STORY EXCERPT

“Uh,” he began, approaching the blonde waitress. “Is there an event I don’t know about? I’m supposed to meet my date here. Maybe he didn’t know you guys have some kind of event?”

“You’re not mistaken, sir. Someone did book us for an entire night.”

Colin couldn’t make sense of her words at first, until he finally saw him. His mysterious date.

The entire world fell silent, and his surroundings became irrelevant. The man stood behind one of the chairs at the farthest table from him, almost near the woods. He wasn’t just tall, but also massive. Colin grew up in a werewolf pack. He was used to being around muscular men who used their strength to intimidate others. Al was the same, but he didn’t feel threatened or wary at all by this stranger.

Simon was his friend, would have never set him up with someone dangerous. Right?

The waitress said something else.

“I’m good, thanks,” Colin murmured unthinkingly. A strange kind of magnetic force propelled him forward, and he found himself walking towards the man, who hadn’t moved an inch from his spot. He frowned. Under the lights, he noticed the man’s hair color immediately. Silver frost. “Do I know you?” 

The stranger heard him, was probably a shifter, because he said, “Come closer, little wolf.” 

Colin wanted to strangle Simon. A shifter? Really? Colin wanted someone normal, uncomplicated, human perhaps. After Al, Colin was done with domineering assholes in his life, except his wolf didn’t cower the way it did whenever Colin encountered dominant shifters in town. 

This man screamed Alpha in every way and worse. He smelled amazing. Delicious. All his wolf wanted to do was wrap himself around this man and never let go. Other werewolves smelled like wet dog to him, and whenever he encountered feline shifters, he started sneezing, because Colin was allergic to cats. 

Colin couldn’t identify what beast shared this shifter’s skin. Something big, dark, and terrifying, instinct told him that. That fact alone should’ve sent him running for the opposite direction.

Colin kept walking, unable to deviate from the path. It was stupid, but it felt like destiny had a hand in their meeting. He never believed in fate, but tonight, he changed his mind.

He came to a halt on the chair opposite the stranger’s. Colin gripped the metal frame for balance, because putting some distance between them seemed wise. He studied the stranger closer. His date wore a suit. The charcoal-black jacket fitted the stranger like a glove, but his date seemed uncomfortable in it, because he took off the first button of his shirt. Underneath, Colin saw a web of scars. More peeked under the man’s sleeves.

Finally, Colin looked up and couldn’t seem to look away. Piercing glacial-blue eyes captured his. They didn’t look like any human or shifter eyes he’d ever seen before, because they were slitted, like that of a snake’s. Wait a second. I know those eyes, a voice whispered in his head. I know him. Colin flipped through the memories in his head. How was this possible? Over the past decade, Al seldom let him out of the house, forbade him from ever leaving town. 

Colin saw himself at eighteen, looking out his bedroom window, feeling like a trapped animal and looking at the boy who lived across from his house. The boy from the monster house. The puzzle piece clicked into place.

He is mine. We’re both damaged and broken. That’s clear as day. That thought startled him. Those words resonated deep inside of him and scared him a little, because all Colin wanted to do was close in. He wanted this dangerous and beautiful scarred stranger to touch him, kiss him, and do whatever he wanted with Colin. 

What the hell was happening to him? Was this guy some kind of witch?

“You,” he whispered. “Ten years ago, I waited for you and you never came. Thanks to that decision, I never left Evergreen. That town became my prison.”

Colin pulled himself back to reality. He spun on his heel, although it was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. Never mind the fact Simon matched him up with the boy from his childhood by sheer coincidence. Unknown anger welled up inside of him. This guy had done nothing to him, never hurt him, but it felt like someone shoved shards of glass deep in his chest, all the way into his heart.

Colin might have been eighteen back then, but in the end, he realized he was only a kid trying to play at being an adult. He felt foolish then, and the same emotion filled him now. A big and rough hand grabbed his shoulder, spun him around.

Man. This shifter even look enormous up close. He practically towered over Colin. Colin pressed a hand to the guy’s impressive pectorals, would’ve shoved, but those pain-filled eyes stopped him cold. Hurt reflected there, so did a well of emotions. Regret. Guilt.

“Not being able to see you that night ten years ago is a mistake that haunted me for my entire life,” the man said. The shifter released his shoulder, only to press his hand into his cheek. His touch burned, and Colin didn’t know why he leaned into it, rubbed his cheek against the stranger’s hand like a needy kitten. 

The man seemed fascinated by his actions. Then he continued, “I was thrown into a cage, just like you. That’s why I couldn’t meet you. I should’ve fought harder.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Colin had never met a more humble or sexy man as Xander, scars and all. Most guys would be insecure about revealing something like that but not Xander. He still couldn’t believe it himself, but it made complete sense. Xander spent most of his adult life in captivity, never knew the touch of a man, but his dragon sure let primal instinct take over earlier and scored flying colors.

“You’re a virgin?” Colin had to make sure. He suddenly felt self-conscious, wished Al hadn’t gotten to him first and he’d come to Xander pure.

“You are the only man worth waiting for. My mate.” Xander reached for him, cupped his cheek, and sent him a kiss rough and hungry enough to fire up his dick. 

His heart thumped rapidly. Earlier this evening, Colin didn’t think he’d be ready to re-enter the dating world again and now, this dragon called him his mate, said it like a statement Colin couldn’t refute. He didn’t want or need to. Soul mate. That word resonated deep within his heart. His wolf had known, all those years ago, who the boy next door was. 

Both their paths had diverged drastically ten years ago, only to converge again.

“I’ve never tried to do a sixty-nine before. It might be a little awkward, because you’re so much taller than me. Let’s try something else,” Colin suggested. “At this rate, it won’t be long before we’re both hard again.”

Colin still had Xander’s cum on his chest and face, and the bites Xander left behind on his body ached. God knew what he looked like, but he sure didn’t mind being dominated by Xander. Just remembering Xander’s version of foreplay made his cock thicken.

“One thing’s certain. I’ll fuck you from behind.” The surety of Xander’s words was enough for Colin to roll over, to fall on his hands and knees. 

Xander went behind him, as Colin pressed his face into the sheets and thrust his ass at Xander, practically offering himself to his dragon. Colin groaned as Xander ran his hand down the curve of his ass. He widened his stance, only for Xander to finger his hole. Xander didn’t push in, but merely stroked his puckered entrance. 

His dragon cupped his ass cheeks, spread them apart only to press his face near and blow at his hole. Xander’s warm breath on his most intimate place made him shudder in anticipation. Colin moaned as Xander stuck a tongue into his entrance and stroked his inner muscles. He practically arched his back at the sensation. Xander firmly gripped his ass and continued his exploration.

“My God, Xander.” 

Colin couldn’t get any other words out, because Xander also started squeezing his balls and moving his large hand to Colin’s dick. Xander continued sucking and tonguing at his hole, all the while moving his hand up and down Colin’s shaft. He grew hard in moments, whimpered when Xander pulled his mouth away. 

The bed dipped as Xander climbed out, only to put his hands on Colin’s hips and position Colin closer to the edge. 

“Yes,” he murmured as Xander’s cock head dripped pre-cum down his hole. 

“Wait. We need lube.”

Colin whined, then remembered where he left it. “Bathroom, the door before my room in the corridor. Inside the cabinet above the sink.”

Xander disappeared. Cool air touched his bare skin. He already missed his dragon warming him up with his touches. Xander reappeared, walking up behind him again. Colin moaned as Xander inserted one slicked up finger inside him, before adding another. 

“Can you take a third?” Xander asked.

“Fuck me already.”

Xander chuckled, the sound unfettered, free, and shocking. He had a feeling a man like Xander seldom had a reason to laugh, but Colin swore he’d give his mate a reason to make that sound again.

“Soon,” Xander promised. Colin squirmed, pushed his buttocks into Xander’s hand. Finally, his dragon  guided his prick between his ass cheeks. Xander clutched at his hips and drove in, stealing Colin’s very breath for a few seconds.

So big. Colin knew his dragon was massive, but he never had anything this enormous inside his tiny hole. He inhaled, exhaled. Xander breached him, finally moved past the stubborn ring of muscles and slid home. A burn started, but Colin knew Xander would make it go away soon, replace it with ecstasy. 

“Colin?” Xander asked, resting his balls against the curve of Colin’s ass. His dragon sounded concerned, worried even.

“I’m fine. Ride me. Please.”

Xander started with slow, leisurely strokes, before picking up the pace. The initial pain went away as Xander reduced them to grunts and pants. Each time Xander penetrated him, his dragon drew something deep inside him, his soul maybe, so it could touch Xander’s own scarred but beautiful soul. Fate drew them together, and only the apocalypse could pull them apart.