Mark's Not Gay [Brac Pack 11] (5 page)

“I’m not so easy to defeat,” he taunted as he circled the injured wolf.

Caden bided his time, not letting the vampire drain the last of his energy until the very last second.

The moment came, the creature obviously tired of the waiting game. He attacked, leaving his throat exposed. Caden took advantage of that, clamping his jaws down hard as he thrashed his head about, tearing the vampire’s skin from bone. Caden was relentless, not letting go until the vampire lay dead at his feet. He stood still for a moment when a wave of nausea rolled over him. As bad as he felt, Caden knew he had to move on.

Limping away, Caden stayed close to the shadows. The edges of his vision blurred, signaling to him the need to pass out. He couldn’t.

Dog catchers were in the city, and no one would ever think to look for him at the pound. He had to keep moving. The blood was warm as it trickled down his flank and sides. Bile rose in his throat. He was becoming light-headed. All he wanted was Mark, to see him one more time, kiss him once more.

Caden stumbled into a building, his strength threatening to leave him. Why had Mark run from him? Caden could feel the need to cry at the thought of Mark never wanting to see him again.

Caden pushed away from the building only to stumble again.

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He lay down, no longer able to go on. Without Mark, there was no reason to.

* * * *

“Wait! I thought I saw something. Go back,” Mark shouted as he craned his neck out of the window.

Maverick shifted the gears of the truck into reverse, slowly backing up.

“There.” Mark pointed toward a small alcove. “Is that a wolf?”

“Fuck, that’s Caden.” Maverick slammed the truck into park, both he and Mark running from the truck. “Damn it, vamps got him!” Maverick lifted the small wolf into his arms, and Caden whined loudly.

“It’s okay, baby. We got you.” Mark soothed his mate’s damp fur, the anger encompassing him when he drew his hand back and saw the blood. “What do we do?” he asked around the lump in his throat.

“Get him home and call the wolf physician.”

“Call him, damn it.” Mark growled as he climbed into the extended cab with his pup. He felt so helpless knowing absolutely nothing about injured wolves.

Maverick was on the phone, telling someone to meet them at the Den. Next, he called Kota, telling him to let the others know that Caden was found and injured, and they should meet him back home.

Maverick raced the highway, going over a hundred miles an hour to get Caden to the doctor.

The wolf was bleeding out in the backseat. Mark cradled Caden’s head in his lap, pushing aside the fact that he was mated to a wolf.

The only thing on his mind right now was getting Caden the help he needed and saving his life.

Maverick skidded to a stop in front of the house, and Mark jumped out of the back seat to pull his pup out and carry him into the house.

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They got Caden into a downstairs room and pressed towels to his wounds to stop the bleeding until the doctor arrived. Ten minutes later, they were ushered out as the doctor went to work.

Mark was going out of his mind. His mate was so slim, so fragile.

The loss of blood could stop his heart or stroke him out. Any number of things. Never before in his life had he an urge to drink, but right now he could drink a brewery dry.

He paced Maverick’s office while the Alpha, as Mark learned he was, called someone named Prince Christian, leader of the vampires.

This was all so fucking bizarre. Mark’s mind wanted to freak out about all of this, but his heart was too busy worrying about Caden.

“But Tank’s mate was bitten,” Maverick argued.

“A human. Boring blood, predictable DNA,” Christian informed him.

“Glad to know I’m boring and predictable,” George muttered from the sofa. Maverick held up a hand to silence him.

Maverick had the call on speaker phone so everyone in the room could hear. “He craves bloodier meat and is always thirsty. Common among bitten humans. But Caden is wolf, and his DNA is more complex. I can’t give you one answer when the effect is different for every shifter. I have heard some die within twenty-four hours, while others go feral.”

Mark punched the wall. He would not lose his mate. The thought was inconceivable. He’d just accepted his new life and was anxious to get it started. There was no way he was going to go it alone after finding Caden. His fear of losing yet another person he cared about was threatening to drive Mark mad.

This just couldn’t be happening.

“I assume that is his mate I hear beating the plaster?” Christian asked.

“Fuck you, you bloodsucker!” Mark yelled, his fear of what could happen to his mate transferring to the vampire.

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“I won’t take offense. He may be all right. Some wolves have no symptoms at all. I am truly sorry, Alpha, that I can’t be of any more help. And to his mate, I truly do apologize rogues attacked him. This will be dealt with. I do not take rogues in my territory lightly.” Maverick thanked him and hung up.

“What’s feral?” Mark asked.

“For us, Caden would crave bloodlust. Kill indiscriminately for no other reason than the taste of blood. There would be no reasoning with him, no talking him down. Some remain in wolf form, savagely tearing throats out.”

“Sounds like summer camp,” Mark tried to joke while he wanted to scream the injustice of it all.

“You love him?” Maverick leaned back in his chair.

Mark scrubbed his face before dropping his arms onto his knees.

“I don’t know. All I know is that when I’m around Caden, my heart’s lighter, and I want to laugh all the time. Sounds so damn mushy.”

“We’ve all been there. Still are,” Maverick assured him.

“I’ve only known the guy a day. When I went back to the city, I looked at other guys, you know, to see if it was about being gay. But none of them interested me, not even the women. My vision has narrowed to one man that yaps around me like an excited little pup that makes me want to wrap him in cotton and protect him from the world…and I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud.” Mark groaned.

Hawk chuckled. “Look at me. Do I look like the kind of guy that melts when my mate smiles?”

Mark looked over at Hawk. “No, you look like you eat kittens for breakfast.”

“Exactly, so don’t be ashamed of the way you feel about Caden, and fuck anybody who thinks you weak.”

“As the wise once told me, they can all eat weenies.” George chuckled.

“I’m not ashamed. I just never was one to express feelings, you know. Girly stuff,” Mark corrected him.

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“There’s nothing girly about telling your mate you love him and showing how much he means to you,” Maverick defended.

“I just hope I get the chance to.” Mark leaned back, looking up at the ceiling as an overwhelming feeling of loss rode him. Everyone fell silent, waiting for the doctor to finish.

Maverick placed his forearms on his desk. “I really thought you would fight this, give Caden a hard road to travel before you claimed him.” Maverick chuckled. “I told him you were buried deep in the closet.”

Mark furrowed his brow in thought. He tossed that around, as well, but came up with another conclusion. “I don’t think I was. I really think it’s just Caden.”

“Whatever it is, I’m glad he didn’t have an emotional battle with convincing you.” Maverick sat back as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

It was well past midnight when the doctor emerged from the room and met the group in the den. “I’ve stopped the bleeding, and his wolf form seems to be fighting, not giving up. He’s young. That’s in his favor. All you can do is wait now. The next few hours will let you know what’s going to happen to him.” Maverick thanked the doctor, showing him out. Mark slipped into the bedroom, climbing onto the bed, rubbing his hand up and down his mate’s fur. “You really are beautiful, pup.” He stroked him, careful of his wounds.

Caden whimpered.

“I’m right here. Not going anywhere,” Mark assured him, and this seemed to relax the wolf.

Mark stayed with his mate the whole time, stepping into the bathroom briefly to shower, then lying naked in the bed and covering them both with a sheet. He studied Caden’s muzzle, his eyes, ears, and the blond color of his fur. Mark lifted a paw, studying how small they were.

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Mark held his breath as Caden finally opened his eyes. Well, his mate didn’t die, but would he be feral? The wolf just watched him awhile, fear evident in his chocolate brown eyes. “It’s okay. You can shift,” Mark soothed him.

“You came back,” Caden said in a soft and frightened tone.

“Pup, I wasn’t going anywhere. I only went to the city to sell the shop. I wanted to open one here, to be with you.” Caden began to cry. “I’m sorry.” His body shook as he curled up next to Mark.

Mark pulled him close, running his hands through Caden’s hair.

“You’re safe, and that’s all that matters. We’ll talk about your punishment later.”

Caden wiped his eyes, “Y–yes, sir.” He hiccupped, cuddling closer into Mark’s arms. “Is Maverick mad at me?”

“I wouldn’t say either of us was thrilled to find you almost dead on a city street.”

Caden’s eyes widened. “You looked for me?”

“Of course I did. You’re my mate. You think I would have left you out there all alone?” Mark ran his knuckles down Caden’s cheek, happy his mate had survived the ordeal intact.

“You know?”

Mark growled. “Don’t ever hide secrets from me again, understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“How do you feel?”

“Good. I’m healed. A little stiff, but no lasting damage.” Mark rolled Caden under him, kissing him softly as he shifted his leg between his pup’s. He held both Caden’s wrists in his hand above his mate’s head. “Don’t move them.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mark smiled. He kissed his way down Caden’s soft skin until his mate’s cock nudged him in the chin. No time like the present to learn
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something new. Caden whimpered, thrusting his hips up. “Hold still.” Mark nipped his hip.

Holding Caden’s cock in his hand, Mark studied it. It looked like a cock, felt like one, too. Mark wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but nothing came to mind. No repulsion or hesitation. This was Caden, his mate. It felt natural and right.

Clear liquid seeped out from the tiny eye. Mark stuck his tongue out and tasted it.

Not bad.

Salty.

He licked around the head as he saw his mate fighting not to move. Mark reached down, cupping Caden’s balls and rolling them around in his hand. They were firm and smooth. He let his fingers trial over the wrinkled pattern, getting acquainted with his mate’s body.

Mark licked a trail from tip to base then back up again, Caden’s pleasure radiating outward as he moaned. Mark wetted his thumb then slowly pushed inside his mate’s tight star, the muscle squeezing around his digit. He slowly pumped it as he sucked Caden’s hard cock.

“I want…”

“Hush, pup,” Mark growled as he took the tip back into his mouth.

Caden whimpered. Mark pulled the cock from between his lips, chuckling. “What do you want?”

“I want you to fuck me,” Caden whined, his legs trembling from obeying Mark’s command.

“Have no doubt about that. You will be.” Mark sucked him in, careful not to choke. Caden bucked, crying out for Mark to do something, anything, to relieve the pressure. He slid his thumb free, kissing the head of Caden’s cock, before rising. Mark crawled up the smaller man’s body. “Got any lube?”

“Don’t know, not my room.” Caden panted, his eyes locked onto Mark’s.

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Mark checked the drawer.
Bingo.
He wondered briefly if Maverick stocked it in all the rooms.

Squirting some onto his fingers, Mark laid the bottle on the bed. It couldn’t be any different than preparing a female for anal sex. He slid a finger in, being as gentle as he could be, knowing his mate was new at this. Caden’s muscles resisted at first, a reflex that was common.

“Relax, baby, let me in.” Mark ran his finger over the soft flesh inside of Caden’s hot sheath.

“Mark!”

“Like that?” Mark chuckled.

“God, yes.”

Mark wasn’t going to tell him that Maverick had pulled him aside and given him a few pointers on man love. As embarrassing as it was, Mark paid attention to everything the Alpha had told him, especially about the prostate.

Mark added a second then a third finger, stretching his mate until he felt Caden was ready. Caden whimpered, his ass trying to follow Mark’s fingers as he scooted down the bed.

He tapped Caden’s hip. “Behave.”

“But it felt good,” Caden complained.

“I have something that will feel even better.” Mark wiggled his eyebrows, getting a laugh out of his mate.

God, it was so good to hear him laugh again. Maverick had also informed him that condoms weren’t a necessity. Shifters couldn’t catch human diseases. This would be the first time he had sex without one since his girlfriend in high school.

Mark lubed his cock thoroughly, tossed the bottle aside, and then pushed his mate’s legs back. “Tell me if you need me to stop.”

* * * *

Caden nodded, digging his fingers into Mark’s large and tattooed biceps. They felt powerful under his hands, still amazed this god was
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his. He felt a pinch, then a burning sensation, and then more pinching.

Caden breathed through it, just as the mates instructed him. He wasn’t that naïve. He knew it would hurt the first time. Embarrassed but determined, he had asked their advice.

Caden wasn’t stupid enough to think he would be topping Mark.

The man was pure Alpha. He wouldn’t have been comfortable doing it either. The mates were more than happy to explain things to him.

Cecil got way too graphic, and Johnny was too sketchy. The guy couldn’t explain his way out of a paper bag. Blair…well, Mark’s teeth were too blunt, and he wasn’t sure he wanted his mate to bite him. He would never understand Blair’s need for being bitten by his mate, but Caden wasn’t one to judge. He had listened to it all, and saw that they all agreed on a few pointers. Breathe your way through it and push down. That’s what Caden did, and some of the pain eased.