Under the Panther's Protection [Black Panthers 3]

by Leah Brooke

  Over Fiona’s head, Joshua met Mitch’s gaze. “I’m just glad nobody else was hurt.”

  “Yeah, well, Leland got to Glenna in time, and they rushed her to the house. When you were hit, Leland came back out while Joe stayed with Glenna. She was frantic. She didn’t settle down until she saw the two of you sleeping in the clinic.”

  Getting to his feet, Mitch went to the window, turning back to look at them over his shoulder. “Which brings me to a hell of a lot of questions.”

  Joshua smiled down at Fiona. “My mate and I have quite a connection. It appears there are times when I need her as much as she needs me.”

  Fiona sat up with a gasp, her eyes searching. “Really?”

  “Yes, my mate. Holding you close allowed me to relax and actually made the pain go away.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Joshua saw Mitch move from the window to sit on the opposite end of the sofa, but he kept his attention on Fiona.

  “It’s almost as if lying with you… recharged me.” He glanced at Mitch. “I can’t explain it any better than that.”

  “Oh my God!” Fiona’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes swimming with tears. “I helped you?”

  “You did, my mate. See? We need each other.”

  Mitch sat forward, eyeing both of them. “I have to say, Joshua, you’re in great shape, but you’re healing much faster than expected. After all, it’s only been a few hours. Explain to me, though, how Fiona being in bed with you made her contractions stop.”

  Joshua shared a look with his mate, meeting her smile with one of his own. “Fiona mentioned to me not long ago that my scent tends to settle her.”

  Mitch glanced at Fiona. “His scent calms you?”

  Fiona shrugged, blushing adorably. “Yes. I think so.”

  Joshua chuckled and pulled her down to lie against his chest, still rubbing her belly as he gave Mitch his attention again. “I’m not sure if it’s my scent or the warmth of my body. I learned from Joe and Leland that rubbing her stomach settles the baby, and so I made sure she had all three.”

  Mitch sighed and shook his head. “I have to admit this is the first time I’ve ever heard of such a thing. I’m just grateful that it worked.” He smiled and leaned back. “I had both of you to contend with, and by the time I fished the damned bullets out of you, you’d already taken care of each other.”

  * * * *

  Looking at the desserts on the countertop, Fiona rubbed her belly and smiled. The house was finally finished, and she was in the kitchen with Graham and Vincent while Joshua was on patrol.

  Her husband had made it his mission to find the man who’d kidnapped and shot at her, and the longer it took, the angrier he became.

  Graham slapped Vincent’s hand away from one of the pies and gestured for him to finish the dishes. Turning back to her, he gestured toward where she rubbed her belly. “Joshua will be back soon.”

  Fiona smiled. “He’s already back.”

  Vincent turned from the sink, sniffing the air. “How do you know? Can you feel him?”

  “No. The baby knows.” She rose and paced slowly back and forth, rubbing her belly. “He gets excited when his daddy’s near.”

  “And makes his momma sick to her stomach until his daddy settles him down.” Joshua came up behind her and kissed her neck, his hand flattening on her belly.

  She leaned into him automatically, loving the feel of his strong arms going around her, and the solidness she could always count on. “Hmm.”

  He drew her to one of the stools and sat, pulling her onto his lap and rubbing her belly. “He’s getting stronger.”

  Fiona leaned against him and smiled. “Every day.”

  “The smell of those apple crumb pies was wafting all the up to the mountains.”

  Graham smiled. “I’m sure. It’s so strong in here we didn’t even smell you. All we can smell is apples and cinnamon.”

  Joshua touched his lips to her neck, sending a shiver of delight through her. “And all I smell is vanilla and honey—my favorite scent. Vincent? Graham?”

  Graham chuckled. “Yes?”

  “Thank you for helping my mate. Now get out.”

  * * * *

  Lying on her side with her husband wrapped around her—inside her—Fiona grabbed his wrist and threw her head back with a moan. “Please, Joshua! Faster.”

  “No, my mate. Mitch said nice and slow.”

  She tried to move against him to quicken his slow, shallow thrusts, but he only chuckled and held her firmly. “One day I’m going to hit that man.”

  Joshua chuckled again. “I know, my mate.” He slid a hand between her thighs, using his powerful thigh to keep them parted. “I know what my mate needs, and it’s going to feel good for both of us.”

  Fiona gasped when he touched her clit, his skillful fingers sending her over almost immediately. “Joshua!”

  With a groan, Joshua slid his cock deeper. “Fuck. I can never last long with you. Those vibrations and the way that sweet pussy clenches on me drive me crazy.”

  Her orgasm tightened her abdomen, and as she’d expected, Joshua began to gently massage it. “Oh, Joshua. How does it keep getting stronger? Does it for you, too?”

  “Baby, I feel your pleasure as well as my own. It’s incredible.”

  She covered his hand with hers. “It hits so hard and fast. I want it to last.”

  He buried his lips in her hair. “After the baby’s born, we’ll work on that.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise, although neither one of us is able to handle much foreplay.”

  Fiona laughed at that, snuggling against him. “Yeah. We’re going to have to work on that. Hell, Joshua. It’ll probably kill us.”

  Joshua eased his cock from her and gathered her close, his massage easing as the tightness did. “You okay, baby?”

  Looking up into his dark eyes, Fiona smiled in an attempt to wipe away his concern. “I’m always okay when I’m with you, Joshua. I never thought I’d find this.”

  Her eyes filled with tears, and she found she had to swallow the lump in her throat. “I love you so damned much. Damn it, you’re making me cry again.”

  “As long as they’re happy tears, my mate. Come on. You need to eat.”

  Wrapped in her robe, she went to look out the window. “Joshua! It’s snowing.”

  Instead of smiling the way she’d expected, he frowned. “Yeah? I’ll carry you to the farmhouse. I don’t want you to slip. I’ve got to put some salt down on the path.”

  Shaking her head, Fiona moved closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I was thinking about how beautiful it is. You’re turning into a worrier.”

  Closing his arms around her, he ran his hands up and down her back. “I have a wife—a mate—and a baby to take care of. Go start your shower. I’ll be in as soon as I put down some salt.”

  After laying out one of her new maternity sweatsuits, Fiona went into the bathroom and started the shower, washing her hair while she waited for Joshua to come join her.

  By the time she’d conditioned and rinsed her hair and he still hadn’t come, she began to slowly wash, expecting him to come in any minute.

  Hearing a muffled noise from the other room, she stilled, running a hand over her swollen abdomen, where the baby kicked frantically.

  Concerned, she turned off the shower, stiffening when she heard a crash, followed by the unmistakable growl of rage from Joshua in panther form.

  With her heart pounding furiously, she stepped out of the shower, grabbed her robe, and hurried out of the bathroom. She raced toward the living room as fast as her advanced pregnancy allowed, reaching the end of the hall just in time to see a black panther being flung across the room and hitting the wall.

  Shaking with fear, she easily picked out Joshua and, to her horror, saw that he viciously fought off four others.

  The men who’d kidnapped her.

  Everything in her living room had been ripped and broken, but it didn’t seem to impede
the violent fight.

  Joshua sent one of the panthers flying and raced to block her from the others, shoving her into the kitchen while he blocked the entrance.

  He jumped up to block one of the other panthers from getting to her, a growl of rage sending chills down her spine.

  Another charged at him, and not wanting to distract him, she fought to hold back her sobs, her hand shaking as she opened the knife drawer and reached inside.

  Gripping the handle, she cried out when one of the panthers leapt at Joshua, his sharp teeth sinking into Joshua’s shoulder.

  Without thinking, Fiona raced forward and sank the blade of the knife to the hilt into the attacking panther’s neck.

  Joshua growled again and kicked the lifeless panther away, keeping his body between her and the other panthers.

  To Fiona’s horror, the panther shifted to his human form, the gaping slash in his neck bleeding profusely.

  Fiona knew instantly that he was dead, and one look at his face had her shaking all over again.

  It was the Alpha who’d kidnapped her.

  With the knife still in her hand, she stood slightly behind Joshua, ready to protect him from the next one who lunged at him.

  She stiffened and cried out when several black panthers leapt through the door, breathing a sigh of relief when she recognized them.

  In the next several seconds, Fiona stood shaking, the flurry of activity too fast for her to keep track.

  Black panthers flew in all directions, with Joshua standing guard in front of her, his huge paws batting away anyone who got close.

  It seemed to take forever but had really only taken about thirty seconds. All four of the black panthers lay unmoving on the floor, shifting into human forms she recognized instantly.

  Joshua shifted, revealing a jagged wound on his shoulder.

  Mitch shifted and dropped to kneel next to him. “Joshua! Christ. You took on all four of them.” He peered at Joshua’s shoulder. “Let me see.”

  “I’m all right. Check Fiona. Come here, baby.”

  Clumsily lowering herself to her knees next to him, she grabbed one of the dishtowels and pressed it against his shoulder. “Oh, baby. Look what he did to you.”

  Joshua gripped her hand. “And look what you did to him.”

  Leland, who’d raced out, raced back in again, dressed in a pair of jeans and threw other jeans at Joe, Mitch, and Vincent. “Put these on. I’m taking Fiona to the farmhouse. She doesn’t need to be in the middle of all of this.”

  Shaking her head, Fiona gripped Joshua. “No. I’m not leaving Joshua.”

  Mitch checked Joshua’s shoulder and nodded. “She’s right. Let them stay together. Joshua only needs a couple of stitches, and I don’t want Fiona going into labor. Why don’t the two of you get cleaned up? The others are on the way so we can clean this up.”

  Joshua got to his feet, reaching down to help Fiona to hers. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get the bite taken care of and take Fiona to the farmhouse, and then I’ll come back and clean up this mess. I’ll dig a hole for the bodies.”

  Leland bent and lifted one of the dead men over his shoulder. “Hole’s already being dug at the base of the mountains. There’s no reason to take this on yourself, Joshua. We all stick together. Go with Mitch and get stitched up. Joe’s waiting at the house with Glenna. The rest of us will get all of this cleaned up in no time.”

  As they started down the hall, Fiona heard Vincent talking excitedly. “Did you see Joshua? He was fighting all four of them off by himself. He kicked their asses good!”

  Mitch chuckled. “That he did. Did you see Fiona? When that panther decided to take a bite out of Joshua, Fiona attacked him like a warrior.”

  Joshua led her to the shower, and only then did she notice that she was covered in blood. “My fierce warrior.”

  Under the spray, he held her, and suddenly, she started to sob, the pressure inside her bursting free. “Joshua, I killed him.”

  “Yes, my mate. You did, and he deserved it. I helped a little, you know.”

  The enormity of what she’d done hit her hard. “I killed a man.”

  “It’s okay, baby. You did what you had to do.”

  Lifting her face to his, she gripped him harder. “I’m going to have the baby in prison.”

  “The authorities will never know, Fiona. These men don’t exist, and only their pack mates will be looking for them.”

  “That’s against the law.”

  “I know, baby. But that’s how this has to be. Enough. You and the baby are getting upset, and they’re not worth it. They’ve done enough damage. Don’t forget, my mate, this is the third time they tried to kill you. We’ve been searching for them for weeks. Did you really think any of us would have allowed them to live?”

  While Fiona finished dressing, Joshua went out to the living room to see that all four bodies were gone and some of the broken furniture had already been taken out.

  He’d make sure to have the rest cleared away and the blood gone before bringing Fiona back.

  Leland looked up, his eyes narrowing. “Problem?”

  “Fiona’s upset that she killed that fucking asshole. Can you pass the word that I don’t want this talked about tonight? She needs to eat and settle. Let everyone know that talking about this in front of Fiona is going to piss me off.”

  Leland smiled and nodded. “I’m sure no one wants to tangle with either you or your mate. Hell, she was something. She stood over you, guarding you with that knife over her head, her eyes daring anyone to get close. Your mate’s something special.”

  Joshua’s chest swelled with pride. “Yeah. Yours isn’t too bad, either.”

  Leland grinned. “I know. I just hope the others do as well as we did. Your mate’s coming. Mitch is waiting for you in the clinic, and he’s going to come up to the house to keep an eye on your mate.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Two weeks had passed since the attack at their house, and the repairs had been done and the new furniture finally delivered—along with another furry rug placed in front of the fireplace.

  They’d just finished eating, and Joshua sat in the living room of the farmhouse with Fiona sound asleep on his lap.

  Mitch crossed the room and sat next to him. “Any time now. The baby’s strong and ready, and Fiona’s doing really well.”

  Joshua nodded and took her hand in his. “But you’re worried about his size.” He’d been anxious ever since Mitch had warned him that the baby would be larger than average and hoped that Fiona would go into labor soon.

  His mate found it increasingly difficult to get comfortable, and each day seemed to leave her more exhausted.

  Jonas had already been put to bed, and Glenna had gone up with Leland several minutes earlier.

  Joshua pulled the blanket over Fiona, tucked it around her, and rose. “I’m going to go put my mate to bed. I’ll see all of you in the morning.”

  Vincent got to his feet. “Yeah. It’s pretty boring around here once your mates go to sleep.”

  Mitch got to his feet, as well, and chuckled. “Just wait until there’s a couple of toddlers running around that all of you have to keep track of.”

  Joshua tightened his hold when Fiona fidgeted in his arms. “Shh, my mate. I’m taking you home and putting you to bed.”

  She stiffened, her eyes flying open, and with a cry, she grabbed her stomach. “The baby.”

  Joshua felt her pain, a dull part of what she had to be feeling, but his encompassed his entire body.

  “I can feel when you’re in pain. Hell, Mitch. We have to go.”

  Leland came storming down the stairs. “What’s wrong?”

  Joe smiled. “Looks like Fiona’s going to have her baby. I’ll drive. Mitch needs to be free in case Fiona needs him.”

  In a flurry of activity, they jumped into the SUV and raced for the hospital, Joshua crooning to Fiona as the pains came faster.

  “Hurry up, damn it!”

  Joe cursed. �
��Some of the roads are slick. I’m getting there as fast as I can, but I’d rather do it without having an accident.”

  Mitch turned from the front seat. “It’s okay, Joshua. It’s her first, so we should have plenty of time.”

  Joe whipped his head around, dividing his attention between Mitch and the road. “The second comes faster?”

  “Usually.”

  “Dear God.”

  Joshua ignored them, focusing on his mate.

  Looking at him with fear clouding her beautiful eyes, Fiona gripped the front of his shirt. “Don’t leave me.”

  His heart swelled with love for her, his protective instincts in high gear. “Not a chance, my mate.”

  * * * *

  Fiona clung to Joshua as the pains intensified, his face the only thing she could see through the long night.

  Joshua held her, his eyes and voice filled with tenderness and affection until he turned to Mitch. “Damn it, Mitch! Give her something for the pain!”

  The small amount of pain medicine Mitch gave her helped little.

  “Never again.” Joshua raked a hand through his hair. “I swear, I’m getting a vasectomy after this.”

  “No way.” Fiona giggled when the contraction ended. “I want a houseful of babies with you.”

  Shaking his head, Joshua bent to touch his lips to hers. “I’ll never survive it.”

  Patting his hand, she grimaced when the next contraction started. “Don’t worry. I’ll be there to help you. Oh!”

  The pain came stronger and faster, but with Joshua at her side, Fiona found the strength to endure it.

  With Joshua at her side, she could do anything.

  The sun had just come over the horizon when Mitch finally told her to push, but by then, she had worn out. Each push took all the energy she had, and between contractions, she held on to Joshua, drawing on his strength for the next push.

  Joshua held her secure for each push. Pressing his lips against her ear, he sighed. “Oh, my mate. You’re doing so good. I’m so proud of you. I love you so damned much.”

  Soaked in sweat, Fiona nodded, too weak to answer.