by Kahaula
“Feeling better?” Bhar’s shoulders shook with laughter and I slapped him half heartedly on the arm. I snorted and laughed between panting. Aphelele pressed his face between my shoulder blades and shook with silent laughter. Together they carefully lifted me off both of them, and I chanced a glance down.
“Now I’ve got cum dripping out of me, not just blood,” I pouted at them both, Bhar in front and Aphelele to my right. “I’m on the fence about your ‘helping’.” I used air quotes and mock scowled but I could only hold it for a few seconds before we all descended into fits of laughter.
Bhar and Aphelele began to carefully soap me down. Bhar got on his knees and winked up at me before cleaning me gently. I basked in the intimacy of it all. Their kindness. Their thoughtfulness. I couldn’t bring myself to snap myself back after what we had just done together.
“The sex and the orgasm help move any loose uterine lining down the vaginal canal easier and more pleasurably than cramps,” Aphelele kissed my shoulder.
“Makes sense,” I lifted my eyebrows, impressed with his statement. I had known that to be true with masturbation but had never had the opportunity before now to test the theory out with sex. Much less sex with two men and double penetration. Needless to say, after that experience, I was a fan of the method. “And, how exactly did you come upon this knowledge, Aphelele.” I narrowed my eyes and shot up one of my eyebrows.
To my surprise, Aphelele blushed and Bhar guffawed and laugh before turning off the showers and getting in the soaking pool.
“Go on, tell her,” Bhar needled as he held my hand to help balance me as I climbed into the large soaking space. Aphelele cleared his throat then quickly slid in next to me.
“My sisters taught me,” he mumbled.
“What?” Bhar asked loudly, “I don’t think Kara heard that.” I elbowed him but he maintained his shit-eating grin.
“Your sisters?” I said kindly while trying desperately to hide my smile at Aphelele’s sudden bashfulness. He simply nodded. Bhar leaned across me and kissed a smile back on Aphelele’s face.
“Aye, awkward to learn that from your older sisters but I’m damn glad it came in use for our Kara,” Bhar’s belly deep laugh echoed and we all joined in. They continued to trade teasing gibes. Their teasing set off an adorable splash fight that they made sure to keep a few feet from me.
My thoughts turned inward as the heat soaked into my sore muscles. Bhar had said I was ‘their Kara’. Even now, they were still on a mission to make me feel better. Making themselves look a fool as they play fought nearby was as best a way as any.
Would they still feel the same after I disappeared with their keycodes and data? Probably not. And for the first time, the thought left me cold.
Quintillus
“Are you humming?” Asked Pollux incredulously. He, Kastur, and Gaius were on the view screen slightly behind me and to my left as I whipped up breakfast for everyone. We were all taking the day off to relax since I didn’t have any judiciary duties planned for the next week and a half.
“Maybe,” I laughed.
“And he’s laughing,” Kastur laying on his belly, the massive man supported by a sea of pillows, tilted his head to the side in surprise. “You’re like a damn pup.” I tried to scowl over my shoulder but I broke into a chuckle midway through.
“Kara’s been good for us,” I threw over my shoulder. “Even Adohi’s being less of an asshole.”
“Oh, ho!” Exclaimed Kastur, “She’s a Divine Miracle then!” Kastur, Pollux, and I laughed but Gaius looked pensive.
I felt Kara before I saw her but I continued cooking up the morning batch of pulses, sautéed dark vegetables that Kara loved so much, and mountain of meat we all craved lately. I heard the three on screen take in a breath. Kara’s arms wrapped around me from behind and she kissed my back before she lay her head there.
This had become our morning routine. After the first few nights we had moved her into our quarters and into the biggest room on the first floor. It was a bed designed for a contubernium and their mate. Adohi had said we were foolish and going too far, playing out a fantasy of matehood. He had been outvoted.
We all wanted her near. Almost every night after, one or more of us slept with her in the large bed. We had all, save Oli, been with Kara sexually by now. What surprised us all more was how many nights we simply slept beside her, just to be close. I couldn’t speak for the others but I slept better every night that I was able to hold her close.
Waking up to her face buried in the crook of my neck or wrapped up in the arms of my pack mates beside me was pure serenity. Her dark hair obscured her face in wavy tousled locks. She bit her lip and reached up on her tip toes to kiss me.
I sighed and breathed in the pure contentment that rolled off of her in waves. This early after waking she was always so unguarded and carefree. The modern stola she wore was long sleeved and a pale blue like bird shell. The folds and creases of fabric dipped deep between her breasts, but a thin ribbon of gold kept everything closed and unexposed.
We had all contributed to her wardrobe since she had arrived, but it had taken her days to finally start accepting, then wearing our modest gifts. The dress was mine, the gold belting ribbon from Aphelele and Bhar, and the gold rope choker with black glass beads was from Oli. They had joked over his class on Mea Lupus historical and cultural anthropology and its treatise on proper mate gifts. Soon after Oli had showed up with the necklace and said Kara should evaluate and wear it for ‘academic and research’ purposes.
Kara looked over her right shoulder then laughed. She kissed my cheek quickly and ran past the viewscreen in a blur. “Absolutely not happening Kara,” came a shout from the bedroom, “Get your ass back in here and untie me!” She put her hands on her hips and thrust out her chin in a cocky smile. Bad move, Kara, I laughed to myself. Not two seconds later I heard ripping and tearing.
Bhar had slept in his wolf form last night when Kara had complained that her feet were cold. He took one for the team and became her foot blanket. I was pretty sure she must have kicked him at least once during the night.
He barrelled out of the bedroom and picked Kara up off her feet, making a seat of his arms for just under her butt. Kara giggled and squealed with laughter when he began blowing raspberries into her chest. I laughed hard along with them, completely forgetting I was on a conference call with the rest of our pack mates.
If this was how every morning could be for the rest of my life then I was all for it.
Gaius’s cough brought me crashing down to reality and caught Bhar’s attention. Aphelele walked out of the bedroom and kissed Bhar then Kara. She popped down and shooed them both over towards the viewscreen with an apologetic look. Bhar winked before putting on the tech suit Aphelele handed him. Oli walked in and Kara reached up to cup his cheek and kiss him sweetly. He murmured something in her ear that had her smiling again before she touched her necklace.
“We’re almost done here,” Gaius informed us, “In about 2 weeks we’ll be with you on Castra 3.”
“And you’ll have to introduce us to the beauty that’s captivated you all,” teased Kastur. I looked in my pack mates eyes and saw varying levels of hunger and wariness. Could they be feeling something for Kara, just based on our conversations about her? I hoped so. I respected and trusted my pack mates but I was feeling especially protective of Kara. We had gotten her into this mess and I wouldn’t have her treated poorly because of it.
“We’ve also had a strange run in with the Daughters of Menrva at the Senate of all places,” Gaius filled us in on the details but my eyes were glued on Kara. From the moment Gaius had mentioned the Daughters, Kara’s apprehension had spiked through the roof. I narrowed my eyes as I watched her breathe in and out in controlled breaths. It was like the spike of emotion I had felt, had never happened. I blinked back my confusion and tried to tune into the conversation going on around me.
“Apparently they went to the Senate to see about growing their Gauntlet Pro
gram to the wider Imperial Union,” added Pollux. I dropped the cooking spoon I was holding as a white hot wall of rage and disbelief seared me down to the bone. I looked down at the dropped spoon and shook my head. Had that come from Kara? I reached out and tried to read her passive emotions but felt nothing but calm.
I picked up the dropped spoon and put it into the cleansing unit. Had I imagined that? Oli looked over at me in concern, but I smiled reassuringly. He walked up and helped me bring breakfast over to the dining table. We had the luxury of this time off together. I could talk with Kara later and see what those two spikes, if I had even really felt them, were about.
I wanted to ask her about it while still fresh in my mind, but I didn’t want to put her on the spot or interrupt the update from our pack mates in New Rome. “—Senator Avidius is working with them but the details seemed to be kept very much need to know,” Gaius grumbled.
“Wasn’t Senator Avidius that creep who—,” Bhar was cut off as Adohi rushed through the doors.
“I’ve got something!” Adohi looked a bit manic but triumph shined from his eyes. All of us groaned into our food. We had already started eating and we were all getting tired of his fruitless deep dives trying to find the Ferryman. Gaius frowned at us in disapproval. We were pack mates but he was our unit’s leader.
“Report,” he ordered.
“I found a fence I think might be selling things for the Ferryman,” Adohi pressed his fist into the table and looked at the viewscreen to our left.
“Make that a priority,” Gaius stared us all down. With one look he reminded us that we weren’t on vacation at Castra 3. We were to do our jobs and find the Ferryman. Sitting for judicial duty was all but done so we had no reason to commit our attention elsewhere. “I’ll tell you more about what we found out later.” The viewscreen turned black and receded into the wall.
“After breakfast,” Kara winked at us, “You’ll need your strength if you’re—“ Adohi’s work tablet skittered across the table and knocked against Kara’s plate. A soft rumble started up in Oli’s throat and I knew we all agreed with his sentiment.
“Is this one of the Ferryman’s fences,” demanded Adohi. A single picture took up the entire screen. Kara’s nostrils flared in anger and indignation.
“Maybe,” her lips turned down in a angry frown and her jaws flexed as if she were holding back from snapping at him. “I don’t know.”
“What the hells do you mean, you don’t know?” Adohi scoffed and leaned forward. “Which is it Kara? Maybe or you don’t know?” He growled and something dangerous flashed in his eyes.
“What’s the matter tracker? Lost the scent?” Kara’s reply as was frigid as the space.
“2 fucking months, Kara, you’ve been in our ‘protective custody’,” sneered Adohi, “and you haven’t helped us once yet,” Adohi accused.
“I haven’t helped you,” Kara repeated back, her pitch rising. “The fact that I’m here should be evidence enough of me helping you!” She yelled.
“Oh, yes,” he waved his hand at the food I had cooked for all of us, “are you enjoying your free meals and orgasms?”
“Adohi!” I yelled. Kara held up her hand to interrupt me from saying more.
“Why yes I am, thank you for asking Adohi,” she beamed. Bhar snickered and Oli chuckled into his fist in a pretend cough. Aphelele and I were the only ones not amused by where this conversation was going.
“Yes, well at least you’re good for something other than lying,” Adohi leered at Kara and she stood up suddenly.
“Kara is here at her own peril,” Aphelele intervened before Kara could follow through with her retort to Adohi’s insinuation. “Do not disrespect her, Adohi.” Aphelele didn’t move but his vision narrowed in on our pack mate. No one more than Adohi was shocked by the predatory look Aphelele had given him.
“Not you too!” Adohi said in shock. He looked around the table in disbelief, “Am I the only one here who’s dick isn’t leashed by her?”
“Watch your fucking mouth!” Bhar pushed up from the table and growled; Aphelele made no move to rein him in.
“You’re all fighting for her,” Adohi took in a breath and a flicker of doubt flew across his eyes before they hardened and turned back to Kara. “But we all know she’s just a fucking chew toy!”
SLAP!
Adohi staggered a step and Kara balled up her hand into a fist. None of us could believe that Adohi would say something so sickeningly vile. Her slap silenced us all and spoke for us all.
“And you’re just a fucking animal,” Kara’s harsh whisper matched the rage and hurt pulsing out of her in waves. She looked at us as tears spilled over her eyes, “It was my mistake to think otherwise.”
Kara ran out of our quarters. I felt a whimper fall from my lips. We all turned to Adohi and as one fell upon our pack mate like the animals we were.
Oli
I saw a blur of fur pass by me. In the back of my brain I knew it was Quintillus but I couldn’t quite process what I was seeing. Quintillus, Aphelele, and Bhar had slapped the auto-fasteners on their suits and shifted to their full wolf form, all in the same breath.
Adohi was only a hair behind them. Breakfast was smeared and thrown across the room as four full grown and massive wolves tumbled and fought. Aphelele and Bhar attacked Adohi from both sides any time he tried to back away from Quintillus’s snapping jaws.
Blood sprayed on my tech suit and I looked down in shock. I had known these men for twenty years. Never had I seen them at each other’s throats like this. Bhar literally had Adohi by the throat before Adohi rolled them both and got free. Even cool and levelheaded Aphelele had swiped and bit at Adohi’s flank making his right leg give out.
In a blink they all shifted back to human form. I thought they were finally cooling down, but I was wrong. Quintillus jumped from on top of the kitchen table to punch Adohi in a punishing downward jaw strike. His head snapped back and Bhar stepped in to slam his fist into Adohi’s gut.
Adohi vomited blood and staggered back. All of them were covered in blood. Still they all pounded on Adohi until they staggered and he collapsed onto his hands and knees.
“I know what Adohi said was an insult but—,” I began.
“Do you know what a chew toy is Oli?” Bhar spat blood as he looked at me. I automatically lifted my hands placatingly.
“A chew toy is a disgusting slur,” Aphelele’s deep voice shook with barely held anger. It was scaring me to see him like this. I looked at him in confusion. He huffed, “Of course you don’t know what it means, you grew up in the far colonies of Kahiki.”
“A chew toy,” seethed Quintillus, “is what people call a Mortal woman who’s the sexual plaything of Mea Lupus. A wolf’s whore.”
I stepped back in rage and... hurt. Adohi had been standoffish, brusque, and an asshole but this was beyond the pale. What he had said to Kara was cruel, sick even. His desire for her was unmistakeable. And it wasn’t all lust either.
Ding!
All our gauntlets chimed and Adohi looked at his discarded suit gauntlet before anyone else.
“FUCK! Kara’s left the Mea Lupus Quarters,” Adohi’s pained wheezing garnered him zero compassion as we all scrambled to look at our own gauntlets.
“NO!” Quintillus roared. He turned and flipped the tabled as I scrambled to get out of the way. He started to run at Adohi but I held him back with Aphelele’s help. Bhar had to join us as Quintillus kept flowing between his human form and his half form. The haphazard fluid shifting was horrifying and made me want to throw up. Quintillus’s jaws reformed enough so that he could growl out barely human words, “You motherfucker! If anything happens to her I will hold you responsible!”
“You are our tracker,” Aphelele looked down at Adohi with absolute disdain, and bit out, “Find. Her.”
Adohi
I had never felt such regret in my life.
Kara slapped me and I absolutely deserved it. Her eyes filled with hurt took up every inch of spa
ce in my skull and hollowed me out. Planning to say what I did, had seemed like a smart way to push her into making an emotionally charged blunder. Instead I was the one who had stumbled.
No. I fucked up. Really bad.
My own pack mates had punished me mercilessly and I barely put up a fight. I deserved so much worse than they had given me. I knew that Kara was lying, but I didn’t know about what. Attacking her like that and calling her a... I looked in the mirror at my blood covered face.
None of us could go after her looking like this. We healed fast but even we couldn’t risk spooking the public by walking around covered in blood. I had to find her. On the off chance my ability and instinct were wrong, she’d be unprotected and vulnerable to attack.
I showered quickly and set off on my own. The others fanned out and tried favourite spots of Kara’s that we knew about. I was the only one that could tap into my ability and find her the old fashioned way. There were too many blind spots on Castra 3 for me to waste time scanning surveillance feeds when I had my tracking ability.
Outside our quarters I followed her scent as it backtracked again and again. I couldn’t help but smile. She knew I’d be coming for her so she had laid multiple false trails and muddied her scent in the main bazaar. I threw my braid over my shoulder and tilted my head back.
I let my surroundings filter out. I ignored the conversations around me. I categorised and ignored the slurry of scents layered upon one another here. I reached out for Kara with every fibre of my being and prayed.
There.
I could hear the faint sound of her breathing and the sluggish beating of her heart. Her steps faltered and I heard her stumble a step. Then I smelt it, the faint coppery scent of blood. Kara’s blood. My heart began to pound and panic overtook me.