Primeval fic: Wants And Needs - birthday fic for Clea2011
Title: Wants And Needs
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~3010
Characters: James Lester, Niall 'Blade' Richards (OC), Alex (OC), Kay (OC) and Marcus (OC)
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. Blade belongs to Fred and the puppies to Fifi.
A/N 1: For Clea2011 and her prompt: Would you want to have a go at Pupverse? What about a little scene where Uncle James looks after the pups for a few hours because their dads have to rush off on an anomaly or something? Would that be a prompt that might entice the muse? They'd LOVE Lester's office... The muse didn't exactly agree, but I hope you like it anyway.
A/N 2: Follows on from Fififolle's Itch. Thanks go to Fififolle for the beta and advice. All remaining mistakes are mine.
Blade had caught the brief flash of emotion that crossed Lester's face when Becker had asked him to look after the puppies when the second shout occurred and the captain's team was up. It was why he'd taken himself off to the firing range and spent a good half-hour demolishing targets with extreme prejudice. He was such a sodding fool and had to wonder if he'd made a fucking mistake when he'd... they'd... He sighed and sighted before pulling the trigger once more and blowing a hole dead centre in the head of his target.
Of course he fucking had, he just hadn't thought when he'd scented Becker and knew for sure the omega was going into heat. He'd gone to check on Lester, to see if Ryan had clobbered him for coming on to his bitch, even if Lester wasn't really a threat. The last thing Blade had expected when he'd walked into Lester's office was to be hit by the scent of an aroused and needy beta. It had hit him hard and he'd needed to fuck, just as much as Lester had needed to be fucked. He'd looked so lovely and needy and...
But now, Blade had to wonder if Lester had truly wanted it, wanted him. The man had pulled off being an alpha to almost everyone for years but he'd stripped naked without a second thought and begged to be knotted. In his office where anyone could have seen them and realised that Lester was a beta. Hell, he'd even fallen asleep with Blade's knot tying them together and he'd never have done that in his right frame of mind. Not that Blade had been in a much better state, normally he wouldn't have but Lester had been so fucking... he shook his head to scatter those thoughts, lovely as they were.
Was it any wonder Lester hadn't wanted to talk about them being more? Blade could have outed him to the entire ARC, let alone to his superiors, and undone all of Lester's hard work. He could think of several interested parties that would have loved to see Lester that needy, begging for it and... It was fucking obvious that Lester had been overwhelmed by Becker's heat and... and he now probably thought Blade had taken advantage of him. Everyone knew betas found it harder to control their instincts, especially around an omega in heat. It made them an easy target for predatory alphas after a quick fuck, one of the reasons a lot of alphas didn't respect them. Blade should have known, he had known, but Lester was normally so controlled that he hadn't even considered... and now he'd fucked up by knotting Lester.
Blade felt his cock fill at the memory, Lester had been fucking gorgeous when he was that needy, shoving his arse back for more, opening for him, and the feeling of being inside him... He took a deep breath, thankful that his reputation would make anyone who saw him like this think it was only a reaction from firing guns and not because he was thinking of knotting Lester again... fuck!
He shook his head and turned, automatically cleaning and putting his gun away in the armoury before his feet took him towards Lester's office. He needed to know for sure if he had fucked up and lost any chance he might have had with Lester if he'd taken his time to date.. yeah, he could just imagine Lester's reaction to that as it really would have outed the man as a beta. Maybe he could still salvage the situation... which reminded him. He changed direction to deal with his arousal first, he couldn't see Lester like that, the man might get the wrong - well, right - idea and then there were the puppies to think about.
***
Once his problem was - temporarily - dealt with, Blade strolled up the ramp towards Lester's office. He smiled as he heard the yaps of his bosses' puppies and knocked softly on the door.
“Enter.” Lester called out, sounding his normal controlled self.
Blade quickly stepped inside, his nose twitching subconsciously as he tried to detect any residue of their mating, but he could only smell polish and clean puppy. He looked up to meet Lester's eyes and gave an apologetic smile at the reproachful look he saw in the man's eyes. “Sorry, sir,” Blade said before smiling when Marcus yapped at him. He bent down and picked up the little black puppy, cradling him gently in his arms. “Have you been behaving for Uncle James?”
Lester nodded stiffly. “They seem to be fascinated by my paperwork.”
Blade smiled. “They want you to play with them, sir, not work.”
“I do...”
Lester bit his words off and turned away, his back straight, and Blade knew he'd touched a nerve. Of course he fucking had, even if these weren't the pups of his mates, Lester would still have the instinct to care for them. He glanced down when Marcus yipped at him, feeling the reproachful eyes of the little black puppy. “How about I play with you while Uncle James finishes what he's working on, and then he joins in?” When three happy barks greeted his comment, Blade looked up and quirked an eyebrow at Lester.
“Fine,” Lester grumbled, although from the look on his face, Blade knew the man really had wanted to play with the puppies rather than complete his paperwork, he'd just needed an excuse.
Blade sat down on the floor and grinned when Alex brought over a tug-a-rope, grabbing one end while the blond puppy tugged on the other. He glanced around to check on the other two, Kay was playing with her doll and Marcus was sniffing a rug. Blade swallowed as he recalled exactly what had happened at that spot and he called out, “Marcus, come and join in.” He glanced up at the sharp intake of breath to find Lester staring at that spot, the faint blush on the beta's skin evidence he was also remembering that moment. “Maybe we should see about lunch?”
Lester's gaze snapped over to meet his before the beta nodded. “If you would be kind enough to pick me up a sandwich, Lieutenant.”
“You need a break too,” Blade said before realising how those words might sound, hoping his next would take any sting out of them. “I'll need help with this handful, sir, and you are allowed a break.” He smiled as he added, “I'm sure it is in all of our contracts.”
“Hmm.” Lester reached down and picked up Kay when she yipped at him. “Terrible waste of valuable time.” He smiled when Kay wiggled in his arms and licked his hand. “But I'm sure I can make an exception for you.”
Blade's heart almost skipped a beat at Lester's words, wondering if they were meant for him before dismissing it, knowing he must have been talking to Kay. He frantically thought cold thoughts as he had no wish to sport an erection around the pups. He risked a glance at Lester and noticed the beta smirking at him, the bastard had obviously noticed Blade's situation. Well, two could play at that game and he shot the man a look, raking his gaze up and down Lester's body before licking his lips.
“Blade!” Lester's voice was whip sharp as it lashed out.
Blade's cock twitched at the order before he cursed himself for being a fucking fool again, he didn't want to have to explain to Ryan or Becker why he was flirting with Lester around their puppies. “Sorry, sir.” He noticed another look flash across Lester's face and bit back a shiver of interest. He... they needed to talk, he needed to know what Lester wanted from him, that was, if the beta still wanted anything from him.
Lester nodded before sighing as he eyed the alert puppies, all watching him now food had been mentioned. “Maybe it would be better if you brought their lunch in here, Lieutenant?”
***
Blade pressed the buzzer on Lester's intercom and waited for the man to answer, his mind going back to the lunch he'd shared with Lester and three over-excited puppies. It had been controlled chaos and he'd winced more than once when they'd come close to knocking over any of Lester's expensive-looking ornaments. As much as he loved the puppies, it had still been a relief when Becker had arrived to collect them. He'd seen the captain's eyes widen when he caught Blade in Lester's office, his gaze flickering to Lester and back to Blade.
Blade had risen shortly after Becker had left with the pups, collecting the debris of their impromptu lunch and froze, swallowing hard as he realised what Becker's sharp look might have meant.
“Yes,” Lester's voice dragged Blade out of his thoughts. “Becker knows.”
“Ah,” Blade shifted slightly, recalling that he hadn't given Lester any prep and the man would have felt it for a week and fuck, who else had noticed? “Sir...” His words trailed off when Lester raised a hand.
“Not a discussion for these walls, Lieutenant.” Lester looked indecisive for a moment before he continued, “I believe you know my address? Be there, eight tonight and we will talk.”
And now it was a few minutes to eight and Blade had no real idea of what Lester wanted from him. Oh, the man wanted to talk but Blade couldn't shake the feeling it would be to tell him Lester wasn't interested. How could he be, when a relationship with Blade would risk outing him as a beta and risk losing him everything he'd ever worked for?
***
Lester's flat was as elegant and perfect as the man was and Blade turned from his inspection of it to meet Lester's assessing gaze. He fought the urge to fidget while wondering what Lester was thinking. Blade knew he was a sodding idiot to get himself into this situation; before he could watch Lester from a distance and admire him, and not just for the way he had almost everyone fooled that he was an alpha. Now, however, now that he'd claimed and filled and knotted Lester... he wanted it again. “Sir?”
“What am I to do with you, Lieutenant?” Lester enquired mildly.
Blade had several ideas, some he was sure Lester would love, and it took him several moments to get his libido under control. He swallowed hard when he met Lester's eyes and hadn't the faintest idea how to answer. “In what way, sir?”
Lester snorted and shook his head. “What could you want with me, Blade?” He raised a hand when Blade opened his mouth to respond. “I'm your boss and more than that, I'm a beta. What use would I be to you?”
Blade just blinked at Lester, how could the man think that? He knew he'd made another fucking mistake when Lester sighed and left the room, the clink of mugs the only hint of where the man had gone. Swiftly following Lester, Blade frowned slightly as he watched Lester potter about his kitchen, the line of tension in the beta's back was obvious and he had a pretty good idea what the cause of it had been. Lester's comment about use and the look he recalled seeing on Lester's face when Kay had barked for attention and he'd scooped her up and rubbed noses with her... but that was a discussion for later, once he knew where he stood with Lester.
“James, please look at me.” Blade almost took a step back at the look on Lester's face when the man spun around to face him. “I've known you were a beta for months.” His words trailed off when Lester's expression grew colder.
“So that's why you came in?” But Blade knew that wasn't really a question, not when Lester continued without waiting for him to answer. “Betas can't be trusted around omegas in heat, we have no control over our instincts, our need to mate.” Blade almost swore when Lester spouted the thinking of many alphas when it came to betas. He'd known many betas who were more competent than alphas, but were denied promotion over those same alphas. All because of that fucked up belief that a knot somehow made an alpha better than a beta. His heart sank when Lester's tone grew bitter, “Well, Blade? It that why you came into my office? Because you knew I was a beta and would be gagging for it?”
“No!” Blade had to try to convince Lester, even if the man didn't believe him. “That's not true, James. Sir. I fucking didn't think about that. I knew Becker was in heat and I saw Ryan storm into your office, the look on his face. I thought he'd hurt you. I just didn't think about it until I stepped into your office and...” He stopped and took a calming breath, there was no need to go over those events, not when he still had to convince Lester he was telling the truth. “Have I treated you any differently, sir? Have I been disrespectful or acted in any way like I knew you weren't an alpha?”
“No,” Lester admitted, but bitterness still tinged his words when he added, “But now I've begged for your knot?”
“It still doesn't change a thing, James,” Blade assured him. “You're still the boss at work.”
“And here?”
“And here,” Blade repeated as hope fluttered in his heart. “Nothing except I want to be with you, to have whatever you're willing to give me, for however long you'll want me.”
“You don't want to mate me?”
Lester's voice held something that Blade wasn't sure he could identify, so he told the truth. “If you'd have me, I'd mate you in a heartbeat. To love and protect and knot you.” Blade grinned, his green eyes sparking. “And if you want to fuck me...”
Lester blinked, his eyes widening. “You'd bottom for a mere beta?”
“NO!” Blade growled when Lester dismissed himself so easily, closing the distance between them and kissing Lester hard before stepping back to give the man space. “I'd bottom for you, James.”
Lester swallowed before taking a deep breath. “I was mated, once. My alpha took my pups and my omega...” Blade almost reached out to comfort him when Lester's voice broke, forcing himself to respect Lester's space as the man continued, “he said I was no good. That I wasn't submissive enough. That...”
Blade couldn't stand the pain on Lester's face or in his voice, he stepped forwards and stopped those hateful words with another firm kiss, but he was careful not to demand anything from Lester. He might want Lester, had wanted him for months, but he wasn't about to force the beta. He respected Lester too much for that, the same as he respected Becker. Both men had risen above their designations to prove they were as good as any alpha and if anyone even hinted otherwise, they'd have Blade to deal with. “He was a fucking fool, James. You're worth ten of him.”
“Even if he has a knot?” Lester shook his head as he moved away from Blade. “You know what most people will say about me being the director of the ARC if they find out I'm a beta? That I shouldn't be trusted with it, that I lack self-control. And they'd be right, I almost forced Becker.”
“No, James. They'd be wrong. You stopped yourself, you fought down the instinct and controlled yourself.”
“Really?” Lester asked mildly. “I seem to recall stripping naked in my office and begging to be fucked, to be knotted. Anyone could have seen us, seen you fucking me. Those are not the actions of a man in control, Blade.”
Blade couldn't disagree with that, not when it was the truth and they both knew it. He racked his brain for something else to convince Lester he was wrong. “Maybe, but your record speaks for itself, James.”
“Not as far as they'd be concerned. They'd say I allowed Becker to stay because I'm a beta and as for Cutter...” Lester shook his head. “Can you imagine his reaction? He already hates having to follow my orders when he thinks I'm an alpha, once he finds out I'm not I'll lose all authority over him.”
“If Cutter makes any comment I expect he'll have blue balls for a month.” Blade continued when Lester quirked an enquiring eyebrow, “Hart might not like you much, but he had to deal with all that shit about being a beta. I know Cutter fought for him to get a grant; the committee was all for giving it to some fourth rate idiot just because he had a knot.”
Lester chuckled slightly before his expression sobered. “Unfortunately I doubt that would work on the enemies I have made during my career. Ones who wouldn't like finding out they were beaten by a mere beta.”
Blade snarled. “Anyone has a problem I...”
Lester cut him off, his tone sharp. “I'll deal with them.”
Blade nodded, knowing he couldn't fight Lester's battles for him if the beta was outed, not without fatally undermining his authority. Lester had to win his own fights, as Becker had, if he was to retain his position as Director of the ARC. “Yeah, but I'll have your back.”
“I'd like that.” Lester smiled before tilting his head to look at Blade for a long moment, long enough for Blade to have to still the urge to shift under that considering gaze. “Do you know what I want now, Blade?”
“Sir?” Blade asked, his cock already hardening at Lester's words.
Lester smirked before holding a hand out and drawing Blade closer, his erection pressing against Blade's. “You.”
Blade nodded, even though he wasn't sure if Lester meant his knot or his arse. Blade was quite willing either way and if he could have both, all the better. And hopefully in the morning, he'd finally find out if this could be permanent.
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~3010
Characters: James Lester, Niall 'Blade' Richards (OC), Alex (OC), Kay (OC) and Marcus (OC)
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. Blade belongs to Fred and the puppies to Fifi.
A/N 1: For Clea2011 and her prompt: Would you want to have a go at Pupverse? What about a little scene where Uncle James looks after the pups for a few hours because their dads have to rush off on an anomaly or something? Would that be a prompt that might entice the muse? They'd LOVE Lester's office... The muse didn't exactly agree, but I hope you like it anyway.
A/N 2: Follows on from Fififolle's Itch. Thanks go to Fififolle for the beta and advice. All remaining mistakes are mine.
Blade had caught the brief flash of emotion that crossed Lester's face when Becker had asked him to look after the puppies when the second shout occurred and the captain's team was up. It was why he'd taken himself off to the firing range and spent a good half-hour demolishing targets with extreme prejudice. He was such a sodding fool and had to wonder if he'd made a fucking mistake when he'd... they'd... He sighed and sighted before pulling the trigger once more and blowing a hole dead centre in the head of his target.
Of course he fucking had, he just hadn't thought when he'd scented Becker and knew for sure the omega was going into heat. He'd gone to check on Lester, to see if Ryan had clobbered him for coming on to his bitch, even if Lester wasn't really a threat. The last thing Blade had expected when he'd walked into Lester's office was to be hit by the scent of an aroused and needy beta. It had hit him hard and he'd needed to fuck, just as much as Lester had needed to be fucked. He'd looked so lovely and needy and...
But now, Blade had to wonder if Lester had truly wanted it, wanted him. The man had pulled off being an alpha to almost everyone for years but he'd stripped naked without a second thought and begged to be knotted. In his office where anyone could have seen them and realised that Lester was a beta. Hell, he'd even fallen asleep with Blade's knot tying them together and he'd never have done that in his right frame of mind. Not that Blade had been in a much better state, normally he wouldn't have but Lester had been so fucking... he shook his head to scatter those thoughts, lovely as they were.
Was it any wonder Lester hadn't wanted to talk about them being more? Blade could have outed him to the entire ARC, let alone to his superiors, and undone all of Lester's hard work. He could think of several interested parties that would have loved to see Lester that needy, begging for it and... It was fucking obvious that Lester had been overwhelmed by Becker's heat and... and he now probably thought Blade had taken advantage of him. Everyone knew betas found it harder to control their instincts, especially around an omega in heat. It made them an easy target for predatory alphas after a quick fuck, one of the reasons a lot of alphas didn't respect them. Blade should have known, he had known, but Lester was normally so controlled that he hadn't even considered... and now he'd fucked up by knotting Lester.
Blade felt his cock fill at the memory, Lester had been fucking gorgeous when he was that needy, shoving his arse back for more, opening for him, and the feeling of being inside him... He took a deep breath, thankful that his reputation would make anyone who saw him like this think it was only a reaction from firing guns and not because he was thinking of knotting Lester again... fuck!
He shook his head and turned, automatically cleaning and putting his gun away in the armoury before his feet took him towards Lester's office. He needed to know for sure if he had fucked up and lost any chance he might have had with Lester if he'd taken his time to date.. yeah, he could just imagine Lester's reaction to that as it really would have outed the man as a beta. Maybe he could still salvage the situation... which reminded him. He changed direction to deal with his arousal first, he couldn't see Lester like that, the man might get the wrong - well, right - idea and then there were the puppies to think about.
***
Once his problem was - temporarily - dealt with, Blade strolled up the ramp towards Lester's office. He smiled as he heard the yaps of his bosses' puppies and knocked softly on the door.
“Enter.” Lester called out, sounding his normal controlled self.
Blade quickly stepped inside, his nose twitching subconsciously as he tried to detect any residue of their mating, but he could only smell polish and clean puppy. He looked up to meet Lester's eyes and gave an apologetic smile at the reproachful look he saw in the man's eyes. “Sorry, sir,” Blade said before smiling when Marcus yapped at him. He bent down and picked up the little black puppy, cradling him gently in his arms. “Have you been behaving for Uncle James?”
Lester nodded stiffly. “They seem to be fascinated by my paperwork.”
Blade smiled. “They want you to play with them, sir, not work.”
“I do...”
Lester bit his words off and turned away, his back straight, and Blade knew he'd touched a nerve. Of course he fucking had, even if these weren't the pups of his mates, Lester would still have the instinct to care for them. He glanced down when Marcus yipped at him, feeling the reproachful eyes of the little black puppy. “How about I play with you while Uncle James finishes what he's working on, and then he joins in?” When three happy barks greeted his comment, Blade looked up and quirked an eyebrow at Lester.
“Fine,” Lester grumbled, although from the look on his face, Blade knew the man really had wanted to play with the puppies rather than complete his paperwork, he'd just needed an excuse.
Blade sat down on the floor and grinned when Alex brought over a tug-a-rope, grabbing one end while the blond puppy tugged on the other. He glanced around to check on the other two, Kay was playing with her doll and Marcus was sniffing a rug. Blade swallowed as he recalled exactly what had happened at that spot and he called out, “Marcus, come and join in.” He glanced up at the sharp intake of breath to find Lester staring at that spot, the faint blush on the beta's skin evidence he was also remembering that moment. “Maybe we should see about lunch?”
Lester's gaze snapped over to meet his before the beta nodded. “If you would be kind enough to pick me up a sandwich, Lieutenant.”
“You need a break too,” Blade said before realising how those words might sound, hoping his next would take any sting out of them. “I'll need help with this handful, sir, and you are allowed a break.” He smiled as he added, “I'm sure it is in all of our contracts.”
“Hmm.” Lester reached down and picked up Kay when she yipped at him. “Terrible waste of valuable time.” He smiled when Kay wiggled in his arms and licked his hand. “But I'm sure I can make an exception for you.”
Blade's heart almost skipped a beat at Lester's words, wondering if they were meant for him before dismissing it, knowing he must have been talking to Kay. He frantically thought cold thoughts as he had no wish to sport an erection around the pups. He risked a glance at Lester and noticed the beta smirking at him, the bastard had obviously noticed Blade's situation. Well, two could play at that game and he shot the man a look, raking his gaze up and down Lester's body before licking his lips.
“Blade!” Lester's voice was whip sharp as it lashed out.
Blade's cock twitched at the order before he cursed himself for being a fucking fool again, he didn't want to have to explain to Ryan or Becker why he was flirting with Lester around their puppies. “Sorry, sir.” He noticed another look flash across Lester's face and bit back a shiver of interest. He... they needed to talk, he needed to know what Lester wanted from him, that was, if the beta still wanted anything from him.
Lester nodded before sighing as he eyed the alert puppies, all watching him now food had been mentioned. “Maybe it would be better if you brought their lunch in here, Lieutenant?”
***
Blade pressed the buzzer on Lester's intercom and waited for the man to answer, his mind going back to the lunch he'd shared with Lester and three over-excited puppies. It had been controlled chaos and he'd winced more than once when they'd come close to knocking over any of Lester's expensive-looking ornaments. As much as he loved the puppies, it had still been a relief when Becker had arrived to collect them. He'd seen the captain's eyes widen when he caught Blade in Lester's office, his gaze flickering to Lester and back to Blade.
Blade had risen shortly after Becker had left with the pups, collecting the debris of their impromptu lunch and froze, swallowing hard as he realised what Becker's sharp look might have meant.
“Yes,” Lester's voice dragged Blade out of his thoughts. “Becker knows.”
“Ah,” Blade shifted slightly, recalling that he hadn't given Lester any prep and the man would have felt it for a week and fuck, who else had noticed? “Sir...” His words trailed off when Lester raised a hand.
“Not a discussion for these walls, Lieutenant.” Lester looked indecisive for a moment before he continued, “I believe you know my address? Be there, eight tonight and we will talk.”
And now it was a few minutes to eight and Blade had no real idea of what Lester wanted from him. Oh, the man wanted to talk but Blade couldn't shake the feeling it would be to tell him Lester wasn't interested. How could he be, when a relationship with Blade would risk outing him as a beta and risk losing him everything he'd ever worked for?
***
Lester's flat was as elegant and perfect as the man was and Blade turned from his inspection of it to meet Lester's assessing gaze. He fought the urge to fidget while wondering what Lester was thinking. Blade knew he was a sodding idiot to get himself into this situation; before he could watch Lester from a distance and admire him, and not just for the way he had almost everyone fooled that he was an alpha. Now, however, now that he'd claimed and filled and knotted Lester... he wanted it again. “Sir?”
“What am I to do with you, Lieutenant?” Lester enquired mildly.
Blade had several ideas, some he was sure Lester would love, and it took him several moments to get his libido under control. He swallowed hard when he met Lester's eyes and hadn't the faintest idea how to answer. “In what way, sir?”
Lester snorted and shook his head. “What could you want with me, Blade?” He raised a hand when Blade opened his mouth to respond. “I'm your boss and more than that, I'm a beta. What use would I be to you?”
Blade just blinked at Lester, how could the man think that? He knew he'd made another fucking mistake when Lester sighed and left the room, the clink of mugs the only hint of where the man had gone. Swiftly following Lester, Blade frowned slightly as he watched Lester potter about his kitchen, the line of tension in the beta's back was obvious and he had a pretty good idea what the cause of it had been. Lester's comment about use and the look he recalled seeing on Lester's face when Kay had barked for attention and he'd scooped her up and rubbed noses with her... but that was a discussion for later, once he knew where he stood with Lester.
“James, please look at me.” Blade almost took a step back at the look on Lester's face when the man spun around to face him. “I've known you were a beta for months.” His words trailed off when Lester's expression grew colder.
“So that's why you came in?” But Blade knew that wasn't really a question, not when Lester continued without waiting for him to answer. “Betas can't be trusted around omegas in heat, we have no control over our instincts, our need to mate.” Blade almost swore when Lester spouted the thinking of many alphas when it came to betas. He'd known many betas who were more competent than alphas, but were denied promotion over those same alphas. All because of that fucked up belief that a knot somehow made an alpha better than a beta. His heart sank when Lester's tone grew bitter, “Well, Blade? It that why you came into my office? Because you knew I was a beta and would be gagging for it?”
“No!” Blade had to try to convince Lester, even if the man didn't believe him. “That's not true, James. Sir. I fucking didn't think about that. I knew Becker was in heat and I saw Ryan storm into your office, the look on his face. I thought he'd hurt you. I just didn't think about it until I stepped into your office and...” He stopped and took a calming breath, there was no need to go over those events, not when he still had to convince Lester he was telling the truth. “Have I treated you any differently, sir? Have I been disrespectful or acted in any way like I knew you weren't an alpha?”
“No,” Lester admitted, but bitterness still tinged his words when he added, “But now I've begged for your knot?”
“It still doesn't change a thing, James,” Blade assured him. “You're still the boss at work.”
“And here?”
“And here,” Blade repeated as hope fluttered in his heart. “Nothing except I want to be with you, to have whatever you're willing to give me, for however long you'll want me.”
“You don't want to mate me?”
Lester's voice held something that Blade wasn't sure he could identify, so he told the truth. “If you'd have me, I'd mate you in a heartbeat. To love and protect and knot you.” Blade grinned, his green eyes sparking. “And if you want to fuck me...”
Lester blinked, his eyes widening. “You'd bottom for a mere beta?”
“NO!” Blade growled when Lester dismissed himself so easily, closing the distance between them and kissing Lester hard before stepping back to give the man space. “I'd bottom for you, James.”
Lester swallowed before taking a deep breath. “I was mated, once. My alpha took my pups and my omega...” Blade almost reached out to comfort him when Lester's voice broke, forcing himself to respect Lester's space as the man continued, “he said I was no good. That I wasn't submissive enough. That...”
Blade couldn't stand the pain on Lester's face or in his voice, he stepped forwards and stopped those hateful words with another firm kiss, but he was careful not to demand anything from Lester. He might want Lester, had wanted him for months, but he wasn't about to force the beta. He respected Lester too much for that, the same as he respected Becker. Both men had risen above their designations to prove they were as good as any alpha and if anyone even hinted otherwise, they'd have Blade to deal with. “He was a fucking fool, James. You're worth ten of him.”
“Even if he has a knot?” Lester shook his head as he moved away from Blade. “You know what most people will say about me being the director of the ARC if they find out I'm a beta? That I shouldn't be trusted with it, that I lack self-control. And they'd be right, I almost forced Becker.”
“No, James. They'd be wrong. You stopped yourself, you fought down the instinct and controlled yourself.”
“Really?” Lester asked mildly. “I seem to recall stripping naked in my office and begging to be fucked, to be knotted. Anyone could have seen us, seen you fucking me. Those are not the actions of a man in control, Blade.”
Blade couldn't disagree with that, not when it was the truth and they both knew it. He racked his brain for something else to convince Lester he was wrong. “Maybe, but your record speaks for itself, James.”
“Not as far as they'd be concerned. They'd say I allowed Becker to stay because I'm a beta and as for Cutter...” Lester shook his head. “Can you imagine his reaction? He already hates having to follow my orders when he thinks I'm an alpha, once he finds out I'm not I'll lose all authority over him.”
“If Cutter makes any comment I expect he'll have blue balls for a month.” Blade continued when Lester quirked an enquiring eyebrow, “Hart might not like you much, but he had to deal with all that shit about being a beta. I know Cutter fought for him to get a grant; the committee was all for giving it to some fourth rate idiot just because he had a knot.”
Lester chuckled slightly before his expression sobered. “Unfortunately I doubt that would work on the enemies I have made during my career. Ones who wouldn't like finding out they were beaten by a mere beta.”
Blade snarled. “Anyone has a problem I...”
Lester cut him off, his tone sharp. “I'll deal with them.”
Blade nodded, knowing he couldn't fight Lester's battles for him if the beta was outed, not without fatally undermining his authority. Lester had to win his own fights, as Becker had, if he was to retain his position as Director of the ARC. “Yeah, but I'll have your back.”
“I'd like that.” Lester smiled before tilting his head to look at Blade for a long moment, long enough for Blade to have to still the urge to shift under that considering gaze. “Do you know what I want now, Blade?”
“Sir?” Blade asked, his cock already hardening at Lester's words.
Lester smirked before holding a hand out and drawing Blade closer, his erection pressing against Blade's. “You.”
Blade nodded, even though he wasn't sure if Lester meant his knot or his arse. Blade was quite willing either way and if he could have both, all the better. And hopefully in the morning, he'd finally find out if this could be permanent.