Page 46 of Golden Desires

“It’s okay. I’m not fully in my heat yet. I will be soon, though. The blankets from the cave nest should help with the need for your scents.” I’m working mostly off instinct here, and the little I was able to learn from my elderly neighbor, Orla, when I was younger.

“Vixen,” Cillian teases, shaking his head at my sass.

Since I won’t be convincing them to partake in sexy times, I decide to let them pamper me. Ky’s body provides the perfect seat as they wash me. Using his fingers to delve into my hair, he works suds from root to tip before carefully rinsing the suds away. Cill washes my body with careful strokes, gently cupping a hand to my core while he cleans between my legs. Aldair’s firm pressure on the arches of my feet have me melting back into the Alpha behind me before he works up my calves. By the time they finish worshiping my body with their care, I am not sure if I want to focus on the slick building in my core or take another nap.

When we get out, Aldair brushes my hair, while Kylan rubs an oil on my skin. Cillian carries me out of the bathroom after dressing me in sleep pants and a shirt.

Our bubble of happiness is burst by a loud barking at the cave door entrance. I yelp, startled by the sound. My men pause, as the barking becomes more insistent. Kylan places me carefully on my feet and then steps in front of me. He keeps one hand behind him, gently holding me to his broad back, blocking my attempts to see around his body.

That is, until Cillian opens the door, and Alma’s old hound dog, Fox, charges in. He barks three times, and lies down on the floor by the door, panting. There’s a long stretch of silence, before all three of my men gasp.

“Ma!” They shift before my eyes, returning to their monstrous forms.

“Stay here, Goldie!” Aldair uses his Alpha bark on me, adding force to it, before pressing a kiss to my head. “We’ll return as soon as we can.” I’m frozen in place, as Kylan gives me a long look and follows his brother.

“I can tell by the fire in your eyes that the second you break free of the Alpha’s command, you’re going to follow us. Please, don’t. We only want to keep you safe.” Cillian kisses my cheek and then follows his brothers on clawed feet.

“But who will keep you safe?” I whisper as a tear falls down my cheek. I reach for the bonds that connect us, but I can’t hear any of their thoughts. We must be too far apart, or our bonds are too new. I’m not sure which.

I catch movement out of the corner of my eye when Fox ambles over to me. His speckled coat has mud in spots from his mad dash from Alma’s cottage. When his wet nose nudges the tips of my fingers as he checks me over, I can barely twitch my fingers at first, but manage to soothe along his snout. I can tell that he’s full of worry about Alma and the guys, but he's too worn out to try to chase them down.

“Don’t worry, old boy… Rest up.”

Cillian was right about one thing, though. I’m not sitting here and waiting for them to return.

I shake off the lingering effects of Aldair’s bark, and head out back. Walking up to the stump by the wood shop, I grab the ax, and then head through the house to the tunnel. I know their speed will have them nearly there, so I can’t waste any time.

Bear is standing at the fence with his ears forward like he's been waiting for me. He can tell something is wrong. He saw my guys leave, and no doubt at least heard Fox barking.

“They’re headed for Alma’s,” I tell him, as I sheath the ax in the holster on the saddle meant for holding a hunting bow and arrow. Once it’s secure, I climb up. My senses are stronger, even more than they were outside the cave just a few hours ago. Taking a deep breath, I can smell the fear that laces my Alpha’s scents.

In the distance, I can hear sounds I can’t quite identify. Things I shouldn’t be able to hear.

“Let's go,” I say, as Bear and I take off into the forest.

I’ve only traveled this way once, but I follow the scents and sounds. On horseback, it doesn’t take long to make it to Alma’s, but it feels like time stretches on. Once I’m close enough, I pull Bear to a stop, jump down, and grab my ax.

“Go back to the cottage, I’ll be okay,” I whisper. We’re far enough away that I can’t be seen or heard, but I don’t want to blow my cover. Bear huffs at me, stomping his hoof. I don’t have time to argue with an animal though. “Fine, but if anyone besides me, or my Alpha’s, approaches you, you better run. Or kick them. Unless it’s a small old lady who looks like me, okay?” I lift my chin and steel my spine.

I can hear the chaos through the trees, but there are too many noises and voices for me to understand what anyone says.

As I approach the treeline, I spot several villagers. The man who cares for the hounds shouts at them, and I shift my hands on the worn handle for a better grip, then raise my ax, ready to fight. He’s got his back turned to me, and I can see another of Aunt Alma’s hounds in a stand-off against one of his hounds. He lets out a loud whistle, then shouts.

“I won’t put their lives at risk! Not for you, and not for this! This isn’t right!” He’s yelling at someone. The rancid scent in the air tells me Donald is here, even if I can’t see the small fucker yet. “Retreat! Kennels!” he yells, and as his hounds disengage and start running away, he spins around and right into me. His eyes are wide, as he spots my weapon.

“Go,” I hiss, nodding my head toward his hounds. He holds his hands up in defense.

“I’ll remember your mercy.” The Beta tips his head to me and then bolts. I watch him with narrowed eyes as he flees. Once I’m sure he won’t return, I turn back to Alma’s cottage.

There’s so much happening, and I’m frozen, unsure who to help first. Kylan has my father pinned to a tree, Aldair is fighting off three of Donald’s men, trying not to kill them, for whatever reason, while Alma punches my stepmother in the face. Cillian shouts at her, as three more men with weapons try to corner him. One of them looks between Donald and Cillian, a deep frown in his brow. For whatever reason, he doesn’t seem completely horrified by the sight of three monsters. I’ve seen the six of them around the village, but two of them aren’t usually involved with Donald…

I don’t spot Donald until it’s too late though. At the same moment that I scream Alma’s name, he grabs a fist full of her hair, and presses a knife to her throat.

“Stop! Freeze, or she dies!” Donald shouts, using his weak ass Alpha bark. It has no effect on any of us, but his words themselves do. I charged forward when I saw him lunge for her, and his eyes are glued to me now. “We all know why I’m here.”

“Release me, you fucking beast!” my father shouts, but I can’t take my eyes off Alma. Ky remains silent. Aldair and Cillian are surrounded, and I can see my stepmother getting to her feet. When she pulls back, and punches Alma, Donald chuckles.

I lunge forward, but Donald presses the knife tighter to her throat, forcing me to freeze.

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