STORY EXCERPT

Cole should turn away from the burning village. The affairs of the wolves no longer concerned him, except something or someone called to his dragon. He gripped the railing of the balcony, unaware of his hands turning into claws until the wood splintered underneath him. Cole flared his nostrils. His entire body felt like it was about to burn itself inside out. Then Cole heard a frightened unknown voice in his head.

Help me! Please.

Cole’s teeth turned to fangs. Fire danced over his knuckles. Fuck, but the last time he lost control of his dragon had been years ago, when his father finally managed to drive him out of the castle.

Please.

Shit. Cole couldn’t ignore that voice any longer. He didn’t remember stripping out of his clothes. Flames engulfed him, head to toe, but dragons were immune to fire. It only seared his clothes away. Cole soon forgot about why he was here in the first place. The only thing that mattered was reaching that voice that called to him in the dark, that drew his dragon like a magnet.

Scales replaced his skin, and Cole began to increase in mass. Bronze membranous wings exploded from his shoulder blades. A tail emerged. His hands and feet lengthened to claws. Cole leapt from the balcony as he completed his shift, and flapping his massive wings, he lifted himself higher, past the castle’s tallest tower and hid himself in the clouds. God, he’d nearly forgotten the joy of the flight, but Cole had a mission. Find the source of that cry of help—otherwise his dragon would go insane.

* * * *

Ben turned left and right, wondering why his father, brothers, and other dominant wolves in the pack hadn’t moved. They looked like lost puppies to him. Yips and snarls emerged from the trees. Soon enough, the Razors would be upon them, would slaughter them all like sheep. One Gray Razor wolf reached the village area and ripped out the throat of a pack member. Benlet out a low growl.

His brothers and father stirred slowly, sluggishly almost. Seeing a massive muscled brown wolf coming at his father from behind, Ben launched himself into motion, barking at his father. Both the brown wolf and his dad collided, but a second soon appeared to finish off the job. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This must be some kind of nightmare, one he’d hope to wake up soon enough.

Please, help us. Ben didn’t know who he was praying to, but he refused to stand still. He nipped at James’s left flank. More shadows came from the trees. They were outnumbered. The Gray Razors didn’t have these many numbers. Did they join forces with another pack? The only choice was to run, get James and the others to—

A loud brassy rumble thundered from above them. Ben didn’t know why he looked up when he should have been heading for cover, but he did. He froze, thought he glimpsed a massive shadow the size of a small house soaring through the clouds above him, the shape distinctive—that of a dragon, wings and all. Shit. This must be really some kind of weird dream. James whined next to him.

His heartbeat accelerated as the monstrous creature descended, and he could see it clearly now, the dragon. It had bronze scales, a stocky body with a long neck and spiked tail. Slitted green eyes blazed with fury as it opened its massive jaws and shot jets of fire, searing the trees, along with the enemy werewolves.

Spellbound, every muscle in Ben’s body refused to move. The dragon circled the forest, left a line of fire that seared anything in its path. What destructive power, Ben thought, half awed, half terrified.

The Gray Razors howled and screeched in agony. James nudged at him, terror in his eyes. They both broke into the open, began running at a breakneck speed. Up ahead of him, he glimpsed the distinctive shadow of wings. Jesus Christ, but the dragon was right behind them, and Ben knew it could burn him and James to a crisp.

James snarled beside him and then let out a yelp that reminded him of a kicked dog. He turned his head and saw James easily tossed aside by one enormous bat wing and the scrape of claws on his fur. The next thing Ben knew, those claws closed around his body and he was being lifted, higher and higher from the group. Ben squirmed, twisted, yipped.

A deep growly voice in his head spoke. Calm down or you’ll end up hurting yourself, little wolf.

It took Ben a second, no, two, to realize he hadn’t felt any pain. The dragon spoke. He was a shifter, Ben thought, feeling light-headed. He knew he should be awake but being clutched in a dragon’s claws while climbing upward was enough to knock him out of consciousness.

ADULT EXCERPT

“I’m scared of this, my instant reaction to you,” he admitted, realizing Cole expected an answer.

“There’s only one explanation,” Cole said, shoving the door open.

The big dragon shifter lowered him to the bed, and he looked up, suddenly aware of how massive Cole really was everywhere, especially the erection hidden in Cole’s jeans. He squirmed, wanting to experience Cole’s hands and mouth on him again.

Ben had never been this needy or desired another man so much. Sure, he dated some of the dominant wolves in his pack, but none of them stirred his submissive wolf awake the way Cole did. His experience with sex had been limited. Ben didn’t think much of it, but he had a feeling Cole would blow his one miserable experience away and replace it with an erotic memory that would remain seared in his brain.

“What?” he whispered.

“You’re my mate, Ben. I drove all the way here, thinking I’d say good-bye to my asshole father and then be gone. Now I’m thinking I came here to find you.”

“To kidnap me?” Ben asked.

Cole smiled, showing a hint of fang. “If you put it that way, you make me sound like a bad guy. Dragons have an excellent sense of smell, too, little wolf, and you can’t hide that little woody you’re sporting for me.”

He blushed. “I can’t be a dragon’s mate. I mean, I’m just a boring submissive werewolf, no one special. My dad and brothers said so every day of my life.”

Cole growled, the sound making the walls vibrate. “They’re fools then.”

“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Ben ought to shut up now, because he wanted the same thing as Cole did, but he couldn’t help himself.

“I’ve never been this certain my entire life.”

Ben took initiative and peeled off his shirt, aware of Cole watching him like a predator eyed his prey. Cole grabbed his ankle and then helped him out of his noggin pants. He breathed hard, Cole could see him, completely exposed, and he didn’t miss how the dragon shifter’s gaze lingered on his thickening prick. A knowing smile formed on Cole’s lips as the dominant shifter worked the button of his jeans. Ben sucked in a breath, seeing Cole unveil his thick erection.

“Wow,” Ben whispered as Cole dispensed with his bottoms. Looking at the fine specimen of a man right in front of him made him aware of his own nudity, of his slender body that never seemed to be able to bulk up.

“I kind of feel way out of my league here,” he said.

Cole growled. “Stop. You’re perfect the way you are, little wolf, and I’ll prove that soon enough.”

The dragon shifter crawled into bed, straddling his smaller body without difficulty. Ben parted his mouth, unsure of what to do next, but thankfully, Cole took the lead and sealed his mouth over his once more. Electricity traveled from Cole’s mouth and went right to his dick. Ben’s moan became muffled when Cole reached for his prick and began to stroke him, alternating fast and slow strokes. The dragon shifter gave his balls a squeeze and traced his puckered entrance with his finger, making Ben gasp.

“God,” Ben whispered. He wanted Cole to keep touching him, to help him forget about all that he’d been through the past few hours.

“I want to see you come for me, little wolf, before I fuck you senseless,” Cole said. The dragon shifter swiped the precum over his tip, began working him harder, until he let out a cry and emptied his load into Cole’s waiting hand. “Fuck, but that was so hot.”

“That’s supposed to be my line,” he whispered, sighing as Cole flipped him to his hands and knees.

“Wait a sec,” Cole said. The weight on the mattress lessened. Ben craned his head over his shoulder to see Cole disappearing into the bathroom and returning with lube. No need for a condom because both of them were shifters and they didn’t catch anything.

“Tell me, little wolf,” Cole began, palming his ass before uncapping the lube. “When was the last time you’ve been with a man?”

“Too long,” Ben whispered. “No one in my pack saw me as anything more than a quick fuck, so I kept to myself, saved myself from more heartache.”

“It’s been a while for me, too,” Cole said.

That surprised Ben a little, because with Cole’s looks and body, he doubted the dragon shifter had any trouble roping men willingly to his bed. It struck him they knew so little about each other, too. No matter. Ben had a feeling Cole wasn’t a runner, not like any of his exes. Even his wolf confirmed that Cole was special. Ben still had doubts. Could he really be this bronze dragon’s mate?

Ben ceased to form logical thoughts when Cole slid a slicked finger inside his hole and added a second soon after. He moaned as Cole began making twisting motions, widening him for access.

“Please.” The plea spilled easily from his lips.

“Please what, little wolf?”

“Ride me, big bad dragon.” He blushed. Did he really just say that out loud?

Cole answered with a playful smack to his left ass check, making him jump and his dick twitch back to life.

“I like that nickname, especially when it comes from your lips,” Cole said, replacing his fingers with his dick. The dragon shifter smeared his precum over his entrance, not quite pushing in yet, but rubbing it back and forth.

“No more teasing,” Ben managed, whimpering when Cole gripped his hips close and then began pushing in.

He widened his eyes, groaning at the burn. Cole didn’t slide all the way though, despite gritting his teeth, probably concerned he’d hurt Ben. The thought warmed his heart. Ben fisted the sheets, but once Cole moved past the thick, stubborn ring of muscles, it became easier. Finally, Cole buried himself balls deep inside Ben.