22. Mutt

Fuuuuuck. My balls ached. My head was spinning. My cock had never been harder in my entire fucking life. The scent of Jeffrey's arousal in the air was making me turn inside out with the need to touch him. To taste him. To feel all that hot, sweat-sticky skin against my own.

I could taste the salt of his precum in the air and my hips jerked with the need to bury my dick inside him. That was the one thing we hadn't done. Full-on fucking. After I'd shown him my scars, I hadn't felt like I could ask—even though it was the thing I wanted most in the world. I'd already asked too much of him, I couldn't take that too.

I hadn't had to try this hard to control myself since my first shift, and god—I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take.

He was teasing me.

There was a cocky, confident glint in his eyes that made me want to roll over and show him my belly—even though I was his alpha, goddammit. I wanted to please him so fucking bad I could hardly breathe. He was an entirely different man than he'd been when we'd first met.

Or maybe that was just his scent in the air. Spicy sweet. Citrusy bursts of flavor. My nostrils flared as I flexed my hands, then clenched them into fists again, my claws severing flesh. The pain helped ground me as Jeffrey spread his legs and I watched, enraptured, as he pulled the hem of his underwear down low enough the crown of his cock flashed at me.

Pink. So pretty. Leaking slick. Desperate to be touched.

I licked my lips.

Jeffrey's smile was downright evil.

"You look hungry, Mutt," Jeffrey purred, his legs splayed wide, those freckled calves taunting me as he hitched one leg higher than the other and swiveled his body so that I had a front row view to the show. He shifted around, wiggling so that his back was against the wall and his legs hung off the side of the bed, facing where I stood stock-still just inside the window.

The moonlight painted him pale blue, making his freckles stand out stark on his creamy skin. My cock flexed, knot tingling as it began to form.

"I'm always hungry." I murmured, mirroring the words I'd spoken to him just a short month ago. Only this time I wasn't talking about pizza. "For you," I added, shivering when Jeffrey sucked in a sharp, overwhelmed breath.

Fuck, my cock hurts.

It took every ounce of control I had not to stride across the room, pin Jeffrey to the mattress, and force my dick inside whatever hole was closest. I wanted to show him who was boss. Who was the alpha here. The moon still aching beneath my skin.

This moon had been painful. They all were. But this had been…

It had…

I didn't want to think about it.

Didn't want to think about the way my wolf had torn at the manacles, severing tendons and flesh in an attempt to get free. To chase the shivery bright orange of a scent I didn't recognize, but needed all the same.

I'd gone under quickly, and come out exhausted. Though my memory was black, the blood on the floor, the scars on my body, and the faces my brothers had leveled me with as they'd released me from my shackles had clued me into just how bad it had been.

"You wouldn't stop whining," Theo had said, keeping his touch gentle as he slipped the key into the lock wrapped around my ankle. "Howling."

"I'm sorry." My voice was hoarse.

He'd looked at me then, gold eyes lost, and I could see he was hurting for me. I'd decided then that I'd do my best to spend some more time with him, and all of my brothers, before I…

Before I took matters into my own hands.

Before I was lost entirely.

The second I'd showered off the blood and pulled on my clothing—apparently my brothers had gone shopping at some point and bought me clothes that actually fit—I'd said my goodbyes and immediately leapt out the door in search of Jeffrey.

I still needed to tell Jeffrey the truth about myself—about my wolfskin—and the fact that I'd been pretending to be his dog. But I just…I didn't know how. I'd never been good at words.

How do you tell the person you love that you've been lying to them?

I didn't want to hurt him.

I didn't—and I already knew I was.

It was as inevitable as the next rise of the moon.

Now…however, was not the time to be worrying or reminiscing. Because Jeffrey was here, and he was beautiful, and he was putting on a show for me, my perfect mate-mate-mate.

The sweet scent of sex filled my nostrils as a slick drop of precum slipped down Jeffrey's cock, disappearing beneath the dark fabric of his boxers as his hand slid up his length, blocked by fabric. I wanted to lick. I wanted to inhale him. To chase that sweet droplet down his shaft and stick my nose behind his balls to where his scent was headiest.

"I deserve an apology," Jeffrey said, almost conversationally as his pelvis twitched toward his fingers and his lashes fluttered. He was glorious like this. Flushed from head to toe, his chest heaving with stuttered breaths. His nipples were rosy and peaked. His eyes were half-mast. His lips, bitten raw. "You left me alone."

It was a game.

We both knew I'd had no choice, but pretending as though I had…softened things. Made everything less dire. Made my tail wag and my heart burn with warmth for this resilient, lovely man and the little mercies he bestowed upon me.

"I'm sorry," I replied automatically, because it was true. I was sorry about a lot of things. But I wasn't sorry about this. About him. I couldn't regret him, even if I tried.

Broad shoulders flexed as Jeffrey slowed his movements, glacially so. Watching me watch him, like my micro-expressions were what was getting him off. Every time my brow twitched or my nostrils flared his cock would leak again. His gaze was dark as he watched the tick of my jaw, and my mouth, his expression hungry. Always hungry. Always aching for touch.

"You're not forgiven." Jeffrey's voice was gravelly soft.

I whined, low and unhappy. We were playing, but I still hated the idea of disappointing him.

He laughed.

My cock jerked.

God. I liked this side of him. I liked it a lot. I liked it just as much as every other side to his personality that I'd discovered. For once, he was being honest with his emotions. For once—he wasn't holding back. There were no demons in his gaze. He was quaky, hungry, and masculine need.

"Please," I begged, aching to touch, my body trembling. "Please can I touch now?" I wanted to pin him so fucking bad. To mount him till he cried. To knot him. To breed him till he was full of my cum. Wanted to impregnate him, to fill him full of my pups, even though I knew that wasn't something he could do.

I wanted to try anyway.

Don't.

Don't.

Don't.

You'll scare him.

My wolf howled at me to move closer. To take what was ours. To respond to Jeffrey's teasing and taunts the way an alpha should. With absolute dominance.

Don't scare him.

My hands flexed at my sides, the bones creaking.

"No," Jeffrey twisted his fingers around the crown of his cock and I strained to catch a glimpse of it again. The damn fabric kept covering it. "Only good boys get treats."

I whined again, falling into our game with gusto. "I'll be good," I promised, my cock flexing. It tented the front of the silky shorts Harry had bought me, pointing obscenely toward him. Jeffrey's gaze snapped down to it liquid-quick, and my hips jerked. My knot ached. "I'll be good. I'll make it up to you."

"Are you willing to work for it?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes ." A million times yes. I would do anything to be in his favor again.

I would burn the world for him if he asked.

But he didn't.

No.

No .

Instead, he decided to torture me some more.

Jeffrey flipped around. The perky cheeks of his ass were on full display as he slid onto his knees. I stared. Because what else was I supposed to do? That sweet little hole was there, just hiding behind fabric, begging to be fucked.

Legs splayed wide, Jeffrey reached back, long dexterous fingers putting on quite a show as he pulled his boxers down inch by inch till they sat just below his bare cock and balls. All that creamy skin on display.

I licked my lips.

Jeffrey's cock was glorious. Red, flushed. Lean and freckled like the rest of him. The head was rosy and slick. It hung between his legs, swinging a little as he shifted, twisting his upper body enough that I could see the corner of one dark, lust-filled eye. He crooked a finger at me, his balls, cock, and sweet little hole begging for kisses.

Oh thank God.

I took a step forward, more than a little eager.

"No," Jeffrey shook his head, and I froze. His eyes were black with lust as he stared at me, tracing over my body like he needed me as much as I needed him. I wanted to preen, but I didn't dare. Didn't want to break the spell. To spook him before he let me touch. "Crawl." Crawl? "Like a dog."

I growled, a low noise that rumbled deep inside me. Rage, anger, frustration burned beneath the surface of my skin. Alphas did not submit like this. We didn't. But for him…for him I would throw away everything—even my pride.

I fell to my knees.

The alpha in me howled its fury but I ignored it. Instead, I shifted forward on my hands and knees. Slow and steady, I stalked across the carpet, crossing the distance between us without ever taking my eyes off of the gorgeous man above me.

He shuddered, something flickering in his eyes as he reacted to my approach.

Something primal.

Something sweet.

Sweet, sweet Jeffrey , hiding behind his games, scared to be vulnerable but knowing I'd take care of him anyway. Knowing I wouldn't hurt him, even when he teased. There was trust between us now. Trust I didn't know if I deserved, but I was going to do my damndest to earn.

Jeffrey needed his alpha.

Needed me.

I would play his games.

I would do as he asked.

His cock dripped onto the duvet. He arched his back, his sweet little hole winking at me as I continued to approach. One of his hands moved, and his breath left him in a ragged gasp the moment I finally reached my destination. There were a scant few inches between my mouth and his dick and I burned to reach out to taste him. To suck him inside my mouth. To please him.

He twitched when he felt my breath tickle over where he was red-hot and achy.

"You want me," Jeffrey accused, his voice reedy soft, thick with emotion. Like this was the first time he was really allowing himself to accept that.

"I do." I nodded, shaking all over. "Always."

The scent of blood filled my nose—my own, as I'd pricked my palms to keep myself in check—but I shoved it aside. Greedily, I pressed my face against Jeffrey's thigh and inhaled. God, he's delicious. Just smelling wasn't enough, so I moved, running my mouth along the soft skin. Tasting the auburn hairs on his legs with my tongue, enjoying the prickle of them as he shuddered.

"You'd do anything for me," Jeffrey's voice wobbled, like he wasn't sure if he was right—but he wanted to be.

"Yes," I agreed, leashed to him by choice.

And then—because while I loved my current view, I desperately needed to see his face, I grabbed his hips and flipped him over. He gasped, body jerking, a needy whine escaping as the breath whooshed out of his lungs.

"Wh—"

"There." I grabbed his legs, forcing them up toward his chest, his boxers still trapping them together. This way I could see his face and his cock and hole at the same time. I licked my lips, eyeing him greedily. Admiring the way his chest twitched with each panted breath. Admiring the way his cock jerked, his balls drawing up tight like simply being manhandled into place was enough to make him nearly cum.

Satisfied, I settled back into my rightful place between his legs.

Skimming my nose along the edge of where his boxers met his thigh, I stared up at him, enraptured. He looked like royalty above me like that, eyes dark with lust, his broad shoulders trembling with the effort of holding back. This was better. This was way better.

Up close like this, I could smell his cum even better. It blocked out the distracting scents of the woods outside the still open window, and the detergent he used. Stronger even, than the blood on my palms.

I licked my lips and he bit his lip in response, eyes pinched shut, before they opened again. Flooded black. Dazed. He faltered.

"Tell me what you want, my prince," I murmured.

Jeffrey gasped, his cock jerking as the nickname fell from my lips without thought. It'd been a while since I used it, but it felt even more accurate now. Because he was my everything, and I'd serve him the way only I could.

All my life I'd wanted to be the prince from a fairy tale. The one who saved the day. The hero. I'd thought I'd find my mate and yank them right off their feet—or sweep? I couldn't remember which word was supposed to be more romantic. Yanked seemed accurate though.

I realized now, however, I'd gotten that all wrong. Jeffrey was the prince in this scenario. He was the one who left me weak-kneed.

Like now.

Lying between his thighs, my cock left a sticky wet patch against my new shorts, reminding me how badly it needed to be buried inside him.

"Suck me," Jeffrey commanded, straightening his shoulders as his breath wobbled. Trying to go back to being in charge, despite the fact my manhandling had clearly affected him. That fuzziness in his gaze was back—the kind he only got when he felt safe and warm and cared for. If I had my way I'd keep him like this always. Sated and docile. My pretty, pretty bitch.

"Suck me and I'll forgive you," he tried to sound tough, and failed rather spectacularly, his voice was so hoarse.

I didn't need to be told twice. I'd been gagging to get my mouth on his dick from the moment I'd caught his scent in the woods. This was no hardship. He was hot and warm as I sunk him down my throat in one fluid movement. It was much easier now than it had been before. My muscles remembered just what to do, how to relax, how to suck and suck and suck.

I grabbed his hips, careful of my claws. The scratches that I'd left on my palms had already healed, though a smudge of my blood smeared across his milky flesh. I willed the claws away so I could dig my fingers into the meat of his ass and urge him deeper down my throat.

"Uhhhh," Jeffrey whined, clutching at my head, all his bravado wavering as I slurped around him. He was delicious. Everything I'd ever wanted. Thighs trapped, he had nowhere to go. Couldn't even wriggle free. "F-Fuck." He gave his hips an experimental flex, pushing into my mouth, and I growled, sucking harder to tell him it was okay.

If he wanted to fuck me he could. I'd let him.

Slurp, slick, slurp.

"F-fuck," Jeffrey repeated, taking my swallowing as the permission it was. And then his hips smacked against my face again. And again. And again. He ground his cock against me, my saliva making a mess down my chin. "Jesus fuck, you're so fucking good." His voice was low and breathless. "I'm gonna—gonna?—"

I smacked his ass cheek hard enough he howled, giddy when I felt it jiggle. I'd wanted to do that for so long, it felt unreal that I just had. So I did it again. Enjoying the sharp sting of impact as a red mark formed beneath my hand. Jeffrey seemed to like it just as much as I did, because the second my palm met his ass a second time he spilled on my tongue, sated and breathless, still clutching hard at my hair. His fingers brushed over my wolf ears as he pulled me off of him, slowly, inch by inch.

Huffing hot against his pelvis, I ignored his whining, and forced his now-softening cock back into my mouth.

"What are you—oh."

I sucked every last drop of cum from his dick, my own cock straining toward him as I pressed a parting kiss against his crown and tilted my head to look up at him.

Jeffrey was a mess .

There were tears smudged down his cheeks, his lips were swollen from biting them, his cheeks were splotchy red, and his eyes were nearly black with lust. "Good boy," he gasped out, shuddering, his hard nipples taunting me.

Good boy. My skin buzzed.

I leaned up to bite one, because I could, and he shuddered, clutching his hands in my hair and forcing me to the other side.

"Fuck," he gasped again, entire body trembling.

He had just come, yes. But all it took was one look to know that he was far from satisfied. My mate needed more. Jeffrey pushed me away from his chest before I could suck any more hickeys against it, his hands shaking as he pulled hard at my shoulders.

"You did so good," he shuddered. "You were such a good boy—" My tail wagged. I couldn't help it. He grinned, and it was soft again—though an edge remained. "Do you want a treat?"

A treat?

I did not want a treat.

I just wanted him.

"I want you ," I gasped out, gaze zeroing in on his pink little hole and where it winked between his legs.

And then he rolled over onto his belly again. His elbows took his weight. His legs spread wide as he reached back with one hand and pulled his boxers down his bouncy, freckled ass, inch by inch. I growled, claws popping free once more as I gripped the edge of the mattress, immediately shoving my face toward his ass. His hole was pink and innocent between the curve of his cheeks.

I wanted to bury myself inside it.

Suck and lick.

Fuck it till it was loose and open, dripping white with my cum.

Maybe I could put the tip inside again?

Just a little?—

Just…just?—

Jeffrey shimmied his hips away before I could connect with that sweet little hole and I whined in complaint, lips bumping against one of his fleshy ass cheeks instead.

"Beg," Jeffrey demanded. He wagged his ass in my face and I whined, low and plaintive. Like a goddamn puppy.

"Please," I gasped out, shuddering with desire as his hole clenched. I wanted in. I wanted in—I wanted— "Please, please, please, please, please?—"

"Okay." Jeffrey gasped out a little laugh, tugging his boxers the rest of the way down and leaning on both elbows again. His hole twitched at me and I whined, opening my mouth, ready to plead some more. "I'm sorry. That was mean—" He was trembling. His freckled thighs were pulled tight with tension. "You can?—"

I didn't need to be told twice.

I yanked him up onto his knees again, enjoying his happy little gasp.

And then my mouth descended on his hole before he could finish his sentence. He howled, bucking away from me in surprise as I slicked my tongue around the twitching entrance and tore holes in his mattress trying to force myself deeper.

"Shit," he gasped out. "Oh shit." His hips circled back a little as I speared my tongue, his hole wet and soft when I finally was able to push my way inside. "Fuuuuuck." He humped my tongue, the tension in his body slipping away as he grew lax and obedient. "Fuck, buddy."

"You missed me," I murmured against his entrance, speaking to it directly. "Your greedy hole needed fucked." I pulled my tongue out so I could swirl it around the twitchy entrance before I pushed back inside the tight clutch of his body. He was just as sweet here as he was everywhere else. Calm, unlike anything I'd ever known, settled over my body.

"Fuck," Jeffrey gasped out. "Yes—I…I did."

"You missed..." I murmured, rubbing my lips around the tightly clenched hole. " This ." I flattened my tongue, dragging it over his hole to demonstrate.

The weakness I usually felt after a full moon melted away. Till I was simply a toy. A toy for my mate's pleasure as he circled his hips, back and forth, back and forth, and rode my tongue. The deeper I pushed inside him the harder he fucked himself, these broken little "uh, uh, uh" sounds escaping him every time I wriggled deeper.

I wanted to grab his hips.

Wanted to force him to ride me harder.

Wanted him to sit on my goddamn face.

But I wasn't in control right now, and I was terrified of hurting his fragile human flesh. So I settled for fucking him as well as I could without it. My hand fell to my cock, even though what I really wanted was to climb on top of him and force it inside him. My nails pricked my own flesh as I rutted into my tight grip at the same time my saliva dripped down the crack of his ass and my tongue wriggled deeper.

When Jeffrey came for the second time that night he clenched around me. A pitiful, overwhelmed little sob escaped him. His scent was needy-soft-overstimulated. This flicker of twitches that had my head spinning and my cock drooling. I came all over my fist only seconds later, unable to help myself, my fingers twisted tight around the base of my knot to prolong the pleasure. His sticky hole clung to my tongue, sucking at me.

Jeffrey circled his hips, once, twice, three more times before he wiggled off my tongue, and fell to his belly onto the mattress with an exhausted groan. His legs were sprawled wide, hole gaping at me. I grinned, unable to help myself as I leaned forward and buried my face between his cheeks again to suck a few more kisses against it.

"Jesus Christ," Jeffrey trembled, reaching back to tangle his fingers in my hair as my tongue slipped inside the tight clutch of his body again. "Fuck. You can't?—"

"I can," I argued, though I had a face full of ass so it wasn't very articulate.

"Fuck." Jeffrey didn't argue again. My fangs dug into his sweat damp skin but he didn't seem to mind. He let me suck kisses against his pretty hole. Let me lick the crease at the back of his thighs, even though he claimed it tickled. He let me suck hickeys along the tops of his ass cheeks. In the dimples there. Up his spine. Along the back of his neck. Let me lick his armpits, down his arms, and the insides of his wrists. Let me snuffle and skim my nose behind his balls, and across them, let me taste and taste and taste. He let me rub my cum onto his ass, the backs of his thighs.

Let me kiss and bite my way down his hamstrings, suck the backs of his knees till he kicked, then down to his angular, gorgeous feet. I gave each toe a lingering suck before he finally, dazedly, pushed me off, with a sweet little whimpery complaint.

He stunk of me.

Reeked of me.

My mate.

My pretty, pretty mate. With all his speckles. And his clever games. And his hole that begged to be bred.

I curled around his back after arranging him beneath the blankets, my teeth held snug but gently around the back of his neck—like he was a pup in need of punishment. And we fell asleep like that. Together.

Sated.

Sticky.

The way we were supposed to be.

The way I knew we wouldn't be for long.