22. Sam
Chapter 22
Sam
T hey shared their wish for a mating ceremony with Silas’ parents the next morning over breakfast.
Through hugs and tears, Meera and Cal explained the only formalities that made up a mating ceremony were for the couple to join hands before their pack and state their claim beneath the light of the moon. Some packs planned days-long celebrations around the event, and some only held mating ceremonies on full moons, or special nights of significance throughout the calendar year.
Wide-eyed, Silas and Sam looked at each other—neither of them wanted something so formal. A simple ceremony with their family as witnesses would be more than enough.
“We also have something we’d like to discuss with you both,” Cal said, taking Meera’s hand.
“Oh?” Silas asked.
She nodded. “We’ve been thinking about our future for a few years now. It’s not sustainable for us to live so far from a community for very much longer.”
Silas’ brows creased. “You aren’t old , Mom.”
She smirked. “Thank you. No, we aren’t old. But our grocery runs are a chore and a half, and as we age, it won’t be good for us to be so isolated. We’ve been considering a move into Silver Rapids for a while now.”
“But… What about the house?” Sam asked.
Cal’s smile was sad. “We were going to give it to you two.”
“ What ?” Silas asked.
Sam was stunned.
“Things are different now,” Meera continued before he could process. “But we’d still like to discuss some options with you. Quite a bit of that land is ours; you could build on it if you’d like. We could live here, or some other place in Silver Rapids. We’d still be close, it just wouldn’t be a mission and a half to buy milk and eggs.”
Silas took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to say.” He looked at Sam. “I mean… Thank you. That’s more than a gift, that’s—thank you. We need to talk it over together, though.”
They nodded. “Of course, there’s a lot to sort out first, and no rush. Think about it.”
Still stunned by their conversation over breakfast, Sam called Jaime later that day. He was over the moon when Sam shared that they wanted a ceremony, and immediately went into planning mode for outfits, decorations, and food preparations.
Sam reeled him in right away, panicking a little at all of his ideas.
Honestly, he’d be happy walking out into the yard with Silas that night in their jeans and sweatshirts. The more Jaime talked about having Silas fitted for a suit, though, the more he warmed to some of his suggestions.
Some of them. Sam was almost certain the reindeer-pulled sleigh he’d mentioned had been a joke.
Jaime and Finn offered up their cabin to host, as their backyard sat right on Loon Lake. With the moon shining high over the frozen water, it would make a beautiful place to hold the ceremony.
Plus, Finn had insisted on preparing a meal for afterward, and cooking would be easiest in his own kitchen.
That was how Sam found himself staring into Jaime’s bedroom mirror, two weeks after he’d sort of proposed to Silas, anxiously smoothing down the lapels of his suit jacket and fidgeting with his tie.
Why in the hell had he agreed to dress up again?
The image of a dress shirt straining across Silas’ chest came to mind, buttons threatening to pop. Oh yes, that was why.
Under his suit, he had on a white button-down shirt tucked into slacks that matched his jacket, and he’d meticulously trimmed the edges of his beard. They’d purchased actual shampoo and conditioner, thank God, so his hair was back to normal.
Silas was getting dressed in the guest room, Finn was downstairs finishing the food preparations, and Sheppard, Gabe, Cal, and Meera were gathered in the living room, waiting in the warm house before they started the ceremony.
“Alright, are you ready?” Jaime asked, stepping out of the bathroom and quickly running a comb through his hair.
“You look great all cleaned up,” Sam said, grinning. Jaime wasn’t wearing a tie, but he had tucked a shirt into a nice pair of dark slacks with a sport coat over top.
“I’m supposed to say that to you,” Jaime said. “And you do. Navy looks good on you.”
Sam felt the blush on the back of his neck. “The tie works?”
It was a pinkish-salmon color—a gift from Lana. She couldn’t arrange travel in time for the ceremony, and frankly, he wasn’t at all prepared to explain why it wouldn’t be a normal wedding or why everyone was so growly with each other, but he’d felt loved opening the gift and card she’d sent.
“Totally works,” Jaime answered. “And, uh, it should go with this.” He picked up a small, square box sitting on top of his dresser and handed it to Sam.
Opening it, he was stunned to find a beautiful, classic silver watch inside.
“It’s nothing fancy,” Jaime said, smoothing down his shirt. “But I got it engraved.”
Sam gently removed the watch from the gift box and flipped it over.
For Sammy, the best brother, and my best friend.
“Thank you, Jaime,” he said, the words blurring through his tears. “This is—I will cherish this. Thank you. You didn’t have to.”
Jaime reached out to help fasten it. “I wanted to. You are, you know. The best brother. You deserve to be happy.”
Sam turned the watch this way and that on his wrist, admiring it, before he yanked Jaime into a fierce hug. “I love you. Thank you for all of this.”
Jaime patted him on the back and released him, smoothing down Sam’s mussed tie and lapels. “I love you, too. And I love planning this stuff, you know that.”
“FOOD WILL BE READY IN HALF AN HOUR!” Finn hollered up the stairs.
Jaime grinned. “He kept saying how happy he was that you guys decided to do this so I’d have something fun to plan, but really, he was just as excited to make all the food,” he whispered conspiratorially.
Sam laughed.
“Ok, I’ll go down and get everyone outside,” Jaime said, heading for the door. “Don’t you two take too long or Finn will get grumpy about overcooked chicken.”
Sam took one more look in the mirror after Jaime left, checking he hadn’t nicked himself trimming his beard, and stepped out.
The living room was quiet as he descended the stairs, Jaime having efficiently ushered everyone outside already. Silas’ profile was silhouetted where he faced the fire.
Sam took a minute to stare—because he could.
Silas was also wearing a navy suit and a matching salmon pink tie, but his button-up shirt was the same dark blue as his suit, providing a beautiful contrast to Sam’s outfit. He had all of his hair neatly pulled back around his wolfy ears—which he kept out around Sam nearly all the time now—highlighting the sharp angle of his jaw.
Yeah. Absolutely worth all of the hectic planning.
“Hi,” Sam said quietly, interrupting Silas’ silent reverie.
A grin stretched Silas’ face as he turned to greet him. “Hello, love,” he rumbled, striding over and devouring him with his eyes. “You look amazing. Wow.”
Sam blushed again. “So do you,” he mumbled, reaching for Silas’ tie to pull him down into a wet kiss.
Groaning, Silas’ hands wrapped around Sam’s back before falling to grip his ass, hiking him up so he could deepen their kiss.
“Like, really good,” Sam said, breaking away and running his hands down Silas’ tucked-in shirt. The buttons strained just the way he’d hoped.
“Do we have to go out there? Can’t we just get on with the after part?” Silas asked, still eyeing Sam up and down.
Silas’ parents had stayed with them for a week while they sorted things out and made a plan, before moving into the safe house Sheppard had offered.
Since then, they’d had sex nearly every day, exploring each other and covering most of the structurally sound surfaces of their home, but Sam had wanted to wait until after their mating ceremony to take Silas’ knot again. Both so he wouldn’t be sore for tonight, and to make it feel special.
Sam gave him a look. “We’re not doing that in my brother’s house.”
Silas nipped at his ear. “Spoilsport. Then let’s get out there, yeah? I can hear teeth chattering from here.”
Sam nodded, suddenly nervous. Not about claiming Silas forever; that felt as easy as breathing. He was nervous about being so exposed in front of everyone, though.
But when Silas took his hand and led him out the back kitchen door, there was no room for Sam to be nervous anymore.
Jaime had worked actual magic with the decorations.
Plain cedar and fir garland draped around a simple wooden arch framing the view of the moon hanging low over the lake. Warm twinkle lights wrapped around the supporting posts, and lanterns were nestled into the snow creating a short walkway from the kitchen door to the open arch.
Their family, their pack, stood in pairs on either side of the path, each sharing a plush, warm blanket wrapped around their shoulders and holding a lit candle.
It was understated and cozy and perfect.
It was them.
Sam blinked, taking it all in. He found where Jaime stood up ahead, and Sam wasn’t sure he’d ever smiled so wide in his life.
He couldn’t wipe the grin from his face as he and Silas walked hand-in-hand to stand beneath the decorated arch, bathed in moonlight and the warm glow of the twinkle lights.
Silas’ dad cleared his throat. “Who stands before this pack?”
A hush fell across the lake, as if nature itself leaned in to witness the magic invoked through Cal’s words.
“I do,” Silas answered, strong and sure as he gently squeezed both of Sam’s hands in his. “Silas Granger, Alpha of the Silver Rapids pack.”
“And I do,” Sam echoed, squeezing back. “Sam Lamont.”
“Declare your claim,” Meera called.
They’d practiced this part; Sam hadn’t wanted to fully write individual vows, but they had come up with some words together.
In unison, Silas and Sam said, “By moonlight, I declare you as my mate. You are mine, and I am yours. I shall never seek another, for you are the keeper of my heart.”
Silas’ joy rang through the bond clear as a bell. He leaned down, pressing their foreheads together, and whispered words meant only for Sam. “I promise to always keep you warm and to carry your burdens alongside you. I will never leave you alone.”
Sam framed Silas’ face between his hands. “I love you. I will always stand with you.”
Silas took Sam up in a fierce kiss, spinning him around before setting him back on his feet. A blush crept up the back of Sam’s neck when he realized their family was cheering.
“Let’s eat!” Finn shouted out.
Silas peered down at Sam, eyes gleaming. “Mmm… let’s.”
The food was delicious.
Finn had roasted several trays of small chicken-looking things he called Cornish hens, plus more side dishes than Sam could count. He scooped small spoonfuls of each, not wanting to be too full for later, but Finn never missed when it came to food.
He’d gorge on leftovers tomorrow.
Sam burst out laughing when Silas sat down at the table next to him with one plate full of sides, and the other stacked with four of the small chickens.
“Laugh all you like, love. This is fuel for later,” Silas said, winking at him.
Cal and Meera joined them with their own plates, so Sam shoved a forkful of fancy potatoes in his mouth to stop his retort about finally knowing where all that food went.
Several hours, and a piece of cake he’d wished was three times bigger later, Sam leaned heavily against Silas on the comfortable couch, feet tucked up underneath him.
Sheppard and Gabe had excused themselves after the meal, and Jaime and Finn were padding around in the kitchen, cleaning up. Joining them in the living room, Cal and Meera sat by the fire.
“How are you settling into the safe house?” Silas asked.
Meera nodded. “It’s an adjustment. We’re still processing everything we lost, but I think we’ll be happy with the move once we find somewhere to make our own.”
Silas looked at Sam. They’d discussed Cal and Meera’s offer thoroughly. Sam couldn’t deny that he adored the idea of building a home with Silas; starting a life together, especially somewhere as beautiful as the valley Silas had spent his childhood in, sounded like a dream come true.
Silas had asked if it would interfere with his work, to have potentially intermittent WiFi access in their home.
He’d explained that he’d needed a break for a long time, and that space would be good for him. He wanted to assess his professional goals moving forward.
“You know I want you to be happy, yeah? You don’t have to stop your audio stuff because we’re together,” Silas had said. “And I still want to listen to that with you, by the way.”
Sam had nodded, quickly becoming side-tracked by their initial conversation at the prospect of listening to himself get off thinking about Silas, with Silas. “I know. This was a long time coming, though. I wanted a break before everything happened with Derek. I’d been saving so I could take time off and build a portfolio for some other work; I’ve been thinking about trying audiobook narration. I’m not saying I’ll quit, just that I want to figure out my options.”
Silas had also been excited about the prospect of building something new together, so when he raised his eyebrows at Sam at Meera’s statement, Sam nodded.
“We’ve thought a lot about your offer,” Silas said to his parents. “And if it’s still something you’re interested in, we’d love to talk through giving you our Silver Rapids house and building out where the old house used to be. Or any other options you have in mind.”
Cal and Meera smiled warmly. “That’s wonderful. Let’s talk logistics soon,” Cal said.
Not long after, Silas and Sam hugged their goodbyes, thanking Jaime and Finn for the beautiful ceremony.
“It was perfect,” Sam said to Jaime. “Just what we wanted.”
Jaime gave him a knowing smile. “I’m so glad. Now go on, we’ll see you later.”
Sam looked forward to it.
They barely made it through the front door before Silas pinned Sam against the wall and kissed him until he couldn’t breathe.
“Gonna give you my knot tonight, Sammy. Gonna make you scream on it,” Silas moaned into his neck. “Maybe I’ll stay inside you until I’m hard again, hmm? And then fuck you a second time? You’ll be soaked in my cum. I’ll use you like a sleeve, make your hole gape on my cock.”
Clawing at Silas’ lapels, Sam pulled at the straining buttons he’d stared at all night. “Fucking do it then,” he snarled, desperate for the feel of his bare skin.
Like he weighed no more than an armful of split kindling, Silas grabbed Sam by the thighs, lifted him, and carried him upstairs.
So fucking hot.
Sam wrapped his legs around Silas’ waist and clung on while he sucked at the tendons on his thick neck.
Once in their bedroom, Silas pressed Sam back up against the wall and stole his breath with another kiss. Loosening his tie, Sam groaned when Silas dug one claw-tipped hand into his hair and tugged, angling his neck for easier access to nip love bites along his jawline and throat.
“Let me undress you,” Silas begged, speaking into his ear. “Let me see what’s mine.”
“Me too,” Sam said, voice husky with emotion. “I want to see you.”
Slowly, Silas lowered Sam’s legs to the ground. He braced his palms against the wall when Silas took a step back, unsure if he could stand without his big body holding him up.
Silas had always held him up.
Despite their hot and heavy start and the want clawing up Sam’s spine, the quiet way Silas looked at him now felt so very tender. Like this was yet another way for them to discover each other, another layer of intimacy peeled back to uncover the beating heart of them.
Unhurried, Silas reached out and finished removing Sam’s tie first. Sam mirrored the movement; the sound of fabric slipping against itself as he pulled the tie from Silas’ collar was loud in the hushed protection of their bedroom.
Wordlessly, Silas used both hands to slide Sam’s jacket off his shoulders, dropping it to the floor. Sam did the same for him, lingering over the broad planes of his chest, heaving with each breath and soft touch.
Sam’s buttoned shirt was next, and then Silas’. And so it went, each of them toeing off their shoes and reaching for each other’s buckles until their pants clinked as they dropped to the floor, followed by the quiet slide of their underwear.
Standing bare before one another, Silas’ eyes danced up and down Sam’s body, taking all of him in. “Beautiful,” he breathed.
The floor creaked as they stepped away from their discarded clothes, and Silas drew Sam in close until they were a long line of heat against each other.
Sam hummed, breath whooshing out when he felt Silas hardening against his stomach. He pressed kisses all across his chest, the hair tickling his nose.
Tipping his head back, he found Silas’ warm gaze. “I love you,” he breathed.
Silas’ eyes crinkled at the corners. “And I love you.”
He bent down to press his lips against Sam’s, soft and gentle, before deepening the kiss, lighting them on fire. Silas coaxed him open with his tongue, diving in while he took Sam by the shoulders and guided him down until he was reclined on their bed.
Reaching for the bedside table, Silas grabbed the lube and tossed it on the bed before laying next to Sam, angled so that he hovered over him, hard cock jutting into Sam’s hip and his weight braced on one elbow. “Let’s get you opened up, yeah? Make you ready for me? Spread your legs, love.”
Sam did as Silas instructed, almost shy. None of this was their first time together, but still, it felt sacred.
Silas trailed his hand down Sam’s stomach, teasing kisses all over his collarbone and chest. Swiping up the lube bottle, he slicked up his free hand and took hold of Sam’s cock, lazily pumping him.
“Tell me how that feels,” Silas said, nibbling on Sam’s ear.
Sam threw his head back, mouth dropping open as he enjoyed the tortuously slow pull, followed by a teasing swipe of Silas’ thumb along his cockhead. “Good,” he said, unable to think of more descriptive words. “Feelssgood.”
Silas chuckled.
A shock of cold lube against his hole made Sam twitch and let out a quiet, “ Ah!” but Silas immediately soothed it with the warm pad of his finger, running languid circles over him until it slipped in without resistance.
“So fucking easy, love,” Silas said, voice rough. “Like butter. Look at how hungry you are for me—any part of me.” He pulled his finger out and inserted two, crooking them just right.
“ Silas, ” Sam panted, grabbing hold of his forearm and thrusting his hips up to try and push his fingers deeper. “I need you. I really do. Don’t tease me.”
Growling, Silas pushed three fingers in, and then four, not giving him time to adjust in between. “Yeah? You want it hard? You want it rough?”
Sam’s breath hitched. “I—I want my alpha to fuck me. Don’t hold back. I want it to feel too big. I want to know you’re dripping out of me for days. I want you to keep your cum inside me with your cock and then put more in after that— oh! ”
Silas pressed firmly on Sam’s prostate, cutting off his words and causing his hips to jerk. “Fucking hell, Sammy,” he snarled, pulling his fingers out and kneeling between Sam’s spread thighs.
Slicking up his cock, Silas gave himself a few hard jerks before leaning over Sam and pulling a leg over his hip. “Tell me what you want again. Let me hear you.”
Silas breached him, hot and too big and perfect, just as he begged for more. “ Oh my God,” Sam moaned. “I want—I want you to fuck me hard. Fuck me hard.”
Silas tunneled deep on the first push before he pulled out, nearly all the way, and thrust back in. Bracing his hands on either side of Sam’s shoulders, he hovered over him. “Who do you want to fuck you hard? Who?”
Another rough thrust had Sam quaking. “You. You,” he sobbed.
Kneeling again, Silas hooked both of Sam’s legs over his elbows and leaned back down, folding him up like a parcel. “That’s not what you said,” Silas panted, pounding into Sam. “Who do you want, Sammy? Say it.”
Blearily, Sam caught on. “My alpha,” he got out between gasps, “I want my alpha to put his cum inside me.” Throwing his arms around Silas’ neck, Sam melted into the pressed position, eyes rolling back as Silas fucked into him at the perfect angle.
“That’s right,” Silas growled. “You want me to fuck you, mate.” Silas bit at the mating mark on his neck, hips pounding him into the mattress.
Silas’ knot swelled rapidly while he rocked them together, quicker than it had the first time. Sam cried out at the thick, heavy press inside him, needing the pressure to feel whole. He’d missed this—how had he gone so long without Silas filling him so completely?
Legs shaking, he was nearly over the edge. He tried to squeeze a hand between their bodies to jerk himself off, so close to coming, but Silas batted him away. “ Mine,” he snarled, lifting enough to take hold of Sam’s cock, working him in rough pulls.
Oh, fuck yes, that was it.
All folded up underneath Silas, with his knot a deep, pleasurable ache pressed up against Sam’s prostate and his hand wrapped around Sam’s cock, he was making sounds he’d never made before. “Coming. I’m coming, Si—” he croaked. “ Ah!”
Sam curled inward with the force of his orgasm, eyes squeezed shut, fingers and toes flexing from the strength of each kick of his hips. His cum caught in the hot slide of their bellies, and he groaned at the sight of Silas dipping his hand in the sticky mess before sucking his fingers clean.
The taste of Sam was his undoing. Silas came with a shout, rutting into him and dropping all of his weight down so Sam was thoroughly squished.
Sam basked in the hazy pleasure, feeling Silas’ cock twitch now and then when his hole clenched around the knot.
Silas released Sam’s legs, large hands unfolding his body so he lay flat. Then, they rolled so that Sam was on top. Scooting further up the bed, Silas sat up, his back braced against the headboard with Sam straddling his lap.
Perched the way he was, knotted, with most of his weight on Silas’ thighs because his legs were still unsteady, Sam was just a smidgeon taller.
He smiled, fingers playing with the hair that had fallen around Silas’ face, body loose and cum-drunk. “You like it when I call you Alpha,” he teased.
Silas’ eyes flashed, grinding his knot up into Sam until they both gasped. “I like it when you do a lot of things,” he replied, voice a low rumble.
Sam had thought his dirty talk had been just that—talk. Surely, Silas couldn’t go again after taking Sam apart so thoroughly, could he?
As if he’d read the question in Sam’s eyes, Silas planted his feet on the mattress behind Sam, supporting his back, and grasped his hips. “Grab the headboard, love,” he ordered.
Blinking rapidly, Sam did as he was told.
His mouth fell open on a pleasured cry when Silas lifted him up and off his knot, which had shrunk some, now only a slight swell at the base of his cock, before plunking him back down onto it.
“ Oh, shit!” Sam wailed.
“Good, Sammy?” Silas asked, panting from the effort of lifting him off his cock and dropping him back down over, and over, and over. Cum and lube from their first round had indeed slipped out, easing the way.
“ Uh-huh,” he answered, unable to say anything else.
His hands scrambled along the headboard, trying to help lift himself, trying to participate, but the pace Silas set was brutal. He threw his head back and braced his hands on Silas’ knees instead, giving in to the near-too-much pleasure of taking Silas’ knot, over and over.
Sam was a complete mess. He let Silas use him like a cock sleeve, just the way he’d said he would, moaning and cursing and crying out.
The orgasm Silas worked out of him with a hand on his cock and his knot pressed up against his prostate again shook his whole body. He didn’t come very much; only a few small spurts trickling out, but he screamed through it, clawing at Silas’ chest from the devastating pleasure.
Exhausted and overstimulated, he collapsed, completely limp in Silas’ arms while he finished inside Sam, clinging to him and breathing like a bull. His cock slipped out soon after, the knot having never fully inflated the second time.
Everything was hazy for a while.
Vaguely, Sam was aware of Silas carrying him into the shower, grumbling good-naturedly about his prickly mate not wanting to wake up itchy in the morning. He chugged the glass of water Silas handed him after he was clean and dry, wrapped in a warm towel.
Silas found one of his old t-shirts for Sam to wear, even though he had his own pajamas now.
When Silas tucked them both back into bed, with only the soft light of the moon shining in, Sam was struck with how similar, and yet so very different, it was to the first night Silas brought him home.
“Thank you for taking care of me, that first night. I didn’t know how much I needed that until I met you,” he whispered in the dark.
“Always, Sammy.”
So much had changed since then.
Sam could barely fathom that he’d once considered himself ok with all of his secrets and fears keeping him from Silas—keeping him from his family, from being alive.
He’d allowed himself to be ruled from afar, silenced, manipulated like a pawn in someone else’s game. Yet, all Sam had needed to win was to trust the people who loved him—to let Silas in.
Cain was dead. He could never hurt any of them ever again. Whatever they faced next, they’d do it together, just as Sam had vowed.
“I love that you call me Sammy, you know,” he said.
Silas nuzzled into his hair. “I know.” He shifted, adjusting so that Sam was tucked right up against him. “I’m excited to build a house with you. I’m excited for whatever life brings, because of you.”
Sam nuzzled into Silas’ chest. “You’re my home. I’d follow you anywhere, Silas.”
“And you’re mine,” Silas answered, kissing his forehead. “Always.”
Sammy’s heart may not be his own anymore, but there was no one else he’d rather give it to than Silas.
His love. His mate.