by Parker Skye
Primal Paradox
(Men of the Pack – Book Three)
Copyright 2017 Parker Skye
Published by Parker Skye
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Prologue
Logan was balls deep in the hot bobcat shifter he’d picked up at Moonstruck when he felt an odd sensation like he was being watched. He paused mid-thrust and looked over his shoulder for the source. He quickly found the culprit standing in the doorway to Lila’s bedroom. Logan smirked at the focused look on the other man’s face. Logan suspected he and his current partner were making quite a scene, one of utter debauchery if the guy’s expression was any indication.
Lila was pinned to the bedroom wall, legs wrapped around Logan’s hips and impaled on his impressive length. Lila’s partially shifted claws were practically skewering his upper back with each thrust of Logan’s hips. Logan would be surprised if he didn’t wear her marks for days even with his wolf’s superior healing ability.
“Friend of yours, babe?” Logan calmly asked, motioning over his shoulder with a flick of his head. Lila barely opened her eyes to see what Logan was talking about and groaned out a barely audible response -- ‘roommate’. Logan’s next thrust had her uttering another desperate sounding groan. Her legs clenched tighter around Logan’s waist. Logan glanced back again at their watcher to find the guy still hadn’t moved an inch from his vantage point in the doorway. The tall Asian casually leaned on the door jamb, arms and legs crossed, as if he was settling in for the long haul.
“Am I making you uncomfortable, sweetness? By all means, don’t stop on my account,” the guy drawled out in a surprisingly thick southern accent. Being part of a werewolf pack, public displays of affection and nudity were nothing new to Logan. It was a part of pack life most learned to ignore. Some, however, learned to truly appreciate the view. While Logan had never been one to enjoy watching as much as participating, he didn’t have a problem with being observed. Logan shrugged off the minor annoyance and went back to screwing the bobcat’s brains out. His only goals now were finding completion and dragging Lila over the edge with him.
If the way Lila started to tremble was any indication, she was close to nuclear meltdown again. Logan had lost count how many orgasms she’d already had. In no time at all, Lila was shrieking his name and Logan feared he may have permanent hearing loss after this one. Logan followed shortly after, pounding his release into her still steaming flesh. When he turned his head back to the doorway, their watcher was gone.
“Damn it! I’m gonna be late again!” Lila’s frustrated voice rang through the room. Logan’s eyes blinked open grittily and glared at the clock repeatedly blinking twelve. He didn’t remember losing power the night before, but wouldn’t have been overly surprised if they’d managed to cause an electrical surge. Their connection was definitely combustible.
Logan pulled himself from bed and crossed to where Lila was frantically pulling clothes from the small closet. Logan put a hand on Lila’s hip and nuzzled the back of her neck, hoping to tempt her to call in sick. He’d be down for a little more action before he went home again. Logan knew he was destined to endure a houseful of mates surrounding him with their sea of syrupy sweetness and love. Logan wanted...no needed... to stock up memories for his spank bank. If Lila was willing, he could definitely go another round or two.
Unfortunately, Logan seemed to be alone in this desire as Lila actively dodged his attentions. She crossed a finger from each hand like a crucifix and aimed the makeshift ward in his direction.
“Stay back, evil tempter. You’ve already made me late today and I can’t call in again. I’ll lose my job. Besides, I already can’t walk straight. Keep that monster cock away from me,” Lila said, the smile on her face belying her true feelings. Lila turned, clothes in hand, and headed for the shower. When she shut and locked the bathroom door, Logan took that as her final answer. Logan scratched his balls and looked down at the semi he was still sporting.
“Sorry, boy. Looks like the pool’s closed for the season after all.”
Logan’s stomach let out an audible growl. He pulled on his jeans from the night before and went to round up something to eat. If she wasn’t going to fuck him again, Lila at least owed him breakfast. Logan entered the kitchen and found the guy from the night before seated at the table eating a bagel. The Asian looked up and met his gaze confidently, shooting a wink in Logan’s direction. Their watcher obviously had no regrets about the night before.
“Hey, I’m Kai,” the guy said, offering a handshake with the bagel-free hand. Logan was once again caught up momentarily in the unexpected drawl. He’d never met someone of such obvious Asian decent that twanged. Logan decided to ignore it for now. His stomach was too busy screaming at his brain that it still needed food to fully investigate the origin of Kai’s accent. Logan grasped Kai’s offered hand briefly and pointed at his half-eaten bagel.
“Any more of those? I’m starved?” Logan asked, putting one hand on his stomach as it rumbled again. Kai eyes trained on the hand covering Logan’s abs. Logan was proud of his cut lines and the pronounced V that most men could never accomplish, even other werewolf shifters. Logan smirked, easily recognizing Kai’s look of hunger for something other than food. Too bad for Kai. Logan liked chicks, not dicks.
Logan cleared his throat, hoping Kai would take the hint without Logan having to actually say anything. Kai shook his head slightly as if to resetting his brain and flashed an apologetic smile. He met Logan’s ice-blue gaze directly and winked again.
“Sure, they’re in the fridge,” he answered and took another bite of his own bagel. Logan located the bag of bagels and put one in the toaster. Kai had conveniently left the peanut butter on the counter with a butter knife still shoved deep inside the jar. Logan’s mouth watered when he saw it was his favorite style, extra crunchy. He never got extra crunchy these days. ‘Adam likes creamy’ seemed like a good reason to everyone else, but to Logan that explanation was bullshit.
Logan had just taken the first bite when Lila yelled ‘Bye, guys!’ and ran out the front door, slamming it shut behind her. Logan’s gaze shot to the still-vibrating front door in surprise. Logan watched in disbelief as Lila’s beat up green Honda peeled out of the mostly-dirt yard, kicking up a cloud of dust that could likely be seen for miles. Logan’s muttered ‘Fuck me’ had Kai laughing out loud.
“She was your ride, huh? Get used to it if you plan on dating Lila very long. She’s terrible at taking care of anyone’s needs but her own,” Kai said through another mouthful of bagel. Kai took a sip of coffee and cleared his throat.
“Don’t worry. I can give you a ride home,” Kai said with another wink.
“I’m not sure I’ll enjoy the type of ride you’re thinking of,” Logan answered sarcastically as he took another bite of his bagel. Logan felt some of the peanut butter stick to his upper lip. His tongue flicked out to drag the morsel into his mouth. Heat flared in Kai’s eyes and Logan couldn’t help laughing at the other man’s predictable response.
“Oh I see. You’re a damn tease,” Kai accused, tossing his wadded up napkin in Logan’s general direction. “Like I can’t smell au-de-straight all over you.” Kai got up and grabbed his keys from the rack behind the counter. “Come on, guy-of-the week. I got things to do. Get your shit.”
Logan sh
oved the last bite of bagel into his mouth and headed to Lila’s room, quickly pulling on the remainder of his clothes as he chewed. He was shoving his wallet and phone in his back pocket when he returned to the living room moments later. Kai nodded, obviously pleased at Logan’s efficiency.
“Logan Sterling,” Logan offered in belated introduction, holding out his hand to shake again. “Sorry I didn’t introduce myself before. When I’m hungry, my manners are shit.” Kai ignored Logan’s outstretched hand this time. He turned and opened the door, motioning Logan through first.
“I knew what your name was. I’d have to be deaf not to, Looo-gaaan,” Kai said, enunciating Logan’s name on a mock scream. Logan chuckled, remembering fondly the way Lila shouted it to the rooftops more than once the night before. His ears might be buzzing, but his dick still twitched at the reminder.
“Oh, yea, guess that makes sense,” Logan said, quietly laughing as they climbed into Kai’s truck. Logan picked up the lack of shifter smell once they were finally ensconced in the truck’s recycled air. In the trailer, he’d only smelled shifter which made sense with Lila living there, too. Logan felt profoundly stupid for assuming Kai was one of them.
Logan almost didn’t mention it, figuring it wasn’t any of his business. Unfortunately, it was easy to tell Kai wasn’t human either. Logan may make a shitty excuse for an alpha, but he was the closest one his brother and their friends had at the moment. Logan knew it was primarily his responsibility to keep them all safe from harm. If there was any chance Kai could be a danger to his pack, Logan would never willingly lead the other man to their home. He’d walk the rest of the way before he let that happen.
Besides, the way Kai drove already made him seem more threatening than he had earlier that morning. Logan’s grip on the oh-shit handle above his door had never been tighter. Logan couldn’t remember a time when he’d been as thankful for its presence, either. After Kai cut another corner too tight along the twisting country road, Logan couldn’t suppress the threatening growl that sounded deep in his chest.
“Down, Wolfie,” Kai said, flashing Logan a wicked grin. “My driving scaring you? I would have expected a werewolf to be able to tolerate a little more adventure.” Logan breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the speedometer inch down to a more sedate sixty miles an hour.
“Well, so you know what I am. What are you? I think it’s only fair, after all,” Logan said abruptly. He forced his fingers to release their death grip and crossed his arms over his chest defensively instead. Kai chuckled, as if amused by Logan’s attempt to assert his dominance.
“I’ll give you three guesses,” Kai responded. Kai cracked his window and pulled out a pack of Camel Lights. Pinching a cigarette between his lips, Kai held up his right index finger and breathed a word too faint for Logan to make out even with his superior wolf’s hearing. Logan watched as a blue flame appeared at the tip of Kai’s index finger. After the cigarette was smoking, Kai blew out the flame casually. He turned Logan’s direction with a slightly crazed grin.
“Guessed yet?” Kai asked.
“Motherfucker,” Logan said on a groan. “You’re a warlock. That’s just great.” Kai’s answering cackle had Logan sending up a silent prayer. Kai was obviously crazier than he had realized, but at least he wasn’t anything worse than a warlock. Werewolves didn’t have the best relationship with magic wielders, but as long as they stayed out of each other’s way there usually wasn’t cause for bloodshed.
Warlocks were notoriously narcissistic assholes but they also weren’t known for getting involved in other supernatural’s problems unless the price was very right. Would Logan count him in the friend category? Never. But he didn’t expect any drama from the other man either.
Chapter 1
Logan clapped himself on the back for getting the mouthy warlock’s number. He’d had a feeling he might need it eventually and here it was, not even a day later, and he was picking up the phone.
“What?” Kai drawled, extending the word into three syllables somehow. The warlock’s tone was full of irritated boredom.
“Hey, Kai. It’s Logan Sterling. We met this morning.” The deafening silence made Logan realize that could have been taken as insulting, as if he assumed Kai had the memory of a gnat.
“Sorry to bug you so soon, but I need a favor,” Logan continued as he paced Ben’s small backyard. When he’d first had the idea, Logan had stepped outside to make the call. He hadn’t wanted to get anyone’s hopes up if he couldn’t get Kai to help, after all.
“And?” Kai responded, impressively managing to sound even more bored. Logan was almost surprised the warlock hadn’t hung up already.
“I was hoping you could help out a member of my pack. It’s pretty important or I wouldn’t have bothered you,” Logan said, fighting to keep his normally dickish tone suppressed. Logan knew if he managed to piss Kai off this early in his request he would get absolutely nowhere. Logan was more for giving orders than he was for making requests.
Kai’s only response was an irritated sigh which Logan accepted was still not a good sign but better than being hung up on outright. Finally, after another huge exhale, Kai offered more than a one word response.
“Look, Logan. Let’s get something clear. I don’t do favors. My services are available for purchase but you may not like the price, straight boy,” Kai responded, his twang adding another syllable to ‘boy’.
Logan felt the flush run up his neck unexpectedly when he realized what Kai was suggesting. Logan almost never blushed, but no way in hell was Logan offering up his ass, no matter what responsibility he felt to his pack’s general happiness. If that was part of the bargain, Ryan was just going to have to figure this one out on his own. Logan’s pregnant pause apparently made his train of thought more than obvious. Kai’s voice hitched and he began to laugh uncontrollably.
“Not that, you freak. Geez, you straight guys are all the same. Always thinking we’re desperate for virgin hole. Thanks but no thanks, Logan,” Kai said, still laughing while he tried to dispel Logan’s fears.
“Believe it or not Sunshine, I like my partners to actually enjoy me fucking them. And, trust me; they do enjoy it if you ever change your mind.” When Kai finally managed to stop laughing, Logan heard a sharp exhale through the phone line. Logan could easily imagine the cloud of smoke circling the warlock as he took another drag from his cigarette.
“Then name your price, Kai. I don’t have much money right now, but I can call my alpha if I need to,” Logan said, still pacing the backyard. Logan flinched at Kai’s answering growl.
“I don’t need your money, Logan,” Kai said as if the very suggestion was an insult. “The price of my services is so much more than money. I require the promise of a favor in return. If we make this bargain, you will deliver when I call, Logan. Don’t even dream of failing to keep your end of the deal. A pissed off warlock is not someone you want looking for you,” Kai explained.
The warlock’s strange southern drawl was getting more pronounced as the call continued, which Logan hadn’t thought was even possible. Flashbacks of Deliverance flashed through Logan’s mind whether intentional or not.
“And it won’t be sexual in nature?” Logan felt the need to clarify again.
“Fuck, Logan. Get your mind out of the gutter,” Kai snapped. “No, it won’t be a sexual favor. Do I need to put it in writing?” Logan felt the tension in his shoulders (and ass) release at the warlock’s reassurances.
“Fine, Kai. You’ve got yourself a deal,” Logan agreed.
“Excellent. I’ll see you in thirty. Bring your boy,” Kai said, suddenly sounding overly happy. The phone instantly disconnected, leaving Logan staring down at the dark screen with a growing sense of unease.
Apparently, Kai was more skilled than he’d let on. Logan had yet to explain what he needed from the warlock, but the way Kai had said ‘bring your boy’ made it obvious he already knew. Logan imagined Kai was doing a dance of victory at this very moment, rubbing his hands
together like the evil villain whose plans were falling perfectly into place. Logan kicked himself for not consulting his alpha before agreeing to Kai’s bargain.
Logan admitted he didn’t know much about warlocks and their powers. He’d just assumed Kai couldn’t be too ruthless. Otherwise what would he be doing in the sticks of East Texas? Logan was now almost certain this was going to bite him in the ass at some point in the future and not in a good way.
“This is the warlock’s place? What a shit hole,” Ben commented as Logan pulled their SUV to a stop next to Kai’s truck.
“Yeah, it’s real country, isn’t it?” Adam said, mimicking his own southern accent as he scanned the yard through the rear passenger window. “All that’s missing are the pink plastic flamingos and an abandoned car.”
Actually, Logan suspected there was a broken-down car on the other side of the trailer, but he didn’t dare mention it at this point.
“Fuck you very much, assholes. Kai’s the real deal. I don’t care what his yard looks like,” Logan growled, throwing open the driver’s door and exiting the vehicle. Actually, Logan had no idea if Kai was capable or not. But he wouldn’t admit that for all the world, not when he was already feeling like a fool for starting down this road to begin with.
