Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Imogen

The trouble with having three fated mates was that it meant you got nothing done.

I woke up slowly, that kind of Sunday, I don't have work or anything I have to do kind of lazy awakening, and it became clear why as soon as my eyes fluttered open. A big hand spanned my back, stroking me over and over, just like a cat, and I was ready to start purring. I wiggled experimentally, revelling in how good I was feeling, right up until the point I stared into his eyes. Kyle grinned like a little boy caught doing something naughty and there was something so pure about that. Like all the world was pleasure and all I had to do was reach out to get some for myself. Life wasn't that simple, which was why I moved up and claimed his mouth as mine. The little grunt of surprise, like he couldn't believe this was happening either, was everything I didn't know I needed. One kiss bled into another, then another, before I felt another hand on my shoulder.

"Got any of that for me?"

Was this the way it would always be? Waking up when I felt like it, only to have three hot guys vying for my attention? I hadn't just landed on my feet; I'd landed in heaven. I turned then, Kyle keeping a tight grip on me lest I pull away, to kiss Lucas.

"Shit, morning breath," he said, moving back at the last moment.

"We've both got it, so I guess we cancel each other out."

That gave him permission to do exactly what he wanted. His sweet smile felt like it lit me up from the core, right before his lips were pressed against mine.

We'd had sex before we fell asleep and again during the night. Asher's dream walking seemed to have taken a more sensual turn now, and when he teased me while I slept, I was forced to wake up and attack the three of them to satiate that lust. But with Kyle pressed against my butt, his hard length branding one cheek and Lucas grinding into my hip, suddenly that wasn't enough. It was like being able to see colour for the first time or to get your sense of smell or taste back. The world had become a far more vivid, intensely sexual place, and part of me wanted to grab all this sensation with both hands.

And the other remembered I was actually employed to do a job here.

"Pancakes!" I yelped, pulling away.

"Pancakes?" Lucas looked completely confused.

"I said I'd make pancakes for the kids again this morning."

I started to pull free, ready to scramble out of bed and into the adjoining shower when another set of arms grabbed me and pulled me back down again. I'd gone from being wedged between Lucas and Kyle to straddling Asher's hips.

First thing in the morning, he lost that intense look of focus I quickly realised. Asher looked softer, more relaxed for once, a small smile forming as I tried to get free. That just ended up with me wriggling on his dick, something his body and mine seemed to like a whole lot.

"The job was just a pretext to keep you at HQ," he told me. "You don't need to cook anything unless you want to."

"What?" I stared and watched the walls start being rebuilt rapidly, his smile fading until I shook my head. "You did that for me?"

"That and paid your rent for the next six months." He muttered that, looking almost embarrassed by the fact.

"You what?"

I leaned closer, especially when Asher seemed determined not to look at me.

"Gave the real estate agent the new keys," he said like a man facing down a firing squad. "She seemed put out by the fact there was an incident at the apartment already, but her concerns evaporated when I organised for the entire lease's rent to be paid in one lump sum." Blue eyes rolled back my way. "I knew you'd get all weird about that, so I figured if we found you a job to ‘pay' for all of that, you'd be OK with me overstepping."

Finding out shifters were real was no big jump for me, but this? I knew I needed to thank him, to make clear just how much I appreciated everything he'd done, but the words weren't coming. I just couldn't believe someone would do something like that for me.

"I…"

My voice cracked and tears filled my eyes, which was the worst reaction ever. His face fell, real fear in his eyes, right before I launched myself at him. My arms wrapped around his neck, holding him as tightly as I dared, until he took over, holding me just as closely.

"I'd do anything for you," he rumbled, stroking my hair, my back. "Anything. I've waited my whole life to find you, Imogen. This was nothing. I've been smart with my investments, built up a nice portfolio of stocks. I could buy you the entire damn building if that's what would make you happy."

My head jerked back and then I let out a little bark of a laugh, part happiness, part incredulity. Asher was like a heat-seeking missile. He worked out what the hell he wanted and went for it, not allowing anything to get in his way, and I could see how that might be overwhelming for other people.

Not me, though.

I settled back down again, tucking my head up and under his chin, and his sigh of satisfaction was everything.

"Just to be clear, I don't need you to do that," I said, closing my eyes for a moment and breathing in his scent. "I… I'm not going back there, am I?"

That felt bad to say. The apartment was something I'd worked so hard to afford and I was discarding it without a second thought, but… It was always just the next step. The one that took me away from Mike and further towards what I wanted to become.

Happy.

I had no way of anticipating what it would really take to achieve that.

"Not if I can help it," Kyle said, sliding in beside us. "The security on that place sucked. We did what we could, but…"

"And I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the crime stats of that suburb." Lucas was now standing at the end of the bed, splendidly naked, and I took a nice, long look at all of him. "We don't want you going anywhere."

"But we will go wherever you do go."

Asher regained my attention with his intense declaration. His eyes burned into mine, making clear that him and that beautiful floof that lived under his skin would not be dissuaded.

This was when I pushed back, tried to assert my independence, but nope, I was happy right where I was. Having three attack bears at my beck and call did that to a girl. I snuggled back into Asher, felt Kyle's arm settle around my waist, then Lucas' body press into my other side as he laid back down on the bed.

"I do have to get up and make pancakes though," I mumbled.

Kyle groaned. "I knew it was a bad idea getting you cooking."

"The kids really seem to like them," I said. "And the mothers need a break."

"If this is what you want." Asher pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Then that's what we'll do."

"We? We?"

Some moments later, we were all showered, dressed, and in the kitchen. And I had three assistants at my disposal.

"Mm…" Kyle's arms went around me. "You smell like vanilla."

"And you just made me muff up the bear pancake," I grumbled. "Have you ever seen a bear that looks like that?"

"Umm…" He looked guiltily at the blob forming in the pan. "It still looks like a bear if you squint really hard."

"So, close your eyes you mean." I sighed and flipped it over. "Maybe one of the parents could have that."

"Two eggs sunny side up, crispy bacon, and a sausage for Georgia?"

Asher was like a machine in everything he did. He took orders from the ladies, putting each one on the metal strip above the prep bench and then worked through them with maximum efficiency, barking at the others to retrieve ingredients.

"This looks amazing," Georgia said, looking just a little guilty as she accepted the meal, and I knew what she was feeling. That it was hard for her to accept this small moment of kindness from someone else. I hated that she might feel this way, but also knew it was all too common. We'd both been taught to put what we wanted to one side for far too long. But when I saw the bruises on her wrists as her sleeves slid up to take the food, I looked away.

No matter what Mike had done, it was never as bad as that.

I wasn't the real victim here, and so I focussed on the job at hand, looking after the people who were.

We worked as a team, cooking meal after meal until finally everyone was fed. Dishes were stacked neatly in the servery, the ladies all working together to clear the dining room, but now it was our turn.

"Ugh… I'm guessing we can't just leave this to the clean-up crew?" Kyle said, eyeing the stacks.

"They're flat out cleaning all the rooms," Lucas replied, grabbing a bunch of plates and slotting them neatly in the dishwasher. "And then they get to clean the art room after you make a mess in there."

"But I could think of much more fun ways to spend our time."

Kyle slotted in behind me as I scraped the grill clean, pressing his body into mine, which meant I had to arch up and into him. I could too, vividly remembering how amazing they all made me feel, but that moment couldn't last long.

"Amazing breakfast…" a familiar voice said, and I turned around to find Elodie standing in the doorway. "Oh." She blinked, taking in the four of us before smiling. "Imogen, did you have a minute?"

She was being perfectly polite, so why did this feel like I'd been called up to see the principal at school?

"Um… sure."

Kyle stepped away, and I missed his warmth as I followed her out into the dining room.

"So, people talk a lot here," she explained sheepishly. "I admit I'm relieved that you know about the situation with the sleuth."

"You know too?" I found myself talking in a low voice, then shook my head, realising I didn't need that.

"All of the staff do. A lot are members of the bear community already," she explained. "There are other shifters…" I leaned in further, wondering who else took fur at will. "But anyway, I just hoped to touch base. Things are…" She glanced back at the kitchen. "Moving fast, as they are likely to when the newly mated get together. I just wanted to make sure you're OK with everything."

"I'm fine." There was a defensive edge to that reply. Still humming with a curious kind of energy, my mate's regard, their touch, felt like it filled me up with a golden light. Her question, innocent as it was, threatened to dim it. I shook my head and tried again. "I'm fine, really, but thanks for checking in."

"OK." She had her misgivings; I could see that in the slight tightening of the skin around her eyes. "Well, you know where my office is."

"I do."

"Amazing breakfast, by the way. Definitely an improvement on what was being offered before."

"Thanks."

My reply felt weak, ineffectual, but Elodie didn't press any further.

"Just know that the entire community here is ready to support you in any way you need, not just your mates."

I stood there for some time after she turned on her heel and walked out. She'd squeezed my hand, there and gone again, and I felt it after she'd left.

"All the dishes are stacked." I turned to find Lucas standing there. "They're washing but I've got to get moving. I've got a class."

"You're a student?" I asked, glad for the excuse to redirect my focus.

"Teacher." That flush in his cheeks was very intriguing, drawing me closer. "Some of the older kids, they saw me practising with the sword one day and wanted to learn more about it, so I started a class."

"I want to see," I said, no doubt in my mind. "Please?"

"You don't even have to ask." Lucas shook his head as if that would dislodge his broad grin. "Any time you want to spend with me, I'll take."

"Well, show me your weapon, bear boy."

I cackled as he took my hand and tugged me down the hall.