Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Khloe watched her Daddy and Elias step outside. They closed the sliding door most of the way, leaving it open a few inches.
Leah was the first to speak at almost a whisper. “Step out onto the back porch to give us time to chat is definitely code for ‘talk about us.’” She made air quotes as she finished her sentence.
Khloe nodded. “Definitely.”
Leah looked around the floor. “Why on Earth did your Daddy surround us with pillows? I knew he was going to be overprotective, but this is way overboard.”
Khloe took a deep breath. “Because I have visions.”
Leah nodded slowly. “Elias told me you knew he and the others were coming yesterday. I don’t understand.”
“I don’t understand either. No one does. That’s probably what they’re talking about out there.” Khloe glanced through the glass doors. The Alphas were standing on the porch. They hadn’t even taken seats. They had their arms crossed and brows furrowed. Both were facing the house. Khloe had no doubt her Daddy was keeping an eye on her and didn’t really like the idea of leaving her side.
To be honest, she didn’t like being without him either. Not because she was afraid for her safety. He really was going overboard on that issue. She didn’t like being apart from him at all for any reason, which he had explained was common among newly mated couples. She wondered when that feeling would ease. It seemed like it never would.
“Have you had other, uh, visions like that one?” Leah asked.
“Only three. I knew when the four Alphas were planning to come. I also knew when they were on their way. And then a bit ago I knew you were on your way.”
“Like before we left the house?”
“Yes. Maybe it happens when you decide to come visit. I don’t know exactly.”
“That’s so…”
Khloe giggled. “Weird. And weird doesn’t even begin to explain how strange it is.”
“Yes.”
“Elias said your wolf is large, also.”
“Apparently. That’s what they say.”
“Maybe we can both shift in front of a mirror and compare.”
“Maybe.” Khloe looked down at her lap and wrung her hands together. The idea of shifting next to her sister made her nervous.
Leah reached over and set a hand on top of Khloe’s. “We don’t have to. It’s okay.”
Khloe lifted her gaze. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had no idea why she felt like crying. Life had been so overwhelming lately, and now her sister was here, and she was so happy and so scared at the same time. It was like an emotional dam broke.
“Hey,” Leah said, “don’t cry.” She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around Khloe, hugging her tight. “I’m so glad you’re here. Everything is going to be okay.”
The sliding glass door opened, and Felix rushed forward. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
Khloe sniffled and looked up at him. “Nothing, Daddy. I’m fine. Just happy to see my sister.”
He was breathing heavily, his brows furrowed, as he stared at the two of them for long seconds before relaxing his stance. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. You can go back outside,” Khloe said. “I promise I’m fine.”
He hesitated and then drew in a deep breath. “Okay. Yell if you need me.”
As soon as he was back outside with Elias, Leah whispered, “He’s intense.”
Khloe twisted to look at her. “And Elias isn’t?”
Leah giggled. “He’s just as intense. You’re right.”
“I assume all the Alpha Protectors are.”
“Yes, they are.”
As Leah sat back, giving Khloe some space, Khloe fidgeted with the hem of her dress. “Felix is more intense than other Daddies. He told me so. He’s more…dominant.”
“Part of me wants to say that’s not possible. Elias is pretty dominant. But I’ve gotten to know Felix a bit in the last year, and I must say, I’m not surprised. He’s been very intense waiting for you. I suspected he would be over the top, but it’s because he already cared about you a great deal long before he met you.”
“Yeah. I get it.”
“Plus,” Leah continued, “I wasn’t worried because I felt like you of all people could tolerate his dominance more than the average mate.”
Khloe smiled. “Probably. I didn’t really understand at first, but it turns out I’m pretty submissive. Far more than Mom led us to believe would be expected of us.”
Leah giggled. “That’s for sure. Mom has no clue what our lives are like up here in the mountains.”
“She’d probably faint if she saw us.”
Leah laughed harder. “You’re right.” She glanced around. “I still don’t understand the pillows. What do your visions have to do with the padding?”
“When I have one, I sort of black out, I guess. I can’t see myself, so I don’t know what it looks like, but Daddy says my eyes glaze over. It’s like I go to the other place I’m visualizing. Every time it has happened so far, he was holding me, but he’s afraid I will fall if he’s not.”
“Ahhh. That makes sense. The pillows are a great idea.”
“He isn’t going to let me walk either. Not until we know more and better understand what might happen.”
Leah nodded. “Good idea.”
“And…” Khloe swallowed. She wanted to tell her sister the last part. She wouldn’t talk about it with anyone else intentionally, but she wanted to tell Leah. Leah wasn’t a stranger.
Leah reached out and stroked her arm. “And what?” she asked softly.
“And I can’t control my bladder when I go into one of those trances.”
“Oh.” Leah shrugged. “Well, that’s not a big deal. I noticed you have on a pullup. Easy fix.”
Khloe sniffled. “It’s embarrassing.”
Leah shook her head. “Not at all. All of the other mates I know wear diapers sometimes. No one will think it’s weird.”
“Yeah, but I wear them all the time.”
“So? No one needs to know that. Plus no one will care. They will understand. I promise.”
Khloe rubbed her eyes and looked at her sister. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ve met three other mates near our age. They’re the sweetest. Jezebel, Suzette, and Olivia. They’re far too kind to even ask why you have a diaper or pullup on.”
“I heard about Olivia. Daddy says her human is almost blind and her wolf can see.”
Leah nodded. “Plus, her wolf can communicate with the bears, telepathically.”
“I heard that, too. That’s so cool.”
“Sounds like you have some pretty cool abilities yourself.”
“Why do you think that is?” Khloe asked.
Leah shrugged. “I don’t know, but I do know Olivia comes in handy when we need her. She can scent the bears faster than anyone else and then talk to them in her head while she’s in wolf form. It’s amazing.”
“I can tell when the bears are near, too. But it’s not that I scent them. I can sense them from far away.”
Leah’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yep.” Khloe tipped her head back and closed her eyes, reaching out to see if any bears were in the vicinity.
“Are you okay?” Leah asked, grabbing Khloe’s arm.
Khloe lowered her head and opened her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m experimenting with how much I know. I didn’t realize until yesterday that others can’t sense what I can.”
“And?”
“There are four bears to the north of us. They’re grazing. They mean no harm.”
Leah gasped. “That’s…”
“Yeah…weird. I don’t even know if they are shifters or not. They could be just bears.”
“Do you sense other animals?”
“Yes. All of them.”
“Wow. Could you do that before? When we were kids?”
Khloe shook her head. “No. I think it started soon after I arrived here. Maybe after my first shift. My awareness was gradual, and even then, I didn’t realize it was odd.”
“What about wolves? Are there non-shifting wolves roaming around this area?”
“Not that I’m aware of, but I’m not sure there are non-shifting bears either. Or for that matter, shifting bears. I don’t know which kind they are.” The entire concept frustrated Khloe. She wanted to understand better.
Leah waved a dismissive hand through the air. “Enough serious stuff. Tell me about that piano. How does it sound?”
Khloe grinned. “Amazing. I’ve never played anything that wonderful before. Are you still doing art?”
Leah nodded. “Yep. I have my own art room.”
Khloe continued to talk with her sister for a few hours. Eventually the men came back in and brought them snacks, setting up a picnic in the playpen.
Khloe knew the only reason they did so was to keep her safe, but she didn’t care. It was fun, and she was so relieved she was being permitted to spend time with Leah.