Chapter 17
17
Cole
R estlessness poured off Kai. Cole didn’t try to guide or stop Kai from whatever direction he’d chosen, just followed him while keeping a close watch on their surroundings. He could only offer whatever reassurances his mate would allow him to. If Kai still didn’t trust him yet, Cole couldn’t force Kai to change his mind. He knew trust came with time.
He’d lied to Kai, sort of. While he couldn’t see Kai’s memories, he could still see whatever came into Kai’s thoughts about his past or things he’d experienced. During Kai’s moments of panic at the cabin, Cole had caught sight of an image of a man he had no doubt was Kai’s uncle. The man had dark hair and similar features, yet he looked meaner than a rattlesnake and had a scar over one eyebrow. Cole burned the image into his head because he fully intended on taking out the bastard when they returned to Emerald Lake Hills. No matter what he had to do to find him.
When Kai scented a hare nearby, he took off after it, Cole still close on his tail. Kai caught it easily, and Cole stood guard while Kai gnawed on the little beast. He couldn’t shake the sense they weren’t alone and were being watched. He didn’t pick up on any smells, their pursuer staying downwind the whole time. There were no noises aside from those of the birds and occasional rodent scurrying through the dead leaves on the forest floor. Yet he couldn’t ignore the odd prickling sensation along his spine, especially since it could cost him or his mate’s life if someone intended them harm.
After Kai finished the rabbit, he trotted to a creek a little farther over from where he’d caught it and bent down to take a drink. Cole stayed a Kai’s side and waited. A twig snapped a few yards to their right, and Cole snarled, head whipping toward the direction of the sound. Nothing moved in the foliage. Kai bumped his head against Cole’s side, a clear questioning look on his face. Someone’s out there.
Fear rolled off Kai, and Kai crowded closer to Cole, peering at their surroundings as well. Cole couldn’t stop the small bite of satisfaction at knowing Kai trusted him to protect him. Another twig snapped in the opposite direction, and Cole growled, maneuvering Kai behind him. The same wolf who’d tackled him the evening before stepped out of the shadows, an amused look on his furry face. Cole shifted. “What are you doing here?”
The other wolf shifted and grinned at Cole. “You mated. How traditional of you. Though I have to say I’ve never seen a fox shifter before. Very interesting.”
“You shouldn’t be here.”
The wolf pouted. “But we had such fun wrestling last night. I wanted to see if you were interested in playing again.”
Cole heard Kai make a strange noise in his throat. He gave Kai half of his attention, never looking away from the stranger. “It’s okay, kit. Remember what I told you.”
“Aww, how cute. He’s jealous.” The wolf laughed.
Cole couldn’t help but wonder if the other wolf had something wrong with him. He sniffed at the air, but there were no sharp scents of illness. “You need to leave. Now.”
“But you’re both fascinating.”
The wolf continued to eye Kai, and Cole drew himself to his full height. “If you don’t leave, I will be forced to take it as a challenge.”
Excitement glinted in the tawny wolf’s eyes. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“Would your Alpha be okay with you attempting to violate the treaty before it’s even begun?” Cole challenged.
The wolf huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “You really are a buzzkill.”
“You’re challenging me in front of my new mate and acting rather aggressive. Buzzkill is hardly the word.”
Sighing, the other wolf dropped to the ground gracefully to sit cross-legged. “I’m just bored. The ones who found their mates are ignoring everyone else, and the only people I know are my parents. Everyone is too busy with trying not to piss anyone off to have any real fun.”
Cole raised an eyebrow. “What is ‘real’ fun?”
“Fucking, for starters,” the wolf said with a grin.
Kai made the strange angry noise again and came to Cole’s side. Cole dropped his hand on Kai’s head. “No, kit.” He eyed the other wolf. “What’s your name?”
“Cheveyo, but my friends back home call me Che.”
“None of your friends came to the summit?”
Che snorted. “No. They’re not even eighteen yet. I’m the only one who is. My parents didn’t want to bring me, but they figured if I stayed home, I’d get into trouble.”
Cole grunted. Somehow he figured the kid gave his parents gray hairs. “There are many others close to your age here.”
Che scoffed. “They’re all squares. None of them have any interest in sex, or at least not with me.”
“There’s more to life than sex,” Cole said dryly. He couldn’t fault the boy for wanting to have sex, though. The drive of a man started early, and most wanted to sow their oats before settling down with someone for good.
“I just want to try it. Everyone in Wyoming knows me and won’t come near me. No one here seems to be interested.” Che gave a scowl. “Why is it so difficult to lose your virginity?”
Cole wanted to laugh but stifled the urge. He didn’t know why Che was in such a hurry to no longer be a virgin. “Maybe it’s your approach?”
Kai sat down on his haunches and stared at Che. Cole stroked the fur between Kai’s ears. It seemed Kai had an interest in the boy now he knew Che wasn’t a threat.
“How else are you supposed to find someone to fuck?” Che asked. “I’ve come right out and asked. Flirted. Been subtle. Can’t seem to find someone willing to take the bait.”
Cole couldn’t help it this time. He chuckled and shook his head. “You have a very powerful presence, Che, and most wolves would be intimidated by you to begin with, but you also are very young, even if you are eighteen.”
Che rolled his eyes. “How am I supposed to get experience if no one will give me any?”
“Ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend?”
Che shook his head.
“Why?”
“There isn’t anyone interesting in Senaka.”
“Are you going off to college soon?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Parents can’t afford it, and my grades aren’t good enough for a scholarship.”
“What are you interested in?”
“I like math.”
Cole’s brows went up. For someone who wanted things to be interesting, Che having a love for math seemed contradictive. “I’ll bring my business card down to the main lodge later and give it to your parents. I sponsor deserving students for college scholarships whenever I see a need for it.”
Che stared at Cole, shocked. “Really?”
Cole nodded. “Really. We’ll see what we can do.”
“Cool, thanks, bro!” Che stood and seemed about to shift and stopped. He gave a bashful look at Kai. “I’m sorry for hitting on your mate.”
Kai moved toward Che, sniffing slightly. Che seemed wary of Kai. Cole suspected Che thought Kai would bite him, though Cole wouldn’t blame Kai if he did. Kai surprised both of them, though, when he pressed his nose to Che’s hand in a seeming accepting of Che’s apology.
Che brought his hand up and set it on top of Kai’s head. “Thank you.”
Cole couldn’t be prouder of Kai as they both watched Che shift, turn, and race off into the trees. “Ready to go, kit?”
Kai chirped at him, tongue lolling from the side of his jaw. Cole laughed. “I’ll assume you said yes.”
Cole shifted and followed Che’s trail. They returned to their human form inside the tree line. Cole took Kai’s hand and led him into the cabin. He grabbed a couple of business cards from his suitcase. “I want to get these down to Che’s parents and also want to get some more information on Che. Will you be all right here by yourself for a bit?”
Kai nodded. Cole dropped a quick kiss on Kai’s lips. “Keep the door locked, okay?”
“Okay.”
Before Cole reached the main lodge, he could hear the raucous laughter and chatter from his pack members. The first thing he noticed when he rounded the corner were several Senaka shifters standing or sitting with some of his own. Cole smiled, happy to see his father’s efforts were working out. His mother sat at the picnic under the large tree in the middle of the yard. Cole made his way to her, dropping a kiss on her cheek and taking the seat next to her. “You mated!” Sara cried with glee.
Cole grinned. “We have.”
Sara clapped her hands. “I’m happy for you both!”
Cole still wasn’t entirely sure Kai was. He didn’t know if Kai had wanted Cole to claim him out of fear of being alone again or if something else had prompted Kai to accept the bond. Either way, if Kai left him now, they’d both suffer, and though he knew Kai would probably be able to survive with how strong his mate could be, Kai would still struggle. “Hey, Mom. There’s a Senaka member I wanted to see if I could find out more information about. I told him I’d give his parents my card and ask them to call me after the summit to see about setting him up with a scholarship to college.”
Sara gave him a tender look. “You always did have a huge heart, baby. What’s his name? I’ll find out what I can and make sure the card gets to them.”
“Cheveyo. He said everyone calls him Che, though.” Cole handed the cards to his mother. “I don’t want to be away from Kai for long. Not after we just bonded. Do you think Dad would let me bow out of tonight’s run?”
“Of course, sweetie!” Sara patted his cheek. “Your father will understand. He’s proud of you and your mate for being here this weekend. Your presence the first night couldn’t have been more important.”
Cole gave his mother a one-armed hug and got up from the table. “I’m going to take enough food for dinner and breakfast. We’ll see you tomorrow morning for the trip home.”
“Tell Kai welcome to the family officially,” Sara chortled.
“Will do, Mom.”
Cole stopped in the main cabin, grabbed some sandwich fixings, a few apples, an orange, and some drinks, then returned to their cabin. He didn’t see Kai upon entering the front door. Cole dropped the food on the counter and walked to the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway to watch Kai sleep. He could hardly believe how gorgeous, sweet, and amazing his mate had turned out to be. Once Kai shed his shell entirely, Cole felt sure Kai would become the person he truly was meant to be. When they returned to California, he’d find out more about Kai’s likes and see if maybe he could hire a tutor, someone to help Kai study to get his high school diploma and whatever else Kai wanted to do in his life.
He stripped off his shirt and joined Kai on the bed, gathering him close. Contentment washed over Cole as Kai snuggled into his arms, not even waking at being touched by Cole. A short time ago, Cole had thought he would never hold Kai this way, let alone claim him. His mate’s unconscious acceptance humbled him. Cole couldn’t imagine not having Kai in his life. He breathed in Kai’s scent, filling his lungs with it, and closed his eyes. He never wanted to let Kai go.
A t some point, Cole fell asleep, still wrapped around Kai. Not until Kai tried to extract himself from Cole’s arms did he rouse enough to ask, “Where are you going, kit?”
“Bathroom,” Kai murmured.
“’Kay,” Cole rumbled, rolling onto his back and scratching his belly.
He heard Kai close the door and then the water running a minute later. Kai reentered the bedroom, and Cole held out his hand. Kai crawled onto the bed and took his hand. Cole tugged Kai down to him, savoring the weight of Kai on top of him. “You hungry?” Cole asked.
Kai hummed and shrugged. Cole ran his fingers through Kai’s hair. “I brought some stuff over from the other lodge. If you’re hungry I can make us some sandwiches.”
A yawn broke out from Kai before he answered, “Not overly.”
“You should eat something at least. You still need to put on some weight.”
Frowning, Kai asked, “You think I’m too skinny?”
“I think you’re perfect, but you aren’t at a healthy weight. Especially as a shifter.”
Kai traced a pattern through the light sprinkling of red hairs on Cole’s chest. “I’ve always been kind of skinny, though. Even as a child.”
“Skinny is one thing, kit. Unhealthy skinny is a different story. I know you don’t want to talk about it, but your uncle rarely gave you food, did he?”
Kai tensed against him and then relaxed with a deep breath. “I was lucky if I ate every other day. Either he’d remember to throw something at me or I’d steal it when I had the chance.”
“Jesus, kit,” Cole said.
Kai shrugged. “It was better if he ignored me.”
“I wish I had found you sooner. To protect you and stop your uncle from hurting you.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Kai said.
“Maybe not, but I still can’t stop from thinking it.”
A howl rose up several miles away, followed by several answering howls. Cole gave Kai’s temple a kiss. “How about I make us something to eat and we can see what they have for TV channels all the way out here? I make a mean sandwich.”
“Okay.”
The two of them got up and exited the bedroom. Cole went to make their food while Kai surfed through the basic channels to see if he could find anything worth watching. He settled on an animated movie called Cars . Cole brought two plates in and handed one to Kai before sitting down next to him. “ Cars —haven’t seen this one in a few years.”
“What’s it about?” Kai asked.
Cole gave a rundown about a young race car named Lightning McQueen and the arrogance that led him to being stuck in a small town he soon came to love as his own. Kai laughed several times at the tow truck during the movie. Hearing Kai giggle so happily caused Cole’s heart to swell. He could see Kai had already begun to heal and learn to relax a bit around him. Maybe their future together really had a chance.
After dinner, Cole cleaned the small coffee table of their leftovers and plates, and they watched another movie together. By the time Cole turned off the television, the night had grown late. Kai had already fallen asleep against his side, and Cole shifted enough on the sofa to lay Kai down on the cushions, then carefully picked him up to avoid disturbing him. The sheets were still messy from their earlier nap, and Cole set Kai on the mattress and covered him with the blankets.
Cole went into the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his hands. He removed his pants, tossed them over the nearest chair in the bedroom, and climbed into bed with Kai. He aligned their bodies, spooning with Kai, and wrapped his arm over Kai’s waist. Tomorrow morning they would be leaving to go home, and Cole couldn’t wait to introduce the rest of the pack to his mate. They’d love him just as much as Cole did. Cole’s breath stuttered, and then he smiled, nuzzling the back of Kai’s head. He loved Kai. The idea of loving someone in such a short time should have scared the hell out of him, but it didn’t. It felt right.
He closed his eyes, hugged Kai tighter, and drifted off to sleep, content in the knowledge his life couldn’t get any better.
T he next morning progressed quickly, and after his parents and Cole said their goodbyes to everyone still remaining at the lodge, they loaded the car with their luggage and started the long drive to the airport. Cole noticed a drastic change in Kai and the way he received the world around him. He didn’t seem as scared about the flight or being out in public as much. At least he didn’t appear to be as concerned with his surroundings.
The return flight seemed to take longer than the one to Utah. A nagging feeling hit Cole halfway home, and he couldn’t put his finger on what bothered him. They hadn’t left anything behind, and the summit had seemed to go great. Yet Cole had a ball of anxiety in his chest bigger than a baseball. He didn’t say anything to his parents or Kai about it. He didn’t have anything concrete to share with them anyway. Maybe he’d eaten something for breakfast that hadn’t agreed with him.
They arrived home without incident. Cole did a quick inspection of the house to reassure himself. “I want to go check on my greenhouses.”
Kai smiled at him. “Can I come with you?”
Cole held out his hand to Kai. “Of course. You don’t even have to ask.”
Kai took his hand, and Cole led him to the greenhouses. He waved at one of the men working greenhouse number three as they entered the first one. Julie stood talking to someone on the phone at the rear of the greenhouse and didn’t see them immediately. Only once she’d ended the call, made some notes on a form, and glanced up did she realize they were there. Her eyes widened, and she set down the notepad she held and rushed over to them. “Cole! How did the summit go?”
Cole grinned and said, “Hey, Jules. The summit went well. I think everyone found it to be a pretty big success. Several individuals found their mates.”
“Amazing news!” Her gaze had never left Kai as Cole gave her the rundown. “Hi, Kai. How are you?”
Kai gave her a soft smile. “Hi,” he said.
“You two mated, didn’t you?” she asked. “Oh man, everyone is going to be happy to meet you, Kai.”
“Not quite ready for the whole pack,” Cole replied. “But soon. How’ve things been here?”
“You were only gone for two days,” Julie said, rolling her eyes. “I promise the greenhouses are safe. We just got an order for twenty boxes of the peppermint bath salts.”
“That’s great!”
“I told you people would love the stuff. It’s practically a miracle product.”
Cole looked around and didn’t see anything out of place, but the ball in his chest still didn’t dissipate. “Everything’s been fine? Nothing happened while I was gone?”
“Nope. Business as usual.”
Grunting, Cole took Kai’s hand, bid Julie goodbye, and headed over to inspect the other two greenhouses. He introduced Kai to his other employees as they came up to greet Cole. Everything appeared as Julie said. Cole rubbed at his chest. Kai noticed.
“Are you okay?” Kai asked.
“It’s nothing,” Cole said. “Tomorrow I need to start working in the greenhouses again. I’ve been AWOL for too long.”
“AWOL?”
“It’s a military term. It means absent without leave.”
Kai frowned. “Is it because of me?”
Cole pulled Kai close, wrapping his arms around him. “If it means I have you here with me, I would have been gone longer.”
“But—”
Cole cut him off. “Stop. It’s fine. Julie is an excellent manager. She kept everything running smoothly the entire time I was gone.”
Kai still looked uncertain. “I just don’t want to be the reason you aren’t giving your business the attention it needs.”
“No one would begrudge me spending time with my new mate so we can get to know each other and spend time together. You are my focus, kit. Nothing else matters. I hired Julie because I knew she could handle anything in my absence. Now please, relax. I want to spend the rest of today with you without worrying about tomorrow.”
Kai hesitated but then nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.” Cole took Kai’s hand again and tugged him toward the house. “I have a surprise for you.”
Tilting his head, Kai asked, “What?”
Smiling, Cole shook his head. “You’ll have to see.”
They entered the house, and Cole headed toward the front room. Kai trailed behind him. A large box sat inside the door, and Cole smiled in eagerness. “It came.”
“What did?” Kai asked.
“I got you something. I think you’re going to love it.”
“Cole!” Kai protested. “You can’t keep buying me things.”
“Yes, I can. Now sit.”
Kai didn’t look convinced. “I feel bad because I know I can’t pay you back.”
Cole waved his excuse away. “Money doesn’t matter, kit. I just want you to be happy.”
He hefted the box from the floor, brought it over to the couch, and set it by Kai. Cole ripped off the tape sealing the top and gestured for Kai to start digging, sitting next to Kai on the couch. Kai hesitated, but eventually opened the box top and started taking out item after item, awe on his face. Sketchpads, colored pencils, paints, brushes, charcoal, and several other items littered the coffee table when he reached the bottom of the box. “This is too much!” Kai exclaimed, but Cole could see the longing on his face.
“Stop. I want you to pursue what you want in life, kit. You love to draw, and I know you’ll be amazing at painting too.”
“This must have cost a fortune,” Kai murmured, picking up the box of professional colored pencils.
“Doesn’t matter. I make enough money to live comfortably and still afford things to make you happy.” Cole brushed a strand of Kai’s hair behind his ear. “I want to do these things for you, Kai. Seeing your excitement and joy makes me happier than my hands in the soil of my greenhouses.”
Kai held the pencils to his chest and looked at Cole with tears in his eyes. “Thank you.”
Cole smiled, wiped away the dampness at the corner of Kai’s eyes, and cupped Kai’s cheeks in his hands. “You’re more than welcome.”
After yanking Kai across his lap, Cole kissed him, soft and gentle. He stood up, holding Kai, and took him through the hallway to the bedroom. He carried Kai over to the bed, where he followed him down to the mattress. He captured Kai’s mouth again, deepening the kiss further. Shoving his hand under Kai’s shirt, he smoothed his palm across Kai’s stomach. Kai moaned into his mouth, and Cole moved higher until he reached the light brown buds of Kai’s nipples.
He plucked one, and Kai gasped. Cole did it again and then moved to the other nipple. “Take off your shirt,” Cole murmured.
Kai managed to move enough to remove the offending article of clothing. Cole lowered his head to suckle at one raised nub, flicking it with his tongue. “Cole,” Kai groaned.
He captured the nipple between his teeth and rolled it lightly. His wolf gave a growl of satisfaction when Kai grabbed at his hair. He soothed the skin with his tongue again before continuing on, nuzzling, licking, and kissing along Kai’s rib cage and belly, then stopped at his navel. Their claiming hadn’t been as romantic as Cole would have liked. He’d been too anxious to tie Kai to him. He wanted to take the time now to explore every nook and cranny of Kai’s body, learn where every freckle spattered his limbs, seek out every “hot spot” that turned Kai on, and enjoy every sound his mate let out.
No skin was left uncharted by the time Cole took Kai’s cock into his mouth. He savored the taste of Kai on his tongue, lapping around the flared head and down the shaft to suck on first one testicle then the other. Kai quivered and gasped at every touch of Cole’s mouth. The effect he had on Kai made Cole feel powerful and humbled all at the same time. He could sense Kai getting close and stopped, reluctantly pulling away from his cock. Kai let out a small sound of protest, which Cole cut off by circling the entrance to Kai’s body with his finger. He leaned over Kai and wrenched open the nightstand to grab the tube of lube he kept there. It seemed like forever by the time he’d removed his clothing, slathered his cock, prepped Kai, and aligned their bodies.
He nudged his cockhead at Kai’s hole. “I love you, kit,” Cole murmured as he began to stretch Kai open.
Kai’s eyes went wide, and surprise shimmered in their depths before Kai slammed them closed in pleasure. Cole stemmed his disappointment that Kai didn’t return his declaration. He knew he couldn’t expect Kai to love him already. He gathered Kai closer as he started to thrust, moving in and out of Kai’s warm, tight body. Kai gripped at the muscles in Cole’s back, nails scratching him, but Cole only hissed and drove into Kai harder, faster. The way Kai’s insides tightened and caressed the length of his cock pushed Cole toward orgasm sooner than he wanted. Using every ounce of willpower, he held out, his breathing ragged with his struggle to retain his control.
Cole slipped his hand between them, wrapped his fingers around Kai’s prick, and stroked in time with his thrusts. Kai moaned and tossed his head against the pillow. “Oh God,” Kai cried.
“Come for me, kit,” Cole urged, increasing the speed of his movements, shifting his hips around until he pegged Kai’s prostate.
Kai screamed out Cole’s name as hot liquid splashed across both their chests and Cole’s hand. Cole growled, leaned down, and sank his teeth into Kai’s shoulder, embedding himself deep as he gave in to his own release. Hard shudders wracked Cole’s body in time with each pulse inside Kai. Eventually, he collapsed atop Kai, panting.
The only sounds were both of them breathing. It grew cooler in the room as the sweat dried on their skin, and a shiver ran through Kai. Cole drew the sheets over the two of them, reluctant to let Kai go, but also not sure if he was ready to face Kai’s reaction to his previous disclosure. Would Kai freeze him out again?
The light dimmed as the sun sank below the horizon, and Cole finally released Kai in order to go prepare dinner. He pulled on his jeans sans briefs and left off his shirt. “Anything you’re hungry for, kit?”
Kai stretched, arms over his head. “Not really.”
“I’ll make some pasta, then.”
“Do you need any help?”
“No. Why don’t you take a shower while I make dinner?”
Kai sat up, and Cole swallowed at how sexy his mate looked with his hair disheveled and the just-fucked flush on his features. “I can help. I don’t mind.”
Cole smiled and leaned over to kiss Kai. “I know. I like doing things for you.”
“It makes me feel weird,” Kai mumbled.
“It’s okay. You’re just not used to it. I’ll win you over yet,” Cole replied. “Go grab a shower. Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes.”
“Okay.”
Cole left Kai among the sheets and padded barefoot down the hallway to the kitchen. Maybe if he’d been paying attention instead of lost in the afterglow of sex with Kai, he’d have noticed the door was open a fraction or the smell of a stranger in the house. But he didn’t and paid for it with the crack of something hard against the back of his skull. Cole didn’t even see the floor rushing up to greet him.