Chapter 18
Sera stood on the farmhouse back porch and watched the sun set. The world slowly chilled as the darkness took over, and she shivered even though she wasn’t really cold.
There was a weight on her shoulders. And she wasn’t sure what to do about it.
Otto was the problem. He’d taken Dario, the alpha of her prowl, at his word that Fallon would be his mate and unite their two prowls.
There was something to Otto’s claim, at least from a jaguar law standpoint.
Alphas wrote the laws, their word was literally law for their people.
Instead of fulfilling her part of Dario’s deal, Fallon fled.
When Dario was killed trying to get Fallon for Otto, Sera also fled to avoid Otto using her to reveal Fallon’s location.
But he’d come here anyway.
And now Fallon’s life was in danger.
Somehow, Sera had to get out of the area and protect her daughter and future grandbaby.
Maybe she could just leave. Go dark, as they said.
“I can tell you’re thinking of running.”
Sera nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice. Turning with her hand pressed to her heart, she saw Nancy, human mate of the stallion elder, Dexter. She’d gotten to know her over the last few days and found her a sweet and gracious female.
Sera looked past her into the house, where the herd had gathered in the kitchen with the lions to talk about what happened.
The lions.
She pushed away the fleeting thought and sighed. “I don’t know what to do, actually. Damned if I do anything, damned if I do nothing. You know?”
“Yeah.” Nancy smiled sadly. “I’m sorry you’re in this position. I hate males like him—treating you as if you’re something to be owned and used however he pleases.”
“What would you do?”
“Well, I wouldn’t run on my own. Otto seems too unhinged to not hunt for you, and then you’d be all alone. But I’d want to be somewhere safe.”
“Like here?” She turned back to look at the trees that bordered the territory. Thick and dark, they were imposing, with shadows that could hold anything or anyone.
“No actually, we were thinking the park,” Avi said as he joined them. “Amadeus and Javan suggested it. It’s far more secure with the stone wall and living quarters underground. They could torch the whole park and never harm any of the shifters who live there.”
He moved aside and gestured for Sera to join them in the kitchen. She hesitated, but then Nancy put her arm around her reassuringly and walked with her inside.
The herd suggested that the park was the safest place for Sera, and the lions agreed.
Sunny and her mate Seneca had already offered to let her stay with them until either Otto left for good or a home for her could be arranged at the park.
She didn’t like being a burden to anyone, but she liked putting Fallon and Avi in danger even less.
Fallon walked out of the kitchen in tears and Sera followed.
“I don’t want you to go,” Fallon said, hugging Sera. She hugged her back.
“I know, honey. Maybe it won’t be for long. Maybe Otto will be walking down the street and a piano will fall out of the sky and land on him.”
Fallon chuckled and inhaled shakily. “I can hope for that.” She eased back and gave her mom a curious look. “Why have you been acting weird since the lions got here?”
“I’m not sure. I feel weird when I’m around them, like my jaguar is happy to see them. I don’t know what it means. But I do think that I should go with them to the park, even though it’s going to be hard to leave you.”
“I just got you back,” Fallon said.
“I know, honey, and I hate this situation so much, but you have to be safe. However that happens, it’s worth it.”
They talked for a little while longer, then returned to the kitchen where plans were made for escorts from the park sometime overnight.
Sera went with Fallon to pack her things, and they spent the last few hours of their time together just being with each other.
She didn’t know when she’d be able to visit with Fallon again, but she sure as hell hoped it was soon.
* * *
“I’m sorry, baby,” Avi said as Fallon held onto him while they watched her mom leave, escorted by multiple vehicles from the park, as well as Ford and Grey in the farm truck.
“I just got her back,” she said, her voice wavering. “I know it’s safer for her at the park, but damn, I hate it. I hate Colton and I hate Otto.”
He kissed her temple and hugged her a little tighter. “Eventually, Otto will figure out he can’t get to her and he’ll leave. It’s just his ego running things right now. He clearly doesn’t like to be told no.”
“He probably wasn’t hugged enough as a child,” Zara said. She turned with the security tablet in her hand and said, “I swear the herd is an asshole magnet. I’m not sure where we’d get demagnetized, but I’m going to tell Crew to figure it out.”
“I’m on it,” he said, joining them. “Fallon, how are you holding up?”
“Angry and sad, but okay. I mean, Mom will be safe at the park. I know that, it’s like a fortress there. Otto could do his worst and they’d still be safe. I just…I feel so deflated.”
“Otto is probably watching the roads,” Crew said.
“And he’ll know we’re sending Sera to the park.
That doesn’t mean he’s not a threat to us anymore, though.
He seems like the kind of jackass who would try to abduct you to get to your mom.
So no one goes anywhere alone, and we’ll keep up with our security patrols.
Neo came with Patton to patrol overnight for us.
Neo is mated to Dani, Nancy and Dexter’s daughter.
You haven’t met them yet, but we’ll have a herd dinner so you can meet them both officially. ”
“Neo and Patton are both gorillas,” Zara said. “They’re going to patrol the farmhouse and clearing, and Crew and I are going to go into the woods and check the security cameras and the feeds to make sure we fixed everything. No more blind spots.”
“Be careful,” Fallon said.
“We will be,” Crew said. “You two go rest. Nancy’s coming over in the morning to help Tris with breakfast, so don’t worry about getting up and helping. Just…go be with each other.”
“Be safe,” Avi said.
Crew nodded and put his arm around Zara, leading her away from the farmhouse and toward the trees.
The two gorillas walked over and introduced themselves. “We’ve got things here,” Neo said. “Rest well, you two.”
“Thanks, guys,” Avi said.
He took Fallon’s hand and led her into the house. “Do you want something to eat or drink?” He saw the clock on the stove, surprised to see it was well after two a.m.
“Um, no. I’m…tired but wired.”
“I get that. We’ll feel better once we’re in bed and can relax.”
She hummed in a way that he thought meant she didn’t believe him. Maybe she was right. Maybe just lying down wasn’t enough to relax, to banish the darkness that had descended on them since Otto had shown his face Sunday afternoon.
They walked up to their room and he shut the door.
Leaving her in the dark room, he went into the bathroom and flipped on the light.
He looked around, his mind spinning, and then he decided that they needed something to help them relax.
He turned on the tub’s hot water, testing it with his hand until it was perfect, and then he stopped the drain.
He pushed the shower curtain all the way open, then found some candles on the dresser in the bedroom and set them on the counter.
After he lit them, he turned off the bathroom light.
“What are you up to?” Fallon asked from the doorway.
“I thought a bath was just what we needed.”
“Oh?”
He hummed and held out his hand. The candlelight offered just the right glow to the room, flickering and dancing on the walls and ceiling. They stripped each other slowly, fingers sliding, lips meeting, worries and fears cast aside as steam filled the small room.
He turned off the water and stepped into the tub, settling in the water, his back against one end. She joined him, going down on her knees between his legs and leaning forward to kiss him. Then she turned around and leaned against him, her back to his chest, her hands resting on his thighs.
After dunking a washcloth into the water, he gently rubbed her skin, pressing the hot water against her and letting it seep into her skin.
She tilted her head to the side, her neck exposed, the beautiful pregnancy rash practically glowing.
She wiggled against him as he moved the washcloth down her stomach, gliding it under the water and against her thigh.
He let the washcloth go.
Laying his hand against her pussy, he kissed her neck slowly, from her shoulder to her ear and back, as he gently eased a finger inside her. She shifted her hips, tilting them to meet his hand. As he pulled his finger out and pressed it in again, she moaned softly.
“I love when you touch me like this,” she whispered. “It makes me ache but it feels so good.”
He bit gently on her neck as he moved his finger in and out of her. “I love making you feel good.”
He added a second finger but kept the same slow pace. The water rippled as he fingered her, in and out, in and out, her hips tilting with each thrust, her toes curling just under the water. She gripped his thighs, her nails digging into his skin.
“Fucking sexy sweetheart,” he said, his voice rough as his cock grew painfully hard against her back.
He brought his fingers to his lips and licked her honey from them, letting out a growl at the sweet taste before he plunged them back inside her again, sloshing the water against the sides of the tub. “You taste like a dream.”
She breathed out a moan. He slipped his free hand up to cup her breast, teasing her nipple, tugging and rubbing, until she begged him to make her come.
“I’m so close, so close,” she moaned, her head thrashing on his shoulder.
“Aching, baby? Aching so good?”
“Yes!”
“Then come for me. Come all over my fingers.”
He laid his thumb against her clit and rubbed it, his fingers curling inside her and rubbing against her sensitive walls.
She gasped and tensed, her nails digging harder into his thighs, and then she tipped over the edge into pleasure with a shout and groan combined, heat flooding his fingers as she shuddered in his arms.
He fingered her through her climax until he’d given her every ounce of pleasure she could handle.
Then she turned in his arms and climbed onto his lap, and they made love, facing each other, sweetly holding on, with kisses and declarations of love, until he came inside her.
They stayed together like that until the water cooled enough they were both chilled, and then they dried off and got into bed, too tired to talk, exhausted in the best possible way.
“I love you, Fallon,” he whispered as she laid her head on his chest.
“I love you too.”