The First Mate

Chapter Fourteen

I woke up sore.

Even Annie gave a small whimper when I stretched and sat up, finding myself alone.

There was a small note on the bedside table with a glass of water and painkillers.

Dane's handwriting was scrawled across the paper.

Sorry to leave you alone this morning, Pack business.

Xav is downstairs; Lisa will be there at 2.

Forever yours, Dane and Theo

I pushed against our bond with love as I popped the painkillers into my mouth, sipping the water and crawled slowly out of the bed.

The bedroom door opened, and Xavier peeked his head in as I tried to climb into the bath.

He chuckled as I turned to him with a sad pout, the ache in my muscles making it impossible to lift them that high.

He gave me one back in teasing. "Does Tiny need help?" He cooed at me, stepping into the room.

I nodded, raising my arms for him. "Everything hurts." I gave a pathetic whimper as he lifted me, catching the end of his pants to pull them off effortlessly and stepped into the bath with me.

He gave a soft chuckle, kissing my temple. "Annie can't heal sore muscles."

I grumbled, knowing he was right.

She could fix physical injuries and wounds.

Aching muscles from a solid workout of three mates.

Sadly, we had to deal with that one.

He let the water run at his feet until it was waist deep for me then sat down, placing me in his lap.

I hissed and groaned as I moved to sit up against him. "My back feels like a brick."

"Well, we'll just have to see if we can fix that." He kissed my cheek, his hands moving to my shoulders and starting to massage my tight muscles.

I sighed and melted into his strong touch.

"Oh, that feels so good." I breathed.

Xavier chuckled, his thumbs running down my spine and then flaring out to my shoulder blades.

I have a gasped moan as he hit a knotted muscle.

"Poor baby," he teased, moving me gently to lean me against the side of the bath so my back was stretched out for him to massage. "Did we f**k you a little too hard?"

I bit my lip as he kneaded the muscles. "I can take it."

His hands slowed, his thumb caressing a deep blue X scar that crossed my hip.

I felt a pulse of anger and sadness through our bond. The desire to know.

"Ask." I folded my arms on the side of the bath, raising my ass to him a bit.

He gave a scoffed laugh, sadness tightening it before he sighed, his hands moving again.

"What did they use to make those scars?" I wanted to flinch at the growl, but I knew it wasn't anger at me.

"I'm not sure, it was a red metal and was the only thing that seemed to scar me."

"Silver doesn't affect you?"

I shook my head. "Silver just takes longer for Annie to heal, but the red metal." I shook my head again, this time trying to force the memory down. "I still sometimes feel the blade." My hand touched another X scar on my arm.

"What else do you know about you and Annie?"

"Wolfbane makes her tired, but she becomes enraged when she wakes up from it as it causes nightmares."

"What kind of nightmares?"

Annie answered. "Domination from an unwanted." I shuddered, drawing her back down like a hug, my voice settling again. "Jordon would bind the wolfsbane with his blood."

It was a foul act to do, forcing a partial bond to form between us like a mate bond, allowing him to speak to my mind and show me whatever he desired.

Annie tried to shield me from me, creating a wall between us.

But within a night of the dreams, I had broken through, no longer able to handle her screaming.

I felt Xavier's hands stop, claws digging into my hips.

I yelped in surprise, turning to look at him.

His hands raised, his eyes softening in guilt as he saw the punctures.

"Rosie, I'm sorry." He went to move away.

I grabbed his wrist, meeting his eyes.

"Don't." I turned, kneeling to press myself into his chest and hugged him, his arms wrapped around me, shielding me from the world. "It wasn't your fault."

"I can't erase what was done," he said against the top of my hair.

"No one can, Xavier." I looked up at him. "There are stains on my soul I can't wipe away," I touched his cheek when he lowered his head in sadness, his eyes settling on mine. "But your love fixes my shattered heart, and that overrides any staining my soul has."

He gave me a gentle smile, squeezing me to him and kissed me.

We stayed like that for a few moments, Xavier kissing me softly and holding me in his arms.

The tears in my heart, the fear of never being enough or too broken, sealing shut like they were never there.

His hands melted the tension and aches in my back before I made him leave, his hand becoming too enticing.

I dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved turtle neck, slowly bouncing down the stairs to find Xavier waiting in the lounge with a small box.

I raised my brow at it as I took it and opened it.

My brows rose in surprise as he stood over me, smirking.

"Theo saw it, Dane bought it and I get to put it on you." He smiled proudly.

I blinked at the white gold necklace, the centre suspended with three different coloured roses.

Green, gold and blue.

I smiled up at him, pushing on my mind-link as I spoke. "I love it. When did you even have time?" I giggled as he slipped the thin metal from the box and I turned, raising my hair for him to put it on me.

"We don't actually sleep much, plus the shopping centres around Sparrows are all twenty-four hours." He explained with a chuckle.

When I turned around, he was looking just above my head, I went to turn again for him to reach up and stroke Annie's ear.

I growled at her mentally. She stuck her tongue at me.

Xavier chuckled. "We may have to work on your control."

I pouted, letting him take my hand and pull me into the kitchen. "I told her to stop; she just gets so excited people want to see...us, I guess." I sighed, sitting on one of the stools at the counter.

Xavier chuckled, grabbed a plate from the fridge and put it in front of me.

I thanked him and started to eat the turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich.

It was so good! I moaned quietly as I devoured it while Xavier talked.

"We don't want to discourage Annie from showing us when she's happy," he smiled at me, sitting next to me with his own sandwich. "But, I think it'll be easier to take you to human places if you can create that barrier again."

I giggled, nodding. "Don't want me to scare the bakers at Santa Feia, who are all humans except your head baker."

He pointed at me, smiling. "Exactly." He nudged me then. "Look at you, learning about her mates' lives so well."

We chuckled together and ate; I kissed him as I took our plates and washed them while he got changed, and he came back down to me rummaging in the fridge.

"What're you doing?" He chuckled as I pulled out the basket of fruit that took up a whole shelf, Xavier coming to take it from me when I struggled.

I smiled. "It's a soccer game, have to have fruit slices."

He laughed at me, watching me hunt around the kitchen for the cutting boards and knives.

He got out plastic containers and helped me slice about two hundred pieces of apples and oranges, teaching me basic knife skills and how to cut things safely.

He laughed at me when I loaded all of the containers into the back of the car. "We won't need all these for our team." I shrugged, taking the other two containers from him and stacked them.

"Then I'll offer them to the other team and the crowd."

He blinked at me, thinking then shrugged. "Fair enough."

Lisa came in through the side door of the garage, stuffing her keys into her pocket and smiling. "Hey! Sorry, I'm late!"

I looked at Xavier's watch. "You're an hour early, we were going to come get you."

She shrugged. "I thought Dane said twelve."

I giggled, shaking my head and hugged her. "You're staying tonight?"

She nodded, smiling. "I have my study books and clothes in the car." She tossed a thumb over her shoulder, telling me she'd parked around the side of the house.

Xavier helped me into the car, Lisa raising a brow as I gave a small grumble of pain.

"Don't ask." I smiled at her. Her lip curled as Xavier chuckled, walking past her with a smug set on his shoulders.

"You deserve it." She narrowed her eyes at me, gross but jealous is what it screamed.

I laughed and took Xavier's hand as he got in and Lisa climbed into the back.

"I really do," I said.

Lisa made a noise of disgust, throwing her head back. "I don't want to hear it."

I turned in my seat as Xavier drove. "I hope you packed earplugs then."

Xavier burst out laughing, shaking the car while Lisa pulled a face and I winked at her.

My voice was hoarse from cheering; Theo was still on the field, while Dane had been red-carded for hitting the other captain.

Because he winked at me when I'd brought the team fruit at halftime.

Lisa and the Triad thought it was hilarious; the Lunas and I hid smiles and tried our best to look disapproving.

Kaiden was attached to me the moment I'd come to sit with everyone, reaching for me with Thena apologising.

I happily waved her off, pulling him into my lap.

Xavier looked over his shoulder occasionally, winking at me and chuckling when he heard my screaming.

Cassie came up to me in the final quarter, needing to go to the bathroom and I was the smallest, so it was easier for me to weave with them through the crowd.

And I'd already done it three times since halftime.

I passed Kaiden to Lisa, Cassie and Betty taking my hands with Stacey trailing behind as we excused ourselves to the bathroom around the back of the bleachers across the field.

"Why are your ears down?" Betty asked me as we crossed the dirt carpark.

I chuckled. "Annie is tired at the moment, the first half of the game wore her out." It wasn't a complete lie, Annie had been snoozing on and off since the game started, but I also had been rebuilding the barrier between us, controlling the Shift in public.

Betty shrugged, seeming to be fine with that explanation, and I led them into the empty ladies' bathroom, filled with six blue stalled bathrooms and a wall of sinks and mirrors.

I let go of Betty and Cassie, leaning against the sink. "I'll be right here," I told them when they gave me a worried look, Stacey rolling her eyes and heading for the stall.

I started to hum, Cassie finding it helpful so she didn't feel so embarrassed.

"Is that Phantom of the Opera?" Stacey laughed from her stall.

I giggled. "It's from it, yes." I continued, ignoring her rolling eyes as she came out to wash her hands.

I helped her pull off the thick paper towel from the roll, giving her a gentle smile when she gave me a shy one.

"Are you really dating Dane, Theo and Xavier?" She crossed her arms, making me giggle at how she looked like Dane for a moment.

I nodded. "All three of them."

She gave an odd look making me laugh.

"What?" I nudged her with my elbow.

Her almost black curls bounced as she shook her head, blushing.

"You're allowed to ask me anything."

Her small lips pursed, her cheeks puffing in thought before she looked up at me, giving me a serious look that made Annie curious.

"Who's Jordon?"

I froze for a moment, staring down at her. "How do you know that name?"

She shook her head. "Who is he?"

I sighed, crossed my arms and shifted my weight from one leg to the other. "Tell me where you heard his name and what you heard, then I'll tell you, deal?" I held out my hand.

She hesitated for a moment before shaking it. "Dad was talking to Mum last night about it," I raised a brow, and she gave me a guilty look. "They thought I was asleep, Dad was yelling about Jordon."

I crouched, smelling the fear that rose from her small frame. I took her hands gently, meeting her pale green eyes.

She squeezed them with a surprising amount of strength. "Daddy said Jordon disappeared before punishment."

I paled for a moment. "What else did you hear, Stacey?" My voice came out a whisper, fear tightening my throat.

Please, don't let her overhear too much.

Her head shook again. "Daddy just said he hurt you, that his parents lied to the Triad."

I nodded, stroking her knuckles. "That's all you need to know for now," I said gently; she gave me a look of hurt, and I couldn't stop myself from stroking her small cheek in comfort. "Jordon and his parents were my family before I came here."

Her nose scrunched. "They didn't sound very nice. Daddy doesn't get angry at people who don't deserve it."

I blinked a little, surprised, but she was an Alpha's daughter; even if she was twelve, Stacey probably knew more than I did about how punishment and Packs worked.

"They are bad people, they weren't nice to me," I said, my voice shaking a little as I tried to force a smile, hearing the toilets of Cassie and Betty flush.

Stacey gave me a look that tore my heart a little, a look of understanding the six-year-old twins shouldn't even hear what Stacey knew.

I went to stand, only for Stacey to tug my hand back down, her arms wrapping around my neck in a hug as I kneeled for her.

"I'll be nice to you." She promised, squeezing me tightly.

I hugged her back, my arms wrapping around her and I wiggled us. "I'll be nice to you too."

She giggled. "Good, Dane is a meanie."

I laughed, helping Betty and Cassie wash their hands.

"I completely agree with you!" I smiled at her.

Stacey smiled brightly, a hint of pride in her chin set that reminded me of Dane.

We got back in time to see Dane come back onto the field, Stacey and I cheered loudly.

"Go Meanie!" We shouted together, Dane looking over his shoulder at us with a glare while he expertly kicked the ball.

Theo laughed, bouncing it off his chest before he leapt and kicked, slamming into the ball.

The home crowd went insane as it landed in the goal, the siren buzzing for the end game.

13-12.

Win to the home team.

We all ran to the field to congratulate the team, Xavier finding me first.

"Well done, Coach." I smiled at him as he bent to kiss me, chuckling.

Theo's arms wrapped around my waist, spinning me as I squeaked and giggled. "There's a party after this at one of the Pack houses." He panted, sweaty and covered in dirt as he kissed me without restraint.

Goddess, he smelt good.

"Did you want to go?" He asked as he pulled back, my mind went blank for a moment before I remembered what he'd said.

I nodded. "Sure, sounds like fun." I smiled, seeing Dane find me. "Hey, Killer."

He smirked before pulling me from Theo's arms, lifting me to his waist, and his lips clashed with mine in a passionate kiss.

My hands tangled in his wet hair, pulling myself deeper into his kiss as I smelt the other team start to mingle with ours.

I chuckled through the mind-link.

So possessive.

He gripped my ass, a growl vibrating his chest.

I giggled, swiping my tongue into his mouth.

Fuck me right here, show them all who I belong to.

Don't tempt me. He growled at me, biting my lip when I submitted to his tongue.

I gave a sad whine, pouting at him as he pulled back.

"Meanie." He didn't hesitate to slap my ass, loud enough, it drew attention,n, and hard enough,gh, I was soaked.

He smirked at me, smelling my arousal as he started to walk for the car, Theo and Xavier chuckling behind us.

He set me down as Xavier opened the boot and pulled out a paper bag.

"Put this on." He smiled, handing it to me.

I went to peek inside, only for Theo to suddenly be behind me, caging me between the three of them.

His hand slipped into the back of my jeans, gripping my ass. "You either go put it on in the bathroom without peaking, or we take you somewhere to do it ourselves." His eyes glanced to the sports rooms, Xavier's office.

I opened the bag again, biting my lip to stifle the yelp as Theo threw me over his shoulder

We were suddenly in the darkness; Theo, being the fastest, left us alone for a few moments.

I smelt Xavier, but the smell was old, telling me we were in his office.

"Naughty girl," Theo tutted, pushing me to lean over Xavier's desk.

"I'm sorry," I lied in a husky breath, pressing my ass into his erection.

The ache of my thighs mingled with the pleasure.

He growled at me, his hands gripping the jeans and he tore them, leaving my ass bare.

"I tried to avoid your underwear." He said, his voice caught between lustful and guilty.

I giggled. "I wasn't wearing any."

He snarled in approval, stripping me bare as the door opened and closed, Xavier and Dane's scent filling my nose and lust flooded my thighs.

Xavier gave a dark chuckle, coming to stand in front of me. He leaned down, grabbed the back of my shirt and tore that from me with ease.

"Good thing I packed some." He said, running a hand across my bare back.

I shivered, Theo, gripping my ass and spanking it.

Dane fisted my hair. "You already saw what I'll do if someone winks at you."

I smiled, biting my lip. "I was very excited by it."

He gave a half smirk. "Good, because we plan to do worse tonight, and we want our mate to show off her pretty little form and marks."

I giggled as I was moved to sit on the desk, Theo and Xavier stripping the last of my clothing from me.

"Do not hesitate with your affection, show everyone what a good girl you are for us." Dane grabbed my chin.

I wiggled on the table, Annie stirring.

"What did you pick for me to wear?" They all smiled, Dane, releasing my chin.

Together they dressed me; in the darkness, I couldn't see what they had selected, but feeling it on my skin.

I couldn't stop Annie from shattering the barrier I'd made, my ears and tail sprouting in excitement.

Seeing me with their perfect night vision, I was surrounded by lustful growls.

I giggled, weaving between them with ease out of their grips and opened the door.

"Not yet, my Triad." I teased, turning my ass to them and wiggled my tail and hips at them as I headed for the car.

Lisa will be at the house. Theo snarled, almost angrily at the thought.

Dane helped me into the car and I smiled at him.

So? His eyes flashed at my question.

Smiling brightly Lisa climbed in between Dane and Theo.

She raised a brow at him in curiosity, looking towards me to see I shared the same smile.

She made a face and shook her head.

"f*****g mated couples."

I giggled at her, sticking my tongue out while we started to bicker between ourselves before descending into annoying, off-key singing the guys actively cringed at while we drove across the border to the Pack lands of the Greywing Pack, bordering on Sparrow Falls. It was an allied Pack of Dane's, the Bane Moon Pack, so the area was designated as safe.

Plus, it was filled with students and clans from Sparrow Falls; Dane and Theo told me of a few friends they had, Lisa warned me of the girls obsessed with one or all of my mates, and I giggled, seeing their shared embarrassment.

Annie twitched her ears, ready to be a brat.