“Trust yourself,” Bane says.
“You're more agile in this form,” Lawson adds.
As I move forward, I misjudge my speed and pass them all in seconds.
“Sally, move back,” Hunter says.
I skid to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.
“Hey, kitty,” Sally says, and I stare at her. “She won’t hurt me.” She smiles, and I blink at her beauty.
“Tricks.” Her mates flow through the door and push her back. They moved at a speed I know I wouldn’t have been able to track as a human.
“Boyfriends, calm,” she says, and winks at me. “I think she’s dealing well.” I open my mouth to speak, but only a little growl emerges. “See, she’s agreeing with me.”
“Sure, Little Bunny,” Atlas says dryly.
A hand touches my head, and I glance up at Bane. I move forward, knowing he wants me outside. Stepping onto the porch, I freeze. The driveway is filled with cars, and dozens of people are scattered around. I inhale, and I’m bombarded with scents. I know they are shifters and vampires, and recognize many of them.
“They are family,” Hunter says, passing by me. “Pay attention to me, not them.” I think I nod and leave the porch.
Keeping my focus on him, we walk around the house and through the backyard. The ground is cool on my feet, and my claws dig through the grass and into the dirt. It’s dark out, but I can see as if it’s daylight. The sounds are loud in my sensitive ears. I hear the creek as if it’s in front of me, but we haven’t reached it yet. My head twitches back and forth, the light wind hitting my coat, making me jumpy. Lawson walks beside me on one side, Remy on the other. I feel Bane behind me, his scent telling me he's there. I'm aware of every noise and every step.
“Do you want to run?” Hunter asks, stopping. I drop my head and lift it.
“I think that was a yes,” Remy chuckles.
“We’re going to shift,” Hunter continues.
“Don’t be shocked when we can speak to each other,” Bane says.
“It may not be voices in your head,” Lawson says, taking off his shirt.
“Most of the time, it’s in pictures or can feel our intention,” Remy says.
I sit on my haunches and watch them take off their clothes. It’s the first time I’m seeing all of them shift together, and it’s magical. Hunter does first, and it’s seamless. He’s huge. I must be half his size. His brothers are just as large. I stare at them. They are beautiful. Powerful. All mine.
“We are,”Hunter says, and I shake my head.“I can hear your thoughts.”
“Holy shit,”I gasp. My words bounce around my mind. “That’s going to take time to get used to.”
“It’s a gift,”Lawson says.
“Haven changed how we communicate with each other,”Remy rumbles, brushing the side of my body.“It was as pictures before.”
“Really?”I lean against him, enjoying the heat of his body.
“Haven changed everything.”Bane prowls closer and rubs his head against mine. Their touch has nothing to do with desire, but a belonging. Our animals are communicating, marking each other with our scent.
“I can smell your scent.”I could close my eyes and know who was near me if I didn’t see them. It’s ingrained inside me. Remy moves away, and Lawson takes his place, pressing into my side. I have to stand firm; my body isn’t as strong as his, and I feel his power.
“You could find us anywhere. All you have to do is concentrate on our scent.”Bane steps back.
“We will know if you're ever in danger. Your scent will change, fear, or anger will tell us what you need,”Lawson says, sliding away.
Hunter remains in front of us, and I know without words what he wants. My mates surround me as I walk toward him. He is my leader. Each of the brothers are dominant, yet he's the one who guides us all in many ways. They would never bow to him, but I feel the urge to do so. He’s my daddy, just as Bane is, and I want to bare my neck to both of them.
I stop before him and tilt my head. My animal pushes me to show him respect. He presses his head to the side of mine, scraping his teeth across my neck, and I feel his satisfaction.
