Page 19 of Wrong Number, Right Valentine

“Why?”

“So I can spend more time with you,” I said, smiling. “And because it’s long overdue. The restaurant’s making enough profit now that I don’t need to work all day, every day. It’s time.”

We pulled into the pack lands just as the sun was setting. I drove up to my parents’ house and parked the car.

“This looks like a neighborhood,” he said, “but not like a city neighborhood. Not really a country one either. Never mind, I’m explaining it wrong.”

He wasn’t wrong, though. The cabins were arranged in a way that did feel like a neighborhood. When we split from a larger pack in the ‘60s, we’d designed the pack lands to be more modern, taking inspiration from the suburban neighborhoods of the time. It wasn’t because anything had gone wrong with the larger pack; it had just grown too large. That was a good problem to have. Once upon a time, packs were small, not by choice, but because hunters kept our numbers down, thinking they were eradicating wolves. They didn’t realize we were shifters, but the result was the same.

“This is my parents’ cabin.” I parked the car. “We’ll go in there first, but leave everything in the car. We’re staying in our own cabin tonight, but it’s dinnertime, and Dad’s going to want us to eat with them.”

I took his hand. “Two things you need to know before we go in. First, they’re going to love you. Not as much as I do, because it’s impossible, but close.” I kissed his hand. “Second, I didn’t get my cooking skills from my parents. Just smile and say it’s delicious, okay?”

“Okay.”

I wasn’t sure he believed me about the food. He’d find out soon enough.

We were greeted at the door by my dads and my brother. The three of them immediately hugged my mate, introducingthemselves and welcoming him into the home. We were shuffled straight to the dining room, where Banks quickly discovered I hadn’t been joking about the food. It was tasteless, yet edible. My dad wouldn’t know seasoning if it hit him in the face, but Father liked it that way. There was nothingwrongwith the food—it was just plain.

“What are you guys up to tomorrow?” my brother asked.

“I was going to show him around the land. Maybe take him into town.” I hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“Wrong,” my brother corrected.

“What do you mean, wrong?” It wasn't like he was the activity coordinator and this was a cruise. Not that I’d been on one. My beast liked to stay on the ground.

“Tomorrow, I’m taking your mate to lunch, and I’m telling him all the embarrassing stories about you as a kid.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I said, knowing full well he’d try anyway.

“We’ll see. Someone’s got to let this guy know what he’s getting into.”

“I think I’m pretty clear on that,” my mate said, grinning.

My father clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’re good for my boy. His dad and I were getting worried about him being alone. But he insisted, ‘One day, I’ll meet the one.’ And look at him. He did. We’re so happy you’re here.”

“I am too, sir.”

My dad shook his head. “No, no, don’t call me sir. You can call me Ivan. Or Father. But not sir.”

“Okay, Father.”

I’d never seen my dad smile as brightly as he did in that moment. My mate had officially won my family’s hearts.

He had mine too.

15

BANKS

Though it was silly to think this way, it was kinda naughty to have sex on pack lands. Not that there was anything wrong with it. It was just my head was in a weird place.

I was sort of part of Reg’s pack. An associate member might be the correct term. But my mate-to-be was going to put his cock inside me in the place where he was born. We’d had sex many times, and yet there was a sensation… no, wrong word… a power associated with the act because of where we were.

The pack was part of the land. They were in tune with the earth beneath their feet. Not only would it be more memorable than previous cock-in-hole antics, but more significant, bonding us forever.

Not waiting for Reg to get his shoes off, I flung off my shirt, slid the pants over my hips, and kicked them over his head. He grunted, a sound that came from deep in his belly, making heated blood flood my veins. My cock engorged, and after whipping off my briefs, I lay on the bed, legs spread-eagled, my length standing straight and tall.

---