Three Mates, One Destiny (2 page)

Marcus didn’t trust their nudging, so he didn’t comment further.

“We’ll see. I’ll be right back, all right?”

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He made his escape before they could say anything else. When he tried to find Sebastian again in the crowd, he spotted his mate in a darker corner with Peter.

As always, the two seemed to be arguing. Marcus made his way there, eager to come to his best friend and mate’s defense. As he approached, he heard a few of the murmured insults. “Whatever mother says, you’ll always be the bastard son of a human whore.”

Marcus saw Sebastian’s expression darken and knew he had to hurry or else his friend might cause a scene right then and there.

Thankfully, he got there in time and placed himself between Sebastian and Peter. “Now, now, let’s not fight. This is a party. ”

Peter sneered at him, but didn’t answer. Instead, he glared at his brother. “Consider yourself lucky. Your little friend won’t always be here to save you.”

On that unpleasant note, Peter took off. Fortunately, Sebastian let him, even if Marcus could sense how hard it was for him. “Thanks,”

Sebastian finally said. “I think I would have punched him or worse if you hadn’t intervened.”

Marcus opened his mouth to answer, but didn’t get the chance. All of a sudden, Sebastian covered his mouth with his hand and pulled him deeper into the shadows.

“Shh,” Sebastian whispered in his ear. “It’s Sophia.”

Indeed, Marcus spotted his sister, Sophia, and her brood heading their way and her husband closely behind her. She passed them by without feeling them, and Marcus breathed a sigh of relief.

“Come on,” he told his mate. “The coast is clear. Let’s go outside.”

They made their way into the gardens. The couples hadn’t yet finished partying, and very few people were around. Marcus and Sebastian chose a secluded spot and sat down in the grass. “How do you feel?” Sebastian asked. “Everything okay? The wolf?”

“I’m fine. It went great.” He grinned at his friend, thankful Sebastian had apparently forgotten about the unpleasant episode with
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his half brother. “The Magistrate praised me for accepting my wolf so easily.”

Sebastian smiled back. “Excellent. I can’t wait to run with you.”

The words brought back some of the doubts from before. He nodded and bit his lip in nervousness. Sebastian was only a few years older than him, which in spirit wolf terms meant next to nothing. And yet, Marcus felt so young, so very inexperienced. He didn’t know how to deal with these overwhelming emotions.

“What’s the matter, Marcus?” Sebastian asked. “Are you all right?”

Marcus took a deep breath and steeled himself. Perhaps he should wait a bit more to do this, but if he didn’t get his feelings out in the open, he’d die. “Fine. It’s just that… You’re my mate, Bastian.”

For a few moments, Sebastian didn’t speak, and Marcus feared he would be denied. At last, Sebastian sighed and said, “I know. I’ve always known. But your parents will never agree. I’m an illegitimate son, and with a human no less. They can barely stand the sight of me.”

Marcus acknowledged the truth of his mate’s words. He’d many times argued with his family about Sebastian. He’d tried to change his parents’ minds. It didn’t work, and, in the end, he’d just ignored their opinion and remained steadfast in his. “It doesn’t matter,” he told Sebastian. “I don’t care what they think.”

Sebastian grimaced. “I’m going to be a hunter, Marcus. I signed up for it yesterday.”

Marcus gaped at Sebastian in shock. “What? Why? When did you decide this? You’re far too young.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while,” Sebastian replied.

“If I make my family and the nation proud, perhaps your parents can accept me.”

Marcus shook his head furiously. “No, Bastian. There’s no point in risking your life for something so trivial.”

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“It’s not just that,” Sebastian answered. “The problem with the ferals is becoming worse, and we’re short of men. I overheard my dad talking about it. I don’t want to disappoint him, or Alice.”

This time, Marcus couldn’t come up with an argument. He knew his mate worshipped his family. Roland assumed responsibility for him even if Sebastian had been born to a human woman and not his wife. Even more strikingly, Alice accepted Sebastian, which meant a lot to Marcus’s friend, orphaned from his mother at birth. True enough, Sebastian had been conceived before Alice and Roland met, but her affection for her stepson didn’t dwindle even after Peter’s birth. Peter, however, caused Sebastian problems these days, as the night’s argument clearly showed. Marcus’s family didn’t help either.

“All right,” Marcus said. “If you want to be a hunter so much, we’ll go together.”

It was Sebastian’s turn to look shocked. “What? Marc, no… You can’t…”

“We’ll go to the Magistrate and ask him to pair us up,” Marcus continued, undeterred. “He won’t be surprised. He knows we’re friends.”

“But Marc…”

This time, Marcus chose a more efficient way to shut his mate up.

He pressed his lips to Sebastian’s in a kiss both hungry and hesitant—

their first kiss. At first, Sebastian tensed, but then his arms went around Marcus’s neck, pulling him closer until their bodies were flush together. Hot arousal swept through Marcus when he felt Sebastian’s erection against his. He wanted to get rid of their clothing, to be skin to skin with his mate and bind them together for all time.

The need to breathe forced them apart, and they broke the kiss.

“Marc,” Sebastian whispered against Marcus’s lips. “I’ve waited for this for so long.”

“Me, too,” Marcus replied.

He rubbed against Sebastian, biting his lip as the friction between them drove shocks of pleasure through him. Sebastian groaned,
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echoing his motions. The clothes frustrated Marcus, and he could sense the same emotions coming from his mate. Indeed, Sebastian slipped his hand between them and undid both of their pants. Marcus wiggled a bit, giving his mate space to work. He’d experimented some by himself, but nothing prepared him for his mate’s first touch.

When Sebastian’s warm fist wrapped around his cock, Marcus thought he’d died and gone to heaven.

“Fuck, Bastian,” he panted out. “More.”

Sebastian chuckled breathlessly, but didn’t speak. Soon, Marcus’s thought processes scrambled as well. Sebastian brought their cocks together, and the intimate contact almost short-circuited his brain cells. His body took over, knowing what to do in spite of Marcus’s inexperience in the bedroom.

They thrust against each other, their own pre-cum slicking their dicks up and helping the glide. Marcus’s mind became a litany of his mate’s name, and his entire self focused on their bodies moving together. Pleasure sizzled over his every nerve, and his wolf howled inside him, loving each touch from Sebastian. But like Sebastian had said, they’d waited for this for too long. All too soon, Marcus sensed his orgasm approach. He tried to keep it in check, reluctant to let go of the moment. Sebastian’s low voice whispered in his ear, “It’s all right. Let go. Come for me, my mate.”

Still, Marcus held on. He wanted more. He wanted to connect with Sebastian completely, to have his mate fuck him. Perhaps this wasn’t the best place for it, but he couldn’t find it himself to care.

Sebastian must have understood his need. In a flash, he changed their positions, moving Marcus on all fours. Marcus trembled as his mate exposed his ass. He’d never been with anyone before, always waiting for the day when he could at last be claimed by Sebastian.

Now, that day had finally come.

Sebastian’s hands trembled a bit, and Marcus heard his mate take a deep breath. “I’ll make it so good for you, Marc. I promise.”

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Marcus didn’t have a doubt. He pushed his ass up, silently telling his mate he was ready. In truth, he didn’t know much about copulation, and he was pretty sure Sebastian didn’t fare any better, but he figured they would learn together.

Sebastian separated his ass cheeks and for a few moments, Marcus didn’t even breathe, waiting to see what his mate would do. To his shock, he felt a wet tongue swipe over his crease. The sensations that burst through him were out of this world, forbidden, sinful, and oh-so-amazing. Marcus had never heard of such a thing, even between men, but he could tell Sebastian enjoyed it as well, so he went with it.

His mate’s tongue stabbed into his hole like a tiny cock, and Marcus bit his lip to prevent himself from crying out. He well remembered all the people who’d come here just to see him and the other youngsters be initiated in the pack. Strangely, the danger of discovery made it all even more exciting. His dick, already rock hard from the earlier frottage, begged for release. He was so close, so very close.

“Please, Bastian,” he murmured. “In me.” He wanted to come with his mate deep inside him.

Sebastian obeyed. His tongue vanished, and Marcus didn’t even have time to feel the loss. His mate positioned his cock at his opening and, in one single hard push, thrust inside.

Marcus could not deny it hurt. Sebastian’s cock speared him, splitting him into two. His mate cursed and immediately stopped.

“Sorry. I just… Sorry.”

Sebastian started to move away, but Marcus refused to allow his mate’s escape. The initial shock of pain already dwindled into a pleasant burn. His dick, which had briefly gone limp, regained interest. “Bastian,” he whispered, “fuck me.”

He probably didn’t even have to say it. Even if they hadn’t finalized their connection, they could still feel each other’s emotions to a certain extent—especially now that Marcus finally gained control of his abilities.

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Slowly, Sebastian pulled out and thrust back in. The motion jostled a spot inside Marcus that made ecstasy course through him.

Against his will, he cried out. “Shh,” Sebastian said as he continued to move. “Wouldn’t want anyone to hear.”

His voice sounded husky, but the teasing note was familiar.

Marcus might have feared he’d lose Sebastian as a friend by gaining him as a mate, but this definitely proved him wrong.

“Easy for you to say, B—” he shot back. When another thrust hit the same spot, his own moan cut off his reply. “Do that again.”

Sebastian didn’t need more encouragement. He fucked Marcus with abandonment, unleashing the full extent of his passion. Marcus completely lost himself to the pleasure. At one point, he found the presence of mind to tear a bit of material from his shirt and muffle his cries with it. He could not have held back now to save his life.

Sebastian’s lips traveled over his neck and a shock of pain passed through Marcus as his mate bit down into his skin. Their minds connected, the mate bond sealing through the claiming bite. For a few beautiful instants, Marcus sensed what Sebastian did and tasted his own blood in his mouth.

The incredible sensations pushed Marcus over the edge, and he found his peak, sweeping away every doubt and leaving only happiness and ecstasy behind. By some miracle, he managed to preserve enough composure to keep himself from crying out.

Moments later, Sebastian came as well, his seed hot against Marcus’s skin.

They collapsed into the grass, exhausted, spent, but content.

“Love you, my mate,” Sebastian said.

“Love you right back, Bastian. Now stop being corny and help me mend my shirt.”

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In the darkness of the alley, Sebastian carefully trudged forward.

He sensed the enemy ahead. He could scent the corruption, the unclean nature of its kind. It seemed more powerful than usual. Was there more than one, perhaps?

Sebastian shrugged to himself, all the while keeping his guard up.

He could take on more than a few ferals without chancing death, but he hadn’t survived so many decades by being reckless.

He considered waiting for reinforcements, but decided against it.

Marcus had just recovered from a severe injury, and Sebastian didn’t want to risk throwing his mate and partner into the game again.

At last, he spotted a crouching figure on the ground. The wolf inside him growled, instantly identifying it as their target. Still, Sebastian hesitated. The figure was too small to be a feral. Could this be some sort of trap?

He scanned the tops of the buildings around him, but he couldn’t detect anything else. The figure didn’t move, nor did it acknowledge his presence in any way. Odd. Sebastian had been careful in his approach, but ferals could sense a spirit wolf a mile away. This seemed more and more suspicious by the moment.

Behind him, Sebastian felt Marcus approach. He signaled for his mate to stop and take a look up ahead. When he reached Sebastian, Marcus followed his advice. Sebastian could scent the tension and adrenaline on Marcus. Much to his dismay, it made him hard.

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Shaking away the distracting arousal, Sebastian focused on the figure once again. Trap or no trap, the feral needed to be caught.

Marcus nodded at him and together, they lunged forward.

Still, the feral did not move. A whimpering sound escaped it, and both Sebastian and Marcus faltered. What was this trickery?

“Is anyone there?” a weak, male voice came. “Please, please help me.”

Sebastian shared a look with Marcus. If this was the feral’s idea of a joke, he didn’t like it. He’d seen many spirit wolves fall prey to such wickedness and had no desire of becoming the next.

But something in that voice urged him on. Even the wolf inside him became uncertain now, and Sebastian sniffed the air. The scent of blood and semen struck him almost instantly, and Sebastian recoiled.

It had been camouflaged by the stench of feral, but now, it seemed so pungent Sebastian didn’t know how he could have missed it in the first place.