by Anya Byrne
His father must have realized there was nothing he could do because he snarled. "Fine. But if you even think of leaving pack territory, the challenge is forfeit."
Sasha didn't answer. He had what he wanted, the delay he needed to allow Laurent to come here with the Guild Laws. Now, he and Argent had to get out of here before the silencers showed up.
Threading his fingers through his mate's, Sasha guided Argent away. He was thankful that Argent had stayed silent throughout the less than pleasant conversation, even if he knew it hadn't been easy for him.
Sasha felt his father's gaze burning into his back as they walked out of the mansion courtyard. He remained silent until he and Argent entered the nearby forest. As soon as they were safe, Argent released a sigh of relief. "Well, that was unpleasant. I really hope Alpha Fitzroy will come through for us. I shudder to think what will happen if I was wrong in that regard."
"Well, at the very least, we've earned some time to decide what to do and where to go from here. If nothing else, tonight, they can't touch us."
Argent smiled at him, and despite the danger they were both in, his gaze held no fear, only something akin to awe. "Do you know I had no idea about this tradition until I came here? How is that possible?"
"It's an ancient custom," Sasha replied. "Our people have been doing it for centuries, but it's been lost in many countries. I consider it a pity, since it's quite beautiful."
Argent hummed thoughtfully, but didn't immediately answer. Sasha didn't mind. He simply held onto his mate's hand as they walked deeper into the forest. He wondered how he'd been able to stay away from Argent for so long. The idea seemed inconceivable now.
When Argent finally replied, Sasha had almost lost track of their previous line of conversation. "It is beautiful," his mate said. "I understand why some would have decided against following it, though. After all, we, as mates, don't have to dedicate a specific night to be together, or to worship the moon. It'll happen every night for as long as we live. Don't you agree?"
Sasha's heart clenched with emotion, and his vocal cords seized, temporarily rendering him mute. Since he couldn't speak through words, he chose to use actions instead, and put his mouth to good use in a different way.
Pulling Argent into his arms, Sasha pressed his lips to those of his mate. Argent melted against him, wrapping his arms around Sasha's neck and granting Sasha entrance with more greed than subservience. Lust and need bubbled inside Sasha as he thrust his tongue into his mate's delicious mouth, drinking in the taste of Argent's desire for him.
He didn't know how long they just stood there, kissing like two teenagers who couldn't get enough of one another. When they broke apart to breathe, Sasha's heart was hammering and his instincts vibrated wildly inside him. After all the tension—both sexual and otherwise—of the day, his wolf needed out.
Argent's eyes glowed with the exact same emotion and desire. They stepped away from each other at the same time, and while it was almost painfully difficult to stop touching Argent, it was necessary for the purpose of what both Sasha and Argent had in mind.
Still not looking away, they quickly took off their clothes and set them aside, hiding them in a tree hollow. If Sasha's fingers trembled slightly or pulled on his sweater a little too forcibly, he didn't think anyone could have blamed him. In fact, he commended himself for his remarkable control, and the fact that he managed to refrain from reaching for his mate and mounting him right then and there.
That desire changed little even when Sasha allowed the shift to flow over him. He landed on the ground on all fours, now fully in tune with the wolf inside him. Argent did the same, and Sasha couldn't help but admire the beautiful form of his mate's beast.
As a wolf, Argent was somewhat smaller than Sasha, but underestimating him would have been a mistake. He bared his fangs at Sasha, challenging him—and then, he was off, disappearing into the greenery at a speed that blew Sasha away.
Just like that, Sasha's hunting instinct took over. He followed his mate, feeling wild and free, his senses zinging with the absolute knowledge of rightness. He stopped thinking, stopped worrying—simply became one with the need, with the visceral desire to catch-take-claim.
Argent's scent guided him deeper into the forest. On occasion, Sasha caught a glimpse of Argent's dark fur, tantalizing him like naked skin would have if they'd been in human form. He kept the hunt playful, not pushing Argent to go faster, simply enjoying the scents, the speed, the purity and simplicity of this one moment he could share with his mate.
Of course, that didn't mean he didn't have his eye on the proverbial prize. As the hunt went on, Sasha veered around Argent and started to steer his mate in the right direction. Argent went with it, although whether he guessed Sasha's intentions or not was a mystery. It didn't matter, though, because Sasha's wolf was still beyond satisfied at leading his mate into his territory.
Sasha wasn't sure how other packs and other shifters did it, but here, most wolves found a lair of sorts, a den readied in anticipation of the day they could claim their mates. Since pack territory was limited, it was usually only Alphas—the actual leader of the pack, and the born Alphas—that did so within the wild. Other members tended to go the human way, and have separate homes in nearby settlements.
Sasha had not expected to find Argent, no, but he'd dreamed of a mate, of his other half—and as such, his den was waiting, safely away from the corruption of the pack. It was there that Sasha wanted to take Argent, in a place that, unlike the cabin, didn't have any unpleasant memories tainting it.
When they were close to Sasha's haven, Argent faltered slightly. Sasha took advantage of the opening and lunged forward. He landed on top of Argent, finally capturing his beautiful prey.
They tumbled together on the ground, rolling around until Sasha was at last on top, his mate pinned underneath him. Their wolf forms melted away, both Sasha and Argent deciding that the time for playfulness was over.
"Your scent is all over this place," Argent said breathlessly as he looked up at Sasha.
Unable to control himself, Sasha nibbled on Argent's ear, all the while taking in Argent's own aroma. "We're very close to my den."
Argent let out a choked little laugh. "You have a den?"
"Mhmm... Just for you."
He got off Argent and picked his mate up, draping him over his shoulder. Argent let out an outraged gasp, but the sound turned into a moan when Sasha caressed his completely exposed ass. The scent of his arousal made Sasha dizzy with lust, and he sped up, finding the barely visible path with the ease of practice.
The den was shielded from sight—and the occasional intrepid animal—by a large boulder. Sasha had to set his mate down to push it aside, and his clawed fingers raked over the stone as everything inside him rebelled against the loss of contact.
He didn't have to withstand it for long, because the moment the den entrance was clear, Argent pounced on him. His mate's zeal was such that they both stumbled into the darkness of the den. Sasha narrowly managed to avoid losing his balance, at least until the back of his foot came into contact with the piled furs. Perhaps noticing it, Argent shoved him down, and this time, Sasha let himself fall.
A heartbeat later, Argent straddled him, his naked ass rubbing against Sasha's erection. The dim light coming from the entrance to the den framed his face, almost like a halo, and Sasha was left dumbstruck at the sight, unable to move a muscle.
"I like it here," Argent said huskily. "It's... you. Everywhere."
Argent's explanation might not have sounded very coherent, but Sasha understood, and reveled in the knowledge that his mate liked the den. "Right now, it's us," he managed to reply. "Forever."
Argent smiled down at him, and something like sadness glittered in his eyes. Sasha wanted to say something more, to chase that sadness away, but he didn't get the chance. Argent kissed him, with the very same fervor Sasha had used earlier. And it was beautiful, hot and perfect—so much so that Sasha forgot whatever it was that he'd wanted
to do.
That was okay, though, because Argent forgot as well. The apprehension bubbling at the back of Sasha's consciousness—stemming from their bond—melted away in the heat of their passion. Sasha would have congratulated himself for it if he'd managed to dedicate enough brain cells to that particular thought process. But with his mate's hands roaming over his chest, and all the naked skin at his disposal, thinking became a very low priority on Sasha's to-do list.
There were far more interesting things to explore, such as licking, sucking and touching every single inch of Argent. Of course, Argent had a similar idea—in reverse—and before Sasha could go through with his plan, his mate was already crawling down his body, placing lingering kisses over Sasha's chest.
Sasha would have protested, but by now, Argent's mouth was heading in a very clear direction—and really, Sasha wasn't quite that selfless so as to refuse a blow job from his beautiful mate. Naturally, knowing what Argent planned was quite different from experiencing it. The moment Argent's hot mouth enveloped his erection, Sasha's eyes rolled in his head and he almost came on the spot. If he didn't, it must have only been because he needed to be inside his mate too much to find his peak like this. He wasn't counting on Argent's determination to make him come undone.
At first, Argent teased him, licking his cock like he would a lollipop, tracing the thickest vein of his shaft with his merciless, far too talented tongue. He then lingered over the tip, suckling lightly and groaning as if the taste of Sasha's precum was the best thing he had sampled in his entire existence. Unlike his mate's, Sasha's groan was not muffled and it echoed against the walls of the den. It was too loud, or maybe it just seemed that way to Sasha. His mate's presence, the heat of his mouth, the sweet familiarity of his scent—they drew such sensation out of Sasha that the experience began to feel surreal. He couldn't help but want to seduce Argent the same way his mate seduced him, to touch him with the same sensual reverence, to show him just how much this meant to him, or maybe to both of them.
The idea gave Sasha a strength he didn't know he had. He buried his fingers in Argent's hair and pulled slightly. He didn't have the willpower to actually stop Argent from doing what he'd set his mind to, but Argent got the message nonetheless.
A few seconds of slightly awkward maneuvering and Argent changed positions, his cock now hovering above Sasha's face. Sasha didn't think he'd ever felt hungrier, greedier for anything in his life. If he had, it must have also involved Argent in some way, and if he ever did again, it would also be about Argent. Right now, and from now on, Sasha's everything—his life, his breath, his heart, his wolf—belonged to his mate.
He couldn't put the emotion into words, so he pursued a more carnal show of his affection. Taking his mate's cock in his mouth, he sucked it in deep, and was rewarded twofold—once through the flavor of Argent's pre-ejaculate and the weight of his cock on his tongue, and twice through Argent's reaction. His mate stopped teasing, choosing instead to mimic Sasha and putting his mouth to good use. Argent's zealous suction had Sasha almost whimpering around his lover's dick, but he was not one to give up so easily. He both fought and embraced the sensations, aiming to make his mate come first, to drive Argent crazy like Argent so easily did to him.
It became a game, almost like the earlier hunt, yet also different. Sasha couldn't tell who was the predator and who was the prey, but that just made it all the more exciting. He soon found that, despite his resolve, he was moments away from coming. Still determined to earn his prize, he was not above cheating. He sneaked his hand over Argent's ass and, without giving his mate a single warning, stuck his finger into Argent's hole.
Argent went rigid, and an instant later, streams of hot spunk filled Sasha's mouth. The knowledge of Argent's pleasure propelled Sasha over the edge, and he shuddered through the waves of his orgasm, groaning around his lover's dick.
The climax was explosive enough that it should have taken the edge off. Should have, would have... Argent seemed destined to shatter all of Sasha's expectations, in every possible way. It took but a moment after they pulled away from one another for the urgency to return and the fire to flare even hotter and brighter than before. One moment, during which they briefly broke the intimate embrace, only to fix that unbearable slight at once. One moment, and then they were kissing again, with the same hunger and greed that had led them there.
They fell onto one another like the wolves they were, ferocious and wild, maddened with passion and unrestrained need. Sasha tasted himself in Argent's mouth, and he knew his mate was experiencing something similar. They ended up with Argent on his back on the furs and Sasha above him, devouring his mate's delicious lips.
He'd allowed Argent to take over before, but now, it was his turn, and oh, he planned to take full advantage of it. He caressed every inch of Argent he could reach and only broke the kiss because he needed more of his mate to be truly satisfied—at least for now. He knew better than to think he'd ever get enough of Argent.
In the end, his beautiful lover shattered whatever resolve he had left to prolong this. In a breathy voice that almost cracked Sasha's mind, he pleaded, "Sasha... Fuck me."
Sasha couldn't have refused Argent to save his life. Those words echoed the need that had been burning and rising between them, a need that Sasha simply had to pursue. It would have taken a man far stronger than him to do anything different.
There was just one problem, and one issue Sasha had not anticipated while preparing his den. They didn't have any lubricant. Then again, this problem was easy enough to solve, in the same way Sasha had handled it back at the cabin.
Argent seemed to read his mind because he lifted his legs and offered himself to Sasha, his submission beautiful to see. At a different time, Sasha might have taken some moments to simply admire his mate, but they were past that point.
Supporting Argent's legs, Sasha bent over and stuck his tongue into his lover's ass. Argent cried out and arched against him, instinctively pushing back, demanding more. Sasha gladly gave Argent exactly that—or maybe he took it for himself. He couldn't tell anymore, and neither did it matter.
He was a man on a mission, feverish with Argent's lust and his own, wild with instinct and emotion. But as he speared his mate open with his tongue, he knew Argent felt exactly the same.
In all honesty, Sasha meant to take his time, to prepare Argent properly. Even if Argent was a werewolf and strong in his own right, the last thing Sasha wanted was to hurt him. But then, sharp claws dug into his shoulder, and Sasha broke away and looked up, just in time for Argent to snap at him, "Now."
It was quite a feat that Argent could even reach him, despite their current positions—not to mention the fact that Argent was basically ordering his Alpha around. Maybe Sasha shouldn't have found it as arousing as he did, but at this point, he wasn't even surprised that everything about Argent drove him crazy.
With a feral grin, Sasha settled on giving his mate a little taste of 'be careful what you wish for'. Moving faster than humanly possible—and most likely than his mate expected—he changed his position. He took a single second to spit on his hand and slick up his dick with saliva, and then he was thrusting inside his mate's welcoming heat.
Argent screamed, but there was no pain in it. If he felt the burn of Sasha's entry, he enjoyed it. Even so, Sasha still took a few moments to let his mate adjust, but when Argent tightened his muscles around him, all scruples and concerns faded into that very same 'now' Argent had uttered.
Sasha pulled out of his mate, then thrust back inside as hard as he could. He aimed for Argent's prostate, and much to his possessive satisfaction, he hit it with the first try. Argent made a delicious, choked noise, burying his claws in Sasha's shoulders.
The sharp pain was more eloquent than any words they could have said. Sasha became one with that pain, with that pleasure, and most of all, with Argent. They fell into a rhythm that was both punishing and completely right, seeking the pleasure they could only find in one another. In the safety of
the den Sasha had prepared before he'd even known who his mate would be, they moved together, clinging to the one thing that was true and genuine when everything else seemed to falter—this new bond they shared. Sharp bursts of pleasure exploded over Sasha every time his cock brushed over his mate's special spot, their connection providing a fluid stream of pleasure that fed on itself like an undying blaze.
Just when Sasha thought he could not endure any longer, Argent tilted his throat, offering his neck to him. Sasha didn't hesitate in the slightest. He simply took what was offered, what was already his, claiming his mate once again.
As he sank his fangs into Argent's flesh, waves of rapture flooded their connection. In that single moment, as they reached an explosive climax together, there was no more real definition of Argent Hull and Aleksandr Maximoff. Perhaps even the "they" had disappeared, leaving behind just two pieces of a puzzle, a joint soul bursting with relief, ecstasy, grief and an almost painful love.
Words and memories flashed through their united mind, undefined, with no clear source of who they belonged to. But there were some things that remained certain, creating a shatteringly loud beacon, pulsing gold within their bond. "My mate. I love you. I belong to you. Yours. Mine. Together."
When Sasha was forced to release his hold on his mate's throat, the "together" stayed. With the head of his cock expanding in his knot, Sasha remained inside Argent, and if not for just coming twice, he might have been tempted to take things further. He didn't. He simply enjoyed it, enjoyed this quiet intimacy that was just as profound as what they'd shared.
It came as no surprise that they were completely exhausted when they collapsed on the furs. Sasha slid out of his mate with no small measure of regret, but even the slightest feeling of dissatisfaction could not survive the moment when Argent turned toward him and smiled.
"I love you."