by Anya Byrne
With a howl that rivaled that of Landon's wolf, Angel came. Spurts of sweet and salty cream filled Landon's mouth, and he swallowed every single delicious drop. His mate lost his balance, his knees giving out because of the force of his climax, but Landon caught him before he could fall.
Now on his feet, he lifted Angel in his arms and turned off the tap. It took a bit of clever maneuvering to dry them both off, which was harder than it should have been given that Landon hadn't come yet. Nonetheless, he managed. Eventually, he carried his mate into the bedroom and gently set him on the mattress.
For all his earlier climax, Angel looked disgruntled. With his hair all over the place from the shower, he reminded Landon of a pissed off bird fluffing his feathers to point out his irritation. "You didn't come," Angel pointed out.
"I have plenty of time," Landon replied as he climbed onto the bed with his mate. He licked Angel's ear and drew a shudder from his lover. "I'm nowhere near done with you, Angel."
Chapter Three
Throughout his life, Angel had received many requests of courtship. Despite being doves, it was not unusual for one of their kind to be unable to find his or her mate, so most people sought out the companionship and affection of others to fill that void. Such a union would never be as perfect as a true bond, but it didn't make it any less real.
Angel had refused each offer, because in his heart, he hadn't wanted to make a promise he couldn't keep. He had waited, holding onto the hope that his mate was out there, and that they'd find each other eventually.
He'd never been happier for his decision than now, when Landon was touching him all over, showing him what it meant to be with his other half.
Angel's earlier orgasm had chased away some of his urgency, but he remained very much aware that Landon wasn't in the same situation. He was tempted to reach out to his mate and suck Landon's cock, to drive him crazy just like Landon had done to him, but the werewolf didn't seem to want that—or at least, he didn't show it. His hands roamed over Angel's cheeks, his nose, his mouth, then traveled down his neck and abdomen. His lips soon followed the same path. He was once more exploring every inch of Angel, just like he'd done in the shower, and Angel wasn't selfless enough to complain.
Still lax and a bit dizzy from the orgasm, Angel completely surrendered to his mate's ministrations. When Landon's hot mouth enclosed his nipple, he arched his back and gasped. Landon caressed his hip, a silent assurance that he would give Angel everything he wanted, and more.
Angel's cock was already hard again, his body responding to his mate's proximity and masterful touch. Landon released his nipple with a wet pop and whispered, "Close your eyes, my angel. Relax and let me take care of you."
Angel complied, although something wicked stirred in his chest. He would indulge his mate for now, because Landon needed this reassurance. But Angel also wanted to take care of his mate. It went both ways, and Angel couldn't wait to show Landon that.
He reassessed the thought when Landon's wicked tongue continued to explore his body. Okay, maybe Angel's little plan could wait. After all, there was no rush. They had already agreed that they had plenty of time—all the time in the world.
It was strangely peaceful, to acknowledge that, to finally understand he at last had what he'd been waiting for. Some people would have almost called it anticlimactic. It was just so easy to fall into the haze of lazy pleasure, to succumb to the hypnotic spell Landon weaved around him. Angel wondered if werewolves had magic. He didn't think so, but maybe Landon was special. It definitely felt that way to Angel.
Every swirl of tongue seemed designed to draw the most sensation and to convey just the right message. Nerve endings Angel hadn't even been aware of flared to life under Landon's careful ministrations. From the hollow of his throat, to his chest, his bellybutton, and down to his toes, everything Angel was became the target of Landon's gentle ruthlessness.
Landon's hands were never idle either. Those clever fingers zeroed in on Angel's groin, rubbing his taint, massaging his sac. Sensations piled on top of one another, making Angel's body vibrate with pent up bliss.
He would have undoubtedly come already if not for the earlier blow job. As it was, he held on—just barely, but he did.
Oddly, it wasn't a touch that snapped the frayed edges of his control. Rather, it was a phrase, three simple words that reached out to Angel's very core.
There was one moment, a single moment when Landon lifted his head and murmured, "Angel... My mate."
It was like a switch was flipped in Angel's mind. His eyes shot open and he suddenly knew that above all else, he needed to show Landon that he felt the same. Before his mate could figure out his change in mood, Angel shoved Landon off. His lover's eyes went wide and in his shock, he fell back on the bed, just like Angel had wanted him to.
The thing about most bird shifters was that they were sorely underestimated. Doves in particular looked delicate, which often translated into people thinking they could do whatever the hell they wanted without Angel being able to retaliate. This was actually the main reason why he'd ended up at the anger management class, since a stupid human had decided Angel's choice of outfit irritated his sensibilities. Despite his injury, Angel's arms still remained very strong, and he'd proven it quite eloquently to the man.
Naturally, Landon's mistake was nowhere near as frustrating. In fact, it was nice to be able to surprise the werewolf. It wasn't necessarily that Angel had a point to prove, but to him, to any dove shifter, a bond meant sharing—everything and anything. It meant entwining their lives and understanding one another, accepting flaws and struggling through dark times side by side. Finally, it meant building a family, a nest, raising squabs who'd one day find mates of their own.
Landon and Angel were just beginning their story, but every step of the way was important. "It's my turn now," he told his mate. "Don't forget, someone has to take care of you too."
Landon opened his mouth, perhaps intending to protest, but Angel didn't allow it. He gripped Landon's erection in his fist, jacking his mate off lazily. Landon released a sort of half-growl, half-moan sound that Angel had decided was unique to just him. "Angel..."
Even if Angel would have liked to make things last, he couldn't resist the husky tone of Landon's voice. He reached for the nightstand and blindly rummaged through the drawer. Thankfully, he found the half-full bottle of lubricant without too much effort.
The maneuvering around meant that he couldn't focus on Landon as much as he'd have liked, but his mate didn't seem to begrudge him that. He waited for Angel, although he didn't do so patiently. Angel noticed with no little amount of satisfaction that Landon's fingernails had turned into claws, and he was currently tearing straight through Angel's sheets.
It was strange, but Angel realized he wanted that. He wanted both Landon's gentleness, and his fierceness. He knew Landon was worried about hurting his arm, and it frustrated him that it was yet another obstacle his father had set in his path. But Angel didn't want to think about that now. Today, he could fly. He could love and he could be—and nothing, no one else mattered.
He opened the tube of lubricant and squirted a generous amount on his fingers. Once more, he took hold of Landon's dick, spreading the slick fluid all over the shaft. Landon hissed and tossed his head back, the tension in his muscles speaking volumes of the control the werewolf was trying to exert. Just a little longer, Angel mentally told his mate—even if Landon couldn't hear him.
Once he was satisfied he'd prepared Landon enough, he set about doing the same thing for himself, or at least, the equivalent. He reached for his own hole and inserted two fingers in his body. He was already a little stretched after the shower, and in all honesty, his touch felt nowhere near as good as Landon's, but he got the most amazing kick out of the way Landon looked at him—like he was the most beautiful thing in the world.
Under the circumstances, Angel couldn't linger on foreplay for much longer. He slid his fingers out of his channel and positioned his body ov
er Landon. He planned on impaling himself on Landon's hard cock, but his mate had other ideas.
At the last moment, his lover's hands landed on his hips, taking control and keeping Angel from making any abrupt motion. He didn't actually prevent Angel from moving, but he did slow things down.
Angel went along with it, if only because he'd never actually done this before. Despite his stubbornness and determination, he knew better than to believe he was an experienced lover. As such, he let his mate set the pace, and he was not disappointed.
The head of Landon's dick popped past Angel's ring of guardian muscle, drawing a moan out of him. The entry burned, yes, Landon's girth far more significant than that of a few fingers. Even so, Angel loved it. The slight pain made everything more real. Each individual sensation became sharper, every color brighter and more intense.
Landon took his time, and Angel moved with him, as slowly as his mate indicated. Finally, Landon was fully inside him, his cock filling Angel to the brim. It felt so good it was almost unbearable. Angel's head was swirling, and he could barely breathe due to all the sensation swamping his body. The position allowed Landon to go deeper inside Angel than would have been possible otherwise, and Angel had never felt more owned and more complete in his life.
It was a perfect moment, or at least it seemed that way until Landon finally started to move. Landon's cock brushed against Angel's prostate, and bliss exploded over him. His thought processes collapsed, the instincts of his shifter rushing to the fore.
This was not the first time Landon's presence reminded Angel of flying, but now, it was no mere memory. In his mind, he could truly see himself soaring through the skies, his wings extended as he braved the wide horizon. He dared to fly higher, and the sun's rays blinded him, but he wasn't afraid. The heat was welcoming, all-encompassing, pure perfection. It burned Angel from the inside out, but it also built him anew, like he was no mere dove, but the legendary phoenix.
As Landon thrust up inside him, Angel pushed back, riding his mate, seeking more of the addicting sensations. He heard himself cry out, but he didn't know what he said. The words themselves didn't matter, but the result definitely did, because Landon finally allowed himself to let go.
The deep, but slow thrusts exploded into an almost punishing rhythm. Landon snarled as he moved in and out of Angel, fucking him for all he was worth. At first, Angel tried to match Landon's rhythm, but in the end, he found that he could not, and he stopped trying. He simply held on, allowing the storm of his mate's passion to engulf him.
All the while, he did his best not to look away from Landon's handsome face. The grimace twisting the werewolf's features could have been interpreted as pained if not for the feverish, hot look in Landon's green-gold eyes. It was those eyes that told Angel what was about to happen, giving him the warning and the opportunity to back out. Of course, Angel didn't. He tilted his head, offering his throat to his mate, waiting for what he knew would come.
Paradoxically, the knowledge didn't truly prepare him for the nearly agonizing pleasure that exploded through him when his mate buried his fangs in his flesh. Their bond slid into place, and both of them came at the same time as emotions, sensations and memories crowded in their shared mind, threatening to overwhelm them. Angel felt Landon swell inside him, the head of the werewolf's cock thickening and continuing to stimulate Angel's prostate. He had heard rumors about the knotting thing werewolves did, but he'd never thought he'd experience it, or that it would feel like this.
And beyond the carnality of the moment, there was just... them. Angel couldn't hope to explain it otherwise. He and Landon were one, their minds, souls and bodies completely in synch. Angel soothed Landon's wounded heart, assuring his mate that he'd never be alone again, but that went both ways. Their feelings fed on one another, chasing away all potential doubts and fears. Landon's voice drifted into Angel's mind, full of undisguised affection. "My mate. My beautiful dove."
"Yours," Angel confirmed simply.
He couldn't muster the focus to say or think anything else, but he didn't have to. It was enough, since their souls and bodies spoke for them.
Angel had no idea how long it lasted—a second, or an age—but it still seemed to end far too soon. Landon released his hold on Angel's throat and licked the wound with the same worshipful care he'd washed Angel in the shower. They collapsed together on Angel's bed, although Landon's knot didn't allow them to separate just yet.
As they caught their breaths, Landon kissed Angel's sweaty nape and murmured, "You know, I thought I was ready for the moment I found my mate, but you... You're more than I could have ever expected."
"Mmm... You're not so bad yourself, Alpha."
Landon chuckled. "I think I like it when you call me Alpha in bed. Somehow, it doesn't feel like a burden anymore."
Both of them winced as Landon slid out of Angel, and the sensation was so distracting Angel almost missed his mate's following words. "My pack will be disappointed that I won't have heirs, but they'll deal."
Landon was probably trying to prepare Angel for the unavoidable moment when he'd have to deal with the realities of the werewolf world, but he failed abysmally. Angel turned around and faced his mate, hiding a smirk. "Landon... You do know that male dove-shifters can carry children. Don't you?"
Landon just stared at him, and for some reason, that struck Angel as hilarious. He burst into laughter, loud, open chuckles that left him as breathless as their lovemaking had. Landon huffed at him and caught his arms in a half-hearted attempt to stop him. "You mocking me?"
"I wouldn't dream of it, Alpha," Angel somehow managed to say.
He didn't mean the words to come out seductively, but they did. An instant later, they were kissing again, and the last thought that occurred to Angel was that, if he wasn't pregnant already, he definitely would be very soon.
Epilogue
A few weeks later
Landon ran through the undergrowth, wishing not for the first time that they lived in a more open area. He stole a look toward the sky, but he had very little chance of tracking his prey. Sadly, wolves weren't really meant to hunt down doves.
Still, Landon had never been one to give up easily. Where his senses failed, he pursued his bond with his mate, following his lover as Angel flew up above. It wasn't that he didn't trust his mate's flying skills. Angel's wing had recovered completely, to the extent that even the wariest of doctors had given him a clean bill of health. However, they had other concerns right now, just as relevant and important as Angel's previous injury.
Landon couldn't hope to deny Angel the freedom of flight, so here he was, tracking his mate in a completely unplanned trek through pack lands. Angel had practically dragged him out and asked him to come along, so Landon had to admit that it was nice to enjoy the wild with his mate, even if they were far apart.
Then again, their bond kept them from truly being separated, no matter the distance. In fact, even now, the connection vibrated with the exhilaration his mate experienced in the sky above. Landon's satisfaction at letting his wolf out combined with it, and it was almost as intimate as sex, their minds completely attuned to one another.
It was for that reason that Landon realized what his beautiful lover had in mind the second he stepped into the large clearing. Angel dive bombed toward him and would have probably landed on his head if Landon hadn't shifted at the last moment. Angel did the same, and when they came into contact, they were both in human form.
"You really shouldn't be so reckless," Landon chastised his mate. "You could hurt your wing again."
Angel rolled his eyes and danced out of his reach. "You worry too much. I have to fly. It's good for us."
Landon was sure that his mate knew what was best when it came to this particular topic, but it still irked him. There was very little he could do when Angel was flying, and he'd vowed to protect his mate.
"You're keeping us safe, Landon," Angel assured him. "You always make sure no human is around to shoot me down. Your pack lan
ds are safe for me to indulge. I promise I wouldn't take this chance if I wasn't absolutely sure it didn't risk our children."
It was true. Angel was incredibly protective of their unborn babies, even more so that Landon himself. Ever since they'd learned about Angel's pregnancy, they'd both agreed on seeing a specialized Sidhe doctor to make sure there would be no complications. The woman had told them everything was in order, and she'd also given them advice on what to do over the following months—including the extent to which Angel was allowed to shift and fly. She had, in fact, recommended that Angel go on flying sessions during the first weeks of his pregnancy, before the size of his shifter became an impediment for it.
Still, Angel and the children were so precious to Landon that the concern had become an integral part of him. "I suppose I can't help but be nervous," he admitted. "Sometimes, it feels like it's all too good to be true, and I worry."
"I won't tell you to stop," Angel replied, cupping his cheek with a gentle hand. "I admit that I also have my moments of anxiety. I've always expected having eggs, and now, it turns out that it's not possible. But that's okay, Landon. We're doing everything right. Your pack is learning, and so are we. Yes, this pregnancy is unusual, but stranger things have happened. The most important thing is that our babies will be well-loved."
Angel was right, of course. It was another lesson the Lone Wolf Pack had taught Landon, and not just him. Before the Gathering, many people would have been surprised at the idea of male pregnancy, but for the most part, the news had been taken in stride. In fact, the females of Landon's pack were very excited, anticipating the arrival of two babies as adorable as Angel. Landon was convinced that some of the elders would eventually start making noises, but mentalities and opinions were changing. People had begun to understand that, much like Flowerchild Jameson had once said, love, not anger, was the most important thing.