Okaaay. “Maybe we should go home. I’m sure someone else could come here, maybe Nolan and Casey. They shouldn’t be too far from here.”
“No, it would take too long. You know we have to be home tomorrow, or Denver will have our hides.”
Oliver didn’t really understand why the two men were getting married or why they were doing it in March, but Jeremy had insisted on a snowy wedding, so...”How do you think they will react at seeing you?”
“No idea. They didn’t tell me to stay away, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be happy to see me. I don’t even know if the Alpha is still the same or if my brother still lives with my parents.”
“How long have you been away?”
“Thirty years. My brother was a baby when I left.”
“Yeah? How old was he?”
“Taylor was twenty-five.” Oliver couldn’t help but smile. Taylor might have been a baby in Sebastian’s eyes, since Sebastian was twenty-four years older than his brother so he looked at him like a kid, but twenty-five wasn’t that young in Oliver’s eyes. Of course, he still thought like a human, so it was normal, and he definitely wasn’t going to point out that he was twenty-five and that Sebastian was practically robbing the cradle by his own standards. He just hoped that Taylor was still there. At least it would give Sebastian a chance to reconnect with him.
They stayed silent for the rest of the trip, and soon a big house appeared in the middle of the snowed-in fields. It wasn’t as big as their mansion, but it was big enough to house a pride. Oliver sneaked a peek at his mate and saw the signs of his tension. The clenched teeth, the narrowed eyes, the hands clutched so hard on the wheel that the knuckles were white—everything said Sebastian was nervous about this.
The door of the house opened and two men came out. The taller one was an older version of Sebastian, so Oliver knew right away it was his mate’s father. The eyes were the same blue, the hair the same blond, only much shorter. Yeah, Oliver was about to meet his father-in-law, and from the expression on the man’s face, he wasn’t very happy about it.
The other man was a little smaller in height, but he compensated with a shit-load of muscles. His brown hair was cut military-short, his brown eyes hard as he stepped forward and watched Oliver and Sebastian exit the car.
“Brian tells me you’re his son.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“I’m Alpha Keith Deker.”
Sebastian bowed his head in respect and they looked at each other, waiting for the other one to say something. The tension was so thick Oliver could almost feel it against his skin.
“How can I help you?”
Sebastian’s eyes flickered to his father, but he answered the Alpha. “I need to talk to you, if it’s possible.”
“We won’t take you back, Sebastian,” his father said, stepping toward them. Oliver felt the urge to step in front of his mate to protect him from the perceived danger, but he didn’t move. He didn’t want Sebastian to look weak, because he wasn’t, far from it. He just didn’t want his lover to have to hurt his father. He might not have seen him for the past thirty years, but the man was still his father.
* * * *
As if that was what Sebastian wanted. He sneered at his father, wondering if he was still as good as angering him as he had been as a teen or if he had lost his touch with the years. He would have to test that out. “It never crossed my mind, Brian. We came to warn you, that’s all.”
Sebastian could see his father wanted to answer him, but the Alpha raised his hand, effectively stopping him. He didn’t know the new Alpha, not personally, but he had tried to keep tabs on the pride over the years, so he knew the man had challenged the old Alpha and won about ten years before. Maybe this one was better, or would at least give him a chance to explain why they were there.
“Let’s go in my office.”
“Alpha Deker, you can’t let him in! You know what he is, you—”
The Alpha snarled, his teeth snapping and gleaming under the cold winter sun. “Are you questioning my decisions as your Alpha?”
It was nice seeing someone put his father in his place. The old Alpha had been a childhood friend of Brian’s, so he had more or less let him do whatever he wanted, but this one...maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
Smiling at his father and taking care to show the man a bit of teeth, Sebastian grabbed Oliver’s hand and tugged his mate along as he followed the Alpha. His father noticed the gesture, of course—which was exactly why Sebastian had done it—and the way he became nearly purple as he sputtered was very satisfying.
Everyone settled, the Alpha behind his desk and everyone else in the chairs in front of it. “So, Sebastian, you’re Brian’s oldest son?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“I wasn’t there when you left, so I don’t know what happened, and I’m not sure it’s sage to listen to the pride’s gossipers,” the Alpha said, looking at Sebastian’s father. “It’s not anything that concerns me, however, so we won’t be talking about it.”
Keith’s eyes settled on Oliver and Sebastian realized he hadn’t presented him, so he hurriedly did it. “This is my mate, Oliver.”
“What? Tha-that fag can’t be your mate!” Brian bellowed.
“Why not, father? Who else could be a mate for your fag son?” It wasn’t the best of ideas to air their dirty laundry in front of the Alpha, but he had been provoked, and no one could treat Oliver like that.
“Brian.”
It was kind of funny to see his father clamp his lips together as his eyes shot daggers at Sebastian and Oliver.
Once everyone was silent again, they went over their story. It never got easier to listen to what Oliver had been through, and Sebastian could see how much it still affected his mate. Oliver was pale and his hands were trembling a little, even if he tried to hide it. Without thoughts for his father, Sebastian reached and grabbed Oliver’s hand, squeezing it to tell his mate he was there for him.
“You are a shame for our family!” his father growled as he got up from his chair and started to move toward Oliver. Sebastian prepared himself for a fight, but Keith stopped them. “Brian, I know you’re my Beta, but I won’t allow you to treat one of my guests like this. It seems that you’re losing your calm, so I’m asking you to step out. You heard what they had to say. I’ll make my decision later and I’ll let you know.” The Alpha crossed his arms on his chest and kept his gaze steady, silently challenging Sebastian’s father to go against him. Brian wasn’t a fool, however, so he simply bowed his head and left the room with a last hateful glance at Oliver and Sebastian.
“Can I ask you why you left the pride?”
“I didn’t want to mate the old Alpha’s daughter as my father told me to do.”
“I see. Well, I have nothing to say about whom you mate with, and it’s not my problem. Those scientists, however, definitely are, so I’ll help your pride in any way I can. I’ll just avoid sending your father to do it,” Keith said with a smirk.
Sebastian was happy to see that Keith was a better Alpha than the last one, more tolerant. After exchanging phone numbers and emails, Sebastian stood up and was about to say his goodbyes when the man stopped him, raising a hand as he reached for the phone on the desk with the other one. He dialed a number and waited. “Hey, can you come to my office?” The conversation was very short, and Sebastian was curious. Who had the Alpha called?
He got his answer only minutes after Keith had hung up the phone. Someone knocked on the door and a face he hadn’t seen in thirty years peeked inside. He would have recognized his brother anywhere. Sebastian didn’t move. He was frozen in place. He didn’t know if Taylor shared their father’s views on gays. He hadn’t all those years ago, but it could have changed.
“Seb? Is that you?”
“Hey, Taylor.” Yeah, that was lame, but what else could he say?
Sebastian’s brother was still the same, more or less. Short blond hair and blue eyes, both trademarks of the Symonds family. Tay
lor was a little shorter than Sebastian, only six foot one, but the only thing that was different was the amount of muscles Taylor now sported. He hadn’t been that big thirty years ago.
They both hesitated until Taylor finally moved and engulfed Sebastian into a bear hug. A little stunned, Sebastian realized how much he had missed his baby brother, and he hugged back, trying to convey those feelings in his touch. He didn’t even know where to start, what to say, which question to ask first. “Will you have problems with father for talking to me?”
Taylor scoffed. “As if I care. He can say what he wants, I won’t change my mind.” Taylor exchanged a glance with the Alpha. “I’ve already decided to leave the pride. I wanted to look for you, but you made it easier for me.”
Keith cleared his throat. “I’ll leave the three of you to talk. I’ll contact your Alpha as soon as I can to see what we can do to bring down the company.”
Once they were alone, Sebastian pulled Oliver to his chest, making it clear what kind of relationship they had. “This is Oliver, my mate.”
He waited, barely breathing and scared that Taylor would react like their father. The huge smile on Taylor’s face took him by surprise. “You found your mate? That’s awesome!”
Taylor hugged Sebastian again, then Oliver, leaving Sebastian a little stunned. “So, why do you want to leave the pride? Was it to find me?”
“Not exactly. Let’s say that father was not particularly happy when I told him I was gay, and life at home has been tensed to say the least since then.”
Sebastian had stopped listening at gay and was gaping at his brother. “You’re gay?”
“Yup, and I’ve had enough of father’s insults and comments. I was going to look for you, but you found me first. You think your Alpha would accept me in your pride?”
“I don’t think Dominic will have any problems with that,” Oliver said, a smile on his lush lips. “God knows the house is big enough, and more than a pride, we’re a family. You’ll be welcome just because you’re Sebastian’s brother.”
They talked with Taylor for a while, he and Oliver chatting as if they were long lost friends, but soon it was time to go. They had several hours of driving ahead of them, and they had to get to the mansion as soon as possible for Jeremy and Denver’s big day.
Taylor walked them to their car and they hugged again. “Call me, kid. I’ll be waiting for you to tell me you’re coming to live with us.”
“Aww, don’t call me kid, Seb. I’m fifty five!”
“You’re not going to take him and turn him into a fag!” a voice growled behind them, and it didn’t take a genius to know who it was.
Sebastian turned to face his father, but Taylor talked before he could. “News flash, father, I’m already gay! Sebastian had nothing to do with it, since I figured it out when I was twenty.”
“You heard the kid. He’s fifty five, a legal adult and able to decide on his own what he wants to do.”
“I won’t allow it!” Brian’s shift took him only a handful of seconds, but Sebastian was ready. He shifted too, his clothes exploding, the shreds falling to the ground as Sebastian braced himself to face his father. He hoped Alpha Deker heard the commotion and intervened, because as bastard as his father was, he was still his father, and he didn’t want to hurt him.
Brian roared and launched himself at Sebastian, but the impact never came. A huge bear—Oliver!—stepped in front of Sebastian and swung a ginormous paw, nailing Brian straight on the head. Brian literally flew away and slammed into the car, the alarm making a hell of a noise and bringing all the house’s inhabitants outside.
Oliver didn’t move from his defensive stance in front of Sebastian, and Sebastian was so proud of his little mate that he didn’t even care some people would think he relied on his mate to protect him. So what? He protected Oliver, and Oliver protected him. That was how matings worked.
“Shit, Oliver! You’re a bear!” Taylor yelled from somewhere in back of him, and he hurried to shift. He could see the Alpha nearing them and he wanted to be able to answer any questions the man would have, but it took a little bit of coaxing on his part to convince Oliver to do the same. Only when Keith was kneeling near a naked Brian did Oliver accept the fact that Sebastian really was safe and shift.
Sebastian didn’t know what his father’s punishment would be, and he didn’t really care. He would reap what he had sown. Still, he asked his brother to let him know, and soon they were heading home, finally.
Chapter Seven
They got home in the middle of the night—more like morning, really, since it was four AM—so apart from a few guys on guard duty, they didn’t meet anyone, and Oliver had never been so thankful for anything. He loved living here, really he did, but sometimes it was overwhelming and he just needed some alone time with his mate.
Oliver’s family was small, just him—his sister, his brother, and his parents. Okay, so that might not be so small for some, but compared to the number of people living in the mansion, it was tiny. What was weird was that he really felt as if every single member of the pride was family. Of course there were those members who mingled less, or those who Oliver passed less time with, but all in all, they really were a big, nosy family.
Oliver felt as if he barely had the energy to go up the stairs to their rooms. Fuck, why there always so many of them? Because they sure looked as if they had multiplied over the time Oliver and Sebastian had been away.
He threw his bag in a corner of their bedroom and collapsed on the bed, sighing happily. Home! Though they wouldn’t actually be able to sleep that much, since he was sure Jeremy would need their help one way or another, and they had to report to Dominic first thing in the morning—okay, maybe afternoon—but he hoped he could sleep at least eight hours. He wasn’t sure he could function with less, not after their two week trip. Yeah, they had slept in motels, but no place was like home, and he never really slept well if he wasn’t in his bed.
“Want to shower?”
Oliver opened an eye and peeked at his mate. Mmm, he was conflicted. He did feel sooo tired, but taking a shower with Sebastian would mean seeing his mate all wet and glistening. He could already see the suds sliding down his shoulders to his rock hard abs, then lower...maybe he could help Sebastian wash up very, very thoroughly. Everyone needed to have his back washed, right?
“I can literally see the wheels turning in your head as you think, babe,” Sebastian said with a chuckle. “So, you’re coming?”
Oliver laughed. “Oh yeah, I’ll be coming all right.”
“Oh, you’re a naughty mate.”
The teasing and the laugher was good. It made Oliver feel even closer to Sebastian that they could joke about things like this after a day full of heavy emotions. “First one in the shower gets a blow job!” Oliver yelled, his shirt already flying toward the floor as he raced for the bathroom’s door.
His mate wasn’t far behind, looping his arm around Oliver’s waist and lifting him as if he weighed nothing, then putting him down behind him so that he would be the first one to enter the bathroom.
“Not fair! You’re cheating!”
“Am not! I’m just using what Mother Nature gave me,” Sebastian said, taking a body building pose and kissing his biceps one by one. It sent Oliver in peals of laugher, but he still took the opportunity to jump into the shower stall with his pants still on. Luckily for him he had taken his shoes and socks off before lying down on the bed, so it was just his jeans.
“Now that’s cheating!” Sebastian growled.
Yum, the man was so gorgeous when he was naked, it made Oliver want to lick every inch of that hot body and take his time to get a good taste. “Am not! I just said whoever got in the shower first, I never mentioned that we had to be naked! Besides, since you owe me a blow job, I thought you might want to unwrap your present,” Oliver said, wiggling his brows.
The situation remained funny until Sebastian turned the water on, the cold spray hitting him square on the back.
Oliver yelped and jumped forward, right in the arms of his very naked mate. He felt Sebastian shiver as the cold water on Oliver’s body touched his, so he decided to take revenge. He wrapped his legs around his mate’s waist and his arms around his neck, plastering his body as much as he could on Sebastian’s heated one and sliding their chests together as he tried to get his mate wet.
Sure, the water on Oliver’s skin wasn’t even cold anymore, but it was so much fun anyway!
Things got serious fast, though. Their lips met as if they had a mind of their own, their tongues mingled, and Oliver was already regretting not taking his pants off before. He could feel Sebastian’s erection lined up against his own, but the layer of thick cotton made it frustrating. He wanted to be naked, damn it!
Sebastian stepped into the shower stall still holding Oliver up, but this time the water was hot. It wasn’t particularly comfortable with the cotton of his jeans getting immediately soaked and heavy, but it wasn’t a good enough reason to move from Oliver’s favorite place in the world—his mate’s arms.
Sebastian swatted his ass, the blow muted by the jeans but still oh-so-pleasurable. “Get down, imp. I owe you a blow job, and I always pay my debts.”
Oliver hurried down and nearly fell on his face when he slipped on the wet floor, but his mate was there to catch him, just like always. He leaned Oliver against the tiles and Oliver hissed at the cold sensation. It didn’t last long, though, especially once Sebastian began to work on the button of Oliver’s jeans. That was the easy part, though.
The wet cotton clung to Oliver’s legs as Sebastian tried to pull it down, and the lion soon started to growl at the offending fabric. “I hope you don’t have any particular feelings for those pants.”
Oliver Page 11
