Spirit Wolves - 9. Chapter 9

Ben hummed as he worked, wiping down a table that had just been vacated. He had opened the diner as a favor to Sandi and was waiting for her to relieve him. Zev was picking him up soon and had only told Ben that he had something fun planned. Glancing at the clock, he was surprised to see how early it still was.

The past several weeks had been enlightening. The shifters in town were more open with him and he enjoyed getting to know the ones who came into the diner on a regular basis. He was often included in conversations and the locals had expressed a genuine interest in his past travels.

He and Zev had agreed to take things slow and get to know one another. They saw each other almost every day. Zev and the twins had been gone for a few days, chasing another lead. The information that he had gotten on their last trip turned out to be nothing. A shifter they met in Colorado told them about a dark website that he came across, but after investigating they couldn’t find any trace of their missing pup, or even any hints of others. They anonymously passed the information on the site to human authorities to investigate.

Caleb chartered them a flight this time so they didn’t have to be away for very long. They had flown back into Great Falls the day before yesterday after hitting yet another dead end. It seemed like all the trails centered around central Idaho before they disappeared. No one could figure out what was happening after that point.

Ben found himself feeling anxious without Zev close by, and seeing him in person had boosted his mood immensely. He wondered if it was connected to their whole mate status thing.

Over the course of the past few weeks they had gone on several dates, thoroughly enjoying each other’s company, discovering similar tastes in music and movies. Most evenings, after Ben finished work, were spent at his little studio lounging on the couch, eating junk food and streaming movies.

They were getting to know each other one day at a time. By unspoken agreement they didn’t do anything beyond sitting close together, cuddling and holding hands. Zev would usually hug Ben close and bury his nose in his neck, reassuring his wolf’s need for his mate to be close.

The weather turned cold, but both men enjoyed being outdoors. So, on Ben’s days off, Zev enjoyed showing him his favorite places to hike. The scenery was beautiful with snow plentiful in the higher elevations.

The bells over the door jangled as Sandi and Zev pushed through, laughing at something one of them had said. Cold air and a bit of fluffy snow was swept along with them. It had snowed yesterday and light flurries still fluttered down intermittently.

“Hey!” Ben exclaimed, dropping the towel he had been wiping the table with onto the counter.

Zev came over and gave him a hug. Pulling away, he thrust a backpack at Ben, “Hey yourself! Here, go get changed, we’re going snowmobiling!”

Ben’s face lit up like Times Square on New Year’s Eve. He grabbed the pack and beelined for the back office. Zev had packed thermals, thick socks, a warm flannel shirt, and a heavy sweatshirt for him. His jeans were slightly snug with the extra layer of thermals underneath, but he really didn’t think Zev was going to mind.

He went back out and Zev looked him up and down, obviously appreciating what he saw.

“I’ve got boots and outerwear in the truck that you can put on when we get to the trailhead, so let’s get going!” Zev’s excitement was contagious.

Sandi smiled and called out after them, “Have fun boys!”

They both threw her a wave as they beat feet to the exit.

The drive to the trailhead took almost an hour and the light flurries had abated. The clouds were thinning and occasionally the sun peeked out from behind them. The forecast called for sunny skies and cold temperatures. Perfect for snowmobiling.

Ben swapped his sneakers for the warm boots that Zev had provided. He felt a little bit overdressed when Zev insisted that he wear both an oversized zip up hoodie and a thick parka. He was sweating a little as they unloaded the sled from the trailer.

“Trust me, you’ll be glad I made you wear all the layers once we get going,” Zev told him, correctly reading the look of annoyance that crossed Ben’s face.

They buckled their helmets and pulled on gloves before mounting the snowmobile. Zev drove first, as he was familiar with the trails. Sure enough, as soon as they hit a huge snow covered meadow, Zev opened up the throttle and the air became needles of ice trying to pierce any of Ben’s exposed skin. He was grateful for the extra layers of protection. Zev’s wolf kept him warm.

They took turns driving and Ben couldn’t help yelling with joy when it was his turn to crank the throttle up and fly across an open field. Most of the landscape was hilly and they forged trails through the forest as well, so going all out on a stretch of open land was exhilarating.

They stopped to rest in a small clearing next to a river that was frozen over along the edges. The quiet that surrounded them in the first few moments after the snowmobile’s engine was shut off was all encompassing. After a couple of minutes of silence, the birds started chirping again and it echoed like a symphony through the air.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Ben remarked, after pulling off his helmet.

“It is. My wolf loves to run when it’s like this. The cold air and the freedom it gives is awesome,” Zev replied as he shook his head after removing his own helmet.

Ben looked into those beautiful brown hued eyes and felt his heart make a decision. He wanted this man in his life for however long it was meant to be. Without quite realizing what he was saying, Ben asked, “Can I see?”

Zev looked at Ben in surprise. “You want to see my wolf?”

“Yes.”

Zev’s face nearly split in two his smile was so wide.

Inside of him his wolf jumped to the surface, his eyes turning a gorgeous amber. Oblivious to the cold air, he stripped off his clothes and Ben’s jaw dropped at the sight of his naked body.

“Don’t be scared,” Zev told him. “It looks worse than it feels.”

Ben watched in amazement as Zev’s body contorted, wincing at the sound of bones breaking and reshaping themselves. Within a few heartbeats a large, shaggy, sandy blond wolf stood in front of him. Ben smiled when the wolf’s tail swished back and forth rapidly.

It took a moment or two of gazing at the beautiful creature before Ben realized Zev’s wolf looked just like one of the blond wolves in the picture that he found in Silas’ cellar. His body was sandy blond and along the sides of his neck, meeting in the middle of his wide chest was a line of colors mixed with black, white, silver and mahogany.

“Holy shit,” he whispered.

The big wolf approached him, his tail still wagging. He put his snout up against the front of Ben’s jacket and sniffed. The next thing Ben knew, there were two large paws on his shoulders and the animal’s nose was buried in his neck, inhaling deeply.

Ben laughed. “Hey! That tickles!”

Zev’s wolf chuffed and then ran his long tongue up the side of Ben’s head. Ben scrunched up his face at the onslaught. He pushed the big wolf down, pulled off his gloves and buried his fingers in the soft fur around his neck, enjoying the feel of the silky fur.

He gave Zev a good scratch behind both ears and told him, “Well, you wanted to run. Let me see what you’ve got!”

Zev lowered his front paws, wagged his tail, then took off like a shot. He ran along the river bank until he was just out of sight. Ben put his gloves back on and sat on the snowmobile to wait. He could hear the yips and barks as Zev circled around the forest surrounding the clearing.

After twenty minutes or so, Ben heard him as he approached from behind. When Ben turned around he saw the graceful form of Zev’s wolf at an all out run as he came toward him, throwing up a cloud of powdery snow behind him. Zev’s wolf hit the brakes and the cloud of snow turned into a maelstrom as he tumbled to a halt, tongue hanging out, panting. Ben laughed at his antics.

The wolf shook the snow off his fur and several heartbeats later a naked Zev stood in front of Ben once more. He looked glorious.

Ben couldn’t stop himself, even if his life depended on it. He reached out, took Zev’s hands and pulled him close. Acorn colored eyes stared back at Ben as he leaned closer. Those beautiful eyes stayed open as Ben closed the gap that separated their lips. The kiss was everything he never knew he needed, the heat warming his very soul.

Their mate connection became almost tangible and Ben never wanted to let his wolf shifter go. They let their lips and tongues get acquainted with each other. Ben had the advantage of being able to run his hands over the contours of Zev’s back. Zev gasped as those hands reached down and cupped his ass, pulling him even closer.

“Please tell me if this means what I hope it does?” Zev asked, hesitantly.

Ben smiled. “If it means I’m OK with this whole mate thing, then yes. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

“So, you’re all right with me claiming you?”

“I think so,” replied Ben. “I’ll need you to explain what has to happen and what I need to do, or not do. I’m clueless about the whole process.”

Zev kissed Ben’s nose and smiled, “I think I’m really going to enjoy educating you. But right now I think I need to get dressed. The sun will be down soon and it’s a bitch to load the snowmobile in the dark.”

Ben gave a quick squeeze to Zev’s ass cheeks that he was still holding onto before letting him go. Zev managed to get dressed without too much difficulty. His feet were the only part of him that he couldn’t dry off before yanking his socks back on. His wolf’s body heat would protect him on the ride back.

They snapped their helmets into place and Ben climbed on behind Zev. The sun was touching the top of the trees as the engine roared to life and Zev took off back the way they came.

They were heading west on the trail and the setting sun lit up the sky in brilliant shades of red and orange. By the time they reached the truck and trailer, the sun had sunk below the horizon and the sky had melted into shades of pink, purple and navy. Darkness was descending rapidly.

Working together it didn’t take them long to secure the snowmobile and stow their helmets and gloves in the storage area. Ben was shivering a little as he slid into the truck. Zev started the truck and turned the temperature on high, but left the fan on low. Soon enough the engine had warmed up enough to provide a comfortable heat.

Zev and Ben were starving and the only place on their route home was a McDonald’s off the highway. They each ordered a couple of Big Macs, fries and water. Ben rarely ate fast food and he enjoyed the splurge.

Once they were done and back on the road Ben asked, “So, what’s the deal with this mate thing? What do I have to do?”

Zev glanced over and replied, “It depends. You have a couple of choices. The first would be to accept the mating claim. That would mean we get to have sex and I mark you with my claim.”

“Mark me how?” Ben asked, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer. He needed to hear it anyway.

“I bite you.”

Ben nodded his understanding. “What’s my other choice?”

Zev shot him a heated look and told him, “I claim you and turn you. That would enable you to mark me as yours. That option would be a tad bit more painful for you. We’d still get to have sex, I’d still bite you, but in return you would bite me as well. That would allow for my blood to integrate with your DNA, not just my saliva and spunk. It’s the combination of all three that would trigger the change in you. The process usually takes a little while before it kicks in and when it does, well, you’d shift automatically. Once the process starts, there’s no stopping it. It’s also permanent, there’s no turning back. You’ll always have the ability to shift, just like the rest of us.”

“When you say ‘a tad bit more painful’, could you define ‘tad’? Ben asked.

Zev laughed before answering, “It’s probably going to hurt like a bitch. First shifts usually do. It gets better though. Your body will quickly adapt to changing. It’s like training your muscle memory. Do you remember every fall you took when you learned to walk?”

Ben shook his head, realizing that Zev was right. Even so, he still wasn’t too sure about going with the whole being turned option.

Zev could see the uncertainty etched on Ben’s face and he assured him, “No matter what you decide, I’ll support it. You’re my mate, I couldn’t do anything to knowingly hurt you. I feel like every day that we spend together I hand over another little piece of my heart. I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you Ben Marrock.”

That was the moment Ben knew for sure. “I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you too Zev……..huh? I don’t know your last name,” Ben mused and started to chuckle.

Zev laughed, “You never asked. It’s Clellan.”

‘Well, Zev Clellan, let’s get this show back on the road. Your place or mine?”

“Yours. Definitely yours. Caleb’s place has decent soundproofing, but I’d rather have the privacy your place has. Silas doesn’t hear as well any more, so that’s a plus too.”

The rest of the ride was spent in anticipation. Ben placed his hand on Zev’s upper thigh and Zev covered it with his own. The sensation made them both fired up.

Zev backed the truck and trailer up the driveway. It was fully dark, but Silas had left the light on by the garage. Zev made sure to lock the truck and together they climbed the stairs to Ben’s little studio.

Once in the door, Zev gathered Ben in his arms and held him close, inhaling his spicy scent. Cedar with a hint of exotic spice greeted his nose and his wolf rumbled with contentment.

Ben felt himself enveloped in the smell of oranges and cloves with a dash of peppermint thrown in. It soothed and calmed him. Neither of the men were virgins, but both knew that there was something really special about to happen. It was their first time with each other and that was all that mattered.

The room was on the cool side and Ben shuddered lightly as Zev pulled the hem of his shirt and thermals out of his jeans, skimming his fingers lightly along his ribcage as he lifted the material over his head. Goosebumps rippled across his skin.

Zev looked down at Ben’s torso and admired what he saw. Ben had a little better than average build. He wasn’t ripped, but there was some definition of the muscles covering his stomach. Zev’s hands roamed along Ben’s sides, where it was just a little bit soft, just barely qualifying for the term ‘love handles’.

Zev rid himself of his own shirt and felt the heat of Ben’s gaze as it assessed his own physique. Zev had a nice six pack, and best of all, a sexy cut of muscle that formed that coveted ‘V”, directing Ben’s eyes down to his crotch, which was accentuating the hardness under his jeans.

The two men had an overwhelming need to just touch each other, so that’s exactly what they did. Fingers glided over skin and muscles, hands groped firm flesh and soon both were naked, skin to skin. Ben led Zev over to his bed and laid down, the larger shifter’s body followed, half covering his. They continued to explore and it didn’t take very long before both were uttering low moans and leaking pre-cum.

Zev slid down Ben’s torso and lapped at the strand of clear fluid that created a trail over his stomach. In one swift move he descended on Ben’s six inch cock, thick with obvious need. Ben let out a short grunt and then a long moan as he felt his shaft slide down to the back of Zev’s throat. The wolf shifter definitely knew what he was doing.

Ben had barely processed having the wet heat of Zev’s mouth on him when he felt one of Zev’s fingers probing his ass. The digit rubbed against the tight pucker until it was abruptly gone. Ben didn’t have time to wonder where the finger went when it was replaced by Zev’s tongue. Holy fuck, this man was talented.

Zev made quick work of loosening up Ben’s ass, adding lube that seemed to appear out of nowhere. His cock was coating Ben’s leg and the sheets with pre-cum. Knowing that Ben was as ready as he was going to get, Zev pulled himself up and lifted both of Ben’s legs and spread them wide. He grinned down at the man he had quickly fallen for and lined up his seven and a half inch shaft.

Ben’s cock may have been shorter, but it was much thicker. He grinned as Zev inhaled sharply, eyes locked in place, looking down at Ben’s dick, which now had a life of its own. Slowly exhaling, he pushed forward and the mushroom head breached the outer band of muscles and tightened. Ben pushed back and the rest gradually glided in, encased in pure heat. Zev steadied himself and slowly began to slide back and forth, watching closely for any signs of pain or discomfort. His eyes glowed with a soft amber hue as his wolf came to the forefront of his mind. Ben was thrilled to see the look of pure wanton bliss that came across his face. He did that. He made Zev look so fucking hot.

Zev pushed back and forth, surrounded by clenching heat. Ben tried to move his hips closer, wanting even more. Zev took the hint and picked up the pace. They both were amazed at the sensations that the movements created. Ben knew he wasn’t going to last. He could see Zev’s wolf pushing relentlessly, trying to take over. Zev’s lips parted and Ben saw his incisors start to elongate and sharpen. He pulled Ben closer and buried his nose in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply. His hips quickened their pace, nailing Ben’s prostate with every thrust.

Ben was having trouble breathing, the sensations flowing throughout his body were threatening to overwhelm him. He could feel his balls tightening up and knew it was not a matter of moments, but rather a matter of a few seconds before the inevitable was going to happen. He knew exactly what he wanted and he growled into Zev’s ear, “Now, Zev, do it now!”

Zev’s wolf’s took control at Ben’s words and his hips pistoned back and forth several times until their orgasms hit simultaneously. Zev’s wolf struck, his teeth sinking into the soft flesh where Ben’s neck met his shoulder, instantly drawing blood. The teeth remained locked down as the wolf and Zev rode out the waves of their orgasm.

Ben felt a flash of white hot pain and then his own orgasm hit, the pleasure of it overriding the pain. His face was buried in Zev’s neck and the mating call hit him hard. Hard enough that he was barely aware of his own teeth clamping down on the skin beneath his lips, drawing blood as well. Instead of metallic bitterness, a sweet, citrusy flavor exploded across his tongue.

The two men stayed locked together as their cocks pumped out their loads, Zev’s into the depths of Ben’s body and Ben’s painting the skin between them. The intense pleasure was fueled by the release of endorphins throughout both of them.

The spasms abated and they both became aware that they were still locked together. Zev pushed his wolf back and his teeth shrank back to their normal size. Ben relaxed his jaw and pulled his teeth off of Zev’s neck, marveling at how the wound closed almost instantaneously. He watched in fascination as the mark faded until all that was left was a raised scar, indicating that the mate claim had been completed. He felt Zev lick the wound he had created and Ben could feel the skin mending itself and knew it would fade to match the mark of his mate.

They lay there for several moments, Zev’s cock still buried inside Ben as they recovered from the rush of natural chemicals that inundated their bodies, letting their breathing slowly return to normal. Zev rested on top of Ben, allowing most of his weight to be supported by the lower half of his body, not wanting to let go of the physical connection just yet. His wolf was sated and happy, but still needed the closeness and the reassurance of his mate’s scent.

Eventually Zev’s cock softened and slid free of its confines and Zev rolled to the side, pulling Ben close. Ben let out a soft sigh of contentment and let himself settle into Zev’s warm embrace.

“So, what happens now?” We just wait for me to go all furry?” Ben asked.

Zev smiled and let out a little laugh. “Well, we could do that. But I’m sure that instead of lying here being lazy, we might be able to figure out something else to occupy our time.” Zev leered at Ben, waggling his eyebrows.

Ben snickered. “You horndog! Is that all you’re going to think about now that I gave it up to you?”

“I might think of one or two other things, but probably not. What can I say? I have a funny feeling you’re all I’m going to be able to think about for the foreseeable future. You and that mighty fine ass of yours! But don’t worry, I’ll slow down if you can’t keep up,” Zev teased.

Ben flicked Zev’s nipple which elicited a sharp hiss and an “Ow!” from Zev.

“You’ll be the one trying to catch up!” Ben said with a snort.

Zev kissed Ben’s cheek. “Let’s find something to eat, I’m starving and you need to get some calories in you. First shifts use up a lot of energy and the more calories you have available, the better off you’ll be.”

Ben nodded. He was pretty hungry, even though they had just had fast food a few hours ago. He took a mental inventory in his head. He had just gone shopping the day before and had plenty of food they could fix.

Zev stood up and Ben watched his ass as he headed to the bathroom. Once he was done, Ben got up and took care of his own bladder and cleaned off the cum that was now dried on his torso. He grabbed a pair of sweatpants and pulled them up over his hips.

The studio was a little cool as they hadn’t turned up the heat when they came in the door as they had been rather preoccupied. Zev had put on just his boxer briefs and Ben appreciated the way the material clung to his sculpted ass cheeks.

Zev was rummaging through the fridge and at Ben’s suggestion he started pulling stuff out to make omelets while Ben started heating up a large skillet. Zev grabbed a bag of frozen potato wedges and julienned carrots from the freezer and tossed them to Ben. While Zev cracked the eggs and started whipping them for the omelets, Ben heated up a little oil, added garlic and onion and let it saute for a few minutes before adding in the frozen wedges and carrots. He then added some seasoning and turned down the heat so they wouldn’t burn.

While the potatoes cooked, Ben and Zev worked side by side slicing some ham and turkey to throw in the omelets. They also shredded some Cheddar and Gouda cheese. Once the potatoes were almost finished Ben turned off the burner and put a few slices of white American cheese on top and then covered the skillet to let the cheese melt while they cooked the omelet.

Zev popped some bread in the toaster oven while the omelet cooked. Ben expertly folded the eggs over themselves and sprinkled a bit of leftover cheese on top and some scallions for garnish. Zev piled the potatoes and carrots onto a plate while Ben cut the huge omelet in half and slid each piece on the plates as well. It smelled divine.

Zev carried the plates into the living room area and Ben watched in amazement as he pulled the top of the coffee table up so they wouldn’t have to bend forward to eat.

“Huh! I didn’t know the table did that. All this time I’ve been leaning forward to eat. Pretty cool,” he remarked.

Zev smirked a little and said, “I found this at a White Elephant sale that one of those gated communities holds once a year a few towns over. Would you believe I picked it up for seven bucks? I love finding a great bargain!”

Ben laughed. “Just another thing we have in common. I guess growing up, knowing that I could basically have whatever I wanted handed to me, made me appreciate the few things that I do have now because I earned them on my own. Since I’ve been gone from where I grew up I haven’t paid full price for anything other than necessities like food. There’s no shame in shopping at dollar stores or thrift shops. I’ve snagged designer clothes with tags on them for just a few bucks. Even brand new stuff I always get on sale or clearance.”

Zev just nodded as his mouth was full of food. He moaned as the flavors hit his taste buds and he exaggerated an eye roll. Ben shook his head and shoveled a forkful of omelet into his mouth. Damn, this was good. Conversation stopped as they both focused on the food in front of them. The omelet and potatoes quickly disappeared from both plates. Zev let out a deep belch as he leaned back on the couch, patting his belly in satisfaction. Ben followed suit, resulting in laughter erupting from both men. They leaned back and Ben snuggled into Zev’s side. This was exactly where he belonged.

Zev’s fingers traced a repetitive path along Ben’s chest and abdomen. He kept hitting a sensitive spot and Ben squirmed each time.

“What are you doing to me?” he laughed, as Zev hit the spot again.

“Sorry! I don’t even realize what I’m doing most of the time. Your freckles make a pattern. See?” he replied, as he traced a pattern of circles on Ben’s torso.

“Huh, I never realized I had a freckle pattern,” Ben remarked, looking down at Zev’s fingers as they glided across the light freckles, following the circular path that he could only now see as Zev teased him.

“It’s just one of those weird talents that people have. I’ve always had a knack for seeing patterns. Logan hated how easy it was for me in math class when the teacher gave us those ‘what’s the next number in the sequence’ questions.

“Yeah, I kinda sucked at those too. It’s cool though, that you can see patterns easily,” Ben said as he shifted to his side.

Zev skimmed his fingers along Ben’s arm and Ben played idly with the soft hair covering Zev’s stomach, neither man really conscious of his actions. If anyone had seen them at that moment they would have thought that the two men had been lovers for a long time, their comfort level with each other showed clearly.

The day had been long and filled with physical activity. The men were both truly tired and their exhaustion soon caught up with them. Ben’s eyes drooped first and within a few moments they were closed and his breathing settled into the slow rhythm of sleep. Zev had a fleeting thought they should move to the bed, but the thought drifted away as sleep claimed him as well. Both men had soft smiles on their faces.