Chapter 58 #2
“Oh, suuuure,” he jokes, one corner of his mouth quirking.
“Now you need the slutty omega to take over.” He leans forward and opens his laptop.
“In theory, ideally you two would have experienced an instantaneous mating bond. But you didn’t.
So we’ll have to assume what you two feel is a true mate bond and not just a bunch of great-sex lust.”
That point, the doubt, stabs into my heart like a knife, but I remain silent.
“We’ll use a four-pronged approach to give us the best shot at success,” Shawn continues, ticking points off on his fingers.
“For starters, I’ll get the herbal recipe from Carlos in the Spokane pack that will hopefully help trigger your heat.
It’s different from what I use for mine, and I’m a coyote, not a wolf.
The situation he told me this recipe was used for was to trigger a wolf’s heat.
But that was between two wolves—an Alpha and an omega—and wasn’t a life-or-death issue.
The omega was single but wanted a baby, and the Alpha was already mated and was a good friend of him and his mate.
It was only the wolf’s third heat, meaning he still wasn’t experienced in triggering it on his own.
We’ll start there and, hopefully, we’ll get results. ”
Shawn holds up another finger. “After giving you that, we’ll need to edge you literally to the point you’re almost in pain because you’re so horny and desperate.
To make you absolutely lose your fucking mind so you can completely sink into the heat.
The best way to do that is by using other wolves or canines.
Jax and I will take the lead there, because neither of us will put others in this pack at risk.
“However,” Shawn holds up a third finger.
“To give this whole process the best chance of working and thoroughly masking your scent, you must be taken for the first time by someone who’s from our pack but who isn’t a wolf or other canine.
Meaning not Jax or me. And it needs to happen ASAP, because we’re under the gun and can’t do a full initiation.
And the best shot for all of this to work with this deadline is if it’s someone you can genuinely submit to, not just have sex with.
But we’re not absolutely positive if what the two of you have is a true mate bond. Meaning…”
He motions at Todd and then holds up a fourth finger. “We need to chase you, a mating hunt, with everyone worked up and horny, so it gets Todd worked up and wanting not just to bang you, but to fully claim you as his before Jax can get to you and do it.”
I can’t help it—I squeeze my thighs together. “That doesn’t sound… bad.”
Sounds the opposite of bad, if I’m being completely honest.
“The problem is that Todd’s a beta, not an Alpha,” Shawn continues.
“And for all of this to happen the way it needs to, we have to pit Todd and Jax against each other in a mating hunt to claim you. Because this must have real stakes that everyone gets caught up in for the best chance of it working to trigger Todd’s rut.
Not just his sexy-time initiation fucking mode—a legit mating rut.
Because, unlike a canine, it apparently isn’t possible to artificially trigger an elk’s rut—it either happens naturally, or his hormones get worked up so much it triggers it.
Fighting for you, when you’re vulnerable and smelling like sex personified, is the best way to do that. ”
“Okay, that doesn’t sound good, but I’m not sure why.”
Todd turns to face me. “Jax is already mated. And we want you to smell like me. But me just chasing you likely won’t trigger anything because you’ll want to roll over and get fucked, and I’ll be happy to do it, but there’s no…stakes for either of us. Not really.”
His cocky smirk makes me want to drop to my knees and beg to suck his cock. “So the stakes have to be artificially manipulated,” he continues as his smirk fades. “Meaning I have to challenge Jax’s position as Alpha to claim you and fuck you before he does and trigger that response in him, too.”
Still doesn’t sound great, and now I’m more confused. “I don’t understand.”
“If Todd doesn’t win and get to you first and claim you before he then submits to me,” Jax says, sounding nearly distraught, “I might accidentally kill him.”
“Oh. No. Fuck no.” I stand and back away from them, shaking my head, my need immediately quenched like ice was dumped on my balls. “Nope. I won’t put anyone else at risk. No. No way.”
“Hold up,” Shawn says. “This is where I come in. I can trigger my mating heat, especially since I’m close, and hopefully I can distract Jax long enough to let Todd catch and start rutting you first. If I can get Jax to stay shifted and knot with me, that will give you and Todd time to shift back to human form and fuck while Jax and I stay shifted and do our thing.
No matter what, even though Jax is pack Alpha, his need to claim me under those circumstances should override everything else.
Then by the time Jax finishes with me, he can turn around and make Todd submit. ”
I lean against the counter. “This sounds too risky. That’s a lot of hopefullys and mights and maybes.” I look at them. “Wouldn’t you rather I just leave so I’m not putting anyone in danger?”
“No,” they all say, Todd just a little faster and louder than the others.
He stands and walks over to me. “I can’t promise you forever right now because I’m realistic and you barely know me,” he says.
“We honestly don’t know what this is between us.
We both hope it’s a mating bond, but you may hate me in a few months.
My mom and step-dad are proof that we don’t need an instantaneous mate bond to fall in love.
You deserve to be happy and safe. This way, you’ll be part of the pack.
If you or I decide it’s not working out between us, obviously you’ll be free to pursue other options.
But I wouldn’t volunteer to do this if I didn’t think we’ve got a chance for a long and happy future together.
I also wouldn’t like myself very much if I didn’t help when I know I’m the only guy in the pack who absolutely can do this and mitigate the risk. ”
“But…” I look at Jax and Shawn and back to Todd. “There are other non-canines in the pack, right? Alphas?” I swallow hard, forcing myself to say it. “Couldn’t one of them do it so Todd’s not at risk?”
“Theoretically,” Jax says. “But I can’t force them to do it, and none of them want to because you’re Sterling’s son.”
“There’s no other Alpha?” I mean, viscerally my body reacts—badly—to the thought of it being anyone besides Todd. “It can’t be you?”
“It can’t be a canine,” Jax insists.
“But why?”
“So you don’t catch, baby,” Todd softly says. His tone pulls my focus back to him. He almost looks hurt that I’m suggesting anyone else take point on this.
But it’s not because I don’t want it to be him.
I palm his cheeks and pull him in for a kiss. “It’d kill me if you get hurt or…” I swallow hard, blinking back tears as he wraps his arms around me again. “I don’t want to live if you were to…”
I can’t finish that statement.
“Shh. It’s okay, baby. Nothing will happen to me.” He rubs his chin against the top of my head. “I don’t want it to be anyone but me, either,” he whispers despite knowing the two wolves must be able to hear. “I promise it’ll be okay.”
“We already have a proven mating hunt safety plan,” Jax says.
“So we’ll preset the course and have our safety team stationed with tranq guns.
Ironically, not Alphas. I don’t want any other Alphas around for that part.
We’ve got enough betas, gammas, and strong omegas who are happily mated with mate bonds who will be able to keep their brains in their heads and not listen to their balls.
So, on the chance that something does go wrong, they’ll take me out before I hurt anyone. ”
I’m even more horrified now. “Take you out?”
“Tranquilized,” Shawn says with a playful smirk.
Jax nods. “Then I’ll be taking a forced nap for a few hours and wake up in a K-hole.” He laughs.
“And if the plan goes right?” I sink deeper into Todd’s protective embrace.
“Once I knot with Shawn,” Jax says, “I should have recovered enough to control myself until Todd gives me some semblance of submitting.”
“Which at that point I happily will.” Todd smiles down at me. “I’m a multitasker.”
Jax snorts but continues. “And I’ll likely be dumping a load in Todd’s ass while he’s probably still rutting the hell out of you.”
Todd smirks as he turns and protectively drapes an arm around my shoulders, tucking me close against his side. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, sir. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been in the middle between you and someone else.”
Jax laughs. “True.” He looks at me again. “We’ll pre-arrange logistics to help you and Shawn through your mating heats from that point on.”
But there’s something else. I study the way Shawn’s staring at Jax.
Staring at him hopefully.
Not because of me.
“Okay, I’m not agreeing to anything until you tell me what else is going on,” I say to Shawn. “What are you holding back?”
“That’s between me and Jax,” Shawn quietly says. “Unless he wants to talk about it.”
Jax meets Shawn’s gaze. “Because we’re mates, there’s a strong risk with me fucking Shawn like that, when he’s in heat and we’re shifted and knotted, that he could catch.”
My eyes widen. “You’d risk that…for me?”
“Come on,” Todd gently says to Jax. “You know you’ve been wanting to for a while, even though you’re chickenshit.
You’ll be a great father. We’re friends here, dude.
Todd-to-Jax time. Stop trying to compare yourself to your old man and worrying you won’t be as good a father.
You’ll be a fantastic father. And everyone in this damned pack knows Shawn’s been wanting a pup for years. ”
Jax takes Shawn’s hand. “Are you sure?” he quietly asks. “Even with all the other bullshit over our heads right now? It’s your call.”
Shawn nods, finally smiling. “No backing out on me when we already agreed we’d start trying.
You know how much I want this. You will be a great father.
No more delays. Please? If nothing else, even if I don’t catch this time I want to do this.
I mean, what are the chances of me catching this time, right? ”
Jax stands and leans over Shawn, pulling him into his arms and pressing his lips to Shawn’s forehead while Shawn wraps his arms around Jax.
“In addition to losing our playtime, we’ll never get rid of Dad and Pops,” Jax mumbles against him. “You realize that, right? Hell, they’re going to want to move in with us to be with their first grandpup.”
“Maybe one of your brothers will give them grandpups first,” Shawn says. “You never know.”
Jax straightens. “Since none of them are mated yet, that’s doubtful.”
“Wait, how many brothers do you have?” I ask Jax.
“Five.” He straightens after dropping one last kiss on the top of Shawn’s head. “I’m the oldest. Three more Alphas, a gamma, and an omega. The gamma and omega are the youngest and still live with Dad and Pops. Meaning they’d probably move in with us, too.”
Shawn snickers. “At least you’ll have plenty of help learning how to change diapers.” Then he focuses on me. “Well?”
I stare up into Todd’s gaze again. I feel his love for me—and his fear of losing me—radiating through my soul like a blast furnace.
For the first time in my life, my soul feels nourished, cherished.
I look at Jax. “When do we start?”