Feral Northern Shifters 2

Bram didn’t know where to look. Ethan’s gaze refused to let go and while usually it was a good thing to look away from someone and cede way, that wasn’t the case here and now. Ethan was no werewolf. Instead he was a captive cougar asking for something Bram was in no position to give. Freedom.
Pulling himself up into a crouch, inches from Bram, Ethan reached out a hand and placed it on Bram’s knee.
He tried to stifle his reactive shudder but didn’t succeed.
Ethan waited until Bram got used to the heat of his hand on his knee.
“Bram?” asked Ethan in a low voice.
Bram gave up pretending he was unaffected. “It’s hard to breathe.”
Cocking his head, Ethan regarded Bram as if trying to interpret a foreign language. “You held me, not that long ago. You held me repeatedly.”
“That’s different.”
“Okay.” In one movement, Ethan turned and slid sideways in between Bram’s knees, a surprising invasion that Bram couldn’t resist. Then Ethan turned so they had their familiar embrace, his back resting against Bram’s chest.
He should push Ethan away. It was the right thing to do, but slowly and carefully Bram wrapped his arms around this thin stranger who jerked in the hold even while moving deeper into Bram’s lap. They were awkward and difficult with each other, but Bram did not want to let go. Neither did Ethan, for Bram could smell his desire.
“Your cat is…?” Bram didn’t know how to ask if Ethan’s cougar was desperate to get out.
“Okay. For now, anyway.” Ethan turned his head to lay his cheek against Bram’s chest.
“You’re okay, you mean.”
“I’m not okay, you must know that. But…this is better. Can you tell me why I like to hear your heart beat?” It was an oddly wistful question and Bram felt completely out of his depth. Was he supposed to even answer? Well, he couldn’t. Ethan gave a shuddery sigh that echoed something inside Bram. “I don’t really think you’re okay either, Bram.”
Bram held Ethan tighter, and breathed in Ethan’s scent. There was something a little wild and foreign, something cat, or maybe just Ethan. It turned Bram on.
Ethan had to know, had to feel his erection pressing against the small of his back. Bram nuzzled Ethan’s neck in apology, and Ethan repeated, “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
He didn’t answer, simply leaned back, head against Bram’s shoulder to rest there. Bram shouldn’t, but he raised one hand and stroked that long neck. Ethan groaned, turned his face into Bram’s neck and licked the skin.
Bram jittered in reaction and Ethan said, “Shhh. Settle down.” Before Bram could declare that was impossible, Ethan slid his tongue along the dip above Bram’s collarbone, and Bram jumped again.
“You have me at a disadvantage.” Ethan spoke against Bram’s throat. “So many disadvantages. You can smell my arousal, but my sense of smell is not quite so acute. On the other hand, I can hear your heart beating too fast, your breath going in and out quickly.”
Bram clamped down hard on Ethan so he couldn’t move.
“Why are we like this together?” There was a kind of wonder in Ethan’s voice.
Bram cleared his throat. “I’ll let you go.”
“I don’t want to be let go. But I need you to help me. You know that.”
“Doug,” began Bram, but didn’t know what to say beyond that. Doug was in charge, not him.
“Doug is going to kill me.”
“ No .” Bram didn’t believe it, and wouldn’t allow it.
“Like Gabriel.”
“Doug despised Gabriel. They’re not at all alike.”
“I think you’re wrong.”
“You haven’t been hurt,” Bram pointed out.
“Not physically, but this containment is hurting me. I need out , Bram . ”
“Even if I let you out of here, you wouldn’t escape. We’re at the pack headquarters.”
Ethan’s entire body stiffened. “Oh God. Not here again.”
“It’s not like last time,” Bram insisted.
“No. Because last time someone helped me get away.”
Despite himself, Bram stroked Ethan’s face. A kind of silent promise because Bram couldn’t say anything. While he hoped his loop of tape was still running, there was always the awful possibility that Doug had returned and was listening.
“Oh,” said Ethan, voice toneless. “I really thought you might help me. I thought I could be more persuasive than this. Out of practice. Out of practice with a lot of things.”
“Patience,” Bram mouthed, subvocally, and Ethan jerked his head around, trying to make eye contact.
“The camera