Oliver felt his eyes widen as he watched Joshua get up and extend a hand to his friend. Of course! He should have known what was happening. Shifters reacted that strongly only in front of a mate.
“Now, since Adrian is your mate, I think we should keep him here.”
“No! No, please, I have to go! My brother—”
“Let him go. I don’t want him anyway, not after what he’s done to shifters,” Joshua growled, and Oliver saw the pain and hurt pass into Adrian’s eyes before the man closed his expression off.
Dominic considered the situation for a moment before agreeing. “Fine, if you don’t want to stay I won’t force you.” He turned back to Joshua. The leopard had been about to open the door when the Alpha’s voice stopped him. “You will still go with Adrian to New York, and I want you to be the one in charge of his safety. That means that you have to find him bodyguards who are going to follow him without being seen, and you will be the one Adrian has to contact if he ever has problems. Understood?” Dominic’s tone didn’t leave Joshua a choice, so the man nodded grudgingly and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
Well, no one could say that life in the pride was boring.
* * * *
What was it with mates popping up right and left in the past months? Only a year before, most of the male pride members had been bachelors, and now only Isaiah, Jared and Soren were left, plus the three new shifters Craig had rescued from the labs. Sebastian was willing to bet their mates would appear sometime soon. It was as if the mansion was a beacon or something. Denver even had a kid, and there was nothing both weirder and sweeter than to watch him cuddle Adam or do any of those other things dads did.
Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder how Joshua was doing. The man had refused to talk to him, stating that he didn’t need a mate and certainly not one who would secretly experiment on him or kill him in his sleep. Sebastian didn’t really understand where Joshua was coming from, since the leopard shifter had never told anyone about his past, but he didn’t think the man was so against mating the geneticist just for Oliver’s sake. Heck, if Sebastian and above all Oliver could forgive Adrian, it didn’t make sense that Joshua acted like that, unless something bad had happened in his past. But that wasn’t Sebastian’s business. He already had plenty on his own plate with Oliver.
His mate was getting impatient. Oliver wanted to get up and start living again, and as much as Sebastian could understand him, only four days had passed since the injection. He knew Oliver was able to eat again, and it already showed on him, but Sebastian still thought it was too soon for him to get up from the bed. He silently entered their suite, curious to see what his mate was doing, but he stopped in the living room when he heard his mate talking with Keenan. Yeah, he knew he shouldn’t spy, but who could resist?
“So, now that you know you’re going to be fine, are you going to mate with him?”
Sebastian couldn’t have moved his feet even if he had wanted to. He wanted to know what Oliver’s answer would be. He hadn’t actually thought about claiming the man, not since Oliver had started to isolate himself in his room all those months ago, and the last weeks...Oliver had been too sick to do anything like that, and he still was. Still, that didn’t stop Sebastian’s cock from perking up at the idea and remind him that he hadn’t been laid for about six months, since he had scented his mate was in the mansion. He hadn’t known who it was at the time, but there had been only two options,since Jamie had returned with two men, and the human had told him Finn was Bryce’s mate. It had left only Oliver, but the man had been so isolated and messed up that Sebastian had wanted to give him some space, to let him get used to seeing so many shifters. The only result had been that the man had literally disappeared. But it was over now, and soon Oliver would be able to live a normal life...and have a normal sex life.
“Oh, yeah, but I just know he’s going to be difficult.”
“Why?” Okay, that wasn’t Keenan talking, but Sebastian wasn’t actually sure who it was. It had to be one of the new shifters, though, because he knew everyone else’s voice.
“C’mon, Darin, I know you’re new here, but you have to have seen how the big kitties act toward their mates, all protective and shit. That’s the way they’re wired, plus Oliver has been sick, so Sebastian is going to be even more careful.”
“Yeah, he’s going to treat me as if I’m made of glass. Wait, he already does that actually, but I don’t even want to think about how it could get worse.”
Yeah, so Sebastian was a little protective. Okay, a lot, but wasn’t it normal after what had happened to Oliver?
“What could be more breakable than glass?” That was Keenan. He was the only one who would even think about asking that question.
“Umm, I think crystal, maybe?” Wait, why was Oliver’s voice moving? Sebastian didn’t even stop to think, he barged into the room, a chorus of squeaking noises and yelps welcoming him.
The first thing Sebastian noticed was that Oliver wasn’t in his bed. Instead, the man was standing near the bathroom door, a fierce expression on his face as his eyes shot the message don’t-start-bullshitting-me to Sebastian. He was going to ignore it, of course. “What the heck are you doing? You should be resting in bed!”
“If I rest for another minute I’ll...I’ll...I don’t know what I’ll do, but I can’t stand it anymore! I was just going to the bathroom, damn it!”
“You’ll go crazy,” Keenan helpfully supplied, and Sebastian scowled at him. “What? He’s not made of—what was it? Crystal?” he asked as he turned to Oliver, but Sebastian’s mate was already slamming the bathroom’s door and screaming through the door.
“Don’t even think about getting in here, you hear me? I’ll kick your furry ass!”
Sebastian was stunned. Oliver had never, ever acted like that. Yeah, he whined and pouted, but he didn’t get aggressive. Had his sickness changed him that much? Had he always been like that? Sebastian didn’t really care as long as his mate was healthy, but he might need a little while to get used to that mouth.
“He’s feeling better, you know. Give him the chance to take his life back.” Sebastian absently nodded at Keenan as he finally looked around the room. The bed was full of tiny men. Well, okay, Keenan, Jamie and Derick were not tiny, but the twins, Jayden, Finn and Ani were. Sebastian idly wondered how in hell it was possible for nine grown men, no matter how small, to pile on the bed like that, even if it was a king size, but the bathroom’s door swung open and Oliver marched back into the room.
Well, he tried to march back, but he had to stop and lean against the dresser as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom. Sebastian moved, wanting to help his mate, but from the corner of his eye he saw Keenan shaking his head at him. He had to give his mate space to be his own man again, even if it was hard for him. Oliver needed to get his independence back.
Oliver straightened his back and scowled at Sebastian before slowly walking back to the bed. The men on it moved, the sea of flesh, opening to let Oliver settle under the covers, and Sebastian finally let the breath he had been holding go. He moved, careful not to spook Ani, since the small Nix was still scared of big men. He was getting better, though, and it made Sebastian hope that soon his Alpha would be able to claim his mate. “So, I, uh, I came to see how you were feeling, but I see you’re better.”
Oliver was still scowling at him, his arms crossed on his chest in a stubborn gesture. It would have been more impressive if Oliver hadn’t been so small in the huge bed, though. The man might be tall, but he was still so thin that he literally disappeared in the middle of the covers, and it made him look like a five years old hiding in his parents’ bed. It wouldn’t do any good for Sebastian to laugh, though, even if he wanted to.
Oliver’s expression softened a bit. Keenan looked from Oliver to Sebastian before getting up from the bed. “Okay, I think that’s our cue to disappear, gentlemen.” He motioned to the others to move and get out of the room and they all followed him, except for Finn, J
amie and Derick. Keenan whined when he saw the Nix shimmer out of the room with his two friends and his lower lip slid out as he started pouting. “Hey, I wanted to do that!”
Still, Oliver and Sebastian were soon left alone, Keenan giving Sebastian a last wink as he passed him and closed the door. He knew he had to apologize, even if he knew he wouldn’t have acted differently, ever. “I’m sorry. I know you’re getting better, but I’m so used to helping you that I can’t stop myself sometimes. I just have to get used to the fact that you are more than able to do things on your own now.”
Oliver nodded and uncrossed his arms, patting at the bed. “I know. I’m sorry I was so...bitchy. It’s just hard because I feel better but my body isn’t completely ready to cooperate yet, even if I want to do so many things. I’ve had enough of people taking care of me.”
“Well, I can understand that, but I don’t think I will ever be able to completely stop taking care of you. You’re my mate, I actually need to take care of you.”
“But—”
“Think about it. Don’t you feel the same thing for me? Don’t you want to please me and make my life easier?”
“Yeah, okay,” Oliver grumbled before smiling a wicked smile that told Sebastian he was up to something. “So, if I told you I wanted something right now, you would give it to me?”
“Depends on what it is.”
“A kiss. I want a kiss.” Oliver’s eyes were smoldering as he looked at Sebastian. “God, I’ve wanted you for so long, but I always held back because I didn’t want you to suffer if I...Now I know I’ll be fine, and I know I’m not up for more yet, but can I at least have a kiss? Please?”
How could Sebastian say no when Oliver looked at him like that, fear of rejection, lust and affection pouring from him as he waited for an answer? It was only a kiss, and as much as Sebastian wanted to lay Oliver down and fuck him through the mattress, he would never do anything that could hurt his mate.
Instead of sitting down, Sebastian knelt on the bed and knee walked until he reached Oliver. Putting his hands on his mate’s raised legs, he pushed them apart until he had enough space to slide his body between them. He then leaned down, keeping his weight on his hands as he moved until his lips were so close to Oliver’s that he could feel his mate’s hot breath fanning on his face.
Oliver’s breath hitched as he moved his hands and grabbed Sebastian’s wrists. They stayed like that, watching each other, their eyes locked, until Oliver whimpered. Smiling, Sebastian finally leaned down completely and licked his mate’s lips, tracing the trembling flesh as he demanded entrance.
Oliver didn’t make him wait, parting his lips and pushing a bit up until he crushed their mouths together, his tongue slipping out to snake into Sebastian’s mouth. Sebastian let his mate set the pace as their tongues tangled and stroked, sucked and licked, until they were both panting for breath. Oliver let his head thump back on the pillow and Sebastian rolled off him, careful not to put his weight on his mate but maintaining the contact between them as he laid on his side and pulled Oliver closer, resting his arm on his waist. He was dozing off when his mate’s voice reached him.
“When can we do it again?”
Chapter Three
Oliver couldn’t take it anymore. He had tried to seduce Sebastian, dropping hints here and there, stroking his skin when he could, hell, he’d even flat out asked the man to finally make love to him, but Sebastian had refused every. Single. Time. He always used the same excuse—Oliver was still weak and he had to get better before even thinking about sex, and yeah, it was true that Oliver still had to recover, but he was getting better.
He wasn’t asking to be pounded into the wall, although he could see the possibilities in that. He would find a good, gentle loving just as satisfying—he just couldn’t continue to live with Sebastian without any type of touch, not now that he was better. It had been easy when he had been sick, because his cock didn’t have the energy to react to the big lion. However now he definitely had it, and he had never been so hard for such a long time in his life. Granted, he was only twenty-five, but still...
Oliver was sure his balls were about to fall off or simply shrink away from disuse. Yeah, okay, he had actually been using them, jacking off in the shower at the image of a naked and wet Sebastian playing in his mind, but it hadn’t done him any good. As soon as the man appeared in front of him, his boner came back with a vengeance.
“Hey, you’re awake.”
Oliver looked up at Sebastian and nearly swallowed his tongue. Not only did the man refuse to give him the time of the day, but he flaunted his body in front of Oliver now! He was standing there, looking down at the bed, wearing only a towel around his waist and water. Small drops of water that were sliding down his sculpted chest and rock hard abs. Oliver wasn’t sure if he wanted to be them just to be able to touch all that skin and muscle, or if he wanted to lick them away and follow their paths down, down under the towel.
He licked his lips, trying to imagine what he would find under the fabric, how the man’s cock would feel between his lips and how he would taste. Oliver let out a moan as he saw the towel twitch and the hidden dick under it rising, but Sebastian spoiled his fun by turning around and moving to the dresser. “I’m sorry, I thought you were still sleeping.”
Oliver wanted to try again, even if he knew it wasn’t going to do him any good. Clearing his throat, he pushed away the covers and slid his hand down his chest and into his sleeping pants. Sebastian wouldn’t be able to miss the erection tenting them, and Oliver smiled at the gasp the lion let out when he finally turned around.
“I, uh, I’ll go dress into the bathroom.”
Oliver let his lower lip slide outward in an imitation of the pout Keenan had mastered to perfection when he wanted something. “Or you could come here and help me get rid of this pesky erection.” He punctuated his words with a few good tugs on his hard flesh, moaning at the pleasure coursing through him. Having his mate watching him brought a new excitement to this.
“No, I—you—you’re not well. I—I have to go.” Sebastian practically ran to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.
The rejection made Oliver’s erection wither as hurt settled in his chest. Maybe the problem wasn’t so much his health as the fact that Sebastian didn’t want him. Maybe he didn’t like Oliver’s body, not after all these months of starvation.
Yogi whimpered at the thought of their mate leaving them. Oliver knew he still had a long road in front of him before he fully recovered, and maybe Sebastian didn’t like the new him. In the past months Oliver had been mellow, too tired and worried to really be himself, and maybe the lion wanted the quiet man he had taken care of. Now that Oliver was himself once again and didn’t need Sebastian’s help, maybe the lion would leave him and find someone who needed him. Sure, they were mates, so in theory they were perfect for each other and they should be happy, but being mates wasn’t a guarantee that they even would be together.
The door of the bathroom opened and Oliver hurried to get back under the covers. What could he say? He surely didn’t want to face the man after he had practically offered himself to him and had been rejected. He wasn’t going to make a fool of himself more times than necessary, and it seemed he had his answer about whether or not the lion wanted him.
“I, uh, I’ll be leaving in a few hours. The raid on the lab in Fort Collins is tonight.”
Oliver’s heart hurt at the idea of Sebastian putting his life in danger like that, but the man had made it clear it wasn’t any of his business. They might live together, but he rarely saw him anymore. Even now, it was obvious Sebastian had come and showered just because he had found Oliver asleep. Oliver knew he would have found another bathroom if he had been awake when Sebastian had come in. The man was avoiding him, and he had finally gotten the message. “Sure. See you later,” he grumbled from under his cocoon of covers without even looking at his mate.
It hurt him not to tell Sebastian to come back to him, to be careful,
but he wouldn’t. If the man didn’t want him...Oliver would find himself another room to stay in. He knew his old room was still empty, so he would move his things there while the lion was away.
Sebastian sighed and Oliver had to clutch the covers around him to hold himself back. He wanted to jump on the man, damn it! He wanted to smother him in kisses and hugs and keep him in the room with him even as he heard the door softly close.
Oliver waited until the sound of Sebastian’s footsteps faded away before getting up. It was easier for him to move now. He knew he wouldn’t be running a marathon anytime soon, but the everyday movements no longer gave him problems, so he easily showered and dressed before starting to pack his things. He didn’t have much, since he had passed most of the time since arriving at the mansion in bed, so one bag was enough.
Opening the door, he slid outside and walked to his old room, but just as he opened the door, someone caught him. Not that the fact that he had moved would have remained a secret, not in this house, but he had hoped he’d have had at least until Sebastian went away before someone tried to talk him out of it. Especially because it was Keenan who saw him.
“What are you doing?”
“Moving.”
“I can see that, dude, but why are you moving?”
Oliver entered the room and let the door open behind him, knowing that Keenan would follow. He shrugged. “I don’t want to impose. I’ve healed enough to be on my own.”
“Yeah, but why would you want to be away from your mate?”
“Maybe because my mate doesn’t want me?” he snarled, instantly regretting it. He knew Keenan was only trying to help him, but god, was it too much to ask to have a little time alone to be able to think about it, or at least not to answer questions?
Keenan held his hands up. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened, so why don’t you illuminate me? Why do you think Seb doesn’t want you? Because let me tell you, if his eyes became hotter than they already are when he looks at you, he would shoot lasers from them.”
Oliver Page 4
