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Bagera shook as another boom and flash came. He didn't like those, they didn't sound like the one he'd seen before he came here. This one was loud and had lots of clashing and bashing. It frightened him more than Noisy One when he found out he was playing with some of his tastier things. When he couldn’t stand anymore of it he ran to Quiet One and Noisy One's den.
The way was blocked and he smelled what he'd come to think of as their mating smell. Quiet One must be mating with Noisy One to show his dominance. Bagera knew that alphas didn’t like getting disturbed when they were mating. That was a sure way for a cub to get killed. He was about to go back to the nest they'd given him but the next crack of thunder and lightning had him scrambling, scratching and mewling to get into his alpha's den.
*
Xander was right on the edge as Frank's thrusts were hitting him just right. Another few strokes and he knew he'd explode. He growled in complaint as Frank stopped in mid stroke.
"Did you hear that?"
Xander tried arching and pulling his mate closer to get more stimulation or continue his thrusts, he was so close. It took a bit to realize what was asked. "Huh? What? Frank..." Xander finished with a plea.
"Did you hear that? It sounds like scratching. There it is again," Frank got up and walked over to their door to open it.
Xander groaned in frustration as Frank left his body. When he saw their furball tear into their room at the next strike of lightning he knew that signaled the end of their play for the night. He dragged a pillow over his head and screamed his frustration into it.
Frank chuckled quietly to himself at his mate's antics and then proceeded to go soothe their cub. He reached down to Bagera and pulled him into his arms. The poor cub was shivering; it was so scared that he jumped digging his claws into Frank's flesh at the next loud report from the storm raging outside. He petted the cub's head and cooed soothing words.
"Did the bad noises outside scare you, boy? Did you come looking for a safe place and someone to make the bad noises go away?" Frank asked the cub. "That's okay, boy. You can stay here tonight. You can sleep with us if it makes you feel better."
"Oh no," Xander protested. "No way. Just calm him down. Make him feel good and put him right back where his bed is."
"Come on Xander. Look at him. He's terrified and the storm is due to rage all night long. It's severe thunderstorms for the night," Frank cajoled.
"No. It's bad enough that he chews on my things. Now you want to have him in our bed. He's already starting to interrupt our sex life what else will he get into? Nope. No way. Not gonna do it. If you want him close put him in his basket and put it in a corner of our room but that furball is not coming into our bed," Xander argued.
"Fine. Then you hold him while I get his bed and bring it in." Frank handed Bagera over before Xander could say anything else and walked out.
Instinctively Xander wrapped an arm around the bundle dropped on his chest and he felt the cub jump at each explosion from nature. He reluctantly started to comfort and soothe the cub. "You know it's nothing personal right, Furball. It's just that Frank and I love our time together and you interrupted that just as we were finishing up. Now I am gonna have a serious case of blue balls regardless of me being a vampire. So here's the deal, you get off our bed so that I can get Frank off in me. Deal?"
"Who says I can't get off in you with him on the bed?" Frank chuckled as he looked at the moving sight of his naked mate with their cub on his chest. It brought home to him just how much having these two in his life gave him a greater sense of home and family. He joined them on the bed.
"I'm only doing this till you get back. Remember you agreed that he was your responsibility.
Frank asked, "Haven't you ever had a pet before?"
"Nothing that didn't know its place but yes, I did have pets. Not many and never cats. What about you? Ever had any?" Xander replied.
"We were poor...not dirt poor but we had just enough for us. Which meant there wasn't a whole lot left to take care of a pet with. When my mother died I was only ten years old and definitely couldn't afford a pet. But one day while I was coming back from an errand in the pouring rain I saw this creature soaked to the bones. It was a kitten soaked in the middle of the street. It didn't seem to know what to do or where to go. I felt heartbroken for it because I could relate to that feeling. It was how I had felt after my mom died and this kitten really should have still been with its mother. I decided to take it home with me," Frank paused to gather his thoughts as the memories came back.
Xander knew better than to interrupt. It was rare that his mate talked about his childhood. Xander knew it was mostly due to the losses he suffered as a child and as well as not wanting anyone to pity the lonely child he must have been. So instead of speaking he caressed his mate's naked chest in comfort.
Frank looked at his mate, smiled and kissed him softly. "I was eleven when I found that drowned rat and loved it to pieces. It stayed with me for over a year before one day it got out and was run over by a passing carriage as I was trying to catch it. It was another loss I had to bear but this time I was to blame. I didn't take good enough care of the life that was entrusted to me. I vowed never to let anyone or anything that close to me again. That way I wouldn't worry about losing them or it. I kept that vow until Edward and you know how that ended," Frank finished as he joined Xander in calming Bagera.
*
Bagera had listened as his Quiet One spoke. He didn't understand a word of it but he understood the note of sadness. He didn't like that his Alpha was sad and tried to be braver about the crash and boom noises outside. Yet each one caused him to jump and shiver more. He slid between Quiet One and Noisy One, slowly relaxing as he heard them speaking and enjoying their mixed scents as it swirled around him. He was comforted by their calming strokes and eventually fell asleep.
*
Frank looked down at the cub that had buried himself between them. "He's finally calmed down enough to fall asleep. How about I move him to his bed and then we can finish where we were interrupted."
"You better or else," Xander said as he teasingly stroked his own naked skin.
Frank quickly but gently put Bagera in his bed, making sure he'd stay asleep and joined his mate. He was determined that his mate's screams and moans would rival the storm outside.