Tempestuous Miracles (6 page)

That guess was later confirmed when Frey went lower down, his kisses advancing over Mirian's neck and then his chest. Like a hound drawn to his prey, he zeroed in on Mirian's nipples. As he lightly flicked his tongue over one of the tender buds, he used his clever fingers to tweak its twin.

Shocks of pleasure swept over Mirian at the caress, each sweep of Frey's slick muscle seeming to connect directly with his cock. He tried to maintain some semblance of control, but in the end, he resigned himself to the fact that it was pointless. He started shoving his hips against Frey, seeking more friction, more contact, more of everything.

His nipples were incredibly sensitive. That had always been the case. Just the same, Mirian had not realized just how much such caresses could affect him. In fact, he suspected he could easily come just from his mate touching his nipples. He might have been embarrassed if he hadn't been too busy losing his mind with lust.

As it turned out, his mate was nowhere near done with his exploration. He released his hold on Mirian's nipple and kissed down his chest, making a brief pit stop to stab his tongue into Mirian's belly button. By now, Mirian had started to tremble like a man possessed, and he arched against Frey, mumbling incoherent whispers he could only hope his mate understood.

Alas, Frey decided to bypass the spot where Mirian needed him most. He kissed over Mirian's hip and pelvis, his fingers tracing the line of the bone without going any further. As Mirian lay there, completely helpless and at Frey's mercy, his mate's sinful mouth traveled down his legs, exploring his thighs, his knees, going all the way to his feet.

When had Frey even taken Mirian's shoes and socks off? Wait, hadn't he asked himself that before? God, he was so lost... He couldn't think. He had become a creature of pure need, pure fire, everything he was and would ever be completely at Frey's disposal.

On instinct, he parted his legs, willing Frey to touch him, to fill him, to give him what only he could. At some level, he realized the suppressors would keep them from conceiving a child, but that was perhaps for the best. For the moment, he just wanted to be and feel and love. Maybe it was selfish, but he didn't want to worry about anything more.

Thankfully, Frey didn't make him wait for much longer. He retraced his proverbial steps, once more placing kisses over Mirian's legs until his mouth hovered above Mirian's erection. He shot Mirian a sinful smile and finally delved in, taking his cock to the root.

Frey's fingers weren't idle either, finding their way to Mirian's opening. Courtesy of the natural lubrication his body secreted, he was already slick and ready. His flesh parted easily for the digit his mate slid inside him.

Mirian buried his fingers in Frey's hair, seeking an anchor in a world that was quickly cracking around the edges. He was probably hurting Frey's scalp, but his mate didn't seem to mind. He bobbed his head up and down Mirian's dick with abandon, as if he aimed to devour him, as if he wanted nothing more in this life than to taste Mirian's seed.

If Mirian had been able to do more than be a whimpering mess, he'd have liked to touch Frey in turn. Frey hadn't even taken his own clothes off for God's sake. But instead of frustrating Mirian or making him feel guilty, the sight of it turned him on, adding another layer of sensation to the already intoxicating moment.

The heat of Frey's mouth on his dick, the way Frey's skilled fingers unerringly found his prostate, Frey's open lust for him—it was all incredible, more than Mirian had ever thought he would experience. The final straw came when Frey released a low growl, the type that made Mirian acutely aware of just how much he already belonged to this man. The vibrations massaged his aching cock, sending renewed shocks of ecstasy through every nerve ending in his already over-sensitive body. With a choked cry, Mirian arched his back and found his peak.

Frey swallowed every drop of his offering, all the while grunting and shuddering. Even after Frey released Mirian's cock from his mouth, Mirian had a hard time recovering his scattered brain cells. He lay there staring at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath and failing.

When he once more faced Frey, he found his mate smiling and watching him with a fond expression. Mirian smiled back, although he also found that simply looking at Frey made his body respond all over again.

What they'd shared had been amazing. The orgasm had chased away the immediate urgency to touch and be touched, but Mirian still wanted more.

Guiltily, Mirian finally remembered that he hadn't done anything to pleasure his mate. He got up and reached for Frey's cock, but Frey just caught his hands and kissed them. "It's fine. I'm good. I came when you did."

Mirian suppressed the urge to pout. "But don't you want to..."

He trailed off, not sure how to finish the phrase. Regardless, Frey understood. "It's not that I don't want you. I do, so very much. But if I make love to you, I'll claim you. I won't be able to hold back, and I don't want to rush you."

Mirian didn't know how he felt about that. He'd been the one to initiate the exchange, not Frey, so he couldn't help but experience a dose of guilt. He wanted Frey, everything that he was, that they could be. He had enjoyed every kiss, every caress, every touch. He had made his decision and he would stick to it.

But maybe Frey was right. After all, they'd just met and while following his impulses had worked well enough for Mirian so far, it might prove counterproductive if he pushed it. And in all honesty, he was touched that despite everything, despite Frey's obvious need for him, the werewolf was still willing to wait.

"Okay," he told his mate. "But come here. Hold me."

Frey did, and they curled together on Mirian's bed.  Frey discarded his pants, although he made it clear that he did so only because drying spunk wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Mirian understood, but that didn't mean he didn't take advantage of the occasion to ogle his incredibly handsome mate. One thing was certain—Frey was big everywhere.

To keep things platonic, Mirian stayed under the covers, while Frey lay down on top of them, putting the material between their bodies. It was more of a reminder than a real barrier, but it didn't really bother Mirian. Simply being in Frey's arms was enough.

"Tell me about your family. What should I expect from meeting them?"

"Well, it depends. They're werewolves too, so they know they can't separate us. But my father has been pushing me to marry a female werewolf I don't love and he hasn't had the best opinion of Bearers." He kissed Mirian's temple fiercely. "That doesn't really matter, because I won't let anyone separate us."

The answer should have perhaps disheartened Mirian, but instead, it reassured him. Even if the truth of their situation wasn't pretty, Frey hadn't tried to hide it. He respected Mirian and believed he could handle it. That meant more for Mirian than he could ever express.

"I believe in you," Mirian whispered. "I believe in us."

Yes, they still had a long way to go before they could come anywhere near where Mirian wanted them to be, but they'd taken the first step and for now, that was enough.

Chapter Five

Frey's assessment of his family's arrival turned out to be on the nose. Mere hours after the storm ended, Frey found himself on the beach, eying the now anchored yacht with a hefty dose of wariness.

The only reason why it had taken so long for his family to arrive was because of the rocks surrounding the island, the same ones Frey had encountered during his adventurous swim. They'd found their way regardless, and now, here they were, just as Frey had expected.

Frey sat waiting on a massive rock, with his mate by his side. Originally, he'd asked Mirian to stay further back, preferably under his father's watchful care, but Mirian had absolutely refused. He'd pointed out that if Frey's family wanted to hurt him, his father wouldn't be able to do too much about it. More importantly, he wanted to face whatever came their way together, and yes, all right, to make a good impression on Frey's pack. Frey hadn't been able to deny him, and he trusted Mirian's strength. Besides, if he wanted to be perfectly honest, he preferred having his mate with him. It reassured him, gave him even more incentive to win the unavoidable confrontation.

Several familiar figures manifested on the beach, and Frey watched them approach with mixed feelings. He was relieved when he noticed Callaghan in the lead. It was, to a certain extent, surprising. Callaghan might be faster than everyone else, but matters of rank hierarchy would have normally kept him from outrunning an Alpha—even one who didn't lead Callaghan's own pack. It spoke volumes of the concern Callaghan must have felt for Frey.

Mirian and Frey got up just as Callaghan reached their side. He took one look at their entwined fingers and his eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh."

Frey grinned at his friend. "Yes, oh. You didn't think I'd just randomly jump into the water for no reason?"

Callaghan shrugged. "How should I know? You looked pretty trapped, with Adrienne clinging to you like that." He winced, having obviously realized he'd mentioned Adrienne in front of Frey's mate. "Sorry."

Frey waved off his friend's apology, but didn't have time to say much else. The rest of the group finally arrived, and his father immediately proceeded to show his displeasure. "Have you completely lost your mind, Frey? What in the world did you think you were doing, pup?"

Frey was completely unfazed by his father's anger. "Following my heart. I couldn't exactly leave my mate behind, now could I?"

"Y-Your mate?" Adrienne stammered.

Frey regretted the awkward position Adrienne was now in, but there was nothing he could do about it. He had tried to tell his father that he had no interest in bonding with someone who was not his true mate. Besides, his main concern was Mirian, and no one—be they pack or otherwise—took precedence over that.

"Yes," he replied steadily. "I sensed him on the island." Since everyone seemed too shocked to react, Frey took advantage of the opportunity to make the introductions. "Everyone, this is my mate, Mirian Lamine. Mirian, meet my kin, my pack, family and good friends. This is my father, Allen King, the Alpha of our pack. By his side, Alpha Stephen Rax, and his son and my best friend, Callaghan. And of course, Callaghan's cousin, Adrienne."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Mirian replied softy. "Thank you for facilitating my meeting with my mate."

Frey's father didn't look very happy, but he nodded jerkily. "It is our honor, although I admit it was not what we expected when we came here." He eyed Mirian with obvious suspicion, but he said nothing more. Likely, he wanted to get Frey alone for a more elaborate interrogation.

Mirian smiled, as if he was completely oblivious to the tension in the group. "Please, be welcome on our island. If you'll follow me, my father is waiting for us in our home."

"We thank you," Alpha Rax said, speaking for the first time, "but we'd much rather be on our way."

"And I can't blame you for that, Alpha," Frey answered, "but I'm sure you understand that me finding my mate comes with some caveats. I can't just leave." Mirian was nowhere near ready to even consider departing from the island, and as long as that was the case, Frey had to stay as well.

His father's nostrils flared. "This is absolutely ridiculous. Frey, a word with you."

Frey shot Callaghan a look, wordlessly asking his friend to keep an eye on his mate. Callaghan gave him a barely perceivable nod. Somewhat reassured, Frey allowed his father to drag him aside.

"Exactly what are you trying to pull here, Frey?"

"As I said," Frey answered, "I found my mate. I'm not sure what's unclear."

"And you expect me to believe that you just happened to run into your other half on an island in the middle of nowhere?"

Frey was already exasperated with the conversation. "Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant. It's still true. Besides, the yacht trip was your idea."

"Yes, it was, and I'd planned on it bringing you and Adrienne together. I'd planned on having the two of you mated by the time you got home."

Clearly, his father was not taking the route Frey had hoped for. "That isn't going to happen," he replied tiredly. "It wouldn't have happened even if I hadn't met Mirian, let alone now. He's my mate, Father. Nothing you say is going to change that."

His father tightened his jaw, obviously furious. "I see."

Frey arched a brow, unconvinced. "Do you really?"

The older werewolf nodded. "It seems I underestimated the effect of your recent meeting with the Montblanc heir. Just the fact that you would come up with such an elaborate farce is astounding. I'm ashamed of you, Frey."

At a different time, Frey might have been taken aback by his father's words. Mostly, he was just disappointed and frustrated. "Do you really think I'd joke around with something so serious?"

"Do you really think I can believe such an outlandish story? How could you possibly sense your mate when you were likely miles away from him? No, Frey, I've had enough of this, and you will stop the jest at once."

"Father, I've never been more serious in my life."

"So be it."

His father turned away from him and headed back to the group. "We're leaving," he snapped abruptly. "Perhaps some time to dwell on his mistakes will make my son reassess his decisions."

Callaghan opened his mouth to protest, but his father squeezed his arm, stopping him. At the same time, Frey shook his head. He was surprised at this twist, but he also knew it could have been worse. His father could have decided to force the matter and attack them instead of giving them space. Who knew? Perhaps in his heart, his father was not completely certain that Frey was lying and was not comfortable with choosing a path he would later regret.

It was a moot point, because there was nothing Frey could do to change the situation. His father had made his choice, and so had Frey. And really, perhaps it was better this way. Given what he'd heard lately, Frey didn't really trust his pack with his Bearer mate. For crying out loud, his father had been so set on matching him with Adrienne that Frey hadn't even gotten the chance to explain that Mirian was a Bearer.