Captive (3 page)

Neither he nor Wade felt the need for female companionship. They remained committed only to each other. But regardless of their preference, the men were compelled to follow Alex’s agenda and mate with the pure-bred she-wolves he paired them with.

At first he and Wade found it distasteful to have sex with partners they hadn’t chosen. They were a race that had always remained true to their mates.

But family had become a lot more fluid and complex. Due to their dwindling numbers, their women often took multiple husbands or were forced to breed with other wolves if their mates didn’t impregnate them. Same sex liaisons were accepted, but the participants were still obligated to breed. It was all for the good of the clan.

“Roy discovered this woman quite by accident. He has no proof, yet, but he feels certain she’s
one of ours.”

Jealousy crept into Noah’s chest and circled his heart, squeezing like a snake and spewing venom through his body.
Roy
had taken Noah’s place in Alex’s life.

Noah cursed the day
Roy
had been discovered in
Boston
. He was smart as a whip and already an undergraduate. Alex lured him to
New Mexico
with promises of funding further education. He’d done that and more. Although stationed in
Philadelphia
now,
Roy
’s influence reached back to
New Mexico
.

“I don’t want
Roy
pursuing this further and jeopardizing his position in the hospital.”

Noah turned from Alex’s wry smile. He’d never been any good at hiding his feelings from his former lover.

“I hope you can put your dislike for
Roy
aside. I’m sending you and Wade to
Philadelphia
. Settle in and meet with
Roy
. He’ll direct you from there. Can you do that?”

“Of course, Alpha.”

“Good. I don’t want anything to interfere with the capture.”

Noah’s brow furrowed. “Capture?”

“I want this woman.” Alex’s face went tight. “Don’t let anything stand in your way.”

Chapter Three

Wade tried to keep a tight rein on his emotions. They were only renting an apartment after all, but he hated the city, and damn if it didn’t feel like he and Noah were making a real commitment to live here. He reminded himself that even though the lease said a year, he and his lover had no intention of remaining in Philadelphia any longer than necessary. Thank the Gods. The concrete jungle freaked him out.

All the upheaval in their lives didn’t sit well with Wade. Lately the Alpha’s ideas had become intolerable. Even worse, he couldn’t share his misgivings with Noah. His lover still had strong feelings for their leader, and anything he said would be construed as jealousy on his part. Which it was.

Noah and Alexander weren’t fucking each other, but he knew if the Alpha crooked his little finger, Noah would fall all over himself to jump in his bed.

And being forced to fuck every she-wolf in the compound only added fuel to the fire. He knew Noah didn’t have feelings for the women. Neither did he. But he didn’t care for the idea of Noah sharing his body with someone else. Wade had lost a lot. He had no intention of losing Noah.

And here they were on a fool’s mission, another one of the Alpha’s crazy ideas. Not for a minute did he believe they would find a she-wolf. They’d followed too many false leads already. But it was the Alpha’s call. He would never pass up the chance to find a female Lycan.

Wade really hoped it wasn’t another wild goose chase. If they brought home a she-wolf, then maybe their leader would give them a break.

Unfortunately, he suspected that
Roy
had concocted the whole thing to gain favor with their Alpha.
Roy
’s jealousy surpassed his own. Although their Alpha had severed his intimate connection with Noah,
Roy
knew as well as Wade that there were still feelings there, and he didn’t like it one bit.

Despite the absence of physical contact whenever Noah and Alexander were in the same room, the atmosphere became so charged they might as well be fucking. Wade had learned to live with it. Alexander had been Noah’s first love, and nobody would ever replace him in Noah’s affections. Wade considered himself lucky just to be sharing a part of Noah’s life.

So they would play out their parts in this charade and let
Roy
have his moment of glory. For sure he was headed for a downfall when they were unable to track down a she-wolf.

At any rate, their business should be completed quickly. They would find her location, continue their search, and bring her home. Or as he expected, they would uncover a fraud and go home. Either way they would soon be home and that’s all he cared about. He missed the vast open space and solitude of
New Mexico
.

Fifteen years ago he’d left the only home he’d ever known and followed the Alpha to
New Mexico
. Back then he’d just been Alex, a young man who had lost more than most of them. Wade had watched him cry over the bodies of his mate and baby son. Then Alex had gathered their small band of survivors and whatever they could carry and led them away. They never looked back. There was nothing left to see. And he never saw Alex cry again. He was a strong leader, and they owed him their lives, but he’d been damaged beyond repair.

Wade snuck a peek at Noah. Nothing ruffled him, at least not so it showed. Noah had deep feelings, but he projected a calm exterior, no matter what. Sometimes Wade wondered if he knew the real Noah.

It didn’t matter. What he knew, he loved. There was no one else he’d rather be with. The man was more than his best friend and lover. He was the closest thing to a soul-mate he’d ever have. The only person in the world he could really trust.

The woman across the desk cleared her throat, and Wade tried to focus on business.

“I really need references.” She looked straight at Noah, who had been handling their business arrangements so far.

Janis Outlaw intrigued him.
He didn’t know any females outside his community, and Ms. Outlaw’s
shaggy blonde designer haircut and wide-set blue eyes were in complete contrast to the women back home. Most of them had obsidian eyes and long, coal black hair.

Her fair coloring made her seen fragile and in need of protection, even though she tried to look so business-like and confident in her gray suit and high-necked white blouse. Another difference. Lycan women weren’t involved in business of any kind. Their only concern was making babies.

The woman shifted in her seat. Spots of color highlighted her high cheekbones. Wade’s nostrils flared. He sniffed the air. Her scent gave her away. She was interested in more than business. Her delicate musk sent out a message that seemed to be directed at Noah. She was aroused.

His lip curled in response. She was barking up the wrong tree. Noah was his. He had no interest in females of any kind. Wade’s only competition was their Alpha, and that was long over.

He looked over at his lover and frowned. Noah’s eyes were focused on the woman. Even though Noah feigned interest, Wade couldn’t suppress a stab of jealousy. He reached over and laid a possessive hand on Noah’s arm.

Noah ignored the gesture, but it didn’t escape the woman. She looked down at his hand then up at his face. Her blue eyes assessed him frankly, and she smiled, almost regretfully.

“About the references,” Wade said. “We’re new in town, but we’ll both be working with Dr. Roy Granger at
Philadelphia
Hospital
.”

Ms. Outlaw’s eyes widened. “Well, in that case there’s no problem. I know Dr. Granger.” She pushed a printed document towards him.

“You’ll both have to sign the lease,” she said. “And I’ll need the first month’s rent and two months for a security deposit.”

Wade wondered briefly about the connection between Ms. Outlaw and
Roy
, then her eyes, the darkest, most striking blue he’d ever seen, caught his and he lost his train of thought.

“I hope this is okay.” Noah pushed a wad of cash across the desk, and those hypnotic eyes turned to him. Noah flashed his most disarming smile. “We haven’t had a chance to open a bank account yet.” Noah could be charming when he wanted. Wade knew that first hand.

“Oh, it’s no problem.” The woman lost a bit of her composure as she picked up the money. She took a set of keys from her drawer and handed them to Noah. He touched her fingers and kept the connection a beat too long. The woman flushed darker, and her scent ripened.

“I hope you’re both very happy here.” She looked from Noah to him. “If you need anything just call. Or stop in.”

Wade smiled politely, but he doubted he’d be happy until he returned home again.

* * * *

Noah looked around the empty apartment. Gods, he wished he were home. He felt closed in, suffocated. He glanced at Wade. “You shouldn’t have told the rental agent we’re working with
Roy
. There’s not supposed to be any connection between us and him.”

Wade didn’t reply. He stared at Noah insolently from across the room.

“What’s wrong?” Noah asked him.

“You flirted with that woman.”

Noah laughed. “So what?”

“She was aroused. I could smell her musk as if I had my nose in her cunt.”

Noah walked over to his lover and put his arms around him. “I can’t help it if I’m irresistible.” He nuzzled Wade’s ear.

Wade sighed. “I wish we were home. I think the Alpha is dead wrong about—”

Noah cut off his words with a gentle kiss. The last thing he wanted to do was argue about Alex. Wade parted his lips, letting Noah possess his mouth, and Noah slipped his tongue inside. Noah’s breath caught when Wade sucked on it in a parody of what was to come. Noah deepened the kiss, then pulled back and nipped Wade’s lower lip. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

Wade leaned his forehead against Noah’s. “Even though I screwed up and mentioned
Roy
’s name?”

“Can we not talk about
Roy
? He’s an asshole.”

“Fine with me. I can think of better things to do.” Wade backed him against the wall. He grinned wickedly as he knelt at Noah’s feet.

Noah went commando, and his cock strained at the fabric of his slacks. Wade watched the growing bulge and rubbed it through his trousers.

“Hell, Wade. You can do better than that,” Noah groaned.

Wade looked up at him and licked his lips. “Beg me.”

Noah looked down at him through narrowed eyes. “Please, please, please suck my cock, Wade.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely.” He unzipped Noah’s trousers, and his cock sprang free, long, hard and aching for attention. Noah sighed and leaned back against the wall in anticipation.

Wade gripped the base of his shaft and stroked him a few times. Then he used his tongue on the sensitive ridge of the cockhead.

“Gods, you know that drives me crazy,” Noah muttered.

Wade laughed. “That’s the idea, lover.”

Wade’s talented tongue found the underside of his balls and licked straight up to the tip of his cock, where he tongued the slit to catch a drop of pre-cum.

Noah tensed and tried to thrust in his partner’s mouth, but Wade backed off. “Dammit, Wade. Stop teasing me.”

“I want to feel your bare ass.” Wade unbuttoned Noah’s slacks and tugged them over his hips. He caressed Noah’s thighs before cupping his buttocks and sliding his mouth over his partner’s hot swollen shaft.

Noah felt Wade’s throat close around him. His knees buckled, and he put his palms flat against the wall. “Gods,” Noah groaned. “Your mouth feels so fucking good.”