13. Jackson

13

Jackson

It’s late evening, and my body longs to be near her.

‘Mate?’

‘Yes.’

My thoughts stutter as her sweet voice fills my mind.

‘I miss you. Are you in my bed, tucked in?’

‘Yes, and naked,’ she responds.

A little tease to add to her repertoire.

As if it’s attached to her, my cock stirs awake, and I shift in my seat in the office.

‘I’ll be there soon.’ I growl out now that I have to sit here in this uncomfortable chair, thinking of her naked in my bed. My scowl settles more firmly on my face.

When she got off in the shower this afternoon, I thought I would lose my mind. I could feel the small pulses of pleasure rocking through her body, and I loved that she shared that moment with me. “Fuck,” I run my hand through my hair as a knock hits my door.

“Jackson, you in there?” Killian’s strong voice booms from the hall.

“Yes, come in,” I say while pressing up to stand.

“It’s been too long,” Killian clears the space between us, a gentle smile on his sharp face. The handshake doesn’t seem like enough. I pull him into a half hug, patting his back.Holding my best friend’s shoulders and taking him in, “Did you get shorter?” I tease.

“Ha, you wish, Alpha,” his fist lands heavily on my shoulder. He leans back on his heels as I take in his tanned skin. His dark hair is shaved close down the sides, and the three-day scruff makes his jaw look sharper. The green in his eyes pinches with a warm smile.

I smile and point to the chair, “Here, take a seat.” Heading to the drink cart in the far corner, I ask, “How’ve you been?” I say, setting the glasses between us and pouring three fingers of our finest aged Bourbon.

“Mmm, I’ve been camping near your territory, thinking of my next move when you called.” Killian takes a large sip of his drink and continues. “I’m glad you called, I…” He runs his hand over his shaggy dark hair, “Well, I don’t have a Pack and wanted to petition you to join yours.” He says it as if I’d reject his offer.

I lean back in my seat, wanting to make my best friend sweat a little. Killian is an Alpha; generally, a pack can only handle one dominant male. At the same time, he’s my friend—we’ve worked well together over the last twelve years. We’ve been to war. I trust him with my life. I would make him my second if I didn’t already have a Beta.

I watch him shift in his chair and smile.

His squirm makes me chuckle, “Yes, I want you here and also have a position for you. You’ll be my Delta, in charge of combat training and tactical security. Does that work for you?”

Killian’s face lights up. “That’s perfect. Thank you, Alpha.” He gives me a slight bow and takes another drink from his tumbler. “So tell me, what’ve you been up to, Jax? You look…” His pause is long as he takes me in, “Happier?”

“Asshole.” I mumble, “I was happy before.”

“This is different. You have this glow.”

“Yes, well, that’s probably because my Luna is in my bed waiting for me.” The thought of Charlie brings another smile to my face.

“Oh, that’s what’s different. You’re smiling, fuck man, congrats.” He lifts his drink to me. “To you, brother, to finding your mate. You’re one of the lucky ones.”

I raise my glass as well and follow in his toast. “Thank you,” I say as we both take a healthy drink.

The silence falls over the room as I think about how life has changed so much for me in the last year. If I didn’t have this Pack, I would’ve stayed in the military or turned to private security. I never would’ve met my Charlie, never know these feelings of happiness—not true happiness. The mate bond flares inside me, and I relax, letting today’s stress wash away.

“So tell me about her,” Killian says.

“Well, let’s start with the most pressing issue I’m dealing with. Charlie’s not actually Pack.” I sit up in my chair, leaning over the desk with my head in my hands. “Long story short, she was on the run and found us through some agreement my dad made. I just found out some of the details yesterday.” I sigh heavily because, in forty-eight hours, so much has changed.

“Alright, so make her Pack,” Killian says as if that’s the easiest solution.

Leaning back again, I grab my hair. “Well, she is technically an Auctioned bride from Umbra.” The following words are hard to get out: “She was bought by Ax…”

“Okay…” my friend dragging out the word, “I don’t know what the problem is?”

My frustration grows, having to spell this out, “Fuck man, I don’t know how to make her Pack without alerting him that she’s here. Rumor has it he still wants her. How am I supposed to claim her without bringing war to my Pack? What kind of Alpha would that make me?” My irritation has me pressing from the chair to pace the office again. The carpet already has a tread mark from just today’s events.

I continue, “My brother stopped by earlier, Hunter. He’s our Beta. He told me that Emma, his human mate, might know what is causing the sickness. Or that she’s narrowed it down to a poison. Which means somehow, someone is poisoning our kind. I’ve also heard that there is poaching near the old Sawmill. All of these issues on top of dealing with Charlie.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you called then, huh? Your team will be here within the week, and we’ll help you navigate it all.” Killian’s sincere, reassuring tone does little to alleviate the stress of the Pack.

“Add in my dad…” I sigh.

At this comment, Killian growls, “You telling me that coward didn’t clean his shit up while you were gone.”

I shake my head. In our service together, Killian and my team know every sordid detail about my past and family.

“Well, that’s one area you’ll have to clear up on your own; sorry about that.” He pats me on the shoulder.

I take a drink and set the glass on the mantle.

“I think I need to return to my girl. You gotta room set up?”

“I’m good. I’ll see you in the morning. I’m really happy you found her. I guess there was a silver lining to coming home, huh?”

My breath heaves out of me, “Silver lining?” I whisper, watching my friend head out of the office.

It’s well past midnight when I drag my tired body to my room. The soft glow from the moon fills the space. The room feels different, maybe lighter. Scanning it quickly, I see Charlie’s removed the cloth covers from the old furniture. Now, the room just looks old.

‘Let’s talk to her tomorrow about buying new stuff for this space.’

‘Yes, she can make our den her own.’ My wolf is a hundred percent on board with the idea. ‘ We could visit Anchorage and buy some new items.’

‘Another day’s problem,’ I say to my wolf.

Walking towards the oversized bed, I strip my shirt and pants off. Charlie’s tiny body is curled into the side, making her look even smaller than usual. I slip under the covers and pull her gently into me.

She doesn’t stir or wake. I begin to wonder what I can get away with while she sleeps. My cock presses into my briefs at just the idea of taking her.

My head rests on my arm as I take in her beauty. Her pale skin is flawless and soft in the moonlight. My fingers trace along the ridge of her cheek, slipping to her jaw and gently sliding over her light pink pillowy lips. They part slightly, and I slide my finger into her mouth, imagining her swallowing my cock.

“Fuck,” I hum quietly. I pull her bottom lip out with my finger, slightly puckering it, and drag my thumb down the column of her neck, following the line to her collarbone to my mark.

My lips begin to delicately follow the path of my finger as I kiss down her neck. My hand slips to the bottom of her shirt, slipping it up slowly to expose her full breasts. Her nipples are already pebbled for me as my fingers sweep across them. Her response to my touch is addicting.

I allow myself a taste of her tight nipple, and the sensation has her legs shifting open for me.

‘She is addicting,’ my wolf says.

I hum my response as I continue to tickle her nipple with my tongue. My other hand slides gently down to her center. Her legs welcome me by opening further. I use my top leg to secure hers between mine, ensuring that she is at my complete mercy as I swipe through her soaked folds. My mouth shifts to the other nipple, giving it the same attention as I press two fingers deep inside of her.

The sensation has her moaning my name. Her body arching off the bed.

‘Mate,’ I whisper through our mind link.

My hand at her center starts a rhythmic pattern as her hips press up into me. My cock is so hard that the pre-cum has soaked through my briefs. The instinct to be buried so deep inside her is consuming me as I slowly rub against her. Even asleep, she needs to know what she does to me.

I release her nipple with a pop, and her eyes are barely open as I slip from the bed and slide my briefs down.

“Little mate, what’re you doing to me?”

A small smile graces her soft lips, “I could ask you the same thing,” her groggy voice says.

The draw to her mouth has me fisting my throbbing cock, needing her lips wrapped around it. I slide to the side of the bed and pull her body towards the edge. I don’t ask; I simply wrap my hand around the back of her head and bring her mouth to my seeping cock.

“Open, little mate.”

Her eyes widen, “I’ve never…”

I cut her off by pressing the head of my cock into her open mouth, “Shh, I’ll take care of you.” My patience is wearing thin. “I won’t hurt you, but relax for me.”

Her small tongue sweeps across as I guide my cock into her mouth slowly. Holding her head in the palm of my hand. The first gag has her throat tightening, and I lean my head back at the sensation. Pulling out slightly. “Relax your throat,”I grit out as I thrust into her mouth harder.

Her hands fist the bed, and what a waste, “Touch yourself for me while I fuck this pretty mouth.”

She moans and fuck; the vibrations roll through my body as my thrusts find a rhythm in the heat of her soft mouth. I’m enraptured as one of her small hands slips to her center while the other palms her soft tit. She writhes on the bed, choking on my cock. She doesn’t know it, but she has the power to bring me to my knees.

“Fuck Charlie, you’re an addicting little problem, beautiful.”

She moans again while nodding.

I pull my cock free of her mouth and gently set her head back down on the bed. “Come here,” I say.

She slides closer, and I quickly flip her over. Her ass is presented to me, and her feet are spread wide on the floor. My hand slides down her back while I press my cock to her core. The sensation has her pressing back into me, and I allow my hand to wrap around her shoulder as I thrust and pull her down at the same time.

“Jackson,” she cries out, and her core tightens around me. I grit my teeth, and my knot bulges at her entrance. I have to try to take a minute before rutting into her roughly.

“I’m not going to last long, little mate,” I fold my body over hers, and my hand drags around to her tiny bud, flicking at her clit. “I need you to cum for me,” I whisper into her as I find a rhythm that has her gripping the bed sheet and crying out my name.

“Sing for me. I love hearing you.”

“Oh, Jackson.” Her voice breaks at the same time as her orgasm. The pressure has me pushing my knot into her center, and she cries out again. I quickly rut into her as I feel my pulsing seed spill into her tight pussy. My body trembles from exertion as my knot locks us together.

“Charlie, I’m going to lift you into my arms.”

She nods, “Okay.”

My knot slips deeper inside of her, and her head lulls back to my shoulder with a soft moan as I adjust her body in my embrace. “Sweet mate, I have you,” Her body is in heat, and she could easily go again. I lay down on my side, settling her body into mine while still filling her, ensuring my seed has plenty of time to make her mine.

“Sleep, sweet mate.”

“Mmmm, Jackson, are you still inside me?” Her question is said between yawns.

“Yup, now sleep, I’m not going anywhere.”

It doesn’t take long for me to follow Charlie into sleep lodged deep in her tight pussy. The word love sits heavily in my mind as my eyes drift shut.