Chapter Seven
“Knock, knock. Is someone ready to get out of here?” A husky man pushing a wheelchair strolled into the room. His smile faltered as his dark blue gaze swept over the four ginormous men standing there.
Wesley knew how the transport guy felt. Sitting on the hospital bed with Hyett and his family surrounding him made the room feel like a shoebox.
“I’m Gerald.” He recovered with a mischievous smile. “ I’ll be your escape specialist today. Are you ready to break out of here?”
Wesley liked his sense of humor. “What’re we going to do about the four guards surrounding us?” he whispered. “Should we try to outrun them or force them to help us?”
Gerald’s gaze flickered at the men as self-preservation filled his eyes. “How about we bribe them with graham crackers and ginger ale? I think there might be a few cases stashed behind the nurses’ station.”
The men chuckled, the sound bleeding away the tension in Gerald’s features.
“If those are cinnamon graham crackers, you’ve got a deal.” Killian’s grin was just as mischievous as Gerald’s, like the guy lived to have fun.
Hyett took Wesley’s hands and eased him off the bed, carefully rotating him before lowering him into the wheelchair.
If the guy had been any gentler, Wesley would’ve floated into the seat. Hyett even beat Gerald to folding down the footrests.
“This thing doesn’t have a seat belt?” Hyett looked dead serious as he knelt in front of Wesley.
“We aren’t really making a run for it.” Gerald looked at Hyett with furrowed brows. “I promise were not going over five miles an hour, sir.”
Wesley hid his smile at how vexed Hyett seemed. His concern touched Wesley deeply. It was the first time anyone had treated him with this much care and attentiveness.
“If we encounter any speed bumps, feel free to lift my chair over them.” Wesley waved a hand toward the door. “Can we get out of here? I’m pretty sure Gerald has other escapees to help, unless you want to check for air bags.”
Gerald snickered behind him. Killian and Ryker chuckled, and even Quinton wore a huge grin.
Hyett pushed to his feet with a scowl. Wesley crooked his finger. Although everyone’s enjoyment of the situation was good-natured, he didn’t want Hyett to be made fun of, even by him.
When Hyett leaned in close, he kissed the guy on the cheek. “Thanks for looking out for me. I really do appreciate it.”
Hyett gave a soft growl. “You just had to make this room special, didn’t you?”
“How?”
“This is the official spot where I just received the best kiss on the cheek.”
Wesley was about to go up in flames at the statement.
Hyett gave him a roguish smile, and all the fuss over the safety features of a hospital wheelchair no longer seemed ridiculous as Wesley’s heart wobbled.
How could someone think a kiss on the cheek was worth making official?
He didn’t have time to think too hard on it. They headed out of his room, Wesley giving a small wave to the male nurse, Bailey, who had been a great help.
The early afternoon was a flourish of activity— getting loaded into the SUV, a pitstop at Deep Dish for the biggest to-go order of lunch Wesley had ever seen, and then finally arriving at Hyett’s.
Just sitting around the table with the broad-shouldered bear shifters, enjoying their meal and good conversation, made Wesley feel like one of them. Watching the way they interacted with each other confirmed they were goodhearted men.
They’d even worked as a team to clean the kitchen, their synced movements showing they’d done this a million times before. But when Wesley tried to pitch in, he gained four deep scowls that told him to sit his butt down and relax.
Now, he was stepping into Hyett’s L-shaped bedroom, which was a blended theme of olive green and cream and contained a matching set of dark mahogany furniture.
When Wesley walked farther into the room, he was blown away at how spacious it was. He was willing to bet he could fit his and his dad’s bedrooms in here.
The centerpiece was undoubtedly the king-sized bed, with a curved headboard and dressed in tan and cream bedding.
With a grin, Wesley was glad to see he wasn’t the only one who left their folded laundry on their bed, waiting to be put away. Sometimes he just lived out of the stacks until it was time to do laundry again.
Which, from the look of clothes strewn across the floor, was exactly what Hyett did as well.
Wesley noticed a brick fireplace across from the bed with a large flat-screen television mounted above it.
At the other end of the room was a dark gray, overstuffed settee with a throw blanket draped over one arm. A small coffee table was in front of it, with empty dishes sitting on its surface.
Beyond the couch were sliding glass doors, and past them was a wooden deck with black railings, as well as a breathtaking view of the forest.
Wesley had never been inside such a gorgeous, messy bedroom before.
“ Excuse the mess.” He placed his hands on Wesley’s waist and guided him toward the bed. “I didn’t get a chance to clean.”
“You don’t have to apologize.” Wesley sat on the edge of the bed with a grimace. His side still hurt like hell. What he wouldn’t give to repay Seth in the same way. “I have just as many clothes scattered around my room, and I think I left dishes sitting on the floor by my dresser.”
Glancing up, Wesley saw a large canvas above the bed depicting some kind of cityscape, the color washed in sepia. In addition to the glass doors, there were also large windows that let in natural light.
“This is an amazing bedroom,” he commented as Hyett began to put away the stacks of clothes from his bed. “You don’t have to clean up because of me. Honestly, my bedroom could use a cleaning service compared to yours.”
Wesley’s wasn’t that messy, but he didn’t want Hyett to feel embarrassed. The only people who probably had spotless bedrooms were the ones who actually had a cleaning service or housekeeper. Two things Wesley couldn’t afford.
But he liked Hyett’s messiness because it offset Wesley’s feeling that he was too broke to date a guy who could afford such a fancy home.
Since Hyett kept cleaning, Wesley grabbed the remote off the nightstand and turned on the television. He became lost in the baking reality show but was fully aware of Hyett moving around the room. When he grabbed the dirty dishes and walked out, Wesley kicked off his shoes and eased onto the bed.
Just for a moment, he closed his eyes, but when he opened them, the room was bathed in darkness and there was a solid, warm wall of heat at his back.
As carefully as he could, trying to minimize the pain, Wesley turned over then settled. He gazed at the man who was coming to mean so much to him. Since they’d met, Hyett had been there for him, looking out for him in all the ways that mattered.
Hyett’s eyes slid open, as if he’d felt someone watching him. Then he reached out and brushed aside the hair from Wesley’s forehead. “What a sight to behold when I open my eyes. How are you feeling?” His thumb brushed tenderly over Wesley’s cheek.
“Still sore.” Staring into Hyett’s smoky eyes made something close to love blossom inside of Wesley, and he knew in that moment, this was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
His mate.
Wesley slid his fingers through Hyett’s silky hair, watching as his mate’s eyes closed and a satisfied smile tipped the corners of his lips. He really was gorgeous, and made Wesley burn for just one touch, one caress from his strong hands.
Before he lost his nerve, he dipped his head and licked a long path from collarbone to earlobe. The skin was salty, but the scent reminded Wesley of rough leather and spice, something wild and untamed.
The man groaned then softly sighed. Wesley ran his lips over Hyett’s strong jaw, smiling and aroused at the stubble grazing across his mouth. When he moved back toward Hyett’s chin, Wesley took a chance and grazed his lips over his mate’s, just a whisper of a touch, but enough to feel Hyett’s warm breath tickle his skin.
Please don’t reject me again. Hyett might have explained why he’d pulled away earlier, but the fear still remained. Wesley was damaged, and his mate was possibly the most breathtaking man he’d ever seen in his life.
Hyett turned his head, deepening the kiss. It was a consuming, dominating caress of lips. Wesley began to tremble, clutching Hyett’s arms, a smoldering mess of heat and need.
Something pressed into Wesley’s stomach. Hyett was hard, and getting harder with every stroke of their lips.
“I want to taste you,” Hyett said against Wesley’s mouth. His mate pulled away and reached for the button on Wesley’s pants.
He grabbed Hyett’s wrists to stop him as his heart beat wildly. Wesley’s bravado vanished, leaving him a mess of self-doubts and fears.
“What is it?” Hyett’s brows knitted together as he searched Wesley’s eyes.
“My leg.” He couldn’t stop hearing the rando’s cruel words in his head or remembering the horrified expression he’d worn that night.
It would kill him if Hyett looked at him the same way.
“Please, will you trust me?” He extracted his wrists from Wesley’s death grip. “You’ve trusted me this far. Don’t stop now.”
They stared at each other as Hyett unfastened Wesley’s pants, and then slid them down his trembling thighs.
“Trust me,” Hyett whispered. Wesley closed his eyes, bracing himself when his mate slid down his body, taking Wesley’s pants and underwear with him. Hyett settled between his legs then shouldered them apart.
Wesley’s eyes flew open when he felt warm kisses on his inner thigh.
Hyett was kissing his scars. He wasn’t horrified or calling Wesley all kinds of vile names. His breathing turned shallow as Hyett tenderly kissed and licked the skin as if it was flawless instead of a hideous mess.
Then he sucked Wesley’s cock down his throat, using his tongue to trace the heavy vein. The feeling was so incredible it was a wonder Wesley didn’t come right then and there. The way Hyett’s throat worked with each swallow drove him insane.
“God, yes. Feels so….” His eyes slid shut as his mate turned him into nothing more than needy groans and hot aches. Wesley’s breath hitched when wet fingers worked their way inside his ass, stretching him until he feared he would start drooling.
Hyett’s talented mouth popped off Wesley’s cock then moved lower, licking a long line from the base of his prick to his balls. The guy licked, sucked, and nibbled at his sac until Wesley couldn’t take it any longer, his cock throbbing painfully for release.
“Fuck!” He blew his load, his ass clenching as his seed shot down Hyett’s throat, pleasure hammering against every nerve ending in his body. His orgasm stole his breath and blazed hellfire through his veins. Somewhere in there, he croaked out Hyett’s name.
Hyett licked the head of Wesley’s cock, then slipped from the bed, removing his shirt and underwear before grabbing a bottle of lube from the nightstand. Wesley quickly sat up and yanked his shirt off before lying back down.
Then he spread his legs and Hyett slipped between them, lubing his cock before the head touched against Wesley’s still-pulsing hole. “Fuck me.”
His mate drove his cock deep inside Wesley’s ass, causing him to cry out again. He tossed Wesley’s legs over his arms then yanked their bodies closer.
“Mine,” Hyett growled possessively, a savage look burning in his eyes.
“Yours,” Wesley moaned. His mate thrust hard and deep, his thick cock stretching Wesley’s lubed hole. His soft cock began to fill, hardening with every smack of Hyett’s balls against his ass.
“I’ve missed this so much.” Wesley lifted his hips. He curled his fingers into the bed, and stared up at the sight Hyett kneeling between his legs.
His legs. Wesley’s gaze slid to his injured leg, exposed for the first time in front of someone who wasn’t a medical professional. And Hyett gripped it firmly, as if he had no issue touching it. His hand glided down the length then back up, as if reading Wesley’s mind and proving the discoloration and scars didn’t bother him.
“You’re beautiful,” Hyett murmured, his cock thrusting in and out of Wesley’s ass. “Every inch of you is beautiful, sweetheart.”
Something inside of Wesley’s loosened, breathing freely for the first time since the fire. He began to thrust downward on every forward flex of Hyett’s hips.
“That’s it, baby. Shove your ass onto my cock.” Hyett threw his head back as a long, guttural moan escaped. “You feel so incredible. So tight. So fucking tight.”
He dropped to one hand, his other stroking Wesley’s cock. Now their faces were inches apart.
“Tell me if your leg starts bothering you.”
Wesley nodded, but he doubted that would happen. If one touch erased the pain, then he had no worries since Hyett was practically lying on top of him.
He kissed Wesley tenderly, passionately, before pulling back and separating their bodies.
“Can you handle being on your hands and knees?” Hyett’s erection was hard and protruding from his groin, glistening from the lube. “I know you’re still sore, so I don’t want to do anything to put you in more pain.”
“Let me try.” He wanted Hyett’s cock back inside of him, so he was willing to try anything. And now that his mate had mentioned his soreness, Wesley noticed his side and back no longer hurt. It was official. He was strapping Hyett to him so the guy would always touch him.
He gripped Wesley’s hips and gently turned him over.
“That is one gorgeous sight,” Hyett moaned, causing Wesley to blush. His ass was sticking up in the air, and his mate was salivating over it.
He knew how to stroke a guy’s ego.
“Spread your legs, baby.” Hyett gripped Wesley’s ass as he used his thighs to help spread them apart. His mate rubbed the head of his cock over Wesley’s ring of muscle a few times, teasing them both.
His hole was aching to be filled again, not teased.
Finally, he felt the head push back inside his body. Wesley groaned at being so, so full. His hands still gripping Wesley’s ass, Hyett started pounding inside of him. He matched Hyett thrust for thrust.
“Shit,” Hyett hissed.
When Wesley looked over his shoulder, he saw that his mate had planted one foot on the bed, a look of raw lust in his eyes as his hips punched forward.
Wesley was making him look that way. It was his body bringing his mate so much pleasure, and that was a heady feeling.
Turning back around, Wesley closed his eyes, losing himself in the moment, in the sensations flooding him.
“Need to claim you,” Hyett groaned. The man blanketed his back, and Wesley loved feeling the weight pressing down on him.
Until he felt a sharp pain slice into his neck. But the pain lasted only a second, followed by the most intense orgasm of his life. Wesley shouted, his seed spilling from his cock as Hyett pistoned into his ass.
A strange, wonderful sensation filled Wesley’s chest, then it felt as if something snapped into place. His breath hitched in his throat as his heart stopped for a brief second before restarting.
“Hyett,” he whimpered, unsure what was happening.
His mate licked at his shoulder then whispered, “Don’t be afraid. Our souls just soldered together, sweetheart.”
Hyett buried his cock and cried out, clinging to Wesley’s hips.
They collapsed to the bed, then Hyett pulled Wesley close, cuddling him against his sweaty, solid chest. Wesley loved lying in his mate’s strong arms. They made him feel safe, like no one could ever touch him.
Hyett nuzzled him, licking his neck.
Wesley chuckled. “Is this the part where you eat me?”
“I already did that, and your cock tasted amazing.” Hyett kissed Wesley just below his ear.
“You now have the spot of our official first kiss,” Wesley reminded him.
He felt Hyett smile against his skin. “A spot I plan to revisit as many times as you’ll let me.” He kissed Wesley’s bare shoulder.