His Perfect Mate [Nehalem Pack 6] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) by AJ Jarrett (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📕

lay there like a dead fish. Tobias hadn’t been gentle as he bit down on Carl’s body. He used savage force that made Carl feel like a dog’s chew toy.

Tobias started at his neck and worked his way down to Carl’s ankles, which Carl had to admit hurt the worst. At times he could actually feel Tobias’s teeth scrap against his bones. When Tobias felt the front had been covered enough he flipped him over and started on his backside.

As Tobias took bite after bite he continued to talk to Carl. He said how much he loved him and how he hated having to punish him. Carl wasn’t buying it. If Tobias truly loved him he would never have done the things he had or abused Carl. Love didn’t mean pain. Jake had showed him that in the short time they spent together.

Jake had treated him like a normal person, not some damaged weakling. He took his time with Carl and didn’t force himself on him. The kisses they had shared were soft and gentle the way Carl always imagined it should be.

Even in the beginning with Tobias the man had a roughness in him that frightened Carl. The first time they made love it wasn’t all Carl had dreamt it would be. Carl had just turned sixteen and shouldn’t have been faulted for changing his mind. When he asked Tobias to stop the man ignored his pleas. He took what Carl wasn’t really sure he wanted to give.

It disgusted him to think about now. He should have seen Tobias’s true colors back then. But he hungered for love so badly he dismissed all his misgivings. His own ignorance had put him in this position.

“Answer me,” Tobias growled then struck the back of his neck.

Carl cried out at the sharp impact. He could feel the blood trickle down his neck to stain the fluffy white comforter underneath him.

“I don’t know,” he answered as best he could. His breathing had picked up and he sobbed into the blanket.

“We were so happy once.” Tobias lowered himself to lie on top of his back. The roughness of his pants scraped along his bites and Carl flinched. “Don’t you remember those times, my pet?”

He’d cried so much he no longer produced tears. All he wanted to do was die. He didn’t want to give up but he couldn’t go on like this anymore. To lie to Tobias just to stay alive didn’t seem worth it.

The heat of Tobias’s body left his back. He thought maybe the man had left the room but he hadn’t. Strong fingers rolled him over. Carl blinked open his eyes to look at Tobias. He tried to remember how he ever thought he could possibly love this man. There had been a time he thought Tobias was the most gorgeous creature he had ever laid eyes on but now all he saw was a monster. The man’s dark eyes now looked like lifeless black pits and his strong body only promised pain not pleasure to give.

“I need to know one thing, my pet.” Tobias grabbed him around the ankles and yanked him to the edge of the bed. “Did you let that man fuck you?” Tobias narrowed his eyes at him.

“No,” he answered honestly. That would be his only regret, that he didn’t get the chance to make love to Jake.

“Good.” Tobias looked satisfied now that he knew that. It made Carl hate him a little more. “I’m going to go run you a bath, then afterwards I’m going to make love to you. We need to make up for lost time.”

Carl watched as Tobias walked away. He wanted to scream no but his cries would fall on deaf ears. Tobias thought he owned him and in a way Carl guessed that he kind of did.

As he lay on the bed he stared up at the ceiling. Part of him still prayed that Jake and his friends would swoop in and save the day like comic-book heroes always did. But he just didn’t know anymore. Maybe all these bad things were happening to him because God felt he needed to be punished for something.

Carl snapped his head to the side and stared at the door. Over the sound of the running water Carl thought he heard a snarling growl.

Could it be? Could Jake be coming to rescue me? Has God seen it fit to grant me safe harbor out of this house of nightmares?

He strained to listen more but all he could hear was the sloshing of the water. For one brief moment he got his hopes up but it was a wasted emotion. This was his life now. A prisoner to a crazed man who he hoped would soon kill him.

* * * *

Jake reached the top step and peered around the corner. He ducked back around when he saw a man standing in the kitchen.

“There’s only one man in the kitchen.” He held up one finger.

Seth nodded his head. “I’ll take him out and you go in search of your mate. I can handle this asshole.” Seth rolled his head on his shoulders and Carl watched as the air grew hazy around Seth. In a flash Seth had shifted and motioned with his muzzle toward the second set of stairs.

Jake darted across the hall into the foyer. Just as he reached the steps he heard something hit the floor followed by Seth’s loud growl. He didn’t stop. Jake took the stairs two at a time until he reached the top. He walked along the hallway trying doorknobs and sniffing the air. Carl’s scent was faint. The coppery smell of blood dominated over Carl’s sweet smell.

The door at the end of the hallway stood out like a spotlight. Jake had a feeling that was where he’d find his mate. He took one step then another until he was racing toward the door. He stumbled to a stop before he crashed into the door. If Carl was in