Ben didn’t care what they did so long as he got Dave’s sexy ass naked and in bed within the next five minutes. “Fine. But first, I’m marking you.” Ben lunged across the table, but he wasn’t quite fast enough to catch Dave. The Beta was on his feet and gone, leaving Ben to clutch the air he’d occupied.

“Wait. Do you honestly think I’m going to be the catcher in this little ball game?” Dave grinned, the goofy look Ben had come to love on his face. His mate wanted to play.

Ben was willing to oblige him. “I’m sorry; which one of us lost that air hockey game?”

“That was for tulle, not tush.”

Ben started laughing. The man was insane, and everything he’d ever needed. “You’re so goin’ down.”

“You wish.” Dave leered at him, but Ben could see the remnants of fear lingering in his eyes. Part of Dave still believed Ben would push him away.

Once he’d marked Dave that fear would disappear. It had to. Ben couldn’t bear to see it in Dave’s eyes anymore. “C’mere, Dave.”

Dave’s goofy grin turned feral, the Beta’s power pulsing around him. “No.” He crooked his finger at Ben. “You come here.”

Ben fought the pull of his Beta, but it was hard. “Do I look like a bottom?”

Dave nodded, his hot gaze travelling up and down Ben’s body.

“Hell, no.” No way was Dave shoving anything up Ben’s ass.

That feral grin turned downright evil, and Ben feared for himself. “Are you telling me you’re a cherry boy?”

Ben glared at Dave, refusing to answer, but he knew his cheeks were bright red. “You know there’s only one way to decide this.”

Dave smirked, the picture of utmost confidence. “You sure you wanna do this?”

“Oh yeah.” Ben held up his closed fist.

“Are you prepared for the abject humiliation that will follow your defeat?” Dave laughed at Ben’s low growl. He held up his own fist. “Ready?”

“Rock paper scissors shoot! Shit.” Ben looked at his flat hand and Dave’s vee’d fingers and knew he’d lost the first round. “Best two out of three.”

Dave shrugged. “If you like; just know you’ll lose.”

Ben gritted his teeth. No way could he lose this, or he’d lose something a lot dearer to him. His butt cheeks clenched. “Rock paper scissors shoot! Hah! Paper covers rock.” One more win and his ass was safe.

Dave merely held up his fist. “Last one.”

“Rock paper scissors shoot!” Ben stared down at his vee’d fingers, a chill running down his spine.

“Rock breaks scissors.”

Before he could react to his loss Dave was on him, his fangs buried in Ben’s neck, and Ben forgot everything but his raging hard-on.

Chapter Nine

Dave shivered at the needy moan Ben let loose. He needed his mate to mark him back, to claim Dave the way he’d always dreamed. “Bite me. Make me yours.” Dave carefully removed Ben’s shirt. No way was he damaging it. The man had sworn to wear it to the Pack meeting. If that didn’t say commitment Dave didn’t know what did. The mocking would be relentless, and Ben had to know that.

Belle was going to have a field day with it.

Ben growled. He buried his fangs in Dave’s naked chest, the pain of the bite rapidly fading as Ben pumped him full of the mating enzyme that would mark Dave as his forever. Dave’s dick hit Def Con One, ready to shoot off at the slightest move Ben made.

Shit. He had to get Ben naked now. Anything less was unacceptable. He cupped the back of Ben’s head. “Let go, Ben.”

Ben growled and stroked Dave’s cock through his boxers.

“Shit, Ben. You want me to come in your hand?”

He felt more than saw Ben’s nod.

“Hell, no.” He tapped Ben’s ass. “This baby is all mine.” Dave pulled Ben’s head away from his chest by the hair. That beautiful, dark silky hair he now had every right to touch. “You’re mine, Benjamin Malone.” It took all his strength to keep the sudden tears from his eyes. You’re finally mine.

Some of the feral need leached away from Ben’s face to be replaced by a tenderness so sweet Dave almost lost his battle with his tears. “Yours, baby. Forever.”

Without further prompting Ben stripped, and Dave got to look his fill without fear he’d see contempt or loathing in his mate’s eyes. Ben was seriously ripped, with six-pack abs and a chest that begged for Dave’s hands. Faint scars marred his skin here and there, scars he’d noticed but never thought twice about. Now that he knew where they’d come from he had the urge to kiss each and every one of them. He couldn’t make what had happened to Ben better, but he could show his mate that none of it mattered anymore. Dave’s eyes travelled farther south, and Ben’s cock twitched. His lips curled in a hungry grin at the sight of his mate’s desire.

“Now you.”

Dave’s brows rose at the command in Ben’s voice. He had the feeling that, no matter what he might think, they’d both wind up “catching” at some point. Ben was too dominant to be a permanent bottom, and Dave would do anything to make his mate happy.

But first things first. He was the Beta, after all, and he’d won the right to take his mate first. Dave was going to make Ben beg for him.

Dave slid his boxers down and kicked them aside. His erection bobbed as he walked backward toward the bedroom. “Tell me you packed lube.”

Ben’s brows rose. “Of course. I was coming to claim your ass. I may not have been a Boy Scout but I understand ‘Be prepared’.”

Dave grinned. “And maybe someday you will get a shot at my ass.” He almost laughed as Ben stumbled. “But today, to the victor goes the spoils.” He pointed to the bed. “Lay down and spread ’em.” He eyed the bed and sighed. “Just like a virgin sacrifice.”

Ben growled as he stomped past Dave. “Asshole.”

“Not yet. I have to prep you first, remember?” Dave batted his lashes at Ben, laughing at the man’s grumbles.

Ben climbed onto the bed and positioned himself on his back. “Let’s get it over with.” The state of Ben’s cock belied the grumpy tone of voice. It was rock-hard, standing up from the dark curls of Ben’s crotch.

“Impatient, are we?” Dave crawled up the bed until his face was level with Ben’s cock. “Where’s the lube, Ben?”

Ben reached into the side table drawer and pulled out a bottle, placing it next to him on the pillow. His breathing was quick and shallow, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

This wouldn’t do. Ben was so tense that no matter what Dave did he knew it would hurt. He had to get Ben to relax, and he had just the way to do it. He needed to make his mate come in the worst way, and if getting Ben off once before he took him relaxed the man, then that’s what Dave would do.

Dave leaned down and licked a long, slow line up his mate’s cock. Ben’s indrawn hiss was the only indication Dave had that he was doing something Ben liked. If anything, the man’s thighs tensed up even more.

Dave lapped at his man’s cock like his life depended on his performance. He treasured it, loved on it until his mate was writhing beneath the gentle movements of his tongue, and he still hadn’t taken Ben in his mouth yet.

He reached for the bottle of lube and slicked his fingers up, careful to keep his tongue in constant contact with Ben’s cock. He teased his mate’s hole with gentle strokes, hoping to get him used to the feel of Dave’s touch. He leaned up and over Ben’s cock and, with one last flick of his tongue, took his mate into his mouth. At the same time, he carefully pushed his finger inside Ben.

“Oh shit.” Ben was groaning. “Ow. Shit. So good.”

Dave tried not to smile as his mouth moved up and down his mate’s cock, his finger sliding in and out of Ben’s hole. He searched for and found the rough spot inside his mate that had the man practically levitating off the bed.

“Oh God, Dave. Suck me, baby, please.” Ben’s hands finally let go of the sheets to bury themselves in Dave’s hair, holding on as Dave sucked on him. His knees drew up, then straightened, his hips twisting either to get away from or get more of Dave’s mouth and finger. Dave couldn’t tell which, but from the way Ben was digging his fingers into Dave’s hair he’d bet it was the latter.