Fate Stained - Part Two
Chapter 23 - Transaction Declined

“Seriously, I’m fine. Stop fussing over me! I’m pregnant, not broken”

Jayce sighed, taking a step back as he passed me my towel. I wouldn’t go so far to say that I was feeling smothered, but the constant attention from both Jayce and Kyanite was wearing a little thin.

The boys had come to an agreement, well, I’d told them what was happening and they’d reluctantly agreed to it. One of them was to remain with me, making sure I was safe and the baby was safe, at all times. The other one was to give me my space and trust me - most importantly.

But I hadn’t thought through the terms of our agreement and ‘remain with me at all times’ was taking on a whole new meaning.

“What if you passed out in the shower?”

I rolled my eyes, wrapping the towel around my body. There was a time Jayce would join me in the bathroom and the hot water wouldn’t be the only reason for steam on the mirrors. But now, aghh! I swear he looked at me like a delicate flower, like something that needed coddling and nurturing instead of fuc—

“What if you slipped on the tiles?”

An exasperated groan released itself from my chest and I pushed passed Jayce to get to the bedroom.

Goddess give me fucking strength.

But it wasn’t just Jayce. Yesterday I’d been in Kyanite’s company and he’d been just as bad, if not worse. He’d literally growled and partially shifted when a pack member approached me in the compound when we’d gone for a walk. I was the fucking Shifter Queen - I could wipe the floor with anyone that tried to hurt me. Jayce and Kyanite’s need to protect me was not only unnecessary but it was really starting to piss me off. Baby or no baby, I was powerful and I didn’t need my mates wrapping me in cotton wool.

“Jayce” I groaned, turning around to face him, “Both Flynn and Moira have said that I’m as strong as I’ve even been and that the baby is thriving. I’m not going to slip or pass out in the shower”

The Alpha grunted, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Heaven forbid I could tell him that a Warlock and a doctor knew better than he did. Last time I’d been pregnant Jayce had been a doting mate, he looked after me but he’d let me be me and his want for me never wavered. He’d still looked at me, his eyes full of hunger, his gaze lingering on the swell of my breasts, hips and stomach with a fire in them that made me feel sexy and powerful.

But this time was different. Maybe it was because of the way our last pregnancy had ended - losing a child only made the notion of history repeating itself a very real possibility. Perhaps he was too terrified of losing another child that he couldn’t look at me as any else but a vessel that needed protecting. Or, maybe the reason why he seemingly didn’t want me the way he used was because there was a real possibility that this baby wasn’t his at all.

“I— I just— If anything were to happen to you—”

“—It won’t. I promise”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep”

We stood in the bedroom staring at each other. I knew what he meant, I knew the promise he was referring to. Neither one of us broke eye contact, the silence that fell between us was neither awkward nor uncomfortable - it was a challenge. Would I bring up said promise? Or would I choose to ignore Jayce’s jab and move on in the conversation?

Neither. Let’s go option C.

The warmth of the towel brushed over my skin as it slid down my body, pooling in a heap of navy blue at my feet. Jayce, bless his cotton socks, didn’t move a muscle. I didn’t know wether to be impressed by his seemingly faultless poker face around his mate’s naked body, or to be disappointed that what was once his favourite place to stare, now didn’t even bolster so much as a twitch of his lips.

That hurts.

“You’ll catch a cold” the Alpha huffed, his eyes remaining locked with mine.

Cheeky prick.

“Maybe you should pick up my towel for me then”

Jayce’s jaw twitched, the slightest twitch I ever did see…but a twitch all the same. Something changed in his eyes too, like the dumb lug was finally clicking on to the game I was playing. Well it wasn’t really a game - I just wanted my mate to notice me, to see me as something else but a fragile incubator.

Jayce sighed and took a couple of steps towards me until he was close enough that I could feel his warm breath on my shoulders. My inner minx did a little gig as my mate lowered his body slowly, reaching down to grab the towel at my feet. I could feel his breath trail from my collar bone all the way down to my knees and I chewed on my lip, waiting…anticipating what I so desperately hoped was going to happen next. I was naked in front of my mate, I’d made my intentions quite clear and I knew my beautiful big bad wolf was never one to leave me hanging when I was in this state.

Duty calls big guy.

Closing my eyes I exhaled, a shaky breath releasing itself from my lungs. The suspense was killing me; finger or tongue, I didn’t care - just touch me already! But the next thing I felt on my skin was like an instant cold shower, like someone had taken a bucket of ice and all but extinguished my libido with it.

The towel.

Jayce picked up the fucking towel and stood up, draping it around my shoulders. Standing frozen to the spot, too angry and disappointed to move or argue - my eyes shot open, glaring into the dark orbs that stared back at me.

“Thank. You” I snarled, unable to keep the bitterness from my tone.

Jayce just nodded, leaning forward ever so slightly and placing a chaste kiss on my forehead - my fucking forehead!

“Get dressed” he breathed, “I’ll see you downstairs”

…………………..

Breakfast was once again non eventful. Jayce cooked for me and I ate it. Normally we would partake in casual conversation, like we had everyday for the last week - but today I was not feeling it. We sat in silence, it seemed my sour mood had rubbed off on the Alpha too.

“I’m going to see Kyan” I muttered, breaking the deathly silence that was only filled with the sounds of chewing food and sipping coffee.

“Mmm?” Jayce didn’t even look up from his meal.

“Maybe he’ll treat me like a woman instead of a injured bird”

Jayce’s grip tightened around his fork but he didn’t look up from his plate, didn’t say anything. If I’d made the same statement only a week ago, he would have flipped his lid. What the fuck had changed in that time?

Whatever! - I barked through our mind link, finishing the last of my coffee.

I pushed my chair away from the table and headed for the back door, not giving Jayce another look as I left the pack house in search of my other mate.

Before I’d even made it four feet out of the pack house, the door to the flat out the back opened and Kyanite came strutting out. His face lit up as he saw me and I couldn’t help but smile in return.

“I thought I felt you” he purred, meeting me halfway between the two buildings.

The Panther Prince wore a grey fitted shirt that was clearly tailored specifically for him, one that his mother had sent across from Panthera. The beautiful, expensive, material flowed and dipped around his taunt muscles and I drew my bottom lip into my mouth as he wrapped one of his strong arms around my shoulders.

“You look tense sweetheart. What’s wrong?”

Sighing, I nuzzled my face into Kyan’s hard chest and breathed in his scent. I couldn’t tell him why I was pissed off - I knew exactly how well ‘I tried to bang my Alpha mate and he rejected me’ would go down with the Prince.

“Oh, nothing. Just feeling…tense”

Kyan hummed and gave me a little squeeze before dropping his arm and taking me by the hand instead. With a sexy smile playing on his lips he gave me a wink.

“Well, lucky for you I know just the thing to ease that tension”

Oh don’t you fucking ever!

Kyan kept hold of my hand, leading me through the compound like a man on a mission. Other pack members knew better than to approach me when I was in Kyanite’s company now, after his last little display of masculinity.

It wasn’t long until we reached the back perimeter where the creek flowed, the peaceful sounds instantly helping to ease my weighted shoulders.

“See” Kyan purred, releasing my hand, “I can’t think of a better way to ease one’s tension”

Is he fucking serious?

“I can think of one”

Before the panther had a chance to move or object, I stepped towards him, closing the gap between us. My hand trailing lightly, ever so lightly, up the inside of his thigh, lingering just below his awaiting length.

“Quinn…” he breathed, his tone pained and restrained.

“Yes?” I mewed back.

I raised myself on my tippy toes, letting my lips trace the angles of his jaw with featherlight kisses. From where my hand was resting, I could feel the tightening of Kyanite’s pants, letting me know at least one of my mate’s still found my advances desirable.

But before I could make my next move, before my hand had a chance to glide any higher, Kyan took a step back - causing me to fall forward slightly as I lost balance on my toes.

“What—”

“—Quinn. We can’t…”

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!

“You too?!” I screamed, “What the actual— Do I smell? Do I have a fucking sign on my back that says ‘don’t fuck me’?”

Kyanite chuckled under his breath but stopped immediately as the look in my eyes threatened to reduce him to a smouldering pile of ash where he stood. Seriously though, I could have fucking shifted I was so furious - If it wasn’t for the fact that Moira said it could be harmful to the baby.

“Quinn. I’m sorry”

“For what?” I spat, “replaceing me un-fuckable?”

Kyanite sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“God no. You’re fuckable— Aghh! I just— I can’t—”

“—fuck me?”

The panther’s shoulders dropped and he looked at me with eyes that were full of pity and apologies. That was not how I wanted his eyes to looked when he saw me. I wanted them full of burning desire and hunger, of fire and desperation; I wanted the green to change black because he couldn’t fight the animalistic urge to fuck me any longer.

“You know what? Forget about it” I hissed, turning on my heal and stalking off.

Kyanite groaned and broke into a jog to catch up with me.

“Fuck off Kyan” I growled, flipping him the bird over my shoulder.

“What about the agreement?” He asked, “Either Jayce or myself to be with you at all times”

“Fuck the agreement!”

“Quinn—”

“—and fuck you too! And Jayce!”

I set off into a sprint, my human was faster than Kyan’s but I knew if he shifted into his panther he would be quicker, knowing I wouldn’t risk shifting just to get away from him. A smirk played on my lips as the Prince struggled to keep up, cursing me under his breath.

“As your Queen, I order you to stop! Leave me the fuck alone Kyan!”

The heavy breaths behind me ceased, the only footsteps to be heard being my own. If the boys wanted to be fucking difficult, then so could I.