STORY EXCERPT

When Bentley went outside the next morning, he knew what he would see. There was a wolf in the large pen. It was standing at the rear, near the den, and staring at him intently. He didn’t need superior hearing to hear the low, threatening growl. The wolf was gorgeous, black with a gold undercoat. The longer black guard hairs were upright over the shoulders, a visual cue that the wolf was angry and definitely a threat. He suspected Rogan had been tranquilized and brought over, minimizing the potential for anyone getting hurt, including the large wolf. That likely contributed to the bad attitude.

“Good morning to you, too,” Bentley said casually. He didn’t leave the deck but stood there instead and sipped at a much-needed cup of coffee. “My name’s Bentley Stanbridge. You and I are going to be mates.”

Another growl. It probably wasn’t due to his saying they were going to be mates, so he didn’t take it personally. He doubted there was much contact with the human side. The wolf simply didn’t want to be where he was and was vocalizing his displeasure. Being an Omega, Bentley wasn’t seen as a threat by the Alpha. 

 “There will be a delivery van coming in later. They’re bringing some of the furniture for the house. You’ll smell strangers and hear some new noises.” 

The van he’d arrived in had already been taken away. His car was still parked in the garage. So many of the trivial details in his new life were being taken care of by others, which was nice. It made him wonder if this was how the wealthy lived. He wouldn’t know. He’d been born into a dirt-poor pack living in the middle of nowhere. While he made a good living now, he didn’t throw his money around carelessly.

“I don’t want you to be bothered by it. I doubt the people will be here long. I only got the furniture for our bedroom, the kitchen, and the living room. I’ll order furniture for the rest of the house in the next few weeks. I hope you approve of my choices.” He took another sip of coffee. He didn’t stare directly at the Alpha. That would have been a challenge. There was no point in adding fuel to the wolf’s anger. “My tastes are fairly casual. I like to be comfortable. From what I read about your history, I believe you’ll approve of it. We’ll certainly add to it if there’s something you want. Or make changes. It’s not just my home. Well, I have things to do. I’ll see you later.”

Rogan hadn’t moved an inch from his position at the back of the pen. Bentley hadn’t expected him to. He turned and went inside, closing the sliding door and shutting out the sound of the wolf’s vocalizing. A chuckle escaped him as he hoped Rogan didn’t do so much bitching as a human. That would totally suck.

Once Bentley refilled his coffee cup, he headed to the room he had chosen to be his art studio. Light was pouring into it through four tall windows, and just the sight of it made him smile. He loved what he did, and it didn’t hurt that the sale of his paintings provided him with a nice income. Bentley had other talents as well. Having grown up without much, he knew enough not to place all of his eggs in one basket. He had a successful line of children’s books he both authored and illustrated.

Yet there were days when it wasn’t nearly enough. Bentley had been a devoted husband and father. He missed all of that. His heart felt empty. There were times when Bentley also felt so lost and overwhelmed by the loss of his family that going feral himself was a very real possibility. 

Glad he’d had Rob to help him bring them into the house, Bentley organized the table and cabinets where he wanted them. They were almost all the furniture he’d brought with him. They suited his needs, and they gave him something he was familiar with in this new home of his. 

He worked until the long van arrived and hurried out to meet it. As with everything else associated with this endeavor, the delivery people worked quietly and efficiently. In less than two hours, large rugs were rolled out, furniture was placed where he wanted it, and lamps were unwrapped, fitted with bulbs, and plugged in. There were boxes of accessories he’d chosen, but he insisted he could unwrap vases and the other small items he’d chosen to add interest and color to the different rooms he’d be living in for now.

What he did do was go to the garage and get the ladder that was hanging on the wall beside a tall toolbox. A peek inside showed him that it was full of every kind of tool imaginable. Evidently this was for Rogan because Bentley wouldn’t need anything so extensive. Hell, he didn’t know what half of the gadgets were.

 Again, the perks of having someone in charge of parts of setting up a new home. He carried the ladder to the living room and set it up in front of huge stone fireplace. With the measuring tape and carpenter’s pencil he’d taken out of one of the drawers in the toolbox, he measured and marked where he would hang the autumn scene, one of four seasonal paintings he had painted a few years before for his grandmother. She’d loved them, and when she passed, he made a point of getting all four back. There had been no way he was going to let any of his relatives get ahold of them. They would only want them for whatever money they could get, not for anything resembling sentiment. 

The portraits of his deceased family would be hung elsewhere. They were private and not for viewing or discussion by strangers. Not yet.

ADULT EXCERPT

Waking up with his dick down someone’s throat was something close to every man’s secret fantasy. Rogan groaned as Bentley simultaneously sucked on his flesh and stroked his balls. Both parts of his body were buzzing with something akin to electricity as excitement shot through him.

“Oh, fuck yes!” 

Bentley didn’t seem to need encouragement. Each touch, each lick and slurp was made with purpose. There was nothing shy about what he was doing. Rogan’s pleasure grew tenfold with each passing second. The head of his dick hit the back of Bentley’s throat. Bentley swallowed around it, triggering Rogan’s climax. Hot cum shot from his dick. His balls emptied, tightening, as his little Omega continued to stroke them. 

Shuddering, Rogan panted hard as he stared at the ceiling. Bentley had just rocked his world and with a simple blowjob. Rogan couldn’t imagine what it was going to be like when he actually fucked the guy.

Rogan yawned as Bentley wriggled his way back up alongside him until his head settled on the pillow. Turning his head, he stared back at this man who was supposed to become his mate. It was undeniable that he was attracted to Bentley. The guy was smart, sexy, and funny. Benny grinned and rubbed his hand over the hair covering Rogan’s chest. 

“How was that for getting to know each other?” Bentley asked as he slid a leg over Rogan’s, hooking it between them.

Laughing, Rogan maneuvered an arm beneath Bentley so he could pull the man closer. “It was a good start.” He yawned again and felt his eyelids sliding low. It was pointless to resist the pull of sleep. “We’ll pick up where we left off in a bit, okay?”

Bentley was now resting his head on Rogan’s chest. He was playing with a nipple. “Okay. Get some more sleep.”

It felt right falling asleep with Bentley pressed close to his side. While he wasn’t convinced they were right for each other, he wouldn’t throw away a chance for a new future. It wasn’t the one he’d envisioned years ago, but the tragedy had changed everything for him. 

There would be time later to think about everything. Right now, he needed rest. It felt like he hadn’t had any in ages. Rogan rolled onto his side and curled around Bentley, holding the man close as he fell asleep.

* * * *

When he woke, it was to find himself alone in bed. Other than experiencing a need to use the bathroom, Rogan felt rested. Of course, he hadn’t been in his human form in years, so sleeping as a man in an actual bed was going to be different. 

Rogan got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. It didn’t take long to make his bladder happy. Then it was on to take another shower. Unlike his wolf, he had no aversion to bathing. A hot shower, with a bar of soap he selected from the basket on the shelf, increased Rogan’s pleasure to be back to his human form. He shaved, combed his damp hair, and then went back to the bedroom to choose something to wear. 

This time when he dressed he finished with heavy socks and work boots. He needed to get out and explore. Maybe Bentley would accompany him, show him around the area. Rogan also wanted to talk to Rob again. If he were to begin living life again, he would need a job. 

Rob had said the town was basically starting from scratch. Rogan figured he could look around and see what he would be interested in doing. His skills were many and varied, from carpentry and construction to automobile repair. He could even work on computers. But he enjoyed working with his hands the best. If he wasn’t going to be a wolf, and he was beginning to see a future he hadn’t seen in a long time, he needed to do something to earn an income and to keep himself busy.

There was no sign of Bentley when Rogan reached the first floor. Something was in the oven, and the scents were making his mouth water. A glance at the clock told him it was later than he had thought.

When he heard laughter, Rogan walked to the sliding door that opened out onto the deck. He grinned when he saw Bentley and another man stretched out on chaise lounge chairs, a blue and yellow floral umbrella overhead, and drinking some bright green concoction from tall glasses. 

Hoping he didn’t ruin the mood, Rogan went outside and joined them. His eyebrows shot nearly to his hairline when he saw that both men’s groins were barely covered. Tiny G-strings were all there was to preserve their modesty. Not much was preserved. The stranger didn’t interest him, despite having a nice body. It was Bentley who was a hot little morsel he wanted a taste of. Still, they really needed to get to know each other first.