Among Wolves (12 page)

Butch choked on a comment and covered his
mouth to hide it.

Roman set the remote control down and stared
at the show.

"It's his new reference guide." Butch
chuckled.

"Shut up." Charlie nudged him, then gazed at
his lover, who was slouched low on the soft sofa, straddled,
holding his beer between his legs.

When Roman met Charlie's gaze, Charlie felt
the fire instantly. He tried to focus on the show, and keep his
lust for his wolf-man under control. But it wasn't easy.

All Charlie wanted to do was get naked and
grind on Roman's body.

~

Butch glanced from one man to the other,
since they were on opposite sides of him. Then he watched the
television program, which was a mixture of cute boys and gory
violence.

He grew uncomfortable when someone on the
show changed into a werewolf and tore up a human. "Do we have to
watch this?"

Roman tossed the remote control at him.

"I mean," Butch held the remote as he spoke,
"It might have been funny a couple weeks ago…but."

Charlie stood up from the couch.

Butch was about to tell him it was okay, he
would leave it on the channel, but Charlie was giving Roman a look.
A 'look'.

Roman guzzled the beer, staring at
Charlie.

Butch's gaze made its way to Roman's crotch.
The man's jeans were bulging from a hard dick. "Damn."

Charlie left the room.

Roman finished the beer and wiped his mouth
with the back of his hand, licking his lips as he watched
Charlie.

Butch stuck his hand into his pants to adjust
his stiff cock. "Why don't you two let me in no more?"

"Huh?" Roman stood, obviously distracted by
Charlie's flirting.

"Roman. You two used to let me watch, let me
jerk off with you."

"I don't care. Ask Charlie." Roman set the
bottle on the coffee table and headed down the hall.

Butch pointed the remote to shut off the TV,
spotted two werewolves fighting and hesitated. When he turned to
look at the hall, the two men had closed themselves into their
bedroom. Viewing the violence on the television, Butch had second
thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do was get bit,
'accidentally'. And while those two made love? They were out of
control.

Especially now.

Laughter and the bed creaking followed. Butch
shut off the television and listened. His cock throbbed in his
pants. He tossed the television remote on the couch, stood, and
headed towards the sound. Love noises, whimpers, shifting on the
mattress, got Butch so hot he was going crazy. He removed his
shirt, touched his own nipples, and undressed in the hall, dropping
his clothing on the floor. Then he tried the doorknob. They never
locked it.

Through the gap in the door he could see
Roman on top of Charlie. They were kissing passionately, naked,
grinding crotches. Butch licked his lips. He touched himself,
running his hand up and down his own length and leaned on the
doorframe.

Charlie rolled them over on the bed so he was
on top, and then he kissed his way down Roman's body to his
dick.

Butch bit his bottom lip and felt his cock
thicken to its potential as Charlie gave Roman oral sex.

Roman's green eyes met Butch's. He smiled
wickedly.

Butch swallowed down his dry throat. Roman
craned his finger, beckoning Butch into the room.

Charlie's head bobbed up and down on Roman's
cock, and he appeared preoccupied with pleasing his man. Butch had
no idea if Charlie knew he was in the room.

Butch entered, still playing with himself.
Roman continued to lure him closer.

Charlie stopped sucking and turned to look,
panting.

Butch halted his approach and waited to see
what Charlie would do.

Roman urged Charlie to continue sucking,
cupping Charlie's head and raising his hips towards Charlie's
mouth.

The dominant male won again. Charlie closed
his eyes and drew Roman's cock back into his mouth.

Roman reached out his hand towards Butch.

Butch approached warily, not wanting to upset
Charlie and see wolf-on-wolf action.

Charlie only glanced briefly at him, and
focused on Roman's cock.

Butch stood beside the bed. The sight of
Charlie giving Roman a blowjob was making Butch edge his climax.
Roman touched Butch's cock.

Butch shivered and released his hold, leaning
his hips towards Roman's fingers. Roman wrapped his hand around
Butch's dick and Butch fucked Roman's palm, staring at Charlie
sucking Roman's length deeply into his mouth.

The sensation in Butch rose quickly and he
was about to come. He held onto the headboard for balance and
closed his eyes. Biting back a shout or grunt of pleasure, he came,
spattering Roman's skin, the hair on Roman's chest, and his
muscular arm.

Roman milked him gently, then released him
and held onto Charlie's head, fucking his mouth.

Charlie moaned and grabbed his own cock,
jerking it off while the top man in the room came in Charlie's
mouth.

Butch caught his breath and leaned on the
wall beside the bed, thrilled Roman allowed him to be a part of
their sex.

It had been a long time, and Butch wondered
if Charlie was the one objecting.

Charlie sat on his heels and wiped his mouth,
catching his breath. "Whoa. That jus' keeps gittin' better an'
better." Charlie seemed to be inspecting the white spatters on
Roman's skin, from himself and Butch.

Butch was about to get something to clean up
the mess when he heard Roman make a noise in surprise. Butch spun
back to Roman and Roman's gaze was riveted to the dresser. Butch
and Charlie both looked in the direction Roman's stare had taken
and in the mirror over the dresser was the image of the man.

"Oh no." Butch held up his hand in defense,
but there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Roman snarled, and it sounded canine to
Butch, not human.

Charlie hopped off the bed and stood beside
Butch. "He ain't happy, Roman."

Roman spoke to the apparition. "They're
mine."

The hair stood on Butch's forearms and the
nape of his neck. It finally occurred to Butch. Roman was their
pack leader, and this man meant to take it. Take them all, as his.
Like spoils of a war.

"Roman, don't provoke him." Charlie tried to
intervene. "Stay human, babe."

Butch studied the man; the clothing, the
weapon strapped to his back. He was from some other time, another
century. This was not a modern man. The man's lips moved but the
sound came later, as if it were from another source. But Butch
heard it. Loud and clear.

"
Mine
."

Crawling on all fours on the bed, Roman began
to move, like a predator, stalking.

"No!" Charlie jumped on him. "Do not
change!"

Butch walked as close as he dared to the
mirror, seeing his own reflection and the other two behind him on
the bed. Three vulnerable naked men against one armed. "Who are
you?" Butch asked, intrigued when he should be afraid.

The man's amber eyes found his. "You are
mine."

Butch shook his head. "No."

"Butch, don't talk to him!" Charlie sounded
terrified.

Another growl came from Roman.

Butch knew his engaging this strange 'thing'
was angering Roman to the point of bringing on a change. Butch
turned his back on the mirror and crawled onto the bed, embracing
both of his friends. Even with his mortal senses, Butch could feel
Roman decompress at his reassurance.

Charlie let out a loud exhale of relief and
they held onto each other tightly.

Butch took a quick peek in the mirror and the
image was gone. He closed his eyes and held onto the two men. "I
gotcha. I won't let nothin' hurt you."

He felt Charlie's grateful kiss on his cheek,
and when Butch opened his eyes, he was given Roman's fabulous
smile, dimples and all.

"I'll fight for you," Roman said. "He can't
take you from me."

"All right," Charlie replied, "Let's all calm
down. He feeds on the anger."

Butch rested on the bed beside Roman and kept
touching both men. "Thank you. I mean that."

Roman kissed his hair and the three of them
stayed still and calm, recovering from the incident.

Butch wondered if being bit, changing into
whatever it was the other men were, would be like becoming
super-human. It was food for thought.

At twenty-one, Butch hadn't accomplished
much, felt extremely ordinary, and sometimes even self-conscious
and insecure. With the potency of what that man in the mirror
contained, he wouldn't be Butch Crowell, cowboy ranch hand. He'd be
something special.

He glanced at the two men in bed with him,
and realized they were kissing. It made Butch feel like an
outsider. He relaxed on the pillow and watched.

Roman looked down over the snow-covered
trees, soaring in the crisp blue sky, his black wings spread out,
feathers open like fingers reaching for a prize.

He surveyed the land under him; the Deer
Creek reservoir, the Wasatch Mountains, and a ranch with several
out buildings. A man wearing a cowboy hat was riding a trail, the
big brown horse under him at least sixteen hands high. Roman
circled, eyeing the man, seeing he was headed to a dead deer
carcass near a wire fence that had been cut. Behind the man was
another rider, a younger man, riding a pinto horse, both making
their way up the trail.

Roman perched on a fence post as the two men
stopped to investigate the dead animal. A rambunctious Jack Russell
was also with them, sniffing, barking, hyperactive…

Roman shifted on the fence post, his long
black talons moving as he folded his wings. He met the handsome
cowboy's blue eyes…

The second man called the first by name.
Charlie.

Charlie…I've been watching you, Charlie
Mosby
.

The sound of a shotgun blast woke Roman out
of his dream. He sat up and huffed for breath.

Beside him, two men, stirred, waking from his
movements on the bed.

"Roman?" Charlie narrowed his eyes in the
morning light that filtered in from the window.

The noise of a truck engine making its way up
their driveway caused them all to become alert. Butch leaned up on
his elbows and checked the time. "Christ. It's eight." He climbed
out of bed and left the room.

Roman rubbed his face and jaw tiredly,
feeling his beard growth and the stubble of its bristles.

"I can't believe we slept so long." Charlie
tossed off the blankets and headed to the bathroom, closing the
door.

Roman caught sight of both Charlie's and
Butch's morning erections, and peeked down at the sheet. The
nightmare had taken his away, if he had one.

But it wasn't a nightmare. It was more of a
recollection of the first time Charlie spotted Roman. Roman was a
large black crow. Yes. A bird.

He could hear Butch greeting the men outside,
yelling, "We got up late! Thanks for comin' so early, boys!"

Roman crawled out of the bed, slowly, feeling
achy and worn out. His dreams felt more like work than restful
slumber.

He sat up, rubbing his hair, hearing the
shower starting in the bathroom. Letting Charlie get ready first,
Roman slipped on a pair of jeans and headed to the kitchen to make
a pot of coffee. He located the travel mugs, and placed bread into
the toaster for a quick bite before they went. On the way to Heber
they'd hit the road for gas and food.

They had to go. Had to get to Heber. To Salt
Lake City.

While the coffee perked he checked his phone,
turning it on. He had several missed text messages. One from Phil,
a fellow ATF agent.

'
Already interviewed two witnesses from
the old case. They haven't practiced since the incident. Have no
idea why you are still dealing with it. Will keep you
updated
.'

Roman scrolled for his name and was about to
dial Phil's number to tell him they were going to Heber today, not
Thursday, but he didn't. He knew how Phil would get when they were
together. The man would shadow Roman, and if he turned? Phil would
put a collar and leash on him and box him up in a crate.

Roman texted back. '
Tx
.' That was it.
He had some leads of his own he was going to follow, and it was bad
enough this Alpha was annoying him. He didn't need Phil on his tail
as well.

Butch entered the house, stomping off the
snow from his boots. He met Roman's gaze. "I'll pack up the
truck."

"Okay."

Butch carried their luggage outside, leaving
the door open. From where Roman stood he could see the ranch hands
leading the horses out of the barn to the corral, getting ready to
clean out the stalls.

Roman checked on the coffee pot and Charlie
appeared, fresh from his shower. "I thought you'd join me."

"I just wanted to get us ready. My turn."
Roman touched Charlie affectionately and returned to their bedroom,
stripping off his jeans to shower.

He looked back at the bed, thought about the
three of them sharing it last night, and then met his own green
eyes in the mirror. "You keep away from my men. You got that?"

He waited for a sign, the apparition to
appear, but nothing happened. Roman walked into the bathroom,
feeling the dampness from Charlie's shower. He shut the door and
took his razor out of the vanity. Instead of leaving designer
stubble, Roman shaved all the hair off his face. He didn't need to
look like a wolf anymore than he was.

To keep calm, he kept repeating a mantra in
his head.
And this too shall pass…

If he didn't believe it, he would go
insane.

~

Charlie watched Roman walk away, worried
about him. The dreams Roman was enduring seemed to be haunting him.
And his were the same, but Charlie woke in the middle of the night,
when Roman was so deeply asleep he could not be woken.