by Apollo Surge
Charlie was surprised with the confidence and assertiveness that carried his words. Ian was stunned as Charlie pushed past him and left the bar with a smug smile on his face. It was a shame to see Ian fall into such bitterness, but Charlie felt strong, and as he made his way home he knew that he would be able to face Will and bring up all the issues that they needed to speak about.
It did make him wonder though how his life would have been different had he chosen to pursue something with Ian rather than Will. After what Delilah had told him, Charlie wasn’t sure how much of the pregnancy was due to his own genetic quirks and the strength of Will’s wolf’s blood. He’d always been safe before, so if he could get pregnant with a regular human he wouldn’t have known. Perhaps there could have been a similar future with Ian, but Ian had made it clear that he was unstable.
It was funny, really. On the first night, Will had seem the more unstable one of the two, smelling of liquor and slurring his words, accosting Charlie, a stranger at the time, but even then he had known that Ian had been wrong for Charlie. The likelihood was that if Charlie had gotten together with Ian the relationship would have been fine for a while, but then would have dwindled and faded like all of Charlie’s other relationships had.
In truth, he couldn’t imagine himself with anyone other than Will. The thought of it made him sick.
He rushed home as quickly as possible and was surprised to see the apartment cloaked in darkness. He stepped inside, wondering where Will had gone.
“Hello Charlie,” Will said. Charlie jumped, startled, and looked towards the couch. His eyes adjusted and he saw Will sitting there, motionless, staring into nothingness.
“Why are you sitting here in the dark?” Will asked.
“I don’t know. I was just waiting for you to come home. I think we need to talk,” Will said.
“I’ve been thinking the same thing. Do you mind if I turn on the light?” he asked. He took Will’s silence as permission and switched on a lamp. Soft light immediately filled the room, illuminating the handsome profile of Will. Charlie was stunned at how sexy he looked in this dim light. It was as though all his fantasies had come true, and a familiar feeling began to stir within his loins.
He made his way to the couch and settled on the far end, leaving a space between him and Will. Will turned to look at him. Sadness lingered in Will’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked.
“Everything,” Will said.
Charlie closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around Will. Will draped his arms around Charlie’s body as well and the two of them embraced each other’s warmth. Charlie kissed Will’s head and breathed in his musky scent, feeling comforted and aroused by it all in the same breath. He caressed Will, and pressed Will’s head to his chest, so he could feel Charlie’s heart.
“Tell me what’s going through your mind,” Charlie asked.
“I’m not sure I can,” Will said. “I’m not even sure I know myself.”
“Then let me tell you what’s going in my mind,” Charlie said. Will shifted his position to look up to him. Because Will was a few inches taller than Charlie it was rare that Charlie had this position. He wasn’t even sure of what he was going to say, but he started speaking, and hoped that it would make sense.
“I’m scared. I’m worried that I won’t be a good father, or that something else will go wrong. I’m afraid that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew and that I was never really made to be a father. At the same time, I’m super excited about the challenges and I want to prove to myself that I can be better than I think. I want to go on this adventure with you and face these challenges together. Deep down, I know that when this child is born we will both love it, and it’ll seem easier, as long as we take things day by day, but the thing I’m most afraid of is that there isn’t going to be an us.”
His voice cracked with emotion at this moment.
“I’m so scared that we got into this without realizing how difficult it was actually going to be. There are things that you feel you need to do, and I totally get that, but they scare me. I love that you’re a wolf, Will, but seeing what that actually entails…I get that your duty is telling you to go back there and confront Brandon, but that man is a beast. The way he killed your father I just…I can’t handle that being you. I want to support you in this, and if we didn’t have a child on the way things might be different, but when I think of the future I don’t want to have to be telling our baby how their father died before they were born. You must understand that.”
“I do. It scares me too. I’ve been trying to reconcile this whole thing inside my head. I know that you’re my family and I have to take care of the both of you, but I’m a wolf too, and whether I like it or not I have a duty to my clan. And if I’m honest, I’m a little scared of Brandon too. He was always ruthless, strong, but now he’s even more powerful than ever. I didn’t think that anyone would have been able to defeat my father, and if I fight him I know there’s a good chance that I’m going to die. I don’t want that to happen either. I want us to have a future. I want to raise our child together and teach them everything I know. I want to make up for the mistakes that my father has made.”
“Then stay with us,” Charlie urged.
“I want to, but how can I look our child in the eye and say that I let their grandfather’s murder go without punishment. There’s something I need to tell you, and I don’t want you to worry, but recently I feel like I’ve been losing balance. When I’m a wolf I can feel the primal part calling to me, tempting me, trying to make me give into the sweet embrace of instinct. And when I’m with you I feel perfectly happy loving the fact that we can be intimate and share our love physically, and I could happily imagine living my days out as a human. But I don’t want to have to sacrifice either side of me. I don’t want to feel like I have to sacrifice a part of myself to be happy, and if any part is going to go it’s going to be the wolf part of me, because I couldn’t live with myself if I abandoned you and our child. I promised myself that I would never be like my father, and leaving you two alone would be even worse than him.”
“That’s why you left so abruptly tonight, isn’t it?” Charlie said, coming to a sudden realization.
Will nodded.
“It was so comfortable, so normal. I didn’t know how to handle it. I’m not supposed to fit into this world, and I just felt as though I was losing myself.”
Charlie slipped his hand into Will’s, twining their fingers together.
“You know I’d never want you to give up that side of you. I wish we could live in a world where it was accepted. The thing that worries me is that at some point you’re going to have to make a choice, because this need to avenge your father doesn’t work with raising a child. I know it’s important for you to feel like you’re doing your duty to your father, but what about your duty to us? We’re your family now, Will, and I can’t support you in this endeavor.”
“I know. I was sitting here thinking about it before you came in. Brandon was consumed by rage because of how my father defeated his. Brandon’s life has been filled with rage, and he has devoted himself to his revenge, but what is left for him now? I do not want to make the same mistake. I know that if we had not met I might not even know that this had happened. I might not have had the opportunity to see my father one last time…and I don’t want to have the pain of knowing that my child will not know who I am.
I don’t want to be like Brandon. I don’t want to be like my father either. I want to be my own man, forging my own path. I think perhaps it is time for me to begin a legacy of my own. A new bloodline begins here, with me and you. That is all that concerns me. That is what gives me hope for the future. I wish to be with you Charlie, until the very end, and that’s the decision I have made.”
Will’s admission surprised Charlie.
“Are you sure? Can you really just let Brandon get away with everything?”
Will closed his eyes then sat up. Natural order wa
s restored as he looked down upon Charlie.
“I think I have to. There’s nothing more I’d like than to choke the life from his eyes, but where will that leave me? As the leader of the clan, and that’s not something I’m sure I want. I’ve been fighting certain things my entire life, and maybe it’s just time to stop fighting completely. Maybe this whole war within myself is something that I just need to leave behind. Maybe that’s the only way I can get any peace. It’s not easy for me to admit, but I think I need a fresh start.
My parents exiled me, and I wanted to do everything I could to prove them wrong, and when my father died I wanted to avenge him, but now I think that I just need to cut the ties and live my own life. They did me a favor when they exiled me because if they hadn’t I would never have found you. Because of that I feel an obligation to them, an obligation that I shouldn’t. The only obligation I have is to you, Charlie, and our child.”
“What about your mother? The clan? Will, I love that you’re saying all this, but I don’t want you to just throw away your past for me. You grew up there, it’s your home. I don’t want you to fight Brandon one on one, but if there’s another way…”
“There’s not,” Brandon said bluntly. “I may not be the wolf my father wanted me to be, but I paid attention to the lessons he taught me. The only way to rid the clan of Brandon is to defeat him in combat. I feel like a coward for saying so, but I’m not going to take the risk. It’s not my fight anymore.”
“You’re not a coward at all Brandon. You’re brave, so incredibly brave and I’m so lucky to have you. I’m glad you were able to face this and be honest with yourself. But what about your Mom?”
Will drew in breath and looked unsure.
“I want to save her, but I know that doing so will only invite conflict with Brandon. I’m sure she’d understand that the safety of my child comes first. Brandon won’t harm her any more than he already has. All he wanted was to kill my father, and he achieved that. Mother may not have a happy life, but at least she will be safe. Perhaps one day I can return and steal her away, but for now I need to stay with you.”
“If that is what you think is best.”
“I do. Let us focus on raising our child. I am not going to leave this world before I have cared for him or her.”
“What do you think it will be? A boy or a girl?” Charlie wondered, stroking his abdomen.
Will placed his hand upon Charlie’s.
“I honestly don’t mind. I would say that a boy may be less trouble, but then he might take after you,” Will said with a twinkle in his eye. Charlie opened his mouth in shock and slapped Will playfully. Will grinned and buried himself in the nape of Charlie’s neck, hot breath making Charlie’s skin tingle.
Chapter Twelve
The tension between the two had been lifted and replaced by arousal. Will felt better after having shared his innermost thoughts, and for finally achieving clarity of mind. The uncertainty that had swirled in his mind had now been put to rest, and he felt a little bit better for having balance again. He closed his eyes and breathed in Charlie’s scent, the sweetness of his breath surrounded Will in a hazy swirl. Arousal swam in the pit of his stomach and extended out into every part of him.
Charlie stroked Will’s forearm lightly, his fingers brushing over the tufts of hair that spread down to his wrist. Will’s biceps tightened as the primal surge took hold of him. The taste of Charlie lingered on Will’s tongue as he stole kisses and languished in the warm embrace.
Charlie murmured contentment. Will still had one hand pressed on Charlie’s abdomen. Knowing that their child was growing inside Charlie made Will even more turned on than ever, and he kissed Charlie with a blazing passion. Heat rose between them, heat that would have thawed the frostiest arctic lake. Will’s body began to sizzle with heat. Sweat beaded on their brows and their breaths grew deep.
They nuzzled together, kissing intermittently.
“I love you,” Charlie whispered.
“I love you too,” Will responded. He wrapped his strong, long arms around Charlie’s body, pulling Charlie’s legs over him until he was being straddled by the father of his child. Will squeezed Charlie’s thighs, rubbing his palms down the rough denim, eager to get underneath. His hands rose and grabbed Charlie’s shirt, ripping the buttons away, revealing the body underneath. Will pushed the shirt away and gazed in awe at Charlie’s milky skin, loving the feeling of his fingertips against the soft flesh. He bowed his head and pressed his lips against Charlie’s abdomen. It was such a precious place. Charlie’s body was a temple, a shrine, protecting the most precious cargo.
Charlie’s hands fell around Will’s cheeks and lifted him up. Will drowned in a deep, sensual kiss. His heart thundered inside, crashing against his ribcage. He wrapped his hands around Charlie’s back, pressing his palms against his shoulder blades. Soft, muffled grunts escaped from their lips, which were locked together. The hot fury twisted and coiled inside Will until it took on a life of its own, becoming an unstoppable force that completely overwhelmed and intoxicated him.
He grabbed a fistful of Charlie’s hair and yanked his head away. Hunger danced in Will’s eyes. Charlie’s mouth hung open, wet and willing to please. He fell to his knees, with Will’s hand still around his mouth. Charlie groped at Will’s pants, eager to get to the prize inside. Will enjoyed watching Charlie’s hands tremble with anticipation as he tried to free Will’s bulging erection from the tight pants in which it was imprisoned, a task that he was quickly becoming an expert in and within moments Will found his pants around his ankles, and felt the fabric of his black underwear sliding down his calves.
Charlie groaned with hunger as he curled his hands around Will’s girth. Will looked down and smiled at how big he looked in Charlie’s hands, at the devotion in Charlie’s eyes, at the way Charlie stretched his mouth wide open and engulfed Will’s erection. Will’s entire body tensed as he felt the rush of air swim over his tip and shaft, and at the warmth that followed. His erection was soon coated in Charlie’s saliva, and the sweet sucking sounds were music to Will’s ears.
Will still had hold of Charlie’s head, and enjoyed feeling the bobbing motion against his hand. He let out a long sigh and felt every part of his body relax. His head rested against the couch and he closed his eyes, losing himself to the sensations that coursed through his body. Sheer masculine power rippled through him and primed him for the release of tension. His heart hammered as Charlie sank deeper around him, taking everything he had in his mouth.
“You’re so good,” Will said breathlessly, his words punctuated by a terse moan. Charlie slowed his rhythm, pulling his head back gradually, until Will popped out. Charlie’s face was flushed read. He pumped Will’s erection with his hand, diving into the musky heat of his groin, kissing the inside of Will’s thigh and sucking his balls. Will felt as though he was going to explode there and then. His grip tightened on Charlie’s scalp, and forced the man to the floor.
Will tumbled after him, pinning him down with his strength. Will sprawled over him, crushing him with relentless kisses and teasing nibbles. He could feel Charlie’s aroused swell pressing into him, and ripped the remaining clothes away.
Their writhing, naked bodies were entwined, coiled together like two snakes. Their tongues danced together and the air around them shimmered with the heat that was being exuded. They were sweaty and slick, grunting, expressing their love for each other, and Will knew he wouldn’t be able to hold it inside any longer.
He scrambled over Charlie’s slender body and turned him around, spooning him. Charlie was putty in Will’s hand and would have done anything he wanted.
“I need to be inside you again,” Will said. Charlie nodded.
“Take me.”
Will licked his fingers and delved into the deepest, sweetest hidden areas of Charlie’s body. Charlie groaned in pleasure as his sensitive spots were primed and teased, as Will’s long fingers explored these depths. His body convulsed and trembled, but at no point di
d he ask Will to stop.
Will kissed Charlie’s shoulder as he took hold of Charlie’s body and got him into position, pulling his legs apart, feeling the hot, tight welcome as he slowly thrust into Charlie. The two of them were intimately connected now, skin to skin, flesh to flesh, fingers entwined together, gripping each other tightly. They matched the rhythm of their bodies. Will’s sweat drooped from his forehead onto the back of Charlie’s neck. Charlie curled into Will, pushing back with as much force as he could muster, wanted to make Will feel good.
Will grunted and groaned. Small explosions erupted in his mind and his entire body was filled with the sweet ecstasy of bliss.
His hand fell down Charlie’s body, cradling his abdomen again, before delving deeper, finding the sexual heat that craved Will’s touch. As Will thrust, his hand moved and stroked Charlie’s erection. Charlie trembled and his pleasure was doubled. Will continued to kiss and nibble Charlie’s flesh as he pumped and stroked. Charlie’s supple flesh was at his mercy, and there was no sweeter feeling than that.
It was clear that Charlie thought so as well. His body yearned for Will’s touch so much that he was rock hard, rigid with tension, and it was only a matter of seconds before he came. Will could barely believe it happened so quickly, but the pleasure was evidently so overwhelming that Charlie couldn’t contain himself. Will pounded the pleasure out of him, and soon his hand was dripping with the thick, creamy liquid. The heat slipped down his wrist and only served to turn him on even more. Will knew that he wasn’t going to last much longer and clamped his eyes shut.
“You’re going to make me cum,” he groaned.
“Come for me,” he heard Charlie say in a weakened voice. Charlie’s body was limp and drained, already reeling from his own orgasm. Will felt his body tighten. The rush of it focused on his groin, his mind grew hazy and then suddenly there was a whip crack as his body arched and a hot jet exploded out of him, sinking into Charlie’s flesh.
