Gregory's Rebellion

by Lavinia Lewis

  When they were both naked, Gregory sat up and just looked. How did he get this lucky? His awe turned to amusement when Hayden’s chest coloured to a deep shade of pink and the blush worked its way up his neck and face.

  “There’s no need to be embarrassed with me, Hayden,” Gregory soothed, trailing his hand over his mate’s chest. Hayden’s breath caught when Gregory’s finger ghosted over a nipple.

  “Guess I’m not used to people looking at me that way.”

  “Well, you’d better get used to it because I’ll never stop looking at you this way, you got that?”

  Hayden nodded. “Please?” he begged.

  Gregory groaned and looked around the room. “We need…”

  “Oh.” Hayden rolled to the side and opened a drawer in his nightstand. “Here you go.”

  Gregory looked down at the bottle of lube in his hand. “Where did you get this? You bring it with you?”

  Hayden shook his head. He wouldn’t meet Gregory’s eye and, while he watched, Hayden’s cheeks coloured. “Cary gave it to me,” he whispered.

  Jesus. Now that was a conversation Gregory would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for. How the hell had they managed it? They were both as shy as the other.

  Whatever… Gregory didn’t question Hayden, he couldn’t. He was desperate for relief. He prepared Hayden quickly. He tried to go as slow as he could but he wasn’t entirely successful and it seemed Hayden wasn’t in the mood for a go-slow either. Gregory was under no illusions, they both needed this. Hayden writhed on his fingers, canting his hips, begging with his body for more. Gregory gave him everything he had to give and more. Soon they were both sweating, panting, wanting—the need in their bodies too strong to ignore.

  “Please,” Hayden said again.

  Gregory chewed on his bottom lip. His hand shook from the pressure of keeping it propped up near Hayden’s head while he used the other to lift Hayden’s hips, push back his knees and position his dick at Hayden’s entrance. He looked up and met Hayden’s gaze. When his mate gave a slight nod of his head, it was all the permission Gregory needed. He pushed in, crying out when he felt Hayden’s channel pull him deeper. Hayden was hot and tight and, Jesus, but he felt good. Sex had never been like this for Gregory, but then he’d never had Hayden.

  He took his time, pushing deeper inch by agonising inch until he was all the way inside and then took a moment—both to get his breathing under control and to allow Hayden time to adjust to the sensation of being stretched and filled. Hayden was shaking in earnest beneath him, his hands fisting the sheets, knuckles white from the pressure.

  “Gregory, please move,” Hayden pleaded.

  Gregory moved. He went slowly to begin with, building up speed gradually until he was pounding into Hayden, the sweat dripping from his forehead evidence of their exertion. Hayden was lifting his hips to meet every thrust, spurring Gregory on with his low, untamed cries and moans. It was too much. Gregory felt the pressure building, his balls drawing up ready to release. He tried to think of anything but the need to come, about how good Hayden felt wrapped around him drawing out his orgasm. But the sensations in his body were nothing compared to the surge of emotion that zapped him when he met Hayden’s gaze, saw the wonderment etched into every line on his face.

  A low, rumbling purr erupted from Hayden’s chest and he tilted his head to the side, offering his neck. Gregory lost it. Instantly, his incisors tore from his gums and he leant down and plunged them into his mate’s neck, claiming him. Gregory was dimly aware of the purr in his own chest as he drew Hayden’s sweet blood into his mouth. Hayden gasped and his ass felt like a vice around Gregory’s dick, pulsating and drawing out his orgasm as his mate shuddered through his release, the wet heat coating both their stomachs. Gregory couldn’t hold back any longer. He didn’t want to. He threw his head back and shouted out Hayden’s name as his dick released burst after burst of seed into Hayden’s ass.

  When they’d both finally stopped shaking, Gregory fell forward, his hands just managing to brace himself above Hayden and support most of his weight. He’d never felt so alive or so at peace. The realisation that they had bonded together for life filled him with the utmost joy. Gregory would allow nothing or no one to come between them—whatever it took, he would keep Hayden safe. He had to. If anything were to happen to Hayden, Gregory knew he wouldn’t survive it.

  Chapter Eight

  Hayden finished brushing Misty’s coat and carried the brushes back to the tack room. He’d been afraid of the horses when he’d first come to live on the ranch, but they’d grown on him in the past week and now he loved spending time with them. He’d usually worked with Nate, Aaron or Cary while he’d learned the ropes, but today was Nate’s day off and Aaron and Cary were out riding fence in the north pasture. Hayden didn’t usually mind being alone—he’d become used to it over the years—but he hadn’t had a moment alone since he’d come to the ranch and he had to admit he’d grown used to always having someone around. He hadn’t once felt lonely since he’d arrived. And then at night Gregory was with him, and that’s when the place started to feel like a real home.

  Hayden had come to care for Gregory a great deal in the couple of weeks they had known each another, but sometimes he wondered if his mate reciprocated his feelings. Gregory hadn’t said anything particular that had led Hayden to believe he was indifferent about their mating, but he had grown more and more distant over the past week and he wouldn’t admit that anything was wrong. But Hayden wasn’t stupid—he could tell Gregory had been distracted. He just wished he knew what was bothering him.

  When Hayden checked his watch, he realised it was nearly lunchtime and decided to leave the mucking out until after he’d taken his break. He left the barn and strode across the yard to the bunkhouse. As he approached he could see a tall, muscular man climbing the steps to the porch. Hayden stopped his advance, unsure of what to do. He hadn’t spoken to anyone except the people that worked on the ranch and Pete since he’d arrived. He knew he had to keep a low profile in case someone from the council showed up, so he started edging backwards, about to head back to the barn, when the man turned and spotted him.

  “Hello? Hayden, isn’t it?” the man called.

  Crap. How did he know who Hayden was? Hayden didn’t know what to do. But the man was smiling broadly and he seemed friendly enough so he took a few cautious steps forward.

  He nodded. “Who are you?”

  “No need to be afraid,” the man said. “I’m Gregory’s friend from the council. He told me all about you.”

  Hayden’s eyebrows skyrocketed. “He did?”

  The man chuckled. “Yes. Don’t worry, he hasn’t told anyone else at the council about you, but he knew he could trust me.”

  Hayden frowned. He didn’t know if he should believe the man, but he found himself edging closer and asking, “What is your name?”

  “Oh, do forgive me,” the man replied, closing the distance between them. “My name is Riley.”

  “Oh, you’re Gregory’s superior at the council.”

  “That’s right, I am. So are you going to invite me in for a coffee?”

  “Uh, okay, sure.”

  Hayden still wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing but the man seemed harmless, despite his size. He led the way up the porch steps and pushed open the door. “Come in.”

  “Thank you.” Riley followed him into the bunkhouse, through the living room and into the shared kitchen. He nodded in thanks when Hayden motioned for him to take a seat in one of the chairs around the table.

  Hayden set about making coffee. Neither spoke while he worked. It was Riley that broke the silence.

  “So how do you like it here on the ranch, Hayden?” he asked.

  Hayden’s smile was wide, genuine. “Very much. Everyone has been so welcoming to me since I arrived.”

  Riley nodded. “You came to a good place, and Kelan is a wonderful alpha. He looks after his friends and family.”

  Hayden n
odded enthusiastically. “At first I thought he was only helping me out because he knew Gregory and I are mated, but, now that I’ve come to know Kelan more, I realise that he loves to help people. It makes him happy to do so. I guess it’s in his nature.”

  Riley’s eyes widened slightly as though this were a revelation to him, but he quickly recovered. “Well, yes, quite. I imagine it is. So tell me, Hayden, have you and Gregory been happy since you mated?”

  That seemed like an odd question to ask. Hayden’s stomach lurched. Had Riley picked up on Gregory’s discontent? Or had his mate actually confessed his unhappiness to the wolf?

  “Why do you ask? What has Gregory told you?”

  “Oh, nothing, really,” Riley said with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s just an impression I get from him.”

  Hayden gave up all pretence of making coffee and sat down opposite the large wolf. “Did he say he’s not happy with me? Is he sorry we mated?”

  Riley met Hayden’s gaze head-on. The look he threw Hayden’s way made him shiver. “What do you think?” Riley asked. “Do you think he’s happy?”

  Hayden dropped his gaze and began picking at a knot on the wood of the table. “No,” Hayden whispered. “I don’t think he is.”

  “And why do you suppose that is?”

  All of Hayden’s doubts and insecurities were suddenly in the forefront of his mind. There were probably myriad reasons why Gregory didn’t want him. Hayden was too quiet, too shy. He wasn’t clever. He’d done nothing with his life but wash dishes and clean up horse shit. Gregory was intelligent, clearly educated. He had a good job as an agent at the supernatural council. What could he possibly see in someone like Hayden? And then, of course, there was his scar. He knew it made him ugly. It didn’t matter how often Gregory tried to convince him otherwise—he had eyes in his head, he knew how he looked in a mirror and he was too much of a coward to do anything about it. He was afraid to shift. He was pathetic. Gregory needed a strong partner, someone worthier. He would be better off without Hayden holding him back.

  “Maybe it would be better if I left him,” Hayden whispered.

  Riley shrugged. “Only you know what’s best for you both. But what I can tell you is that Gregory hasn’t been himself in the past couple of weeks. He’s been lying to his superiors, hiding things. Not doing the things I asked of him. That’s not Gregory, not at all. He’s changed since he met you.”

  Riley was right. Gregory had changed in the past couple of weeks, even Hayden could see that. Gregory had been getting more and more distant, more distracted. He wasn’t the same man Hayden had met just two short weeks before. He clearly wasn’t happy. Hayden swallowed down a lump in his throat and nodded his head, mind made up.

  “I’ll go,” he said quietly.

  Riley nodded. “That might be for the best. You know, you could always come back to council headquarters with me. I can assure you no harm would come to you there. I would personally see to it that we find you somewhere to live, a new job. Gregory would never have to know.”

  Hayden blinked back the tears that had begun to cloud his eyes and nodded. “Just give me five minutes to get my things.”

  * * * *

  “Kelan!” Gregory pounded on the ranch house door, his heart hammering so hard against his ribcage he was afraid it would break free from his chest at any moment. “Kelan!”

  The door opened and Kelan stepped out on to the porch. “Gregory, what’s wrong?”

  “He’s gone,” Gregory managed to choke out. “Hayden’s gone.” Bile rose in Gregory’s throat but he swallowed it down and ran a hand through his hair. “What am I going to do?”

  “Calm down. Have you spoken to Cary or Aaron? Maybe he’s out in the north—”

  “His clothes are gone!” Gregory said desperately. “There’s nothing left. It’s like he was never here at all.”

  Kelan frowned. “Did you guys have a fight? Is Hayden upset with you for any reason?”

  Gregory shook his head. “No, things were going great between us—at least I thought they were. He wouldn’t just run out on me like this. Something’s wrong. I can feel it. What if it’s Dean? What if he took him?”

  “Look, we don’t know that it’s anything sinister yet. Let’s try to keep a clear head, okay? I’ll call Jared to come around and help us search. Don’t worry, we’ll find him.”

  Twenty minutes later Gregory sat in the bunkhouse kitchen with Kelan, Cary and Aaron. Kelan hadn’t had any luck with Jared. The deputy had gone to the nursing home with Nate to visit Nate’s father. Jared had promised to stop by the Crazy Horse as soon as he got back, but the nursing home was a couple of hours’ drive from Wolf Creek. Gregory was so angry he was ready to tear the place apart to find his mate. He’d never felt so helpless in his entire life.

  “I haven’t seen him since breakfast this morning,” Aaron said, looking to Cary for confirmation.

  Cary nodded. “Aaron and I were out riding fence most of the day. We took sandwiches with us for lunch so we wouldn’t have to come all the way back. When we got here at dinner time, we just assumed he was in the barn with the horses.”

  “Jesus, then he could have been gone all day,” Gregory said desperately.

  “Are you sure there isn’t somewhere he would have gone?” Aaron asked. “His parents’ place maybe, or any other family around here? Does he know anyone else in the area?”

  Gregory was starting to lose patience with everyone, even though he knew they meant well. “He doesn’t know anyone around here and he hasn’t spoken to his family in five years. I’m telling you, something has happened to him. He wouldn’t have just left like this—something’s wrong.”

  “We don’t know that,” Kelan reasoned.

  “If something has happened to him, I’ll never forgive myself,” Gregory whispered. It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe through the pain in his chest.

  “Hayden’s not a kid, Gregory,” Kelan said. “From what I know of him he’s taken care of himself since he was sixteen years old.”

  “That’s my point exactly,” Gregory snapped. “Hayden looked after himself for five years, and then I bring him here to keep him safe from the council and something happens to him within two weeks of him being here. I failed him, Kelan! He’d have been better off without me.”

  “Isn’t there anyone in the council you can trust to talk to about this?” Kelan asked. “The council has better resources than us. They would be better equipped to find him.”

  Gregory massaged the back of his neck while he thought about Kelan’s question. “I don’t know. I could maybe call Riley. I’ve worked under him for years and he’s always seemed trustworthy. I thought about talking to him when I discovered Hayden was my mate, but I didn’t want to take the chance, just in case.”

  Kelan put a hand on Gregory’s shoulder. “I don’t think you have any choice anymore.”

  Gregory let out a shaky breath. “I know. I’ll make the call.”

  * * * *

  When Hayden opened his eyes a strong sense of déjà vu washed over him and fear prickled along his spine. He was sitting in a chair in a small living room, his hands tied behind his back. His head hurt. He thought maybe he’d been hit and lost consciousness.

  “Ah, you’re awake, good.”

  Hayden looked around the room for the source of the voice. “Riley?”

  The man chuckled. “I’m afraid I might have misled you. My name is Dean—Dean White.”

  “Dean?” The blood in Hayden’s veins turned to ice when he realised the implications of that name. Dean was the person Gregory suspected was responsible for the deaths of all the shifters’ mates in recent months.

  Dean chuckled. “That’s right. Your expression tells me you’re familiar with my name. Why do you think I didn’t use it earlier at the ranch?”

  Hayden’s gaze flickered around the small room, hoping for some clue as to his whereabouts. They appeared to be in some sort of cabin. “Where are we?”

  �
��That’s not important.” Dean placed a dining table chair in front of Hayden and sat down in it, looking him directly in the eye.

  “What am I doing here? What do you want with me?”

  “Now you’re asking the right questions,” Dean said. “Let’s just call you insurance. I asked Gregory to do something for me, but he’s been…reluctant. I can’t have that. I might even return you when he’s done what I ask. I’ll have to think about it.”

  Hayden flinched when Dean reached out and traced a finger down the line of his scar. “You’re a very pretty kitty,” he mused. “Shame about the scar. I wonder why you haven’t shifted to get rid of it.”

  “That’s none of your goddamn business!” Hayden spat. He refused to tell Dean any more than he already had. He feared he’d already said too much about his relationship with Gregory. And now Dean was trying to use him to get Gregory to do his bidding—the exact reason the council was against its members mating.

  Dean shrugged. “It’s not important. I’m sure I could…overlook it.”

  Dean’s eyes filled with heat and Hayden’s stomach lurched. “You’ll never get away with this.” His voice cracked.

  Dean threw his head back and laughed and the coldness in his tone sent shivers prickling down Hayden’s spine. “Don’t you get it? I have been getting away with it, for some time now. Who’s going to challenge me? Gregory?” Dean snorted. “Don’t think your precious mate will save you. If he cared that much for you, he would have done what I asked already. Your life clearly isn’t that important to him.”