Strength of the Pack (9 page)

Rigby and Irving moved quietly around the tower, speaking to one another in hushed tones. They answered occasional radio transmissions from other Marines on watch elsewhere on the base. Sometimes they sat quietly, reading the wall graffiti, left since the last time they stood watch, out loud to each other.

“I hope Sergeant Hammond didn’t twist your arms too hard to get you to put up with me tonight,” Lucas said with a smile, pulling out the book he’d brought to read

“He didn’t have to do any twisting at all, sir,” Rigby replied. “He asked for a favor, and you better fucking believe we were glad to do it.”

Lucas didn’t bother to mask his surprise. “He asked for a favor? He didn’t order you?”

Irving was shaking his head in the negative even as Rigby answered. “Oh, hell no. He didn’t have to order us. Sergeant Hammond doesn’t have to order nobody.”

“Why is that?” Lucas sensed he was on the trail of something significant.

“Sergeant Hammond is a major badass, sir,” Rigby said enthusiastically. “He’s practically a legend. He does it all; he passed sniper school, dive school and jump school. He can run for fucking miles and never gets tired. But he’s not an asshole.”

“So you know him?” Lucas asked.

Rigby shook his head. “All enlisted Marines know
about
him. But no, today was the first time I met him.”

Lucas considered this information and its implications. He’d always assumed the awe with which everyone treated Noah was because of his True Alpha status. But these Marines were human. Maybe there was something about the human side of Noah that was just as charismatic. Perhaps that explained Lucas’ reaction to him.

Lucas opened the thermos of coffee he’d brought along. He offered some to Irving and Rigby, but they had one of their own. Irving had received a care package from home that he was happy to share with both Rigby and Lucas.

Lucas had to admit, it didn’t seem like the young Marines were tolerating his presence under duress.

When Lucas couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer, he settled down and let himself sleep. Rigby had promised to wake him before sunrise, and Lucas was confident he could trust him.

His sleep was restless. Lucas dreamed of running across open ground and leaf-strewn forest floors. In his dream he had four legs and was covered in brilliant white fur. He ran for the joy of it, feeling the wind on his face, blowing through his fur and across his ears. Lucas was jostled by wolves who ran alongside, all smaller than he was. He could smell the night air, the wolves who ran with him and all the prey that ran from them in fear. When the smaller wolves snarled and bit at one another, Lucas broke them up with growls and the snapping of his jaws.

Ahead, he spotted a towering pile of rocks. He sprinted toward it and climbed to the top with little effort. Lucas stood, surveying the barren landscape, feeling strong and powerful. Nothing out there was any threat to him and his pack. There was only prey waiting to be run to ground.

Lucas wanted to run on forever. He didn’t want the night to end. As the sky lightened and the sun approached, he knew he had to turn back and lead the pack back the way they had come. He hesitated.

In his dream, Lucas glanced back over his shoulder in the direction they had run from. There was something back in that direction. Something important. Something special.

Decision made, he leaped down from the rocks and led the pack back in the direction they had come from. There was something waiting for him, which was more important than freedom or food.

Lucas felt like he’d only just closed his eyes when Rigby shook him awake.

He rolled up his bedroll and tucked it into the corner. “I’ll be back for that after I’ve confirmed all the werewolves have returned.”

The two Marines coming on duty told him there was no hurry.

Lucas made a quick visit to the head before taking his clipboard with him to stand just inside the gate to wait.

Pink light streaked the sky when someone called down from the watch tower. “They’re all dressed and heading this way, Lieutenant.”

Minutes later, Lucas made out the distinct form of Noah jogging across the uneven ground, a large group of Marines following behind. As he drew nearer, his gaze found Lucas’ and held it. As Noah passed through the gate, he dropped into a fast walk until he came to stop directly in front of Lucas.

“Welcome back,” Lucas greeted, feeling slightly out of breath. Noah looked exhausted. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and his shoulders sagged.

Noah didn’t answer him with words. Instead, he stepped in close and rubbed his cheek against Lucas’. Lucas pressed back, feeling the rough stubble of Noah’s beard. Lucas closed his eyes at the feel of Noah’s warm breath against his skin. Noah skimmed his cheek over Lucas’ hair, before finally stepping around to press his chest to Lucas’ back.

“The gym is open,” Noah addressed the assembled werewolves. “Spar only with a referee present. If anyone is caught in an unsanctioned fight, I will punish you myself. If you fuck, do it out of public view.”

Lucas bit back a smile. Noah was trying not to be obvious, but Lucas could feel his erection where it brushed against his ass. He tried to ignore the flashes of graphic fantasies that wanted to force their way to the front of his mind.

“Now check in with Lucas so he can be sure you all made it back safely,” Noah concluded.

It went quickly. The Marines all approached Lucas quietly, provided their names before slipping into the growing crowd around them. When Lucas turned to look up at Noah, he appeared almost asleep on his feet.

“Let’s get you to your hooch,” Lucas said, tugging Noah in the direction of the living quarters. Noah hadn’t been this exhausted after the run back at Pendleton, and it confused Lucas. Suddenly he realized leading a run on familiar and safe ground had to be different than leading a run in a hostile country where you’re part of the invading military.

Noah’s quarters were empty when they arrived, both beds made with Marine Corps precision. Lucas knew Noah shared the hooch with Sergeant Viejo, and because he’d drawn up the duty roster, he knew Viejo was out for the day.

He set down his clipboard on the nearest surface and helped Noah to sit down on his rack.

“Thank you, Lucas,” Noah said, sounding weary. “Sorry about this.”

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Lucas replied, meaning it. “What do you need?”

“Nothing. Just sleep. I’ll be fine in a few hours.” He slowly leaned down and began to tug at his boot laces.

“Here, let me help.” Lucas knelt between Noah’s legs and reached for his boots.

“Fuck, Lucas, no,” Noah said, both desperate and frustrated. He pushed gently but insistently at Lucas’ shoulder. “You can’t just do that.”

“Do what? What did I do?” Lucas sat back on his heels, looking up at Noah with concern.

“
You
can’t just climb between my legs this soon after a run,” Noah said with a self-deprecating laugh, not meeting Lucas’ eyes.

Lucas chuckled. “Noah, I know you have a hard-on. You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

“It’s not like that.” Noah gave a brisk shake of his head. “You don’t understand.”

“You cautioned the other werewolves that if they needed to fuck instead of fight, to do it in private.” Lucas paused, wondering how his next words would be received. “Do you need to fuck?”

“Christ, Lucas, don’t ask me things like that,” Noah sounded like he was in pain. As he spoke, he tore open the fly of his uniform trousers.

Lucas caught the slightest glimpse of Noah’s hard cock before he covered it with the tails of his uniform blouse. Lucas was suddenly weak with a very inappropriate desire. It was one thing to offer his body as part of his duty; it was another to
want
to offer himself.

Climbing to his feet unsteadily, Lucas stepped away from Noah. “I’ll leave you alone now. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”

“No, that’s not…” Noah heaved a frustrated sigh, every line of his body tense.

Lucas carefully sat beside Noah on the bed. “I need some guidance here. This is all new to me.” He kept his voice soft.

“I know. It is to me, too.” Noah ran both hands over his face and sighed explosively. “Sex after a run is…different. Everything is heightened, stronger. I don’t want to just stick it in and come. I want a big bed with clean sheets and an entire day to get you to make a lot of noise.”

Lucas snorted in surprise at Noah’s bluntness, his own cock stirring at the image Noah’s words conjured. “So how can I help you right now?”

“I’ll be fine when you leave and I can’t smell you anymore,” Noah replied with a shake of his head. “I can take care of it myself.”

Annoyance spiked through Lucas. “You just spent an entire night taking care of a pack of werewolves. It’s only fair that someone take care of you now.” He thought of how Noah enjoyed brushing against him, inhaling his scent. Lucas slid closer until they were touching, and he reached for Noah’s cock.

Lucas’ wrist was grasped in Noah’s vice-like grip. “If you touch me, I’ll embarrass myself.”

“Fine,” Lucas snapped, angry with Noah for being so uncooperative. “I’ll let you take care of it, but I won’t let you do it alone.” He turned toward Noah, drawing his own foot up so he was sitting on it. Leaning forward, Lucas cradled Noah’s hips between his thighs. He pressed his chest to Noah’s arm and nuzzled the warm hollow beneath Noah’s ear.

A violent shudder ran through Noah, and he sighed explosively. He tilted to the side, and Lucas braced to bear his weight. Lucas smiled to himself at the feel of Noah’s surrender. When Noah slowly turned his face toward him, Lucas met him and pressed their cheeks together. The coarseness of Noah’s beard was sensuous. Noah took a deep, shuddering breath. Lucas felt the heat of his exhalation along his neck.

“Touch yourself, Noah,” he whispered against the shell of Noah’s ear. “Make yourself come.”

Noah moaned, and Lucas saw gooseflesh rise on his skin.

Slowly, sluggishly, Noah shifted until Lucas could tell he had his dick in his hand and was stroking it. Lucas breathed over Noah’s ear and earned another shudder. He ran his cheek over the short bristles of Noah’s shorn hair.

The bed vibrated with the motion of Noah’s hand. Lucas heard the rough sound of skin on skin. Noah moaned, his open mouth pressed to the side of Lucas’ neck. He panted heavily, and his breath was moist and hot on Lucas’ skin. He’d noticed that Noah’s body seemed to run unusually hot, but now he felt scalding. Lucas’ chest and belly burned where Noah’s arm pressed against him.

“Fuck, Lucas, your scent makes my cock ache,” Noah murmured against Lucas’ cheek.

Lucas understood that feeling. He’d never been particularly aware of, let alone aroused by, a lover’s scent. Since meeting Noah, just the memory of what Noah smelled like could give Lucas an erection. He wondered if that wasn’t part of Noah’s uncanny ability to gain almost anyone’s cooperation.

Something angry and possessive rose up inside of Lucas. His already heated blood felt like it was boiling. His chest tightened painfully at the thought of someone else enjoying the scent of Noah’s body. Lucas lifted one hand to Noah’s cheek. The other he fisted in the back of Noah’s blouse. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the rich, spicy musk of Noah’s scent, just before he bared his teeth.

Lucas bit down on the tendon at the back of Noah’s neck. He ran his tongue along the hot skin and tasted sweat and the summer sun.

Noah’s free hand came down on Lucas’ thigh, squeezing hard enough that Lucas knew there would be bruises.

“Yesyesyesyesyes,” Noah hissed. His body was rigid, pressing heavily against Lucas.

Lucas released Noah’s neck and ran his tongue soothingly over the indentations he’d left. A deep satisfaction settled in his belly.

“Don’t stop!” Noah gasped, pleading desperately. “Please, Lucas, don’t stop. Mark me again. Please mark me again.”

Lucas’ heart slammed in his chest. Noah was fully aware that he belonged to Lucas now, and his submission was like a flavor on Lucas’ tongue. Of course Lucas would mark him. He wanted everyone to know that Noah belonged to him and to him only.

Once again, Lucas sank his teeth into the thick cord at the back of Noah’s neck. He bit hard, not trying to break the skin but leaving deep and obvious marks.

“Fuck, yes,” Noah moaned decadently. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he whispered hoarsely. “I’m gonna come.”

Lucas released his grip on Noah’s blouse. He placed his palm flat against Noah and rubbed soothing circles into his back. Through touch, he told Noah to go ahead, go ahead and make himself come.

Noah panted hotly against Lucas’ cheek as he came. His body shook hard, his hand on Lucas’ thigh tightened painfully. He grunted a few times, low in his throat, but was otherwise silent. Lucas was disappointed, but he knew that someday he would hear Noah shout his name when he came.

Noah collapsed limply against Lucas, chest heaving. Lucas slowly released his grip on Noah’s neck, pressing a kiss to the reddened marks left by his own teeth. He kissed his way along Noah’s jaw until he found his mouth. Lucas kissed him, plunging his tongue deep and teasing Noah’s tongue with his own. Noah seemed surprised and hesitant, at first. But then he returned Lucas’ kiss with enthusiasm.