Chapter 6 #4
Heather braced her emotions for the longest three days of her life, but the following afternoon Patrick and Gabriel arrived at the cottage together. Neither male removed his coat and Gabriel remained by the door. Heather’s heart began to pound, and hope bubbled up inside her.
Patrick ambled toward her, his eyes narrowed and bright.
“You’re the most frustrating person I’ve ever encountered, and fate thought it would be funny to also make you a potential mate.
” He took a deep breath and gazed deep into her eyes.
“I spend half my days thinking up new ways to punish you and the other half planning our future. I’ve figured out the best way to expand our cabin, so you’ll be more comfortable.
I’ve started collecting supplies and bartering for clothes.
And each time I give in to these impulses I’m filled with rage because you’re the enemy. It’s confusing to say the least.”
He hadn’t asked a question, so Heather just waited for him to continue.
“This dynamic is further complicated by the fact that Gabriel is determined to claim you. I owe Gabriel my life and will do nothing that endangers our friendship.”
She glanced at Gabriel and allowed herself to smile. If it weren’t for him, the past two weeks would have been unbearable.
“I cannot properly court you while you’re being punished for your involvement in my captivity.
However, there’s a custom on Earth that blends the two mindsets.
” Patrick reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a thin metal band.
“Some call it voluntary slavery, others sexual servitude. The crucial characteristic is that the ‘slave’ offers their submission willingly.”
She tensed and her momentary hope sputtered out. “If I become your willing slave, how does that improve my situation?”
“If you agree to willingly submit to us, I will shift my thinking—and therefore my behavior—from punishment to courting. It might not sound like it, but this would be a significant change.”
“Will I be allowed to return to the village?”
“Eventually. I think we both need a period of transition. I will increase your boundaries and offer you privileges as you demonstrate your willingness to obey.”
It was a compromise, a middle ground, just as Gabriel had promised. She couldn’t rebuild trust with Patrick until she found a way to defuse his anger. She wasn’t sure this would work, but anything was better than continuing as his prisoner.
She licked her lips and chose her words carefully. “I want the conflict between us resolved. If this is what you need to move beyond the past, then I’m willing to give it a try. I take responsibility for my role in your torment and believe I will benefit from this arrangement as well.”
“Undress and kneel before me,” Patrick ordered. His features were locked in an expressionless mask, but his gaze began to smolder.
Heather wore a calf-length dress of forest green.
The wraparound style was effortless and comfortable, so the dress was quickly becoming her favorite.
She unknotted the belt and opened the sides, allowing the short sleeves to slide down her arms. Gabriel caught the dress before it hit the floor and draped it over a nearby chair.
Naked now, except for the thick wool socks on her feet, she knelt in front of Patrick.
Gabriel moved to Patrick’s side; both men looked intense and serious. Patrick was Gabriel’s second, so she wasn’t surprised when Gabriel began, “It is our intention to claim you as our mate. Do you agree to be courted by Patrick and me?”
A sudden rush of emotion tightened her throat, so Heather nodded.
“We need to hear it,” Gabriel prompted.
“I agree to the courtship.” She forced the words out past the lump in her throat.
“Will you willingly submit to our sexual needs and accept our authority over you?” Challenge sharpened Patrick’s tone and his brows arched.
It was a test. The first of many, she had no doubt. If she were going to submit willingly, she had to learn to trust him. “I will,” she said, even managing to sound sincere.
Patrick moved behind her and wrapped the gold band around her throat. It was looser than a choker but still felt cold and imposing as it settled against her skin. He secured the latch, then rested his hands on her shoulders.
“You’re no longer my prisoner. You’re our potential mate and will be treated with the respect that position deserves. I will return you to the village, but I require a demonstration of your commitment to this relationship first. Does that seem fair?”
She turned her head, but couldn’t quite see his face. “It does.”
“Then rise and put your dress back on.”
The order surprised her. She’d expected them to test her willingness with sexual demands. An odd sense of disappointment settled over her as she pushed to her feet and reached for her dress.
“Don’t look so dejected, mate,” Patrick said with a smirk. “I fully intend to fuck you senseless. I just need something in my belly first.”
The week that followed was very different than the weeks that had gone before.
Both males were attentive and friendly, which made it easier for Heather to imagine a future as their mate.
She submitted willingly even when Patrick grew broodingly aggressive.
He frequently spanked her to demonstrate his dominance, but had only punished her once because of her defiant attitude.
She tried to be patient, to allow Patrick to decide when her commitment had been adequately demonstrated, but she was restless and anxious to return to the village and rejoin her friends.
The sun was just beginning to set when her mates arrived at the cottage.
Patrick was holding a backpack, which made Heather sigh.
The provisions they’d delivered at the beginning of the week were mostly gone.
She’d been hoping that indicated that her probationary time was over and they would finally return her to the village.
Without explaining his actions, Patrick walked to the table and set down the backpack. He unzipped the main compartment and drew out several devices. One was clearly a folding computer, but she was unfamiliar with the others.
“What’s going on?” she asked as he began to assemble the devices.
“Raphael wants to speak with you,” Gabriel told her.
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all.” Gabriel closed the distance between them and gave her a reassuring hug. “Why was that your first thought?”
She motioned to her charming prison and sighed. “I can’t imagine.”
“Send him a telepathic ping and let him know we’re ready,” Patrick said to Gabriel, then motioned Heather toward one of the chairs.
She sat down and faced the laptop, still unsure what was happening.
Raphael’s image formed on the screen a few minutes later. His sun-streaked brown hair appeared shaggy and tousled. His eyes were the same unusual orange as Gabriel’s and a short beard shadowed his jawline. “Thanks for taking my comm. I need a favor from you.”
She glanced at Gabriel, then Patrick, before she shifted her gaze back to the screen. “What can I do for you?”
“Claire blames herself for the predicament you find yourself in. She thinks you would be living happily in the feline village if it weren’t for her.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Heather insisted.
“I agree, but she honestly feels that you wouldn’t have been there for Patrick to discover if she had acted sooner. She promised to help you return to the feline village and she failed to follow through.”
“Please tell her that I don’t blame her for anything.”
“Would you be willing to tell her yourself?” he asked with surprising humility. Raphael was one of the village leaders. He was used to issuing commands, not asking for favors.
“Of course. I’d love to speak with her. I miss her terribly.”
“You cannot reveal where you are,” Patrick cautioned. “And keep the conversation focused on her. This is not about your punishment. It’s about her feelings of guilt.”
“I understand.”
“She’s not back yet,” Raphael said. “Leave the comm unit in standby. She should return shortly.”
The display blanked and Heather swiveled on the chair, turning to face Gabriel. “Have Raphael and Victor claimed Claire or are they still courting?”
“I’m pretty sure they’re still courting. I didn’t sense a mating bond when I saw him this morning.”
“It’s just a matter of time,” Patrick interjected. “They are clearly in love.”
“I agree,” Gabriel stressed.
They moved into the kitchen and scrounged together a modest meal while they waited for Raphael to reactivate the comm. “The food is almost gone,” Heather pointed out. A hesitant smile curved her lips. “Is there a reason you didn’t bring more?”
“Maybe,” Patrick answered, refusing to commit.
Some sort of notification chimed and Claire’s image formed on the screen of the laptop. She looked around, clearly confused by the empty chair.
“Sorry,” Heather called out as she rushed toward the table. “I’m here! Don’t disconnect.” She slipped onto the chair and smiled broadly at her friend. God in heaven, it was good to see her.
“Where are you?” Claire cried, eyes bright with unshed tears. “How long are they going to keep you—wherever you are?”
Heather glanced at Patrick, then sighed.
“I’m not allowed to tell you, and I’m not sure.
” Wanting to end Claire’s misery as quickly and decisively as possible, Heather dove right to the heart of the matter.
“There’s more to the story than I told you or admitted to Zion.
I was an active member of the medical team.
” She suspected that they wouldn’t let this conversation go on for long, so Heather stressed, “I’m here because I’ve agreed to be. Nothing is being forced on me.”
“What does that mean?” Claire objected, but the sudden color in her cheeks indicated that she had a pretty good idea.