Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf [Wolf Creek Pack 6] (11 page)

shrugged his shoulders. “He’s your friend,” Ben said. “You tell him.”

Audley wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what Stefan had to say

when the man turned back to face him. The resigned look on Stefan’s

face didn’t help matters much. It didn’t provoke confidence in

Audley. In fact, it scared the crap out of him.

“Stefan?” he whispered.

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Stefan patted Audley’s leg. “It’s okay, Audley. It’s not a bad

thing.”

“What isn’t?” Audley cried out. “What are you talking about?”

“When Ben licked the blood off your hand, he discovered

something, something very important,” Stefan said. “He wanted me to

taste your blood to confirm his suspicions and he’s right.”

“Please, just tell me,” Audley begged. “Am I dying?”

“Oh God, no, Audley,” Stefan said. He stood up and stepped

closer, his arms encircling Audley. Ben instantly took Stefan’s place,

kneeling behind Stefan at Audley's feet. “It’s nothing like that, I

swear.”

“You’re safe, little one,” Ben said softly.

“Don’t you see, Audley?” Stefan asked as he released Audley and

stepped over to kneel down next to Ben. “You’re our mate.”

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75

Chapter 5

Ben watched a variety of emotions cross Audley’s face,

everything from fear to disbelief to a touch of hope. He imagined the

man felt much like he did when he discovered Stefan was his mate

and claimed him.

Ben reeled from the knowledge that he had two mates, not one. It

didn’t happen often, but it did happen. Ben couldn’t help but wonder

why fate chose him to have two mates. As scared as Audley was of

him, he also had to wonder if it was all some cosmic joke.

“It’s going to be okay, Audley,” Ben said. “You don’t have to be

afraid anymore. Stefan and I will take good care of you, keep you

safe. No one can hurt you anymore.”

“You…you don’t understand,” Audley whispered. “Dane is giving

me to Oliver as soon as we get home. I’m going to belong to him.”

It was all Ben could do to suppress his growl. Audley belonged to

him and Stefan now. Dane and Oliver would never get their hands on

the man, not if he had anything to say about it. And he did.

Ben patted Audley’s hand, then stood to his feet. He walked over

to the phone and picked it up. A moment later he heard Albert answer,

just the man he wanted to talk to.

“Albert, it’s Ben Nobles,” he said. “I’m in the study with Stefan

and Audley. We’ve had a little development here, and I need to see

the prince and Devlin, but I don’t want anyone else to know. Can you

arrange that?”

“Of course, sir,” Albert replied. “I’ll arrange it immediately.”

“You’re a gem, Albert.”

“Of course, sir.”

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Ben chuckled as he hung up the phone and turned back to look at

Stefan and Audley. “Devlin and Prince Zacarius should be here

momentarily. They will help us ensure that Dane and Oliver never get

their hands on you again, Audley.”

“How?”

Ben walked back over to kneel behind Stefan again. He wrapped

his arm around Stefan’s shoulder and pulled him back against his

larger body. He smiled as he felt Stefan nuzzle the side of his neck

and grabbed Stefan’s hand and squeezed it to reassure his mate.

“I need to ask you a question, Audley,” Ben said, “and I need you

to be perfectly honest with me, okay?”

Audley nodded.

“I want you to understand something first. You have three choices

here, and Stefan and I will ensure that whichever choice you make,

that it’s carried out, no matter what anyone says. Understand?”

Audley swallowed, then nodded again.

“Your first choice is to go home with Oliver and Dane.” When

Audley rapidly shook his head, Ben held up his hand to stop him.

“Wait until I’m done, okay?”

Once Audley settled down, Ben continued. “Your second choice

is to request asylum from Prince Zacarius,” Ben said. “I know he’d

give it to you, protect you with his life, as would his mate, Devlin.”

“And my third choice?” Audley asked hesitantly.

“Your third choice, Audley,” Ben said, “is to have Stefan and I

claim you and go home with us as our mate. I know that Prince

Zacarius and his royal consort will support whichever decision you

make.”

“You really want me?” Audley gasped. “Both of you?”

Ben nodded. He felt Stefan’s head move against his chest as he

nodded, too. “Yes, Audley, we do.”

“And you think that the prince will support my decision?”

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77

“I can guarantee it, Audley,” Ben replied. “Granted, I don’t know

much about your prince, but I do know Devlin. We’re from the same

pack. Devlin would never mate himself to a man he couldn’t respect.”

“Can I think about it?”

Ben grimaced, but nodded his head anyway. Time was of the

essence here. If Audley chose them, Ben wanted to claim the man

before anyone could stop him. While he believed the words he told

Audley, he’d feel better if he could claim Audley.

“We’re going to go over here and give you a few minutes alone,

okay?” Ben asked. “But you need to make your decision before

Prince Zacarius and Devlin arrive. I know that doesn’t give you much

time and I’m sorry for that, but it’s important, Audley.”

Ben climbed to his feet and pulled Stefan up with him. He

grabbed Stefan’s hand and pulled him over to stand in front of the

window, giving Audley privacy to think. Ben hoped he’d make the

right choice, but he had just met the man. He had no idea what

Audley would decide, but he knew someone who might.

Ben wrapped his arms around Stefan and hugged the smaller man

to his chest. He leaned down and rested his chin on top of Stefan’s

head. Ben just held Stefan for a few moments, savoring the feel of his

mate in his arms. No matter what Audley decided, at least he had

Stefan.

“Don’t worry, my big bad wolf,” Stefan whispered against Ben’s

chest. “Audley will choose us. He just needs to think about it, mull it

over in his mind. Audley has never been one to make snap decisions.”

“I wish I could be as confident as you, baby, but I have to admit

that I’m shaking in my boots here.” Ben leaned down and nuzzled the

top of Stefan’s head. “I don’t know what I will do if he denies us.”

Stefan tilted his head back and grinned up at Ben. “Trust me, he

won’t.”

Ben chuckled. “Sure of that, are you?”

“How could he possibly resist the two of us?”

“I guess I can’t.”

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Ben jumped and turned to find Audley standing next to them. He

hadn’t even heard the man walk up. Ben frowned. He must be losing

his edge. Either that or his worry clouded everything else.

“Can’t what, Audley?” Ben asked softly. The man looked like a

stiff wind might blow him over. Ben resolved that if Audley accepted

them, he’d get Stefan to cook the man some food and fatten him up a

bit.

“I can’t resist you,” Audley said. “If you still want me, then I

choose you and Stefan.”

Ben could see the fear in Audley’s pale blue eyes. He reached

over and held out his hand to Audley. Ben pulled the man in between

him and Stefan when he took the hand Ben held out to him. “We still

want you, Audley.”

“Then how do we do this?”

Ben chuckled. “Well, Stefan and I already started the process

when we took your blood. Now you just have to take ours.” Ben held

his wrist out to Audley. “The rest is up to you.”

Audley grabbed Ben’s arm and placed his mouth over Ben’s wrist.

Ben smiled down at him when his pale blue eyes flickered up to his.

“Go on, Audley. It’s okay.”

Elation filled Ben a moment later when Audley’s teeth sank into

his wrist. The soft pull as Audley suckled the blood from him nearly

made Ben’s knees give way. Having experienced Stefan’s particular

brand of biting during sex, Ben couldn’t wait to try out his new mate.

The mere thought made Ben’s cock harden to rock.

Stefan’s small gasp caught Ben’s attention. He glanced past the

erotic sight of Audley licking his wrist to see Stefan’s wide, sky-blue

eyes. Ben smirked. He knew Stefan could scent his arousal. The smell

surrounded them.

Ben also knew that Stefan felt the same arousal. His skin had

taken on the warm glow Ben always associated with Stefan being

ready for sex. It made Ben feel good to know he wasn’t the only one

affected by Audley.

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79

“My turn.” Stefan groaned as he pushed his wrist in front of

Audley’s face. Ben chuckled and pulled his own wrist away from

Audley. The small bite wound still bled a little. Ben held it out to

Stefan, cocking one eyebrow. Stefan leaned in and licked at the

wound.

Ben could feel the bond forming between the three of them as

Audley bit into Stefan’s wrist. It was a heady feeling, almost to the

point where Ben felt lightheaded. Not only would he have his

wonderful Stefan for the rest of his life, but Audley, the sweetestlooking man he’d ever laid eyes on.

Stefan made Ben burn with desire. He just needed to look at the

guy and he wanted to be deep inside of him. Stefan was the type of

man who made Ben want to capture him and fuck him into a wall.

Audley was uniquely different. Ben thought he’d met a delicate

man when he mated Stefan, but he didn’t even come close to being as

delicate as Audley looked. Ben would be surprised if the man

weighed more than a hundred pounds sopping wet. He looked like a

sprite, all fragile and dainty.

Audley made Ben want to cradle the man close to his body and

protect him from the evils of the world. He wanted to give the man so

much gentle pleasure that he never dreamed there could be anything

else. Ben wanted to fulfill all of Audley’s fantasies before the man

could even realize he had any. He wanted to consume Audley.

Ben couldn’t suppress the growl that worked its way up his throat.

Exchanging blood wasn’t the only part of claiming one’s mate. Ben

and Stefan needed to claim Audley sexually, too. Ben wanted to finish

the claiming right here and now, but the voices coming down the

hallway told him he’d run out of time. That part of the claiming

would have to wait.

“Close it, Audley,” Ben commanded. “Devlin and the prince are

coming.”

For a moment, Ben saw fire flash in Audley’s eyes as the man

looked up at him, and then Audley lowered his eyes. Ben groaned at

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the sight of Audley’s small pink tongue swiping against the bite mark

on Stefan’s wrist. His cock ached and he wondered what else the little

man could do with that tongue.

“Is–is it done?” Audley asked, his voice just barely above a

whisper.

“It’s done, Audley. You belong to Stefan and me now,” Ben

replied. He gently patted Audley on the shoulder. “No one can take

you away from us now—not Oliver, not Dane, not even Prince

Zacarius. You’re ours.”

Audley’s smile was tentative, but it was there. That was good

enough for Ben. He started to return Audley’s smile when the study

door opened. Ben stepped in front of Stefan and Audley, protecting

his mates from whoever came in. He let out a sigh of relief when he

saw Devlin and the prince.

“How’s your meeting going?” Ben asked as he let his body settle

into a less aggressive mode.

“Oliver’s an ass!” Devlin exclaimed.

“I’ve always thought so.” Stefan chuckled, stepping out from

behind Ben.

“Dane isn’t much better,” the prince griped.

“And they’re both going to get a lot worse when they find out that

Stefan and I just claimed Audley as our mate.” Ben held his breath as

he waited for the fallout from his words. It wasn’t long in coming.

“You did what?” Devlin asked.

“Audley is our mate,” Ben said. “Stefan and I have already

claimed him. I asked you here so that you could witness our claiming

marks. I don’t want Oliver or Dane to have any excuse for nullifying

our claim.”

Ben held out his wrist to Devlin and the prince. Stefan did the

same. Ben grabbed Audley’s wrist and held his hand out for Devlin

and Prince Zacarius to see. The cut he’d received had started to heal,

but the evidence still remained in the puckered pink flesh.

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81

“Audley belongs to us and we’ll be taking him home with us to

Wolf Creek when we leave,” Ben said. “Do you have any

disagreement with this?”

“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” Prince

Zacarius asked. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Ben.

“Would you deny mates being together?” Ben asked. “We didn’t

set out to claim Audley, but once we knew he was our mate, we

couldn’t deny him. Surely you know that?”

Prince Zacarius glanced at Devlin and smiled. “Yes, I’m quite

aware of the need to claim your mate.”

“Then you won’t deny our claim?”

The prince remained quiet for several long, agonizing moments,