Page 13 of Reclaiming Quinn
Chapter Four
QUINN REGRETTEDthe words the moment they left his mouth. Was he actually asking Deke to punish him? It made no sense, and yet…. Yes, he needed to be reminded, even if it hurt.
“Okay, if that’s how you want it to be. Lie down on the bed, on your stomach.”
Fear coursed through Quinn. Deke was nowhere near as big as Ryker had been, but he had muscles from working hard. Quinn shuddered at the thought of the damage Deke could do. Still, he’d given an order, and it wasn’t as though Quinn would disobey. He began to shuck off his clothes, but Deke stopped him.
“Leave them on. Just get on the bed.”
Quinn crawled to the center of the huge bed, his arms at his sides, his body rigid. A moment later, Deke hauled himself up onto the mattress and stretched out beside Quinn.
“So you need to be reminded? Okay, I can do that for you.”
Though he had braced for the impact, Quinn hadn’t expected what came next. A hand, so gentle, slid over his back. It was soft, soothing, and it confused Quinn.
“I don’t know what your life was like with Ryker, but it’s never going to be that way with me. For me, reminding you who you belong to is a pleasure. It’s an honor to have you, and you should be treated accordingly.”
The pressure grew, and Quinn sighed in contentment as Deke’s hand glided over his back, down his arms, then up again. It was so unlike anything Quinn had experienced before. If Quinn had to attribute a word to it, he would say it was almost reverential.
“No one should beat another person, especially one they are responsible for. And believe me, I am responsible for you as much as you are me. You told me once that it was up to you to care for me, but don’t you understand that it’s my job to do the same for you? I need you healthy, happy, and whole if you’re going to… serve me. I can’t have you sick or hurt. Could I give you bruises? Could I break bones? Yes. But ask yourself this, Quinn. Why? What do I get out of it? If I did that, then I would be bereft of your attentions while you healed.”
Deke’s voice was firm and steady but held no anger. Quinn melted into the bed, hovering just above sleep.
“There are two ways to rule: fear and respect. Ryker was about fear. He terrified everyone, and he loved that fact. I look at the faces of the people from his old pack, and I can still see they’re haunted. Lyram, our Alpha, is doing his best to undo what Ryker did. He’s got doctors available to everyone to help them come to terms with their new lives, but they can only do so much. It’ll take someone who can reach them to actually heal. The other way to rule is through respect. That’s what Alpha Gareth used, and it’s what Lyram is doing too. I need you to tell me, who would you rather do something for? Someone who is going to smile and thank you for your help, or someone who might turn on you at any moment?”
Though he wanted to answer, Quinn was far too relaxed as Deke kept up his ministrations.
“That’s how I want you to see me. I won’t ever hurt you, I won’t ever be disappointed if you can’t do something, and I’m always going to be there for you if you need me, like I hope I can depend on you to be there for me.”
Yes, Quinn would do anything Master asked of him, if only he wouldn’t stop….
POOR QUINN.Deke kept up the gentle massage, and when it relaxed Quinn enough for him to fall asleep, Deke smiled to himself. Despite the fact Quinn thought he was keeping his sleeplessness a secret, Deke knew. It wasn’t easy to miss the pacing in his room, the muttering too low for even a wolf’s hearing. He knew Quinn couldn’t understand the difference between him and Ryker, but now maybe they had time to explore that.
He marveled at Quinn’s soft skin. When Quinn had started taking his clothes off, Deke had to force himself to stop him, even though he longed to see his mate naked. He wanted to explore that beautiful body, to show Quinn that a touch could be pleasurable and not painful. What would it be like, he wondered, if he got up in the morning and found Quinn still asleep, so he’d sneak to the kitchen and prepare breakfast, rather than Quinn waiting on him? Okay, so he wasn’t as skilled as Quinn, but he was certain he could make something that would satisfy his mate.
Mate.
Goddess, the mere word filled Deke’s heart with love and pride. He’d never known mates were a real thing. He’d always assumed, like Gareth had, that they were something concocted by human writers. What if Mother Moon had subtly influenced humans into writing the words to give hope to the wolves? Maybe. And maybe Deke needed to stop being so hard on her. She might be a goddess, but when your chosen ones are slaughtered, it’s sure to throw you into despair. That was why she recreated Sean and made him her Omega.
Mother, please forgive me my uncharitable thoughts. Quinn is one man, and despite his importance to me, I can’t imagine the pain you underwent losing all you created.
A tingling blossomed in Deke’s chest, working through his body, touching the core of his being. He knew it was the Moon Mother; it had to be. When Quinn rolled over, then wrapped an arm around Deke’s stomach and snuggled in with a whimper, Deke had to believe it was Mother, telling him that they would help Quinn.
Thank you. I swear to guide him as best as I can. Like I said, he’s one man, but he’s my man, and I would die before I let him be hurt again.
“Deke?”
The word, said in sleep, still shook Deke to his depths.
“You’re safe, Quinn. Rest.”
He put an arm around Quinn and held him close until Quinn again slipped into a deep slumber, with Deke following behind shortly after.
THE SUNpeered into the room, blowing away the cobwebs that filled Quinn’s head. It shone so brightly in the sky, the effect magnified as it reflected off the lake. Goddess, it seemed like it was going to be a…. It was then he realized, the sun was up! He hadn’t started Master’s breakfast or—
“Good morning, Quinn.”
Master sat at a rollaway table, with an enormous breakfast laid out on the top, as he sipped a cup of coffee. Quinn sniffed, and his stomach rumbled at the scents of bacon and sausage, the tartness of berries, the tangy pucker of grapefruit juice, and the aroma of pancakes, which, though he never told anyone, were Quinn’s favorites.
