by Mary Rundle
Staring up at the stone ceiling, Hunter still felt pangs of guilt about not thwarting the attack on Fionn. No matter how long he lived, the image of the wolf shifter standing over his fallen mate would be etched in his mind, reminding him of the worst day of his life. He owed Dylon and Cody a lot for saving Fionn. But if there was one bright spot in the whole mess, it was that Hunter now knew, without a doubt, he’d never hesitate again when it came to his mate’s safety.
“It’s not your fault,” Fionn murmured, now awake and guessing what his mate was agonizing over. His sleepy, husky voice sent mini shock waves throughout Hunter’s body.
“Sorry, pet, but it is. My wolf told me you were in danger, but I allowed my human half to override him and, for that, I’m sorry. But I swear to you, it’ll never happen again.”
“It’s okay, mate,” Fionn grinned. “I should have warned you about my family. Except for my mum, they’re all assholes.”
“Yeah, I get that now,” Hunter snorted. “It’s just that I’ve been trying to figure out why I reacted the way I did…why I didn’t believe my wolf’s warning…and the best I can come up with is my ignorance of the evil inside many shifters. The closest I came to dealing with it was after my father died.”
“What happened then?”
Closing his eyes against the memory, Hunter said, “When my father died, I called his council together…shifters I’d known since childhood…to formally assume the Alpha position. My father thought highly of them…shit, one of them was even my uncle. When I entered the council room, my wolf snarled because none of them looked at me, but I thought it was just a sign of respect.”
“But it wasn’t, was it,” Fionn said, softly.
“No,” Hunter said, inhaling deeply, then slowly letting out his breath. “At the meeting, my uncle informed me the council had voted unanimously to form an alliance with another, larger pack. Initially, I didn’t see a problem until I found out it required my brother Quin to mate with the other pack’s Alpha…an Alpha who had a reputation of being a harsh taskmaster—to put it mildly—with his pack members. You met Quin…my brother is…”
“He’s a romantic,” Fionn murmured.
“Exactly…but he’s also very fragile due to what happened to him when he was younger. There was no way I could hand my brother over to someone I knew would crush his spirit.”
“Mate, why would the Alpha want to mate a male instead of a female? Didn’t he want an heir?”
“Quin is a male Omega,” Hunter said, “and can have pups. But because they’re so rare, any Alpha possessing one would be envied by his fellow Alphas—which is why he wanted to buy my brother… and for a lot of money, I might add.”
“Quin’s an Omega? Wow!”
“Yeah, he is.” Hunter said. “My parents were overjoyed when he was born…a gift from the Fates my mother said. Everyone knew, but by order of my father, they were forbidden to tell anyone outside the pack.”
“So who told the other pack’s Alpha?” asked Fionn.
“My fucking uncle! He was the mastermind behind this deal, which would have made him extremely wealthy. I found that out when one of my father’s friends told me how much everyone was going to be paid, me included, when he was trying to pressure me to go along with it. All I had to do was sign the agreement. When I refused, my uncle threatened all kinds of crap, like having someone challenge me, so I did the only thing I could think of that would remove Quin from their grasp—I told them that, as head of my family, we were leaving the pack as soon as my father was buried.”
“I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Yeah, you can, but it rarely happens because wolves need the structure of a pack and, usually if a member leaves, it’s because they’re going to another pack. But I knew that wasn’t an option because of Quin. So we left….disappeared actually. I built a house for us on some land I’d bought previously and that’s where we’ve been ever since.”
“But what about Quin? Is he safe?”
“As much as he can be. I couldn’t do anything about the Alpha who wanted to buy him, but I made a deal with my father’s council that they’d never reveal Quin was an Omega. In exchange for their silence, I signed over my inheritance to them.”
Stunned, Fionn stared at his mate and, as tears filled his eyes, he reached up, his hands cupping Hunter’s face. “You are truly a white knight.” Then he pulled Hunter’s face to his until their lips were a hair’s breadth apart. “I’m honored to have you as my mate and I give you my word that as long as I live, I’ll protect Quin.” Then, he kissed Hunter, deeply, before leaning back slightly. “I love you…so much there’s no way to measure it because it is greater than everything. It fills my heart, mind, body and soul…I never want to be apart from you again because you are my everything.”
Hunter’s eyes grew wet as he pulled Fionn to him, hugging him tightly, overjoyed, finally understanding what his mother meant when she told him: ‘sometimes what you want is not always what you need’—and he knew he’d never again regret walking away from the Rolling Hills Pack. Now, with the love of his mate wrapped around him, Hunter realized just how wise his mother had been.
~/~/~/~/~
After calling for the portal, Fionn intertwined his fingers with Hunter’s as they entered it and, seconds later, found themselves in their suite. “How about we shower before seeing your brothers?” Fionn asked.
“Sounds like a plan.” Leading his mate into the bathroom, Hunter turned on the water and stripped Fionn of his clothes before pulling him into the shower. Turning his mate around until he faced the shower wall, Hunter nudged his mate’s legs apart and placed Fionn’s hands above his head, against the tile. Taking a step back, Hunter’s eyes roamed Fionn’s body, before picking up a bottle of body wash and pouring some into his hand. Setting it back on the shelf, he moved in close to his mate’s body and began to soap him up.
Lowering his chin to his chest, Fionn began moaning; need was building in his body from his mate’s hands caressing him—starting at his shoulders, then moving down his back and then further yet to the back of his thighs. The soapy hands teased him, hinting at what was to come while frustrating him at the same time, making him beg to be filled. Smiling when Hunter knelt behind him, Fionn gasped as he felt his mate’s hands pull his cheeks apart, soaping up his crease before lingering at his pucker, pressing the tip of one finger against the nerves and muscle surrounding it. Desperate for more, he jerked his hips backward, hoping to impale himself on his mate’s finger, but instead received a sharp slap on his ass, stilling his movements.
Looking at his cock, Fionn ached to touch it, stroke it, anything to give him some release from what Hunter was doing to him. Unable to stop himself, he reached down, wrapping his fingers around his stiffened shaft, squeezing it, but before he could continue, his mate knocked his hand away with a growl.
“Hands on the wall, my pet, or I won’t let you come…at least not any more today.”
Groaning, Fionn obeyed, planting his hands back on the wall, feeling his mate’s finger breach his pucker. Crying out with pleasure, the warm burn jolted him onto his toes. Craving more, he lowered himself all the way down on Hunter’s finger, moaning with pleasure as it wriggled within him. He knew then, that no matter how often his mate filled him, he’d always want more.
Grinning at Fionn’s reactions, Hunter pulled his finger out until only the tip remained, circling it against the tight muscle hugging it. Garbled sounds erupted from his mate, calling to Hunter’s wolf who began pacing around the white dragon. Feeling the power of his wolf, Hunter quickly slid his finger back in and, finding his mate’s pleasure gland, pressed on it lightly.
Driven wild by Hunter’s teasing, Fionn’s rock-hard cock began dripping pre-cum, his balls drew tightly to his body, his orgasm danced on the edge, just out of reach. Thrusting his hips forward, his cock found only air, denying it the friction it needed to erupt. Whimpering, he began jerking his hips, hoping it would help him come.
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nbsp; As his mate’s cries grew louder, Hunter began fucking him with his finger, adding more of them as he felt the clenched muscles relaxing, pumping them in and out with ease. Then, withdrawing them, he heard Fionn curse at their loss. Slathering his turgid cock with lube from a bottle nearby, he lifted his mate onto its purple head, holding him tightly against his chest, allowing him to sink slowly down on the shaft until his ass was filled.
“Fuck!” Fionn yelled as his mate’s cock pressed on his prostate, the sudden sting morphing into pleasure as he felt it moving inside him, stoking his lust each time it touched his gland. Snapping his head back against Hunter’s shoulder, he moaned as his mate began to fuck him, slowly at first, then faster. But still, Fionn couldn’t come, even though his body was on fire. Desperate for his release, he begged his mate for mercy, knowing he couldn’t shoot his wad until Hunter gave him permission.
Bending his mate forward, Hunter grunted as Fionn slid his hands to a new place on the shower wall. Shifting his cock inside the hot tunnel, he gripped his mate’s hips tightly and thrust his cock in deeper, groaning as he felt the hot velvet softness envelop it—he wasn’t going to last much longer. Leaning against Fionn’s back, he reached down, his hand searching for his mate’s cock. Capturing it, he slid his fist up to the tip, milking clear drops of pre-cum from it as Fionn jerked his hips wildly.
His orgasm building in his groin, Hunter pumped…and pumped…and pumped his cock into his mate while stroking Fionn’s in time to his thrusts. Growling as his fangs descended, he licked his claiming bite, preparing to renew their connection. His orgasm now unstoppable, Hunter shifted his position, pegging Fionn’s prostate with each plunge until his mate was finally at the peak of the mountain. “Come!”
“OH, MY FUCKING GODS!” Fionn screamed when he heard Hunter’s command. His cum splattering the wall in front of him, he felt his mate’s teeth bite down on his mating scar, prolonging his orgasm as his mate’s cock spurted its hot cream within him.
~/~/~/~/~
Sawyer stood outside Hunter’s suite, listening to his brother’s mating howl. Chuckling, he walked towards the great room, eager to spread the word—his brother was back, safe in the arms of his mate…or should I say…safe inside of his mate.
Epilogue
Hunter awoke the next morning, finding Fionn sprawled over him, still asleep. Gently caressing his mate’s silky, smooth back, his thoughts turned to how much fun he had last night at the party Kieran threw in his honor. Shit, I can’t remember the last party I went to. Closing his eyes, he wondered how he allowed his life to become so dull, losing his ‘joie de vivre’ as his mother called it.
His mind went back to the day she died, remembering some of her last words: “I’m so sorry, sweetie, that I wasn’t stronger…that instead of carrying my burdens, I handed them over to you…but please don’t grieve for me because I’ll be with your father and we’ll be watching over all of you…just promise me you’ll find your joie de vivre again…life is too short not to enjoy it.”
After his mother’s death, all Hunter could do was grieve; the promise she extracted from him forgotten until last night. Feeling his brothers’ joy at his return was as intoxicating as the laughter, teasing and jokes that rolled on into the early morning hours. Dancing with his mate under the mirror ball Kieran had hung up—while Robin sang their love song—finally let him put his grief behind him, freeing Hunter so he could now look forward to a wonderful life with Fionn.
~/~/~/~/~
It was several days after the party when Hunter, along with Fionn and Mason, walked into a conference room for a meeting with Maximus that Penn had arranged. Dire Enterprises was interested in acquiring all the businesses Fionn inherited from his father. Why Mason had been asked to join them was a mystery, which deepened when he opened the conference room’s door and saw Steel, Slate and his cousin Carson sitting at the conference table with Maximus. Nodding to everyone, he pulled out a chair for his mate, taking a seat next to him, and when everyone was settled, looked at Maximus, waiting for him to begin.
“Fionn, with your permission, Penn has forwarded all the information about the companies you wish to sell,” Maximus said, “and after going over the corporate documents, we’re interested in purchasing them all.”
“Why?” asked Fionn.
Smiling at the young dragon, Maximus said, “One of the main goals of Dire Enterprises is to provide good paying jobs for shifters. We achieve it by either investing in leading edge technology or by acquiring existing businesses. What makes your companies especially appealing is their location in France, one of the countries Dire Enterprises is not heavily invested in.”
“If you buy them, what happens to the people who are working at them?” asked Fionn. “Would you fire them…because I don’t like that idea at all.”
“Absolutely not,” replied Maximus. “It was a point my sons and I discussed, but Penn assured us your father employed only shifters; he didn’t trust humans.”
Squeezing Fionn’s thigh, Hunter asked, “What kinds of shifters? Are they all dragons?”
“No dragons. But according to Penn, there are a number of different species…some wolves, big cats…we won’t know exactly until we look at the employment records,” Maximus replied.
Placing his hand over Hunter’s, Fionn squeezed it, drawing his mate’s attention to him, seeking help since he had no idea what was coming next. “Mate?”
Hunter gave Fionn a brief nod before looking over at Maximus, “My mate is interested in selling to Dire Enterprises but I assume you first want to do a due diligence to make sure everything represented in the documents checks out.”
“Yes,” Maximus said, sliding over a copy of a document to Hunter and Fionn. “Penn prepared a Binding Heads of Agreement that gives Dire Enterprises thirty days to conduct our due diligence.”
Taking his copy, Hunter read it finding it simple, clear, and fair—everything an agreement should be— and many times wasn’t. He’d seen his share of one-sided agreements from his extensive experience as a financial advisor to investors.
Frowning, Fionn reviewed the agreement, not really understanding what it all meant. Glancing at his mate, he leaned over, whispering, “Mate, can I talk to you alone?”
“Sure,” Hunter replied. Helping Fionn up, he turned to the others and said, “We’ll be back in a few minutes…I need to consult with my mate.”
“Do you want me to come, too?” asked Mason.
“Fionn?” asked Hunter.
“Uh, sure.”
Rising, Mason joined his brother and Fionn in the hallway outside the conference room. “What’s up?”
“This,” Fionn said, waving the document Maximus gave him. “I don’t understand it…are they buying my companies or not?”
“Yes, but only if everything about them is truthfully represented. If it is, then they can’t back out—they’re legally bound to go through with the deal,” Hunter said.
“But what if they find problems?” asked Fionn. “Then they don’t have to buy the companies?”
“Technically no, they don’t, but usually what happens is if there’s a problem—depending on what it is—they’ll give us time to fix it, like if some repairs are needed. Or they may decide to go ahead with the purchase anyway and handle it themselves, but offer less,” Hunter replied.
“So this is a good thing?” asked Fionn.
“Yeah, it is,” Hunter said, “Anyone who’s interested in buying your companies will insist on doing a due diligence just to make sure everything is on the up-and-up.”
“Fionn,” Mason said, “The fact Dire Enterprises is offering to do a binding agreement shows they’re very committed to purchasing your companies. Most of the time, at least in my experience, buyers just do an agreement that lets them wiggle out of the deal for any reason.”
“Mase is right, pet,” Hunter said, “and while a non-binding agreement benefits the person who’s shopping, it’s not very good for the one selling.”
&nbs
p; “So you think I should sign this?” asked Fionn.
“Yes, and if there are any issues, Dire Enterprises will find them, so even if you don’t come to terms, you’ll benefit from knowing what might be stumbling blocks you’ll have to address before you sell the companies to other buyers,” Hunter explained.
Mason chimed in, “The other thing is, you know Dire Enterprises has the funds to make the purchase so you don’t have to worry about the deal falling through for lack of financing. That makes them the best kind of buyer there is.”
Looking down at the agreement, Fionn nodded, understanding it better. Then smiling at Hunter, he said, “Okay, let’s do it.”
After they returned to the conference room and sat down, Maximus asked, “Have you come to a decision?”
“You got yourself a deal,” Fionn smiled, picking up a pen and signing his name, before sliding the agreement over to Maximus.
After adding his signature to the Agreement, Maximus said, “I’m eager to move forward on the due diligence, Carson will be handling it, but I’d appreciate it if you guys can go with him to France…just in case Fionn is needed to give approval for anything, like access to bank statements and stuff like that”
“France?” Fionn asked, his voice breaking. The last time he was there was the night his father died.
“That’s not a bad idea, pet,” Hunter said. “You can deal with other issues concerning your inheritance…like moving your father’s hoard and deciding what you want to do with the chateau.”
His mate did have a point and Fionn had already decided to sell the chateau so maybe that could happen on this trip; then he’d never have to go back again. “Okay, when do we leave? Don’t forget the appointments with the galleries.”
