by Macy Blake
“Ever heard of Netflix?” Cody asked.
Drew elbowed him in the side. “Be nice.”
“Sorry,” Cody mumbled.
“There’s popcorn somewhere in here, too. And movie snacks. I didn’t know which kind you liked, though.”
“So you bought some of everything?”
Shaq grinned again.
Cody snickered. “He could have had me for the price of some lube and a few condoms.”
Drew turned to look at the young man sitting next to him.
Cody paled and began twisting the over-sized hoodie in his hands. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Drew. I’m an idiot. I didn’t mean. Shit. I’ll leave. I’m—”
“Solomon, will you go make Cody some more tea, please?” Drew asked.
“What?”
“Tea, Solomon. Go make it, please.”
Solomon glanced back and forth between Shaq, Drew, and Cody before answering. “Sure.”
“Shaq?”
“Yeah?”
Drew glanced over at the alpha and found him looking as gutted as Drew felt. “Will you go take a look around outside? Make sure everything is still good out there?”
Shaq nodded. He moved to Drew and cupped his hand around Drew’s neck for a second before going out the front door and closing it behind him. Then he turned his attention back to Cody.
“I’m sorry, Drew.”
“Is that really all you think you’re worth?” Drew asked.
“I—”
“You know what, I don’t want to know. But this…” Drew waved his arm around the room at the piles of boxes. “This is what you deserve. Someone who will go over the top to convince you that he cares. And funnily enough, I couldn’t care less about the stuff. It’s the gesture, Cody. Shaq wants me to stay and it’s honestly the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. Not because he bought me a bunch of random stuff. Because he cares. He’s thinking about me. Putting my needs first. Wanting me to be happy. And that’s what actually has me thinking that I’m so lucky. He cares enough about me to try.”
Cody’s eyes welled up with tears, and he leaned against Drew’s side. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
“The thing is, Cody, I think you did mean it. And that’s not okay. You want to go out and fuck around, more power to you. Fucking is fun. I get it. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. You do you, boo. Or whatever. But don’t ever let me hear you say again that all you’re worth is a condom and lube. That’s ridiculous and I won’t stand for it. You’re part of Shaq’s family, whether you think you are or not. Do you know how worried they’ve all been about you? How they kept asking each other to check on you and how you were doing?”
Cody shook his head, looking more miserable than ever.
“Well, you need to think about that. Now, you should go lay down. I think those meds are making you loopy and you look exhausted. I’ll have Solomon bring you some tea. You have a couple more hours before you need your next dose, so I’ll bring them to you then. Are you hungry?”
Cody shook his head again.
“Okay, come on.”
Drew pulled Cody to his feet and led him back to the guest room. He got him tucked under the covers and gave him another stern glare. “You’re important, Cody.”
He sucked in a breath and reached for Drew’s hand. “I don’t feel very important.”
“Well, you are. I think we’re going to be friends. I need some new ones since I have a sneaking suspicion you guys are stuck with me.”
“How could you ever leave a guy who cared that much?”
“Exactly.” Drew leaned in and pecked a kiss onto the top of Cody’s head. “Now quit being ridiculous and get some sleep.”
“Okay. Is Shaq mad at me?”
“No. I think he’s hurting because he didn’t know how much you were hurting. But you’re a great actor, aren’t you Cody?”
Cody shrugged and yawned. His eyes were a bit glassy and his cheeks were pink with fever.
“Sleep. I’ll check on you in a little while.”
Drew went back into the living room and found Solomon staring at the guest room door, his eyes blazing in a fury of reds, yellows, and oranges. “Idiot,” Drew said.
Solomon turned his attention to him. “What?”
“You care about him. But he thinks you hate him.”
“What?”
“Yeah. Idiot. I’m going to go talk to Shaq. Take him his tea. Sit with him for a little while. And be nice. And lose the flame eyes. You’ll scare him.”
Solomon’s eyes faded back to their normal deep brown. “Drew?”
“What?”
“He really thinks I hate him?”
“Yeah, Sol. He does. And you need to work on that. That’s a broken man, and it sounds to me like this pack is really good at fixing things that are broken.”
Solomon looked back toward the guest room door. He nodded before returning to the kitchen. The kettle had started to whistle. Drew rolled his eyes and went outside to find Shaq. If they were going to talk about things, he couldn’t think of a better time.
Meshaq
Shaq stared up at the setting sun, taking a moment to celebrate the beauty of the world he lived in. Cody’s words had shocked him, unsettled him in a way Shaq couldn’t quite process. He’d known Cody was troubled. He’d helped him get out of a very unhealthy relationship when they met. He’d turned down Cody’s attempts at flirtation and his offers for more. When he heard the door to his house open, Shaq breathed in the scent of his mate. He had so many things he wanted to give to Drew, but a healthy pack was the most important.
Drew slipped up beside him and dragged Shaq’s arm up and over his shoulder. Shaq pulled him close, wanting every inch of Drew pressed against him. Touching Drew eased that deep ache inside him, soothed the pain of regret and anger.
“Thank you for my gifts,” Drew said quietly. “You really went all out. It was fun. I can’t wait to see what else is in the mystery boxes.”
“I wanted you to know I could take care of you. Anything you need, I can provide.”
He needed Drew to understand that, but now, it seemed ridiculous. A pile of movies didn’t make up for a broken young man sitting next to Drew while Shaq stood by, oblivious to his pain.
“Shaq?”
Drew stepped in front of him, his arms around Shaq’s waist, and tilted his head back to look into Shaq’s eyes. He’d never get tired of looking at Drew, how sweet he was, his arms snug around him. Shaq stroked his hand down Drew’s back and he got a smile for his trouble. Shaq sighed, a small smile creeping onto his own face. He needed to explain that to Drew. “I’ll never get tired of looking at you. Your smile makes everything better.”
Drew reached up and placed his hand on Shaq’s neck. Shaq trembled, the simple touch so significant even if Drew didn’t know why. “We need to help Cody.”
Shaq leaned into Drew’s hand then reached for Drew’s neck as well. They completed that simple circle and Drew’s eyes lit up with pleasure. His mate was so kind, so sweet. “We will,” Shaq promised.
“I used to be like that,” Drew confessed.
Shaq frowned and held Drew a little tighter.
“I didn’t think I deserved to be happy for a long time. I didn’t think I’d ever be happy, to be honest. I got by.”
Shaq’s heart splintered into a million pieces. He held Drew closer still. “Not anymore, though?”
“Something changed a while back. I don’t know. It wasn’t magical or anything. Nothing like the world you live in. I decided one day that I would stop. See, for a long time I thought the key to my happiness was hanging on someone else’s key chain. I thought I just had to find the right person, and then everything would be okay. So I looked, hunted, really. Put myself out there in really unhealthy ways, desperate to find someone to make it all better. Just like Cody. That’s all he wants, you know. He wants someone else to make it better.”
“We can help.”
“I know we can. And we will. But see, h
ere’s the thing I figured out. My happiness is up to me. And the day I figured that out is the day it changed. It wasn’t perfect, and you know, there was that whole being hunted by werewolves thing.”
Shaq growled but Drew grinned and squeezed his neck.
“I’m gonna take a chance, Shaq.”
Shaq’s heart stopped and he froze, holding Drew against him. Never wanting to let him go. “What chance?”
“Whatever this is… whatever these things are that we still need to talk about? I want to know. I want to experience them with you. Because I know what it’s like to be good on my own. And I’m ready to know what it’s like to be great with someone else.”
Shaq’s knees buckled and he dropped to the ground. He buried his face against Drew’s stomach and held him so tight. “You won’t regret it.”
Drew’s fingers threaded through his hair and he moved Shaq’s head back so their eyes could meet again. “I better not.”
He had a twinkle in his eye, and Shaq couldn’t help but laugh. The goddess had truly blessed him.
“We’re mates,” Shaq said. He blurted the words out, even though they were meaningless to a human, but he had to say them anyway.
“Mates?” Drew asked.
“Fated. Meant to be. Forever and ever. You’re the one.”
Drew continued running his fingers through Shaq’s hair and smiling down at him. “The one, huh?”
“The one and only.”
“Sounds like there’s a lot I need to know about this mate business. And here I was hoping for dating. Maybe boyfriends.”
Shaq curled up his lip in a frown. “You’re not my boyfriend.”
Drew chuckled and managed to push Shaq down so he could straddle his legs. He wrapped his arms around Shaq’s neck and stared into his eyes. “I’m not?”
“You’re more than that.”
“That’s very sweet of you to say, Alpha.”
Shaq shivered, loving that word on his mate’s lips. “I mean it.”
“I know you do. So here’s what I’m thinking. We go back inside, make some dinner, and you can explain to me what this mate business means.”
“I like that plan.”
Drew nuzzled his face into Shaq’s, his lips teasing the corner of Shaq’s mouth before pulling away. Shaq climbed to his feet and grabbed Drew’s hand, leading him back into the house.
Solomon was waiting for them inside. “I’m heading home. Call me if you need me.”
“We will,” Shaq said.
“And, uh, if Cody needs anything…”
Drew rolled his eyes and continued into the kitchen.
“I think I can handle it. I’ll take him to Vaughn if he gets any worse.”
“Right.” Solomon scowled and left.
Shaq stared after him, wondering what the hell he was missing. He wandered into the kitchen and found Drew rummaging around in the cupboards. “What am I missing?”
“Solomon has the hots for Cody.”
“What?”
Drew turned and threw his hands in the air. “He’s an idiot. And now Cody thinks Solomon hates him, so yeah. They have to fix that mess themselves, but after we get Cody out of his funk. Otherwise, I’m having words with Solomon.”
Shaq grinned. “Yeah? What kinda words?”
“The kind where he’ll regret pissing me off. I have nothing good to threaten him with. Dammit. What can I threaten him with?”
“Me.”
Drew rolled his eyes again. “That’s like telling the kids you wait until your father gets home. No. I’ll figure it out. Shelly will help me.”
Shaq laughed as Drew continued to look through the cabinets. “What are you looking for?”
“Something to eat.”
“We have jelly.”
Drew snickered. “God, you’re cute.”
“Goddess.”
“What?”
“I prefer Goddess.”
“Right. I suppose you would. Wait… you actually talk to a goddess, don’t you?”
“Yeah. Hey, how about we order Chinese food?”
“Oh, that sounds good. Can we watch Back to the Future?”
“Sure.” Shaq waited for Drew’s thoughts to catch up. It only took a second.
“You actually talk to a goddess. Like, for real. Not just I have an alter and I pray or whatever.”
Shaq dug around in his junk drawer for the carryout menu from the local delivery place and handed it over. While Drew looked, he unraveled the leather band around his arm, revealing the intricately designed circle of flames on his wrist. Drew glanced up, ready to ask him a question, and noticed the sigil on his arm.
“What’s that?”
“That’s the mark of the goddess. It marks me as her Champion, and it’s how she communicates with me.”
“So what, it’s like a walkie-talkie?”
Shaq snickered and plucked the menu out of Drew’s hand. “Do you like cashew chicken? What about spicy? We could get general’s chicken and cashew chicken.”
“And some dumplings.”
“Oh yeah, dumplings. Hold on, I’ll order. Should we get Cody something?”
“Solomon brought soup,” Drew said.
“That’s right.” Shaq called and placed their order while Drew got them both glasses of water. Once he’d finished, he couldn’t resist grabbing Drew again.
“You’re gonna put me on the counter, aren’t you?”
Shaq grinned.
“Fine, but let me put the water down so I don’t make a mess.”
“Okay.”
Drew put the glasses down and turned around. Shaq lifted him up and set him down on the counter, then slipped his arms around Drew’s back. Drew hooked his ankles behind Shaq’s thighs. “Why does this do it for you?”
“No clue,” Shaq said. “It does, though.”
“So where were we? Oh, right. Walkie-talkie.”
“No. If she actually needs to talk to me, I go through a portal to her.”
“Whoa. A portal? Really.”
“Yeah. That’s how I perform my duties.”
“So what’s the mark do?” Drew tugged at his arm while he asked, moving the sigil closer. It looked like a tattoo, a circle of flames that covered Shaq’s inner wrist. Drew traced it with his fingers, sending a shiver of want down Shaq’s spine.
“It alerts me of trouble. It goes off, I open a portal, and off I go to stop whatever is happening.”
“That’s pretty cool. Not gonna lie.”
“I think so.” Shaq leaned in and breathed in Drew’s scent. Drew moved his head to the side, giving access to his neck. Shaq groaned and nipped at the tender skin there. “I really want to mark you right here, make sure everyone knows you’re mine.”
Drew shivered and pushed closer. “What kind of mark are we talking about here?”
Shaq licked the spot, then dragged his teeth over it. “One day, it’ll be with my teeth. When you’re ready.”
“You’ll bite me?”
Shaq growled and nipped at the spot again. “Right here. Everyone will know you’re mine.”
“That an alpha thing?”
“That’s a me thing.” Shaq’s instincts were going wild. The closer he got to claiming Drew, the more frantic he became. “Drew,” Shaq groaned against his mate’s neck. He pulled Drew closer against him. He smelled so good, so sweet.
“Fuck, Shaq. You’re making me crazy.”
He hoped so.
“The food will be here soon.”
“Screw the food.”
Drew pulled back with a snicker. “I’d really rather you screw me.”
Shaq growled and grabbed Drew’s hips again. He lifted him off the counter and pulled him close. “Don’t tease me. Fuck, Drew. I need you.”
Drew ran his fingers through Shaq’s hair and nuzzled his nose into Shaq’s cheek. “I know. Let’s wait for the food to get here and we’ll throw it in the fridge for later, okay? If we get interrupted, you’ll be snarly and it’ll wake up Cody. And Sh
aq? I really don’t want to be interrupted.”
“Fuck. You say things like that and I want to bend you over this counter.”
“You can do that another time,” Drew said. He trailed his lips down to Shaq’s ear and nipped the lobe between his teeth. “But this time, I want to be pounded into the mattress. I want to feel you for days.”
Shaq groaned and began walking to the bedroom. “I can make that happen.”
“I had a feeling you could.”
Shaq set Drew down on his bed and stood again. “I’m going to go check on Cody. And wait for the food. Because if I don’t walk away, now, I won’t be able to. I have a feeling the delivery driver will not appreciate being mauled by a pissed off hellhound. Of course, if he doesn’t hurry, he’ll be finding out.”
Drew bit his lip and looked up at Shaq through is lashes. “I’ll wait right here. Take Cody one of those sports drinks. And a few more cough drops.”
Shaq groaned and walked away as Drew began fumbling with the button on his jeans. “You better not get started without me.”
“Then you better hurry up.”
“Damn driver better get here soon.”
Luckily, by the time Shaq took Cody what Drew had asked him to, the driver was pulling into the driveway. Shaq could have kissed the man. He tipped him an extra twenty instead and grabbed the bags out of his hands. He had them shoved into the fridge and was back in the bedroom in less than a minute.
Drew hadn’t waited.
He’d gotten naked.
Completely, perfectly, beautifully naked.
Shaq gasped and pulled his T-shirt over his head. He landed on the bed a second later, covering Drew’s body with his own. Drew laughed and wrapped his legs around Shaq’s waist. “See something you like?”
Shaq growled and his eyes flamed.
Drew’s smile slipped and he bit his lip instead. “Your eyes. I can’t handle them. So beautiful.”
He leaned in, capturing Drew’s lips with his own. Drew groaned and opened for him, his tongue immediately tangling with Shaq’s. He lost himself to Drew’s taste, to the sound of his heavy breathing and rapidly increasing heartbeat. To the heat building between them, a fire burning that Shaq couldn’t wait to stoke the flames.
Drew tore away a second later with a gasp. “Pants off. Now.”
