Rory heard him, but was too sleepy to do more than murmur unintelligibly back at him before sinking down into his dreams.
Chapter Five
Casey woke up slowly, comfortable with Rory’s sweet, little body close to his. Someone knocked insistently on the bedroom door. “Casey? Rory? I’ve cooked breakfast for us. Come out when you’re ready. ”
Leaving Rory sleeping soundly, Casey went into the bathroom to pee and splash water on his face. He put on his jeans and T-shirt and padded softly out to the kitchen, where Ian was already drinking a cup of coffee and buttering a piece of toast.
“I hope you like sausage and eggs. ” Ian spread some blackberry jam on his toast and took a big bite.
“I’m starving. ” Casey sat down to eat, motioning over his shoulder at the bedroom. “Rory’s still asleep. He hadn’t had a chance to recover from the mating and being in heat before all this started. ”
“We’ll save him some. Actually, I wanted to talk to you anyway before Marco comes over to question you both. ”
“God, Marco again? I’m gonna punch his lights out before this is over. ”
“I know you two don’t get along, but Marco is Rory’s uncle, don’t forget, and he’s practically raised him since his father died. He loves Rory, just like you do. ”
“Not just like I do. Nobody loves him as much as I do. ”
“Sorry, I stand corrected, but you understand what I mean. He does love Rory and wants him to be happy. If he finds happiness with you, fine, but if not…”
“Rory’s happy. I keep him well satisfied. ”
“I have no doubt you’ll keep him sexually satisfied, but are you capable of giving him the other things he needs to be happy?”
“What do you mean?”
“You have to forgive him for your brother and end your quest for revenge. ” “Rory’s wolf killed him, and now the wolf is dead. ” He shrugged. “End of problem. ”
“That isn’t what you told him, and mental abuse is as cruel as physical. Rory’s wolf may have died physically, but he’s still wolf in his mind. He isn’t a pet and shouldn’t be treated or exhibited as such. ”
“That’s over with. I told him I was wrong, and I meant it. ”
Ian nodded and moved away from the subject. “Wolves are all dominants—some more than others, though. You’re obviously an alpha, and I suspect, like myself, you are the type who likes the dominant lifestyle domestically, and plays it, shall we say, a little rough in the bedroom. ”
Casey flushed. “I wouldn’t abuse him, if that’s what you’re getting at. ”
“Maybe not intentionally. Playing the dominant may not be new to you, but being a submissive in any way is to Rory. That swat you gave him, hurt him. Sometimes we don’t realize our own strength. Remember, you are trying to correct behavior, not inflict pain. And you never ever correct when you’re angry or upset. ” Ian leaned forward to emphasize the point.
Cody blushed and ducked his head. “I know that now. I’ll tell him how sorry I am. ”
“As for sexual play,” Ian continued. “Does he have a safe word?”
“A what?”
“A word he can say when it gets to be too much for him. A random word you know he wouldn’t say in the normal course of your love play. ”
“We really haven’t had much love play yet. ” They hadn’t. They’d only had sex once after Rory woke from the mating and heat induced sleep.
“Be sure you give him one, and if he uses it, everything stops immediately. I have some books you could read. You really need to be trained properly if you want to dominate him seriously. Remember being a Dom doesn’t mean you have the right to be an asshole. It’s got to be consensual, or it’s abuse, plain and simple. Talk to Rory. I think he must be a natural sexual submissive since your blood chose him, but he’s very young and very shy. Find out what his limits are. Then respect them. Understand?”
Casey had been paying careful attention and nodded thoughtfully. “I’d never hurt him, you know. ” Not again, not knowing what losing Rory did to him even if it had only been a few hours. When Rory rejected their mating, he had gone crazy, and once he calmed down, he understood what Marco had felt when Nicky had been kidnapped and how those feelings had been transmitted to his pack, and to Rory. It was what made Rory attack his brother. He had to believe what Nicky said too. No matter how painful it was to think of his brother as a rapist, he knew deep down Aaron had intended to rape him.
“I know you wouldn’t hurt him intentionally. If he’s agreed to put himself in your hands, then he’s given you a great gift and an awesome responsibility. Respect it. ”
“Are you talking about me, Ian?”
Both men turned as Rory came into the room, still wrapped in a blanket. In all the confusion of the night before, he’d never retrieved anything to wear. H