Apex

by B. A. Stretke

  The guys were all seated around the room. They were dragons and valued personal space so having them accept Chance was as important as having Chance accept them. They would be living in close quarters, so trust was important.

  Calum felt Chance tense as they entered the room and he got his first look at the lot of them. They were doing their best to look friendly and inviting, and Calum appreciated their effort. Bryn was the first to step forward and reached out his hand to Chance.

  Chance immediately leaned forward and accepted Bryn’s hand with a tremulous smile. “Nice to meet you Chance, I’m Bryn Keith, Calum’s little brother.”

  Chance was off balance, but he wasn't scared. The men in the room were huge and intimidating for sure, but they didn't scare him. He didn't know if it was because Calum stayed close to his side and he knew Calum could and would protect him, or if the guys were as easy as the vibe they were giving off.

  "Nice to meet you too, Bryn. You have a beautiful home, and I appreciate you all letting me stay. I won't be a bother, and I won't get in your way." Chance wanted to stay, he didn't want to go to the shelter.

  "I'm sure you'll fit right in, Chance." Bryn smiled and slapped in on the upper arm. Chance nodded and returned the warm, welcoming smile Bryn had given him. Bryn looked a lot like Calum although a few inches shorter and there was a light-heartedness about Bryn that Calum did not possess.

  Chance met each man in turn and found that they all were not what he'd expected. They were friends and family that had been traveling together for a very long time. They were well spoken and mannerly, and they all exhibited a friendliness towards him that hoped was genuine.

  The only one that seemed a little standoffish, but not in a rude way, was Alrick. He was guarded and careful with his words. Chance understood Alrick's acceptance and that his friendship had to be earned.

  Following the introductions, Bryn announced that they’d ordered Chinese and they all went to the dining room for dinner. Chance had not expected such hospitality, but he wasn’t going to turn down dinner, besides Calum was his ride, so he had to stay for dinner.

  They sat around the large, roughhewed table that fit perfectly with the décor and talked and talked. They were very skilled at getting Chance to talk about himself, and he accommodated their curiosity until it came to Blake. The whole debacle with Blake and his friends was a humiliation that he did not want to discuss it over dinner.

  "We simply want to be prepared, if your cousin or his associates become a problem." Alrick clarified, and it sounded reasonable, but Chance realized that these men were being forced to take on his problems and that wasn't fair.

  Chance looked around the table and then over at Calum who was seated next to him. "I shouldn't stay here. I can go to the shelter, I've stayed there before, it's safe enough. They lock the doors at ten." He started to push his plate away and get up, but Calum had his arm around him instantly and was pushing him back into his chair.

  “You’re staying here. You’re not going to a shelter, I won’t have it.” Calum’s tone was firm and clear.

  "I'm not your responsibility. I don't want you and your friends having to deal with my problems. This is your home, and you deserved peace and quiet not a renter who is going to open the door to a bunch of bullshit conflicts." Chance wanted him to understand that he didn't owe Chance anything. "Thank you for everything you've done for me and thank you for making me this offer, but I can't accept. I've been on my own for a long time, I will be okay." Chance forced a smile he wasn't feeling.

  Calum was about to lose his shit. Everything was going so perfectly and then suddenly something was said, and Chance starts to see himself as an imposition. "I don't know what it is you think you heard, but no one here considers you to be trouble. We are a biker club, we eat trouble for breakfast. We couldn't give a shit about your cousin or what he thinks he can do, trust me he's never met people like us. Now, you are accepting the room, and you are moving in tonight." Calum cut a stern look at all his men who were nodding and giving Chance every possible expression of approval and agreement.

  Chance looked conflicted and glanced around the room trying to read each man, which he couldn't. Chance was never able to read expressions that were explicit, but he tried. Okay, he would accept and within the first week, he would know the lay of the land and if everyone was truly on board with his presence. He got paid next Friday, which was a little over a week away. Calum said he could pay his first month's rent at that time, but he wanted him to move in immediately. He'd give it a week, if things didn't work out, he'd pay for the week and find something else. There, that was a plan.

  “Okay, I’ll stay, but if anyone is uncomfortable with the idea, please tell me.” Chance gave them the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons. Although Calum was not so accommodating.

  "If anyone has a problem with Chance moving in, they can get the hell out!" Calum raked his gaze across every face in the room daring anyone to speak. It was Bryn who finally commented with a subtle grin playing around his lips.

  "No one is uncomfortable, and no one has a problem, brother. We are all pleased that your friend has come to stay with us. We look forward to many others joining us in the very near future." Bryn raised his water glass in toast to the future, and everyone joined in.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Calum brought Chance upstairs to his room, which was easily three times as large as the one he rented from Blake. "This is fantastic. Are you sure three hundred is enough?" Chance looked around the room and sat down on the large king bed in the middle of the room. He'd never slept in anything so large, and frankly, he couldn't wait.

  “Three is fine, now come I’ll show you the bath. It connects your room and the one next door.”

  “Who’s next door?”

  Calum looked completely innocent when he answered. “I am.”

  "Oh, okay." Chance was glad it was Calum, and he would rather share a bathroom with him than with Blake any day of the week. "All of my things are at Blake's. I don't have much, but I'll need to go back there to pack."

  “Not necessary.” Calum walked up next to him and took his chin between his thumb and forefinger. He tilted Chance’s face up to his. “After Blake goes to work, I have two of my men going in to get your belongings. If they forget something, I’ll go back for it myself, but you are never going back there.” Calum’s flashing green eyes were consuming him. They were so mysterious and left Chance feeling like he was someone special.

  "You're doing so much, and as much as you claim the rent is fair, we both know that you're giving me a gift. I don't know how or when I can ever repay you." Chance dropped down onto the edge of the bed and wrung his hands briefly before dropping his gaze to the hardwood floor. "I've had a bitch of a life. I don't want to burden you with my sad story, but I want you to really know how much your help has meant to me. My parents kicked me out when I graduated. I wasn't quite eighteen yet, but they handed me a hundred bucks and told me to be on my way. At seventeen, you aren't considered an adult, and there are a lot of things you can't do, but you're also not considered a child, so child services don't give a shit about you. It's a gray area, and if you're thrown out, well you just have to survive to eighteen, and then you can get some assistance." Chance felt Calum come over and sit down beside him and wrap his arm around him. It comforted him like nothing before in his life.

  "I lived in the shelter for a while since I was only working a part-time job. The counselor there helped me get into school, and I did one year. It gave me a place to live and food, and I took classes that I thought would benefit me in my life. I had no delusions of completing a degree. One year of student loans was all I could afford, but it gave me breathing room, and I was able to get a job at the salon, and I ultimately moved in with my cousin. I thought it was a good deal at the time, but as things got increasingly unpleasant, I tried to leave, but I never had enough money to leave. Blake always came up with bills for me to pay and I paid them." He turned and looked at Calum and h
oped that he wouldn't see pity on the man's face. He was surprised to see anger, not what he was expecting.

  Calum listened as his mate described his life and it infuriated him. In the dragon culture, family was paramount, and children were a blessing and a gift. He hated hearing such cavalier abuse of someone they were supposed to care for and protect. He wasn't blind, and he'd traveled the country for years and heard many unpleasant things, but this was his mate and Chance deserved better than the life he was given.

  “Your parents abandoned you?” He asked for clarification and Chance nodded but looked away. “What about your brothers, I was told you had two older brothers.”

  "They don't even know me. They were both out of the home by the time I was born. I don't even know why my parents bothered to have another child. It didn't make sense." Chance answered, but Calum was still confused.

  “Were they in boarding school or were that much older than you, why were they out of the home?” Calum felt Chance tense so began a slow messaging circle on his lower back with his thumb.

  “They lived with my grandparents in New York, there was never any contact between us.” Chance scrunched his shoulders and glanced over at the window. “I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your help. It means a lot to me.”

  “I will always be your champion.” Calum gathered Chance into his arms and cradled his head against his shoulder. “You can always count on me, I will always be there for you.”

  Chance hadn't expected the emotional fallout, but he couldn't stop the tears once they began. Apart from Dane, he had no one to turn to. He had no one who gave a shit if he lived or died and now this man, who any normal person would fear, was telling him everything he ever wanted to hear.

  "I know we haven't known each other long, but I'm asking you to put your trust in me. I recognized you as important to me the moment our eyes met in that reflection, and the feeling has only grown stronger with time." Calum whispered softly to Chance as he continued to hold him and let him cry.

  “There’s a lot about me that you don’t know yet and some things might scare you. But I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will never let you down.” Calum kissed the side of Chances head and cuddled him closer, pulling him over and onto his lap. Chance went willingly and did not resist.

  Chance cried until all the tears he'd held inside for so long were released. He didn't feel embarrassed or ashamed by his outburst but rather relieved by it. Calum held him and did not judge, and that was the greatest gift he'd given him so far. He thought that to be the greatest gift until he dropped his head back onto Calum's forearm and Calum captured his lips in a kiss that out did every other so far.

  Calum set his nature free when those beautiful blues full of tears stared up at him. He took Chance’s lips and owned them. He held his mate in his arms and went in to devour. Chance buried his fingers in Calum’s hair and held on, a full participant in what Calum was doing. Calum thrust inside over and over tasting his mate’s sweet flavors and memorizing every contour. This was his mate and Calum wanted him closer and wanted him to stay secure in his arms forever.

  Chance had been with other men before, not many, but he knew that what he was feeling for the man who was holding him was much more than just lust. He felt too right, and the amazing sensations that rushed through him at his very touch was incredible.

  Chance could feel Calum's body as it pressed against him and his need to experience more became imperative. He wantonly pressed his ass down onto the growing bulge beneath him. Calum's desire was obvious, and he hoped Calum was feeling the need as acutely as he was.

  Calum rolled so as to put Chance’s warm, supple body beneath him on the bed. He trailed his kiss down Chance’s throat and across his shoulder, pulling the thin cotton shirt to one side. He wanted to taste his mate and further their bond so he dropped his hand and cupped Chance’s hard cock and gave it a squeeze. In the same instance, he sunk his fangs into Chance’s shoulder tasting and marking his mate for all others to see and respect.

  Chance moved against the firm grip and moaned his delight. He felt a sharp pain on his shoulder, but it morphed so quickly into the most erotic sensation ever. Calum was doing so many wonderful things, Chance ran his hands over Calum's arms and traced the muscles of his back. It was wonderful, and Chance decided that he wanted this man, so badly.

  Calum unbuttoned Chance’s shirt and slipped it off as he continued to kiss every exposed inch of Chance’s body. “You’re beautiful, Chance, fucking beautiful.” Calum tugged at Chance’s pants and pulled them down his hips. “I want to touch you, Chance.”

  "I want to touch you too." Chance answered breathlessly. Calum was kissing him, and Chance was losing his mind.

  “Anything you want sweetheart, anything.” Calum grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it off, he wanted to feel skin on skin with his little mate. He wanted to feel Chances soft skin against his own hard muscle.

  He lifted Chance and placed him in the center of the bed and stretched out on top of him. His hand went back to Chance’s now naked cock and began a slow rhythm gradually sending Chance over the edge. He moaned so lovely against Calum’s chest. The brush of his warm breath and the touch of his curious hands was exhilarating.

  Calum moved down Chance's body kissing and worshiping the thin frame and soft angelic flesh. He was human but he was strong, and he belonged to Calum Keith, Chieftain of Clan Keith. He would mark the beginning of the new age for the Shetland Dragons. He kissed the side of Chance's cock and tightened his grip as Chance began to thrust and moan. It was sending his dragon into a near mating heat that once started would not end until they were both thoroughly sated and marked inside and out.

  Calum pulled back his dragon and concentrated on pleasuring his mate. This was all about Chance, and he needed to maintain focus. His little mate was not yet ready to complete the bond, but Calum wanted a taste, and he wanted Chance to experience what they could be together

  Chance was going out of his mind with Calum stroking him and the touch of his lips on his most sensitive areas. It was something Chance had never experienced before. He thrust without thought and then couldn’t stop. Thankfully Calum had no problem with bringing him to completion.

  The feel of Calum's breath and the vibration of his whispers was heady and wonderful. "Don't stop, Calum." He managed to say although breathless and on the verge of coming. He should stop, show some control, some decorum, but it was impossible with the things he was feeling. Calum was magnificent.

  Calum sped up his strokes as he sensed Chance nearing the edge and just as Chance was letting go, Calum leaned up and took Chance’s lips in another scorching kiss. He wanted to taste Chance’s words of ecstasy as they poured from his lips.

  Chance came hard, covering Calum’s hand and his own abdomen with thick warm seed. He came and came until he finally slumped back onto the bed and reached down to halt the abuse of his now tender flesh. He covered Calum’s hand with his own.

  Calum slowly released his lips and stared down into lust blown blue eyes. "You are the most beautiful man I've ever seen." He said, and Chance looked at him and simply smiled. It was a look of pure excited innocence.

  “You’re the beautiful one. You make me feel like I’m someone worthy. I love that feeling.” Chance wasn’t sure what he was saying, it was just feelings that he was desperately trying to put into words.

  "You are special, and you are perfect." Calum kissed him again, it seemed he couldn't get enough. He held his mate until Chance's breathing and his heart beat both slowed back to normal. He then straightened and moved off the bed, and went into the adjoining bath. He came out a few moments later with a warm, wet washcloth.

  Chance had tried to sit up and was attempting to stand when Calum pushed him back down and began to clean his abdomen and groin. It was so intimate and so caring that it brought another tear to Chance’s eyes. Calum cleaned him thoroughly and then helped him with his pants and shirt, making sure he was fully dressed before l
eaving the bedroom. Chance could get used to this kind of treatment. He kissed him again before they left the room.

  …

  Chance was standing at the reception counter, and his mind was not on work. All he could think about was Calum Keith. So much had happened in such a short period of time, it was hard to believe it was all real.

  He had a new place, it was comfortable, and everyone was welcoming. After that first little hiccup at dinner, the guys went out of their way to make him comfortable. And then there was Calum, words could not describe the feelings that rushed through his mind and body at the mere presence of the man. He'd intimated that he found Chance attractive and last night he showed Chance pleasure like he'd never had before. Chance couldn't get his mind off the thrill of having someone treat him so tender like he was special and yet so carnal like he was the sexiest thing around. It was reckless, he knew that, but he couldn't deny himself Calum.

  “Hey, answer the damn phone!” The harsh tones of his boss Angela tore through his daydream and brought him back to earth with a thud. He grabbed the phone and his pencil and put his mind back on work. On his first break, he went into the alley and called Dane. He wanted to tell him of his good fortune. Unfortunately, Dane was a realist and soon was sucking the pleasure right out of Chance’s good mood.

  "You hardly know these men, Chance, how could you move in with them?" That was Dane's most bruising question. He'd asked himself that too, but the vibe he got and the comfort he felt overruled his usual skepticism. How could he explain a bone-deep feeling to Dane and have him believe it? "Come to the café on your lunch hour. We need to discuss this and figure out something safer for you than moving into a biker gang's spare room."

  "They're not what you think, Dane. They're a bunch of good guys, and they're doing me a big favor. Come and meet them for yourself." Chance worked hard defending his new roommates, but in the end, Dane had him promising to meet him at the cafe. Perhaps if he could see how happy Chance was, then he'd understand. He headed over to the café at one thirty, his lunch hour was anywhere between one and three depending upon the client flow.