Strength of the Pack (20 page)

“I’m coming, Noah,” he said between gritted teeth. “Fuck! Come with me. Dammit, come with me.”

Noah’s fingers in his ass slid in and out in time with Lucas’ stroking hands. He pushed them in deep and stretched Lucas’ rim when he pulled them out. It was all too fucking much, and Lucas felt his balls tighten and lift.

He didn’t want to be the first to go. Lucas wanted Noah to come and searched for a way to ensure he did. When a faint hint of Noah’s eagerness drifted over Lucas, he forced the connection to open wider. Lucas let go and started to come, dragging Noah over the edge with him.

Together they shouted and swore as hot come splashed over Lucas’ fingers and coated both of their bellies. A part of him knew they could be heard in the corridors and that it was more than obvious what they were doing. Most of him didn’t give a fuck. His body clenched hard as his cock shot out thick, white come, his asshole grasping greedily at Noah’s fingers.

As Lucas stroked them both through their orgasms, Noah’s body shuddered violently. He pumped his hips as his come coated Lucas’ stomach. Together, they made a huge fucking mess, and Lucas didn’t care.

Noah’s body gave out first. His hand slid free of Lucas’ ass, and his knees buckled. Lucas released their spent cocks and steadied Noah, smearing their come even further.

“Fuck,” Noah sighed. His eyes were heavily lidded and he looked spent and exhausted. “Fuck.”

“Noah,” Lucas said sharply. “Stay awake long enough to help me get you into bed.”

Noah wrapped himself around Lucas, leaning so heavily on him that Lucas wasn’t sure he could support him. Noah collapsed heavily onto the bedroll laid out across the room.

When Lucas shifted to remove Noah’s boots and retrieve the tub of baby wipes, Noah reached out and grasped his wrist painfully.

“Don’t go, Lucas,” he pleaded, battling to hold off sleep just a few moments longer. “Just today, don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said soothingly. “I’m sleeping right here today.” He ran a hand over Noah’s hair, encouraging him to lie back. “I’m going to clean us up first. Then I’ll sleep right here.”

“I like the way you smell,” Noah muttered just before his eyes closed, and his breathing evened out.

Lucas slid Noah’s LPCs from his feet and then tugged off his trousers. He cleaned them both with several baby wipes before shedding the last of his own uniform. Lucas added the blankets that had made up his bedroll the previous night. When he crawled in beside Noah, he doubted they’d need them. Noah was giving off heat like a furnace. The blankets were already comfortably warm as Lucas settled down.

Now that the moment was here, Lucas had no idea how this should go. Should he avoid touching Noah? Lucas enjoyed snuggling with his lovers, but that’s not what he and Noah were. What did Noah prefer?

Lucas settled on his side with his back to Noah. He took several deep breaths, but the tension in his body wouldn’t flee. He had just resigned himself to the fact that he needed to turn over and wrap himself around Noah in order to get to sleep, when Noah turned onto his side. Noah’s chest was scalding as it pressed against Lucas’ back. Noah draped an arm across Lucas’ chest and nosed against the back of his neck.

Noah took a single deep breath, and Lucas felt the exhalation against his skin. As Noah relaxed against Lucas, his own tension finally eased. Lucas closed his eyes and remembered nothing more.

Lucas woke immediately. He knew he wasn’t in his usual bedroll, and he wasn’t alone. The blankets were warm, and Noah’s scent was everywhere, infusing Lucas with a sense of peace. He was warm and relaxed and comfortable.

Shifting slightly, Lucas realized Noah was behind him, face pressed to his spine and exhaling rhythmically against the skin between his shoulder blades. Sliding carefully from between the blankets, Lucas tried not to disturb Noah. He knew the Alpha would sleep until mid-afternoon.

Noah shifted in his sleep, sliding into the space Lucas had just vacated. Taking the bundle of towels he’d used as a pillow, Lucas placed it next to Noah’s head. Immediately, Noah rested his own head on it, turning his face slightly and inhaling deeply before he settled down into sleep once again.

Lucas checked his watch and saw it was late morning. He dressed quickly. Because he’d gotten some sleep the night before, he didn’t need any more. First, Lucas would check on his platoon; second, he’d find Captain Stanley and get his orders for the remainder of the day.

Stepping to the tarp spanning the doorway, Lucas took a deep breath. No matter what, he’d keep his head up and make eye contact. After the obvious display he and Noah had put on, the entire post would know what had gone on between them. Remembering Captain Madison’s words, he told himself that this was all normal pack behavior. He had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Pushing aside the tarp, Lucas stepped into the darkened corridor. A vaguely familiar corporal passed him, holding Lucas’ gaze but dipping his head respectfully.

“Lieutenant Young, sir.” The address was exceedingly formal.

“Corporal,” Lucas replied with a nod of his own.

Next, he encountered a Marine he thought was part of Madison’s company. The Lance Corporal greeted him with, “Morning, Lieutenant. Everything all right, sir?”

“Fine, Lance Corporal. Thank you.” Lucas was baffled. These were not the reactions he’d expected.

Nearing the exit, a werewolf Lucas recognized from their sister platoon, Fox-three, entered the building. He spotted Lucas and stepped to the side of the corridor, putting his back to the wall. He dipped his head but met Lucas’ eyes.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Young,” he said. “Is our Alpha sleeping soundly?”

“He is, Sergeant,” replied Lucas. He paused, mid-stride. “You were on the run last night. How is it you’re awake?”

“The run isn’t as strenuous for the pack as it is for the Alpha, sir,” the Sergeant answered eagerly. “He’s constantly keeping us in line and keeping watch for danger.”

Lucas took a moment to digest this information. “That makes sense, Sergeant. Thank you.”

He was about to continue on is way when the Sergeant added hastily, “You also got the Alpha settled down so quickly this morning, the rest of us got to sleep right away, sir.”

Lucas had no idea what that meant. That would be the first thing he’d ask Tim. “Glad to hear it, Sergeant.” With a nod, Lucas went in search of his platoon.

He was a dozen steps into the courtyard when he heard Captain Madison’s voice. “Hey, Lucas, wait up.”

Lucas watched Tim jog to catch up to him. “I was going to find you later on,” he said.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out for you,” Madison replied. “I figured you’d have questions. Have you eaten?”

Lucas hadn’t given food a thought. Once he thought about it, he realized he was starving. “No, I probably should.”

Tim inclined his head toward the mess, and together they headed in that direction. “I trust that Noah is sleeping comfortably,” he said.

“He was when I left him. I’m sure I’ll feel something when he finally wakes up,” Lucas mused.

“That’s convenient.” Tim smiled.

“When it’s not unnerving,” Lucas replied.

Their conversation paused as they loaded their trays with food. Lucas was grateful they had the facilities for a full mess hall. He hated the idea of a year’s worth of MREs. He couldn’t help noticing the deference with which everyone was treating him. There was none of the smirks or knowing looks he’d expected.

“Okay, this is not the reaction I anticipated,” Lucas muttered.

“What did you expect?” Tim’s brow furrowed.

Lucas shrugged one shoulder. “You know: funny looks, laughter behind my back, no one willing to look me in the eye.”

“Has anyone treated you that way after previous runs?” asked Tim.

“I’ve never put on a display like the one I did this morning,” Lucas replied dryly.

“What display?” Madison demanded incredulously. “You think the two of you put on some salacious show this morning?”

Lucas snorted. “You were there. We were pinning each other up against walls and shoving our tongues down each other’s throats.”

“No one who got to witness your handling of a True Alpha werewolf thinks they saw anything other than history unfolding,” Tim assured him.

“You’re telling me we made history?” Lucas asked dubiously.

“No one alive has ever seen the Dominant-Alpha bond.” Tim shrugged, taking a seat at a nearby table. “You should have felt the power coming off of the two of you. And I gotta say, I’ve never seen a pack settle down so fast after a run.”

“What do you mean?” Lucas didn’t understand the connection.

“You know how the werewolves are after the run,” Tim replied. “They’re all less intense versions of the Alpha. After a run, they can never just get to sleep without at least a couple of fist fights and some broken furniture.”

Lucas chuckled. “How long did it take them this morning?”

“It was immediate.” Tim made an emphatic gesture with one hand. “Not a single squabble among them. When we checked, they were all crashed out in one big pile in the middle of the room.”

Lucas snorted in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely.” Time paused to take a swallow of coffee. “But my point is, you got the Alpha calmed down so fast and so effectively, the Pack had nothing to feed off of so they just went to sleep.”

“I know the werewolves have a connection of sorts,” Lucas said with surprise. “But I didn’t know they mirrored Noah’s emotions.”

“It’s pretty low grade except during and just after the run.” Tim sat back in his chair and pushed his tray away. “Noah’s so damn powerful, though, it seems to have a stronger effect.”

“So, you’re saying that the sooner Noah gets to sleep, the sooner the Pack does?” Lucas confirmed his understanding.

Tim laughed and sat forward. He lowered his voice to keep from being overheard. “The pack calms down once the Alpha has either won a fight or gotten laid.”

Lucas’ face burned with his embarrassment. “So I’d better never have a headache, or the Pack will tear apart the post,” he said darkly. Suddenly, his blood turned to ice. “Wait a second; does everyone think Noah and I fucked?”

Tim laughed again. “I don’t think anyone is thinking in terms of that kind of detail. Orgasms were involved. That’s about all anyone really knows or cares about.”

“Jesus.” Lucas cradled his head in his hands.

“Lucas, you are focusing on the wrong aspect of things, here.” Tim had grown serious. “You have an influence over the Marine Corps’ True Alpha werewolf that no one else does. That means you have an influence over every werewolf in the Corps.”

“Isn’t that overstating things just a bit?” Lucas asked.

“No, it’s not.” Tim gave an emphatic shake of his head. “And that’s what you have to remember to use, to
your
advantage and to your Pack’s.”

“Why would I need to do that?” Lucas asked, finishing off his coffee.

Tim shrugged and stood. “Right now? Probably no reason. Just keep it in mind.”

“I will,” Lucas replied as they left the mess.

“Go check on your Alpha, Lucas.” Tim clapped him on the shoulder. “Then go see to your platoon. If you need anything else, let me know.”

When Lucas ducked into the anteroom, Noah was still sleeping soundly and snoring lightly. Affection warred with desire inside of Lucas as he watched Noah sleep. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch Noah’s hair or his cheek.

With a sigh, Lucas stood. He made sure there was a bottle of water nearby then went in search of his platoon.

It was mid-afternoon when something shifted in the very back of Lucas’ mind. Noah was awake. Lucas had no idea if it was effective, but he sent a warm greeting down the connection.

He turned his attention back to Captain Stanley and the useless information he was trying to impart. There was a lot about the adjoining village that Lucas needed to know, but his company commander hadn’t been successful at gathering the intel. Instead, he was contemplating how to go about taking a census. Lucas didn’t bother to remind him the outgoing company had already done that before their departure.

The remainder of the battalion was scheduled to leave Toscano in just two days, leaving Fox Company to manage alone. Lucas thought of that time with dread. He suddenly couldn’t stand there any longer, listening to the useless Stanley drone on.

“Excuse me, sir,” he interrupted. “The Alpha is awake. I should look in on him.”

Stanley glanced around the compound, looking for Noah, Lucas assumed. His brow was furrowed in confusion as he failed to spot the werewolf. “No. You’re wrong.”

With a shake of his head, Lucas said, “No, sir, there’s no way I can be. Not about this. If you’ll excuse me—”

“Lieutenant, there’s no way you could know that,” Stanley snapped.

Lucas knew it was petty, but annoyance won out over caution. “The Pack is waking up as well. I hope they don’t become enraged when they feel the Alpha is annoyed because he can’t find his Dominant.”