Chapter Fourteen
Kye
T he bite throbbed as I stood on the porch with Carys.
I didn’t feel different, but I could tell something in Brodie had settled. Even with how his gaze kept flickering red every now and then, and his mannerisms became more and more wolfy when the moon climbed in the sky, he was still more relaxed now.
Carys and I watched as Holden got out of a sedan, then clasped forearms with Brodie.
“Thank you for letting me run with you, Alpha McRae,” he said in a formal tone that told me it was about werewolf customs.
“You’re welcome on my land, Holden.”
They did a back pat thing that was kind of like a bro hug, but the subtle way they scented each other was kind of fascinating to me.
“Welcome,” I told Holden as soon as he looked at us. “Carys has prepared a nice dinner before you guys do your thing.”
He walked closer with Brodie, then came up the stairs and shook my hand. The expression he aimed at Carys was part guilt and part protective big brother.
“Don’t do that,” she said quietly, then hugged him to everyone’s surprise. “It’s all bygones now.”
Holden stepped back and cleared his throat, then nodded, clearly moved. “Okay. I’ll try.”
He glanced at Brodie, who was watching their interaction with a gentle smile on his lips. “What she said. We know you’re a good man, Holden. You’re always welcome here.”
“Let’s go eat,” I said, clapping my hands once to break the subtle tension.
The wolves sat down at the table, and Carys and I served the steaks with “healthy green stuff” as she called it. The potatoes were garlicky and amazing, and I could see how proud Brodie was to be serving a meal like this to a potential beta.
We joined them at the table and Brodie smiled at Carys.
“This looks amazing, Carys.”
“Smells incredible as well,” Holden added.
“Thank you. Here’s hoping it all tastes good, too.” She was clearly pleased and flustered at the same time.
It was a great meal. We chatted about Holden’s job and our plans for the house as we ate.
“Is it insensitive to ask how you ended up being a wolf and when?” I asked, then immediately added, “Please feel free to not answer any of that if you don’t want to.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s fine to ask when we’re among friends here.” He smiled. “I was a few days shy of turning forty-one. Worked as a police officer in Atlantic City. I was about to finally do what my parents wanted and become a detective and all.” He chuckled a bit tiredly. “They had high hopes for me, but I was never that competitive.”
“When was this?” Brodie asked, then told Carys, “No, you sit. I’ll clean this and bring the dessert.”
She blushed again and didn’t object.
“Twenty years ago. Ish.”
“Wait, so you’re in your sixties?” Carys blurted out.
Holden laughed. “Yes. I have to say that the slower aging has come in handy. There is no way I would be this fit if I was still human.”
Brodie came in carrying a tray of blueberry mousse. He served us all and then took his seat. I smiled at him. I knew enough about wolfpack dynamics now that I realized this was his way of showing Holden that he wasn’t one of those old school macho alphas who thought womenfolk or non-alphas or betas should be doing these things.
I didn’t doubt for a moment that Holden would ever see him as such, but I could tell our resident cop was taking note of everything and getting relaxed and comfortable around us.
“Then something happened?” Brodie prompted.
“It was a domestic call. Guy pulled a gun out of nowhere and tried to take out both his girlfriend and me. My partner was to the side and managed to shoot him before he could kill her. Me, on the other hand? We were close to the hospital and there was a wolf on call. They got me there just in time. I don’t remember anything but waking up in searing pain from the bite.”
“So how does that work?” I asked. “I know if an Alpha bites someone, then that person is the Alpha’s responsibility. But when it’s an emergency situation like that?”
Holden hummed around a spoonful of the mousse. “Well, there are these rehab centers around the country for newly bitten wolves. Basically, you go there to learn how to be a wolf and get stabilized like you would in a pack. The pack bonds don’t form in those places, because there’s no Alpha in them other than for some mandatory sessions.”
“That’s interesting….” I realized I’d already scarfed down the mousse. “This was way too good,” I told Carys. “Genuinely.”
“I was following some recipes I found online.”
“Hey, never downplay a good thing you did,” Brodie told her gently. “Be proud of what you’ve done here.”
“What he said.” Holden grinned.
When our chat turned to family—Holden asked about mine and Carys’ first—it was clear Holden had some issues with his.
“My parents are long gone. My twin and I were surprise babies they had while they were a bit older. They wanted kids but stopped trying when nothing happened for over fifteen years. Then surprise, twins! Then we lost my brother when we were about to turn twenty. I’ve been alone for a while now.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.
Brodie hummed thoughtfully. “For what it’s worth, there’s always a place here for you.” He grinned in his surprisingly boyish way. “And I’m not just saying that because we could use an officer of the law on our side and I need more betas.”
Holden chuckled. “Good to know. I have been putting in a good word around town already. Telling people you’re nothing like your uncle and that things are very different here now.”
I cleared my throat. “Seriously, though. We think like you’d be an excellent addition to the pack and that we could be good for you as well.”
Brodie reached over to take my left hand, careful with the bandage over my wrist, then looked at Holden. “My mate and I would like to extend an official invitation to join the pack whenever you might feel like doing so. There’s no rush. Take your time.”
I nodded. “And if you never want that, that’s also okay. We want you to know that even if you don’t become Brodie’s beta, you’ll have a family here if you want one.”
Holden seemed touched, his voice a bit rough when he replied, “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Okay. If we’re done here, should we shift?” Brodie said brightly.
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Where do you…?”
“You can use the utility room over there.” I pointed.
Soon enough, both of the wolves had gotten undressed and shifted, one by one, and they were shaking their furs out in the kitchen.
“You’re gorgeous,” I told Brodie, running my hands over his massive form.
I’d known werewolves were large, but the fact that I didn’t need to lean that far down to be able to press my forehead to his was a bit insane.
Whereas Brodie was almost black gray, Holden’s wolf form was light gray and he was a bit smaller. I didn’t know the genetics that went into such things, but they both were amazing in their own right.
“Okay, go do your thing. We’ll make some coffees and wander outside in a bit,” I told them.
Carys went to open the door for them and giggled at something one of them did while exiting.
I smiled as I made us the drinks and put them into travel mugs.
Soon, we had our shoes and jackets on and wandered around the house to the backyard where two large wolves were running around like puppies.
Carys let out a giggle, which made Brodie’s attention snap to us. Then he loped over and headbutted her gently. She scratched his forehead, then smoothed the hair down.
“Go play,” she told him.
And play they did. They looked like actual wolves, playing tag, dodging each other, throwing themselves and each other around as they wrestled and, well, frolicked, like she’d said earlier.
Carys and I sat down on the creaky back porch steps and hung out. It was peaceful. Liberating, in some ways.
Brodie’s phone in my pocket dinged, and I took it out to see a message from Rian.
“The boys are doing wolfy things at the rehab place. I went to see them earlier. How is our Alpha?”
I took some video of the wolves, then sent it to Rian. A couple of minutes later, he sent a bunch of thumbs up and laughing crying and heart emojis.
I showed it to Carys and she grinned. “He’s a lot of fun.”
It struck me that I hadn’t spoken with Rian yet. Carys had been texting him some when needed, so she had a familiarity with him I didn’t yet. We knew him through Brodie’s stories, of course, but it wasn’t the same. I hoped he and I would get along when we got to know each other.
By the time the moon was shining from between the trees and into the backyard, Brodie and Holden’s playing had reached a point of the growls being a bit less playful.
Then suddenly, Holden pounced and nipped at Brodie.
“Oops,” Carys whispered.
Even before she had the whole word out, Brodie had tossed Holden onto the ground where he immediately stilled and rolled over, submitting to the Alpha.
Brodie stood over him for a few seconds, a low growl rumbling out of him just loud enough for us to hear. Then he put his jaws around Holden’s throat and held him there in an oddly ceremonial manner for a few more seconds.
Then he pulled away and stepped back for Holden to stand up.
When the gray wolf got to his feet, there was a distinct sense of “I done fucked up” in his body language. Brodie wasn’t having it, though, and went to headbutt Holden’s shoulder.
Then he turned to us and loped over for pets.
“You’re such a ham when you’re like this,” I told him.
He huffed, then flopped down on the ground in front of the steps we were sitting on and put his head on top of my feet.
I scratched the top of his head and the thick ruff around his neck.
Holden walked closer and kind of snuck to sit next to Brodie. Carys giggled and gave him the same treatment I was giving Brodie.
They chilled with us for a few minutes, then Brodie glanced at the sky, then at the house, and then me.
“Yeah, I get it. You guys want to go run.” I grabbed his head and kissed his nose, to which he sneezed theatrically. “No kisses in wolf form, okay, good to know.”
Holden huffed as if amused, and Carys laughed.
“We’ll go inside while you do your thing. We’ll lock the door just in case. It’s going to be fine. Go and run. Howl or something when you get back.”
He got to his feet, then stuck his cold nose against my neck, making me squeak.
“I guess I deserved that. Now go.”
They waited to walk us to the front of the house, and I could tell they wouldn’t go before we were inside and Brodie heard the big key in the lock.
Carys peered out of the window by the door, then snorted when I turned the key. “Aaand there they go!”
We went to the kitchen and camped out there with our entertainment and, later, snacks. Carys got tired at one point, so I told her to go to bed. Begrudgingly, she admitted that was a great idea, which told me how much all the cooking and general fussing about today had taken out of her.
I nursed my nighttime coffee and read more about wolves while I waited for mine to come back home. Eventually, sometime around two-thirty, I heard a quiet howl and grinned. I closed the laptop and went to open the door.
Because I knew Brodie would be mad if I didn’t, I glanced out of the window to see if I recognized the wolves. Which, I did, because it was Brodie and Holden coming back, but it felt good to prove to him that I’d listened to him when he talked about how to stay safe.
I unlocked the door and opened it to two happy wolves. They were panting, tongues hanging from their mouths, and I picked off some twigs from Brodie’s fur when he went past me. I tossed the twigs on the porch and closed the door behind them.
Brodie went to change first, and it took only a minute for him to both shift and put on his sweats and tank.
Holden went into the utility room, and Brodie closed the door behind him for privacy.
He walked to me and gathered me into his arms.
“Hi,” he said hoarsely, as if being a wolf for the evening had made his vocal chords forget how to human.
“Hi,” I whispered, then pressed against him and hugged him back.
His scent was intoxicating. Everything about his woodsy, musky scent was heightened by the shifting. He smelled clean, even though there was probably a mess of whatever had fallen off of his fur when he shifted back in the utility room. I was sure I’d missed detritus while I was picking parts of the woods off him, after all.
As if reading my thoughts, he murmured, “I’ll clean the utility room tomorrow. I need a shower before bed. My feet are dirty.”
I glanced down to his smudged toes and smiled, then grabbed his hand to check them, too. “Can you wash your hands?”
He smiled a bit tiredly, but went to the kitchen sink to get the worst of the dirt off.
We were standing by the counters, cuddling, when Holden finally re-emerged. It had taken him nearly ten minutes to shift back, but Brodie had told me that could happen to bitten wolves after a full moon run. Normally it wouldn’t take that long, but sometimes it did.
“This was great,” Holden said, his tone hoarse and tired like Brodie’s. “I’m going to head out, but I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
Brodie let go of me to give Holden that same not-quite bro hug he’d given him when Holden arrived.
“Good night!” I told Holden when he passed me on his way out.
“Night!”
As soon as the door closed behind Holden, Brodie went to lock it. Then he came back into the kitchen and something flipped in his demeanor.
His wolf was still close, but this time the animalistic, almost predatory expression was aimed at me in a way that made me feel… coveted.
I felt like running so that he could chase me down, but I couldn’t with Carys asleep upstairs.
Instead, I backed away until I was in the utility room doorway, then ducked inside with a wolf at my heels.
He grabbed me and lifted me on top of the ancient washer in a move fast enough to make me yelp and laugh.
Then he was kissing me and tugging at my clothes.
“I need….” His words came out muffled against my neck where he was making a feast out of me.
I was so hard it hurt already, and when he lifted his head, I could see his nostrils flare as he took in the pheromones swirling around us.
“Whatever you need, except…,” I trailed off and looked away.
“No, not that. Not yet. We’re not ready, but….” When his words kind of vanished mid-sentence, it was because his concentration on human language had taken a hike.
I glanced back at him, but his focus was on the bulge in my sweats now.
“Safewords,” he grunted, then wrapped one arm around my waist to lift me enough to be able to pull my sweats and underwear off.
I laughed, a bit shocked and very turned on about the way he was suddenly out of his mind with whatever this was. I felt safe. I knew he wouldn’t do anything I didn’t want him to—including fucking me because we weren’t there yet—but hearing his distracted wolf voice talk about safewords was kind of funny.
I stopped laughing when he leaned down to swallow my cock whole.
My head banged against the wall and I let out a groan that didn’t sound like me.
I reached down to tug the back of his tank up, so that I could see the tattoos covering his muscular back. When I tried to get it off completely, he rumbled a growl that vibrated my cock enough for me to thrust up, the tank forgotten.
“Holy shit, Brodie,” I gasped as he pleasured me with a voraciousness I’d never experienced before.
It took me an embarrassingly short time to come, and I didn’t bother warning him because I knew he wouldn’t have cared.
I grabbed his head and held him still as I unloaded into his mouth and felt him swallow around me until I was noodly and pushing him away.
He stood up and pulled his dick out, then jerked it a few times before coming all over my cock and balls.
Then he rubbed the cum into my crotch with his big, calloused hand.
“Ow, ow…,” I protested feebly.
He chuckled, that sort of wild and dark Domly expression I’d seen a couple of times before momentarily flashing in his pale eyes.
“You didn’t think this was enough?” I asked, lifting my bandaged left arm.
“Nothing will ever be enough,” he rumbled, leaning in to kiss me deeply. “You’re mine now.”
I slid my fingers behind his neck and pulled him to me until our foreheads were touching. Then I stared at him from that close distance.
“You’re mine as well. Never forget that.” I cupped his sharp jaw and kissed him gently to show him I cherished him even without being able to feel the mate bond.
He kept his eyes closed as he nodded slowly. We didn’t need any more words.
Well, except…. “And now I need a shower. It’s a bit weird to go to bed next to my sister with how sticky I am.” I gestured at my crotch. Then, before he had time to say anything, I added, “No, you can’t clean it with your mouth.”
He complained playfully, grumbling something about his good ideas being shot down, but he helped me get my underwear back on and told me to go shower while he made sure the house was secured so we could go to sleep.
I padded up the stairs with my sweats bundled in my hand and couldn’t stop smiling.
Tonight had definitely been a success. I was pretty sure Holden would become one of us soon. He’d seen how we were, even as a fledgling pack.
Tomorrow would be Monday and the demolition crew would come by. We had a handful of hours to sleep because knowing where the full moon would land, Brodie was requested they start late.
Half an hour later, I played big spoon for Brodie that had already fallen asleep. Carys snuggled up behind me, and I let sleep claim me.