Chapter Five #2
“Stop thinking,” he said against Sonny’s skin. His hands moved to the hem of the shirt, pulling it up and over Sonny’s head. The fabric caught on his mate’s arms for a moment before slipping free. Then Sonny was bare from the waist up, pale skin smooth in the dim light.
Sonny’s breathing was ragged, hands tugging at Reese’s shirt. “This needs to disappear. It’s not fair I’m half-naked and you’re fully dressed. That’s an imbalance. We should fix the imbalance.”
In one fluid motion, Reese yanked the shirt off. Sonny’s eyes went dark, tracking over the exposed muscle. His tongue darted out to wet his lips again, that nervous gesture that made Reese want to bite him. His mate’s hands reached out tentatively, fingers brushing against Reese’s stomach.
“You’re so solid.” His mate sounded breathless. “Like, I knew you were big, but seeing it up close is different. You could probably bench-press a mobile home. Could you bench-press a mobile home? That’s not relevant, but I’m curious.”
With a smirk, he pinned Sonny’s hands and above his head, pressing them into the mattress. His mate’s breath caught, pupils blown wide, the scent of his arousal spiking. Sonny liked being held down, liked giving up control. The knowledge made something hot and possessive coil in Reese’s gut.
“Keep them there,” he instructed.
Sonny nodded, his fingers twisting the pillow above his head, knuckles white with the effort of staying still. “Okay. Yes. I can do that. Staying still. Very good at staying still.”
Lips found Sonny’s collarbone, tasting the skin. His mate was lean with soft edges. Reese traced lower with his tongue, following the line of Sonny’s chest. The bunny trembled under his mouth.
“You’re taking your time.” Sonny’s voice wavered. “Not complaining. Just observing. Very thorough. I appreciate thoroughness.”
Reaching the waistband, Reese’s fingers hooked into the fabric, pulling them down slowly.
Sonny lifted his hips to help, the movement making his cock bob against his stomach.
He wasn’t wearing anything underneath, hadn’t bothered with underwear after his shower.
His erection was flushed and leaking at the tip, hard enough to make Reese’s mouth water.
“No underwear.” Sonny’s face had gone red. “I don’t mind borrowed clothes, but I draw the line at putting on someone else’s boxers.”
“Quicker access.” He pulled the sweats down Sonny’s legs, then tossed them aside. His mate was completely bare now, exposed and tempting. The sight made Reese’s bear rumble with satisfaction, made his cock throb with need.
He stood long enough to strip off his own jeans, watching as Sonny tracked the movement. His mate’s gaze locked onto Reese’s erection, going wider. “Oh. That’s… That’s definitely happening. Okay. I can work with that. I think.”
Reese moved back onto the bed, settling between Sonny’s thighs. His mate’s legs fell open to make room. The trust in that gesture made something fierce rise in Reese’s throat. Sonny was offering himself, giving everything despite his nervousness.
“Lube's in the nightstand.” Reese’s voice had gone rough.
Hands still above his head, Sonny twisted his lips. “I can’t reach it from here. You told me to keep my hands where they are. I’m following instructions. Very obedient. Gold star for me.”
Reese leaned over and slid the drawer open. His body pressed against Sonny’s, the contact making them both groan. He grabbed the lube and straightened, settling back between his mate’s thighs.
Sonny was trembling now, small tremors running through his frame. His breathing was uneven, cock leaking steadily against his stomach. “I’m nervous. Just so you know. In case the rambling and the shaking weren’t clear indicators or you missed the second time I said it.”
Reese wrapped his hand around Sonny’s erection, stroking slowly. His mate’s whole body jerked, a broken sound escaping his throat. The reaction made satisfaction curl through Reese’s gut, made his bear rumble with the knowledge that he could make Sonny fall apart.
“Stop thinking,” Reese said again. He slicked his fingers with lube, the liquid cool against his skin. His free hand stayed on Sonny’s cock, stroking in a steady rhythm.
* * * *
Sonny looked down the length of himself, at Reese’s large hand wrapped around his shaft, his thumb smearing pre-cum with deliberate slowness. And all the stuff in his head tried to pile up at once.
“That’s easier said than done,” Sonny blurted out, his voice wobbling between arousal and embarrassment.
“My brain doesn’t have an off switch. Like, even in my sleep, its probably just running simulations of worst-case scenarios, like what if we do this and then you decide actually, no, you’re more into wolves and then I have to move again but only after I’ve told my entire family about you because, wow, they would be so smug about me finally getting a mate, and then—”
His train of thought derailed with shocking abruptness.
Reese’s slicked fingers pressed lower, nudging behind Sonny’s balls to stroke along skin.
The direct, exploratory pressure made Sonny’s words catch in his throat.
The rest of him shut down—consciousness, vocabulary, fine-motor control, even the ability to see in color for a second.
Everything narrowed to the heat and the throb and the careful, patient way Reese circled his rim with a slippery finger.
“Oh,” Sonny managed, breathless, the last syllable trailing into a whimper. His hands clutched the pillowcase like a lifeline. “That’s… Wow, that’s—”
Reese pressed in with just the tip, retreating then sliding back, gentle yet relentless. Sonny’s hips tried to jerk, but Reese’s other hand pinned him. Every time he thought he could remember how to speak, Reese pushed a little farther, until all Sonny could do was make helpless noises.
“Oh,” Sonny said again, weaker this time.
* * * *
Reese felt his control fraying, the edges of it burning away under the relentless heat building at the base of his skull.
Sonny’s body clenched around him, tight and perfect, every muscle trembling with the effort of taking what Reese was giving him.
His mate’s sounds had gone high and broken, desperate little gasps that punched out of him with each thrust. The scent of arousal and sweat and something sweeter filled Reese’s lungs and made his bear snarl with the need to claim.
Not yet. Not until Sonny was ready.
He wrapped his hand around Sonny’s flushed length. His mate’s whole body jerked at the contact, a cry tearing from his throat. Reese stroked in time with his thrusts, feeling Sonny fall apart under him piece by piece.
“Can’t—I can’t—” Sonny’s words dissolved into another broken sound. His hands had given up on the pillow, reaching down to grip Reese’s forearm braced beside his head. The touch was desperate, needy. “Reese, I’m going to—”
“Yes.” The word came out as a growl. His hips snapped forward harder, driving his cock deeper. The angle made Sonny’s back arch, made his mouth fall open on a silent scream. “Let go. I have you.”
Sonny locked up, muscles taut. His cock pulsed in Reese’s hand, cum spilling hot across his stomach. The sight of it, the feel of Sonny clenching rhythmically around him, pushed Reese right to the edge. His bear roared, demanding the claim be sealed.
Reese leaned down, lips finding the junction where Sonny’s shoulder met throat. The skin was damp with sweat, salty under his tongue. Sonny’s pulse hammered rabbit-fast against Reese’s mouth. His mate turned his head slightly, exposing more of his throat in submission.
Motherfuck. Reese’s orgasm slammed through him, white-hot and consuming. His canines pierced soft shoulder, finally claiming his bunny..
Their heart’s synchronized, the bond snapping into place.
Mine.
He released Sonny’s shoulder and licked the wound closed, breathing hard. His hips jerked forward once, twice more, aftershocks rolling through him. Sonny was trembling underneath him, small whimpers escaping his throat with each breath, body slack.
The bond was sealed. Reese pulled out slowly, watching as Sonny’s body released him. His mate made a soft sound of protest, something that might have been “don’t go.”
“Not going anywhere.” Reese settled beside Sonny, pulling his mate against him. Sonny came easily, tucking himself into the curve of Reese’s body like he belonged there. The fit was perfect, natural. His mate’s head found the hollow of Reese’s shoulder, breath warming his skin.
“So tired.” Sonny’s voice was slurred with exhaustion, his words running together. “Need sleep and possibly food.”
His arm tightened around Sonny. His bear was growling softly with satisfaction, finally settled now that the bond was complete. “We belong to each other now.”
Sonny was quiet for a long moment, his breathing evening out against Reese’s shoulder. When he spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Good. I like belonging to you. That’s probably weird to say after knowing you for basically two days, but I don’t care. It feels right.”
The admission made warmth spread through Reese’s body, his bear rumbling with contentment. The trust in that was staggering, considering everything Sonny had been through in the last few days.
“Sleep.” Reese drew slow circles on Sonny’s back, feeling vertebrae through soft skin. “You’re safe here. The hyenas can’t reach you.”
“The dogs…” Sonny tried to lift his head, concern bleeding through his eyes.
“Ryan has them. They’re fine.” He gently pressed Sonny back down. “You need rest. You’ve been running on fumes. Your body needs to recover.”
Sonny relaxed again, his slight weight settling fully against Reese.
“What happens now?” Sonny found Reese’s ribs, tracing idle patterns across the skin. “With the hyenas. They’re not going to just let me keep the dogs. Those animals are worth money to them.”
“They can try to take them back.” Reese’s voice came out fierce, his bear snarling at the thought of anyone threatening his mate. “They won’t succeed. You’re under my protection now. That means the dogs are too.”
“Your protection sounds very official. Like there are rules involved.” Sonny’s hand stilled on Reese’s ribs. “Are there rules? Should I know your rules?”
“The only rule that matters is what’s mine stays mine.” Reese kissed his mate’s temple. “If they’re smart, they’ll back the fuck off.”
“And if they’re not smart?”
“Then they’ll deal with my bear.” Reese had dealt with hyenas before and would make it clear that crossing him came with lethal consequences. The bastards would learn the deadly lesson if they pushed. “You don’t need to worry about them anymore.”
Sonny made a sound that might’ve been agreement, but his breathing had grown slower. His mate was sliding toward sleep, consciousness fading as his body finally gave in to the need for rest.
Reese held him, feeling the moment Sonny’s muscles went completely slack. His mate’s breathing evened out into the steady rhythm of deep sleep.
He was Reese’s mate, his to protect and claim and keep safe from everything that wanted to hurt him.
Sonny shifted in his sleep, burrowing closer.
His hand splayed across Reese’s ribs, holding on even in sleep.
The trust in that gesture made something fierce and protective curl through Reese’s body.
His mate was small and scared and had been running for days, but he’d chosen to trust Reese anyway.
Had offered himself completely, given everything despite barely knowing him.
The responsibility of that settled over Reese.
He was responsible for Sonny now, for keeping him safe and fed and protected from the hyenas who would come looking.
The dogs, too, since his mate cared about them.
Delilah and Hercules were under Reese’s protection by extension, part of the package that came with claiming Sonny.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He reached for it carefully, trying not to disturb his sleeping mate. A text from Grayson appeared on the screen. Ryan says the dogs are settled for the night. How's your mate?
Reese typed back one-handed: Asleep.
The response came immediately. We’ll discuss security measures in the morning. The hyenas will retaliate.
Let them try. Reese set the phone back on the nightstand and returned his attention to Sonny. His mate was deeply asleep now, his face relaxed in a way it hadn’t been while awake. The fear and fatigue had smoothed away, leaving only soft features.
Reese settled against the pillows, keeping Sonny tucked securely against him. His bear was content for the first time in decades.
The hyenas could come if they wanted. Reese would show them the error of their stupidity.