STORY EXCERPT

After giving Robin a kiss, Titan ignored his angry bear’s protest at leaving their mate and left the truck to join Silver, Cameron, Sasha, Owen, and the rest of the guard. He had almost reached them when the screams started.

Titan turned to see the door to his truck open, and Robin staggered out. Titan froze in horror at the sight of Robin tearing out chunks of hair and ripping at his dress. The pain in his shrieks was so clear, a mirror of the agony tore at Titan’s soul.

Before Titan could react, the sight of Robin’s pale skin was revealed as well as tattoo covering the length of one thigh.

“He has the mark of the jackal,” one of Clayton’s guard yelled.

Amid the tattoo of a long-stemmed flower, a half-moon blinked from purple to putrid lime green. The flicker of colors sped up the more frenzied Robin became.

“Kill him,” another of Clayton’s guard bellowed.

One moment Titan was human, the next, a furious Kodiak Grizzly bear. To a chorus of shouts, he raced over to Robin and covered the small man with his huge, hairy, bear body.

A blow to his hip almost knocked him off his mate. Titan turned, swiped at the attacker, and sent him flying.

Titan bared his teeth and roared his displeasure. All around, grizzlies were fighting with grizzlies. No one backed down. The vicious battle between the different branches of the Kodiak family continued, except for the two massive men facing each other in the middle of the bedlam. Silver stood calm and impressive. The white patch of hair startling against the rich mahogany covering the rest of his head. The darker-haired Clayton equally broad and carrying the air of cold authority. Titan curled his lip at the other alpha.

Snarls, bellows, and howls of pain filled the night as the fight progressed. Titan swiped at a few more bears who thought to take his prize. He allowed no one close.

In unison, the alphas raised one hand and bent their fingers. The universal military signal indicated for all to freeze.  Movement ceased, and silence reigned.

“Change,” both men ordered. The will of the alphas rushed over the group.

Titan tried to resist. His bear needed to protect their distressed mate.

Silver’s power would not be denied. Titan took his human form. He looked down and discovered Robin lay motionless, with glazed eyes staring at nothing and mouth hanging open. True fear grabbed Titan. Had he lost his mate? When Robin’s chest moved some of Titan’s concern retreated. A spark of life meant hope.

“Get into the vehicles,” Alpha Clayton ordered his men. “Our guests are leaving.”

“Load up,” Silver instructed. “We have an injured mate to take home.”

By the frowns and the thinned lips, Clayton’s men weren’t any happier than Titan’s cousins to be stopped from trying to kick some ass. None of them were stupid enough to disobey their alpha and followed their leader’s wishes.

“Come, Titan. I’ll drive your truck.”

Titan looked up to see Cameron standing beside him. He had to admit he would have thought the easier going Owen would have been the one to offer his help. Cameron tended to be more of a recluse and embrace his bear instincts.

“I’m afraid to move him,” Titan admitted.

Cameron rested his hand on Titan’s shoulder. “You have no choice. We are on the verge of war with the Clayton Kodiak side of the family. Pick him up. Either he lives or dies.”

Titan wanted to tell Cameron to go to hell, but Robin’s whimper incited him to gather his fragile mate into his arms and hurry to his truck.

Behind him, he heard Silver say, “We will talk soon.”

“So be it,” Clayton replied.

Titan entered the truck and settled back into the passenger seat. Cameron started the engine and waited for the wall of vehicles blocking the road to move. Titan would give the Clayton clan sixty seconds. If they still blocked his truck, he would go on a killing rampage that would make World War II look like an Easter egg hunt.

Robin twitched, pulling Titan away from his thoughts of retribution. His heart hurt for his mate. Deep bleeding gouges cover the small man where he’d used his nails to claw at his body. Bare patches on his head oozed pale pink liquid. Titan had no idea if the hair would ever grow back. Titan held Robin close and shared his bear’s heat.

“Is he alive?”

“Yeah,” Titan answered.

Titan took in Robin’s pale face and dark circles under his eyes. At least the man had calmed. He wondered what had triggered the episode and vowed to never let it happen again.

“Good, I’d hate to have to put you down.”

Titan looked over at Cameron. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Cameron’s lip curled at Titan’s aggression. Titan refused to back down and held Cameron’s gaze. He didn’t give a flying fuck if he pissed off the dominating man. Talk of killing him was not on the table.

“Finish bonding with your mate.” Cameron turned back to the now open road, and the truck started moving. “That way, if your mate dies, you will die. Right now, his death would send you into a killing insanity. Your only mercy would be for one of us to end your life.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Wonderful minutes passed in a sea of connection between their mouths and Titan stroking Robin’s prick. He explored the weeping cockhead and slim shaft until he cradled Robin’s ball sac. He caressed the skin between the sac and Robin’s hole before pressing his fingertip against the small opening.

When Robin stiffened, Titan lifted his head and tried to gauge the man’s expression. The frown and refusal to meet his gaze raised Titan’s hackles.

“There will only be truth between us, little bird.” Titan waited for Robin to look at him before continuing, “Are you a virgin? Have you any sexual experience?”

“Yes, I mean, no.” Robin shook his head before glaring up at Titan. “Why are you asking me this? What if I asked you how many lovers you’ve had? How would you like that?”

“I would answer you by saying I’ve had many lovers.” Titan refused to lie or gloss over the matter. “I’ve been with women and men. I’ve tried bottoming but prefer to top. Is there anything else you’d like to know?”

Color flushed Robin’s cheeks, and he lowered his gaze. “No.”

Titan rolled them over until Robin was stretched out on top of him. He enjoyed the slight weight of the naked man’s sexy slim body. Titan’s cock jerked with need. Thoughts of joining with and completing his mating with Robin started crowding out all other thoughts.

Titan spread Robin’s legs until the man’s knees rested on each side of his hips. He caressed the smooth skin on the back of Robin’s thighs and followed those legs up to that glorious ass.

“My pre-cum will lubricate, open, and ease the way for my cock to claim you,” he murmured. “Are you ready to become my mate?”

Robin lowered his head and rested his forehead against Titan’s chest. “No, yes.”

Titan blinked at Robin’s whispered words. What the hell?

“Are you rejecting me?”

Robin lifted his face. Pure misery glistened in his over bright eyes, flushed skin, and trembling mouth.

“I’ve tried lots of toys and couldn’t tolerate any of them touching me for long.” Robin sniffed and wiped at his nose. “I’ve never been with an actual person.”

Call him a caveman or animal, but Titan liked that answer.

“I think we have a lot to learn about each other,” he commented.

“Titan,” Silver interrupted.

He had forgotten his alpha was still present. Titan held onto Robin when he would have moved away and glanced over at Silver.

Claim your mate. I sense a group of humans has invaded our land. Their intentions are aggressive.

* * * *

Robin almost jumped out of his skin when the alpha spoke. He attempted to slide off Titan, but the frustrating man wouldn’t let him go anywhere. Robin ended up trying to cover his bare ass with his hand, which, to his humiliation was sticking up in the air for everyone to see.

Thank goodness Titan cooperated a little and rolled them over until Robin was hidden underneath his big body.

“Titan.” Robin pushed against Titan’s chest. “I don’t think me, sex, and an audience is a good match.”

“Listen to me.” Titan grasped Robin’s shoulders and gave him a small shake. “Until I claim you as the mate of my soul and the one of my heart, my bear is at his most volatile. If anyone would get close to you right now, my bear will take over and go on a frenzied killing spree. Silver senses people are coming this way. If we don’t complete our mating, they could all be dead in minutes. Our bond is strong enough that if they managed to kill me, you would die also.”

Robin melted. What beautiful words. He was Titan’s heart and soul. Wait, what? Robin’s thoughts skidded to a halt. Someone was coming, and there’d be a bloodbath unless he and Titan did the dirty? The dying could include him? Damn, just damn.

His heart sank, and sadness threatened to bring tears. Everything had happened so fast. One minute his mind and body had been tossed into oblivion. The next second, he found himself naked and instead of trying to kill him like all the others, a bear shifter was trying to make Robin his mate.

Riding on the overwhelming feelings of the moment was one thing. What would happen when reality came crashing in? Robin cupped Titan’s handsome face.

“Titan, I’m scared.”

The man above Robin seemed to grow bigger. Muscles rippled, and Titan’s features became granite harden. And yet, the hands stroking down the length of Robin’s body were gentle.

“Hold on to me, little bird.” Titan pressed a firm kiss on Robin’s lips. “From now on, life is us, together. Whatever transpires, good or bad, you and I will face it as a team.”

Titan’s declaration warmed the cold deadness of the last few years. Robin wanted to think life would now be filled with wine and roses but knew reality sometimes resembled yucky pea soup.

“What if we don’t get along?” Granted, their chemistry was off the charts, but they couldn’t spend all their time in bed.

“We’ll make love until the problems aren’t so monstrous any longer.”

Okay, the man thought sex was the answer. Robin wasn’t so sure he agreed with that idea. His doubts sailed away when Titan spread Robin’s legs and brushed the smooth head of his cock against the sensitive skin of his hole.

“What are you doing?” Okay, not the smartest question. The answer was obvious.

“Silver has left to give us some privacy and is calling in reinforcements to be ready when the intruders arrive. I’m going to seal our bond before he comes back.”

Robin’s temper sparked even as he registered tantalizing wetness and tingling on his most private spot.

“Gee, I guess we’d better hurry,” he snapped. “It’s too bad I didn’t even rate dinner and a movie.”