The Defiant Claim - The Claim: Book 2 [LGBTQ+]

Sam didn’t want to give Mik another chance, but a small part of him did. He knew that part was the matebond and fighting against that hurt more than he could describe. The heartache and need to be with Mik terrified him. He didn’t want to try again. He had given Mik everything and it wasn’t enough. How much more did he have to give?

He could see the regret in Mik’s eyes. He had never looked at Sam that way before and it pushed him over the edge. He came to the cells not knowing what the outcome would be, only that he knew they needed to talk. He was hoping Mik would lash out in anger and Sam would be justified in locking him behind bars and moving on with his life, never to have to see him again, but this…

This was beyond his expectations.

He tried not to let his emotions get the best of him. He tried not to break down. He didn’t want to cry anymore over Mik but he couldn’t help it. He’d never seen Mik be so open with his thoughts and feelings and, more than anything, that was what he longed for months ago.

But he cheated! He used you! He’ll never want you the way he’ll want a female!

His mind swirled with all the reasons why he shouldn’t give Mik a chance. Mostly, he was tired. Tired of trying. Tired of being the only one who cared. And he was tired of sitting around all day and not being able to do anything, but at the same time… he felt too tired to do anything too. He knew part of that was because he was recovering from his fall, but he knew the other part was the fact that everything seemed hopeless now. What was the point in living if the one made for him couldn’t love him for who he was?

He knew he was depressed. He knew what it felt like the first time he was depressed. This time, he saw no hope, no light at the end of the tunnel. The hope of a mate was one reason that helped him keep going and now that was stripped away.

He stared at Mik from his wheelchair next to the couch as he slipped a hoodie over his head. He had just come out of the shower—the stink of living in the cell for a week washed away and replaced with the scent that tugged on Sam’s nerves. Sensual and earthy with a hint of soapiness still lingering on the surface. He watched the slim muscles of his back flex under tight skin, his form a lot leaner than before. Scars etched across every inch of his back in long deep gashes that made his stomach clench. Those hadn’t been there before.

As if sensing he was being watched, Mik turned and his eyes bore into Sam—but Sam quickly looked away. He didn’t say anything. The thundering of his heart spoke loud enough for Mik to hear twenty feet away.

“I’m starving. How about you?”

Even though he hadn’t eaten all day, Sam said, “No.” Anxiety gnawed relentlessly at his stomach.

Mik calmly approached him, while Sam’s heart rate kicked up even faster. Sweat gathered on his palms and he curled them into fists to try and clamp in the smell. He looked away, not meeting Mik’s gaze as he stopped in front of him.

“I’m going to go to the pack house and grab something to eat. You sure you don’t want anything?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ll go hunting later and make something nice for dinner. Any preferences?”

“No.”

He could tell that Mik was trying, but he couldn’t get past the memory of his face buried in the crook of that female’s neck. It haunted him. He had so many questions that he was afraid to ask. How long had that been going on? Did he kiss her? Touch her under her clothes? Did they have sex?

But he couldn’t ask. Every time his thoughts drifted to those questions and conjured up images, he wanted to throw up.

Even though Mik told him why he did it, Sam still couldn’t help asking himself over and over again. Why? Why? Why? Why couldn’t he accept him for who he was? Why was he created for him? Why would the Moon Goddess do this if She knew his nature?

Agonizing minutes of mental anguish passed before Mik returned. Sam’s stomach was in so many knots, the sight of Mik walking in made him gag.

“What’s wrong?” Mik asked as he set two containers of food on the counter before shedding his coat and boots.

Sam tried to swallow the bile down, but it stuck in his throat. “You.”

“Still pissed at me, huh? Understandable.” Mik pulled up one of the wooden chairs from the kitchen in front of him. “You still need to eat.”

“I said I’m not hungry,” Sam sniped as Mik turned back to the containers sitting on the counter.

“Even I know that’s bullshit. But I’m the one taking care of you now.”

Mik reached for the circular Styrofoam container and pulled the lid off. He pulled open the drawer holding the utensils and withdrew a spoon. Dipping the spoon into the container, he stirred it around. Steam wafted up and Sam could smell the chicken noodle soup ten feet away. “Damn, I should have picked up a little for me,” he mumbled under his breath.

Sam’s mouth began to water against his will. The thorny vines coiling around his stomach unraveled a little, releasing a loud growl that drew a blush from Sam and a smirk from Mik.

“Alright, you can continue to stew in your anger—as you have the right to do—but right now,” Mik sat down on the chair in front of him, “I’m going to feed you until you can’t eat anymore. Only until you’re satisfied will I permit myself to eat. Now open wide. I’ll try my best not to spill or dribble any down your chin but I have no experience whatsoever with this kind of thing.”

“I’m your first?”

“You’re my first.”

Sam couldn’t help the heat spreading across his face and the little flutter of his heart. The thought of being a first for something in Mik’s life humbled him.

Mik must have picked up on the shift of Sam’s emotions as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Lifting the spoonful of soup to his lips, Mik blew on it before holding it out to Sam’s mouth and mumbled, “You’ll be the first for a lot of things.”

The warm liquid entered his mouth and he closed his eyes as he closed his mouth, trapping the delicious food and savoring it as Mik slipped the spoon out from between his lips. He chewed the soft noodle and swallowed before opening his eyes and catching Mik’s, his pupils large before he blinked and looked down at the container of soup in his hand.

“Like what?”Sam found himself asking.

Sam watched Mik’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as he scooped up more soup on the spoon.

“You’re the first wolf I ever took care of. First wolf to feed from my hand…”

The spoon entered Sam’s mouth—a piece of carrot in the broth—and slipped out. He chewed the carrot and swallowed. “Like mates do.”

“Mate or not, you need to eat just like I needed to eat months ago. It’s definitely… different… on the giving end…” Mik stirred the soup with the spoon. Was there a hint of a blush creeping up behind his ears?

“More focus is required,” Mik mumbled, lifting the spoon again to Sam’s lips. “Hand-eye coordination.”

Sam felt his lips burning with Mik’s intensifying stare on them as he accepted the spoonful of soup. He watched the shape of Mik’s mouth as he lifted each spoonful of food to his lips and withdrew it, unconsciously mirroring the movement of Sam’s lips as he ate. He dribbled a few times and Mik was quick to mop it up from his chin with the edge of his sweater’s sleeve.

“Why are you doing this?” Sam asked after a few minutes while Mik was scooping up more soup.

Heat flared up Mik’s neck again, turning it and his ears red. Now that he had no hair to conceal it, Sam could see and smell it strongly. It tickled his nose, a foreign scent to him that he couldn’t help but smile at.

“I… I want…” Mik mumbled, chewing on his lip and avoiding Sam’s eyes. He heaved a shuddering breath as his brows knotted together. “I want to take care of you.”

It sounded forced. Like the words were difficult to spit out. If it weren’t for his scent and the flustered red revealing all, his tone could have been taken the wrong way.

“You do?” Sam couldn’t help the skepticism from leaking out in his voice.

Mik nodded, his head still lowered.

“Why?”

“Why did you take care of me when I was cruel?”

Sam pressed his lips together. All he wanted back then was a chance.

But he had never cheated on Mik. He wasn’t wracked with guilt. There was a difference between doing something from the heart and doing something from guilt and regret.

At the same time, if Sam didn’t take responsibility for him, Alpha would have thrown him in prison.

“You know why. It was either I took care of you and hope for the best or let Alpha throw you in jail for attacking the pack. Of course, I chose to take care of you. Why wouldn’t I? But you… Why would you take care of me if not out of guilt?”

“I already told you,” Mik grumbled. “If you don’t want to believe me right now, that’s fine. But you’ll see. In time, you’ll see that I’m not the same male.”

Mik brought another spoonful of soup up to Sam’s mouth. He accepted it and told him he was done. He could have eaten more, but he was done with the conversation and wanted to be left alone to think.

With a grunt, Mik pulled away and returned the container to the counter before grabbing his own and plopping himself down on the couch next to Sam to eat.