Hawk watched as Quill dug around in the boxes in the corner. He pulled out his old sketchbook. He handed it to Hawk. "Here, you can keep it. I haven't drawn in it since the day your dad showed up, and everything changed. I'd planned on giving it to you that night and maybe... maybe making this very thing happen then." Hawk sighed. "I felt it, too. We were so close to giving in. It was like he sensed it or something." Quill snorted as he sat back down beside him. "Maybe. Or maybe fate just wanted us to wait longer before we did." "I don't know about all of that." Quill went still and flipped to the last page with anything on it. The half-finished drawing stared up at both of them. "Well... All I know is if this had happened that night... It would have been both our firsts." Hawk huffed and looked away. One of his biggest issues with Quill over the years had been his frequent romps with random girls... and guys. "On some level, I knew that." "No need to dwell on it now. I'm tryin
Quill stretched out on his back as Hawk leaned over him. Hawk's lips pressed softly against his skin, tracing a path down his chest. His tongue followed, lingering over the hard planes and softer curves of Quill's body. Hawk let his hands slide down Quill's sides as his lips explored.The taste of Quill's skin, faintly salty and uniquely his, drew Hawk in even deeper. He pressed his lips against the dips of muscle and the ridges of bone, savoring the texture. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop. Quill shifted, moving slowly enough to give Hawk time to follow. He twisted until their bodies faced opposite directions, his hands settling on Hawk's thighs. Quill brushed his fingers lightly along the sensitive skin of Hawk's inner thighs and lower stomach. Hawk didn't lift his head, too focused on where his lips rested against Quill's hip, but the faint twitch of his muscles betrayed his reaction. "Can I?" Hawk didn't hesitate. His grip on Quill's leg tightened, and he nodded, never
Quill thrust slowly, his movements deliberate and measured to keep from overwhelming Hawk. His arm wrapped tightly around his waist as he continued. He slid his hand down to stroke Hawk in rhythm with each thrust.The tightness around him left him breathless. He had imagined this moment for so long that it felt surreal to finally be here. Every fantasy he had ever entertained paled in comparison to the reality of Hawk beneath him, their bodies moving in unison.He kept the pace steady. Every thrust was deliberate, every touch meant to draw Hawk deeper into the moment. Quill had been with others, but none of it compared to this. None were Hawk. This was what he had always wanted, what he had always pictured. It was as perfect as he had dreamed, maybe more.Hawk's moans filled the room, guttural and raw. He growled low in his throat, his body writhing beneath Quill's, the rhythm of his hips meeting each thrust. Quill couldn't tear his eyes away from him, couldn't stop watching as Hawk
The next morning, Hawk woke up earlier than he'd planned, sliding carefully out of bed so he didn't wake Quill. He lingered for a second, watching the way Quill sprawled across the sheets, hair messy, skin marked faintly from Hawk's hands and mouth. He shook his head slightly and grabbed a hoodie, slipping it over his bare chest before pulling on a pair of joggers.The walk to the gym felt strange after days of avoiding it. His focus had been entirely on Quill, on breaking down years of stress and finally figuring out what it meant to start something real together. Now, standing in front of the glass doors, Hawk exhaled and pushed them open.The space smelled faintly of sweat and beach. Equipment sat out of place, mats rolled halfway or not at all. He frowned, moving further inside, but his confusion disappeared when he spotted Lilly. She stood near the squat rack, a rag in one hand and a spray bottle in the other, scrubbing down the bar with deliberate effort."Lilly," Hawk called,
Quill wiped down the machine and glanced at the girl's wrist again. The small infinity symbol was clean against her skin, as precise as it was forgettable. Eighty-four of these. He'd counted."You're good to go," he muttered, tugging the gloves off.She beamed at him, rattling off something about how much she loved it, but Quill barely listened. He finished cleaning up his station, nodded as she handed over cash, and ushered her toward the door. The bell chimed faintly as it swung shut behind her.The door opened minutes later. "Quill."Quill stiffened. He turned slowly. Herc Matthews stood near the counter, grinning in a way that was both familiar and disarming. Herc always managed to look comfortable, like he was born to be wherever he happened to be at the time, and make people notice in the process. Tall, broad, scarred, and annoyingly handsome. His mismatched eyes...one brown, one striking blue... locked onto Quill.He'd always looked at Quill that way. Like he never wanted to st
Quill pressed the final line of ink into Herc's skin. He wiped the design clean, examining the smooth curve of the tattoo as it wrapped perfectly over the scar along Herc's lower stomach."Done," he muttered, setting the machine down and reaching for a cloth.Herc tilted his head, glancing down at the fresh ink. "Looks good. Like always."Quill didn't respond. He wiped away the blood and excess ink, then cleaned up the rest. "I think this is the last one," Quill said abruptly as he tossed the stained cloth into the tray.Herc frowned, sitting up carefully. "What do you mean?"Quill pulled off his gloves, turning toward the counter to clean his tools. "I'll send you to someone else to finish the rest. I can recommend a couple good artists."The chair creaked as Herc stood. "So, that's it? I don't get a choice in this?"Quill's shoulders stiffened slightly, but he kept his back turned. "It's probably for the best.""Best for who?" Herc shot back.Quill didn't answer. Herc pulled his sh
Quill paused, his hands steady as the needle hummed faintly against Hawk's ribs. The design was coming together smoothly, but he could feel the tension radiating off Hawk, his breathing still too heavy. Quill shut off the machine before leaning in.His lips brushed lightly against Hawk's. "I have always loved you. Stop doubting that."Hawk blinked, his breathing slowing slightly. "I know… but did you love him? Did you? You two were always so...""Stop," Quill interrupted sharply, cutting him off before the spiral could start. He grabbed a clean cloth and pressed it gently against Hawk's side. "You're already breathing too heavy for me to work."Hawk didn't say anything at first, but his shoulders still rose and fell unevenly. Quill sighed, setting the machine down and shifting until he straddled Hawk in the chair. He kept the cloth pressed against Hawk's ribs.Hawk groaned dramatically. "Get off me. You're gonna break the damn chair."Quill smirked faintly, leaning closer until their
Lilly hesitated as she stepped into the dimly lit back room of Fluid. The air felt heavier here, carrying a faint tang of alcohol mixed with the metallic scent of old paint. Quill's boots clicked softly against the scuffed floor as he locked the door behind them. She cast him a sidelong glance, suspicion creeping in like an itch she couldn't scratch. Across the room, Hawk leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tight over his chest. Even in the shadows, the set of his jaw screamed tension."Well? What's the big reveal?"Quill shifted his weight. He exchanged a look with Hawk before taking a sharp breath. "We're werewolves."Lilly blinked once. Then twice. Finally, she snorted."Werewolves?" She smirked. "Good one. So what's the real secret?"Hawk groaned. "He's not joking."She stopped moving, and the smile slowly disappeared. She quickly looked back and forth between them. "You're serious."Quill nodded. "Dead serious."Hawk rolled his shoulders. "Alpha males, if you want the full
Quill sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, his fingers intertwined with Lily’s. He didn’t look at her. His focus locked on the metal rails that seemed to mock him. They were his own cage.Hawk had been gone for eighteen hours, and the agony bleeding through their bond had intensified. The pain wasn’t his own, but it was close enough to feel like it. He squeezed Lily’s hand once as he felt a new type taking over his body."I don’t think this is random," he muttered. "He left upset. You saw it. There’s only one place he goes when he’s like that. He never learns that lesson."Lily frowned. "What are you saying?"Quill stood abruptly, letting go of her hand even as he swayed. "It’s his dad. It has to be. He runs to his family's land when he’s pissed. It's an instinct he cannot deny, and his dad knows it. If I’m feeling this kind of pain through the bond, there’s no way it’s anything good." Every fiber of him screamed to run, to find Hawk and tear apart whatever threat stood in the way, but
Hawk’s shoulders slammed against the damp, cracked concrete wall as a fist collided with his ribs. The dull ache of hours past was nothing compared to the fresh, sharp agony spreading through him now. Blood trickled from his lip, the copper tang mingling with the mildew and sweat clinging to the air. They’d kept him upright for nearly five hours, the chains digging deeper into his wrists each time his knees buckled. The Deltas worked in typical precise, brutal shifts, ensuring the punishment never stopped for more than a moment.The whip cracked again with a sound that seemed to echo off the walls. The leather struck his already raw back, and the skin tore under the relentless assault. Pain seared across his shoulders and spine. Still, he didn’t cry out. The defiance in his silence seemed to irritate them more than any words could have.“Stubborn bastard,” one of them sneered, his boots crunching over the dirt-caked floor as he circled Hawk. A steel baton slammed into Hawk’s side. Hi
Quill quietly ended the call with Lilly as he realized his slip. Hawk stared at him in disbelief. "Herc was there? At Fluid? Watching us? Are you fucking kidding me?" Quill's head lowered. "I didn't know he'd be there. I swear I didn't see his name on the guest list."Hawk's growl reverberated around the sparse apartment as he stepped back, pacing a tight line across the room. "Wow. Fucking wow. You didn't think to tell me? Not once? All this time?""I didn't see him until that night, across the room." Quill wavered slightly, but he stood his ground. "You were riding such a high from the performance, and then..." He gestured vaguely toward his own injured body. "Things got complicated.""Complicated?" Hawk barked out, his footsteps halting abruptly. "You thought hiding this would somehow make that better?""I wasn't trying to hide it," Quill replied quickly, the words tumbling out as he realized that Hawk was insanely pissed about this. "It just never felt like the right time to bri
Conversation filled the apartment, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter from Lilly on the speakerphone. It offered no hint of the storm churning beneath Hawk's skin. He tried to focus on the weights he was lifting, but his attention was split. Across the room, Quill sat reclined on the couch, flipping through a sketchbook. Lilly's laugh came through the speakerphone he'd propped on the coffee table. He was describing a project idea with excitement as Lilly cleaned her office downstairs. Hawk adjusted his grip on the barbell. He pressed it upward, his muscles straining under the weight. He'd brought the equipment up from the gym days ago, unwilling to leave Quill alone for long. Each rep felt like a battle against his thoughts, which circled endlessly around the easy camaraderie he heard between Quill and Lilly."You've ruined your entire schedule now," Quill teased.Hawk set the barbell back onto its stand with a sharp clank. "I'll work it out. Sometimes you have to break
Hawk struggled to keep his grip steady as he carried Quill up the narrow stairwell. Every step felt slower than the last, but stopping wasn’t an option since people seemed to be everywhere. People who didn't need to see Quill in this condition. They were both rogue now. The last thing they needed to display was weakness. Lilly emerged from the second-floor landing and froze. “What happened?” She reached for Quill’s arm to steady him as Hawk's foot caught on the step.“It was his dad. He cornered him in public where he knew we couldn't do much to defend ourselves,” Hawk adjusted Quill’s weight before trying the step again. When he barely managed to step up onto the landing, he sighed loudly. “Just... Just help me get him inside, will you?”Without another word, Lilly slipped under Quill’s other arm, helping Hawk maneuver him through the doorway and onto the couch. She knelt beside him, pulling back his shirt to check the damage. Dark bruises were already forming, and dried blood clung
Hawk leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, watching Quill wrestle with a stubborn IKEA manual. The kitchen smelled faintly of coffee and sawdust from the makeshift furniture projects they’d started but hadn’t finished. Their new place was beginning to feel like home... Kind of. It felt like a chaotic mess more than anything at that moment. “We need bedding,” Quill muttered, tossing the manual onto the table with a resigned groan. His dark hair fell over his eyes, but he didn’t bother pushing it back. Hawk just smiled at how frustrated Quill was over something that small. “Something that doesn’t feel like sandpaper or retains the sweat smell that hovers around you constantly. And plates that match. Or, you know, plates at all. Silverware would be fantastic as well. You know, metal ones, not plastic. I mean, we are adults, right?”Hawk smirked and sipped from his mug. “You planning a dinner party or something?”Quill shot him a look. “I just want to eat off something that i
Quill paced outside the tattoo shop. Hawk was nearby, leaning against the doorframe. “You’re wearing a hole in the sidewalk.”Quill didn’t respond, focusing on the horizon where Hadlin should have appeared by now. “He’s late."“You don’t have to do this, you know.” Hawk stepped away from the doorframe. “You’re working yourself up before he even gets here. What if he shows and you’re already unraveling?”“And what if he doesn’t show up at all?” Quill shot back, finally turning toward Hawk. Quill bristled at how easily Hawk could unsettle him without even trying.“Then we’ll handle it,” Hawk replied. “But he’ll show. You know he will. He showed up to the art show. I just wish you could have met with him then.”Quill opened his mouth to argue when a shadow appeared around the corner. Hadlin’s figure emerged, broad and familiar but carrying a presence that felt too much like a memory and a stranger combined. As he came closer, Quill had to take a deep breath. Hawk moved aside, giving Quil
Sunlight spilled into the room, catching on the edges of the sheets tangled from the night before. The warm aroma of coffee mingled with the faint hum of morning life. Hawk shifted in the bed as Quill placed a steaming mug on the nightstand. He stretched slowly before pulling the mug closer, savoring its inviting heat. Across the room, Quill moved with uncontainable energy.Bare feet tapped against the floor, moving with a sense of purpose that seemed to escalate by the second. Drawers opened and cabinets closed in rhythm, filling the small apartment with a gentle chaos. A half-folded blanket was tossed over the arm of the couch, quickly abandoned in favor of a stack of papers needing attention. Quill’s shirt, half-tucked into sweatpants, betrayed the impatience driving him from task to task.Hawk leaned back against the headboard, the cup in hand barely touched. He observed Quill darting between chores, his movements light and full of energy.“What’s gotten into you?” Hawk asked.Qui
The backdoor of Fluid slammed shut behind them, the muffled echoes of the crowd barely audible as Hawk dragged Quill upstairs. His grip was firm, his strides relentless, and his presence demanded attention. Quill followed, working hard to keep his breathing steady. Hawk was so charged, so sure, he didn’t want to shatter the moment by mentioning what he’d seen. Herc could wait. This was Hawk’s time.The door to their apartment swung open, and they stumbled inside. Hawk didn’t waste a second, turning and pressing Quill against the nearest wall. He explored Quill’s suit with urgent and searching movements, filled with a raw hunger tempered only by hesitation. Quill felt the uncertainty in Hawk’s actions, his careful intensity as he navigated this new territory. The mix of boldness and hesitance elicited a visceral response from Quill, distracting him from everything else.“Damn... You liked that, didn’t you?” Hawk said, tugging the zipper of Quill’s suit halfway down. He moved his hands