“Is this your room, Max? It feels like you,” she said softly, absently stroking the comforter.
“Yes, baby. But it’s all yours right now.”
Max strode into the adjoining room and she heard water running. She began to get excited at the prospect of being clean again. The strong smell of smoke in her hair was a little nauseating.
Calder picked her up and carried her into the bathroom where he placed her gently on her feet. “Do you feel well enough to shower alone, or do you want one of us to help you?”
She would have thought it was a line, but he looked so sincere, she knew he had only honorable intentions.
“I’m fine, Calder, thank you.”
She looked down at her filthy clothes, and sighed. There was no choice, she would have to put them back on.
“I’ll leave one of my T-shirts on the bed for you to wear,” Max said. He lifted her head up with a finger under her chin, so she was looking right at him. “We’ll take care of everything, baby, just enjoy your shower. Call if you need us.” Kissing the top of her head he turned and left the bathroom.
Axel bent and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I’ve put a clean toothbrush on the sink for you.” He smiled at her before leaving.
“You’ve thought of everything,” she told Calder.
“We want you comfortable, sugar. Your throat must be sore. I’ll fix you some soup. Then we will have that talk.” He kissed her firmly on her lips and left, shutting the door behind him.
She was feeling very dizzy now, and considered calling out for Calder to stay. Shaking her head, she decided she would manage, she always did.
* * * *
Max was showering when Axel walked into the bathroom and stripped off his clothes. The walk-in shower had four sets of taps and shower heads, identical to the one off the master bedroom. They had built the house knowing there was a good chance they would all share a mate. Max found he was very happy that the house was completely perfect for their mate.
“I can’t believe she’s here, Max. Last night at the Alpha’s house, I could feel their happiness, and I wanted that for us. I was going to ask you to release me from duty so I could try and find our mate.”
“I had decided to search for her too,” Max said. “After seeing them together, and feeling their bond, I knew I could never again be satisfied by any woman except our mate.”
“About fucking time we were all on the same page,” Calder said, in a glacial tone, stepping into the shower unit. The hard and brash Calder, whom they were all accustomed to, had returned. Gone was the soft-spoken, easy-going man he had become around Peata.
“Is that the way you’ve always felt?” Axel asked his twin.
“Yeah, I felt like shit every time I touched another woman. My cat was never happy. Since my first shift I’ve only ever wanted my mate. I tried to be like you two, but fucking other women never eased my craving for her, it just made it worse.” He finished washing and dried off quickly. “I’m going to make Peata some soup.”
Max watched him leave the bathroom, horrified that Calder had suffered like that all these years.
“That certainly explains a lot. I’m surprised he didn’t leave years ago to look for her,” Axel said, drying himself.
“He loves us, he would never leave us.” He knew Calder was fiercely loyal to his family.
“I need to inform our Alpha that we have found our mate and that she is a human. I will also ask if Melanie and Shana can come over this evening.”
Max wanted Peata to know what they were, and consequently all she was to them. He hated that she was so confused by the effects of the mating bond. He needed her to understand why she was so drawn to them. He wanted her healthy too. The mating ceremony would leave her completely healed.
“I’ll stay up here and make sure she manages in the shower. When she’s finished I’ll bring her down.”
When Axel had left to get dressed, Max went back to his room to dress. He could hear the shower running and the image of his mate, completely naked came unbidden to his mind. As he pictured the water running over her full breasts, his cock filled and his balls drew up tight.
He pushed his throbbing cock into fatigues. They were going to have to go slowly with Peata. She was running away from some unknown danger, plus, for some reason, she had an issue with men. Thank God that didn’t seem to extend to them. He could clearly scent her arousal whenever they touched or kissed her. His cock throbbed as he remembered the scent. He also needed to remember she was human. She would need time to adjust to the reality that shifters actually existed in the world.
Dressing swiftly he went down to the study to call his Alpha. Being newly mated himself, Finn would understand their need for Melanie and Shana to come and talk to Peata as soon as possible.
* * * *
Axel finished dressing and went back to the master bedroom. He heard the water turn off and tried hard not to picture his little mate standing naked on the other side of the door. He paced the room restlessly, longing for the day he would be free to join her, washing and drying every inch of her soft curvy body.
He heard her coughing, and when it continued for several minutes, he grew concerned. “Are you okay in there, honey?”
The sound of falling objects and breaking glass was the only reply. He threw open the door, to find her slumped naked on the bathroom floor, her breaths rattling out of her in small gasps.
He carried her swiftly back into the bedroom, his heart in his throat. Laying her gently on the bed he saw blood bubbling from her lips.
He heard the pounding of approaching feet and knew his brothers were on their way. Drawing his cell phone from his pocket he looked for Doc Reed’s number.
“God, what happened to her?” Max asked, as he and Calder ran into the room. Axel gestured for them to wait, as Doc Reed answered his call. He quickly relayed the relevant details and felt, somewhat, reassured when Doc said he was on his way. Doctor Reed was a shifter in their pride, so was trusted to treat the town’s shifters, as well as its human population.
While he was talking to Doc, Max had found a deep cut on Peata’s palm, the blood flowing freely. Calder retrieved a towel and Max used it to apply pressure to the wound.
“I heard her coughing, then there was the sound of her fall,” Axel said, finally able to answer Max. “God dammit, I should have stayed with her.”
“Fuck. Doc cannot see her naked, can we please dress her?” Calder said, radiating tension as he covered her with a blanket.
Finding some boxer briefs and a T-shirt in Max’s closet, Axel pulled the briefs up her legs and over her neatly trimmed mound, his hands shaking. The room was awash with her scent, the blood from her cut amplifying the aroma. That increased scent, coupled with touching her soft, naked skin was making his libido difficult to control.
“You are drooling, Axel. Give me the shirt.” Max held out his hand for the T-shirt.
As Calder sat her up, Max swiftly dressed her.
“I may be destined to burn in hell, but my cock has never been so hard. She is perfect, I can hardly believe she’s all ours,” Axel stated, his voice soft with reverence.
“She is the most beautiful creature,” Calder said, stroking her wet hair off her face.
“Once she is healthy I will worry about my cock. You should do the same,” Max said, no censure in his tone. “But I will say, I am also in a lot of pain here.” The primal urge to mate, and the sight of their mate’s naked body was making them all a little crazy.
Axel felt like they waited hours for Doc to arrive, but in reality it was only minutes. Peata’s breathing had slowed and deepened in that time, her color improving.
Hearing Doc arrive, Axel trusted the shifter’s preternatural senses to lead him to them. He was not leaving Peata’s side.
“Thank you for coming straight over, Doc. She hasn’t yet woken, but her breathing seems a little easier,” Max told the big man as soon as he entered the room.
“Give me some roo
m to work here, boys,” Doc stated, his tone sardonic.
They had all instinctively surrounded Peata and Axel found he was unwilling to move away from her. Calder was sitting next to him, holding Peata’s hand. They both growled in Doc’s direction, their cats seeing the unmated male as a threat.
“You newly mated couples sure are fun to deal with.” His humor did nothing to ease the tension in the room.
Doc squeezed into the space beside Max and did a thorough examination. He listened to her lungs through her T-shirt, so Axel didn’t have to claw the man’s eyes out.
“I am going to have to put a few stitches in that cut. Her lungs are quite congested from all the smoke she breathed in,” Doc said, giving them a rundown of his findings. “The bleeding is coming from her swollen throat, the coughing has torn the inflamed tissues.”
“Is she going to suffer any ill effects from this?” Max asked, crowding Doc again.
“Why hasn’t she woken?” Calder asked, before Doc had had a chance to answer Max.
Doc held up his hand to stop Axel’s question. “She will be fine, she just needs fluids, rest and an anti-inflammatory for her throat. I suspect she hasn’t woken up because she’s tired.”
Chapter 7
Peata came awake to sweet words being whispered in her ear. She recognized that deep rumbling voice as Calder’s. Fighting off sleep she tried to focus on what he was saying.
“Did you say doctor? Am I in a hospital?” She opened her eyes and struggled to sit up.
“Be still, the doc’s at our house. You cut your hand when you fell over and needed some stitches,” Calder explained, holding her firmly in place.
His dark brown eyes were sparkling with golden stars. “Your eyes are like the night sky, they’re so beautiful.” She felt heat begin to suffuse her cheeks. Seriously, had she just said that out loud? What an idiot.
“Thank you, sugar, that’s my first compliment in years,” Calder said. She found that hard to believe. He was a tall, dark and handsome fireman, the total package. He must have his pick of beautiful women.
“Did you say stitches?” she asked, putting a stop to her wayward thoughts. Calder being all sexy was messing with her brain.
“Hello, Peata, my name is Jason Reed, I’m the doctor here in Eminence. Your men asked me to come and see you when you passed out. How are you feeling?”
She turned away from Calder’s hypnotic gaze and saw a stranger standing beside Max. He was shorter than Max by a couple of inches, but was still well over six foot. He was just as huge as Max though, with wide shoulders, a solid chest and thick arms. He had white-blond hair that fell to the collar of his plain green combat shirt. He didn’t look like any doctor she’d ever seen. He looked like a soldier.
He was too close. Her heart started to race and her temples throbbed with the pressure. Her chest was constricting as she sat up and clambered away from him. Calder pulled her onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her. She felt his calming effect immediately. The pressure in her head and chest melted away, leaving her feeling safer than she had felt in the last four years. She felt tears prick her eyes. What was it about these men? She didn’t understand what was happening to her.
“I’m fine, thank you,” Peata said, when she was finally able to speak. Her voice hitched, she didn’t want to cry in front of all these men.
Hearing a growling noise, she looked toward Max. The noise was coming from him.
“You aren’t fine. You coughed so much you passed out. You should have told us you were unable to manage in the shower. We would have stayed and helped you.” Max was not yelling at her, but his tone was severe. He seemed disappointed with her.
She couldn’t blame him really. They had offered her a safe place to stay, and in return, she had become even more of a burden to them.
“Fuck, Max. She couldn’t have known she was going to pass out,” Axel said angrily. He left her side and stood chest to chest with Max.
“Max is right,” Peata said softly. “I’m sorry, that was a poor way to repay your kindness. I have just caused you even more trouble.” Peata felt the tears finally spill from her eyes and slide down her face. She felt dreadfully guilty.
“Boys, do you want to take it outside, away from Peata?” Calder asked, in a viscous whisper.
“Max’s anger is totally justified. I felt really dizzy and weak before my shower. I was just too proud to ask for help. I was foolish and I’m very sorry,” Peata said. “If Doctor Reed will drive me into town, I’ll get out of your way.”
She hoped they had heard her, because she knew that repeating it would be impossible. Not because her throat hurt, but because she didn’t want to leave. She had no idea why, but she knew that she liked being with these men, all of them.
Max lifted Peata from Calder’s embrace and sat up against the headboard. He pulled her onto his lap and tucked her snuggly against his broad chest. She was completely surrounded by him. It felt wonderful and he smelt so good, like a pine forest, fresh and clean. She melted into the warmth of his chest and felt it begin to vibrate. The accompanying low growl was strangely sexy, his hold proprietary. Her pussy clenched and her clitoris seemed to vibrate, as though it was resonating on the same frequency.
The room filled with growls.
“My cue to leave, I believe,” Doc said hurriedly. “I’ve given you an injection for the swelling in your throat, and your men have some pain killers if you should need them. You must get some fluids down though, no walking around until you do. Nice to meet you, Peata.”
“You should let me go. I’m trouble,” Peata said sadly, as Doc seemed to run from the room.
“We know you don’t want to leave us, baby. We can tell how much you already like us. Be honest now, or Calder will punish you,” Max said, kissing the top of her head and drawing her even closer.
“I do like you all, I just can’t understand all these feelings I’m having,” Peata said. It was surprisingly easy to tell them how she felt, and for some inexplicable reason, she didn’t find that fact concerning.
“I’ll go and get the soup I warmed for you, and then we will hear your story. We can’t protect you until we know what we’re up against,” Calder said, kissing her lightly on the lips and leaving the room.
Calder was right, but more importantly, they could better protect themselves once they knew.
Chapter 8
Calder finished warming the soup and grabbed some bottled water as he took it upstairs. He was pleased to see her awake, but even more pleased that she seemed so comfortable with them. They hadn’t been able to stop touching her and she hadn’t flinched once. Her scent strong with arousal, not fear.
Like them, she was being driven strongly by the mating bond, and it was driving her into their arms. A place where she would be safe and loved. Calder stopped suddenly. Do I love her?
Fuck yeah. Of course he did, he’d loved her since he was thirteen years old. She hadn’t even been born then, but he’d felt a void in his heart that was meant only for his mate. Now it was finally filled, and he felt whole at last.
He hoped that Finn brought Melanie over tonight to talk to Peata. Not just for the mating itself though. He needed Peata to know his cat. It had waited, none to patiently, for Peata to arrive and it wanted to feel her small soft hands running through his fur.
He would be the one to shift for her. One of them would have to, or she would think they were all either insane, or liars. The thought of her knowing his cat had him smiling broadly as he walked back into the bedroom.
“What happened to your face?” Axel teased him. “I thought that scowl you’ve been wearing for the last forty years was permanent by now.”
“Looking at nothing but your ugly face every day was the problem,” Calder replied. He continued to smile at Peata as he sat next to Max, the tray of soup on his lap.
“You can’t have been born with a scowl and you’re not a day over thirty, surely?” Peata said, looking intently at his face.
“Axel and Calder are twins, baby. They were born teasing each other.” Max shot a warning glance at Axel.
Calder began to feed Peata the soup, but she took the bowl from him. “Thank you, this tastes lovely.
Her little pink tongue darting out to test each spoonful of soup had them all gazing at her with hungry stares. Max’s eyes had started to glow amber. He hoped he was containing his feelings better than Max.
Calder cleared his throat to draw Max’s attention, glaring at him in warning when his gaze finally left Peata’s mouth.
“Peata is an unusual name. Where is its country of origin? Calder asked, his voice husky, despite his efforts to rein in his lust.
“My mother was a Maori, from New Zealand. The name means ’one who brings joy’ in her native tongue. My surname is O’Donnell. My dad was American, of Irish descent,” She said, between sips of soup, her voice laced with sadness.
“You said ‘was.’ Have both your parents passed?” Axel asked, stroking his fingertips down her face.
“They died in an attempted robbery when I was just two. I don’t remember them. I was raised by my paternal grandmother until I was seventeen. She died after a long fight with cancer.” Peata smiled, despite the sadness in her voice.
“We never had a lot of money, but she loved me very much, and I was happy. She had owned her own apartment and left it to me when she passed. I didn’t want to go into the foster system, so I went to a local youth center and got help from a social worker. She suggested I apply for status as an emancipated minor. The courts accepted my application as I had already combined working part-time, with going to school, for years, due to my nanna’s illness.”
Calder remembered she had said she grew up without much money, but hearing the whole story made him feel incredibly sad for her. He had always been surrounded by a loving family, with the support of all of his parents as well as his pride. He was so glad that Peata would never be alone again.
Peata [Eminence Shifters 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 4