by Jamie Lake
“I won’t wait forever, Nathan. I’m gonna have to just take it soon.”
I knew he was right. The time for deciding once and for all was near. I turned my head, and noticed something move in the bushes behind me. I swore I saw a pair of eyes watching, the same pair of eyes I’d seen before. Someone was definitely following me.
But who was it? And what did they want?
CHAPTER THREE
Buck was so lost in his thoughts, hanging up in that tree, that he didn’t notice Andrew climbing up it until he said, “Mind if I sit?”
It wasn’t often that anything could sneak up on Buck, but the love triangle and the drama that came with it were taking its toll.
Buck was surprised. Andrew had given him the cold shoulder ever since he’d re-joined the tribe, and he was the last person he’d expected to want to talk to him, let alone sit down next to him. For a moment, Buck was suspicious. He eyed Andrew carefully but decided that he posed no immediate threat. He shifted over to make a little more room. Buck had been enjoying a few peaceful moments to himself, watching the sun dip over the horizon. Despite his age being in the three-digit range, he never grew tired of the beauty of the world, and it was nice to simply enjoy a sunset without having to think about everything else going on in his life.
“Sure,” Buck said and Andrew sat on the branch next to him.
“Get enough to eat?” Andrew asked.
Buck knew he was just trying to make conversation and he wondered what it was he really wanted. It seemed like everyone in the pack had an agenda, and being around them again reminded Buck of why he had left in the first place. But he couldn’t leave again. Not until the prophecy had been resolved.
“For now,” Buck answered.
He turned back to the horizon. It wasn’t that he wanted to be rude to Andrew, but he didn’t want to be friendly, either. After all, Andrew had gotten in his way more than a few times over the years. Not that he blamed him, for Andrew had had good reason to be mad. There was still lingering tension over the fact that Buck had left the pack, as evidenced by the wolves’ reactions to Buck subduing the elk earlier.
“I should have known it’d be you who would jump out of nowhere and get that elk. You always were the show off,” Andrew grumbled.
“Shut up,” Buck smirked.
Andrew chuckled and they just looked at each other. There was a time when they had been best friend, closer than brothers, but then everything changed. Buck missed those times. Being a lone wolf wasn’t as fulfilling as it seemed, and there had been many times in his exile that he longed to chat with a friend but knew he was surrounded by empty space. Eventually, he had gotten used to it, but he had to admit, it was nice to have the company of someone else, even if there were many years of icy silence between them.
“Everything’s different now,” Buck told him, summing up a great many years in just three words.
“You’re telling me. We’re all old and shit.” Andrew chuckled. He ran a hand through his hair and settled next to Buck. The two of them shared an easy familiarity, and even though it had been a long time since they’d had any kind of friendship, the years melted away and they fell into a comfortable rhythm of conversation.
“173 years old, man,” Buck said, shaking his head. Where had all the time gone? When he’d been a pup, he hadn’t expected his life to turn out the way it had. He was beginning to feel his years, but he hoped he still had many left.
“But, you know …” Andrew said. “You don’t look at day over 100.”
“Fuck off.” Buck laughed, shoving Andrew in the shoulder. They both laughed so hard there were tears in their eyes.
“God what happened to all the time?” Andrew asked, shaking his head and wiping the tears from his eyes.
“We had some good times … But … it wasn’t always good,” Buck said.
“No, no it wasn’t,” Andrew agreed. “But we had each other’s backs back then. Things were not easy with the pumas and so many times we were so close to all-out war. And yet we knew that no matter what happened, we had each other. No one would drop the ball, no one would let anything or anyone get between us. Even you and Japheth …”
He stopped talking, as if he knew this were a painful subject.
Buck sighed. “Yep, even me and him. To think we were so close back then. Inseparable.”
Things had deteriorated quickly. As they had grown up, Buck and Japheth had come to some kind of understanding and seemed to be leaving their childhood rivalry behind. But somehow it was always there, lurking in the background of their souls, and when it came back it returned with force.
“Inseparable,” Andrew said. “We were like blood brothers, all of us. Nothing came between us, never a secret between us.”
The word ‘secret’ seemed to bother Buck as he looked down between his legs for a moment, as if to catch his thoughts.
“Yeah,” he said, not wanting to let on what he was thinking.
He felt bad, not letting them know about the puma princess they had killed. That weighed on him heavily. It was only a matter of time before the pumas came sniffing and if there was any evidence, anything big or small that lead them in their tribe’s direction, there would be all-out war. It had been a risky decision but the only one open to them at the time. Sometimes he wondered whether the prophecy was worth it. But the puma shouldn’t have acted like that. As far as Buck was concerned, she had gotten what she had deserved. It was just a shame that neither the wolves nor the pumas would see it that way.
“But you know … it can be like that again,” Andrew said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Oh, no, not at even a chance. Too much time, too much damage between us,” Buck said, shaking his head.
“Love, true love, whether it’s between lovers, friends or brothers, never goes away. Never,” Andrew told him.
The way Andrew looked at Buck indicated that he meant business. “Welcome back to the family.” He reached out his arm and placed a strong hand on Buck’s shoulder, squeezing it firmly.
“Wish the others felt that way,” Buck said. He smiled appreciatively at Andrew.
“Oh, they will. Just give them time. I got your back,” Andrew told him.
They sat in silence a moment longer, watching the sun as it set. Soon it would be a new day. He didn’t know what new problems the sunrise might bring. But as Buck was sitting with Andrew, he thought that perhaps the next day would be brighter than the last. If he could mend his bridges with Andrew, then anything was possible. He’d been alone for so long that he never thought he’d be able to return to the pack, but now he was starting to feel differently. He’d forgotten how it felt to be part of the tribe, and in truth he was getting a little tired of feeling separate from his family. It was something he’d grown used to over the years, but the longer he spent with them the more he realized how much he missed it.
He didn’t know whether he’d actually be able to return to his life of solitude when it was all over.
CHAPTER FOUR
I walked through the woods alone after taking a dip in the pond nearby. I needed to get all the caked cum off my body. Not that I wouldn’t have loved to lick it all off but the last thing I needed was Buck getting jealous, and creating more tension than there already was.
God, Japheth had been great. He’d turned me on without even touching me, not even kissing me or tasting me like I’d wanted so badly. I was hoping that the scent of Japheth’s lust would wash off but I wasn’t sure. The crystal water of the pond was cool against my skin and it was the perfect way to refresh myself. I lingered in the pool of water and let it wash over all of my body, cleansing myself of all the dirt and grime that had collected on my skin. When I emerged, I let it drip off me as I slowly walked back to where I had left my clothes. The grass was soft underfoot and I felt content. I decided to lie down and gaze up at the sky.
I looked around me at the gorgeous scenery. It was nice to have some time alone to think. No pressure, no worries about the other w
erewolves trying to get a piece of me or fuck a piece of me. The trees hung overhead but there were gaps in between them so that I could see the sky turn to night. The sun burned a dark orange and the stars were beginning to twinkle, like diamonds across an obsidian blanket. I breathed slowly and deeply as contentment washed through my soul. It was a perfect scene and I smiled as I took joy in the solitude. Just me and—
The birds above me fluttered out of the way, as if something scared them off. I thought nothing of it, at first – probably just a hawk or something. But then I noticed how still it got. Even the crickets stopped chirping and a cold chill ran down my spine. What was happening? As I turned around and opened my eyes, someone pinned me to the ground.
A wolf, or werewolf it was. My arms were pinned down, my legs trapped by his knees. I recognized him immediately as the younger wolf that had tried to attack me with the other wolves just days earlier. I struggled to break free. My hands and legs flailed wildly as I tried to avoid staring into his terrible, fearsome eyes, but it was no use. His strength was unparalleled and I was completely at his mercy. My eyes fervently glanced to either side of me, searching for a weapon, but there was no errant rock or stick, not even a pebble. My only hope was if Buck and/or Japheth came to my rescue yet again, but Japheth had taken me away from Buck, and Japheth didn’t seem to be in the mood to return.
“Get off me!” I told him.
He slowly morphed before my eyes into the gorgeous blond I remembered, but he was equally as intense. His green eyes glared at mine. Even in his human form he was stronger, with perfectly formed muscles. I tried my hardest not to stare so he wouldn’t get the wrong idea, but the air was thick with temptation and I did love being dominated. My struggles were in vain as his grip tightened and he dug his hips into me, digging himself in to make sure I couldn’t move.
“You think you’ve got it all figure out don't you?” he said to me.
“What are you talking about?”
“Both brothers want you? Both brothers have fucked you,” he said.
“That’s none of your business, and if you get caught on top of me like this,” I started to say.
He released me, leaping off. He was angry, but about what exactly, and what did it have to do with me?
“Listen to me. Get out of here. Go. Leave while you can.” he told me.
“Why? What are you talking about?” I asked him as I crawled up.
I rubbed my arms where he had been holding me, and now that I was up, I looked at the wider area to see if I could find a weapon. But I still saw nothing. I reached over for my pants and covered my exposed area as he paced in front of me. He looked agitated and spooked, and his attitude was distressing me.
“Things aren’t what they seem to be,” he said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Japheth, he … I cannot say anymore. Just do as you’re told while you can, and stay away from them. Both of them. War is coming and anyone you’ve ever loved, anyone you ever cared about, is in danger. Your mother, your father, your brother. Yes, I know all about them. Stay away from the brothers or they’ll all be killed.”
“Don’t threaten me,” I told him.
He smirked at me. “Foolish human, it’s not a threat. It’s a promise. And if you say a word to either brother, you’ll be sorry.”
I wanted to believe he was lying but I didn’t know what reason he would have to lie.
Before I could react he ran off, transforming back into a wolf. I wanted to chalk it off as jealousy but something in my gut, something in my soul, told me there was truth buried in what he was saying.
Marked for Love Book 7
CHAPTER ONE
What if he was right? What if there was a lot more going on than I’d originally thought? I wondered these things on my way back to the village. It had been a scary experience, having Elijah pounce on me like that. I had been enjoying a quiet rest after an intense episode with Japheth when he had pinned me down. I hated to think of being so easily captured, but these wolves had such physical superiority and heightened senses that I stood no chance. I had to simply lie there and listen to him while he told me that I shouldn’t trust Japheth or Buck. What kind of thing was that to say? They had protected me, fought over me, loved me, fucked me. And now I was supposed to believe they were both just using me? I knew the prophecy was a big part of why they were interested in me, but it had to be more than that, didn’t it? I wanted to believe that even if I hadn’t been the special one, they would have been interested. But there was so much doubt involved, and what Elijah had just said gave me even more things to ponder.
I had gathered my clothes up and dressed myself, constantly keeping a watch for anyone else who might have chosen to leap out at me. Wolves, pumas, goodness knows what else was lurking out in the woods. My stomach was satisfied, as well. The thick, succulent elk meat was working its way down, and it felt like ages since my belly was last full. The night air was a pleasing temperature and the scenery was alive with the sounds of a forest. Birds were calling out to each other, and other animals rustled the bushes and trees as they pottered around, going about their daily business. The stars had come out in full view now and provided the perfect complement to the soft glow of the moon as I walked slowly. I wanted to get back to safety but I also wanted time to think, so I didn’t rush to get back to the camp. I wondered how Japheth would react when he saw me, though, whether he’d even acknowledged that we had shared something. He’d spent so long harping about the rules that it seemed hypocritical of him to bend them in such a way as to tease and torment me and leave me wanting more. Not that I was complaining. I still had to decide between the two brothers, though and I was still no closer to making up my mind.
I had wanted a bit of peace and quiet, but it was proving elusive. I wondered at what point it was all going to stop, when my life would return to some semblance of normalcy. But then the thought struck me that it never would. I still wasn’t entirely sure what the prophecy entailed, or what my role in it was. Would I be condemned to this life forever? There was still so much I wanted to do, wanted to see. There was a whole world out there ripe to be explored and I had other dreams. Ideally, I still wanted to settle down and have a true, long-lasting relationship, but I wasn’t sure how feasible that was. As hot as Japheth and Buck were, I didn’t know if either of them would make for a healthy long-term relationship, and not just because they were werewolves. They were fucking hot though, and it was about time that I got some from them. I was tired of this no touching rule. It was complete bullshit. I was gagging for their cocks and I needed to do something before I exploded. Having Japheth erupt over me and coat me in his cum was amazing and I licked my lips, tasting the remnants of him, but it wasn’t enough. I needed something inside me. The longer this went, on the more my doubts grew.
Part of me just wanted to pick up everything and leave the world behind. It didn’t matter if there were pumas hunting me down, or if two werewolves thought the entire fate of their people depended on me choosing which one of them I wanted to be my mate for life. I wanted to just walk away from it all, maybe patch things up with my family, and start living a regular life again.
My family. Chills went down my spine as I thought about the warning the young werewolf had given me in the woods. He’d told me that if I didn’t walk away now, even their lives could be in danger. Guilt curdled my stomach as I thought about how it would feel to find them dead, mangled to death by some awful ungodly attack, and it being my fault all because I didn’t heed the warning to just walk away. I didn’t have a good relationship with my family but I didn’t want them slaughtered. Besides, compared to the wolves, my family bordered on normal. I could never forgive them for the way they had treated me when I came out of the closet. When I left I had sworn that they were dead to me but now … well … I was feeling kind of lonesome. And even though Buck and Japheth fought with each other, at least they had each other. The rest of the wolves were a tight knit community, too. It was
something I missed from my own life. I smiled wryly as I thought that, despite being in the midst of all these beasts, I was the only true lone wolf among them. I chuckled as I went along, but it soon softened and I drifted off into silence as I remained rueful about the way things had turned out with my family.
Sometimes I thought that I should have tried harder to make them understand, to show them what being gay meant to me. They were dismissive though, and hurtful. I kicked a stone and thought about their reactions. My heart was still filled with anguish at the way things had turned out between us, and I wondered if they ever worried or cared about me. Maybe I was just a memory to them, consigned to a dusty box, like all the old photographs of yesteryear. But there were so many years thrown away. It wasn’t like I’d chosen to be gay, and it didn’t change who I was. I mean, fuck, I had friends who were out every night, injecting themselves with drugs and killing their brains one cell at a time, but somehow my sin was much worse.
I sighed glumly as I strode along, reflecting on all the bad attitudes that weighed me down. It dawned on me that there wasn’t much difference between the way my family had treated me and the way Buck and Japheth were lusting after me. My family had rejected me because I was gay, and seemingly the only reason the brothers wanted me was because I was the special one. Was I destined to always be defined by one aspect of myself? There was so much more to me, but all anyone ever wanted to do was control me and tell me who I should be. I was tired of it. Tired of all of them. I needed to be my own man and stand up to people, whether they were humans, werewolves or pumas. I was tired of being everyone’s whipping boy, and tired of not being whipped by Buck or Japheth. Fuck the prophecy. Fuck them all. I had to take control of my own destiny, regardless of whether I was the special one or not.
Whatever Elijah said had taken root in my soul. I knew his words were most likely cheap manipulation, but the seeds of doubt had been planted and were blooming. Part of me wanted to believe he was jealous, that he was only making that stuff up to keep me away. Maybe he just didn’t like humans and thought all were bad. But that was the thing. There was a part of me, deep down inside that told me whatever his intentions, whatever he really wanted, didn’t matter. What he was saying, bizarre as it was, had some truth to it. With my mind reeling, I was walking on autopilot and just let the world swim around me. I knew the general direction in which I was walking, but in some ways I almost wanted to lose myself in the woods and escape from everything. Especially if Elijah hadn’t been lying about what he’d said.