were in control of the situation. He could give it to her, even the illusion of her being in charge. Whatever it took to get her to open her eyes and really see him.
However, standing in his bathroom, he realized taking any step now might ruin everything. He only had two choices though. Stand there and do nothing or act on his nature and show Jenna it would work, if she allowed it to. Osirus glanced at his reflection in the mirror. The older, wiser man standing there staring back at him wasn’t some untried teen any longer. He could ride this out alone and give her space. Yet, the lion smelled his mate and demanded Osirus go after her. Hunt her down then mount her.
He flipped off the light as he exited the bathroom. He should go to bed. He should give up for now and try again later. Instead, he crossed to the door of his room and opened it. A soft gasp along with the scent of sweet pea greeted him. He followed it, knowing full well who it came from and what might happen next.
Jenna’s soft sighs were music to his ears as he inched closer to her door. He knew the pain and pleasure that came from estrus. They’d both suffer for the week to come. He held his breath, turning the knob so not to interfere in her gratification. She needed the relief only he could give her.
Osirus stepped into her room and inhaled. The smell of her arousal hit him square in the chest. His dick went rigid. His balls ached. Every inch of him tingled, causing the short hairs on his body to stand at attention. The lion dwelling within him rushed forward, desperate for a taste of her sweet-smelling cream. He yanked on the threadbare leash holding him in check, fearing if he even attempted it, his aggression would be met with her own. Instead of giving her pleasure, it would only cause more pain.
“Osirus...” she moaned his name, while the tips of her fingers swirled around the hard nub at the top of her sex.