Chapter 2
Jackson inhaled sharply as the walking, living, sex god moved toward him.
Oh fuck, I’m in so much trouble, as his mate’s face became visible for the first time.
Sexy? Yes! Beautiful? Oh Gods! Yes! If Jackson could have sketched his dream mate, this dude was it—tall, long dark silky hair, wide eyes, high cheekbones, full bottom lip, closely shaved beard and those muscles.
Shit! A mate who has the power to fuck me into the next room just as I always dreamed.
Jackson could feel his ass clench and his hole flutter, knowing his mate would send him out of this world with pleasure.
He pushed against his cock, trying to hide his hard-on from his mate’s gorgeous brown eyes.
But that wasn’t the only problem he had—his wolf was demanding his mate and Jackson was fighting to control him.
He had to, because his life and the lives of his pack members depended on it.
Better answer before his mate got too close.
“Yeah, I need a lift to the outside of the next town, if you can.”
~/~/~/~/~
Steel’s cock was now straining to be free from the confines of his jeans—that had to be his mate.
That voice causing his blood to boil and his need for the man was driving him over the edge.
But it made no sense. Something had to be wrong because he’d never had a reaction like this during his long life.
Shit, he needed to get home and search the archives to see if there was a mistake as to who his mate might be.
Dammit, until that was sorted out, he wouldn’t be able to touch this man. It would cause too much trouble and damage if he fucked the wrong one while his body was in its toirchigh period. Shit, Shit, Shit! Think! Need to find out who this is and where he’s from.
“I’m Steel Valentin. I can give you a ride. Is that where your home is?”
“I’m Jackson. That would be great. I’ll ride in the back, if that’s okay,” he said, not answering Steel’s question.
Steel thought for a moment. His wolf wanted Jackson in the cab near him but he knew that would be a disaster. No, better to keep some distance between them until he could do his research. “That’s fine,” said Steel, “there’s plenty of room back there.”
Jackson gave Steel a wide berth as he headed for the rear of the truck. Steel was talking but Jackson was so involved with keeping his wolf under control, he missed most of it. Oops! Jackson suddenly realized Steel was offering him sweatpants.
“Oh man, that’s great. Thanks,” he said.
“Where’re your clothes?
Jackson could feel himself blush as he remembered his stupid decision to help. “Uhhh, they were stolen,” he said, not meeting Steel’s eyes.
Steel thought how cute Jackson looked with deep pink cheeks and whoops, he had to stop thinking that way. He offered the sweatpants to Jackson and glancing at the torn pants Jackson was still holding in front of him, asked, “How did that happen?”
Jackson took the gray sweatpants, carefully avoiding touching his mate and mumbled, “I stopped to help these dudes. They had other plans because they knocked me out and made off with my money, clothes, and car.” Jackson hoped this would end the conversation, and he quickly dressed, then climbed into the back of the truck.
Hearing that Jackson had been attacked, Steel’s wolf demanded to hunt down the assholes and kill them.
Steel braced himself against the truck and breathed deeply.
His wolf was asserting itself and he was strong.
Steel’s mouth filled with fangs and the hair on his arms and chest started to elongate.
His claws left scratches on the truck’s door frame as he retracted them.
He couldn’t shift in front of this human no matter how much his wolf wanted to.
It took several deep breaths but he pulled back his wolf.
Anxious for it not to happen again, Steel climbed into the truck, put it in gear, and started down the road.
Steel kept glancing in his rearview mirror at Jackson, still puzzled why his wolf and body were acting as if Jackson was their mate.
Why couldn’t he smell anything? Nothing—no scent, just arousal but nothing else.
That just didn’t make sense. Well, maybe he’d have his answers after his research.
Steel wondered what the chest tattoo on Jackson meant.
He’d never seen one like it and hmm-m-m, yes—he’d take a picture of it with his phone, secretly.
It seemed familiar but he just couldn’t place it.
Steel could feel Jackson’s anxiety and his wolf was telling him this man was in danger.
But according to shifter laws he couldn’t offer his protection to a human even though his wolf was demanding it.
Any involvement in the affairs of humans was strictly forbidden.
His wolf was more upset than he’d ever been, and he’d need an extra-long run tonight to see if he could quiet him down.
Tomorrow he’d start researching this man that both his body and wolf were insisting was destined for him.
He hoped the answers were in the archives because he needed to cool his blood soon; once his body started heating in anticipation of mating, the only thing that would work was fucking and claiming his mate.
~/~/~/~/~
Jackson could feel Steel’s eyes on him but he ignored them.
No sense in pursuing what I can’t have. Crap!
Why did this have to happen now when my pack is under attack?
They’d been through so much and still had so far to go before they could be free of the danger that threatened them.
Jackson covered his face with his hands and tried to relax but it was hard as he thought about the massacre that killed most of the pack.
He needed to call Logan soon or there’d be a search party out and he didn’t want to expose the pack to more danger.
As the truck ate up the dusty miles, he thought back to that fateful day when his world changed forever. Damn, he wished it never happened.
Jackson felt the truck slow down to enter the paved highway.
Just another 20 miles and he’d be near the outskirts of the town where the remainder of his pack lived.
While he enjoyed riding in the back of a pickup when he was younger, he now felt too exposed because he was afraid someone might see him and call Silver Point.
It’d been a long time—a couple of years for sure —since he was so out in the open and it was rattling his nerves.
Better to lie down and reduce the chance of being seen.
There wasn’t much in the truck bed except a bag of rags which he used to rest his head on.
Not very luxurious but he’d been in worse situations and at least he had a kick-ass man driving the truck—not that the man knew he belonged to Jackson but he just knew Steel was the kind of dude who would stand by his side.
He fervently hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
The last thing he needed was for Steel to get a whiff of his blood; the protection spell only masked his body scent—one drop of blood and Steel would have him pinned and ready to claim as his mate.
And then Steel would be in danger—a target by association.
Fuck, I just can’t take that risk because I’ll be unable to protect both my mate and my pack if the fight comes.
~/~/~/~/~
Steel saw Jackson lie down, at first thinking he was tired.
“He’s hiding from view,” Steel said to himself.
“Now why would that be?” Steel hadn’t detected any deceit coming from Jackson—right-t-t-t, stupid thought, why would I be able to smell deceit when I couldn’t smell anything except Jackson’s arousal.
Duh… I must be more tired than I thought.
He jolted himself back to reality, surprised to see he was about five miles from the next town, Blackwood Pass. Pulling over to the side of the road, he killed the engine and got out. Jackson lifted his head and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“I wasn’t sure exactly where you wanted me to drop you off,” said Steel. “Are you sure I can’t take you home? It won’t be any trouble.”
Jackson shook his head. “No, it’s all right. I’ll be fine. Just drop me at Jimmy’s gas station; my brother can pick me up there. You can’t miss it. It has a big yellow sign on the roof.”
“Sure, no problem.” Steel didn’t want to leave Jackson at all but it was too dangerous to stay close until he had some answers.
He stared at him, hoping to see something in his face that would tell him Jackson felt a mating pull.
He knew he’d been aroused by him but that wasn’t enough to guarantee Jackson was his mate.
However, if he wasn’t his mate—and since Jackson obviously was attracted to him—maybe they could hook-up once his toirchigh period had passed, assuming he hadn’t found his mate by then.
Damn, just that thought got his blood boiling again.
He turned quickly and got back into the safety of his truck.
Shit! It is going to be a long drive home with my cock weeping pre-cum down my leg.
~/~/~/~/~
Jackson lay back down and nearly cried as Steel started the truck and drove toward Jimmy’s.
His mate was so sexy up close and, as shown by his willingness to help a naked-ass man without asking too many questions, was a kind and caring soul.
A mate he’d be proud to have by his side—one he could love and be with the rest of his life.
As he closed his eyes the picture of Steel pounding his ass caused his cock to rise again.
Jackson rolled to his side away from Steel, reached into his pants and stroked his rod as his fantasy continued.
Oh yes, he could feel Steel in his ass, as his cock twitched in his hand.
It was so real and Jackson was so lost in his fantasy that he nearly came.
Shit! No can do, squeezing his balls to stop his orgasm.
Shit! Fuck and fuck again! That was too close.
He thumped his cock several times to deflate his erection while trying to clear his mind of the sensuous picture of Steel’s cock in his ass.
Jackson heard the truck change gears, and raised his head.
On the left side of the highway, he saw the familiar billboard-sized sign on top of a single-story concrete building.
As they drew closer, Jackson smiled. Jimmy’s looked like it was frozen in time; faded yellow paint covered a Spanish mission-style store with antiquated red gas pumps out front.
“Something I would see in the 1940s,” he mused.
A wooded mountain loomed behind it and nestled among the trees was a small, white, Victorian house.
Thank the gods, Jackson thought as he felt the truck slow down to make the turn.
As soon as it came to a stop, he jumped out and stood on the opposite side from where Steel was getting out.
“Thank you very much for the ride.” He spoke quickly, wanting to send his mate away as fast as he could but saw Steel flare his nostrils and heard him discreetly inhale deeply, trying to get his scent.
He had to get away from his mate quickly or he wouldn’t be able to keep from shifting.
“I hope I didn’t delay you too much,” Jackson said, backing away from the truck.
Steel just stood there, watching him, before finally saying, “Nope, no delay at all. I still have further to go before I get home. Are you sure someone will be able to pick you up? I feel bad about leaving you here with no money or car.”
Jackson could feel the look of panic form on his face before he quickly schooled it to impassiveness. “No really, I’ll be all right. My brother will pick me up. Everything’s cool, man.”
Jackson saw Steel’s face harden and knew his panic had been noted.
A mate’s instinct was to protect, but Jackson prayed his scent blocker was enough to stop the man asking any further questions.
Steel hesitated, as if he were going to ask more questions but then with a nod and a heated glare, he got back in his truck and drove off.