by Jackie Nacht
Sloan was packing swiftly, obviously worried about him. He dressed and made his way over to Sloan, grabbing the man and embracing him. “Thank you,” Colin murmured into Sloan’s shoulder.
Sloan let out a disbelieving laugh. “For what? I chewed on you like a damn dog toy?”
“No, you were there for me and stuck by me through all of it. This moment. It was special to me, and I don’t want it tainted by the compound knowing and you getting in trouble. Please, I want to keep you safe.” Colin reached up, kissing the man softly. There was still a hint of the coppery taste of blood, but Colin didn’t care.
“Can I at least go get the stuff and take care of you myself?” Sloan pleaded against his lips.
“That’ll work,” Colin murmured before stealing one more quick kiss. Pulling back, they put their shirts on, hiding their mutual wounds as they made their way back to the compound.
Chapter Seven
They kept their secret silent for over a week. The whole thing was gnawing at Sloan as he had to tend to a wound that he'd caused, which never seemed to get better. While his all but healed, leaving behind a scar, Colin’s seemed to be taking on signs of infection.
They sat in the common room where everyone socialized. This was the last chance for such activities, since the oncoming shift was just a few short days away. While they didn’t isolate them, they did shutdown the common room where there were pool tables, music and everyone gathering from their hall.
Sloan sat next to Colin, keeping watch, worried for his lover. Leaning in, he whispered, “Colin, I don’t care if I get into trouble. We need to get you checked out.”
Colin shook his head, face pale and eyes glassy. “No. If after the full moon I don’t get better, we’ll go talk to the physicians but not until after the full moon. Please, I don’t want anything stressing you out and making your shift worse.”
Sloan should just tell him that seeing the man he cared about deteriorating in health was enough to send him and his wolf into a frenzy.
Dalton came over, bringing a ginger ale to Colin. “Here, sip on this.”
Colin took a small tentative sip. “Thanks.”
“Why don’t you go lay down?” Dalton suggested.
“I think I’ll just go get some fresh air.” Colin stood wobbly.
“This is ridiculous, Colin. You get any worse and your refusal won’t matter. The guards will catch on to you being sick and drag your ass to the physicians.” Dalton turned to stare at Sloan with an exasperated look. “He listens to you. Try reasoning with him.”
Sloan glanced down, putting his hands on his knees as he sat there, feeling hopeless. In one hand, he wanted to drag Colin to the doctor, on the other— “His body, his choice. If he wants to go, I’ll take him, but I won’t force anything on him. Period, Dalton. Same goes for all of you. C’mon, Colin, let’s see if fresh air will help you.”
Sloan grabbed Colin by the elbow, guiding him out to sit in the courtyard. Sitting alone on top of a picnic bench was Brendan, and he was smoking, knees bouncing and biting his nails in between. His puppy dog eyes filled with fear. Everyone knew he was about to go through his first shift. Oh gods, how Sloan wished he could give words of comfort, but he knew they would all be a fucking lie.
He led Colin near Brendan and sat him down, whispering, “I need to look at your shoulder.”
Colin nodded and slid the shirt over to look at the infected bite. The wound was just as bad as earlier, red tendrils spreading along the skin like tentacles. Sloan placed a gentle kiss on the shoulder just off to the side of the injury, guilt swamping him. He couldn’t believe he had done all this harm just biting Colin.
They hadn’t been intimate again since that first time. Fear that he would lose control and cause more damage kept them apart. Instead, they'd spent their nights holding each other until the guards came and separated them.
“I’ll be okay, Sloan.” Colin turned and kissed him passionately on the lips. He loved kissing Sloan’s full lips, tasting and exploring him.
Pulling back, Sloan rested his head on Colin’s.
They broke apart, and Colin stared up at Brendan. “How you doin?” Colin asked.
“As good as can be expected knowing my body is going to be ripped apart in a couple days.” Brendan's hand trembled as he brought the cigarette to his quivering lips, inhaling deeply.
Sloan watch as Colin got up and walked to stand in front of his friend, embracing him.
“I’m so fucking freaked out, I…I…” Brendan buried his head into Colin’s uninjured shoulder, giving Colin a one-armed hug.
Sloan couldn’t hear the quiet murmurs going on between the two Omegas. Whatever words of comfort Colin said must have worked a little, because a couple minutes later, Brendan’s shoulders eased. The two separated, and Brendan put out the remainder of the cigarette.
A single alarm rang out. “First night of lockdown. That’s the ten minute warning to get to our rooms before they lock the doors.”
“We’re two days out.” Colin came up next to him as they made their way back in and down the hall toward their rooms.
“You’ll notice tomorrow that all the attitudes of those about to go through their shift will take a nosedive. Do me a favor and wait for me before you walk to class tomorrow. I don’t trust some people here.” Sloan led them toward their room.
The hallways were busy with people getting back. There were a lot of shifters from different halls that were out and about. Sloan recognized some of the pre-shifters while others were completely foreign to him. They never ate or socialized with other halls; instead, the guards tended to rotate their hours of eating and classes to avoid one another. But sometimes, like when they were going into lockdown, everyone was bumping and running into each other to get to their cells. No wonder the guards didn’t have them crossover. Made for fucking chaos.
Finally, they reached their cells, and Sloan stepped into Colin’s, watching as the man got ready for bed. They only had a couple of minutes.
Colin quirked his finger at him, smirking. “C’mere.”
Sloan walked slowly to Colin. Colin tugged on his belt loop before smiling up at him. “You need to stop pouting.”
“I’m not pouting,” Sloan looked down at the man’s blue-green eyes. Gods, that’s where his infatuation started, and now, he felt like the man could become his whole life.
“You and I are going to remedy that,” Colin whispered before pulling him down for another kiss.
He worked his mouth over Colin’s, wishing that they could stay there all night—wishing that they had met when both their situations weren’t so fucked up and complicated. Sloan pulled back slightly and felt it bone deep. “I love you,” he whispered against Colin’s lips.
“I love you too, Sloan,” Colin whispered back before pulling away altogether.
Sloan turned, making his way to his room. They both stared at each other, even well after the doors locked them in for the night. Sloan felt the coldness creep into him as he was separated from the one he loved.
* * * *
The next morning, Colin was feeling a little bit better nausea-wise, but his whole body ached like he had come out on the losing end of a fight. He got up like an old man and prepared for the day. It was the last day of classes before the full moon, and maybe if he moved around a bit, he would loosen up some. There was a small enclosure that he walked into to do his business and wash his face. It was small enough to fit in his room and could be locked up at nights of the full moon for those that shifted. Damn near everything was arranged to keep a shifter from tearing up the fucking place. Too bad it left out all the warm and fuzzies to make it feel anywhere near a home.
Glancing down and gripping the sink, he suddenly felt a new wave of shock over losing everyone. At times, he had to block it out or the blackness of despair would swallow him whole. He tried, he really did, to keep reaching for the positive. Colin had to keep thinking of Peyton and Sloan. Those were the two that kept him from sinking. At time
s, he felt they were damn near holding him up.
But Colin had this ever-growing need to focus on Sloan and help him get through this change as painlessly as possible. He needed to talk to him today and find out what had been going on in the last couple of years. Oh, Sloan would mention the pain, that it sucked, but he never talked about the why of it all. Maybe there was no reason except for a good case of stubbornness. Colin was determined to figure it out and help him. The full moon was tomorrow, and if he had to talk himself hoarse all night to help Sloan through it, he would.
He brushed his fingers through his brown hair, not knowing if it was sticking up since there wasn’t a mirror, but he wanted to look a little better today to keep Sloan from worrying about him. The sound of the doors unlocking echoed through the hall, and Colin walked out at the same time Sloan did.
Sloan approached and without pause, grabbed Colin and kissed him right in the middle of the hallway. His kiss was more aggressive today, and Colin could hear the faint growl deep in Sloan’s throat. This shouldn’t have turned him on, especially with how sore he felt, but it was like his body said fuck it to the aches and responded to him anyway.
Sloan grabbed his hair, tugging on his strands, and heat pooled into his cock. Gods, he finally felt good for the first time in weeks, and he didn’t care if every person in this hall saw. Colin didn’t want to let the man go. Deepening the kiss, he felt himself being walked backward until his shoulders hit the wall. Sloan pressed his body into him, rubbing his hard cock into Colin’s.
Colin mewled.
Sloan growled, going for his shirt.
And then Sloan was ripped away from him, dammit.
Colin glared at Rayce and Malach who were holding Sloan by the arms. Sloan put up a struggle at first, and then with a flash of his hazel eyes, it was all gone.
“What the fuck are you two doing? Full moon's tomorrow, you both know the rules.” Malach looked back and forth between them like he expected one or both of them to answer.
Colin didn’t have an answer to give. He had no clue what came over him. It could be that Sloan had acted because of how close it was to the full moon, but him…hell, he’d been sick. Rubbing his forehead, for the first time he was questioning himself on not telling anyone why he had been sick. Was this going to cause more harm than good to Sloan by not being seen? Colin wearily stared at Malach, ready to spill when all hell broke loose down the hall.
Malach and Rayce took off as two Alphas began pounding on each other. The small crowd that gathered around them seemed to close in to see the action down the hall. The only ones that didn't move closer were Dalton and Knox.
Sloan grabbed ahold of his own hair, pulling it hard then turned and walked across the hall where he put his hands on the wall, letting his head flop forward as Sloan took slow, deep breaths.
Knox stood there for a moment, before commanding, “All of us, in my room now.”
Colin waited until Sloan pushed his hands off the wall and began tailing his best friend.
Colin and Sloan went to sit on the bed, but Knox stopped them. “I don’t fucking think so. You both stand.”
Colin glanced over at Sloan who shrugged and leaned his back against the wall.
“So what’s going on, you two?” Knox stood in the middle of his room, arms crossed like he was scolding two teenagers caught necking, well…never mind.
Sloan gave him a curious stare, but Colin knew it was time. Worrying his friends this long was ridiculous.
“Sloan and I have been seeing each other,” Colin confessed.
Knox snorted. “That’s not anything we don’t know, but something else is going on.” Knox pointed at him. “You’ve been sick as fuck until this morning, and you—” Knox turned on Sloan. “You practically fucked him out in the hallway and would have if no one stepped in. That isn’t like you.”
Sloan slumped over, squatting down and scrubbing his face. Colin watched his lover, feeling guilty as hell. “We had sex.” A blush crept into his cheeks at admitting his personal life to his friends.
Dalton shook his head. “So does half the residents in the compound.”
“I bit him,” Sloan mumbled.
“Bit him?” Knox's eyebrows rose damn near to his hairline.
“I bit him too,” Colin whispered. He would not have Sloan carry this on his own.
“Is that why you’ve been sick?” Dalton talked gently to him. Colin was thankful he wasn’t shouting at him. He wasn’t sure he could handle it any other way right now.
Sloan stood up. “We think so. He wasn’t sick until after we were…” Sloan rubbed the back of his neck before finishing, “together. Colin’s bite mark got infected.”
Reaching up, Colin grabbed Sloan’s hand, stilling it before pulling it down and holding it.
Dalton approached them. “May I take a look at it? I’ve helped the physicians, maybe I can help you.”
Colin slid his shirt over, revealing his mark.
“Damn, Sloan, you damn near chewed his shoulder off.” Knox was leaning over Dalton’s shoulder so he could see his wound.
“His was just as bad, but it healed.” Colin squeezed Sloan’s hand. He really didn’t want anyone seeing his bite. He felt protective of it.
“So, you bit Sloan too?” Dalton was tentatively touching it. Sloan reached over and removed Dalton’s fingers.
“Please, don’t touch him.” Sloan growled.
Dalton’s hands shot up in surrender. “Sorry. It’s almost like you two mated, but Colin hasn’t shifted yet and you didn’t tear each other’s clothes off at seeing each other. If you two were mates, you still wouldn’t have come up for air yet.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Knox stared at him, eyes full of concern.
Colin swallowed, “I’m feeling better today, so I’m going to give it a few more days. If it doesn’t heal, I’ll go to the physician. Can you two just keep this private until after the shift? I want to be there for Sloan afterward.”
Dalton looked like he was about to object, but Knox spoke first. “We’ve got your back, but you have to promise to get help after the shift if you’re not better, Colin. You won’t help anyone—Sloan or your brother who is just about to get out of the hospital—if you’re sick.”
Sloan blew out a breath. “Thanks, guys.”
Sloan reached for him and hugged him, giving him a kiss on his forehead.
Thirty-six more hours. Colin knew that if his wound didn’t heal, his friends would be dragging his ass to the infirmary. Didn’t matter, he would go willingly. He just had to be here for Sloan. That’s all that mattered to him right now.
Chapter Eight
The day of the shift and Colin was at his wit's end. His friends had been hovering over him the last thirty hours. He couldn’t even take a piss without one of them going into the bathroom with him. His wound hadn’t gotten any better, but outside the horrible achiness, he hadn’t seemed to be getting any worse.
Sloan was more aggressive than ever. No one could touch Colin or even come near him. By dinner the night before, his friends and he had to eat outside with Sloan, because he was staring down the next table of Alphas like he was going to rip their throats out. They weren’t even doing anything, but the fact that they were within ten yards of Colin was enough to send Sloan into a rage.
“You need to get a grip, Sloan,” Knox slammed his drink down.
“I’m trying,” Sloan growled.
“Go try some yoga,” Oren suggested.
“Doesn’t fucking work,” Sloan and Knox said at the same time.
Why they kept insisting the Alphas take these classes was beyond Colin. Not a single Alpha in the place believed they worked.
Sloan stood. “I’m going to go lock myself in. Knox, can you—”
“We got your boy, Sloan. Just do everything you can to relax.” Knox waved Sloan off.
Sloan embraced Colin. “That okay with you? Letting Knox watch over you? Feel like I’m going to snap.”
; “I can take care of myself, Sloan,” Colin quietly protested.
“Just do it for me, please. I’ll feel better knowing you’re surrounded by friends, and maybe I can go calm down.” Sloan licked his neck. He wasn’t supposed to be doing that, just like Colin wasn’t supposed to be tilting his neck and giving him better access.
Colin broke free. “Go take care of yourself. Love you.”
Sloan nodded, and Colin watched him walk off, even his gate radiating aggressiveness.
“This is going to be bad tonight, isn’t it?” Colin grew distressed.
Knox rolled his shoulders. The man had his own change to worry about, and clearly, he was feeling it. “The problem with Sloan is that he just doesn’t flow into his shift. Think of a person jumping into a pool for the first time. How do they do it?”
“Cannonball?” Colin wasn’t sure where Knox was going with this.
“Yep, usually feet-first, creating a huge splash. My dad used to try to explain the shift to me this way: All new shifters are virtually jumping in feet first, clumsy as hell. It takes a lot of fucking practice to turn it around, going headfirst and then doing it smoothly. That’s how your shift should be. Like cutting into water smoothly. One body sliding into the next. Sloan fights it…he does a damn belly flop.”
Ouch.
“Can I help him?” Colin glanced at his friends.
“Honestly, I don’t know. He’s more aggressive, but maybe he needs a good kick in the ass. If he sees you trying your hardest to be there for him, even feeling like shit, maybe he’ll get it together. I don’t know though, they teach us just the exact opposite. To relax.” Knox stood. “Come on, let’s stick close to our rooms. Lockdown is just around the corner. And I’d like to avoid any confrontation with assholes around here if possible.”
They walked back into the building, dropping their trays off. Off to the side, Cass and Duke were eyeing them all up. Knox walked the group out of the cafeteria and down the hall.