"No," Nahele whispered, but when he went to shake his head as well, he winced and rested it against the furs again. It seemed Nahele had given up on hiding his pain. While Alec was glad the pretense had fallen, it hurt a little to see his friend in so much pain. The silence between them lingered a couple more seconds before Nahele continued. "You are capable. I practically taught you myself all these years. I knew you would make your way up the chain of command eventually."
"Just not to Alpha?" Alec guessed.
"Just not to Alpha," Nahele echoed, his ears drooping, his tail giving only a single, sluggish tap to the furs.
"You groomed me to replace Hyrad," Alec murmured. "You expected me to take his place."
Nahele let out a soft breath. "Hyrad wasn't an ideal second. I thought you would be."
"I... don't have a second," Alec said, eyes intent on Nahele.
"It's a sign of weakness. You need to appoint one quickly," Nahele advised. Without responding, Alec watched the thoughts and emotions pass over Nahele's face. Nahele's eyes widened a fraction, and his ears perked up, the tip of his tail flicking rapidly for a moment. "Are you saying what I think you are?"
Alec smiled a little. "Are you going to keep being a pain in the ass?"
Nahele stared up at him, and for a couple of seconds, he worried his message still hadn't sunk in enough, but then Nahele's lips curved up into a small smile. "No, I'm not. You... you were right. My pride was compromising the clan. It still hurts." Nahele shifted and groaned, clutching his side. "Right now, everything hurts."
"Serves you right, idiot." Alec shifted around Nahele and pushed him down gently. "You almost died. Do you know how much that would have broken in me? How much I've hurt over all of this?" He spread Nahele's buttocks and whined softly. In so many ways, they'd hurt each other terribly. "I don't want to fight with you anymore. Together, we can make this clan so very strong..." Alec leaned in and began to lap at Nahele's abused opening, trying to soothe both flesh and pride.
Nahele whined softly, but Alec was comforted when Nahele's fingers combed gently through his hair. It was a touch so familiar it made his chest ache, and when he glanced up, Nahele was smiling sadly. "I should have listened to you, all those times you pressured me to change. Maybe none of this would have happened."
"And you'd still be Alpha and pound my ass into the furs?"
"Wishful thinking?" Nahele asked, his smile brightening into a smirk.
"Very wishful," Alec chuckled. He darted his tongue out again, and this time, Nahele's sigh was more pleasant.
"I've missed you, Alec," Nahele admitted softly, his tail curling around Alec's forearm. "What hurt the most was the thought that you'd been sleeping with me just to learn my weaknesses, that everything we've shared was part of your scheme to usurp me."
"No," Alec whispered. "No, Nahele, never. I shared myself with you out of love, not some twisted desire to use you. There was never a scheme, just... a need for change."
Nahele's purr burst to life, soft and warm. "Maybe I'm too old for change."
Alec nipped one of Nahele's cheek. "You're not too old."
"I'm also not too submissive," Nahele moaned softly. "Will our roles always be reversed now?"
"Not unless you forget your place in the clan again," Alec warned, a bit of weight to the statement.
"What about my place with you?"
Alec lifted his head and met Nahele's eyes. "I have no desire to fuck you. Things... have changed for me now. You're the only one I can trust, that I can give my submission to who won't use it against me."
"How can you know that?"
A purr trilled Alec's words as he smiled. "Because I know you."
Nahele returned his smile. "So I'm the only one you'll go to for a thorough rutting? The only one who will know what a natural bottom the new Alpha is? What's a kitten to do?"
Alec rolled his eyes, laughing softly. "A kitten with sharp teeth," he said, baring his teeth to Nahele.
Nahele reached up and touched his own neck. His fingers came back bloody. "That's for damn sure," Nahele chuckled, licking his fingers clean. "I much prefer your mouth between my legs."
"Nahele," Alec breathed, eyes darting to both bites on Nahele's flesh. "I didn't want to do it, but... I had to."
"Shh," Nahele soothed, gently pulling Alec up to lie atop him. "You did what I forced you to do. Don't apologize. Never apologize for acting as Alpha when that's what was necessary, not even to me." Nahele licked the corner of Alec's mouth. "The fact you didn't want to hurt me... helps, though."
Alec whined quietly, kissing Nahele with sweet, soft lips. "I have so much still to learn, and I want to learn from you. Please, be my second."
"Yes," Nahele purred, kissing him again. "I'll need a little time. I still have to adjust to taking orders after so long, but I'll learn that from you. I'll be your Beta, and I'll set things right again."
This time, the hardening of his body was natural, and Alec didn't fight it. He deepened the kiss bit by bit, moaning as he tasted Nahele again. It felt like a lifetime since he'd been this close to Nahele without hatred and anger between them. "Tell me we can fuck now," he panted against Nahele's lips.
"Oh, we can," Nahele moaned, his claws scratching through Alec's fur. "You'll just have to ride me. My ribs..."
Alec nodded. "I know." His hands skated down Nahele's chest, over the swollen and bruised flesh. Pain twisted his heart. "I almost lost you."
Nahele cupped his face, kissing him gently. "I'm sorry, Alec."
"Are you?" Alec asked desperately.
"Yes," Nahele answered without hesitation. "It's the most foolish thing I've done in centuries. I though you'd used me to become Alpha, so I wanted to ruin your prize. Nothing else seemed to matter. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."
Alec nuzzled Nahele's palm. "No more."
"No more," Nahele promised, nosing Alec's face up and into a deep, slow kiss.
Alec finally allowed himself to relax. A shudder moved through him, from the tips of his ears, all the way down his tail, and the familiar scrape of his tongue against Nahele's made his cock twitch between their bodies. He straddled Nahele, carefully positioning himself so he could thrust their lengths against one another without putting too much pressure on Nahele's ribcage.
He had taken Nahele out of necessity, but when the expectations of Alpha and clan dominance were stripped away, this is where he wanted to be. His body ached to have Nahele inside, to feel that intense stretch. The very thought of it made his toes curl, and he ground his hips down against Nahele.
"Eager for me, Kitten?" Nahele moaned.
"I'll always be eager for you," Alec laughed against Nahele's lips, happy to see the wounded pride in Nahele's eyes starting to heal. Nahele would remember being possessed by the new Alpha, but Alec wanted him to remember their friendship as well.
Nahele's purr was deep and comforting. "Good. The oil is on the floor, under the furs," he said between kisses. Even though there was the implied order, Nahele didn't let Alec pull away yet. The kisses became suffocating, deep and wet and possessive, and Nahele's broad hands smoothed down Alec's back, teased along the crevice of his ass.
Alec's tail shivered, his claws kneading at the furs. He would be strong, a leader his people needed--the leader Nahele could no longer be--but here, with Nahele, he could also be needy, desperate. Here, he was safe. A shift of power, so slight, so brief, but so very, very needed sometimes. He licked broadly over Nahele's lips. "You have to let me go so I can grab the oil."
"But there are so many nice places to hold onto," Nahele grinned, one hand sliding forward to take Alec's cock in hand and squeeze.
Alec gripped at the furs, his head falling back with a loud moan. "That's a good one. Just... don't yank my tail. I think I pulled something hauling your heavy ass out of the water."
"I'll be gentle with it," Nahele promised, reaching back and bringing Alec's thick tail to his mouth. Alec thought he would melt when
Nahele began grooming the tip. "Oil. Now."
It took Alec a few moments to gather his senses, but when he did, he reached over Nahele and down, snagging the small bottle of sweet smelling oil from the ground. As soon as he sat up again, Nahele swept him up in another bout of deep, lingering kisses, distracting Alec completely so that when slippery, insistent fingers pressed between his buttocks, his breath caught. "Nahele..."
"Gods, you haven't so much as touched yourself, have you?"
Alec tried to exhale slowly, but just ended up caught in another moan. "Too busy."
"Let's fix that," Nahele chuckled, two fingers quickly becoming three inside Alec.
The pleasure made Alec's head spin, and he rocked back on Nahele's fingers, shamelessly taking himself. As much physical pleasure as he took with a female, this was what had been missing. That emotional connection was so important to Alec because it was so rare, and to have a second chance at it was something he couldn't turn away from. He whined and exposed his throat to Nahele, offering his submission this time, complete and without conditions.
Alec expected Nahele to snatch at him, to take hold of his neck tightly at the first opportunity. He expected Nahele would need that roughness to reassure himself he was strong and in control. What he wasn't expecting was the way Nahele leaned up and nuzzled him, scent-marking him tenderly before nipping his furry skin in a feral kiss. It wasn't a jarring shift back to Nahele dominating him. The change was striking, and though Alec knew it wouldn't always be so obvious later on, it still warmed him down to his core. Nahele respected him now. The touches made that clear before Nahele purred and took his throat in a more possessive bite.
It was that slight pain that pulled a groan from Alec, made him pant out, "I'm ready."
A shift, a kiss, and then he was pushing back as Nahele arched up. In an instant, Alec was filled to overflowing, his body shaking as he settled flush against Nahele. He looked down at Nahele and saw love in copper eyes, and that made every dark moment they'd endured over the fall and winter worth it. The love was stronger now, deeper. The bond would never break. They were brothers by choice, standing together, standing proud and strong. Alec knew then that their clan would thrive, that the potential would be seen under their watchful eyes.
Alec moved, taking Nahele a fraction deeper with a low moan. He reveled in the fullness, giving himself a few seconds to adjust before setting a deep, firm rhythm. Nahele's claws curled into the fur at his hips, and he smiled when Nahele growled softly and licked his way down to one of Alec's nipples. It only took a single rasping lick from Nahele's tongue to make the nipple harden, and it was soon brought to aching redness. Every nip, every tug and suckle, sent jolts of pleasure directly to Alec's cock, and he sped up, taking himself roughly on Nahele's cock.
"Touch me," Alec gasped as Nahele began to torment his other nipple.
Nahele growled, teeth tugging at his chest. "I am touching you."
"My cock!" Alec shuddered, pressing his chest down against those sharp teeth. "Touch my cock!"
"So demanding," Nahele teased, his claws scratching the furry flesh right around where his cock slid in and out of Alec. The scratch made Alec's pace falter as he slammed himself down on Nahele's shaft. Alec's claws pricked at Nahele's shoulders as he squeezed his muscles around Nahele's length, forcing a groan from Nahele's throat. "Yes... Gods, fuck yourself just like that."
The moment Alec did as he was told, rising and falling on Nahele's slick sex, Nahele's hand slid around his hip toward his cock. Sharp nails teased up the underside of his cock, and he arched, his hips seeking more substantial contact.
"Fucking stunning," Nahele breathed, and the rough, ragged groan that followed the words made Alec's tail tremble.
Quick, hard, Alec took himself, allowing Nahele to move only enough to snap his hips upward each time Alec sat back. The swift pace drove them both mad, growls and grunts filling the hot air of Nahele's new den. Alec whined, begged without words for his satisfaction. He could take himself in hand, pump his cock as he rode Nahele, but he ached to feel Nahele's hand around him, knowing and giving.
He was nearly there, his climax within reach, when Nahele finally curled strong fingers around his cock. The pressure was light, far too light. Alec whimpered, struggling to thrust into Nahele's grip with more force. His legs burned. His ass throbbed as he pushed harder and harder. A needy sob tumbled from his lips as he looked down at Nahele's flushed face. Their eyes met, and Nahele's grip tightened, pumping him hard and fast with their gazes locked.
That was all it took. Alec threw his head back and a yowl erupted from his throat, his tail twitching uncontrollably behind him as he squirmed atop Nahele. His climax consumed his senses, his cock jerking in Nahele's hand as he came. When the worst of his shudders ended, his body slumping above Nahele, the potent scent of Nahele's release filled his nose. Alec began to purr, easing himself down over Nahele's chest, rocking his hips a little, spreading seed and scent. The tip of his tail weakly tapped against the furs, his purr low and sated.
Nahele's hand began to pet him, from neck to tail, and Alec couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy. "Nahele."
Nahele's purr, deeper and louder than his, made Nahele's chest rumble under his cheek. "Alec."
"Next time you want to defy me? Let's just do this instead."
Nahele laughed, and his arms came up around Alec, hugging him. "You got yourself a deal."
The room was certainly cozy, tucked beneath the rafters at the top of the stairs. The queen-size bed by the window looked brand new, as did the large, wooden wardrobe which took up most of the wall opposite. The bare floorboards had the sheen of a fresh polish, and the entire room had a fresh, outdoorsy smell to it.
"How much did you say?" Jason asked.
"A hundred dollars a week including utilities, except phone. I don't use it much myself, so you're going to have to pay for any calls you make plus half the line rental," replied Mr. Panos Dimitriadus, the landlord.
Jason nodded and glanced once more around the room.
"You don't have to worry about the phone," he said. "I use my mobile for all my calls."
"Six-month lease minimum," said Panos. "And the rent paid two weeks in advance."
Jason turned to face the handsome, dark-haired man standing in the doorway and was struck by how dazzling his teeth were when he smiled, accentuated greatly by his olive skin and thick, five o'clock shadow. Although, he noted, it was strange that he should be wearing a turtleneck, considering the high temperature.
"I'll take it," said Jason.
Panos' smile widened to a grin, creating two dimples in his cheeks. "Good to hear," he said, shaking Jason's hand. "I was hoping you would."
After a week spent settling in, the place was starting to feel more like home. On Friday, Jason arrived from work, grabbed a beer from the fridge, and joined Panos on the front veranda. The sun was a giant ball of fire on the horizon, and a gentle, late-summer breeze wafted over them, filling their nostrils with the salty smell of the sea. It was as close to idyllic as Jason had ever known.
"Isn't this just the best?" Panos asked, staring out over the row of roofs below them to the ocean.
Jason took a swig of beer and held it a moment in his mouth before swallowing. "You got that right," he replied. "You must really love living here."
Panos nodded. "I couldn't live anywhere else. The sea is my home."
Jason noted that Panos was wearing yet another of his turtlenecked tops. It piqued his curiosity to the point where he just had to find out why, because, apart from anything else, it looked ridiculous when everyone else was wearing as little as possible. "Do you ever go swimming?" he asked. "You must. How could you not?"
Panos laughed. "I go swimming whenever I can. Like I said, the sea is my home. I love it."
"Well, let's go for a dip now, then," said Jason, leaping to his feet. "Let's grab our bathers and head down to the beach. I can't believe I've been here a wh
ole week and not been for a swim."
A subtle change occurred in Panos, but Jason detected it immediately. It was no more than a slight tensing of muscles, a waver in his sexy smile, a general discomfort. Certainly not the reaction he expected from someone who 'couldn't live anywhere else'.
"Not now, Jason. You go, though. Don't let me stop you. You've been at work all day."
"Aw, come on," said Jason. "You've got to come with me. It won't be much fun on my own."
"No!" The tone defied any further argument.
Jason cleared his throat and placed his half-empty bottle of beer on the small, glass-topped table nestled between them. "You're right. It's probably a bit too late for a swim. It'll be dark soon. I might go inside and wash up for dinner."
He turned and walked through the front door, half expecting Panos to call him back to apologize, but the only sound to be heard was the distant cry of gulls and the banging of the flyscreen door as it slammed shut behind him.
By dinner time, the incident had been forgotten, at least by Panos. For Jason, the mystery of the turtlenecks had been made all the more mysterious by Panos' defiant refusal to go swimming with him.
The following day was Saturday, and according to the television weather forecast, it was going to be a scorcher. By breakfast time, the temperature had already risen to 32 degrees Celsius, and by mid-morning, it was hovering around the 40 degree mark.
Jason plodded downstairs wearing nothing but a pair of underpants. His gym-toned, lightly-haired body was covered with a sheen of perspiration. In no way could he ever be considered a morning person, but even though the temperature inside the house was pleasant, it had been difficult to sleep properly. Air conditioning always left him with a dry throat and a blocked up nose.
"Summer always saves the worst for last, doesn't..."
Jason entered the kitchen and was shocked to see Panos wearing three-quarter length pants and another god-damned turtleneck. "You've got to be shitting me," he said before he could stop himself.
Panos looked up from the paper he was reading. "I know. It's an inferno out there. Thank God for air conditioning," he said before taking a sip of coffee.
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