STORY EXCERPT

Crag helped her to her feet and then sniffed the air. “Smells like breakfast is ready, and I’m starving.”

Tammy sniffed and then frowned at Crag when she couldn’t smell anything. Carter smiled and then tapped his nose. “Our wolves have much better noses than a human does, baby. Most of the time we take our meals downstairs in the dining room with the rest of the pack, but if you’re nervous about being in a room full of people, one of us can go down there and bring breakfast back here.”

“I would like to meet more of your pack,” Tammy answered.

“Angela is the best cook.” Crag groaned. “She’s a lovely woman, as is her daughter, Cindy. They take care of all of us, and since I don’t even know how to turn on an oven, it’s a good thing.”

Carter snorted. “If a kettle didn’t turn off automatically you’d probably burn water.”

Crag grinned and cuffed Carter on the back of his head then pulled him in close until Tammy was sandwiched between them. “You’re such a smart arse, mate. You know I wouldn’t put up with any of your shit if we weren’t mated?”

“Yes, you would,” Carter replied and then drew back when Crag released him. “You love me.”

“That I do,” Crag riposted. “God knows why.”

Carter helped Tammy to her feet. “Don’t you just love the way he says arse. It just doesn’t sound right.”

Tammy giggled.

“The way you say it sounds like a donkey’s rear end.”

“Exactly.” Carter chuckled and then pointed at Crag.

“Watch it, Carter. I may just have to play pin the tail on the donkey later tonight.”

Carter groaned and Crag smiled then waggled his eyebrows. Tammy couldn’t help but giggle.

“Promise?” Carter asked.

“You know it.”

“Why do Americans call a G-string a thong?” Crag asked with a grin.

“Well, duh,” Tammy said, and Carter was pleased to see her joining in their banter. “Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it goes between the cheeks of an ass.”

“Like floss between teeth. We Aussies wear thongs on our feet.” Crag barked out a laugh when Tammy stared at him with confusion.

Carter decided to clarify for her. “We call them flip-flops.”

“Oh my God. That is so funny.” Tammy giggled.

“You think that’s funny. We call a pussy a fanny, and you guys use that word for an ass.”

Tammy snickered and then covered her mouth with her hand. Carter felt his heart fill with love. Their mate was smart, stunning, and sassy, and he hoped to have many, many years with her and Crag.

“Tell me some more,” Tammy demanded as he and Crag led her from their suite of rooms and down the stairs.

“We call what you think of as jelly, jam, and Jell-O we call jelly.”

“I knew that one. You’ll have to think up more words for us to compare.”

“No worries, darlin’. When you want to be entertained, you just come to me.” Crag smiled and thumped himself on the chest.

Tammy burst out laughing and was still smiling when they entered the massive dining room, which was separated from the kitchen by a large granite counter. The room was full of pack members, and everyone looked up and smiled when they entered. Carter introduced her to Angie, the cook and housekeeper, and her daughter, Cindy. When his prospective mate returned the women’s greetings and saw that they were about to start bringing platters of food to the table, Tammy rushed over to help them. Carter stood back and smiled as he watched his helpful mate. He just hoped like hell that she agreed to become mate to him and Crag. He wouldn’t feel complete until she was a part of him, too.

But what astounded him more was the way Crag had lightened up since Tammy had come into their lives. He’d never seen his mate be so playful before. Crag had always been so serious. Carter supposed being the highest-ranking Beta to the Reynolds Pack back in the state of New South Wales, Australia, would have been a huge load to carry. He’d had the responsibility of making sure all the security surrounding their land and pack house had been kept up to date and working at all times. Each and every day, Crag seemed to loosen up a little more, and Carter liked it.

Crag took his ranking in the Friess pack just as seriously, but he didn’t have such a big load on his shoulders anymore. Even though Crag would be expected to protect the pack if they were threatened, his mate’s burden was much lighter.

“She’s really special, isn’t she?” Crag asked.

“Yeah,” Carter sighed. “I was so scared I’d fucked things up, but I’m also glad my faux pas got her to open up with us. As she was telling us about the asshole Oliver, my wolf was pushing at me to go find him and rip his fucking throat out.”

“Mine, too, mate. If I ever come across that fucker, I will definitely punch his lights out.”

“Carter, Crag.” Jonah’s voice came through to them on the common pack link, interrupting their private conversation. “Have you told Tammy about what we are yet?”

“Yes, we have, Alpha,”Crag answered.

“How did she take it? Do you want Michelle or any of the other women to talk to her and help ease her mind?”

“Our mate is a lot stronger than she looks, Alpha.” Carter met Jonah’s eyes and smiled. “We expected her to think we were crazy or go running from us with fear, but she was excited about learning that some creatures from mythology are actually real.”

“That’s good. You mate is more accepting than mine was.”

“Hey, watch it.” Michelle slapped Jonah on the shoulder and then smiled when he took her hand in his, brought it to his mouth, and kissed the back of it.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Come here, baby,” Crag ordered, and Carter stepped closer.

He closed his eyes when Crag began to wash him. He loved the way his mate’s rough hands felt caressing him all over. Crag wasn’t shy about touching him anywhere. He soaped up his ass, as well as his cock and balls. When he had washed every inch of him from the tip of his toes to the top of his head, Carter stepped under the spray and rinsed off.

He took the soap from the shelf and lathered up his hands. “Have you ever had sex with a man before?” Carter asked.

“No.”

“So you’re an ass virgin, too?”

“Yes, baby. I love the way you Americans say ass.”

“How do you say it?” Carter asked.

“I love your arse, Carter, and I can’t wait to bury my cock inside you.”

“Arse, huh?”

“That’s right. I love your accent.”

“I like yours, too, Crag.”

“If you say so.”

“You don’t believe me?” Carter frowned. “I don’t lie.”

“I didn’t say you did, mate.”

“Then…”

Crag sighed. “An American accent is so much nicer than an Aussie’s. You all seem to round out your vowels and pronounce everything with perfect diction. Us Aussies tend to sound flat when we speak, and we’re lazy, too. We drop a lot of letters when we speak.”

“Hey, we can be lazy, too. I don’t think your accent sounds flat.”

“I was just sayin’ like I hear it. It’s a good thing you like my accent, baby, because you’re going to be hearing it for the rest of your life.”

Carter began to wash Crag. He started on his back and worked his way down his body from his neck to his heels. When he was done, he moved around to clean his front. Crag groaned when he bathed his big, hard cock and then sighed when he cleansed his balls. By the time he’d finished cleaning his mate, he didn’t want to wait any longer. After Crag rinsed off, Carter turned off the water, stepped out of the shower, and grabbed two towels.

Their eyes connected as they dried off, and Carter couldn’t look away from his mate’s gaze. Not that he really wanted to.

Crag led the way back to the bedroom and then pulled the covers and sheet down to the bottom of the bed.

Carter took a deep breath and crawled onto the mattress. Crag got on beside him, but instead of lying down next to him, he sat on his haunches and stared at him. “I want to taste you on my tongue, baby.”

He gulped but didn’t refuse, because he wanted Crag’s mouth on him as much as he seemed to want to taste his cock. He nodded in acceptance and then closed his eyes when Crag moved closer and began to touch him. Just having those massive, masculine hands running up and down his body made Carter shake with desire, and he wondered if he would be able to stand having his mouth on him, too.

“Open your eyes, Carter. I want you to watch me pleasure you.”

Carter’s eyes snapped open, and he met Crag’s glowing golden eyes. His wolf pushed to the surface, and it was like both their animals rubbed against each other.

“Did you feel that, baby?” Crag’s voice sounded as awed as he felt, and any qualms that Carter had left about having a man as a mate dissolved.

“Yes.”

Crag shifted on the bed until he was lying on his belly between Carter’s thighs. Carter had to spread his legs far apart to accommodate his mate’s wide, bulky shoulders. Crag leaned down, breathed in the scent of his cock and balls, and growled.

“You smell so fucking good.”

Carter groaned when Crag wrapped his hand around his erection and pumped up and down a few times. He thrust his hips up, silently begging for more. He didn’t have to wait long. His mate licked him from balls to the tip of his cock and back again. Carter shuddered and moaned, but when Crag latched onto first one testicle and then the other and sucked it into his mouth, Carter was lost. He was lost in a sea of sensation and desire, and he never wanted it to end.

Crag released his gonad and then met his eyes. “I love those noises you make. My dick is so hard it’s aching.”

“Mine, too,” Carter panted.

“Let me help you with that, baby.”

Crag gripped the base of his cock and then sucked him into his mouth. Hot, wet heat enveloped him, and Carter growled low in his throat.

“Yes. Suck my cock. Make me come.”

Crag sucked him hard and fast. He hollowed out his cheeks, took him to the back of his throat, and then swallowed. Carter knew he wasn’t going to last long. Already the base of his spine was tingling and heat was encompassing his cock and balls, but when Crag took him down further into his throat and swallowed again, he was done for.

Carter couldn’t hold back the tide any longer. “Gonna. Come,” he panted.

Crag gripped his balls and then rolled them in his sac. Carter shouted, and then he shot load after load of cum down his mate’s throat. He lay on the bed shaking and panting and hadn’t even realized he’d closed his eyes until he opened them again.

His mate had a shit-eating grin on his face, but he also had a world of emotion in his eyes, and it was directed at Carter. He felt his eyes moisten and looked away, but Crag wasn’t about to let him get away with that. He cupped Carter’s cheek and brought his gaze back to him.

“That was beautiful, mate. I love the way you taste. Will you suck me and get me nice and wet?”

“Yeah.”

Crag lay down on his back next to him, and Carter shifted onto his hands and knees then moved between his mate’s legs.