LNoah's POV
The morning sun filters through the thin curtains of my tiny cottage, casting a warm, golden glow over the room. I stretch, my body still heavy with sleep, and glance at the clock on the nightstand. It's late—later than I usually sleep in—but after last night, I think I've earned it.
The memory of Logan's hands on me, his voice in my ear, his scent wrapping around me like a vice, flashes through my mind. I hate how much I loved it. Hate how the fact that I hated it only fueled my arousal.
Finnian purrs in the back of my mind, her satisfaction palpable. 'Mate is strong. Mate is dominant.'
'Don't you have better things to do than sing Logan's praises in my head?' I ask internally, resisting the urge to sigh externally.
'I will also remind you that you're breedable.'
"Well, yes thank you. That's very helpful," I murmur.
'Fenrir has returned. Our mate wants us and we are being chased by another suitor.'
I don't sigh, I groan. Because she's not wrong. Logan has a way of getting under my skin, of making me feel things I don't want to feel.
I hate him.
I want him.
He drives me nuts but I know how good he is in bed. Knows how he can be when he wants me a moaning, begging mess for him. He reminded my body of his power last night and I'm— as annoyingly pointed out by Finnian and for lack of a better term— 'breedable.'
And then there's Kieran.
The memory of his lips on mine assault me, his hands teasing me, his voice low and commanding, sends a shiver down my spine. He'd played me like a fiddle last night, pushing me to the edge only to pull away.
'I'm not going to fuck you when you smell like him.'
The words echo in my head, sharp and final.
I groan, running a hand over my face.
"Papa!"
Oliver's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. He's sitting on the floor near my bed, surrounded by a pile of toys, his chubby fingers clutching a stuffed wolf.
I smile, my heart swelling with love. "Good morning, bug."
I scoop him up, pressing a kiss to his soft curls. He smells like… well, like a toddler who hasn't had a bath in a couple of days.
"Time for a bath, little man," I say, tickling his sides.
Oliver's eyes widen, and he shakes his head vigorously. "Noooo!"
Before I can stop him, he wriggles out of my arms and takes off, his tiny feet slapping against the wooden floor as he runs out of the bedroom.
I sigh, pushing myself off the bed. "Oliver, get back here!"
But he's already gone, his laughter echoing through the cottage.
I could easily catch him—he's fast for a two-year-old, but I'm still faster. But I'd read on some blog that it was important to teach young werewolves that their ability to run was one of their greatest blessings. Plus, it helps strengthen his little toddler legs, which aren't quite used to long periods of running yet.
Still, as I hear him giggling from the living room, I can't help but think that maybe I've taken this "let him run" thing too far.
Finnian stirs in the back of my mind, her pride evident. 'Our pup is growing to be strong. He's fast.'
'Our pup is stinky,' I shoot back, stepping into the hallway.
I find Oliver hiding behind the couch, his little face peeking out from behind the cushions.
"Gotcha!" I say, lunging toward him.
Oliver squeals, darting out of reach and running toward the kitchen. His tiny legs move surprisingly fast, and he's nifty, slipping through corners and ducking under tables like a pro.
I chase after him, my laughter mingling with his.
"You're gonna get it, little wolf!"
Oliver giggles, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "No bath!"
I'm about to put a stop to the game and catch him once and for all when there's a knock on the door.
I freeze, my ears twitching. Oliver takes advantage of the distraction, darting past me and hiding behind the armchair.
"Stay there," I say, pointing at him.
Oliver grins, his tiny hands clutching the edge of the chair.
I open the door to find Elliot standing on the porch, dressed casually in a Coyotes jersey and jeans, his blonde hair glinting in the sunlight.
"Elliot?" I say, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Oliver peeks out from behind the chair, his eyes lighting up. "Uncle Ellio!"
Elliot chuckles, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "Can't a guy pay a visit to his best friend? Sounds like you're having a busy morning."
I groan, running a hand through my hair. "You heard the man. No baths."
Elliot laughs, ruffling Oliver's hair as the toddler runs up to him. "Hey, you little rascal! You giving your dad a hard time?"
Oliver giggles, clinging to Elliot's legs.
I sigh, leaning against the doorframe. "What brings you here, Elliot?"
He grins, holding up a bag of donuts. "Thought you could use some sugar after last night."
I raise an eyebrow. "And by 'last night,' you mean…?"
Elliot's smirk deepens. "Oh, you know. The game. The bathroom. The whole… Logan thing."
I turn my face away in an attempt to hide my blush. "I know not what you speak of."
Elliot hums a curious tune, his belief evident in the sound of it. "Y'know I saw him follow you into the restroom."
I step aside to let him in. If he's going to pester me about this, I won't let him do it on my front porch. "There are no rules against another man taking a piss when I'm in the restroom."
"Is 'taking a piss' code for sucking you off?"
"Elliot!" I screech, covering Oliver's ears.
He shakes his head to get my hands away and continues scrambling up Elliot's shoulders.
Elliot simply laughs as we settle into the living room. "How are you, Noah?"
He moves Oliver around and perches my boy on his lap, handing him a toy car to play with. The cottage is small, cozy, and filled with the remnants of Oliver's toys and my half-finished projects. It's a good morning. We should go outside.
"You first," I respond.
I don't know how I am. Tired? Confused? Emotionally drained? Is there a word for horny and annoyed?
'Sexually frustrated?' Fenrir offers.
No, that doesn't quite capture the feeling.
Elliot observes me for a second then shrugs. "You know, baseball. Beta stuff. I'm supposed to help organise my packs next Melee and our Alpha wants it to be a big one with other packs present but, y'know humans. They won't approve our permit. Acting like we're all gonna go full wolf and eat every red blood in a fifty mile radius."
With everything that's been going on, I'd forgotten about the Melee. Or rather, I didn't think it was relevant enough to care about.
Melee's are pack events that take place on the first day of the full moon. It's tradition for most packs to throw a big feast. Shifting is customary but not compulsory and some wolves end up meeting their mate on that night. It's a way for us to connect with ourselves and the goddess but I prefer to spend nights like those on my own. It's awkward seeing Logan's parents there. They always look like they want to apologise but aren't sure how.
"Well, that sucks," I say, leaning back into the couch. "Just wear that shirt next time. You'll get approved right away."
Elliot laughs. "Yeah, everyone loves the Coyotes again."
'You can thank The Lightning for that,' Is what I don't say. Instead, I say, "As for me, I'm good. Just… tired."
Elliot raises an eyebrow. "Tired, huh? Anything to do with a certain Alpha following you into the restroom at Casey's last night?"
I groan, covering my face with a pillow. "Not this again."
Elliot laughs, setting Oliver down as the toddler toddles off to play with his toys. "Come on, Noah. You can't just drop a bomb like that and expect me not to ask questions."
I peek out from behind the pillow. "What bomb?"
"The bomb where Logan Whittaker, the guy who left you high and dry, is suddenly back in your life and whispering sweet nothings in your ear."
I sit up, glaring at him. "He wasn't whispering sweet nothings."
Elliot smirks. "Oh? What was he whispering, then?"
I hesitate, my cheeks burning. "It's… complicated."
Elliot's smirk softens into something more serious. "Noah, you can tell me. If he's bothering you, I'll make him eat his tail."
I snort. "You? Make an Alpha eat his tail? Good luck with that."
Elliot shrugs. "I've got my ways."
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "It's not that simple. He… he wants me back."
Elliot's eyes widen. "Wait, seriously?"
I nod, my voice quiet. "Yeah. He said it after the night I got attacked. He said, 'Your ass is mine, and I will have you again.'"
Elliot whistles. "Damn. That's intense."
"Tell me about it," I mutter.
Elliot leans forward, his expression serious. "Noah, you're not actually considering it, are you?"
I look away, my chest tightening. "I don't know. He says he regrets leaving. He wants to be in Oliver's life."
Elliot's jaw tightens. "Don't tell me you're thinking of forgiving that tool."
I blink, surprised by the venom in his voice. "Elliot, I—"
"Noah, I remember how he left you. I remember how broken you were after all that. With the pregnancy, the scandal, losing your spot on the Coyotes… I don't want to see you like that again."
I swallow hard, my throat tight. "I remember it too. I won't ever forget."
Elliot nods, his expression softening. "Good. So you know you have to be careful, yeah?"
"Of course," I say, my voice firm.
Elliot ruffles my hair, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Okay, so who's this new guy you're seeing?"
I blush, pulling out my phone to show him a picture of Kieran. "His name's Kieran. He's a doctor. We were childhood friends."
Elliot whistles, leaning closer to get a better look. "Damn, he's hot."
I grin, my cheeks warming. "Yeah, he's hot alright."
Elliot smirks. "So, what's the plan? You gonna invite him to the Melee?"
I blink, surprised. "The Melee?"
"Yeah," Elliot repeats, rolling his eyes. "Don't tell me you've forgotten the full moon's coming. My pack's trying to host this year's event and our Alpha insists on inviting other packs. But we can't get those damn human authorities to accept our permit."
"Oh, right," I say, consideringly.
The Melee is just one of the many events my kind has to celebrate the ever passing phases of the moon. It happens on the first day of the full moon and it's when our connection to the moon goddess is strongest. It's customary for packs to gather together and honor the Moon Goddess through shifting, ceremonial hunts and renewal of the mate bond. Unmated wolves also hope to find their mates on nights like these.
It's a big deal but I've avoided pack events ever since… well, I don't need to repeat that. Logan. Heartbreak. It's kind of awkward when his parents are the rulers of our pack and literally everyone knows what happened to us.
"I'll think about it."
Elliot grins. "Great! Stick with Kieran. Maybe it'll be good for you to find love again."
I laugh, shaking my head. "It's a little too soon for love, but I enjoy his company."
Elliot's expression softens. "Good. You've been so isolated since the whole Logan thing. I was beginning to worry you no longer had a life or a sense of humour."
I roll my eyes. "I coach baseball, and I'm still funny."
Elliot deadpans. "Being a dad doesn't automatically make you good at dad jokes."
I cover Oliver's ears and flip him off. Elliot shoves my hand away, laughing.
"Seriously, though," he says, his tone more serious. "When was the last time you did something just for you? Aside from dates with Kieran?"
I think about it, frowning. "Define 'just for me.'"
Elliot groans, throwing his hands up. "See! You're boring now!"
I laugh, but there's a pang in my chest. He's not wrong.
"I'm a dad now, Elliot," I say, tickling Oliver's stomach as he giggles. "Hobbies are expensive, and any time that's not taken up by the team is dedicated to this stinky pup."
Elliot smiles, but there's a flicker of something in his eyes—something I can't quite place.
"I get that," he says. "But don't you think it'll be easier to avoid Logan's advances when you're occupied? You used to be artsy. Try getting into that again."
I consider it, nodding slowly. "I've been thinking about learning sculpting, but I always push it off."
Elliot grins. "Well, there you go. Now's the time to start. Dirty your hands with clay and reject the spunk of an Alpha."
"Elliot please!"
Oliver frowns at me, "Papa, what's a spunk?"
Elliot laughs even harder than he did earlier. "Spunk is courage."
Oliver frowns, "I don't get it."
I roll my eyes. Goddess give me strength.
Still, why hasn't he mentioned flirting with Logan. I love Elliot but I can't help but wonder, is his advice as selfless as it seems or is he's just trying to keep me away from Logan for his own reasons.