Page 37

Prez:

Hiding out with the pack isn’t making anyone here trust you more. Answer my fucking calls.

Storm:

Get your ass back here so we can figure out what the fuck happened.

Brand:

You’ve gone too far this time. We’re voting on binding your powers tonight.

Emmy snorted in derision as he read the most recent in a string of texts from the MC leadership over his shoulder. Rocco had been sitting at the breakfast nook in Emmy’s living area, looking out over the nearby forest, and hadn’t even heard him approach.

“Seriously? The only reason they’d vote on that is if that asshole suggested it. No one is going to back him,” Emmy said.

Putting his phone away, Rocco turned to his husband, scanning him from head to toe. Emmy had eschewed his Mafia suits for sweatpants and an old T-shirt. It was a good look on him.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better after a sleep. ”

“Hungry?” he asked.

Emmy’s stomach growled in response, and Rocco jumped to his feet to go find the makings of a late breakfast in his kitchen.

“You don’t have to cook. It’s Christmas Eve. There will be more food than anyone could possibly eat in the communal eating space in the main complex. Marco probably has a buffet going downstairs for family who don’t want to venture out as well.”

Rocco glanced over his shoulder, frowning a little as he noticed how pale Emmy still was. “Sit down and let me take care of you.”

Grabbing ingredients, Rocco started cutting the fresh bread someone had left for them into thick slices for French toast. He could feel his husband’s attention on him as he worked, his gaze like a breath of teasing fresh air across his skin.

Once the bread and bacon were cooking, he was unable to resist the temptation any longer, drawing on his power to knead the muscles of Emmy’s shoulders with magic as he started arranging fruit on the sides of their plates.

Emmy groaned in pleasure, letting his head hang down above the table he was sitting at. “How can you do that while you’re busy doing something else at the same time?”

“Practice.”

Emmy’s growl filled the kitchen as his head shot back up, undoing any relaxation he’d started. Rocco couldn’t help but smile.

“Easy, puppy. I meant practice holding multiple glamours, not practise with other men. I’m used to splitting my attention in several directions. It’s like playing a piano, or maybe an organ. I can have several melodies and harmonies working together at the same time.”

Once they’d finished eating, Rocco shepherded Emmy into the bathroom, turning on the shower before slowly stripping them both down.

Neither spoke as they stepped into the steam-filled space.

Pulling his husband’s body into him, Rocco moved them until Emmy was getting most of the water flow.

Emmy groaned as Rocco ran his hands through his hair, gently pulling his head to rest on his shoulder before reaching out to grab the shampoo.

The way Emmy was leaning back against him gave him a mouth-watering view down his tanned, muscled body.

Streams of water ran down the ridges of his abs and the deep vee framing his groin.

Emmy’s cock was half hard and growing, a temptation Rocco did his best to ignore for now as he set about washing every inch of his husband’s body with smooth, relaxing strokes. Caring for him. Worshipping him.

Shifting Emmy so he was leaning on the tiled wall instead of his chest, Rocco went to his knees to wash each of his feet. His hands roamed up his calves and thighs once he was done, unable to stop touching him.

Emmy’s cock was at full mast now, an impossible temptation right in front of his face. That wasn’t what this was about, though. Glancing up, he saw his husband’s head leaning back, eyes closed, his body lax despite being flushed with arousal. Perfect. And perfectly his .

Pressing a single kiss to his inner thigh, Rocco got back to his feet, quickly washing himself before turning off the shower and bundling Emmy up in a towel. Emmy gave him a quizzical look as he finally blinked out of the trance-like state he’d been in.

“If I start something now, we won’t be leaving this room today. Your pack wants to see you and make sure you’re okay,” Rocco explained, leaning in to claim a kiss that he forced himself to keep soft and teasing.

“Stop being so fucking sweet,” Emmy complained as they made their way out to his bedroom.

Rocco smirked, using his power to trace a trail of cool air down Emmy’s chest and tease at his balls. “Don’t mistake being responsible for being sweet.”

Emmy cursed under his breath and Rocco found himself slammed back against the nearest wall with a horny wolf shifter grinding up against him.

“Just so we’re clear, I’m claiming you as soon as this trouble with the MC is done,” Emmy growled, nipping at his throat hard enough to bruise.

Rocco moaned in pleasure, tilting his head to give his husband more room, knowing his wolf would see it as submission and get even hotter.

Emmy had been holding back since they’d met, not trusting himself not to bite him.

Rocco couldn’t wait to see his mate in all his glory when he finally let loose.

“You’d better. Or I’m going to haunt your every step until you do.”

Emmy rolled his eyes. “You’re going to do that anyway, stalker.”

That evening, the Lunetti Pack celebrated.

Rocco stood near one of the braziers they’d set up outside, occasionally helping one of the kids toast a marshmallow as wolves frolicked in the snow or ran into the depths of the forest. None of them seemed overly concerned by the cold, even in their human forms, with many wandering the food area in nothing more than low-slung sweats that seemed to be communally provided for just that purpose.

Emmy had stayed close by his side as the sun went down. Nothing in his body language gave him away, but Rocco could tell the distrustful looks the wider pack sent their way were getting to him .

“They’ll get over it the more they see of you,” Marco said, his voice quiet as he moved to join them, shirtless with his broad chest glistening in the light of the fire.

“Judging Emmy for something his dad did when he wasn’t even in the country is fucking stupid,” Rocco growled, glaring at one of the men who’d been sending them strange looks until he dropped his eyes.

“I’ve made it clear they can accept Emmy or they can leave. This trouble with the D-2S is just making people a bit raw.”

“I can go if I’m making them uncomfortable,” Emmy offered, prompting Rocco to growl even louder and pull him into his side.

Marco smirked. “I agree with your mate. You can keep those thoughts out of your mouth and out of your head. For them, being part of this pack is a privilege, not a right. One they earn by showing respect to me and mine. You’re family. I’ll protect you until my dying breath.”

Emmy glanced over at his Alpha in surprise. “You’ve already kicked people out over this, haven’t you?”

Rocco pressed kisses to his neck, nosing in close. His mate sounded stressed.

“That’s not your problem,” Marco said.

“We need everyone we can get to face this threat.”

“I don’t need people I can’t trust. There won’t be another traitor,” Marco said.

“Have you made any headway finding the terrorists?” Rocco asked, hoping to change the subject to something less painful for Emmy and give him something else to focus on.

“No. They’ve been disturbingly quiet lately, other than orchestrating the odd police raid. I’m worried about what they might be planning,” Marco said, before turning to Emmy. “Come on, cuz. You need to let your wolf loose and run. ”

Emmy shook his head, glancing up at Rocco from where he was nestled in close. “I don’t trust myself not to do something rash if I get caught up in my wolf’s instincts.”

“I wasn’t asking. I’ll rein you in if you lose it,” Marco said, pushing his sweats down to the ground and stepping out of them.

“Go on, puppy. You need to let yourself be a part of this,” Rocco said, gesturing to their surroundings.

“Are you going to come with me?” Emmy asked.

Rocco smirked. “No way will that end in anything but one of us mounting the other in the middle of the forest. Go. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

He couldn’t take his eyes off his mate as he shifted, admiring the sleek power and predatory grace that always lurked beneath the surface, but was so much more obvious in his wolf form. Crouching down, he ran a hand through Emmy’s fur, gripping his ruff.

“Good hunting,” Rocco said.

Emmy shoved his cold nose into his neck before spinning to chase after Marco, who was heading out to the trees.

“Now you’ve done it. He’ll be dragging a whole bloody deer’s carcass home to cook you for Christmas dinner,” Luca said as he emerged from the packhouse with his mate.

“Won’t he be having dinner with all of you?”

“Nah, we do the big thing tonight, and most folks do a smaller family thing tomorrow. Marco will have a buffet going all day for us in the house. People usually come and go, but everyone will be there for cornetti and coffee in the morning. Did you get a present for my cousin?”

“Of course. It arrived while he was sleeping earlier.”

Luca nodded in approval. “Good. He deserves to be spoiled.”

Rocco smiled. His gift might not be traditional, but he was pretty sure Emmy was going to love it .

Marco and Emmy re-emerged from the forest an hour or so later, sans deer thankfully, because Rocco didn’t want to spend any more time away from his mate while he skinned and prepared something that big.

Saying goodnight, they headed up to Emmy’s rooms just as the clock ticked over midnight.

“Merry Christmas,” Emmy said, pulling him to a stop to kiss him before he could head to the bedroom. “I want to give you your present now so you can wear it all day tomorrow.”

Rocco tilted his head in question, a smile tugging up his lips. “Okay, puppy. I’ve got yours hidden away downstairs. Shall I go get it?”

“Yeah, it will give me time to prepare.”