Mark shrugged. “I guess.”
They got in Alec’s car and he pulled out into the traffic.
Alec’s flat was still within the bounds of his pack’s territory, but far enough away from the main pack buildings. The area was a mix of human and shifter families. All pack members had soundproofing and some level of security, but the threats from other packs were minimal. Shifter etiquette dictated families were off limits, even during the pack wars. Only one pack had ever broken that rule. Alec’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, dangerously so, and the plastic gave an ominous creak.
“Everything okay?” Mark’s voice snapped Alec out of his memories, and he focused instead on the scents inside the car. His and Mark’s, and the heady mixture of their arousal.
“We’re almost there.” The flat he co-owned with Mike, Daryl, and Gareth was the top floor of a converted period house, not dissimilar to where Seb, Tim’s mate, lived—though probably not for much longer. Alec parked on the street outside and turned off the engine.
Being residential, the area was quiet at half-past twelve in the morning. And the only foreign pack scent Alec detected nearby was Mark’s. “Come on.” He got out and waited for Mark to do the same.
The small security camera above the door recorded their arrival, but Alec wasn’t bothered if the other betas found out. He’d tell both them and Cam himself in the morning. There were no secrets between them. He unlocked the door and went in.
“Who else lives here?” Mark walked behind him up the stairs to the first-floor flat.
“Never you mind.”
Mark huffed but didn’t ask again.
The one-bedroom flat itself was small and basic, but clean and well stocked. Whoever used it last was responsible for changing sheets, cleaning up, and replacing anything that was used.
“Nice place.” Mark stopped and looked around.
Alec huffed out a laugh as he walked into the open-plan kitchen/living area and dropped his keys on the kitchen worktop. “It’ll do.” He turned and leant against it, feet apart, facing Mark. The atmosphere wasn’t awkward per se, but without the music and surroundings of the club, it certainly seemed less easy-going.
Mark walked towards him and stepped into the space between Alec’s thighs.
Alec’s hands automatically settled on his hips. “We done talking?” He reached down between them and palmed Mark’s cock through his jeans—not hard now, but that would soon change. Meeting Mark’s gaze, Alec traced the outline with his thumb, rubbing back and forth over the head until Mark started to stiffen.
Mark grinned. “I guess so.”
“Good.”
Alec pulled him closer and kissed him, soft and slow, teasing him with a hint of tongue. He might want to fuck him hard and rough, but the build-up was half the fun. Mark tasted of tequila and beer, and Alec chased the flavours, nipping at his bottom lip with just a hint of fang. With Alec being so much taller, the angle was awkward, and he wanted to feel Mark’s cock against his own.
Without breaking the kiss, he hoisted Mark up by his thighs, turned, and set him down on the worktop.
Much better.
Alec took advantage of their new position, dipping his head to mouth along the side of Mark’s neck. He trailed his teeth over the damp skin, eliciting a low, drawn-out moan from Mark as he tilted his head back.
“Fuck.” Gripping Alec’s shoulders, Mark wrapped his legs around Alec’s waist and pulled him close. He slid his hands up into Alec’s hair, holding tight and pressing Alec’s mouth against him. “Harder.”
Alec wouldn’t bite him, not there anyway, but he pulled the neck of Mark’s shirt to the side and scraped his teeth along the exposed skin, hard enough to draw a faint trickle of blood before the wound sealed shut. Mark’s fingers tightened in his hair, and Alec hissed at the sharp pain, a smile curving his lips.
This was everything he needed.
“Bed.” Stepping back, he grabbed Mark’s hand and tugged him off the worktop.
They kicked off their shoes in the kitchen, lost their shirts on the walk through the living room, and Alec had his jeans undone by the time they entered the bedroom.
He pushed them down, along with his underwear, and kicked them off to the side to stand naked in front of Mark. All shifters had good bodies, Alec wasn’t alone in that, but he worked hard to ensure he was as strong and fit as his biology would allow, and it was gratifying to see the appreciative way Mark looked at him. Wrapping a hand around his cock, Alec began to stroke himself with slow, measured movements.
Mark swallowed thickly, seeming unable to look away. He thumbed open the button on his jeans and eased them down.
No underwear.
Now free from its denim confines, his cock stood to attention, hard, and wet at the tip.
