It was a 10-hour drive back to Pensacola. Austin sat in the back of Franklin’s van with Lucas at his side, their bodies leaning together. They dozed on and off, the both of them. Sleeping and waking, their thoughts melted together. There were no spaces between them. They were as joined as two wolves could be, in all aspects but one.

Austin planned to fix that as soon as possible.

When they reached the city, Franklin woke them both up. Austin looked out at the short buildings, the puny skyline, and the fragmented glimpses of ocean, and felt more at peace than he had in a very long time. He would never take these things for granted again.

“Where do you two want to go?” Franklin asked. Night was falling quickly, as it always did on the ocean shore. “Home with me?”

Austin looked over into Lucas' sweet blue eyes. As much as he would have liked to have someone else around to offer a helping hand, and as much as he could see that Lucas wanted to spend time with his father, he knew that wasn’t what they needed. They needed to be alone tonight.

Lucas said, “If you take us to my apartment, we’ll still be right near each other.”

“I’ll let that happen if you both come over to my place for breakfast. I’ll pick you up. We’ll talk.”

Austin nodded. “After that, Lucas and I should probably go explain where we’ve been.”

Lucas' motorcycle was strapped securely to the roof of the van, where it had been for the entire ride. However, he probably wasn’t going to be able to get back on it anytime soon because of his leg.

“Just let me know and I’ll do whatever I can,” Franklin said.

As true night finally descended upon the city like a blanket, they reached Lucas' apartment. Franklin parked his van as close to the entrance as he could get, then undid his seatbelt. “Hang on,” he said. “I’ll come around and help you out, Lucas.”

Austin reached out and placed his hand on Franklin’s shoulder. He didn’t apply pressure. This was a message, not a threat. “I’ll do it.”

Franklin stared at him in the rearview mirror. His eyes were very, very wary. It was clear that he didn’t trust Austin. He thought their relationship was doomed to fail, that Austin would hurt Lucas again.

Austin just gazed back, meeting Franklin’s reflected gaze. He squared his shoulders and sat up a little straighter. There was nothing he could do to convince the man otherwise. A father couldn’t be swayed by words, especially not when those words had been said before. He would just have to show Franklin that he meant to never leave again.

And he would do that quite easily, he felt. His heart belonged to Lucas. He wouldn’t stray, no matter the temptations, no matter the hardships.

At long last, Franklin lowered his eyes, giving up his son.

Austin got out of the van and went around to Lucas' side. He opened the door for him as he had so often before, and held out his hand. “Come on.”

Lucas held his hand, and their fingers fit together so perfectly.

Pulling gently, Austin helped Lucas stand on his good leg. Then, rather than fetching the crutches that the hospital had given Lucas so he could hobble around under his own power, he swept Lucas up into his arms. He cradled Lucas with one arm beneath his ass, holding his against his chest.

Lucas rested his head on Austin’s shoulder. The feel of his hair curling under his shirt collar, so silky and soft, made him tremble on the inside.

Only once he had Lucas safely against him did he finally grab the crutches. He tucked those under his other arm, then came up to Franklin’s rolled-down window. “See you tomorrow,” he said.

Franklin nodded curtly. “Yes, you will. Good night, Austin. Sleep well, poodle.”

Austin felt Lucas smile against his shoulder. “Night, Dad.”

Austin took Lucas inside, very aware that this gesture was more than simply what it seemed to be. He was taking Lucas away from his father in more than just one way.

Someday, I’ll go through this with my own pup and be just as unhappy about it. I should be more sympathetic. Nicer to Franklin.

He would do that, come morning. Right now, this time was all about him and Lucas.

The moment they were inside the apartment, Austin took Lucas to the bedroom and lay him down on his back. Then, he stood the crutches up against the wall. “Do you want to?”

“Turn around.”

Austin turned, and saw that Lucas already had his dick out. Laughing, he stripped off his clothes and let them fall to the floor, then climbed up into bed. He crawled up to Lucas and leaned over him, kissing him. Their lips sank together with utter sweetness, their tongues playing.

Austin snared Lucas' tongue with his and caressed it, then sucked on it. Lucas sighed into his mouth, his back arching a little.

The kiss grew fiercer, more intense. Their lips settled more firmly together, and now their tongues were playfully fighting, pushing together and apart, each of them trying to get to the other’s throat.

Through it all, Austin felt his groin grow tense and hot with arousal. Then, he was practically burning. Curled flames of desire stole through his body, making his spine arch and his toes curl. His cock grew to its full length, hotter and harder than he had ever known it to be before.

When they finally parted for breath, Austin whispered to Lucas, “I want you.”

Lucas' fingers slid up the back of his head, toying with the short, untamed strands of hair that had grown wild during his time trapped in the pit. “So, take me. Make me yours.”

Make me yours.

“Lube? Or do you bikers only ever use Vaseline?”

“Under the bed.”

Austin found it, then spent a luxurious amount of time spreading lube over his cock, playing with it, caressing his cherry-red tip until precum oozed and Lucas whimpered. He spread more lube on his fingers and spread Lucas' legs, then pressed his fingers to Lucas' puckered opening. With gentle pressure, he teased and stroked the perfect wrinkles of sensitive flesh, enjoying just touching them, experiencing the unique texture.

Lucas trembled at his touch, wiggling and squirming his ass from pleasure. His hands roamed up and down Austin’s back, first using his whole hands, then his fingers, and finally his nails. The light burn of scratches only added to Austin’s pleasure, giving him an idea of just how much Lucas wanted him.

Lucas started to shake, not just tremble, and his whimpers grew into soft cries as Austin slid first one finger, then two, inside his ass. He crooked his fingers inside the omega, then wiggled them. He pressed them in as far as he could reach, withdrew, then pressed in again, stoking the flames of lust.

Suddenly, Lucas dug his nails hard into Austin’s shoulders. “Can’t,” he gasped.

Austin understood the protest for what it was, not a plea to stop, but a plea to finish.

He removed his fingers, then slid his body up so that he was leaning over Lucas. His cock was so hard, like an iron pole, that he needed no guiding hand. He felt his tip press gently against Lucas' opening, then slip right inside, heading easily deeper and deeper until he reached his limit.

They were joined.

And now he felt himself swelling further, knotting them together until completion.

“I love you,” Austin whispered.

“I love you, too,” Lucas murmured. “Now, shut up and fuck me.”

And Austin was only too glad to obey. He started thrusting inside Lucas, slowly, deeply, loving him gently and fully. Though urgency and need were like fire inside him, he didn’t give in. He wanted to make this last as long as he could for both of them.

They were lost together in the world they made, where the sky was always filled with fireworks and there was never anything to worry about.

Austin thrust in again and this time, he pushed as hard as he could against that place of deep-seated pleasure inside Lucas.

Tossing his head back, Lucas cried out. His muscles went into spasms, his nails clawing down Austin’s back.

Austin didn’t feel the pain, felt nothing but the pulses of pleasure shivering through his groin, signaling that he was about to cum. As the moment came, he leaned down and bit Lucas on the shoulder, right next to his neck. His wolf fangs slid out, and he marked Lucas as his mate.

Finally, in every way possible, they were one.

Lucas cried out again, his call a wolf’s summoning howl, and Austin answered.

In the world of orgasm, they were wild and free, blazing across the land without any worries, filled with a furious joy the likes of which no mere human may ever experience.

Then, their orgasms ended and they were just tired, happy men with the rest of their lives ahead of them.

“My mate,” Austin whispered.

Lucas was already asleep.

Smiling softly, his heart filled with so much love for his new mate that he wasn’t sure how he could contain it all, Austin hugged Lucas tight to his chest. With their bodies intertwined in a sweeter way, he followed Lucas into the land of dreams.