Chapter 26
26
Selena
I sat in the plush sitting area, nestled between Kaede and Zirene. Their presence was overwhelming, their sheer power and energy surrounding me—an aura of protection that felt like a tangible shield.
While all my clanmates offered comfort and safety, there was something uniquely intense about being with the fathers of my children. Their dangerous allure, their strength, it was all-consuming—and I knew no one in their right mind would dare test their limits.
Except for Zyxel, perhaps. That male was desperate to spend as much time with me. He was almost as bad as Kaede.
Z’fir and V’dim roamed the room, admiring the elegant decorations with keen interest, then checked out the balcony and luxury bathroom.
Kaede leaned in closer, his voice a soft rumble in my ear. “I have something for you.”
Curiosity piqued, I watched as he lifted a hand. A drone materialized above it, holding a small black metallic box. Kaede grabbed the box, and the drone disappeared as swiftly as it had come. He opened the box, revealing a small black disk with a purple Oetsae encased in the center on proud display.
My eyes widened in surprise. I glanced at Kaede’s living suit disk, noticing the raised section in the middle, which I now realized covered his own Oetsae.
Zirene raised an eyebrow. “Is that what I think it is?”
Kaede nodded. “Yes.” He twisted the disk in his hand as he held my gaze, his grin widening. “This is your very own living suit disk. You can use the dreamdomes to design outfits and upload them onto it, to switch between whenever you feel like it.”
I shook my head, feeling overwhelmed. “You can’t give me this gift, it’s too much…”
Kaede deactivated his visor and glared at me, his eyes intense. “There can never be too much for you.”
Kaede twisted in his seat, his intense gaze shifting toward my nestmates, who hovered behind the couch. “Help her undress so I can put it on,” he commanded with a confident smirk.
With a seductive grace, Z’fir and V’dim approached, their movements fluid and precise. Their gazes locked onto me as they gently removed my elaborate purple dress with care and precision, their touch sending tingles of pleasure throughout my body. I let out a soft moan as Z’fir’s lips trailed kisses down my neck while V’dim’s hands roamed over my exposed skin.
As my dress fell to the ground, I stood before them in only my delicate lace lingerie. Zirene’s eyes darkened with desire as he took in the sight of me, while Kaede’s gaze was filled with admiration.
Their hands roamed over my body, exploring every curve and dip.
Z’fir leaned in to capture my lips in a passionate kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth. Meanwhile, V’dim trailed kisses along my shoulder and exposed neck, nipping at the marks left by my mates along the way.
Every touch sent electric shocks through me as I writhed and moaned under their ministrations.
Suddenly, they stopped and stepped back to admire their handiwork.
My heart raced as I felt four pairs of eyes roam over my bare skin, tracing every curve and contour. I instinctively covered my stomach with my hands, feeling an intense wave of vulnerability wash over me.
“Do you think I’m starting to show?” I asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
Kaede grabbed my hands and pulled me close, placing his own hands over mine and kissing my stomach, making me feel like the most precious thing in the universe. “You are. You’re glowing.”
V’dim smiled warmly. “You are always glowing.”
Z’fir nodded in agreement. “Finally you appear happier and more relaxed.”
“It’s because she’s been reunited with her cubs,” Zirene purred, his amethyst gaze drinking me in.
“It’s true.” I sighed, gazing at the door to our room, wondering what was taking our cubs so long. “The only way this could be any better is if my Favored were here.”
“But they are.” Kaede waved his hand, revealing two drones. He swiftly plucked them from the air and placed them on the center table, pressing a lone purple button on top of each.
Suddenly, the drones came alive, projecting a 3D image—one of Xylo and Odelm.
They peered at me in wonder, surprised to see me.
“Is this real?”
“It is,” Kaede replied softly.
I raised a hand to each of their projections, and they mirrored my gesture, covering my hands with theirs. “I already miss you both dearly.”
“It hasn’t even been a day, Selena,” Xylo teased.
Odelm shot his bondbrother a glare before turning back to me. “We miss and love you too, and we can’t wait for the clan and cubs to return.”
“This is my gift to both you and your Favored,” Kaede announced, gesturing to the drones sitting on the table. “Each has a vidtablet to control these two drones, so they can watch over you at all times.”
Zirene let out a bark of booming laughter. “Now they can do what Kaede does all the time.”
“We appreciate the gift, Kaede, but we won’t abuse it,” Xylo nodded toward my lethal assassin. “We’ll allow Selena her privacy whenever she needs it.”
“Even though she tries to cover her bonds with everyone during intense emotional moments, she can’t always maintain the shield. Her pleasure always leaks through,” Odelm explained, shooting me an apologetic look. “But we’ll do our best not to intrude on moments you want to keep private.”
I opened my mouth to disagree, but Xylo cut me off. “Stop worrying. We are fine, and just happy to be able to experience the Harvest Festival like this.”
“It was the right move for them to remain behind,” V’dim added. “This climate is harsh. Even Z’fir and I will need to remain inside sometimes so we don’t get badly dehydrated.”
Furrowing my brow, I leaned toward the Circuli princes. “Please don’t exhaust yourselves trying to match our pace. The last thing I want is to have to nurse all of you back to health.”
“Maybe I want to be nursed back to health by you,” Z’fir teased, dragging a vine along my back.
My breath caught in my throat as I instinctively shivered. Zirene’s laughter echoed in the room.
“It’s gift time for Selena,” Kaede announced, scanning the others in the room. “Let’s show her what we got.”
I raised an eyebrow, glancing at all my clanmates, seeking answers. “We?”
Kaede chuckled deeply and placed a metallic box on the table, grabbing a black bag from inside. “I’ve been working on new creations. Some large like my sister’s ShadowClaw , and some small like these.” He held my gaze as he opened the bag and pulled out two elegant bracelets, each a string of black metallic cases holding colorful Oetsae, similar in design to the glowing night lamps in my villa’s backyard.
Kaede carefully placed one bracelet on each of my wrists. “These will absorb energy from the sun and stars, giving Euouae access to a store of power during emergencies.”
Tears welled up as I stared at them, touched and humbled that Kaede had turned an idea mentioned while my Favored were gravely injured into reality. Looking closer at the bracelets, I noticed each frame holding an orb was different—either tentacles representing my Ulax mates, vines representing my Wudox mates, horns for Kaede, and claws for Zirene.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, I gasped and pulled Kaede toward me.
Our lips met in a slow, gentle kiss, the warmth of his breath mingling with mine.
Closing my eyes, I sent all my appreciation and love for him through our fledgling mental thread. His hands cupped my face gently as he responded with equal fervor.
As our kiss deepened, he pulled me closer, his touch both tender and possessive. In that moment, I knew I was cherished and protected. This lethal male, capable of creating something so beautiful and touching for protection rather than destruction, had a piece of my heart in his hands.
Pulling away, I looked into his eyes, my voice soft. “Thank you, Kaede. This means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
“Just wait until I can show you how your living suit works.” Kaede reverently placed the disk in the middle of my chest, just below the bottom of my scar. His expression was serious, his movements gentle as he pressed the purple Oetsae in the center. “Elegant short romper, Beacon coloring.”
It glowed faintly, and suddenly, the black disk melted over my body, transforming into a dark-purple romper. It had a low V-cut top with no sleeves and shorts that barely covered my ass. The elegant black trim and fine-threaded silver stripes were reminiscent of the Darcaw family’s markings.
Kaede stood and took my hand, twirling me in place. “How do you feel?”
I marveled at the softness and lightness of the material. “It feels amazing,” I said, glancing at my clanmates. “How do I look?”
Zirene growled possessively, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me onto his lap. He buried his head in the crook of my neck, licking his mark on my skin. “You look like an Aldawi, and yet still like your unique self,” he murmured against my skin, his voice a low rumble of approval.
The cubs burst into the room, their excitement palpable, their eyes wide, each carrying something wrapped in a black bag of varying size.
“Mother!” they cried in unison, their voices filling the room with a joyful energy that made my heart swell.
“Brothers! Look!” Meti exclaimed, her tail flicking eagerly as she pointed to the center table.
Nocrez and Neazzos paused when they saw the 3D projections of Xylo and Odelm. “Clanfather Xylo! Clanfather Odelm!” Nocrez exclaimed, rushing forward. Neazzos followed suit, waving energetically.
“Hey there, you three!” Xylo’s voice echoed warmly from the projection, his image beaming at the cubs.
“We missed you!” Odelm flashed them a bright smile. “Keeping out of trouble?”
I snuggled deeper into Zirene’s embrace, feeling a rush of tiredness course through me. The stress of the day had taken its toll, and the thought of dinner still looming made me long for rest. Zirene’s arms tightened around me protectively, his presence a soothing balm.
Kaede’s voice cut through my thoughts, bringing our attention back to the cubs. “What do you have there?” he asked, eyeing the bags in their hands.
One by one, they stepped forward, presenting me with their gifts. Nocrez was the first. He handed me a bag with a proud grin. “I had this made for you, Mom.” I carefully unwrapped the bag to reveal a black bonnet with silver and purple stripe details. “It’s to protect your hair from the elements.”
Next was Neazzos, who handed me a slightly larger bag. Inside, I found a pair of silver slippers adorned with black and purple beading. “These are to protect your feet from the hot sand,” he explained earnestly, his tail swaying happily.
Finally, Meti stepped up, presenting her bag with a flourish. I unwrapped it to discover a sheer silver hooded robe accented with royal-purple trim and delicate black stripes. “To protect your skin from the elements, and so you can look regal, like a Beacon should,” she said with a shy smile.
Tears welled up in my eyes. “Did you make these?” I asked, my voice thick with emotion.
They nodded eagerly. “We designed them with Aunt Masmi’s help,” Meti explained, lifting hers up closer for me to see.
Tears streamed down my face, and I embraced them tightly. Through sobs, I expressed my gratitude for their incredibly thoughtful gifts. “These mean so much to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I wish I had something to give you in return,” I admitted, a pang of guilt hitting me.
Kaede stepped forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Actually, you do. You must have forgotten.”
He gave me a conspiratorial wink, making me frown in confusion. I sent him a puzzled look in return.
Grinning, he leaned forward, whispering to the cubs as if sharing a secret. They pulled away from me, their excitement reignited as they rushed to him, eyes wide with anticipation.
Another drone appeared, dropping a black bag into Kaede’s waiting hand before disappearing again. The cubs gasped as Kaede opened the bag to reveal three wristlets, each embedded with a purple Oetsae.
I shot him a concerned look . “What are you doing?”
He returned a sly smirk and a reassuring nod of his head. “Playing my role.”
He lifted each of the bracelets higher to show the others in the room. “I heard you want to become assassins,” Kaede said, his grin widening, his voice filled with amusement.
“Kaede…”
“Trust me.”
“Yes!” they chanted, nodding eagerly, their tails swaying energetically.
Kaede handed the wristlets to them one by one. “These are special assassin bracelets, each equipped with its own AI. They’ll have restricted access now, but as you mature and prove yourselves, we’ll grant you more capabilities.”
Meti extended her paw eagerly. “What can they do right now?”
Kaede fastened the bracelet around her wrist. “You can contact me, any of the Fab Five, and either my ship, Abyss , or B’s ShadowClaw. You can also talk to Xylo and Odelm through their vidtablets.”
Nocrez’s eyes widened. “What else?”
“There has to be more,” Neazzos added, practically bouncing on his feet.
Kaede’s grin turned wild—feral even. “You can track and communicate with each other, making spying a lot easier.”
They cheered, excitement radiating from them, filling the room.
Zirene tightened his hold on me, muttering under his breath, “Oh Stars, what has he done?”