Winter's End

by Rebecca James

  Christopher wondered if they would try penetrative sex again but soon forgot about it when Xavier slowly thrust his hips, rubbing his cock against Christopher’s. A zap of pleasure shot from the beta’s balls to the tip of his dick and reverberated throughout his body. His breath hitched in his throat. Running his hands over X’s broad back, digging his fingers into the muscles, Christopher moaned as X’s movements took the beta higher and higher. Xavier bent his head and kissed Christopher’s neck, tongue warm, and then pain sent made Christopher cry out when X unexpectedly sank in his teeth.

  When X released his grip a moment later, Christopher was trembling from head to toe. “D-did you just bite me?”

  X licked his lips. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “Yeah, but…it…we…”

  “I know I have to knot you to mate you, but this is a beginning for us. If you want it to be, that is.” Suddenly the big alpha looked uncertain.

  Christopher ran his hand down X’s cheek. “Of course I want that. But do you really want to mate me? Even though I’m—”

  Xavier covered Christopher’s mouth with his hand.

  “You’re perfect, Chris.”

  Christopher couldn’t help the grin that spread over his face. With tentative fingers, he felt where X had bitten him before leaning forward and claiming the alpha’s lips in a deep kiss that soon had them humping against each other again, movements frantic.

  X had been right when he’d said there were a lot of ways to bring pleasure to each other—the orgasm that hit Christopher knocked the breath out of him.

  Lying limp and sated, he thought maybe they’d be all right after all. He rolled onto the alpha and pressed kisses to X’s chest.

  “Let’s make something to eat and take it into my room,” he suggested.

  “In a minute.” X closed his eyes and continued to lazily stroke Christopher’s back. Christopher relaxed against him.

  He must have fallen asleep because he suddenly jolted awake at a noise from the kitchen and realized his cheek was pressed against soft wool and X wasn’t lying with him any longer. He sat up and looked around. Finding the alpha’s big shirt, he put it on and buttoned it, chuckling at how the material came to his knees.

  Padding into the kitchen, he found Xavier wearing only his jeans. His broad, muscular back rippled as he moved about the stove, and for a moment, Christopher simply stared, unable to believe that such an alpha was really his. Remembering the bite, he shivered.

  When X turned and saw Christopher standing there wearing his shirt, the alpha growled and pulled the beta close, palming Christopher’s ass underneath the flannel.

  “I like you in my clothes,” he said, making Christopher smile.

  “What are you making?”

  “Breakfast for dinner,” X said, letting him go. “Eggs and toast.”

  Christopher’s stomach rumbled. “Sounds good. Maybe we shouldn’t take it to my room, though. Crumbs in the bed are no fun.”

  X agreed, and when they sat down to eat, Christopher asked, “When will we go to Cascade City?”

  “I need to talk to Grey, and Tarz, of course. I don’t want to leave him in the lurch with the horses. And someone will have to drive us there. But I’d say we can go pretty much anytime we want.” He glanced at Christopher. “We don’t have to hurry.”

  “Grey will have to get someone else to live here,” Christopher said. “We should give him some notice.”

  “Sure. Whenever is fine with me.” X grinned. “I’m so happy you said you’d go.”

  “I’m happy that you’re happy,” Christopher said, meaning it.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Roanan

  “What’s going on?”

  Roanan had come in from a long day helping at the new greenhouse, hot and sweaty despite the cold weather, to find Emory and the twins sitting in the living room looking gloomy.

  “Josh is crying in his room,” Lake told his father.

  “And he won’t come out,” Landon added.

  Emory nodded solemnly.

  Roanan looked toward the hallway.

  “I’ll talk to him,” he said.

  When Roanan knocked on Josh’s door and told him to open it, he heard the bed creak and then the lock disengage.

  “What’s wrong, Son?” he asked when he’d entered the room and closed the door. Josh stood by the bed, the picture of dejection and heartbreak.

  Roanan knew why his son was so upset but hoped Josh would open up to him. Grant’s mating ceremony to Keith had taken place earlier that day. Josh hadn’t attended.

  Josh crossed his arms over his chest and refused to look at his father.

  Roanan leaned against the dresser. “I’m sorry. I’m sure this is difficult for you. But Grey felt Grant was a good match for Keith.”

  Josh turned and stared at Roanan with so much anger, the alpha was taken aback.

  “I wonder why that was? Could it be because Grey’s mated to Uncle Ian?”

  Roanan frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Josh threw out his hands. “Come on, Dad. You told Uncle Ian you didn’t want Grant around me, didn’t you?”

  Roanan suddenly understood where this was going.

  “I did not ask Grey to have Grant mated.”

  “But you put the idea in Uncle Ian’s head, and he told Grey.”

  Roanan shook his head. “No. I told Ian I didn’t need Grey to do anything about Grant.”

  Josh’s lower lip trembled, and he turned away from his father, shoulders sagging. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s done.”

  “Josh,” Roanan said softly. He hated to see his sensitive son so upset. “Are you saying you had hopes of mating Grant? You aren’t ready to mate, but Grant was. He’s fully matured.”

  “I don’t know if that’s what I’m saying or not, but it would have been nice to have had the choice,” Josh muttered.

  “I didn’t take your choice from you by telling you to stay away from Grant for now. Obviously, our pack alpha thought Grant a good candidate for one of the new omegas.”

  Josh made a growling noise and leaned his head against the wall. “I just feel as though everything’s being taken away from me. You, my freedom, and now my best friend.”

  Roanan sat down on the bed. “Me? What do you mean? I’m right here. Nobody’s taking me away from you.”

  Josh shook his head, mouth trembling as tears splashed over his eyes. “Ever since you mated, you’re always with Emory.”

  Roanan’s heart sank. “Son, I’m sorry. It’s just so new. I’ll try to do better. And I thought you and Emory were becoming friends.”

  Josh laughed bitterly. “He can’t talk, Dad.”

  “That’s not fair, Josh. You and Em communicate well. Much better than Emory does with the twins.”

  Josh hung his head. “Can I be alone, please?”

  Roanan straightened. “Sure.” He started for the door. Turning, he said, “I’m sorry you’re upset.” Before Josh could interrupt, he continued, “I didn’t want you and Grant together, but I hate to see you hurting.”

  When Roanan returned to the living room, the twins looked up from the couch.

  “Your brother will be okay,” Roanan told them. “Give him some time. And please remember he’s an omega and feels things more deeply than you do. Where’s Emory?”

  Landon shrugged. “Your bedroom, I think.”

  Roanan turned and passed Josh room, turning into the room he shared with his omega. Emory lay on the bed, back to the door.

  “Em? You okay?” Roanan asked. He circled the bed. His heart fell when he saw his mate was crying.

  “What’s the matter, love?” Roanan sat beside Emory on the bed and rubbed the omega’s leg. “Is it your pack? I gave the name to Grey, and he promised to check it out.”

  Turning wet eyes to the alpha, Emory shook his head and pointed at his mouth.

  “Does your throat hurt?” Roanan asked.

  Emory frowned and made a grunting noise. The tears fell ha
rder.

  “Your voice?”

  Emory nodded and began to sob.

  Roanan gathered the omega into his arms and rocked him.

  “Shh, it’s all right.” He pushed back the hair from Emory’s face. Early in their relationship, Emory had explained to Roanan in writing that he used to be able to speak but an injury had made it too painful. He’d never tried to tell Roanan anymore about it. Roanan had wondered but hadn’t wanted to push.

  “I wasn’t going to say anything until I knew more, but I’ve wondered if, with some therapy, you might be able regain your voice,” Roanan said. “I’ve written to Dr. Newman about it. I’ve been waiting to talk to you about it until I heard from her.” He wondered why Emory was suddenly so down about the loss of his voice, and it suddenly occurred to the alpha that Emory might have overheard what Josh had said. He kissed the omega’s forehead. “Josh isn’t himself right now. Don’t take anything he says to heart. Besides being brokenhearted at losing his friend, he’s angry with me.”

  Emory turned questioning blue eyes to Roanan.

  “He thinks I asked Grey to have Grant mated to one of the new omegas. But I didn’t.” He sighed. “I can’t deny Ian might have mentioned it to Grey. My brother knew I was concerned about being able to keep Grant and Josh apart.”

  Emory sat up and leaned against Roanan and took the alpha’s hand, entwining their fingers. Roanan lifted their hands and kissed the back of Emory’s.

  “Thank you. Being with you makes me feel better.”

  Emory smiled up at him, and Roanan kissed him softly.

  “Everything will be fine. Would you like to go for a walk with me after I shower?” He lifted the shirt from where it was pasted to his chest by his sweat. “I probably stink right now.”

  Emory buried his face in Roanan’s armpit and took a big breath like it was the best thing the omega had smelled in his life.

  Roanan chuckled. “I’m glad you approve, but I think I’ll shower anyway.” He stood. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes. We can walk down to the lake and sit on the dock for a while. Maybe take some bread and feed the ducks.”

  Emory’s smile was more lighthearted than the last, and Roanan was pleased he’d been able to cheer up his mate. He hoped Dr. Newman would get back to him soon so they could help Emory to speak again.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Grant

  Grant was nervous, which was ridiculous. He was an alpha, and taking a mate was natural. It didn’t matter that he was young and inexperienced. The logistics would come to him. Still, Keith was there in Grant’s house—now their house—,and they were going to mate.

  After showing the omega around, Grant stood in the middle of the small living room.

  “It isn’t much, but I’ll build onto it when we start having kids.” He cleared his throat, wishing this wasn’t so uncomfortable.

  Keith smiled at him, and Grant felt marginally better. The omega was handsome. A bit larger than Grant was, but Grant would outgrow him soon enough. And the amount of slick Keith put out when Grant got close was reassuring.

  He wanted to touch Keith’s shiny blond hair. Well, you can, idiot. He’s yours. The silky strands glided through Keith’s fingers, and Grant liked the way the omega’s dark hazel eyes softened and his cheeks flushed.

  Emboldened, Grant pressed a kiss to Keith’s supple lips.

  “That was nice,” Keith said when the kiss ended, adding breathlessly, “Alpha.”

  Grant’s chest swelled, similar to how it had during the mating ceremony as his pack had watched him formally accept Keith as his mate. Of course, the real mating would come when Grant bit and knotted Keith. He hardened at the thought and realized it might not be such an awkward moment after all. And it needed to happen before Grant and Keith walked around the compound together or did anything else.

  He decided to be as forthright with the omega as Keith had been with him at Grey’s house when they’d met. “We need to complete our mating. I know it’s a little strange since we hardly know each other, but it’s best to have it done. I don’t want to have to worry about other alphas sniffing around you.”

  Keith nodded and softly said, “I understand, Alpha. I want you to bite me and make me yours.”

  Grant’s cock got harder and his knot throbbed. Hearing Keith say he wanted Grant had the alpha nearly salivating in his eagerness to bite.

  “Bedroom,” he managed to get out, voice rough with desire. The room filled with the heady scent of Keith’s arousal and the two werewolves stared at each other for a long moment before Keith turned and walked down the hall to the room Grant had shown him earlier.

  Before Keith moved in, Grant had asked Rob, the pack carpenter, to make him a larger bed. Rob had come over and built onto Grant’s original frame in order to have it finished in time.

  Grant watched Keith remove his clothing and fold each piece in a neat pile on the dresser. Then the omega turned to the alpha, and Grant’s eager eyes soaked him in.

  Grant hadn’t had any experience with sex other than fantasizing while stroking his morning wood. Now he found himself appreciating the body of a mature, aroused omega, and he could barely contain his excitement. Keith knelt on the bed, knees spread, his cock standing stiffly from his body. Grant slowly rounded the bed, noting when Keith shivered in need.

  The omega had a lovely ass, round and inviting with a delectable curve at the bottom that Grant longed to explore. Thick rivulets of slick glazed the backs of the omega’s legs.

  Grant ran his hand from Keith’s lower back downward, fingers brushing over the swell of buttocks before slipping farther to where a light fur of blond hair protected Keith’s entrance, initiating another surge of intoxicating slick. The heady perfume of the emittance rendered Grant momentarily light-headed.

  A long, needy groan from Keith had the alpha stripping off his pants and climbing onto the bed to push against the delicious furrow.

  He couldn’t hold off any longer. Putting his hands on Keith’s shoulders, Grant pushed the omega down so that Keith’s head was on the bed. When the alpha’s engorged cock touched Keith’s hole, the omega gasped and the muscle practically sucked Grant’s member inside.

  The hot, elastic snugness of the omega’s inner channel, so wet and slippery with slick, sent a cascade of chills spilling over Grant’s body. His knot was already swelling at the base of his thick cock.

  “Gods, so good,” Keith murmured, cheek resting on the bed. He widened his knees so his cock brushed the comforter. “Fuck me, Alpha. Please. Mate me. Breed me.”

  Grant groaned and began to thrust, the noises from Keith driving him crazy with need. Desperately wanting his knot inside the omega, Grant began working it in, circling his hips and pressing forward until the bulbous protrusion popped inside, making Keith shake and writhe under Grant’s weight.

  “Gods, yes, that’s so—” Keith jerked, and Grant knew the omega was coming from the way he tilted his ass upward to accept the gush of seed from the alpha’s knot.

  Grant quickly bent his head and, teeth sharpening, bit into the omega’s neck. The tantalizing taste of blood and sweat had him thrusting harder while knotted inside Keith, drawing moans and curses from the omega as the action prolonged Keith’s orgasm.

  Spent, the two newly mated werewolves lay knotted, legs tangled, on the bed.

  “That was…unbelievable,” Keith whispered, and Grant puffed up with pride. He’d not only completed the mating, he’d pleasured his much older omega mate.

  “I agree,” he said, because he had to say something. It was a little awkward being naked and tied to someone he barely knew, but since the bite, he was already feeling more comfortable around Keith.

  “It’s funny, but this doesn’t feel as weird as I thought it would,” Keith said, evidently thinking along the same lines as Grant. He wiggled his ass, and Grant groaned as it jostled the knot. “I like having you filling me up.”

  Grant wrapped his arm around Keith, both their heads resting on pillows.
>
  A quiet moment passed before Grant asked, “How did you wind up in the sewers in Cascade City?”

  “My pack was destroyed by humans. A few members escaped. I was with a couple of omegas when the attack happened. Fire everywhere and people screaming—it was horrible. The humans love to set fire to our compounds. They’re sadists.” Keith shuddered, and Grant kissed his shoulder, settling him. “We made it out by using an underground tunnel we were lucky enough to have been close to when it happened, and then we ran into the forest. We survived there several weeks before making it to Cascade City. We had to have some place to hide. We were afraid the humans would be able to tell we were omegas, and there were rumors of what they liked to do to us. I guess maybe we had tunnels on our mind because we immediately thought of the sewers. For a long time, it worked. We were safe down there.”

  “Then what happened?” Grant asked, amazed at what Keith and the others had been through.

  “Someone who worked at the Human/Werewolf Congress figured out we were living down there and offered us help. They provided a place for us to live, and soon after that we met Josiah and the others. We’d grown in number by then. A few joined River’s pack, but Elliott and I were interested when we were told about Angel Hills.”

  A sudden rush of arousal hit Grant, and he began to thrust his hips, pushing Keith onto his stomach. The knot broke, and Grant growled as Keith came apart beneath him, crying out hoarsely as he climaxed a second time. After a moment, Grant was able to pull out of the omega’s body and roll onto his back.

  Keith grinned at Grant. “This is making me wonder what my heats are going to be like from now on.”

  Grant couldn’t help but grin back.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Duncan

  Duncan was disgruntled. Canaan seemed to be avoiding him. The beta had stopped coming by and never seemed to be around when Duncan wanted him to be. The alpha had gotten used to seeing the beta almost every day. He missed the sex.

  When five days went by, Duncan finally gave in and went to Canaan’s house.

  When the beta opened the door, the alpha was going to say something caustic about his prolonged absence, but the sight of tear-tracks on the beta’s cheeks stopped him.