A New Beginning

  David’s heart banged against his ribcage, filling his head with its incessant beat, and his gasp turned into a moan when Jax pulled David out of his chair, grabbed his ass, and kneaded it like firm dough.

  “Fenrir’s teeth,” David cursed as Jax moved his mouth along the alpha’s jaw and down to the sensitive area of his neck. David straddled Jax on the chair. He couldn’t think straight, clinging to the human, digging his fingers into Jax’s broad shoulders, mind reeling while sensation overtook him.

  “Let’s go to the bedroom,” Jax murmured into David’s ear before licking the rim.

  Crazy how David could go from irritably jumpy to electrified with lust. Crazy how he needed Jax sometimes more than he needed to breathe. Crazy how David couldn’t think of anything else but having the man buried deep inside him, even though he knew what the fallout would be.

  He couldn’t fight it. Didn’t want to. Jax was right; David needed this. Later the deprecating thoughts would surface, sending him back to that black place; but right now, he had to submit.

  Because forget the whole power bottom thing Jax had tried to sell David on. David was no power bottom with Jax. In moments like these, he wanted to be owned by the man, plain and simple.

  Stumbling upstairs and down the hall, the two men licked and sucked at each other’s mouths while fumbling under clothing. Once in the bedroom, door closed, David fell to the floor and ripped opened Jax’s jeans with shaking fingers. Jax held David firmly by the hair, broad chest rising and falling in rapid breaths as he watched David make a feast of his large, erect cock.

  David gripped the base of Jax’s dick while the other sought his own stiff organ.

  Jax leaned his head back and groaned. After a few moments of David’s earnest sucking, the human tugged at David’s hair until the alpha wolf got unsteadily to his feet.

  “I want you naked.”

  David lost no time complying, kicking his clothes into the corner and lying on his stomach on the bed, watching over his shoulder as Jax rapidly undressed. Ass clenching in expectation, David greedily gazed at the tight six-pack and narrowing V framing the rigid cock and heavy balls. He groaned when Jax spread him wide and a wet tongue fluttered against his hole. David grabbed at the bedclothes, mouth dry and heart racing.

  “Want me, baby?” Jax asked before biting down on David’s right ass cheek. “God, love this butt. Missed it so much.” He slapped it.

  “Please, Jax.” Lust winning over shame, David pushed his ass upward until Jax buried his face in it again.

  David’s mind drifted as sensation took over. The world narrowed down to the tightening of his balls and the throb of his painfully erect cock against the bedspread; the wet slide of Jax’s tongue in his hole and the dirty, slurping noises filling the room; the burn of Jax’s beard on David’s sensitive skin, and his lover’s hot breath against his taint before Jax took David’s balls into his mouth.

  When Jax finally got to his knees and sank his large cock into the alpha, David cried out, imploring the wolf gods and any other deities who were listening for help as he shuddered and writhed, loving the feeling and hating himself for loving it. He tilted his ass and pushed back into every delicious thrust. Their skin slapped together, the sounds mingling with their sighs and moans of pleasure. When Jax blanketed David’s body and his hand came around to clutch David around the throat, David yelled hoarsely, coming all over the sheet beneath him, his ass gripping Jax’s cock with every wave of heady nirvana passing through him. Jax bit David’s shoulder as he let loose a stream of seed, and for one crazy moment, David imagined what it might be like to be able to get pregnant. The thought was quickly followed by shame. David’s cheeks colored, and he sank down into the mattress, body quickly coming down from its high.

  Jax slipped out of David and collapsed beside him, bouncing on the mattress. “Fuck, that was good. Nothing better than that. Nothing.” He yawned.

  David kept his face turned away on the bed while he brought his breathing under control.

  “David? Jax?” David stiffened at Brooks’ voice calling from the hall. The doorknob jiggled. “Why’s the door locked?”

  Jax sat up. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to do that,” he called. David rolled over as Jax crossed the room to open the door.

  David hated to see the guarded look on Brooks’ face. He held out his hand, and Brooks immediately took it, climbing onto the bed and settling into his alpha’s embrace.

  “Humans,” David whispered into Brooks’ ear, as though saying they could never change Jax’s odd ways, although in reality David had been the one to lock the door, not wanting anyone to walk in on his degradation. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

  Brooks relaxed and chuckled into David’s neck. “They’re so weird about sex.”

  “Hey, now.” The bed dipped with Jax’s weight, and David felt the human’s hands slide between him and Brooks to open Brooks’ jeans. “Don’t you two make fun of me.” He kissed Brooks’ neck. “Too bad you weren’t here ten minutes ago, or you could have joined us.”

  David was so glad Brooks hadn’t been there. Even if Brooks remembered what David had told him, David didn’t want the beta to see it first-hand. Brooks tilted his head, giving Jax more skin to nibble and kiss. David pressed his lips into the beta’s soft hair, too tired to do much more than that. He listened and absorbed Brooks’ shudders as with a skilled hand, Jax quickly brought the beta to orgasm. David held Brooks as he came down, stroking his back.

  “That was nice,” Brooks sighed into David’s chest.

  “Just nice? Must be losing my touch.” Jax extended his arms to reach around David and pull both men close.

  David felt more than heard Brooks’ chuckle, the beta’s lips brushing over David’s nipple, causing it to shrink to a hard, tight nub.

  And as easily as that, David was erect again, eagerly responding to his mate’s touch. After having submitted to Jax, the urge to dominate was strong. Moving his hand down the back of Brooks’ open jeans, David squeezed the beta’s ass as he latched onto Brooks’ mouth in a hungry kiss. Brooks went slack and compliant in his alpha’s arms, hands running over David’s sides, sweet grunts coming from the beta’s throat as David pushed two fingers inside him.

  Jax seemed content to watch David strip Brooks of his clothes. He leaned against the headboard, one hand idly playing with his cock while David bent the beta over the side of the bed and fucked him hard. The alpha held Brooks down with one hand on the small of his back, hips pumping fast.

  “Gods, Alpha, please!” Brooks cried out just before he came a second time, body convulsing with the strength of his climax. Sweat dripped down David’s face onto Brooks’ back, and as he sped up his thrusts, chasing his second orgasm, the alpha caught Jax’s gaze pinned upon him, hand working that large cock faster and faster. They came at the same moment, Jax’s release splashing over his hand onto his stomach and David’s emptying into Brooks’ ass.

  The beta sobbed with David’s release, words coming out jumbled. “So good, gods, so good. Fill me up with it.”

  They spent the day in bed. At dusk, they cleaned up, and Brooks headed for the kitchen to see about dinner. Jax asked, “Feel better?”

  David nodded. “You were right; I was tense.”

  Jax leaned close. “I mean after jumping Brooks and proving your dominance.” He kissed David’s neck. “You know you don’t have to do that.”

  David leaned away to meet Jax’s gaze. “Yes. I do.” He moved toward the door.

  “David,” Jax said, all the impatience and annoyance of the worn-out subject leaking into the word.

  David paused at the door. “Don’t.”

  “You said you told him ages ago. Why continue to hide it? You hurt him more by locking the door than by admitting—-”

  “Stop,” David said before Jax could finish. “He thinks you locked it.”

  Jax sighed.

  Not for the first time, David wondered what the dynamic would be if Jax were to agree to change. Hum
ans who willingly took the bite became beta werewolves. Would Jax then be content to take a more submissive role? Would David be content never to bend over for Jax again?

  He walked out and through the living room where Josiah and Briar sat playing with the girls.

  “When did you get home?” David asked.

  “A few minutes ago.”

  Sophie smiled up at David. “We played wif frens,” she said.

  “You did? That must’ve been fun.”

  Sophie nodded and returned her attention to her dolls.

  “Where you headed?” Briar asked David.

  “To help Brooks make dinner.” David ruffled Sadie’s dark hair and walked through the big dining room into the kitchen.

  Brooks was stirring something on the stove and grinned at David over his shoulder. “Thought you might take a nap.”

  David wrapped his arms around Brooks and took a big sniff of the beta’s neck. He sniffed again. “My gods. You’re pregnant.”

  Brooks stiffened in David’s embrace. “What? Are you sure?”

  David turned Brooks in his arms and took a third, deeper sniff of the beta’s neck. “Yes. I didn’t notice before, and the scent’s faint. It must’ve just happened.”

  Brooks looked into David’s eyes. “Are you happy?”

  “Of course!” David cradled Brooks’ face in his hands. “I’m ecstatic. Seems to be a baby boom in our new pack.” He kissed the beta’s nose.

  Brooks burrowed closer into David’s chest. “Wonder how Jax will take it?”

  A small voice inside David said, What does it matter what Jax thinks? Objectively, David knew Brooks was only asking because Jax was their mate, but he wasn’t, was he? Jax refused to take the bite, and the part of David that doubted himself as an alpha balked at the beta deferring to Jax’s opinion at all.

  A deep, feral growl resonated from David’s throat, and Brooks immediately bared his neck. David brought his lips to their mating bite, nibbling and sucking on it until Brooks’ knees gave out underneath him.

  Immediately contrite, David helped him to a chair and knelt between Brooks’ knees. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

  The haziness in Brooks’ hazel eyes cleared. “Yeah.” He looked away.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Brooks frowned. “Nothing. Just…” he dragged his gaze back to David’s.

  David squeezed Brooks’ hand. “Tell me.”

  Brooks gave a small shrug. “It just occurred to me…could it…I mean, the baby could be…Jax’s, couldn’t it?”

  David went still. He hadn’t thought of it. In relationships with an alpha, the alpha was the one to impregnate the betas or omegas. Another beta would normally stand down until the alpha had gotten a pup off the other mate. But with a human in the mix, nothing was done as usual.

  “I don’t know,” David said.

  “Josiah’s father got a human woman pregnant,” Brooks said.

  David stood and stirred the rice in the pot, glad to have his back to Brooks while his mind raced. “I suppose it’s possible, but we’re mates, and I’m your alpha. It’s more likely that I impregnated you.”

  Brooks’ arms came around David’s waist. “You’re probably right. Will Jax freak out about it? I mean, he’s kind of weird about males having babies.”

  “He’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

  “I’ve got chicken cooking.” Brooks opened the oven and peeked under the aluminum foil. “Should be ready in about half an hour.”

  “That reminds me,” David said, forcing the possibility that Jax could have fathered the child inside his mate to the farthest corner of his mind. He didn’t like the idea. At all. And the vehemence he felt on the subject alarmed him. The moment he’d scented pregnancy on Brooks he’d felt a powerful, protective ownership that outweighed anything he’d felt before.

  “How’s the chicken house coming along?” He hoped he sounded casual.

  “It’s almost finished.”

  Kane strode into the room and to the sink to wash his hands. “What’s almost finished?”

  “The chicken house.”

  Kane dried his hands on a towel and turned to them. “As of a few minutes ago, it’s officially finished. I got the last board nailed in place. All we have to do is paint it.”

  “I can do that tomorrow.”

  “I’ll help,” Brooks said.

  “No, you’ll rest.” He smiled proudly at Kane. “We’re expecting.”

  Kane smiled back. “Well, congratulations! Looks like Briar and I are the only ones not popping out pups.”

  “You guys and Sid,” David reminded the other alpha.

  “I don’t need to rest,” Brooks protested.

  “I say that you do.” David pulled Brooks against him. “Humor me,” he said against the beta’s cheek.

  Josiah and Briar entered the room and caught the tail end of the conversation. They broke out in excited babble.

  “Before we know it, this pack is going to be huge!” Briar said.

  Josiah hugged both Brooks and David, and a low growl brought all their heads around to see the pack alpha standing in the entryway.

  “Cut it out,” Josiah said, moving away from David. “I was congratulating him on Brooks being pregnant.”

  River’s face lit up, and he strode over to David and lifted his friend into the air, giving the expectant father a giant hug.

  “Put me down!” David said, laughing.

  “Welcome to the club!” River kissed David heartily on the cheek before setting the other alpha back on his feet.

  “Ew, stop.” David made a show of wiping off the kiss.

  Suddenly, the room filled with pack members, all congratulating and patting both David and Brooks on their backs.

  “You’re going to have to stop dancing,” Briar said. “The humans won’t know what to think about a baby bump.”

  “Oh, I guess you’re right,” Brooks said. “But I’ve got some time before I start to show.”

  Jax’s sharp voice cut through the revelry. “Was anyone planning on letting me in on the news, or don’t I matter?”

  David turned to meet the accusing eyes of his lover. “I only just figured it out.”

  “I find it hard to believe you didn’t notice when the three of us were in there fucking each other.”

  River cleared his throat and waved the others out of the room, exiting behind them.

  “It probably just happened.” Brooks put a hand on Jax’s arm. “We were going to come get you.”

  “Right. After you told absolutely everyone else in the pack.” Jax stepped away. “It’s pretty apparent how much I matter in this threesome.”

  Brooks looked broken.

  Anger turned David’s stomach. “If you don’t matter as much, it’s by your choice. You remain apart from us because you refuse to change.”

  “What does being a werewolf have to do with it?” Jax’s voice rose. “Everything about being a werewolf makes no fucking sense—why would I want to be a part of that? It’s all about who bows down to whom with you wolves, and I don’t see how that fucking matters!”

  David knew the whole pack had to be listening. Even if they’d gone outside, they’d be able to hear. He hated airing his dirty laundry this way, but on the other hand, he was fucking angry and sick of Jax’s attitude. At the same time, Brooks’ pregnancy made David extremely aware of his mate, and he didn’t want Brooks upset.

  David lowered his voice. “You’re pushing this all out of proportion.”

  This time when Brooks touched Jax, the human didn’t pull away. “We weren’t trying to exclude you.” He gently stroked Jax’s arm. “David didn’t know I was pregnant until he walked in here and got a good whiff of me. Then Kane came in, and then Josiah and Briar…everyone heard, and it just spiraled out of control. I’m sorry.”

  Jax seemed to soften a little, and when Brooks stepped closer, Jax pulled Brooks into his arms. “Sometimes…sometimes I’m just so fucking jealous of this mating thing you
have,” he murmured into Brooks’ hair.

  David resisted the urge to pull Brooks out of Jax’s arms. He ran his hand over his face. “If you would just…”

  “Don’t say it,” Jax said. “I don’t want to argue anymore. He looked down at Brooks. “So, you’re going to have a baby. That’s wonderful. Wonder whose it is?”

  David stiffened. “What do you mean? It’s mine.”

  “How can you know that?”

  “I know because I’m his alpha.”

  “But…”

  “I said it’s mine, Jax. I’m going for a walk.” David strode out of the room. Judging by the silent house, it seemed as if everyone had gone outside. He looked out the window and spotted River out by the stables saddling Smoke.

  “River!” David hurried across the yard. River waited for David while he saddled the dappled mare, and the two rode away from the farm. When they’d gone a fair distance, they slowed the horses down.

  “Jax seemed pretty upset,” River observed.

  “Yeah. Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you think Jax could have sired this pup? I mean, Josiah’s parents…”

  “Were human and wolf,” River finished. “So, yeah. I guess it could be Jax’s. I suppose you’ll have to wait and see. That is, if you ever figure it out.” River scrutinized David’s face as the horses walked side-by-side. “Does it matter?”

  “A little,” David admitted. “I don’t know. This changes things. I don’t want it to, but I can already feel that it does.”

  River stopped his horse and dismounted, and the two men led the animals to the creek for a drink before sitting down beneath an oak. “I know something’s been up with you for a while,” River surprised David by saying. “I’ve been hoping you’d confide in me about it.”

  When David didn’t say anything, River continued. “At first I thought it was the whole thing with Jax refusing to take the bite, but there’s more to it, isn’t there?”

  David’s stomach tightened. “I can’t, River. I’m sorry.”

  River looked out over the creek, profile noble and strong. River was like a brother to him, but David couldn’t bear the look River would give him if he admitted to submitting. Not only submitting, but desiring to submit.