Mutt ~GxG~

Chapter 14

"NIC- HANDS OFF THE COOKIE DOUGH" We arrived at the Leventis packhouse a mere minute ago and I could already tell that the place was one of chaos. Leah just sighs as she watches her siblings race around the household.

"Leah, handle your siblings." A calm, if not slightly annoyed voice comes from the top of a staircase. An elegant-looking lioness with a pixie cut struts down. She looks slightly like Leah but they didn't seem to be related, at least by blood. Upon arriving at the house I was shocked by the size of the estate, the property was humongous, smaller ones dotting the surrounding yard, now that I saw the size of the family inhabiting it, it suddenly made a lot more sense. I wasn't even sure that they were all related.

"We're not, if you look at it legally" Leah whispers, startling me.

I jump. "Had I said that out loud?" Leah snorts.

"Nope, but you said that out loud" I blush and suddenly find the floor very interesting. Wow. The wooden floor is very woody. Yes. It seems like cherry. Maybe. Grinning, Leah shakes her head, hair falling in front of her face. "I can see it in your expression, you're questioning our relation." She turns back to me "As you know, I'm a lioness. My father would be the Alpha and my mother the Luna, however, she's only Luna because she's my mother. She has no more power than any other adult in this family. Lions are often polyamorous so we can have many mates at once, my father had a preference for women so I have multiple mothers and 2 fathers, realistically, they're actually like step-mothers and fathers but in a pride, they're our parents. A lot of the people who live here are also these parents' families. Nico? We share the same mom but he has a different father, as many other of our Alpha's mates are romantically involved with each other as well. I can draw you a chart if you need?" My eyes flit around as I mentally try to graph it out. Failing miserably, I nod silently as blush rises to my cheeks again. "I'll introduce you to my family." She grasps my wrist and drags me towards the elegant lioness from earlier.

"Leah, Ariel didn't say you'd bring a guest today." My eyes instantly find their way to the 16-year-old lioness from two days ago but Leah shakes her head. My mother she mouths. I nod and turn back to the woman. Leah nudges me forward.

"Hell-Hello ma'am, my name is Bridgette. I-I'm Leah's friend." Leah's shoulders sag at the word friend and I feel the woman's gaze on me, sharp and judging. She lets out a polite laugh.

"Please, call me Lenina, or Nina for short." The laugh is hollow and lacks any hint of emotion. I think she knows I'm lying but what she thinks I'm lying about is still uncertain.

"Um actually, uh, ma'a- Lenina, I'm Leah's ma-mate" I say, slightly unsure of myself. The woman I now know as Lenina smiles, this time fully. Even Leah brightens a bit.

"Don't hurt my Leah."

I smile. "I won't." I try to give her a reassuring nod but I end up just looking and feeling awkward. Leah, who had just been standing beside me grabbed me again- this time my hand- and brought me to our next destination.

Someone is baking something, the sweet smell of vanilla wafting into the air. "Bridgette, meet my biological dad and the Alpha of our pride, Dilan." A stern-looking man with a slight stubble turned our way, holding a large metal bowl. A strong sense of- I'm not sure, actually. I feel as though I need to impress him but I also feel kinda scared almost? Like I can't breathe until I leave his sights. He was intimidating, that's certain, but I couldn't really place where it came from.

"Hello, sir." The calm tone of my voice surprises me. I thought I'd sound more daunted. The man himself raises a brow. Can lions smell fear? Do I even wanna find out? "I'm Bridgette, Leah's mate." He looks me dead in the eye as if he's searching my soul. Any error, any mistake. I puff my chest out further. What the fuck am I doing? I gulp before reaching my hand out to offer a handshake. He eyes my hands suspiciously but shakes it always. Turning back to Leah, he nods and continues to bake soon after.

"He's not very talkative," I mutter. She shakes her head.

"He's not at the best of times."

"And at the worst?" She pauses, turning my way.

"He'll talk to those he trusts and will if he needs to." There's a long silence as she guides me upstairs. "My mothers in the next room over. We can meet her or we can keep going up and meet my other dad. I think before I answer: "I'll meet your other dad later. How about your mom first." She nods and brings me in.

A long-haired woman with vibrant gold locks walked towards Leah. The resemblance was uncanny. They shared the same golden mane and facial shape but she clearly got her eyes and skin from her dad. Her mother's skin was darker, a tan colour.

"Hello there, my name is Ariel. I'm Nicholas and Leah's mother. You must be Bridgette, the girl who's got my daughter's tail in a twist." I chuckle and nod. Leah pouts at her mother's words.

"Mommmm you said you wouldn't say anything." She whines. There's a light chuckle when another woman comes out of the bathroom. Her eyes widen when she sees us.

"Ariel, you didn't say we'd have a guest today." A plus-sized woman with a head of white and black hair with warm brown eyes chuckles and walks towards us.

"Bridgette, meet my mom Tora." Leah smiles and quite literally throws me to the- well big cats I guess.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"You as well, I'm Bridgette, Leah's mate." I stiffly state. Tora grins mischievously.

"Oh I know, Leah won't stop talking about you." Both me and Leah turn a colour resembling a tomato. The she-cats laugh as Leah drags me out of the room.

"Alright time for my other dad, Nico, Ariel, and Laith's dad by blood." I nod as she leads me upstairs again where another man is carving a small set of animals, most of which I recognize as lions and tigers from the family. "Hello, Pa." The man turns up from his work to look at us.

"Hello Leah, who's this?" Leah smiles.

"This is my mate, Bridgette." His eyes sparkle as they meet mine.

"Well why didn't you tell me you had a mate? I'm gonna have to make another one now on such short notice."

"Oh, rea-really sir, you don't need to." He smiles kindly.

"But I do need to. You're family now, aren't you?" He motions to his set of animals whom I now recognize as the pride's shifts. Leah hooks her arm around my shoulders and she, too, is beaming.

"Thank you."

SORRY I'LL PUBLISH THE NEXT CHAPTER LATER TODAY I DIDN'T HAVE TIME AGHOIUKJHDUYJGVH AT LEAST I HAVE ONLINE SCHOOL NOW SO I HAVE MORE TIME TO WRITE