STORY EXCERPT

As Stanley sat under a tree on a wistful summer day, he was watching the cubs play when his attention was drawn to Mason as it always was. The man was a study in contrasts. One minute he would look stern and mean. Someone who made other men step across the street to avoid him. In the blink of an eye, his entire demeanor would change. He would smile and laugh and his pack would gravitate right to him.

At the moment, Mason was slowly walking around talking with three other pack members, along with the elders, about installing a water system. The old water pipes were badly in need of replacement.

As a habit, he also had a toddler on his hip, who was plastered to Mason’s side, looking up at him with adoring eyes. Cubs were attracted to him like a magnet and as he walked, he didn’t even seem to notice the child was getting ice cream on him.

Mason simply didn’t care if his shirt got a little dirty. He adored cubs, as much as they did him.

How could a man like that be bad? Stanley didn’t think it was possible. Add to that the way he treated the “pack’s flower,” as he called Stanley with affection, and it just didn’t ring true.

Even if Stanley couldn’t have this wonderful man, he knew he would never forget him. But things being the way they were, he knew it was time for him to go.

He got up, dusted himself off, walked to the alpha’s house, and pulled a letter out of his pocket, laying it on Mason’s desk. Then he turned, picked up his last laptop, walked to his car, and left Burchston Cliff Pack for good. His mission here was finished.

Mason walked into his office an hour later, expecting to find Stanley at work, but the small man wasn’t there. As he turned to go find him, he noticed something missing on his desk. Stanley’s laptop was gone. Instead, there lay an envelope and he knew that writing.

The alpha pulled the letter out of the envelope. He opened the letter and started reading.

Mason,

Don’t bother looking for me, as I’ll be gone by the time you find this. I was sent to Vinson by the FBI, my employer. They wanted to know how much money Andrei had and what exactly he was into and who he was working with, as the man handled obscene amounts of cash. More importantly to my employers was where all the money went, as they and the IRS are dying to get their hands on it.

When I originally accepted this task, you were an assignment to me, a file and photo and nothing more. I didn’t know you at all.

Now? You and your pack have come to mean a great deal to me. You’re all good, hard-working people. Folks who squabble, argue, and yell. Snarl and growl, but who love each other like crazy and would die in a heartbeat to save their brothers and sisters. I don’t want to even think about the cubs as it tears me up to leave them.

The bureau wanted me to take everything that Andrei had stolen, basically leaving you the way I found you. There was no way I could that, so I didn’t precisely follow their instructions.

Yes, I did tell them where Andrei’s money came from, which he skimmed while laundering money for the Russian mob, some of their associates, and most of the Columbian cartels. I documented how much he had at any one time over the last twelve years. I “found” around ninety million and turned it over to my office.

As far as they know, that’s all there was left. As I told my boss, my guess was his working partners took the rest as the accounts had been recently cleaned out. Go figure, no honor among thieves.

What little was left over, I thought I might as well leave you and the pack to tide you over, so you’ll find a bank book in the safe.

Don’t worry about taxes and such. As I am very good at what I do, no one will be able to track those funds. There is an account number in the book. Don’t lose it, as you will not be able to get into the account without it. The Swiss don’t use names.

I have already set the account up to transfer small amounts of interest to the pack general fund as a monthly stipend. I hope this helps you and your people. Just don’t use the principal. The interest I assure you will be more than enough to complete projects. Just go on the way you have been and keep a low profile.

I say this because you are not only on the FBI and IRS’s radar, but also Andrei’s business partners. The Russian mob and certain Columbian cartels don’t like people skimming, which is exactly what your ex-alpha was doing to line his own pockets.

Leave the book, the numbers, and your laptop in your new safe and do what you do best, take care of your pack.

You’re a good man, Mason Nichols, and it was my honor and pleasure to spend time with you. If things had been different—I know we could have made a go of it, as I came to care deeply about the Burchston Cliff Pack’s alpha.

Take care of your people and take care of yourself for me.

Sincerely,

Stanley

ADULT EXCERPT

“Gods I’ve missed you so much, baby. You took my very soul with you when you left.”

Stanley heard the words and tears blurred his eyes. He had missed the big man just as desperately. Need and want built in his small frame until he couldn’t concentrate on anything but the feel of his mate and the words of love he was softly mouthing into his skin.

Stanley felt his painfully hardened shaft being stroked, then his balls being caressed and tugged. The big hand slid onto the smooth spot between balls and his star and stroked. One finger went into his hole and that’s all it took.

Stanley screamed and came with such force the very act of ejaculation was painful. Determination took over and he reached down and put both hands around the massive erection. He felt the silky skin with the steel strength beneath, and pumped. Sliding his body down, he licked the huge dark-red tip, sticking his wiggling tongue in the slit and bringing up moans and groans from Mason, whose body started to arch. He licked all around the gorgeous cock, like it was a triple-decker ice cream cone. Taking all he could into his mouth, which wasn’t much more than the helmet, Stanley sucked, hollowing out his cheeks. He whirled his tongue, hitting the bundle of nerves underneath, causing a loud groan from his mate. His mate.

Yes, this man was his mate and beloved. He’d known that from the moment he’d lay eyes on him in Vinson and now finally they could love each other and be loved as mates should.

Mason arched up off the bed, popping his cock out of Stanley’s mouth, and came with a vengeance. Spray after spray of white pearls left his body as he cried out Stanley’s name. When finally he relaxed, he grabbed the small man and held him tight to his body.

Many minutes later as Stanley lay cuddled into his mate, he said, “I lied. When we first met? I lied when you asked how we know our mate. I hope you understand. It was something they made me learn to do.

“I was just going to do a job and go home. And then there you were and I knew. We know our mates by sight.

“ I knew the instant I looked into your beautiful gold eyes, Mason. I’m sorry. That’s why I didn’t let you mate me, because it wouldn’t be fair to you, knowing what I did about wolves and their mating habits. It’s so much harder for you to lose a mate and if I had done it, let you bite me and bond with me and then left, you could have died. I couldn’t live with that. So I lied. I have no excuse, other than being concerned for you,” the small man said. Getting no reaction from Mason he continued.

“If it helps at all, I became mated to you when I saw your eyes. We don’t have to do anything but see our mate’s eyes and it’s a done deal for us. I never stood a chance,” Stanley said as he looked away from Mason, too afraid of what he’d say next.

“So you’re telling me you have actually been mated to me all this time? And I suppose you were faithful to your mate. Yes?” Mason growled.

Stanley sat up, squared his shoulders, and straightened his spine. He turned and looked at Mason. “Yes, I was true and faithful to you and you want to know why? Ask me why, Mason. Why would I be faithful after lying at every turn and betraying my mate and, and…”

The tears were now rolling down his face. “I was faithful because I fell in love with you. The man I watched work with his people, walking around carrying a child on his hip.

“Taking care of his people with his own money, who does that? Calling the king of wolves with his hat in his hand and swallowing his own pride to take care of his pack. That man, Mason, I fell in love with him. We’re not wolves. We can still have sex with someone not our mate, so I’ve been told, but I wouldn’t know. I had no desire after you. I didn’t want anyone else.” Stanley was practically yelling at this point, with his black eyes shooting sparks of passion as he spoke.

“Prove it,” Mason said low and carefully.

“How?”

“Submit to me completely. Let me in totally, into your life, your heart, as your mate and as your partner. Be my equal in all things. But give me complete dominion over you in the bedroom.” Mason spoke with a slight howl.

“What? How?”

Mason looked at him and said, “Hands and knees, no crying, no whining, keep your eyes forward. Put your hands on the headboard, just you and me, total honesty for the first time.”

“Okay,” Stanley said slowly as he got on his hands and knees and waited.

Mason had looked around upon his arrival, finding some interesting things in the dresser. He got up and took something out of one of the dresser drawers, placing it on the bed. Then another piece and another hit the bed.

Stanley started to turn his head to see what Mason was doing but at that point, Mason dropped something over his eyes and everything went dark.

“Mason?”

“Hush. I did not give you permission to speak.” Something slid across his back and buttocks. It felt like leather. Oh my gods was Mason going to whip him? The feel of something cool and round went down his crease making him give a full body shudder, next a feather. A feather? It slid from the nape of his neck down his spine to his crease. It slid between the his butt cheeks, touching his balls and swirling around his dripping shaft making him crazy with want. Stanley couldn’t remember ever being so turned on. He felt like he could almost fly with what Mason was doing to him. It went on and on. Different spots, different tools.

Stanley always thought being whipped was for sickos, but when he was lightly slapped with leather, he was so unprepared for the sensation it brought up in him he jumped, his chattering turning into a song. He was slapped again with the leather, this time it stung, and he heard his alpha, his love, and his mate, say one word.

“Come.”