4. Tyler
4
TYLER
T aking over the pack had been incredibly hectic, scary, terrifying.
Having that pack then decide to essentially merge with the bear den that also occupied the town, navigating the intricacies of keeping our shifter nature a secret from humans while also not being investigated as that weird town, those had also been distrusting.
But sitting at my home waiting for my mate to arrive so that I could point blank ask them if they were ready to be mine far exceeded the fear I had experienced those other times.
I would rather face down a pack of rabid wolves hell bent on taking over my pack by force.
As well as I knew Theo, I did not know the answer to the question that I was going to ask him today, and that terrified me.
He could outright reject me, and it was well within his rights to do so, but I had to know.
I couldn’t take the longing, the waiting, the pining anymore.
I dreamed of him at night.
Every time I blinked throughout the day, it was his face that I saw.
The worst was watching him interact with the children.
He was so good with them.
I longed to see him with our children.
I had spent many long years alone, and I would continue to spend them alone if Theo rejected me, but at least then I would know.
He let himself into the house a few minutes after we had hung up.
He often let himself in.
This home was just as much his as it was mine.
“Hey, what’s going on? Is this about the property? I looked over all my notes after I talked to you this morning. I was sure I had everything. But if I missed something, we can get it taken care of. Or is this about the centennial celebration festival? If so, we got all the permits. I was going to bring it up next week.”
“It’s not about anything like that, Theo.”
I wished then that I had changed out of my silly suit and tie that I wore.
Admittedly, I kept it on because the scent of him still lingered after he tied my tie this morning.
It was comforting.
I longed for the day that I would carry his scent everywhere with me.
“Take a seat,” I said.
“Tyler, you’re kind of scaring me.”
I rubbed my palms over my trousers, trying to work up the nerve to speak my piece.
“Tyler. Seriously, what’s going on? Is someone hurt?”
“We’re mates,” I said, blurting out the words that the two of us had never spoken out loud.
Immediately, blood rushed to his face, and he turned a deep scarlet.
He dropped his gaze and focused on the ground rather than at me.
“Yes. I know.”
“I…” I should have written this down.
“A man has needs—” No, that wasn’t what I meant to say.
“Fuck, that came out wrong.”
Theo’s eyes went wide.
“Did you find someone else more suitable?” he asked.
“Because I get it. You got the short end of the stick as far as mates go, Tyler, and I’m—I’m doing everything I can to be worthy of the title of Alpha Mate. I’m—I’m—If you want to take a mate that is?—”
“Wait, what? Theo, what the fuck are you talking about?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Me. You. Us. Is there… Do you think you’re ready to start a relationship with me, Theo? We can start slow, with dating. The pack will find out, of course. We can’t hide it. Apparently plenty of people already suspect.”
“You want me as your mate?” he asked.
“Yes. Fuck yes. More than anything. Why wouldn’t I?”
Theo’s jaw dropped.
Genuine confusion clouded his eyes.
“Me?”
I moved my chair closer to him so that our knees touched.
My hands covered his.
His skin was soft and warm under my calloused palms.
“Of course. If you aren’t ready, or if you want to?—”
He launched himself forward until he was solidly in my lap.
His mouth covered mine, and I groaned in response.
The taste of him flooded my senses.
The cinnamon and spring scent that I associated with him had all the blood in my body heating and pooling directly to my dick.
I opened for him, inviting him in, but not forcing.
His tongue swept into my mouth, and I groaned with pleasure.
My hands went to his hips.
I wanted.
Oh, how I wanted him.
Years of pining alone in my bed each night as I thought of my mate.
I waited for him to be ready and now he was.
Against me like he was, he seemed just as hungry for me as I was for him.
I couldn’t suppress the growl that rumbled in my chest.
I pulled back slightly to catch my breath.
“Theo, can we really do this? Are you sure?”
“So sure.” His fingers threaded into my hair, and he gripped it hard, pulling my head closer until our lips found each other.
I kissed him deeper, pouring every ounce of my love and desire for him into it.
He melted against me.
I stood with my hands holding firm to his hips.
His legs wound around my waist.
We removed our clothes quickly, letting them drop wherever, leaving a trail to the bedroom.
Theo lay back on the bed, his body on display for me.
I should pinch myself.
There was no way this was real, that this man was mine.
He stroked his cock and smiled at me.
“I’m ready for you, alpha. I can feel the warm slick. It’s dripping down my thigh.”
I groaned and covered his body with mine.
I needed him like I needed air.
I positioned myself just enough to feel the heat radiating off his skin.
His legs opened for me, and the scent of his slick drove me wild with need.
I kissed him once more as I ghosted my fingertips over his hole.
He opened for me like I held the key to the fortress.
Two fingers slipped in easy enough, and Theo groaned with pleasure.
His back arched into me, and he thrashed.
My lips left his and trailed down his cheek to his neck where my mating mark would go.
“Do it,” he said.
“Mark me and make me yours. Please, alpha. I need you.”
With his body open for me, I lined up my cock to his hole.
I kept my eyes on him to gauge his reaction.
I never wanted my mate to feel any pain.
The only thing I saw was pleasure, and his eyes fluttered and rolled back when my thick cock entered his body.
His own cock was hard between us.
“You fill me so fucking good, alpha. I knew it would be like this. I dreamed it would be like this.”
“Oh yeah? You spend many nights dreaming of my knot?” I rocked my hips, thrusting in and out of him in slow thrusts.
He moaned.
“Yes. Always. Only you, Tyler. Mark me and fill me with your cum. Let me have you knot!”
My mate’s filthy mouth brought my release on faster than I expected, and before I knew it, I was releasing deep inside him, just as he asked.
He tilted his head and exposed his neck, I latched onto the skin there, letting my teeth mark him as mine.
Warm cum landed between us as Theo’s own release rocked through him.
A sense of rightness filled me, like I was finally complete after all this time.
Theo let out a long moan, as my knot expanded, trapping my cum in his body.
I buried my face in his neck.
“Theo. My darling Theo. I love you so.”
“Mhm. I love you, alpha.”
All the years I spent waiting culminated in this moment.
All we needed was the right time, and we found it.
Now the rest of our lives could begin.