Chapter Four
“Here’s the bill,” the waitress said.
Tommy dug out his wallet, biting his lower lip as he counted the bills there. Not wanting the Omega to feel embarrassed, Abel took out his own wallet and paid for their meal.
“Why did you do that? It was my treat,” Tommy grumbled, a furious look in his eyes as Abel got out of the booth.
“Felt like it.” Abel walked out of the restaurant.
Tommy struggled to keep up with his pace. It was nice, treating someone who appreciated a good meal. Most of the time, Mac would order the most expensive thing on the menu and take a couple of bites. In the first place, Mac wouldn’t have agreed to eat at the local steakhouse, preferring fancy or ridiculously priced restaurants instead.
“Abel.” Tommy whined.
They exited the restaurant and stood in the parking lot now.
“I get it,” Abel explained. “You and this brother you mentioned probably need all the savings in your bank.”
Tommy narrowed his gaze.
“It happens all the time. My parents moved here, too, with the intentions to join the local pack twenty years ago, with nothing but a dollar in their joint bank account.”
“Your parents?” Tommy asked. There was interest evident in his voice.
Mac had never cared about his past, but Tommy seemed curious to know more about him—another oddity.
“Dead, died in a car crash in my teens,” he replied.
“Oh gosh, I’m sorry. My parents died when Steve and I were little, too. He took over the role of dad and brother.”
Abel smiled. “Sounds like your brother did a great job in raising you.”
Tommy blushed, and until then, Abel hadn’t thought a sassy Omega like Tommy was capable of being shy.
“He’s kind of overprotective though. Fine. I’ll let you off the hook once, but I’ll treat next time. Deal?” Tommy asked.
Abel sighed. “You have more guts than sense, little Omega. No wonder you attract trouble easily.”
“You said so yourself, Trent and Daniel are bullies who had what was coming to them.” Tommy grabbed his arm, the simple motion sending an electric jolt up Abel’s arm. “Will you be in serious trouble?”
Big baby blue eyes met his, so full of concern and fear for him.
Abel breathed hard, aware of his dominant wolf, so close to the surface of his skin. Fuck. His mind went back to that clumsy yet sweet kiss he shared with Tommy. Heat went straight to his dick, making his jeans uncomfortably tight. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt like this, possessive over an Omega he just met, a stranger.
Even with Mac, his wolf never got primal or so consumed with hunger. This Omega was just doing strange things to his head. That was all. Where were his thoughts going anyway? Here was Tommy, worried for him, and he was being an ass, trying his best to hide his hard-on.
“Abel?” Tommy prodded.
He tried to remember Tommy’s question and sobered. “I’ll deal with it.”
“Don’t do that. You sound like my brother, when he’s lying to me about how bad a situation really is.” Tommy angrily kicked a small pebble in the way.
It sounded like Tommy’s brother had been in a lot of fights for his sake, but Abel understood why. Tommy was a looker, but other dominant shifters might want to take advantage of him. Tommy might be unable to bear children, but he was still an Omega, a slave to his genetic mark-up to please a dominant wolf.
Too bad most assholes these days conveniently forgot one basic fact—the role of dominant shifters was to protect their weaker mates, and it made Abel angry to think some jerk assumed Tommy was easy pickings.
“Um. Your wolf feels really angry now. Did I say something wrong?” Tommy made the mistake of stroking his arm.
A snarl slipped his lips. “I won’t lie to you, little wolf.”
Abel didn’t sound like himself, and he had no clue who this new him was because he’d never been this assertive or aggressive around anyone else before. He went on. “I’m this close to losing control around you. As for Trent and Daniel? If they touch you again, I’ll kill them.”
Abel realized with a shock, he meant every word. It didn’t matter those two were candidates for pack enforcers. When he’d flung them around, they seemed like weak and breakable dolls. More importantly, they’d made the vital mistake of hurting what rightfully belonged to him.
So what if they were playing the pretend game? Tommy was as good as his, and the gorgeous Omega clearly wanted him, too.
That was the wolf’s line of thinking. Abel leashed his feral inner animal and took deep breaths. Tommy stared at him. Did he spook the Omega?
“I knew there was a beast in you!”
“Wait. Why do you sound excited?” he asked.
Tommy shook his head, eyes glinting with mischief. “So we’re really doing this? Am I going to be your pretend boyfriend?”
“Yeah, I guess so. In return, I’ll vouch for you and Steve when I talk to Butch about his two idiot cousins.”
Abel meant every word. He might not have that much of a standing in the pack, but he’d changed things today by proving he wasn’t a pushover to Trent and Daniel. Steve and Tommy needed to stay in town, because Abel needed Tommy to be there. Tommy calmed his wolf, was unlike any other guy he’d ever met.
Part of Abel also still couldn’t believe this was happening, that a sweet, bold Omega like Tommy would be willing to play a role so he could win back Mac. Too bad that last part of the plan no longer seemed to matter as it should. Utilizing his newfound change in personality, he returned Tommy’s smile. “I’ll drive you back home.”
****
“Who the fuck dropped you off?” were the first words that came out of Steve’s mouth the moment Tommy unlocked the front door.
Not wanting the neighbors to overhear their argument, Tommy shut the door firmly behind him, took deep breaths, and confronted his brother.
Steve stood by the dining room, arms crossed, disapproving look on his face—an expression Tommy was familiar with. God knew he loved his brother, but sometimes, Steve took being overprotective to a whole new level. So he found ways to sneak out whenever Steve was gone, but this time was different. Abel was different.
Mate, his wolf reminded him, but he didn’t dare pin his hopes on that word too much. Abel’s heart still belonged to someone else. All they had was a beneficial arrangement. For now.
Tommy looked at his brother in the eye and decided to tell Steve the truth. “That was Abel. He’s part of the local pack, and he says he’ll help put in a good word to Butch about us.”
Steve narrowed his eyes. “It’s true then. I overheard a rumor that my little brother got in the middle of a fight between pack members.”
“They started it,” he blurted. “They hit on me, and when I said I wasn’t interested, they turned nasty. If Abel wasn’t there, who knew what could have happened?”
Steve considered him for several seconds. “And what does Abel want in return?”
“Nothing. Well, I’m going to pretend to be his boyfriend.”
More silence. Steve always had a knack of detecting whether Tommy was lying his ass off.
“What’s this strange werewolf to you, Tommy?” Steve finally asked.
“You’re not mad?” he asked, surprised Steve was taking this all in stride.
“I also heard those two werewolves were bullies, but I never heard of this Abel. Tommy, when you spoke about Abel, you sounded different. You like this guy.”
It was a statement, not a question.
“Abel’s different from other dominant wolves I’ve met before.”
“Tommy,” Steve ventured, letting out a tired sigh. “I’ve heard this song before.”
“It’s true,” he insisted. “Abel’s not like everyone else, and he’s the quiet kind of hero who hangs out in the background but whose true strength shines when someone’s in trouble.”
“I’ll be the judge of this Abel,” Steve fin
ally said.
That was good enough for Tommy.
“What about the two werewolves who caused the fight in the first place?” Steve asked.
“Abel says he’ll take care of the problem.”
“That’s quite a confident answer.”
Tommy wondered at that, too, seeing as Trent and Daniel were related to the Alpha.
“I’ve had a long day. If the interview’s over, I’m hitting the sack,” he said.
“I’m sorry for being harsh on you, little bro. Just worried, that’s all.” Steve pulled him into an awkward hug, which he returned.
Once Steve retreated to his own bedroom, Tommy locked the door to his own. He took out his phone and scrolled to Abel’s number. Abel answered on the first ring.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” were the first words Abel asked him.
Abel’s concern touched his heart. “I’m just worried about you. Will you really be fine, dealing with your Alpha?”
Abel grunted. “The pack Beta, Leon, called me just as you left. I’m scheduled to meet him tomorrow at the pack house.”
“Good. I’m coming with you.”
“Excuse me? No way in hell.”
“Me being there will help support your case. After all, you got yourself in trouble for my sake.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I just happened to pass by, and someone had to teach those assholes a lesson.”
“If you say so,” Tommy replied, sounding nonchalant. By now, he knew Abel a little better. Abel might pass the incident off as nothing, but Tommy knew Abel was in deep trouble. “Anyway, it’s settled then.”
Abel growled. “What part of ‘no’ did you not understand, Omega? Don’t tempt me to pull you over my lap and give you a spanking.”
A shiver of anticipation crept down his spine. The image instantly rose up in his mind, of being draped over Abel’s thighs, naked and squirming, while Abel played with his cock and balls with his big and callused hand. Thank God, he had a retort ready.
“I promise you I’ll take my punishment like a good pup.”
Abel cursed. “There’s no winning with you, is there? Fine. You can come, but I’m warning you, let me take the lead. If a fight breaks out, don’t interfere. I can handle myself.”
“Then I’ll stand on the sidelines, ready with a first-aid kit.”
Silence.
“You’re something else, aren’t you, Omega? Why hasn’t some nice dominant male claimed you?”
Tommy blushed at the high praise and swallowed. “Most men I’ve encountered found me lacking.”
“Then they’re all fools. Good night, Tommy.”
“Good night.” His voice came out a little breathy, uncontrolled.
Tommy ended the call, staring at his phone a couple of seconds before realizing he sported a boner. Deciding he needed a shower, he made a beeline for the bathroom, stripped down and fucked his hand, with one particular gorgeous dominant male in mind.
Once the hot water hit his body, he curled his fingers around his shaft. It was Abel’s hands he imagined, stroking his dick, holding it captive, and Abel’s torso, pressed up against his back, Abel guiding his dick between the cleft of his ass, seeking his hole.
Tommy moaned low in his chest, visualizing Abel prying his thighs open and sinking his leaking cock into his entrance, stretching him wide, rutting him, Abel’s heated mouth on his pulse, canines kissing his skin. Once Abel clamped his teeth down the side of his neck, Tommy was Abel’s forever. Tommy came, spurting strings of his cum against the wall to that powerful erotic image.
Chapter Five
Abel stared outside his car window a couple of seconds, before letting out a breath. Two pack soldiers, Ted and Jacobs, stood guard outside the River West pack house. Several cars he recognized belonging to other werewolves lined either side of the road, too, telling him this meeting could go ugly.
He should have known guys like Trent and Daniel wouldn’t take defeat lying down. At the very least, Tommy seemed to have gained some common sense and didn’t show. A wave of conflicting disappointment filled him at the same time though. Were the wolves inside waiting for him to take a beating from Trent and Daniel? It seemed Abel only got fired up when someone else was in danger
The knock on his glass made him bite back a snarl. Tommy’s grinning face stared back at him. He opened the car door. Tommy stood to one side so he could get out.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded with narrowed eyes. Secretly though, his wolf was pleased their mate came to support him on the sidelines.
Mate?
Abel was getting comfy throwing that word around when they were merely playing pretend at this stage in the game.
Tommy frowned cutely at him. “Didn’t you say I could come?”
“I’m surprised your brother let you.”
A guilty expression crossed Tommy’s face.
“Ah-ha,” he said. “Why don’t I call you a cab and send you home?”
“After spending an entire hour picking my nicest clothes to meet you?” Tommy planted his hands on his hips, silently fuming at him. Perhaps the Omega was going for intimidation, but Tommy’s pout only made Abel grasp the back of Tommy’s neck and take the Omega’s lips.
Abel didn’t imagine the hint of fire between them when Tommy had given him their first clumsy kiss. Tommy now leaned in close, responding with passion that rivaled his own. Abel sucked on Tommy’s upper lip, nipped on Tommy’s lower one. When he prodded his tongue against Tommy’s teeth, Tommy opened up so he could deepen the kiss.
When he pulled away, Tommy panted, eyes wide, their moment shattering when a familiar voice called out his name.
“Abel?”
He turned his head, still not quite recovered from the kiss, to see Mac, leaning against Forest, one of the pack’s high-ranking soldiers and another candidate for pack enforcer. Abel didn’t know what to expect, rage to wash over him perhaps, turn him into a feral, jealous animal. Except when it came to Mac, there was only resignation.
It took a while for the truth to dawn on him—that whatever it was between Mac and him, it wasn’t love. Mac never failed to remind Abel that he settled, but why should Abel settle for a selfish and vain bastard like Mac?
Tommy must have read the awkward situation, because he promptly took charge and closed his slender fingers against Abel and faced Mac. Mac narrowed his eyes at Tommy.
“Who’s this?” Mac demanded.
“Me? I’m Abel’s new boyfriend,” Tommy answered automatically, eying Mac up and down. “You must be Abel’s old news.”
Abel would have choked on his next words, but remained silent.
“This is the Omega you started a fight with Trent and Daniel for?” Forest asked him. If it weren’t for Tommy stroking his forearm, Abel would have been tempted to break the asshole’s neck. Forest frowned. “That was reckless, Abel.”
Abel didn’t know much about Forest, save the fact the guy was younger than he was, and opportunistic, someone eager to climb the ranks without learning the basics first.
“Reckless?” Abel asked in a careful tone, his wolf on the surface of his skin, ready to prove to this foolish werewolf who was more dominant. He hardly recognized himself. The way this new him was acting was unlike the old hesitant him that preferred to remain invisible.
Forest looked at him warily now. “Daniel and Trent are calling for your blood if you don’t make amends and surrender this Omega. He’s not even part of the pack.”
Tommy sniffed. “You don’t think Abel will win against two overgrown bullies?”
Mac laughed, the sound stabbing at his insides. “Don’t you know? Abel’s a coward. If you’re looking for a protector, then Abel’s the wrong guy.”
Abel looked coldly on Mac, whose perfect mask slipped for a second to reveal uncertainty. Like Trent and Daniel, Mac was quick to judge by appearances and underestimate him. Tommy being by his side bolstered his confidence, gave his wolf a reason to fight.
“
I pity you,” Tommy murmured to Mac. “You’ve had a great guy like Abel by your side all this time and never realized it. Shall we?”
Tommy turned to him, and he nodded. A smidgen of satisfaction filled him as they walked away from a stunned Mac and Forest.
“I can’t wait to see Daniel and Trent make you taste dirt,” Mac yelled.
Once upon a time, Abel had taken mean comments like that to heart but not anymore. He felt like a different man. No, that wasn’t exactly right either. More like this was the true self he’d been hiding under layers of self-doubt and insecurities. Even Ted and Jacobs looked at him differently as he approached.
“Butch’s expecting me,” he said.
Ted nodded curtly at him. “The Alpha’s waiting in his office, and this is?”
“Tommy, he’s my potential mate.”
They shared looks but nonetheless let him and Tommy through without any arguments, after making sure Tommy wasn’t armed. Tommy’s fingers began to sweat in his, so he gave Tommy’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Tommy smiled back at him, but he could tell the Omega was nervous.
Abel met another hurdle to the Alpha’s office. Leon, the pack Beta, narrowed his eyes at them.
“Abel, only a fool would come willingly to his execution,” Leon said.
Tommy turned sheet white at those words and stared at Abel. “Execution?”
Sensing his Omega needed reassurance, he reached out, stroking the back of Tommy’s neck until Tommy relaxed a little. His Omega? Since when did Abel started seeing Tommy as his? It sounded right though, perfect.
Abel’s wolf no longer thought Tommy and he were playacting, but considered this a mating game where he would emerge a winner. First though, Abel had to make sure assholes like Trent and Daniel would never touch Tommy again, and then he could make himself a better and worthy mate for a sweet Omega like Tommy.
“We’re just here to sort out manners, that’s all,” he told Tommy with confidence he felt. For the first time in his life, purpose filled him. Mac had never been his final stop, because Mac was a pitstop to Tommy all along.
Leon looked taken aback by his answer. “You seem different today, Abel. Your wolf feels more aggressive, too, confident, but don’t let recklessness be the death of you.”
Just the Way You Are Page 3