Chapter Twelve
Other than the pups fussing from the tension and the prolonged confinement, no one in the great room made any noise. They sat around listening to the terrible noise coming from outside. Will felt frozen with fear and exhausted from the emotional toll of telling his sordid tale. He should have been more forthcoming from the start. It wasn’t fair for Finn to have walked into this mating blind. He should have let the beta know what kind of damaged goods he was getting in Will. Not that Finn had acted like that’s how he saw Will. Instead of disgust or condemnation, his mate had shown Will only kindness and understanding. And, now he was risking his life to save Annie from being returned to Magnus’ brutal home.
A particularly loud screaming growl made him jump. “I can’t stand not knowing what’s happening,” he confessed in a strangled voice.
“Then, let’s go out there,” Kyle said.
Will gave the alpha mate a dubious stare. “Finn told me to stay here.”
Kyle shrugged and was already handing Hope over to Joey. “So, you don’t always have to do what he says.”
“I don’t?” He resisted for a second when the other omega tugged Annie from his grasp and passed her over to Joey, as well.
“Of course not.” Kyle pulled Will up by his arm. “If you do, they’ll just get bigger heads than they already have. Come on.”
“But, won’t I distract him?” He tried to drag his feet.
The alpha mate was relentless, shoving Will from behind. “Maybe, or you’ll help him remember what he’s fighting for.”
The second Will stepped out onto the porch, he saw Finn pinned under the larger gamma, being chewed on. “No!” He yelled out his fear, refusing to accept the reality of what he saw. Stumbling to the railing, he stared down in horror, a hand plastered over his mouth to keep it shut so that he didn’t distract his mate any more than he already had.
It seemed as if everything and everyone stopped, frozen, except for Finn’s eyes finding his. Their gazes locked, and it felt as if they stared at each other for an eternity of time. Will saw both pain and determination in his mate’s expression, and he tried to silently convey his belief in Finn. And his love. For in that moment, he knew for a certainty that he loved Finn, and not only because he was putting his life on the line for Annie.
Finn was everything that was good and noble in a shifter, the kind of mate elders told stories about—courageous, protective, yet kind and gentle. Will’s innocence had been stolen by Magnus, and his faith in life lost, long ago. He hadn’t thought he could ever have either of those things restored. But, in that second when he fixed his gaze on his mate’s, he knew that he’d been wrong. Finn had given them back to him.
“I love you!” He shouted the words without hesitation or embarrassment. He didn’t care who else heard, so long as Finn did.
Time began again, his declaration having kick-started it back into motion. In an act of unbridled strength, Finn kicked his hind legs against the gamma’s underbelly, which even at a distance, Will could see already dripped red. At the same instant, Finn wrenched his upper body away from the gamma’s snout. Blood sprayed out from the tangle of fur at both ends, in a ghastly display that had Will clenching his stomach.
The battling wolves separated, Finn rolling toward the house before lurching quickly to all fours. His opponent, however, landed on his back and stayed there. Deep gashes marred his belly and penis sheath. The gamma whined as he stared at Finn, then tipped his head to expose more of his neck. Will almost laughed with relief. It was over. Magnus’ champion was conceding. With his hackles still up, Finn paced back and forth, his concentration on the downed wolf. Finally, he relaxed his stance and looked at Will over his shoulder.
That’s when the gamma made his move. In a flash, he was standing and lunging toward Finn. Will opened his mouth on a warning shout, a chorus of other voices joining his. But, Finn had already seen the threat, leaping up in a flash. The gamma had come in too high. Finn’s body came in from below, and he sank his teeth into the gamma’s neck. By the time Finn landed on his paws, the other wolf’s throat was hanging from his mouth, and the gamma lay dead on the ground.
Once more, time seemed to stop. Every witness to the fight stood staring at the combatants, unspeaking, absorbing the reality of the outcome. Will felt sick and relieved in equal measure. He forced his feet to move, down the steps, over to Finn. The big, bloody wolf spat out the carnage and limped over to the house. By the time Will’s feet hit the ground, Finn had shifted into human form and crawled his battered and bloody body over to meet him.
“Oh, Finn!” Plopping himself down on the last step, Will opened his arms and welcomed his mate into his embrace. He ignored the gore, and held Finn close.
“You shouldn’t have come out,” Finn rasped as he curled into Will and laid his head down on his lap. “You didn’t need to see this.”
“I wanted to be here for you.” He kissed the top of Finn’s disgusting head and tried to take stock of all the male’s injuries. “You were so brave. The least I could do was be brave with you.”
Finn let out a choked laugh. “I was scared shitless.”
“So was I. I didn’t distract you, did I?” As he asked the question, he looked frantically around for Andrea. All he saw was Lorcan talking to Henry, and Caleb hauling Maurice’s body out to the woods.
Finn laughed again before hacking in an alarming fashion. “Shouting out that you love me was the best kind of distraction.” He coughed again. “Did you, um, mean it?”
“Of course.” He curled around his mate as if he could hold the pieces of him together while they waited for help.
The truck took off with Henry at the wheel, which gave Will a bit of extra relief. The sudden appearance of Andrea helped even more so.
She peered down with her kindly eyes. “If you’ll permit me, Omega, I’d like to have a look at your mate.”
Will quickly, if reluctantly, opened his arms and fretted with his lip tucked between his teeth as the healer did a quick tour of Finn’s damaged body.
“Not too bad. Let’s get him inside,” Andrea proclaimed.
After that, things happened in a blur, with the alpha and Caleb lifting Finn up and carrying him into the longhouse. Numb, Will found himself being propelled by Kyle behind them. Only the sound of Annie calling out for him with her usual “Da” broke through. With his gaze still fixed on Finn, he detoured over to meet Joey and take Annie into his arms.
Tears started to cloud up his world as he tried to comfort her while keeping her away from the worst of the blood and gore sticking to his clothing. He kissed Annie’s head and patted her back, as much to soothe himself as her. “It’s okay, sweetie. Your sire’s going to be fine.”
Yes. Sire. It felt right calling Finn that. It felt perfect.
****
“You don’t have to do this now.”
Will glanced away from the alpha sitting in wolf form in front of him to focus on Finn. “I know.” He licked his lips nervously and jiggled Annie, who sat naked on his lap and was getting antsy. “I want to. But for Magnus’ goons showing up, we’d have been done with this by now.”
Finn wrapped his arm around Will’s shoulders and drew him in close to his side. He still moved stiffly despite having been slathered with Andrea’s healing balm and shifting a couple of times in the last few hours. “I understand you’re anxious to get this over with, but you’ve been through a lot of stress already today. Another twelve hours or so won’t make a difference.”
“You don’t have to worry about my getting overwhelmed. After the courage you showed today, I can do no less for our family.” He was determined to be brave, even though he quaked inside.
“Oh, baby.” Finn nuzzled Will’s face. “You’ve already been braver in your short life than most shifters ever have to be.” He let out a sigh. “I suppose you’re right, though. Let’s face all our demons in one shot. Alpha?” he added with a nod toward the massive wolf.
Lorcan padded over to where they sat on Andrea’s guest chairs. Doing the change in the healer’s room made the most sense. Just in case. The kindly female stood off at a distance, close, yet not intruding on what should be a private moment between the family and its alpha. Will held his breath the closer the alpha got. He was an impressive and intimidating beast.
Lorcan came to rest by Will’s side and focused his mesmerizing gaze on Annie’s face. The toddler instantly stilled and stared back at him. Her whole body went lax as her alpha captured her attention. When he bared his teeth, she passively stayed in place. It was Will who had to look away as Lorcan extended his neck to reach Annie’s upper arm.
The brief scent of blood turned Will’s stomach, conjuring up all the bad memories of what that meant, including Finn’s recent battle. Annie took a deep breath, a sure sign that she was about to screech. Nothing came out, however. Instead, Will felt as if the whole room tilted and once his head and eyesight cleared, he found a furry bundle in his arms.
He gasped before burying his face in the tawny-haired pup. “Oh! It worked.”
He held her up to marvel at the miracle of her transformation. Behind her wolf eyes staring back at him, he could see his Annie’s intelligence and recognition. Unlike other pups being shifted, she had enough brain growth to understand something of what happened. She opened her snout and gave him a wolf version of a grin. Will giggled, then laughed out loud when she yipped.
“Oh, Finn, can you believe it?” He turned to his mate and saw the sheen of tears in the beta’s eyes. “Don’t cry, or I will, too.”
With a sniff, Finn reached over to ruffle the fur on Annie’s head. “Can’t help it. It’s so wonderful. Thank you, Alpha.”
Lorcan had already shifted back to human and was stuffing his long legs into jeans. “You don’t have to thank me for doing my duty, but I do want to thank you for letting me.” He approached and stroked Annie along with them. “It was the most amazing thing. It wasn’t like my experience with the other pups. They were newborns, and I didn’t detect any mental bond with even Hope except on the most elemental level. With Annie, it was different.”
“How so, Alpha?” This from Andrea, who had come to join them.
He shook his head slowly. “It’s hard to explain. I felt like she was communicating with me, as if her wolf was speaking to mine the way it will once she’s able to start shifting at will. It must be because her brain is so much more advanced now than it would have been as an infant.”
“What did she say?” Now that he wasn’t afraid for her, Will was interested in how her first shift went. Other than being bigger and really squirmy, she seemed like any other wolf pup he’d seen. He plopped her on his lap to keep a careful hold on her.
“She didn’t say anything so much as conveyed her feelings, I think.” Lorcan scratched at the back of his neck. “Almost as if she were encouraging me to bring on her shift.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I simply imagined it all. It’s been a long day.”
Annie began to struggle against his hold in earnest. Will had to let her down or risk her falling. The second her paws hit the floor, she scrambled away as fast as her furry little legs would carry her—right through the narrow opening of Andrea’s door.
“Annie!” Will shot up, but Finn was already ahead of him.
“I’ll get her, don’t worry.”
Ignoring the various aches and pains still plaguing his body, Finn took off down the hall. His darling daughter—and just thinking that word gave him extra energy and joy—scampered at full speed ahead of him. By the time he caught up with her, she’d already made it as far as the kitchen. Joey, Kyle and the sigmas putting dinner together were all frozen in place while they watched a very mobile pup in wolf form invade their space. He couldn’t fault their reaction. No one to his knowledge had ever seen such a thing before.
Then, an instant later, the spell broke. Calls of “Annie?” and incredulous laughter reverberated around the room. Everyone bent to welcome her and get a feel of baby fur as she scampered around, clearly loving the attention. Finn braced against the doorjamb and watched the playful sight with a big grin splitting his face. Will came up and wrapped his arms around Finn’s waist. Touched at the sign of affection, Finn gladly pulled his mate in tightly.
The omega pressed his face against Finn’s chest. “I still can’t believe it. Gods, I’m so lucky.”
Feeling wetness seeping into his shirt, Finn cuddled Will even closer. “I know what you mean.” It was an astounding turn of events for him, as well. When he’d joined the Rogue Pack, it had seemed like simply a good way to live the rest of his life in a meaningful way. He hadn’t expected to know true happiness again, let alone the overwhelming love and peace that he felt at that moment.
Joey grinned up at them from where he sat on the floor, playing with Annie when she deigned to come within touching distance. “Looks like we have one more reason to celebrate tonight. Good thing I already have the chocolate cakes in the oven.”
Will sniffed loudly. “Awesome! I haven’t had chocolate cake since I was a really young pup.”
“Oh, baby.” Like most everything he learned about his mate’s former life, this piece of information broke Finn’s heart. “From now on, you’ll have all the everything you want.”
Will giggled. “Thanks, but I have all I want right now—you, Annie, this new pup,” he said, placing his palm against his abdomen.
“You humble me,” Finn replied in a hushed tone because that’s all he could manage to get out.
“I don’t mean to.”
Finn laughed and gave in to the temptation to take his mate in a slow, deep kiss conveying all his love. When he let Will’s lips go, the boy sighed in contentment. Then, he groaned and pushed away from Finn’s embrace.
“I think this is getting a little out of hand. If dinner is going to get finished, we need to rein in Annie.”
“I got it, baby.” Finn waded in among the kitchen’s inhabitants and grabbed Annie as she flew by. Holding her up by her scruff, he gave her a stern look. “Settle down!”
As she did in human form, Annie instantly obeyed him. Giving an adorable puppy yawn, she went limp in his grasp and closed her eyes. Finn cuddled her in his arms and brought her over to her father.
“Let’s go spend the rest of the time before dinner in our room. We could all do with a nap.”
“Okay.” Will rubbed his face in Annie’s fur again. “I know it’s selfish, but I was hoping she’d stay awake in wolf form for a few hours. I guess like any pup, she’ll shift back to human before she wakes.”
“Yeah, that’s the deal. Don’t worry, she’s going to be fine. She is fine. She’s perfect. And, in twelve years or so, we’ll meet her wolf again.”
Thinking of the future didn’t depress him anymore, or scare him. For the first time in a long time, it gave him hope.
****
“Come to bed.” Finn gave the order quietly so as not to wake Annie, but sternly because Will simply couldn’t stop peering down at her. It was well past everyone’s bedtime, and Finn wanted some alone time with his mate.
Will did as told, dragging his feet with obvious reluctance. He gave one last look over his shoulder before sliding down beside Finn. “I’m worried about her.” With a deep sigh, he curled into Finn’s waiting embrace.
The fact that his mate sought comfort in his arms pleased Finn immensely. He wanted it to always be so. “Andrea said she’s fine.”
“Except Annie’s not normal.” There was the sound of tears in Will’s voice.
“It’s not that Annie’s abnormal. It’s just that she’s unusual.”
That was an understatement, and he was more concerned than he was letting on. He was also intrigued and a little excited over what was happening. Annie had changed back and forth between wolf and human form several times throughout the evening. She’d been human by the time she’d woken from her nap, yet had switched back to wolf as soon as they’d sat down for dinner. A shocked pack had watched her nip food from her father’s plate with her little canines. The fact that her dress had stayed on made her even more astounding. She’d looked like one of those tiny dogs that women put human clothing on and carried around in their purses.
After that, she’d shifted seemingly at will and obviously delighted by her ability to do so. A hasty exam by Andrea proclaimed her perfectly healthy, but a pup who could shift was an anomaly for sure. The healer couldn’t say if this ability would continue throughout childhood or phase out eventually until puberty hit. One thing was for certain—if this kept up, she’d be a real handful. For himself, Finn couldn’t say he’d be sorry if she was. He was so happy to have a family again, he would take anything that fate threw at him.
Will put his palm on Finn’s chest. “If she keeps being able to shift, she’s going to be a lot of work to raise.” Okay, so his mate was thinking along the same lines, except in a purely negative way.
Finn reached for Will’s braid and started unraveling it with the fingers from one hand. “I don’t want you to worry about that. I love Annie no matter what. You believe me, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
Finn heard the doubt laced in the words and decided it was time to explain his past fully to his mate. “When I was your age and for a few years afterward, I told anyone and everyone that I wasn’t much interested in mating and siring pups. I wanted to work my way up the chain of command to become top beta someday. Family life seemed dull to me. Then, I was asked to go with my alpha and a few other males to a meeting with a nearby pack, and that’s when I saw her.”
He paused for a second, lost in the memory. “Ashley was the most beautiful female I’d ever seen. So sweet, although she could be stubborn when something mattered to her. I wanted her more than anything. Just like that, my vision of life changed.”
Will’s fingers curled against Finn’s skin. “She was killed, I assume, with the rest of your pack. I mean, I’ve heard some stories.”
Guilt ate at Finn. “Yeah, you shouldn’t have had to learn about my past from others. I should have told you myself. You deserved to know the same way I wish you’d told me about Magnus and Annie.”
“I’m sorry. I was afraid.”
“I know, baby. But, no more secrets.” He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “When our pack was attacked, we couldn’t hold the perimeter. By the time I reached where the non-combatants had been sheltered, I was too late.”
His voice thickened. “Ashley had shifted, all the females had, in a last ditch attempt at protecting the pups. I found her wolf dead next our son’s body. He wasn’t much older than Annie is now.”
He let the tears flow, not ashamed for his mate to see his grief, and no longer trying to bury it. “His name was Daniel.”
“Oh!” The omega cried out softly before covering Finn with his body and hugging him tight. “It must hurt you terribly to be with me and Annie given what you’ve lost.”
“What?” Finn let out a soft chuckle. “No, baby. It was hard at first, but now it makes me happy be with you.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Can’t you feel how happy I am right now?” he added in a teasing tone because yes, his cock had hardened instantly with the contact.
Will wiggled against him, the omega’s smaller dick stiffening in response. His long hair now lay against his slender back, leading Finn’s gaze down to the small, round ass. Using his finger, Finn traced that trail, dipping between the tight crack. He found his mate’s puckered hole already softening and slick. So, he slipped inside up to his first knuckle and pulled at the ring of muscle.
Will groaned and moved restlessly. Finn took that for the sign it was and tugging gently on the loose strands of Will’s hair, he pulled the boy’s face up enough to kiss him. He kept his movements slow, building the passion in them both at a languid pace. They had all night, after all, and after the tension of the day, he wanted to make this last.
He slid his tongue along Will’s lips for a few seconds before pressing harder to gain entrance. Once inside, he fucked his mate’s mouth the way he intended to fuck his ass. He used his finger to do the same, making his omega squirm within his all-encompassing grasp. Before Finn had a chance to up the play, his mate pushed away abruptly and straddled him. The movement pulled Finn’s finger free of its cozy sheath. Will gazed down at Finn with blown pupils and lips puffy from his assault before he slid down Finn’s torso.
“What are you doing?”
By way of answer, his mate curled over him and placed his lips on top of Finn’s cockhead. He used his lips to nip along the sensitive skin before taking it into his mouth. Finn groaned and swore.
“You don’t have to do that.” In the back of his mind, he worried that Magnus had forced the boy to service him in this way.
The omega ignored him, taking the hard rod farther into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out from Finn’s girth and Will’s lips stretched so wide they almost looked white. Then the boy peeked up from under his lashes and swallowed just as he shoved Finn’s dick in deeper.
“Oh, shit! Keep that up and I’m going to cum.”
The warning didn’t deter his mate. If anything, Will doubled his efforts, laving the underside of Finn’s cock while sliding it in more. At the point when Will gagged on the mouthful, Finn took control and lifted Will’s head up with a gentle, yet unyielding tug. Will let his teeth graze lightly against the glans before letting go entirely. He sat up and grinned down at Finn with a shiny mouth.
“Did you like it?”
“Like it? Baby, if I liked it any more, I’d already be passed out from the orgasm.
That made Will obviously happy. He wiggled back up Finn’s body, dragging his pert ass along Finn’s dick in a delightful rub. Then he whined. “I want you inside me, now. Please?”
That made Finn chuckle. His sweet omega was turning into a delightfully wanton thing, yet still deferential to his dominant mate. “Okay, baby. Anything for you. Anything.”
He said that word as a sacred vow. Circling Will’s small waist with his hands, he lifted the boy up enough to slide his rampant cock inside the crease he’d recently been playing with. Will, bless him, helped by reaching behind and clasping the rod to maneuver it in place. The second Finn felt the tip of his cock press against the slick pucker, he lowered Will. The omega threw his head back with eyes closed and lips parted on a silent oh as Finn slowly impaled him.
Once Will was seated all the way, they both paused to savor the connection. Finn loved the way his dick was encased in the tight, wet heat of Will’s ass. From the breathy moans his mate gave, he could tell he was equally pleased with their joining. Finn could have easily and happily stayed that way for a while longer, but his omega had other ideas. Placing his palms flat on Finn’s chest, he began to first rock his body, then raise and lower it. He fucked himself with Finn’s cock using long strokes that picked up speed.
At the point that Will fucked fast and hard, his slender cock bouncing against his belly, Finn decided it was time to take control. With a quick, sure movement, he had his mate on his back. He pressed Will’s legs up to gain greater leverage, not going too high or deep for fear of hurting the pup growing inside his mate. Although Will’s abdomen was as flat as ever, Finn new what miracle lay beyond the flesh and the thought of it thrilled him.
His omega was not so delicate, however. He raised his legs to the point that his knees all but touched his ears. “Fuck me, Finn. Harder. I can take it.” His words came sputtering out through his rapid breathing. “Please, I want to feel you.”
Finn bared his canines, his wolf reacting instinctively to his mate egging him on. He held Will’s thighs to help him keep his legs up and drilled his ass with deep strokes that bottomed out every time. He wanted to take Will’s dick in his hand and bring it along for the ride. No worries on that score, as it turned out. With a muted cry, the omega tilted back his head as his cock shot off. Ropes of milky cum splattered his chest. The musky smell of his mate’s release drove Finn’s wolf wild. It howled with pride, calling Will’s wolf forth to follow suit.
Finn’s cock joined the party, shooting with a force that made him grit his teeth. He coated his mate’s insides with primitive glee. There was no egg to find this time, yet his seed tried anyway, jettisoning high and filling the tight channel. His movements stuttered clumsily with his loss of control and his palms slid along Will’s slick skin.
When the last of his orgasm flagged, Finn collapsed down on top of his mate, careful to keep his weight on his arms. Will wrapped his arms around Finn’s neck and pressed up to claim a kiss. It was the first time his mate had shown this much aggression in their mating, and it pleased Finn immensely. He responded, claiming the boy’s mouth and conquering it with his tongue. He only let him go at the point he feared both their lungs would burst.
He placed his forehead against Will’s, giving his heart a chance to stop hammering. He breathed as if he’d run a long distance. I love this, he thought. I love Will. It was time to say it. Will had already declared his feelings, had shouted them at the best moment possible to give Finn more courage. He needed to step up and give the same pledge. He opened his mouth, and…
Annie let out a howl—a human one, the kind of red-faced squall that only an angry toddler could manage. The look on Will’s face told Finn all he needed to know. Disengaging his dick carefully, he rolled over to give his mate room to slither out and up.
“Oh, Annie, it’s okay. No need for screaming.” Will’s soothing voice flittered over to Finn.
He could see the patient father grabbing a bottle of water that he’d already prepared and set aside. Annie had fallen asleep in wolf form, but they’d anticipated that she’d shift again and want her nighttime soother. Finn couldn’t help but smile as he watched his mate lean over the crib.
“Here you go, sweetie.” The crying stopped on a dime. “Let me cover you up.”
Fur had turned into naked skin, yet they hadn’t dared try to fit her into one of her footed pajamas. No doubt about it, if this pup-shifting continued, they’d have their hands full for years until Annie matured enough to control herself. As he patted their daughter on the back, Will looked over his shoulder and shot Finn a grin that was clear even in the dim light from the window. The omega was beautiful. More, he was happy.
Finn rested his head in the crook of his arm and watched his little family. Overwhelming joy and love washed over him. He needed to tell Will how he felt, but for now, he basked in the beauty of the second life he’d been given.