Page 15 of Hayes (Alpha Daddies #7)

Chapter Thirteen

Rylee tucked her brown pencil into the box and pulled out a green one so she could start the trees. She was using Khloe’s and Molly’s drawings as a guide to do her own. It was really helping her understand the world around her.

They’d even created a guide at the bottom of the paper to denote distances, and they were including the homes of the other Alpha Protectors and their mates as well as Alphas who were not yet mated and all the elders Olivia, Khloe, and Molly could think of.

“It must have taken you a long time to learn all of this,” Rylee said as she continued coloring. She glanced out the back door to see the Alpha Daddies deep in conversation on the deck.

Khloe reached for the box of pencils. “Actually I learned most of this in one afternoon. I needed to learn who was who, what they looked like, and what their homes looked like. It really helps me understand when I have a vision.”

Rylee nodded. “That makes sense.”

Molly helped Olivia start another house on her paper by pricking the spot on the paper with a pin. It was ingenious. “I also met everyone as soon as possible so I would know what voice goes with which person. Before that, it was all just a dumpster in my head.”

Rylee thought about what she was saying. “I guess I should do the same. It’s not just foods that catch my scent. Every one of you has your own personal smell. Now that I’ve spent time with you, I’ll be able to identify it from a distance.”

Olivia lifted her head. “You’ll learn the same about the bears, too.”

“Daddy says most of them are nice. It’s just a few rogue bears who are making problems?” Rylee asked.

Olivia nodded. “Yes. In general, they’re more evolved than wolves. They can communicate with each other telepathically. They’ve been able to do so for centuries. I’m sure they know that you have arrived and will make an appearance soon.”

Khloe giggled. “Probably today. They have a tendency to show up when we’re all gathered together.”

Rylee looked around at her new friends before focusing on Khloe. “But you’ll know when they’re coming, right?”

Khloe nodded. “So far. I can’t guarantee I’ll always get a vision when they decide to visit, but I have every time since I bonded with Felix.”

Rylee turned toward Molly. “And you’ll hear them?”

“Yes, but for me, I need Khloe or Felix to call me when she gets a vision. I don’t leave my communication ability open all the time. I would go mad. As soon as I know there’s impending action, I step outside and listen for their conversations.”

Olivia set her pencil down. “Oh, and just so you’re aware.

The bears know what I can do. It was impossible to hide.

They also know what Khloe can do for the most part.

But we didn’t share as many details about Molly.

For the time being it seemed prudent to keep her exceptional hearing to ourselves so she can listen in on them. ”

Rylee nodded. “Good idea. I guess my ability to tell what they ate for dinner isn’t much of a trade secret.”

Olivia shuddered. “Unless it was one of us.” She wasn’t laughing.

No one else laughed either. Rylee cringed. Olivia had a point. Maybe it would be better if the bears didn’t have all the cards. Just in case. “Do you think the rogue bears might attack us?”

Khloe sighed. “In a way they already have. One of them kidnapped Brock’s mate, Suzette, on her mating day. We think he did so just to prove he could. That’s how we learned the bears can mask their scent.”

“I can mask, too,” Olivia pointed out. She winced and squirmed a second later. “I promise I’ll never mask my scent from you, though. If I ever do so again, Daddy will spank me so hard I won’t be able to sit for a month.”

Rylee cringed. There was undoubtedly a story to go with that, but she wouldn’t ask. Instead, she changed the subject. “Do you mind if I ask you something personal?”

Molly reached over to grip Rylee’s hand. “Not at all. Ask us anything.”

Rylee swallowed. What she wanted to know was very, very personal.

She hoped they wouldn’t mind. “Daddy makes me wear a diaper when I nap or sometimes just because he says so. Do your Daddies make you wear them all the time?” She was worried over time Hayes would gradually expect her to wear one permanently since all three of her new friends were obviously diapered today.

“Not exactly,” Olivia said softly. “We all have different reasons. For me, when I go somewhere new, it’s easier than trying to find the bathroom.”

Khloe played with the corner of her paper. “When I have a vision, I sort of leave my body. I can’t control when they might happen. I always wet myself, so I always wear diapers. Also, Daddy doesn’t let me walk around the house on my own, either because I might fall and hit my head.”

Rylee felt bad for Khloe. “I’m sorry. That must be stressful.”

Khloe nodded. “I’m getting used to it. It’s just embarrassing.”

Molly grabbed Khloe’s hand. “No reason to be embarrassed. You never need to feel that way with us. We all understand, and we’re your friends.

Besides, at least you have a legitimate reason.

” She turned to look at Rylee. “At first, I started wearing a diaper most of the time because I hated to leave my insulated quiet room just to use the potty. After a while, I just got used to it. Now, I’ve gotten to the point that I’m afraid I’ll forget when I’m not diapered and pee my panties, so it’s easier to just accept the diapers. ”

A deep well of emotions bubbled up inside Rylee. Her friends were so open and kind. “Thank you for sharing. Next time we get together I won’t be worried if I’m diapered.”

They really needed a new topic of conversation now, so Rylee smiled. “What powers do you think the next Alpha mate will have?”

She was worried about her friend Amber, and she already suspected she knew what Amber would be able to do.

After all, it was fitting that Rylee had always been sensitive to smells and tastes and ended up having such a strong sense of smell.

Amber had always had the best vision of anyone Rylee knew.

She’d often felt like people were watching her from a distance.

Rylee had always laughed and made light of it when her best friend suggested she’d seen something in the mountains. It was usually nothing more than a movement, but Amber had insisted it was far off in the distance.

Rylee felt bad for giggling about Amber’s ability. She’d bet her next bottle that Amber would have amazing vision.

“The next Alpha Protector to mate will be Hayes’s brother Isaac. Whoever it is will be here in a few months,” Olivia said.

Rylee gasped. “I know who it is.” When she’d asked her Daddy if he’d known who would be mating with Amber, he’d said yes, but he hadn’t shared who. Apparently he’d kept that little detail from Rylee.

All the girls looked toward Rylee, eyes wide.

“It’s my best friend, Amber. And if she’s next, I’d bet anything she’ll have a keen sense of sight. She always has.”

“That wouldn’t shock me,” Molly responded. “I wonder what good sight and smell are to the pack?”

Olivia sighed. “I bet we’ll find out soon.”

“What good are any of our abilities?” Rylee asked Olivia. “You possess all of them.”

Olivia shook her head. “Mine aren’t as strong as yours. Before you arrived, I could hear the bears approaching or even scent them, but only a few seconds before everyone else. You and Molly will know those things much earlier.”

“She’s right,” Khloe agreed. “I suspect all of our abilities are nature’s way of preparing us for any number of eventualities in the future. Maybe we’ll be ready for a time when we’re not all available. One of us will know. Either from a vision, scent, sound, or who knows what.”

Olivia nodded. “We’re each adding to the group of abilities.

If we hone them, we’ll be even stronger.

Khloe might be the first to know when something is going to happen, but as soon as she lets everyone else know, Molly can hear what they’re saying, and when they arrive, they can’t hide anything from me because I can hear their thoughts. ”

Rylee frowned. “And I’ll know what they ate for breakfast?”

Khloe giggled. “I bet it’s more than that. You just don’t know what yet. Did you always have a heightened sense of smell to some degree?”

“Yes. And taste. They go together. There are very few foods I can stand to eat. They all taste too strong.”

Olivia giggled. “That’s why your Daddy made a joke about the foods the rest of us might be eating.”

“Yeah.”

“What foods do you like?” Molly asked gently.

“I used to eat scrambled eggs and plain smoothies for breakfast, peanut butter sandwiches and apples for lunch, and chicken and rice for dinner.”

“Does your Daddy cook that for you every day?” Khloe asked.

“No.” Rylee shuddered. “He doesn’t make me eat at all. He said the formula has everything I need.”

“That’s super sweet of him. He’s a good Daddy,” Olivia said. “Is it only foods and spices you can scent?”

Rylee opened her mouth to confirm but then stopped short. Suddenly it dawned on her. “No,” she murmured. “I think I can also scent things that don’t have a smell.” That made no sense. What was she even blabbering on about?

But the other girls took her seriously. They were all staring at her with furrowed brows.

Rylee licked her lips. “I can smell anxiety and stress.” She swallowed hard. “I bet it goes further. I bet I will be able to smell a lie.”

Khloe glanced at the others. “We could test that. We could each tell you something that you wouldn’t know. Some will be truths and others lies.”

Rylee gripped the side of the table nervously. “Okay.”

“I’ll start,” Olivia said. “A year before I was mated, I once snuck out of my house so I could see my Daddy.”

Rylee gasped. “Did you get in trouble?”

Olivia giggled. “How did you know I wasn’t lying?”

“I don’t know. I just did. Was he mad?”

“He understood. I was still losing my vision back then. I wanted to get a glimpse of him in case I lost my vision entirely before my mating ceremony. I was afraid I would never get to see him.”

“Wow.” Rylee was stunned. “I can understand that. You must have been so scared.”

“I was. But I was also so very relieved when I found out my wolf can see.”

Rylee shifted her attention to Molly.

Molly tapped her lips. “I never learned to cook. No matter how hard my mother tried, I couldn’t get the hang of it, so I was in a panic on my mating day. I was afraid my Daddy would find out and be disappointed.”

Rylee giggled. “Little did you know Gavin wasn’t ever going to ask you to cook anyway.”

Molly rolled her eyes. “You could tell that’s the truth, too?”

Rylee nodded. “Yes.” She smiled proudly as she turned toward Khloe.

“Mmm…” Khloe chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before speaking. “We didn’t know my wolf was going to be so large before my first shift, so we weren’t prepared for my size. I jumped up on the couch and broke it.”

Rylee laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. “Liar.”

The back door opened, and the men came inside.

Hayes met his Little girl’s gaze with an indulgent smile. “What’s so funny?”

Rylee shrugged. “Nothing. We just figured out what good it will do for me to be able to scent things.”