The Alpha had clearly spent all his energy on the fight and had little to none left for healing. Adam put him to bed and dressed the wound as best he could. He phoned Sam who got Alicia to call him within the hour. There was something reassuring about the calm, knowledgeable woman’s voice on the other end of the line. She gave him clear instructions and promised to make the trip up to check on Ben herself.
Afraid to leave him alone, Adam slept on the bed beside the Alpha, reassured by the constant thump of Ben’s heart and the rise and fall of his chest. Ben slept a full day and night, not even waking the few times Adam tried to rouse him for food or water.
Adam wasn’t used to being left in charge, to fending for himself. When the generator stopped in the middle of the night, he had to battle both his fear and his lack of knowledge to get it going again. But he did, marveling at his growing ability.
When Ben finally woke from his long sleep, Adam was pleased to be able to offer him hot soup, toast, and pain relief and contented himself to be happy when Ben accepted two of the three.
When Ben tried to get out of bed, Adam had to put his foot down.
“Alicia said you won’t heal if you keep moving around. To the toilet and back, that’s all. She insisted.”
“I need to wash up, Adam. I’m grimy and sweaty and I’ve still got Josh’s blood on me.”
“You’ll tear the newly healed tissue in your wound. It’ll bleed again. You have to stay still.”
He could see the unhappiness in his Alpha’s face as he parroted Alicia’s words. Thinking quickly, he disappeared from the room. It took a few minutes to gather what he needed but he returned with towels, a basin of hot, soapy water and a sponge.
When Ben raised a questioning eyebrow, Adam shrugged his shoulders. “You don’t have to get out of bed to get clean. But you have to promise to let me do all the work.”
He helped Ben shed his clothes and spread the towels beneath him then got to work. Ben lay on his front first and Adam cleaned his back.
“Remember that first night, when I cleaned your wounds?” Ben asked as Adam started working on his shoulders.
“I remember.”
“I was such a bastard to you. You were terrified and all I could think was how much hassle you were going to be. If I could do it over again, I would.”
“What would you do differently?” Adam asked, curious.
“I’d show you what a gentle touch really was.”
“But you’ve shown me that plenty of times.”
“Not when you’ve been like that. Naked. Vulnerable. Injured. It’s… different.”
Ben sighed as Adam worked. “It feels so good to get clean.”
Adam worked his way down Ben’s body to his feet then helped him turned over to he could work on his front. He cleaned the area around the wound first, which still bled sluggishly. “It’s pink and clean, just like Alicia said it should be.”
As he cleaned Ben’s chest, he let one hand trail across the wet skin, tracing fingers across the Alpha's tattoos. Ben’s skin was smooth, muscles firm beneath his hands. It felt good to touch him, sending little shocks of pleasure through him. He’d never felt that when Harvey touched him and Harvey had never let Adam lay a hand on him.
He worked his way down to Ben’s stomach, trying to keep his eyes from slipping downwards to the Alpha’s groin. But he couldn’t help his curiosity. Harvey had always taken him in the dark, from behind. Never let him see or touch even though Adam’s heat meant he wanted to so much. It was strange, though, because, outside of his heats, he never wanted Harvey near him. But he wasn’t in heat now and the urge to see and touch Ben was hard to resist.
He finally finished Ben’s stomach and shifted down the bed a bit while soaking the sponge in the warm water again before wringing it out. Letting his eyes finally look at what he’d been avoiding, he felt himself falter.
Ben’s gentle voice called to him. “I can take care of this bit, you don’t have to…”
But Adam wanted to. He reached out, making sure to be more gentle than elsewhere given the sensitivity of the area. Even soft, the Alpha’s length was impressive. Adam squirmed a little at the thought of how good it would feel inside of him when he was in heat.
Would… would Ben let him touch? He was different to Harvey in lots of ways, so maybe this would be one of them. He reached a hand to lift his length so he could clean the underside and Ben hissed, body tensing.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean…” Adam apologized, then realized Ben’s flesh was beginning to stiffen.
“No, it’s okay. It’s just been a while and I’m a bit sensitive, that’s all. It feels nice but right now it’s probably not a good idea to divert energy away from healing.”
Adam nodded, moving on to Ben’s thighs and working his way down to his feet, then dried him off with a soft towel.
As he finished, Ben spoke. “Come up here for a minute, will you?”
Adam did and Ben drew him close.
“Thank you. It feels so good to be clean.” He considered for a moment. “Maybe I could wash you?”
Adam blushed but shook his head. “You need to rest. And I can shower.”
Ben sighed. “The voice of reason, as ever. I guess you’re right. Here, lie beside me instead, I like to feel you close.”
Adam cleared the towels and basin away, then curled up next to Ben, pulling the covers up across them both.
Alicia and Sam arrived the afternoon of the second day.
“We took a plane,” Sam said when Ben wondered how they’d arrived so quickly, “Can’t say I’m the biggest fan of flying, though.”
After checking Ben over thoroughly, Alicia took Adam aside. Sam stayed with Ben, sitting with his legs crossed on a chair next to the bed.
“How did the Porter’s work out where you were?” he wondered aloud.
Ben started to sit up before remembering Alicia’s sharp words from only minutes previously and letting himself sink back onto the mattress.
“I’m guessing I was spotted by someone. I’ve taken a few trips further afield in recent weeks, for supplies and things. One of the neighboring Packs might have seen me. Or someone with a long memory knew this was somewhere my family used to travel to.”
There was no fear in Ben’s mind that Sam had been the source of the information. He trusted Sam with his life, Adam’s too.
“So did I hear right? Alicia said the knife went through your heart? Not many people, shifter or no, can walk away from an injury like that.”
“Walk away might be a slight exaggeration. I’m pretty much bedridden while my heart muscle heals.”
“Trust you to wind up with a literal broken heart. From the looks of things though, it won’t be broken for long.”
Sam’s grin made it clear what he was talking about. When Ben raised an eyebrow, Sam huffed.
“Come on, you know what I mean. You and Adam are so much closer now. Hell, you took a knife to the heart for him. Went up against Gray Valley. Killed their Alpha successor. I mean, if that isn’t a declaration of love, then I don’t know what is.”
“Declaration of love, expression of a death wish. Hard to tell the difference, isn’t it?” Ben replied, amused at Sam’s take on the situation.
“There is that. The Porters weren’t exactly fond of you before, and now…”
“And now, I’ve put a giant target on both our backs for as long as we live.”
“Not as giant as you think.”
Sam was giving him a look that told him the other Alpha knew something.
“Spit it out, Sam.”
“Sebastian has made an application to the Interpack council on your behalf, for recognition of yours’ and Adam’s bond. It’ll probably bounce back and forth for months before they make any decisions but just the fact that Glenoak are supporting you will be enough to stop any direct action being taken against you, at least until the Council comes to a decision. And Fenrir’s Warriors have made it clear they won’t tolerate any interference with y
our bond. That should keep Gray Valley off your back for now.”
For the first time since he’d killed Joshua, Ben felt able to relax. Fenrir’s Warriors were still watching the cottage, Sam and Alicia had spotted them on their way in. For now, he and Adam were safe.
Adam sat down on his bed, hearing the murmur of Ben and Sam’s voices next door as Alicia checked him over with gentle hands. Most of her concern was for the blow he’d taken to his head but it didn’t take long to allay those worries.
“It must have been terrifying, watching what they did to Ben, Joshua taking you away, the fight.”
Adam shrugged. “I thought Ben was going to die because of me. But he fought so hard, for both of us.”
“You’re both very lucky.”
Adam couldn’t hide a small smile at her words. He couldn’t imagine there was a luckier Omega in the entire world, having an Alpha like Ben willing to fight for him. He wondered if Ben felt lucky? He shouldn’t. All Adam had brought him was trouble. But when the Alpha looked at him, there was no regret in his eyes, only wonder.
Sam and Alicia stayed for a day and a half until Alicia was sure Ben’s wound was healing properly.
“You’ll need two weeks of bed rest. Then two weeks of doing very little. That means no chopping wood, heavy lifting or bedtime activities. You can change form after the first week, but no hunting or contorting. Stick to the rules and you’ll be fully healed by Christmas. Otherwise, you risk starting the healing process all over again. You want to be healed in time for a certain event, I’m sure,” Alicia said, with a significant glance at Adam.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The dynamic between them shifted over the four weeks, Adam gaining more independence and Ben learning to rely on him and do what he was told, albeit reluctantly. Once the first two weeks had passed, Ben felt the time had come for him to start building on things with Adam. He snagged his arm early one evening, leading him to the bathroom.
“Get undressed, have a shower,” Ben said. Adam eyed him curiously with a hint of uncertainty.
“What are we doing?”
“I’m going to redo our first night together, like we talked about.”
Adam’s eyes widened.
“If you don’t want to do it, we don’t have to, just say the word.” Ben gave him an out, though he suspected he wouldn’t need it. He was right, as Adam turned on the shower and undressed.
Ben leaned against the sink, watching like before, and marveled at the change in the time Adam had been with him. Most of his wounds had healed, only a few traces left on his back. His skinny frame had filled out a little now that his food wasn’t being restricted.
Ben handed him a towel as he stepped out of the shower and watched him dry off. Then he took the towel from him, letting it fall to the floor and guided the Omega towards the sink.
“Just like last time,” he murmured. “Hands on the sink, that’s it.”
Adam seemed a little stiff and tense, which wasn’t at all what Ben wanted. He pressed close to Adam’s back, leaning in to place a kiss on the Omega’s neck. Adam let out a soft gasp, arching his head back a little. Ben wrapped one arm around his chest and drew the Omega back against him, continuing to kiss the soft skin of his neck.
“That’s it. Just relax.” Once Adam was soft and pliable beneath his hands, he leaned him forward again, reaching for the small bottle he’d left next to the sink. Pouring a small amount of the oil onto his hands, he let it warm before spreading it across his palms. Then his two hands settled on Adam’s shoulders and started a gentle massage. He paid close attention to the nape of Adam’s neck, a sensitive spot in any wolf, but especially in an Omega it seemed, and Adam was lost, moaning softly with pleasure. It brought a smile to Ben’s face as he worked his way down Adam’s back.
Adam was his, all of him. Every inch of skin, every muscle. So he didn’t hesitate when he reached Adam’s buttocks, brushing firm hands across their swell. Adam pushed back against him as he did. Ben had heard the words touch starved before, but he’d never seen it first-hand. He let go and Adam turned towards him.
“I want…” Adam said. “I need…”
“What do you need?” Ben said. “Tell me,” he added firmly when Adam didn’t answer.
“I need to touch you. Please let me touch you.” There was such desperation in the Omega’s voice. Ben didn’t understand where it came from, but he reached out, taking Adam’s hand and turning him fully so they were face to face.
Adam’s pupils were dilated, cheeks flushed, the smell of his arousal heady. Ben stepped back and pulled off his t-shirt and boxers.
“I’m yours, Adam. My body belongs to you.” Then, belatedly, added a warning. “Just touch, for now, no sex.”
Adam’s hands were tentative as they reached for him, fingertips gliding across his chest. His eyes flicked frequently to Ben’s face as if concerned how he’d react.
“Here, try the oil,” Ben suggested, holding it out. Adam cupped his hand and Ben poured a generous amount onto it.
“Warm it in your hands, rub them together,” he said, watching as Adam did so. And then Adam’s hands were on him again. There was a hunger there, a desperation. Adam wasn’t just starved of touch, he was starved to touch. His hands roamed Ben’s chest, then along each arm in turn. He knelt, splaying his hands across Ben’s stomach, then leaned in, pressing his cheek against Ben’s abdomen as his hands trailed up and down Ben’s lower back. Ben was half hard, but if Adam had noticed, he didn’t seem to mind. Ben let his hand trail through Adam’s curls, not caring that they were both smeared with oil.
“He never let me touch him,” Adam mumbled, his face still pressed to Ben. “Even when I was in heat and so desperate to. And he never touched me, except to hurt. He’d always bruised me when we mated, his hands hard on my hips.”
Ben sighed, combing his fingers through Adam’s hair over and over. No wonder the Omega was so desperate to touch and to be touched.
“With you it’s different. I want to touch you all the time. I want you to touch me. It feels so good.”
“It feels good for me too. How about we shower and wash off, then we can cuddle in bed for a while?” Truth be told, the exertion had taken more out of him than he’d expected. Adam seemed to realize what Ben was leaving unsaid, supporting him as they stepped into the shower together and helped each other wash the oil away.
Later, as they drowsed under the blankets, Adam’s body pressed tightly against his side, Ben reveled in the sense of rightness between them. If this was bonding, it beat one night stands by a few thousand miles.
Over the next few days, Adam got up the courage to talk with Ben about what the future would hold. It was no longer a question of if, but when, they mated. He told him what Robert and Alicia had said, about using medication to stop pregnancy.
"If you want to wait, if you need time, then I'm okay with that," the Alpha promised.
"And if I don't want to wait?" Adam listened eagerly for Ben's reply, knowing the other wolf's keen hearing would pick up the fast beat of his heart.
Ben smiled at that, letting his fingers trace circles across Adam’s skin.
"Then we'll let nature take its course."
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Spring came early that year, the snow melting and the first buds appearing. Adam found new things to look at every day, in the garden and in the woods surrounding them. It was even better as a wolf, new sights and smells, though Ben felt it was too early to hunt.
Despite his many attempts to get Ben to change his mind, the Alpha refused to give in to Adam’s requests for sex. He had decided it would be when Adam’s heat came and not before. That didn’t mean everything was off the table, as Adam was quick to learn. Even after Ben’s injury had healed, it became the default for them to sleep in the same bed. Ben had no problem with them touching, kissing, hugging and he’d taught Adam lots about different ways to give and receive pleasure that weren’t full sex. It had never occurred to him that you could use
your hands or mouth like that.
Ben liked to teach by example and Adam smiled at the memory of the first time he’d come under the Alpha’s skilled hands. He hadn’t known there could be pleasure quite like it and had been eager to return the favor. Ben had been no less eager but was mindful of overloading him with too much too soon.
It was almost a month from the start of the melting that the snow finally cleared. As the world heated, so too did Adam. A familiar sensation returned, the feeling that his skin just didn’t fit right. Like an itch he didn’t know how to scratch. It made him grouchy and uneasy.
It never occurred to him that Ben didn’t know what a heat looked like, so, after two days of this, he found himself sitting on the sofa next to the Alpha for a talk.
“Adam, I know something is wrong. You’re like a bear with a sore paw. What is it?”
When Adam didn’t reply straight away, he kept talking. “You know I’m here for you, right? You can talk to me about anything…”
“My heat’s almost here.”
“Oh.” Ben mouth opened and closed a few times. “Here? Now?”
Adam very nearly laughed at the look of shock on the Alpha’s face.
“No, not yet, soon. You’d smell me a mile away if it was here now,” he replied, exasperated.
Ben saw the funny side and started to laugh. “Sorry, first time Alpha nerves. I promise I’ll handle it better than that.”
“I know you will. Will you do that thing with your mouth when you…”
The Alpha’s hands went to Adam’s shirt and began to undo the buttons.
“I didn’t mean now,” Adam mumbled, blushing. “I meant when I was in heat.”
“Well, we’d best get in some practice first.” Ben reasoned, undeterred from his mission to undress Adam. “Unless you’d rather wait?” he asked, leaning in to lick a long line across Adam’s collarbone.
The Alpha's Choice: Lost Omegas Book Two: A M/M Shifter Romance Page 12
