STORY EXCERPT

Madra was helping one of her students when she spotted Principal Aban at the door. Her boss’s pinched face and brushy eyebrows made him look more like a snaggle-toothed wolf than a once-powerful lion-shifter.

She tapped Clarin on the shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

Every time the principal had come to the door, it had been bad news. She waved a hand over the door sensor to open it and tossed him her most innocent smile. “Can I help you?”

“As soon as you finish teaching, come to my office.” Before she had a chance to acknowledge his demand, his shoulders stiffened and he spun around. His ominous tone confirmed her worst nightmare, and her muscles weakened.

“Ms. Madra?”

She swallowed and forced down the bile racing to her throat. “Yes, Frania?”

“I still don’t get why the lions saw fit to take away what wasn’t theirs.” The teenager slouched back in her chair and propped up her electronic writing tablet.

That was the crux of the dilemma. Happy to have a diversion from her boss’s visit, she walked over to Frania. “I don’t think we’ll ever learn why. Do you have a working theory?”

The girl shrugged. Poor Frania. This was the first time any bit of history seemed to have interested her, and now Madra couldn’t provide any answers.

“No.” She picked up her tablet and appeared to be drawing pictures with her finger.

If only there were other sources to corroborate her version of history, her life would be a lot smoother.

The confrontation with Principal Aban loomed heavy on her mind for the rest of the day. By the time her last class finished, her energy had drained. In fact, she’d skipped lunch, knowing she wouldn’t have been able to keep down the food.

Now it was time to face the man who held her job in his hand. After she made certain all of her supplies were neatly arranged on her desk, she stopped off at the bathroom to see if anything was amiss. Unfortunately, everything looked good.

Stop procrastinating.

At the principal’s office door, she knocked.

“Come in.”

When the electric door whooshed open, she froze. Not only was Principal Aban at his desk but her department chair, Sharella, and two parents were huddled around him. At least Sharella looked sympathetic. Her hands were knotted on her lap and her gaze was cast downward.

Sharella glanced up and tapped the only remaining seat. “Sit next to me, Madra.”

She appreciated the support. Her legs were weak, so she was happy to sit.

“I’ll get right to the point,” Principal Aban said. “This heresy you’ve tried to cram down the children’s throats must stop.”

Her heart lurched. It wasn’t heresy. It was the truth. Her pride made her sit up straighter. “If you’d read the report I gave you, written by a renowned archeologist, you’d have learned that the wolves dominated Anterra long before the lions arrived. We were the interlopers.” She tapped her chest.

One of the parents, Clarin’s dad, glared at her. “Who is the archeologist, and when was this report written? I didn’t see any report.”

It wasn’t her duty to send it out to the entire population. “My colleague presented the report two months ago.”

“Where?”

She gave the time and place. “Let me back up. Lara Pennigton, a scientist from Earth, came to Anterra over a year ago and began excavating a local cave. She’s married to Taryn and Kellum in case you didn’t know.” Since these two men led the protection duty in Anterra, she hoped the fact that Lara was their mate might carry some weight. “She found some well-preserved drawings on a cave wall and interpreted the meaning. She concluded that—”

Clarin’s dad held up a hand. “You’re teaching my child that what has been known as the truth for thousands of years is all wrong based on some scratchings on a cave wall? That’s preposterous.”

Frania’s father stomped his foot. “You’re going to risk your career based on what an Earthling said? What the hell does she know about our culture? Her own husbands have to fight those disgusting wolves. Can’t they make her see how wrong she is?”

Madra knew convincing the world that the wolves didn’t start the fight with the lions, as every textbook had led the lion population to believe, would be hard.

“She’s not wrong. She has carefully tested the soil and the paint on the wall and had it analyzed. If you take a look—”

Principal Aban slammed his hand on his desk. “I don’t want to hear another word. You’ve already poisoned enough minds. Now, either you tell your students you were mistaken about what the cave drawings implied or you don’t need to report to work next week. Do I make myself clear?”

Her heart stopped, and she had to inhale to make it beat again. “Perfectly.” There was no way he could find a competent replacement in such a short period of time. The kids’ lives would be adversely affected. The one constant she’d learned about sixteen-year-olds was that they didn’t like change.

She glanced at Sharella and waited for her to say something about how new facts were often brought to light and that teachers owed it to the students to teach them the truth. There was no need to check out the two men’s reactions. Since the taller of the two was Frania’s dad and the other was Clarin’s, she knew she didn’t stand a chance. Frania was failing, and Clarin was close to not graduating either. They probably thought that if they threatened her, she’d pass their child. Obviously, they didn’t know her well.

When she’d first brought up this new topic, both dads had called her and said it was a disgrace to be teaching such lies. It didn’t surprise her that these were the ones instrumental in the attack.

When no one said anything, she lifted her chin and stood. “Gentlemen, Sharella. I see I have some lesson plans to change.” The words turned bitter in her mouth. She wanted to rant at them, but she had to put the students’ best interests first.

With her back unnaturally rigid, she eased out of the room. If the door hadn’t automatically closed, she might have slammed it.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Hear that, Brin? She’s giving us sass already. I think we need to nip this in the bud.”

She wasn’t sure her ass could take any more spanking.

Brin moved her to the side and scooted off the bed. “I agree. If Madra is going to be our woman, she needs to learn to be obedient.”

Thank goodness his eyes sparkled, and it looked like he was working hard to keep from smiling. “What do you have in mind?”

“For starters, obey us.”

Her body was throbbing so hard, she’d do anything. “Yes, master.”

Larek smiled. “I think she’s getting the hang of it. Get on your knees and place your hands behind your back.”

Brin grabbed a pillow and tossed it on the floor. At least this would be a comfortable position. She knelt down and dragged her hands behind her. She decided that when the men least expected it, she’d grab their cocks.

She must have been focused on Brin, because suddenly Larek was behind her, tying her hands together.

“This is so you don’t get any ideas about tormenting us.”

“Are you sure you don’t read minds?”

They both laughed. Larek placed a palm on her head and pressed lightly to lower her head. “Keep your gaze downward.”

“That’s no fun.”

“Oh, we’ll give you fun.”

“I don’t—”

“Silence,” Brin growled.

The total deprivation actually stimulated her. How was that possible? Since she was a few feet from the bed, Larek was able to kneel behind her. He cupped her breasts and she inhaled.

“I don’t want you to react to what I’m doing or we might not touch you for a while.”

She nodded, not knowing what else to do. With her nipples already swollen, even his light touch sent spasms of pure lust to her pussy. He plucked the tips, and she hissed.

“Silence.”

She couldn’t help it. She was too turned on. Brin lay on his back and placed his mouth within an inch of her pussy. She thrust her hips forward, praying he’d lick her.

“You’re moving. As long as you react, I won’t lick you and I won’t fuck you.”

“No!” She buttoned her mouth, realizing too late that she wasn’t allowed to talk.

He sat up. “Get on your hands.”

Larek had to untie her hands. It wasn’t fair. They’d teased her too much. They should understand that she needed their cocks.

Larek delivered a blow to her ass that had her nearly jetting forward. “Oh.” Her breath caught. Seconds later, pure nirvana cocooned her. Her pussy nearly boiled over.

“I think she’s ready, Brin.”

Both lifted her on the bed. “Stay.”

She remained as still as she could even though her heart was beating rapidly. When the lube scented the air, she nearly groaned. Too often she’d dreamed of having Brin’s cock in her ass one more time.

“Don’t move.”

She really concentrated, but when he ran his finger around her back hole, she clenched. “Sorry.”

She expected another slap, but instead he kissed one cheek while he rubbed the other. “I want this to be good for you. Please don’t tighten up or I won’t be able to get in you.”

She nodded. Larek’s weight dipped the bed in front of her. He reached under her chest and cupped her breast. When she raised her gaze, she saw he’d removed his loincloth and his glorious cock was aimed right at her.

Just one lick.

She couldn’t help but grab hold and draw her mouth over his cock. He hissed and clamped down on her wrist. Instead of yanking her hand away, he pumped her hand up and down. She tightened not only her grip but sealed her lips around his cock. As her hand went up, so did her mouth.

“You are a devil. Skelak, but I love you. Don’t stop until I tell you.”

She was paying so much attention to pleasing Larek that she barely registered Brin’s finger passing through the tight ring. However, when he added a second one, the nerves in her ass, as well as her pussy, fired repeatedly.

Brin must have been pleased with how relaxed she was because he gifted her with two fingers in her creaming pussy. Shudders wracked her, and she contracted her stomach. He delighted her body so much that when he scissored the fingers in her ass, she pressed her hips backward for more.

She was so ready for him, but she didn’t dare beg. Besides, she had Larek’s cock in her mouth. She increased her speed, swirling her tongue around his length.

“Gah.” Larek jerked out of her mouth. Pre-cum gurgled out of the tip. “I’m sorry. I want to last to fuck your pussy.” He took in a few large breaths. “I hope you understand.”

She could easily understand desperation. “Uh-huh.”

She barely could wait for him.