by Jane Perky
“Thanks, man, I owe you one.” He looked at Jerry and gave Jerry a fierce kiss. “I’ll be back. Need some clothes.”
“Okay.” Jerry smiled up at him brightly. Tonight hadn’t exactly gone as planned, but he could compromise.
* * * *
“How are you feeling?” Colton asked.
They were in his truck now and heading for his cabin. Jerry rubbed at his arms, but he understood the feeling. His wolf had been horny as fuck the entire day, eager to cut loose with their Omega. He’d been waiting for tonight because he planned on something special, but then Blake’s wolves had to ruin it.
Not yet, he realized. Colton could still make it up to his mate.
“I’m okay.” Jerry bit his lip. “Will it really be fine? I mean, what if those wolves report to the police?”
Colton laughed. “That’s not how packs work. They’ll be too proud to report to the human police, and besides, I’m planning to meet Blake and have a talk with him. I promised Steve to clear this mess up.”
Jerry looked worried for him again. “You’re talking with Blake?”
“He’s an all right guy, but he can’t handle his wolves.”
“You told me before, how Blake’s pack was about to split into two because his former Beta wanted to rule.”
He nodded. “That Beta’s dead now, but some of his wolves stayed in Blake’s pack. Blake has to thin the herd, but because of Magnus’ coven, he doesn’t want to lower the numbers in his pack.”
“Numbers don’t mean a thing. Magnus has less vampires.”
“Yeah, but Magnus and his coven work as a single unit.”
“I don’t want to talk about supernatural politics anymore,” Jerry said after a while.
“Me, too. It’s time to focus on us, baby.”
“Sorry about tonight.”
“You didn’t do anything. Those fuckers simply didn’t know who they were dealing with.”
“You ripped out one of the werewolves’ arm for me.” Jerry didn’t sound horrified, but pleased.
“See? That’s why we suit each other.”
Jerry returned his grin, then hesitated. Colton had a feeling his Omega had something else on his mind, but he waited until Jerry told him. “Back the office, you told your boss you were waiting for me until I was ready. Is that true?”
For a smart, snarky little thing, his mate could sometimes be blind. “Every word.”
“You won’t change your mind about me?”
He snarled.
“Okay. Sorry. It’s still hard to believe a guy like you, who could have anyone, would choose me.”
“It’s the other way around. A guy like me, who’s committed all kinds of crime, doesn’t deserve anyone.”
Jerry huffed. “Don’t talk like that.”
Colton laughed. “See? That’s how I feel when I tell you to stop pulling yourself down.”
“Fine. We’ll both do better.”
Colton leaned over for a quick kiss. “Good compromise.”
“What’s tonight’s itinerary?” Jerry asked.
Colton paused, wondering if he should alter his plans because of the incident just now, but Jerry had proven to be tougher than he imagined. He remembered Jerry standing up for himself, how he had felt Jerry trying to reach for his wolf. Following that line of thinking, Jerry had wanted to run, so the wolves would focus on him and forget Patricia.
His was certainly something else. Selfless, but sometimes reckless.
“Remember the text I send you during lunch?” he asked.
“To eat a big lunch?”
“Did you?”
Jerry rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but why?”
“Because tonight, we’re catching our own dinner.”
Jerry stared at him. “What kind of romantic evening is that?”
“It’s the full moon, baby. Nice to go out for a run in the woods.”
“But I can’t shift. I tried back at the office, but my wolf refuses to come out.”
“We’re going to try to remedy that problem. Maybe all your beast needs is a little encouragement—withdrawal of sex, perhaps?”
Jerry gawked at him. “You’re going to deny me sex?”
“Your wolf.”
“It’s the same thing.” Jerry crossed his arms. “And if it doesn’t work, what? We’re going to stay celibate?”
Fuck, but that notion was appalling, because Colton couldn’t get enough of his sweet Omega. Hell, he was beginning to think Jerry ought to move into his place or vice versa, because they spent most nights together. Seemed stupid they had separate apartments.
“If necessary,” he said, although he was lying. It didn’t matter, because he was certain he could lull Jerry’s wolf out in the open and make Jerry whole again.
Chapter Ten
“We’re really doing this, no dinner or sex until I shift?” Jerry demanded. Colton looked at him, a patient hunter. Jerry ought to know that by now. Both of them knew he was making excuses, that he kept delaying this.
It was a good evening for a run, not too cold or hot for being in wolf form. God. The last time Jerry changed forms was five years ago, before his captivity. Fear rooted him to the spot. What if he shifted halfway, between wolf and human, but couldn’t turn back? Before he changed his mind, Colton wrapped his arms around his slender frame. Warmth filled Jerry.
“You can do this, baby. You’re stronger than you realize,” Colton said.
“You’re my mate. You’re supposed to say that.”
“I believe in you.”
Such simple words, but they packed a punch. He took a deep breath. Colton was right. With Colton by his side, Jerry felt braver. More confident of himself. If Jerry got stuck between forms, Colton would be there, guiding him back to one form.
“Let’s do this.”
Colton took a step back. They stripped out of their clothes and balled their belongings beside a tree near the cabin.
“Most paranormal locals know this land is off-limits,” Colton said, “and I know for a fact that Lee and the others will be running in the south side of the woods, far from here.”
Jerry nodded and shut his eyes to focus. He tried calling his beast again. No response. Refusing to let frustration get the better of him, he tried again. Anxiety mounted. If he couldn’t shift, would Colton still want him? God. He really should have more self-confidence because Colton said he was stronger.
Seconds later, he felt Colton’s fingers brushing against his. The calluses were comforting, and he felt his wolf inside of him respond to the touch. Jerry could sense Colton’s bigger wolf brushing against his own, luring his animal into the open. It began to work, because fur sprouted over his chest and shoulders.
He faltered for a moment, but Colton’s soothing words encouraged him. “Baby, halfway there. Remember that dream you told me about, on the night Lee rescued you, about running alongside me in wolf form.”
Jerry smiled at that. Back then, he’d thought it been nothing more than fantasy, but he knew now that that other wolf was Colton. His mate. He’d survived being a vampire’s blood slave to find his mate. Jerry’s human hand turned furry.
“You can let go now,” he whispered.
Colton did, and he threw back his head and howled. The rest of the change came easily enough. Bones and organs shifted. Jerry fell on all four paws, only to find his powerful mate waiting for him in wolf form. Colton licked at his nose in affection, and Jerry batted him away with a paw. Colton pulled away, mischief in his golden eyes.
Were they about to play a game?
Before Jerry could decide what to do next, Colton turned and disappeared into the nearest line of trees. If they were playing a game, then Jerry didn’t intend to lose. He thought at first that he’d forget how to be in his form, but it was similar to riding a bike. Jerry remembered how to run on four paws easily enough and followed the trail Colton left him.
He knew as a hunter Colton wouldn’t leave any tracks behind, but tonight was mating season and
Colton wanted to catch him. If wolves could smile, Jerry would have worn a big grin on his face. They raced past trees, And Colton adjusted his pace so Jerry could catch up. Their pelts brushed against each other. Jerry’s ears rose and he wagged his tail happily.
Colton nipped at his nose and he snarled. Colton bolted ahead and Jerry followed, elated to once more be in his second form again. God. He’d dreamt of this, missed this. It felt like he was flying past the forest, instead of running. Humans weren’t built to go at this speed, but they were.
“Arooo!” he howled, and Colton answered his call a second later.
He didn’t know where Colton was leading him, but they went deeper. The ash trees here looked much older, the ground untouched by humans. Colton led him past a grove of pine trees and slowed down. They burst into an opening, and Jerry paused to curiously look around. They arrived in some kind of secret spot, and up ahead of him, moonlight illuminated the calm waters of a lake.
Excited, he bumped into his mate. Colton licked at his jaw again before running to the water. Then Colton splashed at him, drenching his fur. Who knew his mate had a playful side to him? Jerry liked it. When they first met, Colton had seemed so serious, intense. They’d changed each other for the better, Jerry realized, leaping into the water.
Fur disappeared, replaced by skin until his mate stood in front of him in human form. Jerry stared, taking his time to appreciate the eye candy that was mate. Water clung to Colton’s sun-kissed skin, highlighting all of his mate’s humming muscles. He scented Colton’s arousal in the air and his own.
Colton grinned at him. “Well, Omega. Aren’t you going to join me?”
Another challenge but he didn’t mind. Momentary fear gripped him. What if he couldn’t turn back? As if Colton knew what he was thinking about, Colton rubbed his head and thumbed his muzzle.
“You can do it, baby. Change for me, for you.” Colton sounded unexpectedly gentle.
He reached for his human half and found his wolf was eager enough to shift, so Colton could finally claim them. Colton’s words back in the office still circled in his head. Colton was only waiting for Jerry to accept his mating mark. Maybe that time was now.
Jerry tucked his wolf away, until once more they were two men, looking at each other hungrily. Mates. Not long ago, Jerry had felt undeserving of that title but not anymore.
“Come here.”
Jerry shivered, loving how that ragged quality to Colton’s voice came from looking at him.
He took several steps forward and gasped when Colton tugged him close until they touched skin to skin. They burned, despite their lower bodies being drenched in water. Once Colton claimed his lips, Jerry shed any last remnant of shyness. He rubbed his dick furiously against Colton’s and ran his hands up and down the hard planes of Colton’s body.
He couldn’t stop, and neither could Colton. Funny they’d only made love that morning, and yet he craved more of his mate. Colton pushed his tongue down his throat and sucked down hard. Jerry panted when Colton released him and started playing with his dick. He groaned when Colton thumbed away the pre-cum and dragged a nail down his leaking slit to curl his fingers around his shaft. Colton began to pump him, alternating between fast and slow strokes, tormenting him.
He buried his head into Colton’s chest, opening his thighs farther so Colton could explore. Colton gave his balls a squeeze, fingers trailing lower to finger his puckered hole. He whimpered.
“What was that, baby?”
“Please.”
“What exactly you begging me for, pet?”
“You. In me.” Jerry had trouble formulating real sentences at that point.
Good thing Colton understood and spun him by the shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace. Jerry breathed in the familiar and comforting scent of his mate. He felt Colton dragging his dick down the curve of his ass, and he opened his legs so Colton could push in. This time, Colton didn’t pause, merely drove all the way in, until Colton’s prick was sheathed fully in him.
He breathed hard. Even now, he still wasn’t used to Colton’s size, and it felt like Colton was stretching him. It hurt but in a good way.
“You feel so good,” Colton whispered in his ear.
“Fuck me, baby.”
Colton began to thrust in and out of him, arms tight around his waist, holding him close. Jerry arched his back, moaning as Colton picked up the rhythm, and he pushed his ass back at Colton in offering. His mate returned to giving him a hand job.
“Baby,” he whispered. The dual sensations of Colton’s dick moving and out of him and Colton’s hand pumping his prick was too much. “I’m close.”
“Hold it back a little longer. I want to come together.”
“That’s hard.” He whined, but in response, Colton kissed the side of his neck. Lips brushed against his pulse, and he felt the edge of Colton’s canines, scraping against skin but not breaking it. He shuddered in want. Jerry had never been so certain of anything his entire life.
“Please,” Jerry whispered again.
“Soon, baby.” Colton must have changed the angle of his push, because at his next entry, Jerry gasped, his eyes flying wide open.
“It’s not, I mean. I’m ready, Colton. Make me yours,” he managed to say.
Colton halted for a moment behind him, then the Alpha’s breath ticked against his ear. “You sure, baby? Because there’s no going back after this. Once I claim you, you’re mine forever.”
“I love you,” he whispered. Other men would have been scared of those words, would run away, but not his Alpha.
“Me, too, baby. I suspected that for a while now.” Then Colton started aiming for his prostate. The woods and the lake faded from his line of sight, and he could sense Colton’s wolf and his, merging, ready to become one.
They’d only known each other a week, but it felt like an entire lifetime. Jerry never thought much of the mating bond, assumed being tied to one mate his entire life was another kind of slavery, but he was so wrong. Before Colton, he’d felt broken, incomplete, but not anymore.
“I promise—” Colton began, then paused to kiss the nape of his neck. “—to love and cherish you forever.”
Colton hit his prostate again, making him whimper. That last thrust did it, pushing Jerry over the edge, and he came, unable to help himself. Then he tilted his neck to one side, offering it to Colton. Colton bit down, hard enough to reach bone. It should have hurt, but the pain was cushioned by the orgasm still riding his body.
Colton hammered in and out of him several more times, before reaching climax and filling Jerry’s ass with cum. Colton extracted his canines, and Jerry breathed and knew it wasn’t done. He turned, facing his mate, and chose to leave his own bite mark on Colton’s left pectoral, just above the nipple.
The life force of his wolf merged with Colton’s. He swayed on his feet slightly, but Colton gripped him, centered him back on the ground. He sighed, leaning against his mate, liking how Colton automatically pulled him into a hug and started stroking his back.
“That was nice.”
“Yeah.” Colton licked at the bite on his neck. “Let’s finish up here and go back to the cabin. I need to look at the bite, bandage it up, and we can eat dinner.”
Jerry’s mind cleared. “Wait a second, I thought we were catching dinner.”
Colton laughed. “That was a joke, to get you to shift. My intention all along was to take you to my secret place.”
Jerry furrowed his brows then weakly punched Colton’s shoulder. “That’s harsh.”
“At least it produced results, no?” Colton wore a cheeky grin.
Jerry had a few things to say to that, but first, he wanted to play chase again. He ran from Colton. By the time he reached the shore, Colton was still watching him, a possessive expression on his face.
“Race you to the cabin,” he said.
“You think you can outrun an Alpha, little Omega?”
“Wanna bet, Alpha?
“You’re on, Omega
. If I win, I get to do what I want with you.”
“And if I win?” But Colton had already changed back to wolf and sprinted past him.
“No fair!”
Chapter Eleven
Jerry woke in a tangle of limbs and with sunlight on his face. He tried to shift but discovered Colton had him pinned down with one thigh thrown over his waist. Jerry’s neck ached, but it didn’t exactly hurt. He brushed a trembling hand down the bandage Colton gently placed over the wound the night before. The memory of Colton fussing and repeatedly asking him how he was feeling made him smile.
Sweet mate. Wonderful man. Jerry was one lucky bastard.
Colton nuzzled his neck, rubbing rough stubble against his smooth cheek. Jerry liked the contrasts of texture, he realized.
“Morning,” Colton drawled, gaze drawn to the bite mark.
“Good morning,” Jerry replied, feeling the heal crawl up his cheeks and neck.
It didn’t help his dick pulsed against the sheets. After their run last night, they fucked a few more times, before collapsing in bed. He felt a little sore but liked knowing how well Colton rode him last night.
“Turn over.”
Jerry obeyed, parting his legs, knowing what was coming.
“I fucking can’t get used to this,” Colton murmured against his ear, gripping his waist. A moment later, Jerry felt Colton’s dick against the curve of his ass. The Alpha didn’t push in immediately, merely left a trail of pre-cum down his lower back.
“Please, baby. At this rate, we’ll both be late for work.”
Colton chuckled, warming his insides, and Jerry no longer wanted to go to work. They could stay in, cuddle all day. For lunch, Colton could even teach him to fish. They could reschedule meeting Colton’s friends tonight, enjoy each other some more, but that felt too much like running away from reality.
“What if I want you all to myself today?”
“Oh, I don’t mind.”
Colton nipped the bite mark. “I won’t get you in trouble with your boss.”
Then Colton entered him, as if knowing Jerry was already primed and slick for him.