Finn couldn't have known what would happen next as Luke's cock seemed to swell even larger inside of him. It didn't hurt, like a distant part of his brain told him it should. Rather, the increased size nudged right up against his prostate. The feeling started slow and deep, like a nice massage, until almost immediately, Finn felt another orgasm rip violently through his body. It tore him apart, an endless rush of release that continued on and on until Finn couldn't keep his eyes open.
Chapter Three
When Luke was finally able to separate himself from his animal side, he slid out of his mate. That that was the correct term for him was extremely clear to Luke now. Growing up and into his teen years he remembered hearing whispers of lovers knotting inside their mates. He thought it was shifter legend. He knew better now.
Finn was definitely his mate.
Finn was also not conscious.
Luke crouched down, terrified he'd hurt him, gotten too rough. He remembered in the foggy front of his logical mind that Finn had said this was his first time. In fact, that had been the exact moment Luke had totally lost control.
He bent his head down to Finn's face. His light snore was a beautiful symphony to Luke's ears. Pride boiled inside of him, expanding so quickly he felt it would blast him apart. He'd fucked his mate senseless. He'd been the first man to fuck his mate senseless. That thought had his dick twitching and made the wolf in him begin to pace.
Oh no. Finn needs sleep, Luke told them both.
Luke thought back to the whole cause of this all. Time and physical exertion had cleared the liquor from his system and his amazing orgasms now allowed him to think logically. There was no way that douche was alpha of this territory's pack. Luke still needed to be careful. That ass was no alpha but was most likely a member of the territory's pack and he had no way of knowing how high up he was.
But, for right now, Luke had more important things to worry about. He noticed the room. Finn needed sleep and Luke needed to clean the place up. He stood, his foot landing on something that crunched. The wicker coffee table needed fixed.
Another crunch. Or he needed to buy a new one.
He lifted Finn into his arms. The sleeping man snuggled up against his chest in the sexiest, sweetest way possible. Luke took him to Finn's room. He'd debated putting Finn in Luke's own bed, where he belonged, but ignored his wolf's demands and decided Finn waking up in a place that was at least a little bit familiar would be better. It would already be new for him to see Luke beside him when he woke.
He grabbed a towel from the bathroom, got it half wet with warm water and went back to Finn. Then he cleaned him up as best he could without disturbing him too much. Finn tossed a restless arm up and over his face so that it landed over his eyes, palm up.
Luke hissed at the jagged scar on his wrist. His wolf howled inside him. Who had dared hurt the man that was meant for him? Furious anger rose inside him. He studied the scar, committing it to memory, going through everything he already knew about Finn, all that Frannie had told him.
"I never knew where Finn was when I looked at him. He was always lost in his head. But I knew, wherever he was, he was torturing himself."
Luke gritted his teeth. He would have to address that behavior, but he could think of a hundred other conversations that should probably come before. Like, hey I can turn into a wolf, or you are fated to be mine. Yeah, there would be some other long talks that had to take precedence, but after, he would explain to Finn in no uncertain terms that he was too important to him—to the world—to try any shit like that again.
He tucked in Finn's naked body with a soft blanket he'd pulled from his own bed. The urge to smother him with his own scent was strong.
First on his to-do list was to clean up the living room, then he would go about fixing anything that could be fixed.
An hour or so later, Luke thought he'd done a convincing job erasing their spontaneous sexual encounter from Frannie's living room. The coffee table was toast though.
He looked at the clock. It was late but if he was quick and took a cab, he should be able to buy a replacement coffee table and be back before Finn woke up. Above all else, Luke knew he needed to be by Finn's side when he opened his eyes.
Luke was gone and back in record time. He untied the unwieldy box from his motorcycle and hefted it up to the front door when he caught the familiar scent of a shifter. Not just another shifter. An old wolf shifter. Luke dropped the box and crouched, snarling in the direction of where the shifter stood. His canines grew long and sharp, making it the second time his alpha characteristics broke through his once, strict hold on them.
An older man, with long salt and pepper hair and light blue eyes stepped out of the darkness and into the light of the porch light. Standing where he was, the gray looked more like silver. His hands were raised in front of his body in surrender.
Luke compared him to his memory. The older shifter was still muscled but far less imposing. He also looked a lot older than Luke remembered. His hair had thinned and was a little longer, wilder, than it had been. His face was more heavily lined and his already pale eyes looked watery. Though, that could've been due to his penchant for shots of whiskey before breakfast.
"What are you doing here, old man?" Luke said, remaining in his protective crouch.
"That's a killer smile you've got, son," he replied, hands still up.
Luke took a hostile step toward the other man. At any other time he might have backed away, disappeared into the background. Not now that he had something precious to protect. He hadn't seen the man for near twenty years, hadn't heard his voice for about ten. So then why had he tracked Luke down now of all times?
Luke didn't trust him, it had to have something to do with the guy at the bar. "I'm just here to talk, son. Clear things up."
"This isn't my house. I won't be asking you in," Luke said. He didn't trust his father--Daryl as he'd called him since the man had kicked him out--anywhere near Finn. But mostly, he didn't want the hate and anger the old man usually peddled to be anywhere near where it could affect Finn.
"There's a twenty four hour diner on the corner—"
"Yeah fucking right," Luke snapped. He wanted to curse. Why not just announce to the sly old man you have something to lose, dumbass?
If Daryl had caught onto the bit of information Luke hadn't meant to give, he didn't make any indication. He'd reached in his pocket slowly and pulled something small out. He tossed it towards Luke who caught it gingerly with one hand. In the center of his palm was a single canine tooth, long and curved, once sharp, now dull. His heart beat quickened with the memory of a lost dream. Up until his sixteenth birthday, having one of these in his possession was all he had thought about. After, it had become a distant dream, too painful to remember clearly, more like something someone else had wanted that he'd heard about once.
Becoming a wolf shifter pack leader was not done by vote or popularity. It was earned through blood and often, if not always, it ended with the death of either the old pack leader or the contester. This tooth had belonged to whoever Luke's father's pack leader had killed to get the spot. Having it in his hand was the closest thing Luke would get to a promise that there was no trap in play.
"Lucian gives his word. He just wants you to hear me out."
"Why didn't your pack master come?"
"He didn't think this warranted a face to face. Lars is a good shifter, big mouth though."
Lars must've been that dick at the bar. "He was asking for a lot more than what he got."
"Still, we have things to discuss." He pointedly look at the front door and back to Luke. "Grievances to air."
Luke wanted to tell him to fuck off. His wolf wanted to tell him to fuck off. But, he wasn't just thinking about himself anymore. If sitting down with the scum who had kicked him out onto the streets with no family just because he'd come out made his mate any safer, he'd do it. He had to.
"I know the place. It's close. I would know if anything was happening," he said.
"Fair enough."
***
Luke sat down in the empty diner with his face to the door. Tooth or not, he wasn't putting too much trust in the first man to really hurt him.
"Impressive display back there," Daryl said after a tired looking waitress brought them two chipped mugs filled with black coffee. "Since when have your alpha traits been manifesting?"
"Is that what you came to talk to me about? My teeth?"
"No, I just thought all that shit had receded after…after," he waved his hand in front of his face in a vague motion.
"After you kicked me out, forced me away from and out of my pack and made me live alone in the wild? After you kept me from my family even after my own mother had died? After you told me she had died in a voicemail? After I was refused from every pack in the area on your order all because of my sexual preferences?"
"After you went lone," he said with a little of the steely tone Luke was more accustomed to.
"Is any of this important to what you came to say?" Luke didn't want to get into the exact cause of why his alpha characteristics were breaking through.
"So fucking stubborn. I am just trying to have a normal conversation with my boy." His voice rose loud enough for the waitress to glance their way nervously.
"If you haven't noticed," Luke said mutely, "I am not your boy anymore. In fact I am about the age you were when you sent me out to live 'lone' as you put it. So you will have to excuse the fuck out of me, actually no, I don't care if you excuse me or not. All I want is for you to say what you came to say, the message from your pack master and then go on your way." He worked hard to keep his tone level. It wouldn't do either of them any good if the waitress spooked and called the cops.
"He says you can stay in the area—"
"How very generous."
His father leveled an icy stare in his direction. "You may have alpha blood in you, boy, but you don't have a pack to back you up. If you want to challenge, that is your prerogative, but until you do, you would have a better time if you showed my pack master some respect. Especially this pack master."
The alpha in him longed to do just as his father suggested. The urge was actually more powerful than he'd ever guessed it would be. Was it a part of gaining a mate? Wanting to be the most powerful in the territory? He wouldn't though, couldn't, not yet. "Fine. I can stay. Why especially this one? How is Lucian any different?"
Daryl leaned back, looking out the window and around the diner like he was suddenly worried someone was listening. "He's intense. A good, strong leader, but, you don't want to cross him."
That was fine with Luke. "I'm sensing there is a condition to my stay?"
"Just one. Don't mess with his pack again and don't compete for resources. He has a tight hold on this area and every pack surrounding is afraid of him. He'd like to keep it that way."
Luke didn't want a pack, he just wanted Finn. "That's it?"
"That's all I have for now."
He didn't miss the way his father avoided the actual question.
"You look different, son."
"I don't doubt that," Luke said sardonically.
"Boy, I will still put you over my knee and—"
Luke rose one eyebrow and the old man had the decency to at least grin at the absurdity of what he'd said.
"Well, no, I guess I won't. But, come on, son. Do I have to rip out one of my own teeth and hand it to you to get you to talk? Not as pack representative, but as your father?"
Luke didn't want to talk to him about Finn. Not specifically. But he was curious about the mating process. First, he'd been too young to really understand what mating meant or how it had happened and then he'd spent the rest of his life thinking none of it applied to him. What was the old saying about wishing you'd paid attention in class?
"What do you know about mating?" Luke asked on a growl as if daring his dad to say anything derogatory.
"Why? Have you changed…I mean have you switched…or…"
"Never mind." Luke pushed the coffee mug from his so forcefully some of the liquid spilled over the lip and onto the table.
His dad actually reached across the table and grabbed his sleeve to keep him from standing and leaving. "No, I'm sorry. It's just that, well, I only know about one type of mating. And I really only know one thing about it. It is a tricky thing to find your mate. Done right and you can bet your ass your mate will be the best thing that ever happened to you."
"Done wrong?"
The old man flinched. "Hope you don't find out."
Chapter Four
When Finn's eyelids fluttered open, his hand immediately searched the space next to him on the bed as if by an instinct he hadn't known he possessed until that moment. It didn't matter though. The spot beside him was cold and empty.
He made a motion halfway between a yawn and a moan and stretched his arms above his head. His mouth felt dry, his body ached a little all over but most importantly there was an altogether unfamiliar sore feeling at his backside. Then, he fully remembered the events of the night before. It had been…
Beautiful. Amazing. Hot.
If it was so beautiful and amazing then why was he in bed alone right now? Finn noticed he was clutching at the soft blanket he'd been wrapped in and threw it from his body. What did it mean that Luke wasn't here? What did the events mean to Finn and how he defined himself? He hadn't not enjoyed the events of the previous night. Though, he certainly didn't enjoy the feelings he had now. Like he could tell he was coming down from an intense high and would soon grow cold from the inside out.
Finn leapt from bed, a sudden urgency to run from those feelings had him in the shower in seconds. The hot spray over his used body felt nice. He didn't linger though and was dressed and out the door, slowing down long enough to step around a big cardboard box on the front patio. On the front of the box was a picture of a dark wood coffee table.
So, Luke had gone and come back. He just hadn't bothered to stick around.
It wasn't until he was outside, zipping up his hoodie that Finn realized just how early it really was. The campus offices were long from being open. Even the library had a few hours. Though, Finn thought he'd feel better just being nearer to campus. He already felt a bit keyed up and the couple mile walk to the university would feel nice.
There was a coffee shop on the edge of campus that opened early. There, Finn bought a coffee and a plain bagel. He sat at a metal table outside the shop and pulled out his tablet.
Looking at the small rectangular device gave him a funny feeling. He hadn't used it since before his time at the institute. Electronics hadn't been allowed. It had been so long he nearly forgot his password. Soon though, the screen lit to life and he was staring at his home screen. The background picture was the silhouette of a wolf, its head thrown back in mid-howl, muzzle pointed at the full moon.
His roommate had given him shit about the picture, saying it should be some 'hot chick' on a beach or something. Finn enjoyed this image though, it brought him a sense of calm whenever he felt the chaos that always threatened inching closer. Some too thin girl on some beach wouldn't do that for him.
Looking at the background image now, he didn't feel his normal calm. He felt peculiar. He took a sip of scalding coffee, swallowing the liquid and his feelings. His fingers found a familiar rhythm of tapping tabs and opening his email. His university email account had been deactivated after he'd left. His personal email inbox was full though. One bite into his bagel and he saw most of the emails were shit. Ads for sales from stores he didn't remember ever shopping at. A few bills and statements. Luckily, he hadn't had a lot or owned very much before his time in treatment so there weren't many bills for him to fall behind on. Who needed soul crushing feelings of self-hate and a mountain of debt? Finn wanted to laugh at his own bitter joke. Instead, he closed his eyes and repeated his mantra.
I am worthy. I am worthy. I have a below average credit score but am also worthy.
He just needed to say it until h
e believed it.
Last night's crazy events flashed in his mind. He remembered Luke's growl just before he'd brushed his teeth against Finn's neck. Had Finn ever heard a sound as sexy as that? He gingerly touched the area on his neck. It was still a little sore. Was there a mark? He felt a stirring between his legs.
Calm down, buddy. Finn told himself. Well, he told that one part of himself. He had shit to do today. Shit that didn't include a too sexy nomadic stranger. Besides, where had that stranger been when Finn woke up? Not next to him. Not even in the same house by the sounds of it. He mostly definitely wasn't reminiscing wherever he was.
Finn brought his attention back to his inbox. One, towards the bottom of the page caught his eye. It had almost been obscured by offers of penis enlargement and coupons for the Sportman's summer blowout.
From: Christian McGannon
Subject: Where are you?
Hey Finn,
I called your mother. Sorry if that's weird, man. The cohort was worried about you. Seems like we had reason to be. I didn't get much out of your roommate except for that you were going through some shit. Are you going to try to get back in? I bet you could test out if you do all the back-up. Three months isn't that long. Anyway, get back to me when you have time.
Good luck!
-Christian
Christian had been the closest thing Finn had to a friend in grad school. Not that they'd really hung out. But, he would sit next to him sometimes in class. To Finn, that had been really putting himself out there. He was ashamed he hadn't spared Christian one thought this whole time. Most likely, he'd forgotten about Finn by now.
Finn wanted to hope that what Christian was saying about testing back in was right. The email was a month old already and even then Christian had made it sound like a bit of a long shot.
Wolf's Mate Mpreg Romance Box Set Page 3
