An Alpha's Pride [tribal bonds 2] (15 page)

“Anamchara?”
“Yes?”
“Luca just called,”
Daniel said. Carlton was curious as to what

the electus had to say considering the excitement in Daniel’s voice.
“One of the teams recovered all three of the missing vampires and your wolf shifter. They’re all safe and on their way back to the hotel.”

“No, they were found in a warehouse down by the docks. But it was a good idea.”
Carlton chuckled at Daniel’s words.
“I’m just glad there’s no one waiting for us when we get home.”
“Yeah, about that…”
Daniel’s voice took on an uncertain quality.
“Just how are we going to work that?”
Carlton knew exactly what his mate was talking about.
“Well, we can either live at your hotel or my mansion, or both. We could spend the weekdays at the hotel and the weekends at my mansion, sort of a country house type of thing, or vice versa.”
“What about your pack and my tribe?”
“We need to combine them into one group, wolf shifters and vampires living together as one. But first, we need to sit down together and make a set of ground rules that they all have to follow. If they want to stay in the pack or the tribe, then it’s mandatory that they follow them. If not, they can leave.”
“You know a lot of them are going to leave.”
“Then they leave.”
What did he care? Granted, he didn’t want any of his pack members out there alone, but together their combined tribe and pack would be unstoppable.
“It won’t be easy, anamchara.”
“Nothing good ever is, baby.”
Carlton grunted again as he sat up then slowly rolled to his feet and stood. He leaned back against the hallway wall, unsure of which direction to go. Where was the fucking exit?

“I swear, Daniel,” Roman snapped through gritted teeth, “if you don’t stop tapping your foot, I’m going to smack you.”
“Nooo.” Daniel shook his head quickly, continuing to tap his foot against the floorboard. “Only Carlton is allowed to smack me.”
“Seriously?”
Daniel rolled his eyes when Roman shot him a quick glance.
“He hits you?”
“Don’t be a fool, Roman. It’s not a good look for you.”
“Well, I hear wolf shifters can be a bit…uh…possessive.” Daniel arched an eyebrow when Roman’s face flushed. There was a story there. “If Carlton is—”
“Carlton is my anamchara, my mate. In your human terms, he would be considered my soul mate. And he would no more hurt me than he would willingly have his canines pulled out with a set of rusty pliers.”
“Then he doesn’t hit you?”
“Only when I ask him to.” Daniel smirked, enjoying the astonishment that crossed Roman’s face. “Don’t worry, Roman. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to find your own wolf shifter one of these days.”
A dark veil fell over Roman’s eyes as he looked away, letting the conversation fall to the wayside. Daniel let it go. He had a feeling there was more to Roman than the human was letting on, or more precisely, more to Roman and Seth. But he didn’t have proof of his suspicions, and to be quite honest, he really didn’t care.
The only thing that mattered to Daniel right now was getting Carlton back. The car pulled up in front of Memory Dry Cleaning. Daniel stepped from the car and looked around the neighborhood.
He saw a few buildings that could be possibilities, all large and all had bars on their windows. He was really getting tired of playing hidand-seek with his mate. It was getting really old.
“Do you know where you are at yet?”
Daniel asked through their bond. Their forty-five minutes was almost up, and Daniel wasn’t so sure he wanted to believe that there was no one going after his mate.
Sadiki as a sadistic bastard, and he wouldn’t put it past the vampire to kill Carlton. It was a chance Daniel wasn’t willing to take.
“I know exactly where I am,” Carlton said as he walked up behind Daniel, burying his nose in Daniel’s neck. “And it never smelt better.”
“How did you escape?” Daniel asked as he spun around, gasping at the condition his anamchara was in. Carlton was a mess. “You look like shit.”
“With a toothpick.” Carlton smiled and then kissed Daniel on his lips. “Now take me home. I owe someone a paddling.”
Daniel could feel his face heat up as he stepped aside, allowing his anamchara to slide into the car first. Roman sat there with a smirk on his face, but Daniel ignored him. He had Carlton back and that’s all that mattered.
Let the hunter’s imagination run wild.
When the car pulled into the hotel a little while later, Daniel quickly climbed out then turned to help Carlton from the car. “Roman, could you please let Electus Luca know that I have found Carlton?”
“Yeah, just as soon as I sign up to be blood bag,” Roman snapped sarcastically before turning away and walking down the busy city street. Daniel watched him for a moment, wondering if he would ever run into Roman again, and half-scared that he would. The man was a trip.
“Ready?” Carlton asked as he draped an arm over Daniel’s shoulder.
“To go inside or for my paddling?” Daniel asked as he shut the car door and led his anamchara inside the hotel.
“Both,” Carlton said as he kissed Daniel’s cheek. “Take me to bed so I can spank your ass.”
Daniel chuckled as they rode the elevator to the top floor. He spotted Kerry, one of Carlton’s pack members, standing in front of his office, his eyes wide as Daniel helped Carlton to their suite.
“How is he?” Kerry asked as he hurried to open the door to Daniel’s suite.
“He’ll need to heal, but he’s no worse for the wear. I need you to call Electus Ucathya and let him know that I have Carlton and he can call off the search.”
Kerry dipped his head and took off down the hallway. Daniel helped Carlton inside and then took him straight to the bedroom. He didn’t like the grunt he heard when Carlton laid down on the bed. Despite his bravado in front of the tribe, Carlton was really hurt. And Daniel hated that.
“As much as I’d like to paddle your ass right now, mate, I think I need some rest first,” Carlton said as he rolled over, falling asleep just as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Daniel pulled the blankets over the alpha. He leaned down and placed a small kiss on Carlton’s temple, and then turned and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
He walked over to the couch and sat down. He blew out a deep breath of relief. It had been one hell of a day, one he never cared to repeat, but it was finally over. And Carlton was home and safe. Daniel leaned back and closed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion of the day’s events seeping into his bones.
“Feeling better?”
Daniel’s eyes snapped open to see Carlton standing before him, a towel wrapped around his thick waist. The rest of him seemed to be gloriously naked, and healed. “How long was I asleep?”
Carlton pulled the towel from his waist, letting it fall to the floor. “About as long as I was, I suspect. Do you feel rested?” he asked as he crawled onto Daniel’s lap and began kissing him down his neck.
Daniel’s head fell back, soft groans escaping. “Much,” he replied as his hands landed on Carlton’s hips. “So much better.”
“Good, then I want your clothes gone, now.” Carlton stood, his eyebrow rising as he waited for Daniel to do as he was commanded. Pure thrill raced through Daniel at the heated look his anamchara was giving him. It was hot, possessive, and a bit arrogant, but Daniel was willing to deal with them all as he slid his clothes from his body.
He yelped when Carlton’s hand landed on one lone ass cheek. “Now, go get into our bed.”
Daniel studied his anamchara for a moment and then raced toward the bedroom, his heart thudding wildly in his chest. Carlton was right behind him, a low growl rumbling in his throat as he stalked around the bed.
“Someone has some serious groveling to do.”
“Me!” Daniel shouted and then curled his lips in as he cleared his throat, not wanting to sound too excited. “I mean, that would be me.”
Carlton chuckled as he walked to the side of the bed. “Then get on your hands and knees, mate. You’re going to be begging me to come by the time I’m done with you.”
Daniel rolled to his hands and knees, sticking his ass into the air and throwing his pride out the window as he wiggled his rump for his wolf. Pride had no business between the two of them, not here in their bed.
“You’re not supposed to be begging just yet.” There was amusement in Carlton’s voice as one callus-covered hand ran over Daniel’s ass. Daniel bit his lip, waiting for the sting. When it came, he shouted out his pleasure. “And you’re not supposed to be enjoying your punishment.”
Daniel took in a lungful of air before he was capable of speech. “I can’t help the fact that everything about you turns me on.” He moaned when he felt a wet finger enter him, and then a sharp sting was delivered to his backside.
“Never drain me again, mate.” Carlton’s words were edgy, but his composure was calm. Daniel pressed his shoulders into the bed, his eyes rolling back at the pleasure his wolf was giving him.
“I promise.”
“Not to drain me or to drain me?” Carlton asked as another smack landed on Daniel’s ass.
“Not to,” he shouted as the sting penetrated his flesh, along with another of his wolf’s large fingers. He wasn’t going to be sane by the time this was over. He was already losing his mind, and they had just started.
Daniel whimpered when he felt Carlton’s fingers slide free of his ass. He didn’t want them to ever leave his body again. Having his anamchara in his bed was better than drinking blood. And that was the truth.
A high-toned cry filled the room as Carlton’s thick length entered his ass, and Daniel was too far gone to care if it was him or Carlton that was being so noisy, although he suspected it was him. It just felt too wonderful, and he didn’t care if everyone in the hotel knew it.
Carlton rested his chest on Daniel’s back, his lips mere inches from Daniel’s ear. “I’m going to fuck this ass hard and fast.”
“Yes,” Daniel whimpered. “Please, hard and fast.”
His fingers curled in when Carlton did just that. His anamchara’s pelvis slammed into his ass, making Daniel cry out even more. He was going to lose consciousness, oh yes he was. If Carlton kept up his hammering pace, Daniel was going to be out for a whole week.
“This is mine,” Carlton snarled as he thrust his cock harder into Daniel’s sore ass. “If you ever forget that, I will remind you roughly.”
Daniel planned on playing the part of an amnesiac if his mate was going to fuck him like he was dying every single time. “I’m sorry, who do I belong to?”
Carlton roared as he sank his canines into Daniel’s neck, his hips snapping at lightning speed. Daniel curled his claws into the bed, hearing the sheets shred as Carlton never let up on his assault. Damn, maybe he shouldn’t have antagonized the wolf. His ass was going to pay for it for many days to come.
“Mine,” Carlton said as he pulled his canines free, slipped his cock from Daniel’s ass, and then flipped him over. Carlton plunged back into Daniel as he tilted his neck to the side. “Drain me and I won’t fuck you for a month.”
Was the man ever going to let him live that down? Daniel pulled at his anamchara’s shoulders until his wolf was at his lips. He licked one long line up his neck, feeling his wolf shiver before he sank his teeth in. Carlton shouted as his hot seed splashed inside Daniel’s ass, his movements becoming erratic.
Carlton snaked his down between them, and he grabbed Daniel’s cock, stroking it until Daniel was the one crying out, his seed painting their bodies. Daniel regretfully pulled his fangs free of Carlton’s neck and licked the bite wound closed, then buried his face in Carlton’s sweet-smelling hair.
“Love you, anamchara,” he whispered.
Carlton grinned as he raised his head up far enough to look down at Daniel. “I love you, too, mate.”
Daniel lifted his hand and wove it through the dark-brown hair on the side of Carlton’s head. “Don’t do that to me again, Carlton.”
The wolf shifter’s eyebrows drew together. “Don’t spank you?”
“No, I fully expect you to spank me again. It seems that’s something we both enjoy.” Daniel felt his face flush as he replied. “Don’t scare me like that again. I almost lost you, and I can’t handle that. I’d be devastated if something happened to you.”
“Then don’t put me in a position where I can’t protect myself, Daniel. I’m the alpha of a wolf pack. I’ve been caring for myself for a very long time now, and I’m good at it. But I can’t if you take my choices away from me.”
Biting his lip, Daniel looked away. He knew what he had done had been wrong when he was doing it, but the thought of Carlton being in danger overrode every coherent thought in his head. It had seemed like his only option at the time.
“Baby, look at me,” Carlton said as his hand curved around the side of Daniel’s head, turning his face back. “I understand why you did it, Daniel. I swear I do. I might have done the same thing if I had been in your position. But, in order for this relationship to work, we both have to be willing to compromise, even when we don’t want to. And we have to trust each other.”
Daniel pressed his lips together until they thinned out. He nodded even if he didn’t like it. He understood what Carlton was saying. He might even agree with it on some level. He just couldn’t handle the overwhelming fear he felt when he thought Carlton’s life was in jeopardy. It had been nearly paralyzing, something Daniel hadn’t experienced in all of his years on the Earth.
“How about this for a compromise,” Daniel said as he patted Carlton’s naked, slick chest. “You promise to do everything in your power to keep yourself safe, even when you want to go rushing in and save the day, and I promise to try and not freak out.”
When Carlton spoke, his voice was warm. A flash of humor crossed his face. “I can try, mate, but don’t hold your breath. I’m an alpha. It’s what I do.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed. He was not impressed by the man’s amusement. “And I’m an electus. Protecting my anamchara is what I do.”
“I guess that is just something we’re going to have to work on.” Carlton grinned as his eyes started roaming down Daniel’s body. “Now, how about you tie your anamchara down to the bed and fuck me into next week.”
Daniel swallowed hard as his cock jerked and started to fill. Apparently, his body was all for that idea. “You get the lube. I’ll get the butt plug and cock ring.”
Daniel was surprised with the eagerness in which Carlton rolled off the bed and started searching through the nightstand drawer for the bottle of lube. He grinned and climbed off the bed and went to find the rest of the items he would need to make his alpha wolf submit. With any luck, neither of them would the energy to move for the next week. It might be just enough time for them to learn to compromise.
Daniel grinned when he turned back to the bed, butt plug and cock ring in hand, and found Carlton spread eagle across the bed. The leaking cock jutting up straight from Carlton’s body told Daniel more than anything that his anamchara wanted this.
“Are you ready to submit to me, Alpha?” Daniel asked as he walked slowly toward the bed and tossed the toys on the mattress beside his anamchara.
Carlton grinned up at Daniel, holding the restraints in his hands as if waiting to be tied down to the bed. “Oh hell, yeah,” Carlton groaned. “I’m always ready.”