Chapter Nine
Matias’s words lingered, curling around Elijah’s ribs, settling deep in his chest. A mate isn’t a leash. It’s not a trap. It’s worship .
The weight of that promise sent heat straight to his core, something deeper than lust twisting inside of him. He wanted to believe it. Needed to believe it.
Matias wasn’t like Trent. That much, Elijah already knew. And Matias had meant every word.
The kiss turned slow, intoxicating, each drag of Matias’s lips over his own unraveling something inside him. A deep warmth, an ache that went far beyond physical need.
Elijah wanted to give.
Not just because Matias had already wrecked him in the kitchen. Not just because he was still lightheaded from the orgasm that had left him breathless.
But because Matias had chosen him.
Shifting beneath him, Elijah pushed gently at Matias’s shoulder, urging him onto his back. He hesitated, half expecting resistance, some reminder of who was in charge. But Matias allowed it, resting against the pillows, watching him with something dark and knowing in those eyes.
That intensity nearly knocked the breath out of Elijah.
A shaky exhale, then he trailed a hand down Matias’s chest, savoring the heat beneath his fingertips. Every ridge of muscle, every taut inch of skin. His own pulse pounded in his ears as he moved lower, pressing a kiss to the center of Matias’s chest, lips brushing over the steady, grounding beat of his heart.
A growl rumbled from above him. Soft. Encouraging.
Fingers curled in his hair as he kept going, mouth trailing lower, tongue flicking over one of Matias’s nipples just to hear the sharp inhale, the way Matias’s body tensed beneath him.
The wolf liked that.
Elijah smirked, dragging his nails down Matias’s ribs as he kissed his way over the hard planes of his stomach. The sharp hiss he got in response sent heat rushing through him, emboldening him.
A slow glance upward. Matias’s gaze burned into him, dark and molten, his chest rising and falling in steady, controlled breaths.
So in control. Elijah wanted to break that control.
Settling between Matias’s legs, he kissed the line of muscle leading down to the waistband of his jeans, lips lingering just above the thick outline straining against the fabric. He pressed his nose against it, exhaling slow, feeling the heat of Matias’s cock through the denim.
Above him, the growl deepened, fingers tightening in his hair.
“Elijah,”
Matias warned, voice a rough scrape of restraint.
Elijah grinned, fingers hooking into the waistband, dragging it down just enough to free him. He’d felt Matias’s size before, through clothes, through teasing touches, but seeing it bare—hard, thick, already leaking at the tip—was something else entirely.
Lips parting, Elijah dragged his tongue along the flushed head, tasting the salt of precum, feeling the slight jerk of Matias’s hips as he did.
A slow, pleased hum.
Then, without breaking eye contact, he took Matias into his mouth.
The moment Matias’s cock slid past his lips, the sharp inhale above him sent a thrill down Elijah’s spine. So in control—always in control. But not now. Not in this.
A slow drag of his tongue, a hollowing of his cheeks, and Matias’s fingers tightened in his hair. Elijah couldn’t stop the smug little hum vibrating around the cock in his mouth. The sound earned him a deep, rumbling growl, one that sent heat straight between his legs.
Fuck, I like that.
He wanted more of it.
Flattening his tongue, he took Matias deeper, swallowing around him, breathing through his nose as he adjusted to the stretch. A curse slipped from Matias’s lips, rough and barely restrained.
The satisfaction of knowing he could do this, knowing he could pull reactions from the alpha who never slipped, never let his guard down—it only made Elijah bolder.
A slow pull back, lips dragging, tongue swirling.
The sharp jerk of Matias’s hips nearly stole his breath.
“Elijah,”
Matias ground out, voice wrecked, vibrating with barely leashed power, “do that again.”
A shiver coursed down Elijah’s spine.
Matias didn’t ask. Matias demanded.
The dominance in that single command had Elijah’s cock twitching, aching. He obeyed without hesitation, swallowing him down once more, tightening his lips, sliding his hands up Matias’s thighs as he worked his mouth over his cock, setting a slow, teasing rhythm.
The grip in his hair flexed, a heavy exhale filling the room.
Matias was letting him do this.
Elijah knew the wolf could take control, could fuck his mouth if he wanted to, but he didn’t. He allowed Elijah to push, to tease, to take—and it only made him want to give more.
His own cock throbbed, pressed tight against his stomach as he focused solely on Matias. His hands slid upward, fingers skimming over the ridges of Matias’s abs, nails scraping lightly, and a deep growl rattled the air.
Matias’s thighs tensed beneath his palms.
His control was slipping.
Another swirl of his tongue, another slow descent, and Matias’s chest rose on a sharp inhale, his fingers flexing in Elijah’s hair before gripping firm, guiding him, setting the pace.
“Yes,”
Matias murmured, voice low, reverent, dark with satisfaction. “That’s it, conejito . Take all of me.”
Elijah moaned around his cock, sinking deeper, letting Matias’s precum coat his tongue, letting the weight of his shaft settle in his mouth.
Everything about this felt right.
Matias’s groan sent a pulse of heat straight through Elijah, the sound curling low and dark in his chest. A firm hand in his hair tightened just enough to guide, but not force—giving him room to tease, to push, to play .
Elijah took full advantage.
Dragging his tongue along the underside of Matias’s shaft, he traced the veins with deliberate, lazy strokes, watching through heavy-lidded eyes as the man’s chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths.
A slow pull back, lips tightening around the tip, his tongue flicking just beneath the ridge.
Matias cursed, his head dropping back.
God, he loves that.
Encouraged, Elijah did it again, this time swirling his tongue in a slow circle before sinking down once more. Heat filled his mouth, the taste of Matias intoxicating. It made his own cock ache, his body burning with the need for more.
Matias’s muscles strained, tension coiling beneath every ridge of his body as if barely restraining the need to take .
But he didn’t.
Even now, as Elijah teased him, as he knew Matias wanted to drive deeper, faster, he held back.
The restraint had him burning, desperate to see just how much Matias could take before control snapped entirely.
Pushing further, he hollowed his cheeks, sucking harder, his hands sliding up, nails lightly dragging down Matias’s abdomen as he set a steady, torturous rhythm.
Matias hissed through his teeth. “ Conejito.”
The warning was low, vibrating with something dangerous. A shiver rolled down Elijah’s spine. He did it again. A slow, deep swallow. A tease of his tongue along the slit before sucking him down once more.
The hand in his hair tightened.
The growl that followed sent a shockwave through Elijah’s body, his cock throbbing painfully. Then Matias moved. Not rough, not forceful, but with intention—hips rolling in a slow, deep thrust, pushing further into Elijah’s mouth, testing just how much he could take.
The answer? All of it.
A moan vibrated in his throat, and Matias growled again, the sound wrecked, primal, starving. Another slow thrust. Another swirl of Elijah’s tongue.
Matias’s fingers clenched in his hair, his free hand curling into a tight fist at his side as if holding on to his last shred of control.
“Elijah,”
Matias ground out, voice tight, thick with warning.
He swallowed him deeper. Fucking hell, he loved this. Matias’s fingers flexed in his hair, a barely restrained demand, but Elijah didn’t give in. Not yet.
Instead, he hovered . Just the tip of his tongue flicked against the head of Matias’s cock, teasing the slit, tasting the salty precum before pulling back entirely. Matias snarled. Elijah bit his lip to keep from grinning. “Something wrong?”
A muscle in Matias’s jaw ticked. His fingers tightened in Elijah’s hair again, not forcing, but warning. “You know what’s wrong.”
Another flick of his tongue. Another slow, deliberate kiss to the tip. Then he pulled back again, grinning as Matias’s abs tensed, his breath coming sharp.
“Hmm,”
Elijah mused, tapping his chin with his fingertip, acting as if he were deep in thought. “You look a little frustrated. Maybe I should stop—”
Matias’s snarl vibrated through the room. “ Conejito ,”
he growled, voice dark, dangerous.
That should’ve been the moment Elijah backed down. Instead, he doubled down. He wrapped a hand around Matias’s thick length, stroking him slowly, deliberately loose, barely there. Just enough friction to keep him straining, desperate for more.
Matias’s breathing turned harsh.
“Elijah.”
That voice. Low. Threatening. Wrecked. Heat coiled in Elijah’s stomach, his own cock throbbing from just hearing it.
God, this was fun.
Slowly, he licked the underside of Matias’s shaft, dragging his tongue from base to tip, savoring the weight of him, the taste of pure sin.
Matias’s fingers curled into a fist in his hair.
Then, just as slowly, Elijah took him back into his mouth, inch by agonizing inch, his lips stretched tight around thick, heavy heat. He hummed, dragging a groan from Matias’s throat.
Matias’s hips twitched, barely restrained. The muscles in his thighs trembled with the effort to hold still.
Elijah could feel the need rolling off him like heat from the pavement. But still—Matias didn’t force. Didn’t shove. Didn’t take. Holding himself back even now . Something warm curled in Elijah’s chest.
A challenge was one thing. Dominance, control, hunger—he expected those. But Matias’s restraint, his willingness to let Elijah do this at his own pace, let him play, tease, torture.
That was something else entirely.
Elijah licked the slit then took Matias deep again, tightening his lips, sucking harder. Matias swore, the word Spanish and probably filthy.
Then Elijah pulled back. Again.
Matias snarled. “You’re testing me, hermoso .”
Elijah smirked, lips wet, eyes dark with mischief. “What’s the matter?”
His voice was pure silk, teasing, wicked. “I thought you had control.”
Matias’s breathing turned ragged. His muscles locked tight. Every inch of him was strung so taut, so coiled, so close to breaking.
He was one second away from snapping.
And Elijah fucking loved it. One more slow lick. One more teasing press of his lips. Then—
“ Conejito. ”
Matias’s voice was a warning. “Finish what you started.”
Elijah shivered.
The raw command in Matias’s tone sent heat rolling straight to his cock, his own arousal pulsing painfully.
“Make me,”
he taunted, grinning as he deliberately pulled back again.
Matias moved so fast Elijah barely had time to react. A powerful hand wrapped around the back of his neck, and in one smooth motion, Matias flipped their positions, forcing Elijah back onto the bed. Hovering above him, Matias snarled, pinning Elijah beneath him. His light brown eyes were blown wide, his control shredded.
“You want me to take control, hermoso ?”
Matias’s lips brushed against Elijah’s jaw as he spoke, his voice thick with restraint, hunger, possession. “Careful what you wish for.”
Elijah’s breath hitched, heart pounding. Then Matias kissed him—hard. The rough scrape of his beard. The demanding press of his lips. The heat, the hunger, the need.
Holy fucking hell.
Matias kissed like he owned him. Like he’d claimed him. And Elijah let him. For now.
Matias shifted above him, all heat and muscle, his body caging Elijah’s against the mattress. Every sharp breath, every slow grind of his hips sent shockwaves through Elijah’s system.
He was big . Everywhere.
The man was always in control—always collected—but here, in this moment, that control was fraying. And hell if that didn’t make Elijah’s blood run hot.
His breath caught as Matias’s hands spread over his thighs, thumbs pressing firm against sensitive skin. The man was taking his time, dragging this out, keeping Elijah on edge.
“Spread your legs for me, hermoso .”
A command, soft but edged with steel. Elijah obeyed, body tensing with anticipation.
The bed shifted. Matias leaned in, bracing himself on his forearm as his free hand slid up Elijah’s thigh, over his hip, across his stomach. The touch was lethal, so deceptively slow and easy that it had Elijah’s entire body begging for more.
Matias’s lips ghosted over his, teasing, tasting. “You ready for me, conejito ?”
Elijah swallowed hard. “Yeah.”
The first press of Matias’s cock against him sent a shockwave straight through Elijah’s system. Thick, hot, insistent.
And then—
A spurt of slick heat against his entrance. Elijah’s breath hitched. He pulled back just enough to look Matias in the eyes. “What was that?”
Matias smirked. Didn’t answer. Just rubbed the head of his cock against Elijah’s opening, spreading the wetness. Another spurt. Then another. Warmth pooled in Elijah’s gut.
Matias’s smirk deepened. “Relax, carino .”
Before Elijah could ask anything else, Matias pushed. Elijah arched, a gasp spilling from his lips. Oh hell. The burn was there, but so was the stretch. Slick, hot, seamless. The slide had his entire body tensing, overwhelmed, panting, desperate.
Matias shushed him softly, pressing a kiss to his jaw then lower, nipping at the sensitive spot behind Elijah’s ear. The spot. The one Matias had discovered, the one that turned Elijah into a trembling mess.
“Fuck,”
Elijah hissed, fingers tightening in Matias’s hair.
A low growl rumbled against his skin. “That’s it, hermoso ,”
Matias murmured, lips dragging slow and dangerous over his throat. “Take me.”
Elijah’s head fell back, surrendering to the stretch, the heat, the slow, devastating press of Matias filling him completely.
His walls fluttered, adjusting, and Matias held still, letting him breathe, letting him feel every inch, every thick pulse of heat inside him.
He was so full.
So stretched.
Matias shuddered above him, his breathing ragged, his restraint tangible. The man was holding back—for him.
“Move,”
Elijah whispered.
Matias obliged. The first roll of his hips sent fire through Elijah’s veins. Slow, controlled, dragging pleasure surged through his body with a precision so lethal it hurt. Every thrust hit just right. Every kiss, every grip of strong hands against his hips, his waist, owned him. Elijah was lost.
The slow grind, the tight push and pull, the way Matias ruined him with deep, deliberate strokes—
He was gone. And Matias knew it.
A deep, satisfied growl vibrated against Elijah’s throat, Matias’s teeth grazing sensitive skin. The man was in control , holding himself steady, driving into him with slow, deliberate force.
Elijah felt it everywhere—his body stretched and thrumming, heat pooling in his gut, each roll of Matias’s hips making him shudder.
“Perfect,”
Matias murmured, voice thick with restraint, like he was holding back.
Elijah didn’t want him to.
The next thrust sent a shockwave through Elijah, pleasure striking deep, sharp, too much and not enough. A ragged gasp tore from his throat, fingers tightening against Matias’s shoulders.
“More.”
The word barely made it out before Matias snapped.
A growl. A firm grip on his hips. Then Matias gave it to him. The next thrust wasn’t slow. It wasn’t gentle. It was dominant, a claiming, a demand. Elijah arched, pleasure exploding through him.
Matias hissed, his control cracking. “You feel so fucking good, conejito .”
Elijah moaned, hands slipping over sweat-slicked muscles. He had no idea if he was pulling Matias closer or just holding on for dear life.
One powerful thrust sent him spiraling. His vision blurred. His body shook. Matias felt it. Knew exactly what he was doing. And the bastard smirked. Elijah would’ve cursed him out if he wasn’t so wrecked.
Matias pressed a kiss behind his ear, lingering, taunting. “Sensitive, huh?”
Elijah shuddered. His breath hitched, cock twitching between them. He hated that Matias had found that weak spot. Hated that it undid him so easily. A teasing roll of Matias’s hips sent another bolt of pleasure through him.
“Don’t—”
Matias licked behind his ear. Elijah gasped, body jerking.
The laugh Matias let out was filthy. “Oh, I’m going to have fun with that.”
“Fuck you,”
Elijah panted.
Matias grinned. “You are.”
Then he drove in deep, grinding against Elijah’s prostate in a way that shattered every thought in his head. The pace quickened, steady and punishing. Each thrust knocked the breath from his lungs, dragged a moan from his lips, pushed him closer to the edge.
He was falling apart, and Matias was loving it. But Elijah wasn’t going down without a fight.
Through the haze of pleasure, he tightened his ring of muscle around Matias’s cock, rolling his hips, testing to see how far he could push him. The growl that tore from Matias’s throat was primal, his eyes glowing. Then his grip tightened, and everything spiraled.
The pleasure was overwhelming. Every nerve in Elijah’s body was on fire, burning hotter with each deep, relentless thrust. His fingers dug into Matias’s back, nails raking down broad, sweat-slicked muscles, desperate to hold on, to anchor himself.
But there was no holding on. Matias had him completely undone.
“Elijah,”
Matias murmured against his neck, his voice a rough, ragged growl. A warning. A promise. He felt Matias’s hand in his hair, tilting his head to the side, exposing his throat. His instincts should have told him to resist. To pull away. But he didn’t.
He couldn’t. Matias had him wrapped in something too deep, too raw. The press of lips against his shoulder was soft, almost tender. A tease that made his body tighten even more.
Then Matias bit down. Pain. Pleasure. White-hot, earth-imploding ecstasy. Elijah shattered.
A strangled cry tore from his throat as his body locked up, pleasure detonating through him. His orgasm ripped through him, his body clenching hard around Matias, dragging the wolf over the edge with him.
Matias snarled, his hold tightening, his cock pulsing deep inside Elijah. The sound of his guttural grunt vibrated against Elijah’s skin.
Somewhere in the haze, he felt Matias’s tongue swipe over his shoulder, over the place where sharp canines had sunk in, soothing the sting. Something inside Elijah shifted. Like, almost… a click? But that wasn’t right. A fullness? Elijah struggled to name the feeling.
“Mine,”
Matias murmured, nuzzling Elijah’s neck. “My little bunny. Mi elegido .”
The whole mate thing. Matias just claimed him.
Before Elijah could process it, something chimed, followed by Matias’s curse. Keeping an arm around Elijah, he leaned over the bed and grabbed something from his jeans then pulled back with his phone in his hand.
* * * *
With a deep sigh, Matias read the text.
Looks like rain. Devil in the details. Could use some pitchforks for possible roast.
Santiago had even shared his location.
Matias’s jaw clenched. “ Mierda .”
What the hell was Diablo up to? And why were they so close to cheetah territory?
As much as he hated to leave Elijah—because Matias had wanted to take things even further—he couldn’t ignore Santiago’s message. Talk about the worst goddamn timing.
“You have to go.”
He kissed Elijah, quick but hard. “Stay here,”
he ordered, his dominance snapping into place. “Don’t leave the tavern.”
Elijah nipped Matias’s bottom lip, blushing, causing Matias to growl. Matias felt possessiveness, frustration, and desire all tangled together.
“I won’t.”
He gripped Matias’s wrist, concern in his eyes. “Is everything okay?”
“No.”
He gave his bunny one last kiss before he slipped from the bed—a silent acknowledgment that he wanted to stay, but he had no choice.
By the time Matias reached the bar, his entire presence had shifted. Gone was the man wrapped up in pleasure. Now he was pure command, all business. His pack noticed instantly.
“We ride.”
Glasses hit the counter, chairs scraped against the floor, and in less than a heartbeat, his men were on their feet.
He pointed at Tito who was behind the bar. “You stay and watch over Elijah and Percy. Keep the doors locked. Make sure nothing happens to them, understood?”
Tito nodded.
Matias and nine of his men were out the door, heading to find out what kind of trouble Diablo and Santiago were in and who he needed to kill, livid he’d had to leave Elijah so soon after claiming him.
His mate.
Elijah now belonged to him.
And he belonged to his little bunny.