Shifting

by Shifting (anth. )(Rob Knight Editor)(Torquere)(lit)

  "Cool." Keith shook the stranger's hand, smiled. "Good to meet you... Tom, was it? Thanks for the tips. I appreciate it."

  Biting back another growl, Seamus cupped a hand under Keith's elbow, the signal clear. Mine. "Let's go, babe."

  Keith nodded, moving right into his space and following without another look to anyone else. Yes. His.

  Bruiser was right behind them, and it made him proud, made him give the kid a low sound of approval, but it also made him twitch. Time to switch, let Keith and Bruiser go ahead. It was his job to protect their vulnerable rear.

  Keith looked like a shadow next to Bruiser, dark and smaller, sensual where Bruiser was all hormones and hunger. God. His pack. They were fucking magnificent. Seamus wanted to howl his triumph, but managed not to. Still, he stalked Keith with a single-minded determination to get them home before he pounced.

  They made it through the streets, moving silent, even Bruiser sensitive to the tension in the air, the heat.

  Poor kid. Seamus knew it had to be hard on him, with the signals he and Keith were throwing out. He had to be careful, keep them going before the whole thing turned into one big hunt. He breathed a sigh of relief when they were up the stairs and in their place.

  Bruiser nuzzled Keith, then Seamus, getting their love before disappearing down the hall to his room, escaping the mounting heat between them.

  As soon as the door clicked shut behind the kid, Seamus was turning on Keith, snarling, pushing his mate up against the door and marking that long neck with a dark bruise.

  Keith whimpered, shook, head falling back with a low cry. "Marking me, love?"

  "Fuck yes." He rubbed hard against Keith, so fucking needy, wanting so bad.

  "Shit. Do it again. Fucking need you." Keith's hands clawed into his hair, pulled him closer.

  "Love." That throat called to him, and he bent again, lips and teeth worrying his mark. His.

  "Always. Yours." Keith's growl was sweet, hungry.

  "Yes." The clothes had to go. Now. Seamus ripped at them, shredding the cloth.

  Those low cries got louder, sharp and needy, the scent of Keith's passion making him ache.

  In. He wanted in, and he turned Keith to face the door, dropping to his knees to lick the bared ass he'd admired all damned night.

  Keith spread for him, hips rocking back as those thighs parted, offering him anything, everything. Fuck the teasing. Seamus went right for Keith's hole, opening it with his tongue, holding those lean cheeks wide with his hands. He wanted his mate wet and open.

  "Seamus! Love!" The cry rang through the room, Keith's nails clawing at the door, little hole twitching under his tongue.

  So ready for him, his Keith. So hot. Seamus gave that sweet spot one last lick and surged to his feet. His prick fit just right against it, inside it, scraping as he went deep, pushing in. Keith arched against him, hips grinding back onto him, hungry body pulling him right in.

  Growling, he started moving, slamming his hips against Keith's ass. In, out, the door creaking under the pressure of it, and that was what he needed. What he fucking wanted.

  Their fingers twined, Seamus stretching Keith against the door, beneath him, around him. He just fucking howled, shoving in over and over, feeling his mate with him every step of the way. Tight around him, hands tight under his, Keith just gave it up to him, so perfect.

  "Mate! Love you!" The growls vibrated down his spine to settle deep in his balls.

  "Yes!" They were safe, in their place, and Seamus could let the cry out now, deep and fierce and full of pride as he spent, hips snapping hard.

  It didn't take long before Keith tumbled after him, growling and moaning out half-words of pleasure and love and need.

  They sank to their knees together, still holding hands, and only then did he detach his teeth from Keith's neck. "Love you."

  "Oh, I love you. Seamus. Mate." Keith wrapped their arms around that thin waist, holding them together.

  "Yes. Mine." He nuzzled, savoring the moment. The last one they would have for a little while.

  It was time. He couldn't avoid it, as much as he wanted to. Fucking coward.

  It was time to take Bruiser to the pack.

  It was time for the pack to meet his mate.

  ~Chapter Twenty~

  There were things in life that were hideous and painful.

  Hangnails.

  Dental surgery.

  ABBA records.

  Mange.

  But traveling with a nervous, hormonal, excited teenager pouring off 'o fuck me now' hormones?

  That was hell.

  "Bruiser, if you don't sit still, I'm not going to let you sit near the window anymore."

  Bruiser whined lightly, but settled, and Seamus sighed, stretching restlessly next to him. "I don't blame him. This has got to be one of the worst torture devices man has ever invented."

  "You two are just too big to be comfortable." He dug in his pack for another occupy Bruiser thing. "Here's a new game for your gameboy, kiddo. Enjoy. How much longer do we have?"

  The kid gave him a grateful look and fired up the mini video game.

  "Maybe another hour. Then we're on our own. It's maybe another day's travel on foot before we hit packlands and you can bet after that we'll have a greeting committee."

  "On foot. Wow." He shook his head, shivering a little. "Where will we sleep?"

  "Tonight, you mean? We can sleep at the campground just outside town." Seamus grinned at him. He'd already heard about the "town" that was the most remote stop on the bus route. Gas station, post office, grocery and feed. Bus station. That was it.

  "Woohoo." He grinned over, shook his head. It was kind of cool, almost an adventure.

  Well, except for the Bruiser, worrisome, uncomfortable, sleeping on the ground, possibly getting his ass kicked by a bunch of packmembers part.

  "No worries, babe. Bruiser will be sleeping with us so we can hold him down, so we'll all be warm." The grin was purely wicked, Seamus teasing him like crazy, one hand casually resting on his thigh.

  Keith snorted and pinched his mate. "I'm not worried. Excited, really. I want to see my girls, see Grania. See where you grew up."

  Bruiser twitched and shifted at talk of the twins.

  Horny little brat. To be fair, though, they were Bruiser's best friends as well, and badly missed.

  Seamus just nodded and petted him. "I want you to see, too, before it's gone. It's still wild enough now. but some day..."

  Eyes sad, Seamus shrugged. "Well. It will be gone, yeah?"

  "Yeah. I'm sorry, love. Don't you all own the land? Can't you keep people off it?"

  God, he couldn't decide whether to feel guilty or sad or what.

  "We don't have ownership legally. That was never our way." He got a grin. "Stop feeling all guilty. I can see it on your face. Grania is working on it. Maybe we could get a preserve or something."

  "Guilty? Me? I'm not... Well, not really. It's just... I hate to see you sad."

  "I'll live. If we never had to expand I would never have met you."

  Oh. That look made him wish they had a room to lock Bruiser in tonight.

  "I..." He grinned and squeezed Seamus' knee. "I can't imagine that. Not at all."

  "Exactly. Bruiser, if you put that game in your mouth I will beat you to death with it." The bus had to stop soon, because Seamus was growly, eyes flashing gold.

  Bruiser was panting, whining, and Keith turned to him. "Chill out, pup. You think the girls will be excited to see us?"

  "Yeah. I think so. And by now? They should be excited to see fuzzface here, too." Wresting the gameboy away from Bruiser, Seamus stuffed it in their duffel bag, grimacing at him.

  Bruiser growled and Keith rolled his eyes, patting the pup. "Come on. We're almost were you can get off. I mean, run around. I mean, Bruise. Be good."

  That made Seamus laugh out loud and Bruiser blush painfully and smile at him. Poor kid needed to get off in the worst way, he could smell it. He imagined everyone coul
d.

  Seamus did some patting too. "I can see the lights from town, kid. Ten more minutes. Tops."

  "Cool." Keith nodded, color high. Yeah, he could stand a bit of running around himself, a few hours out of the stiff vinyl seat.

  "So, we'll stop in town, pick up some supplies, head out and camp tonight. Then tomorrow we run wild." That grin was Seamus' hunting grin. Feral. "We'll give you an hour Bruise, and you give us one, and then it's safety in numbers. We sleep together."

  He shivered, nostrils flaring and ducked his head, knowing his eyes were shining. Oh, running wild. Out in the open. Oh. Oh, the thought was fascinating.

  Leaning closer, Seamus brushed against him, and he could feel his mate's heat. "You like that, huh, cub?"

  "Yeah." He gave a soft, little whimper, looked into Seamus' green eyes. "Yeah, love. I do."

  "Me too." Seamus' voice was a low growl, raising the hair on the back of his neck. "Can't wait to get out on the land with you, cub."

  Poor Bruiser was just as affected as he was, whining and shifting.

  He wanted to lean up for a kiss, a lick, a taste, but he figured Bruiser would bite him on the ass.

  Twice.

  Hard.

  By the time the bus pulled into the tiny station, they were all three of them vibrating, breathing hard, and drawing a few looks.

  They were the only ones who got out here, the rest heading northward. The air was drier here, cooler, new and fascinating scents everywhere.

  As soon as the bus was gone, Seamus pulled him into the shadows next to the station and kissed him. Hard.

  He stretched up along his mate's body, rubbing, pushing needy sounds into that hungry mouth. Yes. Please. Need. Love.

  "God, I needed that, cub." Seamus panted, hand moving over him. "But we need to get our shit before the store closes. Damn it."

  He growled and nipped, wanting, but he backed off. "Let's do it then. I... I'm not going to be fit to take around for too much longer and Bruiser needs to run."

  "I hear that."

  They went into the tiny store, Bruiser hanging back, holding a bag in front of him, and picked up enough supplies to hold them two days, as well as a few camping supplies for that night. The wait was excruciating while the old fart behind the counter totaled them up, and then they had to make sure they were well and truly out of town before they could let Bruiser go.

  Finally they left the lights of town behind, nothing but brush and grass and dirt and sky all around them. "We got to let him run now, Seamus, yeah? Let him free?"

  "Yeah. He'll find us." Seamus grabbed Bruiser, looking right into the pup's eyes. "You come back. You've got an hour. You get in trouble, you let out a howl so loud the pack will hear you, you got it?"

  Bruiser nodded, whining, offering up a low, rough bark in agreement.

  Keith grinned, watching Bruiser dance. Their boy of very little words. "Be careful, Bruise, yeah?"

  Seamus let Bruiser go and the kid was off like a shot, leaving them everything he'd been carrying.

  "Gotta love youth, eh?" White teeth flashed in the dusk and Seamus led the way to the campsite. "But that gives us some time alone, cub."

  "I could handle a little while alone with you." He kept sniffing the air, eyes watching each and every bird and bug and bat that flew by. "It's so different out here."

  "Yeah. Makes all of the things you try to keep dead come alive yeah?"

  Seamus knew, so well. Probably better than he did. In the city the sounds and smells could overwhelm. Out here, he wanted to experience them.

  "Yeah." He was bouncing a little, chewing on his bottom lip, rubbing against Seamus every chance he got.

  "Soon, cub. Soon."

  They got to the campsite, finally, and Seamus marked it as their territory, making the rounds and checking it carefully before coming back to him and pushing him down, just like that, coming down on top of him.

  "Hi." Keith wrapped around that big, beautiful body, growling low.

  "Hi, cub. Need you."

  Sharp teeth closed on his neck, marking him.

  The grass was soft and tickled his nape, made him arch up and offer Seamus more skin.

  Above him, Seamus was hot and hard and abrasive, nipping and rubbing. He could see stars over Seamus' shoulder, brighter than he'd ever seen in his life.

  "Oh, love! I need!" He wrapped around Seamus, rumbling into the air, nails dragging down Seamus' spine.

  "Yeah, babe. Yeah. Too much cloth."

  Big hands. Seamus had such big hands, and they were tearing at his clothes, Seamus growling and licking and just driving him crazy.

  They were wild, sounds dark and sharp barks that filled the air, Seamus' eyes bright in the darkness.

  Soon they were naked, Seamus sliding between his legs, lifting him and spreading him, pushing against him. Rutting on him.

  The kisses were sharp, toothy, as their bodies slammed together, his hands almost claws on Seamus' shoulders.

  Big and hot in him, Seamus moved and thrust and grunted, snarling at him, begging him. "Love you, cub."

  "Yes. Seamus. Mate. Love you." He arched, belly and throat bared for his Alpha, his lover. "Love you."

  Seamus all but howled, pressing him down into the ground, sharp twigs poking at his back as Seamus pushed into him so hard. So hard it hurt, but the pain was good and right, and Seamus shot into him, hard and fast and so hot it burned.

  It filled him, pushing his own seed out to splash against his belly as he cried out in pleasure.

  Bending, moving quickly, Seamus licked him clean, taking him in before moving to kiss him. "Needed that, cub. So bad."

  "Yes. Needed you." He licked his own flavor out of Seamus' lips. "Am I... Are we going to be able to be together there?"

  "Anyone who looks at us is gonna know we're a mated pair. And the pack isn't weird about it, if you get me." Seamus settled atop him, warm and heavy. "We should get the blankets and shit."

  "They're going to know? Really?" He grinned, nuzzling. That was cool, knowing that anyone who saw them would know Seamus was his mate.

  "Hell, yes. They'll be able to smell it on us, see it in the way we talk and touch. We're mated for life, cub. Count on it."

  "I do." Keith nodded. "More than I knew I could."

  ***

  Sometime before the hour was up, Bruiser came into camp, nude and shivering, and Keith set about taking care of him while Seamus set up camp.

  It was so cute, the way his cub clucked and fussed, bundling Bruiser into about five layers and berating him. Still, Bruiser looked a lot less tense, and Seamus was feeling almost mellow himself, so it was all good.

  It was particularly good being out in the open. Seamus didn't realize he missed it quite so much until he stepped off the bus, and he could smell grass and leaves and...

  Well, he wouldn't give up his cub for anything, and he understood the necessity of what they were doing, but it was nice to be home.

  "Babe? You two ready to eat dinner? Cold sandwiches tonight?"

  "Yeah, love. Mister Bruiser is warm and his belly's rumbling like he's starving." Keith grinned over, winking at him.

  "Cool. That way we don't have to have a fire."

  Seamus was never sure if it was ancestral memory, or just inbred caution of drawing attention, but they were still too close to people for him to be entirely comfortable starting a fire.

  "You know that means we're going to have to snuggle tonight..." Keith sashayed over and settled in his lap, eyes bright and dancing, laughing. "Let's start now."

  He laughed out loud, petting and nuzzling. "You're full of piss and vinegar, cub. Bruise? You think you can make ham sandwiches?"

  Thank God Bruiser had gotten out his wild oats, because the kid grinned and nodded and set to making them dinner and he and Keith were able to, well, snuggle.

  Keith cuddled in, joking and laughing with Bruiser, teasing gently, encouraging Bruiser's wit, the pup's humor.

  Damned if the kid wasn't taking on a personality
finally, and he was a good looking one too, with his blonde hair and blue eyes, stocky frame speaking of strength. Seamus was damned proud of him, and proud of himself and Keith, too, for doing a damned good job.

  The sandwiches were huge, sloppy, but they tasted fine -- fine enough that he and Bruiser had seconds. Keith laughed and teased, eyes gleaming as they followed the bugs and moths fluttering in the night air.