Prophesy 3: His Righteousness by A.E. Via

 

 

“It’s still early,” Macauley told Adres on their way home. “You want to read a book while I watch some more episodes of the Days of Adres’s Lives?”

“Of… what?”

Macauley chuckled, then waved off the question. “Never mind. It was a soap opera my mother used to love.”

“And that was the title?”

Macauley shook his head at his clueless mate. “Forget about the name. Let me watch some more.”

Adres pushed his hood off his head, his dark hair getting longer and curling at the ends. His mate gave him an exasperated sigh of air. “Are you not tired of watching scenes from my life yet, young wolf? I thought you would have surely lost interest by now.”

Macauley tugged on the wide cuff of Adres’s sleeve until he stopped walking. He pulled him behind a row of bushes so they could have a sliver of privacy. “How could I, when there is so much to see?”

Adres still had his duties to fulfill as the Lord of Arms, and over the past two weeks, Macauley had assembled a team to get the pack lands ready for their huge blood drive tomorrow night, so their free time had been limited. But when they were together, Macauley found a far more exciting way to pass the time between their lovemaking. And since Adres did not care for television, his mate would read an old book while Macauley would settle into one of his memories and relive it, experiencing every emotion that lay within. It was the fastest, easiest way to get to know his new life partner and his millennia of tales.

He had watched Adres fight battles in faraway lands, in colosseums, and packed arenas, beside giants and beasts not known of this world. He had watched him avenge the betrayed and protect the weak. His mate was deadly in battle and merciless to his enemies. And over time, after much brutality, Macauley had learned just why Adres’s name was so legendary.

He also saw when Adres had fought the sorcerer of strife… and lost. Macauley had felt the excruciating pain as if it was his own when the evil shadowed Adres’s light. When he was done watching, he’d sworn to his mate that he would never fight alone again.

Macauley cupped Adres’s stubbled chin and tilted his head up so he could claim his mouth. Adres moaned when Macauley ran his tongue over one of his fangs, causing his blood to pump faster.

“You want my bite just as badly as I want yours,” Adres whispered into his mouth, licking his tongue out to tease his.

He slipped his hands beneath Adres’s long cloak and squeezed his ass through his thin pants. Adres had grown to enjoy kissing him, especially when Macauley added a hint of blood with it.

“Yeah,” he agreed to whatever Adres said as razor-sharp teeth grazed over his throat. “Mmm, bite.”

“No,” Adres teased, nipping him over his rapidly beating pulse.

Macauley yanked Adres hard into him, pressing his bulge into his pelvis. “Are you telling me no?”

He could feel the rush of excitement that slammed into Adres’s chest.

“Never, beloved.”

“Then bite.” Macauley pulled at Adres’s elastic waistband, wanting to feel his skin.

“But…” Adres sucked on his throat. “I want you inside me, first.”

Macauley’s dick leaked, liking that idea.

“My gods, you two. Not in front of the children.”

Adres jerked out of Macauley’s grasp so hard at the sound of Aleksei’s voice that he almost tripped over the tail of his robe. Or maybe it was the fifteen or so kids that were standing on the other side of the hedges, gawking at them. Either way, Macauley didn’t overreact as much as his mate did.

Adres fumbled with his suit, turning in different directions to avoid facing Macauley’s older brother or the group of wide-eyed pups.

“We thought we were alone, Alek.” Macauley eyed the kids that started laughing and vibrating with energy.

“You should know by now this place has no privacy.” Aleksei smirked.

“Tell me about it,” Adres murmured.

“I just thought you guys might want to know that you had an audience.”

“We want to see your wind again, Lord Adres,” one of the older kids called out, raising raucous cheers from the rest of the group.

Macauley and Aleksei chuckled behind their fists as they watched the kids run around the bushes and pounce on Adres. Macauley almost felt sorry for him, but the panicked expression on his mate’s face and the way the pups tugged on his robe was too hilarious.

“You didn’t tell me that you had a fan club.” Macauley winked.

“I don’t,” Adres snarled as he was dragged farther away.

“Hey, Mac. While your mate is busy, can I holler at you for a second?” Aleksei gestured over his shoulder with his thumb.

“Sure,” he told him.

No! Adres blared. Don’t leave me.

I’ll just be one second, Adres. You’re doing great, Macauley told him as he went towards his cabin with his brother.

“Is everything okay?” he asked once they were near his porch.

“Actually, no. Michelle managed to get herself a meeting in front of Justice yesterday.” Aleksei looked him in his eyes. “She claims your mate challenged, then threatened her.”

“That’s bullshit,” Macauley growled. “Did she tell you what she said to me? If anything, she challenged Adres first, and he did not harm her.”

Aleksei gripped the back of his neck, his warm palm instantly calming the rage that had flared inside his wolf. “I know, brother. I’m not here for your mate, I’m just letting you know that she went to Justice.”

“And did he believe her?”

“You don’t see him here, do you?”

“No, but you are.”

“Actually, I was on my way home, and umm…” Aleksei glanced down at Macauley’s jeans riding low on his hips. “I heard some groaning. So, I thought I’d investigate.”

Macauley chuckled. “That’s Adres’s fault. He’s the loud one.”

“Looks like everything is all better with you two.”

“Things are great.”

“That’s good to hear. Wrath seems happy to have his friend back too. I was wondering why he watched Adres the way he did when he first arrived.”

“Yeah. Apparently, they have a long, complex history together.” Macauley frowned, appearing confused for a moment. “Wait… Wrath is… happy?”

Aleksei teetered his hand back and forth. “Happy in his own way.”

Macauley couldn’t begin to understand the complexities of his older brother’s relationship with his inner beasts and his mate.

“It is good they found us,” Macauley said, wondering what his life would’ve been like without Adres and how he’d lived for over thirty years without him.

“And don’t worry about Michelle. I think Farica got her situated. She shouldn’t be the cause of any more problems.” Aleksei lowered his raspy voice. “Just tell Adres no more breaking windows or telling people that he’ll blow them away.”

Macauley cringed. “That was probably taken out of context.”

“Sure.”

Macauley walked back towards the compound, striking up a conversation with Aleksei about Taleb’s lucky ass having two mates, when the sound of a boy screaming made them both take off into a sprint. Macauley slid to a halt when he saw Anita and John’s ten-year-old son go flailing through the air and land in a huge haystack well over a hundred yards away. The boy leapt out of the mound of straw, laughing his ass off as he ran back towards the rapidly forming line.

“Shit.”

“What the fuck?” Aleksei narrowed his eyes. He gaped at Macauley as Adres leaned against a picnic table while the next child stepped up for their turn. His mate flung his hand out—as if he was swatting away a pesky fly—and sent the kid hurling backwards, even adding a few flips in before he landed in the mountain of hay. “Is he playing some really fucked-up game of fetch with the pups?”

“Um.” Macauley ran his hand over his beard, stalling for time, because he didn’t know what the fuck to say. Another kid flew across the dark sky, his laughter and stunts making the other kids in line jump up and down for their turn. Macauley shrugged. “Well, they do seem to be enjoying themselves, so I don’t—”

“Mac!” Aleksei growled.

“Okay, okay,” he hurried to agree. “We have plans tonight anyway. It’s been rough getting all of this set up for the blood drive, so we haven’t had much time alone the past couple of weeks. I think Adres might be a little frustrated.”

“You and your guys did a great job, man.” Aleksei glanced at the lights that Macauley had strung over the courtyard.

While his big brother was distracted, Macauley faced Adres. Can you stop throwing the kids, please? he thought as sarcastically as he could. I don’t think their parents would appreciate it.

Gladly. Adres had to almost pry kids off him as he walked away. And do not get snappy with me. I told you not to leave me with them.

Aleksei covered his laugh with a cough. “Night, Mac.”

“Hey, Alek.”

“Yeah?” His brother turned around.

“You think you can have Wrath heat up that cove before you go home?” Macauley glanced at Adres, then added, “Make it really hot.”

Aleksei nodded once, a sly smile tilting his lips, “I got you.”