STORY EXCERPT

Ben put his teeth to Dallas’s throat, intending to rip it out. That would dissuade any werewolves from challenging him so soon, but Ben caught a familiar face in the crowd.

Time froze.

The last time he’d seen Lawrence Rhymes had been a decade ago, at Ben’s father’s funeral. Ben always saw Lawrence’s face in the gossip section of the papers. With plenty of time and money on his hands, Lawrence seemed to get into trouble often. Not that he cared. They had parted ways long ago, were the equivalent of strangers now.

Liar, his wolf whispered.

Dallas struggled underneath him.

He couldn’t pry his gaze from Lawrence. Pack challenges were an open affair. There were other shifters and paranormals mixed in with his pack mates. Still, a human stuck out in a crowd of loud and cheering werewolves and watching paranormals. Ben took stock of Lawrence.

Lawrence wore a black, nondescript hoodie with the hood up, white shirt, and tattered jeans. The shiner on Lawrence’s cheek only fueled his bloodlust. What the hell happened? Why approach him now, after all these years? Last he heard, Lawrence was engaged to some oil tycoon.

“Kill him, Ben,” yelled Eric, one of the pack enforcers.

“What are you waiting for, Alpha?” another pack mate yelled.

Dallas dug his claws into his chest, drawing more blood. Ben refused to let go of his prey. He stopped looking at his human and ripped out Dallas’s throat. Blood sprayed, soaked into his fur. Ben jumped off Dallas’s body as the pack cheered around him.

Someone else would clean up the mess he left behind. Eric and the others looked like they wanted to talk with him. More challengers? Ben was tired. How many times did he have to prove himself? He wanted to make a few changes to the pack, make it better. Ben couldn’t do that if all he did was fight.

After Daniel stepped down, the former Alpha stayed on as a kind of advisor. That was two months ago. Daniel had gone on a honeymoon with his mate, Chad. Ben needed to show the former Alpha he could handle things on his own. Ben no longer needed Daniel’s guidance.

Ben began to pad towards his waiting enforcers. He needed to put on his clothes first. Ben reached the pile of clothing on the ground just as someone ran right in front of him. The other werewolves tensed as Lawrence reached him.

“Ben,” Lawrence began.

Gio, another of his enforcers, grabbed the back of Lawrence’s hoodie to yank him away from Ben. Ben didn’t know why, but he let out a warning growl. Lawrence’s frightened eyes didn’t help curb his bloodlust one bit. Ben was still a little high from his recent victory. Not good. Ben always acted in strange ways when it came to his human. His human? As if Lawrence belonged to anyone else but himself.

* * * *

Lawrence Rhymes didn’t know what possessed him to come to the Goldcrest Pack house. He’d overheard from some shifters in the bar he worked at about the Alpha of that pack facing another challenger. Second time that week.

The two shifters described the Alpha as ruthless, merciless, and both agreed neither wanted to cross him. It shocked Lawrence to the core when he realized they were talking about his Ben.

Well, not his Ben.

Ever since his father had been arrested for tax evasion and they lost everything, including the house, Lawrence had a hard time making ends meet. He’d never worked a single job in his life before, and he hated washing dirty dishes. Hell, lately Lawrence hated everything about his life.

He’d gone from being a celebrity with plenty of cash to throw around to a gutter rat who could barely come up with enough money to pay his rent. He thought maybe Ben could help him with a little problem. The werewolf had always had a soft spot for him growing up.

Despite shaking in fear, Lawrence made his way to the Goldcrest Pack house. He generated a few stares. Lawrence wondered if it was because he was human. Lawrence met their gazes evenly, crossed his arms. There. He had to show them he wasn’t weak or a pushover.

Thankfully, everyone’s attention turned to the fighting ring when both challengers appeared. Plenty cheered for their Alpha. Lawrence guessed these were Ben’s pack members. A few tall shifters got in the way, so Lawrence had to squeeze his way further up front.

By then, sweat coated his back. He knew it was dangerous, being out here amongst predators who might only see him as prey. Before, his father’s money protected him. Lawrence always had his own shifter bodyguards surrounding him at all times. Now, it was only him.

Disappointment hit him when he spotted two large muscled werewolves in animal form circling each other. Lawrence hoped he’d catch a glimpse of Ben in human form. While he’d never admit it to anyone, least of all Ben, Ben had always been on his mind.

He remembered seeing a newspaper clipping about the Goldcrest Pack. His heart started when he recognized Ben’s profile. Ben was standing next to the old Alpha in that photograph. Lawrence had cut out the picture of Ben and placed it in his wallet. Sometimes, he’d take it out at night, gaze at it.

“Kill that bastard, Alpha!” the woman next to him yelled so loudly Lawrence jumped.

The energy here was indescribable. Lawrence began to feel uncomfortable, squeezed in with so many people. Lawrence stared, transfixed as the violence between the two werewolves escalated. He could easily pick out Ben just by his size and gold fur, now covered in bits of blood. His stomach felt queasy.

Lawrence had never seen two shifters fight to the death before. It was gruesome, heart-wrenching. He couldn’t look away. This was Ben’s second fight of the week? How could Ben even manage that?

ADULT EXCERPT

Ben?” Lawrence asked. Should he touch Ben again or would that only set off the werewolf?

“I gave you a way out earlier,” Ben said in a voice Lawrence hardly recognized. “Too late for that.”

A growl accompanied Ben’s words and Ben’s eyes had turned dark amber again. He could even see a hint of fangs peeking from Ben’s mouth when Ben lifted his lips to a dangerous smile. Lawrence’s heart pounded.

Ben tugged him close to him. Their chests bumped. Before, Ben gave him comfort, his touch nonsexual, but this time was different. Lawrence’s dick started to harden in his pants.

“Make me forget,” he whispered to his wolf. “Everything.”

Ben answered him by gripping the back of his neck and zeroing in for a kiss except an Alpha didn’t just kiss. Ben plundered, conquered, didn’t give him an inch. The Alpha thrust heat down his throat. He parted his lips slightly as Ben deepened the kiss. Ben no longer held back, it seemed, because the Alpha grabbed a handful of his shirt and shredded it, exposing his chest.

He gasped as Ben pulled his mouth away and ripped the shirt off him. Lawrence let Ben take off his hoodie and torn shirt.

“I need a replacement for that shirt. I only have a few in rotation,” he said.

Ben smirked. “I’ll take you shopping soon.”

“Just shopping?”

Ben grabbed his shoulder, pushed him against the closest wall. The Alpha gripped his wrists, held them above his head, restrained him.

“I’ve always imagined what it’s like being under your mercy,” he dared to whisper his darkest fantasies with Ben.

“Did you now?” Ben kissed his way down his neck, positioned his sharp teeth on the spot between his shoulder and neck. Lawrence groaned as Ben bit down, deep enough to bruise but not draw blood.

Ben pulled his head back. “The next time I bite you here, I’ll put my personal brand on you. That way everyone will know who you belong to.”

Lawrence shivered at those words. “Yeah?”

“You’re my mate, and I want the whole world to know it.”

Lawrence widened his eyes at those words. How often had he dreamt of being Ben’s mate, but could it truly be a reality? Perhaps that explained the undeniable chemistry between them. Even after all these years, Ben would forgive him.

“Do it now.” Those words came out of Lawrence before he could stop himself.

“Not yet.”

Lawrence pouted. “Why not?”

“I haven’t fucked you yet.”

Lawrence shivered at those words. “Ben, you’re so crude.”

“But you like it. I can hear it in your voice, could tell by the way your eager body reacts to my touch.” Ben kept one hand over his wrists. The other hand he ran down the length of his chest, belly. Ben’s touch was feather soft. Lawrence groaned when Ben undid the button of his jeans, unzipped him, and pulled his prick out.

“Look at you. Gotten so hard already and I haven’t even done anything to you yet,” Ben remarked.

He flushed at those words. “Look who’s talking.”

Lawrence looked right at the massive erection Ben sported in his pants. He licked his lips. “Are we going to play show and tell?”

Ben closed his fingers over his shaft, began working him. “I want to see you come undone for me first.”

“Demanding Alpha.” Lawrence’s breath caught as Ben worked his cock back and forth with his big and callused fingers.

He groaned, leaned his head against the wall as Ben alternated between fast and slow strokes.

“Do you remember what you asked me just now?” Ben asked.

Lawrence moaned, unable to fully process the Alpha’s words. “What?”

“You wanted to forget. About everything. That’s fine. I’ll help you do that. We’ll close the door to your past together.” Ben sealed his mouth with his own. This time, Ben kissed him tenderly, sweetly, like they had all the time in the world.

Lawrence gasped when Ben pulled away. Ben then pinched the red tip of his dick. The pressure building inside him burst open. Lawrence cried out, his head floating in the clouds as he emptied out his balls. His cum coated Ben’s waiting fingers. When the Alpha put his wet fingers to his mouth, Lawrence licked them clean, just like a cat.

Ben looked pleased.

“I like you like this. Unguarded. Peaceful,” Ben said.

“Yeah? Me too.” Lawrence smiled at his man.

He wasn’t sure he could call Ben that yet, but it felt nice, having someone to call his own. Lawrence had a string of failed relationships over the years. He had a tendency to cut loose if any one of his ex-lovers came too close. Lawrence understood in some way that there was a part of him he could only give to one man. Ben.

Feeling drunk, still high from the orgasm, he told Ben a little truth of his own. “It was always you, Ben. No one else.”

“You’re it for me as well.” Ben moved his hands to his waist. Without warning, the Alpha hefted him in his arms and carried him past the front door and to the living room. All his furniture was secondhand, looked beaten up. Lawrence usually cared about appearances, but right now, he didn’t give a damn, especially when Ben threw him on the couch.

The Alpha rolled on top of him, straddled him. He groaned as Ben left a trail of bites, kisses down the length of his body. Maybe shifters liked to bite, leave little souvenirs all over their lovers’ bodies. Lawrence could dig that.

Mate. Ben had called him that earlier, but he wasn’t too certain. How could someone like Lawrence be the mate of a powerful Alpha like Ben? Ben must’ve made an error in the heat of the moment, but only a fool would point that out.

Having Ben’s golden eyes on him the entire time and Ben’s complete attention was intense, mind-blowing.

“Ben,” he murmured. Ben rose back up to plant a kiss on his mouth. “What next?”

“On the ground. I want to rut you on all fours.”

He shivered at the command in Ben’s voice. Ben rolled off him, helped him up. Taking the initiative, Lawrence dropped his pants and underwear. Ben did the same. Lawrence practically dropped his jaw at the impressive, meaty cock that hung between Ben’s legs. He cleared his throat and got into position. Lawrence couldn’t wait to feel Ben driving his prick deep inside him.