CHAPTER 28

NOAH

"So, any other questions about shifting and wolf sex?" Lucus asked as he did up his pants.

I took a moment to admire his gorgeous body while he was shirtless.

"I don't get the whole ‘your wolf' thing. Like are you two separate beings and he's trapped inside you until the full moon, or the same soul that can change at will except for on the full moon?"

"My wolf and I are the same being, but different parts of me. He's like the animal within, you know?"

"No."

He smirked. "Okay, think of it like emotions, you have anger inside you but you're not angry all the time, right? But if you tap into that anger, you can bring it out in yourself. So, our wolves are always there, but if we let the animal come forward, they can take over if we let them."

"I think I get what you mean. I guess I'll just have to wait and find out," I shrugged, unlocking the door and opening it.

"Not too much longer thankfully, the wait is killing me," Lucas murmured, walking over with his arms stretched out.

I was about to step into his embrace when he suddenly spun around, facing the door. I looked over and saw Marcus leaning against the door jam but the more terrifying sight, was the large man standing beside him with a sneer on his face.

"Well, I can definitely smell why you claimed him so quickly," Marcus said, taking a dramatic deep inhale, "he smells especially delicious when he fucks too."

I shuddered. The thought that they could smell our arousal in the air creeped me the fuck out and the seedy looking guy behind him looked like a rapey asshole too, though now he was grinning, or what passed for a grin on an ugly face like his.

Lucas growled. Loud.

"You are not welcome here Marcus! Fuck off!"

Marcus didn't care apparently because he strolled in like he owned the place which pissed me right off.

"That's not really for you to say now is it, Lucas? This is Noah's shop. How have you been, Noah? Have you reconsidered my offer?"

"I don't need to reconsider," I said, stepping closer to Lucas and circling my arm around his. "Lucas is my mate."

"Well, not really. You have to bite him back for you to be fully mated and until you shift, you have other options. I would treat you well, give you everything you could dream of if you mate with me instead."

This guy just couldn't take a hint. Or a blunt ‘Not interested' either.

"I do not want to mate with you! I love Lucas and I'm going to complete our mating," I said. There. Hopefully that will get into his thick skull.

Marcus just laughed and Lucas growled again. I could feel him trembling beside me, barely containing his rage.

"Love? Love has nothing to do with mating," Marcus said, chuckling and shaking his head like I said the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.

"It does for me. I choose him ."

"Maybe you just need to try a different flavour of wolf before you make up your mind," Marcus murmured in a sickly sweet voice that made me want to gag.

I didn't realise how close he'd been creeping and when he reached out to stroke his fingers up my arm as he made that last comment, I recoiled and Lucas lost it.

He pushed me backwards and I fell on the couch in the same instant that he shifted, his clothes flying away in tatters. Marcus and his goon stepped back suddenly.

Lucas growled and it echoed, it sounded more like a roar. I hoped people from upstairs in the café couldn't hear it.

"You see? He's practically feral. Why would you want to be mated to that?" Marcus asked, perfectly calm.

I stood up, walked over to Lucas and placed my hand on his back, threading my fingers into his fur in the hopes it would calm him and also send the message to Marcus that I loved all parts of Lucas, furry and non.

"You need to leave my shop now. And do not come back. Ever," I stated with as much bravado as I could muster.

Marcus sighed and shook his head. "Such a waste. But very well, it's not worth starting a war over I suppose. I'll leave you with your guard dog. Farewell sweet smelling Noah," Marcus waved as he and his goon left.

Lucas was still panting and rumbling. He looked at me and I saw his wolf staring back at me.

"Come back to me, Lucas," I softly murmured, stroking his head.

He vibrated under my hand and then he was standing in front of me. Naked.

"You love me?"

Oh yeah. I forgot I said that. Not the most romantic moment to declare my love, I guess. But it was true. I said it in the moment, fully meaning it, but it came out on instinct.

He'd come to mean so much to me over the very short time we'd known each other and our bond, even though not complete yet, was incredibly strong. If I were dating a human, it would be unthinkable to feel this way so soon but he's not human. He's something much more special.

He's powerful. Protective. Generous and caring. Sure, he's a bit possessive too, but I kinda like that. Actually, I like it a lot now, even if I resisted it so intensely at first. It felt good to mean the world to him, to know he'd do anything to keep me.

"Well, I mean… yeah," I mumbled, suddenly feeling very exposed and vulnerable.

A slow smile spread across lucas' face as he stepped up to me, wrapping me in his arms and pulling me close to his overheated and naked body.

"I love you too."

He claimed my mouth with his, thrusting his tongue in and fucking my mouth with it. His hands went to my butt immediately and lifted me up, wrapping my legs around him.

I knew where this was going. He was going to leave me in a sticky mess all day again.

"Hello, Noah?"

Lucas turned and we both looked over to the door to see Jade from the café upstairs staring at us with a massive grin on her face.

"Holy shit, um… I didn't realise you were… ah, I was wondering if you heard that strange noise earlier and I uh… you realise the door was open and unlocked, right?"

Lucas chuckled and put me down and I stepped in front to block him from Jades eyes which seemed to be enjoying the view of my very naked mate.

I guess I was a little possessive of him too.

"We didn't hear anything and we forgot about the door. Would you mind closing it behind you please?" I said with a pointed look at the door.

Jade smirked. "Uh huh. Sure thing, you two have fun," she giggled and winked before turning around and leaving. Once I heard the door close, I walked over and quickly locked it.

Of course I was right. Lucas felt the need to mark me and I happily let him. To be honest, Marcus and his henchman creeped me out so much I was glad to wear his cum, making it clear I was his to any wolf who was near me.

Afterwards, I ran up to Lucas' bike and grabbed his spare clothes out of the caddy. We cuddled up on the sofa to decompress after the nasty visit.

"Will you please come and stay at the compound? Marcus might not be willing to declare all out war in person but I wouldn't put it past him to use underhanded sneaky methods like kidnapping."

I could hear the worry in Lucas' voice and I understood where he was coming from. I was more than a little shaken up by the visit that I could see his logic. I had enjoyed visiting the pack and the idea of staying there actually appealed a lot.

"Okay."

"Okay? Really?"

"Yeah, really. I have some vacation days I can take and after we complete the mating, we can figure something out as far as the shop goes."

Lucas swept me up in his arms, pulling me over to straddle his lap and kissed me hard as he squeezed me tightly.

"Thank you, baby. You've just made me so fucking happy."