Rise From the Ashes

by Noah Harris

  Mine.

  The word came unbidden to his mind, but once he thought it, he couldn’t let it go. It repeated, over and over. Mine, mine, mine. Josh was his. Right now, in this moment, Josh was his.

  Holding eye contact, he reached down, hooking his fingers into the band of his boxers. Josh’s breath hitched, but he did nothing to stop him as Adam slowly slid them down his legs, lifting his legs and hips to help. And then he was bare. Bare and beautiful and far too tempting for his own good. Adam felt his own growl of appreciation more than he heard it, but Josh heard it, if the full body shudder was anything to go by. Josh licked his lips, the tip of his tongue peeking out to run along swollen red lips, and that tiny gesture was enough to push Adam over the edge.

  Still keeping those hazel eyes captive, he slid backwards, lowering himself between Josh’s legs. Josh’s expression shifted, eyes widening in surprise, teeth biting at lips, brows furrowing. Adam let his hands roam up and down the back of his thighs, pushing them up, bending his legs at the knees. He grabbed his ass, so tight and round and soft. Spreading him, he pushed his tongue to his entrance.

  The reaction was instant. Josh gasped loudly, back arching as his hands scrambled to grab anything, the couch, the pillow, Adam’s hair. His head bent back against the pillow, mouth hanging open as his eyes widened. Adam wanted to smirk, but he had work to do.

  He teased Josh’s entrance, already wet and leaking with his arousal. The taste was addictive, sweet and salty, making his own hardness nearly unbearable. His hands massaged Josh’s legs until he relaxed, then he pushed in, breaching the tight ring of muscle and slowly working him open. Adam’s eyes drifted shut, losing himself in the taste and the feel of him, hearing Josh’s gasps and moans fill the room, only slightly muffled by hands and teeth.

  “Adam—Adam, please,” Josh moaned, voice cracking and broken.

  He added his fingers to the mix, slowly, one by one, taking his time to explore and stretch. He propped himself up on an elbow, eyes hungry as they watched Josh’s reactions to everything, every sound he made, admiring it all. He was beautiful.

  He’s all mine.

  By the time Adam decided that Josh was stretched enough, and Adam himself couldn’t wait any longer, Josh was wet and writhing. He was babbling, breathy sounds, wordless, mixed with broken syllables that sounded like please, curses, and his name. He laid over him, wrapping Josh’s legs around his hips, aligning himself.

  “Ready?” he asked, breathless and strained.

  Josh’s arms latched to his shoulders, holding him tight as he bit his lip and nodded. “Please—”

  Adam pushed into him, biting back a groan as his head fell forward, pushing against Josh’s neck. “Fuck,” He bit out. “Oh my god, Josh.”

  He pushed all the way in and waited a moment, using all his will power to stay still so the omega could adjust. He focused on his breathing. Josh was so tight and so warm, and the sensations were pushing him dangerously close to the edge. He felt pathetic and weak, but Josh just felt too good. It was overwhelming.

  “Adam—” Josh gasped, hips wiggling beneath him. He choked back a sob. “Adam, please—”

  And that was all he needed for his self-control to snap. He pulled back slowly before shoving his hips forward. Josh’s body arched beneath him, a choked gasp escaping his lips. His fingers ran through Adam’s hair, pulling his head up so Josh could kiss him. It was sloppy, wet, a clash of tongue and teeth, devolving into nothing as Adam picked up his pace. Their lips hung close, brushing, pants intermingling.

  His pace was quick and brutal, pushing into Josh over and over again as he enjoyed the obscene slap of flesh with every thrust, the way Josh’s entire body reacted to each one, and the sounds and half-formed words falling from his lips.

  “So—good,” Adam grunted, lowering his mouth to Josh’s neck, biting and sucking new bruises into the pale flesh. Josh gasped, nails clawing at his shoulders and back. They would both have marks come morning.

  “Ad—Adam—I’m—close!” Josh cried between thrusts and gasps.

  Adam reached between them, hand wrapping around Josh’s erection, skin hot to the touch and silky smooth. He flicked his wrist in time with his thrusts. “Come for me,” he mumbled against his neck. “Come for me, babe.”

  “Don’t stop—”

  “Come on, babe—”

  “Ah—!”

  “That’s it—”

  “Adam!”

  “So good, you’re so good, baby.”

  “I’m gonna—!”

  “Come for me, Josh—”

  Josh cried out, nails digging in deep as his whole body tensed, arching off the couch. His voice was choked off as his body shuddered, breath released in a long, low groan as he spilled out over Adam’s hand. The sight of him, the sound of that broken cry, the feel of him tight and wet around him—it sent Adam over the edge.

  He came with his own choked cry, riding out his own orgasm, movements becoming jerky and sporadic. Lights sparked behind his eyelids as his entire body clenched tight.

  His body relaxed, and he slumped forward into small, warm arms wrapping around him, holding him close. Fingers played with his hair, stroking and soothing. They lay together, catching their breath and coming down from their high with the light from the flickering television screen playing across their entangled forms.

  “Can you pass me that wrench?” Karen asked, pointing to the toolbox.

  “Yeah.” Adam bent to pick up the wrench.

  “No, not that one, the other one.”

  “This one?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Here.”

  “Thanks.” As soon as he handed it to her, she slid back under the truck. All he could see of her and Ben were their legs, sticking out from beneath the truck. As it turned out, Karen actually knew a lot about cars, and what she didn’t know, she picked up quickly. She absorbed the information he and Ben fed her like a sponge, eyes sharp and interested.

  Adam leaned against the side of his truck, wiping his hands off on a grease-stained towel that he’d kept slung over his shoulder. It was a warm spring day with the sun beating down on them and heat rising from the pavement of the parking lot. He wore a simple tank top that exposed his arms and clung to his body with sweat. His jeans were ripped and stained but comfortable and worn.

  The hood of the truck was propped open, and he glanced down at the engine. It was nearly done. He was pretty sure it was, anyway. There were still a couple of parts that needed replacing and tweaking before the truck would be drivable, and the goal was to get it to that point by the end of the day.

  The sound of an apartment door closing drew his attention, and Megan walked down the stairs from her second floor apartment. A grin spread his lips as he saw four beers clutched in her hands.

  “Hey, boys,” she said as she approached, seeing Karen and Ben slid out from beneath the truck. “And Karen.”

  Karen smiled as she pushed herself to her feet, stretching her arms over her head. “It’s fine. I like being one of the boys,” she said, playfully punching Adam’s arm as she stepped up beside him.

  It didn’t hurt, but Adam rubbed it anyway, pretending as if it had.

  Megan laughed, offering them all a beer. “Fair enough, but try not to beat up our Alpha. We need him.”

  Adam closed his eyes as he took a deep pull, sighing loudly and gratefully. “Megan, you are a godsend.”

  “A downright angel,” Ben said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in close to press a kiss to her cheek.

  She giggled, pushing half-heartedly at his chest. “You’re sweaty and covered in grease.”

  He wasn’t deterred in the slightest. He grinned, leaning forward to leer and waggle his eyebrows as he purred, “That doesn’t sound like a complaint.”

  “It isn’t,” she said slyly, leaning into him.

  “Oh, come on. I didn’t come out here to watch you two eye-fuck in the parking lot.” They all looked up at the sound of Tom’s voic
e as he approached them, his own beer bottle in hand. He stopped when he reached them, using his beer hand to point at Megan and Ben, eyes narrowed. “I get enough of this at night. Keep it out of our public spaces.”

  Everyone just grinned, Adam and Karen trying to hide their snickers behind their bottles.

  “We’re not that loud,” Ben said, taking a sip of his beer.

  Tom nodded. “True. She’s not. You, on the other hand...”

  The man choked on his beer, and the rest of them laughed. Megan wrapped an affectionate arm around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. “What can I say? He’s a howler.”

  “Babe,” Ben whined.

  She shrugged. “Wolf’s out of the bag now. Own up to it.”

  He huffed and looked away, but he obviously had to fight to keep the frown in place as a smile threatened to turn his mouth upwards.

  “So how’s it going out here?” Tom asked, leaning over the open hood and looking over the engine with trepidation.

  Adam shrugged, crossing an arm over his chest. “It’s going well. Should be up and running by tonight.”

  Tom glanced up at him, amusement in his eyes. “Yeah, but for how long?”

  Adam frowned. “For a while.”

  “Dude, you need a new car.”

  “I like my truck.”

  “It’s a piece of junk.”

  Adam glared at him, rising to his full height, pheromones pumping as he lifted his chin just enough to be effective. He looked down his nose at Tom, watching as the guy’s eyes widened, lips parting in his surprise. He saw the flash of fear and worry and stared at him until Tom started fidgeting. He could tell that Tom didn’t want to look away. They were friends, after all. But Adam was his Alpha, and they both knew that.

  Then, without warning, Adam stepped forward, throwing his body toward Tom with all the swiftness and power of their kind, throwing his arms out wide. He stopped after that one step, but it was enough. Tom yelped, high pitched and loud, stumbling and flinching away, arms flailing and legs scrambling to regain his balance.

  Adam laughed, long and loud, eyes squinted shut and tears gathering. He could hear the others laughing around him, Karen bent over at his side with a hand on his back to keep herself upright. When he stood, wiping moisture from his eyes, Tom was glaring at him, lips pursed into a frown and eyes narrowed. His face was bright red. He pointed at Adam. “Not funny, dude.”

  Adam couldn’t keep the grin from his face. “It was a little funny.”

  “No.”

  “Very funny.” Karen said.

  “A little adrenaline is good for you.” Ben said, lightly punching his shoulder. Tom glared at him, rubbing the spot.

  “You don’t need to go all Alpha on me when it’s just us,” Tom grumbled, sending Adam a side glare.

  He still grinned. “It has its perks, and one of those perks includes scaring the shit out of you.”

  “Why am I friends with you guys?”

  Megan wrapped an arm around his shoulders, drawing him in close. “Because you love us.”

  Tom grumbled something unintelligible and hide his blush by sipping his beer.

  The sound of a car pulling into the small parking lot had them turning their heads. Adam recognized it immediately, and his heart rate spiked as adrenaline and excitement flooded his system. It continually amazed him how strongly he reacted to Josh’s presence. Nothing else could make him feel weak at the knees with excited energy rolling through him like a pup.

  “He’s here,” he said, voice a lot more soft and fond than he intended. He cleared his throat, taking a few steps forward. “I’ll go greet him.”

  “Ooh, we finally get to meet mystery boy,” Tom cooed.

  Adam glared at him, pointing a threatening finger. “You, behave.” He swept his gaze around the rest of the group. “All of you, behave.”

  Ben lifted a hand, eyes alight with mischief. “Scout’s honor.”

  Megan elbowed him in the side, giving him a tiny glare before sending Adam a small smile. “We’ll play nice. We know he means a lot to you.”

  Adam coughed, looking away. “Yeah, he’s... a good friend. I’d like to bring him into the pack, eventually.”

  Karen’s smile was kind and encouraging as she laid a hand on his arm. “I’m sure he’s great. Now go get ‘im before he drives away.”

  Adam strode across the parking lot. He leaned against the car as the front door opened. Josh slinked out, head down as he gazed up briefly at Adam through his lashes, hand on the car door as he hesitantly glanced across the lot, almost like he was using the thing as a shield. He was biting his bottom lip when he looked back, posture unsure but smile genuine.

  “Hey,” Adam said.

  “Hey.”

  Josh’s eyes roamed over his body, pausing briefly as they ran over his shoulders and arms, down to his narrow waist, staring at the sliver of exposed skin at his navel before snapping back up. Though not much changed in his expression, the scent of him hit Adam like a freight train. Had he not been already leaning against his car, he might have stumbled. Sweet, strong, and alluring, it was like honey, thick and delicious. It made Adam weak at the knees, made his own pheromones act up in response.

  He swallowed thickly, trying to hold his body on a tight leash. He licked his lips, not missing the way Josh’s gaze followed the motion, eyes half lidded.

  “You’re gonna have to stop that,” Adam said when he found his voice. He kept his tone light and teasing, but there was a roughness to it that he couldn’t quite hide. Not when Josh was looking at him like that and smelling so sweet. “Unless you want them to know instantly,” he said, nodding in the direction of his friends.

  Josh’s eyes widened, snapping across the parking lot before flitting back to him. “Oh, I, uh... Sorry, I wasn’t really thinking,” he mumbled, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Color flushed his cheeks, voice shaking slightly with his embarrassment.

  Adam smiled kindly. “Hey,” he said, hooking a finger beneath Josh’s chin, forcing him to lift his gaze. He let his hand drop, though he really didn’t want to. “I don’t mind. In fact, quite the opposite. But we’re trying to be subtle around them until I announce it to my pack, you know?”

  Josh cracked a small smile, breathing out a long sigh. He shook himself, standing taller, face fixed into something firmer despite his nervousness. “Yeah, I know. I’ll try to keep it under control. It’s just hard when it’s... you know, you.”

  “Yeah,” Adam chuckled. “I know the feeling.”

  Josh’s gaze drifted back across the parking lot. His teeth were back to worrying his bottom lip.

  Adam pushed off the car. “You ready?”

  Josh heaved another shaky exhale. “As I’ll ever be. They knew I was coming, right?”

  “Yup. I wanted to make sure they’d all be here. We were just working on fixing up my truck while we waited.”

  “Oh... Am I interrupting? I could have come later...”

  “No, I want you here,” Adam said, giving him a sideways smile.

  Josh flushed and looked down, but there was the slight upturn of his lips. “Okay.”

  “They’ll love you, I promise.”

  “I hope so.”

  As they neared, Adam threw his arm around Josh’s shoulders. It wasn’t meant to be an intimate gesture, like how Ben and Megan were holding each other. It was a friendly gesture, one full of companionship. He was offering his silent support to Josh, while at the same time showing his pack mates that Josh was someone he approved of and someone under his protection. It was unnecessary. His friends knew as much and didn’t need reminding, but it was an instinct that made both of them feel better.

  “Everyone, this is Josh.” He announced as they came to a stop by the group. He gestured to the omega with his free hand, squeezing his shoulders reassuringly before letting his arm drop.

  Josh looked up shyly, smile small as he lifted a hand in an awkward greeting. “Uh, hi, everyone.”

  Karen w
as the first to step forward. “Hi, Josh. I’m Karen,” she said, and Josh’s eyes widened for a second before flickering to Adam’s. Adam gave a small nod, understanding Josh’s silent question.

  A little of the tension in his shoulders relaxed, and his smile grew more genuine as he turned back to her and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Karen.”

  Something silent passed between them. Something good and wholesome that cracked the tension and melted the ice.

  “My sister is Gwyn. She’s not here right now, but she’ll be around for dinner.”

  “Stop hogging the new guy,” Tom said, playfully shouldering Karen out of the way as he stepped up. He turned a bright, cocky grin toward Josh. His chest was puffed out, shoulders squared and drawn back, practically oozing confidence and ease. He was the picture-perfect young alpha trying to make an impression. “Hey, there. Name’s—“

  “Tom,” Josh finished for him, reaching out to take his hand. “You must be Tom.”

  Tom’s smile faltered, eyes flickering to Adam and around the group before settling back on Josh. “Uh, yeah. How’d you know?”

  Something playful danced in his eyes. “Adam told me you were the loud one.”

  Tom froze, and there was silence around the group for a beat, two, three, and then everyone burst into laughter. The tension melted further.

  “I can’t believe—” Tom said when he had calmed down. He whipped around and pointed a threatening finger at Adam. “You gotta stop talking shit about me behind my back.”

  Adam just crossed his arms over his chest. “Was I wrong?”

  “If you weren’t Alpha, I’d kick your ass, old man.”

  Adam quirked an eyebrow. “I’m three years older than you.”

  Tom pointed at both of his eyes before twisting his hand around to point them at Adam. “Watch yourself.”