Slow Shift by Nazarea Andrews (best summer reads of all time txt) 📕

but subsides, sitting back quietly, and Stephen says, “You were saying?”

“We want to expand our Pack,” Chase says abruptly. “But obviously, we can’t turn our own.”

Stephen’s eyes narrow and he says, “You want me to give someone the Bite? They would be my betas.”

“Not if I forged a Pack bond with them,” Chase says easily, like it is easy, like it’s something any mage could or would offer.

“And Chelsea?” Stephen’s eyes slip to Tyler, briefly apologetic.

“Chelsea is not part of this discussion, same as she has never been part of our alliance,” Tyler says evenly.

“It becomes a part of the discussion when your Alpha takes issue with my Pack for growing her Pack.”

“Chelsea would be our problem, if it came to that,” Lucas says, “The alliance says nothing about protecting us from or involving you in inner-pack disputes.”

Stephen nods and says, “I would like three days to consider. You are, of course, welcome in our territory and Pack house while I decide.”

Chase nods, and some of the tension finally drains out of him.

~*~

“She’s quiet,” Tyler says, watching the shy blonde girl, Jessica, behind the bakery’s counter. She’s talking to a little girl sitting on her father’s hip, a smile on her lips, but her hands shake as she does.

“And sick,” Lucas murmurs.

“Cystic fibrosis. She was diagnosed when she was a child,” Chase says, “It's why she works here and lives at home instead of going away to college.”

Lucas huffs. Chase says, “Ezra—the curly one in the corner. His dad was beating him, kept him locked up for days on end. Jessica talked her folks into letting him rent the apartment above their garage for some light manual labor. Joseph—the pastry chef—she met when they were both in therapy. They helped each other. Joseph’s little sister was kidnapped while he was watching her and Jessica accepting her disease. And then they helped Ezra.”

Lucas frowns, watching them.

“They're loyal and they're family. And we’re finally safe enough that we can think about it.”

“They might not want the Bite,” Tyler says and Chase looks away, feeling the pang of losing Ben again.

“Bring them to the house,” Lucas says abruptly, “We should at least get to know them before we invite them into our damn Pack.”

~*~

He whines, and Tyler’s hand on his neck tightens, claws pricking deliciously as he holds Chase still and fucks him with these slow, deep thrusts.

The little house is empty and they’ve been fucking for what feels like hours—Tyler had jerked him off at the front door and rimmed him torturously slow until Chase spilled untouched across Tyler’s bed. Then worked him open while Chase panted and whimpered, before he fucked him, Chase torn between begging for more and scrambling away, his limbs tingling and clumsy, his mouth dry and bruised, his cock hard again.

“Tyler, please,” he whines.

Tyler licks over the back of his neck, digs his teeth in, gentle. “You can come anytime, sweetheart,” he murmurs and rolls his hips, that slow maddening rhythm that brushes against his prostate and drives Chase into the sheets, a delicious friction that makes him breathless.

“Love you like this,” Tyler growls, and Chase groans, tries again to thrust back onto his cock at the sound of the wolf in Tyler’s voice. “When you’re all flushed and spread out and begging, gods, Chase.” His rhythm stutters, and Chase wails. “Want you like this, always. Just... Don’t fucking leave, don’t ever leave me,” Tyler whispers.

Chase twists his head, his eyes dazed and shining. “Never. Not ever gonna leave you,” he vows.

Tyler moans, fucking him hard as he comes, and Chase shrieks when he wraps a large hot hand around his cock and strokes him off quick and rough, until Chase is shaking through his orgasm, sobbing into the messy sheets.

After, when Tyler has tossed the condom aside and is curled around Chase, the younger man studies him. “You know I won’t, right? That I’m in this forever. I’m not ever leaving you or Lucas.”

“You could.”

Chase nods and drags Tyler’s head down so he can stare in the wolf’s eyes. “But I won’t.”

~*~

Chase invites Jessica and the boys over to Aurora’s one weekend, says they’re going to grill and to bring beer. None of them were especially anxious to share the den with them before the offer had been made and accepted, and this—it takes the pressure off.

He knew that Tyler was nervous, that Lucas had been in a foul mood all week, but he wasn’t. It was soothing, following Aurora’s directions as they set up the outdoor lounge area and pool. He’d been friends with Jessica for long enough that it feels almost natural.

But Jessica and the boys she brings with her are part of his life at the community college, and close as it was to the Pack, it was still removed. He understands Tyler and Lucas’s hesitance.

Still, they feel right, and he smiles at Tyler, kissing him gently on the cheek. “It’s gonna be great, babe.”

Jessica walks in as Tyler kisses him back, a little possessive, and she whistles, high and cheeky. “Damn, DeWitt. You never do that when you bring him into the shop.”

Tyler is blushing and from his chair in the shade, he can hear Lucas’s low laugh. Chase grins, pointing at the blonde hanging on Joseph’s arm and wearing a Batman shirt over her shorts. “You behave, or you’ll scare him off.”

Her grin goes sly. “He looks hard to scare, but it might be fun.”

Tyler eyes her and bares his teeth, and Jessica giggles, pleased with his reaction. It makes the ‘wolf blink and Chase waves them in as he hides his smile.

It’s going to be great.

~*~

He’s surprised, but he likes them.

He likes shy quiet Ezra who sasses Jessica and then ducks away behind Joseph with a mischievous smile. He likes Joseph who quietly sips his beer and watches Jessica and Ezra, his gaze fond, protective, and wanting in turns.

He wonders which one Joseph wants, or if it’s both.

He adores Jessica, who’s snarky and loud one minute, then shaking and quiet