The Alpha's Pack (7 page)

She heard fabric sliding against skin, but couldn’t see because Sam wouldn’t let go. Then Sam moaned loudly, his hand releasing her.

They both looked and saw Jake going down on Sam.

“That’s amazing,” Sam said, breathing heavily.

It was pretty hot. She’d never seen a guy go down on another guy before today. Come to think of it, until this evening she’d never seen anyone go down on someone else before, not in real life, not when she wasn’t a part of it. But to think of Jake and Sam together felt good. Right. And really hot.

Sam put his hand back on her neck and tugged her back to his lips. “Love you,” he murmured before he kissed her, just as long and deep and hard as before.

His moans got louder and longer, his breathing more erratic. He seemed like he was getting close to coming. It was an entirely new experience to have her partner nearing orgasm when she was barely touching him.

Then he tossed his head back, his body going stiff. Jake made a little choking noise. This was probably his first time sucking another man—and his first time swallowing. When Sam finished, Jake wiped his hand across his mouth.

“Thanks,” Sam said. “That was amazing.”

“No need to thank me. You’re probably going to be pissed at what comes next.”

The smile fell off Sam’s face. “What comes next?”

Jake’s gaze settled on Deirdre. “I’m fucking our mate.”

“But—”

“You’re too injured to participate.” Jake slapped Sam’s thigh. “But feel free to watch.” He jumped over Sam’s legs, the mattress bouncing wildly, and pulled Deirdre under him. “Hi, honey.” Jake kissed her.

Deirdre wrapped her arms around him, and then her legs. Thank God Jake had chosen to do it this way. She needed sex, needed not to worry about hurting Sam, needed to just let go and forget.

His hands moved over her body as though he’d touched her a million times. She couldn’t believe they’d only found each other that morning. That very, very long ago morning.

She squeezed him close, wrapping herself around him. She placed open-mouthed kisses on his neck, his shoulder, his chest, while he fumbled with the zipper on her pants. “Let’s just stand up and strip,” she said.

“That would be too easy,” he murmured against her neck.

Deirdre pushed at his chest. “Get up. I want to get naked.”

Laughter rumbled in his chest. He stood and helped her up. Then they alternated stripping their own clothes off and stripping each other’s off with lots of kisses in between. Finally, both of them were naked and they tumbled back onto the bed.

Sam had moved back to his original spot on the side of the bed, leaving them more room. He’d also propped all the pillows under him so he could see better. He rubbed his chest as he eyed them. “Don’t blame me if you get me hard again.”

“After that blowjob I gave you? You better not get hard any time soon.” Jake curled one hand over her breast, gently kneading it. He shifted his hips so he lay more firmly between her legs, then thrust and suddenly he was inside her.

“Just like that?” she said.

Jake smiled as he started a moderately fast rhythm, sliding in and out of her with a wonderful friction, the little hairs on his pubis scraping deliciously against her clit with each thrust. His teeth nipped at her neck, teasing the mating mark, making it come alive once again.

For her part, Deirdre planted her legs on the bed and met him thrust for thrust. She held him tight, careful not to dig her nails into his back. Occasionally, her claws would come out when she had an orgasm, and that would be bad if they shot straight into his back like a switchblade.

Without missing a stroke, Jake took her face in his hand so he could look into her eyes. “You’re amazing.” He kissed her again before she could answer.

Then Jake reared back on his knees, shifting her legs so they hung over his thighs. He took hold of his cock and slid the head over her clit. At first she didn’t feel much but then her clit began to respond with a vengeance. Her body tensed, her legs wrapping around his tighter and tighter, and her breathing hitched.

“What are you doing?” Deirdre grabbed onto the sheets, as though doing that could anchor her.

Smiling, Jake said, “Just a little trick I picked up. You like?”

“Love it,” she said, her voice strangled. That was all she could manage as she toppled over the edge, her body tensing and then shuddering out of control.

Jake waited until she’d come down, then crawled backward. “On your knees.”

What an alpha. He couldn’t
ask
. And she couldn’t complain. He was a little dictatorial, but he took care of his own. She flipped over and settled onto her knees, legs spread and hips thrust upward.

One hand on her lower back, he fed his cock into her pussy. It was an entirely different sensation, like he was hitting her in completely different spots. He reached around and fingered her clit while he pounded into her.

“I’m gonna cum again,” she moaned.

“That’s the idea.” His voice sounded breathy and hoarse. “Hopefully right around the time I do. Which is soon.”

He fucked her harder, faster, and she felt her body tensing as much from the onslaught as from the feeling of his rough fingers against her clit.

“Soon.” She pressed her cheek against the mattress.

“Now.” Jake pressed his fingers hard against her clit. “Now!” With one final thrust, he held himself inside her, his cock jerking.

She came, her body at his mercy, no longer under her control. Her body, her life, all his.

It seemed they came for hours. Afterward, Deirdre and Jake curled up beside Sam, touching him but careful not to hurt him. All three of them fell asleep.

***

Jake and Deirdre stood side by side in the little park across from the soccer field. Ted had reluctantly agreed to meet at the park, but had insisted on choosing the time—midnight, when most of the city was asleep. Jake took a long nap in the afternoon, snuggled between his two mates, so he felt rested and ready to fight.

The three of them had arrived a little early. Ted and his cronies weren’t there yet, but a few of Sam’s friends were sitting on blankets at the edge of the field, and some of the pack members Deirdre had called were milling around the park looking worried. Jake and Deirdre left Sam with his friends and crossed into the park.

Cerise, an old friend of Deirdre’s sister Maeve, came over to them. “Are you sure we can do this?”

“Watch the fight?” Jake said.

Cerise looked up at him, her eyes going wide. “Yes,” she said in a small voice. Her voice got stronger as she went on. “Ted doesn’t like us to come to the challenges.”

“Ted doesn’t like anything that doesn’t keep you in line,” Jake said.

Cerise stiffened. “He’s been an all right Alpha.”

“Really, Cerise?” Deirdre said.

Cerise shrugged and looked away. “I’ve heard of worse Alphas. At least he didn’t rape any of us, or demand tribute.”

“That’s not a very rousing endorsement,” Jake said. He looked at her until he caught her eyes with his. “If I win today, I’ll lead you better than that. I won’t try to trap the women, and I won’t run off the strong men. I’ll make sure our pack is a safe, strong group that protects its own, no matter how weak or strong.”

He felt like he was campaigning, but that was exactly what was needed. He’d said “if I win” but he believed he would win. And when he did, he would need the support of the pack members who were staying with him. Some would leave if Ted weren’t in charge. And good riddance. He needed the rest to back him up.

Cerise blinked. “If you win. And if Ted wins, as he always does, those of us who piss him off will be in trouble.”

“You don’t have to stand by my side tonight,” Jake said. “Just think about what I said. When I take over the pack, I’ll need wolves like you.”

She looked like she was considering his words. Then across the park, people started shouting, some of them cheering. Cerise scurried off.

Was this Ted, with his entourage? And Jake had—not much. His biggest supporters were across the road. Not too far away, but it felt like a gulf. And all the Stonewall Pack members who’d shown up were giving him a wide berth.

It didn’t matter. Deirdre was with him, and they needed to get Bridget back. This wasn’t a popularity contest. This was war.

Deirdre put her hand on his back. He felt her strength and added it to his own. With her and Sam behind him, he couldn’t lose. He wouldn’t lose.

Jake stayed where he was, so Ted would have to come to him. It would be more appropriate for him to walk forward and meet Ted, but then they’d be even further from the edge of the territory. If this was going to work, he needed to be able to access Chris’ wolves if necessary. So instead of walking forward, Jake took a step back.

That worked just fine. Ted was close enough so they could see each other’s faces. When Jake stepped backward, he saw Ted’s expression. Ted thought Jake was scared. All the better. Jake stepped back again, and again.

“Where’re you going?” Ted called out, his arms outstretched. “Running already?”

“Just giving you enough room to get your ego on the field,” Jake called back.

Chapter 7

A ripple of laughter spread through the Roanoke Pack members. Jake couldn’t take his eyes off Ted long enough to look back, but it definitely sounded like their numbers had grown.

Deirdre did look back. “That must be half their pack,” she whispered. “And more are still showing up.”

Chris had come through in a big way. And Ted didn’t like it one bit. He swaggered toward Jake, arms out. “Is this why you wanted to fight here? So you could bring backup?”

“Fair’s fair.” Jake nodded at Ted’s entourage. “If you have backup, there’s no reason I shouldn’t.”

Ted continued past Jake, up to the edge of the road. “What are you doing, Chris? Trying to take over my pack?”

Chris stepped forward. “We’re just here for the show.”

“You’ve never come to our challenges before.”

“You’ve never held them any place where we could attend.”

Sam stepped up beside Chris.

“Ah, I see. One of your lapdogs is involved in this.” Ted stabbed a finger at Sam. “He’d better be ready to swear fealty to me or lose his pretty mate.”

“Both my mates,” Sam said.

Ted sneered. “Your other mate will soon be dead.”

“No need for that,” Chris said.

“Mind your own business.” Ted swung back to face Jake. “Ready? Let’s fight.”

Ted charged at Jake. Deirdre barely had time to stumble out of the way.

Jake grabbed Ted’s arms. The two men grappled. It didn’t make sense that Ted hadn’t changed. Wolves always changed in order to fight. But there wasn’t time to do that now, not unless they paused the fight.

Ted threw himself to the side, breaking their stranglehold on each other. He threw a punch. Jake dodged it, dipping underneath Ted’s arm to plow into his mid-section. Both the men fell to the ground.

Jake bounced up first and took a few steps back while Ted struggled to his feet. “Don’t you want to fight as a wolf?”

“You have some problem with fighting in human form?” Ted brought his fists up.

“Not at all. I just thought most challenges were fought as wolves.”

Ted bared his teeth. “We’ll fight it however I please. Now shut up.” He took another swing at Jake.

Jake ducked again. As Ted recovered, Jake slammed his fist into Ted’s stomach.

“Jake!” Deirdre screamed. Cries of outrage broke out from the other side of the road.

He swung around to see the wolf from the other night—Marcus—in wolf form, jumping for his throat. He threw one arm up to protect his neck from Marcus’ jaws and hit him hard in the head with his other hand.

The wolf failed to get a good grip on Jake’s arm before he got hit in the head, so he went flying to the side. By the time Jake turned back to Ted, the Alpha had changed into a wolf.

Dirty trick. No wonder he won all his challenges. Jake was at a distinct disadvantage unless he could manage to change himself.

Sam’s voice yelled at him a second before a growl sounded from behind him. Jake twirled to see Marcus in mid-leap. Then a silver wolf slammed into Marcus from the side. Deirdre.

Jake turned back to face Ted, sure the Alpha would take this opportunity to attack. Sure enough, Ted crouched to jump, teeth bared.

If Ted could change, then Jake could use a weapon. He looked around for a rock, anything, but had to settle for a piece of a branch. He took a couple of steps to the side and grabbed it.

“Hey, no fair!” one of Ted’s men said.

“No fair?” Sam yelled. “You want fair, you pause the fight so Jake can change.”

A loud yelp drew Jake’s attention. Marcus lay on his side, his neck a bloody mess. Deirdre jumped in between Jake and Ted. She glanced back at Jake and tossed her head.

He knew what she wanted. She wanted him to change while she held Ted off. But what if she got hurt?

Marcus’ breathing sounded loud, even above the shouting of the crowd. Deirdre did that.

Jake dropped the stick and pulled off his clothes while he started to shift. He had to shake off the last of the clothing once he reached wolf form. Still it was the fastest he’d ever shifted in his life.

Deirdre and Ted circled each other, snarling. Jake stopped by Deirdre and bumped her sidelong. It was time for her to leave. Time for him to finish this.

Jake crouched and sprung before Ted could even get off the ground. He landed on top of Ted and snapped at his neck, trying to catch some skin underneath the fur. He’d rip his fucking throat out.

Ted wiggled and managed to get out from under Jake. The Alpha danced away a few feet before baring his teeth again. His head bobbed quickly, his eyes on someone behind Jake.

Up to more tricks? Jake couldn’t turn to look, but it was okay. Deirdre had his back.

***

Sam paced, then fidgeted, then bounced on his toes. He didn’t think he could stand another second of waiting by the sidelines, watching his mates fighting and being unable to help them. He’d nearly crawled out of his skin while Deirdre fought the wolf who had stabbed Sam. Even when she left him bloody and probably dying, Sam still worried the wolf would jump up and hurt her.