Chapter 15
Rourke walked into Ulric's room again. It was dark, and he could make out Ulric's form underneath the covers. Like last time, he sank down on the edge of the bed and cradled his head.
"What are you doing in here, Rourke?" Ulric's voice was sleepy.
"He has whipping scars all over his back."
Ulric didn't reply, instead, he rubbed a hand over his face. "Uh-huh."
"Every time he's showered, he's come out of the bathroom wearing a shirt. When he exited now, he wore the same dirty one as earlier, so I took it off him."
"Okay." He spoke on a yawn.
"Shixyll whipped him, several times if I understood him correctly."
"What did he do?"
"Went to the grocery store and tried to save a cat." He shuddered as he remembered the cat. "I want her dead."
"Hmm, might mess up the alliance you've worked so hard for."
"She shrunk the skin of a cat until it burst."
Ulric made a sound of horror.
"I want her fucking dead. I want her head on a pike like in the medieval times."
"I think it's happened more recently."
"I don't fucking care when it happened. I want her gone."
Ulric patted his back. "I understand your rage, I do, but we can't kill Shixyll. Not unless she attacks us first. We've worked hard for this peace, have sacrificed a lot for it."
Rourke ignored him. "Do you think Jiprix would take over if she died? I hate his guts, but I have the feeling he's more reasonable than she is."
"No, witch clans are matriarchies. They won't put Jiprix in a leading position." Ulric was quiet for a few moments. "Maybe the one who turns people into trees and then sets them on fire. She's prominent, right?"
Rourke shuddered. Fucking witches. "I need a cat."
"A familiar?"
"No. A kitten. A normal fucking cat for Ezra."
Ulrick chuckled. "And you'd think it would stay with us? Cats normally don't like wolf shifters."
"It'll learn."
Ulric shrugged. "Send Geri back to the shelter."
Rourke nodded. He'd do it first thing in the morning. Or maybe not in the morning since he suspected they'd all want to sleep in tomorrow.
"He asked if I'd punish him."
Ulric hummed, then yawned again.
"This is worse than I believed."
"Why? Because he's used to getting whipped when disobeying? Of course he believes you'll punish him if it's how he was brought up."
Rourke fisted his hair. "How the fuck do I make him trust me?"
"By trusting him?"
Could he trust him? He was a witch.
"By spending time with him. You're a good guy, Rourke. Sure, you're an asshole and a stupid alpha, and think you know best when you don't, but you're not evil. He's spent his life surrounded by evil. Once he realizes you're fair, I'm sure he'll relax around us."
"Yeah." Maybe. "I have to go. He's alone in there. I needed to...I want her fucking dead."
Ulric chuckled. "I know." He patted his back again. "Give your lovely mate a kiss from me."
Lovely? He frowned at the dark. Was he lovely? Rourke stood. "Keep your paws and lips off my mate."
Ulric sounded amused. "We'll see."
Rourke left the room and went back into his. Ezra was fully dressed and was sitting by the table eating a sandwich.
"Why are you dressed? We're heading to bed once you've eaten."
Ezra stared at him. Pajamas. He'd ask Geri to pick up some when he was out and about. Or maybe he should go by himself. He could find the fucking shelter.
Ezra didn't move, holding the sandwich halfway to his mouth.
Rourke walked closer, but he still didn't move.
When he placed a hand on his nape, he jumped.
Rourke leaned forward and bit into the sandwich before walking away while chewing.
The bread was a little stale but not too bad. "We need to buy bread."
Ezra turned his head to watch him, his eyes big as saucers.
"Eat." Rourke grinned at him and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
When he exited, Ezra was standing by the table.
"Want the bathroom?" Rourke gestured at the door he'd left open, assuming Ezra would want to brush his teeth too.
Then he went to put away the sandwiches he hadn't eaten.
He didn't have any zip bags or plastic wrap in the room, so he simply put the plate in the refrigerator.
He turned off the lights and undressed down to his underwear. Crawling into bed, he waited for Ezra to join him.
When he exited the bathroom, he crept forward in the dark. Rourke winced and clicked on the bedside lamp. "Sorry, I didn't think about you not seeing well in the dark."
Ezra nodded.
"Come on, babe. Get naked and come cuddle with me." Rourke held his arms out.
"Eh...No."
Rourke chuckled. "Okay, you can keep some clothes on. Socks. I'm okay with socks."
Ezra snorted, which made Rourke grin. Then he launched himself off the bed and grabbed him before he had time to react. He wrapped his arms around him and more or less threw him on the bed.
Ezra flailed for a second, then he stared into Rourke's eyes. "What are you doing?"
Rourke shrugged. "Speeding things up. It's already in the middle of the night. At this pace, we won't get any sleep before dawn."
He ran a hand under Ezra's shirt, fingertips gently dancing over his skin. Ezra didn't move, didn't breathe. Rourke smiled at him and slowly peeled the shirt off him.
The barbels in his nipples glinted in the yellow light from the bedside table, and Rourke ran his thumb over one of them. He'd never understood piercings.
Ezra sucked in a breath, and Rourke's gaze jumped to his. He watched him closely as he repeated the motion. Ezra swallowed and his lips parted ever so slightly. Hmm...Rourke played a little with the barbell and watched in fascination as Ezra's eyes darkened further.
Dipping his head, he slid his tongue over one of them, then sucking a little.
"Ngh." Ezra jerked underneath him.
"Oh, this is fun." Rourke put some weight on Ezra and went back to exploring, noting every twitch of the hard length pressing into his abdomen. He'd underestimated piercings.
After a few minutes, Ezra was writhing underneath him. "Rourke." It was no more than a whisper.
"Yes?"
"What...eh..."
Rourke watched him, but Ezra refused to look at him, a flush on his cheeks. Embarrassment or arousal?
"You smell so fucking good like this." He inhaled along his sternum. "You should be turned on all the time."
He couldn't say what the sound leaving him meant.
He skidded downward, his fingers finding the button of Ezra's jeans.
Before he could open them, Ezra's hands flew to his.
Wide eyes stared at him with something close to fear.
Rourke frowned. "Hey." He crawled up Ezra's body and cupped his cheek.
"Relax. I won't hurt you." He brushed his lips over Ezra's.
The ring was weird, but he did his best to ignore it.
When he begged for entrance with his tongue, Ezra jerked.
Rourke groaned as he deepened the kiss only to jerk himself when something brushed against his tongue.
He pulled away and stared down at Ezra. "Is there a piercing in your tongue? "
Ezra nodded.
"Jesus. Open."
When Ezra did nothing, Rourke met his gaze. "I want to see it."
Slowly, Ezra opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out.
Rourke stared. It must've hurt. "Does it...eh...mean anything?"
"Many have them. I was allowed mine because of the cookies. Food goes into the mouth."
"Oh, honey, I know of more things that go into the mouth."
At Ezra's uncomprehending look, Rourke slid down his body and attacked the button in his jeans.
Ezra made a sound, but this time, Rourke ignored him. He got the jeans open and pushed them down along with Ezra's boxer briefs. His cock was hard and leaking, and the barbells looked...Rourke wasn't sure he liked them, but he ran his thumb over the skin, feeling the metal underneath.
"Huh." He bent and followed the same path with his tongue.
"Rourke!" Ezra reached for him only to stop himself and hover with his hands. Rourke grinned and took him into his mouth. The salty taste coated his tongue as he lapped at Ezra. Taking him deep, he flicked his gaze to Ezra's. He was watching him, eyes wide, mouth agape.
Sliding over the piercings, he wondered if it was safe to suck. What if he hurt him? "They won't come off, right?"
Ezra didn't answer. He'd have to be careful. Slowly, he pushed down, sliding the silky skin over his lower lip and tongue. The head of him met the roof of Rourke's mouth only to lodge in his throat.
Ezra made an almost pained sound and a spurt of precome hit the back of his mouth. He swallowed, which had Ezra tilt his chin toward the ceiling and groan. Rourke chuckled or tried to, at least. It was hard with a cock in his mouth.
He backed off and pushed his underwear down only to fall on Ezra's cock again, taking him deep and sucking, mindful of the barbells. He fisted his own throbbing length and bobbed his head in rhythm to the pumps he gave himself.
"Ah..." Ezra watched him wide-eyed, and Rourke growled, knowing full well the vibrations of it would travel into Ezra.
"Rourke!" Ezra thrust into his mouth, and Rourke hollowed his cheeks.
"Oh, my God." He thrust again, and Rourke would've laughed at the wonder in his voice if he hadn't been busy fighting a gag and coming at the same time.
Heat pooled in his balls, shivers rushed his spine, and he tightened his hold on his cock. Fuck, he was close. He noted every ridge on Ezra's shaft as it slid over his tongue again, and a growl built in his chest with no conscious thought.
Ezra's hips bucked, his hands flailing before one of them landed on Rourke's head. He threaded his fingers through his hair and keened.
Rourke lifted off Ezra, his hand moving fast over his throbbing erection. "Come on, Ezra. Come in my mouth."