STORY EXCERPT

“Tank?” Keata stopped nibbling on his chicken strip. Tank looked up as the waitress brought his third plate over. They had to make room by shoving the sugar container and condiments aside, but all the plates fit.

“Yes, Keata?” Tank wiped his mouth with a napkin and stared down at his little friend.

He could see Keata struggling to find the words. It sucked that he wasn’t fluent like his cousin, Kyoshi.  Finally, Keata laid his hand on his stomach. “Cody, he make butterflies here.” Keata lowered his head as if he were ashamed.

Tank’s jaw dropped as his eyes widened. “You feel funny around him?”

“Yes. My belly tug to him. Why?” Keata implored, his eyes on Tank.

“You sad when Cody is gone?” Tank spoke in simple words, making sure he was fully understanding what Keata was trying to say. If he was interpreting him correctly, it answered the question a lot of the Sentries had been wondering. They knew one of the warriors was Keata’s mate. They just didn’t know which one, and neither Keata nor the guilty party volunteered that information.

“Yes, my heart always sad.” Keata laid a hand over his heart, his small fingers clenching into his shirt. Tank could see the pain in the small man’s eyes.

“I think he’s your mate, Keata.” Tank did not like this one bit. Cody was too busy running behind Jasper. Killer part was Jasper had a mate waiting on him—Zeus, the Alpha of the Eastern pack. It was a wonder they weren’t at war because of Jasper’s refusal to go to him.

“My boyfriend?” Keata looked at him confused.

“Yes.”

“But he red-hair boyfriend.” Keata looked even more confused now. How could Tank explain the complications of that screwed up relationship? He didn’t even think an interpretation from his cousin Kyoshi would help this mess out.

Tank only half understood Cody and Jasper. Normally, he stayed out of it, but Keata now had a vested interest in it, and Tank wouldn’t stand by to watch his buddy get hurt.

Tank was getting angrier by the moment. If Cody was indeed Keata’s mate, then this was one fucked-up situation, and Keata deserved better than Cody acting like an ass. Keata deserved someone who would love and cherish him. Tank almost wished Keata was his mate. There wasn’t anything Tank wouldn’t do for the little human.

For some reason fate decided it should be Cody, and Tank thought fate must have been drunk off of her ass when she decided to pair them.

“I don’t know what to say, Keata.” Tank fisted his hands. Cody had some damn explaining to do. “Finish eating, buddy.”

His jaw clenched as he tried to eat. Keata sat there daintily as he ate. Cody was a damn fool. Tank dropped a tip on the table and had the rest of his meal tossed into a to-go container as he led Keata back out to his truck and took him home, forgetting about the post office.

Tank walked Keata into the house and headed straight for Cody’s bedroom. He banged on the door, seething that Cody hadn’t stepped up and claimed what was his instead of acting like a retarded wolf.

“What?” Cody barked as he swung his door open.

Tank shoved past him and stepped into the room. He turned and towered over Cody.

“I know you are aware of who Keata is to you. Why the fuck is he still unclaimed?” Tank wanted to throttle the wolf.

“That’s none of your business.” Cody had looked shocked for a moment then quickly recovered. Tank wondered if he was shocked that he knew or that Keata was his mate. No, Cody had to have known.

“It is my business when Keata is hurting. He feels the pull and can’t understand it. He’s sad when you aren’t around, Cody. Figure your shit out, or I’ll take Keata from you,” Tank threatened.

“Try it,” Cody snarled as he bumped chests with Tank.

“Why should you care? You’re too busy with your head up your ass to even take care of your mate. Someone needs to.” Tank stormed from Cody’s bedroom to go find Keata. He had to make sure the little guy wasn’t hurting. Had he known Keata was going through this, he would have stepped in a long time ago.

He found Keata sitting next to Loco, one of the other wolves that had been asked by Storm, Kyoshi’s mate, to be Keata’s sponsor. In other words, he was Keata’s babysitter.

Loco was looking through a book as Keata laughed, and Tank’s chest tightened at the unfairness thrust upon Keata. Cody was a damn fool.

“I find book!” Keata giggled excitedly.

Tank pulled Keata up and sat him on his lap, sitting next to Loco.

“Keata? Can I tell Loco about your belly?” Tank pushed a finger lightly into Keata’s stomach.

Keata stared up at Tank then over to Loco, his expression hesitant. Tank thought Keata looked scared.

“What’s wrong with his belly?” Loco’s eyebrows knitted together.

Keata nodded at Tank.

“Nothing, except it gets all butterflies when a certain wolf is near him.

Loco’s eyebrows shot up. “Who?” the warrior growled out menacingly. Tank knew how he felt.

“Cody.” Tank rubbed Keata’s back.

“Then why is he in your lap? It’s forbidden to touch another mate intimately like that, especially a mate who hasn’t been claimed yet,” Loco stated disapprovingly.

“Apparently Cody doesn’t want him, so the law doesn’t apply.” Tank shrugged.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding? Who in their right mind wouldn’t want Keata?” Loco looked over to the little man. “He is the most stunning man I’ve ever laid his eyes on. Cody has to be stupid. Blind. Loose screws. Something has to explain Cody’s behavior.”

“I’m thinking maybe we should give Keata that extra attention, and maybe, just maybe, a certain wolf will see the light and get his head out of his ass.” Tank winked at Loco.

“You are a devious one. I think you’re right.” Loco had a gleam in his eye.

Tank nodded knowingly. Let Cody think his mate was going to be claimed by another. Let’s see the Code-man stand down on this.

ADULT EXCERPT

Keata got a wicked gleam in his eye. “More?” He giggled.

Cody threw his head back and laughed. “More, more, and many more.”

He lay back between Keata’s legs, running his tongue around Keata’s small sac, lapping at each orb. Cody pushed Keata’s thighs up and rimmed his puckered hole.

“Cody,” Keata cried.

Cody leaned up to see seed lying on Keata’s belly. Oh fuck, his mate was the hottest man on the planet. He climbed above him and swirled his finger through it, coating his digit then lowering it and pushing past Keata’s ring of muscles.

Keata stiffened, and Cody stopped moving, he waited until he felt the muscle relax then pushed a little further in.

“Want you, Keata.” He leaned down and licked the spent seed from Keata’s stomach.

“More.” Keata groaned, his hips hitched and impaled Cody’s finger deeper.

Cody pushed a second finger in, crooking them around. He grazed Keata’s sweet spot and watched the fireworks explode.

Keata damn near flew off of the bed. He yanked Cody’s hair as he floundered around.

Cody grabbed his hips and pressed him back down, holding Keata firmly.

“More,” Keata cried, his hips pushing against Cody’s hand again. “Cody, please.”

“I got you, Keata.” Cody added a third as he ran his canines down Keata’s neck. The urge to sink his teeth in was overwhelming, but he knew Keata wasn’t ready for that. He needed to be buried inside his mate first.

Cody added a fourth finger, knowing Keata needed as much stretching as possible with his size.

“You okay?” Cody asked while sucking Keata’s nipple into his mouth. His mate’s skin was heady. Cody lapped at his chest, kissing the tattoo and promising himself to cleanse Keata of those blood red tears. He sucked in the other nipple, rolling it around in his mouth. It peaked to a small point. Cody bit gently at it and then kissed his way back to the other one.

“Yes,” Keata hissed out, pressing his chest into Cody’s mouth.

Cody reached for the lube in the nightstand and came up empty- handed. Crap, Keata didn’t have any. Didn’t his mate jack off?

Duh, that would be a no if the guy just had his first orgasm.

“Keata, no lube?” Cody’s cock was throbbing to get inside his mate. It pressed against his zipper in a painful arousal.

Keata tilted his head and furrowed his brow. “I not understand.”

“Never mind.” Think, dammit. Cody shot off of the bed and ran to the bathroom. He riffled through Keata’s medicine cabinet, knocking things into the sink until he found a jar of petroleum jelly. Fuck it when in a pinch.

Cody ripped his clothes off on his way from the bathroom, and then set the jar on the nightstand. He opened the lid, and then smeared the thick petroleum jelly around Keata’s ass and his own cock, pushing his fingers back into Keata for good measure. Cody grabbed Keata’s prick, stroking it a few times to get his mate to relax. This seemed to do the trick because Keata went from trembling to moaning.

Cody lined himself up with Keata’s tight hole. His own body started to shake, the anticipation of finally mating Keata shot through him like a lightning bolt.

“Ready?” Cody slid his left hand under Keata’s shoulder, staring at him deep in his midnight black eyes.

“Yes.” Keata’s body trembled again, and Cody knew there was no amount of stroking to settle his mate’s nervousness

“I won’t move until you tell me when I can.” He never looked away from Keata as he slowly pressed in. Cody fought for control. His mate’s tight star threatened his sanity as he inched in a little at a time.

His right hand slid under Keata’s other shoulder, cradling his mate close to his chest. He was buried balls deep, and the need to move drove him insane, but he would never hurt his mate.

Cody rested his forehead on his man’s chest, breathing in and out to stave off his orgasm. There was no way in fuck he was going to last long the first time. Months of need and want had come to a head, and he begged fate to let him last long enough to show Keata that sex was a beautiful thing between mates.

“More.” Keata wiggled his ass, and Cody nearly unloaded right then and there. When his mate’s small nails dug into his shoulders, Cody had to rapidly breathe in and out to stop his balls from emptying.

His hips rocked back and forth, moving his right hand down until it cupped Keata’s ass as he pulled his mate’s hips a little higher then slanted his head and took Keata’s lips in a searing kiss. His left hand massaged the back of Keata’s head, his fingers luxuriating in the silky strands.

Keata made the cutest little noises as Cody made love to him. He began to speak in his native tongue, his head falling back as his nails dug deeper into Cody’s flesh. He would wear Keata’s marks with pride.

“Cody.” Keata pushed his hips higher, grinding his cock into Cody’s stomach. The little hellcat wrapped his legs around Cody’s waist and began fucking him back. Cody was surprised, and then he recovered quickly enough to drive deeper, harder, as Keata’s mewling grew louder.

Watching his mate enjoy his touch was like watching the sunset from Heaven. He nuzzled into Keata’s neck, sucking up his skin as Cody pulled back and then thrust in.

He stilled for a moment, allowing Keata the pleasure of riding him upside down. Keata moved up and down wildly and uncoordinated. The movements drove Cody closer to the edge.

Cody reached between them and grabbed Keata’s shaft and squeezed the head, pre-cum leaking onto his fist. He used it for lube. He didn’t have to pump his fist. All he had to do was hold Keata’s cock, and his mate’s fucking motion did the rest.

“Do you accept me as your mate, Keata?” Cody panted.

“Yes, Cody, yes,” Keata shouted as he rode harder.