STORY EXCERPT

“He is right there,” Noah said firmly as he pointed to Remus Marius. I watched in horror as Father slapped Noah across the face. Mother fucker!

“You lie!” Abraham screamed. “You’re not a fag! It’s bad enough you’re too pathetic to be a warrior. You can’t be a fruit, too! I should have killed you in your crib.”

Large hands grabbed my arms as I tried to launch forward at Father. I pulled, he tugged, and I spun around to hit him until I saw it was Dillon. Shock filled me as I realized he was keeping me from kicking our dad’s ass. Then I got pissed. How could Dillon be okay with Father treating Noah this way?

I got one good elbow into Dillon’s chin, turning to help Noah but only to be stopped by Gabriel Marius. He shoved me hard as Dillon pulled me, and this time I didn’t resist. I was clearly missing something if they were on the same side against me. Did they think I was going after Noah?

“I was going after Father, not Noah,” I growled as they pinned me to the wall. “I thought you were holding me back so I didn’t punch him. I wanted to keep him away from Noah.”

“I thought you were trying to hurt our little brother,” Dillon answered, staring daggers at me. I felt my head snap as if he’d punched me. Is that what my brother really thought of me? I might not have been a fan of Noah being a fag, but he was still my brother, and Father had no right to hit him like that. Especially now after we found out that Noah hadn’t been studying abroad like I’d thought.

“He’s under my protection now, Abraham,” Mr. Marius yelled as they walked out into the hall.

“Fuck that, he’s my son,” Father answered, his hands bunched into fists. “He’s not going to mate to a fucking man! I don’t give a shit what atrocities you let go on in your home, but in mine, mates aren’t men.”

Is he high? I asked myself as I stared at the man I’d always idolized. I knew I was never Father’s favorite, not being the firstborn and all. But I grew up doing everything he’d always wanted for any scrap of affection he’d give me. I always thought I’d had it rough, but now everything was turned upside done with what I was learning. It seemed Noah had it the worst of us.

“Well, he’s coming to my home,” Mr. Marius yelled back, stepping closer to Father. “So Noah can claim his mate if he wants to. Even if he doesn’t, he’s under my protection now. If you don’t fucking like it, take it up with the council.”

“You son of a bitch,” Abraham growled, taking a swing at Mr. Marius’s head. Mr. Marius easily ducked it and landed a punch of his own on Abraham, knocking Father on his ass.

“Father,” I growled, picking the man up off the ground. At this point I just wanted to get him out of there before he did more damage to our family. I wracked my brain for what to say that would make him leave. “We’ll go to the council. There’s nothing we can do about it now.”

“Yeah, the two of you against nine is pretty bad odds.” Dillon chuckled.

“Two? Nine? What are you talking about, Dillon?” Father asked, confused as I was. Then it hit me—Dillon thinks I agree with Father. I wanted to say something, anything to explain that I was just trying to defuse the situation. But like always, no one was paying attention to me, so instead I just pulled Father towards the door.

“You think I’m on your side, Father?” Dillon asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Of course you are,” he spat out, “you’re a Dragos.”

“So is Noah,” Dillon yelled back as I rolled my eyes. Great, now I’d be stuck cleaning up another one of their arguments and playing peacemaker. “Look at the way you’ve treated him! You told us that he was studying abroad. And all this fucking time you’ve confined him to the staff house. How could you? He’s your son. I’m ashamed to call you my father. I stand with the Marius family on this one. You lay one hand on Noah, so help me god, I will kill you myself. I swear on my honor, Father.”

What has Dillon done? I thought to myself as I closed my eyes, suddenly feeling very old and tired. I was so tired of this shit. Couldn’t we ever just interact without everyone flying off the handle? And what the fuck had Father been doing with Noah all these years? My head just hurt from it all. I wanted to get us out of there and think.

“You can’t do that,” Abraham replied, his face paling.

“I can and did, Father,” Dillon answered, stepping closer. “All of the people here bear witness to my oath. Why don’t you take a swing at me?” Dillon paused, making his point that Abraham wouldn’t try to fight Dillon. Abraham knew he would lose. “That’s what I thought, Father. You only hit those who can’t fight you. Isaac, take him home, get this piece of shit out of my sight.”

I’m not your fucking errand boy, big brother, I growled in my head, knowing nothing good would come of saying it aloud. We had a big enough mess to clean up without Dillon throwing more shit my way to handle. I stared at him for a moment with my mouth open before dragging Father with me. Right then I wasn’t sure who I was more pissed at, Dillon or Father.

“I’m so fucking tired of this bullshit,” I mumbled as I still held on to Father’s arm as we got to the car.

ADULT EXCERPT

“You’re mad I’m not a virgin, aren’t you,” he said as tears filled his eyes. Playing back my words in my head, I wanted to kick myself. I let my head drop forward at the mess I’d made. “I’m sorry, Isaac. I didn’t know I’d ever find a mate or leave my pack—”

“Rory, stop,” I replied gently as I interrupted him and moved up the bed. “I’m not upset at all, baby. I’m not a virgin, not anywhere near being a virgin. I’ve been with hundreds of women over the centuries.”

Rory growled, his lip pulling up over his teeth as his canines extended. Seems I wasn’t the only one who could get possessive. I raised an eyebrow at him. His eyes went wide as he realized what he’d done. I pulled him into my arms as we laughed, and I rolled us over until he was back in our original position.

“I swear I didn’t mean it how it sounded,” I said against his lips. “I’m not upset that you’ve had sex. I only care that I will be the last person you ever have sex with.”

“I promise you that you will be, Isaac,” he replied as he pulled his legs back up. “I didn’t mean to freak out on you.”

“You didn’t.” I smiled as I pushed two fingers back into him. “We’ll learn this stuff about each other and how to read each other’s reactions as we go. I know I’ll make mistakes, but I need to trust you to call me on them. Otherwise, I won’t be the mate you deserve.”

“Will you mate me now?” Rory gasped as I scissored my fingers back and forth. I saw the longing and desperation in his eyes to belong to someone, the same as I felt.

“Are you sure, Rory?” I asked, pushing in a third finger. He smiled widely up at me and nodded furiously. My heart swelled at the trust I saw in his emotions. “I swear on my honor that I will always put your needs, wants, and desires before my own. I will take no others from this moment and commit my immortal life to you alone, Rory.”

“Take me, gods, please take me,” he whimpered as he pulled his legs back farther. I groaned as I watched my hot little mate fold himself in half with his knees next to his ears. “I’m half cat, Isaac. I’m very flexible.”

“You’re just sex on a stick, baby.” I quickly pulled my fingers out of his now stretched hole and lined up my cock. Checking his face for any signs of changing his mind, I pushed forward when I saw none. I went slowly even though everything in me was screaming to slam home because it felt so good.

“So full,” Rory gasped as he reached up and grabbed on to my biceps. My mate wasn’t kidding about being flexible. His knees were by his ears, and he could still move his arms!

“I’m going to love you so much and forever,” I whispered in his ear after I bottomed out inside of him and leaned over.

“Yes, please.”

“Wrap your legs around me, baby.” He did as I asked, and I started slowly moving in and out of him. Holy fuck! This was worlds different from sex with a woman, and I loved it. I was in heaven, and I didn’t know if it was because I was making love to my mate, or because he was a man. Honestly? I didn’t really care. I was just glad that it was Rory.

“Be gentle with me, Isaac,” Rory said in my ear before nipping my lobe. I knew he didn’t mean physically and during sex. He meant with his heart.

“I’ll do my best, Rory.” I grunted as I started to take him harder. “I’ve been a fuckup all my life, but I don’t want to be with you. I swear I’ll always listen to you, so please just promise you’ll tell me when I mess up.”

“If you do the same with me,” he moaned as I thrust into him faster.

“Yes, I promise.” We didn’t say anything for a few moments, simply enjoying our first time together. I leaned up enough so I could stare into his bright blue eyes, getting lost in their depths. “Baby, I’m getting close. Are you ready to come with me?”

“Claim me, my mate,” he answered instead, tilting his neck submissively. I growled my approval, my fangs extending even further at the sight. Leaning over, I licked his neck a few times, getting a full-body shiver from Rory.

I struck fast, excited to claim him. Rory’s blood was just as much heaven as being inside of him was. He was like sweet cherry wine, and I knew I’d be forever addicted to my mate. As I drank him down, my body lit up like a flame. I’d had human and vampire blood before, but never shifter. Did they all taste this good, or was it just because he was my mate?