Chapter 8​
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Theo had pulled his knees up and had folded his arms atop them. Ari was sitting next to him on the pier, dangling her legs off the end. Seagulls were wheeling overhead, making harsh noises as they fought over a dead fish that had floated to the top of the water. “So tell me what you like in a girl,” Ari said, lifting her face to the breeze. It played with her hair, and he found himself staring at her profile. “Let’s start with the physical. What’s your type, looks-wise?”

He cleared his throat, not wanting to answer but unable to stop himself. “Blondes. I like blondes,” he said, thinking of her wolf form from last night.

“Ah, that’s specific. What else? Do you have a preference in eye color? Or height? What about boobs? Big or small?”

“Erm…I don’t care what color her eyes are,” he said, because he couldn’t very well say hazel-green lest she figure out that he was talking about someone specific. “But I don’t like tall girls. I’m not that tall myself. I don’t want to have to look up to her.”

She chuckled. “I can understand that. So what size breasts do you like?”

His eyes were riveted on her chest, on the small swellings that he could see under the cotton of the t-shirt she was wearing. “Small is good,” he remarked hoarsely, watching her breath lift those swellings rhythmically.

“Not a breast guy, huh? So what do you like? Legs, ass?”

He surprised both her and himself by replying: “Hands.”

She blinked and turned her head to glance at him. “Hands?” she repeated.

He nodded. “Mum’s a pianist,” he said. “And maybe it’s weird that I find girls with hands like hers attractive, but I do. Her hands were so graceful when she would play. It was really pretty,” he looked down, feeling embarrassed to admit such a thing to her.

She patted his arm, making him jump. “Why, Theo, I think that’s sweet,” she said to him. “I don’t think it’s weird at all. As long as you don’t lust after you own mom, that is…”

He shook his head vigorously. She grinned at him. “That’s fine, then. I’ll just have to look for a girl with pretty hands for you.”

He glanced down at the hand on his sleeve, the small appendage with the long, slender fingers. “Yeah,” he said glumly, “Sure.”
 

 
*****


Benedict was enjoying the taste of the lobster he was eating. It practically melted in his mouth, and the subtle flavors mingled with the butter to make his taste buds tingle. He made a low sound of appreciation, and heard a chuckle from across the table. He looked up into Kane’s amused eyes, and deliberately licked at his lips. The hazel eyes instantly darkened with a ravening hunger that made his gut twist and his cock twitch in his trousers. Another kind of hunger rose up in him, and he gulped heavily as their eyes continued to meet over the tabletop.
This teasing Kane had been a bad idea, Benedict thought to himself rather wildly. Because not only was he playing with fire, he was also teasing himself as well. And he didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to hold out before he submitted to the Alpha’s desires and became Kane’s mate. Worse - he wasn’t very good at teasing the Alpha anyway. He remembered Kane’s anger earlier on the bridge because he’d poked Kane about Danny. That had been cruel of him to do, he knew that…if he couldn’t tease Kane properly, and had to resort to being mean for no reason…then he shouldn’t even be attempting to push Kane’s buttons. He sighed softly, acknowledging defeat. Not at Kane’s hands, but at his own…

“Are you all right, Ben?” he heard Kane ask in concern.

He realized that he’d dropped his eyes to the tabletop while he’d been thinking. He lifted them again to see Kane staring at him, and the Alpha’s face was worried. He cleared his throat. “Yes, I’m fine. But I have something to tell you, Kane,” he began.

His tone of voice made the Alpha look even more anxious. “What is it?” his voice was tight, as though he expected some terrible news and were bracing himself for the blow.

Benedict spread his hands out in front of him on the table. “I came to a decision about whether or not I wish to be your mate,” he said, and saw Kane’s face freeze up into an expressionless mask. Clearly the Alpha thought that he was going to be rejected. His pain made Benedict’s heart hurt, and he hurried to speak again. “Last night, I came to the realization that there was no way that I could hold out against you,” he said quickly.

Kane’s brows shot up. He looked more hopeful now, as Benedict went on in resignation: “You are far too charming for your own good, Kane. Or for mine, either. And I do…desire you,” he went on in a low voice, making Kane draw in a hissing breath.

“I said what I did about Danny on the Bridge earlier because I wanted to keep you at arm’s length for a little while longer,” he went on manfully, seeing Kane’s lip twitch a little to bare one fang-like incisor, even as his nostrils flared slightly. He didn’t like being reminded about Benedict’s former boyfriend - not that he could blame Kane for that. “But I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry, Kane. It was wrong of me to throw Danny in your face when you’re courting me. Worse, I don’t intend to get back together with Danny anyway, not now,” he sighed looking into the Alpha’s watchful, wary eyes, “I couldn’t. I thought to tease you a little, to keep you on tenterhooks for the next few weeks to get back at you for being so overbearing and pushy. But apparently I’m not very good at it,” he said with a grimace. “And I don’t want to hurt you, Kane. You don’t deserve that. So I’m going to be entirely truthful here - I expect you to continue to court me for the next few weeks while the Gathering is going on, but at the end of that time - I’ll accept you as my mate,” he finished quietly.

Kane’s eyes filled up with as wild light that made his abdomen and groin tighten treacherously. “Ben,” he purred, leaning forward. “You couldn’t have said anything else that would make me more happy.” he reached out and seized Benedict’s hands in his own, his thumbs caressing over his palms in a manner designed to make him feel breathless. He lifted one of them to his mouth and kissed the inside of Benedict’s wrist, forcing a gasp from his lips. Kane’s eyes gleamed, and he licked at the fragile skin tenderly. Benedict shuddered, his whole body aflame.

“I’m not surprised,” the Alpha went on throatily, meeting his eyes, “That you weren’t able to tease me properly, Ben. That’s not the kind of thing that a person like you would be good at. You’re too serious and intense. Now me,” he grinned wickedly, “I’m an expert on teasing,” he kissed one of Benedict’s fingertips as though for emphasis.

“I’ve noticed that,” he husked breathily.

Kane chuckled. “That’s why we’re such a good pair,” he explained, nuzzling his nose over the skin of Benedict’s wrist. “We’re opposites in many ways. But that’s why opposites attract, right? Because they complement each other. They fit together like yin and yang, totally different but still coming together into a harmonious whole. I can’t wait…” he added, his eyes full of that darkness again that made Benedict want to pant and get down on all fours to lift the tail he didn’t have in his human form, “To come together as a harmonious whole with you, Ben,” and he bit very delicately at one of his knuckles, not hard enough to break skin but just hard enough for Benedict to feel the sting.

He groaned in the back of his throat. “You are…an impossible man, Kane,” Benedict managed to say.

Kane smiled. “I know,” he said evilly. “That’s why you should get a medal for agreeing to be my mate, Ben. But I hope…” he licked lightly at one fragile wrist bone, “That you’ll…” he snuffled at Benedict’s palm, his eyes never dropping, “Find that the rewards are worth the work,” he added, finally licking at the pulse point beating wildly under the skin of Benedict’s wrist.

He took in as deep a breath as he could. His voice was hoarse as he replied: “I’m sure that I will.”
 
 
******



Theodore had had enough. He stood with his arms stubbornly crossed over his chest, glowering at the tiny woman standing beside him. Ari had urged him to come to the hotel’s lounge so that they could look over the eligible females from the various clans who were gathered there, talking and laughing and drinking. He felt a growl rise up in the back of his throat, a sound of frustration and fury. He didn’t want her to ‘set him up’ with anyone else! He was not an object to be given away to the first likely-looking girl. He might be a submissive, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t have a say in his own life and future. He’d never been able to convey his feelings to his family, but with Ari he’d always felt that he could tell her anything. SHE’D never looked down on him or treated him like her were a misbehaving child. Which made her cluelessness about his feelings in this instance even harder to take.

“What do you think of her, Theo?” he heard Ari whisper, even as she nudged his elbow with her own. She nodded toward a pretty blonde sitting at a table not far away, chatting with her girlfriends.

He glowered at the blonde in question. “She’s fat,” he snarled sulkily.

She knocked her elbow sharply into his side, making him grunt. “She is not! Theo, that’s not nice!” she chided him, making him feel like a guilty little boy.

He growled in the back of his throat. “I don’t want to do this anymore,” he said, and stalked away out of the lounge without looking back.

“Theo!” he heard her call, and while he wanted to keep walking away, he found himself unable to. He stopped and turned toward her, his face set in a petulant expression.

Ari stopped and looked up into his face, her eyes concerned. “What’s the matter, Theo?” she asked him softly. “Why are you so angry?”

He was startled that she’d realized that he was angry, not sulky. His hands fisted at his sides. “I can’t…” he began, his mouth tightening. “I don’t want to find a girl at the Gathering,” he said, looking away.

She touched his arm, making him jump a little. “If that’s how you really feel, I won’t make you look for a mate, Theo,” Ari said gently. “I just thought you might be happier if you had someone who understood you.”

‘I already do,’ he thought, looking down at her helplessly. But he couldn’t say the words; they got stuck in his throat. What would a girl like her see in a bloke like him? She deserved someone better than him; he knew that. So all he said aloud was: “I’m fine as I am.”

Her eyes studied his face intently, and once again he felt as though she could see into his very soul. “If that’s how you really feel, then we won’t look for any more girls for you,” Ari said decidedly.

He nodded. “That’s how I feel,” he said, tamping down his misery deep inside of himself so that none of it showed in his face or voice.

She nodded. “Okay. We could just hang out together for the rest of the Gathering. What do you say, Theo?”

While he was unutterably glad that she still wanted to be with him even though she wasn’t going to be playing matchmaker for him anymore, he was also not looking forward to the next fortnight of having to be with her and pretending that he only wished to be her friend. “I’d like that,” he replied aloud, not letting any of his inner turmoil show.

She smiled, and the sight of it nearly brought him to his knees. For that smile, he would have crawled across a mile of broken glass and then let people smear salt into his open wounds. He wanted to whimper as Ari commented: “Let’s go. I’ll show you all of my favorite places in the city. Come on, Theo,” she grabbed his arm and tugged at his sleeve, and he allowed himself to be drawn out of the hotel without any sort of protest.
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A bit later, he sat across from her at a small table at her favorite coffee shop. It was a Bohemian place, and from the number of people who’d greeted her Ari was well known there. Theodore had had to force himself not to snarl at the males who came up to Ari and said hello, some of them even touching her! One had even hugged her enthusiastically, and he might have gone for the bastard if he hadn’t realized that the male in question was a homosexual. He was actually glad that they were surrounded by people here, though. Otherwise Ari might have been able to smell his anger and jealousy. As it was, with so many smells mingling in the air, it would be impossible for even her sharp nose to pick out his emotions from the crowd’s.

“What’s your pleasure, Theo?” Ari asked him. When he just stared at her, a startled look in his face, she grinned. “Do you want a cappuccino, a latte, a regular coffee? What?”

“Oh,” he felt like a right idiot. “A regular black coffee. I don’t like the fancy stuff.”

She giggled, making his stomach and chest tighten. “Why am I not surprised?” she said merrily. “I’ll be right back.”

He watched her walk away to get their order, his eyes wistful. This was SO par for the course where his miserable life was concerned! He’d finally found a girl who understood him, and she turned out to be both too good for him and quite oblivious to his feelings for her. The Gods just liked to kick Theodore Cavanaugh around for their own amusement. He should be used to it by now, but he just wasn’t.


*****



 Benedict walked beside Kane into the lobby of the hotel. They’d spent the afternoon on the tour of the city, and he’d thoroughly enjoyed himself. The Alpha was very good company, intelligent and funny and energetic. He was pleased that he could actually have a decent conversation with the man whose mate he’d most likely end up being, since sexual attraction and compatibility were simply not enough for any kind of real relationship. Now he was laughing at something that Kane had said, shaking his head as the Alpha grinned whitely at him.

But he stopped laughing when he spotted his brother slumped in a chair across the lobby, his head bowed and his whole body language screaming misery and depression. Benedict felt a spurt of concern run through him. “Kane,” he said, reaching out to touch the Alpha’s sleeve.

“Yeah, Ben?”

“Could we meet later at the Gathering tonight? I really have to speak to my brother about something,” Benedict said, looking into his eyes.

Kane studied his face, then nodded. “Of course. I’ll see you later,” he lightly bussed Benedict on the mouth, then smiled and strolled away.

 Benedict felt relief that Kane understood him so well already. He turned and walked over to where Theo was sitting, waiting until he was standing right next to the chair before speaking softly. “Theo?”

Theo looked up, his eyes haunted and full of misery. “What do you want, Benny?” he asked, his usual malice half-hearted and desultory.

“I want to talk to you,” Benedict told him. “Why don’t you come up to my room with me?”

Theo’s lip curled into a familiar sneer, but again this seemed more a habit than anything else. “Why would I want to talk to you, Benny?” he rasped in disdain.

“Because it looks like you need SOMEONE to talk to; and since I’m the only one around you’ll just have to put up with me,” Benedict replied calmly.

Theo scowled at him, but then shrugged and looked away. “Whatever,” he said indifferently.

“Come up to my room,” Benedict repeated, and after a moment his brother rose to his feet and went with him toward the lifts. Neither said anything to each other and they entered a lift and rode it to the right floor, and they were still silent as Benedict keyed open the door of his room and they walked inside. He finally spoke when he’d closed the door behind them, looking at his brother. “Tell me what’s wrong, Theo,” he said simply.

Theo turned toward the balcony, giving his back to Benedict. He said nothing for a moment, then he said: “Nothing’s wrong, Benny. There’s never anything wrong, is there?”

Benedict sighed at his brother’s usual obstructionism. “Theo,” he began, but his brother whirled around before he could get any further.

“Do you want to hear something, Benny?” he demanded.

“What?” he asked warily, still watching Theo’s face carefully.

“I know now why I spend all of my time being a prat around you and Dad,” Theo went on, surprising him so much that he only blinked instead of replying right away.

“Err…you do?” he said tentatively after a moment.

Theo nodded jerkily. “Ari told me that it’s because you’re both pretty dominant, and because I’m a submissive you never paid much attention to me when I was a kid,” he began. “So later on, I acted out to MAKE you both pay attention to me, because I figured that any attention was better than none at all. And I was jealous because Dad always gave you more attention than he did me, because you were dominant enough to demand it when I wasn’t. She said that most dominants, unless they’re Alphas, don’t know how to treat a submissive like me. That you didn’t mean to ignore me, really…”

Benedict stared at his sibling as though Theo had grown a second head. Ignore him? Surely they hadn’t…but, unfortunately for him, his brain did not conveniently forget things that he didn’t like to think about. As a cub, Theo had always trailed around after him. He could remember with a jolt being unkind to his brother often, to try to dislodge that persistent tick. Theo had taken all of his often ugly words with bowed head and lifted shoulders, silently refusing to fight back. It had made him angry quite often, actually. Had made him want to hit out at his brother, to MAKE him fight back. But of course, that was what a fellow dominant would have done. If Theo was a submissive, he would not aggressively push himself into someone’s face no matter what. And he didn’t even do that now, choosing a more passive-aggressive form of acting out to snarling and picking fights.

“I see,” he began slowly. “And Kane’s niece told you this?” Theo nodded. “Did it make sense to you, Theo?”

“Yeah,” he replied softly. “All I wanted…was for you to pay attention to me, Benny. You’re my big brother, and I…love you.”

 He felt a lump rising in his throat. “I’m so sorry, Theo,” he husked. “That I never saw. Truly sorry. Neither Dad nor I ever intended to shut you out…”

Theo lifted a hand to wipe surreptitiously at his eyes. “I know that,” he husked. “But that’s what made it hurt even more. Especially since I didn’t get why I acted the way I did, why I couldn’t be more like you and Dad…”

“Of course you couldn’t,” Benedict said. “A submissive can’t be like a dominant. Not really. Nor should they be required to act like one. There is a place in every clan for submissives, just as there is a place for dominants. You’re just as necessary a part as I am, Theo. And from now on, I promise that I’ll try to treat you better. That I won’t expect you to act like a dominant. Although you’ll understand if I DO expect you to act like an adult?” he said half-teasingly.

Theo stared at him, then abruptly laughed. “Yeah, I get it,” he replied.

Benedict shook his head ruefully. “Strange that it took a person outside of our family to see this,” he remarked.

“Forest for the trees and all,” Theo said with a shrug. “Besides, Ari told me that it’s mostly Alphas who can spot a submissive and know how to treat one properly. And she’s a budding Alpha,” he explained.

Something in his voice made Benedict stare at him. “Theo? About this Ari…do you…fancy her?” he asked.

Theo’s shoulders stiffened. “That’s none of your business, Benny,” he snapped.

“I know it isn’t, but…the way you talk about her, I just got a feeling,” Benedict began.

Theo’s lips tightened. “It doesn’t matter,” he said wearily.

“Why not?”

“Because a girl like her won’t ever fancy a bloke like me,” Theo replied. “And why should she? She can do much better.”

The pain in his voice made Benedict’s gut tighten. “Theo, I don’t believe that’s true,” he said gently. “I mean, you can be a real pain-in-the-arse, I’ll admit - but you had good reason to be, at least toward me and Dad. And yes, your technique with girls leaves something to be desired…”

Theo barked a harsh laugh. “That’s an understatement,” he remarked. “Don’t try to make me feel better, Benny, it won’t work. Ari’s already tried to set me up with a bunch of other girls from the clans. She’s not interested in me, she just wants to play matchmaker for me.”

“Oh, I see,” Benedict said. “Still, what would it hurt for you to tell her how you feel? The worst that could happen is she let’s you down gently. And would you be any worse off than you are now? At least you’d know whether she could be interested in you or not. I think that I’d rather know, personally. But it’s up to you. I know it’s harder for you as a submissive, Theo, but you could do it if you really want to. It’s up to you.”

Theo bowed his head a little in thought, hugging himself with his arms. “A part of me doesn’t want to know,” he whispered. “Because if she says that she just ’wants to be friends’, it’ll hurt like hell. Better to avoid that, yeah? But my wolf says different. He wants me to show her my belly. I dunno, Benny. She’s the only girl who’s ever understood me. Who took the time to really see me for me. Maybe just being friends with her would be good. Because I’d get to see her whenever we came over to see you, right? When you become that Alpha’s mate? Maybe that’d be enough.”

Benedict sighed. “Would it? Would it really, Theo? Could you stand just seeing her twice a year, and watching her go to someone else? To mate and have cubs with another wolf? Are you telling me that you could stand by and watch that happen? Because I don’t believe that.”

Theo’s lips had lifted off his teeth at Benedict’s words, and anger flashed in his eyes. Benedict nodded. “See? Even thinking about it makes you angry. You have to talk to her, Theo. Tonight at the Gathering. Tell her how you feel. Find out how she feels about YOU. I know that you’re a submissive, but that isn’t an excuse for you not to do anything now. This is important, Theo. Your whole future depends on this. It wasn’t easy for me to accept Kane as my future mate, but something tells me that it’s the best decision that I’ve ever made.” he said soberly.

Theo snorted. “Are you trying to tell me to keep this all in the family, Benny?” he asked with only a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

Benedict found himself chuckling. “I suppose that I am,” he agreed. “How very odd. But perhaps it’s not so very strange after all. The Alphas in Kane’s family are pretty much irresistible,” he remarked dryly.

Theo laughed too. “Yeah, they definitely are,” he agreed. “You’re right, Benny, as usual. I’ll talk to her tonight,” he said, nervously rubbing his hand over the side of his face. “Although I’ll probably regret it.”

“I think that you’d regret it even more if you didn’t, though,” Benedict told him.

“Truth. So you’re going to be that wanker’s mate after all?” Theo asked him.

He nodded in resignation. “I can’t help myself,” he said in self-deprecation. “Kane is too persistent and attractive. I’m sure that I’ll fall for him pretty soon, if I haven’t already. I accept the inevitable.”

Theo shook his head. “My brother being run in circles by somebody? Never thought I’d live to see the day,” he remarked ironically. “Still, maybe that’s why he’s the best mate for you, Benny. He won’t let you be too serious or pompous. This should be fun to watch.”

Benedict made a face at him. “Taking pleasure in your brother’s downfall is not nice, Theo,” he chided.

Theo chuckled. “And who ever said that I was nice, Benny?” he pointed out equitably.


*****



Benedict glanced over at the van disgorging his brother. He’d ridden with Kane to the second night of the Gathering, which was nice. Riding in Kane’s big, comfortable Mercedes rather than being crowded in with the other members of his clan in that van…he wasn’t going to complain. He saw that Theodore was looking around, and hoped that was a sign that his brother meant to stick to his guns and talk to Ari tonight about how he felt about her. He crossed his fingers symbolically as Kane appeared by his side and put his arm around Benedict’s waist. “What are you doing?” the Alpha asked him curiously.

“Oh, nothing,” he replied hurriedly. He didn’t want Kane to know what was going on yet; the Alpha didn’t like his brother, and might not approve of him as a future mate for his niece.

Kane cocked his head. “Should I think that you’re up to something?” he asked, which made Benedict wince and wish that Kane wasn’t so sharp-eyed.

“Yes, I’m colluding with my brother to get Theo set up with a woman,” Benedict said dryly.

Kane laughed. “Sure you are,” he said sardonically. “So what are you really up to?”

Benedict blew out a relieved breath at having diverted Kane’s attention by telling the truth. “Nothing really. I was just making sure that Theo is behaving himself.”

“Ah. Come on, then; let’s get the party started,” Kane remarked, guiding him away. Benedict relaxed and went willingly, glad that the Alpha hadn’t seen through him this time. He had the sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t often be able to pull the wool over Kane’s eyes. Not that he’d really want to, most of the time…
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Theo stood looking around, trying to see if he could spot Ari in the crowd of wolves streaming into the field. There were even more people here tonight, because several other clans had arrived during the day. Frustrated, he was just going to give up and try later, when a hand touched his arm. He almost jumped out of his skin, whirling around to see Ari standing behind him. “Hey, Theo,” she said with a smile.

“Hey. I’ve been looking for you,” he said.

She grinned. “It was way easier for me to find you,” she pointed out, “since you’re taller than I am.”

“Yeah,” he agreed nervously. “Umm…Ari? Could we…talk?”

She tilted her head. “About what?” she asked.

He glanced around rather wildly at all of the people surrounding them. Seeing his gesture, Ari said: “I can see that it’s something that you don’t want an audience for, so let’s go,” she took a hold of his sleeve and guided him out of the crowd of people moving past them into the field, and over to a spot at the end of the row of parked vans where there was nobody around. She turned to look at him curiously. “So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about, Theo?” she asked him.

He gulped. His hands felt sweaty and his heart was racing. He just wasn’t up to this! He wasn’t a confident dominant like his brother Benedict. He wanted to run away with his figurative tail between his legs, but he couldn’t seem to move, either. Ari just stood there and waited patiently for him to speak. Under that direct gaze, he finally had to blurt something out. “I…I didn’t want you to set me up with any girls because…because…I didn’t fancy any of them.” he began, practically stuttering.

Ari’s brows lifted a little. “Yes, I figured that out,” she said. “Is that all that you wanted to tell me, Theo? Or is there more?”

“There’s more,” he said miserably, hunching his shoulders. He was so scared that he wanted to start shaking.

“What is it? Tell me,” her voice was full of a direct command this time, and he couldn’t help but obey it.

“I didn’t fancy any of those girls…because I FANCY YOU!” he blurted out, then just stood there feeling appalled and scared and a little crazed. He’d said it! He’d actually said it!

Ari’s mouth opened a little. “You like me,” she clarified after a moment. He nodded, feeling even more miserable. She just sounded so cool, so unaffected…

“Are you sure that you like me, Theo? Or is it just because I’m an Alpha female?” Ari questioned him, making him give her a rather wild-eyed look.

“What’s that got to do with it?” he demanded in bewilderment.

Her shoulders lifted. “You could just be drawn to me because you’re a submissive and I’m an Alpha,” she clarified. “And you’re confusing that with liking me.”

“I don’t…” he trailed off, standing there with hunched shoulders. “I don’t know. All I know is that you’re pretty cool, and that you were the first person who understood me, and that you have the best laugh I’ve ever heard. I think I’d do anything that you told me to, so maybe it IS just the Alpha thing. I guess you should just forget that I even said anything,” he said, staring at the ground.

“Theo,” her voice was different; it sounded gentler and full of something he couldn’t quite name. “Look at me.”

He lifted his head, unable to stop himself. Her eyes were beginning to glow, and he was in a trance as he stared into them. “It isn’t just the Alpha thing, Theo. Submissives will bend their necks to an Alpha readily, but that’s it. What you said goes far beyond that relationship. You really do like me, don’t you?”

He nodded helplessly. “I think so,” he whispered.

She smiled, and his knees threatened to give way. “That’s lovely, Theo. Because I like you too.”

He gasped. “You DO?!” he nearly shrieked, not believing it.

She nodded. “Yes, I do. But I held back because I wasn’t sure how you were reacting to me, as a submissive or as a man. Since it’s the second thing, I’m happy to admit that I like you.”

“Oh, Christ,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “What do we do now?”

Ari laughed throatily. “I can think of something we could do,” she told him, making him gape at her.

“Wha…?”

Ari shook her head. “This Gathering is all about finding potential mates,” she pointed out merrily. “So let’s see just how much potential that we have, shall we?”

Theo just stood there, too shocked to know what to do. Ari took the initiative, walking toward him. “Come on, Theo,” she purred, making his body react sharply. “Let’s go.”

He was following her, docilely, while his brain checked out. This could NOT be happening! But it was. And Ari looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes full of a light that made him tremble. They melted into the shadows together, to find someplace where they could be alone together…
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*****




Benedict was kind of half-leaning against Kane’s big body, enjoying its warmth. The Alpha had his arm around Benedict’s shoulders, and would occasionally nuzzle his ear with his nose. The Gathering seemed to be going very well tonight. There had been no trouble as of yet, and there were obvious signs that many of the young people were finding potential mates. He wondered idly if Theo had talked to Ari yet, but he didn’t feel like searching out his brother to find out. He’d do that later.

“Mmm, you smell good,” Kane rumbled into his ear, making him gasp a little.

Oh, God, the man was licking the rim of his ear! Benedict shuddered. He sincerely doubted that he’d last much longer with Kane teasing him at every turn. They’d end up rolling around on any available surface soon, acting like the animals that they were.

He started to turn toward Kane, to chide him about his teasing(or kiss him, either one), when a loud, angry voice cut through the sounds of conversation nearby. “Kane!” it yelled, and a furious man emerged from the crowd. He was glaring hotly, not at the Alpha but at a surprised Benedict.
Kane blinked. “Err…Tony,” he began uncertainly.

“So the first chance you get, you ditch me and take up with another wolf,” the angry man said bitterly, jabbing his finger at Benedict.

“Listen, Tony, let me explain,” Kane began hurriedly.

“Skip it! I don’t wanna hear it,” the man snarled. He whirled on Benedict. “I challenge you,” he grated.

Benedict’s mouth fell open. “You challenge me?” he asked in confusion.

The man nodded. “That’s right! I’m not just going to let you scoop Kane up without fighting for him,” he growled, his eyes darkening. “Fight me, right now.”

Benedict hesitated, as Kane tried once again to speak to the enraged man. But the truth is, if he ignored the challenge then he’d be putting himself in a bad position with Kane’s clan. They wouldn’t accept him as Kane’s mate if he ignored a challenge fight; they’d think that he was a coward or that he wasn’t really Kane’s mate because he hadn’t fought for him when a challenger appeared.

“All right,” he said reluctantly, as Kane stared at him in shock. “I’ll fight you.”

“Ben, I’m not sure that you should do that…” Kane began worriedly.

He lifted a hand. “I have to, don’t I? Or does this man have no prior claim over you?”

Kane sighed in frustration. “He does. We’ve been on-and-off lovers for a couple of years, though it was just a casual thing…”

“Clearly he doesn’t think so,” Benedict replied quietly as Tony transferred his hot glare to Kane instead, “And I cannot ignore a valid challenge fight.”

“But what if you lose?” Kane hissed half under his breath. “I can’t take you as my mate if you lose, Ben! Please…”

The desperation in his voice touched Benedict, but he still shook his head. “I have no choice here. You clan will not accept me anyway if I refuse the fight. You know that, Kane.”

“I’ll resign as Alpha. I’ll turn the clan over to Ari,” Kane told him, grabbing his arm. “All I want is to be with you, Ben.”

He touched Kane’s lips. “Hush,” he said gently. “You love being Alpha, and you know it. Don’t worry about me, Kane. I have no intention of losing,” and he turned toward the waiting Tony, his face carefully blank. “Let’s proceed,” he said calmly.

The crowd had formed a large open circle around them. Benedict stood still and stared at his opponent, who was standing tensely not far away. Tony’s eyes were full of anger. He sighed silently to himself. He would rather not have done this if he could have avoided it; but he couldn’t. Not when a challenge had been issued and accepted. It wasn’t that he was a coward; far from it. Actually, he felt bad about fighting a wolf who had a legitimate grievance against Kane. But there was nothing else for it; he had no other choice now.“Shall we begin?” he said aloud.

“Yes,” Tony snarled, and transformed. His wolf form was lean, sleek, and almost midnight black. Benedict changed as well, his wolf form not quite as big as Tony’s and with a medium-brown, slightly curly coat.

They began to circle one another warily, their eyes locked. Both were looking for an opening to attack. Benedict blocked out all awareness of the watching crowd, including Kane’s anxious stare -there was no time for that now. He watched Tony’s dark eyes, waiting to see the slightest shift in them that signaled his intention to attack. Tony’s lips lifted in a silent snarl ,showing his white teeth. Benedict didn’t return this gesture; his mind was cold, clear, and empty of all emotion. He just wanted to get this over with, one way or the other.

There! A movement of the eyeballs, a ripple of something within them - and Tony darted across the space between them with a growl and went for Benedict’s throat. He dodged, back and away, swift and graceful. He coiled on his haunches and launched himself at Tony, not at his throat but at his left shoulder. His fangs barely brushed the other wolf’s coat as Tony whirled away, and then they were circling each other again.

The crowd murmured around them, softly, but Benedict ignored the sound. Tony’s muscles coiled, but this time he didn’t try a direct frontal attack. Instead, he darted forward as though he were going for Benedict’s throat again, but at the last moment turned it into a feint and eeled around him trying to slash his more vulnerable belly with his fangs. Benedict barely managed to jump away from this attack, snapping at the side of Tony’s throat as he went. But his fangs couldn’t get a grip, and they parted once again.

Benedict coolly decided to use Tony’s bristling anger against him. He knew that he had to finish this fight quickly; he was faster, but he judged that Tony had more muscles and stamina than he did. So he began a series of darting attacks, running circles around Tony and snapping at him at every opportunity. The other wolf was forced to turn around swiftly to defend himself, and this irritating behavior was making him more and more angry. His eyes were glowing with rage, and his lips were lifted off of his fangs as he snarled savagely at the flitting Benedict. The angrier he was, the harder it would be for him to think properly and anticipate Benedict’s moves.

He stoked the fire even more by deliberately biting the end of Tony’s tail as it whisked by, making the other wolf yelp and whirl on him furiously. He darted backward, stiff-legged, his own tail in the air like a flag. Taunting Tony, making him see red, making him forget any reason or calculation.

It worked. Tony threw himself at Benedict furiously, intent on bearing him to the ground with sheer weight. Benedict ran, staying just ahead of him…then, suddenly, he whirled and dove in low to the ground.

Tony, utterly taken by surprise, couldn’t dodge or pull back in time to stop Benedict’s fangs from closing over his right foreleg. He tugged, but only succeeded in closing Benedict’s teeth even more tightly. They ground against bone, and he yelped in pain as Benedict bit down harder, menacingly, silently telling Tony that he’d have no problem whatsoever using his strong jaws to shatter the bones in his leg. He growled softly, a demanding sound, as Tony struggled uselessly against his grip. All he had to do was close his jaws a little more, and Tony would be hurting…
The black wolf suddenly stopped struggling and stood there with his head and tail drooping, utterly defeated. He whimpered a little, and Benedict eased up on his grip. Tony threw back his head and howled, signaling his surrender. The crowd went wild, cheering and yelling, the Tall Hills Clan making the most noise as they celebrated their Alpha’s future mate’s victory in the challenge fight.

Benedict released his hold on Tony’s leg altogether and stepped back. He transformed back into his human form, only to be nearly bowled over as Kane’s arms took him in a tight hug. “You did it, Ben!” he crowed wildly, hugging his future mate so enthusiastically that Benedict was having trouble breathing. “My God, you did it! You were amazing!”

He pulled back a little, gasping for air. “Yes, I did it,” he replied severely, “But I wouldn’t have had to if you’d think once in awhile, Kane.”

The Alpha blinked at his stern words. Benedict sighed at his incomprehension. “If you had told the man who’d been your lover for several years that you’d found someone else, then he wouldn’t have shown up at the Gathering tonight angry and looking for revenge. You could have had more consideration for him and his feelings, you know.”

Kane flinched, turning to look at Tony. He’d changed back as well, and was kneeling on the ground holding one arm with the other. It was obvious that Benedict had done some damage to his arm during the fight. Kane went and knelt down next to him. “I’m so sorry, Tony,” he said mournfully. “I just got so caught up in Ben that I didn’t even think about you. But the truth is, you’ve been out of the country for months, and even before that…”

“We weren’t exclusive, I get it,” Tony ground out, not looking at him. “Maybe I never thought that we’d be mates, but to come home and find out that you’d chosen someone for that position without even bothering to tell me…that hurt, Kane. Even if I’d won this fight, I wouldn’t have wanted you back. I was simply being spiteful and trying to ensure that you didn’t get to be with the guy you chose over me.”

His confession made Kane sigh. He reached out to gently touch Tony’s shoulder. “I can understand your anger,” he said quietly. “I was totally in the wrong, here. The least you deserved was a phone call, and an explanation of what was going on. My only excuse is that I was so excited about finding Ben that I simply didn’t think…”

“Yes, that’s always been one of your flaws,” Tony replied, sounding less angry and more resigned now. He looked up at Kane at last. “I’m glad for you, Kane, I really am,” he said intensely.
“Finding your mate is a big thing. Maybe that’s why I was jealous, not because I wanted you for myself but because you’ve found something that I don’t have.”

“Not yet,” Kane agreed. “But that doesn’t mean that you never will. And my God - what better place to search for the person who could turn out to be your future mate - than at an event like this?” he added, looking around at the chattering crowds surrounding them. “Maybe you haven’t found the right person yet because they lived somewhere overseas, or even just somewhere across the country. You never know, right?”

Tony’s lips lifted in a wry smile. “Trust you to find the good in anything bad,” he said, shaking his head a little. "Damn it, I’ve always been terrible at staying angry at you. So I forgive you, I guess.”

“Thanks. I’ll try to make this up to you, somehow…”

Tony snorted. “You wouldn’t saying that if he’d lost the fight,” he remarked, nodding at the silently watching Benedict.

“Probably not,” Kane conceded. “In fact, if that had happened I’d probably want to tear your throat out right at this moment. I’d hate to have had to give up being Alpha so that I could still be with Ben…”

“But you would, wouldn’t you?” Tony said, his eyes resting on Benedict’s face thoughtfully. “He really must be something, Kane.”

Kane turned his head and looked over his shoulder, deep into Benedict’s eyes. “Oh, yes,” the Alpha agreed softly. “He really is…”
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Tony had been helped up and led away to where a wolf who happened to be a doctor was standing. The bones in his arm weren’t broken, but he’d probably have some nasty bruises on it for awhile. Everyone was in a party mood, since no one had been severely hurt or killed in the challenge fight. Kane approached Benedict again, tilting his head to the side a little. “Are you mad at me?” he asked contritely.

Benedict sighed. “Perhaps a little, but I’m sure I’ll get over it,” he remarked.

Kane smiled at him. “That’s good. Because if you didn’t, I’d have to pester you until you forgave me.” he said happily.

Benedict rolled his eyes. “You are ridiculous,” he said.

“Hey, guilty as charged,” Kane agreed. “Now…can I give you a victory kiss, pretty please?”

Benedict considered this hopeful request carefully. Kane gave him a pleading look, which didn’t help his resolve to stay mad at the Alpha at all. But the truth was, he still had adrenaline coursing through his veins from the challenge fight, and his senses were still more wolf than human. He could smell Kane’s scent, and it was driving him a little crazy. Well, maybe A LOT crazy! His nostrils flared a bit, and he said in a voice that was almost savage: “Kiss me, Kane. Now.”

His tone made the Alpha suck in a harsh breath, then Kane closed the small space between them and took Benedict’s mouth in a hungry, eating kiss that left them both reeling. Benedict growled into Kane’s mouth and bit at his lower lip, and the Alpha responded by sucking on his tongue in a manner designed to make him crazy with lust.
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Who knew what might have gone on right then and there, surrounded by a huge crowd of wolves, if a voice hadn’t made them break apart? “Hey, Benny!” he heard his brother’s voice cry dimly, and somehow forced himself away from Kane’s tempting mouth with a wrench.

He turned to see Theo and Ariadne standing nearby, holding hands. His brother’s hair was tousled and there was a visible love bite on his neck, a claiming mark for all to see. And he looked blissfully happy, an emotion that Benedict hadn’t seen his younger brother display in a long time - if ever, really. “Sorry to interrupt you two,” Theo remarked dryly, “But what’s this I hear about you getting into a challenge fight? And I missed it!” he added in disgust.

“I’m sorry. I’ll schedule the next one for when you’re around and not busy…” Benedict trailed off, looking at Ariadne. She grinned and winked at him cheerfully.

Theo shrugged. “Eh. Whatever. I’m just glad to hear that you won. Didn’t think that you had it in you.”

“Neither did I, truthfully,” Benedict replied. He looked at their joined hands, and said tactfully: “I see that you and Ariadne are…”

“Together,” the girl said bluntly.

Kane made an incredulous sound. “Seriously, Ari?” he asked in disbelief. “Of all of the wolves you could have hooked up with at this thing, you had to choose HIM?” he gave Theo a dark look, which made the younger wolf look like he wanted to retreat behind Ari’s much smaller form for protection.

She snorted. “Oh, get over it, Uncle Kane. I dig the ‘big, bad Alpha’ protective vibe, but I can take care of myself. As you well know. I like Theo, and he likes me. Your approval isn’t really necessary,” she pointed out calmly.

He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “But…”

Benedict took his hand. “Kane,” he said, pulling the Alpha’s attention away from his niece. “I knew that Theo liked your niece, he told me so earlier today. I told him he should talk to her and tell her how he felt. It obviously worked out alright between them, so who are we to interfere?”

Kane eyed him. “I’m her closest living male relative, and her Alpha,” he growled. “That’s who.”

Benedict found himself smiling. “Of course. But why don’t we let them be? Come with me, Kane,” he tugged at the Alpha’s hand, and something in his gaze made Kane come tamely as Benedict began to lead him away.

“We’ll see you two later,” Benedict said softly to his brother and Ari. “Congratulations, both of you.”

“You, too,” Ari told him with another quick grin.

He nodded, and led the strangely docile Kane away into the crowd. “Where are we going?” Kane said after a moment’s silence.

He glanced over his shoulder at his future mate. “Somewhere where we can be alone,” he replied simply.

Kane’s eyes were full of that gathering golden light again. He was nearly drowning in it, and his body was singing a primitive call as he and Kane melted into the shadows at the edge of the crowd together.





   They moved through the shadows together, his hand in Kane’s. He could feel the Alpha’s eyes on him, and that made him feel even hotter. The darkness wasn’t impeding the night-sighted Kane from gazing at him hungrily, and that smoldering look made Benedict’s stomach twist and his cock twitch in his trousers, seeking escape from its confinement. He panted, his breath huffing from his chest. They arrived at a small clearing, and he turned to return Kane’s look with one of his own. “Here,” he said simply, his voice deepening to a growl. “Now.”

Kane’s lip lifted off his sharp teeth, and his eyes narrowed. The heat in them was drowning him, and Benedict didn’t try to save himself. He gave himself up to it instead, and plastered himself to Kane when the Alpha darted forward and claimed his mouth in a deep, savage, eating kiss. His arms closed over Kane’s broad back and his fingers sank into the material of the shirt he was wearing, holding on for dear life as their tongues dueled together in a fight that both were winning. Kane nipped at his tongue with his fang-like wolf teeth, and Benedict moaned into the kiss and sucked at the Alpha’s tongue in turn. Their bodies rubbed together, the heat between them scorching them both.

Big hands grabbed his arse and squeezed the cheeks savagely. Benedict gasped and spread his legs, letting Kane settle in between them as the kiss just went on and on. He had no breath left in him when Kane finally pulled back, but he simply didn’t care. He panted desperately to fill his lungs as the Alpha’s hot golden gaze ran over his face, then Kane bent his head and buried his face in the side of Benedict’s neck, even as his fingers kneaded and cupped the flesh of his arse in a way designed to make Benedict lose his mind entirely. A tongue rasped and licked at the side of his neck, then teeth gnawed at the tender flesh. Benedict tilted his head back and moaned, his own hands sliding up and down Kane’s back and then worming under the fabric of his shirt to find bare skin.

“My mate,” Kane growled against his skin, before sucking harshly at it to leave a bruise.

“Not yet,” Benedict reminded him hoarsely, rubbing his crotch against Kane’s provocatively.

“Yes,” Kane insisted, nipping at the end of his exposed collarbone lightly. “Just because we haven’t had the bonding ceremony yet…that doesn’t mean anything. You’re mine. My mate.”

Benedict did some arse-grabbing of his own, hearing Kane groan against his neck. “Very well. I’m your mate,” he conceded, trying to sound reluctant(but failing miserably).

Kane made a satisfied sound, then let go of Benedict’s arse so that he could pulled the shirt off over his head and expose his upper body to the cool night air. Hungrily he gazed at all of that white skin, licking at his lips. Benedict’s legs felt like they were trembling under him. They wanted to buckle, but somehow he continued to stand upright. Kane went for the newly exposed skin, running his hands over Benedict’s chest and stomach almost reverently. His mouth found a nipple and latched onto it, sucking. Benedict cried out and grabbed his dark-blonde head, clutching at it. A thigh slid in between his spread legs and began to rub insistently against his crotch, nearly doing him in altogether.

“Kane,” he moaned desperately.

“Yes, call my name,” the Alpha said darkly against his skin, just before he turned his attention to the other nipple and began to worry at it lightly with his teeth.

“Ahh,” Benedict breathed, but he refused to give Kane the satisfaction of turning into a puddle at his touch. Instead, he began to tug at the Alpha’s shirt in turn, determined to see him naked as soon as possible. Kane pulled away briefly, long enough for him to pull the shirt off over his head. Benedict drew in a sharp breath at the muscular torso with its smattering of dark-blonde hairs that appeared, and let his fingers do the walking. Hard and soft at the same time, and hot under his hands. He came to the waistband of the jeans that Kane was wearing, and he went to work with shaking fingers at the fastenings. Kane returned the favor at the same time, both of them desperate to get out of their pants NOW.

Benedict managed to get the jeans unfastened and the zipper pulled down, and Kane pulled back just long enough to worm his way out of them. Benedict pulled his own trousers off, desperate to free his straining cock before it exploded. He sighed in relief when both the trousers and his underwear were pooled at his feet, stepping out of them happily. Kane was a having a bit of a harder time, but soon enough the magnificent animal was standing naked in front of him. Benedict let his eyes roam over all of that lightly tanned skin, which became paler around his crotch in the near-universal gay man’s ‘Speedo tan’. His brown eyes came to rest on the heavy-looking organ rising up from the trimmed cluster of brownish pubic hair, and he found himself licking his lips just like Kane had earlier.

Benedict moved forward and fell to his knees. He looked hotly up at the Alpha, who was now standing very still. His fingers curled around hot hardness and stroked it, feeling the peculiar lack of foreskin. He’d never been with a circumcised guy before. Kane’s breathing became heavy and harsh as Benedict touched him. “Kane,” he growled very softly. “What do you want from me?”

Kane drew in a shuddering breath. “Suck me, Ben,” he said in a low, savage voice.

He smiled, all white teeth in an evil expression. He extended his tongue and lightly skimmed it over the leaking tip. Kane shuddered and harshed out a groan. “You want me to take you in my mouth?” Benedict purred, clarifying the request.

“Yes, yes, God, yes!” Kane’s fingers tangled in his curls and tugged demandingly.

Benedict chuckled and bent his head. He liked making Kane crazy and desperate. The man deserved it. He opened his mouth and engulfed that sweet length, taking it in. He heard a low cry above his head, and felt triumphant. That he had this much power over an Alpha excited him almost unbearably. He tasted the precum on his tongue as he sank down, hollowing his cheeks a little. Kane’s fingers closed in his hair almost hard enough to hurt, but he didn’t care. He concentrated on giving his future mate pleasure, on making Kane jerk and gasp and quake. His tongue snaked the length of the shaft in his mouth, caressing it lovingly.

His fingers found a heavy pair of balls and cupped them. Kane gave forth a guttural sound, but abruptly pushed his head away. Hew lifted it to give Kane a puzzled look. “I was…going to…come…” Kane rasped, his chest heaving. “I want to…come in your ass,” he continued ferociously,, and his eyes were full of that roiling golden hunger that made Benedict shudder.

“I see. Well, then, get on with it,” Benedict rose to his feet lightly, his look challenging and full of an answering hunger.

Kane spun him around and pushed him forward a bit so that he could rest his hands against the bark of a nearby tree. “Bend over,” he husked, and Benedict did so without saying a word. It was commands like those that he would never protest, even though he normally didn’t like to be ordered around. Not even by an Alpha.

Hands ran down his bare back, caressing and stroking the skin. Then a mouth swooped in to kiss it’s way down his spine, and Benedict gasped a little and braced himself. “You taste so sweet,” Kane growled against his skin.

Hands found his hips and then his arse, sliding over the cheeks and massaging the skin. Fingers spread him open wide, and Benedict shivered helplessly and widened his stance to give Kane more access to him. “Beautiful,” the Alpha murmured. “So beautiful, Ben. All of you.”

Before he could reply(not that he could have, anyway), something warm and wet oozed over his left buttock and sank into the crack of his arse. Benedict cried out, completely lost, as Kane’s tongue licked a loving trail down over the tender skin and lapped ever so sweetly over the twitching ring between the cheeks. His fingers dug into the bark as Kane knelt behind him and began to eat him out in earnest, taking his time and driving Benedict mad. “Ohh, God,” he panted, his hips swayed a little.

Kane’s fingers kneaded his arse even as he stuck his tongue as deep into Benedict’s body as he could get it. Benedict wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to stand this. He was threatening to ooze down into a puddle at the base of the tree at any moment. “Kane…damn you, shag me!” he cried loudly.

Kane bit at his right buttock lightly. “Shag you?” he mused, sliding two spit-slicked fingers inside of Benedict to probe at him. “I like that. Shall I ‘shag you’, Ben? Shag you right into the ground?”

“Yes!!” he nearly screamed. “Do it NOW!”

“Ooh, I love it when you give me orders,” Kane said, jumping to his feet.

He started to say something else, but just then Kane grabbed his hips and sank his cock into Benedict in a single long push. He cried out, his body tensing up, at the combined pleasure and pain. Kane stood still, his hands caressing Benedict’s hips tenderly. “You feel so damn good,” The Alpha growled, “I could stay inside of you forever.”

Benedict took long, panting breaths as he waited for his body to conform to the hard length of flesh thrust deep inside of him. Kane swooped down and began to pepper his spine with a series of kisses. “Tell me when, my mate,” he said against Benedict’s skin.

Benedict took in a shuddering breath. “Move now, or I’ll kill you,” he snarled.

Dark laughter. Then he got what he wanted, as Kane pulled back and shoved in again harshly. Benedict cried out, his head going back. Hard, demanding strokes began, driving him wild. He pushed back to meet each one, his body aflame. Teeth sank into the back of his neck, making his body convulse. Kane was pummeling him now, the big body driving into his like a jackhammer. Benedict was going blind and deaf, losing himself. A series of animal noises poured out of his throat, gasping noises because he didn’t have much breath lest in his body at this point.

Lightning raced down his nerves as Kane’s cock struck his prostate over and over again, and then he was completely gone as a big hand left his hip and grabbed a hold of his cock instead. Fingers stroked him, and he howled a full-throated howl of insane pleasure as he bucked and began to come. The fingers milked him until he was done, only a few drops dribbling out of the slit. He was barely aware of the cock inside of him still moving, but he did distantly feel Kane stiffen behind him and Kane’s own howl as the Alpha succumbed to his orgasm at last.

Benedict collapsed forward, unable to hold himself up anymore. Kane’s large hands caught and held him, and drew him back against the big, sweaty body. “My mate,” Kane growled in satisfaction, nuzzling at the side of Benedict’s neck with his nose. His hands slid idly down Benedict’s chest and abdomen, a possessive movement.

Benedict sighed, resting his head against Kane’s shoulder. “Yes,” he remarked hoarsely when he could finally speak again. “Your mate, Kane. Just as you are mine.”

“That’s right,” Kane replied as he nipped at Benedict’s earlobe tenderly. “Always, Ben, always.”


*****



Benedict looked down on the naked man sprawled in his hotel bed, meeting the hungry golden gaze as he rode Kane as though he were a prize steed. He smiled slightly, wolfishly, as he jinked his hips and tightened his muscles to make the Alpha groan. “You’re gonna kill me, Ben,” Kane growled.
 
“Oh? But what a way to die, Kane,” he purred, leaning down to capture the Alpha’s lips in a deep, sensual kiss as he rubbed his whole body all along Kane’s.

The Alpha sucked at his tongue, and ran his big hands down Benedict’s back to grab his arse. He kneaded and rubbed the cheeks, making them both moan almost in tandem. Heat was rising up between them, and he nipped at Kane’s lower lip as their mouths finally disengaged. “I’ve got to say,” Benedict gasped as he moved his hips, “That I’m…really…enjoying this Gathering so far, Kane.”

The Alpha chuckled, squeezing his buttocks. “Me, too, Ben,” he agreed throatily. “Me, too.”

Benedict might have said something else, but just then he began to come without even touching himself. He cried out and arched his back, shuddering. He heard Kane growl in appreciation, and fingertips pinched at his nipples to help the vast feelings of pleasure along. He twitched and shook, and relished the sounds that Kane made as he was driven over the edge by the feel of Benedict coming around and above him.

They both stilled, panting, the sound of their breathing loud in the quiet hotel room. Benedict draped himself over Kane’s big body, enjoying the feel of skin-on-skin. After a moment, Benedict put his mouth close to the Alpha’s ears and whispered: “I’ll bet my brother is doing this with your niece right now.”

Kane’s dark, angry growl made him grin. His arse was slapped briskly as Kane glared up at him. “Don’t remind me, Ben.”

He sat back on his heels, smirking. “But you have to get used to the idea, Kane. I can tell that Theo is far gone over Ari. And she seems to fancy him too, so whether you like it or not you’ll have to accept it. One day you might be great-uncle to a cub that’s been sired by my brother.”

Kane grimaced. “I’ll deal with that day if it ever comes,” he replied. “But for now, I’m not going to be happy about it. Sorry, Ben. I love you, but your brother I could do without.”

He smiled. “You’ll see, Kane. Theo will grow on you…just like a fungus,” he teased.
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******



The Gathering was in full swing, and by now(it’s fifth day) many of the young people had paired up and a few had even started talking about the mating bond ceremony. One of those couples was the Alpha of the Tall Hills Clan and his soon-to-be mate Benedict. Kane was impatient to claim his mate for all to see, and so the Clan Elders had scheduled a ceremony for them right after the Gathering came to an end. The English Alpha would be staying for the ceremony, where she would formally hand over her clan member to his new mate, since he would now be of the Tall Hills Clan.

Kane was standing near the edge of the informal dance floor, holding Benedict in his arms. The Alpha’s chin was resting on his soon-to-be mate’s shoulder, and he occasionally kissed the side of Benedict’s neck in a lazy way. They were watching the younger wolves gyrate on the grass, moving just for the love of it and of their own bodies. “I think that this is going to be a really successful thing,” Kane remarked after awhile, sounding satisfied.

Benedict nodded. “It was a wonderful idea, Kane,” he acknowledged, reaching up to pat the Alpha’s face in a ’good boy’ gesture. Kane growled humorously at this, making Benedict grin cheekily.

Kane nuzzled the back of his neck, distracting him from his teasing. “Oh, look,” Benedict said, as his eyes landed on something near the ‘dance floor’.

Kane looked up from his nuzzling, his eyes alighting on two men standing together watching the dancing just like they were. His eyes widened a little when he saw that one of the men was his former lover Tony, and that the men were holding hands… “That’s great,” the Alpha breathed in pleasure. “I hope that works out for him. Tony’s a good guy. He deserves somebody special.”

“Yes, after being with you he definitely does,” Benedict murmured sardonically.

He yelped as Kane retaliated by pinching his arse. “That’s not nice, Ben,” he said sternly. “I’m afraid you need to be punished.”

Benedict turned to look at him. He wound his arms around Kane’s neck and pressed his body to the Alpha’s. “That’s right,” he agreed throatily, “I’ve been a bad boy…”

Kane sucked in a harsh breath. “I think we need to go inspect the bushes, Ben,” he growled.

Benedict’s smile was lazy and sensual. “Yes, let’s go do that,” he agreed.
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Benedict glanced sideways at his brother. Theo was taking up a chair in the hotel’s lobby, stretching out his legs in front of him as he waited for Ari to appear. “I called Dad,” Benedict said after a moment.

“Did you? What did he say when you told him that you’re going to be mated?”

“He was very pleased for both of us. He said that Mum’s getting better gradually, and that she might be out of hospital before the Gathering comes to an end. She might even be strong enough to fly over for the mating ceremony, since it’s not going to take place for almost a month afterward. She’s determined to get better and come to my ‘wedding’,” Benedict told his brother. “But I warn you - if she can’t make it, she’ll start pestering you to marry Ariadne sooner rather than later.”
 
Theo shrugged. “Don’t matter,” he said “Ari’s a match for anybody, even Mum. And she’s not going to want to get married right away. She’s only in her early twenties, after all. She still hasn’t finished university yet. So your mating ceremony will have to do for now.”

Benedict studied his face. “It doesn’t bother you? To have to wait for her to be ready?” he asked softly.

Theo smiled slightly. “Nah. I know that she likes me, Benny. That’s enough for now. More than I ever expected to get, that’s for sure. I’ll wait - and in the meantime, I’ll find something to do with myself that doesn’t involve holding up a bar or getting into brawls out of boredom and a need to get attention.”

Benedict shook his head admiringly. “You really have changed a good deal these last few days, Theo,” he remarked.

Theo grinned. “We both have,” he pointed out, nudging his brother with the toe of his boot, “Haven’t we? Here you are, getting a mate and moving to America. Bet you never imagined that it’d turn out like this when you came as my chaperone, eh?”

“Truer words were never spoken,” Benedict commented dryly. “Ah, here’s Ari. I’ll leave you now - Kane’s going to take me on another tour of the city today.”

Theo snorted genially as he rose to his feet. “Is that what they’re calling it now?”

Benefit made a face at him as Ari strolled up to them both. “Hi, Ben. Theo, are you ready to go?”

“Lead on, fair maiden,” Theo said, managing to actually sound rather gallant instead of sleazy.

She chuckled. “Come then, brave knight. Let us off to slay the dragon. Oh, and speaking of dragons, could you tell my uncle that Mom says that she’s mad at him for not calling her and telling her about you?” she added to Benedict.

He rolled his eyes. “Now why does that not surprise me? I’ll pass along the message.”

“Thanks, let’s hit it, Theo,” she grabbed his brother’s hand and drew him off away toward the front doors, with him going tamely wherever she led.

Benedict shook his head as he watched them depart. Goodness, but the people of that family had really turned he and Theo’s lives upside down! Not that he was complaining, far from it. But it had all just happened so fast that he still hadn’t quite adjusted yet. Well, he’d have plenty of time to come to terms with the whole thing - say, at least another forty or fifty years…
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Kane stood with Benedict in front of the Sacred Tree of the Tall Hills Clan, the two men holding hands and looking into each others’ eyes. The oldest member of their clan, a sternly upright old wolf with pure white hair, was presiding over their Mating Bond Ceremony. “We are gathered here together,” he called in his deep voice so that all of the clan could hear, “To celebrate the mating of our Alpha Kane and Benedict. These two men have come to be one with each other, for all the rest of their days until Father Fenrir chooses to take them back to himself. A wolf is nothing without his mate, without the one who chooses to walk through life with him. Now,” he lifted his aged hands above their head, “Feel the magic of our Father fill you both, binding you together for all time.”

A soft, hazy glow formed between his fingers and drifted down to fall on Kane and Benedict, enveloping them slowly in a lovely, shimmering golden haze that outlined their bodies before sinking inward. They never looked away from each other’s eyes as the mating bond formed within them, tying them together in a way that could not be broken until one of them died. From now on they would have eyes only for each other, and would only feel attraction and desire toward one another. Gold light traced over their corneas as the bond finished forming, signaling that they were now bonded mates. Cheering and howls broke out in the watching crowds, the Tall Hills Clan voicing their joy over their Alpha having found his mate at last.

Kane leaned forward and kissed Benedict, making the noise become louder. “I love you, Ben,” he said softly when he pulled back, his heart in his eyes.

“I love you, too, Kane. My mate,” Benedict replied quietly.

Kane seized his hand and turned to the watchers. He lifted Benedict’s hand into the air. “This is my mate!” he called to them.

More howls of glee and triumph arose, as the whole Clan gave forth their full-throated approval of the mating and their Alpha. Kane grinned, then tugged at Benedict’s hand. He pulled his mate out and into the crowd, which parted like the Red Sea to let them pass. Theo grinned and slapped Benedict on the back as he passed, and Ari hugged him tightly for a moment before giving her uncle a ‘thumb’s up’ sign. Other hands reached out to touch the newly mated pair as they continued onward toward the waiting car that would carry them away to the airport and their honeymoon. It was considered a blessing to touch a freshly mated pair of wolves, and would inevitably lead to one’s own mating if one had not yet found the right person. Finally they broke through, and made a dash for the car.

Kane was laughing as he pulled his new mate into the back seat of the car and waved at the driver to take off. He leaned over and kissed Benedict deeply, and his mate responded in a most satisfactory way. “Ahh, Hawaii here we come,” Kane murmured when their lips finally parted again. “I can’t wait to lounge around on a white-sand beach with you, Ben.”

“Why am I not surprised to learn that the thing you’re looking forward to the most is being a lay-about?” Benedict replied mock-sternly.

Kane grinned. “Because you know me so well already?” he replied, his eyes gleaming.

Benedict shook his head in pretend exasperation. “I knew you were going to be trouble from the moment I saw you in that elevator, Kane,” he said.

“That’s because you’ve got great instincts, Ben,” the Alpha replied easily, pulling him into his lap, “Among so many other things…” he added wickedly, letting his hands do the walking.

Benedict pretended to snort contemptuously, but the truth was that he was enjoying those hands and their forays too much to protest. So he settled in and did some feeling up of his own, as the car carried the two wolves away to the airport and toward their future together…
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The End