Ari has just gotten back to the hotel room when their phone begins to buzz on the nightstand. It’s Tate, they know even before they check the screen. “I could be busy, you know. In the middle of something very important.”
“Uh huh. But you’re not,” Tate says, all easy confidence. “How’s New York?”
The patterned bedspread crinkles when they sit down. “Big. Loud. I don’t- have you ever been?”
“A couple of times. Once when we were younger and then once or twice for work.”
“Yeah so like. You already know,” Ari says, trying to get comfortable on the unfamiliar bed. Last night, they’d gotten in late so they hadn’t had much time to think about it, but today they’re exhausted and need the sleep. There’s no way they’re going to make it through three more days of this otherwise.
Tate huffs a laugh. “Just because I’ve been doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear your thoughts on it.”
They don’t have to be able to feel him through the bond to know that it’s the truth. It’s clear in his tone, and more than that it’s just so… him. “It’s… I mean I’ve never been anywhere like it. It’s huge and just… a lot. Plus I slept like shit last night.”
“Yeah? You miss me already?”
“Already? You do realize I’ve gone longer than this without seeing you,” Ari replies with a laugh. And while this is also technically true, they have been spending more and more of their nights together since cementing the bond; they can’t deny that Tate’s presence has already become comforting.
There’s another little huff. “I mean, I miss you,” he says softly. “‘S why I called.”
Something softens in Ari immediately, but still their first response is, “You just miss getting your dick wet.”
Tate barks a laugh. “Ok, maybe that too, not gonna lie. I can miss both at once, give me some credit.”
“Sure.” They shrug, even though Tate can’t see, and shift to lean against the pillows. “But tell me you wouldn’t be trying to get some if I were there right now.”
“Oh I absolutely would be, but can you blame me?”
Ari’s shiver has nothing to do with the temperature of the hotel room. “You uh. Care to expand on that?”
It’s not the first time they’ve done this, exactly, and since it’s the first time Ari’s gone on one of these trips since things with Tate have become official, they’re not really surprised that it’s happening now. They pull off their tie with one hand before starting on the buttons of their shirt. That’s innocuous enough. Easily excused if Tate happens to hear, rather than giving him the victory outright.
“Expand on that, huh?” he asks, the grin plain in his voice. “What do you want me to say?”
“I dunno, you’re the one who brought it up.”
“Blatantly untrue. You said I just missed getting my dick wet, so you started it. I’m just the one willing to admit that yeah, I’ve been thinking about that tight little pussy all day.”
“Is that so?” Ari asks with a breathless little laugh.
“Mhmm. Since I woke up this morning. Was hard to get out of bed, especially since you weren’t here to give me a hand.”
They laugh again, this time at the awful line. “So what, now it’s my fault you can’t get up in the morning?”
“Didn’t say anything about up. I got up just fine. The bigger problem was keeping it down, especially once we started going over plans for the moon next weekend. I have the whole night off this time, unless anything changes.”
“So?” they reply, trying for nonchalant. Easier said than done when already, Tate’s voice is having an effect.
“So it means we can do whatever we want. Maybe even get Kyah to grace us with her presence, although I doubt she’ll be down for anything uh. Y’know. That kind of fun.”
The thought makes Ari’s mood falter, at least momentarily. The three of them still haven’t… at least not together. And as far as Ari knows, Tate and Kyah haven’t spent nearly the same time together one one one, despite Ari trying to give them opportunities. They do know that Tate wants to, at least – any time the thought crosses Ari’s mind around him, Tate goes crazy.
But that’s a problem for later.
“What kind of fun, exactly?” Ari asks, sticking to the safe topic. “You have some secret full moon fantasies you’ve been keeping to yourself? Holding out on me?”
Tate whines, and Ari is nearly positive he’s touching himself. “I just- fuck-” he cuts off with a pant – definitely touching himself, then. “Last time was so good, and I just… there’s something about it. Yeah, maybe I want to, I dunno, sneak you off somewhere not in the tent and-” There’s another little moan, and then the audio quality changes like Tate’s put him on speakerphone.
Well if that’s how this is going to go… Ari undoes their belt and pants, shimmying out of them before pushing their underwear down. “Keep going. What kind of weird, freaky shit d’you have floating around in that innocent-looking little farmboy head of yours?”
“Fuck,” Tate groans, and for a second Ari considers tapping the video button. But no, that would require too much work, repositioning and trying to figure out camera angles, and then it just all feels… no. “Anything you want,” he says. “Take you out somewhere away from things. Fill you up then clean you up with my mouth.”
Ari tightens around their own fingers at that, unsure of which part sounds better. And god, where had Tate learned to be this filthy?
“Stay somewhere nearby, so we have to be quiet. Let you ride me as long as you want, but you’d have to keep a hand on my mouth because you know I can’t when you- Or we could- god, it’s um-” Tate’s shuddery exhale betrays him as being on the edge already.
They kick the comforter down the bed, the plasticky feeling of it distracting, and switch to speakerphone. “Come on, what happened to no more secrets?” Ari asks. It’s playing dirty, but what part of this isn’t? They won’t actually make Tate tell, of course. He knows that; when they’d realized he was keeping something else a secret, they’d asked and immediately regretted it. He’d practically begged, in between apologies, for Ari to let him have this one. That he promised he’d tell when he was ready. And so they’d accepted it, especially since it didn’t feel like anything to be concerned about, and Tate had promised he wouldn’t hide anything else.
Reminding him of that, though, seems to have the perfectly acceptable effect of forcing another wrecked moan out of his throat. “Ari,” he breathes, “Ariariari I- it’s um. It’s not taboo exactly- and obviously we don’t ever have to- I’d never ask you to do anything you don’t want to, but it’s… kinky, I guess? By wolf standards? Definitely not on the Kyah-approved list.”
“Great, you’ve told me nothing,” Ari replies flatly.
“I want to um. Before we change back…”
“You wanna fuck me while we’re still shifted?” And if that’s not a thought… Tate’s big as it is, easily twice Ari’s size, but as a wolf, he feels even bigger. Ari can only imagine how that would translate – how it would feel with all of those other instincts and urges that rise to the surface during the full moon.
“Yeah,” Tate groans, desperate.
“You’d risk someone finding us like that?”
“Ari, baby, I’d do it in front of them. Let everyone see I’m yours.”
“Oh fuck.” Ari comes suddenly, and judging by the choked sound through the phone, Tate realizes and it sends him over the edge too. Once they can breathe again, Ari says, “I’ll think about it.”
“Mm, I love you,” Tate hums. “So what’s on tomorrow’s agenda for you and the big boss?”
–
Months pass, and Tate doesn’t bring it up again, not even during his rut when every other filthy thought in his head seems to tumble easily from his lips. They do plenty of other things, of course. Just not that. But Ari doesn’t forget, either.
It’s nowhere in their head now. Ari’s felt off for days. Just stress leading up to the full moon, probably. They’ve all been busy. Haven’t had much time for anything that could count as stress relief other than sleep.
So that’s gotta be why Tate’s hands on their skin feels so good even though it’s so hot out.
“Baby,” he groans, nosing at Ari’s throat. “God, you smell good.”
Ari shivers, melting back against him in the still, humid air of the tent. His hands slide easily, aided by the inevitable layer of sweat that covers all of them. It’s a sharp contrast to the rough patches on his hands – little calluses and edges that have Ari way too worked up. “You gonna do something about it or just tease?”
“Mm, I can’t. Have shit I’m supposed to be doing. Like, right now.”
Ari whines, frustrated, and turns around to bite his chest before pushing up onto their toes to kiss him. It’s not a push for more. At least, they don’t mean it to be. But Tate responds to that as filthily as he can too, licking into their mouth in a way that leaves little doubt as to what he’d rather be doing.
“Go before I don’t let you,” Ari says, voice rough.
“I’ll come find you when I can,” he replies.
They take care of a few work things of their own before the moon rises, then strip and shift. The off feeling only gets worse then. Like they need to find either of their mates, but especially Tate, the bond making things worse. They know where he is, generally. Can feel him. His distant resounding question – ok?
Just like they know that if they said no, he would beg off of his responsibilities with Kyah and Astrid and come find Ari. Which seems… dramatic and selfish. Ari tries to squash the feeling, wandering toward an area of the park they haven’t been to before. For the sheer novelty of it, they roll around in some flowers in a clearing, then just lay there, resisting the urge to whine. To howl. The sound of a stick snapping has them back on their feet, not because they expect danger but they have no interest in anyone seeing them like that. It’s pathetic enough from the inside.
They make out the familiar large, shadowy outline before his scent hits their nostrils, but then there’s no helping the pleased little circle they turn. Tate lets out an amused little chuffing sound, rubbing his muzzle against their throat in greeting. His breath hitches, the quiet rumble of his thoughts falling off entirely. He presses his nose deeper into their fur and takes a breath. Ari can see the tip of his cock poking out. It’s not the first time, but it’s rare. Apparently one of those aspects of self control young wolves are taught, not that there’s any helping it sometimes.
Still sniffing in quick, short bursts, Tate works his way down their side. He has to duck, following his path under their belly. Inhales deeply, then whines. Baby, fuck- Didn’t tell me you were–
The thought is strangely hazy. Like Tate’s having trouble forming words and Ari’s hearing the thought through water. He straightens, inching behind them to nose at their tail.
Ari moves it to the side obligingly; it’s not like it’s anywhere his face hasn’t been before, even though it’s never been like this.
Sure?
This time, it’s Ari who whines after getting a glimpse of what he’s asking. What he wants. Tate, please-
His nose is cold, but it only makes the first swipe of his tongue even warmer. The sharp yelp slips out before they can stop it. It doesn’t eliminate the pressure that’s been brewing under their skin, but it does settle some of the other feeling. The weird wrongness that hadn’t left them alone since Tate went to join Astrid and Kyah earlier. He presses even closer, lapping over the concealed entrance to Ari’s body like he’s trying to drink the scent.
Ari-
They know what he’s asking – what he wants – because it’s the same thing they need.
His weight only settles the feeling further, the promise of it a welcome relief. It takes a few tries before he pushes inside, but once he does Ari loses any higher brain function they had left. His cock grows and swells rapidly, filling Ari until they can only pant around it. He somehow pulls himself further forward, the size difference enough that he can mouth at Ari’s neck and shoulders. Something in it – the heat, the fullness, the instinct-driven desperation with which Tate is rutting into them – is enough to push Ari over the edge. Tate follows immediately, stilling as his knot swells even further and coming in long, hot spurts.
Unexpectedly, it seems to go on for several minutes – like Tate can’t stop. His mouth is full of Ari’s scruff, muffling the little whines that seem to come with every exhale. Ari can almost think again, though. Can almost breathe around the space Tate takes up. And that’s… considerable. Definitely more than normal, stretching Ari out and locking them together. Now, there’s definitely no chance of pulling away before it goes down.
Tate releases the back of Ari’s neck, his breathing still harsh bursts and his hips still grinding faintly against Ari. I- um- are you?
All Ari can do in response is push the sated contentment through the bond, the clawing feeling gone. It feels like a for now, but that’s fine. Because for now Ari still has Tate sheathed fully inside, the smell of him inextricable from their own.
If you lay down, I can probably get off you, he manages a couple of minutes later.
A tiny, involuntary noise escapes Ari’s throat before they realize he doesn’t mean pulling out. Out isn’t an option even if either of them wanted it to be. Just Tate’s body weight, and some of the stifling heat that comes with that much fur. Ari starts to sink toward the ground, the shift forcing a whine from Tate when it puts pressure on his knot. He moves so he’s standing over Ari and pulls back until the swell of it starts to stretch uncomfortably, then pushes back in with a quiet little huff.
God, don’t stop.
Don’t think I can, Tate manages, his thoughts strangely comparable to melting taffy. Like he’s drunk or high or both. He fucks into Ari slowly. Not chasing any goal; just feeling, burning up in the delicious drag of it. His teeth close on the back of Ari’s neck again – not hard, but more like the way he’d sink his fingers into Ari’s hair and pull lightly. The same way he’d fit his mouth to the shape of his teeth on Ari’s shoulder.
The change in angle means the knot almost perpetually tugs, which in turn has Ari torn between wanting to melt further and further into the ground and finding a way to press their hips more firmly against his and have him even deeper. It all feels too good. The air around them smells like sex and Tate and the last humid edge of summer and Ari wishes they could bottle it somehow, like an emergency dose of this feeling.
Wonder what it’d feel like if I shifted back and you kept- Ari thinks muzzily.
Tate whines, picturing it. Fuckin’ split you in two, he manages. And god, it feels like maybe he would, but it would be so good.
I’d let you- they start, imagining the weight of him on their tongue, but they don’t even get to finish the thought before a desperate little sound makes its way out of Tate and he comes again.
Heat. Tate’s pants are hot on Ari’s neck, and their only real thought is, yeah? because it is hot, between the air and their combined body heat. No, Tate manages, strained, you. It’s why I can’t- he lets out a groan-like growl, fucking into Ari again. How are you so calm?
Ari takes a slow breath, thinking about it. Or trying to, at least. It’s difficult, when the entirety of their awareness seems to be narrowed to the place where they’re locked together. It makes sense. Explains the electric current of need. The feeling of wrongness they hadn’t been able to shake when Tate and Kyah were both gone. Now it’s… less overwhelming, since Tate is very definitely present.
The sound of movement in the trees draws both of their attention to the immediate present and things that aren’t each other. Or at least, momentarily since a low growl also works its way up from deep in Tate’s chest, his teeth bared and ears laid flat against his skull where he stands over Ari.
Astrid steps out of the shadows first, ears twitching in something like amused interest. Freaks, Ari can easily imagine her saying. Kyah is right behind her, her own ears angled back.
The growl trails off and the snarl subsides, but Tate doesn’t drop his defensive – almost possessive – stance above Ari. An almost instinctual undercurrent of mine hangs loud and clear in the air. Instead of feeling trapped or threatened by it, though, Ari relaxes a little more and sees Astrid, whose expression had been shifting toward concern, do the same. She tilts her head in an explicit request for confirmation that everything is good, then turns and lopes off when Ari nods, leaving Kyah behind.
With her gone, Tate does relax slightly. But only slightly, because her reaction is even harder to predict than Astrid’s. An inscrutable series of expressions flicker across her face before disappearing behind a hard mask. And then she also turns and leaves.
Tate’s exhale isn’t quite relieved, although some of the tension does noticeably release. Even more notable, however, is the way Tate’s knot hasn’t gone down in the slightest. Despite the distraction, he’s still tied fully. If anything, it’s more intense than before. Sorry, it’s- I-
Ari lets out a shushing little rumble, nosing up at his throat. It’s the most reassurance they can offer, their own thoughts scattered and filtered through what seems to be, as Tate said, something like a heat. Right now, all they want is this. The feeling of being filled – knowing that they would be overflowing if not for the fact that they can’t. That it’s all plugged inside of them until Tate decides it’s been enough.
A pleased thrum seeps into the bond, all shades of mine, of gonna fill you up until everyone knows, of claiming and belonging that is so astonishingly mutual in nature that Ari can’t even begin to feel trapped by it.
The only way it could be better is if-
I know. I know, I’m sorry, it’s my fault that she-
Ari growls and snaps just below the thick fur of Tate’s throat. It isn’t.
In response, Tate whines and noses at the back of Ari’s skull. It’s fine; they’ll wait for Tate’s knot to go down, whenever that finally happens, then go find Kyah. Go back to one of their apartments, and-
This time, Tate’s whine is entirely different in nature. He exhales a hot puff into Ari’s fur, his cock pulsing as if he hadn’t already come twice. It’s never taken this long before.
Might as well do something with it.
He growls and pulls out as far as he can before slamming back in with enough force to make Ari yelp in needy surprise. Neither of them lasts long, not that they’re trying. There’s no need to. Here and now, there’s nothing to prove. The only thing that exists, or at least that matters, is the perfect, consuming fullness and friction.
Eventually, Tate and Ari make their slow, lazy way back. When they arrive at camp, everyone else seems to be well into their food and drink if not already in tents.
“Ari,” Reuben calls, just loud enough to get their attention.
They take a sharp breath on reflex and meet his gaze. He nods toward the treeline, a silent order.
“Do you need me to-?” Tate asks. It’s an offer to intervene. To explain, and face whatever consequences might come, so Ari doesn’t have to deal with this right now.
Ari shakes their head no, fingers trailing over his wrist as they follow Reuben.
“First one on a full moon. That’s some luck,” he says once they’re a safe distance from camp.
Ari isn’t sure what to say, so they just shrug.
“Alright? Astrid told me- well.”
“Fine,” Ari replies. They aren’t really sure what else to say in this situation, especially not to their alpha, who also happens to be their boss.
He nods, his expression appraising. “You seem it, which is… shocking. I apologize. If I had known, I would have helped make arrangements.”
“I told you I can pull myself together when I need to.”
Reuben nods again, his gaze somewhere far in the distance.
“But it’s… I dunno, not that bad. Weird. But tolerable.”
“And if it kicked in while you were gone?”
“You mean like Tate’s did?”
He nods for the third time, his eyes traveling back to Ari’s face.
“It wouldn’t be ideal, but I’d manage. This isn’t nearly as bad as his. Least not so far.”
“I don’t plan on letting that happen, of course.”
“Sure. But things happen.”
“They do.” He sighs, his jaw going tight. “You know what else I have to ask.”
Ari swallows, throat suddenly gone dry. “Kyah,” they manage.
“Kyah.”
“Is she- did she-”
“If she’s said anything to my daughter, it was not relayed to me. But Isaiah will ask. Under the guise of concern as my second, but you know in this case his neutrality will be… lacking.”
This time, it’s Ari who nods, unable to speak.
“So…? I’d say take your time, but I have a wife waiting for me back in my tent and I’d imagine we’re on borrowed time where you’re concerned as well,” he says placidly.
Ari breathes a weak laugh. “Yeah probably. She… left. She was with Astrid and she left.”
“I’m sorry,” Reuben replies softly.
Swallowing again, Ari continues, “I mean I guess I get why, y’know? Like. Hell of a thing to walk in on, especially- yeah. But it just… doesn’t compute, y’know? Like-” they heave a sigh, everything too fast, too tight, too much, too little and all of it wrong.
“Breathe,” Reuben says.
Frantically, Ari nods, fighting for air. They need Tate. Kyah. Something to hold onto.
“Ok. Ok, come on, let’s get you back.”
“Just- give me a second,” Ari says, just before Reuben’s large hand settles on their shoulder.
He lets it drop instead. Truthfully, it was one of Ari’s favorite things about him. Not only did he not throw his size around, but he seemed to just get things, even from the start. “So you feel the same draw to them both? Even now?”
“No, it’s- it’s never the same. Especially because Tate and I are- and Kyah hasn’t- and they’re just different-“
“I see.”
They force a measured breath. “But yeah. If anything it’s worse because she hasn’t. Like I don’t know how I’m gonna be around her and not sink my teeth into her, y’know? Think the only reason I didn’t when I saw her was because-“
Reuben clears his throat pointedly, cutting Ari off. “Sorry. I changed her diapers, so it’s…”
“Getting shy?” Ari asks, grinning wickedly. This – this they can do. The easy sorts of conversations that they shouldn’t be able to have with Reuben but can. “So you don’t want the full report on how-“
“No, thank you Ari. Although I’m sure Jenna will, for science. I’ve heard it’s quite intoxicating and that’s sufficient for me in such close circumstances.”
“Aw, what, never let Jenna give you the strap, boss?”
Reuben groans loudly. “Go. Get out of my sight before I have all sorts of problems to solve.”
Ari cackles and turns back toward camp, their feet carrying them on autopilot to – as it turns out – both Tate and Kyah. They stop just out of sight, drinking in the scene before them; Tate has Kyah by the waist, and although she’s tense, it’s the sort of put-on resistance she gives when she’s fighting past where she wants to. After she’s given up and accepted that she’s wrong but still doesn’t want to give in. And equally firm evidence, she’s still slotted fully against him instead of a few feet away with her arms crossed.
“Baby,” Tate rumbles, voice low and his lips grazing the curve of her ear. “You know all you have to do is say when.”
“It’s not-” Her breath hitches when Tate’s teeth tug at her earlobe, and Ari can see how she lets herself be pulled that impossible bit closer.
“I know,” he whispers. “But it could be. What are they going to do after the fact? And even if they try, I’ll take care of you. We’ll take care of you.” His eyes open as he says it, locking on Ari’s through the darkness.
Ari slips up behind her without making a noise and presses a kiss to the back of her shoulder. She startles, then realizes it’s them and reaches back to tangle her fingers in their hair.
“You’re remarkably functional.”
“Thanks for the confidence. Love you too,” Ari replies, voice rough.
Breathing a laugh, Kyah twists to find Ari’s mouth.
She’s not upset?
She was. We… talked.
Talked.
She yelled for a bit, then cried a little, and well- You saw where it ended up.
Ari hums an acknowledgement-slash-moan against her lips, the contact rapidly stoking the fire they’d barely been keeping under control.
“You wanna stay here or get back tonight?” Tate asks aloud.
“Uh.” They slip a hand under her shirt, teasing a nipple and swallowing her gasp. “I think I can- You don’t have to drive back tonight,” they manage between quick kisses and little nips trailed down her throat.
Look at me.
Ari blinks, slightly dazed, then meets Tate’s eyes. They suck in a breath, suddenly drowning in the stormy grey of them.
“Are you actually ok? You gonna be ok to be around everyone?”
They feel their jaw clench reflexively as they turn the question over. “I think so. You?”
Tate leans over Kyah for a kiss. “Baby I’m always ok. Are you going to be able to stay quiet?”
At that, Ari shivers. “Probably. I’ll try. But I do need- can we go back to the tent?”
With a sharp grin, Tate nods. “C’mon, Ky,” he murmurs against her skin. “You can’t just leave ’em like this. Not now. Know you can smell it.”
Where they’re pressed together, Ari can feel Kyah’s shiver. It sends a spark of needy anticipation down their spine. Has them desperate to be wrapped up in her. Around her. Something involving the two of them way too close together for public spaces, preferably not wearing clothes.
“Uh huh, time to go before you get any more ideas,” Tate says, reaching around Kyah to pull Ari in close. He turns them toward the tent, glancing back and extending his free arm to Kyah. A second later, she apparently decides to join them, ducking under Tate’s other shoulder.
If having Tate earlier was good, this is great. Too much. He’s buried inside of them again, one arm planted on the tent floor, the other spread across Ari’s chest to hold them up. With each resounding thrust, Ari rubs against Kyah and has to fight a moan. The urge to sink their teeth into her. The last part is made easier by Tate’s unyielding grip and the fact that more than once, his fingers have found their way into Ari’s mouth.
Fucking Christ, Ari thinks, unable to speak as they suck hard on two of Tate’s fingers once more.
Fuck. Yeah.
Kyah arches up against them just right – every part of her slick and soft and perfect – her mouth pressing against the underside of Ari’s jaw for a sloppy kiss, and they all tumble over the edge like dominos. It’s Tate who exhales the uneven, sensitive laugh that Ari feels as he drops to the ground beside Kyah. Ari lands, sort of, between them, with their weight supported instead by Tate and Kyah. Tate breathes another amused huff, his teeth scraping the back of Ari’s shoulder. The need is much fainter as Ari drifts toward sleep. Easier, now that they’re where they should be – sandwiched between their mates – but they know that they’re still on borrowed time before the next wave hits.