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I feel like I’ve been stabbed in the chest. I know it’s always been a possibility that he would want other cats to join our clan, but for him to make the decision without consulting me and for it to be a non-cat is hurtful. What’s worse is it’s a whisperer. I know my mother is thrilled at their reappearance, but everything I know about them is bad. They can seduce anyone they want and then control them, making them a slave to their every whim.
“She’s an abomination. She should be put down.” My jealousy knows no bounds, and I can’t stop the words from rolling out of my mouth.
Instead of fury, which should be their reaction, they exchange a look before looking at me with sympathy in their eyes.
“Are you sure that’s how you really feel?” Link asks, and Xavier shakes his head.
“No, it’s not, I can tell. He’s conflicted.”
I throw up my hands in agitation and start to pace back and forth. “Fuck, everything I’ve been taught tells me I should kill her. Look what she did to me, she’s dangerous.”
“But what’s the other part saying?” Link presses, waiting for my reply as I pace back and forth, not wanting to admit how I feel.
“I want to lick her all over with my tongue before knotting her.” I sigh. There it is, the root of the problem. I feel disloyal to Echo, but when her omega side is stronger, it’s all I can do to stop myself from finding her and demanding she present for me.
“And you deal with that by lashing out and being an asshole to her.” Link’s conclusion is sound. “You didn’t really get a choice, and for that, I’m sorry. Lila has already told you she won’t hold you to tradition, despite your mother demanding it, but if you gave her and yourself a chance, you may find it won’t be as horrible as you expect. Lila is kind, loving, and sweet.”
“Not to mention fun, sassy, and sarcastic,” the warlock adds, smiling. “But no one will love you as hard as she will.”
“Think about it, and just try to have a normal conversation with her. Start as friends and see where it goes. Rejoin her and Echo in the nest, have a nap with them, and see where it all takes you.”
“Here. If you take this back to her, it will win you some huge brownie points.” Saxon’s voice has me turning to find both him and Caspian standing there, and he’s holding out a tub of ice cream. They must have arrived while I was pacing, and I didn’t notice. “Lila sent us for this, but we’re not stupid. We know she needed some alone time. We will stay here and have a drink, and you can make up for whatever it is you did.”
“Good idea, Saxon.” Xavier grabs his shoulder and gives it a familiar squeeze.
“This does not bother any of you? Me, Echo, and your mate?” Even I can hear the doubt in my voice. All four of them shake their heads.
“No, Lila is special. She has enough love to go around, and it would be cruel of us to deny her when her new whisperer abilities very obviously want you both, even if she’s in denial,” Caspian tells me. “But if you threaten her, upset her, or anything else, I will pop your head off your shoulders and use it in my juggling act.” His last words come out as an undeniable warning, and I can’t blame him. I’d feel the same way if someone upset Echo.
Fuck! I reel at that thought. I’m upsetting Echo. God, I’m an idiot. I reach out and take the ice cream. “I will fix this,” I promise them.
“Good, that’s all we can ask.” Link nods at Xavier. “Send him back.”
“Remember, we will kill you if you upset either of them,” is Xavier’s last words before my body dissolves and I make my way back to Skarr.
Lila
By the end of the third week, I find myself regularly walking up and down the sandy beach.
After Xavier and Maxsim disappeared, Echo and I napped on the couch for a little while, but soon enough, Maxsim returned with a tub of strawberry cheesecake ice cream. He was very apologetic and promised he would try harder. Echo convinced me to get back into the nest with both of them, where I proceeded to eat my whole tub of ice cream, although I did share it with my cute little omega. Then Maxsim and I snuggled him between us and napped some more. If I woke up at one stage and found Maxsim stroking my hair absently in his sleep, well, I didn’t mention it to anyone. It felt good, so why would I stop him?
Since then, neither of them has left my side much. All the walking along the beach I’ve been doing has been accompanied by them.
The weather has gotten colder, and snow now covers most of the ground, so Maxsim and Echo frolic about in their cat forms like a pair of kittens. It’s amusing to watch and keeps me distracted from the itchy feeling that is building beneath my skin.
The urge to shift and swim is riding me hard, and I know I need to give into it, but I’m being stubborn. If I do, this all becomes so much more real. I’m not ready to be a mother. I’m afraid I’m going to fuck this up, and while these babies will have so many amazing male influences in their lives, the poor girls will only have me, and I’m a fucking disaster.
“Lila, are you okay?” William’s voice is abrupt, and I realize I’ve been standing and staring at one spot for a long time.
He approaches me, all bundled up against the wind, snow, and sea spray that is blowing in our direction. All the guys have taken turns coming out and checking on me, but they haven’t stayed long because it’s too cold, but I think my whisperer power protects me from the icy temperature. I haven’t really noticed it. It’s refreshing actually, cooling down my overheated baby growing body.
“Yeah, I’m just worried I’m going to mess these babies up before the world gets a chance to,” I admit, and a wave of understanding fills his eyes. He tucks his arm into mine, and we start walking away from the house, the beach stretched out before us in a crescent shape. The lightning cats fall in behind us, and I can hear their paws crunching against the snow and sand.
“Lila, honey, you are going to be a wonderful mom. You are kind and caring and hold an incredible amount of empathy. Look how well you adjusted to everything that has been thrown at you since you arrived. You’ve handled it with dignity and grace. Motherhood is going to be no different. That’s not to say you aren’t going to make mistakes. Shit, we all do. Don’t tell either of your grandpas, but your father rolled off the changing table once when I was changing his diaper. I turned to grab a wipe, and when I looked back, he was gone. Luckily, my telekinesis caught him just before he hit the ground.”
He looks so guilty, but I can’t help but laugh, and it helps wash away some of the fear.
“And John doesn’t know this, but Eric and I saw him pushing Marcus on a swing in the backyard. He pushed too hard, and Marcus went flying off at the top of the arc. John was so shocked he wasn’t quick enough to catch him, and Marcus hit the ground hard. Eric and I laughed so hard, but John was beside himself. Marcus was fine, just a few bruises, but John took a few days to recover.”
