by Lynn Lorenz
If Scott died, what would that make him?
Alone.
∙•∙
Scott hadn’t seen his mate or heard him since the fight began. Had he left? The thought of being abandoned made him stagger.
Wyatt lunged and bit Scott’s leg, tearing a deep gash. He pulled free, but it bled, and he cried from the pain.
“Get him, Scott!” Ted yelled. “Take him down!”
That voice rose above the others and gave Scott hope that what he was doing was right. His mate stood for him in this contest for control of the pack.
Scott flew across the narrow space and hit Wyatt so hard the other wolf fell on his side. Scott went for Wyatt’s throat and locked down on it.
Wyatt, trapped under Scott, whimpered as Scott stood over him, sharp black claws poised over his belly, ready to rip it open and disembowel him.
Scott waited.
Bobby said, “That’s enough, son.”
Ted pushed his way through the men. “Scott, let him go.”
Wyatt shifted back to a man, with Scott’s wolf’s jaws still on his neck. “I submit, I submit,” he cried.
“Don’t kill him, Sheriff. I know he’s been an asshole, but we’ve got kids.” Wyatt’s wife stepped forward to speak for him. “Please.”
Scott shifted back and stood over Wyatt.
“The pack says you live.” Scott moved away. “So you live, but the decision is up to me if you stay in the pack.”
Wyatt’s wife went to her husband, to help him up and tend his wounds. Ted watched as the bleeding stopped on Wyatt’s punctures, and they began to heal.
He turned to Scott. He’d been bitten and scratched also. But there were no signs of the wounds.
“Scott!” Ted pushed past Bobby.
Scott met him halfway, and they wrapped their arms around each other and held on.
“Oh God, please tell me it’s over,” Ted asked.
Scott patted him on the back. “It’s over, babe.”
A few men helped Wyatt to his feet to face Scott.
Scott moved to the podium. “Wyatt, they say the punishment for a failed attempt is worse than death. Exile is a hard thing for a wolf. To lose your pack, your extended family.” Scott shook his head.
“I’ll leave.” Wyatt rubbed his chest. “But I’d like my wife and kids to stay. No reason they should leave. My boys will need the pack when they get of age.”
Wyatt’s wife cried, burying her hands in her face.
“Wyatt, you’re staying. You’re on probation.”
“Probation?” Wyatt stared at Scott. “What’s that mean?”
“It means if you step out of line, I’ll sentence you to the exile you earned today.”
Wyatt’s wife looked up. “We’ll take it,” she said. “I’ll vouch for him, Sheriff Dupree. He’ll stay out of trouble with the pack. He’ll never challenge you again. I swear.”
Her husband stared at her, mouth open. When she stared at him, one eyebrow raised, he closed his mouth and nodded. “Thank you, Scott.”
Scott nodded. “Show’s over. Move along. Go on, everyone, go home.” He waved his hands, and the other deputies joined him in clearing the room.
Just before Billy Trosclair left, Scott went over to him. “Thanks for your support, Billy. You didn’t have to out yourself. Not for me.”
“I did it for me and maybe some of the others too afraid to come out of the closet. I hope it doesn’t change how you feel about me as an officer.” Billy held out his hand.
Scott shook it. “Don’t sweat it. You’re one of my best men, gay or not.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.” Billy saluted and left.
Ted, Scott, his mother, Mike and Sharie, and Bobby were left in the room.
“Guess we’d better get the mops and clean that up,” Scott’s mom said.
Sharie nodded, and together they went to the back.
“That was a good move, son.” Bobby slapped Scott on the back.
“I’d a killed him.” Mike snorted.
“I’m just glad this is over.” Ted exhaled. “I’m not sure I can survive all the drama here. And I thought it was bad in the Quarter.” He wrapped an arm around Scott, and Scott held Ted around the waist.
“What now?” Bobby asked.
“Home.” Scott gave him a nod and pulled Ted along with him. “Here, Mike.” He tossed Mike the keys to the place. “After the ladies finish, lock up and set the alarm, will you?”
“Sure, boss.” Mike winked. “Gonna go claim you some mate?”
Scott and Ted turned around. Before Scott could say anything, Ted said, “Gonna go claim me some wolf.” He winked back, and everyone laughed.
Scott blushed. “Ho-ly shit, babe. Did you have to say that?” He dragged Ted away before the man said anything else.
Ted swatted him on the ass. “Fine as you are? They knew I was thinking about it.”
“I think that boner in your pants gave it away.” Scott pointed to Ted’s crotch. They got into the truck and shut the doors.
“You mean the one that matches yours?” Ted snorted. “Wolf, you got a hard-on for your mate?”
Scott growled. “Just wait until I get you home.”
“Home. I like the way that sounds.” Ted sighed. “You scared the shit out of me tonight.”
“Sorry.”
“The blood on the linoleum. Took me right back to that night with Douglas.” He shivered.
Scott pulled Ted to his side. “No more, babe. I’m fine. I’m alive.”
Ted nuzzled his lover, inhaling his scent. He licked a line up Scott’s throat, making his lover purr, if wolves can purr.
“Alive and horny.” Scott shifted in his seat, letting Ted get a glimpse of the outline of his cock.
“Well, shut up and drive, and I’ll see what I can do about this.” Ted popped the button on Scott’s jeans and undid his zipper.
Scott moaned and had to force himself to pay attention to the road and not the world-class handjob he received from his mate.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Scott raced up the stairs to the house and unlocked the door. Ted and he fell through it, grabbed each other, and slammed against the wall.
“Is it sick that watching you fight turned me on?” Ted asked as Scott bit his neck and sucked at it.
“Nope. Just pheromones, that’s all. I was excited and you, as my mate, picked up on that.” The next bite made Ted shiver. He buried his hands in Scott’s hair.
“I’m needing,” Ted whispered.
Scott ground his erection against Ted’s and moaned. “I can feel you, babe. Don’t worry, I’m going to take care of you.” He back-walked Ted to the bedroom, kicked the door open and pushed him down on the bed.
“Naked. Now.” Scott began stripping off his clothes.
A few scratches remained from the fight; a long one on Scott’s thigh, and a few shorter ones on his chest and back, but all of them were pink and healing.
“You guys do heal fast.” Ted pulled off his jeans and briefs and stretched out naked on the bed.
“Told you.” Scott grunted as he crawled up the bed toward Ted, determination, and lust in his darkening blue eyes.
Ted stroked his cock and rolled his balls, letting his arousal build as he watched his lover stalk him.
A low rumble rose from Scott’s chest as he slid his hand up Ted’s leg. He nestled between Ted’s legs, nudging them wider so there would be enough room for him.
Scott’s cock, straight and hard and dripping precum, dragged along the covers of the bed. His furred balls hung heavy with his seed. Ted hadn’t seen a more erotic sight in his life than his horny wolf.
“Fuck me, wolf.” Ted reached for Scott as he pushed off the bed. Their mouths met in a clash of teeth and tongues as each fought for dominance. But as usual, Ted couldn’t keep up the fight. Something about Scott made Ted submit to him, every time. He’d never given in before, not to anyone, not in a very long time, but Ted knew he’d let Scott fuck him anywhere, anyti
me, anyway.
Scott broke the kiss and leaned down to capture Ted’s nipple in his mouth. He sucked on it, his hand pushing it up, deeper into his mouth. Ted arched and whimpered, and his balls pulled tighter.
God, Scott could make him come so easily. Every time he touched Ted, it was all Ted could do to keep from exploding. It amazed Ted, and frightened him, that he wanted this man so badly.
Scott let his now-tender nipple go and dragged his tongue down Ted’s belly, following the light trail of hair that ran from chest to cock.
The look in Scott’s eyes nearly sent Ted over the edge. So much desire, yet a warmth burned behind it. Ted knew it was foolish to call what he saw love, but he did. He had to have something, or else he’d be a hypocrite to himself. But Scott had yet to say those words.
Scott reached over and jerked open the drawer, pulled out the lube and tossed it on the bed. He sat back on his haunches and stroked his cock. “Do it. I want to watch you stick your fingers inside your ass. It’s so fucking hot, babe.”
Ted popped the top, added the slick to his fingers, and pulled his balls to the side. He teased his own hole, all the while never losing Scott’s gaze. He tapped it, leaving a string of lube stretching between fingertip and pucker. Scott groaned and stroked harder on his rigid shaft.
It turned Ted on to watch Scott pleasure himself. Those big hands wrapped around that perfect, thick dick just got Ted hard and ready to shoot.
“Damn, wolf. You got to look so fucking sexy?” Ted asked, his voice deep and husky with arousal.
“Just for you, babe.” Scott gave him a cocky smile.
Ted plunged his fingers inside and worked them to stretch his opening. Scott’s gaze locked on his ass, and he licked his lips and almost drooled.
With a quick stroke, Ted hit his gland. He cried out and arched. “Oh fuck, that’s the spot.”
“Don’t you dare come until I’m inside you, babe.”
Scott moved into position. “Lube my dick up. Make it slick so I can just slide inside your scorching, tight ass.” He held his cock out, presenting it to Ted. Ted squirted more lube on, then worked it over Scott’s prick.
∙•∙
His meat was hot, burning up, so fat and well-veined, and the flared cap, all deep red with blood, looked good enough to suck. Ted pushed his finger into the slit and Scott gasped, then closed his eyes and fucked Ted’s hand. His hips snapped back and forth as Ted jerked him.
“Wait, wolf!” Ted ordered. Scott halted, his chest heaving, eyes nearly black with lust. Ted pulled Scott’s cock to his opening. “Now, fuck me.”
Scott cried out as he shoved in, his body shuddering as he breached Ted’s tight ring. “Oh God. Ho-ly shit, this is so good.” Scott slid until they were body to body, leaned down, shook his head, and then looked into Ted’s eyes.
He reached up and cupped Ted’s cheek. “I love you, babe. I can’t help it. I don’t know what else to call what I feel for you, except love.” He kissed Ted’s lips, nose, eyes, and forehead, then leaned his head against Ted’s.
Ted’s heart raced, beating happiness against his chest.
He wrapped his hands in Scott’s hair and gave him a shake. “I love you, Scott, and your big wolf. Don’t ever—” Ted’s voice broke at the thought.
“Never. We’re mated. For life. I’ll always be here.”
Scott pulled out, slow and steady, then pushed back in, rubbing over Ted’s gland with each forward thrust. Sparks few behind Ted’s eyes as his wolf mated with him.
They made love that night with soft touches, gentle kisses, and comforting words.
When they fell apart, both hearts beating hard from their releases, Scott rolled to his side, and Ted took his place against Scott’s chest, wrapped in the arms of his mate.
»»•««
Ted stepped out of the shower and slapped Scott on the ass. “Okay, it’s official. You’re a freaking horndog. Do you ever get tired?” His wolf had just given him a blowjob in the shower, and this time Scott had swallowed it all.
Scott, still proud of his new talent for sucking dick, grinned into the mirror over his side of the counter. “No. Weres have great stamina.” He winked.
Ted groaned and went to his sink. “It’s great you have this double sink already here.”
“Yeah, I built the house to hold a family.” For a moment, a dark cloud passed over Scott’s face.
Ted put down his razor. “Are you okay with this? I know it isn’t what you thought you’d have. The wife and kids.”
Scott looked at him. “Hey, got better than a wife. Got a dude! We can drink beer, watch football games, act like jackasses, and neither of us will ever nag.” He laughed.
“But you wanted kids, didn’t you?” Ted asked. He’d thrown a monkey wrench into more than just Scott’s life; he’d ruined Scott’s mom’s hope for grandkids also.
“Yeah. Still do.” Scott looked forward into his own reflection. “Would you consider adopting?” His blond brows drew together in a sharp vee.
Kids had never been in Ted’s plans. Ever. He looked into Scott’s eyes and read the hope and hurt in them.
“Sure. If that’s what you want. But not a baby, right? I’m not sure I could deal with a baby.” Ted grimaced.
“No, I was thinking maybe an older kid.” Scott shrugged.
“How long have you been thinking about this?” Ted asked.
“It’s all happened so fast, babe. It came to me last night.” Scott finished shaving.
Ted turned to him, his heart in his throat. “Was it a dream?”
Scott’s face twisted. “As a matter of fact, it was.”
Ted groaned and looked at Scott, who was only a minute behind him in making the connection.
“My mama!” Scott barked out.
“She’s doing it again, wolf.” Ted frowned, then laughed. “Oh God, what else of yours does she have to put in that gris-gris bag?”
“I don’t want to know. The question is, what does she have of yours?” Scott wiggled his eyebrows at Ted.
Ted thought. “She was standing next to me during the fight. You don’t think—”
Scott burst out laughing. “Yeah, I do.”
“Merde.” Ted rolled his eyes, then leaned over and splashed water over his face to rinse the lather off.
After they dressed, Scott sat on the couch and pulled Ted down next to him. He slung his arm over Ted’s shoulders in a gesture of ownership. Ted laughed it off. They might be mates, but Scott didn’t own Ted.
Well, maybe his ass. But that was all.
“So, when are you moving in?” Scott squeezed Ted’s shoulder.
“Uh, I haven’t thought about it.”
“Why not? I have plenty of space here.” He waved his arm around. “We could pack you up in a weekend and be done with it.”
“For the first thing, I’m not ready to just pick up and leave.”
“Right. You have a business.”
Ted didn’t like the way Scott said that at all.
“Look, Sheriff Dupree, you might not like or respect PIs, but it’s what I am. It’s what I do. If you can’t respect that, you can’t respect me. And if that’s the case, we have a big problem.” Ted moved away to the other side of the couch.
“Whoa! What I meant was you don’t have a physical business. Nothing to move. Your business is you and wherever you are, right?”
“Well, yeah.” Ted hated to admit he was right.
“So the only thing keeping you in New Orleans is you.” Scott poked a finger in Ted’s chest. “You haven’t let go. It’s like a married guy who keeps his bachelor pad, just in case.” Scott frowned.
“No, it’s not like that.” Ted knew Scott was right, and it sucked.
“If you’re thinking ‘just in case’ with me, then this will never work. I’m committed to you, completely, Ted. I want you here, living with me in this house, here in St. Jerome. Are you committed to me?” Scott gazed into Ted’s eyes, and Ted’s heart could deny his wolf nothing.
“I’m committed to you. Give me a week or two to go back to New Orleans, get my stuff settled, and pack. You come the next weekend, and we’ll move it all here.” Ted leaned over and kissed Scott. “Okay?”
“Okay.” Scott grinned. “What about your business? Think you’ll set up here? That job on the force is still open. I could use a few good men.”
“Thanks for offering, but I think it’s best if we kept our work lives separate. I’ll think about it. We don’t have to rush. I have money to live on from the last job.”
“You don’t need money, babe.” Scott grinned.
“Wait. Stop right there. If we move in, it’s fifty-fifty, or I won’t do it. I won’t be kept, Scott. No matter how I feel about you—”
“You love me,” Scott interrupted.
Ted sighed. “No matter how much I love you, I won’t be supported by you. I’m not your wife; I’m your partner.”
“Okay. That’s fair.” He nodded.
Ted wasn’t sure what he’d do to earn a living here in little St. Jerome, but being a PI probably wouldn’t be it.
Chapter Thirty-Four
It has been a long two weeks since he’d last seen Scott. Long and frustrating. Phone sex just wasn’t cutting it, but damn, did his Cajun wolf know how to talk dirty!
Ted had a few more things to do before the weekend and Scott’s arrival. He’d packed most of his apartment, but this afternoon, he was headed to the bank on Royal Street to transfer his accounts to the bank in St. Jerome.
“Ted!” A woman’s voice called out to him. Ted froze and turned around.
Kirsten rushed toward him. “Ted! I can’t believe I ran into you.”
“I live in the Quarter.” Ted kissed her on the cheek. “What about you? What are you doing here?”
She grabbed his arm. “Come see. I bought a partnership in my friend’s art gallery.” He let her drag him into a corner shop filled with paintings and sculptures.
“This is nice.” Ted looked it all over. “You can afford to buy a gallery?”
“Well, no. Malcolm paid for it, but he’s so generous. I swear if I even whisper I want something, he gets it for me.” She blushed. “When I came back from the artist retreat talking about galleries, well, he told me to go ahead and work up the papers.” She giggled as she spun around. “I can’t believe this is half mine.”
