Evan shouted in pain again, ringing discomfort in Noll’s ears. Noll lay with Evan in bed, both naked. They were in that state because Evan had torn off every stitch from both of them, and left a few souvenir scratches on Noll’s chest. Of course, the wounds had healed right away, but they hadn’t felt good.
Noll grasped Evan’s hip and dragged him closer. Their cocks met, but neither of them was hard. Noll wasn’t enjoying holding Evan because each time he touched the man, a thousand bolts of lightning shot through his system and knocked him for a loop.
Evan’s bear had awakened and was fighting for dominance at the expense of Evan’s mind. Noll used every ounce of strength he could to force the bear into submission. Each time he did, it felt like an impossible battle.
“Let me help you,” Noll said, but Evan thrust at him, almost shoving him over the side of the bed.
Noll jumped on him and wrestled Evan to his back. Lying on top of Evan, Noll willed his power into Evan’s body. He winced in pain the same time that Evan did, but he refused to ease up.
Noll tangled fingers into Evan’s hair and jerked. Evan’s chin rose but not by much. Noll pressed down on him and brought his mouth to Evan’s throat. For an instant, he had an urge to bite Evan, but he staved it off just in time.
“Give in to me, Evan,” he ordered. “It’s the only way the pain will stop.”
Evan’s wild eyes met his for an instant. They shifted from green to golden brown and back again. Noll opened his mouth to encourage Evan again, but the man flipped their positions with Evan landing on top of him.
“Evan,” Noll called out.
Evan leaned up from his chest and ran a hand down to Noll’s cock. He stroked, and Noll gasped. Where he’d been limp a second before, his erection grew. Evan didn’t stop. He pumped Noll’s length with incredible skill and squeezed with just the right pressure. One of Noll’s knees rose of its own accord, and he ground into Evan’s hand.
“We shouldn’t,” he said. “I have to help you.”
From the time they started the session, Evan hadn’t spoken a word. He still didn’t but kept up his assault on Noll’s cock. Noll bordered on the edge of an orgasm, and he wanted to let go and welcome it. The problem was he hadn’t yet guided Evan into a shift. If they left things as they were, there was a strong chance Evan would die.
“Don’t do that,” Noll panted, and he tried to push Evan’s hand off his cock. Normally, even turned on, he maintained the upper hand. Evan’s touch was driving him insane. “Evan, you’re going to make me come.”
For an answer, Evan growled and continued with his hand job. Noll tried, but he was lost. He came, grunting and groaning. His come spewed over Evan’s hand, and Evan raised it while looking into Noll’s gaze to lick the come.
“Fine, you’ve had your fun.” Noll snarled. “Let me guide you.”
Noll started to sit up, but Evan caught his shoulder and shoved him back down. In a rapid movement, Evan scooted up the bed until a knee rested on either side of Noll’s head, and his cock, already solid, hung above Noll’s face.
“You don’t know your place,” Noll growled.
He raised a hand to shove Evan back, but his fingers brushed his erection. Noll paused. He’d never had a man’s cock in his mouth or tasted a man’s come. What would it be like? Would it be good? Surely, a moment couldn’t hurt anything, a quick lick? He didn’t have to get Evan completely off, just settle him down a bit. That way maybe he could get better control of the stubborn man.
While Noll debated, Evan placed a hand beneath his head and drove him forward. With the other, Evan aimed the head of his cock toward Noll’s lips. He apparently wasn’t taking no for an answer. Noll opened his mouth, and Evan’s dick slid past his lips. Precome touched Noll’s tongue, and he marveled. So big. He had to open his mouth wider to fit Evan properly, and a moan escaped him before he knew it would rise from his throat.
Noll pulled back to taste the head and then pushed Evan into his mouth again. He couldn’t stop sucking the smooth, warm length, and the way Evan moaned took his own desires up a few notches. Noll stuck his tongue out to tease the tip of Evan’s cock. He watched his lover’s eyes change colors, and Evan threw his head back.
“Damn, you taste so good. I never imagined...” Noll lost himself in sucking Evan’s shaft, fondling his balls, and bearing down just enough with the roof of his mouth to cause Evan to hiss. Slowly, Noll drove Evan’s cock to the back of his throat. He wasn’t skilled enough to swallow like he’d felt Evan do with him, but he knew he was driving his lover crazy.
Evan’s fingers tightened in Noll’s hair. He arched his hips and thrust his cock deeper. Noll used all of his strength to keep Evan still, but he gave him what he wanted. Noll stroked his mouth up and down Evan’s dick, faster and faster. Evan shouted, and when he least expected it, Noll found his mouth filled with come.
Hesitant, Noll swallowed. Then he accepted more and sucked hard. He pumped Evan’s waning erection, but got only a few drops. “That was.... I don’t know what that was. Give me more. Come again.”
He knew he was being unreasonable, but Noll was hooked. All he wanted to do was to keep getting Evan off, to keep sucking him and tasting his come. Evan seemed to know and understand how he felt. His lover lay down on the bed opposite him. Evan’s cock faced Noll’s mouth, while Noll’s dick touched Evan’s lips. Evan opened his mouth wide and took all of Noll.
“Yes!” Noll shook with the pleasure Evan gave him. His lover ate his cock while he raised Noll’s leg up. When Noll felt the first stirrings of Evan’s finger at his anus, he shivered. “You’re going to do that at the same time? You’re killing me, Evan. We need to...”
He forgot what he was saying when Evan wet his finger and stuck it inside Noll. Then he stuffed Noll’s dick into his mouth again. Noll was lost. There was no turning back. He joined Evan, pleasuring the new shifter for as long as Evan let him.
* * * *
Sometime during the night, Noll opened his eyes to a dark room. He stretched languorously, and a sense of contentment came over him. Figuring out what the satisfied feeling had come from took a moment, and then he recalled. Evan!
Noll thrust an arm across the bed, but even before his hand impacted empty space, he knew Evan was gone. He sprang to his feet and rushed through the house. Breathing deep, he took in all the scents, new and old. Evan’s mingled among them but not recent. Noll had a good idea of the state of his house, and Evan was most certainly not inside it.
Noll burst from the house on the run and calling for Rico. His second in command appeared at his side. “What’s up, boss?”
Noll jerked him off his feet. “Where is he?”
“Who—”
The grip Noll had on the man tightened with a threat to snap his neck. “Don’t play games with me.”
“I-I don’t know,” Rico choked out. “I just realized he wasn’t on the grounds and was coming to see if you had ordered him to go somewhere.”
“Why would I?” Noll dropped Rico, and to his credit, Rico landed on his feet. Noll swung left and right, sniffing the air. “He’s gone south. Find him!”
“I’m assuming he made the change?” Rico asked.
Noll gritted his teeth. “No.”
Rico paled. “You’re kidding, after all night?”
“That’s none of your business. I need him found before he tries to shift on his own. You know as well as I do that could mean death.”
“I’ll gather a team.”
“Fuck it,” Noll snapped. “I’m going myself.” Noll didn’t wait for anyone to follow. He shifted into his bear form and began the hunt. Hours passed. One minute, he thought he grew close and increased his speed. The next he lost the direction Evan had taken.
During a period of rest, Rico bounded up to him in his bear form and shifted. “I don’t get how he’s evading us. It’s almost as if... nah that couldn’t be it. How about I take the mountain path next?”
“Go,” Noll ordered.
In the end, it didn’t matter which path they took. Evan was gone. Back at the compound, Noll ordered Fara and the two shifters who had joined in with her defiance of him to be brought before him. Rico and a couple others of his men shoved them to their knees.
“Do either of you have an explanation as to why you would defy me?” Noll asked.
The men kept their heads bowed. Fara raised her chin. “I’m your mate! I deserve to have you after being your lover all these years.”
“You and several other women.” He leaned back in his chair, waving a hand in dismissal of her argument.
“Then you brought a man to share your bed. It’s an insult, a disgusting insult!”
Noll rose slowly. A growl rumbled deep in his throat, and he let it roll until it grew louder and more threatening. Fara cowed before him. “You think I’m disgusting?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Didn’t you?” He grabbed the ponytail hanging at the back of her head, but he didn’t pull as yet. “You said it’s disgusting that I want a man. So as alpha I don’t get to choose who shares my bed? Or you don’t mind if you’re included. Maybe you wanted me to have you and Evan in my bed. Is that it?”
Fara’s cheeks pinked, but she pressed her lips together.
Noll squatted beside her. “You’re the ringleader, Fara?”
Her gaze flitted to Rico, and Noll gave the ponytail a small jerk. “Don’t look at him. Answer me.”
She sniffed. “Yes, I’m the ringleader. I got these guys to bite that human.”
“I still hear disgust in your tone, Fara. It seems you’re not sorry at all.”
“Why should I be? You never cared about humans before.”
“And I still don’t. In fact, you’ve made sure I have no dealings with them at all. Thanks for that.” He stood up. “Take them back to the cage. From this moment on, you’re no different than my enemies.”
Fara screamed. “No! I just wanted to stay by your side, Noll. Please. Noll!”
Noll turned his back on them as guards hauled the three of them out. Rico stayed and approached. “Are you sure about this?”
Noll frowned. “Are you saying she loved me?”
Rico made a rude noise. “No, I’m not sure she knows how to love.” There was a note in his beta’s tone that he didn’t care to address at the moment. “But torture? Death?”
“You didn’t have a problem with it for the other sleuth members.”
“And I still don’t. I know what they did to our people. They all deserve what they got, but Fara’s not one of them.”
“She attacked one of mine.”
“It’s not the same, Noll, and you know it. Damn it, I’ve always known the way you lost your mom and sister, being so young, it broke you, but—”
“Don’t mention them again.”
“Noll.”
“Unless you are here to tell me you’ve found Evan, I don’t want to see your face. Or anyone’s for that matter.” Noll rubbed his neck. “Then again, maybe I should thank Fara. I’m sure she couldn’t have predicted Evan not allowing me to guide him. If he dies, all the better. It’s a cleaner break.”
“You don’t mean that. He was your lover.”
“He was leaving.”
“At your order. He probably would have stayed if you asked him.”
“He had his life to return to. By his own admission, he was an important man in his town.” Noll thought of what he knew of Evan with amusement. “Probably someone in government by his arrogance.”
“You liked him, but you won’t admit it.”
“I like sex.”
Rico blew out a breath. “I wash my hands of this mess. I’ll have more men go out in the morning, and I’ll join them after dealing with Fara and the others.”
Noll turned to watch Rico as he headed to the door. “Rico.”
His beta stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “I want to make sure it happens without mercy. I’ll come to take care of it myself. No one can ever say I get my men to do my dirty work.”
“Nobody’s ever said that.”
“Good. Then we’re agreed. Eight a.m.”
“All right.”