by Elsa Aarden
Garth shook his head. “As I said, you’ve got more training than me, while I’m stronger than you. So, no, I’m not going to put myself at a disadvantage. Do you think I was born yesterday?”
Rowan growled under his breath. How should they start this? He’d gone through his first fight against Garth and got his ass handed to him. It wouldn’t be a great idea to repeat that history. There had to be something.
“You’re taking too long, Alpha,” Gun said. “Just go for it. I’ll give you a hand if you need it.”
With a roll of his eyes, Rowan looked at Gun. “You’re making fun of me at this point.”
“I wasn’t the one who got home broken to pieces the other day and completely naked,” Gun said, and contained his laughter.
Vivian tilted his head. “We’re in the middle of something here. Care to focus, Squirt Gun?”
Rowan took the distraction to his advantage and lunged at Garth. He tackled Garth into the closet with the broken doors with his shoulder deep into Garth’s gut. Behind him, Gun took a step back as Vivian ran in his direction and was kicked through the bedroom door, into the hallway.
Garth shifted into his wolf form, Rowan doing the same. He bit the curve of Rowan’s neck, through the fur, and clenched his jaw.
Rowan shrieked and dragged his wolf nails against Garth’s snout, causing him to let go. Rowan took a few steps back. Garth stood on four paws. In that time, Rowan’s neck wound regenerated. This wasn’t going to be easy. Garth was larger and stronger than him. Maybe it was a better idea to play dirty and get this over with.
With a snarl, Garth pounced onto Rowan, but Rowan dodged him and jumped onto the bed. Rowan did the same move on Garth and managed to pin him on the wood floor. Without hesitation, he bit down on Garth’s neck, close to the jaw so Garth had no way to move his long neck to move away.
Garth thrashed underneath Rowan, creating deep thuds against the floor. He snarled and moved his neck, but that move only sank Rowan’s fangs deeper.
Rowan tasted the irony blood pouring onto his tongue, making him drool and for his wolf instincts to kick in. His eyes tensed and his sight became clearer, a sign that they changed colors.
With no other option, Garth shifted back into his human form. His smallness allowed him an escape from Rowan’s grasp. “Getting clever, are you?” Garth asked, holding his neck as blood slowly stopped pouring out.
Likewise, Rowan changed back. “Are you up for a fight like this, then?”
“We might as well give it a try,” Garth said with a glare at Rowan. “You’re lucky this room doesn’t give me much space to move around as a wolf.”
Rowan calmed his heavy breathing. Holding down such a large wolf like Garth wasn’t easy. “Come at me, then. I’ll be courteous enough to let you regenerate.”
Instead of waiting, Garth raised his leg and kicked Rowan in the gut, causing him to cough and take a few steps back. “I don’t care if I trespassed into our territory unannounced. I’m powerful enough to destroy it and take Cecil with me.”
“Cecil is mine,” Rowan shouted and ramped after Garth, fists flying. Garth barely had time to dodge and got a few blows to the head and an elbow to the face that sent him flying into the closet yet again. “Seems like you enjoy being in my closet, Alpha Garth.” He glanced outside of the room. Where were Gun and Vivian?
Garth broke a piece of wood from the closet door and got up. “Let’s make this quick. I haven’t had breakfast yet.”
That was what he called playing dirty. Rowan narrowed his eyes at Garth. Wolves had high pain tolerance, but wood against naked flesh would be a pain in the ass to take, especially when it came to Garth’s brute force.
Gun paced into the room. “It’s done. The pack got Vivian and they locked her in the basement,” he said, panting. “Are you okay, Alpha? I came here as quickly as I could.”
“Garth was about to play fetch with me,” Rowan said, motioning toward the piece of wood on Garth’s hand.
Garth growled under his breath. “Fine. I’ll keep my makeshift weapon and you two can fight me.” He swung at Rowan, but Rowan dodged him.
Gun came to Rowan’s aid and shoved Garth away from his Alpha. He grumbled when Garth shifted into his wolf form midway, making a quick turn and tackling him to the floor. In turn, Gun punched Garth’s snout. That took him by surprise to the point of stopping for a moment.
“William’s nickname is Gun for a reason,” Rowan said. “You can’t compete with him when it comes to speed, even in his human form.” While Gun remained in his human form, Rowan shifted. He pounced onto Garth and lodged his fangs into Garth’s neck, through the thick fur.
“Go to sleep, Alpha Garth. There’s no need for any bloodshed,” Gun said, locking his arms around Garth’s neck. He gritted his teeth when Garth bit into the side of his head, but he refused to let go.
Rowan clenched his jaw and Garth let out a weak snarl. He had to make Garth faint as quickly as he possible could. He glanced at Gun, who struggled as Garth’s mouth was around his head.
Garth’s resolve slowed with Rowan’s fangs closing his airways and Gun’s strong arms around his neck. He staggered on top of Gun and stepped on his stomach.
Gun clenched his throat as Garth pushed on his gut and pulled on his head. “Alpha…hurry,” he said.
Rowan breathed hard and managed to bite down harder. Garth slowed even more and his legs began to bend slowly, until he lay on Gun. Rowan didn’t let go until Garth ceased struggling.
“Took you long enough,” Stella said from the exit. She walked into the room and pushed Garth off of Gun. “He’s dead weight now. Where should we put him?”
Rowan shifted and went to get a pair of pants from his broken closet. “Make Vivian drag him out, just as she did to me. After this we’re going to improve the security in the property.”
After they got Garth into a pair of black sweatpants and a hoodie that belonged to Rowan, they carried him downstairs, to where the others waited for him. They left Garth at Vivian’s feet when they let her out of the basement.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Cecil said with a slight smile at Rowan.
Garth woke up and rested his hand on his head. “What’s going on?”
“You lost, Uncle G,” Vivian said, helping him up. “It’s best to give Cecil up. I’ll make the sacrifice of helping you find a mate when you’re ready, okay?”
Cecil approached Garth. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “Like I mentioned, I can’t return your feelings. I’m sure you’re going to find someone who will like you a lot, someone who deserves your feelings.”
With a sigh, Garth looked at Rowan. “I guess you win this time, Alpha Rowan. I allowed my instincts to take over. I’m ashamed of being an Alpha. If my pack knows what I did…”
“I’m willingly to forget everything that happened, as long as you leave my mate alone,” Rowan said, and held Cecil’s hand. “Go home with your niece. If you stay away long enough from Cecil you’ll eventually get used to it.”
Garth grumbled and gazed at Cecil. “It’s a deal. I’m sorry for the unhappiness I caused you. I was blinded by my own feelings and disregarded yours.”
“Rowan deserves it more. He got in trouble twice because of me,” Cecil said.
Rowan couldn’t help but smile at his mate. Cecil had gone through so much, but even with that he cared about someone else instead of himself. A part of him had expected Cecil to change with his new-found freedom and focus more on his self-preservation. In the end, Cecil was more than he could ever ask for, and that was reason enough to fight another Alpha to keep him safe.
Vivian and Garth were accompanied to the exit by Stella. “Don’t forget to return my Alpha’s clothes,” Stella told Garth.
Rowan took a deep breath when the door closed. “Gun, thanks for giving me a hand. Of all the Alphas I know, Garth was the last one I would ever want to mess with. Of all people, it had to be him.”
“It’s no big deal, Alpha,” Gun said, and patted Ce
cil’s shoulder, startling him. “You must be starving. Today is Ira’s turn to prepare breakfast. He was here taking a nap with everyone else.”
Ira raised a brow at Gun. “I’m going because it’s my turn, not because you’re saying that,” he said, and made his way to the kitchen.
“I’m going to get some rest with Cecil. Make sure to call me when breakfast is ready,” Rowan said. He led Cecil upstairs to his bedroom by his hand.
Chapter Sixteen
Two months later
Cecil moved his head away so he could breathe. He gave Rowan a sideways look. As he panted, Rowan gazed into his eyes. “I’m going to have a reading session with Gun soon,” Cecil said. For some reason, Rowan had stopped working and brought him to his bedroom while he’d been helping Ira with laundry. They’d been kissing for about twenty minutes.
Rowan pulled his two fingers out of Cecil’s hole and replaced them with his cock. “It’s heat season for me. We can make this quick, if you would like.”
“Take your time,” Cecil said. His throat clenched as Rowan pushed his shaft in. “Gun isn’t in a hurry. We don’t have a set time to start.”
“Good to know. Gun has a thing for having things go according to his plans,” Rowan said. He rested his hands on Cecil’s hips and pulled him closer, causing him to groan out. In a slow motion, he began to thrust into Cecil, kissing the side of his neck.
Cecil’s breathing became deeper as Rowan gradually pounded into him. He gripped Rowan’s broad shoulders. He was already hot and Rowan made it worse by pressing his torso against his. Rowan gave him hard thrusts of his shaft, each time his hips bumping against Cecil’s ass. Rowan’s quiet wolf-like growls mixed with the smacking of skin against skin and the slight creaking of the bed. Cecil drowned in the sounds and the sensations Rowan offered him.
Rowan pulled out and flipped Cecil on all fours. With his hands on Cecil’s sides, he yanked him closer and guided his cock back into Cecil’s hole. “I don’t want you to pass out from the heat,” Rowan said.
At this point, Cecil didn’t feel like talking. Rowan got back to pounding into him, his big and soft hands firm on his hips. He couldn’t take that Rowan’s cock always reached the right spots. He rested his head on the pillow and looked at Rowan from over his shoulder. Rowan’s bright-yellow gaze landed wherever his eyes could reach.
“You caught me staring,” Rowan said with a grin when he noticed Cecil’s attention. He slid his hand along Cecil’s back. “Are you shy about it?”
“A bit, to be honest,” Cecil said, and Rowan slowed his pace a tad. “It’s as if you can see through me.”
Rowan bent at the waist and pressed a side kiss to Cecil’s lips. “It’s because I can look at you without getting tired. I don’t mind if you have a few scars.” He resumed his thrusting and reached his hand around Cecil.
Cecil arched his back even more as Rowan stroked his prick. He let out a prolonged moan. Cecil reached behind him so he could touch Rowan. Instead, Rowan grabbed his wrist and pulled, Rowan’s cock pumping swiftly and harder. Cecil gripped the pillow under his head with his free hand. Rowan always had a way to drive him insane, and he loved it.
Rowan gave him feathered kisses on his shoulders and back. Cecil winced when Rowan groped his buttock with his other hand. That same hand slid along his abdomen until Rowan pinched one of his nipples. Cecil’s breath got caught in his throat, and he came hard in Rowan’s hand. With a few more thrusts of his cock, Rowan released soon after.
Peering behind him, Cecil took in Rowan’s tense muscles and disheveled hair. Rowan’s jaw protruded from his clenched teeth. The fine layer of sweat on Rowan’s pristine skin lured Cecil in.
“You all right?” Rowan said, pulling out. He laid Cecil on his side and slid next to him.
Panting, Cecil gazed at Rowan. “I’m fine,” he answered and rested his hand on Rowan’s strong chest. It gradually slowed under his touch. “Are you feeling better from your heat?”
“Yes, my heat is all right now,” Rowan said with a chuckle and kissed Cecil. He caressed Cecil’s cheek. “Garth called me yesterday. He wants to do business, but he asked me over to his house. I didn’t expect him to willingly avoid you until he finds a mate.”
Cecil tightened his lips. “I feel bad for him. The thing is, there’s nothing I can do about it. If you talk face-to-face with him, he’ll smell me on you, and that’s already bad enough.”
“It has been quite a while. I’m sure Garth will find a mate soon,” Rowan said. “He can take what happened as a lesson.”
“I really hope he finds a good mate who will care for him,” Cecil said with a smile. He wrapped his arms around Rowan’s neck and lay on top of him, their torsos against each other’s and their legs entwined. “Love you, Rowan.”
A wide smile stretched on Rowan’s handsome face. “I love you too, Cecil.”
As soon as they kissed, someone knocked on the door. “Cecil, I’m going out in a while. Let’s do our reading session before I leave. I’ll give you ten minutes, okay?”
“Okay. Sorry and thanks for waiting,” Cecil replied. He heard Gun walking away and switched his attention back to Rowan. “I have to go. I’m sure you also have work to do.”
Rowan sat up with Cecil on his lap. “I was almost done for the day. We can play after we’re done with what we have to do.”
Cecil chuckled. “I can’t wait.” He got out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Besides that issue with his late father, those detectives, and Garth, he still couldn’t believe he’d been living worry-free. Sometimes he felt as if it was all a dream, but each day he woke up, Rowan was beside him, always ready to kiss him and love him.
* * * *
By dinnertime, the pack gathered in the dining room, Rowan and Cecil sitting next to each other. Cecil got up and put some food on his plate. He sat back down and gazed at his food. “If you don’t mind me saying,” Cecil said, drawing everyone’s attention, “I’d like to thank all of you for the patience you’ve been having with me. I’m very grateful to all of you.”
Stella chuckled. “It’s fine, Cecil. You’re part of our pack. To be honest, you don’t give us any trouble, especially compared to the cubs that come over to learn and become part of the pack,” she said. “It wasn’t long ago that you joined us and it was a bit unpredictable, but now that we improved the security in the property, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I agree, really,” Gun said. “You’re a quick learner, and you’re always willing to help. Even if you don’t have abilities like us, you’re still great as yourself, and that’s all that matters. You were quite scared in the beginning, but one step at a time is always the best way to go.”
Cecil smiled when the others nodded in agreement. Rowan slid his hand on Cecil’s thigh underneath the table, and Cecil held his hand. “Thanks to all of you I’m here, especially to Rowan. Thank you, Stella, as well, for convincing Rowan to go into my father’s house to help me.”
“To all of us,” Stella said, and raised her glass.
They toasted to Cecil being in the pack. He couldn’t be happier to have become part of such a great group. Cecil finished eating, and it was Gun’s turn to clean up and load the tableware in the dishwasher. “Do you want me to help?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this,” Gun answered with a smile. “Go and watch television with Rowan. Relax, okay?” He got a pile of plates Stella handed to him, and he made his way to the kitchen.
Rowan held Cecil’s hand. “Let’s go?”
Cecil stood and followed Rowan to the living room. The rest of the pack scattered to their own rooms or went out. While he sat on the couch, Rowan took the remote from the coffee table and turned the television on. “Don’t you have meetings tonight?” Cecil asked.
“Not today,” Rowan said, taking a seat next to Cecil. He rested his arm over Cecil’s shoulders from behind and pulled him close to his chest. “Are you feeling nostalgic today? You even made a public announcemen
t to thank the crowd.”
Cecil gazed at Rowan chuckling with a big smile on his handsome face. “Grateful, I think. I had no idea life could be like this, no pain and all love,” he answered. He couldn’t help but smile at Rowan as well. Rowan didn’t smile often, but when he did, it was always genuine. Cecil snuggled against Rowan and took his in scent. “I love you, Rowan. I’m sure you know how much.”
“Of course, I can sense it right at this moment,” Rowan said and gave Cecil a kiss on the lips. “I love you too, Cecil. You’re so adorable I would fight off any Alpha in the world for you.”
“Don’t say that. When you fought with Garth, I was more afraid than whenever my father hit me. The last thing I wanted was to see you get hurt,” Cecil said. He wrapped his arms around Rowan’s neck and hugged him tightly. “Don’t you ever get into a fight because of me, okay? We can find other ways to solve these matters.”
Rowan pulled Cecil onto his lap, facing him. “I promise to avoid any fight if there’s even one way to avoid it. If there’s no other way, since I’m a wolf, after all, then there’s no other way around it,” he said and cupped Cecil’s cheeks with his warm hands.
Cecil nodded. He loved how Rowan was taking the time to put him at ease. “I understand you regenerate and all that. It’s just that I know what it feels like, and I don’t want you to experience it.”
With a slight smile, Rowan pecked Cecil’s lips. “Wolves have a great pain tolerance. If I’m bitten, I don’t feel it much. Humans are more fragile and have a lower tolerance compared to us. I assure you, Cecil.”
“Okay, I trust you,” Cecil said. He held Rowan’s wrists and moved Rowan’s hands to the sides of his thighs. He hugged Rowan and rested his head on the curve of Rowan’s neck. “Can we stay like this for a while?”
Rowan slid his hand back and forth on Cecil’s thigh. “It’s going to be all right.”
THE END