Mika's Pack - 1. Mika

"H-Hi," Mika stuttered, staring wide-eyed at the bulking men in front of him. "C-Can I h-help you?"

The group of men chuckled as they eyed the small man. “We're sorry for scaring you, little one," the largest of the three said, stepping forward. "I'm Alpha Lovel." He held out his hand to the shaking wolf.

Mika looked around before hesitatingly shaking the bigger wolf's hand. The minute that skin came into contact with skin, a shiver ran down his back, causing him to snatch his hand back in reflex.

Lovel chuckled, his eyes darkening as he took in the appearance of his nervous mate. Large, dark-blue eyes were framed by short, wavy black locks. He was surprisingly pale for a wolf, not that it mattered. His creamy, pale skin made his pink lips seem all the more kissable. Who would have guessed that when he went to investigate the new wolf in his territory he'd find his adorable mate, who smelled divine?

"I'm Mika," he said as he stared at Lovel with wide eyes. The man topped his small 5'6" frame by at least a foot and a half. He was a mountain of rippling muscle that sent arousal straight to his groin.

Lovel's eyes glowed when Mika's arousal hit him. He had to stop himself from reaching out and taking the small man into his arms, ravishing him on the spot. A cough from somewhere in the back was the only thing that stopped him. He looked at his beta, Travis, who was staring at the café's window, and followed his gaze. He saw that they had indeed drawn a small crowd. "This isn't something that we should discuss out in the open. Would you please come with us?"

Mika looked around again, biting his lip before slowly nodding. His instincts were telling him that it was alright, that he should go with the wolf and stay with him forever, if he could. That last part confused him, but it didn't stop him from climbing into the car with him. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked once he was seated across from Lovel in the back of an SUV.

"No, no, sweetheart, nothing at all." Lovel replied. "We just need to clear up a few things."

"Oh...okay." Mika flushed at the endearment, looking everywhere that wasn't directly at Lovel. "What about?"

Lovel smiled, relaxing back into the seat once he sensed that the tension had eased from his mate. “Well, first of all, what pack do you come from?"

Mika tensed, looking around uneasily before shakily responding. "I-I don't have a pack," he began as he softly ran his tongue over suddenly dry lips. Lovel's eyes snapped down towards his mouth, watching the small appendage before it disappeared behind Mika's lovely lips.

"You were kicked out?" He frowned, hoping that wasn't the case. Shifters—wolves—craved contact. And for the small wolf to have been out in the world all on his own, it would have been absolute torture.

"Um no…" Lovel sighed in relief when he heard his response. "I've never had a pack at all," the raven-haired wolf clarified. Lovel froze, staring at him with a mixture of shock and horror.

"Then, who do you spend the full moon with?"

"No one," he answered, shifting in his seat.

"What about your parents?" He regretted the question the minute it left his mouth when sadness poured off his mate in waves. "Orphaned." Lovel pulled his small mate onto his lap, tucking his head underneath his chin while running his hand up and down his back in comfort.

"Who's been taking care of you this entire time?" he asked once Mika relaxed.

"Master Luca."

A rumble started in Lovel's chest that built its way up until it was spilling from his mouth. What man dared to have his mate refer to him as “Master”? Once he found him he'd put a stop to it. He stopped growling once he realized that his mate had stiffened up again. "Tell me about this Luca."

"Master Luca," Mika corrected, undaunted. "Master Luca is the best. He saved me from the rogues that killed my family, and he took me in even though I had nothing to offer."

Lovel's irrational anger at Luca subsided for a moment when he listened to the happiness that bled through as his mate spoke of the man.

"He always puts my needs above his. He's the one who taught me all about shifters," Mika finished, peering up at Lovel from under his bangs.

"That was very kind of him." It looked like he wouldn't be able to teach the man a lesson after all. The repercussions from his mate wouldn't be worth it. "I'd very much like to meet him."

"No."

Lovel blinked in surprise. "No?"

"No," Mika confirmed, moving out of Lovel's lap—much to the other wolf's displeasure—and back to the seat. "Master Luca doesn't like visitors; he says they're too troublesome."

"Really?" Lovel asked with a quirked smile.

"Until very recently, we lived in seclusion. You're the first shifter I've seen since my family," Mika said as he looked down at the floor and picked at the hem of his shirt.

"Why did you come here then? This is one of the busiest cities you could have picked."

"Master Luca said that just because he's a solitary old bat doesn't mean I should be one too—that I can't spend the rest of my life keeping him company." Mika frowned, looking up at Lovel. "I didn't agree, but we still came here." His frown disappeared, and he gave Lovel a shy look. "I'm glad we did now."

"Me too." He gave Mika a pleased look when his cheeks flushed. "Tell me Mika, what did Luca teach you about mates?"

"Um…all shifters have soul mates, which are the other halves of their souls. Some shifters never find theirs, but that's really rare." He recited what he had learned in books and from Luca.

"Yes, but do you know how they identify their mate?"

"Oh, by smell; mates are supposed to smell really good….oh." He looked at Lovel with wide eyes, a dark blush gracing his cheeks. Lovel laughed, happy that his mate finally caught on. "Does that mean...you're my mate?"

"Yes," He answered as he leaned forward to draw the smaller wolf into, what he intended to be, a short and chaste kiss. It changed the moment their lips met for the first time. Mika groaned softly, allowing the tongue stroking against his bottom lip to gain entrance. Lovel pulled the small wolf back onto his lap, tilting his head up so that he could deepen the kiss.

Mika whimpered at the heat pulling in his lower regions. He pressed closer to Lovel, grinding the sudden hardness of his core against the bigger wolf's stomach. Lovel reached down and cupped Mika's bottom, pressing him down on his own erection, creating a nice friction between the two of them. The groan that left Mika nearly made him loose what little he had left of his control. The only thing stopping him from ripping the clothes from his body and fucking him into the back seat was the fact he could smell his mate's innocence, and he wouldn't taint his first time in the back seat of a car. With that thought in mind, he pulled back, trying to ignore the whimper that left his mate and the hard-on pressed against him. He looked down at Mika and had to stifle a groan. Mika's lips were wet, red, and swollen. His cheeks flushed a deep red, and his eyes were glazed-over in lust. "Was that your first kiss?" He chuckled when all he received was a nod.

Mika, slightly dazed, was startled when his watch went off. "I need to get going home; it's getting late," he gasped, moving out of Lovel's lap and nibbling on his own bottom lip.

"Mika, I can't let you go home; it's too dangerous right now." Lovel warned as he pulled the small wolf back against him.

"Dangerous?" he questioned, tilting his head back to stare up at Lovel.

"Over the past few weeks, shifter wolves have been disappearing from all over the city and no one has any clue as to where they could be," Lovel explained.

Mika frowned, bringing his index finger to his mouth to nibble on it as well.

“That's not good…not good at all,” Mika replied as he weighed the consequences. “But, Master Luca will protect me, you know. You don't have to worry."

Lovel's inner wolf stirred at the mention of another man protecting what he considered his. "But, you're my mate. You understand that much, right Mika? That means that I need to protect you, and I can't do that if you're not with me. It's not your friend's job to protect you anymore; it's mine because you're mine."

Mika flushed at the possessive words, ducking his head to avoid Lovel's intense gaze. "Well maybe…we can talk to Master Luca. He would be upset if I didn't show up at home."

Lovel smiled lovingly down at the small wolf, stroking his dark strands. It was the first sign of trust, a precious thing. "We will convince your friend that it will be safe to come home with me." He didn't really care whether Luca actually agreed with him or not; his mate was coming home with him where he would be safe.

"Mika…" A soft, sultry voice breathed into the phone that Mika placed to his ear. "Where are you?"

"Master Luca…I…found— Well they found me but I— There were these wolf shifters!" He finally managed to squeak out. Soft, bell-like laughter came from the phone, causing Mika to relax. His master didn't seem to be upset.

"Put the Alpha on the phone." Mika hurried and complied with his master's wishes, handing the phone over to Lovel who took it with a look of surprise.

"Alpha Lovel speaking."

"Hello, Alpha Lovel, this is rather a surprise. I didn't expect to hear from you, or any other shifter, for at least a few more weeks."

"Really?" Lovel's hazel eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why is that?"

"Mika, of course. I figured that, sooner or later, one of the packs here would find him. That was, after all, the entire purpose of our moving here...so that he would eventually be found."

"You wanted Mika to find a pack?" Lovel mused in realization.

"Yes. A wolf can only remain 'lone' for so long before they need comfort from others wolves. And you can provide for him what I cannot," Luca replied, a barely audible sigh leaving him.

"Well, I have to say that I'm pleased with your choice. As it is, Mika is my mate."

"Hah…better than I could have expected! I sought a family for my ward, and now he has both that and a mate."

Lovel could hear the self-satisfaction and amusement in Luca's voice. "I would like for Mika to come home with me… Lately, there have been disappearances happening all over the city. All of those that have gone missing have been shifters."

"What?" All amusement fled from Luca's tone and Mika flinched from his position on Lovel's lap. Mika recognized that tone. His master was upset, very upset.

"Which is why I would like for Mika to come home with me. Normally, I'd court him before having him move in but, due to the circumstances I can't—no, I won't have him come to harm."

"Yes, I understand. Under the circumstances, Mika will be safer with you."

Lovel blinked in surprise at how easily the man had given in. From the way Mika acted, he had expected a fight.

"I will look into these disappearances, as well, and let you know what I find. Until then, you'd better keep Mika safe." The threat was clear behind Luca's words.

Before Lovel could even reply, he was met with a dial tone. The smug bastard had hung up on him.

"So…I'm going home with you?" Mika asked, tilting his head to the side curiously.

Lovel nodded, tucking Mika against his side. The small wolf happily snuggled against him, laying his head on Lovel's shoulder. He stroked Mika's raven locks absently, thinking about how his sister would react to the cute wolf. He froze as he thought about the rest of his family. How would Mika ever survive his mother? Oh, his poor wolf.