STORY EXCERPT

Trip Highland had a secret he couldn’t share with his pack. Wind caught his hair while he adjusted the scope on his rifle as he sighted a wolf. He felt like World War III was about to break out between the fractions. He’d sat back and waited for far too long. It was time to come forward with what he knew to be true.

The Black Forest closed in around him as though it were suffocating him. It wasn’t the first time he’d ever had that feeling when within his territory. Shadows played around the wolf he was watching. Trip was certain that he could feel the malevolence, too. Trip was flat on his belly in a thicket of trees for cover, hoping the wolf didn’t catch his scent.

He exhaled deeply as the wolf he was tracking stopped for water in the stream. It lapped hungrily at the water, its long tongue rippled and splashed in the clear blue. Trip exhaled again as his finger smoothed over the trigger with the softest touch. The wolf jerked his head up. Fear raced through the animal’s eyes as it scanned the forest behind him in the opposite direction of Trip.

What had he heard?

Sweat beaded his forehead. Careful not to accidentally shoot, he eased his finger down to the ready position. Hesitation had Trip second-guessing this culling. What was wrong with him? He had a job he was paid to do but at the same time he was loyal to his pack, too. Through the scope on Trip’s rifle, he watched the wolf. If one less wild wolf went down, why should it bother him? Deep down, it did. Eventually, he needed to get over it and start shooting some wolves. When he signed his contract with the state, they had demanded a body count. He needed to start producing one or he wasn’t going to get paid. All of that aside, he tracked the wolf with his scope.

An overpowering sensation started in his belly and spiraled out through his limbs. He frowned as one word shot through his head as though the rifle in his hands had fired. Mate.

Stunned, he blinked several times as though he were trying to erase what he knew to be true. This wolf was a shifter. Why the fuck was he claiming this wolf as his mate? He’s mine. Before he could stop it from happening, the wolf that lived deep inside of him was begging to get out to claim his mate. Trip took several deep breaths, trying to ease the urge to shift. He closed his eyes and opened them again. From his vantage point, he had a perfect shot. He should take the shot. He’s fucking mine! The wolf inside of him snarled the words through his head. Trip winced. He hated when his wolf got pushy and tried to take over.

He glanced around the forest, looking at what had the wolf so scared. It was then that Trip knew the wolf was being hunted by someone else too. Taking no chances, he scanned the forest where the wolf was looking. Besides all the green ferns and thick trees, there was definitely something else closing in around him.

Wind caught, blowing through the trees. What had him running scared? The wolf was frightened, but he was standing his ground with his ears perked and his gaze locked onto the forest behind him. The fact that the wolf was alone in the forest had Trip thinking about the possibility of the wild wolves being after him. In fact, he knew they were when he saw the ringleader appear in his human form with his cronies behind him. They had yet to spot the wolf they were tracking.

All of Trip’s senses went on high alert. He did not want to see them massacre this wolf in front of him. He adjusted the scope as he tried to decide what he was going to do and how involved he was going to get. Trip’s finger moved across the trigger as he thought about taking a shot at the ringleader. But he knew that would start a war. They were already in a war. But he didn’t want to escalate the conflict right now. Not when he was alone out in the forest.

Trip watched through the corner of his eye as the wolf moved, cowering away. What were they to him? What was he to them? Trip wanted to know. He did not want to see them tear this wolf apart. Against his better judgment, Trip decided he was going to fire a warning shot. He angled the rifle, pointing it off toward the east and away from the men who were now circling the wolf. He fired several shots into the embankment to the left of the wolves.

Birds in the trees took off. It’d been so long since any wildlife had come into the forest. He was sure he had just scared them off for another six months. The shifters scattered like cockroaches when the lights were flicked on. He fired off ten more rounds to keep them from cornering the injured wolf again. It was a bad idea to get involved in this fight but he was about to do it anyway.

ADULT EXCERPT

Easton closed his eyes but he couldn’t ignore the feel of Trip’s well-muscled body pressed tightly to his. His rim tingled with a sweet anticipation as imagined what could happen between them. He arched his ass out, unconsciously rubbing it against the Trip’s hips.

“You’re not sleeping.”

“Maybe I’m tired of sleeping. Maybe I need something else to distract me right now.”

A low growl vibrated over Trip’s lips as he kissed his way over Easton’s neck. Their mouths met in a hungry kiss that stole all of Easton’s senses away. Trip flicked his tongue urgently against Easton’s as his Dom’s hands tightened down on his arms. They smoothed down over his back and onto his ass, giving his ass cheeks a rough squeeze. Trip pulled him on top of his body, taking advantage of his position to explore the contours of his back with his big hands.

By the time Trip broke his lips away Easton lost all sense and ability to stop what was happening between them. Trip moved away from the bed, opening up the curtain sending in moonlight into the room. With the moonlight shining behind him, Trip pulled his black T-shirt over his head in one move. He dropped it across the chair by the windows. The muscles in his shoulders and abdomen rippled as he moved. Stunned by his pure raw beauty, East just sat on his bed with his hard-on tenting his boxers and his mouth gaping open. Trip was the most amazing man he’d ever laid eyes upon. Why would he even want someone like him?

“Undress for me.”

Those three simple words were so complex and possessive. East bit his lip as he tried to slow the hammering of his heart. With every hard beat of his heart, his cock wept with pre-cum. He was going all in with this man and he wasn’t about to fold anytime soon. Slowly, Easton got out of bed and dropped his boxers to the ground. His cock was hot and heavy between his legs and ready to be used—all access, all night long. Trip crossed the room and gave him a possessive kiss, wrapping his hands around the back of his neck and threading his fingers into his hair. He kissed him with everything. Their tongues snapped together like machine-gun fire.

Easton grabbed hold of Trip’s hips, not wanting to let go anytime soon. Trip pulled away, gently taking his hands in his as he stepped back. “Trip?”

“I’m a Dom and I’m about to make you my submissive. You need to pick a safe word. Like a code word to get me to stop if I take things too far.”

Confusion swam through Easton’s body before he realized what he was saying. “I’m not planning on coding when I’m with you.”

Trip grinned, coming in close to stroke his cock. East groaned as his hand twisted down his shaft and back up, smearing his pre-cum over his palm. Ever so gently, Trip started to increase the pressure on his cock. At first, the pressure was about to make his cockhead pop off, but then ever so slowly it started to cause the most seductive pain. East wanted more of it.

“This is why you need to tell me. I can’t tell by looking at you, if I’m hurting you.”

“It feels so good. Don’t stop.”

“So, you’re a pain whore?”

Sweat dripped off Easton’s temple as his cock grew harder. He licked his lips nervously. “Yes.”

Trip loosened his grip on his cock and came in close to his ear. “Pick a safe word or I won’t be giving you anything more tonight.”

His Dom nipped at his ear, causing a shiver of heat to rush through his blood and a shot of cum to shoot out of his tip. His cum landed on Trip’s flexed abdomen.

“Red.”

“Good choice.”

Trip walked away, going toward his walk-in closet. Easton wondered what he was doing in there. He heard him going through things and searching through the drawers. He didn’t stop until he found what he was looking for and came back into the room. He carried leather belts in his right hand. Trip dropped the leather belts onto the bed, picking the first one up. He smoothed it between his hands, snapping it in the air with a whack.

Easton wondered what he was going to do with all that leather. It wouldn’t be long before he found out. Trip smoothed the leather down over his ass, bouncing his ass cheeks up and down. He pulled the leather away and spanked him several times. Easton moaned, arching his ass out, loving the feel of the leather slapping against his ass.

“Hands on the wooden post.”

Easton did as ordered. Trip used one of the leather belts to tie his wrists to the post. He loved the way Trip took control of him, using him and showing him what he needed to do. With his hands bound, Trip went back to the closet to search for something else. He came back with one of his ties. He wrapped it around his head several times, blindfolding him. All of Easton senses were on high alert as Trip smoothed his hands down over his ass, giving it a possessive squeeze.

Every touch intensified with his vision and control taken away. Easton moaned, loving the feel of his Dom’s rough hands searching and taking control of his cock. His hand stroked down over his cockhead, giving it a hard squeeze. Pre-cum wept from his dick. Easton groaned, arching his ass out as Trip spanked him with a leather belt over and over again. The lashing felt so good. It was the right amount of pressure on his ass cheeks to warm them. He would have bruises the next day but they wouldn’t be bad ones. They would be just enough to remind Easton he was Trip’s and Trip’s alone.