Pack War [City Wolves 3] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by JC Holly

  Paul shifted in the passenger seat, then turned to his window and inhaled through his nose.

  “Humans, exhaust fumes, cat piss.” He turned back to face the window. “I could be home with Darren right now.”

  “I’m not company enough for you?”

  “Nope. Don’t take it personally.”

  “I know what you mean, but I’m still obliged to hit you.” Victor punched him on the arm. “Nothing personal.”

  Paul laughed. “Does that mean you’ve met someone or what?”

  Victor chewed his lip. “No. Just remembering.”

  Remembering last night. As great a time as he’d had, he had no idea where things would go. Farrell was very much an “in the present” kind of person. In the last four years Victor had been out with five guys. Farrell had seen at least thirty, most not lasting longer than a week.

  Paul gave him an odd look, then turned back to the window. “How’s Farrell?”

  Victor’s stomach lurched. “What?”

  “Farrell. His leg doing okay?”

  “Oh, right.” Jeez, calm down. “He’s doing well. Heals faster than I do, and I thought I was older. I’m going over tonight if you want to tag along.”

  “Nah, I’ve got plans. Tell him Darren and I send our best though.”

  Victor smiled, relieved. “Will do.”

  A familiar scent wafted in on the breeze, and Victor turned to see Ethan coming out of the front door of the bar. Paul groaned and muttered under his breath.

  “What’s the point in us watching for attacks when he just wanders about like that?” He shook his head. “He’s a walking target.”

  Victor shrugged. “He’s also a walking tank. Would you take him on?”

  “Good point.”

  He flipped the locks on the car, and Ethan climbed into the back seats and placed one large hand on each of the front chair’s backs. The man exuded power from every pore. If Victor hadn’t spent so much time with him, he’d be intimidated.

  “Nothing?” he said, his voice a low rumble.

  “Not a thing,” Victor replied, turning back to face his boss. “Any news from the other teams?”

  “All quiet, other than a minor skirmish down by Broad Park. Gabriel’s new second attacked two of ours, human form, but ran when another team came past.”

  “Did we give chase?” Paul said, his expression dark.

  Ethan nodded. “He had a car waiting, though. Long gone.”

  Paul sighed, but didn’t reply. It was well known that Paul killed Gabriel’s previous second-in-command. It was also known that Paul felt guilty for the entire war, as it started after an attempt by Gabriel to blackmail Paul into committing a murder. It turned out that it had only been a ploy to determine his allegiance, and that Gabriel had always intended to start a war for territory, but Paul still took it on his own shoulders, regardless of the pack’s attempts to dissuade him from doing so.

  Ethan slapped Paul on the shoulder. “Don’t start that moping bullshit again. Go home and see Darren.”

  “Still got an hour of my shift left.”

  “Not now you don’t. I’ll take over for the last part.”

  Paul glanced at Ethan, then nodded. “All right. Thanks, Ethan. Catch you later, Vic.”

  “Give Darren one for me,” Victor said with a grin.

  Paul climbed out of the cab and headed over to his own car, parked a few feet away, before driving away. Victor waved him off as Ethan moved to the passenger seat, then turned to face his boss.

  “Speaking of other halves, how’s Conor?”

  Ethan smiled, a common occurrence when talking about his boyfriend, now fiancé. “He’s good. Not loving being so locked down, but I’m not taking any chances. He’s human, after all. Wouldn’t last five seconds against one of Gabriel’s goons, even with the tricks I taught him.”

  “Giving away our secrets to humans, eh?”

  “Only select ones.” Ethan slapped Victor’s shoulder. “I need you to do something for the pack.”

  Victor’s stomach lurched. By the way Ethan’s expression had changed, the chances were it wasn’t a donut run.

  “Gabriel’s gone quiet, and I don’t like it. I need someone to scout out his warehouse and see if anything’s cooking.”

  Victor rubbed at his neck. “Yeah, I can do that. Maybe I’ll get lucky and catch Gabriel going for a piss.”

  Ethan smirked. “That’d help. I’d ask someone else, but, well, to be frank you’re the only one I trust with the task that doesn’t have a significant other.”

  Except I almost do…Sort of. “Makes sense. Tonight?”

  “Tonight.”

  Chapter Four

  Farrell stepped out of the shower and rubbed at his hair with a towel as he padded over to the basin. He discarded the towel and half-filled the bowl with hot water, then plucked a razor from the open packet. Normally he preferred a little stubble, but today he felt like going smooth. Victor would be arriving in an hour or so, according to the text he’d sent, which left time to preen, as well as ponder.

  Avani’s words had left Farrell with more to think about than he’d expected. He’d told her that he was playing it entirely in the moment with Victor, but already he was having the odd doubt about that. The fact that he showered and was shaving in preparation for Vic’s arrival, for instance, was not his typical routine with people he fucked around with.

  He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out with a guy seriously. There was one guy a couple of years ago that had lasted a few months, but that was years ago. He paused halfway through a stroke of the razor. Could that really be the last one?

  “Wow.”

  He quickly finished up his shave, paying close attention to the parts he usually messed up, then washed and moisturized his face before heading into the office to check his e-mails. As he dropped into his plush office chair he took the opportunity to check his leg. As he’d expected the wound was healed, inside and out judging by his pokes. An ugly scar remained, though. That could take a long time to fade, he thought with a sigh. Still, better than humans. Theirs often didn’t fade at all.

  “I’d be mostly scar tissue if I wasn’t a wolf,” he muttered with a smirk.

  In fact he’d be dead. Compared to some of the things he’d endured over the years, the latest wound was a gnat bite.

  He was just switching the PC off when Victor knocked on the door.

  “It’s open,” he called. “I’m in the office.”

  A moment later Victor popped his head around the door. “Swanky. Looking at porn?”

  Farrell swiveled in the chair to face him. “I am now.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

  He grinned, but Vic didn’t. “What’s wrong?”

  “I have a mission for the pack tonight.”

  “I’m guessing it’s not a donut run.”

  Victor smirked. “No. I’m scouting the warehouse, since Gabriel’s gone quiet.”

  Farrell nodded. “I can see the sense in it, but I’m not too happy about you going alone.”

  Victor raised an eyebrow. “I’m touched. Or is it that you don’t think I’m able?”

  “Ha!” Farrell jumped to his feet. “Hardly that. You’re almost as talented as I am.”

  “Ethan picked me because he said I don’t have a significant other.”

  He frowned. “Are we not telling people yet, then?”

  Victor shrugged. “I hadn’t at that point, and it seemed a bit like I was wimping out to tell him afterward. I wasn’t avoiding it, though.”

  “That’s all right, then.”

  “I guess it makes sense for the time being, though,” Victor continued. “You know, until we’re certain whether this’ll work out. You know how the pack gossips.”

  “True.” Farrell made a mental note to text Avani to keep quiet. “Anyway.” He moved closer to his friend. “What brings you to my boudoir?”

  Victor glanced down, then backed up. “I remember a time when you
wore clothes in this apartment.”

  Farrell moved in close, his cock rubbing against Victor’s jeans. “That was before I knew how good your cum tasted.”

  Victor ran a hand down and teased Farrell’s stiffening cock. “Yeah? I could say the same. How about you go for another taste?”

  “Why, Victor. Are you coming on to me?”

  Victor grinned. “Come on you, you say? There’s an idea.”

  Farrell stepped back a little, then dropped onto his knees on the plush office carpet. He batted Victor’s hands away from his fly and then worked the buttons free one by one. Already he could smell the musk of Victor’s bulge, and his mouth almost watered at the anticipation. The last button came away, and he jerked the jeans down Victor’s body, along with his boxers. His cock sprang free, already semierect, and Farrell teased the shaft as it thickened in his hand.

  Victor tensed as Farrell ran his tongue around the large cockhead, then frowned as Farrell stood and walked to the desk.

  “Something wrong?”

  Farrell shook his head. “Change of plan.” He put his hands on the thick wooden desk and bent over. “You’re the big man tonight, so I think you’re entitled to take the reins here, too.”

  When Victor didn’t immediately respond, Farrell wiggled his ass. “It ain’t getting any warmer in here, y’know.”

  Victor chuckled. “You’re sure about this?”

  “What’s not to be sure of? It’s just sex, Vic. Now come stick that big ole cock where the sun only shines when I’m doing handstands in the park.”

  Sure that Victor was over his moment of unease, Farrell reached into the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a bottle of lube. “It’s been a while since I’ve taken it, so go slow at first.”

  “I always do.”

  Victor took the bottle, and Farrell heard the cap flip open. A moment later a few drops of lube dripped onto his flesh. He let out a moan as a finger pushed against his tight asshole. Victor slid his finger in slowly, giving Farrell time to relax and adjust to the sensation. Like he’d said, it had been a while since he’d bottomed, but he was definitely in the mood for it now that Victor was working his magic behind him.

  “You like that?” Victor said, leaning over to mutter into Farrell’s ear. “You’re so tight.”

  “I love it. I can’t wait for you to stick something larger inside me.”

  “Oh?” Victor slid another finger in beside the first. “Anything in particular? I could go and get a cell phone or something.”

  “Funny.” Farrell gasped as Victor massaged his prostate. “Your cock. I want your cock.”

  “Say please.”

  “Please…” Farrell grabbed his own cock and rubbed the head with his thumb. “Please shove that cock inside me.”

  Victor withdrew his fingers and pushed the head of his cock against Farrell’s asshole. Slowly he pushed until the tip slid inside, then pulled out again, only to push farther in. Farrell sucked in a breath and forced himself to relax so Victor’s thick length would fit inside him.

  “Fuck.” Victor slapped Farrell on the ass cheek. “I’ve thought about this so many times.”

  “Yeah?” Farrell pushed back and took more of Victor’s cock. “Tell me about it.”

  Victor pushed farther in, then slid back, finding a comfortable rhythm. “The first day I met you, I wanted to fuck you. You swaggered into the bar with a bag over one shoulder, and all I could think of doing was dragging you into the bathroom.”

  “And yet you didn’t.”

  “Now I know what I was missing out on, I’m regretting it.”

  They worked themselves up to a steady pace, silent now as they worked on keeping calm. Farrell reached for his cock again, only for Victor to get there first. He matched the strokes with the strokes he was making into Farrell’s ass, making it even harder for Farrell not to come then and there. Instead he gritted his teeth and focused only on moving his hips in time with Victor.

  Victor was definitely over his reservations. He must have sensed that Farrell was close, and let go of his cock, bringing both hands back to grab Farrell’s waist as he slammed his cock into him. That was fine with Farrell. Another minute and he would’ve been gone. He gripped the edge of the desk and slammed back against Victor’s cock.

  “Didn’t realize I’d missed taking it so much,” he managed to say between gasps of air. “Helps that you know what you’re doing.”

  Victor didn’t reply, instead grunting as he kept up his pace. He was close, Farrell could tell, and he wasn’t interested in slowing down. Instead he sped, pushing his cock so far inside Farrell that he felt Victor’s balls slap against him. The feeling brought Farrell’s own orgasm closer, and he gripped his cock again, jerking in time with the strokes. As he neared climax, Victor pulled free and turned Farrell around with one strong arm.

  “Knees,” he grunted.

  Farrell obeyed, his gaze on Victor’s cock as he jerked it hard and fast. “Do it,” he said. “Come in my face.”

  Victor gasped, then came hard with a cry. Farrell closed his eyes just in time, warm ropes of cum splattering onto his forehead and cheek. A second later he came himself, spurting over his hand.

  He opened his eyes and grabbed Victor’s spent cock, working the last of the cum free, before standing and kissing Victor hard on the mouth. Victor returned the kiss, his tongue slipping inside Farrell’s mouth, seeking his own tongue. They separated, and Farrell grinned.

  “So, ready to take on the world now?”

  Victor grinned back. “I think so.”

  * * * *

  The rain had returned by the time Victor got back into his car and pulled away from Farrell’s place. It was ideal for his plans. The rain would keep his scent muted while he scouted. Of course, that also meant that any other wolves in the area would be harder to smell, so he’d have to rely on his eyesight more, but it was a worthy trade-off. Hopefully there wouldn’t be too many people about, anyway.

  He had to admit, despite his hesitation with Farrell earlier, he felt a lot better. He hadn’t realized how much pent-up stress was running around his body. Farrell soon got rid of that.

  Victor chuckled to himself. “We’ll have to do that more often.”

  He partly wished that Farrell was with him on the job. Victor had never met a wolf as skilled as Farrell, and he’d met a few in his time. Even Ethan couldn’t best Farrell when it came to stealth and use of his senses. The guy could hear a gnat sneeze in a hurricane.

  The wound on his leg seemed much better already, too, which was somewhat of a surprise. Farrell healed incredibly fast, which meant he was either older than he claimed, or had been bitten by a very old wolf. Or both. Not that it mattered. Victor didn’t take offense at the ruse, and he could guess why Farrell kept it to himself. If he was as powerful as he seemed, he’d be expected to head a pack, rather than work for one, and that just wasn’t his style.

  That said, when the inevitable full-scale pack fight came, Victor was looking forward to seeing just what his partner was capable of.

  There was a small parking lot, more of a strip of dirt, about a half mile from the factory that Gabriel and his pack called home. Victor parked and climbed out of the car, then sniffed the air. Nobody was nearby, so he quickly disrobed, then rifled through his glove compartment and pulled out a stretchy collar with a small leather pouch on the front that contained a tiny camera. He stretched the collar over his head and adjusted it, then took a few long breaths and shifted.

  Pain fired in every nerve ending as the change took place, shifting his human form into that of a wolf. He gritted his lengthening teeth against the pain and dropped to all fours as his bones and muscles realigned.

  The whole shift took only seconds, but it felt a damn sight longer. Victor shook his now furry head and stretched his legs. The shift hurt less every time, but he wasn’t one for shifting when it wasn’t necessary, and as a result tended to suffer more than most wolves his age. Given Farrell’s love of his own dual na
ture, Victor wondered if the man felt a tenth of what he felt.

  The collar had managed to stay in place through the change, and Victor stretched his neck to each side to make sure the clasp hadn’t come loose. Satisfied, he set off into the woods that lay to the side of the factory’s grounds.

  The rain was heavier now, but a wolf’s coat was better suited to the wet than a human’s anyway. He ran on, enjoying the cool splashes as he moved farther into the trees. No wolves were in the vicinity that he could sense, but as he neared the wall that separated the factory and wood, he slowed. Better safe than sorry.

  The wall was some ten feet tall, and while Victor was confident he could get over the top if he shifted back, he didn’t want to waste energy he might need later. Besides, it hurt. Instead he patrolled the bottom of the wall in search of access. He found it not long after. A small hole, large enough for a wolf, had been hacked into the stone. No doubt one of Gabriel’s pack had done it to make it easier to access the woods. It was a tight squeeze, but after a few seconds of scrabbling he made it through, coming out at the rear of the factory.

  A snarl nearby had him freeze in place. A quick sniff told him that there was at least one wolf in the factory, but the rain hampered his ability to sense anything more specific. He cursed his rush to get through the hole. If he’d taken two seconds to smell first, he could have steered clear.

  Another snarl, this time closer, then the distinctive crackling of a wolf shifting to human form. Victor hunkered against the wall’s shadow, staying as small as he could until he could identify the threat.

  A moment later Gabriel’s new second-in-command, a huge man named Marcus, stepped out from the side of the building. He sniffed the air, then turned to face where Victor sat.

  “Well, what have we here?”

  Victor remained silent, instead eyeing the man. He was naked, of course, since he’d just shifted back, and looked like a walking muscle. Every part of him rippled with muscle and sinew. No doubt he’d shifted to human form to intimidate. A risky move, since Victor hadn’t shifted, and could close the distance between them before most Weres could shift. Something told him that Marcus was a fast shifter, though. Otherwise he’d not try to show off.