STORY EXCERPT

“So let me get this straight.” Lachlan sat forward in his chair to stare at Ben. “I’m being ordered by the council to move back in with my mate?” Taking a breath, Lachlan took a moment to arrange his thoughts. “Excuse me if I’m wrong on this, but since when is it the council’s business what takes place between mated couples?”

Lachlan didn’t like being a hard-ass, but Ben knew why he left Garrett. After only one fucking week of actually living together, the whole relationship went south. Garrett felt since he was the alpha that Lachlan had to obey his orders. Well that was all fine in theory, but that was not the way Lachlan had been wired.

Garrett being a demanding prick was only half the problem. There were some of Garrett’s pack members who just flat-out hated Lachlan. They thought him being a lion shifter made him less of a paranormal being when compared to a wolf. The things they would say were just too disrespectful for Lachlan to have to bear. If he stayed beyond the one week he tried to make the relationship work, he’d be charged with murder. The teasing and callous attitude was too much for a man to have to handle. So Lachlan did the adult thing and left.

Garrett tried to give some song and dance that he had to stay impartial with these matters. Lachlan understood that, he truly did. With the witch, Damon, on the loose, they had to take precautions, but Garrett could have at least stood up for him and made it clear that Lachlan was to be treated fairly.

“Typically they don’t, but this is a different matter altogether.” Ben ran a hand through the already-mussed strands. Lachlan could see the strain on his boss’s face from having to request this of him.

“How so?” Lachlan asked.

“Questioning Garrett’s pack hasn’t gotten us anywhere. Either they don’t know anything or they’re just not talking. Take your pick. But now there is talk about the pack wanting to appoint a new alpha. It’s all hearsay, but you never know. I’ve met a few of the Carrington Pack members, and they all seem to just adore Garrett. So this could just be the council getting their panties in a twist.”

“Ben, how does all this involve me?” Lachlan didn’t understand how his choosing to leave Garrett had any effect on the council and the possibility of Garrett losing his rank as alpha. Garrett was a fit and athletic guy. He’d win against any challenger who would choose to fight the man. “Garrett’s a fierce and strong alpha. He wouldn’t lose a fight for his leadership.” Lachlan shrugged like what he said made perfect sense and that anyone would have to agree.

“I’d like to agree with that assessment, but we can’t chance it. With the possibility of witches being involved with this wolf pack, we can’t allow them to let another wolf challenge Garrett for alpha. This could be the witch’s plan all along. There’re too many unknowns for us to just put Garrett at risk of losing leadership of his pack.”

“Once again how does this involve me?” Lachlan was getting snappy, but he wanted the straight truth.

“It boils down to this.” Ben pointed his finger across the desk at Lachlan. “You need to move back in with your mate and show a united front. There are talks that some of the wolves in his pack aren’t happy that the alpha’s mate has chosen to live away from him. They think if Garrett can’t control you, then he can’t keep control of the pack.”

A bitter taste clung to Lachlan’s tongue. There was that word again, control. What was with these wolves and the need to control everything and everyone in their path? He didn’t want to let down the council, but Lachlan felt as if he was selling his soul if he agreed to this arrangement. He understood the circumstances if a corrupt wolf took over the pack, but did Lachlan have to sacrifice himself to prevent that from happening?

“What if I say no?” he had to ask. What were his options if he defied the council?

Ben snapped his fingers and pointed at Lachlan again. “See, I knew you would ask that and told my father as such.” Lachlan watched as Ben rummaged through the papers on his desk looking for something. Ben’s father, Benedict, was a bigwig over at council headquarters. His job consisted of running all sections of the Warriors of the Light and serving as head of security at the Council of Paranormal Beings. A lot rested on Benedict’s shoulders, and the man at times liked to flaunt his power when the need called for it, and Lachlan crossed his fingers praying this wasn’t one of those times.

“Oh, here it is.” Ben pulled out a paper out from under his keyboard. He held it up and stared over at Lachlan. “Now remember these are my father’s words, not mine. Okay?” Lachlan nodded his understanding.

“He said that if you refuse to do as the council has asked, he’ll send your cat ass up to Alaska. Where you”—Ben darted his eyes up from the paper—“I’m quoting this here, can freeze your furry little ass off.”

Lachlan’s head fell to his shoulders. Shit! He knew Benedict meant it, too. That guy didn’t fuck around. When he gave an order, he expected it to be followed through without question.

ADULT EXCERPT

His mate laid him on the ground and hastily removed Lachlan’s clothing. Garrett’s moves were precise and confident. A man sure of one thing, that sex was most certainly in his near future.

“I’m going to love you so good, you’ll never want to leave me again,” Garrett said as his eyes and hands roamed over Lachlan’s now-naked body.

Lachlan let what Garrett said go without a fight. He hated that Garrett still thought he left him on purpose, because he didn’t. He was a warrior. It was part of his job to assist when need be.

Garrett urged Lachlan’s arms up over his head and gave him a look that said not to move. He then trailed his tongue down Lachlan’s neck to his hardened nipples. His mate’s moist, smooth tongue lapped around the pebbled peaks, alternating from left to right. Lachlan squirmed on the ground. The pleasure too much to bear. His cock had swelled to beyond the point of pain. He needed to come and fast.

“Fuck, Garrett.” Lachlan put his hands on Garrett’s shoulders and tried to push him to the desired location he wanted his lover to be. “Suck me. I can’t stand it anymore. I need to come.”

Garrett started to chuckle. “You’re not going to come until I’m in this sweet ass.” He squeezed Lachlan’s ass in clarification. “The first time you release your seed and scream out my name in pleasure I’m going to be buried so far inside you, you’ll know who you belong to.”

Again the wording sounded a bit off. Technically he didn’t belong to anyone, but he wanted his heart to belong to Garrett. He blamed the intensity of the situation for Garrett’s poor choice in wording.

“Then you better fuck me now. I don’t want to wait any longer.” Lachlan could hear the pleading in his voice, but he didn’t care. As long as it got him what he wanted, fuck his pride. He grabbed the sides of Garrett’s face and let his sharp nails come out to lightly graze across his mate’s flesh. “Claim me.”

Garrett let out a low growl and captured Lachlan’s lips in a searing kiss. He forced Lachlan’s hands back over his head. He eased a hand between them and used his fingers to swipe up the pre-cum leaking from the head of Lachlan’s cock. The fingers then went lower to play across Lachlan’s rippled entrance. Lachlan felt his hole flutter at the contact. He edged his hips forward trying to get the teasing fingers in deeper.

Garrett smiled mischievously down at him. “Are you impatient, my love?”

“Fuck yeah.” Lachlan didn’t have any pretty words for his lover. He was beyond that at the moment. Lachlan needed a solid, hot, and thick cock inside him stat.

Garrett pushed up on one arm to hover over Lachlan. He then used his free hand to rub his damp tip over Lachlan’s heated hole. Lachlan roared his frustration, sending some birds in a nearby tree to flight. Garrett smiled down at him and pushed forward in one forceful thrust.

“Holy shit!” Lachlan hadn’t bottomed in a long while, and the burn was intense. He sucked in mouthful after mouthful of air. His ass tightened around the large pole shoved up nice and deep. He just needed a second to adjust.

His mate didn’t move or rush him. Garrett lowered his body to cover him, and the slight shift caused Lachlan to jerk beneath his mate.

“Shh, breathe, Lachlan.” Garrett dropped soft, gentle kisses to Lachlan’s jawline and cheeks. “Accept me into your body.”

Lachlan tried to do as Garrett asked, but without lube his channel wanted to protest the dry claiming. He closed his eyes and wiggled slightly to accommodate the large dick in his body. After a few swirls of his hips, the pain ebbed a bit. The pinch of pain added to the fire coursing through Lachlan’s cock to settle in his balls. He wanted more.

Garrett growled as he plowed forward taking what he wanted from Lachlan’s greedy hole. With every slap of Garrett’s hips, Lachlan raised up to deepen the stroke. Now that the pain faded to mind-blowing arousal like he never felt before, Lachlan needed more. If Garrett wanted to shove his balls in Lachlan’s ass, he’d let the man. He craved everything about his mate and wanted the man to crawl inside him and never leave.

“So tight, so good,” Garrett grunted. “Please god, say you’re close. I’m not going to last much longer. It’s been too long.” Garrett’s hips never faltered.

Reaching between their bodies, Lachlan fisted his overheated cock. The veins bulged around his length feeling about ready to burst. Lachlan stroked the taut skin in quick tugs. He wanted them to come together this first time.

“Yeah, that’s it. Fuck yourself for me baby.” Garrett groaned as pulled out of Lachlan’s body. He bent his head forward, where Lachlan’s leg creased at the hip and bit down hard. Lachlan gasped at the initial contact. Garrett’s canines sliced through Lachlan’s skin like a knife through butter.

“Garrett!” Lachlan screamed heavenward. The bite almost threw him over the edge to utter and complete ecstasy.

“Hang on, baby.” Garrett bit into his own wrist then swiped up a collection of his and Lachlan’s blood and covered his cock in the fluid. Grabbing Lachlan around the hips he surged back in, balls deep.