Meta and the Marines II Chapter 6

A different take on the traditional M/M werewolf romance topic: less romantic, less traditional, more disturbing and with conniving wolves, vampires and submissive marines.


Comments or requests for more of Meta (& the Marines) can be emailed to Meta.JohnAR@gmail.com or check out www.amazon.com/author/johnar.

Depending on reception, I will post more chapters. 


And if any military boy wants to start a MetaPack, let me know ...

John A.R.

Meta & the Marines II

(Meta Origins)

CHAPTER 6

"Let me take this from you," Brian said without waiting for Colt's answer, reaching for the nerd's heavy messenger bag.

Colt sighed knowing resistance would be futile. Sam was already pulling Colt's roll-on case, while carrying his own heavy military style backpack. CE and Brian had similar rucksacks on their backs so some passengers around them thought they were an army detail on their way to invade some foreign country in the Middle East.

Colt wasn't allowed to carry anything. While he had gotten used to this somewhat emasculating practice on campus, it was still an awkward feeling outside of it. But arguing would have made things just worse especially as they didn't have a lot of time, so he let it happen.

They rushed to the Delta check-in machines to get their boarding passes for the 01:20 pm flight to Salt Lake City, where they would take a connection flight to Helena. Obviously none of the wolves broke into a sweat despite their luggage, while Colt slowly started to get exhausted.

Colt had been tired since he got up in the morning. He'd only gotten a few hours of sleep after the hot sex with Prime and Sam, and they'd left the motel much too early in order to dash North to the airport in Las Vegas. They wanted to fly to Montana to meet Prime's mother and his former pack to attend the burial ritual of his father. At least that's what Prime had decided with Colt after his midnight phone call from his mother.

Mr. Loope senior had died several days ago, and tomorrow Prime as his first son would attend his cremation and afterwards the reading of his Last Will.

Despite his fatigue, Colt had so many questions. Why did Prime want to go back given his father had basically kicked him out of the pack for being gay? Why did his mother not inform him about his father's death but only about his cremation? Why did Prime want all of them to go? Would they be safe? Or was this another attempt by their unknown enemies to lure them into a trap? How would Prime's former pack react to his return? Would they expect him to take over the leadership of the pack? Or would they make sure he left as quickly as possible given that he was now living this perverted life? What would they think about Colt?

And how would they get through security with chains and cage locks?

The last questions at least had been resolved very quickly. After the shower, Colt solemnly took off the chains off each of his wolves. Their eyes did not only show the exhaustion from the day before and the lack of sleep, but their wariness about the absence of their marks. Colt then used the little keys on his key chain to unlock their cages, without any of them saying anything about this not feeling right. All of Colt's marks went into Prime's military grade duffle bag, which would be checked in. CE was carrying it as well as his own backpack, as Prime was still in the process of returning the rental car.

Colt still remembered Prime, when they'd put the plastic cages into the bag. He'd said in his most authoritarian alpha voice: "If I see any of you playing with your little weenie, I'm going to personally cut it off in Helena. And I will do it very slowly. Is that clear?" There'd been ferocious "Yes, Alpha!" answers as nobody doubted Prime about making true on his promise. Locked away was odd, but still better than nulled.

When they all had their boarding passes, and Brian also Prime's, they had the lady at the counter check their carry-on luggage for compliance with the weight restrictions. Obviously, the military sized rucksacks didn't fit, but CE's military ID and Brian's super charming smile made her grant them an exception and hand them the `approved' paper slips. Afterwards she gave CE the baggage tag for Prime's duffle bag and wished "Have a nice flight!" drooling over Brian's firm little ass.

On the way to the security entrance a bunch of giggling elderly ladies came their way, excitingly chatting about the adventures in store for them in Las Vegas. Colt rolled his eyes. He knew they would be spending most of their sad time alone in front of the slot machines in the smoke infested casinos, losing dollar after dollar of their pensions. If they were lucky they had tickets to a Celine Dion concert, if they were less fortunate it would be a Kathy Griffins performance, which they would leave in shock because of her filthy language.

"You okay, Brian?" Colt asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"I mean we'll be transferring in SLC."

Brian smiled, maybe a bit too forced. "I don't think I'll run into my family there. I'll be fine. -- Where's Prime, though? We're cutting it tight."

"On the way," CE informed them looking up from his cell phone. "You guys get going, I'll wait for him."

Colt, Brian and Sam nodded and stood in line for security. Colt was even allowed to carry his own messenger bag to unpack his laptop for the X-ray machine.

They all made it through it quickly despite some of the boys' boots. Sam, though, got checked extra thoroughly by one of the security guys, which made Brian growl threateningly, so Colt had to elbow him. Relieved they saw that a running Prime had finally caught up with them and was in front of security on the other side.

"Getting some drinks," Colt said without waiting for Brian's protest. It seemed Brian was the same anal control freak as Prime, when Prime wasn't around. `I guess that's what makes him a Beta,' Colt conceded walking into a store close by.

Sam showed up next to him within seconds. "You shouldn't do this, Colt," he said.

"What?"

"Leaving the pack and doing stuff."

"Doing stuff?"

"You know," Sam was a bit uncomfortable telling off his Meta, looking quickly back to check whether Brian was around, "buying stuff like water. You could have told me to do it for you."

"And if I wanted to do it?"

Sam whined. "I guess then you need to have a chat with Prime. He would kill me again if he saw you carrying water bottles while I stand around waiting for you ..."

Colt smiled. "No, he won't kill you anymore."

"I know. But I'm more afraid what he would do to me instead of killing me," Sam said seriously, grabbing five 1l bottles of Colt's favorite Evian water.

"He's not so bad. But I guess you understand I'm still getting used to be treated like this ... sometimes I feel like a girl not a man."

Sam's dark eyes became smaller. "I think you misunderstand."

Colt took some of CE's favorite chocolate bars and the latest `Economist' and put them on the counter next to the bottles.

"Do I?" he asked while the African American lady keyed in the prices into her little machine, not really taking her eyes off her mobile phone.

"You're the Meta and you have to be treated accordingly. It's not just our job; it's physically and mentally painful for us when we fail to provide for you."

"Fail to provide for me?" Colt handed the dollar bills to the lady, who couldn't be less interested in the two young men in front of her.

Sam cleared his throat. "Prime said it: You're the most valuable we have in our lives. We want you to be cared for every second of your life. It's our genetics. -- Do you know how difficult it is for Prime that our pack is too small to give you everything he wants to provide you with?"

Colt stopped, looking at the young man in his too tight green T-Shirt with an A&F logo, which nearly made him a poster-advertising boy for the clothing chain, if it hadn't been for the substantial tattoo, which clearly didn't fit the sterilely clean image of that brand. "Not following, Sam."

"Prime as the Alpha, he doesn't want you to think about basics like rent, cars, bills for groceries or getting water bottles," he lifted the bag with the bottle as visual support for his argument. "As you come from a modest background yourself, that hasn't become an issue yet. But Prime feels you deserve more. And as he can't give it to you yet, it pains him, so he -- no we -- will do everything else we can to make you feel special."

"I do feel special. I have everything I need, Sam."

"Maybe. I shouldn't talk so much. I'm sorry, Meta," Sam became small and quiet again, walking protectively at Colt's right to the gate, where Prime, Brian and CE were standing in line for the actual boarding procedure.

"Everything OK, Colt?" Prime asked, without showing any particular emotion at that moment. Even his pine scent was an average May morning type.

"We're good, Alpha. Everything okay with the car?"

"Yep. The guy was a moron, couldn't handle that we returned it at a different location than where we got it from and where we originally wanted to return it to. But finally it worked out."

Sam offered Colt one of the bought water bottles, but he declined and pointed to Prime, who accepted it and took a big gulp after his run from the rental place. It seemed wolf shifters were anyway always thirsty; which had been the reason he wanted to buy water after security in the first place.

"Gimme your boarding passes," Prime said quickly. Obviously, the three wolves complied immediately, while Colt gave him a quizzing look. "Seat arrangements," Prime explained quickly looking at the seat numbers.

Colt didn't know whether he should laugh or cry about Prime's analness, but he decided to go for: "Of course. I guess I'm not getting my aisle seat."

Indeed Prime redistributed their boarding passes, making sure he sat at the aisle with Colt next to him to the window in the two chair rows. Brian would sit behind Colt at the window, with CE at the aisle. In front of Colt would be Sam, with a stranger next to him. Net effect was that Colt would be surrounded completely by his own pack, with no stranger having a chance to disturb or touch him. Colt found it a bit amusing but also reassuring. And maybe this way he could get some sleep.

They called for boarding with the usual priority rankings: people with children or special needs, active members of the military, business class travelers and special frequent flyer card holders. As CE still had a frequent flyer card from his previous job in the Shore Patrol, he boarded ahead of the pack carrying his and Colt's carry-on luggage to make sure there was still space for it before the rest of the passengers boarded.

Prime growled.

"What's wrong?"

"Can't smell him." Prime pointed at a man, maybe in his mid 40ies, quite slim in a well-tailored suit and with an ostentatiously expensive watch. His face was impeccably shaved and the eyebrows carefully stylized.

The lady at the boarding machine granted him a more than just professional smile, which he barely returned.

Colt closed his eyes trying to take in the scent; but he was at an airport and couldn't pick up any specific oil scent. "Not sure whether he's a vampire."

Prime beckoned Sam to come closer. "Watch the guy who just got his boarding pass scanned, with the 100-dollar haircut. -- If you see him get up from his seat, let me know."

Sam acknowledged the order and caught up with the queue to be boarded.

The tiny plastic cup in front of him was full of ice, so that the Diet Coke in it was gone after two sips.

It was a clear signal from his body about how tired it really was that he did fall asleep few minutes after having sipped on his drink, although he'd never been able to sleep for long on planes before. Even on his red-eye-flights across the Atlantic to visit his grandparents, he'd stayed awake most of the 10 hours, reading his books. And when he slept he had the oddest dreams about algebra, or fires or jackets.

Or maybe it was his brain's signal it felt safe. Prime's shoulders were a bit too wide for the seats in the small plane, so he touched Colt with every little movement of the plane, sending him waves of calm sweet pine and gentle little electrical jolts. There was no inconsiderate guy in front of him who put his seat down locking him in, as Sam was sitting there. Colt had observed the small, middle aged lady next to the dark haired enforcer had wanted to start a motherly conversation with him but had given up after he said three times "yes, mam," twice "no, mam," and once "Helena, mam." Sam twitched a bit and for a second Colt smiled about the reason why. And nobody at his back played with his seat as he'd experienced before especially with kids, as Brian had fallen asleep as well the moment he'd sat down. He sensed that although Prime's and CE's eyes were closed they didn't really sleep, but were acutely aware of their surroundings and would be wide awake in a fraction of a second if needed.

Even with a vampire on board, he felt safe. He fell asleep. And it seemed his upcoming auditing internship invaded his brain, as he kept dreaming about wooden Excel spreadsheets mostly with the number 6 going up in flames.

He only woke up, when the wheels of the aircraft touched Salt Lake City's airport. As they had nearly two hours lay-over time, they decided to get a snack, although the absence of a proper steak place didn't find the pack's approval.

Before they boarded their connecting flight, Colt instructed Sam to buy water bottles for them again, which was met by Prime with approval and by Sam with a relieved smile.

Same boarding process. Same seating arrangements. Except that Colt read on his Kindle for quite some time, before falling asleep again -- this time the `06' exploded on the Excel chart.

In another `breeder's car' they went on their two and half hour journey to Prime's home pack close to Hamilton.

It was past midnight, when they arrived. Colt couldn't see a lot except the clear sky showing myriad of stars. But he could sense his men were itchy. Maybe they smelled other wolves, maybe they sensed Prime's apprehension the closer they got to his parents' place or maybe it was the surroundings. He assumed this area must be perfect for wolf shifters: mountainous, undisturbed forests, clean rivers and crisp air. It was unfortunate for them half-dead vampires preferred the deprivation of cities, forcing the shifters to live there to follow their genetic disposition to protect humans from them.

When they stopped in front of an impressive mansion, which resembled style-wise an oversized chalet, Brian killed the engine as if this was the last thing he would do today. It was quiet. Maybe Prime had expected his mother to greet him the moment they arrived, but that didn't happen.

They got their stuff, the duffle bag had successfully made the connection in Salt Lake City, and approached the intimidating door.

Prime rang the bell.

A window lit up.

Steps.

An elderly lady with short gray hair, wearing an equally gray cardigan opened the door. Her greenish eyes smiled carefully at them. "Prime, it's such a pleasure to see you again."

"Aunt Sylvia, you haven't aged a day."

She gave him a dismissive hand signal. "Oh, you've never been a good liar."

Prime chuckled, hugging his aunt.

"Come in, your room is ready. It's just ..." she hesitated when she saw the other four men next to Prime.

"Mother didn't tell you?"

"No, seems she must have forgotten you bring friends, it's a tough time for her," Sylvia said diplomatically, although it seemed clear to everyone her sister, Fauna, the wife of the late alpha and Prime's mother, might have forgotten because she just didn't care.

"No problem. Are the guest rooms on the 2nd floor available?" Prime asked, obviously remembering the house he grew up in.

"Yes, Prime. Your friends can stay there."

"I'll stay there as well," Prime decided signaling to the others to come in.

Colt wasn't sure whether he liked the house. It was spacious, in warm wooden colors, decorated with good local art and semi antique furniture, but it was too wooden for him. He could see his grandmother living here, being impressed by the space and amenities, but it wasn't right for him. He guessed this was another item on the list for his future house: not too much exposed wood, more openness, more bricks.

"No problem. Are you guys hungry?" she asked well knowing wolf shifters were always hungry.

"Sure," Prime said.

"I'll warm up something. Come downstairs in half an hour." She smiled at the thought of preparing food for Prime.

"Where's mother?"

"Asleep, the doctor gave her some medicine."

Prime rolled his eyes. His mother was such a drama queen.

"Prime?" a young voice asked a bit sleepy, coming down the stairs.

"Seb?" Prime asked like with a frog in his throat.

Colt couldn't believe his tired eyes. A second Prime in black gym shorts and a wide white T-shirt with the name of the local basketball team approached them cautiously. He was maybe 17, but nearly as tall as Prime, with the same red blond hair and dreamy green eyes. He already showed an incredibly muscular physique, so Colt thought he must have been quite popular with the girls in his school.

Seb came closer, suspiciously, looking at each of Prime's friends.

"Guys, this is Seb, my baby brother."

"Not baby, Prime," Seb reprimanded him with his equally deep voice. Man, did Colt hate genetics.

"Well, you were when I left. I see now you are all grown up." Prime laughed trying to correct his mistake.

"Yep, can beat your ass now, big brother," Seb challenged Prime wolf shifter style.

"We'll see about that, young man," Prime took the banter. "Anyway, this is Colt."

Colt offered his hand, which Seb shook politely. "Welcome, Colt." He quickly looked at Prime as if saying: `He isn't a wolf shifter.'

Prime ignored the look. "This is Brian, my Beta." Hand shakes. "CE, my chief enforcer." Seb seemed to whine a bit, when he shook the big guy's hand. CE must have made clear he only accepted one Loope Alpha. "And Sam, our second enforcer."

Seb nodded.

While they walked up the wide staircase, with Brian, of course, carrying Colt's messenger bag, and Sam his suitcase, Prime put his arm around his younger brother. And for a second Colt got a boner seeing two of those gorgeous Loope asses in front of him.

"So how's school?"

"Hate it. Well, not everything, obviously like basketball, but also biology."

"Biology?" Prime seemed to be surprised.

"Yeah, have this cool teacher. I think I'll go to college to study it."

"That's great. Where do you want to go?"

"As far away as possible, but I guess my mother will barely accept a neighboring state. -- Maybe you can talk to her." He looked at his brother hopefully.

Prime laughed his deep trademark laugh. "I'm not sure I'm the best person to convince our mother of something she doesn't want."

"Can you try?"

"I will." Upstairs, Prime pointed at Sam to take the room directly opposite the staircase; Brian and CE would take the room to the left of the stairs, and Colt the room opposite to them. Colt immediately understood that whoever wanted to get to Colt had to pass by Prime's and CE's doors. He wondered whether Prime actually had to think about these things or whether they came to him instinctively.

"And do you have a girl?"

"Yes. Well had. But she broke up some weeks ago." Seb didn't look too sad about it.

"Sorry, to hear that, bro."

"No problem, she wasn't too good in bed anyway," he said all Loope wolf macho.

Seb disappeared with Prime and Sam in the first room, so Colt couldn't listen to the rest of the conversation.

He got into his assigned room. It continued the house's overall style of lots of exposed wood and local art. But as it was at the corner of the house it had plenty of windows. Now in the darkness of midnight he couldn't see anything outside, but he assumed tomorrow he would be able to admire the mountains around them.

He checked the bathroom. He was pleased that it had a walk in shower.

Refreshed he went back outside knocking at Prime's door.

When nobody answered he entered. He heard the shower running. Colt was surprised to see Prime and Sam showering together -- the shower had two heads and surely Prime had showered with many other guys in the military, but somehow it irritated him. He cleared his throat rather loudly announcing his presence and displeasure.

A blushing Sam and an apologetic Prime stared at him pleadingly as if saying: `It's not what it looks like.'

"Someone better help me understand why my Alpha and one of my enforcers are showering together, when both of them are still unlocked."

"Meta, please," Prime was begging, his face in discomfort. Prime was scared.

Colt suppressed his naughty smile.

"Nothing happened, Meta." Prime was insecure, though, turning off the water.

Colt raised his eyebrows, deciding to let them hang themselves a bit longer. "Conserving water I guess?"

"Sorry. My fault, Meta. Punish me, but not Sam, please."

Colt approached Prime, who was getting closer to panicking now. Colt felt the power rush, making such a strong male specimen shiver in fear of his reaction. It wasn't right, but it felt so good. His boner was thinking exactly the same.

"Gimme your neck!" Colt ordered with the most authoritarian voice he could muster, which made Sam move out of the shower into the bedroom away as far as possible in an instant.

Obediently, Prime tilted his head, exposing his neck, which still showed the marks from yesterday.

Colt bit. Not hard, not like yesterday, more playfully. "And now, the two of you get your cages, so we don't have more `incidents!'" Colt ordered shouting as if his rage had still not subsided.

He chuckled seeing the two men dashing to the duffle bag, rummaging in it desperately to find their specific cages.

"Prime, lock Sam's."

"Yes, Sir."

When Prime stood in front of Colt in the at ease position, the green eyes looked at him all submissively.

Colt's boner was protesting, it needed release now. It needed to fuck this hunk into submission.

"You believe me, don't you, Colt?"

"I do, Prime. But I'll feel better with you wearing this thing again."

Prime nodded violently and growled contently when he heard the click of the lock.

"Food boys," a friendly voice shouted outside.

Prime and Sam rushed to put on shorts and T-shirts, and Colt tried to rearrange his boner checking for leaks.

They sat in one of the three dining rooms, at least that's what Prime had said, munching on a beef stew, minced meat loaves and potato soup. The food was hearty and of the type that tasted even better when reheated.

When most of them had filled their bellies, although CE was still working on that, Aunt Sylvia said: "Boys, I'm off to bed now. Need to get up early."

"Sleep well," Prime said. It was obvious that he liked his aunt, much more than he had ever like his mother.

"Thanks, you too. Don't worry about the dishes. We'll handle that tomorrow."

When she was gone, Seb stopped eating looking at Prime. "So why are you here, Prime?"

"Mother called me, you know."

"Are you going to take over the pack?"

The table fell quiet. Even CE had stopped eating.

"I don't think so. You know why I left?"

Seb didn't answer. "I cannot take over yet, so I guess one of our uncles or cousins will become alpha. Will you challenge him?"

Prime shook his head.

"Why not? You're the rightful heir," Seb raised his accusing voice.

"Seb, I don't think you understand."

"Oh I do. You're a ..." Seb stopped himself before saying something he might regret.

"Yes, I'm gay, if that's what you mean." Prime was unusually calm and soft. He instinctively knew he'd hurt Seb with his leaving, although he wouldn't have been able to avoid it. His father had banned him, and he'd had to leave his baby brother behind. Seb had been barely eight and hadn't been able to understand why his big protective brother, who showed him everything about life he found exciting, had deserted him.

"There are gay alphas," Seb insisted.

"Maybe."

"So what's the problem? You look fucking strong. I'm sure your wolf can kick ass bad."

Prime chuckled. "Sure he can. In the next days we run, then you can see how bad he can kick your ass."

"None of our uncles would have a chance against you. Even Zef would lose."

Prime's nose twitched.

Colt instinctively felt Zef was not someone Prime was looking forward to meet again even after all these years.

"I would make spam out of this mutt," Prime confirmed with his alpha voice.

Colt got a boner.

Prime smelled it and looked at Colt conspiratorially, which made Brian chuckle.

"Not getting it," Seb asked lost.

"Not important," Prime pushed his question aside.

"Not that, Prime, I know he has a boner," Seb said without hesitation, turning Colt's face so crimson he could replace a traffic light. Colt begged all gods in the universe to open the ground so he could disappear in a hole in it. How could he embarrass himself in front of a 17-year-old?

"Not getting why you don't want to be our alpha." Seb was pouting.

"I already have a pack," Prime explained.

"No insult, but those?" He pointed with his fork on the men around the table.

Prime growled. He loved his brother, but he would not have his pack be insulted by him. "Yes, those. And you better be respectful."

"Sorry, Prime. Sorry," he directed the second `sorry' to the group.

Colt frowned. Seb had apologized a bit too quickly. Colt obviously still couldn't figure every time correctly, which role which wolf had, as he'd found out yesterday when he'd thought the policeman had been the alpha wolf; but he was pretty sure Seb hadn't inherited the alpha gene, unlike his proud brother Prime. Although, even Prime's genetic disposition seemed untraditional for an alpha, given he submitted to a meta. "No problem," Colt accepted Seb's apology.

Seb glanced at him confused. He obviously didn't understand why the human talked to him and not the Beta Brian or the enforcer.

"So if you aren't going to take over the pack, why did mum want you here?"

"I have no clue. I guess I'll learn tomorrow."

"Will you leave again?"

"Yes."

Seb didn't like that answer. "Can I come with you?"

Prime looked a bit scared. "I'm not certain that would be wise, Seb. You need to finish school. And you don't really know me. I'm not the same Prime I was ten years ago, when I left here."

"I know. But you're my brother. And dad is ... And mum is so ..." He didn't finish the sentence to focus his will power on suppressing his tears. It was obviously not cool for a 17 year old to cry in front of his hero brother and his friends.

`No, no alpha,' Colt concluded, even if he liked Seb. He was honest, direct and simply in need of being loved.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow, okay, champ?"

"Sure. So why is Colt here?"

"Is part of my pack," Prime tried to evade the question.

"A human?"

"It's a long story," was the next evasion.

"Have you mated him?" Seb asked, without showing any sign of approval or disapproval.

"Kind of." The room for Prime to evade questions became smaller.

"`Kind of?' What does that mean?"

"It's complicated," Prime tried one more time.

"You don't trust me?" Seb concluded not incorrectly.

"Seb, it's late. We had a long trip. And we had a terrible day yesterday. We need sleep. Is that okay with you?"

Seb looked with his big green eyes at Prime, slowly nodding.

Colt swallowed, it seemed the stream of piercing questions was over. And he was also happy he didn't smell Seb. No scent of land features or fruits. This meant Seb wasn't supposed to be in their pack. He wouldn't have known how to deal with the situation if Seb had been a potential pack member. Irrespective how good looking Seb was, he was Prime's brother, too young, even if by only few years, and he was pretty sure Prime's mother would have torn him into pieces seducing her second son as well.

"Okay, night, Prime," Seb wished getting up and walking towards the staircase. "Night, Prime's pack. Great you're here." He smiled and left, ignoring Prime's whining.

"Sorry, Colt," Prime said quickly looking at the nerd.

"No problem. At least I don't care right now anymore, I'm beat," Colt said yawning.

"So you aren't going to fuck Sam a second asshole this night?" Brian asked in his usual naughty way.

Sam blushed, looking at his empty plate rearranging the fork.

Colt yawned again. "Brian, you're so lucky I'm even too tired to wash your mouth with soap."

Prime chuckled.

"Good. I have a get out of jail card then. That poor enforcer could barely walk today."

"I think it's time for bed." Prime got up, followed by Colt and Sam.

"It's no fun, if I'm not being threatened with castration," Brian complained truthfully.

"If you don't stop talking about me getting it up the ass, I will castrate your wolf during the next run," Sam threatened in a carefully ambiguous way between playfulness and full sincerity. "And I'll happily get killed by my Alpha thereafter for mutilating my Beta," he added raising his chin.

"Ouch, somebody's testy," Brian answered. "So, what's on mutiny, Alpha? This kid is dangerous."

"Shutting you up is not mutiny, he's doing me a favor," Prime answered.

The pack chuckled. And Brian put his arm around the young enforcer knowing that nobody would entertain his banter this night anymore. "Sam, I hope you know I love you."

Sam smiled wide while opening the door for Prime, who shook his head and signaled him to go ahead.

"I know, Mormon wolf. Love you too. Good night, Colt. Night, CE!"

Colt nodded with his head, CE gave him mock salute.

While Brian and CE disappeared in their room, Prime joined Colt.

"You okay?"

"Yes, Alpha. -- Are the other wolves locked?"

"Yep, made sure of that. Brian isn't going to fuck our chief enforcer," Prime joked.

Colt had a laugh at that thought. "I guess Brian wouldn't survive attempting that."

"No, for sure not."

"Second thoughts on coming here?"

"No," Prime sat down on the bed, stroking his neck, where Colt had bitten him repeatedly.

Colt took Prime's hand away from his neck and kissed the dark colored bruises.

"Don't do that, please, Colt, you know I get horny when you play with my neck ..."

Colt smiled. "You better do ..."

"That's mean. Teasing me like this and then not fucking me."

"Even if I wasn't tired, I'm not sure how I would feel about fucking my Alpha in the house, in which his mother and brother are sleeping. Would feel weird."

"I guess that's us though. Weird, I mean," Prime concluded.

"It's tough to tell your brother, isn't it?" Colt asked full of sympathy.

"No, it won't be. It's just I want to know what my mother wants before I share too much. I hope you understand, Meta."

"I fully do, jarhead," Colt said softly, kissing the hunk's forehead. "That's why I haven't put the chain on you yet."

"I noticed. I feel so naked without it. And it feels wrong, but I appreciate your consideration."

"Don't misunderstand me. I hate it. I don't know why, but I was tempted even during our midnight dinner to get it to show your brother. But I guess everything at its time." Colt undid his sneakers.

"You should be safe here, Colt, but CE and I will make sure nobody comes into this room."

Colt smiled putting his socks away. "Understood. And unless you want to massage and lick my feet like CE, you better get of this room now as well, so I can get some sleep. You guys wear me out."

Prime shook his head with a smile on his face walking to the door. "We, I love you, Colt. Thanks for being you."

Colt sighed. He'd never been a romantic person, had seen too much shit in his fucked up life, but a hunky red-haired marine wolf shifter with his sexy tattoo and in shorts showing off his sturdy smooth calves, declaring his love to him, made him mushy to the bones. "Get out, bad ass wolf. Love you, too."

Prime admired the sky at night. It was different up here north. Maybe it was the air, maybe the scent of the flora. Faintly he could even recognize the smell of the wolves who had been here in the past days. And some of those scents he knew. School friends, relatives, his parents' friends from the town.

He had missed this so much. His childhood memories of endless playing at the nearby lake during the school holidays, of his first shift in his puberty, which had come much too early surprising his father, his nightly runs with his school friends. Everything came back as if it had been yesterday.

And nothing had really changed around here. The house looked like the day he had left, so did the local village. And he was sure even Hamilton still looked the same as the day he had graduated from high school.

Back then, he had known for weeks his parents had made the decision to kick him out the moment he graduated from high school. He was too much an embarrassment, a gay wolf shifter son; and that in the alpha family.

He had not only known, he had worked towards it. While he'd never had sex with a girl, which could have been the hint for his parents, he had also never had sex with a guy, so how could they have known that he was gay? He could have always pretended he wanted to wait for his mate: the one female wolf shifter. They would have admired his mature self-control and supported his difficult choice. Even if this elusive female mate wouldn't have materialized until he graduated from college, he still could have become the Alpha of West Montana pack, as it was tradition: the rightful heir takes over when he is 25.

But he also knew he wouldn't have wanted that. He didn't want to pretend. He didn't want to lie to his parents, his friends and his pack. And he knew he would have been a bad alpha, having to lie to everyone every day. So, few days before his graduation ceremony when his father had asked him with whom he would go to the graduation party in an unusual moment of interest, he'd said honestly: "I won't go, dad."

"Why's that, son?"

"Don't have a girlfriend."

"Sorry. I'm sure the right one will come. I can tell you an alpha wolf is irresistible to lots of females." He seemed to chuckle remembering his own conquests in the past.

"I don't want a female." His voice was firm. His muscle tensed, expecting the punishment of a full-grown alpha wolf shifter.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me, dad, I don't want to mate with a female," Prime repeated defiantly.

"Are you saying ...?" His father didn't complete the sentence afraid of the answer.

"Yes. I'm gay," he said proudly, not sparing the feelings of his father, but bracing himself for the beating.

"Prime, it's better if you go to bed now. We'll talk about this tomorrow," his father reacted disappointingly evasive.

They had barely spoken in the following weeks. And two days after graduation, when his parents had taken a surprise trip to Helena to visit distant relatives, he'd found a letter in his room. It was a good-bye letter. His parents basically told him he was to be gone before they returned. Some money was included, but that was it. They didn't even have the strength to tell him personally. Only aunt Sylvia sneaked into the house to hug him before he left. Prime was sure she'd never told her heartless sister and brother in law.

He sighed.

Few days later he'd signed up with the marines and was on his way to Camp Pendleton leaving this majestic valley behind. For months he'd hoped his parents would call him, that his mother would reach out to him, that she would convince his father to allow him to come back. But the call never came, the invitation to return neither. He graduated from boot camp, continued his training and was sent to Afghanistan. Those were blurry months, wasted years. He was alone, so alone.

Yes, his brothers-in-arms were supportive, he was always part of the in-crowd, given he was an irresistible chick magnet, a ferocious soldier in battle and reliably loyal to his comrades. But he knew his brothers-in-arms would never be his pack. He wasn't even concerned about DADT, as he knew he couldn't have sex with a man anyway, he never really could get it up. He'd already doubted he was gay in the first place, so he tried with chicks, but even then it didn't work except for eating them out; and he didn't enjoy that at all even if he had made several come that way.

Only when he recalled his fantasy of leading a pack, he got some mental peace. Normally he used his runs to keep sane, but sometimes that wasn't possible. And one lonely night in San Diego, few days before returning again to the numbing nothingness of Afghanistan, he got so drunk he started a fight with the Shore Patrol. Only the fact the sergeant in charge recognized he was a wolf shifter, kept him away from formal charges. That had been the day he'd met CE. And from that day on he'd known his dream of a powerful pack would become true one day. At least as of that day he could share his dream with someone else.

One day he would be able to provide such beautiful lands to his growing pack, a gorgeous spacious house to his Inner Circle, with the biggest walk-in shower for Colt he could dream of. They would drive several redneck pick-up trucks and that sexy German convertible Colt had pictures of on his laptop. He knew Colt wasn't expecting this, that he wouldn't demand it, and he knew Colt one day would be able to afford all of this including the Audi by himself given his smartness and education, business consultant and all, but he, Prime, Alpha of Colt's Pack, wanted to do this. Wanted to hold on to his dream of a powerful, meta-led pack. He had come so far; he would get there at the end.

That scent. It clicked. "Mother, I might not have seen you for ten years, but I still recognize your scent."

"Prime," a quiet voice said, approaching him slowly from behind.

He turned.

She'd become old. Her hair was still black as he remembered from years ago, but he was sure it was dyed. Despite a facelift, her wrinkles around her eyes refused to hide. Her deep neck, not covered by the nightgown, showed first signs of age spots, as did her frail hands.

"How are you?" he asked politely.

"How is one if one's mate has died?"

Prime frowned. He knew his mother hadn't been his father's true mate. He'd never found his. Instead he'd married the sexiest female chasing him, the future alpha wolf, to make some alpha pups. Now, one could ask what had come from that stupid idea, Prime thought: a gay alpha and a non-alpha pup. But he didn't say anything to her.

"I saw you brought friends."

"I had told you. Yes, I did. My pack."

"They're not your pack, this is your pack," she contradicted him, even if only to provoke him.

Prime couldn't be bothered to get angry. This was an old, broken woman.

"It isn't, my father and you made sure of that ... and you guys didn't change your mind in nearly ten years."

"Prime, it's such a long time ..."

"Come on," he interrupted her bluntly, reminding herself that she might look old and look broken, but she was still the manipulative woman he'd grown up with. "I know why you guys never changed your mind. You always thought you had a second son, who could become pack alpha."

She didn't look him into the eyes. And Prime was happy about that. He knew he had inherited his green eyes from his mother, but he didn't want to see that.

"Now it turns out Seb doesn't seem to be an alpha wolf ... so I guess you have a problem."

"Seb's a nice kid," she contradicted him.

"He is. But `nice' doesn't make an alpha, does it?" he answered smugly.

"Zef will be a good alpha for the pack," she tried to provoke him again.

"I don't think you really want my opinion on this, do you?" He was surprised about the choice, but on the other side, he knew Zef had always had the goal to make it to the top in this pack. That's why he always wanted to be Prime's best friend. Unfortunately for him, Prime didn't want Zef for a friend after that episode. He could only imagine how excited Zef must have been when suddenly the alpha heir had left without a trace. He just had to hope now the ruling alpha died early enough for Seb to be too young to take over. And Seb not being alpha material must have been the final jackpot.

"Actually, I do. Because I think you would be a better alpha," she said with sudden motherly pride.

"I would. But I also have the feeling the pack wouldn't want to have me. I'm sure Zef has made sure of that by now."

"They would accept you if you challenged Zef. And you look as if your wolf could beat him any day," she tried to egg him on.

"Mother, why would you want me to be pack alpha? To keep your status as mother of the alpha family?"

She pulled her thick white gown closer as if freezing, although, he knew that she wouldn't freeze, she was a wolf, and it was pleasantly warm. Drama. "Have you thought of Seb? He's a nice boy, but what would happen to him as a semi orphan, with an old outer circle mother?"

Prime felt pain in his heart for a moment, he hadn't thought of that indeed. But he was suspicious of her. "I'm sure our father has left money from his private funds for him to go to any college of his choosing. And one day he'll find a pack he really likes. So you aren't worried about Seb, mother." The way she killed him with his eyes confirmed his suspicions. "You're worried about you. Losing all this. The money, the status, the subservience. Being afraid of being nothing in the future."

"So you're not going to challenge Zef?"

"Not my plan. I don't belong here anymore. You know that." He knew he lied a bit. He missed this place.

"I can live with that. But you might get something for not challenging Zef."

"What could I get from Zef? He has nothing I want." This was ridiculous.

"But I might ...," she said carefully; at the end she still tried to manipulate an alpha wolf. And she'd learned in her life that one needed to be careful when handling an alpha.

"Like?" he asked instinctively.

"Well, I could agree not to contest your father Last Will. As far as I understand there is some money for you involved and for ...," she insinuated.

Prime laughed, silently, as if he knew his laugh would otherwise travel through the entire house in the silence of the night.

"As I know him he employed half a dozen lawyers to confirm his Last Will. I'm not afraid of that."

"Prime, you have always been smart."

"Thanks, mother. Are we done?"

"I could offer you something else." She had turned around staring into his eyes with determination.

"Mother, I'll go to bed now, I have no time anymore for your soap opera drama. Not after all this time." He went for the door to go back in.

"But maybe your Meta wants to know who his mother is."

When Prime turned around in shock, Fauna Loope smiled like an aging Hollywood actress, who was still recognized on the street by her fans.

She got him by his weak spot. Why wasn't he surprised?