The Wolf's Man Friday

by Julia Talbot

  He bowed. Yes. Home. Home with his mate and his pack. Home. He grabbed Alan’s ruff, tugging and pulling, trying to get him to move.

  Jaxon rubbed him with a blanket, which helped warm him, then laid one out on the ground. “Help me. He’s just in shock.”

  He got Alan on the blanket and grabbed the corner of it and pulled. Home.

  Jaxon grabbed the blanket and threw his whole lean body into yanking. It worked, Alan sliding along behind them.

  He made it to the steps, dragging Alan up; then he stopped, whining softly. This was his home. His den. His.

  “Babe? Come on in and get warm. We ran him off.” Jaxon bent and hoisted Alan up. Alan yelped but didn’t fight.

  He sat outside the door, guarding, the snow beginning to coat his fur.

  When Jaxon came back for him, he was almost the same color as the ground, as the gray sky above. Jaxon opened the door, then grabbed at his ruff. “Inside, Sebastian. Please. Alan is fine. He was stunned, and his ribs are badly bruised, but he’s fine.”

  Now, mate. Inside. Now.

  The insistence rang inside him, and he tried to find his feet.

  Jaxon helped, sliding an arm under his chest and lifting, holding him until he balanced on all four paws.

  Mate. Mate. Mate. He headed in, waiting for Jaxon to lock the door, refusing to move until they were secure.

  Jaxon smiled for him. “It’s gonna be fine, babe. Come on now. Fire. Towels. Hot cocoa.”

  He limped toward the main room with its big fireplace. Jaxon bustled ahead of him, and he saw the handgun resting in the small of Jaxon’s back, tucked into his jeans.

  He collapsed next to Alan, right in front of the fire.

  Alan’s tail thumped, and he lifted his head, making a low noise.

  Sebastian rubbed their muzzles together, comforting. Alan. Pack.

  Jaxon brought them water, then more blankets.

  He leaned over, head on Jaxon’s foot.

  “Mmm. I locked up tight. Want me to stay?” Jaxon began to undress, and he tucked the gun away in a drawer nearby.

  Stay. He hurt. He needed to clean his wounds.

  “Oh, babe, do you need me to help now? Before I shift?” Jaxon paused, hands on his waistband.

  He rumbled softly. He needed Jaxon. Now.

  Silly mate. Jaxon finished undressing, and before he could blink, his beautiful fox was there, bushy tail and all. Jaxon curled close, licking at the wound on his front leg.

  He fussed and rumbled, so unhappy, so worried.

  Jaxon nipped at his jowl. Rest. We’ll hunt him later.

  I’m sorry. He hadn’t taken the cat. He wasn’t strong enough.

  I’m glad you’re alive and so is Alan.

  He rested his muzzle on Jaxon’s foot.

  Jaxon licked his muzzle over and over, soothing him, smoothing his whiskers. Sleep. I will watch. I have you.

  He closed his eyes, even though he didn’t want to. Jaxon was right. He was no good to anyone if he didn’t rest and heal.

  Ron had some questions to answer, though. And soon.

  JAXON ROSE late in the evening to stoke the fire and get more pillows and blankets. His mate needed those wounds cleaned as well.

  He seared off two steaks each, hoping the food would help, would bring Sebastian back to human.

  They really had to chat.

  Alan was the first one to shift, his whole torso a panorama of bruises. “I need a robe,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  “I got it. You want some aspirin? Coffee?”

  “Both, please.” Alan grunted, sitting on a stool gingerly. He nudged Sebastian gently. “Come on, Seb. Wake up. Shake it off.”

  Sebastian’s eyes opened, then closed again. Someone was hiding.

  “I’ll grab clothes and everything. You stay put.”

  “Thanks.” Alan sipped at the coffee Jaxon handed him, and Jaxon trotted off to get clothes and socks and stuff.

  By the time he got back, Sebastian was sitting, back against the wall, next to the fireplace.

  He handed Alan a robe as well as some socks and sweats. Then he moved to kneel next to Sebastian. “I brought the first aid kit.”

  Sebastian watched him with dull eyes. “I’m okay.”

  “Shh. You’re a little in shock still. Both of you.” Jaxon pulled out some gauze and some ointment.

  They’d done well, really. Mountain lions could take a half-dozen wolves, easily. Two had no chance. Jaxon thanked the moon that he’d heard Sebastian in his head and had run out there. Armed.

  Whoever that was out there, he knew Sebastian wasn’t alone, not anymore. No, in fact now the cat knew Sebastian had a personal assistant who would shoot him. Fatally if he had to. Jaxon had been going for injury, for scaring off the beast.

  Had he known how badly Sebastian was hurt, he might have changed his mind.

  He cleaned wounds, Sebastian just sitting there and letting him do it. That alone told him how bad the fight had been.

  Soon he had both wolves doctored and warm, fed and given hot goodness to drink. Then he sat with Sebastian while Alan moved to the couch.

  “Talk to me?” He took Sebastian’s hand in his.

  “It came out of nowhere.”

  “It had to come from somewhere,” Jaxon said gently. “It must have been waiting.”

  “Do you think it’s watching us?” Alan growled, standing to stare out the window.

  “Now? No. I hit it at least once. It’s off licking its wounds.” Jaxon was going to get security equipment installed ASAP.

  “Good. If it comes back, we kill it.”

  “We will. I just—we might get information. I didn’t want to take a chance on losing that. It thought you were alone.”

  “True.” Sebastian nodded. “He’ll be back. I’ll be ready.”

  “We will,” Alan said. “Is there food?”

  “The steak wasn’t enough?” he teased.

  “No.” Alan laughed. “I don’t even remember eating it.”

  Sebastian snorted, the first normal sound he’d made in hours.

  “That’s okay. I have more.” They had a freezer full.

  “Oh good. I mean, I would take a frozen dinner.” Alan looked hopeful.

  “Hungry-Man fried chicken?” Jaxon rose, going to the kitchen. “I can do that.”

  “Breast meat?” Alan was practically drooling.

  “Sebastian told me what to buy for you.” He smiled over at Sebastian.

  “Seb’s good to me. We couldn’t have taken him, Seb. Not alone. Not a healthy cougar.”

  “He wasn’t healthy. He smelled wrong. Sour.”

  “Have you smelled a mountain lion before?” Alan scoffed.

  “What do you mean ‘sour’?” Jaxon asked.

  “Sour. Spoiled. Wrong.” Sebastian shrugged. “Didn’t you smell it, Alan?”

  “No, but he hit me so fast I didn’t even have time to think.” Alan rubbed his ribs.

  “He was fast as hell and pissed off.” Sebastian sighed, shook his head. “He was marking. On my lands.”

  “Shit.” Jaxon figured that was bad. Marking was far more wolf behavior. Cats tended to do it for mating more than anything. At least the big cats. “I need to go check the trees for scratch.”

  “I’ll go.” Sebastian stood on shaky legs.

  “No, you won’t.” He went to wrap a blanket around Sebastian before leading him to the big armchair. “If it’s there, it will be there. We can check together after you both eat some more.”

  Actually he was going to take Sebastian to bathe and then to bed, spend a day touching his mate everywhere.

  First he would feed them both again, maybe tempting Sebastian with leftover cake. His wolf loved cream cheese icing.

  He got the chicken meal heated, then sliced a thick piece of cake. Perfect.

  The fire was roaring, Sebastian still curled in the armchair and Alan stirring the coals.

  “Here you go, Alan. It comes with a brownie, but the cake is on the coun
ter in the kitchen. If you want some.” Jaxon winked. Then he moved to sit on Sebastian’s lap so he could feed them both from the enormous slab of cake.

  “Thanks, man. I can have my normal room, right? I need a shower and a long rest.”

  Sebastian nodded. “Always. That room is yours.”

  “Thanks.” Alan ate fast, but he was visibly drooping, and he headed off as soon as the TV-dinner tray was empty.

  “Take a few bites for me?” Jaxon coaxed.

  “I’m okay. I am. I just…. That was unexpected.” Sebastian scooped up a bite of icing, sucked his finger clean.

  “It was.” He grabbed that finger, licking a little too.

  Sebastian’s eyes went wide, the surprise better than the dull shock. So much better.

  Jaxon grinned, then scooped up some frosting on his fingertip before lifting it to Sebastian’s mouth.

  Sebastian opened up, eyes dropping closed as he began to suck. The pressure around his finger made his heart beat faster, and Jaxon hummed with pleasure. “Good. So good.”

  This had promise. So much promise.

  He kissed Sebastian’s jaw. Then he forked up a bite, just teasing. Sebastian rumbled softly, shook his head. “More.”

  Jaxon had a feeling Sebastian didn’t want the fork. He scooped up cake and frosting, feeding his lover with his fingers again. Sebastian took the bite, then licked him clean, humming against his skin.

  “That’s so yummy.” He meant the sucking and skin and lips, not the food.

  “Uh-huh. I want.” Sebastian bit his wrist, his upper arm.

  “Upstairs?” He thought maybe Sebastian wanted to touch as well.

  “Our bed,” Sebastian agreed.

  Jaxon rose and banked the fire, then took the cake in one hand but held out the other for Sebastian. He didn’t want to let go. Sebastian took his hand, following him easily up the stairs.

  They got to the bedroom, and Jaxon set the cake aside so he could pull off his sweats and Sebastian’s blanket. He needed skin.

  The lights were off, the snow was falling, and his wolf needed him.

  Sebastian growled low, which surprised him, because he didn’t expect the pouncing he got, Sebastian rolling him on the bed. His breath whooshed out when he landed.

  “Babe?”

  “Mine. You’re okay.”

  “I’m okay.” He stroked Sebastian’s back, running his hands up and down the muscled length. “I’m right here.”

  The cuts were healed already, the bruises fading—the wounds left were mental.

  He rolled them again, knowing what Sebastian needed. Jaxon took a kiss, one that left them both gasping for air.

  “Jaxon.” Sebastian held him, kept him close. “More.”

  “More,” he agreed. He nipped Sebastian’s lower lip, knowing it would sting.

  Sebastian barked, their bodies slamming together.

  Yes. He grabbed that tight, round ass, digging in with his fingers, scraping with his short nails. Come on now. Let me in. Let me make it better.

  Sebastian spread for him, legs wide, balls hanging. Perfect, beautiful man. Jaxon reached down, stroking Sebastian base to tip, loving the way his mate gasped. That heavy, hard flesh filled his hand, hot as fire.

  “There you go. There, babe. I need you.” Jaxon needed Sebastian to focus on him, on them.

  “More. I need to know—” Sebastian cut himself off, but his meaning was clear.

  “Everything. We need everything, mate.”

  “Yes.” Sebastian met his gaze head-on, nodding. “Everything.”

  Jaxon leaned in and stole another kiss, slow and deep, ending it with a little teeth. That lower lip was swollen now, and a little bruised. So tender.

  They ended up facing one another, lying side by side and rocking together. The kisses went on and on, and Sebastian seemed hell-bent on touching every part of him.

  “Want you.” Sebastian’s whisper filled his mouth.

  “Anything, babe. What do you want?” He scratched at Sebastian’s back, letting his touch be gentle but firm.

  “I want to suck you, taste you.”

  “I would love that.” Jaxon scooted up against the headboard so he could give Sebastian a tiny show of force, pushing him down by the shoulders.

  “Mmm….” His mate opened up like he’d pushed a button. Those hot, soft lips enveloped his cock, and Sebastian touched him with that slick tongue.

  “Mate!” He couldn’t have held back his cry with both hands.

  Sebastian moaned, the vibrations making his toes curl. Jaxon arched up, one hand on Sebastian’s head. His fingers tangled in the thick mane of hair, and he tugged just enough….

  He knew his mate needed some pushing, encouragement to let go and take him in. Sebastian’s true nature fought with his new responsibility; he needed to feel in control.

  Jaxon wanted to make sure Sebastian felt safe to let go with him.

  “I need you, hmm? I need you to taste.” His words made Sebastian grunt, the sound vibrating around his cock.

  His belly pulled in tight, his thighs like rocks. Jaxon loved Sebastian’s mouth, his hands, which ran up and down Jaxon’s legs. He could feel it in the pit of his belly as Sebastian began to relax, to revel in them, together.

  No more worries for now. Just touching and licking and skin and loving. Those were the perfect remedies to this whole messed-up situation.

  Did it fix anything? No, but it let his mate heal for a second, let him breathe and come back to center. They could do the rest of their thinking later.

  Sebastian gave him a hint of teeth, reminding him he wasn’t paying attention, and he tugged that thick hair again as a sort of warning.

  The growl that buzzed around him made him groan, arch, and push deeper. He wanted to fuck that sweet mouth, so he did, back and forth, murmuring praise the whole while.

  Sebastian’s hands were hot as branding irons on his ass, pulling him deeper, encouraging his motions. Sebastian took him all the way, throat open, breath easy around him. His lover was made for cocksucking.

  “Your mouth. Fuck, mate. I live for your mouth.”

  A soft laugh sent electricity up his spine. God, that was good.

  He reached out and traced Sebastian’s eyebrows, the motion hiccupping as Sebastian swallowed around him. Goose bumps rose on his skin, and his breath caught. Close. He was close suddenly.

  “Gonna shoot, mate. Take me.” He wasn’t sure if it was a request or a demand, and more than that, he wasn’t sure it mattered.

  Sebastian pulled him deep, nose to his pubes, then swallowed over and over. Yes, Sebastian was ready for him to let loose. He let himself go, let himself arch and cry out and spend.

  Taking in every drop, Sebastian rode out his spasms, then licked him clean.

  Jaxon stroked Sebastian’s cheeks. “What do you want, babe?”

  “Touch me. Now. Please.”

  “Come here.” He tugged Sebastian up to lie with him, then started at his chest, rubbing Sebastian’s shoulders and pecs before pinching those tight, hard nipples. That made his mate snap and arch, so he kept on, pushing Sebastian farther. He twisted and pinched, then scraped his nails over the flat, tight belly.

  “Fuck!” Sebastian bucked so hard Jaxon actually lost contact for a second.

  “Mmm. Is that good?” He smiled innocently, knowing how much Sebastian needed more. So he pinched the slit of that hard cock hitting his wrist.

  “Oh fuck. More. More, Jaxon. I need.”

  “I can smell how much you need. Feel it.” He smacked, just a soft touch with the flat of his palm.

  Sebastian moaned for him, fuck-swollen lips parted and hungry. “Jaxon. Mate.”

  “Kiss me.” He grabbed that hot dick and stroked, needing to feel that mouth on his.

  Sebastian rolled close, their mouths crashing together, the mingled flavors of them enough to make him dizzy, to make his spent cock jerk. Jaxon wanted more. He wasn’t lying when he said he wanted all Sebastian had to give. He took the ki
ss deep, fucking Sebastian’s mouth with his tongue this time.

  Sebastian drove into his grip, hips moving wildly, slamming them together.

  Mate. I have you in my hand. Feel so good. Sometimes not having to say it out loud was handy.

  Mate. Mate. Mate. Sebastian’s voice filled him as his wolf offered himself over.

  Jaxon gritted his teeth and tugged harder, thumb digging in at the tip. He wanted Sebastian to feel every single point of contact.

  Sebastian arched up, ropes of seed spraying from him, the howl that split the air one of pure release.

  He watched, not wanting to miss a thing. Sebastian was beautiful when he came.

  Once Sebastian melted into the mattress, he followed his mate down, pressing them together. He took that mouth one more time, the soft heat making him moan.

  Mate. The single thought was perfectly satisfied, perfectly happy.

  “Mine,” he agreed, stroking Sebastian’s hair. “Sleep now.”

  “Stay?” Sebastian nuzzled into his touch.

  “Right here, babe. Nothing is more important than you.”

  Sebastian kissed his temple. “Have you.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” He tugged the blanket up, checking the window. Yep. Still snowing. Time for a nap.

  Then ass kicking.

  Chapter Nine

  “YOU TWO were loud.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Really fucking loud.” Alan chuffed softly. “And having loud fucking.”

  “Shut up. I’ll get you earplugs.” Butthead. Sebastian didn’t need this shit. He knew he’d been loud. It was his house.

  “I’m teasing you, bud. I mean, you were loud, but I slept hard.” Alan gave him a one-armed hug. “Where’s the fox?”

  “Researching better security systems.” He winked over, but he didn’t feel like joking, not really. “How’s the ribs? Healed?”

  “Mostly, yeah.” Alan wouldn’t meet his eyes. “You think you’re up for any challenge, and then someone kicks your ass without even trying.”

  “Yeah.” They needed to toughen up. Especially him. He had a mate to protect now. He was the edge of their territory. He had gotten soft, lazy.

  “I’ll work out,” Alan said drily.

  “Yeah. How long are you staying?” He wasn’t sure what was better—having backup or not having to worry about Alan getting hurt.