The Defiant Claim (The Claim: Book 2) LGBT

Chapter 30 - Sam

"Well, this isn't awkward at all," Oshki muttered as he dipped his finger in the icing of the chocolate birthday cake and raised it to his mouth. He went back for more but Eloise slapped his hand away. He whimpered like a kicked puppy while her scowl deepened.

"He's overwhelmed," Luna Aki said as she massaged Sam's shoulders. She'd been standing behind him since Mik abruptly stormed to the washroom. Always Sam's pillar of strength and support when he needed it most.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Sam mumbled. "Maybe a surprise party was a bad idea."

"It was a sweet idea, Sam," Luna said, "but maybe it was too soon for him. We should do something fun to take his mind off things." She turned to her son playing with legos on the floor with Chloe. "How about a game?"

The four-year-old pouted. "But our house isn't done yet!"

"It's almost done," the nine-year-old male told her without lifting his head as he put pieces together.

Chloe brightened and agreed to a game before trotting her lego horse around the floor.

"He won't want to play," Sam mumbled.

"He can watch. Maybe we can coax him to play after everyone else has had a turn."

"What did you have in mind?" Sam asked Luna as she stepped away to rummage through the games she had brought.

"How about pin the tail on the wolf? Something simple that the pups can enjoy and we can all laugh at each other."

Chloe jumped to her feet and ran over to Luna's side. "I want to play! I want to play! Can I go first? Please?"

Luna assured her that she could go first and started to set up the game on one of the walls when Alpha and Mik emerged from the bathroom.

Sam couldn't help but let his eyes trail over Mik with his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his shoulders squared, and his head held high before focusing on his face. His red-rimmed brown eyes held no salt, but a nervous sweat clung to him. He looked around the room as everyone pretended not to notice. Lids were put on top of dishes, dirty plates and cutlery were thrown out, casual conversations were picked up, while Chloe and Luna worked to set up the game and Animkii was putting the final touches on the lego house.

Mik turned his eyes back on Sam and headed straight for him, picking him up from his chair and sitting on the biggest plush chair in the room. He wrapped Sam up in his arms and buried his face in the crook of his neck and gulped in his scent in big greedy breaths. His exhalations tickled Sam's neck and he couldn't stop the giggles from erupting.

A faint rumble of appraisal vibrated from Mik's throat. He didn't say anything, just continued to hold Sam tightly as his heavy breaths eased and he began to relax.

"You okay?" Sam whispered after a few minutes.

"I just need you," was Mik's breathy reply. "Just a minute with you."

A blush crept up Sam's neck to his ears and cheeks causing Mik's throat to rumble again in a sort of purr.

Through his peripheral vision, Sam looked around at everyone he could see casting small smiles and glances at them while pretending they weren't seeing this intimate display from a male with a normally hostile demeanor.

It wasn't long before the game was set up and Luna asked everyone to gather around, including Mik with Sam.

"I'm not playing," Mik grunted, his face still planted in Sam's neck.

"That's fine. You haven't eaten yet. Why don't you pull up a chair with Sam and help yourself to some food and watch," Luna suggested as Chloe jumped up and down in the background asking to be the first to play.