Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Fawn
I decide to do as Seven suggested and explore the suite. Seven’s room adjoins the main lounge, as does the one where Nox and Eiden live, although I have not ventured there yet.
My wandering takes me through a series of interconnected rooms, each with an expansive balcony on the left. One looks much like a study, with a stately-looking desk. The next is a library, which even has a few story books. On the other side, opposite the rooms with balconies, are yet more rooms, mostly empty, many of which have private bathing rooms and are clearly intended as bedrooms.
I’m almost back in the main lounge when I enter a room and find it darkened. Frowning, I draw the door wider to see better what is here.
My heart rate speeds up, and the little hairs at the back of my neck stand to attention.
A small space… it feels intimate… like it would be perfect for a nest.
There is a handle at the side of the door. Curious, I turn it. A whooshing sounds above.
I start and look up to find a giant blind opening a crack. A few more winds and I see it is shielding a dome-shaped skylight.
I stop with it open a small way, allowing lights to splash down onto a corner of the room.
A grin spreads across my face.
The walls are covered in floral murals that make me feel like I have stepped inside a picture book. The floor is covered in a deep, plush carpet that feels soft underfoot.
Opposite is a row of closet doors, almost indecipherable as they form part of the larger mural.
On the right is an open archway, through which I can spy a bathing room.
On the left, taking up most of the room is a sunken square area with a thick protective covering. When I draw it aside, I find a huge, decadently soft mattress beneath.
Oh, this is lovely.
I step onto it, feeling myself sink, a giggle bubbling up.
This shall be my nest.
On opening the closet doors, I find shelves stacked with luxurious nesting materials in every color of the rainbow. A small note is pinned to the middle shelf.
Dearest Fawn,
We took the liberty of sourcing some things you might like for your nest. Hopefully, you will find something that suits your taste.
Estelle and Persa
PS. We have the key to the stores if you want more or different. Say the word, and we shall take you xxx
I tuck the note in the side, and begin pulling out a selection of soft blankets and pillows.
They are so pretty and soft… and there are so many. How could I possibly not love them? How could I need more?
I toss the heavy protector out the door and set about making a nest. When I finish and step back to admire my work, it looks like an explosion of color.
This is mine.
Everything has happened in a rush. It is still hard to assimilate that this is now my home. I wonder what my mama and papa think as they look down from above.
I wonder if Petunia has sent a letter to Luna… whether she has finally decided to travel and visit her children and grandchildren in the faraway lands on the other side of the Lumen Sea.
Later, I shall ask Seven about writing a letter to Luna myself. Maybe one day she will even come to visit… or maybe I will visit her.
I’m excited. A familiar tingle under the surface of my skin as all the joy I feel threatens to bubble out. My mind turns backward to my fifth birthday when I should have been playing in my nest, but I got excited and shifted.
It was the first time I met Seven.
It was the catalyst for many changes.
I bite my lip and glance back at the open door. My excitement is thrumming under my skin. I’m not five anymore but grown up. I could shift for a little while. No one will know. I can be quick about it, have a little play, and change back. Technically, he said I should not shift and play in the garden, and this is not even the garden but the home… and shifting is such a joy.
The air whooshes in my ears. When I glance down, I see my dress lying among the cushions and blankets of my nest.
Oops.
My hooves dance on the spongy nest. Oh, I like this. I bound all over the nest, setting the pillows bouncing and tumbling.
Distantly, I realize I should not have my hooves on the blanket, but this is so much fun.
Blue appears in the open doorway, curious about the noise. I lower my front hooves and head in a play bow before chasing him out of my nest. He yips and darts out of the way, ready for a game.
The stone floors of the main rooms are highly polished and a little slippery under my hooves, which makes it extra exciting as I chase Blue around the furniture. A butterfly flutters through the open balcony door. I give chase. It flutters over the occasional table. I skip after it. Something crashes.
Oops!
The butterfly moves on, and I give chase—the rug slides under my hooves, and I skid into the grand piano. A vase tipples off the top and crashes.
Double oops!
Blue woofs.
I play bow, encouraging him to chase.
We run around the apartment until I grow tired when I go to my nest and ward him away. Hounds are not allowed in here. With his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, he flops down on the floor outside for a nap.
Satisfied that he respects the privacy of my sacred nest, I trot into all the way to the deepest, softest center, where I turn a full circle and settle down to a contented nap.
Wolf
Today, I join Nox and Eiden on their patrol. It feels good to take my wolf form and get the lie of the lands surrounding the stag city. My wolf is a pack creature, and he misses the sense of purpose we had as the enforcer.
Running with stags is odd, though. There are similarities but also differences in the way they move, and despite all they would have you believe, they are not the predatory pinnacle that is a wolf.
Being unable to communicate in beast form is frustrating, although Seven’s scholar indicated yesterday that this will change once we bond during Fawn’s first season.
I hope so.
This is my home now. I will always be an outsider who smells and acts differently. For Fawn and my own sake, I want to find a way to make this work.
It is not easy to share a woman. Any man who says it is, is lying to himself or others. Fawn and I are new to one another—which is my fault for not acting sooner—and I want my time with her.
But Seven also needs his time, as will Eiden and Nox… I cannot think about the brooding fucker toying with her at the table and remain civil, so I cut that thought off.
The patrol is incident-free, and we return to the city, donning our clothes in the barracks.
“Seven asked us to meet him in the Constable's office,” Nox informs me.
I have met the constable previously, and I was surprised to find a human alpha living in the city and taking such a prominent role. When we arrive today, Ambrose is seated behind his desk, with Seven and Eiden sitting opposite.
“Have a seat,” Seven says, making a simple request sound like a royal command.
I contemplate standing for no reason other than to be annoying, which isn’t me. I catch Nox smirking at my slight hesitation.
Nox doesn’t speak much—he does a lot of brooding. He also showed his card this morning, and although he hasn’t fucked Fawn yet, I can tell he’s obsessed as the rest of us are.
“What?” Seven says, looking between Nox and me.
“You were doing that thing again,” Nox says, drawing a seat up to my right. Eiden sits to his right, Seven to his right, forming a semi-circle around the front of the constable’s desk.
“What thing?” Seven asks, brows pulling together.
“The polite courtesy thing that comes across more like an order that carries the pain of death should the subject not comply,” Eiden offers.
I’ve got Eiden pinned down. It’s not hard when he wears his heart on his sleeve. Despite his shifted stag being the biggest motherfucker I’ve ever seen and his human form being likewise huge, he is sweet and eager to please and further hates any conflict.
“I don’t do that,” Seven says, sounding deeply affronted.
“You, ah, do that,” Ambrose says, scratching absently at his jaw. “You are the Master Stag.”
“We’ve left the brat alone for a long time,” Nox says bluntly, making an abrupt subject change. “She has a bigger nose for trouble than Eiden when he’s in one of his unruly moods. Can we skip to the details of why we are here?”
“I’m right here,” Eiden mutters.
“Was she alright when you left her?” I ask Seven, feeling instantly anxious. Nox has her measure. Her propensity to find trouble anywhere is nothing short of legendary. “Did she look like she might be plotting something?”
“She was fine,” Seven says.
Fine?! “What the fuck does that mean?” Did he even pleasure her? Seven is… Well, he’s Seven, and although last night was wild, he can also be a little aloof to the point of cold. That won’t do for Fawn. She needs love, affection, and cuddles. She is a cuddle kind of girl, for sure. That’s why I put her on his lap.
“I fucked her over the table,” Seven says. “I admit I had doubts when I first considered it, but I’m warming to the rustic appeal. She was all soft and sated after. It was a struggle to leave her, truth be told.”
Nox chuckles darkly. “Well and truly cracked.”
Seven fixes him with a haughty glare.
The constable clears his throat. “I believe you were going to offer Jude a job?”
“What job?” I ask, momentarily distracted from all things Fawn.
“Assisting me in my role as constable,” Ambrose says. “I broke my leg last fall, and it hasn’t been right since. To be blunt, I could use some help. The intention is not to throw you in at the deep end. You would shadow me for a while. But I envision you picking up many of the duties regarding the management of the palace guards. We have a good number of mature guards and plenty of young stags with more energy than sense. I believe the role would not be dissimilar to that of a pack enforcer. And it helps if you are impartial.”
“You mean because I’m not a stag?”
He nods. “When I first arrived, my only desire was to be the alpha to my two mates. It’s a complex tale as to how I mated them both, and not without its challenges, for they are the worst kind of pack creatures when they want something.” His smile is rueful. “They both want me to relinquish some of my duties. My knee is fucking agony if I spend too much time on my feet or on a horse. We have grandchildren. And well, a lot of changes all around. As soon as I met you, I recognized your air of authority. But I also saw a lot of me in you—the way it was when I first arrived.” He glances over at Seven. “When I mentioned to Seven that I thought you might be good in the role, he suggested I ask you.”
“Think about it,” Seven says to me.
It’s a lot to take in. But I already know the answer. “I would love to.”
“Excellent,” Seven says. “Now, Eiden, if you would not mind passing a message on to my sister, Estelle, then we shall meet you back at my quarters.”
Eiden rises with a slight frown. I am likewise confused by Seven’s dismissal of him.
He leaves.
The door closes.
Seven passes me a scroll.
I take it, my frown deepening as I read. “This plot has something to do with Eiden?” I surmise.
Nox nods. “His brothers. They are bastards with blood on their minds. His family treated him like an animal, tossing scraps for him to eat off the floor. Encouraged the others in the herd to do the same. He was beaten, abused, and half-starved. Omegas, especially male ones, are not always revered. His stag must have been gentle once, as all omegas are, but their cruelty twisted him up and broke him down—they turned him feral.”
There is no mistaking the deep emotions in Nox’s voice, while his words offer insights into their bond. I read the report again, letting everything sink in. How Eiden’s brothers, men who should be in exile, have been sighted in Wormwood on multiple occasions.
I have been here long enough now to recognize the city has its share of secrets, the biggest of which is Wormwood.
Every pack has its secrets, too. Why did I expect the stags to be any different?
Maybe I was swayed by the grandness I met on arrival, the regimented nature of its soldiers, and the air of sophistication far beyond anything one might find in a wolf pack. Yet all is not quite as rosy as it would seem on the surface. The cover has been lifted and I have peeked inside. While patrols are focused on external threats, there is a component of stealth and surveillance turned internally to a certain district that the citizens remain largely ignorant to courtesy of Ambrose. When the occasional trouble spills out, he moves swiftly to mop it up.
Only this is different, this is a threat to Eiden. And any threat to Eiden is a threat to Fawn. Not that I want either of them hurt. Eiden has a sweet disposition—I see how he is with Fawn. It is hard to imagine anyone being cruel to him. But in my many years as pack enforcer, I have witnessed my share of prejudice and cruelty that can manifest for the most ludicrous of reasons. “They want him. Revenge for their family’s downfall and exile.”
“We believe they do,” Seven says. “His patrol was ambushed just before I left to collect Fawn. His stag turned feral, and the antagonists were slain. They likely didn’t know or didn’t believe he even had a stag—he was mute and unable to shift when he lived with them. They will be better prepared next time. Today was his first patrol since that incident. We sent double the number of stags, which I used your inclusion as an excuse for. He will be suspicious if that pattern continues. For safety, I would rather he does not patrol at all, which will likewise make him suspicious.”
“He doesn’t know?”
“Not yet,” Seven says.
“You need to tell him.”
“I know.”
“Fawn?”
“We have no reason to believe she is in danger. This is personal to Eiden. But as a precaution, neither should shift outside the Royal Woodland until this is resolved.”
Fawn
Distant voices rouse me, and I jump up and flash back to human.
I am naked. My memory skips over everything leading up to me taking a nap… running around with Blue… the broken vase… the rug sliding…
“Fawn!”
That is Wolf.
“Fawn!”
That is Seven
“FAWN!”
That is Wolf’s angry voice.
Panic set in.
Oops, oops, oops!
Their voices fade away. My mind scrambles, trying to think of a good reason for the mess. I come up with none. Maybe it is not that bad…
I need to get dressed. My wild eyes survey the nest, which was so beautiful but now looks like chaos. Where is my dress? Frantically, I start tossing nesting aside, searching for my clothes.
Woof!
“Go away, Blue!” I hiss through the crack in the door.
Woof!
The door swings open.
“She’s fine,” Eiden calls, his eyes sliding from me to the rumpled nest. His lips twitch. “Is that a nest!”
The door swings wider, and Nox steps into the gap. “Fuck yes, it’s a nest.” He folds his arms, radiating both menace and amusement. “Someone has been up to mischief.”
“Why didn’t you answer me,” Wolf demands, scowling as he rushes to the open door. “And why are you naked?”
Finally, Seven arrives. He takes in the state of my nest and glances over his shoulder, surveying the outer room before turning back to me with a raised brow. “Did you shift while we were out, little one?”
His tone is mild, but I am not falling for that.
“No.” I shake my head emphatically, although I’m sure my face is a picture of guilt.
“I never liked that vase,” Eiden says diplomatically.
“It was ugly,” Nox agrees.
“Priceless things usually are,” Seven says with a sigh.
“Blue was feeling playful,” I hedge, grimacing as the words leave my lips.
“It was not Blue,” Wolf says in his stern voice, which I know so well. “The nest is covered in little hoof-shaped indentations. You were told not to shift while alone. You have been very naughty, disobeying Seven and then lying about it. What have you got to say for yourself, young lady?”
“I did not disobey him!”
“Oh?” Wolf says, narrowing his eyes. “Were you confused about what Seven said?”
This is a trick question. I should confess at this point and take my punishment, but I’m also feeling rebellious about their stupid rules about shifting.
“She was not confused,” Seven says. “She was sitting on my lap. I had just fucked her, and my cock was inside her when she looked me in the eyes and made her promise.”
Eiden moans weakly.
“Too much information,” Nox mutters, quirking a brow at Seven
“You said I could not shift in the garden.” I lift my nose in the air, belatedly realizing that I’m standing naked before four men, three of which likely have my punishment on their minds.
Nox chuckles. “The brat is worse than Eiden.”
“There is no need to bring me into this?” Eiden says defensively. “Also, she only wanted to shift and?—”
His words are cut off as Nox closes his fingers over the back of his throat. “Quiet, whelp, lest you join our sweet doe in punishment time. She left quite a trail of destruction and, worse, could have badly hurt herself. There is broken pottery everywhere.”
I swallow thickly.
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, that is a start,” Wolf says. “But I’ve no choice but to punish you, and given the severity, I believe your other mates should bear witness.”
Wolf
“No!” Fawn says, darting for the far side of her nest like she might escape this.
Her defiance is all too reminiscent of the very first time I spanked her bare bottom and when she tossed her pants and panties on the floor.
Not waiting to see what she will do next, I wade into the nest, box her in, and toss her over my shoulder.
“Oh, you beast!”
“Aye,” I agree. “I’m that, for sure.”
“Where do you want to do this?” Seven asks politely, deferring for a change as Fawn beats her small fists against my back and curses me out.
“The lounge,” I say. “She can go over my lap.”
“Not in front of Nox!”
I freeze. Everyone freezes, even Fawn… except Nox, who issues a low, husky chuckle.
Well, that was interesting. I ask myself how I feel about this development, but a few different emotions are slamming around inside me, and it takes a while for them to settle.
Eiden’s eyes are locked on her pussy, which is on display with her over my shoulder.
Fawn twitches, her legs squeezing together, and her aroused scent saturates the air.
Eiden swallows.
I stroke my fingers over the back of her legs. I’m fucking hard, so that answers my question about how I feel. At first, I was unsure about how I would share her. I passed through acceptance and learned how hot it could be with Seven. Today, I find myself at the precipice of something extraordinary, something so intense that there is a danger I might spontaneously combust. “Are you making a little mess, Fawn?”
“Wolf… Please don’t make me say it!”
“Answer my question, Fawn, lest I decide Nox needs to be the one to punish you.”
“Oh, you know I am!”
“Good girl.” I stroke the back of her thigh lightly. She is not beating on my back anymore, so I slide her down into my arms.
She peeks at me under her lashes, and then her eyes widen as they drift past the open floor to the carnage of broken pottery and crumpled rugs. Her cheeks are pink. I don’t think all of that is the rush of blood from being over my shoulder.
I stride through to the lounge, the others following, past yet more destruction, before setting her on her feet before the couch—a patch of floor that has miraculously escaped the decimation—where I take a seat.
Seven, Eiden, and Nox take a seat on the opposite couch.
Her face is crimson as she stares at her toes, wringing her hands as she stands facing me in the V of my open thighs.
“Do you understand why it was dangerous for you to shift alone now?”
She shakes her head, and her pretty eyes plead for a reprieve. This is a lot for her to be disciplined and in front of her other mates.
I put my hands on her hips, drawing her closer before I lift her chin to meet her eyes.
“You have been closeted all your life. The things a young shifter should learn, you have not. You never got to be a child and play. That is not your fault. That is a tragedy due to circumstances beyond your control. But we are here now, and we must move forward safely. My wolf is not the same as me. Yes, we are more often aligned, but he is also driven by instincts I have had to learn to guide rather than control. It takes years of practice. Young pups would be watched by older pups and corrected if they did something wrong or dangerous. The younger wolf would respond to the older wolf’s authority, so the human and animal sides would grow in tandem. A wolf is different from a doe, just as a doe is different from a stag. You have heard about Eiden, how his stag did not reveal until he was older, and how he is yet learning to guide it, even though he is mature.” I pause to swipe the tears from her cheeks with the pads of my thumbs. “I am not angry with you, love. Only concerned about what might have happened. As it is, you have broken a few things, but not yourself. Now, you are upsetting Eiden and making a fuss about your discipline, which you know is due. If you are good for me and accept this, then he may comfort you when this is done.”
Fawn
He does not draw out the discipline. I go over his lap, and he spanks me. There are tears but they slow and eventually stop as I nestle on his lap while he purrs.
“There,” Wolf says. “You were a good girl accepting your discipline, and now you are forgiven.”
The sense of relief is profound.
My bottom stings, but I think it hurt more because it also hurt my pride. I feel foolish and guilty. I could have hurt myself. Worse, I could have hurt Blue, maybe cut his paws on the broken vase. I know Nox and Eiden were trying to make me feel better, saying they never liked it, and it was ugly, but it was wrong of me to go on a rampage like that inside the home. Seven told me my doe was a creature of instincts and that I was yet new to shifting. He wasn’t telling me I could not shift, only that I should do so safely. Instead of voicing my questions and asking him to explain what that meant, I presumed to know better.
For reasons that escape me in my heightened state of distress, I don’t like Nox seeing me like this.
Wolf is stern.
Nox is more so, and in ways I don’t fully understand.
“You are right. My doe is not sensible,” I say softly. “I don’t even think I can blame this on maturity or practice. It is just how she is. Also, she is either consumed with a need to chase and play or is a shameless hussy with mating on her mind. I don’t think we should let her play in front of other males.”
Nox snorts a laugh.
Seven clears his throat.
“Don’t worry about it,” Wolf says, surprising me when I hear the smile in his voice. “Also, you should understand that your doe, while distinct, is also you, just a less inhibited side of you.”