By the Light of the Moon Read online

  shifting back.Shit.

  Making sure the window was open just enough to squeeze a finger through, Dakota left the hotel, closing the door behind him. He ran around the side of the building and shifted back. Dakota ran down the back alleys trying to stay hidden and then he recognized a sign. Not the color, but the letters. Goodwill. Staying behind the dumpster, Dakota shifted back and grabbed two bags of drop-offs, looking for clothes. As a wolf, he stayed warm in the cold weather. As a human, not so much, and it was below freezing. He found worn jeans and a black shirt, along with old socks and an old pair of sneakers. Fuck it, worked for him. Fully dressed, Dakota tried to find Sam’s scent as he walked along the road. Sam couldn’t have gone far… He hoped.

  Another mile down the road and neon lights welcomed

  him to Rose’s CafeandSam’s truck. Dakota made his

  way in and looked around first, then took a seat at the bar and concentrated on Sam’s smell. It was there and off to the right, down the bar from him. He turned his head and met with dark brown bedroom eyes. Oh. My. God. His cock was instantly hard, just looking at Sam in color. His mouth was watering, looking at the man that’d hit him with his truck then saved him. Native American for sure, at least six foot three, black hair hung a little past Sam’s shoulders. Dakota couldn’t stop looking at Sam;

  his rescuer was drop dead gorgeous and fuckinghuge.

  Jesus, Sam was so damn beautiful with those high cheek bones and full lips. He had biceps the size of Dakota’s thighs and tattooed. Dakota was in sense overload and then his nose picked up the scent of another wolf in the bar. The hair on Dakota’s arms went up and then he felt the breath on the back of his neck. Shit. Taylor. The

  alpha wolf’s son was standing behind him. There wasno wayDakota was still in pack territory; Sam had driven too

  far for that to be the case.

  “Dakota, what brings you to Healy?” Taylor asked. Dakota’s shoulders relaxed, he wasn’t in pack territory. So, what the hell was Taylor doing here? “What do you care? I’m not in pack territory, so it’s none of your business.” Dakota felt fingers on his arm and then a biting grip. Taylor’s fingernails pushing past the layer of skin to dig in.

  “You don’t ask questions and youdon’tspeak to me

  like that.” Dakota put his head down in an act of submissiveness, but Taylor wasn’t letting the matter drop. Taylor’s fingers dug in sharply and Dakota let out a small yelp, deep in his throat. He’d healed, but was still sore. Dakota tried to pull his arm away and felt fingers in his hair, gripping and pulling tightly. “Please let go, I’m not a threat.”

  Taylor smiled, leaning over in Dakota’s ear. “You made my Dad think I was a fag. I haven’t been able to live it down and you just sauntered away like you didn’t do anything wrong.” Taylor pulled the hair hard and heard a small gasp. “Now come with me, we’re going back to the park.p;

  Dakota felt the fingers in his hair pulling and he stood up, almost tripping on the bar stool. Dakota looked up, but Sam was gone. Oh God, he was going to have to defend himself against Taylor. Dakota wasn’t weak, but Taylor was the stronger wolf. Dakota was hauled outside and hit the ground, face first. Taylor grabbed Dakota’s hair again, dragging him behind the building. Dakota tried to get loose and the fingers tightened, threatening to rip his hair out.

  “Just leave me alone, Taylor. I left and I won’t come back.” Dakota tried to get loose again.

  Taylor snarled and grabbed Dakota’s face. “Bend the fuck over.” Dakota blinked and Taylor was gone. He heard a loud crashing noise and then he saw Taylor stand up, wiping his pants off.

  “What the fuck!” Taylor shouted.

  “Get out of here, now.” Sam stood looking at Taylor with a look of absolute rage.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Taylor walked closer,

  assessing his aggressor. Damn the man was talland

  pissed. He couldn’t shift in front of him and he couldn’t afford to take him on in human form. “This is none of your business.”

  Sam pulled the boy behind him and kept his stance. “It is now. Run along, before I decide I need exercise.” Sam kept his eyes on the asshole, all while hoping he made a move. This could be fun.

  Taylor cocked his head to the side. “This isn’t over, I hope you know that.” Just as fast as the man had appeared, he’d vanished. Sam turned around to look at the kid and was almost knocked down, when arms went around his neck and lips crashed into his. His first instinct had been to shove him off, but when those lips parted and a warm tongue invaded his mouth, Sam’s arms went around the kid and he kissed back. His whole body erupted in a frenzy of emotions. He was so fucking horny. Sam’s cock strained against his jeans and he pulled the kid in, diving into his mouth tasting the warmth, and Coke? The reciprocating tongue was insistent and traveled his mouth slowly, seductively, until Sam was almost in a puddle on the ground. The kiss was broken and Sam stared into grey eyes, then they blinked and the kids’ face went red.

  “ Oh God!” Dakota unwrapped himself and realized he was off the ground. “I’m so sorry!” What the fuck was he doing?

  Sam tried to find his voice, but the kiss had knocked him for a loop. Words were not rushing to meet him just then and he let out what sounded like a garbled “Kay.”

  Dakota’s feet met the ground and he looked up at Sam. Oh Christ, what had he been thinking? “I’m so sorry...oh God.” Dakota fled the scene. If he’d been in wolf form, his tail would’ve been between his legs.

  It took a fraction of a second, but Sam regained his mind. “Wait!” But all he saw was a blur and then the kid was gone. Holy shit, he was still rock hard. No one had ever gotten him that horny that fast. He walked back into the bar with a fucking hard on that wouldn’t go away. Sam left his number with the bartender, telling him to call if the kid showed up again. He then attempted to make his way back to the motel with the searing heat of the kiss still on his lips.

  Dakota was on the bed, head between his paws, legs up underneath him in a sound sleep. His ears cocked back and he opened one eye when Sam came in. Now that Dakota knew what Sam looked like, he could see Sam in his mind’s eye in color and hear that sultry sexy voice. “Hey boy, did you watch porn and make long distance phone calls while I was gone?” Sam let out a chuckle and took his jacket and shirt off. He swore the wolf was watching him, it was kinda eerie. His pants came off next and he climbed into bed, turning the TV on. Flipping through channels, he stopped on the Discovery channel, on a show about wolves. “Hey look, it’s your family.” Sam smiled down at Dakota. He’d moved and was now resting his head in Sam’s lap.

  Dakota’s head came up and he watched wolves playing in the snow. They weren’t his kind, but the regular kind and he felt an ache in his chest. He’d been banished for being gay, much like he’d been as a child by his own parents. At sixteen he’d come out and his Dad kicked him out on his ass, telling Dakota he was dead to them. After that, it was a series of part time work and staying with friends for weeks at a time. It was the trip to Anchorage that had forever changed his life.

  They’d been out on a binge and Dakota had gone home with a guy he hadn’t known but for five seconds. It had almost cost him his life. Dakota had been beaten and raped until he lie half dead, thrown into a ravine close to Denali National Park. He’d heard rustling in the snow and then a white wolf was poised over him. At that point, death was welcome. At least the pain would’ve been gone. The next thing he remembered was waking up in a cabin naked, surrounded by fifteen other people. That’s when his whole life had changed. “I met someone tonight, Dakota.” Sam’s voice brought him out of his memories and he looked up at him.

  Sam pet Dakota’s head and smiled. “Took me by surprise, that’s for sure. I’ve dated women and I fucked one guy, but this...” Sam shook his head. “This kid made

  mefeel.” Dakota sunk his head in his paws and sighed.

  He knew how Sam would look at him if he knew what he really was. He should be happy he’d made an imp
ression in his human form. “The way he kissed me.” Dakota could see Sam was drifting off into sleep and then Sam was looking at him again. “Don’t worry, if you decide to keep me I’ll always be there for you. Dakota cocked his head to the side and crawled further into Sam’s lap, nestling into him and taking a nice deep breath of him.

  God, but he smelled so damnmasculine. Dakota fell

  asleep to the soft sounds of Sam’s breathing; he planned on doing that a lot in the future.

  ~~Chapter Two~~

  Oh no way...I refuse to—oh! There it goes!Dakota

  sprang after the tennis ball like it was a rabbit. Damn instincts. It was like hunting prey in a way, except all he got in the end was a slobbered rubber ball covered in synthetic felt. Yet here he was, chasing said rubber ball again. Sam had taken them out after a nice breakfast, and then lunch of a dozen sausages and another steak. He was feeling well fed and happy right about now. Sam was, of course, laughing his ass off. It took a few times of Dakota sitting there with a look, saying “you go get it”, before he actually ran to go get it. This time, when Dakota brought it back he decided to make Sam work for it, which led to a wrestling match. Sam got the ball back and lay back in the snow, laughing. Dakota got up on Sam and sat down on his stomach staring down at him, even as a wolf he wanted to kiss him.

  “ Damn, you weigh a ton.” Sam laughed and rolled over, knocking Dakota off of him. Dakota was feeling a lot better. He was being fed on a regular basis and Sam had taken him out this afternoon to let him do his business, as well as giving him a chance to leave if he wanted. Not that Dakota would, he actually loved spending time with Sam. “Come on Dakota, I have to take a shower before I go out tonight.” Dakota ran back and dropped the ball at Sam’s feet, looking up at him. Sam was going out? This might give him a chance to fix the night before. He trotted toward the truck and waited for Sam to open the door. As soon as the door opened, Dakota leapt inside with ease. Sam got in, pulling Dakota over to him. He looked him

  over and Dakota knew what he was doing.Oh shit.

  Sam was looking over Dakota’s injuries, the ones that didn’t exist anymore. Shit. His coat was clean and he wasn’t favoring his leg anymore. Sam bent over to look closer and Dakota gave him a nice long swipe of tongue up his cheek. “Eww…you smell like...never mind. You need a Tic-Tac or something.”

  Dakota laughed inwardly and played the drooling happy wolf to a tee, panting and letting drops of spittle fly from his jaws. He flopped down in Sam’s lap and closed his eyes, taking a nice long whiff of the man that’d saved his life. His body went haywire again and he felt his balls filling. The man’s pheromones drove him crazy. He’d better be calm before he ended up humping Sam’s leg. Dinner consisted of more steak. God, he was becoming spoiled. Sam left to take a shower and Dakota made himself comfortable on the bathroom floor for the show. My God, the man was beautiful. Now that he’d seen him in color, he knew that strong chest was tan. Sam was a Native American with black hair and the most beautiful brown eyes Dakota had ever seen.

  “ You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were checking me out.” Sam Smiled. Dakota rolled over, letting his legs flop out to the sides and lolling his tongue out the side of his mouth. He rolled his eyes back and snorted.

  Hell yeah I am, and I plan on doing it a hell of a lot more.

  ~~

  An hour later, Dakota shifted and ran with his clothes in his mouth. Fuck it; he wanted to beat Sam to the bar. He strolled in after checking his appearance in the nearby gas station mirror and took a seat at the end of the bar. It wasn’t very crowded right now. However, that would change in about an hour or so, when the rest of the working folk got off work and headed back into town. Most of them worked at the pipeline or in Anchorage. His eyes scanned the room looking for Taylor. What had he been doing in Healy? The bartender came over and gave him a Coke. He looked up and got a wink from the guy and arched a brow.

  “You’ve been paid for, kid.”

  ~~ Sam strolled the pet aisle at Wal-Mart looking for something for Dakota. Did wolves like dog cookies? His phone beeped at him, signaling a text and he looked at it.

  Kid is here.He felt a rush of excitement and then his

  cock got hard. “Dammit.” He hoped the ‘kid’ was over the age of eighteen, or he was in trouble. His hands were actually sweating and his heart was palpitating at the thought of seeing him again. Is this what real attraction felt like? Sam sighed and bought what he needed for the next few days. After that, it was off to Fairbanks, hopefully with Dakota in tow. He pulled up to the bar and looked in the mirror, teasing his hair. It had gotten a little longer over the last few months, making him look more like he should. So his Dad had said.

  He was proud of his heritage and his father always told him his buzz cut had made him look Spanish and not Native American, which Sam had laughed at. Sam was pushing thirty now and no closer to getting married then he’d been at twenty-five. Sam knew his parents wanted Grandkids, he just hadn’t thought he’d be any closer to giving them one, until now. God, he was already thinking about kids with the ‘kid’? Sam got out of the truck, adjusting himself one more time and opened the bar‘s door. His eyes fell on the kid the minute he walked in and the grey eyes looked up, locking onto his. His dick heated in his pants.

  This time, he made his way over right away and sat down. He ordered a beer and turned on the stool, looking the kid over. “Well, I’m Sam. I think we should introduce ourselves, since my tongue was down your throat.”

  Dakota blinked. A smile formed on his lips and he put his hand out. “ Da-” Shit, he’d almost said Dakota. “Darren.”

  “Is it Da-Darren or just Darren?” Sam smiled, he still

  hadn’t let go of the kids hand. “Andpleasetell me you’re

  over eighteen.”

  Dakota rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m twenty one and it’s just Darren.” Sam couldn’t stop looking in his eyes. Jesus, but they were so beautiful. He finally let go of Darren’s hand and grabbed the beer in front of him. He noticed Darren was drinking a Coke. “You don’t drink?”

  Dakota looked at Sam. His eyes fell to his lips. He remembered what it felt like to kiss them last night. “I don’t have my wallet.” It was buried in Denali national park. In his rush to get away from the men with rifles, he hadn’t had time to grab it. And now he’d have to find a way to get it back.

  “ Where is it?” Sam looked the kid over, same clothes from the night before. Shit, had he slept in a bathroom or something?

  Dakota looked at the glass on the bar and played with

  the straw. “It’s at the park. I dropped it. Ikindof know

  where it is.” “ I can take you. I mean, if you want.” Sam took a sip of his beer and looked in Darren’s eyes. The guy was like fucking candy. God, he wanted him. Sam’s cock was straining in his pants and he was itching to touch him. ”Do you have a place to sleep tonight?”

  Dakota looked at Sam. Jesus, but the guy was a fucking saint. Sam had saved his ass with Taylor and Dakota, had kissed him and now he wanted to know if he had a place to stay? “I…uh well…”

  Sam took his hand again. “Look, I can get you a room tonight and not with me, if that makes you feel safer. I just…I don’t want you out in the cold. Okay?”

  Dakota looked at Sam, he had kind eyes. He could accept the room and then shift back through the window. Damn, this was going to get complicated. “I guess so.” of the cold. “I can take you up to the park tomorrow. I was going to stay a few more days, but I’m headed to Fairbanks. I’m going that way anyway. Do you need a ride somewhere?”

  “Good.” Sam smiled. He’d feel better if the kid was out Dakota smiled. Shit, shit, shit. How was this going to work? “Well, I can get a ride out to the park. I don’t want to put you out anymore. I mean you are giving me a room for the night.” He’d go in wolf form and have to pee in the area and Sam would pull over. He’d find the wallet and bring it back to the car. Jesus, suspicious much?

  The
y finished up their drinks and Sam paid the tab. He opened the truck door for Darren and then made his way back to the hotel. The truck was silent and Sam was trying to think of something to say, when Darren’s small voice finally breached the silence.

  “I liked the kiss. I mean, I’m sorry I kinda jumped you, but you’re an excellent kisser.” Sam looked over and saw the blush creeping into Darren’s cheeks. “I liked it too.” As soon as he said it, Darren’s head shot up.

  “Really? I mean, you kind of looked shocked, not that I blame you.” “ Well, it’s not every day that a guy basically climbs up my body and lays one hell of a kiss on me. Especially not one who’s easy on the eyes.”

  Sam saw the small smile on Darren’s lips. They pulled into the motel parking lot and Sam turned the truck off. Sam felt a hand on his shoulder and when he turned, Darren was looking right at him.