A Shifter's Healing Love

by T. Cobbin

“Reveal more and I’ll think about giving you these.” Leo smiled, holding up a clean pair of her pajamas.

  Danielle glanced at the sleeping children. Shaking her head, she walked toward Leo and grabbed her nightwear with a smirk. “I know you now. If I reveal more, you wouldn’t give me these, you’d give me this instead.” She placed a hand over his erection and caressed him through his shorts.

  A tortured moan left his throat.

  Taking her hand away, she turned her back toward him. “We have to behave, or you’ll be sleeping upstairs on your own.”

  She felt a draft caused by what she assumed to be the quilt dropping to the floor behind her. One of Leo’s arms banded around her waist and she was pulled back against his hard body, his mouth a breath away from her ear.

  “Mate, how can I behave with you so close to me?”

  “Because of the children that are sleeping only a few yards away,” she whispered, biting her lip as one of his hands caressed her breast.

  Leo nibbled on her neck, causing goosebumps to raise on her skin. “Lay on the rug and get under the quilt. My shifter hearing will let me know if they so much as stir in their sleep.”

  The thought of sex while in the same room as the children was an ardor cooler. But not so much so that she didn’t want him. He made her insides burn with need.

  Holding her new pajamas in one hand, Danielle turned and grabbed hold of her mate’s hand with her other and began dragging him toward the downstairs bathroom. It had a small shower in it, one that was only just big enough she and Leo could get both clean and dirty in it.

  Did he scent her want? Was that why he followed her? Or did he accompany her because he was eager to see what she had planned? She peeked from the corner of her eyes to see his face. Oh yeah, judging by his grin, he knew.

  “You want me.” Leo smirked as the bathroom door shut.

  Leaning over the bathtub, Danielle twisted the shower tap on. She gasped when Leo’s hands gripped her waist and one of his fingers ran through her sensitive folds. She knew what he would find; her want was already dripping down her thigh. She gripped hold of the bathtub rim with both hands when she felt the head of his cock at her entrance. With one long, hard thrust that took the wind from her lungs, she found herself embedded on his shaft.

  Panic quickly outweighed the feeling of her mate inside of her. Leo had yet to take her from behind, which was the position Master loved to take her in. Painful memories flashed before her eyes, seizing her. She was back in that room and her captive monster was taking her over and over from behind. A tortured scream filled her ears, then another, before she realized they were muffled behind a large hand over her mouth. She was screaming? Master didn’t like that. Danielle’s heart was thundering in her chest. He was going to punish her again for that. Mentally, she could already feel the pain he was going to inflict, and it only made her panic worse.

  “Please no,” she cried through the fingers over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I won’t scream again. I’m sorry,” she begged, although she knew it wouldn’t work. She gripped her eyes shut, hoping Master wouldn’t punish her for that too.

  “Danielle, sweetheart.” Leo’s voice drifted through the thick fog of memories. Leo, her mate. The man she loved. “Shit, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I should have remembered what he did to you.” His voice was filled with pain.

  Danielle opened her eyes and peered into her man’s dirty green eyes. Relief filled every single cell in her body. Leo!

  “It’s you.” She sighed and raised a hand and cupped his cheek. It was damp. Why was it wet? Looking closely at his face, she discovered the reason. Leo was crying. She was surprised. “Why are you crying for me?” she asked in confusion.

  “Why?” he replied incredulously, his voice rising in anger. “Because I just took you from behind without even thinking about it. I can feel and hear your heart pound as if I were holding it in my hands.”

  Had she done this to this huge, brave, alpha male? She became aware she was sitting in Leo’s lap on the bathroom floor. Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed butterfly kisses on his chest, neck, and face. Anywhere she could reach.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she whimpered in distress. She couldn’t get over the fact this man was crying because of her. For something that should be so natural between a man and a woman.

  A surprised cry left her when Leo tugged her away from his body, his hands under her arms, to look at her. She came face-to-face with a now angry male.

  “Don’t ever say you’re sorry for something I did.”

  Danielle shook her head a little and frowned. “Leo, you were only doing something that is normal between a man and a woman.”

  “Something that wasn’t reciprocated,” he replied angrily.

  “But I wanted you. I knew what was coming.”

  With a low, deep, forbidding growl, Leo tugged her close to his body once again. It was Danielle’s turn to feel Leo’s heart beat loudly in his chest. What was she doing to him? Thoughts of leaving Leo to save him from her quickly appeared in her mind, only to be doused even faster. Leaving Leo would cause him more distress, and from what he’d told her about shifters and their soul mates, he’d never survive without her now. She doubted if she’d ever get over him either.

  * * * *

  Leo raised his head a fraction and peered into Danielle’s eyes, praying that she would allow him to kiss her. Her head raised off his chest and he watched her bow-shaped lips lift at the edges. He kissed her, his lips covering hers. His tongue delved into her mouth and stroked along hers in a loving manner.

  He’d been so consumed with taking his mate, in filling her with himself, that he hadn’t considered the reaction that taking her from behind might cause. She’d told him how often that scumbag had raped her. How often he’d made her crawl backward toward the door, only to be slammed full of his filthy c…

  Leo shoved the thought away. He didn’t want to think about Danielle’s past at that moment. Instead, he poured ever single emotion he was feeling and more into his kiss.

  His face was damp with his tears. When Danielle had cried out and her body froze and her aroused scent that drove him mad changed so fast to one of panic and fear, Leo had realized what he’d done. He’d quickly withdrawn from his mate’s body and held her when she fell to the floor. Her cries of distress broke his heart. Even more so when he had to cover her mouth to stop her from waking the children up.

  A knock sounded on the bathroom door, and Leo broke the kiss.

  The door opened, and Prue’s face appeared. “Everything okay in here?” she asked, her voice and face the picture of worry.

  Leo could see her scenting the room only to scrunch her nose. Leo knew what she could smell—Danielle’s fear and panic.

  “Leo?” she questioned with one word.

  “I, umm…we…” How could he explain what had just happened? Prue had no idea about Danielle’s past. All his friend would see was he and his mate curled up naked on the floor with a lingering scent of sex, overwhelmed by panic and fear. He peered down at Danielle to see her staring back at him.

  “What the fuck?” Prue hissed out.

  Leo followed her eyesight down toward Danielle’s naked back. She must have spotted the scars.

  “We have to tell her, Leo,” Danielle whispered.

  “Tell me what?” Prue asked, raising her gaze back up to Leo.

  “Go put the kettle on. We’ll be there in a moment,” Leo said a little too harshly.

  With a scowl, Prue withdrew her head from the bathroom and disappeared.

  “Are you sure about this, sweetheart?” Leo asked his mate.

  “We have to. I’m sorry to have caused so much trouble,” Danielle said, getting to her feet.

  Leo was on his own feet in a flash, angry that his mate should ever have to apologize for her past. Placing a finger underneath her chin, he raised her face so her eyes met his.

  “Don’t ever say sorry for feeling the way
you do because of your past. I am so fucking proud of you, for surviving, for not giving up. It would have been easy for you to just curl up in a ball and forget the world, like you said you wanted to do so many times. You’re here. You’re alive and have a son and mate who love you. Plus, a sassy, young girl of eight who has also fallen in love with you,” he said, adding Gracie into the equation. It was true; his ward had fallen head over heels in love with Danielle, as he had done.

  “But if—”

  “No!” Leo all but shouted. He couldn’t hide the anger he felt. There were no ifs. If he did something to bring the memory of her past back so strongly to cause her panic and distress, she shouldn’t have to say she was sorry—he should be the one saying it. Calming himself, he cupped Danielle’s face. “There are no ifs, love. Ifs only make you wonder what it could or would be like. Have you ever what if’d your son away?”

  Danielle frowned and shook her head. “He was the one thing that gave me life again...before you at least.”

  Leo’s heart soared at her words. She’d added him at the end. “Good.” He grinned. “That year has, and will, make some impact on your life. It will raise its ugly head every so often, but when it does, I, Ollie, Gracie, and Prue will be right beside you to help you forget.”

  Danielle melted against his body. Stay calm, stay calm, he repeated to himself inside his mind. He had to make his body relax while all the while he wanted to hunt down this Master and pound him to mush.

  Danielle raised her head to look up at him. “We better go talk to Prue.” She sighed, turning away and wrapping a large towel around her body. “I told you on Christmas Eve about Master, why not start the new year by telling my only friend?” she mumbled with a sarcastic tone and reached for the door.

  She looked so dejected Leo couldn’t handle seeing her like that. He quickly snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. Kissing her neck, he could scent the lingering aroma of panic from her, and he didn’t like it.

  “You don’t have to tell her tonight.”

  “Yes, I do. She has to know.” Danielle blew out a breath. “Just in case…” she added.

  “Just in case what?”

  “In case one day he does find me.”

  “If he ever does, I will be here to protect you.” He would too. He’d kill this male to make sure Danielle was forever safe.

  “If he does, Prue needs to know. Not only so she can protect herself, but also because of the children.”

  Leo sighed, knowing she was right. “I love you, Danielle Knight, always remember that.” He nibbled her earlobe affectionately.

  She turned once again in his arms. “I briefly thought about running because I didn’t want to hurt you anymore.”

  Leo’s heart missed a few beats at the horrifying thought.

  “But to lose you, to walk away from you?” She shook her head. “I couldn’t do it. I love you, Leo.”

  He lowered his head once more and took her lips. A knock at the bathroom door had them breaking apart.

  “Waiting,” Prue whispered through the gap.

  Danielle turned, opened the door, and walked out of the bathroom. Leo followed after turning the shower off.

  Chapter 12

  A week later

  Danielle paced the master bedroom. She was frustrated. Sexually frustrated. Leo hadn’t touched her since New Year’s night, since her panic attack. Since the night they both told Prue about Danielle’s past. The tutor had listened and asked questions with a calm attitude. But Danielle saw straight through that to the woman’s gritted teeth and bunched muscles.

  After the trio had finished chatting, Prue had disappeared for nearly two hours in her gorilla shift. Danielle had heard her creep back into the house while lying awake in a sleeping Leo’s arms; she been too worried about her friend to sleep. As Prue passed the living room they’d exchanged brief glances that said I’m okay. Nothing more had been said since.

  As for herself and Leo, they had kissed, touched, and fondled, but hadn’t actually had sex. Leo always pulled back and found an excuse not to do it. Over the last week, Danielle had thoughts that had gone from maybe he doesn’t like me any more to maybe he doesn’t want me. But seeing his hard-on or feeling it every time he was near discredited them all. In the end Danielle put it down to Leo just being scared to touch her, fearing she might have another panic attack. But she had a plan to put that to rest. Tonight, she aimed to drive her man over the brink and bring him back to her.

  “Dee-Dee,” Gracie called out, panic in her voice as she came running down the hallway to the master bedroom. Dee-Dee had become Gracie’s way of calling her Mum. The little girl opened the door so fast it bashed against the wall with a bang. “Pops is kicking things around in his office. I’m scared. He sounds really angry.”

  “Where are Prue and Ollie?” Danielle asked, kneeling before the eight-year-old.

  “Prue went to the dock to pick the shopping up and Ollie went with her, remember?”

  “Oops, I forgot.” Danielle smiled at the young girl.

  She’d been so lost in her thoughts and plans for tonight, she had forgotten. Danielle had been surprised when Ollie had offered to go with Prue to collect some of the monthly shopping. He always thought the task was boring, but then he did love the snow. She was also amused when he climbed on his tractor and trailer. He loved that bloody ride-on, especially in the snow. Shopping days were no longer a chore for him. Gracie, however, hadn’t wanted to go and chose to stay inside in front of the fire with her dolls.

  “Come on then.” Danielle stood. “Let’s go see what Pops is angry about.”

  Five minutes later, after making sure Gracie was okay back in front of the fire, Danielle stood outside Leo’s office door. If he’d been kicking things around before, he no longer was. It was silent. Raising a hand, she started to knock, but before she was able to, the door opened and Leo stood in front of her. He had his coat and boots, looking ready to head outside.

  “Umm, Gracie said you were upset,” Danielle said in a questioning tone.

  Leo growled before moving aside and holding a hand out, silently inviting her into his office. With a frown, Danielle walked past Leo. The mess inside told her that Leo had been kicking the shit out of everything he could. It was a mess and a half.

  “It would seem Gracie was right,” she said, looking around.

  “That stupid arsed…fucking…twat of a lawyer,” Leo cursed through gritted teeth.

  Danielle calmly picked up a cushion, placed it back on Leo’s leather-bound chair, and sat on it, looking at her pissed off mate. It was the first time she’d seen her man really angry. She felt more amused than frightened.

  Leo paced as she’d been doing only a few minutes ago, quietly mumbling curses to himself. After a couple of minutes, he was still doing it.

  “Do you care to share? Or shall I go play dolls with Gracie?” she asked sassily with a smirk. Why Leo’s bad mood amused her or made her want to wind him up she had no idea. But yet again, she didn’t feel frightened to add that sassy tone to her voice.

  Leo stopped pacing and turned to look at her. The deep frown between his eyebrows and snarl on his face quickly changed in the blink of an eye. He moved so fast that within seconds he was kneeling at her feet, his arms wrapped around her knees and his head laying on her lap.

  It was another few minutes before he spoke. Lifting his head, he stared at her. “I have to go to the city. My lawyer has done something that I have to rectify before…” He sighed and looked down at her lap. “Before he causes some really bad shit for you.”

  “For me?” Danielle asked quietly, fear edging along her skin.

  The brief emotion of defeat crossed through Leo’s eyes before what looked to be fight and determination won out.

  “I will sort it, sweetheart, I promise.” Leo cupped her face, and she had to force herself not to turn her cheek into his care and heat.

  “Tell me, Leo, please. If only to allow me to be ready for a fight
that I think is coming.”

  Something told Danielle that this lawyer of Leo’s had found out her real name, and by doing so, it would possibly allow Master to find her and capture her. Ollie. Danielle’s gaze darted to the office door, searching for her son as if she had x-ray vision. Her skin turned clammy and her heart thrummed so fast she thought it would beat out of her chest. My son. Where’s Ollie? She had to calm down and think. Come on, Danielle, think. He’s with Prue, he’s fine. She swallowed down her fear. Ollie was fine. He was with Prue, and knowing the woman as well as she did, Danielle knew no harm would come to the little boy.

  Danielle stared back down at Leo, who was still kneeling at her feet. He was watching her avidly, his hand that had cupped her face now at his side. “Tell me, Leo. Please,” she begged.

  Leo’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat a couple of times before he blew out a breath and spoke. “My fucktard of a lawyer—and now ex-friend—found out your real name. I have no idea how, but I need to go talk to him in person.”

  Danielle couldn’t help but gasp as yet again fear doused her to her very soul.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you, sweetheart. I’ve told him I’m on my way and he isn’t to say anything to anyone. I promise you that no one but you, me, Prue, and him will ever know. He won’t say anything to anyone, because he won’t risk losing my account.”

  What did she say? Could she run? Leave Leo? And what about her son? He loved Gracie, Leo, and Prue. He finally had some kind of social life, but most of all, he knew what family life could be like. If they left, he would know something was up. Could she put Ollie through years of running? Then a horrifying thought crossed her mind—what if Master found out about Ollie?

  “I won’t let him hurt you or Ollie ever again. Trust me, Danielle,” Leo pleaded.

  Danielle’s fear receded. She felt oddly calm with Leo’s hands rubbing up and down her thigh. He was a gorilla shifter, as well as Prue. She and Ollie were surrounded by protection on an island.

  “He won’t tell anyone?” she asked, her voice a whisper even to her own ears.