Chapter Three

"My. Life. Sucks." Alister lay on his back on the tabletop of one of the picnic tables behind the ice cream hut, his arm spread out as he gazed up at the large tree towering over him. For the past five minutes he'd watched a squirrel running from branch to branch, stopping every so often to let out a loud chattering noise.

"Your life doesn't suck," Milo said as he sat on the bench where Alister lay. "You've just been hit with some curveballs."

"I don't even play basketball, so your sports metaphor is lost on me." Alister sat up and looked around, trying but failing to find any joy on the sunny afternoon or with his new friend who'd agreed to hang out with him.

Without Paris, Alister felt lost.

In the past five days, Paris had tried to call him numerous times, but Alister let the calls go to voicemail. He missed his bestie so damn badly, but he still believed that Paris would be better off without him complicating his life.

Milo handed him a paper food boat filled with onion rings. "I thought your goal was to make new friends."

Sitting upright on the tabletop, Alister placed his feet on the bench next to Milo, then winked. "I like spending time with you, even if your mate wears a deep scowl, like he'll attack anyone who comes near you."

"He can be intense, but he's really a sweetheart."

Alister swept his gaze over Colt, who was seated at the other table. "That's exactly what my neighbor said to me right before her Pomeranian declared war on my ankle. You'd be amazed at a tiny dog's latching ability when you're shrieking and kicking your leg in every direction."

Milo burst out laughing. "I'm sorry you were attacked by such a vicious animal."

Alister plucked an onion ring from the boat and pointed it at the human. "Just because it wasn't a pit bull or Rottweiler doesn't mean it wasn't vicious. After I flung the little menace off my ankle, my neighbor read me the riot act about animal cruelty."

Milo gaped at him. "Are you serious?"

"If she would have just apologized, I might have let things drop, but the bitch went full Karen on me." Alister took a bite of the onion ring and was surprised at how good it tasted. It was downright delicious with just the right amount of crispiness.

After taking a drink of his soda, Milo said, "I'm still getting to know you, but you don't seem the type to stand there and let someone yell at you."

"Oh, honey. Look at you learning me so quickly. You've now been promoted to my favorite-contact list in my cheap burner phone." He gave Milo a cheeky smile. "Hell no, I didn't stand there and take it. Don't unleash your crazy on me unless you're ready to get your ass verbally handed to you. I was in the middle of my tirade when Paris came out of our apartment and yanked me back. When I told him why I was acting a fool, it was me who had to yank him into our unit."

"I wish I had half as much fun as you two seem to have." Milo ate another onion ring, unaware of the misery that enveloped Alister because he missed his bestie so much.

"Don't eat all those tasty onion rings." Alister slipped off the table and walked twenty feet away. He could feel Colt's gaze on him as he pulled out his phone and called Wyatt.

"I was starting to think you didn't miss me, butterfly," Wyatt said. "How's your day going?"

"So far today, I've been bamboozled three times," Alister replied, using humor to deflect the anxiety that had been slowly building inside of him for the past few hours.

"Please tell me you're kidding around." Wyatt sounded worried.

"I wish. Milo suckered me into going inside The Sugar Well, and now I have enough candy to send me into a diabetic coma. Then he talked me into eating an entire banana split. Do you know how fattening those things are? He has no regard for how hard I work to maintain my fabulous body. Now he's corrupting me with deep-friend onion rings that are too yummy to resist. I'm going to gain twenty pounds hanging around his cute little self."

Wyatt's chuckle was filled with relief. "I'll have to have a talk with Colt about his mate being so underhanded. Just make sure you share that candy with me. We can fall into a coma together."

Alister had hoped that hearing Wyatt's deep, soothing voice would help ground him. Unfortunately, his anxiety was creeping higher from the feeling that his life was spinning out of control.

"Is something bothering you, hon?"

"No." Alister wanted to beg his mate to come get him, but he was determined to prove he could handle things on his own. Somewhat on his own since he had Milo and Colt glued to his hip. "I just thought I'd call to see how your day was going."

If he had Paris to talk to, he might not feel so overwhelmed. His bestie always knew the right thing to say to stop Alister's insecurities and apprehension from choking him.

Even though Alister was a pistol most of the time, the long-lasting damage his parents had caused was still a huge part of him. Those feelings of uselessness and of being a weight around someone's neck still gripped him at times. He had such low self-esteem that he fooled himself into thinking that the slightest bit of attention would fill the void inside of him.

Nothing seemed to ever fill it.

"It's okay to admit that you miss me." A strong arm curled around Alister's chest from behind. "I'm feeling the stress of our separation, too."

Wyatt turned Alister to face him while tucking his phone into the pocket of his uniform shirt.

"After the snit I had yesterday, I was trying to be a big boy and work through my bullshit without you having to hold my hand." Alister's anxiety levels began to drop, and he felt like he could finally breathe again. So much for not needing his mate to run to his rescue.

"What if I like holding your hand?" Wyatt's lips were amazingly soft as he pressed them against Alister's knuckles.

"How am I ever going to learn to stand on my own two feet if I can't even be away from you for a few hours?" Alister glared at his mate when he pulled his lips away. "Don't you dare stop nibbling on me because I'm having a crisis."

Wyatt's facial hair tickled when he pressed those delectable lips against the shell of Alister's ear. "How about I call off the rest of the day and nibble other parts of your body?"

Alister whimpered. "Can you do that?"

"It might take a couple tries, but I'm pretty sure I can master the art of nibbling." Wyatt chuckled.

"My brain is already swimming in lust. I don't need you shorting it out any further." He curled his fingers around Wyatt's pecs, relishing how solid they felt under his palms. "I was asking if you can just ditch work. I don't want to be the reason you're shirking your responsibilities. You're important to this town."

"You're more important to me." He teased Alister's earlobe between his teeth. "I want to take you home and shove my face in your ass."

"Make that call." Alister hurried to the table and grabbed his bag of candy, snatched an onion ring, and told Milo he'd see him later.

Alister hurried back, grabbed his mate's hand, then looked around for his patrol car. "Where in the hell did you park?"

With a chuckle, Wyatt grabbed his phone from his pocket while leading them to the parking lot. Alister was so aroused that it was a miracle he could walk with an erection throbbing in his shorts.

"I have to take the rest of my shift off," Wyatt said into the phone while still holding Alister's hand. "You know exactly how it is." He paused to listen. "At least I'm not requesting my two weeks until Cannon gets back." His mate grinned. "I should have known you were just busting my balls. I'll be in tomorrow. Besides, I have to bring Alister to the station so he can pick up his car."

He was finally getting his Mercedes back? Alister hadn't complained about the police keeping it for five days since they were nice enough to search it for tracking devices. But damn, he missed his car and couldn't wait to drive it again.

Wyatt held the passenger door open when they reached the patrol car, having already ended his call. "Thank god you're not making me sit in the back with the weird stains," Alister said. "I don't need a rash on my tush."

"I'll keep your tush safe." Wyatt winked. "Just don't stroke my shotgun while you're sitting next to me."

Alister grinned at the innuendo and slid into the passenger seat, only for his eyes to widen when he realized there was an actual shotgun mounted in the front. He'd never touched a firearm in his life and had no desire to stroke the intimidating weapon.

"I thought you were talking about your dick," he said when Wyatt got in and started the car.

"Baby, I would never tell you not to stroke my dick." With a smooth turn of the wheel, Wyatt pulled from the lot and headed toward his house.

With a sideways glance, Alister took in the sight next to him—Wyatt sitting in the driver's seat, his large, muscular frame barely contained by his crisp police uniform. The glint of authority in his light gray eyes only added to the air of confidence he exuded.

Since arriving in Midnight Falls, all Alister had wanted to do was leave. He missed his old life—partying, shopping, and stylish cafés. His pace hadn't slowed down. It had come to a complete stop.

After he'd met new people and discovered what the town had to offer, Midnight Falls was growing on him. And now that he'd found his mate, Alister was determined to ignore the smell of cow dung and the fact that tractors were a part of traffic.

"What's going through that beautiful mind of yours?" Wyatt eyed him.

The question caught Alister off guard. In the past, people had called his mind a lot of things, most not so kind. Wyatt was the first person to see beauty in Alister's thoughts.

"How your town is starting to grow on me."

With a tender smile, Wyatt brushed his fingers over Alister's cheek. "Once you embrace Midnight Falls, you'll fall in love with it. There are a lot if hidden treasures to explore, and you haven't lived until you've experienced our summer and fall festivals."

Alister's breathing grew faster when they pulled into the driveway. When Wyatt parked, Alister was out of the car, moving swiftly toward the house then waited on the porch for his mate.

"I'll program your thumbprint for the door." Wyatt used his to enter. "I want you to feel like this is your home as much as it is mine."

"You just keep saying all the right things." Alister pulled his mate toward the couch and shoved him onto the cushions.

Wyatt's whole face spread into a smile, and his light gray eyes shimmered with amusement and tenderness. "You continue to surprise me, butterfly."

"How so?" Alister kicked off his sandals then pulled his shirt and shorts off, only his boxers remaining.

"It was the impression you gave when we first met." Wyatt stood and removed his utility belt, placing it on a shelf by the window. "You were this lively ball of energy bouncing around frantically as Cannon arrested Paris. A few times I thought you were going to pass out."

"That doesn't tell me why I surprise you." Alister watched as Wyatt unbuttoned his uniform shirt and slid it off. Then he removed his white T-shirt, revealing his muscular chest and abs.

"Honestly, I pegged you as someone who would be shy and submissive in bed. Someone delicate."

"I panicked when Paris was being arrested," Alister argued. "I don't do well when I feel helpless."

When Wyatt finished stripping, he tugged Alister against his hard, naked body. "I was also attracted to you, sweetheart. I love lively balls of energy that bounce around frantically."

"You just described a cat." Alister smoothed his hand over Wyatt's bicep. "Most people think I'm unstable and high-strung."

"Do you care what they think?" Wyatt turned Alister and guided him to lean over the cushions, making him grip the back of the couch, though his feet were still on the floor.

"Negative opinions hurt whether you want them to or not." Alister looked under his extended right arm and saw Wyatt lowering to his knees. He cupped Alister's ass through his boxers and massaged his backside with a look of reverence.

"True," Wyatt said, his breath warm on Alister's skin. "But you can't let other people's perceptions define you. You are so much more than what they see on the surface."

"I'm trying," Alister said, his voice barely above a whisper. He trembled as Wyatt's lips brushed against the waistband of his boxers.

"You're doing more than trying." Wyatt looked up at him with a sexy smirk while he pulled Alister's boxers off. "You're showing me the real you, and I love what I see. Now, why don't you let me show you just how much I appreciate your ball of energy?"

"Show me." Alister gasped when Wyatt's tongue trailed up the back of his thigh. A spike of excitement and anticipation rushed through Alister as his mate's warm breath fanned over his ass.

Then Wyatt guided Alister to kneel on the cushions. His fingers slid into Alister's crease, and then he separated the cheeks, blowing a tuft of air over Alister's aching hole. They were going to seal their bond. Alister was going to connect with Wyatt on the most profound level.

This was happening, but it didn't feel real. Not when Alister had craved for so many years to belong to someone who wasn't out to use him. Someone who would care just as deeply for Alister as he cared for them.

Wyatt alternated between pushing his tongue past Alister's ring of muscle and using his lips to suck and lick his hole. The sensations on the most intimate part of his body made Alister quiver. He gripped the back of the couch harder, moaning loudly.

The sounds must have turned Wyatt on because he shoved his face deeper into Alister's ass, feasting on him like a starved man.

"Oh my god!" Alister threw his head back, mewling fiercely. Pleasure rocketed through him, making his dick throb heavily as his toes curled.

A loud, carnal purr tore from Wyatt. His lips and tongue consumed Alister's ass. His fingers dug into Alister's hips, yanking him backward as he drove his tongue deeper.

"Wyatt!" He screamed as his climax tore through him. His mate sucked and licked wildly as Alister's cum shot all over the cushions. Holy hell. That had been intense. He shuddered and jerked as Wyatt gave one last lick, his fingers easing their grip.

"I need water," Alister groaned. "I was breathing so hard that my mouth dried out."

Cracking his eyes open, Alister saw Wyatt's thick cock jutting out as his mate walked away.

"I'm so out of shape for this kind of workout," Alister grumbled to himself. His muscles ached as he pushed away from the couch. He swayed slightly then headed toward the kitchen.

He stilled when Wyatt strode toward him, glass of water in hand.

His mate's hips moved in a sexy swagger, one side of his mouth raised in a seductive, cocky grin, his heavy-lidded eyes focused on Alister.

Raw masculinity oozed from Wyatt, causing Alister's breathing to become shallow as he watched an apex predator heading right for him.

With a squeak, Alister spun and raced up the stairs. He nearly tripped a few times as peals of laughter floated behind him.

He knew the chase would only heighten Wyatt's arousal, and the rush of anticipation made Alister head for his mate's bedroom, his thirst and aches forgotten. He'd made it halfway to the bed when Wyatt lifted him off his feet. They bounced when they hit the mattress, then Alister was trapped under raw muscles.

Wyatt's eyes were dark with desire, his lips curving into a triumphant smirk. "You triggered my cheetah, sweetheart," he murmured.

Alister's heart raced as his mate's thick cock pressed against his thigh. When their lips met, he noticed Wyatt's breath smelled minty fresh. Did the guy have mouthwash stashed somewhere in the kitchen?

"Did you drop my water somewhere along the way?"

"I'm very talented." Wyatt winked then leaned sideways and grabbed the glass off the nightstand.

"How in the hell did you accomplish that feat?" Alister seriously wanted to know.

"Right before I grabbed you, I put the glass down." Wyatt leaned back, pulling Alister into a sitting position, then handed him the water.

"You've got mad skills." Alister drank half of it down. His dry throat was thankful since his tongue was no longer sticking to the roof of his mouth.

"I thought for sure I was going to drop it." Wyatt chuckled. "It was pure luck I didn't."

"Is it pure luck your breath is so minty?" Alister handed the glass back and his mate set it aside. "I'm pretty sure my nether regions aren't the reason."

Wyatt straddled Alister's lap. "If you recall, I was running late this morning, forcing me to multitask. I brought my mouthwash downstairs and gargled while putting on my utility belt." He placed his hands on either side of Alister's head, their noses almost touching. "It was still in the kitchen when I got your water."

"My throat appreciates your kindness." Alister's heart doubled in beat as he gazed into his mate's stunning eyes, which shimmered from the early afternoon sunlight bathing the room.

"Your throat is more than welcome." Wyatt brushed his lips over Alister's, teasing him with a promise of a kiss. He smiled softly, playfully and slid his tongue over Alister's bottom lip then flicked the tip upward.

Alister wanted that kiss. They'd spent the past five days living under the same roof, but his mate hadn't made a single move on him. The two had cuddled on the couch while they watched TV. They'd made meals together, talked, shopped at the grocery store.

Had Wyatt been giving Alister time to mentally recover from Negan's attack? If so, he was grateful for his mate's consideration and concern.

But recovery time was over.

Alister scraped his fingernails over Wyatt's soft beard. "Are you going to tease me all afternoon or kiss me?"

Wyatt stretched out beside Alister, half covering his body. He slid his hand around Alister's neck and drew him closer. At first, the kiss was as light as a summer breeze. Then Wyatt swept his tongue inside, the delicious sensation sending the pit of Alister's stomach into a wild swirl.

Dizziness swept over him, thrill rushing through him, the kiss turning from soft to being devoured by a wild animal. When Wyatt focused on giving pleasure, there was no holding back.

Their lips parted, only for a brief second, to allow precious air into their heaving lungs. Then their mouths crashed back together, hungrier and more desperate than before.

Wyatt tore his mouth away from Alister, twisting as he reached for his nightstand. He leaned farther away, and then he came back with a bottle of lube. His breath hitching, Alister watched as his mate lubed his fingers. This time Wyatt loomed over him, capturing Alister's lips once more, his fingers probing at Alister's aching hole.

"Spread your legs, sweetheart," Wyatt said against his mouth.

That deep, husky demand had Alister sweeping his legs apart. He sucked in a sharp, excited breath as Wyatt's fingers circled his hole then pressed firmly against his ring of muscle. His mate playfully nipped at Alister's bottom lip as his finger pushed inside.

Moments later, Wyatt pulled his finger out. When he thrust back in, Alister could tell it was two instead of one. "I don't know what I love to see more in your eyes, your feistiness or the way the pale blue darkens with hunger and need."

"I definitely need right now." Alister almost couldn't breathe when Wyatt's fingers brushed over his kill zone. He pushed down, trying to take the fingers deeper. The very air around Alister seemed electrified. The look of longing in Wyatt's eyes softened the hard edges of his features.

He was watching Alister, his gaze penetrating as his fingers thrust and scissored, making Alister writhe beneath him.

Then the fingers were gone, confusing Alister's brain. His body was still moving, still trying to get them deeper, but they weren't there. Alister forced himself to focus, and then his stomach somersaulted at the sight of Wyatt lubing his hard cock. His hand moved up and down the straining length, almost as if he was kneeling there slowing jacking off while shredding Alister's senses.

A delicious shiver ran through Alister. He lay there feeling wrecked from Wyatt's fingers, but his mate's fingers were wrapped around hard flesh that Alister wanted more than anything.

"Wyatt," he begged in a whisper. His mate was honed power, captivating, a sensual beast that could lure Alister in with a single heated glance.

Wyatt leaned forward, poised over Alister, his cock gripped in his fist as he guided the head until it was wedged between Alister's ass cheeks.

The anticipation was building, stoking higher, Alister's legs still spread, his hole aching madly to be filled.

Pressing his palms against inked flesh, Alister already felt conquered, even though Wyatt hadn't breached him yet. Wyatt's mouth slammed onto his, the kiss savage, consuming, all fire and need, like a crashing wave hitting the shore, as Wyatt buried his cock deep, stretching Alister wide.

Wyatt's eyes were smoldering. Alister was trapped in them as he arched his back, trying not to spontaneously combust. Wyatt was raw power with every thrust, his hips a weapon, killing Alister with every stroke.

They moved together as one, Wyatt's hands braced on either side of Alister's head. His mate stared down at him with reverence, a contradiction to the intense way their bodies slammed together.

Those perfect fucking lips. Alister had to have them, had to taste them. He needed them on him. He pulled Wyatt toward him. His mate dropped his head eagerly, kissing Alister deeply, their lips fused together with an electric hum.

Wyatt's lips, his cock, the way his body moved drove Alister higher. They gasped and panted into each other's mouths, his mate's dick powering into Alister's ass. Wyatt yanked his head back, grunting, his canines lengthening. The two locked gazes, his mate so savagely beautiful.

Alister cried out when Wyatt's canines sank into his shoulder. He dug his fingernails into his mate's back as white lights burst behind his eyes, the ribbons of their souls unwinding, wrapping around each other's, binding their souls.

Two separate heartbeats synchronized as one.

Wyatt pulled his canines free, a roar ripping from his throat, his hot seed filling Alister's ass. When he brought his head back down, Alister sank his canines into soft flesh. Wyatt cupped the back of Alister's head, holding him close as their bond deepened even further.

Alister extracted his teeth, then his mate kissed him slowly, his cock still buried.

As they each caught their breath, Wyatt traced his fingers over Alister's sweat-slicked skin. "Mine," he purred softly, pressing his lips to Alister's shoulder.

"Mine," Alister repeated as he curled into Wyatt's chest.

"Only yours, butterfly." Wyatt rose up slightly, gently pulled out, then twisted sideways and lay down with Alister still pressed against him.