ReidReid woke from a half-doze to the greying light. He could smell the ashtray that was on Reid's side of the bed, overflowing with joints and cigarettes, and the stink of the ash combined with the slippery feeling of having drunk too much made his stomach uneasy, although his werewolf constitution kept it from being a full-blown hangover. The bottle of champagne was empty, along with a bottle of red that Jasper had produced, a testament to his overindulgence.Jasper was a cuddler, sprawled over his back, his hand cupping Reid’s shoulder, and his breath warm against Reid’s skin. For a moment, Reid stayed despite the smell of the ashtray and the knowledge that he had to leave before anyone who might know whom he was woke, comfortable beneath the other man’s body and the skin-to-skin intimacy of the position.Eventually, however, the brightening light motivated him to slide out from under Jasper and pull on his clothes as he messaged Marcella to come and pick him up. He found a sketch
JasperJasper watched the knave slide into the lime-green Spyder, his fingers pressed to the dreamy smile that curved his lips. It had been… incredible. Just incredible. The things the knave had done to him, and that he had reciprocated… “Oh fuck,” he groaned, his eyes rolling back at the memory.“Fuck,” he was hard, his cock straining against his jeans, and standing in the gate of his parent’s house fantasizing about fucking his mate and staring at the now-empty road. “Shit, Jasper, get it together,” he told himself as he closed the gate behind him and crossed the gardens, cutting through to the folly.The scent of sex, linseed oil, and smoke struck him as he stepped back into the folly and did nothing to help the throb of his cock. He looked around the room with fresh eyes and felt his cheeks heat at the mess. He began to pick up discarded clothing and dirty china, before stripping the bed of cum and oil-stained sheets. He startled the maids at the main house by letting himself int
JasperSebastian Compton led Jasper to his study. His office desk was buried beneath layers of paper, building plans laid over maps of the city. He riffled through until he found the one that he sought, setting it to the top.“I am negotiating to buy this building,” he told Jasper, his eyes bright with excitement. Jasper drew closer intrigued as to what lit his father’s eyes in such a way. He could see nothing exceptional about the building on the plans. It looked old, not as large, or tall as a modern building, with the detailed stonework of the past featuring heavily.“You’re wondering what’s special about this building,” Sebastian guessed watching Jasper’s expression. He laughed. “You’re right to wonder. It’s an old building.”“It’s in Morrison territory,” Jasper realized in alarm. “Dad…” He protested. “That will piss them off.”“It’s Morrison territory now,” Sebastian corrected. “But it hasn’t always been so. Originally this building marked the edge of Compton pack land. It was su
JasperJasper took the limo, mainly because Gerald, the driver, was generally insightful and knew everything there was to know about the city. As he slid across the leather backseat, he met Gerald’s eyes in the rearview. “Help,” he said immediately.“How may I be of assistance, Master Jasper?” Gerald’s amusement was indulgent and friendly.“I need a gift. I want it to be special. Something that will last, but something discrete. And I need it by tonight.” Jasper wanted to ensure that when they parted in the morning, the knave had something with him that connected him to Jasper. What he truly wanted was to sink his teeth into his mate, to claim him as his, but he knew that would not be wise. He needed to court the knave first, learn about him, starting with his name… And whilst he was doing that, he needed to begin easing his parents towards the idea of not just a male mate but one from the Morrison pack.Small steps, Jasper, he told himself.“Well,” Gerald considered the problem. “It
Jasper Jasper’s father’s office door was closed, and he could hear the hum of male voices through the wood. He hovered for a moment; the habits of childhood were deeply ingrained not to disturb his father when he was dealing with pack or business. He was no longer a puppy, he told himself and knocked on the door. It was opened from inside and Jonathan Kensy frowned down at him. “Come in Jasper,” Sebastian invited from behind his desk. Jasper stepped in with more confidence than he felt. The generously sized room was crowded with big, broad-shouldered men, his father’s top alphas, the most powerful alphas in the pack. He knew everyone in the room, although he had spoken to only a few – the senior alphas not deigning to waste conversation with an underage werewolf that was not their own puppy, even one who was in line to inherit the pack leadership. Now he was of age, however, they inclined their heads respectfully to him, accepting his arrival and presence. “Did you need me, Jaspe
ReidThe clothing Marcella had given him was typical of Marcel. Leather-look trousers that fit so closely that they left nothing to the imagination, and a black shirt that looked discrete until it was put on and the first button started between Reid’s nipples. He laughed at his reflection as he scraped his hair back into a ponytail.She was waiting for him and whistled as he stepped out of the bathroom. “Looking sexy-as, Reid,” she purred. “You should wear my old clothes more often.”Reid snorted. “I can just imagine my dad’s face if I start dressing like Marcel. All right,” he picked up his phone and wallet from the coffee table. “See you later.”“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Marcella pouted.“I need to pick up some supplies for tonight.”“Supplies?” Her puzzled frown darkened as she connected the dots. “Fucking hell, Reid. How far are you going to take this?”“Chill out, ‘Cella,” Reid opened the door. “It’s going to be fine.”“Wait,” she grabbed her purse and pursued him o
ReidReid had chosen the Paragon for its distance from his father’s building, hoping to avoid encountering pack members. He let the valet take his Porsche and strolled into the grand foyer. Despite his casualness, his eyes swept the patrons lingering in the lounge chairs or checking in at reception, looking for any familiar faces, or any werewolves who might know his.He was in luck, there was no one he knew or who seemed to recognize him, and he reached the safety of the reception desk where, with his back to the room, he was less conspicuous. “A booking for Jasper Compton,” he said quietly. “The second party will be arriving soon.” He paid cash for the room and extras, pulling the thick wad of notes out and waiting with itchy impatience whilst the clerk laboriously counted and double-counted her way through them, his skin crawling as if every eye in the foyer was on his back.Finally, she was content that he’d paid the full amount and gave him one of the key passes and directions to
ReidJasper didn’t even hesitate to be strapped down to the bed, his eyes on Reid’s face and his fingers curling to caress Reid’s hands and wrists as Reid tightened the buckles. Part of Reid wanted to berate the other man for being a fool. Jasper Compton didn’t know who Reid was, and yet he’d come to a hotel room, and allowed Reid to strip him bare and tie him down. A few photos, a video of the Compton heir naked, hard, and tied down in BDSM sex play circulated on social media would fuck the Comptons up well and truly. It was naïve and stupid of the Compton puppy to not realize that, to think with his cock and not his brain.Reid trailed his fingertips over Jasper’s chest, down the corrugation of his ribs, along the sensitive side of his stomach to his hip bone. Jasper’s cock pulsed, nodding with each throb, a sticky string of precum following gravity over the curve of the head. Reid met Jasper’s eye as he gathered the droplet up with his fingertip, lifting it to his lips and licking
Jasper Jasper surfaced slowly. He could hear unfamiliar sounds, muffled voices in the distance, many different beeps and squeals, and the rattle of trolleys. Reid was snoring somewhere nearby, and that was reassurance that wherever Jasper was, he was with his mate. Hospital, he thought as he fought to open his eyes. He was in hospital. He could vaguely remember moments of consciousness, where nurses and doctors had spoken to him. He remembered Reid crying and holding his hand, and his mother, father, and Charlotte… He managed to open his eyes. Yes, hospital, he agreed with himself. He turned his head and smiled as he saw that Reid slept on an armchair recliner next to him. A figure moved near the door and Jasper tensed as he looked over. A guard stood with his back to the room, adding sugar to a takeaway coffee cup. A werewolf, Jasper realized. He did not know if the man was Compton or Morrison, but his presence recalled to him talking to his father on the phone. His pack had come to
ReidReid barely looked up from Jasper as the medics carried him out to the street where the ambulance waited. He was aware of the house being filled with armed men from both packs searching through the possessions within the rooms, and, when they stepped out into the street, that the street was roped off, those civilian onlookers curious enough to brave being on the street in this neighbourhood pressing up against the ropes.He saw that the buildings to either side had also been invaded by the pack but had no chance to ask as Jasper was loaded onto the ambulance. Jasper took the spare chair and held onto Jasper’s hand as the ambulance sped off towards the hospital, sirens blaring and lights flashing.Jasper’s eyes fluttered, his mate surfacing from his faint.“It’s alright, Jasper,” Reid leaned forward so Jasper could see his face around the oxygen mask the medics had placed on him. “I’m here.”At the hospital, however, they were separated, with Jasper wheeled off towards the operati
JasperThe dingy, disheveled little bedroom was empty, however, another door opened into an ensuite through which came the sound of running water, and whiffs of steam drifted out indicating that Jay had been in there for a while, possibly since they had seen him in the window.Reid crossed to the rumpled bed and searched through the clothing tossed carelessly there, shoving the guns and knives that he found there into the bag that he wore. He passed the bag to Jasper.Jasper looked from the bag to Reid. “Just shoot him, Reid,” he whispered as he realized that Reid intended to fight Jay hand-to-hand.Reid shook his head. “He’s naked, unarmed, taken by surprise. That wouldn’t be…” He shrugged.“Fair,” Jasper filled in for his mate, his stomach uneasy. “But dangerous, Reid,” he protested.The water in the shower turned off interrupting Reid’s reply and they both turned towards the door. Through the opening, Jasper caught a glimpse of Jay as the other werewolf dried off, wrapping a towel
ReidThey took a taxi from the hotel. Jasper paid the taxi driver at the drop off whilst Reid swept his eyes along the street. It had been raining consistently through the afternoon, and the water puddled in drains clogged with filth, flooding out onto the road so that passing cars sprayed it up in vile showers. The street was a fucking eyesore of boarded up windows, graffiti and filth. Most of the streetlights were broken, creating shadows in which lower level dealers, prostitutes, and their clientele did business.As Jasper stepped back to join him, moving out of the way of the water that the taxi’s wheels kicked up onto the pavement, he followed Reid’s gaze. “Dad deliberately has encouraged this are into decay,” he said in a low voice. “It drives property values down, makes them cheaper to buy.”“And created the perfect place to hide a rogue pack,” Reid replied. “People come and go, and no one asks questions around here, or looks too closely at one another.”“Yeah. The buildings ar
JasperReid lowered the phone to the mattress, his hand resting over it. His chin sank to his chest, and his body shook as he wept. Jasper could offer little comfort other than to keep holding onto his mate. It had been hard to face his father that morning, but for Reid to have lost his best friend and had to come out to his family and pack at the same time… Jasper was amazed by Reid’s strength of will, to keep going despite the terrible weight of grief that he was carrying.The plan to take out Jay Turner did concern him, he admitted to himself. In the past couple of weeks since he’d come of age, his life had changed so dramatically from studying art to understanding that illegal activities were the backbone of the pack, and now, to be personally involved in what would be, he knew, a murder. He felt under-prepared and ill-equipped for the situation and feared that his inexperience would endanger his mate.He only hoped that his father would come through for him and Reid.He was young
Reid“Do you trust him?” Jasper asked as they watched Gregory leave.Reid considered the question. The beta had abandoned the Morrisons for the Comptons and betrayed their shipping schedule… There was a lot not to trust about him. “Normally, about as far as I could throw him,” he admitted slowly. “But with this? Yeah. I think he has nothing to gain and everything to lose. And…” He leaned slightly against his mate, feeling raw and exhausted. “I think he had a bit of a thing for Marcella and is upset in his way about what happened.”The words brought back the ache of grief and anger. He threw back the last of his whiskey. “I am going to kill them both,” he decided grimly. “Jay Turner and fucking Vincent.”“Okay,” Jasper said but covered Reid’s hand with his own. “But you heard what Gregory said. They’ve been planning this for possibly years and have been recruiting from both packs during that time. They’re not alone Reid, and you and I…” He grimaced slightly. “We are. So, we need to be
JasperGregory Renmark was okay looking, Jasper decided as he followed Reid into a discrete booth at the bar of the hotel bar. Nothing compared to Jasper’s mate though, he added with a warm glow as he watched Reid order for them from the waitress who had shown them to the table. Both men, however, shared pale faces and reddened, swollen eyes.After the waitress left, Reid and Gregory stared at each other across the table. The beta was dressed in a business suit, but the top button of his shirt was undone and his tie was askew. His hair was a mess as if he’d dug his hands through it many times whilst waiting for them to arrive.“She was a fucking bitch,” Gregory broke the silence, the words almost spat across the tabletop. “But she deserved better than that,” was delivered softer.Reid swallowed hard, a muscle in the corner of his jaw twitching, but he held the beta’s gaze until Gregory looked away, establishing Reid’s dominance. “Yeah, she could be a bitch,” he agreed steadily. “But t
ReidThe apartment still smelled like Marcella, but the smell was stale, lingering from the night before rather than because she was within. The sophisticated Indian agarwood, Turkish rose, and sandalwood perfume combined with the smell of smoke and alcohol. Reid stood on the threshold, his breath caught in his lungs, his eyes searching the furniture for something that he knew was not there.Dust caught in the sunlight whirled in the air disrupted by the door opening, was the only movement inside.Jasper placed his hand between Reid’s shoulder blades, the warmth of his palm a comforting reassurance that gave Reid the courage to step inside. Reid crossed to the bedroom, easing open the door and looking within at the messy tumble of bedding, the closet that she had taken such a delight in, and the mirror where Marcella had forever been fixing her face.He moved the items on the dresser restlessly, shifting the compacts, the lipsticks, and the brushes.“Is there…” Jasper cleared his thro
JasperClaud and Brando growled through a spew of vitriol, raising the hair on the back of Jasper’s neck, whilst the elegant she-wolf who had admitted him put her arms around the other woman, whose distress had been forgotten by her husband in his outrage. Jasper kept his eyes on the two men, tensing ready to push Reid behind him if either male attacked.They were big, experienced alpha wolves, but Jasper was quicker, leaner, and fitter than them both. If they attacked him, he would lose, but he would do his best to protect Reid. He stroked his hand over the curve of Reid’s skull.His mate was, as Jasper had suspected he would be upon hearing of Marcella’s death, distraught but, Reid pulled himself together as the two males rounded on them. “Dad, stop!” He held out his hands, palm forwards. “I know this is a shock, but…”“A shock?” Claud Morrison spat the words. “A shock? I can barely look at you for my disgust, Reid. You and he…” He sputtered gesturing to Jasper. “Defiling each other