This time Ben licked her gently, his pace slowing as her body eased. He stayed there a moment, his finger sliding up and down her clit. “Ready for more?”
“Dunno.”
“Good. Turn over. I want to fuck you from behind.”
“Don’t you want me to go down on you?” she said.
Ben paused for a second. “No, not this time. I want to be inside you now. So get on your hands and knees.” He helped her up, stripping off her top and bra at the same time, then arranged her with one knee on the couch and one foot on the floor. She leaned forward on her elbows, which meant her hips were high up behind her.
At the shushing of clothing behind her, Alex peeked. Ben had pulled off his t-shirt and shucked his jeans as she watched. What a beautiful body he had, all muscles and hard male. His cock jutted out, long and thick.
As he settled onto the couch behind her, Alex canted her hips so he’d have easier access to her pussy. Without a word, he slid the head of his cock over her pussy lips and then pushed inside.
Ben squeezed her hips as he thrust all the way inside her. “So good.” His balls slapped against her clit on every stroke. Leaning forward, his chest pressing against her back, he said, “Wanna come again?”
“Yeah.” At this rate, it wouldn’t take much.
He reached under her and found her clit, rubbing the slippery nubbin as he continued to thrust into her. “Feel good?”
She moaned in reply. She heard herself making little cries and whimpers as she got closer and closer, and buried her face in her hands to muffle the sound. Didn’t want to wake Chris.
Ben alternated rubbing with pressing hard against her clit. Within seconds, she came. Her legs shook so hard she nearly bucked him off. He sat up straight, dug his fingers in her hips and kept going.
Then he pulled out. His fingers slid inside her a few times and then he pressed his cock into her. She couldn’t figure out what he was doing until he rubbed his slick fingers over her puckered hole.
“You seemed to like the anal.” He pushed a finger into her.
Did he mean to do that now? “Yes.”
“Then you won’t mind if I play with you a little.” His finger slid in and out of her at the same tempo as his cock.
She was having trouble catching her breath. “I don’t mind.”
“One day very soon I’m going to fuck your ass,” he said. “Me and Chris both.”
“Not at the same time.” There were limits.
“Of course not. Someone has to be in your pussy.”
She chortled, her forehead hitting the couch. “Ben—”
”You gonna come again, honey?”
“Yes.” Her voice sounded all breathy.
“Good. And then I’m going to come too.” He increased his tempo.
She couldn’t hold on. “Ben—”
He quickly leaned forward and bit her shoulder hard, right where he’d marked her.
Her body exploded. She no longer had control, didn’t remember to be quiet, couldn’t control the clenching, shuddering, pulsing waves that moved through her.
With a loud moan, he pushed deep, deeper, and then she felt his body tighten around her as he came.
At length, he removed his teeth from her shoulder and maneuvered the two of them onto their sides, facing the television. He kissed her shoulder as he held her tight against him. “Too bad we can’t rewind the show. I think I missed a few things.”
* * *
Two days later, Chris sat at the kitchen table while Alex fixed dinner.
“After dinner, we’re going to the bar for an hour or two.” If he didn’t show his face at the bar soon, his pack might realize how injured he was. They’d seen the wounds but they didn’t need to know how much it hurt.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Alex said. “The wounds are still oozing.”
He winced. “We’ll put a new bandage on before we leave. But my pack needs to see me. No choice.”
Ben walked into the kitchen. “Here’s the milk you wanted.”
He’d gone to the grocery. With three people in the house instead of just one, they went through food a lot faster than Chris was used to.
Alex swung around brandishing her spatula. “Chris wants to go to the bar tonight.”
Ben pressed his lips together. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. You’re not healed yet.”
“They need to see I’m not hurt,” Chris said.
“I feel safer with you here,” Ben said. “They can’t get at you here.”
“They’re my pack. They don’t want to get at me.”
“Really? You don’t have a single pack member who’d like to be Alpha?” Ben pulled groceries out of the bags he’d carried in and set them on the counter. “Now would be the perfect time to challenge you. And they all know it. They’ve stayed away because they know Alex and I won’t let them see you.”
“That’s why I haven’t had any visitors?” Chris had wondered.
“You had a few on the first day. We told them you were sleeping,” Alex said.
“All day.” Ben opened cabinets until he found the one with food in it.
“I’m not an invalid,” Chris said.
Alex snorted and waved her spatula at him. “That’s exactly what you are. An invalid.”
“I figured we were staying in,” Ben said. “I got movies out of Red Box.”
Chris was starting to feel railroaded. Or coddled. Or something. “You know I’m the alpha in this relationship.”
Both Ben and Alex turned to look at him, but neither said anything. Then they turned back to what they were doing.
“What movies did you get?” Alex said.
Did he really think they’d both just submit? And yet, he couldn’t generate much anger about their attitudes. His back hurt.
“Check them out.” Ben pushed the two movies across the counter to her.
“Nothing?” Chris knew he was being peevish. “You have nothing to say to me?” Chris wanted to lean back in the chair but he didn’t dare. He was lucky he was sitting and not flat on his stomach.
Ben opened the fridge to put more of the groceries away. “There’s no doubt you’re more alpha than either of us. But would you really respect us if we let you run roughshod over us? This is a relationship, not a pack. You may be more alpha, but you aren’t our alpha in the sense that your word is law and we have no say.”
He agreed with Ben. Mostly. But he still wanted to hear what he had to say. “Right. If it doesn’t mean that, then what does it mean?”
Leaning his arm on the top of the open refrigerator door, Ben said, “Don’t be like that. You know what it means. You’re the primary protector. You proved that the other night.”
“And the primary provider.” Chris liked that idea.
“For now. But I’m not going to hold back on my salary for fear of upsetting you,” Ben said.
“Me either.” Alex pulled the pan off the stove.
Three salaries. What couldn’t they do with three salaries? And Chris made good money. If one of his mates succeeded in making more than him, they’d all be flush. Maybe being alpha in the relationship wasn’t as important as he’d thought. “I’m okay with that.”
Alex put plates of food on the table. Pork chops, little red potatoes and broccoli. “Dinner’s ready.”
Chris waited until after dinner to get back to his original point. “I should go to the bar tonight. Just for a little.”
While Ben cleared the table, Alex took Chris’ hand in hers. “Wait until tomorrow night. Please?”
How could he say no to her big blue eyes? “All right. Tomorrow night.” As Alex leaned forward to kiss him, Chris continued, “But I have a condition.”
She stopped in mid-lean. “Oh?”
“I want to know what you two have been doing while I’ve been stuck up in bed by myself. Every detail.”
Alex leaned forward even further. A glance downward showed the generous cleavage down the neck of her shirt. “Every
detail?” Her warmth spread to him even though they didn’t touch.
Chris slid his hands up her sides to her breasts. “Every detail.”
Before he could get a good grip, she stood up. “I don’t think your heart can handle it right now.” She turned and walked into the cooking area, an extra swing to her hips showing off her rounded ass.
Damn, she had a fine body.
“Tease,” he said.
“I thought you said you didn’t know what we did.” Ben closed up the dishwasher.
“I don’t.”
Leaning on the counter between them, Ben said, “Cause that’s one of the things I did.”
“What?” Chris said.
Alex peeked around Ben’s thick bicep. “Tease. He’s horrible.”
“You loved it.”
She smiled almost shyly and skittered away.
Chris rested his arm on the table. “Every. Detail.”
* * *
When they got to the bar the next night, Ben snagged them a table while Alex helped Chris in from the car. He really wasn’t strong enough to be out, but they couldn’t sway him. He wanted to put on a show for the pack, and so he would.
A waitress had already visited the table and Ben had placed an order when the door finally opened and Chris and Alex walked in arm in arm. They looked like a couple in love. Nah, scratch that. It looked like Chris wanted to show Alex off. The arm around her waist, the slow walk so everyone could get a good look. As a cover for a serious injury, it wasn’t bad.
Ben leaned back in the booth, sitting sideways, and watched the show. Alex was just as hot as she’d been that first time he’d seen her. Hotter, if that were possible, now that he knew exactly what her clothes covered.
The only good thing about coming out was that Chris had hinted he felt ready to jump back in the sack tonight. Although who knew how much this little trip would tire him out.
Their progress toward the table was slow because they kept getting stopped by wolves wanting to congratulate Chris. Several patted him on the arm or shoulder but when one wolf unthinkingly aimed a pat at Chris’ back, Alex blocked it with her arm.
Ben stifled a laugh.
She didn’t even turn her head, just lifted her arm into the way and kept talking. The wolf looked a little confused when he patted her arm but he didn’t try again.
Alex finally maneuvered them over to the booth, making Chris slide in first. “This was a bad idea,” she hissed quickly, then pasted a smile on her face as more wolves came to say hello.
Ben had always ducked out when his father had to hold court like this. What a pain. Chris held up quite well, though as the hour wore on, Ben saw the tightening around his eyes. Chris hurt. And he wouldn’t say a word.
The wolves of the moment left and Ben leaned forward. “We should go soon.”
Beside Chris, Alex nodded.
“We haven’t been here long enough,” Chris said.
“You’re in pain. That’s what matters,” Ben said. “They’ve seen you. Now make a ribald comment about doing your mates and let’s go hole up at home for a few more days.”
Chris smiled grimly, his eyes tired. “You’re as much a bully as she is.”
“I love you, too.” He said the words quickly, almost sarcastically then realized he’d never said them before. At the same moment, Chris’ eyes widened.
Before either of them could stumble around trying to fix the situation, yet another wolf stopped at their booth.
He wasn’t pack. A big guy, he stood an inch or so taller than Ben with nearly as much bulk as Chris. His dark hair hung to his shoulders framing a face shadowed by stubble. His black eyes fell on Chris.
“Chris Byers, I challenge you.”
Chapter 18
Ben felt a numbness crawling over him from the tips of his fingers in toward his body. Sounds became muted, colored by a whoosh that rushed in his ears. His claws sprung out and dug into the tabletop.
This couldn’t be happening.
“And you are?” Chris said.
Ben struggled to focus. Everything he saw seemed encased in a blurry tunnel.
“Bruno Holter. Do you accept my challenge?”
Heat covered Ben’s neck and face, his eyes watering. Panic scraped up his throat, struggling to scream free. Could he fight this man? Right now, tear out his throat before Chris could say yes? He couldn’t.
“I accept your challenge.” Chris’ voice sounded like steel, so strong, like he hadn’t just been falling over in his seat.
Ben couldn’t catch a breath. He coughed, trying to cover his gasps. He couldn’t show weakness to this stranger.
“Tomorrow night,” Bruno said.
“You forget yourself,” Chris said. “The time is my choice.”
Bruno sneered. “Then we will have it at the farm.” He paused. “Or if you’d prefer to have it at the park, then we will fight tomorrow night.”
Chris’ eyes gave away nothing, but Ben could see a ticking along the side of his jaw. Why did he even hesitate? He needed all the extra time he could get. Who cared if they fought at the farm again?
“Tomorrow night. Eleven o’clock. At the park,” Chris said.
Ben blinked. A chill stole over him. As Bruno walked away, Ben withdrew his claws from the table, his hands shaking. He blinked again.
No one said anything, the entire bar silent even after the interloper had left. Alex didn’t move. She seemed nearly as shell-shocked as Ben.
Chris put his hand on the tabletop. “Let’s go home.”
* * *
Chris should have listened to his mates. They’d told him not to go to the bar, and like an idiot he’d had to have his way. And now he had to fight a guy who looked like he could crush Brett with a thought. If Chris were at top fighting form, it would be a tough challenge. As it was, he very well might lose.
And if he did, he’d lose everything.
The bar continued to remain silent, nearly all eyes on Chris and his mates. Alex pushed herself out of the booth and to her feet. Her hands trembled slightly but she held them by her sides, giving nothing away. Ben, on the other hand, didn’t move. This was probably bringing back memories of his parents’ downfall. And what could Chris say? Ben’s fears might be right.
After he stood, Chris faced the roomful of wolves. He didn’t see any humans there, but needed to be cryptic just in case. “We’ve faced trouble before and overcome it. We’ll do the same here. Everything will be all right in the end.”
From a nearby table, a female voice said, “Are you sure? He looks mean. We don’t want him as our Alpha.”
With that, the room erupted in wolves agreeing, nodding, and turning to their neighbors for reassurance. The Stonewall wolves seemed to agree along with the Roanoke wolves.
Chris raised his hand and the room fell silent. “Thank you. I want to stay your Alpha. And I will do everything in my power to see that happens.” He needed to go further. He needed to fake it, even if he was worried. “Do not fear. I will fight him, and I will beat him, just as I beat Keith and Brett. And when I’m done, with your help, we’ll run them all out of town.”
Several of the more dominant wolves smiled, and the smiles spread to the rest of the pack. Soon his wolves were talking loudly about how best to kick the rogues out of Marysburg and make sure they stayed gone.
Ben still sat in the booth. When Chris reached his hand out, Ben slowly took it. He slid out of the booth. Chris wrapped his arms around Ben and Alex’s shoulders. He hoped they wouldn’t notice that he leaned on them a little.
He wasn’t ready for another fight. Not by a long stretch. But for now, they had to put on a show. The pack needed to believe he could win. They had to be behind him.
The three of them wound their way through the tables. Chris let go of Alex because there wasn’t room for the three of them abreast, but kept his arm around Ben. Ben still hadn’t said a word.
When they got out to the street, Chris said, “Alex, could you call Sophia? Tell her I ne
ed her to come by the house tonight.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” he said. “I want to talk to her about options for tomorrow night.”
Alex stopped walking. “I saw her in the bar. Why don’t I go get her?”
His arm still around her shoulders, Chris tugged her forward. “Call her. I don’t want anyone else to know.”
While Alex pulled out her phone, Chris squeezed Ben’s shoulder. “How’re you doing?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Ben’s voice sounded dry.
“I’m holding up,” Chris said. “How are you? You looked shell-shocked back there.”
Ben took a breath and finally met Chris’ eyes. “That’s a good way of putting it. Why—” He licked his lips. “Why did you choose the park tomorrow night instead of buying yourself more time? Why?”
Chris still wasn’t sure that was the right choice. “My tenant is a son of a bitch. He’s dragged me into court four times already for petty little shit. He was pissed when we had the second fight there, and told me he’d talk to his lawyer if I asked for a third. I imagine they knew that. That’s why Keith and Brett wanted to fight at the farm. To squeeze me.”
Letting them squeeze him had been the hardest thing of all. But he couldn’t get dragged into court. They’d want to know what Chris had been doing on the field, and he couldn’t tell them. His tenant could soak him, and then how would Chris support his new family? But Chris had wanted to agree to the farm if for no other reason than to not let Bruno get his way.
Both Chris and Ben heard the ringing as Alex called Sophia. They stopped their conversation so Sophia wouldn’t overhear it. In the next couple of minutes, Alex asked Sophia to come to the house and to keep it quiet. Then she hung up.
When they got to Chris’ car, he rearranged them, asking Alex to drive.
“I can drive,” Ben said.
Chris pushed Ben toward the back seat. “I want you to sit with me.” Heaven forbid he say what he really thought—that with the way Ben looked, Chris didn’t want him operating a motor vehicle or any other type of heavy machinery. He might wrap them all around a telephone pole. But if Ben knew Chris thought that, his pride would make him insist on driving.
Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle) (Insatiable Reads) Page 110