An Alpha's Pride [tribal bonds 2] (6 page)

Daniel was afraid Carlton would touch him. And he was afraid he wouldn’t. Both fears warred inside of him, neither one winning. If Carlton touched him, Daniel was deathly afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from begging his anamchara to acknowledge him.

He craved Carlton’s touch almost as much as he was afraid of it. The last few weeks apart had shown him that he would do anything to keep Carlton at his side, even allow the man to fuck him again.

He needed Carlton.
He just didn’t want Carlton to know how much. That knowledge could very well be the end of him. If Carlton asked, Daniel would be helpless to deny him anything. He’d even sit at the alpha’s feet as his pet if that’s what Carlton wanted.
Daniel had thought he would be able to keep it together while he was here. Now, he knew he was greatly mistaken. One look at Carlton, one sniff of his heady scent, and Daniel was ready to beg forgiveness for whatever he had done to make his anamchara leave him.
Hell, he was just plain ready to beg.
“Daniel.”
Daniel whimpered when he felt Carlton’s warm breath blow across his cheek. The alpha’s voice was soft and low, but there was a hint of steel in the tone that made Daniel’s knees shake.
“Tell me.”
“Now that…that we are mated, no other’s blood will sustain me like yours.” Daniel shuddered when he felt Carlton brush a strand of hair back from his face. The slight touch was almost enough to bring him to his knees.
“So, because we’re not together, you’re basically starving yourself?”
Daniel shrugged. He whimpered again when Carlton grabbed him by the chin and turned his face so that they were looking at each other. He kept his eyes downcast so Carlton wouldn’t see the deep need in them.
“Yes or no, Daniel?”
“Yes,” Daniel whispered.
“Fuck, Daniel, why didn’t you call me?”
Daniel’s eyes snapped to meet Carlton’s as deep shock rolled through him. “Are you serious?”
A little frown marred Carlton’s forehead. “Of course I am. Despite our rough beginning, you are still my mate.”
Daniel’s eyebrows shot up so far he was afraid they would slide right off the back of his head. “Our rough beginning? Is that how you’re going to refer to what happened between us?”
At the slight nod of Carlton’s head, Daniel sputtered and started chuckling. It quickly turned into hysterical laughter when Carlton just stared at him in shock. He couldn’t even stop laughing when Carlton grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him into the wall behind him.
“Daniel!” Carlton snapped. “That’s enough. Get control of yourself before someone hears you.”
“Oh yes, we must keep up appearances, mustn’t we?” Daniel’s laughter dwindled away almost as fast as it had started. “It would never do for anyone to know how badly we’ve fucked up our mating, would it? Maybe we shouldn’t even tell them. No one has to know, Carlton. We can just go our separate ways and pretend we never met.”
A flash of hurt moved across Carlton’s face. “Is that what you want, Daniel, to deny that we are mates?”
“Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?”
Carlton sighed deeply and rested his forehead against Daniel’s. Daniel inhaled slowly. Carlton was so close, too close. Daniel could feel the warmth radiating off of the alpha’s large body, and it made him ache. He still felt cold all of the way down to his bones. He hadn’t felt warm since Carlton had held him last.
“You need to feed, Daniel,” Carlton whispered.
“I’ll feed when I get home.”
Daniel’s eyes widened when Carlton growled, and his face darkened. He suddenly realized that Carlton had him pinned against the wall much like he had the last time he’d seen the man, minus the shower. Daniel started to shake, uneasiness spiking through him.
He hated being scared of the one person that fate said was meant for him. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Mates were supposed to cherish each other, care for each other. They weren’t supposed to hurt each other the way Carlton and Daniel were doing. Maybe they didn’t deserve to be mates.
“I need to go,” Daniel whispered as he pushed at Carlton’s chest.
The man didn’t even budge.
Daniel closed his eyes as desperation filled him. “Please, Carlton, let me go.”
“I can’t, Daniel,” Carlton said as he stroked his fingers down Daniel’s cheek. Daniel opened his eyes just in time to see Carlton frowned when he flinched away from the gentle caress. “You don’t want me to touch you?”
“It’s not that,” Daniel whispered. “I just don’t want—”
“Me?” Carlton snapped. “Is that what you were going to say, Daniel? You don’t want me?”
Daniel cringed and tried to pull away when Carlton’s hands wrapped around his face and held him in place. His breath rushed out of his lungs when he saw the burning anger in Carlton’s dark-golden eyes. It was the same look of anger he had seen the last time. The memories of what had happened then still haunted Daniel.
Daniel yanked his face away from Carlton’s hands and dropped to his knees. He reached for the zipper on Carlton’s pants, intent on doing whatever it took to keep Carlton from being angry with him again, or worse yet, leaving him.
“Fuck, Daniel,” Carlton shouted as he jerked away, “what the hell are you doing?”
“I want you. I swear I do,” Daniel cried out as Carlton loomed over him. He reached for the alpha’s pants again. He had to show Carlton that he wanted him, even if he was afraid of what the man might do. It was the only way. “Just let me—”
“Stop, Daniel.”
Daniel fell forward onto his hands when Carlton jumped out of reach. He stayed there, down on the floor for a moment as he tried to gather his composure then slowly stood to his feet. He felt a million years old.
It was clear that Carlton still hated him. Daniel had thought some time apart would lessen the alpha’s anger toward him. He now knew he was wrong. Carlton hated him just as much now as he did the day they mated.
There was no hope for them. Carlton didn’t even want him if he was groveling. Daniel had nothing left. Carlton had taken it all, and Daniel couldn’t fault the man for that. He had taken a proud man and tried to break him. Just because he had stopped before Carlton had given in didn’t mean he hadn’t done it.
It was apparent to anyone looking that Carlton would never forgive him. And now, it seemed, Carlton didn’t even want to fuck him anymore. Daniel had gambled with his electus status, his alpha status, and his pride and given Carlton everything he had to offer.
He had lost.
Daniel frowned as he tried to gather his fleeting thoughts. He glanced around the room, skipping over Carlton as fast as he could. “My men are waiting outside,” he said in a dead voice void of emotion. “I’ll inform them that they need to follow your orders while you pursue our people. If you need anything more, contact my second-in-command, Sadiki, and he will assist you.”
“You’re not leaving, Daniel,” Carlton snapped as he stalked over to the door and turned the lock, and then spun around, blocking the door with his large body. “You’re not stepping one foot outside of this room until I have some answers.”
Daniel stumbled over to a chair and sat down, overwhelmed. There was nothing Carlton could ask that he wouldn’t give. He just didn’t know if he had anything left to give.
The once-proud electus of his tribe, the man who had controlled and commanded so many, now sat here defeated by his own anamchara. How the mighty have fallen—hard.
He never in his life would have guessed that he would react this way to his mate, but apparently his heart had won out when it came to Carlton. He’d do anything for Carlton, even toss away his pride.
Daniel folded his hands together in his lap and tried to look like he had some semblance of control when he clearly didn’t. He kept his head bent, staring down at his hands, afraid Carlton would see the deep need he had in his eyes.
Good fucking god, mating was making him bat-shit crazy.
“What do you want to know?”
“Why haven’t you been feeding?”
Daniel drew in a deep breath, feeling it stutter in his throat. “Feeding from someone other than my anamchara won’t sustain me like feeding from you will. I normally only need to feed once a week or so, but now I’ve been having to feed almost daily.”
“And why haven’t you?”
“It feels wrong to feed from someone else.” Daniel shrugged. “I’ve tried but—”
“Do you need to feed now?”
Daniel swallowed hard, his gut clenching. “Yes,” he whispered.
“Would that return your strength to you?”
He nodded. He barely kept himself from jerking back when Carlton suddenly stood in front of him. He closed his eyes when Carlton squatted down in front of him. He didn’t want to see the hatred in Carlton’s eyes again. He just couldn’t stand it.
“Look at me, Daniel.”
Daniel felt Carlton grip his chin and lift his head up. He braced himself and slowly opened his eyes. What he saw in Carlton’s eyes took his breath away. It wasn’t hatred or pity, but Daniel couldn’t exactly define what it was.
“Feed from me, mate,” Carlton said as he tilted his head to one side.
Daniel’s eyes strayed to the pulse throbbing in Carlton’s neck. He licked his lips and felt his fangs drop down. His heart rate started to speed up. He could hear Carlton’s pulse like a pounding in his head…thump…thump…thump.
“Carlton, please, I—”
Carlton growled and bound to his feet. He lifted Daniel up in his arms before Daniel could even protest. He swung around and sat in the chair Daniel had just occupied then placed Daniel on his lap so that Daniel straddled his thick thighs.
Carlton’s face was fierce looking as his hand fisted in Daniel’s hair and pressed Daniel’s face into his neck. “Take what you need from me, Daniel.”
Daniel could no more deny Carlton’s demand than he could deny his need. He leaned closer and licked the small pulse in Carlton’s throat, groaning when the man’s musky taste filled his senses.
He felt Carlton jerk when he sank his fangs into the soft skin just beneath his ear. Hot, sweet blood filled his mouth, overwhelming him. Daniel sucked in draw after draw of blood, feeling it enter his body and fortify his cells. He could feel himself getting stronger with each swallow of blood that entered his system.
“Oh fuck, baby,” Carlton whispered as he ground his hard cock up into Daniel, “that feels so damn good.”
Daniel whimpered when he felt Carlton’s hands move down and squeeze his ass. He knew what Carlton wanted, and as scared as he was by the prospect, he couldn’t deny his anamchara.
Daniel wasn’t about to let loose of the succulent flesh in his mouth, so he reached down and unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down his hips as far as they would go.
Carlton groaned again, and his hands slid down under Daniel’s pants to grasp his naked ass. Daniel’s small whimper came not from his fear but from the exquisite feeling of Carlton’s hands on his bare skin. He lifted his hips up, allowing Carlton to push his pants down even further until they bunched around his thighs.
This time, when Carlton’s hands moved over his ass, Daniel was completely exposed to the man. As miraculous as it felt, Daniel couldn’t prevent the small shudder that shook him when he felt Carlton’s fingers brush over his puckered hole. He had healed quickly, but the memory of Carlton fucking him so roughly still hung with him.
Daniel withdrew his fangs from Carlton’s throat and licked the blood from his lips before raising his head to look at Carlton. He was a little shocked to see the lust burning in Carlton’s golden eyes. He had expected hatred.
“Lube, please.”
Carlton’s eyes widened. “Oh shit!” He looked wildly around the room for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed. Daniel was afraid Carlton had changed his mind when he was suddenly set on his feet and Carlton raced across the room to his desk.
The man yanked the drawer of his desk out so fast that it crashed to the ground. He leaned down and grabbed something then ran back to sit back in the chair, holding up a bottle of lube in his hand.
Daniel swallowed in relief then kicked his shoes off and pushed his pants off his legs. He smiled when Carlton undid his pants and shoved them down to his ankles then gestured for him to climb back onto his lap.
Daniel swung his leg over Carlton’s lap and settled down on him. He hissed when he felt Carlton’s cock press up between his ass cheeks, butting against his balls. Surprisingly, it felt fucking fantastic.
“Do you need to feed more?”
He did, but Daniel was more interested in whatever Carlton was doing with his hands. He could hear the snick of a cap opening and closing again a moment later. Carlton’s chest rose and fell swiftly as the bottle was dropped to the floor.
“Lean up, baby.”
Daniel wrapped his arm around Carlton’s neck and grabbed his jaw with his hand as he lifted his hips up. He claimed Carlton’s lips at the same moment slick fingers slid against his tight hole. Daniel moaned and stiffened for a brief moment then settled back when the pain he expected morphed into unimaginable pleasure.
A fierce hunger started to burn inside of Daniel. He opened his mouth and pressed his lips tighter to Carlton’s. When he felt Carlton’s tongue come out to brush against him, he met it with his own deep caress.
This was so much different than the last time Carlton had taken him. It was hotter, more intense. The need building inside of Daniel was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as if he didn’t feel Carlton pounding into him in the next few moments, he would die.
He needed Carlton.
He craved him.
He burned for the alpha.
Exquisite pleasure exploded inside of Daniel when Carlton’s fingers pushed into him. It was as different from the last time as night and day. Daniel wanted more. He started humping his hips, impaling himself on Carlton’s fingers.
“Need,” he whispered against Carlton’s lips. “Please.”
Daniel wasn’t above begging, not right now. Carlton was giving him everything he had ever wanted—sweet, fresh blood of his anamchara and the most wonderful pleasure he had ever experienced. Daniel didn’t want for anything else.
“Take what you need, mate,” Carlton said.
Carlton was repeating his words from before, but they held more significance this time. Being called mate meant so much more to Daniel than the use of his given name, especially when spoken from Carlton’s lips.
He didn’t care if it did hurt again. He needed the connection with Carlton that he could only get when they were intimately joined together. Daniel felt Carlton’s fingers leave his ass as he lifted up. When he sank back down, Carlton’s thick cock slowly filled him.
Daniel bit his bottom lip and kept his eyes locked with Carlton’s as he sank down onto the man’s hard cock. He felt so full, almost to bursting. Each little bit of his ass that accepted Carlton was so sensitive to the man that nerve endings exploded before he even bottomed out.
Daniel closed his eyes and dropped his head back onto his shoulders as a long cry spilled from his lips. If he had known being fucked felt this damn good, he would have bent himself over the nearest flat surface the second he saw Carlton.
Carlton’s strong arms wrapped around his hips and started lifting him, dropping him back down onto his cock in the next second. Daniel opened his eyes and looked down at Carlton. His face was just inches above Carlton’s but close enough that he could feel each quick pant of breath blowing across his face.