Rafe flipped him onto his stomach and forced his left leg up towards his shoulder while holding the other in place. The next thing he knew a large finger entered him from behind and began a rapid cadence of thrusts stretching and sensitizing his entrance until Noah couldn’t hold back the needy whine that escaped his panting lips. The thrusting and stretching continued, yet Noah wasn’t sure if he could be stretched enough to accommodate the cock he’d held in his hand.
Rafe was a large man in every way and although Noah was nervous, he was also anticipating the wonderful stretch and fullness that Rafe’s massive cock would deliver. Rafe was kissing his back and shoulders with hot, open-mouthed possessive kisses that demanded his submission. He had three fingers in his ass and was stroking Noah's cock with his other hand. Noah let himself float into the abyss and opened himself to all the pleasure flooding his senses.
He felt his hot breath spread across his neck as Rafe pressed his lips against his ear. “Are you ready for me? Is this your desire?” He asked and Noah nodded his head vigorously. “Say it beautiful, tell me what you want?” His tone was sexy and deep and caused goose bumps to pebble alone Noah’s skin.
“I want you, Rafe, all of you.” Noah did not hold back although his voice held a slight quiver. His anticipation was building with each moment and each word and each touch. Noah feared he might come just from the tone of the man’s voice alone.
He felt the Rafe slow his strokes and remove his fingers and the loss was difficult so difficult that Noah began to object. “Don’t stop, please don’t stop.”
“Not stopping, beautiful, just switching tools.” He said with a dry chuckle. Noah understood completely when he felt the blunt end of Rafe’s cock press against his opening demanding entrance.
Rafe lined up his cock with Noah’s prepared hole and pressed the lube covered end against the loosened muscle easily popping inside to experience the exquisite tightness of Noah’s precious little ass. He couldn’t stop the answering moan he gave to Noah’s slight whimper.
Movement was slow at first not wanting to injure or cause his mate too much pain, but soon the hesitance was impossible and he plunged inside spreading his mate wide and filling him fully. Noah moved with him, pressing back and increasing their pleasure. The moans had turned to rapid pants and the sight of Noah's wonderful ass eating his cock so completely was beyond erotic.
The sex act for Rafe had always been conducted with the simple goal of satisfaction without connection. Rafe never wanted a relationship and walked away immediately after, but now as he stared down at his mate in the throes of rapture, he knew that he would never walk away. He would never let him go and never touch another, Noah was his life and his love now there would never be another.
With that realization, Rafe pounded into his soon to be bonded mate and held him tight as he writhed beneath him. Noah turned his head to the side and placed a tender kiss on the underside of Rafe's jaw. It was a gentle and loving touch and it had explosive results. Rafe plunged deeply and came with a roar as he sunk his teeth into Noah's shoulder marking and claiming him as the dragon's mate.
Rafe pumped hard and emptied into his mate’s perfect ass. The feelings rushing through him from the kiss and the climax along with the taste of his mate on his tongue was out of this world. His feelings had always been a stranger to him always held in check even on the most solemn or joyous of occasions. Now here he was with his heart laying open and everything pouring out for this one small human. This beautiful little man who now owned him body and soul.
He licked the wound closed and felt the moment that Noah lost it and came hard while struggling to catch his breath. Rafe reached beneath him and gave Noah’s softening cock a few strokes completing the orgasm and emptying more seed on the blanket under them.
Noah was lightheaded and stars were dancing on the edge of his vision he’d never come so hard in his life and the completeness he was feeling filled him with a pure sense of joy. It was the only word to describe the lovely feeling that pervaded his being. Rafe was holding him close and he could feel the affection radiating off the savage warrior, the dragon shifter, his mate.
"Did you claim me, Rafe?" Noah asked when he finally found his voice and his heart had calmed. He remembered that Calum had referred to him as Rafe's mate. He understood the word mate. In the paranormal world, it was not tossed about idly, the word was sacred. If the Chieftain said it, then it was true.
"I did," Rafe responded firm and with a sense of authority. He pulled out slowly and moved Noah to his back so he could lay down beside him and he gathered Noah into his arms, tucking his head under Rafe's chin.
Noah never felt so cared for and so safe. He was the mate of a dragon shifter. It would take some time for that, but for now, he was simply impressed. Rafe reached up and rubbed the pad of his thumb over the red claiming scare and Noah felt an intense desire shoot through him and his cock began to harden all over again.
“That mark is very sensitive.” He said in surprise.
"Only when you or I touch it. That is your claiming mark. Everyone will know you belong to me." Rafe said and rubbed it again, causing Noah to squirm. "What do you know about claiming?" Rafe asked and pulled Noah a little closer and reached for the comforter to cover them both and tucking it in around them.
Noah settled his cheek against Rafe's chest and thought about his introduction to the shifter world. While running from the jackals, Noah had come in contact with several shifter groups. The wolves, in particular, seemed to be everywhere. He inadvertently was present when a wolf was defending their mate against an aggressor and that was his first lesson in the power and the permanency of mates.
“I witnessed a wolf defend his mate and I learned the power and the importance of the word and that their bond was for life. I learned a lot of things that day.” Noah stated.
"Yes, it's for life. Does that scare you?" Rafe was surprised that his mate was so at ease discussing this life-changing event. But considering Noah present life, a change was probably welcome. He felt Noah shake his head before he spoke.
“No, I knew you were special the first time I saw you when you helped me with those wolves outside the bar.” Noah laughed softly. “Then there you were again at the motel when I needed someone most. I knew there had to be a connection. There was a reason you were being put in my path.”
"You believe in destiny then," Rafe said as he rubbed his cheek against Noah's hair.
"Yeah, I do, and I also believe in hope." Noah tightened his arm around Rafe. "Hope is what kept me running when all I wanted to do was lay down and give up. I was so tired but hoped that I would find someone who would help me kept me going."
Rafe lay there satisfied and content that his mate accepted him and his dragon and now wore his mark. But his mind was also consumed with his plan for dealing with the two humans responsible for the torment of his mate. Their life together would not truly begin until all threats were dealt with.
They'd discussed the possibility of luring the pair to the Lodge and dealing with them here. It seemed like a good plan, but Rafe wanted to make sure Noah was in no danger. He would need to be present, he sensed that in his mate, but Rafe would not allow the pair to cause Noah any more suffering.
He listened as his mate fell back to sleep. He needed the rest so Rafe would lay there and hold him until he awoke. That was another first, Rafe had never held someone while they slept. He studied the pleasant feelings coursing through him and decided he liked it.
…
As the First Knight, Rafe ruled the Dragon Knights and answered only to the King. When he was placed with Clan Keith, he moved in with the Clan sharing their territory and therefore placed himself under the command of the Chieftain, Calum Keith. With that said, Rafe was still the First Knight and his bond with his brothers was still in place. At present, their concern was growing because they could feel his new burgeoning emotions and they were sensing his restlessness.
“Something is happening to Rafe.”
Grey, Rafe’s youngest brother and the youngest of the Knights told Jude his elder.
"I know, I can feel it too," Jude answered. Jude had taken over Rafe's duties in his absence, but Rafe was their rock and all the brothers, including Jude, missed his stoic guidance. They waited anxiously for his penance to be complete and for their King to call Rafe home.
"I need to talk to him. I want to see him." Grey added carefully, but his frustration was clear.
“We have to let this play out. As difficult as it is for us, it is just as difficult for Rafe. We can’t contact him unless he asks for us or his situation becomes serious. We have to wait.” Jude said the words, but he too was desperately wanting to call his brother.
In the beginning, they could feel his irritation and at times his boredom, but mostly they just felt his absence. But now his emotions were becoming heightened and pointed which in itself was upsetting them because Rafe never let his emotions out, never let anything show. Suddenly over the past couple of days, they could feel a heaviness of concern and a growing anger. What could be happening to their brother to cause such an uncharacteristic outpouring of feelings? None of them were happy with not knowing.
"If it gets worse, I don't care what anyone thinks, I'm going after him," Grey said and then walked away not giving Jude a chance to respond. Jude watched him go and knew that if tempers here on the mountain didn't improve, they might all be sent down the mountain.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rafe had dinner sent to his room as he wanted more time alone with his mate. The guys at the Lodge were accommodating him and he appreciated it. Dane cooked a fine dinner of steak and potatoes with apple pie for dessert. He grew to like that little human more and more every day. Alrick was a lucky guy to have gotten such a kind and considerate mate.
The humans at the Lodge were not like any humans he’d encountered in his past and he was ready to give the race another chance. He would admit that humans weren’t as bad as he had thought for the past couple of centuries. He accepted the fact that his mate being human could be a strong factor in his readiness to now get along.
Rafe turned to regard his mate who had just gotten out of the shower and was walking towards him all fresh and moist looking. "You smell like heather in the rain." He whispered as he took Noah into his arms and kissed him, owning him completely once again. He was getting good at this.
"You smell like a grilled steak," Noah said and smiled when Rafe finally let him up for air.
“That’s not me, that’s our dinner.” Rafe walked him over to the small table helped him get seated and then laid out their dinner.
"This looks so good." Noah moaned and Rafe turned Noah's face up to him and kissed him again before taking a seat across from him.
“I love how you moan.”
“I love how you make me moan.” Noah countered with a smirk. Rafe’s dark green eyes leveled on him and then he smiled.
“I love making you moan, but now you need to eat.” Rafe poured them both a glass of water before digging into his meal.
After they ate, they sat together on the sofa in the living room and had their pie with a cup of coffee. Noah decided to find out what the next step was in regard to the contract on his life and what being Rafe's mate would entail for him. He didn't want to jump to conclusions or make assumptions only to be slapped down later. He liked the honesty and so far, Rafe had been honest with him even when the honesty was difficult.
“You told me earlier that Jamison Ralls had arranged for the jackals to kill Joe and me. What are the plans for handling Jamison now that the jackals are dead?” He asked and set his plate down on the side table and picked up his coffee mug.
“As I’m sure you are aware, more jackals will be sent to complete the contract, that’s just how they operate. We need to eliminate the source of the contract before we can end the hunt on your life.” Rafe looked at him long and hard and Noah knew there was something unpleasant that needed to be said that he was taking his time saying.
Before Rafe had the opportunity to complete his thought, Noah interjected with his prior conversation with Justin. He needed to fill the silence.
"Justin called me shortly after I woke up. You were still out. I couldn't help it. I asked why he never told me he and Jamison were brothers. He said they're not close, they're half-brothers and he didn’t think it mattered. That sounded damn lame to me.” Noah talked fast and ended abruptly when the long hard look Rafe was giving him turned explosive.
“He called you here?” His voice was harsh and deep and sent a chill down Noah’s spine.
“Yes, he’s been calling me for the past two weeks, ever since I ran. He’s the only outside contact I’ve had. He was the only person who believed me when I told the police that shifters had killed Joe.” Noah explained. “I didn’t tell him anything you suspected about Jamison, I only asked why he didn’t tell me Jamison was his brother.” Noah was not sure why Rafe seemed so grave.
“It wasn’t Jamison who hired the jackals. It was Justin.” Rafe spoke very slowly and very clearly and Noah was floored. He started shaking his head, Justin was helping him, wasn’t he? He was trying to help him, wasn’t he?
“The contract was taken out on your cousin Joe. They included you because you were home when they attacked. Jackals don’t leave witnesses. Justin paid them half and they will get the other half when they prove that you’re dead.” Rafe moved closer to Noah on the sofa and took his hand. He could see he was having a hard time reconciling the man he thought was his friend with the man who wanted him dead.
Rafe took out his phone and put in a call to Calum and also asked if he would bring Cameron along. He wanted him to check Noah’s phone.
Calum, Bryn, and Cameron all entered Rafe's quarters and sat down. Rafe asked Noah for his phone and he handed it to him without question. Rafe then gave the phone to Cameron. "Justin has been calling him. He called him a few hours ago. Can you tell me if he is tracing him through that burner phone?"
As soon as he mentioned the name Justin all attention was on Noah. Rafe felt his distress and pulled him in closer and wrapped his arm around Noah’s shoulder. He seemed to calm a little but was still uncomfortable with all the attention.
“I bought a new phone every few days and destroyed the old one.” Noah offered.
“You gave Justin the number of each new phone?” Cameron asked.
“Yes.”
Cameron shifted his eyes from the phone in his hand and held Noah's gaze. "You are either very skilled or very lucky to have evaded them for as long as you have. Justin has been tracking you since the beginning. He's known where you were every step of the way. Every time you spoke with him, he pinged your location." Noah sat silent for a moment, taking it all in and feeling like a complete moron. Whatever made him think that Justin was his friend? Justin kept referring to himself as ‘I'm your friend' and Noah fell for it.
“I kept moving, never stopped for more than a couple hours until I reached Laramie. I felt a weird sense of security here and thought I could rest for a day or two.” Noah rambled.
"Fate brought you here, to your mate," Calum stated.
Those words brought a light to Noah's mind and his scrambled thoughts. He looked up at Rafe who was regarding him closely. It reminded him that he had someone who cared about him. He was certain that even if Rafe didn't want him long term, he still cared about him. Rafe had a decency about him and so did his friends. They wouldn't leave him to fight this alone.
"I'm glad that I'm here and I thank you for your help, but I may have brought those beasts right to your doorstep. Justin knows I'm in Laramie and he probably knows now that I'm here at the Lodge. I'm sorry." Noah looked around the room at all the faces present, but no one looked put out in the least.
“The jackals won’t come here. This is the dragon’s den.” Calum said.
"They're stupid and suicidal but not that stupid and suicidal," Bryn explained.
“What we want to do is lure Justin and Jamison here. The
y’re the two people we need to deal with.” Calum elaborated.
“Why did he want Joe dead?” Noah asked the question that eluded him. Justin had no reason to kill Joe at least not a reason he could think of.
“Cameron discovered that Jamison Ralls is engaged to Sarah Friedland and has been for nearly six months. The Friedland family is wealthy and influential. Sarah’s father Edward Friedland is well known for his homophobia. If he found out Jamison had a boyfriend and was continuing to see that boyfriend while engaged to his daughter, the wedding would be off and Jamison would probably be out of a job. Friedland is said to own the police force, along with most everything else.” Calum paused for a moment letting Noah process the information.
"Either he was afraid his relationship would be found out, or your cousin may have made threats against him. Either way he and Justin decided hiring a hit was the best option for them." Calum finished and Noah nodded realizing so many things began to make sense.
“I’m pretty sure that Joe made threats. I heard him on the phone a few days before the attack he told Jamison that maybe his girlfriend would like to know that he fucks a guy on the weekends. Poor Joe.” Noah sighed and without realizing what he was doing began to rub the side of his face against Rafe’s chest. The deep woodsy scent filled his mind and stilled his grief.
“I hate them so much, Rafe.” He said. Rafe embraced him and dropped a kiss to the top of his head.
"We all hate them, Noah," Rafe responded and everyone in the room agreed.
…
"The jackals are refusing to go near the Lodge," Justin told his brother.
"You're sure Noah is at this Lodge?" Jamison was pacing the room while Justin sat on the sofa, watching him walk back and forth in front of him.
“His phone is there.” Justin seemed bored. “We need to end this. Running around the country after Noah is losing its entertainment value.”
“What do you suggest?” Jamison stopped his pacing and gave Justin his full attention.
Rafe: The Dragon Knight (Dragon's Blood M.C. Book 10) Page 6