“Yes, and no,” he responded. She waited for him to go on further not wanting to push him, but she would if she needed to.
“After I woke, my parents were right there. I was unconscious for a long time. When I woke I found out what happened and it pissed me off. Everyone was babying me, treating me like I was made of glass. It made me mad, and I turned angry. I guess they said that my inner aggression had taken over since I couldn’t stop any of the shit from happening and I couldn’t keep Gage safe. Well, that is what my shrink said when I was a kid. I stopped as soon as I could. I didn’t need anyone to tell me I was right or wrong for feeling that way. So I worked hard for everything I have and I take nothing for granted. I try to keep people away, that way I don’t open my mouth and piss them off. My mom used to joke that I don’t have brain to mouth filters. Maybe she is right. I’m just tired of being so damn angry all the time. The kids used to pick on me and call me momma’s boy and so on.” Gage had let her go and she went over to him.
“Don’t, don’t look at me with pity. I didn’t tell you for you to feel sorry for me, or for Gage. I just wanted you to know. But, Millie, hear this, I will try to watch what I say, but I will piss you off. I will work hard not to, but it will happen.” She nodded and slid onto his lap next. She could understand why he was mad. Hell, she would be mad too. After she got back from being held against her will, everyone was afraid to talk to her and tried to make her feel like everything was okay, but in truth she was mad, she felt so weak. Now she needed to be strong and tell them her story. They knew what was told, but nothing else.
“I guess it’s my turn.” Axel shifted her so her legs were on Gage’s lap and he held her touching her feet while he rubbed his hand up and down her arm.
“Baby, you don’t have to tell us anything. We know ours is bad, but yours, hell, it is so much worse,” Axel offered.
“No, no I need to say what happened. I need to say it out loud. If I keep it in, it will eat at me more and more.” Taking a deep breath, she started. “I was just leaving from the coffee shop when this all happened. I saw a cute guy and he started to talk to me, and he asked me if I wanted to go for a cup of coffee. I laughed and said I had one and then headed down the road to go home. It was nice out and I wanted the fresh air. Needless to say when I turned the corner I was blocked by him. I went to turn and walk away from him, but he came behind me and grabbed me. I kicked and screamed, but he covered my mouth and nose. I couldn’t breathe. He had something, I think it was a rag of sorts that started to make me feel funny. I kept fighting, but the more I did the more he laughed. I managed to kick him enough to let me go and I started to run, but he grabbed me by my hair making me fall back. I hit the ground, and landed on my hip funny. It hurt pretty badly, but I was running on adrenaline, ya know.” She stopped to take a breath. Axel and Gage never said anything just sat there holding her as she talked.
“He started to kick me over and over again in various spots. I remember getting bad, but after what seemed like hours, but was no more than a minute, whatever he gave me started to make my head spin and I blacked out. I woke up to him drinking and talking to someone on the phone. They were talking about Becky and I knew right then and there they were using me to get to her. I didn’t want to be a victim, but it seemed I wasn’t supposed to live. Anyway he started to make comments about how he wanted me and what he and his friend would do to me. He tore my shirt and started to…” she trailed off, not sure if she could finish.
“It's okay, baby, we got you,” Axel reassured her.
“Okay, well he started to touch me, trying to kiss me and you know play with me. I remember his smell the most. A stench of alcohol, dirt, and sweat. It was sickening. He was licking me, and at one point he said he would mark me so everyone knew I was his. When I started to fight back and call him names, well, he hit me and I went flying and everything blacked out as I hit my head again. When I woke I still had most of my clothes on, but he had…” she started to gag from that memory the most.
“What did he do, Millie?” Gage asked her as rubbed her legs.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and just said it, “It seemed he couldn’t fuck me since I was unconscious, but he had played with me enough that I had his come all over my chest, and stomach.” Just saying it to someone, she felt dirty. She hadn’t been raped, which she knew would be worse, but she still could feel everything he did to her. Axel held her tighter as she growled and swore.
“I swear if Becky hadn’t fried his ass I would have gutted him for what he did to you. I am so sorry, baby. I wish I could have stopped all this before he even got to you. But we are here now. We all are a little broken, and according to your fairy mother, we are to help each other heal.” She thought about what he said, and he had a lot of logic backing it. He was right, they could all move forward and put the past behind them. It would be the three of them against the world. She didn’t know how long the three of them sat there when Gage finally got up.
“Enough talk, time to shop.” She smiled and held a hand out for him to help her up. The three of them finished cleaning up and soon headed into town to get her some work clothes.
Chapter Nine
Gage watched as Axel walked around the store getting small things for Millie to buy. She kept trying to push him off, while he sat on the small seat waiting for her to come out. She had picked out a few dress suits and he was eager to see what she looked like. Not waiting too much longer, she came out. She was smiling as she walked to him in a fitted black pencil shirt, red top, and black jacket. She looked amazing, but she always did, no matter what she did or didn’t wear.
“So do I look professional?” she asked.
“You look amazing,” Axel said, coming from behind him. He nodded and smiled. This little game went on for another three outfits until she was happy she had enough to mix and match. She went to pay, but he had stopped her as he pulled out his credit card. If she needed something, he was going to pay for it, well him or Axel.
“I could have gotten them,” she said as he put his wallet away.
“We know, baby, but we want to spoil you some, and we have the money,” Axel responded as he signed the receipt handing it back to the cashier. He grabbed the bags and the three of them headed out of the store. He made a small run to the truck to put her bags inside. Suddenly his panther stood and his ears perked up. He had a feeling of being watched. He looked around, and smelled the air not picking anything up. Not wanting to be away from his mate, he jogged over to the furniture store that somehow Axel had pulled her into.
“But, Axel, I told you we don’t need a table. We have the one in the kitchen and that works just fine.”
“Yeah, it does if you only want a bowl of cereal and our feet touching everyone. It's too small, Millie. We can keep it for small things, but if we get a bigger one we could have more room, and we could even have people over for dinner some night. Maybe you can do one of those dinner parties you girls talk about.” He saw Millie glower at Axel. Not wanting a fight to break out, Gage walked over to the two of them to see if he could help.
“How about we look. We might need it one day if we have kids.” He watched as her face flushed and then he turned to look at the tables.
“Fine, we can look, but I am not promising anything more than that right now,” she said as she headed to the table section. Wanting to tell Axel what he felt at the truck, he kept an eye on Millie as he pulled Axel to the side.
“I had a feeling someone was watching me outside.”
“Wait, what, really. Shit. Could this be because of Millie?” Axel asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, well, we'll keep an extra eye on her, okay.” Gage nodded and both of them followed Millie into the table section.
By the time they had left, Millie had picked out not only a new table and chairs, but a hutch that could house plates and such. For someone who didn’t want anything new, she sure warmed to the idea quickly once she found a solid oak on
e with very delicate flowers carved in it. Axel even offered to make one for her, but she said he could work on other things around the house, and the conversation continued throughout lunch. They had picked up some fried chicken and other items before heading down to a small part of the lake they found while running. Spreading out the blanket, they all kicked off their shoes and sat down.
“So what do you think about maybe once we finish our mating that we turn the master bedroom into our room?” Axel suggested, which caused Millie to turn a beautiful scarlet color.
“Umm, well, can we take it one room at a time right now? Maybe talk about the master bedroom later?” she countered.
“Sure, baby, we can do that. But we wanted to talk to you about something.” Gage knew what they were going to bring up.
“We were thinking about opening a shop, would you be okay with that? I was talking to a couple of the guys and it seems the current owner of the shop here isn’t too into cars. We were thinking about seeing if we could offer him a deal.”
“We would be home every night,” Gage added on top of it. They really wanted this shop, and it would be great if they all worked, plus if they had cubs they would be able to adjust the schedule to the needs of their family.
“It’s up to you guys. If you want to open a shop, then I’m cool with that. This morning I have a whole different outlook. I don’t know, but it feels like…”
“You helped put the past behind you,” Gage finished her sentence.
“Yeah, exactly. I feel, for the need of a better word, happy. I’m happy and I don’t fear the future, with either of you.”
Millie went to finish eating some of the food they had picked up and then laid with her head on Gage’s lap while he played with her hair. Axel was lost in thought as she absentmindedly started to hum a song that popped in her head. The sweet melody of “Safe and Sound” ran through her as the words played over and over. She was safe and sound in their presence.
“You have an amazing voice, Millie,” Axel said, breaking her from her trance. Blushing, she thanked him. She knew she could sing, and had no problem singing for a crowd, but singing in front of them seemed to be more intimate.
“Umm, thanks. I have always sang, it’s just kinda my thing, now I guess personal assistant is my thing.” No one said anything, just laid there in comfortable silence. She must have started to go to sleep because the food was picked up and Gage had her in his arms putting her inside the truck. She apologized but they just kissed her hands and soon they were off and on the way home.
When they pulled up to the house, Axel jumped out but froze instantly. Someone had been to the house. The smell wasn’t something he knew. It wasn’t a shifter, but not human either. He held up his hand to hold Millie in the truck, she was safer there right now. Gage had jumped out and told her to lock the door and not move for anything. Both of them went to the front of the house and it grew stronger. Axel nodded to Gage and together they both split. He went inside, while Gage ran around the back of the house to see if he could see or smell anything. Axel went inside to make sure whatever or whoever it was wasn’t in the house. The door was still locked, which was a good sign, but then again it didn’t take much if someone really wanted in. As he checked around the house he really wished he had a gun. As a panther he could take out most of his prey, but even then it would be nice to have one just to scare whoever it was away.
He was happy the smell didn’t go into the house and was only on the outside. He walked outside to see Gage waiting for him. “Anything?” Gage shook his head indicating nothing else. So someone was outside, but he couldn’t tell if it was friend or foe, but either way he wasn’t taking that chance with Millie. They would make sure she was never left alone at any given time. They went over to the truck and she unlocked the door looking a little shaken.
“What, what is it guys?” He could tell she was a little scared, which was normal with everything that had happened to her recently.
“I caught a weird scent I didn’t recognize. I wanted to make sure no one was in the house and nothing was messed up,” he explained. She nodded as Gage helped her out of the truck. Reaching in the back, he pulled her clothes and the box that housed the leftover food. He would have loved to have a nice dinner tonight on their new table, and her for desert, but it wasn’t going to come until tomorrow.
*****
As soon as they stepped inside, Millie’s body seemed to wake up with the reminder of the night that Axel had given her. She was excited and before both men could say anything, she said she wanted to take a hot bath. Well that and text Becky. She knew wolves and panthers were different, but did that go for the whole mating process. Did it hurt when they bit her, would she change into a panther once they did bite her? So many small things she didn’t know and wanted to get some reassurances from someone who was just recently mated and well knocked up. Both men agreed and said they would just watch a movie while she relaxed.
Closing the door behind her, she quickly went into her drawer and pulled out her sexiest pair of panties and bra. A dark green with black lace trim. The bra actually made her boobs look bigger than they were, and the panties were a simple thong that left nothing to the imagination. Happy with her choice she grabbed her robe and panty set and headed for her bath for some special attention to certain areas of her body.
The water was hot and filled with steam making it so perfect. She sank below the water and closed her eyes relaxing for a bit. She knew a lot had happened today and she felt like the three of them had come over leaps and bounds. She wished they could all just forget their past, but she did find they all had a common thread. They all didn’t want to be victims again. The need to live and not have anyone dictate their lives made them who they were today. It was something she would embrace and give the mating a chance. Sitting up, she pulled her phone out and started to text Becky.
Millie: ?? for ya
Becky: k-shoot.
Millie: mating bite do I turn furry and need a litter box?
Becky: snort laugh no dork. U stay U.
Millie: u sure, ur wolf, me fairy, them kitties.
Becky: Im sure. Let me double check w/ men
Millie waited for Becky to respond and while she did she checked her email. She had one from Mr. Mayweather, it was instructions to meet Harry from security to get her badge and then come upstairs to her office. She smiled at the thought of working and supporting herself, and the three of them being a working family while she reread what Becky had responded.
Becky: Yup, no litter box for U. Ur good.
Millie: Cool beans. Does it hurt?
Becky: What hurt?
Millie: The bite.
Becky: OH NO. Bite GOOD. VERY GOOD ;)
Millie: Really?!?
Becky: hehehe, yup. Me likey bite!
Millie: k thx.
Becky. OMG ur gonna do it. WOOHOO about time!
Millie: shut up. Don’t know. Just want options. Shhh keep quiet.
Becky: eeekkk.. so happy. Have fun… J
Millie: whatever. 3 ya
Becky: backatcha!
Smiling at the texts, Millie made up her mind. Pulling out her trusty razor, she was going to make herself as desirable to her would be mates as she could.
Chapter Ten
Gage and Axel sat and watched the newest Fast and Furious movie, loving the cars and all the work detail that went into making the cars. It was their thing. They enjoyed working with their hands and fixing cars. Which reminded him to work on Millie’s tomorrow if they got a chance. She hadn’t taken her car for a while and it just sat in the garage, and he wanted to make sure she had it in case she needed to go somewhere for work, but even then, he wasn’t comfortable with her being out by herself. He felt like someone was watching them today, and then someone was roaming around the house. He heard her coming down the stairs as he took another drink of his beer. Axel must have as well as he called her over to come sit with them. As she came around and stood in front of them, the
y saw her just standing in a robe smirking at them.
“So is this something I should expect to be normal with you two. Car shows and things blowing up?”
“Well, baby, if you just stand right there in front of the TV, we would just stare at you all day, and I would have no problem with that,” Axel quipped as he finished the rest of his beer then reached his hand out for her. She shook her head at them.
“What do you have planned, love?” Gage had to know, because she had this secret smile as if she was hiding something from them. She looked at him batting her eyes before putting her hand on her chest.
“Who me? Why would I have something planned, Gage?” Again she batted her lashes trying to play cute.
“Oh, baby, you are starting to play with fire. You are standing in front of us smelling so good, and that robe you have on is doing nothing for my blue balls I have right now. So tell me, sweetheart, what are you up to?” Axel asked as he shifted in his seat.
“Oh, well you see, I had a chat with Becky while I took my bath.”
“You did?” Gage asked, he was now more interested in what she had talked about than dying to see what was under that damn robe. He looked at it and it was hideous, and he made a vow to get her some new ones tomorrow. It was old and ratty with stupid blue bunnies on it. She might have been playing sexy with them, and she could do it, even with that thing on.
“I did, I had some questions.” She took that moment to come and sit in front of them on the coffee table covering as much of her legs as she could.
“What questions. Maybe we could have helped with some of them,” Axel responded.
“Umm, well just questions, anyway that’s not the point.” Gage raised his eyebrow in surprise, she was blushing, so it must have been a text about sex, and suddenly his semi hard cock stood up and was ready to charge. Shifting in his seat, he had to know where she was going with this.
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