STORY EXCERPT

“Barry, I’m giving you twenty-four hours to arrange for your cats to be neutered, spayed, adopted…or else.” Amos handed two kittens from a brand-new litter that had appeared a week ago and shoved them at their handler. He held up one finger, pre-empting the usual protests, and leaned down so he was nose to nose with Barry. “No whining and no excuses. We have twenty-five cats and eight new kittens. It’s too much.”

Stalking off, he raked a hand through his thick brown hair, slamming the door to his office.

“Boss? Are you okay?”

Amos heard Barry’s concern through the special shifter link they all had. Since Barry and his friends had become hearts, he’d gained the gift, too, started by Amos claiming his mate, Craig, hence the party hotline. It was sometimes a curse when he forgot to switch off his thought process.

He realized he’d been a little harsh with Barry, but dammit! How many times did he have to tell the man? Wolf shifters had no business looking after so many felines.

“I have to escort Saoirse to Ireland, Barry. By the time I get back, I’d appreciate it if you’d get something done about our cat explosion. It’s out of hand.”

“Yes, sir.” Amos winced at the hurt in Barry’s tone, but decided it was time for Barry to realize who was alpha here. They were at war. He didn’t have time for distractions—or bloody kittens.

He scowled at a knock on the door and bellowed at it, warning whomever it was to go away. It opened, and Craig stepped in, viewing him worriedly. Locking the door behind him, Craig said nothing, sitting in Amos’s lap, his head on Amos’s shoulder, and closed his eyes.

Amos sighed, wrapping his arms around his beloved heart, and kissed him slowly, needing the familiar taste to calm him.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

Amos jerked at the question, muffled against his lips, and eased back. He stared into Craig’s vivid blue eyes, noting the tenderness there, and the unconditional love, a balm to his troubled soul.

“I’ll be okay.”

“Doesn’t look as though you are. You’ve been on edge since Bairr came on the scene. Is he the reason?”

Amos shook his head, resting his forehead against Craig’s. “I don’t know why. Probably everything’s building up. I thought it would be good to build a home here, a sanctuary. Then we find our valley is one that is cursed or blessed somehow. All these links to the past make my head hurt.”

Craig kissed him, turning to straddle Amos, cupping Amos’s face as they dallied over the caress.

“How’s Finch getting on with the Seamus situation?”

Amos sighed at Craig’s question, wanting to stay here, in this room, and just connect with his mate. He didn’t want to think about Seamus, the idiot racehorse owner whose mate was about ready to divorce him, or the demise, six months ago, of Seamus’s uncle, Dara. Nor did he want to contemplate Dermot Bairr’s existence. They still didn’t have all the answers from that quarter.

“Is everything okay?”

Amos cursed loudly as one of Bairr’s minions, Yaska, appeared. An annoying habit, which the irrepressible blood-sucking cretin used far too frequently.

Yaska smirked, eyeing his scowl with not a hint of trepidation. Amos was losing his touch…and authority, apparently.

“I’d knock, but this is top secret, Alpha Hartland. Need-to-know basis.” Amos blinked at the polite tone and subsequent bow.

“Going overboard with the respect, aren’t you?” Craig said dryly. “You normally don’t give a fuck.”

Yaska grinned, sitting in the chair opposite. “I don’t now really, but it’s worth remembering this is Alpha Hartland’s home.” He shrugged, placing an A4-sized brown file on the desk. “And you have more to worry about than me.”

Craig turned to face Yaska and opened the file, flipping through an assortment of hi-res photos of Constance Pendry, her parents, and each of their pack members.

“What the fuck?”

Amos frowned, his brain racking up possibilities, none of them good, then met Yaska’s spooky black eyes, circled with gold fire. “You’ve had the Pendrys under surveillance?”

Yaska shook his head. “Not me.” He produced a small electronic device from a pocket in his silken black tunic, handing it to Amos. “Remember those mercs that Constance hired? One was no amateur. Teddy Pearce is a skilled former intelligence operative, working for a covert unit who are supposedly investigating Seamus O’Shea’s disappearance.”

Amos heard Craig’s gasp. “Government?”

“Supposedly?” Craig asked simultaneously.

“We don’t believe they’re government sanctioned, though they’ve done a good job of misdirecting attention that way.”

Amos’s gaze flitted to the device, reading the list of credentials on Teddy Pearce. “How long have they been watching?”

“Not too long. Since Constance fired the mercs, from what I can gather.”

“What will she do next, post an ad in The Times?”

Yaska shot Craig a droll look, holding Craig’s gaze steadily. Amos growled. “She did that, didn’t she? Posted an ad when she hired the mercs. Fuck, but that bitch is getting tiresome.”

“Pearce and his team descended on the Pendry household a few hours ago and are in the process of searching it. I took the liberty of taking steps to limit the damage, alpha. Pearce won’t find anything detrimental there, but I should warn you his team is thorough, and he won’t stop until he discovers what happened to Seamus.” Yaska rose, fixing Amos with a cool stare. “If Seamus does not want to return as alpha, so be it. But he should make his presence known…soon. Or he risks exposing us all.” He paused for a moment. “There’s something else, too. Collier has dabbled in things he should have left well alone. He’s heading for a reckoning. Keep your eyes peeled. He’s dangerous.”

With a sharp nod, Yaska disappeared again, leaving Craig and Amos in stunned silence for a moment.

“This changes everything,” Craig murmured.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Get up, Noah.”

Noah ignored the command, yelping when Bairr dumped the cat on the floor and hauled the grumpy shifter over his shoulder. Two sharp smacks on Noah’s butt, and then Noah was thrown on the bed.

Noah looked torn between tears and temper, his blue eyes glittering balefully, fists clenched. Jason sniffed, scenting the man’s arousal. Bairr stood, arms folded, daring Noah to defy him. Noah, as usual, did things the hard way.

“You don’t get to ignore us for months then hit me,” he yelled shrilly.

“I spanked you because you dared me to.” Bairr mocked Noah’s pout. “And you liked it.”

“Bullshit. You spanked me because you like being all-powerful, to remind us who’s boss.”

Bairr crawled onto the bed, surprising Jason, silencing Noah. “You and Jason were always in my thoughts. I thought my decision was sound. Wu is nobody to underestimate, and if he thought for a second that I had mates, he’d do to you what he’s done to many of my lovers in the past. He had his lover lure them to his lair. Lolita. She’ll be dealt with if she rears her head. For now, you should know that Zhang Wu is a deadly threat.” He stroked Noah’s cheek. “I know you were listening at the door, Noah. I scented you. I heard your breathing.”

Jason slid inside the room, eyes wide. “What did Wu do?”

Bairr mimicked slitting his throat then yanking out his entrails through it.

“Ew!”

Noah rolled his eyes. “Yeah. The big bad demon is frightened of a little bloodshed.”

Bairr turned him to his stomach, stroking a hand up between his legs, ultra-slow. “The big bad demon is frightened of Wu shedding the blood of a pair of shifters who mean the world to him.”

Noah gasped, eyes closing, the scent of his arousal much heavier. “What the fuck are you doing?”

Bairr grinned, winking at Jason. “If you have to ask perhaps you’re not as bright as I was led to believe.”

Groaning, Noah squirmed beneath Bairr’s touch. “You’re not playing fair.”

Bairr ripped Noah’s pants right up the seam of both legs then tore them off, taking Noah’s cotton boxers with them.

“Ooh. He’s pretty.”

“He’s a brat, and yes, he’s pretty.” Bairr leaned down, slurping up Noah’s bare leg. “And fairly tasty.” Reaching Noah’s plump butt, Bairr nipped each taut globe before trailing back down the other leg. Noah tried to get up but was forced back down by a firm hand and two more sharp smacks to his ass, which left vivid red handprints.

“If you behave like a brat, Noah, I’ll treat you like one.”

Noah groaned again, yelping when Bairr lifted him so his ass was raised, his cock and balls dangling. Licking back up Noah’s leg, Bairr lapped at his crease, sampled Noah’s ball sac…then sank his fangs deep into Noah’s testicles.

Noah roared, cum spurting, convulsing as he came hard, his face taut with the shock of ecstasy. Bairr smiled as he disengaged his fangs and slid off the bed, leaving Noah sprawled face down, panting.

“When you’re ready for the second lesson, I’ll be in my study.” He licked his lips, kissing Jason lightly on the mouth. “I’m sorry,” he whispered then left.

Jason stared after him, touching his lips. “He’s sorry.”

Noah snorted. “What just happened?”

Grinning, Jason patted his bare ass. “You’re gay, honey. And he just gave you the best kind of orgasm. Just think what you’ll be like when he goes full throttle and bites your dick.”

“Fuuuck!”

Scrambling up beside his mate, Jason snuggled against him. “Now you’re getting it.”

* * * *

Bairr stood under the pounding spray of his shower, stroking one out. Tasting Noah had been as divine as he’d imagined—better, since he’d had audio, too. His mate’s sultry groans had driven him crazy, the scent of Noah’s need an aphrodisiac.

The wet room door opened, and his minxes entered, naked, their faces showing raw need. His cock began to thicken again, arching upward lazily, needing no more stimulation.

Jason surprised him, taking the lead, and moved in behind Bairr. “We’re your mates, but you’d rather retreat from us than let us soothe you?” He sounded hurt but determined. “We decided to take matters into our own hands.”

“Your cock, anyway,” Noah taunted, the smirk on his lips making Bairr smile.

“Can you handle it?”

Noah knelt, licking his lips, fear and excitement dawning as he viewed the thickness of Bairr’s pride and joy. Then he looked up, blue eyes glittering with attitude. “You’ll beg for mercy first, douche.”

His tongue slid out, his gaze locked with Bairr’s, and he began to lap delicately at Bairr’s huge dick. Humming, gaining confidence, he treated Bairr to a tongue bath that soon had Bairr fighting back a cry of sheer pleasure. For a beginner Noah certainly knew how to deliver. Fuuuck!

Bairr yelped as he felt something probe at his anus, soft hands caressing his flanks then fondling his balls. “Two against one seems fair,” Jason teased. “I gave Noah a cucumber to practice on. What’s your preference?”

A cucumber? Double fuck.

“We aren’t afraid of Wu or the ruling packs or anything else,” Jason said, slicking Bairr’s ass with lube. “At the club I gave you everything, and you threw it back at me. As though I meant nothing.” His fingers sank deeper, forcing a soft gasp from Bairr, who fought not to wince. In a thousand years, he’d only bottomed a few times. It had been over five centuries since the last debacle.

“You’re a douche,” Noah said, holding Bairr’s glare. “I know, because I’ve been one my whole life.” Winking, he slurped the tip of Bairr’s knob between his lips, sucking hard, drawing a tortured groan from Bairr and an unwilling laugh. “My excuse was being raised by idiots. What’s yours?”