Chapter 9

There wasa knock at the apartment door early the next morning. We never had visitors and Kiara didn't knock, so I was a little nervous to answer. I thought about asking Leo to do it, but then I scolded myself for relying on a cub. My heart hammered in my chest as I reached for the door, and I barely opened in a crack to peek out.

"T-Teddy?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I brought breakfast. Thought maybe I'd offer you and Leo a ride since I was already on my way up here."

Right. He didn"t live in Blackridge, so he had to drive up each morning. Since I never left the mountains aside from the day I arrived, I wasn't entirely sure if the compound was on the way to Blackridge or not.

It felt rude to turn him down after he went to all the trouble, so I took a few steps back, opening the door for him.

"Th-Thank you. Kiara… She usually drives us, but she was busy yesterday. I'm… not sure if she's busy again today."

Teddy didn't seem bothered, stepping into the apartment before turning around to frown at the door.

"Is… Is something wrong?"

He pointed at it and looked over his shoulder at me. "I didn't have to duck. That's rare."

Surprised, I looked between him and the door. I hadn't considered his height before, but he was very tall. Well over six feet probably, and wide too. He had a hat on, so I could only see small parts of his dirty blonde hair, but yesterday it was messy and short. Crinkles showed up around his eyes when he smiled at me, and his beard was smattered with different colors. Dirty blonde like his fur as a bear overall, but with a reddish brown undertone and a darker spot on his chin. A little unkempt, but it suited his face.

I tried to avoid most males, they made me nervous, but I wasn't as scared of Teddy now that I knew him a little better. He seemed to give off a warm energy, and he was careful around me, like he cared if I was uncomfortable. I didn't get the same urge to run away around him. And my lioness was quiet, content, for the first time in a long while.

"What're you doing here?"

Leo's growly voice drew Teddy's attention. He was still in his pjs, a grumpy frown on his face, but that wasn't necessarily about Teddy. It took Leo a while to wake up in the morning. He was a night owl. He'd stay up late prowling the apartment and wake up tired the next day.

Teddy lifted the box balanced in one hand. "I brought donuts. You hungry?"

Leo's eyes narrowed slightly. "What kind of donuts?"

"Best donuts in town, or so says the owner of the shop. We should eat ‘em in the kitchen, though. They might be messy."

My gaze shifted uneasily towards the door and the direction of the kitchen. It was communal, and I tried to avoid going in there unless I was sure everyone else was busy or gone. Leo sometimes scouted the room for me to make sure it was empty.

Leo crossed his arms defiantly over his chest. "We eat in here. The other males make Mom uncomfortable."

My cheeks flushed, and I grimaced, dropping my chin to my chest. I didn't want to be this way. I didn't want to have to avoid the people who brought us into their homes and paid for literally everything in our lives. Kiara yelled at me a lot about it. The males in the compound weren't even interested in females. Their mates were also male. But it scared me all the same.

"Talia?" Teddy's warm voice pulled my attention back to him. Once I was looking at him, he tipped his head curiously. "You wanna eat in here or you wanna try the kitchen?"

He was giving me a choice, and for some inexplicable reason, I knew he wouldn't begrudge me either way. I wasn't used to making choices on my own. I did what people expected of me and kept my head down. Even a choice as simple as this was terrifying.

"She doesn't like eating out there," Leo protested with a growl.

Teddy was patient with Leo, his smile kind. "It's good you know what she likes. You're a good cub. But it ain't nice to answer for her. She won't get better if you do everythin' for her. If she wants to eat in here, she can. Let her decide on her own."

That made Leo hesitate, his eyebrows drawn tightly together as he considered Teddy's words. Teddy promised he'd help us get better. He didn't yell at Leo like Kiara did, or make him feel bad for protecting me. He explained it in a way Leo could understand and smiled, so Leo knew he wasn't in trouble. That meant a lot to me. It was easier to trust Teddy's promise when he followed through so gently.

"I-I- I want to try… I can't– I'm not sure–" I shook my head helplessly.

Teddy nodded like he understood my random stuttering. "Trying is good. If it makes you scared, we can come back here and try again later. Leo and I will be there to protect you."

Leo looked up sharply. He hadn't expected Teddy to include him. His chin went up and fierce determination filled his eyes. So serious. It made me sad and proud at the same time.

Looking at me, Leo offered me his hand. "We can go together."

I had little hope that the kitchen might be empty at this time of the morning. Jack and his mate were there, still in pajamas, enjoying their breakfast at the end of the island. Since I met Jack the day before, he wasn't as terrifying and his mate felt submissive. I didn't notice that the first time we met, but then again, my lioness reacted before even looking at them. It was the dragon standing in front of the stove that made me hesitate. Only Leo's tight grip on my hand kept my feet moving. Teddy led the way, setting the box of donuts down on the counter and pointing to the stools by the island farthest away from the rest of the males.

"Here good?"

Leo pulled me forward, and I sat rigidly at the stool he nudged me to. He climbed onto the one next to me and glared at the males in the room. Teddy seemed unbothered and looked around curiously.

"Plates are in the cabinet on the right," Jack's mate said, pointing at the cabinet he was referring to. Teddy shot him a grateful smile.

"Thanks."

He grabbed three plates, humming to himself as he tore open the white box. He'd gotten a large variety and let Leo have the first pick before tipping his head at me. "Which one do you want?"

I grimaced, hyper aware of the other males in the room. Teddy brought the donuts for us, but what if they wanted some? What if I took one that they'd wanted? Would they be angry? Would they hurt me?

"Talia," Teddy called gently. I didn't realize I was panicking, my breathing sharp and my knuckles almost white on the edge of the counter. Teddy smiled softly.

"I bought them for you. It's okay to choose."

"Would she be more comfortable if we left?" the dragon asked calmly. His voice was smoky and deep and I flinched by accident. My whole body went stiff, waiting for him to get angry at the reaction, but he never approached. Teddy did, pulling my hand away from the counter and rubbing his thumb soothingly over the back.

"Nah. She's alright. She's just gotta practice. Makin' choices is hard at first." He reached forward, grabbing a pink donut from the box and putting it on my plate. "That one I picked for you. It's got strawberry frosting on it."

When I peeked up at him, he smiled encouragingly. I didn"t want to disappoint him, and I could feel Leo watching me, so I quickly grabbed one of the mini donuts from the little cup in the center and put it next to the one on my plate.

"Good job," Teddy praised. Then he surprised me by pressing a kiss to the top of my head. He patted my hand and let it go, putting a couple of donuts on his own plate. I sat there, stunned for a while, until Leo nudged my plate closer. He wouldn't eat until I did, so I took a tentative bite of the donut Teddy picked out, listening to him introduce himself to the other males with an ease I could only hope for.

"I'm Titus, but everyone calls me Teddy. I'm a friend of Malcolm's."

They introduced themselves one by one, and there was no overwhelming dominance in the air like when male lions introduced themselves to each other. The room was calm, filled with the sounds of cooking food and light conversation. With Leo on one side and Teddy on the other, I felt myself relax little by little, and when I reached for another mini donut, Teddy squeezed my free hand with a bright smile.

"How long are you staying, Teddy?" the dragon asked.

"Dunno. However long it takes, I guess. I'm not in a hurry. Mama taught me to save, so I don't need to rush none."

"Where are you staying?" Jack followed up. When I finally got the courage to look up, all eyes were on Teddy, who didn't seem to mind the attention.

"Uh… next town over? There were no places in Ridgeview to stay. I don't mind the drive. I listen to audiobooks now. They're great."

The dragon hummed, his lips pressed together tightly. "Unfortunately, it's my fault there are no accommodations in town. The BB burned down about six months ago. We're working on a resort in the area, but it's not finished yet."

Teddy's brow furrowed. "Why would it be your fault?"

"Because the dragon has a great many enemies. Including his own kin," a light voice quipped. Runa. She didn't come into the compound often, and based on the annoyed look on Aiden's face, she might not be welcome. Runa paid him no mind, her attention on Jack's mate. "I have a request, little fighter."

Christian, at least, didn't look bothered by her. He sighed. "Am I ever going to live down that nickname?"

"No," she replied simply.

His head dropped forward, defeated, and Jack rubbed his back with a smirk. Wherever the nickname came from, Runa wasn't going to change it any time soon.

"Alright, fine. What can I do for you?"

She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, handing it to him. "Seedlings. I can't find everything I need in the forest."

"What do you need them for?" Aiden demanded.

Runa shot him an irritated look. "The request wasn't for you, dragon. Mind your business."

Aiden growled, and the dominance in the air thickened to where it choked me. Teddy moved fast, wrapping himself around me protectively.

"Little cub. Your mama needs a hug."

Leo reacted immediately, climbing into my lap and circling his arms around my neck. I was surrounded by them, and the tightness in my chest dissipated a little.

"You need to learn to control yourself," Runa scolded. "Others shouldn't suffer because of you."

I didn't look up to see his reaction. I hugged Leo closer, leaning back against Teddy. He felt safe, and without him here, I probably would've shifted from the fear. My lioness was on edge, but being this close to Teddy and Leo soothed her a little.

"Apologies. I didn't mean to upset her," Aiden gritted out. He wasn't talking about Runa. When he came closer, Leo let out a little warning growl, and the room went quiet and awkward until Teddy broke the silence.

"Wait… Did you say dragon?"