14. Morgan

Chapter 14

Morgan

"I'm sorry," I groaned, eyes clenched tight. "So, sooooo sorry. Whatever I did to deserve this, I take it back."

My stomach twisted again, and I shoved my head over the toilet, but there was nothing left in my stomach to purge. Please, let there be nothing left! The queasiness was nothing new. I'd been feeling increasingly off for the past couple weeks. Who could blame me with all the stress I was under. I missed Jude more than I could stand, and then there was this creeper creeping outside my apartment! Trapped inside, no exercise, no sunshine. It was enough to make anyone sick. This morning, though, it took a severe turn for the worse.

My skin was clammy, and the room spun around me in a dizzying kaleidoscope every time I opened my eyes. My knees were killing me from kneeling on the hard tile, but my legs were too shaky to stand even if I wanted to. And as if that wasn't enough, a knocking sound began to ricochet inside my brain.

As the rhythmic knocking got louder, though, I realized it wasn't my imagination. Someone was knocking on the door.

"Go away," I mumbled into the toilet bowl. "Can't you see I'm busy?" It was probably Eric, sick of waiting for me to emerge from my lair.

Whoever it was didn't go away, though. In fact, the knocking shifted to a more insistent rapping, then to a loud thumping. Just because my rent was paid up, that didn't mean Al wouldn't evict me for noise complaints.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted in the general direction of the door, but that made my stomach clench, and stomach acid burned the back of my throat. I coughed and sputtered into the toilet, even as the banging continued in the background.

There was a loud cracking sound of splintering wood, followed by a slam and stomping footsteps. "What the fuck?" I stumbled onto my ass as I turned to see Jude filling the doorway behind me. His lips were turned into a hard frown, but his green eyes just looked sad and dull, drained of light. I squinted up at him. "Am I hallucinating?" Oh shit, whatever illness I had was spreading. Was it cancer? Was I dying?

Things just got stranger as Jude knelt beside me. "Oh, precious. I'm so sorry."

Well, if this was a hallucination, then I was going to enjoy it while it lasted. "You don't have anything to be sorry for," I said, more than half delirious. I should've been worried about my greasy hair, unshowered pits, or my rank barf breath, but since it wasn't real, I allowed myself to lean on his shoulder, sighing in sweet relief. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too. I'm so, so sorry for staying away. I should've been here to take care of you. I didn't know. But I should've realized that of course humans don't go into heat."

Heat? He was speaking gibberish, but I couldn't bring myself to care because for the first time in weeks, my stomach felt a little better. I sighed. "I really wish you were real so I could ask for a glass of water."

Jude shifted me to sitting up, then I heard the tap running, and he came back with a cup of water, tilting it to my lips. The water was blissfully cold, soothing my dry lips. I took a deep breath and truly looked at the man in front of me. "You're really here, aren't you? "

"Of course I am, and I'm never leaving you again." That sounded pretty good to me.

He leaned over the edge of the tub to turn on the shower, tested the water, and when he'd decided it was right, he scooped me up off the floor and walked straight into the shower with me, clothes and all. The shower curtain wasn't shut, and water sprayed out across the floor.

I squealed and struggled weakly, my t-shirt and pajama pants quickly soaking through. "Put me down!"

"No," he said in such a way that left no room for arguing. He huffed, burying his nose into the crook of my neck and inhaling deeply. "You smell so good."

I scoffed, threading my fingers through his hair, fully intending to push him away but somehow pulling him closer instead. "Yeah, right. You're definitely not from around here if you think that. I probably smell like I've been wallowing on my couch for the past three weeks."

He drew back and looked down at me with confusion. "Is that a bad thing?"

Laughing, I reached up and cupped his cheek. "Oh, my sweet alpha. It's only bad if you don't like it."

"Well… I love it." He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head to the side .

"Nope, nuh-uh. Absolutely no kissing until after I've brushed my teeth, so if you'd put me down, I can take care of that."

Grumbling under his breath, Jude reluctantly set me down, my sodden clothes squishing. When I started pulling my shirt off, his hands were suddenly there pushing mine out of the way. "Arms up," he instructed, and I did, holding my arms over my head as he stripped my shirt off. He quickly shucked his own clothes, throwing everything across the bathroom to land in the sink with a wet thwap , then he crouched in front of me and pulled my flannel pants down.

Jude's eyes were at crotch height, and it really didn't help the situation that the image he portrayed, on his knees in front of me, his cock standing straight up against his stomach, had my dick plumping up immediately. His breath stuttered, and he looked up at me through his lashes. "What about this kind of kissing? Is that allowed?"

I groaned, thoroughly regretting all the time I'd spent loafing around lately. Why oh why did I have to neglect my hygiene? "No," I moaned, pouting. "Let me at least lather up a little first before you put your mouth anywhere on my body. "

I reached around and grabbed the bar from the soap dish and began to rub it between my hands, but Jude was still on his knees. He held a hand out for the soap. "Allow me."

"Oh… okay." An electric thrill ran through me as I passed him the soap. His eyes were locked on mine, and he didn't look away, even as he lathered up his hands and placed his palms on my thighs.

I'd never showered with someone before, and the intimacy of it was shocking. We'd already had sex, but that had been rushed, to the point that I really hadn't had time to process it all. Now, though, all I had was time to overthink.

"Have I told you how sorry I am?" he asked, his thumbs teasing along the inside of my thighs, and my balls drew up tight in reply.

Blood was rushing south so fast that I felt lightheaded, and I set my palm on the wet tiles, bracing myself. I was pretty sure I nodded. "Uh, yeah, yes."

"I didn't grow up in a very nice place," he explained, and even though I could feel his words were laced with so much darkness, he kept his voice light and calm, massaging upward until his fingers were teasing the crease of my groin. "It's always been really hard for me to trust humans, and I'm sorry I every associated you with those monsters. "

"I-It's okay," I breathed, swallowing hard. I wanted to ask question, but I knew he would tell me in his own time. "I don't blame you. I don't trust many humans either."

He grunted, smiling a little, and he turned his attention to washing me.

The way he was cleaning me wasn't even sexual, and that was part of why it drove me so wild. He only briefly cupped my balls, rolling them in his palm while he cleaned them with clinical precision, stroking my erection with too much delicacy, before moving on to my stomach, chest, and back. He took his time cleaning every inch of my body.

"You should know a few things about me, before we get too deep," he said, pressing his fingers into the muscles of my back. "I don't talk much, ever. I don't trust easily, but once I do, that person is my family, and I will protect them with my life. Sometimes I can be a little clueless about human customs, so you might need to help me understand really basic things, like trampoline parks or those restaurants that sell 50 different kinds of coffee. I really like kids, and I'd love to have a few more if you agree. My wolf is a great hunter, and I'm a pretty good cook; we will never let you starve. Right now, I sleep in a tent, but I'm sure we can figure something out about that. And I don't exactly live alone—I have a pack."

"Grim Wilds?" I guessed .

"Yeah, how did you—?"

"The grocery delivery, there was a name on the bank account."

He chuckled. "Smart."

"You know, for someone who claims not to talk much, you sure do have a lot to say," I teased.

He moved his hands down my back, digging into the muscles along my spine, until he found a spot that made me melt. I groaned and dropped my head onto his chest in bliss. "Yeah, right there. That's the spot."

Wrapping my arms around his waist and absorbing his heat, I realized my stomach felt a million times better. Maybe I'd just been heartsick all along.

"Is it my turn?" I asked. "To tell you about myself?"

"Please," he said, sighing. "I want to know everything there is to know about you."

"I'm addicted to trashy reality TV, but I've actually found being in the woods really peaceful, and I can't wait for you to show me your home. I used to be a vegetarian, but it's probably a good thing I'm not anymore, because I would really love for your wolf to hunt for me. I'm an only child and I was really lonely growing up, so having a few kids sounds perfect. I don't get the point of trampoline parks either, but I happen to like all 50 kids of coffee served at those cafés, especially when it comes with a donut."

His chuckle rumbled through me, and I kissed his chest. "The most important thing to know about me, though, is that I'm yours."

"That works perfectly, because I'm yours too, mate." Jude nuzzled into my neck again, sniffing deeply. "The soap covered up your smell, but you're there underneath. I could still find you anywhere." I tipped my head to the side, sighing, as I gave him all the access he might need.

"I am sorry about your neck," he whispered, his lips tickling the shell of my ear. "I never meant to hurt you. I will be more careful in future."

"Please don't," I groaned, palming his ass cheeks and squeezing. I felt his cock twitch between us, and I smiled and did it again. "I'm not made of glass, I just bruise easily, even by human standards. I promise you didn't hurt me, and I'll tell you if anything is too much."

"That sounds fair." He trailed open-mouthed kisses down my neck to my collarbone, nipping lightly, before dragging his tongue over my Adam's apple to the other side, before repeating the treatment.

It felt like my entire body was on fire, and we'd barely gotten started! The way our bodies, slippery with suds, glided against each other, it was the most delicious sensation, lacking any kind of friction. I wanted to rub myself all over him until I came so I could cover him in my scent.

Instead of rinsing me off when he was done bathing me, he slicked his palm with soap and wrapped his hand around both our cocks, pressing them together, and gave them a long pull. Shuddering, I grabbed blindly for the toothbrush I kept in here. I wanted to kiss him so badly, but I wasn't about to give in until I was minty fresh. But it was really hard to concentrate on anything but what he was doing with his hands. I accidentally squeezed out way too much toothpaste when he dragged his thumb over the slit at the tip, the gel landing in the tub at our feet. I whimpered, throwing the crinkled tube over my shoulder blindly, before shoving my toothbrush into my mouth and scrubbing furiously at my teeth and tongue.

"Oh fuck, you're killing me," I mumbled around the toothbrush as he picked up the pace and my eyes rolled back into my skull.

"In a good way, right?" he asked with a husky chuckle, slowing the pace of his strokes in the most excruciating way.

"Uh-huh," I moaned, nodding. "The best way."

I would've begged for him to go faster, but it wasn't even a little necessary. I spat the toothpaste toward the drain just in time, my climax roaring through me going a hundred miles an hour. "Kiss me," I demanded, clawing at his shoulders desperately, and he was quick to obey.

His lips crashed down on mine, his tongue invading my mouth with an animalistic growl. I cried out, my cum spurting in an arc between us, painting his stomach. He kept right on jerking my oversensitive cock, but I never wanted him to stop. I was so lit up inside, I was sure I could just keep right on going.

Just two pumps later, though, Jude grunted, the hand around my shaft stuttering to a halt, his whole body tensing against me. His thick, hot cum joined mine, the two essences mixing together to coat his fist.

Jude nearly collapsed against me, pinning me to the tile wall to keep us both standing. He dropped his head to my shoulder, panting to catch his breath. "Is it always like this?" he asked, seemingly awestruck.

"Between us? Yes, always." I carded my fingers through his short hair and huffed a laugh. "Now we have to get clean all over again."

He laughed too and leaned back, staring down at the mess we made. "Let me soap you up again. I'll be good this time, I swear." I didn't believe him for a second. The heated look in his eyes, paired with the way his dick was already hardening again in preparation for round two, said otherwise.

I gave him a coy look, bringing his hand up to my mouth and licking our cum off his fingers. "I dunno, maybe we should just stay in here all day, rotating between clean and dirty."

The decision, however, was made for us when the water temperature began to take a dip toward sub-arctic. We each washed ourselves this time, in a race to get out as quickly as we could, and when I hopped out onto the bathmat, I was shivering and covered in goosebumps.

"Come here." Jude brought me close and wrapped me in towels, scrubbing at my hair, but it was the heat coming off his body that finally warmed me up.

I sagged against his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist, while he finished drying me with the utmost care. I'd always been a pretty independent guy—had even prided myself on providing for myself and relying on nobody—but letting him take care of me like this felt better than I ever would've guessed.

I looked up at him, propping my chin on his chest. "What made you come back?" I whispered.

Jude sighed, a haunted look in his eyes. "I just decided it was time to put my past behind me, and you are my future." He took me in his arms and carried me to my bedroom where he set me down on the edge of the bed and began to open dresser drawers, searching for clothes. I had no clue what criteria he had for what he chose, but he somehow ended up selecting my favorite band t-shirt and a pair of gray sweats.

The whole time he dressed me, he talked—a little about his pack, but mostly about where he grew up. His voice remained calm while he recounted the most traumatic story I could've imagined. Though he didn't go into detail, likely to shield me from the worst of what transpired, I wasn't sure I would make it through to the end. My heart broke for the little boy he'd been, for his sister and brothers, his father. I couldn't imagine what kind of monsters would do that! Experimenting on children? It was… barbaric .

Not once did I interrupt him. By the time I was dressed, tears were streaming down my cheeks.

Jude brushed my cheeks tenderly with his thumbs, collecting my tears. "It's okay, Morgan. You don't need to cry for me. I survived, and everything I lived through led me to you. It was fate."

"You are so… incredible. So strong to have lived through that nightmare, and instead of letting it break you, you emerged as the most kind-hearted man." I cupped his stubbled cheeks between my palms and rested my forehead on his. "I love you, alpha mine."

A small, relieved sigh slipped from his lips. "I-I love you too," he said at long last before pausing, and I was pretty sure he was holding his breath. After a long moment, he blew out a breath, smiling. "I was so scared to love you, because I thought it would curse you or something. But look…" He swiveled his gaze around the room. "We're both still here. Lightning didn't strike us dead. We're here, and we're together." His grin widened. "I love you," he said again, with more force. "I love you, I love you, I love you," he chanted, peppering me with kissing until I was giggling madly.

Then he jumped to his feet and tugged me up by the hand. "You're coming home with me," he said.

"Yeah, okay," I agreed without any hesitation.

When Jude started dragging me toward the door, barely hanging on its hinges in the splintered frame, though, I dug my heels in. "Uh, Jude, aren't you forgetting something?"

He turned back, frowning. "What?"

"Um, your clothes?" I gestured to his utterly delectable member, still semi-hard. "You can't really walk around like that here."

He grumbled something about stuck-up human sensibilities, then headed back toward the bathroom where all our wet clothes were still in a pile overflowing from the sink, across the counter, and dripping onto the floor. Of course, none of my clothes would fit him, and while he seemed perfectly ready to put his wet clothes back on, it was freezing outside.

I set a hand on his arm. "How about we put your clothes in the dryer down the hall, and while we're waiting, we'll pack up a suitcase with anything important I want to bring with me." Honestly, I wasn't sure I would ever be back here. Now that I knew we would be together, nothing else mattered.

Jude's grumpy frown softened. "Okay. I guess I can wait an hour."