Chapter 2: Chapter Two

The volume in Kellan’s office was out of control. Shifters were always a rowdy bunch, but filling a room with the most dominant and aggressive members of the Pack was the perfect recipe for either a killer migraine or a raging brawl. Between the shouting, roughhousing and full-out fighting, Dax wasn’t sure if he should join in or get the hell out of there. He liked a good time as much as the next guy, but even he knew the gathered crowd was going to get out of control if they weren’t brought to heel soon. He was seriously considering performing some crowd control when a shrill whistle filled the room, drawing everyone’s attention to the front where Kellan and Eli, the Alpha and Alpha mate, stood waiting expectantly.

“Everybody quiet and take a seat!” Kellan’s deep voice resonated through the room, demanding attention from everyone present. “I’d like to get this handled quickly. The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner everyone can get back to their night.” His words were met with a rumble of approval and some good-natured grumbling as people shuffled around the room, righting tables and chairs that had been knocked over in the scuffling and quickly taking their seats.

Kellan cleared his throat and the room when silent, attention quickly focused on the Alpha. “As you all know, over the last few months we’ve been sending out scouts trying to get more intel on what Charles Steele and his cronies are up to. Regrettably, information has been pretty scarce. Steele has been guarding his secrets well, only revealing important details to those closest to him and his operation.

“Lucky for us, Steele is not as infallible as he’d like everyone to believe. It seems that he recently made an enemy of one of his Betas when he tried to force the man’s daughter into one of his ‘arranged marriages’. Apparently, while the Beta was okay with others being forced into these arrangements against their will, it was not acceptable for his own little princess. When Steele tried to force the issue, the man and his family absconded from the Pack and went into hiding.

“Malachi and Ryker were the closest team in the area and got wind of what happened. They were able to track him down and managed to convince him to give us details about Steele’s operation in exchange for helping his family get out of the country. He was able to give us some insight into Alpha Steele’s current plans and also provided us with a general location of one of Steele’s breeding facilities just outside Petoskey. I’m organizing a team to head up tomorrow and scout the area. Their mission will be searching for weakness in the facility and, if possible, to infiltrate the building and release any captives being held there.”

He looked out over the crowd with a measuring stare that always filled Dax with a sense of pride. Kellan’s love and devotion for his Pack were unmistakable. His cousin had shaped up to be an amazing Alpha. Dax listened as Kellan gave further details about the mission, as well as a general description of the area where the team would be heading, before finally bringing things to a close.

“Check in with your team leaders before you leave and they’ll let you know if you will be heading out tomorrow. The team will take off at first light,” he announced, his tone brooking no argument. “Depending on what they are able to glean, we may be sending up a secondary team, so everyone should stay on alert. Now,” he barked, clapping his hands in emphasis, “with that being said, this meeting is adjourned. For those leaving in the morning, get some rest. We have no idea what you might be facing out there and I want everyone operating at one hundred percent. I expect each and every one of you to return in one piece. Good luck.”

Without another word, he grabbed Eli’s hand and led him from the room, ignoring the cheers and shouts that echoed behind them. With the meeting over, Dax got to his feet and started the slow trek to the door. After spending the last twenty-four hours on patrol, all he wanted was a flat surface to pass out on, the sooner the better.

Working his way through crowd, he was just about to step through the doorway when a large, muscled body slammed into him from the side. The collision forced him back a few steps and he tipped precariously on his heels. His arms pinwheeled in a last ditch effort to regain his balance, but to no avail.

“Shit!”

Dax realized he was headed for a hard fall when the man’s big hand shot out, wrapping around his wrist and stopping his backward momentum. Dax let out the breath he’d been holding. With words of gratitude on the tip of his tongue, Dax peered up into the eyes of his guardian angel and was immediately struck mute.

Perfection. That was Dax’s first thought as he took in the six-and-a-half-foot, hard-bodied god in front of him. The man was Dax’s ultimate fantasy, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. His dark hair was cropped in tight, like a shadow across his skull. The blue-gray eyes looking back at him were somber, but Dax could tell from the small laugh lines at their corners that they had once been filled with warmth and good humor. High cheekbones, a square jaw and an aquiline nose completed the picture, all working together to create the most stunning example of rugged masculinity Dax had ever seen.

His dick chose that moment to take notice, rising quickly to half-mast as if it wasn’t bad enough that everyone in the room had to be able to pick up on the scent of his lust. He wished his shirt was just a bit longer to hide some of the evidence of his burgeoning arousal and save him the embarrassment of popping wood in the middle of a crowded room. The sound of a throat clearing drew his attention away from his rampant cock and back to the slightly irritated man before him.

“Sorry,” he mumbled distractedly.

Focusing on the man, Dax felt something prickle at the back of his mind. The man was definitely familiar, but it was hard for Dax to place him. Drawing in a deep breath, he picked up a familiar scent that took his dick from semi-hard to able-to-pound-nails in seconds. The aroma of vanilla, citrus and mocha, with just the hint of wood smoke, nearly drove him to his knees as he was overwhelmed with need.

“Noah.”

Just the thought of the man had Dax fighting back a tremor of excitement. Feelings of lust and longing that he had been harboring for months surfaced in a rush, reminding him how much he had missed the big Alpha. Since the discovery of Alpha Steele’s plans to breed an army designed to take over the Packs, Dax had been assigned a lot of recon missions, as they were the best use of his talents. With his tall, muscular build, tattoos and badass attitude, Dax’s appearance screamed ‘trouble’. He had a knack for getting information by any means necessary and was very good at his job. That being the case, he’d barely seen the object of his infatuation since that fateful night when Carl Yager had returned Noah’s bloodstained, mutilated body to his brother, Eli Steele.

Dax had been at his side, holding his hand as the medical team hurried to stabilize him enough that he could be moved. He had only seen Noah for a few minutes, but even then, with his features barely recognizable under layers of gore and ravaged flesh, beneath the scent of blood, sweat and tears, there had been something about the man that had called to him like no one else ever had. Looking at him now, it appeared that time and care had healed the ruin he had been and restored him, at least physically, to the gorgeous, powerful Alpha he was meant to be.

“It’s good to see you, Noah. You look well.”

Noah’s eyes flared wide in surprise as he gazed down at Dax. “Thank you,” he answered gruffly, releasing his hold and taking a step back. “I appreciate your concern. If you’ll excuse me?”

When Noah made a move to go around him, Dax couldn’t help but notice the shadows that still lingered under his eyes and the pain that burned in the stormy orbs.

By all accounts, Noah Steele was fine. He’d overheard the Pack doctor telling Eli that Noah was healthy, whole and on the mend. Dax had read over the reports and wasn’t convinced. He just couldn’t reconcile the quiet, cautious man he saw today with the fun-loving, vivacious man Eli was constantly regaling him with stories about. It was as if part of him had been left behind in that van with Carl, and he was now operating as a shell of his former self. The prospect of Noah continuing on that way for the rest of his life upset Dax more than was wise for someone who was a virtual stranger to the man.

Despite his best efforts, Noah was never far from his mind. Dax knew his one-sided attraction to the Alpha was a bad idea. Noah was still recovering from his near-death experience at the hands of Carl Yager. The last thing he needed was to have to fend off unwanted advances from some goofball Beta with a bad case of puppy love. The best thing for Dax to do would be to stay as far away from Noah as possible. He didn’t know how much more embarrassment he could take. Still, calling himself ten times a fool, Dax reached out and halted the bigger man with a gentle hold on his arm.

“Wait.”

Noah knew who he’d crashed into without even having to make eye contact. The moment he had picked up the Beta’s delicious scent, his blood had heated and quickly headed south. His cock filled so rapidly, it actually left him feeling a bit lightheaded. It was just one of the reasons he’d been so desperate to leave the room.

While he had successfully managed to avoid coming into direct contact with Dax during the months he had been staying at the Pack House, Noah had always known it was just a temporary evasion. Already, the familiar longing that came with the knowledge that his other half was near beat down on him, demanding that he take what was his. He wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to fight the instinct to claim his mate.

Sighing deeply, he met Dax’s dark green gaze with a directness only an Alpha was capable of, desperately hoping the Beta wouldn’t be able to read the longing in his eyes. He didn’t want to embarrass himself any more than he already had.

“Can I help you?” His voice came through cool and authoritative, a fact he was extremely thankful for since he was on the verge of losing it. All he wanted to do was strip the man naked, throw him to the floor and mount him. It didn’t matter that they were in a room full of people. His wolf’s thoughts bombarded him, filled with approval and excitement. It had no problem with people witnessing their mate’s claiming. Witnesses meant there would be no further question as to who the man belonged to.

Dax cleared his throat, his feet nervously shuffling side to side. “I’m not sure if you remember me. I’m Dax Marshall, Kellan’s cousin. I was there the night Carl—well—the night we got you back. I’ve been meaning to come by and see you. I just wanted to check in and see how things were going. I wanted to stop by sooner, but I’ve been out of town a lot lately.” Dax’s gaze dropped to his feet as an enticing blush stained his cheeks.

Noah had to fight the strong desire to brush his fingers along that faint line of pink. He knew if he allowed even that small touch, he’d lose his resolve and take his mate where he stood. From the bits and pieces of information he’d managed to glean about the man over the last few months, Noah was confident that Dax was good-hearted and kind. He deserved the best mate the gods could give him, which was why Noah knew he couldn’t allow himself to touch the stunning Beta. He wasn’t worthy.

Noah straightened his shoulders. He tried for his best impression of cold indifference and prayed it was believable. “Thanks for the concern, but, as you can see, I am fine. Please save your worry for someone who needs it.”

Turning his back on Dax’s open-mouthed shock, Noah scanned the room for an alternate exit but came up empty. He resigned himself to the fact that the only way out was behind his mate. When he tried to push his way past, Dax grabbed his wrist, halting his progress.

Noah quirked his eyebrow and gave him an imperious glare. “Excuse me?”

Dax looked down at his hand, realized it was still wrapped tightly around Noah’s wrist then immediately let go, like the appendage was on fire. He drew in a sharp breath, remorse forefront on his face.

“Jesus, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I had…” His voice trailed off as he stared at Noah, like he was seeing him for the first time and Noah was the most amazing thing in the entire world.

“Do you smell—?” Dax muttered, his voice filled with a warring mix of wonder and confusion.

“I don’t smell anything,” Noah replied, panicked. With the scent of his own arousal perfuming the air, it was just a matter of time before Dax picked up on it. He needed to get away—fast. “If you don’t mind, I need to get past you. I have things to do.”

A large hand shot out and grabbed the front of his shirt as he made to go around the big Beta. “Will you just wait a minute? You know, you’re kind of being an ass right now.”

Dax flashed Noah a devastating smile that should have been illegal and did ridiculous things to his libido. It took every ounce of control Noah had not to respond to it.

“From what my brothers tell me, being an ass is one of my major talents. Now that you’ve confirmed the rumor, I really do need to get going.”

Noah tried to pull away, but Dax held firm. He wasn’t going anywhere unless he jerked away hard enough to rip the shirt from his body. While it might get him his freedom, it would be pretty suspicious and was sure to garner him way more attention than he wanted.

Dax took another step toward him, bringing their bodies flush. There was no way Dax could miss the state of his arousal. The answering bulge that prodded his thigh just served to make his own cock that much harder. He held his breath when Dax leaned in, burying his face in the curve of Noah’s neck, drawing in a breath then releasing it on a sigh. At that moment, Noah knew all his work to distance himself from Dax had been wasted. The mate was out of the bag. He expected questions, but they never came. Dax leaned more fully into Noah, nosing his way behind his ear where he drew in deep lungfuls of Noah’s scent.

“You smell so good,” Dax practically purred.

They stood frozen there for what could have been hours. Noah knew he should pull away, but with the man he’d longed for finally in his arms, he couldn’t fight the instinctive need to keep him close. He allowed Dax to settle against him, his weight a comforting presence after so much time spent in his self-imposed seclusion.

When Dax finally lifted his head, his eyes were wide, brimming with a combination of need, confusion and such overwhelming happiness that it nearly stole Noah’s breath. To be on the receiving end of a look like that was both humbling and terrifying. Dax scanned Noah’s face, his focus alternating between Noah’s eyes and mouth, before lowering his head back into the curve of Noah’s shoulder.

There was hot, moist breath on Noah’s neck then the press of soft lips skimming up the side of his throat. A guttural moan tore free of Noah’s chest as Dax’s wet tongue traced up the cord of his neck before nipping a path back down. What was left of his control snapped, leaving him powerless to fight his building lust. Grabbing Dax’s hips in a punishing grip, Noah ground his swollen cock against Dax’s equally hard shaft. They settled into a grueling pace, Noah could feel himself getting closer to release with every thrust of his hips.

Pulling away from Noah’s throat, Dax tilted his head and brought his mouth down on Noah’s in a brutal meeting of teeth and tongues. There was no gentleness in the kiss, and that was just fine with Noah. For months, he had imagined what it would be like to kiss this man. Now he knew and it was more than he’d ever imagined. It was mind blowing. It was amazing how something so simple could shake his world so completely. The kiss was bruising and rough but also full of care and passion. Noah had never experienced anything like it and was loving every second.

It took them a moment to get in sync, both of them struggling for control, but they soon found a rhythm that allowed them to share the dominant role seamlessly. Give and take took on a new meaning when describing their intimacy. Noah lost himself in the pleasure of their coupling, too far gone for the outside world to even register. The need for oxygen finally became too great. He jerked away, heaving and gasping for breath as he tried to drag air back into his depleted lungs.

Noah was at a loss for what to say. He couldn’t believe he had allowed himself to lose control so completely. His plan to give Dax the freedom to find a more deserving life partner was becoming less and less likely by the minute. It would have been difficult to let the man go before. Now that he knew what his hard body felt like, pressed tight against his own, Noah wasn’t sure it was even still possible to walk away.

Daring a glance in his mate’s direction, Noah took in his wide eyes and lust-blown pupils. A smug sense of satisfaction filled him as he realized that he’d been the one to cause such a reaction in the powerful Beta. A smile quirked the side of Noah’s mouth as he licked his kiss-swollen lips, savoring the sweet flavor of his mate on his tongue. Dax, on the other hand, looked shell-shocked.

Quirking a brow, Noah met his mate’s eyes. “Dax?”

Dax swallowed, eyes wide with confusion. His quietly murmured answer barely reached Noah’s ears.

“Mate?”