“Except at meal times, starting with dinner tonight,” Slate added, chuckling.
“Got it. I’ll be sure to let Steel know. Now, vamoose! I’ll see you when you come up for air,” Jackson chuckled.
Slate wasted no time, leading Dakota out of the study and to their bedroom; he was eager to get on with the mainevent. Watching his mate’s pert ass swivel with each step as he climbed the staircase was an exercise in frustration—his fingers twitched with the need to grab those perfect globes and squeeze.
~/~/~/~/~
After his brother and Slate left his study, Jackson turned to Oracle. “Is my brother in danger? Is that why he’ll have to use his gift?”
“No, he’s not in danger,” Oracle said.
Hearing the sadness in her voice, Jackson’s concern grew instead of dissipating after her assurance. He slowly rocked in his office chair, trying to figure out why Dakota would need to use his gift to read someone’s mind, but couldn’t come up with an answer, at least not a good one. He looked at Oracle for clues and noticing a grim look on her face.Shit!“Is my son in danger, Oracle?”
“Jackson, I am sorry for causing you worry but rest assured none of your brothers nor Daniel is in danger,” Oracle said, rising from her chair, “If we are finished, Maximus is waiting for me.”
Knowing no other details would be forthcoming from her, he said, “Yup, we’re finished and thanks, as always, Oracle.”
Nodding, she left the room, but far from easing Jackson’s worries, Oracle had heightened them. She knew that, but there wasn’t anything more she could say; even what she had already said was dangerously close to compromising her position as an Oracle. Hurrying to her suite, she desperately needed to feel Maximus’s loving arms around her to help her through this trying time and all she could hope was that Dakota would make the right choices when the time arrived.
Jackson sighed. He was happy his brother found his mate, but Dakota’s gift had the potential to bring a lot of trouble to his pack. Just like Colton and Cody’s gifts, Dakota’s made him a highly desirable commodity and Jackson knew he’d have to talk to his brother and Slate about keeping it confidential. And that thought led him to wondering about what gift Logan had received—well at least I know it wasn’t the one I got.Why are the Fates giving us such powerful gifts?
This wasn’t the first time Jackson asked himself that question but he still couldn’t answer it. With each gift, another piece of the puzzle was put into place but so far, he was still stumped. Every gift so far appeared to be designed to help the receivers to fulfill their dreams, but Jackson got the feeling that was false logic because in his gut, he knew all the gifts were meant to work together…but for what fucking purpose?Knowing he’d have to be patient until more of the puzzle was filled in, he decided it was a good time to find some distraction and headed for his son and mate.
~/~/~/~/~
Safely locked inside his mate’s bedroom, Dakota waited for Slate to speak, hoping whatever his mate had to say wouldn’t take too long as his need was too great right now. His desire to be Slate’s mate was still a shocker, especially since it was only yesterday he felt differently—at least until we talked. Standing quietly facing his mate, he could see an internal struggle mirrored on Slate’s face, which raised new worries that his gift would cause him to change his mind about claiming him. Deciding to start the conversation, hoping it would help his mate reveal what he was thinking, Dakota said, “Babe, anything you want to say before you throw me on the bed and take me?”
Slate saw the nervous smile on Dakota’s face and cursed himself for putting it there inadvertently by his silence. He hadn’t changed his mind one bit, but his mate was so special—even the Fates thought so, according to his mother—andhewasn’t anything more than a Dire Wolf. His mother’s final words to Dakota had triggered Slate’s insecurities, making him question whether he was good enough for his mate. Other than giving his mate a pup, he had nothing else to offer, and that reminded him of his childhood.
Back then, he’d found himself in the same position with his brother—Steel was older and smarter—making Slate always feel the need to prove he was just as good. But Dakota wasn’t ‘family’ and his mate deserved the right to reconsider wanting Slate as a mate. Taking Dakota’s hand, kissing the back of it, he began. “Babe, I’m so happy the Fates have given me you as my mate and will claim you…if you still want me…as soon as you know everything about me…okay there isn’t any other way to say this, but I’m a fraud…”
“A fraud? I don’t understand…” said Dakota, both confused and puzzled by his mate’s claim.
“I’m not the person you think I am…never have been. All my life…shit, how can I explain? Okay, I’ve worked really hard to hide who I am…I’m not who I appear to be…” Slate hesitated.
Dakota felt his mate’s agitation acutely. Pulling him over to the foot of the bed, he pushed him down before sitting next to him. “Babe, do you still want to claim me?”
“Absolutely, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, but I…okay here it is…I think the Fates gave you a mate who is less than you deserve. All my life I always knew I wasn’t as smart or as cool or as focused or…”
“Who said you weren’t?”
“Nobody had to, I just knew it. I kept hoping when I grew up, I’d become all those things, but it never happened. I have nothing special to offer you except to help you make a pup. Every day I think someone will call my bluff and my carefully crafted house of cards will come tumbling down and I’ll be exposed for the fraud I am and…”
Dakota put up his hand to stop his mate. Then he said, “Slate, when my brother asked me about taking a mate or having pups, it was because he knew who I was…someone who was a loner and avoided others like the plague. I spent as much time as I could in the kitchen away from my siblings. Even in school I kept to myself because I was so fucking afraid my secret would be discovered. I didn’t think anyone would accept me if they learned what I was. That’s the reason I decided never to take a mate. Better to reject first than be rejected, eh?
“Even though I lived in a pack, I was alone. Day in, day out, I stayed in my kitchen, hiding who I was from the world. That was until you walked into my life and, for the first time ever, you made me want what I swore never to have. Your scent told me you are the one person I’d be safe with. No matter how hard I tried to tell myself I was foolish…because you wouldn’t want a misfit like me…something was pulling me toward you.
“When you found out what I am, I was sure you’d say ‘thanks, but no thanks’ because who’d want such a weakling as me for a mate. But I was wrong. Not only did you accept me, you demonstrated your love for me in countless ways. And do you know what that does to me? It makes me strong because I have someone who’ll love me forever, just the way I am… I’m not alone anymore… I have a future I’m looking forward to… I have hope, something I never had before. You did this for me. You! Do youknow how rare that makes you? No, you don’t, but let me tell you what kind of man I see when I look at you.
“Until I met you, I never knew how dark my world had become but all of that changed and now it’s filled with light and beauty. You are the only person I trust with my heart because I know…in my soul…you will guard it with your life. When I look at you I see a white knight that rode in and rescued this damsel in distress, saving me from a loveless, lonely life. You are my strength that gives me courage to move forward, to live my life. You are my sun, my moon and the stars in my heart…you are my everything!”
Dakota’s words brought tears to Slate’s eyes. He turned to face Dakota, then reaching out with one hand, stroked the side of his mate’s face in a soft caress. “Babe, thank you so much,” Slate whispered, moving closer to his mate. “You are my everything.” Finally, their lips touched, softly at first, until their need to possess each other swelled and kisses made them one.
Dakota’s sigh of pleasure was swallowed by his mate along with the small moans and whimpers coming from him. Wanting more, he thrust his tongue into the hot mouth, met Slate’s and began to suck it, loving its flavor. Their kisses grew so hot, Dakota’s hard cock was straining against his zipper and he felt his balls tingle. Knowing he was close to shooting his jism, Dakota broke off the kiss and murmured, “Fuck me, please.”
Oh yes! I want that too!Slate rose, pulling his mate to his feet, and began to slowly remove Dakota’s t-shirt, kissing his mate’s naked skin as he peeled it off. Dropping the shirt on the floor, Slate reached out to caress his mate’s nipples with his tongue before nipping at them with his teeth, alternating between the two actions until his mate’snips were puffy and rosy. When he was satisfied Dakota was on the edge of coming, he straightened up and undid the snap that would open the door to paradise.
He sought out his mate’s eyes, locking their gazes, then hooking his thumbs inside Dakota’s jeans, Slate began to push them down. The heat and fire in his mate’s eyes reflected his own—his blood boiled, his cock swelled and lust consumed them both. Finally springing free, his mate’s cock took aim at him, throbbing with need. Lowering himself, Slate grasped it with his hand and tongued the drops of pre-cum dripping from it.
