03-Strength of the Mate (35 page)

“Noah says to sleep well and keep the noise down,” Lucas called.

“Right back at you,” Adam said with a grin.

Dawson kept a slow and steady pace as they walked to his hooch. He stayed close enough to Adam to touch, so Adam dug his fingers into Dawson’s fur, keeping contact as they walked. Everyone around them was quiet, as they also made their way to their trailers.

Adam unlocked the door of Dawson’s hooch and held it open for him. Dawson stepped carefully inside. He sat down on his haunches, then his sides heaved with a deep sigh. Adam knew how he felt. He carefully placed Dawson’s uniform on top of the desk, slipping the dog tags over his head and setting them alongside.

Catching sight of the bed, Adam glanced around the room in confusion for several moments. The mattress and bedding had all been moved to the floor. Apparently, Dawson had anticipated staying in his wolf form until late into the night.

“Way to plan ahead,” Adam said, pausing to rub at one of Dawson’s ears. He reached down and pulled back the blankets, on Dawson’s usual side of the bed.

With his head low, Dawson gingerly stepped onto the mattress. After several careful sniffs at the bedding, he settled down on his side. Adam covered him with the blankets. He stepped back, amused by the sight of the large wolf, tucked into bed with his head on a pillow.

With a shake of his head, Adam began to undress. His life had become so surreal in a very short period of time. He’d come to Iraq to drive tanker trucks. Now, he was about to climb into bed with a werewolf, after witnessing an unnerving, rare ritual.

Adam stripped down to his briefs and considered climbing into bed as he was. He was struck by another surreal moment, realizing he was getting into bed with a wolf. Except he wasn’t. He was sleeping beside Dawson, again. Adam removed his briefs and slid under the covers, refusing to give in to his human feelings about his nudity.

Pressing himself to Dawson’s back, Adam relaxed into the comfortable warmth and soft fur. He draped his arm over Dawson’s side, feeling the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Adam closed his eyes and matched his breathing to Dawson’s slow, steady breaths. Wrapped in a secure cocoon, it was easy for Adam to drift into sleep.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Adam dragged himself out of sleep, immediately looking around for what was wrong. The bed was cooler than it should be. Reaching for the pillow beside him, Adam found Dawson missing.

He glanced around the room, registering what little he could see. It was still a week away from the full moon, so there wasn’t much light spilling in through the window. Adam’s eyes adjusted and his sleep-fogged brain finally understood what he saw.

Dawson had shifted in the night, and for some reason had gotten partially dressed. He sat in the small desk chair, his back to the bed. He wore only his uniform pants, but that was enough to set alarm bells ringing in Adam’s brain.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he called softly, his voice rough from sleep.

Dawson stiffened. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said over his shoulder. “You should go back to sleep.”

“Only if you come back to bed with me.” Adam hoped he was reading Dawson wrong, and that he’d accept the invitation. His stomach plummeted when Dawson stayed sitting in the chair, shoulders and back tense.

“I’ll come back eventually.” Dawson leaned forward. “I might go shower or something.” He rested his elbows on his knees, his head hanging low between his shoulders.

Dawson looked defeated. Dejected. It was so unlike Dawson, it was frightening. Adam pushed the blankets off, climbing out of the bed. For a single moment, he thought about putting on his pants. He discarded the idea almost immediately, suspecting Dawson was using clothing as a barrier. Adam had no idea how, but he knew he had to fix this.

He knelt down in front of Dawson, sitting back on his heels, hesitant to touch him yet. He’d wait until he knew how Dawson needed to be touched. “I know something’s bothering you. Tell me what’s wrong,” Adam ordered, so Dawson knew he had no option.

Dawson shook his head sadly. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. You must think we’re monsters. I know you think I’m a monster.”

Never. “No.” Adam reached to clasp Dawson’s face between both hands. “No, I don’t.”

Dawson sat up, pulling out of Adam’s grasp. “You should. Werewolves have shown you nothing but bloodthirst and cruelty.”

Adam reached for Dawson again, frustrated when he pulled back again. Dawson grasped Adam’s wrists, his dog tags clinking softly against his chest.

“Yeah, a few assholes fucked with me,” Adam said fiercely, determined to make Dawson hear him. “They also fucked with some others around here. But a hell of a lot of humans have done much worse things.”

“Humans don’t turn into wolves once a month.” Dawson tried to push Adam’s hands away. “You’ve been subjected to our beastly sides for no good reason.”

Adam rose up onto his knees, twisting his wrists free from Dawson’s grip. “Since you got here, you’ve protected all of us who are weaker than you are. You stopped us from being abused. You helped punish the monsters tonight.”

Dawson shook his head, laughing derisively. “I heard what you said to Lucas,” he said sadly, slumping in the chair. “You think I’m a monster, too.”

Adam leaned in and grasped Dawson’s face again. “No,” he said angrily. “Not you.” He pressed a hard kiss to Dawson’s mouth. “You wanted to hurt Carson to protect me.” Adam tilted his head and kissed Dawson again. “Not because you enjoy it.” He placed a kiss on the corner of Dawson’s mouth.

Dawson closed his eyes and covered Adam’s hands with his own. He was trembling. Adam pressed a line of kisses along Dawson’s cheek and down to his jaw. “You’re strong and honorable,” Adam whispered.

“You saw us at our ugliest tonight,” Dawson whispered. His fingers tightened around Adam’s. “You saw me do some horrible things.”

Adam covered Dawson’s mouth with his own, pressing his tongue insistently past Dawson’s lips. He made it clear that he wasn’t afraid of Dawson, and he wasn’t repulsed. Adam pulled back with a loud smack. Dawson made a sound that might have been a sob.

“I saw a single werewolf defying Noah’s authority,” Adam whispered, before kissing Dawson hard and deep again. They were both breathing heavily when he pulled back this time. Adam let his lips brush against Dawson’s as he whispered, “I watched you have your Alpha’s back when he needed you.”

This time, when Adam kissed him, Dawson leaned into him. Adam deepened this kiss and Dawson mirrored him, cradling Adam’s face. Dawson moaned and Adam swallowed it triumphantly. He slid his palms down the length of Dawson’s chest, enjoying the play of muscle beneath his palms.

Now that Adam had pulled Dawson back from his dark place, he was determined to keep him from slipping back there again. He placed wet kisses on Dawson’s chest, quickly slipping down to his stomach. He reached for Dawson’s pants and found the fly already open. He gripped the waist and started to tug.

“You don’t have to do this,” Dawson said, stilling Adam’s hands with his own.

Leaning up, Adam pressed a hard kiss to Dawson’s lips. “Shut up. I want to.”

With obvious reluctance, Dawson released Adam’s hands. Adam tugged at the waist of Dawson’s pants, pulling them down, and Dawson’s hips forward. Dawson rested on the edge of the chair, his semi-hard cock curving against his thigh.

Adam lowered his head and took Dawson into his mouth. Dawson hissed, exhaling on a moan. He placed a hand tentatively on the back of Adam’s head. Adam sucked hard, pulling at Dawson’s hardening cock. Grasping the base, he slid his mouth down over Dawson’s lengthening shaft. Adam nuzzled against the coarse hair at Dawson’s groin.

Dawson tightened his fingers against the back of Adam’s head. Adam pulled back, keeping his suction tight and dragging the flat of his tongue along the underside of Dawson’s cock. It swelled slightly against his lips as Dawson groaned.

Adam slid his mouth down Dawson’s length, taking him deep and pressing his nose to Dawson’s musk-scented hair again. He pulled back, hollowing his cheeks. There was a rush of blood against his lips, Dawson’s cock almost all the way hard.

Sweet pre-come burst against Adam’s tongue. He paused to lap at the tip of Dawson’s erection, teasing his tongue into the tip.

“Oh, fuck,” Dawson moaned, his voice raw. He carded his fingers through Adam’s hair.

Adam gripped the base of Dawson’s cock with one hand, finding a fast rhythm with his mouth. He kept his cheeks hollow, licking hard at the full vein on the underside of Dawson’s hard-on. Each time he pulled back, Adam left Dawson’s shaft wet with his spit. He slid down easily to the base, making his own hand sloppy.

He hummed around Dawson’s width, his mouth making wet sounds each time Adam sucked down the shaft. Dawson twisted his fingers in Adam’s hair, using his grip to encourage Adam’s motions. His chest heaved as he panted, thrusting his hips slightly in time with Adam’s mouth.

“Oh, god, that feels good,” Dawson whispered hoarsely. His lips were parted and he watched Adam with wide, unblinking eyes. “Christ, that’s nice. I love the way you suck me. I love your mouth on my cock.”

Adam’s own hard-on was heavy between his thighs, but Dawson’s dirty talk sent a fresh rush of blood into his shaft. His cock ached, pulsing upward with each of Dawson’s filthy words. If Dawson kept it up, Adam was sure it would make him come.

Skimming the palm of his free hand up Dawson’s stomach, Adam slid his fingers over Dawson’s dog tags. He kept the metal tags pressed to Dawson’s chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart against his palm. Adam kept up the fast rhythm of his mouth on Dawson’s cock, taking more and more pre-come onto his tongue.

Dawson’s hips moved frantically. His grip on Adam’s hair was almost desperate. “Oh, Jesus Christ, I’m getting close,” Dawson declared in a shaky voice. “Your mouth on my cock is so fucking nice.” He used his free hand to grip the hand Adam had pressed to his chest.

Adam hummed again, this time in triumph. A violent shudder ran through Dawson’s frame as his hard-on swelled in Adam’s mouth. Dawson understood touch best of all, so that’s how Adam would talk to him. He turned his hand in Dawson’s grip, tangling his fingers in the chain of Dawson’s tags. Adam pressed their palms together, Dawson’s tags clutched between them, and waited.

Dawson hesitated only a few moments. He closed his fingers, tightly clasping Adam’s hand. Adam’s grip kept Dawson’s dog tags locked between them. Another shudder rolled through Dawson’s body. They held onto each other as Adam pushed Dawson toward his climax.

“Shit, I’m close,” Dawson said between panting breaths. “Jesus, Adam, you’re so fucking gorgeous when you do that. Your mouth feels so good on my cock. I’m so fucking close, you gotta stop. You’re gonna make me come, you gotta stop now.”

Adam had no intention of stopping. Dawson needed to feel Adam take him inside.

His hand on Dawson’s cock was slick with spit. Adam squeezed Dawson’s shaft hard, stroking upward to meet his mouth. He matched the rhythm of his hand to his mouth, pushing down each time Dawson’s hips fucked up into him.

“I can’t hold it, Adam, you gotta stop now,” Dawson cried desperately. “You feel so good. I can’t stop it. I love your mouth. I fucking love being inside you, coming inside you.”

Dawson gasped, his body going still. Adam worked Dawson’s cock, feeling it swell between his lips. The first splash of warm fluid surprised him when it landed on his tongue. Even as he swallowed it down, Dawson filled his mouth again.

With a loud shout, Dawson’s body began to shake. Come spurted incessantly from his cock, spilling from Adam’s lips, and running over his hand. Dawson’s climax rolled through him endlessly. He curled down over Adam, grunting with each pulse of his cock.

Finally, Dawson’s orgasm released him. He breathed heavily, but didn’t move for several moments. Adam released Dawson’s softening dick, sucking in deep, greedy breaths. He rested his head against Dawson’s body, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand.

Adam gasped when Dawson tugged him up by his hair. Before he even had his wits, Dawson pressed their lips together, licking hungrily at Adam’s mouth. Dawson rubbed his tongue against Adam’s, swiping along the roof of his mouth and over his lips. Adam grasped the back of Dawson’s head, encouraging him. Dawson nipped Adam’s lower lip, licking the last of his own spunk from the corner of Adam’s mouth.

Pulling back slightly, Dawson stared down into Adam’s face. Adam was trapped by Dawson’s tight grip on his hair, but he didn’t give a fuck. Dawson freed their joined hands. Reflexively, Adam wrapped his fingers back around Dawson’s dog tags.

Adam gasped when Dawson reached between his thighs and took his hard cock in a tight grip.

“I’m glad you didn’t touch yourself while you sucked me off,” Dawson growled against Adam’s slack mouth.

“Y-y-y-y—” Adam couldn’t finish. He panted through his parted lips as Dawson stroked him firmly. Wetting his lips, he tried again. “Y-y-y-you don’t have to do this. It’s not why—”

“Shut up,” Dawson ordered. He smiled wickedly down at Adam. “I want to.”

Adam moaned in between harsh breaths. Dawson stroked him fast; his grip was firm and perfect. Adam didn’t have control of his own body. His orgasm started low in his belly, spiraling outward in a wave of warmth. His balls tightened quickly, already starting to rise up. Adam grunted, struggling to control himself and slow things down.

He desperately wanted to push his hips forward and fuck himself into Dawson’s hand. Adam’s belly tightened as his climax built. Dawson lowered his head, pushing their mouths together. He licked into Adam, urging him to open wide to Dawson. Adam moaned at the slick, wet rub of Dawson’s tongue against his own.

Dawson broke the kiss and Adam whimpered. Moving his legs restlessly, Adam struggled not to spill into Dawson’s hand so soon. He embarrassed himself with the desperate sounds he made. Dawson stroked Adam’s cock relentlessly, dragging him closer and closer to the edge of his orgasm.

“I love watching you come,” Dawson said in a low, gravelly voice. He hovered just above Adam’s mouth, breath drifting across Adam’s skin. “You’re so fucking sexy, the way you look at me.”