by J. J. Massa
“Lakon.” Her voice sounded shaky. She pushed against his naked chest.
Lakon raised his head from her breast and pulled her against him, rolling onto his back. He pulled her flannel shirt over her, but he continued to run his hands over the satin skin under it.
“I was so worried, Mya. So afraid I’d never see you, never touch you again.” Her head rested against his chest and he stroked her hair.
“Why did you hurt me, Lakon?” She whispered, not lifting her head.
He took a deep breath. “I wasn’t thinking straight, Mya. You’re my mate and it just seemed like everyone was threatening that.” He took another deep breath. “Riker is my twin brother.”
She nodded. “I know that.”
“For every wolf, there is one mate and we know when we’ve found her. It’s like an imprint on your soul. Sometimes if a mate dies, there can be another, but almost never.”
She nodded against his chest again. “Okay, so far.”
“With twins, we’re so alike in so many ways that we could, conceivably, have the same mate.” He blew out a sigh.
She lifted her bare torso from his, propping herself on her forearms. “Lakon?” He looked up into her whiskey colored eyes.
“What, Baby?” he murmured. He wanted her so much. She had to know that.
“Be honest, okay? I won’t be mad.”
His brow furrowed. “Okay.”
“When you first met Bethany, what did you think?” He hadn’t expected that.
Honesty. He could do that. “She was beautiful. And she smelled damned good.” His face and neck began to color. She wanted honest… “Yeah, I wanted her.”
Mya nodded. “Did you go for her?”
“HUH? Of course not!” How could she ask that?
“How come?” She sounded genuinely curious.
“She was my brother’s mate! Riker loved her so much.” Why was she asking these questions?
“You told me you loved me the first time we made love.” She lay back down on his chest.
“Mya?” He tipped her face to look at him. “Baby, I do love you. I love you more than my life. I don’t love Bethany the way I love you. I never have, never will. You know that, don’t you?”
“I know that your brother loves his wife and she loves him. He was just being stupid.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I know you’re sorry that you hurt me Lakon. I believe you do love me.” She moved her head down a little so that she wasn’t looking at him.
“But?” He knew there was a “but”. There’s always a “but”.
“How can I trust you not to hurt me again?” Her breath clutched on a sob.
Running his hands up and down her smooth back, he answered her.
“These last three weeks have taught me some important things, Baby. I don’t think I can explain each thing that I’ve learned. But I do know that I have to earn your trust back. Will you give me a chance?”
“How do I do that, Lakon? How do I know you won’t do this again?”
“Stay with me tonight. Just for tonight. If that goes okay, stay tomorrow, too. Maybe, if enough days and nights go okay, you’ll want to stay with me for a week… If I earn your trust again, maybe someday, you’ll stay with me for a lifetime?”
“Oh Lakon.” She began to cry again.
“Shhh, Baby, its okay. Let’s go to bed—to sleep. Maybe we’ll be hungry when we wake up.” She nodded, still crying silently.
He lifted her and carried her to the narrow bed in the corner. Undressing her and placing her in it, he climbed in behind her.
Chapter 13
Office of Dr. Abel Livingston
Duke University Medical Center
“Myles, you know Riker Montgomery, of course, and this is Mr. Mik Montgomery.” Dr. Jane Montgomery and Dr. Abel Livingston introduced the giant wolf.
Myles stood and reached out a hand to Mik. “Pleased to meet you sir.” He’s even more formidable in person.
Mik lifted a large paw and shook Myles hand. “I’m very fond of your sister,” he told Myles.
Myles smiled. “She’s easy to love, she is.”
“I guess you’re wondering why I’ve called you all here today?” Dr. Livingston chuckled. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”
Riker, Mik, and Myles just stared at him unmoving. The doctor cleared his throat.
“Okay, well, simply put there is a way to treat, essentially to cure Myles’s hemophilia,” Dr. Livingston explained.
“The thing is,” said Dr. Montgomery, “either of the principals—that would be you, Myles, or you Mik, um Mr. Montgomery,” she cleared her throat again. “Either one of you might object.”
“As you know, Myles’ disease is worsening somewhat because of several factors. Some of the past treatments he’s had have left his autoimmune system weaker, his joints are at risk and infections are even more of a threat than in the past.” Dr. Livingston seemed much more comfortable talking about the disease than he was cracking jokes.
“This is exciting for us for a number of reasons.” Dr. Montgomery actually did seem excited. “Generally speaking, werewolves don’t get diseases like hemophilia. As geneticists and doctors, we study and work with all diseases and disorders that affect genes—even the ones that do not impact our kind.”
Myles noticed that the other two men stared at the doctors without blinking. He wondered if they were interested or bored stupid. Mik cleared that up for him.
“Cut to the chase Jane. or I’m going to lie down on the floor,” he rumbled.
Myles and Riker exchanged looks. Both were fighting not to burst into laughter.
“Um, yes,” Dr. Livingston flushed. Jane Montgomery was too embarrassed to speak. “Well Mik, if you want to donate a lot of your blood and let us splice some of your genes with some of his, we think we can cure him.”
Myles saw Riker arch a brow. He knew that Mik was as stunned as he was.
“Before we get to the “hows” and “wherefores”, let’s talk end result,” Riker insisted.
Yeah, I wanted to ask that, too!
“What happens besides no more hemophilia?” Myles finally got out.
“Essentially, you will become lupine but you won’t be able to transform like Dr. Livingston, myself and Riker can. You’ll be like the opposite of Mik,” Dr. Montgomery explained.
Myles and Mik looked at each other for a minute. “Um, will I still be able to speak?” Mik lives in a wolf body but talks, if I’m opposite of him, it’s a fair question…
“We believe so,” answered Dr. Livingston. We believe so? Doctors!
“Why Dad and not me?” asked Riker.
“You are our second choice, sir, but we feel that your father’s biology is more likely to ensure success. We’ll need some of your blood for your father, anyway.”
“Go over there for a minute,” Mik told the doctors, angling his head toward a corner of the room. They did. “What do you think, son?” Mik asked Myles.
“I think my future’s looking pretty bleak right now,” Myles answered.
“How do you feel about having wolf and werewolf in your system?” Riker asked him.
“You don’t have fleas do you?” Myles grinned at Mik.
“No, but I shed a lot,” he grinned back. “You want another brother, son?” Mik asked Riker.
“You promise to beat the shit out of him like me and Lakon?” Riker grinned and nudged Myles.
“Every single time he deserves it, I’m gonna kick his ass, you bet.” The three were grinning at each other so the doctors came back over.
“Before I let either of you mad scientists drag these two into your evil lab-or-atory…” Riker looked hard at the doctors, each in turn. “One of these guys dies? One of you guys dies. Think it over.”
“Oh no, sir. The only danger is to Myles here…” At Riker’s arched brow and curled lip, Dr. Livingston continued quickly, “I mean the danger is the same as it was before. No worse.”
Riker nodded. The doctor released a
sigh.
After another hour of questions and a phone call to Elke, it was decided. Myles put his ad in the classified section telling his sister what was up. The treatments began that evening.
* * * *
Cabin North of Blowing Rock, NC and South of Johnson City, TN
Mya awoke slowly feeling warmer and more comfortable than she had in weeks. She knew why. Lakon. She should have been afraid. Probably, she would be from time to time.
Right now, looking into his glowing green eyes, she felt loved.
“Did I wake you, Baby?” he murmured.
“No, I just woke up on my own,” she answered. She reached up and touched his jaw. “Lakon?”
“Yes, Baby?” he still looked down at her. His head was propped on an elbow with his cheek in his palm.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes as if he’d heard the answer to a prayer.
“Lakon, will you show me it’s going to be okay? Will you make love to me?” She closed her eyes, feeling shy.
“Mya, Baby, are you sure?” Lakon seemed nervous.
“I’m sure, Lakon, I want you to make love to me.” She took a deep breath. “I know you’re not mad at me. I know you won’t hurt me.”
“Mya, even if I do get mad sometime—you know I will, it happens.” He looked at her intently. She shrugged and nodded. “I’ll never hurt you again and I’ll never try to have sex with you when I’m angry. If we don’t both want it, we won’t do it. Okay?”
“Okay, Lakon.” She shimmied out of her panties. He scraped the sweatpants off.
He ran his hand down her cheek, her neck, between her breasts, dragging his fingertips over her rosy, hard nipples. She urged him closer, her mouth hot and moist against his neck. She kissed, nipped, and savored him, slowly at first and then more urgently running her fingers through his hair.
Hungrily, she trailed her hands down his neck and shoulders and over the soft curly hair on his broad chest. She raked eager, anxious fingers through his hair and welcomed his hands and he plumped her breasts and rolled her nipples.
He lowered his mouth to hers and need surged through her, hot and electric. Her heart beat harder, faster as his tongue met hers. He cupped her bottom and pulled her under him.
Lakon’s shaft pushed against her wet, tender opening, pushing, seeking entrance, and then he was inside her. They lay there, looking into each other’s eyes for the space of several heartbeats.
She felt him pulsing deep within her and then he slid out of her, slowly, slowly, until just the very head of him rubbed against her aching center. Mya dug her fingers into his hard buttocks, guiding and forcing him to go all the way in again.
Once more he slowly slid out of her. She arched her hips, and thrusting hard, he started to move in deep, rhythmic strokes. She heard herself moaning and heard him groaning in pleasure. Every muffled moan, every little groan that he made added to her satisfaction.
The feel of him as he continued to plunge into her over and over in long, deep strokes drove her higher toward her peak. She could feel him lengthening and hardening, he was as close as she was.
Digging her nails into his back and wrapping her legs around him, she couldn’t hold back anymore. She felt her sheath contract around his rigid length as he drove into her once, twice, and again until he froze. She felt the dam burst inside of her and felt his hot seed spurt into her.
Mya clung to him as he rolled to his side and held her close to his heart. She lay snuggled in his arms for a long time before she spoke.
“Lakon,” she finally said, “I’m hungry.”
She felt his rumbling laughter before they finally made their way out of bed and foraged for food.
* * * *
Room of Myles Brooks
Experimental Treatment Floor
Duke University Medical Center
Five days had passed since the transfusions and various injections had begun and Myles was beginning to feel pretty good. In fact, he was feeling better than he could ever remember feeling. When Mik came to join him for breakfast, he told him so.
“I’m glad you don’t feel old and ugly like me, son,” Mik laughed.
“As long as you don’t look old and ugly, I guess it’s not so bad,” Myles laughed.
Ever since the treatments had started, Mik and Myles had been together almost constantly. They’d talked for hours on end. Myles had come to feel closer to Mik Montgomery than he’d ever been to another living soul besides his sister. The old werewolf felt like a father to him.
“Here comes Maisie,” Mik told him now. “Want me to go?”
“I haven’t seen her in a while. No, you can stay.”
Myles wasn’t terribly interested in Maisie anymore. He felt like he’d been a passing fancy for her and she for him. The truth would come out as soon as he smelled her though. At least, that’s what he’d heard.
“Mik, is it true that if someone’s your mate, you can tell by how they smell to you?” he asked Mik now.
“Yeah, son, it’s true. Why? You think Maisie’s your mate?” Mik tilted his head and looked at him curiously.
“I used to think maybe… But I guess if she is, I’ll know for sure now, won’t I? I can smell and hear things I never could before so I should know, right?” Myles hoped so. It was a big mistake to make, choosing the wrong mate.
There was a knock at the door. “Come in!” Myles called out. It was, of course, Maisie.
Myles made note of her particular smell but he also realized that it wasn’t particularly appealing to him in any way. Mik arched a brow and Myles gave a slight negative shake of his head.
“Hallo, Maisie,” he smiled. He saw that she wouldn’t look either himself or Mik in the eyes.
“Hi, Myles. Hi, Mr. Montgomery.” Maisie sounded a little shy. She handed him the morning paper that had been stuck in his door. “How are you Myles? It’s fascinating about the gene therapy, isn’t it?”
“It’s more than fascinating to me, Maisie, its life-altering,” Myles grinned. “Only now I’ve got a much bigger Christmas list.”
“Hi Maisie, how are you? How’s your dad?” Mik asked.
He continued to chat with Maisie until Myles let out a little yip. He’d opened the paper to the classifieds and was scanning it. Before he could tell Mik what had caught his attention, Maisie hurriedly left.
“What?” Mik asked as soon as she closed the door.
“Mya,” he said, scanning the paper.
“Myles!” Mik growled in warning, wanting more information.
“She and Lakon are together. They’re going to stay there for a month or so but she’s going to see a doctor about her shoulder next week. They’re working things out.” He looked over at Mik. The big wolf was grinning and his tail was wagging.
“I just want them to be happy, son. I know they love each other.”
“I know it, too, Mik. But he hurt her.” Myles couldn’t get past that.
“He’s sorry, son. He must’ve convinced her that he meant it,” Mik persisted.
“You met her Mik. You know how good she is. How loving!” He growled low in his throat. “She wants to forgive, she always does and she gets hurt. It was for me that she even agreed to sing with him!” he rumbled.
Mik began to speak when the door swung open. “I guess the gene splicing thing worked, huh?” Riker strolled in.
“What’re you talking about?” Myles couldn’t hear the gravel in his own voice but he saw his long incisors and shaggy hair when Riker flipped up the mirror on his tray table.
He reached up to touch his long canine teeth. He looked at the hair on his hands and his razor sharp, curved nails. “I thought I couldn’t transform?” he said in awe.
The hair began to recede and he could feel his teeth changing back to normal.
“Most of us get a little doggy when we get mad. You may not be able to take the shape of a wolf but you obviously have the characteristics,” Riker informed him.
* * * *<
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Office of Dr. Anita Livingston
Johnson City, TN
Lakon and Mya sat in the waiting room of Dr. Anita Livingston’s practice. Lakon had filled Mya in a little on what had happened when Mik was shot and how this doctor had saved him. He explained about August Livingston and that the renegade werewolf kidnapped Bethany and one of her sons.
He was flipping through a magazine now and Mya had spotted a Raleigh News and Observer.
“Lakon you won’t believe this!” Mya was breathless.
She held the folded newspaper in her hand and was reading the classified section.
“What Baby? Is everything okay?” Lakon asked in concern.
Nobody else was waiting and they were to be the last to see the doctor. Lakon didn’t want to deal with fans or pack members.
“Myles… Myles and your dad…” Lakon took the paper from her and tried to read it.
“Mya, I’m not finding what you’re reading about Myles and Dad.” Lakon scanned the page.
“Of course not, silly, it’s in our special code,” she began.
“Just tell me what it says, then,” he responded, cutting her off.
“If you’d stop grabbing things out of my hands and interrupting me when I’m trying to talk, you’d already know what it says.” She took the paper back from him and found the ad again, her entire manner broadcasting irritation.
Lakon winced and attempted to scoot closer to her. She saw that coming and leaned away.
“Oh, here it is!” Her ire was lost in her excitement to share the news. “Myles said they’re giving him your dad’s genes and blood and he won’t have hemophilia anymore! He says he’ll be like you…”
“Essentially, they’ve added Mik’s DNA to your brother’s DNA, making him a Were who can’t transform. You’ve got another brother, Lakon.” This was Dr. Anita Livingston Montgomery, answering Mya’s implied question as she walked up.
“Dr. Anita! This is my mate, Mya. I guess you’ve figured that out.” Lakon grinned.
“I’m so pleased to meet you Mya.” Anita said.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Doctor. It’s good to meet you. Thanks for looking at my shoulder. I think it has started to heal though.”
