Strength of the Pack (19 page)

Noah came through the gate last, just like Lucas expected. What he didn’t expect was Noah to be half-naked. He’d slid his uniform trousers back on along with his LPCs, but he hadn’t laced them up. He carried his fleece in one hand as he shoved at another pack member’s shoulder, smiling wide in joy.

Lucas’ stomach dropped, and his knees grew weak at the sight of Noah’s naked chest, his dog tags swinging freely against his breastbone. Noah was all lean, hard muscle and tanned skin. The cold air had hardened his nipples, but Noah seemed impervious to it. A wave of lust slammed into Lucas so strong, he couldn’t breathe.

Noah’s smile faded, and he turned away from his Pack and honed in directly on Lucas. His trousers hung low on his narrow hips as he strode across the compound. Lucas saw that Noah’s eyes were silver and still wolf-like, his nostrils flared with his every inhalation. When he was an arm’s length away, Noah dropped his fleece on the ground and wrapped both hands around Lucas’ chest.

Lucas grunted when Noah’s mouth impacted with his own. The pain was nothing; the pain was welcome. Noah’s tongue pushed roughly into his and licked wetly. Hot breath drifted across Lucas’ cheek with Noah’s every ragged breath. He wanted to clutch at Noah’s shoulders and hold their bodies tight together, but his damn notebook was in the way.

“Noah, we have to wait just a few minutes,” Lucas gasped against Noah’s lips. “We have to get the Pack settled.”

Noah growled but obeyed, taking a step back. Lucas was panting, and his brain screamed at him to get Noah’s hands back on him. When Noah moved to stand behind him, his erection pressed to the cleft of Lucas’ ass, Lucas could see everyone in the vicinity watching them intently.

A part of him was mortified at the scene they had just made. Another part of him didn’t give a flying fuck; it just wanted to get a hold of Noah’s naked skin. Lucas reminded himself that this was normal; this was okay. He didn’t understand everything about werewolves, yet, but Captain Madison had told him his reaction to Noah was normal.

“Everybody get the fuck over here, and check in with the LT!” Noah shouted, his voice low and feral.

It was getting easier; Lucas knew almost the entire Pack on sight. As each man passed, he gave his name, ended with ‘sir,’ and nodded respectfully. None of them smirked or appeared put-off by the recent show of lust in the middle of the compound.

Lucas issued orders to the pack for their daytime hours. He told them where to move their bedrolls. All fighting and fucking was to take place in that room and that room only. Not only would Noah deal with violators, but Lucas would add his own twist to things.

As the pack moved off collectively to follow their orders, Noah’s hands gripped Lucas’ hips painfully. His lips were hot against the shell of Lucas’ ear. He rubbed his hard cock back and forth against Lucas’ ass.

“Did you say there was someplace private for you and me to sleep, today?” he asked in that raspy voice that made Lucas’ gut clench.

“Yes,” Lucas said firmly. Something told him he needed to get control of Noah, or Noah was going to end up running the show. Lucas wasn’t sure he’d like the results of that. He stepped away from Noah and turned to face him. “Pick up your fleece and my bedroll, and follow me.” Lucas stashed his notebook in the leg pocket of his trousers.

Noah sprang into action, gathering up the items from the ground. Faster than Lucas could track, Noah was on him, trying to press their mouths together, despite the load in his arms. Lucas wrapped a hand around the back of Noah’s neck and used it to steady him. He pushed their lips together, teasing at Noah’s mouth with his tongue.

Carefully walking backward, Lucas led Noah inside. Noah’s impatience, and Lucas’ fascination with Noah’s mouth, had them running into walls and not quite turning the necessary corners. When they encountered other Marines in a narrow hallway, Noah pressed his advantage and pinned Lucas against the wall. Their mingled breathing was loud in the corridor as they licked deep into each other’s mouths. Lucas struggled to pull away. He knew he had to get them into the anteroom before Noah lost it completely.

“Lucas,” called a gentle voice. “Lucas.”

He knew he needed to focus on that voice calling his name. Lucas managed to pull back slightly, but that left him panting heavily against Noah’s wet mouth.

“Lucas, bring him this way,” the voice said, a little more firmly this time. “Come on, get him moving.”

Turning toward the voice, Lucas recognized Captain Madison. He was standing at the junction of two corridors, gesturing down the one Lucas knew he needed to go. At that moment, Lucas recognized Lieutenant Colonel Santos. He stood several feet away, preventing a group of Marines from stepping closer.

“Go on, son,” the lieutenant colonel said, nodding in Madison’s direction. “Take care of your Alpha. Get him moving.”

Lucas wanted to be mortified that his battalion commander had witnessed this display, but Santos’ expression held nothing but kindness and respect.

“Just take a step this direction, Lucas,” Madison encourage. “He’ll follow you if you do.”

Lucas took a step toward Madison, and Noah followed, trying to keep their lips pressed together. Lucas used his hand on Noah’s neck to steer him. When they reached the intersection, Lucas saw that Madison held back a couple of Marines as well. Together, he and the lieutenant colonel were controlling traffic so Lucas could get Noah to their room without incident.

At the entrance to the anteroom, Vince held open the heavy tarp Lucas had hung as a makeshift door. “Just a few more steps, Lucas, and you’ll have him inside.”

Once they were across the threshold, Vince let the tarp drop, and the tiny room was plunged into semi-darkness.

Noah dropped the items in his arms and slammed Lucas’ back against the wall. His hands were everywhere on Lucas. The only place Lucas wanted his own hands was right on Noah’s naked skin. He ran his palms up Noah’s back, digging his fingers into the thick muscles of his shoulders. He pushed back against Noah’s kiss, rubbing their tongues together.

Lucas’ chest heaved with each raging breath. He ran his tongue over Noah’s upper lip just before he bit down on Noah’s lower lip.

“Fuck,” Noah snarled. He licked his way along Lucas’ jaw. “Need you against me.”

Lucas ran his hands up Noah’s bare chest, the heat nearly scalding him. Noah’s tags hung heavily against the backs of Lucas’ hands, his fingers tangled briefly in the beaded chain. Noah’s hands tugged at the hem of Lucas’ fleece, pushing it up over his belly. He’d never felt anything like the touch of Noah’s super-heated skin. The chill of the air was more pronounced in the wake of Noah’s touch.

“Too cold,” Lucas murmured against Noah’s cheek. “I don’t run as hot as you do.”

“I’ll keep you warm,” Noah replied, insistently tugging on Lucas’ fleece.

Lucas was helpless. He lifted his arms, and Noah pulled the fleece over his head, Lucas’ dog tags fell back against his chest with a soft, metallic clink. Noah was true to his word, and he immediately wrapped his arms around Lucas, lending the warmth of his body.

That was when Lucas noticed the lack of a bite mark on Noah’s shoulder. He lifted a hand and ran his fingers over Noah’s skin. He could still feel something, where the mark was supposed to be, but it was faded to nearly nothing.

“It’s gone,” Lucas murmured.

“We heal faster in wolf form,” answered Noah. “It dulls the pain, too.”

Lucas didn’t like it that Noah was walking around unmarked. Anger flared in his chest and he pushed against Noah’s hold. Lucas lifted his hips and pivoted, pushing Noah’s back against the wall.

Noah wrapped his arms back around Lucas, again sharing his warmth. He leaned his head back, as if offering himself up. Lucas spanned Noah’s ribs with both hands. Without thinking, he lowered his head and sank his teeth into Noah’s skin, just below his collarbone.

Lucas felt the bite echo on his own chest. Noah snarled, and his arms tightened around Lucas. Noah’s scent, the taste of his skin, overwhelmed Lucas’ senses. He expected stinging pain, but it never manifested. Instead, desire, affection and deep satisfaction flooded him.

“Oh fuck, Lucas.” Noah’s voice was low and ragged. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Lucas tore his mouth away, and Noah whimpered. He nosed his way across Noah’s chest, swiping his tongue over a patch of heated skin just beneath his other collarbone.

“Please, Lucas,” Noah pleaded.

Lucas bit down hard, resisting the urge to break skin. The relief and the ecstasy that rolled through him weakened his knees. Noah pumped his hips rhythmically against Lucas, his cock hard through his uniform. Lucas released the flesh from his teeth and licked at it soothingly.

He pulled back slightly to admire his work. Each of Noah’s collarbones was decorated with an angry red bite mark. Lucas sensed Noah’s triumph. It relieved him to know he hadn’t hurt Noah. He didn’t understand why this meant so much to Noah, but there was no denying that being marked in this manner met some deep, powerful need inside of him.

“I wanna feel you.” Noah’s words were slurred slightly.

Lucas looked into Noah’s face, concerned. Noah was flushed; his red, wet lips were parted as he breathed raggedly. His pupils were blown wide with desire, nearly obliterating the glowing silver irises. He looked at Lucas hungrily. Lucas was stunned as a powerful wave of need flowed through him. Much of it was Noah’s, but some of it was Lucas’, as well.

“You’re touching me,” Lucas said against Noah’s mouth. “You can feel me. I’m right here.”

“I wanna touch your dick and get you off, but you need me to keep you warm.” Noah emphasized his words with his hips flexing against Lucas’.

Lucas licked a long strip up Noah’s neck and felt him shiver. He bit hard on Noah’s earlobe. A violent shudder rocked Noah’s large frame, and he groaned. His hands tightened on Lucas’ back.

“This isn’t about getting me off.” He pressed his face to the join of Noah’s neck and shoulder, breathing in nothing but Noah’s scent and mouthing at the chain of his tags. Lucas reached between their bodies and unfastened Noah’s fly.

His hands trembled, and it made Lucas slow. He fumbled with the fastenings until he had them open. Noah’s cock slid out eagerly, lying hot and heavy in Lucas’ palm. He squeezed the shaft tightly and stroked from base to head roughly, repeating the motion when Noah unleashed a feral growl emanating from somewhere deep in his broad chest.

“I wanna feel you,” Noah gasped, pumping his hips so his dick slid quickly through Lucas’ fist.

“My hands are on you,” Lucas said, reaching his free hand lower to cradle Noah’s sac. “I’ve got you. Just let go.”

Noah’s brow furrowed, and he rolled his head against the wall. A fleeting image ghosted through Lucas’ mind, his own hard cock aligned with Noah’s, his hands stroking them both to completion.

Lucas’ dick pushed hard at his fly in response to the image. He gasped against Noah’s neck, and the scent made his erection ache more strongly. Lucas tore open his own fly and eased out his straining cock. Noah pushed his hips insistently against Lucas, demanding the contact he desired.

He aligned their cocks, root to head. Lucas pulled back slightly and spat into his palm several times. He spread the fluid over their hard shafts. He needed more slick.

Lucas lifted his hand to Noah’s mouth. “Spit,” he ordered.

Noah obeyed, over and over until Lucas was satisfied. He wrapped his hands around them both and stroked quickly. Noah’s gratitude was like a physical thing. Lucas’ hips pulsed reflexively at the feel his own tight grip.

“Yeah, like that,” Noah groaned. “Fuck. Just like that.”

His arms stayed wrapped around Lucas. His warmth still seeped into Lucas’ bones. Lucas shivered, but not from the cold, when Noah’s hands slid down his back to cup his ass. He moaned into the sweat-slick skin of Noah’s throat.

Lucas started when Noah’s super-heated hands slid beneath his clothes and gripped his bare ass cheeks. Noah’s hands were as strong as they were hot, and he squeezed Lucas’ ass firmly. There was no discomfort, only exquisite pleasure.

The feel of Noah’s hands on his bare skin pushed Lucas closer to his climax. “Are you close?” He didn’t want to come before Noah found his own release.

“Yeah,” Noah answered. “Almost there.”

Lucas sped up his hands on their cocks. He stroked them both from base to head, keeping his grip tight. Somehow, in all the chaos, they managed to match the rhythm of their hips to Lucas’ hands. Heat swirled in his belly, and tendrils of pure sensation snaked up his spine.

One of Noah’s hands left Lucas’ ass for several moments. When it returned, he pulled Lucas’ ass cheeks apart and slid his fingers into the cleft.

Lucas knew what was coming, and he wanted it. His hands on their cocks faltered slightly when one of Noah’s fingers breached him. He moaned against Noah’s throat as the wicked finger pushed in deep and stretched him slightly.

“You feel so fucking good inside,” Noah murmured.

The finger slid out and was replaced by two. Electricity shot up the length of Lucas’ spine, and he pressed his open mouth to Noah’s neck as he cried out. He struggled to keep up the rhythm of his hands on their cocks.