Chapter 19

Chapter 19

CREE

I placeRiley on the counter, move to her left side, and Axel comes to stand on her right. She’s so weak she can’t sit up on her own, and her eyes keep dropping shut.

“Riley, I need your eyes open, sweetheart,” Axel says, cupping her cheek in his hand.

“Mmm,” she moans, leaning into his touch, like a kitten seeking the attention of her master.

“Eyes open, Riley,” I command, and her eyes snap open, her pupils adjusting to the low lighting.

“Sweetheart, it’s clear you’re exhausted and that you’re not going to be able to do this on your own. I need your permission for Cree and me to help you.”

She nods, her gaze locked with Axel’s. “We venture anywhere you’re not comfortable with, you tell us to stop, and we will obey. Tell me what you’re going to say if you’re uncomfortable.”

Riley’s shoulders rise and fall with a deep inhale. With a slow exhale her body visibly relaxes, and she sways slightly. I place a hand on the small of her back, and she glances in my direction, her soulful eyes holding mine for a heartbeat before turning back to Axel. “I’ll tell you to stop.”

“That’s right,” Axel says with a smile.

Together, we steady her while we get her undressed. Sliding her sleep shirt up and over her broken body, I’m reminded of the scene in the alley. Her upper half exposed. Blood matting in her hair and coating her pale skin.

My blood pumps in my ears, and I’m forced to look away as memories of tending to her that night play through my mind. The way her body was beaten. Her ribs lined with bruises and her back almost completely concealed in bandages that were hiding a myriad of scrapes and lacerations. The deep bluish-purple bruise from the swelling of a handprint across the front of her neck and over her wrists. Deep bruises on her outer thighs from where knees pressed her legs together, and on her inner thighs from prying them open. Lacerations on the back of her thighs and even on her ass from being dragged across broken glass in the alley. The split of her right brow and swollen eye from the blows she took to the face.

Taking a deep, centering breath, I turn back towards Riley, now seeing how much her body has healed over the week since her attack. She’s still a little worse for wear, but she’s here. She’s safe, and she’s healing.

Axel and I strip down to our boxers. Sliding an arm under Riley’s knees and around her back, I lift her, and she wraps her arms around me, pressing her nose into my neck. I walk into the large shower and sit on the bench with her in my lap, her side to my front.

Using a detachable showerhead, Axel runs warm water down her back. As the remaining bandages soak and loosen, Axel gently peels them away, tossing them in a corner. Everyday her wolf gets stronger, meaning she heals faster, leaving only the worst of the deep lacerations still to be mended. But nothing that requires the need for bandages any longer. If only the emotional wounds could be healed so easily.

She’s completely pliant in my arms, making it easy to brace her body and lean her back while Axel rinses her hair. He turns and grabs a bottle of coconut shampoo. He lathers it into her hair, and she moans as he massages the white, foaming liquid into her scalp, and working his fingers down to the base of her head, kneading as he goes along. Riley continues to moan and groan as Axel works her scalp and hair into a bubbling lather. He proceeds to rinse her hair clean before adding more shampoo and repeating the process to completely wash her long, fiery red locks clean of all the buildup. I shoot Axel a murderous look as he makes Riley moan again. He just fucking grins at me.

Axel grabs a sponge and squirts some body wash on it and starts to gently wash her body, avoiding any open wounds, which he’ll tend to later. He starts at her neck, gently massaging her muscles, working his way down each arm, giving each finger equal attention before working his way back up. As he makes his way down her back, I turn Riley in my lap, placing a leg on each side of me and pull her front against my chest. Her breasts rub against me, and I can’t stop my body’s inappropriate reactions to her.

As Axel massages her back, Riley sinks into me, nuzzling her nose into my neck. Axel works his hands between our bodies and runs the sponge across her chest just above her breasts. Riley leans back into him, her eyes closed, soaking in the comfort, being held safe and protected between our bodies. Seeing her like this, so relaxed and vulnerable causes my heart to swell and my cock to pulse.

Axel’s hands work their way down, innocently touching her breasts, causing her nipples to harden into diamond peaks. Her hips rock against my pelvis, small, almost imperceivable movements. A sweet, musky scent fills the air around us as her arousal spikes.

My cock hardens against her, separated from the place it really wants to be by the thin material of my boxers. Her core heats up as he gently massages her nipples between his fingers. A throaty moan escapes her as she presses down onto me, and I groan in equal parts pleasure and torture. My hands meet her hips, stilling her movements.

My eyes shoot to Axel. “Axel,” I growl. “Axel, you have to fucking stop.” My breathing catches as I try to maintain control of my body. Having Riley naked and writhing on my lap is more than I can tolerate.

Axel grins at me again as he moves his hand from her breasts to her abdomen, running the soapy sponge over the flat outline of muscle. A whimper of protest leaves Riley, and Axel leans down, whispering in her ear, “Tell us what you need, what you want.”

“I need. I ... I ... need to feel—wanted,” Riley pants as her eyes glide open and meet mine. There’s a pleading look in those grey orbs that cuts me to the core.

She grabs my hands from where they rest on her hips and moves one to her chest, just above her breast. “I want to feel your hands on my body. On my breasts. On … On my clit. I need to feel something other than this pain inside me.” Tears leak from her eyes, and the sorrow-filled look tells me how much she and her wolf need to feel this connection.

Fuck, why do I feel like I’m going to regret this later?

“Cree. Please,” Riley begs, trying to push against my hands to relieve the pressure building inside her. Sliding her eyes closed, wanting to just feel.

“Damnit, Riley. Open your eyes and look at me. Now,” I bark at her. Her eyes fly open and lock onto mine. “I will not fuck you, Riley, that’s not what you need. You’re in pain, little wolf, and not just your body. You need relief from your pain, and your wolf needs to feel comfort and protection. Understand me?”

She doesn’t answer me with her words, but the lost look in her eyes tells me she hears me. A gasp escapes her as Axel caresses and massages over her erect nipples. “Riley, we do this my way. I need you to tell us you’re okay with that. We’ll stop now if you tell us to.”

“You have to speak, darling. Out loud so we can hear you,” Axel softly says in her ear.

“Yes, just take the pain. Please,” she manages.

“Okay, little wolf, we’ve got you. I’m gonna take care of your wolf while Axel takes care of you.” I gently turn Riley on my lap, pulling her back flush against my chest. I run my hands down her body. Starting at her shoulders and moving down her chest, over her tight breasts, and pinching each nipple. Continuing my descent, I reach her thighs and unfurl her legs, placing one leg on either side of mine, effectively spreading her wide and exposing her to Axel. I run my hands back up her thighs and skim my fingers through her wet folds. She squirms when I brush over her clit, giving it a firm circling, and pinch. The cutest fucking noise punches free of her, and I chuckle at her reaction.

Axel kneels in front of her and slides forward so he’s between our legs. He gently places his hands on the top of each of her feet and glides them up her legs, inch by agonizing inch. Caressing tender spots as he moves along until he reaches the apex of her thighs.

The anticipation as he sits back on his knees and looks up at her causes her to squirm in my lap. He leans in; his lips brushing over her heating flesh. Slowly, he parts his mouth, allowing his tongue to peek out. He gradually, deliberately licks her pussy from base to clit, dipping just the tip of his tongue inside her.

Her head falls back, eyes closing, and her breath catching. His tongue plays circles around her clit before flattening over it, applying the perfect amount of pressure. My hands slide across her chest, my left hand coming to rest on her right breast and my right hand resting on her throat, not squeezing, just resting there. I interlock our ankles and widen Riley’s legs as far as I can stretch them. Leaving her completely at our mercy.

A sour, bitter scent fills the air as Riley’s breathing quickens, having nothing to do with the pleasure Axel is providing. Axel pulls back slowly, placing his hands on her knees, and my left hand slides down to band across her ribs. Her hands fly up to grab ahold of my right forearm, leading to my hand still resting at the base of her throat.

“I can’t breathe,” she pants.

“Bullshit, Riley. You can breathe. Suck in air and push it out.” I know it’s harsh, but she needs to push through this. She’s so much stronger than her pain, than her past. Her wolf needs to know she’s safe with us. I saw how she curled up, afraid to fight in that alley. With the pain of the withdrawal that they just went through, and how much worse things are going to get, now more than ever, Riley and her wolf need to know how strong they really are. They need to face their fears and move forward from it.

“Cree ... P-p-please,” Riley begs, pleading with me to release her, her nails digging into my forearm. Axel’s still down on his knees in front of her, caressing her thighs. It’s clear the confining hold of my hand wrapped around her neck, along with the intimacy of Axel’s hands on her bare thighs, is fueling her panic right now.

Releasing my hold slowly, I slide my hand down to rest over her racing heart. Her panic attack after her intimate moment with Enzo the other day, and now this one, it’s becoming apparent there’s a trauma in her past, one that is strong enough to cage her wolf’s natural protective instincts. We’re going to break that hold over her. Call it selfish, but I want to be close to my mate. I want to hold her hand, touch her. To just be able to hold her. However, I prefer to do so without causing her pain every time.

“Riley, listen to me. Open your eyes and look down.” Applying a little comforting pressure to where my hand is resting on her chest, I put alpha authority behind my words in hopes her wolf will push her to comply through her panic. However, her eyes remain closed.

Axel reaches up with his left hand and rests it on her cheek, his thumb caressing her cheek bone. She presses tighter against me, every muscle tensing, trying to close in on herself.

“Sweetheart, please look at me,” Axel says, his voice like honey.

“Come on, little wolf, you can do it. Leave the past and come back to us.” I try to guide Riley’s mind with my words while my bear reaches out to her wolf, soothing and comforting her, drawing her out.

Reed’s wolf tried to dominate Riley, to make her submit to him. Sure, it was for a good reason, but that’s not how you gain the trust of your mate. We want to show our mate we’re on even ground. That we don’t want to lord over her or stand in front of her while she cowers behind us. Rather, we want to stand beside her. While we may be alphas, we need to be her protectors, her guardians, her friends, her lovers ... her mates.

Riley’s breathing slows, becoming more even-paced. Her heart beats against my palm, her pulse thrumming under my fingertips. It’s still racing, but at a steadier trot. Her body loses its rigidness as her eyes slowly open. She peers down at Axel, and he gives her one of his award-winning smiles.

“There’s my sweetheart. Better?” He continues to caress from her knees up her thighs, never breaking eye contact. I watch his hands glide over her smooth, delicate skin, and, fuck me, my cock twitches. His eyes flick over her shoulder to me, and he fucking grins, knowing the effect this is having on me.

Her head tilts back on my shoulder as her body relaxes into me, and she lets out a heavy breath. “I ... I don’t know. I ... maybe?” she whispers, more in question, sounding so unsure of herself.

I trail my fingers along her skin, drawing slow rhythmic patterns. “Where did you go?” I ask her, continuing the mindless tracings on her flesh as she closes her eyes, some of the tension giving way, and she sinks further into me, allowing me to support her.

“The past,” she sniffs, as a few tears trickle from the corners of her eyes. “There was this beta in my pack. He took over after my parents died. When I came of age, he tried … he tried.…”

No,my bear growls in my head, and I have to agree with him. No one forces our mate into anything she doesn’t want. I bite down on my tongue to hold my anger for her at bay, that isn’t what she needs. I force every muscle to relax and continue the drawing of random patterns on her abdomen, and I hold her to me, wanting her to know she’s safe with me.

“Did he try to force you into a bond?” Axel asks from his place still at her feet, his hands on her knees as he guides her legs to close.

Riley’s eyes open, and she meets Axel’s concerned, understanding gaze and nods.

“And then the guy in the alley tried to force you again.” It wasn’t a question but a statement this time, and he puts two and two together.

“Yes,” she whispers, and everything clicks in my mind. Control is what she needs. She needs to know that she has the control to stop things. Fuck.

“And being trapped in an intimate situation as you were—at our mercy—sent you back to those places.”

She nods.

“I understand. Nothing happens here that you don’t want. You say stop, we will always stop. Okay?” Axel informs her.

The water raining down on us turns cool, and a shiver races through Riley’s body. “Come on, let’s get you out of here and dried off,” I say, pulling both of her legs to one side and cradling her in my arms again. Holding her skin to skin, sharing my warmth and essence with her is balm to my soul, healing the splinters from the past.

Standing, I carry her out of the shower as Axel turns it off and gathers towels. I place Riley on the same counter as earlier. Axel wraps a towel around his waist and tosses one to me, and I wrap it around myself and slip the dripping boxers down my legs as he tenderly wraps a bath sheet around Riley’s shaking form.

A low moan catches my attention, and my gaze drifts to Axel. His eyes rake over me and Riley before he quickly turns away. He grabs another towel and adverts his gaze from me as he approaches Riley and gently towel dries her long, fiery locks. Axel’s never been one to hide his appreciation for both the male and female body, but I can’t remember a day he ever looked at me with heat his eyes, not before Riley.

He steps away to hang the towel, and I step between Riley’s legs, and she leans into me, wrapping her arms around me, and I wrap her in my warm embrace. Her head cradled against my bare chest, tucked snuggly under my chin.

For the first time, she seems at peace. No pain. No suffering. No tormenting past to hide from. Just peace, comfort, and serenity. Her body is relaxed, the earlier tension gone. Her wolf is calm.

I look to Axel, and he nods once in understanding. I shift Riley’s arms up around my neck and lift her off the counter. Her legs wrap around my waist tightly, and I cradle her so she sits on one of my arms as I hold her to me. I carry her back into the bedroom and sit on clean sheets, my back against the headboard. She remains on my lap, wrapped protectively in my arms, and just rests against my chest. Her breathing evens out, and she goes completely lax in my hold. I slide down to lie with her, shifting her weight to lie on her side, snuggled protectively against me. Axel slides onto the bed behind her, and he wraps an arm around her middle while resting his face in the crook of her neck, closing his eyes, and inhaling her sweet summer scent.