Savage Mates

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Hold me

It was too much. I had thought that I was ready to handle anything that they could do to me. But I was wrong.

"Tillie, fuck. Jason, fucking uncuff me." Travis snarled before his voice softened. "Matilda, look at me. Tell me you're okay, sweets."

Sucking in one last lungful of Ryan's scent. I opened my eyes, shifting around on his lap to look over at Travis. I couldn't help but feel like I had let them down. Like I wasn't enough for them. I felt weak and bro ken. "Yeah."

"Oh, sweet girl," Travis said, shaking his hair out of his face as best as he could. He struggled again and the wood of the footboard creaked louder. "Jason, come on, man."

"I'm okay," I said, trying to sound a little stronger even if I didn't feel like it. I couldn't let them see me like this. Like I was weak. I needed to be strong to show them that I was worthy of being theirs. Swallowing hard, I looked over at Jason and pain shot through my chest at the blank look in his eyes. His face had gone deathly pale and he hadn't moved from where he had been crouched.

"Jason?" I whispered his name and his eyes met mine.

"I hurt you." He said, swallowing hard. "I hurt you."

"Jason." I gasped, wishing that I had words that could comfort him, but I couldn't. I didn't know what to say

"She will be okay, alpha. Our mate is human, even if she fucks like a shifter. She's still human." Ryan said, his hand shaking as he moved it over my back in soothing circles. I could feel a calmness moving ove me. "She just needs us to be tender with her. She did so good for us and now it's our turn to take care of her. To be tender with her. Good girls like ours need tenderness, don't you, baby?"

I bit my lower lip, feeling that warm feeling in my chest. At least Ryan wasn't upset with me for letting them down.

Tenderness sounded so good right now. Well, that and a long nap.

Ryan tucked my head against his shoulder. He leaned over grasping the sheet and pulling it around me to cover my nakedness. I tried to focus on the weight of it, and how soft it felt on my skin. "Jason, if you will uncuff Travis for me?"

Jason's shoulders shook and he looked over at Ryan. Slowly Ryan repeated himself. I watched Jason move like he was in a daze. Climbing over to the edge of the bed, he picked up the key to the handcuffs from the nightstand. I watched the way he moved slowly, like a scared animal, as he walked over to Travis. Leaning down to unlock one cuil, before walking around him to uncuff his other wrist.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean" Jason started to say, but Travis cut him off.

"Don't, don't apologize to me. I can handle your games." He snapped. "But if you ever push her that far again, alpha or not, I'lII”

"Travis, please stop," My voice was soft, but I knew they both heard me from the way their bodies stiff ened. "Please, it wasn't. He didn't mean to"

"Sweetheart." Travis said, turning away from Jason to look at me.

"Not now, Travis. Save it, let's take care of our girl" Ryan said, his hand still rubbing those soft circles

and I felt my muscles start to relax. "Jason, can you grab me a t-shirt?"

Jason didn't look over at us as he moved to the dresser. Opening one of the bottom drawers, he pulled out a dark purple well-worn concert t-shirt. He stepped closer to us, handing the shirt to Ryan. I looked at the band's logo, a panther's skull with guns beneath it.

It wasn't a band that I was familiar with, but I supposed that didn't matter.

Ryan took the shirt from him, pulling the sheet away from my shoulders. He let the fabric pool into my lap and I shivered as cool air moved over my skin. Goosebumps prickled over my arms and I shook. Ryan scrunched up the material of the shirt before looking at me. "Arms up, baby."

I lifted my arms up, letting him slip the shirt over my head before I shoved my arms through the arm holes. He smoothed the material down over my stomach. It was snug but I felt better being covered up. "Tillie, did you want anything to drink or eat? Maybe a soft blanket or something?" Ryan asked and I shook my head. "If you don't tell me what you need, I won't be able to give you good aftercare and I want to take care of you, baby."

I looked around at the three of them. I knew that we should get cleaned up, but the thought of being away from them filled me with panic. I just wanted to know that I hadn't messed this up and that I hadn't ruined our night..

"Sweets, anything you need. Doesn't matter. It's our job to take care of you." Travis said, taking a half step closer before stopping, almost as if he were afraid that he was going to scare me away. "Could you, could you guys just hold me?" I asked, worrying the inside of my cheek with my teeth as I gripped the sheet in my lap.

"Of course, sweets." Travis said, his body visibly relaxing as he stepped closer to Ryan and me.

"We can do that, baby."

I nodded, letting Ryan help me lie down. He laid down beside me, grabbing my hand and holding it over his heart. I tucked my body tightly to his side, trying to make sure that Jason had plenty of space to join

us.

Travis crawled onto the bed behind Ryan, wrapping himself around the other man. He propped his head up onto his hand, looking over Ryan's shoulder at me. His hand moved to my side and he held it still; lock ing eyes with me. "Is this, is this okay?"

I nodded, waiting for Jason to join us. When he didn't, I looked over at him. He was still standing beside the dresser, still watching me. Worry and self loathing were written across his face. I hated that I had made him feel like this.

"Jason, come join us." I said, "!, I need you too."

His gaze moved to mine and he dipped his head before moving to the other side of the bed and climb ing in behind me. I could feel the heat of his body against my back but he didn't touch me,

Reaching behind me, 1 grabbed his hand. Threading my fingers with his, hoping that he could feel that I was okay. I just needed to rest,

I let their soft breathing relax me and before I knew it, I was asleep.