STORY EXCERPT

A scream ripped through the night air, sending chills down Jeb Taylor's spine. When his clan beta went tearing off toward the thick trees, Jeb went after him. He wasn't sure if he was running to protect Harvey or if it was the obsessive need to find that scream. He just knew he had to follow.

The sound of harsh whispers cut through the thick forest. It was coming from the same direction the scent of blood was coming from.

"It hurts," someone cried out. The voice was laced with pure agony.

"Quiet!" someone else whispered. "They'll hear you."

Anger unlike anything he'd ever felt in his life raged through Jeb when he broke through the trees and saw a young man caught in a bear trap. Tears streamed down his pale face. Jeb had been caught in a bear trap once, so he could sympathize. He knew it was beyond painful.

When Harvey placed one foot on the edge of the trap then reached down with his hands. Jeb moved forward and placed his hands on the other side.

"On three," Harvey said.

Jeb nodded.

"One, two, three." Harvey pushed with all of his might, pressing the teeth of the trap down and away from the young man's ankle. "Pull him out, Jasper."

Harvey grit his teeth and growled as he waited for the man's ankle to be pulled free. Once it was, he glanced at Jeb. "Ready?"

"One, two, three."

Harvey jumped back, barely escaping the metal teeth as they snapped back together. "Can you shift?" Harvey asked the young man.

"No." The guy almost cried when he said that. "They gave me something that keeps me from shifting."

"What?" Harvey snapped.

Jeb growled as his anger renewed. Someone gave him something to keep him from shifting?

When Harvey slowly panned to look at him, Jeb shrugged. He couldn't explain his anger. He didn't understand it himself. Yes, anyone would be angry in this situation, but Jeb wanted to kill someone for what they had done to this poor man.

Harvey frowned then looked back down at the injured man. "Have you transitioned yet?"

"Yes, a little over a month ago."

"I'm going to wrap your ankle for now. We'll talk to Alpha Kersey when we get back home and see if he knows what they might have given you. How's that sound?"

The nod was instant.

"What's your name? Mine's Harvey."

"Erik Thomas."

Harvey ripped off the bottom of his shirt and started tying it around the young man's ankle. "I know this hurts, Erik," he said when Erik whimpered, "but it's got to be done. We have to stop the bleeding."

Erik nodded rapidly, his lips pressed so tightly together, they were white. Once Erik was all wrapped up, Harvey went to lift him. Jeb growled and pushed him out of the way, picking Erik up himself.

Harvey lifted an eyebrow.

Jeb's jaw clenched. He tightened his grip on the man in his arms, refusing to let him go, even to his beta. "I've got him."

"Jasper, did your brother kidnap you?" Harvey asked.

"He sent some of his guys for me," Jasper said. "I didn't want to go, but they made me."

"Did your brother tell you why he kidnapped you?"

Tears sprang to Jasper's eyes as he nodded. "He knows I'm an omega. He was going to sell me to the highest bidder."

Jeb's jaw dropped. Jasper was getting sold? By his own brother? What kind of madman were they dealing with?

"He was going to sell you?" Harvey snarled.

Jeb understood his anger.

"That's what he does," Erik whispers. "He kidnaps and sells people, and he doesn't care if they are shifters or humans as long as he can make money off of them."

Harvey clenched his hands. "Where is he now?"

"I heard him tell one of his men that he had one more package to pick up before the next auction," Erik said. "The auction is tomorrow."

"How do you know all this?"

A tear slipped down Erik's cheek. "I was to be auctioned off."

Oh hell no!

Jeb's growl was loud and clear this time. "No one is auctioning you off!"

He didn't care how many people he had to kill. It simply wasn't going to happen.

"Come on," Harvey said. "Let's get these guys—"

Jeb lifted an eyebrow when Harvey just suddenly zoned out. "Harvey?"

"Hold on." A frown wrinkled the man's forehead before his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. "We need to get back to the house. Dwayne says there's trouble."

Oh right. Jeb had forgotten that part. They could talk to each other telepathically. It was a very handy skill to have.

"What kind of trouble?" he asked.

"Jason trouble."

Erik shivered.

Jeb pressed his cheek against the top of the man's head. "I won't let him get you, Erik. I promise."

He had no idea why it was so important to his bear to make sure Erik was safe, but it was. It was all Jeb could do to keep from shifting. His bear was being very growly.

"I'm not sure you can promise that," Erik whispered. "Jason always gets what he wants."

"Jason hasn't met my alpha yet, but I suspect he's about to." Jeb chuckled as he envisioned that meeting. "He has no idea what he's up against."

Jeb might have grown up with Rob, and they'd been best friends since forever, but the man was still impressive even to him. Rob Colton stood a towering six foot five inches tall and had the muscle to back that up.

Rob also had the heart and determination to be a great alpha someday. He had a little growing to do before then. He'd been an official alpha all of a day. He needed a little more experience, but Jeb and the others had his back no matter what.

Jeb kept a firm hold of Erik as he carried him through the woods. He was concerned about Erik's injury. The scent of blood was overwhelming and the man whimpered every few minutes. Jeb knew he had to be in a lot of pain.

"It's okay to cry, you know," he said. "I've had my leg caught in a bear trap before. I bawled like a baby."

He hadn't really, but he sure had wanted to.

"You can shift just as soon as whatever they shot you up with wears off and then your leg will heal and the pain will go away."

Eyes as blue as the summer sky peeked up at him through a fall of sunlight blond hair. "What's your name?"

Crap. His manners had gone to shit.

ADULT EXCERPT

"You smell so good, osezno."

"Yeah? What do I smell like?"

"Mine," Jeb growled. "You smell like mine."

Erik shuddered again, his body going into overdrive.

"I want to claim you, Erik," Jeb whispered against his skin. "Can I claim you?"

"Yesss," Erik hissed as he arched his head back, giving Jeb's lips more room to roam. He wasn't stupid enough to say no if this powerful bear wanted to claim him.

As Jeb laid him down on the mattress and followed him down, Erik wondered how he'd been so lucky to find his mate so early in life. Some shifters waited a lifetime and never found their mates.

When the man leaned down and claimed his lips in a hungry kiss that demanded a response, Erik thought he'd lose his damn mind. He felt a needy groan build up in his throat as he pushed into the kiss. The caress of Jeb's lips on his mouth and the longing in his body set Erik on fire.

He kissed Erik on the lips, the nose, the chin. Lifting his head, he looked deep into Erik's eyes. He watched in shock as Jeb's eyes closed, his jaw clenching. He could even feel the man's hard cock pressing against him through his pants.

Finally opening his eyes, Jeb looked at him, his gaze smoldering hot. Erik's whole body shook as he watched Jeb lean back on his legs. His eyes glittered with arousal as he looked down at Erik.

Jeb chuckled, as he jumped off the bed and unbuttoned his pants, dropping it to the floor before climbing back onto the bed between Erik's legs. He stroked his hard cock several times.

Jeb was sweating, his skin flushed as he stared at Erik with feral eyes. "Turn over." The man wasn’t joking around. His eyes were so sensually filled that Erik could almost feel the heat scorching his skin. Erik was all too eager to comply.

"You're so fucking beautiful."

What?

Erik turned his head more to see Jeb's face, but he was too late. Jeb was already bending down to swipe his tongue over the crease between Erik's cheeks. Jeb's hands traced over Erik's smooth skin. The gentle caress caused a surge of heat to rise within Erik. The man seemed to want to explore every inch of his body at his leisure. Erik wasn't going to argue.

"God, you even taste good," Jeb whispered as he swiped his tongue over Erik again. Several moan filled moments later he finally lifted his head and looked down at Erik.

Erik could barely hold still when he heard the soft squirt of liquid Jeb was pouring onto his fingers. His legs began to tremble.

When a wet finger touched his hole, Erik couldn’t help but rise to his hands and knees, rocking against the finger. He was losing his mind. Placing one hand on Erik's back, Jeb slid his lubed finger inside Erik's tight ring of muscles.

Erik's eyes crossed. The man had nailed his sweet spot on the first try. Lowering his shoulders to the bed, he whimpered. Jeb zeroed right in on his sweet spot again, stroking it several times before adding a second finger.

"Jeb…not gonna last long if you keep that up," he groaned.

"I thought keeping it up was the whole idea." Jeb laughed as he added a third finger, carefully stretching him.

"Jeb…Jeb…please, Jeb…now," Erik begged. He didn't know how much more of this he could take before he blew. He was so close now that he wasn't sure he would last the next few seconds.

"Okay, baby." Jeb pulled his fingers free and replaced them with his cock, slowly pushing his way in, a long groan coming from his clenched teeth. "Oh hell, Erik, I knew you would be perfect."

Erik's body tightened, his heart thudded, and his mind grew frantic with a need so primitive and sensual, it threatened to make a slave out of him.

"Erik," a shattered whisper as Jeb seated himself fully inside Erik's body. “Fuck, Erik.”

Erik's cock hardened to steel at the needy sound. He grabbed the sheets under him in a tight grasp as Jeb began thrusting into him, each thrust harder and faster until he shook the entire bed. The only sounds in the room were their heavy breathing, the occasional groan, and the noise made from their hips slapping together.

Suddenly, Jeb stopped, slapping Erik on the ass. "Roll over, baby. I want to see you your eyes when I claim you."

Erik quickly rolled over, amazed that Jeb had stayed inside of him while he turned over. He arched his back, his eyes sliding closed as Jeb lifted his legs and slid deeper inside. He grabbed a hold of Jeb's arms to keep himself from scooting up.

"Open your eyes, Erik. I need to see your beautiful blue eyes," Jeb demanded as he began thrusting into him again.

Erik opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused as he looked up at Jeb. He wiggled his hips to take the swollen shaft deeper inside of him.

"Are you mine, Erik?"

"Yes," he answered as his head rolled to the side of his shoulder, feeling Jeb’s cock sink in and out of his ass, stretching his skin to the limits. His body tingled with a need to come, but he fought against his release. He didn't want this to end…ever.

"Touch yourself, baby. I want you to come with me. And you'd better hurry. I'm almost there."

"No need," Erik groaned. His eyes rolled back into his head, his neck arching and his hands clenching on Jeb's arms. As he came, spurts of white cream shot from his cock to land between them.

Erik jerked, shuddered, and gasped for air as Jeb’s movements became uncoordinated. He cried out when Jeb's fangs sank into the soft skin between his throat and shoulder. Something inside of him felt as if it had ripped away and joined Jeb, leaving Erik feeling as if no other man besides Jeb would ever satisfy him.

"Oh damn!" Jeb roared as he thrust hard into Erik, filling him with his own release. Erik felt Jeb's cock pulsing inside of him, each massive shot of seed hitting his sensitive flesh, prolonging his orgasm until the world around him went dark.