Timber Pack Chronicles - 23. Chapter 23

“What on earth is wrong with you, Parker?” Kate looked across the dining room table at her son with furrowed brows.

Parker had barely touched his lunch. He was bouncing his legs under the table, while chewing on his thumbnail. He was restless. The sun hadn’t even gone down yet, but he could already feel the pull of the full moon.

“Parker. Your father and I have been talking. Are you on drugs?” his mother asked. His father glanced up from his BlackBerry to listen to the answer.

It took a moment for Parker to realize his mother had asked him a question, then another to process the words. Parker looked up from his plate. “What? No, of course not!”

“Well, what do you expect us to think?” his father added. “You’re acting like a junkie. What has that Butler boy got you hooked on?”

Parker looked up at the clock. Colton was due to pick him up any minute. They were going out to the camp tonight. To run in the forest on their pack’s land.

Tonight would be Parker’s first change.

“I don’t have time for this,” Parker said with a sigh. “I’m going out tonight.”

“I think it might be best if you stayed home tonight,” Barney said.

“I can’t. I promised my friends I’d help with their project.”

“Cleaning up that abandoned campground? Is this some kind of community service? Your ‘friend’ has gotten into trouble again?”

“No, Dad. I’ve told you already, Colton is a good man.”

Barney scoffed. “A ‘good man.’ I think you need to take a break from Colton.”

Parker gripped the edge of the table as he fought back the urge to growl. “Actually, I have something I have to tell you… After graduation, I’m moving in with Colton.”

“Excuse me?” Kate said.

Barney actually set down the BlackBerry. His face went bright red. “Are you fucking insane? What about college? Are you just going to throw your life away? For what? To live with a… with… trash?”

Parker closed his eyes and clenched his jaw as his stomach muscles contracted hard. His teeth and gums hurt. He rubbed the itchy pads of his fingers on his shorts. A bead of sweat dripped, then rolled down the middle his back, followed by another.

“Parker? Are you sure you’re okay?” his mother asked with concern. “I really think you should stay in tonight. Why don’t you go upstairs and lay down? We can talk about this later.”

Parker shook his head and opened his eyes. “There’s nothing to talk about. Dad already knows. Colton purchased the campground from Sheriff Forrest’s company. I’m moving into the cabin with Colton.”

Barney turned to Kate. “I have no idea what he’s talking about. Do you? Are you hearing this? Your son has lost his fucking mind. He’s gonna live in a commune like some goddamned hippy.”

Kate pursed her lips together. “Barney Montgomery, don’t you dare raise your voice or cuss at me.”

Barney scoffed. “This is all your fault. You coddled him and spoiled him, and now look at him. It’s bad enough he’s a homo—”

Parker pushed back from the table, sending his chair back with a loud thump. Anger rose inside him and it was a struggle to keep his voice calm. “I’m going out. It’s not a school night. I’m going to spend the night at the camp. You can’t stop me.”

That last sentence came out in a half-growl that had both of his parents suddenly silent.

Before his parents could respond, Parker got up and grabbed Colton’s hoodie. He pulled it on, grabbed the backpack he’d packed earlier, then left the house.

He was sitting on the curb when Colton pulled up several minutes later.

“You okay?” Colton asked when Parker got settled inside the car. He rubbed his hand against Parker’s cheek and looked at Parker with concern.

Parker leaned over and rubbed his nose and cheeks against Colton’s neck. He put his arms around his mate, hugged him tight and breathed in his scent.

No wonder Colton was always smelling him. Just a whiff of Colton calmed his nerves.

“I am now.”

* * * *

Colton sat down on their bed and watched Parker pace back and forth across the cabin room. He could feel Parker’s beast was close to the surface, scratching to get out. It wouldn’t be long.

“Oh god… It itches.” Parker scratched at his neck, then slipped his hand under his shirt and clawed at his chest. His entire body shuddered violently and he let out a pained whine. “What did you do to me?”

Parker was starting to freak out. He needed to relax. If he continued to work himself into a frenzy, he was going to hurt himself during the change.

This was a big deal, bigger than he let Parker know. Humans who were turned often died during their first change, especially if they didn’t understand what was going on and fought it.

“Parker.”

Parker’s eyes were unfocused as he stopped and tried to concentrate on the sound of Colton’s voice. His cheeks were flushed and his breathing was shallow. If Colton didn’t know better, he’d have thought Parker was about to come.

A smile spread across Colton’s face. Oh yeah, he knew just how to get Parker relaxed.

“C’mere, pup. You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor.” Colton patted the empty space on the bed next to him.

Parker sat down next to Colton and leaned against him. His breathing was erratic, and he was shaking. Sweat had begun to bead on his forehead, and Colton could smell the musky scent pouring out of the nooks and crannies of his body as well.

Colton put his finger under the friendship bracelet he’d made for Parker. “We need to take this off,” he said. “And the necklace.”

Parker shook his head. “No.” He snatched his hand away from Colton, and cradled his neck. “Please don’t make me.”

“They’ll break off when you shift, Parker. You’ll lose them. Besides, you already bear my permanent marks on your body.” He traced his fingers over the new tattoo on Parker’s right bicep. “Here.” His hand continued up to the left side of Parker’s neck and he lightly caressed the bite scar. “And here.”

Parker sighed. It came out ragged and uneven. “O-o-okay…”

Colton carefully removed the friendship bracelet, then the leather necklace and wolf pendant from Parker’s neck. He set them on the table next to the bed.

When he turned back to Parker, his heart broke a little. His pup looked scared to death… small, with his arms wrapped around his chest, staring at the floor with glassy eyes. Colton lifted Parker’s chin with his fingers. When Parker made eye contact, Colton bent down and kissed him, pushing his tongue between his pup’s lips. Parker let out a soft moan, opening his mouth, and submitting to Colton.

“Show me your belly, pup.”

Colton pulled his own T-shirt off, and tossed it on the floor. Parker did the same, and then slid up to the middle of the bed and lay down.

Colton admired the tattoo on Parker’s right bicep. His ink looked damn good on his pup. He moved over top of Parker, licking and nibbling at his mate’s flat stomach, while working his shorts off. Once he got his pup naked, he lapped his tongue up and down his cock, getting it fully hard in a matter of seconds.

“Turn over,” Colton growled. He helped Parker roll over onto his belly, then grabbed his hips. With a tug, he pulled Parker onto his hands and knees. “Stay there.”

Colton knelt behind Parker and spread his ass cheeks wide. That tight little hole he loved so damn much clenched and unclenched in anticipation. Colton growled in his throat, hawked and spat on it. He attacked it, licking and sucking with enthusiasm. He nipped at the skin with his teeth, then pointed his tongue and thrust it inside and fucked it. The moans and whimpers that spilled from Parker pleased him.

Colton’s cock jerked and dripped pre-come onto the sheets. He couldn’t wait until he was inside Parker.

Once Parker was trembling with need, babbling incoherently, his fists gripping the sheets in an iron grip, Colton knew it was time.

He grabbed the lube and slicked up his cock, then got into position. He held Parker firmly in place, one hand gripping a shoulder to keep him from pulling away. He slapped that quivering hole with the girth of his cock, again and again, until Parker started to beg.

“Please, Colt. Put it in me…”

Colton lined up and thrust into him to the hilt.

“Oh!” Parker cried. “Colt! God! Yes.”

Colton loved how Parker took his cock, like he was made for it. He gripped Parker in a death grip, making sure he wasn’t going to escape. “Take it,” he barked. He roughly pounded into his mate doggy-style, hard and fast, nailing that sensitive prostate on nearly every thrust.

And Parker loved every second. His pup begged for it while thrusting his ass back against Colton. His moans and whimpers only added fuel to Colton’s fire.

Colton leaned over Parker’s body. He reached around to grab Parker’s dick as he clamped his teeth on the curve of Parker’s neck. When his teeth pierced the mating scar, Parker let out a scream. Colton felt Parker’s dick jerk in his hand as hot come shot out of it, covering the sheets beneath them with sticky fluid.

Between the smell of Parker’s come and the way his sphincter tightened and contracted rhythmically around Colton’s shaft, there was no way Colton could hold back another second. He threw his head back and roared as he came, filling his pup’s ass with liquid heat until it was overflowing, dripping down Parker’s balls and the inside of his leg.

When Colton finally loosened his grip on Parker, his boy slumped forward onto his belly, falling into the wet spot he’d just created. “Oh man, oh damn… so good…”

Colton flopped down on his back next to his boy. “I aim to please.”

With a satisfied smile on his face, Parker’s eyes drifted shut, and he began to softly snuffle.

Colton watched him sleep, but it was an uneasy sleep.

Every time Parker whined or jerked in his sleep, Colton would touch him and rub him until he calmed back down.

It would be over soon. Once Parker made it through the turning, he would be just fine. He would make sure of it.

Colton’s thoughts were interrupted by the sudden screech of his cell phone ringing. He reached down to the floor and pulled it from the pocket of his blue jeans. “Yeah Jed? What’s up?”

“Hey, boss, if you’re done sexing up your mate, that bear is here to see you.”

“Don’t call me ‘boss,’ damn it. I’ll meet you in the mess hall.”

* * * *

After getting cleaned up and dressed, Parker followed Colton out of their cabin to the common building. Jed, Trey and Buck the bear shifter were sitting down at the long dining table Colton had purchased last week from a thrift store.

Colton held out his hand, and he and Buck shook. “Buck, it’s good to see you again. What can I do for you?”

“It’s about Stan.”

“Stan? Where is he, is he okay?”

“Yeah. He’s back home, in town. The thing is… He needs a pack. Tonight’s the full moon and he gets restless. I was hoping that you’d let him play with you, or whatever it is you guys do.”

Colton nodded. “He’s more than welcome. I take it you two want to be pack then?”

Buck nodded. “If you’d take Stan in, I’d appreciate it.”

“You’re Stan’s mate, aren’t you? That means both of you.”

“I’m sure you picked up on the fact that I’m not a wolf.”

“It doesn’t matter. You are Stan’s mate.”

Buck didn’t answer for a few seconds. “Yeah,” he said with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m Stan’s mate. I just… I’m a loner, I don’t really know how to deal with packs and wolves and mates.”

“Well, there ain’t no better way to learn than a full moon run with a pack of wolves.”

“Suppose you’re right. There is something else you should know before you decide to let us in. I think someone’s been sniffing after Stan.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know if it’s maybe someone from his old pack, but there’s been some shit happening. It’s weird, though. Something’s off about its scent, but I think it’s a wolf shifter, not a wolf. It attacked Stan the other day when we were walking in the woods, but I fought him off.”

Parker gasped and looked at Colton with a panicked look on his face.

Colton’s face turned dark and his voice took on a menacing growl. “When I find that fucker, I’m gonna gut him like a fucking pig. Pack or not, you’re in my territory. That means you’re under my protection. We got Stan’s back. Right, guys?”

Parker and Trey nodded their agreement.

“Damn straight,” Jed added.

“Good,” Colton said with a nod. “Now that that’s been settled, go get Stan and come on back. Tonight is Parker’s first change, and Timber Pack’s having a birthday celebration.”

* * * *

The pack stood around the roaring firepit as the sun set and the moon began to rise.

Buck and Stan stood silently before Colton while Parker, Trey and Jed looked on.

“Tonight we welcome two new brothers into our pack. Do you pledge your loyalty to Timber Pack?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Stan replied, with Buck mimicking him.

Colton looked to Parker, Trey and Jed. “Do you accept their pledge?”

“Yes, Alpha,” the three replied.

Colton grasped the back of Stan’s neck. When Stan tipped his head, Colton scraped the sharp claw of his thumb down the side, drawing a drop of blood. Colton leaned forward and sniffed the young pup.

He repeated the same on a skeptical-looking Buck.

“Welcome to Timber Pack, my brothers,” Colton said.

He shook Buck’s hand, then did the same with Stan.

Stan grabbed Buck’s hand, intertwining their fingers. He looked up at his mate through glassy eyes, a big, happy grin on his face. “Thank you.”

Buck looked down at Stan in awe. “If it gets you to look at me like that, cub, I’ll do anything. Anything you want.”

Jed cleared his throat. “Uh, you do know he’s a wolf pup and not a bear cub, right?”

Parker nudged Jed in the ribs. “God, you got a big mouth. Stop ruining their moment.”

Parker’s belly suddenly cramped. He doubled over and dropped to his knees. He wrapped his arms around his torso and whined in agony.

A grin spread across Colton’s face. “It’s time, pup.”

* * * *

Parker slumped down onto the ground and wanted to die. He was completely naked. Everyone was staring at him, but he couldn’t even stop to care. He itched everywhere; it felt like he had ants crawling underneath his skin. His joints and muscles ached all over, making him feel like he got hit by an eighteen-wheeler.

He rolled over onto his side and let out a pained whimper. His breathing went shallow and quickened. He was going to hyperventilate.

“Parker.”

Parker looked up at his mate. Colton was standing in front of the campfire in all of his glorious nakedness, but Parker hurt so bad he couldn’t even think of getting it up for his sexy alpha mate.

On either side of Colton were two large wolves: one chocolate brown, and one a dark reddish-brown auburn. Nearby, stood a big brown grizzly bear with a small grey wolf plastered by his side.

Parker gasped. Holy shit, a grizzly bear! Oh, wait, it was Buck. He knew that. Why couldn’t he think straight?

“Parker, look at me.”

Parker met Colton’s dark eyes. Colton stepped forward and squatted down.

“You can do this, pup,” he said quietly. “I am so proud of you, and I can’t wait to run with you.”

Parker’s body was wracked with another jolt of agonizing pain. “Hurts…”

“You’re fighting the change. Don’t fight it, pup. Relax. Look up at the moon. Feel the pull.”

Parker looked up past Colton at the full moon. The air was clear. The moon was big and bright as it began its rise into the sky.

“Think of my wolf,” Colton whispered. “Remember the first time you saw me, touched me? Remember what it was like when I changed? Think of your body doing that.”

Parker closed his eyes and thought back on the first time he saw Colton change. He remembered laying with the wolf, how comforting it felt.

“There you go.” Colton’s whisper was so soothing. “I can feel it, Parker. I can feel your wolf.”

Parker felt something in the back of his consciousness pushing at him, wanting to get out. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. As he opened his eyes and looked up at the moon, his body relaxed and went limp.

His skin started to tingle as if a static charge covered him.

The bones in his legs snapped, making Parker scream in pain.

It was finally happening; he couldn’t stop it!

His eyes flew up to Colton’s face in panic, and he stared into Colton’s dark eyes.

“That’s it, pup. Let me see you.”

Parker’s bones cracked and stretched. Hair pushed its way through his skin. His new teeth and fangs burst through his gums, and he tasted the copper tinge of blood. His jaw, nose and ears elongated as claws pushed through his fingers. His tailbone popped as a tail grew out.

Several seconds later, a small wolf with fur almost as white as the moon lay on the ground.

Parker looked down to where his hands should be. Instead he found animal paws covered in white fur, sharp claws where fingernails should have been. As he glanced around the camp, he found he could see everything in sharp, vivid detail.

Colton dropped to a squat at his side, drawing his attention toward the big man. He rubbed his hands through Parker’s fur. He looked down at Parker with tears in his dark eyes, eyes full of love and pride. “You’re so beautiful, pup. Happy birthday.” A tear slid down Colton’s cheek.

Parker liked that Colton called today his second birthday. In a way, he really was reborn today. He wanted to tell Colton how much he loved him, but he couldn’t speak. Instead, he swiped his tongue across Colton’s hand.

Colton laughed quietly. “I love you, too, pup.”

Then Colton leaned forward onto his hands. Parker watched his mate’s change through his new eyes. It felt like it had taken forever to go through the change, but Colton did it within seconds.

The massive black wolf nudged Parker with his muzzle. Parker awkwardly pushed to his feet, standing on four paws for the first time. Parker took his first shaky steps. He circled around the bonfire, becoming more comfortable with each step he took.

Making his way back to his mate, he leaned against Colton. The big black wolf rubbed his body all over Parker’s, bathing him in the scent of the alpha.

Colton lifted his head and howled triumphantly. Instinctively, Parker tipped his head back and joined in. Trey, Jed and Stan did the same while Buck let loose a grizzly roar.

After looking at each of the members of his pack in turn, Colton then took off full speed into the forest.

Parker leapt forward and gave chase after his alpha. After his mate.