17. Cash

"Wow, that got intense," Ore said as he led the way inside the house.

Cash nodded, following close behind him, shutting and locking the door. "Yeah. I knew there'd be some pushback, but it seemed like most people were supportive of the idea."

His bird headed straight for the living room, throwing himself down on the couch and letting out a dramatic groan. "Goddess, I'm tired. This day has just been so long, and I feel like I've barely seen you."

Smiling, he sat next to him, lifting his arm when Ore immediately leaned into him to snuggle close. "How are your parents feeling?"

Ore's scent soured a little. "I'm not sure. I'm hoping after a few days of processing everything, they'll be a little more open to the idea of staying here."

He glanced down, staring at Ore's face and the tiny furrow between his brows. "They're not planning on staying?"

He tipped his head back to meet Cash's gaze. "They're not sure. I kind of get it. If I didn't have you, I wouldn't be as comfortable staying in a pack full of felines. I think they're worried mostly about feeling like outsiders or like they were only admitted to the pack out of guilt or charity. I know they're worried about my sisters too."

"They'd all be safe here," Cash assured him. "I promise you."

Ore reached up and cupped the side of his face. "I know that. You don't have to convince me. I don't know that it helped when I told them about us. They seemed pretty shocked."

A lump formed in Cash's throat. "They were upset when you told them we were mates?"

He hummed in agreement, leaning up to press a kiss to the underside of Cash's chin. "My mom was. My dad came around really quickly, told me they were happy for me, but she still seemed horrified at the idea of me being mated to a panther,"

Cash scowled. "Does she think I won't treat you well? I can talk to her if you want. Even if we hadn't been destined for each other, I still would've chosen you, Ore."

His mate stretched up farther to give him a quick kiss on his mouth. "I would've chosen you too. But no, you don't need to talk to her. They'll either decide to stay or to go to another pack. Hopefully if they leave, they won't end up too far away so we can visit every now and again."

"You'll still be staying?" Cash asked slowly, voicing the worry that had gripped him as soon as Ore had said his parents might not.

Ore gave his ear a tug. "Of course I'm staying. I love them, but you're my mate. You're the one I'm going to build a life with."

"If you want to be with them, we could still le?—"

"No," Ore interrupted. "I would never ask you to leave. You are an integral part of this pack, and you've worked so hard to get where you are. I would never ask you to give that up."

"I just want you to be happy," Cash said softly, leaning closer and nuzzling against Ore's temple.

"You do make me happy. So does Pops—and even Rachel and Saint are growing on me. Plus, the cute little bookstore." He tapped his lips, pretending to think. "Oh yes, and I love you."

"I love you too, little bit." He couldn't help but smile at his silliness.

Ore's sweet face turned radiant with happiness. He slipped a hand behind Cash's neck and used his handhold to pull himself up and over Cash's lap so he was straddling him and they were face-to-face.

As Ore leaned in, Cash put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. His dick throbbed in protest, but there was one more thing he needed to say before he got distracted. "I'd rather you not come tomorrow."

Liam had let the pack know at the end of the meeting that the reinforcements from his brother's pack and Rick Kincaid would be arriving tomorrow afternoon. Then, they'd fly to California together to confront Ore's old pack and rescue anyone who wanted to leave.

It would hopefully be a short trip when they showed up with formidable backup. Their numbers should discourage Alpha Barney or his Enforcers from putting up a fight. Then, it would just be sorting out transportation and anything else the pack needed before they headed back home.

Tipping his head to the side, Ore studied him, a faint smile still on his lips. "It's my family, my former pack. I have to go."

"It could get dangerous," Cash said. "I need to make sure you stay safe."

Ore clasped either side of his face, leaning in until their foreheads were pressed together. "I know, and it's one of the many reasons why I love you, but I have to do this. I need to face what happened and the fact that I just ran instead of staying and trying to help."

"You were worried about your own well-being," Cash insisted. "I doubt anyone blames you for fleeing to protect yourself."

He shrugged. "Maybe, but the fact of the matter is my sisters and other hatchlings in the pack have suffered because of my decision. I need to be a part of the solution."

Cash sighed and closed his eyes. He understood what Ore was saying—he'd feel the exact same way. Even if Ore didn't plan on staying with his old pack, he still felt responsible for them. A sense of loyalty that didn't just evaporate because he met Cash.

"If anyone even looks at you wrong?—"

"You'll rip their throats out. I know," Ore said, kissing the corner of his mouth and then the other side.

Cash growled and chased his lips, threading his fingers in his hair to hold his teasing mate still. He didn't hesitate, thrusting his tongue inside and tilting Ore's head a little so he could deepen the kiss even more. Moaning, Ore slung his arms around his neck and opened for him, letting Cash take everything he wanted.

Dragging his hands up Ore's thighs, he forced himself to pull back. One look at Ore's kiss-drunk face nearly had him throwing him down on the couch and rutting against him right there.

"Let's go upstairs," he growled, giving his little bird's ass a quick smack.

With a whimper that made Cash's dick twitch, Ore nodded shakily and carefully climbed to his feet, looking unsteady for a minute.

He recovered quickly, tossing a flirty look at Cash and then dashing toward the stairs.

His panther roared with excitement. Chasing his mate, then making him his in every way possible? No way he'd pass that up.

As he ran up the stairs behind Ore, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside. By the time he caught up to Ore, right at the end of their bed, his pants were unbuttoned, but he paused his stripping to grab Ore around the waist and gently toss him on the mattress.

Bursting with surprised laughter, Ore flipped around onto his back. "You caught me."

Cash unzipped his jeans and let them drop. "I'll always catch you, little bit. But I do love it when you run."

Ore sucked in a breath, his eyes moving down Cash's body like a caress and then pausing on his hardening cock. Licking his lips, Ore asked breathlessly, "You have supplies here, right? I don't want a repeat of the lake. Actually, you know what, that was pretty amazing if you want to do it again."

"Another time," he assured him, pulling open the bedside table and grabbing the new bottle of lube tucked inside.

Ore rustled around on the bed, and then a shirt hit the back of his head, followed by a bright giggle. Struggling to keep a straight face, Cash turned around and shook his head in disappointment.

"That wasn't very nice."

Digging his teeth into his bottom lip, Ore wiggled out of his jeans and briefs, throwing them next. Cash caught them and let them fall out of his hand to the floor.

He cracked a smile. "Such a brat."

Ore held out his arms, gesturing at Cash. "Come here. I need you inside already."

Growling, he pounced on the bed and prowled forward until he was hovering over his tiny mate. "Once I'm inside, I'm never leaving."

Ore held his gaze. "Good. I'd want you to live in my skin if you could."

A spark of an idea took hold, but he shoved it aside, focusing on his sexy little bird. Leaning down, he captured his plush lips in a deep, pulse-pounding kiss. He got lost in it for a moment until Ore started whimpering and wiggling beneath him.

Kissing across his jaw and down his neck, he flipped open the top of the lube and coated his fingers. He'd need to be extra careful with preparing his mate so he didn't hurt him with his size.

He sucked on the spot between Ore's neck and shoulder, more than ready to sink his fangs into his sweet skin. Ore grabbed the back of his head, pulling him in harder and rolling his hips.

"Faster, baby. I can't wait any longer."

Grunting, he nipped with his teeth and sank a finger inside Ore when he arched up in response.

"Ung!" Ore tore at his shoulders, spreading his legs as wide as he could. "Yes, yes, yes. Give me another."

His mate was so warm… and tight. He ignored his demand and gently worked his finger in and out, rubbing against the walls until he found what he was looking for.

"Cash!"

For a few long minutes, Cash licked and kissed at every bit of skin he could reach while he slowly worked his mate open, tapping at his prostate whenever he started getting pushy about Cash going faster. It took a while—forever, if you asked Ore—for him to get up to three fingers that he could plunge in and out easily.

He lingered, just a few seconds longer, until his mate whimpered and thrashed beneath him.

"I'm good. I'm ready. Just get your dick inside me, please!"

Nipping at Ore's kiss-swollen lips, he slicked himself with more lube. "You think being rude and demanding is the way to get what you want?"

"I said please," Ore argued, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Hmm." Cash held his eyes as he lined up at Ore's entrance. "I suppose that's true."

Ore opened his mouth—whether to be bratty or beg, he wasn't sure—but Cash surged forward, sinking halfway inside in one go. Moaning long and low, Ore arched his neck back and dug his heels into Cash's ass.

"Goddess, yes. More, please."

He eased in slowly, worried about going too fast and hurting Ore despite his desire for Cash to just pound the shit out of him. He'd never his little bird's health or safety—not even so he could get inside his amazingly tight heat.

"Cash, faster," he pleaded, slapping at one of his shoulders. "I'm small, not fragile. I can take it, I promise."

There was a thread of desperation in his voice that called to Cash's panther, snagging and reeling him in until he was nothing but a discipline worshiping at the throne of Ore.

He sped up, going deeper with each thrust, Ore's cries of ecstasy ringing in his ears. Soon, he was lost to the pleasure building between him, face smashed into his mate's neck to suck in as much of his floral scent as possible and hips shuttling in at out at a fast, steady pace. Just before he bottomed out each time, he'd slam the rest of the way in just to hear his mate moan again and again.

"I'm so close," Ore whimpered, wrapped as tightly around Cash as he could get.

Cash grunted in agreement, speeding up a little more.

Tilting his head to the side, Ore begged breathlessly, "Bite me, please. Make me yours forever."

He released an ear-splitting roar, his fangs descending and pricking at his lip. Giving one more lick over the spot, now salty with a thin layer of sweat, he pounded into Ore twice more and then let go. His come sprayed inside him, so deep he had to believe it would stay forever, marking him with his scent.

But that wasn't enough.

With a hiss, he bit down into the meat of Ore's shoulder, his mouth filling with his coppery blood. Ore tensed beneath him, right on the edge, and Cash moved his hips in a circle.

"Oh shit, your dick…"

His chest filled with pride at providing even more pleasure for his mate. Now that they were bonded, his cock would be able to form ridges to give Ore more sensation.

Swirling his hips once more, he released his teeth and grinned with primal satisfaction as Ore screamed, the scent of his come filling the air. Gently, he licked over the bite mark he'd left, watching with content as Ore's skin began to heal but leaving a scar behind.

Everyone would know he was claimed.

Panting, Ore flopped his limbs onto the bed, turning into a puddle beneath him. "That was… I didn't realize… Good gracious."

Cash's chest pumped with satisfaction, and he pulled out with a groan. Ore moaned softly as well but didn't open his eyes. Filled with contentment, Cash got them both cleaned up, holding Ore up while he stripped the stained comforter off the bed and then tucking him beneath the sheet.

As he crawled in behind him and wrapped his arms around his limp little body, Ore roused just long enough to mutter, "Give me five more minutes, then I'm ready for round two."

He pressed his smile into his mate's hair. It was doubtful Ore would wake at all before morning, but he didn't mind.

They had the rest of their lives to make up for it.