CHAPTER ELEVEN
- Tallulah -
Slowly, I begin to wake. Overheated, my sleep top sticks to the sheen of sweat covering me. I attempt to stretch my arms and legs out to cool off, but I’m unable to move. I can only ever recall feeling this hot once, back when Theo, Kenji, and Quimby used to curl around me when we took naps as youngsters. The guys used to snuggle around me because they’d always be worried I’d get cold. It’s another difference between us; my body temperature runs lower than theirs because of my half human DNA.
I stifle a groan when last night’s event rushes back. It’s childish, but I refuse to open my eyes, not wanting to face the embarrassment of how I reacted yesterday. The heat begins to suffocate me, so I wiggle to gain some sort of relief.
When a hand moves slightly on my waist, I immediately still. That can’t be right…
Blindly, I clumsily reach out and bump into bare skin of the body in front of me. Tingles dance along my fingers as I trace them lightly across bare skin and follow up the curve of his back, Theo. My fingers carry on in their exploration from his shoulder to his short clad hips. His body shifts, and my hand freezes in its search. I must have disturbed him. As he moves onto his side to face away from me, the hand on my side slides off.
My body loosens and relaxes into the softness of the bed, and I start to drift back to sleep. Movement on my side jolts me fully awake, once again too scared to move. The air in my lungs freezes. Whatever it is that touches me slides over my hip, across my stomach, and tucks itself underneath my shirt. As soon as the hand settles skin to skin, my body comes alive with tingles. I’m about to jump away when another hand drifts over my sleep shorts and settles on the exposed skin of my thigh. Unable to stop the delicious shudder that rolls through me, I press tighter against the person behind me.
He groans, and something presses on my lower back. The hands clutch my body to anchor me more secure against them. Restless in sleep, Theo flips on the mattress, and the movement of the bed rolls me flush against the person behind me. I barely stifle my moan at the friction.
When a loud sniff sounds from behind me, my eyes snap open. In front of me, Theo’s nostrils flare with his own sniff, and his eyes snap open. My body immediately stiffens up. His eyes darken, and a predatory glower spreads over his face. The tingles react to Theo, firing sparks all over my body. Unsuccessfully, I try to smother them down.
Several things happen at once, but I’m lost in the moment. The hand on my leg adjusts until it presses between my thighs and firmly pulls my leg up, opening me up to them. While the hand on my stomach slowly flutters down until it rests on the waistband of my shorts. Fingertips barely brush under the band of my underwear, and I gasp.
Theo leans closer until our noses bump together; his eyes are the blackest colour I’ve ever seen. Happy to get lost in their depth forever, I curl forward to press my lips to Theo’s. He gets the message, and his tongue invades my mouth, battling for dominance against my own. The tingles explode uncontrollably over my body. I grip Theo’s bare shoulders desperate to ground myself to something solid.
The hand at my underwear edges farther under the waistband. My core throbs, and I hold my breath in anticipation.
The door bangs open, and we all jump. I squeak and attempt to jump up, but only succeed at almost knocking the guys behind me off the bed. A quick glance over my shoulder shows Quimby is the one anchoring my hips to his. On the other side, Kenji curls over the two of us. My face flames from embarrassment. The person who barged in ignores my mortification to run and jump onto the bed.
“Lulu! Oh, hey, Theo!” Mylo excitedly bounces on the bed. “You gotta move! Alpha Henry said breakfast’s ready!” He grabs my hand and shuffles backwards, awkwardly dragging me with him until I shift onto all fours and manoeuvre myself down the bed.
Three groans echo from behind me.
Abashed, I limp slightly as I follow Mylo, but almost trip over him when he suddenly stops in the doorway. A deep frown sets upon his face, and he stares at the bed.
He scratches his ear nervously and whispers, “Why are they in your sleepy spot, Lulu?”
How do I explain why all three of them are in my bed? Especially when I’ve no clue how two of them got there in the first place, and Theo was only there because I had a nightmare.
Kenji speaks up from the bed and saves me from the dilemma of the question. “It’s a new house, and we didn’t want Tally to be on her own. Just like you had a bunk buddy with you.”
Mylo glances between the four of us for a couple of moments, and I pray he doesn’t ask any more questions. I’ve no clue how I’d answer more awkward questions. Relief spreads through me when he finally nods.
Eagerly, he takes my hand in his much smaller one and drags me out the bedroom towards the kitchen.
We walk down the hallway back into the main living area. The sun streams through the windows, bounces off different ornaments and vases, and casts an assortment of beautiful colours around the room. As we near the kitchen door, I make out the voices of the guys’ parents.
Anxiety pools in my stomach. Will they know Theo, Kenji, and Quimby slept in my room last night? Will they be able to tell what almost happened this morning?
Unaware of my hesitation, Mylo pulls me along for the ride. I glance nervously behind me one last time with the hope one of the guys have followed us and might come to my rescue. When I don’t spot them, I let out a sigh of defeat. Looks like I’m facing the firing squad on my own then.
Would it be bad if I used Mylo as a puppy shield? Surely, they wouldn’t want any adult talk in front of little ears, would they?
Mylo doesn’t give me any time to dwell because he drops my hand and barges through the kitchen door, like what he did in my bedroom. Only the kitchen door, similar to those used in restaurant kitchens, swings back, and I barely catch it before it hits me in the face.
That’s all I need is another knock to the head. It wouldn’t be a terrible thing at this point. I could hope it’d knock me out, so I wouldn’t need to face the parents. The only thing worse would be my dad being in there as well.
Will the food entice Mylo enough to forget about me, and I can sneak away? I turn to make my escape, but stop short.
“Lulu!” Mylo shouts excitedly through the door. “These pancakes are just like yours!”
I sigh in defeat and timidly push the door open so I can step into the lion’s den, or rather the wolf’s den. Alpha Henrique and Beta Leverette sit at the ten-person table already loaded with plates of bacon and link sausages stacked high. Luna Rosalina stands over at the old style double oven, cooking what I imagine are the pancakes Mylo mentioned. Cautiously, I step further into the room, and none too gently plonk myself into the closest empty chair.
Henrique and Leverette take noisy sniffs and start to cackle like a couple of old ladies. I overhear one of them mutter to the other, “So that’s where the boys snuck off to last night. They certainly didn’t waste any time.”
It’s then I remember how impressive their sense of smell is. Could they smell what happened earlier too? Oh God! I should’ve showered before I came here. Now, they most likely assume I’m some sort of trollop.
Rosalina lets loose a snort and turns briefly, her eyes bright with mirth. When they land on me she smirks. Her attention drawn back to the pan in front of her, she calls over her shoulder, “How’s that leg of yours today, Sweetie?”
Grateful, I latch on to the subject change almost desperately. “It looks a little angry still, but at least I can support myself and walk on it.” I glance down at my leg and angle it to inspect the bite.
Henrique looks across the table at me. “It would be good for you and Theo to get a check-up with Dr. Andro later, especially since you both have Wolfsbane in your systems. We can’t be too careful with it, and because your immune system is different to ours, we need to be extra vigilant.”
“Henrique!” Rosalina and Leverette both shout in outrage.
I wince at the mention of my immune system and the drugs. It’s only seen as dodgy because of my human side. Idly, I run my finger over the top of the table. Am I’m really worth the hassle and effort to the guys? What happens if this place comes under attack? Would they allow me to fight with them? Or would I be locked safely away in some ivory tower, away from all the violence?
When I finally glance up both Rosalina and Leverette are cutting daggers at Henrique. Oh no, they can’t fight over me. After all, what he said was only the truth. “I agree, Henrique, it’d be stupid of me to not get my wounds checked out. I’ve no clue about the effects or if it can cause any long-term damage. I know the doctor thought the Wolfsbane would be out of my system today, but since I’m the only one here with half human DNA, he’s likely got no previous knowledge of any permanent effects.”
Rosalina frowns at the two men, and cuts in, “Oh, he do—”
Leverette clears his throat loudly. Causing the words to die in her throat. All three of them shift nervously. The tension is thick to the point you could cut through it with a butter knife.
What was she about to say? I look between the three of them. They’re a difficult puzzle I’m trying to solve. Only I don’t have all the pieces, so I store the information away for later.
Before I can open my mouth to ask, Rosalina briskly transfers the last of the pancakes out of the pan onto a platter. Balancing the platter stacked precariously high with chocolate chip pancakes, she bangs it down on the table louder than any of us expect. Henrique, Leverette, and I jump in surprise at the sound.
Mylo openly laughs and reaches for the pancakes.
Rosalina sits directly across from me. Her eyes, no longer full of joy, remain hard as glass when she angrily glares at her partners. They soften considerably when she turns towards Mylo and me.
What happened in the last thirty seconds for her to scowl at them like that?
I shake my head, and decide to leave it alone. I’ve enough on my plate with my new mates. Besides, Alpha Henrique is quite capable of digging himself out of any mess he’s landed himself in with his Luna.
The tension around the table lingers as I dish food up for Mylo and me. He must sense the tension too because he’s quiet in his seat next to me. A little nudge, and he stares up at me with his huge, innocent, brown eyes. I stick my tongue out at him to lighten the mood. Relieved when I’m rewarded by his infectious giggles, we both happily dive into our food.
The door bangs open behind me, and I manage to catch sight of all the guys as they shuffle through the kitchen door. Tucked underneath Theo’s arm like a sack of potatoes is the other little boy who was with Mylo.
“Morning, Mum, Dads,” all three say in unison, causing an internal giggle.
“Morning,” the parents all respond together, and I cover a laugh.
As the guys take seats at the table, I get up and lay extra plates and cutlery out for them. After I grab the plate of bacon and dish out several pieces with the tongs, Rosalina places her fork down and picks up a napkin.
She wipes her mouth and turns her attention to the guys. “Hey, now that the weather has cleared up and the ground’s no longer muddy, are you boys taking Tallulah out to that, umm, place today?”
I glance back and forth between them, wondering what they’re on about. Sly looks pass between them, and I choose to ignore them while I continue to serve until the plates are filled with breakfast. When I finish, I turn my attention back to the conversation
“Yes, we are. We’ll head out after breakfast.” Theo glances nervously at me and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “Um, did you get that thing from Blaise, Mum? He said it’d be here this morning. I don’t think Tallulah has one.”
“He did, it came about an hour ago.” Rosalina smirks at me. “That’s the blue one you had done?”
Never have I witnessed Theo, Kenji, and Quimby turn as red as they do now, their faces bright pink from their cheeks to the tips of their ears.
In awe, I plonk myself onto a seat at the table and stare. Mylo’s giggles next to me pull me away from their embarrassment. “You’re the colour of ket-up.”
“Shhh!” I scold behind my hand, now clamped over my mouth to hold in the laughter about to burst free.
Leverette coughs into his hand in an attempt to hide his laughter at his son’s expense. His eyes shine brightly when he squints over at Mylo and the other little boy next to him. “Eat all your pancakes Mylo, you too, Nash, and they might take you with them.”
Both little boys’ faces light up, and they scarf down their food as fast as possible. They’ve no clue where we’ll be going, but I guess they’re just happy to go out and run free for a while.
Worried, I frown at my plate. “Will it be safe?”
I don’t want another run in with those wolves while my leg is still tender. If trouble finds us, I can’t imagine I’ll be able to fight or run away.
Both pups shrink into themselves, and I could kick myself for bringing it up. They must have been petrified when I shoved them both off without me. Maybe I should’ve done it differently. Somehow hidden them and redirected the chasers away from the pups.
They came with no parents, so I can only imagine what happened to them before they arrived at my house. Whatever happened, combined with the attack at the house, must have been horrible enough for them to shrink into themselves at the mere mention of the rival pack.
A hand touches my thigh, causing me to jump and drop my fork. It clangs on my plate. I clear my throat and whisper, “I’m sorry.”
Mylo and Nash both peek up at me with worried expressions. And I try to forget where my thoughts were headed, too morbid to contemplate while at the table.
Alpha Henrique answers confidently, “It’s absolutely all right to ask, sweetie. As a precaution, we’ll send out a couple of extra security to patrol the area you’ll be in. You should be in no danger.”
I plaster a bright smile on my face in hopes it will set the little ones at ease. The last thing I want is to upset them even more. The rest of breakfast is quiet; both the pups and I finish our food at the same time.
Quietly, I gather our empty plates to wash and dry them. I may be a guest, but I don’t want them to pick up after me. After all, this might be my new home for a while. It’s still unclear if I’m supposed to stay here permanently or if I’ll go back home once the threat is gone.
Will the guys even want me here permanently? The thought stops me instantly. Are the guys going to keep me here out of an obligation because I’m their mate? Or do they genuinely want me here? Are they upset they’ve been lumped with the half mutt?
Curled up with me this morning, they weren’t bothered by it. But when it finally dawns on them that I can’t shift, can’t run, and can’t hunt with them? It will matter then. Surely, it will hinder any possibility of me ever being a decent mate to them or a future Luna to the pack.
Hesitantly, I glance over my shoulder at Rosalina, comparing myself to her. She’s strong, independent, a born leader and caregiver. She takes care of her mates and stands by their side, and most importantly, she can shift. She can go into battle when needed as a wolf; she can take part in pack runs, hunting, teaching the teenage girls how to handle life with their abilities, and what to expect when they meet their mate, or mates. I’m capable of doing more than most, but leading the pack into battle and any other responsibilities I’ll need to do as a wolf? I’m not ever going to be able to live up to the demand of a true Luna. Theo, Kenji, and Quimby deserve more than I can give. They don’t deserve the torment, the bother, and struggle of having a helpless half-mutt chained to them.
Warm arms slip around my waist, and it snaps me out of my miserable thoughts, back into the reality of tepid sudsy water and dirty dishes.
“What are you mulling over?” Quimby’s breath fans against my ear.
“No-nothing.” The hands slyly move up and down my rib cage, distracting me.
I lean back into Quimby as his hands gently caress my sides, and my body fires up, once again flush with warmth. Loud sniffs remind me we are not alone in the kitchen.
Fuck! How could I have been stupid enough to forget their parents were still in the room? Hopefully, my stench isn’t wafting around the room like some skank hussy.
When everyone finishes their breakfast, Alpha Henrique and Leverette stand and collect together the rest of the empty plates on the table. Rising from the table, Rosalina comes around the counter, slips her arm through mine and pulls me out of Quimby’s arms.
She tugs me towards the kitchen door. “I think we should let the boys clean up, honey. It might be best for you to shower before you leave the den. Otherwise you’ll end up with every single male shifter in an eight-mile radius after you. Afterwards, there is a gift from the boys you can change into.”
Theo and Kenji growl at their mother when her words register. Rosalina responds with a laugh. If she weren’t one of the parents in the room, I’d find the situation funny. Instead, I’m completely mortified.
There’s no time to protest or clean up after myself because Rosalina swiftly pulls me through the door. We leave the men to clear up the rest of the breakfast mess. Once the kitchen door shuts behind us, we can no longer hear the loud growls and curses from the guys.
She never once slows her pace as she pulls me along behind her. We head in the direction of her bedroom, but I have no clue why.
Why would the thing the boys want me to have be in their mother’s room?
When we enter her bedroom, it’s exactly how I remember. The huge bed, made to comfortably sleep three people, still dominates the room. The dresser with the pretty mirror on top stands in the same place.
Memories flood through me like an old film flickering on a slide projector. So many moments from my childhood feature all three of the guys and their parents.
One time is so vivid, like it was yesterday and not fifteen years ago. It was the last time I was in here. I was off-colour, and Kenji carried me into this room. He rummaged around in his mum’s closet and pulled out a box of chocolates, heart-shaped, and tied with a pretty red ribbon. My four-year-old self stared in awe as Kenji carefully opened the box, picked out one heart-shaped chocolate, and handed it to me. Once he put the box carefully back into its place in the closet, we sat on the floor and cuddled as we shared it between us.
Did Rosalina ever find the box? Did she figure out why only one chocolate piece was absent?
When Rosalina gently squeezes my hand, it brings me back to the here and now. She offers reassurance, “Don’t look so frightened, sweetie. This is for your day out with the boys.”
Rosalina lets go of my hand and walks into the closet. I wipe my damp palms on my shorts. I’m not used to surprises since surprises normally mean something bad. Like when Dad had an unexpected trip to one of the rougher pack territories around us. He was stupid enough to volunteer to go alone instead of taking me with him and gotten hurt as a result.
When Dad was sent out to the safer areas, I was allowed to join him. But the minute it could turn into a slightly hairy situation, I wasn’t invited. It’s still a sore subject. He knows I can fight as well as the best of them. He’s seen me train, but it makes no fucking difference to him or anyone else.
Yesterday in the Alpha’s office, Rosalina’s temper flared because I pointed out my half mutt status. What else am I supposed to think? I’m never allowed to do anything that might resemble danger. Sure, I’m allowed relative freedom, to train and run in the forests, but nothing else.
Even then, I’m always aware that I had a constant follower.
If my followers’ noses weren’t so damn good, I’d be able to outrun them. Well, technically not outrun them, some of those big lugs are fast, but I’d be able to hide better. When I was little, I turned it into a weird sort of game of hide and seek, or rather, hide and sniff.
A loud bang from the closet pulls me back to the present, and I watch in fascination as Rosalina exits with a few different sized bags clutched in her hands.
“What are those?” Realising how rude it comes out, I immediately look down at the carpet. “I’m sorry, Luna.”
“Don’t worry, honey.” She places the bags on the bed and rummages through them. “It’s only a few things the boys organised for you.”
My eyes narrow at the bags. Not able to see any labels on them, I glance back at Rosalina. “But I’ve only just got here. How did they organise it so quickly?”
“They made some plans after you went to sleep last night. Then contacted Blaise this morning to collect it for them.” Not finding what she wants, she tips the bags up, and the contents spill all over one end of the bed. I make out leggings, shorts, tops and… Is…is that underwear?
My face heats, and I try to ignore it by watching Rosalina grab some sort of small, dark-blue material out of the pile. There’s really not much material to whatever it is. She turns slightly away from me to lay the chosen items out on the bed. Once she’s satisfied with what she’s done, she steps back and turns around to face me.
Her eyes rapidly flick from me to the bed. “Well, what do you reckon, sweetie?”
I stare at the two pieces of what I’d call scrap material and quickly realise it’s a bikini, a very tiny bikini.
“It’s what the boys picked out for you. They weren’t sure if you have one anymore, so they wanted to treat you.”
I gape from Rosalina, then back to the bikini. They can’t be serious, right? They can’t possibly want me to go out there in that. I’m not overweight or skinny, I’m average, but even that would make me self-conscious.
“A-are you sure they want me to wear th-that? Th-there isn’t a lot to it. I’ll freeze.” I rub at my nose and cover my mouth.
She tilts her head to the side and quietly inspects me. She must come to some sort of conclusion though because she straightens up. “You have a fantastic figure, sweetheart, not like these everyday bean-poles the humans consider sexy. You’ve got curves in all the right places, and my boys will melt when they see you in this. Besides, the storm has cleared, and it’s warm out!”
“Ar-are you sure it’s suitable? Especially with the babies coming with us, I don’t really want to traumatize them any more than they already are.” I could smack myself upside the head as I blurt out the first reason I come up with.
She laughs and waves off my excuse. “Don’t be silly. Now”—she picks up the material and hands it over to me— “go and get yourself ready. You’re welcome to use my shower.”
Filled with dread, I take the material from her hands and rub it nervously between my fingers as I make my way into her bathroom. Quietly, I shut the door behind me, set the bikini on the closed toilet seat, and quickly strip out of my clothes.
After I turn on the shower and let the water warm, I go through my usual routine, wash my hair, shave my body, and finally scrub my body in a desperate effort to rid myself of any lingering scent. The last thing I want is the attention of more males, especially dressed in so little.
I stand under the spray to drag out the shower for as long as possible, but I can’t keep everyone waiting forever. Apprehensive, I dry off with a huge fluffy towel and dress in the tiny bikini. Now that I wear it, I turn to the fogged up full-length mirror in the corner. Once I grab my discarded towel and clear away the mist, I take several steps back until I’m able to see myself better.
A small gasp of relief escapes me. Even though there isn’t much to it, it’s still modest. The deep blue material covers all the important parts and the top offers more support than I expected.
Even though I’m not really a girly girl, I can appreciate how it makes me appear more feminine, softer somehow. A difficult task since I’m curvy, but it’s all muscle from the time I’ve spent training on the obstacle course over the years.
Still, I feel exposed. The only things in the bathroom to cover up with are my discarded clothes. My nose turns up. No one wants to wear dirty clothes once they’re clean, and it’s not very attractive.
I wring the excess water out my hair and throw it back up into a messy bun, then put the dirty towel into the hamper and bundle my clothes up. Hand on the doorknob, I take a deep, calming breath to choke down my nerves, and finally open the door.
Rosalina, in the process of arranging my new clothes into neat piles, turns. Her eyes light up as she takes in my bikini clad body. She lets out a low whistle and grins mischievously, “Damn, my boys are lucky. You look beautiful, sweetie.”
She hustles over to take the dirty bundle of clothes from me and throws them into her hamper. Nimbly, she picks another item off the bed and turns it around to show me the back. A thin cotton cover-up with a beautiful waterfall design. The colours are breathtaking. The darker blues match my bikini with light-blue and white accents. Vibrant, exotic flowers surround the base of the waterfall. It looks exactly how I remember it.
In awe of the cloth-makers artistry, I ask, “Is that where they’re taking me?”
She leans in with a bright conspiratorial smile. “Where else would they take you, darling girl? It’s your special place with them.”
A lead weight drops in my stomach, and an insane amount of jealously wells up. It throws me a little. Theo said they hadn’t been with other girls, but with how much time has passed since we were allowed to be together, I can’t help the niggle of doubt that surfaces. Apart from last night’s brief moment with Theo in my bed and thinking of the guys with other girls, I’d never really thought about them being with anyone else, so it never crossed my mind up until more recently that they’d be intimate with someone. I’ve never had a reason to be stupidly jealous.
It’s not a pleasant feeling, so I force myself to be calm. “Th-they haven’t ta-taken anyone else there?”
All the joy drops from Rosalina’s face, and she stares seriously at me. It’s no longer my mate’s mum in front of me. It’s the pack’s Luna, and she means business. Her voice, although gentle, commands my attention. “No, Tallulah. They have not allowed anyone to go to that particular waterfall. There’s another one available for pack use, but the boys have never allowed anyone else to use this one.”
Eyes narrowing, she continues, “To answer your unspoken question, they’ve never taken girls there. It’s your place, just for the four of you. Aside from the pups going with you today, only the boys, myself, and their fathers have swum there over the years.
“They are your boys, sweetie.” She places a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze in reassurance. “They never once forgot they are yours, and you are theirs.”
“Thank you,” I whisper hoarsely. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t doubt them.”
“There’s no need to be sorry, honey. It’s a new thing for all of you, and I know it’s going to be hard for all four of you to settle into a routine. The trust will be more difficult for you because of the boy’s decision to protect you by keeping you in the dark. It caused hurt for all of you, but you more so. They only ever had your safety in mind. As they got older, they wanted to tell you, but their dads decided you’d be in even more danger and forbade them. Now, you’re practically an adult, they couldn’t hold back from you any longer.”
Confused, the guys didn’t tell me about their dads’ command. “The boys said they made the decision, they didn’t mention their fathers.”
Rosalina wraps an arm around me in comfort and leads me to the bed. “When they were little, they did make the first decision. As they got older they started to resent their choice of not having you in their lives. They wanted to tell you. Hell, we all wanted to tell you, but Henrique had to act as their Alpha and not as their father.”
She plonks herself down on the bed, and she gently pulls me to sit next to her. “We received a lot of threats to your safety. It was clear Blood Moon were on the hunt for our new Luna, and you’d be harmed once found. So, Henrique told the boys that, until the threats calmed down or stopped, they must carry on with their charade. I’m so sorry, honey. If we honestly knew how badly it affected you, we’d never have continued to do it.”
My tongue feels unbearably thick in my mouth, and my eyes fill with tears. Even though I refuse to allow them to fall, a few slip free before I can compose myself. I’ve never been a cry baby, but the last couple of days have turned me into a snot-bag. I take a few deep breaths, grateful Rosalina lets me do it and doesn’t make a fuss.
Calmer, I straighten my shoulders and lift my head to Rosalina for a new direction.
Rosalina smiles sadly at me and gently wipes my face free of tears. She stands and shakes out her limbs, finding her cheer again. “Right, come on, and put this on.” A little strained laugh escapes her. “They’ve bought you matching flip-flops. There’s no way they inherited their taste in fashion from either of their fathers who are both useless when it comes to clothes. They must’ve gained it from me.”
A knock comes from the door, and it pushes open before I’m able to follow her instruction. I hold the cover up against my body to hide my half nakedness. I’m not sure how I feel about someone other than the guys and Rosalina seeing me, which is stupid. If I were a shifter, there would be no problem with my nakedness in front of everyone.
I relax slightly when I see Doctor Andro, but immediately tense up at his words. “I’ve been meaning to catch up with you, Tallulah, to take another look at that leg of yours. Theo said you were going to the waterfall, and I want to make sure it’s healed enough for you to swim.” He crosses over to where I sit and places his doctor bag on the floor and crouches while simultaneously taking his glasses off the top of his head and placing them on his face.
Without warning, his hot hands wrap around my calf and he lifts my leg up to inspect it at a better angle. The move almost topples me over, and I’m forced to let go of the cover-up so I don’t flop backwards onto the mattress.
He pays no mind to me practically naked on the bed, his eyes firmly fixed on my leg while he prods at the reddish-pink bite marks. They still appear a little angry, but nowhere near as unpleasant as they did before.
One of his hands releases my leg to rummage through his bag. It seems like a few minutes pass, along with a few choice words, before he finally pulls out a notepad with a pen attached. Unease stirs when he places the pad slightly behind him, so I can’t see what is already written on it or what he’s about to add.
His attention returns to my leg, and he turns it in different angles to get a better look at the bite. He murmurs under his breath, too quiet for me to catch, and tuts a couple of times. He places my leg gently back on the ground before he picks up his notepad and scribbles a few lines before he stashes it away.
“The bites look much better. Although the skin around it isn’t healing as swiftly as it normally does, I think it’s safe to assume that’s due to your human side and the Wolfsbane. It’ll take another week or so for the full effects of the Wolfsbane to wear off. In the meantime, I have some medication for you to take.”
I stifle a groan at the thought of taking meds. With my luck, it’ll be one I have to take for six months to stop the Wolfsbane from eating me from the inside out. My mind stops abruptly when a foil packet crinkles. Doctor Andro holds some weird foil thing and shakes it at me. Reluctant, I hold out my hand, palm up, and accept whatever the packet contains.
A monstrous pill drops into my hand. Hell! That’s a big fuckin’ pill. How the hell will I swallow that damn thing? Oh, god, please don’t tell me I need to take them regularly.
Desperately, I seek out Rosalina. She joins me on the bed, tucking a motherly arm around my waist. “The doctor was saying this tablet should be enough to stop the Wolfsbane from doing any damage.”
Doctor Andro continues once Rosalina stops. “It’s a tablet form of the IV medication you were given while in the hospital, so we know you don’t have a negative reaction to it. And because you had the first dose already, you won’t need any more medication after one.”
Wondering if the size of the pill is because I’m half human, I ask, “Did Theo have to swallow one, too?”
Doctor Andro grins mercilessly. “He had to take one, too. His shifter ability helps to flush the Wolfsbane out, but not as quick as we’d like so he got a pill to speed the process up. His dose may be smaller, but it is the same size. And I have to say, he gave me a lot more grief than you are.”
Rosalina snickers and briefly leaves my side to retrieve a glass of water. I stare down at the pill in my hand and try to swallow past the lump forming in my throat. How am I going to take this? I clutch the glass Rosalina hands me, close my eyes, and quickly put the pill in my mouth, followed by a gulp of water. It sticks to my tongue, so I throw my head back and forth like an idiot to knock the pill to the back of my throat. Finally, after a second sip of water, I work up the courage to swallow the pill. It takes me three further gulps though to get the pill down my throat. Oh, god, that was nasty!
My voice croaks, and I clear it to get my words out. “Remind me next time not to get bitten by some Wolfsbane riddled mutt. That was gross!”
“Let’s hope you don’t, Tallulah. I’m not sure how many of those you can take before your body becomes immune.” He meets my eyes to make sure I understand before he goes on. “Now, swimming should be fine, but you can’t do any of the stuff you do on that obstacle course of yours and absolutely no fights.”
I nod in agreement to his rules, happy I can still go swimming. I wait until he packs his bag up and he leaves before I throw on the cover up and place my feet into the flip-flops. Finally ready, I want to get back to the boys and start today’s adventures.
Rosalina leads the way back down the hall. As we get closer to the kitchen, voices and loud laughter come from the other side of the closed door. Nervously, I rub at my nose then drop my hand twisting my fingers together. Awkward in my bikini, I never know how to hold my arms. Ideally, I’d like to wrap them around my middle and silently pray the material of the bikini has somehow decided to magically grow larger, to cover more of me up, but I know it hasn’t. It’s impossible.
Rosalina doesn’t stop and ploughs through the door like a woman on a mission. Before the door swings back at me, she grips it and holds it open. Silently, I shuffle in while I continue to stare at the black and grey slate floor, worried what the guys’ reaction might be.
A choking noise causes me to peek up, locking eyes with Quimby. He gulps loudly, and his eyes bug comically out of his head.
Across from him, Kenji stands at the table while he pours a glass of juice. Unfortunately, he took his eyes off the juice when I entered, but didn’t stop pouring. The glass, past full, steadily overflows onto the table. Quickly, I step forward, grab Kenji’s wrist, and pry the carton from his hand.
Rosalina chortles and grabs a wad of kitchen towels to mop up the mess. Once the mess has been cleaned up, I finally spot Theo leaning with a thigh against the table. His eyes are wide, and he sports pink tinge on his cheeks. Without a conscious thought, my eyes sweep over his body and realise at some point he must have gotten changed. A quick inspection of Kenji, bent over the table and slurping from his overfilled glass, and Quimby, standing next to his father, shows all three are now clad in worn t-shirts and swim shorts.
Alpha Henrique and Leverette are both in stitches, leant up against the sink. They gaze lovingly at Rosalina and then their boys before their attention turns to me.
Sporting matching grins, Leverette adds, “You look beautiful. These three bozos are very lucky.”
After the boys get over their shock of me dressed in so little, I notice the appreciative gazes they give me. There’s nothing worse than being appreciated by the boys you have a crush on in front of their parents. I attempt to control the blush rising by allowing my eyes to roam over them. My hormones wish they didn’t have the shirts on, and I remind myself I will be able to openly ogle them as much as I want after we get to the falls.
Excited giggles sound a few seconds before the kitchen door swings open to reveal Mylo and Nash playfully tugging each other. Mylo manages to slip free of Nash, but not without losing his balance. His little hands splay out to save himself and stop from faceplanting, but knocks the table with his leg, causing Kenji’s glass to spill.
Not missing a beat, Nash dives on top of Mylo and repeatedly pokes him in the face.
Leverette lets loose a deafening whistle to grab the boys’ attention. They both immediately stop what they’re doing, help each other to stand, and face the room with sheepish expressions on their faces.
Leverette keeps his voice firm. “Not in the house, please. Leave that for the outside only, otherwise things will get broken.”
Both pups nod and offer a quiet, “Sorry.”
“Right, time to go. I’ll send a couple of security with you. I know you can handle yourselves, boys, but you’ll have Tallulah and the pups with you. So, I want no arguments. Any sign of trouble and you let security handle it. Your priority is not to fight, but to deliver Tallulah and the pups safely back here,” Henrique commands, his thick arms crossed against his huge chest.
The guys’ postures all straighten up as their father—their Alpha—fires off instructions. I’m a little surprised when none of them argue or put up more resistance to the fact we’ll have babysitters shadowing us.
All three of them answer together, “Yes, sir.”
They used to do it when we were younger to get a rise out of me because I whined about how weird is was that they were so in sync. Being an only child, I was always slightly jealous I didn’t have a sibling bond.
Was it only them, part of their werewolf freaky shit or could human siblings do it, too?
I read somewhere that human twins and triplets have a sixth sense about each other. They also copy each other and have their own baby language, which outsiders couldn’t ever begin to understand.
I feel a nudge in my side and turn my head towards Rosalina, but I can’t take my eyes off Theo, Kenji, and Quimby. All three stand firm in front of their Alpha. The thin material of their shirts defines their muscles, capturing my attention. As Kenji shifts his weight, his back muscles ripple with tension, and my nipples instantly harden at the sight.
Desire flushes through my body, and five sets of eyes turn to me. Nostrils flare, taking in the scent of my need. My men’s eyes sharpen with hunger, their bodies angle towards me. Kenji takes a step to close the distance between us.
A sharp bark breaks the tension of our want. Grateful for the reprieve, I stare at my flip-flop covered feet and will my heart to slow. Damn werewolf senses.
I slowly manage to get my heartrate back to normal and my breathing to even out. Thank god, the pups will be with us. At least with them there, it might stop me from doing something rash that would leave me humiliated.
Rosalina’s stare glints with ice and demands attention as she addresses her sons. “I want you boys to be the gentlemen we brought you up to be. You will take care of Tallulah and the pups. Any funny business, and I’ll personally kick your asses.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they answer in unison.
My exaggerated groan gets me three cheeky grins and a wink from Quimby. They are fully aware it bugs me.
With a pat on the shoulder, Rosalina sighs in resigned sympathy and whispers in my ear, “It annoys the shit out of me, too.”