Page 20 of The Russos

In a few weeks’ time, we should be back home on our land. I couldn’t wait. I needed Cassie where I knew she would be safely surrounded by our families and the Chief’s guards.

CHAPTER 14

CASSIE

We’d been in Zambia for just over a week. It was like I’d been on a roller coaster ever since I’d stepped off the plane. I’d never in a million years expected my mate to be on the other side of the world, nor had I expected to be pregnant so quickly.

My head was spinning, and the human side of me was having a hard time coming to grips with it all. My bear, on the other hand? That hussy was happy as a lark. As far as she was concerned, we’d hit the jackpot, and other than the speed that he’d knocked me up with, I had to agree with her.

I loved that he was free with his affection, never having me far from his side. He was also a lot of fun; he didn’t take himself seriously and got on with Sam, Drake, and Miah. Even my dad, once he’d gotten over the shock of me being mated and pregnant within a short amount of time, admitted that he liked him.

Luca had also taken Miah aside. They’d had a long conversation, but as both had come back from the conversation looking relaxed, I’d left them to it, assuming it had something to do with Luca’s friend Renee.

Once our mating was complete, Hannah was determined that we see and do most of the tourist things. We’d seen the famed Victoria Falls and spent most of the day walking along it. We’dbeen on a booze cruise and watched the most beautiful sunset as we drifted slowly down the river, watching as animals came down to the river to take a drink; we’d seen elephants, various antelope, baboons, and monkeys. Many different species of birds flitted down to drink before flying away. We’d even seen a fish eagle swoop down and scoop a fish right out of the river.

While I’d been in awe to see some of the wildlife, neither my bear nor I were happy about the number of crocodiles that we sensed in the water. The hippos didn’t bother us as much, but the crocodiles were another story. I don’t think I was the only one who breathed a sigh of relief when we set foot back on land. The only ones that didn’t seem perturbed about them were Anton and Luca, even Hannah wasn’t keen on them, but then she’d explained that she grew up in the city, whereas Anton and Luca lived in a remote area in the middle of the bush, a three-hour drive from the nearest town.

Today we were packing up and leaving the camp we’d been staying in since I’d arrived, and we were going to travel for most of the day to see one of the biggest man-made lakes in the world. Who’d have thought that this little-known country had so many hidden gems?

The only blight on the whole experience so far was the worry we had about my cousin, Cally, and the stuff that was going on with her in our hometown. Although my friend Dragon was in contact with her and assured me that it was in hand and that I wasn’t to worry about anything, I’d try, but it was hard, and I knew Dad was feeling just as helpless as me. While he’d been my sole carer since birth, Cally had come to us in her teens. She’d not had a good childhood and while she wasn’t a blood relative, she was still family. Cally had ended up with us when her stepmother, my aunt, had gone to prison. With nowhere for Cally to go but intothe system, my dad had stepped up when his sister had asked him to.

We loved Cally, and as close as we were, I knew that she always felt like she was on the outskirts of our family. The only comfort I had was that Dad had trained both of us to fight and shoot, so she wasn’t helpless. I’d feel better once I could speak to her, though.

Zipping up my bag, I turned as Luca came into the tent. He’d been helping with the loading.

A smile graced my face as I took in the way he was watching me.

“If we had time, I’d have you bend over for me like that again, baby,” he growled, licking his lips, his eyes heated as he advanced towards me.

Laughing, I held up my hand and pressed it on his broad chest, “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough to get turned on watching you sway that arse while you were packing.” Gripping my hand gently, he removed it from his chest and pulled me slowly towards him. Tunnelling his fingers into my hair, he tilts my head to the side so that he can see my claiming mark.

It's something he’s taken to doing as if he has to ensure it’s still showing. Pressing his lips to it, he kisses it before moving his way up my neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses up my neck until he gets to my mouth. Once there, he wastes no time in devouring my lips in a passionate kiss like he’s not kissed them in days. Since we’d been mated his need for me and my need for him hadn’t diminished. If anything, it seemed to have gotten stronger.

Even when we’d shifted and gone for a run, his animal had been protective of my bear, leaning in close, nudging her out of theway of things that would have hurt her like a snake that had come across our path; he’d made sure she was safe. And she’d let him, happy to let him take the lead. It was confusing because she’d always been hardheaded and that she was happy to have him tell her what to do confused the hell out of me. He’d been bigger than I expected in his animal form, standing nearly as tall as my bear.

He was all muscle, though, and he was strong. I’d found that out when, one night, we’d come across Anton and Hannah walking. Anton had been shifted but Hannah hadn’t; she’d been walking next to Anton, one hand curled in his fur at the nape of his neck.

Anton had turned when he’d heard us, and he’d chittered something, and Luca had answered. Anton carefully nudged Hannah away with his snout. She’d rolled her eyes but moved to sit down on the ground, arms wrapped around her knees. Similarly, Luca had nudged me towards Hannah. I’d lumbered over wondering what was going on.

“You may as well come and get comfortable,” Hannah said, patting the ground next to her. “The two of them are going to be a while. If you want to change, I’ve got a spare shirt of Anton’s here. It’s clean so only smells of laundry.”

At her words, I’d shifted because I wanted to ask what was going on once the fighting started. Taking the shirt from Hannah, I slipped it on, tucking it under my butt as I sat down next to her.

“What the hell is going on?” I demanded.

Hannah wiped her hand across her cheeks, and it was then that I noticed the tears clinging to her lashes. “It’s my fault,” she whispered.

Not liking the sadness in her voice, I wrapped my arm around her as we watched our mates going at it hammer and tongs. I’dquickly realised they weren’t fighting to hurt but rather to tire each other out.

Tightening my arm around the younger woman in a one-armed hug, I asked, “Why is it your fault? To me, it looks like two males who need to let off some steam.”

“Yeah, but it’s because of me that Anton feels like he has to. I’m not quite strong enough to go through a pregnancy, but I’m getting stronger, and the closer I get, the harder it is for him to put off our mating. This is the only way he gets tired out. Drake and Sam have been fighting him every night, as well as your dad, but they just can’t keep going for long enough. Not like Luca can.

“It would probably be easier if I could sleep somewhere else, but the nightmares are still bad. The only time I get any rest is when Anton holds me. It’s so unfair. I hate my family for doing this to us,” she sobs against me. Luckily, Anton and Luca were too busy fighting to pay us any attention.

“Oh, sweetheart, this is not your fault. Anton’s doing what every good mate should do and is giving you time. If you need Luca to beat the snot out of him every night, he’ll do it and if that’s not enough, we’ll get all of us to take turns until you’re ready. Tell me about your tiger. Why is she hiding?”