Read Online Strength of the Pack by Kendall McKenna - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kendall McKenna
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his mouth lifted in a small smile. Noah glanced up at one of the watch towers and gave a shrill whistle.
“Good evening,” Lucas greeted when he reached the cluster of Marines. He received respectful but subdued greetings in return. He noticed that one of the Marines was a captain, and he very nearly saluted. He caught himself in time, but only because the captain actually turned to bow slightly in his direction.
“Lieutenant,” greeted the captain quietly.
A sergeant came charging down the stairs of the tower. He saluted the captain and Lucas, before addressing himself to Lucas.
“I’ll take your bedroll for you, Lieutenant,” he said eagerly. “We’ve got a space set aside for you, so you can come on up whenever you’re ready.”
Lucas had no idea what was going on. He glanced at Noah in confusion.
“You’ll stand Sentinel in the watch tower, Lucas,” he explained gently. “They’ll be the first to know if we’re coming back hot, and they can rouse you. Otherwise, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe while you sleep.”
“I don’t want to be in the way,” Lucas protested, even as the sergeant took his bedroll from his suddenly numb hands.
“You won’t be, sir. There’s plenty of room.” The sergeant easily climbed the stairs, M16 in one hand, Lucas’ bedroll in the other.
Lucas needed something to do, so he clicked his pen and consulted his roster. He checked off Noah, Chandler, Hubbard and Grant. Several more Marines provided their names.
“Andersen, Brady,” said the captain. He turned toward Noah. “Does he know that’s not necessary with you?”
Noah chuckled, and Lucas felt himself flush. “Yes, he knows. But this is how Lucas stands Sentinel. He’s also ready to send help if I send anyone back with a request for it.”
Lucas bristled slightly, feeling the need to defend himself. “If something were to happen to Noah, we’d be able to verify who else did or didn’t make it back from the run.”
“I hadn’t thought of that, Lieutenant,” Brady replied jovially. “You make a good point.”
When Lucas glanced back at Noah, he saw that his eyes were silver and wolf-like. Lucas swallowed hard and not from fear.
He was thankfully distracted by more Marines checking in as the sky grew darker. The group was smaller than the one from Pendleton, but it was still sizeable, over one hundred Marines.
“Everyone’s here, let’s head out,” Noah shouted to the assembled weres.
Immediately, the group headed out the open gate. Several Marines carried empty canvas bags. Lucas assumed they were to hold the discarded clothing during the run.
Noah watched the majority of the weres walk out into the growing darkness before he approached Lucas. Noah had already shed his utility cap. He tugged off Lucas’ as well and handed it to him.
Lucas gasped when Noah’s arms came around him. In his surprise, he let himself be pulled against Noah’s super-heated body. In his confusion, he gripped Noah’s hips to hold himself steady.
Noah buried his face in Lucas’ neck and took a deep breath. He skimmed his cheek along Lucas’, and Lucas pressed back against him. Noah’s large, strong hands slid up Lucas’ back. Noah rubbed his cheek against Lucas’ hair.
“Would you…” Noah breathed against the shell of Lucas’ ear. “Would you…”
His hesitance surprised Lucas. “What? Would I what?” he asked.
“Bite me?” Noah whispered. “Bite my neck. Would you leave your mark on me?”
Lucas didn’t understand the request. He guessed it was a werewolf ritual. He didn’t need to understand it. Noah seemed to need it, and that was all Lucas needed to know. He turned his head into Noah’s neck and sank his teeth hard into the pulse point beneath his lips.
Noah’s arms came around him tightly, pulling their bodies flush together. “Oh, fuck, Lucas,” he moaned.
Lucas felt him shiver. Slowly, reluctantly, Lucas released the
“Good evening,” Lucas greeted when he reached the cluster of Marines. He received respectful but subdued greetings in return. He noticed that one of the Marines was a captain, and he very nearly saluted. He caught himself in time, but only because the captain actually turned to bow slightly in his direction.
“Lieutenant,” greeted the captain quietly.
A sergeant came charging down the stairs of the tower. He saluted the captain and Lucas, before addressing himself to Lucas.
“I’ll take your bedroll for you, Lieutenant,” he said eagerly. “We’ve got a space set aside for you, so you can come on up whenever you’re ready.”
Lucas had no idea what was going on. He glanced at Noah in confusion.
“You’ll stand Sentinel in the watch tower, Lucas,” he explained gently. “They’ll be the first to know if we’re coming back hot, and they can rouse you. Otherwise, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe while you sleep.”
“I don’t want to be in the way,” Lucas protested, even as the sergeant took his bedroll from his suddenly numb hands.
“You won’t be, sir. There’s plenty of room.” The sergeant easily climbed the stairs, M16 in one hand, Lucas’ bedroll in the other.
Lucas needed something to do, so he clicked his pen and consulted his roster. He checked off Noah, Chandler, Hubbard and Grant. Several more Marines provided their names.
“Andersen, Brady,” said the captain. He turned toward Noah. “Does he know that’s not necessary with you?”
Noah chuckled, and Lucas felt himself flush. “Yes, he knows. But this is how Lucas stands Sentinel. He’s also ready to send help if I send anyone back with a request for it.”
Lucas bristled slightly, feeling the need to defend himself. “If something were to happen to Noah, we’d be able to verify who else did or didn’t make it back from the run.”
“I hadn’t thought of that, Lieutenant,” Brady replied jovially. “You make a good point.”
When Lucas glanced back at Noah, he saw that his eyes were silver and wolf-like. Lucas swallowed hard and not from fear.
He was thankfully distracted by more Marines checking in as the sky grew darker. The group was smaller than the one from Pendleton, but it was still sizeable, over one hundred Marines.
“Everyone’s here, let’s head out,” Noah shouted to the assembled weres.
Immediately, the group headed out the open gate. Several Marines carried empty canvas bags. Lucas assumed they were to hold the discarded clothing during the run.
Noah watched the majority of the weres walk out into the growing darkness before he approached Lucas. Noah had already shed his utility cap. He tugged off Lucas’ as well and handed it to him.
Lucas gasped when Noah’s arms came around him. In his surprise, he let himself be pulled against Noah’s super-heated body. In his confusion, he gripped Noah’s hips to hold himself steady.
Noah buried his face in Lucas’ neck and took a deep breath. He skimmed his cheek along Lucas’, and Lucas pressed back against him. Noah’s large, strong hands slid up Lucas’ back. Noah rubbed his cheek against Lucas’ hair.
“Would you…” Noah breathed against the shell of Lucas’ ear. “Would you…”
His hesitance surprised Lucas. “What? Would I what?” he asked.
“Bite me?” Noah whispered. “Bite my neck. Would you leave your mark on me?”
Lucas didn’t understand the request. He guessed it was a werewolf ritual. He didn’t need to understand it. Noah seemed to need it, and that was all Lucas needed to know. He turned his head into Noah’s neck and sank his teeth hard into the pulse point beneath his lips.
Noah’s arms came around him tightly, pulling their bodies flush together. “Oh, fuck, Lucas,” he moaned.
Lucas felt him shiver. Slowly, reluctantly, Lucas released the
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