by Anya Byrne
Very much aware of Argent's vulnerability, Sasha found his protective impulses flaring. His wolf reared out of him angrily, wanting nothing more than to remove the hostile presence from his mate's proximity. At some instinctual level, he could barely even identify his opponents—as parents, family members, or anything else other than a threat to Argent.
The elders must have noticed Sasha's shift in stance, because they took nervous steps back. "I suppose your mind is set, then?" Piotr inquired. "You want to go through with the challenge?"
"Yes," Sasha answered simply. He didn't think he could say more than that, since even that one word was an effort. In fact, it came out as a growl more than anything else. He had tried to stay calm and not allow his father to get to him, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
The scent of Argent's blood still lingered in the air, and Sasha instinctively wanted to replace it with something else, with the blood and terror of the man guilty for his mate's pain. A hint of apprehension appeared in his father's eyes before it quickly disappeared under a mask of anger.
"Insolent pup. I had no desire to taint my hands with your blood, but you leave me with no choice. I will make a lesson out of you, and weed your perversion out of this pack."
Sasha was not surprised by the man's response. His father was arrogant, but not enough to underestimate Sasha or realize the high chances Sasha had of winning. He also couldn't afford to show weakness, and his gamble with Argent hadn't entirely paid off.
Sasha had no doubt that his father would cook up another scheme to prevent the challenge, but in the meantime, he needed to get them out of here. He clenched his hands into fists, digging his claws into his flesh to remind himself that he couldn't rake them over the man's face.
"We shall see."
Mercifully, his mother must have realized Sasha was in no mood for further intrigue. She gripped her mate's shoulder in a barely noticeable touch that Sasha still knew to be quite biting. His father showed no real sign of sensing her touch. He freed his arm from her hold with no effort and glowered at Sasha. "We shall see, indeed. You will come to wish you had left the pack when you were given the chance."
With that final threat, Sasha's father pivoted on his heel and stalked out of the cabin. His mother and the elders followed. Vanya lingered for a few moments and shot Sasha a hesitant, inquiring look. Sasha smiled at his brother, telling him without words that all was well between them.
"Good luck," Vanya mouthed at him.
"And you," Sasha replied. He knew his brother could handle himself, but this was still a risky time, for all of them.
As Vanya left the cabin, Sasha turned his attention toward the man who needed him most. Argent was still in bed, under the covers, his gaze fixed on the spot where Boris had been. When Sasha closed the door, the tension seemed to drain out of his shoulders and he slumped back on the bed, trembling like a leaf.
Sasha rushed to his mate's side, immediately alarmed. "Argent? What is it, lyubov moya?"
"Not sure." Argent reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Whatever your father injected me with, I suppose. I've been trying to fight it, but... It's not really working anymore."
Sasha's heart clenched. He had no idea what kind of drug would have such an effect on a werewolf, but his parents had always been sickeningly resourceful. He had not realized how much the effects of the drug were hurting Argent, beyond the out of control arousal his mate had experienced. Now that he did, he wished he'd disemboweled his father regardless of the consequences.
But such regrets couldn't help him now. He slid into the bed next to Argent, feeling torn and helpless. As he embraced his mate, the tremors shaking Argent's body began to subside. There was nothing sensual about it, even if Argent was still naked. Truly, a part of Sasha couldn't help but be appreciative of the way Argent's athletic form fit just right with his own body, but he had no intention of pursuing anything sexual.
Were his scruples getting in the way of what his mate needed? Sasha wanted their first time together to be different, not tainted by the shadow of his father, but who was he to deny Argent if this decision caused his mate pain?
But no, he refused to let his father win, in this, and in anything the man might attempt against him. The desire between them was natural, and they would explore it, but not now, not when it was causing Argent pain.
Slowly, he released his mate from his embrace and turned him over. Argent made a sound of protest, but then, Sasha straddled him and let his hands roam over Argent's tense back.
"Relax," he whispered. "Close your eyes and relax. I'm here. You're safe. I'm not going anywhere."
He kept talking, reassuring his mate, sometimes slipping into Russian before he realized it and went back to English. All the while, he kneaded Argent's muscles, caressed every inch of naked skin he could reach. Shoulders, arms, back, then lower down, over his thighs, down to his feet. Despite his resolve, it was difficult to massage Argent's ass and not want to do anything more—moon help him, those pert cheeks tempted him too much to even process—but he did it nonetheless.
His efforts paid off, and soon, Argent was relaxing into the mattress, his body completely lax in Sasha's hold. His breathing evened out as he succumbed to slumber. Sasha toned down his massage without completely stopping, and then, once he was certain his mate was sleeping, rolled off him.
In his slumber, Argent looked at peace. Sasha covered his mate with the thick blankets and settled down to watch him, taking in every feature of his face, the curve of his nose, the fullness of his lips. He had denied himself this closeness in a misguided attempt to protect Argent, and it had failed miserably. Never again. Argent wouldn't suffer again because of Sasha's blunders, or the weight of his responsibilities.
Argent stirred in his sleep and curled closer to Sasha. As he placed his head on Sasha's chest, one word escaped his lips. "Sasha..."
Sasha half-thought his mate had woken up, but a heartbeat later, he realized that wasn't the case. He felt Argent smile, and his breath caught when he figured out the other werewolf was dreaming about him. Gently, so as not to disturb Argent's rest, Sasha wrapped an arm around his mate and held on. As his mind drifted to the challenge ahead, he knew he absolutely needed to win. He didn't doubt that other werewolves would be displeased when they'd hear about Sasha having a male mate, but he was ready for it, ready for everything they might throw his way. No matter what he had to do and who he had to fight, Sasha would not fail his mate again.
And then, he realized that his decision to take it slow had not lasted, and he'd already called Argent "my love." Smiling to himself, he succumbed to the unavoidable, and let himself believe and revel in the feeling growing steadily in his heart.
Chapter Three
Argent woke up warm and comfortable, enveloped by a soothing, familiar scent. He buried his nose in his pillow, not quite ready to abandon the sweet arms of slumber, but at the same time greedy for that delicious smell.
Several things happened at the same time. Argent realized that his pillow was moving steadily—kind of like a man's chest would when he breathed. A hand landed in his hair, petting lightly, and a fond chuckle swept over him like a caress. "You're awake then, lyubov moya."
Argent opened his eyes and looked up, facing the dancing gaze of his mate. Memories flashed through his mind—being attacked by Boris Maximoff, blacking out and waking up here, burning up, needing Sasha... Then Sasha's arrival, his rejection, his confession. There had been so many emotions that the artificial fire inside Argent had temporarily been extinguished by something stronger, deeper. He'd managed to endure Sasha's confrontation with his family, but he'd eventually collapsed..
He should have felt embarrassed by his weakness, but he didn't. Instead, he was warm inside, but this time, not because of some drug. Sasha had been so gentle with him. He'd cared for Argent without seeking his own pleasure, even if Argent had been more than willing to provide it. Argent was so happy for it now, because having his consciousness clouded
like that was not something he wanted to experience while bonding with his mate.
He shook off his thoughts when he realized he hadn't yet addressed Sasha's inquiring comment. "I suppose I am," he told Sasha, "although it sort of feels like I'm in a dream."
And it did, because over the past week or so, Argent had forced himself to accept the fact that his mate didn't want him. Now, here he was, in Sasha's arms, safe and desired. Argent would have almost felt grateful to Boris Maximoff if he hadn't known this happiness came at a price.
Sasha must have noticed his change in mood, because his smile faded into a concerned expression. "What is it? Do you feel ill again?"
Argent supposed that was one way of putting it. Yes, he felt ill at the realization of how much Sasha risked because of him. He'd never wanted this, to be a burden, a barrier in Sasha's path. "I jeopardized you," he whispered. "If not for me, you wouldn't be in danger of losing your pack, your family, everything."
Sasha cupped his cheek gently, and his once icy blue eyes held only warmth and affection. "None of this is your fault. If anything, I should have acted long ago. My father's abusive ways have lasted long enough. You reminded me of that, gave me purpose, courage. I'm more grateful than I could ever express."
Argent's heart started to race. He didn't want to seek empty reassurances like a child, but he still blurted out a hesitant question. "Really?"
He expected Sasha to laugh, but the other werewolf did no such thing. Instead, he leaned in closer and brushed a kiss over Argent's lips. His voice was soft and steady as he replied, "I would never lie to you, not again. I did it once when I tried to put distance between us, to protect you from him. From now on, there will be no more lies."
Argent was completely astonished. The weight of Sasha's trust should have burdened him, but instead, it filled him with awe. He hadn't thought anyone would trust him ever again, not after everything that had happened. He hadn't expected it, and had barely dared to yearn for it. But Sasha... Sasha was different. With him, for him, it was okay to hope again.
He wanted to reply, to tell Sasha that he would never lie either, that they were in this together. No words came. Instead, he cupped Sasha's cheek in turn and smiled.
It was not enough to convey everything he felt and couldn't say, but it sufficed as encouragement, as a signal he hadn't realized Sasha had been waiting for. The next thing Argent knew, Sasha was kissing him, his lips landing on Argent's with almost ferocious intensity. For a few seconds, Argent was taken aback, having not expected the onslaught of his mate's passion, but he snapped out of it quickly enough.
He wrapped his arms around Sasha's neck, groaning into their kiss and responding with just as much eagerness and desperation. Their tongues tangled, dueled in a battle neither of them was willing to surrender, at least not just yet. Argent craved Sasha's strength and dominance, craved it more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life, but he couldn't give up this balance. He needed to touch and be touched, to kiss and be kissed, to give and take, to claim Sasha and worm his way inside the Alpha as deeply as Sasha had already managed to get inside him.
A kiss couldn't possibly sate that hunger, the all-consuming ache that made Argent's head spin in its intensity. He clutched Sasha's shoulders so hard he broke straight through the material of Sasha's sweater and into the werewolf's skin. The scent of Sasha's blood filled the air around him, but the Alpha didn't seem to mind. He groaned into their kiss, his own hold on Argent tightening to the point of pain.
It became more than obvious that Sasha shared Argent's desire and desperation. He pushed Argent down on the bed and climbed on top of him, pinning him with his larger bulk.
Perhaps it should have made him feel trapped—especially after the whole kidnapping thing—but instead, he felt safe. Sasha's weight, his scent, his strength—they surrounded Argent in a cocoon that separated him from the rest of the world.
At the same time, it frustrated Argent that he was naked, while Sasha remained dressed. He could understand and even appreciate his mate's reasons, but the barrier of clothing was no longer necessary. With the drug burnt out of Argent's system, he could make his own choices—and he'd already chosen Sasha.
He would have tried to say all this out loud, but his wolf burst out of him almost angrily. His claws tore into the material of Sasha's sweater, and this time, he shredded it completely, no longer content with anything but skin to skin.
Sasha didn't delay in responding to Argent's passion. He bit down on Argent's lower lip, his hands traveling over Argent's naked sides, leaving trails of fire behind. Argent gave as good as he got. He mapped the muscular expanse of his mate's shoulders with greedy fingers, desperate to know every single inch of the man who was quickly becoming so important to him.
In his aroused state, he couldn't help a moan of dismay when Sasha suddenly broke their kiss and pulled away. He was so shocked by it that he even managed to muster a coherent vocalization of what he felt, in the shape of his mate's name. "Sasha…"
Sasha's ice blue eyes blazed with rising lust, turning dark, like a turbulent sea Argent could easily drown in. Still fixing Argent with those deep orbs, he left the bed. It almost seemed like he was ignoring Argent's plea, but Argent knew better. He could see the question in Sasha's eyes, patience warring with the desire to claim.
Argent couldn't speak any longer. He simply extended his hand to Sasha and leaned back against the pillows, unashamedly displaying his naked body for Sasha's scrutiny. Sasha's nostrils flared, and he let out an animalistic snarl even as he bent over to take off his boots.
Argent couldn't get enough of watching his mate. Every motion was a study in carefully contained danger, graceful, yet leaving no doubt as to the predator hiding beneath the surface. Argent's mouth watered and his entire body ached, his hands itching to touch all that bronze naked skin. And when Sasha finally reached for his jeans and popped them open, all of Argent's thoughts melted away as if they'd never been.
Argent had thought he understood the true meaning of desire. He'd thought that he couldn't possibly want Sasha more than he already did. But when his mate slid out of his jeans, an explosion of lust swallowed him whole, almost as if he hadn't gotten over the drug at all.
That wasn't the case, of course, as no chemical substance could possibly make him feel like this. He burned to belong to the magnificent man in front of him, but the desire went deeper than that, beyond pure carnality.
It could have been a shallow, primal thing, and maybe to a certain extent, it was. But when he looked at Sasha, Argent ached at a level he hadn't even thought was possible.
Seeing Sasha standing there, so handsome, so real—it stole Argent's breath, and yet truly hammered home, for one definitive time, that this was indeed happening. It wasn't a dream, and it wouldn't be taken from him. He could have this, a mate, like he'd craved for as long as he could remember.
In fact, Sasha was infinitely better than anything Argent could have imagined. Drawn in by all that rippling muscle and the thick erection jutting between the Alpha's thighs, Argent didn't even know where to look and what to touch first.
In the end, Sasha chose for him. He climbed back into the bed next to Argent and took his hand, threading their fingers together. The hold felt intimate, gentle, but it also held the potential to become so much more. Sasha confirmed his suspicion when he gripped Argent's wrist, all the while crawling back on top of him.
Argent's other hand was next, and suddenly, Sasha was pinning him to the bed, holding his arms immobilized above his head. He inhaled deeply, as if taking in Argent's scent. When he spoke, his voice was a growl in Argent's ear. "Moon be blessed, I need to claim you. I can't… I'm trying to hold back but…"
He squeezed Argent's wrists almost painfully, although Argent would have bet money the man didn't even realize he was doing it. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"
Obviously, Sasha wasn't waiting for a reply, since the answer to that question was pretty obvious in the heat of his erection nudgi
ng Argent's hip. Still, Argent couldn't help but hiss when Sasha moved just so, his cock sliding against Argent's. Yes, he could understand how Sasha felt, because those very same emotions pulsed in Argent's heart and in his body.
Enthralled by Sasha's deep gaze, he made no attempt to break away from his mate's hold. He probably could have done so if he'd really wanted to. Sasha was only using one fist to keep his wrists trapped, and despite the Alpha's strength, Argent would have been able to free himself had he desired it. Oddly, he didn't even consider making the attempt.
Did Sasha know? Did he realize his touch was burning away the memory of the silver cuffs, of being so out of control and so lost in his own head? Yes, he definitely realized it, because his hold became less tight, his fingers gentle as they caressed Argent's wrists, right over the spot where he'd been bound.
"I hate that you were hurt because of me, but I can't help but need this just the same."
A part of Argent wanted to wrap his arms around his mate's neck and kiss the breath out of Sasha, but he didn't. Even if Sasha was no longer pinning him down, he stayed where the Alpha had placed him. "Take it, then. Take me. Make me yours, Sasha."
After that, there were no more words. Sasha prevented any possibility of it by kissing Argent again, and by the time they broke the lip-lock, the part of Argent's brain that regulated speech seemed completely out of commission. It certainly didn't help that his mate had apparently decided to acquaint himself with every inch of Argent.
He started by peppering Argent's face with kisses, lingering on his lips, but also on his eyelids and even on his nose. That would have made Argent laugh a little if Sasha hadn't zeroed in on his nipples, wicked fingers tweaking the tender buds, teasing, flicking and massaging. Argent gasped and threw his head back in pleasure, which Sasha took as an invitation to progress down his body.
As Sasha swirled his tongue in the hollow of Argent's throat, it was impossibly easy for him to imagine the Alpha burying his fangs in his flesh, claiming him, binding them together. His dick responded to the mental image, throbbing fiercely between his legs. He didn't know if he said something, or if perhaps, Sasha had a sixth sense for interpreting what Argent felt or wanted, but either way, his mate noticed the surge in Argent's arousal, and he followed its cues as if he could read Argent's mind.