by Toby Aden
Gregory yanked open the door to his room and felt his heart drop to the ground, his jaws falling open and his hands clenching hard.
* * * *
“Do you need my help? I will leave my men to assist you in retrieving your mate,” Kevyan offered.
With a shake of his head, Gregory responded, “No. This is pack business, and we will handle it.” He clasped hands with Kevyan before nodding. “Thank you for coming.”
“We’ll take our leave,” Kevyan said then waited for Dorian to hug Gregory.
“I hope you find him,” Dorian whispered before pulling back and allowing Kevyan to lead him out of the house, their bodyguards surrounding them as they set off for their home.
Gregory turned to his enforcers and betas. “Round everyone up. We’re going after my mate.”
The betas nodded and went to do as bid, all of them meeting outside in a few minutes. Gregory was surprised to see Victor, as well as some of his men, waiting there, too. He raised a questioning brow.
“We’re coming along. I had not made room for this predicament when I asked for your help. The least I could do is ensure we find your mate.”
Gregory nodded. “Any idea where they might have gone?”
“My best guess it back to Yenassi pack. As deranged as he is right now, my father always did love poetic justice. He would want to maul Will to death where Dirk was killed.”
Gregory pressed his lip into an unforgiving line, grinding his teeth as he nodded. “Let’s move out, men.”
Together with the Mendez brothers, everyone got into the separate cars and motorbikes that would make the journey to the Yenassi pack quicker. The journey was made in silence, everyone prepared for what they would have to do the moment they caught up with Colin and the few men who had managed to escape with him.
When they finally reached the house that had belonged to the Mendez brothers when they had lived with the Yenassi pack, Gregory jumped out of the still-moving car and marched toward the door.
“Colin!” he yelled, tearing the door to the house wide open. “Face me, you coward!”
He tore through the house like a tornado, searching for his mate. When he found Colin hovering over his mate, Gregory flew at Colin, shedding his human skin, and trading it for his four-legged beast form in mid leap and he attacked. Two hulking wolf forms crashing into each other. They growled at each other, drool dripping from menacing razor-sharp canines. Teeth snapping, deep growls pulsating through the room, paws with sharp claws swiping at each other, the two alphas fought a brutal battle, both aiming for the death of the other.
Colin’s moves, though, were crazed but sharp, meaning Gregory was all sleek moves and power. They engaged each other, circling the other before charging and attacking with their claws and canines and everything they had in them, both fueled by revenge and rage. Neither wolf cared one bit about the others in the room, nothing except ensuring that they could deliver the deathblow.
With the two alphas engaged in a bitter battle to the death, Gavin and Victor, as well as the betas and enforcers who’d come along with them, made quick works of Colin’s followers, ensuring that no one interfered with the fight to the death of the other Alphas and none were left around to carry any tales.
Once there were no more threats from Colin’s followers, the betas, enforcers, Victor, and the Mendez brother, all in their wolf forms, formed a circle around the fighting wolves and watched the battle with their sharper senses.
With Colin down, Gregory clamped down on Colin’s neck and tried to tear out the other Alpha’s throat, but Colin dug his claws into Gregory’s side and bit down hard on his flank. When Gregory softened his grasp on Colin’s neck from the unexpected attack, Colin took advantage and used Gregory’s distraction to shove the Alpha off of him. The two Alphas separated and circled each other, blood matted on their furs before attacking each other once more. In a move totally unexpected, Gregory clamped his razor-sharp teeth on Colin’s neck and yanked, tearing Colin’s neck out and watching dispassionately as the Alpha dropped down in a thud, dead on impact.
Gregory quickly changed back into his human form, unconcerned of his naked state, and rushed toward Will, pulling his mate into his arms and holding on to the shuddering body. He heard and felt Will crying, shaking, reduced into a blubbering mess in his arms, and he hated Colin for doing this to him once more. Bringing him into the home he’d been nearly raped in and which he hadn’t set foot in again in five years. Bringing the memories back to the surface and tormenting his mate with it.
He hated the man with a passion, and it was lucky someone had seen fit to drag the dead carcass out of his sight or he’d unleash his anger over the body once more. He ran soothing hands over Will’s hair, his back, his face, whispering sweet nothings and reassurances into his mate’s ear.
“You’re safe, Will. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry he kidnapped you right out from under my nose,” Gregory kept whispering, trying to soothe his mate and settle the man’s fears. “I love you more than anything. Can’t ever lose you,” Gregory said, rocking Will in his arms until the man calmed down, drained both emotionally and physically and fell into an exhausted slumber.
Gregory lifted Will into his arms, noticing the Mendez brothers standing behind them, their faces ranging from anger to worry. He then turned to face Victor. “I’m taking him home.”
And with that, he walked out of the room, Will in his arms, to the car that awaited him outside. He got into the backseat of the car with Will in his arms then ordered the driver to set off for the Santiago pack.
They had a long six hours’ journey ahead of them, but he would not have his mate remain in the vicinity of that pack one minute longer, regardless of how tired they all were.
Chapter Seventeen
Gregory carried an unconscious Will up to their room back in the Santiago Alpha compound. He moved straight toward the bathroom, moving with purpose and the strong desire to wash away the day’s events from his mate’s body. He turned on the shower and began pealing Will’s clothes from his body.
“Wake up, mate. Let’s take a shower. It’ll just be a minute,” Gregory said, trying to coax Will awake.
“Sleep,” Will mumbled groggily, the effect of the drugs still lingering in his system, as well as exhaustion from all he’d been through weighing him down.
“In a bit. This won’t take long,” Gavin said then led Will into the stall and under the hot spray of water.
He made quick work of washing him before ushering Will out of the stall and drying every inch of Will’s body then leading him to their bedroom. He turned the duvet down then slid into bed with Will, pulling the duvet over them and pulling Will into the curve of his arms, with Will burying his face into his chest.
“Go to sleep, mate. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
They were both quiet for a long, long while before Will began shaking in Gregory’s arm. Neither of them had been able to succumb to sleep, the events of the day playing over and over again in their minds. Gregory ran his hand over Will’s back.
“You’re safe, Will. I would never let anything happen to you. Inviting Colin here was an oversight on my part. I should have taken more precautions, and for that, I am terribly sorry,” Gregory said, his voice gruff.
Will shook his head, digging his nails into Gregory’s naked back as he tightened his arms around his mate’s body. “Please make love to me. I want to feel something. Anything but what I’m currently feeling. Please.”
“You never have to beg, Will. I’ll always give you what you want, what you need,” Gregory said then pulled Will up until they stared eye to eye before he claimed Will’s mouth in a soft, gentle kiss. When he tore his mouth away, he peered into Will’s eyes and asked, “Are you sure?”
Will nodded. “Please.”
Gregory nodded and brought his mouth back onto Will’s for a kiss. When he pulled back, he asked, “What do you want?”
“I want to suck you off.”
Gregory lay back on
the bed, arms outstretched at his sides, lips curving slightly. “I’m all yours. Do what you want.”
Will trailed his eyes down Gregory’s impressive frame then glanced back at Gregory, brows raised. “Really?”
“Yeah. Have at it,” Gregory said, relaxed and pliant on the bed for Will’s pleasure.
Lips curving upward, Will began trailing his fingers down Gregory’s body. He scraped his finger against Gregory’s nipple, eyes twinkling a bit at the hiss that released from Gregory’s lips. He trailed his hand down Gregory’s hard stomach, dipped it into Gregory’s navel, then began using his mouth to trace the part his fingers had just moved over. He climbed over Gregory, straddling the man, then continued his exploration.
He licked down Gregory bulging biceps then bit down on it gently before licking and kissing it. He then scraped his teeth on Gregory’s shoulder.
“I want to mark you,” Will whispered.
Gregory groaned, clenching his hand in the bed sheet. “Whatever you want,” he breathed out.
Will moved down, licking and laving and biting and tasting as he trailed down Gregory’s body. He dipped his tongue into Gregory’s navel then lowered farther down Gregory’s body, licking and kissing around Gregory’s pelvis and thighs. He buried his nose into Gregory’s pubic hairs, inhaling the strong scent of his mate before palming the large straining cock in his hand.
“Take me in your mouth, Will,” Gregory commanded, hands buried in Will’s hair as he raised his hips, brushing his erection against Will’s lips.
* * * *
Will pulled the head of Gregory’s cock into his mouth and licked it then sucked it. He worked the head of Gregory’s cock, dragging groans from Gregory’s lips before he opened his mouth wide and pulled more of Gregory’s erection into his mouth, sucking and licking on it while using his hand to pump the base of Gregory’s cock, which could not enter his mouth.
He sucked hard on Gregory’s cock, milking the straining member for all he was worth, hollowing his mouth out and taking more and more in. He was encouraged by Gregory thrashing about on the bed and cursing and moaning aloud. He followed his mate’s enjoyment of what he was doing and kept it up, sucking hard on Gregory’s cock until he was yanked off Gregory’s cock and pulled up.
He stared at Gregory in confusion, brows furrowed. “Did I do something wrong?”
* * * *
“Don’t want to come in your mouth. Would rather come in your ass,” Gregory said, his voice strained, and he flipped until Will was under him. Then he fumbled for the lube in the bedside table, pulling it out and pouring a generous amount in his hand.
Gregory made short works of prepping Will for his cock, and then, after lubing up his dick, he aligned himself up and thrust into Will’s body, hard. The moment he slipped in, Will yelled and bit down at the junction where Gregory’s neck and shoulder met. Gregory gentled his thrusts, making shallow and slow thrusts inside Will’s body, and the man pulled his canines out of Gregory’s shoulder, licking the wound.
“Harder,” Will demanded, clamping his ass down on Gregory’s dick.
Gregory pinned Will’s hand over his head and against the bed. “No. I want to take my time and go slow. I will give you what you want,” he said, punctuating his words with a slow snap of his hips into Will’s body. “But slowly.”
Will moaned but nodded, his teeth biting down on his bottom lip.
“Good. I love you,” Gregory said, peering into Will’s eyes and watching as they went wide with what he wasn’t sure but he saw a speck of surprise. Then he repeated the words again, thrusting into Will’s body. “I love you.”
With those words, Gregory thrust into Will’s body slowly, pushing in then pulling out, savoring the fact that he had not been too late to save his mate from the arms of a crazed man. That he’d been there to save his mate and bring him back home where he belonged.
“I love you,” Gregory said again.
While looking into each other’s eyes, Gregory moved in and out of Will’s ass, taking the moment to really cherish and feel what was growing between them, the feeling exploding through them as they expressed the physical joy of it with their bodies. They continued that way, experiencing a profound moment between them and relishing it.
They cried out, they moaned, they groaned, but not once did they look away from each other, not even when an orgasm so powerful tore through the both of them with Will crying out Gregory’s name as he shot his release between their bodies and Gregory crying out Will’s name as he shot his release inside Will’s body.
Their bodies quaked with the force of the orgasms that tore out of them, stronger than anything they had ever experienced before and more potent than anything else, especially with each seeing the love and adoration clear in the other’s eyes.
When they finally stopped coming, Gregory pulled out of Will’s body and collapsed on top of the smaller, lithe frame. He pulled Will into his arms and took the man’s mouth in a kiss, pushing his tongue in and drawing Will’s out to play. They kissed leisurely for a long time, content to just keep tasting the other.
They broke apart to drag air into their lung, and then they stared at each other with awe and wonder. Gregory used the pad of his thumb to caress Will’s high cheekbones, a lazy smile crossing over his face.
“I love you, Will,” he whispered than pecked Will’s swollen lips before climbing off the man and the bed and padding into the bathroom.
He came back out with a wet washcloth and taking his time, using care and love, he used the cloth to wipe Will off. Once he was done, he tossed the washcloth over his shoulder onto the ground before climbing back into the bed and pulling Will into his arms once more. They nuzzled into each other, content to stay that way in blissed comfortable silence, the smell of their musk and sex in the air, yet neither caring one bit about it.
“Will you tell me about it now?” Gregory asked.
A shudder ran through Will’s body, but Gregory felt the barely-there nod from his mate and felt himself relax a bit.
“I’m sure you’ve heard the whole thing about a thousand times already from my brothers and Victor and Colin,” Will said.
Gregory was silent for a while, and then when he finally spoke, he said, “I knew the bare bones of what happened to you a long time ago…”
Will stiffened in Gregory’s arms. “You knew? Since when?”
“Since your brothers hinted about something happening and I looked into why you all moved around a lot. I knew you were all running from murder charges, and I knew that something had happened to you, but I didn’t know the exact details of it.”
Still unrelentingly stiff, Will asked, “If you knew, why did you never say anything?”
“I’ve heard your brothers’ versions of what happened, and I saw the report my betas gave me, but not yours. I wanted you to tell me, to trust me, and I’m sorry if it looks as though I broke your trust or went behind your back, but I needed to prepare myself to better help you.”
Will was silent for a long while, not saying anything until he finally let out his breath in a sigh. “I can understand why you did what you did, but I hate remembering it, and I didn’t want you to look at me any differently. Pity or disappointment, I didn’t want any of that from you. I thought if I’d said anything about it, you might not want me anymore,” Will said quietly.
Gregory pulled Will back until he could stare directly at his mate. He used his thumb to lift Will’s chin, ensuring that the man could look nowhere else but at him. “I could never, never not want you anymore. Do you understand?” Gregory asked, putting much emphasis on the never. “I will always want you, and there’s nothing you could do that would make me disappointed in you. You’re a good person, Will. So bright, so kind, so precious, and all I want is to cherish you and hold you close to my heart.”
* * * *
Tears slid down Will’s face at the declaration from Gregory, and he felt his throat close up from the pressure of holding in the tears. He shook his hea
d and buried his face in Gregory’s chest, hugging his mate tighter to his body.
“He was always there.” Will’s voice was low, and Gregory did not have to ask who the he was. He already knew. “Always, he hovered, and he let me know he was constantly watching me, but my brothers could not always be there to protect me you know. They’d leave me alone for a single moment and he’d be there. Taunting me, telling me the plans he had for me. He made my skin crawl. Gavin had already told me that we would run before Dirk could get his hands on me, and I believed them. That night, my brothers were not around. They’d gone to scout our route out of the pack territory when Dirk came around.”
Will dragged in a ragged breath then continued. “He broke into the house when I refused to open the door to him. He was stronger, but I was faster. I ran. I tried to hide, but he caught me, and I struggled to get away, and I wanted to get away, but he kept grabbing me. He was just there, everywhere, and I couldn’t get away, and he would have hurt me, taken me by force if my brothers hadn’t found us just then and stopped it. I felt so weak, so pathetic.”
Will shook his head. “I was in shock. Just operating on autopilot the whole time we were running out of the pack. When we finally got out to the car Jason had gotten us to drive far, far away, I didn’t think I could take any more steps farther. I was done, and I don’t remember much of the ride away or anything else. I later found out that Jason sedated me. Gave me an out and I was glad for it,” he whispered, tears streaming down his face. “I hated being weak. I hated myself for so long, and I was like a robot just doing whatever would make my brothers stop worrying about me but, on the inside, feeling dead, like I was nothing.”
