The space had been cleaned, he'd noticed that earlier and assumed Luke had done it. There was an empty spot where the coffee table had been. Earlier in the morning, Finn had nearly sprinted past this room, now he stood, stuck between an empty space and a strong man. He stared at the spot where the coffee table had been, the one they'd smashed the night before. Finn felt like his eyes were glued to the spot. Its emptiness was a beacon, proof of what had happened.
"If you want to take a shower, I can--" Luke stopped talking when he almost ran into Finn's backside.
Finn was stuck. He felt Luke settle into the space behind him. His warm breath was a constant tickle at Finn's neck. Then, light as a butterfly's wing, he felt Luke's lips at his neck—in the exact spot Finn had been touching before. It was just a light kiss now, so why did Finn suddenly wish Luke would throw him down, mount him and bite him at that spot again? He hissed at the images flashing through his brain.
"Go, take a shower," Luke ordered, his voice strained. "Maybe after we can rent a movie? Too hot of a day to do anything else."
Absently, he was aware of Luke taking the books from his hands, pushing him lightly down the hallway and into the bathroom. Then, Luke shut the door, letting Finn have a desperately needed moment alone.
Chapter Six
Luke set the stack of books down neatly on the dining table in the kitchen. He fought his natural instinct to turn and go back to his mate. How had any mated wolf gotten anything done? Luke had been sporting his hard on from the moment he'd spotted Finn's backside, bent over, reading his sister's note. Fucking him hadn't eased it. Something told him that seeking his own release probably wouldn't do any good either. Hell, it might make it worse. He grimaced. Luke, the big bad alpha wolf was afraid to jerk himself off.
It had taken all his power to send Finn away to a different room to be naked and horny on his own. And Finn was definitely both of those things. The scent of his arousal had punched Luke right in the face. But the longer he spent with Finn the more he learned about him and Luke knew already that his Finn wasn't the type to be endlessly led by his dick. He wasn't comfortable with hurried or rash decisions. If he wanted any measure of success, Luke needed to ease Finn into the idea of being his mate, into the idea of Luke being a shifter. He needed to go slowly. Romance him.
Despite his recent behavior, Luke knew he could be suave. Granted, he had lived a lot of his life on the fringes of society, never welcomed in a pack, never feeling all the way comfortable with normal humans. His time in well populated areas was limited to short trips made out of necessity. Frannie had been camping in the middle of nowhere when they had met and she'd invited him back. He would have to thank her again for that. And for being so cool about him being a shifter. Writers were awesome like that.
But, she hadn't been the first person to invite him into their home. Luke had always found it enjoyable, getting to know a person just as long as he could bail when things got too permanent. He'd even dated, mostly other lone wolves or the occasional human. Once, he even dated a lion shifter. Luke snorted, moving the first book on the pile so that it lined more evenly with the rest of the stack. That had been his shortest relationship ever. But the point was Luke could date. He had moves. He could be smooth.
In the bathroom, the water shut off. Luke imagined Finn standing in the shower, reaching for a towel, drips of water sliding down his skin. The little droplets of water would be like tiny roller coaster cars traversing down the edges of his muscled body.
Luke wanted to lick him dry. He wanted his tongue all over his mate's skin, tasting every inch of him. Then, he would nibble and suck and mark him so that everyone who saw would know to stay the fuck away. They'd know that Finn was his and they had better fucking—
Luke stopped short. He'd moved out of the kitchen and down the hallway without noticing. Now, he stood on the other side of the bathroom door, his hand outstretched as if to yank the handle open.
This would not do. He'd only scare Finn this way. He backed up quickly. The bathroom door clicked open the moment he got to the end of the hallway. Luke reversed his momentum and lurched a foot forward like he'd just started walking down the hallway. Finn stepped out, dressed in loose sweatpants and a faded blue and white baseball tee.
"Oh, hey, you're done," he said casually. Too casually. "So, I was thinking we could go get a movie, maybe? There is one of those DVD/Blue-ray vending machines up the street at the mini mart. Maybe order in after?" Luke should kick himself. These were his moves? Super slick. Not.
But there was something about Finn that made him not want to use practiced moves that he'd used on another guy. Finn was special, he deserved an authentic Luke.
"Great, good idea," Finn said, reaching for a baseball cap. "There is this vegan place that opened while I was in treatment that I have been dying to try."
Luke grimaced. If that was what his mate wanted. His stomach twisted at the thought of eating nuts and soy pressed and twisted into only the shape of delicious, juicy meat.
Finn had slid his gray cap on so Luke didn't see his grin for a few seconds. When he spotted it, he smiled. "You're joking?" he asked, his stomach needing to be absolutely sure.
"Yes, I am joking. Frannie orders out all the time so there should be a stack of menus by the fridge. Go pick one and I'll grab my shoes."
Fuck it all if joking and discussing the day's plans didn't feel like the most natural thing in the world. In the past, this would've been when his legs had itched to move on, to find the next thing. Now though, even the quiet walk to the mini mart felt so perfectly normal that Luke had to keep stopping himself from casually reaching over and grabbing Finn's hand. Going slow might kill him, but if it helped his mate, he would die happy. When they got to the mart, they stood in front of the touch screen that displayed all of the newest releases.
***
Finn was sad when they got to the mini mart. The walk had been that perfect. Amiable silence wrapped up in a beautiful day. He almost suggested they keep walking, but how could he spin that so he didn't sound like a lonely weirdo desperate for just a few more moments of perfect communal silence?
At the kiosk he swung back, waiting for Luke to take charge and choose a movie for the two of them. But Luke just stood there, looking back at Finn expectantly.
Anxiety threatened to flood his head. What is your problem, Finn? It is a movie. You can make this one choice without having a meltdown. But he wasn't sure he could. It was little moments like this where he truly failed at acting normal.
"I don't know what you've seen," he said.
"Not a lot." He flashed Finn a conspiratorial sort of smile.
Finn tried to return it. "More than me probably. The last four months anyway." His lips fell, the smile vanishing. Why would he make a joke that reminded Luke that he just got out of an institution? That he wasn't the normal guy he'd done an alright job of pretending to be? He didn't dare look at Luke again. He couldn't stand the judgment he knew would be there.
Finn had grown used to getting that face from everyone else, but he couldn't bear to get it from Luke. Not when he enjoyed his lust filled expressions so much more.
"Hey," Luke said sharply, hooking a finger under his chin and jerking his face so that he had to look at him. "It's okay, Finn. With me, you are always okay."
As if not horrified enough, Finn blushed. He was sure it was the deepest most glaring shade of tomato red. "I'm sorry, I don't want to say the wrong thing."
"I told you already, I want to hear what is in your head. Don't hide your words from me."
He nibbled at his bottom lip thoughtfully. Luke's dark eyes zeroed in on the movement. For a crazy moment Finn thought Luke might kiss him but then he released his face. "Let's choose something so we can order, I'm starving."
Finn studied the screen, scrolling past a handful of movies, looking for one that caught his eye. He wouldn't over-analyze it. He would just wait for the—
"Oh! I remember hearing about this one when I went in, Silv
er Moon, Blood Moon. I thought it looked…" He was immediately distracted by Luke's response. An expression of amusement and absolute horror was on his face. "You've seen it?" Finn guessed.
Luke looked like he was biting his cheeks to keep from laughing. What was so funny?
"No, I've never seen that one. I don't usually watch shifter propaganda," he said finally.
"Huh? You don't watch what?"
"Nothing, we should get it."
Finn had clicked on the more information tab. "And, bonus, it has Scott Fusterson." A fast laugh escaped his lips. "Frannie calls him Scott Fuckmesohard. He must have worked out nonstop for this role—"
"Or we could get a different movie?" Luke nearly growled.
Finn smiled at the noise--a true, pure, peace-filled smile. He was beginning to really like that growling noise Luke did all the time. "No, this is the one. And we should order Korean fried chicken when we get back. It has been forever since I've had some good Korean fried chicken." He almost winced and waited for Luke's disinterest or annoyance.
Luke just smiled, flashing those dimples. "If that's what you want, let's do it."
Chapter Seven
Luke was the closest to heaven he'd ever been. The entire week he'd spent in his mate's company, except for the time Finn had left to have lunch with his mother. He returned to Luke a little weary and sad but it hadn't taken Luke long to get him back in good spirits.
A lot of the time, Finn studied. He had some pretty important tests coming up but first, needed the university's permission to take them.
Luke found he didn't mind what he was doing or that Finn was doing something that didn't involve him exactly, he just enjoyed being near him, in the same room. He was even content to just exist in the same house together.
Luke studied Finn as Finn studied and learned more and more about his mate. For instance, his mate had a penchant for monster movies. Particularly werewolves. It had amused Luke at first, but he did grow irritated at the way Finn would drool over the pansy actors who were just pretending to be shifters.
The two of them sat on Frannie's large sectional, a bowl of popcorn in the space between them watching one of those movies.
The actor on screen was doubled over in pain, the crunching and snapping of bones as he shifted from human to wolf.
Luke rolled his eyes. The dude was carrying on like a baby, whimpering and sputtering.
"What? Too scary?" Finn asked, one eye on the screen, one on Luke.
"Hmph. Yeah right."
Finn's eyes didn't return to the television screen. Instead, he stared at Luke, expectantly. Luke could appreciate that his mate was being more forward with him, but otherwise felt like he'd really stepped in it now. When he woke up that morning he hadn't planned on it being the day Finn found out he was a shifter.
What the hell was he supposed to say? That's not how you shift? Why couldn't he say that? Finn would have to know eventually what Luke was.
"Actually, Finn, shifting into a wolf—"
"Would be awful."
Luke closed his mouth.
"Being a wolf wouldn't be so bad. But, to have a secret like that, one that was harder to hide. I don't think I would want to live like that."
Luke felt the shaky ground he was on. He wasn't lying, except by omission. "Would you feel like you had to hide it? Couldn't you trust the people close to you enough to tell them?"
Finn thought about that. "Sometimes, secrets are a burden." His eyes opened wide as if he couldn't believe what he had said. Luke moved the popcorn bowl and sat nearer to him, needing to be closer to his mate while he could sense he was in distress. "I can't believe I said that."
"Why?"
Finn reached for the popcorn bowl. He was actively trying to put barriers between them. Luke knew it would make him more comfortable, but he still couldn't allow it. "Talk to me, Finn. What secrets do you have that are a burden?" He reached across and grabbed his hand, pulling his arm to the space between them and turned his wrist scar side up.
Finn flinched when he saw it and tried to pull his hand back. "Does it have something to do with this?"
"That was an accident." He sounded defensive and something else.
He tensed at the way Finn emphasized 'that.' Luke's wolf raged at the implication even while he didn't one hundred percent believe him. His wolf wanted to howl in the air, scratch and paw at the ground. Outwardly, Luke could just sit and try to look like he was remaining calm. There was no tangible entity for him to defeat that would save his mate, nothing Luke could simply sink his teeth into and make better. Right now, Finn's mind was his greatest enemy and that was a battleground that Luke was still ill equipped to fight on.
"The year before," Finn spoke as if in a daze, "there wasn't some big catalyst or anything. I just, got really drunk one night and gave it a try. Took a handful of sleeping pills. Woke up the next morning covered in vomit. Showered, went to class."
That was it. He'd said it all so matter of factly, as if the entire world hadn't almost been irrevocably altered. As if Luke hadn't come painfully close to losing his mate before they'd even met.
"Does that make me weak?" The question was so quiet he almost didn't hear it.
"Weak?" Luke's throat was so dry he barely got the word out. "No."
Finn actually smiled but not for long. "I don't think it feels good finally telling someone, but it feels…something. I'm sorry to burden you like this."
Luke almost snorted. Finn wouldn't have understood the meaning behind it.
"If you need to even the field, burden me…" Finn said.
Luke was too busy containing his wolf. He felt like a bomb had been dropped on him and he couldn't get the mental image out of his head. His Finn had almost been taken from him. His purpose and contentment, all the happiness he'd experienced since knowing him almost all had never existed.
He needed to touch Finn, to feel him and know he was alive, with him and safe. Slowly, he cupped Finn's face with his hands. He had to go slow to keep control and to not frighten his mate.
Finn's eyelids fluttered but he kept them on him. His soulful brown eyes seemed like they could see through Luke straight into his heart, his soul. Luke covered his mouth with his own. It was a deliberate kiss, each movement measured and decided upon. Luke needed to be careful, be—
Finn moaned and then sunk his teeth into Luke's lower lip and Luke snapped. He launched forward, pushing his mate onto his back while grinding his pelvis against him. They were both fully clothed, a fact that Luke wholeheartedly despised. His dick strained out against its confines. He felt Finn's cock pressing up as well. That realization had him grinning.
"I like the way your smile feels on my mouth," Finn said, breaking the kiss to do so. He reached up and got two handfuls of Luke's hair, yanking his face back down so that his lips crashed against his mouth again.
Luke speared Finn's mouth with his tongue. It had been too long since he'd tasted his mate and now he wasn't sure if he could ever stop. At least it didn't seem like Finn wanted him to. He squirmed and wiggled under him, thrusting his hips upwards against Luke's erection. With each jolt of contact, Finn made tiny noises in the back of his throat that Luke found as hot as they were adorable.
Luke shifted, rising his upper half so that he was on his knees straddling Finn's body. Finn sat up as he did so. Luke reached for the hem of his own shirt, pulling it up, breaking their kisses long enough to yank it over his head. He tossed it aside and then did the same thing to Finn's shirt. He tore his lips away and sat back.
Finn exhaled sharply, a noise that told Luke he was unhappy with the direction things had gone. But how could Luke resist taking this moment to just watch his sexy mate? He was sitting vertically, propped up on his elbows. His chest rose and fell with his heavy breath, his skin shone with a beautiful rosy flush. Finn's brown eyes had turned nearly black with lust.
Luke imagined his expression was similar. He kept appreciating Finn's physique, letting his gaze travel lower. He had a n
aturally lean muscle tone. His biceps flexed with the effort of holding himself up under Luke's weight. His abdominal muscles rippled and clenched. Luke's gaze went even lower, admiring his lean hips and the way his muscles streamlined, acting like an arrow, tempting and guiding Luke's gaze further downward.
Weak? His mate was definitely not that.
"I don't want you to hurt yourself again," Luke ordered, his tone gruff. To ease the aggression in his words he undid Finn's pants and moved over to slide them down and off his body. He almost got distracted when Finn's dick sprang up in his face but Finn hadn't responded yet. "Promise me, you won't hurt yourself like that again." He stroked Finn's cock lazily, downward and then when he reached the base he took his hand away, only to start again at the tip. "Finn." He took his hand away entirely and Finn actually whined.
So fucking hot.
"Never again." He gripped the shaft at the base with a hold that was tight.
"No, never again," Finn whimpered.
"You come to me if you need to talk something out, got it? No matter what it is." He took Finn in his mouth, letting his tongue lick his cock, enjoying the taste and feel of him.
"Yes, whatever you say, please, just don't stop." Finn returned his hands to Luke's head. He didn't guide Luke's mouth but tugged at his hair, showing Luke how he liked to be licked. "Fuck, your mouth his amazing," he hissed.
Luke tickled Finn's thigh. His fingers crept higher and higher until they danced outside his puckered entrance. He stopped though. Normally, Luke didn't worry about lube. He had either his cum or his tongue but his mouth was busy and this moment was for Finn.
Finn noticed his hesitation and oddly, he blushed. He reached under the cushion and produced a small clear bottle. "I, uh, hid it there just in case."
Wolf's Mate Mpreg Romance Box Set Page 5
