Not My Wolf (8 page)

Corey stood in the jamb at his bedroom and watched Devin sleeping. His wounds had all closed and healed, and there wasn’t much left as far as discoloration—the perks of being born a shifter. He’d watched over Devin for the last few days at his house. As far as he was concerned, Devin wasn’t living anywhere but here from now on.

His lover shifted in the bed and threw off the comforter coving his head. “Hot,” he said. “How long do you plan to watch me sleep?”

Corey shrugged. “Until you stop faking and tell me what the hell you thought you were doing leaving my protection.”

Devin’s face colored for the first time that Corey could see. He sat up and threw his feet over the side of the bed. His cock rested against his belly, tempting Corey. He made no move to cover it again, and Corey didn’t pretend he didn’t like looking.

“I thought I was proving to you that I can be of use to you,” Devin admitted. “Granted, I went about it all wrong, but I did get results. You have to admit.”

Corey sneered and walked into the room. He didn’t move closer to Devin though, because if he did, he’d put the man back to bed and join him. First, they needed to talk. He strolled to the window and looked out, keeping his back to Devin. For the time being, it seemed the best way to keep his hands to himself.

“I am your Alpha, Devin. You do not disobey me. I told you I would handle things.”

“And you did.”

Corey jerked in surprise when Devin’s hands came around his waist. He fiddled with a button on Corey’s shirt and slid his hand past the barrier. The outside world no longer had interest for him when his mate ran his palm over Corey’s abs. Devin kissed his neck and breathed deep.

“You’re their Alpha,” Devin told him, dropping heavy hands on Corey’s shoulders and turning him around to face him. He reached up to pull Corey’s new Stetson off his head and tossed it across the room to land on a chair. “But we both know who’s the lead in this relationship.”

Corey raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re going to disrespect me again?”

“Never.”

Devin kissed his lips, and Corey strained to get closer. They embraced, each trying to prove they were the stronger man, the lead. Corey admitted that Devin was powerful, even qualified to govern the pack at his side. But right now they were just two men, desperately desiring one another. Corey pushed his tongue between Devin’s lips and tasted how good his mouth was. Devin ran his hands all over Corey’s body, ending at his ass. He squeezed and yanked Corey closer. Their cocks rubbed, driving Corey crazy. He needed to get out of his jeans and fast, but he pushed Devin back. His lover didn’t fight him. They both stood catching their breath.

“You’re not denying me, are you?” Devin asked.

Corey picked up on his doubt. He was almost floored by the devastation Devin felt at the prospect of Corey refusing him. “No, I’m not. I know we’re connected. I’m not saying I like it or that I’m comfortable because I’m not.” He moved around Devin and walked to the door. “Get cleaned up. We can talk more over breakfast. I had it delivered so you don’t have to go to the hall until you’re ready.”

He didn’t wait for Devin to answer but headed out to the kitchen and then brought the food to the living room. Devin would be more comfortable on the chairs here rather than the stiff, upright ones in the kitchen. He arranged a few pillows in preparation for him and opened the containers to fix Devin’s plate.

“Will this be a habit?” Devin asked when he came in. Corey frowned that the man had showered but hadn’t bothered to put on clothes. How the hell could he think if Devin was naked? Devin grinned as if he guessed what Corey was thinking.

“Will what become a habit?” he asked.

Devin waved his hand at the setup and sat on the opposite side of the couch from the place where Corey had made up for him. “This babying me. Not letting me go to the hall when I’m in perfect health, insisting that I spend more time than necessary in bed, and this serving me. Well, I don’t mind the serving so long as you’re less covered than you are now,” he drawled.

Corey swore. “We still can’t have a simple conversation without arguing. Have you forgotten that you were beaten to within an inch of your life?”

“I was in no danger of dying. I’m tougher than that,” Devin quipped. He put his feet up on the coffee table and tucked into his food.

“I felt your pain, you dumbass,” Corey growled.

Devin put his fork down and crooked a finger at him. “Come here, darlin’.”

Corey frowned.

“Come here, Corey,” Devin repeated.

Corey joined him on the couch, and Devin pulled him close. They tongue-kissed for a few minutes, Devin tasting like maple syrup. “I love you. No, don’t pull away. I love you so much, Corey. I did the first time I saw you, and I want to be with you every minute, day and night. But not because I’m scared someone will get me or that I might get hurt. That’s not the kind of man I am, and it’s not the kind of man I’m going to allow you to treat me as.”

“Devin.”

He kissed him. “Trust me, Corey. I know how you feel. Just like you can feel my emotions, I sense yours. It hurt seeing me like that, and I promise I won’t pull anymore foolhardy stunts without you by my side. But I will be the same man I came here as.”

Corey leaned forward, resting his arms on his thigh. “There are consequences to disobeying your Alpha, you know.”

Devin chuckled. “Are there? You putting me in solitary confinement?”

Corey shook his head. “No, you’re not living anywhere else but here.”

“Is that another command?”

“Yes.”

Devin tapped his fork on his plate. “You haven’t claimed me.”

“What?”

Devin stretched his arms over his head and leaned back in the chair. Corey glanced over to him, watching as his cock bobbed. He could almost taste the leathery skin on his tongue, feel its stiffness in his hand. Devin ran a hand over his abs and spread his legs a little more. Temptation was getting the better of Corey.

“We’re connected,” Devin explained. “But it’s not complete. Unless the rules are different in this pack, if you’re insistent on being my Alpha, then taking me as your mate requires claiming. That claiming must be done in the presence of a witness.”

Corey groaned. He rubbed a hand over his eyes. Of course Devin was right. The Alpha of a pack had to claim his “bride” in front of a witness, usually his Beta if he had one. The change had come after centuries of the Alpha claiming his mate in front of the entire pack. Even if he gave in and allowed Devin to call himself the Alpha of their relationship, he’d still have to have sex with him in front of someone else to solidify the claiming.
Blaine
was the best choice given he was gay. Corey groaned again. He was new to this and didn’t like the thought of having someone watch while he enjoyed touching and being touched by Devin.

“Surely, we can forget about that,” he suggested. “I mean it’s the twenty-first century, for cripes sake.”

Devin shrugged. “If you want our connection to fade. You know the complications of not making the claim.”

Corey jumped to his feet and paced the room. “Fuck!”

“Yes,” Devin commented amused. “I’d love to.”

“This isn’t funny.”

Devin kept chuckling. Corey considered flooring the cocky bastard until he remembered how Devin had been treated. His lover smiled and joked, but there was still residual pain, if not in his body, in his mind. Inner healing would take time, especially with Corey there with him. Devin was a strong man, more solid than any he’d met, but he was also vulnerable in ways. He’d needed somewhere to belong. Where Corey was, was that place, and if he denied Devin, he’d only add to his hurt. Besides that, he wasn’t willing to let this man go. He needed to know how he felt, especially if he was in trouble. The completeness of that was in the full claiming.

“Fine, we’ll get this over with now,” Corey announced.

“So romantic,” Devin quipped.

Corey glared at him. He tugged his cell phone from his pocket and called
Blaine
. When his second picked up, he barked, “Get the hell over to my place, now!” A second after, someone knocked on the door, and he sighed. Something told him
Blaine
knew what was required and knew he’d be chosen. The bastard was probably looking forward to watching him make a fool of himself.

Since Corey didn’t move from the spot where he stood, Devin stood up to answer the door. He stepped back to let
Blaine
pass by. Corey clenched his jaw at the look of interest
Blaine
tossed Devin seeing him naked.

“I figured you’d be calling soon,”
Blaine
said.

“Just sit there,” Corey told him. He glanced around the room and spotted the bear carpet in front of his fireplace. There was as good as any place. He’d make use of it and get this thing done, so he and Devin could have some privacy. He walked over to the carpet and began undoing his belt buckle while toeing out of his boots. “Come here, Devin.”

“Bossy, isn’t he?” Devin tossed to
Blaine
in passing. “I’ll show him who is in charge after while.”

“I bet you will.”
Blaine
laughed and flopped on the couch.

Corey didn’t like how his second’s cock was already hard, tenting his jeans. When he was naked, he jerked Devin close to him and kissed his lips hungrily. Devin was just as determined to show he wouldn’t be tamed. Their biceps flexed as they rubbed together, tongues mating. Corey had grown rock hard from the second Devin’s shaft brushed his. Pushing and pulling, they sank to their knees on the carpet.

After a few more minutes of greedy kisses, Corey drew back. “Are you sure you’re my mate?”

Devin smiled. So much love shone in his eyes, Corey felt almost like he needed to shield against it. And then he remembered the dream. The scene had been this one, the two of them before the fireplace, holding one another. Emotion swelled inside of him. Even if he was still nervous about all this, the fact was he felt something for Devin. No. More than something. This was love. He loved Devin. He’d felt like he would die if he lost him during that battle. He’d killed several shifters, something he’d never done before. Looking into Devin’s dark gaze, Corey knew he’d do it all again if it meant keeping Devin safe.

Embarrassed, he muttered, “I love you.”

Devin shuddered in his arms. “I love you, too, Corey. I accept you as my Alpha and as my mate. I pledge my loyalty to you and to this pack.”

“Our pack,” Corey said. “I accept you as my mate, and I claim you now.”

Corey lowered Devin to the carpet and kissed down his body. He ran his fingertips over the hard plains, licked and nibbled the taut skin. Devin’s muscles contracted with each touch. His body was hard and unyielding, so unlike a woman’s, and yet, it drove Corey’s desires even higher. He reached Devin’s thigh and raised his knee while he explored the broad expanse. The sprinkle of dark hair tickled his nose, and the tanned skin excited him.

While he kissed up to Devin’s groin, he ran his hand under his lover’s thigh until he reached his ass. He squeezed the tight rounded muscle at the same time he swallowed Devin’s cock. A moan ripped from his throat, echoed by Devin’s. Corey wanted to spend all day loving his mate’s shaft, but he had to complete the claiming first.

He sat up and pulled Devin down to him. He lay on his back, legs raised to expose his rear entrance. Only then did Corey realize had hadn’t brought in the lotion. He saw
Blaine
move from the corner of his eye and looked up. His friend waved a tube of lubricant and then shot it to him. Corey knew his face must be red. Loving Devin he’d forgotten that quickly that they had an audience. He bent his head to the task of readying his lover and then tossed the tube aside.