Page 12 of In The Shadow of The Wolf

He and Molly intended to leave here after their car was repaired, and he didn’t want to give them a reason to make them stay, such as knowing too much about the Pack. Just as he was about to broach the subject of mate, they heard the front door open and Aaron announcing that they were home.

Ronan beat Lance to the door, although Lance was right on his heels. Ronan went to give his sister a hug when Aaron pulled her back into his chest and away from Ronan. “She is in a fair amount of pain, Ronan, so be careful.” He said, although the real reason was that his wolf was being overprotective of his injured mate. He didn’t want anyone too near her, not even her brother.

Ronan accepted that move about as easily as a knee to the groin. “I will touch my sister whether you like it or not, Aaron.” He moved into his personal space and put his arms around Molly, who seemed a bit spacey through it all. He noticed the looks that passed between Aaron and Lance but could not understand any of it. Finally, Aaron stepped back slightly and let Ronan hold Molly.

“I’m feeling much better, Roe, don’t worry, but I would really like to lay down for a while.” Molly shifted her eyes to an impatiently waiting Aaron. Aaron moved towards her, and instantly Ronan pulled her up against him and away from Aaron. Lance stepped forward at that moment and draped an arm around Ronan bending his head, and spoke directly into his left ear.

“Don’t play with the man Roe. He is utterly smitten with your sister and means her no harm. Let him see to her comfort; he needs to be able to care and provide for her.” Lance let his lips linger on the edges of Ronan’s ear causing all kinds of reactions below the belt.

Ronan hesitated only a moment before letting Molly go back to Aaron. She seemed to want to be with him, which confused the hell out of Ronan. Molly was always the level-headed one and always questioned the motivation of others. He had never in his life witnessed her so…needy; it made him happy that she was happy but also caused him concern.

“Are you sure, Molly? We really don’t know any of these people, and remember what happened when we trusted asshole, Terry?”

Molly sunk into Aaron’s embrace before answering. “I know it seems strange, but I trust Aaron. I don’t know why but I do. I trust him as much as I trust you, Roe.” Molly looked up at Aaron with what looked like love in her eyes as he tucked her under his arm and led her towards the stairway.

Ronan watched their retreating backs but said nothing until they were out of sight. “This morning, we left a motel in Bismarck, North Dakota, and headed west with nothing on our minds except making it to Cousin Henry’s before Jordan could intercept us.

In less than twenty-four hours, we were rescued by the side of the road, sort of arrested and questioned by the Police, the Mayor, and a mechanic. We were threatened and escaped, captured, and brought to the home of the Mayor and the mechanic. Molly, who has never taken a man serious in her life, appears to be on the verge of proposing marriage to the mechanic. She looks at him like she wants to eat him alive, and by the look on Aaron’s face, the feeling is mutual. I am so confused.” Ronan turned then and looked at Lance, who was looking at him with that same hungry stare he had while watching him eat the Danish. “What’s next, do you think?”

Lance brushed his knuckles down the side of Ronan’s face and took a deep breath inhaling Ronan’s essence. “What’s next is you fall madly in love with me, and we live happily ever after.”

Ronan laughed nervously and tried to take it lightly. ‘Lance can’t possibly be serious, but the look on his face was all-consuming, and his eyes seemed to be asking, no, almost pleading for an answer.’

“We’ll have to see about that, I guess.” The answer seemed to please him. Lance took him by the hand and followed Molly and Aaron up to the second floor.

The house was enormous, with more bedrooms than Ronan had ever seen in any one structure outside of a hotel. He was led to a large room at the end of the hall and ushered inside. It was very inviting with a large bed, dresser, a comfortable-looking chair, and small writing table. It was very nice, and the floor-to-ceiling window even had a large plush window seat.

Ronan noticed that his bag containing the few personal items he’d brought and the bag containing his laptop was sitting on the table. He wasn’t sure when those arrived, but he was glad to see his things as sparse as they were.

“This will be your room for now anyway. I have the room next door.” Lance walked over to a door on the one wall and opened it. “This door adjoins our two rooms, so please feel free to use it whenever you need me.”

Ronan looked into Lance’s room and was surprised by the austere nature of the space. There was little more than a bed and a dresser with no items that made the space personal. “Thank you.”

Lance walked casually over to the bed in his room and sat down. Ronan followed, looking over the room with curiosity, wondering what this man was about and not getting a clue from the contents of the room. Lance followed him with his eyes as Ronan took in his surroundings, obviously full of questions.

“What is it, Roe? You can ask me anything.” He motioned for Ronan to sit next to him and was pleased when he complied.

“What’s happening here?” Ronan twisted his fingers in his lap and kept his eyes on Lance. “What is it that you mean by ‘pack,’ and what is this mate stuff that you are throwing around regarding Molly and me. Most troubling of all is why do I trust you? I feel safe when I am with you, even after the issue with Terry and the fact that you put us in that situation. I don’t blame you; I really don’t.” Ronan glanced over at Lance and then back to his hands on his lap.

“When you caught us in the woods, I wasn’t afraid. I was just frustrated and angry. I truly believe you mean me no harm. How do I know that?” Finally, he ran out of questions for the moment and paused, waiting for answers. Lance put his arm around him and drew him up to be pressed against his chest, drinking in the smell and feel of his mate. The most touching was Ronan’s unguarded declaration of trust and belief in his resolve to keep him safe. His mate spoke his thoughts without guile, and that touched Lance the most.

“The Lonepine Pack is not a club. It is a community of individuals and families with a like heritage and culture.” Lance drew back slightly in order to look at Ronan’s eyes and keep track of his understanding. “It is not a religious or paramilitary group either. We live by pack rules and always by societal rules, just as you. We are guaranteed through our DNA to have a predestined mate or soul mate; it is not a romantic or figurative idea. It is factual and literal. We recognize our mate on sight and smell. The attraction and the driving need to be with this person is immediate and overwhelming.” He was sharing a lot and fast and in the hopes that Roe processed some of it.

“Unfortunately, not everyone meets their mate. Some members live their lives alone or accept that they are never to find their mate and instead settle with someone they care for. It is an honor and a gift to find one’s mate, and it is considered a time for celebration.” Lance paused and waited for any questions or comments. When all he got was a confused countenance, he continued. “I never thought I would find my mate due to the fact that I am gay, and from what I have heard, it is even less likely for a gay pack member to find their mate than a straight one.”

“You’re gay?” Ronan’s shocked surprise was unexpected and hilarious as far as Lance was concerned.

“Yes, Roe, I’m gay, and you’re my mate. Do you really think I would be holding you, kissing you, and treating you like a lover if I wasn’t interested in you and . . . gay?” Lance could not help the chuckle that escaped his lips as he watched the red blush creep up Ronan’s neck to encompass his face.

“You, sir, are adorable.” Lance cupped the back of Ronan’s neck and brought him the few inches forward necessary to capture his lips. The touch was electric for Lance, and soon he had Ronan’s lips parted, and he quickly invaded the soft, moist recesses, tasting, experiencing, devouring. He was kissing his mate, and his mate was kissing him back; that thought smashed all of his resistance and reserve as he aggressively plundered Ronan’s mouth and deepened the embrace.

Ronan should have guessed, but with everything happening, he hadn’t thought about Lance’s orientation. To have him state it clearly and also make it clear that he was interested in him was a boost to his self-esteem and sent his fears and doubts firmly into the background.

Ronan caught himself moaning as Lance let his one hand massage his scalp while the other explored his side, slipping down to his thigh and up to his hip in a repeated sensuous motion. Each time his hand coming closer to his groin until finally, Ronan felt Lance’sfinger lightly graze the head of his cock; the action causing it to stiffen painfully in his suddenly too-tight jeans. Ronan felt more than heard the satisfied chuckle from Lance.

Lance delved deep, his tongue mapping the interior of Ronan’s mouth, eager to commit it all to memory. He’d had lovers in the past but never had he felt the overwhelming need to completely consume someone the way he was feeling now. He wanted to eat Ronan up, sucking, nibbling, and biting until he knew if he didn’t pull back, he would be taking Ronan right here, right now. He eased away slightly but continued to hold him close and rub his whisker roughened cheek against Ronan’s face and neck, marking him with his scent.

“There’s more to all of this, isn’t there? I feel it, but I’m not ready to hear it all . . . yet. I’ll ask again later.” Ronan resigned himself to accepting the situation for what it appeared to be and left it at that for now.

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