Strength of the Pack (39 page)

Flinging the covers off of their heated bodies, Lucas straddled Noah’s hips. Holding him in place with a hand to his chest, Lucas used his other hand to stroke himself. He held Noah’s gaze as he worked his hand over his own hard shaft.

Noah lifted a hand. “I can…”

“Shut the fuck up, and just lay there,” Lucas said, gasping as the first wave of his climax rolled through him. “You wanted us to smell like each other’s come, so let’s do it right.”

Lucas’ balls lifted and tightened, his spine bowed and his cock pulsed in his hand. His come shot the length of Noah’s torso, coating his chest and belly in long, thick strands of translucent fluid. Lucas’ belly tightened with the force of his orgasm, and it seemed to go on forever. He shocked himself with the amount of spunk that streaked across Noah’s tanned skin.

When the last wave of his climax passed, and Lucas could move again, he sat atop Noah’s body, looking down into his stunned face. Lucas panted heavily, struggling to catch his breath. Sitting back slightly, he used both of his hands to smear Noah’s come into his own skin.

Noah swallowed hard, and his eyes dropped to watch Lucas’ motions with rapt attention. Lucas rubbed the tacky, drying come into his belly and up over his chest. When that was done, he spread his hands over Noah’s body and smeared his own come into Noah’s skin.

“There,” he said triumphantly. “Will that get the job done?”

Noah nodded mutely.

“Is there anything else we should do to prepare for our guests?”

Noah started to speak but hesitated.

“What?” Lucas demanded. “Tell me.”

“Can I mark you, too? Please?”

Lucas lay down and covered Noah’s body with his own. Their dried come was tacky between them. Lucas pushed his arms beneath Noah’s head and shoulders. He lowered his head and presented his naked throat to Noah.

Noah’s strong arms wrapped tightly around Lucas’ chest. One large hand cradled his head, holding him steady as Noah’s hot mouth latched on to Lucas’ throat.

Lucas felt fucking devoured. Noah bit and sucked at his neck like it was his last meal. It felt so good. If he hadn’t just come, it would be arousing. Now it just felt…affectionate.

When Noah released him, Lucas sat up. Noah brushed his finger tips against some of the stinging bite marks on Lucas’ throat. His expression was inscrutable.

“Are we good?” Lucas asked.

“Yes.” Noah nodded emphatically.

“Good. I won’t shower, but I insist on washing my hands before I eat.”

Noah’s surprised laughter stole Lucas’ breath.

§ § §

For Lucas, breakfast was a crash course in werewolf hierarchy and politics. He wasn’t sure he understood everything, yet, but what had become shockingly clear was that he and Noah were at the very top of the Pack hierarchy.

Captain Denise Walters set down her coffee cup and leaned back in her chair. “So, Sergeant Hammond, what are your instructions for the run tomorrow?”

Lucas tensed and glanced around the table. Until that moment, the conversation had been friendly and informal. The sudden use of Noah’s rank by a Navy captain was startling.

“Do you have a Beta you can leave in charge of your pack for the run, Denise?” Noah asked.

Lucas was doubly confused when Noah continued to use the captain’s first name.

“I can leave Kevin.” She tilted her head to indicate her Mate, sitting beside her. It had been the love bites they both sported that had eased Lucas’ embarrassment over his own.

Noah lifted a hand in protest. “I don’t want to break up your pair-bond.”

“It’s just the once, right?” she asked.

“The doctors say I can resume normal activity next month,” Noah replied with a nod.

“We’ll survive one night apart, Sergeant,” Denise said with a smile. Kevin, also a Navy captain, covered her hand with his own and grinned as well. “Who’s been serving as Pack leader while you were in Afghanistan?”

“A perfectly competent staff sergeant,” Noah said with a shrug of one shoulder. “I’ll leave him in charge when we’re redeployed, but while I’m here, I’ll be seconded by another True Alpha, not a pack leader.”

Noah’s words sounded insulting to Lucas’ ears. He glanced at the two pack leaders at the table and saw them nodding their agreement. He relaxed slightly. It seemed that made sense in the context of werewolf politics.

Lucas thought he finally understood what was happening. Noah was having the True Alpha werewolf of the Navy come to Camp Pendleton to assist him with the full moon run the following night. He’d been unaware there was any cooperation between the werewolves in different branches of the service.

Most surprising of all was the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer. The Marines were part of the Navy so Denise’s cooperation was easily explained, but Lucas didn’t understand the Coast Guard’s presence at this meeting.

“I would offer my assistance, Sergeant, since I have no Mate,” the Chief Petty Officer said. “And I also have no Beta.”

“I appreciate that, Jeff,” Noah responded. “Are you the True Alpha for both the Coast Guard Station San Diego and the Air Station San Diego?”

“I’m it, Sergeant,” he replied, almost apologetically. “And we run in Ramona, so I’d be too far away to split my time, too.”

“Ramona is a long drive,” observed Denise.

“It is,” Jeff answered. “But anywhere closer interferes with Pendleton and Miramar.”

“Deshaun?” Noah asked pointedly. He looked directly at the staff sergeant who was the pack leader for Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

“If you wish it, Sergeant, the Coast Guard pack is welcome to run with us at Miramar,” Deshaun replied smoothly.

“I would be pleased to run someplace closer to base, but I do not want to step on any toes,” Jeff said emphatically.

“You’re a True Alpha werewolf,” Noah replied firmly. “Deshaun is a pack leader. If you want to run at Miramar, you’ll run at Miramar.”

Tension filled the air, and the hair on Lucas’ arms stood up. Noah sat back in his chair, appearing relaxed, as he looked from one werewolf to another. None of them looked away, and gradually, the tension level dropped.

Lucas felt like he’d been dropped onto another planet.

“Is there any problem with MCRD, Coronado, North Island and Point Loma continuing to share Otay Mesa?” Noah asked, breaking the silence.

“Not for the Navy, there isn’t, Sergeant,” Denise replied firmly. It seemed she was the Alpha for both North Island and Point Loma.

“Not for the Marines either, Sergeant.” Marcus, the pack leader at MCRD, was a little slower to answer, but he didn’t seem truly bothered by the arrangement. “We might wanna talk about finding a different or a second location for the run but only due to sheer numbers, not conflict.”

Realization struck Lucas so hard, he nearly spoke out loud. He bit back his exclamation just in time. This meeting was about more than making sure Noah had help while he was still healing. This meeting was about Noah consolidating his power within the Pack. Scratch that, Noah was consolidating
their
power within a newly unified Armed Forces Pack.

Lucas sat up a little straighter in his chair. Noah glanced at him, one corner of his mouth quirking upward slightly.

“Excellent point, Marcus,” Denise said. “Thank you for mentioning that. I’d forgotten.”

“We’ll look into that in the next few months,” Noah replied. “Keep us posted.”

Lucas didn’t miss Noah’s use of the plural. Fuck. His role here wasn’t passive. These were now his werewolves, as much as the Camp Pendleton werewolves were.

“Is there anything we can do to help the Dominant during tomorrow’s run?” Denise asked as she glanced back and forth between the two of them.

Lucas drew breath to answer when Noah’s laughter stopped him.

“Lieutenant Young doesn’t need help with much,” Noah said through his laughter. “In fact, he stands Sentinel during the runs.”

“I’d heard that rumor,” Jeff said with some excitement.

“His cell number is in the email you all received,” Noah continued. “Distribute it so that if you need his, or our, help with anything tomorrow night, you can reach him.”

When all the werewolves had gone, Lucas closed the door after them. He turned to face Noah.

“How did I miss the fact that we’re consolidating all the werewolf packs of the different military branches into one, big super pack?” Lucas asked.

“I don’t know,” Noah replied. “I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“So, you’re not just the Marine Corps’ True Alpha anymore, are you? You’re the damned Armed Forces True Alpha.” Why was Lucas angry?

“And you’re my Dominant. I follow you.” Noah’s eyes flashed with a hint of silver.

“Fuck.” Lucas spat.

Noah drew breath to speak but paused. He shook his head slightly then said, “Tomorrow. After the run.”

Lucas froze. He didn’t need the link to know Noah was serious.

Pushing off of the door, Lucas brushed past Noah, deliberately knocking their shoulders together. “About fucking time.”

Noah parked the Jeep, and Lucas climbed out, calling up the roster of werewolves on his tablet. He opened the rear of the vehicle, set his tablet inside and pulled out the stack of blue tarps.

“Is anyone in particular in charge of laying out the tarps?” Lucas asked.

Noah grinned at him as he toed off his shoes. “The first poor sucker to arrive after me.” Even as he spoke, a car pulled in next to them. “Here’s our victim now,” Noah said. He was still grinning at him as he put his shoes in the back of the Jeep.

“What?” Lucas asked, warmth unfurling in his belly and spreading through his chest.

“You,” Noah replied. “You’re not the same uncertain but determined human who showed up at that first run with your neatly printed roster of werewolves.”

Lucas had to admit that was true. “You’re not the same werewolf who was pushing my buttons and challenging my authority.”

“I was just making sure you were the man I suspected you were,” Noah replied, surprising Lucas by leaning in and kissing him.

As the werewolves arrived, Lucas checked them on his tablet. He assigned some of them the responsibility of the tarps, before and after the run. All of the werewolves approached him reverently, treated him with great deference and then greeted Noah with everything from a slow nod to something very near a bow.

Noah stood behind Lucas, pressed up against him. Lucas leaned back into him. Noah’s body was hotter than usual, likely due to the full moon. Lucas tilted his head to the side to allow Noah to nuzzle his neck. Noah’s large hands ran up and down the length of Lucas’ arms.

How far they’d come, Lucas realized. Not so long ago, Lucas would have been mortified by Noah’s open and aggressive affection. Now that he realized it was a normal thing to the werewolves, Lucas allowed himself to take pleasure in it.

Denise arrived, dressed in easily removed track pants and T-shirt. She smiled broadly at them both as she approached.

“Welcome to Camp Pendleton, Denise,” Lucas greeted. Noah’s hands squeezed his shoulders, and he pressed a kiss to Lucas’ temple.

“Thank you, Dominant, it’s an honor to assist you tonight,” she replied with a nod. Looking at Noah, she said, “Greetings, Sergeant.”

“Denise,” Noah acknowledged. “Thank you for your assistance, tonight.”

“It truly is an honor,” she said seriously. Her eyes flicked between the two of them. “Do we know if the stories of the old forms of obeisance are true? Or just legends? We haven’t had a Dominant in so long, do any of us know for sure?”

“I suspect they were culturally relevant at the time but didn’t serve any real purpose,” Noah replied. “My Dominant doesn’t stand on ceremony, but he is worthy of our submission. What are you thinking?”

Lucas had lost all understanding of the conversation. He was picking up distinct feelings of pride mixed with anxiety from Noah, which was an odd combination.

“Kneeling and pledging my loyalty and obedience would just be words at this point,” Denise answered. “Actions speak louder, and I’ve driven the length of the county and left behind my Mate for the full moon, because you asked.”

“I recognize your commitment,” Lucas said, without thinking. Noah’s surprise mirrored his own.

“Do you need more?” Noah inquired.

Denise hesitated. “Are you marking pack members at all?”

“No.” Noah’s answer was loud and emphatic.

Anger and jealousy swelled hotly in Noah. His hands tightened on Lucas’ shoulders.

Denise nodded vigorously. “I detest the smell of anyone else on Kevin.”

“There was also an incident while we were in Afghanistan, when I had to touch a pack member who was struggling not to shift,” Noah explained. “Lucas’ reaction was…extreme. If I mirror his reaction watching him mark other werewolves, it could get bloody.”