Panther Protection (14 page)

“I must say, you are very brave and protective when it comes to your mate,” Zalph responded as he led them to a small bedroom.

“She is our everything. Once you have a true mate, nothing else matters, but her,” he said matter-of-factly. It seemed to get him thinking as he nodded and a small round woman covered in a flower printed dress and oversized glasses came rushing up to them.

“Oh my dear. I need to be able to touch her to heal her wounds,” she spoke directly to him. “Keep touching her, this may hurt if there is any internal damage. Her mates touch will comfort and soothe her.” He nodded and watched the woman place her palms down on Millie’s forehead closing her eyes. Axel felt a small pull on his insides as Millie moaned in pain. He wanted nothing more than to take it away, and before he could yell and tell them to stop, the woman did. “She will be fine now, she will need to rest before you travel home tomorrow.”

*****

Gage hung back as his panther wanted to run to Millie and make her better. He wanted to lay by her side and have her run her hands through his fur. She was in pain and both he and his panther didn’t like that one bit. When the woman touched her, he almost attacked, if it wasn’t for Cece who calmed him. He hadn’t noticed it before, but people tended to calm around her and she knew how to make things better. She was the smart one of the group, but he could almost bet she had some type of magical essence in her. He would need to talk with Xandria when they returned home. Travis had not moved either and it was the first time that he got to see Travis’s lion. The animal was huge and he could understand why everyone was afraid of him. Once the woman left and said Millie and they all needed sleep, he jumped on the bed resting his head on her legs. He wasn’t going anywhere and he didn’t trust himself to be unprepared to be in human.

While in panther form his senses were more acute. Travis took up a small area near a couch that Cece was now laying down on. Axel had given Cece a blanket after covering their mate first. Soon everyone was sleeping, but him. He couldn’t let go. He was too much on edge. He was so close to losing everything that meant so much to him. Even when one of the shifters held the knife to him, he realized he could handle a world where Axel and Millie were safe, but a world without them isn’t a life he wanted. When the bastard had her against the wall and she couldn’t breathe all he could see was red, and he didn’t like the feeling of being helpless again. He didn’t know how he had managed to get away from the guard and out of his chains, but he did and his panther took over. He admitted he took down three other shifters to get to her, but nothing was going to stop him. He was on the verge of going feral and he was never that close in his life, with the exception of the first time he changed. His panther started to calm as the even breathing of his mate started to fill his mind. Her sweet honeysuckle smell was like no other and right now he relished it. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to drift off.

*****

Millie woke to a massive headache and was really warm. Slowly she opened her eyes, but the bright light stunned her and she closed them again. She tried to move and realized her legs were pinned down, and panic started to fill her.
Oh no, I’m still here and it was all a dream
. Trying to push off the dreaded feeling something moved to her left. Turning her head, she came to the eye with none other than Axel. Her heart filled with happiness as he looked at her.

“Hi,” she whispered as her throat hurt.

“Hi, baby. How are you feeling?”

“Groggy, and confused. Axel, why can’t I move?” She was worried that maybe when she tripped something happened to her legs, but she was able to move her toes, and lifting her head wasn’t something she was able to do right now.

“Oh, baby, you’re going to be fine, but you seem to have a large cat on your legs, and not one the size of fluffy,” he joked. Okay this time she did lift her head and found that Gage was half laying on her purring though sound asleep. Without a second thought she raised her hand and petted his soft fur. She had expected it to be coarse, but it wasn’t. The dark black was amazing in color, so pure and perfect. He snapped his head up. “Hi,” she smiled at him, but he never responded as he changed back and was right next to her burying his head into the crook of her neck like he had done so many times.

“Oh, love, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry, for what?”

“Not protecting you,” he countered. Millie looked between Axel and him and realized they both felt helpless in this situation and it wasn’t something they were used to. She needed to let them know it was okay.

“Guys, I’m fine, well fine-ish. But it wasn’t your fault. He had everyone working for him, and I’m just sorry we had to go through that, and I had to kill someone again.”

“Baby, it's not your fault, you did what you needed to do to survive,” Axel reassured her. “Plus, we do what we have to for the people we love.” Millie looked at him, her mouth opened.

“You love me?”

“How could we not, you are my heart and soul, Millie. All that I am is because of you. I just hope you will be okay with what I am.”

“Oh, Axel, I love you too, so much. And Gage you as well. I love you both more than words can say and I'm just sorry I didn’t say it sooner.” She leaned over and kissed Gage and then Axel until her blood started to rise and her heart increased as her desire bloomed.

“Well, I am glad you all love each other and whatnot, but can we head home now, I would really like to get the hell out of here.” Millie gasped at realizing they weren’t alone. Sitting up she saw Cece smirking at her and Travis naked with a blanket around his, well his goods. She giggled and looked at Gage who moved his eyebrows up and down, she snorted and soon the bunch of them broke out in full laughter.

*****

They said their goodbyes to Zalph who was going to run the kingdom and look after his trolls, and those shifters who wanted to stay could, otherwise they were free to leave. Some found a small home, they had nothing to go back home to, while others were excited to be free to leave. Millie had promised she would keep communication between the two worlds open and she and Becky would help them if they should ever need it. Zalph was excited about his new role and they stayed to watch him be crowned and the people cheer. Looking at her mates, she grabbed one of each of their hands and started heading out the door. She was heading home.

As they reached the forest she was shocked at how things mimicked their world. She was still trying to process that this all was real. “So, you think we could have a few months of no crazies happening? I think Becky needs a normal wedding, and those babies need to come into a calm house.”

This time Cece snorted, “Yeah right, calm with us. I don’t think so, those babies are coming into a world of crazy, and they are going to love it. But I agree, let's try to keep the dramatics to a minimum.”

They all laughed and spoke freely of their plans. She was happy to find that Travis wanted her to stay on as an assistant and more shocking was Axel and Gage agreeing without her yelling at them that she could keep it. They reached an old tree and because she didn’t know what the hell to expect, watched in wonder when Travis, then Cece, followed by Gage walked through it. “It's okay, baby, I’m right behind you. We got you,” Axel reassured her, kissing the top of her head. She nodded and walked. The path was wooded and covered in moss, it was dark and damp smelling, but she kept walking, feeling Axel behind her. Soon light started to come and she quickened her pace. She was ecstatic to see that not only was Gage, Travis, and Cece there, but Xandria too. Without a second thought she ran to her and hugged her. She knew in her heart that her mother wanted to come for her. She needed to try to mend the bridge that was stopping them from knowing each other. It wasn’t Xandria who stopped the relationship, it was her. The feeling of warmth enveloped her as she hugged her mother. Pulling back, she was shocked to see that she had tears in her eyes.

“Amelia, I was worried. I couldn’t go get you, and I am sorry I couldn’t stop him from getting you. Your mates are brave as are you. I am so very proud of you, my child.” Millie couldn’t help but smile and nod shyly. She wasn’t used to complements from other people, despite what people thought. She just knew she wasn’t going to be a victim anymore.

“I’m fine, but can we go home now?” Everyone laughed and walked until her house came into view. She was finally home, where she belonged.

Chapter Eighteen

Two months later…

Millie sat on the porch, drink in hand, on a sunny Saturday while they worked on her car. She had been complaining the brakes were making funny noises, and he didn’t want to risk her driving and them going out. Axel was finishing tightening the last of the lug nuts on the tire before they dropped the jack and were done. A simple brake pad and caliber change was all they did. But looking up to see his mate drinking and relaxing in a simple dress watching them, turned him on more. This domestic lifestyle wasn’t something he originally wanted, but now he craved it, enjoying everything about it. Maybe it was because of his mate, his love. She stopped having nightmares and had even spoken to everyone about the incident, and it was all behind them. He still didn’t like to talk, but he did when it came to his mate. She loved it when he did, but he found that when he whispered in her ear, she giggled and he loved that sound so much more.

All done with the said jack lowered, Gage walked over to her cleaning his hands. Today they didn’t work, but their shop was now up and running. Braxton’s Autos had been welcomed with open arms and he and Axel loved keeping busy, especially with Millie working with Travis. He had become a close friend to them and once a week would come over for dinner. They were looking forward to Becky’s wedding next weekend, as was Millie. Both he and Axel had planned on asking her to marry them as well. They had planned on doing this before last weekend, but plans were shot to hell when Mike had decided he needed to take off and leave town. He couldn’t sit by and watch everyone so happy. Tiny had left as well, but was returning for the wedding and Cece, well, they were still looking into her. Both he and Axel had noticed there was a slight change in her, but the girls said it was nothing. Cece remained quiet and withdrawn more than normal. He was starting to worry about her. She smiled when she was around her friends, but she seemed closed off, if not torn. Millie and Becky said this was normal for her, she would be in moods for about two months and then she would be back to normal. It bothered him though, but he said nothing to Millie about it.

“So brakes done, and lunch done, now what do you want to do?” She smiled as she stood walking down to them.

“We have a couple ideas, but we need to shower first. We're covered in grease,” Axel started as he kissed her neck.

“Head inside, we got a surprise,” Gage said as he turned her around pushing her inside the house. She giggled and went willingly.

*****

Millie’s heart was racing in the hopes they could play tonight. Ever since they got back, they had been so sweet and making love to her softly, individually, but she had been craving the both of them together, hot and dirty, just like them. Smiling to herself, she had purposely left out some toys and such by the nightstand to see if they would get an idea of what she wanted.

While they started to work on her car earlier she had showered and shaved, paying special attention to all areas. She giggled when she thought about what she did and how the men might react. As they took their shower in two separate rooms to speed up, she took advantage and slipped on a small lacy number Becky had helped her find. She said the red would look great on her and it would make the men stand up and take notice. Practically bouncing with joy she went into the dining room and climbed on top the table. Listening carefully for them to come downstairs her heart raced at what their reaction might be. The doors opened and she heard them talking about a game that was on tonight, and then silence.

“Millie…” She heard Axel call to her. She practically giggled knowing what he must have found. Leaning back on her elbows and one leg straight and one up, she tried to pose like the women on those sexy magazines. The silence was killing her when they headed down the stairs. But soon the sound stopped and she opened her eyes to see Axel and Gage wide mouthed, gawking at her with toys and lube in hand.

“I think I have dinner covered tonight,” she purred, well, she hoped that is what it sounded like. She tried to pull the sex kitten act, and was doing her best. Still they said nothing, just looked. Feeling like a fool she knew she pushed her luck and sat up trying to cover herself, getting down off the table.

“Did we tell you to move?” Axel growled. She snapped her head up and saw both of them coming toward her. Not breaking eye contact she saw both of their eyes grow heavy with lust when they finally reached her. “You are the most amazing creature I have ever seen. I could just look at you all day, but you left some interesting things on my side, and Gage’s side, so I think we need to add to our dinner, baby.”

“So fucking hot, love,” Gage managed to say. Axel could barely breathe when he walked down the stairs and found her like a damn wet dream sprawled out on their dining room table. He was curious when he found her little treats in his drawer, but this was so much better. Taking his hand, he lowered her back so she was flush with the table. He ran a hand up one leg while Gage did the other. Both of them didn’t touch where she wanted them to, and her small pants just made his so much harder.

“I love this, baby, and you look amazing, but you said dinner was covered and I want some cream.” She gasped as Gage started to lift the small lace off her body, pulling off her panties, but what he found under them was so much more than he expected. She had shaven everything off, leaving her pussy bare and smooth.

“Oh, baby, I'll take that, you just gotten hotter. As he grabbed a chair and pulled her down further to him. His seat was at perfect level for him to eat her. Pushing her legs further apart, he leaned down slightly and licked her pouty lips before spreading her open and finding her arousal glistening. He smiled and licked her clean. She jumped and went to reach for him, but Gage had grabbed her hands in the process as he sucked a nipple into his mouth. Her harsh breathing increased and he remembered the small things she left, and right on queue Gage grabbed the eye mask and placed it on her, stopping her from seeing anything. He knew she wanted to play, and wanted them both, that was going to happen and so much more. He didn’t wonder what Gage was doing, his only focus was his mate right in front of him, spread wide open for his taking. Running his tongue along her clit, he flicked it back and forth making her cry out and squirm more. It seemed like Gage had tied her hands as he heard fabric moving and her small tugs. With one hand holding her down on her hip, he took the other and inserted his finger into her hot channel and her moan that followed was the only encouragement he needed as he sucked her clit in his mouth and pushed one more finger in moving fast and hard inside her. Within seconds she screamed as she coated his face and fingers with her nectar.