Chapter Ten

It had been hard for Dane to keep himself in check for the rest of the afternoon and early evening. Once he’d let go and admitted his love for Remy, his old worries had faded into the background. They weren’t gone entirely. He knew it would take time for him to heal the emotional wounds from his puphood much as it had with his physical injuries, including the one that had left him with only one eye. He’d shrugged off the strength it had taken, accepting as natural for a beta to deal with such pain and misery. It had taken him longer to recover from his anger and distrust of everything and everyone. Now, through his interactions with omegas—Wren, Wyatt and most especially, Remy—he’d been able to regain a sense of normalcy and build a belief that he was nothing like his sire and life could be good for him.

Deciding to mate with Remy had been easy once he’d seen another dominant trying to take the boy from him. The furious possessiveness had risen unquestioned within him. And Remy’s pragmatic thinking on letting that fucker go had been able to cut through the haze of rage that had overtaken him once he’d engaged in battle. That sweet voice had struck right to the core of Dane’s heart and he knew now that he would give the omega anything he asked for.

That included himself.

The den was still not the place to raise the coming pup, let alone the others that would follow. But he could make it a cozy home for Remy until his time came to whelp in the longhouse. After that? Well, Dane was just going to have to deal with his memories and learn to keep them in check. He believed Remy when he insisted that he wouldn’t mate with anyone else. The biddable omega had a stubborn streak hidden within him that rivaled any dominant. Each time his heat got triggered, it would be up to Dane to breed him. The idea that the omega would be left to raise those pups without their sire was anathema. Dane couldn’t simply show up when mounting was necessary, then leave again to lick his old wounds. He wasn’t such a coward to do so. This new situation was nothing like the one he’d run from. It was time to bury the past. Remy needed him and that overrode everything else.

He finished banking the fire for the night and made sure the covering to the doorway was secure before joining Remy on the pallet. The omega was leafing through the book Dane had read to him, tracing the drawings with his finger and peering at the words Dane would soon teach him to read. He liked the idea of helping his mate with something other than merely mounting. Learning to read would be a skill to benefit Remy even if Dane was no longer with him for any reason. And Remy could teach their pups. It was a way to live on forever in a sense. It was also going to be a nice way to spend the long winter months. He could only mount the boy so often in a day, much as his dick thought otherwise.

He was drippingly hard as he approached, his cock leading the way and telegraphing his intent. Not that it was a problem. With a coy smile, Remy moved the book to show that he too was aroused. They had both been in such a state off and on throughout the day. Not mounting the omega even as they’d rested together earlier had taken all the strength Dane possessed.

He knelt in front of Remy and took the book from him. “Are you ready?”

Remy bit his lower lip as he nodded. “Yes. Although…”

“What? You can tell and ask me anything.”

“Will it hurt? When you bite me, I mean.”

Dane furrowed his brow, trying to think of a good answer. He went with the truth, of course. “I think so. A little until my saliva makes you calm. That’s what I’ve heard, anyway.”

“That makes sense. I’m ready.” He gave Dane a firm nod.

The boy’s expression of resolve was so sweet, Dane nearly laughed. Instead, he gathered the boy into his arms and lavished him with the kind of pleasure that would make any pain inconsequential. He started by lowering the omega onto his back. When the time came to consummate the mating, he would need Remy to be facing away from him. For now, though, he wanted to gaze at his beautiful face and savor the boy’s open expression as he brought him pleasure.

Dane ran the pads of his fingers down one of Remy’s cheeks. “Close your eyes, baby. Let me show you how much I love you.”

With a quick flutter of his lashes, Remy did as told. Dane continued to touch the omega’s soft skin—rubbing his thumb across the plump, moist lips, his fingers down the slender throat and cupping one small pec with his palm. The nub was already hard and Dane felt he’d never given enough attention to something so tied to physical pleasure. He stroked it with his thumb before squeezing it lightly. The moan that vibrated out of the omega was immensely gratifying. As was the way the boy arched into the touch.

Dane continued to play with one nipple while he leaned down to capture the other with his mouth. He sucked gently before grazing the hard nub with his teeth. The shiver that went through the omega was punctuated with a sharp inhalation. Dane froze for a moment, gauging whether he was going too far too quickly with the all-but-completely-innocent boy. The look of wanton pleasure he saw on that adorable face gave him all the encouragement he needed. Settling himself on his side, he returned to lavishing attention on Remy’s pecs with his lips. He slid his hand down to spread his fingers across the omega’s still flat abdomen.

My pup is in here.

He was overwhelmed for a moment with the surge of pride and possessiveness, surprising himself. This wasn’t what he’d ever imagined for his life or even wanted. Now, he couldn’t live without it. His destiny as a dominant was being fulfilled. He would sire a small pack of shifters within the Strongblood one and it would be his duty to protect and provide for them. Not long ago, he’d turned away from thoughts of such responsibility. That would never happen again. This was the life he craved now.

Dane slid his fingers into the fold between Remy’s balls and leg, rubbing along that sensitive spot without touching the hard dick jutting out. The omega wiggled his hips and made a pleading mew. Ignoring Remy’s effort to speed things up, Dane swallowed the noise by kissing the boy. Remy opened his lips to welcome him in and shyly chased Dane’s tongue with his own. Dane loomed over him as he deepened the kiss and positioned one finger to slide between the omega’s small ass cheeks. The path was slick from the boy’s arousal. The scent of it swirled around them, making Dane’s cock jerk and strain with need. He inserted his finger, intending only to goose the omega’s arousal. Instead, he pushed the boy over the edge with that simple invasion.

Remy cried out his release into Dane’s mouth. Warm cum pulsed from the boy’s dick, splashing onto Dane’s arm. The potent scent along with the visceral proof of his efforts, drove Dane to the breaking point. He reared up and flipped the omega onto his stomach with as much care as his desperation to claim the boy permitted. He spread Remy’s legs and lifted his ass with one continuous motion. His cock found the omega’s hole before he’d even finished and thrust deep inside.

With his eyes slammed shut, Dane threw back his head. “Gods!” Nothing had ever felt so good, so right. In that moment, he realized that Remy was his home. As long as he could seek refuge in the omega’s welcoming body, nothing could hurt him ever again. He grit his teeth and clasped Remy’s hips as he worked to regain control. He had to do this right. It had to be as good for his mate as it was for him. Merely thinking that word nearly caused him to lose that control once more. Keeping himself embedded deeply inside Remy, Dane hunched over the boy. He moved aside the curtain of the omega’s dark hair to expose the back of his neck.

Dane began to thrust with ever increasing speed, feeling the slick channel swelling and tightening around him. Remy moaned and lowered his head, giving Dane a clear path. “I love you,” he said before swooping down to sink his teeth into the tender skin. The flow of blood bursting across his tongue made his body seize for a moment before he came in a blinding rush.

His wolf howled out his possession of the omega and the boy’s wolf joined in a gleeful duet.

The instant of pain faded almost before it began. Remy came again, the intensity overwhelming, as was the sudden languid feeling that made him collapse onto the pallet. As used to having his wolf communicate with Dane’s as he was, it still surprised him how every part of him now felt tied to this dominant who had become his mate. There was no barrier between them. Never again would he be able to hide anything of what he was feeling from Dane. And that was okay. He wanted that connection, wanted to be filled with the dominant every moment of the rest of his life. Nothing he’d ever heard or knew of before had prepared him for this sense of belonging to another and knowing that he never had to worry about anything ever again.

Dane will always take care of me.

Remy didn’t have a chance to dwell on the happiness he felt because Dane’s thrusting continued even though his warm cum coated Remy’s ass. The dick inside him swelled again, pressing against Remy’s still sensitive tissue. It didn’t matter. His own cock hardened once more without really having deflated. With each thrust, his mate’s dick dragged over that amazing spot within him. Soon, Remy was panting as if he were doing all the work. Then he came again and what little strength that had remained fled.

He must have slept because the next thing he knew, he was lying on his back, being washed by Dane. “My mate.” He smiled at the strangeness and wonder of that word.

Dane returned the smile and ran his fingers through Remy’s hair. “It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? But my wolf and I have never been so happy. I hope the same is true for you and yours.”

Remy reached for the dominant’s hand and pressed it to his lips. “Can’t you feel it?”

The beta closed his eyes for a moment as their wolves shared some soft yipping. “Yes, I can.” He opened them and gave Remy a fierce look that made his cock jump.

“I think…” He gnawed at his lower lip, unsure of whether he was permitted to ask for what he wanted.

“Go on. Never be afraid to speak your mind with me, Remy.”

A delightful shiver ran through him. “I think I’m ready for more mounting.”

Tossing the cloth he’d been using to wipe away the remnants of their mating, Dane smiled more broadly. Then he clasped Remy’s hardening cock. “I can see that.” He squeezed the shaft and swiped his thumb across the slit on the head.

“Oh!” Remy’s whole body jerked. “I’m definitely ready now.”

“Hmm.” Dane nodded his head before slinging one leg over Remy’s. “I don’t think you realize how much I”ve mounted you already. The arousal masks the discomfort but when I finally pulled out, I could see that your hole was a little raw. I’m going to leave it alone until you’ve had some rest and a chance to shift.”

Disappointed, Remy nevertheless did what came naturally to him—he acquiesced as a good omega should do. “Yes, Dane.”

His mater chuckled. “Don’t sound so downhearted, baby. There are other ways for me to pleasure you.”

Remy barely had time to register what the beta meant before he bent down and sucked Remy’s cock into his mouth. Remy closed his eyes on a moan. This he did love. It wasn’t quite as wonderful as his ass being filled by Dane’s cock, but it was a close second. And he was no more able to hold back his release this way than the other. With his dick cocooned in his mate’s mouth, the man’s tongue relentlessly licking the shaft, he couldn’t hold himself back. He cried out and bucked his hips while Dane sucked his cock dry.

He lay panting on the pallet, unable to move and in amazement at how much his life had changed in such a short while. “Will it always be like this,” he wondered out loud.

Dane moved to lie on his side next to him. “It will be if we want it to. If you’ve taught me one thing, Remy, it’s that we can make our own destinies.” He gathered Remy in his arms. “Now, sleep. We have many days ahead of us to find our limit of passion. If there is one,” he added with a chuckle.

Remy snuggled closer. “I don’t think there will be.” With that, he yawned and dropped off.

****

The wind howled outside the cave. Remy didn’t care. Inside it was warm and they had everything they needed. And wanted. Merida had returned with Conan a few times with more supplies. On each occasion, she’d queried him with her eyes to make sure he was okay. He always reassured her because the truth was he couldn’t be better. Being Dane’s mate and having the pup inside him made him whole. His life was perfect. He didn’t even mind that come spring, they would return to the longhouse for him to finish the remainder of his pregnancy and whelp with the healer in attendance. For a while, Remy had harbored a fear that he would lose the pup as Wyatt had done. So far, all was good and he’d let himself relax and let his worries drift away.

Dane brought a cup of tea over and sat heavily beside him. “How’s it going?”

Remy grimaced at the words in front of him. “I thought learning to read might be easier than it is.” He sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given I’m not the smartest shifter.”

His mate cupped his chin and swiveled his head to give him a hard stare. “What did I say about your believing you lack intelligence?”

Remy stared into those hard eyes, knowing there was nothing for him to fear lurking within. “I’m sorry, Dane. I forget stuff sometimes.”

The beta’s expression softened. “You’re doing great, Remy. At everything. Including reading. What are you stuck on?”

They bent their heads together as Remy pointed at the word he was stuck on.

“That’s ‘weird’, baby.”

“Huh!” Remy picked up his mug and sipped some tea. “That’s fitting because it’s a weird spelling.”

“The rules are complicated on that.” Plucking the book from Remy’s hand, he put it aside. “Give yourself a break.”

Remy happily snuggled against his mate, enjoying the warm slide of the tea down his throat and the immense peacefulness of new life. Sometimes it didn’t feel real. He rubbed his cheek against Dane’s shoulder and inhaled his scent. That always calmed any nervousness he had and gave him an extra sense of security. Dane was a wonderful mate and would make a great sire to their pups.

A prick of doubt entered his mind. Placing his palm against his slightly swelling abdomen, he spoke his worry. “Do you think I’ll be a good father? I’m afraid I won’t know what to do.”

Dane squeezed him close. “You’ll be the best father. I’m sure of that and that’s one of the benefits of living in a pack. There are mothers and fathers there to help you learn to care for our pup and to step in whenever you need them. You’ll never be alone again, baby.” He kissed the top of Remy’s head, something the beta seemed inclined to do to show affection.

It was true. His old pack had been a scary place. He couldn’t have imagined bringing pups into that environment. Not having known anything different, he’d thought living in constant fear of making mistakes and taking punishment for them was a natural part of shifter life. The Strongbloods had taught him differently. Even without having Dane as a mate, he knew his life would have been wonderful. Now with the beta by his side, he had everything he could ever want.

Being held by his mate had the usual effect on him. It was still amazing that he’d gone almost his entire life without knowing the pleasure in store for him. “Dane?”

“Not now.” The man’s tone was firm, yet kind. “I’ll mount you again later.”

Disappointed, but not surprised, Remy sighed. “Yes, sir.”

His mate was a bit too careful with him, in his opinion. He wasn’t going to argue the point, however. Not only would it be pointless, but he also trusted his mate to know better than he in everything. And his hole did get a little sore from the vigorous mounting they both enjoyed so much. It was easy to ignore the discomfort when chasing the pleasure.

Something deep inside him tickled. Startled, he sat straight up and gasped. “It think it moved!” He turned to his mate, grinning and with his eyes wide. “The pup. I felt it. Maybe.” He deflated a little with a frown. It was still early days and although shifter pregnancies progressed pretty quickly, it didn’t seem possible that the pup had grown enough to make its presence known. Yet, the sensation wasn’t that yearning need that came from wanting to be filled by a dominant. This was decidedly different.

Dane placed his larger hand over his. “Really?” He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s possible for me to feel from the outside yet.” He turned Remy so that he was pressed against his chest. “I’d accepted the fact that this family life was not for me. Now…I can’t imagine it any other way. I love you, Remy.”

His breath caught. He’d never tire of hearing this from his mate. “I’m glad.” It didn’t seem nearly the right thing to say. “I didn’t dare hope that you ever would, but it’s better this way, isn’t it? Our loving each other?”

Dane rested his chin on Remy’s head. “Yes, it is.” His wolf barked out his agreement.

Remy’s wolf joined in with a yip and there was another tickle as if the pup did as well. Remy had no words to express his joy. Instead, he pondered what their future would be like. “What kind of shifter do you think we’ll have this time?”

“Probably a beta if it’s a boy or a sigma if it’s a girl.”

Thinking of Merida, Remy asked, “Do you think if I whelp a girl she could be a beta?”

“I know she can. I answered too quickly based on my upbringing. The Rogue Pack has a beta female. As feral as I was, even I heard the news as it spread among our kind. I’m sure she’s not the first. It’s merely that their alpha is more open-minded than most of our kind.”

“Like Alpha Graydon is with Merida.” It still amazed him how his sister had found her place in the pack, making her happy in a way he’d never known her to be.

Dane nodded with a serious expression. “Just one of the ways he’s shown me how different he is from our sire. I want to be a good beta to him.”

“You will be.” Remy had no doubt about his mate’s ability to return to his pack and pull his weight.

Dane cupped his chin to turn his head in order to give him a soft kiss. “When you say things like that and look at me as you’re doing now, I believe I will succeed in everything. And, who knows what our pups will turn out to be. Lorcan’s first pup is an alpha female.”

Remy gasped. “Really? How is that possible?”

With a shrug, Dane turned him completely around so that they sat face-to-face. “I don’t know but I think what’s changed is the way our kind has started to really catch up with human thinking. It won’t be long now before our two species openly mix.”

“That sounds scary.”

“I promise you and our pups will be safe no matter what.”

“Of course we will. You’ll protect us.”

“You see life with a clarity that most don’t and with an enviable openness. Never think it’s because you’re not smart. You are an innocent, Remy, and I would wish you to remain so for the rest of our lives.”

Remy’s cheeks heated. “How can you say that I am an innocent given that you’ve bred me?” It wasn’t only his face that felt warm. With Dane touching him and gazing at him with such love and desire, Remy didn’t think he could wait for later. His slick pooled around his hole.

Dane’s nostrils flared. “I don’t mean in that way, of course.” He maneuvered Remy onto his back and slid his cock inside him with a swift thrust that caused him to cry out with the intense pleasure. “It’s you, not your body, that is innocent. I wish you to always see life through those eyes.”

Remy raised his legs to take his mate deeper inside him. “With you there to guide me, how can I not?”

Then he closed his eyes and let his mate make his body sing. All those years he’d never known this was what awaited him. Deep down, he’d always believed life could be wonderful. Now, he knew. Dane had shown him the way.