by Lynn Hagen
“I’d prefer to discuss the biting thing.”
Olsen chuckled when Tater rolled his eyes. He grabbed his mate and hugged him close, planting a small kiss on his bicep. A few weeks ago, he would have planted a kiss on his head. Now he just reached his chest. That really would take some getting used to.
“All right, let’s call Maverick and have him talk to D,” Olsen said.
“You go ahead and do that,” Pa said, “because I need to go have a talk with Chauncey.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Olsen asked as he looked from his pa to his womb mates, Bryce and Gavin. His brothers shrugged, but Olsen could see in their eyes that they knew something.
“He…uh.” Pa rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes darted toward the front porch. “I’ll discuss it with you later.”
Olsen didn’t like this secretive shit. If it involved his family, he wanted to know. He wasn’t going to press the matter right now, but he wasn’t going to wait too long for an answer either.
“Come on.” Tater pulled Olsen from the living room and up the stairs. “It’s none of your business.”
“Hell, if it’s not,” Olsen grumbled as he followed his mate up to his bedroom, where he had left his cell phone.
Tater listened as Olsen talked with Maverick. He looked down at his hands, wondering if now would be a good time to tell his bear that he was feeling panicky. He may be getting used to this new body and this new way of live, but he still had his old ways and his old fears.
One of them being the fact that he still felt like running away from all of this. Sure, Olsen was great, but Tater still felt that all-consuming fear that he would screw this up somehow.
He had two big commitments, permanent ones, land in his lap in the past couple of weeks, and he still wasn’t sure what to do about that. Not that he could do anything, but his mind still hadn’t fully processed what had happened to him.
Tater looked up from the back steps he was sitting on as Olsen leaned against the side of the rail, reaching his hand down to run it over Tater’s hair. He wasn’t sure if Olsen was doing it to reassure Tater or if he was doing it just to be tender.
That was another thing. Tater felt like his private thoughts were no longer his. It’s not that he didn’t like being able to talk to Olsen so no one could hear them. It was the fact that everyone deserved to have their own thoughts to themselves, sharing only when they wanted to.
“I know, baby. It’s hard on both of us,” Olsen thought as he continued to talk.
Tater jumped from the steps, storming across the yard and past the barn, toward the woods. How far would he have to go to be able to think without his mate hearing his every damn word?
“Shit!” Tater shouted as he hit the ground, a large bear on his back.
“Where do you think you’re going, Tater?”
“Away, damn it. I need to think. I need to figure this shit out. I need—”
“You’re running. Do you think I don’t know this? I’m not going to let you run off someplace alone. It’s too dangerous out there. And besides, you are going to stop running and talk to me. I know you’re afraid of commitment, but running is not going to solve a damn thing.”
Tater glared at the forest as he lay on the ground. Hadn’t he been thinking a few weeks ago that he wanted Olsen to take charge? To make him commit? Now that Olsen was taking charge, Tater could feel something inside of him rebelling. Was he really that screwed up?
Olsen’s nose brushed over Tater’s cheek, his tongue lapping at the side of Tater’s neck. “You’re my mate, love. I need you just as much as you need me. We have a bond. If only you’d reach out and connect to me, we could work through this.”
Tater felt the tears threatening to spill. That was what he truly wanted, someone to connect with, someone to bond with. The only thing stopping him from getting what he craved the most was him.
“I’m scared, Olsen,” Tater confessed once again as he laid his cheek on the grass under him.
“I know, love. I know. And I promise to always keep that in mind when you feel like running, but I can’t allow you to take off, baby.”
Tater shuddered when he felt Olsen shift into his human form. The naked man lay over him, kissing the side of his neck, his hard cock pressing into Tater’s ass. The feel of his mate blanketing him was what Tater had been looking for. He wanted to feel protected, taken over. And Olsen was doing just that.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Olsen growled in his ear as he situated his knees on either side of Tater’s hips. “Why didn’t you tell me you need me to be the one in charge, to command you?”
Tater could feel his entire body flush as his desires were voiced. How long had he wanted to tell Olsen now? Maybe this mind thing did have its benefits.
“It doesn’t matter. I know now.” Olsen began to pull at Tater’s waistband.
“Wait!” Tater pulled out from between Olsen’s legs, leaving his mate kneeling on the grassy field, the forest just in arm’s reach. God, the man looked so damn good kneeling there naked with his cock hard and throbbing. It looked like a thing of beauty.
Olsen cocked his head to the side, studying Tater right before Tater tackled Olsen, his mate landing on his back. Tater didn’t waste any time. He swallowed Olsen until pubic hairs tickled his nose.
“Fuck, Tater. That’s right, love. Suck my dick.” Olsen’s legs fell apart as he began to thrust into Tater’s mouth. Tater palmed the back of Olsen’s knees, pushing his legs back as he sucked Olsen like a lollipop.
Olsen’s cock popped from his lips as he dipped his head, lapping at his mate’s sac. He sucked one orb in, tongue bathing it, and then did the same to the other. He could hear the moans coming from his mate as Tater swirled his tongue around, pulling at Olsen’s nuts with his lips.
“Suck it, baby.”
Tater released the heady skin as he took Olsen’s cock back into his mouth. His head rose and fell as he tried his best to give his mate the best blow job in history.
“You are, baby. You are,” Olsen groaned as his fingers curled into the grass.
Tater was desperate to get fucked, to feel this large cock that passed back and forth between his lips in his ass. But he was reluctant to let it go. He wanted both. Tater wanted it all.
Olsen kicked out, making Tater stumble from his knees. His bear got to his feet, his wet and hard shaft jutting out proudly. “Take your clothes off, Tater,” he commanded.
Tater ripped at his pants, trying desperately to get them off. He knew what Olsen wanted, and Tater was more than happy to oblige. He struggled with the strings of his boots, his fingers uncooperative from shaking so badly. Finally, he got them untied and yanked his boots off of his feet. It only took seconds before Tater’s pants were off. He rolled until he was on his hands and knees, his hole pulsing in anticipation of being filled.
“No, baby. On your back,” Olsen said as he glided one hand over Tater’s bared ass.
Tater hesitated.
“Get on your back, Tater. Now.” Olsen’s voice was steel.
Tater rolled again, looking up at his mate. He could feel his stomach muscles quivering at the command as Olsen squatted between Tater’s legs. “I want to watch your cock dance for me as I fuck you, baby.”
Tater nodded as he hitched his hands behind his knees and pulled his legs back. He may be larger than Olsen now, but Tater didn’t want to take the lead, ever.
“You don’t have to worry about that. Not a chance in hell, love. Remember, who is on his back?”
Tater grinned up at his bear. “I love you, bear.”
Olsen chuckled as he spat on his fingers. “You’re just saying that because I’m about to fuck you into the forest.”
Tater shrugged. “Maybe.”
Olsen smacked his leg playfully. “I love you, too, baby. Now spread ’em.”
Tater laughed as he pulled his legs back further, watching the playful glint in Olsen’s eyes turn to lust. “Fuck, baby. You are so damn gorgeous.”
Tater hissed as Olsen pushed two fingers past the ring and then scissored them. His breathing became ragged as his mate grazed over his prostate.
“You like that?” Olsen teased as he rested his free hand on Tater’s leg, staring down at him with nothing but love in his beautiful gray eyes. Tater’s chest tightened at the way his bear was looking at him. Nobody had ever looked at him that way before.
“Dumb question.” Tater panted and then grinned, feeling something inside of him snap into place. There was nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for his bear. The man had gotten past his defenses and wrapped himself around Tater’s heart. He vowed right there that he would do whatever it took to get over his fear of commitment. Olsen deserved someone to love him fully, and Tater planned on being that man. “Hell yeah, I like it.”
Olsen’s expression changed. If Tater wasn’t mistaken, there were tears glistening in Olsen’s eyes. His mate cleared his throat, lowering his eyes as he grabbed his cock and lined it up to Tater’s hole. Tater bit his bottom lip as Olsen pushed, easing his shaft into Tater’s ass.
Tater groaned as he shifted around, trying to get Olsen to move faster. He wanted to feel every bit of his bear inside of him.
“Patience, love.”
Tater nodded, his fingernails digging into the grass as Olsen pushed deeper, slowly filling him. He thought he was going to lose his mind by the time Olsen began to move. The feeling was so fucking fantastic.
Olsen’s hands spanned over Tater’s stomach, his fingertips caressing his feverish skin. Tater was dying to wrap his legs around Olsen’s waist, but feared crushing the man.
“What did I tell you, Tater?” Olsen growled as he thrust his cock into Tater’s ass harder. “I’m not made of glass. Now put your damn legs around me.”
Tater smiled as he did as his mate commanded. He chuckled when Olsen grunted and nodded, as if Tater was being ridiculous. Tater tried his best to hide the smile when Olsen was pulled forward an inch, but his bear said nothing about it.
He soon forgot to think as Olsen began to show Tater just how knowledgeable he truly was when it came to sex. Tater’s insides melted, his brain a distant memory as Olsen’s cock slammed into his ass, over and over again.
“Close,” Tater warned as he arched his back, digging his nails deeper into the soil. He gasped and then cried out as ribbons of cum shot out of his cock, landing on his chest. His whole body shuddered as his senses short-circuited.
“Tater!” Olsen shouted, pounding his ass with brute force. Tater mewled and writhed as Olsen came inside of him. He lay there panting as a cool breeze tickled across his skin. Tater blinked, looking up at the moon. This had been the most romantic place he’d ever had sex before, and it seemed to only be getting better with his bear.
Olsen pulled free and then lay next to him, staring skyward as well. “I’ll always try and make it better for you, love.”
And that was all Tater could ask for.
Chapter Twelve
Olsen glanced all around before taking a step from the tree line. He and his brothers decided to find out what in the hell was going on around here. They had been driving down the road when they spotted Tater’s father talking with some men out in the pasture that the big battle had taken place. Fortunately for them, the men congregating were close to the tree line.
Bryce, Chance, and Olsen parked the truck about a mile down the road and raced through the forest, trying to get close enough to hear what was going on. Olsen was sick as hell of all the shit going on around here lately. When his family first moved here it was a great place to live. It still was, if only they could get rid of the rogue problem. They were like roaches, gathering together in the dark, running when the light was shined on them. Olsen was going to exterminate the bastards.
The three walked as quietly as possible until Olsen heard the low murmur of voices. He held his hand up, signaling his brothers to stop.
“You can tell whoever sent you that I’ve gone through the ashes of the barn, and there is nothing left,” Tater’s father said in exasperation.
“He won’t like that,” one man said with a menacing threat to his voice. “You were supposed to be the one watching Clark’s back. How did the leaders find out?”
Olsen could hear a low growl. He wasn’t sure who it came from, but his hackles rose.
“My son, Tater.”
Olsen had to suppress the urge to kill everyone standing on the other side of the tree line. He didn’t like the fact that his mate’s name was mentioned in this back-alley meeting.
“You know that doesn’t change anything just because he’s your son. Balstic still wants his payment for the supplies and the heads of the leaders who destroyed it. A lot of human blood was in that barn. Now we’ll have to start all over.”
Olsen had heard enough. There was no way anyone was getting near his Tater. His mate may be twice Olsen’s size now, but he still needed protecting. He was sick of hearing about the drug and what it was doing to the paranormal community.
It needed to stop.
Olsen shifted, his brothers doing the same as they charged out of the forest, taking down the three men. To his utter surprise, all three were human.
“What the hell?” one man shouted as he threw his hands up, protecting his face. Bryce padded back into the forest and then reemerged in his human form.
“I’m going to run to the truck to call Maverick.” Bryce ran back into the tree line. Olsen knew his brother was going to shift so he could make it back to the truck faster. He looked down at Tater’s father and roared. How could a man do that to his own flesh and blood?
“Nice bear,” one of the men said as he tried to scoot away. Chance locked his jaws on the man’s shoulder, stopping him instantly.
After what felt like forever, two large SUVs and their truck drove right onto the grass, crossing the pasture and coming to a stop not twenty feet away. Olsen watched as Maverick climbed out and slammed the vehicle door. “I hear someone knows the man responsible for the battle in this field a few weeks back.” He eyed the men lying on the ground. Olsen wanted to laugh as two of the men looked as though they were going to piss on themselves.
So much for the tough act.
“I want names,” Maverick growled as he squatted in front of the prone men. “I want to know who put the hit out on me and the others.”
When no one spoke, the alpha grabbed the closest man’s shirt and pulled him up, the human dangling in front of the alpha. “Talk.”
“H–He’ll kill me.”
The rumble in Maverick’s chest was ominous as he shook his head. “And I won’t?”
“No offense, but he scares me even more.”
Olsen wondered who in the hell could scare a human more than Maverick. The shifter was at least six foot nine and looked as though he had just walked out of the bowels of hell. The rough biker look didn’t help calm the effect.
“Then you apparently don’t know me too well. I have ways of making a person talk.” Maverick handed the human over to a man that looked like he breathed pain. The human protested, screaming and fighting as he was carried to the vehicle.
“Anyone else fear the other more than me?”
“His name is Balstic,” the other human quickly volunteered. “He lives in the city. I can draw you a map.”
Maverick nodded and then looked over at Tater’s dad. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. I see you haven’t learned your lesson.”
“Fuck you,” Tater’s dad spat. “I don’t owe you shit, especially not my loyalty, you fag.”
Maverick’s chuckle was deep and majestic. “We’ll see about that.”
Olsen wanted to rip the fucker’s throat out. What did it matter who a person slept with? He’d never understand prejudice. Olsen backed away when one of the men Maverick brought with him crossed the grass to Olsen and grabbed Tater’s father. As much as he hated the prick, he was still Tater’s dad. He grunted at Maverick.
The alpha cocked his head at O
lsen as he grinned. “Compassionate bastard, aren’t you? I’m not going to kill him, but I am going to teach him about having dealings with drug dealers in my village.”
Olsen nodded.
That was all he could ask. With his conscience clear, Olsen decided to go for a run. He would head back to the house, but in his bear form.
That always made Tater smile.
Olsen reached the porch to see Chauncey sitting on the front swing. His brother looked as though he had lost his best friend, which would be his twin, Chance. He shifted when he reached the bottom step.
“Okay. I’m not used to this dour man. Where is Chauncey, and what have you done with him?”
Chauncey shook his head, not even taking the bait. This worried Olsen. “Talk to me, bro.”
He sat down as Chauncey looked over the yard, his eyes haunted. “I found my mate.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” Olsen couldn’t understand why his usually playful brother thought this a bad thing. He would have expected Chauncey to be handing out cigars…that exploded.
Chauncey sighed as he kicked his foot out, setting the swing into motion. “I guess.”
Olsen sat on the bottom step. He knew he should get inside before Roman or Gavin’s mates saw his naked ass, but his concern for his brother pushed that aside. “What happened? Did he reject you? It is a he, right?” It would be catastrophic if Chauncey’s mate wasn’t.
“Yeah, a he. And no, he didn’t reject me.” Chauncey ran his hands through his black-as-night hair. “But I’m having issues getting past his dads.”
“Dads?”
For the first time in weeks, Chauncey laughed. “Crazy, huh? He has two dads, and they nearly took me out at the cookout. I couldn’t get within ten feet of my mate without them trying to kill me.”
“He’s an adult?” God, he hoped Chauncey’s mate was old enough. He knew for a fact that his brother wouldn’t touch a minor, but Chauncey would moon over the guy until he was legal, making everyone in the house want to shoot him.
“He’s in his twenties.”
Thank fuck. “So what’s the big deal? They should know that interfering in a mating is frowned upon. I’m shocked Maverick allowed them to stop you.”