by AJ Jarrett
“Sounds like they were true mates.”
“Mates? That’s not a real thing.”
Jake tripped over his feet at Carl’s words. “Excuse me?” he said loudly enough that Holden and Seth turned to look at them. “You don’t believe that mates are a real thing?”
“Tobias said that was an old wives’ tale that parents told to young wolves so they wouldn’t be promiscuous.”
Jake let out a harsh laugh. “And you believed him?”
Carl yanked his hand from Jake’s grasp. “Don’t laugh at me.” A low growl erupted from Carl’s lips.
“I’m not laughing at you.” Jake stopped walking and pulled Carl around to face him. His mate’s face had reddened and his nose flared with each intake of breath. “I’m just upset that someone would tell you something like that. It’s not right and it wasn’t fair for Tobias to lie to you.” He tried to explain. “A mate is someone you love without reason. Someone you would lay your life down for. A person that you feel an undeniable pull to and all you want to do is hold them and make them feel safe. It’s the purest type of love there is.”
Carl’s gaze fell to stare at the dead brown grass. Jake’s heart pumped in rapid pulses as he waited to see what his mate would say next. Did he believe him or did he still believe in the lies Tobias had told him? Jake couldn’t fault his mate if he did. Being held prisoner for so many years might have brainwashed Carl to believe everything Tobias said.
“He lied to me,” Carl mumbled under his breath. In a fast movement Carl’s head shot up and Jake took an instinctual step back. “I feel like such an idiot.” Carl brought his hands up to cover his face then turned to look away from him. “So my parents probably were mates. Jesus!”
“Hey.” Jake lightly grabbed Carl by his wrist and pulled his hand away from his face. “You can’t beat yourself up over this. You were young when you went to live with Tobias. He was supposed to teach and guide you in the ways of being a wolf but instead he only taught you what he wanted you to know.”
“But still.” Carl shook his head. “One of my parents’ friends would come to visit us when we were young.” He looked up to meet Jake’s stare. “She’d talk about mates and us finding ours. When I asked Tobias about it he told me it was crap. I can’t understand why he’d lie about that.”
Jake’s teeth started to lengthen and slid down to dig into his bottom lip. Rage unlike anything he felt before started to build in his chest. Tobias took advantage of Carl and his naivety. It made him want to rip the man’s throat out even more than he did before. Carl had spent over nine years with Tobias and had no reason to think his alpha and lover would lie to him.
Jake dropped his chin forward to rest on Carl’s head. “It’s not for you to figure out. You know the truth now and that’s all that matters.” He had to bite his tongue to keep from telling Carl that they were mates. Carl had to deal with enough truths today and Jake didn’t need to pile it on even thicker. Carl ran hot and cold and Jake really didn’t know how his mate would react to finding out.
“Come on, you two,” Seth called back to them. “It’s getting late and we need to make camp before the sun goes down.” Seth looked up to the sky and Jake followed his gaze. The sun had lowered and so had the temperature. They needed to get settled before night rolled over the landscape.
“We better catch up or Seth might leave us behind,” Jake lightly teased. He urged his mate forward and followed a few paces behind.
* * * *
They walked for what seemed like an hour before Seth finally stopped and went about setting up a campsite. Night had fallen and the wind had picked up. Carl wrapped his arms tightly over his chest and tried to keep warm.
The last time Carl had been camping had been with his dad when he was just a little boy and he didn’t necessarily think what they were doing now could be considered camping.
Frist off, Seth wouldn’t allow them to build a fire. He feared that Tobias might be scouting the area for signs of Carl’s return and didn’t want to take the chance of discovery. Carl understood and agreed wholeheartedly on that. He didn’t doubt for a second that Tobias was keeping watch for signs of his return.
Then Seth neglected to bring a tent. He thought it would be too much to carry and would just slow them down. Another thing Carl agreed with him on but that left them with only two sleeping bags and four men to share. In Carl’s estimation a big problem.
“Here.” Seth handed Carl a bag filled with brown-looking meat. At his blank look Seth explained. “It’s beef jerky. This trip was a little unexpected so all we have are granola bars and jerky. Hope you like it.” Carl watched as Seth turned and walked away.
He took a seat next to the small lamp Seth had set up. With his keen wolf vision he didn’t need light to see in the dark but it took away the spooky feeling of being deep in the woods. The low light caused shadows to bounce around as the trees’ limbs blew from the wind. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He still clenched the bag of beef jerky tightly in his hand.
“So do you want the green sleeping bag or the blue?” He could hear Holden and Jake talking. The two men stood off to the side next to a tree. “I’m thinking the green is more romantic. What do you think?”
Jake started to laugh and Carl could feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise. Holden seemed like a really nice man and Carl couldn’t say for certain exactly what annoyed him the most. But every time Holden got close to Jake something in Carl wanted to scream mine and punch Holden just to make sure he got his point across.
“Kid, stop growling.” Seth plopped down next to him. “They’re just friends, nothing more.”
Carl stared over at Jake but quickly turned his focus to Seth. “Why should I care?” He pulled open the bag and took a chunk of the jerky out.
“Maybe you shouldn’t but I’m just telling you so that you don’t do something crazy like attack Holden.” Seth grabbed the bag from his hand.
“So Jake and I’ve been talking and you and him will share a sleeping bag,” Holden announced as he and Jake walked over to him.
What? his mind shouted. Carl didn’t want to be in such close confines with another person. Just the thought had his hands trembling. He’d admit to having a slight crush on Jake but it didn’t mean he wanted to be trapped in a sleeping bag with him.
“I’ll be fine without one,” Carl quickly said then took a bite of his jerky.
“Carl,” Jake said in a soft voice. “The temperature is going to continue to drop and you’ll freeze to death. Even wolf shifters can succumb to hypothermia.”
Carl nibbled on his food. Jake spoke the truth and what good would he be to his brother if he were dead. “Fine.” He relented after a few seconds had passed. “But I don’t understand why we don’t just shift. We’d be there in no time.” Carl thought if they did that he wouldn’t have to share a sleeping bag with a man who tempted his control.
“Because, in wolf form we couldn’t carry our supplies,” Seth said around a mouth full of jerky. “This isn’t a snatch-and-run type job. Those men won’t just allow us to walk up to the door. I’ve seen the marks on your brother and I saw what they’ve done to you. We need to take this Tobias by surprise and hit him where it hurts and that means we’ll probably have to take out a few of his men. Get them before they get us.”
Carl stayed silent as he pondered what Seth had just said. He wanted his brother back but he couldn’t be stupid about it.
Tobias took Casper to get back at him. The next time he might punish Carl by killing his brother so he had to be patient and do as Seth said. Because without these men his brother would never be free.
“I guess we’re sharing I take it.” Seth said to Holden, changing the subject.
“Yep, and don’t even think about trying anything. We’re friends but not that type of friends,” Holden teased.
“Fuck you.” Seth threw his half-eaten jerky at Holden.
“That is exactly the type of t
hing I’m trying to avoid here.” Holden tossed the sleeping bag at Seth.
Carl started to giggle as the two men argued back and forth. It almost made him forget that he’d be crawling into a small sleeping bag with another man, almost but not completely.
“We better get some sleep.” Seth stood up and looked out into the distance. “I want us up before the sun rises and starting back on our way.”
Carl nibbled on his jerky and looked out the corner of his eye toward Jake. The man didn’t seem to have a deceptive bone in his body and his actions so far didn’t lead Carl to think Jake would force him into doing something he didn’t want to. But people wore many masks and would lie to suit their own needs and Carl couldn’t help but think somewhere deep inside Jake, lay a monster with the ability to attack at any moment. He just prayed Jake didn’t turn out to be like Tobias.
Chapter Eight
An hour later Carl lay in the confines of the sleeping bag with Jake next to him. The man didn’t try to touch him. If anything Jake went out of his way not to make any contact with Carl at all. For reasons unknown to Carl, it pissed him off.
Yeah, he wasn’t ready to have feelings for another man but damn if he didn’t want to be surrounded by the heat radiating off of Jake. Every now and again they’d brush arms and Carl felt his pulse spike and warmth spread over his body.
Carl tugged his stocking cap down tighter around his ears and rolled to his side facing away from Jake. He thought if he didn’t have to see the man lying there maybe his desire to touch Jake would fade away.
The soft sounds of Seth and Holden’s breathing started to lull him to sleep. His eyelids became heavy and he yawned wide enough to pop his jaw. He tugged the edge of the sleeping bag closer to his chin and let his tired mind take a rest.
“Don’t be afraid of me.”
Carl could hear the sincerity in Jake’s tone. Without a single hesitation he let Jake pull him into his strong embrace. Carl felt himself falling forward to rub his nose along Jake’s bare chest. A light covering of hair tickled along his nose and he breathed in deep, not wanting to forget the woodsy smell coming off the man.
“I’ll never hurt you.” Jake slowly started to kiss down Carl’s cheek to settle and tease along his jaw line. His head fell back and he let Jake have his soft and gentle way with him. “All I ever want to do is make you happy.”
Carl moaned as Jake’s tongue trailed down his neck to suck up a mark where his pulse beat rapidly. His body came alive with a jolt and he could feel his cock stabbing up toward his navel. He lightly rested his hands on Jake’s biceps and held on. The man worked his lips and tongue in ways Tobias never had and Carl melted into each sensual touch.
Jake pulled back and ran his fingers down Carl’s chest. He slowly lifted the T-shirt he wore up and over his head. Carl was helpless to do anything but raise his arms. Once the covering was gone he instantly dropped his arms to shield his pale and scarred chest from the other man. Where Jake had a deeply defined muscular chest with a bronze coloring that made Carl long for summer, Carl looked like a skeleton with flesh clinging to his bones.
“Don’t hide from me.” Jake very gently pulled Carl’s arms back and eyed his body.
“I’m ugly.” Carl’s voice cracked as tears welled in his eyes.
Jake’s warm, thick fingers came up to cradle his face and forced his chin up so he could meet the man’s gaze. “No you’re not.” Jake kissed his forehead, then dropped soft kisses to each cheek. “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
With that Jake captured Carl’s lips and wrapped his arms around his waist. Carl brought his arms up to loop around Jake’s neck. Jake licked and sucked along his mouth and all Carl could do was open wide and let the man do as he wished. It had been over three years since he’d been kissed with such passion, back before Tobias proved to be a heartless monster, but even then Tobias couldn’t compete with Jake’s kisses.
As if by magic Carl found himself completely naked lying flat on his back in the most comfortable bed he had ever had the pleasure to rest on. It felt like fluffy white clouds hugged his body from underneath while Jake’s body cradled him from the front. Every inch of Jake’s body fitted snug against his, as if they were of the same body.
Jake wedged his way between Carl’s thighs and Carl let his knees fall open. The hot tip of Jake’s shaft nudged at his opening and Carl lost the ability to think. His head dropped back and he moaned as Jake nipped along the base of his neck, moving over to his collarbone.
As Jake started to rock forward, Carl lifted his legs to rest on Jake’s hips. He moved in time with the strong, gorgeous man above him, wanting only what Jake could give him. One forceful thrust of Jake’s hips had his manhood seated fully in Carl’s tight opening. His body shook and pulsed around the hot length buried deep inside him.
Jake started to move and Carl held on for dear life. Sparks went off behind his eyelids and his body began to tingle. His teeth started to lengthen and his upper lip pulled back in a snarl. He grabbed tightly around Jake’s shoulders as his orgasm rolled through his body.
Unable to stop himself, he struck Jake right where his neck and shoulder met. Hot pulses of cream left his body as he bit down harder on the man’s shoulder.
“Ouch!”
Carl woke with a start. He sat straddling Jake’s lap with his teeth buried deep into his neck. The moon still hung in the sky and darkness filled the night. He blinked his eyes, getting his wits about him, then slowly pulled away from Jake. The man’s eyes were rounded and had a glazed-over look about them.
“I’m sor—” Before he could finish his sentence Jake rolled him underneath him and covered his mouth.
Jake’s smooth tongue rubbed alongside his and coaxed mewling little moans from Carl. He brought his hands up and ran his fingers up under Jake’s cap until he could grip ahold of the man’s hair. The texture silky and soft as it tangled around his fingers.
The sleeping bag hindered their movements and Carl growled in frustration. In the tight confines he couldn’t hold on to the man like he had in his dream. Sweat started to break out across his forehead even with the chilling temperature surrounding them.
Almost as fast as it began it ended. Jake rolled away from him and cursed quietly under his breath. Carl stared up at him. His chest heaved with every intake of breath.
“What’s wrong?” His voice sounded small and distant.
“Nothing.” Jake rolled to lie on his back. “Everything is perfect, you’re perfect but…” Carl turned on his side and stared down at Jake. His face was distorted by the shadows bouncing over the ground and he had to squint to try and get a read on the man’s face.
“But what?” Carl needed to know what was going on in Jake’s head. He had never acted like this before and he knew it had something to do with Jake. He swore to himself after what Tobias had done to him he’d never let another soul touch him but here he was being the aggressor toward Jake. He had even bit the man.
“I just thought when my mate bit me it would be while we were making love not fooling around on the hard ground with my friends sleeping fifteen feet away.” Jake used his thumb and forefinger to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Mate? Carl’s brain got stuck on that one word. “Huh?” was the only intelligible thing he could say. Jake had caught him off guard.
Jake pulled his hand from his face to look at him. “Shit!” He quickly shifted to prop up on his elbows. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. It’s just you took me by surprise and now you’ve gone and bitten me.” Jake stopped to take a deep breath. “I’m doing this all wrong.”
Carl held Jake’s gaze as he tried to wrap his brain around what he had just confessed. Early that evening Jake talked about how having a mate was a real thing not some made up nonsense like Tobias had told him. He tried to remember exactly what Jake had said.
Someone you love without reason, someone you would die
for. Mates share an undeniable pull that can’t be explained. Love.
His mind began to race. He thought back to the first time he met Jake and even while he had a gun pointed at the man’s chest something inside him screamed for him to stop.
Then when Jake came back for him all Carl longed to do was hold the man close and tell him everything would be all right. And then there was the explainable jealousy that sparked his anger every time Holden got close to Jake. He didn’t know why he hadn’t put it all together earlier. Jake practically told him but Carl had been too pissed off to see the truth.
Once again he made a fool out of himself. “No, I’ve done everything wrong,” Carl admitted. “I’m not sure what being a mate means or how we should have done this but I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite you. I was just”—he could feel heat rush up his neck to settle in his cheeks—“I was having a dream and got carried away, I guess.” He tried to turn away from Jake’s questioning eyes but Jake held him down with one hand.
“You were having a dream about me?” The corner of Jake’s lip quirked up and Carl wanted to find a hole to bury himself in.
“Yes!” he snapped. “Now will you please let go of me.” He pushed against Jake’s unrelenting hand.
“Wait a minute.” Jake moved closer. “Was this a sexy kind of dream?” Carl cringed as Jake started to laugh softly.
“Yes.” Carl smacked Jake’s hand away and climbed out of the sleeping bag. “Stop laughing at me. I don’t like to be made fun of.” Carl didn’t look back as he stormed off into the darkness. Tobias had spent years making him look like a fool and he didn’t want Jake to think it was okay to treat him that way.
* * * *
Jake rolled to his stomach and watched as Carl took off into the woods. His mind said to get up and give chase but his body was dwelling in the afterglow of becoming someone’s mate. He never noticed how incomplete he had been until now. A bond had been cemented between him and Carl and he felt light-headed as if he had drunk too much. The grin on his face would probably never leave.
