A Cold Winter's Day 25 (11 page)

Maverick slammed the brakes and jumped out, shifting into the largest wolf Malcolm had ever seen as he joined the battle.

“Stay here and guard your mate,” Kota yelled over his shoulder before he, too, jumped from the truck and was gone.

Malcolm pulled Luke from the truck, ignoring the beta as he carried his mate into the house and into the living room, settling him on the couch. He had never cowered away from a fight, and he wasn’t going to start now.

His anger exploded when he saw Riley wounded and unconscious on the floor of the living room. He laid Luke on the couch and covered his mate and then knelt down beside his son, checking his pulse. Riley was in his bear form, a splatter of blood on his side.

Malcolm checked the area where the bloodstain was, but whatever had caused it was healing now, leaving behind a small, angry red line. Riley was just resting as his wound healed. Malcolm sighed in relief as he stood, staring down at his eldest.

Even though his son would be fine, it angered him that Riley had been hurt in the first place. He shifted and bolted from the house, attacking the first elf he saw. But every time Malcolm tried to get a grip on the bastard, he shimmered away, only to appear behind him, striking.

They were losing. Malcolm could see that much, and he was going to die defending his mate and his cubs.

If it would keep Luke and his cubs safe, Malcolm was prepared.

Although he really wanted to stay alive.

He had just found Luke, and he wasn’t ready for it to end so soon.

As Malcolm fought to pin the elf down, reinforcements showed up. Ahm, a blue shadow elf that was enemy to the wood elves, and his dozen or so blue men dressed in some sort of leather armor began to battle the wood elves, taking them down one by one.

Malcolm spotted Shanta and went after the bastard, but before he could reach him, Shanta shimmered out and didn’t return. Malcolm pushed to his hind legs, standing large as he roared.

He was going to come face-to-face with that evil son of a bitch sooner or later, and when he did, there weren’t going to be enough pieces left to identify him.

Luke could feel hot, steaming water run down his chest as he heard someone dip the cloth back into the water. He lay there enjoying the feeling of his relaxed muscles as his eyes stayed closed.

It felt wonderful.

There was someone behind him, in the water with him, giving him the softest yet hardest pillow he’d ever felt. The wall of muscles afforded him the luxury of peacefulness as he began to drift back off to sleep.

Until he remembered what had happened to him. Luke shot up, the water splashing everywhere as his eyes flew open. “Cole!”

“He’s safe, Luke,” Malcolm said from behind him, wrapping his arms around Luke and bringing him back down. “He’s with his brothers.”

“But Shanta—” Luke cried out as he struggled to get out of the tub.

“He didn’t get anywhere near Cole. I told you his brothers would protect him.”

Luke looked over his shoulder, seeing Malcolm smiling at him. That smile only reminded Luke just how utterly handsome Malcolm truly was. He hesitated a moment longer and then lay back, trusting that Malcolm wouldn’t lie to him about his son.

He settled back onto Malcolm’s chest as he looked down his body. Malcolm was so much larger than him, taking up a lot more room in the garden tub than Luke. “What happened?”

Luke tried to remember, but after Shanta had assaulted him and then kidnapped him, things were a little fuzzy. But he did remember the leader saying something about getting his hands on Cole. He had fought with the leader until he felt a tiny prick in his neck, and then everything went black.

“He drugged you.”

Luke could hear the pain and anger in Malcolm’s deep voice. Luke’s head leaned back as he stared into Malcolm’s light grey eyes, which held a hint of fear in them. He didn’t ever want to see that look in his mate’s eyes again.

Luke groaned when he felt Malcolm’s hands run the course of his stomach, his fingers lingering and playing with Luke’s navel. He turned his head back around, and that was when he noticed the candles.

They were placed in various spots, flickering romantically as soft jazz music played in the background.

How in the hell had he missed that?

“Were you planning to woo an unconscious man?” Luke teased.

Malcolm’s chuckle made his chest vibrate, sending ripples of pleasure through Luke. His cock was lengthening as it started to rise from the water.

“No, I was going to wait until you were conscious, although I was starting to get impatient. I just might have wooed my sleeping mate.”

Luke grinned as he smacked Malcolm’s bare thigh. “You would have.”

Malcolm chuckled once more as his hands wandered up Luke’s body until they reached his nipples. Large, brawny fingers pinched his sensitive nipples, tweaking them until Luke was panting. He could feel Malcolm’s long length beneath him, and it was growing thicker by the second.

Luke rubbed his ass up and down Malcolm’s cock, wanting his bear to know exactly what was on his mind. He needed to feel his mate inside of him, reminding him that he was safe and in the arms of the one who would protect him with his life.

He needed the security, the safety, and the knowledge more than he needed to breathe at this very moment.

The music flowed around Luke as Malcolm’s lips caressed his neck. Goose bumps rose on his skin as his mate’s hands explored his body, his nails gently scraping Luke’s skin. He hissed as Malcolm sank his teeth into Luke’s shoulder, claiming him once more.

Luke wiggled around until he had Malcolm’s cock in his hand, and then slowly sank down onto the hard shaft. His hole burned from not being stretched, but the hot water eased most of his pain.

Malcolm wrapped his arms around Luke’s body as he began to thrust in an upward momentum, making Luke’s body bounce in the water, his cries blending in with the music. Luke placed his hands on Malcolm’s knees, feeling the hairs on his bear’s chest gently scraping his back.

His body shivered at the contact.

Malcolm released Luke’s neck, laving at his skin. “Your body is so sweet.” Malcolm’s voice rumbled at Luke’s ear, sending a shock wave of lust radiating throughout his body.

Luke impaled his ass harder, feeling the full length of Malcolm all the way to his toes. He was filled to capacity, his hole stretched wide as Malcolm took over, driving his cock hard into Luke’s body.

He was tumbling, falling, spiraling out of control. Luke’s head swam as he dug his nails into Malcolm’s thighs, trying his best to hold on to his sanity.

“I have you, Luke. I’ll always have you.”

As Malcolm’s words echoed through the bathroom, Luke cried out, his cock exploding as his body convulsed. His head swam as his mind tried its hardest to think again. Malcolm filled him with his presence, his strength, and his tenderness. He knew he would die without the man in his life.

There was no life without Malcolm.

His bear rocked into him at a faster pace, his hips pushing up into Luke as he growled and then shouted Luke’s name, hot jets of cum bathing his ass as Malcolm bit into his shoulder once more, whimpering as he held on to Luke like his life depended on it.

Luke protested with a groan when Malcolm pulled his cock free after what felt like forever. His giant picked up the floating towel and began to gently bathe him. Luke leaned forward as he felt his back being washed, loving the fact that Malcolm’s cock always became swollen to the point that he had to wait for it to go down before he could pull free.

It was a feeling he would never tire of.

He closed his eyes and thanked fate once more for leading him to Malcolm’s truck on that cold winter’s day.

* * * *

Luke smiled as he grabbed Cole from Chauncey’s arms, seeing that his son was here, whole, and safe. “Thank you for keeping him safe from Shanta.”

“I’m smart like that.” Chauncey winked as he rubbed his hand over Cole’s head. “Besides, he’s my brother. No one messes with one of my brothers.”

Luke glanced over his shoulder to see Malcolm leaning against the doorframe, smiling at him. The man had a way of making Luke weak in the knees, and they just had sex! How was he growing aroused so soon?

Luke lowered his eyelashes as he smiled softly at his mate, sauntering past him with an extra hitch in his hips as he took Cole into the kitchen. He could hear Malcolm following close behind him.

“Malcolm, could you get me a bottle from the refrigerator?”

“Malcolm? Who’s Malcolm?” Chauncey asked as he walked in behind them.

Was he serious? “Um…your dad.” Luke cocked his head, looking between Malcolm and Chauncey. There was no way Chauncey didn’t know his own father’s name. Was there?

Malcolm rolled his eyes as he handed the bottle to Luke. “Chauncey considers himself a real comedian.”

“That I am,” Chauncey said with pride.

“Why don’t you laugh as you’re getting your damn chores done?”

Chauncey’s eyes grew wide as he backed away toward the kitchen door. “I’ll go entertain the cows.”

“Yeah, you do that,” Malcolm said as he turned back toward Luke, a twinkle in his eyes. “You have to be real firm with them or they will piss around all day.”

Luke wasn’t real sure how firm he could be with men larger than him. Maybe he would leave that up to Malcolm. After all, handling one small infant was proving to be a full-time job. Luke took a seat at the table as he fed Cole.

“I need to get some things done around here as well. Will you be okay by yourself?”

Luke smiled at Malcolm’s concern. “I’ll manage.”

“Steven took the day off from the diner to sit with you,” Malcolm said and then held up his hands as Luke started to argue. “Just in case someone else decides to shimmer in.”

Malcolm had a point, but Luke didn’t like the fact that he needed a babysitter. He cursed Shanta once more as he stared down at the bracelet on his wrist. The cold metal only reminded him that he was still Shanta’s prisoner. If he could only get this damn thing off then he wouldn’t need anyone
sitting
with him.

Malcolm leaned down and kissed Luke, and then laid a gentle one on Cole’s head before walking out of the kitchen door.

“Pa never kisses my forehead,” Chance grumbled as he took a seat at the table.

Luke quirked a brow as he studied the bear. “Do you want him to?”

“Hell, no. That would be weird.”

Luke smiled at his…son. Wow. That was going to take some getting used to. He was now the father of not only Cole, but seven burly men.

That was a bit mind-blowing to Luke.

He sat there wondering if he was up for the task. These men were grown, not really needing a second father to raise them. Luke glanced up from feeding Cole to see that snow had started falling.

Luke loved snow.

It was so pure yet bitterly cold, a contrast in his eyes. He stood, walking over to the window to watch as the snow fell all around. He knew for a fact that these parts hardly ever saw snow, yet this season it fell in record.

“I’ll be damned,” Chance said as he joined Luke at the window. “Whatever the reason the snow is falling, I like this winter.”

So did Luke.