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By the end of the first song, heck, even in the middle of it, Stefan began swaying and roaring like the rest of the crowd. Unnamed emotions whirled inside him. His heart and soul felt full, close to bursting, yet at the same time, he hungered for more. Stefan wanted to hear more of this man’s music, to have Dominance embed more hooks into his soul, despite the danger.
Mick finished off the first song with a guitar solo. Stefan pressed against the crowd, eager to catch a glimpse of the rock star Alpha. Finishing off with a flourish, Mick growled, the sound reverberating through the speakers. Once more, the Alpha looked towards their section, making Stefan’s heart start up again. That couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?
On stage, Mick stopped playing. Stefan saw Steel and Korey give their lead singer worrying looks. Mick started walking forward, the plug connecting his guitar to the amplifier detaching, creating a screeching sound that hurt Stefan’s ears. The crowd loved it though, this seemingly impromptu move.
“Mick, what are you doing?” Stefan heard Korey yelling over the din of the crowd.
“Leave him, he’s caught a good scent, I think,” Steel remarked.
“He’s here,” Mick said, looking like a man who’s suddenly forgotten he was in the middle of a concert.
With amazing agility and grace, Mick leaped off the stage, guitar still hanging around his neck. Fans pressed at him from all sides, calling out his name, yelling requests that verged from the obscene to the crazy.
If Stefan were Mick, he’d be running back to the stage. The bouncers were telling everyone to back off, but no one was listening. It turned out Stefan didn’t need to worry because a werewolf Alpha could handle himself just fine amid a riot.
Men and women threw themselves at Mick, but Mick looked like a man with a mission. When someone got in the way, Mick opened his mouth, a dangerous snarl came out of his throat, warning people to stay the hell out of his way. Stefan wondered what the hell went wrong. Maybe he ought to grab Rory and get the hell out of there. A moment ago, Dominance’s music seeped into his soul, soothing the torrents, but now, panic set it.
Whatever the outcome that came from this mess, it wouldn’t be good. The crowd was on the verge of spinning out of control. Turning his back on the stage, Stefan desperately searched for Rory. Seeing Rory yelling with a bunch of headbangers, Stefan waded past the crowd to reach him.
Stefan never made it to his best friend. The next thing he knew, a firm and powerful hand grabbed his arm and someone was breathing against his neck. Fear rammed into Stefan. He turned, expecting the worst, certainly not this...
Mick Badder grabbed his arm, looking at Stefan like he was some kind of tasty morsel.
“Found you,” Mick said. When the Alpha smiled, Stefan caught sight of the two rows of sharp canines lining the Alpha’s upper and lower teeth. What the hell was happening? Singers, rock stars weren’t supposed to halt a concert to reach a member of the audience.
“This isn’t real,” Stefan murmured.
That had to be it. He must have fallen asleep back in his apartment, after putting on his tedious make-up. Rory must have left without him and, exhausted from all his efforts, Stefan decided to go for a nap. That’s right. Things like this only happened in dreams, yet why did every second feel real? The sweat plastering his shirt, Mick’s large and calloused hands wrapped around his waist and his heart thudding hard against his chest, it couldn’t be real. Yet Stefan couldn’t tear his eyes away from the rock star Alpha standing inches from him.
“Try again, human. This is real,” Mick said.
No, dream-Mick said that, because the real Mick Badder wouldn’t pick Stefan amongst a crowd of more attractive and interesting people. Why did it hurt to breathe though, like all the air in the room had been sucked out?
“Prove it,” Stefan demanded to dream-Mick.
If this all indeed was a fragment of his imagination, then it would be alright to be bold and reckless, unlike Stefan’s real self. Here in dreamland, Stefan could do whatever he wanted. Besides, Stefan was on a time limit. Once he woke up, he’d forget all this ever happened. Better to enjoy every moment of this fake memory.
“Prove it?” Mick sounded more amused than pissed. One tug sent Stefan right into Mick’s powerful arms. Crazy. Stefan hadn’t met or dated a man capable of lifting him without effort, like a sack of flour.
Their faces were touching now, his nose rubbing against Mick’s.
A hysterical laugh came out from Stefan’s throat. Those tempting lips stood so close to him. Up close, Stefan noticed Mick had more tattoos on his neck. That throat, Stefan thought, those vocal cords were capable of making amazing music. Everything about this man got to him, messed with his head.
Mick smelled of wolf musk, leather, and sweat—a strangely good combination. It felt like Stefan hit a wall of immovable muscle and Mick’s sweat-slicked and hard exposed torso rubbed against the front of his body, the scent, and feel of Mick so primal.
Stefan’s jeans grew unbelievably tight, tighter than Stefan thought possible because he swore he’d stretched out these infernal leather pants that clung to every inch of his skin. Mick’s hand dipped lower down his back, cupping his ass.
Cheeks reddening, Stefan moaned.
“I can smell your arousal, human. You’re so hard for me,” Mick whispered against his ear but Stefan had a feeling everyone there heard.
He should be embarrassed, ashamed to be caught in such a predicament. Stefan was the kind of guy who shone best in the background. To suddenly shine a spotlight on him...Stefan would combust.
Before that happened and before Stefan lost his nerve or woke up, he managed to blurt out his request. “Kiss me.”
A reckless gamble, but what choice did Stefan have?
This might be a fantasy he’d conjured up but he’d make it count.
“Demanding feisty human, I’d leash up whoever spoke to me like that,” Mick said against his ear, nipping at his ear lobe, at the fake earring there. Stefan wasn’t exactly the kind of guy who possessed any piercing, even one on the ear. Mick wasn’t done though, “for you, I’d make an exception. Tell me your name, human.”
“Stefano, my friends call me ‘Stefan’,” Stefan managed to answer.
How he was able to retain some measure of control over his body surprised him, but then it was like a firefighter gaining superhuman strength in an emergency. The presence of a hot rock star Alpha in front of him, touching him, was the closest Stefan would ever get to heaven on earth. Stefan would be damned if he let this opportunity slip through his fingers.
“Stefan then, you got your fucking wish.” Mick clasped the back of his neck with one hand, while the other slipped past the hem of Stefan’s tight pants.
Oh god. Stefan felt the imprint of Mick’s hand like a brand, sliding down to squeeze his bare dick. Stefan let out a whimper.
“No underwear? You dirty boy,” Mick said with a chuckle.
That laugh went right past Stefan’s skin and to his bones. Such a sexy sound, but never in a million years would he tell the rock god in front of him that he didn’t wear anything underneath as a convenience, because the pants he bought were too tight. Stefan wasn’t a full commando kind of guy, but the exact opposite. He never thought a rock star Alpha would be drawn to him.
That’s what dreams were for anyway, right?
“For you, I’ll be anything you want me to be, Alpha,” Stefan whispered. Shame on him for saying those words, but this was his dream self. Restrictions didn’t apply.
Mick chuckled. They were in the middle of a concert, watched by thousands of eyes. Stefan knew that distantly, but that was just how much sway Mick held over him. With Mick, the rest of the world didn’t seem to matter. What was this man doing to him?
“All I want is for you to be yourself, pet,” Mick said.
Unnerved by those hungry golden eyes, yet seeing something there, something that told Stefan that Mick and he wouldn’t just be a fling, but the promise of more, he changed the topic.
“You said you were going to kiss me.”
“You distracted the hell out of me, you sexy filthy thing.”
God, that voice. Stefan would never get sick of hearing any sexy word from Mick’s deep and confident voice.
“Kiss me,” Stefan pleaded.
Mick laughed again, the sound lighting his insides. “Demanding pet.”
Finally Mick leaned in close, brushing their lips for a second as if the rock star Alpha was tasting him at first. Stefan’s heart nearly came to a sudden stop. What if Mick suddenly said he began having second thoughts, that Stefan wasn’t the one for him?
Mick kissed him harder now, all tongue and teeth. Yes, this was exactly how Stefan imagined an Alpha would kiss. Stefan could do nothing but respond to those demanding lips with equal passion. Mick gripped him hard, like he was terrified of losing Stefan and Stefan didn’t mind because he didn’t want to wake up—now or ever. He could stay right here, caged in Mick’s arms.
Mick’s tongue pushed between his lips and Stefan opened up for him, letting the Alpha thrust his tongue down his throat. Oh, that felt good. The heat and taste of Mick flooded down his throat.
When Mick pulled away, albeit reluctantly, he looked at Stefan like he’d have Stefan right there and then, fuck him senseless on the sticky concert floor with everyone watching. Shame filled Stefan, not because of the act, but how much the thought turned him on.
Oh no. This wasn’t good at all. One kiss sent his mind spinning, his logical brain spiraling to the gutter and he didn’t care one bit. It was then Stefan blacked out, his heart seemingly giving way. It no longer just hurt to breathe, it was an impossible task.
Vision swaying, Stefan imagined collapsing on the floor in a puddle. So uncool, but what choice did he have?
“I’ve got you,” said a voice. Strong arms wrapped around his waist, taking all his weight.
Dream-Mick sounded more concerned than turned on, but it was fine. Fainting in Mick Badder’s arms as a way to end off this perfect evening before things took a dangerous turn....that was enough for a nobody like Stefan.