Chapter Fifteen

"Hey, Daddy, I have a question." She bolted in her father's direction and nearly tackle hugged him to the ground. "I don't wanna be rude."

I heard him whisper quietly, bracing himself for rudeness, but none came. And really, I didn't expect there to be. I found it difficult to believe that she could be rude, even unintentionally—maybe a little blunt, maybe a little too honest, but never rude.

"Is it rude if I ask to see their animals? They aren't strangers. I know it's rude to ask strangers if you can see their animals." I had a feeling there was a story there.

He whispered back to her, and she jumped up and down.

"Good." She ran right over to where Ripley and I had been working on fixing the small border that made one of the garden boxes. "Can your panther come out and play with me?"

"Oh, absolutely, my little princess. He would love that."

"How about your wolf?" She turned to me. "Will he come out and play with me?"

"Oh, he'd love it." I'd been itching to let him out since the three of them got here. Thia wouldn't be able to shift, of course. She was too young.

The next thing I knew, we were no longer clearing the garden of weeds, but instead were getting undressed in preparation for our first shift together—as a family and as mates. I was every bit as excited as Thia was acting. It was going to be the first time I'd see either of my mates in their animal form, and weren't they night and day? A big predatory cat who could take down any of us, and a bunny. A cute, fluffy bunny.

The first person to take their form was me. I couldn't wait to meet their beasts, and I was afraid if either one of them went first, I would spend too much time admiring them in their animal state and not shift myself.

The second my paws hit the ground, Thia ran over and hugged me.

"You're beautiful," she said. I'd been called lots of things about my wolf form—rugged, homely, fierce—but no one had ever called me beautiful. My wolf loved it and pranced around. Silly wolf.

"He is," her father said, kissing her head before taking his own form. He was larger than I thought he'd be but just as adorable. And once he shifted, he didn't even cower from my wolf. His beast recognized that he was mine and I'd do him no harm—ever.

When the panther came out, I'd have given anything to have had my camera. Zeus' bunny hopped right on to Ripley's back. He wasn't playing or being aggressive. He wanted to ride his panther, so he did. In all fairness, I wanted to ride him, too, but a very different way.

It was the first time we'd shifted together, and I wished I hadn't shifted first. I wanted pictures of this adorableness that was my mate. That would have to be another time. We had our entire lives ahead of us, lives we planned to share. I'd get a picture next time.

Instead of running, like I normally did when I first shifted, all three of us explored the garden with Thia's lead. There were quite a few interesting scents, and we were able to look at some things much closer up than I had on two feet. This was a good idea.

As we explored the garden, Thia walked with us, petting us, telling us different things as if we hadn't already known them or hadn't already discussed them together. But as she narrated the garden to us, I realized it wasn't about her telling us about the garden. This was a game to her, one where she was pretending to be one of the motel owners and giving tours. There was a sweet, innocent vibe about that. And I loved it.

Eventually, as we should have all known was coming, she asked if we could twirl around for her. Ripley did the best, in my eyes. He was beyond graceful on two feet. Her father cheated by hopping around her, which was fun, but not really what she'd asked for. She didn't seem to mind though. She was just happy to have all of us together.

I was, too.

After our very pathetic attempt at dance, the three of us went back to the garden. There was so much promise. For every broken item that was needing to get done, there was something exciting to build together—the three of us.

It was finally time to run a little. We did, but not too far. Always close to the garden. We ran races, all three of us letting Thia beat us, until we saw how fast she really was. There was no need to coddle this child. She knew what she wanted and would find her way to getting it. I had much respect for children like her. Heck, for any people like that.

Thia wasn't spoiled. She just had three adults doting on her every word. She knew exactly what she wanted and even how to get it. It was going to suit her well as she got older.

We ran and ran and ran. And when I thought we couldn't run any more, we ran some more. It was the most fun I'd had in years. Soon enough, Thia was yawning, and it was time to shift back and put her to bed.

Once she fell asleep, I tiptoed out, closing the door behind me…the energy in the room shifted. Suddenly, it was just the three of us, and at least my cock took that as a sign to wake up.