Authors: Amber Kell
“Huh.”
Conley dropped the subject and their discussion moved on to their families and the state of the pack.
“Alpha Gage is a strong leader. You’ll like it here.”
“I hope so.” His research into the local packs had led him to pick Gage. There were three packs in the area to choose from, even though his unaffiliated family didn’t approve of him joining any of them. But the werekin soldiers needed support in the war and everyone knew an army moved on its stomach.
The pair worked in tandem until all the potatoes were peeled.
“Good work.” Denel nodded at the pile of vegetables. “Now make me a soup with all those potatoes and show me what you’ve got.”
Pleased to have some cooking to do right away, Kaden turned to Conley. “Could you cook me up a couple pounds of bacon?”
“Sure.” A wide smile crossed Conley’s face as he rushed to do as Kaden asked. He had a feeling the omega was one of those wolves who was happier when told what to do. Kaden could sympathise. It was nice to know your place.
* * * *
“Harder, oh yeah, right there.”
Gage Sommerton thrust into the hard body beneath him, giving his lover the pounding he’d demanded.
The smell of lust filled the room as Gage struggled to keep his grip on his mate’s sweat-slicked body.
“Come,” he demanded. His lover’s body jolted at Gage’s command, giving up his release and pulling Gage’s orgasm along with him.
Exhausted, Gage slid out of his lover and toppled to the side.
“We’ve got to find your mate before we kill each other,” he muttered even as his heart ached at the thought.
Russ Smith, Prime Beta of the Winston pack, looked over his shoulder at Gage. “I know. But hell, Gage, I checked out all the gammas in the barn. Not one of them called to me.”
Gage closed his eyes against the familiar rush of pain. In a rare quirk of fate, although Russ was Gage’s mate, he wasn’t Russ’. The man who held Gage’s heart still sought the one to complete him. After two years, it had become apparent that Russ couldn’t give up on finding a mate of his own. As much as it hurt to see his mate want another, Gage would have done anything to stop the constant pain that appeared in Russ’ eyes when he saw other mates together. He didn’t doubt Russ loved him, but his mate didn’t yearn for him like he would a mate of his own.
Slapping Russ on the ass, Gage climbed out of bed. “Come on—let’s take a shower and get some dinner.”
* * * *
Sitting down at the head table, Gage looked over his pack. Everyone looked healthy and happy, or as well as they could during wartime. The battle currently ran in their favour and spirits were high. His stomach growled as the food carts started rolling out.
The stillness of his mate’s body alerted him to trouble.
Gage scanned the room but nothing jumped out at him as different. “What’s wrong?” he asked in a low tone.
“It’s him.” The note of wonder in his lover’s voice raised Gage’s hackles.
“Who?”
“My mate.”
Gage’s vision snapped to where Russ’ eyes were glued to a slim wolf pushing a food cart. His silvery blond hair glowed like a shimmering curtain in the dim dining room light.
Beautiful.
Gage snapped out of his admiration to ask. “Are you certain?”
“Oh yes, can’t you smell him?”
Gage took a deep breath. The scent of wild flowers and honey reached his nose.
“That’s your scent?” Every man’s mate smelt like his perfect scent. Gage’s heart sank as he realised that he smelt wrong to the man he loved.
Gritting his teeth, Gage waited until the man Russ truly wanted approached. Holding his composure challenged his wolf, especially while his mate was pumping pheromones into the air like chimney smoke.
“Good evening, Alpha Gage,” the smooth tenor of the gamma’s voice soothed Gage’s wolf. His inner beast settled immediately, happy to listen to the young man.
“Good evening. What’s your name? I don’t believe I’ve seen you here before.” Not to mention the kid was awfully young to be working the kitchens.
With shaking hands, he placed a bowl of soup on the table before Gage. “I just joined. I’m Kaden.” He flashed Gage a nervous smile, his eyes lowered, as if worried the alpha would bite.
“What am I having?” Gage asked, wanting to hear the kid speak again.
Kaden’s eyes, a startling grey, warmed as he looked up at Gage and talked about his food. “I made a baked potato soup with bacon, sour cream and chives.” Dimples popped into each cheek giving him an adorably gamin expression.
“You made this?” Russ asked, breaking into their conversation and drawing Kaden’s attention away from Gage.
Kaden shot Russ a quick glance. “Yes, sir.”
Oh, the kid had unknowingly hit one of Russ’ hot spots. He loved a submissive man…which made his relationship with Gage that much more difficult.
“I’ll take a bowl,” Russ said.
Kaden gave Gage a graceful bow before moving on to the prime beta. Those same slim hands placed a bowl in front of Russ, no longer shaking. Gage felt an odd spurt of resentment at the loss of the gamma’s attention.
Russ immediately ate a spoonful. “Excellent job, Kaden. I’m Russ, by the way.”
Holding out his hand, the beta shook hands with the chef. Kaden’s eyes widened at the contact. “Th-thank you.”
Gage could practically feel the young man vibrate from nerves as Russ leant down and kissed the back of his hand.
“I-I’ve got to feed the others.” The little gamma rushed off to finish serving his soup.
Russ leant back in his chair. He scooped up another spoonful as a pleased expression crossed his face.
“Still think he’s the one?”
“I know it.”
For the first time Gage could remember, the underlying tension always running through Russ had vanished. Despondent that he wasn’t the one responsible for the change, Gage ate some more soup.
“Damn, this is amazing.” At least he would be well fed in the future. Maybe it would help temper the pain of his heart being ripped out of his chest. Gage watched the gamma as Kaden passed out bowls of soup. Three omegas followed behind him with the rest of the dinner. Gage didn’t give them or the food they presented much attention. He lingered over the potato soup as if he could feel the gamma’s soul in his food.
“What are you going to do?” He couldn’t look at his mate. He didn’t want Russ to see Gage’s sorrow, not on the happiest day of his life.
“Hey…” Russ called to him, his voice unusually gentle.
Gage took another sip of soup.
“Look at me.”
The imploring tone had him turning to face his mate. Fury stung him hard like an angry bee. “What do you want from me? My blessing? To tell you I’m fucking happy for you?” He tossed his spoon into the empty bowl and stood up. “Fine. Enjoy yourself and have a fucking good time.”
Gage walked away from the table and stalked out of the room.
Chapter Two
“You did good today, kid.”
Kaden smiled at Denel with satisfaction. “Thanks.”
Pride shot through him. Kaden had held his own today with the challenges given to him. Not wanting to appear too full of himself, he kept his head down and continued scrubbing the pots. He wanted to continue to make a good impression.
Denel patted Kaden on his back before walking away.
Kaden sighed when Denel finally left him alone. He’d never been good at interpersonal relations. All those social subtleties that others seemed to have been born knowing had always eluded him.
Kaden picked up a chef’s knife and began scrubbing at the bits of meat cemented on the blade.
“Hello there,” a voice spoke behind him.
His hand jerked, the sharp blade slicing efficiently through his palm. Kaden sucked in his breath as a line of fire burnt his hand.
“Oh baby, I’m so sorry.” To Kaden’s shock, the prime beta grabbed his wrist and proceeded to lick his palm to spread healing saliva across the wound.
Baby?
When did Kaden become the prime beta’s baby? He hoped Alpha Gage would come to retrieve his mate soon. Russ made him even more nervous than usual and he didn’t want to get caught flirting with the alpha’s mate. That definitely wasn’t the reputation he needed.
“Prime Beta, can we help you or did you just come by to maul my staff?” Denel asked.
Kaden had never been so happy to see the cranky kitchen manager before.
“I startled him and he cut himself,” Russ explained
“Well, he looks all healed now.” Denel crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Russ. The prime beta might be second in command of the camp but Denel ruled the kitchen.
Kaden snatched his hand back and looked at his completely healed palm.
Russ sent him a wicked smile.
“If you’re finished, you can head home now,” Denel told Kaden.
“Thanks.” With one last panicked look at the prime beta, Kaden fled from the room. He needed to get out of there before he did something stupid like jump the sexy man and get banned from the pack. He really didn’t want to lose his position in the kitchen, not when he’d gone against his family to get it.
Looking behind him, he was pleased to have cleared the kitchen with no further sign of the prime beta.
Russ licked his lips. Kaden’s blood sang through his body, the flavour of the gamma making him harder than a rock.
“I’d prefer it if you stayed away from my new cook,” Denel said.
It took him a minute to realise that the chef was talking to him. Russ gave a low growl as Denel’s words sank in. “You’d best make sure I’m the only one who comes near him. He’s mine!”
He had to give the old gamma his due, he didn’t back down. “Don’t you think the Prime alpha will have something to say about that?”
“Nope. He knows,” Russ smiled at the shocked expression on Denel’s face even as his conscience twanged a little.
Gage might have given his permission reluctantly but he knew how long Russ had searched for his mate. As much as he hated hurting Gage, he wasn’t going to ignore Kaden. They’d find a way for this to work. With a lighter heart he headed for the large tent he shared with his alpha.
When he got there, he could tell something was wrong. Gage didn’t look up from his computer when Russ entered—that had never happened before. Russ always became Gage’s focus whenever he came near.
“Already fuck him?” Gage’s voice, with icicle coolness, ended the joy Russ had been feeling over finding his mate.
“He’s a little skittish,” Russ admitted warily.
Gage finally gave Russ some attention. “What do you mean?”
“I make him nervous.” Russ shrugged trying to downplay the situation but the panic in Kaden’s eyes had wrecked his usual confidence.
For the first time Gage looked interested in Russ’ predicament. “Surely, if you’re mates he’d be open to your advances. He’s a sweet little thing.”
“How would you know?” Surprisingly, he only felt irritation, not true anger at Gage’s assessment. Russ figured that as Gage’s mate he would accept his lover’s interference better than most. This trinity would take a bit of getting used to. Rarely did wolves mate in more than twos. A true trio was almost unheard of but the pairing between Russ and Gage, with Russ always looking for someone else and Gage trying to satisfy him, had been difficult for both of them.
Gage shrugged. “When we talked earlier I found him to be a sweet man.”
“He works in the kitchen. He’s not open for fucking. I-I just wanted to talk to him.” He’d wanted so much more but Kaden’s skittishness held him back.
“That’s good. I guess that means there will be fewer men to kill for touching your mate.” Gage’s neutral tone grated on Russ’ nerves. Where had Gage’s passion gone? He’d expected anger, maybe even rage, not this careful response as if Gage was trying to avoid putting the wrong foot forward. After Kaden’s rejection, as mild as it has been, something had broken inside.
“I need sex,” he blurted out, incapable of holding back the words. His body ached from the small contact he’d had with his mate. Kaden’s look, his smell and his voice had made Russ harden with desire.
Gage sighed. “I almost wish I could deny you, but it would hurt too much. You do know having you come in here with an erection you got from another man and expecting me to fuck you is asking a lot?”
Russ blushed. “Yeah, you’re right. Forget it.” He was an insensitive bastard. How could he use Gage like a blow-up doll, as though he were only there to satisfy Russ’ needs?
Gage rolled his eyes. “You know I can’t. If your mate got you that excited, you won’t get any rest and we’ve got a big meeting tomorrow.”
“Fine,” Russ snapped. Immediately he wished he could take it back but his hormones were spiking out of control and he needed release.
They stripped out of their clothes. Gage’s kiss, hard and demanding, cut Russ’ lip. He didn’t care—he needed sex. What he really needed was to pound into the hard body rubbing against him, but as the alpha, Gage would never allow that to happen.