Bitten By Mistake (32 page)

“That’s a shame,” he said instead, and found his teasing smile came easily. “I kind of liked that side of you.” His gaze flicked over to the bed, and Jared laughed.

“I don’t think that’s totally gone.” His eyes darkened and he leaned in close, pressing the length of his body against Nathan’s. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

Jared kissed him hard, and Nathan moaned into it, wrapping his arms around Jared’s back.

“Yeah, let’s.” Nathan steered him backwards towards the bed, and Jared put a hand on his chest to stop him. “What?”

Jared ran his fingers down his bare stomach and took hold of his cock, stroking it slowly. Nathan swallowed, mesmerised. “I’m naked, and you’re not.” Jared’s breath hitched as Nathan’s hand closed over his, and his voice came out rougher this time. “Fix it.”

The command in Jared’s tone sent a shiver down Nathan’s spine, just as it had before, and he grinned. “I think you’re right.” He stripped out of his T-shirt and jeans as fast as could. “This part hasn’t changed.”

The second Nathan’s underwear hit the floor, Jared was on him, pushing Nathan onto the bed and tumbling down after him. They landed with an
oomph
and Jared leaned up on his elbows, while Nathan wrapped his arms around his neck. They gazed at each other, and Nathan felt that familiar want and desire well up inside him. “Definitely not changed,” he whispered, and rolled his hips so Jared felt every inch of him.

“Told you.” Jared’s words sounded just as breathless as he looked down at him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Nathan leaned up and kissed the base of Jared’s throat, up along his jaw, and finally his mouth. “So much.”

Their eyes met, and Jared traced his thumb along Nathan’s cheekbone. “You’re not disappointed, though, are you?”

Nathan frowned. “With what?”

“That the change didn’t take. That I’m not a wolf.”

He couldn’t deny a small part of him had hoped it would take, but that was overshadowed by the rest of him being overjoyed that the bond was still there. Jared was still
his
. Nathan smiled and shook his head. “No, never.” As said he said the words, Jared’s answering smile spread across his face and that small, disappointed part of Nathan disappeared for good. “You’re perfect the way you are.” He pulled Jared down so he could kiss him like he wanted—long and deep and claiming. “All mine.”

“I am,” Jared whispered, his eyes dark and intense. “And you’re mine.”

Nathan shivered. Being on the receiving end of that look never failed to excite him. He spread his thighs wide and slid his hands down to cup Jared’s arse. “Show me.”

Jared grinned, then leaned in to nip the side of Nathan’s neck, and just for a second his teeth felt sharper than they should.

Nathan gasped. It must have been his imagination because Jared pulled back, still smiling, and his teeth were totally normal.

Jared reached for the lube, slicked his fingers, and then the only thing on Nathan’s mind was the growing pleasure in the pit of his stomach as Jared worked him open.

“Come on,” Nathan hissed, arching his back and pushing against Jared’s hand. He’d gone from devastated to euphoric in less than an hour, and he needed this, needed Jared inside him to ground him and make it real. “Fuck me.”

Jared’s response was to dip his head and lick at the head of Nathan’s cock, slowly drawing it inside.

A low growl escaped Nathan as he dug his fingers into the mattress, desperately trying not to come. “No,” he whined and pushed Jared away. “Want you inside me. Now.” He let his teeth lengthen a little, licking over the tips.

Jared’s pupils dilated and he sat back, grabbed the discarded bottle of lube and spread some over his cock. He kept eye contact the whole time, shuffling forward a little and pushing Nathan’s thighs up and back.

Nathan closed his eyes as Jared pressed inside, the hot, hard length of him filling Nathan in one smooth stroke.

“Look at me.” Jared stopped, buried deep, waiting for Nathan to comply. Nathan looked up at him. “That’s better.” Then he slowly pulled out and thrust back in, all the while watching Nathan’s face. He moved with a slow, easy pace, as though he had all the time in the world, while Nathan clung to the sheets and fought to keep his body in check.

“Harder.” Nathan gasped out and squeezed Jared’s arse to get his point across.

Jared flinched, and only then did Nathan realise his claws were out. He grinned and pressed them in a little more, making Jared hiss and slam into him. “Yes!”

Nathan held on as Jared fucked him hard and fast, like he wanted,
needed
him to. His eyes fell shut again and pleasure coiled tight in his belly, working its way up his spine and threatening to release at any second.

“Jared….” He glanced up to find Jared watching him, his lip caught between his teeth. And Nathan knew exactly what he wanted. Tilting his head to one side, he bared his throat in invitation.

With a muttered curse, Jared gripped Nathan’s shoulders and latched onto his neck. His teeth broke the skin as he thrust his cock deep inside, and Nathan couldn’t hold on any longer.

He came with a yell that echoed around the room, and clung to Jared as his orgasm rushed through him. Jared stilled on top of him, his breathing erratic, and each gust of warm air over his bite sent a thrill through Nathan.

Never had he thought he wanted this—this closeness, this feeling of completeness that filled him from head to toe and made his wolf preen with contentment. Now he couldn’t imagine being without it.

He might have put both their lives in danger when he bit Jared, but lying there in his bed, in Jared’s tight embrace, he didn’t regret it for a second. The words burst out without his permission. “I’m glad I bit you that night.”

To his relief, Jared sat up a bit, his expression soft, and reached up to run his fingers through Nathan’s hair.

“Me too.” He pulled Nathan in for another kiss. “Me too.”

Epilogue

One month later

“I still think it’s too soon.” Seb hefted the box into Nathan’s van and wiped his hands on his jeans. “And why are we doing all the heavy lifting when your boyfriend’s the superstrong one?”

Jared set his own box down next to Seb’s and straightened up. “That’s a good point.” He looked around to see where Nathan had got to and spied him and Luke chatting to the two P-Pack shifters who’d just arrived. Before he could wander over to see what they wanted, Seb put a hand on his arm and stopped him.

“Seriously, J. Are you sure you’re not rushing into this?”

Jared sighed. He leaned against the side of the van and regarded his friend. “I know all this is difficult for you to understand.”

Seb huffed. “Fucking understatement.”

“But try, for me. We’re bonded, and that’s never going to go away.” Before Seb could butt in with facts to the contrary, Jared added, “I don’t want it to.”

“But that might change.”

Seb was just looking out for him, as his best friend, and that was the only thing that stopped Jared from losing his temper. He shook his head and managed a smile. “I love Nathan, and he loves me. Please be happy for me.”

Seb’s shoulders sagged and he pulled Jared in for a hug. “Fuck, sorry. I am happy for you, of course I am.”

Jared relaxed into his embrace, and when they pulled apart, his smile was bigger, easier. “If you could feel the bond like I can, then you’d understand.”

“Yeah, that’s never going to happen. After all this, I think I’ll stick to humans. I’ll just have to take your word for it.” He nodded in Nathan’s direction. “Looks like your boy wants you.”

“He’s not my boy. Stop calling him that.”

Seb laughed as they walked over to join Nathan and Luke. “I like the way it irritates him—every single time.”

Sure enough, Nathan scowled at them and bared his teeth. “I liked you better when you were scared of me.”

“I was never scared of you.” Seb kept his distance, though.

Nathan grinned. “Sure you weren’t.”

Jared watched them with amusement. It had taken a lot of explaining on his part, but Seb had finally accepted that what he felt for Nathan was real and not some shifter magic or coercion. Jared’s mum had been far easier to convince and was over the moon that he’d found someone who made him smile so much.

“All done?” Nathan slipped his arm around Jared’s waist and pulled him close.

“Yeah, I think so.” Jared glanced up at his flat and smiled. Although sad to go, he was glad that Seb was moving in. Seb’s old place wasn’t the nicest, and now he had an excuse to move him to somewhere better. “I’m leaving all the furniture for Seb.”

“I’m gonna pay you rent.” Seb blushed and looked down at the ground, scuffing his shoe on the kerb.

“You know I don’t need it.” They’d been through this again and again. Seb’s old landlord had decided to sell up, so since Seb’s lease was almost up, this was the perfect solution. Except Seb didn’t earn enough to afford the going rent on a flat in this area. He had his pride, though, and Jared was mindful of that. “How about this… you pay for the utilities, and we’ll call it even. Neither me nor Nathan have rent or a mortgage to pay for, so I think that’s fair, don’t you?”

Seb sighed and Jared held his breath. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.” Seb bumped Jared’s shoulder with his fist and smiled at him.

“So,” Jared hurried to change the subject before he changed his mind. He pointed down the road where the two P-Pack shifters were driving off. “They didn’t stay long. What did they want?”

Nathan shrugged. “They’d heard you were moving into the pack house and saw my van here. Apparently they just came to say hello, but I suspect they wanted to know what you were doing with the place. You know, whether we’d be coming back here for the odd night or whatever.”

Luke shook his head. “Suspicious as ever.”

The underlying tension between the two packs hadn’t dissipated despite working together to eradicate the rogue shifter pack. Jared thought it never would, especially after Alpha Newell had practically demanded Nathan’s death. He forced a smile, because that was all behind them now. “Did you tell them Seb was moving in?”

“Nope, I just told them you were letting it out.” He glanced at Seb. “I didn’t want them knowing that your best friend was living so close to them.”

He didn’t say anything else, but Jared was suddenly glad he hadn’t mentioned anything about Seb. The truce was still in place, but you never knew with shifters, and he and Nathan were way down the list of the P-Pack’s favourite people. “Anyway, are we ready? I’m hungry, and I want to get this lot moved in before we eat.”

Jared locked up and handed his keys to Seb, and then they all piled into Nathan’s van. It was a tight squeeze with Jared’s things in there as well, but as they didn’t have far to go, they managed.

Three hours later, Jared’s belongings were interspersed with Nathan’s throughout the flat and the four of them had collapsed in the living room, full of food.

“I should get going.” Seb yawned and patted his belly. “I’m supposed to go out tonight, but not sure I can be arsed now.”

Jared yawned and curled further into Nathan’s side. “You could stay and come with us. You'd have to keep well back of course but—”

“Umm… thanks, but I think I’ll pass. Watching a pack of shifters run around in wolf form isn’t my idea of a relaxing, fun-filled evening.” Seb glanced at Nathan and grinned. “No offense.”

Luke laughed, and Nathan grinned back with all his teeth. “None taken.”

The full moon tonight would be the first time Jared got to see Nathan shift fully, and Jared was both excited and nervous. Cam had told him it was his official welcome into the pack. Invitations to be involved in a pack run were only extended to human partners, and Jared felt incredibly honoured, even if the prospect was a little daunting.

“Okay.” Seb stood and smoothed out his clothes. “I’ll give you a call tomorrow.” He walked over and gave Jared a hug. “Thanks again for letting me stay at your place.”

“You’re welcome.” Jared hugged him tight. “Come on. I’ll see you out.”

Seb said his goodbyes to Luke and Nathan and followed Jared to the door. Just as Jared went to open it, a knock startled them.

Nathan shouted from the living room. “Tim’s here.”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the warning.” He unlatched the door as Seb raised an eyebrow. “The doctor,” he mouthed as he stepped back and opened the door wide. “Hey.”

“All moved in?” Tim asked before he flicked his gaze to Seb. “Have I come at a bad time?”

“No, it’s fine. Seb was just leaving.”

“Oh.”

Jared might be mistaken, but he thought there was a hint of disappointment in Tim’s tone. He glanced at Seb and was surprised to see the faintest hint of colour in his cheeks.
Oh.
He gestured to Seb. “Seb Calloway, meet Dr Tim Walters. Tim’s the one who saved Nathan’s life. The one I told you about.”

Tim smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t do it on my own. I seem to remember you helping quite a bit.”

Jared waved him off. “Anyway, come inside, sorry.” He moved to let him past. “Go through to the living room, and I’ll be back in a sec.”

Tim nodded; he flicked his gaze to Seb again and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too.” Seb smiled back and watched Tim walk into the living room. Jared raised an eyebrow. “What?” He glanced the way Tim had gone and mouthed. “Nice arse. Shifter?”

Jared nodded. “’Fraid so.”

“Shame.” Seb’s smile turned wistful. “Right, I’m off. Have fun tonight.” He clapped Jared on the arm and left.

Jared closed the door and joined the others.

As he entered the room, Tim stood and gestured to the bedroom. “Shall we?”

“Yeah, okay.” Jared led the way and after Tim followed him inside, he closed the door.

“How are you feeling?” Tim asked, setting his medical bag on the bed.

As it turned out, Jared’s body hadn’t totally rejected the change as they’d thought. Apparently the fact that the next full moon after his bite was a blue moon had altered things. Jared had given up trying to apply logic to the situation, he just accepted whatever happened and moved on. “I’m good.”