The First Mate

Chapter Five: Bloodlust

Xavier cooked us an amazing steak dinner with all the sides of salad, Mac and cheese with a pan gravy that made me moan.

Theo made chocolate brownies with pistachio icecream - apparently something he always kept in abundance since half a shelf in the freezer was dedicated to containers of them - and Dane turned the concaved nook into a blanket and pillow paradise for me to snuggle between them all while we watched a few episodes before bed.

The episode ended and Xavier took our bowls as I yawned and stretched across Dane's lap, arching my back and stretching my arms above my head.

I gave a hum at the end, Dane's hand running through my hair, and I raised my leg beside Theo's hip, my other leg over his lap as I pulled the warm blankets off us.

Theo took the chance to trail his hand down my exposed thigh.

I shuddered, my legs trying to close only for Dane to hold one knee down while Theo took the other, moving to lay between them.

He pressed a kiss to my inner thigh and I whimpered a moan.

"I was stretching," I whined.

Dane stroked my hair, leaning over me as Theo pressed another kiss higher on my leg.

"You were teasing." Dane corrected.

I blushed, hearing Theo chuckle, his breath breaking through the thin fabric of my underwear and my legs tightened around his shoulders.

"And if I was?" I challenged, raising my chin and exposing my neck slightly.

Dane's eyes flashed to my neck and collarbone, the strap of my dress having slipped down.

His hand in my hair gripped, his mouth falling to my neck as he latched on to the bruising he'd made earlier.

I cried out, my hips bucking from the swell of arousal and lust.

Theo hooked a finger through my underwear, pulling it to the side and his tongue plunged.

I released a heavy noise of pleasure, the feeling of them overwhelming me and throwing my body into need.

I writhed, my hand falling into Theo's hair as he growled against my soaking flesh.

Xavier stood above us, staring down at me as Dane's tongue and teeth assaulted my neck and Theo ate me like his life depended on it.

He smirked at me as I moaned, biting my lip as Theo denied me an orgasm, pulling back to tease me and make me shudder.

"Beg for it, Rose." Xavier stood over me, crouched down to stroke my cheek. "I can see you want to c*m for us. For Theo." Theo's tongue slid through my flesh, flicking my clit with perfect pressure my reply was cried out.

"More!" I whined.

Dane chuckled against my throat, his teeth finding a new area to claim above my collarbone.

"More, what?" Xavier raised a brow. "We want to hear it, Rose."

Theo repeated the tongue flick and I cried out again. "Make me c*m, Theo! I'm so close." I begged. "Please!" My voice pitched in a desperate moan as Theo's tongue ploughed into me, his fingers sliding to join his tongue, rubbing and thrusting perfectly as my stomach tightened.

He added another finger and I felt a small tear, but the pressure he applied overrode the pain.

"Theo! There! Please!" I screamed, climaxing and gripping his hair.

I smelt some of my blood as Dane tensed for a moment only to bite down again, his teeth piercing my skin, and I felt him start to drink my blood.

I yelped, dizziness and ecstasy overtaking me as Dane continued; Theo's fingers and tongue suddenly became relentless as the scent of my blood and arousal filled the room.

I was thrown into a sea of pleasure and arousal, drowning in it before I finally surfaced from the sharp pain in my neck.

My eyes opened and I saw Xavier's black expression.

Like he was frozen with a different lust.

I gave a weak groan when I felt Dane bit down harder, and Theo suddenly moved his mouth and bit down on my left thigh; their growls filled the room, and I felt myself weaken as Dane and Theo drank from me.

I tried to push Dane off, my hand tugged in Theo's hair.

They growled at me.

Xavier leaned closer, inhaling and his eyes were pure black.

I whimpered in fear, Theo biting harder and dizziness and stars clouded my mind.

Annie shouted. "Please!" My voice came out a broken noise of pain and pleading, and Xavier looked at me; Dane and Theo drank another mouthful of my blood, and I shivered.

Pain broke through. "Xavier!" I managed to scream.

His jaw clenched as his eyes shut, and he rose.

He shook his head, snarling as they opened again and hazel eyes stared down at me, seeing the pooling of blood from Dane and Theo.

Horror and fear painted his face.

"Stop!" He breathed.

I gave a weak cry out as Theo and Dane bit down harder at his command.

Xavier moved, shouting again as he yanked Dane off my throat.

I screamed at the violent tear, the sound of Dane snarling in anger as he gripped my hair tightly, not wanting to release me.

You're hurting Rose!

"Stop it!" Xavier shouted, his voice booming so loudly and echoing in my mind it shook the windows and I whimpered in fear.

Theo's mouth vanished and I was overcome with a sudden chill.

"Rosie," Dane mumbled, stumbling back as I rolled, the world spinning.

His mouth was stained with blood.

He looked at Theo, who had the same blood on his mouth.

"Fuck." Theo was crouched, his hand slightly reaching for me but like he was too scared to touch me.

I shivered, trying to curl into a ball for warmth, but my legs ached, and my shoulder screamed with pain.

I whimpered.

I was wet....in pain...

But, I wasn't sure why.

I.... I couldn't remember....and then I became cold again.

Xavier was behind me, pulling me into his arms as I shivered.

"I got you, baby. It's okay." He whispered, standing up and walking with me somewhere as the world spun and stars danced.

He was so warm and gentle that I started to fall asleep.

"Wake up, Tiny." His voice roused his warm lips against my cheek.

I opened my heavy eyes, finding we were in the shower and Xavier had me on his lap under the hot water.

He had a cloth in his hand and was slowly wiping at my neck.

I whimpered at the ache.

"Shh," he soothed, his voice aching. "I know it hurts; I'm sorry, baby." He continued and I tried to piece together memories.

Dane and Theo marked me, I could feel the connections of our bond, but I don't remember it.

"W-what happened?" I whispered, looking around as well as I could, to see we were alone in the bedroom.

Xavier sighed, pulling me back gently and unfolding my legs.

My eyes widened at the bite mark that was purple and violent looking.

"Dane and Theo,"

"Where are they?" I tried to get up. Xavier wrapped his arm around me, growling.

"Sit."

I obeyed.

"They're fine; they're taking some time to work out their bloodlust; Dane needed to check something."

"Bloodlust?" I blinked up at him.

He started to wipe my thigh, I hissed and saw his mouth contort in guilt and sadness.

"You're a Foxen."

"A-" he set me with a look and I shut my mouth.

His lips twitched with a smirk but his eyes were still too dark for the action to take hold.

"A Foxen is a very rare, very special Shifter." He continued. "Their blood is also very addictive and can cause...us males to lose control during a marking." He gave a heavy sigh, filled with shame and guilt. "If you hadn't screamed my name, Goddess, Rosie." He grabbed me, pulling me against him and gave a gentle sob. "We could have killed you."

I turned in his arms, straddling him and wrapping my arms over him.

"Annie knew you'd stop," I told him. "She called for you."

Xavier pulled back, my hands running across his neck. "She did?"

I nodded. "She trusts you all." I giggled.

He gave a sad smile, stroking my cheek.

"They're very sorry," he said. "Even their Shifter forms are giving them a hard time about it."

I nodded again. "I can forgive them. It wasn't their fault." I stroked his dark brown hair back, tugging it slightly to make him look at me. "It wasn't yours either, Mr Diaz. Now, all of you stop being little bitches. Annie wants to play and she was promised an introduction."

He growled at me, the sadness being replaced with a playful edge of dominance.

I slipped out of his grip, leaping over the edge of the bath and Shifted.

Annie barely reached the top of it.

She was cream and white everywhere except her paws, the tips of her tail, which were pure black as she stepped in ink and her eyes.

One was green like mine, while the other was crystal white, almost like she was blind, but the eye saw in shades and colours I couldn't dream to imagine.

Xavier looked down at her over the bath.

He smirked. "Hello, Annie. You're a very pretty Foxen."

She lowered her front paws, raised her tail and growled at him, seeing the towel he reached for.

His face fell. "Annie, don't." He warned, seeing her thought pattern.

Annie growled playfully, letting me rise enough that we acted together, lunging forward and snatching the towel before Xavier could.

"Hey! Come back here!" He shouted laughing, tumbling out of the bath after us as we ran down the hallway.

We found the private library door open, almost tripping on the towel as we ran inside and hid under the nearest shelf.

We peeked out, hearing Xavier looking for us; he'd made it to the library, covering his lower half with his hand, despite it barely covering anything.

Annie wiggled, yipping at him through the towel.

I panicked as his head snapped to our hiding spot, running forward laughing.

Annie ran, ducking between his legs and out the door again down the stairs.

Her healing had fixed my leg and my shoulder, so I ran at full speed, even with my short legs, I was quick.

We found a way out of the house and into the forest, hearing Xavier Shift and a bear's roar echoing.

We found a small berry bush and hid in it, trying to calm the excitement as we laid on Xavier's towel.

Annie nuzzled into it, smelling our mate and rolling in it for a moment.

I tried to scold her but the thick chuckling we heard behind us froze us.

We peeked out, seeing two bare sets of legs.

I tried to scurry back, but Annie lunged forward, running between Dane's legs before releasing enough control. It was up to me to make them chase me.

I looked over my shoulder, yipping at them before running again.

Catch me if you can! I called giggling through the mind link Shifters had in animal form, though I felt Dane and Theo stronger than Xavier due to the markings I now bore from them.

"I think she forgives us." Theo chuckled.

The sound of two Shifts and heavy footsteps followed me.

I heard their restrained steps following me, Xavier's heavier ones joined them as I circled the house.

Weaving through a few trees and dropping Xavier's towel at the front door, I ran back around, hearing Theo's growling.

I yelped as a set of teeth grabbed my scruff, lifting me easily off the ground.

Caught. Dane said proudly.

I curled into a ball as Xavier and Theo sat down around us.

I giggled. I submit! Oh, terrifying Triad!

They chuckled at me as Dane placed me on the ground gently.

Xavier nudged me with his large nose, an enormous brown bear with his eyes staring down at me.

I nuzzled him with my small nose.

He gave a huffed noise of love, licking me. You're a very beautiful little fox.

I licked his nose. You're huge.

He chuckled.

Theo wrapped a paw across my chest, laying down and pulling me against him so he could groom me.

Annie growled as he made her fur stick up. I giggled, enjoying the feeling and affection.

I'm sorry I hurt you, Rosie. He purred against me sadly, rubbing his sandy blonde feline forehead against mine.

I nuzzled and licked his cheek. I didn't know I was different. I'm sorry I didn't show you Annie first.

Dane grabbed me from Theo, earning a possessive growl that he snapped at Theo for.

Theo hissed but laid his head down as Dane placed me in front of him.

His emerald eyes stared down at me, his pure black fur mixing with the near-midnight sky above.

You aren't the one who needs to apologise, Rose. He said sternly, I lowered, feeling the aura of the Triad form as they all stood over me.

Y-you don't either. I don't blame you, Dane-

He growled at me, softly but enough to silence me. Your guardians, Rose. They knew what you were, they listed you as a Wolf, not a Foxen.

I blinked up at him. I don't know what that means, could they have not known?

The aura swelled, pressing down on me like a physical weight and I found myself submitting, rolling onto my back.

Dane leaned down, nuzzling my neck where his mark sat even under Annie's fur.

If they didn't, their Shifted forms did. If you hadn't found us. If Annie hadn't known to trust us and call out Xavier's name. You'd have died during your marking if someone found out you were a Foxen... He gave a heavy sigh. Your guardians did this on purpose, Rose.

I released a whimper at the thought.

Xavier had said it caused a bloodlust in the males.

I'd seen it.

Felt it.

Now, I felt the swells of shame from Theo and Dane for how they'd marked me.

How they'd almost killed me because I didn't know. If I'd known Annie was different...

It wasn't your fault. I said sternly.

I rolled, getting to my feet and Shifting.

I stroked Dane's nose and chest, his fur soft and thick. "Annie and I know if we'd said any of your names." I met all their eyes. "You'd have stopped. I won't regret my markings." I paused for a moment, feigning a pout at Dane and Theo.

"Unless you didn't want to mark me?"

They Shifted, their arms wrapping around me tackling me into the dirt.

I giggled as they growled and nuzzled me into submission.

"You ever think that again and I'll spank you until dawn." Dane threatened, kissing his mark to make me moan.

Theo's hand grasped my thigh lightly. "I think Xavier's should be opposite to mine. I like where I chose."

I blushed as his finger stroked the side of my already excited flesh.

Xavier had Shifted, watching with his arms crossed but hearing Theo's suggestion, he crouched down.

His eyes set on mine and I whimpered in want as his hand covered the area.

"I don't want to scare you anymore tonight." He said softly, before looking at the other two with narrowed eyes. "And unlike them, I have some restraint, so I think I'll wait."

Dane and Theo rolled their eyes at him, releasing me as Xavier pulled me to my feet.

I gave him a pout.

He chuckled, grabbing my chin and kissing my lips until I smiled and kissed back.

"You need to sleep, you have school tomorrow." He reminded me.

I rolled my eyes. "Holding out and I can't call you Mr Diaz? Such a tease." He chuckled, letting Theo and Dane take my hands and lead me back into the warmth of the house.

We showered together, getting rid of the dirt we'd been covered in when Dane and Theo tackled me.

Xavier laid out some pyjamas for me, but I ignored them, choosing to stay naked.

All of the smiles as I crawled in the bed first, claiming my spot in the middle, before they joined me, cuddling around me.

Xavier brought me popcorn to snack on while we watched movies.

I fell asleep somewhat sideways on Xavier's chest with Theo against my stomach and Dane curved under my legs and leaning against my shoulder.

All of them gave me gentle kisses and caresses and held me while I dreamed.

A nightmare broke through at some point, a painful flash caused by the mixture of wolfbane still filtering out of my system.

I woke up with a start when the dream ended violently.

I was in the concaved lounge of the bedroom, my heart pounding and my breathing panted as a hand tightened around me, pulling me against the strong chest.

"You were kicking and panicking." Dane's thick voice soothed, his hand stroking my sweat-drenched hair.

I tried to catch my breath, nodding. "I'm sorry."

He picked me up, took me to the basin and sat me on the cold marble.

I sighed as it hit my burning skin.

He filled a glass of water and handed it to me.

"Don't be sorry," he said softly, leaning his hip against the counter to look at me as I sipped. "Was it a memory?"

I nodded. "From when I was a kid."

"I want to know Rosie. I can't help otherwise." The tone in his voice was commanding but soft.

I met his eyes, seeing one of them had changed to black.

The Alpha inside of Dane surfaced to comfort Annie.

"I was eight," I started, my heart already heavy. "I didn't go outside very often."

"School?"

I shook my head. "They 'homeschooled'," I curled two of my fingers in an air quotes around the word. "Today was my first time at a real school with other people." I blushed, realising how naive that probably made me look. "But, I interacted with a lot of people who came through the house and when they let me outside." I paled, the memory of my nightmare surfacing. "They sent me to get eggs and some other things for breakfast. Most of the town was human, they were kind to me," I smiled slightly. "There was a new grocery lady when I came in; she'd just moved to town, and apparently, the sight of an eight-year-old picking up groceries alone at four am wasn't normal to her." I giggled.

Dane's eyes hardened and I put the empty cup down beside me. "It's not. She obviously knew something wasn't right." His voice was a low growl. He knew she'd seen something else.

I paled and raised my left arm with three X-shaped burn scars that lined my forearm. Dane's hand was gentle, the Alpha's eye flashing silver and a snarl rose at the sight.

"She called the police when she saw the scars and was worried, she kept asking if my parents did it," I shrugged, lowering my arm from Dane's grip. "I understand, but I didn't know how to answer her, I knew if I said the wrong thing, I'd get punished. She still called. The officer who came was a friend of my guardians." I ducked my eyes. "He brought me right back to that house."

"You tried to fight."

I nodded. "When we were driving over, I kicked and punched him. He pulled out his gun and said he'd shoot me and dump my body, claim I ran away, if I hit him or someone called again. I dream I kept fighting, that I let him shoot me before he could take me back to that house." Dane's arms wound around me as I broke down, sobbing.

He held me until my tears stopped, his hand rubbing my back soothingly.

"You have Annie now." He said softly. "Even in your memories, let her help you."

"How?" I asked against his shoulder, his scent calming every fibre in my being.

"She's a part of you," he said simply. "You just have to trust her. Even in your dreams, you're quick." He tapped my nose, making me giggle softly.

He stared down at me with loving, understanding eyes and I tilted my head.

"What do you dream about?"

He chuckled, smiling a perfect grin at me. "I dream of you."

I rolled my eyes. "You just met me."

He grabbed my waist, pulled me from the counter onto his hips and kissed me.

"I only knew what you looked like today; every other night, I dreamt of a white ball of light who'd harass me for attention." He scrunched his nose up in playfulness.

I raised a brow at him, giggling. "Really?"

He nuzzled me, laying me between Theo and Xavier. "We all did, from the moment we were all born. We knew it had to have meant something important to us."

I blushed and gave a soft chuckle, Xavier and Theo rolling in their sleep, their arms wrapping over me.

Dane smiled down at me, moving Xavier's arm and shoving him to the side.

Xavier growled but rolled, taking the blanket off Theo who shivered and nuzzled into me.

I stifled a laugh as Dane slipped beside me, putting his arm over me to pull me to his chest and lying down.

"After seeing you and Annie today, the dreams changed." He said against my temple, kissing it, I looked up at him curiously. He smirked and kissed my lips. "Now it's Annie annoying the crap out of me for attention." I giggled against his lips, kissing the corner of his mouth and jaw.

"You love it." I teased.

His arms tightened around me, chuckling huskily. "Yes, I do." He cupped my cheek and kissed me softly and tenderly until I fell asleep, Annie running free within my dreams.

Every time, she led me to my mates.