Page 5 of Big Top Bear Raid (Wolves of Stone Ridge #64)

EVEN AS WRAITH LED the way into his house, his mind reeled over Stephan’s actions. He felt a mixture of annoyance and pity for his fellow wolf. Wraith realized he never should’ve gotten involved with the other shifter in the first place.

Except, how was I to know about his tendencies?

“Hey.”

Zion rested his hand on Wraith’s shoulder and squeezed lightly, gaining Wraith’s attention. His big bear mate smiled at him, his deep brown eyes full of warmth.

“You’re beating yourself up over something you can’t control.”

With a shake of his head, Zion added.

“There’s nothing to gain by doing that.”

Wraith let out a deep breath before nodding once.

“You’re right.”

Smiling up at his newly discovered mate, he added.

“And his issues have no place here with us.”

“Exactly,”

Zion confirmed. After squeezing his shoulder again, he slid his hand down Wraith’s arm and took his hand, intertwining their fingers.

“Your bedroom?”

Grinning, Wraith felt his blood stir at the lust-filled look in Zion’s eyes. “Yeah.”

Returning his mate’s hand squeeze, he led the way to the kitchen.

“Quick detour for...water.”

As Wraith spoke, he pulled several bottles from the fridge.

Taking a couple with his free hand, Zion grinned.

“Great idea.”

Wraith winked, then led the way through his A-frame home to the staircase.

His main level consisted of the living space—kitchen, dining, and living room—along with a small full bath.

His upstairs contained a large loft bedroom along with a big ensuite. It was his sanctuary, a place that he’d never had a lover, not even Stephan.

But this is my mate, and I want him in my space.

“Everything okay?”

Hearing Zion’s concerned question, Wraith realized he’d stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Yeah,”

he quickly replied. Wraith scoffed softly as he met Zion’s gaze and smiled.

“Just realized I’ve never had anyone up here before.”

“Never?”

Zion sounded surprised, and a hint of pleasure began filling his scent.

“Never,”

Wraith confirmed. With a squeeze to Zion’s hand, he started leading the way up.

“Never wanted to share it with anyone before.”

Following him, Zion rumbled.

“Thank you for sharing it with me.”

Wraith smiled at Zion.

“You’re my mate,”

he reminded him.

“What’s mine is yours.”

Zion grinned broadly.

“Likewise.”

Then he winced, admitting.

“Not that I have much.”

Shaking his head, Wraith tugged Zion to the foot of his California king bed.

“All I need is you.”

He would have grimaced at how corny that sounded, but Zion growled softly as he replied.

“You have me.”

Then he released Wraith’s hand in favor of tossing his jacket over the back of a nearby chair so he could whip his shirt over his head.

Wraith hummed in appreciation as he took in Zion’s broad, dark chest.

His shoulders were wide, his arms heavily muscled, and his pectorals well-defined.

His torso tapered to a surprisingly trim waist...leaner than Wraith would’ve thought a bear shifter would be...especially since he barely had a two-pack.

Huh. My mate sorta looks underweight.

That reminded Wraith of Zion’s past circumstances. The man had been held, tortured, and bespelled. Obviously, he’d been starved, too.

I’ll fix that in no time.

Then Zion dropped his jeans, revealing a long, thick erection.

His attention snapped back to where it should be...his now naked mate.

The white flecks of dried semen on Zion’s black prick called to Wraith, making his mouth water.

Unable to ignore that siren call, Wraith dropped to his knees in front of Zion.

He grabbed his naked mate’s thickly muscled thighs.

Leaning in, Wraith pressed his nose to Zion’s groin, the thin pubes teasing his nose, and he inhaled noisily.

Wraith groaned as he took in the heady goodness of his mate’s spilled seed and masculine arousal.

So good.

“Wraith,”

Zion whispered, his thick fingers sinking into his short hair.

Seeing no reason to deny himself—after all, it was what they both wanted, hell, needed—Wraith stuck out his tongue.

He traced along the underside length from base to crown.

His mate’s flavor exploded across his tongue, lighting up his taste buds.

Wraith’s appreciative moan nearly drowned out Zion’s growl of enjoyment.

Peering up his mate’s body, he held his new and forever lover’s gaze as he opened his mouth.

First, he flicked out his tongue, teasing the tip and slit, before opening wide and taking the man’s knob into his mouth.

“F-Fuck.”

Zion’s throaty hiss was like music to Wraith’s ears.

He smiled around his mate’s crown as he accepted more of his mate’s cock into his mouth.

When Zion’s cap hit the back of his throat, Wraith fought against his gag reflex and eased off a smidge.

Swallowing his saliva, Wraith licked and massaged Zion’s length with his tongue.

He sucked as he pulled partway off, pausing at his crown.

After swiping over Zion’s knob, pausing to tease at his slit, Wraith pushed his tongue into his frenulum, stimulating the bundle of nerves. Then he sank back down, taking as much as he could.

“Wr-raith,”

Zion whispered, his thighs tensing beneath Wraith’s palms.

“I-I—oh, fuck.”

That was all the warning Wraith received before his mouth was filled with a thick burst of Zion’s seed.

It nailed his uvula, causing him to jolt, before landing on his tongue.

He pulled off a bit more so the next volley filled his mouth.

The salty, slightly bitter goodness caused him to hum even as he quickly swallowed, readying for the next shot.

The flavor of Zion’s delicious seed mixed with the deep sounds of his mate’s groans, setting Wraith’s blood on fire.

His cock throbbed behind his fly, and he pressed against the base.

He struggled to remember to swallow as he fought against the tightening in his balls.

There was something so intoxicating in the knowledge that he’d pleased his mate so swiftly.

As a fairly dominant wolf shifter, he didn’t suck cock often.

He didn’t consider himself considerably skilled at giving head, but his mate reacted as if his ministrations were the best thing he’d ever experienced.

Once Zion stopped coming, Wraith leaned back, allowing his mate’s still hard prick to slip from his lips.

He swallowed and licked his lips a few more times, enjoying not only his flavor, but also the sound of Zion’s raspy breathing.

His dark chest gleamed with sweat, and his nostrils flared as he stared down at him with a heavy-lidded expression.

“That’s a hell of a good look on you,”

Wraith whispered, appreciating the view.

Seeing Zion’s full lips curve into a wide smile, he returned the look as he slowly rose to his feet.

“I want to see it on you often.”

Zion’s deep voice came out raspy as he replied.

“You’ll get no complaints from me.”

His dark eyes twinkled as he stared down at him. Then Zion grinned and gripped the base of Wraith’s shirt.

“Now it’s my turn to see you.”

Wraith was more than on board with that. He lifted his arms. Once the fabric was off his fingertips, he quickly lowered his hands to his fly. A quick flick and twist had his jeans undone, allowing him to shove them down.

Of course, Wraith had completely forgotten about his hiking boots and socks.

With a soft chuckle, Zion gave Wraith’s shoulder a push. He tumbled backward, his ass hitting his comfortable mattress. Leaning back on his elbows with his erection bobbing in the air and his feet bound by his jeans, Wraith felt a sudden surge of vulnerability.

He shifted his butt on the bed, fighting the unexpected bout of nerves.

“Relax, my mate,”

Zion crooned, obviously picking up on it. On one knee, he reached for Wraith’s boot laces even as he leaned forward.

“I’ll take care of you.”

The way Zion began pressing wet, hot, open-mouthed kisses along his length settled Wraith’s nerves damn fast. He groaned as the teasing touches caused his balls to once again begin to tighten. Gritting his teeth, Wraith let out a deep groan as pre-cum oozed from his slit. The sensation of it sliding over his crown had nothing on the feel of Zion’s warm appendage gliding over his cap to scoop it up.

“Easy, baby,”

Zion crooned as he straightened.

“Take a few deep breaths.”

As Wraith fought to catch his breath, Zion finished removing the rest of his clothes. By the time his legs were free, he finally felt as if he wasn’t about to explode at the lightest touch. He pried open eyes he couldn’t remember closing and peered at his sexy bear shifter.

“Damn, babe,”

Wraith mumbled roughly.

“Your tongue should be registered as a lethal weapon.”

Zion barked a laugh, his dark eyes twinkling.

“Thanks. Now where’s your lube?”

Swinging an arm toward the upper left side of the bed, Zion stated.

“Nightstand. Middle drawer.”

“Middle?”

Zion rounded the bed.

“What’s in the top one?”

Without asking, he opened the top drawer and pulled out a magazine. “Damn.”

He peered over his shoulder at Wraith, a brow lifted in surprise.

“Did you build that dirt bike yourself?”

Wraith registered the question, but he couldn’t have forced an answer if his life depended on it.

His attention was riveted to Zion’s back and the thick raised scars cross-crossing it.

It took a hell of a lot for a shifter to scar, and for his mate to have so many, and so deep...Wraith couldn’t imagine the torture Zion had been forced to endure.

Zion must have realized what had caught his attention, for he glanced over his shoulder before clearing his throat.

“Right. Yeah.”

He tossed the magazine about dirt bike mechanics back into the drawer but didn’t turn to face him.

“Not pretty. I know.”

Realizing he was totally killing the mood, Wraith growled low in his throat. He rolled over and got to his knees on the bed. Stalking toward him, he made certain his continued desire showed on his features.

“I couldn’t give a rip about those scars beyond the fact that someone hurt you,”

Wraith declared. Having reached Zion’s side, he grabbed his hand to squeeze his fingers.

“If those blasted witches weren’t already dead, I’d hunt them down and tear them apart for what they did to you and your sleuth.”

Then Wraith gave Zion a feral smile.

“But I can’t, so you know what I’m going to do?”

Zion hesitated a second before whispering, “What?”

“I’m going to lay you down and show you so much pleasure, show you how much I appreciate what a survivor you are.”

To Wraith’s pleasure, and relief, he saw a shudder work through Zion’s body. A fresh rush of his mate’s heady arousal perfumed the air. Even his bear’s erection bobbed, as if begging for attention, and Wraith’s own aching prick gave an answering jolt.

“Get the lube,”

Wraith ordered, releasing his hand.

“Then get up here.”

As Zion quickly obeyed, closing the top drawer and opening the second, Wraith recalled his bear’s question and told him.

“And yeah, I built the dirt bike in the garage.”

When Zion began crawling onto the bed, Wraith backed up to make room. Entranced by the flex and relax of his mate’s muscled form, he mumbled absently.

“But I’ll tell you all about that later.”

As soon as Zion was mostly on the bed, Wraith was on him.

He gripped his big bear’s hips and flipped him to his back, pleased his shifter strength allowed him to manhandle the gorgeous man.

Grabbing the lube from his clearly surprised mate, Wraith settled his other hand on the inside of his left thigh and urged him to spread them.

When Zion didn’t even hesitate, Wraith felt his excitement ramp up.

His balls tingled as he enjoyed the view of his big bear shifter spread out before him.

Wraith couldn’t help the way his prick drooled, what with the way their combined scents of arousal flooded the loft space.

“Gods, you smell so fucking good,”

Wraith snarled, eagerness flooding him as he watched Zion grab the backs of his knees and haul them up and to the side.

His breath caught in his chest upon the stunning view of his mate on display before him.

“Oh, gods.”

“It’s not the gods I want,”

Zion rumbled in a deep, teasing tone.

“Just you.”

“Fuck.”

Wraith gripped the base of his shaft, barely keeping himself from erupting.

“Yup.”

Zion grinned broadly.

“Shit,”

Wraith snarled, releasing himself in favor of squirting way too much lube onto his fingers.

“This is gonna be fast and dirty.”

“We have centuries to figure out slow and sensual,”

Zion assured him, grabbing a pillow and stuffing it under his hips.

“Need you just as much.”

With a groan, Wraith nodded. He rubbed over the wrinkled flesh of his mate’s hole. Then he sank his digit deep into Zion’s hot, gripping channel.

Wraith groaned as he imagined the way Zion’s tight chute would feel clamped onto his length.

As he began easing his fingers in and out of his mate’s body, adding another finger and stretching him, he would’ve felt badly about how swiftly he was opening him up.

Except, the deep moans, growls, and urging cries of yes and more told Wraith just how much Zion wanted this, too.

Once his third finger was easily sliding in and out of Zion’s channel, Wraith tugged them free.

The move earned him a moan of disappointment from his mate, and he grinned down at him.

At the same time, Wraith gripped his own shaft, quickly greasing it with the excess lube while shuffling a few steps forward.

“Easy, my mate,”

Wraith crooned, barely repressing a groan of his own as he touched the tip of his leaking prick to Zion’s stretched hole.

“I’m here.”

Zion crunched up and grabbed his shoulders. Then he yanked him forward so his torso draped over him. At the same time, Zion somehow managed to rock his hips upward, pushing against Wraith’s cock.

Wraith gasped as his swollen head popped past Zion’s guardian muscle. “Zion,”

he cried, a shudder working through him as his entire groin went up in flames.

Sliding one big paw of a hand to Wraith’s neck, Zion forced him to meet his gaze.

“Hello, mate,”

he rumbled, his deep dark eyes staring into Wraith’s own.

A harsh breath left Wraith’s lungs as he whispered back.

“Hello, mate.”

A huge grin creased Zion’s wide lips as he stared intently at Wraith.

“Make me yours, my mate,”

he ordered.

More than on board with that, Wraith let out a deep growl. He slammed his hips forward, sinking balls deep into his big mate’s sweet, slick, clutching heat.

Then Wraith drew back again and started a punishing rhythm, doing exactly as his gorgeous mate ordered.