Strength of the Pack (7 page)

As impossible as it seemed, Lucas was a tap-out away from beating a werewolf in hand-to-hand.

He felt Noah shift and get his left hand under his chest. With his shifter strength, he’d be able to do a one-armed push up, even with Lucas on his back. Lucas realized he had to do something and do it quick. His mind raced. He remembered what Noah had said about claws and teeth.

Before his brain could catch up with his body, Lucas lowered his head and sank his teeth into a tendon at the back of Noah’s neck.

Beneath him, Noah froze. Lucas didn’t bite hard, just enough to get Noah’s attention. He could taste the tang of Noah’s sweat and the musk of his skin. Lucas inhaled and his senses filled with the scents of skin, sweat, warm fur and, as absurd as it seemed, petrichor. Within seconds, his cock was hard and pressing into the swell of Noah’s firm ass.

All motion stopped for the span of several heartbeats before Noah moved again. Lucas sank his teeth deeper into Noah’s neck, and to his own surprise, he fucking growled.

Beneath him, Noah made a high-pitched sound that could have been a whine. It might have been a whimper. In response, Lucas flexed his hips and rubbed his erection against Noah. He was losing his fucking mind.

As Lucas watched, Noah’s long fingers shifted until they were thick, sharp claws. Releasing Noah’s neck, Lucas pressed his lips to the shell of Noah’s ear.

“Put those the fuck away,” he snarled. “Don’t you ever use your claws against
me
.”

Immediately, Noah’s fingers shifted until they were tipped only with blunt fingernails.

Noah slowly lowered himself to the floor, and Lucas released him. Noah pressed one cheek to the floor, baring the unbitten side of his neck this time. He stared sightlessly and breathed heavily through parted lips. Lucas sank his teeth into the unmarked side of Noah’s neck and when he did, Noah’s entire body went limp. The feel of Noah’s submission had Lucas’ blood singing in his veins. He could hear it rushing in his ears. He rutted hard against Noah’s ass, realizing he was fucking close to getting off just like this.

Suddenly, Lucas understood. Dominating Noah was only part of it. Lucas’ true victory was Noah’s willing submission. Still, a part of him, the human part of him, resisted the urge to rub his dick against Noah’s ass until he came. A primal part of him that recognized Noah’s wolf bit down harder and growled again. Noah whimpered again, lifting his hips to push himself against Lucas’ erection. He matched Lucas’ rhythm, moving in counter point and rutting himself against the floor.

Something didn’t feel right. Lucas released Noah’s neck and started to kneel up.

“You have to finish this,” Noah literally growled.

“I don’t understand,” Lucas gasped.

Noah shifted, started to turn, started to dislodge Lucas. Surprising himself, Lucas pushed his hands into Noah’s back, pinning him back to the floor.

“I didn’t say you could move,” Lucas hissed in Noah’s ear.

“Yes, sir,” Noah moaned, lifting his hips backward into Lucas once again.

Lucas rubbed his cheek against the soft bristle of Noah’s hair. He inhaled deeply and caught the edge of a new scent. He couldn’t identify it, but it caused blood to surge into his cock, and Lucas’ only course of action was to rub himself against Noah’s ass.

They were going to do this. Lucas realized Noah needed him to see this through to its obvious conclusion. It had to be a werewolf thing. He didn’t understand it, but if Noah needed this, Lucas would give it to him.

However, Lucas wasn’t a dog, and he refused to hump like one.

Sitting up to give Noah room to maneuver, Lucas ordered, “Turn over.”

Noah moved so fast, Lucas didn’t see it. As soon as he realized Noah lay on his back, Lucas’ hand snaked out and wrapped around his throat and squeezed slightly. Noah’s lips pulled back in a snarl, and in the blink of an eye, he’d grown four fangs.

Lucas dropped down over Noah, their faces separated by no more than a breath. He tightened his grip on Noah’s throat and said, “Don’t you fucking
dare
threaten me with your fangs. Put those goddamn things away.”

Noah’s silver eyes widened, looking all wolf now. His nostrils flared even as his fangs disappeared. He breathed heavily through parted lips, struggling to drag in air past Lucas’ grip.

Without looking away from Noah’s eyes, Lucas reached his free hand into Noah’s shorts and withdrew his straining erection. Noah’s brows furrowed at the first touch of Lucas’ hand, and he moaned. Lucas stroked him, and Noah lifted his hips roughly.

Releasing Noah and reaching into his own shorts, Lucas took out his hard cock and stroked himself several times. Noah pushed up with his hips, seeking contact. He made a frustrated sound and started to reach between their bodies.

“Put your fucking hands down,” Lucas said through clenched teeth. “You don’t touch unless I tell you to.”

“Yes, sir,” Noah breathed, hips pushing up into Lucas desperately.

Aligning their erections, Lucas wrapped his hand around them both and stroked. It took him several tries to find the right rhythm, but finally, he stroked their cocks in counter point to the thrust of their hips.

Noah’s wolf-eyes glazed over and his breath moved hotly over Lucas’ cheek. His face was flushed, and his lips were dark red. Lucas’ balls tightened and began to rise as his climax built. Before he knew what he was doing, Lucas lowered his head and kissed Noah.

It was a searing kiss. Noah’s mouth was hot and wet. He opened readily for Lucas’ tongue and met it with his own. Lucas licked into him deeply, eager for more. He’d been told wolves don’t kiss. Lucas thought he remembered hearing that shifters didn’t kiss. Fuck it. Lucas was human, and he was enjoying kissing Noah.

Noah whimpered into Lucas’ mouth, and the sound of it, the vibration, slammed through Lucas and settled in his cock. He tore his mouth away from Noah’s as he cried out and came. Lucas rocked and shuddered against Noah’s body. His cock pulsed in his hand, hot jets of come rolling down over his fingers. One last violent tremor rolled through Lucas before he nearly collapsed on top of Noah.

As he regained his senses, Lucas started to clean his hand on his own sweaty T-shirt. He glanced up to see Noah watching him hungrily. Lucas lifted his soiled hand to Noah’s lips.

“Lick me clean,” he ordered. Lucas nearly came a second time as he watched Noah lick his hand clean of all the come.

He couldn’t fucking believe the power he had over Noah. Instead of resisting it, Noah seemed to thrive. He was watching Lucas intently, as if Lucas held the answers to all of Noah’s most important questions. He was rubbing his still hard cock against Lucas’ hip.

“Please, sir,” Noah pleaded softly.

Lucas smiled down at him, pleased with his total submission. “With one hand, touch yourself.”

Noah eagerly reached between their bodies. Lucas felt him tense as his arm began to move in an easily recognized rhythm. Noah rapidly stroked himself, but Lucas didn’t watch. He kept his gaze locked on Noah’s eyes.

“Make yourself come,” Lucas ordered.

“Yes, sir.” Noah’s last word was strained as his climax overtook him.

Lucas watched Noah’s face as he came. He watched Noah’s silver eyes slam shut and his mouth drop open in a silent cry of ecstasy. His large body shuddered violently beneath Lucas’, and he gasped harshly several times.

Noah collapsed, boneless, against the floor. He opened his eyes, and they were human again, bright blue and luminous. His chest heaved with every breath. Lucas watched Noah’s expression become unsure and hesitant. He never thought he’d ever see that look on Noah.

“Show me your hand,” Lucas said quietly.

Noah lifted his hand, lightly coated in strings of opaque white come.

“You know what to do,” said Lucas.

As he watched, Noah slowly licked his own hand clean.

As the endorphins receded, reality landed on Lucas like a fifty-pound weight. He scrambled off of Noah and tucked himself into his shorts. He extended his hand to help Noah to his feet. He tried to ignore the fact that it was the hand that had recently been licked clean of his own come.

He was about to apologize to Noah, offer him a transfer, if he thought he couldn’t serve with Lucas any longer. He didn’t think he’d violated any issues of consent, but he was on such unfamiliar ground here. Before he could get the words out, Noah leaned in close and lowered his head.

Lucas felt Noah’s face press against his temple and heard him inhale deeply. He leaned into the heat of Noah’s body, despite himself.

“I’m gonna go shower,” Noah murmured, running his hands up and down Lucas’ arms.

Lucas could only nod in answer. When Noah was gone, Lucas ignored whatever it was that was telling him to follow.

He had no idea how he was going to make it through this deployment.

Forward Operating Base Delaram
Farah Province, Afghanistan

Lucas tried not to look like he was fleeing the command building, but that was certainly how it felt. He sensed Noah right on his six, Gunny McAlister just slightly farther behind. Lucas strode across the endless beige of the sand, sweat rolling from his hairline down into his collar.

“Our company commander didn’t even take the moon cycle into account during any of the planning and logistics meetings,” Lucas said, shaking his head in frustrated disbelief.

“Sir, they can resist it all they want, but if they want werewolves fighting their wars, they have no choice but to accommodate the moon cycle.” Noah was so calm and matter-of-fact, some of Lucas’ tension bled away.

“He’s right, Lucas. If the werewolves don’t run with the full moon, they’re not combat effective,” Vince added. “Command knows this. You were just a convenient target for their frustration at us not being able to step off for another two days.”

“You didn’t need to put yourself in that position, sir,” Noah said. “As True Alpha it was my responsibility.”

Lucas stopped walking, his boots kicking up plumes of dust and sand. He turned to face Noah, fisting his hands on his hips. “And what kind of officer would I be if I left one of my enlisted to take the brunt of that kind of anger?” he demanded.

“Certainly not the kind I’ve come to admire and respect,” Noah replied smoothly.

Lucas blinked in surprise at the blatant statement. It drained away his remaining anger. “And that’s more important to me than being yelled at for something command forgot to take into account logistically.”

There was a long silence while the activity of the FOB swirled around them. Lucas could only stare up into Noah’s eyes and wonder at the trust he found there.

The spell was broken by Vince clearing his throat. “So, is there a plan for this evening?”

One corner of Noah’s mouth lifted in amusement. “Not yet. I’m going to find out what the procedure has been up until now. I’m also going to take the shifters from our platoon and walk the perimeter, see if I’m satisfied with security and if I want to alter the SOP for the run.”

“I’d like to accompany you,” Lucas said. He was compelled to assist Noah in this, not entirely sure why. “Unless you think you’ll be more successful without a
human
hanging around, getting in your way.”

Vince snorted a laugh. He walked away, shaking his head. “I’ll leave you two to your planning.”

Lucas didn’t understand that reaction, but his attention was once again arrested by Noah.

“The shifters will answer my questions because I ask them,” he said with a quiet confidence. “And they should be made aware that I’ve chosen to submit to my platoon commander.”

It was a strange choice of words. “So, where to first?” Lucas asked.

“In search of a pilot,” Noah replied, inclining his head in the direction of the airstrip. “In fact, having an officer along might smooth the way initially.”

Shoulder to shoulder, they approached the line of wooden structures that had been erected when the FOB was established. They were less sturdy than Quonset huts but served well enough as offices and hooches for the troops. A block-printed sign over the door indicated which of the three structures Noah and Lucas were in search of.

Inside the building utilized for command of the 3
^rd
Marine Aircraft Wing, a captain in a flight suit turned to regard them. “We’re looking for Major Ian Connolly,” Lucas repeated the name Noah had told him.

“You’ll find him with his Hercules,” the captain replied with a vague gesture toward the aircraft outside.

The airstrip itself was a long, flat piece of ground, leveled out and covered in gravel. The C-130 was used around the world for troop transport, bombings and refueling because it required no more than this for takeoff and landing.

The C-130 Hercules was made obvious by its size. They found Major Connolly inspecting his four engine turboprop with his ground crew. This time, Noah stepped forward, stood at his full height, shoulders squared and feet firmly planted. Lucas knew he imagined it, but it felt like waves of heat rolled off of Noah. There was no way Noah could be any warmer than the stifling temperature around them.