“Zio’s a bad influence on you. You never used to be so sarcastic.”
Just the mention of Zio’s name tugged at Devan’s heart, but six months since they’d made their bond permanent, it no longer hurt. Loving Zio was as consuming as ever, but in all the right ways.
Didn’t stop Devan rubbing his chest, though. Or Bomber smirking.
“Shut it,” Devan said. “Or I’ll take your other damn leg off.”
The doctor called them in before Bomber could reply.
Devan followed Bomber into the consulting room and took his place hovering protectively in the corner. Of all his wolf brothers, he felt most responsible for Bomber. His injuries had been severe, and healing him had taken something from Devan he’d never get back. Didn’twantback if it meant giving up anything he had now.
The human doctor smiled at them both. Bomber glowered back, and Devan sighed. It was going to be a long consultation if he kept that up. The doctor had already made it clear he had no time for shifter intimidation tactics. And why would he when he’d endured enough of that to last him a lifetime? After being one of the hospital doctors who’d fallen victim to the rogue enemy blackmail tactics, they were lucky he’d been willing to help Bomber at all.
Still, the distrust on both sides was strong.
The doctor fitted the leg he’d had made for Bomber, showed them how it was removed and kept clean. “Obviously we haven’t tested it for resilience if it’s still attached when you shift, but I’d advise taking it off beforehand if you can.”
“Won’t work if we’re in the field.”
“True, but if your Shadow Clan friends keep the war out of this country, that won’t be a problem, will it?”
Devan bristled. He’d long ago decided to build his life within the wolf pack he now called family, but the mention of his clan set his teeth on edge. The war was far from over. People were still dying.
Bomber’s gaze flickered to Devan. “Chill, D. You know humans talk shit.”
A low growl cut off as Devan refocused.Huh.Maybe hewasmore influenced by Zio’s personality than he’d realised.
Twenty minutes later, the doctor—a good-looking blond in his thirties—walked them out of the office. Danielo and Zio waited by the car. Despite Devan’s continued surprise at how Zio and his brothers seemed to appear from nowhere with no prior arrangement, his attention was instantly hooked on his mate, but he didn’t miss the flirtatious glance Danielo sent the doctor’s way.
“You smell nice,” Danielo said.
The doctor glanced at him. “If you say so.”
“I do. Every time I see you.”
Flushing, the doctor sent Danielo a heated stare, then backed off as though he’d been burnt. After an hour of his clinical bedside manner, his animated reaction tickled Devan, and he hid his grin in Zio’s delicious neck. “We should go.”
Zio hummed his agreement. “Not in the car, though. I want to run with you.”
They left Bomber with Danielo and escaped to the forest, taking the scenic route back to the rebuilt compound. Running free with his mate, Devan had never felt joy like it, but even that couldn’t last forever.
Soon enough, they were home.
Barely through the door, they tumbled to the hardwood floor. Since they’d completed the bond, Zio had rarely let Devan fuck him, preferring to throw Devan around whenever the mood took them—which was alot—and stake his claim on his body as he had on his heart. Devan wasn’t complaining, but from time to time, he fought back.
He wrestled Zio to the rug at the end of the hallway. He got Zio on his back, legs splayed, head thrown back, clothes a shredded memory.
Devan slicked his cock with herbal oil and pushed inside him. Over the last six months, they’d mastered the art of the long, sensuous fuck—they’d had to, to save everything around them from certain destruction—clothes, furniture, ancient forest trees—but Devan didn’t have the patience for that right now. It had been a long day.
Just breathing Zio’s scent was enough to bring him to the point of climax, and it wasn’t long before orgasm ambushed him.
Zio arched his back, his cock jutting out from his hips, hard and weeping. Devan caught it in his hand and squeezed, and Zio’s answering yell tipped him over the edge. He came hard and fast, then sat back on his heels to watch Zio fall to pieces. His bite mark stood out in the darkening light, raised and white. Devan bent and ran his tongue along it, drawing a tortured shudder from Zio, a moan, and more seed to seep from his cock. “Gods, if you do that, I’ll never stop coming.”
Devan laughed. Sated for now, he let Zio be and pulled him close. Zio was a fierce lover, but after, regardless of how it had played out, he often sought the comfort of Devan’s arms. And Devan wasn’t complaining about that either.
They slumped lazily against the wall, Zio lounging with his head in Devan’s lap. “I’m hungry.”
“Uh-huh. What are you gonna eat?”