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Chapter Eleven

Gavin hated the tension on his mate’s face. It was impossible not to internalize her stress. When her heart rate increased, his did also to match. Everything that happened to her physically happened to him.

To a certain extent, the alignment of their bodies was normal. All mates fell into sync with each other. Alpha Protectors and their mates formed even stronger bonds than citizens in the valley. But Gavin wasn’t sure his friends and relatives experienced this same level of synchrony.

As soon as they were all back in the room with the door closed, Molly blew out a breath and shuddered. “That’s so weird.” She threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you so much for building this room.”

“You’re welcome, Little one.” He leaned her back so he could meet her gaze. “I’ll do anything for you, Molly. Always.”

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and she swiped them away.

He rubbed her back, not wanting to rush her. “Can you tell us what you heard, Baby girl?”

She turned so she could face the others at the same time.

“The thing is I can hear everything. Even though you weren’t talking, I could hear the shuffle of your feet and the rustle of clothes as you each moved.

I could hear each person’s breathing, the hum of the heater, and the sizzle of electricity.

Every creak in the house. All at once as if there were a microphone blaring them all louder than they should be. ”

Everyone listened intently, brows drawn together.

“And when we went outside?” Gavin encouraged.

“It increased a hundred times. Every animal in the area. Their natural sounds, the twigs they step on, the leaves moving in the breeze. It seems like I can hear the air itself. But also so many voices.”

Felix frowned. “I don’t get that part. Whose voices? No one is out there.”

“I think they’re far away. I can’t pinpoint anyone in particular.

They’re distinct, but I don’t know any of the people.

The only thing I think might give us some idea of how far it extends is that I can hear the collective hum of everything happening in the valley.

Nothing specific, but I know it’s the valley because those are sounds I’m familiar with.

Cars, horns, school bells. That kind of thing. ”

Damon’s eyes widened. “That’s pretty far.”

“Can you hear female voices?” Felix asked.

Molly nodded. “Yes. Lots of them. Like several women are together.”

Gavin nodded. “They are, Little one. Olivia and Khloe are at Felix’s house. His is the closest home to here.” He turned to face the others. “Who else is with them?”

Damon chuckled. “All the girls. Jezebel, Suzette, and Leah are also there. Arion is with them. He made them all line up for self-defense classes before he would let them play. Brock and Elias are on patrol.”

Molly twisted back to look at Gavin again. “Take me back outside.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want to see if I can tell what anyone is saying. Maybe I can isolate some noises from others. I’m not sure.”

Gavin didn’t want to overtax his mate. They were bombarding her with so many things during a time that should be spent naked in his arms. Nothing about this mating was usual.

Her shift had even been odd. He realized after the fact that all the strange things like dunking herself underwater had been to keep the noises at bay.

After reaching out to his father and several other elders, Gavin had come to the conclusion that no one had ever heard of something like this happening before. But strange things had happened several times in the past few years, so it was growing less shocking.

Molly bounced excitedly in his arms, so he couldn’t deny her. He held her close, kissed her temple, and headed back outside. This time the others waited in the insulated room, which was probably for the best. It would cut down on at least a fraction of the sounds.

As soon as Gavin stepped outside, Molly closed her eyes and tipped her head back, turning slowly to angle herself how she wanted.

He smiled as he watched her. She had positioned one ear exactly in the direction of Felix’s house. There was no way she could know that, but it did give validity to the fact that she might indeed be listening to the other mates.

Finally, she covered her ears and nodded.

Gavin hurried her back in through the house and into the new room.

As soon as he shut the door, she breathed out a sigh of relief and lowered her hands. “Can we go to Felix’s house?” she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Gavin frowned. “Someday soon. Why?”

“They’re using finger paints, and Arion said they could have candy after dinner if none of them got paint on the carpet.”

Felix groaned. “Finger paints…”

Damon laughed. “If that’s not solid confirmation that Molly can hear at a great distance, I don’t know what is.”

Felix pulled out his phone and tapped the screen.

A few seconds later, he said, “Khloe, you girls better be sitting at the table with those paints. Did Arion put a cloth down first? And if I find out you had more than one piece of candy, I’ll spank your bottom both before and after your bath.

” He hung up immediately, not giving his mate even a fraction of a second to respond.

Gavin chuckled. “I suspect you just shocked the hell out of them.”

Seconds later, Damon’s phone rang. He answered it on speaker. “Hey, Arion. How are things?” he said, barely containing laughter.

Arion was quick to respond. “Would you please tell me how Felix knew what the girls were doing from all the way over at Gavin’s house? Now, they’re all mad at me because they think I called you and ratted them out.”

The women could be heard talking over one another in the background.

Molly covered her ears again.

Gavin set his large palms over hers to help block out whatever was bothering her now.

Damon took the phone off speaker and held it to his ear. “Long story. I’ll explain when I get there, but for the love of all that is holy, keep the candy to a minimum.” He disconnected.

Gavin lowered his hand and rubbed Molly’s back. “Was the phone too loud, Baby girl?”

“I think it opened a connection to everything beyond it,” she said.

Ezra rubbed his face. “Amazing. I should go. I’m going to meet with some other elders first thing tomorrow. I’ll call you afterward.” He patted Molly’s back. “Hang in there, Molly. Don’t you fret. Gavin won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Damon looked at Gavin. “Before we leave, Felix and I will move your mattress in here. Is there anything else you want us to move?”

Gavin slid his hand into his Little girl’s hair and leaned her head against his shoulder.

He hadn’t thought of that, but he was grateful they had.

He definitely wanted to be able to spend some quality time with Molly without the headset.

“Thank you. That’s the only large thing for now.

We’ll come up with a more permanent solution soon. ”

He already had an idea, but it wasn’t something they could accomplish in a day or two. It would take time. In the meantime, Molly was going to be spending the majority of her days in this insulated room. It was unavoidable.

Damon and Felix maneuvered Gavin’s mattress through the door and into the small space. The doorframe was barely wide enough to accommodate the mattress. They hadn’t gone any larger because none of them had even known if this would work. Thank heavens it had.

After everyone was gone, Gavin settled his Little mate on the mattress, covered her ears with the protective headset, and set about gathering everything they would need for the evening.

Essentially moving into the small barren space took a bit of time, but soon he had the door sealed off and could remove the ear protection, look his sweet mate in the eyes, and converse with her alone for the first time since he’d claimed her.

Before he managed to say a word, she crawled over to him, rose onto her knees, lined her mark up with his, and pressed them together. Apparently she was as desperate to have him inside her again as he was to be there.

“I love how our hearts beat together,” she murmured, holding his gaze. “Does that happen to everyone?”

“Yes, Little one, but it might be stronger with us. More noticeable. I’m not certain.”

She inched closer, breathing heavier. “Less talking. More nudity,” she whispered.

He glanced down at her. She was still wearing the adorable cotton nightgown. Her hair was a wild mess hanging loose down her back. Her diaper needed changing, but it was about to get removed and not replaced anyway.

He needed a moment to soak in how precious she was. Nothing else mattered but the fact that she was here, and she was his. The rest would work itself out. It had for Damon and Felix. It would for Gavin, too.

He broke their connection and tugged her nightie over her head. The moment he flung it behind him, he lowered her to her back, removed her diaper, and cleaned her up.

“Good thing you’re not too bent out of shape about letting Daddy take care of you, Little one. I bet you’d much rather be diapered than have to leave this room to use the potty.”

Her cheeks turned pink as she whispered, “It’s not so bad for pee, but…”

He dropped his hands down alongside her head to look at her. “I’ll give you a suppository tomorrow morning to help you empty your bowels. You can do it in the potty if you want, but if I decide it’s too upsetting or stressful, you’ll do as I say, understood? What Daddy decides is final.”

She squirmed. There was no way for her to hide the arousal that leaked out of her pussy at his declaration. “Yes, Sir,” she murmured.

He lowered himself just enough to kiss her lips.

“Good girl. I know you’re embarrassed and probably confused by your body’s responses to my dominance, but I want you to know that what you’re feeling is normal.

This desire to submit to Daddy on a much deeper level than you expected is the way of our people.

When I tell you to do something, you’ll obey me because that’s how you’re wired, Little one.

It’s natural for your body to react to my demands.

You want to please me, and that makes your little nipples hard and your pussy wet and needy. ”

Her cheeks were so red now they had to feel hot. She licked her lips. “Yes, Daddy.”