True Mates

by Noah Harris

  His mind drifted away from his happy thoughts as their mouths opened, tongues dancing along the other’s. Jaeger was leaning forward, trying to press more of his body against Philip’s. Another wave of heat passed through him, and his stomach tightened. He could feel the need, the desire in Jaeger’s body as the omega tried to work his way into Philip’s lap. The almost electric smell which had been around Jaeger since puberty hit seemed even stronger, growing in complexity and desirability. It made him think of a storm brewing on the horizon, one where he knew the pleasant smell of wet earth and ozone would soon take over.

  Philip pulled Jaeger closer to him, moaning softly as Jaeger’s ass pressed against his groin. Seated as he was, Jaeger seemed taller than Philip as he bent to keep their mouths pressed tight. Philip slipped his hands beneath the hem of Jaeger’s shirt, gripping onto the shifting muscles of the man’s back. He'd wanted to take his time, to learn the slopes and planes of Jaeger’s body as they slowly shed their clothes. With every passing moment however, he found the desire in him growing beyond his ability to control.

  “Jaeger, we need to,” Philip began, unsure of what he was going to say.

  “We’ve waited too long for this, slow can wait until later,” Jaeger told him.

  It was said like a statement, but the way Jaeger arched his back, holding onto Philip’s shoulders, and biting his lip, it felt more like begging. Philip had denied Jaeger too much over the years, especially when it came to himself. Now he had Jaeger where they’d both wanted to be for so long, he wasn’t going to deny the man anything.

  “Then let’s get inside the tent, where we don’t have to be on the cold ground,” Philip said, his voice rough with need.

  They barely made it past the threshold of the tent before Jaeger was on him once again. Philip struggled to sink to the ground, trying to catch himself while still trying to hold tight to Jaeger. The electric scent of his omega was stronger in the closed air of the tent, and Philip found himself taking deep inhales.

  Fighting for some measure of control, Philip focused on pulling Jaeger’s clothes off him. First came the shirt, revealing an expanse of muscular tanned skin, marked with little scars from his years of training. Jaeger had gone through so much to make sure he was always at Philip’s side throughout their lives. It didn’t seem right, that his omega, his partner, should have had to go through so much to make it to where they were now. His mate was trained, dangerous, loyal to the end, and the most loving creature Philip had ever known.

  Philip let out a low growl, breaking his mouth from Jaeger’s and biting into the muscle of the man’s shoulders. Jaeger gave a soft gasp, his back arching as he held tighter. Possessiveness swept through Philip as he grabbed at Jaeger’s loose pants, eager to get them off. Both of them had known lovers in the past, but none of them would ever compare to one another. Philip had allowed Jaeger to do so much, and it was up to Philip to find a way to meet him in the middle.

  “Philip?” Jaeger asked, his voice shaking.

  “Mine,” Philip growled, kissing the spot he’d bitten.

  Jaeger lifted his hips, helping Philip to remove his pants. “Always and forever, that’s never changed.”

  A shiver ran down Philip’s back, both at the sight of Jaeger’s fully naked body coming into view, and at his words. Jaeger leaned back, allowing Philip to run his hands up and down the long expanse of Jaeger’s torso, fingers tracing the lines of his stomach and the small scars. Philip didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful sight in his life.

  Jaeger leaned in, kissing the corner of Philip’s mouth. “Your turn.”

  Jaeger placed his hands on Philip’s shoulders, gripping his shirt and giving it a tug. Philip raised his arms above his head, letting Jaeger pull it up and over his head. Jaeger’s dark eyes roamed over his broad chest, smiling as he pushed Philip back until he lay down completely. Philip watched Jaeger as he scooted backwards, hard cock bouncing as he eased himself off Philip’s lap. Jaeger grabbed hold of Philip’s pants, untying the loose string at the waist before pulling them off. Philip’s cock sprung into view, thick and heavy, smacking against his stomach with a noise which brought a chuckle from Jaeger.

  “Do you know how many times we’ve seen each other naked before?” Jaeger asked, running his fingers up Philip’s inner thighs.

  Philip chuckled. “More times than we probably should have, considering how badly I wanted you.”

  “I learned to turn it off, the whole wanting you thing. I had to, if I wanted to keep my sanity. But looking at you now, naked for me, hard for me, and ready for me, I realize…I didn’t really turn it off, just shut it away,” Jaeger said, his eyes darting all over Philip’s body.

  “Then come here and we can start making up for lost time,” Philip said, holding his hand out toward Jaeger.

  Jaeger obeyed, his body warm as his legs straddled Philip’s waist. “I want to do it like this.”

  Philip nodded, reaching over to grab a small bag. “Then we’ll need this.”

  Jaeger took the bag, pulling a small, clear vial of an equally clear fluid out of it. “Where did you get this?”

  Philip laughed. “The pack is ruled by two men who are mated to one another, do you really think they wouldn’t have some on hand?”

  Jaeger shared in his laughter, tucking the vial in one hand and bending down to kiss Philip again. The smoothness of Jaeger’s chest pressed against Philip’s furrier one, his mouth hungry as he ground his cock against Philip’s. Philip felt a tremor in his fingers as he ran his hand over Jaeger’s side, breathing deep of their mingling scent.

  Philip watched as Jaeger opened the vial, letting the lubricant coat his fingers. Their faces were just barely an inch apart, but he watched as Jaeger slipped his hand behind him. He couldn’t see what happened, but he felt Jaeger’s body tense, and watched his mouth drop open in a low moan. Philip let his head fall back against the cushion beneath him, content to watch Jaeger’s face since he couldn’t watch what the man was doing.

  Jaeger bowed his head, kissing Philip’s chest and neck as his arm shifted. Philip couldn’t see how far along Jaeger was with his fingers, but he could tell when another finger was added by the sudden tensing of Jaeger’s muscles. His mate’s breathing came in short, sharp bursts as he prepped himself, fingers sliding inside him as he moaned against Philip’s skin.

  “You don’t have to rush,” Philip breathed, still running his hands up and down Jaeger’s side.

  The response was to feel Jaeger’s hand, still slick, grab hold of his cock. Philip let out a low moan, pushing his hips up into the grip and aiding in the lubricating process. Jaeger’s eyes looked even darker in the shadows of the tent as his fingers glided over Philip’s cock. Philip’s breathing caught as he felt Jaeger’s fingers brush over the head, teasing playfully.

  “I’ve waited too many years to have you inside me, I’m not waiting much longer. We have all night,” Jaeger said, his breath against Philip’s lips.

  Philip kissed him, holding onto Jaeger’s hips as he felt the man move. “Then you’re in control.”

  “This time,” Jaeger told him, easing his hips back.

  Warmth pressed against the head of Philip’s cock, and then came the pressure as Jaeger pushed his hips back. There was a moment where there was nothing but the hint of heat and pressure. Then, Jaeger was wrapped around the head of his cock, the sudden heat of Jaeger’s tight channel and the grip of his muscles intense. They moaned together as Philip’s cock stretched Jaeger further than his fingers had.

  Jaeger wasted little time adjusting, easing his hips back a bit further. As a wince crossed Jaeger’s face, he eased up, almost pulling Philip free before stopping. After another brief pause, he let himself fall back again, taking Philip deeper than before. With the slow and steady rocking motion, Jaeger worked Philip’s cock into him gradually. Philip couldn’t tell if it took an eternity or only seconds until he felt Jaeger’s ass press against his hips, his cock embedded completely in his mate.
<
br />   “Oh shit,” Philip breathed out, pleasure and anticipation making his voice shake.

  “We waited, too long,” Jaeger agreed, his hands now resting on Philip’s shoulders.

  Philip looked down at where their bodies were joined, his cock twitching at the sight. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

  Jaeger laughed, looking down at his quivering legs. “I’ll manage, trust me.”

  As if to prove he could, Jaeger lifted himself up, and then dropped back down, both movements achingly slow. The heat around Philip’s cock receded and returned in equal measure, drawing another shiver of pleasure down his spine. His grip around Philip’s waist tightened as he helped the man rise and fall, careful to make sure it was Jaeger setting the pace. Each set of motions was quicker than the one before, with Jaeger’s cock bouncing between them, slapping against Philip’s stomach.

  Neither of them had been celibate through the years of their friendship, an unpleasant and unspoken truth they’d both known. Yet, the best sex Philip ever had seemed like a pale mockery when compared to the feeling of being inside Jaeger. Everything, from the feel of his skin, the smell of him as he slowly rode Philip’s cock, the grip around Philip’s cock, all were more intense and satisfying than the greatest of lovers from before. Philip had always known no one would ever compare to Jaeger, but the sheer reality of this, had his head spinning.

  Jaeger’s movements began to pick up, his cockhead wet as it bounced. Ecstasy shot through Philip as he held tight to Jaeger, the pleasure building like pressure inside him. His legs began to curl up against his body as he tried to push his hips up into Jaeger. Their moans filled the tent, with Jaeger giving a soft cry when he bottomed Philip’s cock out inside him.

  Unable to lay there, just holding to Jaeger, Philip reached out and took hold of his mate’s straining cock. Jaeger’s back arched hard, his fingers digging fiercely into Philip’s chest. The entirety of Jaeger’s body went rigid and he cried out. Jaeger’s cock shot between them, his muscles bearing down around Philip.

  Philip hadn’t realized how close to the edge he’d been until Jaeger found his release above him. The pleasure of the man’s muscles squeezing around his cock, and the sight of his mate losing himself to the sudden surge of pleasure was all it took for Philip. His own muscles tightened, his hips pushing up into Jaeger with a sudden thrust. With a desperate yank, he pulled Jaeger down toward him, one hand cupping the back of the man’s head and pulling their mouths together.

  Philip’s cry of pleasure was muffled by their kiss. Ecstasy raced through every inch of his body as he poured deep into his mate. They clung to one another, lost in their sudden haze of erotic pleasure. Tingling from head to toe, Philip hung onto Jaeger until their orgasms had passed.

  When the moment ended, they were left gasping and weak. Jaeger buried his face in Philip’s neck, his breathing ragged and his legs trembling. Using what little strength he had, Philip wrapped his arms around Jaeger’s back and eased him onto his side, rolling with him. They lay there, on their sides, pressed close to one another in a blissful fog. They said nothing for the longest time, content to savor the moment, breathing in one another’s scent, and enjoying the realization of what they had done.

  “Perfect,” Jaeger managed once his breathing evened out.

  Philip smiled, stroking a damp lock of hair out of Jaeger’s face. “Better than I ever dreamed it would be.”

  They’d only been able to dream of being so close, of knowing one another so intimately. Philip couldn’t tell if the years of yearning was the dream, or if the moment they’d just shared felt like the real dream. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and feelings, though joy and hope were the most prevalent. It felt like his mind was floating along on a warm, fuzzy cloud, and he couldn’t quite see the ground yet.

  “Going to sleep on me?” Jaeger asked with a teasing smile.

  “And miss this? Not a chance,” Philip told him.

  Jaeger smirked. “Good, because I’m not done with you yet.”

  “Promise?” Philip asked.

  Jaeger snuggled closer. “Yeah, but for now, I just want to lie here with you.”

  It was all he needed to say, and Philip was inclined to agree. They’d left plenty unsaid in the past, but it felt as if they were somehow saying all of it now in this new silence. Philip had faith in their triumph in the upcoming battle with the usurpers, and hope for the future he and Jaeger had waiting for them.

  “Good, because I’m not letting go of you anytime soon,” Philip murmured, holding tight to Jaeger as they listened to the crackling of the fire outside the tent.

  Chapter Ten

  Jaeger

  It was a little cooler than he expected it to be, as he rose through the hazy sea of sleep into consciousness. The night had been so warm, so full of life, it felt oddly cold now. Still, a sleepy smile crossed his face as he snuggled down into the cot, searching through the blankets to find Philip’s warmth. They had spent the entire night wrapped around one another, and Jaeger thought it odd that they had separated.

  His searching hand found nothing but empty cot and cool blankets. Jaeger’s eyes snapped open, his sight confirming what he’d felt. Philip was not beside him, let alone in the tent. Sitting up, he peered out through the tent flap, finding only the burnt-out candles and the ashes of the fire from the night before. The food lay with the drink, sitting in a tidy pile next to the fire pit, but there was no sign of Philip.

  “Love ’em and leave ’em,” Jaeger muttered, letting the flap of the tent drop before he let in even more of the cold morning air.

  As he dressed, he readied himself to make the trek back to the main camp. It would be just like Philip, flush with the excitement of his new decision, and the wonderful night they’d shared, to go rushing back to the main camp to get news of Minerva. It was also just like Philip to do all that and not want to wake Jaeger in the process. Though Philip kept a clamp on his more exuberant behavior around others, Jaeger had seen it more than once. When an idea came over Philip, he was bound to go running off in one direction until he found what he was looking for. Normally it was something Jaeger accepted as fact, waking up in the tent by himself however, left him a little grumpy.

  Sitting down to pull on his boots, he winced at the flare of an ache. Just like that, his annoyance at Philip was gone, remembering the night before clearly. It had been everything he’d ever wanted from their relationship and he was still struggling to believe it had actually happened. Walking into the clearing the night before had been like walking into a dream, and everything that happened afterward hadn’t helped dissuade him from that perception.

  Philip had gone out of his way to make their first night together as lovers special, and Jaeger thought he’d managed it spectacularly. In his most private of moments, Jaeger had always daydreamed about what it would be like to have a night, where he and Philip could realize their feelings for one another. The night he’d spent with Philip had been more magical than anything than even Orrin could summon up, and it was far better than the treacherous conjurer could have dreamt of.

  “A romantic king, wonders really never cease,” Jaeger murmured with a chuckle.

  As he pulled the rest of his clothes on, he gazed out on the clearing with some regret. The night had been wonderful, and he wished they could have more nights like it. If it were possible, he’d be tempted to stay in the forest for the remainder of their lives. Despite the cloud of treachery and duty hanging over them, both he and Philip had discovered something wonderful in the woods.

  He peered through the branches toward the sun. “We’d never be content to sit around and do nothing all day and night though, would we?”

  They were men who’d been raised on a heavy diet of duty and responsibility. Philip, despite all his fears and concerns, was already primed to take the throne. His dream, however secretly he might have tried to hold it, had always been to lead the kingdom as his father had, and without the likes of Orrin whispering in his ear. The Prin
ce deserved the chance to not only break away from the hold Orrin had held for too long, but the chance to forge a new future as he saw fit.

  Despite his role as the protector of the entire royal family, Jaeger had always thought of himself as Philip’s guardian. He’d failed in protecting the King, but he’d be damned before he let Philip fall into the clutches of Orrin and the regents as well. He didn’t know what Philip had planned for the battle ahead, but Jaeger knew he was going to be at the Prince’s side throughout all of it. Even if his skills might be used elsewhere, Jaeger was going to make sure he was beside Philip, fighting alongside him. Win or lose, he was going to help Philip till the end.

  His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Verity. The co-leader was without the robes Jaeger had seen the people of Arden wear so frequently. The majesty of the omega leader was lost without the flowing robes of earthen tones. Jaeger thought it made him look mortal and approachable. It also served to make the similarities between the two of them all the more apparent.

  Looking at the man’s dark features, Jaeger snorted. “So, were you born here, or did you come from the north?”

  Verity tilted his head. “I can’t say. I was found at a young age at the borders of the forest to the north. It’s believed I was left, either to die or to be found by the people here. This was during a time when the people of the north feared werewolves. Perhaps my mother sought to rid herself and the world of a problem, or simply hoped I would be found by other werewolves. I cannot speak for her.”

  “Your mother, huh?” Jaeger asked.

  Verity shrugged lightly. “I don’t know for sure, but I assume it was my mother, and that my father was a werewolf. I would never be able to know which werewolf was my father, if he was even still alive after I was born. It’s not uncommon for the people outside the forest to mate with one of our kind. Then, it was even more common for the children of that union to be abandoned.”