Heya updating for TheGlowingRose ;)

So this chapter appears short but there's a restricted part to it which you can find on my profile with my works, under restricted chapters for this story. (I do want to keep this story PG-13, somewhat.)

I'll also try to put the link to the restricted part on the side here.

Read this first and then the restricted part if you wish. You won't miss anything if you don't read it, story line wise.

http://www.wattpad.com/3581083-chapter-twenty-six-restricted

If you click on the open external link thingy to the right of the chapter it will open into the restricted part of the chapter also ;)

Enjoy!

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It was hours later when Nathaniel and Jaden decided I was done for the day. The knifes I'd been using were all bloody and so were my clothes but neither had relented when I felt like running away screaming.

How could they both be so... So easy and teasing when I was hurting someone for no reason every time I failed? And I had failed, miserably. Time and again. Shamed about that I didn't meet Jaden's eyes as we left the practice room to go to the kitchen for lunch.

After about a dozen times it had become apparent that stabbing Jaden when he was already in panther form didn't work. At least, I hadn't been able to make him lose control of his shape and make him fluctuate between the two.

Jaden had then shifted to human form and surprised me by showing that he could do that and be clothed completely. Did that mean he kept his clothing on as he shifted? Yesterday I clearly remembered Nathaniel ordering him to dress...

I'd also seen the way the clothes the wolfs had worn shredded on the ground so I didn't think it worked that way. Nathaniel had incinerated every scrap of clothing in the blink of an eye, hiding the evidence from the rest of the school.

Jaden in human form had been much harder for me to stab, even though he'd taunted me and prodded and teased. His obvious attempt to ease my mind and help me do it, he'd also bantered easily with Nathaniel.

Stabbing him in human form didn't work either and I'd desperately tried to convince the two males that I couldn't do it. That wolf must have been weak and because of the pain he'd lost his own control, it had nothing to do with me.

They didn't believe me.

But Jaden had finally agreed that wolves and panthers were different and that we had to check if this meant I could only catch wolves in between shapes. Nathaniel hadn't wanted to put that to the test though.

He wouldn't let me near any of the werewolves in this area and he didn't have any wolves employed that he'd trust close to me either. Nor were they loyal enough that he'd asked them to be stabbed for my training.

Even now they were discussing what to do to help me unlock this power they imagined I had... But really this morning of futility had proven I didn't have it. I wouldn't let myself get pushed into another grueling training session where I had to hurt someone I hoped to be able to call friend.

Jaden was someone I could easily like and feel comfortable around. He was easy in his affections, reaching out occasionally to just rub his knuckles over my cheek. Just to show me he really wasn't blaming me for the pain he had to endure.

It surprised me that Nathaniel didn't get territorial about this but he seemed as easy around the panther as I felt. Affection was communicated between the two men differently as with me, a rough pat on the shoulder and that banter between them.

Instinctively I realized that this was how pack functioned, touch and affection seemed to be vital to the panther. As if it anchored him and steadied him, perhaps being a shifter and containing both an animal and a human heart this was more needed then with humans. The mix easily more volatile.

We ate lunch, with Jaden scarfing down food as if his life depended on it. He wasn't exactly lacking table skills but as it were, I wouldn't take him to a five star restaurant either.

Nathaniel laughed at my look and explained: 'It's his panther nature a ghrá mo chroí, he can contain himself if he has to but really why would he when he's here?'

Jaden just winked and then excused himself, shifting from human to panther in the blink of an eye, he trotted out of the kitchen. I gaped after him but no one else seemed to take much notice of the huge feline as he sprawled out on a couch and dozed off.

At least I thought he'd gone to sleep, not unexpected after the constant draw on his energy with all the healing Nathaniel had done. But Hayden had followed Jaden with an interested gleam in his topaz eyes and then followed the cat to the living.

I wanted to call out and stop my little brother when he sidled up to couch Jaden was sprawled out on. Nathaniel stopped me with a hand on my shoulder and a smile on his face.

'Do not worry, Hayden is but a whelp in Jay's eyes and he'd protect younglings with his life. Whether he knows them or not. A child is sacred,' Nathaniel explained in my mind.

Sure enough, the big predator opened one lazy golden eye to blink slowly at my baby brother. Then he shifted his big body on the couch to create a space along the curve of his body to accommodate Hayden.

Who didn't waste time and climbed up with the big cat immediately, curling his smaller body into the feline. Jaden lifted a heavy paw to wrap around his frame and tug him more securely onto the couch and then resumed his apparent nap. Hayden closed his eyes and was asleep with him in seconds.

'Come a rún,' Nathaniel was a gentle breeze across my mind as he took my hand and tugged me with him up the stairs.

Once in the safety of our room I quickly pulled off the blood stained shirt and threw it away. I wasn't going to wear that ever again...

'Shower?' the single word hung in the air after he'd spoken it. For once there was no sexual innuendo, he knew how exhausted I was.

I nodded gratefully and made my way over to the closet, pulling out fresh easy clothes. I wasn't planning on doing anything other than being lazy for the rest of the day. My muscles would protest if I tried to do something.

When I entered the bathroom Nathaniel was already there but he wasn't starting the shower for me, instead he was running a bath. At my look he smiled, 'This might loosen those muscles... My apologies for working you so hard this morning. It was necessary.'

Necessary?

He must have seen me frown because he got up and sauntered over to me in that confident, fluid stride of his. 'Necessary. One can only learn to tap the mental powers if one is too tired to rely on the physical.'

He took the bundle of clothes from my arms and placed them on the counter next to the sink. Running warm and gentle fingers over my cheek with his other hands, 'I shouldn't have worn you out so. Not after yesterday.'

His stormy eyes were warm with concern as he slipped his hands to my waist to undo the leather holster. It fell to the floor with a thud and my bra soon joined it; I was too tired anyway to protest to Nathaniel undressing me.

It felt nice to rely on him like this so when he pulled me closer to him I immediately relinquished all my weight to him. He chuckled and ran his hands over my now bare back, 'Can I trust you not to fall asleep in the water?'

I wasn't so sure about that, my eyelids felt so heavy and gritty... Really I shouldn't be this tired from the work out, it wasn't even THAT bad. Was it?

'Ams?' Nathaniel gently prodded me. One of his hands had come around to undo the button on my pants but there was nothing sexual about his touch now.

I shivered as my jeans slid down my legs and pooled around my feet, the sudden cold air made my skin break out in goose bumps. Nathaniel picked me up and carried me to the edge of the bath, setting me down on it.

'No... I don't think I'll stay awake to be honest. I don't get why I'm so tired though, that workout was hard but not that taxing. I should be sore only, but my head feels so heavy.' My fist I clenched in Nathaniel's shirt because if I let go I knew I would fall over.

'It means you were expending mental energy a ghrá mo chroí, it's prove that you have some unformed abilities. We just haven't found out yet how to channel them,' he explained softly as he slipped the last clothing article off my body.

I felt a little self-conscious about being completely naked in his presence, especially when he was still fully dressed. Nor were we in the throes of passion, that usually sufficed to make me forget about feeling embarrassed.

He scooped me up easily and slid me slowly into the hot water and bubbles. It felt like heaven to my battered muscles and I let out a long sigh.

Nathaniel chuckled as he finally let go off me, reassured that I was safely leaning against the sloped side of the huge bathtub. My eyes had already closed themselves, no matter how hard I protested against it.

A short moment later I heard a splash and then the water lapped up against my chest as movement disturbed it. Not a second later I felt a set of strong arms pull me against a hard muscular chest.

A shocked squeak escaped my lips as my naked body came into contact with glorious naked male... Nathaniel chuckled in my ear, 'I'm not going to let you drown a ghrá mo chroí, relax.'

My cheeks infused with red and heat but I couldn't deny how amazing it felt. Cradled between his legs, my backside pressed up against him and his arms wrapped around me. They held me up and encased me in warmth and safety.

I was asleep maybe two minutes later... How I managed that with the both of us completely naked together for the first time, I really didn't understand.

I was floating.

The air around me was warm and glittered where sunlight hit fine motes of dust that swirled around me. The light was warm and golden, the way it was when the sun stood low on the horizon and hit the glass doors in the living just right.

I spun around as I continued my dance. There was no music playing other than the music of the sunset as it played across the sky in an abundance of color.

I loved this moment of the day, I loved the sunlight as it whispered across my skin. It felt like a lover's caress, or the embrace of a mother.

At the thought of my mother I shivered. She was a ray of sunshine around the house, just like always but these past few days there had been hidden shadows in her eyes.

The shadows tickled at my memory, I'd seen them before but I couldn't remember when or why. It frustrated me to no end.

'Amee?' my baby brothers angelic voice interrupted my thoughts and I swirled around to look at the tiny boy. At five years old he looked like a cherub, the cutest boy ever, all my friends thought so too.

'What is it Giant?' I asked him, wondering why he was out of bed. I scooped him off the floor and balanced him on my hip. He was wearing spiderman Pj's and held his stuffed white lion tightly in his arms.

Pushing out a trembling lip he whispered: 'The boogeyman was in my room!' He turned his face to hide it in my shoulder, his small form shaking against me.

'Come on Hay, we'll fight him and scare him away together!' I said. It was what we always did when Hayden thought the boogeyman plagued him.

He squirmed till I put him down and ran to get the baseball bat my mom kept next to the door. It was too big for him still to hold properly but he tried anyway. Taking an umbrella myself I brandished it around like sword.

'The boogeyman is no match for brave Knight Hayden and his loyal sidekick!' I proclaimed. He yelled fiercely in agreement and we charged up the stairs together and straight to his room.

The both of us immediately started jabbing at the shadows there, underneath the bed and the closet. Behind the curtains and even behind the door until Hay was sure the foul boogeyman was no more.

With a smile I tucked him into bed, 'See, all is well Giant. Sweet dreams,' I whispered.

As I left the room and made my way downstairs again I noticed a deeper shadow next to the door. Too dark with all the colors of the sunset painting the white walls...

A shiver ran down my spine as I stared at it and it felt as if that shadow stared right back at me. I wanted to feel scared but instead a strange calm settled over me. I knew I was safe, that shadow could never hurt me.

Stepping closer I reached out a hand, feeling silly but I still wanted to make sure there was nothing there but darkness.

My hand touched something hard, searing my fingers as if I'd touched a blazing furnace I jumped away. A hiss sounded in my ears and then suddenly the room was so much lighter, that shadow gone.

Still I felt like I wasn't alone and I spun around to look if maybe mom had gotten home early.

In the doorway to the living room, was a silhouette, the shape of a man. The light from the sunset made the contrast so intense that all I could see was his shape. Distinctly male because of the wide expanse of chest and the confident male aura that oozed around him.

I squinted my eyes to get a better look and almost immediately the shape started to fade away. Yet before he disappeared completely I noticed the white trailing out of his back to the floor.

Wings made of light...

'Wait!' I called out, running forward because I felt like this strange visitor was good. Unlike the shadow from before, the one that had scared Hayden. But as I reached the doorway he was gone, leaving no trace behind.

No wait.

There on the tile floor lay a single feather.

The first thing that met my eyes when I opened them was the stark white of the bathtub and a layer of white bubbles. As I let my eyes drift upwards I saw a few black folders and papers in it balanced on the side of the tub.

Strong arms were still wrapped around me and the moment I realized that I also became aware of the muscular chest pressed against my back. Male anatomy pressed against my rear while thick male thighs cradled my legs.

The position was incredibly intimate but I didn't feel embarrassed, this felt right. This was exactly where I wanted to be, right here in Nathaniel's arms. The fact that his body was simply divine was just a very lucky side note.

Although seen the size of him... You couldn't exactly call it a side note.

'You awake again a ghrá mo chroí?' Nathaniel said just at that moment and then I did blush scarlet. God I hope he didn't hear my thought there! There were still these moments when I projected them to him without meaning to.

'Yeah and I feel much better,' I replied. I felt really great in fact, all the soreness in my muscles was gone and that heavy feeling in my head had completely dissipated.

I heard a noise and then I saw that Nathaniel had deposited a blue-tooth earpiece on top of the folders. 'I did some work while you slept to keep me distracted,' he explained with a soft chuckle. 'I have a lot of restrained but not THAT much when it concerns you.'

With a gentle hand he moved my hair aside and started lavishing hot kisses on my neck and throat. 'You are by far the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on a ghrá mo chroí.'

Under his administrations I felt my body grow hot and tight with need, his own arousal evident in our current position. I moved to turn around and straddle him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my chest against him.

With a groan he ran his hands down my back, pressing one against the small of my back but letting the other travel lower to cup my bottom. He attacked my mouth with a mind blowing kiss that had me reeling with all the sensations coursing through me.

'I want to kiss every inch of your body...' he whispered huskily in my ear.

Before I could even respond to that sensual promise he stood up and lifted me easily with him, stepping out of the somehow still deliciously warm water. He made short work of drying the both of us with soft towels, managing to make even that an erotic dance that served only to tighten the feminine muscles low in my body.

The next I became aware of was my back colliding with the soft mattress in the bedroom and Nathaniel looking down on me with an almost feral glint in his beautiful stormy eyes. They were now so dark they appeared black.

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http://www.wattpad.com/3581083-chapter-twenty-six-restricted

That's where you can find the restricted part of this chapter ;)