STORY EXCERPT

The last thing Ivan expected his little ferret to do was make his own dance floor and start belting the lyrics to the song currently playing on the jukebox. Hayden had drawn a few stares. Ivan had a feeling that Hayden would be all embarrassed once he came to his senses, so it was only logical he joined his little ferret on the floor. Hayden just looked so miserable.

Hayden felt like a wonderful bundle of warmth in his arms, a perfect fit. Abort the mission, some part of his mind yelled, because no way in hell someone like him deserved this incredibly brave and yet vulnerable shifter with unexpected steel in his spine.

They swayed against each other a little, although Ivan had never danced in his entire life. Well, today could be a day of many firsts. Fuck, but with Hayden all pressed up against him, rubbing his cute, handsome head against his chest, Hayden reminded him of a needy cat, a kitten he wanted to take home with him.

“Ivan?” Hayden finally asked, sounding a little sober. “Did I just—”

Ivan put a finger to his lips. He had a feeling Hayden tended to think too much. “Hush. It’s fine.”

He somehow managed to usher Hayden out of there, remembering to pay their tab before leading his little ferret outside. The night air felt good against his face, especially with Hayden still clinging to him, as if the little ferret didn’t want to let go of him either.

His little ferret. Ivan wondered if he had any right calling Hayden that. Hayden thought he’d been joking when Ivan explained what he did for a living. Once Hayden sobered up, how would the ferret shifter react when he realized Ivan was a monster?

“Oh, look who’s hard up,” Hayden said, and he snarled when the daring little Omega gave his dick a squeeze through the denim of his pants.

Ivan flared his nostrils, and he caught sight of his eyes through the window of his truck. Bright yellow. His wolf rose to the surface, hungry, eager to mark, fuck, and mate the little tempting ferret who made it clear he was interested in Ivan, too.

“Stop that,” he said, a growl accompanying his words.

Any sensible submissive shifter would have backed away, not Hayden though. Hayden giggled. “You don’t scare me, big wolf. I know you’ll never hurt me.”

He shoved Hayden against his truck, wanting to jolt Hayden awake. He slammed one hand against the truck beside Hayden’s head, and the sound of his fist cracking metal and glass made Hayden widen his eyes.

“You think I’m a good guy, don’t you?” he asked, voice dangerous, his wolf so close to his skin he had trouble leashing the animal under control.

“I don’t think, I know.”

“You know nothing, little ferret. Once you know the real me, you’ll turn tail and run screaming,” he said, pressing their faces closer, so his nose touched Hayden’s.

Hayden blew out a breath and let out a huff. “You’ve been nothing but nice to me.”

“Your definition of nice is fucked-up,” Ivan said. “You trust me this much, when you shouldn’t be this close to me.”

“Hold on a second, you approached me.”

That was true, Ivan mused, but only because he couldn’t help himself. Hayden started out as an obsession, but getting to know the little ferret changed plenty of things between them. Now, Ivan doubted his wolf would want to get rid of Hayden easily.

Hayden was far from done though, and he went on, “All the dominant ferret shifters my parents paired me off with were assholes. They wanted something from me, to lose weight, to learn to cook better. The list is endless. You know what?”

“What?” he asked, deciding Hayden needed to let all these problems off his chest.

“I was scared when they kicked me out, terrified of being on my own and without a support system to rely on. Afterward though? I was relieved. I didn’t have to worry about pleasing some stranger who only cared I can give him kits, and my parents, who only saw me as a breeder.” Hayden continued, “You’re the first person to treat me like I matter, the first to even pretend that I’m perfect.”

Hayden looked and smelled so sad that he pulled the other man to a tight, fierce hug.

“I’m here,” he said, unsure if his words meant anything.

Hayden rested his head on his chest. “Thank you.”

Amused, he parted from his little ferret. “You sure like to thank me a lot. Get in the truck.”

Once he was behind the wheel, he noticed Hayden staring at him.

“Where are you taking me now?” Hayden asked, sounding a little hopeful.

“Home, I think. You had one too many drinks.” Shifters usually didn’t get drunk that easily, but maybe Omega ferrets were different.

Hayden got drunk as fast as a human, Ivan observed. If he hadn’t been there, some dominant shifter, some asshole, might decide he could take advantage of Hayden. That made his blood boil. A possessive streak came over him, dangerous because Hayden might not realize it, but he’d already accomplished what few could, even Danny. Hayden had hooked his tiny claws deep into skin and burrowed his way into the icy heart of a killer.

“Home? I knew it. I was too weird for you, right? Dang. I really had a plan going on in my head,” Hayden mumbled.

“What plan?”

“Seduce you into my bed and maybe even convince you to play pretend boyfriend for my family dinner.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Hayden sunk his nails into Ivan’s broad shoulders, parting his lips so Ivan could deepen the kiss. He sucked down hard on Ivan’s tongue, groaning as he became distinctively aware of the bulge in Ivan’s jeans rubbing at his own groin.

Ivan withdrew from his mouth only to start leaving a trail of kisses down his neck, the hollow of his throat. In seconds, Ivan had his pants undone and shoved a rough callused hand down his boxers. He groaned when Ivan curled his fingers over his shaft and began stroking him.

“Oh God,” he murmured. Hayden would explode even before they got to the good part. He couldn’t let that happen, except his body refused to listen.

“I’ll come,” Hayden confessed, blushing hard, but Ivan locked their lips together, kissing him slowly with a tenderness which surprised him, because nothing about his wolf was soft.

“Go ahead,” Ivan said once he released Hayden’s lips. “I want to see you come from my touch alone.”

Then his wolf started stroking him faster, other hand gripping his ass. He widened his eyes as the pressure building inside him reached breaking point. He cried out, screamed Ivan’s name as his vision blurred. Hayden exploded, spilling his load all over Ivan’s fingers. Neither of them cared about the mess they made. He panted, resting his head on Ivan’s warm chest.

Ivan wove his clean fingers into his hair, fisting it, exposing his neck. He moaned when Ivan scraped his teeth against the spot between shoulder and neck. Hayden didn’t understand the significance yet, but he was confused when Ivan looked pained as he pulled away, as if it was a struggle to do so.

“We’re not done,” his wolf said, voice deep and growly.

“Yes, I need,” he faltered unsure if he could say the embarrassing words.

Ivan gripped his cheek, forcing him to look into those brilliant gray eyes flecked with gold. “Tell me what you need. There’s no room for shame here, little ferret.”

“Please fuck me.” The words spilled out of him, unbidden. God, it sounded so dirty, but he didn’t care. Excitement hummed in his veins. Even his inner ferret wanted this to happen, to connect with the terrifying, amazing wolf in front of them on the deepest level.

“Good answer.” Ivan helped Hayden off his lap.

“Pants off,” Ivan ordered.

They shredded the last of their clothing, and once Ivan dropped his boxers, he stared, unable to help it. Ivan was hung like a horse, every inch of him engorged and hard. He swallowed, already imagining Ivan’s thick cock spearing through him, claiming him.

“On your hands and knees,” Ivan commanded.

He dropped on all fours, only for Ivan to run his hand down his spine, the curve of his ass. He squirmed when Ivan reached the cease between his buttocks and pried his ass cheeks open. Feeling self-conscious, he began to pull his knees together, but Ivan nudged his legs wider, exposing his ass, cock, and balls.

Ivan gave his soft cock a tug and he moaned, feeling it pulse. Plenty of Hayden’s failed dates had been human. He assumed no shifter would want him after years of being rejected by dominant ferret shifter males in his own pack, so he was afraid to try again.

There were two benefits in having another shifter for a lover. First, they recovered fast. Dominant males were said to be insatiable in bed. Second, they didn’t use condoms because shifters were immune to most diseases. The other was the fact Omega ferret shifters were self-lubricating. Ivan let out a rumble as his fingers brushed against his hole.

Yup, Ivan just found that little fact.

“Fuck, you’re so ready for me,” Ivan said, sliding one finger in him and quickly adding in a second.

He groaned. “I need you inside me.”

“Be patient, little ferret. I’m not exactly small, so we can’t rush things.”

He liked that Ivan was a considerate lover, but if Ivan wasn’t inside him soon, he’d go mad. So, he went for playful and thrust his ass at Ivan, who let out a soft snarl. Hayden wouldn’t have tried this before with any other man. He’d always been passive when it came to his love life. Maybe that was why he had bad luck when it came to finding dates, but he was starting to believe fate did things for a reason.

If his pack didn’t throw him out, Hayden would have never met Ivan, he’d be back home, probably paired off to some older wereferret who’d only see him as a baby making machine and nothing more.

“Don’t tempt me,” Ivan warned when he pushed his ass at Ivan again.

Ivan’s swat made him jump. He wasn’t shocked by the pain, but by how the gesture only turned him on even more.

“Behave, little ferret. Who knew you’d be a wild cat when it comes to sex?” Ivan sounded amused.

Thankfully, Ivan couldn’t see his face. Hayden bet both his cheeks and neck were red by now.

“I’m not,” he blurted. “It’s just, being with you makes me different. Braver.”

“Well, I like this side of you, your shy self, too. All of it,” Ivan said, then the werewolf’s fingers brushed that special spot in him.

He mewled, clawing at the wooden floor only for Ivan to stroke his prostate again. Finally, it seemed like an eternity before Ivan replaced his digits with his cock. He moaned as Ivan rolled his hips and pushed in. It burned, the werewolf proving bigger than he anticipated, but once Ivan moved past the thick ring of stubborn muscles, the ache faded.

Ivan finally buried himself balls deep inside Hayden. He let out a breath. Ivan felt so huge inside of him, completely stretching him wide.