“So, Sadie, how are you coping without your finger? How have you been feeling lately? I know this was a traumatic experience for you,” Dr. Palmer said, her harsh face puckered like she’d tasted something sour.
It was her usual expression.
She was Serpentine City’s preeminent therapist, and she’d been seeing Aran and me for the last couple of weeks.
Her services were compliments of the don.
“Honestly, it’s been great. Xerxes and Ascher designed this special glove. Here, I’ll show you.”
I pulled out the fabric I always kept on me for emergencies.
“Wait for it, you’re gonna love it.”
After putting the black glove on my hand, I flexed my knuckles and pressed down on the button on the palm.
A wicked sharp knife sprang up where my left ring finger had once been.
“I’m actually better now in hand-to-hand combat. Makes stabbing people easier.”
Dr. Palmer narrowed her eyes, and the stark lines around her mouth became more severe. “You can admit to yourself that you miss having your finger.”
I slashed the air dramatically.
“Are you not seeing this weapon? I’m honestly glad it’s gone.”
Aran, who was sitting next to me on the uncomfortable couch, nodded in agreement.
“Do you see how sharp that knife is? Why would she want a finger?”
Aran tapped her lip as she watched me withdraw and conceal my blade. “I’ve actually been debating cutting off one of my fingers so I can have one. No one sees the blade coming, and it makes a punch wickedly effective.”
I beamed at her.
“Aw, I didn’t know you were considering that. I could cut yours off for you.”
Aran smiled back. “I’ll let you know. Maybe we could do it next we—”
“No one is cutting off their finger,” Dr. Palmer interjected, her usual monotone voice dripping with scorn.
The therapist closed her eyes like she was counting to ten.
When she opened them, she gestured to my tank-top-clad torso and tried a new line of questioning.
“And I see that you are still choosing not to wear the enchanted ring. How does seeing your scars each day make you feel?”
“Really great,” I smiled. “I’ve established quite a reputation in the city. Shifters are terrified of the girl covered in scars. Makes the Mafia work easier.”
Aran high-fived me.
“Yeah, you should see her on the street. Shifters turn and run when they see her. Everyone’s terrified of the girl in league with the High Court and who’s rumored to have a goddess inside her.”
I punched Aran lightly on the shoulder with my nonknife hand. “Not as scared as they are of the fae guy who shoots icicles of death.”
Red stained the tops of Aran’s cheeks at the praise.
She was still disguised as a boy and had garnered quite a fan club in the city. Mostly beta women, and a few men, who were taken with her “fae” charms.
Dr. Palmer took a long sip of water and mumbled something about needing a raise.
“Fine,” the therapist snapped and turned away from me.
She raised her hand. “Now, Aran, have you stopped sleeping in bed with Sadie now that she’s in a pack relationship with four men? Since you’re just her friend?”
The therapist narrowed her eyes at us.
She thought we were secretly in a relationship and couldn’t understand our dynamic (she didn’t know Aran was secretly a girl; that was confidential information above her clearance).
“No,” Aran said as she looked at me and grinned. “I can’t fall asleep if I’m not in the bed with her. I tried once, and it was awful.”
Dr. Palmer scowled. “You are aware that is not healthy, and you’re avoiding your personal problems by relying on Sadie. Which is unsustainable. Also, you’re hindering her romantic relationships as well as your own.”
“What possible relationships could I have?”
Aran laughed at such a ridiculous idea.
The one-hundred-thousand-credit cream had worked wonders for her itching, but her back still burned when she was turned on.
Plus, it didn’t help that she was a wanted monarch on the run and disguised as a boy.
“Actually—” I pursed my lips. “—it’s nicer sleeping with her. Don’t worry, I have sex in Xerxes’s nest with the men, like, constantly. But the men are all big and have a tendency to lie on top of me and crush me. I prefer to go to sleep with Aran after. It’s calmer.”
Aran gagged.
The therapist’s wrinkles pulled tighter.
She closed her eyes while breathing deeply.
When she spoke, it was through gritted teeth.
“Isn’t it true, Aran, that you’re still trying to strangle Sadie in her sleep? I’m not sure how that is a calm experience.”
“Hey,” I said in defense of my friend. “A little smothering never hurt anyone. I’m a big girl and can fight her off.”
Dr. Palmer dragged her hands across her face like she was at her wits’ end.
“The point is you shouldn’t have to fight for your life every night. That’s not healthy.”
I scoffed. “Sometimes we snuggle. Don’t make it weird.”
Aran nodded. “Sadie’s cool like that.”
The therapist’s voice rose, which was highly unprofessional. “Have you at least stopped smoking, Aran? I know you were using the enchanted drug as a crutch.”
“I’ve actually quit completely.”
Dr. Palmer’s eyes widened with surprise, and her face softened for the first time during our appointment. “Wow, that is actually very impressive, Aran. I’m proud of you for facing your—”
She stopped talking as Aran pulled out her pipe and took a long draw.
“Just kidding. I can’t go ten minutes without it.”
Dr. Palmer’s eyebrow twitched.
A few minutes later, we were walking back into the mansion.
“I don’t understand why she kicked us out. That was so rude,” Aran said with annoyance as we entered the foyer.
I threw my hands up in agreement. “I get it—we’re not perfect—but she doesn’t have to be such a bitch about it? Like what does she want me to do, cry all day because I have terrifying scars and a cool knife? Sorry I’m not lame.”
Aran nodded aggressively in agreement. “Exactly. Like okay, I’m not perfect. Sometimes I smother people in my sleep. It happens.”
“And what bugs me is she gets so mad about you doing enchanted drugs. Meanwhile, she’s always drinking coffee. Make it make sense.”
Suddenly, Jinx appeared at the top of the grand staircase. “You guys are back. Would you like me to collect your coats?” Jinx asked with a soft smile as she bowed her head low.
For a split second, we stared at the girl.
“Lucinda, young lady!” I bellowed. “Stop infecting Jinx with your blood and making her play butler.”
“She wanted to do it! Don’t be such a mom!” Lucinda yelled back from somewhere upstairs.
Still, Jinx’s entire body relaxed, like she’d been released from a mental persuasion.
She glared at us. “I’m trying to practice breaking free of her hold. You two ruin everything.”
With that, the young girl whirled and marched away.
“Where is Jinx? We were going to practice breaking Lucinda’s hold,” Cobra said as he appeared from the hall.
“That is not appropriate.” I glared at him.
“Aran, Sadie, look!” Jess and Jala said with excitement as they ran around the corner with knives in their hands.
“Ascher and Xerxes were teaching us hand-to-hand combat, and we learned how to roll and stab someone in their kidney!”
“Aren’t you all supposed to be in school?” I asked with confusion.
“Nah, Jax said we could take the day off to work on self-defense. He says we need private lessons if we’re going to keep living in this realm.” Jala grinned.
Jax appeared around the corner with the stack of paperwork in his hands that we had to complete after each Mafia assignment.
From the other door, Xerxes and Ascher appeared with a bruised and bloody Warren trailing them.
“They’re having us practice on Warren,” Jess said as she grinned at the bloody boy.
Warren smiled back, and Xerxes slammed the hilt of a knife into his stomach so he doubled over.
“We’re helping train all of them,” Ascher said as an explanation, but we all knew they were just torturing the perverted ferret.
The don had demanded Warren stay with the family and accompany the girls to school in ferret form.
Now that Cobra had been revealed as the prince of the city, there were more threats on their heads.
“Why are you guys already back from therapy?” Jax asked. “I thought you still had another hour.”
I waved my hand at him dismissively. “She let us out early.”
Aran nodded. “We think Dr. Palmer’s intimidated by our prowess. Which we get.”
Jax looked at us in disbelief. “I feel like that’s not it.”
“Anyway, I’m going to go take a nap,” Aran said with a yawn as she trudged up the stairs.
I followed after her and said casually to the men, “I think I’m just going to hang out in the nest. Come see me when you’re done with training.”
The sudden silence in the room was loud as all the men understood what I was saying.
A few hours later, I rode on top of Xerxes on the fluffy bed while Cobra took me from behind, Jax filled my mouth, and Ascher watched from the corner while stroking himself and yelling instructions.
Soft snow fell around us, and a warm fire crackled.
When we were all sated, we cuddled under the fluffy blankets, basking in the scents of cinnamon, frost, chestnuts, pine, and cranberries that filled our nest.
Alphas rumbled with contentment, and Xerxes shifted into his kitten form so he could lie on top of all of us and also purr.
The gold string strummed with love as we snuggled, and I marveled at how lucky I’d gotten.
The gold halo still hung around my wrist. The other day, a mirage of Dick had appeared in the center, informing me he would contact me in a few weeks.
I hadn’t discussed the revelation with anyone, and if they mentioned it, I played it off. Only Lucinda recognized the polished, winged version of Dick.
But she hadn’t pried.
I’d assured everyone that I would explain when it was time, and they respected my decision.
We’d had enough trauma to last a lifetime.
For now, we had time to just enjoy each other, to just enjoy the present, before we looked to the future.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Cobra stirred.
Aran hollered that she would get it.
I closed my eyes as I hugged my men tighter, and I pushed my concerns down into the abyss at the back of my mind because, for now, life was perfect. We fell asleep in a cocoon of love and support.
I woke up in the middle of the night to fingers around my neck.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I grumbled and slapped at icy hands.
Cobra snarled quietly. “You’re mine now. You will wear my collar.”
My eyes snapped open at his words, and I looked down. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust because only the soft glow from the fire lit the nest.
When they did, I gasped.
A leather choker was wrapped around my throat. Attached to it was a long silver pendant that hung between my scarred breasts, all the way to my waist.
I picked up the shiny gold heart at the end of the chain and brought it close so I could read the inscription. Two words were engraved on each side.
Cobra’s Property.
I flipped it over.
My Kitten.
“Absolutely not.”
“You’re my mate,” Cobra snarled back, like that made everything okay.
I raked my hands over my face tiredly. “Fuck you. Then why don’t you put a collar on all the men?”
“Because it’s different. They’re not my kitten like you are,” Cobra said in a “duh” voice like I was the one being dumb.
I growled and flung myself at him, not sure if my plan was to choke him or just beat him up.
Bodies groaned as we wrestled across them.
“Go back to sleep, you two,” Xerxes rumbled tiredly.
I hissed with annoyance, “Cobra is trying to make me wear a collar.”
Xerxes’s eyes shot open.
A few moments later, Xerxes restrained me across Cobra’s lap as the psycho spanked me.
Cobra whispered reverently as he massaged my backside, “I told you I would punish you for fighting me at the ball.”
“He did tell you that,” Xerxes said casually like they weren’t both being completely irrational. He tugged at the long chain around my neck and whispered, “Baby girl, you’re going to count for us or we’re adding ten more.”
Cobra’s palm smacked my ass, and I groaned with pleasure.
Then he trailed his hands down the cursive letters I’d gotten tattooed down my spine. L. O. Y. A. L. T. Y.
It looked pretty badass, if you asked me.
Of course, all the men had gotten theirs tattooed across their necks for maximum effect, even Ascher, who’d just placed it over his existing flames.
I’d picked my back because it was covered in a patchwork of scars. My skin told my story, and I wasn’t forgetting the past, because I was done hiding from it.
Instead, I was making something new.
Cobra spanked me harder, and I growled, “Fuck you both.” But the bond strumming between us told a different story.
“We love you too,” they chorused back as Xerxes yanked on the chain and Cobra spanked me.
Afterwards, when we all collapsed satiated, Jax pulled me against him.
The big man scooted me between his legs and whispered, “Are you okay love? Were they too rough with you?”
“Nah, it was fun,” I said sleepily as chestnuts surrounded me.
Jax gathered my tangled hair in his hands and gently plaited it.
Ascher sat up with a cheeky grin. “I’m good Jax, thanks for asking.” He rolled over, so he was pressed against me.
I giggled at his antics.
Jax’s warm fingers traced across my neck and sent delicious tingles down my spine.
Since I lost my finger, he’d appointed himself in charge of doing my hair. I told him I could still do it, but he would hear nothing of it. As a result, I constantly found myself tugged against the big man as he braided my hair.
Now, I melted against Jax as he lay my hair down gently and and peppered soft kisses across my forehead.
In his arms, I was warm and loved.
“Aw, I want a kiss too,” Ascher whined, his tattooed hands grabbing playfully at us.
The three of us laughed as we snuggled together.
Not wanting to be left out, Cobra and Xerxes pushed themselves close, so we lay in a giant pile.
In the shape of a star, a gold string connected our pack.
Love held us together.
Forever.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
