Ash
Ash walked into his quiet home and it set his wolf on edge. He paused at the entrance, his breath stilling in his lungs while his ears tried to pick up heartbeats. Nothing sounded back to him. He lifted his nose and scented the air and didn’t catch a human trace in the entryway. The bags for Clover fell to the ground and he ran for the spare bedroom after scanning the living room. A faint familiar scent lingered at the door but didn’t move past the threshold.
“Clover? Patrick?” Ash yelled even though his wolf knew they weren’t there. Shit! Did hunters take them? Ash reached Patrick’s room and didn’t see a trace of them. No blood covered the floor but it didn’t put him at ease. His wolf tried to give him some peace because they weren’t dead in the house. Memories of Maple almost dead with her silver cuts sent more panic through Ash’s soul. He didn’t want it to happen to Clover, mates or not he couldn’t bear the thought. His beast howled inside his mind making it hard to focus.
He lifted his nose and ran around the house in a sweeping motion, trying to catch blood, silver, or even a clue to where they were at. The front door opened and closed, and a thump sounded through the house. He froze for a second ready to shift and kill the hunters in his home.
“Shit. Patrick, are you okay?” Clover’s voice carried to Ash and he bolted for the front door. Clover had Patrick in her arms while he rubbed his arm. One of the bags split open spreading clothes all over the wood floors.
“Where the hell were you?” His voice boomed through the entryway making them jump. Patrick curled up into Clover’s arms and she huffed at him. What the hell? She’s mad at me!
“We were at Tara’s house. You didn’t tell me when you’d be back and I was bored out of my mind here.” Clover turned and strolled toward the living room. She explained it like she just took out the trash and came back in. Yet the circumstances were greater than just running to her friend’s house and coming back. Ash leapt over Clover’s scattered stuff and followed her.
“You gave me a fucking heart attack when I didn’t find you here.” He threw up his hands trying to make her see why coming home to an empty house wasn’t okay.
“I would’ve left a note, but I don’t know where your stuff is.” Clover shrugged. “Plus, I didn’t think you wanted me snooping.” She tipped her head and raised her brow. He clenched his fists at his sides trying to calm down.
“That’s not the fucking point,” Ash growled low. Clover’s head snapped around and her brown eyes glared at him. The fire in her gaze sparked up his wolf, if they were mates she’d make the perfect wolf. She carefully set Patrick on the couch and turned on the TV.
“The bear show again?” Clover smiled and her calm voice set the pup at ease but her body language spoke of her anger. What does she have to be angry about? His wolf shook his head and rested in the corner of his mind. Now they knew Clover and Patrick were unharmed his beast wanted to sleep.
“Yeah.” Patrick bounced on the couch then glanced at Ash before dropping to his butt.
“I’m going to talk to Ash in the other room.” Clover kissed Patrick’s head after starting the show. She stormed toward the kitchen with Ash following again. When she reached the counter, she turned on him making her brown curls sway. Her finger pointed to him making his wolf growl and pace inside but Ash ignored him. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not your prisoner.”
“No, but I’m now his guardian and you’re under my protection.” He pointed at the living room then her. Ash needed her to understand how serious he took his responsibilities. “Which means I need to know you and Patrick are fucking safe. At all times.” Ash’s wolf stopped pacing and relaxed in the back of his mind. They were all safe, so his wolf didn’t need to worry while his human side continued to rage on. She let go of a huff and folded her arms in front of her chest.
“I had no way of contacting you. Plus we were safe, Ash. I was with Tara, she kept both of us safe.” Clover shook her head, her curls bounced around her face. She still wouldn’t back down or admit she was wrong to take Patrick from his home without talking to him first.
“I thought hunters attacked you here.” Ash clenched his fists at his sides and Clover’s angry eyes softened at the mention of hunters. Those brown eyes scanned his body and his wolf perked up wanting to know if she liked what she saw. Seriously, bad timing, dude!
“So, you were worried about Patrick, me, or both?” She tilted her head.
“Both of you,” he growled low and rolled his shoulders.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m a people person when I’m home alone, I get antsy and I go out. Normally it’s Tara’s house.” Clover’s voice lost the anger and her shoulders loosened up.
“Next time tell me.” Ash didn’t want to yell at her but the danger to her life and Patrick’s wasn’t over. They needed to be careful and he had to be the one who protected them. He wouldn’t fail at his freaking job no matter what. Ash still hated how he couldn’t finish the task of finding the other pups taken by the hunters.
“I will.” Clover nodded. Ash turned to leave when Clover grabbed his arm. “Wait…” A small zip of electricity ran up his skin signaling the imprint bond. Well, that answers a lot of questions, like why I need to protect a human so badly. His wolf grinned widely.
“Damn, Raymand was right.” He met her gaze and his wolf jumped around his mind, pushing ideas of taking her on the counter into his thoughts. Patrick is in the other room, damn it, he reminded his beast, he was a parent now which meant being responsible.
“Mates?” Clover asked, uncertainty filling her voice.
“Yes.” He glanced toward the living room, Patrick wiggled in his, seat giggling while watching his show. “And how do you feel about this?” His gaze focused on her once more, the little patter of feet sounded behind him and he cursed the timing.
“I…well.” Clover swallowed. “Did you need something, Patrick?”
“Yes. I’m thirsty.” Patrick bounced from side to side.
“I think there’s more.” Clover raised her eyebrow and Ash studied the pup’s movements.
“I have to pee,” he whispered.
“Which will you take?” Clover asked Ash with her hands on her hips.
Wait, hold on here, what just happened? Ash glanced at the bouncing pup then at his new mate. “Can’t he go by himself?” Ash asked but Clover shook her head twice with her lips pinched. Patrick started bouncing faster and his face scrunched up.
“You better take him before his bladder explodes here.” Clover turned to the cabinets. Ash sighed and lifted Patrick into his arms.
“You better not pee on me,” Ash warned as he walked away from Clover. Being a parent came with a lot of responsibilities and no damn rulebook to follow.
“Hurry,” Patrick whimpered. Ash ran for the bathroom and set him down waiting for him get on with it, but he just stared up at Ash.
“What?” He threw up his arms trying to figure out what to do next.
“My fingers too small.” He fumbled with his button but couldn’t get it to separate. Ash pinched his lips together and pulled down Patrick’s pants. “Hold me.” He lifted his arms up and his chubby fingers motioned in a grabbing fashion.
“What?” Ash blinked a few times.
“On the seat.”
“Why can’t you do it yourself? Come on, dude.”
“I’ll fall through,” Patrick whimpered again and resumed his bouncing.
“What about standing?” Ash suggested then the pup turned to look at the seat and shook his head again.
“Too small.” Patrick lifted his chubby hands toward Ash. “Hurry.”
Before Ash second-guessed himself, he lifted Patrick and held him there while he did his business. This is fatherhood, unbelievable. Warmth suddenly touched his knee and dread pooled in his gut.
“Sorry.” Patrick wiggled his body. “Done.” He gave Ash a sly smile then shrugged his shoulders.
Ash set him down and looked at his knee. The scent of pee came from the wet spot on his jeans. Patrick pulled up his pants but huffed.
“You need to learn how to do this yourself,” Ash spoke through his teeth as he snapped the button together.
Patrick bolted out of the room leaving Ash with wet freaking pants. There has to be a better way for him to go pee! His wolf growled in agreement.
“Thank you, Clover.” Patrick’s happy voice carried through the house while Ash strolled to his room. He shoved his jeans off and tossed them in the dirty basket then stormed into his bathroom. Damn, this is going to be freaking hard. Ash scrubbed his knee till he didn’t smell piss in the on-suite bathroom, then walked back into the bedroom to find Clover leaning against the door. He met Clover’s gaze for a moment, a smirk tipping her lips up.
“Where are your pants?” Clover asked from the doorway. Her eyes roamed up and down his body and his wolf purred with excitement.
“Patrick.” Ash strolled away and yanked open the door to the walk-in closet and scanned for another pair of jeans.
“Ah, yes, you have to be clear when you hold boys.” Clover giggled and he turned to glare at her. He’d never been peed on in his life and he didn’t find it remotely comical.
“How do you know all of this?” Did she have a kid he didn’t know about? The idea set his wolf into a howling fit, no other male should be able to touch their mate. He snatched up the first pair of dark wash jeans and turned to face his mate.
“I already told you, my nephew is only a few years older than Patrick. And trust me, I’ve had my fair share of wet beds and clothes because of him and his accidents.” She wrinkled her nose as her eyes stared at the wall near him. He wondered why she wouldn’t meet his gaze. His eyes roamed over her curvy body and his dick twitched.
“Right.” Ash nodded, he made a mental note to pay more attention to his new mate. His wolf pushed images of what sex might be like making his cock grow instantly. He glanced at the bed then back at her.
“Ash?” Clover closed the door and he turned around. Her eyes fell down to his briefs then up to his eyes. He took a large step closer to her and her breath hitched. “We should wait till tonight.” She licked her lower lip making him throb. He wanted to know what her mouth felt like as she swallowed his cock. Instead of carrying her to his bed only a foot away he met her gaze.
“You sure you want me?” He had the odd sense she had been keeping her distance from him and he wouldn’t force himself on her. He was a better wolf and the temptation grew strong to take her to his bed when her eyes bounced down again. Red tinted her dark cheeks while her heart raced.
“I’ll never admit it to Tara, but I wanted you when you walked into my apartment,” Clover spoke quickly before bolting out the door. She’s wanted me since we met. The idea made his wolf grin brightly and his cock twitched. Part of him wanted to run after her and carry her ass back to his bedroom. But the little heartbeat of Patrick kept him in the middle of his room clutching his jeans.
He groaned and tried to think of a way to get rid of his raging hard-on. He glanced at the clock by his bed, only five more hours before he could put Patrick to sleep. Damn, that’s a long time but I’m going to enjoy burring myself inside her sweet body.