"People like us," Sorell said with a smile.
Felix had never thought about his role as pack doctor like that before. He supposed it was similar to the work he did in underdeveloped countries. Finn would have had a hard time finding a doctor that felt comfortable performing his C-section. Felix was only glad that he had been around to do it when he was.
"Sort of. I would be sent into an area and tasked with locating where there was the most need. Generally, that meant following outbreaks into fringe villages when they occurred, but sometimes it also meant going to very remote and difficult locations. I eventually found myself in Mongu, a small village in Zambia and was the lead doctor for that region. Things were primitive there and many of the villagers had never been to a doctor of Western medicine in their entire lives." Felix inhaled his last gulp of clean air. In moments, that air would be tainted with his past. "I was friends with everyone there but there was one family that reminded me very much of the one I'd left behind. A boy lived with his mother and his baby sister. He worked so hard every day, packing water for his family, working for his family. He was young, much too young to have so much responsibility, but he never complained. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it. He liked taking care of them."
"What was his name?" Sorell asked.
"Kofi and his sister, Kacee. Their mother was Daia." Felix could see them now as he tried to remember them, smiling in their doorway. He'd stopped talking, getting so lost in his head, but Sorell didn't fidget or make a noise for him to continue. He simply remained by his side and waited for Felix to come to terms with what he was doing.
"There was a rebel faction posted in the jungle, guerrilla fighters who made commuting a little difficult but for the most part stayed out of the poor village. That was until they started recruiting. It happened one day that a young man had just disappeared and then word finally got around that he had joined the guerrilla army. They became bolder, sending in people to persuade more of the young men in the village. If they were old enough to hold a gun, they were old enough to join. Kofi and his mother came to me one day, worried that they would come to him, that they would be angry if he refused. I told them...I told them...." Felix felt like he couldn't breathe. He forced his body to calm down. "I told them that he would be fine. That the entire family would be fine because I would be there to protect them."
He felt Sorell gasp, a quick breath in that he held onto. His Sorell was smart and had already guessed the ending.
Felix hated telling this story to Sorell. Wasn't he asking that Sorell trust him, just like he asked Daia and her family to do? He promised to protect Sorell as well. What would the shifter think now that he knew Felix had a history of failure when protecting other people was concerned? He needed to get it over with because while Sorell deserved to hear the story, to know more about him than anyone else, he loathed doing it. "I left for one day to resupply. I started very early in the morning so that I wouldn't have to spend the night out. When I came back to the village that evening much of it had been destroyed. All of the houses that didn't have a son in the army were on fire and even some that did. I didn't even look for survivors in those homes, I ran straight to Daia's hut. It was smoking, but still standing. I could hear Kacee crying from the outside. When I ran in I tripped over Daia, dead. In the one other room I found Kofi hunched over his sister, protecting her up until the end. He looked badly beaten and had multiple stab wounds."
"He was...." Sorell sounded very far away.
"Dead, yes. Not for very long, but he was dead. His baby sister died that night from her injuries."
"Felix, I am so sorry, that doesn't make you broken though, you went through something awful. But you're still here, that makes you strong—"
Felix stood quickly causing Sorell to slump a little to the cushion from the fast movement. He strode to the other side of the room, keeping his back turned away from Sorell. Of course his mate thought that was the end and maybe if it had been, Felix wouldn't feel so ragged, like his heart was made of broken bottles. "I waited for the sun to set and under the cover of darkness I found the guerrilla camp. They were exultant having successfully raided the village. There was one guard, older than Kofi but still pretty young. I didn't care. I felt crazy. I didn't feel like I was me anymore I was only hate, dark and horrible. I killed the guard, stole his gun, shot a few more and then blew their camp up. I doubt many of them made it out of there."
Felix felt like he might throw up. "When the sun rose I left without looking back. I live with what I did every day. I hear them, Kacee's cries, the fear-filled shouts of the guerrilla army, it all sounds the same to me." Felix spun around and Sorell flinched from him. "That's why I need to stay in control, why I keep my daily routine and stay calm. I don't want to...no, I can't become that monster again. I will protect you, Sorell. I will protect you but you need to listen to me or I fear I'll turn into that monster again. Please." He fully expected Sorell to jump over the back of the couch and run out of his apartment. "That is, if you still trust me." Felix exhaled, tired; there was nothing to do but wait for Sorell to decide he was too broken, too messed up. If Sorell left him, there would be no one else. Felix couldn't imagine giving his heart to anyone who wasn't his sweet, sacrificing, strong, shifter. But Felix would never force him to stay.
Sorell stood, his steps were hesitant. He kept Felix's gaze and approached him slowly, cautiously. When he was near enough to touch, Sorell lifted his palm. For a wild moment, Felix thought he meant to smack him, but Sorell set his warm hand against Felix's cheek. His skin tingled, energized by the loving caress.
"Luke didn't know what he was talking about. You aren't broken and neither am I."
Felix caught Sorell's hand, keeping it in place. "Should you talk about your alpha like that?"
"He isn't my alpha," Sorell said, sliding his body against Felix's meaningfully. Their lines and crevices matched up perfectly. "You are the one man I listen to before all others. Only you, Felix."
Felix felt a growl deep in his throat. He felt strong and most of all, in control. He slid his hands down Sorell's body starting at his shoulders, gliding down his taut back where he cupped his backside. Sorell whimpered.
He could hardly believe what he'd heard. Sorell knew all there was and still wanted his protection, trusted him. He massaged Sorell's bottom and nuzzled his face in the crook of his shoulder. He smelled amazing, like sunshine and oranges, like life. Felix licked him in the same spot, his skin tasted amazing, too. "Sorell," he murmured and leaned back far enough to kiss the other man. He claimed his mouth with sure lips, nibbling and licking, plunging is tongue inside like it belonged there. He broke the kiss, breathing roughly. "You are mine," he said but meaning, I love you.
"Always," Sorell said but to Felix's ears, it sounded a lot like, I love you, too.
Felix lifted Sorell and carried him to the bedroom. He set him on the bed and slowly pulled his pants down, worshiping every inch of skin as his body became bare and open to him, vulnerable and desired. He kissed every inch of him, claiming any spots on Sorell that he hadn't yet claimed. When he was done, every inch of him would belong to Felix, to their love.
Soon, Sorell was completely naked. Felix reached for one of the soft strips of silk he kept near and bound Sorell's hands to the headboard. Sorell watched him, his eyes wide and dark with desire. His full mouth was open in an oval shape and every so often he would make a soft keening sound that shot straight to Felix's groin. Sorell lay patiently, obviously turned on by the state of his own cock and the way he would wiggle slightly every once in a while. But, for the most part, he let Felix do what he wanted to do to his body.
When Sorell was fully restrained, Felix had finished him off by tying each of his ankles to the baseboard, he lay spread eagle on the comforter. Felix stripped off his own clothing and stood by the bed, simply admiring what was his. Sorell squirmed under the scrutiny. He didn't look uncomfortable by the attention, which was why Felix remained a little longer, letting his gaze linger on S
orell's tight, lithe form. He settled at the bottom of the bed in between Sorell's spread legs.
"I want to own you," Felix murmured. "Possess you." He leaned forward and exhaled. Sorell quivered and moaned. Felix pressed against his inner thighs, spreading his legs a little further, allowing him complete access to Sorell's hole. He ducked down and swiped his tongue over the space once. "Will you let me?"
"Yes, holy shit—"
Felix let his tongue linger, penetrating the puckered hole ever so slightly.
"—yes!"
Felix settled between Sorell's legs, loving his little hole with every ounce of his body. He kissed and licked it, and when he brought his finger up to Sorell's mouth, Sorell sucked on the digit ferociously, making Felix wish he'd stuck a different body part in there. Felix slid his now moistened finger against Sorell's hole. He played with it, sticking in the tip a tiny bit and then pulling it out, pushing it in and wiggling. He paid attention to Sorell's body as he went, noting what made him flex his stomach muscles or sigh softly. Felix would never tire of learning Sorell's body. It helped that the other shifter was so responsive and—most of all—eager. He wanted to please Felix and that turned him on more than anything.
Felix inserted two fingers and bent them up, brushing against Sorell's inner pleasure center. The little shifter screamed in pleasure, pulling at his restraints so hard the tendons in his arms stretched to the surface. "Yes, Sorell, that's it. Show me you're mine, come for me like this."
It was as if his words gave him the permission needed. Sorell's cock twitched and then shot out his hot semen all over his thighs, stomach, and chest.
If Felix had felt strong before, powerful when he had been holding Sorell in his arms, he felt mighty now. He quickly undid the knots at Sorell's ankles and pulled his legs up and apart. He lined up his hard cock with Sorell's entrance, pausing long enough to apply a spot of lube, and pushed in, filling Sorell up, reaching so deep inside of the other man Felix felt his balls smash against Sorell's rear. This was his sanctuary. To hell with a structured life alone, Felix would find his calm deep inside his mate's body, where he belonged. He began thrusting, feeling as if he wouldn't last long. He was too keyed up and this time felt different than all the other times. They were naked to each other, bare, and yet Sorell had still chosen him and Felix would always choose Sorell.
He drove into the other man, devoted to making him moan, wail and cry out his pleasure. His body was in tune to this one mission, mating with his love.
And then, there was a different feeling. His balls tightened as if he were about to orgasm but at the same time, his cock felt like it was swelling, not painfully, rather, in a way that somehow increased his pleasure and, if the pitch of Sorell's cries were any indication, increased his pleasure as well. He came, explosively and as he did, the head of his cock grew so that he felt lodged inside. Dimly, he thought of what was happening, a phenomenon that Finn had tried, embarrassingly, to explain to him.
Knotting, Sorell thought while he was still able. He didn't know how his human mate was knotting inside of him like a shifter would, but it was definitely happening. He tried screaming, but with no energy left, it came out strangled. His earlier orgasm was nothing compared to the continuous waves of pleasure that assaulted him now. This was unlike any sex he'd had before, beyond anything he and Felix had done before, this was paradise. He gripped the bars of the headrest where his hands had been tied but found them loose. When had Felix done that and how had he not noticed? No matter. Now that his hands were free he grabbed onto Felix's arms, holding through the storm.
He was still clutching Felix when Felix had softened enough to withdraw. Sorell both loved and hated the ache left by Felix's absence. His throat was too dry to speak, but after another minute, he found his voice. "What the fuck was that?" he asked in wonder.
Felix grinned, looking like he was on top of the world. "Well, when a little shifter and a human love each other very much—"
Sorell tried smacking his arm but it was more like a soft pat. "You shouldn't be able to do that. I mean, your dick is amazing, but it shouldn't be able to do that." He knew he sounded crazy but his body was being racketed with tiny aftershock orgasms still and he was in shock.
The smile stayed on Felix's face. "I can't be sure, but we know Luke's mating with Finn changed him enough to be able to support life. I doubt a human male would have set Finn's body in a heat cycle or would have been able to impregnate him. Perhaps our mating did the same to me. I've been feeling stronger lately, better. I thought it was just you and now I think I was more right than I knew."
Sorell grabbed Felix again, burying his head into the man's slick chest. He felt the pressure build and there was nothing he could do to stop the few happy tears from escaping. It was like his every dream was coming true with Felix, from wanting a kiss to wishing he could be his true mate. But with the ultimate happiness came worry. If he was getting everything he wanted, how much more would it hurt later when it was all taken from him? There was no simply going back to his old pack. He didn't recognize Luke's ultimate authority anymore. He was a liability as far as the pack was concerned. Any command given to him by Luke, Sorell would search for Felix's approval before obeying. Sadness shot through him at the thought of losing those relationships.
"Hey," Felix cooed. "Hey, Sorell, look at me. Don't hide your face from me."
Begrudgingly, Sorell met his mate's eyes. He hoped they weren't as full of tears as they felt. He was ashamed by his emotions. There was no room for sadness or loss. He should have been elated and only that.
"They are my pack, too, you know," Felix said knowingly. "My little brother and sister are both there, if only for that reason they will be a big part of our life. If you wanted to live there, I would respect that. I'm not sure how it would work in regards to room. I am not sharing a bedroom with Daryl," he said on a growl but with a smile.
"No, it's too crowded there already. But I just, I don't want to lose them."
"We won't Sorell. But there will be changes. Luke won't be ordering my mate around," Felix said, as he did, his muscles tightened around him. "They still need a pack doctor, though, and I have every intention of being that person. Though, the next baby I deliver..." His words faded as if he was choking on them.
Sorell leaned back as much as Felix's tight hold would allow him. There had been a strange tone to his words and looking at Felix now, he saw his skin was pale, but his kind eyes lit up with excitement. It took him a moment but when Sorell understood, his mouth parted with a gasp. "The next baby you deliver," he smiled wide. "Could be mine."
Chapter Ten
Felix held on to Sorell's hand tightly. He was reminded of a certain dinner that only after it happened did he realize what a big occasion it had been. It had been the first dinner that he had seen Frannie and Finn since coming back from Zambia. That had been the dinner he had first met Sorell and the dinner where Finn had realized he was pregnant. All Felix had been worried about then was reconnecting with his sister and apologizing for past behavior to his brother. He hadn't known that was the dinner he would meet his mate, but that fact was very obvious now.
As with the first dinner, Felix's mother was there. Seeing her car in the driveway had been a shock. For a stress-filled moment Felix thought she had also brought Farley, or his dad, but when he looked through the window from outside into the living room only his mother was in sight.
"We don't have to do this," Sorell said, tugging at his hand.
Felix looked down at where their bodies joined. "Yes, we do. This is good, one less conversation that I will have to make in the future." If Felix didn't tell his mother now, he would just have to tell her later because Sorell wasn't going anywhere if Felix had any say. And when it came to Sorell and his body, Felix had every say.
They walked up the stone pathway, hand in hand to the front door. Felix pushed open the door and was happy to see Frannie and Conner were entertaining his mother with a story that had her laughing so hard sh
e didn't notice him at first. Felix only heard the end, but it had something to do with Conner using some of Frannie's hair removal cream on a very unmentionable area.
Pippen stood straight behind Conner and Frannie like their elfin guard. His gaze swiveled to the two of them immediately. His eyes narrowing on their held hands. Felix made a note to talk to Pippen about his issue when it came to him and Sorell. Pippen seemed to have no problems with him when he was just pack doctor, but now the waif seemed to scowl every time they were together. If Pippen's glare was the worst of his issues, Felix would be happy.
Felix's mother noticed Pippen's head turning and instinctively turned around to see what had garnered his attention. Her expression brightened when she noticed Felix and Sorell.
"Honey, I didn't know you were coming to dinner tonight, too, how exciting." She leapt from the couch and hugged Felix before rotating to give Sorell a hug as well. Felix was pleased that she seemed so familiar with Sorell. He wasn't sure how well they knew each other and it would be an easier transition for her if she already had a positive relationship with his mate. "Sorell, it is so good to see you. Last time I was here to see Frannie she mentioned you weren't around as much. Hanging out with that older boyfriend of yours?" She was mid conspiratorial wink when she finally noticed Felix and Sorell's joined hands. She stepped back quickly, bumping into the couch in the process.
At that exact moment Felix heard Finn and Luke coming in from the hallway that led to the rooms and saw Frannie standing up quickly, lunging forward with her damage control face on.
"But, you're straight," she said somewhat wildly. "And Felix, he's a child!" she said as if Sorell being any older would somehow negate her belief that Felix was straight.
"Well, okay, um, dinner is done," Frannie said frantically, attempting to step into the tense space between Felix and his mother.
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