The First Mate

Chapter Seven: New Day

Theo was waiting out the front for me, Lisa running past him with her head down, hiding a smartass smirk.

Theo flicked her ear when she passed, making me giggle as I got to him.

"You're late." He scolded, taking my hand and tugging me into the class that was already seated.

I was glad to know it was just Lisa I'd known in this class, now Theo.

He pulled me to the back of the class, a row of tables already filled with four other large Shifters who regarded me with amusement and curiosity as I went to sit between Theo and Lisa.

Theo pulled me into his lap, making me giggle when his hands pinned my waist.

"Rose, this is Quade, Vaughn, Tobie and Finn." He introduced.

I blinked at them, having a moment to realise they were identical.

They had dark brown hair and dark skin of rich chocolate and the only difference was the shades of brown in their eyes.

"Quadruplets?" I tilted my head at them.

Quade, his eyes more caramel than the other, chuckled. "We are. First of our clan." He tilted his jaw with pride and I smiled.

"They're rare for any Shifter clan. Are you like Theo?"

Vaughn nodded, his almost black eyes shining. "We're his... Beta's, I guess, is the best analogy."

I nodded. "Okay, so you're the second in commands...well, I guess... Quad in command." My brows narrowed, unsure if that was right.

The five laughed at me, Theo squeezing me sweetly as he hugged me. "Pretty much, yeah." He kissed my shoulder.

I giggled, leaning back to nuzzle him for a moment before he started to talk to the brothers and I turned to Lisa, talking about the essay we had to write on the book we were reading.

"I do not get what we're even meant to do." She sighed and flicked the pages of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

I giggled, slapping her hand to stop her. "I can help you, I just need to pick a topic, and I have some books that'll make it easier." I smiled at her.

She raised her brow. "What kind of books?"

I shrugged. "Ones about Adam, it made me love him to be honest."

I felt the gazes behind me and turned to see Theo and the boys looking at me with raised brows.

"Who's Adam?" Theo asked in my ear.

I rolled my eyes. "Is that all you heard?" I giggled at his serious scowl. "The monster Victor Frankenstein created is named Adam," I leaned against him. "I'll educate you, don't worry."

He nuzzled me, growling softly.

Miss Giles started to speak, and I turned, nudging Theo to pay attention.

He gave a dramatic cough, grabbing his rib.

Miss Giles raised a silver brow at him, annoyed and a small smirk on her lips as he put me in my chair.

I didn't take any notes, finding myself realising I'd offered books I wasn't sure I could go get.

Theo's hand touched my thigh as I wrung my hands together under the desk.

"Are you good, baby?" He whispered in my ear.

I bit my lip, pushing on our bond for the mind-link.

All my books are at my.... guardians' house.

His hand tightened on me, squeezing me gently. Xavier will go get them today for you, he'll deal with them.

I paled, my head snapping up to him. Theo.... they're dangerous.

He met my eyes, black against my green. Do you doubt the strength of your mates?

My thighs tightened as his hand slid higher on my leg, his eyes flashing with a dominance I wasn't used to from him.

I'm sorry. Annie whimpered at him.

He smirked down at me, his eyes settling to crystal blue.

"I just want my books. It's all I own." I admitted quietly.

He nodded, patting my leg and taking my hand. "Xavier's already heading there now, he'll have them in PE for you after lunch." He kissed my cheek, settling my panic.

I wished for a moment Xavier had marked me, so I could mind-link with him.

Tell him I love him.

I felt a caress against the back of my mind. Xavier's voice shuddered through me.

I love you, too Tiny. He whispered a smile in his voice. As a Triad, he could contact any of the Clan while unshifted, though it was rare the Clan could talk back unless Shifted.

I smiled and leaned into Theo, knowing he'd told Xavier of my worry. "Thank you."

English and Geology went by without issue; Lisa was in all of my classes, making it easier for me to relax.

We sorted a schedule for her to come over to the house and study with me every few days and stay over on the weekends.

When I'd mentioned if I had to ask the guys, Lisa laughed at me. "We all grew up as a family; I'm their favourite." She beamed as we walked to the cafeteria for lunch.

A scent crossed my nose, fear flashing in my heart for a moment as a strong arm fell over us, Dane's scent covering the fearsome scent and I rose my head to meet his lips as he smiled down at me.

"Hey, Killer." He smirked.

My fear disappeared, replaced with a swell of love and adoration for him.

I rolled my eyes, smiling as he turned to Lisa, ruffling her hair. "You are not the favourite. Maybe, the most tolerated."

Lisa growled, elbowing him. He playfully shoved her, holding her at arm's length and growled back when she tried to shove back.

She stuck her tongue out and then ignored him for the rest of our walk.

Theo's hand wrapped my waist as we entered the cafeteria building.

"Ready for PE?" Theo smiled at me as he led to to a seat outside, Lisa and Dane heading for the line.

I frowned, looking over my shoulder. Theo laughed, pulling me into a sun-warmed stone seat. "Dane will get you a burger, fries and soda." He tapped my nose.

Scrunched it at him, but my heart thrummed. "Are we playing Seekers again?" I asked, taking off his shirt and handing it back, only for him to take it and stuff it into my bag.

"I think it's theory today." He muttered, sounding annoyed, then perked up for a moment. "Though, second half is archery."

I giggled. "You can teach me how to shoot." I raised my arms, trying to mimic an archer's pose.

Theo laughed at me, shaking his head and rolled his eyes. "You look like you need it."

My mouth fell open, shoving him. "Meanie!" I whined, watching him fall backwards into a roll back onto his feet and laughed at me.

"Fighting everyone today, are we?" He chuckled.

I went to rise in my seat to tackle him, but I caught Dane's scent and my head snapped to find him smiling at me.

I smiled back as he sat next to me, Theo chuckling as he sat back on the other side of me.

"Thank you for lunch." I kissed Dane gently, glad to see Lisa placing another tray in front of Theo and Dane had a full tray.

I liked to know my men were fed, though maybe I should ask Xavier for cooking lessons so I could start to do it myself.

Dane interrupted my thoughts. "Our parents wanted you to come to the cookout on Friday." He said casually.

I blinked up at him. "Your what where?"

He chuckled, kissing my forehead.

I pouted at him and turned to my food, starting to eat.

Lisa took pity on me and explained.

"The Triad, currently running, like to throw a shindig every Friday before a game to get the Clans together. We all bring something to eat and drink until they tell us to get out of their house." She smiled. "Our parents may have got wind of a certain girl that's taken their son's interest."

I giggled, scowling teasingly at her. "You ratted me out, didn't you?"

She filled her mouth with a handful of fries, smiling with a s**t-eating grin.

I turned to Dane. "I'd love to go, I'll try to make Mac and cheese."

He laughed, leaning down and nuzzling me. "I think Xavier has some recipes he has specially for you to cook with him."

My heart fluttered and Annie rolled as she yipped.

I kissed Dane, thinking for a moment about what Xavier had joked about last night. "And you'll take me shopping?"

He raised an intrigued brow.

I blushed but continued. "I want to get a dress for it, and maybe a bottle of wine for your parents." I looked back at Theo and Lisa. "There's alcohol right?"

They all laughed at me, Dane and Theo sandwiching me with a kiss on both cheeks as they started to make suggestions of what each Triad parent enjoyed.

I settled on bourbon for their dads and something called faerie, some kind of spirit Lisa mentioned their mums drank during Book Club.

Lunch ended with Dane making sure I finished my tray, both he and Theo kissing me before Lisa and I headed for the changing rooms.

Xavier had changed the schedule. We had archery all afternoon, which I was okay with when Lisa led me to the field and I saw Theo shirtless with Dane beside him as they shot at targets halfway across the field.

My eyes widened when I saw them both hit the small centre red mark.

Lisa chuckled, nudging me to the left and I saw Xavier waiting with his arms crossed and a bag in his hand.

I couldn't stop the slight jog that picked up my speed as I headed for him, a desire to jump into his arms.

I slowed myself, seeing the few eyes of Shifters look at me as I approached him.

He ignored them, dropping the bag gently on the ground before he ran at me, covering the gap between us in two strides as he leaned down to wrap his arms around my waist and lifted me, claiming my lips.

"Don't hesitate." He growled against my mouth, and I moaned, opening for his tongue to do battle with mine.

The world melted away; only Xavier's hands and mouth on me mattered, and I wanted him to mark me right there.

Take me on the field.

He growled, feeling my lustful pulse through our bond, pulling back, and I whimpered. "I have a class to teach." He smirked at me.

I blushed, remembering we weren't alone.

I heard Theo and Dane chuckle in my mind as Xavier placed me down next to the bag he had, picking it up and handing it to me.

"I hope I got them all." He gave a tight smile and I noticed the bruising on his knuckles. Before I could reach out for him, he growled softly.

I opened the bag, a flood of relief to see the few books I had saved over the years.

He'd gotten them all, and from the smell of them, he'd tried to cleanse them so it was only his scent.

I smiled up at him, a small tear breaking. "I love you."

He smiled, leaning down to give me a gentle kiss. "I love you, too. Now, go get Theo to teach you how to hold a bow."

I giggled as I followed his order, giving him a small salute he rolled his eyes at before turning to shout at the Shifters, who had stopped to watch us.

I skipped to Dane and Theo, who were chuckling at me, while Lisa was the only one focused.

Theo stroked my cheek. "We enjoy your affection, don't be ashamed of it." He kissed me and then stepped behind me, putting a bow into my hand and Dane stood beside us with his arms crossed, watching.

We spent the next hour with Theo trying to help me and us finding out, I was too short for every bow the school had.

Xavier even tried to find the pups one from the primary school supplies.

I ended up just helping pack down the unused targets, taking them to the storage closet at the back of the rooms in the sports building.

I stuffed the stand into a barrel and turned to leave, bumping into someone.

I yelped as I fell on my ass in a pile of basketballs in a net.

"Who're you and why're you in here?" A male voice asked, and my head shot up, meeting the dark eyes of another student in sports clothes, but he had the trim from the year above. He was a Bear Shifter from the size of him, short dark hair and his smirk was unnerving as he looked at me.