Page 22 of Cleo

“It might hurt, but I’ll be gentle and then it will only feel good, promise, mate,” he said.

I didn’t want gentle, but when he pierced me, the flash of pain was sharp and fierce. And then gone, as he promised, replaced by the most exquisite pleasure. More than the physical, my spirit joined with his. He moved more quickly as I wrapped my legs around his hips and clung to his shoulders, my channel stretching to accommodate his length and girth. I came again and he spent inside me, hot jets of cum filling me before he leaned down and pierced the side of my throat, marking me. Jude took his place and brought me to yet another climax, marked me as well. I didn’t think I could handle more and lay panting while Miles waited. “We don’t have to rush, mate. We have our whole lives together.”

I wished I was as sure. “No. Now.” I wanted every moment we could have. Father was powerful, and he did not take thwarting in stride. My mates might be willing to die for me, but I was not willing to let that happen. The world would be a much sadder place without them. And even if I never saw them again after tomorrow, I would have these memories to warm me in the cold of the mountains for the rest of my life. And the knowledge that my mates still walked the Earth, well and strong. “Please.”

Instead of kneeling between my legs as the others had, he lifted me astride him and brought me down to lie on his chest. His kisses were sweet and savage at the same time, as he bucked his hips and filled me in one sure stroke. Driving in again and again, he whispered naughty and loving things before he sank his teeth into my throat while hot cum poured into my core. I screamed and tumbled hard into one more orgasm, shootingstars and streaks of light filling my vision and then replaced with darkness.

Forever theirs…whatever happened next.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Night passed too quickly, and we probably should have spent more time sleeping, but mating was everything I never knew it would be. All those TV shows and movies were human actors and human stories, and while Angie told me a mate was like nothing I could imagine, I had nothing to compare it with.

And all too soon, it was time to get up and get ready to face my father. We stole another few minutes of just being together while they kissed and hugged me and told me it would be all right. Better than all right, we’d be back here tonight, or maybe in one of their rooms because they all had bigger beds. And I shouldn’t worry. Maybe we’d just be having a conversation with Father, showing him my mating marks and sending him on his way to try to get some other poor woman to give him an heir or whatever he did when he took his trips. I had no control over his personal life—he would never reform—and it was time he learned he had none over mine. Hopefully he was past being able to seduce anyone, although I doubted it. And I didn’t really believe it could be as simple as him walking away just because I wanted another life. Because I had fallen in love and was getting an education. Because I had made my own choices.

My mates took turns going to their rooms to shower and dress while one always stayed with me. Somehow they didn’t think my father was trustworthy not to show up earlier than he’d planned and sneak in to take me. Pax confided that even if I had refused their offer to mate, they’d have stayed to keep me company all night or outside the door if I didn’t want them there.

How could I not want them there? I pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed Miles’ discarded hoodie from the floor, snuggling into the comforting scent.

When we were all dressed and ready, we proceeded to the elevator. I pushed the call button wondering how this benign transportation had ever scared me. Compared to what we faced now? The doors slid open and I marched inside, followed by my mates. I so loved the sound of that word. Mates. We descended to the bottom floor and walked into the foyer.

It was deserted. And for one brief shining moment, I had a best-case scenario flash through my mind. What if Father did not show up? At all?

“Mate?” Miles lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “We’ll have to buzz him in. The door is locked at this time on a Sunday.”

I’d never even known there was a buzzing-in thing. How could I have, as new to the whole academy as I was.

“Unless you’d rather we leave him out there?” Jude suggested. “Will he go away?”

“No.” I was confident of that. “And he will just get madder and madder. Where is the buzzer? I want to do it.”

“You sure?” Pax circled his arm around my waist and kissed my hair.

“Yes.” If I was going to live my own life, I wanted to close the door on the old one personally. Even if it had to start with opening one. “Where is it?”

Miles pointed, and I slipped free of Pax and took two steps to the touchpad on the wall. “No matter what happens—” My voice broke, and I cleared my throat before finishing. “I love all of you more than I knew it was possible to care for anyone.”

They each kissed me and told me they loved me then stepped back. I lifted my hand. The elevator dinged behind us, and I hesitated, wanting whoever it was to move on before any trouble began.

“Sister, wait.” Ava’s voice cut through my daze. I turned to see all three sisters and their mates spilling from a very crowdedelevator. The sign on the wall in there said the maximum number of occupants, and I was pretty sure it was fewer than twelve. Especially when nine of them were large males. “If Daddy Dearest has come to call, we should all greet him together.”

My throat closed with emotion. “No, you’ve been lucky enough to avoid him your entire lives. He’s dangerous, and I don’t want you hurt.”

“Oh hell.” Minx came to stand beside me. “What can one egotistical male do against the four of us?”

“And our mates,” Ava put in, waving toward the twelve males who crowded the lobby. “But I think we can handle Father on our own. I just like the backup in case of emergency.”

“Ava…” one of her mates began. I couldn’t remember his name, barely my own at this moment.

“No, Lex. This is a sisters’ matter. Just stay there in case I lose my temper.”

It was all too much, too overwhelming, and I wanted to run away or maybe just melt into the arms of all these people at once and forget anything negative. But a bang on the door reminded me that Father was not going to give up just because we wanted him to. Besides, my sisters were entitled to meet him. Not that I thought they’d enjoy it. I hit the buzzer and the door clicked open.

Father stalked in like a tiger rather than a wolf. It was his second favorite animal to turn into, after all. “Cleo, it’s time to go home.”

I braced myself, feet slightly apart, as the wave of power from him pushed at me. “How nice of you to come see us at school, Father, but it’s not Parents’ Day. Luckily, we are here to greet you anyway. The academy made an exception for your visit.”

“The car is waiting outside.”

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