Dr. Tom Barrymore thought he was pulling over on the side of the road to help an injured man, but what he discovered wasn’t what he bargained for and he finds himself running for his life.
Sheriff and panther alpha, Luke Benson, had nearly given up hope of ever finding his mate, but when he stumbles upon him, the man is a few heartbeats away from death. He has no choice but to make a decision that will alter his mate’s life forever. He’ll do whatever it takes to convince the good doctor that they belong together, but first … there’s a matter of justice to seek against the men who dared to touch his mate, before they make another attempt.
Be Warned: m/m sex
“Where the fuck are my clothes?” he asked as he finally stood up, only to realize he was stark naked. He grabbed the bedsheet and covered up his dick. “Did you—”
The sheriff growled. He actually fucking growled and then he got in Tom’s face, towering over him by a good five inches and spoke low, his voice angry. “When I fuck a man, I make sure he remembers it. Your clothes were torn to shreds. I cleaned you up and sat watching over you all night to make sure I’d be there if you woke up and felt disoriented. I didn’t touch you.”
Tom swallowed loudly and sat down on the bed. The sheriff backed up a little to give him space and stood there looking at him with his arms folded. Tom actually felt bad for accusing the man who saved his life, albeit turning him into a monster in the process. Being a scientist, he had absolutely no rational explanation for any of this. Seeing was one thing, but understanding the how part of it—how this world that he stumbled into could even be possible was daunting. People should not be able to transform into animals. His wounds should not have been able to heal on their own or at all for that matter, given their severity. He suddenly felt very lost, not being able to explain, nor understand. It was frustrating.
“What does that even mean … that I’m your mate?” he asked just as his arms began to itch again. Ignoring the need to scratch, he mimicked the sheriff by folding his arms across his chest. Despite his anger and frustration, he couldn’t deny his curiosity or his attraction to the sheriff.
Was it the so-called “mate” thing that was pulling his strings now? he wondered. Though he had to admit that if he met Luke under normal circumstances, he would definitely be attracted to the man.
“It means that whatever fates are out there, they have deemed us worthy of being mated for life. Shifters are more intuitive than humans. I guess you can equate it to knowing when you have found the one.”
Tom snorted. The last time a guy told him he wanted forever, Tom had found him in their bed … with two other men. To say that he had serious trust issues now would be an understatement. From his experience, the men who made declarations to him were the ones who hurt him most. He had learned quickly to guard his heart like a fortress.
“Don’t I get a say in any of this?”
Tom watched as the sheriff’s full lips quirked into a breathtakingly cocky smile. He immediately had to drop his hands to the bedsheet, surreptitiously trying to restrain the bulge underneath it. Damn traitorous cock. The sexy-as-sin sheriff only smiled wider.
“You’re going to tell me you don’t like men?” the cocky bastard asked. “Or is it that you’re still in the closet?”
Tom rolled his eyes. “I came out to my very supportive parents in high school and I’m proud to live my life as an openly gay man.”
Tom knew from a young age that he was gay. He started dating in his sophomore year of high school and when in his junior year, after getting serious with a guy who ended up breaking his heart six months later, he decided to sit his parents down and tell them he was gay. His mother simply gave him a look that said she already knew. His father replied with an “okay.” His mother later grilled him about his dating life and offered up sage advice when he told her about the boy that hurt him. He couldn’t help but wonder what they would think about him now suddenly being able to turn into an animal.
“Maybe I don’t want this damn itch to dictate who I should be with,” he continued with exasperation as he finally gave in to scratching his arms. “Or maybe I’m just not attracted to you.”
“The bulge you’re trying to hide says otherwise.” The bastard actually waggled his thick, dark, heavenly eyebrows at him.
He got up from the bed, frustrated, no longer caring about his modesty. “I need to think.” I need to get the fuck away from his delicious scent before I beg him to fuck me on all fours right now. “I need some”—he cleared his throat—“space.”
The sheriff’s gaze traveled down to his long and erect cock. He couldn’t help the groan that escaped him as Luke first licked and then bit his own bottom lip, keeping it trapped there between his teeth.
He wasn’t sure how long he stared at the sheriff’s mouth, but then he spotted his duffle bag along with his other personal belongings on top of the dresser and went over to it. Without turning around, he was about to ask Luke to give him some privacy, when the other man said, “I’ll just give you some space.” The door gently closed behind him.
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