Chapter Eight – Some Answers and More Questions
They were all quiet on their way back since there were other wolves present and what they had to say to each other required a private space. Vince expected Theodore to have more trust in Ryder's pack now since the alpha had saved them all. On the other hand, he needed to take into account Pembroke's pride, which must have taken a serious hit after the night's events. With Cassandra gone, one piece of the puzzle would remain beyond their reach. While Vince still had no idea about what the runes were trying to tell them, he believed that there must have been more information that could have been extracted from the witch.
However, since the witch in question had been too rabid to reason with, it was good that she was gone. Hopefully, they'd decipher the sense of the runes by themselves, without a dangerous clairvoyant breathing down their necks.
He stole a quick glance at Theodore, and then another at Jack. For good measure, he had chosen to walk between the two of them, because there was a chance the wolf and the clairvoyant might end up at each other's throats before they even had the slightest chance to figure out what their bond was supposed to mean.
Jack half-wished, half-feared, that it involved butt sex. Vince couldn't blame the guy. Someone without one speck of experience with having sex with a man, no, with having sex at all, had now been thrown into a situation that required nerves of steel and a very flexible body.
Vince felt a wave of tenderness wash over him as he observed Jack from the corner of one eye. Theodore called him a field mouse, and now that Vince was watching him more closely, the nickname suited him. For all the anger and annoying arrogance Theodore projected, his giving the city clairvoyant a nickname gave him away.
Theodore Pembroke wanted Jack. Regardless of his need for revenge, regardless of the pain he must have carried with him for a long time.
"Is there something on my face?" Jack asked. And then, right away, without waiting for a reply, "Isn't it strange how well I can see in the dark? I hope I'm not turning into a wolf."
"What would be so bad about turning into a wolf?" Theodore growled from his place on Vince's other side.
"Well, for starters, I dislike the idea of having to lick my own balls," Jack replied, completely unperturbed by Theodore's obvious display of aggression.
Another growl – very much expected – followed.
"Wolves aren't dogs."
"Do you lick your own balls or not?" Jack asked. "You obviously can."
Vince had to bite his bottom lip hard so he didn't burst into laughter, adding more insult to this new injury. He had an inkling Pembroke wouldn't like it one bit.
"You should answer Jack's question," he suggested, trying his hardest to make his voice sound only ordinarily concerned for the flow of conversation and nothing more.
"Yes," Theodore replied, although he sounded at least partially embarrassed. "It's a natural behavior. It also brings comfort."
"I knew it," Jack said, his triumphant tone making Vince worry that Theodore might just pop a blood vessel if their little talk continued in the same vein. "Ball licker."
Vince had to block Theodore from reaching Jack. The clairvoyant, like the little prick he was, didn't stop laughing.
"Jack, I may be a guardian, and I swore to protect you, but you need to help me a little here. I can't restrain an alpha for long."
"I get it, I get it," Jack agreed. "But admit it. It was funny to make Theo admit he likes licking his own balls."
"A little," Vince said as he pushed the angry alpha he was holding back to his place.
"We're here," their guide announced. If the young wolf had any opinions about the strange conversation between his pack's guests, he was keeping them to himself. His face betrayed nothing.
Vince took the reins since he didn't count on either Pembroke or Jack to be able to forget their little squabble and behave appropriately.
"Thank you. We'll find our way from here."
***
It was a lovely house. Jack couldn't recall if he'd even been in many places as nice as this, so if they suddenly decided they were going to live here for a while, he wouldn't mind it at all. Theodore snappily informed him and Vince that he'd be outside for a while, so Jack felt a bit guilty.
Actually, a lot guilty. He was so damn nervous. The only reason he kept riling Theo up was because keeping the alpha busy wanting to strangle him might make him less interested in mounting him and giving it to him hard.
Jack needed a cold shower. He hated cold showers. The only thing he liked cold was ice cream. And strawberry juice. In summer.
"Hmm," he began in an apologetic voice as soon as he was alone with Vince, "I didn't mean to annoy the heck out of Theo like that. But he scares me."
"He's a wolf," Vince admitted as he took in the amenities.
Jack followed the guardian to the kitchen. His stomach growled, which earned him a sympathetic look from Vince.
"Yeah, but he's supposed to be my wolf… or isn't that how it works?" he asked, following right behind Vince.
"Take a seat. I'll make you a sandwich," Vince instructed him, and Jack obeyed without another word.
He was bone-tired. Vee and Theo looked so damn fresh, but he was only a puny human – he had to agree with Theo on that. That meant he needed to eat and then take a long nap.
He observed Vince and the ease with which he moved about a place he wasn't even familiar with. Gosh, Jack would like a thimbleful of the confidence from Vee's overflowing cup. No wonder he was a guardian; he looked built for it. And Jack felt so safe in his presence, which wasn't something he could say about other people in his life.
Vince placed a plate in front of him, loaded with three huge sandwiches.
"I thought you said you'd make me a sandwich. Like one," Jack commented, his mouth watering at the sight of all that meat.
Which promptly reminded him that he'd have to get interested pretty soon in another sort of meat.
Man meat.
Yep.
Forgetting all about the food in front of him, Jack zeroed in on Vince's crotch.
"I thought you were hungry," Vince said, seemingly oblivious to Jack's dirty thoughts.
"Yeah." Jack grabbed a sandwich and bit into it. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Vince's lower body. Those jeans hugged his package really nicely. His mouth watered again, but for a completely different reason.
Theo had to be giving off pheromones or whatever. Out of nowhere, Jack had a weird, perverted mind and he could only think about dick.
Vince sat across from him and helped himself to a sandwich, too. Now it made sense. The third one was for Theo. So considerate of Vince.
"So, Vee, if I have do the nasty with Theo, does that mean that I'll have to eat cum?"
Vince froze and made a wheezing sound. Jack stared at him nonplussed. Then Vince struck himself in the chest and, while coughing loudly, reached for the glass of water he had brought to the table. Jack jumped from his seat and hurried to smack Vince on the back until the guardian managed to catch his breath.
"Never do that again, Jack," Vince warned him. He breathed deeply, and Jack hurried to get him more water.
"That's hard. I mean, I don't have a filter when it comes to anything that comes out of my mouth," Jack said apologetically.
"Eh, then I guess I'll just have to get used to it," Vince said without rancor. "Why would you think of eating cum when we're busy eating food, though?"
"It seemed somewhat related," Jack said. "What does cum taste like?"
Vince sighed and took another bite of his sandwich. "We're going to have this conversation, aren't we?"
Jack nodded with enthusiasm. Whatever he had to do with Theo, Vee would know. He was experienced, and that made him a mentor. A mentor for cum-eating and butt sex.
***
Theodore stared bleakly ahead. This night's events had brought more questions than answers. He hated that he needed to accommodate the two humans' need for rest, but soon, he would look at the runes on that boulder again. Together, they might have a chance of understanding their hidden message.
Was it possible? To dream again of finding his pack? As a child, he had allowed himself to dream that would happen, but as he grew up he understood harsh reality.
There was no pack. There would never be one again.
"I thought you might be hungry."
The human guardian's voice interrupted his dark thoughts. He stared at the modest sandwich being presented to him on a plate without any flourish and felt tempted to say no. However, the smell of cured meat was enough to remind him that even he, a wolfshifter, still needed nourishment.
"Thank you."
Vince lingered. That meant he had questions. Theodore did, too, but he didn't have any answers, either, so whatever the guardian hoped to hear from him, he'd have to wait.
"Will you mate with Jack?"
Theodore stopped, taken aback by the surprise question. "Not if I can help it," he said in an icy tone.
He was very much aware of the impossible attraction he felt toward the field mouse. However, he wasn't blind. There was a size difference that couldn't be ignored. Also, wolfshifters weren't known for being gentle lovers. Their partners, let alone their mates, had to be made of sturdy stuff.
Most likely, the field mouse had been whining about it, and the guardian, taking his role seriously, wanted to ensure that Theodore wouldn't break the tiny clairvoyant by attempting to mate with him.
"Let him know he's safe from me," Theodore added. "I don't feel attracted to him in the least, so whatever the cards are telling him, they are wrong. However, I do believe that I need both of you to decipher the runes. After that, you will be free to go."
Vince sat by his side, much to his annoyance. "So, you don't feel attracted to Jack," he said. "What about me?"
Theodore had no clue how a human could be so fast. But Vince's large hand was now on his crotch, cupping his manhood. He grunted, still holding his sandwich.
"I thought so," Vince said, removing his hand, much to Theodore's dismay. "We need to be honest with each other, Pembroke. We need to deal with your sexual needs if we don't want you to lose it and jump Jack when neither of us expects it."
Theodore pursed his lips and nodded. Even if he felt terribly annoyed by the guardian's astuteness, he couldn't deny the truth in Vince's words.
"Are you offering yourself up to be used, then?" he asked, glad he could control his voice, preventing the low rumble in his chest from climbing upward.
"Yes," the guardian replied simply.
Theodore threw Vince a vicious look. "I'm not nice in bed. Whatever the sex you've had with other humans in your life until now can't have prepared you for me."
To his surprise, Vince grinned broadly. "Not nice in bed," he purred, making Theodore's pants feel unnaturally tight. "You surely know how to get a guy excited, don't you, alpha?"
The last word had been thrown in carelessly, but Theodore let out a soft growl. "If push comes to shove, be ready, human. I'll take your offer at face value, and I won't be pulling any punches."
Vince's low chuckle went straight to his cock. "I'm counting on it, alpha."
"Don't call me that," Theodore snapped.
"It's what you are. Ready to live up to expectations, Pembroke?"
He didn't deign that last question with an answer. The human guardian had to be a seasoned lover, and the mere idea made a shiver run down his spine, reminding him of pleasures long-forgotten. A strong body like that of the guardian's would be able to take a lot.
Theodore had to shake his head hard to get rid of the images conjuring themselves before his eyes: a muscular back covered in sweat, a pair of round mounds flexing underneath his fingers—
He turned his head sharply to deliver one last biting retort, but the human guardian was no longer there.
It only then crossed Theodore's mind that Vince must have played him just now in order to ensure that the field mouse was protected from an alpha's fiery passion that could and would burn too hot for someone as frail as he.
He didn't mind. The guardian had his wits about him. He was an asset. Theodore didn't quite know what to make of the clairvoyant yet. He had a pack of cheap cards, a loud mouth, an attitude problem, a sweet scent, weaknesses all over…
And they all came together to make up a package of something Theodore longed for.
He bit furiously into his sandwich. There was no time to waste. As soon as the two humans were well-rested, they'd all head over to the mysterious boulder. Once the mystery of the message trapped in rock was revealed, Theodore would continue on his own path.
And forget all about mating with a strong human and a puny clairvoyant.
***
Vince knew it was Danny behind him before he even turned to check to see who his guest was. For his entire life he had protected his friend without knowing from what, so he knew everything little thing about him down to the way he walked and how his footsteps sounded.
"What brings you here? Aren't you tired?" Since he had such an important guest, he needed to offer a comfort drink, but it looked like he couldn't find the beverage that Danny loved best. The neatly arranged cupboards contained mostly a plethora of teas and healthy snacks.
"Theodore told me you were asleep and snoring. What are you searching for?" Danny asked, looking like he was ready to help.
"These people have so much natural stuff here they could open a store selling organic products. I was looking for coffee, but I don't think they drink it here."
"Ah, that might be the case."
Vince gave Danny a broad smile and gestured for him to sit. "I can still fix tea. Can you believe it? They actually have electricity here? I was completely surprised."
Danny accepted the hot mug from Vince's hands and stared inside it as if he was trying to find the answer to something important. "I know this is going to sound super odd, Vince, but did you know… that you were… I mean, what are you exactly?"
Vince squeezed his friend's hand briefly and began sipping tea from his own mug. "I'm a guardian. And yes, let's say I knew something. I've known for a while, I mean."
Danny's eyes grew wide. "A guardian? Like what sort of guardian? And since when did you know that?"
"A guardian for someone important." Now was the perfect time to get it all out in the open.
"Me?" Danny whispered. "You can't be serious."
"Yes, I am serious. I knew I had to protect you. My mom used to tell me these amazing stories and I grew up with them. My dad also knew about my special destiny. Apparently, guardians are sometimes born in the human world, although it is very rare. My parents learned about them when my mom was pregnant. They didn't believe it at first but they had to, eventually."
"Wow. I mean… you never told me anything. Not one little hint. Even though I'm your best friend. Wait, did you become friends with me only because you were my guardian?"
It was so like Danny to be anxious about something like that.
"No," Vince said with a snort. He ruffled Danny's hair, leaning over the table. "Actually, when I was a kid and my parents were telling me about my special gift, I was very worried that I might have to be a guardian for somebody lame and boring."
"But I'm the definition of--"
"No, nope, zip it," Vince warned his best friend. "You made the most complex castles out of those cubes and stuff they gave us in kindergarten to play with. Don't you remember?"
"Oh, yes. That must have been my saving grace," Danny said, grinning. "So, who told your parents about the guardian thing?"
"Guess," Vince said, grinning widely.
"What, really? Are we playing games now?"
"Why not? That's what best friends do."
Yes, it was time for Danny to hear the whole story. One they'd both been part of even if one only unwittingly.
TBC