by Shea Balik
He saw Talon put his hand on Blade, but Forest just couldn’t look away from those stunned dark brown eyes, burning into him with such love it blew Forest away. Those firm lips started moving, and Forest thought he must be dreaming when he saw Blade mouth I love you.
“What do you want me to do with the kid?” a voice too close for comfort asked.
Glancing to where he heard the voice, Forest saw Raptor and one of the goons that had chased him into that alley packing up. “Kill him,” Raptor said.
Before Forest knew what was happening, Blade and Talon entered the room he was in. The goon talking to Raptor now had a hole in the back of his head. The goon on the other side of the room received a hole in his forehead, right between the eyes.
Blade practically jumped in front of Forest to protect him, while Talon faced off with Raptor. Kai and Hunter stepped inside, shielding Blade while he picked Forest up to carry him out of the room.
“Gods, pup, I never thought I’d see you again,” Blade said as his lips slammed into Forest’s as soon as he’d taken a half-dozen steps away from the bunker. Wyatt and Paytah surrounded them while Blade dove deep into Forest’s mouth as if he were trying to crawl inside him.
When he finally broke the kiss, Forest blurted out the words he’d fought so hard to get to say to his mate, “I love you.”
Tears streamed down Blade’s cheeks. “I love you too,” Blade said as he pulled Forest closer, burying his face into Forest’s neck.
“Let’s get out of here,” Talon said as he came out of the bunker with a grim expression on his face. Before Blade passed him, he looked at Forest with a somber expression. “I can never express how sorry I am for what my brother has done to you, but he’ll never be able to hurt another living soul again.”
Forest placed his hand on Talon’s arm before he could walk away. “Nothing Raptor did was your fault. I’m sorry you had to be the one to kill your brother.”
“Thank you,” Talon whispered. Leading the way out of the tunnel, they went back to their vehicle. Wyatt, Paytah, and Evan stayed behind to clean up while everyone else went back to the abandoned house.
As much as they knew they needed to report back to the Alpha Primus, no one was in the mood to do that just yet. Raptor may have deserved to die, but he’d still been Talon’s brother. The fact that Talon had to be the one to kill him, left him in a sour mood.
Blade held Forest in his lap the entire trip to the house. He’d felt ridiculous sitting like that but he could tell his mate was pretty shaken up, so Forest had allowed it. When they got to the house, Blade had carried him straight to the bedroom they had been using, kicking the door shut behind him.
What Forest expected, he couldn’t have said. Blade climbing into bed with him and holding him close hadn’t been it. Sex had definitely been involved, or at least a fight about running off.
Sure he’d almost died, but Blade didn’t know that, did he? Tilting his head back, he gently kissed his mate. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Blade just stared at him, making Forest wonder what had happened while he’d been fighting for his life against death itself. Figuring Blade would talk in his own time, Forest just lay there enjoying being in his mate’s arms once again.
“I thought you were dead,” Blade suddenly blurted out. His voice was rough, like sandpaper had been run across his vocal chords.
Forest didn’t know what to say. He could only imagine what Blade had gone through while thinking his mate was dead. If it had been the other way around, Forest wasn’t sure he would have survived.
“My only thought, the only thing that kept me moving, was to kill Raptor.” Blade’s voice cracked as he couldn’t finish.
It wasn’t hard to figure out what he was about to say though. “He didn’t kill me. I’m right here.”
Blade pulled him tight against his hard body as his mouth slammed into Forest’s, devouring him like a starved man. After nearly dying, Forest couldn’t help needing to feel alive once more. Apparently Blade felt the same as he ripped the clothes from Forest’s body.
“This isn’t going to be slow,” Blade warned as he grabbed the lube and coated his fingers before shoving two fingers deep within Forest’s ass.
“Ungh!” he grunted. Showing Blade that he was on the same page, Forest wrapped his hand around Blade’s cock, stroking him with a firm grip. “Please, Blade I need you inside me now,” he begged his mate. To punctuate his words, Forest leaned over and bit Blade’s nipple.
“Fuck, pup, you’re driving me out of my mind.” Blade flipped him so Forest was on all fours before lining his cock to Forest’s puckered entrance. “You sure you’re ready?” his mate asked him.
Forest didn’t answer. Instead he pushed back against Blade’s cock, impaling himself. Fuck that burned, but it was so good Forest didn’t stop moving until his mate’s dick was buried balls-deep in his ass.
A growl of warning was issued by Blade before his hips were gripped by his mate’s large hands, forcing him to stop moving. Then Blade took full control as he pounded Forest’s ass. The sensation of being held still as his body was used for his mate’s pleasure had Forest on the edge in seconds.
But each time he was close, Blade would back off, slowing down and leaving Forest wanting more. “Please, Blade, don’t tease me.”
His mate blanketed himself over Forest’s back. Blade kissed his ear before whispering, “I’m going to drive you out of your fucking mind. Then and only then will I let you come, pup.” Teeth bit into the fleshy part of his ear, eliciting another moan.
As much as Forest hated admitting it, he loved it when Blade dominated him in bed and made him submit.
“I fucking love the noises you make, pup,” Blade told him as he started a hard rhythm once more.
His body was on fire, keeping still was no longer an option. His back arched as he tried to get Blade deeper. His actions elicited a warning growl from his mate. A shiver of pure lust shot through him at the sound. The need to be pinned completely by his mate, to be forced to submit, had him rocking his body back.
Blade’s grip on him didn’t allow Forest to move much, but it allowed enough for Blade to do what Forest was too afraid to ask for.
One hand came off his hip to grip his neck. “Is this what you need, pup?” Blade whispered against his ear before pushing Forest’s head into the mattress.
With Blade effectively pinning his shoulders to the bed, with his ass high in the air for his mate to use as he wished, Forest was right where he wanted to be. No, it was more than that, it’s where he needed to be. Having his needs met by his mate settled something within him even as he edged closer to his orgasm.
His cock twitched. A slap resounded through the room as the sting to his ass had him whimpering for more.
“You like that, pup?” Blade asked with another slap to his ass.
Not able to form words, Forest grunted, hoping Blade would understand. He must have, as his mate’s hand came down to meet his upturned ass once more. There was no stopping the orgasm barreling through him this time. Lightening shot up and down his body, erupting out of his dick to shoot ropes of pearly white seed below him.
His ass clamped down hard on Blade’s cock. “Fuck, pup,” Blade shouted as Forest felt his prick thicken before spraying his channel with his cum.
Endorphins pinged throughout his body as he lay there slumped on the bed with Blade draped over his back. Both of them were panting hard. Completely at peace, Forest drifted on the high.
Blade gently pulled out of his ass, but Forest still felt the loss of his mate’s cock. As long as they were having sex Forest, didn’t mind submitting, but when Blade pulled out, it triggered something deep within Forest and all those self-doubts about what he allowed his mate to do slammed into him.
He hadn’t even realized Blade had gone into the bathroom for a washcloth until he felt Blade cleaning him off. Like a kid. Those derogatory thoughts wouldn’t stop. Maybe he should demand to fuck Blade. The man did say they
were equals, so shouldn’t he get equal time shoving his cock up the man’s tight ass?
The problem was, Forest wasn’t really interested in doing that. He loved being filled. In the past, he’d tried to fuck other men, but he just didn’t enjoy it much. Was something wrong with him?
Lips pressed against his, forcing his attention back to his mate. Blade’s eyes watched him as they kissed. When Forest was completely back with his mate, Blade pulled back slightly. “You’re a million miles away. Is something wrong?”
Should he tell him? What if Blade laughed at him? Deciding he needed to trust his mate, Forest said, “Does it make me weak when I submit to you during sex?” It was really what was bothering Forest the most. He tried so hard to overcome any weakness, facing them head-on. It was killing him that he was not just willing to let himself be dominated in bed, but that he craved submitting to Blade during sex.
Dark brown eyes bore into his very soul. “Pup, there is nothing about what we do that makes you weak. Hell, I couldn’t do it. To give up control to someone, to trust them with your body, it’s the most precious gift you can give.”
The tightness that had been in Forest’s chest suddenly released, letting him breathe easier. His mate didn’t think him weak. “Does that mean you’re going to keep letting me train?”
Blade smiled at him. “Actually it means your training is going to get a lot harder. Considering all the trouble you keep getting into, you need to be able to defend yourself.”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I didn’t do anything that would warrant Raptor finding me. I was just walking down the street,” Forest complained.
“Speaking of which, you need to be punished.” In the next instant Blade sat on the edge of the bed with Forest draped across his lap, his bare ass on display. “I am still your trainer, and I believe I warned you that you are not to go anywhere while we are on missions without a backup.”
Shit.
When his hand came down on Forest’s ass, he knew this spanking wasn’t going to be anything like the one Blade had given him earlier. It hurt a lot more. There was no doubt his ass was going to be sore when this was over, and not in a good way.
Was it wrong that he was getting hard anyway?
Chapter 16
An hour later, the gang was downstairs in the kitchen while Rune got the Alpha Primus on video conference. It was nearly midnight, and they would probably be told to call back in the morning, but none of them could sleep, so they figured they’d get this over with.
Talon stood with his back against one of the counters looking lost. Blade felt for him and wished he could have killed Raptor for him. If he hadn’t needed to protect his mate, he would have gladly stepped in to take Raptor out.
Rune’s voice came through their earpieces. “Tobias, Rangi’s second contacted Alek. He’s nearby and will be on in a couple of minutes.”
Talon’s shoulders dropped for an instant before he stood up straight and headed to the room they had set up for communications. It was a tight fit, but everyone filed in behind him in a show of support.
It never ceased to amaze Blade how much his friends were here for one another no matter what. Most of them had shitty childhoods, yet through it, they always knew their friends were there to make it just a little bit better.
For Blade, they were the reason he had the ability to love his mate. He had no delusions that, if it weren’t for them, he would have turned into someone like Raptor. For that he would owe these guys for the rest of his life.
The picture suddenly showed Alek with Wolfe at his side. “I hope this means you have good news for me,” Alek said as a way of a greeting.
“Yes sir,” Talon answered formally. “Raptor was found and killed.”
Alek’s gaze that seemed to miss nothing, narrowed in on Talon. “I’m sorry you had to kill your own brother.”
Talon just gave a curt nod.
“Wolfe and I will be coming down in the morning. I expect to see all of you at the Alpha’s manor at nine sharp.” Before Talon could object, the screen went blank.
“They cut the connection,” Rune told them.
“Why the fuck do they need to see us?” Hunter asked. “And why at the manor?”
Talon stared hard at Forest. Forest’s cheeks seemed to be getting redder with each second that passed. “What do you know, pup?” There was no doubt Forest wasn’t telling them something.
Suddenly those red cheeks went white as Forest’s eyes widened in fear. “Please don’t ask me that. Alek ordered me to keep silent and I don’t mind admitting that man terrifies me.”
Blade growled in disapproval of anyone scaring his mate. In an attempt to shelter his mate from the perceived threat, even it was only in pup’s mind, Blade wrapped his arms around his Forest. “I won’t let anyone near you,” he half growled, half whispered into his mate’s ear.
Bright green eyes pleaded with him. “Don’t make me tell.”
“Don’t worry about it, Blade, I already know.” All eyes turned to Talon as they waited for him to inform them. “Alek is planning to make me Alpha of this territory.”
The silence was deafening as each of them took in the ramifications of what Talon just told them. They were all soldiers expected back to duty after this assignment. Even though they didn’t always get to see each other, they were usually in the same basic area of the world.
Now Talon would be staying there while they went back to battle. Suddenly Blade realized he would be separated from Forest when he went back to duty. He wasn’t sure his panther would tolerate the separation after almost losing his mate.
Forest told him what he went through to get back to Blade. It nearly stopped his heart to know how close Forest had been to dying. Forest was someone who couldn’t help but find trouble. How was Blade supposed to keep him safe if he was halfway around the world?
“Before any of you start feeling sorry for me, just know I’ll be keeping you here with me,” Talon told them before heading up the stairs to bed.
* * * *
The next morning they were up at five to make their way to the Alpha’s manor. They had to make it secure enough for the Alpha Primus to arrive. Since Raptor had been in hiding, all his cohorts had left the place, afraid they would be easy targets if they stayed behind.
It made securing the manor a whole lot easier, but there was still a chance booby traps had been left behind, so they had to meticulously go through the hundred and fifty thousand square foot monstrosity. The thing had over nearly three hundred rooms that had to be checked out. Not to mention the basement with secret tunnels.
It was exhausting, time-consuming work that left them all sweaty and dirty by the time the Alpha Primus was due to arrive. Even with the four hours they allotted themselves, not all the rooms had been searched, but they felt relatively sure the place was at least secure for now.
If Talon was right about becoming the Alpha, the team would take a week to go through it with a fine-tooth comb, making sure there were no listening devices or any other ways into the house they didn’t know about. With Raptor having lived here, anything was possible.
As they waited once more for the Alpha Primus to land, Blade quietly instructed Forest how to scan the land to search for intruders. He was impressed when Forest was able to spot Paytah, Wyatt, and Kai. The only ones he had yet to find were Hunter and Evan. To be fair, Evan was on the roof of the three-story house with his rifle.
“Impressive, pup,” he told Forest. This time he wasn’t about to make the same mistakes as before. The look of utter surprise on Forest’s face at the compliment told Blade he’d really screwed up before.
Before he could apologize, the Alpha’s aircraft dropped out of the sky to land on the back lawn. The lawn, like the house, was enormous with a surrounding tree line. Considering the rest of the territory was a near desert, it looked completely out of place with its lush green lawn. Clearly Raptor had water and earth mystics only used their abilities on this place and not to help out the res
t of the territory.
It wasn’t necessarily the goal to change the overall environment, but when they could, the mystics would encourage plant growth or rain while keeping the terrain the same. It was a tricky balance, one that the mystics seemed to have an affinity for.
This time the back of the plane opened first, and thirty soldiers streamed out. Ten broke off to surround the plane itself. Another five waited at the bottom of the steps at the front of the plane, while the other fifteen surrounded the property. Blade found it ironic that they didn’t bother to hide their location like they had the last time.
The front stairs dropped, and Alek Rykov came into view. Behind him was a smaller man, both in stature and muscle. Based on the way the Alpha was shielding the man, even when he clearly didn’t want him to, Blade would guess this was the Alpha’s mate.
“That’s Seth,” Forest told him and Talon.
Blade’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head when six more people streamed out after the Alpha and his mate. He recognized Wolfe and Rangi and Zeke from their conference calls, but he didn’t know the others.
“Oh Gods,” Forest groaned next to him.
Glancing over at his mate, Blade asked, “What?”
“Ian.”
Chapter 17
A squeal from the group erupted before a man who couldn’t have been more than a few inches over five feet came tearing across the lawn toward them. “Forest,” the man yelled as his hands started waving, trying to get Forest’s attention in case Forest had missed his antics until now.
“Ian?” Blade asked his mate.
“Yep.” Forest didn’t have time to say more as he was suddenly tackled by the short man. Blade wasn’t sure how such a short human was able to knock his mate over until he realized Ian wasn’t human. He was one of the werecreatures the psy had created.