DEVAN
"Don’t stop,” the beautiful omega moaned, his slender body arched up for me to take him deep. I pounded into him, my knot rubbing inside his perfect body and sending him into
fits of ecstasy. The tension began to build in my body, too, my balls swollen and heavy with need for him.
“Ori,” I purred, stroking down his spine. I watched him shiver and mewl, arching his back for more, his round little ass driven back as hard as he could to take me deep.
It shouldn’t have been possible to knot him; only mates could do that, and no one could have mistaken Ori and I for mates. We were the opposite, and if it hadn’t been for the pheromones of his heat driving us both to become our wilder, animalistic selves, we never would have been in this situation at all.
Sweat soaked us both and the hotel room shimmered hot pink and chrome around us, a dizzy whirl of riches that couldn’t last forever. None of this could last forever. Tomorrow, we’d go back to hating each other, but this night, it was all about the heat.
With a loud growl, I shoved my hips forward, pleased by the scream of approval I got for using my alpha strength. I pinned him down with my body, gripping his beautiful ass and using it to hold onto him while I pounded it.
My archenemy, my lifelong nemesis, and I was buried inside of him, locked inside of him with my alpha knot.
I was knotting Ori Wilson.
Wait…
Let’s rewind.
I WOKE LONG before the sun. My clock read 4:37 a.m., but I sat up and stretched my body, a soft groan escaping my lips. Through the big glass windowpanes of my house, I saw a fat crescent moon still hanging proudly in the dark sky, and beyond that, all of Howling Hills Homestead.
Nestled in the rolling green pastures of Howling Hills, California, just outside of Furbitten Falls, my pack and I had a stretch of territory that had become the Homestead. Surrounded by forest and just outside of the suburban city proper, it gave us enough room to all have our houses apart, but on the same land
My pack wasn’t blood, but they might as well have been. All six of us boys had grown up together, and for a long time, most of us had been single, too — although not anymore. Now Nyle and Seph had a baby girl, Grayson had found his mate and had twins, and even Thorne, who had lost his first wife, had ended up finding a second omega and having another baby.
Well, I was still alone, and I intended to stay that way, too. I had more important things to think about.
Yawning, I rubbed sleep from my eyes, woke up the nerves of my face. My muscles were tight from an anxious night’s sleep. Had I dreamed? Maybe, but all I remembered were my thoughts before I’d managed to drift off.
Ori Wilson. Taste Buds. It all rushed back to me and my jaw set into an angry scowl.
I wandered into the bathroom to splash water over my face, the automatic faucet turning on just from the movement of my hand. Lights came on around my bathroom mirror from the motion, as well, and I took care of my bladder without even needing to touch the toilet seat. There were advantages to being rich.
Only apparently, I wasn’t rich enough, because I couldn’t turn down this stupid, obnoxious … opportunity. Finally, my very own food show, produced by a big network … but I had to share it with him.
Nothing ever came easy.
I didn’t need the money, but my ego needed the boost, that was the truth of it. I wanted to prove who was better in the lifelong rivalry we’d had, once and for all. I wanted that plaque on my wall, that show on my resume. Maybe I’d embarrass Ori so much that they would replace him with another co-host, or give the show to me outright.
I walked into my kitchen, still bare-ass naked, despite my house being almost completely made of glass. I had a gorgeous view of the Howling Hills homestead, my friends’ houses in the distance, but they couldn’t see me from that far away. I was both completely exposed and shrouded in privacy. Exactly the way I liked it.
I paused, my feet stopping suddenly on the cold black tile of my expansive kitchen floor. I glanced around at all the shimmering stainless steel, bowls of fruit and vegetables sitting on my marble island countertop, begging me to make something delicious for breakfast.
I realized that for the first time in twenty-six years, I wasn’t hungry. At first, I thought I was sick. My stomach was twisted in a knot, determined to stay empty that morning.
I’d never experienced anything like it in my life. Even my first competition hadn’t gotten to me like this; I’d made a huge stack of practice pancakes the same morning.
I loved food. I lived for food. I could always eat.
Not this morning. Not a chance in hell. Even the idea of cooking made me curl my lip in disgust.
Well, if I wasn’t going to eat, I could at least go for a run. I’d come back hungry for sure.
I shifted into my wolf form, sprouting claws and teeth and dark brown fur, and padded to my back door, which opened for me automatically. I ran. Down the hills, over grass and gravel, under the shimmering crescent moon and bright stars, I ran hard, until my strong, alpha wolf muscles ached and all the tension left my body.
The harder I ran, the hungrier I got. What had been wrong with me, anyway? Was it nerves?
I had sort of been dreading this day for a while, ever since the network came to me and said I was being paired with the world’s mouthiest brat. I had to wonder if he was overcompensating with his attitude, or if his dick actually matched the size of his mouth. It drove me crazy that he couldn’t just shut up and put in the work.
Ori was talented, otherwise he never would have been my rival all these years. I couldn’t stand him, but we had always been matched against each other in every class in culinary school, and every competition thereafter.
When I’d started my own cooking vlog, Gourmet or Get Out!, Ori was one of the first people to notice my success. Less than a week later, he had his own cooking vlog. We rose in popularity together, challenging each other in our videos.
At first I hadn’t been able to understand why network television would want two archenemies to work together, but then I got it — they wanted to see us fight. Like a boxing match, or an episode of Jerry Springer or Desperate Housewives or The Bachelor, we were being put in close proximity in the hopes of creating juicy, primetime-worthy drama.
The premise was pretty simple — take two rival food experts and turn them into best buds by having them tour different restaurants, bars and bistros, critiquing the food without a script. A true reality show, with plenty of banter in between. Yeah, the network had no idea what the hell they’d just signed onto.
Did I?
It didn’t matter. The contract was signed — and I might be wealthy, but with my lifestyle, I’d run out of money eventually if I made the poor choice to become unemployed. I had to give it a shot.
It was a chance to say what I really thought about Ori, no holds barred, on national television. They might edit me, but it was worth a try. They had sweetened the deal quite a bit for either of us to have even considered it.
I just had to manage not to completely blow my top at Ori.
My paws dug into the grass and I ran faster, harder, only to skid to a stop when I heard a familiar howl. Grayson. Where was he?
I howled back, and followed the sound and scent until we greeted each other, both in wolf form, and nuzzled warmly. He licked at my nose and I growled a little, tussling playfully with the other alpha. Grayson was one of my best friends, and it was a relief to see him when I was so upset. I needed to let off that sort of steam.
We rolled on the ground for a few minutes, growling and nipping, and then he took off down the hill, and I knew immediately we were racing.
I managed to catch him just at the bottom of the hill, cutting him off and making it there before him. He pounced on me, and together we rolled the few inches to the bottom, getting our workout for the morning in together.
It was a lot more fun than it would have been alone.
Eventually, the beginnings of dawn started to peek over the hills, and Grayson shifted into a human, lying on his front with his tanned, muscular ass bare to the world. I shifted back, too.
I wasn’t bothered by my packmate’s nudity. We’d been shifting and swimming together since we were kids, and as alphas, there was zero sexual attraction. Grayson might as well have been my blood brother.
Panting for breath, he grinned at me. “What are you doing up so early?” I shook my head helplessly. “Two words,” I explained. “Ori Wilson.”
Grayson knew he was my archenemy. “Oh, is that starting today?” he asked. “Good luck, man.”
I sighed, rubbing at my own face. “I feel so nervous. I hate it. I’m not used to feeling like this.”
Grayson laughed. “What, Devan Puckett, nervous? No way. You’ll be fine,” he assured me, patting my shoulder.
He pushed himself to his feet. “The sun’s getting up. I better get back before Harvey notices I’m missing and worries.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back for breakfast? I’ve got a blackberry wine compote I thought I might put on some waffles or french toast or something.”
Grayson considered that. “Why don’t I bring over the mate and kids?
We can all share.”
That sounded good, actually. Nothing would take my mind off of Ori like cooking for people I loved. “Sure, but be quick. I’ll see you guys at my place in half an hour.”
I shifted back into my wolf form and took off back toward my home, running in through the back door buzzing from my run, but calmer after talking to Grayson. A nice, hot shower was all I needed, so I shifted back into my human form and stretched out my body under the nearly scalding water. That tingle of a slight burn gave me the satisfaction of knowing I was still alive. I could do anything I set my mind to.
Out of the shower, I looked myself in the eyes, a warm, dark grey staring back at me from my tanned face. Whatever Ori threw at me today, I was going to take it in stride, I promised myself.
I got dressed, picking an outfit that was probably a little too put together for casual dining — but a petty part of me wanted to be overdressed, so that Ori looked underdressed. My expensive button-down, pressed khakis and leather shoes were like a second skin to me, but I threw on a blazer, too, and a nicer watch than usual, gold studded with a few diamonds.
It was a little Cuban, but I looked good. I had no regrets.
Grayson, Harvey, and little Luke and Leia, their twin babies, showed up just as I was putting on my apron to start cooking breakfast. I let them in with a relieved smile, hugging Grayson and Harvey.
Taking Leia from Harvey’s arms, I bounced her all the way to the kitchen. “Thanks for coming over, you guys. You’re really going to help me keep my mind off of things. Okay, French toast or waffles?”
“French toast,” Harvey said. “Definitely.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got the morning shift in the ER, so I can only stay for about half an hour.
“No problem,” I promised. “This won’t take long.”
I cut up a loaf of sourdough and started to dip the slices in egg wash, delighted by the sizzle of each slice as it hit the pan. I served Harvey first, a big plate covered in the blackberry wine compote I’d made a few nights ago for cheesecake, and then let Grayson cut up tiny bits of one plain slice to share with the kids while I cooked his and my own.
“You know, I watched Ori Wilson’s show, and I think it’s pretty much just a copy of yours,” Harvey said to me, digging into his food. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, he’s a copycat. I’d be surprised if anything original came from that vapid, empty head of his.”
Grayson chuckled. “You’re so bitter!” he teased.
I growled in warning, but he was another alpha, and a packmate, so he could get away with a little teasing. I just wasn’t particularly in the mood that morning.
By the time I finally sat down to eat, I had my appetite back. In fact, I was starving. I sliced into the steaming hot French toast, covered in chilled blackberry wine compote, and pushed the forkful eagerly into my mouth.
With every bite, my energy came back, and my will to show Ori Wilson who was in charge got stronger.
As soon as Harvey was finished eating, he glanced at his watch and stood up. “Thanks, Devan. Let us know how it goes.” He slipped out, kissing his mate and their babies on the cheek.
Grayson took the kids over to play on the floor and I watched them for a minute, smiling to myself. I was glad the other members of my pack were finding their mates and having kids, because I certainly wasn’t ready for it.
I turned to start the dishes, and had just begun to load the washer when Grayson stepped over and held his arm out to stop me.
“You’ve gotta go soon, right?”
“Yeah,” I admitted. “I might be pushing it till the last minute, though.”
He smirked and squeezed my shoulder. “Go on and get out of here then,” he said. “Break a leg and all that. I’ll finish wiping down the counters and we’ll let ourselves out.”
He was right. No way I’d show up late to the first day of filming. I wouldn’t give Ori the pleasure. “Thanks, Gray. I’ll catch you later.”
I grabbed my keys and paused by the door. Was I prepared to meet Ori and record the first episode of Taste Buds?
I knew what I was getting myself into. There was nothing Ori could throw at me that I couldn’t handle. I waved one last time at the kids as I left, and took a deep breath on the outside of the door, inhaling the fresh forest air of Howling Hills.
My black BMW sat shining under the well-risen morning sun, reflecting my silhouette back at me in the driveway. My heart gave a strange, loud, deafening thump.
You can do this, Devan. You’ve dealt with far worse than Ori Wilson.
I straightened my shoulders and strode forward with confidence. No omega with an attitude problem was going to ruin my big break. Not today.
2
