by Becca Van
“Come and we will take you to our home,” Cedric reiterated.
She followed. By the time she stepped into the foyer of their home a few minutes later, her arm was burning something fierce. She followed them into a large dining room which was filled with many people. Among them was the petite woman with a small baby bump she had seen standing beside Bradford when she first arrived on Terra-form. The woman rushed over to the men. Keeley turned away as they kissed and then turned back when she felt a hand on her other arm.
“Hi, I’m Olivia. Are you okay, Keeley?”
Keeley nodded and looked away when tears pricked her eyes.
“Let me take you to our healers. Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“No.” She wanted to talk about anything except that. “I saw you before,” Keeley said as she and Olivia left the dining room. “You were in the forest with…with someone else.”
“So that was you,” Olivia replied. “Bradford swept you away so fast I wasn’t sure.”
Keeley was afraid that Olivia would ask her what happened with Bradford, but she changed the subject. “That’s interesting,” Olivia said thoughtfully. “April was there with one of my mates when I came through to Terra-form. I was there today when the portal opened for you…I’m assuming you’re from Earth.”
“Yes,” Keeley said, puzzled.
“And I’m assuming Bradford is your mate? One of them, at least?”
Keeley’s stomach twisted, but she answered, “Yes.”
“That’s interesting,” Olivia said again. Before she could say anything more, they reached a door. Olivia opened it, and the two women stepped into a small but well-appointed clinic. Two men, who Olivia introduced as clan healers Reese and Ryol, immediately sprang to their feet and attended to the cuts on Keeley’s arm. In a matter of minutes, her wounds were cleaned and bandaged.
“Are you hungry, Keeley?” Olivia asked.
“No, but I am thirsty,” she replied.
“Come on then and we’ll go back to the dining chamber.”
“It’s the other way,” Keeley stated with a smile and Olivia rolled her eyes, but she also smiled back.
“I have a terrible sense of direction, if you hadn’t gathered.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. You seem to get around fine,” Keeley replied.
Olivia laughed and hooked her arm through Keeley’s. “I know we are going to be good friends.”
Keeley hesitated when they were just inside the door to the dining chamber. A tall, handsome man walked up to Olivia, plucked her from her feet, and ravished her mouth. Keeley looked away and gazed around the room, then lowered her eyes when she saw everyone staring at her.
She looked up when Olivia touched her arm. Olivia introduced her to Ben, her third mate. They were soon joined at the head table by April, a stunning blonde woman with a baby in her arms, and her mates, Gate, Saxon, and Ben..
No sooner had Olivia finished the introductions than a commotion in the hallway drew Keeley’s attention. She could hear roaring, snarling, and hissing and wondered what the hell was going on. Gage, Saxon, Ben, and Tony raced from the room, and men left their seats to block all the exits.
She felt the blood drain from her face when she heard Liam’s voice. She jumped from her seat and ran. She tried to push her way through the barrier of men, but they wouldn’t let her. Then she heard Bradford snarl with fury, and she through a gap between bodies, she caught sight of April’s mates restraining him. She ducked her head, bent over, and pushed her way through the crowd. She stood up straight and glared at Gage, Saxon, and Tony.
“Let Bradford go now and call the others off Liam and Lucius,” Keeley commanded.
“They have barged into our home without being invited and they have fought with several of my warriors. Why the hell would I let them go?” Gage asked her.
“Don’t you dare speak to my mate that way. If you do so again I will fucking rip you apart,” Liam snarled.
“She’s your mate?” Gage asked, then roared with laughter.
Keeley had no idea what was so funny, but was pleased when her men were released. Shit. Where did that come from? They’re not my men. Are they?
“You may take your woman and leave. Next time you want to enter my house, wait for an invitation. Just remember the panther clan will always be rulers of Terra-form,” Gage snarled.
“Gage, wait,” April interrupted.
Keeley looked at April when she halted next to her. She listened intently as April whispered in her ear.
“You can stay here if you don’t want to leave with your mates, Keeley. They will not be able to take you from our house as my men will not let them stay. You have a safe haven here if you ever need it. The panthers and lions may not always get along, but you can consider me a friend.”
Keeley nodded to let April know she had heard her. Bradford walked toward her and picked up her injured arm. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled. He roared and then gathered her into his arms. Liam and Lucius moved to her side, and they mirrored Bradford’s actions.
“That fucking she-bitch,” Liam roared. “I will tear her apart.”
“No,” Keeley snapped.
“No!” Lucius snarled. “Why would you protect the one that hurt you?”
“She’s not worth it,” she replied with a shrug. She moved out of Bradford’s hold and stepped back.
“Are you ready to come home with us, Keeley?” Bradford asked.
She was conscious of their audience. The hostility between the lions and the panthers was almost tangible. She still needed to talk to her men, and she wasn’t ready to be claimed. But she wasn’t here to cause problems. And she was so happy to see them. “Of course, my mates,” Keeley said, and she crossed the space to them. Bradford and Lucius each took one of her hands and began to lead her away.
“Don’t forget what I said, Keeley,” April called.
“Thank you. I won’t,” she answered.
She saw the hallway was lined with tall, muscular men, and they glared at her men. She didn’t like the way they hissed and snarled as they walked past, but she kept her mouth shut and her head held high. She didn’t glance left or right. She kept her head straight and hardly dared to breathe until she was outside once more.
Keeley’s mates didn’t speak to her, but Lucius and Bradford didn’t release their hold on her hands either. She looked back and saw Liam staring, then felt his gaze burning a hole between her shoulder blades and tensed up even more. She stumbled over a tree root and gasped when Lucius swept her up into his arms. She closed her eyes and breathed in his masculine scent. Her pussy clenched and gushed, and she opened her eyes when she heard all three of her men growl. Lucius began to run, and she was surprised when she wasn’t jolted in his arms. She looked up at Bradford and then over Lucius’s shoulder to Liam. They were eating her with their eyes.
Chapter Five
Keeley was carried through the house and into the large bedroom. Lucius placed her on her feet and held her steady. When she gave him a nod he released her and stepped back. She heard the door slam closed and looked over at Bradford and Liam. They moved toward her with predatory grace, and she couldn’t stop from taking a step back.
“Do not be afraid of us, Keeley. We would never hurt you,” Liam rumbled out.
“Tell us what that she-bitch Louisa said and did to you,” Lucius stated gently.
She took a breath and related what had happened. She took another step back when she saw fury in all three of the men’s eyes.
“We are not angry with you, Keeley. We are, however, furious with her. She will be dealt with, honey.”
“I told you not to bother,” Keeley said firmly. “And that’s not what we need to talk about.”
She watched them look at each other. Bradford was the one who spoke first. “We shouldn’t have left you the way we did,” he said. Keeley was surprised by the emotion in his voice. “We never wanted anything to harm you.”
“Including Louisa,
“Including those panthers,” Liam added with a growl.
“When you thought we were in danger from the panther Alphas, you pushed through a wall of warriors and demanded they release us,” Bradford said. His words sounded almost awed. “If you did not care for us, you would have not done so. We wish to show you that we care for you, too.”
Keeley didn’t know how to answer that, but Liam prevented her from having to come up with an answer when he touched her shoulder.
“Let us make love to you,” Liam said. “We don’t have to claim you yet—”
“Unless you’ve changed your mind about the claiming?” Lucius suggested hopefully.
Keeley hesitated but shook her head. “I want to know you better first.”
“We understand, honey,” said Liam. “We want to know you, too. We want to know everything about you.”
“Would you like to bathe, baby?” Bradford asked.
“Yes, please,” she replied.
“Come then, honey. Will you let us wash you?” Lucius asked.
Keeley couldn’t have spoken even if she had tried. She didn’t answer but began to remove her clothes. Once she was naked she looked up to see her mates had also stripped. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. They were absolutely magnificent. She had never seen more handsome, sexier men than the ones standing so proudly before her.
“Yes,” she finally answered.
She shrieked and clung to Liam as he scooped her up. He carried her across the room to a door she had noticed before and took in the large, white, pristine bathroom. The walls, floor, and ceiling were stark white. There was a massive shower recess big enough for six people, and off to the other side of the room was a large, black, square tub. Lucius carried her to the shower and stepped behind the half wall. There were six handheld shower heads spaced out around the back wall and sides.
Liam lowered her legs so she could stand and reached behind her to turn the shower on. Keeley expected cold water to rain down over her and was surprised when warm water flowed instead. She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and let the liquid soothe her. She whimpered and opened her eyes when hands began to caress her body.
Liam stared at her as he washed her. Lucius and Bradford entered the shower, and then two more sets of hands ran over her body. Her breasts swelled, and her nipples elongated. Her womb contracted, and her pussy clenched as her juices began to flow once more.
“Do you have any idea how sexy you are, sweetness?” Lucius rasped out.
Keeley shook her head. She knew she wasn’t anything special, but if they wanted to think she was, who was she to deny them? She just couldn’t comprehend why these handsome, sexy men wanted her.
She cried out when Bradford and Liam each pinched a nipple between their thumbs and fingers. Lucius slid his fingers into the slick folds of her pussy, and she sobbed. He flicked a finger over the sensitive nub at the top of her slit. She bucked in response.
“Do you like me touching you, Keeley?” Lucius panted out. She couldn’t believe how turned on he was just from touching her.
“Yes!”
“I want to taste your cream, sweetness. Just stand still and let us pleasure you,” Lucius rasped out.
She kept her eyes locked to his as he kneeled down before her. He moved in closer to her, then his tongue licked up and down between her folds. She cried out when he pushed his finger into her, and she clamped down on him instinctively. Her knees buckled, but Bradford and Liam caught her before she fell. Lucius withdrew his mouth and finger from her, and, all but sobbing with frustration, she reached out for him, but he evaded her hands.
Liam turned off the shower and swept her up into his arms. She clung to his shoulders, her nails digging into his muscles with her desperate need. He carried her from the bathing room and into the bedchamber. He placed her in the center of the massive bed, heedless to the fact they were both dripping wet. He settled beside her, turned his head toward hers, and ravished her mouth.
Liam kissed her as if there were no tomorrow. He thrust his tongue into her depths and slid it along hers. By the time he pulled back from her they were both breathing heavily.
Keeley jerked when her legs were parted. She needed their touch so badly that her muscles were tense. She felt as if she were in danger of snapping in half. She cried out when a hot tongue licked the length of her pussy again. Her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow unstoppably. Lucius growled, and then her whole body bowed up until only her head, shoulders and feet were left on the bed. Lucius had pushed the entire length of his finger into her cunt while he was laving over her clit with that talented tongue of his.
She screamed as her body exploded, her pussy clamping and releasing. Liquid flowed out of her, and two more pairs of hands clasped her torso and hips as the most rapturous waves of pleasurable sensation consumed her. She had stars before her eyes, even though her eyelids were closed! Her body flopped into laxness, and even though she was prepared to land on the soft mattress with a bounce or whoosh, it didn’t happen. The hands holding her steady lowered her body back to the bed gently.
Keeley opened her eyes and saw Liam, Bradford, and Lucius looking at her with eyes that changed color rapidly from their natural shade to opaque, glowing gold. She wasn’t sure what to make of that, and if she’d had the energy she would have moved away. They must have seen her alarm because Bradford took her face between his massive hands and looked at her with concern.
“You are so beautiful when you are being pleasured,” he said. “We would stay and continue, but—”
She might have jumped right off the bed and bolted outside, except that she remembered she was naked. Then she saw two great lions bearing down on her, their eyes glowing as they pinned her with their stares. She scrambled to the center of the bed, but Bradford’s deep voice stopped her. It was more gravelly than normal, and she could hear the desperation in it.
“We must let our beasts run free,” he told her. “It has been so hard not to claim you. Our beasts call for it.”
She didn’t answer. She couldn’t at that moment. She kept her eyes on the two lions as they sniffed at her skin. She whimpered and closed her eyes. They won’t hurt me. She believed them when they told her that, but it didn’t keep the situation from feeling totally surreal.
She shivered and opened her eyes to stare at the two massive lions. Their heads were level with her breasts when they stood at full height. They were magnificent, and when their beautiful eyes met hers, she shivered again.
Then they both turned away from her and leaped out through the open doors. Bradford had opened the doors while Keeley sat entranced by Liam and Lucius. Now she looked to him in time to see Bradford’s eyes were still changing from brown to gold and she stepped backward, away from him as he walked to her. With each step, a little of the man disappeared and a little of the bear came out in its place. Even in his shifted form, he was massive. He stood before her, his dark nose sniffing at her. With a shaking hand, she touched his muzzle. Bradford closed his eyes in apparent pleasure, and then he walked out the glass doors without glancing back.
Alone in the room, Keeley shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t know what to think or feel. Her men were so powerful in their shifted form, so kind and loving in their human form. She was awed by them, and she thought she might even have feelings for them, but she didn’t know them. It was wrong for all of them for her to “marry” them before she did.
After showering again, she wrapped herself in a large towel and crawled into bed. The sounds were foreign to her and sounded loud to her ears. She curled up into a ball, praying that sleep would come quickly and that her men would be beside her when she woke.
* * * *
Keeley heard a noise from across the room and knew someone had entered through the door. She huddled under the covers on the bed and stayed perfectly still. If it was her mates, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted them to know she was awake. Would they sleep in the same bed as her? She realized she wanted them to.
She heard the door slam closed. The covers were ripped away from her. Keeley gasped, then shrieked with fright. The woman who had confronted her earlier in the day standing before her. The blonde had her hands on her hips, and her glaring eyes were a glowing gold color.
“Get up, bitch. You don’t belong here. No one wants you here,” the female yelled.
Keeley went to move away from her, but the woman clamped her hand over the bandage covering her healing wounds. She bit her tongue so she wouldn’t cry out with pain. She wasn’t about to give the bitch the satisfaction of knowing she had hurt her. Even if it earned her more pain, she’d had enough of this woman and her jealousy. Keeley twisted her arm and pushed down, breaking the hold the woman had on her.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Keeley yelled and inwardly cringed at her profanity. She got to her feet successfully this time and backed away.
“I am going to be the woman the two Alphas share and you are not going to be around to stop me,” the bitch snarled.
Keeley raised her arms as the woman leapt toward her. She cried out when her claws slashed down her arms and into her stomach. White-hot, burning pain spread down her arms, and searing agony emanated through her whole torso. Keeley sank to her knees, her legs no longer able to hold her up. She had never felt such excruciating pain, and she drew her knees up into her body and wrapped her arms around her knees.
She moaned and felt the sticky wetness of her own blood covering her skin and clothes. Lifting her head, she looked to the woman. Keeley braced herself for a new attack, but the woman was staring at her with horror. Then she spun on her heels and ran from the room.
Keeley could feel her consciousness waning and knew she was dying. She whimpered as another wave of pain coursed throughout her body, and even though her eyes were open, she couldn’t see anything. Her eyesight was fading, the pain now was receding, and blessed numbness and cold seeped over her. She sank down into the darkness and pain-free world with a sigh.
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