by Fel Fern
Over the past weeks, Spencer had also introduced him to his brothers. Cole, he already knew, but he’d also met charming Malik, who never seemed to be able to run out of jokes, and serious Nash.
He even started going to the weekly family dinner, but he had Wren as an ally, much to relief. Besides, he could tell the brothers were close, and slowly, they’d begun to get used to him being around, too.
“It was Nash who suggested this trip, although I knew sooner or later, I planned on making it with you,” Spencer finally said.
They drove past a town sign. Winterwick. The change in Spencer was apparent. His mate, who now smiled and laughed more often, became sober, quiet.
“This is where you spent your childhood?” he asked.
Winterwick was a poor mining town, he saw, and the few folks they passed by looked glum, unlike the friendly faces back at Snow Valley.
“Yeah.” Spencer drove past a residential street, the houses here dilapidated, the paint peeling, and wild grass growing everywhere. Spencer stopped the car in front of a vacant lot, save for wild flowers and wild weed. “This was the house where I grew up.”
They didn’t get out. Spencer started the car again and went to the outskirts of town. Trees bordered either side of them now. They passed by a convenience store, and Spencer killed the engine by the side of the empty road. They got out.
“When was the last time since you came back here?” Henry asked, walking up to his mate, offering up his hand.
Spencer linked their fingers together. “Not since that incident.”
Sensing this was an important moment for his mate, he gave Spencer’s finger an encouraging squeeze.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “For sharing this with me.”
Spencer shook his head. “I’m the one who should be saying that, because you taught me to look at old fears in the eye. After today, I’m going to make sure mine don’t drag any chance of future happiness with you.”
Henry let Spencer take the lead.
Spencer waded inside the forest, not stopping, as if he still knew how to reach his destination.
“How do you feel?” Henry asked.
“I always dreaded coming back here and summoning bad memories, but now, it just looks sad, abandoned.”
Henry brushed his lips against Spencer’s stubbled jaw. “I’m by your side, baby. Always will be.”
“That makes all the difference in the world,” Spencer said with a smile. “Just one more place and we can get to the best part of the day.”
“Oh, what do you have planned?” he asked.
“You’ll see.”
Spencer led him downhill, past more cluster of trees. It must have been incredibly lonely, Henry realized, for Spencer to live here in the woods with only his abusive father for company. He heard tickling water nearby, and Spencer led him down a rocky path and down the bank.
“We need to cross that, but the water should be shallow this time of the year.”
“Sure.”
They took off their shoes and socks, rolled up their jeans, and waded through the water, which only lapped at his calves, the temperature warm thanks to it being early September. Once they crossed that, they put on their shoes and resumed walking. Finally, he could see a faded dirt road leading up to what looked like a modern cabin. The lights were on.
“Someone else lives here now,” Spencer said. “But we’re not going inside.”
They walked a little past the occupied property and into a clearing.
“I met Daryl here,” Spencer said, nodding to the space. “I was in bear form, had scented a curious smell, and came here, but unlike most, he hadn’t run away from the sight of me.”
They stood there a couple of moments, but he didn’t mind. Spencer seemed to be in a different time and place, but eventually, he walked back up to him. “The boy I’d been hadn’t realized I’d lost a potential mate. Daryl’s death devastated me, left a hole inside of me I didn’t think could ever close up.”
He held his breath. Henry knew this was a pivotal moment in their relationship, understood that the ghost of one boy stood in the way of Spencer giving him his mate mark. Wren had told him it hadn’t been easy at first, when he’d begun falling for Cole that he’d had to take a leap of faith and trust that Cole would catch him.
Henry swore he’d do the same. Even if Spencer had given his heart to Daryl long ago, he’d accept it, but part of him was selfish, too. He wanted all of Spencer.
“But you were patient, stuck around when I said it was hopeless, that I’d never take a mate,” Spencer said, holding out a hand to him. “I’m ready to let Daryl go now.”
He stared at the Alpha werebear, unsure of what to say next, but his paralysis broke enough, so he took Spencer’s rough hands in his and gave Spencer’s knuckles a kiss. Spencer tugged him close for a hug, breathing in his scent, nuzzling his nose.
His dick twitched in his jeans, and he swallowed when Spencer nipped at his earlobe, the side of his neck.
“It’s time we make this official.”
He shivered. “You sure?”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. You’re mine to keep, little human, forever.”
“I’d like that,” he whispered. “I mean I never imagined I could get a happy ending, like my protagonist in Date an Alpha.”
Spencer knew what he was talking about, because Spencer had been incredibly involved in his life and his project. The werebear Alpha had even played the entire game with him, while he checked for bugs and fixes. It was sweet.
When he’d first met Spencer, Spencer hadn’t even known what a mobile app developer was, hadn’t even owned a decent cell phone. Hell, Spencer had threatened him with a damn saw, too, but now, he spent his free time at Spencer’s cabin.
These days, he sometimes brought his laptop with him and worked in the shade while Spencer did his work. Spencer had no internet, but he found an easy solution by bringing a portable router along. His only distraction was his mate, who looked far too gorgeous working any wood. Sometimes, he savored the sight of Spencer, shirtless, a hundred percent focused on his work. Well, the werebear was a very welcome distraction.
Henry was damn proud of how far they’d come together.
Spencer laughed, breaking the tension. “Come on. It’s time to head back home so I can officially stake my claim on you.”
* * * *
By the time they returned to Snow Valley, night had fallen. Spencer drove straight to the cabin.
“You hungry?” Spencer asked.
“Are we having boar again?” he teased.
Spencer smiled, showing teeth. “Trout actually, but if you want, I can hunt something else.”
“Wait, was that a joke too? Because I’m starving.”
“Don’t worry, little human. I’ll make sure to feed you first, before claiming that irresistible body of yours.”
Spencer killed the engine in front of the cabin and got out. He followed after his mate, smiling at the multicolored lights strung through the trees, a permanent addition ever since their first date. He’d had a hand in tidying up the area, and the front of the cabin didn’t look as messy as the time he first came here.
Since then, he’d convinced Spencer to build another storage shed behind the cabin, also a way to protect the lovely furniture his mate made from weather elements. He even managed to rope in Spencer’s brothers to help. Now, the property looked tidy, even the workspace in the backyard.
The ‘trespassers will be eaten’ sign, they kept, because Henry thought it was cute. Besides, he might be human, but he was possessive of his sexy Alpha, too. They headed inside, and the set tableware brought him back to his first official date with Spencer.
A smile tugged at the corner of the lips as Spencer urged him to sit.
“Next time, I’ll be the one to prepare dinner,” he pointed out.
Spencer had their dinner ready a few minutes later. His stomach growled at the sight of the tray containing two sizable
rainbow trout in a bed of vegetables. He helped Spencer bring the potato salad to the table.
“When did you have the time to prepare all this?” he asked.
“Malik helped a little,” Spencer admitted.
“Aw. He’s really a sweet guy underneath.”
Spencer rolled his eyes. He didn’t wait, but dug into his food. “Ever since we started dating,” he said in between bites, “I’ve gained a lot of weight.”
“You needed the extra meat,” Spencer remarked.
“Well,” he ventured, a sheepish look on his face. “I was fed well by my Alpha werebear.”
Henry really couldn’t cook for shit, and Spencer had been appalled to know he lived on instant noodles, frozen dinners, and take-out.
“Damn, baby. This is so good. Tried a new recipe?” he asked.
Spencer had brought him fishing once, but as an hour had passed without any fish biting his bait, he’d decided fishing wasn’t for him. The next time they’d gone, he had brought a laptop with him while Malik and Spencer caught their food.
“Yeah. Glad you liked it. If you want, I can teach you.”
He winced. “Remember how our last lesson turned out and I added sugar instead of salt to that beef stew?”
“I remember.” Spencer looked like he was having trouble stifling his laughter.
Henry hadn’t realized until he’d brought the dish proudly to one of the Mercer brothers’ weekly dinners. Cole and Nash had been polite about it, but Malik had pointed it out. He blushed, remembering the memory. Wren had taken one polite bite and made an excuse he needed a walk.
He scowled. “And you still want me in your kitchen?”
“I like doing stuff with you.”
“Me, too,” he admitted.
In return, he helped Spencer in getting familiarized with his phone. He set up Spencer’s e-mail and coded his mate an app that would take orders from customers and showcase which furniture was on sale.
It still made him smile how when Spencer got frustrated, he looked like he wanted to crunch the little device into pieces of glass and steel in his fist. If Spencer could be patient, so would he.
He sighed, nodded. “Okay, if you’re not giving up on my cooking, I’m up for another lesson. Let’s keep it between us though. I don’t want a repeat of last time. When I get to an acceptable level, then we can bring my latest creation to dinner.”
“Good call.”
“Now I want to enjoy the rest of this awesome meal prepared by my sexy mate,” he declared.
“Dessert’s much better.”
“You made dessert too?” he asked, excited.
Spencer shook his head.
“So, I’m going to be dessert again? I don’t mind at all.” They finished their dinner, cleaned up, but before they could get to the best part of the evening, Spencer had another surprise waiting for him.
“Palm up,” Spencer instructed.
He blinked, held it up. Spencer placed something small and shiny on it. A key. His breath caught his throat. “Is this—”
Henry’s voice clogged with emotions, and he couldn’t continue.
Spencer ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture, he realized. “I saw you were paying an exorbitant amount for that crappy apartment of yours. I figured you can move in here, since you spent most of the time here anyway. If space’s limited, I can expand the cabin. I plan on making you some office space, too.”
Henry recovered from his initial shock, squealed in delight, and threw himself at Spencer. The werebear Alpha instantly caught him. He wrapped his arms around Spencer’s neck, still clutching at the key in his left fist.
“Oh, baby, thank you.” Tears blurred in his eyes.
In truth, Spencer’s place wasn’t all that far from town, only a ten-minute drive at most. The cabin was surprisingly modern, too, equipped with electricity, water, and he could always stick to his portable router for internet.
Spencer made an excellent point, too. His landlord charged too much, and he spent most days here. He liked working near his mate and with nothing but nature surrounding them. It wasn’t that isolated either, because farther up ahead the road, currently in construction, was Cole and Wren’s weekend cabin.
“Is that a yes?” Spencer asked.
“Absolutely. I can already imagine my new office space,” he declared.
“Actually,” Spencer ventured. “I already had Nash draw plans for it. Cole suggested some possible designs, too, so after you approve, we can get to construction. Malik’s also eager to pitch in.”
“You already thought that far?” he asked. Henry was incredibly touched by Spencer’s thoughtfulness and his brothers’. He liked how Spencer gave him options, and ultimately, he would have a say in his office space.
“Of course. I knew you’d say yes.”
“Did you now?”
“If all else fails, I’ll kidnap you.”
“You’re joking, right, baby?”
Spencer didn’t answer him, but still wore that sly smile on his lips. It struck him how weeks ago, Spencer’s smiles had been a rarity.
“So, where’s my office going to be?” he asked.
Spencer led him to the living room area and pointed to the wall. “We’ll take that wall down, add an extra wing. In the future, we can keep expanding the space. This entire lot is mine, ours now, to do as we please.”
“Wow.” Henry already had ideas, and with Spencer and his brothers running a construction and renovation company, it wouldn’t be hard to make those ideas into reality. “I can’t wait.”
“Now that we got that over with,” Spencer ventured, taking his fist and unclenching it to set the key aside. “It’s time for me to enjoy my rewards.”
Chapter Eleven
Spencer’s bright yellow eyes, full of hunger and want, sent a tingle of anticipation down Henry’s spine. Today had been one rollercoaster ride of emotions, but he’d never forget today either, for it marked the first real stepping stone in their relationship.
“How do want me?” he asked, voice husky, aware of his thickening dick. His gaze slid to the huge bulge in Spencer’s jeans and licked his lips.
Spencer looked around the room, gaze settling on the rocking chair. Henry sucked in a breath, aware they hadn’t had sex on that piece of furniture yet and Spencer had remembered! A week ago, he’d remarked what it would be like, to make love on a rocking chair, because he’d been considering the scene for his next game.
“Clothes,” he managed.
Spencer approached him, gripped the back of his neck, and kissed him, hard, rough, and just the way he wanted it. He reached for Spencer’s shirt, pawed at it, but he couldn’t quite focus on his task, not when Spencer deepened the kiss and he sucked down hard on Spencer’s tongue.
“God,” he whispered after Spencer released him. “More.”
Spencer chuckled. “Needy little mate.”
“Want you in me,” he whispered.
“Soon.”
In seconds, they stripped each other bare and he took his time, enjoying the sight of his mate, all hard muscle, dick engorged, ready for action, and all his.
“Mine.” Spencer echoed his own words, eyeing him like he was the most desirable thing in the world. Henry still couldn’t quite get used to that yet. Some days, he wondered what he did to get this wonderful, possessive Alpha.
Spencer ran a hand down his body, touch gentle, teasing when Spencer reached his groin and gave his prick a squeeze. He moaned, but not wanting to lose himself in the moment yet, he knelt between Spencer’s legs and pressed his lips to the head of Spencer’s cock. Henry flicked the pre-cum gathered there, feeling Spencer’s fingers in his hair, tugging him close.
He lapped, sucked, kissed the entire length of Spencer’s cock, traced every ridge and bump with his tongue. Then at Spencer’s impatient growl, he took Spencer’s prick inside his mouth, bobbing his head up and down. When he’d first given Spencer head, he had choked at the size, but with enough practice, he
got better.
Spencer tightened his grip on his hair, gave it a tug, signaling he was close. He held his mouth open while Spencer took over, thrusting in and out until Spencer let out a snarl and erupted. Henry took every drop of cum down his throat. A few droplets dribbled down the sides of his mouth, but Spencer thumbed them away and licked his fingers dry.
He blushed. Spencer helped him up and led him to the rocking chair. Spencer sat, patted his lap, and blushing even more furiously, he straddled Spencer’s lap, all too aware of his exposed position. Like this, Spencer could see his strained dick. Spencer locked his arms around his waist, tugged them close so their chests touched and cocks rubbed together.
The Alpha werebear sealed his mouth over his. This time the kiss was gentle, full of tenderness. Leaving shame out the door, he furiously rubbed himself against Spencer’s hard muscles, liking the contrast of his slender frame against Spencer’s solid one.
Spencer pulled his mouth away, rendering him a panting mess. The Alpha wasn’t done. Spencer kissed the side of his neck, his chest, took one nipple in his mouth and left his bite mark there. He groaned, feeling Spencer’s full prick against him. That was one of the bonuses of being with a dominant shifter male. They always recovered fast.
“Fuck me,” he whispered.
“Lube,” Spencer managed.
He got off Spencer’s lap, grabbed the lube from the drawer by the bed, and mounted his mate again. Spencer accepted it and slicked his fingers, before working the liquid inside him. He moaned at the touch of Spencer’s cool fingers. His mate didn’t waste any time, prepping him for access.
Henry gripped Spencer’s biceps, and Spencer replaced his fingers with his shaft. He gasped as Spencer pushed all the way in, balls brushing against his ass. Spencer buried to the hilt inside him always felt massive, stretching him to his limits. He breathed in and out, as Spencer had taught him. Then Spencer began to rock the chair, all the while sliding and out of him. The motion elevated their lovemaking.
Spencer began with slow thrusts, eventually building up speed. Moans tore out of his throat. He dug his nails into Spencer’s sweat-slicked skin. Knowing what he wanted, Spencer fucked him deeper, breaching his most intimate places. He bit down on Spencer’s left shoulder, riling up the werebear.