Authors: Amber Kell
It sucked to be torn between two alphas—the alpha of his pack and the alpha of his heart.
“Don’t touch him,” Laurence snapped, his voice sharper than any whip.
“Sorry.” The other man didn’t sound sorry at all, but after a moment Dallas watched his feet move away.
Dallas released his breath. He hadn’t even realised he’d been holding it.
Laurence stroked a hand down Dallas’ back, soothing his frayed nerves.
“Watch yourself with that one, Laurence.” One of the other masters at the table spoke. “I don’t like how he looked at your boy.”
“Agreed. Come, Dallas, let’s go home.”
Dallas waited until his master stood before rising to his feet.
Laurence Campas watched with a critical eye as his sub stood. To him, no one in the club came close to the beauty of his boy. Sweet, lovely Dallas might be submissive, but he had the ability to crush Laurence’s heart in his delicate hands. They had met when Dallas bumped into Laurence at a coffee shop downtown. After one glance, Laurence had known he wanted to keep the gentle boy as his own. Not once had he regretted that decision.
Because of the secrets he kept from Dallas, Laurence knew eventually his sub would tire of Laurence’s need for privacy and move on. Dallas wouldn’t be the first man who had left Laurence over his failure to open up, but he would be the only one Laurence ever cared about.
Being a sorcerer and a witch judge had its ups and downs. Although Laurence made a good living and enjoyed the prestige of being a judge, when others didn’t agree with his rulings, life could get tricky. He’d recently heard rumbles of a particular coven not liking his decision against one of their minor witches, however, when you start taunting zombies, there had to be repercussions.
Laurence shrugged off his concerns and concentrated on Dallas. After absently scanning Dallas for signs of distress, Laurence led the way out of the club. He hadn’t expected a vampire to wander into the place, and he definitely hadn’t expected the bastard to touch Dallas. If Laurence hadn’t needed to keep his abilities a secret, he would’ve smoked the asshole. The best he could do was usher Dallas out of the area before the vampire could return and possibly try to bite him. Even if it took revealing his magic, Laurence would protect his man.
He listened to Dallas’ footsteps behind him as they headed towards the car. After going to the club, they always ended Saturday nights at Laurence’s condo. In all the time they’d been together, Laurence had never even seen Dallas’ home, much less been told where he lived. He’d tentatively asked a few times but Dallas had brushed off his questions in his polite way.
Either Dallas’ home embarrassed him or the sub wasn’t comfortable enough with his master to share that information. Laurence didn’t like to push his shy lover, except in the bedroom, so he didn’t pursue the line of questioning. A sudden horrible thought had him whipping around to face his man.
“Dallas, you’re not seeing anyone else, are you?”
The sub’s wide eyes told the true story. “No, Master, of course not.”
“Good. Good. I’m not, either. I don’t want you dating anyone else while we’re together, understand?” He should’ve made that clear months ago. Relief swept through him that Dallas hadn’t taken advantage of Laurence’s stupid oversight. The idea of Dallas allowing another man to touch him made Laurence ill. He absently rubbed his stomach as he waited for his sub’s response. If Dallas refused to be exclusive, Laurence didn’t know what he’d do.
“Yes, Master, I understand. I won’t see anyone else.” Dallas’ sincerity rang in the air.
A weight Laurence didn’t know he’d been carrying lifted off his heart while the airplanes playing chicken in his stomach landed safely. Hell, he’d given life-changing sentences with less stress than that short conversation. The amount of relief surging through him at Dallas’ soft vow had him smiling like an idiot.
Dallas always took a cab to the club, then home from Laurence’s townhouse so they could leave together. Laurence wondered for the first time if his lover had a car. Why had he never asked before?
“Do you have a car?”
“No, Master.” Dallas tilted his head and gave Laurence the inquiring puppy look Laurence found so endearing. Now he felt like a selfish prick. Dallas couldn’t afford a car and Laurence made him spend money he didn’t have on a cab ride every Saturday. What an inconsiderate ass he’d turned into.
“Next week I’ll pick you up from home,” Laurence informed him.
“No! I mean, that isn’t necessary,” Dallas finished smoothly, but Laurence had seen the panic flash in Dallas’ eyes and suspicion prickled his nerves.
At this rate he would get an ulcer before the night ended. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” He made sure to use his Dom voice. The tone always instilled total obedience from his beautiful lover.
“M-my family doesn’t approve of my dating you,” Dallas stumbled over the words as if they were torn from his soul.
Laurence wondered if Dallas’ family had any idea of what he’d be willing to do to keep his sweet boy happy. If they did, they’d think twice about making Dallas uncomfortable over his choices. Laurence would make them disappear if necessary. No one upset Dallas!
“Is it the gay thing, the master thing, or the older man thing?” He wondered how much about their relationship Dallas had shared.
Dallas stared at his master for a moment. It was the ‘not a wolf thing’ that had his pack up in arms about Laurence. They couldn’t understand why he’d submit to a human. They also didn’t think that some human men could be alphas, too. To their way of thinking, dominance only happened with strong wolves.
Sometimes Dallas fantasised about a meeting between his master and his alpha.
Generally, those fantasies turned into nightmares.
“A little bit of everything,” he conceded, though he wondered about his master’s sudden interest in his life outside their relationship. They’d got along so well without this unnatural interest. Laurence’s lack of curiosity was one of his best features.
“Ahh.”
He received his lover’s warm smile and relaxed his guard a little. Laurence’s questioning rarely crossed the line into intrusive, making it easy for Dallas to keep his lover away from the pack house and avoid him during full moons. He hoped Laurence didn’t plan on changing any time soon. Leaving his master would break Dallas’ heart.
The silence in the car had a companionable feel as they pulled into Laurence’s garage. Dallas followed Laurence up the steps to his front door. The little townhouse had one of the most beautiful views in the city. Dallas enjoyed watching the lights over the water while kneeling before the tall glass windows at his master’s feet.
Crossing the threshold, Dallas barely waited until the door had shut behind him to strip out of his clothes, fold them, and set them on a chair provided by the entrance. He refused to think about how many other subs might have done the exact same thing in the past or might in the future. Dallas didn’t fool himself. He could only enjoy his master until Laurence’s curiosity overcame his good manners. He hoped that would be a ways in the future, but his master’s sudden questioning had Dallas on edge.
“You’re a beautiful man,” Laurence commented in hushed tones.
Surprised at the praise, Dallas turned to face his master. Although he knew Laurence appreciated his looks, he rarely said anything.
“Thank you, Master,” Dallas replied, trying to hide his surprise.
Laurence smiled.
“Don’t be so shocked. I’ve spent all week away from you. When I finally get you to myself, I need to get you naked as soon as possible and claim you as mine. I don’t generally take the time for compliments.”
Dallas wondered what had changed. “I don’t need compliments,” he responded in a mild tone. Like the typical pack omega, he only needed his master’s touch and the knowledge that Laurence approved of Dallas’ behaviour.
Laurence slid his fingers through Dallas’ hair. “You might not need to hear compliments, but I sometimes need to give them. I want you to know I find you attractive and that you are the most stunning man I’ve ever seen.”
The last words were said in a soft, worshipful tone Dallas had never heard before. Having grown up among some of the most beautiful men on the planet, Dallas had never given much thought to his appearance other than to make sure he dressed neatly when going to meet his Dom.
Maybe among humans he stood out, but among wolves he was just another weak wolf who needed watching over. Hell, he didn’t even have his college diploma yet. Until he finished his education Dallas wouldn’t be assigned a career, and right now he still had to figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up—something besides his master’s sub. Rolf had been quite clear on the matter. Of course, the alpha also didn’t think Dallas’ relationship with Laurence would last.
Laurence wrapped one hand around the back of Dallas’ neck and splayed the other across his bare back, enhancing their inches of contact. Without another word, he yanked Dallas closer. The feel of his master’s clothing against his bare skin increased Dallas’ sensation of vulnerability. He let out a soft sound of satisfaction. If he were a cat shifter he would’ve purred.
As Laurence leant forward, Dallas tried to push up on his toes to rush the kiss. He needed the contact more than anything. His wolf yearned for reassurance, to be claimed by his master’s touch.
“Easy, pet. You don’t get to be in control,” Laurence murmured against Dallas’ lips.
Of course not.
Dallas eased back, settling on his heels, not wanting his Dom to pull away in order to teach him a lesson. Laurence had more than once used lack of kisses as a punishment. It was a particularly effective way to put him back in line. Dallas would do almost anything for the touch of his master’s lips.
Relaxing into Laurence’s embrace, Dallas moaned over his reward as Laurence’s hard mouth took Dallas’ in a rough, conquering move designed to remind Dallas who controlled their encounters. He sighed against his lover’s lips.
A soft chuckle whispered across his skin. “I’ve never met a man more at ease with his submission,” Laurence confessed.
Dallas shrugged, uncomfortable with the slant of the conversation. Unlike humans who had to find their own level of submission or dominance, wolves were born knowing their position in the pack. Before they left puberty, every wolf knew where they’d fit in the wolf hierarchy. Except for some adult posturing over ranking, werekin never changed dominance levels. Being submissive was one of the easiest things Dallas could do. Finding a person who could match him had proved more challenging.
“I only want to please you, Master,” Dallas answered honestly. The expression on Laurence’s face told him he’d said the right thing.
“You please me a great deal.” Laurence kissed Dallas again. Waves of pleasure poured through him at his master’s praise and touch. After a series of body-tingling kisses, Dallas had to gasp for breath when his master finally freed him.
“How may I serve you?” Dallas asked, flicking a look at Laurence through his lashes—an effective trick that usually had his master ordering Dallas to suck him off.
Laurence shook his head at Dallas’ obvious ploy. “Bedroom, now!” he ordered.
“Yes, s…Master.” Dallas bit back the ‘sir’ he’d almost said. Laurence hated it when Dallas called him sir. He said it lessened their relationship for Dallas to use the same honorific he’d used with other men.
Without bothering to see if Laurence followed, Dallas headed for the bedroom. The cool tile changed to soft carpet. Not long after they’d met, Laurence had added the thick plush flooring and Dallas’ knees were grateful for the change. Having knelt on many hard surfaces in his short life, he appreciated good flooring.
Dallas climbed up on the bed and turned around to kneel at the foot, knees apart, left wrist clamped in his right hand behind his back, spine straight. Laurence hated sloppy positioning.
Although it couldn’t have been more than a minute or two, he let out a quiet sigh of relief when he heard Laurence’s footstep on the tile outside the room. A moment later, the bedroom door he’d left open closed. Dallas focused forward, not daring to move.
“Do you know what I like best about coming into the room and seeing you kneeling on my bed?” Laurence asked.
“No, Master,” Dallas said.
“The look in your eyes when you see me.”
The Dom stepped into Dallas’ line of vision and whatever expression Dallas wore brought a smile to Laurence’s hard face. Dallas hungrily absorbed his lover’s expression.
Dallas loved him.
Despite the secrets between them and the short time they’d been together, Dallas’ wolf had known at first sight that the hard Dom would always be a part of Dallas’ heart. When their relationship finally ended, Dallas would never recover from the loss. His wolf half would mourn for the rest of his life because Dallas had no doubt Laurence was his mate.
Laurence watched the change of expressions on his sub’s face. Cupping Dallas’ cheek, he placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Are you all right, pet?”
Dallas nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry I went away for a bit.”
Usually Dallas had amazing focus. Laurence hoped this wasn’t a sign of his boy’s waning interest. He needed the sub far more than Dallas could possibly know. Sorcerers needed grounding. Since he’d met Dallas, Laurence’s magic had smoothed out and he rarely needed to take the medicine to mute his powers in order to maintain control. If he lost Dallas, he knew he’d completely lose the ability to keep his magic under wraps. The strong forces within his fragile, human form barely stayed contained at times. It continually surprised him that his sweet, kind sub could ground Laurence with only one meeting a week.
Something about the beautiful man before him tamed his wilder nature. Without Dallas, Laurence worried over what he might become. No matter what the cost, he needed to keep his sub.
With a final kiss he stepped away from Dallas and began to strip. “Watch me,” he ordered. He couldn’t stop the smile when Dallas’ cock rose at his command. The younger man’s attraction to him couldn’t be faked. He could almost feel Dallas’ gaze burning against his skin. Ignoring his sub for the moment took far more willpower than it should have.