Chapter 29
“That explains so much.” Zev said, after they’d sat in silence for several minutes and he’d had a chance to ponder Ethan’s explanation of what had happened the day Jonah was born.
Jonah pulled his head back and examined Zev’s face.
“How? I mean, yeah, we know why I didn’t die from the attack on my mother, but the rest of it…” Jonah buried his face in Zev’s neck. “We don’t really have an explanation of how I was able to survive,” he mumbled.
“You know you have Ethan’s coal-black eyes,” Zev responded. “I’m guessing the similarities aren’t just external. From the sound of it, they replaced almost all your blood with Ethan’s just as you were born. Maybe that gave you enough of what you needed to get from a male shifter, which could explain how a product of an interspecies mating survived.” Zev stroked his mate’s face. “You’re not half shifter. The percentage is higher. You have your mother’s half and whatever you got from Ethan pumping you full of shifter blood.”
Ethan and Miguel nodded.
“We thought the same thing. At first we were just so happy that you were alive, Jonah. We gave you to your father and helped him get away. But then we started worrying about whether you were a shifter or a human. We’d sent you off with a human father. What would Kevin have done if his son suddenly turned into a wolf? So Leah kept an eye on you, and we all thought everything was fine. You smell completely human, you never shifted. We figured that your human side was so strong that it had overridden the wolf somehow.”
Jonah shook his head.
“No, the wolf was there. I didn’t realize what it was. I just felt like I was going crazy, like I was coming undone. From what Zev’s explained to me over the past few days, I think I was experiencing the same thing female shifters go through if they don’t tie and their wolf can’t get out.”
“That’s because tying isn’t about connecting males with females,” Miguel said.
Zev scoffed. What could a vampire possibly know about how shifters were made? The tie between shifter males and shifter females was the very basis of their society. Vampire culture was completely different. They didn’t have commitment to a pack or even to each other. With vampires, it was every man for himself. They fed and had sex, without any care for who shared their beds, male or female, human or not.
“Hear the man out, Zev.” Jonah frowned at him, making him realize he had been projecting his disbelief to the entire room. “In case you’ve forgotten, Miguel’s mate is a shifter. His male mate. Seems to me that Miguel and Ethan may have figured some things out, and we need to keep an open mind.”
Well, he might be different from other Alphas, but Zev was ashamed to realize he still carried some old prejudices. After all, Miguel had saved Jonah’s life and he’d been keeping track of Jonah for years. Plus the vampire was mated to a shifter. Okay, so maybe Miguel did have a commitment to something other than himself. And maybe he did have insight into shifter tying.
“I apologize, Miguel. I was being an ass. Please tell us what you mean about tying not being about males connecting with females.”
Ethan beamed, and Miguel gave Zev a little nod in silent thanks.
“I don’t think it’s a male or female thing at all. I think tying is a wolf and human thing. Shifters think that a male shifter has to tie with a female to bind his humanity, right? Well, even with Ethan’s blood flowing through Jonah’s veins, Jonah is more human than most male shifters. So his wolf was a part of him, but it was trapped inside. It’s the same thing that happens with female shifters, but it’s not because they’re females, it’s because their human is stronger than their wolf.”
Jonah nodded furiously, his eyes gleaming. Zev could see the joy his mate gained from solving a puzzle. It was what’d made Jonah such a good student.
“I think he’s right, Zev. Your wolf is stronger than your human, so you needed to access humanity to bind your human half. And I’m more human than other shifters, so my wolf couldn’t surface on his own. He was trapped inside me and he needed your strong wolf to wake him up. I think that’s why we were both so sick when we were apart and why we felt better right after we…”
Jonah darted his eyes toward Leah and squirmed.
“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘fucked,’ dear,” Leah said calmly.
Jonah almost choked on his tongue. “I was going to say ‘had sex,’ but thanks for that.” He chuckled and turned back to Zev. “You know I can’t shift on my own, but your wolf is strong enough to draw mine out. I think the reason I can’t do it myself is because I have so much human in me. But that works because it’s exactly what you need: someone who has a human side strong enough to bind your human and keep you from becoming a wolf full time. So you see, Miguel’s right, it isn’t about being male or female, it’s about connecting with someone who can give you what you need and inspire all parts of you—human and wolf. It makes perfect sense.”
Zev stared at Jonah, amazed at the man’s ability to deduce logical conclusions from completely confounding information.
“My brain hurts,” Zev groaned.
Jonah patted his head.
“Of course it does. It’s a sad little organ that isn’t used to getting this kind of workout. But don’t worry, Pup, I’m well aware of your mental shortcomings, and I’m not in this relationship because of your brain.” Jonah gave an exaggerated leer and dragged his eyes down Zev’s body. “I’m here because your important organ is deeply satisfying.”
Leah Harrison coughed and got up from the couch. Her face was distinctly rosy.
“I suppose I have only myself to blame for that last comment. I did egg you on. Let’s just go back to you feeling like you need to watch what you say around me, dear. I think that’ll be more comfortable for everyone.” She turned toward the loveseat. “Miguel, Ethan, are you ready to go? I think Jonah needs some private time with his mate.”
The house cleared out in a matter of seconds, leaving Zev and Jonah alone for the first time all day. Jonah hadn’t finished flipping the lock on the front door before Zev crowded behind him, draping that broad muscular frame over Jonah’s back while his remarkably limber fingers made quick work of Jonah’s shirt buttons. When the shirt was open, Zev ripped it off and spun Jonah around, covering his mouth with his own in a bruising kiss.
Jonah clutched Zev’s arms and hung on, leaving himself completely pliant and letting Zev lead their coupling. Zev growled deep in his chest and nipped Jonah’s lips while his hands roamed over Jonah’s smooth, firm skin. He pushed his tongue past Jonah’s lips and plundered that delicious mouth.
“So damn hot,” he mumbled against Jonah’s jaw as he licked and sucked his way down his mate’s neck.
It didn’t take Zev long to unfasten Jonah’s pants and push them down his mate’s thighs until they dropped to the ground, where they pooled around Jonah’s ankles, caught on his shoes. With another growl, Zev kissed Jonah deeply and pulled him down to the floor. He pressed Jonah’s chest, guiding that strong body until Jonah was lying flat on his back in the entryway, with Zev holding him down by his shoulders.
All that golden skin was irresistible to Zev, and he couldn’t stop himself from exploring with his lips, tongue, and teeth, leaving marks in his wake. He licked around one pink nipple until it puckered and turned into a hard little nub. Then he moved to the other and repeated his actions, reveling in the happy moans streaming from his mate.
“Stay,” he whispered into Jonah’s mouth.
When Jonah nodded and whimpered, Zev grinned inwardly, proud that he could put Jonah into a lust-filled haze with such ease. He moved down Jonah’s body, sniffing, licking, tasting, until Jonah’s hard, dripping cock bumped against his chin. A slight tilt of Zev’s head was all it took for Jonah’s erection to push into his mouth.
“Zev! Ungh. Feels so good.”
It felt good to Zev too. He loved sucking Jonah’s dick, loved how it stretched his mouth, loved how it felt sliding against his tongue, loved how it tasted. He grunted and bobbed his head as he increased the suction. He kept one hand on Jonah’s chest, making sure those nipples continued to get stimulated, rubbing and pinching them. His other hand was busy with Jonah’s full balls. He rolled them in his palm and tugged gently on the sac.
“I can’t…” Jonah clenched his eyes shut and swallowed hard. “It’s too good, Zev. I wanna come with you inside me, and I can’t hold back if you keep doing that.”
Zev took a final plunge down onto the hard cock in his mouth and kept his lips tight as he pulled up. When he reached the glans, he increased the suction and finally pulled off with a pop. Jonah’s hips flew up.
“Pup! So good.” The man’s entire body trembled.
“It’s gonna get even better.” Zev’s voice was deep with arousal.
He stood and lifted Jonah’s legs so they were resting on his thighs. Then he unlaced and removed the sneakers and yanked off the jeans so he was left towering over his naked mate. Jonah’s legs were spread wide and resting against Zev’s, leaving his puckered opening exposed.
With one arm holding Jonah’s ankles in place, Zev unzipped his pants and snaked his hard dick out of the fly. He spit into his hand and rubbed the saliva over his cock, hoping it would be enough.
“You want me to get some lube, Blondie, or can you take me like this?”
Jonah shook his head and raised his ass so his ankles rested on Zev’s shoulders. He plunged two fingers into his mouth, got them wet, then pulled them out and reached between his legs to push them into his body. His eyes were wild with passion.
“Don’t stop. I need you now.”
Zev understood the sentiment. He needed his mate just as badly. With his hands grasping Jonah’s knees, Zev squatted down until he was bent over his mate. Jonah’s legs were spread wide, resting against the sides of Zev’s shoulders. The man looked completely wanton, and it turned Zev on even more.
“Put it in, Blondie.” Zev’s voice was low and husky, and he spoke through gritted teeth, the need to pump his seed into the willing body beneath him arousing him to the point of madness.
Jonah pulled his fingers out of his body, wrapped his trembling hand around Zev’s erection, and guided it against his pucker. Both men grunted when Zev pushed past the resistant muscle and into Jonah’s tight heat. He pulled out slowly, then snapped his hips and shoved his cock back home, grazing Jonah’s prostate as he passed.
“Feel good, Blondie?” Zev panted.
“Fuck, yeah.” Jonah wiggled and clenched, and the resulting tightness enveloping Zev’s dick almost made him come right then.
“Oh, shit. You’re so tight. I love doing this.” Zev turned his head and kissed Jonah’s calf.
Jonah just nodded and moaned, seemingly beyond words.
Zev’s quadriceps and hamstrings trembled from the intense workout, but he couldn’t have stopped if his life depended on it. He plowed in and out of that hot channel, dragging his dick over Jonah’s spot over and over again, rejoicing in his mate’s pleasure and the blissful expression on that beautiful face.
“There, there, there,” Jonah chanted, taking his dick in hand and pumping in time with Zev’s thrusts. “Oh, damn! I’m there!”
White seed shot out of Jonah’s dick, painting his chest and neck. Zev stood above his mate, groaning as he filled that tight passage with wet heat. Both men shook and gasped for air.
“Yours.” Jonah’s voice trembled. “I’m so yours.”
Zev lowered Jonah’s legs and wrapped them around his waist. He fell to his knees and blanketed Jonah’s body with his own.
“Yes, you are. And I’m yours.”
The End