Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Damon took the monitor and stepped outside onto the porch. He set it on the wooden table and took a seat before calling his brother.
Arion picked up on the first ring. “You already get tired of your mate?” he teased.
Damon grunted. “Hardly. She’s napping.”
“I figured. How is she adjusting?”
“It’s a challenge. She thinks I’m babying her because of her visual challenges. It’s hard to get her to understand that all Alpha Protectors treat their mates to the same exact dominance.”
“Well, we don’t all have bumpers on the furniture,” he joked. “Have you consummated the claiming?”
“Not yet. She’s so innocent about our ways. She needs time.”
“But you’re worried about the abilities of her wolf,” Arion stated. He was well aware of Damon’s concerns.
“Yes. Taking care of her human will never be a hardship, but what if her wolf is also visually impaired?” He’d thought about this a million times over the years. They all had. The logistics were complicated. The thought of never being able to take his Little mate out for a run in the woods stressed him, more for her than for himself.
He longed to show her the wonders of the mountains. He longed to run free with her by his side, the wind hitting them in the face as they explored together. It was one of the joys of having a mate.
“You’ll adjust,” Arion stated. “You’ll figure it out because you have no other options. She’s your mate. I know in your heart she is perfect. I’m certain you feel the bond growing by the hour. You will never for a moment find her to be a burden. Her visual impairment only strengthens your desire to take care of her in every way.”
Arion was right. He knew exactly how Damon felt because he’d been in his shoes not so very long ago. Just over a year.
Damon ran a hand through his thick hair as he watched his precious mate sleeping on the monitor.
“If her wolf is unable to see,” his brother continued, “I’m certain her other senses will be heightened to measures we can’t imagine. I bet she will be able to use scent and feel to get around in the woods.”
“That may be, but I’ll be constantly having a heart attack.”
Arion chuckled. “You’ll adjust, too, Damon. All of us feel a certain level of stress the first time we let our mates run free. What if they step on a branch and pierce their skin? What if they misjudge the edge of a ridge and tumble down the side? What if they encounter one of those damn bear shifters who seem intent on terrorizing our pack?”
Damon groaned. “I don’t think you’re helping. Why did I call you?”
Arion laughed again. “Moral support. You don’t want me to sugarcoat it. You need me to empathize. And I do. You can only put off consummating your claiming for so long. Eventually you will not be able to ignore the magnetic pull to be inside her. It’s strong. It will get stronger. Every Alpha is nervous when their Little mate first shifts. We worry because it’s in our nature. After she shifts, you’ll know, and you’ll handle whatever Fate decides to dole out.”
Damon nodded even though his brother couldn’t see him. Arion was right. He would take whatever hand he was dealt and do everything in his power to ensure his mate was healthy and happy. If that meant she couldn’t run through the mountains with him, he would find a way for her to enjoy her wolf form in a safe environment. There were no other options because she was his to protect. His to love. She was perfection.
Movement on the monitor made him stand. “Gotta go. Thanks for the pep talk.” He ended the call without waiting for a response from Arion.
After quickly stepping back into the house, he shut the door and headed for the nursery at a jog. His heart was pounding because he didn’t want her to be scared even for a moment.
He could sense her fear the moment he entered the nursery. “I’m right here, Baby girl.”
She was tangled in the blanket he’d tucked around her, struggling to free her arm. “Stuck.”
He lowered the side of the crib, noticing her pacifier was next to her cheek. “I’ve got you, Little rebel.” He gently tugged the blanket out from around her trapped arm, freeing it.
Her anxiety instantly lowered. She was still breathing heavily, but her stress level decreased. “Sorry…”
“What are you sorry for, Little one?” He rubbed her tummy over the soft blanket.
“I panic sometimes when I’m confused.”
“That’s understandable. You’re in a new home. I’m sure you will wake up confused in your crib sometimes. Eventually you will remember you’re safe.”
“What if you’re not here?”
“Someone will always be here when you are, Baby girl.” He lifted her into his arms, letting the blanket fall away.
When he settled her on his hip so she could be upright, she squirmed, attempting to cover her breasts. “I need clothes.”
“Let’s get you a pretty dress.” He carried her to the closet, opened it, and selected a soft cotton dress. He was aware she had not used her diaper yet, but that was normal. She would.
After sitting her on the changing table, he lifted the dress over her head. “Arms up.”
She quickly obeyed him and released a deep breath as he slid the material down her body. She immediately reached out to touch it, feeling all over. “It’s so small.”
“Yes. The mates of Alpha Protectors do not live such modest lifestyles, Little rebel. You won’t wear clothes that cover every inch of your skin.” He lifted her to settle her on his hip again and carried her out of the room.
She held on to his neck tightly. “This dress has short sleeves.”
“Yes, and it reaches just past your bottom, too.” He demonstrated that fact by patting her diaper. “You’ll feel odd at first, but you’ll get used to being less confined soon. I promise.”
“All the other females wear dresses like this?”
“Yes, especially the newer mates. My mother and other older mates dress more demurely when they leave the house, but I’m certain when she and my father are alone, she still submits to my father in the same way she did when they were first mated.”
“When will I meet your parents?”
“It’s customary for newly mated couples to spend about a month hiding from the world and getting to know each other. They might visit us at some point to say hello. My brother Arion might, too, but there’s no rush. I want you to be more comfortable in your environment before we have guests.”
“How far away do they live?”
“All over the mountain on this side of the valley, Little one. We’re spread out so we can defend and protect the valley. Other Alpha Protectors and their mates live on the other side of the valley.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, her brow furrowed. “Do you walk to their homes?” she asked softly.
He’d reached the kitchen, and he set her bottom on the island before he pinned her in with both hands so she couldn’t fall. He needed to retrieve her glasses from the pocket of her dress so she could use them to see his expressions up close for as long as her vision allowed.
For now, he lifted her hands to his face so she could “see” him with her fingers. “We usually shift when we travel around the mountain. It’s faster.”
She swallowed hard. “What if I can’t?” Panic wafted from her.
“Shift? You’ll be able to shift, Little rebel. I’m certain of it.” He knew that was not what she’d meant, but he needed a moment to come up with an answer to her real question.
“No, Daddy,” she said in a sassy tone that made him smile. “What if I can’t see? How will I travel?”
“I don’t know yet,” he answered honestly. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it. It’s possible your other senses will be so heightened that you’ll be able to run free without difficulty.”
He hated that thought. It would scare him to death, but it was true.
“That sounds scary.”
No shit . It sounded like it would give him a heart attack. “There’s always the option of me carrying you like I did to get here.” He tapped her nose. “Don’t you fret over something we don’t know yet, okay?”
“What will I do when you have to leave the house, Daddy? I’m always going to be a burden to you. I’m difficult.”
“Olivia,” he warned, “what did I say about referring to yourself as a burden?”
She pouted, her bottom lip pushing out. She also crossed her arms and hmphed. “It’s true.”
“It’s not true, and just so you know, no Alpha Protector leaves his mate unattended. We never leave our mates home alone, not even the sighted ones.”
Her pretty green eyes widened. “You don’t?”
“Nope. It’s part of our overbearing DNA,” he teased.
“Where will I go?”
“When several of us have to parole the area, we leave our mates together in one home. You’ll be able to socialize and play with other Little girls while Daddy is working.”
Her brow furrowed again as she thought about his words, but then she gave a small smile. “I hope I like them.”
“You’ll love them. You already know my brother’s mate, Jezebel, and his best friend Brock’s mate, Suzette, right?”
“Sort of. We were a year apart, so I don’t know them really, especially since I couldn’t see them.”
“You’ll get to know them, and the three of you will be thick as thieves in no time. You three are the most recent mates to join the Alpha Protectors. The next Little wolf who will join us will be Elias’s mate. He’s Brock’s brother.”
“I can’t keep everyone straight. Tell me again.”
“Arion is my brother. His mate is Jezebel. His best friend is Brock. His mate is Suzette. Brock’s younger brother is close to my age, thirty-five. His name is Elias.”
“Who is his mate? Do I know her?”
Damon chuckled. “I wouldn’t tell you that if I knew, Little rebel. You’ll have to wait and see.”
“When will he claim her?” Olivia asked.
“If I told you that, you would use your super deduction skills to figure out which of your classmates was almost of age. Besides, there are Alpha Protectors from other parts of the surrounding mountains waiting for their mates to come of age, too. Anyone you know who is marked might not be destined for this section of the mountain.” He kissed her nose and then forced her mind to go in a different direction by rubbing his mark against her arm.
Her breath hitched, and she sat taller. “Daddy… That’s not playing fair.”
He chuckled. “I will never play fair, Baby girl.” He pinned her with his hands on either side of her hips again. “Are you hungry, Baby girl?”
She set her fingers on his face and moved them around. “Hmm. Maybe. Let me see you again first. Where are my glasses?”
“I’ll go find them.” He scooped her off the counter. “There’s one more part of the house you haven’t learned about yet.” He carried her toward the corner of the living room.
“What is it, Daddy?”
“It’s a playpen.”
Her cute nose scrunched up. “A playpen? Those are for babies.”
“And who is my Baby girl?” he teased.
She sighed. “Why do I need a playpen?”
He reached the edge and leaned over to set her on her bottom. “It will keep you safe when I’m in the shower or on the phone or cooking. When you’re in here, you do not have permission to stand, just like your crib. No climbing over the side. It’s meant to keep you from getting hurt.”
She glared at him with blank eyes.
“Before you have a tantrum, naughty girl, let me tell you that every Daddy on the mountain has a playpen. Now, I’m going to go find your glasses, and then I’m going to make us something to eat. You may explore the playpen while I do that.”
She crossed her arms and hmphed again. It was going to be difficult to discipline her if she kept looking so cute when she was defiant. He wanted to laugh. Thank goodness she couldn’t see his face. Hopefully she assumed it was stern.
He left her there and headed for the nursery where he quickly located her glasses before returning. His disgruntled Little girl hadn’t moved an inch. She was still sitting with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
Damon had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. He leaned over and set her glasses on her lap. “Here are your glasses.”
“You can’t keep me in here, you know,” she argued.
“Sure I can.”
“I’m a grown woman. I can just step over the side.”
“You can try that, but I’m a much larger grown man who happens to be your Dominant Daddy, and I won’t hesitate to take you over my knees and spank your naughty bottom every time you defy my rules until you decide it would be better to obey them.”
“I don’t like your rules, Daddy ,” she said sarcastically.
“You haven’t even heard most of them, Little rebel. You’re in for a shock.”
She gasped. “Meanie.”
“I prefer doting, kind, loving Daddy, but we can go with meanie if it keeps you safe.” Sparring with her was fun. He didn’t mind this a bit. His cock was hard from watching her sassy self.
She grabbed her glasses and slipped them onto her face. “Are you laughing at me?”
Shit . “Maybe.”
She jumped to her feet so fast, he didn’t know what her intentions were until she had a hold of his T-shirt and was pulling him down so his face was inches from hers. She searched his eyes. “You are laughing at me.”
“I couldn’t help it, Little rebel. You’re just so dang cute. You’re also standing, and I told you that was a hard rule.” He reached down, swept her into his arms, and carried her to the couch.
“What are you doing?” she cried out, shoving at him.
“Spanking your naughty bottom.” He easily flipped her over his lap as he sat, pinned her with a hand to the small of her back, and pulled the tabs on her diaper so fast that her bottom was exposed in seconds.
“Daddy!”
“I think you were testing me. I think you’re curious about what it will feel like to get your bottom spanked.” He rubbed her pretty cheeks.
She fought him with all her strength, twisting and squirming in an effort to get off his lap. “You can’t spank me. I don’t like this.”
He continued to hold her, but like she said, he didn’t play fair, so he flattened his wrist against her bottom. The moment his mark came in contact with her skin, she stopped moving. Her breath hitched. Her entire body stiffened. And, mercy, but her pheromones filled the room.
He knew if he touched her pussy, he would find it soaked. He wouldn’t give her that right now, though. She needed to find out what it meant to be spanked. She craved it even if she wouldn’t admit it out loud.
“Let me know when you’re ready to cooperate and accept your punishment, Little rebel.”
She whimpered. “Meanie.”
“Do you have any idea how much I adore you, Baby girl?”
She didn’t respond except to squirm again. This time she had much less force behind her efforts. He was still stroking her soft flesh with his mark.
“You’re my world. My life. I’ve waited thirty-five years for you. Twenty of those were even more agonizing because you were alive. When an Alpha Protector first learns his mate has been born, it brings us to our knees. I was fifteen. I was so grateful to the universe that I only had to wait twenty more years. I will never let anything happen to you, and that’s why I’m overprotective, Little rebel. You’ll obey me because you’ll learn to crave my dominance. You’ll submit to me because you’ll learn to love the rewards. When I spank your naughty bottom to teach you a lesson, your pussy will pulse with need. I won’t let you orgasm, though. You will not be permitted to come when you’re being punished. Do you understand?”
She was sniffling now. “Yes, Sir,” she whispered.
“Are you ready to accept your discipline?”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”