To Love a Stray Ch. 13

"It's all good now?" Sam asks me with a closed expression.

"It's been all good all along. Rosy was telling me she expects me to start letting her call me Daddy," Micah says with a happy glance my way.

"And you got a bit overexcited," I tell him with a grin.

"I knew you'd realise toms are nothing like human guys," Jazzy exclaims as she rushes over to hug me.

We'd had a long talk about Micah and the baby and I explained to her how human men often weren't that good when a woman already had children, often thinking of the kids as 'unwanted baggage' or the woman in question as 'an easy lay'.

"What's Jazzy talking about?" Micah asks from where the toms are crowding around him and carrying on as if he was the biological father of my baby. I know now that he will be the best father he can be to this baby and not only because he already thought of it as 'ours' but because he is a genuinely good person.

"I'll tell you later," I say.

"Remember what Cantrell Yates was like when he moved in with Kaytee after Spencer died in that truck crash? The way he treated Christian and Vinnie?" Jazzy asks her brother. "Apparently it's pretty normal with a lot of human guys."

Micah looks at me surprised and a little hurt but he nods before saying, "No wonder you were so touchy about me and the baby."

"I'm not taking chances with my baby," I say.

"I don't blame you," Mitchell says as he comes over to give me a cuddle.

"Our baby," Micah says quietly.

"Okay, our baby. But I had to be sure I could trust you to treat the baby right. Babies, all babies are too precious not to be treated right," I tell him.

"The way Micah spoils you, how could he not treat the baby right?" Dwayne asks.

"How am I to know what is normal and what isn't for werecats? Most of my education was received running from either strays or clan cats," I point out uneasily.

"That's why you have us to guide you," Sam tells me.

"Let's just change the subject," I say feeling more and more uneasy. Mitchell pulls me close to drop a kiss on my head and I know he is trying to calm me so I lean into his body more thankful of his presence.

"Dwayne I need to speak to you, and Rosy can come with me too," Micah says firmly. "Let's go for a walk."

I am quick to fall into step beside Micah, hopeful that neither tom will think of the chain leash that Wade insists I have attached every time I am outside.

"If we hurry we can pretend we forgot that leash in all the excitement of Micah and Steven getting home, and your announcement." Dwayne says.

Micah growls low in his throat as he catches my hand only to raise it to his mouth for a quick kiss before letting go, but I instantly grab his hand again and walk at his side smiling happily to myself.

"How is he going with that? Let up yet?" Micah asks.

"No, if anything he's worse when you're not here." Dwayne says as he comes up on my other side and catches my free hand to swing it high before letting go. "So what do you need to talk about?"

"We'll talk in the tree line," Micah says and I realise it is something he doesn't want others overhearing. At the tree line Micah makes sure I am seated comfortably and they sit down on the ground facing me before Micah looks at Dwayne with a serious frown on his face.

"Rosy was telling me Jazzy is getting very possessive over Mitchell. Has anything happened there we need to know about?" Micah asks firmly.

"I did come across them once out here. Mitchell had his hand down her pants playing around with her and when she offered to let him do more, he backed off telling her he wanted to do things the right way," Dwayne informs Micah.

"Mitchell never said anything to me about Jazzy," I say instantly.

"Do you have any objections to Mitchell becoming seriously involved with Jazzy?" Micah asks me and both he and Dwayne turn their heads to look at me.

"You are talking about what I think you are? Them having sex?" I ask uneasily. Micah nods and Dwayne regards me seriously.

"But Jazzy is so young," I say horrified.

"Most young she-kitts start after they have become physically mature - around legal age of consent," Micah informs me. " Jazzy is actually nineteen."

"And she is to use condoms to minimise the chances of her ending up pregnant. She seems better after the treatment your Uncle gave her but we need to be sure she is totally well before she considers settling down, getting married and having children," Dwayne states.

"She can't fall pregnant while she takes the medicine to make sure all the heartworms are gone because the medicine will most likely prevent a pregnancy - it would be viewed as a parasite," I say quietly wondering if they should have been told this piece of information before.

"But when she's finished all the medicine, she will be able to have babies?" Micah asks worriedly.

"The medicine will wear off after about a month or two and I know my Uncle wants her to have her heart checked to make sure there is no permanent damage. Then sure – no reason she can't," I say with a shrug.

"So is it all right for her to sleep with Mitchell?" Dwayne asks.

"Shouldn't you be asking Mitchell or Sam this?" I ask uneasily.

"You get to say no if you don't want them being together for any reason," Dwayne explains.

"Well, okay. I don't mind if they get together and ... have sex, as long as it's what both of them want," I say then add hastily, "And you can't bash my brother for it!"

Both Micah and Dwayne smile with relief, "I promise I'll only bash him if he tries to interfere between us," Micah tells me. "Sam's the one I have to watch out for."

"We need you to do something," Dwayne tells me and I look at him. "I got some condoms back in my room. I'll make sure the packet is well covered in my scent and we need you to get Mitchell aside quietly, give them to him and tell him you were told to make sure he uses them. Now make sure you do it; it's real important and it wouldn't hurt to do it in front of Sam so he knows Mitchell isn't about to get killed for what he will try with Jazzy."

"You mean I get to get back at him for all the embarrassing lectures they tried to give me?" I ask wide-eyed for a moment before glancing between the two of them. "How come you're telling me this and it'll be your scent not Micah's?" I ask curiously.

"I'm the oldest brother here so it's my responsibility. If Edwin was here it would be up to him," Dwayne explains. "Jazzy will be invited to sleep at the quarters tonight because Micah's back. We'll all sleep out in the lounge room and watch things happen."

"What is it with the watching?" I ask.

"To make sure Mitchell doesn't get rough or hurt Jazzy. Some she-kitts get scared at the last moment and don't want to keep going once it starts to hurt," Micah tells me. "A she-kitt's passage tissue is very elastic but tight for her first two or three times, so it hurts. After that the tissues stretch more easily, painlessly."

"Even though Mitchell served her while they were cats Jazzy will still probably find it ... uncomfortable," Dwayne explains and I look away as I remember the incident and my reaction to it.

Both Micah and Dwayne remain silent as they watch me absorb the information.

"Your brothers hovered pretty close the first few times to make sure you were okay with me mounting you," Micah says dropping his voice to an intimate level.

"It took four of us and Sam to stop Mitchell going after Micah when Mitchell realised Micah had locked-up in you. Mitchell had forgotten Micah couldn't get away from you when he intended to kick the shit out of Micah," Dwayne informs me.

"Yeah he got me a few good punches the next day before Sam thought it was wise to make him back off," Micah says with a shrug.

"Does Jazzy know what to expect?" I ask uncertainly.

"We've told her the basics but not how much it'll hurt at first," Dwayne admits.

"But she knows it will hurt?" I ask more forcefully.

"Yeah," Dwayne agrees.

"Good. I suppose your ways have a lot to say for them. My father hadn't even had the birds and the ... the tom and the she-kitt talk equivalent with me so when that werecat got hold of me I didn't even understand what he was doing to me," I say and look away uncomfortably.

"But you sure knew what you were doing with me when you hauled down your jeans and presented to me," Micah says with a fond laugh.

"Not really," I deny, "not until you were in me and going for it, and then back at the quarters when I accidentally let you lockup in me. It showed me I still really didn't know what I was doing," I look away from both toms as I feel my face burn brightly.

"But we're working it out together now," Micah tells me gently. I nod my agreement and glance at him shyly.

"So you'll give Mitchell the condoms?" Dwayne checks again.

"Yeah," I agree.

"Okay, my job here is done. I'll go have a word with Justin and Donovan so they know what's going to happen. Micah, I'll let you have a word with Jazzy," Dwayne tells him.

"Will do," Micah agrees. "Well we better get back and attend to our business otherwise I'd be tempted to show you where the best wildflowers grow."

I blush furiously. This is the secret term Micah and I have started to use when we decide to sneak off into the trees for some time alone that usually ends up in us having sex, or coming close to it. Dwayne and Micah both get up and each take one of my hands to help me stand up before we start back towards the compound.

Micah walks close beside me and his hand occasionally brushes my hand as if he can't resist touching me. Gathering my courage I catch hold of his hand when it brushes mine and keep hold of it. Micah glances towards me with a grin before looking towards the buildings once again. I know I need to encourage his interest in protecting me and the kitt I carry.

"See," Dwayne says quietly. "Mitchell is over there just inside the doorway watching to make sure Micah behaves himself around you." I glance towards the stone building where the toms are working building onto the structure and see Mitchell just barely visible, watching. He gives a visible start and I hear Micah laugh softly as Mitchell moves out of view.

"What did you do?" Dwayne asks.

"Pretended to brush twigs and grass off Rosy's back and butt," Micah says and I can hear the laughter in his voice.

"Good one," Dwayne says in admiration and I have to bite my tongue not to scold Micah for teasing Mitchell.

When we are level with the quarters I head towards them and go inside to prepare myself something to eat as I know it is the last I will feel like eating until late tonight. I am in the kitchen making myself a sandwich when I hear footsteps and glance over my shoulder to see Sam and Mitchell come into the room. Mitchell moves to lean against the bench where I am working, picks a slice of tomato from my plate and eats it.

"Hey," I complain as I complete my preparation.

"You know it's not that long ago you would have snatched your plate away before I could touch it," Mitchell says with a smile as he reaches out to ruffle my hair.

"And that is a good reason for you to torture me by touching my food?" I ask angrily.

"Rosy is everything really ok after Micah yelled at you?" Sam asks quietly. "You got something to tell us?" He glances back over his shoulder and I am aware of him tensing beside me.

"Everything's fine isn't it Rosy?" Dwayne says from the doorway and beckons to me. "Still going to do this for us?" he asks as I turn towards him.

"Yeah," I say quietly as I walk over to him and he hands me a small box I recognise from shops as containing condoms.

"See you later then," Dwayne tells me and heads off with a wave. I hold the box gingerly and feel incredibly embarrassed as I turn around to face my brothers. I grit my teeth and decide to do it immediately before I lose my nerve and decide not to. I walk straight up to Mitchell, grab one of his hands and lift it to press the box into his hand.

"I have been asked to give you these and to tell you to make sure you use them," I tell him before hastily turning away and grabbing my sandwich and retreating to the lounge room.

"What the ... shit! I don't believe it," Mitchell hisses stunned and I hear a low throaty chuckle from Sam.

"Looks like there'll be celebrations in order," Sam says and I hear him walking towards me. He sits beside me on the lounge and holds a glass of juice where I can see it, "You left something behind."

"Thanks," I mutter hoping what I just did won't be mentioned.

"Rosy?" Mitchell questions softly, "Do you have any idea of when?"

"Jazzy will be invited to sleep at the quarters tonight and Dwayne said we'll all sleep out in the lounge room," I say quietly before taking a large bite of sandwich.

Sam and Mitchell move to the far side of the lounge room to talk quietly and I concentrate on the sound of myself eating as I intentionally block out their conversation. I am nearly finished with my sandwich when Mitchell leaves the quarters and Sam comes to sit down and stretch out beside my legs on the floor.

"So you're going to let Micah be the father of Jelly-bean are you?" Sam asks softly.

"Yeah I think we can make this work between us," I tell him.

"You couldn't have got a better tom," Sam agrees. "You are attached to him aren't you? It's not all physical is it?"

"It's hard to explain. Sometimes I'm not sure I understand how I feel myself," I admit.

"So when is the wedding? You'll want to have it before Ray decides to take things into his own hands," Sam tells me.

"Excuse me?" I ask shocked.

"Has Micah set a date for the wedding yet?" Sam queries.

"There's been no talk of a wedding, at least none between Micah and me," I deny uneasily.

"That is why Micah took you for the walk wasn't it? To tell you what date he had decided on for your wedding?" Sam says lightly.

"No, it was about Jazzy and Mitchell," I say and put my plate aside as I get to my feet leaving the last bite of my sandwich untouched. I turn to face Sam uneasily. "Micah hasn't even asked me to marry him, and we're still trying to make things work between us," I say as I begin pacing.

A thousand confused thoughts try to rush through my mind at once. Why hasn't Micah spoken of this to me? Didn't he want to talk to me about it? Didn't he want me? Was the baby the only thing he wanted from me?

"That's what letting him be the father of the baby is all about. When you are married there will be no doubt he is to be the father," Sam explains.

"We don't have to be married for Micah to be the baby's father, just like he doesn't have to provide the biological material to be the father," I exclaim as I continue to pace. Nerves the sizes of small birds have taken up residence in my stomach and my sandwich isn't sitting well. I feel pressured and uncomfortable.

"I thought Micah would have said something by now," Sam tells me.

"You've already said something to Micah?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yeah, he walked in on Mitchell and I discussing what we were going to do about Wade turning Edwin ... we knew there was a good chance Edwin would walk away from you leaving you with a child with no father. We also knew that if it had been either Steven or Micah in the cage with you, neither of them would just have walked away from you like Edwin did. They would have done the honourable thing and married you. Micah told us he was willing to step up and do the right thing by you," Sam tells me gently.

"So the three of you had it worked out between you before the results of that test Doc took came back ...had Doc even done the tests when all this happened?" I ask in disbelief. I think I know the answer by the way Sam glances away before turning back to me as I continue to pace.

I feel betrayed by the way my brothers have conspired with Micah against me. The feeling of being trapped and forced to do what someone else wants is no stranger to me and fear begins to build in my stomach.

"It wasn't an issue until Doc needed to do the tests was it?" I demand horrified.

"Rosy, calm down," Sam tells me in soothing tones with a worried look.

"No! I will not calm down! I have been fucked and fucked over," I yell at him, "I remember yous telling me the first time we met that I wouldn't be forced! Well that's a load of fucking bullshit! I have just been too stupid to realise you lot kept out manoeuvring me until yous thought I had no option but to do what you wanted all along!" I whirl to face the doorway as I hear toms running towards the quarters and a savage snarl rises from deep within me as I curl my top lip and wait to see who will appear first.

"Rosy?" Mitchell calls as the screen door bangs violently.

"Keep away from me," I warn as he comes through the doorway in a rush and takes a step towards me. I am standing with my feet at shoulders breadth apart and my head lowered slightly as I breathe heavily in anger. I can feel my heart beat pounding in my chest and hear my blood rushing in my ears as I snarl viciously.

"Whatever's wrong will be okay Rosy, it'll be okay," Mitchell says in his low soothing tone.

"Don't fucking well bullshit to me you piece of dog shit," I scream in rage. I smother a splinter of remorse at the pain that flickers briefly on Mitchell's face before I begin pacing once again. The feeling of being trapped grows is making me edgy and fearful but my fear quickly turns to more rage.

Calmness tries to fill my mind and I feel myself stagger as I turn to face the door where I can sense something growing, forming.

"Go get the key off Wade. Tell him Rosy has already changed if you have to," I hear Micah whisper to someone before he moves into view around the door jam to take several cautious steps into the room.

"Hey Sweetheart," Micah says softly.

Just calm down Rosy, calm down. His voice whispers in my head making memories of Jasper's voice and another, more sinister voice, in my mind. Memories of them forcing me to do things I didn't want to do flood back.

My hurt and confusion flares out of control and I grab up a ceramic cup from where it sits on the table and throw it at him in one fluid motion before I realise what I am about to do.

How did Micah get inside my head?

The cup shatters harmlessly against the door jam brushing Micah's hair as he manages to duck it in time. Behind him toms scatter out of sight and I can hear the scuffing of their shoes as they move nervously. I focus on Micah then visualise darkness, total darkness devoid of all light and sound.

* * * * *

I feel the passage of whatever Rosy threw at me as it sails past my head to shatter behind me. Terror and pain fill my mind as Rosy's eyes dart frantically from me, to Mitchell, to Sam, and then back to me and beyond where I stand poised on my toes. I can hear my blood thundering in my ears and my heart pounding in my chest. It takes me a moment before I realise it's not my body, my emotions I am feeling, but Rosy's.

Sam moves and I watch and feel Rosy turn her head to follow the sound even as she stares at me. She is shaking so hard I can see her body shuddering; it sparks an immense fear for the kitt she carries. I don't know who the fear belongs to but it grows and swells drowning all else.

Come on Sweetheart, calm down.

I mean to say it very softly but Rosy's savage animal like snarl tells me I have tried to use our matebond. Blackness shot through with violent explosions of colour explodes in my face and for a second I believe I am physically seeing it.

I am suddenly aware of all traces belonging to Rosy are gone from my mind. My breath catches in my throat as I see Rosy reach up to tug at the collar that circles her throat.

I hear the sharp intake of breath from Sam and Mitchell, as well as from someone behind me. I see the muscles beneath the skin on her arms writhing and I know for certain Rosy is about to lose control of her change.