Chapter 18
After saying good-bye to everyone he worked with at the hospital, Colton led Ian to Slate’s jeep, opening the door to let his mate in.
Sliding over beside him, their thighs touching from hip to knee, he took Ian’s hand into his own, needing to make contact with him.
He was disappointed he hadn’t claimed his mate yet, but they would be home shortly and he could use the flight to plan the claiming.
Wow! A Mate! He still found it hard to believe.
Ian was glad Colton was beside him because his feelings were ruffled.
For two hours, he’d stood by while wolves hugged his mate farewell.
Intellectually, he knew these were people Colton worked with during his time in Mexico.
But no matter how he tried to justify his mate touching others, he couldn’t.
He sighed internally, unwilling to let his mate know just how upset he was.
Thank goodness we’re done and on the way home.
Ian opened his hand, intertwining his fingers with Colton’s.
He loved the smoothness of his mate’s skin and couldn’t wait until they were both naked on the bed with Colton fucking him.
That thought had him squirming on the seat as his hole clenched in anticipation.
Colton could sense his mate’s troubled feelings and guessed they were caused by the many hugs he received.
Unhappy as he was about his mate’s distress, they soon would be home where he would show Ian how much he loved him.
W-h-h-at? Love? I love him already? Colton examined his heart, savoring the love for his mate there.
The past few days taught him how precious life was, so not wanting to delay his declaration until they were home, Colton leaned over and whispered in his mate’s ear, “I love you, Ian.”
Ian’s head whipped around. Searching Colton’s face, he saw the truth of those words reflected there.
He felt the love for his mate swelling his heart as he thought about the last few days.
Even before he came to Mexico, Ian knew he loved Colton.
For four long weeks, while he waited at the pack house for his mate to come back to him, Ian learned about Colton, especially from Cody and Carson.
Once he found out Colton was a triplet, Ian knew what his mate looked like and his dreams had a face for the man who appeared nightly.
But, those dreams were a poor imitation of his mate in real life.
Colton was handsomer than Cody or Carson and Ian didn’t understand why everyone said they were identical.
When his fangs had sunk into Colton, he felt the love their wolves had.
And then he felt the love for his mate erupt as it poured out of the place in his heart where it had been locked up so very tightly.
Looking at Colton, Ian’s eyes softened, his lips parted and his moist pink tongue darted out to lick them before he murmured, “I love you, my mate. I pledge you my love, my loyalty and my support now and forever.”
Colton’s cock grew, his breathing quickened, his wolf howled and his heart melted as he heard Ian declare his love for him.
And now he understood. He was always supposed to have a mate—the other half of his soul.
A person whose love filled in the cracks of his heart made by careless and hurtful words; someone who was there for him above all others.
He never realized how important a mate was.
All those years spent spurning love only to realize it was the only thing that mattered.
His eyes darkened to obsidian as the need to claim his mate rose and filled his body.
Panting, he reached over and ripped off Ian’s t-shirt, tossing the shreds of it to the floor.
Lunging at his mate’s neck, Colton’s fangs dropped down and sunk into Ian’s neck.
MINE! ALL MINE!! Pulling back, he threw his head back and howled—a howl of triumph, of love, of warning and of ownership.
He dared any wolf to touch his mate! MINE!
ONLY MINE!!! Gathering Ian into his arms, he lifted him and placed his mate on his lap.
Whispering words of love into Ian’s ear, Colton held his mate tight.
Steel and Cody stared at each other as Colton’s howl echoed off the buildings. Turning toward the jeep, they saw Ian sitting on Colton’s lap, shirtless with a fresh bite.
Cody smirked. “I guess he couldn’t wait after all.”
“Shit, we’ve got to go,” said Slate, impatiently, “or next thing you know there’ll be fresh cum in my Jeep and I don’t want to be the one to clean it.” He stared at Cody.
“Hey, don’t look at me. My brother can clean it up.”
“When are you joining us up north?” Steel asked Slate.
“Soon, I’ve got to deal with Pablo. I don’t think he acted alone.”
“Yeah, I agree. Let me know what you find out.”
“Will do. C’mon. Colton and Ian will want to finish their claiming sooner than later and I mean it about no cum in my jeep unless it’s mine.”
The three of them climbed into Slate’s Jeep, joining Colton and Ian. Slate took his time and drove carefully, mindful of the two lovebirds in the back seat.
“What are you going to do with Groose’s team once everything is wrapped up here?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Well, with the pup coming and now finding out about Colton’s natural healer ability, I’m thinking you should bring them with you.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. Look, this auction made me realize I need help. I put it off because Silver Point rescinded the kill-order but now, after everything that happened here, I need to go ahead with my plan of hiring enforcers to live on my property. You know Groose and his men, so the vetting is done. It just seems like it was meant to be.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean. Okay, after we finish here, I’ll bring them with me.”
Steel relaxed. One big job crossed off his to-do list. Now he could enjoy the rest of his mate’s pregnancy without worrying about what other gifts Jackson’s brothers might have that would make them a target.
After Colton and Ian finished their mating—and he understood that need, thinking back to his claiming of Jackson—he wanted to debrief Colton about his kidnapping.
Steel had a sneaking suspicion the Silver Point Alpha was behind it.
Cody sat in the back seat, as far away as he could from his brother and Ian.
All during the drive, Colton continued whispering in his mate’s ear, ignoring the others.
That stung, and Cody was too honest with himself not to admit he expected to receive more attention from his brother than he had.
After all, he’d lived in fear since Ian woke everyone up to reveal his dream about Colton’s danger.
He mentally shook his head. Jeez, what an asshole I am.
I should be counting my blessings…Colton’s alive…
not bitching because he hasn’t thanked me enough.
But deep down, Cody’s fear about their triad being broken apart made him resent Ian.
He glanced over and saw his brother’s face filled with love as he hugged his mate.
Maybe that’s it. I’m jealous he found his mate first. It’s not fair.
He never wanted a mate. Sighing, he turned and looked out the window just as they arrived at the airport.
Good, I can’t get home soon enough. His wolf needed a run so he could come to terms with the new person in Colton’s life.
Slate pulled up to the plane and parked.
He looked at Colton and Ian in his rear-view mirror and saw they were in their own world.
He exchanged glances with Steel and smirked.
He knew Steel wasn’t looking forward to being closed up in a plane for three hours smelling their arousal—especially with no way to ease his need for Jackson who was back home.
He bet his brother would drag his mate to their bedroom the moment the helicopter landed.
Chuckling to himself, he got out and walked over to say hello to their pilot.
Steel cleared his throat. “Colton, Ian, we’re at the airport. Time to go home.” He waited for an indication they heard him but when there wasn’t any movement back there, he got out and opened the back door. Sticking his head in, he yelled, “Colton, let’s go!”
Coming out of his lust-induced haze, Colton turned and snarled at the interruption. Then backing down, he murmured, “Sorry. Did you want something?”
“We’re here so c’mon, let’s go home.”
Colton swiveled his head and saw the plane sitting next to the Jeep.
Lifting Ian off his lap, he kissed his mate’s cheek and murmured, “Let’s go babe.
I want to claim you properly,” as he slid out, pulling Ian with him.
Wrapping his arm around his mate’s waist, he walked with him over to the plane and mounted the steps.
Once inside, Colton led Ian to a small couch near the rear where he gently pushed his mate down and then joined him, resuming his nuzzling and words of sweet love.
Cody was stunned when Colton had snarled at Steel before he led Ian onto the plane.
He rolled his eyes. It was going to be a long flight home.
He walked over to Slate. “Thanks for all your help in finding my brother. I’m sorry he’s acting like an asshole but hopefully, when you finally make it to our home, he’ll have gotten his head out of his ass and thank you properly.
” Leaning in he gave a bro hug to Slate and then boarded the plane.
“What’s that all about?” Slate asked Steel.
“I think he’s jealous of Colton finding his mate, mostly.”
“Boy, I don’t envy you…shut up in a flying cigar with two aroused lovebirds and one sulking wolf.”
“Yeah, but what the fuck, I’m going to see my mate in a few hours and then he can deal with all this crap. But gods help them if any of them upsets Jackson.”
“Right. Well, good luck. I think I got the better deal with Pablo.” Slate gave Steel a hug and murmured, “Take care, bro and give Jackson and my nephew-to-be a hug. I can’t wait to see them.”
Steel slapped his brother on the back before boarding the plane.
After a quick word with the pilot, he joined the group in the back.
Taking a seat in one of the seats opposite Cody, he gave his drink order to Paul, before stretching out and closing his eyes.
It’d been a tough four days and he needed to hold Jackson before taking him to bed and fucking his brains out.
Cody knew he was acting like a shit but he blamed it on all the adrenalin still in his system after feeling the pain of Colton’s injury.
He knew his behavior had tried Steel’s patience but the fear he’d felt consuming his body drove all reason out of his mind.
He hoped he’d never again see one of his brothers in the state Colton was in when they found him.
That nearly did him in. Behind him, he could hear his brother crooning to Ian as the plane lifted off the ground and for home.
He groaned. Yeah, it was going to be a long flight home.
~/~/~/~/~
Ian was shocked when Colton bit him in the Jeep, but loved it even though the ejaculation it caused was now drying on his leg and making his skin itch.
But he didn’t care because what followed was what dreams were made of.
His mate howled—long and loud—announcing Ian now belonged to Colton and warning everyone else not to touch him.
That was so hot. But when Colton cuddled him in his lap during the entire drive to the airport while whispering in his ear all the stuff he’d be doing to him in their mating bed, his cock responded and stayed hard, leaking pre-cum. It was a painful walk to the plane.
Now aloft, Colton continued painting pictures in Ian’s mind of the many ways he would be fucked.
His puckered rose was twitching constantly, waiting to be breached by his mate’s impressive cock.
Oh yeah! He sneaked a peek when Colton was getting dressed in the hospital room.
It was the cock of his dreams. Never did he think he was ever going to find one like it, but he had—and it belonged to his mate.
His mind had no trouble creating images of Colton’s words; constant shivers coursed through his body.
Colton tightened his grip on Ian’s body after feeling his reaction.
He knew his words were responsible for them but he wanted to make his mate come again before they landed.
He continued painting erotic pictures of what Ian would receive when there was a bed and some privacy.
He sniffed and licked his mate’s neck, jaw and scruff, loving the feel of Ian’s whiskers against his tongue.
Then the image of rimming his mate flashed through his mind and he murmured it into Ian’s ear while tweaking his nipples.
He heard his mate’s low mews and whimpers as he tried to hide his reaction but in the end, Colton won—Ian arched his back, groaning as his cock shot more cum into his already cum-soaked sweatpants.
He lifted Ian onto his lap, burying his face into his mate’s neck, soaking up his scent while licking and sucking and leaving a necklace of hickeys.
His mate had fallen asleep and Colton smiled tenderly as he looked down at the sweet picture of his mate, curled up in his arms, pink cheeked and wearing Colton’s collar of love.
He would never get tired of holding his gorgeous mate in his arms.
His mind wandered back to the angel who healed him.
Looking through his wolf’s memories, he finally understood what happened to him and how Ian helped stop his descent into the afterlife.
No, Ian didn’t heal him, but he saved him nonetheless by joining his wolf with Colton’s.
Together, the wolves were able to stabilize him so his body could begin the job of healing itself.
It worked—barely—but Colton knew it wasn’t enough to save him.
No, the angel did that. And supposedly gave him healing powers.
Colton decided never to tell anyone about the angel’s gift.
His mate believed he was responsible for saving Colton and he wasn’t going to do anything to disavow that.
But he had some questions… What ability was the angel referring to?
Didn’t Pablo say the same thing? And Slate too, had said something like that at the hospital!
Those questions needed to be answered. Deep in thought, he caressed his mate with one hand, while trying to sort through the last few days.
He stopped when his mate whimpered in his sleep.
Lowering his lips to Ian’s forehead he gently kissed him.