Samantha Two hundred years ago, our clan was divided by hatred between two brothers who wanted to take over once their parents were killed. One of the brothers took those who respect him to find new territory. He was the evil one between the two, but the remaining brother was the strongest. As first born, he was the heir to the throne of our clan. Over the years, the other clan has tried to wage war and has lost time and time again. As princess and first born of our clan, I am learning to take over my parents rule. The only thing I lack is my mate. Everyone has their mate, except me. Without my mate, my little brother will take over, but he's only ten and hasn't had his first shift. Each leopard has their first shift around their sixteenth birthday. We're able to find our mates after we turn eighteen. We'll know when we find them because only we can smell each other's scent. I'm twenty-five and I still haven't found my mate. "Sam, without your m
SamanthaTina offered to cook something while I calmed down Kennedy. She slipped into a panic attack after Tina asked her about her clan teaching her about how to be a mate. Tina felt bad for setting off her attack and I told her it wasn't her fault for not knowing.Joey came in the kitchen for something to eat and I sent him to get my mother. Tina kept apologizing for setting her off when Kennedy couldn't calm down enough to eat. I told her what Kennedy told me and my mother and Tina joined me to help calm her down.Kennedy doesn't know what it means to be loved after twenty years of being beaten daily. It was up to us to show her what it meant to be loved and what she needed most right now was maternal love.My mother came running in with my dad and I give them pleading eyes. Having heard her story, my mother comes over and hugs at Kennedy's back. She almost immediately starts calming down and I let out a relieved breath. I try t
KennedyI woke the next morning, cuddled with Samantha. She was still asleep after our long night, rescuing Zeke and calming me down with her entire clan. I slip out of bed and decide that I want to show my gratitude by making everyone breakfast.I find that everyone was stall asleep and made it easier for me to get started on the task at hand. I found everything needed to make the blueberry muffins my mother and I made when I was a kid and got to work.I must have zoned out making muffins because I jumped as Samantha wraps around my back, two hours later. I tremble in her arms as her strong arms held me tight and she whispers soothingly in my ear. I relax against her chest and she loosens her arms around me.I turn in her arms, nuzzling my face in her neck and breathe in her vanilla and lavender scent. Her hand slips up the back of my shirt to trace one of the many scars on my back. I've been finding it soothing and she picked up
SamanthaTwo and a half months have passed since Kennedy and I formed our mate's bond and the attack on her and Anna. The council accepted our union and we will take over once she learns our ways and takes part in a ceremony to join our clan.She and Anna have become close since that day and are often found together with Amanda. Something was off about this morning and I couldn't figure it out. Since she's been here, Kennedy is up before the entire clan and making breakfast.This morning started off as usual, but as she stood up to clear her plate, Kennedy lost her balance and had to grab onto the counter.Even our connection through the bond was weird. I thought maybe she was nervous about the ceremony coming up and kept encouraging her she'll be fine.We were taking a walk as the first snow started to fall when she brought her hand to her forehead, grabbing for my arm with the other and missed. She looks at me with hooded eyes before collapsi
SamanthaLooking in Kennedy's fear filled eyes and it's all it took for me to partially shift. I took off to find Grace while Kennedy kept screaming for me to come back. I spot Zeke and ask him to shift and guard my room.Members of the clan clear a path, pointing in Grace's direction with fear in their eyes. She turns from her friends and says with a snarl, "That bitch doesn't deserve to be your mate. It should have been me pregnant with your baby. I'll wait for her to be alone before I kill her and that thing growing inside her."I let out a deafening roar before tackling her to the ground, clawing at her face and chest before biting out her throat. The entire clan circled around me, my parents included and I point at Grace's lifeless body. "Let this be a warning to the rest of you who dare to threaten my mate and our baby," I growl in my leopard voice.Everyone lowers to one knee, heads bowed in respect. My mother walks up to me and whisper
Samantha The apple pie I made for Kennedy was out of the oven and cooled for an hour. The stew she and my mother prepared was ready to eat and I went up to see if she was awake. I open the door to our room and she was fast asleep with Anna trying to lift her arm to take Amanda. She lets out a sleepy growl and Anna pulls her hand back. I couldn't help the soft giggle from escaping and Anna looks at me for help. "At least she's aware of someone trying to take her while she's sleeping," I whisper with a smile. I curl up behind her and nuzzle my cheek against her shoulder. She lets out a sleepy purr and I lift her arm so Anna could retrieve Amanda who seemed like she was still asleep. She starts crying and Kennedy sits up in half leopard form, growling protectively. Once she realizes it's only Anna she calms down and shifts back to full human form. I felt a strong uneasy feeling through the bond and help her to the bathroom. I rub
KennedyIt's been a week since I killed six members of Samantha's clan for trying to attack her. It's also been as long since I found out I was pregnant with twins. Things have been calm since then and I can tell Samantha is grateful for that and honestly, so am I.Tonight I will go through the ceremony to officially become part of the clan. I was hanging with some of the girls while Samantha helped prepare her the ceremony. She's been comfortable leaving me with members once everyone accepted me. I don't blame her for wanting to make sure I'm safe.We were sitting in the entertainment room, watching a movie and I wanted something to snack on. I got up to head for the kitchen and my head started to spin. I sway with a hand on my forehead and Maria stood up to steady my balance."Are you feeling okay? When was the last you ate," she asks with concern."Sam," I say in a wavering whisper and pass out in Maria's arms.Van
SamanthaI woke the next morning to Kennedy growling protectively. Christie, the girl who told us about Kelly was trying to take her from under Kennedy's arm while she was sleeping. Kelly was latched to Kennedy with Kennedy's arm wrapped protectively around her waist. She bows her head, scared of me and chokes quietly, "I'm sorry. Your friend Anna asked me to bring Kelly down for breakfast.""Tell Anna I'll take care of them when they wake up," I say softly and she looks up with relief when I didn't tell. "It's okay, Kennedy gets protective when she sleeps, especially when she's napping with Anna's daughter."She nods lightly with understanding and looks at Kennedy's sleeping face. "We're all grateful to be liberated from Carolyn's rule. We've been waiting for the day one of us would finally stand up to her. I just never imagined it would be Kennedy of all people," she chokes quietly and leaves the room.I rub Kennedy's arm in comfort and she
Bethany The next morning I woke up to the smell of breakfast, as usual, but Kennedy was still cuddled facing me in bed. Samantha and Skylar were cuddled at our backs and I cuddle closer to Kennedy. I bury my face in her chest and her arms absentmindedly wrap around me.Her orchid scent helps calm the start of a wave of nausea and I let out a relieved breath. I feel Samantha move closer to snuggle at my back with her face buried in my hair. I let out a content sigh and feel Kennedy kiss the top of my head.I look up at her and she kisses my forehead. I smile lightly and we both slip out of bed. We walk down hand in hand and saw it was those who knew about us pregnant cooking breakfast. Food laid out like a buffet on the island in the kitchen. Anna is the first to notice us and comes over. "Good morning, we wanted to surprise you with breakfast," she says with a smile."Thank you, everything smells delicious," she says with a smile.Amber comes over with two plates with bacon, blueber
SkylarNine weeks have passed since the twins were born. They have gotten big and we discovered that the twin who resembles Samantha is a boy and named him Michael. The twins that resembles me is intersex and Bethany named them Evan, an unusual unisex name.Kennedy is back to her normal comfort zone with the clans, but she's still leery about leaving the twins without someone she completely trusts and the list is short. She still makes breakfast every morning and everyone has gotten used to it. They often bring her snacks or offer to tend the twins when she's tired. There have been a few times the three of us come down for breakfast and a handful of members are helping her about the kitchen as their way to repay her for making enough for everyone to eat.This morning went as usual. Kennedy woke up before everyone, made breakfast, but something felt different in our mate's bond. I wasn't sure who it was because lately we've felt like one. I try to single out each of our bonds and when
Bethany It's been three days since Kennedy broke down about Skylar's mother not warning them about Carolyn. Sky does her best to keep her mother away from Kennedy but she still manages to get near her. She has claw marks on her face from Kennedy slapping her in half leopard form. Blood currently trailed down her neck as she sat on the floor looking up at me struggling to hold her back. We quickly came to realize that I was the only one who could calm her when it came to Skylar's mother. Unfortunately I was in the bathroom when she approached Kennedy. I swiftly turn her in my arms and she holds onto me, breaking into uncontrolled sobs. Clan members went to get Sam and Skylar as they were still trying to figure out living arrangements for everyone. Eloise enters the kitchen first and takes in the scene before her. "I suggest you go to the infirmary and stay away from Kennedy," she snarls in anger as Sam and Skylar come running in. "Mom, I think you should go back to our territory.
Bethany I woke up cuddled with Kennedy in the den. Looking over her shoulder and she was still sound asleep with the twins tucked protectively under her arm. Samantha and Skylar were gone but I could feel them close by, thanks to the mate's bond I now possess. I tuck hair from her face and smile as a faint purr comes from Kennedy. I look up as Eloise enters the den with a light smile. "I just spoke with Sam and Skylar," she says quietly and I nod, knowing she was indicating about me forming the mate's bond with Kennedy. "I just wanted to see how you two were doing, but I'll let her sleep. I know what's going on with the news about Rose and Skylar's mother." Tears fill my eyes and nod lightly. She gives a sympathetic smile before leaving the den. I nuzzle my face in her hair, breathing in her intoxicating scent of orchids. After getting hints of it for weeks, it's the only thing I want to smell and can't seem to get enough of. I feel her leopard reach out and Abigail accepts her.
****this is still before Kennedy has the twins. Next chapter picks up after they form the bond**** Bethany I woke to Kennedy nudging my side and spring up to a sitting position. I immediately saw the hurt look in her eyes and say in a soothing tone, "They went hunting. We don't know when you're going to shift back so they want to make sure there's a fresh kill for you." She gets up and I follow her to the garden. She let out a pain filled growl and I kneel in front of her, holding her face as she pants with relief as it passes. "I need to get you back to the den, I think you're going in labor," I say in a soothing tone. I lead her back to the nest but she was too restless. I rub at her stomach as she nuzzles her face in my stomach while I scratch at her ears. Her breaths were ragged and I helped her get comfortable with her head in my lap. Martha comes in with the portable ultrasound machine and I say in a soothing tone, "I think she's going in labor." Martha rushes over and b
****For those of you last chapter who were surprised Kennedy has a third mate this chapter will hopefully give you the answers why. This chapter starts off in Bethany's POV and she will start having her own POV from this point forward. Also just so you're not asking questions, this chapter is through what Bethany experienced while Kennedy was still pregnant and before the betrayal of Kennedy's clan. Without further ado.....****Bethany I was in the entertainment room with Kennedy, Anna and a few from our clan. She wanted to build this cuddle nest after she did a full shift to comfort Skylar with missing Rose. I was braiding her hair, admiring how soft her hair felt. I noticed she was falling asleep and stop playing with her hair when she let out this disappointed sigh.Anna said she was enjoying the affection and I went back to braiding her hair. She looks back with tired eyes and for a brief moment, our eyes held contact. In that moment I felt a slimmer of a connection with her, mor
KennedyI woke from my nap with the twins gone, Bethany still asleep and Skylar still wrapped at my back. She gives my shoulder a kiss and I relax. "Sam asked Riley and Anna to feed them in the nursery a few minutes ago. She's settling in the remaining of my clan so I could stay with you while you continued sleeping," she says in a soothing whisper.I feel my body relax against hers as relief settles over me. Remembering what happened before I fell asleep with the twins, tears fill my eyes. Learning I had a sister I never got to meet and will never get the chance tore my heart to pieces. It made me want to bring Carolyn back from the dead just to kill her the same way she killed Rose.I feel my connection with both clans open wide and each member immediately responding with a pull to their bonds with me. Bethany opens her eyes, seeing the tears in mine and hesitantly moves closer. Claire reaches out to her through the bond and she instantly takes me in her arms as soft sobs escape my
KennedyI let Riley carry one of the twins down when she asked knowing she was upset with whatever her parents had to tell me. I know Amanda helped distract me when I was upset so I didn't refuse her the comfort a baby seemed to give her at the moment. Bethany carried the other twin wanting to hold one of them in human form.Samantha's parents and a couple I don't recognize, I presume to be Riley's parents were waiting in the kitchen. As soon as the woman saw me she burst into tears. Alarmed of her reaction and a thick lump filled my throat. It took a few attempts before I could ask in a choked whisper, "What's going on? I thought you asked to see me?"Another couple enters the kitchen resembling Skylar and her mother asks curious, "Are you Kennedy? Daughter of David and Regina?"I shift into my half leopard form and ask in an angry growl, "What business is it to you?""Twenty-two years ago a couple came to us, seeking help to get out of their clan. They had a five year old daughter n
KennedyThe cubs have been up, walking and playing with each other for a few days now. None of us know when they'll take human form. Sam and Skylar occasionally shift and either play or lay with them to give me and Bethany a break. They've been exploring the clan house with one of us with them or one of Skylar's guards.At the moment they were feeding as I lay in the nest of blankets, getting my ears scratched from Anna. I haven't really been able to sleep much after that dream I had of losing Sam and Skylar. Security was being made air tight as we speak. Stronger windows were being installed throughout the clan house along with more secure doors to get in and out.They had already done the windows where I've been nesting and Anna was sent to help get me to sleep. She starts stoking my head and moments later I feel my eyes grow heavy with sleep. I look around for Sam, Skylar and Bethany but they weren't in sight."Relax Kennedy," Anna says in a soothing whisper and I lay back in her l