Master

by R Phoenix

  Caleb clearly didn’t appreciate Zain’s dodge, but when Zain picked up the soap and started lathering up the cloth, he let it drop for the time being. Making long strokes down Caleb’s back, Zain let his hands wander over his pup, scrubbing and relearning every muscle. “Is there anything you want for dinner tonight? Liam didn’t think to send any kibble and I thought you might like a change of pace.”

  Caleb perked up at that, ears going absolutely upright. “Oh please,” he said, complete with puppy eyes. “He switched to the generic there for a few days, then he doesn’t give me treats like you did. I’m dying for something else.”

  Laughing at Caleb’s unconcealed excitement, Zain nodded conspiratorially. “How about we order a few steaks and then charge them to the room? Liam can pay for it.”

  It’d serve the vamp right.

  Caleb moaned like he’d just had an orgasm. The way his entire body shivered, Zain wouldn't have been surprised if the pup had come right there in the tub. “I guess that’s a yes then.”

  If they were in a contest for the pup’s attention, Zain had a feeling he knew how to win now. “We’ll curl up on the bed and I’ll feed you some steak. Does that sound good?”

  Steak was a treat his pup wasn’t going to eat tearing and gnawing at it like a real dog. Zain pictured a relaxing night with his pup talking and happy, not back in full puppy mindset.

  Caleb moaned again, and Zain knew it had nothing to do with where he was bathing his leg. “Ohh, I can’t even remember the last…” He looked at Zain, and he seemed torn for a moment between exhilaration and… sadness?

  It occurred to Zain then that they didn’t know much of anything about each other. He didn’t know where Caleb had come from, and Caleb didn’t know anything about his past either. He doubted either of them knew anything about Liam except for the fact that his sire was a total asshole.

  Caleb cleared his throat. “It sounds great. Thank you.” He wiggled a little. “Now there are more interesting places you could be bathing. I’m just saying.”

  Bad memories or just changing topics to something more fun… It was hard for Zain to tell. He let his hand and the cloth dip down around Caleb’s tail and over his well-fucked hole. “I think you need a break, so don’t go starting something we both know you don’t need to finish. There’ll be time for that later.”

  Just because he was responsible enough to make sure Caleb wasn’t pushed too hard didn’t mean that he wouldn’t tease the pup though. Moving the washcloth to his other hand, Zain circled around Caleb’s tight pucker, taking the cleaning from necessary and relaxing to intimate and teasing. “I probably need to make sure I clean you all over, though.”

  Caleb shivered as Zain eased one finger just inside his body. Carefully tending him, Zain made sure his pup was clean before reluctantly pulling out. Caleb huffed and arched his ass up invitingly as Zain moved down to caress over his balls and along to the base of his cock.

  Getting too distracted by his pup, Zain switched back to using the washcloth again. Liam might have used sex to mark their pup as his, but Zain wanted more than to just get them both off.

  They were going to have dinner and talk. He was going to have a date with his pup.

  Let Liam top that.

  Caleb’s squirming made it a little difficult to finish the bath without teasing him more — and it was all the pup’s fault, of course, and none of Zain’s own desire to tease him just a bit — but by the time they got to his hair, Caleb was obviously ready to get out.

  He ducked under the water obediently, and Zain marveled at the trust his pup was showing him. He shampooed the soft hair and fur carefully then rinsed it out, all the while receiving the same blind trust Caleb showed him with his willing submission.

  It was sort of a pity he’d decided he was going to outdo Liam like he had. Watching him like this was making his cock rise.

  “There we go, Pup,” Zain said, giving him one last rinse after letting the water out of the tub. “And don’t get any ideas.”

  Caleb grinned, but he didn’t shake like a pup might have.

  Caleb’s cock was as solid as Zain’s by the time he finished toweling him off, and it took all he had to ignore it. “C’mon,” Zain said, leading him back into the bedroom. “Let’s get dinner ordered. I’m starving.”

  Caleb let out a little huff in agreement, following at his heels and jumping up on the bed, sprawling out as his stomach growled in obvious anticipation. He looked… satisfied. Happy. It was nice to see the somewhat human pet like this, and he spared a dark thought for the pack who thought Caleb was something to put down instead of someone who knew how to embrace his desires. Aggie had warned him that going solo was dangerous and that he needed the backing of his pack, but… Caleb was the one he wanted.

  Caleb was his pack.

  Not letting himself wander down that mental path, because he still wasn’t sure how things would work out, he reached for the phone. “Besides steak, is there anything else you want?”

  Caleb rolled over and stretched as he thought about it. “Hmm, french fries. It’s been…a long time since I had those.”

  Feeling like he’d stepped in something again, Zain set the phone down. “If you ever want to talk about the past, I’ll listen.”

  His pup tensed a little, but he didn’t say anything.

  Zain continued, “I know things couldn’t have been easy for you. If you just want us to ignore it, that’s fine too.” Not sure if he’d made things worse or not, Zain leaned over and kissed Caleb tenderly before pulling back.

  Caleb let out a shuddering breath, and he offered a half-smile before he swallowed hard. “This is… This is the first time I’ve ever really wanted to talk about it,” he admitted. “I mean, not a lot, but a little. It’s just weird to think about the past.” One mitted hand brushed the collar at his throat. “The last time I was collared, it wasn’t like this,” he said softly. “And I don’t… I’m not sure what happened to them.”

  Them. Caleb might be willing to let him in some, but he was obviously not going to spill all of his secrets at once.

  Zain brought his hand up to stroke over the collar. “When I look at this, I see a beautiful man who’s even more incredible when he surrenders everything. Does it bring up bad memories for you?”

  “Not as much anymore,” Caleb said slowly. “Everything’s changed now. It’s like this… this constant reminder, and I…” He trailed off, looking away from Zain. “I miss it, how things were before,” he said, which wasn’t surprising.

  Zain had wished the same thing before. As safe and somewhat spoiled as he’d admittedly been before he’d been turned into a werewolf, he couldn’t avoid the fact that life for humans hadn’t exactly been ideal.

  “I wouldn’t have chosen this, you know?” Caleb offered a faint half-smile. “But now, it’s better than worrying about dying every ten seconds. Even back in the slums, I had people protecting me… From other humans, though. Not from supes. I told them never to fight supes because it was pointless, and I didn’t want to see any of them die.” He shuddered. “I’m still not sure if they all survived when Liam…” His eyes squeezed closed.

  Zain could only imagine what Liam had done when he’d gone to find Caleb. Calling the vamp single-minded would have been an understatement. As much as he loved that Caleb had shared, it still hadn’t really answered his question…

  Maybe he just hadn’t really asked it because he didn’t really want to know the answer.

  “When I went back to the pack after I… had to leave Liam’s house, they kept saying what a terrible thing Liam had done and… Let’s just say we had a disagreement about how we saw your changes. I know you were fighting them when I got there, but…” Zain wasn’t even sure how to ask it. “Do you hate me for… I don’t know… making you go deeper into the role and accepting it?”

  Caleb shook his head, but that was his only response at first. It took him a moment before he finally spoke again. “It was… easier.” He took in a b
reath, then let it out in a slow sigh. “It was a lot easier.” He stole a glance at Zain then looked away again. “And I like being half-there,” he admitted, with a little more enthusiasm. “I like getting to lounge around and play and a lot of it, and it’s easier not to have to… think all the time.”

  “If there’s something you ever don’t like, I need you to tell me. I know Liam can be hard, and I know a lot of the time you get off on the control even if it’s not something you would have picked, but if it’s ever something you honestly don’t want or hate I need to know, Caleb. All I wanted was for you to accept what you liked and for you and Liam to be happy…” Zain laughed as Caleb rolled his eyes in a “you’ve got to be kidding” look. “Well, you to be happy and him to be less insane.”

  Caleb gave a reluctant nod, but then a smile broke over his face. “If you ever actually make him happy, I want to be there to see it. I expect front row seats and popcorn too.”

  Laughing, Zain nodded and reached up to ruffle his pup’s hair. “Deal. Now I think I promised you steak.”

  “And fries. Don’t forget.” Caleb’s delight was clear, and the darkness from earlier seemed to have faded.

  Giving him a kiss, Zain stood and reached for the phone again. “Of course, whatever my pup wants.”

  And he meant it… even more than Caleb realized. All Zain had wanted was for Caleb to be happy. Unfortunately, what his pup seemed to want more than any steak was for them to be a family again.

  If that was all his pup wanted, could he really tell him no?

  Chapter Eleven:

  Liam

  “How long have we had a good working relationship, Aggie?” Liam asked pleasantly, tucking his phone away into his pocket.

  The werewolf pack leader eyed him, and he could almost see the gears turning in her mind. She wouldn’t want to admit it, of course. What they were engaging in was technically treason, though the Elders would be hard-pressed to drag him down with the werewolf pack. She would be vulnerable, though. They would be keen on replacing her with someone more tractable, just as they had with the other pack in the area.

  “Oh, come now. I have not betrayed you for this long,” Liam admonished her, still sitting perfectly upright in his chair. “I cannot profit from you if you are dead.”

  Aggie bristled. “Is that a threat?”

  Liam rolled his eyes. “You truly have had a difficult year, and I can empathize.”

  Aggie’s snort went along with his own mental awareness that he could do nothing of the sort.

  “But I wish to keep doing business with you,” Liam continued, undeterred. “Which means I must ensure our interests align, or at least, that they do not conflict.”

  “It’s not like you’re the only one around,” the werewolf retorted, leaning back in her chair.

  Sloppy. For all that she acted professional around her pack, she was so very sloppy in meetings she deemed casual. This shouldn’t have been anything of the sort, but there they were.

  Liam cast her a vulpine smile. “How long will that be true, Aggie?”

  She huffed out a breath, and the annoyance in her expression made it clear she hadn’t missed the implications. She’d always been more intelligent than she looked — thankfully for her — and she hadn’t retained the position of pack leader for over this long by being weak.

  “You bastard,” she said, though her voice lacked any real venom.

  Liam said nothing, though he bristled a little at the insult.

  She remained quiet for a moment as well, and he could hear the sounds of other werewolves moving around. There were probably several stationed nearby just in case he decided to snap their pack leader’s neck, but it was a bit laughable to think they could do a damn thing… even with the weapons he’d sold them.

  “Fine. What are your terms?” Aggie asked, leaning forward and baring her teeth in what might’ve been somewhat intimidating if she hadn’t been an overgrown puppy.

  “You keep your paws off my pets,” Liam said evenly.

  “Pets?” Aggie sneered. “What, you’re not happy with one mutilated human? You have to go out and make another one, too?”

  Ignoring her, Liam went on, “First, Caleb is mine, and if anything happens to him, I will be at your doorstep for answers. Are we clear?”

  Aggie’s eyes narrowed.

  “Second, Zain is also mine, and he will not suffer the wrath of your pack for choosing to be a part of my life,” Liam said evenly.

  “He doesn’t belong to you. He’s not a fucking pet,” Aggie snarled at him. “You can’t claim him like you can some fucking human. You’re not above the goddamn laws.”

  Liam waved a hand, dismissing her concerns. “He is my pet by choice.”

  “Really? Then why did he come crawling back here all dejected because you’d kicked him out?” she asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

  Liam blinked at her. Zain had what? “There was, it seems, a misunderstanding,” he stated, though he still wasn’t sure how that could’ve happened.

  “You wrecked the kid,” Aggie said bluntly. “I’m not sure where a misunderstanding came into place when you kicked him out of your house.”

  “It is only temporary,” Liam said, still baffled. “My sire will be leaving soon.”

  Aggie groaned, resting her head in her hands. “I have no idea how you have such good business sense, but when it comes to things like this, you’re fucking clueless. It makes absolutely zero sense.”

  Liam was allowing himself to get sidetracked, and he frowned before waving that off, too. He could deal with that later. Right now, there were more important things to attend to. “Regardless, they are both mine. You and your pack stay far away from Caleb and remember that Zain is a part of your pack, though heavens know why he would want to be.”

  “Because he’s a werewolf,” Aggie said hotly, standing up. “We stick together.”

  Liam smirked at her.

  Aggie seemed to realize what she’d said just a little too late. “Oh, fuck you, fanger,” she snapped at him.

  It was Liam’s turn to snarl, and he was on her before she could blink, fingers tightening around her throat. “Would you care to repeat that?” he asked coldly.

  Werewolves poured into the room behind him. He ignored them. He could snap her neck before they could even shift, and as dangerous as it was to rile up a pack of werewolves, it was more like angering a nest of hornets when they were in human form.

  Granted, things would change if he killed their leader, but it was tempting all the same.

  Aggie waved them off with a hand, and Liam slowly released his grasp on her throat. He met her eyes, and for a moment, they simply stared at one another. Finally, she nodded curtly. “But if you ever put your fucking hands on me again, I’ll bite them off.”

  “You would try, perhaps,” Liam said smugly.

  “You are one of the most arrogant beings I’ve ever met,” Aggie snapped as she stepped away from him.

  “But you need me, little ‘wolf. Do not forget that I do not need you.”

  “Of course you do. Because if anything happens to me, my pack will destroy your freak. If Zain stands with you, I will not hesitate to put him down either.”

  Liam’s eyes narrowed, but he had to acknowledge that being on the receiving end of a pack’s wrath would be inconvenient. “As you wish,” he stated stiffly. “But Caleb remains alive, and Zain remains as involved with your little pack as he’d like.”

  “Why does it matter to you if we welcome Zain or not?” Aggie asked.

  Liam turned slightly to level his gaze upon the other werewolves in the makeshift room, briefly surprised to note that Zain was among them. He, of all of them, seemed the most interested in the answer to that question. “Because he is my pet by choice, not my captive,” Liam said, exasperated. “He is allowed his life, but I will ensure his safety. Why must we analyze this?”

  Aggie stared at him for a long moment, then shook her head. “Fine.” She cast a piteous look
at Caleb, who was on all fours with his tail between his legs, between Zain’s legs at that, then up at the ‘wolf. “You’re welcome within our pack, but don’t think we’re going to let a spy just hang around and gather intel.”

  “No. You have already allowed someone to do that once,” Liam said snidely, taking pleasure in the murderous gaze Aggie turned upon him. “I do not want a spy in the pack. Your type needs one another sometimes. I wish to ensure this for Zain. Now if that is all, I would like to take my pets home.”

  He’d humiliated the pack leader in front of those who served her, but it wasn’t like he cared. He had mostly managed to crush the little human and werewolf gangs that had tried to spring up between his territory and the Butcher’s.

  Having Caleb again had reminded him that he was no fledgling, and while Isaiah could pass judgement upon him, that didn’t mean he had to heed everything he said.

  “Go,” Aggie said. She pointed at one of the ‘wolves. “Seth, show them out.”

  Liam barely paid any attention to the werewolves as he smoothly navigated the maze of the werewolves’… compound, he supposed it was. He didn’t even turn to look to make sure Caleb and Zain were following him.

  He just assumed they were.

  As he reached the exit of the building, Zain coughed discreetly behind him making Liam pause. “Master, if you could walk slower. Your pup can’t keep up.”

  Mostly because of Zain’s use of the word “Master,” Liam looked down to see the pup’s labored breathing and decidedly put out expression. “Very well.”

  Turning, Liam adjusted his stride to a more measured pace and headed for the car that was waiting for them. As the driver opened the door, Liam looked to his pets. Seeing that Zain had additional belongings with him, he nodded to the driver to take them.

  “We will take those home with us,” he announced. “Would you like to get your belongings from the hotel tonight?”

  Zain handed over his belongings to the driver but gave Liam a concerned look. “Is that a good idea? What about Isaiah?”