Release Date: December 15
Available: eXtasy
Blurb:
On the
Road: Sometimes family makes decisions for you…and you just have to roll with
the punches.
Richard
Ponders joins the Tamang wolf pack when his younger brother, Crain, mates with
one of its members. When the pack gathers to celebrate passing the alpha mantle
from father to son, naming Abbott Tamang as alpha, Richard discovers his mate
is part of the Tamang pack, too…and it’s the new alpha. Sensing unrest in the
pack, Richard decides allowing the pack to settle is the safest thing for
everyone. Unfortunately, the choice is taken from him when Crain asks him to
come over and discuss more changes in pack dynamics, bringing him face to face
with Abbott. Now, not only will Richard be fighting for a position in his new
pack, he needs to fight for the trust of a man he’s been hiding from for weeks.
Can he and Abbott come to terms? Or will the unrest in their pack tear them
apart?
Excerpt:
Richard lowered his gaze and presented his neck to the alpha wolf,
and nearly croaked, “Alpha.”
Abbott growled low in his throat, the sound going straight to
Richard’s balls. His cock filled as he watched his sexy alpha stalk slowly
toward him, the man’s deep hazel eyes blazing.
“You call me alpha,” Abbott rumbled. “Yet, you know I’m your mate.
How did you know? We’ve never met.”
Richard slowly lifted his gaze and peered at him beneath his
lashes. “We haven’t, but you’re here often enough. I scented you…weeks ago,” he
admitted. The fire sparking in Abbott’s eyes warned Richard to watch his step.
Deciding he needed to be completely honest at this point, he added, “You’d just
been passed the alpha mantel by your father. Since Crain and I had just joined,
we remained on the outskirts.”
Meeting his alpha’s gaze carefully—hell, the guy might be his
mate, but the conflicting scents rolling off the man told of his inner turmoil—Richard
struggled to explain his reasoning. “Seeing you from a distance, I definitely
felt attracted to you. It wasn’t until I watched your brother hug you, then
return to me and Crain, and I caught your scent, that I realized why. You’re my
mate.”
“And you decided to hide this from me…why?” Abbott’s tone held
clear warning.
Part of Richard wanted to pounce on the man, wrestle with him,
challenge the other shifter’s wolf just for the thrill. He also knew getting
wrestled to the ground by this man would be fantastic foreplay.
Later,
he promised his randy dick and excited wolf.
Swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth, Richard softly
replied, “There is unrest in your pack. A few people aren’t happy with Diego
handing you the reins, thinking an alpha challenge was in order, instead. I
didn’t want the bigots I’ve overheard to add to the problems you might possibly
be facing.”
“Protecting me?” Abbot murmured, his brows lifting. “Is that your
intention?”
“Yes.” It was a simple thing to admit, yet, he knew his alpha
deserved more. “I was an enforcer in my birth pack for several years,” Richard
explained, trying to control his desires. Abbott had stopped directly in front
of him. With the wall at Richard’s back, he began to feel trapped, cornered,
and he struggled to control his need to move closer to Abbott—or step sideways
from the man—or even push into him—just to alleviate that sensation. He’d never
liked being cornered.
All those options could cause trouble.
Needing to get some space before he did something stupid,
he blurted the first thing that came to mind that might appease his alpha. “I’m
already used to controlling unrest. When you add that to you being my mate, I
thought only to lower the possibility of problems for you. That meant waiting
until your people settled before revealing myself.”
Unfortunately, Abbott didn’t back off at his words. He stepped
closer, pressing his big body against Richard. Sucking in a harsh breath,
Richard’s mind reeled as his man’s scent flooded his senses. His cock thickened
in his borrowed sweats. Abbott pinned him to the wall, nudging him with his
groin.
Richard hissed at the contact, his prick oozing. Spikes of
pleasure tingled in his balls and danced up his spine. It’d been so long since
he’d been intimate with another. It’d been so hard keeping his wolf in check.
Now, breathing in the other male’s earthy and wild scent, he feared he’d come
without even a touch.
Abbott, while only an inch taller than Richard, seemed to tower
over him as he leaned in and settled his weight against him. His eyes gleaming,
Abbott’s gaze roved over Richard’s face, his focus lingering on his mouth for
several long seconds. Richard fought the urge to lick his lips. Finally, the
alpha pinned him in place with a solemn stare.
“Even before we meet, you hide things from me, Richard,” he
rumbled, his displeasure clear. “You should have come to me, expressed your
concerns. Then, we could deal with the interlopers together, as mates should,
by standing at each other’s sides.”
Said like that, Richard could certainly see Abbott’s point of
view. “Shit.”
Before he could think up how to fix his mistake, Abbott chuckled
low in his throat. The move vibrated Richard’s chest, sliding the fabric of
Abbott’s t-shirt over his skin. Richard’s nipples beaded. The skin on his arms
goose-bumped.
When Abbott traced his thin, dry lips up his neck, Richard
shivered and tilted his neck, exposing his throat. His alpha nipped his tendon
lightly, then crooned, “You made a mistake, Richard.”
It wasn’t a question, but his name spoken by Abbott in that deep
croon, nearly fried his brain. “Yesss,” he hissed.
“And you won’t do that again, will you, mate?”
Abbott’s sultry tone caused Richard to want to agree to anything
the man said. “No, mate,” he murmured.
“Good,” Abbott whispered, nuzzling his neck, licking and nipping.
“We’re a team, aren’t we?”
“T-Team.” Richard panted, barely holding in his moan as he
submitted to this man. Losing some control, he bucked his hips, searching for
friction on his aching shaft. Abbott didn’t disappoint. He slid his jean-clad
leg between Richard’s thighs, pushing up against his balls.
“Fuck,” he groaned.
Abbott chuckled roughly. “Later, lover. Gonna mark you now. I’ll
ride your ass into submission later,” he growled.
He’d never admit it, but Richard whimpered.
Rumbling low in his throat, Abbott wrapped his jaws around the
point where Richard’s shoulder met his neck.
Richard shivered at the pressure. He rested his head against the
wall, giving Abbott more access. His breath came in harsh pants, anticipation
making his blood hum and his cock twitch.
“Abbott, wait.”
The alpha’s growl registered more to Richard than Aaric’s warning
cry.
It was Crain’s words that really cut through Richard’s
lust-induced haze. “Alpha, please,” Crain pleaded. “You can’t mark him before
the challenge.”
