7. Command
Oliver
I tugged the heavy curtains in the room across the windows, dipping Steel and me into darkness. I heard his breath catch, but didn’t look back as I blinked, my eyes adjusting. I flipped on a couple of lamps, flooding the space with a golden glow.
He could wait. I knew he was restless and horny and needy. Even after our little morning escapade.
I’d made us take a break. Made us eat and drink some water. But Steel was still in his rut, and my head was swimming with a thousand different ideas on how I could help him.
I’d fucking dreamed about him non-stop last night. He’d been in every single dream of mine, his wolfish mouth on my cock, making me come.
Now that he’d come once this morning, I wanted him to wait. I wanted him to be a good boy for me, and we’d play.
I’d spent this morning running to the grocery store and thinking about what I wanted to do to Steel exactly. I’d even picked up some ginger after his comment about figging, and we’d talked about it while eating. He wanted to try it, and I was curious about it too.
My thoughts rolled through all the kinks we’d discussed. The boundaries we’d put in place.
My mate was an Alpha. I’d seen a glimpse of it too, at Creature Cafe. But the people and monsters in the coffee shop didn’t know the real Steel. While we’d just met, I saw through the tough, muscled mask he put on for others.
What my pup wanted was a heavy hand. A Dom. He wanted a Dom who would squeeze his knot and push him to the breaking point, to the edge—and then pull him back into their arms and kiss him until he came like a pitiful little bitch in heat.
I could provide that for him. I wanted to provide that for him.
What do I need? My brows pulled together at that pesky little thought.
I had everything I needed, in theory. I had my dream job, had raised two smart daughters who were now in college and starting their lives. I had my own house and I went to therapy to work through the grief of losing my wife.
I had everything I needed, but Steel . . . He’d awakened something in me. Something dark and desperate and maybe even a little cruel. Consensually cruel.
With the curtains drawn and us in this room, I wasn’t a father or chef or a human dealing with annoying things like taxes.
I was his Dom.
My gaze flicked back to Steel. He’d waited, just like I’d told him. Kneeling on the rug in the middle of the room, his broad shoulders heaving with soft pants, his cock hard and leaking. Making a damn mess.
I walked up behind him, every step slow and deliberate. While I didn’t have his supernatural hearing or sense of smell, I smirked as his body stiffened, knowing he was all too aware of my presence descending on him.
“Steel,” I said, running my fingers through his soft fur. I gripped the back of his head and tugged, tipping the end of his jaw and snout up. He grunted, staring up at me with fiery eyes. “Are you still hungry, pup?”
He bristled, a growl rumbling in his chest. But he didn’t argue or protest or get up and walk out. Instead, those burning eyes closed, and he released a slow breath. “I’m famished, Sir.”
All the tension melted like a candle dripping from a flame. I leaned over him, kissing him in a way that had my cock hardening against his back. His tongue tangled with mine, a whimpering moan leaving him.
Fuck. I had to pull myself together before I got carried away and just fucked him.
I released him and put my hands behind my back, circling him like a shark.
Spread out on the bench were all the toys we’d picked out together, but I would be selective about what we used today.
I didn’t want to use them all at once. That defeated the point, and I liked the anticipation Steel would feel not knowing what item I’d choose next.
With a smirk, I picked up a blindfold. He swallowed hard as I brought it to him and stooped over, kissing him once more, this time softer. Gentler.
“Are you doing okay?” I checked in.
“Yes,” he said, offering me a fanged smile. “I’m right where I want to be, Oli.”
Oli. I smiled back at him and then straightened my spine. “You’ll use your safe words if you need me to slow down, stop, or check in. Agreed?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good.”
I lifted the blindfold and slipped it over his head, tightening it so it would stay in place. I knotted the silk and then stepped back, admiring him. He wouldn’t see me admiring him, but I couldn’t help it.
His fur was unreasonably soft, a dark charcoal gray.
Beneath his fur were hard, corded muscles.
Thick tree trunk thighs rippled with strength as he knelt there, and between them, his cock pulsed.
A rich crimson red with ridges along the underside every inch or so.
At the base, a bulbous knot throbbed, aching.
I knew he ached for touch. Cum dripped from the slanted tip, dripping over his fur and onto the floor.
I hummed to myself and crossed to the bench, folding my arms. I was torn between the fleshlight and the riding crop. The leather cuffs were tempting too . . . but I had ginger waiting for me in the kitchen.
And I had a plan.
“So many options,” I sighed.
Steel let out a nervous chuckle, and my evil grin broadened. I picked up the sex toy and the riding crop.
“Put your hands out, palm up,” I instructed.
Steel did as I asked, his shoulders rolling back as he waited patiently. I placed the riding crop in his hands.
“Hold this for me. And remember, you’re not allowed to come until I give you permission to.”
“Yes, Sir.”
We’d see how long that actually lasted. I picked up a bottle of lube and prepped the fleshlight, making sure that it was properly lubed and ready for him. I knelt down and slid my hand around his cock.
Steel groaned, his hips flexing automatically, thrusting deeper into my grip. I fit the end of the fleshlight over the head of his cock and he cursed under his breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing, Sir,” he rasped.
The corner of my mouth tugged as I pushed it further, his cock sliding inside the clear tube inch by inch, until it was snug and fitted over the length of him.
Well, most of him, not all. I wasn’t sure there was a fleshlight large enough to really accommodate a werewolf.
Actually, maybe there was. Surely the Barista knew a monster sex toy maker or someone .
. . I made a mental note to ask him in the future.
His grip tightened around the riding crop as I secured the toy.
Then I pressed the button along the side.
Steel’s head tipped back on a moaning howl, his hips thrusting into the air, helpless. The fleshlight started to milk him, jerking up and down his shaft.
I picked up the riding crop from his claws and dragged the flat leather bit over his chest. He whimpered, his teeth flashing as the sex toy buzzed.
There was no way he’d last long. Not with how long he’d been hard and on the edge. I traced the riding crop all the way down his chest to the part of his shaft not covered by the fleshlight.
Every muscle in his body froze. He leaned forward slightly, but it was then that I noticed he hadn’t put his hands down yet.
Fuck, he was so good.
“Relax,” I commanded. “Hands down. Deep breath.”
He trusted me with his body, and that meant more to me than he could possibly know. Steel, the big bad wolf, whimpered as he lowered his hands to the tops of his thighs. He drew in a breath for me and exhaled slowly.
I wasn’t going to hit his cock. One, I didn’t want to. We hadn’t negotiated cock-and-ball torture. Two, I didn’t need to. That wasn’t the point.
The point was not knowing what his human was going to do next.
We were practicing submission. Him giving over control. Fully letting go. It would take work, especially for someone who was so used to being the one who set the pace.
I pulled the riding crop back and popped the top of his hand. He grunted, and I swear his cock got even larger. The hum of the sex toy filled the room, milking his cock dutifully, drawing out all sorts of sexy gruff sounds from him.
He looked so fucking good like this. I circled him again, walking around in circles, occasionally touching him with the end of the crop.
“Sir,” he rasped. “I’m . . . I don’t know how much longer I have.”
“You have as long as I choose,” I said firmly, slapping the top of his thigh with the crop.
He groaned as I did it again, then I retreated to the bench. I put the riding crop down and glanced back at him, wondering how long he could really last.
“You’re going to stay right there,” I said. “And I’m going to go prep the ginger in the kitchen. I’ll still be able to hear you. If you need me immediately, you’ll call out yellow. Okay?”
“Yes, Sir,” he gritted out.
I went to him and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head, and then headed for the kitchen, listening for his voice in case he needed me.
I’d left the bag of ginger on the counter and rummaged through it until I found a large piece with a flared base. Steel’s soft whines floated through the house as he waited for me patiently. I could hear the fleshlight working his cock without a break.
But I knew he would be good for me and would wait to come until I let him.
It’d been a long time since I’d been so alive.
I was in my element, and he’d reminded me just how much I loved being dominant.
But beyond that, he was reminding me of smaller things too.
Like how much fun it was to sit and watch a silly movie, or how good it felt to cuddle, or how wholesome it was to enjoy a meal together.
He’d reminded me how much I enjoyed living life.
I inspected the root, making sure that it was large enough and had enough branches so I’d be able to have a handle.
Satisfied with my pick, I pulled out a cutting board and a sharp knife.
I carefully peeled one of the root fingers, narrowing down the tip but making sure it wasn’t too thin.
The last thing I wanted was for it to snap off inside him . . .
Once it was peeled, I washed it in the sink and made sure it was clean.
I placed it on a napkin and then washed my hands thoroughly.
I needed to get the ginger oil off my hands.
Too many times in my career as a chef, I’d peeled ginger then touched my eyes, and suffered.
I was even going to use gloves because of that.
Steel’s groan echoed from the bedroom and I paused, listening to him.
I loved all the sounds he made for me. Fuck, I loved everything about him. The way he cared about people, his intelligence and humor. He was sexy and strong and was even better than I could have ever dreamed.
Steel was changing me, and that hadn’t happened since . . . Well, since Alia. My chest ached as I thought about her. She wanted me to move on, that was the part that sometimes hurt the most. I would have wanted her to do the same. But it didn’t take away the pain.
You can have that again, a little voice whispered in my head.
Tears blurred my vision as I sucked in a deep breath, taking a moment to steady myself. I had everything prepped, but I needed a couple minutes before I returned to my sweet werewolf.
Slowly, very slowly, some of the fractures in my heart were knitting back together. For the last few years, I’d really been in autopilot mode.
“Okay,” I breathed out, drying off my hands.
I grabbed a pair of latex-free gloves and slipped them on, picking up the ginger.
Figging.
We were going to figure out exactly how enjoyable playing with peeled ginger could be.