Mission Primal (Men of the Pack Book 1)

by Parker Skye

  Chapter 35

  Adam

  The morning dawned bright and early and Adam was glad of the new day. Another beginning meant he could pretend the day before hadn’t happened. He didn’t want to think about the violence that seemed to have become an integral part of his life since he met Ben. Before, it was just Charles he had to worry about. Now, he had to be on alert wherever he went. He knew deep down it was worth it, but it still sucked big donkey penises sometimes.

  When he stretched and rolled toward Ben’s side of the bed, he wasn’t surprised to find himself alone. The sheets was cold, obviously having been vacant for some time. Adam forced himself to get up and plastered a smile on his face. He was determined today was going to be a better day.

  He strolled into the kitchen to find Ben sitting in his usual spot at the bar, coffee mug in hand. He looked a million miles away but seemed to snap out of it whenever Adam entered the room. He watched Adam approach like he was waiting for the storm to start. His face showed no emotion and Adam hated the blank expression. Damn it, if they were truly soul mates, then why was it so hard to communicate sometimes? Wasn’t it supposed to be easier than this?

  Adam closed the distance between them, forcing Ben to drop his mug and turn to face him. Adam smoothed his fingers gently across Ben’s brow, forcing the worry lines smooth and continued down across his firm jaw line. Cupping his jaw, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on Ben’s lips. He pulled back slightly, concerned when Ben didn’t kiss him back, but had to suppress a chuckle when Ben’s lips followed his, obviously not ready to lose the contact. Finally Ben opened for him and Adam tasted coffee and mint overlying Ben’s normal flavor. Adam groaned slightly and broke the kiss.

  He rested his forehead against Ben’s and just stayed there breathing in his essence for a long moment. When Adam pulled back finally, he could see the apology forming on Ben’s lips. Adam put two fingers across Ben’s lips, stopping him from saying the words.

  “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m the one who freaked out, not you. You didn’t do anything wrong and I swear to all the powers that be, Benjamin Sterling, if you apologize to me one more time for something that’s not in your control, I may have to tie you to the bed and do mean things to you.”

  “And that’s a deterrent how?” Ben asked, instantly focused again on Adam’s lips.

  “Don’t tempt me, babe, or we are never going to get on the road. Shouldn’t we be packing now?”

  “I packed us up already. I couldn’t sleep,” Ben admitted standing and washing his mug in the sink. “Why don’t you eat something and we can go? I hope your ass is ready to be numb. Twelve hours on a motorcycle may not be the most pleasurable way to travel,” Ben said, watching the ass in question as Adam puttered around the kitchen scrounging up some breakfast.

  “Hmm, numb ass,” Adam said playfully palming both his own cheeks through his sweat pants. “That may actually come in handy.” Ben pounded his head on the overhead cabinet door as he groaned. Adam laughed out loud at his mate’s obvious train of thought.

  Four hours into their trip and Adam wasn’t so cheerful anymore. He would have been thrilled if his ass was just numb, but it was alternately numb and prickling. He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles most of the time, unable to find a comfortable position to relieve the sensation. His lower back ached and throbbed and he just wanted a moment to stretch. He hoped Ben was faring better than he was, but in a way, he hoped he wasn’t, too. Maybe it would make them stop for a break soon. He realized he must have groaned louder than he thought when Ben jumped like he’d been shocked. The bike curved into a nearby parking lot, blessedly coming to rest next to a ratty looking diner.

  Adam didn’t wait for the engine to fully shut off before he climbed off the bike. His legs were stiff and half-dead. He worried he would fall over while he tried to get both feet on the ground. He held onto Ben’s shoulders with a death grip until he was sure his knees weren’t going to collapse. Even if Ben’s anxiety over Adam’s current state wasn’t written all over his face, Adam would have been able to feel it as it buzzed like bees through their bond.

  “I’m okay, just really stiff. You were right about the numb ass thing, though. Unfortunately, it’s not as pleasant as I expected.”

  The fatigue lines etched across Adam’s face must have been obvious as Ben put both arms around him and held him tight. Adam wasn’t sure if this was a great idea in the heart of sticksville, especially if they wanted to avoid another brawl with homophobes. But it did feel pretty awesome and Adam was just too tired at the moment to fight it. Ben placed a gentle kiss on the top of Adam’s head as he rubbed small circles across his protesting lower back. Finally pulling back to check his mate’s expression, Ben nodded his head in the direction of the diner.

  “You hungry, babe? We could get something to eat and let our legs wake up again before we get back on the road.”

  “You know the new me. I could always eat,” Adam said, forcing a smile. Ben pulled him towards the diner and Adam prayed the people running the joint weren’t assholes. By the end of their meal, Adam decided he had never had Cajun food so good in his life. And the funky old Creole who ran the joint hadn’t even batted an eye when they’d entered the building hand in hand. Adam reminded himself it just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover. Boudreaux's Backwater may have looked like it belonged on the set of Deliverance, but it was surprisingly welcoming. And the food, oh my, the food. Although, in all honesty, the owner’s enthusiasm for their patronage may have had more to do with the sheer quantity of food they consumed, but Adam would prefer to think it was just because he was a benevolent soul.

  They’d spent over an hour at their stop, but Adam couldn’t regret it. His body felt close to normal again and he didn’t dread getting back on the bike as much as he’d thought he would. Soon they were on their way again and spent the next several hours passing through towns that alternately reminded him of Mayberry and TV shanty towns. The terrain got hotter and wetter the further southeast they travelled. By the time the sun went down, Adam was thankful for the respite from its blinding rays. He’d started to feel like he was breathing through water with the rising humidity level. The sun not only baked their skin, but heated the asphalt they drove along until it felt like they were riding through an oven. Adam had never realized how exhausting it could be simply being so hot. Once the sun went down and the temperature cooled off, Adam could barely keep his eyes open. They had been riding over nine hours and still had hours more to go.

  Chapter 36

  Ben

  Ben could feel his mate fading fast. His reactions were becoming slower and the pressure from Adam’s slack body was more obvious as the night settled in. He needed to find a place to stop for the night. He wasn’t sure Adam would be able to stay upright on the bike if he fell asleep.

  Rounding another curve in a day of never-ending curves, he spotted a small motel up ahead with a vacancy sign blinking. He breathed a sigh of relief as he slowed and pulled into the lot. Adam was barely conscious enough to stir when Ben brought the bike to rest. He had to hold Adam upright as he maneuvered himself off the bike.

  “Adam, Adam, wake up,” Ben said, softly, patting his face to bring him around.

  “Huh? Where are we? Did we make it?” Adam asked, voice still heavy with sleep. His eyes were only half open, at best.

  “No, baby. We still have a ways to go but I’m going to get us a motel room. You need to rest before you fall off the bike.” Adam yawned widely and didn’t even pretend to argue. He assured Ben he would be fine where he was while Ben went to register for a room. The lobby of the motel was surprisingly clean and fresh, obviously recently remodelled as Ben picked up the faint odor of paint fumes. From the look of the place on the outside, Ben had expected the smell of stale cigarettes and water damage. Pleasantly surprised, he sent another silent thank you to whatever spirit was watching over them.

  An overly-pierced young man appeared to be manning th
e check-in counter which didn’t fit the place at all. Ben actually liked his look, but wondered how in the world the kid had found a job in this part of the country with that much facial jewelry. Not only did he have several piercings in both ears and a small silver hoop through his lower lip, but he had a silver bar through his right eyebrow, as well. His hair was dyed an unnatural shade of platinum, but the black brows over startling violet eyes were such a juxtaposition, that Ben had to stop himself from commenting on his look.

  “Welcome to the Hideaway Inn. How can I help you?” Izzy, as his nametag read, asked when Ben approached the counter.

  “I need a room for tonight please,” Ben replied, pulling out his wallet, trying to force himself to stop staring.

  “One bed or two?” Izzy asked, not hiding his curiosity in the least as he looked over Ben’s shoulder toward the parking lot. Adam still sat astride the motorcycle, arms crossed over his chest as he obviously fought to stay awake.

  “One,” Ben replied stonily, meeting Izzy’s gaze as if daring him to say anything. Izzy met his gaze and smiled widely.

  “No problem, sir. Can I see your ID and a credit card?” Izzy continued on, the perfect professional. Moments later, Ben had two key cards in hand and was turning back to his mate.

  “I hope you and your boyfriend have a lovely evening,” Izzy added with a wink. “Don’t forget breakfast is served tomorrow from six to nine-thirty just down the hall. I make some mean cinnamon rolls so make sure you don’t miss it.”

  “Thanks, Izzy. I guess we’ll see you in the morning then,” Ben replied, offering his own smile in return.

  Getting Adam into the room and undressed for bed was like wrestling an amoeba. He was virtually boneless with fatigue. Finally, Ben gave up on getting Adam into anything resembling pajamas. He hoped Adam wouldn’t be mad when he woke up in the morning. It’s not like they’d never seen each other naked.

  Adam immediately curled into the fetal position on his side, soft snoring echoing in the room. Ben doused the light and curled up behind, his arm thrown protectively across Adam’s waist. His nose found its way to the back of Adam’s neck and he brushed soft kisses there until he worried his need to comfort would wake his mate accidentally. He could feel his sheer exhaustion and knew Adam needed his rest. Ben breathed in the scent of his mate and finally content; let himself drift off to sleep.

  Ben awoke slowly the next morning, sun peeking around the edge of the blackout curtains. While momentarily disoriented, the sleepy haze around his brain snapped into focus instantly when he realized his cock was being encased in a tight, wet heat. God, he loved Adam’s mouth. He groaned aloud and ran his fingers through Adam’s crazy red-brown hair, grabbing a handful of strands gently, not intending to control, but just to add to the feeling of connection to his mate. Adam’s answering growl proved he was on board with the plan.

  Not wanting this to reach completion too quickly, he urged Adam up the bed until he was straddling Ben’s hips. Their tongues took turns battling for control as they fought through open-mouthed kisses. When Adam finally sat back, his lips were kiss-swollen and red. Adam looked absolutely debauched. His pupils were blown wide with lust. Ben would never get enough of seeing Adam look this way.

  Ben had to take the reins before he lost control completely. Sitting up, he met Adam for another round of devouring kisses. His hands traced the muscles along Adam’s lower back and Adam shivered, breaking out in goose bumps. Ben’s hands moved even lower until he was gripping Adam’s perfectly shaped ass in both hands. Adam pulled back from the kiss and groaned aloud.

  “Jesus, Ben, I need you so bad,” Adam breathed out, almost begging.

  “You have me, Adam. You have all of me,” Ben replied, softly peppering kisses along Adam’s neck and jaw in between words. His teeth scraped along the edge of Adam’s collarbone, causing a shudder to rock through his mate.

  “I need you to fuck me, Ben. Please, just do it,” Adam’s words broke as Ben latched on to the claiming mark at the base of his neck.

  “Tempting, so utterly tempting, but I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Ben said, voice strained as he obviously fought for control. “We have at least another six hours on a motorcycle before we reach home. Your ass is already going to be hurting enough by the time we get there.”

  “I don’t care. Honestly, I’ll be fine. Please, Ben, I need you,” Adam practically begged. He was sucking on Ben’s shoulder so hard, there were bound to be marks. Adam gently put a finger under Adam’s chin until he lifted up to meet his gaze.

  “You may not care, but I do, baby. I won’t have your first time tainted like that. I promise when we get home, if you still want to, we can do anything you want,” Ben urged, his voice remaining soft and soothing.

  “Fine,” Adam breathed out as if frustrated. “Then you at least owe me a blowjob.”

  “That, I can totally get on board with,” Ben laughed enthusiastically and tackled his mate.

  Chapter 37

  Adam

  Stuffed to the gills on the best cinnamon rolls he’d ever eaten in his life, Adam was grinning stupidly from the sugar high as they loaded up the bike, getting ready to head out again. Waking up in Ben’s arms this morning hours from Texas was just as glorious as he’d dreamed it would be. Sure they were in the middle of nowhere Alabama, but they were out of Lakeland and together. Nothing else mattered. Their mutual orgasms this morning definitely didn’t hurt anything, either.

  The motel’s breakfast fare was surprisingly varied. Everything Adam tried was the definition of perfection. The guy working the breakfast bar must have been a magician in another life. Adam had eaten at rundown roadside motels several times in his life, usually when he was on the run with his mom, but he couldn’t ever remember anything more than stale cereal, lukewarm milk, and honey buns still in the plastic wrap.

  Ben had introduced Adam to the cook, Izzy, when he stopped by their table to refill their coffees. The first impression Izzy gave off with all his piercings and colorful hair did not inspire much confidence in his culinary expertise. Not only could Izzy have likely won a season of Top Chef, but Adam found himself making an instant connection with his funnily friendly nature.

  Izzy waved goodbye to them from the front step of the quaint motel. Adam watched him disappear in the distance, resting his cheek on Ben’s back and fighting his blood sugar level to stay alert. Hours down the road and they finally broke the Florida state line. Palm trees slowly replaced the piney forests and Adam began to keep his eye out for the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. He hadn’t seen a beach since he was a young child and could still remember how the brownish sand of Galveston Beach had stuck to his skin. He picked up a faint odor of salt in the air and grinned maniacally to see seagulls flying overhead as they got closer to the shore.

  When they stopped for lunch at another roadside café, Adam insisted they eat their shrimp po-boys outside on the patio. He couldn’t see the water yet, but he could sense it was just over the horizon. He ate his sandwich quickly, excited to get back on the road. Ben laughed cautioning him to slow down before he choked. Adam just winked and kept shoveling.

  The last hour of their trip, Adam could feel Ben’s rising excitement, too. They had finally made it to the coast and Adam would have loved to stop and put his toes in the surf, but he knew Ben was too focused on getting home to stop. They had all week in Florida and Adam was certain Ben would make sure he got to spend some of that time on the startlingly white beach.

  When Ben pulled off the main road onto a paved driveway, Adam suspected they were finally there. He could practically feel the relief pouring off his mate in waves. Ben stopped the bike to open a simple metal gate buried in a thick stand of trees. While Adam couldn’t see much past the tree line, he was surprised by the simple gate. He had expected more from his conversations with Ben regarding his pack’s take on security.

  Once they were through the gate, Adam realized his mistake. The farm gate and tree line were only the first line of d
efense they had to maneuver through. Another, more formidable looking wall made of solid wood planks stood about seventy-five feet within the tree line. They passed through only after Ben had typed in the complicated passcode, Adam losing count after the eighth digit.

  About another half-mile inside the compound, for it truly was a compound Adam had come to realize, they reached a third wall. This one appeared to be solid concrete and topped with watch posts every ten feet or so. Adam looked up into the myriad faces scowling looking down upon them, fear spreading through his being. Only now did Adam truly start to feel the danger he was blindly walking into. Adam was practically vibrating with nervousness now. Even Ben’s hand resting on his thigh wasn’t the calming force it usual was. Ben looked back and met his worried gaze. He smiled reassuringly and Adam tried to reciprocate, but the humor in Ben’s gaze proved how horrible the attempt looked from the outside.