Briar
Briar dropped the woven basket of berries he’d been gathering, rushing to where Rohan was sprawled face down in the dirt. What had his foolish alpha been thinking? It was a miracle he was still alive after Briar found him bleeding to death on the river bank.
He tsked as he saw what a mess Rohan had made of his careful bandaging. The deep scratches in his side had been torn open again just when they were beginning to heal over. He hated seeing his strong alpha worn so thin.
Briar put a hand under Rohan’s shoulders and helped heave him back into the bed of dried grass he’d made. It was a much shorter journey than the one he’d made earlier when he’d pulled Rohan from the muddy river bank, but it was a struggle to move the hulking alpha nonetheless.
“You’re safe,” Rohan breathed, putting a hand to Briar’s cheek.
“Of course I am.” He nuzzled into the warm hand. “But you’ll be in danger if you don’t rest.”
“No… time…” Rohan groaned, easing himself up again.
Briar pushed down against the alphas chest. “Don’t be foolish.”
“So bossy…” A smile spread across Rohan’s face as he slipped into sleep.
Briar lay down next to him, wrapping his arms around his alpha. After everything Rohan had done for him, he was grateful he could help him. He set to work re-bandaging the deep scratches in Rohan’s side, applying mint leaves to ward off infection, and keeping them in place with larger leaves sealed with mud.
Back before his pack had been attacked, Briar had hoped to be a healer one day. He could never be as strong as an alpha, but he could help those who defended the pack by treating their wounds. Of course his dream of being a healer would never come true now that he had no pack, but he was grateful for all the knowledge he’d gained about how to care for wounds. He didn’t know if Rohan would still be alive if he hadn’t stopped the bleeding on his wounds.
He prayed his skills would be enough.
He didn’t even understand how Rohan was still alive after fighting off so many wolves, but now he was clearly fighting for his life. Briar applied some more mud to the bandage. Thankfully, he’d been able to bring the fever down by applying cool leaves to Rohan’s body, but there wasn’t much else he could do now but wait.
… Well, there was the old folk remedy that mating was good for recovery. Hundreds of years ago, when packs were constantly at war with one another, omegas would even be kept near the battle lines to provide ahem... healing to fighting alphas. Briar doubted there was much validity to the old remedy, but it couldn’t hurt to try.
He pressed his hand to his stomach as he felt another cramp and anxiety washed over him. Good moonlight, he hoped he wasn’t pregnant. He still had twelve hours to go before the tincture Peregwin had given him worked it’s way through his system. He’d try not to think of it until then. He didn’t want Rohan to sense his tension. The alpha was already pushing himself to death to keep Briar safe. If he knew they might have a pup to protect too, Rohan might literally kill himself to get them to the mountains.
Briar brushed away the chestnut brown hair plastered to Rohan’s forehead. He’d keep the baby a secret—for now—but he couldn’t wait for the day when he’d be able to joyfully tell Rohan that they were expecting a family. He only hoped they were somewhere safe when that day came.
He lay his head down on Rohan’s chest, but kept his eyes open, watching, listening and scenting for danger. He felt fairly certain the packs had fallen back and lost their trail. He hadn’t heard any howling or picked up a whiff of them since he dragged Rohan from the water, and the fragrant grasses should help to hide their scent, at least a little, but he couldn’t get comfortable… no matter how relaxing it was to lay his head over his alpha's heart and listen to the slow thud... thud... thud...
It was hours later when Rohan finally stirred, raising his head groggily. Briar couldn’t help the swell in his chest when Rohan opened his deep brown eyes. His alpha was breathtaking.
“How are you feeling?” Briar put a hand to his chest.
“Better,” Rohan said, wincing as he sat up.
“Liar.” Briar wrinkled his nose.
Rohan’s face spread into a lopsided grin. “Well, I had to at least try to lie.” He flopped back into the bed of moss and grass. “I feel like I’ve had an oak tree fall on my head.”
Briar laughed. “Or maybe fought off dozens of wolves then nearly drowned?”
“Yeah, or that.” Rohan’s grin widened. He closed his eyes and put a hand to his temple. “We can’t lay around forever, though. We need to keep moving.”
“How about you listen to me for once?”
“Not a chance.” Rohan wrapped his arms around Briar, pulling him into his strong body.
Briar snorted a laugh and pretended to try to escape as Rohan smothered his face with kisses. He hoped that one day, these happy, carefree moments would make up their lives. He’d never known that joy like this could exist, and now that he’d experienced it, he never wanted to let it go.
“There is one way to prove to me you’re feeling well enough to keep moving.” Briar looked at his alpha with a suggestive grin.
Rohan raised his eyebrows and grinned. “If a good fucking is all it takes to convince you, I would have proven I was ready to move on hours ago.”
Briar sincerely doubted that, considering Rohan had been half-dead hours ago, but if there was anything to the folk remedy, mating might help his alpha recover enough strength to continue their journey. Besides, they couldn’t go much longer without masking Briar’s scent again.
“You’re sure your heat has passed?” Rohan asked. “There’s no chance you could get pregnant?”
Briar swallowed and nodded. “My heat has definitely passed.”
He didn’t need to tell Rohan that he might already be pregnant. Instead, he let the thought melt away as Rohan’s lips met his, kissing slow and gentle.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” he murmured into Briar’s mouth, slipping his tongue inside. His hands stroked tenderly up Briar’s body, feeling every curve from his hips to his shoulders, finally burying themselves in his hair. Briar moaned into the kiss. Now that he had his alpha, he didn’t know how he could ever live without him. Fate had chosen Rohan as his mate. Briar could feel the soul bond developing between them the first time they’d been intimate, and it had only grown stronger since. He was almost overwhelmed by the feeling when Rohan pushed him down on his side and spooned him from behind.
His mate’s hard cock pressed against his ass, sending shudders of desire through him, but Rohan didn’t rush to push inside. He took his time, grinding slowly against Briar’s ass as his cock slid up and down his cheeks. Rohan’s shaft was so thick and hard, Briar couldn’t wait to feel it stretch him open again, but the alpha seemed determined to take this slow.
Rohan let out a hot groan against Briar’s neck, working his way down with wet kisses that sent shocks of pleasure radiating over Briar’s skin. When he’d reached Briar’s ass, he gave it a sharp, playful spanking.
“That’s to show you who’s boss,” he growled. “I’ve had enough of you telling me what to do.”
Briar bit his lip. “You think you’re the boss of me?”
“I know I am.” Rohan gave Briar’s ass another slap, forcing a moan from his lips. Why did it feel so good to be dominated by his alpha like this? It was like Briar’s innermost craving was being satisfied when Rohan’s hand came down in another punishing spanking.
“Oh, Rohan,” Briar whimpered. “You’re the boss—you’re my alpha.”
“Say it again,” Rohan growled, breath steaming against the growing welt on Briar’s tender skin.
He felt so owned, so wanted, as the words fell from his lips in a gasped moan. “You’re my alpha.”
“I know I am.” Rohan placed a kiss right at the arch of Briar’s back, sending shivers up and down his spine. When Rohan placed a hand on either one of his thighs, pushing them open, Briar spread himself eagerly for Rohan’s caressing tongue.
Briar gasped as Rohan wet his pucker with possessive kisses before sliding a finger inside. Every touch from his alpha was an act of ownership that left him craving more.
“You’re my alpha,” he breathed again, barely able to find air to speak with all the pleasure exploding within him.
“Mmm, that’s right,” Rohan groaned into his skin, kissing back up Briar's spine until he was spooning him again, fingers thrusting in and out of his slicked hole, giving him a sweet, aching stretch that only made him crave more. He wanted to beg for Rohan’s cock, but he would give in to his alpha and let Rohan use his body as he saw fit. As torturous as it was to let Rohan take control, it satisfied Briar’s most instinctive craving for submission.
He arched his back as Rohan gripped his cock, pumping slowly as he ground against his ass, thrusting his fingers in and out, breathing into his hair in deep, raspy gushes of hot air. Briar groaned. His cock ached in Rohan’s hand. He just wanted to be filled. Stretched. Pounded. Owned. But his alpha loved to take things slow, tease every bit of need that he could from his submissive omega.
Hot sweat dripped down Briar’s back and he bit his lip, shuddering with unbearable pleasure that was just short of what he needed. He needed that thick cock that was grinding up against his ass. He needed it inside of him, filling him until he thought he might burst.
He put his hand to his mouth and bit down to keep from crying out for more. He could feel Rohan grin against his bare shoulder. The alpha knew exactly how much he was torturing him.
“You’re my alpha,” Briar panted again. “You’re my alpha.”
“Oh, good moon,” Rohan exploded in a groan, clearly unable to resist any longer. He slid his fingers from Briar’s needy hole and plunged his cock in with one long stroke. It was so fast, so hard, that Briar almost cried out with pain as he stretched to accommodate Rohan’s thickness. But when the alpha’s cock was completely inside him, Rohan began moving with slow strokes until the pain melted into hot pressure and then complete bliss.
Yes, this was the alpha fate had chosen for him.
Briar pressed his back against Rohan’s chest, moaning out as his alpha gave him exactly what he needed. Rohan continued to stroke Briar’s cock as he plowed into him from behind and the combination was so intense that it overwhelmed every sense he had. Rohan wrapped his free arm around Briar, hugging him tight to his body as he fucked him deep hard, making him feel so safe and protected. The light welts on his ass stung when Rohan’s hips slammed against them, but even that just blurred into the pleasure, creating an intense sensation of belonging to Rohan. His alpha owned him so completely. So perfectly.
As that thought ran through his mind, the pleasure of being possessed became too much for him to bear. A long moan poured from his mouth, and his body clenched, tensing and spasming as his release gushed out into Rohan’s stroking hand.
“That’s it, come for your alpha,” Rohan growled into Briar’s hair, teeth clenched. His rhythmic thrusting sped up and then stuttered. He gripped Briar tight to his chest as he exploded in rumbling groans. He bit down lightly on Briar’s shoulder as he came hard inside him, shuddering as wave after wave of his seed filled the omega’s body, only adding to the stretch of his hard cock.
Briar let out a satisfied purr as glorious post sex after glow swallowed him in a warm haze. He could feel the slight sting on his shoulder where Rohan had bitten him—not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a temporary mark. His mark.
“I think I was made for you,” he breathed into the darkening night.
“I know you were.” Rohan nuzzled his neck, kissing the spot where he’d left his mark. He slid his cock out, making Briar sigh at the loss. He wished he could feel his alpha inside of him all night.
Then he swallowed, remembering with a rush of anxiety, that it would only be a few hours before he’d find out if he was pregnant. He bit his lip, wondering if he should tell Rohan what was going through his mind—no, there was no reason to worry him if it was nothing.
And if it ended up that he was pregnant… well, he’d figure out a good time to tell Rohan. He didn’t want to add more stress to his alpha’s mind, but he didn’t want to wait too long either. He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh. One step at a time. He didn’t need to panic until he knew he was pregnant. Until then, he’d try to stop letting the thought invade his mind. They were living moment to moment as it was.
He sat up slowly, wincing at the still unfamiliar soreness, feeling Rohan’s release spill from him as he moved.
“Damn, you look good with my cum dripping down your thighs,” Rohan groaned.
A hot blush covered Briar’s cheeks and blood rushed to his cock all over again. “I thought you said we needed to keep moving.”
Rohan pounced him, pinning him to the ground like the wild animal he was. “We do, but I need this more.”
Briar grinned to himself as he saw how much Rohan’s condition had improved. There was something to that old folk remedy, that was certain.