With a roar that filled the room, Alec pulled out and slammed back in.
He gripped Mark’s shoulders, claws sinking in deep, but Mark just tipped his head back against the pillows and moaned as Alec fucked into him again and again. The long expanse of his neck called to him like a siren, but Alec closed his eyes, concentrating instead on the feel of his cock sliding in and out of Mark’s body.
“Fuck… I’m gonna come.”
Alec glanced down to find Mark staring up at him. He wanted to kiss him so badly in that moment, but this close to the edge, he had no chance of retracting his teeth. Instead he lay down, covering him with his body, and sank his teeth into Mark’s shoulder, all his earlier plans going out the window.
Mark cried out as he came between them, body arching and claws buried in Alec’s back like ten tiny knives.
Pain and pleasure assaulted him, pushing him over the edge. It tore through him like a white-hot fire burning away all the pent-up guilt and anger festering inside, leaving him spent and boneless. He collapsed on Mark, letting him take his full weight.
Mark half-grunted, half-laughed, but didn’t ask him to move.
They lay in that position catching their breath.
Alec licked his lips now that his fangs had retracted, tasting Mark’s blood. A quick glance down showed him Mark’s shoulder had already healed, the trickles of red running down to the bed sheet were the only evidence it had happened. Alec’s back would look much the same.
Pushing himself up onto his forearms, Alec met Mark’s gaze, and the urge to kiss him flooded back in. He did it without thinking. Dipping his head and capturing Mark’s mouth, slow and lingering.
Wrapping his arms around Alec’s back, Mark ran soft fingertips up and down his spine, as though smoothing away the damage his claws had done. “See,” he whispered. “We healed.”
“We did.” In more ways than one. Alec hadn’t felt this at ease on the eve of September twenty-seventh since it happened. It left him feeling vulnerable in a way he wasn’t used to.
Mark kissed him again, unhurried like the first. Alec could get used to this if he wasn’t careful.
Rolling to the side, he pulled Mark with him, wrapped an arm around him, and tucked his head against his shoulder. He had no idea what prompted him to start talking. Maybe ten years of bottling it up inside was too much for anybody. Or maybe it was the fact Mark wasn’t part of his pack, hadn’t seen him go through this year after year. Whatever the reason, the words flooded out.
“Do you know what tomorrow is for me?” He didn’t expect him to remember. They might have been one pack at the time, but most people would have forgotten by now. And Mark would have only been young.
Mark shook his head, hair brushing Alec’s skin. “No.”
“Ten years ago tomorrow, I went out on my first mission with my new unit.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Mark swallowed and wrapped an arm over Alec’s waist. “During the pack war?”
“Yes.” Alec sighed. “I was so fucking excited. Finally being allowed to join a unit and be a part of the fight.”
“Weren’t you part of a unit before that?” Mark had only been fourteen at the time of the pack wars; he didn’t remember much.
“I was, but we didn’t really see eye to eye, if you can imagine that?”
Mark laughed. He had no trouble picturing Alec as a pain in the arse. “I bet you hated being told what to do.”
“It wasn’t just that. My beta at that time was perfectly adequate, I was just desperate to be part of the fight, and at that point, our unit was one that worked to keep the pack business running. Someone had to keep our livelihoods intact, but I didn’t want it to be me. For thirty years old, I was incredibly young and selfish.”
Mark held his breath when Alec paused, hoping he hadn’t decided to stop talking. “What happened?”
Alec’s bitter laugh made him flinch. “What always happens in war. Someone died and suddenly there was an opening. I begged to be transferred, and I was, much to the rest of that unit’s displeasure. I had no formal training, and they were one of the top fighting units. As far as they were concerned, I was a liability. And they were right.”
It was the most Alec had ever said to him, and Mark lay there unable to believe he was telling him all this. He wanted to know what happened next, wanted to know all of it. “What did you do?”
“I trained fucking hard. I knew I had everything to prove and wanted so desperately to fit in, to be accepted. They were the best at what they did. And I wanted to be one of them.” His arm tightened around Mark’s shoulders. “I might have been part of their unit, but they refused to take me out with them until I was ready. But I was a quick learner, and our alpha at the time wasn’t as discerning as Cam.
“Pack family homes were supposed to be off limits—some things remain sacred even in war—but one of our buildings got caught up in the fighting. Everyone got out except for one little girl. She’d managed to get separated from her family in the chaos and confusion. Our pack immediately called for a truce to go search for her. Both alphas agreed. They gave their word.”
A sense of dread crept over Mark, vague recollections coming back to him. He’d heard this story before.
Alec’s breath hitched, but he carried on talking. “My beta, Dominic, decided it would be good experience for me to go out on patrol with our unit. It was a rescue mission, no fighting. It should have been safe.” He sounded so much younger to Mark in that moment, as though retelling the story transported him back there. “Even so, Dom was cautious. We left our Jeep half a mile away and walked the rest of the way. The police stayed out of the pack wars as long as no humans were injured, so we had to be careful to keep the fighting away from them.
“This particular pack building was on the edge of our territory—one building split into four flats. Foreign shifter scents were all over it from the fight, but Dom warned us to be on our guard all the same. Then we heard her—soft, whimpery cries from inside the building.
“We went in as a unit: Dom first, and me in the middle flanked by the others. We found her in a ground floor flat, crying in the centre of the living area and clutching a cuddly wolf cub. They were very clever, staying in the areas where the fighting had occurred so it masked their scent. Dom walked over to get the girl. He must have realised the scent was fresh because the next moment he’d grabbed her, thrust her into my arms, and half-shifted. The rest of our unit followed his lead, roaring their outrage as shifters spilled in from the other rooms. I wanted to stay and help them fight, they were badly outnumbered, but Dom said I was the fastest and ordered me to run, to take her back to the Jeep and wait for them there. He said we had to save her, that was our mission. So I grabbed that little girl and I ran.
“I ran all the way back to the fucking Jeep, and I waited. But they never came.” He drew in a deep shuddery breath and Mark wanted to comfort him, but he daren’t move. “Turned out I waited too fucking long because, by the time I went back, they were all dead. No sign of the shifters who’d killed them, just the scent of enemy pack, blood, and death.
My whole unit, fucking dead.
“I carried Dom’s body back to the Jeep and then went back for the others. I couldn’t leave them there.”
“Fuck.”
Alec wiped a hand over his face, and Mark was pretty sure it came away wet. “There was a pack meeting the next day to plan our revenge, because an attack like that couldn’t go unanswered. Nathan was there, so young and hurt and angry. His parents were both in my unit.” Oh Shit. “He demanded to know how I’d escaped alive when everyone else in my unit had died. Accused me of running away at the first sign of trouble and leaving them. In front of everyone.”
“Didn’t you tell them that you were ordered to go?”
Alec’s sigh sounded resigned, like he’d been over this a thousand times. “I gave a full report of the mission to our alpha and his betas.”
Realisation dawned slowly. “But not the whole pa
ck?”
“No.” Our alpha thought it made us look weak as a pack. What sort of fighters were we if we didn’t notice there were other shifters in the house until it was too late? He ordered it kept quiet. As far as the pack were concerned, we were attacked when there was a truce in place and that was all anyone needed to know.”
Mark pushed himself up one elbow. “But what about the girl?”
“She was young, and her family were just grateful to have her back.”
Silence stretched out between them, and Mark wondered if Alec was finished. He had questions, though. Before he could ask, Alec said quietly, “I was given my own unit, made a beta, and sent back out. I think our alpha saw it as a sweetener to keep me quiet.”
“But you didn’t want it,” Mark guessed.
“No. I hadn’t earned it.” His grip on Mark’s shoulder tightened again. “But I worked damn hard to make sure I deserved it. I wasn’t going to lose another member of my unit. Not again.” He spoke with such conviction, Mark didn’t doubt it for a second.
When Alec remained silent, Mark figured that was it. Running his hand over Alec’s chest, he whispered, “I don’t know what I did to warrant it, but thank you for trusting me with that.”
Alec laughed, soft this time, most of the bitterness gone. “For some reason it was easier to talk to you than the rest of my pack.” He slid a hand into Mark’s hair and tilted his head for a kiss.
Deep and long, it left Mark breathless. He sighed when Alec trailed kisses down along his throat, remembering the moment Alec had set his teeth there earlier. Too caught up in the moment, he asked, “Do you ever think about it?”
“About what?” Alec bit down gently with human teeth.
“About biting someone.”
He smiled against Mark’s neck and nipped him again. “I’m thinking about it now.”
“No, I mean a mating bite. Do you ever think about bonding?”
When Alec’s whole body tensed, Mark knew he’d said the wrong thing. Fuck, why did I bring that up? Trying to backtrack, he added, “You said you do this a lot. Don’t you worry about accidentally biting someone in the heat of the moment?” Like I thought you were going to do to me. The thought alone made him shiver, but he tried to hide it. Shifters didn’t need a bite to feel the need to bond; their wolves helped with that. Instinct was a bitch sometimes. And although a single bite alone wouldn’t have bonded them, it would have set the wheels in motion.
If Mark felt the same, it would have been a possibility.
To Mark’s disappointment, Alec moved his arm from around his shoulders and sat up. “No, I don’t worry about biting someone. There has to be feelings involved for that to happen. I don’t plan to get that attached to anyone.”
That stung, even though it shouldn’t. It was too weird being the only one lying down, so Mark sat up and rested his arms on his knees. “Not ever?”
“No.”
That bothered Mark too much to let it go, even though Alec’s body language told him to drop it. “Why?”
Alec let out a heavy sigh and slumped back against the headboard before turning his head to face Mark. “I’m not exactly mate material.”
Mark begged to differ. In the short while he’d known him, Alec seemed like perfect mate material, once you got past the cold exterior. But Alec was already climbing out of bed.
Conversation over.
“I’ll drop you back after we’ve showered.”
“Thanks.”
Mark watched him walk away to the bathroom, silently cursing his stupid mouth. Never in a million years had he expected Alec to open up to him like that, to tell him something so personal. For a while Mark had felt… special to be the one he could talk to, for whatever reason. Stupidly he’d thought they might be headed for more than a stress relieving fuck, even with the trouble between their packs.
He put his head in his hands and groaned.
Fucking idiot.
Alec had promised him nothing. He shouldn’t let himself get carried away just because the sex was great.
Amazing even.
Maybe if he’d not totally fucked things up, they could keep doing that. Mark had a feeling he’d need stress relief a lot over the next few days.
By the time Alec came out of the shower, Mark had a plan. The low-slung towel around Alec’s hips threatened to derail it, but Mark tore his gaze away. “So I was thinking….”
Alec stopped towelling dry his hair and looked at him, eyebrows raised. “Yes?” His eyes had a playful glint to them. At least a shower seemed to have improved his mood.
“Since we keep ending up here, maybe I should have your number. In case the tension gets too much for me again. Or you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, do you?”
Mark grinned. “Yes, obviously. That’s why I mentioned it.”
At least Alec laughed. “Fine, let me rephrase. I think it’s a bad idea. The worst.”
Gesturing between the two of them, Mark said, “Worse than this? We’ve already made the bad decision. Why not make the most of it?”
Dropping his towel, Alec hummed, as though giving the matter some thought. Mark’s gaze dropped straight down to his cock, thick and heavy-looking even when soft. “You may have a point.” He strode across the bedroom and fished out some clean underwear from the chest of drawers there.
Mark watched him step into them and slowly slide them up his solid thighs. Please say yes. I don’t want this to be the last time I get to see those.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Alec positioned himself so that he faced Mark. “Does your alpha know about us?”
Mark shook his head.
“Your beta? Does Jason know?”
“Yeah, he knows.” Mark bit his lip, debating whether to elaborate. Turned out he didn’t need to because Alec was a mind reader.
“Let me guess, he told you not to tell Newell?”
Hesitating, Mark met Alec’s gaze. “I thought we weren’t going to discuss pack business.”
“Technically, I said we shouldn’t discuss the alpha council investigation, but don’t feel you have to answer.” Picking his jeans and T-shirt off the floor, Alec started to get dressed.
“Yes,” he said as Alec pulled his T-shirt over his head. “Jason told me not to mention it.” Mark wasn’t sure why he’d felt the need to tell him. It didn’t feel wrong, didn’t feel like a betrayal of his pack. More like confiding in a friend.
Smoothing his T-shirt down over his flat stomach, Alec took a few seconds to answer. “Scrub well in the shower. Use the peppermint shower gel; it’ll help disguise my scent.”
Mark frowned, confused. “Why didn’t you tell me to use that last time?”
Alec met his gaze, all intense, dark eyes, and Mark’s stomach did a traitorous little flutter. “I’m going to make a coffee. Join me in the kitchen when you’re done.” He was gone before Mark could reply.
Okay then.
And he still hadn’t given Mark his number.
Showered and smelling strongly of peppermint, which was not something he ever wanted to use again, Mark quickly pulled on his clothes and gave them a quick sniff. They still smelled of the club—Alec’s scent was there, but not overly powerful, mixed in with all the other scents.
He found Alec leaning against the kitchen worktop, empty coffee cup next to him. Alec lifted his head and breathed in deep.
Mark arched an eyebrow. “How do I smell?”
“Like we rolled around in peppermint.” Alec offered him a small smile. “You should take that shower gel home with you.” Fishing his phone out of his jeans pocket, he handed it to Mark. “Put your number in. Send yourself a text.”
Yes!
After Alec’s early avoidance, he hadn’t expected him to actually give out his number. With no more prompting either. Mark rushed to take the phone before Alec changed his mind. His own beeped as he sent the text, then he added himself to Alec’s contacts under Mark SR and handed the phone back.
; “SR?” Alec glanced up, his smile now a smirk. “Stress Reliever?”
Mark grinned. “Yep. Not sure how many Marks you had in there. Wouldn’t want you to get the wrong one.”
“You could have added your last name.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Alec snorted but didn’t offer further comment. “Do you want a coffee before I drop you back?”
Glancing at the clock on the oven, Mark sighed. 2:15am. If he wanted to get into his building unnoticed, now would be a good time to do it. “Nah. Thanks, but I should probably get back while everyone’s asleep.” He didn’t realise he’d said anything wrong until Alec frowned.
“No patrol?”
Fuck. It just slipped out. Mark gave him what he hoped was an apologetic look. “Shall we go?”
“Of course.” Alec picked up his keys and Mark followed him to the door.
This time when Mark entered his flat, no one was waiting for him. He’d half expected to see Will asleep on his couch again, but the flat was empty. He sent him a quick text.
Home now.
Unsurprisingly the reply was almost immediate. Good. Still think you’re fucking crazy for doing this. Quickly followed by, He’s hot AF though. Don’t blame you.
Mark laughed, a little relieved that Will hadn’t given him a hard time. Thanks. See you in the morning.
Night.
Yawning widely, Mark walked through his flat, not bothering to turn on any lights. The car journey from Alec’s had been… interesting. Alec might have given him his number, but he also gave Mark a list of rules to go with it and had gone through them while he drove. Firstly, no talk about the investigation. As if he needed reminding again. Secondly, no idle chit chat. Apparently Alec wasn’t one for fun, flirty text banter.
Mark eyed his phone. Well, that was just too bad. He scrolled through to Alec’s number, now stored under Alec HAFB and typed out I’m home, no problems encountered. Thanks for a great night. :) His smile grew as he thought of Alec reading it and frowning.
Bitten By Desire (Regent's Park Pack Book 3) Page 9
