The shifters nearest to him shuffled back. He felt a perverse satisfaction at their display of fear. Keep it together. Do nothing unless it makes Sorell safer.
"What do you say, Isaac," Luke said with a bored tone. "I'd like nothing more than for there to be peace between our packs." Luke spoke louder than necessary so that every shifter in the room was sure to hear him. "We have no issue with your pack as long as you have no issue with ours. I'll ask again, what do you say? Peace?"
The shifters all turned to their leader and Felix rejoiced. This was the beauty of their plan. Isaac had operated with gossip and fear mongering. He'd painted Luke and Felix as monsters bent on destruction. Now they were here in front of his whole pack, offering peace. There was no way he could refuse and keep the trust of his people.
Isaac knew he was beat and it showed on his face. Felix amended what he'd surmised earlier that maybe Isaac had told the lie so many times that he believed it. The look on his face was one that knew it had all been bullshit, that it had all been a tool to get what he wanted. And that tool had just been taken from him.
"Of course. All I want is peace as well."
***
Sorell hated waiting. He paced the pack house living room, despising the very fact that he was in the position, again, so soon after the last time. How many times was he going to just let his mate run off to save the day? Next time, Sorell was going to save the day and Felix was going to wait at home, pacing a line on the floor.
"Sit down," Pippen ordered, annoyed.
His anger wasn't really for Sorell, though. He was still mad about the pack's decision. A mad Pippen was a scary thing. Sorell sat down.
The door opened and Luke entered with Conner and finally, Felix. Luke excused himself to his room where Finn was waiting. Conner went to Pippen, pulling him into the kitchen most likely whispering to him the events of that night.
Sorell looked up at Felix from under his lashes. He was suddenly bashful but still worried that he'd been hurt. Felix held out his hand in a wordless command. Sorell went to him immediately.
"You're really okay?" he asked quietly.
"I'm really okay."
"And it's all over?"
A shadow passed behind his eyes. "He agreed to the peace treaty." That seemed to be the best that he was going to get. But to Sorell, it was enough. The threat Isaac had held over his head for so long—to have it suddenly lifted was euphoric.
"Let's go home," he said. "I need to check that you're really okay."
Felix smiled. "I'm fine, Sorell."
"No." Sorell shook his head. "I need to check everywhere."
Sorrel practically pulled Felix out of the pack house and across the street to the house Felix had recently purchased for them. It hadn't been for sale originally, but the couple that lived there had feared the neighborhood was going to crap and the shooting had been the final straw. Sorell felt sorry for them but at the time he hadn't been able to convince them something like the shooting wasn't going to happen again. And now he got to live closer to the pack house than he had ever dreamed without actually living inside of it.
The house was a cute, single-story home, a little smaller than the pack house, but had a yard that Sorell liked to imagine his children playing in one day. Felix had moved out of his apartment entirely and had refused any help from Sorell. Actually, he had threatened to tie him to the bed if Sorell so much as lifted a finger to carry something heavier than ten pounds.
He pushed the door closed and locked it, making it as far as the living room before yanking Felix's shirt open. The buttons popped off and clattered to the ground, exposing Felix's broad, muscled chest. He skimmed over the skin at his pectorals and then down, following the hard ridges of his abs.
"You're killing me, Sorell," Felix groaned.
"No, I'm not. I'm making sure you weren't hurt. This time, I'm the doctor." He leaned forward, gathered a nipple in his mouth and bit it softly. "So far so good." He stepped behind him, pulling his shirt over his shoulders and all the way off of his body. Sorell reached around Felix's middle to his belt; undoing it quickly, he pushed his pants off. Felix's body was a thing of beauty. He looked like an artist's sculpture come to life, hard as marble. Sorell grazed his finger down Felix's spine, continuing down until he brushed against Felix's puckered hole.
"Careful, mate," Felix warned between clenched teeth.
"Sorry." Sorell clearly didn't mean it. He walked around to Felix's front, excited that Felix was playing along. Usually, Felix was leading them, deciding what they did. When Sorell pushed him back with one finger on his naked chest, Felix went back. He bumped against the couch and Sorell pushed down on his shoulders. He sort of liked being in charge. Even if it was just for fun. "I'll need to do an oral examination," he said and Felix opened his mouth, a little confused.
"No, not like that." Sorell pulled Felix out and slipped the entire hard length in his mouth. He used his tongue to wipe over the soft skin of his cock.
Felix moaned, his hands hovered around Sorell's head like he was trying very hard not to take over the situation. "This is not how I doctor."
"I went to a different school of medicine," Sorell said and then held onto Felix's dick at the base and proceeded to lick it like an ice cream cone. Liquid pooled at the tip and he lapped it up. His flavor had changed to something between a shifter's and a human's. It was fascinating, but right now it was just hot. "All of my customers are very happy with my practices."
"All of your customers?" Felix grabbed him by the back of the head and proceeded to feed his cock down his throat.
Sorell would have smiled if he had been able to move his lips that way. As it was, they were stretched tight to take his mate. Sorell let loose, slurping as he went. This was heaven, his mate's moans were paradise. He quickened the pace, one hand still held him, working his cock in tandem with his mouth while the other grazed over Felix's inner thigh. Sorell explored higher, revisiting that puckered hole from earlier. He took a chance and inserted the very tip of his finger. Felix exploded in his mouth, shooting the proof of his desire down his throat. When Sorell was sure he'd gotten every drop he let the still-hard cock out of his mouth.
Felix breathed deeply and his eyes were still shut. Sorell smiled smugly and Felix opened one eye. "You're going to be punished for that," he murmured.
"Why punish later when you can punish today?" Sorell said sarcastically. He leapt to the side when Felix lunged for him, intent on making him pay for not only his actions but his tone. "Can't catch your pregnant mate?" he taunted. Felix jumped with an agility that had Sorell's head spinning.
"I've learned a few tricks," Felix said with a grin, his dark, lusty eyes twinkled right before smacking Sorell smartly on the behind. "That's one," he whispered against Sorell's ear. "How bout we say, ten for the unregulated phalanges exploration and ten more for the attitude?"
Sorell giggled. "Unregulated...what?"
Felix smacked once more. "That's two."
By the time they were in the bedroom Sorell had received fifteen of his spankings. His bottom hardly stung and he stuck out his bottom lip in disappointment.
"What is it, mate?"
"You're being easy on me," Sorell complained. "Because I'm pregnant you think I'm weak."
"I never said anything like that. I should add ten more for that."
"Then why aren't you making it burn?" Sorell whined.
Felix leaned forward, catching Sorell's bottom lip in his teeth. He sucked on it before kissing him long and deep. "Your wish is my command." He directed Sorell so that he was still standing but in profile between Felix's legs. "Grab my cock and stroke me while I give you the rest of your punishment," he ordered before smacking him hard on the bottom. This time the blushing pain spread over his body. "Count them," he ordered.
"Sixteen," Sorell gasped.
Two more smacks, each as hard as the last.
"Seventeen, eighteen." Sorell wailed out in pleasure. Felix was rock hard in his hand and he wanted
to bend down again between his legs.
Felix spun him around so that he faced away. He'd grabbed the lube and worked it over his cock before leading Sorell back and down into a sitting position. The deeper he sat, the more Felix's cock worked inside his tight hole. When he was fully seated, Sorell gasped for air.
Smack! Smack! Felix delivered the remaining punishment without mercy. Sorell felt his orgasm approaching.
"Nineteen, twenty!"
Felix began to lift Sorell's body, controlling the speed and depth of the thrusts. "You're an amazing doctor."
Sorell smiled. He could tell by the speed that Felix was close and when he thrust up, Felix held him down on his cock as he filled him up again. Felix reached around Sorell and stroked his cock once before the pressure became too much and Sorell came with a moan.
Felix pulled them back on the bed so that they were in the same position, but on their sides on the mattress. He held Sorell tightly at his front. He hadn't knotted inside of him and wouldn't until Sorell delivered but that hadn't lessened the pleasure. He made a contented growling sound that reverberated through Sorell soothingly. His eyelids drooped as he fell asleep with his mate still deep inside of him.
Chapter Fifteen
Felix turned off the light in his tiny, shared office at the clinic. Everyone else had gone home for the weekend. It had been odd to him that the free clinic was not open weekends, wasn't that when many working people needed help? But in reality, the funding simply hadn't been there to work full operating hours all week long. Plus the clinic was able to earn a little extra money renting out space and equipment when it wasn't in use on those days.
Felix made a mental note to donate a little extra to the clinic this year to pay back for some of the equipment and space he'd "rented" since becoming pack doctor.
"Hey there, Dr. Feller, still here?" Janelle, one of his favorite nurses asked. She'd worked with him in some hairy places without batting an eyelash, which had been why he trusted her enough to help with some pack procedures, namely Christian's C-section. She was also scheduled to help with Sorell's C-section because Felix decided not to have the procedure done at the one hospital with a shifter-friendly doctor.
Felix had been worried that introducing Janelle to a world of shifters would harm her but when one had seen as much as Janelle had, it took a lot to make one even look twice. "Everything ready for Sorell?" she asked casually.
"Yes, everything seems to be progressing as it should. It's different though, different this time."
She smiled warmly. "Because it's yours. Don't worry, Doc, I've seen you in an emergency situation and while I don't know what your insides are doing, your outside is cool as a cucumber. Steady hands, bro," she said holding her hand out palm down like a dance move. "Will Seth be assisting this time as well?"
Seth was the other nurse who Felix had enlisted to help him. Ironically, he'd already known about shifters, claiming he found out when his cousin married one and now he worked in the same hospital with the shifter-friendly doctor, Dr. Burrows. Together, with one more nurse, they handled the majority of the shifter cases that needed special attention. The world of shifters wasn't as secretive as Felix had originally thought it was, more that anyone who did know something didn't talk about it. "He did say he was able to assist. I believe that should be sufficient."
Janelle suddenly looked a little uncomfortable and Felix knew what she was about to say. "So, I heard back from DBB headquarters, they're preparing for another deployment. The director had mentioned trying to get ahold of you to lead the team."
The anxiety he might have had thinking about Doctors Beyond Borders and going out on another deployment was still there but considerably less. "I can't say I will never do it again, but for right now I am more needed here. The director shouldn't have pulled you into it, Janelle. But does that mean you are going? I'd hate to lose you."
Janelle gave him a winning smile. "I haven't decided but don't worry, I'll find someone suitable to help you out."
Felix knew she meant at the clinic and with the pack. "Thank you. Have a great weekend."
Felix got in his car, checking his phone to make sure there were no last-minute craving requests from Sorell. He'd been desperately craving hot-sauce-flavored turkey jerky for the past couple of days. Ever since the peace treaty, their lives had settled. Felix still kept in touch with Oscar and Stella and word was that while the business operations had unfortunately remained the same, Isaac had stopped pushing his terrorist agenda on his pack members when it came to Luke's pack and Felix. That was a win Felix was willing to take. His blood still boiled whenever he thought of Isaac and there was a lot he wished to do to the arrogant shifter, but if his mate was safe, that was all that mattered.
Felix had barely gotten inside and hugged Sorell when someone knocked at his door urgently. He opened the door slowly, sure that Sorell was safely behind him when Christian pushed inside.
"Out of the way," Christian said not unkindly. He stopped short in front of Sorell, his eyes looking the other shifter up and down for a long minute. His face broke out in a wide smile before he pulled Sorell in for a hug. Felix moved to stand next to Derrick who was skulking in the doorway with a baby packed to his front and two in the double stroller.
"Congrats," Derrick said with a head nod.
"Thank you."
"Oh my God, this is so exciting," Christian squealed sounding like he was about to burst. He paced between Sorell and Derrick as he spoke. "I cannot believe it. Oh, Derrick, you are the worst. He wouldn't let me come back until this other pack thing had been situated. Believe you me, I tried. But he just locks me up. Which is not an attractive trait." Christian punched Derrick in the arm.
Felix understood Derrick's reasoning, though. He hadn't really considered just locking up Sorell. The idea of him behind lock and key, bound and helpless, ready to submit to his every whim—
"Don't even think about it, buddy," Sorell said, coming up to his side.
Christian's eyes glistened and he couldn't seem to stop staring at Sorell. "I'm so happy for you," he said it like he meant it one hundred percent. That was something about Christian that Felix was just now learning, he only ever said things he meant and he meant them a lot. "We are going to have a baby shower and I am going to help you decorate the nursery and we are going to do everything that I couldn't—" He stopped, seemingly too overcome to keep speaking. Derrick laid a comforting arm over his shoulders. He took a deep breath. "It's going to be amazing. It is already amazing."
The room fell into a silence that no one seemed to know how to break. Finally, Derrick cleared his throat. "How about I order us some dinner? We just got in, the triplets aren't going to behave this well forever," he complained but there was no actual anger, only love.
Felix leaned back. Derrick had ordered Italian take-out from the place a few streets over. He watched Sorell hold one of Christian's children. They looked bigger from the last time he'd seen them at Sorell's birthday party. He simultaneously could not believe he hadn't seen them in so long while also not believing how much they'd grown. Would it be the same way with his children? He would blink and miss it? He vowed to be there, to be present for every moment. He wouldn't miss parts of their lives like his father had. He'd be there for Sorell and for his children.
The conversation lulled and Derrick Jr. opened his mouth before emitting a high-pitched scream that clearly meant attention was needed. Christian shushed him but stood.
"We should head home but I'll be back tomorrow. Frannie wants the babies, something about research for her book. She's enlisted Daryl to help her, which is beyond my understanding but I will not say no to free babysitting and a quiet moment. We could take a walk?"
Christian asked Sorell but his body angled toward Felix as well as if he was asking his permission at the same time. Felix nodded discreetly and Sorell smiled. He'd obviously been waiting for Felix's approval.
"We can go around the park? The big one, not the nature park," he amended.
"Nice and open there."
Derrick looked uneasy but didn't say anything. Apparently, letting one's mate out of one's sight was a problem for everyone.
***
In the end both Felix and Derrick had demanded they bring someone along with them on their walk. Sorell shook his head. He hadn't wanted to ask Pippen, but there wasn't anyone else to ask. There had been a time when Pippen would have been his first and only choice but something had happened between him and his best friend and now, while appreciative that he had agreed to join them, Sorell was relieved Pippen was on Christian's other side.
The park near his house was more like a loop around a large grassy area. There was a pond that was home to ducks in the spring and summer. There weren't many trees and they could clearly see one side of the park even when on the path on the other side. They decided to do the loop around, hoping they could get it done before it started to snow.
His pregnancy had driven a wedge between him and Pippen. Pippen still saw it as something that made him weak and there was nothing Pippen loathed more than something that made someone weak.
Luckily for them, Christian was just about the friendliest person in the world and had them both talking, not to each other, but both to Christian. Pippen laughed rather hard after Christian had related Derrick's father to a certain farm animal. Soon, Sorell forgot about his problems with Pippen and concentrated on how great the crisp air felt and how nice it was to stretch his legs out with friends.
They finished the loop too quickly for Sorell's liking, but just as they did, the first snowflake fell. It was probably for the best because his back was sore and he really had to go to the bathroom. His house was one block away and they had walked it to get to the park. If he had to, he'd go behind a tree, it wouldn't be the first time.
"Need a bathroom break?" Christian asked knowingly. "The struggle is real."
"I'll be okay, we're almost—"
A deafening roar cut off the rest of what he was going to say. A man on a motorcycle rode toward them despite them being on the sidewalk. Christian pushed Sorell just as the man drove his motorcycle through the space where he had been standing. He fell in someone's lawn, his hand slamming hard against a rock that was, thankfully, decorative. He picked the rock up to aim for the rider and saw Christian had his cell phone out. He aimed and threw it has hard as he could. It was hollow and plastic, though, so while it connected with the rider's helmet, it didn't do the damage Sorell was hoping for. The rider jerked the handlebars, hitting the curb at an odd angle. The bike stopped, but the rider didn't. He stumbled to his feet with a quickness that told Sorell he was a shifter and all at once, he knew who it was. Sorell's stomach sank and he clutched at his front, protecting his unborn children.
Wolf's Mate Mpreg Romance Box Set Page 47
