by DJ Bryce
She quickly complied, grabbing on to the headboard and straddling my head.
I kept my hands on her hips and lowered her down, until she was right where I wanted her.
Shonda threw her head back with a moan as I licked up her pussy and sucked her clit between my lips. She began to move her hips, riding my face just as requested, so I focused on the task at hand and ate her until she was clutching the headboard and writing against me.
When she started to come, I kept her in place, licking and sucking until there was nothing left, and if she hadn’t been holding on, she would have fallen over.
My cock was hard as steel and weeping with the need to be inside of her.
I moved her back down my body until she was hovering over my cock, then surged inside of her.
Shonda quickly steadied herself with her hands on my chest and took over, riding me hard and fast until we were both shouting out in release.
When we were cleaned up and getting ready to get back in bed, Shonda turned to me.
“Gray, I know we were just talking about taking things slow, but I was wondering… now that you know the truth about what happened with Travis, can we shift together so our wolves can complete the claiming?”
I felt my wolf perk up.
Of course, I’d thought about it. In fact, letting our wolves out to finish our claiming had been one of the most prominent things on my mind.
I still felt residual nerves, not because I still worried my wolf was dangerous, but because that fear had been there for so long, it was hard to shake it.
Looking at the hope and love on Shonda’s face, I knew I had to push through those fears and give her this.
No. Give us this.
“Let’s do it,” I said, and she beamed in response.
Shonda
Things were great.
Better than great, actually. Perfect.
It had been a few months since the incident with Arch, and since finding out Grayson’s wolf was innocent and not in fact a threat, we’d allowed our wolves to run together every night.
Our claiming was complete and I couldn’t be happier.
We were living on Grayson’s land, and although he still hadn’t left it, he had allowed people to come to us, not only Bane and his family, or Derek, but other pack members as well.
We’d had parties, barbecues, and even a pack council meeting at our place.
Tori, Kai and Mal, along with their cubs, Bo, Sammy, and Lucy, had also become regular visitors on the farm. After their help the night Arch had chased me into the church, we’d invited them over for a thank you dinner, and Tori and I had become fast friends.
Their children were adorable, and Mal was hilarious. Kai was a little tougher to figure out, but even if he was gruff on the outside, his insides were mush, which was evident anytime he was with Tori and their children.
Especially, Lucy, who had him eating out of the palm of her hand.
True to my word, I’d given Grayson time to come to terms with leaving the property, even for a short while, and now, he was ready.
The truck was loaded up with our overnight bags, and we were about to venture out in the world for the first time. Sure, I’d been out over the last few months. Going into town to go shopping, leaving to visit Tori and Katja, and once to go to the spa after Grayson insisted I get some pampering.
But this was the moment I’d been waiting for, both with dread, and with excitement.
He was so worried that he wouldn’t be able to do it, that he’d either have a panic attack, or simply freak out, that I was scared for him.
I wanted him to be okay, to not get nervous or afraid, but I couldn’t make it happen by sheer will. That’s what worried me. This was something that neither Gray, nor I, could control. We’d just have to see what happened and deal with it when it did.
“Ready?” I asked, placing my hand on the gear shift.
I was driving us to Bane’s because Katja had gone into labor.
When Grayson had said he wanted to be there, to finally see his brother’s house and be there for one of his major life events, I’d asked him if he was certain.
“My brother’s having a baby,” he’d replied calmly. “He’s already been married, twice, and had another child, I’m not sure if they’re going to have more, so I may not get another opportunity. Plus, I know after Sarah, he’s been worried about Katja going into labor. I need to be there for him.”
That was all the assurance I’d needed, so I’d gone and packed our bags.
“As I’ll ever be,” Gray replied, and I put it in drive.
We drove most of the way in silence, opting not to worry his nerves with music or chatter.
Gray’s gaze was out the window and he watched the scenery as we drove down to Bane’s. I imagined things were quite different than they’d been the last time he’d driven this rode.
New buildings, streets and signs. What had been empty land was now busy with people navigating through all of the stores and restaurants.
“Are you okay?” I asked when we got into a bit of traffic.
“A little overwhelmed, but I’ll live,” he replied.
“Uh, that response doesn’t really give me the warm and fuzzies,” I joked.
“Sorry,” Gray said, lifting his lips a little in an effort to ease my worry.
“We’re almost there,” I assured him as we turned toward Bane’s place.
Bane and Katja had moved onto a small farm outside of town. They didn’t have as much land as Grayson, but they had enough. It would be quiet and remote. Almost like a miniature version of his own home, which I knew would help him adjust.
I could almost feel the tension ease in the truck when we were on Bane’s property and the house came into view.
“This is it?” Grayson asked, taking it all in.
“Yup, you know how much Sloane loves your place, and goats, so Bane found something that would give them that, and some privacy, while still being close enough to work and the pack.”
“I like it,” he said, getting out of the car as Bane came out onto the porch.
Bane rushed down the stairs, a huge smile on his face.
“Did she have the baby?” I called out.
“It’s a boy,” he shouted, his excitement obvious. “Both mom and baby are happy and healthy.”
“I’m so happy to hear it, brother, sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” I heard Grayson say.
“Are you kidding?” Bane asked, pulling Gray in for a hug. “I never thought I’d see you here, at my place, on my land. You being here is a gift. Thank you.”
I felt my eyes start to well and busied myself with getting out our bags, so they could have their moment.
“I didn’t either,” Gray admitted, and I could hear the emotion in his voice.
I grabbed the bags and walked by the men, who were still in the middle of their embrace and said, “I’m going to see the baby. And Katja and Sloane of course.”
The mumbled something in return, but I was intent on my goal. There was a newborn baby inside that house, and I needed to get my hands on him.
As I reached the door, though, I turned, taking in the beauty of Grayson and Bane, smiling and laughing as they approached the house. Bane was gesturing toward the chicken coop, while Grayson told him something that made him laugh again.
He’d done it.
He’d faced his fears and braved the outside world for his family.
I was so proud and happy for him, and I hadn’t thought it possible, but my love for him grew even stronger in that moment.
It was great that he was willing to do anything for his family, because, although he didn’t know it yet, we were about to be blessed with one of our own.
Epilogue
I’d gone from being a man who’d lost everything, to a man who had it all.
If someone had told me a year prior that I’d find a mate, learn I wasn’t responsible for Travis’s murder, leave the land that had kept me in self-imposed captivity, and had a son,
all within a year’s time, I would have checked them for drugs.
I hadn’t realized how lonely my existence had become, until it was full.
We still lived on my farm, I still wrote books, and occasionally I let Derek bring us groceries. But now, when he did, he also stayed for dinner.
After my first voyage off the land for the birth of Jack, my nephew, Shonda and I had gone back a few weeks later to pack up her apartment and officially move her out and in with me.
That trip led to another, and another, and now I could leave my property without breaking out into a cold sweat.
I wasn’t driving myself off yet, but… baby steps.
I walked out of the back door, a couple buckets of beer in my hands and took in the sight before me.
My back yard was full of people.
We’d put up a large tent, brought in tables and chairs, and Shonda had decorated with more flowers than I’d ever seen in one place.
There were people on the deck, under the tent, walking the grounds, and they were all here to celebrate one thing… the birth of my son, Trey.
I took one bucket to the men congregating on my deck.
Bane, Kai, Mal, and Nathan were sitting around the table, swapping hiking stories while Jack slept on Bane’s chest.
I put the beer in the center of the table and they all reached in, saying, “Thanks.”
“Hey, Gray, we’re gonna have everyone over for the Super Bowl, you in?” Mal asked as he uncapped his beer.
“I’ll check with Shonda, but I’m pretty sure we’re free,” I replied.
“I bet she, Katja and Tori have already talked it over and planned something else to do while we’re watching,” Bane said with a chuckle.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Kai replied with a shrug.
We’d become quite the group and it was totally due to our mates. Sure, us guys liked to hang out and catch the occasional sporting event, but the women ensured we spent holiday’s and kid’s birthday’s together.
Hell, they were even talking about all of us taking a trip.
I’d told Shona it’d be a cold day in hell before I got on any kind of public transportation, be it bus, plane, or train, but she assured me that wherever they decided to go, we’d drive and meet everyone.
I told the guys I’d make my way back to them in a bit, then bounded down the stairs, intent on taking the other bucket of beer to the group of pack members who were hanging out by the buffet table.
“Don’t worry guys, the food’s gonna be served soon,” I assured them.
There was nothing worse than a pack of hungry wolves.
“Thanks, Grayson,” one of the younger guys said as I handed him the bucket.
I started to the tent, needing to put my eyes and lips on my mate, when I was waylaid by a tiny body plowing into me.
“Whoa,” I cried, with mock fear, looking down and my grinning niece. “Oh, it’s you, princess. You scared me.”
Sloane giggled.
“Help, Uncle Gray, they’re trying to get me,” Sloane said, holding up her arms.
I picked her up just as three toddlers came barreling over.
Bo, Sammy and Lucy were Kai, Mal and Tori’s cubs, and being bear shifters, they were really large for their age. They also developed at a more rapid rate than wolf pups did, and much more so than human babies.
They were loud and cute, milling around my ankles and growling up at Sloane, who was now giggling uncontrollably.
“Are these three bothering you?” Tori, Kai and Mal’s mate asked as she ran over to wrangle her kids.
“Nah, they’re just having fun,” I replied, smiling at the pretty blonde.
“Come here, Sloane, stop climbing on Uncle Gray like he’s a jungle gym,” Katja said, holding out her arms for Sloane to hop from me to her, which she did.
“I don’t mind, she knows that,” I said, tweaking Sloane’s nose with my finger.
“Shonda said she’s about ready for them to serve the food, she asked me to let you know,” Katja said.
I nodded and turned to go to my wife.
She was sitting beneath the tent, my son feeding at her breast, with a light blanket shielding him from the elements.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I said, leaning down to kiss her lips deeply before pulling back to look into her eyes.
“Hey, handsome,” she replied with a tinkle in her eyes.
“How’s my wolf?”
“Eating like a champ, as usual.”
“Good.”
“Speaking of eating, I think it’s time we feed these animals,” Shonda said with a small laugh.
“I’ll take care of it,” I assured her, and gave her another kiss.
I looked down at her. She was so beautiful. My mate. The mother of my son.
“Thank you,” I said, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion.
“For what?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.
“For giving me a life worth living. I was going through the motions for so long that it’s easy for me to see all that I have now. I want you to know that I’m grateful. For you, for Trey, for the life we have together. I love you, Shonda. With every breath I take until I have none left, and beyond.”
Shonda’s eyes filled with tears.
“God, Gray, the things you say,” she whispered.
Trey squirmed beneath the blanket, so she moved him to her shoulder and began patting his back.
“My life was nothing without you,” Shonda said. “I loved you from afar for as long as I can remember, just drifting through life on the outskirts, until you agreed to that trial. That app was the best thing that ever happened to me. The best decision, or rather, lie, that I’ve ever made. I’ll spend the rest of my days thanking God, my lucky stars, and every other entity for privilege of having you as my mate and Trey as our son. I love you, Gray. It’s always been you and will only ever be you.”
We kissed again, a little deeper, a little longer, until Trey let out a loud burp, and we pulled away leaving laughter between us.
“If you guys are done making out, can we eat?” Bane yelled.
I chuckled and shot my brother the finger.
“Gray, go feed our guests,” Shonda ordered.
“Yes, Ma’am,” I said, and went to do my mate’s bidding.
Want more DJ Bryce? Check out Alpha at Home, Brothers of the Heart, book 1!
Alpha at Home
Chapter 1 ~ Maximus
“Max, we need to set up a meet with the Threehorn Pack. I met with Josiah, their Alpha, and he said everyone has arrived and they’re getting settled in. Let’s see if we can get Gillian and Natasha to send out an all call for the welcome wagon,” Mateo, the Alpha of our pack, and my best friend since birth, said from his spot at the head of the table.
We were in our weekly council meeting. As the Bravo, Mateo’s second in command, I was at his left, with the rest of the pack council, Bryan, Calin, Gregory, and Kevin, filling in the rest of the seats.
We had about three hundred members in our pack, including the women and children, and they all looked to us to keep them safe and cared for. It was a lot of responsibility, but just as Mateo had always known he would one day be Alpha, I’d known that I would happily serve at his side.
I nodded, mentally scheduling a stop at Howlers, the bar where Gillian and Natasha worked, before heading out to the Threehorn land to set up the meet.
“Next up, we need to talk about the harvest,” Mateo continued, talking about the crops we grew to keep our pack afloat. Howlers, the bar in town, had been run by our pack since our grandparents were young, but when Mateo took over and saw the financial state of the pack, he’d had the idea to start growing and harvesting corn on our land.
The first two years had been difficult, but in the third year we’d turned a profit, and now it looked like his brainchild was actually going to give our pack some financial stability again. We still owned and ran Howlers, but it was Mateo’s crops that were keeping our pack’s bellies full.
“Bryan, you check the combine, make sure everything’s working properly. Calin, check the dryer. And, Gregory, do a walk around the silos, checking for cracks, holes, etcetera. Just like last year. We have a good looking crop this year, I don’t want anything overlooked.”
“What about me boss?” Kevin, our youngest and newest member asked. He was young, but he was hardworking and eager to please.
Mateo looked down the long table at him, considering, then replied, “Go with Bryan. He can teach you how to run the combine. Show you how it works.”
Kevin and Bryan nodded their agreement, then Mateo’s eyes swept the table and he asked, “Anyone have anything for me?” Everyone shook their head in response, so he added, “All right then. Have a good evening, brothers.”
I stayed behind while the others filed out of the room, standing after Mateo did the same, stretching as he reached his full height.
Mateo had always been tall growing up, but when he’d answered the call and became Alpha of our pack, he’d grown even larger. Now, he towered a good three inches over my 6’4” frame. With his dark auburn hair, piercing green eyes, and massive size, Mateo looked intimidating, but I knew him to be the most kind and loyal of friends.
“I figured I’d grab dinner at Howlers while I’m there, you have plans for tonight?” I asked.
“I have to run home to grab some paperwork, but that sounds good. I’ll meet you there.”
After saying I’d grab us a couple stools at the bar, I headed out of the clubhouse and drove into town. We lived in a two-stoplight town, and on the thousands of acres that surrounded it. In the past, there’d been a mixture of residents, but now, everyone who resided here was in the pack in one way or another.
If they weren’t wolves, they were either married to them, or born from them. There were a few families left that were strictly human, but most of them were raised knowing they were going to mate with someone from the pack. Very few people left town, and those who did, usually came back.
This meant everyone knew one another. Their pasts, hopes for the future, and everything in between. It could get annoying, having everyone think they knew you inside and out, but I enjoyed the predictability of it, even if there was one secret about me that nobody knew.