Howl for Me

Chapter Eight

“Stay still, elskede.” Fen carefully carried his mate to Logan’s condo. “We’ll be there soon.”

Jeff shivered in his arms. With his injuries he should still be in bed, but Jeff had insisted on going to Logan’s when word reached them that Jeanne Grimm had arrived. He hadn’t wanted to wait even a single second before checking on his mother. Fen had given in the moment Jeff threatened to crawl there if he had to. Fen knew the man was stubborn enough to do it. “God. Mom’s gotta be pissed.”

“What do you want me to do?” Fen would do anything to get that look off Jeff’s face. The visit from his siblings had eased him somewhat, but the raw grief and pain were still there in the dull eyes and lackluster smile. “I will do whatever you wish, love.”

Jeff winced as Fen shifted him. “Don’t drop me.”

Fen smiled as best he could. “I promise.”

The door to his father’s condo opened. Kir winced as he saw how pale and sweaty Jeff looked. Sharing blood hadn’t healed his beautiful redhead, and neither had a visit from Toni. Fen was at his wits’ end. Fen could hear the sound of quiet sobbing coming from the room behind Kir. “C’mon in, you two.”

Fen carried Jeff in. The cry from Jeanne Grimm as she got her first look at her battered son tore at him. “Oh my God.” She raced forward, but Fen moved, keeping her from touching Jeff in any way. He growled, warning her away before she could inadvertently hurt Jeff further.

“Shh.” Jeff reached up with a shaking hand and caressed Fen’s cheek. “It’s okay. She won’t hurt me.”

Fen closed his eyes and tried to get himself back under control. Just the thought that someone could hurt Jeff sent him into a murderous rage. His jaw clenched and it took him a moment before he could speak, a moment where Jeanne watched him warily. “Be careful. He’s hurt badly.”

She frowned, the look fiercely protective. “Then why is he out of bed?”

“Because you came to claim his father’s body.”

Grief tightened her features. “Whatever else he did, Fred Grimm was the love of my life.” Tears pooled in her eyes, eyes the same exact shade as Jeff’s. She tsk’d. “Put him on the sofa before you drop him.” She led the way, pointing to where she wanted her son. “I gather you’re Fenris the werewolf?”

He nodded, watching Jeff’s face closely as he lowered him to the cushions.

“Better, elskede?” He touched Jeff’s cheek, smiling when his mate nodded. He straightened and faced Jeff’s mother once more. “Yes, I’m Fenris Saeter. Your son’s mate.”

She smiled at him and nodded. “Good.” His brows rose in surprise. “I can already tell you’ll take good care of him.”

“Mom,” Jeff whined behind him. “I’m not twelve and he’s not my first boyfriend.”

Fen held back his snarl. His mate hadn’t come to him a virgin, but the man didn’t have to mention it any more than necessary.

Jeanne wiped her tears away and smiled again. It was easy to see where Jamie got her beautiful smile. “I’ll decide how I speak to my new son-in-law, young man.” She eyed Fen again. “You’re the one who’s supposed to kill Oliver?”

Fen nodded. “I believe so, if Oliver is Odin.”

The fury and determination that lit her face startled him. “Good. Get a bite in or two for me, will ya? And make sure it bleeds a lot.” She tilted her head, a speculative gleam in her eye. “Maybe the groin area?”

Behind him every man in the room choked or coughed. He was pretty sure at least one of them had cupped himself.

Fen nodded, unfazed by the request. “It will be my pleasure.”

She smiled sweetly again and patted his cheek with a maternal hand.

“You’re a good boy.”

“Will he get extra cookies if he bites Grimm’s dick off?”

She frowned over Fen’s shoulder. “Language, Logan.”

“Yes’m.” Fen could hear the suppressed laughter in his father’s voice.

Jeanne settled on the ottoman where she could easily reach Jeff without jarring him. She took her son’s hand in her own. “Tell me everything.”

Fen carefully settled himself behind Jeff, his mate cradled between his thighs, Jeff’s head resting against his chest. Jeff told her everything that had happened to him, only interrupted by Jordan when she told her mother how Fred had passed away. By the time he was done Jeanne Grimm was pale and shaking with fury. “I take it back. I don’t want just his dick bitten off.”

Logan wisely kept his mouth shut.

“I want him where he can’t hurt anyone ever again.” She glared up at Kir and Logan. “Tell me about the prophecy.”

Logan groaned. It was Travis who stepped forward and quoted the prophecy they all knew and feared:

Jeanne blinked. “One of you is going to translate that into English for me, right?”

Jeff laughed, groaning in pain at the same time. “Preaching to the choir, Mom.”

She leaned forward. “Easy, Jeff.” She reached for Jeff’s shirt but pulled her hand away before she could make contact. “I want to see how badly he hurt you.”

Jeff nodded. “Fen?”

Fen carefully lifted Jeff’s shirt, revealing the healing wounds to his mate’s mother. She hissed in anger when she saw them, her hands shaking in her lap.

Her foot began to tap a rapid tattoo on the hardwood floor. “Tell me you hurt him.”

“I hurt him.” Fen lowered Jeff’s shirt, wincing along with his mate when the fabric caught on one of the stitches. “Grimm bled before he got away from me.”

She sat back on the ottoman, but her foot kept tapping. She blew out a breath and frowned, her thoughts turned inward. “Has Heimdall blown his horn yet?”

The room went still. Kir’s brows rose nearly to his hairline. “You know, I have no idea.”

Jeanne eyed her son-in-law. “Call him and find out.”

Logan shook his head. “Can’t. No cell phone service on the Bifrost Bridge.”

He smirked at Kir. “We need to fix that.”

Jeanne shrugged. “How did you use to communicate? Smoke signals?”

“Shank’s mare.” Logan held out his leg and wiggled his foot. “Pretty much what we were trying to do when Heimdall told us to turn around because Grimm had Jeff.”

“So you were on the bridge? Recently?”

Logan sighed. “Yeah. It blew all of our magical protections to get there too.

That’s how Grimm got in and managed to kill Fred and get to Jeff.”

“He thought I was Fen.” Jeff shuddered and Fen stroked his mate’s hair, hoping to soothe him. Jeff turned his head so that his nose was buried against Fen’s neck. “God, you smell good.” Fen understood how close Jeff’s wolf was to the surface as Jeff, despite his injuries, tried to burrow his way further into Fen’s arms. His mate tried to wallow in Fen’s scent, and Fen smiled, stilling him.

Kir handed Jeanne a coffee mug. “How could he mistake you for Fen? No offense but you’re a lot redder.”

“He said Fen had been under dirt and filth for so long he couldn’t remember what Fen’s original color had been.” Jeff twisted in his arms, trying to get closer to Fen’s neck. Fen felt Jeff wince at the movement, but it didn’t stop the man. He just moaned and licked Fen’s neck. “You taste good.”

Jeff wanted to mate. If Fen let him, the other man would bite Fen’s neck and the mating cycle would be complete. He would belong to Jeff forever.

Fen’s eyes went wide. Could it be that simple?

“Down, boy.” Logan patted Jeff on the head. “You’re in no shape to do what I think you want to do.”

“I think he needs to.” Fen held Jeff’s head to his neck. “Bite me.”

“Oh no.” Logan hauled Fen to his feet, jarring Jeff in the process. “No blood on the white sofa.”

Jeff snarled. His hazel eyes turned gold as he glared at Logan’s hand on Fen’s arm. Fangs peeked below his bottom lip.

“Right.” Logan took his hand off Fen’s arm. “Good boy. Good boy. No marking Logan’s sofa, ’kay?”

“The mating. It’s incomplete.” Fen grinned. From the looks of those around him it was just as feral as his lover’s snarls. “That’s why he’s not healing. That’s why he’s still mortal.”

“Shit.” Jordan pointed. “Get out of here and fix that.”

Fen didn’t need to be told twice. He picked up his mate, headed right for the front door and prayed for the first time in centuries.

Fire coursed through Jeff’s veins. The scent of his mate was so strong he couldn’t help but nuzzle close, burying his nose against his mate’s neck. The urge to bite, to mark Fen as his own, was overwhelming.

The wolf wanted his mate, and Jeff was all too willing to oblige.

He licked Fen’s neck from his shoulder to his earlobe, taking the tender piece of flesh between his teeth and nibbling. Fen’s groan was almost drowned out by the slamming of the bedroom door. “Yes, elskede.” Fen’s back hit the door. He tilted his head, giving Jeff as much access as he wished. “Mark me. Make me your own.”

Jeff bit his lover, his fangs sinking in deep.

Fen howled his approval.

“Bed,” Jeff muttered. His mouth was still against Fen’s neck, but now that he’d bitten Fen he had the powerful urge to get fucked, despite the pain.

“You will not hurt yourself.” Fen carried him to the bed and placed him gently down. “You will hold still while I pleasure you.”

Jeff’s cock was so hard it hurt. He nodded so fast his head spun. Fen took about two seconds to take off his clothes.

It felt like it took him two hours to remove Jeff’s.

Fen was beyond careful as he took off Jeff’s clothes. Each piece had to be maneuvered off his body in the gentlest way possible. Fen stroked each bruise, kissed each cut, until Jeff was ready to howl himself. He was stroking his cock long before Fen tossed his underwear on the floor, ready to bring himself off if Fen made him wait one. More. Second.

Fen batted his hand away and took Jeff’s cock in his mouth. It felt so good Jeff nearly shot his load, but he held on. He was rewarded by a strong suck that nearly blew the top of his head off.

Fen’s head bobbed, taking him deeper and deeper into his throat. Jeff threaded his fingers into Fen’s hair, the warmth of it flowing over his skin.

Staying still had never been so difficult. “So good.” Fen moaned his approval, the vibrations racing up Jeff’s cock and through his balls. “Oh shit, babe.” He was going to come, and not even God himself could stop him.

Then Fen did something that halted his orgasm in its tracks. He lifted his head, his beautiful eyes gleaming with mischief, and reached for the lube.

Oh yeah, Happy Hour is finally here! Jeff grinned, ready to be pounded through the mattress. Didn’t they say orgasms were good for pain?

Jeff intended to find out.

But Fen didn’t start lubing up Jeff’s ass. Oh no. The sneaky, orgasm-stealing son of a bitch began doing something Jeff would never have believed if he hadn’t seen it himself.

He began to lube his own ass.

“Fen?”

Fen grinned at him. His arm was still between his legs. Jeff could see him moving, thrusting fingers in and out of his ass. “Yes, elskede?”

When he added a third finger Jeff was entranced. If stretching himself out for Jeff’s cock hurt Fenris at all he didn’t show it. If anything, the pleasure on his face was extreme. He clearly loved every minute of it. “Hmm?”

The dark chuckle didn’t surprise him. Fen straddled Jeff’s hips and took Jeff’s cock in his hand. He poured a liberal amount of lube over the head and smeared it around with his palm.

“Shit!” Jeff reached out to stop him because, damn, that felt good, but the pain of moving nearly had him going limp.

Fen let go of his cock and leaned over him until they were nose to nose. His golden wolf’s eyes glared down at him. “Stay.”

“Woof.”

Fen shook his head and slowly lowered himself on Jeff’s cock.

This has to be the second best moment of my entire fucking life. He watched as his cock disappeared into his mate’s muscled ass. The tight warmth had him back to DEFCON One in seconds. “You’d better catch up, because I’m going to blow if you so much as twitch.”

Fen began stroking himself. “You will wait for me.” His accent had thickened until he was slurring his English. Fen rotated his hips and hissed. “I may be riding your dick, but that doesn’t mean I’m not alpha.” He leaned over until they were nose to nose again. “Understood?”

Jeff stared into his mate’s eyes and nodded. His dick was never going to forgive him for this. He wouldn’t be surprised if it staged a revolt and stayed in Fen’s ass when they were done.

Hell, if he had a choice, he’d live in Fen’s ass too.

Fen’s movements were cautious, but he slowly began to ride Jeff. Not once did his ass land on Jeff’s thighs. His wolf was too aware of the damage to his body. If Jeff so much as shimmied his hips Fen would stop, growl and wait for Jeff to settle down. Jeff figured if he ever wanted to get off he’d better play statue, but it was damn fucking hard to stay still when Fen moved like that. But he had to. He had to come. He had to…

Mark his mate. Make sure his scent was so deeply imbedded in Fenris’s body that not even death could remove it.

Lightning shot down his spine. “Fen. Please. Now.” He was going to erupt and there was no stopping it.

Fen’s hand was moving at lightning speed over his cock. His features were twisted with pleasure, his forehead resting against Jeff’s. They breathed each other in. “Now.” Fen’s ass clenched around him. “Now!”

Jeff let go, exploding in his mate’s body, filling him with his seed. Hot liquid splashed over his chest as Fen came with an anguished howl.

Neither of them could breathe when it was over. Fen barely kept from collapsing on top of him, his elbows landing on the mattress on either side of him. His powerful arms shook with the effort of holding himself up.

Jeff licked his lips and sighed. His dick was still root-deep in his mate, and he was a happy man. He pursed his lips and closed his eyes, smiling through the kiss Fen immediately granted him.

Fen slid off his body, dislodging Jeff’s cock from its happy home. He whimpered at the loss of heat. Fen chuckled and touched Jeff’s chest. “Look, elskede.”

Jeff stared at the rapidly healing wounds on his body. “Holy fuck.”

“Exactly.” Fen grinned, his expression one of lazy satisfaction. Apparently he thought his ass really was sacred.

Jeff rolled his eyes but his heart wasn’t in it. He was too fascinated by the way his body was once more becoming his own. By the time the process was done he had faint, pinkish scars left where the terrible wounds had once been.

“Daddy likey.”

Fen rolled over and licked one of the scars. Jeff hissed in pleasure—it seemed the newly formed scars were a hot spot for him. Jeff took a moment to stare down at his body. From the look on his face he was disturbed by what he saw.

“It looks like I’ve been autopsied.” He had a Y incision in his chest and abdomen.

His arms each had a scar running from the tip of his middle finger all the way to his shoulders. He had a matching set on each leg. Along one cheek a jagged scar had formed. Grimm had a lot to answer for. “Fen?”

Fen gathered his mate close and tried to reassure the smaller man. “I’m here, elskede.”

“Will the scars go away?” Jeff huddled into his warmth. Jeff’s scent was changing, becoming spice mixed with sweet. Jeff frowned and sniffed Fen’s chest. “And why do you smell like cinnamon?”

Fen laughed silently. “Because you do.”

Jeff lifted his head. Whatever he saw on Fen’s face had an answering smile lifting his lips. “Excuse me?”

Fen pulled him closer, entangling their legs. “Our scents are mingling. I smell sweeter because you do. You’ll smell spicier, like me.” Fen sniffed Jeff’s neck and moaned. “Everyone will know we’ve mated.”

“We’ll smell like us instead of you and me.” Jeff seemed thoroughly pleased by that thought if the twitching of his cock was any indication. The man had a remarkable recovery time Fen had every intention of exploring.

“Yes.” Fen licked the scar on Jeff’s cheek. “You taste good.”

Jeff moaned and his cock hardened further against his mate’s hip. “Your turn.” Jeff grabbed Fen’s cock, stroking it from root to tip, over and over again. “I want this in me, making me scream.”

Fen shuddered with bliss. His English failed him as Jeff bent down and took Fen’s cock in his mouth. The long, slow glide of his mate’s tongue over his shaft made him hum with pleasure. He grabbed the wild red curls and held on for dear life while Jeff proved to him that Fen might be the alpha, but Jeff ruled the bed.

After a few long, pleasure-hazed moments Fen tugged on Jeff’s hair. “Kom opp her. ” His English had failed him, the Norwegian word slipping past his lips easily.

Jeff obeyed, lifting his lips off Fen’s cock, though his tongue continued to tease the slit.

“Naughty little wolf,” Fen crooned. His mate shot him a cheeky grin right before he sucked the head of Fen’s cock back into his mouth. Those soft red curls Jeff hated so much caressed his shaft, and Fen swore he’d never allow the man to cut them off. If he had his way Jeff’s hair would cover his ass when he walked, allowing teasing little glimpses of the perfection only Fen was allowed to touch.

Fen took his mate’s arms and dragged him up his body. “Headboard.”

Jeff’s eyebrows lifted. Fen twisted beneath him and moved until he knelt at Jeff’s back. He placed Jeff against the headboard so that his cock nudged the wood, his back upright, his head resting against Fen’s shoulder. God, the feel of his mate’s hair against his chest was intoxicating. It was growing at a rapid rate, already halfway down Jeff’s back. He grabbed the lube and traced the puckered rosette of Jeff’s ass, getting it nice and slick before sliding a finger inside.

Jeff’s hands clenched on the headboard. “More, Fen. Go ahead. Give me more.”

“Are you sure, elskede?” Not for the world would he cause Jeff any more pain.

Jeff nodded and arched his back, forcing Fen’s finger farther inside him.

“Give it to me.”

Fen bit down on his mate’s shoulder and sucked up a mark before giving his mate what he’d asked for. He thrust three fingers inside the man, relieved to hear the moans erupting from Jeff’s mouth. “Are you ready?”

Jeff nodded and panted. “Oh fuck yeah.”

Fen reached around and stroked Jeff’s cock, smiling at the precome that slipped over his fingers. “I think you are.”

Jeff growled, the sound low and menacing, much better than the whimpy little sound he’d made before. This was the true sound of a mate in heat, demanding his lover’s cock.

Fen obliged him, sliding into Jeff’s body in one hard thrust. Jeff threw his head back and gasped. “Still want it hard, love?”

Jeff reached behind him and pinched Fen’s hip. “If you don’t fuck me I will kill you.” He looked up at Fen with a wicked smile. “Or worse. Buy one of those glittery butt plugs for your father’s birthday and make the tag out from you, with love.”

Fen barely bit back a laugh. “You are evil.”

“I am horny. Make with the fucking.”

“As you wish.” Fen grabbed hold of Jeff’s hips and began a punishing rhythm that had the man gasping for breath and holding on for dear life.

Jeff twisted and draped his arm behind Fen’s neck. Fen kissed his mate as he fucked him. Jeff moaned into his mouth, his ass clenching around Fen’s cock.

Fen wrapped his fist around Jeff’s cock and stroked until Jeff began to go off in his hand. His come splattered the headboard. Only then did Fen allow himself his own pleasure, muffling his howl of completion against Jeff’s skin.

Jeff leaned his head against the headboard and chuckled wearily. “There is no way I’m cleaning that up.”

Fen snorted and pulled out of Jeff. He tugged and pushed until he had Jeff nestled in his arms, his head pillowed on Fen’s chest. Fen wrapped Jeff’s curls around his fingers and sighed. He couldn’t ever remember being more content.

A knock on the door interrupted Fen’s quiet joy. “It’s me, Kir. I want to make sure Jeff’s healed up.”

Fen was pleased with the sleepy, satisfied smile on his mate’s face. The man was worn out, and Fen couldn’t be happier. “We’ll be out shortly.” But just in case, Fen covered them with the blankets.

“Hmph.” Fen could hear the humor in Kir’s voice. The blond god walked into the room, uncaring about their nudity, and studied Jeff intently. A huge smile graced his lips as he took in Jeff’s faded scars. “I’m glad to see it worked.”

“He’ll have the scars, but these, besides my mark, are the only ones he will ever bear.” A fact that just about killed Fenris. The knowledge that his mate would bear the marks of his torture at Odin’s hand for the rest of eternity nearly ruined the happy mood he’d been in just moments before.

The only scar Jeff should have was Fen’s mating mark.

“Shh.” Jeff’s hand patted Fen’s hip. “Snarly.” He snuggled deeper into the covers like a young pup, already mostly asleep.

Jordan poked her head through the bedroom door. “Jeff. Vincente’s on the phone. He wants to come over for pasta.”

Jeff smacked his lips and smiled. “Yum.”

“Oh yeah. He’s out. Good luck waking him back up.” She grinned and left the room, followed by a smiling Kir.

Fen pulled himself from beneath the covers, careful not to wake Jeff. The man needed his sleep, and Fen would see to it that he got it. Jeff barely stirred.

He dressed quickly and headed to the living room. All three Tate-Saeter’s were there, talking quietly about Jeff’s healed injuries.

Logan smirked and waggled his brows. “Wore him out, did we?”

Fen noted how careful his father was to keep his voice low and was grateful for it. “Yes.”

There was no way his father could help but notice the pure contentment in his response. Nothing could take Jeff from him now. Logan nodded and headed for the front door. “Be careful. I strengthened the wards while you two were consummating your marriage, but that doesn’t mean Grimm can’t find a hole in them somewhere.”

“Have Magnus and Morgan returned?” The brothers would be horrified to find out what had happened to their family during their absence.

“Not yet. We’re hoping they get here soon, before Jeanne goes ballistic and hunts Grimm down with a bowie knife and a bandana.”

Fen was not going to ask. He was not. “A bandana?” Shit. He’d asked.

Logan grinned. “Ask your mate about Sylvester Stallone some time. Rambo is must-see TV for any red-blooded American male.”

“What do we do about the Old Man?” Fen stared into his father’s eyes. “He scarred my mate.”

Logan blew out a breath, all humor leaving his face to be replaced by grim determination. “We find him and kill his ass.”

Fen frowned, confused. “How will that hurt him? Has his ass done anything wrong?”

Logan’s expression blanked just before he burst into laughter worthy of Kir.

He barely breathed as he doubled over.

“What the hell?” Jordan stared at Logan as if he’d grown a second head.

“What did you do to him?”

“I asked him why we wanted to kill the Old Man’s ass. Surely the beast has no say in what Odin does.” It was probably as much of an innocent as Sleipnir, Fen’s half brother and Odin’s eight-legged steed. The last time he’d seen his brother the beast had cast him one sorrowful glance before taking Odin away into the night sky.

He had no idea how long ago that had been, nor did he want to. He only knew he’d recognized that look. For all his brother seemed to be free, he was just as imprisoned as Fenris.

Her lips twitched. “Oh. American Idioms 101. When we say we want to kill someone’s ass, we mean we want to kill them.”

He shook his head. “Why didn’t he say so?”

“He did, you just didn’t understand it.” She patted his shoulder. “You’ll get it eventually. Jeff will help.”

He stared toward the bedroom door and smiled. “Yes. I know he will.”

Jeff, delicate and fragile looking, snored so loudly the door rattled. Fen grinned. Next to him, Jordan bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Gods, his mate made him happy.