by Lynn Hagen
“Pack what you want to take.” Cecil leaned back as Maverick sat up, grabbing for his clothes.
“I’m not moving in with you.” Was the giant insane? Taking a stranger home to have the best sex ever was one thing —a little slutty, which he was not. But moving in with said stranger? Hell no. Rolling off the other side of the bed, Cecil reached in his dresser drawer for a pair of boxers. Can’t argue with a crazy man naked.
Cecil’s stomach twisted into knots as Maverick’s actions of getting dressed stilled. He was bent over, his long black hair hanging precariously as the man stared at Cecil as if he had lost his mind.
This was it. The man would try to bend him to his will, dominating Cecil and forcing him to do as he told him. His eyes watched Maverick cautiously as the man straightened, clearing his throat as he dressed. “I have enemies that would love nothing more than to obtain you. It isn’t safe here.”
Obtain? As in kidnap? Cecil rubbed his temples, not really following any of this. His independence was at stake here. Somehow he knew that if he followed Maverick that he would never again know freedom as he did now.
Summoning courage he didn’t feel, he said, “I can’t.” His heart was racing wildly as he pushed on. “I won’t live under someone else’s thumb again.”
Maverick pulled his jeans on as he studied his mate. The fear emanating from the false bravado was disturbing. Never in his life had he harmed a weaker man, and his mate wasn’t going to be the first.
Pulling the T-shirt over his head, he removed his hair from inside of it. There had to be a way to convince the little guy to come home with him. Their home now. If that lunatic Jackson knew Cecil was his mate, all hell would break loose.
Maverick sighed deeply, knowing he had his work cut out for him.
“I’m not going to force you, baby. The choice is yours. Just know that I’ve waited over three centuries to find you. I would never do anything to hurt you now that I have claimed you.”
He had to fight the smile that threatened to break across his face as his mate’s jaw dropped, his eyes growing as wide as saucers.
“Three centuries? Seriously?”
Maverick gave in and chuckled. “I’m old.” Pulling his boots on, he continued. “But not that old.” Maverick winked at his mate, watching a blush creep across that gorgeous little face.
“Y-you’d never hurt me?”
Maverick grew serious, growling out his reply. “Never.” He took a calming breath, not wanting to scare his already skittish mate. “I would kill anyone who I thought was a threat to you. That ignorant ex of yours should count himself lucky he still breathes.”
“I’m scared,” Cecil admitted softly.
Maverick crossed the room in two strides, pulling his mate over to the bed. He sat down, reducing his size for the comfort of his mate. “I know.” Maverick cupped his face. “It must be terrifying trusting someone you don’t know after what you’ve been through. I won’t harm you. I promise you this.”
Cecil stood between Maverick’s open legs, the internal struggle showing on his face. Maverick looked into his eyes, waiting to see when a decision was made. It wasn’t long.
“Okay.”
Maverick exhaled his relief. If his mate hadn’t agreed, it would have been hard to run his pack from this tiny apartment. The fourteen wolves and Maverick would have been cramped. “I can send one of the warriors here to pack your personal belongings up.”
Cecil jerked back, “How many of you are there?”
“There are twelve warriors that are the Sentries that guard the mates we claim. The wolf who delegates over them, Hawk. Then my beta, Kota.”
“And what rank do you have?”
Maverick was dreading this. After what Cecil had been through, this wasn’t going to go over well with him. “I’m the Alpha, I rule them all.”
He pulled his mate into his arms as the smaller man began to twist his underwear in his hands. “I won’t hurt you, baby.” He whispered into the shell of his mate’s ear. “Ever.”
Small arms snaked around him, holding on for dear life.
“I have you. He’ll never hurt you again.” Maverick caressed Cecil’s back, laying his cheek on the soft head of hair under his chin.
“I’m telling you guys. Maverick scared the shit out of me when he walked into that house. I’ve never seen him like that. That little guy was the only safe one there. I can’t believe he told me to watch him and didn’t mention that I would be guarding his predestined mate. A little inside info would have gone a long way.” Cody tipped back the bottle of beer, taking another hard draft. He still felt like Maverick was going to walk through the door and rip his throat out for letting his mate get attacked. Shit, this was so fucked up.
Hawk wasn’t a happy camper either. Cody spent the better part of an hour having his rear-end handed to him by his Commander.
“Wish I could have been a fly on the wall. Poor Cody, almost getting the Alpha’s mate killed. Might as well hand in your tin star and pop gun, ride out of town on your broken down horse.” The Sentry Remi was laughing hysterically, holding his side.
Shit wasn’t that funny.
“Piss off, Remi.” Cody tossed his empty beer bottle in the trash, twisting the cap off of another one.
Cecil would take a leap of faith, praying Maverick caught him. Once he was dressed, Maverick held his hand as they left his apartment behind, left his old life in the bedroom. Taking one last look back, Cecil closed the door.
Starting over was scary.
Cecil held on tight as Maverick left the town behind, riding into the countryside, taking him further away from the only life he had known since moving here. The motorcycle vibrated under him as Maverick rode with skill. The helmet was a little stifling, but Maverick had insisted on it. Cecil turned his head, resting it against the large back as they glided down the one-lane country road.
Maverick turned onto a gravel road that led to a ginormous house. Cecil’s jaw dropped at the sheer size of it.
The bike pulled to a stop next to a row of pickup trucks. All looked brand-new. Maverick cut the motor, kicking the stand down as he removed his helmet. Cecil did the same. Once again, he leaned in to smell the menthol surrounding Maverick’s hair.
“Use my shoulders.”
Cecil did as he climbed down. He tucked the helmet under his arm as he followed Maverick up the front steps and into the house. They were in a large foyer, rooms webbing off in every direction. He followed behind the giant as Maverick led him into a den.
Holy cow! The room swarmed with mountainous men. Cecil stepped behind Maverick, intimidated as hell. Was enormity a prerequisite to be a warrior? If so, these guys passed with flying colors.
Maverick reached behind, bringing Cecil front and center. All eyes turned to him. Cecil gulped, feeling sweat pulse from his pours. Maybe this was a huge mistake. The men looked like they ate kittens for breakfast. Cecil swallowed, praying he wasn’t the next kitten on the menu. They all were staring at him curiously. His midget height probably intrigued them when compared to the vertical galaxy they lived in.
Chapter Four
“Hey, boss man. Who’s the hottie?” Remi teased Maverick.
“This is my mate, Cecil. I know everyone will introduce themselves and make him feel right at home.” Maverick put his hand on the small of Cecil’s back, giving a small amount of comfort to his trembling mate.
“Hey, Cecil. I’m Remi. How’s it going?” Remi extended his hand, winking at his mate. Maverick gave the Sentry a low growl.
“Fine, nice to meet you,” his mate squeaked out. Maverick pulled the smaller man closer to him.
“Hey, Cecil. I’m Cody. We met earlier.” Cody bumped knuckles with Cecil, locking eyes with Maverick. “Sorry, Alpha.”
“No hard feelings…this time.” Maverick’s lip tugged up in a smile. He wasn’t mad at Cody for not protecting him against Jeremy, but it was fun as hell watching him sweat. He had done everything he could, calling Maverick when Cec
il went in to that house. How was the warrior supposed to know his mate’s ex was abusive?
“I remember you. Thank you for helping me,” Cecil said.
Maverick slowly stepped away, giving Cecil room to interact with the men who would be responsible for keeping him safe. His mate would have to get comfortable with them because they were going to be a permanent fixture in his life.
“Anytime, little dude.” Cody tilted his bottle at a guy standing behind him. “That redhead standing over there is Jasper.”
“Nice to meet you, Cecil.”
“Same here.” Cecil shook Jasper’s hand.
The rest of the guys introduced themselves. The Alpha knew Cecil was going to have a heck of a time remembering everyone. As if reading his mind, Cody patted Cecil’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry if you can’t remember the rest of these Neanderthals’ names. You’ll get it.” Before letting go, he squeezed Cecil’s shoulder. Maverick watched all of this, gauging his mate’s anxiety level.
Now that they were bonded, he would be able to feel what his mate was feeling when close to each other. So far, all Cecil felt was nervous.
“Do you shoot pool?” Cody led him over to the bar, handing Cecil a cold beer. “You are twenty-one, aren’t you?” The warrior pulled the bottle back, waiting.
“Actually, no. I’m twenty. I’ll take a soda if you have one.” Cody handed him a root beer.
Thanking Cody for the drink, he looked around. Maverick had disappeared. “I’ve never played pool.” Damn, he didn’t see a game system anywhere. This was going to be torturous. Who didn’t have one in their home that could afford it?
“What do you do for fun then?”
“I play video games.” Cecil’s cheeks pinked. He waited for the guys to make fun of him. Most adults did. He loved his job, but sometimes he was embarrassed to admit where he worked.
“I was thinking about getting one for here. What do you recommend?” Cody asked.
Cecil and Cody engaged in a long conversation about different systems and their pros and cons. They talked about the new games out and the best vintage ones. The guy was more knowledgeable than Cecil thought he would be. He couldn’t believe Cody was going to go out and just buy one. Cecil had been saving up to get one for home.
“So which system do you rock at home, Cecil?” Cody was reading his thoughts. Cecil kicked his toe at the floor, shoving his hands into his pockets. It was embarrassing to tell someone who had money that you couldn’t afford one even though you worked at as video store.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. It’s cool. Come on, let’s go raid the fridge.” Cody led him into the kitchen as Cecil watched for Maverick. Where did he go?
“Looking for me?” Large arms came from behind him, circling his shoulders, lips kissing him on the neck. Cecil smiled, laying his hands on Maverick’s arms, enjoying the feeling of having Maverick surround him.
The feeling of being safe cocooned him. Cecil felt his face flush when Maverick chuckled in his ear. “Hungry?”
Cecil nodded, too flustered to speak. He turned in his wolf’s arms, not wanting Cody to see his erection pressing against the front of his jeans. God, he wanted the wolf again. Cecil tilted his head back as Maverick tucked a knuckle under his chin, lifting his head for a kiss.
“Should I leave and come back later?” Cody chuckled while setting everything out for the sub sandwiches. The guy with the silver eyes came in the kitchen, grabbing items to make his own sandwich. Cecil thought he remembered the guy being called Remi.
“Hey, that’s for the Alpha’s mate. He eats first. You should know that, Remi.” Cody narrowed his eyes as he knocked Remi’s hands away. Cecil watched as Remi quickly took a step back, glancing over at Maverick nervously.
Cody took the attention off of Remi. “Okay, little dude, what do you want on it?”
“I can get it.” Cecil stepped up to the table, grabbing items and making his sandwich. He caught the look Cody gave Maverick. “Did I do something wrong?” he stepped from the table, the knife smeared with mayo still in his hand.
“No, baby, make your sandwich. Come to my office when you’re done.” Maverick kissed him on the lips then left.
Once they were alone, Cecil turned on Cody, “Okay, Cody. What did I do wrong?” He wasn’t stupid. He felt the vibes.
“I, uh…shit. Don’t tell him I said anything. The big guy is already pissed at me. An Alpha’s mate always eats first and never prepares his own food.” Cody looked uncomfortable.
Cecil didn’t want to come into Maverick’s home and become a nuisance. How was he supposed to know? “Sorry, no one told me. Is there anything else I should know?” Cecil set the knife down, pulling the chair out and sitting. Cody immediately began to prepare his food. Cecil didn’t know if he could get used to someone else serving him like this.
Cody explained it as he made his sandwich. “Well, you are never to go anywhere unescorted. That’s only because we have rival packs and kidnapping an Alpha’s mate is considered a trophy catch. Wars have started because of that. I think the one about us bathing you is outdated. At least, I hope it is. No offense.”
“Yeah, you’re a cutie, but I ain’t scrubbing your back.” Remi chuckled.
“Believe me, none taken. I don’t know if I can get used to this. I’m very independent. I even have a job.”
Cody and Remi glanced at one another, and then Cody went back to his task.
“What?”
“Nothing. Here’s your sandwich. Want something to drink? Soda?” Cody leaned into the fridge, avoiding Cecil’s question.
“Fine, I’ll ask Maverick.” Cecil ate in silence, trying to absorb everything that had happened so far. Today was one for the books. Now Cody was telling him there were rules to this mating? What other surprises would he discover?
“Okay, Remi. Eat.” Cecil and Cody watched as Remi laid waste to the cold cuts. Man, could he eat. Remi had a sandwich stacked so high. There was no way the guy could open his mouth that wide. He watched in fascination as Remi devoured it.
Guess the guy had a detachable jaw. Cody cleaned up the mess, storing everything back into the fridge.
“Wanna ride with me to go check out a game system?” Cody asked as he wiped the table down then tossed the towel into the sink.
Was Cody serious? Even if it wasn’t for him, Cecil would still love to help him pick out everything he would need to set up a cool “playroom.” “Let me let Maverick know I’m leaving. I’ll catch up with you.” Cecil headed down the hall where he had seen Maverick disappear. He tried to guess which door was his office, finding bedroom after bedroom. How many bedrooms did this house have?
“Can I help you?”
Cecil swung around to find a tall, wiry man standing with his hands behind his back. He had beady eyes and slicked back brown hair. He did not look like he fit in with the rest of the guys here. “Yeah, I’m looking for Maverick’s office.” Did the guy actually sneer at him?
“And you are?”
Yeah, he didn’t like him already. “Cecil, Maverick’s mate.” That was definitely a sneer.
“Hmm. This way.” The man looked Cecil up and down with a disapproving look. Cecil pushed his bangs back from his eyes as he followed the guy down the hall, paying attention to the door he stopped at. He made a mental note of the location. That way, he wouldn’t get lost again.
The man looked over his shoulder at Cecil, turning his nose up to him. What was that for? Whatever. The guy knocked on the door, waiting for a reply. Maverick yelled for them to enter.
“Hey, baby. Finished eating?” Maverick held his arms as Cecil came to him, climbing into his lap. He knew Maverick could taste mayo when he kissed him. A breath mint would have been handy right about now.
“You need something, Lonny?” Maverick never took his eyes off of Cecil as he addressed his assistant.
“I found your mate wandering around. I thought I would bring him to you.”
“Thanks. That will
be all. Lock the door on your way out.” Maverick had devilish ideas and didn’t want an audience.
“Yes, Alpha.” Lonny tilted his nose up and left the room.
“Cody wants me to go with him to buy a video game system. I wanted to let you know I was leaving.” Maverick cupped Cecil’s face, sipping at his lips. He traced his tongue along Cecil’s lower lip then delved in for a mind-blowing scorcher.
Maverick hissed into soft lips as hands fumbled at his jeans. Leaning back, he gave his mate room to do as he wanted.
Unzipping and freeing Maverick’s cock, Cecil took it into his mouth. Maverick caressed Cecil’s jaw as he licked and sucked the crown, running his tongue along the large vein that snaked the length.
Maverick moaned, lifting his hips to pull his jeans down his legs, which pooled at his ankles. He spread his knees further apart for Cecil’s assault. He cupped his balls as his mate ran his tongue over the eye in the head, slurping up the pre-cum that dripped down the side. “That’s it, baby. Suck my cock.”
Cecil opened wider, taking the girth down his throat. Gagging, he pulled back. Maverick knew he was well endowed and that his mate would have trouble taking all of him in.
“Take only what you can, love.” Maverick wanted to fill Cecil’s mouth with his seed, emptying his balls down his throat. He pushed in and out in short bursts, not wanting his mate to choke again.
Maverick moaned as Cecil concaved his cheeks, pulling Maverick further in, creating a tight vacuum. Maverick shuddered as Cecil suppressed his gag reflex and pushed forward until the head of his cock hit the back of Cecil’s throat. Relaxing his muscles, Cecil took him down further.
Maverick grabbed Cecil’s head, holding it steady as his hips bucked. Cecil took it. His mate massaged Maverick’s prick with his tongue, and his lips stretched as he began to bob his head. Maverick was too close with the way his mate was sucking him.
Cecil pulled back, sucking on the head, his tongue working magic around the helmet, circling the bundle of nerves. Maverick led Cecil’s hand to his nuts, rolling them around and lightly squeezing. Cecil toyed with his perineum, his finger sliding back and forth.