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Chapter Ten - Theo

T heo spends the day showing Luka his childhood.

“Here,” Theo says, “was where my father taught me to shoot. There is where my mother taught me to sew a wound.”

“Was there anything you learned from your parents that didn’t have to do with warfare?” Luka mutters.

“What would be the point in learning if it didn’t help me with battle?” Theo looks up from the flat spread of land at the top of the hillside, quirking his brows. When Luka gapes back at him, he chuckles. “Come now, my little pacifist. I know you don’t hold those ideals as closely as you did.”

Luka flushes, a flicker of pain crossing his face, before his eyes flutter to his hands. “You’ve corrupted me.” He presses his fingers to his face, mock-grinning. “This must be what my tutors always warned me about. Insanity!”

Theo laughs as he steps close to his mate, drawing Luka’s hands away to reveal flushed cheeks. “I think I like the look of insanity on you, Luka.”

“Don’t say my name like that.”

“Like what?” Theo leans so close, their noses brush.

When Luka speaks, his breath fans across Theo’s face in a hot rush that goes straight to Theo’s groin. “Like you want to eat me.”

“But what if I do?” Theo brushes a feather-light kiss over Luka’s lips. Luka groans, and the noise is like a warm hand on Theo’s cock. He has to resist the urge to pin Luka to a nearby pine and finally have his way with his mate.

“Is now really the time, Theo?” Luka whispers as if he could read Theo’s mind, pulling away to scan Theo’s face. “I’m leaving you in –” He pauses, looking at the sun. It’s midafternoon, judging by the long cast of shadows from the nearby pine trees. “In a few hours.”

“I think now is the best time,” Theo says, thinking of how Luka must return to Theo’s hostile home – alone. With only the Snake of the South to guard him – when Cathalan has already failed in seeking Akull’s help once before. Theo’s stomach clenches and his grip on Luka tightens, drawing his mate close to his chest.

“We’ll be together again, when this is all over,” Luka mutters into Theo’s cloak.

“Yes,” Theo says, and though he desperately wishes saying it would make it true, he’s still afraid.

That’s why he adds, “There’s one more spot I want to show you.”

He takes Luka by the hand and leads him into the pines east of the ruins of his home. They leave a drowsily scheming Cathalan behind as they enter the shade of the towering trees, their feet crunching through snow made shallower by the shelter of the enormous green boughs above them.

They don’t walk for long before Theo pulls them to a stop. “There,” he whispers over his shoulder to Luka. “Do you see it?”

Luka rises on his toes. “No?”

Theo smiles as he sweeps Luka closer, excited to share this slice of his past and thrilled to find it still standing.

“Oh!” Luka exclaims as he spots it. “Did – did you make that?”

There, tucked between the narrow spacing of the pine trees, is a small shelter. As a young teenager, Theo built the platform by himself, lifting it a foot above the snow. Slender pines were cut to make walls, though the mud he packed between the cracks to keep out the cold has long since washed away.

Theo leads Luka inside.

It’s small; Theo has to duck when they enter. He’s grown at least half a head since he built it. It’s about the right size for two to kick off their boots and curl into each other.

“Is this…” Luka begins, eyes wide. “Theo – did you just take me to your sex cabin?”

“That I built myself.”

“How old were you again when you left your parents to join the Kiteran military?”

“Fourteen.”

Luka’s entire face turns scarlet. Even his ears. “Isn’t that a little – a little young? ”

“Not too young to be discovering my neighbors’ bodies.”

“Theo!”

“Don’t look so scandalized, Luka,” Theo says, grinning as he takes in Luka’s bright red cheeks. “When was the first time you had sex?”

Luka’s face grows impossibly redder. He mumbles something.

“What?” Theo says.

Luka jerks his head away. “Things were different for me, Theo! My mother controlled my entire life –it’s not like I could just sneak out and have dalliances with strangers at fourteen.” He runs a hand through his hair. “At that age I was probably… I was too caught up with my tutors to be even thinking about someone touching me like that.”

“But Cesse is about power –and sex –”

“I was taught that, yes, but it doesn’t count. It wasn’t someone I loved.” Luka looks back at Theo now, his face softening. “The first time with someone I loved –that was with Xyla.”

Theo’s stomach gives an initial, insecure lurch. But the gentleness in Luka’s face isn’t that of romantic fondness. He misses her–and he’s worried about her.

“She was my best friend,” Luka says. “I know that when you two spend more time together, you’ll realize you have more in common than you first thought.”

Theo tucks a strand of Luka’s dark hair behind his ear. “I think the only thing we have in common is you.” He kisses Luka, just a brief brush of their lips. “Well, you, and this war.”

Luka grins against Theo’s mouth. “Isn’t that more than enough?” He winds his hands through Theo’s hair, pulling them together. “Now, let’s not talk about our past experiences. All that matters is you, Theo. My love.”

Theo can’t help the little sigh that escapes his lips at the declaration. He will never grow tired of hearing it.

“That’s right,” he mutters into Luka’s mouth. “I brought you here because…” He pauses, his hands roaming Luka’s body. I don’t know if this will be our last time together , he wants to say, but that seems wrong. Too serious. I want to know your body before we part .

I brought you here because I’m afraid.

Luka places his hands on Theo’s cheeks, his blue eyes cradling Theo’s.

“I love you,” Luka says. “And I want you inside me.”

Theo’s nostrils flare and his cock throbs. His fear eases away as he runs his hands over the round curve of Luka’s ass. “That can be arranged.”

Theo’s mouth comes down on Luka’s, harder this time, his kisses desperate. He devours Luka’s lips, their tongues meeting in a fierce struggle that Luka surrenders to with a groan. He lifts Luka’s thigh, pulling him tight so he can press his growing erection against Luka’s stomach.

“Theo,” Luka whispers as Theo kisses and nips at Luka’s neck. He runs his teeth against the curve of Luka’s ear, drawing a gasp from Luka’s lips.

“That’s it,” Theo rasps. “Sweet Wolf –your face when you make that noise, Luka.” He presses a kiss to Luka’s cheek, running his fingers through Luka’s curls as his hands venture beneath their clothes.

Luka’s body is lithe and lightly muscled, so unlike the warriors Theo has touched before, yet perfect all the same. He presses against Luka’s stomach before teasing his nipples with first his fingers, and then his lips.

Luka whimpers, his face flushed as his hips buck.

“That’s it,” Theo says again. “Press against me, love.”

“Stop teasing me!” Luka snaps, eyes closed in pleasure as he rubs his erection against Theo’s thigh.

“I won’t give it to you that easily.” Theo runs his hands along Luka’s thighs.

“What would you have me do?”

Luka gasps as Theo ghosts his fingers over the outline of his cock, bulging painfully against his trousers.

Theo leans close, his lips gracing Luka’s ear as he whispers, “Beg.”

Luka groans, and Theo greedily captures the noise with his mouth before he drops to his knees.

“Theo –” Luka starts, eyes flying open.

“None of that now,” Theo says, standing and pulling Luka’s shirt up. He places the fabric over Luka’s beseeching gaze. “Eyes stay covered.” He kisses Luka’s exposed nose. “For now.”

Luka laughs, his body rippling with the motion. “You should know,” he says. “I’ve never been all that good at following instructions.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Theo murmurs as he steps back, ducking his head beneath the overhanging beam. He takes a moment to admire Luka; his mate’s pale skin pebbles beneath the chill, his nipples pink and stark against the gentle curves of his chest. Dark hair trails tantalizingly into his trousers.

The outline of Luka’s cock is a call that Theo nearly loses himself to –but no. He needs to take this slow. To savor this, their first time together.

“You realize,” Theo says. “If we make love now, the mate bond will be sealed.”

“Good,” Luka whispers. He reaches for the fabric over his eyes but Theo says, “Don’t,” and Luka stays his hand.

“Just give me one more moment to look at you,” Theo says. He tries to memorize every part of Luka, every piece. The sketch of his ribs against his skin, the curl of his hair as it falls over his exposed cheeks –the pink flash of his lips as he smiles.

“Okay, but next it will be your turn to stand blindfolded while I weirdly stare at you,” Luka says.

Theo approaches on soft feet and drops to his knees just as silently. He dampens his fingers.

“You do realize this is a bit odd –” Luka starts to say, but his words are lost as Theo pulls down his trousers, exposing his cock to the cold. As Luka gasps from the temperature change, Theo says, voice soft but hard:

“What do you want me to do, Luka?”

Theo places a hand on Luka’s thigh. The small muscles in Luka’s leg quiver beneath his fingers.

“Theo,” Luka whispers, hips bucking. “Please. I –”

“What do you need, love?”

“Put your mouth on me.”

Theo smiles. His heart is so light. He never thought he could feel this happy, this intimate, with another person. So raw, so exposed, and so full of love. “As you wish.”

He kisses down the length of Luka’s cock, and Luka’s guttural groan makes him grin. He works his dampened fingers against Luka’s hip, easing around to the soft curve of Luka’s ass, and Luka moans again, louder.

“I thought you said you were going to put your mouth on me,” Luka hisses as Theo winds his tongue around the base of Luka’s cock.

“So bossy,” Theo murmurs against Luka’s skin. Luka shudders. Theo works his hands against Luka’s ass, pressing his fingers closer –closer. As Luka bucks against him, Theo takes the length of him into his mouth.

“O-oh!” Luka shouts, head rolling back. The makeshift blindfold falls away. He braces himself against the wall, his knees locking. Theo props his shoulder against Luka’s hip, holding himself up as he swallows Luka down to the dark coarse hairs of his sex.

Theo bobs his head as he takes Luka in, and with each suck, he works his fingers closer to Luka’s asshole. As he presses against the dip of his entrance, Luka gasps, his hips pushing his cock into Theo’s mouth and working back against Theo’s hand.

Theo lifts his lips from Luka’s cock, seal breaking with an audible pop . Luka’s head rests against the wall, eyes glazed as he gazes down at Theo.

Theo wets his fingers. “What do you want, love?” he says, his voice little more than a growl. “Where do you want me?”

“Why do I have to say it?” Luka whispers. His hand drops to his glistening cock, but before he can pump it, Theo slaps his fingers away.

“None of that,” Theo says. “You can’t touch yourself without my say.”

“What?” Luka’s eyes widen, but Theo only smiles. He places a firm, wet kiss on Luka’s lips.

“You’re mine to enjoy tonight, love.” He grabs Luka’s dick, and all protest falls from Luka’s face. “There. That’s it. Now tell me: where do you want me?”

“Inside,” Luka mutters, brow scrunching as Theo’s hand increases in speed. “Inside – me.”

“Good,” Theo rasps into Luka’s ear. “Turn around.”

Luka braces himself against the wall, back arched, and Theo admires his profile; Luka’s body flushed with pleasure, his cock red, shining, lips ready to beg for pleasure.

Theo fumbles at the lopsided side table he made over a decade ago, relieved to find the bottle of oil still preserved. He wets his fingers before returning his attention to his mate.

“Such a good boy,” Theo says, just to see the way the words make Luka shudder. “Spread these cheeks for me.”

Luka does as ordered, and Theo palms his own cock. He drops his trousers, stroking slowly. Luka watches through hooded eyes.

“What if I want to taste you?” Luka asks, and his lips curl in a grin when Theo’s cock twitches in response.

“I need to come inside your ass tonight,” Theo says. “And if I let you take me in your mouth –” Theo shudders at the thought, his eyes rolling back in his head. Oh, there are so many different ways he wants to take Luka; fucking his mouth until Theo can come deep in Luka’s throat –deep in his ass on the soft bedding of his war tent –curled around each other –slow, fast –

But they only have now –and Theo’s imagination is working just as effectively as a hand ever could.

He drops his cock and presses oil-slick fingers against Luka’s asshole. He watches, desperately taking in the flush of Luka’s cheeks, the arch of his back, and the little pants escaping his lips as Theo eases the first finger inside.

“Oh, Luka,” Theo moans. “You’re so fucking tight, love –”

Luka pauses a moment as Theo presses the second finger in. Theo waits, letting him adjust, but half a breath later, Luka is pushing back into him, shoving Theo’s fingers deeper. At the third finger, Luka releases a breathy gasp and shouts, “Yes –right –right there!” and Theo smiles.

He lets Luka fuck his hand for another few short, rapid thrusts, before he withdraws his fingers and spits on his cock.

“Where do you want me?” he asks again, and Luka replies instantly, words spoken like a prayer, “Inside me –inside me, now –oh, Thought, just fuck my ass please, Theo, please –”

Theo, never one to deny a polite request, aligns his cock with Luka’s ass and slowly, slowly , pushes inside.

Everything vanishes into a world of tight, hot pleasure. It’s all Theo can do to not slam his full length into Luka, to pump until he’s emptied himself inside his mate –to take what Luka has so willingly given him –

But he needs to see to Luka’s pleasure first.

He reaches around Luka, wrapping his hand around Luka’s wet cock, and jerks his mate to the rhythm of his thrusts. Luka starts with low, quiet moans, but as Theo adjusts his thrusts to hit against the bundle of nerves inside, the noises change to near-shouts.

Pleasure builds in Theo, but he grits his teeth, tapping it down –

Luka comes first. Luka comes first –

Luka screams, “Theo!” hips stuttering as warm liquid sprays over Theo’s fingers. “Come in my ass –please, come in me, Theo –I need you –”

Theo’s eyes roll back as the pleasure bursts out of him. He groans into Luka’s ear, hands dropping to his mate’s hips as he mindlessly thrusts –

He comes with a growl, and only manages to keep himself from collapsing onto Luka by bracing a hand against the wall. His chest rests on Luka’s back, their skin slick with sweat as they pant.

For a moment, they press together, the air heavy with the stench of sweat and their lovemaking as they breathe each other in. Theo savors the moment, the sweet silence. He savors that same warmth in his chest –the love he feels for this man in his arms.

And there, beneath it all, he feels something else bloom.

The mating bond stretches between them. Distantly, like it’s taking place almost out of earshot, Luka’s love brushes against him – and Theo laughs softly. The sensation is impossible to mistake, even if it feels different from his own love; softer, but sweeter.

“Is that…?” Luka whispers. He looks at Theo, his eyes bright.

“We’re officially mated.” Theo wraps his arms around Luka. “You’re mine now.”

Luka twists around, pressing a heavy kiss to Theo’s lips. “And you’re mine.”

And you’ll be leaving me in the evening .

But now is a time for celebration. Theo chases the thought away as he kisses Luka back, savoring the way the warmth blooming in his chest belongs to both him and his mate.

His fears can wait until nightfall.

They return to find Cathalan scheming. Though the Snake of the South looks knowingly between the two of them, his brows waggling suggestively, he says nothing when Luka glares. Instead, he explains his plan to Luka, and the two fall into a discussion that Theo participates in, though only half-heartedly. He’s too busy thinking about his next steps.

Evening comes too quickly. Evening, and with it, the three bottles of cheap wine Cathalan found in ancient storage. They whittle the corks out with Theo’s knife and exchange drinks and secrets until the sun grazes the snowy hillside, though Theo realizes only halfway through the second bottle that he’s doing the majority of the drinking, and that Cathalan and Luka’s words are far too coherent.

It’s only when the moon peeks a hesitant silver eye over the hill and Luka presses a kiss against Theo’s temple that Theo realizes they’re bidding him farewell.

He tells himself that it’s the headache blooming in his temples that draws tears to his eyes as they crest the hillside.

Dawn greets him with painful daggers to his eyes. He stretches, thaws his water, and forces himself to eat a thin gruel. His last hours in his nameless hometown are spent before his parents’ grave markers.

He presses a hand against the stone, closing his eyes.

“I used to think I had to be strong to love someone – anyone –again,” he whispers, though even that feels too loud in the echoing silence. “I used to think that it was something I had to fight to earn. I thought that if I wasn’t strong enough, than I didn’t deserve it, but now I –I learned that all I needed was kindness. Kindness… and Luka.”

He crouches, looking between the two graves. “I wish you could have met him. You would have loved him –even more than I do, probably.”

He presses his hand against the foreign feelings in his chest –weaker now that so much distance stretches between them, but still present. That pitter-patter like rain on a tin roof must be Luka’s nervousness. By this time, assuming they walked through the night, they have to be approaching Akull.

“And because of him, I realized what I really want now.” Theo stands, looking out: north, toward the capital and his mate heading into sure danger.

South –toward Cesscounthe, so desperately in need of allies.

Cesscounthe, filled with hopiar . Home to Luka’s little brother. Home to people that Theo once threatened, but now, he realizes, people he could save.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back here,” Theo says to his parents. “But I hope that by going back to Cesscounthe, I can make you proud of me. I’ll save the hopiar there. I’ll make a difference this time.”

And with that, he drops to the ground, summoning his wolf form. He has days to journey before he catches up with Xyla Mobiele.