by Jenny Tia
“Better?” Alpha Hughes still spoke loudly, but at least the distance gave the microphone a chance to pick up something more.
“Yes, perfect.”
“What were the trucks carrying, Alpha De León?”
“Food.”
“We’ve had three trucks intercepted recently,” Alpha Rowan added. “Full of agricultural supplies. Most of it was taken, and the rest was destroyed.”
Casius blew air through pursed lips and glanced at me, then at Hughes.
“Alpha Hughes… I have to admit we’re a little nervous out here,” Alpha De León said softly.
Alpha Rowan cleared his throat. “Frankly, we are too. The intuition around town is that something bad is brewing. We’re worried things are going to progress soon, and we need to prepare for war if the humans are planning an attack.”
We all fell silent. Alpha Hughes and Casius shared a look, and I felt my stomach sinking. Alpha Hughes was usually the first to tell anyone—leader, Guard, civilian—not to worry, that we were all safe… But now he was dead quiet.
“Any updates on the human prisoners in Everglow? Any intel from them at all?” Alpha De León asked with a sharpness in his tone.
Alpha Hughes wet his lips. I wondered how much he was willing to disclose about the wolf hybrid we had in custody. Apparently, nothing. He dodged the question by relaying what had happened to Stef. “We just had a hawk scouting around the Supreme Alpha Select’s home, here in Everglow. You had any other shifters showing suspicious activity in your areas?”
“No, sir. Not that I’m aware of.”
“None here, either. But we’ll be on full alert for any of that now. Did you say it was at the home of the Supreme Alpha Select?”
“Correct.”
“And no similar sightings at your home, sir?”
“No, not as yet.”
The phone call got wrapped up quickly, but the suggestion of more enemy scouts had been planted. Alpha Hughes turned to me as soon as the call ended.
“Do you think that the hawk targeted this house for a reason? Do you have any reason to believe that it’s Stef who was targeted?”
I raised my eyebrows and gripped the arms of the chair. I felt like I was taking a polygraph test.
“No, sir. I have no idea why they were here, sir.”
“Hm.” Alpha Hughes sat back in his chair. He seemed satisfied with my answer, but there was something still nagging the back of my mind.
My wolf nudged me to speak my mind, and I was relieved when my voice came out clear and strong. “But I want to know why other shifters are helping the humans who want to destroy us. Why? Why would they help them do that?”
Alpha Hughes shook his head and looked down at his feet. I couldn’t read him at all, but Casius, who was as close to me as a brother, was easier. He copied Alpha Hughes’s body language and shrugged. I resisted the urge to growl. They might not have been telling me outright, but it was clear to me there was more to our history with the humans than I’d been taught. Maybe more than I’d ever know.
16
Stefan
“There will be extra security at the house from here on out,” Nic said when he came out of Casius’s office. He placed his hands on my shoulders and gently squeezed them.
“Who? The boy scouts running around outside? I’m sure Casius is going back to the hospital now. Am I supposed to just relax knowing there’s still no explanation for what happened out in those woods?” My frustration showed in my tone, which was more snappy than I meant it to be, but I was shocked that Nic was really going to leave me in this precarious situation. I wanted to yank away from his touch, but to be truthful, it gave me a sense of security his words lacked.
“Mikel will be here soon. He’s already on his way. He’ll take good care of you.” Nic looked sad when he said it, and then he dropped his hands from my shoulders. “It seems like you want some space from me, anyway, so…”
He shrugged defeatedly and looked crestfallen. My stomach twisted, and I realized I’d really hurt back at the hospital. Here he was, trying to protect me and dropping everything to come to my call, and I was still accusing him of doing the wrong thing.
“I’m…sorry…” The words kind of stuck in my throat because I was unused to having to make apologies. “I’m sorry.” It was more convincing this time. “I’m going through a lot of changes all at once. And I’m not handling it well right now. It’s not your fault.”
Actually, part of it was his fault. The whisper of mate bounced around in my head.
Nic raised his head. “Wow, I’m really glad to hear you say that. I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.”
“Instead of staying here… Maybe I could go home with you? If you’re going home now, that is?” I asked him tentatively, hoping my apology was enough to win his trust again. I would have rather been with him in our slightly complicated dynamic than have to process all my emotions about this weird day with a near-stranger like Mikel hanging around.
Nic’s expression immediately softened, and he looked from my eyes to my nose to my lips. Before I realized his intent, he leaned in to kiss me, and despite my conflicted feelings, I gave in completely, and my wolf sighed happily. For a few moments, the connection between us felt real. And I felt so safe.
Nic pulled away slowly. “Yes, you can come home with me,” he said, his voice warm and tender.
“Thank you.” I rested my forehead on his shoulder. He rubbed my back slowly, and I felt myself melting into him.
Nic waited while I threw a few things in a bag. By the time I came back out to the living room, Mikel had arrived. He looked like half the man he was last time I saw him. Dark shadows sat below his normally bright eyes, and there were smudges of grime on his uniform. The smell of wet dog emanated from under his clothes.
“Dear moon goddess, what happened to you, Mikel?” I wrinkled my nose and slung my bag over my shoulder.
“I’ve been on patrol at the borders. I haven’t been to the station in days, let alone home.”
“Well, I’m taking Stef to my place.” Nic patted Mikel’s wide, square shoulder. “I have the day off, so I can chill with him. You can keep an eye on things here… There are plenty of scouts outside, though, I’m sure they’ll be fine if you want to rest awhile.”
“Oh, man, that would be great.” Mikel’s face lit up. “I’m going to take a shower. It’s going to be long. And hot. Maybe if Casius has an extra razor I can even shave.”
“Sounds good. Knock yourself out.”
“Take care of yourself, Mikel,” I said, my nurse voice creeping in. “Sleep will do you some good.”
“Thanks, Stef. Thanks, Nic.” Mikel gave us a wan smile. “You guys are the greatest. I’ll see you later.”
When we got to Nic’s, he seemed angsty. Restless. He paced around the kitchen getting us two glasses of water with ice, but even after he drank some, he still seemed uneasy. He drummed his fingers on the counter.
“Nic, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, not really. I think I just need to take a run. My wolf is so restless I don’t think I’ll be able to relax until I do. But I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I could go for another run. My last one wasn’t exactly relaxing…” I remembered how emotionally fucked up I had felt after realizing Julian and Casius were moving on with their lives without me, and then I experienced something like blind panic at the hawk shifter sighting. I winced.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I think so. As long as I’m not alone. Are these woods part of the protected zone?” I motioned to the view out of his living room windows.
He nodded.
“Alright. Well, that would be perfect, then. Let’s do it.”
Nic downed the last of his water, and I felt a surge of lust move through my groin as I watched the bob of his Adam’s apple. My wolf’s attention perked up at the thought of running with Nic’s wolf.
He smiled at me, took off his shirt, and walked over to the
living room door. I followed suit, enjoying the view of his broad, triangular back as we went. Once we were outside, we stripped off the rest of our clothes, and the sunshine felt incredibly nourishing on my skin. When I looked over at Nic, I felt saliva gather on my tongue. His muscles were thrown into contrast by the sun’s strong rays, shadows contouring every rippling, curving bulge as he twisted around to remove one of his socks. He looked up, and an impish grin crept across his jaw when he saw the way I was looking at him. He strolled over to me, pressed a hot kiss on my lips, and then took off running across the backyard, his round, pale butt bouncing like two volleyballs as he went. I took off after him, and when we reached the tree line, we both shifted.
Nic’s wolf was stunning. He was huge, with long legs and dark mocha fur highlighted with light spots of creamy latte on his shoulders and tail. His orange eyes glowed as he looked me over. Meanwhile, his big, dark ears turned around in different directions like satellites as he took in the sounds of the forest.
He led me through the trees toward a rushing waterfall. The water had an eerie glow to it, just like Julian had told me after he’d visited Casius in Everglow for the first time. It was a sight to behold, especially with my wolf vision because I could discern each sparkle of light pouring off the cascading waters.
Nic and I just stood side by side and stared at the water for a while. Then I let out a howl as I finally felt some respite from the tension of the day. Nic joined in then looked at me, panting happily with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. He rubbed his snout against my neck and then took off down the trail, back toward his house.
When we broke out of the shaded forest into the bright daylight of Nic’s backyard, I was strangely energized. I thought the run would sap the last of my nerves but my body vibrated as I walked beside Nic through the grass. The full moon was coming, I realized, so I must have been reacting to that surge of celestial energy.
We stepped back inside and when I looked over at Nic in all his naked glory, heat started to ripple across my skin. I could feel my face flush and start to sweat. My nostrils dilated and I took in Nic’s scent. He must have released stronger pheromones than normal or maybe I was reacting more strongly because of the moon. Or…
Nic walked toward me and put his hand on my back. A sudden need to be filled surged through my heart, mind, and ass.
Oh. I’m not just hot. I’m in heat!
Nic sniffed the air and came to the same realization I had. His eyes flashed orange, and this time when he leaned in to kiss me, it was with a ferociousness I didn’t expect.
17
Nicolas
I was lost in Stefan’s scent, and I wanted more. I’d been around omegas in heat before, but the scent of my mate in heat was something else entirely. His slick smelled so sweet and strong I could practically taste it. My wolf yowled for me to get Stef on his knees and rut against him. My gums itched to bite him.
I growled low and deep. Stefan kissed my neck, nipped my earlobe, and whimpered right into my ear. A shiver ran down my spine and my cock stood at full attention. A rush of urgency moved through me and I grabbed his hand, yanked him through the apartment, and then tossed him onto the bed.
Stef flopped onto his belly. He moaned desperately as I rifled through my bedside drawer for a condom. I would have loved not to use one like last time, but I didn’t want to accidentally get Stef pregnant and have him blame me for it.
The sound of his impatience made my dick jump and my balls pull up against my body. His ass was perfectly round and fuzzy with soft, downy blond hair. He stuck it higher into the air as he arched his back, and the scent of his slick filled me. I groaned and my eyes fluttered shut for just a moment. When I opened them again, saliva poured into my mouth.
He huffed and glared at me over his shoulder. “Are you just going to stand there?”
“I’m admiring you.”
“Show me.” He rolled onto his back, propped up on his elbows, and smiled at me. The pull between us tightened and I felt myself carried forward by an energy that wasn’t my own. Or was it just my desire? I landed on the bed on my knees and walked forward on them until I’d wedged myself between Stef’s spread legs. His chest stirred with short, excited breaths, and he wet his lips as his gaze darted all over my face. I rested my forehead against his and let out a quiet but demanding growl.
Warmth radiated off him, and when he wrapped his arms around me, he felt startlingly hot. Like being in a sauna.
“I want you,” he said.
“How do you want me?”
“Deep. Hard. Now.”
I grabbed his thighs and yanked them up over my hips. His breathing changed, becoming heavier, and he squeezed his legs around me. He kissed me, hungrily pushing his tongue into my mouth while he grabbed the condom out of my hand and ripped the packet open. I melted into his kiss and felt completely possessed by it as he slid the rubber onto my cock with both hands. I could practically taste his slick in the space between us. My dick throbbed and ached. I heard myself groaning without meaning to.
“Fuck me, Nic,” Stef whispered as he lay back and urged my hips toward his.
The desperation in his voice was intoxicating. A surge of power moved through me. I grabbed his jaw with one hand and my cock with the other. I growled. “Are you going to be good? Will you behave?”
He frowned, confused for a moment. “I’m always good.” I tightened my grip and stared at him and saw understanding dawning in his bright blue eyes. “Oh, yes, sir. I’ll be so good for you.”
I released his jaw and gave his cheek a gentle slap. His eyes grew wide and he smiled up at me. “Oh, I like this!”
“You’ll like this even more.” I hoisted his hips up and pushed the tip of my cock against his ass crack. Immediately, before I even got close to his hole, heat engulfed the head of my dick. Slick was pouring out of him, coating his ass and inner thighs. My dick throbbed, and I aimed it at where I needed it most.
Stefan’s whole body became pliable as I eased the top of my cock into his hole. He moaned and rolled his head to one side then the other, licking his lips. He blinked slowly and looked up at me with a satisfied grin.
Though his satisfaction was my main goal, I wanted to put another look on his face.
I grabbed his hips tightly and rammed into him. His ass gave no resistance and took half of my cock in one thrust. He gasped and I grunted as his ass tightened around the middle of my dick. He looked at me in shock, his mouth agape.
“You said you’d be good. Take my cock.”
He swallowed then nodded and did what I asked, relaxing his muscles so I managed to slide my whole cock inside him on my next thrust.
“That’s right,” I said in praise. He let out a weak whimper and tightened his ass against my dick again. “Damn, you feel so good.” His ass was hot, tight and slick, and I paused to relish in the sensation.
“You feel so, so, so, good,” he whined. He wriggled, trying to feel all of my dick inside him. Precum oozed from the tip of his hard, pink dick and pooled in the dip of his navel. I let go of one hip and dipped my thumb into the clear fluid, and then brought it to my mouth, watching his face as he moaned. Then, just to tease him, I wrapped my fingers around his cock and gave it a few firm strokes.
“Oh, god! Nic! Please!”
His ass felt like it was milking my dick, as if it begged me for the friction of a hard fuck. With both hands back on his hips, I took a deep breath and let the scent of his thick slick pour down my throat. The warmth from his thighs, wrapped around my waist, made me feel like I was the one in heat. With a hoarse groan, I pulled almost all the way out.
Stefan tensed a little and clutched the sheets, he was right to—my rut took over and I rammed my cock so hard into him I worried I might have hurt him. He yelped, but then smiled brightly up at me before he closed his eyes as I started to fuck him hard and deep, just like he wanted.
He felt so fucking good. His ass tightened as I pushed in, the resistance felt like a firm
grip, and just drove my rut higher. His hole loosened up to let me slip out quickly, so I could thrust into him faster and faster. Soon, I was fucking his hole like it was the best thing I’d ever felt—and it was.
The moans escaping my throat were brutal, desperate, and demanding. My eyes rolled back, and I growled. I wanted to give him my breeding knot. Though I didn’t actually have any control over it, Stef was in heat and he was my mate, so it wasn’t a stretch to assume I’d develop a breeding knot—my body’s instinctive response to get my mate pregnant.
I pulled out and flipped him over onto his front. He tried to rise up onto all fours, but I pushed down on his shoulder blades while lifting his hips. When he seemed to understand what position I wanted him, I planted my feet firmly on the outside of his knees and squatted over him. Then I slid my dick back inside him. Stefan shuddered and a desperate whine escaped his throat, setting me off.
I growled close to his ear. “I’m going to fucking knot you up.”
Driven by desire, frustration and pure love, I let my rut take over, slamming hard and fast into my mate. Exactly as I predicted, my knot began to grow. Outside the condom, my swelling knot was exposed to the wetness of his slick, and the silky sensation drove me to slam into him faster and harder.
Stefan tried to push up onto his hands, but the idea of him being under my control suddenly appealed, and I wrapped my arms around his chest and pulled him tighter to me so he couldn’t move. He briefly struggled, but then went limp in my arms. In that moment I experienced an immense amount of satisfaction at his complete submission to me.
“Oh yes. You are so good, Stefan.”
He turned his face to the side and gazed up at me, his eyes all soft and dreamy. He’d never looked more beautiful. Something ticked over inside my chest, and my wolf became restless, wanting me to claim Stef. I had to use all my willpower to resist, but the desire to make him mine was intense. I growled, and somehow my knot swelled even more.
