Mating Games (2 page)

It helped build their relationship. He would do anything for Aiden without even thinking about it, and he knew Aiden felt the same.

He longed for a mate more than he longed for air. Sebastian had seen how wonderful it was to be mated from his mom and dad. They were so in love, and even as young as he was, he always knew he couldn’t wait for his mate. He knew he had waited longer than others, but not as long as some, to find his mate, but he always thought having two he would find one early.

It seemed no one told fate that, though. He knew Deltas were lonelier than most unmated wolves since they were always on the outskirts of their pack. Sebastian just couldn’t bring himself to have random sex. The idea of meaningless hook-ups or one-night stands made his skin crawl. After seeing the love his parents had, he knew that was all he wanted.

On the other hand, he remembered what happened to his mom after his dad was killed. It was eighteen years ago. A vampire had infiltrated the pack and killed off the werewolves one at a time.

Werewolf blood was stronger to vampires than human blood and helped their power grow. He hated vampires with a passion, nothing more than blood sucking leeches to him. They took and took from everyone around them and gave nothing back.

Some packs had no problem with vampires, and he had heard of some wolves being mated to them. The few vampires he’d ever met he couldn’t stand to be around, and after one murdered his dad, Sebastian would have no problem if they were all dead.

Finishing his shower, he noticed his cock was hard. He knew the reasons for his overactive sex drive, but the repercussions from it were difficult. Like having a hard-on most of the time. He could take care of that before bed with his lover, his right hand. He hung the towel he used to dry off on the rack and headed to bed. Crawling under the sheets, naked as usual—Sebastian wasn’t a big fan of pajamas—he thought of his perfect mate.

His mate would have wild red curls, he fantasized as he started to work his cock. He’d have a strong profile, with bright green eyes.

Sebastian dreamed of broad shoulders and ripped pecs, and he started to pant at the images. Stroking himself faster, he thought of his mate having wonderful abs and a nice firm ass. His mate had to have muscular thighs, hopefully being almost as tall as he was.

Sebastian grew close to coming as he pictured his dream mate’s cock, long and thick, with a perfect mushroom head and sensitive to the touch, and his cum would taste like heaven. That thought pushed Sebastian over the edge as he grunted, shooting his cum all over his hand and stomach. After a few moments, he took the washcloth he brought to bed, cleaned himself up, and fell asleep to the idea of his perfect mate.

* * * *

Midmorning the next day, Sebastian headed to Alpha Rodrick’s house with his plan all worked out. A few minutes later, he pulled into the Alpha’s driveway. Taking a deep breath and hoping they didn’t see right through his ruse, he locked up his car and walked to the front door. He knocked and waited, trying to clear his mind and keep calm.

“Can I help you?” a middle-aged woman asked, opening the door.

“Good morning, ma’am, I’m looking for Alpha Rodrick.”

“Your name, young man?” she asked suspiciously.

“Sebastian Rule, ma’am. I realize I come unannounced, but if I could speak with the Alpha I can explain. I swear on my honor I mean you and yours no harm.”

“All right, come in, but wait by the door. Let me see if Alpha Rodrick is taking visitors,” she replied, walking hurriedly away into the house. Sebastian stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. He looked around from where he stood. It looked like any normal house, maybe a few too many knickknacks, but nothing sinister.

“Can I help you?” a voice asked from behind him, coming from the other room.

“Hello, sir, I’m looking for Alpha Rodrick.”

“You’ve found him, but tell me why I have an unannounced, unknown Delta standing in my foyer?” Alpha Rodrick asked calmly but sternly, giving off a no-nonsense vibe.

“I will explain fully, but I ask that this conversation be kept in confidence, Alpha,” Sebastian said. When the Alpha nodded, he continued. “I’m looking for a new pack. I’ve had some issues with my Alpha, so I contacted the council and asked for a list of packs that don’t have a Delta. I’ve visited a few already. Your pack was on the list. As a Delta, you know I can’t just go roaming through the town that has a local pack.

“The first thing I’d like to know is do you want a Delta in your pack?” he asked, giving Alpha Rodrick a once-over. The man looked like a scholar, a scholar with lots of muscles, of course, but still a scholar.

“I have no reason to not want a Delta, but I’m not saying I want any Delta. It would have to be a case-by-case basis. Why don’t you join me in my study and we can talk,” Rodrick replied, turning and walking away. Sebastian trailed behind him and noticed that the house was a lot larger on the inside than it looked from the outside.

“I appreciate your taking the time to see me, Alpha Rodrick. I do apologize for just dropping in on you, but given the circumstances, I didn’t want to broadcast I was looking for a new pack.”

“I understand,” Rodrick replied, gesturing to a chair across from the one he just took in his study.

“Thank you, Alpha.”

“So tell me what your current Alpha has done to make you seek a new home.”

“My Alpha seems to think the job of a Delta is to be a hired thug for an Alpha. He punishes me for taking assignments given to me by the council, which, of course, supersedes Alpha authority. Also, he has ordered me on occasion to whip pack members who have broken no laws or gone rogue. He believes in browbeating pack members who don’t agree with him.”

“Have you reported these actions to the council?”

“Yes, Alpha, I have. You know how long it takes for them to investigate and make a decision. In the meantime, I’m receiving almost nonstop punishments for something I should never be asked to do. I’m not sure how much longer I can take it.”

“I don’t blame you. Where does your Alpha think you are now?”

Rodrick asked.

“I left word that I had a family emergency. My sister lives on the East Coast with her mate. She knows to say I’m there if anyone calls, and I thought of joining her pack, but they already have a Delta.”

Sebastian hoped the Alpha wouldn’t catch his blatant lie. He didn’t even have a sister.

“Are you nervous, son?”

“Yes, sir, you can imagine how bad my punishment would be from my Alpha if he found out I was here.”

“I was wondering why that statement didn’t smell like the truth. It didn’t smell like a lie, mind you, but just not quite right,” Rodrick replied pensively.

“I’m sorry, Alpha, but you understand the risk I’m taking by talking to you.”

“Yes, I do, and I can appreciate the position you’re in. Do you have any mates you would bring to the pack?”

“No, Alpha, I have yet to find my mates, unfortunately.”

“Shame, it’s always nice to have new blood enter a pack,”

Rodrick said with some thought. “I’ll tell you what, Sebastian, I’m inclined to say yes, but to be fair, I’d like to call my Betas over and have them meet you.”

“I would be honored, Alpha, thank you,” Sebastian replied with a smile.

“Good, give me a few minutes to make some calls, and feel free to look around my library.” Sebastian just nodded at the Alpha before he turned and walked out of the study, closing the door behind him. It seemed Alpha Rodrick was buying his story, but he could tell the man was intelligent. He’d have to be on guard as to what he said. He stayed seated while he waited for Rodrick but took a good look around the room.

Alpha Rodrick definitely liked to read or at least have a lot of books. He was also very neat. His desk was cleared off except for a few things and had no clutter in sight. This guy was careful, leaving nothing personal or pack-related out in the open. Smart. There wasn’t any way he’d take Sebastian to see the kidnapped human, if there was one.

Sebastian could only hope that he got a tour of pack land, that way he could scavenge the area later. If he was really lucky, maybe one of the Betas would confide in him, tell him more about the Alpha if he wasn’t happy with him. He highly doubted that they would say anything to a stranger, unless Rodrick was up to something really awful.

“My Betas will be here in about ten minutes,” Rodrick said, coming back into the study. “They both seemed very excited at the possibility of having an experienced Delta in the pack. That would help their job, after all, since one of a Delta’s jobs is to handle communication with the council.”

“Of course, Alpha. I handle that for my current pack along with most security issues.”

“Really? Well, that would be a nice addition to our pack as well,”

he replied thoughtfully. “Do you mind if I ask some other basic questions while we wait?”

“No, Alpha, my life is an open book to you,” Sebastian said with his brightest smile. “I can’t think of anything I’d not be willing to tell you, except about my current pack, unless we agree to the change of packs.”

“I understand your reluctance, and hopefully in time you will learn to trust me. I feel trust is one of the most important roles of an Alpha. Any pack member should feel they can tell me anything,”

Rodrick replied with his own smile.

Sebastian patiently answered the Alpha’s questions, trying to stay as close to the truth as possible. Most of them were basic, age, education, current role in his pack, hobbies, what he knew about the area, those sorts of things. He started to get into some harder questions, more theological. What did he see as the role of an Alpha, what did he like about being part of a pack, what did he dislike?

Alpha Rodrick stood as there was a knock on the study door. He let in two men about Sebastian’s size, maybe a few inches shorter and less muscular. He stood and shook their hands, and introductions were made. Sebastian had to repeat why he was looking for a new pack, but he had anticipated that.

“Wow, sounds like your pack is all kinds of messed up,” the Beta who had been introduced to him as Jake said.

“I can see why you’d want to leave,” the other Beta, named Mike, added.

“I appreciate your understanding my position. I’ve told Alpha Rodrick that I’ve visited a few packs that didn’t have a Delta. They weren’t as—How do I put this gently?—accepting of the idea of having a Delta,” Sebastian told them.

“Why ever not?” Rodrick asked.

“Being a Delta can be very dangerous, and not all packs like that we have gifts they can’t control. One of the packs I saw gave me the distinct impression they would have loved to have my hide. When the Alpha went to call his Betas, he didn’t have a door to the kitchen to close, and I could hear part of the conversation. I got the hell out of there as fast as I could!”

“Oh, man! That sucks. We don’t feel that way about Deltas here,”

Mike told him. So far, everyone smelled of the truth and calm, and it really gave him no reason for concern.

“Alpha Rodrick mentioned something about you handling security for your pack. How exactly does that work?” Jake asked.

“I make sure any pack communication is encrypted, mostly by helping pack members install programs on their computers and chips in their phones. None of our communication can be tapped into or recorded. Also, my current Alpha keeps me apprised of all pack situations for my opinion if I feel anyone is becoming a security issue.

I’ve handled installations of pack security systems, as well as been brought in as an enforcer if need to be.

“Don’t get me wrong, I know there really isn’t too much of a set job description for a Delta, and I’m flexible. However, the past year I’ve gone from sometimes being needed as an enforcer to the Alpha’s thug. I feel very strongly that goes against the purpose of a Delta and how my gifts should be used,” Sebastian told them.

“Son, I agree with you. That’s not how we do things here. We are a pretty peaceful pack,” Alpha Rodrick replied. “We don’t allow domestic abuse or child abuse. We take those laws very seriously.”

“How do you feel about vampires?” Mike asked, watching Sebastian’s response.

“I’m not a fan. I’ve only met a couple, but a Delta lives a secluded life. If the pack deals with them or has some as mates, I won’t have too much interaction. That being said, my father was killed by one when I was a boy, and I have yet to see a vampire that brings something to a pack. I realize that with my lack of experience being around them, I could be wrong,” Sebastian replied with a shrug.

“What about humans?” Jake asked.

“Met a few, seemed nice to me, but I’m not stupid. I know all humans probably aren’t nice. I’ve been sent to hunt some who have found out about werewolves and have made it their mission in life to wipe us out. Other than that, I really don’t have an opinion either way.

Don’t know enough about them to make a choice.”

“You seem to have a very accepting nature, Sebastian,” Mike said.

“We like that in our pack. We’re not fans of people with radical opinions.”

“I try. I’m a pretty easygoing guy. I admit my opinions of vampires aren’t the best, but I’m not on a mission to wipe them all out or anything. You have to understand, I was ten when my father was murdered by one, and that gets ingrained into your very fiber at that age.”

“I get that, but as you said, you’re not trying to kill them all. So I wouldn’t say you have an out-of-whack opinion of them. I think we can all agree given what your family went through. We could all be in the same place,” Jake replied.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” Sebastian said with a smile.

“So, Alpha Rodrick also told us that you gave your current Alpha some excuse as to why you were away from your pack. No one knows you’re here?” Mike asked. That question made the hairs on the back of Sebastian’s neck stand up. He didn’t want to be caught in the lie, so he simply nodded.

“How do you feel about reporting things to the council?” Rodrick asked, placing his hand on Sebastian’s knee. His touch startled Sebastian, so he turned toward the man.

“In general I discuss anything with the inner circle before ever saying anything to the council. The current situation with my current Alpha, however, is to the extreme and needed the council’s intervention,” he replied.