It was late when Damion returned home. The estate was silent as he closed the door behind him. Spotting firelight coming from the slightly open door of the den, he wandered over to take a quick peek. He smiled warmly when he spied his parents curled up together in his father’s favorite chair, sound asleep. Careful not to wake them, he took a blanket from the love seat and covered them both, leaning down to kiss his mother’s cheek as he did so. Feeling the action, she mumbled something before snuggling further into his father’s arms. He watched his father pull her closer so she wouldn’t fall from his lap while they slept and pressed his cheek to her hair. He kissed his father’s head and bent to whisper in his ear.
“Love you, Dad. Sweet dreams.”
He stood and started from the room, turning back to look at them both before he quietly closed the door.
He looked in on Dominique to see if she made it home okay and found her sound asleep in her own bed. She had the windows to her balcony open and cool night air poured into the room. She must have kicked off her blankets some time in her sleep, for she shivered as the air brushed across her skin. He stepped closer to the bed and pulled the comforter up to her shoulders. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled deeper beneath its warmth.
As with his mother, he bent down and kissed his sister’s cheek.
“Love you, sis.” he whispered.
“Love you, too.” Elvira mumbled before stilling. He moved around the bed to close the windows slightly in case she kicked off her blankets again.
He turned and spied the shriveled corpse of an unknown male on the floor beside the bed and shook his head. He would let Sally know about it before he went to his own room.
Damion’s Bedroom
He closed the door to his own room quietly before going into the bathroom for a shower to wash the stench of booze and cigarettes from his body.
He stood under the heated spray, allowing the water to wash away the funk of the evening as his thoughts lingered on Sam. What was it about the man that intrigued him so much? Did he mess everything up by refusing his advances? Would he see him again?
His thoughts were a confused jumble and he didn’t know how he felt about the enigmatic man. But he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted to see him again. He just didn’t know how to go about making that happen.
He stepped from the shower and toweled himself off. Padding naked into his bedroom, he slid beneath the cool sheets and turned out the light. Turning to face the balcony doors, he caught a glimpse of the last of the fireworks in the distance over the Dangerfield Estate, signaling the end of the ball. He sighed and turned over, closing his eyes.
His breathing slowly evened out and it wasn’t long before he was sound asleep and delving into the land of dreams. And what he dreamed about left him hard and achy throughout the night.
He would not remember the dreams when he woke…but he would know that they centered on a man who stirred him like no woman ever could.
It was late the following afternoon when Damion awoke. He was drenched in sweat and his lap felt uncomfortably sticky. He’d had a wet dream! He ran his fingers through his short hair and groaned. He hadn’t experienced one of those since he’d reached puberty and he was embarrassed. He just hoped Sally didn’t say anything when she came to clean later.
He crawled out of bed and went to shower and dress for the day.
Dining Room
He waltzed into the dining room, surprised to see his mother sitting at the table. She was sipping a cup of tea and looking over some paperwork. He went to her side and kissed her cheek before he sat down to partake of a light brunch.
“You got in late.” Elvira stated, looking at her son from the corner of her eye.
“I stayed a bit longer than I planned. The car hadn’t come back yet so I walked home.”
She looked at him fully. “Damion.”
“Mother, it was fine. It was a nice night out and I needed to clear my head. I had a lot to drink.” he explained. “Where’s Dominique and Father?”
Elvira eyed her son closely. Something more was going on with him. She could sense it, especially by his abrupt change in topic. But she wasn’t going to pry. If it was truly bothersome, he would come to her when he was ready.
“Dominique is still asleep. Sally informed me she had a late feeding. Your father has gone to the warehouse for a few hours. A new shipment arrived this morning that he had to personally see to.” She sat back in her seat and stared at her son for a few moments. “Damion…what you did last night…”
“I know, mum. And I’m ashamed of what I put you and Father through. I shouldn’t have done it.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. Your father has been Alpha of our pack for longer than we’ve been mated. You very nearly challenged him with your comments. Were you ready to take on your father in such a way?”
“No.” Damion gulped, staring down at his plate. He knew he was powerful, but his father had been their leader a very long time. Damion didn’t stand a chance in a fight such as that.
“Son…though I am your mother and that bond will never be broken…I am first and foremost your father’s mate and Beta of our pack. If he had chosen to take on your unintended challenge, I would have stood at his side, no matter the end result. It would have broken my heart to see you killed, but even in this day and age, your Father cannot afford to be weak in front of the others, despite the fact you are his son.” she took a deep breath and stared him in the eye. “You may not know this…but he killed his own brother because he attempted to subvert our mate’s bond. It very nearly cost us our lives…including yours.”
Damion looked up at his mother in shock. “What?”
“It is true. I had just found myself pregnant with the two of you and your father and I were planning a private wedding ceremony. His brother…desired me for himself and attempted to steal me away. The fight…was gruesome and almost one-sided. Your father was gravely injured and very nearly died. If he had, I, by extension, you and your sister would have joined him.”
“How did he survive it?” he wondered. He’d never heard this side of his parents struggles to remain together before and he was slowly coming to understand what his place in their family meant.
“A combination of my love for him and our unborn children…and the blessing of an Angel.” she revealed, brushing back the locks of hair across her forehead to show a light mark. He had seen the mark when he was younger, attributing it to a birthmark of some kind. But now that he was seeing it, older and a little bit wiser, he saw that the mark was in the distinct shape of a pair of lips. An Angel’s Kiss burned into the skin of his mother’s face, for no dark creature could withstand such purity and live. It was a shock to him. An Angel had saved his father’s life? It just didn’t seem possible. But here was tangible proof…his mother sitting in front of him and talking and an Angel’s Kiss forever marking her skin. “Your father has a similar mark.” she added.
“Mother, can you ever forgive me?” He asked, reaching out a hand to her. He understood so much more now about the bond his parent’s shared.
“You are my son. Of course I can forgive you.” she smiled, taking his hand and kissing his fingers.
He smiled in return. He was about to speak more when Gerald stepped into the room.
“Pardon the intrusion, Madame but this arrived for Lord Damion.” He held out an envelope.
“It’s fine, Gerald.” Elvira smiled, getting to her feet. “Enjoy your day, Damion. Will I see you at dinner?”
“I’m not sure. I have some things to take care of for Father.”
“All right. Stay safe, love.” She kissed her son’s cheek and swept from the room.
Damion looked down at the envelope, wondering who it was from. There wasn’t a return address on it. Shrugging, he opened it and pulled out a single sheet. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw who it was from.
He glanced at the clock and noticed it was nearly noon. Shoving the note into the pocket of his jacket, he quickly got to his feet and rushed from the house. He was glad he had convinced his father that he needed his own car and quickly sped down the drive and out into the street. Anticipation curled in his belly. He couldn’t wait to see Sam once more.
(——thread change for Damion——)
It was late when Damion returned home. There was a smile on his face and a spring in his step as he closed the door to his parents home.
“You missed dinner.” A voice came from the shadows. Damion jumped in fright and whirled around to see Dominique, who was dressed to go to work.
“Fuck, you scared me.” he growled.
“Don’t take that tone with me, baby brother. Where’ve you been?”
“Out. With a friend.” Damion replied, brushing past his sister and heading up the stairs to his room. Dominique was right on his heels. “Where’s Mum and Dad?”
Damion’s Bedroom
“Dad took Mum out for dinner and dancing. Now who were you with?” Dominique repeated, following him into his private domaine.
“A friend, like I said.” Damion replied, entering his bedroom.
“What aren’t you telling me, Damion?”
“Jesus, Dominique! Leave it alone! I was out and now I’m home! Okay?” Damion growled. Dominique stepped back and arched an eyebrow. Her brother had never gotten angry at her before.
“Okay. I’m sorry.” she backed off slightly. Damion sighed.
“I’m sorry, Domi. It’s just something I’m not ready to talk about yet. When I am, you will be the first I come to.” By using her nickname, it showed Dominique that this was a serious topic for him and he meant what he said.
“All right, Dami. I’ll leave you alone. But I will always be here if you need me.”
“I know, sis. Love you, too.” Damion smiled. Dominique looked at the clock and swore.
“Shit. I’m going to be late for work.”
“Want me to give you a ride?”
“No. I got it covered. Thanks, love.” Dominique smiled before ducking out of the room. Damion breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad his sister was so understanding of his privacy. He just hoped his parents were the same.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2013 06:42AM by LadyBelz.
It had been a couple of hours after his sister had left for The Cell Block Tango and Damion was reclining in bed. He was naked as the day he was born, his hands caressing his hard flesh between his legs as he thought of his mate and all that they shared earlier that day. The smell of Sam’s skin, the feel of his hands all over Damion’s body, the touch of his lips. He groaned as he thought of those last few moments of ecstasy, his own hand twisting hard.
“Oh!” he moaned, voice hoarse as he neared his peak. He pictured Sam’s mouth on him, the hot, wet heat making his toes curl. He arched his back and cried out in the silence of the room as his orgasm exploded from him. His hand and chest were covered in his own fluids as he slowly came down from his orgasmic high, his breathing rough and ragged.
He remained still until he felt he could move without becoming dizzy and got up to take a shower. As he cleansed himself, his thoughts moved to his parents.
“How do I tell them that I’m a submissive? How do I tell them…that my mate is another man?” he thought to himself. He knew his mother and sister would support him, whatever his decisions…but his father…
His father was going to hit the roof. He knew that with every fiber of his being.
He was the only Marulo son and was expected to carry on the family name. Damion knew in his heart and soul that he was never going to be what his father wanted and it broke his heart thinking of it. He’d known the moment he was born, on some instinctual level, that he was a Beta wolf…never to be an Alpha.
“What if Mum is having another boy pup?” His thoughts moved into another direction. If this was the case, then maybe his father would have the Alpha male he needed to run the pack when he was gone. But babies were fickle creatures…and there was no physical way to tell what sex the baby was until he or she was born.
Sighing, Damion stepped from his shower and toweled himself dry. He was exhausted and he needed to sleep. What he really wanted was to run into Sam’s arms and never leave them again, but he had to maintain appearances.
He stepped from his en-suit bathroom, pulling on his robe and turned toward his bed for sleep. He got the shock of his life when he saw his mother sitting on his bed. She was dressed to the nines and looked as if she’d spent most of the night surrounded by her mate.
“Mother! I didn’t hear you come home. How was dinner? Where’s father?” he asked.
“Dinner was excellent, as was being in the company of your father, and he’s currently out, dealing with some emergency stockholder’s meeting. How was your day?” she asked. There was a strange look in her eyes, one he didn’t know how to interpret.
“It was good. Met with a friend for lunch and had a great time.” he answered. There was an uncomfortable silence between them and he tried not to fidget as she stared at him. “Something wrong?” he wondered.
“No. Nothing’s wrong…I was just wondering when you were going to tell me about your mate…your…Alpha.” Elvira stated. Damion spluttered in shock, clearly surprised by this turn of events.
“What are you talking about? I am not mated yet and I most certainly would not be a Beta if I was.” he denied. But even to him, his words sounded hollow.
“Damion…I am your mother. I carried you in my body for almost 10 months. A bond was formed the moment you were conceived and I can feel your emotions. What’s more…” she announced, “…I can smell his scent all over you, darling child.”
Damion’s mouth was dropped open in shock. He’d just come out of the shower as indicated by his still damp hair.
“What? How?” he gaped.
“Darling…a mate’s scent…can never be washed away. Once it is on you, it seeps into your very being and announces to all far and wide that you belong to someone.” Her voice was gentle as she spoke to her son. “I may not be a wolf by birth, but I am a succubus and I have a very keen sense of smell.”
That seemed to deflate him where he stood and he looked at his mother, misery etched in every line of his body.
“Are you disappointed in me? That I’m not Alpha? That I’m mated to another man?” he had to ask. Elvira saw how dejected he was and got to her feet, moving toward her youngest child. Even though he was taller than her by a couple of feet, she wrapped him in her arms as if he were still a small child.
“Am I disappointed that you’re mated to another man? Of course not. Am I disappointed that you are not an Alpha? No. What I am disappointed about, Damion,” she raised his chin so he was forced to look into his mother’s eyes, “Is that you felt you needed to hide this from your own mother. Haven’t I always supported you, loved you, no matter what? Why would you think I would be ashamed of you, in any capacity?”
“But he’s a man, Mum. And an Alpha.”
“That matters nothing to me. You love who you love. And wolves mate for life, darling.” she smiled, love for her child shining in her eyes.
“Father is going to be so upset.” Damion whispered, pressing his face to his mother’s breast. She hugged him tightly, brushing her hands up and down his back in a comforting gesture.
“True, and that’s unavoidable I’m afraid.” Elvira sighed, knowing her husband had placed a very large weight on their son’s shoulders. She gripped Damion’s shoulders with surprising strength (he’d forgotten that his mother was a strong woman in her own right) and drew him back to look at her. “But no matter what happens, know that deep down, he loves you. You are his first born son and no matter what you do, or who you’re mated with will change that feeling in him.”
“I’m going to have to tell him, aren’t I?” Damion sighed, worried all over again.
“That, too, is unavoidable.” Elvira sighed. “But no matter what decision your father makes concerning you…I love you and I support you. All I ask is that you and your young man be discreet. Times being what they are, you do not need that kind of attention.”
“I understand.” Damion nodded, knowing his mother was correct on all things. She brought his head down and pressed a loving and tender kiss to his forehead that made his eyes sting with tears. Whatever happened with his father, he knew his mother would love him and support him.
“Come. You are exhausted and tomorrow is going to be hard.” she took his arm and drew him to his bed. She held back his covers as he removed his robe. He was unashamed of being nude in front of his mother. She had birthed him and seen him naked more times than he could count…and everyone in their pack were taught from a young age that nudity was to be celebrated, especially on nights of the full moon. He slipped between the sheets and waited as his mother lovingly tucked him in. He smiled at that. She hadn’t tucked him in since he was 10. She pressed another kiss to his forehead and turned down his lights before she started to leave the room.
“Mum?” he called out to her. She paused in the open door, the light in the hall surrounding her in it’s soft glow.
“Yes?”
“I love you, you know.”
“I love you, too, Damion.” she smiled. Blowing him a final kiss, she closed his door, leaving him to sleep. He curled up on his side and tried to put tomorrow out of his mind. It was going to be difficult enough without him being exhausted on top of it.
The staff busied themselves frantically, as they got the morning buffet spread ready for the Marulo clan. It was about six am and Virgo had been off riding early, to catch the rise of the sun, then returned home to shower and ready himself for the big day ahead. With meetings planned and a lot of discussion to be had after the stock holders meeting, Virgo was alert and champing at the bit to press on with the day.
He strode into the dining hall, looking impeccable in a dark grey business suit, and took up the day’s papers, as well as a cup of coffee being held out by one of the wait staff.
“Morning Sir”
“And a good morning to you, Miss Jenkins. Thank you so much for the cup of coffee..might be needing the whole pot though.” He said with a cheerful laugh, as he made his way to the head of the table. None of the other members of the pack or his family were up yet, each being able to sleep in. Virgo did note Damion’s absence in the last few days and was concerned that all was well with his eldest son. Such pride he had for the lad, especially as he viewed him to be his successor, and taking over the pack as well, when his time came.
Reaching for a plate of bacon and eggs, just put out of his reach, he started to enjoy his breakfast, taking glances at the day’s headlines.
<3>
Elvira waltzed into the room, resplendent in a red velvet ensemble. She smiled upon seeing her husband already seated at the table and she went behind him, pushing his newspaper out of his hands to slide her lips across his in a kiss designed to singe the hair off of his head.
“Good morning, my love.” she breathed, breathless, into his ear. “I thoroughly enjoyed our activities last night and wouldn’t mind a repeat sometime in the future. You were simply…ruthless.” she moaned, licking the shell of his ear. She eased herself from his lap and moved around to her place setting, smiling as Sally brought her a cup of peppermint tea. “Thank you, Sally. I was feeling a bit peckish this morning.”
“I know your body as well as your husband does. Plus I heard you in the bath this morning.” Sally smirked, patting Elvira on the shoulder before heading back into the kitchen.
Shaking her head, Elvira reached for some toast and lightly spread some butter and honey across its surface, sprinkling it with some cinnamon before taking a bite. She moaned in delight at the taste.
She looked up to speak to her husband and spotted Damion hovering in the door. She gave him a pointed look and Damion gulped.
—
He wanted to skip breakfast but knew if he did, and things got out before he was ready, it would be so much worse. He headed down to the dining room and peeked around the doorjamb. His parents were already seated and having their breakfast. His stomach churned miserably. His mother saw him and gave him a look. He gulped hard and stepped into the room.
—
“Mm. Good morning, Damion. How did you sleep?” Elvira asked as Damion sat down. A maid placed a cup of coffee in front of him.
“Morning, mum. I slept all right, I guess.” Damion shrugged. It was true…sort of. He’d alternated between erotic dreams of being with Sam and nightmares of his father ripping his throat out when he found out his son was gay. So thinking, he took a deep breath and looked at his father.
“Dad…there’s something I need to tell you…and you’re probably not going to like it.” he started, catching his father’s attention.
As always, Elvira looked simply ravishing in the morning, decadently dressed in a red velvet ensemble that would cause many a man’s heart to burst into flame with want. Virgo was busy reading the business section when he felt her hand pull away his paper, to which he made a slight protest, till seeing who it was. Elvira kissed him with an unbridled passion that truly was not meant to happen over his bangers and eggs. He chuckled darkly as she pulled away, and commented on how much she enjoyed their evening, both in and out of the sheets. There was no denying it, her being pregnant had turned her into a hot mama, who wanted sex on the go 24/7. Virgo was more than happy to oblige his wife naturally, and let out a satisfied growl of approval, as she spoke to Sally. Politely, he folded up his paper, and set it to the side, rather than read instead of conversing with his wife.
“Darling, you really should try these sausages. They are blissful in your mouth. So juicy.” He said innocently, just as Elvira was welcoming their son into the room.
“Mm. Good morning, Damion. How did you sleep?”
Virgo glanced up from his breakfast and gave his son a broad smile, till …..a certain smell hit Virgo out of the blue, and he found himself looking around him, wondering just where it was coming from. It was the scent of an alpha….but not one of their pack. And it certainly wasn’t him.
“Dad…there’s something I need to tell you…and you’re probably not going to like it.”
Well, that got the Alpha’s attention, and Virgo placed his cutlery down on his plate with a light clink.
“What is it, Son? And what is that smell?” He asked of Elvria, now looking at her oddly.
<3>
“Virgo, love. Your son wishes to speak to you. Worry about strange smells later.” Elvira stated.
Damion gulped.
“D-Dad…it’s…” Under his mother’s encouraging nod, he took a deep breath and spit it all out in one go. “Dad…I’m mated…to a man…and he’s an Alpha. I’m sorry, Dad…I’ve known since I was younger that I was a Beta wolf, not an Alpha and I didn’t know how to tell you.” Damion looked down in shame.
A warm hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up to see his sister standing there. Dominique had sensed her brother’s turmoil and had dragged herself from her bed to join him. She had heard his confession from the hall and though she was surprised by the admission that her brother’s mate was a man, she was not surprised that he was the submissive in the relationship. Such was the way when twins were born. The first child was always the stronger of the two, and it showed in the twins’ relationship over the years.
She gave his shoulder a light squeeze and both children looked at their father. Damion counted down in his head to the time he knew his father would explode…
Meltdown in 3…2…1…
“Virgo, love. Your son wishes to speak to you. Worry about strange smells later.”
“Hard not to worry when I smell another Alpha in my dining room, love.” Virgo said with a knitted brow, only to look back at his son, with a “Well?” expression. Clearly, something was up, and everyone else seemed to know but him.
“Dad…I’m mated…to a man…and he’s an Alpha. I’m sorry, Dad…I’ve known since I was younger that I was a Beta wolf, not an Alpha and I didn’t know how to tell you.”
Dominique then appeared beside Damion as this was said, and slowly Virgo removed his napkin from his collar, and set it down carefully upon the table. You could see that the wheels in Virgo’s mind were turning, and as the head of the family, he know felt all eyes were on him, and his reaction to this news. Needless to say, you could hear a pin drop, for even the staff had stopped in their places, and were all holding their breathes. What would Virgo’s reaction be? For once the Alpha did not turn on the emotional wheel, instead he spoke in a clear and concise tone.
“Was this the man that we met at the Dangerfield Ball, Son?” Virgo asked simply. The Alpha started to stand up, pushing, his chair back and then placed it back at the table, as he moved a step back from it, his eyes trained on Damion, and Damion only.
“As you know, we mate for life. Not from need, but by choice. I am sure you have given this a great deal of thought?” He cast his eyes to Elvira, before returning them to Damion. “I won’t lie. I had hoped you would be my successor to the role of Alpha of the family pack. I see now, that is not the case.” The biggest question of all, was a simple one however.
“Does he love you?”
<3>
“Was this the man that we met at the Dangerfield Ball, Son?” Virgo asked, slowly getting to his feet and moving away from the table. He pinned his son with a stare and Damion felt faint.
He took a deep breath and nodded, not knowing what was going on in his father’s thoughts.
“As you know, we mate for life. Not from need, but by choice. I am sure you have given this a great deal of thought?”
“It was…a surprise to me…albeit a pleasant one.” Damion answered, his voice husky with emotion. “I’m sorry, Father. I never intended to disappoint you in such a way. It just…happened.” he shrugged helplessly. Vigro looked at his mother, who seemed to be holding her breath.
Would she lose her son this day to her husband’s decrees? She would admit she was worried of Virgo’s reaction.
“I won’t lie. I had hoped you would be my successor to the role of Alpha of the family pack. I see now, that is not the case.” Virgo stared at his son, his gaze piercing in its intensity and asked one simple and heartfelt question.
“Does he love you?”
At that Damion couldn’t help but smile. It was a question he was definitely sure of and had no problems answering honestly.
“Dad…he loves me completely, as much as you love Mother, maybe moreso.” Damion smiled, his voice gentle. Elvira gave her son a tender look, hearing the honesty in his voice and she could see it in his eyes. It was how she looked at her own mate on a daily basis. “And I love him, just as much as Mother loves you.”
Elvira looked at her mate. “Virgo…” she whispered, pleadingly. “Were we so different when we were his age?” she asked, thinking of their own courtship. “You are our Alpha, and understand mate bonds more than anyone in the pack. You know the powers that draw mates to one another and to ignore it means death.” Elvira stated, hoping he was listening to her words. “Would you wish that fate upon your own son, even though his mate is of the same gender?”
