Pest Control, page 15
★
The next few hours went by in a similar fashion as the intensity of Everett’s rut increased, clouding his sanity with pure lust. After only a few minutes for Rhys to rest, Everett was raring to go yet again.
Rhys’s rim had become quite sore and his throat raw from so many loud, pleasured screams. So, after the third knot had deflated, he was relieved when it seemed as if the exhaustion had taken a toll on Everett as well. They both hissed as he gingerly pulled out of Rhys and then carefully moved to the side so he could lie down next to him. Immediately upon his head hitting the pillow, Everett’s eyes closed, and he fell asleep, leaving Rhys to chuckle when the snoring began within seconds.
“I’m tired as fuck, too, but I guess I’ll be the one to take care of us and clean up,” Rhys grumbled as he stood, then almost fell due to the weakness in his muscles.
Thankfully, he was able to walk over to the kitchen despite the soreness between his legs. He grabbed two glasses full of water, a few big pieces of deer jerky, and a wet towel to bring back to the bed. He carefully swiped it all over his body, trying to remove the nasty dried sweat, lube, and cum that covered him in a sticky layer. Once he was done with himself, he moved on to cleaning Everett.
As he gently dabbed at his mate’s soft cock, Rhys marveled at how big it was even now. How had that thing, and the knot, managed to fit inside him so perfectly, jabbing at his abused prostate with every thrust? God, he was already horny again just remembering how it felt, even though he was so sore, tired, and probably didn’t have anything left to come. It was almost as if Rhys were the one in rut. But he wasn’t. Everett was, and right now, he needed to eat and drink before his rut would inevitably flare up again.
“Hey, baby, wake up,” Rhys whispered as he shook Everett’s shoulders.
It took a few moments for him to awaken, his eyes fluttering open. Once he saw Rhys hovering above him, his lips pulled into a dopey smile.
“Oh, hey there, pup,” he drawled. “Are you already ready for more?”
Rhys snorted, swatting Everett’s hands away when they went to grab for his ass.
“Calm down, horny wolf. We can again later. You must be exhausted—hungry and thirsty too. Here, have at these. It’s been hours since we last had any sustenance.” Rhys handed him one of the cups and a piece of jerky, as well as grabbing some for himself.
“I should be the one getting these for you, taking care of you,” Everett grumbled under his breath, though he did as he was told, devouring the jerky.
After they’d both finished, Everett wasted no time in pulling Rhys back into his embrace, lying on their sides with their chests touching.
“How are you doing, pup?” Everett asked softly, pushing back Rhys’s sweat-matted fringe, his eyes shining with so much love it made Rhys blush.
“I’m okay. More than okay, actually. I came like…ten times, so of course I feel good! And how are you? You seem a lot more…human now.”
“I’m really glad you did, and so did I. Really, really good.” Everett grinned, but it soon fell into a small frown. “But I…I didn’t hurt you…right?”
Everett pulled back to scan Rhys’s naked body up and down. His frown only deepened when he took in his roughed-up state. Everett had really done a number on him with his hands and mouth, leaving speckled bruises not just on his neck and chest, but also on his legs and his ass. But what was really concerning was the deep, ugly bite wound on Rhys’s neck, still crusted with blood, and it almost made Everett’s eyes pop out of his head in shock.
“Shit, oh fuck, did I bite you?” Everett squawked as he jumped up from the bed, fell onto his knees, and descended into an apologetic bow. “I’m so, so fucking sorry Rhys. I swear I didn’t mean to. I was trying to hold myself back. I didn’t even warn you this might happen—holy shit, I bit you— Wait, wh-why are you laughing?”
Rhys covered his mouth with his hand, trying to suppress the giggles. “Sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t laugh. You just…you just look so funny kneeling there all naked with your dick hanging out.”
“I—what? Are…are you not upset? I bit you! I hurt you. I made you bleed!”
“Everett, baby, get up off the floor and come back here.” Rhys said, motioning with a weak arm.
Hesitantly, Everett got back on the bed, but he sat with his head hung low and the farthest he could from Rhys. Sighing, Rhys mustered up the remaining strength in his body, scooted over to him, and lay his head on his lap so Everett would be forced to look at him.
“Listen to me,” Rhys said, holding their eye contact steady. “It’s okay. I’m fine, I’ve had much worse wounds than this before. I promise you; I don’t mind. But can I ask…why? Why did you bite me?”
Everett stared intently at the bite, a perfect scar in the shape of his teeth, before sighing. “Promise you won’t get mad?”
“I think if I were going to be mad, I would be by now.” Rhys smiled encouragingly. “I promise I won’t be.”
“It’s…” Everett gulped. “It’s a, er, mating bite. It’s what werewolves do when they, uh, want to claim and mark their mate, showing everyone they’re taken. It’s instinctual…b-but that doesn’t make it okay. I didn’t even warn you about it—”
“Hey, hey, calm down. Don’t you get all worked up again,” Rhys said slowly. “You’re fine, I’m fine, we are okay. I’m not mad, all right? Sure, I wasn’t expecting it, and it hurt like a bitch—stop those fucking sad puppy eyes, I’m not finished—but I’m happy you did it.”
Everett blinked, dumfounded. “You…are? Happy?”
Rhys snorted and rolled his eyes. “Duh, of course I am. I’m flattered you think of me that way…like I’m your mate. For real, on your werewolf-y level. But I have to ask…” He paused, taking in a deep breath. “You won’t regret this…right?”
Everett shook his head feverishly. “What? Why would you think that? Why would I ever regret mating you?”
“I dunno.” Rhys shrugged. “Because I’m not a werewolf, Everett, not even a woman. Wouldn’t you rather mate someone who can give you pups? Start your own pack with?”
It had been weighing on Rhys’s mind for some time now. Even though handling Everett’s rut and receiving his bite had soothed his worries immensely, the truth of his biology was still there. He could never, ever give him pups of his own. And according to all of his biology books, and Everett’s own words, mating was done to have pups and create a pack. So why wouldn’t Everett be any different? Sure, he loved Rhys now, but what about in a few months? A year? Ten years? He would want kids someday, or at least to live with other wolves, the desires eventually outweighing his feelings for Rhys. Then Everett would leave to run into the sunset with some tramp of a werewolf, leaving Rhys to die alone—
“Hey, stop biting your lip; you’re gonna make it bleed.” Everett took ahold of his mate’s jaw and leaned in to press a kiss there, knocking Rhys out from his stupor. “And stop your worrying too.”
“B-but—”
“Rhys, I promise you, you have nothing to worry about,” Everett urged. “Nothing. I wouldn’t have mated you if I wasn’t 100 percent sure I’d want you for the rest of my life. I made my decision, and it’s final. I want you. And nobody else, no werewolf, no human, no one. I love you. First of all, I have no desire to go back and live in a wolf pack. And fuck having pups, okay? Did I ever even say I wanted any? And have you forgotten that I’m gay?”
Well, fuck. Rhys couldn’t recall a single time Everett had ever mentioned wanting the company of other wolves, let alone pups. “No…”
“No. That’s right, I haven’t. And I don’t. I don’t want kids and never have wanted any.” Everett kissed Rhys again, then pulled back with a dopey grin on his face. “Besides, why would I need them when I already have my pup right here?”
Rhys couldn’t hold back his gummy smile and giggles when Everett pinched his flushed cheeks, trying to squirm away and hide his face in his mate’s broad, comforting chest. “Shut up, you’re so embarrassing,” he whined. “I’m not a pup!”
“Uh-huh, sure you aren’t, but you’re just as cute as one! Look at these adorable chubby cheeks! A pup! And don’t pretend you don’t like the nickname. You sure liked it when I was knot-deep.”
Rhys tried to scowl and be annoyed at his mate, but his bravado didn’t last long, and he broke into a fit of laughter once more.
God, he loved this annoying werewolf too much to ever be mad at him.
Chapter Thirteen
Throughout the week, neither Everett nor Rhys had a full eight hours of sleep. They’d only get a few hours in before Everett’s rut would flare up again, and he’d shake Rhys from sleep to envelope him in lust. So, after the week ended and his rut had completely subsided, the couple spent almost an entire day dead asleep, a much-needed rest for them both.
While Rhys enjoyed being woken up to Everett’s burning gaze and touch, he had to admit waking up to the soft morning light filtering in through the curtains was almost as nice. Well, it would’ve been even nicer if it weren’t for how damn cold it was in the room. Now that Everett’s body heat had lowered back to normal, there was nothing to keep Rhys warm since the fire in the hearth had died out much earlier in the week. The cold caused goose bumps to rise on Rhys’s naked, shivering body. A glance over at Everett confirmed he was affected by the cold as well as he lay hidden underneath the pile of blankets, curled up in a ball. So, even though Rhys would’ve loved to fall back into sleep with him, he forced himself to get up and get the heat going so his poor mate wouldn’t have to suffer any longer.
His mate. God, did that sound both trippy and perfect at the same time. As though they’d just gotten married and run off together to have a vigorous honeymoon, but thankfully, with no one to bear witness. Rhys didn’t have a fancy ring on, but he now sported a healing bite on his neck that was even prettier in his opinion, one he couldn’t help but stop to admire for a moment in the little mirror on top of his dresser, stroking it lovingly with a big grin on his face.
After throwing on some clothes, he quickly hoisted a few logs into the fireplace and lit the charcoal and tinder with a match, watching as they erupted into dancing flames that quickly filled the cabin with comforting warmth. Next, Rhys grabbed the kettle and took it into the kitchen to fill with water, wanting a nice cup of hot tea ready for when Everett eventually woke up as well. But, before he could pour it, a familiar blur of color from the corner of his eye stopped him right in his tracks. With wide eyes, he snapped his gaze to the kitchen window. A little blue jay, perched on the windowsill, had him immediately hyperventilating.
He staggered backward, bumping into the table, eyes locked on the bird that softly trilled an eerily familiar tune. Though he thought he’d broken free from the clutches of his nightly terrors, the appearance of the blue jay proved otherwise. An omen of desperation, despair, death—and cold. Was that why he felt so cold this morning? Because he’d been lying next to his mate’s frozen body?
He ripped his gaze from the bird and, almost tripping over his own feet, scrambled back to the bed. There Everett was, just like in his nightmares, hidden under the blankets. Once Rhys inevitably wrenched them off, he would be greeted with the terrifying sight of Everett’s face coated in an icy film, his mouth forever stuck in a soundless, fruitless scream for his mate to come save him. Rhys didn’t want to look, he didn’t, he didn’t, but his shaking hands moved of their own accord, pulling away the blankets to reveal—
“Rhys?” Everett groaned huskily, his dark brown irises peering up at Rhys so fondly, so warmly. So alive.
Confused, Rhys gasped, looking back and forth between Everett and the blue jay. His mind raced, trying to process the conflicting information. The blue jay was there, yet Everett wasn’t frozen and dead. Was this some sort of distorted version of his nightmare?
“Rhys, hey, calm down,” Everett said, quickly grabbing Rhys by the shoulders and forcing him to sit on the bed. He could feel Everett’s warmth even through the material of his sweater. “It’s okay, calm down. You’re not dreaming; whatever you’re thinking isn’t real. But I’m real, Rhys. Look at me. I’m real, I’m alive, and so are you.”
“B-but…” Rhys squeezed his eyes shut. “The blue jay…it’s…wh-why else would it be here?”
“Rhys.” Everett sighed. “It’s just a bird. That’s it. Birds exist outside of your nightmares, you know.”
“But…but…”
“Rhys. Open your eyes and look at me.”
Hesitantly, Rhys cracked open one eye, then the other, to gaze upon Everett’s face only inches away. His puffs of breath were warm against Rhys’s skin and his face was tinged a healthy pink instead of a deathly blue. Rhys slowly lifted his hand to cup his cheek, his thumb stroking the softness as Everett leaned into the touch.
“See, Rhys? It’s not a nightmare. This is real life, and I’m okay,” Everett whispered. “Just calm down. I know the bird scared you, but it’s okay; I promise. Take in deep breaths for me.”
“I-it’s okay…” Rhys croaked out between breaths, repeating the words over and over again until his heart rate finally slowed to normal, and he slumped into his mate’s hold.
“There you go, that’s better.” Everett maneuvered them so Rhys lay on top of him. He stroked up and down his back, letting Rhys feel the comforting vibrations of his voice.
“I’m sorry…” Rhys mumbled, nuzzling against his naked skin. Everett smelled good, like the pine soap they used to wash themselves with. “I thought I was finally done with those annoying nightmares…but I guess not. I’m sorry I woke you up like that.”
“Hey, there’s nothing to be sorry for. It doesn’t annoy me at all. I’m always gonna be here to help you through them as long as that’s what you want from me.”
Rhys pulled back enough to kiss Everett’s nose. “And I’ll always appreciate your help. You’ve been getting really good at soothing me and my panic attacks.”
“Really? I have?” Everett’s lips pulled into a wide smile.
“Mm-hmm, you have,” Rhys said, matching his smile with his own. “Usually, people touching me and talking to me only makes it worse. But with you…it only makes it better. Brings me back to earth, you know?”
“I’m really glad to hear that. I try hard to be good for you.”
“You’re better than good. You’re perfect in every way possible.”
They lay there for a while longer, neither caring about the time, just basking in the comfort of each other’s love—before Rhys realized something, jerking up suddenly.
“Wait, oh my god! If real blue jays are here, then that means—”
He ran over to the door and yanked it open with a gasp. “There’s no more snow!”
Though spring had started weeks ago, it had still been cold enough for the winter snow and ice to stick. But now, it had become just warm enough for it to finally melt away for good, replacing endless white with green as far as the eye could see. Grass poked out of the wet, muddy earth, the resilient plants growing as though there had never been a sheet of ice in the first place. Trees bore tiny buds and leaves now home to many species, such as the blue jay that had created a nest up in the closest one. The scene was absolutely beautiful and welcome, especially when only months ago, Rhys had believed he wouldn’t live to see even the first blade of grass.
A quick, loud series of thumps came from behind Rhys, and Everett charged forward, running outside bare naked, giggling excitedly all the way.
“Freedom!” he cried out, arms spread in a victory pose as he slid across a mud puddle on his knees.
“Everett!” Rhys squawked. “What the fuck are you doing, you idiot? Did you forget that you’re naked?”
“Doesn’t matter, cuz I’m gonna shift anyway!” Everett countered, throwing a smirk over his shoulder before his human body morphed, in a split second, into that of a familiar wolf. He then lay down on his back in the mud, rolling around to coat all of his fur, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and tail wagging furiously.
“God, what is it with you and mud? You’re so silly,” Rhys chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m only giving you the time it takes for me to get in some better clothes and eat, and then you better be out of there when I come back out!”
★
When Rhys returned outdoors, wearing a big coat and a pair of jeans he didn’t care too much about, the wolf sat on the porch patiently, as instructed, albeit completely covered in mud. He yipped at the sight of Rhys, suddenly jumping up in the classic position of a canine wanting to play, his butt stuck in the air and his front legs bent in anticipation.
“Hmm…you’re a dirty boy, but you’ve been a good boy and listened to me, so go ahead. You can go run around as long as you don’t play in more mud—”
Without even waiting for Rhys to finish his sentence, Everett immediately took off running through the field and straight into the woods, barking all of the way, leaving Rhys to chuckle and shake his head once again as the noise faded away.
“Well, guess I’ll have some peace and quiet for a bit, then,” he said with a sigh.
Stepping out into the field, Rhys slowly spun in a circle, taking in the satisfying spring scene, teeming with life. A stark contrast to only weeks prior when it’d been a frozen, dead wasteland. A thick layer of ice no longer covered the river; in fact, it flowed loudly and rapidly from all of the snow and ice that had melted higher up. The excess water would fill up all of the lakes and ponds, which would then be filled with fish once the insects returned, eventually making their way upstream. Throughout the forest, the deer had returned, climbing back up from the valleys to birth and raise their young.
They wouldn’t be the only ones with new arrivals; the rabbits birthed their litters, the birds laid their eggs, and the bears emerging from hibernation might have little cubs trailing after them. It wouldn’t be long until the trees and bushes began to flower and produce fruit in beautiful bright colors, just like the wildflowers that had already popped up in the grassy fields—Rhys’s favorite part of spring.
