STORY EXCERPT

“Put me down!” Dane shouted as he kicked and fought to get free. He pulled his pepper spray from his pocket, but it fell to the ground and rolled into the tall grass.

“Stop wiggling,” the man said. “You’re gonna hurt yourself.”

“I’m gonna hurt you if you don’t let me go.” Dane pounded on the guy’s back, but it was like punching a brick wall. He jackknifed, hoping the move would take the stranger by surprise and he’d drop Dane, but his hold became tighter.

“This is kidnapping!” Dane kept slapping at the stranger’s back to no avail. “I’ll have you arrested!”

“Hate to disappoint you, but the law doesn’t go into the mountains.” He dumped Dane into the passenger’s seat.

The mountains? Nooo! He couldn’t be a Rising. Those stories were just myths. This man did not change into a bear.

So why does he have a decal of a bear on his truck?

Because he lives in Grizzly Ridge.

Oh God. Dane was having a conversation with himself. He reached for the door handle, but the stranger got into the driver’s side and pulled him back. “No use running, cub. The deal is done. You smell like my mate, and nothing on earth is gonna stop me from taking what’s mine.” The stranger pulled his truck back onto the road. “So just sit still and stop trying to escape.”

Dane nearly pissed himself as his heart thumped wildly. “Say what?” he screeched. “I’m not yours, you caveman. Let me out of here now!”

“Name’s Clint, not Caveman.” Clint turned onto an access road, and the truck climbed higher and higher. Dane looked out his window to see the back road disappearing. Clint turned the heater on, and hot hair blasted Dane.

“Look,” Dane said, hoping to reason with Clint, “I’m not sure what you think I smell like, but I can assure you, I’m not your mate. I’m just a waiter who was trying to get home.”

“Now you’re mine.” Clint followed the winding road, keeping his gaze straight ahead. The dashboard lights illuminated his features, making him look a hundred times scarier.

When the road evened out, Dane tried for the handle again. He’d gotten the door opened and was ready to jump when Clint slammed on the brakes, making Dane whack his head against the doorframe.

“Damn it, cub,” Clint growled. “Now look what you made me do.”

Dane yelped when Clint pulled him back. He turned Dane's head from side to side, examining him. “Let me go.” Dane tried to snatch his head away, but Clint’s grip was firm.

“Are you hurt?”

“Fuck you, you madman.” Dane threw a punch, but it landed on Clint’s shoulder. The strike didn’t faze Clint, but pain shot through Dane’s knuckles.

“Are. You. Hurt?” Clint’s eyes narrowed.

“No.” Dane glowered at him as he finally yanked his head free. “Don’t touch me, you crazy bastard.”

The side of Clint’s mouth curled into a wicked smile. “You’ll be begging for my touch in a few hours.”

What did that mean?

Dane screamed when the loony fuck jerked him close and bit him on his shoulder. The move had caught Dane by surprise, but…it hadn’t hurt. In fact, Dane’s cock had hardened so fast that he nearly came.

“Get off me!” Dane slugged the side of Clint’s head.

Clint released Dane and pulled back. “It’s the way of my kind,” he said, sounding almost apologetic. “My bear took over, and”—he shook his head—“couldn’t stop him.”

Bear? Dane eased back, staring into Clint’s gray eyes. “You’re as batshit crazy as Walt.”

Clint growled. “Who the fuck is Walt?”

The passenger door was still open. Dane leaped from his seat and ran so fast his knees nearly hit his chest. He had no clue where he was going, but away from Clint sounded fantastic.

Low-hanging branches slapped him in the face as he stumbled a few times. Dane’s heart beat so fast that it should’ve given out. A loud roar came behind him, but he didn’t look back.

Don’t you dare look back!

Dane’s leg muscles cramped. He stumbled again, but this time he went down. Terrified beyond words, he flipped to his back and saw a humongous bear bearing down on him. He curled into the fetal position, waiting to be torn to shreds.

The bear sniffed Dane’s head, licked his arms, and pawed his legs. He made a snuffling sound as he butted his head against Dane’s head.

“Go away,” Dane whimpered.

“I’m sorry, cub.” Dane glanced past his arms and saw a very naked Clint hunched down next to him. “I told you my bear took over. I’m not trying to scare you.”

“Then you’re failing miserably.” Dane lowered his arms and pushed himself into sitting position. “Why the hell are you naked?”

“Clothes shred when I shift.”

“Th-that bear was you?” No way would Dane believe that. It was impossible.

“I’m not trying to scare or hurt you, cub. My bear went nuts when he realized what you were to him.” Clint held out a hand and Dane got to his feet and backed away.

“I just wanna go home.” He touched where Clint had bitten him and sensations whiplashed through him. His cock hardened again as he sizzled with need. “What did you do to me?”

Clint stood and brushed his knuckles over Dane’s cheek. “I’ll explain everything once I get you home.”

“No, no, no.” Dane shook his head and backed up until he ran into a tree. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Clint blew out a frustrated breath. “Don’t make me do this the hard way again, Cub.”

“My name is Dane, not Cub.”

Clint approached, his muscled body flexing. “Either walk back to my truck or be carried. You don’t have a third option, cub.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Clint saw the fear in Dane’s eyes. His mate intended on getting past him. He was prepared to chase him, but just as Dane turned toward the door, he stumbled back, bracing his hand on the banister. His skin flushed as his cock hardened.

“I’m gonna cut your balls off for doing this to me.” Dane took a seat on the steps, fanning himself.

The bath had been a temporary fix. Dane was heating back up. Once again Clint cursed himself for jumping the gun. He might be wild and dominant, but he wasn’t a bastard. At least he didn’t think he was. His brothers might argue otherwise.

Clint growled when he heard a noise outside. He went to his door and swung it open. Walker and Bobby Ray stood on his porch, looking at everything but Clint. “I thought I told you guys to stay away.”

“Can’t help we’re curious,” Bobby Ray said.

“Dane isn’t a sideshow.” Clint looked around to make sure Clarence was nowhere in sight.

“He’s not here,” Bobby Ray said. “Wade is making sure he stays away.”

Like Wade could keep their father from doing what he wanted. When Clarence set his mind to something, nothing stopped him. “Tell Wade thanks.”

Bobby Ray’s brows shot up. “You’re seriously being polite?”

Walker nudged Bobby Ray with his elbow. “Don’t poke the bear when he’s in heat.”

“I’m not in heat,” Clint argued. He’d been fighting his urges, fearing he’d hurt the human, but truth was, he was so hard he could pound nails with his cock. “Now go the fuck away.”

He slammed the door, waited a second, then opened it again. His brothers were still standing there. Bobby Ray had a goofy-ass grin on his face while Walker smirked.

“Seriously?” Clint growled.

“We’re going,” Walker groused.

Clint waited for them to leave before closing the door again. Dane still lay on the steps with his arms stretched out and his head resting on them.

Clint picked his mate up and took him back upstairs, where he laid him on the bed. When he tried to pull away, Dane grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go.”

“I’m trying very hard not to take advantage of the fact you’re in heat.” Clint sat on the side of the bed.

“I don’t care,” Dane said, scooting closer. “You have to do something about this.”

Clint clenched his jaw. “What if you become pregnant?”

Although Clint had never thought about being a father, never thought he’d find his mate, the prospect didn’t terrify him. He glanced at Dane’s belly and imagined it swollen with his child. His heart skipped a beat.

“Use a condom.” Dane’s fingers dug into Clint’s wrist.

“Condoms won’t work, Cub.” Unable to stop himself, he brushed his hand over Dane’s stomach. “Your body is ready, and if we have sex, more than likely you’ll conceive.”

Doubt still clouded Dane’s blue eyes. He rolled to his hands and knees and crawled to Clint. The move was mesmerizing and nothing short of seductive. He pushed at Clint’s shoulders, and Clint allowed himself to fall backward onto the bed.

Dane was naked, and all Clint had on was a thin pair of pajama pants. He gripped Dane’s sides as his mate slid a leg over Clint’s body and straddled him. Damn if Dane didn’t make a gorgeous sight sitting atop him. He ground against Clint, moaning as he ran his fingers over Clint's hard nipples.

Clint cursed as he released Dane and worked his pajama pants down his thighs, letting his cock spring free. Dane curled his fingers around Clint’s length and stroked him as his mate whimpered.

In one fluid motion, Clint rolled them, placing Dane under him. He scooted inward until the head of his cock pressed against Dane’s hole. The natural lubricant shifters possessed spurted against Dane’s entrance and relaxed his muscles as Clint worked his cock inside his mate. Fuck, Dane was tight.

Dane slid his legs around Clint’s waist, writhing beneath him. “More,” Dane whimpered.

“I need to take this slow.” Clint gritted his teeth. His bear wanted him to conquer, regardless of the consequences. His beast was running on pure instinct, whereas Clint knew he had to be careful not to break the human.

“You need to get your dick inside me.” Dane drove downward, impaling himself. They both cursed, then moaned. Clint rolled them again, placing Dane on top. Now that he was inside his mate, Dane could ride him until they were both sweaty and spent.

“I usually don’t like this position,” Dane confessed as he swiveled his hips, driving Clint’s cock deeper. “Makes me feel too exposed.”

“You look fucking fantastic sitting on my dick.” Clint gripped Dane’s hips.

“You’re grabbing my love handles.” Dane blushed.

“I’m grabbing your sexy body.” Clint didn’t like Dane’s low self-esteem about his body. He’d already told his mate that he didn’t want skin and bones, yet Dane was still embarrassed. That didn’t make a lick of sense. Dane had nothing to be ashamed of. He was damn perfect.

Pressing his palms against Clint’s chest, Dane bounced on Clint’s cock as his head rolled to the side. His eyelids fluttered closed as he moaned.

Clint loved that Dane was taking pleasure from him. His thoughts scattered as he thrust upward, driving his cock deep into Dane’s ass. Dane’s body felt as if it had been made for Clint.

Love handles and all.

Needing to go even deeper, Clint held on to his mate as he rolled them again. He grabbed Dane’s legs and spread them wide. Fuck yeah. This position was even better. Dane’s ass gripped Clint’s cock so hard that Clint fought not to come too quickly.

His bear snarled in pure satisfaction. Clint ran his hands down Dane’s hairless legs and inner thighs, then curled his hand around his mate’s bobbing cock. Dane hissed, punching his hips upward, crying out as he fisted his hands in the sheets.