by Fel Fern
“Here, put on your dress,” he told her, helping her into it.
“Come on, maybe I won’t tell if you come back with me to the daycare,” Ben told Sylvia. The other werewolf acted like his usual joking and smiling self again. What just happened, he wondered.
“Can we play chase again?” Sylvia asked Dave.
He swallowed. “Sure, if your mom says yes.”
“Okay.” She smiled at him and went away with Ben.
“That was a pretty productive afternoon, wasn’t it?” Daryl asked him.
“Are you kidding me? Why didn’t you tell me she was Sabine’s kid?”
“If you knew, you wouldn’t have acted normally around her. Plus, on the bright side, many people saw you chasing after her. That puts brownie points in your favor that the pack would trust an enforcer’s pup with you, right?”
He warily looked at his brother. “Sometimes, you can be scary, too, Daryl.”
Chapter Twelve
After an exhausting day patrolling the mountain area part of the pack’s territory, all Forrest wanted to do was wrap himself around his mate. Well, not just sleep. Forrest wanted to do plenty of filthy things to his mate, and he’d been worried about leaving Dave all alone in town.
True, Dave was an adult, fully capable of looking after himself. After all, Dave had made sure he and Daryl stayed under the Discipline Squad’s radar for over ten years, but it was his right as Dave’s mate to worry. Daryl was with Dave at all times, too. Forrest knew that unlike his mate, Daryl got along well with both the pack and townsfolk.
He had a feeling that although his and Dave’s future in Devil Hills might be uncertain, Daryl was here to stay. Hell, most packmates found Daryl’s heated interactions with Deacon amusing. Then again, he’d never seen Deacon show interest in anyone else before.
Forrest padded back to his cabin, sniffed, and was satisfied he didn’t scent Daryl anywhere. Daryl had moved out recently to bunk in with another single Esper who lived in town, because the cabin was too small for three grown adults, plus it had been closer to his workplace. Sometimes Daryl came over for dinner, though, but Forrest didn’t mind.
Having Daryl around made Dave feel more at home. For tonight, though, he wanted it just to be the two of them. Smelling something good, he entered via the back door leading to the kitchen.
“Please wipe your paws on the mat first,” Dave interrupted, hands on his waist.
Forrest would have chuckled in human form, because Dave wore the bright apron he picked up for him the other day, the one that said, ‘I need to cook double portions because I’m mated to a werewolf.’ Still, he did as Dave asked and shifted back to human.
Dave stared him for a few moments, and he liked seeing the appreciation there. That always inflated his ego. He grinned.
“Missed me?” he asked.
“Dinner will be ready soon,” Dave began, then held out a finger as he approached. “Meal first, before, you know.”
He raised one eyebrow and gave his mate an innocent look. “What do I know?”
“You have that look in your eyes again,” Dave said. “That you want to, um, take things in the bedroom.”
God, but his mate was adorable, still shy when it came to sex.
“And your arousal tells me you want that, too.”
“Dinner will get cold, and I fought Mrs. Erwin at the grocery store for this last slab of ribs,” he said.
“Oh? Brave mate, to play with a woman who’d been a formidable Esper they called the Destroyer.”
Dave widened his eyes, then narrowed his eyes. “You made that up on the spot.”
He said nothing. Mrs. Erwin was actually a very nice lady who happened to get very competitive when it came to the town’s monthly cooking competition.
“Right?” Dave repeated.
Laughing softly, he pulled his mate into a hug. Dave leaned against his chest and his wolf did a little happy dance inside of him. Being far away from his mate was hard, but on the bright side, he was beginning to earn Deacon’s trust again, as well as his packmates’. Dave groaned when he teasingly rubbed his cock against Dave’s apron.
“I’ll take a quick shower and we can eat,” he said parting from Dave and heading for the bedroom.
“Tease!” Dave accused, making him smirk.
“Hey, you were the one who wanted to eat dinner first, baby.”
Forrest headed right to the shower, shoving his head under the cold water. He recalled with fondness the first time Dave and he had sex and the special moment after that, when he bit Dave’s neck and claimed the little human for his own. If he ever had the power to reverse time, Forrest wouldn’t change a thing.
Dave was the one thing in his life he’d been missing, although it made his wolf unhappy seeing Dave having a hard time fitting in. Forrest knew it was inevitable. Pack members and other paranormals alike were suspicious of humans. They needed more time, Forrest realized. A month might be too short, and he disliked the notion that the Discipline Squad remained lurking out there.
The combined deaths of the Squad members by his doing and Sabine’s had dissuaded those bastards from trying anything foolish again, but Forrest knew those bastards could be determined. Once Dave stepped out of Devil Hills territory, the Squad would be waiting, but those humans would be in for a nasty surprise. They’d probably never expect Forrest.
After finishing his shower, he quickly put on jeans and comfy white shirt. The smell of honey ribs hit his nose. His stomach growled as he exited the bedroom, surprised to see Dave had set the dining table up.
“Take a seat, please,” Dave said.
“Baby, dinner looks amazing,” he said. Living with a werewolf had taught Dave to prepare plenty of food, he thought with approval.
“Well, don’t praise me yet. You haven’t even tasted anything.”
“You made the effort, all this for us. No one’s ever done something like that for me. Thank you,” Forrest told him as they took their seats at the table.
Dave turned red, even his ears. “You’re very welcome.”
“You’re in a good mood this evening,” Forrest said. “Anything to do with the rumor I heard about regarding chasing a wild wolf pup through the town?”
Dave groaned. “No one told me until much later whose child she was. Sylvia’s pretty cute, though.”
Forrest smiled, wishing he could have seen his mate play with a young pup of the pack. Instead, he’d been stuck on patrol in the isolated area of the Devil Hills territory. Werewolves were social creatures, aside from the occasional rogues. Forrest especially liked doing patrol or training duties with fellow packmates. Deacon knew him well enough to allocate a job he’d hate.
He’d grin and bear it, though, because even if the worst came to pass and Dave had to leave after his thirty days were up, Forrest wouldn’t want to leave the pack on bad terms with their Alpha. He owed Deacon plenty, after all.
“The young are cherished not just by the pack, but other supernaturals, too,” he said. “I always pay the nursery and pack-run daycare a visit to see all those adorable faces of my future packmates.”
They dug into the delicious meal Dave prepared.
“It’s not fair,” Dave finally said. “You’re not saying anything, but I know being so far from your packmates day-to-day is hurting your wolf.”
Forrest blinked. “Deacon can’t stay mad at me for long. It will pass, and I did hide you behind his back. Rules are there for a reason, but I don’t regret my choices one bit, because if I didn’t sneak you in, I would have lost my mate.”
“Still, it’s kind of a harsh punishment,” Dave mumbled.
Forrest wasn’t still used to having someone take his side all the time, and he realized it felt kind of nice.
“I’ve gone through worse. I was kind of unmanageable growing up. I owe Deacon a lot.”
“You mentioned he’s your mentor?” Dave asked, curious.
Forrest nodded. “I wasn’t originally from the Devil Hills pack. Both
my werewolf parents had been loners, but after my dad got killed by human hunters, my mother knew she wouldn’t have long to live.”
Sorrow still filled his heart, even though he barely remembered his birth parents.
“Because they were mates?” Dave asked.
Forrest nodded. “When your mate dies, it feels like half of you has died. Those who choose to live on after their soul mates perish live a half-existence. I’d been four then. My mother decided to drop me off with the Devil Hills pack before following my father to death.”
“That’s so tragic. I’m sorry,” Dave said, face falling.
Forrest shook his head. “It’s fine. It was really a long time ago, and I don’t remember much of them. The pack raised me. Deacon mentored me, so I get why he was hurt by my actions.”
Forrest owed his life to his packmates, would do anything for them in return. Deacon, in essence, became the father he never had, the other enforcers like Max and Isabella his tough older siblings. Sabine, who’d been around the same age group as him, became one of his closest friends. Family, he realized, always got his back.
Some part of him still wished Dave would think of this place as home, that the other wolves would warm up to his mate. Dave and Daryl only had each other for most of their lives, but he began to see Daryl adapting to their community. Dave, though?
Sorrow filled his heart. It would wreck him to leave the family he’d known and once would have died to protect, but his mate would always come first. If Dave couldn’t stay, he’d follow his mate anywhere else in the world. He loved his mate that much.
Love, Forrest thought with wonder. He didn’t tell Dave yet, not wanting to scare his little human off, but it was the truth. He didn’t know when he started falling deep and hard for his daring and brave human mate, but he’d do anything in his power to make sure Dave was safe.
If the pack couldn’t accept Dave, then they’d make their own way in the world. They’d survive, and not only that, they’d make their own future.
“Forrest,” Dave ventured, looking bothered.
“What is it, baby?” Forrest realized because of his patrols, they never had a chance to talk or have a nice dinner like this. There was still so much Dave didn’t know about him enough, though he knew plenty about Dave.
“One werewolf said it was a pity a strong, dominant wolf like you mated a weakling like me.”
Forrest snarled at those words, his inner wolf pissed. “Who?”
His anger spiked. Sure, the pack was family, but mates came before pack. That wolf should have minded his own damn business.
Dave shook his head. “But it’s true, isn’t it? Mating me means I’m your weakness, too. I’m not like your parents, who were both werewolves. If the Squad finds me, ends me, you’ll die, too.”
Forrest tasted fear in the air, and he didn’t like the despair on Dave’s face. He rose from his seat and walked up to his mate. Putting his hand over Dave’s, he pulled Dave to his feet. Dave still looked miserable, still unable to meet his eyes.
He tipped Dave’s chin and said to his mate, “I’ve made my choice when I mated you, baby. Guess what? I don’t regret it one bit.”
Chapter Thirteen
Dave’s heart thundered at those words. Forrest tugged him close, wrapping him in those massive steel-banded arms he associated with warmth and safety. He leaned in close, every tense muscle in his body relaxing. Forrest took his mouth, plunged his tongue down his throat, and he sucked hard on it.
His cock pulsed in his jeans, and he rubbed himself against Forrest’s, loving the feel of his powerful mate’s body against his. He surrendered to the kiss, which turned slow, gentle, full of sweetness he knew his mate also possessed. Dave always liked how tough Forrest appeared on the outside but only revealed his tender side to him during intimate moments like this.
When Forrest pulled away, he panted. His head cleared a little. That was right. Forrest chose him, and he accepted Forrest’s mate mark without hesitation seven days ago. They chose each other, drawn to each other by some unexplainable magnetic force.
Dave was vaguely aware of Forrest edging him backward, away from the table and toward the bedroom. They didn’t make it that far. The backs of his legs hit the living room couch. That would do, Dave decided as he pawed at his mate’s shirt.
Fears for Forrest, for them and their uncertain future, still lingered in the back of his mind, but for now, Dave craved Forrest’s touch and dominance.
“Clothes off,” Forrest said.
“Yes,” was all Dave could say. They parted from each other and in moments, they peeled off every fabric of clothing until they both stood naked.
He licked lips in appreciation at the sight of his mate. Forrest was gorgeous, and those intense green eyes full of hunger sent a shiver of anticipation down his spine. His werewolf mate had a warrior’s body. All his, he thought with fierce possession.
“Come here, little human,” Forrest said, voice practically a growl.
His dick hardened between his legs as he approached his mate. Dave dropped to his knees in front of Forrest, aware of the pleased smile on Forrest’s lips. Forrest speared his fingers through his hair, tugged Dave close so his lips touched Forrest’s prick. Eager to hear sounds of pleasure from his wolf’s lips, he leaned in close, swiping the pre-cum on Forrest’s cockhead with his tongue.
Forrest rumbled in approval. He darted his tongue over the slit, ran it over the ridges and bumps of Forrest’s massive dick. His own continued to thicken, turning from half-mast to full. Not yet, he thought, moving to Forrest’s balls. These, he sucked on hard. Forrest tugged at his hair.
“Take me in your mouth,” Forrest commanded.
He opened his lips wider and did as his mate asked. Knowing he couldn’t take all of Forrest’s prick fully, he sucked gently, before closing mouth over Forrest’s shaft. He bobbed his head up and down, adoring the taste of his mate’s arousal on his tongue. Forrest pulled at his hair again.
“Let me take over,” Forrest said, voice harsh.
He held his head in place, mouth wide as Forrest thrust in and out. Forrest eventually let out a growl before exploding. Dave struggled to catch every drop. Some cum spilled down the corners of his mouth but Forrest swiped them away, licking his fingers clean. He blushed, painfully aroused by now.
“On all fours,” Forrest said, then flipped him to his hands and knees with ease.
Sometimes, Forrest’s strength still surprised him, but never once did his mate hurt him. He groaned when Forrest nudged his legs further apart, then blew at his puckered entrance. A moan spilled from his lips as Forrest’s fingers found his prick. Forrest tugged and pulled, rendering him a panting mess.
Then his mate released his dick. He let out a sound of frustration only to find Forrest in front of him. Seeing Forrest recovering so soon, he mewled. That was one of the benefits of having a shifter for a mate. They weren’t like human men.
“Get me ready again, baby,” Forrest said with fondness in his voice, before slipping his dick into his mouth again. He serviced Forrest’s prick, using lips, tongue, and a bit of teeth. It wasn’t long before Forrest pulled out. “Enough.”
Forrest plucked his jeans from the floor and took the lube out from his back pocket. Dave liked how his mate came prepared. Forrest took position behind him. Soon, he felt Forrest’s slick fingers prodding his entrance, widening him for access. So good, he thought, pushing his ass toward Forrest’s hand.
Laughing, his mate gave his ass a smack, making him jump. God. That only made him further aroused. It seemed like an eternity, but Forrest finally replaced his digits with his dick. His wolf teased him a little first, rubbing his slick cockhead against Dave’s entrance. He moaned, clawing at the floor.
“Don’t tease anymore, please.” Begging seemed to do the trick. Forrest pushed in, slow and easy until he was buried all the way to the hilt. He gasped at the slight burn but knew Forrest would make that disappear soon enough.
His mate began t
o move, strokes steady, quickly finding a rhythm which suited them both. He moaned, met Forrest for every thrust. Dave’s prick felt heavy between his legs, so full, he knew he wouldn’t last long. Forrest pounded into him faster.
Dave loved how their bodies clashed. He could almost sense Forrest’s wolf in him, wrapping around his heart and soul each time they became one. Forrest must have shifted angles, because his next push found Dave’s sensitive spot. Gasping, he arched his back as Forrest kept hitting that spot repeatedly.
“So good, baby,” he managed to whisper only for Forrest to trigger his orgasm at the last push.
A sound of pure pleasure tore out of him as the pressure building inside him broke. Dave’s mind shattered as he floated in a sea of haze. Forrest thrust in and out of him several more times, before erupting and filling his ass with cum. Forrest parted from him and returned moments later with a towel. A smile tugged on the corner of his lips as Forrest wiped them clean. They settled against the couch with him straddling Forrest’s lap.
Dave rested his head against Forrest’s muscled chest. Forrest kept him balanced, arms wrapped protectively around his waist. Dave lifted his head and said the words he’d been wanting to say for a few days now.
“I love you.”
Forrest didn’t look taken by surprise, merely brushed his lips gently against his and said them back. “Love you, too, baby.” His werewolf mate curled his fingers over his and gave them a squeeze. “Don’t worry about a single thing. I’ll always be with you, Dave.”
His heart leapt in his throat. “Even if your pack can never accept me?”
Forrest didn’t hesitate. “We’re mates, now and forever. I’ll go wherever you go.”
His chest tightened and tears gathered in his eyes. Dave knew mates couldn’t stay apart for long, and while it was selfish, he refused to give up Forrest, because it was better being with the man he loved than returning to being alone.
“Don’t get mad, but has no shifter survived after their mated pair died?” He had to know, because if the worst-case scenario happened, he needed to be certain Forrest would continue living.