Too Hot to Handle

by Fel Fern

  Chad pulled back, smiling. “What next?”

  A good question. Daniel brought Chad close to him for a slow kiss. He took his time, enjoying the taste of his mate on his tongue. Chad wasn’t some stranger he’d just met. He knew his mate inside out. Probably better than anyone else.

  All those years Chad marched into his office without an invitation, simply wanting to talk, had finally come to this single moment. To Chad becoming his mate. Their age difference didn’t matter. Already, his wolf felt more whole. A little less broken. Daniel no longer felt empty but content, satisfied. Dare he say it? Happy.

  Though the mate bond connecting them, Daniel could sense Chad’s emotions. Excitement. The same emotions he felt. Chad cuddled close to him, and he slid his arms possessively around Chad’s shoulders. He inhaled the scent of his mate, made sure Chad carried his as well. No one would be able to deny Chad belonged to him.

  The next important step now was stopping his best friend from murdering him. Allan would be livid. Ben was right. Allan might not be winning the best father of the year award anytime soon, but in his own way, Allan cared about Chad. It didn’t matter now, because Daniel had just become the most important man in Chad’s life.

  He’d prove to his friend that he was the best choice for his son, that he’d do everything in his power to protect Chad. Cherish him.

  “Breakfast,” he said, simply. “Then we tell your father.”

  Chad paled at his last words. “Do we need to?”

  Daniel gave him a look. His mate pouted in return.

  “The longer we put it off, the more it will make things worse.”

  “But he’s going to kill both of us.”

  “Do you have so little faith in me? I can protect my mate,” Daniel said with a scoff.

  “I don’t doubt. I just don’t want the two of you to come to blows. You’ve been best friends forever, and I’m going to get in the way of your friendship.”

  Daniel pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Mate trumps friend. Any other day. Now eat your breakfast. Then we take a shower.”

  Chad wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at him. “Together?”

  Daniel chuckled. “Of course.”

  Chapter 7

  Chad couldn’t believe this was all really happening. After breakfast, Daniel and he retreated to Daniel’s bedroom. Instead of going for that shower, they took a slow bath in Daniel’s enormous tub.

  The jacuzzi-sized tub had plenty of space, but they settled for Chad straddling Daniel’s lap. This, Chad decided, was one of his favorite positions. Chad touched the mate mark on his neck, felt the slight ache. Real.

  Daniel took his hand off his neck and gave his mark a slow, thoughtful lick. Chad shuddered, all too aware of his prick growing hard again. It didn’t help when Daniel leaned in close and whispered one word in his ear. “Mine.”

  Chad clutched at Daniel’s bicep, felt Daniel cupping his ass and pushing him closer so their bodies touched.

  “Are you going to take me again?” Chad asked. He inched closer, so his ass was within inches of Daniel’s cock.

  “Tempting,” Daniel said. The Alpha looked amused when Chad reached for Daniel’s prick and guided it to his puckered entrance. Daniel nuzzled his neck, bit at his right earlobe. “You want my cock that badly, little wolf?”

  “You don’t know how much.”

  Daniel smirked, then guided his cock inside Chad’s ass. This time, Daniel didn’t go slow. The Alpha penetrated him, went all the way in without pausing once. Gasping, Chad raked his nails across Daniel’s broad shoulders.

  “So big,” he murmured, crying out as Daniel buried himself to the hilt. With Daniel’s cum still inside him and the water all around them, the Alpha barely met any resistance.

  “So good,” Daniel answered. “Go on, baby.”

  Baby. That pet name felt like a shock to his system. Chad decided he liked it very much. He bounced on Daniel’s lap, began to ride the Alpha. Chad moaned, panted as he bounced on Daniel’s thick cock. His Alpha moved with him, burrowed his dick deep every single time.

  It wasn’t long before Chad came. His mind flew and he emptied out his balls. Panting, Chad rested his head on Daniel’s chest. Daniel pistoned in and out of him a few more times, before emptying his jizz inside his ass.

  Chad sighed happily. Languidness filled his entire body. He could’ve snoozed off, lying on Daniel like that in the tub, but moments later, he opened his eyes. Daniel had reached for the soap and began washing both of them.

  “Oh right. Moment of bliss has ended. Time to face everyone, right?” he asked.

  “Why do you sound so worried?”

  “Aren’t you?” Chad threw back, then silently chastised himself. He always went on the defensive when backed into a corner. Daniel was his mate, probably could read his emotions through the mate bond. Chad didn’t want to appear immature or childish.

  “What about your pack?” Chad had to ask.

  “What of them? They’ve been pushing at me for years to get a mate, and I’ve finally found one,” Daniel said simply, sounding matter-of-fact. “Besides, I don’t plan to be Alpha for long.”

  Chad widened his eyes. “What do you mean? Because of me?”

  Daniel reached out, tucked a stray stand of his hair behind one ear, then gave him a slow, sizzling kiss. Just like that, Chad wanted Daniel to fuck him all over again. Focus on the conversation, Chad reminded himself. Talk first, sex later.

  “Not at all. I’ve always known I’ll step down soon. It’s only a matter of time. Max’s all grown up. The pack can take care of itself, and over the years, I’ve been grooming Ben to take over my place.”

  Chad processed Daniel’s words carefully. Truthfully? The revelation gave him joy, because he didn’t have the faintest idea on how to be the Alpha’s mate. He always thought Daniel worked too hard and the Alpha deserved a break, someone to take care good care of him for a change.

  “Does that news displease you?” Daniel asked him.

  He shook his head. “Honestly? I’m happy. I don’t know how to help you run a pack.”

  “I’ll never put that responsibility on your shoulders.”

  “I think, even if you decide to continue as Alpha, I’ll still do my best. I’m your mate after all. It’s my job to support you a hundred percent.”

  “I believe you, but it’s time I take care of my own personal needs for a change.”

  Chad happily wiggled closer to his mate. “Oh, I definitely like the sound of that.”

  “We’ll have plenty of time to ourselves, to get to know each other better.”

  Chad laughed. “You already do.”

  “That’s true, but a relationship is different. Hard work but well worth it. I never thought I’d be getting a second chance at this age but look at us.”

  They finished bathing. They got out of the tub, and Daniel helped towel him off. His mate, Chad realized, was thoughtful. Sweet. The Daniel in his fantasies never got to this point. He always imagined them having sex but never pictured what happened after.

  Chad glimpsed the two of them in the nearby mirror. “We make a good couple, don’t we?”

  “Time will tell, but I have a good feeling.”

  Chad sighed. “Don’t tease me. Please.”

  “It’s too easy.”

  * * * *

  Daniel let out what sounded like a whistle of appreciation when Chad put on one of his shirts in the bedroom.

  “I like seeing you in my clothes,” the Alpha told him. Even if Daniel officially stepped down as the Goldcrest Alpha, he would always be Chad’s Alpha.

  “Funny. I like wearing them,” Chad said. He was about to put on a pair of Daniel’s old jogging shorts, but Daniel approached him, grabbed him close. He gasped when Daniel slipped a hand down his body to fondle his dick. Chad groaned. “At this rate, we won’t be able to do anything today. Why don’t you just keep me in here and fuck me, all day long?”

  Daniel’s growl only turned him on. “We can’t.”<
br />
  “You sound undecided, Alpha,” Chad said, running his fingers down Daniel’s sculpted chest. Daniel only had a pair of old jeans on. Nothing else. Yummy. Chad could get used to this look.

  “When you’re standing right in front of me, it’s hard to think,” Daniel said. “I should let you rest. You’re probably still feeling sore.”

  Chad envisioned Daniel throwing him on the bed, rutting him all over again. “When Max said newly mated couples are like rabbits, I didn’t believe him. Now, I do.”

  “Max.” Daniel looked troubled now. Dang it. Chad shouldn’t have mentioned Max’s name.

  His ringing cell phone interrupted their conversation.

  “What is that blasted noise?” Daniel grumbled.

  “My ringtone. Help me find my phone? Please? Might be important.”

  Daniel found his phone under the bed. “It’s Max.”

  Chad took a deep breath, grabbed the phone, and answered his best friend. “Max, hey. What’s up?”

  “What’s up? Chad, your dad and I were worried sick about you last night. I should’ve figured you’d ended up back at my old house. I don’t live there anymore, you know.”

  “I didn’t stop by to visit you.”

  Daniel gave him a pointed look. It didn’t help when Daniel crossed his arms. All those bulging muscles left him tongue-tied for a few moments. God. He loved looking at his mate. Mate. Chad still haven’t gotten used to that word. He wanted to shout the news from every rooftop of this city.

  Daniel closed in, stood behind him, and wrapped his arms around him. Chad felt all snuggly, happy and warm. He leaned against his mate, inhaled Daniel’s scent. His own scent now bore traces of the Alpha. Any shifter who took one whiff of him and saw the mate mark on his neck would know Chad was untouchable.

  “Chad? You still there?”

  Guilt wormed its way inside him. “Yeah. Max, I’m sorry. Last night, I got a little too wasted.”

  Daniel tightened his embrace. Chad knew that would never happen again. When Daniel mated him, all the confusion, the emptiness he’d been feeling over the past few months, disappeared. His wolf felt different now, a lot calmer. Whole. Chad wanted to be a better mate to Daniel, to put all his partying days behind him. To become sober. Escape the temptations of the city and start somewhere new with his mate.

  It could do them both some good.

  “I want to apologize, too. I’ve been neglecting our friendship lately—”

  Chad cut him off. “It’s fine to focus on your relationship, and besides, you don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

  “Chad, I don’t understand, but we’ll talk more. We’re pulling up the pack house driveway.”

  “We?” he asked. Chad had a bad feeling about this.

  “Did I forget to mention? Grant and I bumped into your dad last night. We’re both heading there. His car is right behind ours. You’re sober, right? I forgot how scary your dad is.”

  Max didn’t need to remind him of that fact.

  “I’m sober,” he said. “Max, I need to tell you something important and I—”

  “See you soon, Chad.”

  Max ended the call, and Chad stared at his phone in his hand. “Oh shit.”

  Daniel spun him by the shoulders, tipped Chad’s chin with his fingers, and looked him right in the eye. “Baby, there’s nothing to worry about. Everything’s going to be all right.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Chapter 8

  “Can you at least put on a shirt? You’re very distracting,” Chad said.

  Daniel frowned at his mate. This was his house, his property, and he was still the Alpha of the Goldcrest Pack. Daniel was about to remind Chad of those things, but sensing anxiety from Chad, he grabbed a shirt.

  Chad had plenty to worry about, but Daniel decided this situation provided him the opportunity to clear things up with both Allan and Max. Daniel found Chad staring at him, looking a little pale for his liking.

  “I think I like it more when you dress more casually.”

  Chad sounded nervous. Daniel offered him a hand. Chad walked up to him, took it. Daniel gave Chad’s fingers a squeeze. “I meant what I said, baby. I’ll make everything right. Do you regret anything?”

  Daniel knew what Chad felt for him, but he wanted to put Chad in better spirits. Chad gave him a withering look.

  “What kind of question is that?”

  “Fire in your eyes. That’s better. No reason to be afraid of how Allan will react.”

  Chad gulped. “You’re right. Let’s go. I can hear Max’s voice downstairs.”

  Daniel opened the bedroom door, unsurprised to see Ben standing there.

  “Alpha, you have guests,” Ben said. His Beta peered at Chad over his shoulder. “Will you introduce your mate officially to the pack soon?”

  Daniel bit back a growl. Chad grabbed onto his arm tightly again. Ben’s question wasn’t helping his mate deal with his nerves one bit. “Soon, but I suspect everyone in the pack felt the change in the pack bonds when I mated Chad.”

  “Still, it’s good to make the official announcement.”

  One problem at a time, Daniel reminded himself. Chad’s reaction to him stepping down as Alpha was good news. His mate supported his decision. The next step was convincing Ben to take over the pack.

  “We’ll talk, after my meeting with Allan,” he told Ben.

  “Very good, Alpha. I’ll have the healer standing by. They’re waiting in the receiving room,” Ben said, leaving them.

  “Why that cheeky Beta,” Chad grumbled next to him. “A healer?”

  “It’s a sensible decision. I expect Allan won’t react logically to the news.”

  Chad stared at him and swallowed. “You’re prepared to fight my dad?”

  “Only if he resorts to violence first. I promise you that,” Daniel reassured his mate. “Hurting my best friend is the last thing on my mind, but I have every right to defend my choice and my mate.”

  “I understand.” Chad took a deep breath. Daniel sent calming waves of energy through their mate bond. “Let’s go meet them.”

  On their way to meet Allan and Max, they met a few of Daniel’s pack mates. Daniel felt their curiosity. He stopped to talk to them, introduced Chad. The older members of his pack didn’t seem all that surprised by his choice while the younger werewolves merely giggled and walked away.

  To his credit, Chad stepped out of his shell and talked to them. Chad had always been good with dealing with people, Daniel remembered. At social events, Chad was always there to calm Allan down whenever Allan lost his temper.

  Finally, they stood at the doors to the receiving room. Daniel glimpsed Maria, the pack healer, in the corridor. She gave him a brief nod. He didn’t imagine the faces trying to take a sneak peek at the commotion that was about to erupt. Daniel sighed. Everyone in the pack house probably knew what was happening.

  “Everyone we passed by is gossiping about us,” Chad told him.

  “Ignore them. It will all go away.” Daniel opened the doors. He spotted Max and Grant, talking quietly in one corner of the room. Seeing them, Max turned and grinned at Chad. Max was about to run to them, but Grant grabbed the back of his shirt, his eyes narrowed.

  “You.” Allan got to his feet, looked enraged as a mad bull.

  A growl emerged from Allan. Daniel seized his best friend up. Chad had inherited his blue eyes from his father but his gold hair from his mother. Allan was about his height and size, except instead of hitting the gym, Allan had neglected his body. Still, the other Alpha was formidable in a fight. Any contender who dared to challenge Allan for his pack always lost. Badly.

  Chad began to shake. Daniel slid his arm around Chad’s shoulders and brought him close to his chest. Chad pressed a hand to his chest, looked up at him, and flashed him a nervous smile.

  Max choked on his next words, before finally managing to spit them out. “Oh my God. It finally happened.”

  “Daniel, you fucking traitor. Ge
t your filthy paws off my son.” Allan started to breathe hard. His face took on a brilliant shade of red.

  “Calm down, Allan.” Daniel sounded calm enough, but all the aggressive energy coming off Allan was riling up his own Alpha beast. The wolf was pissed, because another dangerous Alpha was in their own territory, trying to take away what was most important to them. Their mate.

  He’s my best friend, he reminded his beast. Except Allan looked ready to murder him on the spot.

  “Calm down? You scent-marked my son, my only boy and—” Allan moved his gaze from him and back to Chad. It didn’t help that his little wolf tugged the collar of his shirt down, showing off Daniel’s mate mark.

  “Dad, listen. Daniel and I chose each other,” Chad stated.

  “You mated him?” Allan demanded, ignoring his son.

  “You said your son needed a firm hand. Here I am.” Daniel placed himself in front of Chad, using himself as a shield. Trying to reason with Allan at this stage was pointless. Daniel knew his best friend. Allan always resorted to claws and teeth every single time in a fight. Allan didn’t do words.

  “Dad, I can’t believe you just said those words,” Max whispered.

  “Max, we’re leaving,” Grant said, giving him a curt nod. Daniel appreciated Grant trying to steer his son away, but Max stubbornly stayed put.

  “You bastard.” Allan practically growled out the words. Clothing ripped.

  “Don’t interfere,” Daniel told Chad. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt him that badly.”

  “Be careful,” Chad whispered, then snuck a quick kiss to his cheek.

  That only further enraged Allan. Chad wisely ran away from him and towards Max. Allan lunged at him, already in half-beast and half-wolf form. Daniel shifted. His own shirt and pants tore as his wolf struggled to get out of him.

  “Listen to reason,” he told Allan. “I’ll take good care of your son.”

  Allan slammed into him like a wrecking ball and tackled him to the ground. Fur appeared over his chest and shoulders. Claws emerged from his hands and feet. Daniel avoided Allan’s swipe to the side of his neck. Trust his friend to go for his carotid artery. He heard Chad gasp in the background. Daniel focused on the fight, knew how deadly Allan could be.