STORY EXCERPT

“Having second thoughts?” the cocky dominant werewolf drawled. Shane spun, glared at Colton who took out a cigarette from the back pocket of his jeans. Colton offered him one stick, but he shook his head.

“Suit yourself,” Colton said, lighting his smoke.

“No, I want to do this,” Shane insisted, answering Colton’s earlier question. “I’m just nervous, that’s all.”

“Because it’s your first time out in the world alone?”

Shane felt his entire body go still at those words. He stared at Colton, who took off his battered leather jacket, revealing arms the size of pistons, covered in ink and bandages. More peeked from under the dominant wolf’s chest. Did Colton just come back from a fight or something?

Every inch of this man, this wolf screamed dangerous. Colton was the kind of man his aunt warned him to stay away from. Trouble of the highest degree. Tangling with Colton would lead to regret. Heartbreak. Not too late to back away, mention he forgot he had something to do, but the last thing Shane wanted was to leave. Something told him running away would only lead to regrets.

“How did you come to that conclusion?” Shane asked. Annoyed Colton drew a smoke slowly, he marched up Colton, snatched the cigarette from his fingers, and put it out with the heel of one sneaker. “You shouldn’t smoke anyway. Shifters can get lung cancer, too.”

Another dominant shifter would’ve growled, reprimanded him for his actions, but Colton only leveled that amused stare at him. Under the dim light of the motel room, Colton’s dark chocolate eyes looked more feral, had flecks of gold in them. Shane wanted to stand on tiptoe, run his fingers though that mess of black silken hair, over the slight dusting of stubble across Colton’s jaw and cheeks. To see what lay under that shirt. To touch. Pet those muscles, if Colton allowed him.

His heart started beating so fast, Shane wondered if it would suddenly gain wings and burst out of his chest. His skin felt fever hot. Shane didn’t feel like himself, like he was on uneven ground. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this much attraction to anyone, because he barely felt an echo of desire for any of his former pack members. Wrong, his Omega wolf whispered. None of them were right for him, especially Pierce.

What the hell was happening to him?

“How did you know?” he asked, remembering Colton’s earlier question. “Just now, you came to the conclusion it was my first time, well, doing everything.”

“Not hard to figure out. Most Omegas are kept close by their packs, but no one’s with you and I don’t see a mate mark on your neck either.”

This wolf was observant, Shane realized. All of Aunt Joanne’s stories about loners came back to him, nomad shifters not bound by any rules or pack. Predators who didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the weak, and Omegas fell on the bottom of the ladder.

Colton’s eyes had turned a bright shade of gold. When Colton curved his mouth to a smile, Shane spotted his slightly sharpened canines. His heart was in his throat. The dominant wolf looked more feral now, his animal side rising to the surface.

“W-what’s going to happen now?” Shane asked.

“You know the answer to that, Omega. You knew the answer to that the moment you decided to come with me.”

Shane remembered. Felt the stares of all the shifters in the bar when Colton asked him if he was coming. When he entered the bar, each of them approached him, made him offers. He saw the anger flash in their eyes when he refused their advances, knew they’d try something again. Colton looked like the baddest monster in the room. Shane sought him for refuge, never expecting to feel the instantaneous, invisible magnetic pull between them.

“I’m a virgin,” Shane blurted.

Colton blinked, and for a few moments, Shane noticed his face softened. “And you’re sure you still want this? You’ve been saving yourself for someone, haven’t you?”

“There’s no one,” Shane said. “I waited until the right man came along, but it never happened.”

“So you’re settling on me?” Colton didn’t sound mad.

“The moment I spotted you I knew one thing. I wanted you to claim me, even if it’s for one night.”

Colton approached him, tipped his chin with his fingers, forcing Shane to look at him. “Then I accept your gift, little Omega. Your ass is mine.”

Crude words but Shane didn’t mind. He thought he was the kind of guy who preferred romance, flowers, dates, a slow pace. Shane was wrong. What he wanted was rough, unapologetic. Savage. Colton could give that all to him.

Colton lowered his mouth to his, stubble tickling against Shane’s smooth skin, but he liked the coarse texture. The dominant wolf didn’t kiss—he took. Teeth clashed. Tongues tangled. Colton thrust his tongue down Shane’s throat, and he ceased to think. Shane forgot all his troubles, about the lies he told Colton and everyone else. He wasn’t merely passing by. He’d never been free. Shane was running away.

Those facts didn’t matter now. Colton pulled away, leaving him panting, yearning for more. Colton reached for the hem of his shirt, silent question in his gaze.

“Yes,” Shane said. “A thousand times yes. Take me, Colton. I’m all yours, even for a moment.”

Shane would imprint the memory of tonight in his head forever.

ADULT EXCERPT

“No one will touch you again, except me,” Colton said, breathing hard, voice harsh.

For some reason, that possessive tone only made him shudder in anticipation. Shane had never experienced this before, having someone who cared so deeply about him, who wouldn’t hesitate to go after those who hurt him. Heady addiction and Colton was his choice of drug.

Falling for the bad boy never crossed his mind before, yet here he was, begging a dangerous man, a lethal werewolf to claim Shane as his own.

Shane reached for his boxers, but Colton grew impatient and used his claws to shred the fabric, unveiling his thickening dick. Shifters were used to nudity, but it never sat comfortably with Shane.

In his old pack, when the time came for the weekly run, he always hid in the bathroom. He shifted where no one could look at him. Standing in front of Colton however, felt natural, although he still felt a little shy.

Colton smirked, devil in his smile while Shane turned red. “So hard for me already.”

“Look who’s talking,” he blurted, staring at Colton’s crotch. “You still have your clothes on.”

Colton took a few steps away from him and sank into the armchair in the living room. Then the dominant wolf crooked a finger at him, beckoning Shane to come closer. Did Colton change position because he saw Shane’s bruises and wanted him to feel more comfortable?

He approached his wolf, halted to appreciate the sight of Colton taking off his jacket, then his shirt. Shane licked his lips at the sight of hard muscles and ink. Colton chucked off his pants and underwear, kicked off his shoes.

“There. We’re now even,” Colton said.

He slid into Colton’s lap, dug his heels into the muscles of Colton’s legs. Shane felt Colton’s hand hovering on his ass, giving him a little push forward until their dicks kissed. He groaned, turned on as Colton left smears of pre-cum over his belly. Colton gave his left ass cheek a squeeze.

Six months ago, Shane lost himself in the moment, surrendered to Colton, but he held bits of himself back, knowing he had to leave his wolf when morning arrived. This time, he would give Colton everything, without hesitation, because Colton promised to keep him. There was no turning back. Time to stop looking backward and turn towards the future, their future.

* * * *

Lucky. Colton thought he needed to work a little harder to convince Shane the Omega wasn’t going anywhere. Seemed like his problem was solved, except it wasn’t. In the back of his head, Colton knew he had to do a little more digging. On Pierce, the fucker after his Omega, because he wouldn’t let scum like that continue to stalk his mate. Pierce didn’t know it yet, but the tables had been turned. It was time he became the hunted, not the hunter.

Right now though, Colton only had eyes for the Omega rubbing himself shamelessly against Colton. So good. Colton groaned. He reached between Shane’s legs, curled his fingers around Shane’s cock, and started working it, back and forth, up and down.

Shane grabbed his shoulders, moaned against him. Such a sweet sound. Colton wanted to hear it again. He gave the tip of Shane’s dick a squeeze, moved his fingers lower, past Shane’s cease, to his Omega’s puckered entrance. Shane came to him six months ago, a virgin.

“You let anyone else put their dick in you?” he had to ask, to know. Colton’s wolf would shred whoever dared to touch what rightfully belonged to him.

Shane shook his head. “That a trick question? I had no time to date, and besides, you also did a number on me, ruined any other guy for me.”

That answer pleased both man and wolf immensely. “Had to be certain.”

“Why, you going to hunt down…” Shane trailed off, widened his eyes. “You would, wouldn’t you?”

“I’m not a good guy. You know this, yet that fact never seems to scare you away,” Colton said.

“Why would it? Colton, you came when I called, even when you didn’t need to. We only had one night, but those few hours, you loved me more fiercely than anyone could.”

“And I intend to do it again, and again.” Colton pushed a finger inside Shane’s hole, recalling how Shane blushed and told him that night that Omegas were self-lubricating.

Shane had been ashamed of that fact, even though Colton would think he was a freak. Colton pushed a second digit in. His Omega was so ready for him, but he made twisting motions all the same, prepping Shane for access.

One ride. That was all Colton promised himself. His Omega had been through a lot. He should let Shane rest, but both of them wanted, no, needed this. To reconnect on the most intimate level, for their wolves, their souls to touch again.

“Please,” Shane uttered.

Colton pulled his hand away, positioned his cock into Shane’s waiting entrance. Gripping Shane’s hips, he pushed in, slow and steady. He gritted his teeth, knowing he shouldn’t shove all the way in, not yet. Once he pushed past that stubborn ring of muscle, the passage went smoother, easier. He buried himself all the way in, felt Shane expel a breath against him.

The Omega dug his fingers into his shoulders, groaning.