by Elsa Aarden
“Why aren’t you hitting me, then? I did something wrong to you,” Cecil said, and earned a gaze from Rowan. “How are you going to punish me?”
He inhaled hard when Rowan rested his large hand on his side. Rowan’s touch drove him insane. A light touch was enough to heat him up with desire. How did Rowan invoke such an effect on him?
“I would never do such a thing.” Rowan slid the tips of his fingers underneath Cecil’s shirt. “I still can’t believe you didn’t mind staying with Garth. You’re wearing one of his shirts. You have no idea how much I want to rip it off.”
Cecil moved his head to give Rowan easier access to kiss his neck. A tight knot formed in his throat. He needed more. “I’m sorry,” Cecil said with a moan, and Rowan grumbled under his breath. His body heat increased tenfold. “Can you…touch me more?”
Without a word, Rowan took Cecil’s shirt off and threw it over his shoulder. “How could you do this to me, Cecil? I’m your mate.” He roamed his hands along Cecil’s sides and stopped on Cecil’s hips.
“I’m sorry,” Cecil said again. He couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to come. If only Rowan could help him…
Rowan reached down between them and held Cecil’s hand, using it to stroke Cecil’s shaft. “Have you thought of us doing this?” he asked and finally kissed Cecil’s lips.
Cecil stopped breathing for a moment, enjoying the feeling that Rowan’s lips offered him. He moaned when Rowan slid his tongue past his lips. Rowan swirled his tongue against his, a jolt of lust coursing through Cecil. He averted his gaze when Rowan pulled away.
“You’re sweating,” Rowan said, his breathing a tad quick. “Do you want to continue?”
Cecil’s eyes closed halfway in lust, and he nodded. “Are you still upset?”
“Very,” Rowan said, taking Cecil by surprise. “This is my punishment to you, Cecil. Because you were willingly away from your mate for two days, the wolf in me wants to set the record straight. You spent time with someone who could become your mate. Do you have any idea how dangerous that can be? What would I do if you fell in love with Garth?”
“I wanted to show you I wouldn’t,” Cecil said. “Garth spent all day yesterday out working, so we weren’t together. Vivian was the one who told Garth to visit me here.”
Rowan sighed. “Vivian always has strange ideas. When she dragged me naked out of her uncle’s property, she took the time to rub it to my face. Said her uncle was the best for you and to leave you at his house. It’s only the tip of the iceberg. The things she said were dark. You don’t want to mess with that girl.”
“She’s a bit scary,” Cecil said. Even if they were talking about something else, he wanted to go back to what they were doing. “Are you still upset?”
“It’s the third time you’re asking,” Rowan said with a raised brow. “I’m not angry. I understand why you made the choice. It’s only…” He paused and nuzzled Cecil’s neck. “I needed an excuse to get this close to you.”
Cecil moved away. “I just remembered something. While I stayed at Garth’s house, there was something he did.” He looked away when Rowan grumbled in annoyance. “Garth was less careful. I mean, I didn’t want to upset him, so I let him hold me on his lap. Small things, I mean.”
“None of that is small, Cecil.”
“Sorry…again,” Cecil said. Before Rowan could go on with his rant, he continued. “Garth understands my past, but he doesn’t define me by it. He didn’t treat me like I’m fragile, weak.”
Rowan caressed Cecil’s cheek. “You are fragile, and that’s all right. We can’t forget what happened. It was recent, and you’re still very affected by it. Just the mention of your father makes you shake with fear.”
Cecil tried not to think about his father. While at Garth’s house, his fear had vanished, but he still went through relapses. “That’s going to take a while. I’d rather focus on something else.”
“Like what?” Rowan got on his knees, flanking Cecil’s sides, and removed his jacket. Then his shirt.
Cecil choked at the sight of Rowan and coughed several times. Rowan showed a glimpse of a grin. Cecil’s entire body heated up, and he turned to his side, avoiding having to look directly at him. He had never been this close to Rowan while he was undressed.
Cecil shook the shyness away so he could answer Rowan’s question. “Like you,” he finally said.
Rowan rested his hand on Cecil’s shoulder and turned him to face up. “You’ve been naked in front of me before. Aren’t you able to look at me without a shirt on?”
“It’s too much,” Cecil whispered. He put his hands up when Rowan got close enough for their chests to touch. He moved his hands away as soon as he pressed them against the mounds of muscle of Rowan’s biceps. Rowan kissed his neck again and his jaw.
“More?” Rowan asked. “Or are you uncomfortable?”
Cecil shook his head. “Not uncomfortable. I don’t know what to do,” he blurted out.
Rowan pulled away and held a strand of Cecil’s hair with the tips of his fingers. “I told you before—you can do whatever you want. Whatever it may be, I welcome it…unless you ask me to stay with Garth again.”
“I won’t ask such a thing,” Cecil said with a frown. “I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping everyone happy.”
“No need to feel guilty,” Rowan said with a slight smile. “You’re still getting used to handling other people. I understand if you don’t know how to react in certain situations. That’s why I handle you carefully. You deserve the care.”
Cecil nodded, not knowing what to say. Rowan was different from Garth, and he was fine with that. He needed to improve himself so Rowan would see him in another light. He jolted when someone knocked on the door.
“Emergency,” someone said from the other side.
Rowan looked over at the door. “What kind, Gun?”
“It’s you,” Gun answered. “We’re all sensing that you’re entering a state of heat. Must be because you stayed away from your mate for too long. It’s best if you go out for a breath of fresh air, right?”
Cecil tilted his head. “I’ve been meaning to ask. What kind of heat is this? It doesn’t seem to be the hot weather.”
Rowan pulled away and sat next to Cecil. “Being in heat is when a wolf’s instincts tell him or her to mate. Meaning, to become one with someone else. It can be more than one person sometimes. But I won’t accept Garth to be a part of this relationship. I’m too selfish to share you, and I know Garth will suggest that eventually.”
For once, Cecil understood everything. He stared at Rowan, his mouth falling open. “What now?” That meant that Rowan wanted to become more intimate with him. The more he thought about it, the harder his heart beat.
“It’s easy for an Alpha to have self-control…if he or she had their mate or mates beside them,” Rowan explained. “I can feel myself slowly losing control, but I’ll handle it.”
“Do you want me to go in there, for Cecil’s sake?” Gun asked from outside the room. “It seems you can’t get out on your own.”
Rowan sighed. “Ask Cecil first.”
Cecil glanced at Rowan. “Ask what?”
Gun spoke this time. “Cecil, you have two choices,” he said. “You can stay there with Rowan and take things further, or you can ask Rowan to leave the room. If he leaves, I’m sure he’ll be back in no time more relaxed. No need to worry, okay?”
“Sorry for making you have another hard choice to make. This is all on you now,” Rowan said, not making eye contact with Cecil. “I’ll be glad with whatever you choose.”
Cecil turned his head down. Another difficult choice? “I can choose, but what’s your advice?”
“I’m sure you’ll be safe with Rowan if you’re human. He’s an Alpha, after all,” Gun answered from the other side of the door. “Whatever you do, make sure you won’t regret it in any way. Answer as honestly as you can.”
Rowan rested his hand on Cecil’s thigh. “What do you want to
do?”
Cecil’s heart pounded. “I…” He paused, gazing at Rowan’s hand. He didn’t intend to ponder. He knew what he desired. The issue became how to express it. “Can you stay, Rowan? I want to be with you.”
“Call for me if you need anything,” Gun said and walked away.
Rowan pounced onto Cecil again and attacked his lips with his. “I need to know. Are you sure about this?”
Cecil averted his gaze. “I was asked to be as honest as I can, and that’s what I’m doing.” He shuddered when Rowan moved between his thighs and bent his legs up with his strong arms. Cecil swallowed hard as Rowan ground their covered cocks together in a sensual motion. His mind clouded with desire.
“Is there anything you want to say before we move on?” Rowan asked, his voice deep and husky.
Rowan’s alluring voice sent a jolt of electricity straight to Cecil’s cock. “I don’t know what to expect,” Cecil said in a daze.
“I almost forgot,” Rowan said, never ceasing his thrusting hips. “We can do this as common mating, or there’s the other option. Only if you want, I can mark you as my mate. That will determine what the other wolves will sense. If I mark you, they will know we’re mates. They will also know that your mate is me, an Alpha. You’ll have my scent on you and the other way around.”
Cecil gazed at Rowan, whose eyes locked on him with intense desire. Rowan’s chest moved in prolonged breaths, as if he was keeping himself in check. “Rowan, I need no one but you. It’s not just because you helped me.” He rested his hand on Rowan’s chest. “I know about how we can develop feelings within a few days. This is different. As soon as I saw you…”
Rowan kissed him deeply, cupping his cheeks with both hands. Cecil welcomed the genuine affection with all he could.
Rowan pulled away and slid his thumb along Cecil’s bottom lip. “We’re mates, Cecil. I want to give you everything. But…” He paused for a long moment. “I have to be honest with you. I’m fearful that I’m taking advantage of you. You went through so much, and I’m here asking for more than you can give.”
“You can still worry about me, and I’ll give you that, too,” Cecil said. “Can’t we have both? I want you to care for me, and I love that. I just didn’t want you to pity me. That’s why I mentioned Garth. He doesn’t pity me, and he expresses what he wants. Rowan, I have a lot to deal with, but I’m not as fragile as you think. I endured being with my father since I was born. My only problem now is adapting to new things and people.” He stared when Rowan smiled. “What?”
Chapter Thirteen
“Have you finally realized your father is no longer around to hurt you anymore? Ever.”
Cecil’s eyes widened. He still felt some fear, yet not as much as before. “Ever since you picked me up from Garth’s house, I feel safer. It’s as if he’s not coming after me,” he said without much thought. “The detectives told me your house isn’t safe. Garth also told me that he was stronger than you and could keep me safe forever. The difference with you is that I know there’s no one else besides you. I don’t want anyone else. I don’t mind if Garth is stronger or not.”
Rowan kissed Cecil. “I guess that Garth has helped you progress. You never speak this much or express how you truly feel.”
“You and the pack helped me the most,” Cecil said. “I’m just expressing how I feel. We’re mates, right?”
“Of course we are,” Rowan said and pressed a kiss to Cecil’s lips. He resumed what they were doing and ground his hard shaft against Cecil’s. “Can I be more at ease with handling you, then?”
Cecil nodded. “In your words, you can do whatever you want.” He let out a moan when Rowan pressed harder against his cock. Rowan growled under his breath. He thrust his hips against Cecil over and over again. Cecil spread his thighs wider since Rowan’s build was stronger and bulkier. “Is this all we’re doing?” he finally asked, his body heat too much for him to bear. He needed to come.
“I’m still pondering,” Rowan said. “There’s this feeling that I might hurt you. I’m an Alpha, and you’re this small compared to me.”
“I endured what my father did to me for years. I’m sure you won’t be that bad,” Cecil said with a slight smile. He expressed that, but he couldn’t bring himself to make a move. What if Rowan didn’t like something that he wanted? How could he assure Rowan?
Rowan grumbled and held the hem of Cecil’s borrowed pants. He took them off slowly. When entirely naked, Rowan gazed at Cecil’s body. “Your bruises are barely here. There are a few scars, though. But it’s all right. I don’t mind seeing them.”
Cecil stared as Rowan crawled backward and pressed feathered kisses against his abdomen, hips, and inner thighs. “This is strange,” Cecil said, gazing at the top of Rowan’s head. This was a new side of Rowan. He swallowed hard when Rowan looked up at him. In a slow motion, Rowan moved his tongue out and lapped at Cecil’s hard shaft from base to tip. Cecil shuddered both in surprise and from the unexpected pleasurable feeling.
“So far so good?” Rowan asked, and Cecil nodded. “Feel free to put your hands on my head if you want it slower or quicker. You’re in charge now.”
With hesitation, Cecil rested his hands on Rowan’s head. His hair slid between his fingers like a soft cloud. He inhaled hard when Rowan held his cock in his hand and engulfed it into his mouth. The foreign feeling washed over him and turned into raw lust. He put his foot on Rowan’s shoulder and tried to push him away, but Rowan didn’t budge. He felt too much.
“You can only control the speed, Cecil,” Rowan said with a grin. Cecil melted at that sneaky smile on Rowan’s lips. “If you want me to stop, it can’t be because you’re feeling too good.”
Cecil averted his gaze. “If it’s like this right now, I’m not sure I can…"
“Last longer?” Rowan asked. “No need to worry. We won’t stop just because you come once. My plan is to keep going until you can’t take it anymore. If it’s only once, it’s fine.”
Cecil’s heart skipped. That was good because he was almost at his limit, and they had just begun. Rowan took his cock back into his mouth, and Cecil arched his back. This time, he held Rowan’s head, intending to control how much pleasure Rowan would give him. He bobbed Rowan’s head gradually quicker, curling his toes on Rowan’s shoulder. The need to push him away was there, but his desire to feel more was overpowering.
Rowan slid his hand along Cecil’s inner thigh and massaged Cecil’s balls with the other. As soon as Cecil showed hesitance to make him move quicker, Rowan took it upon himself to suck harder.
An intense wave of lust washed over Cecil, and his orgasm surfaced. He came hard into Rowan’s mouth, pushing his hips upward and Rowan against him. His limbs shook as he rode the sensation that overwhelmed him. His clenched throat finally relaxed, and he let out a breath mixed with a moan.
Breathing hard, Cecil watched Rowan get up and leave the room for a moment. He couldn’t help but gaze at Rowan’s enticing broad back and strong arms and legs. Cecil went limp, panting. He shuddered both in excitement and pleasure. It surprised him that Rowan liked someone like him enough to take things further. He loved the way Rowan gazed at him, with such affection and lust.
When Rowan returned, he went to the nightstand and took a small tube from the bottom drawer. “Now this is the right time to think twice.” He crawled onto Cecil and nuzzled his neck, popping the tube open.
“I already did,” Cecil said. “Can you mark me, Rowan?” He earned a stare from Rowan in return, so he wrapped his arms around his mate’s neck. “I want no one else but you. When you went to pick me up at Garth’s house, I knew there was no other choice. No matter how many mates appear, it can only be you.”
Rowan pressed a kiss to Cecil’s lips and caressed his cheek. “I could have no better mate than you.” He reached between them and circled his slick finger around Cecil’s hole.
“Thanks,” Cecil said in a whisper. He closed his arms behind Rowan’s neck as Rowan slid his finger into
his entrance.
“You’re quite relaxed.” Rowan stroked Cecil’s cock while thrusting a second finger into Cecil’s hole.
Cecil tensed as the second finger invaded him. He didn’t mind the slight burning sensation. “Shouldn’t I be relaxed? I’m okay if it’s you.”
Rowan gave Cecil a warm smile. “I appreciate your full trust in me.” He added a third finger and stroked Cecil’s shaft vigorously as a distraction. His eyes closed halfway in desire when Cecil moaned. “I found it.”
“Found what?” Cecil asked, the jolts of pleasure causing him to shake. It felt nothing like before. Each time Rowan’s fingers reached his prostate, pleasant flashes of raw lust coursed throughout his body.
“I’ll explain later. There’s something more important that I need to tell you now,” Rowan said, pulling his fingers out. He sighed, gazing into Cecil’s eyes. “Before we go any further, I need to tell you that I…love you, Cecil. Everything about you, from your scars to how you say my name.”
Cecil’s eyes widened. “I-I love you, too. Everything,” he said before he could think twice. He couldn’t help it and put his forearm over his eyes when Rowan smiled.
Rowan slowed down and rested his hand on Cecil’s side. “What’s wrong?”
Could he say that he was trying not to cry? Cecil calmed his breathing and moved his arm away. “You give me too much,” he said under his breath. “Why me?”
“Because I love you, Cecil,” Rowan said. “I want to love you as much as I can.” He guided the tip of his prick against Cecil’s hole and pushed forward as slow as he could.
Cecil tensed, but quickly relaxed as Rowan stroked his shaft leisurely. Rowan nuzzled his neck and began to thrust forward until his hips touched Cecil’s ass. Cecil’s breath got caught in his throat.
“Marking can cause pain to humans,” Rowan said, drawing Cecil’s attention. “It’s during mating that it’s advised to mark a human.”
A piece of information was missing. “What will you do to mark me?”
