~Chapter Four~
Seamus was happier than he could remember being since he'd hit the city three years before, paving the way to bring the pups. Setting up shop, as it were.
Somehow, Keith fit. He slept better with Keith next to him. The pups were happier with Keith's more gentle presence to balance his.
The only one who was not happier was Keith. Which, yeah, he could see. The last few weeks had been hard on the kid. It seemed to be getting worse, though, with Keith getting more and more restless. The cub was worried about everything, obviously, but something was really eating at him. And it was time to find out what.
He caught Keith in the kitchen, chopping up stew beef for the perpetual job of feeding the pups. The cleaver fell with solid, sullen whacks.
"Hey."
"Hey. How's it going?" Keith's voice was tired, flat, tinged with anxiety.
"I'm great. You? Not so good. What's up?" He ran a hand down Keith's back.
"I..." Keith sighed, put the cleaver down. "I've missed a month of classes. I haven't gone to get my things. I... I'm not me anymore, Seamus. I'm scared to leave the house, but I'm more scared of staying here and just... I don't know... I'm changing and I didn't expect this. People don't do this... whatever this is."
Dark, worried eyes caught his. "What if I'm crazy? What if I've gone insane and this is all fake? Sane people don't meet other people in dark alleys and turn into beasts. Sane people don't just become different one day."
The growl tried to escape, but Seamus bit it back, knowing it would only scare the kid. "Oh, cub. You're not crazy. Not gonna go crazy. I won't let you." He nuzzled Keith's neck.
"But, love... sane people don't just melt like this." Keith shook his head, cheek sliding and smooth. "What happens next? What? I'm just a guy -- sorta toothy if I get horny with a larger than average butcher's bill and a contagious bite?"
He slid his arms around Keith's waist. "Sorta, yeah. More like things are always going to be different than they were, but that doesn't mean they can't be good."
Man, he was having to try too damned hard to keep the panic at bay. He didn't want the cub flipping out on him now.
"Someone's going to miss me, eventually. When I don't pay my bills, pick up my books. Someone will notice." Keith moved into his arms, the motion instinctive, easy. The cub's body knew what to do, where to find its comfort.
"So what do you need to make it better?" He rubbed, letting his scent mingle with Keith's. "What do you need to cancel or whatever?"
"I... Classes, first. I need to pack, too." Keith looked up at him, eyes still and dark and deep, so human. "Do I bring my things here? Do you want me here?"
He did growl this time. "If you were going, you would have been gone the next day, cub. I need you here."
"It scares me. You don't know who I was, but no one knows who I am like you do. I died when Jason bit me, didn't I?" Keith reached up, touched his cheek, eyes just beginning to glow. "Got reborn into another world."
"If that's the way you want to look at it. My world. I can't say I'm sorry. But if you want me to kill this Jason, I will." He wasn't sorry, but he was full of rage for anyone who would hurt his cub.
"No." Keith gave him a quiet look, the air around his cub growing almost thick, feral. "He should be wary, though. I will tear out his throat if he threatens us."
"Good." He nodded, scenting the fierce anger on Keith's skin. It made him hard, made him rub against Keith's hip.
Keith growled low, eyes flashing. "You make it hard to control my instincts."
"Yeah. You just make me hard." He pushed, sending Keith stumbling back against the counter. He followed, burying his nose in the skin at the base of Keith's throat.
The scent of blood and need were in the air, edged by Keith's latent fury. Sharp teeth threatened his shoulder, Keith pushing back, challenging him.
God, yeah. He growled again, deeper, the sound more true, pushing Keith's legs wide and moving between them. The kid affected him deep and wild, like no one ever had.
Sharp nails raked up his spine, Keith growling deep and low. The arousal and passion made his hackles rise, made him ache.
"Oh, cub." He bit deep into the muscle between Keith's neck and shoulder, humping against him. Seamus felt an answering sting on his shoulder, Keith holding on, trapping them together in this dance. He couldn't get enough, couldn't get close enough. He pressed up against the kid, snarling as their cocks rubbed through their clothes. His shirt tore, echoed with a snarl, his back suddenly exposed to the air, Keith's hands moving over his bare spine.
"Yeah." He grabbed the cub's shirt and gave it the same treatment, pulling it off, attacking the shorts next. Had to have skin.
Keith twisted and ducked out from his arms, eyes golden and flashing, panting in the kitchen. It took him only a heartbeat to realize he was being taunted, teased, Keith playing with him.
Oh. Oh he was good at this game. He went after Keith, tugging off his shorts, cock bobbing in front as he circled to the right to get a better angle of attack. Keith followed his movements, muscles bunched and taut, ready to spring. Lean and quick, he could see the lines of a hunter in the cub now, see the hints of a lithe grace that would cull their prey.
So damned pretty, so ready. The man might have doubts, but the cub knew what he was doing. Seamus became the hunted instead of the hunter, moving back, letting the kid stalk him.
Those nostrils flared and Keith blocked his access to the door, backing him up with careful motions, the cub sure and focused. Oh, it was a sight to behold, made him ache. The leader in him wanted to roll the cub, go for the belly up and throat bared, but Keith needed to learn to do this, and the man in Seamus was aroused as Hell.
Keith pounced, faking towards the right before going low, nose brushing his skin in a move that would hamstring a human. He slid away at the last moment, needing to make it a challenge, needing the kid to work for it.
Not discouraged, Keith pounced and herded, moving them down the hall, away from the open spaces in the kitchen, away from the windows, away from the front door.
It went against his every instinct to be cornered, but he allowed it, letting the man in him take over and glory in the need.
The soft growls were constant now, steady and hungry, Keith's eyes twin lights in the dim hallway.
Seamus did some taunting of his own, moving, swaying, leading the kid on a merry chase. The things he could smell. Fuck, it was good. Finally, impatience and need overwhelmed the cub and Seamus found himself tackled, arms full.
Allowing the takedown, Seamus angled their fall so they landed soft. Then he growled deep, rolling, spreading Keith beneath him, teeth closing on the cub's throat. The cub arched for him beautifully, belly and throat offered without hesitation.
He snarled, ripping away Keith's shorts, rubbing together, hot and hard and so damned good. Keith's legs wrapped around his waist, bodies sliding faster, heat making them slick.
He wanted inside, wanted to be buried deep in the kid's body, wanted his cub around him. But not this time. Not yet. The thought was enough to make him moan. Moan and jerk and bite at Keith's lips in a stinging kiss.
The bite sent the kid tumbling, liquid heat spreading between them. He all but howled, pressing down hard, hips snapping against the kid as he came. Yeah. Fuck yeah.
Fingers stroked through his hair, soft snuffling noises sounding against his skin.
Resting against the kid was easy, so easy, and he let the scent of their come soothe him. It was a long while before he lifted up, pulling the kid up with him, onto his lap.
"So what do we need to do to make you mine, cub? To let you let go of that other you?"
"I've been yours, love." Keith cuddled close, the scent of worry faded. "We need to close the old life away, so no one misses me, so I don't endanger the pups."
"Yes. Okay. We'll start tomorrow?" He held Keith tightly, nuzzling, licking, comforting.
"Yes." Keith leaned into him, warm and relaxed, heavy. "I belo
ng here with you, with the little ones, with our pack."
"Yeah." Oh, fuck yeah. It was about time Keith figured that out. Now that he had, they could tackle anything.
~Chapter Five~
"Liz! Jade! Stop!" Keith came barreling out of the bathroom, soaked head to toe, bubbles flying. Bruiser didn't like baths, but the girls? Shit.
He swore Seamus left him alone with the puppies just so he'd have to bathe the twins.
Alone.
With water.
"No, Lizzie! No! Not the sofa!"
Lizzie made laps around the room and Jade slinked out to shake on him, soaking his back as well, and the front door opened just in time for Seamus to see him go down in a heap under Bruiser.
"Enough!" It was a sharp, hard bark and the pups reacted, moving back toward the bathroom as Seamus came in, growling low.
He whimpered, he couldn't help it. Everything in him screamed to go and nuzzle, to lick and lap and ease that growl.
Seamus gave him a nod and a soft sound, before turning back to the pups, following them into the bathroom to scrub them down.
Keith grabbed some towels and started cleaning up the water, stripping his sopping clothes off as he went.
Seamus came back out a few minutes later, the twins behind, heads and tails down, going right to their room. "You okay, cub?"
"Yeah. Sorry. They got away from me." He shivered and moved closer, head tilted, looking up into those green eyes. "You mad at me?"
"Hell, no, cub." The growl faded into a soft rumble, reassuring him. "I'm mad at them, for taking advantage."
"Oh." He offered a slow grin. "Love that sound. Makes me... Want."
"Yeah?" Seamus gave him a hot look in return, green eyes glinting. "Good."
"Yeah?" He stepped closer, feeding on Seamus' heat. "It's okay?"
"Not a thing wrong with it, cub." Seamus moved even closer, their arms brushing together.
"Oh, good." Keith rumbled, the world suddenly going sharp, bright.
"Come here, cub." Seamus held out his arms, pulling him tight against that wide chest when he moved, plastering them together and rubbing against him. Scenting him.
He reached up, fingers tangling in Seamus' hair, a low growl filling his throat. So good. They smelled so good together.
"Yeah. See? It's right. Good. You make me want, too." Seamus stroked his arms, his back, his hips.
"Mmm... Yeah." He shuddered, pushing closer, rubbing, mingling their scents, their need.
"Oh, cub. Be sure." There was something very serious, very important, in Seamus' tone.
Keith searched Seamus' eyes, looking for... something. He was nodding, lost in the feel of them together, the heat in those eyes.
"Yeah." Seamus bent, nuzzling along his neck, tongue moving lightly on his skin, tasting his sweat.
"Oh. Oh, love." He let his head fall back, offering more, a low moan sounding. "Feels good."
"It does. You feel good to me, cub. Needed. Want you. I... you have to tell me you want that too, cub. I need to hear it."
"Seamus." He took one huge hand, pressed it against his cock. "I want you. Want you to make me yours."
"You are, cub. So mine." Seamus rubbed, fingers rolling his cock, turning it side to side gently, then working up and down. "Mine"
"Oh." His thighs parted, hips moving slowly. "Y...yours."
Growling low, Seamus took his mouth in a kiss, deep and hard, rubbing his cock in time. Keith whimpered, lifting up on his toes, lips parting and giving Seamus everything. Anything. Hand moving around to cup his ass, Seamus lifted him, bearing his weight easily, carrying him into the bedroom. "Gonna have you now, cub. Claim you. Make you pack."
"Yes." He bent his mouth to Seamus' throat, sucking hard, leaving a mark.
Snarling, Seamus pushed him down on the big bed, darting in to bite at his throat, marking him in return, rubbing. There was a hard ball of heat in his belly -- a mixture of nerves and warmth and need and want all slammed together.
"Want in you." He could barely make out words, Seamus' voice was so tight. So hot.
Keith cried out, the sounds Seamus was making settling deep in his balls. "Make... Make me pack."
"Yes. Mine." Before he could blink, Seamus was pushing him back and pulling his legs apart, bringing him to Seamus' mouth, lips and tongue moving against his most private place, against his ass.
He howled, toes curling, eyes rolling back into his head. His nails scraped against the sheets, need filling him as Seamus... Oh, God. As Seamus licked him, touched him, melted him.
Seamus pushed his tongue inside, making Keith shudder and shake, growling against him, making him wet, one finger sliding inside him to push against the tender places.
"Seamus! Love!" He jerked, that thick finger sinking deeper, pushing against something that made him scream, made him burn.
"Mmmm." Deep and rich, the sounds Seamus made were another kind of caress, marking him as clearly as Seamus' lips and fingers. Another thick finger pushed in alongside the first, opening him.
His hips began to move, rocking onto Seamus' touch, the stretch pushing all through him, so hot, so right.
"Want you. Want." Seamus moved up, marking his hip, his belly and chest. Those fingers slipped from him, and Seamus' cock pressed against him, opening him even further. Splitting him wide.
"Love. Oh." His eyes rolled, wanting to close, but he fought to keep them open, needing to watch. Needed to see. "Feel you."
"Cub. My cub." Thick and hard and impossibly hot, Seamus moved in him, cock spreading him, sliding in him. He could feel Seamus' heartbeat there.
Whimpering, he panted, watching those amazing eyes, body clenching around Seamus, holding them together. Squeezing. Needing.
They moved together hard and fast, no tenderness in this, just Seamus staking a claim, just the heat and need and the wild feel of it, the fear leaving him for the first time in so long. Only need left.
He reached for his cock, fisting it, snarling with his need, aching with it, for it. Seamus slapped his hand away, growling, possessive, showing teeth. Then Seamus touched him, pulling, hand moving fast on him, rough and necessary. His world went white, the only real shape his Seamus, his Alpha, his lover.
The only sounds in his ears were his heart beating and Seamus' triumphant howl, ringing there as liquid heat shot into his body. Marking him on the inside.
"Yours. Pack." He whimpered, lips searching for a kiss, body jerking.
"Mine." Seamus gave him the kiss, surrounding him with that big body, keeping him safe and warm and protected. Pack. "Mate."
"Mate." He rumbled, the sound low and soft, sated. Happy.
Now if he could just get the pups to understand he was there to stay. And take their damned baths.
***
Seamus was warm, happy. Sated. Keith was his. For good. The cub might need a little convincing when he came back to his senses, but Seamus knew it was a done deal.
His cock twitched at the thought.
Okay, maybe not so sated.
God, the cub was amazing. So willing, so giving, so perfect for him. Oh, fuck yeah, there would be problems ahead. Of course there would, but he was ready. He was ready in other ways too, but Keith was snoring happily, and the cub was so tired that Seamus hated to wake him. Maybe he'd just poke Keith a bit.
Just a bit.
He leaned over, nudging, and Keith turned toward him, rumbling softly, pushing into his arms.
He rumbled right back, low and steady and damned smug, he had to admit. Licking at Keith's skin gave him a jolt, because the cub tasted like him, their scents so mixed he couldn't tell who was who.
Keith snuggled into him, a smile appearing, tongue sliding out to lick pink lips. "Mmm... love..."
"Yeah. Wake up, cub, and kiss me." Those lips... he had to have them.
A soft chuckle sounded and then black eyes met his, soft and liquid and warm. "Bossy."
That tongue felt perfect as it pressed into his lips.
"Mmm." He gr
owled low, let the ripples of it go from him to Keith and back again, resonating.
"Oh... Good..." Keith wrapped around him, almost purring. Thin arms and legs wrapped around him and Keith began to rub, to rock, moving slow and easy.
"Yeah. Really good, lover." Lover. Oh, fuck yeah. He nibbled at Keith's neck, loving on him, just tasting and teasing.
"Uh-huh. Yours. Your cub." One soft, warm hand cupped his ass. "And you're mine."
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