The Love of a Mate

by Kim Dare

  A Total-E-Bound Publication

  www.total-e-bound.com

  The Love of a Mate

  ISBN #978-0-85715-567-2

  ©Copyright Kim Dare 2011

  Cover Art by April Martinez ©Copyright June 2011

  Edited by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

  Total-E-Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2011 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom

  .

  Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.

  Pack Discipline

  THE LOVE OF A MATE

  Kim Dare

  Dedication

  To Love.

  Chapter One

  Halfway through his shift from his lupine form into his human shape, Alfred sensed someone approaching from his left. His shoulders were barely formed when a blurry figure pushed against them, sending him staggering backwards.

  “What the hell do you think you’re—?”Alfred stopped abruptly as his back hit the wall alongside the woodpile. All the air rushed out of his lungs, stealing any other words he might have wanted to snarl at his attacker.

  The rough bricks bit into his suddenly furless skin, his palms skidded against them as he tried to catch his balance on two legs instead of four. So soon after a shift, his movements were clumsy, his co-ordination non-existent. It was several moments before he could even make his eyes focus on the man standing before him and the blur morphed into—

  “Caden?”

  Alfred glared at the other wolf in disbelief as the pretty blond stepped forward, closing the gap between them.

  It was bad enough having to put up with being pushed around by Gunnar. Alfred would be damned if he’d allow the beta’s little brother to treat him the same way! A low growl building in the back of his throat, Alfred reached out to shove Caden away.

  His hands quickly reached the place where the other shifter’s shoulders should have been, but his claws only met empty air. There was no howl of pain as Caden stumbled and fell from the force of the blow.

  A second passed slowly. One brain cell bumped gently into its neighbour inside Alfred’s head. Werewolves didn’t just disappear—they shifted. Alfred looked down, fully expecting to see a wolf looking back up at him, but Caden was still very much in his human form.

  The gorgeous young wolf knelt prettily at Alfred’s naked feet and retuned his gaze as if that were nothing out of the ordinary.

  Bloody bizarre was what it was. Alfred frowned as his sluggish brain tried to make sense of it and failed. He lowered his hands, not above striking someone who was already on his knees.

  Caden leant forward. Without any warning, a pair of perfect pink lips wrapped themselves around the tip of Alfred’s cock. For several long seconds, Alfred waved his hands uselessly in the empty air, as they stalled halfway to their destination. A strangled noised escaped from the back of his throat, but not one single thought managed to work its way through his brain.

  Hot wetness suckled firmly around the head of his cock as Alfred quickly began to harden under its ministrations. A wave of pure bliss swept through him when Caden swirled his tongue in a complex little manoeuvre that lapped away all his strength.

  Alfred’s knees threatened to buckle. If the wall hadn’t been ready to support him, he’d have crumpled into a desperate heap right there next to the woodpile. The deep scratches the rough surface gouged into his back were a small price to pay for being able to keep his cock at the right height for Caden’s mouth.

  Delicate hands came to rest on Alfred’s hips, steadying him further. Alfred tried to thrust forward as Caden dipped his head and took a little more of his cock into his mouth, but there suddenly seemed to be surprising strength hidden in the slim, artistic digits. His hips stayed firmly against the wall.

  Growling his frustration, Alfred glared down at the other wolf. Their eyes met. For once, those stunning blue eyes seemed to be completely serious. Alfred was incapable of looking away. No matter what his place in the pack was supposed to be, he was helpless to do anything other than hold the other gamma’s eyes and lose himself in the blue depths.

  Caden looked away first, but it felt far less like a wolf offering another man his submission then a master technician dropping his eyes to pay better attention to the job at hand—or mouth, as the case may be. Gradually, Caden began to bob his head lower, taking more and more of the now-stiff shaft into his mouth.

  His tongue danced along the underside of Alfred’s cock each time he dipped his head. As he pulled back, he swirled his tongue around the glans, before rapidly taking the entire shaft back into his mouth, the tip sinking into his throat.

  Without any warning, Caden looked up again. Caught off guard, Alfred could only whimper his admiration. The other wolf’s lips were thinned out into a pale pink line, his cheeks slightly hollowed as he sucked, and somehow it all just made him more gorgeous than ever.

  Alfred reached out, desperate to thread his fingers into the impossibly golden strands of hair and keep Caden exactly where he was forever. He was vaguely aware that one of the other wolf’s hands had left his hip, but before Alfred had even had a chance to really notice that, Caden’s fist was wrapped tightly around his wrist.

  “What the—?” Alfred tried to say more, but words failed him as Caden’s tongue lapped at the sensitive strip of skin where his foreskin joined his shaft.

  As if nothing at all had happened to break his concentration, Caden calmly resumed bobbing his head over Alfred’s crotch. At the same time, he guided Alfred to lean forward and rest his hand on his shoulder rather than in his hair. Alfred found his fingers clutching at the thin cotton shirt as he tossed back his head and howled his pleasure into the cold night air.

  His hips bucked forward, and Caden was strong enough to stop him then. Alfred’s vision blurred. The whole world condensed down into something more glorious than he could ever remember it being. Every fibre in his body whimpered its joy. Even his fingertips seemed to feel their share of his bliss as he came into his lover’s mouth. Then, long before Alfred was ready to let go of it, the ecstasy faded away.

  It could have been mere moments before he opened his eyes, it could have been hundreds of years. Alfred’s brain wasn’t working well enough to deal with complicated concepts like time. All he knew for sure was that Caden was still kneeling at his feet and suckling gently around his softening shaft when he finally managed to blink down at him.

  Caden’s eyes were peering back in return at him, apparently studying his every reaction very carefully. Seeming to realise Alfred was back with him, he leant back and delicately allowed Alfred’s shaft to slip from between his slightly swollen lips.

  Lifting a hand to his mouth, Caden ran his fingertips over his mouth, but not a single drop of cum had escaped his attention. Apparently satisfied he was as perfec
tly presented as ever, Caden smiled and rose gracefully to his full height.

  More of Alfred’s brain cells gradually remembered what they were supposed to be doing. He looked over Caden’s shoulder. The very pissed-off wolves he expected to see heading their way didn’t appear immediately.

  “No one will have heard us,” Caden said, his tone very soft and strangely intimate in the cool evening air. “They’ve all gone to the mating ceremony.”

  Alfred’s forehead creased into a frown. “Gunnar and Talbot,” he managed to remember through a haze of afterglow.

  “Yes,” Caden said, once more studying Alfred very carefully, as if waiting for his reaction.

  Alfred’s frown deepened. “Why the hell should I care?”

  Caden’s hand came to rest on Alfred’s shoulder as if seeking to console him from some imagined hurt.

  “At least now Gunnar won’t be nipping at my tail every damn time I turn around,” Alfred muttered. He tried to shake off Caden’s touch, but the other wolf didn’t seem to notice.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” Caden murmured, leaning forward until his lips almost caressed Alfred’s ear.

  Struggling to turn his head and pull away far enough to see Caden’s face, Alfred glared at him through narrowed eyes. “Why?”

  “It wouldn’t seem right for me to be mated to a wolf who had ever had real feelings for my brother.”

  “What!” Alfred damn near sent them both sprawling to the ground as he tried to jerk away from the other wolf.

  Caden stubbornly refused to back away a single inch. “I said that it—”

  “I heard what you said!” Alfred bit out. “I—You—What’re you playing at?”

  “I’m not playing,” Caden said, with a sweet little smile and a flirtatious dip of his lashes. “I’m in love with you. I wouldn’t joke about something like that.”

  Alfred couldn’t bring a single word to his lips. All he could do was stare at the other wolf. Of course, he’d spent a fair amount of time staring at Gunnar’s brother since the other two wolves had joined their pack—he was pretty sure everyone had. The guy was as hot as hell. But that was different. He’d just been staring at a sexy little parcel. Not even the damn alphas could have had a go at him for that.

  Dropping his gaze, Alfred’s attention fell on where his hand still rested on the other wolf’s shoulder, tightly gripping his shirt in a white-knuckle hold. He couldn’t have snatched his hand away from Caden faster if someone had actually put a flashing red warning light on his head and set off a damn siren. “You’re not in love with me.”

  Caden’s smile never faltered as he once more looked up at Alfred through his lashes. His other hand came to rest in the centre of Alfred’s chest. As he spoke, Caden’s fingers caressed up and down the centre line of his rib cage. “I know how I feel about you. I’ve known for a long time. And now that Gunnar has stepped aside, there’s no reason why we—”

  “There are plenty of reasons why we will never be mated,” Alfred growled.

  Caden blinked at him, a touch of hurt seeming to creep into his eyes. “You don’t want me?”

  “Of course I…” Alfred shook his head. Those teasing fingers were addling his brain. He caught hold of them in a tight grip and pointedly removed Caden’s hand from his naked body.

  Turning away, he squeezed past the other man. It was much easier to ignore the extra scratches the bricks had left on his shoulders than it was to avoid thinking about the erection he felt straining against Caden’s jeans. It took all his resolve to keep walking away from him, making his way rapidly towards the house.

  He’d be safe inside. Alfred wasn’t entirely sure what he needed to be kept safe from, but that didn’t slow his retreat towards the building.

  The other wolves seemed to be making their way back home, too. Alfred pushed a hand through his hair as he spotted them approaching from the opposite direction. Caden had said something about a mating ceremony, hadn’t he? Yes, of course, Gunnar and Talbot.

  Well, good! Alfred thought to himself. He hadn’t wanted the blasted beta anywhere near him anyway!

  One faltering step was all it took. Suddenly, Caden had caught up and was walking at his side, for all the world as if Alfred had invited him along for a pleasant stroll.

  Studiously ignoring the other wolf, Alfred made his way into the old farmhouse and towards the stairs on the far side of the room. Caden was still at his side as he began to climb the steep treads.

  “Alfred. Where are you going?”

  Looking over his shoulder, Alfred spotted Marsdon glaring up at him from the base of the stairs.

  “To get dressed. I’ve been for a run,” Alfred said, with as much composure as he could manage. Right then, that wasn’t much. He was acutely aware of Caden right behind him and it was almost impossible to believe that there wasn’t a sign over both their heads declaring exactly what they’d just done. Something touched his palm.

  Alfred glanced down. Caden’s fingers were twined with his. He tried to fling the other shifter’s hand away from him but Caden might as well have smeared both their palms with superglue.

  “Come straight back down when you’re dressed,” Marsdon ordered.

  Alfred nodded.

  “Caden?” he heard Marsdon call out behind him. “Where are you going? You’re already dressed.”

  Finally managing to wrench his hand out of Caden’s grip, Alfred made his escape while he had a chance.

  “I’m going to help Alfred,” Caden called out from somewhere behind him.

  A moment later, Alfred heard light footfalls rushing to catch up.

  The other gamma appeared just in time to deftly catch the bedroom door when Alfred attempted to slam it in his face. Closing it softly behind him, Caden sealed them both into Alfred’s room as if it were something he did every day.

  “I’m not a child.”

  Caden smiled as he calmly made himself comfortable on Alfred’s bed.

  Great, Alfred thought. The image of Caden all laid out there for him, ready and waiting, was all he needed while he was trying to get to sleep each night!

  “I’d noticed.”

  Alfred frowned. “What?”

  “I noticed that you’re all grown up,” Caden said, softly, his eyes dropping pointedly to rest on Alfred’s crotch.

  Feeling the blood rushing to his cheeks and his cock was a strange sensation. Alfred did his best to hide both reactions by turning towards the wardrobe in the corner of the room. He snatched up a clean pair of jeans and a fresh T-shirt.

  “I’m quite capable of dressing myself,” he growled. “I don’t need your help.”

  “That’s okay,” Caden said cheerfully, as if he hadn’t even noticed how pissed off Alfred was. “I’ll just wait here, and admire the view.”

  The faster Alfred tried to scramble into his jeans, the more time the task seemed to take. The denim refused to co-operate. The buttons had a mind of their own.

  Alfred snarled irritably as he finally pulled his T-shirt over his head, ripping the seam on the shoulder in the process. Not in any mood to bother with insignificant things like socks and trainers, he strode towards the door, only to hear Caden speak up at the last moment.

  “I meant it when I said I’m in love with you.”

  Alfred glanced over his shoulder. “No, you didn’t. I don’t know what game you’re trying to play with me, but it’s not going to work. I’m no more interested in you than I was in your brother.”

  Caden pulled his legs up onto the bed in front of him and loosely looped his arms over his knees. He tilted his head slightly to one side as he studied him. “You really think you’re that unlovable?”

  Don’t believe me? Ask any wolf in the pack, they’ll tell you what a poor excuse for a mate I would be.

  The words swirled inside Alfred’s head, but he suddenly found himself completely incapable of bringing them to his tongue. He knew they were true. He was pretty sure every wolf in his pack knew it, too. But if Caden had so
mehow failed to get that memo when he joined them then…

  Turning his back on Caden, he quickly made his way out of the room. It was pointless to waste time on what-ifs and maybes. Even if there was some way Caden could form some sort of interest in him, there was no way in hell Marsdon or Bennett would ever give them permission to be together and—

  Alfred’s mind went blank as he reached the bottom of the stairs and looked across the room. Every wolf in the pack was staring at him. He froze, his feet refusing to carry him another step.

  What the hell are you all looking at? Alfred swallowed rapidly, but he couldn’t make his throat work, not even to growl.

  A gentle caress along the outside of his arm made him look over his shoulder. Caden stood on the tread directly behind him. A tender smile came to the other wolf’s lips as their eyes met. Alfred watched, trapped by his own uncooperative limbs, as Caden’s fingers slid further down his arm and their hands became entangled once more.

  Caden made a point of dropping his gaze first. Alfred looked sweet with that rabbit-caught-in-the-headlights look on his face, but it wouldn’t do to spend too long admiring his expression—not when his actions could be taken as a statement of dominance.

  Stepping past his soon-to-be mate, Caden led them silently towards the sofas where the other wolves were already gathered. An uncomfortable shiver tingled down his spine, warning him that he wasn’t the one who should be making the decisions for them or doing any sort of leading, but Caden pushed it away.

  The other gamma tugged at Caden’s fingers, apparently attempting to regain control of his hand. Caden tightened his grasp slightly in response, not so much that the other wolf would see it as a challenge, but maybe just enough to let Alfred know he really enjoyed holding his hand.

  There wasn’t room for both of them to sit on the sofa nearest the door. Caden had no doubt that was why Alfred had chosen to sit there. Not in the least bit daunted, the moment Alfred’s backside hit the cushion, Caden climbed onto the sofa with him, to sit half next to him and half on his lap.