Chapter 9
AUDEN
I step into the room where my son, Bennett, and the pack have taken up residence. Bennett is asleep. I’m not entirely surprised. He was on his feet today, insisting that he needed to move around or he was going to get fat.
Rhodes was a helicopter partner, something I think even the pack found amusing.
However, I’m here for a visit that’s likely going to end with Rhodes grumpy. “Time to hunt,” I tell Rhodes when he looks at me.
The pack immediately perks up. Even Lee, who is almost always hellbent on not leaving Bennett’s side.
Rhodes shakes his head, but I’m not giving him a choice. “We talked about this. You don’t get to keep a pack like this if you’re not going to take responsibility for them, Rhodes. You will take them hunting. Am I clear?”
He presses his lips together.
“Or you can get rid of your pack. Those are your options. Your neglect of their needs is unacceptable. You can’t neglect wolves’ needs. What will it be?”
“Go hunting,” Bennett says. He pushes Rhodes gently. “I don’t want to lose our babies. Go. Please.”
Rhodes is very clearly torn. I’m actually impressed when he eventually crawls over Bennett and climbs off the bed.
“I won’t leave Bennett’s side,” I assure him.
“Fine. What are we hunting?”
I send him the coordinates. “There’s an intruder on my property several miles to the west. Let the pack play with them.
I’ve identified them as someone largely down on their luck.
Not necessarily deserving death. However, I’m leaving that up to interpretation based on what you find.
My cameras only reach so far, so there’s a chance that they’re up to something shady and using my land as their safe zone. ”
“That’s a mistake,” Bennett singsongs.
He’s in a good mood. He’s always singing. “It is. Take the bike,” I tell Rhodes. “Give the pack a good hunt, or I’ll make sure we have someone here tomorrow, and you can try again.”
Rhodes nods. He leans over Bennett to kiss him and then turns for the door. “Go,” he says, and the pack immediately gets to their paws, trotting through the door. I hear them on the stairs, a herd of clawed elephants moving through my house.
Rhodes glances at me and then leaves the room.
Lee is last. He digs his nose into the blanket at Bennett’s side, shoving it under him.
Tucking him in. He gives Bennett’s hand a quick lick and turns for the door just as Rhodes yells up the stairs, “Lethal Babydoll! I mean it. We’re going back to puppy training! ”
I try my best to hide my smile when Lee looks at me, and I swear to fuck he’s scowling. Bennett laughs merrily when we’re alone in the room. I listen until I hear the downstairs door shut, and the house is quiet.
“How are you feeling?”
Bennett waves me off. “Tired from being up when I’ve been in bed for what feels like a year, but otherwise, I feel very good.”
“Take a nap,” I tell him, and sit in a chair across the room. “I have work to do.”
He tucks himself under the blankets, and I’m sure it’s only minutes before he’s out. I turn the fan in the corner on low for some white noise so the periodic clicking on my keyboard won’t disturb him. Then I settle in and research discreet kitchenette options for my bedroom.
I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for.
Something with a fridge and maybe a sink.
A bit of cabinetry and certainly a water bottle filling nozzle that is both cold and filtered.
The details are easy enough, but it’s the aesthetic I’m unsure about.
Before I talk to my architect designer, I like to have an idea.
So my ‘work’ for the day is sitting in the corner and scrolling through images for inspiration.
I’ve been doing this for probably half an hour when Mark steps into the room. I look up, meeting his eye, and instant heat floods my body. This can’t be a habit. I can’t be turned on simply by this man walking into the room.
Mark stops at the side of the bed to look at Bennett. He’s lying in such a way that the wound on his head is exposed. The staples have been out for a couple days now, and I looked at the scar this morning. In my non-professional opinion, it looked good.
When he’s finished his touchless examination of Bennett, he joins me at the far end of the room, taking a seat in the perpendicular chair.
“How was Arizona?”
He nods. “Normal. Kids are good. Families are growing.”
“I take it the news has now spread about Noaz’s new addition on its way.”
“November,” he agrees, inclining his head. “Emerson disagrees that his being a big brother should be kept a secret. I think that might be why they decided to share on a wider scope.”
I laugh quietly. “I’m not surprised.”
Mark shakes his head. “Where’s Rhodes?”
“I forced him to take the pack hunting, and if he doesn’t afford them a proper hunt, he’ll go again tomorrow and the day after that, and we’ll continue until those damn wolves are properly taken care of.”
“I think you’re his favorite person right now.”
“He’ll thank me when his pack is able to remain in his care as somewhat domesticated.”
Mark inclines his head. “You’re working?”
“No, I’m looking for kitchenette ideas for my bedroom.”
“I’m honestly surprised you didn’t immediately include one when you built the house.”
I shut the laptop and set it aside. “To be perfectly honest, I never intended anyone other than myself to occupy my room. Which means I haven’t really had a need for such a thing.”
His eyebrows are knit together as he looks at me. “I’m confused. Rhodes made it sound like you had a revolving door when he was growing up.”
“Mm.” It’s one of the few things I regret. Subjecting him to my endless rotation of partners the way I did. In my mind, I wanted him to be unashamed about sex, including those who are, well, slutty. It was my convoluted way of trying to express that we don’t sex shame in this house or this family.
There’s a chance that the message might have been misconstrued.
“I have a secondary primary bedroom on the second floor. It’s not as extravagant as mine, but it’s lavish enough to be convincing that there’s no other primary bedroom.”
“Ah. So…”
I shake my head, unwilling to discuss why I’ve brought him into my sanctuary, so I change the subject to one slightly adjacent. “I think perhaps we’re ready to move to the next… level, though I’m hesitant to use that word since it sounds like we’re talking about a relationship.”
Mark smirks. “I know what you mean.”
“Okay, then let’s talk about some of the other things you’re interested in. Tell me the difference between chasing and stalking in your mind. Is it that one you’re aware of and the second you’re not?”
Mark looks absently in Bennett’s direction.
“I suppose so, yeah. I guess one is what, primal play? Is that the correct term? I’m aware I’m being chased, and I run through the woods or whatever.
And when I’m caught, I’m forced right then and there.
Stalking would be like… god, I can’t believe I’m going to say this out loud. ”
“Rape play,” I supply.
His cheeks flush. “Yeah. Serial killer level. I don’t know that you’re there. Maybe I feel you watching me or something. That kind of thing.”
“Two slightly different methods to the same outcome.”
He nods. “Have you done this before?”
I shrug one shoulder. “In a less formal way, I have. I’m not unfamiliar with the kink community, though I’m not an active member, nor do I look for partners within it.
If we have a kink in common, then we’ll see what happens.
That being said, I’ve spent thirty years researching, asking questions, and educating myself in the areas that I’ve found interest me. ”
“And this interests you?”
There’s a chance he might see the hunger in my gaze when he meets my eyes because he flushes. “Yes. For the record, my interest is also largely partner-based. I’m not interested in kink with everyone. Specific people ignite that hunger.”
He likes my words; I like the way he licks his lips.
“How about we talk about CNC, specifically at the end of stalker play, for a minute? By the very definition of what you’re describing, this isn’t something we plan out on a scene-by-scene basis. Otherwise, you know it’s coming, and that’s not what you want.”
Mark is already shaking his head before I finish the sentence. “It’s not.”
“Then let’s talk about how to make that happen safely. Do you want to reserve it for specific days of the week, opening it up to my discretion?”
He chews the inside of his lip. “What about we leave it wide open and maybe we come up with a set of words or phrases when I’m unavailable and available again?”
“In case you’re not in the mood,” I say, inclining my head.
“Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of if I’m working or in a meeting,” Mark says, grinning. “I understand you’re a very tight-knit family, but forcing me onto the boardroom table while I’m in the middle of a meeting with Jalon is probably not appropriate family bonding time.”
I laugh and then quickly swallow it so I don’t wake Bennett. “Okay, fair. What’re your thoughts?”
“Maybe not overthink it. I’ll just use ‘meeting’ for anything that I shouldn’t be interrupted. When I’m finished, I’ll just use ‘finished.’” He shrugs. “Is that simplifying it too much?”
“Nope. No need to make it overly complicated. What else?”
Mark shakes his head.
“We can distinguish between when you want something and when I want something. When I want it, I’ll take it in the stalker scenario.
If you want something, we’ll go with primal, where I chase you and take it.
If I want to chase you… we can come up with another set of phrases for those two situations. When you want it…”
“Chase? Too on the nose?”
I grin. “No. If that’s the case, when I want it, I’m going to tell you to run. You best drop everything because I’ll likely already be out the door.”
“Okay. Good. Straightforward, and I won’t have to check my notes to remind me what that means.”
I snort. “Hard limits? Soft limits?”
“Hard limit is not in front of someone. I’m not into exhibitionism.”
“Fine. What else?”
“I want to use condoms.”
“Okay. What else?”
Mark chews his lip as he studies me. “I don’t know.
Those are the only two things that come to mind.
I don’t want any visible… signs of what we’re doing.
I don’t care if I’m bruised or whatever, but I need to be able to hide them under my everyday clothes.
I don’t particularly want to bleed or have scars, but I also understand that accidents happen, specifically in the primal play scenario. ”
“I’ll keep it all in mind. What else?”
“I’d like to add things to the list at a later date if I need to.”
“Of course. At any time.”
Mark sighs.
“How do you feel about topping? Forcing you to fuck me?”
He shivers, and I think he likes that idea. “Yeah, okay.”
“You’ve got such a tight hole, it might take me a little while to get to the point where I want to fuck myself on you, but don’t misunderstand—I want to.”
His cheeks turning red is delicious. “Understood.”
“Anything else?”
“Maybe no sharp weapons. I think we can call that a soft limit. I don’t want any accidents.”
“I’m insulted that you think I lack control with my weapons, Mark.”
He grins. “Sorry.”
“I won’t leave you with any permanent injuries, and I won’t accidentally injure you with a weapon,” I promise.
Mark smiles. No more words pass between us as we let the electric heat simmer and sizzle until Rhodes gets back. Then I take him up to my room and fuck him until he can’t walk.